#so much for land of the free and home of the brave

[alastorssimpforever]

judging the current state of america. i think im going to pull a George Orwell real soon.

[whywoulditho]

not saying the holocaust wasn't bad. but i need people to understand that it wasn't the only genocide that happened in the same period of world history. not because i want you to pay less attention to holocaust but because i need you to ask why it's the only one we ever talk about. it wasn't the longest occured massacre of a marginalized group, it wasn't the most gruesome, it wasn't the one with the most casualties, it wasn't the first and it wasn't the last one. i need people to think about why we didn't pay much attention to all the other holocausts after WWII that happened simultaniously and were just as horrible. it says so much about media, the news we are fed, and that our empathy is BOUGHT by the same people that keep funding genocides all over the world.

[hidden-poet]

S. lands on top; 5

DEAD DOVE DO NOT EAT.

Darkest content I have ever written. Please don't read unless you are 100% comfortable (and over 18).

Warnings: Graphic sex, violent sex, borderline torture, r*pe, over stimulation, Coriolanus is terrible, terrible, terrible, sexual assault, sex being weaponized, hitting, name calling, punishments, objectification, 18+ ONLY, Coriolanus figures out new kinks (I figure out new kinks), not a safe environment.

Editor: @hotline-to-hell

Author's note: I am in no way condoning this type of behavior. This is a pure work of fiction used to explore a safe, and unrealistic feterisation of the desirability and not the actual act in itself. I am sexualizing the character Coriolanus Snow, and not Tom Bylth (I mean no disrespect or objectification to actor).

That being said, I am going to need some love on this chapter if there is a desire out there to read this sort of stuff in a safe environment and contained atmosphere. What you read cannot harm you, unless you are irresponsible and do not take measures to look after your mental and physical health. This is fiction and SHOULD NOT be brought into the real world. I can create more, but will not if it is not wanted or used responsibly.

chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

 Coriolanus sat at his writing desk, completing his last assignment before the break as Mabel lay across the bed, supposed to be completing her own homework. 

But she seemed lost in thought. She lay on her back, staring at the ceiling. Coriolanus had given up on chastising her long ago. 

Between organizing the games, attending lectures and keeping up with his course work, Coriolanus had no time to play games with Mabel. No matter how tempting she was.

 The break would be well deserved and well used. 

Completing this last assignment would free Coriolanus to focus on Mabel and her behavior. Reaping Day was only a week away, and she was inadequate to be presented to Dr. Gaul.

She knew that Reaping Day had consequences for the both of them. He told her time and time again of the dangers of Dr. Gaul, but the fight is what kept Mabel alive. If she rolled over for him once, she felt she might be stuck there.

Coriolanus could hear her as she moved off the bed. He was about to demand that she sit back down and complete her work but her footsteps made their way over to him and not out the door. 

It was the first time she had ever approached him without the intent to hurt him. It was a welcome change when she swung her leg around his waist and not a punch.  

So he put down his pen to give her his full attention, eager to see how this would play out. 

She sat on his lap, twining her small fingers into the curls of his hair. Her green eyes stared back bravely into intimidating blue ones. 

“All you ever do is work,” she states. Her voice carries a seductive tone. “No wonder you’re crazy.” 

His hips buck up into her in desperation. He scolds himself for it. He had more self-control than that. 

“Are you offering a study break?”

“I am offering you the night of your life.” 

He had no idea where this change was coming from. Just this morning she deliberately knocked a pot of hot tea onto his lap. Luckily, it had cooled enough not to burn him but it angered him all the same. 

Now she was offering herself to him. He knew it was a trick. She was playing the only card she had after fighting for so long to keep it. 

He goes to kiss her, testing how much he could get out of this.

His head is yanked back, her hands digging into his hair to keep him at bay. 

“For a train ride back home.” Mabel finished. 

His lips curl up into a smirk. He could almost laugh at her.

“Think about it, Coriolanus. You’ll bore of me sooner or later,” she begins to grind her hips into his. He fights to keep his focus. 

“This, what you feel now. It’ll be gone.” His hands catch her hips to stop her moving. Her tongue was her weapon, and his clear head was his.

“But it’s here now. You could have it.” She yanks his head back as far as she could but follows with her lips hovering over his.

He thinks about just lying. After all, there was no obligation to keep any promise he gives her. 

But he did want a relationship with Mabel, one that had a certain level of trust. She would do nothing for him without trust. And there would be no chance of her teaming up with him against Dr. Gaul. He remembers how important trust is in District 12. 

Satisfaction now could result in negative long term consequences. And Coriolanus was in this for the long term. 

She moves her lips to the shell of his ear and begins to speak gently into it. 

“You could think about me for years. Marry a pretty Capitol girl but think of me as you fuck her.” Her body was pressed tightly against him but she managed to squeeze a hand between them and knead his inner thigh.  “Think of this night, when a District girl fucked your brains out for hours.”

Coriolanus pushes her back by her shoulders. It was almost too much for him. His lust clouded his judgment. He needed to regain control, she had snatched it from him so easily. He was going to be President of Panem. Now was the time to show the cunningness it took to control. 

“I’ll be gone by morning, and you could keep the memory of me. Forget the struggles and fights. When you bore, that’ll be all that's left.” 

Coriolanus reaches out to take her chin in between his forefinger and thumb. Restricting her movements as she did to him. 

‘‘When I get bored of you, I’ll pass you along to someone else. Plinth seemed to have taken a shine to you. Maybe you Districts can bond over the home you’ll never see again.”

His words angered her, he could see it in her eyes. He wasn’t sure if he would ever bore of this. The constant power struggle. He loved it. Winning control gave him such a thrill. He loved the fight Mabel put up because he was always going to win it. He was stronger, smarter. He had  every card and she had none. Yet her nature made surrender an implausible possibility, and his competitive nature never tired of the defeat. 

“Maybe,” she spat as she tore herself from his lap, “Maybe, he might finally make me come too.” 

She threw herself back down on the bed amongst her school work. 

Her words should have upset him, he knew she came more often than not, prided himself on the fact. His ego wasn’t bruised, instead a thrill ran through him. The resistance and consequences were the most fun. 

—---------------

The next day, Coriolanus excused himself from work, claiming he had a cold. It was only midday but his tired colleagues were supportive of him going home. They all hoped that it would lead to an early mark for all of them. Sickness was contagious, it was possible for them all to have one too.

To Coriolanus’s luck, Dr. Gaul was traveling through the Districts, marking the best spots to host the Reapings. So she wasn’t there to witness Coriolanus act like a desperate school boy.

He was sure word would get to her as it always did, but there was no cold hard stare dissuading him now. 

Tigris wouldn’t be home from work until 5:30, and Grandma’am wouldn’t be home long after that. The old women hated being left alone with Mabel. She was adamant that Coriolanus build a servants' quarters where Mabel could be hidden. 

That meant that he had Mabel all to himself for the whole afternoon, and he was going to use every second.

Only a quick detour to pick up the things he would need could be excused. He made the chauffeur park a block away in front of a cafe and wrote a list. Coriolanus couldn’t be seen engaging in such disgraceful behavior but a faceless chauffeur could. 

His driver was about the same age as Coriolanus but had made some perilous mistakes that rendered him a tongueless Avox. Coriolanus had a vague memory that he used to play with a young child in his primary education days that resembled the young driver now, but Coriolanus didn’t dwell on it. That was the past, the future is what concerns him. 

The chauffeur looks at the list with wide eyes. He knew the items listed were to be used against the young girl he had taken back to the Snow’s penthouse, but he went and got them anyway. 

It was only a quick trip back to the house after that. Coriolanus tore the items out of the packages and continued accordingly. His footsteps were quick as he made his way through the large building. The people in front of him were too slow, it seemed like the elevator took years to get to him. He was just about to leap up the stairs when the doors opened just in time. 

Peacekeepers guarded his door in case Grandma’am or Tigris came home early. 

“You’re not needed.” He comments as he passes the Peacekeepers. They move almost instantly. 

He locks the door behind him, the bag crumples in his hold. 

Mabel sat sewing dresses for Tigris's shop. Despite spending her days making clothes, Mabel only had the green dress from Tigris and wore Coriolanus’s clothes to bed. 

She eyes him cautiously from the couch. There was something in his eyes that gave him away. Mabel decides the best course of action was to run.

He chases her into the dining room where she uses the long table as a barrier between them. 

They pause at each end. Coriolanus was first to make a move and Mabel reacted by swiftly moving in the opposite direction. 

The room is silent apart from their shuffling of feet. Impatient, Coriolanus throws himself across the table but Mabel jumps back to the entrance and retreats to the living room. 

Her bare feet thud across the marble floor as she made her way to the door. Her only chance was the door falsely locking. Everywhere else was a dead end. The apartment was large and filled with rooms but they were all locked and unlocked at Coriolanus’s command. 

She twisted and pulled but the door wouldn’t even budge. 

She could hear Coriolanus reaching her and she slid back across the hallway as Coriolanus came barreling into the door.  He chases her back into the dining room where he had dropped the bag. 

Before she could distance herself around the table, Coriolanus caught her arm and threw her into the polished wood. 

He managed to catch her flailing arms but her screaming gave him the headache had had lied about. 

He gathers her wrists and uses them to pull her over his shoulder so he can hoist her up.

She kicks and hits as he carries her to the bedroom, but it only gives him further justification for what he planned to do. He squats down to pick up the bag he dropped. He couldn’t leave it, given its purpose. 

With the door kicked shut, he drops Mabel on the bed and crawls on top of her, holding her still. 

They wrestle on the bed as Coriolanus struggles to take her dress off as Mable thrashes under him. 

But once off her shoulders, he took the handcuffs from the bag, attaching them easily to a bedpost where he could secure her. 

She panics as the first cuff is secured around her wrist and as Coriolanus reaches for the other, she sinks her teeth into the skin of his hand. 

He yells from the pain. The bite on his shoulder searing in pain from the memory. . 

A sharp backhand throws her down, making it easier to lock her in place. 

“I am going to fucking kill you!” She screams at him. It was a good time to bring out the gag from the bag and secure it in place. 

She continues to kick violently, still trying to hurt Coriolanus. He admired it. Beat and yet still fighting. 

He wanted her completely still so he continued his work, pulling out similar cuffs designed for her ankles and fastened them in place. What was left in the bag was two-meter lengths of rope which he tied around her knees to pull them completely open. He attaches the ends to the base of the bed with a knot he learned from his Peacekeeper stint. 

He stares admiring his work. She struggled against the restraints but could move very little. It was perfect, and he had hours to enjoy it. Unless Tigris came home early. With that thought, he locked the main bedroom door. 

With one last lingering look, he reached into the bag and pulled out the ‘pièce de résistance’. 

It was a small bullet-sized vibrator. It shook between his fingers. She kicked as much as she could as he inserted it dry. 

With the bullet doing its job, Coriolanus did his. He had wanted to explore Mabel's body for as long as he could remember. And with no pressing time limits he would complete this search now. 

He starts down by her feet, letting his lips drag over her skin. He examines every mole and scar along her. Kissing when he wanted to and biting because he could. It took a while, but he reached just behind her knee of the opposite leg he started with when she first came.

 From how slow he was going, he guessed it took half an hour for her first one. He wondered where he would reach for the next one. He smoothed his hands out over her skin, peppering kisses on odd spots. He had gone from her fingertips to her shoulder when her next climax came. 

He was in no rush to do anything. He explored her body the way he wanted to. She tried to headbutt him as he attempted to reach her ear but he caught her throat in his hand before it landed. He spent the next 15 minutes just on her ear alone. Biting and sucking on the lobe. He was still there when she came next. He moved on to the other ear then and waited until her next orgasm which took longer. 

After his mouth had left a cold, wet trail over every inch of her body, he took the time to count her freckles. It annoyed him when her body spasmed with another orgasm and he had to start again. 52 little brown dots was the final count. 

He moved from the bed only twice, first to remove his shoes, coat, and jewelry. And second, because he felt hungry around late afternoon. He went to the kitchen to make himself a sandwich and drink before returning to the bedroom to eat it. He didn’t want to miss Mabel's next orgasm.  

After a break of just tracing his finger around her body, and watching as she came, again and again, he decides to begin again with his mouth. 

Her legs shook from overstimulation. Coriolanus could feel them as they trembled underneath his lips. Her pussy was glistening and swollen. It looked sore from the abuse, but it was far from over. 

Her moisture dripped below her and down her inner thighs but Coriolanus just knew that her throat must be itchy and dry. He could offer her a drink of water, seeing as it had been hours of this torture, but he doesn’t.  

She had tried begging before or at least that’s what Coriolanus assumed. It could have been more insults but the crying after it made insults seem unlikely. The crying only lasted 10 minutes before her exhaustion didn’t allow her to do even that. 

She looked beautiful like this: entirely his. Under his control and mercy.

He licked the cum from her shaking thighs and moved to sit on her stomach. He was still fully clothed to add to her humiliation. 

She groaned from the weight of him. It came out muffled from under her gag but he could hear it. Her eyes were closed, not giving him the satisfaction of seeing the fear in them. 

His fingers pinched at her erect nipple, twisting it, and massaging her breast under his hand. 

Her breasts were small but a handful was all Coriolanus needed. 

Bore of this? He thought to himself. He wouldn’t object to perfunctory sex with Mabel but this is an elevated high he never thought feasible. 

A whine came from her again and he wondered if she was going to begin begging again. If she was, she was interrupted by reaching another climax that turned her begging into a muffled yell. 

Her hips buck underneath him as it ripples through her. Coriolanus watches her face as it screws up in painful pleasure. She throws her head back into her pillow three times as it passes. 

He wonders what she would say if she could say anything. Her begging is muffled, so she felt free to speak her mind but would the words flow from her mouth knowing that it would give Coriolanus confirmation. 

When her eyes fling open, it almost shocks Coriolanus. They had been closed for the past four hours. Her eyes tell him she is tired but still oh so defiant. If he was to take off her gag, he was sure that she would spit at him. 

Something about it aroused him further. 

He takes his weight off her and goes back to the end of the bed. More cum had leaked from her, making her thighs once again glisten. 

Deciding to give her a break, he reaches in and pulls the rotating device from her. It was holding in some residue cum that poured onto the bed sheets. She began breathing heavily again now that the tension was gone from her body. The poor thing thinks it’s over.

He blows gently on her abused pussy. Even the air was too much after the overstimulation. 

She tries to close her legs but the ropes stop her. 

A kiss is firmly planted on her clitoris and her wetness soaks Coriolanus's lips. She whines again, bucking her hips up to try and get him off. He cages her legs between his arms, pinning them under his shoulders as he digs his nose into the spot and begins to swirl, licking and lapping with his tongue sporadically. 

Her thighs still shake under him, and his legs join in anticipation. He rises himself to undress completely before dragging her by her knees into her own wet spot on the bed and inserting himself. She grips the chain at the intrusion. He could tell it caused her discomfort, maybe even pain as he did, but he slid in so easily. 

Her wetness meant that friction was hard to pick up so he slammed into her harshly for his own satisfaction. He had angled her so she was slightly raised from the bed as far as the ropes would allow and pounded into her with such force that she jolted at each thrust.

Her fingers clawed at what they could as Coriolanus had his way with her. 

Her swollen cunt clenched around him making Coriolanus groan in pleasure. 

The pressure around his cock got tighter and tighter as she reached another climax. Coriolanus was not far behind her after holding out for hours. 

As she came around him, it was enough for Coriolanus to come with her. 

He wanted to make a snide remark about how he could make her come but his mind was swimming. He drives his cock as far as he could into her even though he was empty. They remain like that, Coriolanus keeping Mabel there with a strong grip on her hips. Occasionally he would rock his hips back and forth, fucking the cum back into her. 

By the time Coriolanus caught his breath, he could hear the faint sound of Tigris’s heels coming down the hall. 

Mabel opened her eyes again, sure now that it was finally over. Coriolanus was hesitant to show his family his darker side. Mabel was subdued to never talk about it with threats to her family. So suspicions were never confirmed.

“Mabel?” The locked door jiggles. “Are you in there?” 

With a sigh, Coriolanus separates himself and goes over to the other side of the door. 

“Don’t come in, Tigris.” She couldn’t with the door locked anyway. “Mabel has been sick.”

He throws his gaze back to Mabel still tied to the bed.

“Let me in. I can help.” Tigris tries the locked door again. 

“She’s asked for privacy.” 

Mabel's brows furrow, but loosen as she forms a plan. While tied, her hands still had a little movement which she used to bang against the wooden headboard to alert her friend to her danger. 

Coriolanus rushes over and stills her hands firmly against the headboard. He was going to make her pay for that. 

Tigris had heard it and asked what the noise was. 

“Go away. Don’t worry. I’ll look after Mabel.”

Mabel instantly knew the underlying threat and went limp in his hold. 

He remains motionless until Tigris’s footsteps disappear back down the hall.

Only then does he move across the room to retrieve the cane used by her governess. 

It was a thin metal stick that a heavy piece of leather attached to the end that was used to smack down on hands. 

Mabel watched him as he brought it over. She pulled against her restraints but they were the best money could buy. 

He stood by her side, closest to the door so he could hear any more visitors.

Bringing the leather down to her clit, he began slapping the rod down unpleasantly.

He hit harder on her thighs, and more forcefully on her stomach, but only a rap on her breasts. He rotated randomly between the four areas of her cunt, thigh, stomach, and breasts, so she could never brace herself for the next hit.  

Her skin turned red from the assaults and her sobs hiccuped between her heavy breathing. 

There were sure to be black bruises the next day. A reminder for her. 

He taps the whip one-two-three-four times more harshly against her cunt than previously, before kneeling down and dropping it completely. 

He is at level with her perfect breast and he takes it into his mouth. His teeth grazed the sore and sensitive skin. He sucked like an infant while his hand groped her other breast between his fingers. He squeezed too hard for it to be of any pleasure for Mabel. 

He had grown painfully hard again. Now seeking his next relief he stands and unlocks one cuff with his fingerprint. 

Mabel instantly reaches for her gag but her wrist is caught and brought towards Coriolanus’s throbbing cock. She tries to pull her hand free but it is forced around his member and with his hand on top of hers, he begins to move it back and forth. 

She concedes and follows his movement with his hand now free and off hers, he uses it to redirect her face to what she is doing. 

He holds the back of her hair steady and keeps it in place as he feels his end nearing. 

His cum squirts out over her. Her face and chest now dripping with it. 

He was so caught up he failed to hear Tigris coming back down the hall. 

“Coryo, Mabel. Dinner is ready”. 

Coriolanus takes a deep breath before answering as evenly as he could, “We’ll be right there.” 

But he clips Mabel's hand back into the cuff. 

A whole afternoon of sex had relaxed Coriolanus. Everything that had bothered him before now seemed so silly. Was this all he needed all along to relieve the tension he always felt? He felt so good. But poor Mabel had taken his hurt. 

But she was bad and bad girls get punished. He had told her this. She needed to learn her place and this was a perfect example of it. 

Coriolanus wiped his cum from her chest down her stomach. She shuddered as he did it. She was sticky and wet and so, so beautiful. 

He looks down at his sticky hands and goes to the bathroom to wash them. Wiping a warm washcloth over himself to rid the mixture of cum he had picked up. He disregards the used washcloth and grabs another to wash the smell of sex off him. 

He runs it over his arms and shoulders as he walks to his closet to pick out an outfit for dinner. Deciding on his navy suit pants and white dress shirt, he finishes running the rag over himself and drops it to the floor.

Mabel was so still, if it wasn't for her shallow breathing, he would have thought he killed her. 

Now dressed, he goes back to her and stands on the end of the bed. He could hear the buzzing of the device but couldn’t see it. Mabel lay with her eyes closed, resting. 

He finds it and shoves it back inside of her. 

It causes her eyes to shoot back open. This time he was sure she was begging him to take it out. Her head shook ‘no’ when her words failed her. 

He smiles down at her, feeling like a god. 

“To make up for my previous inadequacies.” 

He leaves the room, making sure to relock it. 

Tigris, of course, asks him where Mabel was when he reached the dinner table. He continues with the ‘unwell’ lie and eats with a hunger he never knew, even during the war. 

—---

He skips dessert to attend to Mabel and warn off any more questions from Tigris. 

The room was quiet and dark. She lay on the bed motionless. The slight buzz sound could be heard the closer he got but Mabel's legs lay limp, unresponsive to it. 

He reaches down gently and pulls the device out for the final time. When he switches it off, Mabel considers the ordeal over. 

He unlocks the cuffs from her wrists and ankles and unties the rope from her knees. He half expects her to be filled with a burst of energy but all she could do is curl into a ball as she is released. Her eyes never open and her mouth never makes a sound. 

He switches on the lamp to see her more clearly. Her skin was still red and glistened with his cum. 

Her thighs were smeared with a small amount of blood that leaked from her abused hole. 

Perhaps he went too hard, but he didn’t feel sorry for it. 

She still doesn’t move as Coriolanus picks her up. No whimper or sound. She let him do what he wanted and that’s all he had ever asked of her. 

He places her in the large tub and runs hot water for her bath. Her head tilts to the side as she rests and Coriolanus brushes her hair from her face. 

He leaves her there to return to the bedroom, ringing down on the service phone for the changing of his sheets. 

The hot water begins to cover her body which is slumped down. He pulls her back up by her neck and keeps his hold in case she slips under. 

She sighs as the hot water surrounds  her. Her body ached with pain. If she had any water left in her she would have cried. 

Coriolanus leans against the bathtub watching as the water rises above her. It all seemed surreal to finally have done the debauched acts he had dreamed about doing since he first saw her. Just having sex was one thing, but that was a performance. A period of time when he could do anything and everything he wanted. A quickie in the shower or a quiet struggle at night did not satisfy Coriolanus the way this had. 

He had to get Tigris and Grandma’am out of the house, or he and Mabel could leave. He could no longer live by their rules. He wanted Mabel completely under his control like she was an hour ago, not safeguarded by virtuous Tigris. 

He had waited all through his tortuous months as a Peacekeeper, watching her as she was protected by men much larger than himself. Even with his position and weapons, he was no match if one of them decided to fight him off. But now he was. Now no one stood in his way, apart from Dr. Gaul. But once he won the presidency, he would deal with her then. 

He remembered the night of Mayfair’s murder. Watching Mabel as Lucy Gray sang his song. She had her hair twisted on top of her head, hot and sweaty from dancing. She was surrounded by her friends and hopeful men and sat drinking something that was bought for her. She talked through his song to her man on her left. She was missing the song. He wanted to do something. To force her to listen to the words of the song. 

He was desirable just like her. He was powerful, and resourceful. Saved Lucy Gray from the Hunger Games. If she would just listen, surely she would want him just as Lucy Gray had. But she laughed over his name. The anger he felt proved useful when it came time to kill Mayfair but buried itself into his body until it could be released upon his target. Tonight it left his body, and Coriolanus felt as if a weight had been released. 

He turns off the water, hearing a forceful knock at the door. The maids were here to change the sheets.

‘‘Sit up. Don’t drown.” He demands, letting go of Mabel's neck to answer the door. 

To his surprise, Tigris stood with the maids. Her tall frame towered over them. 

He was careful only to let the maids through the door. 

“She’s thrown up all over the bed. Leave her be, Tigris.”

She eyes the room behind him, trying to find Mabel. She offers to make up the spare bed for him to sleep in, but he knew it was to create distance between him and Mabel. 

It hit the final nail on his decision, Tigris and Grandma’am could no longer live with him. 

“I’ll stay with her tonight to make sure she is alright.” He shoves himself through his door and slams it in Tigris’s face. 

The maids had stripped the bed and he ordered one to fetch him two bottles of water before disappearing back into the bathroom. 

The door is shut offering privacy. 

Mabel still had her eyes closed and a crumpled frame. He resumes his spot on the floor next to her. 

“I would like an apology for your comment last night.” 

She doesn’t offer one. Coriolanus was glad. He wanted to keep at least some of her fighting spirit. 

But disobedience still had to be punished. 

He lowers his hand down into the water towards her sex. She jolts, squeezing her legs as tightly as her weak muscles would allow.

“Okay-okay. I am sorry.” Her voice was raspy and barely existent. 

He lets her finish her bath in peace. The water was nearly cold by the time he reached down and pulled the plug from under her. 

She had rarely moved as she soaked. He doesn’t wait for the water to disappear as he picks her up from the tub and moves her to sit on the counter by the sink. Her body was weak and she leaned against the glass as he dried her with a towel. 

He rolled up his wet sleeves, unsure of why he didn’t do it earlier. He had just wanted to get Mabel out of the bath and into bed but at even the slightest expense to himself? Maybe he was just tired also. 

He brought her forward so he could reach behind her for her toothbrush. She tries to take it after he applies the paste, but he is resistant to give it to her. Her hold was so weak, that it would surely topple to the floor.

He forces it between her lips to give her teeth a quick brush. The foam dribbles down her chin as she spit it out. Using the same towel, he wipes her clean before picking her up once more. 

He sits her on the ottoman and she falls back into the newly made bed. She was so tired. She couldn’t care where or how she slept. But Coriolanus did. 

He found his nicest pair of silk pajamas. They were deep brown and soft as butter. 

She was awake enough to see him bring them back over but they were entirely wrong for her. 

They reeked of him. They fit her too loosely. Reminded her too much of all she had lost. 

They caused a surge of energy. Enough to sit up and resist the clothes as Coriolanus dressed her like a doll. It was a struggle to get her hand through the first sleeve but as his movements became rougher, her fight fled. 

He wondered why it was so important that she was clean and comfortable. Why didn’t he leave her in her own mess, or let her sleep naked if she was going to fight him on it? What did it say about him? About how he felt about Mabel?

He assured himself it was the war. He had very little but always took very good care of the things he did have. This was the same. He was only ensuring that his things would last. 

Besides, when she was good, he would treat her nicely. He could, but it didn’t mean that he wasn’t ruthless enough to run Panem. He was sure that even Dr. Gaul let her favorite pets sleep in the bed with her. 

As soon as he pulled her up to her pillow and laid her down into the fresh sheets, she fell asleep. It was the easiest bedtime since she was brought here. He pulls the blanket over her, tucking her in before he has his own shower. 

He returns to the dim light, straining to see if Mabel was awake. 

Mabel had not moved, even in her sleep.

He dresses and turns off the lamp. He wiggled next to Mabel, lowering his shoulder from its natural height so Mabel's cheek was pressed against it. It was silly and out of place after everything he had done, but it felt right to him. 

He wondered how she would wake. Would it be with a newfound obedience or did Coriolanus have many more nights like this on the cards? He secretly hoped for the latter. 

—-----------

When Coriolanus woke the next morning Mabel was still asleep. 

In his kindness, he decided to let her sleep longer. Last night was sure to have worn her out. 

He takes another shower, taking time to groom himself and apply his skin care. 

When he was finished, Mabel was still asleep. It was early, not even seven in the morning, so Coriolanus finished dressing without disturbing her. 

She looked so small in the massive bed. So delicate. If he didn’t know her, he would have never believed that such a small frame could carry such a big mouth. 

He closes the door quietly as he exits for breakfast.

Grandma’am and Tigris were already sitting at the table, picking food from the center. 

“Where’s Mabel?” Tigris asked.

“Asleep,” Coriolanus takes a pastry off the centerpiece and talks to the maid as he sits, “Put aside a plate for her.”

“You’re not going to wake her for breakfast?”

“She is still ill.” 

“Lazy,” Grandma’am spits out, “Districts are all lazy.” 

“Oh dear, maybe I should stay home today.” Tigris offers. 

“And watch her sleep?” Coriolanus mocks. Mabel knew to keep their relationship between the two of them but after last night it was best to err on the side of caution. 

“She’s sick, Coriolanus. She needs someone to take care of her.” 

She was Coriolanus's pet and Coriolanus's responsibility. 

“The Peacekeepers have a direct line to my office. If she needs something they can’t provide, I will take care of it.” 

Tigris pushes back her eggs, no longer hungry. 

“I still think-” she begins but Coriolanus’s temper flares. 

“You know what I think, Tigris? Perhaps it would be best for Mabel and I to find an apartment closer to the city.” 

“Move out from the Snow penthouse?” Grandma’am exclaims. 

“If Tigris will not stop interfering, what choice do we have, Grandma’am?” Coriolanus responds. 

“Interfere? Interfere with what exactly? Your violation of that poor girl? Is she sick, or have you done something to her? This is-this is…No!” Tigris gets up flustered.

“Sit down, Tigris,” Coriolanus demands, “Mabel is sick. It was bound to happen. She is District. She is not used to Capitol illnesses.’’ 

“Listen to your cousin, dear. Sit.” Grandma’am beckons. 

Grandma’am knew that if Coriolanus was to move out, his protection would go with him. Grandma’am had lived a hard and bitter life since the war, she was determined to die in peace. 

Tigris does sit back down, but remains in her frazzled state. 

Mabel was still asleep by the time everyone had left the apartment. Coriolanus left her a bottle of water and some painkillers next to her on her bedside, alongside a note letting her know there was food in the fridge for her. 

Work was more bearable with last night still running through his mind. He was in a good mood all day. It made him stand out amongst his gloomy coworkers. Nothing was too much trouble. He could take that extra task on. He could wait while his assistant readied documents due hours ago. 

Mabel was going to be of great use when he became President. He laughs quietly to himself as fleshes out his new game ideas on paper. 

“President Snow, how do you manage the pressure of it all?”

“The satisfaction of knowing I am serving my country keeps me preserving through difficult times.”

Meanwhile, Mabel would be back at the presidential estate tied to his bed, waiting for him. 

A small giggle escapes into the silent room and floats through the air. Coriolanus sits up straighter, fixing his face into a scowl as people look for the source of the laughter. 

Did Dr. Gaul laugh?  Did Dr Gaul ever kiss and pet her animals? What would she think of him if she could see him giddy as a schoolboy?

He used to pride himself on his self-control but Mabel had deteriorated it. 

She was a source of pleasure, where he had only known pain. The pain kept him sharp. 

He was doing so well. Too well to be thrown off balance by her. 

He reshuffles his pages to a blank piece. With Mabel on his mind, his proposal was weak. 

To impress Dr Gaul, he needed to show her that he was just as ruthless in his pleasure, as he was in his pain. 

—---------

He got home an hour after he was supposed to. No one was surprised when he was late. Not with the games just around the corner. 

His tired eyes were looking forward to seeing Mabel, but as he entered the apartment only Grandma’am, and Tigris greeted him. 

He kisses Grandma’am hello as she croons about his long day. Tigris sat in the living room matching patterns, clearly still angry. 

“Where’s Mabel?” he asks. He knew she was either in the kitchen or bedroom, but it seemed odd that she would leave her friend. They were normally joined at the hip as soon as Tigris came home from work. 

Tigris’s eyes shoot up at him. Before Mabel, Tigris had never looked at him with such hatred.

“She’s in bed. She hasn’t moved all day. I sat with her for an hour, she didn’t say a word.” 

Coriolanus makes his way to the bedroom to see it is completely dark. She didn’t even move to turn on a lamp. 

His sounders tensed with the thought that he had damaged his new toy. He had only wanted to control the spark, not extinguish it. 

He knew she could hear him as he approached her but she gave him no attention. 

He hoped to at least have her yell at him. Demand he get out, but everything was silent. 

Sitting on the bed next to her, he places a hand on her shoulder and speaks softly. 

“Mabel get up.”

She ignores him which angers him greatly. 

He sees she has taken her painkillers and drank her water. She had no reason to act this bratty. 

“What you did yesterday was…” She pauses to take a breath. 

Coriolanus’s mind races with answers: Exhilarating, memorable, long overdue. 

“Cruel.” She finished. From her perspective, maybe.

“You know, I’ve spent all day trying to remember you back in 12. I can only remember that night at the Hobb. Your eyes. So blue.” Her green eyes look up at his, “They gave you away.”

He could remember every occasion that Mabel came into view. But he watched from the shadows, and she danced in the light. 

“Mabel, I have given you no delusions as to why you are here. I’ve been very honest about your situation.” 

“Did you kill Mayfair?”

“Yes,” he admits. He felt his secret was safe with her. 

“Lucy Gray?” 

“Yes.” 

She doesn’t look afraid. Only defiant. It relieved Coriolanus to no end. He hadn’t broken his favorite toy. She was regaining her strength for battle. 

She sits up causing Coriolanus to lean slightly back to avoid a collision.

“Your eyes,” she states, “There’s something so dark behind them, that’s why I remembered them. I thought ‘run Lucy Gray!’ when I saw them.”

“She tried.” 

“I won’t run.”

“You won’t get the chance.” Coriolanus rises from the bed but keeps his eyes trained on Mabel. 

“I won’t run,” she repeats, “I’ll kill you.” 

He took her jaw roughly into his hands, turning it left and right as he spoke. 

“There’s not a single thought in that pretty little head of yours, is there?”

“There’s only one.” 

Coriolanus smiles down at her, despite her threat. She was so beautiful with her long dark eyelashes and her long dark hair that twisted past her shoulders and lay splayed out around her.

“I watched you for months as a Peacekeeper. Imagining all the things I would do if I could.'' He tucks her hair back behind her ear as he continues speaking, “Now here you are. Right under my fingertips. Mine. Free to do as I wish with.” 

He pushes her head back as he releases his hold of her jaw to stand.

“You thought I was cruel last night? Imagine what I am capable of when I am truly motivated.”

 He pulls down his sleeves that had rode up from his movements. It was important to look put together at all times. 

“I’ve dreamt of you for so long, Mabel . I will have you exactly how I want.”

“For now,” she concedes.

He squints his eyes at her. The things he would do if Tigris wasn't already waiting. 

“You need to come out and show Tigris that you are fine.” 

He could tell that she was in pain from her tense and slow movements but her face was brave.

Still dressed in his brown nightwear, she walks tall to the door, never looking behind her. 

—--------------

Coriolanus arrives home well after dinner due to Dr. Gaul arriving back in the Capitol. Now that the screening locations were picked, she didn’t want her efforts to be wasted. They all had to think of ways to prolong the screening. 

She was happy with nothing unless it added to the misery of districts. Coriolanus watched as she pushed and hinted at what she truly wanted. She was not interested in sharing ideas, she only wanted the participation of the group to distribute the blame. They were all in this together.

 All monsters of the Capitol. All a fine example of the human condition: hidden by fine clothing, and etiquette but at the core animals that believed in nothing but survival of the fittest. 

Coriolanus finally guessed at what she was getting at, and they could all go home, nearly three hours after the official day had ended. 

Coriolanus was eager to get home and relieve some of the stress that he felt. Gamemaking was not for the faint of heart. 

They had waited to have dinner with him, much to Coriolanus’s annoyance. Grandma’am was adamant that it was disrespectful to eat without the man who put the food on the table. 

It fanned Coriolanus's ego so he sat alongside Mabel and ate his dinner in silence. 

All he wanted to do was retire to his room with Mabel and read. He skipped dessert to do so, much to Mabel's disappointment. 

He did enjoy Mabel's company. Even just her presence in the room helped to settle him. Was she a symbol of his power? A silent promise to the man he is to become? He had no idea why she had this effect on him, only that she did. 

After a whole day of tense conversation with Dr Gaul, he could finally relax and read his book. 

He forced Mabel to do her reading homework as well, so she didn’t annoy him. 

Her book was for Capitol children and yet it still was above her level. She sat on the bed trying to read it while Coriolanus stretched out on his desk, reading for pleasure. 

She grew frustrated, throwing her book onto the floor. Coriolanus shuts his own book to pay attention to her. 

“Something the matter?”

“The cat sat on the mat, the mat sat on the cat. Who cares? Not me.” 

Her hair was pinned up by something but it was mostly coming apart. Ringlets fall and frame her face, giving her an endearing disheveled look. 

With his book back on his desk, Coriolanus goes to entertain Mabel.

Mabel is pushed to the bed as Coriolanus crawls on top of her, his head aiming for her neck. She lays unenthusiastically beneath him.

“Is Tigris dumb?”

Coriolanus stopped kissing her neck to respond. 

“What?”

“I wouldn’t mind if she’s dumb,” Her eyes focused on a faraway spot in the corner, Coriolanus had trouble regaining her attention. 

“But she’s my friend,” Mabel continues, “And she acts like she doesn’t know what you are doing. If she ain’t dumb, then she ain’t loyal. And if she ain’t loyal, we ain’t friends.” 

‘‘Isn’t,’’ he goes back to his work on her neck, ‘‘Are not.” 

He rises once more to look at her,  “We don’t say ‘ain’t’.”

“Well, I say ‘ain’t’.” Mabel pushes back on his shoulders and he takes it as a sign that more forceful measures must be taken. 

“She told me, ya know. About your childhood. How she looked after you, how poor you were. She reckons that’s why you are the way you are.”

“Mabel, don’t make yourself familiar with me.” He grabs her arm harshly and pulls her from where she lay into a kneeling position on the floor. 

“‘He doesn’t mean it,’ she said. ‘He’s been through a lot’.”

Coriolanus undoes his pants, and Mabel remains kneeling on the floor. 

“So maybe she is just dumb.” Her words are fierce but her frame shrinks underneath him. Her hands stuck together on her lap, her spine slightly curled like she wanted to roll herself into a ball. 

Coriolanus grabs her jaw to straighten her, his other hand snaking into her hair. He stands up and positions himself correctly. She couldn’t be trusted to do it by herself, so he kept a strong hold on her jaw to ensure it didn’t close, and a painful grip on the back of her head to ensure that she didn’t move away. 

He begins to fuck her mouth at a frustrated pace. 

She chokes as he pushes himself all the way in. Slamming his hips back and forth into her. 

She reaches up to take hold of the back of his pant leg, trying to steady herself.

“You don’t look like a big, tough girl now. Do you still feel like one?” he taunts, feeling her nails dig into the fabric of his pants. 

“Getting awfully friendly with me. Are we friends, Mabel? Or are you my little slut?”

His hips buck harshly in time with his words, “My-beautiful-little-slut.” 

Before resuming their quick, and needy pace, he spat out “You know what your problem is, Mabel. You never know when to shut the fuck up.” 

Her fingers curl around the fabric of his pants.

“You’re so brave, Mabel. And what did it get you? A mouthful of cock. A belly full of cum. Was it worth it?”

He could feel her jaw move under his hand but his tight hold disallowed her speech. He was going to talk, she was going to listen. 

“You think I like being cruel?  I do.  But you know what I think? You like it too. You like being shown who's boss. Again-Ah- and again.” 

He slows his pace down, dragging his cock slowly along her tongue.

“Those District boys never quite did it for you. Did they? That's why you kept cycling through them. You were waiting for a man like me to put you in your place. On your knees.” 

Her eyes flamed at him but she could do nothing more. 

She gags when he pushes too far but he doesn’t stop. 

Drool spilt from the corner of her mouth, and her eyes watered but he felt no pity. 

“You’re not dumb, Mabel. Haven’t you realized that when you’re nice, I am nice? Or have you realized that when you’re mean, I am mean?’’.

He laughs at her, angry and powerless on the floor. She digs her nails into the back of his thighs. With four more uncontrolled thrusts, he spills into her mouth and throws her back like a dirty rag.

She’s left on the floor, eyes watering and gasping for air with cum dripping off her lips. 

He drags her by the arm to the corner of the room where he forces her back into her knees facing the wall. 

“You don’t want to read your book? Fine.” 

He balances it on top of her head. “Stay there while I finish mine.”

Mabel, still ever so defiant, turns as he walks away and throws the book at him. Hitting him with a thud against his back. 

“You sick fuck!” she calls out. She goes to get up but Coriolanus is too quick for her, grabbing a thin book from his stack and shoving it between her teeth. He pushes her shoulder back towards the wall, reaching blindly for the rod he knew was close at hand. 

Feeling the cool metal between his fingers he brings it four times against her back. The book drops as she shouts and Coriolanus’s hand replaces it until the fourth strike hits. 

He picks it up again. It was a thin book, only 100 pages in length about the legislative process of government. It was short in nature given the hierarchy of parliament. It could be summed up in a sentence: the president spoke and the rest rushed to make his sentence a reality. 

He tells her to bite down and she does against the spin of the book. With her there, he goes to the locked drawer at his desk where he hid his toys from the maid. He brings out the cuffs he brought and secures her hands behind her back to make her task harder. 

Rebalancing the book, he leaves her there to return to his book at his desk.

He kept the cane in his hand, bringing it down across her every time the book fell. She remained completely still even as her neck strained. It annoyed Coriolanus so he took another book from his collection and placed it upon her thin child's book to add weight. She dropped it more easily, but the sting of the cane had her soon learning how to evenly distribute the weight. 

He had three more heavy books stacked on top of her head by the time he was finished reading for the night. 

She blinked tears away but made no sound or change to her straight posture. 

He took his books back from her head and teeth, placing them in their rightful places on the shelf. 

She was smart not to move, and he rewarded her for it by crouching down next to her and wiping her tears away with his handkerchief. She doesn’t look at him, keeping her eyes on the white wall. 

He takes hold of her jaw again to raise her from the floor and leads her to the shower. 

—-----------------

Another long day at the office left Coriolanus wishing for Reaping Day. 

 The sooner it was all over, the better for his nerves. 

Normally, on the way home he would listen to the radio news but after his exhausting day, all he wanted was silence. He knew he would no longer get it at home. The car pulled up to the curb of his building but he couldn't force himself to get out. He watched the lights of the building and the people as they entered and exited. 

He sighed deeply when he saw Mabel's Governess coming from the building. They were supposed to be done hours ago. 

He rushes out of the car as she approaches. 

“Mrs. Fox. What has she done now?”

The older woman jumped at the sound of his voice but regained herself as she turned. 

“Oh nothing, Mr. Snow,” she looked surprised to say it, “I was just visiting a friend in the same building. Mabel finished all her work diligently. We were done within four hours, and I didn't raise the cane once.”

Coriolanus smiled. Was it over? Had he done it? Maybe he was ready to be President. If he had trusted his instincts on the first day Mabel would be eating out of his hand right now. He had done it. He had won. 

“Well, that's good news.” He walks the teacher to her car, feeling generous. 

“I know I could get through to her with a heavy hand. You really must let me use my teaching experience. 

Coriolanus felt too good to correct her so he just bids her goodnight and leaps up the steps into his apartment building. 

He greets people as he makes his way through the building, avoiding conversation where he could. He was glad when the neighbor left the shared space of the elevator, sending the old woman off with a nod. The silence was refreshing after his day of non-stop chatter. He liked that Mabel didn’t speak much, at least not to him. 

The Peacekeepers greeted him as the doors opened before taking his place in the elevator. He doesn’t greet them back, focused only on opening the door and retiring to bed. 

He looks around the room to Grandma’am who sits at the kitchen table reading a gossip magazine and Tigris who is helping Mabel sew a large dress. 

Mabel wore a big, bright smile as she walked over to him and took his coat. It wasn't an unwelcome change but one that put Coriolanus on edge.

“Coryo, how was your day?” Tigris called from her seat on the couch. 

“Fine,” he answers. With Mabel still within reach he places a quick kiss on her cheek. Her eyes widened in surprise before her face scrunched into disgust. 

With his coat hung up, she leaves him by the door, going back to Tigris. The corners of her mouth twisted up into a smile. She bit down upon her lip, trying to stifle a giggle. 

He had an unsettled feeling as he walked from the living room to his bedroom. He expected glum Mabel, defeated Mabel but not gleeful Mabel. 

Opening the door he could see why. 

His books had been thrown to the floor, pages torn out and spines broken. He had nearly a whole wall full and she had taken every single one and torn it apart with her bare hands. Coriolanus had been a boy who had nothing, and even now as a man who had everything, watching his things get destroyed gave him a sick feeling. 

His bag drops by his feet and picks up the book closest to him. Chocolate was squished between the white pages. The book was borrowed from one of his professors. A first edition and highly expensive.  

He was going to kill Mabel. 

He dashes out of the room, and back to the living room where she was expecting him. 

She eyes him on the couch, eagerly. 

Alarm bells ring in his head. She wanted him to react but why? He was too angry to care. 

He had expected her to move so when his fist came down, it came down with more force than he would have normally used, which sent her off the couch and onto the floor. Despite how angry he was, he forced himself to uncurl his hand into an open palm. He straddles her, bringing his hand down across her face as many times as he could before Tigris could hinder his movements. 

“Coriolanus!” he could hear the fear in Tigris's voice and it clicked for him. Mabel had set him a trap and he had fallen straight into it. 

She wanted to expose him to his family. Make a fool out of him. 

He got off her, falling back on his legs, his eyes going to Grandma’am at the table. Her face froze with shock. 

This was too much for even Grandma’am who used to let him steal toys from other children in the playground. 

Mabel manages to get up, grabbing the fabric scissors off the table as she gains distance between them. 

“Touch me again, and I’ll fucking kill you.” She threatens. She holds the scissors in a tight grip towards Coriolanus. Grandma’am cries out in panic but she is largely ignored. 

“Let's just calm down,” Tigris soothes. 

Coriolanus rises from his spot. He could feel his rage ripple through him. 

“Drop the fucking scissors. You won’t use it.” He demands. 

“What to bet?” she spat. The scrapping of the kitchen chair breaks their standoff. 

“I am calling the Peacekeepers” Grandma’am attempts to make a break to the kitchen but she is slow in her old age. 

“Don’t!” Coriolanus growls. He wished Tigris and Grandma’am would melt into the floor so he would deal with this. 

“What a game you played, Coriolanus. So smart, so charming. It must have been exhausting for you” she mocks. “Is that what I am for you? Something you can toy with after playing Capitol pin-up boy all day?”

“I care for you, Mabel.” He admits, his face turns slightly pink from the heat of his embarrassment. He felt foolish to admit such a thing in front of his family. 

She scoffs at him, turning to Tigris. 

“Do you see?” She asks, “Do you see who he is?”

All eyes are on Tigris, who stood in silence giving her answer away. 

He had to get her back under control before she could forever ruin his and Tigris's relationship. 

“You want to go home?” Coriolanus takes a cautious step forward, “I am willing to make a trade.” 

Mabel listens.

“I hear your sister is growing up to be quite pretty. She’s too young to be of any use to me for years, so I’ll take your mother in the meantime.” 

“Coriolanus.” Tigris' voice is hard and cold.

 It felt as if a bucket of ice water had been thrown over him. But he was a Snow. Snow’s are not threatened, they are the threat. Does this District girl think she can make a fool out of him? That she could use his family to stronghold him? 

“I’ll send your mother back once your sister hits the right age.” 

“I’ll kill you.” Mabel threatens but her tone is weak, and her lips quiver. Coriolanus knew he was on the right track.

 “Don’t you understand, Mabel? Your life ended when you were placed on that train. It belongs to me now. I took you as easily as I can take them.”

“Not if you’re dead.” She declared. 

“Kill me Mabel, and it would be as if you slit their throats yourself.” 

She knew it too. That's why she never took a lunge. 

“Drop the scissors,” Coriolanus contends, “And I’ll forget it happened.” 

“Do you see him, Tigris? He’s not the boy you raised, he’s the boy you lost. Do you see?”

Coriolanus wasn’t sure when Tigris had begun crying but she stood now with her hands clapped up to her face and big, fat tears running down her face. 

“Yes,” Tigris sobbed. 

Mabel threw the scissors away from herself and Coriolanus took her arm, leading her to the bedroom before she could cause any more damage to his relationship with his cousin. He locks the door, making sure to double-check it before he hurries back to do damage control. 

Grandma’am and Tigris hadn’t left the living room. He doesn’t think they have moved since his outburst. He was so good at only showing them his best side. He hid the Snow that lurked beneath him all those years at the Academy, even the day he told them he was leaving for Peacekeeper training. All those years of self-restraint blown over by a hot-tempered girl in an afternoon. 

“Tigris,” he begins, reaching out to her but she jerks back away from him. 

“No, Coriolanus. No. I can’t sit by and watch you torment that poor girl.”

She begins to shove her work into her suitcase, throwing the scissors hard into the bottom.  

He felt a switch flip in him. She was going against him? After all he had done for her? Brought their family from ruin all off his own back. Slaved over his grades. Went to school hungry so that she could have more to eat. He got punished for cheating in the hunger games so he could win the Plinth Prize and keep a roof over her head. And now, she was going to take a District's side over him?

“Then don’t watch.” 

Coriolanus turns towards his office, the words of peace Grandma’am spewed behind him got lost in the slammed door. 

He immediately contacted a colleague who owned a collection of high-end resorts and inquired about the best apartment that he had available. His next call was to his driver and then to the Peacekeepers telling them to come inside in the next five minutes. 

When he entered Tigris' room she was already there. She begins the lecture again but this time Coriolanus is unfazed as he grabs one of her many bags and starts to shove whatever his hand touches into it. This stops her. 

The startled sound she made was new to Coriolanus. He always tried to hide his dark side to avoid scaring her, just as she always hid her panic to avoid worrying him. Tonight Mabel brought the emotions to the surface. 

“What are you doing?” she asks meekly. 

“I told you, Tigris. Mind your business or get out.”

She doesn’t stop him as he packs her things. 

“You aren’t serious. This is my home!” 

Coriolanus makes no verbal response causing Tigris to sit on her bed to absorb the blow. 

She had to leave. To save their relationship. Coriolanus planned to do much worse things to Mabel. 

Mabel too, needed to know that his family were not playthings for her. He couldn’t be seen cowering in the shadows any longer. He was the leader of the Snow family, it was time he acted like it. 

He could hear Grandma’am. Her loud, high-pitched voice quivered as it exclaimed to the Peacekeepers the events of the night. Coriolanus raced to stop her.  

“Coriolanus!” she calls as he enters the room. 

He takes her into his arms and speaks softly to the woman, “Go back a bag, Grandma'am. I’ll send the rest after you.” 

Coriolanus held her a bit tighter as she turned pale. Would shifting her from the Snow penthouse kill her? She could have her rose garden anywhere. He will ensure it. The new apartment was closer to the city anyway. This would be better for them all. 

After a moment of silence, Grandma’am stood tall. Her face was blank from emotion as she shook her youngest grandchild from her. 

“You,” she points to a Peacekeeper, “Follow me.” 

Silence overtook the room again as the sound of heavy boots and light heels made their way together. 

“Coriolanus!”His name is yelled down the hallway. “No. No, I won’t go!” 

Tigris’s screaming interrupted Mabel's banging. The noise was too much for Coriolanus, whose temper flared once more. 

“The bag is in the end room.” he seethed to the remaining Peacekeeper who took off at his command. 

Mabel screamed Tigris’s name, thinking her friend was in danger. 

“Shut up!’’ Coriolanus screamed down the hall. 

“I won’t go. I won’t leave Mabel. You can’t do this!” It was hard to hear her over Mabel’s incessant banging. 

“Please, don’t do this, Coryo. This isn’t you.” 

Tigris stills at her own words. The war-torn boy was no longer there. She wasn’t sure if the child she raised was still in there. 

The same blue eyes that used to cry with her out of hunger now glared back at her. His father's eyes. Full of hate. 

The Peacekeeper returns with the bag and gently places a hand on Tigris’s arm to lead her to the door. She goes willingly, too dazed to resist. 

Grandma’am kisses him goodbye, shadowed by the young Peacekeeper holding an impressive amount of bags given the small time frame. 

He is left alone for the first time in the Snow Penthouse. 

Mabel continued pounding the door. She was screaming but her words were muffled and Coriolanus’s ears ringed with his own consequences. 

He had got everything he wanted but it has cost him everything he had. 

The shattering of something caught his attention. He sprints to his locked bedroom door, and bangs back against the door, bringing his face up to the wood so she could hear him. 

“You hear that, Mabel? It's the sound of your only friend leaving.” 

—-------

Reaping day was finally here, and Coriolanus felt the most nervous he had ever been. Even the day of the Plinth Prize, or the first day as a Peacekeeping grunt. This was much worse. This was a situation that he couldn’t crawl his way out from. It depended entirely on Mabel. 

She took all day to prepare to the Capitol’s standards. A team of beauty technicians came around and spent hours waxing, shaping, styling, and dying. 

The Reaping was at noon and the team had been working since eight getting Mabel ready. It was well worth the effort. Her natural features were enhanced, her curls fought into submission, and the treatment on her olive skin left it glowy and smooth.

 He caught her looking at herself on reflective surfaces.

 Her dress was a plain black halter-neck dress that reached her ankles. A large white, satin bow skewed over her hip, tying together in a large bow on the opposite side. It pinned her dress together so there was a large slit that allowed for the viewing of her fine legs. Even in heels, she only reached Coriolanus’ shoulder in height.

She certainly looked the part, but could she act it? Coriolanus could tell she was worried. Her fingers fiddled with her bow, and her attention was hard to keep.

It was a big day for her, and her family. Any trouble and they were to pay the price. 

Dr. Gaul was to arrive soon. The servants stood along the wall, waiting. Mabel sat on the couch while Coriolanus paced in front of her. 

“Remember, always refer to her as Dr. Gaul. Don’t speak unless spoken to, and no backchat. Mabel, no backchat.” 

To Coriolanus’s surprise, she gives him a nod instead of an eye roll.

As if summoned, the doorbell rang and a servant was quick to attend it. 

Her small frame haunted the doorway. No longer in her lab coat, Dr. Gaul wore a maroon pantsuit that widened her broad shoulders. 

“Dr. Gaul.” Coriolanus greets but is ignored as Dr. Gual makes her way to Mabel. 

Dr. Gaul looks Mabel up and down, seeming to approve by the end of the inspection. 

“A pretty bird,” she said to no one in particular. 

Mabel’s lips pressed together. 

“Dr. Gaul, would you like a drink?” Coriolanus tries to take her gaze off Mabel. They were a team today, and Coriolanus would try and protect Mabel as much as he could. 

His tactic worked, turning Dr. Gaul from the young girl to the servant with the tray. 

All too quickly, Dr. Gaul turns her attention back to Mabel, extending her gloved hand. 

“Dr. Volumnia Gaul.” 

Mabel reaches out and accepts the handshake. 

“Dr. Gaul, I have heard lots about you.”

Dr. Gaul's eyes quickly flicker to Coriolanus before resettling on Mabel. 

“Not as much as I have heard about you, I bet.”

The Panem national anthem is heard from the television. It was the perfect opportunity to usher the pair towards the lounge and away from the conversation. 

They stand as the anthem plays. Coriolanus could barely breathe as time was swallowed by the song. It was a minute and 16 seconds of free time and Coriolanus was grateful for every second. 

All too soon Lucy Flickerman appeared on the screen and the pair followed Dr. Gauls' lead to sit. 

Servants hovered over them offering food and drink but Dr. Gaul kept careful watch of Mabel who sat, hidden by Coriolanus. 

“I am surprised at your composure, Mabel. Today must be hard for you.” Dr. Gaul provoked. 

“Not since I turned 18.” Mabel leans closer to Dr. Gaul, and Coriolanus has to refrain from yanking her back. 

“I’s rather hopeful today. Adelaide Bennet owes me money and it’s her last chance to get picked.”

Dr. Gaul smiles back at her. 

“Well let’s remain hopeful then.” Dr. Gaul returns to the television as the presenter makes his introduction. 

Mabel leans back in her seat to watch the ceremony and Coriolanus takes the opportunity to lay an arm across her shoulders to stop her from leaning forward again. 

The tributes were picked and then called on stage to be asked questions. It was a terrible idea. Most just cried or just stood there. Coriolanus made a mental note to scrap it next year. 

Dr. Gaul who normally loved to watch the dismay of tributes, shuffled in her seat towards Mabel. 

Coriolanus motioned for the servants to serve more drinks. Trying to distract any further conversation between the two. 

“Are you enjoying the Capitol, Miss Mabel?”

“Yes. I love this apartment.” Mabel quipped. Coriolanus dug his fingertips into her shoulder. 

Dr Gaul grinned at her backchat. “Well, I suppose you haven’t seen much beyond the bedroom walls.” 

Coriolanus could feel Mabel flinch under him. She had hit a sore spot but Mabel put on a brave face. 

“Is there much more beyond that?” 

Mabel and Coriolanus shared the same philosophy of never letting anyone see your weakness. 

It impressed Dr. Gaul. Coriolanus watched her from the corner of his eye as Dr. Gaul revels in all that is Mabel. 

“Whoa,” Mabel exclaimed, wanting nothing more than to switch topics, “That’s a clear winner if I ever saw one.” 

The man on the screen was large. Coming from District 2 where they trained to be victors. 

“Hmm,” Dr. Gaul agreed. 

“The interviews were a bad idea,” Coriolanus comments, trying to hide Mabel from the attention, “Prescott only has bad ideas. Why do we let him contribute?”

“Because Prescott’s father is a large contributor to the Games. We all make sacrifices for the good of the Games.” Dr. Gaul returns. 

“We also need the presenters to act more lively. Make it interesting.” 

Coriolanus engaged Dr. Gaul with further adjustments to the Reaping as long as he could while Mabel sat silent and beautiful. 

Coriolanus got nervous the closer the Reaping got to District 12. Mabel was already cracking. 

When she saw her home, would she hit a breaking point? What if she saw her family in the crowd? Could she keep her composure? 

District 4’s interviews finished and the camera shifted to District 5. 

“Mr. Snow tells me you used to wash Peacekeeper uniforms.”

Dr. Gaul had no interest in the Games. The focal point of the evening turned to Mabel. She seemed unphased, drinking liberality. 

“I did.”

Mabel takes a sip of her drink, her eyes never leaving the television. 

“I heard you had quite the reputation back in 12.” 

Coriolanus wanted to interject, to somehow change the conversation to himself but he knew it was the wrong move. Dr. Gaul would only push further if he tried to change directions. 

“Yes, I was quite the washer.” 

He was sure that was it. Mabel’s tongue would be in his hands by tomorrow.

To Coriolanus' surprise, Dr. Gaul began to laugh. A deep chuckle that turned her away from Mabel, and hunched her frame into itself. 

Her hand reached back out once she was done and patted Mabel’s knee. Mabel ignored it but her grip around her glass tightened. 

“You must come to see my laboratory one day, Mabel. Put my experiments to shame.”

Coriolanus felt a swirl of pride go through him. Dr. Gaul was jealous of his pet. 

“You’re asking the wrong person, Dr. Gaul,” Mabel says, ducking her knee from the woman’s hand. 

“Coriolanus,” Mabel directs, “What do you think?”

She had passed the ball back to him, unable to front the fire from Dr Gaul. He could kiss her for it. 

“Maybe, if you are well-behaved enough,” he replies. He takes a sip of his own drink, noticing it was untouched. He too, had to seem unbothered. 

It would never happen though. He would create as much distance as he could between Mabel and Dr. Gaul’s laboratory, He hated it himself. Mutated creatures put on display in glass cabinets. 

Sometimes when he was forced to go there the sound of screaming deafened him. Some were clearly animals, but others seemed too human to dismiss. 

Dr. Gaul began to laugh again, this time letting her company see the thin lines as they appeared on her face to accommodate her laughter. She looked odd smiling. Coriolanus preferred her when she was angry. 

“Oh!” Dr. Gaul crooned, “You’re good at games. I wish I knew that before I let this go on. Maybe you could have helped.”

Her attention was back on the television, and her usual dissatisfied expression was back on her face. 

A District 9 boy was called up on stage amongst the silence

. 

“Yes, this year is far too gloomy to inspire Capitol glory,” Mabel gibbed. 

“Glory?” Mabel piqued Dr.Gaul's interest again, “Is that what you think the Games are for? Capitol glory?” 

Her tone conveyed she thought it was the wrong answer. 

“I think glory does more for Capitol order than sending children to fight to the death ever will.”

“And what does it do?” Dr. Gaul pushes. 

“It reminds us of our place.” Mabel was happy to end the conversation there, and Coriolanus tried to assist her by ordering the avoxes to serve lunch. But Dr. Gaul kept pushing.

“Which is?”

“The losers,” Mabel conceded. Her words sent shivers down Coriolanus’ spine. 

“We lost the war, and we’ve been in limbo between death and the afterlife ever since. Our lives became yours when the war ended. The Capitol’s toys. When you glorify the Games, it reminds us of that, more than the actual Games itself.” 

“My! I want you on the team next year” Dr. Gaul declared, “It took Coriolanus the loss of his lovely locks and a summer as a Peacekeeper to even come close to your conclusion.”

Mabel turns to him, now coming to the realization that he was Dr. Gaul’s pet as much as she was his. 

Dr. Gaul quietens as she eats the delicate food, meticulously prepared.

District 11 was halfway through their interviews. Coriolanus wondered if it was too late to drop his sleeping powder into Mabel's drink.  He could convince Dr Gaul that she had too much to drink. It would embarrass him but surely less than what he knew was to come. 

It would only reflect poorly on his training skills, but Mabel could keep her tongue for only a little bit of Coriolanus’s pride. 

It was too late, District 12 spread across the screen, and both women were no longer interested in conversation. 

“Here’s hoping for Adelaide, Miss Mabel.”  Dr. Gaul raised her drink, and Mable nodded back. 

The presenter in 12 is sluggish as he reaches for a card in the cage. Mabel looked in the crowd for her family. 

“Vera Woodsmith.”

“Ah,” Dr. Gaul mocked, “Don’t worry, Mabel. There’s other ways to get Adelaide.”

“Far be it for me to mess with fate.”

“Is that what you call it? Dr. Gaul brings her glass to her lips, but her thin smile hinders her ability to drink. “Coriolanus?” she adds. 

She was not in the habit of calling him by his first name. It shot shivers down him. 

“I don’t believe in fate,” he mutters, “Only power.”

On-screen the presenter tries to interview Vera Woodsmith but she cannot be heard over her own tears. 

The Peacekeepers take her away when she wouldn't stop wailing and the man draws the name of District 12’s male tribute. 

Coriolanus hoped it would be a past lover of Mabel’s. One less person to hold the memory that Coriolanus had fought so hard to have. 

“James Irkle”. 

The camera follows the boy as he makes his way to the stage. Shoulders up and tense, hands clasped together. His shoes were falling apart as he walked. The sole of his boot as it stuck to the hard gravel could be faintly heard over the silent audience. 

He couldn’t have been one of Mabel's past lovers. The boy was too young, barely 12. But she gasped upon his name as it was drawn.

Mabel shoots up before Coriolanus can stop her. 

“Someone you know?” Asks Dr Gaul. 

“He’s my neighbor's child,” Mabel eyes watch as the child makes his way up the stage steps, “He’s just a kid. Surely someone will volunteer.” 

She watches expectantly but no one rises. 

The presenter continued, lowering the mic stand to the boy's height so he could answer questions. 

“You can stop this.” She turns back to Coriolanus who tried his best not to let his panic show. 

“What would you have me do, Mabel? The name has already been called.” 

“Change the game, isn’t that your job? Make a new rule that it’s between 15-22. You’ll get more viewers.” 

“I am only interested in one viewer right now.”

“Coriolanus, please. He is just a boy. A good boy.” 

“Not the first good boy to die.” Dr. Gaul pushes Mabel a step too far. 

“Shut up.” Mabel snapped. Everyone knew it was the wrong move, but in her anger, she failed to catch herself. 

Dr. Gaul rose from her seat, and Coriolanus followed, unsure of what the unpredictable women planned to do. 

Dr. Gaul raised her hands as if she was going to reach out and touch Mabel but her fingers curled inwards. 

“If I could just get my hands on you.” 

“I am afraid you’re at the back of a very long line.” Mabel quips. Coriolanus wanted to reach out and cover her mouth before she could do any more damage. 

“That line keeps you safe.” 

Mabel throws her hands out, laughing humorlessly as she spins.

“Look around and you tell me how safe it has kept me.” 

Dr. Gaul smiles once more, giving Mabel one final look over before turning back to her successor. 

“An hour, Mr. Snow. I would have your bird singing an entirely different tune.”

A wave of shame overtook Coriolanus. He had failed. He was so close only to have Mabel crack at the last second.

Dr. Gaul leaves Mabel, finding a new victim in Coriolanus. 

“It looks like you still have work to do. I’ll leave you to it, Mr. Snow.” 

She pats his sore shoulder as she passes him. A shoe follows her, narrowly missing her shoulder. 

Dr. Gaul looks back in shock. She had never been bitten by an animal before. 

“Child murderer!” Mabel works on undoing her other heel and manages to pull it back to launch it before Coriolanus can restrain her. 

Dr. Gaul watches as Coriolanus wrestles Mabel to the ground, keeping a firm grip on her wrists, pinning them to her chest as he keeps her tightly against his.

A full belly laugh erupts over the sound of Mabel’s screaming. Under Dr. Gaul's stare, he wished for nothing more than to turn to ash. It reminded him so much of his father’s stare. Or at least from what he could remember. It paralyzed him like it did when he was young. 

He still felt frozen as he watched Dr. Gaul head for the door. Even when the servant closed it behind her, it offered no closure for him. 

His rage, however, slowly returned. 

“Get out. All of you get out!” He demands. 

Mabel had stopped screaming and started crying. He doesn’t release her. His fingers froze around her wrists, his shoulders would not unstiffen nor his legs untangle from hers. 

He wasn’t sure if he was holding her for her own comfort or his own. All he knew was that he couldn’t let go. 

Mabel had done far worse than he could have anticipated. She had piqued Dr. Gaul’s interest. If Mabel merely angered her, the course of action would be apparent, and it left her as the property of Coriolanus at the end of the day. But Dr. Gaul’s interest had a possessive grip. How far would she take it? Would Mabel be left one of those creatures trapped in the laboratory? Could he protect her from it? 

For the first time, Coriolanus felt a pang of guilt for having taken Mabel in the first place. 

He had plucked a flower from its stem and now it lay in his hand, slowly dying. 

tag list;

@bruher

@hiatuswhore

@swimmjacket

@immyowndefender

@namelesslosers

@lovelymoonkiid

@queenofshinigamis

@acidaciruela

@briefwinnerpersonaturtle

@tian-monique

[its-wabby-stuff]

Mikey Goes To Oz

<Time spent: 49 hours 17 minutes>

When Mikey takes some time away from a loud family squabble he accidentally ends up getting “flushed” down the sewers. This winds up sending him to the colorful land of Oz where he meets a good witch, a wicked witch, a brainless scarecrow, a heartless Tinman, a cowardess lion, and a powerful wizard, all disguised behind very familiar faces.

A canon adjacent spin off set before the season one finale but after they discover Splinter is Lou Jitsu

I wanted to fit each of the boys into their “you’ve had this all along” category. Leo isn’t brainless, in fact he’s pretty clever with a street smart, people reading ability on par with Donnie’s intelligence. Donnie isn’t heartless, he just has a tough time expressing his feelings. They are complex and unalgorithic but he can get just as excited or sad or angry as anyone, as much as he may deny it. Raph isn’t a coward, but being brave sometimes means admitting you’re scared and that you maybe don’t have all the answers. You dont have to be strong all the time and you don’t have to do it by yourself.

In the movie Dorothy’s journey home is also a representation of her running away. The important thing was to remember there were people who cared about her. Mikey is experiencing a similar phenomenon, wanting the escape the bad vibes in the lair. His “you’ve had it all along” is interesting because it is an object, since the Ruby kneepads could’ve taken him home the whole time. And sometimes getting home means going on a journey only to realize you never left.

I put April as Glinda because Glinda appears as a defender of the weak, and I see April in a similar light. Always willing to help and beat someone up if it is so required. Splinter as The Wizard of Oz represents Splinters own willingness to hide behind different personas, his running from the past and the pulling back of the curtain for Mikey in timeline. The Wizard grows through the movie, albeit quickly, and ends up leaving Oz to go home leaving his legacy with the scarecrow, the Tinman, and the lion. In this case the passing of the baton to his sons.

Meanwhile Draxum as the wicked witch felt much more how Mikey sees Draxum at this time in the show, mostly just an antagonistic force who wants something from them. Fun fact: I imagine throughout this dream, Draxum is uninterested in being the wicked witch but is pressed into it via plot. Hence his disinterest in being “melted.”

Additional characters not pictured: Big Mama as the Wicked Witch of the East (those were her Ruby kneepads!!) and Todd as the Mayor of Munchkin Land. If you can think of more, feel free to leave them in the comments or tags.

[egoistrin]

the perfect pair

GENSHIN CHARACTERS AND HOW YOU MET THEM!

[🐰] fluff. gender neutral reader. bulleted form headcanons. wanderer is kind of annoying here. (smh). includes swearing and not proofread. likes and reblogs are very much appreciated!

Al Haitham

You met Al Haitham, an Akademiya scholar at the Grand Bazaar while assisting Nilou through her performance. While you are not a dancer, you enjoy helping people in the Zubayr Theater as you grew up in a family that’s into art and performing.

Scholars from the Akademiya gave you the stereotype that all of them hated seeing individuals who pursued art rather than knowledge. Al Haitham was not free from this. he’s the one whom you are wary of. You often see him holding a book, scolding poor scholars on the verge of crying, and alone. Plus, he’s been visiting the bazaar ever since the higher-ups warned Nilou about closing the theater. The problem was resolved, of course, with the help of Nilou’s and traveler’s doing.  

You glared at Al Haitham. Worried that he’ll approach you and say that what you’re doing is not worth it or you’re just wasting your time. Surprisingly, he just walked outside the bazaar.

Little did you know, he always walks around the bazaar as he’s interested in you. He always sees you accompanying Nilou and helping around the theater he can’t help but observe you. He knew your family but he’s not well acquainted with them, hence, why he wants to get to know you.

Of course, he does not want to admit that he’s also enamored by your smile that’s always plastered on your face every time he sees you at the bazaar. Perhaps he’ll approach you tomorrow.

Xiao

He saw you on the way back to the Wangshu Inn crying. He was confused and troubled as he didn’t know what to do. He only knows how to kill and protect, not to comfort. So he decided to approach you and ask what was wrong gently.

You lifted your head and quickly wiped your tears. You gently backed away as there was a stranger in front of you. Your first thought was “Stranger danger” and Xiao was shocked by your actions. He backed away and gave you some space.

Great. Now this person thinks I’m an enemy. Xiao thought. Hopefully, you can at least recognize him as an adepti so he can escape the embarrassment he feels right now. He figured that you had gained your senses as you quickly stood up and apologized for mistaking him for a weirdo. Xiao accepted it and was about to walk away but you stopped him.

“Can you forget what you saw earlier? I’m sorry you had to see that and I promise not to be dramatic in public again. I’ll even treat you for a week! So please, just forget it.” Now, to say that Xiao was shocked was an understatement. A mortal treating him… for a week even is a brave move. He has karmic debt that can affect people and you’re not even bothered by it. He turned down the favor yet you’re still persistent and in the end…. You got what you want. You managed to invite an adepti to dinner for a week.

And on the last day, he found out that you don’t even know that he’s an adepti. You only thought that he was a vision bearer, which explains his odd look. Now, he has to deal with you who’s bowing on the floor and apologizing profusely for not recognizing and paying respect to an adepti.

Scaramouche/Wanderer

You bumped into him in the woods in Sumeru. He was running away from Nahida who was nagging him to celebrate his birthday and visit the traveler at least. You bumped into him and landed on your butt, looked up, and a strange man was in front of you.

You immediately apologized and he just shrugged it off. Thinking you’re already forgiven, you walked away but he stopped you with a hand on your wrist. You’re confused and he answered you with a cold “Make it up to me” statement. “Huh?” “Don’t huh me, mortal.”

Oh god. You already hate his guts. “Listen, I don’t have time for that. I still have to go home and celebrate my birthday with my cat who’s alone right now.” Hah. You idiots have the same birthday. “Then I’ll go with you.” You looked at him like he had just said something crazy. I mean yes, he did but why? “I’m not joking. I’ll go with you and celebrate our birthday together with your cat.”

If you’re confused before this take the cake. “Well, mister, Happy birthday. But I don’t want a stranger to be invited into my home and spend time with me and my cat. I gotta go.” you pleaded, putting your best puppy eyes so he’ll let you go. He cringed at your actions and smirked “If you don’t let me then I’ll burn the documents in your hands right now.”  What the fuck? This guy’s insane!

Panicking, you finally invited him to your house. To your surprise, he was obedient and quiet the whole time you walked to your house. He was also gentle to your cat, he’s practically babying it. You also gave him a separate cake that he could blow the candle for his wishes. For the rest of the night, the three of you spent the day filled with snarky comments, meows from your cat, and snores.

Your cat slept on his lap while he was sitting and his head was thrown back at your couch, and you were on the other side of the couch lying down.

Zhongli

Your trip to Liyue has been great so far. The people are welcoming and accommodating to tourists like you. However, you still feel like you are missing something to check while you're in the nation.

You've already tried Chef Xiangling's dishes, take pictures of the vast mountains of Liyue, and visited the adept's temples. Yet, it's still incomplete…. What is it?

It's the last day of your trip in Liyue so you wanted to make the most out of it yet you've already hit rock bottom on what else to do. You decided to pray to the Lord of Geo to guide you and as if He heard your prayer, a gentleman gently approached you and you were starstruck.

"I suppose you're a tourist?" the gentleman asked. You gulped, wide-eyed, still frozen as someone handsome like him approached you. "Uhm… Yeah! Yeah, I am…. It's my last day but I don't know what else to do. I get it that you're a local?" you blabbered, blushing at your sudden rise of voice.

He smiled, "Yeah, I am. If you do not mind, would you be willing to try out Liyue’s cuisine and tea with me?”

Wow… what an offer! But why? Isn’t he a local? Why is he still inviting me? “Well, sure. If it’s not too much of a bother then why not? Lead the way, mister?” “Zhongli, please don’t call me mister, just Zhongli is fine,” he replied.

You spent your day with Zhongli visiting various restaurants and trying on different foods on the menu. You realize that he’s not fond of seafood and has a lot of knowledge regarding Liyue’s history and art. Zhongli has a sophisticated taste when it comes to Liyue’s dishes and art.

The night is coming to an end and the ship you will be boarding will arrive soon. Your last day has been fun yet there’s a twinge of sadness and disappointment in your chest that you cannot describe. Maybe because you managed to enjoy this day with Zhongli but also this is the last day of spending time with him. You wonder if you’ll ever go back to Liyue and meet Zhongli again.

“I appreciate your company, Zhongli.” He looked at you and smiled, “I enjoyed this trip with you too. I hope that you will come back to Liyue again.” You can’t help but look at him, mesmerized by his golden eyes that resemble the shiny Cor Lapis Zhongli showed you earlier. You feel your face warming up and can’t help to awkwardly cough to mask your face. “Well, I will be coming back… Although, I don’t know when since I will be busy with my job after this trip. But I promise I’ll be back!” you beamed. “That’s a relief.” “Oh? Why is that? Is Mr. Zhongli a clingy person perhaps? Will you miss me?” you teased him hoping that he'd give you a reaction other than a gentle smile and it worked. Zhongli’s face was so flushed that he covered it with his gloved hand while looking away from you. “I suppose you are right. I will miss you.”

Oh. Oh. Fuck. You didn’t expect that. “Well... Uhm… Ah… I should be going now! My ship could be here anytime! I’ll go now, Mr. Zhong—I mean Zhongli!” you panicked, not knowing where to look and what to say. I mean how can you not? A handsome gentleman admitting that he’ll miss you? Not to mention, you have only met today! On your last day! “Alright, have a safe trip. I wish you well and good luck with your work. I will miss you.” Fuck. Once again, Zhongli knows what words to say to fluster you further. I suppose it’s safe to say that you’ll come back to Liyue much earlier than you anticipated.

I got carried with Zhongli tbh.... Can you believe that I started writing this back in January and only managed to finish it this November. Almost a year haha.... reblogs are really appreciated as the tumblr system revolves around it!

[thebluehair23]

Imagine :Gil-galad’s wife bravely rescues him, leading to a heartfelt confrontation and reconciliation.

Title: Bound by Love and Bravery

When Gil-galad set out for battle, you felt the familiar knot of fear tightening in your heart. Every part of you urged him to stay, to be cautious, but he was the High King and duty called. Days passed, and reports came back to Lindon—a battle gone wrong, Gil-galad captured, trapped in the heart of enemy lines. Though you pleaded with the council to send a rescue party, they refused, their fear for their own lives outweighing their loyalty.

But you couldn’t accept it. You couldn’t bear the thought of him trapped, suffering, while you stood by, powerless. Even more so now, as you carried his child within you—a secret you had only just discovered. The thought of your child growing up without a father was too much to bear. And so, you made up your mind. Taking only what you needed, you left under cover of night, riding alone through perilous lands, determined to bring him back.

Days later, you reached the enemy camp under the cover of darkness, finding Gil-galad bound and held in a wooden cell, guarded by orcs gathered around their campfire. Your hands trembled, but with careful planning, you managed to set up a trap—stones rigged to fall, fire set to engulf the camp in chaos. When the flames rose, the orcs scattered, caught off guard by the sudden assault. Seizing the moment, you dashed toward Gil-galad’s cell, breaking the locks and pulling him free.

“Are you mad?” he hissed, his face twisted with fury as he took in your appearance. “What were you thinking, risking your life—and the life of our child?”

“We’ll argue later,” you said, tugging him toward the trees as the flames spread behind you.

Once mounted on his horse, you rode through the night, pressing on until you were far from danger. Finally, exhausted and wary, you found refuge in a small, hidden cabin owned by a mysterious figure—an old shifter, who could transform into a wolf but whose heart was kind.

The wolf-man greeted you both with warmth, setting out a simple meal: bread, eggs, and fresh milk. You were ravenous, and the food disappeared almost as soon as it was set in front of you. Gil-galad watched you in silence, his eyes still clouded with anger and worry as you ate, hardly pausing for breath.

Once you finished, he finally spoke, his tone sharp with frustration. “You had no right to risk yourself. You put our child in danger. What would I have done if I had lost you both?”

You met his gaze, unyielding. “And what would I do without you? How could I go on, raising our child alone, knowing I could have saved you?”

He clenched his fists, his anger softening slightly, though he remained tense. “That isn’t a risk I would ever want you to take.”

“And I couldn’t live with myself if I didn’t try,” you replied, your voice shaking with raw emotion. “You are my heart, Gil-galad. I can’t imagine a life without you. I would face any danger if it meant bringing you home.”

The room fell into silence, and your eyes began to sting as you held back tears. Unable to bear the tension, you turned to the wolf-man, asking where you could sleep for the night, hoping to find a place alone to calm your heart. He led you to a single room with one bed, his gaze full of quiet understanding.

Your heart sank. You couldn’t avoid Gil-galad tonight, but as you lay on one side of the bed, facing away, you kept your distance. Moments later, you felt the bed dip as he lay beside you, both of you engulfed in silence and unspoken feelings.

Then, his arm slid around your waist, drawing you gently back toward him. His touch was warm, comforting despite his earlier anger. Slowly, you turned to face him, finding his gaze softer, more vulnerable.

He brushed a hand over your belly, his eyes filled with a mixture of awe and sorrow. “It isn’t only you I nearly lost today… I nearly lost him, too.”

You managed a small smile, brushing your fingers over his hand. “Him?” you asked, raising an eyebrow. “For all we know, it could be a daughter.”

He chuckled, pulling you closer until you were nestled against his chest. “Perhaps,” he murmured, his voice softening. “But I know that you both wanted me safe. No matter how angry I am, I can’t deny… I’m grateful you came for me.”

You let out a small laugh, the tension between you melting as you relaxed against him. “I’m not the only one, you know. He wanted his father back, too,” you teased, though you knew it was your love for him that had driven you to such lengths.

Gil-galad’s eyes sparkled with affection as he gently stroked your hair. “Perhaps,” he replied, amusement dancing in his gaze. “But if I know him at all, he’s inherited his courage from you.”

In that quiet moment, you felt the strain of the journey fade away, replaced by a deep and lasting warmth. You lay together in the flickering candlelight, your love strengthened by the trials you had faced, knowing that you would face any danger for one another. And for now, in each other’s arms, you were home.

[rorywritesjunk]

No longer locked upon the land but free on the rolling waves

You and Buggy come face to face with himself from the past, and while you're fully accepting that this is your husband as a child, Buggy doesn't want to accept it.

Rating: PG-13ish, but just due to some swearing.

Warning: Upset kid, upset husband. Reader is way too nice, doesn't necessarily take husband's feelings into account as well.

A/N: A combined request. I did a few versions of this story before feeling like it hit the marks I was wanting to hit. Also, I'm just trying to vibe off what I've seen of Kid Buggy. I'm no expert. I'd protect that kid with my life. He's so adorable. I also like the trope of "Meeting your self from another time" and "gets turned back into kid-self". This is the former, and I know shit about time travel but I just kind of made something up. Also, kelpies. Are they in One Piece? I honestly don't know but I love kelpies and needed an excuse to mention them.

Title comes from "Sailing Song" by S.J. Tucker.

Chapter 1 + Chapter 2 + Chapter 3 + Chapter 4 + Chapter 5 + Chapter 6/Epilogue

Chapter One

You would have thought you drank the pub dry the night before and were still drunk with what you were seeing in front of you. Except you very much didn’t drink. You stayed back on the ship, wanting a quiet night while the rest of the crew and captain went to drink the pub dry. You were perfectly sober, no hangover in sight, but you really weren’t sure what you were staring at.

Blue hair, red nose, and a scowl you knew all too well was in front of you, clutching something in his little hands while looking you up and down. “What?!”

“I… don’t know.” Which was true, you didn’t know. The kid in front of you looked every bit like the captain who was currently sleeping back on the ship, having managed to find his way home without falling off the docks and into the water to drown(this time). He never mentioned having a kid, ever, and considering how long you knew the captain and your relationship with him, and guessing the kid’s age, you would have been having a very serious talk about infidelity and why keeping your love child a secret? Seriously? wasn’t good for relationships. 

“Why are you staring at me?!” The kid snapped. “Don’t stare at me!”

“Sorry!” You smiled and knelt down in front of him. “You just look so much like someone I know, I was confused. I promise I wasn’t staring.”

The kid was on guard, tense, and looked ready to bolt, but you were curious. He just looked so much like Buggy that he had to be an offspring or some kind of relative, but the scary thing to you was how much he really looked like Buggy; he had kept some photos of his childhood onboard the Oro Jackson, and you knew what he looked like as a kid. He would show them to you on nights when he was drunk and reminiscing about the good ol’ days, singing shanties and drinking heavily. Last night was one of those nights before he passed out asleep in bed. 

“What’s your name?” You finally asked. The kid didn’t seem sure about telling you, but he must have felt brave because he straightened up and smirked at you.

“I’m Buggy!” He told you, puffing his chest out proudly. “I’m an apprentice under Captain Roger, y’know, and I’m one of the best already!”

Oh.

Oh shit.

Yea, no, something weird was going on. Why was there a kid who looked like Buggy, had the same name, and was talking about Captain Roger like he was still alive? Was this an elaborate make believe game the kid was playing, or were you staring into the eyes of your husband’s childhood self?

Weirdly enough, the latter made more sense to you. You heard of this happening, stories from sailors and pirates alike, but the stories were overheard at the bar after too much alcohol was consumed. Stories of children appearing for several days on a ship, like ghosts from a distant past, only to disappear again without a trace, but sometimes it happened the other way around, with the storytellers insisting that they met themselves as a child in the past, got to relive some memories, good and bad, before coming home again. 

“Yea?” You grinned. “That’s impressive, so where’s your crew? Your ship?”

The smirk vanished and he deflated a bit, looking around with the smallest bit of worry. “I don’t know. I was in front of them and there was some kind of flash of light, and… I don’t know where I am.”

“Oh, well, want me to help you look for them?” You asked, knowing all too well that his crew was nowhere around, he was not where he thought he was, but you didn’t want him getting into any trouble (which you knew was difficult because as an adult he managed to get himself into enough trouble). “If we don’t find them, you can stay with me. I’ll keep you safe.”

“I-I don’t need to be kept safe!” He snapped. “I’m tough, okay? I can take care of myself!” 

You made sure not to laugh, but it was hard not too. He was so cute as a kid that saying those things with such passion and intensity just made him even more adorable. Instead, you nodded, agreeing with him as you held your hand out to him to take.

“Well, how about something to eat? I’m just finishing up a supply run for my ship.” You said. “I’m happy to make you something before we find your crew.”

He looked at your hand, looked at you, then back at your hand before hesitantly taking it. Whatever he held in his hand he put in his pocket, making you wonder what he stole before coming here. You decided not to test the waters yet, he was feisty, proud, and if you treated him like a kid then he wouldn’t be very happy. You needed to treat him like the apprentice that he is, proud, determined, and passionate. Once his hand was in yours, you gave it a gentle squeeze and smiled at him as you started walking back to the docks.

“I have fresh apples and peanut butter, if you’d like that as a snack.” You said, eyeing him with a grin as his face lit up. That was the same snack you’d promise the captain whenever you wanted something from him. It wasn’t fancy by any means, just a simple snack, but you kept the peanut butter hidden from him so he never knew where to find it. The way the kid’s face lit up told you all you needed to know that this really was Buggy as a kid.

Oh, it was about to get fun on the ship.

~

“-and then I stole it!” Buggy exclaimed with a laugh, holding up the pendant for you to see. He had just finished telling you of his latest act of piracy, stealing some necklace from a vendor on the streets. You had fed him, given him something to drink, and you couldn’t help but walk over to him once he finished talking to wipe some of the food off his face with a dish towel. He was caught off guard and made a face at you when you did that.

“Pirates with food on their face scare no one.” You chuckled as you slung the towel over your shoulder before clearing the dishes in front of him. “And then what happened, Buggy?”

He fell silent, brow furrowed as he thought of your question. What did happen? He took off running, met up with the crew, and then a flash of light and he bumped into you-

“Buggy?” You tapped on the table in front of him, bringing him out of his thoughts. “You okay, sweetie?”

“Yea, yea.” He mumbled as he looked down at the pendant in his hand. “Next thing that happened was I ran into you.”

He quite literally did. You had just stepped out of a shop when he walked right into you, and you had been in shock of seeing him that you weren't bothered that a kid was yelling at you about being in the way.

“Oh!” You nodded and went to refill his glass. “Well, you can stay with me until we find your crew, okay?”

“Are you a pirate?” He asked. “I'm on a pirate ship, but you don't seem like a pirate.”

You laughed softly at that, shaking your head. “I'm not, no. I don't do piracy, just help with the upkeep of the ship. My husband, however, is a pirate.”

“What?!” 

“Yea, he-”

“It's too loud in here.” Someone grumbled from the doorway. You both turned to look; the kid’s eyes widened and you grinned. And there he was, groggy, a little hungover, and obviously needing food and coffee if he was going to start the day. You went over to him and led him to the table, helping him sit down before you started on the coffee. “Time?”

“Lunch time.” You chuckled. “That's what time it is, honey.”

He glared at you, oblivious to the guest that was staring at him with wide eyes and an open mouth. Buggy was a little hungover, having had his fair share of alcohol the night before. Normally you had the coffee ready for him before he woke up, so he was confused and unhappy that it wasn't readily available for him at that moment.

“It's too early.” He grumbled, rubbing his eyes. “What's for lunch?”

“Wake up first.” You brought him a cup and kissed the top of his head. “But I need you to look across the table before you drink that coffee, honey.”

Buggy looked up at you, eyes squinting in confusion. You took hold of his head and turned it in the direction you wanted him to look, and a few seconds later he pushed back from the table while you still held his head. Swearing, you popped it back onto his neck.

“W-What is going on?” He shrieked upon seeing the kid. Thankfully Kid Buggy remained seated, but you could see the confused look on his face. The two were staring at each other, mirror images except for the age difference. Before you could explain, your husband got up, marched over to the kid, and picked him up by the back of the shirt, carrying him out of the kitchen.

“Buggy-” You went after him, not sure what was happening.

“Hey! Put me down!” The kid shrieked, fists swinging and legs kicking. 

Buggy didn't respond and before you could stop him, he tossed the kid over the side of the ship and into the water. You couldn't believe he did that. You rushed to the side to look over, relieved you saw the kid treading water. So this was definitely a young Buggy, pre-Devil Fruit, otherwise you would have thrown your husband overboard after the kid. You threw a rope down to him while your husband went back to the kitchen, rambling on about curses and bad omens. 

You wanted to know what the hell that was about.

~

“I’m fine!” The kid insisted as you wrapped his hair up in a towel. His clothes were soaked and you did not have anything that would fit him, so he was currently wearing an old shirt of Buggy’s until his clothes dried. They were draped over a chair in the bedroom, the pendant he stole earlier sitting on your shared dressing table. 

“I don’t need you getting sick, sweetie.” You sighed as you used another towel to make sure his face was clean. You were mindful of the nose, touching the towel to his face except there. “I’m sorry he did that.”

“Why did he do that?” He grumbled as he crossed his arms, glaring up at you.

“Because pirates are superstitious fools.” You told him. “And… seeing you scared him I guess. I don’t know, I’m going to talk to him.” Carefully, you unwrapped his hair, making note that he needed to have it brushed to keep from tangling too much. You got up and set the towels aside before grabbing your hairbrush. “Buggy, I’m going to tell you something and I don’t want you to get scared, okay?”

“I don’t get scared!” He insisted. “Not like that guy! I’m braver than him!”

“Okay, here’s the thing about my husband-”

“Don’t tell him anything!” Your husband suddenly appeared in the doorway, glaring at the two of you. “Where did you find him? Who is he?!”

You weren’t bothered by his mood, but you wanted to make sure the kid felt safe. Without a word you moved between the two, keeping Kid Buggy behind you as you crossed your arms.

“We ran into each other, Buggy.” You told him firmly. “He got separated from his crew.”

“Crew?!” Buggy shook his head. “No, get him off this ship. He could be… a kelpie or something. Get him out of here!”

“He’s not a kelpie.” You sighed. 

“You don’t know that!”

Rolling your eyes you looked down at the kid. He had grabbed hold of your pant leg, gripping it tightly as he stared at the man in the doorway. This was a lot for both of them but you needed the captain to calm down. You knelt down and touched the kid’s bare toes. He took a step back and gave you a weird look.

“Human toes, no hooves.” You pointed out. “He also mentioned the Oro Jackson and being an apprentice…” You looked back at your husband. He paled and shook his head. This was too much. This was not him, this had to be some form of trickery, or a shapeshifter. “Besides, I’ve spent enough time with my husband to know when I’m with him as a child.”

Kid Buggy’s eyes widened, looking between you and Adult Buggy. Child? Was… this supposed to be him in the future? As an adult? His jaw dropped, he couldn’t believe it. You smiled at the expression on his face, pleased the kid was in awe of this.

“I turn out to be a drunk loser?!” The kid shrieked. “Why?!”

Okay, that was not what you expected. You slapped your hand to your face while your husband looked ready to throw the kid overboard once again. Kid Buggy just shook his head, not believing this. Was this an alternate reality of some kind? He wouldn’t be like this. Was this guy even a pirate? He didn’t seem like it from the little bit the kid had seen already. He was not impressed in the slightest.

“I want him gone.” Buggy snapped. “No kelpie or bad omen crap is allowed on this ship!”

He stormed off after that. 

[drkmgs]

Homecoming

Jenna Ortega x Reader

Warning: nothing just overload cuteness...

I have no clue how military school works or how to get into the military in America...so no offense to the people who are studying to get into the military...big respect for y'all

I might change this to OC (still in the process), but it will be still your POV...part 2? or nah?

Growing up you always admired Soldiers— how brave they were leaving their families to protect a whole country or even help out countries in need. So you swore when you grew up, you're going to be one and that became true.

When you came home from military academy/school for the first time, your friends invited you to hang out and enjoy your free time from school/academy. You arrived at this "hang out" to find out it was a little party, you recognized some of the people but mostly not. Then one of your friends found you in the mass of young adults and introduced you to their friend. That was Jenna. That's how you two met and stayed in contact. It started with a little text here and there, then into late nights chats, then into late-night calls, and then into video chats.

Soon you needed to say goodbye to those routines because the day of your return to the military academy/school is coming. You did mention it to Jenna in one of your late-night talks and she finds it great how you constantly pursue your dreams. The day before you left you personally asked her to be your girlfriend and she said yes. So, ever since that day you never let go of her.

You did feel bad for her because you couldn't celebrate birthdays, anniversaries, dream goals achievements together, or go out for a simple date night. Yes, she didn't complain and she said she understood that this is your dream but you knew in yourself how much she wished you would escort her to every red carpet she goes on or every award show she attends. You didn't know that your love for her is deeper than any of your dreams in life. You decided to retire from the military, you have talked to your family and also Jenna, and they support you with all of their hearts.

Currently, you're on your last duty and your retirement ceremony would be right after it, after that you have a flight to catch to get to Jenna's awarding show. Jenna has no idea that you'll be her escort at the Golden Globes, a week before you secretly messaged her manager to ask if it's possible to surprise Jenna and they had no issues with it, but the thing is you're on a tight schedule and you're already running late. The retirement ceremony got delayed because there was an issue on-site and you had to defuse it. Then at the airport your flight got canceled and needed to wait for two hours to get a new one, you were already 3 hours behind your schedule, and there was no time for you to drive home and change.

On the plane, you couldn't stop your leg to jerk because of the anxiety you wouldn't make it to Jenna on time. You kept texting her manager to hold Jenna off until you were at the venue. The landing of the plane was smooth, but then all of a sudden your name was called out. The pilots mentioned your achievements in the military and your retirement, all the passengers applauded you. The pilots mentioned something about an escort, you looked outside and see a limousine with police escorts parked in front of the plane. It was sent by a high-ranked officer in your department, who you looked up to. You quickly thanked everyone and made your way down the plane, into the limousine, and off you were.

Jenna couldn't understand why she was still in the car and wasn't allowed to exit. She's been in there for almost 30 mins and still no call or text from her manager. She can see the flashes of the cameras and shouts from fans of other celebrities. Then a black limousine parked behind her car, which she could only see through the rear mirror as she couldn't turn scared to mess up her dress. She finally breathe out when the car door opened.

Your phone is blowing up with text messages from Jenna's manager saying, she can't hold Jenna back anymore. You texted back that you are almost at the venue with the escort you have. What a fucking entrance will it be, you thought. Everyone at the venue became curious about who just pulled up with a fucking police escort at Golden Globes. Paparazzi swarmed the newly parked limousine, securities becoming a human barrier. You're still in your formal uniform with all of your military medals and cap, there was no time to change so this will just do, you fixed yourself a little and took a deep breath. Stepping out of the vehicle, and into the flashing cameras, you made your way to the car that was parked in front of the limousine.

You stood beside the door and gave the driver a nod to open the door. You stretched out a hand for Jenna to grab, but you kept your head down to the side so she couldn't see your face. You guided her to your right, so the driver could close the door. She still hasn't noticed you, not until you hook her hand on your right arm and whispered in her ear. "You look breathtaking, my love.", that's when she snapped her head towards you with wide eyes, all you could do is smile at her. "Wh-What are you doing here?! You said you couldn't escort me?!", she slightly slapped your arm, and you could see her eyes tearing up. "Hush, my love. I'd do anything for you. The things you've done for me, over the past 6 years? I could at least give you a princess-like entrance to your first Golden Globes.", you rubbed her hand trying to soothe her, and kissed her side temple.

You let her walk on the red carpet and let her pose for the photographers, when she had enough, she made a grabbing action towards you indicating to come beside her and let them take pictures of both of you. People at the venue were in awe seeing you pose effortlessly in front of the cameras as if you'd done it your entire life. After the picture session, a lot of managers or executives agencies gave you their business cards. "Babe, I think you don't need to look for a job anymore.", Jenna snorted seeing the 12th business card handed to you. "Hmm. Don't you think it will be fair for the fans to have two attractive individuals in a movie or series?", you whispered in her ear. "I do realize that I'm kinda bad at sharing, you have to give me all the business cards later, I'm going to burn them.", she replied which made you chuckle a bit.

Jenna's manager came to snatch you away from Jenna and let her do some interviews. While she was giving interviews, you were busy talking to her manager. "Jenna, would you please tell us and everyone who's watching at home, who your escort is? Because I don't think you saw how they made the highlight of the night. They had four police escorts, two up front and two at the back of the limousine, the way they stepped out of the car and hold their hand out for you— it was pure Disney movie.", the interviewer said and Jenna couldn't wait to watch any clips of it. "That's my partner Y/N Ashford. I didn't know that they would be here with me. It was a surprise, them being here with me.", Jenna answered excitedly. "Do you know what official rank they're, because from here I can see the shimmering of their medals?", the interviewer added. Jenna tried to find you through the crowd and answered "Yeah, no. I don't know what official rank they are and it's also the first time I see them in their formal uniform. I'm kinda into it."

You had no idea what was going on, everything here is overwhelming for you, and by the way, you got your 14th business card handed over, you already snorted at the thought of how would Jenna react to seeing all the cards later on. Wherever Jenna goes your eyes follow, you could see her smiling while talking to one of the interviewers, you could tell that they were looking at you but Jenna couldn't spot you which made you chuckle a little bit. You excused yourself from the people around you when you get sight of Jenna trying to leave the interviewer platform but struggling with her dress. You swiftly grabbed her by her hand and back so she wouldn't fall, when she realized it was you, she gave you her sweetest smile, and flashes of the cameras started hitting both of you again.

It was definitely a beautiful night for both of you.

[blues824]

im surprised this hasn't been requested yet,, but could you please do malleus, jade, floyd, silver and trey with a reader who is like alice kingsleigh? im talking about the live-action alice, not the animated one (im unsure if they act the same, its been a while since i watched the animated one).

The LA and the animated versions are quite different. Gender-neutral reader.

Trey Clover

You were as brave as you were adventurous, and he appreciated that about you. However, your sense of adventure often ended up with you in trouble with Riddle, and this baker had to bail you out with a Get-Out-of-Jail-Free card (a strawberry tart) more times than he can count. You loved standing up for what you believed was right, and you didn’t think the Queen’s rules were just at all.

Trey loved hearing about your own world. The different cultures and how you were seen as crazy always amused him. However, whenever you got to the parts where you were either going to have a spouse chosen for you or you were going to be thrown into a mental asylum because you had the ability to travel through mirrors and get from Twisted Wonderland back to your world… or so you claimed, according to your world, he was in disbelief. Your land seemed even more twisted than anything Twisted Wonderland has to offer.

All that aside, you do have to admit that the treats your beloved baker makes are better than the Eat Me! pastry that you had consumed however many months ago. It did increase your size by a very significant amount… you almost destroyed Heartslabyul. However, you just drank the Drink Me! potion and you shrank down to the size of a pencil. Trey took it upon himself to make sure that you weren’t squashed, and you sat on his shoulder.

The Vice Housewarden knows of your distaste for the patriarchy, but this man was written by a woman (literally and figuratively). When he threaded his fingers through yours and brought the back of your hand to his lips for a gentle kiss, you could tell that it was genuine love that he felt for you. He had no intention to ‘tame’ you. No, he wanted to be the person you returned home to, and you were grateful for that.

Jade Leech

He was intrigued by you, to say the least. You marched so bravely into Azul’s office that day and you demanded that your friends be freed of their contract. Considering you were a sea captain and knew much more about shady deals with pirates than Azul knows about making shady deals, you were able to find loopholes within the loopholes created. You took your time and read through the fine print and pointed out errors, and seeing the cecaelia so riled up in anger made the eel’s heart beat quickly.

That is how you both became friends, actually, and romantic partners. Your sense of adventure aligned with his, and you both swam and hiked with each other. You lived an active lifestyle, something that doesn’t quite fit within the societal standards of your world, so keeping up with Jade was no challenge for you. Every single time you make it up a mountain, you always ask about the different mushrooms and their properties, and this eel is more than happy to tell you.

Your Unique Magic was definitely strange, as you had the ability to travel between entire worlds. For any holiday break, you were able to go back home. However, you rushed back into Twisted Wonderland in what seemed to be a tattered straitjacket. Your eyes were a bit sunken in, and you seemed a bit woozy. That’s when you told him, with slurred speech, that you had been sent to a mental asylum and injected with a bit of medicine to make you go to sleep before you pulled the syringe out and stabbed it into the doctor.

Jade took you to his room where he helped you take off the straitjacket, offering you one of his own shirts and hoodies. Then, he tucked you into bed so that you could sleep off the medicine’s effects. Oh, he definitely wanted the doctor who did this to you to pay, but for some reason, he was not able to go to your world like you were able to. But your tired ramblings of forced marriage and societal standards made him want to find a way so he could make those humans pay for touching his beloved.

Floyd Leech

He, too, was intrigued by you when you marched into Azul’s office and demanded to read your friends’ contracts. He did get bored when you sat down and read the fine print, but when you pointed out a loophole that managed to get your friends out, Floyd was genuinely surprised. No one has ever managed to do that before, which made his hyperfixation on you even more apparent and present.

But, that ‘hyperfixation’ wasn’t a ‘hyperfixation’... it was a crush. Your adventurous personality both aligned with and contradicted his. You never made him bored. You liked playing basketball with him so that he could get extra practice. You loved sneaking him away during his 15 minute break at the Mostro Lounge just so that you could hang out with him a bit more. Also, when he was in a bad mood, you were not afraid of being squeezed because you faced an entire jabberwocky before. A grumpy eel was nothing to you.

During that break where you were originally going to go home, he did not want you to leave. Well, just a few days into the break, you jumped back through the mirror in a straitjacket and you were stumbling about. You ran as fast as you could to Octavinelle and into the [closed] Lounge. Floyd rushed to see what was wrong, and you went on and on about how you were thrown into a mental asylum and injected with medicine that would put you to sleep. He picked you up and over his shoulder and took you to his room where you slept off the medicine’s effects. He cuddled close to you, and you would never know how angry he was.

Even though it doesn’t seem like he pays attention, he knows that nothing matters to you more than continuing your father’s legacy as a sea captain. However, he never wanted you to go back to your world if it would kill you. After all, he can’t function without his shrimpy. Anyways, you could be a sea captain in Twisted Wonderland, and he would even go with you. He could swim as much as he wanted, he could sail as much as he wanted, and he would get to be with you.

Malleus Draconia

He knew you were different based on the way you walked up to him and just introduced yourself. You held no fear of him, but you didn’t know who he was. When he told you to call him what you will, this intrigued you even more. You both found yourselves excited to meet up each night, as you got to know more about this mysterious new friend that you had made yourself acquainted with.

When you inevitably discovered who he truly was, you understood where he was coming from. Nothing really changed, but you often teased him about keeping more secrets from you. Eventually, a flower of romantic interest bloomed between the two of you, and every single time he brought you back to Ramshackle, he would wish you farewell by placing a polite and loving kiss on the back of your hand. When he looks back up at you, you can feel your heart flutter a bit because of the amount of love he looks at you with.

Malleus had no intention of ‘taming’ you either. If you were to rule beside him, you would do wonderfully as-is. Your world did not share the same view, and one night you had told him about your winter break when he came back. You were taken in by Octavinelle when you ran back through the mirror from your world in a straitjacket and you had some medicine injected into you at that point. The dragon prince was absolutely angry, and a storm was starting to form as you went on and on about the happenings.

If you think you are ever going back to your world, you are sadly mistaken. He is not letting you go back just so you can be tossed back into an insane asylum. He knows about your desire to carry out your father’s legacy, but you can do that here. Actually, he still hates the idea of you being away from him, but it will do because at least you would be in Twisted Wonderland. Plus, there is no chance that you are going to fall for someone else, so he has nothing to worry about.

Silver

He reminded you of the dormouse that you had met. He always fell asleep, which was unfortunate when one was as adventurous as you were. But you were not going to let him lie in the middle of the hallway just to be trampled. It was with a tad bit of difficulty that you pulled him onto a chair and off of the floor. However, he miraculously woke up because of all the extra movement, just to see you really close to his face. To say he was startled [and flustered] would be an understatement.

This was a start to a rather interesting relationship. Since he was a knight, you compared him to the card knights in Underland, but found there to be no comparison at all. After all, he was not rushing to paint the roses red. He was very serious compared to your first year friends (excusing Jack and Sebek), but that was what you liked about him. He, too, was the constant in your life, even if you had only known him for a short period of time.

Silver appreciates peace, but he appreciates you even more. So, when he comes back from Briar Valley, and he hears whispers about you being thrown into a mental asylum back home, he is running around trying to find you. He found you at Ramshackle, staring at a straitjacket with a look of absolute betrayal on your face. That was when he realized that all the whispers were correct. He pulled you into his arms, grateful that you were okay. 

From that point on, he kind of treats you differently. He doesn’t want you going back to your world if that is how they are going to treat you. No, he will keep you safe because he doesn’t want you to get hurt. He supports your dream of being a sea captain, and he will help you learn the different lands from a multitude of different maps so that you could be confident in the geography of Twisted Wonderland.

[lostinlewis]

Out of Time ~ Part Two

Rating: M

Words: 21,635

Character: Lewis Hamilton

Description: Attempting to navigate a world you never asked to be a part of is never easy, it is even harder when that world has provided you with a man that the world wants a piece of. He’s your daughter’s dad but can you ever really trust him?

•

If home was a person, he would be listed as a mansion, a stately home that had sheltered some of the worlds richest and most royal, one of the grandest in the world, a sight that marvelled every passer-by and filled the average person with the envy of wanting their own home to rival the one that sheltered you. 

You often thought to yourself that the world would be a much more harmonious place if everyone had a Lewis in their life. Comfort and security are natural instincts within all humans, it has them acting out irrationally as they seek it in places and people they really shouldn’t. If everyone had a Lewis, if everyone was granted the luxury of being made to feel secure every day of their lives, the world would be a much happier place. 

He was the kind of home money couldn’t buy, he was the warmth with no fire, he was filled with love with no expectations, he was your home. 

He was where you sought solitude, he was where you sought shelter and he was there to cushion every blow life threw your way. He was happiness, he was strength, he was the place you felt most content, he was where your day started and where it ended too, he was home. 

Lewis had been home for you and with you for over a year now yet neither one of you had braved the conversation of which land, bricks and mortar you would settle in, the place you would both regard as home traditionally, opting instead to always stay in your house as a base, or one of his when you travelled the world.

Home was a person to the both of you in every way, you didn’t feel the need to seek a permanent shelter, nor did you care much for land, instead it was when you were together that you felt at home, the location was irrelevant. 

If it was just the two of you then there would be no need to seek out material shelter, no craving for a stability that having a base allowed, but it wasn’t just the two of you, it had never been just the two of you, and so the importance of a house to call home was becoming increasingly more prominent.  

It was time, you needed a home, your family needed a home and more importantly Bambi needed a home now, she needed routine, something neither one of you had been able to provide her for her entire almost five years. It was time to prioritise normality for the daughter you both worshipped the bones of, it was time you both grew up and settled down, whatever that looked like for a racing driver who travelled the world weekly. 

-

If someone were to ask you for your favourite thing that Lewis did, the thing that makes you fall in love with him over and over again, it wouldn’t be the fancy gifts, nor would it be the luxury that came with travelling with him, it was something so unique, something completely free, something that you treasured and missed when he wasn’t home, something that you weren’t even sure Lewis knew that he did. 

Your favourite thing that Lewis does happens in the early hours of a morning, when Lewis’ hold on your body has loosened to near nothing, when the hours since he fell asleep spooning you had naturally pulled you apart, he would draw you in closer to him, his arms wrapped tightly around your body as if afraid you might disappear if he didn’t feel you at all times, and his lips found the back of your neck where he would kiss you, a long deep kiss to remind you that even when he was only semi conscious and barely aware at all, he still loved you with his whole being, and there was not a thing he did that felt more special that that very moment. 

You wondered how many times something had to be repeated for it to become routine, you were pretty certain that it was only on week two of Lewis being back in your life permanently that you all fell into the ritual that happened every morning that he was home now without fail, and this morning was no exception. 

“I love you…”

His voice was faint, barely audible, but you felt it, you felt the sincerity in his words, you felt the warming tickle of his breath against the back of your neck and you shivered, drawing your body closer to him, if that was even possible. 

Lewis moved his hand down your side, brushing over your curves with a hand that appeared to be on a mission, until it found where it wanted to be; cradling your lower stomach. 

“Let me…”

It was a mixture of it being the early hours of the morning, his half awake state and his fear of rejection that made his words lack sense, but you knew what he was asking of you, it wasn’t the first time and it certainly wouldn’t be the last. 

“I can’t wait until you’re ready.”

The truth was that the place in which you would live wasn’t the only thing that hung heavy and unspoken over your heads, communication had never been the strongest tool of your relationship and despite the work you had done to get better at it, there was blockage both of you couldn’t seem to move around, both of you scared of rocking what had been quite the stable ship since you had reunited. 

“Soon…”

The word you had used in response to his hinting many times before, a time marker that really was not a marker at all but a glimmer of hope; soon. Soon could mean tomorrow, soon could also mean next year, the truth was that you knew that you couldn’t afford to say yes to something as life changing as another child with any kind of doubt in your mind, and there certainly was doubt present. 

Instead you opted for the cowards answer, silence. You laid frozen in your spot, his hand cradling a part of you he wished to fill, as you hoped he would soon lose interest in the idea. The last thing you wanted to do was go through a pregnancy, and experience all of the firsts alone, it had hurt too much the first time. 

You could count the minutes from when Lewis first stirred to pull you into him until you heard the pitter patter of tiny toes on the floor in the hallway, Bambi was on her way. 

She never made a sound as she entered the room, she didn’t even need light to guide her, drawn purely on where she felt the most love in the room she would climb up onto your bed and squeeze herself in between you both, gently and carefully trying to not wake you, of course you both pretended to sleep right through it, anything to give her a little win. 

Bambi always clung to Lewis more and you understood, to her he was still a treat, you had been the permanent fixture in her life from day one, daddy had always had to leave, it made sense that she still wasn’t convinced that he was there to stay. 

She would fall back to sleep in an instant, as soon as she lay her head where the lion roared on Lewis’ chest she was back into the most peaceful of sleeps, content that her favourite man in the world was with her for another day. 

Lewis was so thorough and unselfish with his love, not content with just one of his girls feeling the love he always made sure both of you did. With Bambi curled against him fast asleep he raised his arm up above his head, not caring that he would soon lose all feeling within it, he waited for your hand to find him and so that was how you slept until sunrise broke, those moments really were the true definition of peace. 

-

Bambi was always clingy with Lewis but this morning she was stuck to him like glue. Not happy enough with sitting on his hip as he moved about the house with her, her face still read the foulest of pouts, like no amount of Lewis was enough; you knew that feeling all too well. 

“What’s wrong with you little miss?” 

You attempted to make her smile with a light tease and a flick of her nose but that was of no use, you knew why she was sad, and so did Lewis. 

“How about daddy makes us all his special breakfast before he has to get ready?” 

Bambi’s face lit up very briefly as her dad suggested her favourite breakfast, if there was one thing that could make her happy it was food, yet another trait she got from her father.

“And if you’re a good girl, I can put on your playlist whilst I cook too. Sounds good?” 

No words left her lips, they never normally would when she was sad, instead she nodded her head ferociously before Lewis set her down to stand beside him as he gathered the ingredients he needed to begin. 

-

It was hard not to lust after him, impossible even. As he stood over the stove frying his omelettes, naked but for a pair of shorts that you had mentally taken off of him a thousand times already, he had never been more attractive to you. 

Muscles tore through his skin as if he had been sculpted by a god, his skin glowed like he had covered it in a glitter that shimmered when even the faintest of light hit it, his loose curls were allowed to flow and flow they did, bobbing in time to his shaking of his hips as the music rang through your house. How did you get so lucky?

Your want for him had never been so strong, sure your relationship had started as purely physical anyway, but the want for him now was quite overwhelming at times. There was nothing in the world more attractive to you than watching the man you loved be a father, it also helped that he was quite possibly the finest specimen of a man to ever exist. 

Knowing you could not make an advance on him due to the fact that neither one of you wanted to traumatise your daughter, you did your best to resist, to hold back from jumping on him and instead you settled for joining him as he cooked, sliding a palm over his incredibly smooth back before settling it on his hip as he kissed your forehead. 

Lewis was always big on wanting your daughter to see a man love a woman how she deserved, he made no apologies for the way he so openly loved you in front of her, he wanted to always be the standard of man she would seek out and so he made sure the home was filled with love at all times, and in turn you felt like the luckiest woman in the world. 

“Maybe we can…you know…get a few minutes to ourselves before I leave?”

His words were teased against your skin as he never quite broke your kiss, holding the small of your back, his thumb stroking at the waistband of your pants to tell you of his want to be a lot more risque. 

“I’m counting on it, Sir.”

Lewis was driven crazy by the way you called him Sir, you never overdid it, in fact you barely even said it at all, but you knew the power it held, you knew the tingle that ran through his body as soon as he heard it, and you felt the growl, the little moan of frustration as he fought off the effects of the word so he could return to making breakfast. 

“Shit…that’s not fair…”

You smirked at him as you left him to cook in peace, content with knowing that now he was as equally as overwhelmed with want as you were, knowing that there was no way on this earth he would be leaving to catch his flight without satisfying that urge for you, somehow you always got what you wanted from him and soon you would have him.

-

Bambi hadn’t taken her eyes off of him, she never dared to when he was in the room. You saw it, you saw the years of loving him and having to say goodbye in the same breath, you saw the admiration pour out of every part of her as she looked at her daddy, her hero, as she ate the meal he so lovingly made for her. 

“Where are you going again, daddy?” 

Bambi’s question was born from the hope she had that he would answer with ‘nowhere’ but he couldn’t, as much as he wanted to and he really wanted to. 

“To America baby girl, you remember the house we stayed at when we went to visit Roscoe last year? That’s where Daddy will be for the next week.” 

Both of you knew the next question was coming, it always did, both of you knew what the reaction to the answer would be too, it was always the same. 

“For a race?” 

Lewis sighed silently as he prepared to disappoint her. Bambi could handle her daddy leaving to race, in fact she quite enjoyed watching it on the television screaming for him to win, but she could never accept him leaving for any other reason, work or not. 

To her that was unacceptable, her dad was a racing driver, he had no need to conduct interviews on television shows, nor did he need to do photoshoots for fashion brands, her dad was a racing driver and when he wasn’t racing he should be at home with her being a father, something Lewis was feeling the pressure of more and more as time went by.

“No Bambi, I have a few little events I have to take part in. I will be back home as soon as I can, I promise.”

“Hmph.” 

“Come on baby girl, you know I hate leaving you…”

Both of you held your breaths as the little girl finally looked away from him, placing her cutlery down on the plate as she appeared to gather herself. She really was wise beyond her years, it was quite impressive to witness really. 

“Can I come too?” 

Bambi looked at Lewis with purpose, she looked at him with a daring look almost, taunting him into denying her just so the tears of heartbreak that would flow after would sting extra hard for him. She knew what she was doing, she knew she was asking him to do the impossible. 

“You don’t want to, it will be boring, you will be home most of the time and I will be out, it will not be like a holiday and you will hardly see me...”

Her bottom lip dropped and began to quiver as she anticipated the no she was certain was about to be thrown her way. 

“Can we come too, Lewis?”

Lewis and Bambi turned to look at you in a shocked unison, their matching eyes staring at you with amazement that for once, it was you that suggested you travelled together, that was certainly a first. 

“You really want to come with me to America?”

You would try to play it off as the best thing for Bambi, not wanting her to be separated from her dad for very long and you were right, but if you were completely honest your reasoning for the suggestion was selfish. You did not want to be separated from Lewis either, not if you could help it. 

“I do…we always miss Daddy when he is away don’t we?”

You threw the question to your still amazed four year old who held the fork at her lips in anticipation. It was a cop out of a question, of course you did, you still despite everything could not admit the sheer scale of your emotions that surrounded Lewis and often you would seek comfort in expressing them through your daughter. 

It had been over a year now since you found your way back to each other, a year full of laughter, happiness and joy, yet still, deep down inside of you, there was lingering uncertainty that stopped you from fully admitting that despite having lived most of your life without him by your side, it was now quite unbearable when he was gone. 

“Please Daddy!”

Bambi turned her excitement towards Lewis as he stayed staring at you in disbelief. As far as he was concerned you hated travelling, you hated the spotlight and you certainly hated LA. 

“You better go get yourself packed baby girl, we have a flight to catch in two hours!”

Lewis helped your daughter from her chair before she ran upstairs to gather everything and anything she owned to take with her to America. 

-

“Are you sure you want to come? I know you don’t really enjoy LA…”

His hands found your hips as you stood at the sink cleaning the dishes, his lips found the base of your neck with the softest of kisses, humming into your skin without intention, just love.

“I suggested it silly, of course I do. And, I don’t hate LA, it’s just…it just doesn’t feel like home to me.”

Lewis was smooth with the way he turned you to face him, taking your chin into the cup of his hand as he placed a kiss on your lips. 

“Mhmm, to me anywhere you are feels like home, and besides…you might like LA this time? Malibu has some real pretty houses, maybe we could take a look whilst we are out there?”

You humoured him with a smile already knowing that no matter how much you enjoyed LA, no matter how beautiful the houses were, you would never want to live there. It wouldn’t be the first time you sacrificed your happiness for Lewis’, it wouldn’t be the first time you moved to a different country to be where he wanted, or needed, to be but you knew the mistakes and the repercussions of the previous choices you made, you were not prepared to relive them just to move to LA. How many times can a woman sacrifice everything she knows for the man she loves?

-

It was quite something how fast you had become accustomed to flying on private jets, so much so you even had a little routine. Bambi would always be so over excited to fly that she would only sit with Lewis for take off before she would quickly fall asleep in his lap for the rest of the journey, he always made sure a bed was set up for her where it was quiet in the back, and then it was just the two of you in the cabin, just the two of you with several hours to kill in the air. 

“Mmm there’s my girl.”

Lewis helped you down into the gap between his legs as you made your way back to your seat after checking on your daughter, wrapping his arm around your waist so he could pull you in closer to him, if that was even possible. 

“I’m so glad you wanted to come with me, I would have hated being away from you for so long.”

“Mhm, feels like you would have.”

You teased him as you rolled your ass back into his lap, he had been hard from the moment you sat down with him, his inability to conceal how he felt about you was always something you loved. 

The tip of his nose tickled your neck as he pecked at the sensitive skin with kisses, whilst he felt you lull into a state of pure ecstasy with very little effort, he grazed his fingers under the waistband of the leggings that rested at your hips, giving in to his more earnest of desires, something neither one of you were afforded much of nowadays. 

He heard you gasp as his fingers quickly found your heat, tracing a soft yet powerful swirl across the panties that were soaked with your excitement already. 

“Ssh baby, be quiet for me and I will make you feel so good. Can you do that?”

Lewis was testing you immediately, before you even had a chance to answer him he effortlessly moved your panties to the side to trace a finger through your wetness. The deep breath he let out sounded like relief, an addiction being satisfied; his addiction was you.

You bit down on your bottom lip to nod your head with uncertainty, you would try to be quiet, you really would, but the power this man had over you, how easy he found pleasing you, would make it quite impossible to stifle the sounds he forced out of you. 

“Can you feel how hard I am for you?”

Lewis whispered the words into your ear as he teased your clit with the pad of his middle finger, gentle circling that held just enough pressure to make sure you were squirming in his lap, rolling your hips back without thought as you longed for the hardness that throbbed under you, to fill you with all of its might. 

“Mhm, I need…”

He giggled as he broke your sentence with a nibble on your ear, he knew you needed it, that was never a doubt in his mind, but he also knew he had to stop you before it became impossible for him to not give it to you, this was the last place he could give into all of his desires, he needed to cling onto the last very small piece of control he had, for both of your sakes. 

“Soon, I promise. Now relax and let me make you feel good, baby…”

It was hypnotic the way in which his words whispered against the skin of your neck, broken with soft kisses to replace them after each syllable, as he played with your pussy in ways that even you could not replicate. 

You felt so vulnerable in his lap, your legs parted so your feet rested on his knees, one of his hands down your leggings whilst the other held you tight towards him. He wanted you to feel good, he wanted you to feel safe, and he wanted you to know that no matter where in the world you were, no matter the skies in which you found yourselves in, he loved you all the same. 

There were no interruptions of thought, you were completely and utterly lost in the moment as he took you to highs of pleasure unmatched.

“You are so beautiful…”

Lewis could see nothing of you really, yet he purred words of attraction at you anyway, to him you would always be the most beautiful woman in any room, or plane, and as he felt the familiar tells of you reaching your peak, he pulled you closer with his spare hand finding its way up to your mouth. 

He covered it at first but that didn’t feel right, sure he wanted you to be as quiet as possible, but he sought your silence in a different way. His middle finger traced the line in which your lips met, begging for entry you so eagerly gave him. 

One finger turned into two and very quickly your mouth found a distraction that was far better than sound, a soothing in the throws of desire as you suckled on his digits. 

“There we go, you have such perfect lips…now, let it go for me…”

It was as if your body always waited for his permission and as soon as he gave his command the explosion of ecstasy rippled through your body, tides of pleasure washing over you as you shook in his lap, his fingers slowly teasing you into a state of submission until all you could do was let out a little whimper of mercy, to which he replied with a breathy giggle and a kiss on your cheek before he removed both fingers from inside of you. 

The rest of the flight was spent in your happy place, cuddled up in his lap as you both drifted in and out of the most contented sleep whilst your little girl slept a few seats away from you too.

Often you wondered what you had done in your past life to be granted such luck in this one, that was the thing about spending time with Lewis, he made you forget any troubles you had, any turbulence you had in your relationship in the past, all that mattered in that moment was the family that were travelling over the Atlantic Ocean, that was all that ever really mattered now. 

-

Lewis’ home in Malibu was the largest he had, land that sprawled for what felt like miles and held both a basketball and a tennis court separate, with a pool big enough to host an Olympic event too yet it didn’t stand out on his street, his neighbours being the likes of Oscar winners and top athletes, all of their houses rivalled his and so no one really batted an eyelid at who pulled into his driveway as they went about their own lives too. 

It was the interior that you disliked the most though, it was so very basic, so very unhomely, it screamed out as a bachelor pad, it told of many days and nights spent partying, and you knew deep down that every room held memories with women that weren’t you. How could you ever want to live in a place in which your man had thousands of fond memories that didn’t involve you?

Bambi loved LA, of course. His home sat on the beach which meant she could spend hours building sandcastles and paddling in the ocean whilst you both sat watching from the deck with drinks in your hands. 

“I wish I didn’t have to work tomorrow, I could spend the whole week sitting here with you watching Bambi play…”

You were sat in between his legs once more, a place you often found yourself in when time allowed it. 

“You’ll only be gone for one night, we will be right here when you get back.”

“One night away from you is too many, I have missed so many nights over the years, no amount of time feels like it is enough…”

“Well maybe we can make the night you get back extra special…”

Lewis knew by the look in your eyes that you were thinking the dirtiest of thoughts and he was right, there was something special about being overseas with him, something in the air that made your unwavering desire for him even more rampant. 

“Maybe we can make tonight extra special too?”

It was only the sounds of your daughter running up the decking that broke a kiss you had begun what felt like hours before, pulling away from each other just in time to be dove on by a damp child as she handed you a shell. 

“For you mummy.”

“Thank you, Bambi. Are you having fun?”

Bambi did this thing when she sat on Lewis’ knee, she would place both of her hands either side of it and tap her fingers in a constant rhythm, she had been doing it forever and it had only gotten more adorable as the years went by. 

“So much fun but I am hungry, can we get food Daddy?”

“Sure princess, what would you like?”

“Burgers!”

Her answer came without hesitation, as if she had planned it on the way up to the decking, and so Lewis lifted her back onto her feet as he took her hand. 

“Is mummy coming too?”

There was something about him referring to you as mummy that made butterflies flutter in your stomach, it was those moments that made the decision you both took that fateful night feel like it was meant to be, like you were born to be the parents of your little girl, like everything that had happened in your lives, every character than had existed even if for only a short time, had the sole purpose of helping you find each other and create the little girl that had copied her face entirely from her father and her personality entirely from you.

“I think I’ll stay here and catch the last of the sun before it sets, if that’s okay with you both?”

You didn’t expect Bambi to answer, she was already pulling her dad's hand so they could leave but Lewis did, he always answered you.

“Whatever makes you happy baby, I’ll bring you home something nice I promise.”

You shared a smile of contentment, of love, of knowing that in that very moment you were both the luckiest people in the world, your daughter’s giggles as he playfully chased her through the home cemented that as fact. 

-

There was something so peaceful about the ocean, as the tide gently crashed against the sand, drawing closer and closer to where you sat, you stared out over the horizon at the pastel orange and pink colours that decorated the sky, thinking of how very thankful you were to be there in that moment. 

Everything in life had worked against you so far and your relationship with Lewis was no exception to that rule, yet somehow, fate had lead you to the Malibu beach you sat on gazing at the sunset, waiting for Lewis to come home with you daughter, a far cry from the nights you had spent alone in his Monaco apartment as he travelled the world without you. Now you had everything he promised you from the moment he found out you were pregnant, stability, love and family. 

The scars left over from the beginning of your story were almost worth it, no longer did they burn like they were new, you barely even remembered they happened most of the time now.

Happiness is a funny thing really, it has you walking around in a daze, a cloud of comfort hangs over your head and a bubble of bliss wraps all around you. Happiness was all you could feel as you walked through the house, touching every surface as if it was brand new, a skip to your step that you very rarely had. 

It was as you stared into the grand mirror in his hallway that you first thought to yourself that you could live there, it really wasn’t that bad and if it meant you could spend most of your time under this cloud of happiness, you would be stupid to deny that for yourself. 

You could hear his car pull into the driveway, loud music drowned out what you were sure was two voices singing along to every word of the song. As you heard the second car door close something caught your eye on the floor behind you, the reflection of light bouncing from the mirror to the metal on the floor made it sparkle as if it was an item in a video game, a rare item that most players missed. 

You almost missed it, you almost missed the collectible item that would grant you the full picture in the video game that was your life, and as you stood with it in the palm of your hand you wished to the high heavens that you could rewind time just by a minute, just enough to make it so you wouldn’t notice it, so you wouldn’t be holding the bracelet in your hand, one that was so delicate you could only imagine what had happened to make the woman lose it under the side table in the hallway. Your stomach twinged with a pang of realisation that it hadn’t been there the last time you had visited the home, that the bracelet was new, the bracelet had found its temporary home in the house you were considering living in just moments ago, in the short time you and Lewis had been back together. 

Of course he had other women, you thought yourself foolish for thinking otherwise. Out of sight, out of mind, you knew all too well how it went.

“Mummy, mummy…we got you the biggest burger in the world…”

Bambi hollered through the empty but for the pain you felt, hallway as she ran into the house, her dad trailing behind her with the same smile he left the house with less than an hour before, carrying bags of far too much food than the three of you needed. 

“Did you?” 

The strength of a mother trying to hold it together in front of her child is unmatched, inside you were crumbling, spiralling, unable to think straight, yet the look on your face, the smile you threw back at Bambi as she wrapped her arms around your legs, told her nothing of the turmoil you felt. 

“...and we met Daddy’s friend!”

“Oh you did, which friend?”

There were about a thousand friends Bambi could have been talking about that would have made you think nothing at all, a hundred friends you probably knew yourself, but of course the universe wasn’t done tormenting you yet, the final blow had yet to come. 

“I don’t know her name but she was so pretty, Daddy said she was something called a supermodel…I want to be a supermodel when I grow up!” 

Bambi ran off through the hallway unaware of the grenade she had just dropped in the space between both you and Lewis. You couldn’t be sure but on a normal day you may not have even flinched at the thought of him being friends with supermodels, but not today, not as the bracelet of one of his conquests lay in the palm of your hand hidden by your now closed fingers. 

Lewis must have felt the shift in you, you hadn’t yet even looked in his direction but he could sense something was wrong. He dropped the food bags on the table where you stood and wrapped his arms around you, his attempt at asking if you were okay. 

It was imperative that you did not make a scene in front of Bambi, and whilst she was in another room, that was still too close for you to really speak your mind so instead you pulled away from his hug, unravelled yourself from his hold and just looked at him, a look that you hoped told him of all of your thoughts without you even having to say them. 

“Here…I think your friend dropped this.”

You held your closed grasp over his open hand before you dropped the bracelet into his palm, turning away from him immediately once you were free of it. 

Lewis didn’t say a thing, he didn’t chase after you or even ask you what that was all about, you took his silence as an admission of guilt and headed towards the room in which your daughter played with her My Little Ponies, awaiting her food.  

-

“Baby…”

Lewis grabbed your wrist as you walked past him in the bedroom that night, he had settled Bambi to sleep in her room before he crept back into the bedroom you shared, the one in which you were grabbing your stuff before you headed into the spare room. 

“What?”

Your word was sharp, every letter of the word spoken in a way to make it sting as it hit his ear drums. The look you gave him was even more vicious, you had barely looked at him at all that night, you had barely wanted to speak to him but now you were alone, you had no choice. 

“Talk to me, please.”

Despite you shooting daggers from your eyes at his hand wrapped around your wrist, he never once let off, instead he held onto you tighter, staring you directly in your eyes as if to tell you that you were not leaving without talking to him. 

“Who is she?”

His face screwed up in confusion for a moment before the most annoying of smiles appeared on it. 

“Is this all because of the woman we bumped into this evening? She’s an acquaintance at best, she worked on a project for Tommy when I did too and…”

“Does she own the bracelet?”

He was shocked with the vitriol in your voice as you spoke, the urgency for answers that you appeared to already have assumed in your head. 

“What? No.”

“Did you fuck her, Lewis?”

The smile dropped from his face, finally the seriousness of the situation had hit him and he pulled you closer to him. 

“No…I did not fuck her.”

“But you fucked someone, that bracelet, it wasn’t there when we came here last year…you fucked someone Lewis, you had someone here when I was sat at home a thousand miles away waiting for you and…and…”

The strength of a mother is often only present in the company of her child, for the strength is fed by their presence and completely worn out in their absence, and so you cried. It wasn’t an ugly cry, it wasn’t a loud cry, it was a stream of tears that forced their way down your cheeks with little effort as you looked at the man who had not yet denied it. 

In any other moment at any other time he would have wiped the tears away from your cheeks firstly but not now, not today, today he needed to show you how wrong you were first.

In one fell swoop he lifted you up to rest on his forearms as he kissed you, he kissed you hard, he kissed you with enough passion to fill a thousand broken hearts, he kissed you until he had you laid on the bed, your legs wrapped around him and his hands cradling your face. 

“Baby I haven’t…I promise you, I swear on my life, I swear on everything that I haven’t…I love you, only you…”

His kisses trailed down your neck, you didn’t fight him but instead you froze, stuck in a place of not knowing whether or not to believe him, and wanting what he was saying to be true more than anything. 

“I would never jeopardise you again, it’s only you…”

You weren't quite sure how it happened so quickly but you had gone from tears one moment to being eaten out on the bed the next. 

“Lewis…”

Your whispered moans cried out between a bite of your lip, you were just stubborn enough to not give him the satisfaction of your own, but weak enough to give him just a little. 

“Lewis…please…”

It wasn’t an orgasm you begged for this time, it was him. You pulled him up to your level and scanned his face for any tells of a lie. All you found was your pleasure beads in his beard and his lips red from hunger for you. 

“I promise you, it’s only you…it will only ever be you…”

You believed him, you had no reason to really and evidence to the contrary but something about the sincerity in his eyes, the way his words were just desperate enough to warrant honesty but not rouse suspicion. You believed him, you had to believe him. 

It had only been a matter of days since you had felt him but it still felt as exciting as the first time. Lewis pushed inside of you and you gasped, he gasped too, there was a feeling that happened in the first push, a feeling that was so indescribable but completely overwhelming at the same time, you had been sleeping with this man for an incredibly long time now, yet the feeling still took you by surprise. 

You had always found the term ‘love making’ cringey, a term used only in fairytales and in love stories, no one actually ‘made love’ in real life you had thought, that was before Lewis showed you differently. 

There was no rush about his movements, slow heavy drives into you as your lips locked together to taste each others moans, he made love to you, he made you feel loved as he fucked you, he showed you with every stroke that his words had meaning, that despite his past, despite the fact that he could have any woman in the world, it was you, it would always be you. 

“Daddy…mummy…”

His head fell onto yours for a second as you both sighed in frustration, this was certainly not the first time you had been interrupted and you were certain it would not be the last. It was far harder recently though, no longer did Bambi wait in bed for one of you, she was older now so she took it upon herself to come to you instead. 

It was a matter of seconds from Lewis jumping off of you, to your daughter arriving in the room rubbing one eye with the back of her fingers as she stood in the doorway waiting for you. 

“What’s wrong pretty girl?”

You were the only one in a fit state to tend to her and so you did, you ushered her back to her bedroom. 

“I can hear the ocean, can we go and play in it?”

“Bambi, it is the middle of the night! We can’t go and play in it now, maybe in the morning.”

“Yes we can, mummy.”

Lewis hadn’t moved from under the covers yet for obvious reasons, but his voice still bounded around the room towards you both. You shot him a look that asked if he was serious, a scowl that told him of how you didn’t approve, yet he didn’t falter. 

“Bambi go and get on a coat and we will all go for a little paddle in the sea.”

And so you did, in the early hours of the Malibu morning, as the sun dared to begin to wake in the distance, the three of you stood with your feet in the ocean, your hands locked together and smiles that could not be wiped away on your faces. 

“I love my girls.”

Lewis locked eyes with you, a gaze that told you how much he meant every word he said to you that night. 

“And your girls love you too.” 

-

The bed felt unnervingly spacious as you woke, your hand reached out to feel the warmth of a body, somebody, but found only the creases in the sheets of where those bodies had once been. 

You listened out for any clues to their whereabouts but heard nothing but the ocean outside and the occasional chirp of a bird.

It was only as you made your way into the living room that you saw the first clue of your families whereabouts, a folded note left at the bottom of freshly cut roses in a beautiful vase. 

‘Good morning sleeping beauty, 

We have gone shopping for some clothes 

Enjoy the quiet for a while,

 I have had your favourite breakfast delivered and it is warming in the oven, Mornings in Malibu are made for breakfast by the ocean.

I love you, L x’

Lewis never failed to surprise you, even when the day should have been about him as he was flying out that night to Vegas, he still made it all about you. You took his advice, choosing the perfect spot on the decking to catch the morning sun, you sat for what felt like hours, eating your breakfast and drinking your coffee. 

Could you get used to this lifestyle? Would you be happy in Malibu? Despite everything that happened yesterday, you still considered the possibility. 

If Malibu only contained moments such as this, and moments such as last night in the ocean, of course you could, but deep down you knew that this wasn’t all Malibu had to offer. Malibu held his secrets, the years in which you were a side character in his life, the years in which he was running free in the world, successful, rich and good looking, Malibu held those moments in her bank waiting for the right moment to bring them to the surface. 

Malibu was beautiful, Malibu was peaceful but you knew Malibu also held a woman Lewis had been with around every corner. You were strong, sure, but there was no amount of strength in the world that would let you sit in a restaurant with your family whilst a woman at a table across from you remembered a night of passion she shared with your man. 

Malibu could never be home really, could it?

-

There were so many bags that it took Lewis three trips back to the car to retrieve them all. He delivered bags into Bambi’s room, a selection of clothes and toys, and placed some more in the room you shared. 

“Baby, I got you something…”

You expected jewellery, it was almost always jewellery when Lewis said he got you something and this time was no exception. On the bed lay a cartier box with the most beautiful necklace inside, a white gold chain that held an emblem of diamonds at the bottom with the word ‘love’ engraved. 

“Lewis, it’s beautiful…you didn’t have to…”

You attempted to kiss him to thank him for the gift but he was distracted by something else across the room.

“But I did, take a look in those bags, the necklace is a little something to go with them…”

He was directing you towards two bags that were placed neatly by the bed, one Valentino and one Dior, with matching boxes beside each of them.

The Valentino dress, a black embroidered crepe couture dress, made your eyes widen with risk at how much of the dress was missing, it would bare practically the whole of your midriff and leave very little to the imagination.   

The Dior dress, also black, left a little more to the imagination, lace decorated the neckline and the hem fell to your knee. It was more elegant, more sophisticated, yet you knew it would compliment your figure just the same.

“So which one will you wear?”

You could hear by the excitement in his voice that he had no patience waiting for you to react. 

“Wear? Where am I going?”

“To Vegas with me, tonight…”

You looked back at the dresses to choose before your brain even processed the invitation that he had fired your way. 

“Vegas? I can’t…what about Bambi?”

“Already got that covered, my dad is in town this week so he’s going to spend some quality time with his granddaughter whilst I spend some quality time with her mum.”

Lewis couldn’t keep his hands off of you, both of them falling to your hips, he shuffled towards you as he caught your lips in a kiss.

“I can’t leave her, Lewis. I can’t…”

You felt an immediate pang of guilt as you turned down his proposal, but he didn’t seem surprised, as if he was expecting you to put up a fight. 

“Yes you can, it’s two nights and she will be with family…you can give me two nights of you, can’t you baby?”

He tried to convince you with more kisses, his lips were always a good negotiating tactic but it would take more than that to get you to leave your daughter overnight, something you had never done before. 

“But what if something happens? We will be so far away and…”

“Nothing is going to happen. Come with me…”

Lewis took your hand to lead you back out onto the decking, you could hear your daughter chattering away with her new toys, content in her own company as her parents snuck off for some private time. 

“I was thinking yesterday, when you were annoyed with me, that I don’t actually know you.”

“Why do you need me to be outside to tell me that I am a stranger to you, Lewis?”

You would have been offended if the statement wasn’t so comical. Of course he knew you, he was forced to know you five years ago and he has known you ever since. 

“Because I want you to look at the ocean, to see how vast it is, to see how big the world is and realise that we have so much more of it to explore together…”

“We have been to more countries than most couples do in their lifetime? I’m confused, where are you going with this?”

“You can be so frustrating sometimes woman, will you just let me finish…”

Lewis giggled as he moved behind you, holding the hands you had placed on the rail, he kissed your exposed neck before finishing the story he had tried to start many times in the last five minutes. 

“I know you as Bambi’s mum, I know you as the woman who was forced into motherhood unplanned and took to it like an expert, I know you as the reason our daughter is as incredibly smart and as compassionate as she is…but I don’t know you…”

Lewis felt you begin to protest once again and stopped you with another kiss on your neck, a move that always silenced you. 

“I’ve only ever known you as Bambi’s mum, and you have only ever known me as Bambi’s dad, we fell in love whilst we raised a child we didn’t plan on having, yet we have no memories shared together before she existed. I already love Bambi’s mum with all my heart, I want to learn about who her mum is when she is forced to be the person that exists outside of her family, I want to fall in love with you, with every version of you…”

“I…I…I don’t know who I am when I’m not a mum. I’ve been a mum for as long as I can remember now, maybe this is all I am Lewis? Maybe we will go to Vegas and be in bed by 9pm because I am so exhausted and you will realise you are with someone entirely too boring for a man who loves nothing more than adventure.”

“You know what? If being in bed at 9pm is what you want to do, then we will do it…and for the record, you will never bore me…”

He spun you around to face him so he could really kiss you this time. 

“Now, let’s get you back inside so you can decide which dress you want to wear when you walk through the strip with me to the event tomorrow night.”

“Oh, I don’t need to decide…I already know which dress will ensure you won’t be able to keep your hands off of me...”

You left Lewis standing on the decking with a stunned smile on his face. It was rare that you let your confidence seduce him, but the moments that you did, the moments in which you told him exactly what you wanted to do to him, were the moments in which you felt the most powerful. 

-

It was only as he got out of the car to open your door that Lewis let go of your hand. He knew how hard it was for you to leave your daughter behind in Malibu, to fly miles away from her for a few days in which you would trust someone else with the primary care of her, something you had not yet done from the moment she was born, he knew that right now you needed his comfort more than anything else in the world. 

In discreet writing, the elevator read ‘The Lakeview Suite’ and already you were overwhelmed by how grand everything was, even if all you had seen so far was the lobby and the elevator. You were well aware you looked a far cry from the guests that you saw in the lobby, you had opted to travel in comfort, a tracksuit, no make up and sliders, yet that never seemed to bother him an inch. 

It was in the privacy of the elevator, a room big enough to fit twenty people, he found his hands already beginning to wander with all the free reign they had been given. 

“Already? I haven’t even got the dress on yet.”

You teased him as he brushed his hands up under your hoodie, cupping your breasts with the biggest grin on his face. 

“I prefer you with no clothes on anyway…”

If it wasn’t for the bell of the elevator signalling your arrival at your level, you were sure you were about ten seconds away from granting the security of the hotel footage worthy of an AVN award. 

You were very used to being amazed at the places in which Lewis took you, they were always grand, they were always special, but somehow this suite took the top spot immediately.

A rich red decorated so many of the walls, marble decorated the flooring, the specks of gold thrown around the room in the form of furniture allowed you a little insight to just how expensive the suite was. 

It was midnight in Vegas and yet nothing about the view in which you took in from the bedroom window told you it was. The suite overlooked the strip below, lights illuminated the thousands of people that were no bigger than ants from where you were up high. Midnight in Vegas meant nothing really, but what it did mean was that it was now the day of which you were going to accompany Lewis to a public event for the first time, as his partner, not as the mother of his child.  

“...and what time will we need to be ready?”

You were well attuned to walking into a room silently now, you knew exactly how to slide your hand around his waist just enough to let him know you were there, so he would quietly move you in front of him, wrapping his spare arm around your waist as he buried his nose into the crook of your neck, gently swaying with you as he grew in his shorts, a pressure building against the back of you as you purposefully threw it back into him, just enough to make it a struggle for him to speak his final words before finishing the phone call he had about work. 

“Mmm, you are a naughty girl, aren’t you?” 

His hand found its way down to the crook between your thigh and your pussy, teasing his thumb in a flicking motion across your middle as he nibbled on your neck. 

“Shit, I want you so bad right now…”

“There’s nothing stopping you…”

Your words hitched in your throat as he worked you up more and more with the teasing of his hand, with the feel of his lips against the sensitive skin of your neck. 

Lewis didn’t need persuading, he lead you from the living room back into the bedroom just so he could have his way with you, and he did, first bent over the bed, rough raw and exactly what you both needed to satisfy the urge, and then again when you both woke in the middle of the night, this time softer, loving, slow movements as he entered you from the side, your leg held up in the air, his other hand teasing out and endless stream of orgasms from you with very little effort. 

The both of you fell to sleep that night having had more sex than you had the entire month before. There was no need to sneak moments of intimacy within the steam of a hot shower, there were no fires of desire that petered out when life, and your daughter, interrupted you night after night. 

That night allowed you both to enjoy each other, to love each other, to be with each other like the rest of the world didn’t exist, and as you snoozed on his chest, his arm wrapped securely around you, you knew you loved the man he was and not just the father he had grown to be.

-

Lewis always woke before you, it didn’t matter if he had been awake for over a day due to catching flights, it didn’t matter if his body had been put through hours of endurance in a race, he always woke before you did and that often meant you woke to an empty bed, a feeling you really hated.

Instinctively you grabbed his discarded T Shirt on the floor to cover your modesty before you left the bedroom, a habit that you had acquired thanks to parenthood, and you went on the hunt for your man. 

It didn’t take you very long at all to find him, all you had to do was follow the sounds of the 90s RnB that played softly out on the balcony to find him laid out on the cream wick sofa, wearing nothing but a white towel around his waist that barely managed to hide his secrets under it. 

“You know how much you could charge for this view?”

You teased him as your fingers brushed against his bare shoulder before you began to take a seat on the sofa next to him. 

“...no you don’t, I want you to sit right here.”

Lewis motioned for you to take a seat on his lap, spreading his legs a little more to cradle you as he helped you down on to him, the feel of his cool bare skin was a stark contrast to the warmth of yours as your thighs met, his hand instantly wrapping around you and his lips found their favourite spot in the crook of your neck once more. 

“No one can see, we’re so high up…we could do anything we wanted right now…”

His appetite for you was insatiable, it didn’t seem to matter that he had you many times just hours ago, he was as hungry for you as ever and his hands greedily ran under the shirt you wore, tweaking your nipples.

“Take this off.”

His words felt warm against the skin of your neck as he growled his demand at you. You would have hesitated in any other moment, but there was something about right then that fed you confidence, it could have been how obviously turned on he was for you, it could have been the location you were in, but something filled you with the confidence to stand in front of Lewis, lifting the shirt off of your skin before you looked down at the pathetic excuse for a towel that still covered him, barely. 

“Your turn.”

Lewis’ naughty smirk was filled with pride as he threw his towel off of his waist and to the ground, his dick throbbed proudly in the cool Vegas morning air as it begged for your attention; you weren’t going to make it wait too long. 

His hands reached for you the first moment they could, finding your bare hips, his eyes widened with amazement as he watched you sit down on him, taking every inch of him like a pro.

“Shit…”

He hissed, you moaned breathlessly, as you felt him bottom out inside of you. For a second you didn’t move, you held still to allow the both of you to really feel every second of the excitement that rippled through your bodies from how connected you were. 

Lewis was impatient, he needed you now, and so his hands found your ass cheeks to encourage you to move with a little slap at first before he cupped your cheeks in his palm as much as he was able to, holding onto a semblance of control whilst you rode him hard. 

You always loved how unashamed he was to be loud yet this morning he was particularly noisy. Moans that drowned yours out, curse words that rang in rhythms of praise for how you worked him, he just could not help himself. 

“Baby, slow down…you’re going to make me cum…”

You almost took pity on him as he begged you for mercy, but you were not prepared to let up on him. Many nights the roles had been reversed, you had been the one to plead for a mercy he would never ever grant, and so you were determined to make him have a taste of his own medicine. 

Over and over again you rose up before you slammed back down on him, riding him at a pace, at an intensity, you never had before. There was something about that moment that fed you the ability to go to new heights, to use the power of your pussy to make sure he was not in any doubt of who had the control. 

“Fuck, baby…”

You felt it, you felt the familiar twinge in his body, you knew he was seconds away from exploding and you felt accomplished. Lewis wouldn’t give it to you that easy though. Using the full strength of his arms, he lifted you up whilst still inside of you, slowly stroking you whilst he carried you to the balcony wall. 

“No you don’t…”

Lewis giggled the words into your lips as you pouted, holding you up against the wall effortlessly, he began to drive into you harder now. 

“...my turn, tell Vegas how good you feel.”

His confidence was warranted, it didn’t matter how stubborn you were, how hard you tried to fight against giving him exactly what he wanted from you, it was fruitless. 

Your orgasm crashed down with haste, as the ecstasy erupted through your body you bit down on his shoulder to disguise your loud moans; Lewis followed your high pretty soon after. 

“How about I cancel the rest of the day's plans and we spend it right here?”

Lewis’ voice as he came down from his high was raspy, breath stolen, it also happened to be your favourite sound. 

“I know you haven’t brought me all the way to Vegas just to do something you can do at home, Lewis.”

He slowly lowered you down onto your incredibly unsteady legs, still shaken from the pleasure he had given you moments ago.

“But I don’t get to make you scream like that at home…”

You shot him a look that told him to stop, as fun as a day in bed with Lewis sounded, you had a dress he had bought for you specifically for this occasion waiting to be worn and a hair and make up appointment you were not going to miss. 

“Maybe for the sake of your shoulder, it is best that you can’t.”

Lewis wore the scar of your teeth marks with pride, a little broken skin was a fine price to pay to get to watch you walk around with shaky legs for the next half an hour. 

-

It was as you put on the last shoe that you heard Lewis’ daddy voice muffled in the suite somewhere, his tone of voice was always excited when he spoke to your daughter, it was soft, it was comforting, it was so full of love. There was no one else in the world that provoked the tone of voice he used for Bambi, not even you. 

You were fixing your shoes when you heard his voice grow closer to you, quickly you jumped up to the mirror, fixing the dress down just in time for him to appear with his phone held out with your daughter’s button nose pressed up against the screen, looking at you. 

“Mummy is right…here…fuuuu-”

Lewis stopped himself before he finished the curse word but the point was made so violently that the giggle from his dad in the background of the FaceTime call told you that everyone had heard exactly what he meant. 

His expression was like something out of a cartoon, eyes wider than you had ever seen them, his lips parted in amazement, never had a gaze of his appeared so hungry before, the licking of his lips just sealed it. 

“Hey babygirl…”

You walked closer to the phone he was holding up and waved at your daughter who was smiling. 

“Mummy, you look so beautiful!”

“Yes…yes she does…”

Lewis’ voice now matched his look too, a deep growl tone to it as his eyes bore into your skin, his breathing heavy with the want to feast on his woman, with no ability to do so. 

“We will be home tomorrow babygirl, be good for grandpa now please.”

Nervous butterflies filled your stomach as the longing to be with your daughter became too much in an instant, you missed her, you missed when it was just the three of you, nothing felt right when one of you was away from the other. 

“I’m always good, mummy. Grandpa is taking me to the movies in the morning and then out for ice cream! Grandpa no, not that doll silly…the one with the green hair!”

The excitement in her little voice settled your nerves, despite the fact you missed her so much it ached, she didn’t seem phased by your being away at all, which comforted you. 

She didn’t have the patience, nor the need, to say goodbye to you both. Very quickly she abandoned the phone on the sofa, leaving you staring at a ceiling, whilst she ran off to correct her grandpa’s choice of doll to play with. 

“See…I told you she would be fine.”

Lewis was fast to end the call and place the phone in his pocket, he couldn’t wait to get his hands on you, and the moment he found the place on your hips he loved to hold, he let out a little moan of satisfaction and a deep breath of hunger. 

He was so sly with the way in which he backed you up towards the dresser, knowing you would hate to mess up your hair minutes before you had to leave, he took the opportunity to have you propped up on a surface instead. 

“I can’t wait until later, you look so fucking…ugh…I need you now.”

The frustration in his voice was incredibly hot, the panting between each word told you how hard he was straining underneath the jeans he was wearing and he almost got his way, he almost had you right then and there, until the phone he placed in his pocket vibrated so harshly it couldn’t be ignored. 

“Every…single…time.”

His head fell back in frustration as he read the message on his screen, closing his eyes for a second to try and compose himself, he looked back up at you with a thousand thoughts running through his mind. 

“It’s okay, just a few more hours and I’m all yours.”

You couldn’t let your own frustration show, not yet. It felt childish yet exciting that no matter what you both tried, you couldn’t have exactly what you wanted; each other. Instead you were left having to sneak around like teenagers to steal seconds of passion, awaiting a secret escape in a hotel room in the middle of the night to really give into temptation. 

“Wait…you’ve forgotten something.”

Lewis stopped you as you headed out of the door, he took out the Cartier box you forgot you even had, from his pocket, and expertly placed the necklace around the base of your throat, making sure to seal the clasp with a kiss before he took your hand and led you down to the car. 

“Perfect, now let me show my woman off to the world.”

-

It was still weird to you how much Formula One had grown in popularity in the few years you were apart. Sure Lewis had always been famous, but never had it been so that there were crowds akin to a pop concert waiting for him, holding signs that begged for his proposal, screams of declarations of love and phones, so many phones, held up to capture every movement you both made as you stepped out of the car and Lewis wrapped his arm around your waist. 

“You ready for this, babe?”

No, could anyone ever be ready for this amount of attention? But still you smiled and you nodded and you played the supportive girlfriend role whilst you walked past a crowd you were certain half wished for your demise just so they could replace you, whilst the other half filmed your every breath to upload to fan accounts moments later. 

Lewis was extra protective of you when you joined him for work, whether it was track side or movie premier, he made sure that you were comfortable and in his eyesight at all times, the last thing he wanted was for you to think he was neglecting you, or that anything else in the world was more important. 

“I will be back as soon as I can, will you be okay?”

He was seconds away from stepping on stage in front of thousands of people yet his only concern was how you were feeling. 

“I’m fine, go…the people await Sir Lewis Hamilton and his incredible bulge in those jeans.”

You pulled him by the top button on his denim shirt towards you, kissing him through a smile on both of your faces before he turned and headed onto the stage, his lips still covered in the lipstick you wore as he waved to his screaming fans. 

-

It was all going so well at first, you stood just to the side of the stage and waited patiently for Lewis to finish his interview with the presenter, you heard him speak of his excitement at the race taking place in Vegas next season, you watched him pander to the fans that had waited hours to see him and you watched as the presenter lingered a look into his eyes just a little longer than what was normal, a linger that told you of memories she was reliving, and you knew, in the pit of your stomach you knew that this was not the first time they had met. 

“How did I do?”

His question was rhetorical of course, however he noticed that you didn’t fawn after him, he realised almost immediately as you didn’t allow your waist to be held properly by him that something had happened, in the few minutes he was away from you, something had upset you. 

“What’s wrong baby?”

You couldn’t look at him, not through disgust but more through shame of your own doing, you knew you had no right to be jealous of a moment he shared with a woman when he was single, yet every tiny part of you hated the thought of it. 

Lewis was yours, he had always been yours, he was Bambi’s daddy, he was the man who knocked up a woman he met hours before and promised her the world with little hesitation. Lewis was yours, how dare she know even a fraction of the man you adored?

“Her.”

It was all the words you could muster but it was enough, he didn’t try to deny it, he didn’t jump on the defensive, instead he sighed throwing a hand up to his brow so he could run it down over his face. 

“How did you know?”

You looked up at him and he looked distraught, like he was seconds away from tears, like all hope had been lost. 

“Because she gave you the same look I gave you when we were no longer together, the look of knowing you and wanting you again. I hate that she knows you, I hate that so many of them know you.”

“Baby, come on…”

He reached out to grab your hand but you pulled away, you were very aware of how irrational you were acting yet you couldn’t stop yourself. 

“I hate that all these women know you, they know you intimately, they know you in ways that only I should know you, Lewis. They know the man I love.”

“I can’t keep doing this…”

His words sent a shockwave through your body as you took them in. You were so used to his asking for forgiveness that the moment he didn’t, the moment he sent a message of frustration, you weren't quite sure how to deal with it. 

“What?”

“This…this walking on eggshells around you constantly, the accusations of cheating, the jealousy…all of it…this isn’t healthy for either of us.”

“Are you saying-”

“That’s it exactly, this is what I mean…the constant negative thoughts, the mistrust. We can’t keep doing this, something has to give.”

He was right, you knew it deep down, that despite how much you loved him, love wasn’t enough when it was wrapped in days and days of torturing yourself with thoughts of who was keeping him company overseas whilst you raised your daughter alone. 

How could you set the best example for Bambi when the only example she had of a woman was someone so anxious that she would lose the man she loved all day everyday, that she barely had time to appreciate the happy moments with him? 

Anxious thoughts had clouded your memory, sure you could remember some of the days out you had as a family, some of the parties and events you went to together, but it was the little things, the small moments of intimacy that only you three would ever know happened, that you couldn’t recall at all. The moments you had convinced yourself were fictional, a fraud, moments Lewis only took part in to keep up the ruse that he was a family man first.

Your mind never kept the memories you were certain were fake, how could you believe the man who blew you a kiss across the room as he played with your daughter building legos, really meant that kiss? Why would he? You only ever existed to him back home, after all. When he was out of the country you were out of sight, for all you knew you might as well have not existed, you certainly did not exist in his world more often than not. 

“Let’s get out of here.”

-

That night in Vegas should have been filled with fun, it should have been a moment for both of you to really be a couple first before you were parents, something you had never been before, but instead it was met with silence as you headed back up to the suite that now felt ridiculously too big, and a sense of emptiness that came from the impending doom of all of the unsaid words. 

There was something different about this disagreement, if you could even call it that. You were the first to explain to anyone that asked that your relationship wasn’t without its challenges, you argued, you disagreed, you got on eachothers nerves, you had moments you disliked each other but that was normal, those moments passed and most importantly, the love never seemed to leave in those moments. 

This moment was different though, it felt different, the air hung so heavy with tension, the huge room somehow now felt way too small and although you could avoid each other by busying yourselves in your assigned dressing rooms, you could feel the presence of Lewis behind the walls, you could feel the weight of the words unspoken, something both of you carried. 

You had entered your room with the intention of changing out of the dress that now felt uncomfortable, it was funny that the moment you no longer wanted to impress him you wanted to cover every inch of your skin in an attempt to hide from him. 

Instead of undressing, you found yourself exhausted from the events of the evening, drained from the emotion, and all you could do was sit on the edge of the bed you considered sleeping in that night and ponder thoughts of what exactly had gone so wrong. 

-

Lewis had been quiet for some time now, you had heard him moving about the suite, a sign of life, but when it got deathly quiet, so quiet in fact you weren't entirely sure he hadn’t gone out, you knew then that the silent treatment would get you both nowhere. 

You were purposefully quiet as you left your room, as if you were trying to catch him in the act, but the act of what exactly you wasn't entirely sure. There was no sign of him in the living area, nor was he over by the bar, it meant realistically he had to be in the bedroom if he was even still around. 

The room was dark but for the light that peaked out from the middle of the not quite completely closed curtains illuminating his still fully clothed body laid out on the bed. His eyes were shut but you knew he wasn’t asleep, you could always tell he was asleep from the way his breathing sounded. 

“Can I come in?”

You stood at the doorway asking for permission until you saw his eyes open and stare, a deep hard stare, at you. 

“This is your room too, isn’t it?”

His tone was harsh without intent, you could no longer hear the love within each syllable, he spoke to you as if you were just anybody else and that hurt more than any words really could. 

“Are we…are we done?”

You had pondered a thousand different ways to bring up the same question but being in front of him, the desperation in your voice leapt out and there was no patience for easing you into the conversation, you needed to know now.

Lewis sat up on the bed, swinging his legs around the side before he beckoned for you to join where he was sitting, the first sign of friendliness you had seen in quite some time from him. 

“I don’t know what to do anymore…”

You wanted to scream no at him, you wanted to throw your hands over his mouth so he could say no other words, you wished you could go back in time and take back your outburst of jealousy, keep the doubts hidden within you so as to avoid this exact conversation. 

It couldn’t be over, could it? After everything you had both been through, the promises you had both made, it felt so unfair for this to be the end of your story. 

“...you will never really trust me, will you?”

You were thankful Lewis could continue the conversation because you were simply incapable, your flight or fight response was the third option of freezing, and no matter how badly you wanted to fight for him you were simply not equipped to. 

“I do trust-”

“But you don’t, you never have. The constant accusations, the glances over at my phone screen you think I don’t notice, the random middle of the night check ins when I am overseas just to make sure I don’t have company…it’s not healthy, it’s not healthy for you to constantly think I am cheating on you, it’s not healthy for me to have to worry about every contact I have with a female in case you read it the wrong way.”

His accusatory words sprung you into defensive mode and at once your face screwed up with a look of disgust, how dare he put all the blame on you?

“But you did fuck her, it’s not like I am accusing you for no reason, is it?”

Lewis sighed, a long deep sigh, as his eyes looked down at the hands he had paired at his lap. 

“I am truly sorry that I did not live a life of abstinence whilst we were apart, if I had known that we would get back together and the women I spent nights with would tear us apart, I would have stayed celibate just to make you happy.”

“That isn’t what I am asking you to do, it’s just-”

“It’s what, babe? Because what else can I do to show you that I love you, that I love Bambi, that the family we have created and the life we have built, is the single most precious thing in my life?”

“I’m sorry, I don’t know how to stop feeling like I don’t deserve you.”

“Are you crazy?”

It could have been offensive the way in which he scowled the words at you, but whilst he asked the rhetorical question he grabbed your hands instinctively, as if words were not quite enough to explain his feelings, you had to feel them through the warmth of his touch too. 

“I have never felt like enough for you. You didn’t pick me, you were stuck with me. Let’s be honest for a moment, if you hadn’t got me pregnant after our night together, would you have ever seen me again? Would you have called me again? I am not stupid, Lewis. I know you did not choose to spend your life with me, I know that you are a good man and a honourable man and that the life we created meant you had to learn to be with someone you never would have picked, had you had a choice.”

“You think I am with you because we have a daughter?”

“Well, yes? We had a one night stand and created a life but that is exactly what our time together was, a one night stand. It wasn’t lost on me that you were away every opportunity you got when I was first pregnant. You felt nothing and nor should you have, I was a stranger. I can’t pretend anymore that I don’t realise I am not your type, I am not bold enough, skinny enough, my face isn’t sculpted to perfection by Dr Miami and I don’t have a career that rivals yours in terms of success. I know you deserve better, that is what scares me.”

Every word you said looked like an attack on his whole being, he winced, he screwed his eyes up, he shook his head, the paragraph ran him through a range of emotions all at once. 

“Fuck, you really feel that way?”

You would have been prepared for him to fire back with denial, it was how this conversation normally went after all, so his calm response took you by surprise. You nodded, a head movement weighed down by the overwhelming sadness you felt. 

Lewis closed his eyes for a moment, running a hand over his braids before he rose, walking around the room as if his director had told him to act out being deep in thought; he was playing the role superbly. 

“I guess you’re right…”

It turned out that despite the fact you truly believed those words, hearing his confirmation felt like a blow to your stomach that winded you completely, a breath you would not be able to really get back until he carried on. 

“If we hadn’t made a baby that night, the chances are I probably wouldn’t have seen you again. That isn’t a reflection of you though, that is all on me. I liked you from the moment I met you in the club that night, we had some of the hottest sex I had ever had…I still think back to that night sometimes, you know?”

It was the last sentence that made him shoot you a look, you couldn’t hold eye contact and instead you dropped your gaze to your lap, where it felt safer. 

“I like to think Bambi came into the world to make us both realise, to make me realise, the love of my life was right in front of my eyes. I know I wasn’t perfect when you were pregnant, I was stupid, I was immature, I was running away from responsibilities and clinging to a life I had curated to hide within. That isn’t who I am deep down, I wanted a family forever, I wanted to be a dad forever…”

Lewis moved closer to you now, his words had warmed the air, the memories of the years in which you shared softened the tension, his smell, the natural woody scent that was your favourite, comforted you the closer he got. 

“...I don’t know how to convince you that to me you are perfect, but I am quite willing to tell you every single day for the rest of our lives.”

He stood right in front of you, his hand held out as an invitation for you to take it; you did. The moment he had you risen to your feet, he stroked his hand down your face, resting it on your hip as he looked deep into your eyes. 

“I can’t promise you that I won’t annoy you, I can’t promise you that we will always agree, and as much as I want to, I can’t always promise you that my past, that people from my past, won’t appear in places we least expect…”

It was your turn to close your eyes now, the thought of past conquests rearing their heads in moments of your lives sickened you to your stomach. Lewis caught your attention once again, holding your chin with the back of his fingers as he nudged your gaze back up to meet him. 

“...but I can promise you that I will never…ever…jeopardise what we have. You are the only woman I ever want and the only woman I ever will want, I promise.”

It felt natural to kiss you and so he did, a soft kiss with his lips placed against yours, no moving, no tongues, just a kiss that attempted to seal his words in your mind to make you understand that he truly meant every intention he promised. 

“I’m sorry, Lewis.”

An apology was all you could muster, declaring your love to him wouldn’t have done the moment justice, he deserved to know how sorry you were for ever taking his words, his actions, and his commitment for granted. 

“No more apologising, just let me love you, please?”

You didn’t answer with words, instead you answered with a kiss back. Your kiss was heavier, weighted with the need to express to him how sorry you really were. He hadn’t asked you to trust him and for that you were thankful, you both knew it was something you were incapable of immediately, but in that moment you truly believed you might get there one day.

-

If someone had been writing your love story for a novel, a script for a box office hit, you would have fallen from the kiss into bed to make sweet love, but long gone were the days in which sex was the response to any and every emotion you both felt. 

Now you often found yourselves cementing your love over a meal, love making was no longer the first thought you had and instead you found it just as satisfying to eat loaded fries you had ordered from room service, each swigging out of a bottle of Champagne to near completion as you retold lines of your favourite inside jokes, the laughter shared secretly between each other, it was these moments that felt as intimate as the moments in which your bodies connected in pleasure…almost. 

“Midnight, already?” 

Lewis looked at his watch in disappointment, he knew, you both knew, that it was now only hours away from you returning to life, returning to life as parents first and lovers second, you both knew you could no longer waste any second you had together. 

“Let’s go for a walk.”

Lewis didn’t even finish his sentence before he jumped up, not letting go of your hand, to make sure you knew that you really didn’t have a say in whether you were going outside or not. 

“We can’t, you’ll be surrounded by people and you have not got your security with you. Why don’t we just stay in bed? I’m sure there are other things we can do that will keep you entertained.”

The devilish look in your eye almost made him crumble, he had to physically shake the thoughts that now spiralled in his mind before he went back to his suggestion. 

“It’s midnight in Vegas baby, it’s dark, people are everywhere and no one cares who is around, I get to blend in, now lets go before we drink too much we can no longer walk.”

You were positive that it was the alcohol that made him this free with his suggestions, one thing Lewis never compromised no matter what was his safety, and yours, taking a walk outside with you in one of the most popular places on earth was a huge risk, but that risk clearly did not seem to be troubling him as your tongues danced whilst his hand rested on your ass in the lift. 

If anyone had spotted you in this moment they could have easily mistaken you for playful teenagers, young lovers who were still in their honeymoon phase, and in a way they were correct. You were still learning how to love each other as individuals before you loved each other as the parent of their child, and this trip was certainly helping that love progress. 

-

He was right, you did blend in. No one looked the way of the couple who walked hand in hand through the strip with no real destination in mind. Every now and then Lewis would stop you, pulling you into him so he could kiss you as he made the most satisfied sounding moan before you continued your walk. 

There was so much to see along the strip, so much people watching to do as you followed the drunk people, the happy people, the ones that had lost their life savings in a casino, the lovebirds that weren’t too dissimilar to you both, hand in hand not noticing anything but the other as they walked through the crowds of people all living out acts of time in their own lives. 

Lewis stopped you in your tracks as you passed the Bellagio fountain, pulling you into him he held his phone out to take a photo of you both whilst he kissed you on your cheek. A moment frozen in time in the photo, a moment in which to the rest of the world you were nobodies really, that was until you heard the words that loudly shouted from the man near you. 

“Shit, Lewis?”

You heard his heart sink, you saw the expression on his face as he realised he had a second to react. He could stay there and become Vegas’ latest attraction as more and more people gathered around him for pictures, videos and to tell him how much they loved him, or he could take your hand and run; he chose the second option. 

-

The bright lights became a streak of blended gold as you ran hand in hand down the strip with Lewis, you wondered if he had always been so carefree and you had just missed it. His braids slapped at the back of his neck as he ran, a movement that hypnotised you as you could focus only on him. 

The noise of the crowds became a hum that only grew gentler as you moved through them, like a soft harmony built to soothe the adrenaline that paced through your body at an unbelievable speed. He pulled you into an ever so welcome hug of darkness, an escape, finally you were back alone with him, just where you felt safe.

Lewis fell back against the wall carelessly, he was not concerned with dirtying his clothes, nor was he worried about hurting himself, the wall provided him the perfect resting place to pull you into him, his hands resting softly on the top of your ass whilst your fists balled at his collarbone until you found comfort in the softness of his grown out beard in the palm of your hands. 

“I thought you said we would blend in?” 

You teased him and he did nothing but roll his eyes in return, both of your smiles were wide with a moment of exhilaration shared. 

“We did…almost. Maybe we were meant to be spotted, maybe the universe wanted us to end up in this little alleyway alone so I could do this…”

It never failed to make your body shiver with excitement when Lewis found the back of your head with his hand. He made you feel small, even with so little of a grip on you as he pulled you in to kiss him, he made you feel like you were tiny yet safe with him. 

With the hand that wasn’t holding your head, he crept his fingers under your dress, tickling the place that radiated a heat unmatched for him. Acting out exactly what you had imagined him doing the moment you saw the dress.

 “We can’t, not in public…”

Lewis’ kiss formed a gentle bite on your bottom lip as he forced himself to pull away from you, just for a moment. 

“You didn’t seem to mind on the balcony this morning.”

It was your turn to roll your eyes, it was the best you could do as a comeback as he wasn’t wrong, there was nothing about that morning that you minded, at all. 

“There’s something different about you here, you seem so much more…free?”

Lewis allowed his hands to find yours to hold as the now permanent smile that was etched on his face grew the wrinkles that surrounded his eyes. 

“It’s what happens when I am around you, I don’t notice the outside world, you are all I see, you are all I want to see.”

Both of you stared mesmerised at your fingers that danced in between the others in mid air, Lewis was right, the outside world did not exist when you were alone together, all that mattered was the bubble of love that formed a protective barrier around you. 

“All of my happiest moments are with you…”

His eyes read that he wanted to kiss you, your lips said the same with the way that they drew towards him in desperation, yet he found words to fill the space in between you instead, there was plenty of time for kisses, right now the air needed his words to hold.

“Lewis, that is impossible, I wasn’t there for most of your career and-”

“So what? You think I count career goals as my happiest moments?”

“You don’t exactly have a normal career, Lewis…”

“More of a reason why you, why life with you, has granted me my happiest moments. Meeting you was better than any World Championship, you gave me a family, you showed me a love that comes with no expectations, you gave me a reason to make sure I get out of that car every weekend…it’s all because of you, baby. Happiness only exists because of you.”

You were never the superstitious kind, nor were you ever one to believe in divine intervention, but as the last syllable of his words played into your ears, both of you were struck silent by the realisation of the building you were hidden behind at once. 

It was that moment, the mutual understanding between you that the universe was forcing your hand in the matter and really you had no other option, it was that moment that made you believe in fate, in fairytales, in stories of finding the love of your life in the most unexpected of ways. 

Lewis held your fingers in his palm as if to kiss them as his eyes rose up to meet your gaze once more. 

“Shall we?”

-

The moan you let out as you woke cared not for the man who was snoring next to you. Your head was pounding violently, your whole body ached, it felt like you had done ten rounds with Mike Tyson hours before, you swore to never drink again. 

The blackout curtains didn’t quite leave the room dark enough for your liking, and so you braved only one eye opening as you looked over at the still fast asleep Lewis. He was laid on his back, an arm wrapped over his eyes as if he too was trying to block out the light, whilst the other hand lay on his bare chest. He was naked, you were not. 

You made an attempt to get up and instantly felt the room spin, clearly you had drunk far too much last night and you hadn’t really sobered up yet, leaving you stumbling to the bathroom.

Lewis hadn’t moved as you climbed back into bed, it was only as you snuggled up next to him that you felt him stir, his familiar arm found your body as his hand did the same. 

He groped at your breasts first, his squeeze clumsier than you were used to, before his hand trailed under the dress that still covered your skin, his fingers stroking the outside of your panties.

“Good morning Mrs Hamilton…”

It took a second for his words to register as he nuzzled into your neck whilst he began to play with you, but all at once scenes of the night before flashed back into your mind and you realised exactly what you had done. 

“Shit…did we-“

Lewis took his opportunity to cradle your face, pulling your lips into his as he climbed all of the way on top of you.

“Mmm yes we did…now let me show my wife how happy I want to make her everyday.”

It wasn’t lost on you that he wasn’t panicking at all yet every fibre of your being was a wreck with nerves. 

You were married? You married Lewis in Vegas? How could you be so utterly reckless? So completely classless?

His kisses trailed your body as he removed the expensive dress from your skin, the bare skin was replaced with the warmth of his lips until all that was left for him to devour was your middle. 

The gasp you let out as his hungry lips wrapped around your clit in a sucking motion, was loud. Your body arched off of the bed as you reached out for his hair, trying so desperately to earn a semblance of control until he removed that from you, holding your hands in the air as he ate your pussy like it was the very first time and he had to make a lasting impression. 

Lewis could and often would go down on you for hours, multiple rounds, he was never afraid of really eating you out but he sensed it, he sensed that it did not matter how long he did it for, how intensely he did it either, you were distracted, something was stopping you from finishing and there was nothing he could do about it. 

“What do you need from me?”

The moisture on his lips tasted only of you as he climbed up your body, holding the entirety of his weight upon you as a blanket for comfort. 

“I don’t…I don’t know.”

Your statement was not entirely false, you didn’t know what he could do to help, what you did know however was that what happened last night, what you both did, it had knocked you for six and no orgasm was beating the anxiety.

“We should be celebrating, baby…talk to me, tell me what’s wrong.”

He was so good at trying to alleviate your worries, as he stroked your face he kissed it too, waiting to feel the familiar feel of your heart rate settling back to normalcy. 

You ignored him at first, knowing that the truth could only hurt him in this situation, you wanted him to get distracted, you wished yourself to be able to orgasm if only to satisfy him in the moment. Lewis never gave up though, he wanted to know what was on your mind. 

You thought silence may buy you time, lessen the blow a little on what you were sure he would take as rejection, but it didn’t, instead silence told him everything he needed to know and the hurt was evident on his tired face. 

“You regret it, don’t you?”

You knew you should have answered straight away, it was an easy yes or no question and should have taken no thought behind it at all, but you didn’t and your silence once again told Lewis everything he needed to know. 

He climbed off of you in a hurry, finding comfort on the edge of the bed where he could look at the lines in his palm as the realisation that the woman he married last night was not happy  about it at all. 

“I’m sorry, Lewis.”

Your apology was whispered in a hushed tone due to shame, the last thing you wanted to do was hurt him, especially not now, especially not after everything he had done. 

“I can’t believe you don’t want to be married to me…”

The vulnerability in his voice was upsetting, for such a strong man he sure wasn’t afraid of his emotions being read in a room. 

“That isn’t-no…I don’t regret marrying you because it’s you, I regret marrying you in the way we did…in the tacky, overdone, spontaneous way we did it.”

Lewis looked round at you with relief, his eyes grew wide with optimism as he heard the first sign of hope in your words. 

“Do you really care about that? I didn’t have you down for a woman that wanted the big traditional church wedding.”

“No, I’m not…I don’t care about that…I never even thought I would get married but Bambi…”

You saw the realisation on his face as the gravity of the situation, of the moments stolen from you as a family, finally hit him.

“You’re right, we shouldn’t have done it without her. I don’t regret it though, I will never regret marrying you.”

At least that made one of you, you thought. 

-

“You’re back!” 

The excitement within the little girl who ran to the door to greet you both was palpable, she could barely decide who to hug first before settling for you. 

“I missed you so much Bambi.” 

The one thing every single person in your lives knew about the three of you was that there was little point hanging around to be the fourth wheel, it wasn’t that you were selfish, uncaring of others, it just seemed that whenever the three of you were together all you could see was each other and the rest of the room were neglected for attention. 

Lewis’ dad quickly said his goodbyes once you were both settled back home and soon it was just the three of you once more, and finally the world felt right once again. 

-

The days after Vegas were entirely less eventful, Lewis had a few work commitments, interviews on late night talk shows, a photoshoot for Valentino, but he took the both of you to them all, needing you both as company to make the days bearable. 

On an evening, when the temperature cooled outside, you would spend hours playing board games, eating the finest fast food LA had to offer, and dips in the sea. It was on your final night in Malibu that Lewis dared to broach the conversation of living arrangements, turmoil long forgotten now you had found other things to distress you, like a shotgun wedding. 

“Do you still hate it here?” 

Bambi played down in the sand with her dolls, her direction for the scene she was acting out was becoming more and more excitable as it went on. You were sat in between Lewis’ legs, the space you often found yourself in, your fingers tickling each other. 

“I don’t hate it, Lewis. Would it make you happy if we made this our home?”

“Yes but I need you to want to live here too and I can tell you don’t want to. Where would make you happy?”

“Anywhere, Lewis. I know you, and I know Bambi, love it here by the ocean, it would be cruel of me to deny you both of that.”

“Then we will keep this house…but we won’t live here. I was thinking, your home, the one back in the city, is quite perfect for us really, isn’t it?”

You sighed as you heard his compromise. Sure, you loved that house more than anywhere else, it was exactly where you wanted to live, but you knew it meant sacrificing time with Lewis, you knew it meant that being there would make his life harder with travel, more difficult with anything work related. 

“Lewis, I don’t want you to have to be anywhere you don’t really want to be…”

“Look at me…”

His voice was stern now, offended almost, as he asked you to turn your gaze away from the beach for a moment to look at him. 

“...I do not care about the house we live in or where it is located, the only thing I need to be happy somewhere is you and that little girl down there. I want to live where you want to live, and if that means I only get to be by the ocean part of the time, that is a sacrifice I am happy to make. You’re home baby, wherever you and the beautiful daughter you have given me are, that’s home.”

The conversation was never concluded with a decision but you both knew that you would not be moving across the world, nor would you be house hunting in your city, any time soon. As the old saying goes, why fix what isn’t broken? Besides, Bambi had a school place already in your city, it just made sense. 

-

For the first time in forever, it was you who woke first. Bambi was in her spot, laid on the lion on Lewis’ chest as he held your hand above your heads. Your stirring never woke them as you slowly let go of his hand, sliding out of the bed and heading to the kitchen to make a coffee. 

You were unsure of how long you had been standing on the decking when you felt you had company. 

“Are you okay, mummy?”

Bambi stood by the open door, one hand rubbing an eye whilst the other clutched her white bunny bear at her waist. 

“I am great babygirl, are you okay?”

“I miss home, I miss my bedroom.”

If she had been a little older you would have been convinced she was humouring you with those words, that she had overheard the conversation last night and wanted to sympathise with your want to be back in the city, but you knew she was too young to have that level of empathy. 

“We will be home tonight, Bambi. Now go get your daddy and we can spend one last morning by the ocean before we have to leave.”

You did just that. The three of you spent the entirety of the morning on the beach, laughing, paddling in the ocean, and eating breakfast on the sand. It was then that you realised you had really grown to love Malibu, not the celebrities as neighbours, not the shops that you could only afford to shop in with Lewis, but the Malibu that was right there, the Malibu that housed the bubble in which the three of you had spent most of the week in, the Malibu that had provided such a beautiful setting for the falling in love of two people who now knew each other as people before parents and somehow loved each other more. 

You looked over to the sight of Lewis walking through the sand with your daughter, his big hand completely engulfing hers as their eyes focused on the sand in which they walked and you felt your heart fill to burst. 

Lewis was so very special, Lewis was kind, he was patient, he was loving, he was everything good that a man could be, he was the most amazing father but it was the little thing about him that you dared not speak out loud, the little thing about him that had come from this trip, the one in which he was leaving Malibu as your husband, and you as his wife. 

You may have both agreed to never speak of it again, to not tell a single soul of the commitment you made to each other that drunken night in Vegas, but that did not stop you from feeling proud and from feeling lucky. 

Lewis was your husband, it mattered not that neither of you had a piece of metal on your fingers to signify it, the man that was now knelt down on the sand with Bambi as they examined a seashell they had found, was your husband, he was your endgame. 

-

“You got everything, babe?”

Lewis was at his cutest when he was in his rushing around, organising everyone mode. He was a perfectionist and as much as he trusted you to have packed everything, he couldn’t help himself but check every inch of every room before you left for the car that waited to take you to the airport. 

“Yes Lewis, we need to get going before we miss our flight.”

He quite literally did a final jog around the house before he made his way back to where you waited by the door. He handed you the seashell Bambi had collected for you on the first night of your stay. 

“Come on, let’s go home.”

-

Three Months Later

Neither one of you had dared bring up the semantics of a busy race season happening during the time Bambi started school, you both knew the likelihood of Lewis being able to be there for her first day was slim to none, he was only ever granted a few days a week with you both, but somehow the gods of luck worked in your favour once more and he was able to be stood beside you at the school gates, a tear pooling in his eye as he watched his whole heart run into the line for her class with the confidence he had instilled in her. 

Bambi stood out in the line, you knew you were biased but you also knew as you looked around at the other children that stood in the same grey uniform, none of them glowed with the sparkle that came from having two parents who showered them with love quite like Bambi did. 

“Maybe we should wait around for a little while, just in case she needs us?”

You knew Lewis would struggle to accept his little girl growing up and starting school. He had always rested in the knowledge that when he couldn’t be there with her, you would be. Now it was different though, now he had to trust strangers with the protection and guidance of the little girl he loved more than the entire world. 

“Lewis she will be fine, I promise. It will be time to pick her up before we know it.”

There were moments in life where one of you had to put your own anxieties to the side and provide reassurance for the other and this was certainly one of those moments. You saw him look back into the playground at least ten times as you headed to the car but you didn’t tease him, or stop him, you were just as nervous about leaving her there for the first time. 

“I’m so glad you could be here, I think I would have struggled doing this alone.”

The look he gave you told you more than any words could, you knew how much it pained him to miss events, and even though he was there for your daughters first day of school you both knew it was due to luck more than anything else. There was no guarantee he would be there for any of her firsts, there never had been.

“I won’t be racing forever, soon I’ll be retired and at home with you everyday…”

You knew he was trying to convince himself more than he was you, you had never once begrudged him his career, it granted a life for your daughter, and for you, of privilege and very little worry but sometimes, in the middle of the night when Lewis had been gone for days, you wished he did something else, anything else, you wished he had a normal job that meant he was able to be a dad and a boyfriend - husband - before he was anything else. 

“Let’s not think about that now, you still have an eighth world championship to win.”

Never had you met a person with more expressional eyes, apart from your daughter that was. As he smiled at you from the passenger seat you could read the thoughts he had deep down. To anyone else that smile would have been normal, expected even, but you knew what he really meant by it; it was a thank you. 

-

The drive to the airport with Lewis had become an almost weekly event now, most journeys were mundane, annoying even, you hated that each mile you drove meant the closer it got to being without him for a while. Today however, you were far too distracted by trying to find the right moment to speak with him. 

You had both sworn to be better at communication yet the first hurdle that came your way, the first time you really needed to talk to him, you were frozen mute with fear. 

“Daddy, can we come?”

You looked at each other and laughed, it had now become routine for your daughter to ask to join Lewis on trips away as she thought you might just agree to it. 

“No Bambi, you have school tomorrow. I’ll be home again after the race on Sunday night, you will barely even have time to miss me!”

Lewis reached an arm around the back of his chair to tickle the little girl who sat expectantly in her car seat, this too had become routine now, everything about your life was now a routine. 

“I always miss you daddy. Always.”

You saw him out of your peripheral close his eyes for a little too long, the stab of his daughter's words, although said with affection, hurt a heart that longed to never give her a reason to miss him. 

The most important part of a relationship, of a family, was someone always being the strong one, the one who held up the others when they were falling, the one that made moments happen no matter how hard the moments were; usually this was Lewis. 

On days like today though, days where he had to leave for a while to go race overseas, days where you could feel how badly he wished he retired a year ago, days when you could tell your daughter wanted him to stay too, you had to be the strength, you had to put aside the fluttering in your tummy, the sickness that came with having to say goodbye, and convince them both that it wasn’t the most devastating moment of your life, even if it quite literally felt that way every weekend. 

“I’ll be back no later than 10pm on Sunday, I promise.”

It took all of your might to pull away from Lewis, knowing it was you that had to do it otherwise he would miss his flight, it was only as you made your way back through the airport car park, the noise and the hustle of the many people doing what you had just done, shielded the silent tear that you let fall down your cheek, the moment of weakness you allowed yourself before you had to spend the next few days with the bravest of faces for your daughter's sake. 

10pm on Sunday, he would be back home with you soon, and you will have a whole other week to prepare to say goodbye once more.

-

Time seemed to slow down when Lewis was away, and as much as you tried to busy yourself with school runs, homework and the occasional FaceTime call from Lewis, nothing seemed to distract you from the longing for his scent to engulf every room he was in, for the warmth of his body to be where you sought comfort of an evening in front of a film, and the laughter, the very specific giggle that both he and his daughter shared, ringing through the air of your home. 

You realised quite early on that it did not matter what house, what city or what country you labelled as home, nothing actually felt like it was without him present. Your house was never a home until all three of you were in it, what was the point of love if it had no one to find?

‘Finished in P3 for quali, I might just get this win for you tomorrow x’

‘I never care where you finish just as long as you are safe x’

‘As long as I have my girls to come home to, I will always be safe x’

You wanted to scream at him when he said things like that, you were never one for superstition yet you knew well enough just how dangerous his job was. Lewis knew that you hated being apart from him but what he didn’t know was that every weekend you were wracked with nerves, how many times you held your breath until the third corner of a race, scared that any of his colleagues might make a mistake and take him away from you. 

You would never tell him how you truly felt, you would never tell him that you kept a calendar in your mind for which you crossed off each race weekend as you waited for him to retire, that you recited prayers despite not being particularly religious, to keep him safe, that you wore a bracelet you had made with his initials, one that he told you he loved when you wore as it told the world of who you belonged to, but you wore it so you could hold him against your pulse point as he raced, the two hours he spends in the car you provide him your own heartbeat, just in case he needs a backup. 

You are not a very superstitious person yet there is something about the love you have for the man who was born to be someone special to the world, to be the reason for your entire world, that makes you that way. 

-

Bambi tried to stay awake for her dad to make it home, she always tries, but as soon as it hits 9pm and there is still no sign of him you feel her drift off to her dreams, the ones in which he is always present, and her head rests right on your arm until the sounds of the key turning in the door wake her. 

That didn’t happen this night however, 9pm turned into 10, and 10pm quickly turned to midnight with no sign of him. It was on the fifteenth panicked message you sent him that you finally got a response, just as you were tiptoeing out of your daughter's room having put her to bed. 

‘Baby I am so sorry, the flight was delayed. I’ll be home soon, don’t wait up for me x’

‘Just get home safe x’

You wanted to ignore his request to not wait up, you really wanted to count every second of his journey home just to know the very second he was back with you, but sleep overcame you around 1am and you drifted off on your side of the bed, leaving empty his side as you always did when he was away.

You hadn’t heard him arrive home at all, you hadn’t heard him undress nor did you feel him climb into bed, it was only the moment you felt his arm wrap around you, the moment you felt safe once again that you knew he was home. 

“Lewis, you’re-”

“Ssh, baby. I’m here, go back to sleep.”

You turned over towards him, laying on his chest just to feel the way his chest lifted and fell as he breathed, to smell his musky scent from having travelled for hours, you were so grateful that he never showered, his natural scent was so comforting to you. 

“I love when you’re home, Lewis.”

Even in a state of unconsciousness you would never go as far to tell him you hated when he left, your words were not built to make him feel guilty for living out his dreams, but you still wanted to him to know just a little of how only his presence in the house made it feel like a home. 

Years ago you would have spent the first few hours expressing your love through desperate need for pleasure, and hunger for the other, but not now, not now you were so many years into life together, love making could wait, you were content enough with just hearing every deep breath he made as he slept, feeling the warmth of his very existence hit your face as you lay on him. 

-

The sheets were cooler than they should be for having been slept on by two humans all night. Bambi had crept into bed with you both not long after Lewis had arrived home and the last thing you remembered was the image of her beautiful curls peeking out from under her red silk bonnet as she laid on the lion she favoured. 

That sight had long disappeared and your stomach dropped. You knew that with the sunrise came the inevitability of Lewis knowing the truth, from you having to have a conversation with him that would rival the toughest of your life, and finding your bed long empty that morning only made the nerves worse.

What if he found out somehow? What if you were about to walk into a scene in which he shot daggers at you with his eyes across the room? 

It was silent, completely silent. No sounds of laughter, no chattering between the loves of your life from the kitchen as they made breakfast together, it sounded as if you were home alone. 

It was only as you walked into the living room that you saw your little girl standing with a bouquet of red roses in her hand, patiently waiting for you to enter. The smile on her face was the widest it had ever been, her eyes snuck looks to the side of the room you couldn’t yet see; you knew she was looking at Lewis.

“For you mummy!” 

Bambi didn’t wait for you to question what was happening, instead she walked a little towards you to hand you the flowers. 

“Daddy got them for you, aren’t they pretty?”

It was then that you realised she was dressed up like she was ready to go to a party, nothing at all like it was 7am on a Monday and she had school in a couple of hours. You took the roses from her and smelled them, they smelt fresh and expensive. 

Before you even had a chance to look for him, Lewis called your name from just behind you, prompting you to turn around to see a sight you thought you might never see, especially after Vegas. 

Knelt down on one knee, he held a seashell in his hand but not just any seashell, the very one you had watched Lewis and Bambi collect on the last walk on the beach, the one he had kept with him for months now, the one in which now held the biggest diamond ring you had ever seen. 

Time froze, the nervous butterflies in your tummy did not disappear, instead they multiplied by a thousand as you failed to hear the words in which he spoke at first, too shaken by the secret you held to fully comprehend the gravity of the unexpected situation. 

“...and the truth is, I have always been looking for an excuse to make sure you are mine forever. Will you marry me?”

That is when you looked at him, mute but for your eyes that told him a thousand things, he had so much hope in his own, so much hope that was quickly fading the longer you refused to answer. 

“Mummy?”

If it wasn’t for Bambi reminding you she was witnessing this scene, you were certain you may have never answered him, but you couldn’t do this to her, she didn’t know you were already married, she didn’t know that you carried a secret with you that would change the course of everything, and she didn’t need to know that you had any doubts. 

“Yes, yes…of course, I’ll marry you.”

Lewis’ smile didn’t quite reach his eyes, it was insincere, an act of kindness granted to the fictional scene you were both playing out for the sole benefit of your daughter as he hugged you, rather than placing the ring on your finger. 

“We need to talk.” 

He whispered those words into your ear before he asked Bambi to go and get dressed for school, he was kind with his asking of her but the sternness in his voice told her that you needed some space. 

“I thought you would be happy? Didn’t you want the traditional wedding?”

“I didn’t say I wasn’t happy, Lewis…it’s just…I-I-I’m-”

“You’re pregnant, I know.”

“How? Did you see the scan picture or something?”

Lewis smirked at you, a smirk that mocked you almost, exactly like the secret you had kept for a week now, the one that troubled your every thought, was really no big deal at all. 

“No, I could just tell…I’ve seen you pregnant before, I know exactly what the glow on your skin is telling the world. Are you not happy about it?”

He asked the question as if he was detached from the scenario, as if the choice of happiness was yours alone and in a way you appreciated it. You knew then that regardless of your answer, he would choose you. 

“I’m just scared, I know this means more change for you, I know this makes your life even harder…”

Lewis held the hands that you fidgeted within his own as took the deepest of breaths.

“You want to know the truth? This makes my decision easier. Now I know I need to spend more time at home with you, at home with Bambi, at home with my family. I already told the team I am thinking of retiring at the end of this season-”

“No, no…don’t do that. I wasn’t going to ask you to-”

“Stop baby, I know you weren't going to ask me to retire but it’s time. I’ve achieved everything I can and I will be damned if I miss any more of my family's lives. My biggest regrets were missing all of Bambi’s firsts, I missed everything special just to drive a car around a track fast. That wasn’t what I was put on this earth to do, I was put on this earth to love that little girl, to guide her, to help her fulfil her dreams. I was put on this earth to love you. I can’t do any of that from a distance.”

“Lewis, please think about what you are saying…”

“I have thought about it, I’ve thought of nothing else since we got back together. I hate leaving you both, I hate making you both miss me. I want to be here, I want to wake up everyday to both of my girls and know I don’t have to leave.”

“I’m so sorry.”

Lewis didn’t let you hang your gaze to the floor for too long, nudging your chin up to look at him. 

“For what?”

“For doing this to you twice now. I keep ruining your plans for the future by getting pregnant and-”

This time he didn’t stop your words with reassurances, he knew better than to try and convince you that your foolish worrying was wrong, he knew that only time could make you realise how wrong you were and now with the time he was granting you all, it would be worth it. 

“Stop. You, Bambi, the new baby…that is my future plans.”

The butterflies in your tummy intensified as he placed a hand on it, it was so different this time around, this time around you were pregnant by your husband, albeit the husband you had married in secret and the one who had just proposed to you, the pregnancy wasn’t with a stranger but in fact you were now pregnant by a man who loved you more than anything you thought possible. 

“You said there was a scan, can I see it?”

It was your turn to smirk now, you looked back at him as he stood waiting for you to return, knowing that everything he thought he knew would be turned upside down within the next thirty seconds. 

You held the small piece of card against your chest as you walked back towards him, placing it in his hand and watching his expression intently. 

He looked lovingly at the picture captured of the life in your womb, a smile you had seen only once before in the delivery room of the hospital at Bambi’s birth. A smile filled with pride, filled with hope and dreams and promises that he was the most equipped man to keep. 

It was amusing how long it took for the realisation to dawn on him, just how long it took him to study the picture to realise exactly what he was looking at, but when he did, when he saw exactly what the picture was showing, his eyes widened and his bottom lip dropped in amazement.

“Is that…are we?”

“We’re expecting twins, Lewis.”

[tremsing82]

ACOTAR Future Families Headcanons

Ok I have few fun family headcanons for the acotar ships. (Disclaimer: I am not an fanfic author/writer so none of this will ever show up in a fanfic, I just like to create characters for headcanons, if anyone wants to use any of this for a story your more than welcome to do so just tag me so I can read it please 🙏😊😊😊🙏)

Feysand: they obviously have Nyx. I think they will definitely have 1 more and it will be a little girl. I also expect her name to be Stella (Star). (Personally I was expecting Nyx to be named Noctis and that their daughter would get the name Nyx since Nyx is actually the name of the Goddess of Night.)

Nessian: I am 100% committed to Cassian being a girl dad. My headcanon is that they have 4 girls. All with beautiful untouched wings. All who have embraced their Illyrian Valkyrie warrior training but also love fashion and formal events. I have this funny snippet that lives rent free in my head of Cassian proudly yelling at someone saying “My 10yr old daughter can kick your ass while wearing a tutu.” I think all their names will begin with the letter C: Cassandra(Cassie) Nesta surprised him with this name, Corine(Corie), Calista(Callie), Camille (Camie).

I do have this idea that Nesta and Cassian start their family journey off with them adopted an orphan/abandoned Illyrian baby girl that Cassian found and brought home to get her medical help and to just nurse back to health. Nesta sees him holding this crying baby trying to get her to eat from the bottle the healer gave him and she just melts for them both. And this baby is Cassandra.

Gwynriel: they had twins, boy girl twins. The girl was named after Gwyn Sister Catrin. And the boy’s name is Haden with his nickname being Hades (this is a guilty pleasure name for me, I have wanted to name a character this for years it even was a name on my boy baby name list). If though they want to stick closer to his name being similar to his sisters though, the boy version of Catrin is Cayson/Kasen/Cason (let me also add Kasen is my sons name so I am slightly bias in the boys names for this one).

Elucien: my favorite ship by the way. And yet I headcanon that they have 1 child, a son. I know crazy 😜. I have 2 reason for this 1) I like to think they like to keep their life simple. 2) I think they struggled to get pregnant. Their son is one of the youngest of the cousins, and he is highly cherished by his parents and family.

Their son’s name is Renard. Renard is French for Fox and Reinhard is German for Brave/Strong Council, which I think perfectly represents a child of Lucien and Elain. His nickname is Ren, I love it so much 🥰🥰🥰

He comes off as shy and definitely likes to clutch at his mother skirts when they first arrive at places. He is the quietest of ALL the cousins, lol (including Eris’ kids). But he’s observant and inquisitive and can be intrigued/curious. He likes to bake and garden with his mother, plays chess and work with his spell cleaving magic with his father and grandfather, go on hikes with his father and uncle where he learns about tracking and living off the land, he loves to read books, he loves to paint and draw, and he likes the piano. He literally is the little chameleon of the family, he see what interests other people and absorbs all their knowledge and collects it to try for himself. He’s been a little cautious around Uncle Cassian because Uncle Cassian was super excited to have another Nephew and tried to treat him like Nyx and Hades and that’s just not the kind of kid Ren is. Ren is closest to Nesta and Cassian’s youngest daughter Camille though. Camie is usually the bull in a China shop but with Ren she will slow down and let him show her what he is reading or drawing or teach her a new piece on the piano.

Eris: Eris is my other girl dad. He has 5 girls, which are nicknamed the Autumn Vixens when they get older. Him and Cassian are in a silent competition about who is the better girl dad, Eris beat Cassian recently by being able to do better girls hair styles. I am leaning towards their names being French inspired: Reine, Sophie & Sylvie (twins), Colette, and Elise.

Vassian: Vassa is an all boys mom. She has 6 boys and on her 7th pregnancy it’s finally girl.

[eugenedebs1920]

Tomorrow we show the world who we are. Tomorrow will decide the direction this nation traverses in the foreseeable future. Tomorrow, we choose.

We choose whether or not to cling to a past. A past set on retribution. A past focused on revenge. Revenge on those who dared to speak out against the shame being done to, and done by our country, in our name. Will we decide to harbor the anger and hate that has plagued our nation for far too long? Will we continue the trend of violence and hostility? Will we accept the discriminative dialogue of old? Will we allow our country to be overcome by a minority rule? Will we condone autocracy in the land of the free?

Or will we move forward? Will we break the shackles of a past that marginalized those of color, and the fairer sex, women? Will we stand for a future where the middle class gets relieved of some of the weight of taxation that we have been burdened with, insisting that corporations and the wealthy contribute more than the fraction we do? Will we embrace tomorrow with hope in our hearts, and joy in our eyes. Seeing the diversity around us for the beautiful thing that it is? Will we condemn fascism? Will we demand that our leaders have grace and class? Will we hold tight to a moral compass that has guided us through the rugged road of oppression to a pasture of inclusion? Will we stop seeing our fellow American as the enemy, and respect their opinion, whether we agree or not. Back to a time not long ago. When civility was the way to interact, where courtesy was commonplace, where kindness was the norm.

That’s the America I want to live in. One of tolerance and love. Of togetherness and hope. One where we can come together and celebrate this country, that so many gave so much for us to enjoy. We are not enemies friends. We are countrymen. United by our admiration for freedom, for liberty, for tomorrow. We are The United States. We are the land of the free. The home of the brave. The ones who stand for democracy. For dignity, for progress.

Tomorrow. We show the world who we are. Let’s show them the fearless, honest, powerful, righteous, intelligent, diverse, beautiful, kind people we have come to be.

Tomorrow. Vote Kamala Harris for President of the United States of America. Vote the only healthy party in America right now, and vote blue down ballot.

Let’s show them who we are!

🇺🇸

[kayann9]

Hope is a dangerous game

Thank you so much to anyone who read the last one shot! I really appreciate anyone who took the time to read, like or re-blog!

This is mainly from Gale's P.O.V just before Shadow-cursed Lands and his confession. Nothing explicit; just fluff. Tav (f -Serena) X Gale. 1057 words and I do not own anything other than Serena :)

Gods she was beautiful.

Gale’s brain let the thought roam free, the urge he’d had to reign it in when the dark magic coursing through his veins heaved had vanished. He watched her train with abandon and revelled in the fact he could glance in her direction without the guilt and concern that doing so would end their lives.

He had noted that beauty when she’d dragged him out of the portal.

The type of grace that elves possessed was a magic unto itself, but she was spectacular. The others had made the same eyes at her that he had; his incessant babbling about his life in Waterdeep and tales of misbegotten adventures as a youth had been his weapons in the war for her attention.

“Your flank. It’s always the flank!” Karlach’s voice boomed as it broke his silent reverie. “You know, I will always watch your back Ren but sooner or later you’re going to feel the point of a sword there.”

“I’m left-handed! It’s hard.”

Serena was left-handed. Of course, she was. Gale had spent his time studying her since he’d decided he’d have to keep away from her, since the night of magic happened, and he’d seen that thought whirring in her brain. He’d worked out that she liked the outdoors, that she enjoyed the sound of water, she was better at cards than she told anyone – often faking poor hands and bluffs - and that when she was happy, genuinely so, she smiled with her whole face. This was one of those times and far from the usually clench of agony in his chest, it was just his heartbeat throbbing away at the sight of the brightness in her eyes.

It was a different kind of feeling.

There was no anxiety around her. There were no knots in his stomach when he looked at her; just the feeling of warmth. The feeling of not wanting to wait until she spoke to him or looked at him again. He didn’t question that she was fond of him, whilst their relationship had not been spoken out loud, their glances and touches were the most intimate he’d ever felt.

He was falling in love with her.

He was in love with her.

And wasn’t that the cruellest joke of them all.

His Mother would have been thrilled if he’d spoken to her and told her of Serena; intelligent, brave, beautiful, good. She’d been no fan of his special relationship with Mystra; no fan of his designs of wanting more than mortality. This, this she would have been ecstatic about.

And he wouldn’t ever be able to tell her.

Because it wouldn’t be anything more than a blip in time; maybe a moment before his destruction. His Mother would never know about how he’d met someone who made his heart sing; who laughed at his stories, genuinely and with heart; who made fun out of him with a soft glance.

He supposed the real question was would he even be able to tell Serena?

Would it be fair?

One part of him screamed to do it; to take her away to a secluded spot, show her the heavens and then some, tell her how if it were the real world and if he were at home, in his cluttered tower, he would’ve taken all the time in the world to do this right. He’d have taken her out, showed her any realm she wished to see, taken her to any place she had wished to visit.

Then there was the other part. The part that couldn’t forget the orb despite its silence. The part that reminded him how selfish that would be when he knew what the outcome was: oblivion.

And that was if she was even receptive to the whole idea. It hadn’t been lost on him that they were from different worlds; hers filled with blood and steel, his filled with mysticism and power. It was possible he’d read the whole thing wrong. That her glances were that of sympathy and pity not wanting and compassion.

He groaned and pressed the heels of his hands into his eyes.

It was all so complex.

It was all so human.

“You look a million miles away.” He startled as she sat beside him. “I’m tired of my flank being told off so I am having a break.”

Sweat beaded along her brow, her skin flushed with the heat. She glowed. “Just lost in thought. Your flank looked good to me.” As the words left his mouth, his brain caught up.

“I am very glad to have you watching my flank.” Her shoulder knocked into his, that familiar teasing tone had been slowly creeping back since Elminster’s visit. “Maybe you should go and spar with her, I can watch your flank too.”

He didn’t flush, for that he was grateful.

“I’m not sure sword fighting is my forte. A wise man knows him limitations and using an executioner’s axe is most definitely mine, especially if you want me to keep my hands. Very difficult to cast the array of spells at my arsenal without them.”

“I am almost positive they have much better uses than simply casting spells.”

Gale’s heart stuttered. This was definitely a flirtation. It was one of her more obvious ones. While he had tormented himself about all the outcomes, the more impulsive part of him couldn’t help but lean into her: messy hair sitting on her damp skin, rosy glow of her face in the evening light.

“Oh, really?”

Serena was so fast that he barely had chance to register, entwining her fingers in his. “Oh, most definitely.” Her voice lowered to a whisper and he couldn’t help but glance around the wide space, checking to make sure he had not actually succumbed to death, and this was some sordid fantasy he’d spent weeks pushing away.

Her breath tickled his cheek, her lips close to his ear.

“You… are also an excellent cook.” The giggle brought him back to reality and before he could register his disappointment, she planted the lightest kiss on his cheek before dancing away.

His skin tingled with the faintest ghost of her lips.

His soul tingled with faintest glimmer of hope.

For the first time, in what felt like an eternity, the tiniest gleam of a new voice in his head whispered: maybe she will find another way.

[jazzy-tzw]

I genuinely can’t believe the white people who claim to love this country so much, came out in droves for a man who disrespected every value of the country repeatedly. I mean no political experience, incited a riot at a FEDERAL building, called them dumbasses plenty of times now and so much fucking more.

And then the Latinos, what the actual fuck???? He doesn’t even want yall in America??????

Black men hate black women so fucking much to the point where I’m questioning if y’all even wanna be black??? Those white women truly don’t like yalls asses anyway idiots

Don’t even get me started on the third party and write in bullshit. That shit needs to be abolished months before early voting happens. It’s a waste of time

I’m so tired. I’m too young to feel so defeated over a country that’s supposed to be the land of the free, home of the brave… This is a land of HATE

[antiquarianfics]

Taken pt. 4

If Bucky Barnes could time travel, he would go back to that morning. He would hold you a little tighter in his arms, and he would kiss you a little deeper. He would pull your daughter in between the two of you, letting her giggle as loudly as she wants whilst her parents kiss her cheeks and tickle her belly. If Bucky Barnes could time travel, he would have told you not to go to the park—to go anywhere else. But Bucky Barnes can’t time travel, and his wife and daughter are gone.

A/N: Taken pt. 4, anyone? This part and the next are really rampin’ up for somethin’ big. Warnings: Swearing, extortion, kidnapping, canon-level violence. Note: I do not own the character Bucky Barnes or any other Marvel affiliated characters.

You do not have permission to repost or translate my work; however, feel free to like, comment, or reblog.

»»———-———-———-———-———-———-———-««

previous part | series masterlist | next part

»»———-———-———-———-———-———-———-««

"I know where they are," Bucky says, closing his eyes, breathing in painfully slow in an attempt to ease his frantic heart rate.

"Well?" Tony asks indignantly. "Care to share with the class, Terminator?"

Bucky's left fist connects with the wall beside him, birthing an indentation of his hand in drywall. Clenching his jaw tightly, Bucky can't bring himself to form the words.

"The Siberian HYDRA facility," Natasha sighs. Her tone indicates she is nervous.

"Wait," Sam interrupts, "that's..." He trails off, eyes widening as he looks at a livid Bucky.

"The birthplace of the Winter Soldier Program," Steve confirms.

—

Much to Bucky’s displeasure, it takes a day for the team to prepare for Siberia. It takes another two for them to reach Siberia. It takes 10 minutes to realize the landing spot is compromised.

The quinnjet lands carefully in a clearing an hour outside the Siberian HYDRA facility, and the Avengers team quickly gathers their weapons and equipment to head out. However, once the jet’s ramp opens, they realize they’re not alone.

In front of the ramp, waiting for them in the snow, is a battalion sporting the HYDRA emblem. Each of the Avengers tense up when they see them.

A burly man steps forward. He’s tall and broad with a buzz cut and dark skin. His face looks like it’s been mauled by a bear with the scarring that litters it and the empty eye socket on the right of his face. The man smirks.

“Avengers, we’ve been expecting you,” the man says, a thick Russian accent lacing his words.

Bucky bites the inside of his cheek. The team had seen when your phone signal went out, but they all hoped it had meant it finally died. It seems, though, that it meant you’d been discovered.

The HYDRA soldier makes eye contact with Bucky.

“Soldat, welcome back. I come with a message for you.”

The team tenses when Bucky simply nods. He pushes the bile accumulating in his throat back down and stands up a little straighter.

“Dr. Frost sends his regards,” the man begins. “He would like to offer you a chance to have one of the hostages returned to you.”

“One?” Bucky snarls.

“One. Your wife and daughter are currently alive, and you may have one returned to you safely under one condition.”

“What is that?” Bucky grits the question out, left hand balling into a fist. He won’t be surprised if he finds later he’s dented his hand with how hard he is clenching his fist.

“The missus was given the opportunity first. Dr. Frost allowed her to choose whether she or your daughter be released. If you make the same choice she did, Dr. Frost will honor your decision and release one of the hostages.”

“And if he doesn’t?” Natasha asks the question no one wants the answer to.

“We kill them both.”

“Release them both and I’ll go with you,” Bucky says, doing his best to push his fear down. He has to stay brave, he reminds himself, so that you and Becca make it home.

The soldier laughs. It’s loud and amused. He turns around as if to say “This guy, am I right?” to his own men. Chuckles roll over the battalion.

“Dr. Frost anticipated you would offer yourself. Unfortunately, HYDRA no longer has any use for you, Soldat. You’re lucky your bitch is a strong negotiator, or you wouldn’t be given this opportunity in the first place.”

Bucky steps forward, ready to punch the man in the face. Steve puts a hand on his shoulder, warning him not to lose his temper.

The man smirks and raises an eyebrow.

“Well, Soldat? Who do you pick? Your bitch or your brat?”

Bucky closes his eyes and breathes deeply, trying to calm himself down—trying to slow his thoughts enough to just think. He wants to kill the men in front of him. He wants to storm into the facility and kill this Dr. Frost that’s been mentioned. He wants his girls back. He figures his best chance is to make the same choice you did and later force his way into the facility as fast as he can to save whomever is left behind. But he has to offer a member of his family to the wolves on a silver platter before he can even do that.

“Shit,” he thinks. It’s an impossible decision for him. His wife or his daughter. He realizes immediately after recognizing the impossibility for him that such a choice will not be nearly as difficult for you.

He can imagine the choice being offered up to you: You or your daughter? He can imagine how you wouldn’t hesitate: My daughter. He can imagine how you would insist, however, that Becca be safely returned to him.

Bucky takes a deep breath, opening his eyes and focusing on the HYDRA representative in front of him.

“My daughter,” he says coldly. Confidently.

Bucky feels the team tense behind him. He can feel their horrified stares. He is aware they didn’t expect him to play along; he is aware they were preparing to fight. He is also aware that the chances of finding you and Becca alive are slim to zero if he doesn’t cooperate. So he makes the choice he knows you did. With a stinging pain in his heart, he chooses his daughter.

The man in front of him grins. It’s disconcerting and ugly.

“Very well. Meet at The Shrine at midnight. Do not be late. Come alone. Or we kill them both.”

—

It’s an hour before the meeting. Bucky sits in the corner of the jet with his elbows on his knees. He’s been crying. The look his team gave him when he’d turned around after choosing Becca continuously plays before his eyes. They don’t understand why he’s playing along.

He closes his eyes, trying to focus on his breathing. If you were here, you’d comfortingly rub his back, whispering that he’s doing all he can—that he’s okay. If you were here, you’d assure him he’s playing the game because sometimes the game is the safer option.

He feels someone sit beside him and he lets out a deep sigh.

“Go away, Steve,” he says, not wanting a lecture or a pep talk.

“Not Steve,” comes the reply and he realizes it’s Barton beside him. He sits up and shoots Clint a confused look.

“The team’s confused,” Clint says. He doesn’t make eye contact with Bucky. “I get it, though. If it was Laura and the kids? I’d play it safe, too. Go along with their game. There’s a higher chance of saving them all when you only have to rescue one later.”

Bucky grunts in acknowledgment.

“I also get that Y/N would kill you if you did anything else,” Clint laughs humorlessly and Bucky nods in agreement.

“Laura’s a former agent. We talked about this kind of situation before. The kids always come first.”

Clint lets out a deep sigh before clapping Bucky on the shoulder.

“Y/N can handle herself, and she knows what she’s doing. You know each other well enough to know what the other is going to do. It’ll work out.”

Clint sends Bucky a sad smile and stands to leave.

Bucky runs a hand over his face and leans back in his seat. He really hopes Clint is right.

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ko-fi

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Tags: @just-henny @jasminocano @browneyedgirl22 @barnesboo1967 @matchat3a @unkasworld @qwertyb2577 @raajali3 @yoruse @iilsenewman @alysianc

[inspirationalucky]

🐎 EPIC: The Musical: Act One, The Troy Saga sentence starters. Because the lines are just That Good. Going by the exact lyrics mostly, definitely change things to fit your muse's situation<3

The Horse & the Infant

"Ten long years they've killed us slowly."

"Your family wonders where you've been."

"They're growing old, and yet you're still here."

"Do what I say and you'll see them again."

"What do you live for?"

"What do you fight for?"

"I fight for us."

"What is to come cannot be outrun, can only be dealt with right here and now."

"Say no more, I know that I'm ready."

"I don't think you're ready."

"What sort of imminent threat does he pose that I cannot avoid?"

"If you don't end him now, you'll have no one left to save."

"He will burn your house and throne."

"He'll find you wherever you go."

"This is the will of the gods."

"Please, don't make me do this"

"The blood on your hands is something you won't lose, all you can choose is whose."

Just A Man

"I look into your eyes and I think back to the son of mine."

"You're as old as he was when I left for war."

"Will these actions haunt my days?"

"Is the price I pay endless pain?"

"Close your eyes and spare yourself the view."

"How could I hurt you?"

"I'm just a man who's trying to go home."

"I'm just a man who's fighting for his life."

"Deep down, I would trade the world to see my son and wife."

"When does a man become a monster?"

"When does the reason become the blame?"

"Forgive me."

Full Speed Ahead

"Six hundred men under my command with only one goal in mind: make it back alive to our homeland."

"The problem's not the distance, it's what lies in between."

"My kingdom is waiting!"

"We've run out of supplies to eat."

“Curse the war, our food store’s depleted.”

"Watch where the birds fly, they will lead us to land."

"Look! There in the distance!"

"Maybe they'll share some food, who knows?"

"Something feels off here."

"I say we strike first, we don't have time to waste."

"Gear up, you and I'll go ahead."

"We should try to find a way no one ends up dead."

"Give me 'til sunrise."

Open Arms

"I can tell you're getting nervous."

"Do yourself a service and try to relax, my friend."

"I know that you're tired of the war and bloodshed."

"Is this how we're supposed to live?"

"Why should we take when we could give?"

"You could show a person that you trust them when you stop and lower your guard."

"We're only here for food."

"Stay back, I'm warning you!"

"If we don't get back safely, my men will turn this place into blazes!"'

"This life is amazing when you greet it with open arms."

"It's a lotus, it controls your mind and never lets you free."

"That's what we'd get with open arms."

"I want to show my friend that kindness is brave."

"We'll be fine if we're leading from the heart!"

"I see in your face there is so much guilt inside your heart."

Warrior of the Mind

"Have you forgotten the lessons I taught you?"

"Have you forgotten to turn off your heart? This is not you."

"I see you changing from how I've designed you."

"Have you forgotten your purpose? Let me remind you."

"I had a challenge, a test of skill."

"Maybe one day he'll follow me and we'll make a greater tomorrow."

"I know he'll change the world."

"If there's a problem, he'll have the answer."

"I know you're watching me, show yourself!"

"How can you see through me spell?"

"I was lying, and you fell for my bluff!"

"Well done! Enlighten me, what's your name?"

"Nice try, but two can play this game."

"Nah, don't be modest, I know you're a goddess!"

"So let's be honest, you are Athena!"

"If you're looking for a mentor, I'll make sure your time's well spent."

"I still intend to make sure you don't fall behind."

"Don't disappoint me."