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doodling-doodle · 1 year ago

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A Broken Rose

(The Slice Of Paradise AU)

They thought everything was fine with their little girl. They were wrong…

Warnings: toxic relationship, cheating (the only time I will do this), abuse

—

Rosalie had Just turned thirteen. It had been five years since they adopted her. Nine since they left the military. Kyle had been recovering well, though appointments were frequent again.

They were just still so happy. The happiest they could be… they thought.

"Hey, dad, hey, papa!" Rosalie said when she walked inside, seeing them making dinner.

"Hey, munchkin. How was your day?" Alex asked, smiling.

“It was good…”

“You wanna talk about something, don’t you?” Kyle signed.

“Later?”

“Okay, that’s fine.” Alex said, “Mind getting the table set?”

She nodded, and she quickly went to set the table, Alex giving her a quick kiss on the head as she got everything from the kitchen.

"Thanks, Rosa." Alex said as he finished cooking, and they all went to sit down and eat.

"What's on your mind?" Kyle asked.

"I…" She went a little quiet…

"I got a boyfriend yesterday."

They both paused, and she looked down, “He wanted to come over soon…”

They smiled, “What’s his name, sweetheart?” Alex asked softly.

“Anthony…”

“The same Anthony that was here a few weeks ago?” Kyle asked.

“Yeah…”

“Okay. He can come over, but he’s sleeping in the guest room.” Alex said, and she smiled, nodding, “Just let us know if you need any snacks or anything from the store and I’ll stop on my way home one day.”

She nodded, "thanks, papa!" She smiled, and quickly stood, going to her room, probably to clean up.

Meanwhile, Alex was chuckling as he watched, and Kyle was tearing up, going to hug Alex.

Just another milestone for their little girl.

Two weeks later…

They were prepared for both of them to come by, and both were excited. They met the boy before, twice. He seemed respectful, if not just a little entitled, but what teenage boy Isn't?

Rosa opened the door, and Anthony came in first, smiling slightly.

"Hey, kids." Alex said as they walked in.

"Hey, guys." Anthony replied while Rosa went to hug them.

"Hey, dad! Hey, papa!"

"How was school, angel?" Kyle asked, smiling at her.

"It was fine. Ish."

"Of course." Alex said, chuckling, "dinner is almost ready, kids. Why don't you two go and change?"

"Okay!" Rosa said, whistling for Iris and going to her room with Anthony, who tried to close the door.

"Please don't close it." Rosa said quietly, though they still heard it, and Alex grinned. He knew his girl was smart.

"Why not?" Anthony asked.

"Just not comfortable with having it closed with a boyfriend in here with me."

"Do you not trust me?"

"I do. I just also don't want to have it closed."

He groaned, "Fine."

"Good! Now, give me two minutes to change, then it's your turn."

The heard the door to the bathroom in her room close, and they quietly high-fived.

"Smart girl." Kyle signed.

"But just listen for a minute." Alex signed back, "I want to pay attention to the rest of this now."

Kyle nodded, going to get silverware and set the Table.

They heard the door open, and both paused to listen.

"What do you think you're doing wearing that?"

"What do you mean?"

"It does not look good on you."

"It's cold and I want a hoodie?"

"And it doesn't look good on you. Change. Put on a sweater or something, just not that."

"... okay."

It was said meekly.

They both glanced at each other. Anthony thought he was being quiet enough. He was not.

"Much, much better, babe." Anthony said, moving around and probably kissing her, "wait here."

The door closed again, and Alex was already pissed.

Kyle put a hand on his shoulder, "Wait until he's gone in the morning and we'll talk to her?" He signed.

He nodded, taking a deep breath and getting their plates on the table.

Anthony came out with Rosa, who was in a loose-ish sweater and leggings, and He was in sweatpants and a t-shirt.

She knew what she was doing and they were proud, but very worried, because she knew what he was asking for.

Alex wasn’t having it.

Dinner went fine. Anthony was respectful towards them, Rosa was smiling.

“I’ll clean up.” Rosa said once the were done, getting everything left on the table and loading the dishwasher.

“Well, you two know the rules.” Alex said before he and Kyle went to their room, “It’s a weekend, but try not to stay up past eleven. Anthony, either set up the fold out couch or you can sleep in the basement guest room. Snacks and soda is free game and so is the TV. Enjoy the night kids.”

“Thanks, Papa.” Rosa said, smiling, “Love you! Love you, dad!”

“Love you too.” Kyle whispered, “Goodnight.”

“Goodnight!”

They softly closed the door, and Alex sighed, sitting on the bed.

“Al…?”

“I am not mad at her, I am mad at him. He’s probably done it before…”

Kyle nodded, sitting with him and listening to them talking quietly.

“Here, I’ll help set up the bed.” Rosa said.

“I can’t set up a mattress on your floor?”

“No, they don’t want anyone else in my room, and it’s fair.”

“Fine.”

“I plan to go to bed around ten-thirty, by the way.”

“Not any longer? You’d have thirty more minutes anyway.”

“It’ll take me that long to go to sleep.” She chuckled, and he groaned.

“Fine… When should I leave? In the Morning?”

“Probaby around eight-ish.”

“Alright… Mind getting a drink for us?”

“Sure.”

Kyle hugged Alex tight, eyes filling with tears.

“We’re talking to her about this boy.” Alex said, “Let’s just go to sleep now, okay?”

The Next Day…

Alex almost sighed in relief when Anthony’s mother came to pick him up, and he asked for her number and to talk over coffee sometime. She seemed like a lovely woman.

“Rosa?” Kyle asked softly after they drove off.

“Hm?”

“Can we talk to you for a second?”

“Sure, what’s up?”

They sat down with her, and Alex sighed, “Look. We know you love him. But… We heard some… Not okay things come out of his mouth.”

She nodded softly.

“Too be clear, we are, in no way, upset with you. You tried your best to redirect all of it, and you did. Twice. You did good with the door and with the bed and time thing. But the last one… It’s just not okay. None of it was. Your young and your in your first relationship. Of course you will make mistakes and not notice red flags. But we do. We know what is.”

She nodded, looking down slightly, and Kyle took her hand.

“We aren’t forcing you to breakup with him. We won’t force you to stay with him. But we’re just trying to look out for you and your safety. We love you and want you to be happy. You can do with this what you will. If you want to give it longer, you can.”

She nodded, “Okay. I get it… He’s like that sometimes…”

Alex nodded, “Look. We need to know if something else happens, okay?”

She nodded.

“All of this said.” Kyle started, “He is not allowed in our house anymore. Not unless he sincerely apologies. But if you don’t want to talk to him about it, it’s okay. You just redirect whenever he asks about it, Okay?”

“Okay.”

“Good. Alex said, hugging her, “We love you, okay?”

She nodded against his chest, and Kyle hugged her too, “Why don’t we go out for lunch today?”

She nodded, smiling slightly.

She was smart. They knew that. This was just her first relationship and she doesn’t know what’s wrong or not.

They were just going to hope for the best.

Two weeks later…

They hadn’t heard much about Anthony since then. She was still with him, but they didn’t know much.

Kyle had gone to run a few errands, and Alex was still at work. Rosa probably just got home.

He sighed when he got back to the house, getting the groceries out of the back.

He opened the door, hearing sobbing from the couch.

He saw his precious little girl crying her eyes out on the couch, hugging a pillow, mascara running down her face.

“Rosalie…?” He asked, panicking slightly.

She looked over, but she quickly got up, running to her room.

“Rose, wait!”

She slammed her door, and he heard her crying while Iris whimpered in her room.

He decided to unpack the groceries and give her space. He did text her though.

“Come out when your ready. I’ll order us something for dinner, your choice. Love you.”

He sat on the couch after that, just waiting for Alex to come back home.

Which was about thirty minutes later.

“Kyle?” He asked once he saw him, “Is something wrong?”

“Rosalie was crying.” He signed, “I’m just waiting for her to come out of her room.”

Alex looked to panic just as much, but he nodded, setting his things down and sitting with Kyle while they waited.

She came out shortly after, changed into a hoodie and sweatpants, makeup taken off, still sobbing, Iris following her.

“Rosalie… Munchkin.” Alex said softly, pulling her on the couch and between them, Iris jumping on her lap.

“What happened?” Kyle asked, holding her softly.

She started crying again, and they held her tighter, letting her cry into their arms.

“He… H-he cheated on me…” She said.

Alex’s blood boiled, “He. What?”

She sobbed harder, and he just wiped her tears away, kissing her forehead, “We aren’t mad at you, just him.” He said, “Can you tell us what happened?”

…

“Why isn’t he answering texts?” She asked while she was with her friends, James and Lily, “It’s been a few hours.”

“Have you called?” James asked.

“Not yet. He usually gets mad when I call when he’s doing something…” The fucking teller that she was upset. She had picked up Kyle’s accent and it came out when she was emotional in general.

“He seems to get mad at a lot of things you do.” Lily said, “Just saying, you could do better.”

“I’ll just go look for him.” she said, standing and walking off.

She knew they were right. Her parents were right and Lily was too. But she loved him. And he seemed to love her. He just had a short temper…

She knew he had his sound on his phone. She called him and tried to listen out for it.

She heard it, outside of the school and near the parking lot.

She went up to him, thinking about how she’d break up with him when she found him-

She found him.

He was pushing a girl against a wall, kissing her passionately, smiling more then he had when he was with her.

“Anthony?” She asked, calmly and evenly.

He looked over, and so did the girl, and they both rolled their eyes.

“How long?” She asked, then looked at the girl, “Did you know about me?”

“I did, didn’t care. He loves me more.”

She looked back at him, “How. Long?”

“The last two weeks.”

“And we dated for a month.”

He went up to her, slapping her pretty hard across the face, which she knew would bruise.

“Your good looking, Rose, but your not pretty. Not even beautiful.” He said.

“Is beauty all that matters to you?!” She said once she straightened up.

“Well, your personality is also lacking. Your family is a little weird. Like, why doesn’t your dad talk? And why were you tossed around so much? What was wrong with you?”

She didn’t respond. She was just trying to keep it together.

“Yeah. Thought so. Guess we’re over.” He said, walking back to the girl,. Going right back to what he was doing.

She just went to the bus, and got off on the road their house was on.

She got a text from her Dad that she’d be home alone for a while until they got home.

She took that as being able to cry her eyes out in peace.

…

“The fucker did WHAT to you?!” Alex yelled when she was done, frantically looking at her cheek. There was already a bruise forming.

“Does it hurt?” Kyle asked, and she nodded.

“I’ll get you an ice pack.” Alex said, going to the kitchen.

She sobbed, looking at Kyle, who kissed her forehead.

“This isn’t your fault. It’s his. He’s a liar and you know it. Right?”

She hesitated before nodding, and his heart just about shattered.

Alex sighed as he gave her an ice pack for her cheek, holding onto her.

“Your gorgeous, your talented, your kind.” Alex said, “There is nothing wrong with you. I promise.”

She nodded, leaning against him as she calmed her sobbing.

“I’d talk to his mother, but I doubt she’d believe me.” Alex said.

“I recorded it.” She said.

They both froze, and she pulled her phone out, “He didn’t notice me and I figured it would get ugly.”

“That’s my girl!” Alex said, smiling at her, “I’ll talk to her tommorow. I’m off for the weekend.”

She nodded, and sighed, “Can we just get dinner? I’m starving.”

“What are you in the mood for?” Kyle asked.

The next day…

“Are you serious?” Anthony’s mother asked after Alex played the recording.

“I have a picture of her bruise too.”

She nodded, leaning back in her seat, “I…” She sighed, shaking her head, “I’m so sorry, Alex. I didn’t think he was like that. I thought I raised him right… I’m going to punish him for this, I promise. What do you want to see of it?”

“Grounded for at least a month and an apology.”

“Okay… I’m really sorry.”

“Your not the one that needs to apoligize. He is. At least by the next of next week.”

“I understand.”

“Good.”

Back home, Kyle was trying to help Rosa, getting her to eat something and helping with the bruise.

“It hurts…” She whispered.

“I know, I’m sorry.” He whispered, holding her hand.

“Do I have to go back to school on monday?”

He pulled back, signing, “I’m sorry, darling. You have to. You can ask Lily and James to stick around you?”

“I will…”

“Good.” He signed, “Papa will probably be back soon. I’m going to make lunch. Do you want to be alone for a bit?”

She nodded.

“Want me to bring lunch?”

She nodded again.

“Okay.” He walked out, softly closing her door and going to make lunch. She just wanted some ramen. It was comforting to her. And he was happy to give it to her.

Alex came home soon after, sighing, “I talked to her. Apparently, their going to be moving soon anyway, so she won’t have to see him much. Fall break is next week.”

He nodded, “She’s in her room. She just wants to be alone for lunch.”

“I’ll bring it and check on her.”

They were just stuck. They thought this would be a good thing, she had a boyfriend and it was a step that they got to see… But now she was broken.

“Rosa?” Alex said softly, knocking on the door quietly.

“Yeah?”

He slowly opened the door, and she was just sitting in bed with her laptop and Iris in her lap.

“I talked to his mom. Their moving soon and Fall break is next week.” Alex said as she took the bowl, and he kissed her head, “Do you need anything else?”

“No…”

“Okay. Just know that we’re here if you need anything, okay?”

She nodded.

“We love you.” He said, kissing her head and walking out, “You eat and get some rest, munchkin.” He softly closed the door, sighing and sitting by the counter, resting his head in his hands.

Kyle quietly sat next to him with some food, and Alex looked at him.

“Think she’ll be okay?” Kyle signed.

“Eventually.” Alex replied as he started eating.

They hoped so. Because she didn’t deserve this.

Three months later…

It was winter break now. She was doing better, she was getting over him. But it still hurt. He had already moved, though.

But, what Kyle and Alex were really happy about, was that James was around more. He was a really good guy.

If they were honest, they were secretly hoping that he and Rosa would end up together. They were already best friends. He seemed great.

But they wouldn’t dare mention it to her. Even if she was sitting next to James during breakfast, laughing for the first time in months as he told random stories.

It wasn’t until the next year, when she turned fourteen, that James asked her out. It wasn’t worded like it was a date, just a simple day out at the park.

They happily drove her there that saturday, going out on a lunch date of their own while they waited for her to text them to pick her up. Which was at about 6:00 at night.

“How’d it go, Munchkin?” Alex asked, smiling at her as she got in the back of the car.

“We… It was a date.” She said, “We’re dating.”

“You okay?” Kyle asked.

“Perfectly… can he come over next weekend?”

“Of course.” Alex said, smiling softly.

They were thrilled.

He came over with her the next weekend, holding her hand as they walked in.

“Hey kids.” Alex said, smiling slightly. He was slightly on edge but he trusted this would go well.

“Hello, Mister and Mister Keller.” James said, smiling, “Something smells delicious.”

“Kyle’s cooking.” Alex said, smiling, “You two go clean up, dinner is soon.”

“Alright.” Rosa said, pulling him to her room. He didn’t even touch the door.

Alex listened for if they were talking, and so did Kyle.

“Oh. My. God.” James said.

“What…?” Rosa asked meekly.

“YOUR SO CUTE!! THE HOODIE IS SO CUTE!!” James yelled, and they heard him get up from the bed, “The kitty ears!! Why haven’t I seen this before?? My- THERE’S TOE BEANS ON THE SLEEVES???”

They heard Iris bark, running around her room.

“Exactly, she’s adorable, isn’t she?” James said, “Alright, I’ll get changed, go and wash up, I’ll be there soon.”

She walked out a few minutes later, and they both smiled at her.

“He’s just fine.” Kyle signed, teary eyed, and she smiled, nodding.

He came out two minutes later, and he started flicking the cat ears on her hoodie, “Why… It’s so cuteeeeeee.” He said, chuckling, and she was smiling.

“It’s amazing, isn’t it?” Alex said, “Go ahead and sit down, kids, two minutes.”

They sat down, James kissing Rosa’s cheek as he did.

Dinner was the same as any other with him. He just offered to help clean up after.

“Alright, James, you know the drill.” Alex said, “Try not to stay up past 11:00, okay?”

“No problem. Mind if I go ahead and set up the bed?”

“Go ahead. We’ll see you two in the morning.” He and Kyle went to their room, smiling at each other while they heard the kids setting up.

“I’m gonna get a drink and snacks, want anything?” James asked, standing from the bed.

“Just a coke and some popcorn, if you wouldn’t mind?”

“I’m on it, darling.”

They started crying from joy, holding each other tight.

They were perfect for each other… She was happy again.

And that’s what mattered.

#call of duty #cod mwii #call of duty modern warfare #kyle gaz garrick #alex keller #Rosalie Keller (OC)#James Taylor (Oc)#alexgaz #gazalex #james x rosalie #The Slice Of Paradise AU

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writersvaguelybrickshapedrock · 9 months ago

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Afterwards

Above two figures roaming a field of flowers, poppies, chrysanthemums, marigolds, asphodels, and white spider lilies is a shimmering royal blue and purple sky full of silver stars and lavender clouds dusted with golden halo-like light swirled like the smoke of a blown out candle.

One figure wore a flowing white robe and a crown of marigolds spoke up through the ambient sound of wind and rustling flower petals, “Where are we going?”

“Where do you want to go?” The taller figure asked, donned in a flowing black robe with a wide brimmed hat and veil, held a lantern hung from a tall gnarled wooden staff.

“I always hoped that when the time came… there would be nothing and I would be gone.”

“Do you find that more peaceful than anything else?”

“Well… I think I would prefer eternal void and nonexistence to say… Christian hell.”

“Fortunately there is no Christian hell, however I know without a doubt that eternal void is awfully boring.”

“Then what is it?”

“It is many different things, but you shall see it soon.”

The shorter figure quieted, looking around the scenery again. It was gorgeous and mystical with shooting stars casting bright multicolored trails through the sky. They followed Death, stepping carefully on the same trail they left and watching as the flowers they crushed slowly rose again with a persistent vitality. Mountains rose in the distance with lakes pooling at their feet.

At the center of one lake stands a shack on pillars of wood and mud with a dock and ravens flying to and from an open circular window in the top. Plants are potted below the windows and a small black cat walks across the water with grace, jumping onto the dock. As the two figures got closer to the lake, a woman came out of the door. She was short and wore a dark mulberry purple dress with golden star patterns and a wide brimmed pointed hat and veil upon which hung small golden charms. When the cat came to her, she picked it up, stroking its iridescent fur and looked up at the passing figures. Her smile shone through the veil, warm and welcoming as the figures walked past.

An old asymmetrical tower of stone stood less than stably upon a small floating island with a rope ladder hanging off it. Death walked below the ladder and held their hand out to the shorter figure who took it. Both of them floated gently up to the tower, with death opening the old door. Rusty hinges squeaked and the shorter figure let go of Death’s hand to touch the cool gray stone and mortar that held the tower together.

“Welcome home.” Death tapped their lantern against the door, a key manifesting from a golden mist and falling into the shorter figure’s hand.

“What do I do now?”

“Keep that little key safe and get comfortable.”

“That’s it?”

“Yes. You will reside here in the valley. You may alter the tower in any way you see fit. This island is your domain. If you get lonely, the old woman with the cat is good company. She can show you the ropes.”

“I don’t have a job or any punishment or anything to do?”

“All you do is exist. Make this tower your home and enjoy your afterlife. You need not eat or sleep but you can. Your neighbors are friendly and the land provides all you need.”

The figure in white admired the tower. It was by no means perfect and would need work but it felt nostalgic. It was like a dream of childhood whimsy and fantastic stories of fairytales. “Thank you, for everything.”

“Farewell. Should you need me, send a raven.”

“Farewell,” the figure in white smiled to themself, stepping into their new home. They watched Death dissipate into golden mist, carried away by the wind, and waved goodbye. So this was what came afterwards.

#writing #writeblr #flash fiction #brick writes #fascinated by the afterlife #my idea of heaven #paradise: a funky wizard tower with a witch next door #might make a slice of afterlife series out of this #afterwards collection #worldbuilding and some plot

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