#sorry 2 post her Yet Again but it’s been a hellish day and i want to look at her lol

[lavampira]

botanist / fisher / miner / crafter

[dean-winchester-is-a-warrior]

The Dangers of Hope Ch. 10

Series Summary: When Y/N shows up at Camp Chitaqua with her little girl in tow, her bloodshot eyes leave no doubt that she's infected. Or is she? Everything Dean has come to know for certain over the last five hellish years, is about to be challenged.

Pairings/Characters in the series: Endverse!Dean x Reader, Emma (OFC), Castiel, Sam Winchester, Lucifer, Michael, Zachariah, Risa, Johnston (OMC), Patrick (OMC), Theresa (OFC), other survivors and soldiers.

Series Explicit 18 +/Warnings: Show level violence, some gore, angst, smut, fluff all the usual for a series of mine. ❤️ Endverse!Dean (that's a warning for his anger and callousness as well as his extreme hotness. 😁) Each chapter will have their own specific warnings.

Chapter Warnings: Angst, show level violence

Word Count: 7,447

A/N: So, I've had this idea for quite a while. Basically since I watched The Last of Us. I loved Pedro in the role of Joel, but I kept thinking how incredible Jensen would have been. Which then made me think of how amazing he was as Endverse!Dean which then led me to this idea. Lol! I've stolen the premise of Ellie's storyline from TLOU, but made her a grown up, a reader insert, and a love interest for Dean.

If you've never seen TLOU, don't worry - you don't need to have seen it to understand this story. 😊

I've taken some liberties with the Endverse in my story, changed a few things from canon, but kept lots of things too.

I sincerely hope you enjoy the story. It will be ten chapters and I will do my very best to post one chapter every weekend. ❤️

A/N 2: Sorry again that this chapter got postponed a day. But here is the conclusion of the series. (Except for the epilogue coming next Saturday - or maybe a little earlier. 😉) I've absolutely loved writing this series. Loved living in the Endverse for a while, so thank you so much to everyone who came along with me. And an extra, super-duper thank you to everyone who commented and reblogged their thoughts about the story as we went along. Kind words fuel authors. ❤️ And oh yeah, this chapter's a bit long. Sorry! 😊

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The dividers below were created by @saradika

Y/N didn’t want to look away, she wanted to keep her eyes on Dean. But the white light was absolutely blinding and she eventually had no choice but to turn away from it. The rush of white noise was almost deafening before becoming suddenly silent. 

There was only darkness behind her eyelids now so Y/N opened her eyes and stood up straight, looking at Dean where he still stood, halfway between her and Zachariah. His back was to her and she took a step towards him.

“Dean?” She questioned quietly.

He turned slightly so he could see her over his shoulder. He peered at her for a moment, almost scientifically, before he gave his head a brief shake.

“No.”

Y/N would never be able to explain it, but somehow it was Dean’s face, Dean's voice, and yet it wasn’t him. Something was missing from his sparkling, jewel green eyes.

This was Michael. Dean was gone.

Without a moment’s pause, the archangel strode towards the other angels and in the span of a breath they were all gone, leaving behind only the sound of fluttering wings. 

Y/N stood stock still, staring at the empty, open field where Dean had stood less than a minute before. Around her chaos began to spread. The people who’d been putting out the fire were rushing towards them now, trying to find out what was going on. Screams echoed as people saw Johnston lying dead on the ground.

Everyone was asking her questions, but she had no answers, she had no words. She just stood, as people rushed around her, feeling as though she’d wake up at any moment. She’d wake up and Dean’s arms would be around her and when he woke she’d tell him about the horrible dream and how scary it had been and he’d hold her gently and tell her it was all just a nightmare.

“...I have my arms wrapped tightly around you and we’re both safe…Close your eyes and stay there, in that moment.”

Dean’s soft words whispered their way into her mind and she shivered. This couldn’t be happening.

Without warning her knees buckled and she fell to the muddy, wet ground, her muscles simply going limp. She covered her face as more tears began to fall. She felt the weight of all her tears gathering in her chest, threatening to crush her, when suddenly she heard Risa calling her name.

When she looked up the soldier was standing over her, still holding Emma in her arms. 

“Y/N, you can’t. You just can’t right now. Emma needs you, and I’ve got to… “ She waved an arm towards the people who were panicking all around them.

Y/N felt her mind rebelling, all she wanted was to sit there in the mud and let the cool night air numb her to the all-consuming ache spreading throughout her body. 

But she looked up into Emma’s little, terrified face, and forced herself to really hear the horror and confusion all around her; she knew she couldn’t just fall apart. 

She nodded at Risa and pushed herself to her feet. She took Emma from her and the other woman gave her a nod and moved into action, working with Cas and her fellow soldiers to start organizing the chaos, trying to get campers back to their tents. They also started debating how best to deal with the burnt out cabin and Johnston’s lifeless body

For her part, Y/N simply turned away from the cacophony and walked slowly back to the red tent. Emma was sobbing on her shoulder and Y/N gathered every ounce of her exhausted strength to try and console her little girl.

When they reached the tent Y/N set Emma down on her cot and wrapped a warm blanket around her while she went to light the stove and warm up the tent. After standing out in the cool night air for so long with no jackets, getting them warm was the first order of business.

Before long the little stove was chugging out ample heat, and she went back over to Emma and snuggled her daughter into her lap. After a while the little girl’s tears subsided into deep, shuddering breaths. Her voice was tiny and quiet when she spoke.

“Dean is gone.”

Y/N felt the whispered words pierce her heart. “Yeah, baby.”

“Will he come back?”

“Yes.” Y/N said it without thinking, her soul making the decision. But she didn’t want to lie to her child either, so she amended her comment. “I’m sure he’s going to try really hard to come back.”

Emma seemed to accept that and was quiet for a little while. Then she spoke again, her soft words tinged with fear. 

“Did the bad man kill Eric?”

Y/N squeezed her tighter and nodded against the top of her head. “Yes, baby, because he’s a very bad man.”

“Will he come back to kill us?”

Y/N felt her stomach plummet with fear and heartbreak that her daughter’s mind was so clouded with terror.

Y/N shook her head. “No, baby. He won’t come back now.” She hoped she wasn’t lying.

“Because Dean saved us?”

Y/N felt as though her heart was being crushed. “Yeah, sweet pea, because Dean saved us.”

***

The next few days passed in a haze for Y/N. She was trying desperately to keep it together for Emma’s sake. Her daughter was having nightmares every night and the last thing she needed was her mother crumbling on her. But Y/N was barely sleeping, no more than a couple of hours a night. Every ounce of her being felt exhausted - worn out beyond measure. 

There were no classes to teach, thank goodness; the camp was still disorganized and a bit scattered. A dozen or so campers had left, afraid of more angel retaliation. The campers left behind were trying to salvage what they could from the big cabin, and deal with the rest of the burnt out building. 

Three days after Dean had gone, Cas came to their tent in the evening, carrying extra wood and asking Y/N if she needed anything.

“No, Cas, we’re good. You don’t have to worry about us.” She said with a forced smile.

“I told Dean I would take care of you.” He said with conviction. “It’s still cold at night, hence the wood. What else do you need?”

Y/N shook her head. “Nothing, Cas. Really.”

He lifted his chin towards Emma who was sleeping on her cot. “How is she?”

Y/N gave a small shrug. “She's trying to cope, like all of us.” 

He nodded and then headed out. As he lifted the tent flap, Y/N called him back. When he turned his bright blue gaze on her she hesitated before asking the question that wouldn't leave her mind.

“Can we get him back? Somehow?”

Cas stared at her intensely for a moment before his eyes softened slightly; his deep voice was gentle as he spoke. 

“We can hope.”

Y/N closed her eyes. “Yes. Hope.”

When she opened her eyes again, the angel was gone.

***

A week after Dean left they still hadn't figured out any way to get him back, or even how to find him. Cas had begun to hear angel radio again, but the angels were being very quiet. Just the odd remark here and there that made Cas believe that they were still in Kansas, but he couldn't be sure.

The camp had gone back to functioning - mostly. But people kept saying things like, “We’ll run it by the Boss and see what he says.” before realizing that was impossible. The soldiers were trying to run things smoothly between them, and Brandy was helping to keep things as organized as possible. 

But Dean was very missed.

A full eight days after losing him, Y/N sat up at the table one night, desperately trying to think up a way to get Dean back to her. Her eyes were scratchy and red-rimmed as she let her head fall into her hands.

She may have fallen asleep right there if there hadn't been a sudden burst of white light. It lit up the tent, blinding her. As it faded slightly, she could just make out a man's shape. Her heart leapt for a moment before realizing this man was much too small to be Dean. 

A deep booming voice spoke and shook the ground around them. 

“Hail, thou that art highly favored, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women. Fear not, Y/N: for thou hast - Ow! Son of a bitch!” 

The angel cut off his proclamation and held up his hands as Y/N smacked him repeatedly with a broom. The last of his angelic light went out like a candle and he grabbed the broom away from Y/N and snapped it with incredible ease. 

“What the hell, lady?” He rubbed the side of his head where she'd walloped him. “You know that worked great with Mary. SHE knew how to be ‘sore afraid’.”

Y/N went to Emma's cot where her daughter was crying silently, obviously horrified to see another angel, inside their tent this time. 

“Get out!” Y/N said with as much strength as she could muster.

“You really don't want that, trust me.” The angel said, his hazel eyes twinkling, a smirk on his thin lips.

“Who are you; what do you want?”

He gave a little bow. “Name’s Gabriel, but I prefer Loki.”

The tent flap opened and suddenly Cas was there with Risa and Patrick flanking him. But Cas pulled up short when he saw the other angel.

“Gabriel?”

“Hey, bro!” Gabriel said cheerfully.

Cas looked to the two soldiers on either side of him. “I'm fine here. You should patrol the area. Look for anything amiss or out of place. But don't approach it without me.”

Both soldiers gave a curt nod and left.

Cas came fully into the tent and his face was very wary. “Gabriel, what are you doing here? Where have you been for the last thousand Millenia or so? Most of us thought you were dead.”

“Nope.” Gabriel's voice was still nonchalant and cheery. “Just in a sort of witness relocation. Got sick to death of Daddy's beefs and Lucifer and Michael's petty squabbling. So, I took a little time off. Sailed around, saw the world, got myself a brand new face.” 

He framed his face with his two hands. “Cute, right?”

Cas just frowned at him and Gabriel rolled his eyes. “You have never known how to have fun Castiel.”

Cas raised an eyebrow. “Well, these humans are under my protection, so I'll save the fun until after you tell me what you're doing here.”

Gabriel lost his smirk and he crossed his arms. “Isn't it obvious? I'm here to save the day, as always.”

Cas scoffed. “Not likely. You tend to sew chaos.”

Gabriel shrugged. “What can I say, it's a talent.” He moved back to lean against the table. 

“But seriously, I'm so over this apocalypse. As soon as Lucy dumped his little virus on this world, I was outta here. No fun to be had with a bunch of humans barely clinging to life. So, I traveled near and far, all over the galaxy and a little bit further. It's been sort of fun. But let me tell you, there are only so many green-skinned, six-legged chicks you can bang before you start pining for home, you know?”

He gave his head a shake. “Don't know how Captain Kirk did it.”

“Get to the point, brother.” Cas said, annoyance lacing his tone.

“I'm here to help.”

“So you said. How?” Cas asked harshly.

Gabriel shrugged again. “I have a way to shove Lucifer and Michael into the cage.”

From his pocket he pulled out an oddly shaped object. It was an X made up of four circles, four rings, by the looks of it.

He held it up. “Borrowed these from the horsemen. Well,” he shrugged, “to be fair, only Death was willing to part with his, the others didn't wanna give ‘em up easily. But, you know, archangel trumps most. I was glad Death was so cooperative though, he woulda been a tough one to beat.”

Cas stepped up to him and held out his hand. Gabriel dropped the cross into it and Cas peered at it closely.

“The horsemen’s rings. What will this do?”

Gabriel's voice was quiet. “Keys to the cage, brother.”

Cas’ eyes widened. “Lucifer’s cage?”

Gabriel nodded. “And Michael’s too.” He paused for a beat. “And mine.”

Cas frowned. “Yours? Why would you throw yourself into the cage?”

Gabriel shrugged, but Y/N could see a flicker of some deep emotion pass over his mobile features. 

“Someone’s gotta pull those two down there. And I’d say after millions of years, and untold damage to the world, me and my brothers could use some time alone and family therapy.”

He allowed a smile to turn up the corner of his mouth.”From what I understand old Raffy’s taken up as a god on some distant planet. He always did like to be worshiped.” He shrugged again, his smirk firmly back in place. “So, it’s just the three of us.”

Cas shook his head. “Why are you doing all of this, Gabriel?”

The archangel took back the key to the cage and slipped it into his pocket. “Told ya, got sick of banging green chicks on Mars.”

“No. That's…there are no green women on Mars.” Cas said, looking at Y/N as though to reassure her. 

Y/N stood up and walked the few steps to where Gabriel stood, looking him straight in the eye. “Can you bring Dean back?”

Gabriel contemplated her for a moment and then shook his head. “No.” 

Y/N felt her stomach lurch, and she opened her mouth to shout at him, but Gabriel held up a hand, patting his pocket with the other. “With this I can open the cage, and I can pull my brothers down with me to be locked away. But if you want Dean back, you’ve gotta get him to toss Michael first. Otherwise, his body and soul come down too.”

Y/N began to panic. “What are you talking about? You are not dragging Dean down to hell, no matter what!” She shouted, her fists balled. “I will not let you.”

Gabriel’s smile looked genuine for the first time as he looked at Y/N fuming in front of him before turning to Cas. “She’s feisty! Dean knows how to pick ‘em!”

He looked back at Y/N and held both his hands up in surrender. “Look, I can’t extract Michael from Dean’s body, it doesn’t work that way; Dean has to be the one to throw him out. And there’s nothing I could say to give him that kind of strength.” He tilted his head slightly. “But you might be able to. You’re our best shot.”

He looked to Cas. “If she can get Dean to toss Michael, I’ll grab on to him. I’ll be able to hold him for a little while. Hopefully long enough to get to Lucifer and try to get Sam Winchester to eject him.” 

He shook his head. “That one’s gonna be a lot harder, and I’m not gonna lie, I don’t hold out very much hope. I also don’t know what kind of shape Sam’s gonna be in even if he can get him out. He’s held Lucifer for five years now, he might be too far gone.”

Cas nodded. “If we can get Dean, he can get Sam. Or, he’ll be the best chance anyway. And if Sam manages to eject Lucifer, Dean won’t care what condition he’s in, he’ll fix him.”

Gabriel gave a nod. “We’ll see, I suppose. But we gotta start with Dean so…” He looked at Y/N. “What do you say, beautiful?”

Y/N contemplated him for a moment before looking at Cas. “Do you trust him?”

Cas was quiet for a long time, looking Gabriel over, the debate clear in his expression. 

The archangel rolled his eyes. “Thanks, bro.”

Finally Cas nodded. “Yes, I believe we can trust him.”

Y/N took a deep breath, hope and fear spreading throughout her body in equal measure. “Okay, then let’s go save the Winchesters.”

***

Their traveling party was prepared and ready to go in very little time, most of which was spent explaining to Emma why she couldn’t come. 

Y/N knew how terrified her little girl must be, thinking she was losing her mother now too. Eventually though, her tears subsided and her little face became resolved to what was happening. It broke Y/N’s heart to see that resolve, to know that her daughter’s soft heart was getting tougher. 

Y/N swore to herself that she was going to bring Dean home, and they would live happily ever after, spoiling Emma and letting her go soft once again.

Before they left, Y/N gave Monique a hug and thanked her again. She’d pulled her friend aside earlier and spoken quietly with her, asking her to take care of Emma if anything should happen to her. Tears had welled up in Monique’s beautiful amber eyes but she’d clasped Y/N’s hands tightly. 

“I will always look after Emma as my very own.” She shook her head and dashed away her tears. “But you’ll be back in no time, I’m sure. So, I’ll see you soon.”

The soldiers, Brandy and Monique had all checked privately with Y/N about whether or not she was really okay to set off with two angels. Y/N reassured them that she trusted Cas completely and he trusted Gabriel. So she did too. Besides, she’d reasoned, if this was their only possibility to save Dean, she had to take it. 

Gabriel said he knew just where Michael was staying, so she held Cas’ hand as the archangel tapped his brother’s shoulder and in a blink they were suddenly standing just outside a rundown Victorian house. 

The springtime sun was just beginning to lighten the sky in the East as they popped into existence on the sidewalk outside the house.

She hadn’t even had time to wave goodbye.

The three of them walked slowly up the front stairs and through the door. As they entered the house they heard a voice call from the back. 

“The polite thing to do would have been to call first, you know.”

Y/N felt her heart leap. She recognized Dean’s voice, but it sounded different. The consonants were more clipped, the words more even in tone, almost bland, bored. His voice had none of Dean’s rough, expressive way of speaking.

The dissonance continued as they walked into the sitting room and found Dean. He held himself ramrod straight, and when he turned towards them, his face held none of Dean’s stony anger, or joyful exuberance. It too was bland, cold, his normally shining, emerald eyes looked almost empty.

Looking at this version of Dean was very difficult. Somehow being in front of this non-Dean made Y/N miss him even more. 

But he never spared her a glance. All his attention was on his brothers. “Castiel, it’s been a long time. And Gabriel,” he looked him up and down, “it’s been even longer. Millions of years, in fact. I almost didn’t recognize you in this vessel.”

“Yeah, got this one custom made by a good friend of mine.” He ran a hand across his chest. “I’ve grown quite fond of my earthly form, so I’m happy I don’t have to share it with a human, and I don’t ever have to turn into a bright white mist, cause there's no human inside to reject me. This beautiful face is mine all mine.”

He smiled wide, but Michael just frowned. “That’s sacrilege, brother. Our angelic form is greater than any human disguise.”

Gabriel shrugged. “But they sure come in handy don’t they. If you wanna get anything done on earth, they really are a necessity.” He raised a hand towards him. “Hence all your trouble to get this one.” 

Gabriel's tone became grandiose and overwrought. “For here is your sword, your one true vessel. Destined for eons to be the one human whose bones you were the most eager to jump.”

Michael stared at him soundlessly for a moment and then spoke in the same even, emotionless tone. “Why are you here, Gabriel? And why have you brought this human?” He pointed at Y/N, but still didn’t look at her.

Gabriel paused a beat before answering. “Well, we have a bone to pick with you.” 

That was the signal to spur Cas into action. A white light shot out from Gabriel’s hands, connecting him to Michael. As the two archangels fought, Michael trying desperately to break the hold Gabriel had on him, Cas ran in front of him, drawing a straight line from wall to wall in holy oil and then dropping a lit match, trapping Michael behind the line of flame. 

Gabriel let his brother go, grunting with effort as the connection broke. Michael’s borrowed face was no longer emotionless, it was furious and bubbling with hate. 

“How dare you!” He shouted at Gabriel. “How dare you try to interfere with my destiny. This fight has been postponed for five long years while Lucifer ran amok. It is my duty to fight him and end him!”

Gabriel was scowling at his big brother a moment before a wide grin spread across his face. “You said doody.”

Everyone paused to look at him askance, and he shrugged. “What? That’s funny! Nobody has a sense of humor these days.” 

He shook his finger at Michael. “You know who would have laughed at that, the man you’re possessing. He would have thought it was hilarious. Or at least, he would have before the apocalypse struck. Been a bit down in the mouth since Lucifer possessed his brother and ended the world.”

Michael was still livid and he spoke through gritted teeth. “We tried to tell Dean that I needed my sword, that I needed my vessel to fight Lucifer, but he wouldn’t listen. He brought this on humanity.”

“Bullshit!” Gabriel called out and all traces of his humor were gone. “You could have used another vessel, you could have made due as Lucifer did before Sam. But no, you wanted THIS vessel.” He pointed at Dean. “And you were pissed you couldn’t have him, so you threw a hissy fit and left the world to burn.”

Silence reigned for a moment before Gabriel spoke again, quiet now. “And I left with you. I cashed in my chips and walked away from the table. But I kept an eye on humanity while I was galivanting around the universe. Kind of an old habit, and what I saw shocked me. The world was over, civilization destroyed, and yet - on they all trudged. These people. These humans. They kept on fighting. These flawed broken toys we all mocked and looked down on, they fought, they loved, they helped each other, they won and lost, but no matter what, they just kept going.”

Michael was motionless as Gabriel continued, pointing towards Y/N. “And just as there was a possibility of hope, just as they found a way they might be able to win, might be able to restart the world, here you come again, army in tow, ready to level the planet all over. And for what? So you can fight some ancient grudge match with our brother?” He shook his head. “What is the bloody point?”

Dean’s jaw ticked with Michael’s annoyance. “It’s my destiny. It’s what I was created to do.”

Gabriel looked sad as he glanced over at Y/N. “Well, not if she can help it.”

Y/N knew this was her time, it was on her now to help Dean find strength enough to eject the possessing angel. Michael’s cold eyes looked at her through Dean’s sparkling jade and she closed her own for a moment, imagining the warmth in Dean’s expression before she opened her eyes and smiled at him.

“Dean, can you hear me? I need you to listen, I need you to trust me. Throw him out. I’ll be safe, Emma and I will both be safe now. But I need you to come back home.”

“Dean isn’t available at the moment.” Michael said darkly. But she could see him squinting, almost as though he was in pain and Y/N chose to believe that Dean was fighting him from the inside. 

She kept talking as though Michael hadn't spoken.

“I have so many plans for us. Once we’ve made the cure possible, and the world is able to begin again, I really want us to go back home, back to Chitaqua. I wanna build a cabin there. Nothing fancy, you know, just something a bit bigger than the tent, but still cozy - with a bedroom door that locks.” She finished with a wide grin.

She stepped a little closer to him, careful to avoid the flame. “And, of course, I think we’re gonna have to get Emma that dog she asked for. And we can celebrate birthdays and holidays with all of our friends and family. We’ll keep them all close, and safe.”

Michael was stepping back from her, looking away and shaking his head as though he was dizzy. 

“Dean, I love you so much. All I want is to spend my life with you. Please kick him out. I know how strong you are, I know you can do it.”

“I’ll kill her!” Michael screamed out suddenly, as though his inner thoughts weren’t loud enough for Dean to hear. “You understand me? If you want her to live, want to keep her safe, stop fighting me. Now!”

Michael was breathing hard, but a joyless smile was spreading across Dean's beautiful face; the archangel was obviously pleased. 

“That's better.” He whispered, still slightly out of breath.

They were losing Dean, she could see it. Michael was terrorizing him again with threats against her. So, acting purely on instinct, Y/N made one last attempt, one huge Hail Mary. 

She took a deep breath and leapt over the fire, throwing her arms around Dean’s neck. She pulled his mouth down to hers and kissed him with every ounce of love and passion she could muster. 

She put everything into the kiss, every moment she’d loved him, and every promise she was making him were all there, tied up with all the hope in her heart. 

She felt a tingling against her lips that started to burn as she pulled away. She jumped back and fell to the ground as Dean let out a roar, and his mouth opened wide. The blinding white light that had consumed him was being forced back out of him, in an incredible light show that ended abruptly as Gabriel reached out and pulled the light into himself.

The darkness was complete for a moment before Y/N’s eyes could adjust. As the world came into focus, she could see Gabriel on the other side of the flame, breathing hard and fast. Cas walked to his side and poured some of his own white light into Gabriel, which seemed to stabilize him slightly. 

But his voice was still wobbly when he spoke. “We gotta go. I don’t know how long I can hold him in here with me.”

Y/N nodded and crawled over to where Dean had fallen to the floor. She turned his face towards her just as his eyes fluttered open. 

“Y/N?” He whispered and she nodded at him with tears flowing.

“Yeah, I’m here, I’m safe. We’re all safe.”

Dean shook his head. “But how…” He sat up slowly and looked towards where Cas and Gabriel stood. He squinted and shook his head in confusion. “The Trickster’s an angel?”

Cas’ eyes widened as he looked at Gabriel. “You were the Trickster the boys went up against? Twice?” 

Dean’s voice was slightly annoyed. “Yeah, he killed me like a million times.”

Y/N felt her stomach lurch, but Gabriel just waved it away as nothing. “I was trying to teach you boys something; wasn’t my finest moment maybe, but you gotta admit, the tacos were funny.”

“Not to me, asshole.” Dean grumbled. Y/N was very confused and about to ask for clarification when Gabriel bent double.

“Ugh!” He groaned. “Okay, could you postpone my spanking for that very hilarious prank until after I’ve saved you all?”

Y/N nodded and helped Dean to his feet. Gabriel looked at him. “Okay, pal, this one’s on you. We’re gonna go get Lucifer so I can toss all of us into the cage. We can try to get Sam to chuck him first. We’ll need you for that. But if you can’t get him, and it seems like Lucifer might get away, I’ll grab Sam as is and jump into the cage.”

Dean stormed up to him. “You are not taking my brother to hell, you understand me?” 

Gabriel just shrugged. “Then I guess you better reach him before it’s too late.”

He groaned again as he fought his brother internally, closing his eyes and putting a hand to his head. Without saying any more, they all got into position so Gabriel could zap them to Lucifer’s location. 

Just before he could manage it however, there was a bellow of rage from behind them, making them all turn. From the doorway, Zachariah charged forward, angel blade bared and aimed for Dean’s jugular. 

Dean shoved Y/N out of the way as the angel charged them like a bull. But when he was just a couple feet from Dean, Cas stuck his foot out, sending the furious angel spilling to the ground in a comical looking pratfall. 

He fell onto the still burning holy fire and screamed in pain, rolling around, trying to escape the flames. Before he could pull himself free, however, Dean grabbed onto the silver blade the angel had dropped. He raised it high, and then plunged it deep into his throat, forever freezing the angel's sadistic face in agony. 

More blinding white lights burst out of the dying angel, forcing Y/N to once again cover her head and shield her eyes. When she reopened them, she could see the angel’s blackened wings, as his empty vessel was slowly consumed in the flame. 

Dean stood up and then helped Y/N to her feet. After giving her a once over to determine she was alright, he turned to Cas. 

“Nice job, buddy. Very Keystone Cops.”

Cas frowned. “I don’t know an officer by that name.”

Dean just smiled and then slipped the blade into his pocket as he looked down at the dead angel. 

“Good riddance.” He said under his breath before a panting Gabriel yanked him back into position and zapped them all away.

Suddenly, in another heartbeat, they were all standing in a bombed out street; the buildings around them were crumbling and burnt. It was all that was left after some of the original fighting between the army and the Croats five years before. The bombings hadn’t worked. 

As they stood looking around, a man caught their eye. He was strolling out of one of the buildings less than twenty feet away; he was very tall and had long brown hair and an easy stride. 

Y/N could hear Dean gasp slightly beside her and she took his hand. The man, who could only be Lucifer, slowed down as he approached them. His smile was soft and patronizing.

“Well, well. This is a surprise. What a merry little band of rebels you’ve all turned into.” 

He nodded at Gabriel. “Our brothers and sisters all thought you must have been killed somewhere, but I knew better.” He studied him for a minute before smirking. “And I see he got hold of you, Mikey!” He said loudly. He chuckled. “He always was a cuck.”

He frowned slightly as he spared barely a glance for the rest of them. “But Gabe, buddy if you’re here to try and put me back in that cage?” He raised his hand and closed it into a fist and Gabriel began coughing as though he was choking. “Well, that simply isn’t going to happen.” 

Cas ran forward to help, but Lucifer tossed him aside with a sweep of his hand. Dean pushed Y/N to crouch behind an upside down car. “Stay here.” He warned, before turning back towards his brother.

“Sammy?” He called tentatively. Lucifer looked over at him and dropped Gabriel to the ground as he let him go. He faced Dean and shook his head. 

“You.” The devil said, his voice menacing. “You have no idea how sick I am of you. Do you know how many times I’ve had to listen to Sammy bellyaching about how he was letting you down? Do you know how ANNOYING it is to execute a perfect reign of terror just to have this boy,” he banged his chest, “weeping in my head instead of truly reveling in it with me?”

He shook his head. “It’s only been quiet in here since I threatened to find you and end you. See that’s how I got Sammy’s cooperation in the first place. I promised that if he said yes I wouldn’t snap your neck like kindling.” 

He waved towards Dean dismissively. “You were sound asleep at the time, you wouldn’t remember this. But Sam finally said yes, as I always knew he would, and in return I promised that you could keep on living. So when Sam wouldn’t shut up and stop whining, a simple threat to revoke our original deal was enough to silence him.”

He smiled, and Y/N thought it was pure sin for such a sweet, dimpled smile to sit on the face of evil. Lucifer tilted his head slightly as though he was listening to something. 

“But now…hey Sammy.” He said in a silky tone. “Been quiet so long, I'd actually started to miss you.”

Dean took a step closer. “Sammy, can you hear me? I’m here. I’m here and I’m so sorry, more than I can ever say. I never should’ve walked away from you. We should have fought these assholes together. I should have known that we’re stronger together than apart.”

He swallowed. “But you’ve gotta chuck him. We’ve got a plan, little brother, we can win. Believe me.”

Lucifer rolled Sam’s bright, hazel eyes just before he slammed his fist into Dean’s face, almost knocking him to the ground. 

Gabriel shot light at his brother, but it was much weaker than what he’d thrown at Michael; so much of his strength was being used to keep Michael locked inside himself. Cas added his strength, but Lucifer quickly pushed them both away, severing their hold on him. 

Blood gushed from Dean’s lip, his jaw already swollen and purple, as he started forward again. 

“Sammy, I need you to force him out. I know how strong you are. I know you can do it. I never should have doubted it, never should have believed they could defeat us. We are Winchesters and we never-” 

He broke off as Lucifer landed two more swift blows to his face, causing a sickening crack as Dean’s nose shattered and he crashed to the ground.

Y/N gasped and jumped up, running forward even though there was nothing she could possibly do. Gabriel and Cas fought him again, forcing Lucifer to stumble back slightly. But he found his footing quickly and severed the hold as he had before, this time sending both angels sailing through the air. 

Lucifer stared at Dean, hatred spreading across Sam's handsome features. "I am done with you." He shouted. "You are not worth my time."

Looking as though it was a struggle, as though the body he was possessing was fighting back, Lucifer raised his arm, his fingers poised to snap. Y/N screamed, memories bursting in her mind of the swiftness with which Zachariah had ended Johnston’s life with a mere snap.

But before he could manage it, Lucifer once again stumbled backwards. This time, however, Cas and Gabriel had barely risen from the ground and were just walking back towards them. 

Lucifer dropped his arm and fell suddenly to his knees. “No.” He whispered, shock suffusing the word, and then he screamed. “No!” The ground shook and rumbled, knocking all of them down.

Suddenly a burst of white light erupted from Sam’s mouth, and as he had before, Gabriel reached forward with his own light to trap his brother. 

The light suffused the archangel-turned-Trickster; it was no longer being wholly contained within himself, but spilling out of him as he tried to hold on to all of their angelic forms within his one custom-made vessel. 

Jerkily he reached into his pocket and threw the key at Cas. “Now, brother!” 

Cas tossed it to the ground and began chanting. As the chant ended, a wide hole began to crack open in the street.

Gabriel pitched forward towards the hole, but his body seemed to be disobeying his commands - his brothers were fighting against him with all their strength. The light emanating from Gabriel seemed to be splitting, as though the other two archangels were separating from him.

With one last surge of strength, Gabriel leapt forward and dove headfirst into the hole in front of him. There were deafening sounds of furious screaming that were quickly swallowed up as the ground closed around them.

There was only silence for a long time, as they all struggled to get their bearings, to reconcile what had just happened. 

Y/N was the first to move, running to Dean just as he stood up, and then collapsing in his arms. Dean held her tightly, kissing the top of her head and then cupping her cheeks to kiss her mouth, hard and fast. He pulled away and smiled.

Cas stepped forward to tap his fingers to Dean's forehead, instantly clearing the blood and bruises. 

Dean nodded and smiled at him gratefully. “Thanks, Cas.”

He looked back at Y/N and his beautiful eyes and mobile, expressive face were once again his own and Y/N rejoiced.

Dean turned them both to face Sam where he still knelt on the ground. With a quick squeeze, Dean stepped away from her to reach out a hand to his little brother.

Sam hesitated only a moment before he took it and let Dean pull him to his feet. The two men stared at each other for a minute before Dean yanked Sam towards him to wrap the taller man up in a bear hug, his arms wrapping over Sam’s shoulders and clinging tightly. 

Sam’s face crumpled slightly and he crushed his brother’s ribs as he hugged him back. “I’m so sorry, Dean. I didn’t know what else to do, I didn’t…” He trailed off, but Dean was shaking his head. 

“No, Sam, no.” He pulled back to clap his hand against the side of Sam’s neck. “This isn’t on you.” Sam gave him a look and Dean shook his head. “Well, it’s certainly not all on you. We both fucked up, but we have a chance to fix things now.”

He turned back to Y/N and held his arm out towards her. She stepped forward to take his hand. Dean was beaming as he made the introductions.

“Sam, Y/N, Y/N, Sam.” Sam raised an eyebrow and Dean grinned. “Meet my wife.”

Sam’s eyes widened and Y/N gasped. “What?” She squeaked. 

Dean shrugged. “Well okay, maybe there’s still the formalities to go through, like the wedding ceremony.”

“And a proposal!” Y/N said, laughing from sheer joy, utter exhaustion and the madness of their new reality.

Dean grinned at her. “You saying you don’t wanna?”

Y/N beamed up at him. “Definitely not saying that.”

Cas interrupted. “Before you start planning the wedding, can we go home?”

Sam looked dazed and spoke softly as though trying to decide if it was all just a dream. “Where is home?”

Dean clapped him on the back. “Camp Chitaqua. You’re gonna love it, Sammy! Trust me. It’s paradise.”

“With outhouses.” Y/N said with a snort.

Sam’s smile was soft, and it suited his kind, handsome face much more than it had ever fit the devil.

“Sounds perfect. Let’s go home.”

Cas stepped forward and in a blink they were back in the field where the spring vegetables were just sprouting - where they could hear the voices of their friends and neighbors, and smell the thick scent of pine and new earth.

There was a cry of shock as the campers saw them all suddenly standing there. Shouts conveyed the message quickly throughout the camp and everyone came running to see their return. 

Y/N let out a cry of happiness as she saw Emma racing towards her, her little legs eating up the distance surprisingly fast. As she reached them, Dean scooped her up and pulled Y/N into the circle of his embrace so that the three of them hugged each other tightly. 

The rest of the day was spent celebrating and rejoicing, hours of storytelling, and off-key singing around campfires, food shared and enjoyed by everyone. 

Eventually, Dean, Y/N and Emma broke away to bring Sam to Dean’s old tent. They lit a lamp and Dean gave Sam the grand tour, pointing the way to the outhouses from there, and assuring him the cot was more comfortable than it looked. 

Sam nodded, still looking as though he couldn’t take it all in. Seeing his confusion, Y/N kissed Dean on the cheek and picked up Emma’s hand. 

“You boys have so much to catch up on. You should take some time together.”

Sam shook his head. “No, you’ve been away from each other long enough. This reunion should be yours.” He said, nodding at Y/N and Dean. Throughout the day he’d been caught up on how everything went down with Michael and Zachariah. 

But Y/N shook her head. “We’ve been apart a week, you’ve been apart for years. You need this time.”

Dean looked down at her, love shining in his gaze, before tossing his brother a smile. “Don’t bother arguing, Sammy, she always wins.”

He bent down and kissed Y/N deeply, making Emma curl her lip.

“Ew.” She said succinctly, and Y/N laughed as she pulled out of the kiss. 

She looked at Sam and then moved in for a hug. Sam hugged her back and she beamed up at him. 

“I'm so glad to know you, Sam Winchester. Welcome home.”

With that she pulled Emma out of the tent to let the brothers get to know each other again.

Hours and hours later, the camp was finally quiet. A lamp glowed here and there as people slowly settled into their tents for the night. A happy peace settled over the camp, blanketing it in coziness and calm.

Y/N had sung Emma to sleep an hour before and was now stretched out on her own cot. She was planning on waiting for Dean to come back from visiting with his brother. But almost as soon as her head hit the pillow, her absolute exhaustion hit her and she was out immediately.

She woke with a start some time later, and then sighed deeply as she felt Dean’s arms tighten around her. Across the room she could hear Emma’s soft snores and her eyes filled with tears as the reality hit her anew that they were all truly together again, safe and sound. She turned in Dean’s arms so she could face him.

“Dean.” She whispered. 

He smiled a sleepy smile and kissed her softly. “You were sleeping so soundly when I got home, I didn’t want to disturb you.” He whispered back, voice craggy with sleep.

“How is Sam?” She asked.

Dean sighed. “He’s okay. Gonna take time for him to be a hundred percent, you know. But he’s here, and he’s smiling, and he’s...Sammy.” He shrugged slightly. “So, that’s enough for now.”

Y/N nodded and wiped away a tear, finally making Dean notice them in the dark. His voice sounded slightly worried as he cupped her cheek and thumbed away the wetness. “Sweetheart, you're crying. Why?”

Y/N shook her head. “Because all my hopes and dreams have come true. We’re together, we’re safe, the camp is safe, the devil’s gone, and we actually have a real chance of remaking the world.”

Dean’s voice voice was a bit choked up too as he responded, grinning. “Yeah, but I don't plan on forgetting that promise you made me. When the world is fixed, we’re coming back here to live out our days in a big log cabin with locking doors and indoor plumbing, right?”

Y/N giggled. “I’m not sure about the indoor plumbing, but everything else is definitely in the cards, I hope.”

Dean pulled her close and tucked her head beneath his chin. “Well, we’re in the business of hope, so I think our chances are good.”

Jensen RPF and Any/All Characters: @lyarr24 @lacilou @deans-spinster-witch @globetrotter28 @suckitands33 @alwaystiredandconfused @evznackles @jackles010378 @impala67rollingthroughtown @krazykelly @candy-coated-misery0731 @envyaurora95 @spnwoman @deans-baby-momma

Dean Fics Only: @roonthelittlespoon920 @slamminmine @zepskies @safiyas-world

Any/All Fics Regardless of Character or Fandom: @kazsrm67 @slut-for-evans-stan @sexyvixen7 @nancymcl @hobby27 @waywardcheshire

Everything Incl. Fan Edits: @k-slla @leigh70 @eevvvaa @kickingitwithkirk @foxyjwls007 @notinthislife50 @roseblue373 @mishkatelwarriorgoddess @avanatural @mrsjenniferwinchester @all-alone-he-turns-to-stone @deangirl96

[stephaniebrownslover]

HIII WELCOME MEE

FIRST I WANT TO SAY I REALLY LOVE YOUR WRITING STYLE. YOU'RE ONE OF MY FAVORITE CP WRITERS IN TUMBLR (Seriously, no joking)

Can you please write Kate x Nina's relationship for your main AU?

(Also it's one of my fav ship, I wanted to read my fav ships hcs by my fav writers)

I WAS ALMOST FORGET, HAVE A GOOD DAY/NİGHT :3

HIIIIIII AGAIN LOVELY PERSON!!!!

Bro. Bro stop saying things like this because I'm literally about to cry. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU SO MUCH

I really love and be surprised when people like my writing because of my self-esteem issues lol you have no idea how your kind words make me so happy and and make hate less from my writing style so thank youuuuuuu

I appericate you so much and and you're so sweet and nice and cool and awesome and cool and kind and sweet and and and

Okay I think I'll have an heart attack sorry if İ bothered you but I'm truly so grateful for your kind words<3333

I love NinaKate so much so of course I can do it for you even if I'm dying lol

(Ps: it wasn't seasonal allergies, turns out, it was the beginnig stage of pneumonia and bronchitis lol)

Also you can check this non-canon NinaKate headcanon post I made some time ago too!!

Okay but I can't get over how nice the words you say, really, I'm thinking about it since I saw the ask.

Sorry it's more like how they became friends and Nina and Kate lore but it would be so long that I had to split it into 2 parts. Hope you don't mind.

HAVE A GOOD NIGHT AND DAY TOO!!!!

Holy shit it's angst, I really didn't mean to...

NinaKate Romantic Relationship For My Main AU-Part I

Seeing each other for the first time

Nina has been known among the proxies since the night when Zalgo controlled her at the age of 15 and helped her find Jeff. Slenderman didn't want to take her with him because he didn't see any benefit to himself since Zalgo had reached out to her first, but he hadn't given the order to kill her yet just because he was curious about what would happen.

Nina was unaware that it was a ritual to summon Zalgo when she practiced one of the love spells she found on the Internet at the age of 13. Zalgo, seeing potential in her because of her obsessive love, followed her for 2 years, did not leave her alone. And since he decided it was the perfect time to take her with him, he took control of her body at the age of 15 and had her kill her own family.

Regaining control while plunging a knife into the heart of her younger brother Chris, Nina then felt so bad that she ran to the woods near her home. Zalgo led Nina through the forest, aiming to convince her that all this was Slenderman's and Jeff's fault and get her to the stage of wanting revenge. There she met Jeff, but Zalgo's plan backfired, as she hugged him and cried instead of hating him as he expected.

Kate had never seen the newcoming stray killer that Slenderman wanted to get rid of face to face before, but she had heard about the descriptions of her appearance and that she was a weird person in general. Since she was already someone who had been drifted away from humanity for a while, she had no reason to meet her, and these rumors didn't help either.

Kate, who was only 16 years old, had been a proxy for two years and had no one because of the fact that Masky and Hoodie were too focused on their own worlds and she didn't like them either. Rouge, Cody and Toby were not yet a proxy. So she was alone with Hoodie and Masky, who didn't even want to talk to her because they were afraid of her, and she wasn't looking for any human relationship.

She had experienced a hellish life until she was 14, but since she became a proxy, she has literally not been a human being. Although she had all the necessary human characteristics, she was not treated as a human, she did not think like a human, she did not feel like a human. That's why she was Slenderman's favorite proxy, since the whole purpose of her living was to fulfill his duties. The fact that she unconditionally accomplished everything he said made the others even more distant from her, but there was no problem for Kate. After all, she was no longer a human being.

It's been a month since Nina started staying in the same cabin with Jeff. Actually, she could have gone back to her old life since Zalgo destroyed the traces of that night, but Nina didn't know about it yet. Since no one else was trying to communicate with her, she thought that Jeff was the only important thing in her life, and she was holding on to him with all her strength. Although Jeff felt sorry for her at first, they started arguing because he was getting overwhelmed by her sticky attitude.

One day, when Jeff was drunk and really hurt Nina's feelings, Nina ran away deep into the forest to calm down. After walking for a while, she realized that she had lost. Moreover, this time, since both sides considered Nina worthless, there was no one to guide her through the forest. Nina was completely lost. She crossed to the foot towards a tree and let the tears flow, which she could no longer hold back. She was crying not only for this moment, but for everything. Most of all, because she was a bad person, and the fact she deserved all this.

Kate was returning from a mission. She was incredibly injured, and if people really cared about her, they wouldn't have let her walk on her own. Actually, Hoodie, with whom she had gone on, had offered to help her, but Kate's snarling with hatred indicated that she had responded negatively to his offer, and Hoodie's fear of Kate had caused him not to insist any further. After all, Kate knew that no one really wanted to deal with a non-human proxy who was at the age of 16.

That's why Kate was staggering through the forest alone, trying to ignore the pain and depth of her wounds. She just needed to get to Jack's cabin. Ann had just arrived, and Kate still didn't trust her. She had many reasons not to trust a zombie. Smiley hadn't started working for Slenderman yet either. So Jack was the only one Kate could go to, and despite her bleeding wounds, she was trying to get there as quickly as possible.

Kate, who was trying to walk, heard a crying sound. It... it was a human cry. She didn't know what she had to do. She kept walking, thinking that she didn't need to do anything because she knew she wasn't a human. But there was something in that crying sound which bothered her. This stranger's voice was filled with more pain and anger than she had ever heard before. Although Kate was not ready to face an enemy, she decided to check the source of the sound.

The person crying was none other than Nina, whose name was mentioned only with hatred and contempt.

Their first real meeting

Kate watched Nina for a while without making a sound. She did not know why she was crying, and frankly she had wondered what made her so sad. Because as far as she heard from others, Nina was a person who was cheerful enough to annoy and never got upset. And obviously, Kate was surprised to encounter a sight that was the opposite of the rumors she had heard.

Just when Kate decided she had watched enough crying and was getting ready to leave, Nina, who heard the sounds Kate was making, shouted in that direction. Kate would never normally have made such a fatal mistake, her injuries had made it difficult to control her body and she hated it. She hated being weak.

When Nina screamed again, Kate knew she had to do something. Her first thought was to quietly leave the environment, but she was not in a good enough condition to do so, and Nina was not an enemy. So, Kate thought it would be enough for her to just say hello and introduce herself.

When she appeared, Nina tried to suppress her sobs and stand up, but she fell to the ground since she sprained her leg. While Kate was only frowning at this situation, Nina was thinking about how useless and incompetent she was, which is why her crying became more intense.

Not knowing what to do, Kate slowly went up to her and held out her hand to her. On her first attempt, she had pulled her hand out regretfully before she even reached the halfway point, but when she saw how upset Nina was, she tried to overcome her hesitation. Kate was sure that she had been disturbed by the sound of her crying, and that she had been so kind as to make her cease her voice. However, in reality, it was just a proof that her humanity had not completely died.

Although Nina wanted to hold her hand, she suddenly saw how badly Kate was injured, and Nina immediatly pulled the hand she was holding out to hold Kate's and took support from the tree. She then stated that she did this because she did not want to hurt her any more, but was grateful for the offer of help.

Then nervously asked if Kate, who she knew was not the enemy, could take her back to Jeff's cabin after someone checked Kate. Nina didn't know where she was supposed to go, but she was sure that the person in front of her knew. She had seen the proxy mark on her wrist from her torn clothing.

Kate only responded with a shrug and started walking slowly. Nina also went after her, hoping that this was a signal for her to follow the proxy. Along the way, although Kate occasionally looked at Nina, Nina didn't mind it. Nina had noticed that she was an observant person, and she even thought it was cute.

After a walk, they arrived at Jack's cabin, where Nina randomly asked Kate questions to distract her own mind from sad topics, and Kate sometimes gave audible answers, while most of them were in body language.

Kate knocked on the door and asked Jack if he could take a look at her wounds. When Jack called her in, Nina was standing in front of the door because she didn't recognize him. But later, when she saw Kate making a movement signaling for her to come inside, she entered the cabin and closed the door.

After first Kate's wounds were taken care of, and then her own leg, Jack insisted they should stay here. He said it was too late even for a proxy and the killer to be roaming the forest, and explained that he had enough places. He also mentioned that Kate wouldn't need to come all that distance for her check-up the next morning.

Nina, who heard the word , only burst into sobs. Killer. That's how people must have see her now. As someone who takes lifes of innocent people for no reason. She knew that her idol was a murderer, but she had convinced herself that his victims were for a purpose. That's why she hated herself while glorifying Jeff in her eyes.

While Jack was trying to calm her down, Kate also bizarrely asked why she was crying. Nina was angry at being asked so clearly, so she yelled and told what had happened to her. She said how she had a wonderful family, but now they're nine floors underground because of her own stupidity. And what a terrible big sister she was.

While Jack was patting her on the back just to calm her down, Kate said it wasn't her fault. She even tried to explain that she was aware of what Zalgo had done, and that Nina was considered lucky to have survived with this much, as Kate was someone who had seen even worse.

Nina, on the other hand, was only more annoyed and asked how she was considered lucky. Her life was completely ruined, she had nowhere or no one to go to. Then Kate told her that the cops weren't after her, that she didn't have to live this life like herself. She sat down next to Nina and controlled herself, even though she wanted to put her hand on Nina's back.

Nina was surprised now. She asked Kate about her own story. Nina wanted her to tell her why Kate was here, why she was a proxy. And Kate just paused.

She said she didn't remember.

She mentioned that she had no memories of before the age of 14. Hearing this, Nina felt an incredible sense of pity for the young proxy standing in front of her. Nina may have had bad memories, but at least she had good ones too. She thought what a terrible thing it was to not know who she was. Not being aware of the existence of anyone who loves her. Not having a real life.

And quite instinctively she took hold of Kate's bony hands, which were like ice.

Kate didn't know what to do. She reflexively withdrew her hand, but she also knew that Nina had not done it for any malicious purpose, and her apology was a proof of this. Then Kate said it was okay for her to hold her hand and placed it back on her own lap. Nina grasped her hands tightly once again.

She told Kate that not having a past did not pose any problems. And Nina even got a little overexcited and said that if she wanted, they could build a future together as friends.

Kate, on the other hand, was literally shocked. While Kate was content with just nodding, Nina excitedly let go of Kate's hands and clapped her owns in the air. This was how their friendship, which was quite meaningful for both, began.

The beginning of their friendship

That night they stayed in the beds that Jack had made for them. Nina was acting incredibly protective of Kate's injuries, and Kate felt that day for the first time in years that she was worthy of being cared for as a person. Of course, this feeling was not long-lasting, but it was enough to create an involuntary smile on her lips. And that was enough for Kate for now.

Nina was constantly jumping from topic to topic while talking, occasionally not neglecting to ask Kate questions about her own thoughts. Nina realized that she was someone who didn't like to talk too much, and she didn't see extra talking as a problem because she knew that Kate was really listening her. 

Kate, on the other hand, was starting to feel more and more comfortable answering Nina's questions. Maybe this could have been due to her slowly creeping sleep, which came under the influence of medications. After saying goodnight, she finished talking. However, realizing that Nina may have thought that Kate was bored with herself, she offered that Nina could come to the proxy cabin for a few hours tomorrow if she wanted.

Nina instantly accepted this with the joy of having found a new friend. Although she was physically hurt while sleeping that night, she was emotionally relieved. A voice inside her was saying that they would both be good for each other.

Kate kept her promise. After the necessary check-up the next day, they set off for the proxy cabin. Nina was upset that Jeff hadn't called her even though she'd been away all night, but she didn't care about it as much as she usually did. Because she was no longer alone, she had a friend.

It was good for them that there was no one in the cabin. Both Kate didn't want to deal with others, and Nina wasn't ready to meet someone else yet. For a while they just hung out doing nothing and just chatted.

Kate then timidly asked Nina if she liked to play video games. Nina mentioned that she sucked at games and explained that's why she only watched other people play. Kate, on the other hand, in an even more shy manner, said that Nina could watch herself if she wanted to.

They played games for hours that day. They did not stop playing until nightfall came. And then Kate offered to take Nina to Jeff's cabin before it got too dark. Nina was actually staying alone in the same cabin with Jeff and Ben. Because they were considered one of the first inhabitants of the forest, and apart from the proxy cabin, other cabins had enough place for maximum 4-5 people.

Kate was very angry when she saw that Jeff was rude to Nina while dropping her off at the cabin, but when she saw that Nina was generally happy, she didn't say anything to avoid upsetting her. Then, when she was going to say goodbye to Nina and leave, Nina stopped her and gave her her number. Nina didn't have anywhere to write, so she asked if it would be a problem if she wrote in Kate's hand, and when Kate said yes, she wrote down her number. Then Nina asked for her own number and registered it.

After saying goodbye, Nina was waving enthusiastically to Kate from inside the cabin. Kate, too, shyly waved to her gently. When Kate turned around, she couldn't help but smiling.

When Kate came to the place where she was staying, she had a strange feeling inside. She wasn't sure what it was, but she liked it. Then, while she picked up her phone to check if there was any important message from Masky and Hoodie, she saw Nina's new message.

"Hiiiii, thx so much for helping me!!!!! Hop i can see ya soon sweetie :3333"

That day, Kate had found a real friend for herself. Maybe it could have been her first friend in her life. And she was glad of it.

Nina had found herself a true friend. Someone who really cared about her and doesn't use her for her own interests. There was a pleasant feeling in her.

Holly hell how long this shit is-

Also Nina's message might be out of character, English is not my main language and I'm not used to writing like that.

Sorry for shitty writing but I'm sick as hell

[mirrorforevers]

the wrong side of the bed • damon albarn/reader

smut with feelings, i guess. sorry if is this is too long – this prompt excited me too much. i hope you guys like daft punk - though this is not a songfic, but you’ll get why - and i promise i’ll write something not involving sadness and alcohol someday. this is unbeta’ed, and english is not my first language, so have mercy

thank you so much for the music teacher prompt, anon! hope you enjoy it x also, just in case you haven’t read my graham/reader fic yet, here it is too.

tw: unprotected drunk sex

word count: 4.477

Music has been a very important escape mechanism for you recently. Your job has been hellish, and getting your degree has also been a chore - in the midst of so many deadlines and professional disappointments what has been a light for you is Damon Albarn, your newly divorced music teacher who is old enough to be your dad.

You detail these little “buts” as a mantra whenever the subject is him, whether in internal monologues or when you talk about him with your close friends. You never really believed in relationships between two people of very different ages, and you felt like you needed to remember those details whenever you could to keep that completely carefree crush from becoming something you couldn't control.

You started taking classes with him every Saturday after you were cast on your city’s production of a musical. You knew it was a very small step for a career in the industry, but it was very significant for you. You were exhausted from any activity that involved learning given how tired you were from college, but learning music with Damon was definitely something that you didn't even place in the same mental category. It was with him that you vented about how your week was, how you missed your parents who lived absurdly far away from you, it was with him that you shared the small victories of the day-to-day that were too insignificant even to share with your longtime friends. Which is funny, since this symbolic relationship was built in a matter of 2 months. Damon, in the beginning, was very reserved and “gray”, and it was amazing how in a matter of such a short time he shown himself to be someone so energetic, observant and empathetic; although a little bit of a control freak sometimes. When the wild waves of life seemed to take you everywhere at the same time and left you lost, despite so little time in your life, Damon became a constant.

And it worries you.

What are you going to do when the money to pay for his classes runs out? Certainly, although significant, what you had seemed to be was, above all, a friendship of convenience. You were very different people, with very different aspirations, and especially at very different points in life. As much as you liked each other *as friends* and considered yourselves people you wanted close by, Damon had a well-lived life to sustain. He would not have time much less willpower to listen to your complaints and insecurities in a context that did not involve an exchange relationship. At least, that's what you thought.

Saturday was also one of the two days you could wake up late, so in addition to having a rare time for your leisure, you were able to rest at least a little more than normal. That particular morning, you noticed that there were two missed calls from Maggie on your cell phone. Maggie was one of the producers of the musical. She used to bring you very decisive and very good news. If she called you, you did whatever it took to answer her right away. An unbelievable wave of anxiety takes over you. “Hello, Mags, you called?” You say, excited, but very nervous. Dealing with people who have your dreams constantly in their hands is somewhat stressful. You bite your nails.

“Hey, Y/N, yes. Um. You okay?”

“Yeah, thanks for asking. What happened?” You notice that Maggie's tone is different. The funny thing is that everyone is always so apathetic in the artistic world, and Maggie was the only person you knew so far that showed any kind emotion.

“So… you were dropped.”

Ah.

“I’m-I’m sorry?”

“You… were dropped. We made some changes here and there and you won’t be on our show anymore. If anything changes again, we’ll call. I promise.”

“Thank you. Bye.”

“Good luck, kid.”

Um.

Your stomach drops, and for a moment you feel like you've been punched. Maybe you've been wrong all along.

My God. My God. My God.

You feel like your entire world has collapsed around you. There aren't even reasons for you to keep going to class. All that effort and money spent... are now in the trash.

Artists spend a lot of time investing in themselves. You always have to become better. Faster. Learn techniques. Reinvent yourself. Stay beautiful. And you don't believe that in your first real experience in this world... that happened. Most likely a friend of the director took your place.

My God.

You swallow the tears, after all, you told everyone you knew that you knew how this world worked and you wouldn't be shaken if something like this happened. No one is watching you right now - but you still feel that you would disappoint them if you cried.

But you couldn’t smile anymore. Nothing could take away your expression of shock and uncertainty.

Not even funny posts on Reddit. Not even funny memes sent by your friends in the morning.

Nor the message from Damon confirming the class of the day.

I won't be able to go today ☹, you type, and you erase it.

Hey, I got dropped from the musical. you type, and you erase it.

How are you doing? Definitely not.

I’ll be there! 😅 You hit send.

Hope we finally figure out that bloody solo, he replies.

You do not answer.

You change your clothes, without your motivational playlist playing in the background this time. The beginning of a great plan going on in your life was no longer there. You didn't even pick up your headphones and the subway ride was completely silent, except for the ambient sound.

You arrive at school, and Damon welcomes you with the usual tight hug, and wide smile. You give a yellow smile in response, and he immediately realizes that something is out of place. “Is everything okay?” His expression quickly changes to one of concern. Your stomach drops even lower. Maybe it hit the ground by now.

“I…”

You don't want it to end. Your dream ended, but not this, too. This cannot end. “Can we try another song today? One not from the musical?” You ask, exasperated.

“Uh… I mean-”

“Please?”

"Did you wake up on the wrong side of the bed today?" He laughs nervously. “But... the musical’s why you’re here. I’m confused--”

“I know, but pretty please?” You insist, cringing by now to keep from crying.

“Um. Sure – but did something happen? Tell me. I’m-I’m here to help.”

“I woke up on the wrong side of the bed today. Please.” You feel your voice weaken more and more. You don’t wanna cry, though your eyes are already burning. “Please, Damon.”

“Right. Okay.” He says, raising his hands in defeat. He starts collecting his material.

“What are you doing?”

“No class today. Something clearly happened and we need to talk it out.”

“I-I got sacked. But there’s no need to…”

“I got it. C’mon. I’m not a monster, I won’t charge you for talking it out. All we’ve worked for… fucking cunts.” There’s the visceral side of him. “You gotta tell me how it happened.”

“Okay.”

He only leaves your two chairs in place.

After you two sit, he starts. “This happens quite a lot in this world. And every student reacts the same.” Though this sounds a little too insensitive, you imagine it’s the truth, and his tone does the job of conveying his compassion. “Did they call you? Or did you find out through somewhere else, like Patti LuPone?”

“Huh. At least they called me. They just straight up told me I’m no longer in the cast.” You say, totally not comforted by that. But it would be even worse if you found out by other means. “I don’t know what to do now.”

“Don’t let your spirit be broken by that – you’re really talented, and I don’t like paying compliments. You know that.”

“Talent is not enough sometimes. That’s also something you’ve said to me before.”

He goes silent, and you start apologizing in the same instant.

“No, no, you didn’t hurt my feelings.” He interrupts you. “That’s true. But you’re really young, I shouldn’t have said that to you. Shit like that happens all the time. We learn a lot from it and you have your entire life ahead of you. That was… limited of me.”

“I know I’m almost getting my degree, and there’s other things for me to do… but fuck. I-- I really wanted that. You know how much.”

“I do. I also know exactly how you’re feeling now. We’re always so excited when this kind of thing happens. We plan our entire lives based on that one fragile and uncertain plan, and then boom, it’s gone. We always count on the fact that we’ll eventually have to decide between our career and something else when the choice comes, but what do we do when it doesn’t come? I know how that feels. Also--”

He grabs his guitar. You roll your eyes. “Don’t tell me you have a song for that.”

“I don’t.” he answers. “But I do have a story to tell you.”

For the next two hours, he tells you all about a very ambitious audiovisual plan that he tried to engage in his early 30s. Among countless questions and answers, Damon Albarn showed you through his history how very determined he really was. He goes into the most minute details about the ideas he had for a film and several concept albums for a virtual band that, in your opinion, sounds like something very innovative and, at the same time, incredibly palatable to the mainstream. You thought that the band he was part of when he was even younger was already very wronged because, from what you heard from the demos, they were really incredible, but the fact that such a project didn't go ahead ... just proved to you more and more that talent sometimes really wasn’t enough. Just when you thought you couldn't admire that man more.

“So, believe me when I say I know how that feels.” Goddamn. He looks at his clock, and almost jumps at how the time flied. “Bloody hell, I have another student in like, 5 minutes.”

“God, I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. This is a tale very few people know about. I’m glad I shared it with you.”

“…That had potential. Don’t give up on it.”

“Don’t give up on your plans either. I really mean it when I say you’re talented as fuck.”

You couldn’t help but smile through the dried tears and puffy eyes. You say your rushed goodbyes. But before can you leave the room, he holds your arm. “Wait. I know it’s hard, but don’t spend the rest of the day thinking about it. Do you want to do something tonight?”

“Uhhh—what you have in mind?” You can’t believe your ears.

“I don’t know. Do you drink?”

“More than I should.”

“Perfect. So I know a place we can go. Any preference of hours?”

“After 7 pm, I guess?”

“Works for me. I’ll send you the address soon then.” He says. You stand still, frozen, still processing what just happened. He’s blinking as if he just told you how’s the weather outside. “Now you can go.”

“O-kay. See you in a few hours then, Damon.”

“See you in a few hours, Y/N.”

You tried to hide your excitement, in vain. You smiled like an idiot.

This was one of the scenarios of your daydreams when you were walking around, talking quietly to yourself. Damon Albarn, your newly divorced music teacher who is old enough to be your father, just asked you out. You don't care if it was pity. After such disappointment, you allow yourself to create a little more of that stupid, inconsequential hope that your life would take an exciting turn for the first time.

He sends you the address a few hours after your class/conversation, when you were starting to get ready to meet him. It was a pub that you already knew well, and had visited with some friends in the past. You choose a dress that has become your “uniform” recently, for valuing your body type well and for translating your style in a way that is both stylish and very comfortable. When you finish getting ready, you take a deep breath. There is a world of difference between what you wanted to happen and what you think will happen. But you do not care.

The tragic call you received in the morning barely crosses your mind on your way to the pub.

Upon arriving, you find Damon - always so punctual - sitting in the corner of the lounge fiddling with his cell phone while he takes a few sips of a drink that you have no idea what it is made of. You never took him for a complex drink guy. He is really full of surprises. You feel slightly self-conscious out of a sudden, stomach churning in anticipation. He raises his eyes, and his gaze meets yours. His usual welcoming smile makes all your worries go away. You couldn’t help but smile wide too.

“Hello there. A stark contrast to this morning’s Y/N.” He notes, looking you up and down after you two share a tight hug, that smile still there.

“My plan tonight is to forget everything that happened before we talked, okay? Just let me forget about the call!” You answer, playfully, trying to pretend you weren't in the least ... affected ... by the way he received you.

And the time you spend together goes as usual. It’s amazing how there’s no space for awkward silences between you two. To one thing you tell him, he brings you three more things to tell, and vice-versa. You two just… click. You make each other laugh, and even if things don’t go the way you daydream about, which is totally okay, given that he’s twice your age and you’re not sure if you can handle the implications that age difference has, you’re glad to call him a good friend. He’s amazing, and you’re having a great time with him.

By your fourth beer and his fifth fancy drink, your conversation enters a territory that hasn’t been truly explored by you two yet. His romantic past. You only knew he was divorced because he mentioned it very vaguely one day, nothing else. You didn’t know why, who was her, or when. But apparently, he was about to tell you.

“We were both really… young… and didn’t have a clue of what we were doing with our lives. She was a musician too, Justine. Not anymore.”

“Because of what happened between you two?” You ask, the beers gradually taking the indiscretion filters out of you.

“Maybe. I don’t know. She seemed tired of everything. She wanted a life I’m not sure I would be able to live. I also pressured her a lot, I tried to create a version of her that somehow fitted all my expectations and, long story short, we weren’t right for each other. But I still think she’s incredible. I still admire her a lot. Not sure how she feels about me though.”

“Are you still in love with her?”

“Oh, no. There’s a big difference in admiring someone and being in love with them, kid.”

After that sentence of his, for the first time that night, an uncomfortable silence hangs between you - Instant Crush, by Daft Punk, almost ironically, starts playing on the pub's speakers. You feel like you're in a movie.

You're still a kid, aren't you?

“Definitely.” You finally answer him, finishing 70% of the bottle in a few gulps. You become a bit more lightheaded after that, and your eyes start to struggle to focus. You try to hide how slurred your voice wants to sound. “I confess I still don’t know how to really differentiate between the two.”

“Oh yeah?” His wistful tone gives place to one of amusement. “You never told me about your exes. Feel free to.”

“This is not about them.”

He turns to you, after a one-sided staring competition with his own cup. His voice is calm, and somehow even deeper, when he asks you: “Then who is this about?”

You gulp. The cramped space you were sitting on somehow feels even smaller. And hotter. You feel drops of sweat sliding on your belly. You’re sitting by his side, not in front of him, and that interaction feels almost… primal. You two are trapped by a huge table in a corner very few people can see.

“I think I need to go to the loo.”

He lets you, and you feel his eyes following you to the restroom.

My God. My God. My God.

You take a much longer time to do everything than you really need while reflecting on the dialogue you just had. You feel the ground is starting to spin, and the desire to sleep on literally any place grow. You’re drunk. And confused. And anxious.

You spend some good minutes staring at your own face in the mirror before you return to your table. He’s still in the moment, judging by the contemplative look on his face. This is the point of no return.

This is no movie – this is a fucking RPG.

“It was full,” you justify.

“Yeah, it’s always pretty crowded in there.”

That goddamn awkward silence again. You try to talk at the same time, but he wins.

“You still haven’t answered my question.”

“Yeah.” You clear your throat. “It’s… about a guy. He’s a…current… thing. Not from the past.”

“Right.” His tone is serious, more teacher-like than he has even acted while actually teaching you.

“I met him through an ad. I was looking for music teachers in my area and I found him. He had a fair price.” He was now smiling in disbelief, shaking his head. You’re both tipsy and you don’t care if your words are slurred anymore.

“And?”

“I have classes with him every Saturday. It’s the event of the bloody week for me. I can’t believe I’m saying that now because at first he seemed quite intimidating and not open to any meaningful interaction. Like, all frowns and monosyllabic answers and all.” You steal his drink, and he’s not even bothered. “We talk a lot, and even though we talk every day I somehow always thought he didn’t give a fuck about me when we were out of class. That he only saw me as a student, not as a friend, you know? I think about that chap every single day too. He’s handsome--like. Fuck. And he pays attention to everything I say. He’s always so nice to me, he makes me feel welcome. A part of… something.” You take a few more sips, and he gently takes the drink out of your hand, mouthing an ‘enough’. “He’s old enough to be my dad and I feel guilty for thinking of him that way. He invited me for drinks when my world fell so I could get my mind out of the shambles my life’s in and I almost died because I’m madly in love with him for a while now, but I don’t want to ruin everything. I don’t know what to do now. People shouldn’t start things thinking of how they’re going to end, but, you know?”

“They should, though. He’s indeed too old for you. And your life isn’t in shambles.”

“But…”

“Everything sounds pretty lovely in theory, but, he’s probably thinking that he’s going to slow you down in a way. You’ve got too much life to live. He’s probably really tired of everything he’s already lived.”

“But I love him. He makes me laugh! I don’t wanna have children.” You whine.

He muffles a laugh. “It’s not that-“

”Please take me home tonight.” You plead; your tone more serious now. “I know what I’m doing, I know where I am. Just please take me home.”

“Y/N…”

“Please, Damon. If you don’t feel the same then fine, call me an Uber and I’ll get over it.”

That triggers something in him, apparently, and he kisses you deeply and intensely. His hands caress your back and the whole kiss, though a little disjointed because of the state you’re both in, is full of affection and love. His lips taste of strawberry vodka, and your mind is spinning.

When your lips part, you stare at each other for a while, thousands upon thousands of thoughts per second, unsaid. “Are you sure you wanna come with me?” He asks, kissing your hand.

“Yes. I am.”

-

After he fumbles with his keys, you’re finally in his apartment – it’s surprisingly nice and tidy. Judging by how carefree he’s with his looks, you imagined that characteristic would overflow to other aspects of his life.

From the Uber drive home to his door, his hand never left yours.

He locks the door, and you stand staring intently at each other, sizing each other up like men before a fight. This time, you start the kiss, with a little less hurry than before. But the desire is still burning hot on both of you.

“Do you have any idea of what you’re doing to me?”, he murmurs, discarding his jacket while he does his best to not break the kiss. You take this as a signal to start taking off your clothes too, starting by kicking off your shoes. It has become a choreography of sorts - his hands grasp your buttocks and pulls you closer after you’re done with them, drawing a gasp from you.

“I wanted you for so long.” You reply, your hands exploring his body below the fine fabric of his shirt. You motion to take it away from him, and he lets you, completely entranced by how red your lips look from everything it went through. He guides you to his sofa, quickly adjusting it so it’s comfortable enough and serves as a bed for both of you.

He lies down first, eagerly waiting for you to stay on top of him. You finally do, and you feel like a goddess from the way he looks at your body. You take off your dress, and now you’re almost fully exposed to him. You have no bra on, and his hands immediately travel to your breasts, fingers running tantalizingly over your nipples to get them stiff and erect before he pinches them between his fingers, smiling at the whimper his actions elicit. You start bucking your hips on the rough fabric of his trousers, and you feel him harden below you. “God, you’re… something else.” he whispers, and you respond with another whimper, biting back a full on moan when your clit hits the perfect spot. You separate your legs a little further so you can feel him better, drawing a groan from him. He takes this a signal to take his jeans off, eyes not leaving your hips.

Now that a distance of an entire layer is shortened between you, the contact is even more intimate, and the bulge of his cock straining against his underwear is driving you mad. You’re aching for him. He brushes against you and your moan is higher than you expected, and you immediately cover your mouth in order not to wake up his neighbors. As he feels the wet heat of you around his painfully hard cock, he takes your hand out of your lips, grip then tightening on your hips as he pushes you down right on to him. Your moan is even louder. “Let them hear.”

“Fuck-Damon-I’m getting so close--” As if you just gave him a command, his hands now grab the flesh of your inner thighs, massaging them further and further up until he reaches the center of your arousal, and the sound you make when he pulls your panties to the side and runs his finger between your folds while still grinding against you is somewhere between a whine and a whimper. “Fuck, you’re so wet,” he says, voice rough from how excruciatingly aroused he is. “Come for me, baby.” Your clit was more exposed now, pressed more tightly against him and you whine in relief when your orgasm finally floods through your body.  

Before you could fully recover, he finally frees himself from his underwear and, with your help, effortlessly aligns himself with your (quite ready) entrance. You bury your head in his neck the moment he enters you in one swift motion and your moans are almost like cries by now - the overstimulation is driving you insane. You take his face on your hands and give him a passionate kiss while he gradually picks up a merciless pace inside of you, the more heated the kiss becomes the more shamelessly you ride his cock. “Shit,” he mutters, massaging your breasts in an almost desperate way. It’s too much - you’re almost becoming one.

You could tell by how frantically he fucked you now that he wasn’t going to last much longer. His thrusts were becoming irregular and you were so close once again. His head falls forward, buried in between your neck and shoulder - his cock twitches inside of you and his movements become staccato, his mouth curving into a beautiful ‘o’ shape as he comes inside of you. His movements stop before you could reach your second one, but the entire situation you were on was so arousing to you that just by touching yourself while still feeling him inside was enough. Not letting you alone in this, one of his hands focus on one of your nipples while the other one is below yours, providing pressure above your clit. And like that, you come undone a second time, head above his shoulders.

For a few minutes, your panting was the only thing that could be heard inside of the apartment.

“Thank you. You were amazing. ’s been quite a long time.” He notes with a tender kiss on your forehead. After a while, and with much reluctance, he slides out of you, and gets up to fetch a warm, wet cloth and carefully clean you both, finally collapsing next to you with a groan.

“It was everything I expected.” You confess, smiling.

“Did you… think about me like that when you…?”

“Of course. But let’s save this talk for another Saturday.”

[howtowhumpyourhiccup]

Whumptober Day 26: More Then A Simple Headache

Summary: Written for Whumptober Day 26. Post-RttE, Pre-Httyd 2. When ice and snow come to Berk, it means Hiccup's home will be covered in boobytraps he cannot see. And that means the occasional accident cannot be avoided.

Rating: General

Characters: Hiccup, Astrid, Toothless, Stoick

Pairing: Hiccstrid

Words: 1 397

Fandom: How to Train Your Dragon

Prompt: Concussion

Whumpee: Hiccup

Author’s Notes: Definitely a lighter Whumptober submission, probably more h/c than actual whump. But I had a lot of fun writing this one.

Constructive criticism is appreciated!

Enjoy

Ao3

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

The hit is instantaneous and so is the pain in his skull. So are the worried rumbling and the gasp that follows his fall. It briefly becomes black before his eyes and Hiccup doesn't make an immediate attempt to get back up.

"Oh no, Hiccup! Are you okay?" Much like Toothless, Astrid is a witness to Hiccup's fall and comes over to help him back up to his feet. There's a smile on her face, though he can't tell if it's out of sympathy or slight amusement or both. Probably both.

"Stupid ice, stupid prosthetic." Hiccup mumbles under his breath as he takes Astrid's hand to get up, rubbing the back of his head as it pounds.

"Wow, I guess your hair isn't as helpful as I thought it'd be." She teases and wipes the snow off his person.

"Oh, making jokes, are we? Didn't think you'd take enjoyment out of my pain." Hiccup responds, dusting himself off. Toothless hovers around him, circling him and crooning.

"I'm-I'm okay, Bud. That was just a little embarrassing, is all." He tells him and pets his nose, though his pounding brain would like to disagree. This is why he doesn't like the cold. Everything freezes over and when you get as much snow as they do, you can't always see the patches of ice until your pegleg slips on them.

And it happened in the middle of the village, too.

"Ah, happens to the best of us, lad." A Berkian man tells him and claps him on the shoulder as he passes. Hiccup gives him a friendly smile, though it does nothing to lessen his embarrassment.

"He's right, this can happen to anyone." Astrid agrees and then watches him appear to taste something funny, his brows knitting together.

"What's wrong?"

"I think I bit on my tongue." Hiccup replies, tasting the uncomfortably metallic tang of blood on his tastebuds.

"Today is not your day, is it?" Astrid wonders out loud.

"Not my day to take a walk, apparently." Hiccup replies, resisting the urge to spit out the blood in his mouth as he continues on his way.

"You don't want to go by Gothi for a second? Have her take a look at that?" Astrid suggests as she follows, Toothless rumbles in agreement as he walks by Hiccup's other side.

"For something as trivial as that? I don't really see the point. Besides, what skull is thicker than a Haddock's?" Attempting to divert their concern elsewhere, Hiccup jokes and pretends like a hellish throbbing isn't currently knocking on the back of his head.

"A Thorston's is. And we don't say that you have thick skulls, we say that you are thickheaded." Hiccup gazes at Astrid in overly exaggerated offense.

"Excuse me, Mrs. Hofferson! You can't just go around insulting my entire clan like that! All two of us!" Astrid laughs and Toothless speaks up.

"Toothless, Bud, stop agreeing to everything she says."

As they walk away and push the incident to the back of their minds, a Terror by the name of Sharpshot lands on the spot where he'd just seen his human friend fall. He'd been in the area when he saw it happen and he needed to take a look.

He sees that he's right, that his eyes aren't deceiving him, as he notices tiny specks of red on the frozen ground.

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

Hours later, Hiccup sits at the dinner table with his head in his hands. The pounding inside has gotten worse throughout the day and he's begun to suffer from the light. Every time he just looks at a torch there's a sharp pain behind his eyes.

A block of ice drops on the table, making him jump.

"Ah, sorry, son." Stoick apologizes and comes to sit on the opposite side of the table.

"So what manner of trouble were you in today?" He asks.

"Trouble me? Since when?" Hiccup asks in return, already squinting in the dim light of his home.

Sharpshot jumps down from the rafters and makes a fuss on the table.

"Sharpshot, off the table! Hiccup!"

"Sharpshot, we don't have any leftovers for you, Buddy." Hiccup picks the Terror up like a cat and places him on his lap.

Feeling misunderstood, he starts yipping at Toothless instead, who raises his head in question from his spot by the fire. He murrs back and gets up, understanding the little one's plight. He trods over to Hiccup and starts sniffing his hair.

"Toothless, what're you doing?" Hiccup asks, drawing away and holding the spot he'd hit earlier.

"Hiccup, how hard did you fall this afternoon?" His father asks, probably having heard about it from someone else because why would his son tell him anything?

"I didn't hit the ground that hard." Hiccup tells him, but Sharpshot and Toothless both disagree as they protest.

"Your dragons seem to think otherwise," Stoick states, their reaction not lost on him.

Not finding any way to dispute that, Hiccup instead holds the back of his head quietly.

"And I noticed you've barely eaten. Feeling sick, do we?" So that about the leftovers is clearly a lie and Hiccup hadn't missed the way his stomach churned with nausea.

"It's not a big deal!"

"Clearly it is. Gothi should still be up at this hour, you're paying her a visit." Stoick decides and already gets up from his seat.

"Oh, I don't want to bother her at this hour," Hiccup speaks, watching his dad march towards the door.

"You should've thought of that before you decided to be stubborn." He tells him and grabs his cloak and Hiccup's furs.

"Oh great," Hiccup mutters and leaves his chair.

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

The next day, Hiccup still lies in bed late in the morning on Gothi's orders. He has only just woken up, but still feels just as tired as the evening before. Toothless lies in bed with him and is taking up the majority of the space. The dragon's head rests on his shoulder while Hiccup lies on his side.

He's looking up at Astrid through tired eyes as she leans against the post near the stairs to the ground floor.

"So what did she say?" She asks with a knowing, but still sympathetic, smile.

"Concussion." Hiccup sighs. Astrid nods to show him she heard him, barely fighting the smugness she feels.

"You want to tell me "I told you so"?" Hiccup asks, able to read it off her face.

"I do, but I won't." She says and approaches, sitting on the edge of the bed on what little space he has left. Hiccup watches her sit down, but then he closes his eyes. The candlelight on his bedside table might not be bright enough to hurt, but the pounding still demands that he not see a thing.

"How bad is it?" She asks, leaning on a hand.

"Bad enough that Gothi wants me to stay in bed?" Hiccup attempts to turn onto his back before he answers, but Toothless' size doesn't allow him that much luxury and so he has to settle for this.

"In that case," Astrid says and decides to divide Hiccup's space by half as she comes to lie in front of him.

"Oh come on, Astrid." Hiccup groans in dismay, but does take her in his arms.

"Don't you dare groan, I know you don't entirely oppose of this." She scolds him, pressing her ear against his chest.

"That's a really long way of saying that you see this as an excuse for a nap and you're not taking 'no' for an answer." Hiccup retorts. Doesn't matter if his head pounds or not, the sass must come.

Astrid laughs, but doesn't dispute that. Hiccup opens his eyes again, his concussion not stopping him from gazing at his girlfriend. Toothless' snoring fills the silence.

"Good night, Babe," Astrid tells him, not blind to the fact that it isn't even midday yet, and Hiccup nods to show her that he will in just a second. He takes a lock and puts it behind her ear. He does like having her here.

But then Hiccup closes his eyes to get the sleep that he needs. Not even half an hour later, Hiccup is asleep with his head on Astrid's chest. Astrid is still awake and running her fingers through her boyfriend's hair absentmindedly. She's content staying like this for a little while longer.

[certifiedceraunophile]

KLAROLINE FALL BINGO PREVIEW.

@eliliyah @klarolinefallbingo

Prompt: Dias De Muertos

Honestly the relevancy of the prompt comes far to late in the story but it’s there, kinda. But hey it’s there.

MASQUERADES

(CinemaAU)

Sometimes all she needed was to take a breather. A single moment. One pause.

Breathe in.

To collect her thoughts and emotions. To steady her bearings.

To state in a repetitive loop all the reasons why punching one Niklaus Mikaelson in the balls would be a marginally bad idea.

And breathe out.

Forgive her, but The man was infuriating. Okay?

And unashamedly so. Not a whit of genuine compunction behind that facade of ‘Inescapable Charisma and Unadulterated Allure.’

Definitely not her words.

Nope. No sir.

These were the words of a certain Greta Martin, editor-in-chief for the first October issue of People Magazine.

With one Mega-frustrating arrogant blonde blue-eyed dimpled asshat demon going by the name Klaus slapped to the front of said issue.

And Nope if anyone asks,

No, she did not literally just shred -In a shredding machine no less, because efficiency, thank you very much- the first copy of the magazine she bought, after reading the beginning eight lines on his exclusive, recounting what a ‘delightfully satisfying and marvellous experience the entire three months of shooting turned out to be.’

Ok one Black-hole sized pause right there please.

Thank you.

A single beat.

And....

The Absolute Fuck?!

She’s sorry. Marvellous experience?

Excuse her, but say what?

Breathe in. Breathe out.

Beg pardon but What?

Excuse her.

But Marvellous experience, as in, aggressive quotation marks scratching the air “Marvellous experience” is NOT how she remembers it.

The slap in the face obvious discrepancy to both their stories is definitely not blind to her.

He called 84 re-takes that lasted four whole hours for one eight minute long single-shot single-angle scene, Marvellous.

He called having ice-cold Whiteclaw thrown square on his face by a Absolutely-done-with-wild-gust-of-agitated-Blonde-Fury on the eighth day of set, Marvellous.

He called having two separate make-up artists downright quit after being unable to touch up her makeup every thirteen seconds because she ran her hand down her face in unbridled aggravation every time her eyes landed on him, Marvellous.

He called the same experience where, she had to literally rush out of a set, under the ruse of a bathroom break, Twice in the course of three months, so that she can peacefully go through the motions of a rage-fueled emotional meltdown, complete with angry frustrated tears and a relentlessly colourful diatribe, cursing every man in her life who bore even a sliver of resemblance to the stormy-blue-eyed spawn of satan that was her co-actor, Marvellous.

God. How the hell did he possibly think he could get away with this,

How did he think he was going to smooth over the transparent inconsistencies between her interviews and his, without raising at least a few confused questions from bloodthirsty intuitive fans and the Press in general.

Given how her talk-show interviews and magazine exclusives gave the steady image, that

1. Klaus Mikaelson is a dick and a half, with an overgrown ego so ginormous that even the entirety of Tinseltown is ‘plainly restricting of his nonpareil talent in histrionic execution.’

2. Klaus Mikaelson is an arrogant narcissistic asshole that Hast pronounc'd upon his brethren yond this day f'rth that gent shalt with ev'ry smidgen of purpose in his life striveth to be the Unrivalled Bane of Caroline Forbes’ Existence.

3. The process of Creating the undeniable tour de force Masterpiece that was ‘100 years of solitude.’ The newest Christopher Nolan Direction and Production in theatres right now, that already has definite Academy Awards Nomination in the talks, was anything but Marvellous. She admits, It was so so gratifying and made her heart full with a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction, that left her giddy with such lighthearted contentment for days, after the phenomenal response it garnered post-premiering, Yes. But that does not capsulate how frustratingly tiresome and emotionally debilitating the entire creation process was. Hell it was downright painful at times.

4. Would she voluntarily take another movie with Klaus Mikaelson as a Co-star alongside her? You can get back to her when the sun starts to rise from the west and the answer would still be a definitive NO.

Now of course she wasn’t this brazen with her claims she knows how to be cute and classy and concise.

But she definitely did not mitigate the truth of her statement, she’s had enough training with her PR department to know what to say and how to say it but she’s sure that nobody had been able to overlook her less than companionable remarks about Klaus.

For example

The Stephen Colbert Show:

Stephen: “So Caroline tell us about the process, the Making of it, how everything fell into place like tiny puzzle pieces to reveal at last this grand, Grand Picture.”

“The process? Well the process was certainly not...pretty...but after every time we finished a scene, however small or inconsequential it may have seemed to the plot, there was this immense sense of ‘there-Done it. And done it well.’ ”

Jimmy Kimmel Live:

“Klaus Mikaelson, well my Co-star is um....eccentric at best.....”

Jimmy: “and at worst?”

“Well..... I guess” -hellish, heinously intolerable, a cruel mean bastard- “....Unyielding...?”

The Ellen Show:

“Well Klaus was a..... demanding partner and it took Herculean efforts to meet his exacting standards, but I can understand how that paid off so well on screen. The end result when I saw it for the first time, it damn well paid off.”

Ellen: “so he is absolved of his admittedly ‘uphill’ personality then?”

She laughs awkwardly,

“Ye-ah....No.”

followed by more laughter dissolving the painstaking grimace she’s trying to tamper down.

Oh and the worst.

The Late Late show with James Cordon:

During the ‘Fill Your Guts or Spill Your Guts’ segment

James: “So....I’m going to give you, let’s see, Ah there, the Bird Saliva.”

Caroline: “James!.... Damn it, you are so not making it into my good books, and....God. That’s just disconcerting I mean, How do they even, I don’t know... collect it?”

James: “Well there’s a whole process of harvesting it from the salivary glands and—“

Caroline: “Never mind! Nope. No need for the details, please, James, a lady’s delicate sensibilities are at stake. And unless the question is ‘what is your social security number?’ I’m not drinking this poison.”

James: “Now Caroline you wound me, I can assure you everything on this table is edible albeit being marginally unpalatable—“

Caroline: “Marginally?!”

James: “You should try the Cow’s tongue. It’s delectable.” Followed by a sagely nod.

Caroline: “Now I’m just intensely bothered. You’ve definitely lost all claim for a spot in my good books.”

James: “Ah well, speaking of staying in your good graces, here’s a question that will have you downing that Saliva in seconds.”

Caroline: “Hit me.”

James: “Well then, ‘Name Any one CO-star with whom you have worked with in the past that you would never volunteer to work with again.’”

Pause.

And the audience descended.

“Like I said, speaking about staying in your good books.”

Amidst the raucous screams, whistles and laughter, it didn’t even bother Caroline, the clarity and speed with which the name

‘Klaus Mikaelson’ flashed in the front of her mind, like a large Neon LED sign from a typical Vegas Nightlife scene.

It took her a total of three seconds to know that she was going to answer with his name because, well just look at that drink in front of her,

Sure if you bend over real low and squint in the right light it may look like a harmless Daiquiri, but a Daiquiri it was not.

No. This was Bird Freaking Saliva,

Come on, you can’t possibly ask her to put that in her goddamn mouth.

Like NO.

Just no.

So sue her for protecting her taste buds that are yet to experience many more exotic flavours and textures of food from all around the world.

But then again she can’t possibly outright just say “Oh that’s easy, Klaus Mikaelson.”

That’s exactly the kinda PR trouble she wants to stay above and definitely didn’t need to be wrung out dry by her Spitfire Mistress-of-Hell Publicist Katherine Pierce for.

(Who also alternates as her BFF, occasionally, mind you.)

So she puts on a good show, dropped her head in her hands, gave a healthy long groan, looked up and gave James her best wounded Puppy Dog eyes, to which he was clearly not immune to, judging by how he looked a touch chagrined, but the game was just as much as beyond his hands as it were hers,

She looked to the audience “You guys are so mean, it’s not even funny.”

And grumbled a bit more till everyone was laughing and pitching forward and back on their seat amused by the poor Blonde’s Dilemma.

So she looked up to the heavens as if to ask for some unknown deity for deliverance and guidance, and poised herself to drink,

Only to put the glass back down in the last second in a begrudgingly weak show of caving in, and blurted out reluctantly,

(She’s a glorious actor, she’s aware.)

“You know what, Nope. He’s just gotta deal with it, okay?.”

Deep breath

Or was it the audience taking a deep breath and holding it in,

“ItsKlausMikaelson,PleaseDontKillMe.”

Pause again.

And the auditorium transcended.

Well,

she handled that, pretty well, if she does say so herself you know.

Apparently Kat Disagrees.

Apparently She Blew It.

She blew it so hard she could’ve knocked down the third little pig’s brick house.

Ironic since she always envisioned Klaus as the Big Bad Wolf who huffs and puffs and just generally blows.

Apparently her little admission was a PR disaster.

And Kat was furious.

The two minute edited clip that encompassed the question, the reluctant grumbling and finally the confession was apparently now a viral video on all social networking platforms.

They were trending on twitter under the hashtag

#KlarolineUnrequitedLoveIsABitch.

But her admission to being generally averted on taking up Klaus as a colleague again was apparently only one half of the video,

The other half....

Well the other other half was Klaus with his personal confession.

God, it wasn’t even a confession,

it was a—a Mockery, yes that’s it, a Mockery,

Of Her, no less

Basically Here’s the run down of the second insidious half of the video,

Klaus sitting in front of Graham Norton, in all their British glory, going live on The Graham Norton Show,

when asked about Caroline Forbes, his “partner” on scene has the audacity to let out this evil little amused huff and say:

“Caroline?” Another amused huff. “Well Caroline, Christ, where do I start? She’s an absolutely glorious presence on set. Her energy....it’s infectious, She hits you like a blonde hurricane of sunshine and snark and you’re just left staring up at the sun thinking, ‘you need to catch up mate, if you want to be half as bright and burning as her.’”

And Caroline thinks maybe this is the feeling of your brain imploding within the confines of the skull.

TBC

[writingthingsisdifficult]

Oh my god they were roommates part 2

You are forced to take over the monitoring of Loki. Snapshots from the life of being a god handler.

It’s weird how a phrase or sentence can inspire a whole story. In this case it was “A polished turd is a turd nonetheless.” This is what grew from it. The whole story is almost 13.000 words long, so I felt I had to split it into parts. If I’m lucky, I will get home early enough to post part three tonight. If not, you will have to wait until tomorrow evening. 

If you like it, let me know. Knowing that people enjoy my writing is what keeps me posting my stories.

Word count: 3092

Part One

______________________________________________________________________

Three days later a black car dropped you off along with a large suitcase and a backpack. An agent helped you unload the car, then sped off, not wanting to spend more time than necessary with Loki. He greeted you with a sour smile, but offered to carry your suitcase, which was at least something, you thought with a grimace.

Halfway up the staircase, an old head poked out from the first floor door, curious eyes peering at the two of you. Loki offered a happy hello, and you nodded politely. The eyes lit up.

“Hello,” their owner said. “Are you moving in? Is she your girlfriend, Loki, dear?”

You both shook your heads vigorously. “Oh no, Mrs Martin. Y/N is just… a friend… and she needed a place to stay for a while. Until she can go back to her own place,” he added, and you weren’t sure whose ears it was meant for.

“Well, welcome to the neighbourhood, dearie,” Mrs Martin grinned. “It was about time Loki found a friend. You must be awfully lonely up there, all on your own. That, that other one who came to visit sometimes, what was his name, I didn’t like him.” She turned her eyes on you. “You take good care of Loki now. He’s ever so helpful when we need something, both me and Mr Howard in number 15, always fetching Alfie when he gets stuck in the tree, I don’t know how he does it.”

You shifted on the stairs. The backpack weighed more than you had expected. Rolling your shoulders, you gave a soft smile to Loki. You always knew he wasn’t as bad as they said he was.

“Oh my,” Mrs Martin said. “Of course, you’re busy, and here I am prattling on. Well, welcome, Y/N. It’s so good to see him with a friend. I’ll let you to get settled now.” She winked and disappeared back in her own apartment.

“Wow,” you mouthed.

Loki grimaced. “She’s usually much more talkative. But she’s a nice old lady. If it wasn’t for that hellish cat of hers…” He thought for a moment. “She always brings me leftover casserole on Sundays, too. It’s not edible, though…”

You tried to suppress a giggle, but it escaped as an ugly snort. Clapping a hand over your mouth to shut up, you almost missed the satisfied grin on Loki’s face.

The apartment was only on the second floor, fortunately, and relatively big considering its location. SHIELD evidently had used some influence in an attempt to placate Loki. He must have been sick and tired of moving every couple of months, which was, you suspected, why he hadn’t protested more.

“Shoes off,” he said, and you noticed his slippers for the first time.

Trying to seem graceful and dignified, you pulled off your boots, but the backpack slid over the back of your head and made you topple over into the wall. With a silent chuckle, Loki grabbed you and the backpack and turned you right side up.

You followed him into the apartment, face burning with embarrassment and hoping this wouldn’t be your new norm.

“This will be your chamber,” he said, bringing you out of your thoughts. The room in question was a cosy east facing room. It was a bit on the smaller side, but with a king size bed stretching almost from wall to wall, leaving only enough space for a small bedside table on each side and a nice dresser in the corner. The soft moss colour of the carpet went well with the greyish blue walls, and together with the sunlight through the window you were sure this would be a nice place to stay.

You considered it for a bit, then dropped your backpack on the floor and flung yourself onto the bed, bouncing a couple of times before coming to a rest. It was so soft you had to giggle. “This’ll do,” you said when you spotted Loki standing in the doorway with your suitcase. “Add a few personal touches here and there… Yeah, it’ll do.”

Loki motioned for you to follow him again, and you scooted off the bed. He pointed you in the direction of the kitchen, a large, modern space, and then the bathroom. There was only one you noted, a bit sceptical – and then he stopped outside the door to a west facing room. “Off limits,” he said, placing his hand on the door. It crackled like snow on a freezing day.

“Why?” In your mind you pictured a secret lab or something.

He looked at you as if you were exceptionally stupid. “Because I like my privacy,” he replied flatly.

“Of course. Your room. No go. Got it.” Finger guns. Oh, god. Why were you like this? Trying to make things as normal as possible, you put your hands in your pockets and rocked back and forth on your toes. “So, what do you do then? When you don’t have an assignment, I mean.”

Loki looked puzzled for a moment, but he apparently decided to play along. “I read,” he said, turning back to the living room. “Watch TV sometimes. I get a lot of free time. SHIELD doesn’t trust me to go on missions yet.”

The realisation punched you in the chest. He must be so bored! And you couldn’t imagine any of the other agents doing anything to lessen his days. That settled it: you were going to do your best to make sure Loki felt appreciated. Maybe then he would come out of his shell and show SHIELD that he was dependable.

“Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ll be in the living room, reading. Don’t disturb me. Even better: stay in your room, and everything will be almost as normal.” He wafted you away with a superior look in his face.

You closed your eyes and exhaled deeply. This was unacceptable. “Listen, Loki,” you said with your best Mum-voice. “We’re living together now. It has been decided, there’s nothing to do about it. You don’t have to like it, hell, I’m not particularly happy about the arrangement either.” Though you’re probably unhappier than me, you added in your mind. “Let’s at least try to make the best of it.” Stop acting like a sulking child.

Loki stiffened for a second, but then he seemed to melt. “I apologise,” he said after a short, uncomfortable silence. “Of course you did not choose this. I will try to be civil.”

You smiled widely. “Thank you. Now what do you want for dinner? It’s my first day here. Considering it a peace offering.”

_______________________________________________________________________

The knock on the door was soft, but unmistakable. Grimacing, you looked at the clock on the wall. It wasn’t even six yet, and the only reason you were up this early was because you had had a minor nightmare. Not wanting to go back to sleep and risk facing your fears again, you had decided to surprise Loki with breakfast.

Peering through the spy hole, you saw two agents with a large briefcase. What could they possibly want at this hour?

“Good… morning,” you offered as you opened the door.

“Morning, Agent Y/N.” They pushed their way past you without an invitation. “Where is Loki?”

“He’s… sleeping.”

“Go get him.”

“But… he expressly told me not to come into his room:”

The agent shrugged. “Well, I’m not coming back anytime soon. Either you go get him, or –“

You held up your hands. “No, I’ll get him. Two, uh two seconds.” Leaving the agents in the hallway, you shuffled over to Loki’s room, silently cursing them for coming at such an ungodly hour. You hesitated for a moment before knocking, remembering the crackling and Loki’s warning. It had only been a week, but a quick glance over your shoulder made up your mind for you. The agents were getting impatient.

Nothing happened when you knocked. Taking a deep breath, you opened the door slightly. “Loki? You awake?”

The room was dark, but in the soft light from the hallway you could see it was filled with books and magical knick-knacks. At least that was what you thought they were. A couple of succulents adorned his windowsill, and foreign symbols hung on the walls.

Loki was sleeping on his stomach, blanket partially discarded on the floor, revealing a dark t-shirt and a pair of pyjama pants that left practically nothing to your imagination. The light hit his face, and he stirred, twisting his body to look at you with drowsy eyes. “What?” He blinked in confusion and indignation.

“I’m sorry for waking you, but there’s someone here to see you. They didn’t say what they wanted, but I’m pretty sure you don’t want to miss them.”

Looking slightly dishevelled, but more put together than you did when rudely awakened from deep sleep, Loki emerged with a frown. “What is it?” When he saw the agents standing in the hallway, he straightened his back. With a flick of his wrist, his clothes shimmered, and suddenly he was wearing a crisp, white shirt and suit trousers.

The change made the agents gasp, and you noted the satisfied smirk that flitted over Loki’s face.          

The agent with the suitcase cleared his throat. “Agent Y/N has asked your tracking monitor to be removed, and SHIELD has decided to comply with her request. If you would kindly sit down for us. Thank you.”

Loki shot you a confused look before leading them into the living room, where he sat down on the edge of the sofa. He looked uncomfortable, like he was ready to defend himself if this turned out to be a trap.

Unpacking his suitcase, the agent got to work removing the ankle bracelet. Several codes and keys were required to unlock it, and then to disarm the alarm.

While his partner worked, the other agent turned to you. “Now, Agent Y/N, I trust you understand that you cannot be allowed to keep arms in the apartment with Loki unmonitored, so we ask you surrender any weapons you have to us. They will be delivered to the headquarters and returned to you upon need.”

In your mind you rolled your eyes, but out loud you said: “Of course.” You hurried to your room and unlocked the drawer you kept your gun in and returned with the case in a flash.

The agent looked doubtful, weighing the case in his hand. “Is this all?”

“Yes,” you replied. You had never been very fond of weapons. “Well, I do have a baseball bat by my bed, but that’s –“

“Not a weapon,” he finished for you.

The other agent smacked the lid of his suitcase and got to his feet. “Alright. Let’s roll.” You led him to the door.

Loki rolled his ankle and twisted to warm it up. He looked up when the second agent remained. “Can I help you?”

“Piece of advice,” he said before following the other agent out. “She trusts you more than I do. More than any other agent in SHIELD. Do not abuse that trust.”

_______________________________________________________________________

“Loki? Is that you?” You weren’t easily spooked, but you grabbed your baseball bat just to be safe. It had been a gift from your Dad the first time you moved to live on your own, and it had stayed with you – unused and collecting dust – ever since.

Opening the bedroom door slowly, you peeked through the slit. The apartment was dark. It was past midnight after all.

As you moved as silently as you could through the hallway to the living room, you kept your eyes open and a firm grip on the bat.

No sounds. That was strange. You could have sworn you heard something – a sudden creak behind you made you spin on the spot, and you swung the bat like a pro – straight through a dissolving, dark figure.

Laughter erupted behind you, and you turned again, this time with rising anger in your chest. Your heart hammered in your throat, and your ears were buzzing. You felt like screaming, but to your credit, you swallowed it, opting for a steely glare instead.

Loki was nearly crying with laughter. “You – you-hoo should have seen your face,” he started, but you cut him off. The moon shone through the window, lengthening the shadows in the room, and sharpening his features. He looked every bit the prince he was, but you ignored that for now.

Pushing the tip of the bat to his chest, you marched him backwards until he stumbled over a fold in the carpet and toppled into the armchair. “That was not funny!”

He grinned. “Yes, it was. You looked like you saw a ghost. Are you afraid of the dark, Y/N?” His voice changed, and his body shifted, and suddenly three copies circled you, making the hairs on your neck rise.

“Stop it!” Truth be told, the dark always had you just a little bit on edge. You weren’t exactly scared of ghosts and monsters; it was more just not being able to see what was out there.

His clones inched closer, and goosebumps spread down your spine and arms too. “I said stop it!” You tried to sound angry, but the pure joy on Loki’s face made it hard to mean it. It was rare to see him smile, and smiles like that felt like winning the lottery. But you were still annoyed that he scared you.

One by one the clones disappeared, and you lowered the bat. “I swear, Loki, if you ever pull a stunt like that again I will defenestrate you! Don’t think I won’t.”

That made him giggle, and despite yourself, you joined in.

“Well, that was interesting,” Loki said when you fell silent again. “You don’t like the dark –“

“I don’t like you.”

“You do!” He smirked. “You don’t like the dark, but you’re not afraid to explore it. Hmm.” He got up and brushed off his pyjama trousers. “Go back to sleep, Y/N. I am the most dangerous thing in the darkness here, and I won’t hurt you. I promise.” Glancing at the windows, he continued in a lighter voice: “At any rate, I like it here. The landlord won’t be pleased if you break his windows, huh.”

You nodded, but remained. What did he mean by saying that he was the most dangerous thing in the darkness? He didn’t really believe… “Loki,” you began, but you didn’t know what to say.

He no doubt picked up on the shift, because his face softened just a little bit. “Go back to sleep,” he repeated. “I promise I won’t make any more scary sounds in the night. And I do believe I owe you a proper breakfast for that little trick,” he added, striding past you with a little nod, and closing his bedroom door softly behind him. The lock clicked loudly.

“Yes, you do,” you muttered, shuffling back to your own room. Now that the danger was over, the adrenaline that kept you awake and alert was quickly fading, leaving you exhausted and filled with thoughts of Loki’s mental well-being.

Sunday came, and you were sitting in the living room scrolling mindlessly on your laptop, looking at memes and cute videos of kittens. Loki was sitting in his chair by the window as usual, reading a book in some foreign language you didn’t know. It was a lazy day, and you savoured it.

There was a knock on the door and you looked at Loki as if to ask if he expected visitors. He only grinned and nodded towards the door.

Outside was the old neighbour, Mrs Martin, and she was carrying a large pot. “I made enough for the two of you to share,” she said, holding up the pot higher. It smelled dreadful, but you smiled and took it anyway. “Thank you, Mrs Martin.”

“Oh, call me Lydia. And it’s my pleasure. Just come down with the pot when you’re done, that’s a good girl.”

“I will. Have a good day, Lydia.”

Closing the door behind you with your foot, you lifted the lid on the pot and immediately regretted it. Swallowing a gag, you handed the pot to Loki. “Get rid of this, will you?” You covered your nose and returned to your laptop. “Please?” you added when Loki remained seated.

He took the pot with him, and soon after you heard the toilet flush. When he came back, he wore a shit-eating grin. “I did warn you.”

“That you did. Maybe I’ll buy her a cooking class for Christmas.”

Loki shook his head. “Don’t bother. I already tried, and Mrs Martin is too fond of experimenting.”

The third time you talked to Mrs Martin, you had lived in the apartment for a good month, and you had settled in quite nicely. She was knocking on your door again, asking for help to get Alfie down from the tree.

Loki was pulling on his shoes, and you were trying to be amiable, attempting a bit of small talk, though it was never your forte.

Suddenly Mrs Martin set her dark eyes in you and gave you a knowing smile. “So, when are you two getting married?”

You almost choked on air, sputtering unintelligible noises while shaking your head.

“We’re not together, Mrs Martin,” Loki replied patiently, which took you by an even bigger surprise. You would have thought he’d at least be annoyed, but he smiled gently and walked past her down the stairs.

“I’ve told you to call me Lydia,” Mrs Martin called after him. “And don’t worry, dearie,” she said to you. “He’ll propose soon. I can see the love in his eyes.” She winked at you, then walked after Loki as fast as her short legs could carry her, leaving you staring after her in the doorway.

She was mistaken, of course she was. She had to be. Loki merely tolerated you. He didn’t… The thought had never even crossed your mind. You’ve grown to like him more and more over the weeks you had lived together, but he had never indicated… Shaking your head, you closed the door behind you and went to watch the spectacle from the kitchen window.

Loki was scaling the tree with grace, but convincing the menace of a cat to come with him was more work than you had expected. After closely avoiding sharp claws a few times, he finally got a hold of Alfie and tucked him securely under his arm before dropping back into the grass.

Part three

_______________________________________________________________________

Tagging my wonderful friends for this:

@80percentmarvel @tardis-is-mine @schwarzwaelder-kirschtorte @jessiejunebug

[bbrandy2002]

Two Men and a Baby Pt 9B-The Ending.

The Royal Romance/The Royal Heir

Part 9a was posted earlier this morning if you haven't read it yet.

Thank you everyone who took the time to read this. Your comments have been wonderful to read and kept me going when I got a case of writers block. I have other stories I plan to write so I hope you'll stick around for a while.

I am posting fun facts at the end of this story, if you'd like to read those too. - Brandy

@gardeningourmet @emceesynonymroll @dcbbw @sirbeepsalot @crookedslimecreatorpasta @moonlightgem7 @katedrakeohd @romanticatheart-posts @carabeth

The Real Last Final One 9B

Liam just finished his account of the predicament he found himself in earlier. Riley felt badly for her husband and the anger she felt over his "zip it" comment seemed a little more justified.

Drake stood from his chair and apologized for what he had done. He, too, had had a rough day, however, no one deserved to be clawed in the face, hauled off to a psych ward, beaten and nearly strip searched, especially the King.

"I know what will make you feel better, My King." Riley whispered.

"I can't imagine what." Liam pouted.

"Well....we are in a hospital, I don't think we've ever done it in one before." Riley looked at him like she wanted to devour him right there.

Liam raised an eyebrow, "I do like doing it in public places."

Riley grabbed his hand and led him off in search of an empty room.

"Watch your zipper Liam" Maxwell yelled.

Olivia huffed "Well, there goes my ride. Hey Walker, why don't you give me a lift back to the palace."

Drake didn't want to, the last thing he wanted was to end his night with Olivia, but, perhaps she'd be too tired to annoy him for the hour drive back.

2 hours later....

Bertrand had to have surgery to free him of the zipper. After a healthy dose of drugs and a little reconstructive surgery, he and his dick should make a full recovery. He will need to wear a diaper for a while, but, that's a small price to pay for ones manhood.

Savannah finally reunited with her son. She knew the whole time that Bartie could drink from a bottle, but, she had a secret breast fetish and seeing Bertrand with it on, drove her wild.

The boar was finally caught. It caused significant damage to the Beaumont Estate, but, in reality, it was nothing they hadn't seen following a Beaumont Bash. It was placed in the Valtoria menagerie, due to Zeke being unable to take him back.

Zeke and Penelope were arrested that night for operating an illegal animal ring. Truth is, Zeke was raking in profits off the illegal purchasing and trading of several wild animals. Penelope was the ringleader. She had made off like a bandit having acquired 100's of boxes of dog treats for her poodles.

Liam and Riley found an empty room and did what Liam and Riley always do when they're alone. When they finally finished, Riley noticed a white flash as she was dressing, but, it was probably nothing.

Maxwell and Drake finally sat down together and pondered their day. They were two men, who certainly had one hellish day, but, they both were able to stand tall knowing they made it through...well, Maxwell had the crutches.

Maxwell was not charged for his part in the disaster. Being a Beaumont has its perks, but, when you're able to forge letters from the King pardoning you, it's even better. He would hitch a ride home in a news van and sleep outside with his peacocks that night.

Liam was cornered in the hospital by the press as he tried to leave. He had to explain why hospital security caught him running out of a vandalized bathroom full of shit, that was now playing on loop from every news station. He also had to explain why he delivered a baby, was beaten, placed in a mental health ward and beaten again. Riley, however, announced she would throw a Royal Ball and go on a Royal Tour, in hopes of answering their questions and calming the masses. Liam, also decided to start wearing condoms again; he wasn't sure he could handle another delivery right now.

"You ready Liv", Drake shook a sleeping Olivia from her chair in the waiting room.

She gathered her things and followed Drake out to the parking lot. The ride to the Palace was fairly quiet, both too exhausted to say anything.

They walked up the grand stair case and Drake couldn't help but notice her ass swaying in her skirt. She annoyed the hell out of him, always had, but, damn if she wasn't sexy.

Once they reached the top, she looked at him like she hadn't before.

"Well Walker, for what it's worth, this day had been something I never expected. I've laughed more today that I have in a long time and its all thanks to you and Maxwell."

Drake slightly huffed," glad we could entertain you Duchess."

"Well, I'm going to bed, I can't keep my eyes open any longer", she smiled at him, winked and made her way to her guest room.

"Night Liv", he would say as he watched her walk away.

Drake went to Liam's study; he was tired, but, hadn't had a stiff drink all day. He sat on the couch, slumped down and drank his long awaited whiskey. One glass after another, until he started to feel much more relaxed and comfortable.

He stood up from the couch and that's when she walked in.

"I thought I heard someone in here" she said.

She walked over to the bar cart and poured her own drink.

She was beautiful in her white, silky robe that accentuated her breasts.

"Didn't mean to disturb you your highness."

"Drake, you can never disturb me" she said while taking a drink and lifting her bare leg to rest on the coffee table.

"Mrs.Rys, are you trying to seduce me?"

"Would that be so bad?" she asked while undoing her robe.

Drake pulled at his collar and licked his lips. He looked at Liam's desk and nodded. She smiled at him and stood in front of the desk. He told her to bend over and he couldn't help but stare at her round ass. He felt kind of guilty about what he was getting ready to do, but, alcohol and his throbbing dick took over. "What the hell" he whispered and went for it.

The next morning

He looked at her and uttered, "I'm sorry".

She replied with a soft smile, "I'm not".

Drake closed his eyes and took a deep breath, "but, what about Liam?"

"Drake, my husband never took the time to touch me like you did last night; trust me, I'm not worried about Liam finding out."

"Yeah, last night sure was crazy."

After doing it twice on Liam's desk, they moved back to his room for the night. She got up and put her clothes on. After she left, Drake picked up his phone to text Maxwell.

....Beaumont, you were right! She does have an apple pie tattoo on her ass.

Fun facts.....

1. This was never supposed to be more than one chapter. I had the idea, thought it would be cute to write a drabble of Bertrand breastfeeding with that fathers breastfeeder seen on Meet the Fockers.

2. After writing chapter 1, I wanted to explore the cliff hanger at the end....would Drake wear the breastfeeder. I had to go ahead and do another to ensure he did.

3.it wasn't until part 4 when my little story started to get noticed by others. I never expected anyone else to read it. I personally thought it was too bizaar, but, continued out of pure enjoyment. You all made it worth it and I loved every minute of writing this.

4. Chapter 7 was my personal favorite. I have to thank @emceesynonymroll for inspiring Maxwell's dialogue. It also was the quickest chapter I wrote.

5. I adore Drake and his character in TRR/TRH, but, as a Liam stan, I could never bring myself to have Riley in his bed at the end. However, I'm not opposed to exploring that for a future post.

6. I wanted to continue this series, but, there is only so much you can write about in a one day timeline. Also, I think everyone suffered enough in the story. I decided it was time to call it quits.

7. There will be new adventures ahead for the gang....I have big plans for them 😂

8.If you have any requests or suggestions, let me know. I'm interested in new ideas. I'm also not opposed to constructive criticism; message me and let me know where I can improve.

As always, thanks for reading!

[bae-in-maine]

Juliantina Fanfic: A Garden Blooms in my Chest

Title: A Garden Blooms in my Chest

Author: Jude81 (Bae-in-Maine)

Fandom: Amar a Muerte (A Mexican Telenova)

Pairing: Juilana Valdes & Valentina Carvajal

Rating: Teen and up (for the moment)

Chapter 1 of 2: The Flower Shop

Summary: Takes place the same day they share their first kiss in the pool. Juliana and Valentina don’t fully understand yet that they are falling in love. Valentina sneaks off and buys flowers for Juliana. 

I’m tagging the following people who had commented on my tumblr about wanting Juliantina fanfic or who I know like Juliantina and might want to read this. @xlyre @damiana-atx @hedawolf @cleide12 @viguaquis @chopchopsupercat @stardust-07 @redblueidle @elcapitana @feelings-in-black

I posted this on A03, and you can read it here or you can read it on tumblr. 

https://archiveofourown.org/works/17472953/chapters/41148656

************************************** 

The little bell above the door jangled as Valentina slipped through the front door of the small flower shop. It wasn’t much bigger than her bedroom, but the owner had managed to utilize every nook and cranny of the small space, adorning each spot with carefully arranged buckets of flowers. A few well-placed Mexican Sycamore saplings graced the sides of the door, and the small counter in the back of the store.

She smiled and inhaled deeply, letting the scent of the flowers wash over her: agave, roses, morning glory, lilies and too many more to discern. She opened her eyes and stepped further into the room, carefully weaving her way around the black buckets overflowing with flowers. She bypassed the roses. They reminded her too much of her sometimes boyfriend, Lucho, although she doubted, he bought his extravagant bouquets in this small shop that was almost squished between a shop that sold beer and lottery and another shop that was more of a greasy eatery than anything else.

She had never really been to this part of Mexico City, although it was a few blocks from the hospital where Juliana’s mother was recuperating.

Juliana.

She’d left Juliana sleeping in her bed, her friend too exhausted to make the trip back to the hospital, although she had valiantly denied she needed the sleep, only needing to be with her mother. It had taken careful persuasion and promises that Valentina would check on her mother for the few precious hours that Juliana finally allowed herself to sleep.

She had already checked on her mother who had been sleeping, talked to the nurses, and had found herself wandering around the area, against Jacabo’s wishes. But she’d ignored her driver and bodyguard, needing the fresh air to help clear her mind. And soon she’d found herself in front of the small flower shop.

She stopped in front of the small cooler, staring at the artfully arranged bouquets. Roses, lilies, even some daisies. But they weren’t right, not what she wanted to say. She wasn’t even sure what she wanted to say, or how to say it; but her father had always told her that flowers spoke the universal language of love. It seemed as if he were right, for she vaguely remembered the flowers he would bring her mother, before she passed, before he stopped buying flowers for anyone until Lucia.

She sighed and turned her way, carefully picking her way around a small table display with cards and a few teddy bears. She let her fingers run along the small tablecloth on the table, her fingers bumping over the tiny crocheted laces. She didn’t even know what type of flowers Juliana liked.

Juliana.

She was floating again, Juliana’s hand clasped in her own, her eyes staring at the brightly white tiled ceiling that stretched above them like an endless sky.

The water was warm, almost too warm, and she wondered if maybe that had more to do with the nervous tumbling in her belly than the actual temperature of the pool. It was an unusual feeling, and it had taken her time to understand what it meant: the fluttering in her belly, the heat in her cheeks, the anxious tripping of her heart in her chest…a hellish combination of desire and fear. It was a monster pressing against her ribs, causing her lungs to ache with each breath.

But it was momentarily soothed as she floated beside Juliana, their hands clasped, arms pressed together, almost shoulder to shoulder. Their legs bumped in the gentle waves they created as they treaded water, Valentina bearing part of the weight of the water to keep Juliana buoyed.

It was only Juliana’s second swimming lesson, and she hadn’t taught Juliana much beyond how to float. But holding Juliana in her arms, using her own body to create a safe harbor for Juliana in the water had taught her more than she would have imagined.

Valentina bit her lip, her fingers trembling slightly against the lace. She stepped across the room to the other small cooler, her eyes straying to the lilies. Stargazers. They had been her mother’s favorite. She pressed her fingers against the cool glass, needing the solid touch to ground herself.

She was floating.

Her hand swirled lightly in the water as she floated, her eyes staring straight up at nothing, her vision filled with what could be: the feel of Juliana’s arms around her waist, the press of her face into the warm crook of Valentina’s neck. She shuddered, her legs losing their soft, careful rhythm, and her feet abruptly scraped the bottom of the pool.

She heard Juliana flounder beside her, her fingers suddenly grasping tightly around Valentina’s. She pulled Juliana up and into her arms, relieved that the other girl was laughing. They giggled, and Valentina brushed a few wet hairs off Juliana’s face, brushed them behind her ear, her fingers lingering against the delicate curve of her ear. She wanted to trace it, learn every gentle line of her ear.

They giggled, Juliana’s arms wrapped around her waist, sliding up to her shoulders, and it was inevitable; as sure at the rhythm of the tides and the rise of the sun with her love, the moon. Valentina dipped her head, her eyes filled only with the warmth of Juliana’s eyes, the beautiful slope of her nose, and the gentle curve of her mouth.

And she hesitated. Waited. Her mouth dry with fear, hope blooming so deeply inside her chest, that she was sure her ribs were cracking with the expanding pressure. It hurt, it ached, and it was a thousand times more painful then when she’d broken her arm when she was ten.

And then Juliana lifted her head, just enough, her eyes fluttering shut, her breath warm against Valentina’s lips.

She still held Juliana’s hand in her own, her other hand on her arm, fingers gently splayed around her bicep. Valentina could feel it jump under her touch, felt it bunch slightly and then relax, and then Juliana’s hand was on her chest, her fingers barely dipping into the hollow of her throat. It was enough.

It was barely a kiss, the smallest brush of lips, but it was a lightbulb that flickered and flickered and then steadied casting it’s warm glow at their feet. It was the smell of Jasmine and rose petals floating in the pool and misting across their wet skin.

Valentina leaned into the kiss, her eyes closed. She moved her mouth slightly against Juliana’s, just enough so she could feel the weight of Juliana’s mouth against her own. And then she could feel it, like ivy curving around each rib, pulling them back in place, creating a flowering, blooming lattice born in her chest.

Juliana.

“Miss? Miss? Can I help you, Miss?”

She jerked back, visions of Juliana disappearing like fog under a new sun. She carefully pulled her fingers off the cooler glass. Disconnecting. Returning.

She turned and smiled. “I’m sorry. I was lost in thought.” She brushed her hair behind her hears, hoping her face wasn’t as flushed as it felt.

“Of course,” the older woman smiled. She was short, with long black hair tied back in a simple braid. Her white apron was stained with greenery and flower pollen, and she held a single beautiful rose in her hand, clippers in the other.

She chuckled and gestured in the air with the clippers. “Not everyone likes thorns on their roses, so we trim some of them. Just so people have the option.” She turned back towards the counter, nodding her head for Valentina to follow her.

“Now, what can I do for you?”

“I’m looking for a flower,” Valentina murmured, cringing slightly at stating the obvious, but the other woman just nodded and smiled.

“It’s for…a friend.” It didn’t feel right. The word “friend” was sour on her tongue, and she wanted to spit it out or grind it between her teeth and swallow the remnants. “Friend” was too simple. It lacked color and vibrancy. It wasn’t the blooming flowers along her ribs, the garden growing in her chest with each passing breath, each thought of Juliana.

“Hmmmm…how about some white roses?”

But Valentina was already shaking her head, “No, something different.” She gestured helplessly in the air, before letting her hands drop to her purse, her fingers gripping the leather straps.

She shrugged, “It has to be special.”

The woman nodded, “What about a spring bouquet with daisies and lilies and irises?”

Valentina rubbed her forehead, a small headache blooming behind her eyes. It shouldn’t be so hard, but nothing looked right, or felt right. Nothing was enough.

They stood there in the pool, the warm water brushing against their skin, eyes closed, foreheads pressed together. She wanted to kiss her again, wanted to feel Juliana’s lips move against her own, taste the sweetness of her mouth, but she didn’t dare. So she stood there, hands pressed against Juliana’s skin, breathing the same air, flowers blooming in her chest.

“Flowers…they mean things,” she murmured, remembering when she’d sat in the garden with her mother listening as her mother told her each genus and species of flower and what they meant, what they symbolized.

“Yes, they do, although many people have forgotten what they mean, aside from some of the most basic like red or white roses.”

Valentina nodded, her eyes wandering the room, until she the one bucket filled with riotous blue. Hyacinths. She remembered her mother telling her about the blue hyacinths, traced back to a young Greek boy.

“Those. The blue ones. They mean truth, right?” She pointed to the bucket, her eyes already picking out the other individual flowers, her mother’s words filling her ears.

“Ah yes. Blue hyacinth means sincerity.” The woman picked through the bucket, pulling out five stems, carefully checking the bell petals for damage. “Perfect.”

She handed them to Valentina who smiled and closed her eyes, letting the scent wash over her. “Yes. Perfect.”

“You have Bird of Paradise?” Joy.

“Yes, perhaps just one? You don’t want to overwhelm the hyacinth. I will trim the stalk for you.”

Valentina nodded and continued searching the buckets. Roses were too mundane, daisies too simple for the first flowers she would buy for Juliana. She squatted down, pushing the buckets aside, and pulling other ones closer. She would need fern or some other type of greenery. But something else, something that represented them both, but symbolized…

“There you are,” she murmured as she pulled the bucket of dahlias towards her. Mexico’s official flower. Bond. Commitment. Because while she still didn’t fully comprehend the depth of her own feelings or what it meant for her and Juliana, she couldn’t deny the bond they shared, and she was committed to it.

Valentina chose two white with red on the inside of the petals, one completely white, and two white with purple on the inside of the petals. She wasn’t entirely sure how well it would match, and Valentina doubted Juliana would even realize it each flower meant, but she would know. She would know what it meant when she gave the flowers to Juliana.

She stepped out of the shop, blinking rapidly as her eyes adjusted to the glare of the sun. The bouquet was wrapped in brown parchment paper, and she cradled it gently against her chest. “Home please, Jacabo.”

*********************

She laid the flowers on her dresser and turned to look at Juliana, curled up on her bed still sleeping. Valentina could see the lines of worry furrowing her brow, and it made her heart ache. She wanted to soothe the worry and fear from her brow. She carefully sat on the edge of the bed, taking off her shoes and light jacket, leaving her in pants and a tank top. She swung her legs onto the bed and stretched out on her back, before turning onto her side so she could face Juliana.

Their hands almost met on the pillow, and Valentina reached out with her pinky and traced along Juliana’s knuckles, not wanting to wake her, but needing the careful touch to ground her. She leaned in and pressed a tender kiss to Juliana’s brow, but froze when Juliana shifted.

“H-hi,” muttered Juliana as she forced her eyes open, sleep still clouding her mind. She’d felt the dip in the bed when Valentina had laid down, and it had been enough to pull her from sleep.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you.”

“It’s ok,” Juliana reached out and tangled her fingers with Valentina, shifting closer so their entwined hands were now nestled against her throat.

“Is mama ok?”

“Yes, she is resting. And the nurses said she will likely sleep for a few more hours.”

“Thank you.” Juliana opened her eyes wider, so she could focus on Valentina. “For everything. I-I…” she swallowed harshly, dropping her face, her lips pressed lightly to the back of Valentina’s hand. She closed her eyes, remembering the feel of Valentina’s lips against her own. It frightened her, not the kiss, but how much she had wanted it, how much she wanted more. And she couldn’t think about it now, not when her mother lay in the hospital with a gunshot wound, not when the cartel was still after her.

“I don’t know what I would do without you, Val.” She couldn’t hold back the sob that escaped her, and she hunched her shoulders, her voice rough and wet now.

“No. No, Jules. It is ok. I promise. It will be ok,” she moved closer, wrapping an arm around Juliana’s waist and pulling her flush against herself, her leg between Juliana’s, her palm pressed flat against Juliana’s back.

She brushed her nose against Juliana’s, tears stinking her own eyes, the garden in her chest blooming and pressing against her ribs. “I-I…” she pressed her lips tightly to Juliana’s forehead. “You are safe. Here. With me. No one will hurt you or your mama. I won’t let them.” Her ribs cracked.

“I promise. I promise. I promise.” She whispered it repeatedly, the mantra filling the air between them.

Juliana relaxed, inching closer to Valentina, pressing her face under Valentina’s chin. It was warm and safe and smelled deliciously like Valentina. She smiled and drifted off to sleep again.

[writehardwhumpharder]

Suits fic.

So this ended up pretty long, I got a little carried away. I’m not even sure if tumblr will let me post it. I hope you guys like suits as much as I do. Prompt: Okay can I see, like, early Mike just started working at the firm and he's trying to keep up with Harvey's almost non-stop schedule and ends up sick but tries to keep going? Cue "annoyed" (but actually worried) Harvey?

Mike eyed himself in the mirror subconsciously wearing his too-cheap suit, and too-skinny tie. His first couple days had gone well enough, but now he knew what was expected of him and boy was he out of his depth. Sure he could recite the Harvard law book by memory, but that didn’t help much with all the little nuanced details each draft needed. He slipped his files into his bag and slung it over his shoulder then grabbed his bike to lug down the stairs over his head.

By the time he reached the Pearson Hardman building his heart was racing, and not from the 3 miles he just biked through traffic. What the actual hell did I get myself into? he wondered. Mike had made sure to get to the office 40 minutes early in hopes that he’d have time to review the files Louis requested to be done by this morning, but when he got to the office every other associate was already at their cubicles. Only the senior partners weren’t there yet and even they got there a fashionable 15 minutes early. Mike had hardly sat down when Donna came bustling past the cubicles.

“Harvey wants these by lunch but if you’re pressed for time, do this one first. He needs it for a client meeting at 1:15pm which you should attend by the way.” She was gone before he could say good morning. She winked at him as she walked away, making him feel a little better about the cut and dry work of a major law firm. Thank god Louis had taken one good look at him and deemed him capable of only the simplest of cases. He meant it as an insult but on a day like this, he took it with a genuine smile. Before getting buried in his work, Mike opted to take a quick trip to the coffee machine, knowing that for the next few hours he’d be glued to his work station.

The morning went by quickly but Mike managed to finish the file Harvey needed and the easy cases Louis gave him. Despite a few things he had to do for Harvey, he was pretty proud of what he’d been able to finish. It was 1pm the next time Mike looked up from his work, almost time to go meet Harvey. Reading the small print for hours on end was starting to make his eyes sore so Mike was grateful for a short break from it, even if it is just to talk to a client. Mike rubbed his eyes as he crossed the room holding the stack of papers he had prepared. Harvey emerged from his office and wasted no time flipping through the papers.

“Um, good morning. Or afternoon…” Mike mumbled.

“Yeah okay, these are fine but they could be a little cleaner.” Harvey commented, clearly distracted. Mike felt his shoulders sag in mild defeat. For his first week of work “fine” was pretty damn good, but he couldn’t help but feel like he was slaving over files only to stay invisible. Harvey looked up long enough to read his associate’s face. “You know you’re doing really well competing against a bunch of people who actually went to law school.” Harvey teased in a low voice so no one might overhear them. Mike trailed after him towards the conference room already rehearsing in his head what he would say to the client if he had to speak.

Turns out he didn’t. Harvey introduced them both and Mike shook the man’s hand but apart from that he was mostly there to observe and supply information. Mike would hand Harvey a paper with the most important details highlighted every so often as they discussed legal concerns over a faulty product.

“Don’t worry Dave, we’ll stay on top of this. We’ll find a way to cover this long before anyone can file against your company. It’s not my area of expertise but I would suggest issuing a press release with this information as soon as possible.” Harvey said, handing the man a summary of what their plan was in simpler terms. Mike flexed his aching fingers under the table, trying to rub away hours or rather days of hard work. As much of a relief as it was to be able to sit for 30 mins and do next to nothing, he caught himself glancing at his watch multiple times, anxious about every second he didn’t spend working.

After the meeting, Mike dropped off Louis’s files and got to work on the other things Harvey had left him. These would take some research, great, off to the file room it is then. He gathered his things and sat on the floor, scanning through bins of information. If his eyes didn’t hurt before they certainly did now. Words were starting to blur together and he kept sagging more and more out of tiredness until he was basically laying on the ground, propped up on his elbows just enough to be able to read the paper.

—-

At first he wasn’t sure what woke him, a sharp knock, maybe someone was calling his name? He blinked slowly and looked up to see Rachel staring down at him disapprovingly.

“Odd time for a nap don’t you think?” she said.

“Oh my god, Rachel, what time is it?” Mike asked suddenly alert.

“Almost 4pm.”

“Shit, shit, shit. Harvey wants these by the end of the day.” Mike stammered combing through the files to see just how much trouble he was in. If Harvey stayed late today he had a chance of finishing them but he probably had more work for him to do by now anyway. Rachel gave him a sympathetic look.

“Fine,” she huffed, “I’ll help you.” Mike grouped up the documents for her, pairing the papers he was going to use to prove precedent to the sloppy drafts he’d started. Luckily for him she didn’t comment on how bad they were and got to work on rewriting them entirely. Having her there was a welcome distraction to how run down he was. He crossed his fingers hoping that these hellish past few days were some kind of trial by fire and things would settle down soon.

“Okay, these two are done. But that’s all I can help with. You better hurry if you want to catch Harvey on his way out.”

“Mhmm.” Mike responded without looking up, “thank you for the help.” Rachel paused by the door.

“Don’t get used to it.” She said in a tone that was both serious and lighthearted. When Mike finished a few minutes later and leapt to his feet to go find Harvey, he found that both his legs had fallen asleep and fell rather ungracefully back down to the floor. He banged his elbow on the shelf on his way down.

“God damn it.” Mike cursed to himself before trying again, much more successful this time. Harvey’s office was empty but it was just past 5pm so with any luck he’d still be in the lobby. Mike took the stairs for lack of time and scrambled down each floor to the building’s main lobby. Despite going downhill the trip sapped up a surprising amount of energy and he was left panting, one hand leaning on the wall before exiting the stairwell.

Yes! Harvey was still here, he probably only stopped to flirt with the receptionist.

“Ha- Harvey.” he said still a little out of breath, “I’ve got those files you wanted.” Mike said. Harvey took them and shoved them in his briefcase, only to pull out an equally large stack for him.

“Thanks Mike, I was going to give these to you earlier but Donna said you weren’t at your cubicle. I need these by 9am at the latest. And do get some sleep Mike, you look like shit, and we have court tomorrow.” Harvey replied. Mike had completely forgotten about their hearing tomorrow. He ran a hand through his messed up hair and straightened his tie in an attempt to look more professional.

“Sure, Harvey, no problem.”

“That’s what I like to hear.” Harvey said before taking off, leaving Mike standing stupidly by the receptionist’s desk. He offered the girl a sheepish smile before heading back up to the office to grab his things in addition to the new assignments Harvey just gave him, this time taking the elevator.

—-

When Mike’s alarm dragged him out of a restless sleep he felt.. bad. Not in any particular way, just bad. And he had a feeling this was the kind of tired coffee couldn’t fix. He’d been up all night, getting only about 2 hours of sleep, which on second thought was more like a glorified nap. After a few more minutes of sulking Mike dragged himself out of bed, hoping a cold shower could perk him up. He grabbed a dull, dark grey suit from his closet and a crisp white shirt, he had to be in court later so now wasn’t the time to be taking fashion risks. He picked up the navy blue tie his grandma got for him when she heard about his fancy new job. The thought put him a little more at ease despite the worsening headache he had. Mike took one glance at his bike on his way out before deciding to just take a taxi. He’d probably puke his guts out trying to bike to work when he felt so crappy.

Mike threw a $20 at the taxi driver before jogging up to the building, he hadn’t planned for the extra time he’d spent stuck in traffic so now he was borderline late. It was clear Harvey was in no mood to deal with his associates lateness. He tried to go easy on the kid but with his schedule, lightening his workload just wasn’t an option. Jessica was already skeptical of his choice so when Mike showed up to his office looking pale and sweaty he had his lecture already planned out, for appearances at the very least.

“Shut the door, Mike.” Harvey said in a clipped voice. “Want to tell me why you’re 15 minutes late and look like you just ran a marathon?” Mike adjusted his tie subconsciously.

“I rode my bike, it’s pretty warm out today.” Mike lied. Harvey was tempted to make a remark about how if he can’t afford a taxi maybe he doesn’t belong here but he knew better. Mike didn’t belong there, and that’s exactly why he chose him.

“Sorry Harvey, I’ve been working really hard to finish these and it’s still before 9am, I- I hope that’s okay.” Mike said. Harvey sighed visibly, looking reminiscent of a disappointed father.

“It’s fine, Mike. Just plan better next time. Be back here in twenty minutes, Ray will drive us to the courthouse and for the love of god, do something to make yourself presentable.”

Mike took that as his cue to leave. At first he headed towards his cubicle but a sinking feeling in his stomach had him walking towards the bathrooms instead. He almost felt hungover, the ache spreading through his body from lack of sleep gave him the distinct feeling of being poisoned. Mike barely managed to keep his composure until he got to the men’s room where he ran the last few feet and collapsed on his knees in front of the toilet. He dry-heaved for a moment, using his brief second of relief to lock the stall door behind him. This time he actually brought up the small bit of breakfast he had. It’s just nerves right? Mike rationalized to himself. He just had to get it together. He didn’t want Harvey to regret hiring him, after all he did try to fire him once already.

As soon as Mike was confident that he was done, he exited the stall and made for the mirror to “make himself presentable” per Harvey’s request. Though Mike had to agree with him, his skin was a dull almost greyish color, which his glistening layer of sweat only helped make more visible. His cheeks were flushed a sickly pink. There wasn’t much he could do besides take a few deep breaths and splash some cold water in his face.

When he met back up with Harvey, he looked and felt worse than he did when he came in.

“Mike I thought I told you to do something about-“ he made a vague gesture to Mike, “that.” Harvey scolded, though Mike thought he detected the slightest hint of concern.

“I did…” Mike said, lacking the energy to make a better argument for himself.

“You know that? Why don’t you sit this one out. It’s not that important, I’m sure there’s plenty of stuff for you to do here.” Harvey said. This was his chance to back out, but Mike was too stubborn to quit just like that.

“No, I’m fine. I want to go, really,” he insisted. Harvey gave him a disbelieving look but he didn’t have time to argue with the kid.

“Fine, let’s go. Ray is waiting outside.” Harvey grabbed his briefcase and walked ahead, leaving Mike to try to keep up with him. He couldn’t help but notice the way his associate leaned heavily against the elevator wall, lacking the youthful energy he always had. He should have his earbuds in right now, listening to some ridiculous playlist to psych himself up. The doors opened before he had a chance to comment on it.

Mike felt truly awful at this point. He was starting to doubt whether or not he’d make it through the hearing. As long as he could stay sitting, everything would be fine. He all but fell into the seat next to Harvey and lazily reached up to grab his seatbelt. Harvey saw his minor struggle and opted to just grab the seatbelt and click it for him.

“Get it together, Mike. I’m serious. ‘Cause if you can’t, I’ll have Ray drop you off at home.” Harvey said.

“No!” Mike whined, “I’ve got it.” he said. They continued the rest of the ride in silence, luckily the courthouse wasn’t very far away.

Harvey strode into the courtroom with his usual confidence and grace. Mike on the other hand stumbled a bit, gripping the edges of the rows of chairs to steady himself. No turning back now. It was a simple case, all they were doing was filing a motion to allow them access to a rival companies records, but you could hardly call any case of Harvey’s simple. He was representing some of the wealthiest businessmen in New York. They quickly took their seats and waited for the judge. Mike could practically feel the sweat seeping through his shirt, he was uncomfortably hot now and the nausea was coming back despite his stomach being completely empty from earlier. He stared down at the desk in front of him and tried to focus on breathing.

“Are you okay?” Harvey asked, no longer trying to hide his concern. Mike just nodded in response, not trusting himself to open his mouth. He started shaking his leg impatiently until Harvey told him to knock it off.

“All rise.” A woman said as the judge entered. Mike forced himself to stand but he kept his hands firmly planted on the table. Harvey walked up to the stand and started talking. Okay Mike, just relax, everything is gonna fine, you’re- oh god. The dizziness was pressing in on him from all directions and his vision started to tunnel. He looked up to watch Harvey, though he couldn’t hear much of anything. He pressed a hand to his stomach and closed his eyes as the dizziness and fatigue made his stomach churn. He was pretty sure he was dangerously dehydrated at this point as well since he’s been running on coffee the last few days. Without Harvey next to him to stop him, he started tapping his foot again and used his other hand to rest his head. Mike knew how he must look but nothing could distract him from of primary goal of not throwing up right there in the middle of the courtroom. Harvey kept looking back to him anxiously but couldn’t disrespect the judge by interrupting him to go check on Mike. Turns out, he didn’t have to. Mike swayed slightly in his chair, his head was too foggy to know up from down and before he knew it he was sliding towards the floor, helpless to stop it.

Harvey heard a thud and whipped his head around to see Mike in the floor, struggling to get on his knees.

“Mike!” he called out to him. He knew he should have sent him home, but Mike was trying so hard to impress him he worked himself to his absolute breaking point. “What’s going on?” He asked, trying to sound calm as he moved the chairs out of the way so he could get to him.

“I- I’m fine.” Mike muttered weakly.

“You’re a terrible liar.” Harvey said as he grabbed Mike and hauled him to his feet. “Come on, let’s get you out of here.”

“But… but the case.”

“Already taken care of.” Harvey said. Which turned out to be true when the judge’s assistant ran up to them with the signed documents on their way out.

“Feel better.” she smiled. If Mike wasn’t so out of it he would be absolutely mortified right now. The last thing he remembered before drifting to sleep was Harvey helping him up the stairs to his apartment, taking off his jacket and shoes before letting Mike sleep this off. Despite how terribly the day had gone, Harvey knew he made the right choice.

[britishchick09]

sherlock ep 3 the great game livewatch

since i did a live-re-watch of ep 1 and a re/new livewatch of ep 2, i figured i’d finish off the season! i’ve never seen this one, so it’s the first totally new livewatch of the year! :D

ooh spooky beginning!

sherlock is talking to a guy for a case why in an old school tho?

omg sherlock keeps correcting this guy’s grammar lol :D

the guy will get hung for it (sorry hanged) is this victorian england

dramatic intro strikes again!

YO GUN SHOTS WUT

sherlock just chillin

AND SHOOTING WTF LOCKIE

SMILEY FACE!!!!!

john: “what the hell are you doing??” SAME WTF MR HOLMES

he’s shooting because he’s BORED OMG SHERLOCK LOL

omg john almost said the f word :o

WHY IS THERE A SEVERED HEAD IN THE FRIDGE

ooh they referenced ep one’s title in john’s blog post!!!

does that mean john comes up with the ep titles coolio :D

sherlock doesn’t like it tho :/

he deletes things he doesn’t care about like the earth going around the sun woah sherlock computer! :o

sherlock just said ‘hard drive’ epic B)

sherlock: “UGH HELL, WHAT DOES THAT MATTER?? so we go around the sun or we go around the moon round and round the garden like a teddy bear IT WOULDN’T MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE!” ...teddy bear?

oh hey mrs hudson

awww she called their argument ‘a little domestic’ :)

let me guess sherlock hates the quiet peaceful world

RIGHT!!!

MRS HUDSON SAID ‘BLOODY’ OMG

and she’s putting the smiley face on the rent ‘young man’ :/

OMG WHAT THE FRICK EXPLOSION

hey is that sarah cool! :D

oh crap THE FLAT EXPLODED!!!!!

WTF DID SHERLOCK DO????

i thought this would happen in like s4 since that’s super dark not s1!!!!

lol sherlock’s just plucking his violin like nothing happened :D

yo is that moiarty mycroft?

ok this is his bro so according to google it’s... mycroft!

mycroft: “a case like this would require... ‘leg work’” ...leg work?

in my holmes inspired series the sherlock and mycroft characters hate each others guts and act like children around each other so it’s good to see that these bros just act cold and keep correcting each other

mycroft: “your business seems to be booming, ever since you and sherlock became.. ‘pals’’ johnlock shippers be like: ;)

mycroft wondered if it was hellish and my holmes character describes his bro as hellish COINCIDENCE I THINK TOTALLY!!! :o

the plans were on a ‘memory stick’ does mycroft mean ‘usb’?

sherlock putting rosin on his bow during the conversation tho ♥

mycroft: “you need to find those plans, sherlock. don’t make me order you” wowoza older bro much?

is sherlock badly playing his violin to test it or to kick mycroft out faster lol :D

this is probably benedict cumberbatch really playing because he didn’t take violin lessons until s2 i think and even then there was an overdub!

OMG I JUST REALIZED I’VE BEEN SPELLING HIS NAME AS BENNEDICT WHY

sherlock: “i’d be lost without my blogger” aww he really does like the posts! ♥ also major johnlock squee there

sherlock likes the ‘funny cases’ ;)

hey is that lestrade cool he’s back

the first thing sherlock says while reading the letter is ‘nice stationary’

john: “that’s the pink phone!” guy: “from the study in pink!” sherlock: “you read his blog?” lestrade: “of course we all do!” awwww :D

everyone’s snickering at sherlock not believing the ‘earth sun’ theory lol :D

ooh a warning! :o

john: “hold on, what’s gonna happen again?” sherlock: “BOOM!” bada bing, bada... B O O M!!!”

mrs hudson can’t get anyone interested in the flat aww :(

some weird lady’s calling what

SHE JUST SAID ‘STUPID BISH’ WOAHHHH

woah she was a hostage??

sherlock wants john to delete 8 mycroft texts lol :D

sherlock sarcastically called john ‘doctor’ lol :D

molly: “why did you say ‘gay’? we’re together!“ WAIT DID SHERLOCK JUST SAY THAT?? JOHNLOCK SQUEEE!!!!! also sherlock is aromantic sorry molly :/

molly: “he’s not gay!!” woah john much?

also that was about  her bf sorry johnlock shippers :/

sherlock says his makeup and underwear peeking out make the guy gay RUDE MUCH LOCKIE??

john: “that wasn’t kind” yeah LOCKIE

john: *figures out who the shoes belong to* how did i do?” sherlock: “well, john, really well! i mean, you missed almost everything important” lol :D

sherlock is great at finding out things props to him :D

the shoes were bought 20 years ago just like su lin!

sherlock: “a child with big feet-“ you mean senpai lol

1989 is 21 years ago here wowza :o

oh no the kid had a fit in a pool and died :(

someone stole his shoes! :o

aww john wants to help :)

mycroft is texting john now lol :D

john: “it’s of national importance.” sherlock: “how quaint.” john: “what is?” sherlock: “you are” :)

john is wearing a suit to see mycroft how quaint ♥

john: “he’s investigating now. investigating away” that’s sherlock for ya :D

mycroft knows it all just like sherlock what bros they are! :D

oh no the kid had poison! :o

it’s cool how a 21 year old mystery could tie into a bomb from a day ago :D

NO IT’S CRYING LADY AGAIN

she lives in cornwall camilla who

ooh pager! :D

sherlock is bored WHY

OH GREAT IT’S THE ‘FREAK’ LADY FROM EP 1 UGHHHH

oh no another mystery caller!

sherlock guessed he’s ‘stealing another voice’ ooh :o

aww they showed the guy he’s crying :(

they have 9 hours to solve the puzzle!

sherlock is faking being super sad to get info from this lady oh lockie!

random lady: “fishing! try fishing!” john’s reaction tho :D (this is like ‘daang that’s rad!’ but not as funny)

sherlock says ‘mazda’ weird but it’s cool :D

sherlock: “you’re very helpful” ...he’s not

sherlock: “mr. hewitt’s a liar” SEE I WAS RIGHT!!!

the drops in the lab look like the intro :D

phone guy: “we were made for each other, sherlock” woah woah YOU’RE NOT JOHN

ooh the blood was frozen :o

the way lestrade says ‘columbia?‘ is funny :D

the case is solved yet we’re only 37 minutes into the ep hmm....

sherlock: “i am on fire!” YAS LOCKIE!!! :D

great another call...

why is this guy constantly crying WHO HURT YOU SIR?

a restaurant scene... ep 1 was queerbaiting, ep 2 was stereotyping and this one is... SHERLOCK EATING??? :o

epic 2010 smartphone ;)

john: “lucky for you mrs hudson and i watch too much telly” yas john!!! :D

CRYING LADY SAID ‘BISH’ AGAIN

12 hours now WHO ARE THESE PEEPS AND WHY ARE THERE TIME LIMITS

throughout the scene there’s a snoring sound... is someone sleeping in the afternoon??

a dead 54 actress died 2 days ago... connection?

she cut her hand on a rusty nail dean from supernatural who

sherlock: “goodnight vienna!” *ringo voice* ♫ na na na na na na goodnight viennaaa!!!!!!! ♫ :D

lockie’s mind is racing again!!

john’s dr skills and sherlock’s mind are perfect for this :D

sherlock: “do you want to help?” john: “of course!” ♥

lestrade: “tell me, what are we dealing with?” sherlock: “...something new’ ;)

ughhhh her again!! THREE HOURS HAS IT EVEN BEEN 12 YET???

awww kitty!!!! ♥

the kitty is so loud and cute awww :)

the tv lady taught mrs hudson how to do ‘colors’ aww :)

sherlock went to fan sites for the show coolio :D

...omg what if there are fan sites for him and people ship johnlock in the show besides mrs hudson :o

awwww kittyyyy!!!!! :D

john thinks the lady got tetanus because of the cat NOT THE KITTY!!!

so are the shoe kid, tv lady and creepy phone people connected?

the phone people are bombers so at least that’s a connection

great the phone lady wants help UGHH

she’s telling sherlock things about the guy GIVE THE ADDRESS LADY!!!

wait was that a gunshot

it was another gas leak explosion! :o

the bomber killed the lady oooohh :o

sherlock: “heroes don’t exist and wouldn’t be one of them” oh but you are lockie ;)

sherlock: “you SEE you just don’t observe!” john: “okay, okay, girls calm down!!” GIRLS OMG LOL :D

sherlock: “you’ll never find him (some guy named gollem). but i know a man who can” lestrade: “who?” sherlock: “...me.” ;)

lady: “any change for a cup of tea?” sherlock: *gives her fifty* wowza what a generous lockie!

onto part 2!

the lady said a message was left ‘on the landline’ how 21st century of you...?

other lady: “am i supposed to be impressed?/” this is sherlock holmes we’re talking about here lady

lady 3: “we were having a night in...” *wallace and gromit intensities*

joe: “are you the police?” john: “sort of” he’s a consulting detective assistant thank you very much :)

sherlock sure likes giving lots of change to people in need :)

and he said earlier he doesn’t care about people unless it involves the case!

aww moonlight walk ♥

they’re in the tunnels like the netflix pic! :D

i wonder if this inspired that pic...

YO THEY BE RUNNING

the lady is watching a show on jupiter a gas planet hmmm...

she just wants neptune :D (i know her fave sailor senshi...)

OH NO SHE DED!

the tape is going backwards it’s so weird

OMG IT BE GOLLEM!!!

john: “let go or i will kill you” oooohhh gollem’s in trouble...

yo wtf is going on

SHERLOCK SHOT

who is this fancy french lady

sherlock s n a p !

the painting is a fake and that’s why she was killed?

some kid is counting down WHO ART THOU SMOL ONE???

sherlock: “shut up it only works if i figure it out!” yeah that’s true

aaand it worked!

the planet film helped sherlock discover the nova in the painting coolio :D

the mystery kid needs help! but where is he...

i still have no idea what’s going on tho it all went by so fast!

is this new french lady the one behind everything?

THE WHISPERS ARE MOIARTY OH FRICK

lockie be like ‘oh god...’ i’d be the same way if my mortal enemy was behind the case

why is john talking about strawberry jam with lestrade

oh it’s blood?

cool lifejackets :D

a wild sherlock appears!

is memory stick british slang for usb or just a holmes bro quirk because sherlock said it too

sherlock just broke into someone’s flat lol

and their last name is harrison... george much? ;)

so harrison stole the memory stick and gollem put in the bomb, moiarty hiring them both and having creepy people call sherlock and kill the tv lady, the guard at the gallery with the nova painting and maybe the shoe kid? is that how all this is connected?

john: “i’m not the world’s only consulting detective” aww he considers himself one too instead of just an assistant! :D

HOLD UP there’s a pool... is this the infamous tackle scene from the sarah z tjlc vid?

john is wearing a big coat hmm...

this is the pool where the kid died CONNECTION!!!!

oh no is this the calling guy

why does he sound like a silly american

YO he’s an american pulling off a brit accent

MOIARTYYYYY

moiarty: “jim moiarty! hiiii!!!” lol :D

plz shoot him sherlock this guy sounds so stupid

DID SHERLOCK JUST CALL HIM ‘DEAR JIM’??

the near fake kiss in that one ep makes sense now

moiarty in a sing-songy voice: “daddy’s had enough nowww!!!!’ DADDY WHAT

moiarty said gay :o

he just called sherlock ‘johnny boy’ why

AND HE SAID ‘borr-ing!!!’ OMG MOIARTY WHYYYY

i already hate moiarty so much but his lines are so funny what a villian!

sherlock: “what if i were to shoot you right now?” please do lockie

sherlock: “catch... you... later.” moiarty: “no you won’t!!! :D”

sherlock took off the jacket was that the scene?

john: “you ripping off my clothes in a darkened swimming pool...” THAT’S THE SCENE OMG JOHNLOCKERS ARE SQUEEING!!!!

omg moiarty’s back how stupid

SHOOT HIM LOCKIE PLZ

the music is intensifying...

LOCKIEEEEEEE......

and it ended!! i’m guessing sherlock doesn’t shoot moiarty which is a bummer but hey at least we’ll get more lols next season with them! :D

this was a great season finale! the beginning was wild and it got crazier from there. this is my least fave ep so far, but i still really liked it for how insane it was (and that kitty/moiarty lols!). it took 4 years to reach the end of s1, but it was well worth the wait! :D

[floralharjuku]

I has request!! Post game 2Bx9S fluff! To be more specific, 9S coming to terms with the fact that 2B is still alive and constantly reminding himself she's still by his side. (And if you'd take a 2nd one. 9S finally buying 2B that t-shirt) (No smut please) :D thank you for reading this request!

({Alive})…

He had planned to save her, or at the very least, he wanted to be the one to force a blade into her chest. He had been by her side for the duration of the entire ride to hell and all the disjointed nonsensical pandemic that had preceded it. He was her partner. If anyone had to kill her, if anyone had to end her misery…

It had to be him…no matter how much it hurt or how much he would want to die at her side or how much it tore him apart and made his very mind twist and insides churn with grief and sickness. No matter how many centuries he would have to spend trapped in his own emotional hell, wallowing in torment…if it would end her pain, he would throw himself to the wolves and be devoured.

Seeing her pierced through the heart, A2 standing above her and clutching the sword that belonged to her victim, 2B’s face at peace…

It had broken something in him. Something that believed that the world was truly fair and that maybe they weren’t trapped in some hellish death spiral all meant to keep their morale up until the Bunkers inevitably sent them to their dooms. That maybe, maybe with her he could survive without YoRHa or Command and maybe put the pieces of his existence into place.

It all had been twisted and stripped away from him in one swift strike into 2B’s Black Box, killing her near instantaneously.

He had dwelled on it for so long, losing the concept of time in his mindless quest for vengeance and purpose, dwelling in the feeling of being truly alone, no Operator or Server or Bunker to support him or fill his head with the countless thoughts of others should he decide to plug into the chatter.

None of that. It had been himself and the same thought: “she’s gone. She’s really gone. She’s gone. She’s gone. She’s gone. She’s gone. She’s gone. She’s really gone. SHE’S GONE, SHE’S GONE SHE’S GONE SHE’S REALLY GONE SHE’S GONE SHESGONESHESGONESHESGONESHESGONESHESGONESHESGONE.” and no one to reprimand him for his deteriorating mental state or just take the memories away.

When he had restarted on the rubble of what remained, it had taken so long to adjust to who stared back at him, eyes gazing into his with sorrow and relief, her hand gentle.

Was this…was this his 2B?

“Nines…” she whispered, shattering his heart into dust.

He felt tears blurring his vision, falling from his eyes and onto the ground below.

He had wanted to kill her, to finally lay to rest his demons. He had needed to see her die before his eyes, to replace A2 — someone who knew nothing of her — with himself and her blade with his own. Killing those other models had just cemented it in: she was gone and nothing he could do now would make it stop. They had her face and features and everything else, but they weren’t her. They had none of her personality or character or snide humor.

They were just…androids with no meaning attached to them.

And that feeling of nothingness when he killed them was exactly why he despised that it had been A2. Killing 2B held none of the weight that it should have; she just saw her as another YoRHa to kill.

Yet here she was. The only 2B that mattered.

His…

“2…B…”

He was pathetic. He could see it now.

Those other androids were different. How could he even think he would be able to kill the one person who mattered to him the most? It would be similar to cutting off his own arm: bloody, painful, agonizing and even more traumatizing than watching her die. But it had been so easy to rationalize it that way. To blame it all on A2, on the machines, on YoRHA, on humanity.

What was not nearly as easy, was to realize that she was only trying to protect him. That she had died for him and that it was all his fault.

“I’m sorry,” he wailed, holding her hand closely to his chest.

…

“Hey, what’s up with the duo in black?”

“Hm? Oh, the YoRHa units. I forgot; you weren’t around when all that happened.”

“Yeeeahhhh, the whole “shit blew up and then there was a tower but now there’s not” happening. No one can shut up about it.”

“Haha, yeah, it was terrifying, no lie.”

“I imagine. But um, why does the guy keep staring at her?”

“I dunno. After everything that’s happened, it’s only natural to want to make sure this is all real and not some sick dream.”

“That’s nice. But.”

“But what?”

“…”

“What?”

“He’s staring at her ass.”

“…”

“…?”

“Well, it’s a nice one, not gonna lie.”

“…you’re useless.”

…

“I can tell you’re staring, 9S.”

“Ngh?! Wait, it’s not like that!”

She held back a chuckle, wanting to tease him a bit more.

“I…I uh…I’m glad you’re here, 2B.”

“So you can ogle your partner?”

“No…because it’s easier.”

2B stopped in her tracks, turning to face him. He refused to meet her gaze and instead looked to her shoes as if they held all the answers.

“What do you—”

“It was hard.” His voice cracked as past trauma was dredged up from that ugly place within him, muck and blood and tears clinging to it. “And it still is. Some part of me thinks that this is just another stage of the virus and you’ll just be another clone, not you. The real you. The one that matters.”

“I…”

“I know, it sounds stupid, but…it’s a possibility for me. I’ve seen you die once before.”

“…it won’t happen like that again.”

“Yeah…” He trailed off, his hands clenched into fists. “But you’re going to die one day, right?” When he finally met her eyes, his were resigned and bitter. “And…it’ll be the same thing over again.”

2B reached down, unfurling his tight fingers and clenching them in hers. He looked surprised, so maybe she had done the gesture bit too roughly. She closed the distance between them, her nose against his and eyes forcibly meeting.

“That won’t happen for a long time, Nines,” she reassured, attempting a softer tone than usual.

He looked down at their entwined fingers, flexing his digits as if to test her grip on him and his grip on his reality.

"But it’s going to happen.”

“…yes.”

“That’s not…reassuring.”

"It’s the truth…I don’t like it any more than you do. But until then, I’m here. We’re here. Despite everything, can you believe that we’re real?”

Fingers linked with hers, he took a moment to cling to her a little longer before his quiet reply.

"…yeah…” His eyes morphed into liquid pools of deep blue suffering and relief, so many emotions so clear below the surface.

It was difficult to gauge when she would crack the surface and when he would find the mental fortitude to speak to her about the time between her death and reawakening, and perhaps that time would never come.

But she would stay with him, protect him, fight with him, love him, as part of the message their entwined fingers made clear.

I’m alive. I’m alive and I’m here for you. No matter what happens, I won’t let you suffer alone again.

…

(Authors notes) So, this is part request and part wish fulfillment, all shameless romancey trash that keeps me going on those cold, Canadian nights.

So, I have this little headcannon that 9S has some form of PTSD after the events of ending E. Yes, he’s over the moon that 2B is back, but at the same time, he can’t just forget everything that happened to him and his Waifu. If android show all these ranges of emotions, it’s only natural that they could be mentally scarred. And 9S clearly had a breakdown, so this only adds onto it. He’s still the same spunky boiboi who I love so very much, but he’s now so very aware of death and dying and losing what matters to him.

I think when I have time, I’ll post this fully formatted onto Ao3 when I update Cadence and do this other prompt.

[alienvirals]

Sorry, Ridley Scott: Sigourney Weaver is the only true Alien scream queen

Its a shame the veteran British film-maker has blocked Neill Blomkamps plan to resurrect Ellen Ripley (again) in favour of a tedious-sounding Prometheus sequel

Let me paint for you, just for a moment, a nightmarish scenario to compare with the hellish visions seen in HR Gigers Necronom IV, the Swiss surrealist painters inspiration for his later work on the hideous xenomorphs in 1979s Alien.

Imagine for a moment that George Lucas, not long after Disney hired JJ Abrams to direct the first new Star Wars movie in more than a decade perhaps even after the release of that first teaser trailer for The Force Awakens, which sent everyone into apoplexies of expectation found something in the small print that allowed him to change his mind about handing over the long-running space saga to a bunch of newbies.

Phones suddenly buzz in Tinseltown, frowns are seen erupting on the foreheads of Mouse House lawyers, and within days the creator of Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader announces that the whole darn $4.05bn sale of Lucasfilm to Disney is off. Instead, Star Wars fans can look forward to a Lucas-scripted spin-off about Jar Jar Binks ongoing political battle with the Trade Federation.

Fortunately for Star Wars fans, gorgeous George remains locked out of the Jedi braintrust. But a similar dynamic of huge anticipation followed by crushing disappointment has been playing out for real among Alien acolytes over the past year or so. Ridley Scotts middling Prometheus may not have been the Phantom Menace of Alien prequels, but compared with Neill Blomkamps uber fan-friendly pitch for a belated sequel to 1986s Aliens starring Sigourney Weaver and Michael I wanna introduce you to a very personal friend of mine Biehn, it might as well have been.

Blomkamps Alien concept was very nearly the Deadpool of sci-fi movies, resurrected by 20th Century Fox from Hollywood development hell after the film-maker began posting concept art for an abandoned film featuring Weaver as Ripley, Biehn as Corporal Dwayne Hicks, and an all-new take on Gigers famous xenomorphs on Instagram. The internet went into predictable meltdown and the District 9 director dramatically announced in February last year that the studio had given him permission to move ahead.

Then Scott, like some terrifying party-pooping alien critter bursting out of funs chest cavity, stepped in to make it clear that his own Alien movie, a sequel to Prometheus now titled Alien: Covenant, must take priority. So instead of a Weaver-led movie from one of Hollywoods most promising young science fiction film-makers aimed at restoring the saga to its pre-Alien 3 glory, we face the prospect of another portentous pseudo-origin story about mankinds connections to the xenomorphs and their utterly tedious extra-terrestrial Engineer creators. Or if things go really badly, another three movies on said subject matter.

Ridley asked Neill not to make our Alien til after Prometheus 2, confirms Weaver in new comments published by Indiewire. He wanted his movie to shoot and be released first. But [our Alien film is] an amazing script, and Neill and I are really excited about doing it … Its just going to take a little bit longer to get out to you, but itll be worth the wait.

So why is Blomkamps movie a more attractive prospect than Scotts, especially when the veteran British film-maker kicked off the entire slasher-in-space subgenre with 1979s searingly superb Alien? The answer lies in Weavers return and the pitching of the new movie at the point just before the long-running sci-fi saga began to haemorrhage all credibility.

In the real world, David Finchers Alien 3 by no means a terrible film, yet hardly one which makes any real argument for its own existence debuted in 1992, followed by the ersatz afterthought of Jean-Pierre Jeunets Alien Resurrection (complete with clone Ripley and her half-xenomorph child) in 1997. Lets not even mention the two execrable Alien vs Predator spin-offs.

But in Blomkamps wonderful new fantasy timeline, these movies never happened. With the slate miraculously wiped clean (no one knows quite how, and the film-maker himself partially backtracked on his own promise at one point), Ripley and Hicks can set off for new adventures after destroying the xenomorph-infested planetoid at the end of James Camerons Aliens (it was, after all, the only way to be sure). There might even have been space to bring back poor little Newt, the tough little orphan girl who many fans never forgave Fincher for killing off at the start of Alien 3.

In the grand pantheon of great Ripley moments, almost all emanate from the first two Alien films. The warrant officers beautifully bleak sign-off after destroying the final xenomorph in Alien; her sweary mecha-suited battle with the giant queen in Aliens. These are performances unparalled across three famous genres: action, horror and science fiction.

Meanwhile, Alien Covenant will offer us a film set on a mysterious planet (possibly the Engineers home world), where Michael Fassbenders David the android has been kicking his heels for 10 years waiting for a new human crew, led by Katherine Waterston, to turn up. There will be xenomorphs this time, but you get the impression Scott only agreed to include the monstrous beasties as a result of the popularity surrounding Blomkamps concept. As recently as 2014, he was still indicating that Gigers creations were gone forever.

Star Wars began to get back on track when it brought back centrepiece figures from the hugely popular original trilogy to inject The Force Awakens with some much-needed authenticity. Now its time for Alien to follow suit.

If the saga has any hope of getting back to its own 70s and 80s high point, it surely needs to bring the original all-action Hollywood scream queen along for the ride. Then fire up the afterburners and nuke the rotting corpse of Alien: Covenant from space.

Read more: http://www.theguardian.com/us

The post Sorry, Ridley Scott: Sigourney Weaver is the only true Alien scream queen appeared first on AlienVirals.com - Latest Alien & UFO News.

from AlienVirals.com – Latest Alien & UFO News http://www.alienvirals.com/sorry-ridley-scott-sigourney-weaver-is-the-only-true-alien-scream-queen-2/

[jennawynn]

A Boss Fight Excerpt

So the D&D game I run is a text game- we play via text in Discord. What that means and why are topics for another post, but this post is about the boss battle we just finished. 

Backstory- Rukiya is daughter of the king of Vyon, but the country thinks she’s dead. She’s married to the paladin PC, Ryleigh ( @rhapsody0607). Ryleigh is secretly the daughter of the king of Ascus. Her little brother, the crown prince of Ascus, Aiden, has just successfully pulled off an assassination of almost the entirety of Rukiya’s family. Now, they’re confronting Lord Estner- the puppet that Aiden was going to control- just before his coronation. Rae ( @doomkitteh), the fighter PC was the queen’s guard and has sworn to protect Rukiya now.

What follows are the logs from this fight, edited only to remove the timestamps and name tags.

Rukiya looks at the guards. "I am the Moonborn, daughter of Vydea, eldest of Ambrose and Nyota, and heir to the throne of Vyon. You can stand down."

The guards look at each other as if looking for peer support, and while two of them do relax, the other four draw their swords, eyes on Rukiya.

Rae widens her stance just a little, preparing for anything.

There's a flash of heat, flame, and smoke and a blonde human that Ry and Rukiya recognize as Aiden stands next to Estner. "A survivor and my sister. What a happy day." He summons his flaming greatsword to his hand mid swipe, killing one of the staff, and says, "No witnesses."

So I suppose we can roll initiative. Rae: ((20)) Ryleigh: ((14))

So first up are two of the not-guards and, on the orders of their boss, they'll both step up to eliminate witnesses- one against a Moonguard, the other against the tailor. The Moonguard is bloodied immediately, but doesn't quite fall. The tailor's head is swiftly separated from his body.

Rae pulls out her second sword and goes for Veteran 4 first. Frustrated that she only manages one good hit, while the other three fall short or get blocked, Rae surges forward with a burst of speed and goes for three more attacks. ((13a, 11a, 26a- 10d, Action Surge: 29a- 8d, 23a- 14d, 14a- 11d))

Three blows definitely do damage, piercing weak spots in the armor that Rae knows oh so well. However, it's not quite enough to bring him down as he fights with zealous energy.

Veteran 2 will run up on Rae and try to do his worst. And that he does, even with a shortsword in his offhand, he doesn't get any purchase against her training and armor.

Guard 2 will yell for Guard 1 to call for reinforcements as he poses a futile attack against the one who wounded him so severely. He does... a mighty 3 damage. Total.

Guard 1 will take off, prompting an attack of opportunity from Veteran 3 by the door, but he misses.

And it will be @Ryleigh 's turn.

Ryleigh: "Get behind us," Ry tells the commoner. Before she reaches for Dawnbringer, Ry touches Rukiya and sings a soft tune. She feels some kind of magical connection form between them. ((Casting warding bond. Rukiya gets +1 to AC, saving throws, and resistance to all damage.)) "Non-lethal attacks!" She shouts. "We want them alive." Ry hums, and touches her shield right as she pulls Dawnbringer from her sheath and moves to Aiden. ((Using my channel divinity, Emissary of Peace / +5 to Cha checks (persuasion) ))

Ok! Rukiya will take a shot at Aiden because he's closest and she wants to soften him up for Ry. What a terrible sneak attack roll, but she does hit for 21 damage... then she will take a step back.

Veteran 3 is going to step up to the melee. With one swing he takes out another witness and with the other he hits Rae for 9 slashing damage.

The last of the staff falls over herself trying to scramble out of the way of the blades and blood, tumbling into one of the potted plants along the side of the room behind the remaining Moonguard.

And then... it is Aiden's turn.

Shadows emerge from his body, dancing like black flames around him, turning the area dim. They lash out at Ryleigh, almost taunting her. "Dear sister, haven't you learned yet that mercy is weakness? You will never win with one hand tied behind your back." And he will action surge and take two swipes at Ryleigh, the first being a Disarming Attack, and the other a Grappling Strike.

I need a Strength saving throw and an Athletics check from Ryleigh. Actually, cancel the Strength save because she manages to parry the disarm away, but he still attempts to grab her.

So the first attack is parried away, but his backswing catches her under the arm and she feels the sizzle of his fiery blade cutting through fabric and flesh. She takes 17 slashing damage reduced to 14, 3 extra damage, and 17 fire damage (doubled to 34!). Then he reaches out lightning fast and grabs hold of her uniform at the collar. "Maybe I'll leave one witness. I'll let you witness the deaths of your companions." Ryleigh is grappled.

Dawnbringer pulses with radiant energy. lashing out at Aiden. ((hellish rebuke, 3rd level, 18 radiant damage))

In return, the shadows lash out at Ryleigh for 10 necrotic damage. "Show me your teeth."

Estner will start to move out of the way, but one of the tailors' corpses is weighing down the heavy cloak he's wearing, so he struggles to get free of it and stumnbles away. Ry and Rae could both do opportunity attacks if they so desire.

((Ry will, still using non lethal damage)) ((wow awesome. 12a and 9D)) Well, lucky for you, he's unarmored and only has 9 hp. He falls to the ground, unconscious.

Veteran 1 will continue mopping up witnesses, felling the last Moonguard and the last tailor.

Veteran 4 will attack Rae again. And again comes up short as she deflects blow after blow.

And it will be @Rae 's turn.

Rae glances over her shoulder cursing to herself at not bringing more people before trying this. She gives a rallying shout that gives Ry 10 temp hp. And goes in for some more swipes at vet 4. ((18a, 22a, 28a- 12d,14d,9d))

She feints, thrusts, and he falls at her feet.

Veteran 2 growls as he tries to take down Rae, but she's flowing around the attacks like water, completely in her element.

And it is @Ryleigh 's turn again. She is grappled by Aiden and cannot move unless she attempts to escape with an action.

"Asten isn't... pleased with you... brother," she groans out, somehow managing to raise Dawnbringer and strike at Aiden. ((29a / 14D - assuming that hits Ry will smite / 19a 18D))

It certainly does.

((I assume the second attack misses?))

Nope, it hits too! He's wearing plate, but no shield.

((In that case she'll smite on both)) ((Level 3 smite - 6d8 - 22 / level 2 smite - 5d8 - 27))

Ry will take 3 necrotic from the shadows reaching out towards her, but on the second attack, they dissipate. Aiden looks furious as the radiant energy pulses through him.

Rukiya will now take a shot at Aiden because HEY HANDS OFF. The dagger sticks in the wrist he's using to hold Ry for 25 damage.

Veteran 3 is going to pivot and charge Rukiya. Rae can take an attack of opportunity.

((22a, 13d))

She does manage to stab him in the kidney as he pushes by, but it's not enough to slow him down.

Rukiya ducks his first attack, but as he comes back around, she takes a rake along the back of her arm- 4 points of damage that Ryleigh also feels on the back of her arm.

Aiden releases Ryleigh so he can get both hands on his sword again and swings with a disarming strike again. A 20 just hits with this armor, right?

((yup))

That's 13-3 10 slashing, 3 added damage, and 8 doubled to 16 fire for a total of 29 damage and a Strength save.

((21)) Ry screams out as the flames from Aiden's sword licks at her skin.

Aiden grabs hold of Ry's shoulder and pulls as he shoves his burning sword through her midsection for a total of 31 damage (9 slashing, 22 fire). She can feel darkness closing in on her and she hears him whisper, "Time to go home, big sister." But as her body starts to fail, she feels the magic Gylfi had cast on her pull her back from the edge. She is at 1 hp and Aiden starts to push past her towards Rukiya.

Ryleigh sputters and coughs up blood, which is now dripping down her lips. With a gasping breath she swings Dawnbringer into the back of his knee and says, "You've been taught... that if you want it, you get it... and if you can't have it... you destroy it... I feel... sorry for you." ((25a / 15 total))

He stumbles and does not get to move thanks to Sentinel.

Veteran 1 manages to clip Rae for 4 damage.

At that moment, there's a peal of bells that sounds through the castle, echoing off the stone walls. A voice echoes in its aftershock, "The castle is under attack. Response team to the lord's quarters." It seems the guard who had run for it managed to sound the alarm.

Rae curses lowly again and pulls out her bow, moving away from the guards completely ignoring them, she looks at the guard by Rukiya but with an annoyed growl she turns and shoots at Aiden as well as giving Ryleigh 11 hp with another Rally. ((30a, 17a, 31a-- 8d, 10d, 11d))

As Rae steps away from the two impostors, one of them manages to swipe at her for 9 damage.

The two arrows that find weaknesses in Aiden's armor hit, and after a few seconds, burst into flame, still embedded in his side.

Veteran 2 will finally get some hits on Rae- 14 total damage.

Ry touches her chest and heals herself for 55HP ((all of her lay on hands)). The wound on her stomach stitches itself up and she groans in pain as it does. The blood is still dripping down her chin but her stance is more stable and her eyes are sharp. She then hums a song and a golden shimmer appears around her. ((Shield of faith)) "You'll get to her over my dead body," Ry says to Aiden.

Rukiya will disengage, step back, and then throw another dagger, this time at the veteran attacking her. Which... misses. Rukiya is apparently having a very hard time with the fact that her diplomatic mission has turned out this way and that her wife is dying 15' away from her. She does manage to avoid all of the veteran's continued attacks, though. And then it's Aiden's turn again.

He coughs up blood that burns like embers as it hits Ry's skin, then he turns to the side and reaches a hand out towards the veteran nearest him. The veteran gasps, chokes a little, and then falls in a heap on the floor while a hazy red cloud seeps out of him and into Aiden. His own wounds start to mend and he looks at Ry with a menacing glare. "Those are acceptable terms."

Rae steps away from the guard again, moving towards Rukiya, and continues shooting at Aiden. ((30a, 31a, 19a-- 7d, 11d, 12d))

All 3 arrows stick and start to burn.

Veteran 2, not wanting to be on the receiving end of Aiden's next display, rushes past Rae and towards Rukiya. 

The veteran charges at Rukiya and hits her for 12, 12 and a miss. She takes 12 slashing damage and Ryleigh takes 12 slashing damage.

Ryleigh is still hacking away at Aiden, but she's careful not to kill him. ((23a 24D / 21a 17D)) Ry will level 1 smite on both - assuming they hit

After the first attack, he staggers, about to go unconscious. Do you knock him out or keep him there?

((knock him out with the blunt end of Dawnbringer))

As he falls unconscious... smoke swirls around his feet. His body falls towards the ground, the smoke billows as though he fell through it, but as the smoke dissipates, his body is no longer there. ((can I counterspell his escape?)) It's not a spell. ((DAMN YOU))

You still have movement and an attack if you wish to take them.

Ry will move to the veteran 3 and swing at him ((21a / 17D))

A solid hit!

Rukiya takes a step back and throws a dagger at 2, catching him right in the neck! Aiden must have really rattled her.

Veteran 3 will swing at Ry, but the sword bounces harmlessly off her magical barrier.

There's a clatter of armor at the door as several guards push through, weapons drawn. "DROP YOUR WEAPONS!"

[velvetcream03-blog]

Pregnancy / Third Trimester

Excited to chat with you and share more pregnancy updates. I am currently 37.5 weeks as I am writing this but wanted to get this post up before baby came! Hope you enjoy these updates and if there is anything else you are dying to know, please leave me a comment on this blog post and I will be sure to answer in the comments below. Also, can you even with these photos of Lola?? Her eyes just melt me.

WEIGHT GAINED As of the start of week 37, I have gained 21 pounds.

HOW BIG IS BABY By week 37, Baby is the size of a head of romaine lettuce. A little over 6 lbs!

BABY MOVEMENT This baby is having a dance party on the inside. Of what I have read, movements start to get smaller because there is less room to be moving around but I feel like for me personally movements are bigger and more of them! Baby has been head down since week 18 and his little foot/leg has been kicking and pushing me on the left this whole time. It’s crazy how I can feel it. Getting alot of pressure and punches in my lady parts (sorry… TMI) but little man is making his own plans to break out of uterus jail. HA.

HOW I’M FEELING: PHYSICALLY Heartburn + Reflux: I have never really experienced the kind of heartburn and reflux that I have with pregnancy and my heart goes out to people that have to deal with these symptoms in their normal non-preggo lives. It’s funny because Blake actually has always struggled with reflux and now… I feel his pain. When you are pregnant a lot of your muscles start to relax because of all the hormones and heartburn and reflux can pop up out of nowhere. And HOLY CRAP. It’s bad.

I had started feeling burning in my throat over the beginning weeks in this trimester and everything hit the fan one night. I had eaten an early dinner at 6pm at a favorite mexican spot and enjoyed chips and salsa and then a simple dinner and was out for much of the night on my feet. That night I went to bed and work up at 2am feeling hot, sweaty, and sick…. And then I vomited like 7 times from the reflux. That whole night was sheer hell. The next day…. Equally hellish. I remember crying to Blake that if the whole third trimester was going to be like this… I don’t know how I would survive it.

Luckily I had a doctors appointment soon after that and now take pepcid extra strength 20 mg morning and night. It’s been literally saving me. I have still had some instances of reflux even taking the meds but it’s helping so much so I am incredibly grateful. Other things I do are eat an earlier dinner, avoid reflux trigger foods at night and never lay down after eating. Now at 37 weeks luckily these symptoms have slowed down for me.

Peeing my pants: Guys, still peeing my pants on the regular. Since the baby has dropped lower I have alot more pressure on my bladder and I have to hit the bathroom again constantly. Almost more so than the first trimester.

Hello Nausea: I feel like week 28 hit and the nausea was instantly back. Just when I thought I had left that nasty symptom in the past… it came back. Luckily the nausea is not 24/7 and comes and goes some days and not other days. At least I know to keep extra snacks and crackers with me and that’s been helping.

Fat foot: If you follow me on instagram… you know the story of “Fat Foot.” It’s the dead of Summer heat where I live and even the humidity is up. The last 2 weeks my one foot has been swelling the minute I start to be on my feet as well as going outside. It almost started happening out the blue. My one foot swells incredibly and the other does not. It’s super bizarre. I spoke to my doctor and she said that sometimes one foot can swell more than the other depending on the side of the body the baby is favoring. Honestly there isn’t much I can do about but I will tell you what I have been doing. When I can, I will wear compression socks around the house but honestly, it’s so hot I don’t do this that often. I also do ice water baths to help with the inflammation. I also elevate my feet whenever possible. So for now, I just have to make fun of my fat foot and do the best I can. I hear the swelling can last after delivery as well so hoping fat foot disappears sometime soon.

Exhaustion: The exhaustion is REAL in the third trimester. I feel like when it hits 4pm, I become utterly useless. Knowing my body just runs out of steam so much quicker, I try to really focus earlier in the day. Luckily, I have an amazing husband who pretty much makes dinner every night so that I can keep my feet up and rest most nights. I think the important thing is that I listen to my body and rest when I need it.

The Uncomfortable Stage: Basically at a certain point during the day, my body is just completely uncomfortable. With baby almost at max capacity pushing on all my organs… my body is just FULL. Not much room for anything. So I become increasingly uncomfortable as the day goes on and by the evening, I feel like baby is pushing up into my boobs and pushing down on my bladder all at the same time.

Braxton Hicks?: I could not tell you if I really had braxton hicks yet but I will say that I have had some pain centered in the lower part of my pelvis come and go. It’s hard to pin point what all these sensations, pains and aches really are since this is my first child. But I will say, things are happening.

HOW I’M FEELING: MENTALLY Everyone keeps asking me “How I am feeling??” “Are you ready?” “Are you anxious? Excited?” Basically it’s ALL OF THE ABOVE. I have been pretty upfront with you guys that the process of being pregnant isn’t always my favorite. Pregnancy is HARD WORK and once the third trimester rolls around, these last few weeks can be extra challenging. I am both ready to meet our little man TOMORROW! And also feel like, “OMG I NEED MORE TIME TO PREPARE!” It’s a huge mixed bag of emotions. But really, we are so ready to meet our little baby and I think the sheer will to just meet him will start to disappear any of the lingering anxiety that might be there.

I am not going to lie, Labor has been on my mind and it scare me going into this big unknown process. We did take prepared childbirth classes at the hospital so they did paint a bigger picture for the birth scenarios that can typically take place in the hospital. While some of these classes were a big alarming, I will say that I am someone fueled by information. So educating myself on the process was important in helping me to enter into labor with an open mind. People always ask if we have a birth plan and the answer is no. I know babies tend to have a plan of their own and especially after going through the fertility process… I have had to give up alot of control and put trust in the process. My only labor preference if I can make one is to have an epidural. That is really one of my only preferences at the moment. Bottom line is that whatever it is that gets my baby out safely and healthy, that is what I want to do. I have tremendous trust in my doctor and the hospital and I know they will guide me in the right direction for my baby. My personal philosophy will be to go with the flow. Now, this is easier said than done but my goal is that with this kind of mindset will get me through this wild experience. So while the nerves are going, so is the excitement. I am only putting out good vibes for a great labor, healthy baby, and happy mama. Everyone LOVES to try to tell me their horror stories but you know what, check your story at the door. Nothing but good vibes over here that I am putting out to the universe. At one of our last appointments… and this is going to be a bit graphic… but the doctor said, “Ooo I feel his head!”… HOLY FREAKING CRAP. It put things into perspective just how soon we are going to meet our baby!!!!!!!!!!!!! Like wow. Blake and I had this huge smile and amazement on our face. How did we get so lucky to make it to this point. So much gratitude is filling these last few weeks of pregnancy you have no idea.

FETAL DIAGNOSTICS APPOINTMENTS Since the doctors discovered my marginal cord insertion, I have been getting monthly growth ultrasounds to check in and make sure that baby’s growth is on track. Everything has been perfect so far so we are very grateful to be tracking this. In addition to this, we started going to fetal diagnostics at 35 weeks. This entails going to the hospital and having baby’s heart and movements monitored for 20-40 minutes 2x a week. I also have my fluids checked to make sure everything is looking good. It’s alot of extra time for doctors appointments but whatever it takes to keep an eye on our baby boy I would do in a heartbeat. It also ends up giving Blake and I peace of mind knowing baby is growing and looking good.

HOW I’M SLEEPING I still sleep surprisingly well, all things considered. I wake up some nights to use the bathroom in the middle of the night but not every night. I do take unisom every night to help me sleep. My doctor suggested it when I was having troubles with restless sleeping and it’s REALLY helped me.

EXERCISE My energy levels are much lower than they have been so I have not been getting to the gym as much this trimester. I do try to push myself to go walk for 30 minutes on the treadmill when I am up for it. I do still go to prenatal yoga once a week to continue and keep up with all my stretching and mindfulness practices. I continue to listen to my body and if I really don’t feel up to making it to the gym, I take time and rest. It’s so important that I listen to what my body needs.

CHALLENGES Tying my shoes: Thank goodness that Blake can help to tie my shoes some days or take my shoes off. Basically things close to the floor are now dead to me. Hahahaha.

Full stomach: I barely have any room for dinner these days. I am just so full by the time dinner time rolls around so sometimes eating dinner is a big struggle. I try to really enjoy a bigger breakfast or lunch when my appetite and stomach allow for a bigger meal. We also try to eat dinner a bit on the earlier side as well.

Body slowing down: I think it’s hard to accept that my body has slowed down quite a bit in this last trimester. I try to push myself to my original limits but I just can’t do some of the things I used to do because I don’t have the energy, or I am physically just unable to do them. All of this is ok but it’s funny because you expect to be able to do certain things and it always comes to be a shock at first when you can’t. The heat has been finally getting to me and slowing me down big time. Thank goodness we have air conditioning so I can be home in my icebox while Blake tries to play thermostat wars with me. If you want to know how to anger a pregnant lady, just mess with her thermostat. YOU WILL LOSE. HA!

WHAT I’M WEARING Most days if I am running errands or working at the house I am in gym or lounge clothes. Whatever is most comfortable. If I am getting dresses, I basically rotate through all my tank dresses. It’s what I am most comfortable. Since I am nearing the end of pregnancy, I have put a hold on buying anymore clothes. So I am mostly cycling through my favorite pieces that still fit. This includes dresses like this, this, this and this. I have also loved dressier pieces from naked wardrobe which are surprisingly lined pretty well.

JUST THE TWO OF US (plus Lola!) Blake and I have been making it a point to head to our favorite restaurants and just spend time doing some of the things we love just the two of us (or with Lola by our side!). Alot of my mom friends recommended we take advantage of this time and make date night a big priority. So we are doing that big time. We are also making sure to do some extra special things with Lola. Extra trips to the beach to sit and read our kindles. Enjoying our quiet time sleeping in and enjoying this special time before our family grows.

BABY PREPARATIONS Our nursery is ALMOST complete!!! We are just waiting on the dresser to arrive. Of course… it might arrive after baby but you know what, it’s no big deal. I organized everything that would go into the dresser into bins and we set up a folding table in it’s place temporarily so that we could set up our changing pad etc to still have everything ready. Can’t wait for the dresser to arrive so the we can complete the room and get some photos to share with you. The room is feeling so ZEN to me and I know baby boy is going to love it.

We finally set up our SNOO this weekend so I am SO excited to finally put this thing into action. Since we plan to have the baby in the bassinet in our bedroom, I have my night light set up on my nightstand already and we will have some baby goodies set up in our bedroom for those late night feedings and diaper changes. We also set up our baby monitor (which Blake picked out) as well as our little owlet. I am so all about all of this great tech baby stuff and have heard amazing reviews from some of my mama friends. So I will be excited to finally try them out myself and report back if they live up to the hype.

I am also in FULL ON nesting mode. I have been cleaning out my closet, going through my dresser drawers, and all out prepping as much as possible to get our house clean and organized for baby. Even Blake is nesting hard making sure we are organized.

Our hospital bags are finally packed! You can get a sneak peek of what we are packing here but I am shooting photos for my blog post this week so I hope to share that soon for all your mamas-to-be that have sent me questions asking what we are bringing. I am also still working on my registry post for you guys. Stay tuned.

WHATS NEXT Baby watch is in full effect. With less than 3 weeks till my due date who knows what could happen!! I continue to go to fetal monitoring 2x a week as well as my weekly doctors appointments from here on out. Basically we are just waiting to meet our little person and I can’t wait for the day I get to share him with the world. I can’t wait to meet you Baby Boy.

Source: https://www.eatsleepwear.com/2018/08/13/pregnancy-third-trimester/

[kurtwarren54]

Pregnancy / Third Trimester

Excited to chat with you and share more pregnancy updates. I am currently 37.5 weeks as I am writing this but wanted to get this post up before baby came! Hope you enjoy these updates and if there is anything else you are dying to know, please leave me a comment on this blog post and I will be sure to answer in the comments below. Also, can you even with these photos of Lola?? Her eyes just melt me.

WEIGHT GAINED As of the start of week 37, I have gained 21 pounds.

HOW BIG IS BABY By week 37, Baby is the size of a head of romaine lettuce. A little over 6 lbs!

BABY MOVEMENT This baby is having a dance party on the inside. Of what I have read, movements start to get smaller because there is less room to be moving around but I feel like for me personally movements are bigger and more of them! Baby has been head down since week 18 and his little foot/leg has been kicking and pushing me on the left this whole time. It’s crazy how I can feel it. Getting alot of pressure and punches in my lady parts (sorry… TMI) but little man is making his own plans to break out of uterus jail. HA.

HOW I’M FEELING: PHYSICALLY Heartburn + Reflux: I have never really experienced the kind of heartburn and reflux that I have with pregnancy and my heart goes out to people that have to deal with these symptoms in their normal non-preggo lives. It’s funny because Blake actually has always struggled with reflux and now… I feel his pain. When you are pregnant a lot of your muscles start to relax because of all the hormones and heartburn and reflux can pop up out of nowhere. And HOLY CRAP. It’s bad.

I had started feeling burning in my throat over the beginning weeks in this trimester and everything hit the fan one night. I had eaten an early dinner at 6pm at a favorite mexican spot and enjoyed chips and salsa and then a simple dinner and was out for much of the night on my feet. That night I went to bed and work up at 2am feeling hot, sweaty, and sick…. And then I vomited like 7 times from the reflux. That whole night was sheer hell. The next day…. Equally hellish. I remember crying to Blake that if the whole third trimester was going to be like this… I don’t know how I would survive it.

Luckily I had a doctors appointment soon after that and now take pepcid extra strength 20 mg morning and night. It’s been literally saving me. I have still had some instances of reflux even taking the meds but it’s helping so much so I am incredibly grateful. Other things I do are eat an earlier dinner, avoid reflux trigger foods at night and never lay down after eating. Now at 37 weeks luckily these symptoms have slowed down for me.

Peeing my pants: Guys, still peeing my pants on the regular. Since the baby has dropped lower I have alot more pressure on my bladder and I have to hit the bathroom again constantly. Almost more so than the first trimester.

Hello Nausea: I feel like week 28 hit and the nausea was instantly back. Just when I thought I had left that nasty symptom in the past… it came back. Luckily the nausea is not 24/7 and comes and goes some days and not other days. At least I know to keep extra snacks and crackers with me and that’s been helping.

Fat foot: If you follow me on instagram… you know the story of “Fat Foot.” It’s the dead of Summer heat where I live and even the humidity is up. The last 2 weeks my one foot has been swelling the minute I start to be on my feet as well as going outside. It almost started happening out the blue. My one foot swells incredibly and the other does not. It’s super bizarre. I spoke to my doctor and she said that sometimes one foot can swell more than the other depending on the side of the body the baby is favoring. Honestly there isn’t much I can do about but I will tell you what I have been doing. When I can, I will wear compression socks around the house but honestly, it’s so hot I don’t do this that often. I also do ice water baths to help with the inflammation. I also elevate my feet whenever possible. So for now, I just have to make fun of my fat foot and do the best I can. I hear the swelling can last after delivery as well so hoping fat foot disappears sometime soon.

Exhaustion: The exhaustion is REAL in the third trimester. I feel like when it hits 4pm, I become utterly useless. Knowing my body just runs out of steam so much quicker, I try to really focus earlier in the day. Luckily, I have an amazing husband who pretty much makes dinner every night so that I can keep my feet up and rest most nights. I think the important thing is that I listen to my body and rest when I need it.

The Uncomfortable Stage: Basically at a certain point during the day, my body is just completely uncomfortable. With baby almost at max capacity pushing on all my organs… my body is just FULL. Not much room for anything. So I become increasingly uncomfortable as the day goes on and by the evening, I feel like baby is pushing up into my boobs and pushing down on my bladder all at the same time.

Braxton Hicks?: I could not tell you if I really had braxton hicks yet but I will say that I have had some pain centered in the lower part of my pelvis come and go. It’s hard to pin point what all these sensations, pains and aches really are since this is my first child. But I will say, things are happening.

HOW I’M FEELING: MENTALLY Everyone keeps asking me “How I am feeling??” “Are you ready?” “Are you anxious? Excited?” Basically it’s ALL OF THE ABOVE. I have been pretty upfront with you guys that the process of being pregnant isn’t always my favorite. Pregnancy is HARD WORK and once the third trimester rolls around, these last few weeks can be extra challenging. I am both ready to meet our little man TOMORROW! And also feel like, “OMG I NEED MORE TIME TO PREPARE!” It’s a huge mixed bag of emotions. But really, we are so ready to meet our little baby and I think the sheer will to just meet him will start to disappear any of the lingering anxiety that might be there.

I am not going to lie, Labor has been on my mind and it scare me going into this big unknown process. We did take prepared childbirth classes at the hospital so they did paint a bigger picture for the birth scenarios that can typically take place in the hospital. While some of these classes were a big alarming, I will say that I am someone fueled by information. So educating myself on the process was important in helping me to enter into labor with an open mind. People always ask if we have a birth plan and the answer is no. I know babies tend to have a plan of their own and especially after going through the fertility process… I have had to give up alot of control and put trust in the process. My only labor preference if I can make one is to have an epidural. That is really one of my only preferences at the moment. Bottom line is that whatever it is that gets my baby out safely and healthy, that is what I want to do. I have tremendous trust in my doctor and the hospital and I know they will guide me in the right direction for my baby. My personal philosophy will be to go with the flow. Now, this is easier said than done but my goal is that with this kind of mindset will get me through this wild experience. So while the nerves are going, so is the excitement. I am only putting out good vibes for a great labor, healthy baby, and happy mama. Everyone LOVES to try to tell me their horror stories but you know what, check your story at the door. Nothing but good vibes over here that I am putting out to the universe. At one of our last appointments… and this is going to be a bit graphic… but the doctor said, “Ooo I feel his head!”… HOLY FREAKING CRAP. It put things into perspective just how soon we are going to meet our baby!!!!!!!!!!!!! Like wow. Blake and I had this huge smile and amazement on our face. How did we get so lucky to make it to this point. So much gratitude is filling these last few weeks of pregnancy you have no idea.

FETAL DIAGNOSTICS APPOINTMENTS Since the doctors discovered my marginal cord insertion, I have been getting monthly growth ultrasounds to check in and make sure that baby’s growth is on track. Everything has been perfect so far so we are very grateful to be tracking this. In addition to this, we started going to fetal diagnostics at 35 weeks. This entails going to the hospital and having baby’s heart and movements monitored for 20-40 minutes 2x a week. I also have my fluids checked to make sure everything is looking good. It’s alot of extra time for doctors appointments but whatever it takes to keep an eye on our baby boy I would do in a heartbeat. It also ends up giving Blake and I peace of mind knowing baby is growing and looking good.

HOW I’M SLEEPING I still sleep surprisingly well, all things considered. I wake up some nights to use the bathroom in the middle of the night but not every night. I do take unisom every night to help me sleep. My doctor suggested it when I was having troubles with restless sleeping and it’s REALLY helped me.

EXERCISE My energy levels are much lower than they have been so I have not been getting to the gym as much this trimester. I do try to push myself to go walk for 30 minutes on the treadmill when I am up for it. I do still go to prenatal yoga once a week to continue and keep up with all my stretching and mindfulness practices. I continue to listen to my body and if I really don’t feel up to making it to the gym, I take time and rest. It’s so important that I listen to what my body needs.

CHALLENGES Tying my shoes: Thank goodness that Blake can help to tie my shoes some days or take my shoes off. Basically things close to the floor are now dead to me. Hahahaha.

Full stomach: I barely have any room for dinner these days. I am just so full by the time dinner time rolls around so sometimes eating dinner is a big struggle. I try to really enjoy a bigger breakfast or lunch when my appetite and stomach allow for a bigger meal. We also try to eat dinner a bit on the earlier side as well.

Body slowing down: I think it’s hard to accept that my body has slowed down quite a bit in this last trimester. I try to push myself to my original limits but I just can’t do some of the things I used to do because I don’t have the energy, or I am physically just unable to do them. All of this is ok but it’s funny because you expect to be able to do certain things and it always comes to be a shock at first when you can’t. The heat has been finally getting to me and slowing me down big time. Thank goodness we have air conditioning so I can be home in my icebox while Blake tries to play thermostat wars with me. If you want to know how to anger a pregnant lady, just mess with her thermostat. YOU WILL LOSE. HA!

WHAT I’M WEARING Most days if I am running errands or working at the house I am in gym or lounge clothes. Whatever is most comfortable. If I am getting dresses, I basically rotate through all my tank dresses. It’s what I am most comfortable. Since I am nearing the end of pregnancy, I have put a hold on buying anymore clothes. So I am mostly cycling through my favorite pieces that still fit. This includes dresses like this, this, this and this. I have also loved dressier pieces from naked wardrobe which are surprisingly lined pretty well.

JUST THE TWO OF US (plus Lola!) Blake and I have been making it a point to head to our favorite restaurants and just spend time doing some of the things we love just the two of us (or with Lola by our side!). Alot of my mom friends recommended we take advantage of this time and make date night a big priority. So we are doing that big time. We are also making sure to do some extra special things with Lola. Extra trips to the beach to sit and read our kindles. Enjoying our quiet time sleeping in and enjoying this special time before our family grows.

BABY PREPARATIONS Our nursery is ALMOST complete!!! We are just waiting on the dresser to arrive. Of course… it might arrive after baby but you know what, it’s no big deal. I organized everything that would go into the dresser into bins and we set up a folding table in it’s place temporarily so that we could set up our changing pad etc to still have everything ready. Can’t wait for the dresser to arrive so the we can complete the room and get some photos to share with you. The room is feeling so ZEN to me and I know baby boy is going to love it.

We finally set up our SNOO this weekend so I am SO excited to finally put this thing into action. Since we plan to have the baby in the bassinet in our bedroom, I have my night light set up on my nightstand already and we will have some baby goodies set up in our bedroom for those late night feedings and diaper changes. We also set up our baby monitor (which Blake picked out) as well as our little owlet. I am so all about all of this great tech baby stuff and have heard amazing reviews from some of my mama friends. So I will be excited to finally try them out myself and report back if they live up to the hype.

I am also in FULL ON nesting mode. I have been cleaning out my closet, going through my dresser drawers, and all out prepping as much as possible to get our house clean and organized for baby. Even Blake is nesting hard making sure we are organized.

Our hospital bags are finally packed! You can get a sneak peek of what we are packing here but I am shooting photos for my blog post this week so I hope to share that soon for all your mamas-to-be that have sent me questions asking what we are bringing. I am also still working on my registry post for you guys. Stay tuned.

WHATS NEXT Baby watch is in full effect. With less than 3 weeks till my due date who knows what could happen!! I continue to go to fetal monitoring 2x a week as well as my weekly doctors appointments from here on out. Basically we are just waiting to meet our little person and I can’t wait for the day I get to share him with the world. I can’t wait to meet you Baby Boy.

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