#so when i woke up and found myself home i breathed a sigh of relief and went to do the work

[klausysworld]

Apart of the Family

Loving Elijah Mikaelson wasn't an easy thing.

He pushed me away the entirety of the start of our relationship, he wouldn't talk about his feelings or his thoughts. Sometimes he thought breaking up would protect me from him and his family.

If I hadn't loved him so much then I would have left but I couldn't help but stay. We met in Mystic Falls when he was there to deal with Klaus and avenge his family. I had thought he'd left when Klaus daggered him so I was so happy when Damon woke him back up.

He came to my house even before getting his haircut to see me and he ended up staying the night before having to leave with plans to wake his family.

Rebekah didn't like me much to start out, none of them trusted me or wanted me in their house but that didn't stop Elijah from coming to mine. But if he wasn't with them, looking after them 24/7 like a father figure then they all started to fall apart.

He started to pull away again, so I had to confront the Mikaelsons myself, which was admittedly terrifying but overall worth it when Klaus's eyes shimmered with respect and I got to shove past Rebekah and up the stairs of the mansion. Elijah was practically feral after listening to me stand up to his siblings.

His mother liked me, although I'm not really sure if that should be taken as a compliment or an insult. Elijah liked it though. I think he's always sought approval from his parents.

He was distraught when he found out his mother planned to kill them. More broken then any of his siblings could ever know. He made me promise not to tell them that he'd been sobbing into my chest for over two hours that night.

We left for a little while, Elijah needed some time and I jumped at the chance of having him alone for a little while before he was inevitably called back.

We'd been living such a domesticated life We had our own house, yard, stupid white-picket fence.

Even though I knew it was impossible, I started to dream of having his child. I knew he'd been the perfect father, he had a thousand years worth of practice.

I could imagine if we had a son, he'd be all dressed in his little suit with his hair combed neatly. Elijah was just perfect, but he couldn't have children so I wouldn’t either.

I thought I was happy with that, until I found out that Klaus was having a baby.

It wasn't fair. He didn't even want a child and neither did Hayley. Elijah was the only reason the child stayed alive and Klaus still daggered him.

"I promise you, I'll bring him home." He told me when I'd found out he wasn't even in the house somewhere but under Marcels mercy.

"Klaus." I whispered, I could feel my eyes getting wet with tears and he sighed.

"I wouldn't let him get hurt. I know you think I'm selfish and I use my brother...to an extent that's true, but I do love him and I know that you do. He'll come back and I'll undagger him before the baby is even born." He promised and I didn't have much room to argue. Instead I just went back upstairs.

Even Rebekah came which was a nightmare. I don't know what her problem was for me but somehow my favourite Mikaelson in that house was Klaus.

Until Klaus finally brought him back.

I didn't care that Rebekah was pissed that I got to hug him first, I refused to let him go and he didn't seem to be budging much either. I could feel his face nuzzling my neck as I breathed in his scent.

"He made us stop at a suit shop on the way over, he refused for you to see him all dusty and-"

"That's enough, Niklaus. Just leave us be." Elijah muttered and I sighed in relief at the sound of his voice.

By evening I was snuggled up to his bare chest, his hands on my back as he pressed a series of kisses to the top of my head.

"I love you." He mumbled and I smiled, he didn't like saying it often. He worried it would lose it's meaning.

"I love you too." I whispered, wanting nothing more than to lay with him forever.

Things got better and worse from then.

Everything was Klaus centred again of course. When wasn't it?

But I did feel bad for him, to have to go as far to fake his child's death. It was the first time I'd ever hugged him, I could feel his tears on my neck as he tried to sniff them back. Elijah was looking at me from across the room, a slight nod to his head as he finished the phone call with Rebekah.

Things were quiet after that.

But then everything went wrong again, Esther and Mikael came back. Elijah's 'Red Door' opened and he almost suffocated me in his sleep.

He wouldn't touch be for almost a month, not even hold my hand, it was torture. It took a very hash breakdown and a really long cry for him to finally wrap his arms around me and apologise.

It was really hard for a while, but seeing him with Hope in his arms did something to me. It broke me.

That was when Rebekah finally realised we weren't that different. She sat with me on the bathroom floor whilst I sobbed over not being able to have his child and we stayed there until Elijah came in and found us. I wouldn't tell him what was wrong and ended up leaving for a a few hours but it was obvious that Rebekah had spoken to him about it by the time I got home.

He welcomed be back into his arms and he held me tight, caressing my arms and my back before finally breaking the silence.

"I truly refuse to believe that with the amount of magic in this world, that there is no possible chance of me being able to give you a baby." He whispered and I sniffed.

"You're dead Elijah, your sperm is dead." I mumbled and he ran his fingers through my hair.

"Witches bring people back from the dead, I think they can revive a couple of my swimmers." He chuckled and I let out a half cry/half laugh.

"You really think that?" I whispered and he kissed the side of my face.

"I'm at least going to try." He murmured.

It wasn't really mentioned again for a while so I assumed that it had just been a fleeting idea to calm me down.

That was until I walked into our room and found it covered in candles and rose petals. Elijah was stood in a fresh suit, his hands clasped together with a rose between them.

"What..." I mumbled and he let out a shaky breath.

"I found a witch." He stated and my brows pulled together for a second before the realisation washed over me.

"You did?" I whispered and he nodded. I dropped my bag down and made my way inside, standing in front of him and taking the rose from his hands, placing it down on the vanity. "Are you sure that it'll work?" I asked and his lips twitched.

"There's only one way to find that out." He murmured lowly, his umber eyes bleeding into obsidian.

I reached up to carefully undo his tie, my fingers unloosing the fabric in the way he liked to do it so that it wouldn't stretch or 'fold funny'. I pushed his blazer down his shoulders and rest it over the chair before reaching up to undo each button one by one. I made sure my fingertips brushed over the firm muscle of his chest before pulling the shirt off his arms and onto the chair as well.

My eyes glanced up to his as I loosened his belt, slipping it away from his hips and popping the button on his trousers. He let out a soft sigh through his nose as they dropped down to his ankles and he stepped out of them. I let him take his boxers off whilst I unbuttoned my dress all the way down and slipped my panties off and reached back to get my bra off.

His hand was round my waist, pulling me to bed in a second making me smile and lean back into the mattress as he hovered over me.

"I promise I'll give you a baby, Y/N." He uttered and I felt my heart and lower stomach flutter.

His hands stroked down the length of my body before my thighs were gripped and pushed open. I bit my lip to hold back my grin as his lips worked their way down from the top of my neck to my navel.

"Does this help make the baby?" I whispered with a breathy laugh as his hot breath stimulated my clitoris.

"It might." He murmured with a grin before his tongue licked a strip through my folds before focusing on my clit. My head went back, resting against the pillows and my legs fell open against his hands that gripped my thighs firmly. I looked up at the ceiling through heavy eyes as his tongue swirled perfectly. Heat stroked me so precisely that I was a trembling mess in a matter of seconds. It always amazed me how easily he broke me.

It never took long before my fingers were latched into his hair, ruining the neat appearance he always held and forcing groans to vibrate through my lower body and set fire to my core.

I never received any time to recover before he was cupping my face and lifting my legs, hushing my whine as my leg was stretched over his shoulder.

"Look at me, darling." He murmured but his voice was somehow always clear. I did as he said, my eyes locking with his as I felt him push inside me; stretching and filling me inch my inch until all the air was gone from my lungs.

His lips pushed to mine, filling my mouth with his tongue and teasing mine. "Elijah..." I moaned quietly against him and he pulled away with a groan, looking down at me and kissing my forehead as his hips drew back before pushing forward with force. I let out a sharp breath as he did so, my hands cupping his neck and my nails scratching the back of his head. "Gods..." I whispered and he let out a low hum as he build a steady rhythm to move against me.

"I can't wait to pump you full of my child." He uttered, his eyes swirling with that familiar darkness. I panted with a smile on my lips, feeling my leg strain as he pushed be deeper into the bed and moved quicker. "Feel you milk me of my last drop." He breathed out as his mouth now hovered back over mine, making my skin hotter and hotter. "See you round and swollen..." He grunted, his body stuttering before getting a little rougher.

His grip started to get tighter, his fingertips pressing bruises into the skin of my thigh and hip. The veins starting to scatter beneath his eyes and down his stubbled cheeks. My hands slid round from his neck to feel how they raised against the pads of my thumbs.

"I need you." I whispered and his brows furrowed.

"You have me." He muttered, thrusting particularly hard as if to make a point. "All of me."

"Prove it." I breathed and his blunt nails dug in a little before one of his hands let go and slid down my body to massage my clit so well that I knew that was it for me.

His other hand was round my throat, forcing me to look back at him as his warmth started to fill more and more, one thrust at a time until he stayed completely still above me. His forehead rest against mine, his skin warm on mine as he shifted to kiss my lips.

"I promise you, by the end of the year, you'll be carrying our child and I'll be massaging you until you're perfectly sated." He smiled and I mirrored it as he shifted so that I was laid on top of his firm body. "We should lay for a while...so that it can take." He whispered and I hummed.

"I'd lay with you forever."

"Always, and forever." He corrected softly.

[obsessedhoneycomb]

Personal heater

George Russell x fem!reader

Summary: Your endometriosis is flaring up again and your boyfriend George is there to help you.

Warnings: none just love and fluff

A/N: Well, my endo got the best of me for last week, I’m cramping like crazy, also I left my old job (but starting new in January) and bit of pressure from the past months demands to be felt, so I’m pretty emotional and alone. So I just imagined what it would be like to have someone, who would take care of me. Calling out to all endo sisters out there - we’re in this together! Even if it sucks.

Please don’t use my writing without my permission!

Pictures found on Pinterest.

———

Your quiet sobs were heard through the hallway of the apartment you shared with George. He wasn’t meant to be home for another two hours, but his training session ended earlier, than he expected. He found you laying in bed, curled like a sad kitty with a hot water bottle on your stomach.

“Aww, darling.. again?” He was immediately at your side, wrapping his arms around you, pulling you into his warm embrace.

You just nodded, letting out a desperate sigh. Your endometriosis flare ups were more frequent now, also because of the pressure and stress around.

“Shhh… it’s okay. I’m here and I’m not going anywhere.”

“Thank you..”

Spending the afternoon in his embrace, you managed to sleep for nearly three hours. He always got up only when he felt your water bottle needs to be refilled with another hot water.

Stirring from sleep, you woke up in the evening. “Georgie.. you’re still here.”

“Of course, love, where else would I be? You need me.”

His hand reached for the strand of your hair to get it from your face, which made you smile in comfort.

“I don’t know, maybe you could get bored laying here with me..”

“We talked about this, baby. When you’re hurting, I’m not able to think about anything else. I would ease your pain, if I could and I would make myself suffer instead of you.”

It always made you emotional, because you only knew neglect and abuse from the past relationships.

“I know that you’re going through a lot.. you decided to change your job, leaving your friends, it’s a lot of stress and pressure. And your body is always there to tell you to stop. Like right now.”

“I know.. I really appreciate that you’re in this with me. I can’t even imagine to be alone in this..”

Tears started to well in your eyes, George quickly cupping your face, pulling you closer to his chest.

“Shhh… shh… I’ll always be there for you. No matter what.”

“Thank you..”

“Do you at least feel a little better? I was refilling your hot bottle every while.”

Your smile went wide with appreciation. “Yeah, I feel a lot better now, thanks. It helped me much, that cramps were hell this time.”

George placed a soft kiss on your forehead, his hand caressing your back, ending at your lower back, where he knew it hurts you also. His touch helped every time, it made you relax and feel the warmth of his fingertips.

Letting out a soft hum, you closed your eyes, nearly melting into his embrace.

His other hand wandered down your lower stomach, where the pain was horrible every time, he just placed his hand there, his palm hot, making you groan in relief.

“You’re my personal heater from now on.” You mumbled with a soft chuckle.

“Better than that hot water bottle. You don’t need to refill me.” George laughed softly at his joke.

“Mhm..”

Resting his chin on the top of your head, only thing that was heard was his steady breathing, and your soft hums, slowly lulling you to sleep again.

It made him smile, his heart fluttering at the domestic feeling.

“Love you, baby…” he mumbled into your hair.

“…to the moon and back, Georgie…” and then the sleep overtook your senses again.

[snugglebug-mj-blog]

Can't find the perfect (my original idea)

Just imagine finding a secret room underneath the great 7 statues, Like one walking behind one because you saw something and you see a button and pushing it only for it to open a hatch on the back of the statue. You slowly climb down to find a small almost empty room.

“This would be perfect for a ‘me cave’. Just need to add some stuff and not tell anyone about it. A place for me to get away from everyone to just be by myself to think, to cry, or to simply breathe ” Y/n thought to herself as she looked around before nodding.

After decorating the room

Y/n looked around and nodded to herself. It wasn't much but it was hers.

It was after classes on a friday and y/n was tired and had a horrible headache so she went to her secret room and fell asleep. This week was more hectic than normal, grim being grim, Crowley being a huge jerk making y/n do his paperwork and refusing to find her away home, classes, bullies. With the lack of sleep y/n has had she was really tired but happy that next week was a break. Y/n had just planned to sleep for a few hours but instead she slept the weekend away.  {I've done this before i fell asleep on friday and didn't wake up until sunday night.} When she woke up loud thunder, and people shouting could be heard. Y/n quickly climbed out of her secret room only to find the sky dark, with green lightning shooting across the sky, as y/n started walking towards the school a Scarabia student ran up to her “You’re ok! Good! Come!” he said as he gently grabbed her wrist before they both started running through the school. Students and staff sighed in relief as they saw y/n. Soon the two got to the meeting room, the Scarabia threw open the door “I FOUND HER! SHE’S HERE!” The student yelled as he pulled y/n into the room y/n saw all of her friends and teachers. Before y/n could say anything Crewel had her in a tight hug, y/n could hear his heart racing before pulling her away from him “WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?!” Everyone yelled as they circled her “No one has seen you since friday!” Crewel said as he checked her for injuries  y/n blinked in confusion “I’m sorry. I was under a lot of stress because Crowley gave me all his paperwork to do plus school assignments and chasing after grim i guess i passed out somewhere” y/n rambled out quickly as tears filled her eyes. “I didn’t mean to, i’ll make sure i don’t do that again” y/n said as bowed “you can’t control it if you pass out due to lack of sleep but next time at least tell someone how you are feeling” silver said as he rubbed her back. Everyone was happy to see she was ok but right now they wanted to make sure she ate properly, and made sure she wasn’t hurt anywhere. 

All dorm leaders were highly ticked off as was crewel they dealt with crowley their way, Now crowley won’t even ask y/n for anything, he pays her more, and fixes up the ramshack dorm were y/n now has air and heat. Everyone takes turns helping y/n if she needs it.

[ladykailitha]

Sweet Home Indiana Part 8

I have finished the story (at long last! sheesh I can't believe how long this took me to get it done) and it has 10 chapters. And it has the happiest of endings. I couldn't stop smiling the whole time I was writing it.

Things appear hopeless, but Eddie and Chrissy start to find allies in their plight.

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7

****

Eddie woke up the next morning to a pounding head, an aching heart and signed divorce papers.

Of the three things the divorce papers were the worst.

So he did the only thing he could do in that moment, call Chrissy.

“Eddie!” she greeted. “I kinda expected a call before today. You know, being your fianceé and all.”

“Shit, Chris!” he murmured. “Is there someone there?”

She hummed her response.

“It been so hectic around here,” Eddie admitted. “And there was the fact that Steve wouldn’t give me a divorce.”

She sighed and he suddenly realized who was with her. “Come out here, tell them that we decided to have the wedding out here in Hawkins because that’s where all my family is. See if you can’t get an extension to plan the wedding.”

“Hold on, cher,” she murmured and put her hand over the speaker. He could hear her clearly but anything he said would be muffled.

Eddie stared down at the papers in his hand with a shattered heart. He could grieve once Chrissy’s dragon was slain.

A minute or so later she came back on.

“Okay, they’ve given me to the end of the month,” she said with a sigh of relief. “Just say the word and I’ll be down there in a flash.”

Eddie waited another moment or two before he said, “Are you alone now?”

Chrissy muttered, “One moment.” He heard the ding of the elevator door open and the sounds of a busy reception hall, then the sounds of a busy street.

She called for a taxi and once the door was closed behind her, she said, “All right, babe, what’s the problem.”

He opened his mouth to tell her but he just broke down.

“I–I thought I was happy in Seattle, but I’ve never felt more alive since coming back here. Seeing old friends, cruising familiar streets. It feels like home. When I first left I didn’t think there was anything in that town that would make me happy.” He let out a shuddering breath and ran his fingers through his hair. “I–I knew that the kids would all leave and they have. But Wayne is still here. Steve and Robin, too. The town has gotten softer. Something I never thought possible. I saw three same sex couples just vibing.”

He choked back a sob. “I thought everything I ever wanted was in Seattle and this trip was just about closing the doors that I left hanging open. Bu–but, oh god!” He threw his head back and covered his eyes. His lips quivered as the pain in his heart spread out through his chest. “Steve is still the one. I know, I know. I talk a lot of shit about love and there not being one person out there who’s your soulmate. but God, Chrissy. He’s it. I felt more myself the last three days then have the last five years.”

He let out another choking sob. “I don’t know what to do. He is like that first ray of sunlight after weeks of storms.”

“Oh, Eddie...” she cried.

“He signed the papers,” Eddie murmured. “And now I wish he hadn’t. I want to just tear up the papers and set fire to them. But I can’t do that to you. I won’t.”

“Sweetheart, I’m so sorry. Tell me what I can do and I’ll do it.”

He just sobbed and sobbed, forcing through the words that would tell her what he needed.

“Let me make a couple of phone calls, okay?” Chrissy said before hanging up.

Eddie murmured his thanks and then let her go. His brain went on autopilot and found himself on the pavement in front of the post office.

He stared at the mailbox in front of him in abject horror.

He had put the divorce papers in the mail and didn’t sign them himself.

****

Chrissy sighed. It was hard on Eddie she knew. He had spent the last decade running from himself and now he was face to face with the best parts of his past, not understanding why it felt so good.

She opened the file on Eddie’s divorce, the annulments had gone through just fine. It was just that one marriage.

She found what she was looking for and dialed the number.

“Sweetie’s Treats,” the female voice said in a faux cheerful customer service voice. “This is Robin what I can I get for you today?”

Chrissy took a deep breath and let out slow. “Hey, I’m Chrissy Cunningham, Eddie’s fianceé. I sorry, but I really need to talk to Steve.”

“Yeah...” Robin said. “No can do.”

Chrissy rubbed her her temple in frustration. “Eddie called me this morning in a hell of state and I just want to talk to Steve. It’s not anything bad, I guess I want to meet the person who has Eddie’s heart.”

“Yeah, I get that,” Robin said, “you can’t talk to him right now because he is working with the large stand mixer.”

Chrissy immediately pictured a KitchenAid mixer and huffed out her frustration. “Can’t he step away from it for a moment?”

“Sorry, no can do,” Robin said tersely. “He’s pouring in the sugar and has to put it in at specific intervals.”

Her temper was fraying with every passing moment with this woman. “Can I call his cellphone and you can hold it up to his ear?”

There was a bark of laughter. “That would also be a no. That thing has eaten three cellphones already and I’m not about to feed the beast another thanks.”

Chrissy blinked for a moment. “Just how big is this mixer anyway?”

This time the laughter was less bitter and more genuine.

“The size of a fifty gallon drum.”

“Oh!”

Robin cackled. “Yeah, when you have to make two hundred cookies, you aren’t going to be using a little electric hand mixer.”

“What kind of cookies?” she asked before she realized what was coming out of her mouth.

“Snickerdoodles,” she said, her grin evident even through the phone.

Chrissy shook her head. She was on a mission, damn it. She wouldn’t let let herself be distracted by baked goods!

“Okay,” she said, shoring herself up for a battle. “How about I talk to you and tell him what I said?”

“Sure,” Robin said. “I wouldn’t mind getting to know the girl who was the cause of Eddie’s bi awakening.”

Chrissy licked her lips slowly. “So about that...”

There was silence on the line long enough that she pulled the phone away to make sure the call was still connected.

“Are you his beard?” came the quiet reply. “Is this a lavender wedding?”

A little bell went off above Chrissy head. Oh. Maybe this wasn’t as hopeless as she thought.

“Yes,” she said, biting the bullet. “But not in the way you think.”

She could almost picture the head tilt of the bird on the other end of the line when Robin said, “Oh? Do tell.”

“Give me a second,” Chrissy said. “My taxi just pulled up to my apartment and I need to pay the driver.”

“Sure.”

Chrissy paid the man and hurried up to the stairs to her apartment, she fitted her keys into the lock and tossed her purse and keys on the table next to the door.

“So here’s the sitch,” she said flopping on her sofa with a heavy sigh.

****

Eddie opened the little door on the front with wide eyes. The door prevented people from sticking his hand in and grabbing it. He grabbed his hair.

“Fuck, fuck!” he cried. This day kept getting worse and worse. He opened the door again, hoping he could see a way to disable it.

He probably could, given the right tool. But as he was looking a little too closely another person walked by and eyed him suspiciously.

“Shit!” He looked down at himself and let loose a string of more colorful curse words.

Eddie looked like he was about to knock off the mailbox and make off with several felonies worth of someone else’s mail.

He was going to start crying again. He gripped his hair tightly as he paced back and forth.

He felt a hand on his elbow and he wasn’t be ashamed to say that the shriek that came out of him was the most emasculating sound in existence.

“Eddie,” Jonathan said. “Shit! I didn’t mean to scare you.”

Once Eddie had landed back on his feet like the scaredy-cat he was, he whirled around to see the oldest Byers boy looking at him with such concern.

“Hey, Johnny,” he breathed. “I’m sorry. God, today is the worst.”

Jonathan huffed a laugh. “You know, you are the only one I’ve ever met who doesn’t call me Jonathan.”

Eddie blushed. “I call everyone nicknames. I can stop if you want.”

Jonathan shook his head. “It was an observation, not a criticism.”

“Someone’s been hanging out with Nancy Wheeler a little too much,” Eddie huffed, already feeling better in the quiet presence of this man.

Jonathan threw his head back and laughed. “I hope so, we’re getting married next year.”

Eddie snapped his fingers. “That’s right. You did tell me that. Shit, man it feels like a life time ago.”

“You still love Steve, don’t you?” he said gently.

Eddie opened his mouth to deny it, but snapped it shut. He waved his hand at the mailbox. “It doesn’t matter. He signed the divorce papers, but my dumbass forgot to sign them too. So I need to get them back, but I don’t how.”

Jonathan smiled and then held up one finger. He went into the post office and five minutes later came out with his mom who carried the biggest key chain he’d ever seen.

“Hey, sweetheart,” Joyce greeted softly. “Let’s get this back for you.”

Eddie told her what it looked like and who it was addressed to.

After a little bit of searching, she turned around with the manilla envelope and handed it back to him.

“Next time,” she said with a smile. “Just come in and ask and we’ll be happy to grab it for you.”

Eddie nodded, clutching it to his chest and thanking her profusely. He took Jonathan out to lunch for the rescue.

They took it and sat on a park bench away from everyone else.

“Thanks for the gallant rescue, man,” Eddie said around his bite of his sandwich. “I was going to have a full blown breakdown right there on Hawkins Main and it wouldn’t have been pretty.”

“It’s no problem,” Jonathan said. “I’m glad it worked out.” He nodded to the papers on the table between them. “You going to sign them?”

Eddie let out a long sigh. “I have to.”

“You keep saying that,” he huffed. “But I don’t think you do. Shit, Eddie. I saw you and him at the carnival and it was like time travel. Like I was transported back a decade when you were both happy and free. He had his face buried in those stuff animals you’d won for him and you looked at him like he’d hung the moon.”

Eddie shook his head. “Look, you can’t tell anyone about this. It’s technically a crime. But it’s the only choice we have. Chrissy was here on a school visa from Barbados and she usually gets a work visa for the summer. Only there was a mix up and she didn’t get her work visa and her school visa is for while she’s at school. Which considering it was only for three months, I figured as long as she didn’t say anything to anyone, she could skate on through.”

“I’m guessing that’s not what happened?” Jonathan pressed. He took a bite of sandwich and nudged Eddie to eat.

Eddie took another bite, but really didn’t taste it. He choked it down around the bile in his throat. He shook his head.

“She works at a law firm,” he said mournfully. “Their HR department found out pretty much immediately. They, of course, alerted Immigration and was told to find another way to get a visa or be sent back to Barbados.”

“Hence getting the married?” Jonathan suggested.

He nodded. “We can’t let anyone know, because then we could get into trouble for fraud or whatever. I do love her, but not like that. Not like Steve.”

Jonathan huffed a laugh. He was silent for a moment and then shook his head sadly. “He went up to Seattle, you know.”

Eddie’s head snapped up. “What? When?”

“Right after you settled up there and started tattooing,” Jonathan said, scratching his chin thoughtfully. “He was there for a week. I think he went up there to ask you to come home. But when he found you, he also found a large city and a friendly LGBTQ community and he just couldn’t bare to ask you to return to homophobic Hawkins.”

Eddie’s lip quivered. He hadn’t known. His head spun as his world tilted off its axis.

“When he came back, he couldn’t really tell Robin the truth,” Jonathan continued. “That he couldn’t get up the courage to even see you closer than through the windows of the shop. So he told her he couldn’t find you and then vowed to make something of himself. Something you could be proud of.”

Tears slipped down Eddie’s cheeks and he pressed his hand to his mouth to keep the whimper that tried to escape between his teeth.

“The bakery...” he murmured.

Jonathan nodded. “Him and Robin starting working there together like they always do, to help save up for her to go to college.”

Eddie smiled, a weak, wet, little thing, but it was there. Steve and Robin, two peas in a pod. They always worked together since the summer after Steve graduated and Robin was about to start her senior year. They had worked at an ice cream parlor in the mall. When it burned down just a couple of months later due to shoddy workmanship, they had forged a friendship in literal fire.

“They weren’t intending to make it a permanent thing,” Jonathan continued, breaking into his thoughts. “But Steve’s good. He took a shop that only barely keeping itself in the black and made it into the thriving thing you see today.”

Eddie nodded. He was proud of Steve. And Robin. And all the things they managed to succeed in doing.

Jonathan hugged him tightly. “I won’t say to stay here with Steve and leave your financée to her fate, because that would be cruel and for all your faults, man, you aren’t cruel. And neither am I.”

Eddie let out a shuddering breath. And then another.

“You’ll do the right thing,” Jonathan said. “You might not figure it out right away, but somehow you always manage to get to the right thing in the end.”

Eddie finished his sandwich and thanked him for everything. Just being there when he needed someone.

And as he drove away from the park he felt lighter than he had in years.

****

I realize that that's probably not how visas work, but I'm just gonna hand wave that away for the drama.

Tag List: SIX SLOTS OPEN

Part 9 Part 10

1- @rozzieroos @itsall-taken @redfreckledwolf @ravenfrog @zerokrox-blog

2- @gregre369 ​@a-little-unsteddie @chaosgremlinmunson @messrs-weasley @goodolefashionedloverboi

3- @val-from-lawrence @carlyv @wonderland-girl143-blog @irregular-child @mac-attack19

4- @bookbinderbitch @bookworm0690 @anne-bennett-cosplayer @yikes-a-bee @awkwardgravity1

5- @littlewildflowerkitten @genderless-spoon @dragonmama76 @ellietheasexylibrarian @thedragonsaunt

6- @useless-nb-bisexual @disrespectedgoatman @counting-dollars-counting-stars @tinyplanet95

7- @blackpanzy @amazing-spiderkeys @oldpinghai @raisedbylibrarians @kultiras

8- @swimmingbirdrunningrock @steddie-as-they-go @captain--low @micheledawn1975 @thespaceantwhowrites

9- @blondie1006 @stripey82 @w1ll0wtr33 @mcenziehughes

[junelovesaz]

Hidden Feelings. Part 3

Hello everyone! Here is the last and third part. I'm sorry for taking so long, this time there are no excuses, I just ask for forgiveness 😭😭Thanks to everyone for the reblogs and likes ❤❤❤ I really appreciate it. I hope you like it, sorry if there are any mistakes, English is not my first language. I love you all ❤❤❤

Warnings: Mentions of violence, mention of misogyny, if you squint you'll see a slight mention of nudity

Psdt: I'll advance that it has a happy ending. I hate sad endings, sorry. There's a bit of anguish, but everything gets resolved.

Part 1 Part 2

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

By the Cauldron, perhaps my foolishness had led me to this situation.

Maybe I should have let Cassian or Az accompany me, after all, they knew their people better, and that would have avoided the whole mess I found myself in, knee-deep in crap.

I gasped for air as I tried to make my limbs obey, too tired to achieve any result. The cold pierced my bones, and I was sure I would freeze if I couldn't manage to move even a little. But everything hurt, my arms felt limp, my legs too weak to stand, and I could even feel my face starting to swell, bruises becoming more pronounced with each passing moment, and a stabbing pain in my side with every breath.

Where was Rhys? He said he would come to take me home in our last communication.

I tried to move a bit, flexing my knees with great effort as I groaned in pain, almost crying out from the ache on my right side, but only managed to end up with my face buried in the snow. Gods, it didn't feel so bad, it burned a bit, but the cold would help reduce the swelling. Immortal blood should already be doing its job trying to heal the wounds, but the pain didn't diminish in any way.

I closed my eyes as I tried to gather strength in my arms to push myself up when I heard footsteps approaching me. Then, my brain started working to alert me, and I forced myself to lift my head a little, assessing the threat. A tall figure, filled with shadows and wings, was running towards me. I almost sighed in relief when I distinguished Az's figure, getting closer and closer.

"Y/N" he shouted.

He knelt beside me, looking worried and as beautiful as ever, with his nose and cheeks flushed from the cold.

"What happened? By the Mother" His eyes scanned me up and down, assessing all the damage. He touched my face gently, and I winced when he brushed against my right cheek and withdrew his hand automatically, throwing an apologetic glance before icy anger took over his face.

Did I look that bad?

"I'm… fine, Az" I replied haltingly, struggling to speak but trying to keep the fog out of my head.

"Rhys said you would be here, and when he felt…" he cut himself off halfway through the sentence, gently moving me so he could bear my weight "I came as fast as I could, I'm sorry" his shadows swirled around us, restless.

"It's okay, Az. You're here" I repeated as I rested my head on his chest, allowing myself to savor the moment as I closed my eyes. He wrapped both arms around me, careful not to hurt me further, and enveloped us both with his wings.

"I'll take you home" he whispered lightly in my ear, and I nodded, unsure if he could see me or not. He gently carried me in his arms, and I buried my face in his neck, filling myself with his scent. However, I could feel his tense body, the anger he emitted was palpable even though he was trying to be as gentle as possible with me.

"I'm fine, Az, relax" I told him in a low tone. A little lie. Fatigue was killing me.

"You wouldn't say that if you saw the same thing I'm seeing" he grumbled.

If I could roll my eyes, I would have, but sleep began to invade me, and I no longer had the strength to argue with him. I was safe, and that was all that mattered. Az had come for me.

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

I woke up with a terrible headache.

Damn. I slowly opened my eyes, aware of where I was. In my room. Alive. I sighed and touched my face, pain-free. Good. I took a deep breath and sat up, feeling that slight twinge in my side again. I lowered my gaze and found bandages.

Great. I should have been healed by now. If they were just scratches, why was I still in bed?

"Because it weren't just scratches, you had two broken ribs and a contusion" Rhys leaned against the doorframe.

"Stop spying on me" I grumbled hoarsely.

He raised his hands in surrender and walked towards me, sitting beside me on the bed. "How do you feel?" he asked with a concerned voice.

"Like I've been beaten up" I simply replied, sighing "Cassian will kick my ass for this."

"I'd say he'll leave you alone until you're fully recovered and then drag you out of bed at dawn to train again" he replied with a gentle smile before returning to his distressed tone "You should have seen his face when he saw you unconscious in Az's arms. He was worried. We all were."

"I know, I'm sorry" I looked at my nails "I… I was ambushed and caught off guard, Rhys"

He took my hand, and I met his violet eyes "What happened?" he asked without pressure.

I knew he wouldn't force me to tell anything, but I wanted to, so I squeezed his hand in response and opened my shields to let him in.

I showed him everything. How I had to pretend to be a female who only wanted to drink until unconsciousness and how I had to flirt with other equally drunk males to get them to tell me something, anything. I showed him how the night before I had obtained information from an Ilyrian soldier about those females, how they had been killed, and why. When I almost vomited because their only justification was: "They couldn't be tamed anymore. We had to root it out before it spread to the others" as if they were just simple animals. And even when, in the middle of the night, I was packing my things to get out of that dump and several Ilyrians surrounded me, realizing I had been discovered. Every blow they struck me with, in the stomach, the head, the face, the back, how I felt pain everywhere, they had beaten me almost into unconsciousness as a warning, so that I wouldn't snoop around again, they had said. And the moments before Az found me in the middle of the snow.

When we returned to reality, Rhys's body was so tense that I could feel all that contained rage, so I just touched his arm in a gesture to calm down.

It worked, because he shot me a guilty look, and I raised my hand to stop him.

"Don't do that. This wasn't anyone's fault. You didn't send me there, I volunteered to go, and it just didn't turn out as we hoped" It seemed to calm him a bit, but not entirely, and I continued speaking. "Anyway, they didn't know who I was, maybe they suspected a bit, but they didn't have a chance to ask me"

Rhys shook his head.

"I haven't received any notification from the camp, you're probably right."

I nodded. "I'm fine, Rhys. This wasn't anyone's fault, it could have happened to anyone, even to you or Cassian and Az. Relax."

Rhys sighed before his gaze turned serious. "Azriel will definitely enjoy hunting them down."

I opened my mouth to respond when the shadow singer walked into the room with bandages in hand. A look of understanding passed between Rhys and he stood up from where he was.

"I'll leave you alone. Rest" he said before getting up from my side. "Take a few days off, nothing will be deducted from your salary." he joked with a small smile, and I laughed.

However, the laughter turned into a groan when that twinge attacked again, and I had to bring my hand to that spot.

"Majda said that in a few days you should be good as new, just with rest and medication, but it'll hurt until it's fully healed" Az said with a raised eyebrow.

"Great" I groaned again.

He walked to the bed and sat down, taking Rhys's place as his shadows roamed the room, one wrapping around a loose strand of my hair. I smiled and felt Az's intense gaze on me.

"I need to change your bandage" was all he said.

I nodded as I took off the oversized shirt that wasn't mine, probably his from the scent of cedar infused in it, when I remembered I wasn't wearing any underwear to cover my breasts, but honestly… it didn't matter, after all, he had already seen me vulnerable, bleeding, and almost dead.

His intense gaze never wavered from its target, which seemed to be me. So I let him do his work and just covered my breasts with the shirt.

"Thank you" I said as his hands touched me gently, hands full of scars that I loved so much, and I felt my skin tingling in every place he caressed "For coming to find me."

He looked at me and stopped. Taking my face in his hands, his hazel eyes filled with gentleness "You have nothing to thank me for. I'm sorry I arrived too late."

"Azriel, this isn't anyone's fault"

I shook my head, feeling my heart racing. It meant nothing more, Az was obviously worried, if the situation were reversed, I'd be the same. I had no reason to think this was something else, I wouldn't let my heart get carried away.

"I shouldn't have let you go alone, I had a bad feeling" he said as he leaned his forehead against mine, and I felt tears welling up in my eyes.

I shouldn't let him do this, how would I recover from this? How would I feel later, when I saw him with the beautiful and sweet Elain?

I blinked to clear my vision and pulled away from him. I couldn't… I just couldn't.

Az looked at me with hurt eyes, and his wings fluttered behind him the same way his shadows did, but he kept talking. "I'm sorry, truly. Seeing you there in the snow… By the Cauldron, I've never felt so much fear, and when you fell asleep…" He ran a hand through his hair, mussing it up a bit "I was so terrified you wouldn't wake up again that…"

"Stop, Az" I interrupted him as my throat trembled and my heart ached "Don't say those things, okay?"

I couldn't let him continue talking. No. Because it would make me give in and tell him I've loved him for centuries.

"No" he challenged me, determined "Let me finish. I can't imagine… Seeing that I almost lost you made me panic because I couldn't imagine being immortal and living without you. And realizing that reality…"

"Az" I cut him off again as I grabbed one of his shoulders desperately and shook him slightly. "Stop, please" I let out a pained whisper.

I wanted to cry so badly, and I guessed his shadows sensed it because they ran over my arms as a form of comfort.

Azriel ignored me.

"I love you" he confessed then. "I have for a long time, so long that spending time with you was a sweet torture. You don't have to feel the same, I just wanted to tell you. I know we haven't been completely right for a few weeks, but we can fix it…"

"What?" my body trembled as I realized what he was saying, and the lump in my throat grew bigger.

He took my face in his hands and kissed my forehead gently. "I love you, I'm sorry it took me so long to tell you."

My heart, my poor heart that had been so hurt, filled with hope… and maybe… Yes. Maybe all of this was true, but… What about Elain?

"What?" Az's face filled with confusion. Damn, had I thought out loud? I sighed and realized I had already opened that door I had been so afraid to explore before.

"Elain… I've seen you with her, you know? You look comfortable with her, Az, and I don't want to get in the way…" I said without any reproach.

"Haven't you heard anything I told you before?" he responded with desperation. "I love you, only you. I'm completely yours." He sighed, and his wings drooped a little. "Elain is nice, I think she's great as a friend, nothing more. If I've spent more time with her lately, it's because I thought you needed space from me, because I saw you distancing yourself from me and I thought… Damn."

By the Mother. This was real.

"Do you love me?" was all I could ask, completely forgetting about Elain.

"I do. My heart and my soul are yours" he replied.

"Az…" I said his name in a sigh "I love you too, I have for centuries, probably since that time you ate the carrot cake I tried to bake and no one else wanted to try."

Az chuckled softly before leaning in and capturing my lips in a slow kiss, filled with years of longing, and the shirt that barely covered me left my breasts exposed as I raised my hands to tangle them in his hair. His lips felt soft against mine, and I opened my mouth in an invitation he gladly accepted, sliding his tongue in. I wanted to move a little more to feel him, but I let out a moan when that damn rib hurt me again. Az laughed in the midst of the kiss and pulled away.

"You shouldn't move too much yet" he said as he stroked my hair.

"I know, it's very annoy…"

"You look pretty good, actually. Rhys told me you're still not ready to train, but I think I'll see you in the ring tomorrow" Cassian's voice made an appearance in the room, startling us and interrupting us, so Az quickly raised a wing to try to cover me.

I let out a laugh that made me ache, and Cassian followed suit with a laugh.

Az handed me the shirt, and I put it on as we shared a amused look. There were still things we needed to figure out, but we would do it later.

Together.

@going-through-shit @isa1b2h3 @willowpains @mariahoedt @charlotteintumbleland @thebeautifulmysteriesoflife @otherworldly-creatures-blog @sirens-and-moonflowers @i-am-infinite @kalulakunundrum @jenniferpendragon @randomperson1234sblog @abysshaven @coolepowersthings @fxckmiup @boygeniuses10 @fightmedraco @prettylittlewrites

[roriaa]

When Sun and Moon meet - S1

Zuko x Fem!WaterBender!Reader Enemies to Lovers

As one of the Princesses of the Northern Water tribe, you were blessed with a gift by the moon. However you were permitted to be allowed to use the gift at all costs. From many hidden waterbending usages, the aftermath of the avatar visiting the Northern Tribe had led to your beginning journey, hiding yourself as a water bender as a princess from the Northern water tribe

Warnings: Fighting (again)

Masterlist

҉ * ‧͙ ⋆ ⁺ ༓ ☾ Chapter 3 - Dangerous Gale

I felt the calming breeze flow through my hair gently on the floor of flowers. The sweet scent of flowers went through my brain, a peaceful aura surrounded me. It felt like the home I dreamed of, sighing in relief. Wait…where am I? I quickly gather myself to walk around the flowers, trying not to destroy them. My breathing is growing unstable. “Hello?” I yelled out waving my hand against the breeze. I saw a figure in the distance. “Hellooo!? Do you know what this place is?” I called out to the unknown figure. Suddenly a wish of snow hit and a cold breeze struck. I shivered violently, this is nothing like I experienced before. I attempted to run towards the unknown person until I fell on top of the snow. I turned my body around to see the person, who was known above me. It was mom. 

“Y/N don't give up” She whispers, her voice echoing around me

“What…? Mom?” I couldn't get up and saw my mom left slowly “Wait! Hold on! Mom!” I cried out trying to get her attention, but it never came…I closed my eyes for a second then woke back up. 

There was a heavy blizzard outside, all I saw was the snow falling on my chin, my hood from my jacket covering most of my face. The wind was extreme and the smell of the heavy weather was icy. “Y/N?” Yue and Katara were over my unconscious body. “She’s awake!” Katara yelled at her brother and Yue hugged me. While I returned the hug “Where am I? And how long was I out?” I asked drowsily. “You were out for not too long but we’re looking for Aang at this moment” Yue informed as I groaned trying to get up. “I'm sorry” I mumbled. “It's okay Y/N you did your best” Katara’s brother said “plus I feel like we’re almost there”. I sigh in relief and lean back against…a saddle. “Who…What are we flying on?” I asked cautiously. “This is Appa, Appa this is Y/N” Katara’s brother introduced rather quickly. “What's your name?” I asked worriedly. “How do you not know my name?!” “Well Saur-re!” I said sarcastically “I have a bad memory!” “It's Sokka,” Katara introduced as he huffed in annoyance. Yue laughed sweetly which made me smile.

Time passed on and still nothing, just tons of snow which wasn't any different than before. “Don't worry, Prince Zuko cant be getting too far in this weather” Yue reassured Sokka and Katara. Zuko…so that's his name? Wait, he is a prince?? “I'm not worried they’ll get away in the blizzard, I'm worried that they won't” Katara explains disappointingly that they haven't found Aang any sooner. “They’re not gonna die in this blizzard! If we know anything, it is that Zuko doesn't give up” Sokka said. That sounded somewhat familiar. “They’ll survive, and we’ll find them” He continued. “I agree, plus he is the avatar, I'm confident he will survive.” I spoke up. A few minutes later a bright blue beam flew by us landing in a specific area. “Look! That's gotta be Aang” Katara yelled as we pointed towards the beam. Immediately Appa flew down to the area we were pointed at. We saw Aang, wiggling his way in the snow with Prince Zuko behind, grabbing him. Once we landed he let go of Aang. 

“Ready for a re-match?” Zuko announced.

“Katara let me handle this.” I got down in the blizzard, using the snow around me to catch his fireball and throwing the ice cold water towards him, circling him. Finally knocking him down with an ice block letting him fall in the cold padded snow. “Easy” I muttered under my breath, Katara helping me up to get on Appa. “Wait, we can't leave him here,” Aang said sympathetically. “Why not?” Sokka retorted as I deeply sighed. “That's on him for trying to fight a water bender in a snowstorm, hear me? A snow-storm” I enunciated. “But if we leave him here, he will die.” I internally face palmed, wasn't that the whole entire plan? Aang carried Zuko on top of Appa, tying him to prevent him from dying and we set off again.   ҉   ☾ “The moon spirit” I gasped at the change of atmosphere from a calming blue sky to a striking red environment. Once I had ingested the new area a pounding headache seeped through all parts of my head, Katara immediately came to my side. “Are you okay?” Sokka asked Yue as she also felt the pounding headache “I feel faint” She responded. “I feel it too” Aang held his head against his hand “The moon spirit is in trouble”

“I owe the moon spirit my life” I looked up at Yue and she corrected herself “We owe the moon spirit our lives” “What do you mean?” Sokka questioned “When we were born we were both unhealthy” Yue continued “Most babies cry when they are born but when I was born, as if I was asleep.” She sighed “Frankly, the total opposite happened to Y/N. When she was born she couldn't stop crying. Our healers did the best they could but there was no cure for both of us, we were bound to die. But that night our father pleaded with the moon spirit, underneath the full moon he brought us to the oasis and placed us in the pond. Our hair went from dark brown to white, that's when we were able to live.” Yue explained the situation we both went through. Both pitiful looks came from Katara and Sokka. “Sivoy was the only one who was born healthy and didn't need the moon's blessing, however our father decided to pray for his luck in the future as well.” I said. “That's how we three have white hair, it wasn't genetic.” I laughed breathily trying to keep it light hearted. “I assumed that you would have gotten it from your mom,” Katara said but we both shook our heads.

“Speaking of which, I had a dream in which my mom was in it” I told Yue, who was immediately intrigued following Katara and Sokka. “But…nothing happened, she just told me to not give up and left.” I said sadly. Katara patted my back. “Our mom died as well, she died protecting me” Katara said sorrowfully, holding her betrothal necklace while Sokka kept his head down. I felt nothing but sadness for them. “Hey, at least they’re both in a better place now”. I reassuringly patted both Katara and Sokka's backs as they both exhaled, leaving a cold breath. I turn my body towards the bloody moon, anxiety filling my senses.

<- Back - Next ->

a/n: Sorry if this chapter is shorter than the others I just couldnt mash it up with chapter 4. Additionally chapter 4 is going to be the last episode of season 1 (the masterlist gave hints). ALSO I keep adding stuff to the layout so if my reblogs look different dont worry. I constantly keep making additional changes LMAO. Also who knew that chosing names for chapters were really difficult 😭 I spent a good 10 minutes chosing a name for each chapter. However I think it turned out great!! I think season 2 might be my favorite season of this series CAUSE YOU SEE ZUKO WORKING AT THE TEA SHOP. I think a lot of the bickering will start from there definitely HOWEVER I shouldnt get ahead of myself since chapter 4 isnt released yet. Thank you guys for reading! The 2 chapters already got 100 likes WHICH IS LIKE?? WHAT?? I wasnt expecting that at all. But thank you :) Have a nice day and take care of yourself!! Also if you want to be added to the taglist comment or share to my inbox! Or just share anything to my Inbox I really dont mind!!

-- Taglist: @luvkvni @katovano @karmaswitch @someonesmember @velvet-spider @sh3sa1dwhat @nerdisthenewcool @meiraloves2dmen @fqnfics101 @iluvme547 @leaderwon @yukihatesreoyo @heart4hees @4l3x1s @kkissaku

[sturniololoco]

Can’t hate you pt 2

Sturniolo Little Sister (SLS) X Nathan Doe

Warnings: Cussing, hitting, mentions of SA later in the series(and no, it was not Nate), etc.

ᡣ𐭩 . ° .° ᡣ𐭩 . ° .° ᡣ𐭩 . ° .° ᡣ𐭩 . ° .° ᡣ𐭩 . ° .° ᡣ𐭩 . ° .° ᡣ𐭩

SLS/N’s POV

I woke up this morning to what felt like a monkey on my bed, only to find out that it was Chris, jumping up and down.

“Get up loser, we’re going to get food!” He yells, giving me a wet-willy before sprinting out of my room.

“Aw-you mother fucker!” I yell, jumping out of my bed to chase him down the stairs.

I see him up ahead, rounding the corner to the kitchen. I do the same, but instead of finding Chris, I find myself running straight into what felt like a brick wall.

“Fuck…” I say under my breath, rubbing my head where I made contact.

I hear Chris laughing from behind the island, and I shoot him the middle finger.

I look up to see what I made contact with, only to be met with the grey-blue eyes of Nate.

He hold out a hand to help me up, but I scoff, ignoring his hand while stand and brush myself off.

My head still hurt immensely as I walked into the kitchen, giving Chris the biggest side eye I could.

“Well isn’t someone just a bundle of joy this morning?” Nate says, resting his chin on his hand while he leans on the island, looking at me.

I roll my eyes, scoff again, then walk upstairs to get ready.

-

I walk downstairs, hair curled, makeup perfect, and dressed in a pair of cargo jeans and a baby tee.

Yes, I feel like a boss bitch, and yes, everyone knows imma boss bitch.

“Okay sis! I see you!” Nick says, giving me a twirl. I laugh then look to the living room to see Chris and Matt golf clapping. But Nate is just staring, his moth half open.

What the fuck is his problem?

I ignore him and follow my brothers to the car, him close in behind.

"SLS/N, just sit in the middle today, there's no point in putting the seat down for a 10-minute drive," Matt says, climbing into the car and starting it.

Oh my fucking god, why is this happening to me?!

Not wanting to start problems, I sigh then get in, ick on my right, Nate unfortunately on my left.

The whole ride there his thigh was uncomfortably close to mine, so it was a huge relief when Matt pulled into the IHOP parking lot.

We got out and then got checked into a booth near the back of the restaurant. Before anyone could argue, I called sitting in the middle of Matt and Chris.

We got settled in our booth, and then Nick started to pull out his phone and make an Instagram post.

it said, What poses do you want for our next photo shoot?

"We're doing a photoshoot?" Matt asked, already not looking forward to it.

"Yes Mat. and you're not gonna have a Mattitude about it," Nick said, giving him a stern look. I giggled at how well he knew my brother.

Before Matt could come back with an answer, our waitress came over, asking what we wanted to drink.

"I'll just have water please," I said quietly, then she walked away.

Chris poked me in the rib, using a baby voice while he said,

"Aww, is somebody a wittle shy?" The whole table burst into giggles, all but me, whose face had gone hot and was now punching Chris in the arm.

"Ow, SLS/N!" He whined as his laughing stopped.

"Aww, does someone need me to call the ambulance?" I asked, giving him a baby voice of my own.

Now it was his turn to go red, as Nick reached across the table, fist bumping me. What can I say, I learned my comebacks from the best.

-

As we climbed back into the back, we were all deciding what to wear for the photo shoot.

"I think we should all wear merch," Chris said.

We all nodded in agreement, heading home to get ready.

-

By the time we were all ready, the camera was charged, and we were ready to go, it was beginning to get dark. We drove to McDonalds, grabbing some drinks before driving around to find the place to shoot.

We decided to head the the parking garage down the street, as it had the best lighting.

We found a spot where there were no cars. Nick scrolled through his responses, looking for poses.

We took alot of photos. some with just the triplets, some with one of them individually, and then some duets.

One of my favorites where the one where I was on Chris's back while he was racing down the drive.

Nate got some as well, posing with Chris and Matt, then some individuals for his own Instagram.

Then Nick said the worst news I ever wanted to hear.

"Alot of fans want some pics of SLS/N and Nate. We should do those real quick."

I whipped my head around to stare at him, giving him wide eyes. He gave me a pleading look, begging me with his eyes.

I rolled my own, mumbling,

"Let's just get this over with."

We took a few next to each other, our arms around each other's backs in a side hug.

Our next pose was us standing back to back, holding up our sweet teas,, while death staring at the camera.

"These are so good! Hold still for two more seconds." Nick said, getting lower to take the shot.

Matt and Chris sent knowing smirks in my direction, making me angrier and angrier by the second.

"You better smile, kid. Wouldn't want people thinking I look better than the princess." Nate said under his breath, in my direction.

That sent me over the edge.

I pushed myself off of his back as I whipped around. I tore the lid of my sweet tea and threw it at him.

He was completely soaked.

"Fuck this shit!" I yelled, walking towards the stairs leading to the sidewalk outside of the building that led to our house, leaving the boys there to stare at my retreating figure.

-

I walked all the way home and up to my room, slamming my door before collapsing on my bed. My face was still burning with anger,

or was I blushing?

OooooooOooooooo!!!

@idkwhosnyla @babypat08 @eyelessdemon00 @christopherowensturniolo @sturnsxx @freshloveforthefit @matty443355 @sleepysturnss @emeraldgreenbeautiesstu @sunsetsturniolos @hoesturniolo @x4nd3rsukz @chr1sgirl4life @sstvrnioloo @sturns-posts @chrisstopherfilmed @kylasrealityx @zoeysturnioloooooo @comet235 @islaasblog @sturnioloblogs @defnotayonna @mattsleftnipple03 @thematthewlover @mattsaq @idkhowtosleep

[mabelstone]

im sorry if this prompt is too long T__T the adhd hit

ok ok so like im a sucker for cliche things so like Y/N came home exhausted after a long hospital shift and found Matt asleep on their bed. (the bed is like a single bed) They didn't want to disturb him, so they slept on the floor with just a pillow. In the middle of the night, Matt woke up, feeling thirsty and like saw y/n on the floor sleeping so he felt guilty and carried them to the bed then got some water and then when he came back so like he placed the water down on the side table and it made a sound and then y/n stirs and wakes up and matt is like SHOOT did i wake you up... SOOOORRY and then y/n remembers he doesn't have a bed so they share if that makes sense T__T

omg yes this is amazing because a little secret about me... i'm a nurse teehee

probably a bit embarrassing that tumblr is how i spend my free time but oh well. to be fair, from the moment i graduated high school i began studying, so in a way, this is a treat to myself.

anyway, enjoy <3

Single Bed

Your watch read 12:09am as you stepped out of the elevator, making your way to your front door, gripping your keys tight to stop them from jingling so loud. You slowly propped open the door as a means to stop it from creaking, knowing your boyfriend was probably asleep. With a sigh, you softly kicked your shoes off and walked to your bedroom. You'd just done a 12 hour shift and you were so exhausted. The thought of taking a shower felt equivalent to running a marathon. Nevertheless, you tiptoed into your room and grabbed a pair of pyjama pants and a random singlet, looking over to Matt sleeping peacefully in bed, his long limbs sprawled across the mattress. You hummed to yourself in awe, deciding to use the guest shower rather than the ensuite so he would stay asleep.

In the shower, you got full body chills from just how good it felt to get clean. You loved your job more than anything, but the exhaustion was something you'd never acclimate to. You quickly dried yourself and got changed, too tired to consider dinner. You were just excited to snuggle up with Matt and fall into the deepest sleep of your life.

Except, he'd only just moved in a week ago, and you were known to be a big of a tight ass when it came to money. You had a king-single bed, which would be fine if your boyfriend wasn't freakishly tall. He was still sprawled out like a starfish, taking up even more of the bed than when you'd first got home. You'd agreed to go bed shopping on the weekend, but for now, squishing up against one another would have to do - not that either of you really minded. You knew he'd had just as big of a week as you, so you decided to grab a spare pillow and blanket and sleep on the floor.

He was quite a light sleeper and often struggled to fall back asleep, and truthfully, you could sleep anywhere right now. It seemed that almost as soon as your head hit the pillow, you fell into a state comparable to a coma.

Shortly after you'd fallen asleep, Matt woke up to get a glass of water. He reached out for you in the bed, and jolted awake when he felt nothing but the cold sheet in your spot. In a brief moment of panic, he quickly dialled your number to see why you weren't home yet. Your phone buzzed violently on the bedside table and he quickly hung up, a breath of relief passing his lips when he saw you curled up on the floor. As quietly as possible, he climbed off the bed and leaned down beside you, carefully picking you up bridal style with ease. He gently placed you into bed, tucking you in with a sweet kiss to your forehead.

He went to grab a glass of water, coming back with plans to take your spot on the carpet, though you slept like a log and there was plenty of space. Well, as much space as possible in a king-single. Not able to see well without his glasses and being in the dark, he misjudged the closeness of the bedside table and accidentally slammed the glass down.

He cringed hard at the loud sound, causing you to stir awake.

"Shit, I'm sorry, darling," he apologised, crouching down to run his fingers through your hair. "I didn't mean to wake you."

"Did you put me in bed?" You asked groggily, slightly confused.

"Yeah, I couldn't let you sleep on the floor." He placed another kiss to your forehead. "Go back to sleep." He adjusted himself on the makeshift floor-bed, causing you to frown.

"Whatcha' doing, goose?" You mumbled lazily, eyes half shut.

"I'm going to sleep too?" he stated like it was so obvious, causing you to let out a tiny laugh.

"What, on the floor?" You shook your head at his gesture. You knew he was trying to be sweet, it's what you loved most about him. Beneath his self-assured, at times harsh demeanour was a gentle softie. "Come keep me warm, idiot."

He laughed this time, squishing himself into bed with you. You lived for nights like these. He slid his arm under your neck, bringing your thigh up to rest your leg over his hip, arms engulfing your frame, your head tucked under his chin.

You mumbled your 'love you's, melting into the embrace, basking in the warmth of one another. You fell asleep with a big grin and the happiest heart.

[coffeeheartaddict2]

When Life has other plans 13/16

Begin Again

Book: Open Heart (AU)

Pairing: Ethan Ramsey x F!MC Casey Valentine

Category: angsty fluff with a side of smut

Rating: Mature

Warnings: Language, sexual content, mentions of bio attack and mental illness

Word count: 3511

Summary: The fallout from the attack. Ethan and Casey start exploring what could be, funeral for Bobby and Danny. Ethan and Tobias open a dialogue and both have hopes of reconciliation. June starts to evaluate her position at Edenbrook and the team.

Disclaimer: characters belong to Pixelberry

Authors note: We are post attack now, there is still some angsty moments but nowhere near as intense as the attack. And that also means a strong smell of the happy ending.

🫶🏼🫶🏼🫶🏼🫶🏼🫶🏼🫶🏼🫶🏼

It was the day after the attack. The hospital was slowly coming back to normal function after being shut down after the attack. It all looked normal but there was an air of sadness, shock and anguish that could not be ignored. Those directly involved with the discovery of the cure and the staff who provided support to Danny and Raf whilst they were in the coma were encouraged to have the day off and were offered counselling to work through any grief and any mental anguish that they have endured. This would also be offered to the hospital as a whole but the priority was those who were exposed the most.

Ethan knew he should not have been there. He went home and fell into a deep and exhausted sleep but he awoke with a nightmare of Casey dying in his arms. He could not get back to sleep so he went and sat in her room, watching her to reaffirm to himself that she did make it. Casey woke up and was surprised to see Ethan. He breathed a sigh of relief when she woke up. He asked how she slept and informed her that Rafael was improving.

He moved closer to her and squeezed her hand. Casey smiled weakly.

“Did you sleep well?”

“No, yes, I did fall into a sleep as I was exhausted from then I had a nightmare…” he takes another breath before continuing. “After that I ha hi d to come and see you, to see for myself that you did make it.”

“I made it Ethan, I am alive, yes it was traumatic, but I am here.” Adamantly stated Casey. Ethan leaned over and kissed the top of her head.

“As much as I am liking the visit, head home, rest, I am not going anywhere.” Ethan reluctantly left. He knew Casey was right but he could not help but worry. He stopped off at Derry’s to buy a coffee and went home. He emailed Naveen. Even though he and Casey had not discussed being in the open and how that would look but he felt it imperative that he get the ball rolling.

To Naveen,

I am emailing you to advise that I am in a relationship with Dr Casey Valentine. I have made her aware of my intent of being open about this and we will of course discuss in due course but I wanted to let you know so that we can get the ball rolling.

Regards

Dr Ethan Ramsey.

When Naveen had read the email he could not help but feel happy for his mentee. He knew that both him and Casey were more than capable of working well together, no matter what their relationship circumstances happened to be so he was happy if reporting lines stayed the same but at the end of the day he knew that call would be made by HR but he was hopeful that there would be a solution.

Casey’s physical condition improved over the following week. Her discharge day was the day of the funeral for Bobby and Danny. It was bittersweet. Casey was thankful that a cure was found and that she survived but there was the questions of why me, how is it fair? Going around in her head. Medical leave from work was approved and any counselling she knew would be taken care of however a part of her wanted to seek some type of normalcy. She went to the funeral, hoping it would give closure. In a way it did but she was unable to feel. She felt numb, cut off, the feeling was disconcerting. She felt so disconnected that she barely noticed that the wake was nearly over. Ethan came over to Casey and gave her a hug. “Come on, let’s go.”

He walked her to his car and they drove off.

“How does the weather know?”

“How does the weather know what Casey?”

“How did it know that today was a day of grey and misery?”

Ethan did not know what to say. He had intended to drive her home but at this point changed his mind, he was going to bring her to his.

It was not until they pulled up at Ethan’s building that she realized. They made their way to his apartment. He poured himself a glass of scotch and offered one to Casey which she accepted.

“I know that you must be going through so much. You seem, almost distant..”

“I am numb, numb and disconnected. I thought the funeral would give me a sense of closure, but I have felt so disconnected from anything…”

He kisses her, it was emotion charged. It caught Casey off guard but she returned the kiss. The kisses got more emotionally charged and heated. Ethan pulled away slightly, he rubbed his thumb along her jawbone.

“We don’t need to go any further tonight”

“I know Ethan, but I want to.”

She kisses him. Hungrily. He ran his hands down her side, reacquainting himself with her curves. He unzips her dress and discards it. He looks at her underwear. He kisses her gently on the lips before kissing the column of her neck. He tweaks her hardened nipples through her bra, eliciting a moan from Casey. He unhooks her bra and lavishes attention on her breasts. Casey feels even more aroused. She knew she was drenched. His hand made its way between her legs. He could feel how wet she was. He let out a groan and laid waist to her underwear. He ran a finger around her clit. Casey moaned as she bucked her hips. As much as Ethan wanted to fuck her pain away, he also wanted to savour this night. He positioned himself between her legs. He kissed the inside of her thigh, slowly. Casey quivered in anticipation and he ran his tongue around her clit. Again she moaned and bucked her hips. Ethan then ran his tongue through her folds before entering. He continued to eat her out, being guided by her moans and screams. He worked his way back up to her clit and inserted two fingers.

“Fuck…” she screamed, as he hit that spot from the get go. He moved his other hand up to her breast and massaged it. Casey could not recall when she last felt so much sensory overload. She was fast hurtling towards the precipice of what felt like an intense orgasm. She clenched his fingers and he knew she was close. He pumped her harder and sucked a little harder. Casey fell, screaming. He helped her ride it out. Casey felt like she was floating. He kissed her, the taste of her in his mouth was intoxicating. He got up and picked her up, he took her to his bedroom. He placed her down and she kissed him again, this time removing his clothing. She ran her hands along his hardened cock. He hissed. She then walked backwards towards his bed. They kiss again and Casey moves so that she is straddling him. He leans over to his top drawer and grabs a condom. He puts it on and then Casey slowly works her way down. It did not take long for her body to readjust to his size. Once he was fully sheathed she started to rock her hips. He thrust up causing her to moan. She rode him, harder than what she would have liked to have started with but the intensity of the previous orgasm is what she was chasing. Ethan kept pace, enjoying being fully inside her for real and not just in his lust fueled thoughts. He sucked her nipples which caused her to yell “fuck”. Before long Casey could feel she was getting close. Ethan could feel it too and with his thumb, massaged her clit. The sensation had Casey hurtling to again another intense orgasm. She fell and her climax triggered Ethan’s. After a few minutes she eased herself off and cuddled into Ethan. Casey then started to cry. She had wanted to all day, all week even but she could not, no matter how hard she tried. Ethan let her cry, assuring her that she was ok, and to let it all out. She cried herself to sleep. Ethan fell asleep not long after. He was relieved that Casey was able to let her emotions out and that she was in his arms.

Ethan awoke first the next morning. He tried to gently get out of bed but Casey started to stir.

“I did not mean to wake you” he said gently.

“I was waking up, it’s fine, I had no nightmare last night, plus with our activities, I actually feel rested.

Ethan smiled.

“I have a late start today but did you want to stay here, however long you feel you need?”

Casey stretched whilst she thought about it. Either staying here or at her apartment would mean long hours alone but decided here. After last night she knew she would not be treated like a fragile object and that is what she needed.

“I would like to stay here, but I will need some clothes.”

Ethan squeezed her hand.

“I can drop you to yours on my way to work.” He leaves the room and comes back with a key ring. This is so you can get back into the apartment and come and go as needed.”

Casey smiled. “Thank you Ethan.”

Ethan went to make breakfast while Casey had a shower. She joined Ethan for breakfast and he dropped her at her apartment. She made her way to her room and got changed first. She then packed a bag of clothes to take with her. She then went back to Ethan’s. She used the time alone to research the therapists she had the details of and booked one and had her first appointment a few days later.

She had a nap and woke with a start. It took her awhile to gain her bearings as to where she was. Just then there was a sound of a door opening. Casey got scared until she heard Ethan call out. She made her way to the living area. He could see she was scared.

“I had a nap and I woke with a start and I had only just got my bearings when you came back.”

He gave her a hug and kissed the top of his head.

“Everything is ok, Casey” he whispered. She went to pour them both some drinks whilst Ethan cooked dinner.

They enjoyed their meal and sat on the couch after dinner.

Casey told him how she was going to start therapy. Ethan was relieved she was going to seek professional help. He wanted to start a discussion around what a relationship would look like when she returned to work but he also wanted to savour this time also. Casey was relieved that she knew where she stood in relation to Ethan but she did not want to think too much on it right now. If she was being honest, she wanted to be fucked into oblivion again. The pleasant memories of last night came flooding back and she felt the familiar sensation at her core. She kissed Ethan, gently at first then more passionately. She then moved his hand to her centre.

“I know there are better coping mechanisms but I need you to fuck me.” She whispered in his ear. As much as Casey was right, there were more healthier ways to cope, he could not help but feel aroused so he obliged, as in a way he felt it would help make up for lost time.

They went several intense rounds, Casey fell into a blissful sleep and Ethan followed not long after. For nearly a fortnight it was a pattern that would be followed, work, dinner and mind blowing sex. After a couple of therapy sessions, Casey was given some more coping strategies which helped her not needing to use sex as a crutch. Casey was also starting to miss her friends also. Ethan understood but told Casey she was welcome to come over any time.

After nearly three weeks Casey returned to her apartment. She was used to the alone time whilst she was at Ethan’s but here it felt eerie. She knew that anyone on the night shift would be sleeping and that she was not alone but it was disconcerting.

Meanwhile back at Edenbrook Ethan was missing Casey, not only personally but professionally. He hoped she would be back at work soon, even if it was only part time. He was making his way back to the office when a familiar voice called out.

“Ethan, wait up” called out Tobias.

Ethan looked at his former friend perplexed.

“What are you doing here?”

“Meeting with the board, we will be doing research into the cure for the toxin and publishing it.”

“Congratulations” said Ethan. “Maybe even other toxins could be treated with this cure too.”

“Yeah? Maybe, hey listen, did you want to grab a coffee and catch up?”

Ethan looked at his watch, he had nothing on so he agreed. He suggested Derry Roasters.” Tobias agreed. They had coffee there before, a long time ago, an olive branch had been offered but it was declined and the memories of that haunted Tobias still but they were both older now and he hoped that they could put away the ghosts of their past.

They ordered their coffees and snacks and sat down. Tobias enquired as to how Casey and Raf were going, the team, and how Ethan was going with everything. Ethan was surprised when Tobias was not surprised when he stated that he was seeing Casey.

“You had been the talk of the post hospital grapevine, June for awhile was possessed on finding out the deal with you both but there was some interactions and dare I say an over protective posture that I had never seen from you that made me question the more scandalous rumours but seeing you with Casey that night solidified that any feelings were genuine.” Said Tobias.

“Well there’s truth to the rumours in that we did sleep together whilst she was in her intern year but it had nothing to do with the competition.”

“I figured that much, you have never been one for sexual favours, let alone entering into a relationship easily so she must be someone special.”

“She is, she helped me with Naveen, hell, she even did not give up on him when I did, we have had a rough patch but I feel we have come out the other side.”

Tobias was happy to hear this. He saw first hand how a reluctance in romantic relationships not only affected what was a good relationship but also his and Ethan’s friendship. Tobias wanted to chat further but he had to get back to work and so did Ethan.

“Well it was good to catch up bu…I mean Ethan. We must do so again.”

“I would very much like that, Tobias.”

Tobias could not believe how easy it was to slip back at calling Ethan buddy like he did for nearly three quarters of medical school and he was hopeful they could reconcile. Ethan too was optimistic, he had missed Tobias’s friendship a lot over the past 13 or so years and he hoped they could be friends again now.

A few days later Casey was again home alone, therapy had been going well and she was now eager to go back to work but the memories of what happened and who the hospital lost was haunting her. She had not even brought herself to meet Ethan at the hospital but little did she know that she was going to push herself out of her comfort zone. There was a knock at the door. It was Farley, their landlord. He had come with a sweet smelling bunch of flowers. She was mid thanking him when she noticed a mark on his wrist that he kept scratching. She asked him what was up, he said not much, the mark had been there for a bit but he was over his eyes seeing his gaming screen too bright. When questioned as to why he had not seen anyone about it, he stated that the deductible was too low. Casey stated that she worked as apart of a team that could do it pro bono. Farley was intrigued and she said “go get a coat, I will take you to the free clinic at Edenbrook and go from there.” Casey was now terrified but she knew that if she did nothing, neither would Farley. She found her new pink and grey sweater dress that Ethan had purchased and her leggings and met Farley. They made their way to Edenbrook and the free clinic.

“So far so good” Casey thinks to herself. They are met by Jackie and she takes them both in and immediately she notices Farley’s reaction to the light. Casey shows Jackie the rash and they agree he needs to be admitted. Casey took over from there stating that she would put him under the team.

Casey and Farley made their way to the team office. She was nervous for multiple reasons but ensuring something was done to get Farley healthy again was helping her keep it together.

They came to the office. Ethan looks up and is surprised to see Casey. He recognised the outfit he bought for her, and it looked better on her than what he thought. He decided to stay seated while acassy told him about what was going on. Ethan agreed to take Farley on and he paiged Sarah to take him to the patient room.

“Thanks Ethan, if I did not bring him he would have done nothing.”

He noted the fear in her voice.

“And how are you Casey, this is the first time you have been here since the attack.”

Casey took a breath. “I am keeping it together, ensuring Farley got some care has helped me keep it together. I am grateful for the push.”

Ethan nodded. They had not yet spoken how their relationship would look like at work so he gave her hand a gentle squeeze. Casey smiled weakly and could see the conflicted desire swirling in Ethan’s eyes.

“I’ll come over later” she said and Ethan stated

“Don’t you dare change that outfit.”

Casey blushed and took her leave.

Meanwhile, June was having her session with a therapist. Ever since the attack she had questioned if her thirst for knowledge had impacted on her missing the red flags that lead to the attack. Even before the attack she could see that Casey was a good doctor who kept on improving, her contributions were always more than token and yet she still had the desire to only care about how her relationship with Ethan affected the team, for which she clearly saw that it did not. She had always wanted to know what made people tick and would use whatever means necessary to do so but this obsession killed two people needlessly. It was difficult to come to terms with, even the team as a whole missed the flags, explaining it away as over concern but Travis’s actions was text book revenge and she missed it. Today June decided that she needed a new work challenge. Sure Edenbrook had the best diagnostics team that she had enjoyed working on but maybe a change is what she needed. She knew Ethan was not going anywhere anytime soon and if she was been honest with herself, she could see Casey running the team one day. She needed to plan and would submit her resignation further down the line. It was scary starting somewhere new but she felt she needed to.

Later that day Casey was still at the hospital. The more she was there, the easier being there was. She also wanted to keep informed of what was happening with Farley. She bumped into Ethan and continued with him towards the emergency department. They arrived just as an ambulance pulled up and opened the doors. Ethan took charge and they paramedic went through the particulars.

Female, mid 50’s, found on the street, collapsed and in and out of consciousness. The gurney was brought in and Ethan froze. The woman that the paramedic was describing was Louise Ramsey. Casey looked at the arms and noted the needle marks.

“Ethan, this woman has overdosed, she needs naloxone.”

Ethan jolted back to reality and got the drug and administered it. The nurses took over from there.

Casey wanted to talk to Ethan about it.

“I know you want to talk but I need to be alone for a little bit. I’m sorry” he says, with a pained expression before walking off to an on call room.

He is awash with all sorts of emotion and he kicks a bin.

He lets out a groan of frustration and ponders what to do next.

—-

Authors note: and I will end it there. The next chapter will deal with Louise, and some more Tobias and Ethan reconciliation action and chapter 15 will be the last of the angstish moments with 16 being the happy ending. Thank you all for ending this far

Tagging: @jerzwriter @genevievemd @messrprongs @cariantha @tessa-liam @zealouscanonindeer @alj4890 @potionsprefect @liaromancewriter @youlookappropriate @trappedinfanfiction @a-crepusculo @bex-la-get @crazy-loca-blog @schnitzelbutterfingers @lucy-268

@choicesficwriterscreations @openheartfanfics @binny1985

[huuuuughes]

Swaymas - Chapter 7

Summary: With the holidays finally here you can finally breathe a sigh of relief, or can you?

Word count: 5.9k

Warnings: angst, fluff, and also smut. please read at your own risk, and also pls not if youre under 18. im not responsible for what you consume!!

a/n: im finally feeling like myself again. im sorry yall, i love you <3

For the first time in 19 years, Christmas and the first night of Hanukkah were on the same day. Jeremy’s family was wonderful in coming over and teaching you everything that they could, and making you feel included. Being a professional athlete didn’t always allow him to celebrate with his family, but this year was special at least for today and you got to share it with them. You weren’t alone on a holiday for the first time in years, and that was the best gift you could have received from anyone. 

The not so friendly reminder from your parents about what you wanted to do with the inheritance that morning sat on your phone like a brick. You had already told them you would not see them until you returned from Columbus, but that didn’t seem to please them. Why did that matter? Why were there so many people so dead set on making the worst year of your life worse when it was almost over? 

Thinking about it, you made the most of what you had in front of you. Your parents would try and tell you that the marriage wasn’t on paper and that meant it wasn’t real. What you saw in front of you meant everything to you, and if you woke up one morning and it was gone… you didn’t know what you would do. At the end of the evening after you had said your goodbyes to the family, Jeremy found you sitting in his favorite chair by one of his large windows. It gave you another good view of the city, and you were a sucker for a good view under a warm blanket.

“Alright, move over sweet cheeks. You’re hogging the whole chair!”

“What did you just call me?” Jeremy grinned as he approached, his teasing tone paired with a mischievous glint in his eye. 

“You heard me, sweet cheeks. Now, scoot.”

You rolled your eyes, trying to suppress the small laugh bubbling up. “That’s the best you’ve got? Sweet cheeks? Is that referring to my face or my ass?”

“Hey, it got your attention,” he said, leaning down to nudge you playfully. “And it made you smile, so I’d say it’s a win. Also, that is for me to know and you to find out sweet cheeks.”

You grinned, but reluctantly you shifted to make room for him in the oversized chair, and he squeezed in behind you so that he could hold you rather than just put his arm around you. He was go big or go home this one, and he wasn’t gonna pass up that opportunity. The warmth of his presence, combined with the cozy blanket you’d wrapped yourself in, eased some of the tension lingering in your chest.

“Long day, huh?” Jeremy said softly, his fingers tracing idle patterns on your arm.

You nodded, leaning into him. “Good long, though. Your family was amazing. I loved learning all the new things today.”

“They loved you,” he said, his voice carrying that same steady assurance he always seemed to have when it came to you. “And you were great with them. They’re already talking about what to get you next year.”

You chuckled at that, the idea of his family’s easy acceptance filling you with a warmth you hadn’t realized you’d been missing. “I guess I’ll need to brush up on my family traditions, then.”

Jeremy laughed, his chest rumbling against your side. “They’ll take you as you are. Trust me.”

For a moment, you both sat in silence, the quiet of the evening settling around you like a soft cocoon. But the weight of your parents’ message still lingered in the back of your mind, tugging at the edges of your peace.

Jeremy seemed to sense it. “What’s going on in that head of yours?”

You hesitated, not wanting to dampen the moment. But this was Jeremy—damn his ability to read your face like an open book.

“My parents,” you admitted, finally. “They sent a reply this morning about the meeting. They want an answer because they want to leave town. And they made a comment about… us.”

Jeremy shifted behind you, his arms tightening slightly as if to anchor you. “What kind of comment?” he asked, his voice calm but with an edge of protectiveness that warmed you.

“We’re fake. They said it’s not real because it’s not on paper,” you muttered, bitterness creeping into your tone. “That it doesn’t count unless there’s some legal proof. Like a marriage certificate is the only thing that defines a relationship.”

Jeremy was quiet for a moment, his fingers idly brushing over yours. You knew that silence wasn’t indifference—it was him choosing his words carefully, always wanting to get it right when it came to you.

“And what do you think?” he asked finally, his voice low but steady.

“I know you offered to marry me. I know that you care for me,” you said, your voice gaining strength as the words left your mouth. 

He let out a small breath, his lips brushing the back of your head. “And?”

“And we picked out rings.” 

“We did.”

“You’re being really quiet..” You felt him shift a little bit behind you. You knew that in the back of your mind, you were trying to convince yourself that it was fake because you wanted to put up some kind of front. You wanted to put up some kind of wall, protection to keep what Brian did to you from happening again. If it was fake and it was just pretend, then one day you could wake up and you could continue to try again. If life had meant for you to do that by yourself then you would. But what if the universe was trying to tell you that you weren’t supposed to do that by yourself? Emily could have been right about that stupid treadmill. Jumping into a relationship was insane, yes. You did know that. But why did that mean it had to be a bad thing too?

“Y/N.” He kissed the top of your head, and it warmed you from the inside out.

“What?” You were afraid of his response. 

“You don’t have to put up walls anymore.”

Jeremy’s words hung in the air, soft but unshakable. You felt the truth of them seep into your chest, challenging the doubts and fears you’d carried for far too long. You wanted to argue, to explain how walls were the only thing that had kept you upright in the aftermath of everything. But as his arms tightened around you, the protest caught in your throat.

“What if I need them?” you whispered. It wasn’t a challenge, not really. It was more of a plea—one last attempt to justify the fortress you’d built around your heart.

He shifted slightly, pulling you closer somehow than you already were, until you could feel his heart beating against your back. He wanted you to feel him. “You don’t. Not with me.”

“Jeremy…”

“I’m not Brian,” he said gently, cutting off the spiral of thoughts before it could take hold. “And I know that’s a lot easier to say than to believe, but I’m here to prove it to you. As long as it takes.”

Tears pricked at the corners of your eyes, not from sadness, but from the sheer weight of his patience, his steady resolve. You’d never felt this kind of certainty from anyone before.

“But what if…” You trailed off, unable to finish the thought.

“-if it doesn’t work?” he asked, filling in the blank for you, raising an eyebrow. You nodded, your head brushing against his chest, “Do you think I haven’t noticed you trying to convince yourself this isn’t real? Or maybe it’s fake, and we’re just a cover or something? What are we trying to cover? My real feelings for you? I wasn’t lying to the team when I said I noticed you coming into the rink all the time, or when I said I noticed the day you took Brian’s ring of your hand. Y/N, why would I introduce you to my entire family if I didn’t want this to be real? Or give you a ring? Or want to sleep next to you every night? Or tell the team to give us adjoining rooms so I never have to be that far from you on the road now?”

Jeremy's words landed like a gentle but firm knock on the walls you'd so carefully constructed. Each one chipped away at the barriers, exposing cracks that let in something new and terrifyingly hopeful. His voice was steady, grounding you as he continued.

"Do you think I’d go through all of that just for show?" he asked softly, like you’d hurt him. The last thing you ever wanted to do was hurt him, "Because I wouldn’t. You know I’m not that guy. When I’m in, I’m all in. And with you, Y/N, I’m not holding anything back."

You let out a shaky breath, your mind racing to keep up with the truth in his words. He wasn’t wrong—not about the rings, or his family, or even the simple but monumental act of making sure you’d stayed connected the first time being on the road. Everything he did, every small and big gesture, pointed to something more real than you’d allowed yourself to believe.

"But what if I’m the one who messes it up? Like I did before?" you asked, your voice barely above a whisper. It was the fear you hadn’t voiced aloud before, the one that lived in the quiet moments when your mind wandered to all the ways things could go wrong.

Jeremy’s hand moved to tilt your chin up gently, forcing you to look at him. His eyes were steady, filled with the same unwavering confidence he carried on the ice—but this was softer, for you alone.

"Then we work through it together," he said simply. "Relationships aren’t perfect, Y/N. But I didn’t sign up for perfect. I signed up for you. And if that means we stumble, we stumble. But I’m not going to let you fall alone."

You felt the tears well up again, but this time, they weren’t from fear. They were from the realization that, maybe, just maybe, you didn’t have to keep bracing yourself for the worst. Maybe this time, you could let someone catch you.

"I don’t know how to stop being scared," you admitted, the words coming out in a rush.

"You don’t have to stop being scared," Jeremy said, his voice gentle. "You just have to let me stand beside you through it. I know that’s hard to do because it’s not something you’re used to. That’s what love is, Y/N. Not perfect, not easy—just real."

“What?” 

The word love hung between you, electrifying and grounding all at once. You hadn’t said it yet, either of you, but now it was there, undeniably present. And maybe that was the point. Love wasn’t something you had to name to feel. It just was. Like maybe if neither of you acknowledged it, you could go on like it didn’t happen, but it also felt like neither of you wanted that either. It was out there as something you could reach out and touch. Neither of you moved, afraid to be the one who ruined the moment. 

"Okay," you whispered, the weight in your chest lifting just a little. "Okay."

Jeremy smiled, pressing a soft kiss to your forehead. "Good. Because I’m not going anywhere. Not now, not ever. Please start believing that."

Jeremy’s words settled over you, warm and grounding, but the weight of what he’d said lingered. You couldn’t ignore it, couldn’t pretend it wasn’t there. His arms stayed wrapped around you, steady and unwavering, as if he knew you needed time to process, to breathe.

But you couldn’t let it hang in the air forever. Not with him. 

“You… you meant that, didn’t you?” you asked, your voice quiet but steady, needing to hear it again, to be sure.

His lips curved into a small smile, the kind that reached his eyes and softened every sharp edge he carried. “Of course, I did,” he said simply, like it was the most obvious thing in the world. “I’ve been holding it back, waiting for the right moment but after today I realized…” He exhaled, his breath warm against your skin. “There’s no perfect moment for something like this. It's just now.”

Your chest tightened, the raw sincerity in his voice wrapping around your heart. You’d never felt so exposed and yet so safe all at once.

“Baby I…” you started, but the words caught in your throat.

“I love you,” he said, his voice steady, unwavering. “I love the way you fight for the people you care about, even when it’s messy or complicated. I love how you light up when you’re passionate about something, even if it’s just ranting about a show you’re watching. I love the way you keep going, even when life hasn’t been kind to you. And I love that you’re still here, still trying, even when you’re scared.”

Tears welled up in your eyes, unbidden and unstoppable. He loved you. He loved you. So quickly and so sure. And somehow, hearing it out loud made it feel so much more real than the moments you’d tried to push it away, to convince yourself it was something else.

You swallowed hard, your voice trembling as you whispered, “I don’t know if I’m ready to say it back. Not because I don’t feel it—because I know I do—but I’m scared.”

“I know,” Jeremy said softly, brushing a stray tear from your cheek. “And that’s okay. I don’t need you to say it back right now. I just needed you to know it.”

His words broke something inside you, a dam you’d held up for too long. And before you could stop yourself, you leaned into him, burying your face in his chest as the tears came. He held you, strong and steady, as if he’d known this moment would come and had braced himself for it. His goal wasn’t to ruin a holiday, or give you sad memories. In fact, you wanted to tell him he was doing the opposite. Moments like this one were the ones you read about, and you didn’t want to ever forget it. 

“I’m trying,” you murmured against him, the words muffled but still clear.

“I know you are,” he said, pressing a kiss to the top of your head. “You are doing so well love. And I’ll be here, no matter how long it takes.”

You pulled back just enough to look at him, his eyes filled with nothing but warmth and patience. “You could do better than me,” you said, half a laugh, half a sob.

Jeremy shook his head, his smile soft but sure. “Never. I just wish that you could see what I see.”

After a few nights of sleeping in Jeremy’s room, you had pretty much now established that it was a shared space now. Your stuff was no longer in a spare room and had migrated to your master bedroom as he now called it. And by that, you meant by the time you had woken up in the morning Jeremy had already taken it upon himself to do that because he was so confident you were going to stay put. He was stealthy, you never even knew he had gotten up. The holiday break was short lived. The day after Christmas meant practice and immediately following practice meant plane to Columbus, which meant work for the both of you. It was still dark outside when you woke up which you hated, the long hours of darkness were your least favorite part about winter. You missed the sun, and just being able to see the daylight from inside the arena from your office window. 

It was an early call time for Columbus that day so that the team could get there and begin practice there instead. You noticed two different sets of luggage in the room ready to go, one that had Jeremy’s gigantic Hockey bag and the other with your suitcase and matching briefcase with all your game day needs in it. Vaguely you could hear him getting ready, and now you were just waiting for him to come back in. He had to have heard you stir a little bit because he came back in with two mugs of tea, setting them down on his nightstand. 

“Good morning love.” He kissed the top of your head before sitting down behind you. 

“Mhmm..grrr..” You groaned into his neck as he helped you sit up. After you were more upright, you turned around, and saw him with that smile on his face. You saw those eyes he gave you, the ones that everyone else seems to see and tell you about. Now you saw them. 

“How much time do we have before we have to be at work?” You asked, hoping he would catch on. You also loved calling his games work, it made you chuckle a little sometimes. You didn’t want to let this moment pass you up, so you were taking it. You needed to take your own advice and feel the real things right in front of you.

“About an hour before we need to leave, why?” Now you completely turned around so that you were sitting and facing him. You reached forward and started to tug his shirt from the bottom in an upwards motion. As you got closer to him he had to have seen the look in your eyes too.

“Set the mug down, Swayman.” You demanded. He smirked, but listened.

Jeremy smirked, the teasing glint in his eye unmistakable as he set his mug down on the nightstand. "Yes, ma’am," he said, his voice low and amused.

You didn’t want to waste a moment, you were operating with limited time here. The second his hands were free, you closed the gap between you, your fingers brushing over the warm skin of his stomach as you pushed his shirt up. He lifted his arms obligingly, the fabric sliding up and over his head.

As soon as the shirt was off, you tossed it to the side without looking, your focus entirely on him. He was still smirking, leaning back on his hands as if waiting to see what you’d do next. “So, what exactly is the plan here?” he asked, his voice teasing but his gaze steady, his eyes taking in this new found confidence you seemed to have gained. 

“You,” you said simply, settling you onto his lap with your knees on either side of his hips. Your hands rested on his shoulders, your thumbs brushing over his collarbone. “Just you.”

Jeremy’s smirk softened into something warmer, deeper. His hands came to rest lightly on your hips, his touch grounding and electric all at once. “Well, who am I to argue with that?,” he murmured, leaning in just enough for his nose to brush yours.

The only sound in the room was the heavy breathing coming from the two of you. You let yourself sink into the moment, into him, your hands trailing up to cup his jaw. He was so solid, so steady, and for the first time, you felt like you could lean on him without fear of falling. When you finally closed the distance between you, his lips were warm and soft, moving against yours with a slow, deliberate tenderness that sent a shiver down your spine. His hands tightened on your hips, pulling you closer as if he couldn’t stand even an inch of space between you. He had been waiting for this, like he was starved for it. He peeled off your shirt quickly, only breaking the kiss for the briefest moment, revealing your bare chest. 

“Is this what you had in mind?” he murmured against your lips, his tone still laced with that infuriatingly charming humor that always made your heart race.

You laughed softly, resting your forehead against his. “Pretty much,” you admitted, your fingers threading through the hair at the nape of his neck. “I was thinking about what you said.”

That seemed to be all the encouragement he needed. The hunger and the need was more present now, moans coming from the both of you as he kissed you again. Jeremy was trying to put his hands everywhere at once as if he hadn’t had enough time to study your naked form in front of him before. He was trying to memorize every curve, every every inch, every single part of you that he could possibly reach. You loved the scratchiness of his beard in the morning and the way it sent shivers down your spine when he kissed down your neck. 

“Fuuuuck….” You let out a moan when he found that sweet spot on your neck that you didn’t know that you had. You didn’t know how dangerous that moan was because he latched onto you like you were his last meal. He brought up one of his hands to play with your hard nipples in between his fingers and it was going straight to where it needed to.

Grinding your hips onto his dick you could feel him growing hard underneath you and if you didn’t get some kind of relief soon you knew you were going to wither away and die (not really but it was possible).  Jeremy had to have felt the same way because in a move you thought could have gone horribly wrong, he flipped you underneath him and he was resting on his elbow hovering just above your face. His eyes were dark with anticipation but wanting to take in the looks on your face and the noises he was causing you to make. 

“I could listen to you make those noises all day baby…” He whispered in your ear as he kissed around your neck, and slowly down your chest. You tried pushing his head down towards your clit but he didn’t want to seem to move any faster. 

“Please, baby, please do something PLEASE-” You begged, no, pleaded with him. You were the one who’d started it but clearly Jeremy was going to be the one who finished. He kissed everywhere he could until he reached your panties and he paused.

“Do you think these should come off?” He touched them slightly, and you looked down at the boxers that he had on. Desperate but knowing you also had limited time you nodded furiously, and he ripped yours off.

“JEREMY RYAN SWAYMAN I LIKED THOSE PANTIES!” You looked in confusion as your underwear was in shreds across the bedroom floor, torn between that and the fact that Jeremy’s fingers had finally started playing with your folds. 

“Baby girl I promise I will buy a thousand more pairs but I really really really want to make you cum now.” 

This. Man. 

He stood up to quickly discard his boxers and threw them somewhere on the floor. Climbing back onto the bed he was eager to resume what he had started. Pushing your legs apart, giving him all of the access he needed to your wet aching pussy. Your hips thrust a little towards him trying to tell him what you wanted, but he only pushed you harder into the mattress, telling you that he was going to be the one in control. Your hands desperately reached for something to hold onto, grabbing onto the sheets as his tongue finally brushed over your clit.

With little warning his tongue ran quickly over your folds and your clit, eliciting moans from you that you didn’t even know that you could make. His hands scratched along your thighs, causing you to wrap them around his back as he continued to lick and suck you to your climax. You felt one of his fingers begin to play with your pussy along with his tongue, finally inserting one as he continued to lick at your clit. 

“FUCK!” That felt so good you never wanted him to stop. A steady string of curse words and yes’s came from your mouth, one of your hands moving to the top of his head and pulling at any strands of his hair you could grasp. Your words of encouragement led him to add a second finger and you could have sworn you began to see stars. His fingers were reaching that sweet spot inside you, combined with his tongue swirling around your clit you were so fucking close to your climax and he knew it. 

His tongue began to circle your clit faster and his fingers quickened their pace, as he briefly pulled away for a moment.

“That’s it baby, you’re gonna cum so hard around my fingers for me. I want my wife to know how beautiful she is when she cums.” His tongue returned to work, and almost instantly the wave of relief came over you. Your eyes squeezed shut as your orgasm reached a head, his fingers continuing to move inside of you and tongue eating whatever it could to ride you through your high. It came in waves, and he took each one as it came, riding them gently, drawing out every bit of pleasure from you that he could. 

When you finally caught your breath and looked down at him, his head was resting on your thigh with star eyes looking up at you. 

“You think you can do that again baby? I’m not done with you yet.”

“Don’t we need to go? Wasn’t I supposed to be showing you?” 

“I promise you, we have plenty of time. Focus on me. Do you think you can do that again baby?” You began nodding before he even finished asking. Quickly, he grabbed a condom from his bedside table and rolled it on before kissing his way back up your body to your lips. 

“Focus on me. Love me.” He said, with such conviction it sounded like a command. Without waiting for a response, he lifted both of your legs so that they were resting on his shoulders. As he let out the most attractive moan you’d ever heard, Jeremy brushed the tip of his cock along your folds before pushing into you with one forceful thrust. He paused for a second, giving you time to adjust. A gasp escaped your lips even though you had felt him before. This time the angle was different and he was hitting that same sweet spot that his fingers just did. 

Your nails dug dragged lines down his chest as he began to move, holding your legs against him for leverage. His hips picked up speed knowing that you could take it so well. You felt every inch of him as he angled himself slightly different each time and in a surprise he brought one hand down from your leg and began rubbing your clit once again. The combined sensation was enough to get you teetering on the edge a second time and it was written all over your face.

“That’s it baby, I can feel you…” He encouraged you, and you could hear the pleasure in his voice. He picked up speed a little more just then, chasing his high. Bringing both your hands up to each side of his face, you held your entire world in your hands then. All you could feel at that moment was him. With the hand that was not working your clit, he grabbed one of yours so that he could lace your fingers through his. He knew you weren’t ready to say it yet, but he could feel it and that was all that mattered. 

You could tell he was close too by how his thrusts were increasingly erratic. The sound of both of your moans grew louder and the slapping of skin against skin was filling the room. You could feel the tension building in both of your bodies as his eyes locked in on yours. Giving up and wanting the release and wanting you as quickly as possible, Jeremy dropped your legs from his shoulders and leaned down to press your mouth to his once more. The hunger was there as you wrapped your arms around him to let him know something, anything, just that you were there and wanted to communicate everything you couldn’t say. 

“Yes yes I’m right there YES!” You screamed into his ear and he loved it. His arms wrapped tightly around your shoulders and he let loose as your orgasm washed over you for a second time that morning. Just as he did the first time, he continued thrusting through your waves, and you knew he was close too.

“FUCK!” He cried with a final hard thrust, finishing inside the condom. He rested his forehead against yours as you caught your breath together. Placing gentle forehead kisses until your breathing steadied, he kissed your lips before he got up to dispose of the condom. Looking at the clock, he knew you still had plenty of time to get to the tarmac for the Bruins plane. He laid down next to you, waiting for you to speak. 

Jeremy stretched out beside you, the bed dipping slightly under his weight. Without hesitation, his arm looped around your waist, pulling you flush against him. He pressed a lingering kiss to your temple, the warmth of it making you melt further into him.

“You okay?” he asked softly, his voice low and soothing. His fingers traced lazy, feather-light patterns along your hip, grounding you in the moment.

You turned your head to meet his gaze, your lips curving into a smile. “Yeah,” you said, voice warm but steady. “Better than okay.”

As his eyes lingered on yours, a faint smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth. “You realize the guys are definitely going to see the marks you left, right?” His tone was teasing, but the glint in his eye showed he didn’t mind one bit.

Your cheeks flushed, a mix of pride and embarrassment washing over you. “You’re welcome,” you said with a playful shrug, trying to brush it off.

“Oh thank you love,,” he added, his grin widening. “I’ll get chirped for weeks.”

“Honey you play with Brad Marchand, you’ll survive,” you shot back, raising an eyebrow. “Besides, you’re the one who said you liked it.”

He laughed, the sound vibrating through your body as he pulled you even closer. “Fair point.”

The tenderness in his words and actions made your chest tighten in the best way. You reached up, your fingers brushing against the stubble on his jaw. “You’re kind of impossible, you know that?”

“Yeah,” he said with a smirk, “but you’re still married to me anyway.”

“Unfortunately,” you quipped, rolling your eyes with mock exasperation.

He laughed, his head falling back against the pillow. “Keep telling yourself that.”

For a few minutes, the two of you stayed tangled together in the quiet comfort of the room. His fingers never stopped their gentle path along your back, and you found yourself wishing you didn’t have anywhere else to be. But the clock on the nightstand had other ideas.

Jeremy let out a small sigh as he glanced at the time. “We should probably get moving,” he said reluctantly, his voice tinged with regret.

You groaned, burying your face in his chest. “Five more minutes?”

He pressed a kiss to the top of your head. “I wish, but we’ve got a plane to catch.”

As he got up, you noticed him moving toward your bag, already packed neatly and waiting by the door. “Did you—?”

“Pack for you?” Jeremy interrupted, flashing you a smug grin. “Yeah, I know how you are when you’re rushed. Figured I’d save you some stress.”

You stared at him, incredulous and touched all at once. “You really thought of everything, didn’t you?”

“Of course, goalies should always be one step ahead,” he said casually, shrugging like it was no big deal. “Just let me help, please let me help. And I wanted you to relax.”

“Relax,” you repeated, laughing softly. “You’re unreal, you know that?”

“Yeah, yeah,” he teased, tossing you a hoodie from the chair. “Now come on, superstar. Time to get moving.”

The drive to the airport was filled with an easy warmth. The city blurred past the windows as Jeremy navigated the familiar streets, one hand on the wheel and the other resting on your knee. He gave it a light squeeze every now and then, his touch grounding in its simplicity.

When you arrived at the tarmac, it became immediately clear you were running late. The rest of the team was already on the plane, and the staff at the stairs gave you a look that was equal parts patient and amused as you hurried out of the car.

“Think anyone noticed?” you asked, grabbing your bag as Jeremy threw his duffel over his shoulder.

Jeremy smirked. “Oh, they noticed.”

As the two of you boarded the plane, the familiar buzz of conversation was punctuated by a loud chorus of teasing.

“There they are!” Marchand hollered, leaning into the aisle with a grin that could only be described as mischievous. “Guess we know why you’re late, Swayman!”

“Gotta respect the hustle,” McAvoy added, smirking. You looked over at him, noticing the fact that his tie wasn’t tight, two buttons were undone, and his hair wasn’t brushed. Gosh dangit way to let them know what we did. 

“Y/N, you’re a terrible influence,” Geekie teased, shaking his head in mock disapproval. “You’ve turned our Swayman into a softie.”

You tried to hide your face behind your bag, laughing despite yourself, while Jeremy stayed calm as ever, his confidence unfazed. “Jealousy doesn’t look good on you guys,” he shot back, dropping into his seat and tugging you down beside him.

As the teasing died down, one of the members of your media team poked their head around the corner. You knew exactly what they were going to say, given how late you were. Jeremy had missed the walk up photos to the plane, and his shirt was unbuttoned a few. Hockey players have a strict dress code to follow when boarding planes, and they had definitely noticed his slightly disheveled appearance. Whoops.

 “Hey, Swayman,” they called, “you missed your walk-up photos. You’re gonna have to redo them.”

Jeremy groaned, leaning his head back against the seat. “Of course,” he muttered, though the corners of his mouth twitched in amusement. He got up begrudgingly, walking back down the aisle of the plane having the rest of the team watch him to go do his walk up photos alone. When he came back the hoots and hollers started again, and you weren’t able to hide your laughter from him before he sat back down.

“You can’t be mad,” you whispered, grinning. “You kinda brought this on yourself.”

Jeremy looked at you, shaking his head with a mock exasperation that melted into a soft smile. “Oh I did, did I? You’re lucky I love you,” he said under his breath, low enough for only you to hear.

Your heart skipped a beat, and you leaned into him as the plane began to taxi down the runway. The teasing, the delayed photos, the chaos—it was all worth it. Because for the first time in a long time, you felt like you were exactly where you were supposed to be.

Swaymas Masterlist Masterpost

[bluejaysandblackbats]

You're Just Like Quicksand

Fandom: DC Comics, Batfam, Batman Beyond

Summary: Jason Todd is ready to go into semi-retirement after fifteen years working with troubled youth, but one case in particular forces him to confront the sins of his youth and painful memories from his past.

Chapters: 3/?

Characters: Jason Todd, Terry McGinnis, Warren McGinnis, Mary McGinnis, Matt McGinnis, Bruce Wayne, Original Character(s)

Relationship(s): TBA

Additional Tags: Protective Jason Todd, Good Sibling Jason Todd, Retired Jason Todd, Multiple POV, Hurt/Comfort, Parent-Child Relationships, Canon Divergent AU, Angst, Mourning Jason Todd

Chapter Three: The Thunderclap (Jason Todd's POV)

I woke up looking for them again. It still happens sometimes. I get out of bed, checking the bedrooms before realizing that they are never coming home. That night was particularly terrible. I made myself a cup of tea and stared at the ghosts on my wall. Photographs of times long past. I could almost hear them laughing sometimes.

I looked at the clock in the hallway and tried to catch my breath. My alarm would go off any minute, so I showered to settle my nerves. Cold water. Always cold water in the morning. I washed my hair, slowly turning the water up to lukewarm, and scrubbed my skin once more, crying as I ran the towelette over a tattoo I got for them. I felt ill, as I always did when I thought of them. Sometimes I felt so sick I thought I'd die, but I pushed through because it was better than stopping. It was better than feeling.

I dressed in an embroidered green silk shirt and black pants. Then, I tossed on a thick cotton jacket. It wouldn't be chilly outside, but I ran cold enough to need it. I shifted my focus to better thoughts. Hopeful thoughts. I don't think I could've retired even if I wanted to. The case files kept me going. Their faces in the dossiers. Their stories. I slipped on my loafers and spritzed cologne in the air. It wasn't until I put on my seatbelt that I broke down. I leaned over the steering wheel, sobbing as if just moments ago I'd found out...

I only felt grief that instant because I had work to do. I collected myself and drove to the juvenile detention center. Warren went in to identify himself in the pickup area, and I waited quietly with Mary. "You didn't have to wake up so early—."

"I was up anyway... Besides, I think it's vital that he's surrounded by people who care about him. Most parents perceive this as the end and feel it's their time to let out a sigh of relief, but this is the most painful transition Terry will ever make in his life," I explained. Mary looked up into my eyes, and I took a breath. It was so early that the sun hadn't risen yet. We stood in the cold and the dark, waiting to hear Terry's voice.

"Terry tells me you're schway," Mary whispered. I chuckled. "He never stops talking about you."

"Schway," I smiled as I shook my head, "Kids are funny, aren't they? They go through rough patches, and we wonder if they'll ever get through it, and they surprise us every time... Terry's gonna surprise us all. I've got a good feeling about him... And not just 'cause he called me schway."

Mary smiled. "I hope so... He was such a sweet boy growing up. You should've seen him then, but he's always prided himself on his honesty. I don't think he's ever lied to me. Not once. Even when he was running with that gang, he never lied. He'd tell me not to ask. Terry's never been a liar," Mary whispered.

"I can tell... You and Warren raised two great kids. How's Matt?" I questioned. Mary grinned.

"He's doing fine. Matt told me to ask if you could come with Terry to see his play," Mary recalled.

"Sure. What's the play?" I grinned.

"Chicken Little. He's Foxy Loxy," Mary replied. We glanced at each other and started laughing. "I can always make something up—."

"No way. I love the theater. Even if it's in the elementary school auditorium," I joked. Then it happened. Time froze for her.

Warren walked beside Terry out of the main entrance. Mary stood on the tips of her toes, and I leaned over to whisper, "Go ahead. I'm sure he needs it."

Mary ran to him and nearly swept him off his feet. He staggered back into Warren, who kept Terry upright until he embraced Mary in return. "Mom," Terry mumbled as he hid his face in her shoulder. Warren took his glasses off and wiped away his tears.

Warren placed a comforting hand atop Terry's head. Terry turned to his father and embraced him. Warren's shoulders relaxed, and he wrapped his arms around his son. I tried to stay present in their moment, but I felt a chill, and my stomach lurched. I swallowed hard, shutting my eyes to push the feeling down, but it persisted until I felt a pair of arms wrap around me. I looked down and met eyes with Terry. I smiled and hugged back. "Thanks for coming, Jason," Terry replied.

"You must be starving. Tell your parents that breakfast is on me," I whispered as I nudged him. He nodded and returned to his parents. They looked at me, and I nodded insistently. They got in their cars, and Terry got in with Warren. I'd parked beside Warren and told them where we'd get breakfast.

I waited for him to tell Mary, and I led the way. Terry had French toast, eggs, and bacon. Mary and Warren had pancakes and bacon. I had an omelet and pancakes. It made me feel like a kid again. I loved breakfast time. It made me think of Bruce, half-asleep, tolerating the morning's light to humor me until school. I remembered the smell of his coffee. Nutty, heavily roasted, black.

I thought of Alfred's gentle reminders to Bruce to mind his manners. When I looked up, Mary and Warren asked if I'd stay with Terry while they spoke outside. I nodded. "You've been smiling this whole time," Terry noted, "I thought you were gonna be sick when I saw you earlier. What's up?"

"I've been stuck in my memories today. Everything reminds me of the past today," I confessed. Terry squinted at me, and I nodded. "I'll tell you about it some other time."

"Promise?" Terry asked. I chuckled. "I'm not joking." Terry smiled as he sipped his orange juice. The kid was persistent. I'll give him that.

"One story for every meetup... How about that?" I asked. Terry nodded.

"You've got a deal, Jason," Terry replied, "My dad doesn't get off work until five most days, so can I do my homework at your office?"

"We can discuss that with your parents... If they say it's alright, I'll keep the office open as long as you need," I answered. I didn't mind the company. It beat spending time alone going over case files, hoping that I wouldn't be bombarded with images of the past. Sometimes they laughed. Sometimes I heard them call out to me. All those sweet little helpless voices. Glass shattering as their innocence was torn away forever. Terry tapped the table. "Terry, do you like sports?"

"Mhm... Jason, can I ask you a personal question?" Terry requested. I nodded. "You said you're in your fifties... When'd you start doing this?"

"Twenty years ago," I answered. I didn't think I was impressive by any means. I was intentionally bland. But Terry was genuinely interested. "Cage fighting wasn't gonna cut it for career day at the kids' school."

Terry laughed, and when he saw my face, he grinned his little half-smile. "You're not kiddin'?" Terry asked.

"Jason 'The Thunderclap' Todd," I replied, "You should look up my matches. I was pretty good in my heyday."

"Do you miss it?" Terry asked.

"Nope... Medical bills were insane," I half-joked. Terry smiled at me.

“Why’d they call you The Thunderclap?” Terry questioned, raising his eyebrows.

“You’ll have to watch my matches to find out, Terry,” I chuckled.

[mrpuppeteer]

Chapter 5 - Don't Breathe.

CHAPTER 5 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ -CREDITS- Story/Writer: BigBox678 Editor: Yin-Yang ------------------------------------------------------------------------------

As soon as we heard the noises outside the door, we all knew something was trying to get in. We all moved to a blind spot far from the door. I noticed the rope that led back into the duct, and I looked at Emily and Theo, they both had the same idea as me. But as soon as I started moving, a giant monster burst into the room. I dashed back to the spot, and I peeked over a table to see what it was. But when I saw it, I wished I hadn’t. It was a huge, horrid beast standing on all fours. It had fluff like Doc, but its eyes were bulging red. Patches of its fur were ripped off, revealing bloody muscle. And it smelled HORRIBLY!!! And then, when I took a closer look at its bloody spots, I saw why. It was rotting, eggs with slimy maggots on the inside of it. Maggots! Burrowing into the beast! I wanted to vomit, but I held myself together to not alert it. 

We all knew we had to get out of the security room as soon as possible. So, we quietly and slowly made our way back to the rope. We inched closer to our freedom, and it seemed like we were going to get out. But as soon as we were right next to the rope, Doc came on the walkie-talkie from his radio. 

He whispered, "Hello?".The beast heard this, sparking it into a violent rage. It lunged at us, but we all quickly got out of the way. When we got back on our feet, however, we noticed something... The rope was gone! It had been ripped off by the beast when it lunged. Crap! Now what?! I looked around and noticed the opened door the beast entered the room through. Of course! We just needed to sneak out, and we are home free! But when I looked back at Emily and Theo, I noticed that Theo had been clawed by the beast and now had 3 big gashes across their torso. Oh no… The beast looked at Theo, ready to finish the job. But then, with all her might, 

Emily screamed “NO!” and leaped onto the beast’s back, pulling and tugging on its fur, making it run wildly around the room. However, Emily held on, not daring to loosen her grip. She wasn’t going to let one of her friends die. While Emily was wrestling with the beast, I went over to Theo. They were in immense pain, clutching onto my shirt with tears of pain in their eyes. I grabbed a piece of cloth off of a nearby shelf and wrapped it around Theo’s torso. The beast finally shook off Emily and sent her slamming into a wall. 

Emily then looked at me and yelled, “RUN! TAKE THEO!”. I then hoisted Theo onto my back and ran out of the room, with Emily running out shortly after. The Beast then let out an earth-shaking roar, beginning its chase. I followed the signs leading back to the theater. 

Emily realized what I was doing and called out once more. “DON’T GO THERE! GO TO A SPOT TO HIDE!” I didn’t know why I couldn’t go back to the theater, but I followed Emily’s instructions anyway. I took a sharp right, running as fast as I could. I didn’t know when I was going to stop, but I wanted to get as far away as possible. A few minutes later I found a closet to hide in, I ran into the closet and slammed the door shut. I was pretty sure I had lost the beast, which I did. I had just assumed it was chasing Emily, but I wasn’t worried because I knew she’d be okay. I set Theo down, they looked very tired, as to be expected, but they were holding on.

 “Are you good for now?” I asked, they nodded. 

“We need to stay here for a bit, you okay with that?” They nodded once more. I let out a sigh of relief. I looked around the closet and spotted a med-kit. I took it off the shelf and opened it, then I started to treat Theo with actual medical supplies instead of dirty cloth. After I was done, Theo sighed and started to relax. Theo then drifted off to sleep. It didn’t take long for me to meet the same fate.

I woke up to pitch black darkness. It was so dark that I couldn’t even see my own hand in front of me. 

“Hello?” I yelled out into the darkness. I heard nothing but the echo responding back to me. I took a step forward, but my foot didn’t land, that was because there was nothing in front of me.  So I started to fall. I tried to scream, but I couldn’t hear myself over the sound of the intense wind. Then before I knew it, I woke up. In the closet this time. 

“Oh… just a bad dream…” I whispered to myself. I looked over to Theo. They were still asleep. It felt like hours had passed, so I decided it was time to go. I nudged Theo awake and told them it was time to go. They picked themselves up and they managed to stand. I opened the door just a smidge and peeked outside… It was safe. Me and Theo slowly walked out and looked around. I then looked up at the direction signs, and we started to follow the way back to the Theater. It was very quiet, to the point where my breathing sounded like a huge gust of wind every exhale. Theo then tapped me on the shoulder, pointed to my walkie-talkie. 

“Oh right!” I responded. I then turned the walkie-talkie on and said “Hello?! Doc?! Emily?! Are any of you there?!” … No response, try again. “Hello?” I said with concern. … Radio silence… 

Crap.

 I looked at Theo. They nodded. We both then started to head back to the theater. After a long jog, we finally made our way back to the theater. I pushed the door open to the stage and saw… nobody. I started to worry even more, so I started to look around. I went into the weapons room, nobody. The only other room was the medical room. Me and Theo made our way into it. Once we entered, we saw Doc on a chair.

 “Oh my god!” Doc exclaimed “I thought you two were dead!” Doc got up from the chair and embraced Me and Theo. 

“Woah, woah.. We’re glad to see you too but… where’s Emily?” I asked Doc. 

“Well.. She was just here… she looked pretty bruised though… She just stopped by and then went out again to look for you two,” Doc replied. 

“I hope she’s okay… What am I saying.. I know she’s fine.. This is Emily we’re talking about” I answered back. 

Doc then said, with tears in his eyes, “I…I’m so sorry.. I thought I had gotten you two KILLED! I heard the roar on the radio a-and… It was too much… so I shut off the radio.. Thinking you three had perished… It was too much..!” Doc then bursted into tears, and hugged Me and Theo again. 

Doc then looked at Theo and said “T-Theo! You’re hurt!! But.. who applied these…” Theo then pointed at me. “Y-..You patched up Theo?” Doc questioned with his hands on my shoulders. I nodded. Doc beamed widely, whispering, “You are the best puppet we could’ve found to join us…” Doc hugged me and Theo for a third time. This… is where I’m meant to be… TO BE CONTINUED IN CHAPTER 6

[story-of-nix]

Chapter 2 - Insanity?

As I returned my dog home, a lingering question buzzed in my mind, echoing as if spoken in a deep cave. The drive to school was quiet without music, but I felt uneasy, like sitting in a viper's nest. At school, I lay back and put my hands on my forehead, checking to see if I was running a fever.

"That wasn't real," I repeated to myself. "It couldn't be real."

The day is a blur once more, my mind wandering every which way except in the direction of the class.

A vibration from my jacket pocket startled me, and I quickly reached for my phone. Nikola wondered where I was and told me she was waiting at our usual meeting spot. After a quick self-check in the mirror, I rushed to her car, anxious that my girlfriend might notice my odd behavior. Finally seated in a comforting place, I took my place in the passenger seat and greeted her good morning with a kiss. We discussed our plans for the day, but I found myself replying automatically, my mind still swirling with unanswered questions. Suddenly, a thought rushed through my head.

"What is today?" I ask, confused yet slightly terrified of the answer.

"Thursday, why?" Nikola asks, equally confused.

My veins turn to ice, and my head thumps with blood.

"I thought today was Friday," I ask while rubbing my head. I feel like I have a fever. Can you check, please?"

"Of course, darling, come here," She states as I lean forward to get checked.

She places her hand on my forehead, looking worriedly at me.

"You don't feel any hotter; what else is wrong?"

"I had a hallucination when I woke up, and I can feel a headache coming on," I say, still rubbing my temples.

"Hallucinations? Do you need to go to the hospital?" She says, even more worried.

"I don't think so," I say, looking at her worried expression. "But it wouldn't hurt, just to make sure I'm not insane or dying," I joke, trying to lighten the mood.

Nikola started the car without wasting much more time and went to my preferred hospital. By the time we made it to the parking structure, my head was overflowing with thoughts that were beginning not to feel like mine anymore. Making our way inside, we checked into Urgent CA and sat in the waiting room.

"How are you now?" Nikola asked with a hand clasped around my own.

"My head is spinning with thoughts," I grunt, rubbing my eyes.

"Do you want to talk about what you think you saw?"

"I was." I stop to look for my flask of water. "Nexton, I think," taking a long swig from the metal canister. "Like, I could feel the metal and groves." Tracing my forearms and torso. "It was so real, unnatural but casual? No, that's not the right word; it's not unusual. It felt like it was me, and I was it." I was looking at my free hand with interest. I imagine my veins as the etchings of light in onyx metal. Blood and flesh turn into fantastically made-up material. Skin turning into jet black metal that protected and surrounded me. Recalling the image comes so quickly and clearly, as if I am recalling my own body. Suddenly, my skin darkens, and my veins glow. A shock of terror fills my core as I shove my hand back into my shelve, hoping it will go away.

Shocked by my sudden movement, Nikola yelps, "What's wrong?" Looking at me up and down.

I hunch and position my hand directly under my face, inching it out to see if it's still blackened and etched. With a nail poking out, my fears are set aside as lightly tanned flesh peeks from the sleeve. I sigh a breath of relief, then turn to Nikola.

"I'm hallucinating; you didn't see that, did you?" I say while presenting my hand.

Looking intently at the hand, she shakes her head. "I didn't see anything, and I'm glad we came to Urgent Care."

"Xylan?" I hear from the desk.

"That's me, wait for me here?"

"Of course," Nikola whispers, still worried.

I kiss her cheek, reassuring her that I'll be okay. I step into the office space and instantly feel pressure surround me, as if each of these harmless nurses and doctors is going to pounce on me at any given time. Taking my place in an examination room, the nurse reminds me that the doctor will be with me shortly. Wiping my palms of sweat, I twiddle my thumbs and focus on their movement. My mind quiets momentarily as the focus sharpens, calm washing over me. The image of my flesh turning otherworldly seared to the back of my eyes. Suddenly, I see a shimmer in the corner of my vision, a picture of the room I sit in displaced by my own vision. My blood runs cold once more before I am startled back to reality by a knock on the door. My doctor enters; her gaze is tempered and steady, examining me before she even asks questions.

"Good morning, Mr. Zuniga. I am Dr. Penske, and I will be your doctor for this examination," she says while sitting at the computer to log in.

The minutes following include me speaking of my auditory and physical hallucinations while she checks my eyes, temperature, and heart. She requested I produce urine and blood samples to test for anything in my systems. I hate needles, but it will be worth it to make sure of my current condition.

Sometime later, Dr. Penske returns.

"You tested negative for anything that would cause hallucinations in your blood or your urine." Flipping to another page, "The next thing I would recommend is an MRI and EEG to scan for any abnormalities in your brain, so I will schedule you for next week. I'm also going to be prescribing aripiprazole to help with any further episodes in the meantime." She says, writing all of this down on her computer. "Did you have any other questions, Mr. Zuniga?"

I hesitate before making eye contact with her. "No, not yet. What happens if they keep happening?"

"Have someone drive you to the nearest Emergency room or even back to this hospital if possible," she states bluntly before tearing a piece of paper and giving it to me. The pharmacy is left down the hall on the right."

I thank her before picking up my things and returning to the waiting room, where Nikola is anxiously tapping her leg. She sits up and strides up to me.

"What happened?" She asked with intent

"Tests, needles, and an appointment for a head scan next week," I state, trying to ease her worried expression. "Oh, and she gave me a thing for meds; I need to pick them up tomorrow."

Nodding back with pursed lips, we make our way out after picking up my medication. Looking at the instructions and pills themselves. A part of me doesn't want the pills to work for my hallucinations to be reality. Another doesn't like the flak from the world for being different. Steadying my hand, I pop a pill and reach for my flask, disappointed that I forgot to refill it. Returning to the car, the echoes within my head dull to a thud, and my heart rate slows back to normal. Our day was used up for this emergency, but the idea that I went was enough to calm Nikola's worry. On our way back, my eyes feel heavy enough to pass as lead.

"Rest, lay down, and sleep if you need to; I'll get you to your car safe," Nikola says with a welcomed confidence.

[beautifullydisasterouskae]

Colorado Bound

Kae: The days leading up to the trip had flown by. We’d spent the rest of the gift exchange night sipping the vintage blood wine I’d forgotten in my car before when we’d unwrapped the presents and talked of all the things we needed to pack to stay nice and toasty in Colorado.

I’d ventured home late, deciding to drop Nate a call when I woke up in the morning. The call was brief, one of the members of his staff informing me he was away for the night. Figures. I left a message for my old friend about my visit to the mountain and I hope we could have dinner, remaining vague on the reason of my visit. Inside I had high hopes for the trip back home, but worried deep down that Nathaniel wouldn’t be able to assist us in retrieving Havyn’s memory.

I shrug off the doubts mounting, thinking if anything we’d at least have a nice and interesting visit. I made my next call to Ashley, one of the subs at Club Trisk I’d befriended here in Los Angeles, and ask if she’d be a dear and watch over my place while I was away. I had a moment of debate wondering if I should leave Luna, but one look into her crystalline greens and I knew I couldn’t leave my baby girl here alone. Ashley agreed, thankfully and after thanking her we made plans to meet up before I left for the airport.

Getting to fast work with packing, I shove a few articles of clothing into my luggage knowing I still had my winter wear stored away at my warehouse so I wouldn’t need much. Luna had a bit of a hissy fit when she’d caught sight of her travel case. She was so finicky with traveling since our last misadventure flying from Spain to Colorado.  

I’d gotten the packing done with little work before my phone began ringing. Havyn was worrying and wanting to know about our cats. I heel my forehead for forgetting to mention Luna coming along and I’d assured her that they’d be fine with traveling along with us. I just hoped Spaz wouldn’t be as troublesome with the traveling as his feline buddy.

Our take off was scheduled for the A.M., the taxi would arrive after nine, and my time off requests from the Club approved. Mentally going over my travel checklist I had to breathe out a sigh of relief that I was all ready. 

Havyn: After Kaela had told me about all the things I would need to pack for Colorado, I had decided to go shopping for some warmer clothing.  I had picked out a myriad of sweaters, warm socks, jeans and some boots. I had also found a heavy, camel wool coat  that had looked comfortable. Some socks, scarves and hats later, I had been ready to check out. I had almost left the department store before I realized that I didn’t even have a suitcase. Back in I had gone and purchased myself some luggage; one larger one and one for a carry-on. After lugging it all back home, I had entered the store to a needy cat meowing at me. Spaz. What were Kaela and I doing with our cats? The thought of leaving Spaz behind without me churns my stomach. I had reached for the phone and dialed Kaela’s number. She’d mentioned then that we could bring the cats with us. I had to pack, which was an adventure all on its own. There were compartments for toiletries which I had utilized. Next was stuffing everything in, and somehow I was able to make it all fit. Of course, that was after sitting on top of it in order to zip it up. I had left out a few things to put in my carry-on. My beautiful purple scarf that Kaela had given me, a warm long sweater for when we get there and a few other items. Spaz warily eyes his carry case, remembering all his trips to the vet; which weren’t always the best experience for him. But, at one look at me, he reluctantly padded into his carrier, but not after giving me a little feline glare. Now, I was starting to get anxious about the plane ride to Colorado. I have never flown before, but Kaela reassured me that it would be okay and that it would be fun. I wring my hands, waiting for her and the taxi to come pick me up to go to the airport. I see the yellow car move up in front of the bookstore and with a deep breath, I grab my suitcase and carry-on to go to the door. Only to backtrack to grab Spaz before leaving and getting in the taxi.  

Kae:  Waking up had been a task. The alarm was close to being thrown out the window as it blared into my eardrum. Luna was padding around the edges of my bed anxiously as I poured out her breakfast, and filled her water in the travel case. She’d been a priss as she flicked her fluffy white tail at the front grate while I engaged the locking mechanism. I’d finished my shower and dressing quickly, snatching up an apple to stave off the hunger pains right as the taxi starts sounding his horn. I’d jogged down the steps with a few bags in hand, handing them off to the portly driver before rushing back up to careful cart Luna down and slide her into the back of the yellow checkered van. She was seatbelted in snuggly as I give the driver our next stop. We arrive in no time and I slide over to make room for my friend. My yawn is cut off, lips turning up into a warm, excited smile seeing both her and Spaz. We must have both looked more than slightly ridiculous all bundled up for the cooler weather. I pull at the door latch, the side door sliding along the track as she slides Spaz’s case inside, securing it beside Luna. 

Morning, Darlin’! How are you feeling?

I watch as she buckles up, the driver taking off toward the Denver International Airport. I pat over my pockets making sure I hadn’t forgotten our flight tickets.  

Havyn: Blowing a strand of hair that escaped my ponytail out of my face, I slide into the air conditioned taxi. It was a warm day and he was looking a bit strangely at me in my green sweater, blue denim jeans and warm boots. I give him a small smile before turning my attention to Kaela. 

Morning Kaela! I’m good, just a bit anxious. Hope you are doing well. 

I take a deep breath, knowing that there is no reason I should be nervous. People fly all the time. I think one time I heard that you are more likely to be struck by lightning while being attacked by a polar bear in Brazil then to be in a plane crash. I hear a little meow to my side and see Spaz peering out of his cat carrier; he most likely smells Luna next to him. The taxi takes off and I look out the window at the passing scenery. The palm trees, people walking down the street in shorts and t-shirts. It is a bright, sunny day and I slide my sunglasses down from the top of my head to cover my eyes. I look over at Kaela again.  

How long will the plane trip last?

Kae: I smile wider hearing Luna and Spaz scratching at the inside of their carriers, turning back to Havyn feeling mellow as we approached the terminal and resting a hand over hers sensing her apprehension over the trip. I’d been trying to ease her fears, not thinking beforehand to ask if she’s ever traveled by air before. I had a few pills of dramamine in my pocket just in case she had any motion sickness while we were in the air.  

I’m grand, Havyn. Don’t worry, Darlin’, it’ll be fine. I promise. 

I straighten in my seat as the taxi driver pulls up curbside and awaits him as he begins unloading our luggage.  

It’s not a long flight. Only a little over a couple of hours till we touch ground again. 

I laugh lightly trying to lighten your mood as we slide free from the back of the van along with our fur babies at our sides. We start lining up for the luggage check in and security scans, slowly making our progress toward our gate. My own nerves would most likely hit as soon as we were flying above the Mile-high city. 

Havyn: The sound of the cats yearning for each other's company distracts me for a moment and a small laugh bubbles out. It subsides and I’m sitting there silent before taking a deep breath. You can do this Havyn. You can do this. I start to fidget, pulling at the sweater that I’m wearing, before mentally slapping myself. I let my hand float back down to my lap and let my gaze wander to the window again. We are at the airport soon enough and I watch as our luggage is being brought out of the taxi. A couple of hours. I can do that. I try to shove down the hysteria that is trying to take over me. Stop it Havyn. You need to stop being afraid. I steel myself and straighten my spine. 

A couple of hours isn’t bad. I can’t wait to see how beautiful it is over there.

Kaela’s laugh has me smiling and I grab a hold of my suitcase and carry-on in one hand; Spaz’s carrier in the other and wheel it inside the airport. I waited with my friend to check in my luggage and to go through something called a security check. This is all so foreign to me, but I’m starting to feel excited with every step closer to Colorado. Kaela hands the tickets over to someone and we go down a little tunnel to a lit area with rows of seats. She points out where we are to sit. One next to a window and one in the middle. 

Which one is yours?

Kae: The security check was over easily enough, the airport surprisingly not as packed in this area as we start boarding our flight. The plane slowly fills up, our feet shuttling down the aisle as the attendant takes the carriers to store away safely. Luna looks a little scared. Spaz’s some whining meow matching hers. I wiggle my fingers toward her whispering low.  

It won’t be too long, Sweethearts. 

I take a small inhale and hold it before turning away to lead Havyn toward our row.  

We’re in B3 and B4. 

I quietly read off the numbers above the seats as we come to ours and help Havyn store her carry on before we settle in and buckle up, preparing for take off. 

Havyn: My stomach bubbles with excitement as I watch out the window to see the plane begin to travel down the runway, gaining speed with every moment. I touch my hand to the clear plastic, looking over at Kaela and giving her a giddy grin. My stomach lurches for a moment as the plane begins to lift into the air but the sight of the ground growing smaller and smaller is fascinating. I think of the cats, hoping that they are having a good experience with this flight and not scared. I hate to think of Luna and Spaz in distress. My concerns flee as I focus again at looking out the window. The trees are so tiny now and so are the buildings; it’s like seeing a little city model. I smile to myself. Flying isn’t so bad after all.  

Kae: I smiled over at my friend, so fascinated with the ascension into the cloudy morning, the wheels leaving the tarmac with little resistance as we climbed higher in altitude. I lose my stomach, the force of the plane rising making it drop. The city and mountains grew into small specs as we flew toward Denver. I was glad Havyn had decided to join, and even more happier she wasn’t as tense as I first expected. I settled the back of my head into the headrest, closing my eyelids for a short nap before we landed. With any luck we wouldn’t hit any turbulence and our flight and landing would be over smoothly before we knew it.  

[hanginoutwithgrief]

A Letter to Grief

Do you remember the day we met? You were a bank of grey clouds, rolling forward, swallowing everything in your path. I was running home, running from you, and I felt the pressure of you at my back. You pushed against me, so hard that all of me broke into a million tiny jagged pieces. Your clouds swirled and danced around the pieces of me, caught the biggest one, and embedded me into the center. You wrapped me up in a rainbow and I held it to my eyes until I cried myself to sleep and woke up lost inside your clouds, far away from where I was Before. I tried to find my way back, but you just stood there, swirling around me, and there was no way out. I think you knew I needed you.

Do you remember April? You were a hurricane, wild and frantic and so heavy. We were at a long marble table speckled with birthday balloons and a flock of people coming and going around our thick blanket of black clouds. I smiled and you screamed, I laughed and your raging wind stung my eyes and made me cry. It was too bright, you cried, too bright against our stormy backdrop and you said if I took you home, we could turn the lights off and if I lied on my side you’d tuck me into the sheets, you’d fold yourself over me and keep me safe and we could dream of Before for as long as we wanted. That day still sits on the crown of my head, and I don’t know if I’ll ever forgive you for it.

Do you remember July? You were a roaring wave, sometimes mighty and terrified and you’d push me down into wet gravely sand, but you always let me go and pulled me back up. Sometimes you broke before you hit the shore and you’d gently lap at my feet. We were free falling, free from the pressure of time and we ran down an endless path, invincible to the mysteries it held, just you and me in a watercolor sunset and we’d run for miles until we were lost in the jungle. We met a princess with golden locks and she drove us home with the top down and the wind in our hair and she came inside with us and danced with us in the kitchen. I asked her if she was afraid of you and she wrapped us both in a quilt and gave us a kiss on the forehead and one of her t-shirts before she flew away. I took you to the beach and I tossed you into the ocean and you drifted away with the other waves like you’d been there the whole time. We strolled through drifting storms and collected brightly colored drinks and someone painted me black and gold and green and we paraded through the streets wearing nothing but paint and confidence. You ask me if I'll plant you back there, amongst the other waves, and I tell you, yes, one day; just hold on a little longer.

Do you remember August? You were a dark storm, pouring rain with loud claps of thunder. It was hot and bright and we were on a boat and the music was pulling everyone in but you. I sat in the sun under your cloud, begging you to stop bleeding all over everything. Finally, I made you a bandage out of tequila and lime juice and I breathed you out in a sigh of relief, and for the first time in the After, I was light enough to dance on my bare feet. You brewed in the corner watching me, until the boat rocked you to sleep. The day ended, I gathered your sleeping form in my sunburnt arms and we walked under a velvety black summer sky. There was a joke made at my expense and I pretended to be insulted but I couldn’t help the laugh that escaped me, an arm went over my shoulder into a sweet hug, a playful touch on my abdomen and you swelled with contentment. You remind me of that day often. “Will I ever sleep like that again?” you ask me. I tell you I hope so.

Do you remember October? You were a steady downpour, fast, fat droplets, but we found a magic crystal, rosy pink with flecks of silver, and it smelled like sage and cardamom and when I held it, the rain would roll like velvet down my skin. You begged me for a cold cheap beer to drown you in but instead I strapped you to my wrist and I pulled you into my bubble on roller skates clutching my magic crystal so I wouldn't fall. I fell anyway, and I heard you laugh, a real laugh. I felt you let me go for the first time and you danced around me. You collected that day like a trophy.

Do you know where we are now? You're a grey whisp of a cloud, a glittering fog overhead. We're in a big bright bubble. The light doesn't hurt you anymore.

You have an opinion on everything. I can’t pick out a pair of socks without you telling me what you think. You seep into my joy and my fear. Roads that were once downhill slopes climb up steeply, where they were once empty and free of obstacles you've pushed large rotting trees into the path. But out of the rot, you still bloom flowers for me. You push the branches aside and you swim right under me. Your current formed and shaped me into a sturdy mountain.

You marvel at every detail. I appreciate your wonder. You study every bead of rain, every streak of light in the sky, every shape the moon makes. Because of you, the grass sings to me. The wind tells me its secrets. Sometimes I wonder if you came from heaven.

If I tell you something, will you promise not to tell anyone? I don’t want you to disappear. I don’t want to lose you. I want to run with you in the sun until you melt down into a silver puddle, and then I want to bottle you up and embed you right in the middle of me. I think you might need me now.

[happyimagines]

MacGyver: Mac/Reader

This wasn't requested, but I hope you like it!

My breathing grew more and more ragged as I ran after the others. Mac and Jac were ahead of me as we had placed EMPS to stop a shipment of weapons. Riley was in our ears feeding us directions to get out as safely as we could.

“Next left,” She told us through the comms.

The three of us followed her directions until we came to a door that had an electronic keypad. The building wasn’t as new as others so it took some extra time for her to crack the code. As we waited, I leadned against a wall to steady myself as black dots began swimming into vision. My knees gave out, but I caught myself, except Mac and Jack noticed. They turned to look at me.

“You were shot?” Mac rushed to my side and gently lifted my shirt that was now sticky with blood.

“Yep,” I gritted my teeth as he checked the wound.

“I think it went through, so that’s a good thing.” I tried to lighten the situation.

“Riley, we need the door open now! (Y/N) was shot!” Mac said, the concern in his voice was heavy. I cried out in pain as Mac put an arm around me, keeping me upright.

There was a click and Riley gave us more directions.

“We have exfil ready.” Mattie told us.

My knees gave out, and if Mac wasn’t holding me, I would’ve hit the ground and made myself a sitting duck.

“Almost there,” Mac told me.

“I’m trying,” I tried moving but everything felt like jelly and going blurry.

24 hours before.

I closed my car door and smiled as Mac and Bozer walked towards me.

“Good morning,” I greeted them.

“Hey (Y/N),” Boze walked past me with a smile leaving me with MacGyver.

“Hi,” I held out my hand to him and he smiled. He pilled out my wallet from his pocket it and placed it in my hand.

“I found it in the living room,” He told me. I sighed with relief.

“Thank you. I swear I was losing my mind until you texted me.” I glanced at the doors for Phoenix and saw Bozer through the doors. “What did Bozer say?”

“He actually found out a while ago.” Mac laughed. I covered my face feeling it growing hot with embarrassment. “It makes sense considering how long he and Leann were dating.”

“That probably means that Mattie knows.” My voice muffled behind my hands.

Mac took my hands and moved them from my face. There was a smile on his face and he leaned in and kissed me. I smiled and kissed him back, my troubles temporarily disappearing. Mac pulled away and groaned when he heard his phone go off.

“I think we need to go inside,” He breathed.

“We should,” I quickly kissed him once more before letting go of his hands and going in.

Our mission seemed simple enough. And it was because of that that told me it was going to be anything but. Someone had decided that they were going to double-cross the sellers and jack up the price per weapon. That mean more people with weapons were there for the buy. The aliases that we had created to get us into the buy-in held up for extra time until the double-cross happened. Then everything went to hell. By that time, the EMPs had been planted but we needed to get out before the building that ran on electricity wasn’t functioning.

I wasn’t sure as to what happened but I woke up every now and then. Each time I did, I saw MacGyver.

There was beeping, and there was chatter that sounded far away. I took a deep breath and opened my eyes to see a hospital room. And Mattie, sitting in a bed next to my chair. I looked past her and

“Hey, we were waiting for you to wake up,” Mattie explained nodding to Mac who was in another chair slumped over. I opened my mouth and coughed, waking Mac.

“Here,” Mattie put a straw near my mouth prompting me to take a sip. “Mac, how about you get cleaned up and let the others know (Y/N) is awake, I’ll stay with them. I think the nurses will want to go a check-up.” She told him.

I looked at him and gave him a slight nod to tell him I was okay. Or at least as okay as I could be.

Once the nurses had come and gone, I was left with Mattie. Everyone else had also gone home to get changed and freshen up.

“Mac wouldn’t leave your side.” Mattie had told me.

“You wouldn’t either,” I pointed out. Mattie gave me a look and I took another long sip of water from my glass.

“I have to admit, you guys managed to keep it hidden for a while.”

“Did you find out before or after Bozer?” I asked. She tilted her head. “Before then.”

“Well, I’m happy for you two. And you of all people should’ve told me (Y/N), how long have we known each other?”

“A while, since I was a kid. I’m sorry.” I leaned back against the pillow.

There was a knock on the door, and we both looked over to see MacGyver. I smiled at him, and Mattie patted my leg. She stood up and went to leave. As she did, she said something to Mac that I couldn’t hear. He nodded and she left, leaving us together.

“Hey,” I smiled at her.

“Hey, how’re you doing?” He made his way over to the bed.

“I’m okay, Mattie knew before Bozer, so I’m not sure how he’ll feel about that. She also told me that you wouldn’t leave my side.” My voice soft.

“I didn’t want to. They brought you to surgery right away once we got here.”

“You know what’ll make me feel better?” I asked smiling.

Mac smiled and cupped my face before kissing me. This is going to be fast recovery.