#she like got the vibes of this auntie that would pat you and give you a candy

[gelyblue]

Fair enough, you should have known better before pulling a similar thing to teach your once subordinate 🤷‍♂️ --- Or Ruth finally taking her revenge in Lucy's style (the one from the Rookie)

[niawritess]

The Lovestruck~Chapter 24

(22 February)

8:30 pm

Baekhyun stopped his car, infront of your porch and you got out of the car before standing by the car hood and saw Baekhyun walking towards you. He was dressed in a blue sweater and black jeans, with his his hair down hiding his forehead slightly, giving him a soft look.

"Nervous?" You asked him, as he approached you and he nodded. "Can I hold your hand?"

"You don't have to ask." You smiled holding out your hand and he smiled back grabbing it, before interlocking it tightly. You could feel the sweat in his hand and the nervousness on his face.

"Hey, it's gonna be okay, it's just my parents." You brought your hand on the back of his hand and he sighed before leaning against the car hood with you.

"Easy for you to say, since they are your parents." He chuckled, while stroking his thumb over your hand. "I'm meeting my girlfriend's parents for the first time and I want everything to go well. when it's about you, I don't wanna risk it."

"Not me, but us, it's about us." You smiled. "And you don't have to do anything, just be yourself."

He stared at you amazed. "Strange, my mom said the same thing."

"Really?" You asked surprised and he chuckled at your reaction before you both heard your name being called out.

"Y/n!" You looked towards your house and saw your mom walking towards you both and Baekhyun immediately stood up.

"You're finally here!" She looked at Baekhyun before her head tilted in confusion. "Have we met before?"

"You must have seen him at the hospital, he was there too." You stated and she nodded. "Right, we couldn't even introduce eachother in hassle."

You held his hand pulling him by your side."Baekhyun, meet my mom."

"Hello, ma'am." Baekhyun bowed politely, whilst smiling shyly and your mom looked at him with heart eyes.

"Call me Aunty." She smiled. "I finally got to see you, I was really curious about my daughter's boyfriend as she was never interested having one but since Daniel and Ria talked about you a lot, I couldn't wait to see you."

Your mom showed her excitement and you could imagine him giving you a teasing smile as she was about to speak more, you stopped her and mouthed her to lead you both inside. She nodded and you all three started walking towards your house, you were walking between your mom and Baekhyun as he kept holding your hand and you also didn't let go.

Entering your house, you were all seated on your couch with your mom and dad opposite of you. As much as your dad is open-minded and cool person, he put a tough face infront of Baekhyun, since it's about his precious daughter's future.

Your dad kept asking questions, which Baekhyun answered politely and while doing so, you noticed your dad's face which was giving you a positive vibe.

Not long before, Baekhyun excused himself to the washroom, as he went upstairs to Daniel's room, you looked at your parents with a frown and they gave you confused look.

"What are you guys doing?" You narrowed your eyes and your dad shrugged, giving you the look of 'what did I do'.

"Y/n, tell me honestly. Where did you find such a handsome guy? Is he really your boyfriend?" Your mom showered you with questions and you shook your head while dad just rolled his eyes.

"Hold on, how does he know the washroom's way?" Your dad asked confusingly.

"Oh, he's been here before." You replied casually.

"What?! He was here before? You brought a man at home, in your parent's absence?!" You dad whisper-yelled, and about to expload.

Your enlarged your eyes. "What are you saying? Aunt jane was present and so were Daniel and Ria, and do you think I would just let anyone in?"

"Because it was Baekhyun and I trust him so you can too."

While you were telling this to your parents with a hush tone hoping Baekhyun wouldn't hear this but little did you know, Baekhyun was there and he heard everything you said which made his lips stretched in a smile.

Baekhyun entered the living room where your dad looked at him. "Should we have a talk?"

Baekhyun nodded nervously and you frowned as you looked at your dad who looked back at you seriously. "You, young lady, go and help your mom in the kitchen."

You frowned, pouting and were about to speak but you felt Baekhyun's hand slightly patting your forearm as you looked at him where he smiled reassuringly before you walked away in the kitchen.

You looked at your mom nervously. "What's he gonna do?"

She shrugged. "I don't know and don't worry, they won't be having a boxing match inside, so now come and help me with the dishes."

"Mom!"

Back to Baekhyun, who was sitting across him while rubbing his hands nervously before he heard your dad's voice making him sit up straight.

"To be honest with you.." He trailed off as his eyes went towards the kitchen where he got a glimpse of your figure hiding behind the wall making him roll his eyes which caught Baekhyun's attention as he followed his gaze and he bit his lip smiling at your action.

He cleared his throat. "Actually... I was kind of anxious about your relationship because it was surprising since she wasn't fond of dating and suddenly Dan told us about it so... it worried me that what kind of person she's dating and so on."

"But... That doubt slowly got away when I noticed how happy she's been these days and after talking to you, I'm not surprised that she chose you, it's like how I and her mother used to be." He added, with a smile but instantly dropped it as he remembered that he was supposed to act serious.

He sighed. "Y/n.. She's my precious daughter and as her father... I need to be assured if she's in right hands."

Baekhyun licked his lips as he took a deep breath. "As a father, I can't even imagine or understand the love you have for your daughter, maybe not until I become one. Y/n... She's an incredible woman and I know for sure that I am really lucky to have her by my side. "

"I don't know... How to say it in right words but I'll try my best to be the better person for her in every aspect."

Your dad blinked couple of times in surprise and couldn't say anything back as he was just too good with his words but at the same time, it really assured him.

He pushed his glasses up as he asked the question, testing him one last time. "If I don't approve of your relationship then what'll you do?"

Baekhyun gulped nervously. "Well, you are her father and it's understandable for you to do that, but of course I won't give up until you approve, because I can't give up on Y/n."

He looked at him in surprise again before he cleared his throat looking at him seriously. "Just letting you know, if you ever hurt my daughter, I won't spare you."

"Well, Y/n is enough for that." He spoke as a flashback of the beach scene crossed his mind where your smack almost had him kiss the ground.

Your dad laughed making Baekhyun look at him perplexed as he stood up before patting Baekhyun's shoulder. "Good luck with that."

And Baekhyun got it right away, he succeeded.

Meanwhile, you leaned against the wall peeking at them. "I can't hear anything!"

"Seriously, what's taking them so long?" You huffed. "It's not like I'm getting married or something! I think it's my fault for making him watch dramas with me."

Your mom sighed. "You are our one and only daughter and your well being is all we want, so think from your dad's perspective a little."

"Your dad is doing exactly what my dad did to him." She giggled recalling those days and you smiled.

"I like him." She suddenly uttered. "The way he looks at you, just explains everything."

"How does he look at me?"

"That you are the only one in his eyes and you, my daughter are lucky to have that." She said and you smiled. "I know."

All of a sudden, you both heard the sound of laughter filling up in the living room causing you both to walk out with a confused look and there, you saw them laughing at something. Baekhyun's eyes met your curious ones and he did an okay and then thumbs up sign before you both smiled at eachother.

At that moment, Daniel and Jae came back from outside. Daniel instantly walked towards Baekhyun as soon as he spotted him.

Jae approached Baekhyun with a serious face before erupting in a chuckle. "Hey man! We couldn't talk because I was in a hurry but I am not letting you off today. "

And there was that wave of nervousness again and You looked at Baekhyun then back to Jaehyun with a stern look. "Jae."

He snorted at your face as he raised his hands up surrendering. "Okay wonder woman. Chill, I am just kidding."

They both did a hand shake and the males got busy in their talks where your mom walked back in the kitchen while you were pulled back by your dad. "Have you been teaching him literature or something?"

You looked at him confusingly. "What?"

"How is he so good at words?" He asked with a curiosity and you bit your lip smiling. "Really? What did he say?"

"I'm not telling you." He spoke, making a face playfully and you pouted slapping his arm lightly making him do the same to you.

Soon, the dinner was served and as you knew Baekhyun had to wash his hands first, so you led him to the sink and then gave him the towel while your parents watched this sight with a smile.

Settling down at the dining table, your dad cleared his throat taking everyone's attention as he looked at Baekhyun. "I heard you have been here before, so how was it with Y/n's Aunt?"

You looked at Baekhyun's perplex expression and then to your dad as you mouthed. "What are you trying to do?"

He slightly gave a playful nod mouthing back. "Just let me be."

You just closed your eyes feeling bad for your boyfriend and looked at him as you grasped his hand in yours which was resting on his lap making him tightened it as he straightened himself. "Uh.. Well, she is nice.. just hard to get along."

The silence made Baekhyun even more nervous because Daniel and Jaehyun broke out in chuckles as Jaehyun gave him a thumbs up. "That was on point."

Your dad coughed out with a stern look and your mom looked at him. "It's true though."

He rolled his eyes making everyone chuckle as you began to eat dinner with Baekhyun placing the side dish in your food as he always do out of habit which got the attention of your family as your mom lightly squealed at his gesture making Baekhyun blush where he gave her a shy smile while continuing his food.

"Mom," Jaehyun whispered leaning towards her as he pointed towards you both. "Your daughter is being a girl."

She nudged him. "She is a girl, you brat."

As he got back to continue his food, out of nowhere, Daniel placed a side dish in Baekhyun's food making him smile and you smiled at the sight with your parents and you could feel that slowly everyone would take a liking to him and you were sure about that.

After the dinner, you were helping your mom in the kitchen with the dishes while your dad had a important business call to attend where he excused himself to his study room. Daniel had his school work to complete which he didn't wanted to since he wanted to spend time with Baekhyun but after getting the deadly glare from your mom, he didn't find any option but to do it, while Jaehyun and Baekhyun were upstairs, at the rooftop having their own conversation.

Doing the cheers with the can of beer together, they both took their sip while leaning against the swing placed in the middle of the rooftop.

"So..," Jaehyun trailed as Baekhyun looked at him confusingly and a little alert as if this was another question session like he had with your dad while looking at Baekhyun's expression, Jae chuckled. "Don't worry, I'm not my dad so I won't push you with those questions, just wanted to ask... How's it with my sister?"

Baekhyun smiled feeling relieved but soon, it turned wide thinking about you. "Well...I don't really have words to describe her but yeah.. I can say for sure that she's perfect."

Jaehyun gasped dramatically shaking his head. "That kid must have done something to you, right?"

Baekhyun chuckled shaking his head making Jaehyun laugh back. "I know it all. Potato doesn't really hide things from me and I am glad you are that person but still don't hurt her or my inner brother would come out at you."

Baekhyun laughed nodding as Jaehyun laughed back before taking the sip again until a voice caught their attention.

"What are you two talking about?"

There you stood, with your crossed arms wearing a blue hoodie as you made your way towards them, standing in front of them with a question look.

"I was talking about a devil and you appeared." Jaehyun smirked and earned a smack from you with a glare while Baekhyun bit his lip anticipating another show of brother sister before you plopped yourself between them.

"Can I have a sip too?" You asked and both of them instantly stretched their can away from your reach at the same time while shaking their heads making you scoff. "It's just a sip, okay! It's not like I would get drunk!"

Baekhyun shook his head firmly as he looked at you. "You're dangerous when you're drunk."

You frowned confusingly. "You said I didn't do anything."

"You drank?!" A high pitch exclaim from Jaehyun came made you and Baekhyun flinch as you both looked at him to see his shocked face. "You got drunk? And why didn't I know about this? Does dad know?"

"Doesn't she tell you everything?" Baekhyun questioned and Jaehyun glared at you. "I thought she did."

You rolled your eyes. "It wasn't something to brag about though."

"True or else you wouldn't be asking for sip right now." Jaehyun nodded before looking at Baekhyun smirking. "So.. What dangerous things she did?"

"Nothing." You stated and looked at Baekhyun gesturing him to say nothing but he being himself, just smiled smugly and looked at Jaehyun. "She told me about the shopkeeper."

Jaehyun laughed pinching your chin playfully and you slapped his hand away feeling embarrassed until Jaehyun decided to do it more.

"I know a major one, do you want to know?" He asked Baekhyun where he instantly nodded as if it's about you, he would gladly want to know everything about you and he knew for sure that it wouldn't lessen his love for you too.

"Don't!" You exclaimed at Jaehyun before covering Baekhyun's ear while shaking your head with a pleading face which made him chuckle as he took your hand and intervined with your before placing it on his lap while gesturing Jaehyun to continue.

"Okay, so, she was in her elementary school and her hair was really short like really short where half of her classmates thought she was a boy." Jaehyun trailed off to look at your reaction only to laugh seeing your glare as he looked back at Baekhyun who was having fun listening.

"And, then one day, she dressed like a boy to see if anyone's going to recognize her but nothing and everyone thought a boy was transferred to the school." He added laughing at the end before Baekhyun actually began to laugh with him while you leaned your head against the seat thinking what did you actually did to deserve this.

"This is not the end." He stated and you pinched his arm making him hiss and Baekhyun pulled you closer to him before you could murder your brother. "When she went to girls washroom, she was chased away from there because she was dressed as a boy and she herself couldn't go to the boys so in the end, she held it till she got home and cried for hours then next day went wearing a wig."

Both of them were laughing hardly and as much as you liked them laughing, you really didn't liked them right now. Heat rushed up to your face as the embarrassment hit you and made you wore your hood and zip it up till your head was hidden.

"Hey!" They both exclaimed worringly and Jaehyun opened your zipper. "Are you crazy?"

You instantly pulled him in a headlock making him yelp and Baekhyun watched you two smiling. "Just you wait, I am going to spill every inch of your secrets to your girlfriend."

Laughing, Baekhyun took off your arms around Jaehyun's neck, making your back lean against his chest as his hands rested on your wrist. "Okay, I'll help you out with that."

"In the end, you're with this potato." Jaehyun commented making you roll your eyes and Baekhyun to smile as he leaned his head against yours.

"Why didn't you call me too?" You three looked at the voice to see Daniel coming towards you with a pout and a can of coldrink in his hand.

"I want to sit too." He looked at you and you frowned. "There's no space."

"I can make it then." He grinned smugly before sitting on your lap making you yelp and flinch the guys beside you before you hit his back. "Oh My God! Get up, you giant!"

He shook his head making Baekhyun and Jae laugh before you began to tickle his waist making him laugh as he instantly stood up. He pinched your cheek hardly making you yelp and Baekhyun to make him let go immediately.

As soon as he did, you stood up and chased him around the rooftop while Baekhyun and Jae just looked at eachother before leaning back as they took another sip of their beer while enjoying the fun.

"Y/n!"

You stopped as you were called out by your mom and went downstairs, not before pulling Daniel's ear while Daniel went to sit between the boys.

Baekhyun clear his throat and looked at your brothers. "Is it always like this?"

Jaehyun chuckled. "Not really but her reactions are always fun to watch."

Baekhyun chuckled nodding. "I agree."

"But Hyung." Daniel spoke looking at Baekhyun. "Don't think that we are the only one, she has done more pranks on us than you ever can think about."

Baekhyun stared at him surprised. "Really?"

"But still... She's my best sister so take care of her." Daniel said, because as much as he liked to tease you, at the end, he was your brother who is always protective over you.

"That's a given." Baekhyun smiled as three of them did a cheers again before indulging themselves in their boys talk.

Time went by quickly and now you were walking with Baekhyun to his car. As he leaned his back against his car, you stood in front of him with his hand in yours.

"So? Did you like my family?"

He smiled nodding cutely. "You're family is really sweet and I loved being here and as much as they don't show it, they really love you as I have already got three warnings."

You laughed but frowned when he was looking at your cheek. "Hm? Is there something on my face?"

He stared at your cheek worringly. "Why is your cheek so red?"

You palmed your cheek and scrunched your nose feeling a light sting. "Dan that brat pinched my cheek hardly."

"Let me see." He placed his index finger on your chin tilting your face to the side a little before caressing it with thumb and pressed his lips on your cheek.

Your breath hitched and looked at him in surprise to see him already staring at you with a smile making you smile back shyly until something popped into your mind. "But... What did you talked with my dad?"

He raised his eyebrows motioning to come closer with his chin and you smiled expectantly going close to him before he brought his index finger to his lips and whispered. "It's a secret."

"What the hell?" You whined glaring and he gave a smug grin flipping his hair back which seemed to be your favorite thing to see nowadays.

"It a secret between me and my father in law." He said casually playing with your fingers and your eyes widened. "Father in law? Who says?"

"Really? Then who am I?" He asked tilting his head with his eyes boring into yours erupting the butterflies in your stomach.

"Umm... My boyfriend?"

"Did you just stutter?" He snaked his both arms around your waist pulling you closer and you shrugged smiling before his eyes flickered to your lips then back to your eyes as he leaned in.

"Noona! I'm eating your ice-cream!"

You both flinched and pulled away feeling your cheeks burning before your face turned into a horror realizing Daniel's words.

Baekhyun eyed your expression and chuckled shaking his head. "I really have one of a kind girlfriend."

And he was head over heels for her.

You frowned. "What do you mean?"

He kissed your frown away and winked before getting in the car and looked at you smiling. "Good night, My wife."

You stood there stunned and he laughed before driving off before you got out of the trance and a smile crept on your lips then it faded away when you realized something.

"My ice-cream!"

_______________

@wooya1224 @buttercupbbh @jddcfc-blog @usernameloaa

[calypsoff]

Forty Four. Part 2

“Why did you say fuck, you know who it is?” Robyn stifled out a yawn “I do, I will tell you when I get there. Love you, and nap now ma’am, you will be busy tonight” Robyn chuckled “shut up, love you too” she disconnected the call, looking over at my mom’s “I want your phone, unlock it for me” placing my phone in my pocket “why son?” My dad questioned “because mom had been messaging her sisters and whoever on that chat, I’m not saying it’s malicious, but this is information they know and shouldn’t have known, Robyn didn’t tell them when we were leaving, she wouldn’t even tell them about when we are getting married, mother has. I am not angry at you but them aunties of mine, they talking to the blogs” I pointed at my mom “really? Son, they wouldn’t do that to me” shaking my head “ayo, look at this” TJ passed me his phone “this is on their IG story, this was like fifteen minutes ago, they are running” taking his phone from him “nothing on it?” Looking up at him “tap on the story again, it’s the first thing. My nigga text me saying this your homie on this” tapping on the story seeing a picture of me “caught Chris Brown flying out to Barbados to marry Rihanna with a suit in hand, exclusive” shaking my head “mom give me your phone, this is because of your family mom. I hope you know this. I know you don’t want to believe it, but it is, I don’t want you in the group anymore. You don’t tell them shit” my mom kind of looks sad, I feel bad, but it can’t happen “but son, I didn’t mean it. They asked and I just said we are leaving for Barbados in the morning, I was happy they cared” taking her phone from my mom “I can tell they cared, they are very manipulative for this, this puts Robyn in a position. She isn’t just anyone, you need to understand this mom. All of you need to understand this, Robyn is not just anyone so anything you put reflects on me and her now so please don’t be so stupid, honestly. I don’t need that shit either” opening this little group chat, I’m gonna read it all “so I can’t tell my friends Rihanna is my auntie?” My nephew said “only if I can charge you? I don’t mean that, just we need to be more careful on what we say in a different light, you can say that but then you don’t start telling them things the public don’t know, these two already know this” I pointed at TJ and Barry “mhmm yes, it’s no fun being famous. And they will want to know the family and will pick on anything” Barry said.

My mom did say everything, like a lot too. She’s told them what day we are getting married, where we are staying and our honeymoon destination “mother, you really trust these snakes this much? I am actually so shocked mom, this is crazy. You might as well have told them what colour boxers I will be wearing. From now on please shut up, this is embarrassing for me. Now I got to tell Robyn my mother has told pretty much everything; I am so glad this was done now because pictures would have been sent of the day. I am sorry you trust them but don’t speak on me and my wife like that, just please stop” this is so annoying “I am so sorry Chris” I don’t want to be annoyed with my mother but my god, this is shameful to say this because what the fuck was she thinking “she is proud of you” my dad said “I get that, and honestly you can post things. Like for example, if we decide to post a picture of the day, then you all can. You need to be strategic with how you post, you can post a picture of you and mom together on the wedding day, it doesn’t give anything away, but it shows you was there. Don’t worry we will get there” they are old I understand “I understand Chris, I’m sure eventually mom and dad will, it will just take them time” Tootie laughed “why does Rihanna have to be this famous” pressing my phone to my ear to call Robyn “you can ask her that yourself dad” I laughed, my dad is asking my sister to explain, of course he is “twin, are you sleeping again?” Robyn groaned out “what is it?” She seems moody “erm it was my mother, she sent details on the family group chat innocently and exposed details about the wedding this is why and how they know, sorry” I apologised, I do feel so bad about it all “oh right, please be careful. Just leave it, I will sort it. I need you to tell your family to not be so open about things, and don’t be mean! I know your mouth, just be nice. And don’t call me until you’re here, I’m tired” Robyn put the phone down, I think she meant it too with not calling her back.

I sighed out heavily “what did she say?” My mom asked, I mean I’m going to just annoy her for a while “she doesn’t want you there now, she said you’re high risk and I’m not prepared to take you to ruin my day, I’m sorry mom” my mother looked at me horrified “but I bought a dress Chris” I shrugged “if your mother can’t go then I won’t Chris, I don’t think she said that. I can’t imagine her being that way” chewing on my bottom lip “sorry mom I am going” my sister isn’t missing it “I will call her” my mother got her phone out, I gasped “you have her number? Wait!” Robyn will kill me “I am joking mom, please don’t call her” my mom is teary eyed, I feel bad now “you’re a sick person Chris” I snorted laughing at my dad saying that to me “mom I’m sorry, please don’t call her” Robyn already told me to not be mean, let me plead with her “I really thought she said that, I made a mistake, and I won’t do it again. I was just happy for you, I thought they was caring and cared about you and wanted to know. Stupid boy” now she is annoyed “I was about to say, Robyn ain’t like that but I know you are” Barry pointed at me, my mother is not happy “look at my dad jumping to be on momma’ side, if she ain’t going I ain’t either, cute. But don’t you think Tootie is Judas out of this? She didn’t even take your side mom” my sister side eyed me “you’re the Judas for making up shit lies” grinned at my sister “sorry mom, I didn’t mean to make you upset with me, that was not my intention” I can’t believe I really upset my mom, she assumed Robyn would actually do that to her, she isn’t like me and she would be so annoyed if I did that “it’s ok, stop the jokes. I am very sad over this Chris; you’re laughing but I’m not” nodding my head understanding.

It sucks that my friends can’t stay at Robyn’ house because of space but they have a hotel close by, they said they will drop the stuff off first and then come to the home after “thank you, I am relying on your both to take care of the ring and my suit” Barry patted my back “don’t worry about it, I am excited to be in Barbados but I said to TJ we need to unpack and then go, it’s stupid because you have your suit with you and you can’t just do that. Drop me the address though” nodding my head dapping Barry “I can’t believe we in Barbados, is there anymore Rihanna lookalikes here!?” TJ shouted so loudly “nigga stop” I laughed; he is dumb “I need to look around Barbados, shit looks beautiful but see you soon” Dapping TJ, walking around the mini bus “thank you brother” he’s been stood here with the door open “to Robyn’ home now, the place is a palace, y’all going to be shocked. I still get excited to see it, I just can’t believe how big the place is” sitting next to my sister “you really like Barbados don’t you?” My mother pointed at me “I do, they are so relaxed here and it’s peace. I feel like Cali, America in general is work, I associate that with work so it’s not relaxing but yeah. You all going to love it, on god” I have been so caught up on wedding vibe that I generally didn’t get Robyn a Christmas present, but I had to get something even though Robyn said don’t get anything because with the wedding she hadn’t the time, but I got something for her. I mean to her it’s nothing because she can have the world, my girl got money and I ain’t even mad that at.

Helping my mother out of the bus, she swatted my hand “what? Are you still angry at me? I said I am sorry” clearly the sorry ain’t working like it should “remember you all representing me here so please be good, no touching things you shouldn’t” my sister side eyed me “nigga shut up” the door opened and it was Rorrey “welcome back, you bought all of VA with you” walking towards him “no I just found these strays” dapping him “good to see you again brother” Rorrey patted my back “you missed me that much? Hugging me too” moving back laughing “you’re funny that’s what I like about you” The door opened wider and seeing Monica pop her head around the door “you’re back finally” walking over to Monica “hey momma” hugging her close “good to see your face again and is that your beautiful mother. Hey Joyce” oh she totally dismissed me and wants to see my mother, looking behind me at my mother “your home is beautiful Monica, oh my god thank you so much for allowing my family to stay here” I like that they get on “you here nigga but my nigga ain’t” turning around, Mel is here but did I expect anything else “I changed my mind you’re not invited to my home now” Mel gasped “mhmmm shut up, see how I came here to say hi and you here giving me shit?” shaking my head “you the one that always sounds unimpressed when I arrive, also you answered her phone and kept trying to put it down a few days ago” Mel chuckled “come here nigga” she hugged me “you lucky I like you” I do like Mel a lot “poppa!” Robyn spat, my smile grew and I had to move away from Mel and go to my twin “I missed you so much” picking her up as I hugged her “I missed you so, so, so, so much” pressing kisses to her cheek as I said that “you look so good too” Robyn moved her head back, placing her hands at the side of my face staring at me “you’re here now, love you” she pressed a kiss to my lips “love you too” putting her down.

Watching Robyn greet everyone, it’s really nice to see that Robyn gets on with all my family. They are welcoming towards her and she is the same with them and I love that “and Chris, I heard what you did to your mom” Robyn pointed at me as she made her way back over, looking at my mother all confused “huh?” placing my hands behind my back to follow her “she text me apologising and said I am so sorry what happened, my son played a joke saying I uninvited her, what did I say about being mean? She was so upset on text Chris, I told you not to be like that” oh my mom is a snitch “oh we are snitching now” I said looking at my mother “well I felt bad, thank you Robyn. Least he listens to someone” Robyn lightly hit my arm “don’t worry Joyce, we won’t have that behaviour anymore. And we need to talk, I need you to come upstairs” oh am I actually in trouble, this is not good “but Robyn, I was joking. Like this was a joke” she is going to have a word with me alone “no something else, I need you to come with me. I need to talk to you” I am scared she is going to tell me off “come on, come in. Make yourself at home” Monica said to my family “listen to your wife son” my dad just said “just come, Chris you’re not in trouble. I really just need a word with you, stop being stupid” nodding my head, I guess I have to listen to her.

Following Robyn up the steps “you’re not in trouble, I promise you. I just need to discuss something with you” clearing my throat “well you seemed really annoyed about what happened to my mom so you know” reaching the top of the steps, Robyn looked around and then turned to me “you look so good, like you been really out there under the sun, you glowing” Robyn smiled putting her head down “ok listen to me, so I spoke to my publicist about what happened with your mother and they are clearing things up. But I read that about me being drunk in Barbados that time, I straight away went for my dad. I called him, I said was this you? Did you sell a story that I was a drunk mess in Barbados because Chris and I were having issues and you left to go back to America, like a whole fucking story, I was shocked, so I asked him and he said he didn’t, and I said don’t lie to me. You don’t like Chris, he said it’s not me and if it was me you would know because it would be UK tabloids when I would do it, and then I realised this came from Shade Room, so I contacted my publicist, they threatened them and they gave up who. It was the guys I was with, the family friends I mentioned so that happened, I just wanted to tell you. I did think it was my dad though, I really did” nodding my head “I am glad you checked on that, I would have thought it was him too. They shouted it at me too, I was so confused about it, but don’t let that shit upset you, just think about this. We are getting married next week” I want to make her happy “I can’t wait” pecking Robyn’ lips and hugged her close to me, I adore this woman so much.

Robyn placed her hands over my chest “so, I want you to go to the bedroom” my eyes widened “oh, we doing? Damn, already. I mean my family are here but let’s do this” Robyn hit my chest lightly laughing “be quiet, just go to the bedroom” she moved away from my embrace “so go on” raising an eyebrow, this is something different “Robyn, you are acting mad weird right now. Seriously?” she scoffed at me “I am being dead ass, go!” she pointed, Robyn is up to something “where is the handcuffs? You about to tie me up and whip me, I just know it” let me start walking before she cusses me out “you are so annoying, it’s all sexual with you ain’t it, I am actually not even thinking about that at all” she is lying “well this better be good Robyn, I ain’t playing” shuffling as I made my way to her room, If I keep not wanting to go Robyn will end up getting annoyed with me “well I don’t think you will think it’s good then if you are saying it’s about sex, mhmm. I am already offended” rolling my eyes, of course she is. Opening the bedroom door “hello?” poking my head inside “honestly Chris stop being so annoying and get in the room” pushing the door open and stood there staring “well there is no naked Robyn, so this is boring” looking behind “right, I mean it. You’re going to stop this! And you’re going to listen to what I say, I want you to go inside and see, just look with your eyes without being a goofy idiot, it’s not sex related” oh Robyn is getting annoyed “ok moody, did you not sleep well or something” seeing the box on the edge of the bed “this is what you want me to look at?” I pointed “you said no gifts?” walking over to the bed “it’s a gift from me to you” well that is annoying, she did say no gifts.

I grinned leaning down “thank you, I know this going to be good even though I ain’t seen it yet” pulling open the box and lifting it open, seeing the card “I can’t wait to see you daddy?” looking at Robyn “these are handcuffs, you kinky as hell Robyn” I chuckled, she is a fool “yeah keep going stupid” picking the card up just smiling to myself, placing the card to the side and seeing these three sticks “wait what?” staring at all three that all said the same thing, it just hit me “no!” I spat moving back staring at Robyn “Merry Christmas poppa” placing my hands on my head in shock, this is real life “really?” I said in a whisper, she is pregnant “you pregnant? You really pregnant?” moving my hands away from my head and then I just felt it “I am going to be a dad, oh shit” clapping my hands together trying to divert myself to not get emotional but it was kind of too late “don’t mind me” Robyn got choked up “you prayed for this Robyn, you prayed for this moment” I strained out “I did” walking into Robyn and hugged her close “you having my baby, oh my god” I am in shock “I love you so much, this is really the best gift” pressing a kiss to the side of her head “I have a surprise for the grandparents, do not say anything to anyone” shaking my head moving back from Robyn to see her “I don’t know why I am crying but I am” wiping the tears away quickly “just I know how much you wanted this, but I just didn’t know how much I did either. This time, oh my god” looking down at Robyn “you pregnant? I am so happy, oh my god” hugging Robyn again “I been wanting you to come here so bad, I hated keeping it a secret, but I wanted to see your reaction, I am so excited Chris. We are going to be parents, but you cried. I can’t believe it” closing my eyes, I made that mistake with Robyn before and let her be alone but not this time “I am so excited, Robyn. I am so happy” dropping to my knees “my child in here, I won’t let you down” wrapping my arms around his waist, pressing the side of my face against her stomach “I know” Robyn’ voice broke.

[taelme]

High school classmate!Lucas

genre: it’s kind of set in like the past? like u know those like Taiwanese school dramas like that kind of vibe mixed with like reply 1988 vibes idk how to classify it , so high school!au  (fluff, slow burn, angst with a relatively happy ending) 

pairing/s: Lucas / Reader, ( some of nct/superm/wayv appear in this!! ( just Kun, Ten, and Sicheng ) )

word count: 12k+

tw: like domestic abuse like,,, tough family situations,, 

a/n: this was kind of inspired by a dream I had of Lucas and like I’m honestly really in love with like the vibes of those like Taiwanese school dramas like ‘Our Times’ and like those dramas with the vibes of like the Reply series, so I thought I would try something different and do something for Lucas inspired by that,,, so enjoy!! I had a lot of fun imagining how Lucas would behave if he were in this situation.. 

Usually, Lucas would have stuck to just pacing around the stretch of field near his house whenever he left his house out of boredom when his parents weren’t home, but he didn’t regret wandering into the market on the day of his 8th birthday, after a ritual cutting of a small cupcake his housemaid had prepared for him. Because if he hadn’t decided to wander, his life wouldn’t have changed, according to him. ( which really meant he wouldn’t have stumbled across your grandma’s noodle shop )

“Hello,” your grandma smiled in greeting, waving at the young boy who looked fascinated at such a place, never having been to any eating place other than a restaurant before. Lucas waved shyly at her, carefully climbing onto a stool near the table next to the kitchen, watching in fascination as your grandma cooked.

“What’s your name, dear?” she asked the rosy cheeked boy, who fiddled with his short bangs before replying a quick, “Huang Xuxi,” to her.

It didn’t take long for your grandma to realize why the name sounded so familiar, realizing this boy was from the rich family that had just moved into the neighbourhood barely a month ago.

“You want something to eat?” Lucas considered her offer as seriously as any 8 year old would, glancing between the kitchen to your grandma, before reaching into his pocket and being only met with fabric, frowning upon realizing he hadn’t brought money with him.

Shaking his head in reply, rather sadly at that, he told your grandma, “I don’t have any money with me....”

She had simply laughed in reply, shaking her head, “Oh, that won’t be necessary, Xuxi. You can have it for free.”

His eyes widened in delight, smiling at her appreciatively.

She’d brought a small bowl of her dumpling soup noodles back to where the boy sat. Watching with a motherly smile on her face as he took his first sip of the soup, his eyes widening.

“Aunty...I love you,” your grandma guffawed, reaching out a hand to pat the boy’s head endearingly.

Lucas’ eyes widened in realization, “you know...” he leaned closer to your grandma with the intention to divulge a big secret, his eyes widening the closer he got to her, his voice lowering to a whisper. “A girl in my class gave me a dumpling that tastes just like this!”

Your grandma tilted her head at him, having a feeling she knew who he was talking about. “And what might this girl’s name be?”

“Y/N!” he told her with a grin, munching on an amount of noodles that seemed too much for his tiny mouth.

“I’ll tell you a secret,” your grandma leaned closer to his ear, “she’s my granddaughter.”

The noodles threatened to slip out from Lucas’ mouth when he gasped loudly, giggling after as he covered his mouth so his noodles could stay inside.

“What do you think of her?” your grandma asked him, seeing him stare at his noodles with a smile playing at his lips, shrugging repeatedly.

“She’s....cute,” he mumbled, making your grandma laugh.

“I’ll tell you what, whenever you come here you can get a free bowl of noodles,” his eyes widened, nodding profusely till your grandma continued, “on one condition.”

He nodded at her, putting on his best serious-looking face to show her he was ready, “Help me look after Y/N in school,” Lucas figured at that time that this was a simple request, bringing his hand up in a salute position.

“Will do, aunty!”

===

Now, 18 year old Lucas had developed his ‘efficient fool-proof system’ to do small things that would make things easier for you without you knowing.

For instance, using his good rapport with the market vendors to make sure you would already have the freshest possible selection for the noodle shop, to even silently going out of his way to make sure nobody in school gave you trouble for your background ( which meant that he would personally pay for your new set of uniform every school year, passing it to Sicheng and instructing him to tell you it was given by the school )

“You look lovely, dear,” your gaze fluttered to the figure standing at the doorway, which was none other than your grandmother, dressed in shoddy clothes and an old apron, what you recognized to be her work clothes.

Your family wasn’t well off ( well by family, you meant your grandma and yourself since it's been that way since you could remember ), you barely scraped by off of the profits your grandma made from her noodle shop that you occasionally helped out with, but you still received supplies from the school.

Such as the uniform you were wearing now. Ironed crisp and clean, you passed off as any other average student in your school. You were thankful your school decided to implement uniforms earlier than other schools, since you really didn't think your normal clothes could compare to the other girls in your school, not wanting a repeat of the episode you experienced in the past.

You picked up your school bag from where it was on the bed, walking over to kiss your mother on the cheek, “bye mama, I’ll be home by 6.”

Your grandma waved her hand at you in dismissal, clucking her tongue at you disapprovingly, “It’s okay, it’s okay! Take your time. Have a good day at school!”

You picked up the pace as you walked, eager to avoid bumping into Sicheng and his friends, especially not at this time of the morning. But you seemed to have spoken too soon, hearing the familiar sound of bicycle wheels whirring and boyish shouting.

They would call you with a teasing tone, making you wince, avoiding eye contact with them until one of them wheeled their bicycles in front of you, stopping your path.

“What do you want, Sicheng,” You huffed, staring up at him impatiently.

The boy scrunched up his nose as he shot you a mischievous smile, “is it such a crime that i wanted to say good morning to you?” his words were all meshed together in a combined mumble, a habit of Sicheng's ever since he was young, but the black haired boy never seemed to care too much about it- since after all, to him it didn't make a difference as long as you understood him.

“Yeah, okay fine, good morning. Now would you please get out of my way so I can go to school?” Believe you, you loved Sicheng, but sometimes you really did miss your quiet walks to school to enjoy the scenery at your own pace.

“C’mon, your grandma wouldn’t be happy if I just let you walk even though I have a bike, let me give you a ride.”

You knew this could go either of two ways. Either you stand firm and have a long battle with Sicheng to let you walk to school on your own, or you suck it up and let him give you a ride to school.

The ride to school would have seemed harmless to anyone else, since Sicheng was a friend of yours for as long as you could remember, but it was just that you would rather not hang out with him while he was with his friends, since they didn't exactly have the best reputation in school.

You did a once-over at his friends that were with him currently, a senior named Ten with short choppy black hair and many piercings (and very expensive shoes, you noted), and a boy your age that went by the name of Lucas. Although you could talk and joke around with Ten one-to-one, you don’t think you’ve ever had a proper sentence spoken to you by Lucas before.

The boy was all expensive sneakers, sports brand bags, the latest music tapes that were extremely hard to get if you didn't save up. He lived pretty near you, so you would usually walk past his giant- at least compared to yours -house whenever you were on your way to the market, sometimes even catching a glimpse of his mother leaving the house to go to work on rare days when the car was parked in the house. It was almost as if the placement of his house was just a daily reminder for you that you were both from different worlds.

Sure there were times you would think was cute, and you may have given him your last dumpling when you were younger as an unspoken love offering, but as you grew older, you felt like maybe you and Lucas just shouldn't, and wouldn't happen. After all, you figured your heart was too weak to get put up for rejection.

You were pulled from your thoughts when you saw Sicheng snapping his fingers in front of your face, snatching your gaze from Lucas.

"So...?" he raised an eyebrow.

“Alright, but don’t drive too fast,” you told Sicheng, hurling yourself onto the back of his bicycle with your back facing his, making sure your skirt was covering whatever it needed to cover, grabbing on tighter to the seat when the abrupt start of the bicycle moving almost made you lose your balance.

Ten had gone ahead and rode his bicycle faster than Sicheng, which had only meant Lucas was directly in your view. He pedalled effortlessly, his gaze on you intent, as if he had wanted to say something, but decided against it in the end. You had almost let yourself get carried away watching how he would do things with a certain amount of charisma that you found almost difficult not to look at, even the small smirk he gave you when he caught you staring at him left you breathless.

“Don’t flirt with Lucas behind my back, okay.” Sicheng sing-songed, earning a hearty eye-roll from you, your eyes darting nervously to look at Lucas for a reaction but strangely he had seemed absolutely unaffected. Instead, he simply huffed and pedalled faster, overtaking Sicheng and maintaining his pace there.

You felt almost hurt at this unspoken rejection, not knowing how to come back from the incident, tried your best to push any kind of curious thought you had about Lucas away from your head during the ride.

What was so special about him anyway?​ you huffed at the thought. Other than the fact that he was the son of a prestigious lawyer and company owner, and that he was the star of the school's basketball team, there wasn't much else for you to work with when it came to unraveling who exactly Lucas Wong was. ( well other than the occasional rumour that he was in a gang and got into fights frequently )

Though Sicheng was your closest friend, you had never spoken to him on the topic of Lucas any further than simple things like how well he played at a game or how nice his hair looked that day. There were rumours floating around that his family situation was rough, but you knew it wasn't your place to ask.

Little did you know, Sicheng wasn't as well informed about it as you thought he was; only aware of the fact that Lucas would leave home occasionally, and skip school a few days after.

"Hey! Wait up! Oh-I guess he isn't gonna wait up after all," you peeped your head around to see Lucas having disappeared from sight.

"Let me know if you see him at class today, yeah? God, it's the first day of the school year; he can't possibly be skipping already," Sicheng huffed with the tone of a worried mother, but instead of laughing, you couldn't help but sympathise with him, wincing slightly out of pity.

You shrugged your shoulders, your hands still gripping the seat of the bicycle, "to be honest, I just wouldn't care if I were you, I mean, what's the point if he's not gonna listen anyway? I wouldn't be surprised if he gets kicked out of his house again, he's asking for it with those bad grades he brings home all the time," you were taken aback by the sharp thump on your head you received from Sicheng after that statement.

"Don't ever say that again. I'll tell you this once and I won't say it again, Y/N. Sometimes for Lucas, just a little care is all he's asking for."

===

"Class, please look at the notice board in front of the class for your new seating arrangement," your class representative had announced amidst the sound of reunions and loud chatter before the teacher arrived.

Making a beeline for the notice board, you analysed the seating plan as you munched on the dumplings your grandma had packed for you for breakfast, your index finger finally landing on your name on the square at the corner of the room, looking at the squares to your seat’s perimeter, you noticed that the table behind you, at the very back corner of the class next to the window belonged to the very boy you were hoping you wouldn't need to be in such close contact with, Lucas. The sound of the girls at the table near you chatting animatedly suddenly becoming deafening.

"Did you hear? Lucas Wong rejected Hana from year 3's confession? She looked so afraid I almost felt bad for the poor girl!" you heard one of them lament, and you made to walk past them as slow as you could so you could hear more.

"When did she do it?"

"This morning!" you tuned out the rest of the conversation, figuring this was just another reason to add to your list of reasons '​why you shouldn't go after Lucas Wong'​.

You figured if you wanted to continue to lay low in school, you would stick to admiring him from afar, instead of putting yourself up to get hurt like that. There were only a few ways to look at Lucas for people in your school: you either didn't want to get involved with him, were scared of him or you liked him ( sometimes ​all three​ for people in situations like yours )

You reassured yourself that seeing Lucas wouldn't be a problem if you just didn't try to cross paths with him, until you looked for your seat and realised that there was Lucas seated at the desk behind yours. His long legs stretched out on your chair, hoodie-covered head leaning against the windowsill, eyes closed peacefully with earpiece plugged into his ears.

Your hands unconsciously clenched harder on the dumplings, anxiously contemplating finding another chair since yours was currently being used as a leg rest, but you couldn't see a free chair in sight, eventually deciding to munch on the dumpling you had, in the hopes that it would give you strength for what you were about to do.

Just as you were going closer to Lucas, he was already very aware of your presence next to him, the dumpling you were eating awakening his senses to the very first time he ate that same dumpling. His stomach growling softly, making him flush in embarrassment with his eyes still closed.

Your gentle fingers prodded at his shoulder lightly, and you had to remind yourself to keep chewing as you saw the way his eyelids fluttered open and his gaze landed on you. Shifting his upper body slightly to face you, Lucas lifted a hand to remove the earpieces from his ears, giving u an expectant look.

"Uh...sorry, I know you were sleeping and all but uh..I kind of...you know, ​need​ my chair," you pointed at the chair his legs were currently resting on, "and there's no extra chair here so uh...yeah if you could just...you know, give it back?"

Lucas looked at you with a curious expression, setting his earpiece down on the table, and you found yourself almost afraid to make eye contact with him, lest your face turn red from the attention he was giving you.

"What do I get in return?" his voice shocked you, seeing as you've never heard it in a while, you never noticed it could get this deep.

"Uh...what do you want? I'm not sure if I can get you those branded stuff, then again you probably have them already-"

His gaze flickered between you and the item of food you were holding in your hands, "I want the dumpling," he spoke.  

You cocked an eyebrow at his unexpected request.

"This? You want this dumpling? Are you sure? You've probably tasted a lot better.."

He shot you a smirk, tilting his head at you, "I said I want the dumpling, not your house. You don't have to ​fight me." He held out his hand expectantly, making you reach out hesitantly before finally placing the small plastic bag onto his hand with a shaky breath leaving your lips, seeing him shoot you a smile and use his free hand to pat your head twice.

"Good girl," he lifted his legs off the chair with a thud that seemed both harsh yet dramatic, "the chair's yours."

You turned around and hauled the chair back to your seat, all sorts of confusion washing over you from that interaction, completely oblivious to the stares your classmates were giving the both of you. God help you if you wanted to get through this year sane.

===

“Y/N, I packed an extra breakfast, pass it to cheng cheng for me would you? His mother is out of town so he doesn’t have lunch.” You hummed as you packed the blue lunchbox with white flower patterns on it into your bag, though you knew for a fact that Sicheng had no problem with his mom not cooking lunch for him, since it gave him an excuse to loiter out later with Lucas and Ten.

You proceeded to school as per normal, handing Sicheng’s lunch to him when you passed by his class in the morning, assuming it was very much enjoyed by him judging from how the lunchbox would come back to you practically clean at the end of the day.

You noticed that Lucas was coming to school more often, tending to see him hanging around with Sicheng. But you weren’t sure for exactly what since you were on a short school break now, and the only reason you went to school was because you had to prepare for the sports fest as part of class committee.

After which, you would usually wait for Sicheng to be done with soccer practice before you two would go home together. So there was your routine for your break thus far, and now, on an absolutely blistering Tuesday afternoon, you found yourself sat in the spectating area overlooking the soccer field, using your textbook to shelter your head from the heat.

You contemplated filling your water bottle since you were thirsty and well, had nothing else better to do, but figured stealing from Sicheng would be a lot more convenient. Making your way down the bleachers carefully, you straightened out your messy skirt, smoothing out the creases that had formed after sitting for so long.

Quickly locating Sicheng’s bag from the messy scrawl of his name in white marker on the bag strap, you shuffled around in it and was about to take the water bottle from his backpack, until you realised there was something missing from the bag; your extra lunchbox.

You found it a little strange, not knowing why Sicheng would have misplaced your lunchbox like that, about to turn around and pull him out of practice to give him an earful about it before you saw Lucas jogging towards you, standing abruptly still upon spotting you, his hands behind his back and his gaze looking elsewhere as he quickly made a sharp turn, walking away from your direction.

Your eyebrows furrowed in confusion, completely forgetting that you were thirsty since Lucas had definitely seemed as though he was going to go towards your direction before he'd seen you, so you decided you would carry out a little experiment.

Stepping away from Sicheng's bag carefully, making as if to walk to the water cooler, you'd hid behind a pillar where you would be blocked from Lucas' gaze, watching said boy indeed making his way back to the bleachers carefully, his long legs stumbling and stretching over the bags to bend down to Sicheng's bag, finally pulling out what he was holding behind his back, your gaze practically burning holes into the lunchbox as you watched him shove it back into Sicheng's bag quickly.

Sicheng was going to have to answer to this.

After practice, you bounded down the spectator stand, standing with your hands on your hips next to Sicheng, a deep frown on your face.

“What’s got you looking so ugly?” He smirked, using his knuckle to nudge your head lightly, flicking his hair away from his face as he reached over to pick up his bag and sling it over his shoulder.

“Dong Sicheng, you’d better get some answers ready.”

===

“Alright,” you began just as you both turned onto the road of your neighbourhood, the clicking of his bicycle almost unnoticeable from how long you both had been walking, “have you been eating my grandma's lunch boxes?”

Sicheng shot you a look of disbelief, his sudden slip of his hand on his bicycle giving away that you had caught him off guard, though he straightened up quickly, replying ever so stoically. 

“Yeah, of course, I mean, they come back to you empty don’t they?”

“Oh yeah, they do. D’you remember what she made for you yesterday?” Sicheng's eyes darted in so many directions within a span of a few seconds. Praying to God that what he would guess would actually be correct.

“Noodles with soup?” you frowned at him, earning a sigh from Sicheng, knowing he had trapped himself then and there.

“You’ve been giving them to Lucas, haven’t you?” you accused, like a parent who had found their child doing something they weren't supposed to behind their back.

You held the silence, watching Sicheng squirm visibly before he gave in.

“Okay, fine! I did. But what’s so bad about that?!”

“God, Sicheng, he’s rich! Why can’t he get his own lunch? Why does he have to eat yours! What have you been eating for lunch then?”

Sicheng sighed, “Look, he doesn’t get lunch either, alright? And I mean, isn’t it good that he loves your grandma's cooking so much? What’s with you and always thinking people have bad intentions?” He told you, disbelief laced in his tone.

Ignoring his last question, you scoffed at him, “that wasn’t my grandma's cooking, Cheng, it was mine. Mama told me to start making them on my own because the restaurant needed to open earlier and she couldn’t get enough sleep so I did it instead. All those extra dumplings ‘you’ asked for? All me.”

“Oh,” Sicheng murmured, making you groan loudly, “Lucas doesn’t even acknowledge my presence on a daily basis, and I’ve been making lunch for him for two weeks now? You’ve gotta be kidding me, Sicheng.”

“Okay, Y/N, I’m sorry. But there wasn’t much I could do, he looked really happy eating it. It's the first proper meal he’s had in ages.”

“He should pay me.”

Sicheng shot you a pleading look, “can’t it be service for a friend?”

You glared at him, “No. He’s not my friend, he’s your friend.”

“And any friend of mine is a friend of yours, am I right?” he smiled at you sheepishly, flinching slightly when you snapped at him.

“Cut the crap, Cheng. If he wants more noodles, he can come to the store and pay for them himself.”

===

“Hey, Y/N, can you stay back to finish up the boards for next week? we sort of need them by the end of this week” you were stuck in the dusty classroom trying to design, draw and colour the signboards for the sports fest, only halfway done when you heard a knock at the door, from the class representative informing you she was about to lock the classroom so you had better find another place to do the signboards and hold the flyers.

You complied, albeit reluctantly, stacking the boards and boxes of flyers ( which were atrociously heavy you may add ) until they piled up so high you couldn’t see the stairs as you were heading down them.

Hoping to God you wouldn’t bump into anything, you slowly made your way down, but soon you heard the loud thundering of running on the steps.

“You’d better run!” you heard a boy shout before something hard smacked into you from behind, causing you to lose your balance, sending you falling down the stairs with a yelp.

You tried to break your fall but were too late, your wrist coming into contact with the floor and feeling as though you had just had it run over by a car, the boxes and boards strewn about around you. Hearing light footsteps in a run, you felt a hand on both your shoulders, looking up to see Lucas in his sports attire, his hair messy and slightly damp with sweat, looking at you with concern, before turning to the direction of the people that had bumped into you, shouting what would have sounded like a threat if you weren't too focused on the pain in your wrist to pay attention.

“Are you okay? Are you hurt anywhere?” you tried to recover from the shock that he was actually talking to you before replying him,

“I hope not, I mean, I think I’m okay? My wrist really hurts though, I feel like it's broken.”

He made a grim face, “come with me,” he easily helped you up. 

“Can you walk?”

You nodded in reply, watching him scoop up the boards and carry the boxes along with an ease you were almost envious of.

You let him lead you to the school nurse's office, though you were still a bit tense regarding the whole lunchbox exchange you had with Sicheng earlier that day. You found that Lucas was very familiar with the nurse from always faking sick to get out of school.

“Hey doc, she fell down the stairs, can you check if her wrist is messed up?”

“It feels like it’s broken,” the nurse smiled, letting a small laugh escape her lips.

“For the last time, I’m not a doctor, Lucas. And it’s not broken, honey. Looks like you’ve just sprained it. You might find it a little difficult to write or do things with your hand the next few days, so just be careful, hmm?” she scribbled something down on the paper attached to her clipboard, noticing the way Lucas stared at her and nodded intently with a pensive look on his face as if she was giving him life advice, almost making you smile.

But that moment was short-lived when your gaze shifted to the incomplete signboards you were supposed to send for approval the next day, not knowing how you were going to complete all of that in time with your bad wrist.

The nurse kindly wrapped your wrist, and once you were done you noticed the sun was already setting, making you sigh once again. You weren't even able to push your worry aside to have enough time to refuse Lucas' help to bring the flyers and banners to your house, being an unspoken agreement.

You found yourself almost nervous during the walk home, afraid things would get awkward again given Lucas' non-existent urge to talk to you on the daily. But what had happened instead gave you a surprise, and a rather pleasant one at that.

“Are these the signboards for the sports meet thing?” you nodded with a hum of confirmation.

“I have no idea how I’m gonna finish them by tomorrow with my wrist like this..” you lamented, kicking at the ground as you walked.

He bit his lip, cutting in quickly before you could continue, “I can help you...and stuff. I have nothing on tonight...and it's not like you can do everything yourself with that wrist and all....” Lucas offered, his lips pressing into a thin line as he looked away from you to try to calm his heart which was racing so much.

“Are you sure? It’s not exactly the fun-est thing in the world..”

“No, really it’s fine, I want to,” he dismissed you, making you scrunch your nose up in distaste but agreeing anyway, not in any position to refuse.

===

“My grandma's still at work, so is it alright with you if I just heat up something from the fridge?”

He nodded profusely, setting the materials down with a rather loud thump on top of your dining table, “yeah, that’s fine by me. If you need help just tell me, alright? I’ll just get started on the boards first.”

You decided to take a quick shower first, undoing the wrap around your wrist so it wouldn’t get wet, after which, you changed into your more presentable pyjamas since Lucas was over, you quickly went to the kitchen and looked in the fridge to see if there was any leftover noodles.

Doing your best to heat it up and pour it into a nicer-looking bowl with your bad wrist, you slowly carried the bowls one by one to the living room, seeing his head shoot up at the smell wafting in from the kitchen. It was safe to say you wanted to present the best you could to him, not wanting him to think lowly of you or anything.

“Oh my God.” His mouth dropped open at the sight of the food before turning into a big smile, staring intently at the bowls before glancing at you, his gaze moving to your wrist and realising it was unwrapped.

The smile disappeared from his face, being replaced with a slight frown, letting out a little upset sound, a ‘tsk-tsk’ leaving his lips, he grabbed the bandage he saw lying on the table, “come here, sit down,” he instructed you.

You nervously watched as his big hands carefully wrapped your wrist just like how the nurse did, delicately but firmly, seeing how careful he was in tucking the ends into the bandage.

Letting a small smile of satisfaction appear on his face after he was done, “there, better?” he looked to you for affirmation, and you finally looked up from your wrist to make eye contact with him, seeming awfully similar to a little boy with that expression as you gave him a smile in return, nodding.

“Much better, thank you.”

You pushed the bowl towards him on the table, a little part of you feeling happy at how his smile grew bigger at the gesture.

“Thank you,” he murmured with a gentleness unlike anything you’ve seen before when it came to Lucas. Usually when one thinks of Lucas they would think of rowdiness, or big, rough actions, nothing like the Lucas you were currently witnessing for yourself.

“You really like the noodles, don’t you?” he looked at you mid scoffing down the food upon hearing your voice, making you let out a giggle.

Slurping the rest of his mouthful, a shy smile graced his face he nodded at you. “It tastes really...nostalgic.”

“How so?” you asked, curiosity taking over you.

“I uh..it’s a funny story actually, but...maybe for next time.” you hummed, nodding because you didn’t want to push him to do something out of his comfort zone.

After you ate, he had insisted on helping you to wash the dishes, claiming you had to let your hand rest.

"I noticed you've been coming to school more recently," you murmured casually, standing next to where he stood at the sink washing your dishes, seeing Lucas turn his head to look at you with a smirk.

"Well someone's pretty observant," he teased, a giggle leaving his lips as he looked back at the soapy dishes.

“What made you want to come?” you asked him, watching him pause his scrubbing at the dishes.

Lucas hummed in thought, pursing his lips before giving you a shrug, "Just, felt like it I guess."

“So...you didn't come to school before because you didn't feel like it?” you helped to put the dishes aside as he washed his hands, wiping them on his uniform as he let a small huff of half-hearted laughter leave his lips.

"Guess you could say that," he murmured.

“Weren’t you scared?”

Lucas turned to look at you with an eyebrow raised, “Of what?”

You frowned in confusion, “you know, don’t the teachers give you shit for not coming to school?”

He shook his head, walking back with you to your small dining table where the banners and posters were laid out. “They don’t really care anymore. But I’m planning on making a change this year!” he grinned at you, making you raise your eyebrows skeptically.

“You serious about that?” slightly surprised at his determination.

He nodded. “The serious-est.”

You let the conversation topic drop, with him taking a seat next to where you sat at the table and picked up on where he left off on the board, and you made yourself useful by doing whatever you could with your left hand, as well as telling him your ideas for the layout of the signboard and how you wanted to use the various materials. Though after a while Lucas had noticed you kept forgetting your wrist was injured and trying to help him cut things, nagging you for still trying to work when you should have been resting according to him.

“Lucas seriously, just let me help,” you insisted, a small pout on your lips.

“You can help me by resting,” he remained stubborn as ever, eventually leaving you to sit there and watch him.

You were surprised at how quickly he finished up the boards, just in time for when your grandma came home.

“Y/N! I’m back,” she called out, and you heard her soft shuffling get louder as she got closer to the dining table.

“Mama, I have a guest over,” you called out, hearing her squeal, practically running over to your room, her eyes lighting up when she saw Lucas.

“Xuxi?” You swore you'd never seen such a soft look in Lucas’ eyes before, seeing him get up to hug your grandma as if they’d known each other forever. “You’re so big now! I haven't seen you in so long,” she frowned playfully, making you even more confused.

“Do I wanna ask why?” you muttered, seeing Lucas’ cheeks tint pink in embarrassment, stepping back from your grandma and picking up his bag.

He brought a hand up to the side of his mouth in an action as if to whisper to you, mouthing a 'next time' to you with a soft smile,

“I hope Y/N has been good to you while you were here,” she looked at you pointedly, making you huff in exaggerated offence.

Lucas was quick to reply, shaking his head in dismissal, “oh, no it’s fine, I brought her home because she fell down the stairs in school, kind of messed up her wrist,” he gestured to his own wrist as he spoke, and your grandma's eyebrows knitted in concern.

“Oh gosh, sorry, she’s a clumsy one," she laughed, her hand reaching out to hold Lucas' hand in a rather delicate way, leaning in to whisper something to him you couldn't quite catch. You were beginning to feel as though you were the outsider here.

“​Mama​,” you whined, seeing the tiny crow’s feet beside her eyes appear as she laughed, shaking her head at you.

“You’d better be getting home, love, it’s getting late,” her tone was gentle as she spoke to him, and he nodded, bidding her goodbye before she left the room.

Lucas turned to face you, and you stood up, taking a step toward him, “I’ll be...heading off now,” he sounded almost breathless. “Rest your wrist, okay? see you,” he smiled at you, waving goodbye before he turned to leave.

You hadn't noticed you called him until he turned around, looking at you expectantly with his eyebrows raised, making you flush when your voice had sounded softer than you intended it to.

"Thanks, by the way, for helping me with the banners....I couldn't have finished it tonight without your help," you pressed your lips together in a tight-lipped smile, your hand reaching up to play with the lobe of your ear.

Stepping forward so he wasn't so far from you, he shook his head, "I'm glad I could help."

You felt for the first time as if you were watching yourself from a third person’s perspective, the way the wind suddenly seemed to be blowing at a perfect speed, and the music you could hear wafting outside from your grandma’s radio, to the way the streetlamp outside your house was casting the perfect shadow on Lucas’ face, right down to the way he smiled at you as if you were in a scene of a romantic drama ( that you were pretty sure if you were watching with Sicheng this would be the part you both start hitting each other excitedly )

“Goodnight, Y/N.”

You were lost for words, almost breathless at his soft shy smile. “Goodnight, Lucas.”

===

The next time you had lessons and your wrist was already starting to heal, you braved through the soreness you felt in your wrist and did your best to make lunch for both you and Lucas, even adding a small compartment where you placed a small packet of candy you had in the house.

Wrapping it up nicely, it was safe to say Lucas was shocked when you had handed the lunchbox to him directly, gaze darting between you and the lunchbox as if searching for some sort of affirmation that it belonged to him.

You felt eyes on you from some of your classmates, all eager to see how Lucas would reject you like how he usually did to girls who gave him things like this, but you barely noticed their gasps and murmurs from how happy you were when he took the lunchbox into his large hands, smiling so widely to you his happiness practically radiated from him.

"Consider it...a 'thank you', for helping me the other day," you told him, seeing him nod at you gratefully,

He lifted the lid of the lunchbox slightly, eyes widening when he saw its contents and looking at you with bright eyes, "I really, wow uh, I just, I wasn't expecting this...you made this?" he gestured at the half-opened lunchbox with his index finger.

You nodded in reply, "I've been making almost all of Sicheng’s," you swore you saw his face flush at that, his eyes widening but went back to normal quickly.

"You're really good at it," he said firmly, as if trying to convince you. To which you simply shrugged in reply.

"Wasn't sure why you liked them so much, but it's... all I have to offer, really." You took your seat in front of him, doing your best to suppress your racing heart when he leaned forward, as if he knew your heart was racing and he intentionally wanted to make it worse. ( But little did you know his heart was practically pounding in his chest he almost couldn't concentrate )

"Trust me, it's all I need."

"How are you gonna pass it back to me?" you asked him after class, watching how he slung his bag over his shoulder so smoothly, watching the way his eyebrows would raise as he thought, his lips pushed out resembling a duck.

"I'm working after this, so you can just pass it to Sicheng, he'll hand it over to me," you suggested, not very keen on Lucas seeing the ruckus of the noodle shop during peak hours.

Glancing at your watch, your eyes widened in realisation of the time, "I've gotta get going, bye Lucas!" you waved, seeing him wave back with a smile, his loud "Bye!" making you laugh.

What you didn't notice until now was that Lucas was the kind of person that would seem quiet on the outside, but once he was comfortable enough with you ( which for him, seemed to have happened after you injured your wrist ), he would let his true colours show. For example, especially with regards to Lucas, you tended to hear him before you actually saw him in most situations.

Now when he saw you in school, he would bellow your name from afar before jogging up to you, his hair ruffled and his shirt untucked, tie askew. He was the kind of boy to get through the crowd and go through all the trouble of getting to you for the sake of a 'good morning' greeting, or wanting to walk to class together.

Of course you couldn't refuse, because of how he'd already gone through the trouble of finding you in the crowd, simply choosing to enjoy his company instead of pay any attention to the girls who stared at you with such envy or shock. But you barely paid them many attention, since Lucas himself seemed to command all of your attention whenever he was with you. You couldn’t say you were complaining though, not when he’d been smiling a lot more and looking happier in general.

Your grandma was out of town temporarily, since she had to visit her sick sister. You were currently in the noodle shop on a weekday evening, trying to wait tables as quickly as you could since the dinner crowd was starting to come in.

With your hair pulled back into a ponytail, you wiped the sweat on your brow with your sleeve, trying your best to take orders and make the food at the same time, all the while trying to ignore the soreness you felt in your wrist whenever you carried things on the heavier side. You had just seated a group of middle aged working men who clearly had a few drinks before coming here. They had always given your grandma trouble, so you were praying in your heart that they wouldn’t be as troublesome to deal with today as well.

You had brought their food to their table, the narrow aisle between the tables preventing you from manoeuvring yourself around the table to serve them individually, choosing to stand at the same place and trust that they could pass down their bowls themselves since you knew your wrist wouldn’t be able to take it. 

“How have you been? Haven’t seen you helping your grandma out in a while,” the uncle next to where you stood had let his hand linger on your arm, an uncomfortable warmth lingering there as you tried to calm your racing heartbeat.

You hadn't noticed Lucas’ bicycle pulling up next to the store over the loud chatter in the store, as he stepped into the doorway of your humble shop, his eyes practically glaring daggers at the uncle whose hand was starting to creep down your back, resting on your bum as you wriggled in his hold.

The rest of them were busy in their own tipsy state, telling you just how much you’ve grown. 

“I have to get back to work-” you felt a presence behind you before the uncle in front of you had his hands roughly taken off you by Lucas.

Lucas pulled you back protectively behind him, “I don’t think that’s very appropriate of you, she’s clearly uncomfortable.”

The men had recognised Lucas to be his mother’s son, looking at him with evident contempt before cursing under their breath and resuming with their meals.

He followed your quick steps into the kitchen as you hurriedly cooked another bowl of noodles.

“Thanks, for that, by the way,” you said in choppy intervals, the steam from the wok giving you a good excuse for the blush creeping onto your cheeks.

“There’s no need to thank me,” he murmured from where he stood in the kitchen, his arms folded over his chest as he leant against the doorframe yet making sure he didn't get in your way.

“What are you doing here?” you looked away from your cooking to stare at his ruffled hair and messy school uniform, and almost lost it at the smile he gave you when you made eye contact with him.

Lucas' hand came up out of habit to cover his mouth, trying to regain his composure before he remembered he wasn't at one of his family dinners with corporate guests and that he could just be himself without you, slowly lowering his hand and letting his smile show.

Lucas gestured to the lunchbox he'd placed on the empty table in the kitchen. “Here to return your lunchbox, remember?” you made an ‘o’ shape with your mouth in realisation, nodding in understanding.

“Is it just you running the store today?” you nodded, seeing him shake his head, not seeming to like the answer you gave him.

“I’ll help you, alright? I’ll wait the tables and seat them and all that stuff, you just focus on cooking here, we’ll get the crowd cleared in no time,” he flashed you another of his optimistic smiles, his hand coming up in a fist to cheer you on before putting on a small apron and carrying the bowls you made to where you told him to bring them to, figuring you weren't in any position to say no to him right now.

And he was right, in no time you were finished tending to the dinner crowd and he had sat himself at the counter as he watched you take a seat next to him, rolling your wrist around slightly in an attempt to soothe it.

“God, that was fast, like really fast, thank you so much. I can’t imagine how much longer I would’ve taken if it weren’t for you helping me,” you told him. Lucas shook his head with a loud sound of dismissal, waving his hand at you, “It’s no problem. How come your grandma's not here?”

“She’s out of town for the month...her sister’s sick so she went to visit her, so I stayed here to take care of the house and the shop and all, since it’s pretty much...all we have," you sighed, refusing to look at him as you anticipated a look of pity or for Lucas to look at you as if you weren't good enough.

“I like it,” you shot him a confused look, and he was prompted to continue, “the shop, I mean. It’s cozy and warm.”

“What are you talking about? We can barely feel the heating in here unless you’re in the kitchen,” you laughed, shoving his shoulder playfully, seeing him shake his head.

“The feeling,” he explained, making you smile at how genuine he sounded.

“Hey, you know, if you could use some help here after school I don’t mind helping you...you know, since your grandma is out and everything..” he trailed off, looking away nervously as he anticipated your answer.

You pretended to contemplate even though you knew what you wanted to say, but then reality hit you again.

“Lucas, you know, as much as I would love some help around here while my grandma is gone, we can’t afford to pay you.”

His answer came back in a heartbeat, looking at you with the most serious expression you’d ever seen from him, “I’ll work here for free.”

You scoffed in shock, not finding it in you to be able to believe him, “What? wha- why would you do that?” you frowned, seeing him shake his head at you, insistent on his proposal.

“I don’t want to work here for the money, I want to work here to help you.”

You felt like all of it was so surreal, even as you outstretched your hand for him jokingly, “well, then you’re hired, Lucas.”

“On one condition, though,” he added quickly before he shook your hand, so it stayed clasped in his, the warmth of his very much bigger hand causing butterflies to flit wildly in your tummy, “call me, Xuxi, it's my actual name, not Lucas.” You smiled, nodding as you shook his hand.

“Sure thing, ​Xuxi.​ ” The smile you saw on his face after that was your favourite by far.

===

Before you knew it, seeing Xuxi became a daily thing, you had started to get used to the way he would get flustered when he knocked things over in the kitchen, to the way he did silly dances for you to see from the kitchen when he was wiping up tables and stacking chairs.

The shop had attracted quite a new number of girl students as well, all eager to see Xuxi look charismatic and charming when he was working, but you had to admit you enjoyed seeing the different side of him for yourself when you two were closing up the store or preparing ingredients before it opened.

You absolutely loved how the Xuxi you got to know now was so different from the Lucas you had all thought out in your head. For instance, he would ask for you to teach him how to make the dumpling, then never make it ever again and insist you make it for him, since his ‘didn’t taste the same’. He would walk you home every day, and take you on his bike to school sometimes ( much to Sicheng’s amusement ), as well as drive you to the shop whenever he didn’t have basketball practice.

And with Lucas in the shop, that brought Ten and Sicheng's presence occasionally as well, always teasing you and Xuxi as if you two were a newly married couple that opened up the store, never failing to make Xuxi blush and make you scoff. And you had enjoyed getting to know Ten more, with how he would recommend you new music and lend you his cassette tapes and you would share with each other your reviews on the different artists.

What Sicheng always loved the most from this entire new arrangement was telling you how Xuxi was so excited to work every day that he could, so excited to go to school, a side he’d never seen in Xuxi before, which you would never admit to Sicheng that loved to hear you played a part in.

Out of your own pathetic attempt to keep modest, you would always tell Sicheng to stop making things up, but the boy was just dying to tell you how much Xuxi actually talks about you when he’s with Sicheng and Ten, which of course you didn’t hear because if you did Sicheng would be dead meat.

But you hadn’t known the fact that Xuxi thought you knew this fact all the while, and you only discovered this when you were walking back from the store one night, after he had bought your favourite ice cream for you as a means to celebrate the end of a long day. Enjoying the way everything ( which may or may not include Lucas ) looked and felt warm with the sunset in your line of sight.

“You know, I never would’ve thought you’d be this nice,” you murmured around a mouthful of ice cream.

You heard a gasp on his end, feigning hurt as he placed a large hand against his heart, “I’m hurt,” he laughed.

“For real! I always got scared when I saw you rejecting those girls who would write you love letters and buy you buns from the bakery in school.”

He made a face at that, licking his ice cream before replying you, “That’s because I was never interested, and I figured might as well let them know straight up instead of lead them on.”

“Why not? Some of them were actually really nice, you know?” you wondered out loud, licking a particularly substantial amount of ice cream at one go that it made the roof of your mouth sting, your features scrunching up in a grimace.

He shrugged simply, glancing down at you and smiling at the expression you made from the ice cream, “guess I wasn’t paying too much attention to them.”

“Yeah, cause you were too busy paying attention to my grandma?” you joked, searching his expression for a reaction only for him to remain unfazed.

“Maybe ‘cause she had such a pretty granddaughter,” he said nonchalantly, making you choke on your ice cream, stumbling slightly only for him to reach a hand out to steady you.

“Careful what you say, Xuxi, people might start rumours you like me,” you joked, trying to calm yourself down both from choking and from his words that caused you to choke, turning to frown at him when you heard no answer. Looking at him with your eyebrows raised expectantly, he made no move to act as though you were saying anything he objected to, simply shrugging at you.

"Not something entirely possible if you think about it," he told you, finishing up his ice cream. "I win!" he cheered, pointing at your still half-eaten ice cream, making you roll your eyes with a laugh.

"Doesn't count, I didn't know we were competing," you shoved him playfully, laughter bubbling out of your lips uncontrollably at the way he stumbled back dramatically, using his bike to hold him up.

You were interrupted by his phone ringing, and his expression changed the moment he saw who was calling. “I have to go, I’ll be seeing you soon, then?”

You frowned. “Not tomorrow?” he shook his head,

“I’m pretty packed this week with basketball finals, you can uh...come for my game if you want.” you nodded, bidding him goodnight.

“Goodnight, Y/N,” you chuckled at how cheesy the scene was, feeling once again like this was a scene you would see in those dramas you would watch with Sicheng on his tv, waving him off as he laughed cutely, cycling off home, leaving you smiling like an idiot to yourself.

===

Lucas returned to his house, only to see his mother exactly how he had a feeling he would find her--in the living room with an almost empty bottle of wine next to her, her glass perched dangerously at the edge of the coffee table she was sitting next to, crying into the empty glass, not even bothering to look up when she heard Lucas enter the house.

She sobbed, grabbing the sleeves of Lucas' shirt when he had crouched down in front of her, the impact causing his bag strap to slide nearer to his neck uncomfortably. His mother had hiccupped, her breathing erratic from how hard she was crying, letting her head slump on his shoulder. The sight being nothing new to Lucas, he carefully nudged the wine glass nearer to the centre of the table, slowly peeling her hands from his sleeves.

"Ma. Hey, listen to me, you need to ​stop​ thinking he's still coming back," he looked resolutely into her eyes that resembled his so much, except hers were so filled with pain, whereas Lucas' were just filled with pity at how his father had managed to leave his mother in such a state once again- without even having to be physically there to cause it.

Lucas hadn't seen his father in months, the only sign of his existence being that he would send money to his family at the start of each month, and the action would always leave his mother at a loss, since he knew he spent each month hoping that the start of the next month would be greeted with his person instead of just his money.

"You don't understand, Lucas. He told me he was coming back," she cried, hot tears streaming down her face quickly, making anger bubble in Lucas, spilling out before he could control it.

"Yeah, when? That was months ago," he told her, making her frown at him.

"Don't say that. He loves me, he wouldn't do this to me."

"Don't say what, ma? I'm telling you the truth! He's left and he doesn't plan on coming back anytime soon, it’s not like he’s contacted you ever since he left," he told her, his voice raising in an attempt to get his words in her head more.

"Don't raise your voice at me!" she stood up, abruptly, albeit a little unstable, judging from how she leaned on the armrest of the sofa for support.

"You can't keep waiting for him, you know. You're going to reach your limit at one point," he told her, desperately wanting to get through to her and put an end to both their suffering.

"You," she pointed a finger at him condescendingly at him, prodding at his chest roughly, "don't get to decide ​my​ limits for me. I need him to come back, he's ​all I have​." Lucas’ mouth shut at that, he knew his mother’s first priority was his father, but she had never said anything like this to Lucas before. And now that he had heard it, it hurt him more than anything.

"So I’m just nothing, then? Just someone to clean up your shit every time you get drunk and you act like a goddamned child?" Lucas was blinded by his hurt now, his words escaping him faster than he could process them, "​please, if he loved you so much he wouldn't have left in the first place."

Lucas's mother was absolutely furious, not knowing how to retaliate, so she did what she always did. Looking for the nearest moveable object near her, which just so happened to be the empty wine bottle, she hurled it towards her son, Lucas having to bring his arms up to try and block it as she looked for more things to throw at him, seemingly directing her anger towards her husband to her only son.

"Ma, stop it!" Lucas' shouts went unnoticed, his mother picking up a pillow to hurl it at him roughly, his mother chucking the wine glass at Lucas, which had happened to shatter on the wall where he was standing next to, the glass pieces shattering and nicking Lucas on the face slightly. Only upon the sight of blood on her son’s face did Lucas’ mother realize what she had done, already feeling absolutely horrible about it.

Her grip on the item she was holding loosened, letting it fall with a soft thump onto the cushion of the sofa. Lucas’ eyes widened, his hand coming up to touch his cheek and wince at the sight of the red on his fingers when he pulled his hand away from his face.

“Honey-” Lucas held a hand up, flinching slightly when his mother tried to take a step towards him, taking steps away from her as he felt himself shaking from sheer anger and hurt.

He didn’t want to fight with her, that was the last thing he wanted, yet it seemed to be the only thing he got nowadays.

Shrugging his bag onto his shoulder, he left the house as quickly as he could, not bothering to close the door gently in his hurry to leave. He made his way to Ten’s house, who simply greeted him with a sad smile and let him in, no questions asked, when he saw Lucas at his doorstep, face cut and chest heaving from the angry tears he was shedding.

===

You weren’t surprised when you hadn’t seen Lucas show up to school the next day, not daring to ask any questions when Sicheng showed up at your doorstep to send you to school with a very tired-looking Ten.

You had no means of contacting Lucas, only hoping that he would decide to come to the noodle shop or even to basketball practice so you could talk to him, but even that didn’t happen.

Sicheng noticed the slight dulling of your mood after a few days had passed and Lucas still hadn’t shown up to school, trying to make you feel better by telling you he was okay.

“That’s not the point, Sicheng, I want to actually see for myself that he’s okay. I thought he was actually getting back on track, you know?” Sicheng nodded, understanding where you were coming from but not knowing how to comfort you.

Ten had told him prior to that day that Lucas absolutely refused to talk about what had happened, choosing to simply coop himself up in Ten’s guest room all day, only ever coming out to eat and even then it didn’t look like he was enjoying himself very much. Which of course was an abnormality in Lucas’ case.

What Ten wasn’t aware of was that when Lucas had returned to the house the day after the incident, he’d found a note his mother left for him, saying she was going to look for his father, and that she wouldn’t come back unless she was coming back with him. The last sentence of the letter not even a small ‘I love you’ but instead a reassurance that she would send him allowance every month.

Lucas figured he needed time to cool off and figure out what he was going to do now before he could even go back to see you- despite desperately wanting to do so. But he didn’t want to see you like this, not when he was preoccupied with all his thoughts you knew nothing about.

“I know,” Sicheng murmured, turning to you with a tight-lipped expression. “Just give him some time, he’ll be back in time for the game, then you can have a proper talk with him or whatever,” Sicheng sighed, standing up and offering you a hand to help you up.

“How about some ice cream?”

===

The day of the sports meet had arrived, the basketball nationals being the highlight of the day, and almost your entire school had gathered at the spectator stands to watch the game. With Sicheng next to you, you saw the home team arriving in the court, a small part of you relieved when you saw Xuxi on the court, next to Ten, looking perfectly fine and happy.

So you went through the game doing whatever you figured a supporter should do, raise your giant banner with Sicheng and cheer for your school’s team, especially when Xuxi or Ten would make a particularly impressive pass or score.

Thankfully, they had won, so you figured their spirits were still high by the time they finished their team debrief and were dismissed. You were standing outside the room waiting for Xuxi and Ten with Sicheng. You looked up expectantly when you heard the double doors of the school entrance open, only to huff in disappointment when you realized it was just another one of Xuxi’s teammates, Kun.

You kicked at the ground absentmindedly before you felt Sicheng start to nudge you, his nudging growing more rapid as the seconds passed, making you look up at him with an annoyed expression.

“What?” you asked, seeing his face scrunch up, trying his best to gesture to your opposite direction with his eyes without making it to obvious.

“Hey,” you turned to the direction of the voice only to see that it was Kun, looking at you with a soft smile, his hand gripping the strap of the duffel bag he had slung across his chest. Sicheng looked away so his staring wouldn’t make Kun uncomfortable, though he was intently listening to your conversation with Kun.

“Y/N, right?” you nodded. “Uh...I wanted to thank you for coming to the game,” he smiled sweetly at you, his voice matching his expression.

You shook your head in dismissal, “Oh, it’s nothing, really. I mean, Ten and Xu- I mean Lucas, are my friends too so I just, you know…thought I should support them.” You saw him nod in understanding, glancing up at you again, looking almost nervous.

“I was actually wondering if you would like to go watch a movie with me one of these days? It’ll be my treat, I kind of want to get to know you better....I mean, you don’t ​have​ to say yes but it’d be nice...if you did.”

Sicheng let out a small snort, making you kick his leg firmly, all the while still smiling at Kun.

I mean, it wasn’t as if you didn’t like the idea of a date with Kun, you just...would prefer if it was a date with Xuxi, to put things simply.

“Would you let me have some time to think about it? Can I let you know by like…next week?” you asked, seeing him nod at you, that same sweet smile appearing on his face.

“Of course, no problem, have a goodnight,” he smiled at you, Sicheng taking that as his queue to turn back around and exchanged a nod with Kun as a goodbye, practically bursting into laughter when Kun was out of sight.

“Poor Kun, doesn’t know he’s gonna be waiting the whole weekend for a rejection,” he snickered, making you roll your eyes, shoving him as you saw the double doors open again and Ten and Lucas walk out, laughing about something while looking for you and Sicheng in the area.

“Okay, shut up, no more talk about this or Ten will mock both Kun ​and​ me,” you shoved him, your glare softening and a small smile appearing on your face when you saw Xuxi.

He smiled widely, waving at you and Sicheng, the both of you making your way over to them and walking out of the school grounds together.

You walked in pairs, Ten and Sicheng walking in front on purpose so you and Xuxi would have to walk next to each other.

“You played really well, today,” you told him as a passing comment, seeing him let out a shy laugh, muttering a small ‘thank you’ to you.

“Have you eaten dinner yet?” he asked you, you shook your head in reply.

“Not yet, I was kind of just feeling like some ice cream.”

His smile brightened at that, nodding at you eagerly, “Me too!”

He bent down, half leaning towards you to whisper, “should we ​ditch​ them?” he used a finger to gesture to the pair walking in front of you, watching you give him a hesitant look.

He shot you a pleading look, his eyes closed and his palms together in front of him, rubbing them together in a begging action, making you smack him on the shoulder, covering your mouth in a poor attempt to stifle your laugh.

Ten and Sicheng already having anticipated your next sentence with all the giggling they were hearing behind them.

“Hey, uh guys, me and Y/N are gonna detour and get some ice cream. Catch you guys next week?”

Not without shooting each other a knowing look, Ten and Sicheng pretended to be upset before waving the both of you off quickly, wanting this to happen more than anybody.

You walked with Xuxi in the silence to the small convenience stand, Xuxi paying for the ice cream, and you ripped open the packet quickly, walking with him back in the direction of your neighbourhood.

“Thanks for paying for the ice cream,” you said, a little belatedly, making him huff in amusement, using his free hand to ruffle your hair in reply, the action making you blush unexpectedly.

Xuxi started to walk towards the direction of the small playground you were nearing, the both of you silently taking a seat on either of the two swings, Xuxi ditching his bag on the ground to sit comfortably.

“Are you okay?” you asked, chewing on the small bit of your ice cream you’d bitten off by accident, “you were gone for really long.”

Xuxi scoffed teasingly, “I was gone for like 5 days.”

“Well it was long for me, okay,” you huffed, “It was weird...going from seeing you every day to not seeing you suddenly.”

Xuxi bit his lip, licking the ice cream that had gotten on his lips as he turned his head to glance at you, his legs pushing the ground gently to swing himself lightly.

“My mom left,” he murmured. Abruptly raising his hand for his palm to face you, “And before you start feeling stressed ‘cause you don’t know what to say and all that, I’m alright if you don’t know what to say. I mean, neither did I, I spent 4 days not knowing what to even ​feel​ about it.”

You ate your ice cream quietly as he spoke, processing what Xuxi was trying to tell you. A small part of you understanding a little bit of how lonely he may have felt since you had found yourself in a somewhat similar situation when you were young.

“She told me she wasn’t coming back until my dad comes back with her, so...I took that as a ‘I’m not coming back at all’,” he used his fingers to make air quotes, shrugging afterward as he took a bite from his popsicle, “but I’ll live, I guess....I have to.”

“That’s really strong of you, Xuxi,” you murmured, seeing him turn to you, expression blank before he smiled softly.

“I have you by my side, so I’ll make it through this no matter what,” he grinned, turning his attention back to his ice cream.

“I’ll hold you to that,” you joked, suddenly thinking of Kun’s proposal just now after the basketball game, debating on whether to tell Xuxi but something inside you ( that strangely sounded like Sicheng ) was telling you to just do it.

“Kunaskedmeout,” you blurted, seeing him turn to you with a raised eyebrow, a small hum of confusion leaving his lips.

“Kun, he...asked if I wanted to go watch a movie with him when I was waiting for you and Ten to come out just now,” you told him, gauging his expression carefully as you told him, “I mean, at first I was kind of hesitant because I was kind of worried about how I would pay for the movie ticket but then he said he was paying and all so...I guess it’s not so bad?”

Tell me not to go. ​Your eyes pleaded, watching intently at the way he took his time to nibble on the last bits of his ice cream, holding up a hand as if telling you to wait as he stood up from the swing, taking your empty ice cream wrapper to dispose of them together, returning to you with a serious expression on his face. Stopping in front of where you were sitting, he leaned down so his head was level with yours, eyes narrowing at you, before straightening up.

“Don’t go.” he told you casually, sitting back down on the swing.

Your mouth gaped, unsure of what to make of his reaction. You looked at him with furrowed eyebrows, pursing your lips before speaking.

“You don’t think I should go?”

He looked at you with a blank expression, shrugging nonchalantly, “you shouldn’t go if you don’t want to,” he reminded you, his shoes scuffing on the ground as he rocked the swing back and forth.

“What makes you think I don’t want to?” you narrowed your eyes at him.

He shrugged, “maybe the way you told me about it? But of course, I could just be assuming, so go, have fun with Kun if that’ll make you happy,” he laughed, making you frown at him.

“But...” you started, though there was no other way to say this other than to admit you wanted Lucas to tell you not to go.

Lucas stopped swinging, looking at you expectantly, with a small glint of mischief in his eyes and a smirk playing at his lips.

“But? Is there a problem with what I just said?”

“Yes, a very big problem,” you told him, a small pout playing at your lips.

“Why is that?” He prodded you some more, to the point where you threw away your anxiousness, exasperatedly admitting to the tall boy,

“The problem is that I don’t wanna go ‘have fun’ with Kun because I like you!” you blurted.

He looked at you, pressing his lips together, before his eyes crinkled into crescents as he smiled.

As if nothing had happened, Lucas stood up, dusting off the imaginary dust from his track pants, slinging his bag on his shoulder, using his hand to shield the non-existent sun from his eyes as he looked up at the sky, “It’s getting late, let’s get you home.”

It was an understatement to say you were upset as Lucas walked you home. You felt so humiliated, that he would have the audacity to ignore the fact that you’d just confessed how you felt towards him, making you huff in annoyance when you realized you had reached your doorstep.

Not looking at him, you glared at his chest, being the only thing at your eye level, about to say goodbye when you felt him pull you into a hug. Not just any kind of lazy armed, lean-in goodbye hug, but an actual, warm, comforting hug, a hug of greeting instead of parting.

He let his head rest on top of yours gently, and you heard his laugh vibrate in his chest slightly, as his hand went up to pat the back of your head gently.  

“I’m glad,” he told you.

You frowned, pulling away to see him look down at you, his hair flopping over his eyes only slightly as he gave you what you had deemed as your favourite smile of his, where his eyes would shut tightly and his mouth form the cutest grin you had ever seen.

And for the third time, you’d felt transported into one of the romantic dramas, you could practically hear Sicheng saying matter-of-factly, ‘he’s totally gonna confess’, which you would always reply with a shush, wanting to savour the moment.

Opening his eyes, Lucas reached one of his hands reached down to hold your hand, “because I like you too.”

It was as if you had become hyper-aware of your surroundings, the way your heart was beating at a steady pace for once, and how gently Lucas was holding your hand, to the way the moonlight was so bright today, being the perfect backdrop for this moment you wanted to capture in your head and remember forever.

Letting go of your hand after a while, it was as if things were moving in slow motion when Lucas leaned over to plant a shy kiss on your cheek, pulling away and covering the lower half of his face with his hand, hiding his blush from you.

This time, you smiled at him first, “Goodnight, Xuxi.”

He had to look away to compose himself since he was smiling so widely, turning back to you and nodding at you, waving his hand as he’d started taking slow steps back, desperate to run home so he could giggle and be shy about this in the privacy of his room.

“Goodnight, Y/N.”

[fairy-writes]

FairyTailWzard’s New Annual tradition!

2020’s Top 10 List Part One!

So here’s a list that no one asked for of the top 10 anime series I watched this year. I wanted to put this in no particular order but I figured I might as well.  I’ll also be doing my top 10 fanfics from this year and my top 10 books I read this year so stay tuned for parts 2 and 3!

10.) RWBY

Uuuggghhh I really didn’t wanna put this on here… but I really didn’t watch much this year so I had to I guess :(((

I’m really not liking this right now… if my blog wasn’t sort of popular because of my rwby oneshots I’d consider just dropping the anime all together….

(I’m seriously debating on whether to watch the new season or not)

Honestly, the only thing bringing me back is my unhealthy love for Ozpin, Torchwick, and Ironwood.

Honestly, I’d give this show about a 3 or 4/10…

I used to love it so much but I think the quality of writing is going down and the show is trying to be too many things at once that I’m just losing interest.

9.) My Hero Academia

Why is this so low you may ask? Well, cause I think my main hype coming from this is the manga.

Yes I love the show, the animation studio is freaking amazing and the quality of animation never ceases to amaze me. But I love the manga a bit more.

This will probably jump up in rating around season 5 or 6 but for right now I’ll leave it in the 9th spot :)

8.) Sirius the Jaeger

Oh my GOSH, I want a second season so bad. One of my favorite OC’s I’ve ever made was for this anime (it’s Idris Tana btw) and I actually commissioned artwork for her recently and it’s SO PRETTY.

Anyway getting off-topic, the animation of this show and again with the dark and grittiness of it is what drew me in.

Actually, my late grandma and also my great aunt tagged me in a Facebook post with the trailer when it first came out cause they saw vampires and thought I would like it and that's what got me into this show in the first place.

So thank you grandma and auntie!

But I absolutely adore the soundtrack, the mix of orchestral pieces mixed with the more electro-kinda-vibes is my life (seriously go listen to “The Beginning of the Hunting” it changed my life, as an orchestra and cello geek it made my heart so happy)

7.) Tokyo Ghoul season 1-3

Ok, I’m currently reading the manga after I’ve seen the anime and lemme tell you I wish they didn’t censor the anime so much.

I can’t even find an uncensored version anymore and it makes me so upset.

The darkness and goriness of the manga is what appealed to me in the first place (yes I get weird looks for it, no I will not change my mind)

Kaneki is my CHILD and he CANNOT do any wrong. I don’t care who you are I love him

6.) Ajin: Demi-Human

Uuuggghhh to be honest the anime is kinda meh but my love for the manga is so great I am legally obligated to put this here.

Don’t get me wrong, the animation and soundtrack for this show is phenomenal and I think they got Satou down pat.

But they did dumb down and cut out a lot of interesting scenes. Scenes like how Satou takes down some of his opponents (which I can see why... many American viewers would most likely get offended by it… you manga readers know what scene i mean)

Nagai Kei turns into a bit of a whiny character instead of the smart but exasperated teenager I know and love in the manga is the anime version of Kei going to bite off his own fingers in order to climb a wall into a military base?? Definitely not. Would manga-Kei do that? Well, he already did… so... yes..,

Nakano Kou is still kind of funny but he is so much more fascinating in the manga (his backstory breaks my heart).

5.) Bungou Stray Dogs

Another new one that I was actually recommended by my friend @bright-like-the-sun-00 :) I ended up watching it originally in dub but then went back and rewatched it in sub because I love my children so much.

Chuuya is my bean and I love my OC that I created Charlie Dickens :)

(if you guys could go read her story I’d be eternally grateful).

Anyway!

This show has a fantastic cast in both Japanese and English and the music score is one of my favorites. The characters are so wonderfully hilarious and interesting and fhajxbqbaka I love this show okay??

4.) Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba

I actually put this off for YEARS because my oldest step-brother kept saying I should watch it. At this point, I was refusing out of spite cause I’m petty like that. But I finally started watching and-

HOLY-

GUYS

I have never gotten so attached to a character (cough cough Giyuu) so quickly.

I have been listening to Gurenge and Kamado Tanjiro no Uta on repeat for literal weeks now and I still grin like an idiot when listening to them. I also have a potential OC/crossover coming out soon sooooo…. stay tuned??

I also broke my sister cause I showed her a post that said national donut day and had a picture of Rengoku on it… I didn’t understand it until she explained it to me and now I cackle every time I think about it.

3.) Jujutsu Kaisen

@plusultranerd​ got me into this blame her for the future spamming of your dashboards

GUYS GOJO SATORU IS MY LIFE NO QUESTIONS ASKED

He could literally murder me and I’d thank him. He is the prettiest anime character I have EVER SEEN and I love him so much.

Anyway anime. The show got my attention from the get-go. Itadori is such a fun main character and Megumi is me cause you know dogs.

I think I saw an ad for it and since I have Crunchyroll I figured why not and fell in love with it

AND THE ENDING SONG

BEST ENDING EVER YOU CANNOT CHANGE MY MIND

I put it on sometimes so me and my sister just start jamming out to it and we get the stupidest looks and it is amazing

2.) Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood

Another anime that I will rewatch over and over again until literally the end of time. Also, another series that I’ve already read/or am reading the manga.

Alphonse Eric is my cinnamon roll you can pry him from my cold dead hands.

I have cold hands and no heart by holy heck my BOY

I actually am buying the special edition hardback manga covers that are coming out and I LOVE THEM

THEY ARE SO PRETTY

Am I talking about the characters or the manga?

My answer is yes

Anyway, all of the characters in this are so wonderfully complex and have motivations and i fall in love with 99% of the characters (except for Shou Tucker, I even like Father actually)

1.)  Death Parade

This has got to be one of my top favorite anime of ALL TIME.

I rewatched it early this year and this is one of the very few anime that will get me to cry and this makes me cry every freaking time.

The music is stunning, the animation is magnificent.

For being based on an animated short film, this has such potential for a second season and such a complex storyline was packed into 12 episodes.

I will forever recommend this anime to literally anyone who is looking for something new to watch.

I’m also noticing I have a thing for white-haired male anime characters with really pretty eyes….. Kaneki… Gojo… Decim...

Honorable mentions!

Darker than Black

I didn’t rewatch the whole thing this year but this anime is literally my life. Hei is such a bean and I love him.

Hunter x Hunter

Another anime i didn't rewatch completely but still adore :) I heard they’re continuing it and I’m excited for the dark continent arc!

Dororo

Technically i watched this late 2019 but whatever; I do what I want. The animation was absolutely gorgeous and I loved the gritty darkness of it. Mio will forever be my favorite character; you cannot change my mind. Some parts I did find a bit boring but overall I’d rate this a solid 6/10!

The Devil is a Part-Timer!

I rewatched parts of it and not the whole thing, I also have the first two volumes of the light novels and I forget how funny it is until I actually watch it. It has me laughing every time and never fails to put a smile on my face :)

[angeliccynthious]

more AU stuff, I guess until I run out of things to talk about regarding this AU- This here is mostly centered on Radiance, I’ll prolly do one for PK aswell sometime today. - Radi, as previously stated many times, lives alone in the Resting Grounds where Seer used to live. She’s just decided to sit and stay here because shes got really nothing else to do, sometimes she goes through Spirits Glade. - When Ghost suddenly shows up, she will literally flip out. This is the ultimate god here, and they’re the one who basically killed her! and.. and.. made her basically mortal.. aka.. brought her back to life- but still in her mind this fucker is dangerous. Though in reality they just wanna hang out with her, with Grimmchild in tow. - On the topic of Grimmchild, she calls Radi ‘Big sister’ or something like that because technically they would be siblings. - Radi seems like she doesn’t like anybody, but when people come and visit her (aka mostly Ghost n Grimmchild), deep inside, she does enjoy their company. - Maybe in the future, she decides to move around a bit more and that’s when she stumbles upon Hollow. She’s shocked to see them, in a better shape no less, and wonders if they will attack her. But no, they just stare, long enough for her to get the hell out of there. She’d then probably ask the two travelers about Hollow, sort of.. wondering if they hate her. She doesn’t really want to get attacked out of nowhere either way. - I can say... Hollow does not completely hate her. I guess if they came upon one another earlier, Hollow would have definitely went and attacked her. - Radi isn’t really.. all that sorry for what she’s done to Hollow. She thinks she had reason to do so, because she wanted to desperately break out. But she does think if Hollow were to attack her, she’d let them because she guesses she deserves it. Girl are you guilty or not make up your m i nd- - The gal still retains some of her powers from when she was literally a god, mostly the whole summoning those nails or whatever. - Her and PK do not like each other, and when he learns Ghost n Grimmchild allowed Lil Lady around her he’s uh.. he’s not really happy about it at all. Still he trusts them enough to continue taking her places but not the Resting Grounds, the two.. they-- they don’t listen. They let Lil Lady see her ‘auntie’. -  Andd-- Her opinion on Lil Lady. She finds her incredibly annoying at first, I don’t think she likes children, but eventually she gets used to her, as she did for those two other little shits. She just gives the girl some pats on the head and probably has some tea with her in the way way future. - Oh yeah I guess lastly is the personality I want for her. She’s sort of.. like Yellowfang. Yeah you Warriors people should know what I’m talking about. Grumpy, mean, all that. Yet she has a sorta... grandma vibe. I don’t know how to totally explain it but she gets a bit nicer to those she’s gotten used to. Of course.. aka Ghost, Grimmchild, and Lil Lady.

[saiilorstars]

It Had To Be You

Ch.18: Fallout // Story Masterlist

Fandom: The Flash

Pairings: Barry Allen x Original Female Character

Pronunciation of OC’s name: Bell-en. The last syllable has an emphasis so it’s not pronounced like ‘Helen’ would be.

~ 0 ~ 0 ~ 0 ~ 0 ~ 0 ~ 0 ~

Chapter Summary: Belén and Barry finally get to go on their first date together and from there on, they start to realize how much they actually need each other. It especially rings true when Barry makes a discovery about the night his mother died.

The night was young and Central City was busy as ever. Everyone was busy. In a local liquor store there was a young man aiming a gun at a poor girl behind a cash register.

"Give me the money and maybe you get to live!" the man ordered the sobbing girl who scrambled to get the money out of the register.

There was a strong force of wind that knocked open the door of the liquor store...and shattered one side of the glass display.

"Sorry about that!" A woman in a white and black one-suit quickly exclaimed. Her black heeled boots clinked against the floor as she walked up, her white cape doing a small 'whoosh' noise at the same time. "Please, ignore the cape - it wasn't my idea."

"Hey I thought it was a great idea!" Cisco was quick to defend himself over the comms. "The Incredibles didn't make sense on that matter, honestly."

Behind Nina Clarke's black mask, she rolled her eyes.

"Who the hell are you?" the thief in the store demanded.

"The Tempest," Nina still couldn't get over the name Cisco branded her with, but it kind of had a killer vibe to it. She thrust a hand forwards and with her great wind knocked the thief - along with the cashier girl - down.

"You weren't supposed to knock the girl down, Nina," came Cisco's light scold.

"Sorry!" Nina flew over the counter and picked up the girl. "But you're alright," she assured the blonde.

"Get the thief, Nina!" Cisco exclaimed.

"Oh, got it!" Nina smiled at the girl and rushed to collect the thief on the floor.

After dropping the thief at the CCPD, Nina continued to be on the look out for more attention-needng situations. Peace lasted for about five minutes before Cisco warned her there was an ongoing speed chase across from her location. With a great big sigh, she soared up into the sky and made to follow. With her extraordinary wind power, she was able to force the criminals' car to stop on a swerve. She was just handing over the criminals to the policemen when Cisco announced there was a suicidal situation not too far from her point.

"You're killing me!" Nina complained but once again stormed up into the sky. "I thought I was supposed to practice in the training area. I just think you're keeping me out there so you have something to do back at STAR. Labs."

Cisco took that with mild offense as he bit off a red liquorish. "Not true," he said calmly. He was alone in the lab but couldn't be more comfortable. Caitlin was having her own dinner with her new, not-dead fiance and probably catching up. Professor Stein had been taken home yesterday and so far, everything was well. No one questioned the explosion that happened two days ago on account of the army declaring it a 'nuclear test'. Although that only meant they would soon be coming to them to really investigate.

Nina rolled her eyes and without giving the jumper on a building's roof a warning she swooped down and grabbed him by the arms. She lowered him down until they were close to Eddie who had been in charge of the scene. "Please don't let him back up there," she told him.

"Who are you?" Eddie took possition of the jumper, eyeing Nina nonetheless.

"The Tempest. I'm just here to help," Nina smiled.

"Where's the Flash?"

"...busy."

Confused, Eddie then asked, "What about the Azalea?"

"Busy too."

"With what?"

Nina swayed her head. "With dates…" With that, she soared into the sky again.

~ 0 ~

"Okay-" Belén rushed into her room where Maritza and Axel were plopped on her bed, "-how's this one?" She stopped in front of her long mirror and patted down her dark scarlet, mid-length dress. She turned back and waited for her sister's opinion.

"It's too...plain…" Maritza concluded after a long sway of head.

Belén sighed, letting her hands drop. "Really?"

"Yes, I think you can make a better impression," Maritza smirked.

Blushing, Belén went back to her closet and started looking yet again for a new outfit.

~ 0 ~

Barry sped up and down the stairs with new outfits for Joe to see. Wearing a long white, button up shirt with a gray vest and dark jeans, he awaited for Joe's opinion. Joe read off a newspaper and gave a thumb's up after one glance, but he was clearly over the situation. Not even Iris put so much thought into clothes like this. Changing his mind again, Barry shook his head and went back to his room. By the time he came back for one more opinion Joe had switched to work.

Without even looking up, he dead seriously warned, "If you change one more time, I'm gonna shoot you."

With a big breath released, Barry sped back up the stairs to hopefully find the right clothes that wouldn't require a second opinion. When he finally returned - at a normal pace - downstairs, Iris was just coming in from a day at work. Soon as she saw him, her lips stretched out into one of her signature smirks.

"There he is..." she began.

"Please don't," he decided to beg even though it was futile.

"Now you treat her nice-" she came up to him and pretended to adjust his blazer, "-and try to keep your dorky jokes at a minimum, you're not that funny."

"Iris-" he rolled his eyes.

"And make sure, for the love of God, not to talk so much about science," she gripped his blazer's lapels, face scrunched, "It's not interesting."

With a smirk, Barry pried her fingers off him and responded with, "I'll have you know she likes when I talk about science."

Iris laughed as he went around her to the door.

~ 0 ~

Belén returned to her bedroom in a new outfit, already weary of so many she had gone through. However, the moment she walked in Maritza gasped and loudly.

"That one! Oh, that's pretty!"

Belén sprinted up to her mirror and studied herself. She patted down the shiny, silver skirt and tilted her head. "You think so?"

"Definitely," Maritza gave a thumbs up. "If you want a guy's opinion let's ask Axel." At the sound of his name, Axel looked up from the tablet Maritza had given him. "Axel what do you think of Auntie Belén's clothes?"

"Pretty!" He cheered. "Are you going to a party?"

"You look really good, Belén, honest," Maritza assured as Belén had turned back to her mirror and stared at herself unsure of her decision.

"You think?" Belén eyed herself up and down, trying to find even the most minuscule flaw before she had to leave. A black laced, long sleeved blouse was tucked under her shiny, fold-over, silver skirt.

"Oh yes," Maritza got up from the bed and walked up behind her younger sister. "But if I say we do something like this with your hair," she grabbed Belén's hair and moved it up into a high pony tail, leaving some strands to frame Belén's face. "Show a little more shoulder," she laughed at Belén's blush. Because Belén's black laced blouse was indeed an off-the-shoulder type but with her hair down, it wasn't really noticeable.

"Mar, it's just a date. I..." Belén saw her sister's smirk in the mirror and laughed. "Oh my God, it's just a date - nothing else is going to happen but a date!"

"Hey, I am not judging," Maritza let go of Belén's hair to raise her hands. "But, I mean, don't be scared to show off your best features."

"Do you know how many jokes there are about my legs?" Belén turned around and gestured to her legs. "Cisco can't get over them."

"Well...you do have nice legs..." Maritza said briefly.

"Yes, thank you," Belén turned back to her mirror. She shifted from one side to the other, and Maritza nearly lost it when Belén raised her hair into a pony-tail. "Shut up!"

Maritza just couldn't help herself.

"Auntie Belén, are you going to a party?" Axel looked up after his mother had returned to the bed.

"No, sweetheart, I'm...I'm just going to have dinner with Barry," Belén gave the boy a smile through the mirror as she picked up her hair. Maritza still giggled here and there.

"Why can't you have dinner here?" Axel asked. "We could watch a movie too! Oh! Can we watch Toy Story!?"

"Maybe another time, Axel," Maritza patted her son's shoulder. "Your auntie just wants to spend some time alone with Barry." Belén couldn't help her blush as she did her hair. She was going to spend some time alone with Barry. Sure she'd spent time with him but as friends and they were usually training. This would be so different. They were going to have dinner together, probably somewhere romantic. They were going to possibly hold hands...maybe kiss.

Belén's eyes widened at that idea. Kiss? Kiss. She might be kissing Barry tonight. That...that might be fun. Might? the voice in her head scoffed at her. It will be fun. A deep warmth filled Belén's cheeks the more she thought about it.

However, she was pulled out of those thoughts when the doorbell rang. Axel looked up from his tablet, excited suddenly. "Ding-dong!"

Maritza laughed as her sister scrambled to get her purse and small-heeled black shoes from under the bed. "Have a nice time!" Maritza was able to call out before Belén slammed the door of the room and ran to answer downstairs.

Taking a deep breath and collecting herself, Belén stepped outside to the front porch where Barry awaited her. He nervously stood there, in a white buttoned-up shirt and black tie, matching with a black blazer and dark pants.

"You're on time," Belén said to him, still mildly surprised.

"Yes I am," Barry proudly agreed. "I had a purpose this time!"

"Aw, and was I that purpose?"

"Yes!" Barry awkwardly fumbled with a single Azalea in his hand.

Belén gasped and reached for it. "Please tell me this was for me because it's really, really, cute!"

"Y-yes," Barry nodded, quickly allowing her to take it. "Is it dumb? I thought about getting a full bouquet, but then I thought that was weird-"

"They sell bouquets now?" Belén raised her eyebrows. "I grow mine in the backyard because it's so difficult to find them in the stores."

"You haven't seen them yet?"

"Seen…?"

"Flower stores are selling them for the Azalea now. Fresh every day!"

"No way! Seriously!?"

"Yeah, I can take you tomorrow if you'd like…?"

"Yes, please!" Belén neatly tucked the flower behind her ear and smiled. "Ta-da!"

"You look wonderful," Barry said, looking her over.

"Thanks, and you look handsome yourself," Belén said as she took his offered arm and began walking towards the sidewalk. She then clearly looked him over, admiring his casualness yet dressed-up appearance. "I don't think I've seen you all dressed up," she laughed.

"Christmas?" Barry tried to be casual and not act like he was beginning to match the color of his Flash suit.

"Right," Belén said thoughtfully. "It's kind of fuzzy to be honest, considering all that happened. Please tell me I didn't wear a Christmas sweater…"

"No, no, you looked hot," Barry said without thinking. He nearly had a heart attack and began stuttering for a plausible excuse. "I-I meant, you know...s-scientifically...speaking…"

It was a bit difficult trying to swallow down her laugh as she stopped walking to face him. "Scientifically speaking?"

"Ah...aha," Barry nodded. He looked at her knowing fully well he was now definitely matching the redness of his Flash suit.

Rather slyly, Belén stepped closer to him and looked up at him. "And what does 'scientifically speaking' mean exactly?"

"U-uh...well, you know, there's a basis in science for, um...for every emotion," Barry began, thinking of something smart to say, hopefully to impress her at the least, "Impression, and, um, and awe…and like…"

"But as a scientist, don't you guys like...not believe in anything that involves attraction?" Belén raised one eyebrow.

"Well, I-I…" Barry slowly answered. He was transfixed with her perfume scent he suddenly got a whiff due to their closeness. She smelled like sweet jasmine flowers.

"So then what happens when you actually like someone?" Belén asked, actually curious of the matter. "Is it just chemicals for you? How do you explain it?"

"It cannot be science," Barry released a breath after a moment. He upheld her look and realized how crazy beautiful her eyes were when they were filled with curiosity. "At all."

"Ooh, nice answer," Belén laughed but nonetheless blushed.

Barry smiled down at her and mumbled something about a place to eat - nothing Chinese of course.

~ 0 ~

"Oh, spicy!" Belén nearly dropped the portion of food she had eaten off her fork. But even as she chewed it was harder not to spit it all out.

From across the table, Barry tried not to laugh at her. "Bells, just spit it out." She shook her head. "Here-" he reached for a napkin and held it out for her.

Defeated, Belén took it and returned the mighty spicy chicken into it. "Well that's unlady-like," she said with heavy embarrassment. "I'm so sorry." Here they were in a lovely restaurant with good food and she begins to ruin it by spitting out food.

"It's fine, don't worry about it," Barry assured her, amused as she took a long sip of her drink. "Not a fan of spicy food, then?"

"Mmm, not exactly," Belén said afterwards, the redness on her face fading as she calmed. "I can handle Azalea poison, apparently, but I lose it at spices."

"I didn't know that…"

"Now you do, I guess."

Barry agreed, and then suddenly realized, "I don't think we know much about each other, actually."

In the beginning it was easy to tell Belén thought he was crazy but the more she considered it the more she realized he was sort of right. "I guess we've been busy that...we never actually stopped to get to know each other. Although we do have lots of history now. Question for a question?"

"Ladies first," Barry motioned for her to go ahead.

"Okay, um..." Belén got to thinking for a second, "Have you traveled anywhere before?"

"Besides Star City?" Barry asked, already smiling of embarrassment because that was answer was going to be a big fat 'nowhere'. He was that lame. "And the occasional speed ins for food?"

"Yes," she chuckled. "I mean a proper vacation outside of your boundaries."

"Nowhere - I have never gone anywhere."

"Not even with your family?"

"No," Barry got to thinking about his time with his parents and couldn't remember a vacation outside of Central City. Joe had always been pretty busy after it was him living with Joe and Iris. "What about you? Traveled anywhere interesting?"

"Well, I have family in Italy - from my Dad's side - so I've been there a couple times."

"You've been to Italy?"

"Yeah..."

"Like...Italian Italy?"

Belén laughed. "I don't think there's any other Italian place, Barry."

Barry cleared his throat, embarrassed once more. "Right."

"What's your question?"

"I already asked you mine..."

"No, you just turned my question back to me. C'mon, ask me something," Belén reached for her drink and took a small sip from it.

"Will I ever be able to see those videos you promised of your aerial dancing days?"

"Um..."

"You have to answer," Barry warned once he saw her attempt to eat up some more to avoid answering. "You once said you would-"

"Well, that was before you asked me out!"

"What!? What's that gotta do now!?"

Belén put her fork down and playfully huffed. "You were a friend, I could mess around like I do with Cisco. Now...I'm a little more self-conscious. What if you think I'm bad but you don't want to say it?"

Barry leaned over the table, fairly amused. "I don't think so. I bet you were crazy talented at it. Won't you show me one little ten-second video?"

Belén shrugged slowly, "I...guess we can, sometime." Barry smirked and went back to eating. "My turn! Is it true you tried to take up boxing when you were little?"

Barry almost dropped his fork, making her giggle. "I'm gonna need you to stop talking about me with Iris."

"So it is true!"

"Joe was teaching us and-"

"-Iris kicked your ass-"

"Stop talking about me with her!"

Belén laughed. "How old were you?"

"I don't know, eleven? I don't know," the speedster gave a shrug of his shoulders, eyes looking down at his plate.

"I bet you were cute trying to hold up the gloves," she mimicked with balled fists, managing to elicit a little smile back. "I'm asking for pictures-"

"No you are not," Barry pointed his fork at her. She had to laugh again and it only faded when she got some looks from a nearby table. "My turn," Barry reminded, although slightly more serious now. "And you don't have to answer if you really don't want to, but..."

Belén's eyes slightly widened as she realized the topic of the conversation. "You want to know about my change…"

"Look, I know it's a delicate matter for you, but I want to be there for you and to do that I need to know about it. I promised you I wouldn't say anything and I've kept it."

"This isn't a matter of whether or not I trust you," Belén clarified, "It's just...it's embarrassing."

"But see that's what I disagree with most, Bells. You have these extraordinary powers and there's a side you don't want to use because it's not aesthetically pleasing to you?"

"It's hard, alright? There you go-" she gestured to him, "-clad in leather with a handsome face, being a hero. Now imagine me, going out there in a form that's all green and...scaly…"

"And being a hero," Barry finished for her. "Green or not, you are pretty, you are fantastic."

"That's very sweet for a first date," Belén smiled softly.

"This isn't because we're on a date. It's me, Barry, trying to make my friend, Belén, see how unfair she's being to herself," he didn't know if it was too early or awkward but he reached across the table and took her free hand. "Because I don't like it when you are upset."

The words left an odd feeling in Belén's stomach, but she knew it was a good one. He looked so sincere that all she wanted to do was get up and hug him. But, was that too forwards on the first date? She wasn't sure. She settled for words. "You are so sweet," she whispered. And at that moment she was so sure this is the place she wanted to be at, with Barry. Looking down a moment, she took an ounce of courage and began to speak slowly, quietly too. "It was...weird, at first. I mean, things were really weird for me in the beginning because I didn't have help. There were moments where I felt like I wasn't going to be able to hold in the change so I had to...run...make any excuse to be on my own."

"The change came with no pattern?" asked Barry, intending on being the utmost analytical in order to be able to help her.

"Well, I think it has to do with my emotions," Belén bit her lip. "I started noticing that whenever I felt unusually stressed my hand…" she started flexing her left hand like it was going to happen to her right then, "...it would start changing green. It was all sorts of emotions. Sometimes I was just stressed from classes, or from work. Other times one of my friends would piss me off. Then, there were other times where...I felt scared." She paused, looking distant in memories. "Usually I was scared. There were so many things changing and I couldn't understand anything."

"Why didn't you tell anyone at STAR Labs?" Barry had to ask again.

"Many reasons," Belén sheepishly smiled. "At first, things were focused on you, being in your coma. I didn't want to take away any time that could help you. Then, when things got a little...less stressed, I started to get to know them - Cisco, Cait, and Dr. Wells. I was embarrassed." She certainly wasn't going to include the fact going on a date with Cisco made it even more difficult to come clean about herself. That wasn't first date topics.

"And what about me? You didn't feel comfortable with me?" Barry tried his best not to look nor sound judgmental. He was determined to hear her out and provide comfort and hopefully solutions for her.

"Well…" Belén made a face that Barry just had to laugh at a little. "You were complex, alright?" She said and began to pick at her plate with her fork. "In the beginning you were just Iris' adoptive brother, a guy I happened to meet."

"And afterwards?" Now slightly more curious of the answer, Barry leaned on the table.

Belén smiled, her face warming as she explained. "You became a goddamn mess in my life."

"Oh-" Barry faked an offended face, "-thanks. That's just...great. Yeah."

Belén giggled and picked up her glass to take a drink. "Your fault for embedding yourself into my life. You decided to help me as the Flash, remember? You started this."

"Not true," Barry crossed his arms. "You started it when you helped Iris look after me in my coma."

"Well, you started it when you told Iris you'd help me with my article so ha! I win!" Belén exclaimed, and rather loudly that she got several looks from other tables. "Oops," she said after a moment, looking at her plate with a red face.

Barry leaned back on his chair and with a very wide smile stared at Belén, and a part of him struggled not to laugh. "So…" he began again, and still mildly embarrassed she looked up, "...what if, you let me help you now?"

"Barry, I don't want anyone to know," she said quietly.

"Between us," clarified Barry. "Just us. No one else."

That seem to make Belén relax a little, but, not entirely understanding, she questioned it. "How's that?"

"I think it would be good to see what sort of abilities this 'change' allows you to do. Maybe it could even help with the abilities you already have. And, Bells, it's always good to make sure your emotions don't run your powers. You run them, not the other way around."

"I don't know…"

Barry reached for one of her hands on the table and looked her in the eyes. "It's okay to be scared, but this time you wouldn't try to handle them alone. I will be there, and I will help you if you need it."

The weight of his words settled on her and the only thing she thought at the moment was of relief. She didn't even question it, she loved it. "O-okay…" she shakily nodded, "Small steps?"

"Absolutely," Barry nodded. "Trust me?"

A smile spread across Belén's lips as she considered those words. "Trust you, Barry Allen? Story of my life."

~ 0 ~

Strolling down the city park, Belén listened to Barry tell a fascinating (or at least that's what she made it look like) story about one of his failed science experiments from when he was in middle school. The truth was, she had never seen someone talk so passionately about a middle school science project like Barry was. It was endearing.

"And I actually thought making sun prints would be easier but I ended up using the wrong sort of paper - well, Joe got me the wrong ones." Barry rambled on and on, hands in his pockets. "See, cos you need a special kind of sheet so that the print can be made. Although, you do have to dunk the object you were using into water so you can…" He glanced at Belén who was looking up at him with a wide smile, and suddenly he flushed. Iris' words about not talking about science came back to him. "This is...not the sort of talk for a first date, huh?" A light chuckle escaped Belén's mouth as she looked away. "Yeah, total dork." Barry released a large sigh and a mild blush of red.

"No, it's adorable!" Belén laughed and, with his help, got up on the park's fountain. She slowly walked along the ledge while holding onto Barry's arm just in case she slipped.

"But it's boring, and boring is not what I'm aiming for tonight."

"Aw, don't get upset," Belén stopped walking and turned to face him. "It's adorable, okay? How have you not been snatched up already?" she chuckled while Barry awkwardly fumbled with his words. "I mean, you're incredibly intelligent, you're cute, you're so sweet. What's the problem?"

Barry rubbed the back of his head, feeling more embarrassed than earlier. "I...I don't know? It just hasn't happened yet."

"Really? So what about that Clara girl I heard about?" Belén crossed her arms, pretending to be serious.

"I hate Iris," Barry flatly said. He shook his head and shed a little bit of light for her to understand. "Sometimes, it's just been me not going for it. But...you know, for a lot of my childhood and teen years it's been difficult getting through when everyone recognizes you as the kid who's dad murdered your mom."

Belén's eyebrows rose in surprise, no longer playful of the subject. "Oh Barry, I'm so sorry. I...I didn't think…"

"It's fine, you wouldn't have thought about it, I get it." Barry quickly said, definitely not wanting this date to turn gloomy, and yet the more he spoke the harder it became to shrug it off. "It's not so much the issue right now, because it's been a long time since the case, but back then everyone knew who I was. No one except Iris would want to be around me."

"That must have been terrible…" Belén whispered. She noticed Barry purposely trying to avoid her gaze, despite being close. She wanted to make him feel better, but...what words of comfort could she say to someone who experienced all that he had? It was plain awful. Do what you do best, be weird. She put on a smile and spoke, "When I was little, I used to hide inside refrigerators as a game."

The reaction was almost instant. Belén laughed as Barry tried to process what he'd heard, his eyes widening then squinting with confusion was just too funny. "What!? You did what!?"

"I used to hide inside refrigerators when I played hide and seek with my brother," Belén repeated, her laughter turning into a series of giggles. "Rayan could never find me."

"Well - yeah, I would think he couldn't! Who hides inside fridges!?" Barry exclaimed.

Belén's hand shot high in the air. "Right here!"

"Belén - what?" Barry couldn't help laughing too. "You're...you're just..." Belén lowered her hand and cheerfully smiled. Barry stared at her, his own smile softening. He reached to touch her cheek and felt her warm blush under his fingers. His mind flashed back to the night they had returned from their unplanned karaoke night with Caitlin. Belén had looked just as pretty then as she did now...and he wanted to kiss her now just as much as he had before.

He leaned forwards only a bit, stopping to see how Belén reacted, maybe she would stop him? It appeared not. She seemed entranced; her eyes flickered between his eyes and lips. A good part of her was impatiently waiting for Barry to just kiss her already, but since he was slow - the irony - she did it herself.

She kissed him and felt that sense of desire finally quenched. Barry felt the same; he savored it. His fingers once again came to rest over her cheeks, stroking her skin in circles even when they broke apart. They shared one look and smiled at each other. At the same time, their eyes lowered once again to each other's lips and made it clear - without actually saying a word - it was not over. This time Barry kissed her first. Belén was all too happy for a second one and let Barry feel it when she smiled through their kiss. Barry wrapped his arms around Belén's waist and slowly pulled her off the fountain's ledge to hold her closer to him.

Belén was bright pink on the face when she pulled away, but no one could take her smile away. Barry cleared his throat, fumbling to come up with something good to say after that but as luck would have it...he had nothing but stutters.

"The girls missed their chance because now I'm snatching you up," Belén beat him to it again. She leaned on him, grinning from ear to ear. "Is that alright with you?"

The same grin covered Barry's face. "Definitely."

~ 0 ~

The next day, Belén reported for work in her most cheery mood ever. She walked over to her desk and put down her purse. Just as she was about to start on her work, she Noah and Mason stopped by. "I'd say good morning but I think it's about to change," she said directly towards Mason. "Morning, Noah," she purposely greeted the younger colleague with a smile.

"Don't be mad," Noah chuckled, coming closer to her. "But Mason had a really good idea for a next story."

Belén once again suspiciously looked at Mason. "You're not our mentor."

"It's an interesting one you definitely want to look into," Mason said, quite sure of himself as he put down a blueprint on her desk.

Belén's eyes flickered between the blueprint and Mason. "Um, why is there a blueprint of the STAR Labs Particle Accelerator on my desk?"

"To help the story," Mason said like it were obvious and that she should have seen it before.

"Do you actually know anything about physics?"

"Not a thing. Might as well be in Dothraki."

"So then what the he'll are you doing?" Belén dreaded to ask the two men.

"Belén, he's just doing his job," Noah replied. "Maybe there's a little more we don't know about yet."

"I can guarantee you we do," she picked up the plans and rolled it up as if it were a scroll then held it for Mason to take it back.

"What's your reasoning?" Mason challenged.

Belén knew it was best if he didn't know about her good knowledge of STAR Labs or she would never get rid of him. "Dr. Wells said he was warned of disasters. The story finished there and then."

"Yeah. Why do you think he did that?"

"Because he's a good person?"

"Is he?"

"I happened to know of a person - specifically Iris' - friend that was saved because of this lab. So, excuse me, but we're done here." With her hands, Belén shooed him away. Afterwards, she sharply looked to Noah. "That is the last time I want to hear about this."

Noah smiled a fake smile and left. But as he turned away he showed his true feelings- anger. He, like Mason, knew there was something very differently going on in that building. It was why he offered himself for the story, despite having a different mentor. Perhaps if Belén realized how twisted STAR Labs was she would learn where her true place was.

"Hey," Iris greeted Belén just as she plopped down on her desk chair. She cast a suspicious look at Mason with his rolled up blueprints. "What was that about?"

Belén shook her head and hands to signal she didn't even want to go into that subject again. "Useless stuff. I'm sorry that guy is your mentor."

"He's not that bad," Iris shrugged, by now used to Mason's behavior.

"Oh no, he's bad," Belén shook her head again then leaned back on the chair. "My first day he said to me, and I quote, 'You are a talentless twat'."

"More or less what he said to me," Iris mused, taking a seat on the edge of Belén's desk. "I guess that's just his way of greeting newbies."

"I could have done without that type of greeting," Belén shook her head but then took a moment to remember she was not going to let anyone, including Mason, bring her down. Things were just too good right now.

Iris couldn't read minds, but with the big grin on Belén's face, she could almost pass as one. "Soo...I fell asleep before Barry came home..." Belén cleared her throat and tried to focus on turning on her computer. "What happened?" Iris didn't hesitate to sit herself on Belén's desk and wait for the story to be told. "Was it fun? Did he talk a lot about science because I told him not to-"

"He-" Belén cut her off with a small chuckle, "-talked about science-"

"Oh, Barry-" Iris gave a shake of her head.

"-and he was lovely," Belén finished, once again returning to her ever-lasting smiles. "He was so lovely, I...I really did have a good time with him."

"I can tell," Iris waved a finger at Belén's face, making the ombre-haired woman laugh. "In all seriousness it does make me happy to know it worked out. It just had to."

"Well, thanks to you and Caitlin - little matchmakers," Belén pretended to huff with annoyance.

"Yeah, you'll thank us on your wedding day, you'll see!" and Iris laughed to the point of almost falling off Belén's desk after seeing Belén go incredibly red on the face.

"Go to work, Iris!"

When Iris finally left her, Belén intended on working and working. There were plenty of articles to write based on the latest meta attacks. It was exceptionally a busy day since the Tempest had made her debut. Nina was on almost every blog - including Iris' - on the internet. So far, the people were fascinated with a flying metahuman helping keep the city safe. It was definitely a treat getting to write about such a close friend that Belén never noticed the time flying by. It was Barry who managed to pull her out of her working mode.

"Barry, hi!" Belén got up from her desk just as the speedster came up to her. At first she wondered how to greet him - a hug? A kiss? Oh my God she was just making this more difficult. Why was it difficult? She didn't remember being like this with her previous boyfriends. Well none of them were like Barry, she thought and decided she was right.

"I wanted to see if you could come with me to Professor Stein's," Barry said, and with the unusual dispirited aura around Belén assumed something new had happened and that it was no good.

"So, you wanna tell me what's going on?" Belén asked as soon as they were walking in the streets.

Barry sighed and began to retell the story. This wasn't the type of conversation he wanted to have with her, especially the first one after their date. Sometimes, he didn't like this metahuman, weird life he had. "Joe reopened the investigation for my mom's murder and somehow he and Cisco got a...a machine-"

"You're dumbing it down for me," Belén flatly said, sarcastically smiling at him. "Thanks," she laughed afterwards and gestured for Barry to continue.

"Uh, well, basically, through holograms, they discovered that, somehow, I was there that night - this me," he gestured to himself.

Belén made a face, and a thoroughly confused one as she processed what that meant. "But...but if...if you were there…" she pointed at Barry, "...does that mean you...time traveled?"

Barry awkwardly shrugged because even he didn't know it at the moment. "I...don't...really know…"

"That would be so cool, though - you time travelling," she couldn't help feel so excited at the idea. "Do you realize how amazing that would be? You get to time travel, Barry!"

"Yeah, well, if I did, then I failed to save my mom," Barry couldn't help himself from saying the only thing that ran through his mind ever since he found out from Joe.

At that moment, Belén's excitement vanished, her smile fading when she realized how Barry must have felt when he learned about it. "Oh my God," she stopped and turned to him. "I'm so sorry, that's why you're upset. Because you think this is what happened?"

"It's why I wanted to see Professor Stein. He wrote a paper on it, and...who knows, maybe he has some answers," Barry shrugged, although his casualness didn't go by so well.

"Okay," Belén nodded, "But you don't have to pretend to be so quiet about it. You're upset, you have a right to be. Don't downplay it."

"Thanks Bells," Barry lightly smiled at her.

"Uh, just one more question," she raised a finger, making him smile wider, "Why exactly did you come for me? I mean, I think out of everyone I am the least qualified person you want to bring to a renowned professor's home. You should've asked Dr. Wells, honestly."

"I wanted you to be with me," Barry went straight for the truth. He was mildly pleased to see the surprise reaction on her face. "I just...I need you, Bells. And I know we've only had one date but I think I've always needed you around me when things got tough. You talk to me when I need it, make me feel better, so...would you come with me, please?"

Belén grabbed his hand and gave it a comforting squeeze. "Whisk me away, my singing scientist."

Barry found it possible to laugh for a moment. This was exactly what he was talking about - she had the perfect ability to make him feel good.

He took them off the streets and had them in front of the Steins' residence. The two headed up the front porch and knocked on the front door. They were greeted by Clarissa Stein, and a slightly surprised one too.

"Mrs. Stein, I'm sorry to bother you here, but is Professor Stein here right now?" Barry asked in his utmost polite tone.

Clarissa crossed her arms, momentarily showing determinism. "Well, after a year apart, I'm not letting him out of my sight." But then, she stepped slightly closer to the two and quietly asked. "STAR Labs did quite a few tests on Martin, didn't they... and they said he was fine?"

"You don't sound very convinced," Belén said afterwards. "Is something not right?"

"He just seems a little different, is all…"

"Well, just to forewarn you, anyone affected by the Particle Accelerator isn't going to be the same person they were before." Belén tried to be a little comforting yet still being factual. She believed she had some experience in that department as did Barry...Nina...

But still, Clarissa did not seem convinced. "He's been asking for pizza. Martin despises pizza. I doubt the accelerator changes childhood likes."

Just then, Professor Stein came up behind Clarrisa, looking excited. "Is that the delivery man?" It was actually rather amusing (at least for Belén) to see his face fall in such hopelessness when he saw them two. "Oh, Mr. Allen. I suppose it's too much to hope you moonlight as a pizza boy. I am famished."

Although taken aback by the request, Barry agreed and zoomed away. Belén decided to introduce herself (again) and reached a hand out to Stein. "I'm Bel-" she flinched when Barry returned, his force of wind throwing some of her hair back on her face. With a little sarcastic glare on him, she pushed her hair back. "I'm Belén. I work with them at STAR Labs."

"I remember, yes," Stein shook her hand and then took the pizza box from Barry.

"Although really when I say I work with them I really just mean I stand behind them and see what they're doing," Belén added as they were led inside.

Stein was already midway opening the pizza box when he responded. "What can I do for you both?"

Barry, still uncomfortable, stuttered as he spoke up. "I... I needed to talk to you about a paper that you wrote 25 years ago for the Oxford University Press."

Stein intended on cutting a slice of pizza there and then. "I've written many papers for that publication. Could you be more specific about the subject matter?"

As he picked up the slice, Barry took an involuntary pause. He felt a little nudge on his side and looked down to see Belén nodding him to go on, encouraging him. He was incredibly happy to have brought her with him.

"Time travel," he finally answered, looking directly at Stein who has frozen just inches from biting his pizza slice.

~ 0 ~

In Stein's office, Stein had begun to explain the subject- apparently one of his favorites - to the two metas. As he uncovered one (of the dozen more) boards revealing many mathematical equations, he explained, "These are just a few of the random thoughts I've had on the subject."

Belén stood across the two men tilting her head at yet another uncovered board filled with mathematics. "A few?" She scoffed lightly. "This is...like my worst nightmare all put into one room. Algebra and Calculus…" she pretended to shiver.

It was Stein's turn to scoff. "Algebra and Calculus? My dear, this is much more complex than-"

Barry purposely cleared his throat loudly to interrupt. He made a cutting motion across his neck followed by a low mumble of 'Let her be'. Belén glanced their way completely unaware.

"What was that?"

Stein discreetly looked at Barry who was still silently asking not to correct the woman. He supposed it was some odd way to keep her content and give him points? Young people were completely unorthodox nowadays. Still, who was he to ruin it for them?

"Nothing," he smiled at the woman who disregarded it and went back to looking at other boards. He did, however, acknowledge Barry's grateful look with a nod and went right ahead to reasoning. "See, I believe that spacetime is a free-flowing highway that intersects the physical world. We live in... in the moments between the on and off ramps. Theoretically, to travel through time, one merely needs to find a way onto the highway."

"Okay, so... so you're saying that this is actually possible to... to travel into the future?" Barry was all for the impossible but shouldn't there be a limit somewhere?

"Undoubtedly."

Well, apparently not.

"What about the past?" he asked, moving to sit on the edge of the desk behind him.

"Yes. My own personal choice would be the Chicago World's Fair, 1893," Stein admitted. "I... I think Nicola Tesla and I would have some wonderful arguments. What about you? Would you be interested in taking a trip into history?"

Belén surprised them both when she quickly responded with, "Paris 1827 - Marie Taglioni débuts in the ballet La Sylphide." She sheepishly smiled after getting confused looks from them. "I like dance." She noticed Barry trying to uphold a little smile but it was evident that Stein's declarations were not easing his mind. "Say it, Barry. It's why we came."

Confused, Stein looked at the man in question who was, indeed, struggling to speak up. "Professor, I think...I think that I already have." Stein's eyes widened but let Barry continued. "Professor, um... 15 years ago, my mom was murdered and we recently discovered some evidence that... I was there that night, and not just as a kid, but as an adult."

"That must be a side effect of your incredible speed," Stein began to rationalize, even pacing a bit. "In some... future date, you actually move so fast that the resulting kinetic energy buildup smashes a hole in the space-time continuum!" By the time he finished he was beaming with excitement. Belén too seemed happy but when he saw Barry's grim face he stopped. "You seem disappointed by the prospect."

"I mean, if I do somehow make it back there to that night, then…" Barry paused, looking even worse, "...it means that I didn't save her. My destiny is to fail."

Neither person in the room with him had anything to say for a moment. Then, Belén cleared her throat and asked for a minute alone with Barry. Once Stein graciously agreed and walked out, she walked up to Barry.

"Okay, look-"

But Barry was done thinking of any other thoughts. "Amazing, I play out to be a hero but I can't save my own mother."

"You don't know what happened-"

"-No I do know! I failed!" he accidentally snapped at her, causing her to mildly flinch of surprise. He sighed and stood away from the desk, speaking much gentler this time. "I'm sorry."

Belén didn't look remotely upset as she put her hand on his arm. "What I meant to say was that...you don't know what happened from your future adult point of view. I mean, you say that one moment you were in your living room but then the next you were suddenly on a random street. Well, after that it was only you and the Reverse Flash in the room…" she paused, quietly adding, "And your mother. Only they know what truly happened. You can't say you failed when you don't know what happened right?"

Barry looked at her a long moment, thinking of every word she said. Her eyes pleaded him to at least consider her point. He had to admit that perhaps there was a certain amount of truth in them. No one had been in that room after he, as a child, had been taken away. Now, even if it was true, why in the hell would he let his mother be killed? Why couldn't he save her? Was it because he wasn't fast enough? Not clever enough?

Somewhere outside the room glass shattered. The two metahumans sprung in alarm and rushed out the room to see what had caused the sound. They found Stein using the kitchen counter for support while Clarissa worriedly tried helping.

"Martin? What's wrong?"

Stein shook his head, a hand going over his chest. "I don't know, I... I feel terrified. My... my heart is racing. I think... I think Ronald is in trouble."

"How could you know that?" Belén inquired, rather confused.

Stein discarded the question and urgently told them. "Jitters. He needs help. Go!"

Belén looked up to Barry. "You should go, I won't get there in time." Agreeing, Barry left them to go seek Ronnie.

As the Flash, he found Ronnie just where Stein had said - Jitters. Ronnie was outnumbered by General Eiling and his men. It was very easy using speed to knock Eiling's men out. However, as soon he moved to Eiling he was surprise-attacked with a small black device thrown into the air that turned into dozens of sharp metal pins. Before Barry knew it, they had gone directly towards him and knocked him down by diving into his suit and skin.

Eiling smugly looked at Barry on the ground as he writhed in pain. "Stings, doesn't it? Had that one developed especially for you. Micro fragments attracted to kinetic energy. Firestorm was tonight's main objective, but getting you... that's just gravy."

Suddenly, a white van frantically drove towards them from the other side of the alley and with the distraction Ronnie punched Eiling across the face. The van swerved and Caitlin opened up the doors.

"Get in!"

Ronnie helped Barry get up, although still being covered in pins, and quickly got into the van.

~ 0 ~

Barry thought about every moment of physical pain he ever felt and decided that this precise one was definitely one of the worst. Caitlin had to remove each fragment one by one, by just plucking it from his skin.

From across Wells overlooked the procedure along with Ronnie. "You need to hurry, Barry's wounds are starting to heal with the fragments still under his skin."

Cisco, standing on the other side of the bed holding a metal bowl for Caitlin to dump in the fragments, flinched each time Caitlin pulled one fragment from Barry's skin. "This is just like that time I stepped on a sea urchin. Only much worse "

"Just don't pee on me," Barry tried to be humorous despite barely being able to talk from his pain.

"Uh, you know that's a myth, right?"

Barry yelped as Caitlin took one pin from his neck. Caitlin apologetically looked at him before shaking her head and filling up with guilt. "I'm so stupid. Jason Rush, the grad student who was helping Professor Stein with his Firestorm research, he said that the army took all of Professor Stein's material when he disappeared. I should have known it was General Eiling."

"Not your fault," Wells said and glanced at Ronnie. "He still thinks you hold the keys to the ultimate human weapon... both of you."

"Okay, let's just finish this," Barry tried to gesture with a hand but that proved to be impossible when it was still covered in pins. "I gotta get to Stein's house. Eiling's gonna be after him too and Bells is still there."

"Stein's fine," Ronnie calmly said.

Cisco looked at him oddly. "How do you know?"

"He's right there," Ronnie gestured to Stein who stood beside Belén by the cortex entrance.

"I didn't think it was prudent for him to stay alone right now," Belén briefly explained before rushing over to Barry and the others. "What in the hell happened to you!?" her hands moved back and forth as she decided what way to help.

"Eiling is back," Cisco was the one to answer, relieving Barry the requirement of talking with the most of the pins still stuck on him.

At this Belén shot up a look to Wells. "What does he want now?"

"Firestorm," Ronnie replied while looking at Stein. "And we doubt he's going to stop."

"We have to run some tests on you both again," Caitlin warned them. "And fast."

"Then do it right now, I can do this," Belén said to her and gestured to be handed the basic tweezers. "I don't think I need to be a doctor for this, right?"

Caitlin agreed and handed the tool over. She ushered Ronnie and Stein for one of the exam rooms with the aid of Cisco. Wells soon followed to oversee that it went correctly. Belén set to work on the shards and cursed under her breath thinking that she wouldn't be heard.

"Why the hell are you laughing? Does this look like something you should be laughing at?" She sent Barry a sarcastic glare for his small chortles.

"I didn't know...you cursed," he managed to say without many paused.

"Well stick around and you'll learn more," she crookedly smiled back and promptly pulled out one particular pin near his collarbone that made him yelp. "Sorry!" She paused her work and glanced to see if anyone was still around, thinking perhaps she wasn't adequate for the job after all.

"It's fine," Barry assured her, able to see her mild fear in her eyes. "My fast healing is proving to be a nuisance for once."

"There has got to be an easier way to do this…" she bit her lip and suddenly looked at her free hand.

"What?" Barry saw the thinking wheels in her head.

"Well...I do create multiple...vines…" she was mumbling, her voice coming in and out. "...maybe...work…"

"Bells? These things hurt-" Barry called her again, "- a lot."

"Sorry," she sheepishly looked at him. "I was just thinking that maybe instead of pulling these things off one by one I could use my vines to grab each one and pull them off at the same time. Though, maybe it could hurt more than now."

"Nothing hurts more than now. Do it," he said, nodding for her to go on.

Belén still didn't look completely sure of her own idea. "Barry, I'm telling you it might hurt a lot."

"For a moment. But right now my skin is healing and it's taking these things with it. Just do it Bells."

Belén murmured a soft 'Okay' and put down the tweezer. She hovered her hands over his chest and created the vines that branched into many more which then curled around the fragments. Barry intently watched her scrunch her face as she prepared to pull them off.

"I'm so sorry," she said in advance. She used her force and yanked all fragments from his body.

Indeed Barry did scream at the top of his lungs from the unbearable pain. Belén dropped the pins on the floor and gasped in horror thinking it had been too much. Cisco came running back to see what happened and Belén weakly explained, while Barry panted from the pain, what she did.

"Sick," Cisco concluded with a very impressed smile.

Belén was debating whether or not to touch Barry but she still looked for any outstanding physical injury. "Barry, I told you it would hurt more. Next time I'll just stay where I belong behind the computer chairs where I can hurt no one-"

"It's okay," Barry grasped her wrist that neared him. "It's fading…" he made up. She looked incredibly alarmed like it was her fault.

"That's gonna sting later dude," Cisco remarked. "Like...everywhere…"

"Go away Cisco," Barry ordered sharply. Cisco raised his hands and turned for the exam room where the others were.

"I'm so sorry, he's so right," Belén was still rambling an apology to him. "I should've just stuck with what the actual Doctor was doing."

"Belén it's really okay," Barry finally had the energy to chuckle. He dragged his hand from her wrist to her hand and lowered it to it over his heart. "It's beating isn't it?"

"Yes, but that's not what I meant and you-" she sighed and forgone it. She pulled her hand from his and put both her hands on either side of his face, leaning closer. "You quit giving me heart attacks. Just because yours beats faster now doesn't mean mine can too. That's not fair!"

Barry tried not to look as smug as he really felt, but he failed miserably at it. "I guess you really do care about me, huh?"

Unamused, Belén just looked at him. "If you weren't cute I'd smack you for that. But, yes, I do."

"You wanna know something?"

"What?"

"My heart's beating faster now," Barry said with the widest of smiles.

Belén laughed, shaking her head. "You're so cheesy - that was lame."

"But it was the truth!" Barry exclaimed, feigning offense. "You don't appreciate my honesty?"

Belén looked at him a moment and rolled her eyes, unable to contain another laugh. "Oh alright."

She helped him up afterwards, still highly sorry for giving him sore pains from her gimmick. They met with the others to discuss what was really going on with Ronnie and Stein. Unfortunately, it appeared the two were still perfectly in sync with each other and with Eiling still out there, they would not be taking any chances. They split the two up to keep them safe.

The next day, Caitlin and Ronnie were to stay with Barry and Joe while Stein remained at S.T.A.R Labs. Belén reported to work like nothing, but discreetly kept an eye out for anything related to the Jitters attack. The last thing they needed was more exposure. However, people were more clever this time and approached a different cub reporter for the story.

Iris was walked by with a folder in hand when Mason scurried on after her. "Oh, hey... hey. You said you knew some of the leftover scientists at the STAR Labs. What about a Caitlin Snow, M.D." He pulled up a black and white security picture of Caitlin having dinner with Ronnie at Jitters. "You know her?"

Iris raised an eyebrow, completely startled."Yeah, I know her, why?"

"There was an incident at a local coffee shop. She was there."

"So?" Iris looked at the picture much closely and realized the place. "That's Jitters. I used to work there."

"Look, I tried being nice with your little colleague over there-" Mason jerked a thumb in the direction of Belén's desk where the latter currently worked on, "-and she flat out turned me down."

"Well," Iris took the picture from him, studying it a little closer, "it would have to do with you intending on writing a hater story on her friends."

"Well her friends are in a weird situation. Get this: Witnesses swear they saw soldiers shooting the place up, so I contacted the Army's media relations division and asked, "Are soldiers permitted to operate like that on U.S. soil?" You know what they told me? Hooah?"

Iris had recognized Caitlin's 'Cousin Sam' in the picture. She had met them this morning when they came over to her dad's. "That's weird, Caitlin didn't mention anything the last time I saw her."

Mason raised an eyebrow, almost delighted to hear that Iris also knew the STAR Labs "Really? When and where was that?"

"Yeah, I mean, I'm sure there's an explanation for all of this," Iris decided to keep the picture in her folder and promptly walked away. She had eyes trained on Belén next and that was who she walked for. She wondered if Belén knew anything about this, although given her new closeness with Barry she doubted Barry would be stupid enough not to tell her.

She casually stopped by Belén's desk and greeted her with a simple 'Hey'. Belén looked up from her computer and smiled.

"Hey Iris," she said back, lowering a pen.

Be casual, Iris told herself before speaking again. "Sooo, I just met Caitlin's cousin Sam today. They're staying with my dad's."

"Oh...right," Belén nodded slowly, hoping to God Iris wouldn't question a lot on it. "Cait's apartment was, um…"

"Flooded?"

"Yes! Yes, it's flooded. They told me this morning and I thought Barry was nice enough to bring them with him."

"And...that's the only reason…?"

Confused, Belén tilted her head. "What else is there?"

"No, nothing," Iris immediately backed off. She picked up her folder off the desk and smiled. "I'll see you later."

"Mhm," Belén watched her go off, still not quite understanding what had just happened.

Iris concluded that there was something going on and she was purposely not being told anything of it.

~ 0 ~

Later that day, the team had received a terrible call in from Wells telling them Eiling had forcibly came for Stein. Wells had sold the story that Stein was taken by force from the military. They dropped what they were doing and rushed to STAR Labs.

"He didn't hurt you?" Barry asked after a thorough check of the vicinity.

Wells merely shook his head, gesturing to his clean appearance. "Barry, I told you... only my pride is hurt. Unfortunately, I'm not in the position to take on armed soldiers."

"Where do you think Eiling took Professor Stein?"

"I imagine some off-the-books military research facility."

"We have to get him back," Caitlin urgently pushed for ideas .

"Easy... Eiling has already demonstrated he has the weaponry to disable The Flash, or worse."

"Well we can't just sit here and do nothing," Belén crossed her arms.

"How do we find him?" Ronnie asked and immediately gave everyone the idea. Once eyes landed on him, he stiffened. "What?"

He was soon strapped back to the brain wave detection machines to hopefully catch something of Stein. Caitlin, who was in lead conducting the exams, stepped back with a somewhat relieved look.

"No abnormal brain activity. All vitals steady."

"You really think Ronnie can somehow feel where they're keeping Stein?" Barry was looking in doubt at Ronnie.

"Ronnie got dizzy when the soldiers grabbed Stein," reminded Cisco, "and Stein developed Ronnie's obsession with pizza "

"I don't feel anything right now," Ronnie frowned. Whatever this is, it doesn't have an on and off switch."

"It's possible it's just some kind of residual connection," suggested Wells, "A temporary link to your time together."

"Wait," Rinnie suddenly froze, "I feel something. I'm... I'm cold." Two minutes later he screamed in what sounded like horrible pain, only there wasn't anything hurting him per say.

"What's going on!?" Belén asked, terrified of the sight. Caitlin and Cisco were trying to hold Ronnie to his chair but it was like the two didn't exist for Ronnie at the moment.

"Nothing's happening to him," Wells explained quick. "It's happening to Stein, and Ronnie is feeling his pain. I was wrong. The connection's not temporary. It's only getting stronger "

"Water. Water!" Ronnie frantically called out.

Cisco reached for the glass on the table beside Ronnie but after picking it up Ronnie snatched it, smashed it against the table, and took a shard of glass. As he tried to cut himself with it, Caitlin shrieked and tried stopping him.

"Ronnie, no!"

"Wait, Cait, wait!" Barry suddenly exclaimed.

"He's cutting himself!"

"I know. Let him." Barry said, and warned himself quite an indignant look back.

She looked back and saw Ronnie was beginning to write something on his arm. The word 'where' was written in blood on the arm after a minute, and thus Stein, wherever it was he was, would bear the same word across his flesh as well. Caitlin fought the monumental urge to smack Ronnie for what he did, understanding it had been for a good cause.

"Anything?" Cisco asked after a long moment.

"Nothing. Nothing, just...just cold. Like a metal surface." Ronnie paused and focused as best he could. "Pressure on and on and off. Tap, tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap, tap, tap."

"What the-" Belén was midway when Cisco answered her.

"Morse code. I got this!" he dashed for another table where a clipboard laid.

"Same thing again," Ronnie said. "Tap, tap. Tap. Tap, tap, tap."

Cisco, after writing down, looked up. "27. What does it mean?"

"Army bases…" Barry said at once, "they sometimes go by numbers, like Area 51."

Cisco nodded and ran to get the information through a computer. "Facility 27, about 300 miles away," he said as he typed. "It was shut down in 1961."

"Then that has to be where Professor Stein is," Belén beamed.

"Bet you that's where they're keeping aliens too," Cisco pointed at her.

"If they're good ones I'll set them free," she chuckled. She suddenly stopped and called out, "And you're not gonna leave without me this time, Barry Allen." The metahuman in question stopped midway towards the doors. He turned around, mouth opened to make his case when she interrupted. "Last time you left, you came back with pins stuck on you! I'm coming with you!"

"And so am I," Ronnie hopped off his chair and came up beside Belén.

"Outnumbered," Belén smirked.

Caitlin nowhere near agreed and grabbed Ronnie from behind. "No, you're not. You can't."

Ronnie pried her hand from his arm and sighed. "I'm connected to Stein. I have to go."

"But did you ever stop to think why your connection to him is growing stronger by the minute? Maybe you're being drawn back together. Maybe your proximity will cause you to re-merge into one."

Ronnie did consider that but something more important overrode it. "And what happens to me if he gets killed? Cait, Barry was right. The world is different now. Look, I... I thought we could get away, start a new life, a normal life, together. But there is no normal life for us. You will always risk your life to try and help people, and I will always be the guy that runs into that pipeline for you."

Wells called for them and held out a familiar little device. "The quantum splicer. It was used to separate you once. Maybe it could be of use to keep you you."

Ronnie graciously took it and followed Belén and Barry out of the room. In a dark night, the three set out to the proposed building of Area 27. It was barely lit but still enough to see several people roaming just outside it.

"Oh. This place definitely doesn't look too shady," Barry remarked sourly.

"Sorry, should we request a building with better quality to break into?" Belén sarcastically asked, crossing her arms as she tried peering closer.

"Stein's inside," Ronnie seemed focused. "I can feel our connection growing stronger, like he's pulling me."

Wells spoke through the comms. "It's as I feared... the Firestorm matrix is building toward a proximity reemergence. Like all matter, it yearns to be whole. If you do merge... we might not be able to separate you again."

The three shares a troubling look with each other. Ronnie once again stiffened as he felt another surge of emotions that didn't belong to him. "Eiling has a gun to Stein's head. He's about to pull the trigger."

Barry didn't waste a moment more and sped inside the building to retrieve Stein. Just mere seconds before Eiling pulled the gun, Barry pulled Stein off the metal chair and brought him back outside.

"Ho! Whoa... I never thought I'd be happy to see you," Stein said to Ronnie once the motion had stopped.

"Yeah, likewise. Let's get out of here," Ronnie turned to begin leaving when they heard a jeep pulling up from the other side of the gate.

"Get them away!" Barry ordered Belén who didn't argue back. She ushered Stein and Ronnie farther down the road.

Barry meant to distract the soldiers or hopefully take them all down but they surprised him with a bazooka-looking weapon. It blasted him with some sort of silver chemical that looked like dry ice billowing smoke.

"Barry, I'm picking up some serious pH numbers on your suit," Cisco called from the comm.

Barry twisted and turned but the chemical stung him everywhere. "They hit me with some kind of chemical!"

"It's a weaponized phosphorous!"

"Water or foam won't extinguish it," Wells explained but added, "But you can't burn in a vacuum, so you need to create one. Run, Barry. Run!"

With no other choices, Barry did as told and sped off the side of the road and ran in a circle. Meanwhile, Belén had taken Ronnie and Stein just down the road to hide behind some bushes.

"You should keep hidden," Belén told them both, but neither man thought it right for her to go in alone.

"There's too many out there," Ronnie said, getting a glimpse of one of the nearing jeeps.

"I just wish I could find Eiling first," Belén scowled. "If we get him, the others are bound to fall too. Just stay here." Her vines wrapped around her body until she disappeared.

She surprised one of the jeeps by reforming on the open driver's side. Before they reacted, she opened her mouth and released a decent amount of Azalea poison, enough to knock them out for a while. She let go quick and sprinted into a stop on the road, quite impressed with herself that she managed to pull that one off. It always appeared like something only a television show could pull off.

Then she heard more nearing jeeps.

She whirled around and saw three more of them coming down her way. Ignoring her fear, she disbanded and charged for them.

Ronnie was able to see her from the hiding spot, but was also able to see more coming from the opposite direction. "We need to merge again," he told Stein.

"Ronnie, no!" Caitlin quickly voiced her opposition from the comm.

"Cait, we're dead if we don't," Ronnie urgently explained as he saw the jeeps getting closer.

"Listen to me," Wells took over the comm. "The last time you two combined, you both fought it. This time, don't. Accept the change, accept the balance. Accept each other."

Stein looked resigned to their last option and openly said, "Once more unto the breach, dear friend."

Ronnie nodded, and as he pulled out the splicer he spoke to Caitlin once more. "Cait... whatever happens, just remember I'll always love you."

He placed the splicer on his chest and once it activated, he held a hand for Stein. Stein took Ronnie's hand and immediately merged into Firestorm.

"Can you hear me, Ronald?" Ronnie heard Stein from within the mind.

"Professor?" Ronnie began stepping into the roadside. He saw Belén had stopped two of the jeeps on her way but was still working on the last with more of her pink poison.

"It appears we merged properly on this attempt. Wells was right about balance and accepting. Behind you!"

Ronnie turned around and faced the other jeeps coming. He blasted them with fire, causing several to explode.

"Ronald, there's more of them," Stein warned again as a last jeep emerged from the fire.

He blasted it again with fire and saw success. However, Eiling had managed to escape from the other side and was coming for them.

"Eiling, this ends now," declared Ronnie, ready to attack again if needed.

"Yes, it does... For both of you," Eiling pulled out a glowing blue device and three it into the air. The moment it did it blasted Ronnie onto the ground. "An ion grenade. Just bombarded your cellular structure with enough ions to destabilize your matrix." He started getting out a gun from his side pocket. "Mr. Raymond, Professor Stein, you're both fine Americans. Your country thanks you for your sacrifice."

But before he clicked the trigger, Belén reappeared in front of him, wasting no time in punching him across the face. The moment he hit the ground, she covered him in vines. "Try getting out of that one," she smirked.

A second later Barry came in, most of his suit charred and dried from the chemical drying up after his long run. "I was gonna do that!"

"Beat you to it," she winked. She then turned around and bent down in front of Ronnie. "Are you, um, two, okay?"

"Yeah," Ronnie answered and got up with her help.

Belén then glanced back at Barry and chuckled. "Cisco is so gonna kill you this time," she warned, gesturing to his tarnished suit.

Barry had nothing to say on that subject because he was pretty sure that was right. "Home?" he asked them instead.

"Oh yeah," Belén nodded.

Ronnie agreed and, using his flames, flew high into the sky to get a head start. The remaining metahumans looked up, still heavily in awe.

"You want a lift?" Barry then asked Belén.

"No, not like that," Belén shook her head and gestured to his suit's condition. "You're all...eugh…"

Somewhere in there they heard someone snicker from the comm.

Barry feigned offense and tilted his head. "I'm giving you a lift."

"No…"

"I'm doing it," Barry warned, making a step towards.

"No!"

Barry made a threatening advance on her, smirking as she panicked and jumped back .

"Nooo!" she drew out in pleading manner.

Laughing, Barry told her he was only joking, something she didn't quite buy. She cautiously left on her own terms and prayed to God he was telling the truth. She was a clean freak, and at the moment he was not clean!

~ 0 ~

"I can't believe you ruined my suit again," Cisco was shooting Barry death glares from across the room as the former studied the practically destroyed suit.

"I said I was sorry," Barry frowned. "And it's not like I wanted to be shot at with phosphorus. Now please can we just - Caitlin, I told you it was really nothing," he stopped and glanced at the biochemist standing on the side of the bed he sat on, trying to get a better look at a big, purple burn on his side near his stomach.

"You said you were shot with phosphorus," she gave him a pointed look.

"It looks worse than it is," he promised and pushed down his shirt.

At that moment, Belén walked in with Ronnie and Professor Stein, now separated, and immediately Caitlin forgot about Barry's condition. She rushed across the room to encase Ronnie in a big hug.

"It looks like they can separate and join at will now," Belén announced cheerfully as she made way for the other two in the room, "At least that's what Dr. Wells was able to dumb down for me." Without such warning, she smacked Barry on the back of the head.

"OW!"

Stein winced, Cisco burst out laughing from his spot and Belén crossed her arms in front of the injured metahuman. "I don't like it when people try to dirty me," she pointed at him.

"I deserve that," Barry said in a resigned sigh as he rubbed his head. "Hug?"

"You don't get hugs," Belén declared and looked away.

"Cold," Cisco flashed them a smirk.

~ 0 ~

The next day, Iris fervently went through her old blog about metahumans. After having an odd conversation with Caitlin over her 'Cousin' she decided to see for herself whether Caitlin was telling the truth.

Because Iris swore she had seen that cousin somewhere once.

And then she saw it. The Burning Man. Iris leaned closer to the computer screen, eyes squinted as she studied the blurry picture of what people had claimed was a burning man spotted on the street.

With one glance at Belén, who didn't notice as she worked on her own assignment across the room, Iris began printing the picture.

Mason flinched at the slap of paper Iris did on his desk. He barely glanced at the photograph before asking, sarcastically, "Am I supposed to know what that means?"

Iris rolled her eyes. "It means that I'm gonna help you figure out what's going on at STAR Labs. I think our Burning Man used to work there." She said, 100% sure of her supposition, and because she was sure, the pain hurt as well.

Because if this was true, then it would mean that Caitlin knew, and if Caitlin knew, then Barry and Belén knew as well...and they didn't tell her.

~ 0 ~

"Ooooh, is that ice cream?" Belén was delighted to see Barry standing on her porch with a box of strawberry ice cream in his hand.

Chuckling, Barry nodded and gestured her to take it. "And sprinkles," he jiggled the jar of sprinkles in his other hand. "I thought it could serve as a peace offering."

"So you're telling me if I pretend to be mad at you I'll get ice cream in the end?" Belén pretended to be dead serious at the moment.

"Uh…" Barry actually took a moment to think about the answer, which made Belén laugh and pull him inside.

"You should know I don't like sprinkles though," she informed him as she led them into the living room.

"Sprinkles? Really!?"

Belén nodded her head and disappeared into the kitchen for some glasses. "I'm weird okay!"

"Well you're definitely different," Barry admitted, though smiled. "You're the first person I know of who hid inside refrigerators when they were a kid."

Belén returned holding two glasses with spoons inside. "I'm completely unique. So I guess Professor Stein and Ronnie left the city already?"

"Yeah, I told them your regards though."

"Oh thank you!" she called. "I wanted to come in but Linda had this article she wanted me to look over and I couldn't tell her no. Still, I do hope they find the help they need. I think they could become a really good partner. Like Nina!"

"I think they would get along," Barry laughed at the thought and sat down beside her on the couch.

"Listen, I was thinking about something," she set the glasses on the table next to the ice cream, "And, please don't think I was being nosy, but I think I have an idea."

"Let me hear it," Barry motioned, keenly listening.

Belén bit her lip, shifting to face him. She pulled her legs to sit cross-legged and took a deep breath in before starting. "You know how when the teacher gives you back a test you thought you did really good on but you end up getting a lot of questions wrong?" She looked at Barry for his reaction but he started making a face that spelled to her 'no'. She sarcastically groaned. "Oh, that's right, I forgot I was talking to the genius Barry Allen."

"I liked studying!" the metahuman in question said defensively.

"Mhm, nerd," Belén mumbled under her breath before continuing with her main point. "Anyways, some people - like me - did get a lot of questions wrong. My teacher would mark them up and then as a class we'd go over them so we knew how to get them right on the next test, like a study guide. So I was thinking...what if it's the same thing with you and this time travelling thing?"

"I'm...not following," Barry felt sorry to say after a minute.

"You said that there was this machine of Cisco's that showed you like...holograms of the night when your mom was...murdered. What if that's your study guide? It's all the wrong questions marked for you."

Barry got to thinking of her idea and quickly realized that it made sense. If he used those holograms to see what exactly he did wrong that night, he would know what not to do when it came time for him to travel back. "Bells...that's genius!" he exclaimed, making her beam excitedly. "I didn't think of it before! I was too focused on the fact that I got it wrong, I - how did you come up with this?"

"I got bored," she admitted innocently, making a face.

Barry felt like teasing again and leaned forwards. "And you started thinking of me?"

Belén immediately blushed. "Shut up."

Barry laughed for a minute then sobered up to thank her again. He reached to touch her face and smiled at her. "You know, it goes without saying but...I really like being able to do this."

"I like it too," Belén whispered. "But you know what I like just a bit more?"

"What?"

"Ice cream without sprinkles," Belén laughed at his reaction and set out to serve full glasses of strawberry ice cream for them.

[hjh-ceilo-monster]

Hybrid Verse : Bandmate(KTH)

Author POV.

Another lonely night again for the boy who wander the street with his saxophone in the case which he bring with him.Inside the case,he only get a few cashes and coins.He hopes it’s enough for him 2 or 3 days ahead.

Then he stop and take a seat.The wooden bench under the lamp post feel so cold when he sit on it.He opens his case and bring out his buddy.Starting playing off the melody in his head,the sound fills the empty silence air.

“Hey! stop.” He immediately put his saxophone down in the box and collect everything.Chasing a man who grab the cash out of his case.

He runs and runs until he finally catches up with that man.He tries to get back his money and that’s the starter of fist fight.Each of them throwing fist against each other.Unfortunate for the boy,he didn’t get the money back.

“How am I suppose to eat tomorrow?” His head hang low from the defeat.He wanders around again.His fragile body tense and his eyes little by little close themselves shut.

“Aye boy...boy!” The last thing he hear before he shuts down.

2 days later

“Huh..where..am I?”

“You already awake.”

“Huh?”

“No..no need to rush.Sip this first.” The girl runs toward him and helps him sit on the bed properly.She then offer him the glass of water.

The body who already leaning foward take the glass from her.He sips the water and puts down on the table near him.He thanks her.

“Thanks.”

“I’m Lilly,how about you brother?” She asks with smile plaster his face.

“Taehyung...Kim Taehyung.” He smiles back in return.They talk for awhile and get to know each other.

“I think you should go here!” The little girl runs across the room and gets a paper out of her closet.She hands to him.

“The owner of this place is nice.My mom also work here too”

Taehyung gets high hope from what the girl said.He hopes that this world will stop being cruel toward him once.Lilly then take Taehyung to downstairs and eat break fast together with her mom.Talking about the work as well.

“If this isn’t our mama herself...” 

The bartender call Lilly’s mother who walk in with Taehyung.Taehyung look around the place.It isn’t that huge and fancy like what he imagine but,the vibe inside here make him feel like he’s welcome to come in here.

“You don’t have to attend today’s work mama,why are you here?”

“I come here to send this boy.”

Her hand tighten around Taehyung which make him feel safe.He really need his mother figure in life;however,he didn’t have chance since birth.He never has a family to begin with anyway.

“Y/N isn’t here yet.Just leave him here with us,we’ll take care of him.”

“If you can’t,you won’t get a treat from mama tomorrow.” The boys accept the order and she leave the place.Leaving nervous Taehyung with bunch of strangers.

“Hello boy,I’m Clark.Bartender.”

“We’re Collins twins,he’s grey and I’m greg.We need to say we really impress that we’ll have another hybrid worker in this house.What’s you name dude?”

“I’m Taehyung...Kim Taehyug.” He reply shyly in return.

They talk to each other.Taehyung gets less nervous around them and finally smile.This place is indeed heart warming.He can manage working here without problems.

“So you’re snow leopard hybrid.What you want to work in here?”

“Umm at least,do you have like band?”

“And what you could play?” Another mysterious figure join in their converstion. Everyone look back and see a woman wearing a coat.The boys around Taehyung bow.

“Boss,you arrive.” Clark speaks.

“Answer me,what can you play?” 

The voice that sound gentle yet powerful makes Taehyung feel chill a bit.He hang his head.Although he is a predator species,his life gives him a lot of lesson and pushes him down until he feels like a prey.

“A saxophone.” He answer.

“Interesting.Meet me in my office.” And that’s when she walks away.Leaving Taehyung stand still in his place.Questions run in his heead like crazy.

“That’s our boss,Y/N.She seems cold but get to know here and you’ll see that she’s a kind person.” Greg speak and grey nod in agreement.

“You’ll work here as a waiter for awhile.I need to see if you really want to work here with us.I’ll assign Minhyung as your trainer.You’ll listen to him.If you can prove me,you’ll get place to perform in a band.”

“Yes,miss.”

“Hmmm...miss?” Taehyung look at her with his eyes widen.He supposes to cll her boss rather than miss since she isn’t his owner and an actual boss for him.

“I’m reall-”

“No need to apologize,dismiss to work Tae.”With that,he leaves the room.Her voice call out his nickname makes him feels shy.He is blushing while he try to find the guy called ‘Minhyung”.

“There he is.” Clark point at him while speak with someone.The guy show his face and stare at him for awhile.

“Hi buddy,I’m Minhyung,your senior.You must be Taehyung.Nice to meet you,I’m a husky hybrid.You’re snow leopard right?That must be amazing.Now I’ll show you what to do and don’t be afraid.This place is nice.”

Minhyung grab Taehyung with him and rant some more.Minhyung is a hybrid who work the longest in this house.He is a goof ball.Taehyung can see his lively aura coming out of the guy.

A year later

Who knows that’s been a year when he first working in this house.He is really enjoy working with all the worker.Y/N isn’t cold toward him anymore.Perhaps she isn’t that kind of person since the begining.Living with Lilly family is also great for him.He feels like home,a real home he never have before.

“Tae,table 2 is waiting.” 

“Min,get the order from table 6 as well.”

They both work with each other without problems.The house is getting famous more and more.People love how cozy this place was and the vibe is great. There’ll always be the mini events inside the house when there are special days or occassions.

“Tae tae,where are you?” Taehyung rush toward Lilly when he hear her voice. She’s sobbing and calls for him.He wonders what happen.

“Mom..mom..”

“Breath Lilly.What happened dear?”

“Mom..hospital...” Those two words make his hard skip a beat.What’s wrong with her.He carry Lily and start leaving.

“We need a car.” The little girl whisper.

Taehyung mind think of one person immediately.He can’t think of anyone else nor can rely on other workers who still working.This is the one he really sure that he can ask for help.

“Miss,can you come with me?”

“Huh what happen wi- Lilly?” Y/N look at the little girl who is sobbing and clench herself in Taehyung embrace.

“Her mom is in the hospital.We need to go miss.” His voice is now begging Y/N. She doesn’t know what to reply.She quickly grabs her car key and leaves the building.

Lilly keeps crying until she falls asleep.Leaving Taehyung and Y/N sitting in the car silently.The silence continue when none of them would like to interrupt.The car finally arrive the hospital.

“How was she?” Y/N ask.

“Her condition get worse again.I thought medication would help.” Her husband reply while staring at the ICU room.Taehyung hand him Lilly and he embrace her.

“Doctor,how was her?” Taehyung notice doctor coming out of the room.He runs toward him while bombards many question.

“I won’t lie that her condition is worse.I’ll make sure to do the best.” 

Taehyung enter the room and the others follow him.The lady who take care of him like mother is now lying on the matress.Her face drain all the color like a white sheet of the hospital.She looks lifeless.

“I’ll be here.You can go back with Lilly,uncle.”

“Thanks Taehyung,I’ll be here soon.” With his daughter in his embrace,he leaves the room.Leaving Taehyung and Y/N inside the room.

Taehyung POV.

I’m sitting in silence while grabing her hand.I’m so afraid to lost her.How about Lilly?How about uncle and lastly how about me? I cry out silently.I hate this world.Can’t it just stop being cruel to me?

“She’ll be alright.Mama always strong.” Y/N gently pat my back.Speaking with her soft voice like feather to comfort me.

“She’s like a mom to me.I’ve never had that in my life,her with the family is a family to me.I don’t want to lose anyone.Not her,not uncle or Lilly.Why?”I sob.

Y/N still caress my back.I cry and clench on auntie hand.He grab it tightly like my fear in my mind.Fear of losing her.The rest of the night continue like that,me sitting on a chair while Y/N prepare the sofa as a bed.

Her condition was steady since then.I couldn’t say she gets better but it isn’t worse either.I got the permission from Y/N to take care off her until she get better.Y/N come and visit us everyday.

“Auntie you awake!” I exclaim when I feel her hand gently rub my cold dead-like hand.I jump up with joy and rush out the room.Asking nurses and doctor to come in and check her.

“Lilly,auntie is now awaking.” Lilly who just arrive the place with uncle run into the room.Uncle follow behind while carrying the grocery bags.I help him with a few and follow into the room.

“In a few weeks,she can go back home.However I need her to check at least once or twice a month at the hospital.”

When the doctor finish,he leaves the room.Lilly who settle herself in auntie arms start talking about everything she missed.Uncle prepare a plate for himself and Lilly meal since I already eat in hospital cafeteria.

“I see you already awake mama.”

“As if this isn’t my lovely daughter...” Auntie reply when Y/N enter the room.She gives the old lady a big hug before having a little chit chat with Lilly.I pick Lilly up and go to the kitchen area,helping each other to prepare some fruits for Y/N.

“You really want that?” I hear her voice a little.They must talking about some serious stuff.I sense it from the air which start to tense and full of worry.

“This is for you.”

“Thank you little one.”

Lilly bring the plate and hand toward Y/N.She accept them and start eating pice by piece from the plate.I follow behind and take a seat at the sofa.That’s when auntie speak.

“Tae-ah com’ere please.”

“Yes auntie”

“Can you do me a favour?” I nod and continue to listen.

“I know you love us and this is your home.I also love as a son,Taehyung. However,now my condition is getting worse and I really can’t control it.Do me a favour son,be a good boy for Y/N.You’ll go with her and she’ll be your master from now on.”

Y/N look at me with the eyes full of worry.Lilly also grab me and cling on my leg while start crying.Without realize myself,tear already escape my eyes.I nod as a sign of promise.Picking up the little girl,I start speaking to her.

“Promise me you’ll take care of her.”

“Bro..ther..I promise.You should visit us sometimes to,promise?”

“Pinky promise,sis.”

Y/N POV.

I know this is hard for him.Although I am his boss,he still didn’t quiet open up with me.After that day,everything seemed akward for a week.I need to remind him that now he live with me,he can treat me as a friend.He didn’t get back to work yet and I don’t push him to.I want him to get familiar with new environment and the fact that he’s living with me.

“Tae would you like something for dinner?”

“Depend on you,master.”

“How many time I tell you,just call me Y/N.” I speak with my gentle voice.I don’t want to sound like I scold him.

“Well I think how about we go shopping and eating today,sound good?” He isn’t speaking but nodding as a reply.I go grab my car key while he waits me outside. The next moment both of us hop into the car and arrive the mall in no time.

It’s actually a good idea to bring him here.I get to know him more by observing his action silently.He’s like a kid,running to the shelf full of plushies and toys,drag me into arcade eventhough he has no idea how to play and surprising loves kids so much.

In the arcade,he play the game for plushy.When he get it and see the kid next to him crying to get but fail.He just give it to him.Telling me there’ll be next time and give it away just like that.

While walking toward the clothes store,we walk pass the instruments and gadget store.I walk pass it without realize that Taehyung who follow behind me already disappear in the shop.I need to look back and see him wander around in there.

“I like this.” Taehyung hold up the saxophone.He stare at it.

“....you can test mister,if you want to.” The clerk explain for a moment before tell him that he could play.

The soft melody start filling the air.Taehyung is putting a whole attention into his song.The clerk is a bit shock.Who wouldn’t be when he plays like he has live as a saxophonist for a whole life.

“Wow that’s beautiful.”

“Thank you.” When he finishes,he puts it back into its place.He asks the clerk whether they will accept the old saxophone and get it fix or not.

I let him talk with the clerk.When I roam around the shop by myself,I notice a paino in the corner.It’s an old dusty paino.Well,the older the paino,the better the sound will be.I put my fingers on and start tapping the black and white keys.

“I want to be a saxophonist.” After we arrive home,he tells me about everything. Now we’re talking about our dreams.

“Then be it.”

“I don’t have a budget to do that.Also who will accept a poor hybrid like me into a band or even do the solo.”

“What if I can grant you that wish?”

After our conversation,I try my best tofind a school for him.I think putting him in the class will be the first step of his dream.When I find one,I sign up for him.He is really happy about th news.A little worry about the fee but I insist to pay everything for the boy.I officially become a gaurdian of him.

Months pass,me and him seems to be closer.We are living like friends and both of us enjoy every single moment.However,I keep a secret from him.Secret of my feeling that intend to not talk about it just yet.

“Y/N.....I have a good news.”

“What is it snowy?” I ask him by the nick name I gave.

“I get a scholar to study in a camp.”

“Good for you snowy..but your face look sad.” That’s the cue for him to walk to me.Arms and tail wrapping around my body.Bury his face into the crook of my neck.

“I need to go.” He whisper.He continue to hug me tight and sniff in my scent.I feel stupid,I feel like I’m an idiot that didn’t tell my feeling.

“When and how long?”

“3 years,by the end of this week.”

Finally the day comes,I feel your step get heavier and heavier when I get closer to the gate.‘I need to stay strong and happy for him.’Reminding that in my head.

“Time to go snowy,safe flight.” I wave at him and immediately turn around.Tears run from my eyes.

“Y/N” He calls my name.The next thing is when the arms embrace me.

“I will leave final question before I go.”

“What is it?” I turn around.

“I promise to contact back and update about my life.I won’t left you here and feeel lonely.But after I come back,Will you be mine?”

“Come back to me first and get the answer yourself.” I smile.

Author POV.

In 3 years time,Taehyung become famous.His life is growing with success.After graduate,he gets the chance to become a member of an opera house.His saxophone skill impress his professor.He decide to give oppotunity to the boy.In a year,his name become famous among artists and idols;eventhough,he is just a saxophonist for the opera.

Meanwhile,Y/N continue to work in the bar which now become popular as well. Not only for locals,foreigners also interested in here.Her place get in the list and often publish in the magazines and blogs.Gaining 3 stars in no time.

“Thank you ladies and gentlemen for you to come here and celebrate our house today.We wouldn’t reach here if we didn’t have...” Tonight is her celebration. Since the house become famous,she need to renovate to have larger area.

“Well let invite our owner to give us a little speech,miss Y/N”

When the MC,Clark,announce your name,you get onto the stage.You give a little thanks toward guests as well as some sponsore and critics that help her place become famous.

“What a beautiful speech.And now I would like to invite our special guest.He insist to come to us and prepare a little gift for everyone.This is a special opening performance from Kim Taehyung.” Your eyes widen while everyone applause after hearing the name.

The melody which you familiar appear in the air.The mood in the place turn into a soft yet warm and classy.The melody that scream to you that this is Taehyung. You watch him standing there in the spot light.Wearing a royal blue suite while playing his saxophone.He is far better then the last time you heard.

“Thank you mr.Kim for attending.Any speech for us today?”

“Well I didn’t prepare anything for today which I’m really sorry.I just arrive from the flight.Actually I come here to get the answer.”

“What answer if I may ask?” 

“Before I left here,I once asked a question with this girl.Well she is the one who really push me into the spotlight like you see right now.That day when I left,I didn’t really want to.However,I wanted her to be proud and knew that I love everything she does to support me.”

“So what is the question,maybe she already forget.” Clark still continue.

“I ask her whether she sould like to be mine?” He leaves the stage when the mic is still in his hand.He step closer and closer with the spotlight that follow him.

“Y/N,Will you be mine?”

The crowd cheer.He is now infront of you,kneeling down with a ring in his hand. Awaiting for your answer patiently down there.You want to cry,really want to.You don’t dare to utter a word out.The voice might betray you.You nod as a respond instead.

The event continue.You get drag by Taehyung from the crowd.You get the chance,slap on his shoulder.He startle and turn around to face you.

“What’s that?”

“You idiot,why don’t you tell meyou’re here.”

“I just arrive from my flight really.Shouldn’t I be the one who get upset by the fact that you have this event without inviting me?”

“I heard you was busy with the opera tour.”

“Seems like someone stalk me.” He reply with tease.I slap him for the second time.

“Ouch! ok,I’m sorry.It’s my fault.I’m the one who plan this with them.” He points somewhere which your gaze follow.You then see Clark,Minhyung and the twins see them through the glass window.

“So everyone know except me?” You pout.

“Umm yeah well,it’s a surprise.You shouldn’t know.”

“You,snowy is a meanie.” You tease him and start walking away.He grab you and kiss you on the lips.Grab on your waist tight along with his tail,he kiss until you both out of a breathe.

“What’s that for?”

“Making up with you and beside that’s the thank for your answer.”

“Still remember the first time you arrived here?”

“Clearly,I want to become a bandmate in your house.I told you I could play saxophone but you resist it.You let me work as a waiter.”

“I still remember how hype you were when we were in the music store that day. Your eyes glowed up.”

“Yeah,I thought I wouldn’t be it.So that time even you let me learn saxophone again,that was enough for me.Who really know I’ll be saxophonist for real.”

“You know I believe in you right?”

“Yeah but still sad though.I didn’t get to be your bandmate and play with you.Not a big deal now since you already made itup for me awhile ago.”

“By being your bride?”

“It’s not just that.Being my bride,it also mean being the mother of my cubs in the future.You’re my mate.” With that,my face turn into bright red.I didn’t know he really plan like to have kids with me already.

“I thought we’ll take it slow.”

“No,I wait for 3 years.3 years are the time I let you prepare and you say yes. Now your’ll be my mate and stuck with me for the rest of your life.”

“Then it’s a pleasure.” I smile and peck him.His lip turn into a smirk before carry me up from ground in a bridal way.Rushing toward the car and put me in.When he gets in,he start the engine ready to go.

“I hope you’re well prepare to recieve my gift after 3 years.Also I wanna open the welcome back gift as well.

“Arrive the house first and we’ll see about that,snowy.” His ears perk up.Turning around and smushing his lip on yours one more time before drive off to your house.  

[pug-bitch]

That’s not why I’m going (38)

Keep it together

Book: The Royal Romance

Pairing: Drake Walker x Amara Suarez

Rating: some foul language, some extremely suggestive. This is absolutely NOT appropriate for people under 18.

Word count: around 5,000 (oops) (I am on the app right now on my iPad and I can’t for the life of me figure out how to add a ‘keep reading’! If anyone knows, that would be super helpful, if not, I’ll add it when I’m on my desktop :))

Notes: This picks up pretty much where we left off, the day of the Decision Ball, starting with Drake’s POV.

*****

Drake watches Amara as she frantically tries different pairs of shoes to go with her red gown. She looks so beautiful in this color, her dark hair down on her shoulders, curls everywhere. He can’t help but smile.

‘What?’ she asks, grinning too.

Drake shrugs. ‘You’re beautiful. Can’t help it.’

She smiles a little wider. ‘You’re beautiful too. I can’t believe you got ready so fast. I’m already a record breaker, but you have me beat!’

He runs his hand through his hair, his smile stuck on his face. He wishes he could stop time, right now. Just be with her now, and for always.

But she’s right. They have to face the world. She has to show them that she won’t be broken. How could she be, she’s Amara Suarez! Detective Badass.

A knock on the door pulls Drake away from his thoughts. As Amara applies her lipstick, he walks towards the door and unlocks it.

‘Hey guys,’ Maxwell says with exaggerated caution, his hand on top of his eyes and a smiley Michael behind him. ‘Just checking in to see if you’re doing alright. Are you decent?’

Drake rolls his eyes and gives Michael a shrug as if to say Sorry man, he’s always like that, gotta get used to it. Michael laughs. Drake says, ‘Max, uncover your eyes, I wouldn’t open the door if we weren’t decent.’

Max obliges and comes into the room. Upon seeing Amara in her red gown, he gasps. ‘OMG babe. You’re gorgeous! And that hair… As Bertrand would say, Yass Kween!’

Michael chuckles. Maxwell looks at him in all seriousness. Michael’s eyes widen. ‘Wait, you’re serious? Bertrand says Yass Kween? Your brother Bertrand, with the long swimming shorts?’

Amara lets out a throaty laugh that makes Drake’s heart flutter. She says, ‘He saw the light when he discovered Queer Eye, but his closet didn’t get the memo.’ She turns to Michael. ‘You look amazing, Michael. Max’s tux suits you!’

Maxwell beams. ‘Right? I told him he can keep this one. He pulls it off better than I ever did. He gives out some James Bond vibes.’

Michael blushes. ‘Oh please. You all look great, by the way. I feel so intimidated right now, you’re all so comfortable with all this fancy stuff…’

Drake leaps in right away, ‘Oh, don’t be fooled, Mike. I’ve been at court basically my whole life and I’m still super uncomfortable in any fancy setting. It’s just a lot better when you have loved ones around you, to help you through it.’ He glances at Amara. ‘Hey guys, maybe I could take a picture of you to send Amara’s dad? He’d probably love seeing his daughter look so regal and happy, and of course, seeing you two together.’

Maxwell’s face lights up. ‘OMG how have we not thought about it?? Let’s show Jorge how hot his daughter is.’

Amara grimaces uncomfortably. ‘Not sure it’s the point, Max. Plus, it’s a little gross, when you say it like that. But it’s a great idea, Drake. Michael, what do you say?’

Michael’s grin can’t lie. ‘Let’s do it.’ He places himself right next to Amara while Drake takes out his phone. ‘Let’s do the prom pose,’ Michael says. ‘Plus, it’s a nice callback to your actual prom date, who was also a gay man.’

Amara gasps in mock shock and nudges Michael’s elbow. ‘How dare you talk about Adrian?’ She says in an exaggerated manner. They both laugh. ‘Well,’ Amara adds, ‘at least I look less like a cream puff than I did on my quinceañera…’

Drake glances at Maxwell and they share a knowing look, both happy and relieved to see Amara and Michael reunited, and acting like siblings. ‘Alright guys,’ Drake says, ‘smile!’

*****

Jorge is busy painting with his granddaughter, and he barely hears the ping of his phone. Callie is growing up so fast, and she looks so much like her father, that Jorge wants to soak up every second with her. The little girl is not one for staying inside the lines, but Jorge is a patient grandpa. He shows her how to follow the curve of the puppy drawing with her crayon, again and again, until she’s happy with what she’s colored.

‘Jorge!’ Nancy cries out. ‘Your phone is beeping!’

He rolls his eyes in an exaggerated manner, making Callie laugh. ‘Grampie, your eyes are crazy,’ she says through giggles.

He sighs and gets up, his back bothering him slightly. ‘Alright, let me go see what’s going on, sweetheart!’

He meets Nancy halfway and she hands him his phone. ‘I think it’s Amara,’ she says with a wide grin.

Jorge puts on his reading glasses, forced to admit that they do help him see better. He opens his texts.

Papi, Michael surprised me in Cordonia! All is well, we talked, we love and miss you. Give our love to Callie and Nancy. Attached is a picture of us, getting ready for a ball! Xo Amara and Michael.

Before he knows it, a light sob escapes his body. He didn’t mean for it to come out, he really didn’t. Now Nancy is looking at him worriedly. Fat tears are forming in his eyes as he stares at the picture of his kids who have forgiven each other. Unable to say anything yet, he gestures for Nancy to come look at the picture too. She gasps.

‘Honey, they look adorable. This is so great!’ she says, tears in her eyes.

Jorge takes a deep breath and kisses his wife on the cheek. How blessed is he? His Sergio must be so happy, watching over them. ‘Callie, sweetie,’ Jorge finally says. ‘Wanna see a picture of Daddy and Auntie?’

*****

Amara is sitting in the back of Bertrand’s car, with Drake next to her, and Hana in the front. Olivia is riding with Maxwell and Michael.

‘Is everyone doing ok?’ Bertrand asks, probably perturbed by the silence.

Hana responds first. ‘I’m fine, thank you Bertrand. Just anxious to see the end of tonight!’

Amara is too. She nods and turns to Drake, who offers her a smile. They agreed to stick around Ramsford and possibly the cabin in Portavira once the evening is over, for a few more days, while Michael is still in Cordonia. Then, they’ll keep a low profile and travel around Europe, away from the spotlight, the time for everyone to forget all about her and any impact she ever had on Liam. They will try to find Savannah. Then, when things have calmed down, they will resurface and tell Liam about their relationship. Drake told her earlier that he’s not sure there’s anything to salvage in terms of his friendship with Liam, but Amara doesn’t want to jeopardize it. After all, they have been friends for a long time, there’s always something to salvage.

After all, she didn’t think there was anything to salvage between Michael and herself. Look at them today.

Amara silently hopes Hana will stick around, too, although she’s pretty sure her friend will be headed to London to see a certain someone again.

As much as Amara is happy that the competition is almost over, a bittersweet feeling invades her. What if it’s the last time they’re all together, here, bitching about the court and its politics?

She shakes her head. No, this isn’t helpful. Her eyes meet Drake’s again, and he gives her a reassuring smile, as if he’d been in her head, reading her thoughts. She takes his hand, briefly, and squeezes it.

‘Here we are!’ Bertrand proudly announces.

Amara takes a deep breath and gets out of the car, after one last longing look shared with Drake.

*****

‘Holy shit,’ Michael whispers. ‘It’s even more opulent than yesterday.’

Maxwell smiles. ‘Yeah, they really went all out for the Decision Ball. Hey, have some champagne!’ He hands a flute to Michael, and one to Amara, before swiping one for himself.

Amara drinks hers nervously. She should mingle, but her heart’s not in it.

‘Hello, Maxwell,’ she hears an unknown voice behind her. ‘Long time no see, you old bitch!’

Maxwell’s eyes widen. ‘Leo! Hi! I had no idea you were here!’ The two men hug. Amara has heard so much about Leo, Liam’s older brother, that she feels like she should have recognized him solely from the way he greeted Max. Also from his looks - Leo seems to be chiseled from bronze, from head to toe. Wavy golden hair, sort of like a young Hercules, and a smile that has probably made a lot of panties drop.

Leo pats Maxwell on the back. ‘I heard about your coming out. It was really badass, man, congrats!’

Maxwell smiles. ‘Thanks, Leo. I appreciate it. Hey, let me introduce you--’

‘Amara Suarez, right?’ Leo interrupts, offering her his hand to shake. She complies.

‘Um, yes, nice to meet you.’

He brings her hand to his lips and kisses it. Amara has to stop herself from grimacing. ‘VERY nice to meet you,’ he says in a voice that is supposed to be sexy. ‘My brother did not lie about your beauty. You’re stunning.’

‘Hi, I’m Michael,’ Michael says, holding out his hand. Leo takes it.

Amara grins. Michael is obviously nervous and overwhelmed by the Palace and the whole thing, but he’s in big brother mode right now, sensing that Amara needed rescuing from a creep. The three men exchange pleasantries that Amara does not pay attention to, until Leo changes the subject. ‘Where’s Walker?’ he asks.

Maxwell stops in his tracks for a split second, and responds, ‘He’s over there with Rashad. Why do you ask?’

Leo smiles broadly. ‘I haven’t seen the son of a bitch in a while, so I want to say hi. If you’ll excuse me, gentlemen.’ He turns to Amara and winks at her. ‘And lovely lady. I hope to see more of you later.’

He walks away. Amara frowns. ‘More of me? What does he mean, more of me?’

Maxwell grimaces. ‘Ew. He has become even sleazier, and I didn’t think it was possible. Little Blossom, I have some Purell for your hand if you want. He almost licked it.’

Michael snorts, ‘So I’m not crazy, right? For a second, I thought it was a local custom and I wondered, should I have kissed that woman’s hand when you introduced me? Then I thought, no, he’s just a creep.’

Amara shakes her head. ‘I guess Liam doesn’t seem so bad now...Why do you think he wants to see Drake?’

Maxwell puts a reassuring hand on Amara’s arm. ‘Honey, it’s fine. He just wants to say hi. Besides, Drake can hold his own.’

*****

‘Father, can we talk?’ Liam whispers to Constantine, who is helping himself to a seltzer water.

Constantine sighs. ‘Sure, son. What is it?’

Liam smiles nervously. ‘I’ve thought long and hard about it. I’ve made my decision. I’d like to run something by you, now. Can we go outside?’

Constantine reluctantly agrees. He tries to limit his amount of walking in public, to avoid being perceived as sickly. He can’t control his movements as well as he could, just a few weeks ago. He can feel himself become weaker physically, and he can’t stand it. He certainly doesn’t want his subjects to see him as weak. But his son insisted, so now he’s wobbling around, trying to keep it together until they’re out of the ballroom.

‘So?’ he asks Liam impatiently.

Liam clears his throat. Constantine has always hated when he does that. ‘Father, you’ll be pleased to know that I’m going with your suggestion.’

Constantine can feel his whole body relax. Finally, his son has heard the voice of reason. Maybe he can even cancel what he had planned for later. Maybe it’s no longer necessary. ‘Good,’ he says, remaining completely calm and trying not to appear too excited. ‘I’m happy you changed your mind, Liam. This is the right decision.’

Liam gives him a weak smile. ‘That’s not all, Father. I have a non-negotiable condition to this.’

The King has to make a superhuman effort not to roll his eyes. What, now? And to think he was this close to being proud of his son’s decision. Now he’s about to ask for something. As if it wasn’t enough to have to watch his other son running around the ballroom, winking his way through all the ladies present. King Constantine loves his sons, but he wishes he could punch them sometimes. He sighs. ‘What is your condition, Liam?’

Liam adjusts his ascot. ‘Father, I am making this decision for Cordonia, because I am aware that I can’t follow my heart on this one. But I don’t want to give up on true love.’

True love. Constantine can’t believe his ears. But he has to keep listening, after all, Liam is meeting him halfway by making the right decision. ‘What do you propose we do, Liam?’

He continues. ‘I want to give Valtoria to Amara.’

Constantine’s face falls. Valtoria? To a Mexican whore? Over his dead body. Which, for the record, might happen sooner rather than later. ‘That’s preposterous,’ he whispers, outraged.

Liam stands his ground. ‘Well, whatever you may call it, it’s non-negotiable. I have feelings for her, Father, and I know she doesn’t...yet. But if she can’t stay close, she’ll leave without having given us a chance. At least, if she stays in Valtoria, she’ll be able to get to know me. It will be a lot less scandalous if I have a Cordonian arrangement with a noblewoman. Plus, she has made a great impression on the press, she has made a lot of effort to learn about Cordonia and our history, and let’s not forget that a lot of the nobles have already taken a liking to her, even Olivia—‘

‘Oh, you mean the woman who fornicates with her servants? What a great endorsement.’ Constantine spits out.

‘Father,’ Liam says calmly, ‘I’m not asking for the moon. I’m asking for your approval. The duchy is unclaimed, it would just mean that I have to make her a Duchess. It’s been done before.’

Constantine remains silent. It’s worse than he thought. And to think he was about to call off what he’d planned for after the ceremony… No way he’s doing that now. Not a chance in hell. His son needs to see for himself what he really wants to bring to court. He shakes his head vigorously. ‘Liam, this is ridiculous. Everyone will see through this, everyone will see it’s a whim.’

‘Valtoria needs a Duke or Duchess, and I found you one,’ Liam says firmly. ‘I don’t think it’s that much to ask for you to just say yes. Once you pass over the crown to me, once I choose a spouse, we can work through the details. Like I said, it’s non-negotiable.’

Constantine snorts. If he says no, Liam might not honor his end of the deal. So, for now, he has to make it seem like he’s open to it. ‘If you say it’s non-negotiable, then let’s leave it on the table. We’ll talk about it again after the ceremony.’

Liam beams. ‘Thank you, Father. I can give you more compelling arguments later, too.’

Oh, so can he. He smiles and walks away from his son, slowly but surely. Bastien is standing near the door, waiting for Constantine to make his way back to the ballroom. As he passes his bodyguard, the King whispers to him, ‘Please make sure that what we planned happens after Liam has chosen his spouse. I want it out there for everyone to see.’

Bastien nods curtly. ‘Yes, Your Majesty.’

Constantine gets back to his original spot, silently seething. Yes, he will show his son how terrible his judgment is.

*****

Drake sips his whiskey slowly, next to Leo. Sure, it’s nice to see him again, but he can’t help but think that Leo’s excitement over spending alone time with him rings a bit false. Like he’s trying to milk him for information on behalf of Liam.

Leo’s known for a lot of things, and subtlety is not one of them.

‘So,’ Drake risks, ‘How was your trip?’

Leo gives him a dashing smile. ‘It was awesome! I went all around Europe on a cruise, and since it’s ended, I’ve been in Morocco, and then Brazil… Just having a lot of fun.’

Drake nods and takes another sip. ‘That’s awesome. It’s nice of you to come back for your brother’s ball.’

Leo’s smile falters. ‘Yeah, I gotta say, I’m a bit worried about this little bastard.’

Here it is, Drake thinks. This is a lecture on friendship. Oh well, he’s not all innocent in this whole thing, so the least he can do is stick around and listen. ‘Oh, really?’ Drake asks in a falsely nonchalant tone.

Leo nods. ‘Yeah. You know he’s completely fooled by Madeleine’s newly found niceness, and he feels very isolated from everyone. The pressure of being King is getting to him, and believe me when I say I understand why.’

Drake bites his lip, trying not to say what he wants to say, along the lines of Leo, you are the very reason why Liam has to go through this pressure. But this wouldn’t help anybody right now, so he just nods. ‘I get it. But you gotta know that he’s been hard to support, these days. The Liam we both knew is difficult to see, through the mask of Courtly Liam.’

‘Drake, can you blame him? He has new responsibilities, and for God’s sake, our father is sick! Liam needs friends and support right now, not the cold shoulder.’

Drake takes a deep breath. ‘So, I take it you’ve heard that Liam and I have had tough times, huh?’

Leo shrugs. ‘Yeah. He told me that you didn’t like the way he acted with this woman, Amara.’

Drake has to try really hard to remain expressionless. ‘Yes, well, Amara is a friend, and I don’t like to see women being preyed on by entitled men. That’s all. If you had seen the whole thing, you’d understand.’ Maybe, he thinks. He would probably not understand, but it was worth saying it.

Leo raises an eyebrow. ‘You’re telling me you’re picking sides, and you’re choosing a chick you barely know, over your best friend?’

Drake sighs. Of course he didn’t get it. ‘No, Leo, that’s not what I’m telling you. It was just the starting point of our differences, but there’s more to it than that.’ He stares into his glass. ‘Plus, I don’t think you understand the whole ‘picking a side’ thing. If I see someone doing something wrong, I’m gonna call them out on it, whether they’re my best friend or a complete stranger.’

Leo nods. ‘I guess. But Liam needs you. Now more than ever. Think of all he’s done for you.’

Drake’s heart sinks. Of course he thinks about it, all the time. Of course it kills him. Of course he owes Liam so much… But is it a reason to close his eyes on the different person he’s become? Is it a reason to let go of the best thing that’s ever happened to him? Once again, he can’t count on Leo to understand. ‘I know,’ he says sadly. ‘I owe him everything.’

Leo’s stare hardens. ‘Yes, you do. He took you in, Drake. He includes you in everything. Hell, he considers you as more of a brother than me. Don’t forget that.’ He pauses. ‘He needs a brother.’

Drake frowns. ‘Got it. Good talk, Leo.’ He walks away, a knot in his throat.

*****

‘Hey guys,’ Drake says as he approaches Max and Michael.

They both smile, and Maxwell greets him warmly. ‘Hey Drake, where did you disappear to? We’ve been looking for you! Come have some of these amuse bouches, you’re gonna love them.’ He hands Drake a tray of little canapés.

Drake smiles. ‘Did you swipe that from a staff member?’

Maxwell nods enthusiastically, his mouth full of puff pastry.

Drake and Michael chuckle. ‘I just had a chat with Leo,’ Drake says. ‘He came on really strong. Told me I need to be there for Liam. It messed with my head.’

Maxwell sighs and smiles. ‘Don’t let him get to you. He basically licked Amara’s hand like a cartoon wolf, earlier, right, Michael? You can’t trust a guy like that. Don’t humor him.’

Drake nods. He’s still painfully uncomfortable, but he did the right thing coming to Max. The guy’s crazy, but he has a way of supporting his friend like Drake has never seen before. Even the way he immediately took Michael under his wing is remarkable. ‘Thanks, Max,’ he says as he pats his friend on the back.

‘Oh shit,’ Maxwell says, ‘speak of the devil, here comes Liam, everyone smile!’

Drake turns around, and sure enough, Liam is coming towards them, his fake smile plastered on his face.

Michael whispers, ‘Should I bow? What should I do?’

Maxwell whispers back, ‘Relax. Follow our lead, I’ll introduce you.’

‘Hello, gentlemen,’ Liam says enthusiastically. ‘How is everyone doing on this fine afternoon?’

Drake has to force himself not to roll his eyes. ‘Good to see you, Liam,’ he manages.

Maxwell chimes in, ‘You probably remember Michael Hansen-Suarez. Michael, this is Prince Liam of Cordonia!’

Michael awkwardly curtsies, which he probably has seen on The Crown or some other show. ‘Pleasure, Your Highness,’ he says, his head bowed down.

Liam holds out his hand. ‘Nice to meet you, Michael. I’m happy to see you back here again, I feel terribly about the way that you were introduced last night! Please accept my most sincere apologies.’ He does not even wait for Michael to respond, and turns to Drake. ‘Drake, do you have a second? I want to talk to you about something.’

Drake nods, looks at Max and Michael and excuses himself.

Once the two men are out of earshot, Liam’s smile drops. ‘Jeez, this is stressful,’ he says.

Drake nods understandingly. ‘I can imagine. How are you holding up?’

Liam nods. ‘I’m ok. Not completely happy about my decision, but it’s the best I can do, with what I’m given at the moment.’

Drake raises an eyebrow. ‘Don’t tell me—‘

Liam shrugs. ‘What am I supposed to do, Drake? Father is dying. It’s his wish.’

Drake remembers Leo’s words. He needs to be supportive right now, especially since he may disappear after the ceremony and not be there when Constantine actually dies. ‘I understand, Liam. I just hope you can find happiness in any way you can. Honestly.’

Liam gives him a sad smile. ‘Leo talked to you, huh?’

Drake chuckles. ‘Yeah. He made me feel like shit, which I probably deserve. I—I didn’t mean to abandon you. At all. I was just really put off by some things. You know me, I don’t change my mind easily. I should have supported you more.’

Liam sighs. ‘It means a lot, Drake. Thank you. For the record, I didn’t ask Leo to come to you. He told me he might, and I told him not to.’ He snorts. ‘Ironic, huh? My notoriously flaky brother, giving you shit for not being there? It’s fucked up.’

Drake chuckles earnestly. ‘I guess. But you know you can count on me, right? Even if we’ve had our differences…’

Liam smiles. ‘I know. Plus, I’ve come to realize that you were truly right about how I behaved with Amara. And this whole thing with her brother-in-law...how is she doing, by the way?’

Drake nods, stunned that Liam is asking him that when he hasn’t checked on her once since last night. ‘She and Michael talked, she’s doing ok.’

Liam smiles. ‘Good. Let me tell you, something wasn’t right with that speech I was given. I need to look into it. Between this and the way I’ve behaved with her...I owe her, now.’ He clears his throat. ‘Which is why I negotiated with Father, and I’m going to offer her Valtoria.’

Drake tries to speak, but the words are stuck in his throat. ‘Wh—what?’

Liam gestures to stay quiet. ‘Shh, no one knows yet, and no one will until after this is all over. But she’s been a great person through and through, she has made a lot of connections here, and I just thought as a symbolic gesture—‘

‘You are giving her a duchy?’ Drake’s head spins. What’s Liam’s angle? Does he simply want to keep her close? Is that his way of apologizing for trying to fucking grab her?

Liam nods excitedly. ‘Yes. Well, if she accepts. But, from what I gather, she doesn’t have much to tie her to her life in New York. So… Fingers crossed.’

*****

Amara has been hanging out with Hana and Liv, safely away from all the drama around. The three women are enjoying light chit chat and beverages, all three of them choosing to remain blissfully ignorant about the rest of the world, and the rest of the evening.

‘What do you mean you’ve never been skinny dipping?’ Olivia says, a frown on her face.

Hana shrugs. ‘No I haven’t. I’m not saying I’m opposed to ever trying, but I have to say, I don’t see the point.’

Liv snorts. ‘True. Unless there’s someone in the crowd you’re trying to see naked, there’s no point at all.’

Amara is looking at her two friends, a goofy grin on her face.

‘What?’ Liv spits out.

Amara laughs. ‘Nothing. I’m just enjoying the banter. You guys are the best.’

Hana squeals. ‘Aww, you’re the best, honey!’

Liv chugs her drink. ‘You girls are gross.’ She turns her head towards Drake, who is walking towards them. ‘Walker, long time no see! Where did you put Domvallier? Wasn’t he with you?’

Drake gives her a faint smile. ‘He had to take a phone call, but he’ll be back. He said he wants you to save him a dance.’

Amara smiles broadly at the thought, and is about to tease Olivia about her budding romance, when she notices Drake’s pale face. ‘Drake, are you okay?’ She says worriedly.

He nods. ‘I’m fine. I’m just—thrown for a loop. Can I tell you guys something and we all remain calm? I don’t want to attract attention by going outside—‘

Hana puts a reassuring hand on his arm. ‘Of course. Tell us, Drake, don’t worry.’

*****

Drake feels slightly better after telling the ladies about what Liam just announced. He had asked him to keep it to himself, but it’s impossible. The thought of Amara being stuck at court because Liam wants her close… he doesn’t know what to think, how to react, but his gut instinct is sadness. Court always had made him feel inferior. It’s full of sharks. Of people like Madeleine, like the new version of Liam, like the Duke of Karlington, and so many more people who thought commoners were lesser than. Of course, on the flip side, there’s good people like Maxwell. Bertrand. Even Liv. Rashad. But would that life make Amara happy? He’s too afraid of studying her face to see the answer. He stares at his feet instead.

Olivia is the first to speak. ‘Okay,’ she says softly, but firmly. ‘It’s obvious that Liam is doing that to keep her at hand, huh? So the intention is already...not fucking great. But…’ she trails off. ‘I mean… that would give you an opportunity to stick around, and it could be your out,’ she says to Amara. ‘You manage the duchy for a while, you’ll be near Drake and near...us.’

Hana chimes in, ‘You don’t have to accept, though. If you want your freedom over the title and the rest, you can absolutely say no, and I’m sure Maxwell and Bertrand will find a way to have you stay in Cordonia, if that’s what you want. Amara?’ She asks her friend, who is still silent.

Drake finally raises his eyes to her level. God, she’s so beautiful. Her face looks just as lost as his own, which somehow reassures him. They’re on the same page. He wants to take her hand so badly, and out of habit he almost does, but stops himself.

‘This is nuts,’ she says, a nervous smile on her lips. ‘I do love being here, I love you all, but doing it this way…’ she chuckles. ‘It’s fucking crazy. I’m not a noble, I’m a cop, and I’m a bartender.’

Olivia laughs. ‘There’s a first for everything.’

Amara shakes her head. ‘No, if he really does offer it to me, I’ll have to turn it down. Let’s stick to the plan.’

Drake can breathe again.

*****

‘Shit, look at these flowers,’ Michael whispers. ‘And these picture frames. And do you think the sword over there is real?’ He asks Maxwell.

Max laughs and nods. ‘Yeah, it is. I opened a bottle of champagne with it once. I can vouch for its sharpness.’

Michael smiles. He has to make a true effort in order to keep his shit together and not squeal. He wonders how Amara does it. He’s been observing her all day, and she is right in her element, she looks like she was made to mingle with nobles.

He smiles wistfully as he thinks back of the young woman Amara was when he met her, ten years ago, when she was just graduating high school, ready to go to college and take on the world.

Nope, not the best way to keep it together.

‘You okay?’ Maxwell asks, concerned.

Michael takes a deep breath and tries to will the tears to go back to where they came from. ‘Yeah, just overwhelmed.’

Maxwell smiles. ‘I get it. You have your sister back, and you’re in a foreign court, it’s a lot to process.’ He pats his back. ‘Take your time.’

He’s about to open his mouth and thank Maxwell yet again for understanding him so well, but he’s interrupted by a change in the music. There is, all of a sudden, a violin solo coming from the orchestra, which silences everyone, until the King is the center of the attention.

‘People of Cordonia,’ he says, ‘The time has come for my son, Prince Liam of Cordonia, to make his decision.’

*****

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[polygamyff]

29. Part 4

Leon just stared at me in shock “wait, wait” he laughed “bitch, wait. Where was I when this was happening? So let me get this straight” he breathed out “you let some rich dick go” side eyeing Leon “I am joking, so you and Maurice had a fall out and then he gave up his rights to his daughter, you didn’t want that so now his sister is coming?” nodding my head, fixing Reign’ diaper “I am in shock, I am disgusted. I mean on a real, what the fuck. Does that mean Maurice is going to get rid of me out of his friend’ club?” Leon is so self centred at times “I don’t care for what it means for you, all I know is that Christmas day they want me to give up my daughter so he can see her alone. Which is fine but if they think I am just going to not go to that home too, I will be” looking down at Reign “you ready to show off your outfit to uncle Leon, he’s come here with gifts for you baby. And he is here for the food, don’t get it twisted with that” turning away from the changing table “hey, don’t tell my niece that so anyways. The plan is, you are letting her go with his sister? I am actually in shock that all of this happened and I didn’t know, why didn’t you say? I am always here for you Robyn, like I am shocked he gave up his daughter like that? To be honest, it’s rather poetic” holding up Reign’ three piece with her skirt, my eyes bulged out “poetic? The fuck are you on today?” Leon is on something “no seriously, like I know his family is all leadership and boys rule and keep family close and the bloodline pure. It’s like he is protecting her in a weird way, it’s love to me” Leon must see something a whole lot different because I am so upset he did that, I didn’t want that at all “you are loved little one, my little diva. Bitch you called Reign, you about Reign over this land. Mark my words, I will be seeing you do big things” I can only imagine my daughter’ first word would be bitch, Leon never stops saying it.

My dad didn’t want me to have a baby but he sure does take over every time, he dotes on her so much “I love being with my family, mom and dad I hope you like my gifts. I can actually afford them this year” I chuckled “Leon ain’t broke anymore, he making money” I laughed at him “making money and getting dick!” Leon spat and then gasped placing his hands over his mouth “now, I said no language like that. She’s a baby, there is babies here” my dad is so dramatic, but he will dramatic once I tell him the next thing to come. He doesn’t know that Nalah is about to come here and take Reign, I will be following behind because no, my child won’t be left like that “so uhm, yeah. Mom, soon. Like after presents and stuff, Reign’ auntie will be coming” getting up from the couch as I turned around to see my mom’ reaction, not my dad’ “oh is she? She is coming to see her?” nodding my head “I mean, like take her to see Maurice” my mom let out an oh “if you want that to happen, that is ok” my mother agrees “so you’re letting his crazy family take her, he gave up his right. Why does he want to see her now? So his family is seeing her? Robyn, you’re not thinking, if a man can walk away from his child then they don’t care about anything, don’t be so stupid” putting my hand up at my dad “I want her to know him, that paper is burnt, it’s gone. It never existed” I got rid of that “Thomas, it’s her daughter. We accept what she wants to happen” my mom said “then when they take her do not come crying!” looking over at Leon as I sighed out.

Never thought of myself as a Cali girl, I mean I have heard they are fake as fuck but I love my home in Texas, my dad made the right choice in that. I couldn’t see myself here at all, I mean my brother got with a Cali girl and look at that mess. I am not going to pick a fight but my brother wouldn’t be so crazy in doing something if a certain person didn’t push him to it, but we shall see. I like Robyn, I do, I think she is a lovely girl but when it comes to my family, that is a no. Also that is my little brother, she is pushing it. Christmas day and I am out here acting like a crazy bitch in Cali, I don’t want to be here at all. Tapping on Shawn’ name, I need to know if Maurice has decided to leave Texas. I was shocked to know he went to see mom, he never does on Christmas “we have just landed” Shawn said it before I even asked “good, how is he? Is he ok? When I called Robyn, I think I may have been harsh with her, I said don’t fuck with my little brother, that is his child. Some shit ain’t adding up between them both, you know. But anyways, I am near the home so I will be getting my niece from her” it’s a nice little neighbourhood this is “cool, you need to relax. Little feisty ass” I sniggered “it’s funny hearing the word little from you” I fell out laughing “bitch, anyways. See you soon” disconnecting the call, let me get myself together.

Walking up the porch steps, fixing my bag on my arm before knocking on the door. I huffed out looking around me, the things I do for my little brother, my life is a mess but it’s whatever. It’s about my brother, he is unhappy. I swung myself back around as the door opened, I am guessing this is her dad “Robyn!” he shouted, I don’t like this guy already, I mean no hi or anything “ooohhh bitch, hey girl” oh I remember Leon “you look so fucking good, your skin! Look right, you lost weight?” waving him off “you being too nice, honestly” Leon stepped outside “you right, I am. I am just fighting to keep within the family” Leon said “I like your honesty, people like you get far” seeing Robyn walk towards the door, I sighed out “hey” I smiled at her, I will be nice “come in, come. My dad should have said” he’s a dickhead, that is why “thank you” I smiled as I walked into the home, ok this is busy and the chatter of people stopped, great. I am the freak show they are staring at “hi, this is Reign’ auntie. Sit down” this very pretty lady said “I need to get going, but thank you” I hate this, I hate Maurice too now “she only sits on Gucci mom, don’t” Leon is a liar, just I don’t like bad vibes and I am feeling it.

Robyn can do it all, like this car seat business is not me “you sure you can deal with a baby?” I know this guy is not speaking to me “sorry, was I speaking to you?” I said to him “dad, please!” Robyn said “I am speaking to you, you’re taking my grandchild and you think I am not questioning it, you don’t want to get your nails ruined. How do you know they are not stealing her away” if he is being like this with me, I can only imagine what this man is like with my brother “your dad please voice doesn’t work, you need to keep your dad in check” I said to Robyn while staring at him “oh lord, what is happening?” someone said “the baby didn’t come out of you, how about you pass her to the mother” I can see it now, I can really see it because this man is not nice at all. Robyn took Reign from her dad, she is sleeping bless her heart “I don’t like this, the fighting. Can we all just please calm down” Leon said “he’s no man, Maurice Davenport is no man. A man takes care of his kids, he can’t be a man. Now he is hiding behind his sister, tell him to come and fight me like a man” is this guy on drugs “you touch my little brother then you will see! Robyn, you really need to sort this out, girl you bugging. I am surprised Maurice ain’t knocked his ass out but I forgot, he loves you too damn much” I breathed “just bring Reign out to me, I don’t have the time. I am not fighting any of you!” I stormed out.

I remained silent as Robyn fixed the car seat in the SUV, I am disappointed in Robyn for not taking up for my brother “I have put a change of clothes in there for her, diapers. I mean the house has it all there. She will wake up and be a little cracky but she will be ok” looking over at Robyn “so you mean Reign’ home has her clothes there but you’re here?” I pointed at her parents home, she didn’t know what to say “this is y’all daughter, not my issue but your dad. Needs to stop, Maurice and I have got a bully of our own in Texas but you see us, we do not listen to him. You clearly are, he is not the father of this child my brother is. I am actually really fucking pissed off, now I see it Robyn. I see it, you need to be a woman cause shit. You about to be real lonely. I will bring her back, bye” I am so angry, I want to say more but I won’t. She is ok to beef herself up towards my dad but when his bitch ass is saying shit she is like dad please, she is all tough towards my dad but not her own “girl, boo” I said to myself shaking my head.

“You know I do appreciate this, you coming out with me. It’s Christmas day too” unlocking the house door “Maurice, I have had moments where you called me and you was out of your mind, I came then so why wouldn’t I come now? It’s important, and I love you, you know this” Shawn patted my back “love you too, it’s weird being in this home. It was supposed to be a new start, I had a home. I wasn’t living in hotels, this was my first home and it went to shit so quickly” rubbing my hands together, I feel disappointed in a lot of things. I bought my first home, it’s not like I can’t afford a home but there was no reason too, it would be a waste, I used Texas as a base where I needed to go and see family, this was supposed to be a new start and now it’s empty, no love here at all “but Maurice, this is still a home. Your daughter lives in Cali, this will be yours to see her. Maurice I ain’t hearing this, I want you to bond with this girl. This is about you and little Reign, and the home needs cleaning” Shawn pointed out, looking to where he was pointing too “oh yeah, the kitchen. I told you, shit was just rushed, she went and then I went. It’s fucked up” Shawn is right but I don’t want to be here, I will sell this home because there is really no reason for it.

Holding the snooker cue watching Shawn take his shot “I was thinking, your sister is taking her time. You know she will take that baby and argue later” I chuckled, Shawn ain’t wrong “I am nervous, like the baby is tiny. She don’t know shit but she making me nervous. I feel like I felt when I first met Robyn, just feeling nervous” I ain’t going to lie it’s a big deal “she’s a baby, she won’t know shit. Only thing she be wanting is milk and snuggles, how would you feel if Robyn came back with Nalah?” that is a good question “probably would make things about me and her rather than the baby, probably turn into another disagreement. It’s her mother, I can’t do anything about it” I shrugged “have y’all split then? That is it? I get that vibe?” I don’t even know “I suppose” hearing the buzzer go off “that will be them” Shawn said “I am scared bro” Shawn patted my shoulder laughing, I mean I wonder if she actually got her or this is a ploy. Placing the cues onto the snooker table, let me slowly make my way to the door. Shawn already ran off to see, he can greet them first. I do appreciate Nalah doing this for me but I don’t feel I deserve it, I did give Reign away and I did what my dad did to Adam, I am a shit person that is why.

“She is awake, sweet Jesus. She got lungs!” Nalah said, she did get her. Turning the corner and seeing Nalah with the car seat in hand. I abruptly stopped walking, swallowing hard “awww man, look at her” Nalah looked at me and just shook her head “you a whole idiot, Shawn can you get her bag for her. But I did this for you, this is for you. She stop crying though, well she is quiet now. You better bring your butt here, she don’t know me like that” Nalah placed the car seat down “I mean she don’t know me like that either?” I questioned “shut up, come here anyways. You had a hard time here didn’t you” Nalah’ heels clicking away on the marble flooring as she hugged me “I am impressed with the photography of those pictures, I always said Rosalina was a whore” hugging my sister “I don’t remember those pictures though” I really don’t “just you go now, and see her. She is probably worried, I don’t want her stressed out. Go” she ain’t cried though, chewing on my bottom lip shuffling over to the car seat. Crouching down, moving the seat around before pushing back the hood of the car seat. Reign frowned staring at me, she doesn’t seem impressed “hey” reaching my hand to her little skirt and pulled it down to fix her three piece, shaking my head placing my hand over my face. My heart is so overjoyed with pain, hurt, love. I couldn’t stop myself from crying even if I tried “little Reign got her daddy crying, it’s ok bro” Shawn said, I cried out into my hands.

Using the back of my hand to wipe my tears, Reign is staring at me still. Her innocent little face just staring at me “I can’t” I sat back across from the car seat “you can, hey. What is it?” Shawn asked “I gave her away, how is that normal? She doesn’t understand but I do, I let her go” Shawn crouched down to me “you did but you are also at a place in your life where you’re not having a good time, you have a lot going on Maurice. You felt you was doing right by her because you feel like you can’t protect her, that is fine. I get it but there is other ways you can help her, she is here and I want you to have a good time” Shawn dragged the car seat over “you so beautiful ain’t you, look at your dress” Shawn started to unbuckle Reign out of her car seat “you about to hold her, nobody tells my brother they cant have his daughter. Yes he can have his daughter” Shawn picked Reign out of the car seat “there you go” Shawn placed Reign in my arms, Reign moved her face to me as she stared at me again “Mi Hermoso, my beautiful baby” my voice croaked out “Mi Amor” holding her hand, Shawn pulled her pacifier out, my smile grew “nice to meet you, it’s like we meeting all over again” Reign is just intrigued “baby girl is like, I know this nigga. I just know him” my sister said “I am so sorry, you deserve so much more” she really does.

Cradling Reign in my arms, I remember she likes using my arm like a hammock, I remember that “get your arm out, hold it out” Nalah said, holding it out “how does it feel” she shook some of the milk out “uhm, ok? Yeah ok” that is not hot, bringing my arm to my mouth and licking the the milk off “that is her breast milk” Nalah said in disgust “oh, I mean it’s fine” I didn’t know that was from Robyn’ breast “ayee family, Maurice look. Ally wants to see the progress” Shawn said behind me, turning around “awwww Reign is with you guys! I just wanted to make sure I wasn’t fired too for redirecting your flight” Ally said on facetime, I chuckled looking down at Reign “no, never. You made the best decision, Reign is happy and so am I” looking up at the phone “see, you good but Ally, you did well for once. Have a good Christmas, I got him now” Nalah passed me the bottle “she must be hungry now” taking the bottle from Nalah “you like being in my arms don’t you, this ain’t no hammock Mi Hermoso” making my way to the living room to feed her.

Holding the bottle up “wow bebe grande, bebiste toda la leche” looking down at Reign smiling at her “here you go with your Spanish bullshit, nigga you ain’t cute. Tell me what you said?” Shawn asked “I said you drank all the milk, you big baby” I chuckled “I am playing, you good” I grinned at Reign, a small smile played on her lips “we good now ain’t we? Like you know I am your dad now” placing the bottle down to the side of me “this is what daddy boy got, he got his little bilingual carer with dad. Golden child got a golden education” here Nalah go “well you had the choice in having that, you just wanted to be bougie and dumb” lifting Reign up “let’s burp you Mi Hermoso” looking over at Nalah “my brother forever speaking to my niece in Spanish” I smiled at her, she is taking a video I think “are you videoing us?” she stopped the recording “perhaps” rubbing Reign’ back, just hearing the little whimpers, her curious eyes just roaming everywhere, she is so precious “selfie time” Nalah sat next to me “not without me” Shawn spat, he stood behind the couch “bring your big head closer Shawn” looking down at Reign, she ain’t being sick at all “aww, look at her chubby cheeks. Say cheese guys” I just gave a faint smile “I am sad we ain’t had Christmas dinner though, you think one of the hotels will deliver to us?” shaking my head laughing “you’re funny” I mean she could try.

My finger lightly stroking Reign’ cheek as she rested against my chest, she is fully awake but I guess she likes it like this “you happy though? Like you could have been missing out on this, you know that? Look at her, she is so content with you” nodding my head “I don’t want her to be in no battle between anyone or anything, it’s not nice to be in that you know” Nalah walked in with her laptop and placed it on the coffee table in front of me “mom and dad want to say Merry Christmas” lifting my head up a little “Marquis, look! Awww look” my mother said pointing at the screen “they begged me, they wanted to see you both” placing my hand just behind Reign’ head as I got up a little “hey mom, dad” he was out yesterday when I went over “is that my grand baby, let us see her” my dad said while placing his glasses on “they aren’t here are they, let them” Nalah said, slowly turning Reign “meet my Mi Hermoso, Reign-Texas Davenport” turning her to the screen “she has your ears, doesn’t she. Oh my, she is so pretty. And that dress!” my mom yelped out, my dad smiled nodding his head “yes, she is very beautiful. Oh wow, hey there” my dad waved at the screen “it’s granddad Marquis and Grandma here, awwww” my dad waving at the camera is making me laugh “it doesn’t suit you old man” placing Reign over my shoulder “where is the mother?” my dad asked, he ain’t stupid that man “not here” my dad nodded his head slowly “I have taught you better than this Maurice, you’re letting this mess come out. You are being careless, you’re a father now. You need to learn how to be a lion and protect. I am not happy with you at all. Your mother said you came here yesterday. Sorry I wasn’t here, I was in a meeting but I am not happy, how do you expect me to give you the business when you can’t even deal with this? I am watching, also if the mother is not around have you got visitation rights over Reign?” looking at Nalah, my dad would kill me if hears what I did “working on it” I mumbled.

Nalah chuckled “dad looked so happy to see Reign, I lowkey would like to see dad beat you. I was dying to snitch on you” Nalah pressed her finger right into my dimple, moving my head to the side “whatever, women. You know, I just need to deal with it. Like I know if I told dad that there was no rights and I gave that up, he would kill me. He would probably use money against me but I don’t want that for Reign, I want it to be different for her and I felt like I am the cause, I mean come on. She just came into the world and her dad could have already gave her sickle cell, her granddad wants her to be away from her mother already, the family are scared of her because she could get what is theirs. It’s not a good look, it’s not. And dad is right, I am not doing well. He is watching me, I know it so this Dubai hotel needs to go right. Then I got Robyn, she’s just switched on me. Fucking Rosalina, I swear she is a pain. Y’all laughing at me but she also snorted it off my dick, just she fucked me over” Shawn laughed “nigga, your life needs to be a fucking book. No wonder Robyn hates you” Shawn cackled saying “well when money can get you anything in the world, you do it” I could get anything and I used it “Maurice!” Leon’ voice rang through my ears, looking towards the door and my eyes met Robyn’ as she stood looking at me.

[x-mensirens]

just a Walk On The Wild Side drabble~

to anyone who’s interested~

Kurt and Scott were unwilling witnesses to Evan's coming punishment as they got in after school. He'd made a whole scene fighting, and half of Bayville High had seen the whole thing. The administrators were all pretty understanding, but Hank, Ororo, Logan, and Charles did not seem pleased by the younger student's suspension. The city youth was finally settling down, learning to be responsible and part of a team, and handle having other New Recruits look up to him.

This punishment was random and suspect, Logan's dark eyes inspecting the boy for a reason. He wouldn't back peddle without one. He sees his aunt has the same thought track, but she's trying not to glide to nephew's rescue. He was a ward of the school and equal to everyone else, he couldn't be treated special. She's mostly bewildered, wondering why, knowing all they have to lose, he fought.

"Evan," Charles admonished, but his eyes are more worried, than anything. Logan stands beside him with broad arms folded. The telepath did not like to scold or demand, but he would if he was pushed to it. He was getting an answer. "Talk to us. We are here for you."

"Surely, there is good reason?" Hank had seen him come around to nature and find peace in the California redwoods, even with the mishaps of the trip. He too, suspects something else at play. He shares a quiet look with Ororo. "A problem at school we could help with? Give us something." It was hard getting children of this age to open up, and much less boys. He knew all to well.

"A situation for me to mediate?" Logan gestured to his knuckles and nodded, knowing that male adolescence is filled with self loathing and the fear of looking weak (asking for help).

"We are here for you, Evan. All of us. But, your actions have consequences..." The graceful woman wants to believe in her nephew's progress, so badly. He looked down at his white tank top, his frown set deeply in his face. Explaining would be more trouble than it was worth.

"Evan..." Kurt tries, his tail swishing nervously out of habit. They'd all had plans, but it seemed like the institute had another idea.

"Just, tell 'em what's up." Scott tries, now curious to see why his teammate is suspended, and what he needs to do about it. Evan just sighs again, he didn't want to budge. "It's not like you to be so hotheaded. You've learned a lot about thinking your decisions through..." The blue mutant rubs his arm as their leader finds a soapbox to step on.

Evan only huffs, his skateboard quivering underarm. "I'm sorry, Auntie-O. I'm sorry, professor. I just wasn't making smart decisions, nothing more to tell, yo." The hairy instructor almost busts out of a dark t-shirt when Evan makes a move to flee the foyer.

"Porcupine, you wait a minute." The man was a human lie detector, and he smelled lies. Whatever he was scrapping in the schoolyard about, it wasn't over himself. The commotion is momentarily halted when Kitty, Amara, and Jean appear through the doors, smelling sweetly and covered in glitter. The girls of the institute have been swapping clothes and styling each other, hanging together and stressing the boy's wing out. Ever since the random string of vigilante busts ended.

Both Scott and Logan figured out what been going on, and different ways. But the females of the school had been different, ever since. Even the reclusive Rogue. The Canadian man was practically going crazy after she suddenly started socializing. Staying out after school, up all night on the phone, coming and going like the other students. It was almost eerie.

The red head seems to be wearing Kitty's shirt, a maroon button up that leaves a lot of her mid drift exposed. Kitty is dwarfed in a pink button up of the senior's, fitting her like a shirt dress with pink pom-poms with in her hair. And Amara was shrugged in a turquoise, off the shoulder sweater.

"Ah, girls." Charles half sighs, noticing Evan's flushed demeanor.

"Red, how about shirts that fit. And half-pint, pants next time? Brazil, don't get me started... You’re guilty by association." The girls giggle and largely don't pay the grumpy man mind.

"Hey, professor." Jean glides upstairs to find the library.

"C'mon, let's hurry to the Rec room..." Kitty suggests, hooking her arm in the other freshman's.

"Sure. Where's Rogue? I didn't see her after school." Scott folds his arms and tries to look like he isn't eavesdropping (he’s totally eavesdropping).

"I dunno, she got on that lit. college student's bike." The brunette answered with a shrug, Kurt following after her. One of his eyebrows is raised. 

"College student?" He asks, German accent strong. Jean poked her head down the staircase in curiosity.

"College?" She cant hide her pout, like she wasn't already dating the school starting quarterback. "No fair..."

"College?" Hank patted Logan on the shoulder, but it was no use. He wasn't sure how, but he was going to halt the girl power trip before it got out of hand. "This place..." He jabbed a finger towards Evan's bleached blonde hair. "I'm smokin' a cig, and then you're rattin' on whoever is giving you a hard time. They're not getting in the way of your studies." With that, he took off in another direction.

Evan sighed, Scott scrubbing his chin. "He only wants to help." Charles says with a tentative smile.

"Like, we all do." Ororo pressed, her mouth tugging downwards. The fifteen year old didn't even begin to know how to articulate what he was thinking, but he wasn't saying it to his aunt.

"I was just being a hothead, bro. I'm sorry for letting you down. I accept whatever punishment you give me, and will try to make better decisions in the future." Before anyone could formulate a response, he hopped on his board and disappeared from sight. The shaded mutant scratched his head and watched him roll off.

"Any of you buy it?" Hank only shook his head no as Ororo sighed.

"Not a bit."

"He's at such a secretive age..." The african woman can't wonder if she bit of more than she can chew taking him in. She has no children of her own, what did she know about rearing him just because they're both mutants?

"I have a feeling that this, like lots of other things, will resolve itself. Come, let's give him some time. I can hardly punish the crime without motive." The silver haired woman nodded in agreement as they all moved to the kitchen.

Evan made it to the gates of the campus when a blood red motorcycle pulled up, the petite figure of his teammate on the back. He watched in astonishment as she pulled a black helmet off and shook wavy hair out. She's wearing the dress she wore for the musical (which he hadn't seen, since), chunky boots, and a leather jacket over top. "Thanks, Dylan. That was awesome. We'll compare the parallels of Hamlet and Son's Of Anarchy some other time, okay? Bye!"

He closes his mouth when she turns to him with a scowl, but one he's come to learn isn't unfriendly. "Sup, Spyke?" She drawled, wondering what everyone else is up to. He jammed his hands into khaki pockets.

"Yo. Have... Fun?" She ran a gloved hand through her hair in dissatisfaction.

"Sure, Ah guess. Dylan pays me fifty bucks to tutor him." She shrugged, Mystique had raised a hustler. She studies his face closer when she can see one of his eyes is starting to black. "Gettin' your UFC career started early?" His face soured, not this again. He'd rather not talk about it.

"C'mon, Rogue. You don't usually pry. What is this, bizarro world?" Rogue is the queen of defensiveness, so she is not afraid of the younger mutant's lashing out.

"Ah might when my friends are losin' fights. Hell, Evan. We could'a taken it two an' two, they accidentally touch my skin it's li-" She stops when he huffs in frustration.

"That's not... That's not the point, Rogue." Perhaps a few weeks ago, people looked at Rogue as cold. Brutish. Menacing. Everyone knew she went to the freak school and was a redbelt, enough said. But, she's found a confidence (one all the Bayville Siren girls have found) that was changing the way everyone saw her. Talked about her. Thought about her. The loner goth girl was still too far in her own world to notice it, but he saw.

Kitty and Amara welcomed any attention in their budding high school career, and though it baffled Scott, Jean loved the attention. Rogue didn't seem to understand or notice. Maybe, she didn’t even care. She's always done what she wanted and for once, she feels like part of a tribe. Surrounded by girls. They shared a secret and a bond.

He loves to see his friend wear pride in how cool she is, he just doesn't like the chauvinistic commentary coming with it. It's complicated, and she sees in his eyes that she really has no idea what's going on. She folds her arms and plants her feet, daring him to speed away on his board. "So, what is the point, then? This ain't like you." He'd been on time for Danger Room and personal promises and putting forth the effort to turn his leaf around, just like her.

"I wasn't fighting over myself." He admits in defeat, his chin resting in his hands. She dropped her arms.

"Who's gettin' picked on?" She'd handle it, herself.

"It's more what people said." He sat down glumly and waited for the girl to follow. She does so, hesitantly.

"Evan, words are not nothin' worth scrappin' over. Do you know the things Ah've been called, where Ah'd be if Ah fought every time someone tried to offend me?" She reflects for a moment on the south and her face sours. "Was it... Was it that word?" She whispered. If it was, she'd tell the professor or Logan and they'd definitely know what to about it, for his sake.

His eyes soften, but he shakes his head. "It was you, Rogue. And Kitty. Amara. Jean. Tabitha... It's like... Ever since, I dunno..." They weren't aware that all the boys knew what they'd been up to and didn't say anything, but she figures it out. "I think you guys are cool. You guys came together and found a vibe, you're all glowing. Happy." Rogue tries to follow the lingo as he balances on his board. "There's nothing wrong with that. But, for whatever reason... It makes guys... It makes guys..."

"Have pigs for brains?" She arches an eyebrow, amused at Evan's latent protectiveness. He nodded furiously. "Evan, trust me, we know what we were forced to sign up for just by bein' women." His eyes darkened.

"No, you don't know." He refused to repeat the things he heard people, people he was supposed to be friends with say. "All sorts of things about your bodies, assuming they know anything about you, when they don't. You're my friends, people I'm lucky to know." Things he didn’t even want to think about, jokingly. He stomped one of his many boards in half, growling. "They don't know you, that Kitty's saving that part of her life for marriage. Or, thinking Jean's boy crazy or loves a million guys. She loves Scott, anybody who knows her knows that. And you," Their eyes met and he's embarrassed, blinking back frustrated tears. "You can't even... They shouldn't..."

He'd never spared a thought to how both unfair it was to be a woman and for some, be a mutant; he knew now."It's okay, Evan." Her voice is soft. He was the last person she expected this outburst from, but they were all human. Unpredictable. Far from the expected. "Nothin' you need to fight over. Doesn't change anythin'." He looked down at the splintered remains of his skateboard while Rogue hugged herself. He was probably grounded for a month, at least. ‘Ah’m worth it?’

"He'll think before he says it again." He picked up his halves and shrugged, starting lazily toward the mansion. "Matters to me."

[punkscowardschampions]

James & Ava

James: [okay so we all know the mood is that he sees whatever she's posted and literally goes there immediately with no thought of who else could also be cos he NEEDS to check that she's alright. The drama of it all] Ava: [but luckily no one is there and she'd be so shocked but also grateful 'cos no one wants to be alone and feeling unwell, esp. not in hospital] James: [when he'd have to say he was her brother so he can take her #awkward] Ava: [lollol finding that more amusing than you would otherwise 'cos concussion breaking your awks] James: [oh she'd be so cute I can't] Ava: [just hugging him so hard] James: [we all need that moment but sadly it cannot last forever because he'd have some driver doing circles endlessly cos there's nowhere to park at hospitals ever] Ava: [seriously, and it's so expensive] James: [when you were so desperate to get in there you didn't think about how long it could have taken like she could've been admitted and that driver is just lowkey out there for the rest of time] Ava: [lmao i wonder how long he'd wait for that bag before getting bored, luckily they'd low-key be ready to get rid 'cos too busy and overcrowded] James: [practically pushing her out the door as soon as they saw someone show up for her so he doesn't even have time to give her a feelsy speech lol] James: [just help her out to the car boy, you've had a lot of practice with drunk girls in heels and it'd be the same vibe] Ava: [just saying thank you over and over] James: [meanwhile he's asking her if she's okay over and over like every step they trying to take here] Ava: ['Oh God, you must think I'm so stupid, I swear, they came out of nowhere'] James: ['We both know you're not stupid, Ava' shout out to that text cleverness 5ever tbh 'I'm just glad you weren't seriously hurt'] Ava: ['How have you been, I've been so worried' shoutout to this concussion giving me shameless freedom lol] James: [when you can only shake your head because 1. you ain't been good 2. you don't wanna tell her any of it and 3. you don't think you deserve her worry/ want her to worry about you] Ava: [sad face] James: [stopping to stroke said face, don't fall over girl, he's got you] Ava: ['James-' and then just looking 'cos what can you say] James: [looking back at her cos likewise but then you gotta drop them eyes cos so sad] Ava: ['you look tired' and making more of an actual effort to get into this car] James: ['I am tired' but helping her in and doing her seatbelt for her because not gonna see her struggle ever, telling the driver her address because there's nowhere else you can take her but home even though you have no idea if as soon as you get there someone is gonna show up for her and you obviously don't want that] Ava: [patting your shoulder like 'you can come sleep' like no no one can babe] James: ['no' but a little smile cos she's cute af 'I'm supposed to keep you awake'] Ava: [when you make a face like 😏] James: ['by which, of course, I mean, you've got a 8 hour date with Edward Cullen ahead of you'] Ava: [grinning like a fool but then being like, wait 'you'll stay though, can you?'] James: ['I'm not going to leave you alone' oh the heavy unspoken implication that she might not be if the friends or fam descend 💔] Ava: [resting your head on him as a silent thank you but then lifting it like 'so awake, promise'[ James: [stroking her hair and keeping an eye like] Ava: [being like let me tell YOU a story and honestly God knows but it'd be cute and she'd be trying to match his storyteller energy] James: [when that's lowkey the moment he falls in love with her bye] Ava: [asking the driver to play the new moon soundtrack] James: [loling and honestly when was the last time he did that, we all know it was when they were together] Ava: [live the emo life and love it babes] James: [he's GOTTA dance in his seat to keep her awake, no other reason #notanerd lol] Ava: [just clapping and cheering him on like nothing to see here driver God bless] James: [so not what that man was expecting to 👀 or 👂] Ava: [freaking out drivers is low-key a fave] James: [the one time you're happy about London traffic tbh] Ava: [even though we ain't gonna interrupt, you don't know that boy] James: [speaking of, probably send a text or something to check on the kids because you just ran like assumedly they at their grandparents but] Ava: [never leaving 'em with Chlo we all know] James: [lord her and Jay would kill each other] Ava: [I'd genuinely be worried for her safety so don't blame you remotely boy, least her parents are invested] James: [literally though & you can have those grandparents forever babs we ain't taking them away from you] Ava: [awkward that your mum never shows but that's just that on that] James: [lbr that's for the best stick with your dads kiddos] Ava: [we all know it, even if Matty might not end up remembering much] James: [Ava lowkey her mum now oops] Ava: [and Jay's actual auntie...lol what a tangled web we weave boo] James: [at least they can all stay connected] Ava: [true facts] James: [makes my heart happy even if it's weird] Ava: [lean in to how weird this family is James] James: [they weird af but they're better than the one he's got #noshadetoTeddythough] Ava: [all the shade to you Chlo, sort it out] James: [her poor future children & husband] Ava: [honestly, good luck] James: [he'd have to be about everything she is or else what the fuck] James: [anyway we've been sidetracked get to Baze's house you two] Ava: [movie marathon awaits, what else do we vibe or shall we just try and see what comes out, like] James: [let's just run with it and see what happens because we extra and anything could be said and done tbh] James: [imagine how awkward it'd be when they get there because he'd have to send her in first and just be shitting himself in the car like is anyone there or no] Ava: [at least you know full well no one is there 'cos business trips forever so you're just at the door shaking your head and doing the 'come on' gesture] James: [he'd just help her to the sofa like immediately & get her blankets and pillows and painkillers (even though it wouldn't touch a concussion headache) and a phone charger and everything else she could possibly need cos Chloe's got him trained like a dog] Ava: [low-key pulling at him, gently, like boy sit down] James: [when you are then looking at her like what did I forget/ do wrong before you realise] Ava: [squeezing his hand because you can only say thank you so many times, putting the film on but then pausing and gasping so dramatically 'coffee, I promised you coffee' and going to get up like can you be careful please] James: [thinking she's in pain or something because of that gasp so being at her side like 0-1000 and slowing her down cos they can do it together thank you] Ava: [making a face at herself like ffs when she catches on 'I'm not trying to age you' and touching his non-grey hair and wrinkles like totally necessary yep] James: ['but you're offering me coffee, what's next red meat or red wine?' but no actual shade cos we both know he doesn't care and none of that is what's aging him anyway, taking her hand from his face and gently kissing said hand before handholding to lead her to her own kitchen like let's do this] Ava: ['I don't know where my cigarettes are' shrugs and smiles like sorry not sorry, smiles even harder but lowkey stops breathing when, kissing ontop of where he just kissed her hand, then getting to this all-singing all-dancing coffee machine 'you have to pick the most daring option, one you've never, ever tried before, okay?' and waggling her finger like so serious about this] James: [takes his own cigarettes out of his pocket and slides the pack over to her 'okay' and does pick, really concentrating on the decision even though there'd be so much shit he hasn't tried and we all know he could just pick option 1 and be done] Ava: [takes one out and puts it behind her ear for later 'cos no need to light up in your parents home, just watching him 'cos so cute and then nodding like yes, good choice and picks the same, setting up this machine 'cos they're always more confusing and/or time-consuming than they need to be I swear] James: [where's the lie you gotta have the knack I swear, his turn to watch her now though because she's beautiful doing anything ever and he missed her so bad] Ava: [ahh coffee goodtimes forever] James: [he needs it cos he is tired af so thanks Ava you babe] Ava: ['do we talk about what happened, or do we write it off?' when you just saying this casually whilst waiting for your coffees] James: ['I don't know' because he is genuinely torn between wanting to and also not] Ava: ['Wait and see how we feel' 'cos no rush or pressure here 'you better carry these though' 'cos we don't need burns as well ty] James: ['wait here a minute for me' because carries the drinks through and then comes back for her because why not carry her though as well obvs] Ava: [does and loves it 'I've missed you, you know'] James: ['I know now' just giving her 😍 casually 'I've missed you too'] Ava: [😍 right back 'Ask anyone' when you're talking about your mood but you realize that sounds like you been telling the world lol 'I mean, I've been a delight' 🙄] James: [when you shake your head like no it's okay 'I overreacted about your cousin, I'm sorry' takes a deep breath remembering that whole sad ending moment 'And I'm sorry for fucking up the start of your summer' because she loves it and he knows] Ava: ['I understand why, understood, whatever. And I am still sorry, I was just too excited and-' sighs like, you know, squeezing his hand again 'I promise, that's all sorted now though' 'cos clearly told her it's over by now, 'cos thought it was anyway; she nods like thanks but shrugs like it's okay too, don't worry 'Sure even I can't be grumpy in the Seychelles, like'] James: [blatantly almost kissing her because he understands the whole being too highkey thing because he was (*cough* is) too but doesn't because she's going away 'when are you going?'] Ava: [sad face like you didn't just say you aren't gonna be grumpy 'when my parents get back, couple of days'] James: [strokes her face again like he did earlier 'you'll feel better by then' because someone's meant to watch you for 48 hours actually NHS website says] Ava: [😈 me 😇 her looking at him 'how did you even- why- I-' continuously cutting herself off 'cos you know he was checking in on you now and you know he came without hesitating so it doesn't need to be said 'Oh, James'] James: ['Ava' saying her name with SO MUCH feeling that I cannot 'I had to' when you mean so many things by that like you had to go but you have to stay now and you had to make sure she was okay today but also you had to keep checking on her the whole time] Ava: [definitely gonna go in to kiss him can't stop that soz] James: [we all know it was only a matter of time and that this is gonna turn into a not at all casual make out session] Ava: [you honestly deserve it lads] James: [that coffee gonna be cold and they won't even notice] Ava: [the movies are also not being watched lmao but no one cares rn] James: [on pause forever sorry not sorry] James: [but eventually like after AN AGE one of them should lean on the remote or whatever so it starts playing and they're like wtf] Ava: [when you shit yourself like who is here but then loving 'cos hi Edward] James: [we all shitting ourselves and all loling] Ava: ['he's very possessive' no lie] James: [looking at Edward and then kissing her again like when you're trying to make someone jealous] Ava: [when you're loling too hard into his mouth like 'scuse me] James: [kissing her neck instead so she can have her adorable lol] Ava: [reacting to that in a v different way] James: [we back at it again at krispy kreme soz twilight saga] Ava: [i swear to god the ily curse is so real] James: [this always happens to us, don't talk for a bit lads, wink wonk] Ava: [its because we give them such high-pressure situations but yes, you should fully hook up 'cos haven't yet] James: [I wonder if the orgasm headache thing would work for a concussion one or not] Ava: [my boo says #experiment] James: [imma google it but I don't expect an answer] James: [nobody is telling me but if it can help a migraine I don't see why it wouldn't] Ava: [you'll be fine bitch, just a shameless excuse that he needs to hang around longer] James: [we should totally also do the shameless thing when he falls asleep and then wakes up immediately but is like oh no how long was I asleep because not only worried about her we know] Ava: [for sure, just there chilling like 🥰 'not long, but you looked peaceful'] James: ['I was' and more 😍 'I am' just snuggling happily because deserved af] Ava: [kissing the top of his head 'good' then lying down and snuggling harder 'I'm so glad you're here, that you're okay'] James: ['I'm glad that I'm here & that you're okay' kissing her forehead and holding her so tightly because he was so worried that something much worse had happened to her] Ava: ['It was kinda scary how much I missed you- like I said I WAS extra but I think, no, I still am, I can't lie to you'[ James: [when you are just falling so hard for her rn smiling like look at this perfect 😇 'you don't have to miss me any longer, minus however long you're spending in the Seychelles, of course'] Ava: ['Yeah?' trying but failing not to sound so hopeful 'And two weeks, so not as long as it has been, not that I was definitely counting or anything'] James: ['I was afraid, no, I am afraid but very few things have ever scared me as much as when I saw you were in hospital & I thought-'] Ava: [just holding him back even tighter like you could not be closer 'I'm so sorry I scared you, I won't ever do it again, even if I get hit by something more substantial than a 90lbs mum on a lightweight bike' and shaking her head with a lil lol 'cos it is funny even though it can be as bad as a car crash actual sometimes] James: ['You scare me in the best ways, you don't have to stop, I don't want you to' because think of the new things he's already done and the new things he's already felt, it makes me emosh goodbye] Ava: [when that's the hottest thing you've ever heard like 'scuse me round two] James: [you've actually got all night for once so make the most of it lads] Ava: [like literally no one needs it more than him so I'm allowing it, there's enough shit happened, happening and still to come] James: [amen to that] Ava: [happy bubble forever] James: [if only like, he is NOT gonna wanna leave in the morning but maybe we could say that like Jay has a playdate with friends or something cos soz babe you can't keep a secret so he just gets the baby and comes back] Ava: [that would be a moment] James: [just casually meet each other how cute] Ava: [have a normal, happy day like you're meant to oh] James: [you all deserve it truly] Ava: [meet your potential future stepchild babe] James: [do we wanna have them go out or stay in?] Ava: [🤔 obvs really want them to go to Kensington Park 'cos Peter Pan and like obvs I doubt anyone who would be bothered to report to Chloe is gonna be there but it is risky so maybe save it idk] James: [we will bookmark that for the future because MUST but they could take Frank on a walk somewhere cos we ain't referenced that sweet sir even if it's just through the streets like] Ava: [that's a good shout, you better be a good boy lol] James: [and don't cockblock them rn please] James: [they'd look like a little fam, I am FINE] Ava: [and lowkey behave more like one in one day like the bar is so low tah Chlo] James: [the scolding tea] James: how are you feeling? Ava: 😊 So happy Ava: Only a bit tired from the whole staying awake thing and you keeping me awake, like 😏 Ava: oh, and Frank said you've redeemed yourself so well done there too Ava: how're you and the girls? James: I'm happy to hear all of that James: has your dizziness gone? James: we're fine, but tired too Ava: Yeah Ava: barely a headache Ava: and my parents get in early AM so I should be all set to go when they do get here James: how much packing is there left to do? Ava: All of it but deciding which 14 bikinis I wanna take shouldn't take too long James: are you sure? I think it would take me a really long time to decide Ava: I'll put some stories up Ava: You can help me Ava: I reckon I need your clearly more considered opinion James: of course you do James: you wouldn't want to spend the entirety of your holiday wishing you'd chosen differently Ava: so true Ava: especially as I'm not allowed to pack my pout James: everyone is well aware of how important the pursuit of a tan is to you, darling, anything that jeopardises that, well, it's bound to be very pout inducing James: you'll be forgiven Ava: I don't know if my family is as forgiving as you Ava: perhaps they don't like my pout as much Ava: they definitely aren't as supportive in bikini related decision making James: I'll dedicate paragraphs to both James: multiple lengthy ones Ava: It'll seem gratuitous in the movie but nothing is too much for the book James: as long as it remains included in the director's cut James: or else I will be devastated Ava: I'll demand it in my contract Ava: I think it'll be a first in favour of taking your clothes off instead of keeping 'em on James: thank you James: you do deserve a multitude of firsts, honestly Ava: you deserve so much Ava: much more than I'm allowed to give you Ava: that reminds me Ava: as I can't give you anything as a thank you, I've had to get creative James: so much of what I deserve is negative & there is nothing you owe to me in any capacity, thanks included James: but I'd never want to discourage creativity Ava: Shh sh Ava: in the spirit of firsts and trying new things Ava: when you're all less worn out, go to [a sassy but kid-friendly cafe/restaurant that's a bit out there and exotic and definitely nowhere Chloe has ever made you take her] and tell 'em you're eating on me, yeah Ava: then when I get back and you're free, you're coming over and I'm cooking James: Ava Ava: It's already arranged, I go there all the time, it's the 2nd best Brazilian food I've had James: you've been to Brazil for the 1st, haven't you? I can tell Ava: Actually no, mores the pity Ava: but my Uncle is Brazilian and a chef, my cousin too Ava: having a big weird family has unexpected perks Ava: if you like it, I already have a recipe lined up that's meant to be 🔥 but even a novice like me can master it James: you'll have to wait patiently for my review because I regrettably can't send you a picture of my face after the 1st mouthful to serve as one, but okay Ava: I'll do my best Ava: though having any patience when it comes to you doesn't seem to be my strong suit Ava: arguably not a virtue I'm known for, ever, but especially now James: I'll do my best not to miss you so hard that it's physically painful but that doesn't appear to be my strong suit either & as previously agreed, I won't make any promises I'm forced to immediately break Ava: Oh Ava: Knowing it wasn't just me finding out that painful cliche is painfully real is somehow a comfort, to know you'll want to avoid the feeling as much as I do from now on but it also hurts me even more, the idea of you having to feel it at all in the first place Ava: but there is no conflict in just how hard I'm looking forward to seeing you again after this ill-timed holiday James: I don't ever want you to be in pain because of me, I have to insist on only the good cliches going forward James: devastatingly a postcard can't be included in that Ava: Hmm, got any long-lost great aunties I can pretend to be? 🤔😂 James: If I do my wife is bound to be aware of them, their current financial situation & any possible health concerns they are facing Ava: Valid Ava: Don't need to give her any more reason to 💀💀💀 me Ava: At least no holiday is complete without the obligatory narcissistic poolside shoot James: suffice to say I've never had a complete holiday, in that case Ava: I bet you've had to be cameraman plenty though Ava: so rude when you're so nice to look at James: & yet I've never been trusted to pick a filter Ava: 🙄 Ava: does she not know that you're an artiste James: no, it's our secret Ava: 😊 I like that James: I like you Ava: I like that more James: I wish I could see you again before you go Ava: Me too Ava: I kinda wish I weren't going James: how early are your parents getting back exactly? Ava: like 4am kinda early James: I won't make you stay awake again James: I know how tired you must be Ava: 🥺 James: I'm so relieved that I can't see that look on your actual face Ava: It's 💔 Ava: but I'll survive Ava: about James: you're a very strong person Ava: You James: I'm not Ava: You are though Ava: you put up with so much shit James: is that strength or is it weakness? Ava: I think it's strength Ava: You can't necessarily stop shit happening or get shit out of your life Ava: no matter how strong Ava: and you manage to do all the shit you have to regardless James: I'd like to think you're right Ava: Then you should Ava: I encourage it Ava: 🤓 me James: you are undeniably clever Ava: Try to be Ava: when I'm not standing in the middle of cycle paths, obviously James: I heard you say that bike came out of nowhere Ava: Yeah Ava: I miss you already Ava: Frank is not as good a nurse, like at all James: if you can fall asleep now, I'd feel less guilty about the prospect of asking you not to later James: should I hypothetically be able to get away Ava: 🛌🏃 Ava: Promise James: I can't give you a promise back Ava: I know Ava: but this way, I either stay asleep and that's that Ava: or I get the best surprise to wake me up James: what did I do to deserve you? Ava: This is the part where I say something very bad but Ava: you don't seem capable Ava: you're just James: whatever it was, I need to know so I can keep doing it Ava: just be you Ava: another cliche you've proven to be true and real James: this fortnight without you is going to be really cliche James: there's no chance of it existing beyond the 1st draft Ava: not even for my eyes only? James: well James: maybe Ava: Please please please James: okay James: you are my fairest critic & you do have beautiful eyes Ava: Yours are better Ava: but I won't be too jealous if I get to look at them more James: I definitely can't promise not to be envious of everyone in the Seychelles who will get to look at you more than I can Ava: Do you ever get a decent lunchbreak? Ava: we could facetime James: I'll figure something out James: because my dad takes the longest lunch breaks, you'd be forgiven for thinking it's the 80s Ava: 😏 we love a throwback 🙄 James: I'll take Matty to work with me, she'll distract whoever I need her to Ava: She is very cute Ava: I see it James: I won't be saying anything the like of that if she won't sleep tonight though Ava: 🤞 for you and her Ava: shame she's not yet at the walking stage Ava: Frank is so 💤 James: I can't keep her in any kind of routine, it's frustrating for both of us Ava: That's hard James: it's harder for her than it is for me, she never knows what's happening Ava: She'll get there Ava: I was the worst baby Ava: hopefully before you totally lose your mind, 'course James: I find it impossible to believe you weren't 😇 Ava: I was pretty premmie so my poor parents were confined to perpetual bright light for ages when I got home James: both the girls were so late James: that was an entirely different struggle Ava: I can imagine how delightful Ava: usually excusable but when you set the bar low to begin with 😬 James: the last thing I want to do is badmouth her to you, but as we know, sometimes things write themselves Ava: I feel you Ava: not a cliche I particularly wanna be either James: of course not Ava: but you can vent, you know Ava: I don't even have to reply, just if you need to put it somewhere James: no, I can't Ava: okay, just a suggestion James: so much of this is already not fair to you, Ava Ava: I don't think it is Ava: you've never lied about any of it, you're always realistic about what you can and can't give me Ava: and I'd like to help, in any tiny way I'm able James: you don't know what she's like & I'd rather you didn't have to know James: let's keep it at you don't do sympathy Ava: I know very little but that's not positive so it doesn't take your author level of imagination if I wanna go there without your guidance Ava: and it isn't sympathy but okay Ava: I won't mention her and you don't have to either James: I just can't have you seeing me differently because Ava: I'd never see you differently because of what she's like as a person James: it's too big of a risk for me to take, that you'll end up thinking less of me than you do now Ava: You can trust me Ava: but you don't have to Ava: I won't push anything, I don't need to Ava: as much as I want to take things fast in so many respects, I'm never going to take it where you don't want it James: it isn't you I don't trust James: I'm not a reliable narrator, she's made sure I'm not Ava: However...intertwined and diluted you feel your story got, because of her, because of whatever Ava: it's always gonna be your story to tell, if you want it Ava: and I'll always listen to how you tell it James: Ava Ava: James James: if it was a story I was in control of I'd come to the airport & tell you not to go James: cliche or not Ava: and I'd stay Ava: but that's far too much like a happy ending and we've only just begun James: you're right again Ava: don't sound so surprised 😉 James: I was actually trying to decide where it falls on the scale of ideas & habits, good, bad or somewhere in between James: that you always seem to be Ava: Have you drawn a conclusion yet? James: I couldn't possibly tell you James: you're supposed to be asleep Ava: damn Ava: you'll tell me in the morning? James: yes Ava: Okay, I'll go, as long as you know it is so reluctantly it's practically under protest James: & I won't stay here hoping you don't, as long as you know it's under identical conditions Ava: Noted Ava: Goodnight and sweet dreams for whenever that happens for you then, love James: thank you

[mysweetestcreature]

Wish Upon A Star (StepBro!Harry) Extras: Reunion

Request: I need a little blurb of both of them attending one of those school reunion/parties with all their old schoolmates and when they are married and shes pregnant and hot. Everyone probably already know about then because instagrM and gossip but they are still the talk of the party and harry is all smug bc his love look gorgeous carrying his bub and they don’t care for the looks. I don’t know i just love mess and drama lol

A/N: I had to change it up just a bit to match the timeline xx

***

To say they’re a bit anxious to be attending this milestone event would be an understatement. It’s still hard to wrap their minds around having completed their sixth-form, and yet so much has happened since then. They’re married, have real-world jobs, and have two perfect little boys.

“You two look so adorable!” Y/n claps her hands together as she gazes happily at them dressed in matching suspenders and bowties. “Look, Daddy!” she picks up a one-year-old Declan off the bed and waves his arm out to her husband. The baby squeals and excitedly calls for Harry.

Harry looks up from adjusting his sleeves and dramatically gasps and reaches for his son. “Take after me, don’t you, bub?” he coos and tickles his tummy. Giggles bounce off the walls, and Declan can’t help but squirm in glee as the tips of his daddy’s fingers scurry across his plump body. Harry gives him a big kiss to his head, then turns back to his missus. She’s wearing a dark blue satin dress she’d bought for the occasion, that accentuates all the right parts of her figure. If the kids weren’t here with them, he’d be more enticed to see it in a pool around her feet. “Baby, we ready to go?” She holds up her pointer while she tucks Luca’s shirt back into his pants––he’s already getting fussy, a true sign that he’s Harry’s son. 

“It’s only a few hours, alright, my love?” she tells him when he starts pouting. Luca holds his arms up, standing on his tippy toes, in desperate need for his mumma to carry him. With her eldest balanced on her hip, she surveys their hotel room to make sure everything’s in order. “Oh!” she spots the invitation on the nightstand and quickly drops it in her purse. 

***

WELCOME BACK!

The banner is big and bold as it hangs on top of the main entrance. There are a few groups of ex-students spread across the pavement. Y/n recognizes some of them as cheerleaders that used to ask¬¬––beg––her to set them up with her “brother.” One of them spot the family, and it’s all hushed whispers being exchanged, with not-so-sneaky glances their way. 

“Don’t you know it’s rude to stare? Or were you all too busy toying with your hair to learn proper etiquette?” Y/n instantly smiles when she hears the familiar voice. Carrie glares at the group of nosey women, her hands firmly at her hips as she barks another insult their way. When they all disperse in different directions, she turns to her best friend, demeanor having taken a complete 360. “I’m so glad you guys are here!” she squeals, and wraps her arms around Y/n. It’s been a while since they’ve seen each other. Unlike Y/n and Harry, she’d opted to remain in Manchester and runs a cute little boutique in town. 

A slight huff erupts from in between them, and Carrie coos at her cranky godson. “Say hi to Auntie Carrie, bub,” Y/n nudges her youngest. Declan had fallen asleep in the car and has yet to adjust to the new surroundings. He shyly lifts his hand up to wave, before he’s snuggling back into his mumma’s neck.  

“Lemme take him, love,” Harry reaches for Declan, “It’s good to see you, Carrie. Where’s Jameson?” He had been all too amused to learn that the two had gotten together a few years ago. In fact, if he can recall correctly, that particular day had been his and Y/n’s wedding. Carrie blushes and tells them that her fiancé will be arriving a little later. 

The lot walk inside, Y/n holding on to Luca’s hand as they enter the gymnasium that’s been completely transformed into a proper party space. Although, it does sort of give off prom vibes––not that she would know because her and Harry hadn’t even attended––but it’s still a cute attempt. Luca gets excited when he sees a few balloons on the floor, picking one up and showing it to his brother. “Daddy can we take this home with us?” And then he’s gathering as many of them in his small arms as possible, which is only three, but he won’t rain on his son’s parade. 

***

It’s when Harry is getting his missus a refill of her beverage when he feels someone tap lightly on his shoulder. He hands Luca some juice that he had poured a few moments prior before he turns around. Hopefully he isn’t as transparent to the rest of the world as he is to his wife because then the person in front of him would see how he’s just internally groaned. 

“Harry! It’s been too long!” the woman’s shrill voice hurts his ears, and she throws herself onto him. 

He awkwardly pats her shoulder, “Erm…hi, Georgina.” She pulls away and plays with break lines of his jacket. Her fingers fiddle with one the buttons as she smiles up at him, her bottom lip caught between her teeth. 

“You look so good. I heard you’re some hotshot architect in London. Hmm, I always knew you’d do great things,” she says dreamily. Harry tries to politely swat her hand away from him, appearing to be simply dusting off his jacket. He looks down to his son, who’s just gulped up the last bit of his apple juice.

���Want more, bub?”

“Yes, please, Daddy,” Luca holds up his cup, giving Harry a sweet grin. The young boy then stares at the lady who had been touching his daddy. “Who are you?” his voice suspicious. She reminds him a lot of the redhead that’s always annoying Naomi. And he knows very well that the redhead doesn’t like his mumma, and he doesn’t like that. 

“So, the rumors are true then? You married your sis-” she eyes the spawn, but Harry’s taking Luca’s hand in his and gestures over to where his wife and other son sit with Jameson and Carrie.

“C’mon, Mumma’s been waiting for her drink, yeah?” And he’s leading them away. He looks over his shoulder. “Nice talking to you.” They nearly make it safely back to their table when the pang of her voice accompanied by the tapping of her heels has Harry visibly flinching.

Thankfully he’s just caught Y/n’s attention. She gets up, Declan clinging to her like a koala and cocks an eyebrow at her husband. Luca runs over to her, hugging her leg as he whispers something about the Wicked Witch’s sister trailing behind them. Y/n lifts her gaze from her son and her lips purse into a straight line when she sees her. Even ten years after they’ve left this place, and the sight of Georgina Rupert still makes her blood boil. 

“Georgina,” she tightly greets when she comes within close radius of the family. “How lovely to see you.” The last time they’d seen her was when she had tried to convince Harry to take her to prom. Oh, how Y/n would have loved to tell her off then.

“Don’t know if I can say the same,” Georgina says though gritted teeth. “You two have got some nerve, showing up tonight. Caused quite the ruckus when the news erupted because who would have thought that everyone’s favorite siblings have been banging each other all this time. And it seems you’ve brought along the devil spawns.” Her eyes dart between the two boys. Harry’s hand tenses from where it rests on her waist. No one talks about his family like that, it has his insides churching with animosity. But when he looks at his wife, she remains cool and level-headed.

“And it seems that you’re still single,” Y/n replies bluntly. Harry covers his mouth with his wife’s shoulder, but the vibrations erupting from his chest are obvious. He loves it when she drops her filter, there’s something so satisfying about it. “I heard you were engaged. So sad to hear that he cheated on you, and with your own sister? That’s just rotten luck.”

*** 

When it comes time to chat with his former football mates, he has Y/n snug at his side, as they all catch up. While a few of them have known about the relationship for some time––they’d been the ones invited to the wedding––many of the others shift wearily in place. It’s just a bit awkward, as some of them had had a thing for Y/n in their teenage years and didn’t think anything of it because she was their mate’s sister. If he’s being honest, he quite likes that he’s able to show her off to the rest of them, like he wishes he could have done when they were still in school.

From time to time, he’ll just look down to meet her eyes, and then his lips would be on hers for a quick (or not-so-quick) kiss. 

“You know, just because you guys are married doesn’t make the PDA any less weird,” Jameson jokes, but Carrie swats his arm.

“They’re cute and in love, let them be,” she counters. “Maybe you should pay attention and learn a few things from Harry.” She chuckles as Jameson rolls his eyes and pulls her closer to his chest. Harry does the same, kissing her temples as he watches his sons play with some faltered balloons off by the DJ table. 

Luca and Declan had become quite the hit at the party. Everything thought they were the cutest little boys ever. (Their father had so willingly taken credit to their undeniably good looks. If Declan hadn’t shared some of his mum’s features, he would’ve said that he birthed them himself.) He doesn’t even pretend to not to see the jealous looks they’re getting because his life is pretty great. In ten years, he’s got a job that he loves, two kids that he absolutely adores, and a wife that he’s so in love with. 

Who wouldn’t be jealous?

[calypsoff]

Twenty Three.

I always assume that if you go on a private jet then you don’t need to go through security but boy am I wrong, I just feel like they see I have a record and then they do extra searches, but it only happens sometimes, hopefully I can go through this smoothly. Staring at the paparazzi from afar, I don’t get how they know she was coming, was it set up or do they just wait around and then see if they can find someone famous, imagine if something kicks off now while I got searched, they will take all the pictures of it “Miss Rihanna, come here beautiful” the lady said to her, she seems so nice but I got a feeling I am going to have the white guy that looks like a dickhead “just walk through here for me please beautiful” how many times is she going to say beautiful “Robyn will have no issues, she breezes by” Mel said behind me “clearly” I mumbled “sir!” the white guy of course shouted me, taking in a deep breath “walking through here please” nodding my head “stand to the side of me, arms out” putting my arms out, they ain’t going to find anything on me anyways, I am not that stupid. I don’t even have cigarettes on me, I be scared like that. I just don’t want that headache for me or for Robyn “here” he waved me over, stepping out of the machine. Robyn is already done “step here sir” slowly walking over to him “arms out, do you have anything you shouldn’t” I mean he knows damn well I went in the machine “nope” lifting my arms “legs apart” this gives me war flashbacks to jail, this is just painful. He started to pat my leg “I ain’t got anything, you know that” I know he does “we need to do these checks, with your criminal background” rolling my eyes, I will need to accept this because it will always happen for me.

Walking back over to Robyn with my trey of stuff “was you enjoying the hand movements that much?” Mel chuckled “yeah, he enjoyed touching my balls” placing the tray at the side of Robyn “I could have gone back to Texas and not have this issue” I know Robyn is side eyeing me “I wish they locked you up now” I snorted laughing “I bet there is some real thug dudes, were there some real big niggas there? I need a thug” Mel is crazy “so you want a murderer?” putting my sneakers on “murder this pussy yes, did you ever you know? I mean men there are horny” I can’t believe we having the conversation in the middle of the airport “why does everyone like to ask that, no I didn’t and it didn’t happen to me either” shaking my head “you would make a pretty bitch too” Mel is stupid “no wonder he doesn’t want to come with us anywhere when you be asking him things like that” Robyn spoke up, took her time “well I am just asking, can’t help it” Robyn grabbed my other sneaker for me “awww look at wifey prepping your sneaker, why don’t you dress him?” I chuckled “when are you proposing Chris?” I groaned out “woman!” I spat “can we drop Mel off in the ocean or something, you want marriage already?” shaking my head.

Laid out on the bed that was made for me, this is dope though but I am tired “do you think I am wifey material?” Robyn asked, that was random of her, but this is coming from the fact I was telling Mel to shut up “why are you asking me this?” I would like to know why she is saying this now “because I am asking, do you think I am? Would you marry me” rubbing my chin smiling “I don’t think I can afford you yet, don’t play me like that stupid” I wish she wouldn’t “men don’t think I am, they find me sexually pleasing and want to fuck me but that is it. But wife material? You think that is me?” she is so difficult “I see you being in my life long time, see what issues you caused. Robyn ignore Mel, marriage is a big thing. It doesn’t mean I don’t want too, just that we need to just take time with things like that” I swear to god, now she wants me to start proposing “but one day?” nodding my head “one day, when I can afford you” I grinned, I can’t afford Rihanna. No way in hell I can afford her, she is out of my reach right now. I need to hold my own “when can you afford me? I am priceless” I groaned out “when I can go back to Texas and do some things, now please” women, I swear I wouldn’t accept this bullshit from anyone, she lucky. Robyn just gets a hold of one thing and then doesn’t let it go.

I was going to go to sleep but Barry and TJ both facetimed me, they are in the same apartment but on different phones on facetime “you look so annoyed, you not missing us?” shaking my head “y’all niggas are weird but yeah, I will be in New York for a while but then I will be back. I know my son’s miss me with their whole heart” TJ looks a mess “is Tina there?” shaking my head “no why?” TJ squinted his eyes “you’re lying show me! Tell Tina I miss her mouth” I snorted laughing “nigga shut the fuck up, Tina ain’t here and I am not saying that to anyone” I am glad I have my headphones in “show us!” he shouted, flipping the camera and then showing the jet, aiming the camera at Robyn and Mel “that is it” TJ looks disappointed “is Mel single?” Barry asked and I shook my head “I am not having you dating these women just to be dicks. I am not having it” I will refuse “what the fuck!? Help a nigga out, she fine as hell” I will not help Barry “I don’t care, I will refuse to help. Do it yourself” Barry groaned out “you dumb but get Rihanna to help us, get her to wear our clothing line? Do something for us, she can get Drake to wear it! Nigga” they on this again “I am not that type of guy, we can do it on our own can we not?” TJ chuckled “then post something! You got fanpages, yo. I showed Barry, there is a page called ChrisBreezy right, it’s a fanpage of you, and they have these random pictures of you, you need to post about it then! You so damn lazy” TJ got a point “I really do though?” that is interesting “yes, check it out. I follow it, you got pussy. If you and Robyn don’t be, then you will get others” I chuckled “that ain’t happening but I will check that shit out, I ain’t even notice it” girls really like me like that “they made your mugshot into some sexual shit, I died laughing” I snorted laughing.

I am impressed, Robyn has a apartment I never knew of until now and this shit is amazing “damn” I said to myself “holy shit, Chris. You made it through the tour and is still with my sister” Rorrey came over to me, dapping him “I was close, good seeing you. Are you staying here too?” I am amazed but this place “yes I am boss, good that you came out. You and I can go out. Spend some brother in law time together in the club, watch a little sport together, mingle” nodding my head “I am doing for that” Robyn came into my eye view “can I borrow my boyfriend, thank you” Rorrey laughed moving back “follow me to the bedroom, give you the tour” follow behind Robyn “I didn’t know you had this? You never mentioned it?” she could have said “I know, but I want to be close to you. So I got this and I got the home in California. So this is our bedroom, we. Well I have the biggest room here of course, own bathroom and all that but I do need to go. I think my baby is coming quicker then qw thought” looking around the room “cool, are you going to be ok? If you need me, to talk too then call me. I can’t believe you are actually doing this, like you are so strong” she shrugged “it’s nothing, I am here for Noella, it’s not about me. But thank you, for being here and don’t listen to my brother he is stupid” I chuckled “I got you, call me when the baby comes” wrapping my arms around Robyn “I love you Chris, thank you” rubbing her back “I love you more” pressing a kiss to the top of her head, she is so strong for doing this.

“We are free!” Rorrey shouted “Chris, come here. This is my cousin Teejay, Teejay this is Robyn’ boyfriend. He is a good man, he puts up with Robyn, so he is good” walking towards both Rorrey and TeeJay “hey” shaking his hand “good meeting you, auntie spoke on you. She say you a bad boy, all the tattoos” letting an oh “I mean, I wouldn’t say I am a bad boy but I get caught up in the wrong thing I guess” Rorrey held out a Corona bottle out to me “no thank you, I don’t like beer like that. Robyn and I can the rest of you, you all like beer a lot” they drink a lot of it I can see “you weak, you need to get into it, but how about we go out. I think we need to take you out, shall we cousin?” Robyn did state don’t listen to my brother he is stupid, but then if I don’t I will be sat here alone, that would be stupid “what you thinking?” I wonder where he wants to go, I mean I am not with Robyn so I can relax “forty forty club, I can get us some VIP space. Robyn name comes in handy then” I chuckled “I get what you mean, cool. I will get changed and then we can go” turning around “also don’t tell Robyn, she told me to keep you inside, she thinks you’re her pet. Women!” of course Robyn told him that I can’t.

I haven’t been to a club in a while, it’s weird in a good way. I mis this vibe actually and this nigga got us VIP, I am liking this. And I swear I saw Ja Rule here, I loved him. This shit is so surreal “I don’t get why my sister doesn’t want you out, like I would like you do anything? I am here with you” Rorrey said in my ear “and also none of these girls compare to your sister, I got the diamond, these are just cubic zirconia” Rorrey busted out laughing, bopping my head to the music “good, good. This is why I fucks with you; I know you a good guy” Rorrey got all his weight on me “I didn’t expect him to be here” Rorrey moved away from me “who?” I questioned, he pointed across from us. I can barely see actually “Rakim, aye! Nigga!” he started shouting, that nigga gripped Robyn’ butt. I ain’t forget and I don’t care who the hell he is and what entourage he got right now, putting my hand up “leave him there, he touched your sister like that bro” is he stupid “oh that was a joke? Robyn said it was” of course she is going to tell him that, he doesn’t even know that his sister went through a miscarriage “I don’t fuck with that” downing my drink seeing that pussy ass motherfucker, this nigga looks like a girl. He is small as fuck too, what the fuck was Robyn doing with him. I am pissed, he shouldn’t have touched my girl the way he did either.

I have been texting Robyn while in the club, I admitted to her where I am. I ain’t no liar either, but I think I am about ready to go since that female ass came. Looking down at Robyn’ text.

Twin: Poppa! What did I say about listening to my brother! Long as you are having fun and don’t come back late. Noella is still trying to give birth so it’s a long night! Send help

Robyn is strong as fuck, to be in that kind of environment knowing what you went through but she is there. I can only imagine how bored she is, she is a good woman.

Chris: I will but to be honest shit just turned wack!! I rather be with you

Pressing send on the message and locking my phone “I am going to the bathroom” I said to Rorrey, I think he heard what I said. He just nodded his head at me, not sure if that was to the song or me. Stuffing my phone in my pocket, pushing my way through the crowd. I mean I am not going to do anything to him because Robyn wouldn’t be happy if I did but just to walk by him annoys me, I want to punch him and wipe that smile from his face. Taking in a sharp breath, walking by him and his hooligan peers just doing the post, I know Robyn and I know he isn’t her type. That is me, I am her type. She loves a nigga like me, that is on period but let me just go to the toilet and do my thing “oh sorry” this girl just hugged me as we hit into each other, not sure if it was intentional because I wasn’t looking “it’s cool” I rather she didn’t touch me, she bit her bottom lip as I broke away from her. New York girls really don’t care at all “you not got a number!” she shouted, looking behind “I don’t do mobiles sorry but search for me on Rihanna’ Instagram” I winked at her, she gasped staring at me that I even said that.

It’s like Rakim is being in my face today, I stepped out of the bathroom and he is right that with that stupid smile “oh shit, you’re Rihanna’ new nigga” he pointed at me, this nigga is not funny “you’re the nigga she left” I pointed back “oh you got jokes” he said laughing “I do” I mumbled “Robyn mothering you huh, she got to hold your hand through this shit you get what I mean? She has to feed you? She your mother” licking my lips trying to not act out, that is not me now “say that without a bodyguard though” I said “you don’t want to fuck with a Harlem nigga country boy” I chuckled nodding my head “whatever, you a funny dude” holding my hand out to him “likewise to you, I am joking with you” Rakim said it was a joke but he bitter because I said Robyn left him, Rakim placed his hand in mine like a truce but I don’t do that type of shit over here. I was going to pull him toward me and headbutt him, but I stopped myself stepping back, he walked by me to go to the toilets. Walking off and looked behind me, he went into the bathroom without his bodyguard. Patting my pockets, acting like I forgot something. Turning back around and went into the toilets, there is that dumb nigga “you don’t know about these country niggas though” Rakim turned around as he zipped his pants up “you-” before he could even speak I punched him “you don’t touch my girl again” Rakim came at me and pushed me back but I gripped him back and shoved him back into the stall “it was a fucking joke, you don’t know who you fucking with! Dumb nigga” punching him again as he was on the floor. I turned away from him and made a quick break for it, I am not waiting around. I won’t be waiting for his people or any of that mob of his, turning off and making my way out of the club, all I know is that he should never touch my girl like that again.

It was a whole process to get back into Robyn’ apartment, I have no code or key for this place and I had to get the doorman to do it for me and he did eventually, which took him half hour “Chris!? What the fuck” oh Rorrey is back, looking behind me on the couch “you attacked Rocky, why!? He came at me” I can’t really say why “nigga he touched your sister like that, he touched my girl that way too, I don’t fuck with that” getting gup from the couch “Chris, I get it, but the police know. He gave your name in, I tried to calm it down, but you need to just give yourself in. He snitched because he knows you got a record” I should have known “fuck it, let them come and get me” I shrugged “it’s better if you just give yourself in, for my sister’ sake. He snitched, he is a fucking snitch we know that” I really couldn’t care less, walking off to the bedroom.

[broken-heartedgirlff]

Chapter 27 ~You Don’t Do It For Me Anymore

“I won't fall for your games  

So don't hate me when I say

That you don't do it for me anymore

No, you don't do it for me anymore"

Angelique

“Gi Gi?” Mason Called out to me.  

I was in my room watching tv, but MawMaw had put Mason to bed, so I was confused when I saw him, rubbing his eyes in my door way. I knew it had to be a bad dream because of the way he shifted his feet.

“Another bad dream?” I said scooting over in my bed, and patting next to me, letting him know he could get in my bed.

He nodded his head, and got in the bed. “I want Mommy and Daddy.”

“Me too buddy. How is your arm?” I said rubbing his cast

He shrugged, “It fine, but scratchy a lot. Mawmaw said I get it taken off next week.” He smiled at the last part.

“Gi Gi, do you think Daddy will wake up?” He asked me

“I hope he does. Everyone is just waiting for him to wake up. Auntie Liv woke up, so I think daddy will too.”

“ANGELIQUE!” Mawmaw yelled 

“I’ll be right back Mason, go to sleep.”  

He nodded his head and I covered him up, and walked out of the room to go see her standing in the living room

“Yes Ma’am?”

“Is Mason in your room?” She said crossing her arms.

I wanted to roll my eyes, but I knew as soon as I did, I would be in huge trouble.

“Yes Mawmaw, but he had a bad dream about daddy.” I said defending Mason

“But I told the both of y’all to stay in your own rooms. He can’t always sleep with you.”

“I know Mawmaw, but he’s scared. I’m scared. Mommy stays at the hospital, no one tells us what’s going on, we don’t know what happens with daddy. We are scared.”

I had to wipe my tears, because I am a big girl, I can’t cry. But the thought of my daddy dying scared me, more than you know.

“But- But I can’t lose my daddy Mawmaw… I just got my mommy back. He can’t leave me too.”  I sobbed

Before she could answer, her phone rang.

“Giselle, what happened?” She asked.

I looked at the clock in the living room, it was 10:30 at night. Something was wrong. I couldn’t hear my mom, but I knew it wasn’t good.  

“What do you mean, he flatlined.” She whispered.

She started to walk into the kitchen, when she told me to go get Mason and myself dressed so we can go to the hospital.

I nodded, but I couldn’t help but to think, that my daddy was dead. 

Olivia

I sat there and watched how these children looked at me. I could tell they were scared and don’t know what to do. Sage told them that the reason I didn’t remember them was because my brain was foggy, but that didn’t mean that I didn’t love them.  

I came out of my thoughts when a pregnant Lizzie and Jeremiah walked in.

“IS THAT VINCENT’S BABY?” I screamed.

Lizzie just looked at me shocked, “She really doesn’t remember anything, does she?” She asked Jeremiah, and he just shook her head.

Before I could say anything to either of them, the doctor walked in.

“Hi Olivia, I am your doctor, and I want to ask you some questions?”

I nodded and awaited the questions.

“What date did you get married?”

“April 25th, 2010, I was 6 months pregnant with Sage.” I said.

Jeremiah nodded, “What day did you get divorced from Jeremiah?” The doctor asked.

“I didn’t get divorced from Jeremiah. We’re still married.”

Jeremiah spoke up, “Our divorce was finalized about 4 years ago, May 25th,2014. A day after Maurice and Marie were born, and a week before Aiden was born.”

“Who is Aiden’s mother? If he was born a week after Maurice and Marie, and I’m their mother… Who is Aiden’s mother, Jeremiah” I asked while looking at the little boy.  

That means Jeremiah cheated on me…. and I know with who, just by looking at the little boy.  

I whispered, “His mother is Avery isn’t it?”  

“Yeah, she is.” He spoke back

I laughed, while wiping my tears, “I see why I divorced you. That’s pretty unforgivable. Especially with her.”

I shook my head, Avery was J’s girlfriend from before I moved to Cali, I ran into her a few times, simply because she’s Lizzie’s best friend. But she was basic to me. So I never paid her any attention, and I think that’s what bothered her the most.  

I always got weird vibes from this girl that she was trying to take back Jeremiah. I just didn’t think that my husband would fall for it.

“Did you know?” I looked at Lizzie

“Of Course not, and once I did, I cut her off totally and completely. I always thought she was in love with Dominic. But that wasn’t true.”

I nodded, “Can you all get out?”  

“Liv…” Jeremiah said, trying to reach out to me.

I moved away from his touch and the tears started,  

“I just found out that it’s four years from what I think it is. My daughter literally grew up, I have two other children, a boyfriend. My cousin is pregnant, I’m divorced, I have yet to see Giselle or Dominic, or Rah or Lei, and to make it the absolute worst! My husband cheated on me and had a whole baby that wasn’t by me, which led to our entire divorce I’m assuming. By a girl, that Jeremiah was broken by, who I rebuilt into the man he was. I need everyone to leave right now.”  

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After I kicked out everyone from my room, they sent in a therapist, Lei came and saw me, so did Giselle. But I wasn’t in the mood for talking. I was kind of in my own thoughts when Sage knocked on the door. She came in and sat on the bed with somethings.

She tucked her beautiful long hair behind her ear and said:

“I asked the doctor what would help to bring back your memories, so I had daddy drive me home so I can get somethings.”

She had a photo album, a teddy bear, a blanket, and some sort of toy.  

“I brought the photos because they are the photos from the past 4 years, of everyone in the family.” She turned in the photo album to a picture of me and Jeremiah’s son, hugging and smiling.

“This was Aiden’s 3rd birthday. The twins didn’t want a birthday party with him, and he was scared that no-one would come to birthday because they were all at the twins. He cried because he didn’t get a party. His mom isn’t in his life either, mommy. So you made his birthday with the twins and he was the happiest boy on this side of the planet. He doesn’t stop talking about you.”

I looked at her, but the memory wasn’t coming back. But I know myself, I would never dismiss a child, my step-father didn’t do that to me. He actually looked really happy in the picture.

“The teddy bear is mine. You gave it to me when you and daddy first got divorced. I didn’t understand what was happening, but I knew daddy wasn’t in the house and it made me sad. But you would cry every night, and didn’t think I heard, so you would go to sleep and I would stick the teddy bear in your bed, so you wouldn’t be sad anymore.”

“The Blanket and Toy are from Maurice and Marie, they said that when they think of you, they think of these things. Marie’s blanket is for when its a thunderstorm and-“

“She uses it to cover her head. It looks like apart of my blanket from College” I said cutting off Sage.

She smiled, “It is your blanket. You gave it to her to be brave. The same with Maurice, the toy is from when he sprained his ankle and could barely walk, but you said the toy would help him get better.”

I nodded my head, “Thank you.”

“No problem mommy, I just want you to get better and remember stuff, because Daddy, Maurice, Marie and Aiden are all sad that you don’t remember a lot.”

I nodded again, before I could say something Jeremiah came to take her home, She kissed me goodbye and left everything she had brought back.

~~~~~~~~

When I was going to sleep, I decided to look through everything, I couldn’t help but be upset that I didn’t look happy unless I was with the kids or Jeremiah in the pictures.

I saw the smile behind me holding the twins….but in my eyes you could tell I was hurt. And Jeremiah wasn’t in any of the pictures.

I couldn’t look at it anymore because it was hurting my head. But when I looked back at the picture, I suddenly remembered I didn’t allow Jer in the hospital room because of the divorce and infidelity. I remember signing the divorce papers in the hospital bed because I was in labor, I was so upset and in so much pain.  

I quickly closed the book, and held the teddy bear and closed my eyes. Some of my memories started to flood back and I started crying when I realized that I made a huge mistake and I don’t know if I could fix it.

The fact that I am still in love with Jeremiah.

Giselle

I was glad to spend sometime with my babies after I called Mama C, even if it was in the cafe at the hospital. Mama C even got to spend time with Dominic and I know that made her happy.

No, Dominic is still in a coma, and we don’t know the effects of his injuries, not until he wakes up. I’m praying everyday that he does, I want to see his brown eyes again, and I want to see his smile and hear his voice.

“Mommy?”

“Yes Mason?” I said giving him my full attention

“Will Daddy ever wake up? I know he sleeping because he got hurt. But Livie woke up, so why hasn’t daddy?”

By this time, Angel gave me her full attention too. I could see this was affecting her more than it was me. But she was trying to be a big girl, and be scared, to not freak out Mason.

I sighed, “I don’t know Mason, He got hurt really bad, we just have to pray that he wakes up soon.”

He obviously, didn’t like that answer, so his face scrunched up, just like Dominic’s, it made me laugh slightly.

“He got hurt by that bad lady. She should be sleep, not my daddy.”

“Speaking of her, She asked if I could come talk to her, I wanted to tell you guys-“

“No, I don’t want you to go see her.” Angel spoke up for the first time

“Angel-“

“No, I said no. Don’t go near her. She could hurt you too.” She said getting up going to Dom’s room.

“Mason?”

“Gi Gi is mad at the bad lady. She don’t want you and daddy hurt.”

“Do you agree with her?”

He looked at his cast, and shrugged, “She hurt me too mommy. I don’t want her to hurt you.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After a few hours with the kids, I left the hospital for the first time in a month. I didn’t know if this was such a great Idea, but something was telling me to go.

I entered the jail and got checked by security. I love my kids, but they are exactly that, Children. I needed to look this bitch in the face and ask her why she shot my cousin, my son and the love of my life.

I was sitting in an empty room, surrounded by guards when she sat down.

“ I’m here , What do you want?” I spat

“Nice to see you too Giselle, you look well.” She smirked.

“Bitch, I will get up and leave right now, what do you want Kaitlynn?”  

“I heard Dominic is still in a coma.”

I just blinked at her, “Point?”

“Point being, I’m glad he’s alive.”

I just bitterly chuckled, “You must be fucking insane, like literally bat shit crazy. You are the reason he’s in a coma. You’re the reason my cousin lost her memory. Why my son is in a cast! You’ve caused nothing but trouble.”

She shrugged, “I wanted you to feel, what I felt when my son died.”

I threw my hands in the air, “We still are not on this!!!”

She stood up with the chains around her ankles and hands,

“YES! WE ARE ON THIS! I Wanted you to feel what it felt like to have your ENTIRE LIFE Ripped away from you! I wanted you to hurt! and to cry and to be in so much pain you can’t even breathe! You can’t think! You can’t eat! Everything I worked for GONE! BECAUSE OF YOU! I wanted Dominic Dead. I wanted you to weep over his casket. I wanted you to weep over your son’s grave like I did!”

I just stared at her, “You’re sick. My life was ripped away from me. You try to compare our troubles but you can’t. They are completely different. I didn’t try to kill you or your son, I just wanted to know my daughter and let my son know his father.”

I got up from the table, “Don’t you ever in your life try to contact me or anyone in my family ever again. I hope you get the death penalty.”

I went to walk to the door, “Let me out of here.” I spoke to the guards.

“Before you leave,”

Exasperated, I turned to her again. “What, what do you want.”

“I’m actually glad now that Dominic isn’t dead. When Dominic found out that I couldn’t have kids, we started IVF, and that’s how I got pregnant with DJ.” She smiled.

My phone rang, it was Lizzie,

“Lizzie, I’m on my way back right now, are the kids alright?”  

“Giselle, they aren’t going to give me the death penalty. They Can’t” Katie spoke

I rolled my eyes, and turned back to the guard, to leave, when she yelled my worst nightmare.

“I’M PREGNANT WITH HIS BABY!”

I turned to look at her, when Lizzie said

“Dominic’s Awake Gi.”

I couldn’t breathe…. I couldn’t breathe.

“Elizabethe, I will call you back” and i hung up the phone.

She started laughing, “I knew that would catch your attention, and this is how everything is going to go.”

[rifroleplays]

Eeeeeep naturally i gotta spam when i can😉😉😏😏😏hehehe plus plus eeeeeeek there is a new OC on my radar! Eeep Hye-jin! Hehehehe☺🌟🌟❤🔥🌌

So without further ado! For the ask game could i pretty please with candy ontop ask...⚡✨ 👽 🗣️ for Hye-jin! Eeek!

Love ya loooooots neeeemo! Goood luck with all your work!🔥🔥❤❤🌟☺sending ya all the good vibes and sparkles! Oooh and guess what ❤🌟🌟🔥🔥im almost done with the first ping! Eeek🔥🌟🥺⭐

And she was done with both ‘pings’ before I got to answer either asks. Lol. 

*ping: is how I notify my partner that I have responded to our rp’s, ‘pong’ is what I say when someone ‘pings’ me. 😂😂😂

Hye-jin Yo is an OC I wrote once upon a time for another roleplay that fell through and am recycling for an Ikesen RP with Zeta-dearest~ 

A/N: Interested in RP? DM me and we can maybe discuss something? I’m always open to talk! 😄😄😄

Answered in-character

⚡ What are your OC’s phobias? Is there any reasoning behind these? How do they calm themselves down after getting scared? What are they like when they’re afraid? Is there any chance of them overcoming their fears?

“Phobias? Me? Pah!” Hye-jin scoffs at the question as she rolls her eyes, throwing herself back in her seat. There are none that come to mind, really and Hye-jin feels pretty proud of that. After all, her brothers tried their hardest to scare little Hye-jin back when they were kids. 

But the nagging feeling of obligation growing within her the longer the question lingers isn’t helping and eventually the female fiddles her thumbs as she sits upright again.

“I guess, if I have a trauma, it would be for...” she trails off at that, trying to think of a suitable trauma that might cause a phobia. 

Did her brothers ever manage to scare her so badly that she felt like she was scarred forever? No scenarios came to mind, not even the times she accidentally walked in on them in the bathroom, even when she pretended to be. Not even the time they left her alone in a supposedly haunted house. 

“Oh!” Hye-jin calls, snapping her fingers together, “I have it; an empty wallet!” she exclaims, nodding firmly at herself. There was nothing worse than an empty wallet because that meant no money to buy food, or to eat, or to... do anything really other than having to mooch off anyone else. 

✨ If your OC were a deity of some kind, what would they represent? What do they look like? How are they worshipped and what offerings would they expect? What are their places of worship like? Their followers? Their teachings?

“Food, just give me food and I’m happy,” Hye-jin’s first remark is a quick one, her eyes glimmering at the thought of all the food offerings temples tend to house, the fresh fruits, the delicacies, the best pieces of meat... As a child Hye-jin remembers feeling envious of the food left behind at the shrines, tempted to snack on them herself. After all, it was left behind anyway, right? Nowadays she still wants to, but has a healthy amount of respect in her conduct. 

“My teaching would be: see food, eat food! There is no use in denying yourself!” the female continues to exclaim, her mind whirring for another sage answer that she can share as she purses her lips. “Oh, and help. A kindness a day keeps the evil at bay!” Hye-jin continues before she narrows her eyes. 

“Actually, no. Don’t be kind on my account. You should be kind to begin with and if you aren’t and don’t want to help people don’t bother with the food either. I won’t forgive a bastard like you anyway!” 

That exclamation satisfies her more, even if it means less offerings. “Those fake offerings will give me a stomach ache anyway,” she explains to herself, though there is a slight regret in the back of her mind when she remembers that auntie that spits after everyone, but makes the best gimbap. Hye-jin stands resolute with her answer, however. Gimbap is a common streetfood anyway, after all. She could find another auntie, a kinder one with better rolls. 

🗣️ What are the most painful words that can be said to your OC to utterly break them? What are the words that you could tell them to cheer them up? Maybe some advice to give them the boost they need!

Hye-jin lets go of a deep sigh as she thinks the question over, her lips parting as she nods to herself. 

“You know when your parents give you that look of: I’m disappointed? But they don’t actually say it?” the female starts, her finger wagging in the air as she tries to recall the expression. Once she does she shivers, a sharp intake of her breath indicating an unpleasant memory. 

“Doesn’t matter if it are your parents, or teachers, or anyone really. Even my brothers! Aish, just ruins my whole mood thinking of it,” Hye-jin gulps with another shudder. 

Moving on from the topic Hye-jin doesn’t have to think long for what will cheer her up.

“Let’s go out for food, my treat!” Hye-jin laughs as she clasps her hands together. “Doesn’t matter what food, as long as it is good! It has to be good, but free food always tastes better anyway, doesn’t it?” Hye-jin says, her eyes brightening up as she has seemingly forgotten the earlier statement. Perhaps for the best, for that was truly depressing. 

👽 Describe your OC as if they were an urban legend or myth!

“Ah, Hye-jin?” a male student repeats, adjusting the sling of his backpack as he coughs. “Yeah, she is a legend alright,” he scoffs and his friend next to him gives him a warning nudge. 

“What?” the male lets out, a huff escaping him, “it isn’t like no one else on the campus doesn’t know her. Geez, she won’t curse you.” 

To this the friend just lets go of a miserable sigh as he rubs the left side of his chest, just above his heart. 

“Yeah, she won’t curse you. She will just eat your heart!” 

The exclamation is met with another roll of the eye and a deep sigh from the first male who shakes his head. 

“I don’t get what the big deal is about her. She looks kinda cute, I suppose. A but unfashionable, but cute enough. That personality is what keeps me away, though.” 

To this the friend snaps his fingers, an ‘ohohoh’ following as there is another story to come. 

“Did you hear about that class representative from the law faculty? He thought, because he is a chaebol, that he could woo her with expensive food on a date and she just invited her entire class along with his!”

“Wow, I almost feel sorry for his bill, but he probably has a platinum creditcard anyway,” the male scoffs to which his friend pats the other on the shoulder, his head shaking. 

“She probably thought the same, you know. But that poor man. His pride, his heart, his intention!” The friend wails as he throws his hands up. 

The male student shrugs again, clearly done with the conversation as he throws the hand off his shoulder. 

“That is why one shouldn’t approach Hye-jin with those intentions. There is only work and food on her mind. She might actually take a bite out of your heart if it is made of rice!”

20 OC Questions