#she used barrys original body

[kaybkay8]

I've had it with people saying Lust was a bad villain. Yes she was the first killed, but that doesn't make her a bad villain. She was exceptional at what she did. She was a leader among the homunculus. She was in charge of both gluttony and envy and was clearly highly respected by them. Her death was crucial in showing just how powerful flame alchemy was and showing that homunculus could be killed. She was one of the smartest homunculus. Her biggest flaw was having a ruthless streak. She controlled her anger and prevented envy from getting too carried away. She was an excellent villain and performed her role excellently. She had one of the most dignified death scenes that is a favorite moment for a lot of fans. I just don't get people disrespecting her. Her death was a turning point for the show and I have nothing but appreciation for her

[ere-the-sun-rises]

Batfam and the Lazarus Pit

This isn't my idea, and I honestly can't remember if @frownyalfred or @bruciemilf came up with this idea first, but it's been living in my head rent free and I need to get it out.

There are Lazarus Pits under Gotham, even contributing to why the city's so cursed. The Bats have each used a Lazarus Pit at least once (maybe not Spoiler and Signal, but I'm not sure). I'm fairly sure it's also canonical that the more you use it, the more prolonged the effects are and it kinda changes you incrementally but permanently.

Enter the Batfam, who train like crazy and are Olympian-level athletes all on their own, and using the Lazarus to help each other on death's door. (They don't tell each other when they do this, and they think it's never been done to them - except Jason, he can always tell - but they also don't share when they've done it to others.)

As time goes on, everyone gets older, stronger, more proficient at their jobs. Some take on younger teams, some proteges, some fly solo or stick around home. It's one of the OG Leaguers who points it out one day when they're having a civilian lunch - probably Ollie or Hal. In my head Bruce is one of, if not the youngest, OG Leaguers. So it's not crazy when Clark or Barry start to wrinkle around the eyes or get grey in their hair well before Bruce would. Bruce is also a public figure - he's got appearances to keep up.

But then ... Bruce is over 40 and his hair is still as black as it's ever been. His wrinkles are from his scowling and focus, only crinkling around the edges of his eyes and mouth a little bit. Idly, Hal wonders out loud if Bat's eyes have always been so dark, almost like coals. Barry notes that Bruce is way bigger than he used to be, that he bulges the suits he wears to galas with his size. Ollie, who's own beard is greying, bitterly points out that even Bruce's stubble is still black.

And suddenly, Bruce hits 50 and he's still thick-chested and dark-haired. The other Bats only seem to get more and more ... more. No non-meta can spar with them anymore unless they hold back and they seem to have endless stamina and pain tolerance. Clark and Diana think nothing of it, but the other fully human Leaguers start to wonder what's really going on. If maybe Bruce had lied to them. But J'onn swears that in their own minds, all of the Bats fully believe they're human. Aside from the suspicion, there's no reason to believe otherwise. They still bleed and scar, no matter how beautiful they seem to remain. No matter that Bruce keeps going and going and going even after others his age have been retired for years.

Fed up one day, Ollie asks him how he does it. Dermatologists? Botox? Just For Men? Bruce snorts and rolls his eyes. He smirks, "Good genes, I guess."

Bruce is nearly 70 when the grey creeps into his hair and his body starts to slow. His children are still active as ever, and when Tim takes up the Batman mantle, Bruce retires to train new heroes. One young hero complains that Bruce hits like one of the Amazons she trained with but he only responds that he's never stopped being the Bat even with tbe cowl off.

And then ... Leaguers start dying. Gradually, age takes them one by one and they's succeeded by the heroes they've mentored and the children who followed in their footsteps. Grey is starting to creep into Dick and Jason's hair, but they're still as vibrant and lively as ever.

It's only when it's just him left of humans of the original group that he actually considers why. If anyone should have died young, it should have been him. And yet, he's nearing 90 and not nearly as withered as some of them had been when they passed away. The vitality he's always attributed to his genetics and continued activity can't explain why all his children remain as beautiful and capable all their lives as he has. So one day, he gathers his wayward children down in the cave like they used to 50 years ago and asks them to be completely honest with him.

"Have any of you used the Lazarus Pit on anyone here without telling them or reporting it?"

The silence he's met with is deafening.

[obsessed-with-wwe-women]

It's a Scream, Baby

Ghostface!R. Ripley x fem!reader

cw: 18+, domme rhea, sub reader, fingering, dirty talk, degradation + praise, strap-on use, possesive rhea?, knife/blood play, mask kink, basically rhea fucking reader in a ghostface mask

happy halloween babies 😚 / not proofread, may be spelling errors - plus i gave up halfway through so this isn't my best

You were getting ready at your vanity for a party Liv invited you and Rhea to; Rhea wasn't home yet, she was still at the gym.

You had finally finished putting your outfit together, You and Rhea we're going as ghostface and you were going to be her victim. Your outfit was basic, just a cream colored sweater with a black skirt; somewhat similar to Casey's from the original film.

You decided to send a photo in your group chat with rhea and a few other friends, including Liv, hoping responses could give you a second opinion. After hesitating you finally hit send, only having to wait a few seconds before a response came through.

-

Livvy 🩵

damn girl, you look HOT! Rhea's lucky 😩

me

ugh, stop it you're gonna make me blush if you keep it up

-

Putting your phone down, you look in the mirror to look for anything that needs fixing. Noticing your lips were already starting to smear, you decided to start with that.

You were touching up your lipstick when you heard your phone ding behind you. Not bothering to go check it, you continued what you were doing. As you put your lipstick down, you heard the front door open.

"Rhea?" You yelled, no answer. "Rhe? Are you home?" Again, no answer. You turn towards your bedroom door, contemplating on if you should go down or not. With a sigh, you call Barry over (who was sleeping on the bed), to come downstairs with you.

"Rhea?" You called out again. Reaching the bottom of the steps, you turn into the kitchen only to be met with a hand pulling your head back by your hair. You gasped, going to scream but a hand clasped over your mouth. "Shhh, baby."

Still freaked out, you try squirming out of the persons hold. The sound of Rhea's voice doesn't immediately register to you, but the scent of cologne was familiar enough that part of you knew. The cool blade of a pocket knife is pressed against your neck in a millisecond, and without thinking a soft moan leaves your lips. "Dirty girl." Rhea husks into your ear.

That time, you heard it, almost instantly relaxing into her touch. She chuckles, pressing the blade just a little harder. "Knew you'd fuckin fold the moment you found out it was me." She teased, voice echoing under the mask as she removed her hand from your mouth.

"Should've known it was you. I mean, we both agreed on the costume, didn't we?" You giggled, tilting your head back against her shoulder. The hand that was originally clasping over your mouth was now gripping your hip, playing with your waistband.

"Rhea, we have to leave in 20 minutes." You sigh. "Hm, yeah. Gives me plenty of time to fuck you though, right?" She whispered next to your ear as her free hand started rubbing up and down your thigh, slowly inching higher.

A soft gasp left your lips, absent-mindedly spreading your legs wider. "No.." You muttered under your breath, biting your lip when her gloved hand sneaks up your skirt and over your panties. "Upstairs, on the bed. I'd take off anything you don't want ripped in half before I get there." She ordered, tapping your ass before you quickly ran back upstairs. You discarded your sweater and skirt, deciding to keep your underwear on for her to take off.

Not even a minute passed before she was walking through your bedroom door, quickly shutting it before making her way over to you. "I love seeing you like this, y'know?" Rhea spoke as she ran her hands down your body, starting at you tits and ending at your waistband. Her hands gripped the lace, tearing it in half. "God, already? Fuckin' pathetic." She chuckled, running her middle fingers through your slit and rubbing at your clit before pushing into you with ease.

You let out a soft moan, hand reaching up to grip her forearm. "Fuck," you sigh, closing your eyes. "Look at me, Y/n." Rhea said, almost immediately as she curled her fingers into your sweet spot. A high pitched whine left your lips as you opened your eyes, looking up at her. She still had her costume on; leather gloves, black ripped jeans, corset top, ghostface mask and that tiny little knife hooked to her pocket.

"You love this, don't you, slut?" Rhea's fingers sped up as she tilted her head. "Liv can only dream to be the one doing this to you, huh? Every night, making you cum over and over, fuckin' you til you cry." You knew the text from Liv set her off after that, so of course you'd play into it. "Mhm, but guess what?" You started, breathing ragged. "You're the only one who gets to fuck me, to touch me. I'm all yours, mommy." You added the extra whine to your voice that you knew she liked.

"That's right." Was all she said before her free hand undid her belt and pants, pulling the strap out. She pulled her fingers out, wiping them on your stomach. "All mine. I think I should prove it."

You giggled, spreading your legs for her. "Needy girl." Rhea teased as she ran the tip through your folds, purposely bumping against your clit before slipping into you. "I wanna see you," You whimpered, hands tugging at the mask.

"Yeah?" She husked, pumping into you at a slow pace. "Please, please," Your voice was barely above a whisper as she sped up. "Mmm, tempting, but no."

One of her hands reached for the knife, opening it and pressing it against your thigh. "So many things I could do with this little thing, huh?" Rhea hinted, gently sliding it across your skin.

A mix of fear and arousal spread through your body as you felt a small tinge of pain that quickly turned into pleasure shoot through you. As herhips remained occupied, she was carving wards onto your thighs, talking to you as your moans and whines for more filled the room.

"Taking me so well, slut. God, if only you could see how pathetic you look like right now." She chuckled as she brought the knife to her tongue, licking off the little bit of blood that got on it. "I should take a picture. Look, Y/n." She grabbed your hair and pulled you up, forcing you to look at the words she wrote on your thighs.

"Rhea's" on the Left, "Bitch" on the right, blood still dripping from the letters. Rhea brought her middle finger down to the letter 'T' on your right leg, getting blood on it and sticking it to your lips. "Suck, bitch." She smirked, hips not stopping for a second.

You took her finger into your mouth, moaning around it as you felt your orgasm getting closer. She removed her finger from your lips, stroking your cheek as she grinned. "Such a good little whore for me." Rhea praised before pushing you back onto the bed, thrusting into you with more force.

"Fuck!" You moaned, head tossing back as she began hitting your spot repeatedly. "Gonna cum, baby?" Rhea asked, hands rubbing at your sides. All you could do was nod, pleasure clouding your mind. "Think she could make you feel like this, huh? Come on baby, who's making you feel this good?" She whispered, thumb pressing against your clit in small circles.

"You," you mumbled under your breath. "Louder." Rhea spat, rubbing faster as the coil in your stomach got tighter and tighter as you tried to hold it off. "You!" you said, louder this time. "Cum, baby. Scream my fucking name." She ordered. "Fuck, Rhea!" Crying out, you dig your nails into her shoulders as your back arched, vision going blank. "There we go, good girl." Rhea smiled, slowing down to help your ride it out.

Once you recovered, she pulled out, pulling her mask over her head and laying down between your thighs to clean you up. Her tongue pushed between your folds, softly sucking on your clit and prodding at your entrance. You squirmed, quiet whines leaving your lips. "Shh, I know baby." She mumbled against you. Rhea came back up a minute later, kissing you.

"I think we may be late." You giggled, pulling your sweater down over your head. "Please, that was only 15 minutes." She grinned as she put your skirt back on you and put the mask back on.

[fazedlight]

Plus One (Lena goes to Barry's wedding)

“I have to attend this friend’s wedding…” Kara said shyly. “Do you want to be my plus one?”

Lena glanced over, feeling a small blush creep up her cheeks. Where is this going?, she thought hopefully. “Sure,” Lena replied.

“It’s, uh- so my friend’s a superhero. It’s on another Earth. If you’re comfortable with that,” Kara said.

… there are other Earths? I can go to another Earth?! “Wow,” Lena said, “You really do know all the superheroes.”

Kara smiled awkwardly. “Feel free to think about it.”

“I’ll go,” Lena said. “I’d love to see another Earth.”

---------

Two things were true.

One, Lena was extremely annoyed that Kara had carried her away from the fight - abandoning her on a nearby roof - when the attack in the church first broke out.

Two, Lena was kicking herself. Of course Kara Danvers is Supergirl.

---------

“I can take you home. I don’t want you to get caught up in this,” Kara said, glancing over at Lena.

“I’d rather stay,” Lena said, as she glanced around STAR Labs. “I might be useful.”

“In hand-to-hand combat-”

“I can take care of myself.”

Kara glanced over, as Lena crossed her arms and met Kara’s gaze. “Okay,” Kara relented. “You can stay. But you need to stay here with Iris and Felicity-”

“We found them,” Oliver shouted at Kara, “Let’s go.”

Kara nodded, as Lena tried to get her attention. “Kara, wait-”

“I’ll be back soon,” Kara said, as she left.

---------

Kara’s body ached as she struggled against the power-dampening collar wrapped around her neck. She glanced towards Barry and Oliver, seeing the worry in their eyes as Sara barked back at their nazi captors, as Jax and Stein struggled fruitlessly against their bindings.

Her heart raced as she stared at her doppelganger, wondering how long it would be before her heart was pounding in a different chest instead. I should’ve taken Lena back to Earth-38, she thought to herself, if she ends up stranded on Earth-1…

“Let me go!” came a voice, shouting. 

Kara’s face snapped to her right, where she saw one of the masked soldiers dragging in a familiar brunette. No no no, Kara though, Lena-

“She was found lurking outside,” the guard said, throwing Lena to the floor. Lena’s hands were tied in front of her, another powercuff collar around her neck. Lena glanced up at Kara.

This is my fault, she’s going to die because of me, Kara panicked. But there was something oddly unsettling about Lena’s expression - a calm that didn’t make sense. Lena shuffled off the ground, throwing Kara a damn wink, which confused Kara enough that she almost didn’t notice Lena’s hands beginning to glow.

“What’s happening?” Kara’s nazi counterpart demanded, as the bindings around everyone’s wrists and necks disappeared.

“Oh,” Lena said, with a slight smirk as she rose off the ground. “Powercuffs don’t affect witches.”

The other heroes jumped again to their feet, Oliver grabbing at his arrows, Jax and Stein becoming Firestorm again. Lena turned towards Overgirl. “I wonder if magic affects evil kryptonians.”

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

This started off as a 9-word story for the recent ask game, but then I got carried away? The original was:

Lena’s hands began to glow. “Powercuffs don’t stop witches.”

[gildedlead]

All of the Wayne kids’ favorite Leaguers: True and Real and Accurate

Dick: Wonder Woman! Bear with me. Please. I think Superman was his favorite BEFORE he met Clark. Once he learned how big of a dork he was, the magic was sort of lost, doubly so when Clark became his unofficial stepdad. Diana? She stayed cool. Not to mention that in his Robin days, she often humored whatever hare-brained impulses he’d get. Please picture Batman’s bewildered expression when he finds Dick dangling from the Watchtower light fixture he specifically designed to be impossible for him to reach. Diana just, -shrug- “He said please.” You threw him Diana. You threw that child. She’d probably still throw him if he asked nicely, hell, she’d probably do it even before he has to ask. It’s ‘Boy Wonder’, not ‘Boy Bat’.

Jason: Black Canary. ‘Wonder Woman is Jason’s fav’ believers PLEASE hear me out. I think that Diana is Jason’s favorite in a ‘celebrity crush’ way, but Dinah is Jason’s favorite in a ‘cool aunt’ way. He met her unofficially at the Watchtower, but actually started hanging out with her thanks to Roy. They both like motorcycles and kicking ass, plus Young Justice having Canary as a therapist melds well with my vision of her helping Jason heal. And I think she’s used to yelling at Bruce on Oliver’s behalf, so it’s no big to do it on Jason’s too.

Tim: The Flash! If Dinah is the cool aunt, Barry is the cool uncle. Guy that shows up at the function with all the best snacks. He might eat half of them himself but damn if he didn’t bring them. In all seriousness, Tim saw pretty great merit in knowing a forensics guy that he can basically talk to anytime he’s stumped with a case without having to go through the “sorry to wake you” song and dance. Barry occasionally gets unhinged texts that are in the vein of “hey can you go about ten minutes back in time and tell past me about _____”. They’re usually pretty low stakes but sometimes there’s just a “got stabbed, do-over?” jumpscare sprinkled in. Bruce will never ever get shit from Barry about kid troubles. That man is a saint in Flash’s eyes.

Cass: Captain Marvel. She didn’t like him at all during their first meeting. For a person that’s good at reading body language, I imagine that seeing genuinely childish behavior on a grown man would be giving some crazy mixed signals. Once she learns that his powers are magic in origin rather than being alien or meta, her mind opens up a little more to the possibility that his exterior appearance might not be indicative of his actual identity. Cass guesses his age by their next proper meeting and makes it her business to keep an eye on him, always asking Bruce about him after he returns from League missions. Your honor, that 7’5” brick wall Champion of Magic is actually just Cass’ little buddy. She’s gonna get him some ice cream or something.

Steph: Green Lantern. Hal and Barry are like uncles, except if Barry is the cool one, Hal is the cringe one. Lucky for Hal, being a boyfailure is a good way to amuse Steph. Those two are gonna spend hours arguing with Bruce just for the hell of it, backing each other up on completely incorrect claims (Steph does it because it’s funny, Hal does it because he believes her). He does get bonus points for bringing her cool space snacks whenever he comes back from trips off-world. One of her favorite foods is a sort of hi-chew/gum thing from some other planet in Sector 2418 that doesn’t dissolve or lose its flavor, even after chewing it for days on end.

Damian: Aquaman. He’s a king. Like, an actual king. And he can communicate with fish. Arthur heard about Damian’s temper from the rest of the Leaguers and straight up does not believe it because every time he’s spoken to Damian, it’s been “hello your majesty can you introduce me to an octopus I have a few questions for it”. This one’s short. But I feel it speaks for itself.

Duke: Superman. Clark was NOT told about Signal taking up the day shift in Gotham until he was flying in to compare notes (read: flirt), with Bruce and met Duke when they both went to intercept a carjacking. Clark tries to be responsible like “I feel obligated to let you know that Batman doesn’t take kindly to metas in his city”, only for Duke to point at the big ol bat on his chest. After that, Duke usually intercepts Big Blue’s flight path anytime he comes into Gotham and the two just kind of hang out and shoot the shit while he does his patrol. Duke is also a little bit stoked to be regularly hanging out with The Superman, but even after the awe wears off, he can’t help but still think of Clark as just a cool, friendly guy. He gets someone to share the airspace with, Clark gets a bat he can stay in the sun with, it’s a win/win all around. Congrats Clark, you got one.

[thatsnotmygunflash]

“Panic erupted at Central City Hall after unknown gunmen kidnapped Congressman Leonard Snart in broad daylight during his 'Metas are Human' rally. Eyewitnesses to the attack say three of Snart's security guards were killed in their efforts to protect the Congressman and four more were injured. Authorities say they are putting in every effort to recover the Congressman, working around the clock to bring him home safely. If anyone has any information regarding—”

“Hey man, are you watching the news?” Barry didn't bother with a hello when he heard the call connected, his eyes still glued to the footage of the kidnapping replaying on the TV screen. It was the first time since being back in Central that he'd felt the familiar course of adrenaline start to build in his blood. His feet were already vibrating just thinking about running head-first into a new mission. This was a problem he could solve as easily as making a run to the grocery store. He might not be in the military anymore and his whole team may be suspended from using their powers on US soil until the investigation is over, but there wasn't a chance in hell he was going to let that stop him from saving not only his personal hero but the Congressman leading the fight for metahuman rights. If Leonard Snart died, metahumans wouldn’t stand a chance against the discrimination and dehumanization they were up against in Congress. 

“Yeah, crazy right? Can't believe they got the drop on Captain Cold.” Cisco replied readily, the echoing broadcast accompanying his voice. “I mean, we've all heard the stories from General Lance.” 

Leonard Snart hadn’t always been a Congressman, of course. He was the beloved Mayor of Central City before that, and a decorated police officer briefly after being honorably discharged from the military due to an injury in the field. Leonard Snart was the only human to ever Captain the same covert metahuman team Barry had helped lead for the past five years. The original Rogues were legendary, especially their human leader. He may have only been human, but Snart had a genius-level intellect and was an expert tactician, not to mention an exceptional marksman and a bit of a kleptomaniac at the most convenient of times. Captain Cold was a decorated hero who helped turn the Rouges into the military's best secret weapon. The motivational stories that Sara had told them during training and the old missions she would drill them on had fueled Barry's endless quest to be the best operative he could be. Chasing Captain Cold's legacy like it was critical to his career, right up to the point of obsession. It had helped him rank up quickly, religiously studying Snart's tactical strategies, missions, and reports. Barry learned from his mistakes before he could even make them most of the time thanks to Snart’s detailed mission logs and his additional references to counter scenarios that would have been successful. Barry was the man he is today because of Leonard Snart–his hero, his teacher, and his inspiration. He couldn’t stand back on the sidelines and hope someone else was going to put a plan together and save Snart.

He had to do something. 

“Yeah, they would have just shot him in the street if they wanted him dead,” Barry theorized, finally giving in to the restlessness running through his body and taking off into a sprint, barely being able to enjoy the exhilarating feeling of running again before he was across town and right into the middle of Cisco’s underground workshop. “The kidnappers must want something else, but that doesn't mean they won't kill him when they get it.” 

“Is this you trying to ask me to look into where they’re keeping him?” Cisco questioned with a surprised eyebrow raised as he took the phone away from his ear and set it down near the gutted metal tube spilling over with wires sitting in front of the scientist, along with an array of tools and loose equipment. If Barry wasn’t mistaken it was one of Hartley’s sonic grenades he was tinkering with. The same sonic grenades the Miltary had confiscated. Barry knew he couldn't have been the only one going stir-crazy since being discharged, but Cisco had been smart enough not to inform the government about his ability to breach, allowing him easy access to anything he wanted, from this world or another. Cisco always had to be doing something with his hands, anything to keep him busy and his ideas flowing. It was a trait Barry had always admired about his best friend, especially right now.

“Maybe? I don't know. I feel like I should do something, he could die,” Barry replied warily, running a hand through his hair as he considered what would happen if he didn't get involved. “The guys who grabbed him have to be professionals, there's no way of knowing what they'll do if SWAT gets involved. I'm thinking if you can pin down his location I can be in and out with Snart before you finish telling me the address.” 

“I'll let Frosty and Cait know what's up while I track him down, have them set up the med room for him just in case.” Cisco was already abandoning his workbench and moving towards his computer as he spoke, typing out a message to the girls on his phone while he booted up his PC. “Want me to contact his team and let them in on the plan?”

“After. I don't want to take the chance if this is an inside job. I want Snart safe before we bring outsiders in on this.” Barry responded, knowing in his gut that the only thing they could afford to worry about right now was making sure Snart made it out of this alive. 

“Yeah good call, can't have the man spearheading the ‘Metas are Human' movement dying before he can get the bill passed.” Cisco agreed with an approving nod, fingers dancing over the keyboard as he pulled up the satellite footage of the kidnapping. 

“Exactly. He's our only chance at keeping our civil rights, Cisco, we gotta save him.” He didn't mention he was their only chance of getting the team back together and their dishonorable discharges dropped. Lance still kept in contact with them all even if it was dangerous for her own career to be mixed up with their disgraced team at such an uneasy time like this. She had risked it though to tell them she had talked to Snart about their situation and he had vowed to do what he could to get them all reinstated and the investigation handled by an unbiased party. 

“I know man, I'm tracking them through CCTV cameras right now, shouldn't be much longer. You should suit up.” Cisco suggested, pressing a button on a small remote while nodding towards the now moving back wall where he kept the team’s secret emergency gear stashed. It seemed like Cisco was keeping a lot of secrets from the government down here. 

“Red or black?” Barry asked the scientist, trying not to get caught up in the nostalgia of seeing his team's suits lined up and on display again. It had only been three months since the team was disbanded but it felt like years to him. This felt like coming home, much more than arriving at Central City airport after 12 years away had. 

“Black. Should probably keep this one stealthy.” Cisco replied, turning his head to the side to meet Barry's eye. “Are we playing this like Karmana or Kota Baharu?” 

“Moscow,” Barry said with a soft hum, trembling fingers reaching for the reinforced tripolymer fabric waiting for him. It really had been too long, the anticipation was almost too much for him to handle. He's missed the comfort of his super suit. Of his team. His life. God, everything had gone to such shit so quickly that he never even got to prepare himself for never suiting up and leading a mission again. It had been stripped from him just like his team, his rank, and his reputation had. 

“Oh really?” Cisco curved his surprise quickly, his worry pushing forward instead. “You think he'll remember the call sign?” 

“He'll remember,” Barry replied confidently, not wasting another second and flashing into his suit. It was even better than he remembered, like a missing limb growing back, or maybe he had missed his old life more than he cared to admit. Now, he felt safe and powerful and needed. Three things that had been severely lacking in his life since being discharged.

“Let's hope you're right,” Cisco muttered before glancing down at his phone and smirking in triumph. “I've got the location and Cait is almost ready. It's showtime, Lieutenant Flash.” 

“Don't call me that man. I'm not your lieutenant anymore.” Barry said with a shake of his head, brushing off Cisco's quick reply. 

“The government may have royally fucked us all over and disbanded the team, but that doesn't mean I lost respect for the rank you earned dude.”

“Whatever, can you just give me the address please? We have a Congressman to save.” Barry pulled his cowl up, letting it settle into place and feeling his shoulders drop down, all the tension he was carrying leaving him at once. There was no better feeling than using his powers to save someone, and now after months of moping around his shoebox apartment and his mind-numbing third-shift security gig, having to refrain from using his speed, he was going to get to use it to save Leonard Snart. He knew the ‘Oh shit, I’m going to meet Leonard Snart!’ freak out he would no doubt have later would be embarrassing and long, but it would mean Snart would be alive and that was more than enough for Barry to look forward to making a fool of himself in the future.  

“Uh, yeah, about that,” Cisco winced at the latest text that popped up, shooting Barry a constipated smile. “Hopefully he's like really grateful you’re risking it all right now to save his ass and can keep you from getting arrested for doing it. Frost says they know you're active. APB is about to go out. Waller is pissed.” 

“Better make this good then, I'm too pretty for prison.” Barry couldn't help the grin that stretched across his face as Cisco finally rattled off the address to him, offering him a lazy salute that a year ago would have gotten him kitchen duty for two weeks. Now it just earned him a good-natured laugh.  

“Good luck, Lieutenant,” Cisco said with an encouraging pat on the back, letting out a small laugh to himself when Barry took off just as quickly as he had appeared. “Something tells me you're going to need it.”

[opuntie]

Statement of Hazel Rutter regarding a fire in her childhood home. Original statement given August 9th, 1992. Audio recording by Jonathan Sims, The Archivist. Statement begins.

Hello, John.

Apologies for the deception, but I wanted to make sure you started reading, so I thought it best not to announce myself.

I’m assuming you’re alone; you always did prefer to read your statements in private. I wouldn’t try too hard to stop reading; there’s every likelihood you’ll just hurt yourself. So just listen.

According to all known laws of aviation, there is no way a bee should be able to fly. Its wings are too small to get its fat little body off the ground. The bee, of course, flies anyway because bees don't care what humans think is impossible. Yellow, black. Yellow, black. Yellow, black. Yellow, black. Ooh, black and yellow! Let's shake it up a little. Barry! Breakfast is ready! Coming! Hang on a second. Hello? Barry? Adam? Can you believe this is happening? I can't. I'll pick you up. Looking sharp. Use the stairs, Your father paid good money for those. Sorry. I'm excited. Here's the graduate. We're very proud of you, son. A perfect report card, all B's. Very proud. Ma! I got a thing going here. You got lint on your fuzz. Ow! That's me! Wave to us! We'll be in row 118,000. Bye! Barry, I told you, stop flying in the house! Hey, Adam. Hey, Barry. Is that fuzz gel? A little. Special day, graduation. Never thought I'd make it. Three days grade school, three days high school. Those were awkward. Three days college. I'm glad I took a day and hitchhiked around The Hive. You did come back different. Hi, Barry. Artie, growing a mustache? Looks good. Hear about Frankie? Yeah. You going to the funeral? No, I'm not going. Everybody knows, sting someone, you die. Don't waste it on a squirrel. Such a hothead. I guess he could have just gotten out of the way. I love this incorporating an amusement park into our day. That's why we don't need vacations. Boy, quite a bit of pomp under the circumstances. Well, Adam, today we are men. We are! Bee-men. Amen! Hallelujah! Students, faculty, distinguished bees, please welcome Dean Buzzwell. Welcome, New Hive City graduating class of 9:15. That concludes our ceremonies And begins your career at Honex Industries! Will we pick our job today? I heard it's just orientation. Heads up! Here we go. Keep your hands and antennas inside the tram at all times. Wonder what it'll be like? A little scary. Welcome to Honex, a division of Honesco and a part of the Hexagon Group. This is it! Wow. Wow. We know that you, as a bee, have worked your whole life to get to the point where you can work for your whole life. Honey begins when our valiant Pollen Jocks bring the nectar to The Hive. Our top-secret formula is automatically color-corrected, scent-adjusted and bubble-contoured into this soothing sweet syrup with its distinctive golden glow you know as... Honey! That girl was hot. She's my cousin! She is? Yes, we're all cousins. Right. You're right. At Honex, we constantly strive to improve every aspect of bee existence. These bees are stress-testing a new helmet technology. What do you think he makes? Not enough. Here we have our latest advancement, the Krelman. What does that do?

Catches that little strand of honey that hangs after you pour it.

Saves us millions.

Can anyone work on the Krelman?

Of course. Most bee jobs are small ones.

But bees know that every small job, if it's done well, means a lot.

But choose carefully because you'll stay in the job you pick for the rest of your life.

The same job the rest of your life? I didn't know that.

What's the difference?

You'll be happy to know that bees, as a species, haven't had one day off in 27 million years.

So you'll just work us to death?

We'll sure try.

Wow! That blew my mind!

"What's the difference?"

How can you say that?

One job forever?

That's an insane choice to have to make.

I'm relieved. Now we only have to make one decision in life.

But, Adam, how could they never have told us that?

Why would you question anything? We're bees.

We're the most perfectly functioning society on Earth.

You ever think maybe things work a little too well here?

Like what? Give me one example.

I don't know. But you know what I'm talking about.

Please clear the gate. Royal Nectar Force on approach.

Wait a second. Check it out.

Hey, those are Pollen Jocks!

Wow.

I've never seen them this close.

They know what it's like outside The Hive.

Yeah, but some don't come back.

Hey, Jocks!

Hi, Jocks!

You guys did great!

You're monsters!

You're sky freaks! I love it! I love it!

I wonder where they were.

I don't know.

Their day's not planned.

Outside The Hive, flying who knows where, doing who knows what.

You can't just decide to be a Pollen Jock. You have to be bred for that.

Right.

Look. That's more pollen than you and I will see in a lifetime.

It's just a status symbol.

Bees make too much of it.

Perhaps. Unless you're wearing it and the ladies see you wearing it.

Those ladies?

Aren't they our cousins too?

Distant. Distant.

Look at these two.

Couple of Hive Harrys.

Let's have fun with them.

It must be dangerous being a Pollen Jock.

Yeah. Once a bear pinned me against a mushroom!

He had a paw on my throat, and with the other, he was slapping me!

Oh, my!

I never thought I'd knock him out.

What were you doing during this?

Trying to alert the authorities.

I can autograph that.

A little gusty out there today, wasn't it, comrades?

Yeah. Gusty.

We're hitting a sunflower patch six miles from here tomorrow.

Six miles, huh?

Barry!

A puddle jump for us, but maybe you're not up for it.

Maybe I am.

You are not!

We're going 0900 at J-Gate.

What do you think, buzzy-boy?

Are you bee enough?

I might be. It all depends on what 0900 means.

Hey, Honex!

Dad, you surprised me.

You decide what you're interested in?

Well, there's a lot of choices.

But you only get one.

Do you ever get bored doing the same job every day?

Son, let me tell you about stirring.

You grab that stick, and you just move it around, and you stir it around.

You get yourself into a rhythm.

It's a beautiful thing.

You know, Dad, the more I think about it,

maybe the honey field just isn't right for me.

You were thinking of what, making balloon animals?

That's a bad job for a guy with a stinger.

Janet, your son's not sure he wants to go into honey!

Barry, you are so funny sometimes.

I'm not trying to be funny.

You're not funny! You're going into honey. Our son, the stirrer!

You're gonna be a stirrer?

No one's listening to me!

Wait till you see the sticks I have.

I could say anything right now.

I'm gonna get an ant tattoo!

Let's open some honey and celebrate!

Maybe I'll pierce my thorax. Shave my antennae. Shack up with a grasshopper. Get a gold tooth and call everybody "dawg"!

I'm so proud.

We're starting work today!

Today's the day.

Come on! All the good jobs will be gone.

Yeah, right.

Pollen counting, stunt bee, pouring, stirrer, front desk, hair removal…

Is it still available?

Hang on. Two left!

One of them's yours! Congratulations!

Step to the side.

What'd you get?

Picking crud out. Stellar!

Wow!

Couple of newbies?

Yes, sir! Our first day! We are ready!

Make your choice.

You want to go first?

No, you go.

Oh, my. What's available?

Restroom attendant's open, not for the reason you think.

Any chance of getting the Krelman?

Sure, you're on.

I'm sorry, the Krelman just closed out.

Wax monkey's always open.

The Krelman opened up again.

What happened?

A bee died. Makes an opening. See? He's dead. Another dead one.

Deady. Deadified. Two more dead.

Dead from the neck up. Dead from the neck down. That's life!

Oh, this is so hard!

Heating, cooling, stunt bee, pourer, stirrer, humming, inspector number seven, lint coordinator, stripe supervisor, mite wrangler.

Barry, what do you think I should… Barry?

Barry!

All right, we've got the sunflower patch in quadrant nine…

What happened to you?

Where are you?

I'm going out.

Out? Out where?

Out there.

Oh, no!

I have to, before I go to work for the rest of my life.

You're gonna die! You're crazy! Hello?

Another call coming in.

If anyone's feeling brave, there's a Korean deli on 83rd that gets their roses today.

Hey, guys.

Look at that.

Isn't that the kid we saw yesterday?

Hold it, son, flight deck's restricted.

It's OK, Lou. We're gonna take him up.

Really? Feeling lucky, are you?

Sign here, here. Just initial that.

Thank you.

OK.

You got a rain advisory today, and as you all know, bees cannot fly in rain.

So be careful. As always, watch your brooms, hockey sticks, dogs, birds, bears and bats.

Also, I got a couple of reports of root beer being poured on us.

Murphy's in a home because of it, babbling like a cicada!

That's awful.

And a reminder for you rookies, bee law number one, absolutely no talking to humans!

All right, launch positions!

Buzz, buzz, buzz, buzz! Buzz, buzz, buzz, buzz! Buzz, buzz, buzz, buzz!

Black and yellow!

Hello!

You ready for this, hot shot?

Yeah. Yeah, bring it on.

Wind, check.

Antennae, check.

Nectar pack, check.

Wings, check.

Stinger, check.

Scared out of my shorts, check.

OK, ladies,

let's move it out!

Pound those petunias, you striped stem-suckers!

All of you, drain those flowers!

Wow! I'm out!

I can't believe I'm out!

So blue.

I feel so fast and free!

[daydreamer999]

The Scars that Make Us

Summary: Tensions rise when Earth-2 Barry Allen and Iris West-Allen enter their Earth to escape Zoom's wrath. Using this as an opportunity to grow closer, Barry shares the stories behind his scars on her body..... and discovers the stories behind hers.

WARNING: Some sexual and Triggering content ahead, nothing too graphic, but minors do not interact. Triggers: I will be touching on child abuse, if you are not in a safe place to be reading this, I will put a Trigger Warning again when it happens.

Barry Allen x Plus Size Reader

<

Despite the growing threat of Zoom looming over Team Flash, Barry Allen had an ever-persistent smile on his face since Christmas. And it wasn't hard for his Team to tell it was all because of his soulmate.

Only having been together for a few months, with dates few and far between scattered between those months, it was clear for anyone with eyes to see that he was head over heels in love with Y/n. He would constantly gush about her little quirks, or would sigh dreamily as he ate a home cooked meal for once saying that Y/n wanted to make sure he ate well. Barry would always tell her and anyone who'd listen how appreciative he was of her for being so understanding of his unpredictable schedule. Only to have her wave him off and kiss his cheek before wishing him luck, leaving him frozen in his spot a second longer than should be normal for the fastest man alive.

But to his family, it was so adorable to see them together, and to see Barry finally relax and happy for once, to let all of his walls down. But today was one of the rare days that Y/n didn't come into the Cortex with Barry. And most of the added Team members were busy with their other jobs, so it was only Barry, Cisco, Caitlin, and Harry standing in the Cortex. While Harry and Cisco were by a whiteboard the elder man had set up to run calculations, Caitlin was running some tests on Barry.

"Isn't this great? Feels like the good old days, except without a creepy lookalike who tried to kill us," Cisco finally broke the silence excitedly as he looked at the Team he originally grew with, but quickly remedied and apologized when Harry shot him a look. Harry let out a huff before admitting, "It is nice to work with you all, even you Ramon."

Caitlin and Barry chuckled as Cisco let out an excited noise and fist pumped the air, "See I knew you'd warm up to me eventually!"

"Oh, I'll deny it if you try and tell the others," Harry countered so quickly that it left Cisco floundering for a moment as he watched the man walk away with the marker to fill up another board. Cisco just pouted, "That's just cold man."

"As nice as having the original team is, we need to at least accept one addition to that group," Caitlin broke through as she shot a pointed look and a smirk at Barry. Barry turned his head towards her and blushed when he noticed they were all shooting him with matching looks. Shifting in his chair he turned his eyes back to Cait, "What do you mean?"

"Well..... Y/n's your soulmate. As much as I like the rest of our additional team, I won't think of them as us, the Original Team. But with Y/n it's different, isn't it?" Caitlin observed. Barry's lips twitched upward at the mention of his soulmate's name, but he out a sigh as he nodded, "Isn't it always different with your soulmate?"

"Yes... But the scars on your back," Caitlin started and observed her friend as he stiffened at the mention of them. Harry and Cisco exchanged looks but kept quiet and watched the other two as Caitlin continued, "When you fell into your coma, and I was your caretaker, I noticed those on your back. At first, I thought they may have been from your lightening strike, when you fell into the beakers, but then I realized they were all older than that. Of course we found out you healed really quickly once you woke up, so I didn't think much of it again until I saw Y/n and her scars she got the night the Particle Accelerator exploded." Barry's eyes were trained down on the floor, his face marred with sadness as tension filled the air. The silence felt impenetrable before Caitlin quietly asked, "They're her scars aren't they?"

Barry's eyes fluttered upward to try and fight the tears and muttered, "I got them not long after my father was wrongfully convicted of my mom's murder." Barry's eyes turned back towards the teams who were all looking at him with sympathy. Caitlin put a comforting hand on his shoulder as she spoke quietly, "For years you've held her scars. She's been with you since before you met us.... that makes her part of our team, our original team. And we take care of our own." Caitlin paused as she rubbed the Speedster's arm comfortingly, before she stared, "Barry, her scars..... They don't just happen by accident. Someone put those there."

Barry sucked in a breath as he shook his head, "How am I supposed to approach this subject? I mean, I haven't felt her pain since I was eighteen, so whoever it was, she got away from them, but.... they hurt her for years Cait." The tension was thick within the Cortex before Harry capped his marker and spoke, "Go to her, you guys still have a lot to discuss. When we've modified the weapon to take down Zoom, we'll call you." Barry nodded gratefully as he wiped away his tears before standing up and speeding away leaving a flurry of paper behind him. Cisco sighed and turned to Caitlin, "How come we always forget to invest in paperweights?"

Caitlin just shook her head and let out a small chuckle as her eyes trailed the mess of paperwork she'd have to clean up once again.

Y/n walked into the Cortex 48 hours later after Barry showed up unannounced at her apartment and kissed the living daylights out of her. What was supposed to have been a serious talk between two soulmates, ended up being a passion filled love making session that had left her absolutely breathless. Barry had worshipped her in ways she never knew possible and she discovered he could vibrate on top of everything else? Y/n didn't know what she did to deserve him, but she thanked every star in the sky that Barry was hers and she was his.

She was absolutely wrecked by the time Barry was called by Harry saying they needed to go. Barry held back just enough to finish the call before he finished her for the fourth and final time.

He had sped through the cleaning process, cleaning her gently, but she was so sensitive that her hips had involuntarily thrust in his direction despite how spent and tired she was. Barry had quickly cleaned himself as well, before rolling back to lay on her, kissing her passionately.

"Barry," Y/n moaned, trying (and failing) to pull away, before she resorted to tugging his hair to reluctantly pull his lips away from her, "Barry, don't they need you?" Barry's eyes searched hers with such intensity before he said, "I'm not done with you yet. When I get back, we're going to continue where we left off." Y/n's cheeks warmed as she smiled, "I wouldn't have it any other way. Now go save the world Flash. You'll get your reward later." Barry shot her a dazzling smile before giving her one last toe curling kiss. And then in a flash, she was left naked, and alone with no trace that her soulmate had been there, other than the fresh bouquet of (favorite/flower)s now on her nightstand.

A warmth curled deep within her as Y/n's lips twitched upward into a playful smile at the memory, wishing her legs could move just as fast as Barry's so she could just kiss him silly. She had received a text from him telling her he was safe and sound back on their Earth in the Cortex. So there she walked, wanting nothing more than to be back home with Barry tucked at her side. But instead, she walked into S.T.A.R. Labs at a normal pace, with her hands buried in her pockets nervously playing with a small package she wanted to gift specifically to Cisco and Caitlin.

"There you are, I was beginning to worry," said Doctor's voice had sounded, bouncing off the walls of the quiet hallway. Y/n's two toned eyes gazed at her new found friend, "Caitlin! I was hoping I'd run into you." Caitlin's smile never left her face, although her head tilted to the side as she observed Y/n's cheery demeanor.

"You're in an awfully good mood," Caitlin spoke with a quirk of her brow. Y/n's own twitched to furrow but she kept her smile on her face, "Of course, why wouldn't I be? Barry's back, and he's safe. I felt no pain, which means he didn't get hurt. Why? What's up Caity?" Caitlin's mouth did turn towards a frown as she asked, "Did Barry not talk to you before he left?"

Y/n's cheeks warmed causing Caitlin's brows to shoot upward as the full figured woman admitted, "Well.... he did visit, but we didn't do much talking." Y/n's eyes nervously flitted toward her friend as she watched in amusement as Caitlin's own cheeks began to flush a deep red, her eyes going wide, "Oh." Was her prim response.

Nervously chuckling, the two started to make their way towards the Cortex in awkward silence before Y/n grinned at her friend, "Oh, before I forget, I thought I would get you and Cisco a little gift.... from Barry and I," she tacked on with a quirk of her lips and a shrug of her shoulder. Caitlin just studied her friend for a moment before her face broke out in awe and amusement when Y/n pulled out little paperweights with lightning bolts engraved in them. "Oh my god," the Doctor spoke out quietly as she held the gift reverently in her hands before turning to Y/n when she said nervously, "I know it's small, but Barry was telling me how sorry he feels for leaving a mess behind every single time he speeds out, and that you guys have always mentioned in investing in some but haven't grabbed any yet."

"This is perfect N/n, thank you, seriously, Cisco is gonna love it when I show these to him, and I already love it so much," Caitlin gushed wholeheartedly. Y/n beamed as they made the rest of the way to in relative silence, Caitlin beaming down at the gift in her hand every now and then, while Y/n tried to contain her soaring heart as she heard her soulmate's voice echo down the hall from where he stood with the others. When they finally crossed the threshold, her smile instantly dropped though as she felt a deep pain in her chest at the sight in front of her. There standing in the middle of the Cortex was her soulmate with his hands around Iris, both of them dressed as if they just went back in time, and Barry had adorable glasses on his face that made him look dorky. But they were talking intimately to each other, and were closer than what Y/n had seen them be in the past.

Her heart felt as if it was being ripped out when she saw the two kiss. Her two toned eyes immediately welled with tears before she felt her face crumble into one of heartbreak. Y/n heard something akin to whimper echo through the Cortex, and immediately all eyes turned to her. Feeling her legs begin to shake beneath her when Barry's eyes met hers, and all she could see was confusion and that he seemed to not recognize her. With that revelation, she felt her body crumble into the table behind her.

Eddie, whom also looked greatly disturbed by the sight in front of him, was at her side trying to hold her up as he spoke quietly, "Y/n, it's not what you think, they're-"

"Y/n?" She heard Barry call for her, causing her head to turn towards the side past Eddie to see Barry standing in normal clothes. He was in front of her in an instant, blocking her view of the other Barry still holding Iris close to his body.

Her own eyes focused on the green ones that gazed at her with worry and care. Her hands came to wrap around the wrists of his own hands which held her face delicately, his thumbs stroking underneath her eyes wiping away her tears. She focused on his voice as he spoke soothingly, "Hey, hey, I'm right here N/n, I'm right here."

"Barry?" Y/n choked causing his eyes to well up with tears before he closed them and his jaw clenched. Resting his forehead against hers he spoke lovingly, "It's alright, I'm right here sweetheart. I promise."

Y/n closed her own eyes and focused on her soulmate's soothing voice as he continued to whisper sweet nothings to her. When the pain in her chest became a dull throb, she pulled away only slightly, so that she could look Barry in the eye as she asked. "Who are they?"

Barry pulled away and turned his body so that Y/n could look at his copy and Iris closely, the both of whom were already watching Barry and her with frowns and furrowed brows. Barry ignored their confused looks as he introduced, "Y/n, this is Barry and Iris from Earth-2, our doppelgangers. They were about to get killed by Zoom so we took them here to protect them for the time being while we figured out what to do," Barry then turned his attention to the doppelgangers, "Guys, this is Y/n, my soulmate."

"Soulmate? So you aren't married to, or mated to Iris here?" The other Barry asked looking completely scandalized at the thought. Barry, her Barry, look as if he was about to slap his doppelganger silly but Y/n just let out a watery laughed, her own tears finally slowing down as she explained and pointed to Eddie, "No, Eddie and Iris are happily together and soulmates here. Besides I think it would be kind of weird, didn't you two grow up as siblings?' Y/n finished as she directed that question to her own Barry. She could feel the tension leave him as he huffed out a laugh and gave a nod, "Yeah, I mean, I did have a crush on her when I was younger but it was made very clear very early on she wasn't my soulmate so I gave up on that silly crush. She's been my sister ever since."

Y/n rubbed his arm soothingly, noticing that he was still very uncomfortable with everything going on. But he only stiffened further when Iris' doppelganger blurted out, "Oh, that's why he seemed so awkward when I kissed him!"

"I'm sorry, he got frisky with you?!" The other Barry yelled more than a little outraged.

"You kissed my doppelganger?" Y/n heard a familiar voice say beside her, causing her to turn and see Iris dressed as she would normally be. Even Eddie looked uncomfortable with this information as did everyone else. None more so than Barry who looked like he was one second away from bolting, with Y/n in tow if his hand twitching as it held her hip tightly was anything to go by. But her own thoughts were quietly drawn in on the fact that Iris, their Iris, didn't look disturbed by this information as everyone else did. And that didn't sit well with her at all. Y/n's defensiveness immediately rose to the surface as she turned on Doppelganger Barry and Iris, who she was looking forward to calling sister one day, as she snapped, "Do you two have selective hearing. She kissed him, not the other way around."

"Your not mad?" Her Barry asked quietly. Y/n's two toned eyes flitted towards his green ones where she sent him a smirk and flirted, "Of course not. As long as you didn't kiss her on purpose. But... I don't like the idea of another woman's lips being the last ones you touched. I'm gonna have to remedy that." Y/n was pleased by the hitch in his breath and his dilating pupils which found their way to her lips. His eyes staring at them with longing as he nodded, "I find those terms agreeable. Should we go now?"

Y/n chuckled before saying, "We should get these two settled in first Barr. Then I think I promised you a hero's reward once you returned home." She watched intrigued as lightning danced in his eyes before he closed them and pulled her closer as he tried to take a calming breath, "Later, got it. Are you sure we can't leave now? I think they can handle them-"

"Barry," she chuckled in warning causing him to groan and open his eyes as he glared ahead of him in determination, "Right, right. That can wait. Later .... not too much later though right?"

"All good things come to those who wait," Y/n giggled causing Barry to huff, "That's not fair. Waiting for me takes an eternity."

Pulling him down she whispered in his ear, "If you can wait, I'll wear the special present I got just for you tonight." She pulled back to watch his face go blank and a blush consume his cheeks. A spark of lightning danced off his forehead and causing the group to laugh in amusement as Cisco said, "Whatever you said N/n, I think it broke him."

They chuckled some more as a minute later Barry sparked to life as he said, "Yeah. Let's wait, waiting sounds good." Y/n giggled before kissing his cheek softly and turning back towards the Earth 2 refugees and asking, "So, how did you two meet?"

The tension broke between the couple, both seemingly relieved that Barry's soulmate (even from a different Earth and a different Barry) seemed to think them worthy of their time. Y/n could only assume they thought so much of her because she was the Flash's soulmate here, a superhero they also knew of and valued back on their Earth.

Iris smiled up adoringly at her husband when she said, "I met him on my first case as a detective." The other Barry blushed as he turned towards his wife and smiled adoringly while Iris continued, "He was just this adorable bumbling CSI that had the tendency to ramble when he got nervous or excited and while many of the other detectives found him annoying. I just found it so endearing. I was flirting with him trying to see if he felt the same, but he just didn't seem to get it." E-2 Barry blushed while calm laughter filled the Cortex and Barry said spoke up in his defense, "Don't worry, I've been told I'm rather clueless too." Y/n only hummed as she melted into her soulmate's side and gave the couple another reassuring smile as she asked, "So how did you two find out you were each other's soulmates?"

E-2 Barry spoke up this time, his eyes turning a touch sad as he clutched his own mate close to his side, "A year after working together, Iris got caught up in a case that went deeper than we thought possible.... There was corruption in our department, and she and I were the only ones who discovered it, but they didn't realize that I also knew. They only took Iris hostage.... and she would have died that night if I didn't feel the connection through our soul bond." E-2 Iris rubbed her husband's back reassuringly before saying in a more playful tone, "After I was fully recovered, we decided that there was no point in waiting. He kissed me breathless and we've been together ever since. We got married six months ago."

"Congratulations," Y/n praised genuinely happy for the couple in front of her. They thanked her in unison with matching grins before E-2 Barry's smile fell slightly as his brow furrowed, "I don't mean to seem rude... but... how did you two find out you were soulmates? You two don't have matching scars."

Y/n felt Barry stiffen beside her but she laughed easily and looked up at her own Barry adoringly, "Well this knucklehead decided to go and get struck by lightning and got his powers from that. His scar healed up, but what you see on me, is what he would have looked like if the lightning hadn't mixed with the Dark Matter from the Particle Accelerator and made him the Flash." E-2 Iris frowned as did E-2 Barry as they looked between the power couple before asking the full figured woman, "It doesn't bother you? That him being the Flash could give you more scars?"

Y/n sucked in a harsh breath before her face hardened and she spoke with such strong conviction she left no room for argument, "I'm proud of Barry for doing what he believes is right. He could very easily become another Zoom, but he's using his powers for good, and to help others. And until this past Christmas, I thought he was dead, I didn't get any other scars, so if he did get hurt from being the Flash he healed quick enough it didn't affect me." Team Flash turned to Y/n in surprise at this information, before they exchanged looks with each other as Cisco added, "That explains so much!"

Y/n's eyes flicked over towards her friend, her brows still furrowed into a hard glare as she asked, "What does?"

Caitlin stepped in and supplied, "We were just curious as to why you thought Barry could be dead when we first met you. He had so many injuries that would have left scars if he didn't have super healing that we were sure you must have had over the months he became the Flash. But now it's gotten me curious as to how you now have that scar and Barry doesn't?"

"Well, maybe Barry did have it initially," Harry added, easily stepping into the head father figure of Team Flash that had been empty since the Fake Wells died last year. Barry noted how easily they all got distracted to the scientific aspect of things rather quickly but couldn't find it in himself to care as he asked, "How do you figure?"

"Well, our initial hypothesis was that Y/n got scars just like the rest of of the soulmate's in the world, which would be immediate, and whatever scars didn't show on you, would be evident on her. But now we know that all of your injuries never showed up on her all those months that you two never knew each other. What if, the Dark Matter didn't change your DNA instantaneously? What if you did have that scar? Long enough for it to effect Miss L/n through your soul bond? It would have given her the scar and sent her in the nine month coma along with you." Harry hypothesized as he began to draw on a whiteboard the timeline between the two.

Eddie spoke up next as he nodded along as he studied the timeline, "It would have been quick though, because I discovered Barry in his lab not even two minutes later and he didn't have a scar when we saw him." Harry pointed at Eddie appreciatively before adding in a two minute window while Barry grinned and fist bumped Eddie who responded in kind. The other two from E-2 looked at the group around them intrigued but confused before their Iris spoke up next to Eddie, "This is all really interesting, but what does this have to do with anything?"

Caitlin explained calmly, "Well, with the rise in number of Metahumans we don't know what that exactly entails for their soulmate's and the bond between them. So it's quite interesting to see in real time the effective bond of soulmates between Meta and Human. What would be another great study is the bond between Meta and Meta as well. And obviously we would need more than just Barry and Y/n here to collect all of our data, but we now have a baseline."

"You guys have a really great support Team here, you two are lucky. We're sorry for any offenses we may have caused with our questions, we're just... curious, this is all so new," E-2 Iris broke through as she stared at Y/n and Barry with acceptance. Y/n's eyes flitted up toward E-2 Barry who also gave her a small lift of his lips and a tilt of head in agreement. Y/n gave them her own but shifted closer to her soulmate for comfort. Barry unconsciously held her closer, sensing Y/n's exhaustion, he turned to Caitlin and said, "We need to find them a place to stay while they're staying here. I'd offer up STAR LABS, but Harry is staying here and seeing as his doppleganger is a well known killer, he can't be wandering around."

Cisco nodded with pursed lips, "We seriously need to add more bedding areas here. It's not like we have don't have the space."

"Yes, but we're workaholics Ramon, if you Allen, and Snow all had place to sleep here versus going home, you'd probably stay here. Hell, you practically keep this place stashed with your grocery list," Harry sassed backed good-naturedly. Y/n could only tiredly giggle as the three scientists who were called out hung there head in shame, knowing Harry was right. Cisco muttering, "Don't have to be mean about it, geez."

Joe cut in with a fond shake of his head before saying to Barry, "They can stay with me Barr, out of everyone here I think I am the one who here who has the space."

Iris frowned and folded her arms, "We have space, don't we Eddie?" With everyone's attention on the blonde detective, he could only shift uncomfortably as his gaze flitted to the two Barry's holding their soulmates. Understanding was clear on both of their faces, E-2 Barry, knowing it would be difficult to see someone else be with a soulmate that looked like his own; and Barry, knowing how awkward and uncomfortable this whole ordeal was in the first place. For that, Eddie was grateful that he knew Barry enough to understand how truly apologetic he was about this situation, and he was grateful that E-2 Barry seemed similar. It was the latter who spoke up surprising the room, as he seemed less confident compared to his Earth 1 counterpart, "Thank you for the offer Iris, but I think for both of our sakes, we'll stay with Joe. It would be the best option for everyone I think."

Iris frowned but the rest of the Cortex seemed to have relaxed. With his gaze shifting down towards his full-figured soulmate, Barry exclaimed, "Alright, now that that's settled, I think we're gonna retire for the night."

Without waiting for a response, Barry grabbed Y/n's plush waist, pulling her close before speeding out of Speed Labs.

Y/n wasn't happy in the slightest since the E-2 refugee's had entered their Earth. It wasn't that she disliked the West-Allen's. They were very nice, and frequented Saints and Sinners while she worked, making her day go by quickly. But, she didn't like how Iris was starting to look at her soulmate because of them.

They still had family dinners, the Wests. And since the West-Allen's were living with Joe, and Barry was his unofficial kid, Barry and Y/n (when she could go) would also be there, and it was when Bart and Iris were sharing their lives together, that Iris, their Iris would share her's and Barry's. And it was made very clear to Y/n that she was easily replaceable.

Joe didn't seem to realize what was going on, but Eddie had a constant frown on his face, just as Y/n had one on her's. She may have even chalked this all up to be a part of her fanciful imaginations, the jealousy of Iris' and Barry's close relationship running rampant. But with how uncomfortable Barry looked, she couldn't help but feel that Iris was doing this on purpose.

It was at one of these very dinner's where she had finally snapped.

Y/n could hear the rest of the Wests (unofficial or otherworldly) laughing as they often talked about their past while sitting in the living room. A frown was permanently drawn on her face, her heart aching in a dull throb in her chest as she listened on to their jovial noises while she prepared the cocktails in the kitchen. Her eyes shifted down her body where she wore what she thought was a cute outfit at first. Black nylons, in thigh high black boots, a burgundy suede mini skirt, and a black long sleeve shirt that hugged her curves. Only, it didn't feel so pretty on her when Iris had turned up wearing the same outfit, making her feel insecure in her own skin. A feeling she hadn't felt since that woman left scars on her back.

Her eyes flicked upward towards the window, where it was pitch black outside, and her reflection was staring back at her. She felt her plump lip waver as her insecurities began to rise, her eyes immediately seeking out her Lichtenberg figure and her clouded grey eye. Her thoughts began to question why Barry even loved her, if that one time when they made love if he was disgusted. They never did do anything after he came back from E-2. He had told her that he didn't want to push her into anything and could feel she was still upset, but a whole four weeks had went by and he has yet to make any more time for her for dates, or even to love her as he did before. Instead, most of his time he spent with Iris and their Earth two counterparts.

Her thoughts were interrupted when she saw Eddie's reflection in the window, making her turn towards the dejected looking cop. He had also seemed to have lost some of his color, looking pasty and white. His usual golden hair, looked more dull, and the deep purple bruises under his eyes emphasized his lack of sleep that matched Y/n's. Eddie's lips quirked into a half-hearted smile, "Do you need help bringing those in."

"I'm a bartender Eddie, I think I can handle seven glasses on a tray," Y/n tried to go for a lighthearted approach, but winced when it came out harsh and cynical.

Eddie chuckled anyways, though it lacked his normal charisma, "Oh, I don't doubt it, it's just... it gets too much sometimes. Being near... them..." he ended weakly, his voice cracking as his eyes fell. The plus sized woman felt her own heart throb painfully as her eyes fell back towards the glasses on the counter. with a sigh and a smile, she nodded at Eddie, "Sure Eds, I could use a hand."

Eddie smiled and approached her, carrying three of the seven glasses, while she balanced the other four with only the steady precision of a waitress. Eddie walked slowly behind her as she walked in more confidently, but stopped when her two toned eyes looked up and saw Iris laughing and touching Barry's chest. Her jaw clenched as Iris loudly exclaimed to their married counterparts, "You know, it's so funny, but apparently in the future Barry and I get married too. We saw the article of his disappearance, and it always says Iris West-Allen as the one who wrote it."

Glass breaking made the whole house go silent, all eyes once again turning to Y/n.

Barry stood up and reached out to her, "N/n-"

"No. Don't fucking touch me," Y/n spat as she glared up at her soulmate, angry tears cascading down her face. Barry visibly flinched but backed away as Y/n's chest rose and fell heavily, her eyes finding Iris' again who looked considerably paler. The dopplegangers had looked uncomfortable as did Joe, but she could hear Eddie behind her struggling to keep a steady breath.

Finding Iris' eyes once more she glared at her," You know Iris, you are one cruel person. I had always looked forward to the day that I called you sister, but now, I have half a mind to break my bond with Barry." She heard Barry let out a sharp gasp, and saw in her peripheral vision that he staggered backwards because of her words. She couldn't help when her own face contorted in pain, but fought it off and glowered at her once more, "You should be ashamed of how you've treated not only my bond with Barry, but your own bond with Eddie. And if he was a crueler man, I can guarantee you, that bullshit you've been pulling on him wouldn't be left unpunished."

Iris' eyes filled with tears as she turned them towards the blond cop who immediately turned his eyes away. Tiredly, he added to Joe as he handed him the drinks, "I think... I'll just go home now. I can't stand being here for another minute."

"Eddie," Iris started as she stood up to approach him, but recoiled when he only shot her a cold look. And she could finally see how tired and heartbroken he really was, "Find somewhere else to stay tonight, I can't even stand to look at you for a minute longer." He finished quietly, his eyes immediately searching anywhere else. Grabbing his coat he turned back to Joe and gave him a soft smile, "I'll see you tomorrow Sir."

Joe could only nod sadly in acknowledgement, as he watched his partner walk out the front door and shut it quietly behind him. Making a mental note to himself, he knew he would as the Captain to give him a week off to deal with this and heal. He felt bad for not realizing sooner what was causing his partner to look so tired and dejected, and he knew having a few days to himself would be best.

All eyes turned back to Y/n as she spoke quietly to Barry, "I was once so excited to be apart of your family, and felt so blessed to have you as my soulmate. But now I just feel like a fool for thinking I could ever complete you." Barry's blue eyes began to water, and he opened his mouth to argue that there was no other but her, but she didn't give him the chance. She turned and stormed out, slamming the door behind her.

!Trigger Warning!

Y/n was sat on the couch, wearing her gift to Barry that she never got to show him, while she watched Lord of the Rings and ate her favorite ice cream. She felt like a cliche, crying, while eating her favorite comfort food, drinking her bottle of Rosa. But she couldn't care less, it was honestly a comfort. And if she didn't know that Lisa would report back to Len, who would in turn kill her soulmate, she would have extended her an invitation while she vented. But her pseudo siblings were much too overprotective of her, and despite the pain Barry put her through (unwittingly so) she still loved him.

With a long suffering sigh, Y/n's eyes stayed on the screen where the ever valliant Aragorn was fighting to protect the hobbits. "Why can't you be real?" she asked quietly as she whisfully watched the noble man.

She heard Barry before she saw him. His tell tale sound of vibrating through her door caused her to look up in shock, her cheeks heating up as she looked down at her barely clothed body. Barry had stopped, his puffy eyes scanning her as his jaw dropped. His own face covered in a scarlet flush though Y/n could see he had been crying.

Clearing her throat she acted as if she wasn't wearing a sheer skimpy cloth that barely covered her intimates, "I didn't expect to see you here tonight."

Barry frowned as he looked her over, "Then who were you dressing up for?"

A sharp sting in her chest made her wince, she didn't like that he didn't seem to trust her. But, she couldn't deny that she wouldn't think the same thing if he had said he wanted to break their bond. Her eyes drifted back to the TV as she said, "For Aragorn and Boromir mostly." Barry's eyes drifted to the screen and she saw his shoulders relax before he turned back to her as she muttered into her glass, "Plus I just wanted to feel pretty."

Barry didn't hesitate to take the last couple steps to where she sat on the couch and sit next her, pulling her into a breathtaking kiss. She felt her tension melt as she sighed against his lips, bringing her arms up to wrap around his neck, where she played with his brown strands. Y/n groaned when he pulled away, but was pleasantly surprised when he didn't go far, his forehead resting against hers as his eyes searched her own, "You aren't just pretty N/n, you're perfect. And I was an idiot to ever make you think I could ever want anyone else but you."

Y/n's face contorted to slight pain as she admitted, "But earlier at dinner, Iris said that you two are gonna be married in the future."

Barry closed his eyes and groaned in annoyance as he cursed his unofficial sister under his breath causing Y/n's two toned eyes to widen and a surprise giggle to leave her mouth. Running his hands through her hair he shook his head, "Y/n, you are the only one for me. I don't know why that stupid article said Iris West-Allen, but I know that no matter what, I won't marry her in any future. Because it's you that I want to share my last name with, its you that I want to have kids with. The only future I want, is the one where your in it."

She felt her eyes sting with tears once more, her own doubt melting away causing her to sniffle and ask jokingly, "Why couldn't you have said that earlier at the Wests?"

Barry joined in her watery chuckle before admitting, "Because unfortunately for you, I'm sometimes an idiot. And also, it was nice to see you put Iris in her place. She was making me uncomfortable." Y/n pulled away to look at him as she mumbled, "I knew it."

"Knew what?" Barry asked.

"I knew you didn't like how she was acting around you. I just knew it, because if you did, and you knew what was going on," Y/n trailed off, as her voice cracked in heartbreak at the very thought. Barry didn't need her to continue to understand that it would have broken her if he ever liked Iris' affections. He couldn't help the shiver of disgust at the thought of being in any form of intimate relationship with her like the one he shared with his perfect soulmate. But instead of dwelling on those thoughts, his eyes scanned her body that was practically bare in front of him.

He felt his jeans begin to tighten, but ignored it as his eyes trailed down her lichtenberg figure, that started on the left side of her face, and trailed down her breast, down to her navel. A sudden urge to trace it with his lips entered his head, and he couldn't resist it, kissing her scarred face, before following the trail down, leaving wet kisses and goosebumps in his wake.

He heard her shaky exhale as she questioned, "Barry?"

"Hmm?" He hummed distractedly as he sucked on her soft plush skin of her stomach.

"What are you doing?" She asked more breathily than before. Barry pulled away and answered earnestly, "Admiring you, and our scars." He watched as her one pupil dilated, and she moaned as she flopped her head back, "Barry..."

He could only chuckle before his eyes honed in on a jagged scar on her knee. He was suddenly hit by the memories of how he got it as he traced it with a bitter smile, "Damn, I had hoped that one would have been gone since it faded on me."

Y/n's two toned eyes fought to focus on the scar he was tracing as she tried to control the raging waves of want for her soulmate. Blinking away her lust, her eyes found the scar on her knee and she couldn't help the laugh that escaped as she also remembered the day she got it, "Yeah, I won't deny I also cursed you that day, you ruined my favorite pair of jeans. It was stained with blood and I could never get it out. Every time I tried walking, it reopened. I got in so much trouble because I always ruined my jeans." The two shared a quiet laugh, before she asked, "So... how did you get it?"

Barry sighed as his eyes found her face, "I had a bully, Tony Woodward, he always beat me up after school, stole my lunch, you know the typical bully. Well one day, I decided to stand up to him, and he beat me up pretty good. Pushed me into the bleachers, my knee was so swollen after that, I was afraid he broke it."

"Yeah, it hurt a lot," Y/n sympathized as she ran her fingers through his wind blown strands. Barry gave her a bitter smile, "I didn't want you to have that one still."

Y/n only gave him a sad smile, before her eyes scanned his face and she touched his left temple where there was a miniscule scar, so small that if you didn't know where to look you'd miss it. She caressed it, her lips tipped upward slightly before she said, "So you still have my scar. You know, I got this at my graduation. I got drunk and slipped, hit my head on the stone steps at my friends house. I had to get stitches."

Barry's eyes widened as he tried not to laugh, "Seriously?"

"Yes, I was truly a drunken sight, I couldn't even feel the pain, I think I have the picture of me still, covered in blood and smiling like there was nothing wrong."

Barry groaned as he laughed and let his head fall on her supple chest, "I was taking an important test when that one showed up, I couldn't even finish it because I was so dizzy and had a major headache."

Y/n surprised him with her unfiltered laughter, causing him to look up at her in wonder as she tried to say, "I'm so sorry. That must have been so disappointing for you." He joined her for a bit, the two exchanging soft kisses in between before they both sobered up.

With a soft exhale, Barry's hands found their way to the scars on her back where he felt her immediately stiffen. Her body recoiled away from his touch, causing him to frown but to say in understanding, "It doesn't have to be tonight, or tomorrow, but when your ready, can you please tell me about these?"

Barry could feel her breathing quickening in her panicked state, causing him to rip of his shirt, and take her hands so that she could feel his matching set on his own skin. Her breathing became so quiet the moment she felt them, her two toned eyes searched his as he said, "The first ones showed up not long after my father was arrested and wrongly accused of my Mom's murder. They only multiplied from there." Guilt began to fill her eyes so he continued, "I know how much it hurt, and I know how alone you felt, but I was right there with you. Even if I wasn't in the same room, I was there with you, just as you were there with me when I got struck by lightning. And even though my own scars faded on my body, I never lost yours."

Y/n still watched him with a guarded expression, although it relaxed some as he went on, "You have been a part of my life since I was eleven. I never knew why I had these scars, or what kind of sick person could put them on you. But just know I never resented you for them, or blamed you in any way. All I knew was that I felt love for you, for your strength to keep going despite the pain you faced. It gave me strength too."

Y/n let out a shaky breath before she willingly traced the scars on his back, wincing every once in a while before she began, "My parents died in a car accident in the beginning of summer when I was eleven. I was left in the care of my grandma, who hated me. She blamed me for the accident because I wanted to go on a road trip, and they died because of it. She couldn't understand how I was left unharmed while my parents died, she thought I was cursed."

She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath when the memories got too much before opening them when Barry spoke reassuring words in her ear reminding her he was there, she was safe, and she'd never feel that way again. Y/n shot him a watery smile before saying softly, "Her hatred for me grew, she became cruel but never laid a hand on me. She'd make snide comments about my weight, make me go to bed hungry, she began to hit me when I got her angry, but things changed for the worst when she began to drink again.

"She always had a problem with her liquor, it turned her into a mean drunk, that's what my Mom always said. She sobered up for my Mom, but she found herself drinking again the year Mom died. And her aggression only multiplied. Sometime mid November, her slaps became whips to the back. She'd strip me down in front of her friends, and they'd take turns beating me with a belt."

Barry had to hold back a gasp as his face twisted into disgust at the actions of the very person who was supposed to love and take care of her. He suddenly knew why the Snarts were so protective of her now, she was a fellow survivor.

Blinking back to the present, Barry brushed his hand through her hair, "God N/n, I'm so sorry. You never deserved that."

Y/n smiled at him as if she didn't believe his words, shrugging her shoulders she dismissed, "It's alright, it was a long time ago. I got away from her after graduation. I never looked back."

Barry shook his head, not liking how she easily dismissed her own pain but he didn't argue with her. Instead he kissed her soundly on the lips before saying, "I love you Y/n."

Her breathing hitched as her pupil dilated, "Say it again... Please."

His mouth stretched into a grin, "I love you Y/n."

Her own mouth twisted into a smile before she kissed him breathless, "I love you too Barry."

He eagerly brought her closer to his body, as their tongues fought for dominance. Her plush thighs wrapped around his slim waist, hugging him closer to her heat, causing him to gasp into her mouth. She gazed up at him coyly, and would have continued to kiss him, but both of them jumped apart when they heard Gandalf yell,

"YOU SHALL NOT PASS!"

The two looked up at the screen in surprise before they both chuckled, Barry resting his head against hers. Stroking his thumb on her plump bottom lip, Barry's eyes searched her face before suggesting, "Why don't we take this somewhere else?"

"To the bedroom?" She asked as she bit her bottom lip to stop her growing grin.

Barry could only chuckle as he sped through the process of cleaning her snacks away, and grabbing her waist as he rushed her to the bedroom. When Y/n blinked, she found herself thrown on her bed, with Barry crawling over top her as he confirmed, "To the bedroom."

>>>

Taglist:

@twilightlover2007

[thecameronchronicles]

Pistol

TW: mentions of cocaine. Language. Mentions of abusive/toxic relationship. Smut. Dom!Barry.  Cheating. 

SUMMARY: The aftermath of your drug overdose brings you into a set of unlikely sheets...

WORD COUNT: 2200

*ORIGINAL CONCEPT*

Pistol

You took the first line to forget. About him. About her. About going back home. About staying here. You took the second to feel anything but the pain the encompassed ordeals left behind. The dull sting of betrayal you shouldn't have been surprised to endure and yet it was somehow all consuming. All because you trusted Topper's words when he said he didn't care about her that way anymore. And yet, you found him wrapped around Sarah as if she were the only thing tethering him to reality. The irony of your need to escape reality not lost on you as you took a third bump. 

Then everything went black. The mix of alcohol and drugs along with your emotion and indifference for anything but the numb high your decision brought you tonight had been the medicinal edge you needed. And yet, it was taunting your morality. 

Those friends you made since wearing the title of girlfriend for Topper had fled the second you began to tremor. Not one lifting a phone for assistance as you were left to die on the floor of some unnamed Kook's house. 

The drugs and death danced a perfect tango with your life between their grasp, infiltrated by a grasp as unexpected as it was enigmatic. But your body and awareness were too stained to make out any of the lights as your eyes fluttered closed, your body left at mercy of the grim reaper himself. 

At least you thought. 

There wasn't a side effect you would be spared as you awoke in sheets vaguely familiar. A scent you knew to be marijuana set in the distance and music of an emo metal inspiration playing even further. As your head throbbed, you attempted to assist yourself to your feet before feeling nausea keep you still. It was only when looking down that you noticed the change of clothing and a sudden fear of being taken advantage of obliterated the thought of anything else. 

"You're gonna want to move slow." A voice explained over your shoulder as you chilled. It was such a set of unfortunate circumstances in which you knew his voice. That distinctive twang accompanying the way he spoke and you were well aware you were in the "care" of Barry. 

"What happened?" You groaned, a hand to your stomach as another came over your mouth. 

"You up and overdosed." You shot to your feet, the memories in fragments but returning slowly the longer you existed in consciousness. The details of how everyone abandoned you and the sudden presence of his strong grasp made you narrow your eyes in confusion. 

"Most people would say thank you..." 

"Most people would have left me..."

"Most people did..." He explained, upset at his own remark. 

"You need to eat...." He left you at the edge of his bed, the familiarity in his sheets reminding you of when you'd accompanied Topper and Rafe here to obtain the drugs a week prior. Never knowing they would be the first thing you'd notice added a near death experience such as this. 

"Not exactly the buffet I'm sure you're used to, but..." But the smell of half burnt toast only made your expression sour. 

"Why did you?" 

"Why did I what?" He asked upon pulling his own buttered toast between his former grin after his eyes had taken stick of the available skin his oversized shirt left on you. 

"Save me..." 

He scoffed. "Never thought of it that way...more of keeping future problems away from me. Your body and all...bad for business..." Your eyes lowered before moving towards the door. 

"Sit..." 

"I-"

"Wasn't a question." He explained, bringing a gun to view. You swallowed hard. 

"I'm curious...I have girls like you come through here every other day looking for an excuse...but why you? You seemed smart enough to know when to cut yourself off..." 

"I didn't want to think..."

"About which car to take to the club or-"

"What do you want?" You interrupted, frustrated by your mix of embarrassment and your pains. His jaw cocked to the side before he slowly nodded. 

"I would estimate a couple grand of my product was taken last night...by you..." 

"Topper and Rafe paid-"

"Pulled one over on me. Used it all without paying me what I was owed..." His head cocked. "Seems to me they take advantage of everything, don't they?"

"What does that have to do with me?"

"Well you're gonna entertain me..." You swallowed hard as he pulled himself closer to the gun. 

"I'd start by giving me my shirt back..." You hesitated. 

"I'll just go...have Rafe-"

"He'll just have daddy bail him out...But I want interest even papa Cameron can't fix...something only you can offer..."

"How much?" 

"How much what?"

"How much was it?"

"I don't want your money..."

"You said-"

"I want my shirt..." He stood, moving slowly towards you as you swallowed hard. 

Barry was intimidating. Enough that his closing proximity or sole gaze kept you focused on him indefinitely, watching each and every move to ensure it wasn't fatal. 

"They should keep a close eye on you..." Your jaw clenched as he kept the gun at his side and yet you kept it on your like or focus. When he noticed this, he set it back on the table. His hand rested over the barrel as he sat on the edge of the surface, his second hand close enough to trace the hem of his shirt met with each of your strained breaths. 

"I'm not going to hurt you. Wouldn't make much sense to help you last night only to hurt you now. Just like it wouldn't make sense to take you by force when you'll give in to me anyway .."  He moved closer to you, close enough to press you into the very edge of the small table. 

"To be numb. Right? Country Club ain't treating you right and you shaking for me already in the way you only hoped to for him...So I'll ask one more time..." He lowered over you close enough to feel his breath on your parted lips. 

"Or you can go back to the same people who left you last night...or stay and find out what I can offer-" The unspoken depth behind his eyes along with the taunt of his lips sent you towards him. Fingers to his shoulders stabilizing you as his came to your hips. His thumbs hooked beneath his shirt as he lifted it from your body and left the bra you intended for Topper. 

"Show me..." Your fingers wrapped at your back to remove the clasp as he set you onto the counter. But he was not quick to fuck as you'd imagined. Instead, he lowered to his knees. 

"Bet they've never made you come this way without a bit of help..." You blushed as he pulled your panties away until you were completely bare. 

"And I could do it with only my tongue.." Your eyes rolled as he began at your clit. Your breath shuddering and sporadic before your hands ran through his hair. The slight grip you made over his tresses motivated him to deepen himself between your thighs as you were taken to the very edge, dependent on his hold of your thighs. 

"You a good girl?" Your eyes came open as he licked slowly, enough for you to witness each stroke. He widened your legs and slowed as your mouth drew slack. You nodded in fear of him withdrawing. 

"You never touch yourself?" Your eyes darted. 

"I want you to...I got another job to do..." He sucked two fingers, forcing them both inside you at once as you gasped. 

"Why would they be stupid enough to leave you alone when you taste like fucking candy?" He scoffed. "Bet you're perfectly tight, aren't you?" You nodded. 

"I want you to give me what I want...I wanna watch you rub it until you're dripping on my table for me...don't fight it...I know you want to..." When you hesitated, he pulled your hand between your legs. 

"Slowly...no coming." He lowered back down to you, sucking and fingering your entrance in exchanges as you rode into him. 

"Barry?" A knock came to the door as he deepened his ambitions. 

"Moan...loud." you obliged.

 "Again." He groaned, pulling honest reactions from you until he turned you over the edge of the table. Your breasts taken in sharp grasps. 

"Make it clear to them that I've got my own high right here..." His cock teased your core, a mystery when he had undressed, but not one you cared to question. 

"But I'm not gonna force you...no matter how you're dripping on it..." He brought it directly underneath you, your lips stroking him as he guided you to slip over his shaft. 

"Oh you feel good...like silk..." 

"I want it..." 

"Want what? There's a lot of things I could do..." He played with your nipples as you moaned. 

"Especially if it gets you sounding like that..." You nodded. "Mmm…yeah…like that…"

"Say it..." But you blushed. 

"I know you think you're a good girl, but you're too fucking wet right now to stay one...let me have the bad...give me it...tell me-"

"Fuck me...Please..." 

He answered with a thrust. A single thrust that bottomed out within. Your fingers pinned beneath his on the table as he began a steady pace. His thick cock making your eyes roll as he pulled you harder against him. 

"You feel expensive..." He spoke into your ear. "Worth the trouble of last night..." 

"Yes..."

"Thank me..." He pulled your hair when you hesitated. 

"For last night. For now. For being good and not forcing you on your knees..." He paused. 

"Show me. Show me you're grateful...be good." He teased as he led you to your knees. You licked your lips and took him in stride. 

"See how you taste? Think you deserve to come?"

You nodded. 

"Then rub yourself. Get real close...but keep those eyes on me. I wanna know why my floor's stained after I make you stand." You struggled to keep a pace as he instructed you faster. 

Faster. Your fingers were quick but the pleasure was enough to focus on him. 

"One finger. Two, just like I did..." You mimicked this as he groaned to the shift your suction made around him. 

"Faster-"

"I'm close-" 

"No." You slowed. 

"Did I say you could fucking stop?!" He lowered done to you, hand in your hair as another forced your fingers back inside. You were fucked thoroughly with your own fingers as he basked in the contortions made of your expression.

"You owe me...and I want my floor fucking stained as payment...yes…" 

"It's too fast!" 

"And you're gonna come hard!" He forced you deeper into yourself before directing your hand to his cock, still wet with your spit. The tip crying as he watched you respond to yourself. 

"I'm gonna-something else is...Barry!" You gasped, a foreign gush between your legs coating you both as he smirked wildly. 

"I was hoping you were a squirter...now do it again on my face..." You angled back as he tightness the hold on your hair. 

"Sit on my face, pretty girl..." You obliged as he took you again. 

"Slow-"

"You won't squirt again if I go slow...and you want to...don't you?" You hesitated. 

"I want to make you come..."

"Then make me..." He guided you to face his cock as you lowered over him, resuming your pleasure as he has to you. It became a game of oral fixation and ecstasy to see which one of you would expire first. 

"Mmm...Barry..." You groaned as he nodded, lapping you up. 

"I want you inside me..." He suctioned to your clit one final time before withdrawing with a popping sound. 

"Then ride me, pretty girl..." You sunk yourself onto him as he positioned himself upwards, enough to feel you against him. 

"Don't worry about them disappointing you again...you got me now..." 

"Fuck!" You hissed as he took a breast in either hand until you reclined against him. His hips raised, forcing your ass to follow as you relief solely on him. This position remaining until he came close. 

"Knees...I'm gonna come...then you're gonna squirt for me again..." You nodded as you finished him off with your mouth swallowing him effortlessly as he kept you wrapped around him. The gun now visible. 

"This turn you on?" 

You nodded as he traced your cheek. 

"Stand up..." 

"Barry..." You gasped as he traced your lower lips with the barrel. 

"I have another idea for you..." Your eyes widened as he set the gun in your palm before his middle finger came to your clit. 

"You deserve that money as much as I do after how they left you...So you're gonna go get it...and come back..and I'll show you how proud I am of you, baby..."

"Barry-"

"Ride my hand..." You mindlessly agreed. 

"You think you came hard before...just wait until you come back with my money..." He withdrew his hand, smacked your ass, and threw his shirt back at you. 

"And don't even think of cleaning up. I want them to know how you paid for their mistakes. And how I'll reward you for them…"

TAGLIST: @hopebaker @drewspisces @penny4yourthoughts @magnificantmermaid @pickingviolets @lovedetlost @trikigirl271 @maybankslover @slut4tangerine @slvtherinseeker @obxiskewl @bluesongbird @slut-era @ailee-celeste @camilynn @sweetestdesire @onmykneesforrafe @jjmaybanksangel @phildunphyisadilf @mashdan0916

MASTERLIST

BARRY MASTERLIST

MARCH MADNESS MASTERLIST

[heybiji]

How is Bionic doing… I want to know so much about him… and Marlow…

Bionic seems to be trying to get the alien girl, Eridani, to use her alien tech to help him out with his robot body that he says is getting old. He was also interested in her using her brain-connection telepathy to confirm if he has a brain... The people that put him together tell him they salvaged most of his brain but he's not sure if he believes them.

Other than that he's doing okay! and so is his giant tortoise, Barry.

oh and in-universe their version of the energizer bunny batteries are Bionic Boy Batteries that keep going and going and going because it felt particularly cruel and funny with Bionic's worries that he's falling apart haha

Marlow/Feral made her first appearance in-game on the news where she took credit for the hero work the teenagers did at a fashion house belonging to world famous designer Frederic Farrow ("dresses and messes, sweetheart, dresses and messes."). Feral doesn't have a supersuit that transforms with her, so instead fashion designers have her wear one-time looks every time she's out superheroing, and because a naked woman on the news isn't good for the brand, whenever she turns back to a human she makes use of pieces of fabric she finds around (people's scarves, banners, Lost Dog printouts) and it is always a fashion statement.

this is why in her first appearance she was seen wearing a shredded version of the Frederic Farrow original suit designed for Overlook's #1 superhero, Apollo, for the February issue of Vogue. the public lauded her in it and said she looked even better than Apollo did in the February issue of Vogue (which Apollo is quietly not happy about).

(very important to constantly repeat "apollo for the february issue of vogue" over and over again because I did in the session, also because Overlook isn't the #1 superhero city so it's not like he's gonna be in the JANUARY issue of Vogue!)

other little things: she has an appalachian accent, she's frequently spotted in the private celebrity club The Turning Point, and she has her own perfume called BITE by Feral

[bluejaysandblackbats]

It's That Time Again!!! (1/5)

Through All of Time and Space: Space alien, Thad Thawne, falls to Earth and takes on the form of Bart Allen, making minor changes according to what he saw in orbit... Tim Drake mistakes him for an angel. (yj98/flashfam; TimThad also TimBart; space alien AU)

A Love For All Seasons: Jay Garrick catalogs the first five years of Judy's life. (flashfam/jsa; JayJoan; no powers AU)

magic yellow lightning: AU where Barry keeps Bart while he recovers from a near-death experience. Bart is four years old, and Barry suggests it'd be best for Bart to stay with him on his vacation. (flashfam; BarryIris; no powers AU)

in between seconds: Don goes to the past to speak with his son, knowing his next mission might be his last. They speak to each other between seconds. (flashfam; MeloniDon; canon divergent AU)

Comfortably Wrong, Painfully Right: Bart accidentally sends two similar text messages to Conner and Preston. (flashfam/yj98; KonBart and PrestonBart)

A Joyful Rebellion: AU where Meloni Thawne recalls her time with Digger Harkness. (flashfam/flash rogues; DiggerMeloni)

Nothing But Time: Tim and Thad are roommates and freshman year classmates at Brentwood Academy. Both tightly wound boys struggle to overcome their differences to pass the class's partner assignment. (yj98/batfam/flashfam; TimThad; boarding school AU/no capes AU)

✨Snippets of the fics under the cut to help you guys decide✨

Through All of Time and Space:

The subject’s name is Tim. Bipedal human creature. Non-childbearing. Blue eyes, dark hair, and fewer organs than documented in human literature. I believe something in him is broken. I wonder if he’ll be useful to me in the future despite this. For now, he’s chosen to keep me a secret. I believe this is for his benefit. He doubts his mental faculties despite my original subject, Bart’s declaration of his intelligence. I needed his assistance to assimilate into Earth's culture. 

Tim’s expressions change when he looks at me. His heartbeat slows and his eyes waver as he studies my form. He fails to understand that Bart is my blueprint for appearance and nothing more. I tried to explain it but the explanations only upset him. Human emotion feels complicated. I took the form of someone he had a fondness for, but he looks at me with pain in his eyes and a heaviness in his heart. I apologize to him for it, and he smiles. I don’t understand him. But I want to.

A Love For All Seasons:

Day One: As she lay on my chest, I remembered touching her little head. It was the size of my palm. My heart skipped a beat and found the rhythm of hers. I glanced at Joan as she slept peacefully in her hospital bed, wondering how she could remain so calm. I felt her hands and feet, counting her fingers and toes as tears streamed down my cheeks. How could I ever sleep again? How could I ever relax, knowing her tiny life was in my hands? Her little head that couldn’t fill up my entire palm? Her tiny fragile body with her perfect little face—. She had a full head of hair. It was the last thing I noticed. I spent so much time worrying that I didn’t notice my daughter’s full head of beautiful brown hair. I didn’t notice my eyes and nose and mouth translated onto her little face. It all sank in at that moment. I would love her forever.

magic yellow lightning:

I put his red rubber rain boots on as he sat with his hands stretched out. “Grandpa? Am I magic now?” Bart questioned. 

“Huh?” I asked in reply.

“I got shocked-ed by lightning. Am I magic now?” Bart asked. I smiled as I held his hand. 

There was no harm in letting him see the accident in a fun light. He survived and that was all that mattered. “Yup… And now that we’ve both been struck by lightning, I can tell you all my magic secrets. You can help me make my potions,” I answered. Bart smiled with his eyes shut. “You can open your eyes. If you keep them closed, we won’t be able to tell if you’ve gotten your sight back.” 

“It’s not bad to open them?” Bart questioned. I kneeled beside him, rubbing a smudge on his cheek with my finger. 

“No, it’s not bad. It’s helpful. You’ll start to see lights again, then shapes, and your sight should come back fully in a few days. It happened to me, too. You’re so brave, Bart. I was really scared when it happened to me, but I’m so proud of you. You’ve been such a big boy,” I commended him. He reached up for me to carry him, and I felt his body go limp in my arms. 

“Not seeing makes me sleepy, Grandpa,” Bart mumbled. I rubbed his back, wondering if I upset him. “How am I gonna watch SpongeBob?” I held back a laugh. 

in between seconds:

Time is a lot like origami paper to me. If I use the speed force like fingers, I can fold a straight line into a three-dimensional object. And in those folds are points in time. When Bart was born, I could feel all the creases in time where he touched. So, I searched for a crease in time where he would understand. I kissed my Bart goodbye and ventured through the folds of time until I saw an opening. A pocket in time where he and I could talk. I waited for him to feel my presence in his time. Bart. 

I felt him before I recognized his face. The speed force carries unique energy for all of us. Dawn felt like cool air like the inside of a tornado. Wally felt like the rumble in a thunderstorm. Bart’s energy felt like rippling rays of sunlight, almost like water. Uncontrolled but uniform. 

He met me in a space between milliseconds. “You’re not supposed to be here,” Bart stated. It wasn’t accusatory. It was an observation. My breath caught, and I wanted to cry, but I had an urgency in me that wouldn’t allow it. Not yet. I touched his face, and he gasped. 

“Dad?” Bart questioned as tears streamed down his cheeks. He knew me by energy alone. I nodded. 

“Hi, Bubs… We’ve got a lot of catching up to do. Don’t we?” I asked, still holding back my tears as I held his face in my hands. I was pure energy, but he was flesh and blood. My flesh and blood. 

Comfortably Wrong, Painfully RIght:

“Okay… Let me get this right: You have a crush on Kon. You have a crush on Preston. You couldn’t decide which one you wanted to ask out, and you were so baked you sent them the same question. Am I getting this?” Cassie questioned. 

Bart nodded. “Oh, you’re fucked. Like this is better than TV,” Cassie laughed. 

“You’re not helping,” Bart half-shouted before lowering his voice, “They’re both coming tonight. I can’t cancel on Preston because he went through a lot to come here, and—.” 

“Cancel on Conner,” Cassie interrupted. 

“I can’t. How do I tell him I take it back?” Bart replied. Cassie groaned. “Exactly!”

A Joyful Rebellion:

I sat there next to him, hiding in a brand-new HDPE pipe for my father’s new construction project. He pushed his feet out, attempting to roll us, and I laughed. “Hey, amnesia boy… Do you wanna do something bad?” I questioned. He grinned, moving to take off his jacket and shirt while I took a lighter out of my pocket. His eyes widened, and he backed away.

“Kinky… But I prefer my pleasure without pain,” he chuckled. I shook my head and climbed over his lap and out of the tube. He followed me, and I reached down into his pocket for his flask. 

“Wanna see something cool?” I questioned. He bounced his head from side-to-side, and I walked toward the wooden structure of the building and took a swig of his ancient alcohol before spitting and lighting a fire. He hooked an arm around my stomach and pulled me away from the blaze as he laughed. 

He rocked as he walked me back and away with two strong arms wrapped around me. “Good on ya! Fuck that building,” he smiled into my neck. He understood me. Even if it was on a base level, he could accept my actions without any explanation. He didn’t care who my father was. All that mattered was me and what I wanted, and I wanted him. 

“It’s my dad’s,” I replied. He froze, resting his chin on my shoulder. 

“Fuck him,” he whispered. And the weight fell off of me. “Yeah, fuck him. What does he matter? Whatever he did to make you feel this way… Fuck him.” 

Nothing But Time:

Thad sighed as he sprayed the room with an air freshener and opened the window. “God,” Thad groaned as he stifled a gag. He asked for a new roommate, but he didn’t expect someone like that. He covered his mouth and nose with one hand as he looked around in horror at the clothes strewn across the beds and floor. Open soda cans lined the nightstand and dressers. A used bandaid rested on the dresser. He stepped outside, waiting for his new roommate to arrive, growing more and more agitated as time progressed.

[inthedayswhenlandswerefew]

North To The Future [Chapter 9: A Long December]

The year is 1999. You are just beginning your veterinary practice in Juneau, Alaska. Aegon is a mysterious, troubled newcomer to town. You kind of hate him. You are also kind of obsessed with him. Falling for him might legitimately ruin your life…but can you help it? Oh, and there’s a serial killer on the loose known only as the Ice Fisher.

A/N: While “A Long December” was originally released by Counting Crows in 1996 (and is thus compliant with the 90s theme), the version I listen to most is Girlhouse’s cover from 2022. So maybe check that out. It is a bop!

Chapter warnings: Language, alcoholism, addiction, murder, discussions of sex, a tiny bit of sexual content, Christmas with Momtini and Dadtini, Kimmie making a realization, Aegon making a drink, Appletini making plans, Trent making some killer pool shots, the Ice Fisher getting into the holiday spirit, please enjoy this nice little respite before the events of Chapter 10. :)

Word count: 6.9k.

Link to chapter list (and all my writing): HERE.

Taglist: ​​​​@elsolario​ @ladylannisterxo​ @doingfondue​ @tclegane​ @quartzs-posts​ @liathelioness​ @aemcndtargaryen​ @thelittleswanao3​ @burningcoffeetimetravel​ @hinata7346​ @poohxlove​ @borikenlove​ @myspotofcraziness​ @travelingmypassion​ @graykageyama​ @skythighs​ @lauraneedstochill​ @darlingimafangirl​ @charenlie​ @thewew​ @eddies-bat-tattoos​ @minttea07​ @joliettes​ @trifoliumviridi​ @bornbetter​ @flowerpotmage​ @thewitch-lives​ @courtenbae​ @tempt-ress​ @padfooteyes​ @teenagecriminalmastermind​ @chelsey01​ @anditsmywholeheart​ 

Please let me know if you’d like to be added to the taglist! 💜

You descend the staircase gingery, sheepishly. Your socks slip on the hardwood steps like tires on black ice. You’re trying to avoid your parents, but you can’t wait any longer to eat breakfast or you’ll be late for work. They’re bustling around in the kitchen: cracking eggs, chitchatting, banging plates and pans, cooing over Sunfyre, listening to an R.E.M. album that spins on the record player.

When you walk in, your dad is standing by the stove wearing the apron you got him for his 50th birthday. Pizza Slut, it says. He grins and wiggles his eyebrows. “Hey, ladybug.”

“Oh no.”

“I heard you come home pretty late last night. And then you got right into the shower. Hmm.”

“Hmm!” your mom concurs joyfully.

Your dad nods to the pan he’s hovering over, wielding a spatula. “Salmon omelet?”

You sigh, defeated; and yet, you must admit, you love salmon omelets. “Yeah, sure.” You sit down at the table next to your mom. She’s drinking Earl Grey tea smokey with cream and reading a newspaper: Halle Barry is marrying a jazz musician, Puff Daddy’s Notorious.com is looking for a venture capitalist willing to invest $7.5 million in startup funding, a man was arrested in Times Square for threatening President Clinton, the Nasdaq composite index—fueled largely by the dot-com boom—could hit 5,000 by the end of 2000. You wonder what Aegon’s family is doing right now. Do outrageously wealthy people eat omelets and decorate Christmas trees? Do they hop from store to store in some glitzy metropolitan mall hunting for presents—KB Toys, the Disney Store, Hallmark, Bath and Body Works, Hot Topic, RadioShack, Claire’s, Wet Seal, Yankee Candle—before grabbing a late-afternoon snack at Cinnabon or Sbarro, maybe a smoothie from Orange Julius? Or do they just sit in their mansions under vast unsmiling portraits until they grow dusty and turn to stone: gargoyles, angels, lions bearing their fangs? Are they still human at all?

“How’s Trent doing?” your mom asks. “Still trying to get into the Forest Service?”

“As far as I know. But that’s not who I was with last night.”

Your dad sets an omelet down in front of you, along with a glass of orange juice and one of the same Flintstones multivitamins you’ve been taking since you were in preschool. Jesse used to give me those, you think randomly, recalling the reminders he penned in his clandestine journals. When he was around. When he was sober. Your parents exchange a wary glance. “Oh?” your dad ventures in a squeak, trying to sound casual.

You could lie, but you don’t. Juneau is too small for lies. People know each other too well, they bump elbows in grocery stores and bars and parking lots; they make overly-familiar small talk and inadvertently spill secrets. The last thing you need is someone teasing Trent good-naturedly about your supposed night of passion. He might be dumb, but if he ever gets all the pieces in his titan hands he’ll eventually figure out how they click together. “I was, uh, actually, uh…visiting Aegon.”

They watch you, faces frozen in forced, benign smiles. You pet the top of Sunfyre’s shaggy head with your left hand and stab a fork into the salmon omelet with your right. “Well, that’s great!” your dad manages. “He’s a nice boy, that Aegon. So Greek. And plenty sexy, as we’ve previously established.”

“Is he feeling better?” your mom asks politely, slurping her tea.

“Oh yeah. Much better.” It comes out way too enthusiastic, and hot blood floods into your face. Your parents chuckle…and yet their eyes are troubled, distant, though perhaps in different directions. “Just so you know, things aren’t really working out with Trent. I’m trying to let it fizzle so there isn’t any drama that makes things awkward or creates any…uh…bad blood, I guess. So if you see him around, definitely don’t mention Aegon.”

Your dad does a mock salute. “Got it, General Ladybug.”

“What are Aegon’s plans for Christmas?” your mom inquires. Your dad turns to her, but doesn’t say anything. “It must be difficult for him, being so far from home. Especially around the holidays. I would hate for him to be alone.”

Probably drinking himself into unconsciousness while watching Jingle All The Way and Die Hard. “I don’t know, that’s a good question. I should ask him.”

“He can spend Christmas here with us, if he’d like.” Your mom finishes her tea, sets the cup down on the table, fiddles with it. “We’ll have more than enough food. And we could find a few things to wrap for him so he has presents to open.”

“Now if that’s not holiday spirit, I don’t know what is!” your dad says happily; and if he’s bluffing, he’s good at not showing it. He kisses your mom on the cheek, resting his study hands on her shoulders. She smiles up at him.

You wolf down the last few bites of your salmon omelet, chew your vitamin, knock back orange juice like a shot. “Alright, I should get going, or I won’t be back in time to open the vet clinic at 9.”

“I can always hold down the fort for a few hours,” your dad offers.

“No, that’s okay. I appreciate it, but I don’t want to bother you.” I don’t want to disappoint you. I don’t want to let you down. “You’ve earned retirement. Enjoy all the Judge Judy and Buffy The Vampire Slayer you can handle.” You pet Sunfyre and tug playfully on his ears. His tail wags at warp speed. “Are you ready to go home to your favorite person now? Are you excited?”

Your dad lumbers off into the kitchen. “Here, bring Aegon some breakfast too…” He piles a salmon omelet, a mountain of hash browns, and toast slathered with butter and strawberry jelly into a Tupperware container. You take it and glance out the window that faces the driveway.

“Oh, great. Dad?”

“Yeah?”

“The cow moose is out there licking the road salt off my Jeep. Can you get rid of her?”

“Again?! Okay, I’m on it.” He grabs some pots out of the cabinet and heads outside. You can hear him beating the pots together and shouting: “Goodbye, moose! You live in the woods, not the driveway! Goodbye! Au revoir! Adios, mooseachos!”

At the kitchen table, your mom laughs. She’s still tinkering anxiously with her cup. “Only in Alaska.”

“You’re really alright with Aegon coming over for Christmas?”

“Of course. I’d prefer it, actually. I’d rather know he’s safe. Not alone, not in trouble.”

“Even though he might end up passed out under the tree?”

She smiles: faint, tired, melancholic. “I’ve seen worse.”

When you let yourself into Aegon’s apartment, he’s dressed for work and self-medicating with a rum and Coke mixed in a cereal bowl; it’s the only dish he has that’s currently clean. Sunfyre bolts to him, barking wildly and jumping up to prop his paws on Aegon’s chest as you slide the Tupperware onto the kitchen counter.

“Hey, buddy!” Aegon cries, ecstatic. “I missed you! Yes I did! Who’s a good boy? Who’s a good boy?!”

“Where are you going?” you ask, scrutinizing him.

“Fishing,” he says simply, like this should be obvious.

“I don’t think you should be going back to work this soon. You just got out of the hospital.”

He shrugs. “I need the money.”

“I can give you money.”

“You definitely could, but I don’t want your money, I want my money. Besides, Trent won’t be able to protect my job forever. If I can’t work, Rusty will find someone else who can.”

“Trent,” you echo morosely, staring at nothing in particular.

Aegon downs the rest of his rum and Coke, then puts his bowl in the sink. He walks over to you, his oceanic eyes cautious, his lock of white-blond hair resting on his cheek. “What did he do to you? At dinner, I mean. Before you called me.”

You take his left hand and turn it over, studying the lines on his palm: past, present, future, all in a language you can’t read. You hesitate; you can’t decide what to tell Aegon. You aren’t sure what you want him to know.

“He didn’t hurt you, right? Or try to touch you in a way you didn’t want him to?”

“He kissed me. I pushed him off. That’s all.”

Aegon watches you, eyes severe and glinting. “That’s not all.”

“I tried to break up with him at the restaurant,” you confess. “First he acted like he didn’t understand. Then he got upset, offended. We agreed to slow down, but I’m not sure what he thinks that means. Maybe he’s planning a summer engagement instead of a spring one, I have no idea.”

“You made him angry.” Aegon’s voice is flat, entirely flat, like he’s battling to keep it that way. “I thought we agreed not to make him angry.”

“Well I didn’t do it on purpose, Aegon.”

“No no no, my bad, let me clarify, I’m not mad at you. I just don’t understand why you would be so direct about it. I’ve broken up with a lot of people without actually breaking up with them. You ignore, you deflect, you do the bare minimum, you are intentionally unappealing in every way…and then eventually they move on. That’s the way to go. That’s how you avoid confrontations.”

“I don’t want this thing with Trent to die a slow death.” Oh, perhaps a poor choice of words. “I don’t want to be with him, to even keep up the facade of being with him. I want to be with you. I want to be with you in every way, everywhere, all the time.”

Aegon smiles. He twists his fingers into your hair and touches his forehead to yours and then kisses you, softly and unhurriedly. As he pulls away, he gently bites your lower lip; his fingertips ghost across the front of your throat like a necklace, like a chain. You moan into him, unable to help it. “I won’t go to work if you don’t either,” Aegon murmurs.

“I, an eternally upstanding citizen, definitely have to go to work.”

“Man, fuck capitalism,” he says, and you laugh together.

Something occurs to you. “You didn’t wait for Kimmie to move on. You broke up with her.”

“Yeah, I did.”

“Why?”

“Because I had another candidate in mind for the extremely prestigious position of being my Juneau girl.”

You tuck his hair behind his ear and kiss him again: heat, rum, memories from the night before. Lust stirs up in your blood like ancient silt in seawater. “Please be careful at work.”

“I will, Appletini. I will. Don’t worry. You’re always worrying about things that haven’t happened yet. There’s no point in that.”

“I think I’m just someone who’s doomed to worry a lot in general.”

He grins. “Yes. But I’m your favorite thing to worry about.” He lays his palm against your right cheek and kisses your left: quickly, lightly, like it’s routine, like he’ll be doing it every day for the rest of his life. “Have fun at the vet clinic. Saving all those furry little lives.”

“I’ll see you at Ursa Minor tonight?”

He winks. “I’ll be the one with the electric guitar.”

~~~~~~~~~~

You get stuck late at the clinic spaying Mr. Mark Morehouse’s Flemish Giant rabbit. By the time you rush through the front door of Ursa Minor—bells jangling, a gust of cold wind at your heels, patrons glancing over with vague interest—the band is already performing. Aegon is wearing his cuffed jeans, black combat boots, and, in a radical departure from his usual color scheme, a royal blue turtleneck sweater. He’s braided a section of his hair on the left side of his head and woven a single, small, blue-dyed rose into it. He gives you a subtle nod when he sees you come in, a sly half-smile. He’s singing a punk rock, up-tempo version of Counting Crow’s A Long December.

“I can’t remember the last thing that you said as you were leaving, now the days go by so fast…”

“Heyyy, bitch!” Heather greets you, raising her Sex On The Beach. Joyce and Kimmie are swaying together, brandishing lighters in the air: Joyce smirking and reluctant, Kimmie—a born groupie—shamelessly exuberant. You swing by the bar to get a Bacardi Breezer (blueberry, very good, one of the better flavors) and stand beside Heather. You gaze at Aegon as he strums his battered guitar, and the parallel strikes you for the first time. Aegon too is layered with imperfections: scars, marks, ink, demons with gnashing fangs and needlelike fingers that dangle past their knees. And yet what he gives to the world is so beautiful. And yet he is so goddamn miraculous.

“I can’t remember all the times I tried to tell my myself to hold on to these moments as they pass…”

It takes you a long time to notice that Kimmie is watching you. Something clicks like a dislocated joint popped back into its socket; and that’s the way it’s always been with Kimmie, since she was a child, since she was a five-year-old chasing boys around the playground at recess. The hints pile up—a lot of hints, sometimes years of hints—until eventually there’s an avalanche of realization that hits and drags her under like a rogue wave. She sucks in a breath and her doelike eyes shoot wide open. You try to pretend you didn’t see anything, but that’s not Kimmie’s style. She pushes her way through the audience and grabs your wrist, hauling you away from the crowd. Heather observes this, slurping down her Sex On The Beach, trying to ascertain if you need reinforcements.

“What—?!”

“I didn’t know,” Kimmie says, like it’s an apology. Her eyes are pained and fearful, a deer bathed in headlights.

“You didn’t know what?”

“That you’re in love with him.” Her voice is reedy and trembling. She’s petrified, you realize. She’s afraid that I’ll never be able to be her friend again. Not a true friend, not a pure one. “I swear to God, I didn’t know. I even asked you first. I never would have hooked up with him if I had known, never, never. I’m so sorry. I’m so so so sorry. It didn’t mean anything, it wasn’t like we had real feelings for each other—”

“Kimmie, Kimmie, it’s fine,” you soothe, rubbing her shoulder. She’s wearing a ridiculously fluffy hot pink sweater; it’s like petting a neon sheep. “I’m the one who wasn’t upfront with you. I didn’t think Aegon and I had a chance, so I was purposefully trying to avoid him, to avoid any feelings I had for him. It didn’t work out that way, but…yeah. Anyway. I don’t blame you for anything.”

“Oh my god, so you’re together? Like, together?” Kimmie blinks at you, shocked but not scandalized. You’re not sure it’s possible to scandalize Kimmie.

“We don’t really want everyone to know about it.”

“Oh, because of Trent?”

Now it’s your turn to be shocked. Maybe some of those genius professor genetics made it down the Plinko board after all. “Exactly.”

“Jesus Christ, he’d probably snap Aegon in half if he knew. Like a freaking KitKat bar.”

“That’s a mental image I didn’t need.”

“I won’t tell anyone,” Kimmie swears, empowered by this rare, consequential responsibility.

“I really, really appreciate your discretion.”

“You and Aegon, wow…” She mulls it over, baffled. “So you’re pretty kinky too? I wouldn’t have guessed that. You should have told me! We could have gone shopping together!”

Shopping with Kimmie for fuzzy handcuffs and riding crops and, who knows, probably like vibrating butt plugs or something. I don’t think I’m emotionally prepared for that. I will most likely never be emotionally prepared for that. “Boundaries, Kimmie. Honestly, I haven’t seen that side of him. At least not in my albeit limited experience.”

“Huh,” Kimmie says brightly. “I guess he’s in love with you too.” And then she trots off to rejoin the crowd. Boat #27 has concluded their performance and is accepting cheers of acclaim and complimentary drinks from their adoring fans. Joyce hugs Rob, climbing onto her tiptoes and giggling. Joyce!? Giggling!?!? You grab another Bacardi Breezer before heading over, raspberry this time.

“Hey, babe!” Trent booms when he sees you.

Oh god. Oh no. You shrink away when he throws an arm across your shoulders. Aegon watches this as he approaches, sipping a rum and Coke, eyes like blue embers.

“Right,” Trent groans, like it’s some grave inconvenience, like it’s some passing fad he has to endure. “I remember now. We’re taking things slow.”

The clique assembles by the pool table like battle-ready Power Rangers: you, Trent, Joyce, Rob, Heather, Kimmie, Aegon. “Someone should play!” you say, truly a master of redirection.

Trent flips his hair. “Obviously I’m down.” He looks at you expectantly. You ignore him, drinking your Bacardi Breezer and then pretending to drink it once it’s empty.

“Oh, you are going down.” Heather cracks her knuckles and grins, then picks up a cue stick.

“Battle royal!” Rob announces. Joyce sighs and pulls a fantasy novel out of her purse. Kimmie perches on the edge of the pool table: legs crossed, eyes roving, gold hoop earrings glittering under Christmas lights, seeking attention and drawing it to her like Saturn ensnares moons. A gaggle of bashful men appear out of nowhere to worship her. Dale’s stereo pipes out Mariah Carey’s All I Want For Christmas Is You. Dale himself is wearing a red Santa hat and yawning boredly into the back of his hand.

“I need another drink,” you say, and head for the bar. Aegon follows you.

“You don’t want a Bacardi Breezer.”

“I don’t?”

“No. You don’t.” He flags Dale over once you’ve claimed your seats. “Hey Dale, did you get the stuff on the list I gave you?”

“Sure did.” Dale sets an array of items on the bar: apple juice, lemon juice, florescent green apple schnapps, vodka, a single Granny Smith apple, a paring knife, a shaker halfway filled with ice, a small plate covered with sugar, two chilled martini glasses. “You owe me, though. Especially for the schnapps. I had to order a case all the way from Seattle!”

“Add it to my tab.”

“Which you’ll pay when? In 2023?”

“I’ll pay, Dale!” Aegon insists.

Dale rolls his eyes, but he doesn’t seem genuinely annoyed. “Sure you will.” He yawns again and ambles away to take the orders of some locals sitting at the other end of the bar. The thuds of his boots are heavy and slow on the hardwood floor, the same one Aegon almost died on nine days ago.

“What are we doing?” you ask, but you’re already smiling. You have a pretty good guess.

“We’re making appletinis,” Aegon replies.

“You knew how to make appletinis this entire time and never said anything?”

“Oh no, I definitely did not,” he says. “I found the phone number of a friend I met back in San Francisco and figured she might know. She’s a bartender. So I gave her a call and asked very, very nicely and sure enough, she had a recipe.” He pauses, contemplative. “I told her I was in Chicago. Just in case.”

Just in case his ghost manages to track her down. “Have you seen this friend naked?”

“Does it matter?”

“No,” you say, and you find that you mean it. Aegon is here with you now, and that’s all you can ask for. Still, his commitment to relative honestly seems enduring.

“The answer is yes. But it wasn’t like it is with you.”

“Really, it doesn’t matter. I’m not mad or anything.”

“Yeah, you don’t look mad.”

You smile at each other, Christmas-light sparks in your eyes, alone in a crowded room. Well…alone except for Mariah Carey. “Anyway,” you prompt. “Am I getting a real-life appletini or what?”

“Let’s do this. Uh…” He furrows his brow, trying to remember. “Okay. I think I know how it goes.” He adds apple juice and lemon juice to the shaker. He doesn’t measure; he estimates, splashing in a little at a time until he’s content. He caps the container, gives it a few vigorous shakes, then opens it again. He pours in the schnapps and vodka, then shakes again. “Cut a few slices off the apple, vet lady. Nice and thin.”

You do, four transparent crescent-moon slivers. Aegon rubs lemon juice around the rim of each martini glass with his ring finger and then dunks them in the sugar until the rims are covered in fine white crystals like snow. He garnishes the martini glasses with the apple slices, gives the shaker one last whirl, then empties the contents into the glasses: half for you, half for him. He hands you your introductory appletini and toasts his glass against yours.

“On three?” Aegon asks, and you nod, beaming. You count together: one, two, three.

Your first taste isn’t a tentative sip. You take a full, brave swallow of the vivid green brew. It’s jarringly sour, sticky-sweet, crisp and refreshing like springtime. “Oh, I love it!” you trill.

“It’s…uh…” He takes another investigative slurp. “It’s definitely appley.”

“You hate it,” you say, laughing.

“I don’t hate it,” he counters. “I like what it’s doing to you.”

You close your eyes, the sights and sounds of Ursa Minor fading away. You’re somewhere sleek and vibrant and new; you’re in New York City, you’re in Los Angeles, you’re in Las Vegas, you’re in San Diego. When you open your eyes, Aegon is smiling. “Sorry. I was teleporting.”

“Do you want the rest of mine?”

“Yeah,” you admit guiltily, and he slides his appletini over to rest by yours. You drain them both. “I’m like Jack Dawson. I’m the king of the world.”

“You’re very, very cute when you’re tipsy, that’s what you are.”

“My parents think you should spend Christmas with us. I think you should too.”

“Really?”

“Really.”

“Okay. Don’t buy me anything fancy, though. I won’t be able to return the favor.”

“Sad impoverished homeless man gifts only. You have my word.”

“Hey!” Heather calls from the pool table. She’s waving her cue stick in the air. “I lost! I’m a loser! I got slaughtered by this jumbo-sized motherfucker! And you weren’t even here to witness it!”

“We should go over there,” you tell Aegon, and he steadies you when you wobble as you slide off the barstool. “Oh, god, I’m sorry.”

“It’s cool. Now I have an excuse to touch you.”

“Dale, can I get some Chex Mix or something?” He tosses you a little blue bag from behind the bar. You miss it completely. It sails over your head and smacks into the floor. Aegon cackles hysterically, but fetches the bag. He even opens it before he hands it to you. Then you set off together for the pool table.

“What’s wrong with you?” Heather asks when you arrive, her eyes narrow.

“I like appletinis. I really like appletinis.”

“It’s December 22nd, the commencement of Capricorn season, and you are celebrating this momentous event with an uncharacteristic display of recklessness and frivolity? Inauspicious!”

“What did I miss? Besides your humiliation.”

“Flintstones vitamins,” Rob says, rubbing blue chalk on a cue stick. He and Trent are playing pool now; Trent is showing Kimmie and several of her sycophants, including Matt and Gary, how he can make a shot with his hands behind his back. Aegon circles the pool table, his hands in his jeans pockets, watching Trent reticently. “Childish and stupid or totally acceptable for mid-twenties adults?”

“Totally acceptable,” you declare, munching on Chex Mix. “I just had one this morning.”

“That’s what I said!” Kimmie cries. “They’re delicious. I could eat a whole bottle of them. I used to lie to my mom when I was a kid and insist she hadn’t given one to me yet so I could get extra. My high score was five in a day.”

“That can’t be good for you,” Heather says. “Wait. Maybe it explains some things.”

“A lot of things,” Joyce quips, turning a page in her book.

Kimmie defers to you, the foremost medical authority present. “Vitamins can’t hurt people, right?”

“Well, that depends on the vitamin.”

“Some can,” Aegon says. “The fat-soluble ones, because your body can’t flush them out as easily or something. Too much Vitamin A can really fuck someone up. There are people who’ve died because they ate a polar bear liver, which has, like, millions of units of Vitamin A. So if you ever happen to eat a polar bear, skip the liver.”

“You can overdose on vitamins?” Kimmie asks him, puzzled. “Like, vitamins can kill you?”

“Oh yeah, lots of things can kill you if you take enough of them. Too much Vitamin A can cause seizures and comas, Vitamin D can give you a heart attack, Vitamin E can make you hemorrhage out of your eyeballs and stuff. And it causes strokes.”

“Oh snap!” Kimmie exclaims in horror, thinking that perhaps she barely escaped with her life. Heather is thoroughly amused.

You look at Aegon as he passes by you like a satellite whirling around the Earth, a blinking light in suffocating darkness. He’s right, but he shouldn’t be. He hasn’t studied medicine. He hasn’t studied much of anything. “How do you know all that?”

He replies curtly: “How do you think?” And then he resumes his orbit.

Rob attempts a shot and misses. “Ha!” Trent says, flipping his hair, and then starts lining up his own. As he leans over the pool table, he asks you: “So, where were you last night?”

Your mind, already hazy, goes useless. Cold sweat bubbles up out of your pores. “What? At home.”

“No you weren’t.” His eyes are on you like a wolf’s, like a beast’s. “I called the house. A couple times, actually. I felt weird about how we left things and wanted to apologize. But no one answered.”

“Oh, sorry, I mean I was at home, but then I went to go bowling with my parents.”

“No you didn’t.” Trent’s cue stick hits the striped red ball, number 11, and sends it hurtling into a pocket. “I already asked Dale. He’s in the bowling league, and he said you weren’t there.”

Two lies. And I don’t have a third. You stand there helplessly, surrounded by Christmas lights and tinsel and pine trees, your thoughts churning slowly, slower, dragging to a full stop. The chatter around you dies down. Wide eyes dart between you and Trent. Joyce closes her book. Even Dale is peeking over from the bar. His face is crisscrossed with lines of disapproval, of fascination.

“Where were you, huh?” Trent takes a step closer. He’s huge. He’s so fucking huge. Aegon picks up the black 8 ball off the pool table; no one else notices but you.

“Trent,” Heather scolds her brother, stunned. “Take a chill pill—”

“Where were you?!” Trent demands.

You try to conjure up an excuse, any excuse. All you can think of is how badly you don’t want to end up at the bottom of an ice-covered lake. I can’t die, I haven’t done anything yet. I haven’t been anywhere yet. I haven’t seen San Diego.

Trent begins one final time, still clutching the cue stick, his voice deafening: “Where were—?!”

“She was with me!” Kimmie bursts out, and everyone spins towards her. “I, um, I was upset. Devastated, in fact. Because of, um. Boy problems.”

Heather titters nervously. “What else is new.”

“So I called and I was an absolute blubbering mess on the phone and she offered to come over and hang out. Watch Buffy with me. Do my nails and stuff. It’s really embarrassing.” She smiles at you, a soft glowing smile. “Thanks for trying to keep my secret.”

“No problem, Kimmie,” you reply shakily.

“Oh, babe!” Trent says, his face splitting into a smile, pressing a hand into the small of your back. He even flips his hair in that simpleminded, horselike way. He can’t be the Ice Fisher. He can’t be…right? You flinch when he touches you. On the periphery of your vision, you can see Aegon rolling the black 8 ball back onto the pool table. “That’s all?! You should have told me!”

“It really wasn’t my situation to share.”

“Damn, I’m sorry.” Trent seems to mean it. “I’m really sorry. That was a dick move, I don’t know what came over me.”

“Hulk smash?” Rob says, and there is laughter, quivering with fresh relief.

“I think I have to go,” you say, rubbing your forehead. “I’m really not feeling great.” And that part’s not even a lie. “I shouldn’t have mixed Bacardi Breezers and appletinis, I’m a total lightweight. And I have work in the morning. I’m supposed to vaccinate like ten of Mr. Campbell’s reindeer.”

“You want me to drive you home?” Trent offers.

No! Definitely not! “Thanks, but I couldn’t bear to interrupt your pool game. Especially when you’re winning.” You can tell Aegon is looking at you. You intentionally don’t acknowledge him. And now you realize that you’re a little trapped: you can’t say you’re driving yourself home because you’re not sober, and you can’t say that Aegon is walking you back to his apartment because then Trent might murder you both right here in the middle of Ursa Minor, blood splattering the deer heads mounted on the wall, femurs and vertebrae littering the pool table.

“I’ll do it!” Heather volunteers. “I’m super not-wasted at the moment.”

“Um, well…”

“Come on.” She’s already going to get your parka off the coatrack. “I can’t in good conscience let you vaccinate those reindeer without a full night’s sleep.” You trail after her, powerless to refuse.

Out in the night-draped parking lot, you haul yourself—with some difficulty—into Heather’s Chevy Suburban. And as she turns the key in the ignition and begins defrosting the windshield, you tell her: “When you leave the lot, make a left, not a right.”

“What? Why?”

“Because you’re not taking me home. You’re taking me to Aegon’s apartment.”

“I’m…?” She gapes at you as it sinks in like an anchor through dark surf. “Oh my god. Oh my god…?!”

“Affirmative.”

“Oh. My. GOD.” She puts the Suburban in drive and, as requested, makes a left onto Main Street.

Sunfyre is delighted to see you when you arrive. He leaps, barks, pirouettes in circles, accepts copious scratches and Milk-Bone treats. You collapse onto the threadbare couch, and he stretches out on the floor beside you, his quiet snoring soon the only sound in the apartment. Your eyes blur, flutter, close up shop. Maybe twenty minutes later, you hear a key rattling in the front door.

Aegon walks inside, his boots dripping with snow. He doesn’t seem surprised to see you. “You alright, Appletini?”

“Yeah, I’m kind of woozy but I mostly just wanted to leave.” You consider him, wondering how to ask him the question that won’t leave your mind. It claws at the arched walls of your skull like a trapped animal, leaving streaks of blood where its nails were torn away.

“I don’t want to talk about the vitamin thing,” he says.

“I don’t want to talk about Trent.”

“Deal.”

He throws off his parka and boots, turns on the X-Files, and crawls onto the couch with you. You fold into him and he holds you, not hungrily, not asking for a thing. You freefall into sleep with your head against his chest, his heartbeat a distant roar like thunder.

~~~~~~~~~~

The Ice Fisher has left Juneau a Christmas present: Stephanie Nolan, his fifth victim. She was twenty-five years old, an avid knitter, a Blockbuster employee, mother of several adopted Himalayan cats, one of three sisters born barely a year apart. At least her parents still have some children left, you think. At least the pressure to make their sacrifices worthwhile wasn’t all on her. Your dad sneaks a few minutes of news coverage while your mom is in the shower. They’re replaying the press conference that Chief of Police Eugene Baker gave late last night on Christmas Eve.

“We urge all Juneau residents to remain vigilant. This is the time of year for celebrations and get-togethers, and we don’t want to discourage that in any way, but no one—and I repeat, no one—should be outside alone, especially not after dark. Ms. Nolan left her place of employment to take a ten-minute smoke break, and that was all the opportunity the killer needed. He is still out there, he is still dangerous, and no one is immune from becoming a target. If you have any information relevant to this case, anything at all, please call our anonymous 24/7 hotline at…”

There are camera flashes, uneasy clamoring, flailing hands of reporters begging to be called on. Your dad crosses his arms over his broad chest, his face grim. A reporter asks Chief Baker: “I understand that the Juneau PD has brought in FBI profilers to help them identify possible suspects. Can you share any new theories with the public at this time?”

“Well, there are a couple likely possibilities. The Ice Fisher might be someone who is new to the area, someone who arrived this past summer or early autumn. Residents should therefore be extremely wary of newcomers. However, it might be the case that the killer isn’t new to the area at all, but rather suffered some sort of destabilizing event—loss of employment, for example, or the death of a loved one—that triggered their otherwise dormant violent impulses. The last theory I’m prepared to share today is that the criminal now known as the Ice Fisher might have been active long before this recent string of murders. Some serial killers have been known to…to test the waters, so to speak…with murders that can be camouflaged as accidental or natural deaths. That’s a possibility in this case, and we are combing back through the department archives to see if there are any answers there…”

“I should go pick up Aegon,” you say.

“Ladybug…” Your dad stalls, not wanting you to take it the wrong way. “I’m not saying that I think Aegon is the killer, because I don’t think he is. I know he’s not, actually. He doesn’t have much rage in him. He has a lot of other things, I believe, but not that. I’m just saying…you have to be careful. And he can’t keep an eye out for you if he’s passed out drunk somewhere. Do you get what I mean?”

“I understand, Dad. I’m careful. Really, I am. And I’m never running around town alone. If I’m not with Aegon, I’m with Heather or Kimmie or Joyce.”

“Or Trent,” he adds. He likes this idea; Trent might not be able to snap a murderer in two like a KitKat bar, but he could definitely crack a few ribs. Trent would be a great Mortal Kombat character. He could skewer foes with a cue stick, right through the eye socket. An icy shudder rocks down your spine.

“Or Trent.”

“Okay. Good.” He turns back to the tv, his eyes vacant, his voice low. “Just making sure.”

Aegon is dressed in his Christmas best: dark jeans, black Converses, his hair loose and wavy, a festive red sweater with Gizmo from Gremlins on it. You’ve opted for a more traditional Rudolph turtleneck. Sunfyre has a large red bow tied to his collar. The three of you ride together back to your parents’ house, the radio playing Celine Dion’s O Holy Night, one of the back windows rolled halfway down for Sunfyre.

Dinner is a reindeer roast, rosemary apple stuffing, potato gratin, homemade macaroni and cheese, and creamed spinach; dessert is Christmas cookies eaten under the tree. You open presents as a parade of classics play on the tv: Frosty The Snowman, How The Grinch Stole Christmas, The Year Without A Santa Claus. Your parents give Aegon cold-weather clothing like hats and mittens, which he accepts with great appreciation. He gives them a bouquet of blue roses and three bottles of red wine, only one of which he drinks himself. You give Aegon a refrigerator magnet from Caribou Crossings, a grizzly bear with a salmon caught between its teeth, something to join the rest of his collection, something to help him remember Juneau once he’s gone. He gives you a handful of seashells from San Diego that he’s been carting around in his luggage for a year. Everyone gives Sunfyre Milk-Bones.

When Aegon takes the golden retriever out to the backyard, your dad goes with them. You can see them talking out there as snow falls and the sun sets and the horizon is inked with violet and gold, the wind whipping fiercely: Aegon’s hands moving in wild, dramatic gestures, your dad nodding along. They’re gone for so long you start to worry, your fingers trembling as you and your mom play chess with the new set you received for Christmas, not black and white but pet-themed: one side dogs, the other cats.

Your dad comes back inside first. He shuts the door and says to you, not accusatory but merely intrigued: “I didn’t know you were serious about wanting to travel, ladybug.”

“Oh, yeah, I guess so. One day. When I’m retired, I guess. Doesn’t everyone want to travel?”

“Huh. Aegon made it sound a bit more urgent than that.”

He watches you defeat your mom in chess, makes her some mollifying Earl Grey tea, and then offers to play Scrabble with her, a proposition she can never resist. When Aegon brings Sunfyre back inside—the sky fully dark now, the stars rising behind the veil of clouds—you lead him upstairs to your room. You sit on your bed together and flip through your travel magazines, scenes of Paris, Cairo, New York City, Rome, Tokyo, Cape Town, Buenos Aires, Beijing, Saint Petersburg, Sydney, Las Vegas, Cusco, Athens, Mexico City, Nairobi, California.

“It’s strange,” Aegon says. “Your parents like me, but they also kind of don’t like me. It’s as if they’re afraid of me. I can’t figure them out.”

You think of the cardboard box under your bed, the one full of Jesse’s journals. “My mom was married before. Vince is her second husband.”

Aegon looks over at you, attentive but not understanding. “Okay.”

“I was five years old when they got together. So Vince is my dad, but he’s not…like…he’s not biologically…well, you get what I’m saying.”

Aegon closes the magazine he’d been skimming, still looking at you.

“My mom’s first husband was named Jesse. And he was…from what I understand…he was a lot like you.” You tap your index finger against the crook of your own elbow so Aegon will understand. He was brilliant, but he was an addict. He was a blessing, he was a curse.

Aegon nods slowly. “I guess that explains a lot.”

“I probably should have told you sooner. But I’ve never really told anyone.”

“What happened to him?”

“He drowned in the channel. Maybe it was an accident, maybe suicide. Maybe it doesn’t matter which one. Maybe there isn’t much of a difference.”

“I’m so sorry,” Aegon says, his voice quiet and gentle.

“I don’t want the same thing to happen to you.”

“It won’t. I told you. I’m not that easy to kill.”

You wonder if Aegon has become a ghost to his family, if he haunts the Targaryens like Jesse haunts you, half-comforting, half-heartbreaking, if after six long silent years his shadow still lurks in corners and doorways. You wonder if a ghost is really so far from what you are. “I want to stop feeling like a potential person, to stop waiting for the life I’ve always dreamed of to drop out of the sky. I want to feel real.”

“You’re real to me.” He dusts his thumbprint across the curve of your cheekbone, flesh and blood that sing to each other. “Listen, we’ll go to San Diego together.”

“Don’t, Aegon.”

“No, I mean it,” he says. “Give me a month to save up, and we’ll go. We’ll take a long weekend and fly down there. It won’t be hot enough to swim, but it’ll be warmer than here. Sixties, sunny, sandy, waves and tacos. We’ll stay somewhere with a waterbed. Those can be a lot of fun.”

“Careful. I might not want to leave the hotel room. What a waste of a trip that would be.”

“I’ll just have to make sure you’re bored of me by then,” he purrs, grinning and mischievous, dragging you into his lap. He smooths your hair back from your face, gazing up at you as you straddle him. He kisses your lips, your jaw, your neck; his teeth skate across your skin without biting down, without leaving indigo bruises of ownership. Slowly, he turns solemn and hushed. Slowly, you begin to worry about him.

“What, Aegon?”

“You’re the best present I ever got. I hope you know that.”

You whisper through his windswept white-blond hair: “Then open me.”

He lays you down on the bed, unearths your needful bare skin and stifles his moans against your throat, unravels you like a blood-red ribbon from a box heavy with secrets.

[just-my-fandom]

Call It (Cisco Ramon x Allen! Reader)

Summary; After Barry speeds to the future to see his sister getting killed by Savitar, team flash has to find a way to prevent this from happening. Cisco grows protective over the reader, deciding to call it quits when enemies come and go too quick for him to count.

Warnings; Yelling, cursing, stabbing, coma, crying, one year time skip, mentions of hate for body image. Reader and Cisco leave the team. Starts with Savitar then cicada comes in. I’m stating for the sake of the story that the years are not right, just an estimate!

Taglist; @livingwrite-andrepeat

A/N; Here it is!! This is a long one (like, 7k worth), and I honestly really posted it for myself since Cisco isn’t super popular anymore, but I’m proud of it. Alternate ending to “You Know I Love You, Right?”

(D/N) means daughters name.

Small timeline change- Caitlin is in this as Caitlin, she is not killer frost.

July, 2017, four months until destruction.

“Hey,”

A hand rests on your bare shoulder. You turn, smiling warmly at Barry Allen’s taller figure, “You look great,”

“Thanks,” Your breath is light, hands running down the front of your sweater-like dress, “Iris helped pick it out,”

Barry then glances over to said woman and the rest of the group, who, too, were dressed up from the event of HR attempting to reopen STAR Labs, “Hey,” He repeats, nodding his head over his shoulder, “I need to show you something,”

“Okay,” You nod back, glancing at your friends grouped together before following your friend at a slow pace, “What is it?”

Barry leads you into a hidden room. A room you recognize that used to be Eobard Thawnes, which worries you as to why he has brought you into the room of your old enemy.

With a click to the button on the single stand, Barry steps back to allow a projector to arise, showing both you and him an article, “Look at this,”

“The Flash vanishes after Crisis,” Your brows pinch as you glance to him, “I don’t understand. What am I looking at?”

“An article. From the future,” Barry starts, eyes flicking back up to the projector, “Look who wrote it,”

Your eyes move to follow his gaze, “Written by Iris West-Allen,” You lift your shoulders, “Okay? You and Iris get married. That’s wonderful, Bar,”

“No,” Barry shakes his head, “You originally wrote this article. Somethings changed,”

“Maybe I quit,” You sigh, reaching up to curl a strand of hair behind your ear, “I’ve been talking to Cait and Cisco about staying home with (Your/Daughter/Name), it’d make sense,”

“That’s not why it changed to Iris,” Barry can see your irritation as he leads on, your figure turning to face him as if urging him to hurry to his conclusion, “When I threw the Philosophers Stone into the Speed Force, I ran to the future,” He pauses to clench his jaw, “You die, Y/N. I-I saw it,”

“Die?” Your breath comes short, in disbelief as you look back to the article, “From what?”

“Savitar. He was holding you and he stabbed you. Right in front of the whole team,” Barry’s hand raises to his hair, tugging at the locks,

“How long?” Your eyes stare at the floor, hearing Barry’s hum of confusion before lifting your eyes to him, “How long until I die?”

“I won’t let that happen,” Barry steps up, hand at your arm as you clench your jaw, “I won’t. I swear on our parents lives, I will protect you,”

Your hands wipe at your eyes, hard, heaving a deep sigh, “We have to tell the others. I can’t stand to be one of the only ones that knows when we can try to stop it but- what if we don’t?”

“We will,” Barry breathes, “I promise, Y/N. I- we will do whatever it takes,”

“I hope you’re right,” You step back, out the hidden door and to the Cortex and to where Cisco instantly questioned your reddened face.

. . .

“So… all this happened while you were in the Speed Force?” Caitlins questions breaks the silence of the cortex. You can see the gears turning in everyone’s heads. Processing it.

You still haven’t.

“When I threw the Stone in, I went four months into the future. That gives us four months to figure out what needs to be changed and how we can stop him,” Barry exhales, looking to you where you leaned against the Control Panel in silence,

“Y/N?” Cisco speaks up, so you raise your eyes to him across the Cortex. “What’s going through your head?”

You lift a hand, waving it in front of your face with a pinch of your brows, “I’m fine. I think,” You bare down on your teeth at a lump that forms in your throat, “I need a second,”

The team watches as you depart from the Cortex in quick steps. Cisco worriedly follows after you while Barry rubs a hand down his face,

“Hey,” Cisco’s hand catches your wrist, twirling you to face him at the same time you cough out a weak breath, “Hey. Look at me,”

Your eyes look up at him on demand. Blurred with tears, you attempt to clear your vision as his hands raise to your face, wiping the tears from your skin, “You’re allowed to be scared. It’s okay,”

“I’m sorry,” Your whisper is harsh, “I don’t want this to happen. I can’t leave her,”

“We’re gonna figure this out,” He reassures, eyes on yours as his thumbs wiped below your eyes, “I promise,”

You nod, eyes shut when he rests his forehead against yours. His hand raises to the back of your head, hearing his best friend call behind him so you pulled away and wiped your face,

“HR thinks if we go back to the place I saw it,” Barry starts, watching you flinch at the mention, “We can find details that may help us change the future,”

“And how’re we supposed to do that?” Cisco asks, tiredly, “Go back into the speed force?”

Barry’s nod is slow, “You might be able to help,”

“I’m gonna go home,” You sigh, raising your hand to your forehead as Cisco turns back to you, “It’s late. It’s a lot, I think I just need sleep, and I need to see (D/N),”

“I’ll let you know what we find,” Cisco murmurs, pecking your lips before staring at you for a mere second, “I love you,”

“I love you too,” Your smile is weak before you teleport from their vision, Cisco exhaling a deep breath before turning to face his brother in law, “Let’s do this.”

September, 2017, two months until destruction.

Cisco steps into a silent apartment. He drops his keys on the counter with a tired sigh, turning to face the inside of his home.

Silent until he hears a loud giggle, one that brings a smile to Ciscos face despite how exhausted he is. He steps towards the hall of his apartment, where the bathroom door was open, light shining out into said hallway.

He leans against the doorway as his eyes settle on you, sitting on your knees beside the tub after having pulled (D/N) from the water, your child wrapped in a towel and leant against you.

“I love you, you know?” Cisco hears you murmur, and Cisco watches his daughter nod against your neck, your lips on her wet hair. She leans back to pat at your face, eyes spotting her father over your shoulder,

“Daddy!”

You glance over your shoulder at her shout, looking up at Cisco as he steps into the bathroom, kneeling down behind you to tickle (D/N)s neck, before leaning over to peck your cheek, softly,

“Anything?” Your eyes meet his, his head shake light as you frown, allowing Cisco to stand and pull (D/N) from your arms, taking your towel wrapped child into her bedroom,

“What pajamas are we thinking tonight, huh?” Your mind drifts as you listen to your husband, reaching over to drain the tub water and push to your feet, silently picking up her dirty clothes to toss in the hamper, “Spider man? I think you should wear the flash. Huh? Like uncle Barry? No?”

Your lips pull at this, moving towards the bedroom opposite of yours as Cisco pulls a Spider-Man shirt over (D/N)s head, then ruffling out her curls on her head,

“Bedtime, mi amor,” Cisco states, pulling the blanket out so (D/N) pouted but dropped onto the bed, “How does pancakes sound in the morning? Hm?”

“You always burn the pancakes, daddy,” (D/N) giggles, eyes looking at you when you sit on the edge of the bed, “Mama can make them!”

“I’ll make them, sure,” You smile, tucking the blanket beneath her chin, “Sleep good, baby. Maybe after breakfast we’ll go visit Papa Joe, hm?”

“Papa Joe!” (D/N) sticks her arms up, before shimmying under the blanket, allowing you to kiss her cheek as Cisco kisses her forehead.

You softly close the door to her bedroom, breath trembling as you exhale, hands at your face.

“Hey, hey,” Ciscos arms wrap around your shoulders, pulling you against him, “I know,”

Your sniffle is weak as you press yourself to his chest, lifting your head to look at him so his hands slid to your face, thumbs wiping beneath your eyes,

“I love you, baby,” Cisco whispers, your nod weak as his nose brushes yours, “It’s gonna be okay,”

October, 2017, one month until destruction.

“Okay, what if-,” Cisco paces in front of the control panel, Caitlin seated beside you while Barry stood to the side, “What if Y/N teleports at the second just before she’s stabbed?”

“We’ve already looked into that, Cisco,” Barry states, “The timing would have to be just right. One second too early, and Savitar is chasing her down. One second too late…”

“Well does anybody have any other ideas?” Cisco blurts, “Huh?! We’re running out of time!”

“Cisco-,” “What if it was Iris? Huh?” Cisco cuts, your eyes fluttering shut, “What if you had a daughter who doesn’t know what the hells going on, who doesn’t know that she could potentially lose her mother in less than two months?!”

“Cisco,” You raise to your feet, Cisco shaking his head with a deep sigh, hands in his hair as you step up to him, grasping his wrists, “Baby, look at me,”

Ciscos pinched eyes open to stare at you, a tear slipping down his cheek, “We have to think of something. We have to,”

“And we’re going to,” You whisper, hands now at his face to wipe under his eyes, “I’m going to be okay. We’re going to figure this out, and we’ll both be there to watch our baby grow up,”

Cisco sniffles, roughly, eyes shutting again so your arms wrap around his shoulders, pulling him forward so his own arms loop at your back, holding you firm against his chest. His nose ducks into your shoulder, hiccuping against the fabric of your sweater.

“I love you,” He whispers, Caitlin’s lips pressing together tearfully at the interaction, “I can’t lose you,”

“We’re gonna figure it out,” You lean back, Ciscos hands sliding to hold your waist as his eyes flicker across your face, “Let’s go get some water, come back, and restart. Okay?”

November 2017, the day before destruction.

Your hands tremble. Sitting at the control panel, your eyes stare at the blank screen. It’s only twenty four hours away. No plan has come up.

Your exhale is sharp, hands raising to your face to notice your fingers are ice cold, frozen with terror. “Hey,” Caitlin’s hand at your shoulder startles you so hard your body jerks, head turning to look up at your best friend in fear.

Her brows pinch, worriedly, kneeling down by your chair as your hiccup comes choked, head shaking as you raise your hands back to your face, “Hey. Y/N, breathe, honey,”

“I-I can’t,” Your exhale releases a sob, the tears hot on your cheeks as you gasp, “I’m so scared. I don’t want to leave her. I don’t want to leave them,”

“We’re going to figure it out,”

“When?!” You don’t mean to shout, guilt on your face as you glare down at where she knelt, “It’s going to happen in twenty four hours, Caitlin! I should be home with my daughter right now, but instead I’m freaking out because I’m going to die- and we can’t stop it,”

“Breathe,” Caitlin soothes, your back leaning into your chair as you tilt your head back, coughing up a sob that hurts your chest.

“I’m so scared, Cait,” You whisper, your best friend shifting to sit in the chair beside you, “She’s not even two yet. I won’t get to watch her go to kindergarten. I won’t get to watch her graduate,”

You sigh against your hands, sniffing, “And Cisco…I can’t leave him to raise her alone,”

“I want to promise that we’ll figure something out,” Caitlin starts, “But we both know that a promise like this is something we can’t keep,”

“I know,” You murmur, rubbing your temple. “I don’t know what to do,”

“Ciscos worried about you, honey,” Caitlin speaks, reaching to squeeze your hand, “And he’s scared, too,”

You nod, allowing another tear to slide down your jaw. You shift to stand, wiping your hand under your eye, “I’m gonna go try to find him,”

Ciscos easy to find- cooped up in his lab when not in the Cortex. The smile you give him is weak, the redness in your eyes evident when he turns to you,

“You busy?” You murmur, him shaking his head as he sets down the tool in his hand, arm already reaching around your shoulders,

“Never too busy for you,” He allows you to press yourself against him, head tucking under his chin as he exhales slowly, “You okay?”

“As okay as I can be,” You sigh, eyes falling shut as you let the man just embrace you. God knows its possibly one of the last times, “Just tired. Thinking too much,”

Cisco hums, lips pressing to your hair, “Yeah,” He sighs, cheek turning to rest on your head, “Me too,”

You inhale, lifting your head to flicker your eyes across his face, “Are we gonna be okay?”

Ciscos hands slide to cup your face, nose brushing yours. “We’re gonna be okay,” He nods, eyes glossy. He nods, lips pressing between your brows with a deep sigh, “We’re okay,”

Late November, 2017, the day of destruction.

Time falls still. Team Flash all stand frozen in terror. It happened. It really happened.

Savitar won. All those months trying to change the future was a fail. He knew it.

Cisco’s shout is what drags Barry to speed up and catch your near falling figure. Blood already stained your jacket, body limp against his suited form as he panicked for his best friend.

His sister.

“Y/N!” Cisco’s terrified cry gets closer as his footsteps skid, dropping down at your other side to pull you from Barry’s grasp, “Hey! Hey, baby!”

Tearing his goggles from his face, Cisco’s eyes brim red as his gloved hand held your face to look up at him, your own eyes hazy from exhaustion, but wide in terror.

“It’s okay, it’s okay,” Cisco’s thumb brushes over the skin, eyes flicking back and forth across your face, “Stay awake for me, okay? Can you- can you stay awake?”

“Cisco-?” Your lips part in a wheezed breath, lifting your head in an attempt to look at the damage, but Ciscos hand tightens at your jaw, shaking his head as he sniffles.

“No, no. Look at me. Look at me,” His pleas are weak, free hand pressed to the wound so you hiss, “You’re okay, baby. You’re gonna be okay,”

Your head shakes, barely, blinking away the black spots but only causing more. “It hurts,” Your eyes flick to Barry, eyes then pinching shut in pain.

“Get her to the lab,” Caitlin’s sudden figure behind Barry is rushed, and Barry barely processes her demand, “Now, Barry!”

. . .

An hour later, the team of five all stand throughout the Cortex. While Iris watched Barry pace, HR stood close to Caitlin’s lab door, all while Cisco sat in his desk chair, Joe beside him.

Ciscos eyes stare at the blood on his hands. Yours. With a trembling breath, Cisco finally looks up upon hearing Caitlin’s footsteps, as does the rest of the team to see the relief on her face.

“She’s going to make it,”

Ciscos exhale is sharp, head falling forward in his hands as Joe grasped his shoulder, Ciscos fingers clutching at his hair. He stands up, Caitlin nodding her head to lead him into the lab, where they find you, out and still covered in blood.

“We’re going to have to keep an eye on her for the next couple of days,” Caitlin’s hushed voice speaks, Cisco sinking down in the chair by the bed to grasp your hand, “Her heart rate seems stable, the blade went through both her back and her chest…”

Cisco nods, swallowing thickly as he rests his forehead to your hand, eyes shutting, tiredly.

“Do you want me to go get her some new clothes?” Barry speaks this time, voice hoarse, “And sheets?”

Cisco opens his eyes to see the white sheets of the bed have been stained red. Along with her clothes, and almost every inch of her skin.

“No, I can go,” He musters, sitting up, “Felicitys at the apartment with (D/N), I think I’m gonna bring her here and we’ll stay for a night or two,”

“Okay,” Iris breathes, nodding, “But let one of us drive you, please,”

. . .

At the apartment, Felicity instantly stands upon the arrival of both Cisco and Barry. “Please tell me she’s okay,” Felicity begs, Cisco silently walking by her to enter your daughters room. Felicity looks at Barry, eyes wide, “Is she okay?”

“She’s alive,” Barry nods, Felicity immediately exhaling, “We’re gonna have to keep an eye on her for a while. But she’s alive,”

“Oh, thank goodness,” Felicity nods, shortly, turning when Cisco shushes (D/N) softly, him now holding the whining child who curled back into him and almost instantly fell back asleep,

“Can you grab Y/N some clothes?” Cisco asks, exhaustedly, “Third drawer and left side of the closet. I’m gonna pack (D/N) a bag,”

“Are you sure?” Felicity asks, “I can stay here with her while you’re at the labs,”

“I want us all together, thanks,” Cisco smiles, weakly, “I need to be with her. Felicity-,”

“You don’t have to explain,” Felicity nods, a third time, “I understand. Let me take her and you pack her a bag, okay?”

December 1st, 2017. The day after destruction.

Cisco finally finds himself dozing off.

Seated next to your bed, his arm rests at the edge, the resting down while his gaze kept towards the corner of the lab, where your daughters playpen sat, allowing her to comfortably sleep.

But he feels a pull. He thinks it’s his own hand muscle spasm, but when his fingers are tugged at a second time, his head shoots up so fast he feels dizzy, eyes instantly looking up to your face.

Your brows pinch, before your eyes flutter, lips parting to inhale. “Hey,” Cisco sits up, fingers tightening on your hand as his free reaches up, curling hair out of your face. “Hey, baby,”

“What happened?” Voice hoarse, you tilt your head down to look at the patch at your chest and shoulder, wincing at the pain your movement caused.

“Savitar,” Cisco murmurs, eyes flicking to his phone momentarily to send Caitlin a quick “she’s up!” “But you’re okay. We did it,”

“(D/N)?” Your head tilts in the opposite direction of your husband, Ciscos eyes following yours towards the resting toddler.

“She’s okay. We’re all okay,”

“Everything hurts,” You whimper, free hand rubbing at the patch, “My back. My chest. It hurts to breathe,”

“I know. I know,” Cisco stands up, reaching for the pain killers Caitlin ordered him to give you when you’ve awaken. He sinks down to sit at your legs, hand at your thigh as you take the cup of water he hands you to down the medicine. “Caits on her way to check your vitals to make sure everything’s stable. She’s taking good care of you,”

You nod, slightly, looking over when your daughter shifts in her playpen, whining as she sat up and spotted you, instantly standing to grasp the edge of the pen and reach up with a hand.

“Morning, sleeping beauty,” Cisco lightly jokes, leaving your side to move up to the playpen, lifting up the two year old before he moves back to you, setting down the toddler so she crawled up to you, giggling as you pull her into your lap,

“Easy, bug,” Cisco warns, glancing over just as Caitlin, along with Barry, Joe, and Iris entered the lab, all faces relieved to see you up.

“How long have you been up?” Caitlin asks, moving to the monitor beside you before checking your blood pressure, all while smiling at (D/N) leaning against your chest.

“Not even ten minutes,” You murmur, rubbing (D/N)s back, “How am I alive? All the outcomes from Savitar I died,”

“You had the best doctor in Central City taking care of you,” Joe smiles to Caitlin, who nods in thanks, your own eyes flicking to her with a smile.

“Thank you, Cait,” Your smile instantly vanishes with a loud hiss when (D/N) accidentally nudges your patched wound, Cisco immediately pulling (D/N) up by her underarms to pick her up,

“Okay, we gotta be easy with mama, babes,” Cisco reminds, shifting the now whining child to hold her better.

“I’ll be okay,” You press a hand to Ciscos torso, curling your fingers into his shirt, letting his eyes flick to your face.

Cisco nods, glancing down when (D/N) drops her head onto his shoulder. “I can take her,” Barry speaks, hands extended so (D/N) sat up and leaned towards her uncle, Cisco muttering his thanks as he moves back next to you.

“I’ll say you need to stay on bed rest for maybe about four more days before you can get up and move around,” Caitlin scans her monitor, then smiles, “Healing completely will take about four to six months, though. But you’ll be good as new,”

“Thanks, Caitlin,” You repeat, “Do I have to stay here or will I be able to go home?”

“I want to keep you here for a day or two to monitor your wound in case it opens again. But after that you’ll be free,” Caitlin jokes, your laugh heaved so you wince.

“This will most likely make you drowsy again,” Caitlin informs, as she sticks a needle in your arm, “But rest is what you need,”

“Barry and I can take (D/N) for tonight,” Iris speaks, Cisco glancing back at her, “You two need some peace and quiet while Y/N heals. Don’t worry,”

“Thanks, Iris,” You smile, the team slowly bidding their goodbyes as Cisco stands up to stretch, your eyes watching as your husband looked over the monitor himself, bottom lip between his teeth.

“Hey,” You reach out to take his hand closest to you, letting him turn his wrist to grasp your fingers as he glances at you, “Have you slept?”

“No, uh,” Cisco sighs, forcing himself away from the monitor to face you, completely, “I couldn’t bring myself to,”

You give his hand a small tug, Cisco forcing himself to sit at the empty space beside you, hand now at your thigh as he sighs.

“I want to call it,”

His eyes look up at you. Your brows are pinched, sitting up further so he could feel your breath and vice versa, “Wait, what?”

“I…” Cisco shakes his head, glancing to the side with a thick swallow, “I want to call it. I- we almost lost you tonight, Y/N,”

“But that doesn’t mean we should make an immediate decision to leave the team,”

“We made a deal when we got married- when we found out you were pregnant, that if something major happened that put either of our lives or our daughters, in danger,” Cisco pauses to intake a breath, “That we’d both agree to drop the superhero life and step back,”

“You love being on this team, Cisco,” You take his hand at your thigh, staring at him, worriedly, “I love being on this team. Shouldn’t we think about this after I’ve finished recovering?”

“Your safety is more important,” Cisco heaves, hands releasing yours to cup your face, “I’m not going to stay here if that just chances that (D/N) could loose her mom again,”

Your eyes find themselves flicking wildly between his, hands at his wrists, “You haven’t slept,” You murmur, “You’re scared after what happened. Just… please try to sleep and we can talk about this more later,”

Ciscos eyes drop shut. With a short exhale, he nods, pulling you forward so your lips press against his, searching for comfort he knows you both need. “Okay. Scoot over,”

March, 2019. Two years after destruction.

“Don’t you hate it?”

Cisco hums, peering sideways from the bathroom door to where you stood at the mirror in your bedroom, shorts and lace bra the only thing covering your figure,

Your eyes are casted downwards, hand hovering over the large scar that dragged from the top of your right shoulder, to the middle of your right breast. “The scar,” You murmur, fingers finally brushing the raised skin with a sigh. “Don’t you hate how it looks?”

“I hate how you got it,” Cisco states, now behind you where he ignores the matching scar on your back, hands at your waist with a light squeeze, “But you look beautiful as always, with or without it,”

Your eyes roll, back leaning against his chest so his arms fully wrap at your front, chin on your shoulder, “You’re only saying that because I’m your wife,”

“I’m saying that because I love you,” Cisco turns his head to press a kiss to your cheek, which you lean into, “Maybe you can get…a badass tattoo over it or something,”

You snort, raising the back of your hand to lightly smack his cheek, “In your dreams,”

May 14th, 2019. Two years after destruction.

“He took Cisco,”

“What do you mean he took him?” Your figure leans against the Cortex desk. Fingers grasping the countertop, you ignore the white numbness of your knuckles as your eyes flicked between screens,

“I don’t know, they went through a breach when I got here,”

“Cisco?” You call out, nearly holding your breath as you listened for your husbands response, “Baby, can you hear me?”

“I hear you!” Ciscos call back is muffled. “My breach frizzed out and threw us in a forest somewhere,”

“What kind of trees are there?” Sherloque asks, stepping next to you as you pinch your brows to him, “Ask him,”

“What?” You flick your eyes to the screen, eyes steady on Ciscos heart rate, “Cisco, what kind of trees are around you?”

“I don’t know!” You hear Cisco grunt, dodging most likely, “Pine trees? Some of them have pointy leaves,”

“Ash trees,” Sherloque hums, leaning forward, “Now, Fransico, I need you to hold your breath, let me listen,”

A pause. Crickets sound, Sherloque clicking his tongue, “Kolin Woods,”

“Are you sure?” Barry asks through, Sherloque humming, “I’m on my way,”

On time, Cisco yells out in pain through his mic that makes you sit down in the seat behind you, “Baby, you’ve got to run,”

“I can’t,” Cisco heaves, your hand over your jaw as your knee bounced, “He got me in the back of the shoulder-,”

Silence. Your watering eyes stare at the still monitor of his heart beat, sitting up so quick your mind spins, “Cisco?”

Nothing. “Cisco,” You demand, attempting to turn the volume of his ear piece up, “Baby, please. Barry what’s going on?!”

“He’s gone,”

Iris can see you nearly fall out of your chair. Her hand reaches to grasp your arm, sliding in her chair closer beside you. “He’s not here, he-,”

The silence they keep giving you feels deadly. A heavy sigh of relief, “He’s alive,”

Your chest caves as your hands cover your face, body slouching beside Iris as she exhales, relieved. “Both of you come back. Now,”

You don’t move from your chair until you hear their footsteps behind you. Barry held Ciscos arm around his shoulders, while Ciscos free hand pressed to his injury, face scrunched.

“Oh, my god,” You push from your chair, Barry releasing Cisco quick enough to let Cisco throw his free arm around your shoulders, lips to your hair as you pressed yourself against him.

Your hands reach up to his face, sniffling as he whispered reassuringly to you. “I’m okay,” His thumb brushes a free fallen tear from your jaw. “I’m okay,”

You nod, taking his arm to lead him into Caitlin’s lab, sitting beside him as Caitlin got to work.

. . .

“Hey,” Your eyes raise to your husband. Your vision is blurry- exhausted- as you stared at his arm in the sling, Caitlin’s order until his shoulder healed. “What’re you thinking about?”

You lift your head, nose stuffy as you inhale, “I think you were right,” You murmur, Ciscos brows pinching, “About calling it,”

His brows relax at this. He knew the minute something happened to him, you’d instantly change your mind.

“Hey,” Cisco repeats, extending his free hand- bandaged from Cicada first attack- waiting for you to rise from the chair and take it before gently tugging you to stand in front of him, “Is this what you really want?”

“I don’t know,” You exhale, lifting your chin to stare at the ceiling, “Maybe it’s the adrenaline of the fact that I thought you were dead-,”

“But I’m not,” Cisco soothes, “This is just Savitar all over again, I’m okay-,”

“We had a warning for mine, Cisco!” You hiccup, glancing over when realizing your voice had grown in volume. Looking back at him, Ciscos eyes flick between yours, worriedly, “We had a warning for me, not for you. I saw your heart beat stop on the monitor and I thought you died,”

“But I didn’t,” Ciscos hand slides to your jaw, “I’m here, and I’m breathing. We both are, baby,”

“I know,” You copy his action, swallowing, “I just don’t want this to be a scare again, it’s not healthy for a baby the team doesn’t know about,”

Ciscos eyes soften, tugging on your wrist with a soft c’mere before he lets you sit next to him, his free arm sliding to your shoulders to pull you against his side. “Do you really want this?”

“You’re the one who wanted it first,” You remind, hearing him exhale through his nose.

“I want this,” He murmurs, thumb pressing to your shoulder blade comfortingly, “I want you. You, and (D/N), and the baby safe, and that can’t happen if we stay,”

You nod, tilting your head back to look up at him, “Let’s take care of Cicada, at least,” Cisco nods, lips to your forehead before moving to your own lips.

May 26th, 2019. Two years after destruction.

“We have something we want to talk to you guys about,”

The team all look up from their spots spread across the Cortex. They train their attention on the couple sitting at the desk, Cisco distractingly staring at the computer screen while you were already looking at them.

“Okay,” Iris speaks first, hesitantly, “What is it?”

“Uh, well, two things,” Your eyebrows flick when Cisco looks at you, “Good news or bad news first?”

“There’s bad news?” Sherloque huffs, “Might as well say both at once, then,”

Cisco is the one who raises his brows this time. You shrug a shoulder, Barry’s brows pinching at your silent communication,

“Okay,” You exhale, shifting in your seat, “We’re leaving Team Flash,”

“Y/Ns pregnant,”

Six pairs of eyes all blink at you. You grimace, sighing as you stand up. “Im pregnant. Which is one of the reasons why we’ve decided,” You wipe your hands nervously on your sundress, “To leave the team,”

“I don’t know whether to hug you or cry,” Caitlin moves up first, your smile light as she embraces you, Cisco moving to stand, “When?”

“We’re officially stepping back in two weeks,” Cisco states, eyes shifting to your brother who had crossed his arms, “We’re moving in three months,”

“Wha- moving?” Your brothers eyes instantly look at you, “Leaving the team I understand, but you’re moving?”

“Central City isn’t safe, Barry,” You remind, brows pinched, “We’re going to have two kids under the age of three. We won’t be part of Team Flash anymore but we’re still a risk of danger. Leaving Central City is the best decision for them,”

“We’ll-we’ll protect you,” Your brother stammers, your shoulders deflating. After your parents death, you knew he felt as if he was losing you, too, “You don’t have to leave the city altogether,”

“As much faith I have in you guys, I just don’t want to chance it,” You breathe, “We’re doing this to protect these kids. Just support us on it, Bar,”

Your brother exhales, looking towards the rest of the team, “Have you told Joe?”

“Joes the one we talked to about the decision,” Cisco speaks, as you shift in your heels before settling on sitting back down in your chair, “So he’s known, for a while,”

“And you decide to tell us two weeks in advance,” Barry nods, Iris crossing her arms as her brows pinch towards her husband, “Thanks for the short notice. Got it,”

“Barry,” Iris hisses, the man speeding off so your hair blows in your face, your eyes shutting as you tuck the strands back behind your ear, “Y/N-,”

“I know, he’s just upset,” You sigh, twisting in your chair, “I knew we should’ve told him sooner,”

Ciscos hand presses to your shoulder, rubbing the area with a frown as he looks up to his team.

July 2019, two years after destruction.

“I think that’s the last of it,” Cisco hears your heaved huff from the living room, stepping around the corner to see you taping a box shut, standing with your hands on your hips,

“Besides (D/N) going to war with herself over which toys she wants to keep,” Cisco snorts, thumb jabbing over his shoulder where you hear your daughter talking to herself, then clanking of her toys,

“I don’t see why we can’t just let her keep them all,” You shrug, Ciscos eyebrows raising as his head shakes, hands on your hips,

“I’m not letting our daughter become a hoarder,” He states, “Besides, once Dante comes, that’ll be two times the toys,”

“I’m so glad this one’s a boy,” You sigh, breathlessly, head tilting up to look at your husband, “One girl, one boy. All I wanted,”

Cisco smiles, nose brushing yours, “Thank you for letting me name him after my brother,”

“You let me choose (D/N),” You smile back, “Only fair with the next one,”

Ciscos hands press to your stomach, lips brushing yours before a loud crash comes from your daughters room, Cisco jerking back to glance over his shoulder, where (D/N) now stood at the kitchens entrance, holding her toy Harry Potter wand now snapped in two,

Your daughters pout matches her tearful eyes, Cisco copying her pout as he moves up to her, lifting her so she sniffles and holds up the broken wand, “Daddy…”

“That’s okay,” Cisco murmurs, “We’ll use our magic glue to put it back together, it’ll make sure the wand doesn’t loose its magic, hm?”

(D/N) nods, fist rubbing her eye as you smile, taking the broken pieces before digging in an open box, thankful to find the super glue pretty easy. After putting the wand together and blowing the glue dry, you hand it back, causing her to giggle and wave it around.

“Have you figured out what toys you’re keeping, amor?” Cisco brushes her hair from her face, her hesitation causing you to laugh,

“I’ll take that as an shes keeping them all,” Cisco gives you a look, but rolls his eyes and smiles.

November 2020. three years after destruction.

“Hey guys!” Cecile’s smile when she opens the door is bright, opening it wider so you could step in, her hands out in a gimmie motion for the toddler in your arms,

“Your favorite has arrived,” You smile as Barry walks up, embracing you before turning to (D/N) at your leg, hands open so she reaches up and lets him pick her up,

“I think theyre more excited to see the kids rather than us,” Cisco speaks, setting down the large bag of presents he held behind the couch, laughing when Joe shakes his head and embraces you so tight you stutter on your breath,

“I’m excited to see you,” Joe states, you peeking your head out from his arm with a muffled “I can tell”, “We’ve missed you guys,”

“I’ve missed this little guy,” Cecile kisses Dante’s cheek so the near one year old giggles, your smile light as you watch your step-mother love on her grandson, “He’s gotten so big already!”

“(D/N)s starting to look too much like Cisco,” Iris hums, twirling a curl on (D/N)s cheek as Cisco fakes offense, accepting a small glass of wine from Caitlin,

“How’s Star City?” Wally asks you, as you settle on the couch while Cecile sits in the recliner, beginning to bounce Dante on her lap,

“It’s good,” You breathe, “Cisco and I both started our jobs, Felicity is loving being the babysitter,”

“How long are you guys staying for the holidays?”

“Uh, we’re hoping for a week,” You glance at Joe, “If that’s okay with you,”

“Stay as long as you need,” Joe raises his glass, gesturing to your two children, “As long as I get to spend time with my grandkids,”

“Oh, definitely,” Cisco slides an arm around your shoulders, pulling you into his side, “I know my parents want us to visit with them but the rest of the week- they’re yours,”

Joes lips part to say something, but the door knocks, your eyes scanning the group wondering just who could be missing-

“Sorry we’re late, guys!” A male calls, you looking over your shoulder to see a tall man with glasses next to a Latina girl, both holding presents, “We have gifts!”

“Oh, Y/N, Cisco, this is Chester and Allegra,” Caitlin gestures, Allegra smiling as she rounds the couch,

“I heard a lot about you,” Allegra speaks, raising a box, “And your kids. I hope it’s okay I bought your daughter something,”

“Yeah, that’s okay,” You smile, watching her kneel in front of your daughter to hand her the box, eyes then shifting to Chester,

“Y/N Allen, right?”

“Born an Allen, yes,” You cackle, “But legally I’m a Ramon,”

“You’re the one who miraculously survived a stab to the chest. You’re awesome!”

The air falls tense, quick, Ciscos hand tightening on your shoulder as you send a weak smile, “Thanks. It wouldn’t have ended the way it did if it wasn’t thanks to Caitlin,”

“How’d you know Savitar was the one who did it? No one could see him but Barry!”

“O-kay!” Joe cuts it, noticing Ciscos irritated stare, “Let’s open gifts, hm?”

Shoving the ball of wrapping paper into a trash bag, you huff as you tie the bag shut. “I didn’t make you uncomfortable back there, did I?” You look up at Chesters entrance, smile light as you shake your head,

“No, no. It’s just, um, that whole thing was a really emotional experience,”

“How so? Besides, uh, worrying about surviving,” Chester closes his eyes, brows pinched, before reopening them,

“Uh, Barry-,” You pause, “Do you know?”

“About Barry being the Flash? Yeah!” Chester laughs, “Allegra and I, we’re part of Team Flash,”

You smile, quickly dropping it, “Barry went back in time by accident, and saw the whole thing revolving Savitar and I. Yeah we had a heads up, but originally I wasn’t supposed to make it,”

Chester frowns as you sigh. “It was six painful months of waiting. Cisco and I, we were both terrified. My daughter was only maybe two at the time, and I was so scared of leaving her,” You lift a shoulder, setting the trash bag to the side, “It was a miracle Caitlin was able to save me. Here I am three years later, with now two kids and almost completely healed,”

“I’m sorry I asked,”

“No, really, it’s okay,” You laugh, moving to walk around him, “It feels good talking about it again. It was a lot, still is, but I’m healing,”

Chester smiles, nodding, looking down at his phone which beeps, along with five other phones across the house.

“Dammit,” Barry mutters, glancing at Iris who already stands, “Meta attack downtown,”

“Aw yeah!” Chuck grins, “I’m in,”

“One holiday,” You roll your eyes, dropping back beside Cisco before picking up Jenna from her rocker, “One holiday without a meta ruining it, is all I ask,”

“You guys go ahead, we’ll stay here,” Joe insists, nodding to Cecile who had her own fun holding your son,

“We’ll be back!” Chester grins, winking, “In a Flash,”

“Don’t say that,” Barry whines, “Because every time you do, we end up being stuck out there for hours,”

“I was trying to make a joke. Take the joke!”

“In case that happens,” Allegra smiles, waving,

“Happy holidays, everyone,”

[art-that-fucks-you-up-tournament]

SET EIGHT FINAL - ROUND FOUR

"Susanna and the Elders, Restored - X-Ray" (1998 - Kathleen Gilje) / "How To Look At Art" (2016 - Lynda Barry)

SUSANNA AND THE ELDERS, RESTORED - X-RAY: The piece by artemisia gentileschi I would like to humbly submit is actually a little unique, as it is both by artemesia and by another artist. You see the original painting is called "Susanna and the Elders", and it represents the story of Susanna being spied on, naked, by town elders and then they try to blackmail her into having sex with them. When she refuses, they try and put her on trial for sexual immorality (claiming she slept with them). Her name is eventually cleared. It was typical, in the era that artemisia gentileschi was painting, to depict the story of Susanna as that of a sexy lady bathing sexily and coquettishly, aware and flirty with the elders spying on her. artemisia was having fucking none of it. Her final painting is a departure from this style of depiction showing Susanna visibly uncomfortable with the lecherous elders.

BUT THIS ISN'T THE VERSION I'M SUBMITTING.

You see, artemisia gentileschi had (supposedly) made an earlier version of this painting, and been asked to paint it over as it was "too disturbing". Although that version is lost to the ages, Kathleen Gilje created a version of that image, underpainted using lead and visible by xray, inspired by artemisia's own life.

Without going into disrespectful detail, artemisia gentileschi was sexually assaulted in her life. And she poured some of her rage about it into this painting, before (apocraphally) being forced to sanitize it (into something still radically different than the mainstream depiction). The rage and horror that bleeds through the x-ray version of Susanna and the Elders? Makes me feel like my bones are being liquefied. I feel holy righteous rage and solidarity and love for a woman nearly 4 centuries removed. I feel things too embarrassingly personal to put in a poll.Artemisia Gentileschi based the bodies of both Judith in the first painting and Susanna in the second on her own. Perhaps because of this, perhaps simply because of her immense skill as an artist, the women (and situations) in these paintings feel real. I feel like I could reach out and touch. Gilje's depiction of anguish and the connection made to artemisia's life is palpable. (sepulchral-pulchritude)

HOW TO LOOK AT ART: the lynda barry museum comic is killer like YES that's WHAT ART IS YES. I think about this every time I walk into a museum (mimsyborogove)

("Susanna and the Elders, Restored" is a painting by American artist and art restorer Kathleen Gilje based on "Susanna and the Elders" by Artemisia Gentileschi. Gilje painted a more violent interpretation of the scene in lead paint, then painted a copy of the original Susanna and the Elders over top. This x-ray of the painting was then done to reveal the dual picture. It is not an x-ray of the original painting by Gentileschi.

“how to look at art” is a comic posted by Lynda Barry to her tumblr in 2016.)

[dcu-rarepair]

Day 1 Gifts

Eight fantastic Gifts have been released for Day One! Head to the Collection to check them out, and view the Release Schedule to see what’s in store!

We also have a handy Commenting Guide to help our Giftees with showing their Giftors some love. And now, here’s today’s works: 

make her for loving [art] for roseandgold137

Janet Drake/Helena Sandsmark Rated G, No Archive Warnings Two colleagues have brunch on the hillside. Just gals being pals. Probably. Maybe. Unless....?

Into the Depths for hisaribi

Artemis Crock/Kaldur’ahm | Jackson Hyde (Young Justice Universe) Rated T, No Archive Warnings Undercover Missions, Missions Gone Wrong A year after the defeat of the Reach, Kaldur and Artemis reunion on an undercover mission that quickly goes wrong.

Somebody that we used to know for byrdsofthenyte

Dick Grayson/Joseph Wilson/Slade Wilson, Dick Grayson/Joseph Wilson Rated E, Warning for Rape/Non-Con Porn Without Plot, Omegaverse/No Capes Dick and Joey have been together for a couple of years now, and they couldn't be happier despite some people would frown at the fact that they're two Omegas. Dick also finally stopped thinking about the handsome Alpha he dated when he was still in college. He also would never imagine said Alpha was Joey's father - Wilson is a pretty common last name, and Joseph never talks about his family. For good reasons.

The Origin of Meloni (West-Allen) Thawne for FallofFall

Eobard Thawne/Iris West Rated E, Warning for Rape/Non-Con Extremely Dubious Consent, Minor Bary Allen/Iris West There was a certain excitement in knowing that Eo could give her something Barry couldn’t. Iris had her arms around his neck and was desperately pressing against his mouth. Eo’s hands were secured around her hips, squeezing as she ground her body down into his thigh. Iris buried her hands in his blond hair and slid her tongue into his mouth, not wanting to let go, wanting to sink deeper in. He’d told her that he’d fixed the infertility problem. It wasn’t even a lie. They way he’d fixed it, of course, was pretending to be her husband. Barry was infertile, but Eo wasn’t, which meant that Eo-as-Barry was not infertile while Barry-as-Barry was. Hence: infertility problem fixed. It was a clever little not-quite lie.

Eyes wide open for kieran_granola

Kon-El | Conner Kent/Bruce Wayne Rated E, Warning for Underage Omegaverse, Dubious Consent, Power Dynamics “This is my city,” Bruce growls. Some of the flush has gone from Superboy’s face, replaced with a sickly sort of green. The kryptonite is definitely affecting him. “Not Red Robin’s. If you’re in this city, it’s with permission from me.”

In My Life for Kalinjdra

J’onn J’onzz/M’yri’ah J’onzz Rated G, No Archive Warnings Unresolved Romantic Tension, Sharing a Bed For a moment, there was nothing but J'onn.

welcome interruptions for flawsinthevoodoo

Apollo | Andrew Pulaski/Midnighter/Jason Todd Rated E, No Archive Warnings Soulmates, Omegaverse Apparently, using their soulbond to send dirty messages and doodles back and forth all day while stuck on opposite sides of the world had been their third’s last straw.

tried to wash you away, but you just won't leave for Silver_Snow_77

Dinah Lance/Sandra Woosan Rated M, No Archive Warnings Enemies to Lovers, Mission Fic Dinah had planned to spend the entire week drinking cocktails and sunning herself on the beach— an all-too-rare vacation. Everyone in her life was under strict instructions not to contact her unless it was an emergency. A real, world-ending kind of emergency, not the normal kind. She had the sudden, sinking feeling that those plans were about to go down the drain. "Why are you here, Shiva?"

[hiso03]

Fanfic ideas that I had finished, but that I lost because they were in the notes of my old cell phone and I have no way to recover them (even though I have tried).

1-Potion failed.

The idea was simple, but clear, although perhaps a little problematic.

Hal is the captain of the personal guard of His Highness the King of the Central Kingdom; However, the whole conflict arises because Hal is fed up with most of the maidens rejecting him with the possibility of being married by Barry, so Guy makes a joke about going to the sorceress of the cursed forest and asking her for help, Hal takes the idea (despite it being a joke) and escapes one night, he finds Zatanna in an old house and asks her for help, she does not accept at first, but after several minutes of pleading she ends up helping him.

He gives him a kind of potion, but the indication is simple, he must prepare a sweet meal with that position, but it is important that for it to work he adds honey, not sugar. Hal returns home and does what Zatanna asked him except he made a mistake, he doesn't use honey, but use sugar.

He gives Barry the food he made and the king does not distrust his guard and closest friend.

Hal thinks everything went well, except that from the next day Barry starts acting too strange towards him. John, who immediately deduces that Hal did what he did, scolds him and tells him to go to Zatanna to solve what he himself caused. When he arrives with the girl, she scolds him and tells him that by mixing sugar instead of honey, he altered the function of the position and that now turned it into one of love… The problem is that they cannot reverse it in any way and they have to wait several months until Barry returns to normal.

That teaches Hal the lesson of not playing with magic he doesn't understand.

2-Friend zone.

This is more comedy and I wrote it to make fun of Hal.

Hal has an infallible plan to start dating Barry, however, no one believes that he will really achieve it and even his friends bet with him, that if at the end of his plan Hal has not managed to make Barry understand his intentions, he will invite Guy, John, Kyle and Oliver to eat wherever they want and they can bring a companion. Hal, sure of his success, accepts and in each attempt he fails miserably while Barry thanks him for his help and always tells him that he is a great best friend.

Hal begins to dwell on his impending defeat until the girls help him without him realizing it.

In the end everything works out, but since they discover that the girls helped Hal, he has to pay half of the bill.

3- Robots

Hal is a human with robotic parts, he along with other subjects have one of the most important jobs in their city, they are like a kind of last resort police for the government. The green lanterns.

Hal was the first Green Lantern prototype despite not remembering it, however, he does not really remember anything before his conversion, he only knows that he was an army pilot and that he had an accident in a plane that destroyed several organs and parts of his body. (they are the ones that were replaced with machines). Hal does not meet his creator until one day he is taken to meet a blonde man a couple of years older than him who is locked in a glass box with a dangerous legend.

From the first time they meet, Hal feels a strange connection with Barry and can sense that he also feels the same although he denies it.

In a tense and strange way, he discovers that Barry is one of the few "original" metahumans and that he has caused great chaos in the past, which is why he is locked up, and he also ends up discovering from his other friends that Barry was the one who created his prosthetics. and that in fact, she met him before his mysterious accident and they have more history together than Barry is willing to reveal.

(This story was very long, I wrote only 5 chapters out of order so that it made sense and until recently I remembered many details. I remember that it was partly inspired by the best Hispanic fans I have read about the couple.. Too bad this fic was left unfinished, and so was this one.)

I only publish this so as not to forget the ideas and not lose them (again), I don't think I will do them or at least not in the short term, since all these ideas came to me and were written (along with others), in a very dark and difficult time for me, Therefore, most of the ideas are very disorganized and even in my memories, I was aware that the writing was strange and more superficial.

Maybe at some point I will be encouraged to return to them, when I have more time and can give it more planning.