#teach us something pleeeeease

[gutsby]

Too Close for Comfort

Pairing: Joel Miller x Babysitter!Reader

Summary: You’ve been babysitting Sarah Miller forever. One day, you’re surfing the web on her dad’s computer, and you find some…unusual things in his search history.

Or, Joel likes to jerk off to your lookalike on PornHub. It’s time you showed him what the real thing is like.

Warnings: 18+. Unprotected p-in-v. Oral (m!receiving). Creampie. Mommy/Daddy Roleplay (HEAR ME OUT!!) Brief boot humping. Squirting. Perv!Joel. Breeding kink.

Note: ‘Just call me if anyone else checks in…and by anyone, I mean any swingin dick’ is a line from No Country for Old Men

Word count: 12.7k

Purple slime had been Sarah’s idea.

It was an innocent thing, really. The four-year-old had practically been bouncing on the balls of her feet, eyes wide and shining with excitement when she’d begged—‘Can we pleeeeease?!’—and who were you to tell her no?

You’d only be breaking one small rule of Joel’s, after all. One silly little admonition he’d made before leaving for work the first day you’d started babysitting for him. That had been over a year ago, and he hadn’t even sounded that serious when he’d said it. He probably wouldn’t mind if you bent the rule this one time at Sarah’s behest.

‘Don’t go in the computer room, please.’

Don’t use Joel’s desktop. Don’t rifle through any of the drawers in Joel’s office—it was a mess, but everything was in its place, according to him. Just don’t go in there.

But in exchange for Sarah agreeing to take her nap that day without protest, you’d promised to order her slime.

Purple, gooey, glittery, sticky stuff for her new collection.

You weren’t sure when the fuck putty had become the plaything of choice for kids in Pre-K, but you hadn’t been in a place to judge; whatever Sarah wanted to do, so long as it was safe for her to play with, was totally fine by you.

It was just one rule.

Surely if Mr. Miller knew how badly his daughter wanted the slime, he’d be fine with you booting up his computer once. That was what you kept telling yourself, anyway.

What kept humming through your mind as the desktop came to life and you toggled straight for Google Chrome.

Be quick, be quiet, it’s fine. It’s fine.

Purple goo—it was safe. Innocent. Completely justifiable.

What could the sweet, old, forty-something and forever polite Joel Miller possibly have to hide on this machine that made it wrong for you to buy this one simple toy?

You reached for the keyboard and inhaled a quick breath.

Then you typed one letter, and your heart nearly seized.

P…

…ornhub.com

It was the very first thing that appeared in the search bar.

You couldn’t unsee it. Instinctively, your hand clamped over your mouth, and your eyes widened. You couldn’t help but read the four URLs that immediately dropped down below the first; they were just so garishly inviting.

Hot, Naughty Babysitter gets POUNDED by her Boss!

Slutty Babysitter Gets Railed from Behind and Loves It

Big Dick Boss Gives Babysitter a Passionate Raw Fuck

‘I’ve Never Done This!’ Babysitter Deepthroats Cock

“Oh…my gosh,” you said, words muffled by your palm.

You couldn’t believe what you were seeing. It was just too bizarre, too far out of character, too unlike your boss.

The man had scarcely said ten words to you altogether that didn’t relate to your job in some way or another. He rarely ever engaged in casual confab, and he certainly wasn’t the type to flirt, or make you uncomfortable in the slightest. Frankly, in all the time you’d been babysitting, you always thought you were just…invisible to Joel Miller.

Not this. Never this.

You were still staring at the screen when you realized that you’d missed one URL title from the list. It was long.

It was the most unnerving one of all, you came to see.

Babysitter Lounging Poolside in Hot Red Bikini Gets a BIG Surprise—Her Old Boss Teaches Her How to FUCK

Your hand lowered from your face. It trembled, contemplating, before coming to rest atop the mouse.

Something about this seemed familiar. Strangely…off.

You couldn’t explain it, but your head and your heart and your hand gravitated to that one odd link in particular. You hadn’t even meant to move the mouse. Or press it with your finger. But there you went, following your instincts like some dumb, brainless ditz, and then the screen was changing. Going dark with the shift to an adult site before brightening anew with the thumbnail.

It was paused on one frame. Your jaw slackened.

The girl staring back from the scene was you.

Or looked exactly, uncannily like you anyway.

It was then that you noticed what she was wearing, too—what you guessed wouldn’t be on her body for long—and you glanced down to your own shoulder. Just like your on-screen doppelgänger, you were wearing the same bikini in a bright, cherry-red hue beneath your tank top.

You wore it under your clothes damn near every day, indulging in the Millers’ backyard pool more often than not, and even being allowed to swim there on the days Sarah had summer camp—Joel had been so obliging.

So accommodating and sweet.

You never thought he’d be seeking your fucking twin online on a porn site after watching you traipse around his property wearing it. Your gut clenched; you clicked.

“Hey, sweetheart! Everything go OK?”

The voice that rumbled through the speakers was low. Male. Vaguely paternal and with a hint of a Southern lilt.

You swallowed, knowing exactly where this was going.

You weren’t sure why you were even watching when you could already predict what would become of it. The camera panned over a body identical to yours; it landed on a face that was smiling and sweet and so like your own you almost had to question whether it might not be you after all. Had you somehow forgotten this secret porn alter ego in a bout of amnesia? You kept watching.

The girl bit her bottom lip and let out the phoniest giggle.

“Yes, sir. Perfectly fine. Do you like my new bikini?”

Be so fucking serious, you thought, critically.

Then you remembered it was porn, not an Oscar-winning film. You saw the camera tilt down to her tits, and you had to admit, she had a great rack. A bit nicer than yours.

For a beat, you wondered if Joel had thought the same.

You had to batter those thoughts away, because the next second brought a big, burly hand onto the screen. It reached for the girl with her perfect, perky breasts and it kneaded them softly. No further pretense or prelude was needed—they just jumped right in and let it happen, like this was a normal thing for a babysitter and a boss to do.

Maybe in some other universe it was. In a world where a girl your age could just smile, and bat her eyes, and let them roll back gently as a whimper crossed her lips and she begged him, ‘More, daddy, more!’ this was all okay.

The man squeezed the flesh harder. She whined, and he proceeded to push the red nylon aside and expose the whole expanse of her breast—and holy shit, even the nipple looked like yours. Your mouth opened wider, and for a moment, it was like you couldn’t breathe as you watched that old, sun-kissed hand fondle the breast of a girl who looked just like you. Who was peering up at a man who sounded almost like Joel, murmuring, ‘Attagirl.’

You’d heard your boss say that once.

It had been such a silly, off-handed thing that you doubted he even remembered saying it. But one time, you’d struggled to open the passenger door to his truck before he drove you home. Once you’d narrowly managed to pry it open and slide into your seat, he’d laughed and rumbled: ‘Attagirl.’ Your face had warmed.

Just like your cheeks were doing now, all hot and bothered and desperate to hear more. Presently, the man slid the top off of the girl’s chest, and her breasts hung freely. You could hear him groan behind the camera at the sight, and not too long after that, before he could reach to touch her tits again, she was crawling on her knees toward him. Shuffling easily and expertly across the lawn chair and undoing the belt, button, and zip of his pants in a matter of seconds. A hand smoothed over her head, and you could see her preen beneath his touch.

Before she’d even wrapped her lips around his cock, your stomach was churning. Your fingers were stirring from the mouse and moving gently—again, of their own volition, it seemed—toward the waistband of your own bottoms. It was sick, admittedly. So wrong to be wanting to touch yourself to the very same video your boss had indulged in himself, in the very same chair he had done the deed. But you couldn’t help it. Your fingers slipped under the the fabric of your shorts, then your bikini, then your throat let out the tiniest noise upon seeing a cock appear on-screen. It was abnormally large, of course.

Silently, you wondered if Joel’s might not look the same. Your stomach flipped as soon as the girl took it in her mouth, and your index and middle fingers landed on your clit. You barely needed to touch to feel a jolt of pleasure.

Her head bobbed up and down. You felt powerless to do anything else but rub. And circle. And moan the slightest bit when you saw her coat his length with her shiny spit.

You heard that your noises mirrored hers. You didn’t care. Really, it felt as though you were in a trance, and you couldn’t stop watching, or touching, until you’d had your fill. Like Mr. Miller had done himself. It was all too much.

Before you even realized it, five minutes had passed, the man and woman on-screen were shifting from oral to raw, penetrative sex, and you were nearing your peak. Right before the cock that had been lodged down the girl’s throat could slide into her wet, glistening cunt, you felt your stomach lurch. You rubbed harder, watching the fat and leaking tip of the man’s cock tease through her folds, and just as he was about to slide in and you could finally find your release…a door banged open downstairs.

You almost screamed.

As quickly as you could, you yanked your hand out of your pants and clicked out of that browser even faster. The second you heard footfalls on the steps, you scampered out of there. Half-sprinting, half-tip-toeing down the hall and toward the bathroom, before halting at the door. You made your presence known with one light stomp of your foot, pretending to be turning and walking out, and as soon as you did, Joel was right there. Staring.

Sweating.

Scrubbing at his face with one weary hand, before taking a rag and wiping it through his beard. He sighed heavily.

“Long day?” you chirped while trying to mask the panic.

“Like you wouldn’t believe,” Joel answered, voice wan, “How’s my little terror? Asleep? She give ya any trouble?”

Just asked me to buy her a toy online and inadvertently led me to find your internet Spank Bank archives full of women who look like me. Other than that, it was fine.

“I put her down about an hour ago. She was great.”

You forced a smile, and Joel seemed to believe it.

“Perfect. Need me to give you a ride home?”

“No, no, you should stay here with Sar—”

“‘S’alright. Tommy’s right downstairs.”

Of course he’d brought him home.

“No, really, I can walk. It’s fine—”

“Don’t be silly. C’mon, kiddo.”

Kiddo.

Kiddo.

The man had been jerking off to the thought of you for who knows how long, and now he called you ‘kiddo’?

You hated how arousing the nickname sounded from him

You despised yourself for rubbing your clit in his office.

Most of all, you loathed the way your panties had gotten wet the last time you’d climbed into his truck and heard that word crawl off of his old, drawling tongue: ‘Attagirl.’

Reluctantly, you nodded your head. You followed him downstairs and hoped the car door wouldn’t stick again.

He had to stop.

It was no longer a matter of ‘if’ but ‘when’ his dick would lead him straight off a cliff, and today, Joel was starting to think that precipice was looking extra nice. Tempting.

Almost as inviting as the divot he could see at the small of your back, glimmering with a couple hot beads of sweat under the midafternoon sun. He swallowed.

Sarah was at camp today. You’d had the time to yourself, and the weather was blistering hot, and of course, where else would you be but his backyard? He’d told you ad nauseum, ever since you started babysitting his kid, that his pool was open to you whenever you so chose to go.

Presently, Joel wished he could revoke that invitation.

Seeing how you were flipped on your stomach, body all soft and warm and splayed out on one of his deck chairs—wearing that fucking red swimsuit, of all things—Joel was left to ogle from his office window, and inside, he felt like a certified pervert. Arguably, he was. His old, worn hands had all but glided to find his mouse as soon as he’d sat down at his desk and saw you out there, and no sooner had his cursor found Chrome than his cock started to stir. He’d wanted to watch. If not you in all your bare, sun-baked glory, then surely the woman he could see getting her throat and cunt stuffed on his screen.

What the fuck was wrong with him?

Was he really that much of a gooner he couldn’t let his kid’s babysitter lounge outside without stroking his dick?

Shit. He had the bottle of lotion in one hand and the box of tissues in the other in no time at all. He ripped three free Kleenex aside and reached for his mouse once more.

He was pissed at himself. He toggled over to the Hub with a grunt, and in no time at all, had you pulled up.

Joel liked to pretend it was you, anyway.

If he couldn’t have the sweet young thing every swinging dick in this town would’ve killed to have himself, he could rub one out to a girl exactly like you. He could fantasize.

He could skip the video to 8:53 on the dot, as he always did, and he could rub himself raw. It wouldn’t take long.

He always fast-forwarded to that exact part, without fail, because she moaned like you then. He’d never forget it.

It had almost been six months since it happened, and he still remembered that sound as clear as day. You’d been hauling your backpack off the couch in the living room, having stuffed the thing full with more school supplies than you could feasibly carry, and Joel had been in the kitchen, unseen. You’d lifted the bag with effort, and once you had, you let out a soft but audible whine. You dropped the bag back down to your feet, and when you bent to try again, you’d moaned fully. It was like the stretch had made you feel good, or something. You’d huffed and managed to get the weight slung over your back with modest success, then left, but Joel had been changed. Too quickly had he retreated to his office and swore to find any clip where a moan sounded like that.

“Please! Feels like a fucking dre-e-e-e-e-eam—oh, OH!”

Granted, the dialogue was cheesy, but the sound after it was identical to the one you’d made. Joel repeated it.

He hadn’t even noticed, but he’d already lathered his hand and cock with lotion. He was scrubbing vigorously while your twin wiggled her hips and begged her co-star to put it in, to quit teasing her pussy like that, can’t you see I’m practically dripping for you, daddy? Look at it!

Unfortunately, Joel’s head was turned the other direction—away from the screen, and toward the window—watching you where you sat out on the lawn.

He stroked harder. He groaned.

You had just turned onto your back. Your tits looked incredible. Joel reckoned they’d look even better with his dick pushed up between them, and at the thought, his mouth watered. His lips were slightly parted, and he feared he might drool. What a sight he must have been then: jaw slack, lids heavy, cock in hand, and moan after moan bubbling out of his throat. He got closer to climax.

“Gonna teach ya, honey. Teach ya how to please a man.”

It wasn’t long after that that Joel heard the girl whine in pleasure—the man behind her had notched in the first inch and told her to behave—and meanwhile, he watched your chest rise and fall, rise and fall outside. It was calm. Unlike the girl being taught how to fuck poolside, you remained untouched. Spotless. Placid and serene while your hands picked up a magazine and began flipping through it. While Joel’s orgasm crested inside him, he wondered if you’d ever want to try something like that. Roleplay. Or would it be fake at all? Had you ever been touched by a man, shown the best ways to give and receive pleasure, or was it all brand new, like it was supposed to be for the woman on his screen? Joel panted, and he fucked his hand harder. He groaned.

“Oh, daddy, it’s so big! Feels so good going inside me!”

“You love gettin’ fucked by an older man, don’t you?”

“Yes, daddy, yes! Please don’t stop—oh, OHHH!”

Joel wanted to be the only older man you had.

If he wasn’t the first, he sure as fuck could be the last. Give you all the dizzying, euphoric feelings your body deserved and stretch you open gently for the taking.

He could teach you so much, ruin you for any oth—

Shit.

What the fuck was this asshole doing here?

At the back gate, he saw his neighbor Dieter.

The man strolled across the lawn, and Joel’s orgasm receded in a blink. He was walking right over to you.

No. No, no, no. Joel released his dick from its vice grip and felt the thing twitch in indignation. Meanwhile, the sound of skin on skin continued to flood his eardrums from out of the computer speakers, where the happy babysitter-boss duo was hitting a brutal pace. The girl let out one over-the-top shriek of pleasure, and Joel clicked pause. He toggled out of the browser. Then he redirected his gaze out the office window, where his own girl was being accosted by Dieter. His blood boiled with anger.

Who did this creep think he was? The man never so much as looked Joel’s way or approached his property unless it was to ask to be ‘lent’ some booze or else ask after some friend, relative, or coworker Dieter wanted to be introduced to—he was perennially unemployed and a fuckboy bachelor to his core. The last Joel had heard, he’d spent the last year in Los Angeles, or Paris, or some other too-big city to chase his singing and acting dreams

And here he was now, hitting on his poor, defenseless babysitter. Joel wouldn’t stand for that in any world.

Though his dick was still erect, it had softened some, too. His rage facilitated that, and him shoving his length back in his jeans, zipping it up, and all but punching the desktop off made it spongier still. He walked like he was mad at the floor beneath his boots. He wasn’t sure why he was feeling so defensive—he had just been rubbing one out to the sight of you less than five minutes ago—but now wasn’t the time for thinking. He had to act.

Protect, if he had to.

What if his neighbor wanted to go for a swim, too?

Joel would drown the man with his two bare hands if he so much as reached for your bikini-clad form. He stalked loudly down the hall and searched for a less sweaty shirt to wear, then some deodorant, then a comb. He peered in the bathroom mirror and saw his black-and-grey locks all out of sorts, and for a second, he contemplated taking a shower. You’d probably be able to smell his unsatisfied desire from outside. He looked, and felt, a bit unhinged.

Joel decided he didn’t care, before plodding downstairs.

Outside, you lay in the same position he’d seen you last. Your hand was shielding your face. You were smiling.

And beside you, Dieter was grinning even bigger.

Joel made a beeline down the porch steps, then across the lawn, like his life might’ve depended on it. Scowling.

“—but getting cast in Gladiator II would’ve been wild—”

Of course Dieter was yapping about his failed acting career. Of course. Joel could hear him drone on as he approached, though he didn’t register a word of what he said. Instead, he waved a hand. He feigned a calm tone:

“Dieter! How’s it going?”

And he slowed down, too.

Just as he drew in, his neighbor volleyed a look his way. Joel couldn’t miss how his smile twitched down a little.

“Joel.”

Accepting a cordial hand in greeting.

“Doing alright, how ‘bout yourself?”

Joel nodded fine, just fine and offered some offhand remark about not having seen him since last summer, and Dieter couldn’t resist the chance to puff up and mention a school he’d been attending. Joel didn’t hear it, or give a shit. His gaze was already trained on you. Your own flitted from Dieter, to Joel, then to Dieter again, and your lips were smiling kindly enough. You seem humored.

“Mr. Bravo just got back from Berlin,” you beamed.

Then Dieter met your look and shook his head.

“Dieter, sweetie, Dieter. Or Dee, if you want.”

Joel almost wanted to vomit in his mouth.

“Germany, huh? What brings you here?”

No sense in beating around the bush.

Joel meant to ask why Dieter was here, in his backyard, with his babysitter, of course. Why the fuck he was eyeing you like that, like your tits were two Emmys and the only way to earn it himself was to stare as long, and as hard, as possible. Joel cleared his throat instinctively.

Dieter blinked and cast a glance back to him.

“Oh, here. Yeah. I, um…I just wanted to see if you had that— that—” He snapped his fingers, “That leafblower.”

Leafblower?

He was so full of shit.

“My leafblower,” Joel repeated.

It was fucking July, for crying out loud.

Evidently, his neighbor didn’t seem to care. He met Joel’s gaze with an even look, and he nodded his head.

He doubled down: “Yeah, the leafblower. I’ve had some debris pile up in my yard since I’ve been gone, y’know.”

“Are you gonna be in Austin long? Or are you going back overseas once you’ve had that casting call?” you asked.

You cocked your head with genuine curiosity. Joel grit his teeth, but he tried not to let his discontent show anyplace else on his face. A muscle might’ve jumped when he saw how smugly Dieter smirked at your intrigue.

“Oh, I’ll be here long enough, don’t you worry,” he said.

That was it.

Joel gestured to the shed in the back corner of the yard, about to tell Dieter that the leafblower was in there, go knock yourself out, when his neighbor cut in once again.

“In the meantime, maybe I’ll have you babysit for me. I hate to steal Sarah’s pal, but maybe you can split your time between my place and Joel’s. What do you think?”

You blinked a little quicker, like you weren’t quite sure what to say at first. Joel took the chance to interject.

“You don’t have any kids, Bravo,” he practically growled.

“I know. I’ve got cats, though,” Dieter just grinned back, flitting a cheeky look to you. “And you have no idea how naughty those pussycats can get while a man’s away.”

That was really all Joel could take. He didn’t even let you answer; he just pointed to the shed and made a fist with his other hand at his side. His chest was heaving breaths.

“You and her can chat when she’s off the clock, how ‘bout that? Leafblower’s in the shed. Door’s unlocked.”

His words didn’t invite protest of any kind. Dense as he was, Dieter probably sensed that he’d ticked his neighbor off with the suggestive comment to his babysitter, and he backed away, both literally and figuratively. He bid a quick, cavalier goodbye with a shit-eating grin stretching his lips, and then he went to the storage shed and left.

You were still blinking, still creasing your brows tight, by the time the back gate had slammed shut behind him. You watched after him, teeth gnawing at your cheek.

“He seemed like a funny gu—”

“What do you think you’re doin’?”

Joel’s words appeared to sting like a slap in the face. You jerked your head back to him, seeming to say, ‘What?’

“You know what. Don’t play innocent now,” Joel griped.

You continued to stare, then started to shake your head.

“Mr. Miller—”

“Don’t Mr. Miller me, either,” he snapped, far shorter than he’d ever spoken to you before. His nostrils flared, “You’re old enough to know better. You did all of that.”

“All of what?” you shot back.

“Attracted men like Dieter into my yard.”

“He’s your neighbor! What do you expect?”

Offense marred your tone. He didn’t entirely blame you.

“No, no—he never sticks his nose over here unless he sees something he wants. You were flaunting yourself.”

At that, your mouth fell open.

“Are you fucking kidding me, Miller? Are you serious?”

“Language, young lady—”

“I don’t give a shit.” You stood up from your chair. Your eyes flashed with ire. Just like his hands had before, yours curled into fists. You stood your ground with him. “You invited me to come swim here whenever I wanted to. You did that, asshole. What did you expect me to sunbathe in, army fatigues and fucking combat boots?”

Joel blinked hard at that. He didn’t like being mocked.

“Still shouldn’t be that damn skimpy. And I said lang—”

“Yeah, yeah. Thanks, dad. Don’t act like you’re mine.”

Don’t act like you’re mine.

Joel’s chest tightened. His gaze seared into yours, almost as though he were as angry as you were now, but deep down, the man only felt remorse. Resentment. Whatever rage he harbored now was reserved for himself

He shouldn’t have gone there.

He shouldn’t have masked his own jealousy with pseudo paternal scolding. He looked like a dickhead doing that.

And you weren’t shy to let him know it in the slightest.

Presently, your finger was jabbed in his face. You were planted less than two feet from where he stood, and though you were noticeably dwarfed by his size, your next words had him beat by a foot, if he’d had to guess.

“I watch your kid, Joel. I am not your daughter. If you don’t want me hanging around here in my hot red bikini, then you can just say that. But don’t blame me for him.”

Joel bristled at your words, though he wasn’t sure why. When he opened his mouth to speak again, you added:

“And don’t blame me for that, either.”

Suddenly, he realized your finger was pointed at his legs.

Or, rather, what was poking up stiff between them.

Joel’s cheeks heated up to a thousand degrees.

You’d just caught him. You’d seen his arousal.

And you were turning on your heels again.

Before Joel could even try to summon the words to his tongue, you were grabbing your things. Shoving your shoes onto your feet. And Joel had only to stand there.

Feeling stupid and inert beside you.

As you went to the back gate, he somehow managed to call that you didn’t have a car, let him drive you back.

You didn’t even dignify his words with a verbal response.

You just raised your middle finger over your shoulder.

And then the gate crashed shut behind you.

You would be walking home that day.

Two big eyes and round cheeks were all you could see.

Then, they darted beneath the covers and were gone.

“Oh no, where’d sweet Sarah go?” you wondered aloud. Sitting at the edge of the bed and pretending not to see where she’d just dipped her head under the blankets, you furrowed your brows and proceeded to pat around you.

Everywhere you felt with your hands, you completely ignored the big lump under the duvet. It was a game.

A silly one at that—hide-and-go-seek was generally best left to places where you couldn’t figure out her location in the blink of an eye. But you played along. You heard a soft giggle. You continued feeling around the twin-sized mattress like this was the most bewildering puzzle of all.

“Whe-ere’s Sarah?” you sing-songed.

You heard a shuffling of limbs, a sniffle.

Your palm tapped right by those little feet.

And as soon as you did, she screamed. At four years old, Sarah hadn’t quite mastered the art of being stealthy.

You’d cut her some slack. You always had.

Blindly passing where her body lay, you glided to the opposite side of her bed and tapped inquiringly there.

“Is she…here?” You got a pillow.

“No!” Sarah shrieked back.

Such a helpful, obliging kid. She’d make a terrible spy.

“Is she…up here?” You rapped the headboard twice.

“No!!” she squealed.

You glanced over at the clock on her nightstand. It was approaching bedtime. Taking note of this, and knowing you couldn’t keep up with the charade for much longer, you let out a sigh. You stood from the bed, looked around the room with dramatic éclat, then started to walk away.

“Okay…I guess if Sarah’s not here I’ll have to leave…”

The second you said that, Sarah threw the covers back. She jumped up in bed, and she stomped her little feet.

“No! No! I’m here! I’m here!”

You spun on your heels, eyes wide with faux surprise.

“Sarah!”

And then you rushed back over, just in time to watch her drop to the bed and flash you a wide, exuberant smile.

“Your Sarah,” she corrected.

She adored it when you called her that. Your Sarah.

You nodded your head in agreement, “My Sarah. Sorry.”

She nodded too, like she’d just reminded you of the most important thing, and then she slipped back under her covers. She let you drag the purple duvet over her frame, all the way up to her chin, and when she was all snug inside, she gave another smile. She kicked her feet again.

“Stay,” she commanded, tone still sugar-sweet.

“I will, baby. ‘Til your daddy gets back, I’ll be here.”

“I mean forever!” Sarah dragged out the last syllable, and, not yet content with the answer you’d proffered, tried swaying you again, still more emphatic, “For-ever!”

If your daddy wasn’t such an ass, I might consider it.

Instead, you smiled back at her and shook your head. You smoothed the hair away from her face, then you leaned in and kissed her forehead with a gentle peck.

“Then my family would miss me. I gotta see them.”

“Says who?” Sarah’s pout was unmistakable.

Before you could reply, she cut in again.

“You can be my family. My mommy.”

Your throat constricted at those words. You weren’t sure what to say, or how to assuage your sweet Sarah then.

Again, you were about to open your mouth to speak, when your pint-sized companion piped up again. This time, her voice was softer. Surprisingly delicate and low.

“I want you to be my mommy,” she told you quietly, “Then you’ll live here. With me and daddy. And you’ll never have to go home again and we can play all day!”

Your heart ached. You kissed the tip of her nose and turned away, momentarily, to hide the hurt on your face.

Sarah Miller deserved much more in a mother than you.

When you looked up again, her grin was big. Hopeful.

“Don’t you wanna be my mommy too?” she asked.

“‘Course I do, baby,” you answered without hesitation, “But…don’t you think your daddy should have a say too?”

Somehow, her face got even brighter.

“He will! He— he…”

Sarah trailed off a second, as if considering her words. She didn’t understand what marriage meant. You’d help.

“Your daddy,” you finished for her, speaking slow and soft as you leaned in close, “is a good man who deserves a good woman to make your mommy. Don’t you agree?”

She bit the inside of her cheek.

“Yeah, but—”

“And a mommy’s gotta be someone he really loves.”

“But he…”

She was thinking again. You could tell. You pressed on.

“He is gonna find someone great someday. He’ll love you and her to bits, and y’all will get to play together all day.”

“But he loves you!” Sarah cried, at length.

A beat.

Your breath faltered.

The girl’s words had scarcely hung in the air for more than two seconds, and their meaning hardly registered in your brain before your own were coming out fast. Certain

“Your daddy doesn’t love me, baby. I’m just his friend.”

“Yes, he does! He told me so himself!”

Again, you shook your head.

“You misunderstood him, sweetie.”

You tried to smooth her hair back again, but Sarah’s head bucked away. She scrunched up her nose in clear protest and refused to let you cradle her face until she’d spoken her piece. When she did, her voice was pleading all over:

“Daddy loves you, he told me. You can be my mommy.”

And for what seemed like the hundredth time that night, you felt your heart balloon in your chest. Your gut clenched—but not for the reasons she or you wanted it to. The truth was that you didn’t have the words to tell a four-year-old girl that her father didn’t love you like that at all, that his head and his heart were anywhere but with you, and that, if you were being honest, you were furious with him. How he could so much as hint at such nonsense was beyond you. His little girl dreamed of having a mother. It was stupid and senseless and cruel to even suggest that that woman could be you. You sighed.

But, despite your every thought and feeling to the contrary, you knew you had to soothe the girl with some small semblance of hope. Something to hold her over for the night, so she didn’t cry herself to sleep thinking that you didn’t want to be her mommy. Gently, you leaned in.

You lifted the covers back up from where they’d fallen. You tucked them snug around her torso, and you paused.

Your tone was measured and soft when you spoke next:

“I don’t know about your daddy, baby. What I do know is that I would be the luckiest lady alive to get to be your mommy, alright? I’m not going anywhere, I promise.”

And you meant it. You saw one look light up her face, and every ounce of anger that had been provoked by her father was forgotten in an instant. Her grin ensured it.

“Anywhere,” she parroted back.

“Anywhere,” you said, again.

Then you kissed the crown of her head, wished her sweet dreams, cut the little light off. You left the room quietly.

It was only when you were out of there and far enough away down the hallway that your skin started to burn.

You couldn’t help it. Anger was fast to trickle back.

This feeling was only compounded when the next moment brought a sound to the landing on the stairs. You glanced over down the hall, muscles all tensing at once, and when you saw him there, it was as though your rage just bubbled over. Your jaw clenched; your stomach flipped in a way so decidedly unlike how it had done for him two days ago, in his office, and suddenly, your throat was working again. You kept your voice low this time, keen not to draw Sarah’s attention out there, but the words you used were clear. Quiet. Doubtlessly effective.

Even in the dark, you saw his brows jump when he heard:

“Joel, we need to talk.”

It had been two years since he’d had a woman in here.

Joel wished it were under any circumstances but these.

Presently, your eyes were ablaze. The two of you had just stepped into his room and shut the door behind you, and with the click of a latch, you hadn’t thought to hold it in:

“What the hell is wrong with you?”

He blinked.

Well, many things.

Joel wouldn’t have had the space to explain it all if you’d given him a week, and still, he had to say something. He blinked again, made a sound in his throat as if to clear it, then shook his head. His shoulders sagged in his jacket.

“I…I’m sorry.”

For the other day. For getting caught up in his own anger and taking it out on you. He wasn’t exactly sure what he was apologizing for now, or what he should say, but he thought it best to start there. He shrugged his jacket off and set it over the back of the nearest chair. He turned to you again, where you were standing with a warning look.

“Don’t say sorry to me,” you said. “Say sorry to Sarah.”

Sarah?

Before he could speak, you went on.

“You’re just setting her up for heartbreak, you know that? I mean how selfish— how stupid could you possibly be?”

You pursed your lips like tears might threaten if you didn’t. This caught him off guard—his daughter? What could he have said or done to hurt her in any of this?

“What are you talking about?”

“You said I’d be her mom, Joel!”

He winced. You furrowed your brows and set your mouth in a line—really trying to fight the emotion behind it—and, while all the rest of you bristled in anticipation for what was to come, Joel softened. He didn’t mean to. He didn’t want to be the guy who lost his head at the thought of seeing you cry and forget the whole reason you were upset with him in the first place, but he couldn’t help it. Though you looked like you wanted to kill him right then, Joel drew closer. He shifted toward you.

“Did— did she, uh…call you…mommy?” he said, pained.

“Yeah. And you let her believe she could,” you spat.

He hadn’t meant to do that, either. Sarah had been calling you that for a while when you weren’t around to hear, and after enough times telling her otherwise, he’d just stopped correcting her on it. Sarah wanted a mother. You were the closest thing she had, and who was he to sabotage that? At the time, he’d just wanted to…pretend.

That was a running theme he had going with you.

Right now, you didn’t seem to care about that.

You just rolled your eyes in that cool, juvenile way when you didn’t hear a response from him, and he had to bite his tongue from saying something worse. He hated when you did that. It made him remember your age—the reality of you being his kid’s babysitter and how guilty he should feel for wanting to do something more about that eyeroll.

He wasn’t your father.

You weren’t Sarah’s mother, either.

You most certainly weren’t the girl on his computer screen, as much as he would’ve liked to see you that way, and even though you were standing here in his bedroom.

That was all fantasy. Make-believe. This was his reality.

You were visibly pissed and wouldn’t budge an inch.

“Is it really so bad if she says it?” he grit out.

Your eyes widened. You scoffed.

“Of course it is, Joel!”

You backed away.

He hated seeing that, too. He hated having you move from him, not toward him, wearing that scowl on your lips as you did. His fingers twitched—itched—at his side.

“Sarah’s young. She doesn’t…mean anything by it. She’ll grow out of it soon enough. And I don’t want to hurt her.”

“You’ll hurt her even worse by not telling her the truth!” you snapped. You sounded exasperated saying it now. “We’re not a family. I’m the goddamn babysitter, and— and— you’re Sarah’s father. Act like it, for Christ’s sake.”

That set his teeth on edge.

Joel felt the urge to fight back, but narrowly refrained. He flexed his fingers, and he bit down hard to keep the vitriol at bay. Because that was exactly what fathers did. They controlled their anger; even when faced with a smart-mouthed babysitter who wore his patience out.

Even when your arms were folded over your chest in that impossibly tight, white tank, and your tits looked like they might spill from the fabric at any given moment. Joel swallowed and refocused his gaze before going on.

“Don’t tell me how to be a father.”

Something flared in your eyes.

“Why? I’m fucking right.”

“Language, young lady.”

That only seemed to irk you worse; your hands flew up.

“Yeah, well,” you started, accusing, “If we’re playing house, I might as well be allowed to say what I like.”

“We are not playing hous—”

“But you want to, right? That’s why I’m always here.”

“No, I need a—”

“Maid? Mommy?”

You paced closer. Joel’s jaw clenched.

“Obedient little housewife?” you sneered.

Your eyes were shining like two derisive pools. With every blink, you seemed to mock him more. Goad him on and beg for your reward, though you hardly knew what it was.

“C’mon, Mr. Miller,” you chided, voice low, “What is it?”

What he was, or what he’d stand to take. It wasn’t this.

“Keep runnin’ that fuckin’ mouth, I’ll show you what.”

The words flew off his tongue before he could stop them.

It was a reflex—something that had been stewing in his mind since the second you’d set foot in his room and went on provoking him. But it was wrong, of course.

He was wrong for even thinking it, much less saying it.

Now your eyes were round, and your mouth was slightly agape, and your brain was likely working a thousand miles a minute to process what had just been said.

Joel had to fix it.

“That— that ain’t—” he began, already hating himself.

To his surprise, and embarrassment, a laugh rang out.

Its sound was explosive and short. It split the air with such hot, bitter force that his words dropped off. His gaze had no choice but to remain plastered on yours.

“Oh, I bet.”

You grinned, humorless.

You didn’t appear shocked in the slightest. In fact, his remark seemed only to embolden you then, as you teased that smile wider, drew yourself closer, and tipped your chin up. You looked doubly enlivened by his last admission. Vindicated in some strange, inexplicable way. Your breaths were warm, and the swell of your breasts came to hover just inches from his chest when the last thing he needed to happen, happened between you next.

You pointed again. Joel didn’t need to look down.

“‘Don’t tell me how to be a father,’” you repeated his words from before, voice taking on a low, faux baritone.

Your amusement was clear. His cock was hard.

It seemed you’d never let the latter slip past you.

“Is that what we’re gettin’ at here, Mr. Miller?” you asked, tone now precocious. Probing, “You showing me what a great daddy you are, and me being the mommy you al—”

“No.”

Joel pushed off. He didn’t want to hear another thing.

He headed straight for the door, prepared to usher you out of it. This conversation had taken an irreparable turn.

When he reached for the handle, though, he had to stop. Your voice made him stop, echoing from the opposite end of the room. Joel turned, and he saw you on his bed.

“I’m just curious. Is that really what you meant?”

You were sitting at the foot of it, legs casually hanging off. Your look was innocent, and still more knowing than Joel could bear. The heat left to swirl in his groin nearly suffocated him below the waist, and he inhaled deeply.

“Mean what? I didn’t…mean anything.”

His touch fell from the doorknob all the same.

Your feet were swinging when he faced you completely.

“Just like you didn’t mean for Sarah to call me mommy?”

Maybe he had meant it more than he let on. He couldn’t answer. Joel felt every bit the creep he knew himself to be—decades your senior and letting you rest on his bed, soft, smooth legs kicking back and forth as he watched.

He was good at that, wasn’t he? Watching. Waiting. Aching from the comfort of his home office while he watched those filthy clips on repeat, images of you flitting through his mind at every stretch, moan, and whimper. His will was powerless to his perverted needs. He had only to defend himself against their influence by planting his feet firmly in place and refusing to move.

“You wanna teach me, though. Don’t you, daddy?”

It was as though your words reached him from another place. Somewhere deep within the recesses of his mind—his memory—and the tone of it stirred him. It was familiar, in ways you couldn’t have possibly understood. Unless you were living in his head, there was no way in hell you could’ve known what those lines meant to him.

‘Gonna teach ya, honey. Teach ya how to please a man.’

It made him ache.

Joel still wouldn’t move, but you could come to him.

He blinked once, and you were there. Off the bed. Walking to him. Down on your knees in front of him.

This had to be the work of his own sick imagination.

He groaned at just the sight of your smile, curving slow.

And then you peeled off your top, revealing the bright, nylon, cherry-red fabric he’d seen far too many times on his computer screen and off it—on you, by his pool. Joel sucked in a breath and shook his head, gaze darkening.

“Thought you didn’t wanna play mommy,” he growled.

If this was all just in his head, he could talk as he wanted.

“I don’t,” you answered him soberly. Suddenly, your chin was in his hand. Your eyes were still glistening up at him. “But you need to get this out of your system. Just once.”

Out of his system.

Joel was out of his fucking mind with desire.

“Just once?” His voice cracked as he said it.

Only one time. That was alright. Forgivable.

From what he half-believed to be a figment of his own perverted mind came the word from your lips: ‘Once.’

The next had the thumb that was cupping your chin slipping between those same lips. Still smiling while your mouth slid down to his knuckle. You sucked him gently.

And in just one glimpse, one fleeting second on that lone, thick thumb, the sight below him had every other obscene thing entrenched in his memory beat by a mile. You were better than everything else he’d seen or tried to dream up. You were real, he hoped, sliding your shiny wet lips up and down the surface of his skin, and when you pried them off, and you asked for his cock, he had no choice but to oblige. He had to rack his brain for words.

This was his babysitter, his daughter’s companion, his—

“Sweet fuckin’ girl,” he said when he first felt you there.

Before he even knew what became of his belt, buckle, and zip, the base of his cock was in your hand, and your lips were hovering precariously over the tip. Your breaths were soft and hot. Your graze drank him in with curiosity.

“Should I kiss you here, daddy?” Your mouth lowered.

“Right there, sweetie,” Joel breathed out.

He truly couldn’t believe it when the warmth of you enveloped his tip. When the first lick of your tongue came to collect the bead of precum sitting at the slit and he damn near bucked his hips up. You licked at it again.

And again. And again. And again.

You whimpered lightly, enjoying the taste.

The second you pulled your mouth away, Joel hissed.

“Baby, please—” he started, tone strained.

“What? Where does daddy want it?”

The question was so innocent.

It was clear you wanted to hear him guide you through it, as evidenced by the way your lips twitched at his hand smoothing down and over the crown of your head. Joel held it like he might never get this chance again, and, at once, his voice lowered along with it. He scarcely recognized himself with how gently he spoke then.

“Let daddy show you,” he said, “Open your mouth.”

And you did.

Your jaw fell slack, your lips split apart, and your eyes peered up with a wide and open stare. In a look, you seemed already to say that you trusted him to fill it.

No sight on a screen could’ve made him so hard.

He fed you an inch, eyes locked with yours as he did. His cock slid in another, and another, then stopped. He pulled back. The wetness and the warmth of your mouth nearly did him in, and the way you whined for more had him fisting your hair tight. Trying to keep his composure.

“That alright, honey? Feel…nice goin’ in?”

“Yes, daddy,” you hummed obediently.

Your mouth opened wider.

“More, please?”

Your tongue was flattened in a second. Joel slid back in, and his shaft was greeted by the slick, shiny cushion of the muscle underneath. He sank in. He invaded every inch of your mouth he could find, and he breathed out.

“Just like that, sweetie. Takin’ daddy so well.”

What little gurgles he heard stifled between your lips at that, spit drooling gently from either side, he only found more endearing. When he pulled back and saw strings of your spit trail after its path, he felt delirious. You were real, coating the whole throbbing length of his cock with your saliva and your precious soft whines, and you were sweet for him. Pliant for his cock. Jaw obliging and inviting and hanging wide open for him to fuck again.

He let you have it. He slid in once, grazed your throat, slid out again. He cupped your face in his hands and thumbed your cheeks. He coaxed your lips wider for him. You took it all well; you responded to every tender little directive from the man who was stuffing your mouth, ‘Faster now, atta girl’ and ‘Take daddy deeper’ and ‘Keep that pretty mouth open and those eyes on me.’ Joel was so caught up in the feel and the friction and the intimacy of every passing moment that he almost didn’t see when you started to shift your legs. Parting them.

And, right when the head of his cock had reached the back of your mouth and was teasing down your wet, open throat, he felt it fully: your whimpering plea.

You grinding your cunt against the toe of his boot, and peering up at him with eyes all wet, wide, and needy.

You rutted your hips. It looked like you couldn’t help it.

It seemed as though it were a mere spasm of the body that you couldn’t control—like his cock down your throat was too good for your sense or your oversexed mind to handle. He’d scarcely stirred in place when he felt you humping him, whines rippling down his length with every bob of your head as you keened for some kind of release.

Joel had never seen anything like it. He didn’t know what to say or do except stroke his hand over your scalp and pin you with a look. His cock twitched in your mouth.

“Is that how we ask to get fucked in this house?”

His tone surprised him with how steady it stayed.

Your mouth still full of him, you tried to shake your head.

What came next was more instinct than logical thought; Joel pulled you off his cock and onto your feet. His touch on your body was soft. He couldn’t pinpoint a reason for his being so gentle, but every second that elapsed now seemed to demand it. He was teaching you to please. There could be no better place for kindness than here.

He’d lead you to the bed and guide you down himself. He’d tell you to open your mouth and then he would kiss it, and lick inside it. Maybe spit inside it, too. He’d tug at your bikini straps, watch your breasts give way to the pressure of the pull before bouncing right back in place. He’d take off your top. Latch his mouth around a nipple, swirl his tongue across the skin, and he’d kiss you again.

Joel did all these things, and you let him. You met him with whimpers, with wide open legs, and eventually, with your feet digging into the covers beneath you, begging, ‘Daddy, please put it in.’ Your gaze was febrile as you did.

Whether you meant it, or were simply pretending for him, gave Joel pause. Just as you’d tried to yank your jean shorts down your legs, he dropped his hands to your own. He stopped them in their path. He leaned closer.

“Do you know what you and me are about to do, hm?”

His question was barbed but sweet. Testing the waters.

Were you game to keep playing house? Did you want it?

These things mattered to Joel; whether the wetness between your legs was meant for him and him alone. Whether you needed him there, like the breath in your lungs. He wouldn’t fuck you if he wasn’t. He might feel lonely at times—desperate to feel your cunt squeeze his too-old cock like your life depended on it—but he was a man who wanted to be wanted, too. An instant of clarity hit, and suddenly he was asking it, plain and in your face:

“Do you wanna do what mommies and daddies do?”

Your mouth fell slack. Again. You nodded.

Either you were the single best actress, or you wanted it. Hoping desperately for the latter, Joel kissed the side of your face. You turned your head, quickly, and captured his lips in yours instead. You pulled him down to you.

“Like this?” you murmured, words muffled against him.

You wrapped your legs around his waist and then ground your clothed lower half with his—Joel’s cock was tucked haphazardly back in his boxers, and his jeans, unzipped, hung just underneath them around his hips. He felt like a teen again, clothes thrown askew and hormones all wild.

Except he wasn’t. He was a grown man, in his own bed, with his child fast asleep down the hall. He thanked his lucky stars that their rooms were as far apart as possible, and that he no longer had to worry about the prying eyes of his mom or dad trying to catch him out after curfew. This wasn’t high school, or a night out in college, or the time a condom had split and Sarah had been conceived.

Now if he could just make sure she didn’t get a sibling…

Kidding.

“Pill,” Joel choked out, just as your legs drew him in to meet your movements, “Are— are you on the pill, or—”

Am I going to have to hit up a Texaco at 10 PM to get some rubbers and admit I haven’t gotten laid in a year?

You grinned.

“IUD.”

That works, too.

Joel probably shouldn’t have seemed so eager. He probably shouldn’t have taken your face in his hands and kissed you so hard, either. But his skin was ablaze; his eyes were wild; his limbs were molten; and his head—you didn’t want to know where it was. What he was thinking.

What he wanted to tell you while he tugged his cock back out and started working his hand up and down it. It felt too intimate, too depraved, to be spoken aloud.

Then, to his shock, you said the words yourself:

“Show me how you’d make me a mommy anyway.”

If not for protection. If not for common sense. If not for that thrumming, pulsing, warning repetition in his head: Do not get her pregnant. Do not give your kid a sibling.

But this was all pretend, wasn’t it?

Joel yanked down your shorts, practically tore them from your legs, and situated himself between them, breathing hard and fast, before he nodded his head and kissed you. With his one free hand, he held the base of his dick, and he guided it closer to your slick, puffy, aching entrance through the barrier of your red bikini. He rutted his hips.

You were bare beneath him, save for that one scrap of fabric between your lower half and his. You smiled, and you wriggled your body against his, and you drew him in. Joel groaned when he felt you slide your bottoms to the slide and let him feel, for the first time, how wet you were. How warm, inviting, and tight that cunt must be and how badly he needed it. How desperately he had to be buried inside that heat—he all but panted the words:

“Can daddy put it in?”

You spread your legs wider. You nodded.

Then he did. Without one breath of a thought to the contrary, he pushed the head of himself past the fabric, through your folds, into that wet and precious spot he’d only dreamed he’d ever feel, and he let out a full-throated moan. He felt your walls contract, heard the tender little squelch of your body making room for his length, and he damn near blew his whole load right there. You felt good.

Your chest rose with a breath, and your eyes widened.

Like you hadn’t just had him down your throat, drenched in your spit and gliding in and out: “He’s so big, daddy.”

Joel’s lips kissed your cheek. His tip kissed your cervix. You whined a little, and he pulled you in closer to him.

“I know, honey, I know,” he cooed, rocking you with the softest motions, “Ain’t that what mommy likes, though?”

Your lips parted again. A strangled whine of assent slid out, just as his hips withdrew himself back to that shiny, bulbous head, and then he fucked back in. Back and forth, back and forth, Joel sent your body bouncing with every thrust. He felt you clench, and the strokes sped up.

The bed creaked underneath. It seemed to shake the whole room. In truth, there wasn’t a thought in Joel’s head except for the ones relating to you and how good you took his cock, but somewhere, not far off, there was the instinct of a father idling too. With every stab of the headboard against the wall and every moan of yours under him he had to smother with his lips, he was reminded you two had to be quiet. He leaned in.

Grazing your ear with a stubbled chin, and fucking you gently into his bed, Joel sank his weight even lower.

“Can mommy stay real quiet for daddy? Can she try?”

From the way your eyes were glazed, he expected you to nod. And you did, just barely, heels digging in the mound of his ass and your fingers finding his sides. But then you slid a touch up his ribs; you squeezed the flesh. You let him pound your cunt for a few more precious seconds, and just when he thought that was the end of it, you tilted your head to him. Your nose bumped his, and you grinned, flashing the single most pretty, fucked-out look.

“Feels like a fucking dream, daddy,” you breathed.

Joel balked. He almost stopped right then and there.

Please! Feels like a fucking dre-e-e-e-e-eam—oh, OH!

Oh.

You couldn’t have known that.

There was no shot you knew where the fuck those words were from. Or what they meant. Joel furrowed his brow and kept rutting his hips, hands tightening in the sheets beside your head as the scene from his naughty all-time favorite film flickered briefly through his mind. No shot.

Then your legs wound around the backs of his even tighter, and your eyes were all but shining with a fresh, twisted glint. With a measured tone, you went on for him:

“He’s so big, daddy. Feels so good going inside me.”

You even mimicked her tone. Joel paled above you.

His hips stalled a moment, and your cunt hugged him tight. Your teeth nipped at his chin, playfully, and before he could even try to speak again, your lips were there.

At his ear, whispering what he’d dreaded hearing most.

“You should really clear those PornHub searches after you’re done. Or at least lock your office while I’m here.”

Joel’s thrusts stopped completely.

He was about to search for his voice again, when your walls clamped down around him, and his vision went swimming. His cock pulsed inside you, and he groaned.

Then his hips picked up; it wasn’t a conscious decision. He just needed to fuck, needed to finish, needed to see the light twinkle and burst behind your eyes while he stuffed your cunt full. It didn’t matter what you knew—your lips were curled in such a sweet, smug smile below him, there was likely no use in trying to explain himself now. Joel just gritted his teeth, and he tried smiling back. He fucked you faster, and harder, than he’d done before.

When you clawed at his back, the pace grew merciless. Every inch of the space around him, it seemed, was filled with the sounds of skin slapping skin, whimpers, and moans. As before, Joel almost didn’t recognize his voice.

‘That so?’ was all it could manage to get out at present.

With your cunt fluttering repeatedly, hips rolling with his own, and those lips letting moans spill out one after the next, it was all he could do to try to keep his composure.

Joel kissed you, and then he flipped your body around. He moved back to find the headboard and rest himself against it, got your legs straddling his, and slid you down

Down, down, down on his cock. Stretching you out. Then moving you back up again. Making you bounce in his lap and have your hands fumble to find his shoulders. You squeezed his biceps and moaned, and at the same time, his slick-smeared lower half rutted to greet yours. Your essence drenched him; he could feel it soak straight through the black-and-gray hairs at the base of his cock.

You looked perfect like this—better than any girl on camera could’ve been. Your hips rolled, and you moaned while sliding up and down on his dick, again and again. Joel felt the trembling pulse through your body and his, groaned at the grip of your cunt around him, and helped you ride him. With one hand at the small of your back and the other cupping your face, he held you close to him. Your pace quickened, and the hand at your chin made its way to your throat, to hold you firmly there.

Joel had a thumb on your pulse and his eyes raking over your writhing form when he felt compelled to talk again.

Share a truth, since all the rest was coming out anyway.

He didn’t think so much as feel it flow from there, like the blood rushing through his veins. Joel winced at a fresh influx of pleasure and let you grind on him twice more. Then he was gripping you tighter, fucking up into you harder, and he was skimming his teeth along your skin. As a knot coiled deep within his stomach, he let it out:

“Wanna cum inside this pussy, baby. Fill her up with me.”

The head of his cock struck a dizzying blow to someplace close to your cervix, and you held him tighter.

“Yeah, Mr. Miller?” You couldn’t help the teasing tone.

You fought a breathless laugh, then were forced to suck in a gasp of air just as quick; his length sheathed itself inside you completely, and Joel’s grip constricted on your throat. He kissed you. He lapped his tongue into your mouth while he fucked up into you, again and again.

You whined, and he mumbled against you, “That’s right.”

You hissed at him deep in your guts, and he went on:

“Gonna stuff her full. Make her wet and messy and drippin’ with me. Show mommy how much daddy lov—”

He cut himself short. His balls were heavy, full, and ready to paint you white, but that line was a touch too far, even now. He couldn’t say it outright and not sound like a fucking creep, no matter how deep in this roleplay you happened to be. Joel squeezed your hips and grunted.

And, for what felt like the fifteenth time that night, you surprised him. Your chin tilted to his, your lips brushed against his mouth, and you smiled, again. It was tender.

“How much does daddy love me, hm? Show me.”

Your walls clenched at the end of the last sentence, and Joel couldn’t help but groan in your mouth. His eyes lifted to yours, and in your gaze, he found anything but incredulity—you already knew what he felt, somehow.

“Sarah tell you that, too? That I love you?” he growled.

He’d said it once. At the time, he hadn’t thought he’d meant it at all, but the words just sounded so good when it came to you. Sarah had asked him if he’d wanted you to be her mommy someday, if he loved you like a daddy loves a mommy, and he’d said he did. Looking back, it hadn’t felt half as good as it did right now: peering into your eyes, feeling your warmth swallow him whole, and sensing you were nearing your climax, all because of him. It made him want to say it over again, now face-to-face.

Be it roleplay, fantasy, fixation—he needed to say it now.

“Daddy does love you,” he went on, before you could even respond. His pelvis rutted against yours, and his gaze stayed steeped in desire as he felt you grip harder, “Loves you so damn much he wants to stuff a big load in that pretty little cunt. Make you his. That alright by you?”

Your gaze went blank in an instant. Your lips twitched.

Something delectably wet, tight, and far too tempting shuddered someplace inside you, and with pride, Joel sensed the remnants of it leak out and smear his tummy. You liked that idea. Still, you seemed hesitant as your teeth snagged your bottom lip between them. You drew one steadying breath, and you slowed your movements.

“I’ve never…had that,” you admitted quietly.

Then that sticky-sweet embrace your cunt held him in got even wetter. Like your mind wasn’t fully on-board, but your body was all in. You were close, by the feel of it.

But Joel would only give what you were fully ready to take. At length, he lowered one hand to the small of your back, and his thumb rubbed at the skin. He let you feel him in only the shallowest of strokes, bouncing you softly

“Ain’t gotta be inside, then,” he murmured, assuring, “I’ll shoot this load wherever mommy tells me to go, alright?”

That made you whimper.

From there, your mind seemed to be decided all at once.

“Cum inside. I-I want it.”

Joel swallowed thickly.

“You sure, sugar? I can—”

Suddenly, your hips were stirring. They started up quicker than before, and your hand was swift to plant itself flat on his chest, as though to stabilize yourself.

“Cum. In. Me.”

It was the most decisive, and desperate, you’d sounded all night. Your gaze flitted to his, and in it, he saw a plea.

With a look like that, Joel knew he couldn’t make you wait. He wouldn’t make you wait. Trying not to smirk as he did, he leaned in and kissed you, and felt you drip more arousal as something knotted in your belly. He smoothed your hair away and delivered the gentlest thrusts from below—he knew it wouldn’t take much.

“Mama goes first,” he prodded. He felt you tense, and clench, and leak a little more down his front, and when the head of cock nicked a soft ridge, he groaned, too. “Cum for daddy now and he’ll give you his load, OK?”

Then his touch slipped between your legs. You keened.

“Daddy, I—” you hiccuped, grip tightening like a vice when his thumb found your clit and started rubbing.

Joel circled faster.

“Breathe, baby. Breathe.”

“I can’t,” you cried, “Feels too—”

Good. Your body seemed to finish for you.

It started with a pulse. Then a pinch. A trickling warmth. Joel hardly knew what else to do but keep rubbing that little pearl between your folds, even when you started to gush around his hand. It wet his tummy; it drenched all the hairs around the base of his cock, and still, he kept thumbing your clit and rocking you back and forth above him. He let you cry out and bite his shoulder while your climax tore through you, and though he knew you had to be quiet, he couldn’t help but relish the sound. He smiled

“That’s it. That’s my girl. Give it to daddy.”

And, while he also told you to keep breathing and let him have it all, he was right here—in a matter of seconds, he was slipping off, too. He couldn’t hope to try and stop it. With one more pulse of your walls, you groaned and got your wet, spent, needy hole stuffed full of him, just how you’d asked. Joel flooded your insides with his seed and kept you fucked straight down to the hilt so he wouldn’t see a drop of himself escape. He hugged you tight and heard you whine at that primal sensation, getting pumped with rope after rope of his cum, then he felt your limbs go limp. Joel kissed the side of your face. He cradled you, held you securely in place, and let the last of his spend paint your walls in a couple more gentle spurts

When it was over, he stroked your back. He sensed the aftershocks of your climax pass through your tired frame, and he made sure not to rock you too hard against him. He just wanted you to feel that he was there, if the heft of his cum and his cock still deep inside you wasn’t enough.

His head grew clearer, too. While still drawing short, ragged breaths in time, he managed to find the words that had evaded him before—what he should’ve said.

“‘M’sorry,” he mumbled into your hair.

You just nuzzled your face deeper.

“Don’t be.”

“But I—”

Then you tilted your head—enough for your gaze to meet with his, briefly, and tell him all that he needed to hear.

“You’re a good dad, Joel.”

He opened his mouth, but you were already pressing on.

“And I don’t…mind if Sarah calls me what she wants for now. I’m sure you’ll find someone great to be her mom someday, and then this whole thing won’t even matter.”

For some reason, the sound of it made Joel wince.

He couldn’t quite place the feeling, but he knew he didn’t want you thinking that. His grip constricted around you.

“No,” he muttered, indistinct. Defiant.

“No?”

You almost laughed.

It was insane, admittedly—just last night he’d been dreaming of the feel of you in the grip of his fist, wishing for nothing but his own release and a fleeting thought of your body underneath him, and here he was, doing this.

You’d said it was a one-and-done deal, and maybe it was.

But for him, maybe, it wasn’t. He’d be remiss not to try.

If you shot him down and left him to pine and meander through the manifold archives of PornHub for the rest of his horny life, that would be alright. At least he had tried.

With these thoughts thrumming through his brain, Joel was about to pull you closer and venture to speak again, when, for the second time, his words were cut short. His voice was presently supplanted by a sound that startled you both, and in a moment, he recognized what it was.

A knock.

“Da-a-a-a-a-a-addy?”

Shit.

He nearly caught a knee to the gut with how quickly you tried scrambling off his lap, limbs revived and frantic and desperate to get your clothes back on before that tiny voice could resume its speech—or get a hand to the door

“Yeah, sweetie? Give— give daddy a—” ‘Fuck!’ he cursed under his breath as he tripped over your shorts on the floor, “—a minute. I’ll be right there. Just gimme a sec.”

Joel fell. You floundered. His hand snagged the edge of the bed before he hit the ground fully, while you set off across the room to fight the strings of your bikini top and wrestle the thing on. The second you sensed that battle was lost, you grabbed your shirt instead. You were just yanking it on, and Joel was just regaining his bearings and about to chuck your shorts your way, when a voice through the door stopped the two of you cold—again.

To your horror, it was hopeful. Too sweet to be real.

“Can I sleep with you and mommy tonight?”

You could’ve soundly beat Joel’s ass with that pretty, skimpy swimsuit in your grasp and not regretted a thing, if he had to guess by the look you were flashing him now.

He didn’t blame you. His hands shot up in silent defense.

“Mommy— mommy’s not here, honey. She went home.” Joel shortly tried, and failed, to keep the pretense of innocence alive, all while dodging the first swing of your bikini’s bra at his head. He ducked; you struck a lamp.

He jumped back, a wordless grin stretching his lips as he righted that fixture fast. With one look, it seemed to say:

I’m so, so sorry, baby.

But inside his head, he couldn’t help but admit this was a little bit funny. Probably sensing this, you swung again.

“Yes, she is! I heard her,” Sarah huffed outside.

Joel was sliding up his jeans. Apologizing with his eyes and also trying not to crack an even bigger smile at you.

“Don’t be silly, Sar—”

“You’re having a sleepover!” she accused.

Well, in a manner of speaking.

Joel had just buckled his belt and redid his zip when a flash of red nylon smacked him in the face. Playfully.

You were evidently beginning to fight a grin like his, dropping the feigned indignation and pacing closer.

“Sleeping my ass—” you started in a whisper.

And you were about to chase him again, or else propose jumping from the window to get out now and save face, maybe, when Joel felt an old, familiar feeling crop up inside him. Like before, it wasn’t the kind of urge he could fight; his instincts took over, and he did it swiftly.

Admittedly, the timing was terrible—but he kissed you.

He pressed his lips to your own and relished the feeling. He grabbed both sides of your face and walked you back to the bed—the same one drenched in sweat and your release, which he’d definitely need to change in a minute—and for a fleeting moment, it was all he needed. Your mouth was on his, grinning a little and promising silently that if Sarah ever does walk in on us, I’m gonna kill you.

Against his better judgment, he pushed you back on the bed. He dropped his weight over your body and kept the kiss ongoing, feeling need surge inside for something far beyond the physical. It couldn’t be ‘one-and-done’ here.

But for now, at least, in spite of his feelings, it had to be.

Joel didn’t want to let go or stop kissing, but the next second left no room for much else, unfortunately. His daughter’s voice returned, and the words that followed proved impossible to ignore, for either one of you then.

All color drained from his face, and your eyes widened.

“I heard mommy screaming before. Is she alright?”

[corroded-hellfire]

Oh Red may I please request little Eliza playing at drinking tea with her brothers and dad? Maybe she even puts make up on them and paint their nails too

Oh absolutely, my darling! Your wish is my command 😘

Words: 3.9k

Warnings: pregnant!reader

[As You Wish masterlist]

“Daddy?” Eliza sing-songs as she skips over to the couch. She doesn’t bother to wait for her father to take his eyes off the television before she climbs into his lap. 

“What’s up, sweet pea?”

“Will you play with me?”

He smiles down at her and grabs one of her small sock-clad feet in his hand.

“What do you want to play?” Eddie knows he isn’t going to be thrilled with the answer by the way the four-year-old looks up at him with her wide brown eyes and adorably bats her eyelashes. He makes a mental note to tell you to stop teaching her ways to use her cuteness against him.

“I wanna have a tea party,” she says. 

Eddie holds in his groan. Tea parties always had an air of pretension about them that Eddie didn’t like—even ones hosted by little girls. He blames his metal “lifestyle” growing up, but you’ve called him out on more than one occasion for just not wanting to do them because they’re boring. He has yet to admit you’re right. 

“Doesn’t Mommy want to have a tea party with you?” He has no shame in pawning this off on you. In his opinion, you fit in better with the pink frilly tablecloth and the teddy bears wearing lacy hats than he does.

“Mama’s sleeping,” Eliza says, sadness evident in her tone. Your daughter has noticed you’ve been doing that a lot lately. Both you and your husband explained to her that you get tired easily since your body is growing two babies, but it’s not something a little girl so young can easily understand. All she knows is that her mommy doesn’t do as much with her anymore. It tugs on Eddie’s heartstrings, and he can’t bear to deny her.

“Okay, let’s have a tea party,” he says.

Eliza claps her hands together in rapid succession before leaping off her dad’s lap and running down the hallway to her room. It’s impossible for Eddie not to smile as he turns the television off and pushes himself up off the couch. By the time he reaches her room, Eliza has her table and chairs set up in the middle of her room and is digging her Disney Princess tea set out of her toy box.

Once it’s clutched in her little fists, Eliza turns around and disapprovingly looks over her father’s outfit.

“Daddy, you can’t wear that to a tea party,” she says, walking forward to set the tea set on the table.

Eddie frowns as he looks down at his black jeans and faded Black Sabbath tee. 

“Why not?” he asks.

“It’s too dark!”

“Well, I don’t own any pink clothes, Your Highness.”

“Fine,” she huffs, conveying her disappointment. But she quickly perks up and runs back to her toy box. “I got an idea!”

“What might that be?”

The top half of your daughter disappears for a few moments as she dives headfirst into her toy box. Objects clank and bang around inside as she pushes them around, looking for one item in particular. 

“Aha!” Dark curls bob back into view as she stands up straight, brandishing a pink and white box that fills Eddie with dread. Eliza walks towards him, showing him the Barbie makeup kit she had gotten from Santa this past Christmas. 

“Liza…” Eddie says. He’s not able to get another word out before she gives him those puppy dog eyes again, though. 

“Pleeeeease, Daddy? You have to look pretty when you go to a tea party.”

“I’m not pretty?” Eddie asks, cocking an eyebrow and resting his hands on his hips. 

The way that Eliza’s nose wrinkles up as she looks him over says it all. 

“No,” she answers with a shake of her head.

“Pfft,” Eddie scoffs as he walks over to sit down on his daughter’s bed. “Mommy thinks I’m pretty.”

“Because she loves you,” Eliza replies, absent-minded, as she sets the makeup kit down next to Eddie and begins to open it up. He has no time to be offended before she asks, “Can I paint your nails?”

Eddie lifts a ringed hand up and looks over his short, stubby nails. It wouldn’t be the first time they were painted, honestly. In high school they’d sometimes be painted various shades of black, blue, or green courtesy of Brittany. He internally cringes at the memory. It’s definitely time for a much better girl to paint his nails.

“Sure, kid,” he tells her.

Eliza grins and picks two small bottles up from her kit. She clicks the glass jars together before she holds them up for her dad to see.

“Red or pink?”

“Uh…” Eddie wrinkles up his nose as he inspects the two bottles held in her small hands. The red is nice and dark while the pink is full-on shimmery and sparkly. “Red.”

Eliza nods once and puts the pink polish back in its case. 

“Turn,” Eliza says, hoisting herself up on her bed and patting the comforter between her and her dad. Eddie twists, tucking one leg beneath him so he’s able to face the little girl properly. 

The room is notably quiet as your daughter opens the bottle, holding the cap and brush in one hand, and setting the bottle down on the Barbie kit with the other. An involuntary smile quirks Eddie’s lips as he watches Eliza get to work. Her round little face squishes up as she situates Eddie’s larger hand on the lid of the makeup kit and sticks her fingers between his to spread them open. As she leans in and presses the tip of the brush to his nails, Eddie notices how Eliza sticks her tongue out–just slightly–as she concentrates. Whatever gene Eddie inherited that gave him that quirk is strong; he’s given it to all three of his children so far. Silently, he wonders if the twins will do it as well. 

As expected, Eliza paints most of the skin surrounding Eddie’s nails along with the nails themselves. It feels cool and sticky against your husband’s skin and he wrinkles his face up almost identically to how the little girl did just minutes ago. 

“Okay, switch hands.”

Eddie does as he’s instructed, bringing the freshly painted one up near his mouth so he can blow on the wet polish. The last thing he needs is to smear the red on something, forgetting it was there. 

“What’s going on in here?”

Luke leans against the door jamb, arms crossed over his chest as he takes in the beauty parlor in front of him. 

“Gettin’ ready for a tea party,” Eliza says, not lifting her head from her task. She switches to Eddie’s ring finger and glances up at her brother. “You wanna play, too?”

Normally, Luke would flat out decline. But he spies the makeup sitting between his father and sister and his mischievous mind starts concocting. 

“Sure,” Luke says, taking one step into the room. “On one condition.”

The look that Eddie gives his middle child warns him not to start anything with his sister. 

“What?” Eliza asks.

“I’ll come to your tea party if you put some of that makeup on Dad’s face.”

Eliza sits up straight, eyes widening in excitement as she looks between the two men in the room. Her eyes turn pleading as she leaves them on her father. 

“Pleeeeease, Daddy?” she begs. “A tea party is more fun with more people!”

One look at the various colors of eyeshadows and lipsticks is enough to make Eddie cringe. But the look on little Eliza’s face is so hopeful and Eddie can’t bear to crush it.

“Only if Luke gets Ryan to join, too,” Eddie compromises. 

“Luke?” Eliza bats her eyelashes at her older brother, who, admittedly, isn’t as susceptible to them as Eddie is. But they’re still pretty damn convincing.

“Oh, he won’t want to miss this.” Luke smirks and slips back into the hallway to go find his brother.

“Yay!” Eliza cheers as she goes back to finishing up Eddie’s hand.

The two brothers come into Eliza’s room just as she’s recapping the red nail polish.

“What do you think, Lize?” Eddie muses as he rests his freshly painted hands on his thighs. “Think your brothers need to be made prettier for the tea party, too?”

Eliza nods, looking over the two boys. “Oh, yes.”

Eddie chuckles, somewhat evilly, as he stands from the bed. 

“Red or pink, gentlemen?” Eddie asks, offering his previous seat to them.

“You said he would be getting makeup put on,” Ryan grumbles to Luke.

“Nail polish isn’t really makeup,” Luke argues with a shrug.

“Yes, it is,” Ryan and Eliza reply simultaneously. 

Ryan gives his younger brother a gentle shove towards the bed, leading to the fourteen-year-old stumbling over to Eliza’s bed.

“Why are we having a tea party, Liza Bean?” Ryan asks as Luke takes a seat.

“Cause I wanna,” Eliza answers, picking up the two colors of polish for Luke to see. “And Mama is always tired, so I haven’t had one in a long time.”

Both Munson sons share a look, and Eddie can see the resignation in their gazes, hearts once again gripped by Eliza. 

Luke takes a deep breath as he turns back to his sister.

“Pink,” he says.

Ten minutes later, Luke has sparkling pink nails, and Ryan has dark red ones to match his dad. 

"I think red is my color," Ryan comments as he takes a seat at the small tea table set up in the middle of Eliza's room. The chairs are comically small for everyone in the family but Eliza, but she is quite happy about that. It always makes her giggle to see her parents or brothers attempt to situate themselves on the tiny pink wooden chairs. 

Luke takes the seat next to Ryan and leans over to inspect his nails.

"That's too dark to be red," Luke says.

"It's not purple," Ryan scoffs.

"Or pink!" Eliza adds.

"Why am I the smartest Munson?" Luke groans, pinching the bridge of his nose. 

"Excuse me?" Eddie grumbles.

"You're excused," Luke says before turning back to his siblings. "It is red, but it's more of a maroon or scarlet."

"Was that crayon you ate when you were five maroon or scarlet?" Ryan quips.

"It was just red, thank you very much," Luke says, sitting up straighter. 

"Alright, about Dad wearing this makeup now..." Ryan smirks, eyes darting between Eliza and Eddie.

"Okay, fine, let's do this." Eddie grabs one of the small pink chairs and drags it over to the side of Eliza's bed. He plops it down backwards and takes a seat on it. He tilts his face up and closes his eyes. "Let's see what you've got."

"Hmm..." Eliza hums, looking over the different colored powders awaiting her use. They all look so tempting, it's hard for her to choose. "Should I use blue or green?"

"Use blue on Dad, green on Luke," Ryan suggests.

"Okay!" Eliza chimes.

"W-Wait, what?" Luke stammers.

Ryan smirks and claps his little brother on the shoulder. 

"Gotta make you look nice and pretty, don't we?"

"That includes you too then, smartass," Eddie calls over.

"Nah," Ryan says, shaking his head. "I'm pretty enough."

"Uh, no," Eliza says, causing Eddie and Luke to burst out in laughter. "Don't worry, I'll find a color for you too, Ry-Ry."

Now it's Luke's turn to smirk and shake his older brother's shoulder. 

Eliza picks up one of the pink sparkly brushes that came with the Barbie makeup kit and jabs it into the blue eyeshadow, creating a cerulean cloud that floats up around her face. With one tiny hand, Eliza holds Eddie's chin still. With the other, she reaches up and brushes the blue dust gently across her father's eyelids.

"Ooh, it looks so pretty!" she cheers before doing the same to the second eye. Not only do Eddie's eyebrows get the royal treatment, but his eyebrows, under eyes, and even the bridge of his nose end up covered with the sky-colored makeup. "Now blush!"

Eddie cracks one eye open to watch as Eliza digs through the makeup kit. She tosses tubes of lipstick out of the way and shoves eyeshadows to the side before she finally pulls out a large blush palette with cartoonishly extreme colors. Your daughter picks up a new brush and flips the clear lid off the palette. Lacking the finesse that only comes with age, Eliza dunks the brush against the brightest pink possible. Eddie internally cringes before he closes his eyes again, preferring not to see how much she's going to cake onto his cheeks. 

"Wow, Dad's looking real pretty," Luke comments, the sarcasm clear as day to his father. 

"I can't wait to see how pretty you're going to look," Eddie mumbles back.

"No moving," Eliza instructs.

"Yeah, Dad!" Ryan echoes. 

Eliza hums in thought, tilting her head from side to side as she inspects Eddie's face. Her chocolate curls tumble and brush against her cheeks with every movement. Deciding she's done with the blush, she sets that brush down and picks up a golden tube of lipstick. Ryan and Luke watch as she pops the cap off and twists the bottom until a magenta head pops into view. Her dark eyes stare at the color for a moment, silently determining if this is the shade she wants to apply to Eddie's lips. Evidently, she decides she likes this one as she sets the cap down and grips her father's chin once more.

"Pucker!" Eliza instructs.

"Huh?" Eddie asks.

Eliza rolls her eyes, thinking that she needs to teach her father everything when it comes to makeup.

"It means do your lips like this! Like a fish!" Eliza puckers her lips up in example.

Eddie blinks his eyes open and quickly moves in to peck a kiss to Eliza's lips. The little girl giggles and swats her dad away.

"Daddy!" she whines.

"What?" he asks innocently.

"No kisses!"

Eddie pouts, but puckers his lips, nonetheless. 

Just like with the eyeshadow, the lipstick does not strictly stick to the part of the face it's meant for. A pinkish purple line goes down towards Eddie's chin and a dot even gets on his left cheek. Eliza nods her approval as she recaps the lipstick and lets it roll from her hand back into the box. 

"Done!" she announces. 

Eddie pushes himself out of the chair and takes a deep breath. Part of him doesn't want to turn around and look at himself in the mirror hung next to Eliza's closet. But, he knows, the boys are going to make fun of him regardless of if he knows what he looks like or not. He twists towards the mirror and hears both of his sons snicker as they get a full look at his face. Eddie takes in his made-up appearance in the princess-themed mirror and can't focus on one single aspect of the makeup. He looks like a mix between the band KISS and The Joker, he thinks to himself. 

"I look pretty," Eddie finally says.

"You do!" Eliza cheers, clapping her hands together. "Ryan, your turn."

With only a minor sigh, Ryan stands up, ready to accept his fate. He walks past his dad, pausing to clap the man on his shoulder.

"Really hoping one of those babies is a girl now, aren't you?" Ryan mumbles softly. "They could give each other makeovers."

Eddie chuckles and turns to face his eldest. "You think that would get us out of this? Ry, we'd just have two girls painting our faces."

Ryan winces as he absorbs his dad's words. "Oh God, you're right."

Eddie laughs and gives Ryan a push in the direction of the chair he just vacated. 

"Alright," Ryan says as he takes a seat. "Glam me up, baby."

Once Eliza has finished with Ryan, he has pink bubblegum eyeshadow, ruby red blush, and coral lipstick. Last but not least, Luke ends up with forest green eyeshadow--which he complains clashes with his blue eyes, pinkish orange blush, and wine red lipstick. 

"Now," Eliza declares as she packs up her makeup kit, "time for tea. Everyone sit." She wipes her hands off, clapping them against one another, as she walks up to the table to join her guests. "Oh, no! I forgot we need tea. Daddy?" She grabs the large pink teapot in the middle of the table and holds it out towards Eddie. "Can you put water in this?"

"No real tea?" Luke complains, jaw dropped in mock shock.

"Real tea gross," Eliza tells him.

Eddie goes off to fill the pot with water, and Eliza takes her seat next to Luke. The little girl swings her legs beneath the table and smooths out the skirt of the overall dress she's wearing. Footsteps approach the bedroom and Eliza kicks her legs faster in anticipation for the imbibements' arrival. But when it isn't Eddie that enters the doorway, but you, Eliza gasps and runs over to give you a hug.

"Mama!"

"Hey, sweet pea." You reach down and rub her back as she wraps her arms around your hips. "What've you got going on in here?" You look up and see Ryan and Luke's faces for the first time. A snort of laughter escapes you before you manage to press your lips together to keep it in.

"We're having a tea party!" Eliza tells you.

"I see," you say, struggling to keep your laughter inside. "May I join you?"

Your daughter's eyes light up and it pangs your heart that you haven't gotten to play with her as much lately. 

"Yes!" Eliza squeals. She takes your hand and drags you over to the table in the middle of her room. 

"Why doesn't she need makeup?" Luke asks as you forgo a small pink chair and opt to take a seat on the floor.

"Because she's already pretty," Eliza says as if it's the most obvious thing in the world.

"Oh, Eliza," you say, placing your hand on her arm as you make yourself as comfortable as possible. "Can you go into my nightstand and grab my camera?"

"Okay!"

Eliza speeds out of the room and you turn to look at your sons again. This time, your laughter flows freely.

"Really?" Ryan asks, glaring at you. "A camera?"

"What?" you ask, putting on an innocent act. "You two look so handsome."

"This is your fault," Luke says. "We had to fill in for tea party because somebody is too busy carrying twins."

"Hey," you say, leaning back on one hand as the other comes to rest on your bump. "It takes two to tango, kid."

"I don't need to think about you two tangoing," Luke says with a shudder. 

"Got it!" Eliza exclaims as she runs back into the room.

"Thank you, baby," you say as you accept it from her. 

Both boys groan as you turn the device on and hold it up to take a few pictures of the two of them. 

"Alright, alright, here's our tea," Eddie says as he strolls back into the room. He stops short when he sees you sitting on the floor, holding a camera. Some water sloshes out of the spout of the tea pot and splashes on his socked-foot, but he doesn't acknowledge it.

Before you can get the camera up to snap a picture of your husband, you take in his blue eye shadow, pink cheeks, and purple lips. Cackling laughter breaks forth from you and you roll backwards, flopping flat on your back on the sandy-colored carpet. Tears start to roll down your face, both hands holding your bump as you lose all control of your laughter. Eliza, just as much your daughter as she is Eddie's, swipes up the camera and takes a few shots of Eddie before he can move or protest. Once she's succeeded in capturing the evidence, Eliza begins to laugh as well, mostly due to your own reaction. She lays down on the floor next to you, giggling wildly as she rolls over and buries her head in your shoulder.

"I don't know what's so funny," Eddie says, recovering enough to walk forward and set the full teapot down on the table. He retakes his seat in a small pink chair and turns his nose up. "I think we look rather ravishing."

It's impossible for you to reply since you can't catch your breath. Both of your sons can't help but smile at your boisterous laughter either. They let you get it out for a few minutes, sitting there silently as you girls roll around on the floor. Finally, it begins to subside within you and you're able to catch your breath. Tears leave tracks down your cheeks, and you reach up to rub your eyes. 

"Oh my God, that was great." you say. 

Eliza pushes herself up off the floor and plops down into the remaining pink chair. She smiles at you as you try to push yourself back up into a sitting position. Only...you're not able to. Your bump makes it impossible for you to get back up without any help. Of course, Luke notices this.

"Oh, does someone need help now? Now that she's done laughing at us?" he asks.

"No," you say with a shake of your head. "I've got Liza."

Your daughter nods and slips from her seat. She walks behind you and tries to help by pushing on your shoulder blades. As strong as she is for such a tiny girl, Eliza isn't able to help upright you.

"Come on, you," Eddie says, sliding out of his chair to kneel next to you.

"You're gonna help her?" Ryan asks. "After all that laughing? And those blackmail photos?"

"Yeah, I kind of promised something about helping her off the ground if she's stuck during our wedding vows and all," he answers. 

You grab your husband's hand, and he uses his other one to press against your back, easily rocking you back up to a seated position. You take a deep breath and nod your head in thanks.

"Thank you, my pretty husband."

"You really want to thank me?" he asks. "How about a kiss?"

A shrill squeal that could rival Eliza's escapes you as Eddie begins to press magenta-smeared kisses all over your face.

"I'll save you, Mama!" Eliza calls. She tries to force herself between you and Eddie but only manages to get her own face full of colorful kiss marks.

"Daddy!" she squeaks. "I said no kisses!"

"Aw, come on!" he says. "I'm just trying to share my makeup with you!"

"It's time for teeeeeea!" she yells.

"Okay, okay," Eddie says, ceasing his attack on the two of you. With a deep breath, he hikes himself back into his little pink chair.

Eliza attempts to wipe some of the smudged lipstick off your face as you try to do the same for her. Neither of you succeed, only managing to make bigger messes of one another.

"Oh, well," you say with a chuckle. "We'll be pretty like the boys for this tea party."

Eliza nods and puts herself back in her chair. She shakes her hair off of her face, frizzy brown curls falling to the sides to reveal her pink-purple face. With small hands she smooths back some stray pieces that won't cooperate.

"So pretty."

[ataliagold]

Drove Through Ghosts To Get Here

For @astrangersummer week 10 prompt ' "I'm a great driver!" ' Title from Drove Through Ghosts to Get Here by 65daysofstatic.

Pairing: Steve Harrington and Robin Buckley, Steve Harrington/Eddie Munson, very background Robin Buckley/Nancy Wheeler

Rating: T

W/C: 1227

Tags: Post-Vecna, everyone lives, established Steddie, Robin and Steve are soulmates, learning to drive, mild angst, Eddie is a little shit, heart to heart in the ruins of Starcourt

Summary: During his last summer in Hawkins, Steve teaches Robin how to drive.

___

“Ready, Steve?”

Robin’s got the keys to his beemer in her hands, jiggling them as she stands by the door.

“Got your crash helmet, Stevie?” Eddie teases as Steve peels himself off the couch, mournfully now out of reach of the mildly-refreshing airflow of the fan on the coffee table.

“Hey!” Robin retorts, “I’m a great driver!”

“Mmm hmm,” Eddie hums, eyebrow raised.

Steve leans over, plants a kiss to Eddie’s mouth, briefly shutting him up.

“I’ll pray for your safe return, my love,” Eddie says dramatically, flopping himself across the now-free space on the couch.

Steve smirks, Robin rolling her eyes as she stomps out the door towards the car.

Steve had been teaching Robin to drive over the summer, Robin begging him to after the first few lessons with her mom had gone…well, terribly, involving a near-miss with a traffic light and her mom gripping the seat with white knuckles and shaking whenever she got in the car with her.

“Pleeeeease Stevie, I want to be able to visit Nancy when she goes to college and I can’t afford to fly back and forth all the time,” she’d implored him, and Steve had caved within moments.

It couldn’t be as bad as that time with Max after all, right?

It was evening now but it was still far too fucking hot, Steve sweating in his t-shirt – one of Eddie’s, soft and worn - and shorts even as he cranks the car AC as high as it can go.

“Ok so just…remember to take your foot off the clutch slowly,” Steve reminds her.

Robin nods, determined. “Ok. Gotcha. Slowly.”

The beemer lurches, stalls in the driveway.

“Slowly!” Steve barks, slapping a hand on the dash in surprise.

“I was slow!” Robin snaps back, turning the key in the ignition again.

A cackle of laughter from behind them - Eddie in the doorway, having ventured over to watch the show.

Robin winds down the window, sticks her hand out, flips him off.

A little flustered now, she gently places her foot on the accelerator. The engine whirrs, louder and louder.

Steve places his head in his hands.

“Why are we not moving?” Robin asks quietly.

“You’re not in first,” Steve says, pointing at the gear box.

“Right,” Robin nods, “first.”

She slams the clutch in again, Steve watching as she successfully maneuvers to first gear, then lets the clutch out painfully slowly, the car starting to roll forward.

“There you go,” Steve says, fighting the urge to grip his seat like Robin’s mom used to.

He glances in the wingmirror. Eddie’s waving his bandana in a delicate hand like a woman seeing her husband off for war.

Steve shakes his head, scoffs a little under his breath, and keeps his eyes on the road as Robin pulls out into the flow of traffic.

“Where should we go?” Robin asks, gripping the wheel tight with both hands.

“Wherever you like. Preferably somewhere without many hazards.”

Robin scowls at him, and Steve laughs.

“I’m kidding, Robs. You’re a lot better than when you first started.”

That was an understatement.

Eddie had joined them for one of Robin’s first lessons, sitting in the back seat and crying with laughter as they’d bunny-hopped down the road, Steve trying to keep calm and give Robin advice while she’d shrieked that there was something wrong with the car.

Eventually, they’d had to let Eddie out of the car to relieve himself after he’d almost laughed hard enough to piss his pants, Steve cursing at him and swearing he’d make him scrub the upholstery if he couldn’t control himself.

After that, Steve was the only one to accompany Robin for her lessons.

They end up in the old empty lot where Starcourt once stood.

Robin brings the beemer to a stop and kills the engine.

Steve glances over at her. Notices the way Robin’s hands tremble a little where they’re still resting on the wheel, the way her breathing has picked up slightly.

“You ok?” he asks.

“Yeah,” Robin replies, her voice tight.

Steve senses there’s more she wants to say. He waits with his window wound down, warm breeze stirring his hair, darkness starting to fall. They’re the only ones here – that was no surprise, what with the invisible heavy cloud that always seemed to hang over this place. Even those who didn’t know the truth about the Upside Down knew that something bad happened here, something unnatural that took the lives of many.

The scorch marks in the concrete were still here. Steve can see them in the low light, the concrete gouged out and charred even more than two years after the mall had burned down.

“Do you think about it, still?” Robin asks quietly, “this place, what happened here, how we nearly…died?”

Steve nods. “Sometimes.”

“I know everything that happened after with Vecna sort of…overshadowed everything else, but whenever I have nightmares it’s about this place still. I’m stuck underground, I can hear you getting hurt but I can’t get to you, and sometimes they drag your body in and I’m just tied up in a room with you lying there…”

Steve squeezes her knee as Robin trails off, choking up.

“Hey,” he murmurs, “we did it. We beat it, Robs, we survived.”

“I know,” Robin replies, bringing her hand down to rest on his larger one. “I just…sometimes I feel like everyone’s moving on. Nancy’s going off to college, the kids are getting older, you and Eddie are moving to Chicago in a few weeks…and I’m still here.” She flaps a hand out the window, gestures at the empty lot around them.

“You can come visit us whenever you like. Hell, what do you think we got a two-bedroom place in Chicago for?” Steve smiles, tries to cheer her up.

Robin huffs out a small laugh. “I will definitely be taking you up on that offer, dingus. Just…do you ever feel like…like everything that happened is just stuck with us now, that it’s a part of us and we’ll never…we’ll never be normal?”

Steve clutches her hand. “Have you ever been normal?” he teases gently.

She slaps his shoulder with her free hand. “Shut up. You know what I mean.”

Steve’s smile fades. “I do. And I think…yeah, it’ll always be part of us. S’not like any of us are ever going to forget it. But I think about all the shit that wouldn’t have happened without the Upside Down, as terrible as it all was. I met the kids, Eddie, you…my life changed completely and a lot of it was honestly for the better. Unfortunately we just gotta…find a way to deal with everything that came with it.”

Robin nods, sits in silence for a few moments before speaking again. “You ever think about those two dumb kids who slung ice cream for a summer and thought that was the worst thing that could happen to them?”

Steve had known even back then there were a few things far worse things than a minimum-wage customer service job, but he understood the sentiment.

He grins. “Yeah, I think about them sometimes. I think they turned out ok, right?”

Robin laughs. Reaches for the key again, turns the engine back on. “Yeah, I think so. Anyway, shall we get out of here?”

“Sure. But remember, slowly.”

“You got it, dingus.”

___

[blueskywater-happiness]

So I will dance with Cinderella ( Papa Ozymandias and Gudako)

Author's note: This idea struck me while I was listening to Cinderella by Steven Curtis Chapman and coincidentally remember a small fandom in Pixiv, making Ozymandias a father figure to Gudako. These characters are from Fate Grand Order.

-----

When did the time go? Ah it is really a hassle for such a radiant being such as I, the King of Kings and the incarnation of the Sun god Ra, the shining God King Ozymandias. Time is a fickle being that eludes even I. Yet that little girl, the Chaldean master, whose golden eyes glows nearly similar to such I, seem to be content lazing her days away although she does show potential.

Yet when did she became as dear to him, as what his beloved and younger brother is to him?

She spins and she sways to whatever song plays Without a care in the world And I'm sitting here wearing The weight of the world on my shoulders

She got better at fighting, ever since I first lay my eyes on her, her bravery, her foolishness, her courage...

Silly child. She leads her servants with such determination, even as the world and the universe itself began to test her mettle.

She is still a child at the end of the day, her youth and her charisma. I do not know why but I often wish she could have enjoyed her years like her peers.

Instead she acts as a hero, therapist, a king (such a title befitting such as her), master, and other terms that best describe this child.

I have no idea why we began to spend time together, of course the other servants make such remarks about us being seen often. Ha, romantic partners? No one can beat his beloved Queen in that category.

That child just makes his heart clench.

It's been a long day and there's still work to do She's pulling at me saying, "Dad, I need you There's a ball at the castle and I've been invited And I need to practice my dancin' Oh, please, daddy, please"

"Pleeeeease Pharaoh!" Gudako puts her hands together in a begging position. "Can you please teach me?? The others are busy and you're a Pharaoh once, surely you can teach me!?" she looks up pitifully. I laugh loudly "Ho! You ask for my assistance little mage? Very well!" I then pat her head "I expect I shall be rewarded me more of your current age's technology, Gold one and I need more games to compete!"

"Yes yes yes! And thank you! I don't know why Marie wanted a ball." Gudako sighs "Oh shoot I better get the Cu group to the training room, I'll see you later Pa-" she froze and turns red. "S-sorry!" Pa...?

...hahaha...

I cover my eyes as I laugh. Of course, that is the answer, how could I, the Great Pharaoh of Egypt, forget?

"I permit you to address me such, Gudako." I pat her head as she gape at me. She then smiles wide.

So I will dance with Cinderella While she is here in my arms 'Cause I know something the prince never knew Oh, I will dance with Cinderella I don't want to miss even one song 'Cause all too soon the clock will strike midnight And she'll be gone

Ah the ball, granted what he usually held back then is different from what the Queen of France is doing. It is unseemly for I to not attend. The King of Knights, the male one, and Golden One are beside me, we the Kings should observe how the children are to act. (King of Knight enough of those potato dishes, you act no different from your counterparts).

"Papa!" Golden one stare at me incredulously "She address you as a father?" his red eyes scan me. "Ho, are you envious that a child of her ability address me such? Such a worthy child as well." I slyly raise my wine. He snort "Hardly, Sun King. She is still a mongrel though worthy in my older self's eyes. I make exceptions to that." he sips his wine. I turn around to see Gudako-- I could not breathe. She looks beautiful, like a goddess, a princess-- Princess... his little princess... "What do you think papa?" she smiles at me "I ho--" "Radiant." I whisper to her "You are as radiant as the stars in the sky, little one." I extend my hand to her "Are you not going to dance with your father, little one?" I smiled softly to her. (I shall ignore those annoying light flashes from those cameras, honestly back in his days memories are more precious, living the moment than trying to capture a moment you are not in.)

Gudako giggles at me as she accepts my hand. "Of course I will dance with you papa!" I spun her slowly as our feet moves with the rhythm, as the minutes pass, those horrendous thoughts resurface... She's mortal, she could be attack at anytime... but for now, a dance will preserve their time together.

I held her hand a bit tightly, squeezing it a bit but not too hard.

For now, she is in my arms, dancing as her laughter echoes.

She says he's a nice guy and I'd be impressed She wants to know if I approve of the dress She says, "Dad, the prom is just one week away And I need to practice my dancin' Oh, please, daddy, please"

"What in Ra's name is prom..?" I look at Gudako as she and I went to the market-- mall. "All I see is a dance event similar to balls except with more alcohol for underage children like you." I mumbled

"It is like a rite of passage, Edison told me those around my age do this when they are in school." she tug me "Everyone is holding a Chaldean version of it. They say in America parents take their children to go shopping for the clothes~" she giggles.

Honestly those dresses do not fit her at all. "Such folly, little one." Although it is to be expected, I am use to her antics after all these years. "I can host events just for you."

Ah brother... my beloved Nefertari, you would adore her.

"Eh the point is it'll be among my age." she then grins "Buuuut--" I laugh "Ah you have yet to master dancing? Even when I started to mentor you for a few years? Perhaps you should cut back your habit playing with the sphinxes and stop skipping those lessons." I tease.

"Ah but papa!" she whines "You gave them to me!" she pouts. "Also I though you like--" "As a peer but not as a suitor to a child of mine." grumbling, an idea struck me "Honestly must you entertain his courtship? You, who I adopt and love as my own, shall be a Queen of her own Kingdom and lead legions of worthy servants, why, I can create a magnificent pyramid for you!"

Why do you even need to go away? You're still a child- my child.

"Papa! He's a nice guy and he helps me!"

"Well Golden One is not so nice but he helps, King of Knights is nice but a glutton--"

"Uncle Gilgil and Uncle Arthur are different!"

So I will dance with Cinderella While she is here in my arms 'Cause I know something the prince never knew Oh-oh-oh-oh, I will dance with Cinderella I don't want to miss even one song 'Cause all too soon the clock will strike midnight And she'll be gone

Her smiles eventually crack, her eyes dull, the world is so cruel. She collapses into my arms, another lostbelt. More blood on her hands.

I raise my staff to erect some sort of barrier, to not disturb her respite.

I want to take you away from here.

I gently run my hand through her hair, I suddenly heard someone entering. "You dare intrude my--" oh.. it is THAT boy. That--

He held his weapon tightly, eyes glowing with determination. "I am here for her, Pharaoh. Do what you must but you can't control what I want."

Insolent! Foppish, foolish, arrogant, wretched--

"Papa please..." she tugs my cape.

Why...?

She will be gone

If I left you go to him, then...

"Papa!" an echo of her younger voice rings in my head, I tried not to think.

I...

My little princess, where did you go..?

But she came home today with a ring on her hand Just glowing and telling us all they had planned She says, "Dad, the wedding's still six months away But I need to practice my dancin' Oh, please, daddy, please"

Golden one stares at me, a brow raise as he slides in a glass of wine for me. "Sun King, years already passed." he began.

I grumbled.

He scoffs "That boy, as much I regret saying such thing about mongrels, has proven himself. Did he not risk his life for her?"

"And so did the rest of us! And he is a servant! Can he truly give her the life she deserves!?"

Can I?

Pity flash across his eyes, oh perhaps my noble phantasm can erase his--

"Sun King, not everything stays the same nor shall anyone can escape the passage of time." he then gestures to where my princess is.

I froze, the white dress on her, the veil. She looks just as radiant, his little princess.

Soon a Queen to her King.

"Papa!" Gudako waves at me, a familiar twinkle in her eyes. Ah, even after all these years?

"She is still your princess, Sun King." a hand on my shoulder. "Ever the foolish inside even as she grows. Now go, your sulking is distasteful and frankly sickening."

I walk towards her, this time, it is my hand that is accepting hers. She grins up at me.

The wedding will be held six months from now...

When did the time go? Such a hassle for such a radiant being such as I, the King of Kings and the incarnation of the Sun god Ra, the shining God King Ozymandias. Time is kind yet cruel, it gives and takes.

So for now... as I dance and sway with her.

For now she is still my princess until the day I will lead her to the altar. For now I am her dance partner until that day.

"Thank you for dancing with me, papa." Gudako said to me in a lowly voice. "I love you papa."

A...ah... This child makes his heart clench.

"I love you too, my princess..."

I held her hand a bit tightly, squeezing it a bit but not too hard, just as before but this time a tear escape from my eye.

For now, she is in my arms, dancing as her laughter echoes.

So I will dance with Cinderella While she is here in my arms 'Cause I know something the prince never knew Oh-oh-oh-oh, I will dance with Cinderella I don't want to miss even one song 'Cause all too soon the clock will strike midnight And she'll be gone

[zoasart]

hogGY hOGgy hoggyhoggy hoGWARtss

[roxannarambles]

title: second chances (chapter five)

ship: goldenlight (luz x hunter)

notes: takes place sometime after ‘reaching out’ but before ‘hollow mind.’ (set in my standard canon-divergent AU where everything’s the same except no L*mity)

other chapters: chapter one chapter two  chapter three  chapter four

The next day, it seemed that Hunter’s lunch break had rarely coincided with a reasonable hour for lunchtime, because Luz sent him a photo of what she was eating that day. (It appeared to be a mud grub sandwich, which she didn’t look especially thrilled about eating.) He sent back a photo of his cafeteria food. She responded with some emoji.

Luzura_Warrior:

... 🤢🤢🤢

Rulerzreachf4n:

what do those even mean

Luzura_Warrior:

whatdo you mean? theyre sick faces

Luzura_Warrior:

can't you tell? they're green

Rulerzreachf4n:

why does green mean they're sick?

Rulerzreachf4n:

the only thing I think of that turns you colors when you're sick is the rainbow fever but that's all the colors

Luzura_Warrior:

no it. it's metaphorical, not literal.although. rainbow fever sounds kinda fun ngl

Rulerzreachf4n:

it's not, trust me. you spend most of your time violently expelling fluids from both ends

Rulerzreachf4n:

the fluids are also rainbow colored

Luzura_Warrior:

okay, yeah, nevermind, I don't wanna catch that.

Rulerzreachf4n:

yeah.

Rulerzreachf4n:

what's this one mean by the way? 🥺 I see it sometimes

Luzura_Warrior:

that's supposed to be puppydog eyes, you know, when you're begging somebody for something

Luzura_Warrior:

pleeeeease hunter come visit me sometime so we can make pancakes 🥺🥺

Luzura_Warrior:

like that!

Rulerzreachf4n:

oh

Luzura_Warrior:

I promise my real puppydog eyes are way more effective then the emoji, though

Hunter began to type a reply out, feeling unsure of what exactly to say, but another message came through before he could finish.

Luzura_Warrior:

any other emojis you want me to translate?

Ah. All right. That subject was a little easier to deal with. He scrolled through the list of little faces.

Rulerzreachf4n:

what about this? 😑

Luzura_Warrior:

uhh . . . hm. I dunno I never use that one, I guess it's like ... dead?

Luzura_Warrior:

oh wait, I think I've seen some people use it to mean annoyed. like really fed up with something.

Rulerzreachf4n:

ok. I guess that makes sense.

Rulerzreachf4n:

what about this one? 😤

Luzura_Warrior:

that one's like 'determined.' stubborn.

Luzura_Warrior:

oh but it also can mean really angry. depends on the situation.

Rulerzreachf4n:

oh, I was way off, I thought it was maybe a sneeze?

Luzura_Warrior:

lolol no this is the sneeze emoji 🤧

Rulerzreachf4n:

... 🤔

Luzura_Warrior:

that's for when you're thinking

Rulerzreachf4n:

... 🧐

Luzura_Warrior:

that's for when you're thinking but you're also FANCY

Rulerzreachf4n:

okay there are WAY too many of these

Luzura_Warrior:

lol, don't worry, you'll learn them eventually

Rulerzreachf4n:

I'm not so sure. I feel like this is an entire language.

Rulerzreachf4n:

and like what even is this one??? 🥴

Luzura_Warrior:

I...have no idea actually. I never understood that one.

Luzura_Warrior:

I guess it's . . . uhhh . . .

Luzura_Warrior:

god I don't have a clue. let's invent a new emotion for it

Rulerzreachf4n:

what

Luzura_Warrior:

hey hunter, just finished my lunch and I'm feeling so snorflimppet 🥴

Luzura_Warrior:

you know TFW you're hella gasterplastecked 🥴

Rulerzreachf4n:

no.

Rulerzreachf4n:

stop.

Luzura_Warrior:

yknow we should teach you about memes too if you're gonna be on penstagram

Rulerzreachf4n:

oh, yeah. willow and gus have shown me a few of those. I think I saved one. hold on . . .

Luzura_Warrior:

I . . .

Luzura_Warrior:

I've become a MEME??

Rulerzreachf4n:

is that . . . bad?

Rulerzreachf4n:

I thought it was a good thing

Luzura_Warrior:

it's . . .uhh well I don't know if I'd call it good or bad, really, it's just . . .

Luzura_Warrior:

hmm, honestly I'm not sure how to feel about it. guess I feel 🥴🥴

Rulerzreachf4n:

well if you don't like it, I can delete it

Luzura_Warrior:

nah, it's fine, no need

Luzura_Warrior:

tbh it's kinda neat.

Luzura_Warrior:

so the meme you have saved to your scroll was the one that had me in it . . . interesting 😏

What was that one? They hadn't discussed that emoji yet. This texting thing was stressful sometimes.

Rulerzreachf4n:

I saved it because it was about flyer derby

Rulerzreachf4n:

it just happened to have you in it

Luzura_Warrior:

mmm ok. if you say so.

Luzura_Warrior:

oh hey, before I forget, you wanna help me start a new meme on penstagram?

Rulerzreachf4n:

how?

Luzura_Warrior:

it's easy! just choose a basic format first . . .

Luzura_Warrior:

like, say, mmm, the old bait-n-switch . . .

Luzura_Warrior:

choose a video . . .

Luzura_Warrior:

and voila!

A link popped up. Hunter followed it to see it led to Luz's Penstagram page, to her newest public post. 

You know, it’s not often that I’m impressed by speeches, but the statements that one of the Coven’s top officials has recently released are really worth checking out. Find it here:

It was a link that led away from Penstagram. When Hunter clicked on it, it brought him to the video of Kikimora falling flat on her face and then wriggling around to dance music. Hunter had already seen this video many, many times, but he laughed again anyway.

Rulerzreachf4n:

ok, if that’s how you make a meme, then I’m a fan

Luzura_Warrior:

great! so all you need to do is post something on your penstagram that claims you’re linking a particular thing . . . but link to this video instead

Rulerzreachf4n:

that’s honestly kind of childish

He paused on his Penstagram page, thinking about it.

Rulerzreachf4n:

…but, she acts very childish anyway, so turnabout’s fair play

Luzura_Warrior:

haha, there ya go.

 Late afternoon, Hunter was in the middle of his usual patrol through Bonesborough, keeping an eye out for troublemakers or any civil unrest. It was a very slow day, though, and hardly anyone was around. He’d gone out to one of the massive demonic appendanges that existed in the town (this one was called ‘Dead Hand’ because it was unusually still compared to the other, twitchier hands). There had been a minor complaint lodged that somebody was trying to paint graffiti on the huge, scaly hand. When he got there, though, he found it was just a couple of kids that looked hardly older than toddlers, and they didn’t even know how to operate a spray paint can. He chased the kids away and then was left standing there in the silent streets of Bonesborough, sighing. Sometimes he felt like most of the duties he did for the Coven was just busywork.

Pulling out his scroll, he logged onto Penstagram and scrolled idly. Luz had ‘shared’ his Kikimora meme post and so it had a fair number of ‘likes’ and a few replies. This kept him amused for a few minutes, but eventually he grew bored. 

His scroll buzzed with a new message.

Luzura_Warrior:

look at themmmmm 😍

A picture was included, and it had King curled up on the couch, with the Owl Lady’s palisman snuggled into his fur, both fast asleep.

Rulerzreachf4n:

nice

Rulerzreachf4n:

this is what I’m doing

He pointed the scroll at the Dead Hand and took a photo to send to Luz.

Luzura_Warrior:

on patrol? cool, I’ve never actually gotten that close to that thing before

Luzura_Warrior:

eda, uh, told me they grab people sometimes, so I’m a little careful

Rulerzreachf4n:

they can sometimes but only when they’re cranky. dead hand doesn’t though, it’s very docile.

Luzura_Warrior:

huh. good to know!

Luzura_Warrior:

hey, I have a question, how come you never send any selfies? I don’t think I’ve seen a single one from you yet

Luzura_Warrior:

you even changed your pfp, it used to be you and now it’s flapjack. 

Luzura_Warrior:

obviously I ADORE flapjack but, well. I dunno, I guess I’m just curious if there’s a reason

Luzura_Warrior:

sorry if that’s prying too much

He thought about when he first made his Penstagram account and all the time he spent trying to get a photo to use for his profile. He probably spent over an hour doing it, only to later decide it looked awful anyway and took it down.

Rulerzreachf4n:

not sure if there’s really a reason

Rulerzreachf4n:

I just don’t feel the desire to, I guess.

Rulerzreachf4n:

I..don’t really like how I look.

Luzura_Warrior:

wait, really? 

He hesitated as he read her message, but she didn’t seem to be teasing him. He decided to take a chance and tell her the truth.

Rulerzreachf4n:

yeah. that’s part of why I like my mask. better to cover it up when people would rather not see it anyway, you know?

He waited as the dots on the scroll indicated Luz was typing.

Luzura_Warrior:

okay, so, I guess it kind of makes sense you wouldn’t realize this, since you probably don’t talk to a lot of people. 

He frowned, confused.

Rulerzreachf4n:

realize what?

Luzura_Warrior:

that you’re actually really cute

He froze, his heart leaping at the blunt reply. Staring at the message in shock, he tried to make sense of it. What? She really thought-- she--

Wait, no. That couldn’t be right. His skepticism returning fast, he typed,

Rulerzreachf4n:

that’s not a nice thing to joke about

At the same moment he’d entered that text,  Luz entered one as well;

Luzura_Warrior:

I mean, objectively speaking. you know?

He narrowed his eyes, confused. She quickly followed up with more texts.

Luzura_Warrior:

what? I wouldn’t joke about that. I’m serious.

Luzura_Warrior:

did somebody tell you that you weren’t?

Luzura_Warrior:

because that’s wrong, you’re definitely. yknow, teenage heartthrob material. 

Luzura_Warrior:

honestly I’m surprised you don’t know this? when I first met you, you were so confident, it seemed like you were all ,’i’m sexy and I know it’

Luzura_Warrior:

uh I, mean, you know. like. objectively! haha.

In an intensely short amount of time Hunter felt like his head was going to possibly explode, the phrase ‘teenage heartthrob’ on repeat in his mind. Flustered, he tried to type out a reply.

Rulerzreachf4n:

you’re really serious? I. but. 

This didn’t make sense. But it really did seem like she was being sincere.

Luzura_Warrior:

ok, you gotta tell me who told you all this BS about how you look, because they’re not only a jerk, theyre apparently blind

Starting to feel a bit warm, he confessed,

Rulerzreachf4n:

nobody really told me that, I just. it’s what I’ve always kinda thought.

Luzura_Warrior:

oh.

Rulerzreachf4n:

but. now that I have your perspective, I. 

He struggled to figure out how to reply.

Rulerzreachf4n:

well it’s.

Rulerzreachf4n:

 good to know

Luzura_Warrior:

okay well great glad i could clarify that!

Luzura_Warrior:

annnnyway

Luzura_Warrior:

anythgig  ecxiti ng ever happen onyour patrols???

Hunter glanced up as he caught motion out of the corner of his eye. It turned out to be a Coven scout, carrying a spear, also out on patrol. Not really a surprise; it seemed the only people out today were Coven members.

The scout waved as he approached. 

“Hello, sir! Run into any problems today?”

Ah, it was Steve. There were a great many coven scouts in their ranks, and Hunter admittedly didn’t recognize them all by name, but he recognized Steve. He had a rather decent . . . well, “friendship” was not the word. He had a rather decent acquaintanceship with him. It mostly consisted of Steve sitting next to him sometimes during lunch and rambling about whatever random things were rattling about in his head, while Steve in turn would listen to Hunter rant about Kikimora. It hadn’t ever gone beyond that, but still, it made Hunter feel slightly more at ease to be around a semi-familiar face. Well. A semi-familiar voice. He’d never actually seen any of the scouts maskless. 

“Nah. Just told a couple of kids to go home before their mothers worry about them. Truly a test of my skills and training, I know, but somehow I prevailed.”

Steve laughed. It was strangely nice to have another person actually laugh at his snarky comments.

“Hey, at least it wasn’t one of those days where we had to clear out a sligguth infestation, right? I’d relish a little boredom in comparison.”

Hunter frowned.

“I guess so.”

The coven scout leaned casually against the Dead Hand’s wrist as he began to ramble idly.

“This job’s not quite what I expected, I’ll tell you that, but it does give me a lot of time to think, you know? It’s kind of nice on these slow days when nobody’s around to bother me and I can just do my own thing.”

Hunter raised a brow, even though his face was covered by his mask.

“You mean goof off?”

Steve chuckled again.

“I know I’m not the only one, weren’t you just looking at your scroll?”

Hunter jolted a little, even though he still had the scroll in his hand and it wasn’t a surprise the scout had seen. Accepting that he’d been caught out, he lifted the scroll back up and glanced at it. He answered wryly,

“As far as you’re concerned I was just monitoring social media for any potential rabblerousers.”

The scout nodded.

“Of course, sir.”

Hunter looked at his scroll thoughtfully for a few moments, considering the human he’d just been conversing with. He was struck with a sudden impulse. It was pretty out of character for him, but there was something about the human that seemed to make him do strange things. And in the moment, he didn’t really care.

“Hey, um, Steve? You wanna help me take, uh . . . a ‘selfie’?”

He handed his scroll to Steve. The scout shrugged.

“Sure. Although I don’t think it’s technically a selfie unless you take it yourself.”

Hunter hopped on his artificial staff and quickly flew up to the top of Dead Hand.

“All right, well whatever it’s called.”

He landed on the open palm of the giant hand and set his staff down. After a moment of hesitation, he reached up and pulled his Golden Guard mask off.

From below, Steve was pointing the scroll at him, fiddling with settings.

“Hmm, why don’t you try something a little more dynamic, sir?”

Hesitantly, he asked, 

“Dynamic?” 

“Yeah! Pose or something.”

He thought about that a moment, his mind casting back to when he’d first met Luz on the airship. Oh. Sure, he could do that.

He got down and sprawled casually on his side, leaning his chin into a palm, propping it up with an elbow. He held his mask in his other hand loosely against his waist and fixed the scroll with a steady gaze.

“Oh, that’s perfect, sir! Hold that. Hmm, the angle is a bit weird down here. Maybe if I backed up a little. . .”

Hunter had a better idea. He grabbed his staff and sent it down to the ground.

“Here, just ride that.”

“Oh, that’s genius, sir.”

Steve seemed unperturbed about this taking a little work, and he rode the staff up around Hunter’s hight and carefully adjusted his position.

“All right, good, now smile for the camera?”

Ugh, this felt kinda weird. He really did hate pictures. But he was determined to do it.

All right, just imagine it was Luz floating there. She wanted a selfie, he’d give her one.

He quirked his brow a little and slipped into a cheeky grin, gazing intensely into the scroll as if she was right there in front of him. He heard the scroll snap a few pictures.

“Wow, you’re a natural, sir. I feel like this would make a great recruitment poster! The old one is a little plain, you know?”

Hunter stood back up and shook his head as Steve returned the scroll to him.

“Nah, this is only for friends.”

He sat down on the hand, his feet dangling off the edge as he fiddled with his scroll. Steve landed and sat down beside him, humming,

“Of course, you need to keep the mystery of the original poster. People respect and fear the mask.”

Hunter nodded.

“Exactly.”

He hesitated as he looked at his picture. Did it look stupid? Should he actually send it, or maybe retake it? Was it too weird? Too . . . much? Maybe he should–

Oh, screw it.

He sent the photo to Luz before he could question it any further and chicken out. After that was a tense wait, but it didn’t last for very long.

Luzura_Warrior:

ohmygod 

Luzura_Warrior:

asafdjh;lgfju

Luzura_Warrior:

what have I done, I never should have told you the truth 

It was unclear what exactly that meant, but Hunter had hoped it was positive. He answered cautiously. 

Rulerzreachf4n:

you said you wanted a selfie

Luzura_Warrior:

hahaha I did, it’s true

Luzura_Warrior:

but boy, you REALLY delivered 

Rulerzreachf4n:

is that a good thing?

Luzura_Warrior:

yeah uhh 

Luzura_Warrior:

definitely a good thing.

Luzura_Warrior:

it 

Luzura_Warrior:

it’s really good, haha.

He started to type out a reply, but she followed up with more texts before he could.

Luzura_Warrior:

jeez, that look you’re giving is smokin’

Luzura_Warrior:

do you practice that in the mirror or

Luzura_Warrior:

hey wait, who took the picture?

Rulerzreachf4n:

thats not important

Luzura_Warrior:

you actually enlisted somebody’s help to take this for me?

Luzura_Warrior:

I feel so special :3 Rulerzreachf4n:

yeah, yeah, just don’t show it to anyone else alright

Luzura_Warrior:

whuh wait

Luzura_Warrior:

this really was just for me??

Luzura_Warrior:

 so i really AM special :3c

Growing uncomfortable with how perceptive Luz was being, he tried to derail.

Rulerzreachf4n:

I don’t know what that emoji means

Luzura_Warrior:

oh sorry. it’s like…. a kittycat smile? there isn’t really a good official emoji for it.

Rulerzreachf4n:

a cat smile?

He wasn’t sure how a cat could smile and what the heck that would even indicate.

Luzura_Warrior:

yeah it’s like . . .

Luzura_Warrior:

hold on a sec

Luzura_Warrior:

Luzura_Warrior:

like that!

Hunter studied the picture, which you’d think would help clarify things, but really all it did was confuse the issue even further.

Rulerzreachf4n:

what exactly is that look supposed to mean though

Luzura_Warrior:

:3c hehehehehe

Rulerzreachf4n:

luz that doesnt help

“So does your friend like the picture?”

Hunter jumped in surprise, having entirely forgotten that Steve was even sitting there.

“Uhh.”

His scroll buzzed and spammed him with indecipherable emoji.

Luzura_Warrior:

😏😏 😼😼🦦🦦😈😇

“. . . I think so? Yeah.”

 The rest of patrol was just as stunningly uneventful, so Hunter spent the rest of it walking his route and talking with Steve. Honestly, it wasn’t so terrible a way to finish out the afternoon, which mostly was just letting Steve ramble on about his little brother and his newfound interest in Illusion magic. When Hunter returned to the castle, he had some very boring tasks that included taking stock of some new supplies (again, he found himself wondering if Belos just assigned him duties as mere busywork, but it wasn’t his place to question things). It took him several hours to complete and then he had a cold, unpleasant dinner at the cafeteria, but for some reason, none of it fazed him much, and he spent the whole time humming to himself, a little smile on his face.

When the evening came and he was finally free to return to his room, he gratefully collapsed onto his bed and stuck his face into the nearest book. It was a pleasant diversion for about an hour, and then his scroll buzzed. Eagerly, he grabbed it and found that it was Luz asking if he could help her with a few questions on her Beast Keeping homework. He agreed to help. 

What had started out as just a few questions quickly grew into a much larger discussion.

Luzura_Warrior:

I just am having a hard time because I had no idea there were so many kinds of dragons

Luzura_Warrior:

in the human realm I only really heard of the basic ones

Luzura_Warrior:

not all these weird wingless dragons and the legless dragons and the dragons with only two legs and all that

Rulerzreachf4n:

well they’re not really dragons. 

Luzura_Warrior:

what?? what do you mean.

Rulerzreachf4n:

the common ancestor species is a wyrm, which eventually evolved into lindwyrms and loongs over time. the ones living at higher elevations developed into drakes. and then potentially dragons arose from the drakes. 

Rulerzreachf4n:

they’re all in the wyrm family, though, a dragon is just a kind of wyrm

Luzura_Warrior:

seriously? I thought a wyrm was just . . . a legless and wingless dragon?

Rulerzreachf4n:

no, it’s the other way around. a dragon is a wyrm with legs and wings. 

Luzura_Warrior:

man, this is weird. so what exactly is a wyrm then? 

Rulerzreachf4n:

well, wyrms branch off from the sea serpents because of their scales, regenerative abilities and pyrorespiration. sea serpents of course belonging to the larger family of serpents, which in turn of course branch off from the true worms

Luzura_Warrior:

hold on, slow down a little. not sure if I’m getting you because it seems like you’re saying that . . . dragons evolved from snakes and that snakes evolved from worms?

Rulerzreachf4n:

snakes are a smaller sub-family of serpents, really

Rulerzreachf4n:

but your statement is mostly correct, yeah.

Luzura_Warrior:

snakes evolved from worms??

Rulerzreachf4n:

yeah? didn’t they cover this already?

Rulerzreachf4n:

everything evolved from worms, they’re nature’s ideal form

Luzura_Warrior:

buhhuhuwhaaa? 

Rulerzreachf4n:

you haven’t covered the Great Ancestral Worm yet??

Luzura_Warrior:

um, well. I kind of haven’t had one of the pre-reqs for this class. I begged the teacher to let me take it anyway . . . 

Luzura_Warrior:

but please, I gotta know about anything called ‘the Great Ancestral Worm,’ because this is getting wild

Rulerzreachf4n:

okay, well. 

Rulerzreachf4n:

in the beginning, when the Titan first fell, the first creature to immerge from the decomposing muck was a worm

Rulerzreachf4n:

the Great Ancestral Worm, from which all beasts sprang. the ratworms, the trash slugs, the giraffes, the sea serpents, all that

Rulerzreachf4n:

and from the beasts, branched off the bug demons and the bipedal demons

Rulerzreachf4n:

many bug demons still retaining body forms quite close to the original ancestral worms, but developing sentience alongside the bipedal demons

Rulerzreachf4n:

bipedal demons of course ended up quite distant from the ancestral design, and needed to compensate for it, develop bile sacs for their own magic

Luzura_Warrior:

okay hold on 

Luzura_Warrior:

so you’re saying EVERYTHING is based off worms

Luzura_Warrior:

what about, uhh. echo mice?

Rulerzreachf4n:

they evolved from the ratworms.

Luzura_Warrior:

okay, how about the selkiedomuses.

Rulerzreachf4n:

sea serpents that developed fins and blubber.

Luzura_Warrior:

what about birds??

Rulerzreachf4n:

they came from the wyverns and feathered serpents.

Luzura_Warrior:

there’s feathered serpents too?? oh god

Luzura_Warrior:

this is getting a little overwhelming

Rulerzreachf4n:

let’s just focus on wyrms for now. you said you only needed to know the basic groups for now, right?

Luzura_Warrior:

yeah. yeah, ok.

Rulerzreachf4n:

So we have the Wyrms, and then the Lindwyrms which evolved front limbs to help a little with traction, but still move with a serpentine body motion. And next are the Loongs, with four limbs which can walk awkwardly on land but who mostly prefer to swim or fly. 

Luzura_Warrior:

wait. fly? I thought Loongs don’t have wings?

Rulerzreachf4n:

that’s correct, they don’t.

Luzura_Warrior:

asdgrsrjyyj

Luzura_Warrior:

THEN HOW

Rulerzreachf4n:

they fly via magic. loong’s magic is fairly potent, they also have some control over weather and can shapeshift.

Luzura_Warrior:

oh, right, magic is a thing. haha . . .

Rulerzreachf4n:

next are the drakes

Luzura_Warrior:

those are the wingless dragons! right? they first found them at the knee

Rulerzreachf4n:

well, ‘wingless dragons’ is... not very descriptive. 

Rulerzreachf4n:

but yes, the drakes evolved at higher elevations and had stockier bodies, sturdier limbs that made for good walking and climbing, and stronger fire breath.

Luzura_Warrior:

can THEY magically fly?

Rulerzreachf4n:

that’s a good question! no, the drakes lost the ability to fly, as well as their shapeshifting and weather control

Luzura_Warrior:

okay, gotcha

Rulerzreachf4n:

then we have the dragons, which fly with the help of their leathery wings. and then wyverns

Luzura_Warrior:

hold on a sec one time I heard Hooty say HE’S A WORM

Luzura_Warrior:

does that mean hooty’s a bug demon???

Rulerzreachf4n:

uh… do you mean your house demon?

Luzura_Warrior:

yeah!

Rulerzreachf4n:

yes, house demons are a type of parasitic worm. 

Luzura_Warrior:

holy crap this makes so much sense now. now that I think about it, he was saying something one time about an ancestral worm

Rulerzreachf4n:

uh yeah so, anyway

Luzura_Warrior:

wait did you say PARASITIC??

Luzura_Warrior:

he’s a parasite???

Rulerzreachf4n:

yes, house demons parasitize living houses 

Luzura_Warrior:

I thought hooty WAS the house!!! that’s not his body??

Rulerzreachf4n:

it’s technically not. once a house demon attaches to a house, they gain some control and nerve sensation, but it’s technically their host.

Luzura_Warrior:

oh my god. this is blowing my mind

Rulerzreachf4n:

ok, I think we’re getting a bit off track here

Luzura_Warrior:

right, sorry, sorry

Luzura_Warrior:

back to dragons. I mean, wyrms, back to wyrms and not house worms. I’m listening.

Hunter did his best to get Luz back on track and explain the basic wyrm families, as well as the two competing theories on whether drakes evolved into dragons, or ampitheres evolved into wyverns and then some wyverns developed into dragons. Although Luz was a bit distractable at times and prone to chit-chat, she was also very enthusiastic and seemed genuinely interested in the subject. She also seemed to pick up the information fairly quickly. When they’d finished, she thanked him profusely and said she was going to spend another hour studying to make sure it was solidified in her head for tomorrow’s quiz. He bid her a goodnight and returned to his reading.

He continued to read until it grew very late, at an hour when his mind was very fuzzy and his thoughts were disjointed. He browsed Pentsagram a little, very amused to find Darius had shared his Kikimora meme, and it seemed to be spreading rapidly. He giggled at that for a bit and then his thoughts started to turn slowly along the memories of his day, over the discussions he’d had with Luz. There was a very pleasant feeling that flickered through him as he pondered things, like the bright little embers that popped off a crackling fire. 

When his scroll buzzed, he sleepily picked it up and checked it.

Luzura_Warrior:

hunteeerrrrrr

Luzura_Warrior:

I’m booorrreddddd

He chuckled outloud and typed a response.

Rulerzreachf4n:

thought you were studying

Luzura_Warrior:

yeah it got boring

Luzura_Warrior:

whatre you doin?

Rulerzreachf4n:

well I WAS reading peacefully

Luzura_Warrior:

awhjyyhd why are you even still up it’s like almost 2am

Rulerzreachf4n:

why are YOU still up

Luzura_Warrior:

that’s evading the question, I asked u first

Rulerzreachf4n:

im always up this late

Rulerzreachf4n:

it’s the only time to myself i really get, so. thats why.

Luzura_Warrior:

that makes sense.

Rulerzreachf4n:

k so now you

Luzura_Warrior:

well I was just cramming for the quiz

Luzura_Warrior:

I am bad at time management, I admit it

Luzura_Warrior:

but I’m in bed now like a good girl, I swear

Luzura_Warrior:

see look

A picture popped up, showing a dimmed bedroom. Hunter squinted at it. Luz seemed to be on the floor, sitting inside a strange fabric . . . cocoon? 

Rulerzreachf4n:

what. the heck is that, that’s not a bed.

Luzura_Warrior:

it’s a sleeping bag. 

Rulerzreachf4n:

that doesn’t seem very comfortable.

Luzura_Warrior:

no, it’s okay! it’s not so bad. not as good as a bed, I admit, but eda didn’t have any spare mattresses, so I’ve just been using this.

Rulerzreachf4n:

huh. she should get you a bed.

Luzura_Warrior:

well moneys not exactly pouring in right now

Luzura_Warrior:

I know you probably have a nice fancy bed at the castle but not everyone can be so luxurious, ya know

Hunter frowned, considering his bed and his room.

Rulerzreachf4n:

actually my bed’s really not fancy

Rulerzreachf4n:

or my room. belos gave me quarters that are the same size and furnishings as any other scout

Rulerzreachf4n:

said that i shouldn’t grow soft or complacent

Luzura_Warrior:

oh

Luzura_Warrior:

whoa I didn’t realize that.

Luzura_Warrior:

ok now I’m curious. whats it look like?

Luzura_Warrior:

send me a picture?? 😃

Hunter aimed his scroll, trying to get a shot, then grumbled because it didn’t look like much from his angle. He got out of bed and snapped a photo so she could actually see things.

Luzura_Warrior:

oooh okay, it’s not so bad. seems cozy. that pillowcase looks pretty ratty tho lol

Luzura_Warrior:

oh my god wait, you have a PLUSHIE?? I see that lil head poking out there!

Hunter quickly re-checked the photo, and to his horror, you could in fact see the hot pink head of his goofy little frog plushie sticking out behind a pillow.

Rulerzreachf4n:

please pretend you didnt see that

Luzura_Warrior:

no way, oh my god hunter this is adorable. I love this. you like plushies too!! I wanna get a better look, send me a pic! 😃

Rulerzreachf4n:

no way you’ll just make fun of me

Luzura_Warrior:

no I won’t!! I swear. pleeeeease?? 

Luzura_Warrior:

do you actually sleep with it too? aaaaa thatd be so CUTE

Hunter grunted, dropping back down onto his bed with a defeated sigh. There was no way she was gonna drop this, he knew her well enough by now for that. Gruhhh.

He reached over and pulled the plushie out from behind the pillow. Wrapping an arm around it, he hugged it tight against his chest and aimed the scroll at himself, sticking his tongue out and snapping a photo. 

When he sent it, Luz nearly combusted.

Luzura_Warrior:

saftrrerghewyhrw

Luzura_Warrior:

aaaaaaa  hutner!!!!

Luzura_Warrior:

SO CUTE

Luzura_Warrior:

you giant dork i LOVE it

Luzura_Warrior:

look at youuuu aaaaa!! 😍

Rulerzreachf4n:

you show that to anybody and I will hunt you down

Luzura_Warrior:

hehehehehee

Luzura_Warrior:

hunt me down. cos you’re hunter

Rulerzreachf4n:

yes. you don’t want  that, trust me

Luzura_Warrior:

heeehee, but maybe I do 😉

Hunter’s thoughts halted, stalling at Luz’s text as he struggled to form a coherent response. Fortunately, Luz just continued to ramble.

Luzura_Warrior:

ughh I should get to sleep 

Luzura_Warrior:

i have a really busy day tomorrow

Luzura_Warrior:

all these quizzes and exams at once, I swear the teachers do it on purpose

He had to focus to type out a reply that sounded normal.

Rulerzreachf4n:

yeah, I should sleep too

Luzura_Warrior:

ok you might not hear from me tomorrow until real late, i got a lot going on

Luzura_Warrior:

but i’ll say bye for now!

Rulerzreachf4n:

okay

Luzura_Warrior:

so gnnnighty night for now, my goldie dork boy~~ 😘

Luzura_Warrior:

talk to you later 💖💗💜

Rulerzreachf4n:

bye

Hunter stared dumbly at the scroll for a while after she’d logged off, his fuzzy sleepy thoughts rolling about in his mind like a tangled ball of yarn. Letting the scroll drop down onto his bed, he fell asleep before even bothering to get changed for the night.

[hypmicdaydreams]

𝗟𝘂𝗰𝗸𝘆 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗺

-pairing: dice arisugawa x gn!reader

-genre: fluff (?), a bit of gambling action

-summary: dice’s lucky dice have lost their charm and no longer work; however, he’s sure that you’re his one true good luck charm, though you’re skeptical about that

-word count: 6.3k

it was such a common sight that you had grown accustomed to in the past few months that you had dated dice, yet it never failed to surprise you each and every time at just how careless he could be. dice, on his hands and knees before you, was, yet again, begging you to spare him just a few more yen so that he could go to the pachinko parlor down the street and try his hand at the new machine that they had just installed. he swore that he’d get a jackpot this time, he felt it in his gut. lady luck was finally on his side. how many times has he claimed that though? surely over a hundred by now, considering that this sight happened about three or four times a week. 

“pleeeeease y/n. i just need a few yen. i just know that i’ll hit the jackpot for sure this time! i promise to pay you back.” 

a sigh escaped your lips as you heard those words again, glancing at your hopeless boyfriend. he really did have zero shame bowing down on the ground like that, begging for a few scraps of money to feed his gambling addiction. surely his debt with you racked up close to thousands of yen by now, and that was probably a generous estimate. it’s not like you minded though. you had no doubt, however, that dice would pay you back if he won big.

if.

dice’s luck wasn’t exactly the best lately, having lost everything he’s managed to save up in a matter of minutes. then again, you couldn’t quite recall when the last time his luck ever was good. it seemed to just be a string of bad luck for dice, and you couldn’t help but feel a bit sorry for the bad luck spell he was in. surely it must’ve taken a toll on him, right? maybe he’d stop gambling for a bit, try to save up some money first rather than betting something so obscure and irrational, like his life (you’re still astounded by the fact that he bet his life just to get a hypnosis microphone). but dice just loved proving you wrong. see, dice wasn’t a rational person, not in the slightest. logic and reason bothered him to no end, so he defied the odds. i mean, what fun would life be if everything was meticulously calculated. every day would be the same dull and lifeless routine, and dice hated the mere thought of such a lifestyle. you didn’t mind his outlook on life at all, in fact, you even supported it to a degree. you just wished he’d be more careful with his, er, hobbies.

“didn’t you say that the last time though?”

“er-” dice flinched once he realized he’d been caught red-handed, having been shoved into a corner by the very thing he hated: logic. “w-well ya, but! i really do think i’ll win big this time. it’s a gut feeling.” ugh, you grew to despise that word: gut feeling. everything was always determined by either luck or his gut when it came to dice. it was truly spectacular, really. you did love dice, you really did, but you couldn’t help but be concerned for him. his gambling tendencies were just a bit too much at times.

you had tried to ignore his pleas, tried your hardest to set your foot down and not give in to those puppy dog eyes he loved to use. it hurt to see that you were only feeding his gambling addiction rather than try to help him solve it. at that moment, however, seeing dice begging on his hands and knees and the look of desperation in his eyes overrid your sense of judgement. it hurt even more to see just how desperate he was for a couple hundred yen. he just tug on your heartstrings like that! 

“well...fine.” you couldn’t help but stifle a giggle when you saw just how quickly dice’s expression changed from desperation to one of excitement. if he had a tail, you swore it’d be wagging. deep down, you scolded yourself for once again falling for his tactics, but could you really blame yourself? dice was just too lovable to turn down. “but on one condition.” 

“hm?” 

“you take me with you.” you really couldn’t predict how dice would take this news, but you certainly weren’t expecting him to smile even wider. i mean, why would he even want you in the same vicinity when he was gambling, especially when there was a large chance he’d lose yet again, and after having begged you for money once more. yet, that sounded like quite a deal to dice, who was practically over the moon at this point. not only does he get to feel the thrill of gambling once more, but he also gets to enjoy it with his lovely partner. it was like killing two birds with one stone. maybe you’d even begin to understand his love of the thrill. ooo, this was so exciting!

“heh, is that all?” to be honest, dice was expecting a much worse condition, such as never cooking for him again if he lost or never gambling again. geez, just the thought of it sent shivers down his spine. he’d have hated if he was given an ultimatum between either you or gambling. then again, that would’ve been an exciting bet. all or nothing, huh. now that gave him goosebumps. “you don’t have to worry about a thing. we got lady luck on our side after all,” dice confidently said, taking out his good luck charms, a pair of dice, from his pocket and throwing them into the air. he couldn’t shake off the feeling that he’d win big this time.

~

“gahh! what the hell??” dice practically shouted, although the other pachinko players seemed to pay no mind to him. it was rather common to find someone bet their entire life savings then lose them all within an afternoon. sure, it was a terrible sight, but the other players found their games to be much more important. you win some you lose some, that’s just how life worked. then again, the loud noises and distracting colors probably drowned out any connection to the outside world they may have had, however weak it was in the first place. 

dice had, yet again, lost big time at the machines. standing behind him, you shook your head in disappointment. you knew that this exact scenario would play out once he had dragged you to a nearby pachinko parlor. those machines were literally designed to feed off of people’s tendency to think that they’d win big the next round. “tch, i was sure i’d win this time…” he took out his so-called lucky dice and threw them at the machine in frustration. you had been right, as much as he hated to admit. his luck had been garbage lately, which was only perpetuated by the fact that he lost his imaginary bet with you that he’d win. his good luck charms now brought on bad luck instead, and dice couldn’t help but get irritated. this entire time, they never let him down! but now...now they were just dead weight. the pair of dice had lost their touch. they were no longer good luck charms but rather just plain old dice.

“i knew this would happen,” he heard you mumble, which only irritated him further. dice just couldn’t seem to win a single bet, no matter how lousy or small. he never was one to let a spell of bad luck discourage him, but he couldn’t possibly be confident all the time. everything was finally catching up to him, and what made it worse was the fact that you didn’t seem to believe in him. it was the icing on the cake. “let’s head back home-”

“w-wait, just one more time! please, i’m sure we’ll get it this time.”

“you’ve said that the past four matches.”

“er-well...” dice had to think of some excuse fast if he wanted to stay here. sure, he may have lost everything he had begged you for, but maybe you’d be willing to lend him a few more yen? dice did doubt it, but he just couldn’t leave the parlor, not yet, not when he hasn’t won anything at all. maybe, just maybe, his luck will turn around this time. he was holding on to the last bit of optimism he had. “t-then, how about you play for a change?” even if he couldn’t play, maybe you would win big for the both of them. after all, you’ve never gambled before, or at least not that he knew of, so you must have some sort of beginner’s luck, right? well, this was his only chance, and dice was going to bet on it. 

you, on the other hand, were quite taken aback at this sudden development. you, gambling? it didn’t really sound right. besides, you’ve taken a look around the place, and uh, needless to say, you felt a deep pit form in your stomach once you saw the desperation on some faces. you didn’t want to go through that same feeling as them. casinos weren’t fair, after all. they were rigged to make more money for the house, and you really didn’t want to play into their scheme. yet, you didn’t have the heart to explain that to dice who seemed so eager. “um, i don’t think that’s a good idea. i don’t even know how to play-”

“it’s simple, i’ll teach you.” you internally groaned. just great. now you were wrapped up in his plan to make you guys stay longer at the parlor. you mentally cursed yourself for being so oblivious to it all, and now you had no choice but to play along. once again, you’d fallen into his trap. “you just gotta put some money in here, pull the lever, and aim for that place right there,” dice pointed out, nudging you into the seat as he simultaneously explained the rules. if this works out just as planned, dice could see himself leaving this place with a couple thousand yen in his pocket. gosh, he was getting excited just thinking about it. you, however, seemed a bit hesitant at first, so dice tried to massage and pat your shoulders, you know, for reassurance. it’s just a quick, simple game of pachinko, what could possibly go wrong?

“like this?” you asked, pushing down on the lever which sent a ball flying into one corner of the screen. with its landing, the machine lights started flashing (it was enough to induce a headache), and a rather good sum of metal balls came spilling out of the machine. 

“woah, you just won a couple thousand yen!!” dice practically screamed, which didn’t help when you had just been blinded by many colorful bands of light. he couldn’t contain his excitement and was quite literally visibly shaking from all the adrenaline that just flowed through his body. you just stared at the screen, dumbfounded at what had just happened. did you really just win? on your first try?? there was absolutely no way that was possible, right? a few of the other players stopped and quickly glanced at all the commotion, although that didn’t last long as they were soon back to staring at their own screens and attempting to earn some cash. “hey, hey, pull the lever again!”

“um, ok?” once more, you pulled the lever, and the lights started flashing once again as a few more metal balls came spilling out of the machine. 

“holy shit—talk about some beginner’s luck!! you just won a few ten thousand yen! gah, you must be so lucky y/n!!” dice didn’t even attempt to hide his shouting at this point, though you truly wished he’d stop shaking you, especially when the entire world was still spinning. honestly, you couldn’t quite comprehend what was happening right now. the blinding lights were nothing but a haze, and the loud machine noises introduced a sharp ringing in your ears. “press it again! you still have metal balls left.” you couldn’t quite remember the last time dice was this ecstatic; well, that time dice was practically starving and the look on his face when he saw the feast you had cooked for him did come close, but this one took the cake. 

“uhh, i think i’ve had enough excitement for today,” you groaned, holding your head which hadn’t stopped spinning from the first time the lights went off. this whole thing was a bit much with all the colors and loud noises and whatnot. how dice was able to keep up with this environment you didn’t know. honestly, you sorta respected him now. not just anyone could stomach this type of atmosphere.“why don’t you take over and complete it for me?” 

“don’t have to ask me twice, heh.” immediately after getting up, dice took your seat and began pressing the lever in no time at all, concentrating immensely on the tiny balls and aiming them at what you hypothesized to be the center for the jackpot. ball after ball kept landing on a few spots, which resulted in another couple thousand metal balls, though dice seemed to pay no mind to them and instead kept smacking the lever. now, this scene was stirring up quite a commotion, and you were pretty sure everyone’s eyes in the parlor were on you. there were even a few murmurs here and there from the employees which, needless to say, didn’t help your growing uneasiness. 

“what’s even going on?” you asked aloud, though you weren’t really expecting an answer, at least not from dice who seemed to be on a roll. his eyes were only on the pachinko machine now. damn, you wished dice looked at you the same way he looked at that machine at this instant. that was the largest grin you’d ever seen. and finally, at the very last ball, dice hit a jackpot. 

instantly, dice’s eyes widened, and a loud “YESS!!” echoed throughout the parlor. the lights and noises increased in intensity, and everyone now was practically circling around dice, pushing you out of the group and onto the floor. you were certainly much more flabbergasted than anything else at this moment. dice, your dice, finally won the jackpot? this certainly couldn’t be a dream. hell, that’d be some dream in the first place. the world never stopped spinning, and all of the voices and cheers and shouts were incoherent and merged together. what the hell would even happen from here on out? you never imagined dice winning the jackpot, and on the day you decided to attend of all times. 

“y/n, y/n!!” you heard dice shout, and in a flash, someone had grabbed your arm, hoisted you up from the ground, and the next thing you knew, you were snuggling into dice’s chest. “can you believe it? we won haha!” as much as you wanted to congratulate dice on his huge win, it was difficult to say anything. for one, you were way too nauseous, and the bright spots that clouded your vision, as well as the consistent annoying ringing in your ears, didn’t help. secondly, dice was clinging on to you way too tightly. you were pretty sure that he was cutting off your airway, but he seemed to not be aware of that. “damn! you really are my lucky charm.”

~

after that entire incident, dice had started calling you by a new nickname: his good luck charm. you weren’t even entirely sure why, assuming that everything that occurred back in the parlor was nothing more than a mere coincidence. it was just a coincidence that you were there, and it was just a coincidence that he had managed to hit the jackpot that same night too. to be honest, you didn’t really believe much in luck. sure, there was a few good luck or bad luck spells here and there, but you attributed that to nothing more than a series of coincidences. i mean, luck was such a complex subject when one pondered on it for far too long, and it just didn’t seem highly plausible that a person could have a series of good or bad things happening to them all at once. was that even statistically possible? well, if it was, there was no doubt that the chances were very slim.

as aforementioned, however, dice despised logic. it was just too boring, so he truly believed in luck. there really was a being such as lady luck that toyed with him and determined whether he’d win or lose. and that entire pachinko incident was his good luck finally making a comeback. perhaps you were even luck in disguise! i mean, he’d been in such a bad luck spell that he couldn’t even win on simple bets such as a coin toss (yes, he was that desperate), but when you were right by his side, all of a sudden, he was swimming in cash. there was only one plausible explanation for such a phenomenon, and to dice, it was luck. this entire situation was just so rivoting!

and today again, dice had managed to bet off and proceed to lose all of his winnings from that day. honestly, that was a rather huge accomplishment in and of itself. dice truly didn’t know the definition of self control. you sighed to yourself as you felt a massive headache coming on as you sat in your home, wondering to yourself where your boyfriend could possibly be at such a time. it was nearing ten at night, and although you’d naturally assume that he was at a casino betting away anything he had on hand, you hadn’t seen him all day. he hadn’t been answering his calls from you either, which you did find a bit odd and concerning since that was one of the things he always managed to do without fail. just where could he possibly be? 

as the saying goes, speak of the devil and he’ll appear. just as you were getting more and more concerned about the whereabouts of your boyfriend, your phone suddenly rung, and to your relief, the contact id was that of dice. relief immediately flooded you, although anger followed soon after. he’d disappeared for the entire day, with no urge to contact and inform you at all, yet he was finally calling now, when you were about to retire for the day? you really tried not to get angry, especially since you were much more worried than anything, but it was becoming increasingly difficult to contain your anger. 

that all dissipated, however, when you heard dice’s voice over the call. “y/n!!” for some odd reason, dice sounded relieved and also a bit terrified? well, that was new. dice never backed down from a challenge, and he always managed to face them head on with total confidence in himself, even if the chances of winning were slim. sure, he’s had his fair share of disappointment and lack of confidence in himself when it came to gambling, but he never sounded fearful. you quickly became much more concerned than beforehand.

“dice?? where are you? and why haven’t you been picking up?!”

“uh haha...you see, about that-” 

you really did love dice, you truly did. despite his obsessive gambling tendencies and airheadedness, dice had a heart of gold and stood up for what he deemed was right. he was quite admirable at times, really. but god, this incident made you believe otherwise. you knew that dice was quite foolish and spontaneous at times, especially when money was involved, but you couldn’t help but still be baffled when he explained that he was stuck in some sorta underground gambling ring (you had no idea how he even found out about all of these schemes) since he’d gambled all of his current earnings away. of course, you knew that dice would gamble away any spare penny he had on hand. that in and of itself wasn’t a new or surprising fact (though he always did manage to pay you back if he did win). but an underground gambling ring? really? you couldn’t help but question why he even chose to go to one instead of heading on over to the usual casino where practices were, at the very least, legal. it surely would’ve spared the two of you a headache. 

despite the fact that every single rational cell in your body was insisting that it was too dangerous to go to an illegal gambling scene, you threw all that logic out the window. sure you were quite a bit irritated with dice at the moment, but you knew that you had to go save him. he was still the man that you loved after all, even if he did make less than smart decisions at times. certainly you were one of his only chances he had to be saved, unless he did call upon his teammates, though you assumed that they were quite busy at the moment or asleep. 

“alright, where are you at?”

“gahh, you’re such a blessing y/n! thankyouthankyou-”

you could practically picture his enthusiasm over the phone once you heard how relieved he sounded. just imagining a grinning dice waiting for you made you smile. he was just too adorable. you couldn’t possibly stay mad at him for too long. god, you really were a lovesick fool. 

~

when you arrived at the scene, the first thing you couldn’t help but notice was just how musty and humid the entire atmosphere was, though it wasn’t that much different from your usual casino. the only difference was that this place was rather bleak and lifeless in comparison to the bright and migraine-inducing colorful and bright mess of the casino. plus, the people that surrounded this place were rather unsettling. you couldn’t pinpoint whether it was because of their malicious smiles or gruff appearance, but all you knew was that you couldn’t wait to get outta here as soon as possible. hell, if it weren’t for the fact that dice was located deep inside, your instincts would’ve kicked in, and you would’ve been sprinting to the other side by now. but alas, you had to suck it up and go inside, if only to get to see your man again. 

down the creaky and unsafe stairs you went (you were positive that they were going to cave in on you at any moment) and right past the dark hallway, you were finally able to see dice, laying on the ground in nothing but his underwear. you sighed once more, something you realized that you’ve been doing a lot of lately. of course dice had bet his clothes again. you weren’t even exactly sure why you had expected anything else. in front of him sat one large table filled to the brim with all sorts of cards and dice, and behind that were a group of rather large men that you assumed to be the ones who ran this entire operation. geez, you really couldn’t wait to get outta here. 

“y/nnn!!” dice called out a bit too loud as he motioned you to come forward before practically throwing himself on you. “gah, thank heavens you actually came!!” you were just as excited as him to finally see each other again and to see him safe and alive, but it wasn’t exactly the best place to have a heartwarming reunion, not with all of the other guys staring at the two of you embracing. things were just way too awkward, especially since these guys had basically won over all of dice’s savings and whatnot. 

“alright then, now that i’ve found you, let’s go back home,” you quickly muttered, taking dice’s hands in yours as you started on your way back. as much as you would’ve loved to stay and have a quick chat with the others or even attempt to win back dice’s clothes, every instinct in your body was telling you to run outta there while you had the chance. sure, it was a shame that dice had to lose his iconic coat and overworn clothes, but frankly, you thought that the value of both of your lives was much higher than some ripped pants. you’d be more than happy to go buy some new clothes for dice just as soon as the two of you were outta this underground room that gave you goosebumps. you weren’t exactly sure whether or not these guys posed a threat, but it was better to not take any chances. 

“uhh, about that…” 

oh no, it was those dreaded words again. of course there was some kinda setback. there was always a setback in these situations where a person was trying to go back to the comfort of their own home. you quickly snapped towards dice, only to be met with his sheepish smile, which only deepend once he saw the glare in your eyes. honestly, this entire situation was just getting more and more frustrating with each passing minute. all you desperately wanted was to get back home safe with dice in your arms, but of course, there were obstacles (there has to be some sorta plot to this entire story after all). geez, you felt another headache coming on.

“ya see, um, you gotta win your right to leave…” 

for a good few seconds, all you could do was stare dumbfoundly at the man you loved, trying to process what he had just said. surely this was all one big joke, right? “what?! then why did you even come here in the first place?!”

“i didn’t even know about the rules until after i had started! forgive me y/n!!” just as this story started, dice was now on his knees, this time begging for your mercy. gosh, he genuinely does seem sorry for putting the both of you through this entire situation. besides, you knew that he meant well. dice was just a bit naïve and airheaded at times, always getting caught up in the excitement of it all rather than to stop and think about what exactly was going on. it was one of the qualities that you loved oh so dearly about him. dice never really intended to put himself or you in harm’s way; rather, he was just chasing excitement and the adrenaline rush. gahh, you couldn’t stay mad at him for long. plus, the sight of him begging for your forgiveness and the sincerity in his voice broke you, and you even began to feel a bit guilty for him. god, you really did love this fool. 

“it’s alright,” you mumbled, helping dice up from the floor while patting him on the back for reassurance. you weren’t mad, at least not right now. you’d have plenty of time to air any grievances once the two of you were back home safe and sound, but right now, you had to focus on the problem at hand. dice, on the other hand, seemed rather relieved that you decided to help him. deep down, he knew that he was in for it the moment the two of you got back to your place, but of course, he was determined to make it up to you. dice really felt so blessed to have someone as kind and understanding as you as his lover. “soo, what do i have to do in order for us to go back home?” 

the next thing you knew, you sat in front of a roulette table with a couple of the ring leaders on either side of you as well as on at the head of the table. roulette was a game that you were quite familiar with, although that was only because you had seen dice play it a number of times at the casino. as for actual experience with it, well, you’d hardly played any games with it before. the rules did seem fairly simple, though the terminology was a bit difficult to get used to, and the odds didn’t seem to be making much sense in the back of your brain, which at the moment was overrun by adrenaline and fear. it was hard to even think straight, much less make proper decisions that’d ensure the safety of both you and dice. 

“alright, place your bets,” the dealer announced once he’d distributed all of the colored chips. soon enough, the people around you started placing their own chips on different tiled squares and even between them. all of this was foreign to you. i mean, what exactly was the difference between placing a chip at an intersection of four boxes, placing it in a large box, or placing it in one single box? you had no idea about the different types of strategies or the different types of bets, so you decided that your best bet was to go along with your gut. i mean, gambling was all about luck after all, right? it shouldn’t matter whether or not you decided to utilize a strategy since there was no possible way to accurately predict the route the metal ball would take. so, you decided to move all your chips to one square: three. 

“oo, a straight bet, how exciting!” dice commented, though you had absolutely no idea what that even meant. just like back at the pachinko parlor, the entire atmosphere was making you quite queasy, and it was quite difficult to pay attention to anything that was going on. taking notice of the rather puzzled look on your face, dice then proceeded to explain. “well, it means that you’re betting on just one number! it’s really difficult to win, but the payout is huge if you do!” ah yes, you should’ve known that it was quite the risky move if dice approved of it. geez, all you wanted to do was get outta here as soon as possible, but it seemed like it would take much longer than that if you kept making risky bets like this. 

before you could even change your mind about the placement of your bets, the ball was released, and you were quickly hypnotized by its spinning movement. it was another thing to add on to your nausea and quickly rising anxiety. before you could dwell on it too much, however, as luck would have it, the ball landed on three. 

“gahh, y/nn!! you really are my lucky charm!” dice once again shouted, embracing you in a rather tight squeeze. what just happened? was this all a replay of the pachinko parlor incident? surely this was nothing but a mere coincidence, right? luck didn’t exist, or at the very least, you didn’t have extraordinarily good luck. you couldn’t have. the rest of the table quickly turned their eyes to the two of you, glaring at you in particular for having won your first time through. 

“i’m sure it was all a coincidence,” you mumbled, trying to ease all of the tension in the room as well as get the others off your back. you weren’t exactly content on making anyone’s hitlist tonight, which didn’t work out the moment the dealer gave you your chips that you had won. wow, it was way more than what you had originally bet too. 

for the next game, you decided to once more place most of your chips on a single space, this time the zero one. you knew this time around that this was quite a risky move, especially since if it didn’t land there, then all of the money you had won would’ve been gone. so you decided that your best bet was to keep a small pile of chips and save them for later in case you did lose any. after all, you wanted to ensure that you were able to win back your escape for both you and dice. 

and since this is a fanfiction, the ball, once again, landed on your exact spot: zero. dice’s cheer this time was much louder, and the glares from the others were much more cutthroat and icy (you were absolutely sure that you were murdered over a hundred times over just by the intensity of those glares alone). well, that was some coincidence, huh. two times in a row. must be beginner’s luck, exactly like back at the pachinko parlor. yep, that’s all it was, beginner’s luck or just an even stranger coincidence. 

“see y/n? i told you that you were my good luck charm,” dice cheekily commented, massaging your shoulders as you got prepared for the next game. “if this keeps up, then we’ll win back everything i lost, and we’ll be outta here in no time!!” it was quite easy to tell that dice was way too ecstatic and high on adrenaline right now, with the way he was bouncing up and down and the fact that he didn’t seem like he could even sit still or contain his excitement. his unchecked enthusiasm really didn’t help ease your growing anxiety or pounding headache. in fact, it made it worse, because he had expectations for you. it would absolutely devastate him if you managed to lose everything in one sitting, and that would have a chain reaction and devastate you as well. gosh, you prayed that this entire situation ended soon and without anyone getting hurt. 

and just like that, your prayers were soon answered as you kept on hitting the jackpot again and again the next few rounds. dice wasn’t even attempting to hide his high right now, and the others also weren’t attempting to hide their aggression and resort to violence. there were even shouts that you had cheated, to which dice argued with them while you remained seated, rooted in both silence and fear. your anxiety and nausea were starting to take over, and it took everything in you to stop yourself from projectile vomiting onto the table and ruining the entire game. the others surely would’ve beat you and dice to a pulp if that happened. this entire chain of coincidences was becoming way too much. perhaps this was the luck dice had talked about. perhaps you truly were his good luck charm. well, you were quickly taken out of your thoughts by the dealer, who had confirmed that there was no possible way that you could’ve cheated given that he released the ball and it was all up to chance. 

it was on to the final round now, and with this round, you’d finally be able to go back home with dice with all the money he lost and then some. and courtesy of dice’s suggestion, you decided to bet your stacks and stacks of chips on just one square: twenty-seven. you knew that this was risky, hell, you knew that you’d most likely lose everything. but you couldn’t think straight right now. hell, you couldn’t even think at all! everything was becoming way too confusing, and similar to the time at the pachinko parlor, your world was spinning and you couldn’t differentiate between anything anymore. it had all become way too much, so dice had taken over for you. yes, it wasn’t the smartest decision, but you basically had no choice right now. 

and with that, the ball was released once more, and within a few seconds the results came out: twenty-seven. you couldn’t help but stare at disbelief as your boyfriend then hoisted you up and started chanting about how you were his luckiest charm, proceeding to then plant one giant sloppy kiss on your lips before going on to receive all of the prize money and his clothing. at this point, you had gotten used to the dirty glares the others have given you. quite frankly, you were just relieved to be outta there, which did happen as the moment dice got all of your winnings, you grabbed his hand and bolted out of that place, never wanting to see that place again. that in and of itself was an adventure of a lifetime, and you weren’t sure if you could take anymore excitement for at least a good few years, all thanks to your adventurous and carefree boyfriend. 

the walk back home through the crisp night air was quiet on your part, though dice couldn’t stop going on and on about how you won big and saved his ass, reiterating that you were his lucky charm, luckier than any dumb ol’ dice he had used beforehand. while dice went on his whole spiel about just how exciting all of that was, you were deep in thought about the events that had just went down. there was no way that this series of events was nothing but a coincidence. coincidences don’t just happen back to back! at least, the odds of that were slim to none. guess the only reasonable explanation was just as dice said, you were lucky. but you were quite skeptical about luck! luck was unreasonable, luck wasn’t logical. luck was just that, it was luck. how could you place your hopes on something as strange as that? but how could you possibly dismiss everything that happened both tonight and back at the parlor? no matter how skeptical you were, the proof was right there! geez, now your head hurt too much from thinking about it. sighing, you stared at your boyfriend who was nonchalantly talking about how you were so cool back there, smiling as you intertwined your hands with his and embraced his warmth. you were just happy that he came back safe and sound. you were, after all, his good luck charm, and he was yours too.

[fairy-spring]

Take to the Skies - 7/?

~.*.~.*.~

I’m sorry this has taken so long to update. I’ve just moved in with my boyfriend, and I’m finally trying to dip my toe back into writing.

~.*.~.*.~

| 1 || 2 || 3 || 4 || 5 || 6 |

… She was staring again. The little girl with auburn hair and lime green eyes. Link was fairly sure he’d caught her staring quite a few times before. She was the daughter of the city’s top healer, from what he’d heard, which meant she’d pass through here every single day. Normally she’d be here with her father, or at least with a small group of friends. Why was she alone today, of all days?

“Oh, don’t pay her any mind,” Silas scoffed. “No need to be so embarrassed. She likes to watch everyone when they’re training.”

“Why’s that?” Orville questioned, his head tilted to one side. Silas merely rolled his eyes, as if the answer was the simplest thing in the world.

“Because,” he stressed, “we nobles always watch the page boys and the squires while they’re training!”  

Link squinted his eyes as he took in Silas’ words. He wasn’t blind to the goings-on around him, and neither was Orville. They perfectly understood that such things did happen. After all, random members of nobility poked their heads in to observe their shenanigans, well, every day. At least, that was how it felt.

“But why?” he repeated for his friend. “Why do they watch us all the time?”

“Because it’s entertaining to them.” Silas sighed as he shook his head. “Honestly, don’t you bumpkins understand anything?”

Link gritted his teeth, his grip tightening on his wooden sword. The nerve of this kid! They were the exact same age, and here he was acting like he was so much mightier and holier than the both of them! Link was pretty sure pride was a sin; perhaps even the cardinal sin, if memory served him correctly. The blond smirked at the thought, and he opened his mouth to speak.

“Ya know, Si-”

“Hey, can I play too?”

A small dust cloud picked up behind the young lady as she bolted her way over to the trio of boys, catching Link completely off-guard. It was the same little girl who was watching them earlier; auburn hair, big green eyes... She was bouncing up and down on the balls of her little feet, and she hummed to herself as she held her balled-up little fists over either side of her head. Evidently, the girl’s excitement could barely be contained.  

“Huh?!” Orville exclaimed, obviously perplexed by the situation. “L-Little girl, you can’t-!”

“Why, young lady,” Silas interrupted, suddenly bent over in a courteous bow to the redhead. “I’m afraid this isn’t mere play, my dear. This is serious training for knights-to-be, such as myself.”

Link glared daggers at the raven-haired boy, and he scoffed as he crossed his arms. The nerve of this guy, pulling a complete one-eighty like that. He shared a glance with Orville, who could only roll his eyes as Silas continued attempting to sate the little girl’s curiosity and shoo her away. The more he talked, however, the more she pouted, her brow creased and her lips pressed in a firm line.

“But, but, but, but...” She slowly lowered her arms and placed her hands behind her, and she shifted her weight between her feet.

“Besides, don’t you have other young ladies you could play with instead?” Silas smiled warmly, a stark contrast to his usual smarmy smirk. “I’m sure they’re all dying to spend time with you, young lady.”

“They’re all in the chapel with Mother Aleesha,” she whined as she slumped over. “And I can’t go till later!”

“I’m very sorry to hear that... Well, you can always watch, but I’m afraid I can’t let such a fragile young lady get into harm’s way.” Upon saying this, he gestured to Link and Orville, and he let out a soft chuckle. “I fear what would happen if you were to roughhouse with blacksmiths’ sons.”

“Hey!”  

Link thrust his wooden sword towards Silas, in defiance of his backhanded niceties. Silas easily sidestepped the boy and tripped his right leg, sending him spiraling to the ground. With a sigh, the dark-haired boy addressed the little girl again, as if Link was a mere annoyance. Orville scrambled to help his friend off the ground, silently asking if he was alright. The blond could only nod in reply, wiping the dirt off his tunic as he glared once again at the little bastard before them.

“You see what I mean, lady Celine?” Silas shook his head again and reached out his hand for the girl to take. “These boys are so hotheaded, I fear what they’d do to someone so gentle!”

Celine didn’t grab for Silas’ hand, however. Instead, she was staring directly at Link. Almost reflexively, the boy turned his head away. She was about to say something too, huh? No doubt, she was going to scoff or snicker or say something in agreement with Silas, and he’d have to deal with ridicule not just from them, but from the entire circle of nobles in the fortress! The redhead stepped towards him and Orville, and he flinched at the thought of what she’d do.  

However, no ridicule came. No mockery or shame reached his ears. Instead, the girl eyed him sympathetically, and she asked, “Are you okay?”

Link’s eyes widened at her words. Though it was such a simple question, he never would have expected it to come out of a noble; especially after the way Silas had treated the both of them...

“I...” Suddenly, he was lost for words, and he could only bring himself to nod once again, pale blond hair bouncing as he did. Celine was beaming upon seeing his response, and she giggled as she grabbed his abandoned training sword and hopped next to Orville.  

“Then, will you guys play with me?”

Orville was just as baffled as Link, his mouth hung open for a solid couple seconds before he could speak.  

“W... Why are you asking us?” He motioned between himself and his friend, eyes squinted at the little redhead. Clearly, something was up with this girl. “I thought bumpkins were dangerous.”

“Yeah, well, you guys seem like fun!” Her lime-green eyes shined in the light as she beamed at the pair. With an impish giggle, she held the sword out to Link for him to take. “Come on, Forge, don’t you want to play?”

The blond raised his brow in questioning, and he hesitantly accepted the training sword.

“... Forge?”

“Yeah, Forge!” Another giggle from Celine. “You know, because you’re a blacksmith’s son!” She then pointed to Orville, taking the boy aback as he gawked in confusion. “And you’re Smithy!”

“S-Smithy?!”

Orville could barely voice his displeasure with the new nickname, as Celine merely snickered and snatched his own wooden sword from its sheath. The brunet hollered and gave chase to the little girl, fruitlessly swiping his hand out in a poor attempt to take it back. All the while, Celine was gazing intently at Link.

“Come on, Forge, pleeeeease?”  

“I told you, it isn’t play!” Silas suddenly butted in, stepping between her and Orville. He held out a hand to the girl, this time with the expectation for her to return the stolen glorified stick. “My lady, I can’t allow you to get hurt. Please, give it back.”

“Then, will you guys teach me?”

“Absolutely not,” the boy sighed in reply. “A young lady is fair and pure, just like the white goddess. She has no need to get her hands dirty.”

Link rolled his eyes once again. Was this the only reason Silas was so against this? This was for religious reasons?

“Ya know,” the blond started, “ladies around the ranches and the smiths outside the wall have to help their husbands, whether it’s by protecting cattle or firing the coals. Why can’t the lady learn swordplay?”

That alone was enough to get Silas fuming, and Link couldn’t help but smirk at the effect his words had. It looked like the poor noble boy was about ready to burst! It seemed that Celine’s presence was the only thing keeping him from blowing up on Link. Orville was baffled by Link’s remark, his mouth hung open and his hands held in front of him as if asking, “Why?!” The young lady, however, was grinning from ear to ear, clutching Orville’s sword tightly to her chest.

“So, you’ll teach me, Forge?!”

Link looked Silas dead in the eye as he answered Celine.  

“Sure, why not?”

[starsfic]

(Wolf House AU) Lilith was always a fan of magic. Ever has been since she stared reading Azura the Good Witch books. Her sister Eda was also a fan of magic. Sure she made fun of Azura for being "a bunch of flowery garbage", but a love of magic was something they both shared. So when they found the portal leading to the Boiling Isles and meeting Luz the Wolf Lady. Well they couldn't pass up the change to learn real magic, could they?

A/N: Wolf House AU created by @aweirdlatina!

“Pleeeeease teach us magic, Ms. Wolf Lady!”

Lily stifled giggles as she watched Eda, the known tough girl of the Clawthorne twins, hold onto Luz Noceda’s ankle as she pleaded with puppy eyes. Sure, this world was weird and scary...but Ms. Noceda had been kind enough to give them shelter.

And she could teach them magic!

“Have you no dignity, kid?” Luz said, not even looking away from the mug she was stirring.

“You don’t need dignity when you have magic.” Lily could argue with Eda on that point later. Right now, she was cheering her on to break Luz. There was a groan from the grey-haired woman.

“...fine.”

“Yay!” Eda hopped off Luz’s ankle to instead grab Lily’s hands, twirling her twin around. “We’re gonna learn magic!”

Luz muffled a groan into her mug.

[randomdarksidersblog27]

'Sly,stay here and don't come out till I tell you alright?' Conner told his young son. Sly whimpered,reaching for his father.

'B-but Daddy! They'll hurt you!' The small raccoon cried,trying to grab the adult and pull him to safety. Conner just smiled knowingly,hugging his son. Possibly for the last time.

'I'm willing to risk that if it means keeping you safe Sly.....I love you.'  Conner said before he closed the closet door. He faced the intruders and prepared himself. He just hoped they didn't find his son.......Last he heard was Sly crying and calling him.

'Daddy!'

'Daddy-Daddy! Daddy! ' Conner woke with a start,staring at -

"Sly!" The four year old beamed at him,giggling.

"Daddy! You were talking in your sleep again silly head!" The gray raccoon chirped,nuzzling his father. Conner held Sly close to his chest,heart racing. It had all been a dream? No....no....a memory. Somehow he managed to survive the attack and the Fiendish Five were beaten and arrested. Conner had gone to the hospital and stayed for a good few months,causing Sly to be put in the Happy Places Orphanage until his father was released. That had been the hardest thing Conner ever had to go through. His poor baby boy,alone in that slum of a place. This was the first week that he had Sly back,and like hell Conner was gonna let go.

"Sorry 'bout that pumpkin. Daddy was just......remembering things. How are you this morning,are you hungry? What do you want to do today?" Conner asked as he sat up,Sly fitting in his lap like a puzzle piece.

"Can I go see Murray and Bentley? Pleeeeease?' Sly begged,big brown eyes pleading.

"Who?" Conner asked,raising a brow.

"Bentley and Murray! They're my friends I made in the orphananage!" The young raccoon happily chimed,beaming brighter than the sun.

"Oh? I'm happy you made friends,but.....I don't think we can go see them? Not unless we make an appointment." Sly frowned.

"Why?" The older raccoon shifted,sighing.

"Because. That's how they get adopted." He explained. That wasn't the right thing to say,as Sly's whole face lit up and he started to bounce like he had eaten mounds of sugar.

"CAN WE ADOPT THEM? CANWECANWECANWECANWE?" He yelled. Conner groaned,his head starting to ache.

"Sly,sweetie,no.....I can't adopt them. Its a long process,and I don't think they'd like me anyway." He tries to reason. His son looked disappointed and sadly slinked off his lap,disappearing into the hallway. Conner thunked his head against the bedframe. Why did he feel like this would bite him in the ass?

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

The next few weeks were full of Sly not so subtly leaving notes and hints of adoption around the house. Pamphlets in the cereal,single sheets of 'why adoption is the answer' on the coffee machine,even cute little drawn family portraits of Conner,Sly,and who he assumed were Bentley and Murray holding hands left by his computer,the toilet,just.....anywhere. This was NOT something Sly was going to drop was he?

It came to a head one night,as Conner finished cooking and went to the table,only to find it set for four. Conner sighed and put the meal in the middle of the table,calling for his son.

"Sly Thatcher Cooper! Get down here now!" He called upstairs. He heard the small boy coming down the stairs and waited for him,arms crossed. Sly saw the table,then looked at his father with hope.

"Uh....surprise?" He said shyly. Conner sighed again,rubbing his temples.

"Sly,sweetheart......You need to understand,we can't adopt. We can't invite more people to our lives,they might not be able to catch up. We are THIEVES Sly. We can't AFFORD to have a hippo and a turtle with us,they can't do what we do. I'm so sorry honey,I truly am." He said,kneeling beside his son and laying a hand on his shoulder. Sly looked at his dad,heartbroken. He began to breathe irratically,eyes welling up with tears. His hands curled into fists and his lower lip wobbled. It was at this moment Conner knew,he fucked up.

Piercing wails filled the house,possibly heard for miles. The paintings on the walls shook,glasses rattled,cats on the streets hid! Sly was throwing his first ever true tantrum. And what a glorious tantrum it was. Crying,wailing,screaming at the top of his tiny lungs. He threw himself around on the floor,rolling around and just LOSING HIS ABSOLUTE COLLECTIVE MARBLES. Conner couldn't believe it. His perfect son,the most well behaved toddler he had EVER known,was losing his shit right in front of him. All because he wanted two orphans to join their family............he was so going to regret this wasn't he?

"-and that's how I convinced Dad to adopt you guys! I may say,it has been my finest work to date." Sly said as he sat cross legged on the rug,beaming at his audience. Bentley,shaking his head,patted Sly on the back.

"Sly.....I'm not sure that's true. Your finest work is when you seduced that one weird fellow at school into giving you the answers for the chemistry test." He said. Sly blushed,covering Bentley's mouth.

"Shhh! Don't let Dad hear you!"

"Don't let Dad hear what?" Conner said as he came into the room. Sly removed his hand,smiling innocently.

"U-uh,that Murray is hungry again!" He lied. Murray looked up from his magazine.

"I'm not hungry,I'm STARVING!" The hippo complained. Conner chuckled.

"Well,I was JUST about to come get you rascals for pizza. Care to join?" He asked,laughing hard when the three preteens scrambled to get out the door first. Sly was last,but he turned to his dad and hugged him suddenly. Conner hugged back,confused before Sly spoke.

"I just wanted to say thanks Dad........I have brothers now,and they're essential to the team.....thank you for adopting them and teaching them......I love you." Sly said. Conner chuckled and kissed his son's head.

"I'll admit,they've grown on me.....just promise me no more tantrums. People thought we had an earthquake from how hard you kicked the ground." The older raccoon joked. Sly blushed and stuck his tongue out before joining his father and brother's at the table. It was a mismatched family. A little broken,but still good.

Yeah. Still good.

@cooperific-aus I loved your AU of Conner rasing them.

[needs-to-stop-looking-at-yigas]

Could we get another Miphlink/Yiga Husbands double date?? I can't get over how much I love the way you write them! 😅

Thank you! I do in fact, love writing them all, including Mipha, who is JUST precious! (also yes to that one anon, you’re getting that smut of them you wanted, I’m getting there. 20 asks don’t get responded to overnight).

“Mipha, lil’ red, how’ve you been?!”

Kohga and Sooga were invited to come over for another double date. It was Mipha’s turn to pick what to do, and she had a rather interesting idea; learning how to make drinks. That was it. Kohga might have thought something like clothes making, maybe even searching for seashells or watching Link do his training. Not that Kohga was complaining, he loved an excuse to drink. Mipha accepted his offer for a hug, just delighted to see him.

“Kohga, Sooga! My dear friends! How are you both?”

Mipha parted from the hug, and offered Sooga her hand. She learned a long time ago that he didn’t exactly enjoy touching women, so she always offered her hand, in case he didn’t want to be touched. He refused it this time around, lightly bowing his head in apology.

“I’m quite well, Lady Mipha. Didn’t think I’d be carrying so much alcohol on my back though.”

Kohga scoffed, arms folded across his chest.

“What? You expect ME to carry it?”

“No Master Kogha, I just-”

“Anyhow, he’s just whiny because it’s an indoor date. I’m SO ready to teach you how to make some drinks! Where’s your little boyfriend anyway?”

“He’s inside, helping me set out the snacks.”

Sooga cocked his head to the side.

“Should...you have left HIM near the food?”

She thought about it for a moment, and realized her mistake.

“Er...pardon me for a moment.”

She dashed back inside, and Kohga chuckled. Sooga looked down at Kohga, and he could NOT stop smiling. Kohga noticed it, and scowled.

“What’s so funny?”

“You call ME such a lovesick sap. Yet here you are, fawning over their love. You’re such a hypocrite.”

“You know what, get your ass inside, I’m not listening to you.”

Sooga chuckled as Kohga nagged him into talking inside. Mipha had her own room in Zora’s domain, but quite frankly, it was like a mini mansion. A giant bedroom, a kitchen, and a living room, all to herself. No doubt it was built for her purely because everyone LOVED her, not that she needed such space. Kohga liked it here though, it was DAMN pretty in here, even though red was his personal favorite color. Kohga closed the door behind them as he dipped his head into the kitchen. Mipha was scolding Link (if you would call her gentle ‘please save food for the guests’ scolding), when she seemed to just now notice them, smiling as she brought over bowls of snacks to the living room.

“Sorry, Link ate most of the fried salmon skins. He really does enjoy my cooking.”

Sooga gave a shake of his head.

“It’s alright, he may have them. Kohga always makes me shower after I eat fish.”

“Because that smell just does NOT go away! How am I supposed to cop a feel when you smell like a doc?”

Link didn’t have any complaints, grabbing the bowl and helping himself to the rest of the salmon skins, nodding at them both in a hello. Mipha chuckled, slightly shaking her head.

“So long as that isn’t an issue for anyone, I would’ve gladly made some more for you, Sooga.”

“Kind, but not needed Mipha, thank you. If I may though, can I put this bag down? I’d hate to accidentally break any bottles.”

“Oh yes, please, on the coffee table!”

Sooga nodded, going to the living room and putting the rather big back of alcohol down onto the table. Mipha brought a little cart full of snacks (including sauteed nuts, honey candies, meaty rice balls, bread and butter, tabantha bakes, and banana chips), pushing it right by the table before she sat down next to Link on one of the couches. Kohga whistled at the rather cute array of treats she had.

“You didn’t have to make so much, Mipha! That’s sweet of you, but I wouldn’t want you putting so much work into this.”

“You agreed to teach us all about making drinks, providing you food is the least I can do! I also have some cake in the fridge, in case we need something else sweet.”

“Ugh, you’re precious Mipha, you really are. Blondie, don’t lose this one, she’s a good one.”

Link nodded in determination, and in a way, Mipha found it adorable. Kohga started to take out the bottles from the pack, setting it all down. Now Kohga wasn’t an alcoholic by any means, but he did like having variety in his drinks, hence why he had QUITE the stock. Mipha leaned over to the tray of snacks, helping herself to a meaty rice ball. Even as she was stuffing her little face, she was being so neat about it, just as the princess she was. Sooga meanwhile, sat up straight and to attention, as usual, not letting himself relax.

“So, what drinks ARE we making today, Master Kohga?”

“Let’s start with Mipha’s. Ladies first and all of that. I know which one you like, I NEVER forget a drink order. Don’t think you’ve ever seen me make drinks actually, so this should be fun.”

Kohga was always fast when it came to making drinks of food. It took him pretty much only a minute to cut fruit, salt the rim (of course he brought his own glasses), pour the ice, juice, vodka and stir. Sure it was a simple drink, but the speed was nonetheless impressive. He handed her the glass, and she gladly accepted it, handing the rest of her rice ball to Link. She took a sip, and although she tried to hide it, he could tell she enjoyed it, based on the way her lips curled into a little bit of a smile.

“I always thought it was so much more complicated than that, quite frankly.”

“Honestly, ANY drink is easy, once you know what you’re doing. Sooga, your turn big guy.”

“I don’t think we packed wine.”

“We didn’t, because that’s boring. That, and I like the fact that you watch my hands when I make these.”

Kohga nudged him with his shoulder, trying and failing not to grin. Sooga knew he was right, he LOVED watching him make things. Be it food, drinks, or...well, anything really. Kohga dug into the bag, pulling out a bunch of stuff. Sooga cocked his head to the side, curious.

“Wait, what are you making-”

“Shh, you’ll like it, trust me.”

In a tall glass, Kohga poured a container of some kind of syrup, adding some wild berries right after. He mashed them up, added a bit of some red liquid, and topped it off with ice cream, and a dash of soda. Sooga picked up the glass, inspecting the rather colorful drink.

“What...is this?”

“It’s a float, just try it. I even made it low alcohol, because you’re a pansy.”

Sooga gave it a sip, and slowly nodded, finding himself rather liking it.

“That’s quite nice, actually. Sweet, but bitter. How did you get the ice cream to stay-”

“Don’t ask questions, and just enjoy. Meanwhile, let’s get to refilling your glass Mipha, you’re all ice over there.”

Mipha looked down at her glass, lightly shaking her head.

“Oh no, I couldn’t possibly. One is more than enough.”

“Come on, you ain’t swimmin’ anywhere. Just one more?”

Mipha hesitated, but chuckled in defeat, handing him her glass.

“Alright. But just one more, then that’s it.”

“Atta girl!”

He chuckled, gladly setting her up with another drink. He had to at this point, who wouldn’t make a drink for their hostess? Especially with the way the snacks seemed to slowly be disappearing. Kohga rested his chin on his hand as he looked at Link.

“Now...what would YOU like, I wonder. Don’t think I’ve ever seen you drink, Goldilocks.”

Link gave a shake of his head, stuffing his face full of buttered bread. Kohga thought about it, before snapping his fingers.

“Wait, I got just the thing for you!”

Link had only just recently become of drinking age, so he wasn’t exactly a booze hound. Not a problem, Kohga catered to anyone and everyone, experience be damned. Kohga started to two different kinds of rum, some vodka, lemonade, and some black currant cordial. He mixed it all together, and slid it over to Link.

“Like it? It’s a ‘pink fairy’. Seems like something you’d like. Bit on the strong for some, but hey go big or big home. Now drink, drink!"

Link took a sip, lightly shaking his head after his sip. Kohga chuckled, leaning over and patting him on his pretty blonde head.

"You'll get used to it, blondie. Just-"

"Link, drink swap."

Mipha traded their drinks (with hers definitely having a lot less), and Link more or less accepted the swap. Mipha chuckled after taking a sip, leaning over to pinch Link's cheek.

"It's adorable, your first drink! You're just. So cute, Link."

Link's face erupted in blush, and he rubbed the back of his head, shy boy he was. Sooga pulled out his Sheikah slate as Kohga made his own drink (banana hammock, obviously), and started to play a song, playing it at a reasonable volume. Mipha seemed pleased as the music played, and she squealed, grabbing onto Link’s arm and flailing her legs wildly.

“Link! Oh I LOVE this music! You HAVE to dance with me! Please please pleeeeease!”

Drunk Mipha was a TOTAL dance bunny, and paired without the usual shyness, it was adorable, honestly. Link finished whatever was left of the drink, and nodded. Link was never one to tell his girl no, and it showed. They both got off of the couch, choosing to get up and dance together. The music wasn’t quick, wasn’t slow, but it enough to give a relaxed party vibe to the room, and Kohga couldn’t help but chuckle, nursing his drink as he watched his drunk little fishy get her groove on.

“You did that on purpose didn’t you?”

“I have no idea what you mean. I just like a little postmodern music. Nice tune.”

“Sap.”

“Enabler.”

They both had a chuckle at that, sitting back and watching these two idiots. Drunk Mipha had a little swagger to her, and Link knew fairly well how to dance. Enough so, he managed to dip her, just to kiss her on her forehead.

“That’s bullshit cute. Can’t say I blame her, boys got moves. He-”

He didn’t get to finish his sentence as Mipha started to tug at his arm, chuckling and swaying in place.

“Come on you two! Can’t just be me and Link up here! Dance with me Kohga!”

“Hey, if you wanna look bad, your funeral, fishy!”

Kohga tossed back the rest of the drink, before trading Link, and getting his chance to dance with Mipha. Link watched Mipha nearly giggle herself half to death, before he offered his hand to Sooga. He rolled his eyes, taking another sip of his drink.

“I suppose Kohga would just scold me if I refused. Alright.”

He accepted his hand, and joined him right next to Mipha and Kohga. It was half hearted, not very well done dancing, but that didn’t matter. All that mattered was that they were having fun, chuckles and giggles moving around the room, just as much as their feet were. Even Sooga had to admit; he was having fun. He swapped partners with Kohga, now dancing with a very enthusiastic Mipha. Thankfully, he wasn’t scared enough to NOT twirl the little princess in place, catching her before her dizziness nearly made her fall to the floor. She cared not at all, laughing it off rather loudly.

“Ha! You’re just like Link! Ever the sweetheart, Sooga.”

“I’d say he’s a lot more like Kohga, quite frankly.”

He chuckled, glancing over at Kohga and Link, who were having just WAY too much fun together. Mipha giggled, getting herself to stand back up.

“You love Kohga SO much, oh my GOD its so sweet. I cry thinking about you guys sometimes, it’s SO sweet. You guys NEED to get married. I wanna see it, so bad.”

“Kohga WOULD look good in a dress, I agree.”

“Thought that’d be you. You have the tits for it.”

“...pardon-”

“Oh switch time!”

Their partners swapped, and suddenly Kohga was in his arms. Not that he had any complaints. Kohga laughed as he held onto Sooga, still keeping in tune to the song.

“Good call on the swap, any longer and I might’ve stolen her mans. I’m telling you, he’s into me.”

“Not anymore than me, Master Kohga.”

“Is that a fact?”

“Absolutely. I can prove it too.”

Sooga leaned down, parted their masks a bit, and pressed his lips against Kohga’s. It was a sweet, tender moment between them, and even though it wasn’t an outdoorsy date, Sooga wouldn’t trade it for anything.

“Link!-”

They both turned to watch Link trip over himself, sending himself falling on top of Mipha, who fell backwards onto the couch. They both shared a laugh, and it was tender, watching Mipha hold onto Link’s face as she did.

“Oh...you’re a big, silly man, Link. I love you. You and your soft face, and your big elephant ears.”

They both snorted at that, forehead pressed together. Sooga looked down at Kohga, who was clearly amused at them both.

“Kohga?”

“Hmm?”

“Did you...think it would end up like this?”

“Well yeah, they’re nuts for each other-”

“No. I mean...everything. Us being together, the world being as perfect as it is now. Did you see that coming?”

“...no. But you know, I’m really glad things ended up how they did. All of it.”

Kohga put his hand into Sooga’s, chuckling. There was a sweet, blissful moment of tenderness between them, before Sooga spoke again.

“You want to grab everything in the fridge and leave them be?”

“Absolutely, been thinking about the cake this whole time.”

[shadow--writer]

Tell me why I get This Feeling, That you Really Wanna Make me Yours

hmm once again on my bullshit (title!). This is all self indulgent lmao, just fluff and setting the stage 

Maeve x Lucas. Playing fairies and catching magic. 4k (lol WHOOPS)

TW: none!

@dela-png 

She sighed, leaning against the counter. “This isn’t working,” she sighed. “You guys feel it too?”

She was teaching a small group today. Will, Andrew, Amanda, Lilith and little Emmie. None of which were paying attention to their spelling lessons.

Granted, neither was she.

“What say we stop the lessons here and go out to do something?” She stretched her arms above her head, adjusting her handkerchief. A lone butterfly fluttered in her stomach as she brushed the embroidered flowers. 

“Do what?” Amanda asked, getting to her feet. Amanda liked to pretend to be hesitant but she was the one abandoning her studies the fastest. 

Even so, Amanda was a bright young lady and Maeve was honoured to teach her.

“Yeah! What are we gonna do?” Lilith chimed in, shoving the papers away from her. 

“Hmmm what if we go on a picnic? We can spend the afternoon in the fields.”

Emmie held her hands up, giggling. “Can we have a tea party?” she asked, her voice a high pitched squeak filled with laughter.

Maeve grinned, pushing herself off the counter. “Why of course milady! All the tea parties you want,” she said with a curtsy. It made the little girl clap her hands together. 

Emmie was only five but her imagination was vivid and her excitement infectious.

“Can we play princess?”

“Well, aren’t you already a princess?” Maeve asked with a wink making the little girl giggle. 

Lilith smiled. “We could put flowers in our hair,” she said to Emmie.

“Flowers?” The five year old’s eyes lit up. “Like what Ms. Maeve has! Will we get flowers like Ms. Maeve’s?”

Flowers like...oh. 

Maeve chuckled, squatting down to ruffle the girl’s hair. “We’ll find even prettier flowers for you.”

Lilith smirked from where she stood with Amanda, picking at dirt under her nails. “Yeah but Maeve yours are better since they’re gifts from a certain someone~”

Maeve felt the tips of her ears go red. “Lucas is only a friend.”

Lilith’s smirk grew more catlike as she looked from her nails back to Maeve. “Mmhmm. But I never said his name.”

…shit she wasn’t wrong. Was she that easy to read?

“Lil Lil, don’t be mean,” Amanda said, bumping her shoulders against Lilith’s. “We all know it’s true, but you shouldn’t say it.”

Lilith’s cheeks were pink as she sulked. “Yeah yeah whatever. She makes it too easy.”

Maeve paused. Did she...make it too easy? They were only friends. Nothing else, but every time his name was mentioned she was…

Up like a dog. 

Her cheeks burned. Okay so maybe the dog comparison wasn’t as off as she would’ve wanted it to be. 

“Well, why don’t we invite him to come with us anyways? Lucas usually brings us something to eat as well when we go on lunch break.”

See? Maeve wasn’t so special. She needed to stop getting in a twist about the little gifts he brought her. 

Especially the flowers. 

“I don’t know...he has work you know. Not all of us can drop everything to go play.”

“Well I’m sure he’d like to go if you’re there,” Lilith muttered. Amanda elbowed her in the side, making her let out a small yelp. 

“I can go see if he can,” Amanda offered. “Lil Lil and I could go.”

“But-”

“Lucas is coming?” Will asked, his eyes lighting up. “I wanna go with! I wanna go with!” He looked at Lilith, tugging on the skirt of her dress. “Can I go with you guys? Pleeeeease?”

Lilith and Amanda shared a look before nodding. 

Maeve rubbed her temples, smiling. Oh this was going to be a mess. “Okay. You three go see if he wants to come along. I’ll take Emmie and Andrew to find a spot and get something sweet along the way. Don’t get your hopes up, he might not come.”

Lilith snorted, but it was Amanda who spoke. “Oh I’m sure he’ll come.”

Maeve pursed her lips, smiling a little. “Tell him...if he does...from me.” They nodded. She leaned in closer, mischief shining in her eyes. “Race ya.”

~~

They ran into the field, tripping and falling. They rolled through the tall grass, laughing.

She made it there first, she noted with a hint of pride. She had made a stop to get something sweet to bring along, so she bought chocolate covered strawberries and little flakey pastries. 

She kept walking, and stopped at the flatter part of the field, fluffing the blanket out. There was a small patch of trees and brush a little ways to their left, a patch of wildflowers in front of them. 

Emmie rolled into the blanket, laughing loudly as she stared up at the sky. 

Maeve put down the basket, sitting beside the giggling girl as she soaked up the sun. 

“Ms. Maeve! Can I do your hair?” Emmie asked. Andrew was eating one of the pastries she brought, picking at the wheat. 

Maeve blinked her eyes open. “Well I mean, of course.”

Emmie grinned, getting up and behind her. She knew her hair was going to be a mess. But it would be a cute mess. 

A few moments later she could hear the chatter of Lilith and Amanda. Will’s laughter was loud above it all. 

She looked over her shoulder to see Lilith running at her, telling Emmie about something or other. 

And there was Lucas. He had Will up on his shoulders and a small basket with him. 

She smiled. When he was close enough, she hummed a victory tune. “I win.”

He pretended to pout, but he was smiling. “I did make lunch.”

“I stopped to get something else to eat as well,” she hummed, her hair being tugged into a braid. “And yet I still won.”

“Yeah, yeah. Whatever,” Lucas said, setting Will down. 

“Emmie! Go get some flowers! We can pin them in the braids!” Lilith called, now taking over the mess that was Maeve’s hair. 

“Flowers! Right!”

“I thought I was only getting my hair braided!”

Lilith peeked over her shoulder, smiling. “Yeah. But now we’re putting flowers in it!”

Maeve laughed, looking over at Lucas. He chuckled. “Flowers huh?” 

She looked at his hair, it was a mess of soft looking curls. If she was getting all done up, so was he. 

“Why don’t I do your hair?” she asked. “I brought some aloe just in case, and I can use it…” she reached out to touch a stray curl by his cheek. She brought her hand back quickly, like she’d been burned. “I-If you want to of course!”

“Sure!” he blurted out. “You can. I don’t mind. Just as long as the aloe comes out.”

“It will! I assure you.” She moved to get the basket, ignoring Lilith’s protests. She grabbed one of the aloe leaves, sitting back. She cracked the leaf open, ignoring the gel for a moment. 

She looked up at Lucas, lips twisting as she thought for a moment. She ran her hands through his hair, untangling some of the knots she found and letting it rest in a more slicked back style. One curl was stubborn and kept falling into his eyes. 

She leaned up onto her knees, Lilith moving with her to keep fixing the braids in her hair as Emmie brought back an armful of flowers. 

Lucas watched her work, scooping a little bit of aloe onto her fingers and working it into his curls. It slowly started to slick back, that one stubborn curl still not working with her. She sulked, twisting it around one of her fingers and trying to pull it back.

No luck.

She combed her fingers back through his hair, watching it slick back into place. She gave up on the one curl falling between his eyes. 

Lilith poked her with a flower stem. She let out a low hiss, sitting back down onto her legs. “There,” Maeve said with a smile. “All done.”

He blinked out of his shock, touching his hair with a hand. “That easy?”

“Well I’m sure you’ll mess up all my hard work later, but yes.”

He snorted, bumping their shoulders together. “So little faith in me.”

“You tend to roughhouse with Will. And get people bitten by eels.”

“Low blow, Thumbelina. Very low blow.”

She giggled, turning away from him as they settled into a comfortable silence. 

Will and Andrew were sword fighting with sticks, tackling one another off to the side. Amanda was looking through the food Lucas had brought. 

“All done!” Lilith said, pride seeping into her voice. Maeve touched the back of her head, her hair gathered into one long braid snaking down her back. Now with flowers tucked into it.

Lilith moved in front of her, tugging a few strands of Maeve’s bangs out of the braid to hand around her cheeks. “Perfect!”

Emmie clapped, tugging on Lilith’s hand pleading her to do her hair next. Maeve watched them, amused, as they moved towards Amanda. 

Maeve watched Amanda kneel before Lilith, both of them laughing. Amanda’s cheeks were pink as she kissed Lilith’s knuckles. 

Oh oh ho. 

“Looks like we have a case of first love on our hands,” Maeve whispered to Lucas. 

“What?”

She pointed at the two teenagers, who were laughing and blushing. Definitely first love. 

He watched them. “I...what?”

...he could not be serious. 

“Can’t you see it? The way they look at one another. How red their faces are. The sweetness in their expressions!” Maeve said with a smile. She knew Lilith liked Amanda due to an off hand remark followed by threats to keep it a secret. 

“Oh, I see it now,” he whispered as Lilith helped Amanda to her feet. They started chasing Emmie around, both of them laughing and looking at one another when the other wasn’t. 

“I remember my first love,” Maeve said with a soft smile. “He was my first kiss as well, it’s a riveting experience. Do you remember yours?”

“I uh...no.”

“Why not?”

“I don’t think I’ve ever had a first love before. Well, at least not in a person.” 

“Never...had one?”

“Didn’t have the time to.”

“Not all first loves are romantic, you know. But the ones most people have are.”

“I don’t think I’ve been in love romantically before then.”

“Never?!”

“I was...I couldn’t be.” He looked over at her. His shirt looked like a tunic, with laces down the front. She fought the urge to pull on the drawstrings. “What’s it like?”

“Love?”

“Yeah.”

She looked up at the sky, pursing her lips. “Well it’s different for everyone. To me it’s about the passion you feel when you think of them. The swell in your heart when you see them. The comfort you feel in their presence. How they make you want to be better, do better. The way they can make you smile with just a look. The inside jokes, the little gifts. Being able to wake up in their arms every single day and never tire of it.”

“That’s...beautiful.”

“Of course love is a fucking bitch.” He blinked in surprise at the low snarl in her voice. Ah experience. 

“It’s a double edged sword. One loving and sweet, the other dark and biting. Love can easily be sweet and kind, but just as cruel. Broken hearts are no joke,” she said with a smile. “But that’s life I guess.”

He shuddered. “That side of love seems awful.”

“Two sides to the same coin I suppose.”

“It shouldn’t be cruel though.”

“What...do you mean?”

“Well from what I gather broken hearts are normal, but love shouldn’t turn cruel and sharp, you know?”

“I’ve...never thought of it that way.”

He prodded her side. “What kind of love have you been feeling then?”

She paused. She hadn’t thought about it much since she left… “The cruel one I suppose.”

His eyes softened. “Well I hope you feel the sweet kind again.”

“I hope so too.”

They smiled at one another, being interrupted by Will jumping into their laps, trying to escape Lilith’s threats to tickle him. 

Lucas grinned wickedly. “You just jumped into a pit of vipers little man,” he said, prodding at Will’s sides. Will let out a squeal, trying to get away. 

“Lucas!” Will screamed, Lucas prodding his sides as he squirmed. 

Maeve laughed. “Magic word and I help you,” she whispered to Will. 

His eyes were pleading. “P-P-P-Please,” he begged. 

She smiled, turning to Lucas who was none the wiser. Her smile grew wicked.

She poked him in the side once and he let out a wheeze, shifting away from her. Then she poked him again. 

He turned to look at her with a huff. She motioned Will away before turning back to Lucas who was slowly catching on to her plan. 

“Don’t-”

She tackled him, laughing. He let out a small ‘oof’, falling flat on his back as she straddled his hips and prodded at his sides. 

He squirmed underneath her, arms flailing as he tried to get her off. But she was relentless. 

“M-M-Maeve!” he wheezed, reaching out to get her off of him. And to possibly turn the tides. “Thumbelina!” 

Oh no that wouldn’t do. 

She leaned forward, taking his hands in hers and pinning them to the ground above his head as she leaned over him victorious. 

“Pinned ya!” she said with a large grin. Soft laughter snuck into her tone.  

Lucas rolled his eyes, wiggling his arms. “Alright alright, you win. Lemme up.” She giggled, letting go of his hands. He sat up, making her slide down into his lap. 

Then he grinned, tackling her into the wheat. She let out a shriek as one of his hands darted along her sides and the other held down her wrists. 

She squirmed, kicking at open air.

Fighting a huff, she kneed him softly in the thigh. Surprise flicked over his features and she took the opportunity to shove him off of her, the two of them rolling down the small slope and into the grass and patch of wildflowers. 

Emmie let out a whine of protest as they rolled over some flowers. They were laughing the entire time and when they stopped she had him pinned again. 

She smirked, tossing her now messy braid over her shoulder. Flowers dangled out of the strands, falling onto his chest. 

“Pinned ya again.”

She sat up, letting go of her hold on his shoulders. He just stared at her as she moved off of him and ran up the slope again.

Her heart was fluttering too much. 

“Well you two looked like you were having fun,” Lilith said, a tease clear in her voice. 

Maeve glowered at her. “Mmmhm. And you and Amanda?”

Lilith’s face went red. “Well! She...we- um…”

“I thought so,” she teased. 

Lilith pouted. “Not like you can say anything.”

“Like I’ve said, we’re only friends.” Her tone was firm but even she almost didn’t believe what she was saying. 

Lilith only rolled her eyes, the other running back to join them. Emmie was waving flower crowns in the air, Amanda following close behind. 

Will glared at Lucas, who was now climbing back up the slope.

The boy looked back at Maeve. “What are you supposed to be? I’m a knight!”

“A knight! How chivalrous,” she said with a sweet smile. “I’m just a handmaiden.”

“No!” Emmie pouted, stomping her foot. “Princess!”

“Well a Princess then I guess.”

“Wait…” Amanda said, holding up a flower crown she and Emmie had made. “You’re too old to be a Princess.”

Well...ouch. 

Lilith caught on. “A queen!”

Maeve paused. Okay that stung less. “But-”

Lilith and Amanda ran over, dropping the flower crown onto her head, singing a song and laughing. “A queen! A queen!” Emmie cheered. 

“And what am I the queen of?” Maeve asked, adjusting her new crown. Fine she could roll with this.

“Fairies,” Lucas said, an affectionate smile growing across his face. “Queen Thumbelina Maeve of the fairies.”

“Ugh you suck,” she said, shoving him to the side as he laughed. 

“And what am I?” Lucas asked with a grin. “A knight or a prince?”

“The evil villain!” Will said, sticking his tongue out. “You tickled me!”

Lucas stopped. “The villain?”

Oh no.

He was slow to look at her. A wicked grin crept across his face, replacing the excited one.

Oh. Gods. No. 

He scooped her up, protests rising to her lips in a high pitched scream as she was tossed over his shoulder. “If you want me to play the villain I will! Muahaha! I have kidnapped your beloved Fairy Queen!” Lucas said, his voice filled with such...cheesy fake acting. 

The kind you could only find in make believe. 

She kicked her legs, he held a hand to her thigh. “Let me go you ruffian!” she yelled, tipping down farther against his back. She was laughing too hard. “Oh my fair knights!” She pretended to swoon as Lucas spun them around avoiding Will’s stick. 

He started jogging off with her over his shoulder. She gripped the fabric of his shirt, laughing so hard her hands shook. He adjusted her so she wasn’t falling off of his shoulder. 

He was holding her like a sack of flour. 

The ruffian. 

Amanda and Lilith were bent next to one another, their laughter sweet. Will chased after Lucas with a yell, Andrew following close behind. 

“I’m going to take all the Fairy Queen’s magic and use it for my own evil plan!” Lucas called after them.

“Oh help me my knights, we mustn’t let our magic be stolen!” she said, trying to fight her smile. 

Lucas stopped by the brush, setting her down on the ground and grabbing a stick. “I challenge you to a duel!” he said, holding the stick up to Will. 

“I accept!” Will boasted, smacking Lucas’ stick. Andrew started hitting Lucas on the back of the legs. 

“Ow hey that’s not fair,” Lucas whined, making her laugh. 

“You kidnapped me, all's fair in rescuing your queen!” She clapped her hands, her skirt fluffing out around her seated form. “Get him!” she cheered. 

“You’re mean,” Lucas said, his smile lighting up his eyes. 

“Mmm you like it,” she replied with a wink. 

Will smacked his stick out of his hand, jabbing at Lucas’ chest. “Ooh!” Lucas moaned in fake pain, grabbing the stick and sticking it under his arm. “You got me! I’m dying.” He swooned, falling to the ground. 

Will poked him. “I didn’t hurt you, did I?”

Lucas cracked an eye open. “This is the part where you take your Queen into the woods for safety.”

“Oh!” Will looked at Maeve, she got to her feet. He grabbed her hand, tugging her into the brush. She picked up her skirts, giggling. 

“Oh Sir Will, you are so brave,” she said, ducking into the bushes. 

Will curled up, looking around. “So what now?” he asked. 

“Well, this is the part where your fair lady thanks you,” she said with a smile. 

He blinked. “You’re welcome?”

She snorted. “How would you like a kiss?”

“A kiss from the fairy queen?”

“Why yes! A magic kiss. It’ll grant you protection and safety from any threat!” 

His face twisted as he thought about it. “A magic kiss?” She nodded. He smiled at her, tilting his face closer to hers. 

Laughing, she pulled him closer to her, hugging him and planting a scrunched up kiss on his cheek. “You were very brave.”

He squealed out a giggle, wiggling out of her arms. They could hear Amanda and Lilith’s laughter, and Lucas yelp as little Andrew hit him with a stick again.

They walked out of the brush, Andrew dropping the stick to follow Will back to the blanket.

Maeve laughed, squatting down the “dead” Lucas. “You okay there?”

“Sticks are no joke,” he groaned, sitting up. “Andrew got me pretty good.”

She giggled, pressing the back of her hand to her lips. “Now you’ll have more bruises for me to treat.”

“Great.”

“Oh don’t be so dramatic,” she giggled, helping him to his feet. They walked back to the kids who were eating the sandwiches he brought. His shirt now had grass and dirt stains. 

“We can split the lunch you brought me,” she said, swaying her hips a little. 

“What? You don’t have to do that.”

She bumped their hips together, grinning up at him. She felt light around him. Like a cloud. “Well I want to!”

He smiled, brushing a leaf from her hair. “...okay.”

Humming, she ran ahead, spinning around and laughing. “Catch me if you can, vile villain!” She stuck her tongue out at him as she ran backwards. 

He grinned, chasing after her. She let out a squeal, turning and bolting.

Of course he caught up to her, wrapping her up in a hug and spinning her around. She let out a squeal, throwing her head back as she laughed and they spun. 

He set her down after a moment, letting her right herself. 

They just stared at one another for a moment, heat flooding her cheeks as her heart fluttered violently. 

Oh.

Oh no.

The two of them looked away from one another as they blushed. Oh no indeed. When she turned to look at him she was hit with a wave of...a desire to kiss him.

Going straight as a rod her cheeks warmed. She was sure she was glowing now too. “I’mgoingtogetsomethingtoeat,” she blurted out, rushing over to the blanket, trying to ignore her red face. 

She did not want to kiss her friend. No sir. 

She was not wanting to kiss Lucas at all. She had already been through this! It never ended well. Friendship was better anyways. He wouldn’t want her that way anyways. 

He stayed behind for a moment, only watching her go. 

She turned around, trying to stamp down the butterflies in her stomach. Just friends. 

“Come on!” she said, holding out her hand.

He blinked, before smiling and jogging over to her to take her hand. He squeezed her hand once, making her heart skip a beat. Just friends.

His smile was affectionate and his voice was soft. “Okay.”

Just...friends. 

~~

They started walking back when the sun started to set. She swung her arms, baskets in hand. 

“That was fun, thank you for letting me tag along,” Lucas said. 

“Of course! I’m glad we got out today, it really was fun,” she replied, spinning around to look at him, walking backwards now as she swayed. “Thank you for coming.”

“I’m...glad I did.”

“Me too.”

They smiled at one another. 

“I can take the kids back,” he said.

She nodded. “You know where they hang out better than I do. I should...clean up. We kinda left a mess behind.”

He chuckled, dropping her off at the stoop of her clinic. There was an awkward silence for a heart beat. 

Then another. 

He broke it with a dorky smile. “Well...see you later then,” he started, sweeping into a bow with an invisible hat. She pressed her fingers to her mouth as she laughed. “Queen Thumbelina.” He took her hand, gently kissing her knuckles before letting her hand drop.

He moved to leave. “Wait!” she said, pulling the flower crown off of her head. He stopped, turning around from the lower step. She stretched onto her tiptoes, placing the crown (very crookedly) on his head with a light kiss brushed against his cheek. “Thank you. The kids really like having you around,” she whispered. 

She turned to go inside, trying to ignore the heat in her face. 

He stood there, watching her go inside. She waved, closing the door softly. 

Through the window she watched him touch the crown and tap his cheek once. His smile never faded, but it looked uncertain. 

She watched him walk down the street, the kids running around him as they were bathed in the sunset. 

Her heart raced in her chest. 

She sank to the floor, heart racing and cheeks warming. Lilith was right. Maeve was easy to read.  

She liked him. 

She liked him...a lot, didn’t she?

She buried her face in her hands. She knew the answer, she didn’t like the answer. It was still her answer nonetheless. 

Yes.

She did. 

And she didn’t know what she was going to do. 

[mattie-writes-nonprofit]

The Past Always Rises

Aloy is exploring Plainsong when she comes across a familiar face. Her fa- ...the man who raised her.

Aloy didn't expect anything about what she saw when she guided the gaggle of children back to the town. At first, it consisted of disbelief and denial, but... the longer she stood there the more she realized it was real. Rost, her fath- the man who raised her, had left for Utaru land and settled down. Without telling her. Perhaps at first, she felt a bit replaced and pushed aside. It didn't last though.

She was desperate. But she knew it wouldn't turn out well. He wanted to have this family.

So she pulled up her mask and tried walking away. However, it didn't last. With her luck, of course it didn't.

"Wait, Miss Machine Tamer!" the little girl who was clutching Rost's legs just a moment ago exclaimed. "My dad says you should stay for supper."

She paused. There was no way she would be able to say no. Her hair was covered in enough ash and mud that the red wasn't all that noticeable, so she would be alright. As long as she was careful. So, she crouched down and smiled under the mask. "Oh, really? I guess it'd be rude if I said no?"

"Yep!"

Aloy sighed gently, patting the fellow redhead on the top of the head. "I'll stay. But just for dinner."

"Okay!" the girl, who Aloy found out was named Ame, exclaimed. She rushed away back to Rost. Aloy finally noticed that his face was partially wiped clean, his former face paint faded. A few parts of it had streaked across his forehead.

Aloy slapped herself on her cheeks to snap herself out of it. "Let's just... get through dinner." She made sure her Focus was hidden as she followed them. It was helpful, but a dead giveaway.

The dinner was a feast. Less meat than Nora festivals, but still huge. There were bowls full of hardened grain that tasted a bit like honey and at least a dozen types of bread. Fruits and vegetables decorated the tables. While few, some meat-filled plates were sparsely scattered about. There was a prayer thanking the dead before the feast truly started, which Aloy found sweet. It was only once the eating began that she realized how absolutely ravenous she was.

She ate more than she had in weeks and felt as though she was about to burst once she was done.

Ame had sidled up to her side over the course of the meal to begin chatting her ear off. Mostly about what her dads were teaching her and the different machines in the area. Aloy did her part in asking whatever questions she could think of and simply listening.

The kid was cute and... she was Rost's daughter. There was no way Aloy could tell her no.

"You should stay! Just for tonight?"

The disguised redhead tapped the table. "I really should get going..."

"Pleeeeease?" the girl asked pleadingly.

Aloy didn't want to leave even though she knew she had to. But... what would one night do? "Okay. Just tonight!"

The kid cheered as she ran off to Rost once again. This time his mate was with him. An Utaru. She was happy for him despite all the heartache she went through. He deserved to have something to go home to. Aloy rose from the table, carefully walking over to the trio. When Rost noticed her, he had the smallest of smiles.

"I never got to thank you. Thank you for bringing my daughter home, Death Seeker."

She had completely forgotten about the paint on her face. "It was nothing."

"Nonsense," his mate replied. "The little one says you're staying the night? Let us use that as thanks."

Aloy was caught completely off guard. "There's no need."

"Well, Miss Machine Tamer," Rost's mate said. "We insist. My name is Okni, this is Rost. And our daughter, Ame."

She fell asleep faster than she thought she could. But despite that, a nightmare was still lurking. This time it was Rost's supposed death. It burned into her mind that he was gone. With each repeat of the stabbing and explosion, she cried out for him. Desperate to have him stay. She just wanted him to go with her. Unknown to Aloy, she was mumbling his name and reaching out to the open air.

And she was woken up by Rost. But she thought she was still dreaming. So she reached forward and hugged him. "Dad... don't leave again. Please..."

Aloy fully woke up about an hour later and realized what she had done. Rost was sleeping against what she was on and she wanted to reach out and make sure it was real. But she didn't. Instead, she just sat up and gathered her things. She was going to leave and never return, letting him have his happy family without her interfering. She was going to make sure he was happy. Even if it was without her.

However, he woke up before she could.

"Aloy, wait!"

His voice was so desperate that she had to stop in her tracks. She turned slowly, eyes tearing up as Rost stood and hugged her. It had been so long since that had happened. It made her break down to the point of sobs. She held him so tight to make sure he couldn't disappear. Her tears soaked his shirt and his crashed to the floor. They sat like that for a few minutes, just basking in the fact they found each other.

After that... it was catching up.

She told him about everything that had happened before she came to Plainsong. The worry on his face was evident even though she was in front of him safe and sound. All of her endeavors were dangerous, but she wanted him to know. He missed out on far too much. Then she was interrogated about her face paint. The panic was obvious. He was a Death Seeker and knew how breaking it could be.

"The Matriarchs made me a Seeker," she replied gently. "I wanted to... have something of yours. So I copied the paint."

The relieved sigh even made her feel comfortable. "Thank the Goddess."

Once the other two awoke, proper introductions were in place. And when he introduced her as his daughter, she almost cried some more. Ame was ecstatic to have an older sister (who was a machine tamer at that!) and Okni was just glad to have more family. Rost and Aloy were glad to have each other back. She didn't want to leave, not at first, but they all knew she had more things to discover. But Rost made sure that she knew...

"You always have a home here, Aloy."

(p.s. if you like HZD, join the scream room! https://discord.gg/rb6GuFYMcP)

[mantra4ia]

Desires: Lucifer season 5 on Netflix

Created: August 21, 2020. Last Modified: August 22, 2020.

Preface: Alright my Lucis, here’s the sitch: it’s been a minute. Life got a bit chaotic I wasn’t able to start season five quite on time when it premiered on August 21st because I haven’t finished the great 2020 Lucifer rewatch. I’m nearly done however and should be able to jump into it either later today or tomorrow, which is why beforehand I want to — as I’ve traditionally done for a few seasons — create a desires list and keep a tally throughout the season to see how many are met. I am going to try to pace myself, not binge, and watch a single episode a day so don’t spoil me. Likewise I will tag my spoilers. Here we go... #21DaysofLucifer

Season 3 and 4 Roundout - Desires Fulfilled / Questions Answered

✔We’ve seen other demons “like Maze” and a bit of what havoc they can reek. Well sort of. To be quite frank, although it was cool to see them possess the recently deceased, it wasn’t as impending doom as I was expecting. They didn’t seem nearly as disciplined or intimidating as Mazikeen, even Dromos, more bored and desperate.

✔ We’ve seen a little more or the heavenly host in Remiel. Remi was cool, if a bit intense. Her character, and her affinity to Amenadiel was a nice foil to see how far his character has come in evolution. But again like Uriel was for Lucifer, she kind of became a driving force character device to push Amenadiel’s growth. So I wonder if we’ll get to see more of her or not.

✔ (s3) The backstory of Lucifer’s arrival in LA, finding LUX, and making a deal with Amenadiel.

✔ (s3) Cain finally went to hell, YES! Not that I didn’t like Marcus Pierce/Tom Welling, there were some great interactions there, but I just think he was a wishy-washy antagonist based on how he was written and I can’t wait to trade up for Michael.

✔ Maze finally had some happiness and attachment to this silly mortal coil and it slipped away! Why Eve why? I love Maze’s bonding with humans, Linda, Trixie, Chloe. But I love that after a Millennia of serving, and then watching Amenadiel and Linda be happy in a family unit, that she might actually make her own and my hopes were dashed. 

Things we got that we didn’t even know we wanted. SO GOOD:

Season 4 ep 8: Amenadiel bonding with Caleb and confronting community violence, police brutality, and systemic racism. It was a rough episode to be sure, but absolutely needed,

Chloe talking Lucifer down and out of a self-hatred spiral and his transformation into full-fledged devil and back again.

Lucifer playing Creep on repeat while missing the detective (even after insisting in a therapy session that “he’s not a teenager playing Adele on repeat) and Mr. Said Out B**** trying to rob Lucifer and gun point and ultimately get rich. What a fun twist.

The Dan and Maze Los X’s fight. They are wicked good at laying down the  hurt on the criminal element and I was wondering when they’d pair up again after dispatching Warden Perry.

The devil in a bar fight! I mean, it’s only fair since the ladies had their brawl. I love how this fight sequence was filmed in bursts of slo-mo from various angles, involved everything from fists, to tasers, knives, bottles, and the infamous pool cue, and they picked the perfect song for pacing (Jake Bugg, Lightning Bolt, could listen to it all day on repeat.)

Time for all good demons to go home / Enough, you will bow down to your king. Go home! (aka appropriate use of Devilish intimidation face)

Amenadiel vs Remi 

A Rocky montage with Lucifer and Amenadiel / Amenadiel’s face the first time Lucifer drives the Corvette

Lucifer at the roller derby

Chloe the YA fangirl

Maze teaching Trixie about knives, with each handle decorated in a different toy.

Amenadiel and Chloe catching up: your father is so proud of you. Like and angel BOSS!

SEASON HIGHLIGHTS:

★ (s3) Amenadiel taking Charlotte home

★ Dan being comforted in his grief by Amenadiel

★ Amenadiel’s wrath and the brotherly duo tag team to lay the hurt on the drug dealer that got Charlie killed. It’s been a while since we’ve seen warrior angel ready to dispatch anyone in his way. And it was glorious!

★ (s3) Lucifer’s almost driving lesson with Trixie “Morningstar”

★ (s3) Maze torturing Lucifer by making him think he’s the Angel of San Bernadino

★ (s3) Amenadiel and Lina helping to dispose of Lucifer’s wings

★  Lucifer kicking Julian, Tiernan’s son, through a glass pane window

★ The goodbye kiss between Lucifer and Chloe

 DIDN’T LIKE:

☒ (s3) Cain playing guitar and singing. What is he, a crime lord, a top cop, or an act that the improv club wouldn’t take? 

☒ Eve. I liked Eve, but we mostly got to see one side of her around Lucifer, and a kind of floundering an confused side when she was with Maze. The side that I would have liked to see more of was the maternal side that came out when she briefly talked about Abel or was interrogated by Trixie. That made her more layered.

☒ Father Kinley. That dude is just meh.

☒ Dan’s broken heart and rebounding with Ella. Don’t get me wrong, its a good arc, but I don’t see it lasting

☒ (s3) Abel and Reese. Those were two side stories I could have done without, although they had great moments of humor. I quite enjoyed Reese’s character, and although I didn’t like Abel Lucifer’s stick-figure comic illustration of Cain fighting with him over a rock was quite enjoyable.

WHAT I TRULY DESIRE: SINFUL SEASON 5, my BURNING QUESTIONS, and SPECULATIONS

Obviously, don’t spoil anything for me, but if any of my desires end up coming true in any of the first eight episodes maybe drop me a hint in the comments...

A big time jump. We need to see the lasting impact of Lucifer’s absence. I know that time in hell works differently per that episode where Lucifer saved Chloe and almost got stuck in a loop, but we still need enough time to elapse that the impact is felt on the mortal side. Or, we need to see the passage of time through a series of events without Lucifer, like a montage of character development. At least a year or so, if for no other reason then Trixie is growing up and I actually want to see her take driving lessons with Lucifer.

Last season Maze gave baby Charlie a gift, something she’d wished she’d had growing up, and previously had alluded to the language of demons, her many siblings, and teased her mother, the mother of all demons. Will we finally get to meet Maze’s mom Lilith (or however they address her)? And, in spite of Mazikeen’s found family, she still has restlessness and abandonment issues. Will her mom finally finally bring her peace, or will clashing with her resolidify Maze’s purpose on earth?

A Decker/Mazikeen team-up or girls night out 2.0 would always be appreciated. At this point its probably 4.0 if you count the bar fight and the bachelorette party.

Will we see tougher, scarier demons, or are they just warmup to the really scary depths of hell?

Speaking of hell, more hell. Tons of hell. I want to know the minutia of all the mechanics. If Lucifer’s gotta be down there in self-imposed exile, he may as well show us around. Pour us a drink.

Will Lucifer see Cain in Hell? Not that I’m dying to see more of “sad Cain” but it would be interesting to see a more dark or desperate or cunning side to him at least now that he’s actually neck deep in torment. Or, alternatively, I’m hedging my bets that he could be a good candidate to light the fire under Lucifer’s *** to get of hell back to the earthly realm. Even in hell, I’m betting Cain would have a soft spot for Chloe, and if news reached Lucifer that Michael were trying to abscond with his life and with Chloe, it would give Cain and Lucifer one last bit of “A-Hole brothers” common ground to bond over. Like “Brothers, am I right? Go kick, get Chloe back, I’ll still have enough guilt to torture me with in a few thousand years when you get back,”   

Will Lucifer fall into peril in hell of once again potentially getting distracted and stuck in a hell loop? Will his servants be satisfied with his return? Will Amenadiel bust him out.

Mr. Said Out Bitch needs a role reprise. He’s been in every season opener 2-4, we’ve gotten to know his undergarments very well.  Its high time we get to know his name and story. He’s put in the work!  

Amenadiel should be running LUX in Lucifer's absence. We got a tease of that in previous seasons (remember when he asked what would Lucifer do?) its time for that to come to fruition. Plus, any excuse to put DB Woodside in a suit, just because he wears them so well. It would also be interesting if, after that tragedy he’s experienced, Amenadiel will start taking after Luci. Maybe not the punishing, not yet, but wanting to seek out evil and corruption. It has been teased since s1 “fall as I did.” Perhaps he’ll start developing a taste for his bother’s line of work whereas he found it repugnant in the early days

Dan and Maze or Dan and Ella pair up. Both Dan and Maze are due for some happiness.

An Azrael reboot, when need more of her. She’s the angel of Death for pity’s sake. I don’t know if the original actress is still available or if they would have to recast, or if the character concept by Netflix would even be the same, but I need Azrael to be capable of sweet and unassuming and on a coin flip downright menacing.

More of Lucifer as a godparent, bless! And maybe a cool montage of “cousin” Trixie and Lucifer co-babysitting Charlie please.

Whilst on the subject of Lucifer and parenting, and without putting Trixie too much into harm’s way, I need to see what “I would do anything to protect that little urchin” looks like. Trixstar ride or die.

Father Frank, come back! I need a cameo or recurrent role pleeeeease.

Trixie in every episode. This is non-negotiable, much like chocolate cake. Beatrice is an all-star. In fact, I’ve decided that when Dad/God finally does show up, Trixie needs to be the one to get to know him / introduce him first. She’s been captain on the celestial cheer squad for four seasons, she’s earned this.

Who's going to see through Michael's facade first? I mean, I know that trailer shows Maze torturing it out of him, but as far as intuition goes, I've got a 50/50 split between Trixie and Linda, with an honorable mention to Dan.

If Michael is Lucifer's twin, does he have the same angelic compulsion skill set? Or something different? And will it work on Chloe or is she universally immune?

A “be like Mike” pop-culture reference. ******Spoilers: ******* all the trailers have revealed Michael already, so they owe us this for letting the steam out.

As far as pop-culture, how many movie and TV references will we get from Lucifer and ensemble this year? I expect A-game, from sci-fi to 80s action, on par with the previous likes of Parent Trap, Star Wars, Home Alone, Kim Possible, and Rocky.

Will Amenadiel’s necklace make a reappearance, even after he put it around Caleb’s neck in the morgue? Heavenly artifacts have a way of causing trouble in this show.

Will what finally learn what, if any, significance there is to Lucifer’s ring? Again, as all my fictional writings will attest, I really kind of want it to be a stolen little trinket from him Dad.

Plot twist: will we get to see Hell and the silver city all in one season, or is that too devilishly good to ask? It would be intriguing if Lucifer fell from Heaven for rebelling and now some threat like, for example, the mother of demons would pose a threat to the gates such that Lucifer was called upon to defend them. Not expecting anything Endgame level with a host of Angels popping up like sorcerers...but it is food for the imagination.

Plot twist: will Michael, duplicitous twin that he is, be revealed as the reason that Lucifer does not lie and can’t stand liars? Will be get a Michael back story? Is he perhaps the true rebellious son? see: my original fan conjecture here.

Additional links to previous recaps, roundouts and wishlists: 

Season 1: Best Moments // Season 2: Predictions, Desires, Roundout, Best Moments // Season 3: Speculations, Quick-shot summary 

[aaronpullinteeth]

I bet the conversation between IMPACT and AEW went something like:

IMPACT: "Ok, we want you guys to help us get some better exposure"

AEW: "No problem. We can do that. However, there's an exchange..."

IMPACT: "....go on."

AEW: "PLEASE TEACH US HOW TO BOOK OUR WOMEN'S DIVISION BETTER. We're nailing everything else. Help us out, please please pleeeeease."

[vanilla-bean-buttercream]

Doubling Our DNA - Chapter 10

Pairings: Future Logince & Moxiety | Platonic/Queerplatonic Analogical & Royality Characters: Patton, Logan, a few oc’s you’re probably going to hate Chapter warnings: emotional abuse, manipulative step-parent, victim blaming, gaslighting, broken bones, blood, lots of anti-LGBT+ talk (this takes place in the 1990s) including homophobia and transphobia, parent death mention, husband death mention, this chapter’s long so let me know if I missed anything Word Count: 8,162 (I told you)

Summary:

This is a story about sacrifice, about doing something selfless for the ones you love. This is about mistakes, about false promises, and about dealing with the cards you've been dealt with. But most importantly, this is a story about Logan and Patton, and how they came to be here.

Ao3 Link

<= Chapter 1 | < Chapter 9

==

...Twenty-one years ago, soon to be twenty-two…

Logan jumped as their bedroom door opened and slammed closed. They heard the giggles before they saw the blond curls hurtle onto their bed. Logan bounced, holding their book as still as possible as the bed jostled.

“Look what I got!”

Brown fudge forced itself under Logan’s nose, and they noticed the distinct smell of chocolate. They eyed their twin next to them, catching his satisfied grin, and sighed.

“Patton, I hope you didn’t steal that off the table while Miss Nikki wasn’t looking,” Logan mumbled.

“Mmmhmm,” Patton replied. He pressed up against Logan’s side, their bodies fitting together like a puzzle piece, and set the fudge in his lap. 

“You know we’re not allowed to have sweets,” Logan mumbled.

“I know.”

“Besides, you never get in trouble for stealing food. It’s always me.”

“Well,” Patton picked up a piece of fudge and shoved it into Logan’s open mouth. “Might as well make it worth it, right?”

Logan nearly choked. They struggled to chew, but they eventually stopped hurrying and enjoyed the flavor. For a moment, the two twins sat in the silence of their fudge munching company. Logan swallowed, and they stared at the chocolate fingerprints they left behind on the library book nestled between their legs. They wrinkled their nose.

"Aww, I'm sorry Lo," Patton mumbled as he looked over their shoulder. "I didn't mean to make you ruin the book."

"It's alright, Patton. I'm sure the librarian will be okay with it. He's really nice."

Patton pulled his legs up to his chest and rocked back and forth on the bed. He tilted his head to the side and asked, "Logan, do you like the library better than home?"

Logan looked at him and blinked. Their too big glasses slid down their nose. "What kind of question is that?"

"It's just," Patton bit his lip. "You always go there when we go to the park to play. You never stay with me."

"Miss Nikki and mom do not care where I go," Logan mumbled.

"But I do. I want to play with you too."

"Then come to the library with me."

Patton wrinkled his nose, "I can't read."

"They'll teach you. There's this really nice boy named-"

"Logan! Where is my fudge."

Both Patton and Logan went quiet. Logan heard footsteps on the stairs. In a panic, they shoved their library book under their pillow. They barely flipped back over in their spot before the door to their room flew open.

The woman standing in the doorway was thin, too thin, like a skeleton came from the closet and grew skin. Her sharp blue eyes cut right through Logan, and Logan could feel all the strength leaving their body. They swallowed hard.  

"I knew it," she continued with a click of her tongue. "You little pig. You know you're not allowed to have sweets. It's going to rot your teeth out of your head, and then we're going to have to take you to the dentist so they can take all your teeth out and all you'll have to eat is jello."

Logan's throat dried out at the thought.

"I did it," Patton piped up beside them. "I took the fudge. I-"

"Sweetheart, please stay out of this," Nikki said with a sigh. 

"But Miss-"

"You're both lucky I'm in a good mood, or I'd say no supper since you both decided to gorge yourself on fudge. Next time, you might not be."

The door slammed shut. The only sign of life in the house was the pounding of both Logan and Patton's hearts. Neither of them dared to move.

Patton sniffled, and he wiped a tear from his eyes. He licked the last bit of chocolate off his lips and took jagged breaths in.

Logan pressed their back deeper into their pillow. They watched as Patton broke down beside them. Not really sure what else to do, they pressed their shoulder into Patton's shoulder. If anything, perhaps it would allow Patton to know someone was here for him. Patton looked over at Logan, a weak smile on his face, and rested his head on their shoulder.

"I'm sorry," Patton mumbled.

Logan thought for a moment before they answered, "You're right, Patton. The fudge was worth it."

Patton giggled. He sighed, and a solemn expression settled on his face. He glanced up at Logan and asked, "Do you ever think she'll be nice to you?"

"I don't see why she would," Logan mumbled. "I'm not her child."

"You are too," Patton pouted. "And she should be a nicer mom."

"I wonder though, Patton, if she'd be nice to me if I weren't a boy. She seems to like you-"

"No, don't you say that. It's okay you're not a girl. Miss Nikki is just mean."

Logan's lips quirked a bit at that. They sighed, and they pulled the book they were reading out from under their pillow once again. Their fingertips smoothed out the corner of the book, which dogeared from being shoved under the pillow. Patton leaned in and read the cover. His cheek squished against Logan's side, and he took a deep breath in. 

"So, what is so magical about these treehouses anyway?"

Logan's lips quirked into a smile. Of all the things they and Patton did together, they enjoyed reading out loud the most. Judging by the way Patton focused on the letters he couldn't read, they guessed Patton loved it too. Logan opened the book to the first page, smoothed out the center, and cleared their throat.

"Chapter one…"

--

“Patton, are you alright?”

“Yeah, I just… headache.”

“We can stop.”

“No! No, I want to know. What happened. What really happened.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes. Please keep going.”

--

“Mommy, can we please go to the park today? Pleeeeease?” Patton begged as he pulled on his mom’s pants leg. 

His mom looked down at him, a permanent tired expression contrasting the softness of her brown eyes, and smiled. After a moment, she answered, “Only if you eat all your carrots at lunch.”

Patton wrinkled his nose. He pressed his forehead into his mom’s thigh. “But I don’t like carrots.”

“I thought you loved carrots.”

“No. I like ranch dip.”

His mom laughed, a sweet sound that floated around the room. It made Patton smile, and he thought for a moment.

Patton continued, “Mom, does Miss Nikki hate Logan?”

Patton’s mom stopped laughing. She looked down at her son and sighed. A hand brushed through Patton’s curls as she answered, “She loves Logan very much, baby.”

“Then why is she so mean to them?”

“She’s not mean. She’s just… warming up to them. She’ll get there. Nikki was hurt very badly by another boy, and… and sometimes she looks at Logan the same way. She’s getting better, I promise.”

Patton sighed and pressed his head against his mom’s leg. He looked over at the doorway where Logan stood just out of earshot. Their eyes studied the situation, and they turned to walk away.

“Logan, wait,” Patton called out.

Their mom’s head snapped up, catching Logan in the doorway. She swallowed and strained a smile. “Logan, sweetheart, good morning.”

Logan froze in place. They turned back around to face their mom and Patton, a cautious expression greeting the two of them. Finally, they responded, “Good morning.”

Their mom sent a tired smile. Logan could tell it was forced. They sighed and returned to walking toward the stairs.

“Wait, Logan,” their mom called out, “How about I take you two to the park? I know I could sure use the fresh air.”

“It rained today,” Logan mumbled.

“I thought Miss Nikki told us to stay inside,” Patton added.

Their mom chewed on her lip before she responded, “Miss Nikki’s not home right now though, is she?”

Patton bounced on his toes and let out a long squeal. “I’ll go get my rain boots!” He darted out of the room, past Logan, and half-ran half-tripped up the stairs.

The kitchen clock counted how long Logan and their mom stood in awkward silence.

“Lolo,” their mom said, making them flinch. They looked up and fixed their glasses. Their mom sighed through her nose, and she shook her head, “Don’t lie to Patton. Nikki and I love you very much.”

“I didn’t lie to Patton,” Logan said and puffed out their chest. “What makes you think I lied?”

“Patton said you thought Nikki hated you, and that’s just not true, sweetheart.”

“Patton didn’t say that. I was there. I heard the whole conversation. Why is it my fault Patton thinks that?” Logan snapped.

“I didn’t say it was your fault.”

“You did so! You just told me not to tell Patton that.”

“That’s not what I meant,” their mom paused. She hesitated before she added, “Just try to give Nikki a chance, please? I know it’s been rough, but we’re all trying to figure things out. It’ll get better, I promise.”

Logan looked at their feet. Their mom knelt down as well and ruffled their hair. Somehow her touch never brought Logan the comfort they desperately wanted. After pushing Logan’s glasses up their nose, she placed a small kiss on their forehead.

“I love you very much. Please don’t forget that.”

Logan looked up at her, their blue eyes searching for a lie. When they didn’t respond, their mom stood and marched to the kitchen sink. Logan watched her start to do the dishes, something they knew she did when she was stressed out, and shook their head. How could their mom not see what was going on? How could she keep making excuses? How could she ignore how Miss Nikki came home smelling of booze and slamming doors and screaming? How did all that get better? They couldn’t understand, and a small part of them didn’t want to.

Patton’s footsteps pounded down the stairs. He jumped over the final step. The carpet at the bottom slid. Patton yelped as his feet slipped out from underneath him. He fell and cracked his head on the bottom step.

“Patton!” Logan yelped. They ran over to their brother’s side. Patton wasn’t moving. They noticed the small amount of red leaking onto the stairs, and they chewed their bottom lip.

“Logan, what happened?” their mom asked. She covered her mouth and crouched down at Patton’s side. “Patton, baby, can you hear me?”

Patton didn’t move.

Logan looked from their mom to Patton and back again. They jumped up to grab the house phone, and their mom held onto their wrist. Logan snapped their head back.

“Mom-”

“He’ll be okay, sweetie. He always is.”

“But he’s hurt!”

“Logan, you can’t call the hospital. They’ll find out about Patton, and then they’ll take Patton away from us. Please.”

Logan watched her for a moment. Then, they slipped out of her grip and jolted forward. Their mom jumped up as well. She wrapped her arms around Logan’s chest and held them still.

“Let go! Let me go!” Logan screamed. They kicked. They hit. They pinched. They bit.

Their mom sat on the floor, holding Logan close to her chest. She shushed them as she struggled to keep them still. Her grip wasn’t tight enough to hurt, but Logan still couldn’t pull away from it.

“I know, sweetheart, I know,” she kept repeating over and over. Logan’s struggles started to weaken, and they settled on crying in frustration. Their mom pulled their head close, rocking them back and forth. She laid another kiss to their forehead. “I know, baby. I know.”

A light whine stilled both Logan and their mom, and they turned to Patton. Patton, who sat up and rubbed the back of his head. Patton, who yelped when his fingers came back crimson. Patton, who turned to them with such fear in his eyes begging for help that Logan couldn’t help but try and struggle to get out of their mom’s grip again.

Their mom let them go, and Logan flew to Patton’s side. They swiped at the back of Patton’s head and noticed the huge red stain on the stairs.

“Logan,” Patton said, turning to them with tears in his eyes. His lips searched for something, anything, to say, but all he could do was cry.

Logan looked back at their mom, who finally realized she was the adult and came over to check on her son. She pulled back Patton’s hair, noticing how he flinched as she parted it.

“Are you okay, baby?” she asked. Her thumb brushed over the bump on Patton’s head, and he yelped and pulled away. She sighed. “Maybe we shouldn’t go to the park today after all.”

“But mom,” Patton whined. He turned to her and added, “I’m okay, really. I’m healed.”

“No, Patton, I don’t want you getting hurt anymore today.”

Patton turned to Logan, desperately asking for backup. Logan stared at him for a while before they sighed through their nose. “Maybe mom’s right, Patton. I don’t want you hurt either.”

Patton’s pout turned into a scowl. He stood, stomped his foot on the ground, and shouted, “It’s always my fault we can’t do anything fun! It’s not my fault I got hurt. I just wanted to have fun!”

Patton turned on his heel and ran up the stairs. Logan and their mom watched as Patton turned the corner and slammed the door shut. Even the door couldn’t muffle Patton’s loud sobs.

Their mom stood and sighed, smoothing out her shirt. Her eyes lingered on the stairs for a moment before she headed back for the kitchen.

“Mom?”

She turned. “Yes, sweetheart?”

“Why won’t you take Patton to the hospital? Hospitals help people.”

“Yes, I know, but they also hurt people, Logan, and they will definitely hurt Patton.”

Logan tried to process their mom’s words, but she disappeared into the kitchen without another sound. They stood and stared up the stairs. Not making any noise, they took step by step up to their room. The closer to the room they got, the louder Patton’s tears sounded, and the heavier their heart became. They stood at their closed door and hesitated.

After three knocks, they asked, “Patton, can I come in?”

They waited.

“Patton?”

After a forced choke of a sniffle later, Patton mumbled, “Come in.”

Logan took a deep breath and turned the door handle. They crept inside.

Patton had a pillow cradled to his chest. His blue eyes peered over the top of the tear-stained pillow, and his shoulders shook from trying to hold in his tears.

“Patton,” Logan said from the doorway. Patton’s hand reached out for them, his fingers making a grabby motion, and Logan entered the room fully. They sat on the bed, and Patton traded the pillow for Logan’s arm.

“It’s not fair,” Patton mumbled. “She said we could go. Why can’t we go?”

Logan sighed and responded, “She doesn’t want you to get hurt.”

“But I can’t get hurt! I know I fall a lot, but I always get better.”

Logan paused. They remembered their mom’s words, and they sighed. A bitter frown folded their lips down, and they rested their head against Patton’s blond curls. 

Patton’s voice mumbled, “We should go anyway.”

Logan jolted at that. They looked over at Patton and replied, “You can’t be serious.”

“Of course not. I’m Patton, silly!”

Logan groaned.

“But we should go anyway.”

“But mom said-”

“The park isn’t that far. We can walk.”

“Patton, it’s too dangerous. What if mom finds out? Or worse, what if Miss Nikki finds out?”

“So?” Patton shrugged. “I really don’t care what they think anymore. I wanna go to the park.”

“Patton-”

“And you’re not going to stop me.”

Logan sighed through their nose. They had to admit, Patton’s spirit fascinated them. Once Patton was committed to an idea, he committed. There was no in between, and no danger was too great as long as he got what he wanted. Logan flopped back against the pillow behind them, and they took a deep breath.

“I won’t.”

“Good.”

Logan hesitated. “And I’ll come too.”

Patton squealed and wrapped his arms around their shoulders. Logan recoiled, but they relaxed seconds later in Patton’s hold.

“Good thing I didn’t take my rain boots off,” Patton chirped as he swung his legs over the bed. “Come on, Logan. We’re going to go have fun!”

--

“Patton, are you sure I shouldn’t stop?”

“No, no, keep going. It’s just… I don’t remember you saying any of that.”

“I know.”

“It was-”

“Damian, I know, but you have to believe me, Patton. What I’m telling you is real.”

“I…”

“I can only imagine based on my own experience how they treated you and your memories, but I swear I’m not lying to you, Patton. I changed your memory to protect you.”

“I guess so.”

“Maybe we should-”

“No! No, I told you, I want to remember.”

“A break then?”

“... no, I’ll be okay. Please, keep going.”

“..If you’re sure.”

--

It finally finished raining that day. The sun rose high in the sky, raising the temperature to an uncomfortable hot autumn day. Patton jumped in the nearly evaporated puddle staining the pavement, and in turn, ended up making Logan’s shoes wet. They let out a low groan, and Patton apologized, but nothing else came from it.

A few parents in their neighborhood said hello to them. They didn’t ask where their mothers were. They all knew by now. Patton and Logan showed up at the park a lot by themselves, often unsupervised, so the parents took it upon themselves to watch out for the rogue children.

Logan sat on a bench next to a man reading the newspaper. They kicked their feet back and forth and folded their fingers in between each other. The man peeked over his newspaper for a moment, smiled, then went back to his business.

“Morning, Logan,” the man greeted while keeping his attention on the black and white ink.

“Morning, Mr. Sanders.”

“I thought for sure you’d be in the library by now. Thomas loves to hang out with you.”

“I’m watching my brother.”

“What a big child you are. As long as your mom knows you’re both out.”

Logan stayed silent at that. If Mr. Sanders was suspicious, he didn’t say anything. 

After a moment, Mr. Sanders continued, “I can watch your brother for right now. Why don’t you go have fun at the library? I’ll tell him where you went if he asks.”

Logan looked up at the man with wide eyes. Kind eyes smiled back behind round glasses, and a giddy burst of energy pushed Logan off the bench. They thanked Mr. Sanders before running off toward the library.

The double doors greeted them like an old friend. People sat on swivel chairs and caught up on their favorite series. Some college students whispered to each other as they researched. A man fought with the dial-up internet for a minute before giving up and going to complain. Logan ducked past everyone and headed toward the children’s section. The children’s section, while not Logan’s favorite area of reading, did house one of their favorite people. Logan bounced up to Thomas and poked his shoulder.

“Oh, Logan,” Thomas said as he put his book down on the table next to him. He smiled at Logan and continued, “Good morning, kiddo. You sleep well?”

“Thomas, you are only four years older than I am.”

“I know, but you’re still younger.”

“I would prefer if you didn’t call me that.”

“Oh, okay Lo. Hey, did you finish the Magic Treehouse book yet?” 

“Not yet. I was hoping to finish it this morning, but… I wasn’t able to.”

“Oh, it’s okay. Hey, we can sit down and read together if you want. I know there’s a story right now that you’d absolutely love. It’s brand new.”

“Oh? What’s that?”

Thomas fished around in his bookbag. He pulled out a peculiar hardcover book with a boy on a broom on the cover.

“Is that a witch?”

“Uh, sort of. He’s a wizard, and his name is-”

“Harry Potter, I’m sure. I read the title.”

Thomas snorted, and he ran his fingers over the raised cover title. “I just thought, you know, you would kinda relate to Harry. He’s not treated very nice by his family, he wears glasses, his dad- uh- well he’s adopted.”

“I wouldn’t mind if you assisted me in reading it,” Logan responded.

Thomas scootched over on the chair, and Logan slid in next to him. Thomas passed the book over, and Logan adjusted their too big glasses to read. They cleared their throat and started.

“Chapter 1: The Boy Who Lived…”

Logan didn’t know how long they sat next to Thomas and read, but the next thing they heard were sirens. Thomas and Logan’s attention both snapped up. People all throughout the library walked toward the door, their noses leaving prints on the glass as they tried to get a better view.

An ambulance parked itself next to the park, and a stretcher lifted from the back. Logan’s heart jumped into their throat. They pushed past the people, ignoring Thomas as he yelled for Logan to come back, and raced through the door. Their heart pounded along with their feet.

As they slid to a halt in the grass, their worst fear came true. Patton, their Patton was on the ground, cradling his arm and screaming. Mr. Sanders was next to him, as was another boy who must’ve witnessed the whole thing because his eyes were huge and his skin super pale. The paramedics examined Patton’s arm before safely loading him onto the stretcher.

“Logan!” Mr. Sanders called out. Logan couldn’t move. Mr. Sanders walked over to them, knelt down, and put a hand on Logan’s shoulder. “It’s gonna be okay, kiddo.”

“What happened? Why does Patton’s arm look like that?” Logan asked.

Mr. Sanders thought for a moment. “I think a kid fell on him and he broke his arm, but it’s going to be o-”

“No! They can’t take him. They can’t!” Logan screamed as they pushed past. They grabbed onto the end of the stretcher and pulled. Of course, it didn’t do any good, but they tried. Mr. Sanders held onto Logan as Patton was pushed away from them. They couldn’t get Patton’s terrified expression out of their memory.

“Logan, they’re going to help him, I promise,” Mr. Sanders said.

“No! They’re going to hurt him. I can’t let them do that.”

“Why would they hurt your brother? Who told you that?”

“Mom did!”

Mr. Sanders chewed on his lip. He nodded his head in understanding and sighed through his nose. “Okay, buddy. Why don’t you and I drive to your house and let your mom know what happened?”

Logan swallowed. Telling mom meant telling Miss Nikki. Telling Miss Nikki meant being blamed for all this. They were not looking forward to that at all, but they knew they couldn’t hide this. Too many people were involved now.

“Okay,” Logan mumbled as they followed Mr. Sanders into his car.

--

“How could this happen? How could you be so careless that you let two six-year-old children walk to the park by themselves? What kind of mother are you! I swear, you’re the most incompetent-”

“Nikki, please-”

“No, don’t you Nikki please me. Because of you, they’re going to know Patton’s-” Nikki lowered her voice- “they’re going to know about Patton’s condition. They’re going to take him away, just like I said they would.”

Logan watched their mom break down, a hand pressed to her lips. She hugged her free arm close to her chest to try and offer some comfort. Nikki sighed, and she pulled Logan’s mom close. She kissed the top of her forehead and rested her chin on her head. 

“I’m sorry, baby. I didn’t mean to yell. I’m just scared.”

“I know. I forgive you.”

Logan mumbled under their breath, “You always forgive her but she still does it.”

Nikki’s eyes snapped down to them, and they tried their best not to recoil. However, those sharp blue eyes cut through them every time, and they looked away.

“And where were you?” Nikki snapped. “Why weren’t you watching Patton? Better yet, why didn’t you stop him from going in the first place? I thought you were the smart one.”

“Nikki-”

“No, they’re just as much to blame as you are, Sarah. It was probably their idea in the first place, wasn’t it? You wanted to go to the library so badly that you convinced Patton to go, didn’t you? I know all your tricks.”

“Nikki, that’s enough.”

“I bet I’m right. So, where were you, Logan? Were you in the library when it happened?”

Logan lowered their head. Tears burned the edge of their eyes, and they whimpered. With a pit growing in their stomach, they slowly nodded their head.

“Unbelievable. Unbelievable! I knew it!”

Logan met their mother’s eyes. They could see her trying not to accuse them, but something in the back of her gaze convinced Logan she was blaming Logan too. Why wouldn’t she? After all, Logan did leave Patton alone, and it was their fault that Patton got hurt. If they would’ve told Patton no-

“Mrs. Shea?” one of the doctors said as she walked out of the hospital rooms. The doctor motioned for her to follow. Both Nikki and Sarah started to walk forward, but the doctor held out her hand. “I’m sorry, Ma’am, but I only want to talk to Patton’s mother.”

“I am his mother.”

“His legal mother.”

Nikki puffed out her chest but obeyed, leaving Logan alone with a woman who very much didn’t like them. They tried not to pay attention to her, but she kept staring at them. Logan’s ears burned with embarrassment. They wished they brought that book Thomas and they were reading.

“Excuse me, but I’m looking for Patton Shea’s room.”

Logan’s head snapped up. They caught a man standing at the receptionist’s desk, his large black suit and bowler hat rather out of place on such a warm day.

“I’m sorry, sir, but Patton Shea is only cleared for immediate family right now.”

“I’m his father, Julius Shea.”

Logan’s eyes widened. Julius was indeed their father’s name, but that was impossible. Julius Shea was... gone. Long gone. But the man standing in front of the desk looked just like him. How? Was he a ghost? Was he here to haunt them all for letting Patton get hurt?

Logan caught the man’s eye. They stayed stuck on each other for a long moment before the man motioned for Logan to come over. Logan glanced at Nikki before sliding off their chair.

“And where do you think you’re going?”

“Um, I have to pee.”

Nikki rolled her eyes and made a disgusted noise in the back of her throat. Logan hurried over to the man at the desk.

“This is my child, Logan. They're Patton’s twin.”

Logan blinked before greeting, “Uh, salutations.”

The receptionist smiled at them, and she said, “Well, what a big word for such a little child.” Logan’s ears burned in embarrassment once again. “Patton is in room 383 if you want to go see him.”

“Thank you,” the man said with a nod. He took Logan’s hand and walked them toward the elevator. 

“Who are you?” Logan asked at last.

“Logan, it’s me. It’s Damian.”

“Falsehood. You are not Damian. Damian is-”

Logan watched as the man’s appearance shrunk, clothes flopping around his body, and in his place stood a boy around Logan’s age.

“It is you,” Logan said with their mouth hung wide open. “How did you do that?”

“The same way your brother healed my arm. We’re both mutants, you know, like the X-men.”

“Fascinating. Wait, Patton healed your arm?”

Damian’s head lowered. He answered, “Yeah. Patton and I were playing together, and I went on the monkey bars. Only, I guess they were slippery from the rain, and I fell off. My arm broke, and Patton fixed it, only his arm broke then. I told Mr. Sanders what happened, and he called the hospital. I don’t think he believed me though when I told him that I broke my arm and Patton didn’t.”

Logan let Damian’s words sink in. They sighed and nodded their head. The two traveled through the halls, somehow avoiding all suspicions that two kids were walking alone in the hospital, and used the elevator to go to the third floor. 

The children’s floor was colored bright like a rainbow. Some kids played in a social area while others watched television in bean bags. The entire hallway smelled like Lysol. Logan and Damian kept their eyes on the room numbers they passed. Eventually, they both made it to Patton’s room and stepped inside.

Patton, who sat at the window with a very much not broken arm, turned to face the two of them with a large smile. “Oh, Logan! Damian, you came!”

Patton jumped off his chair and into Logan's arms. Logan caught him, and they stroked his hair.

“What were you thinking?” Logan asked. “You got hurt.”

“But, Logan, if I wasn’t there, Damian would’ve had a broken arm.”

“So? No offense, Damian.”

“None taken.”

“So?” Patton parroted. “I helped him. I couldn’t just do nothing.”

“Why not?”

“It wasn’t the right thing to do.”

Logan sighed, and they ran a hand through their hair. They looked over their shoulder, and they could hear whispering down the hall.

“Patton, was mom in here?”

“Yeah, she was in with another doctor. She was talking about how it was a miracle my arm wasn’t broken after all.”

Logan grew suspicious. They told Damian to watch Patton as they tiptoed into the hallway. Their mom, indeed, did talk to another person, but they didn’t look like a doctor. They were in a business suit, their brown hair tied into a ponytail behind their head. Logan snuck closer to eavesdrop on their conversation.

“It would be tuition-free, and you wouldn’t have to worry about Patton being put in danger anymore like this.”

“I don’t know.”

“Suppose next time, they find out about him and want to run tests. Then what? You could have scientists wiring him up like a lab rat. All I want to do is protect him.”

“I understand that, but… but I just lost my husband. I can’t lose Patton too.”

The man sighed and put a hand on her shoulder. His eyes sparkled as he said, “I’ve lost people too, Mrs. Shea, all because we were different. That’s why I’m trying to help people like me. That’s why I started IODNA, with people like Patton in mind. Think of me as Professor Xavier looking out for other mutants with gifts.”

“Will I ever get to see him again?”

The man sighed through his nose and thought for a moment. He responded with, “I’ll leave that up to Patton. Kids, they take it kind of hard when a parent abandons them, you know? I wouldn’t want to traumatize him any more than he already is.”

“Maybe this isn’t a good idea then,” their mother replied.

“Just… think about it. Get back to me with an answer later, okay? No pressure.”

Logan waited for the stranger to walk away. They hesitated before continuing on down the hall. Logan’s mom turned, and she jumped at the sight of Logan.

“Oh, sweetheart, how long have you been there?”

“You’re going to send Patton away?”

“No, that’s not what was going on. Logan, sometimes adults have adult conversations, and sometimes kids don’t understand-”

“You’re going to send Patton away.”

“No, sweetheart. No,” their mother leaned down and put her hands on Logan’s shoulders. “No, I’m not going to send him away. I promise you. I don’t want to lose anyone else in our family.”

Logan studied their mother for a long time. They nodded their head and looked down at their feet.

“We’re going to stay a family, I promise,” their mother added on.

Logan nodded their head again.

“Okay.”

--

“He keeps coming back,” Nikki said as she peeked out the curtained window. 

“I thought I told him no already,” Logan’s mother mumbled.

“You did. Twice, babe. You want me to tell him this time?”

“No, no violence, please. We’re just going to have to call the police.”

“And what are they going to do, huh? The police don’t do shit, Sarah. They’ll laugh at us. They don’t even take rape victims seriously. What makes you think they’re going to take the words of two dykes about a man stalking us? They’ll probably tell us to get fucked, literally.”

“Nikki! Logan is in the room.”

“So what? Let the little brat hear. This is all their fault anyway.”

“Don’t say that.”

“I’ll say whatever I damn well please, and you know I’m right. Tell me I’m wrong. I dare you.”

Logan watched their mother cave under pressure, as she always did. Nikki’s eyes focused on them, and Logan felt hot anger in their gut. All their frustration, all their anger, all their pent up rage all released at that very moment.

“So, why don’t you send me instead? Then you wouldn’t have to sit there and blame me for every little thing, because I’d be gone!”

“Logan!”

“Oh yeah, well maybe I should.”

“Nikki!”

“Fine. Do it. I don’t care.”

“Enough, both of you!” Logan’s mother shouted. She rubbed her temples. “I don’t know what we’re going to do, but we’re going to stop the yelling right now.”

Nikki towered over her, her eyes blazing, and she growled, “Or what, Sarah?”

Logan, sensing a fight, ran up the stairs before they could get caught in the crossfire. They hid at the top and waited for the inevitable argument. Logan’s mom opened her mouth, but the doorbell ringing interrupted her. 

Nikki beat her to the door and opened it wide. She narrowed her eyes and yelled, “Go the fuck away and leave us alone already!”

Before she could slam the door in his face, a strange force pushed the two of them back. Logan watched in horror as their mom crashed into the stairs, and Nikki sprawled out on the floor. The man let himself inside and closed the door. He wiped his feet on the welcome mat and put his coat up on the coat hanger.

“Good evening, ladies,” he greeted.

Logan covered their mouth so they didn’t scream. Their pounding heart shook their whole body.

“What the-”

“I do believe I have one last deal to offer you,” he said with a sneer. “See, I really do believe it’s in your son’s best interest if he comes with me. I’ve heard things. Bad things. Things that will get him taken away from you in a heartbeat, and let’s just say I don’t tolerate child abuse, Mrs. Shea.”

Logan’s mother sat upon the stairs, and she rubbed her head. She muttered, “I’m not abusing Patton.”

“Oh really? Then how do you explain living with another woman, you perverted fag.”

“Hey! Shut your yap,” Nikki snapped back. “You have no right-”

“I have every right, and I know the courts will especially pay attention to you, Mrs. Lane. Public intoxication, assaulting a police officer, murdering your own child, I could keep going.”

Nikki’s mouth hung open, and she furrowed her brows. “I didn’t murder my- how do you know about that?”

“I know a lot about you,” he replied. He turned his attention to Logan’s mom. “Now, I can see you dearly love Patton, so how about a trade, hmm? I’ll even pay you for him. How does 60 grand? You could get out of this neighborhood, go to California where people like you belong, and stop corrupting the innocent mind of a child.”

“You’re sick.”

“No, I’m doing you a favor. It’s only a matter of time before child services find out about this. How long before they take Patton away from you anyway? You have no rights, and you know it.”

Logan heard enough. They couldn’t let this man take their brother away. Not like this. After sucking up all their courage, Logan stood at the top of the stairs and called out, “Mom, who is that?”

All three heads turned, one with horror, one with annoyance, and one with mild amusement.

“Hello there. Are you Patton?” the man asked.

Logan nodded their head.

“Logan, sweetheart, no. Go back up to your room,” their mother urged.

“Logan? You have another child?”

“Mom, I told you, that’s not my name anymore. It’s Patton.”

“Oh how cute. You’ve perverted another child into your twisted agenda. See, this is what they mean when they say homos are abusive. You’ve made him want to change his gender.”

“I’m going to punch the shit out of you if you don’t shut up.”

“Oh, Mrs. Lane, I’d love to see you try.”

Logan walked down the stairs. They looked up at the man, who then knelt down to look into Logan’s eyes.

“So, you’re Patton Shea?”

“Yes.”

The man extended a hand and said, “I’m Dr. William.”

“Salutations, sir.”

“So well mannered, which begs the question, Logan, how stupid do you think I am?”

Logan fidgeted nervously. They danced from one foot to the other, before they said, “Sir? Can I whisper something to you? It’s, uh, it’s about my moms.”

The man rose a brow. Nonetheless, he humored the child and leaned in close. Logan put their hand to his head. Please let this work. Logan held their breath. Please let this work. They said, “It was Logan who healed Damian, not Patton. That’s what they told you.”

Logan watched the white part of the eye absorb Dr. William’s irises as the memory changed, and they held their breath. For a while, nothing happened. Then, Dr. William blinked several times, and he stood up.

“Ah, yes, Logan. It’s nice to finally meet you. I’ve heard so much about you.”

“Logan, honey, what are you doing?”

“I’m going with the man, mommy. I want to help people, and he can help me help people, right?”

“I sure can,” Dr. William answered.

“But-”

“Sarah,” Nikki whispered beside her. “Logan wants to do this. You heard them say that earlier, so let the kid be a hero. It might be the only way to save Patton.”

For a moment, the two women stared at each other. Logan’s mother swallowed hard, and she eyed her child over for any sign of doubt.

“Are you sure about this?” their mother asked one last time. 

Logan took one final look at their mom, to Nikki, then turned back to Dr. William and nodded their head. “I’m sure. I’m tired of being treated like dirt.”

“Then it’s settled,” Dr. Willaim said with a pat on Logan’s shoulder.

“On one condition,” Logan said. Dr. William glanced down at Logan with an inquisitive brow. Logan swallowed, and they said, “I want to bring a stuffed animal.”

“I guess you could do that,” Dr. William said. “Be back down here in two minutes, or I’ll come back up after you myself.”

Logan nodded their head. They hurried up the stairs and entered their room, closing the door as quietly as they could behind them. When they turned around, Patton was shaking under the bed.

“Logan, who’s down there? Is he back?” Patton asked, his voice wet with tears. “I don’t wanna leave. Why won’t he leave us alone?”

Logan climbed under the bed next to Patton. They pressed up against Patton's side, their bodies fitting together like a puzzle piece. 

“I don’t know,” Logan answered at last. They took a deep breath, “but I don’t think they’re going to leave you alone until you go.”

Patton whimpered. He pressed his face into Logan’s shoulder, and Logan sighed through their nose. If Patton knew what was going on down there, if he knew that his mom was being hurt, he’d go without question. Then Logan would lose Patton forever. Logan couldn’t let that happen. They had to pretend to be Patton.

After all, it was their fault Patton was discovered.

“Patton, I need to borrow Froggie.”

“What? Why?”

“I’m going to pretend to be you so they leave you alone.”

“No, Logan, you can’t do that. You can’t!”

Logan gave a sad smile. “Don’t worry, Patton. I erased his memory so he forgot you. But I told them I came up here to get a stuffed animal, so I need to take Froggie with me, okay?”

“No, it’s not okay. Stay here.” Patton and Logan stared at each other for a moment. Logan slid forward to exit from under the bed, but Patton latched onto their leg. "You are not going. You’re in time out."

"What other choice do we have? I’m not going to let you get hurt because of me."

“But what if I don’t want you hurt either?”

“Sometimes we have to be brave, Patton.”

“But I can't… I can't lose you, Logan.”

“I know, but I don’t want to lose you either.” Logan forced their way out from under the bed. Patton clung onto Logan’s leg as they slid forward, making it impossible for Logan to stand. Logan turned around and tried to pull Patton’s fingers off them, but it wouldn’t work. “Patton, please let go.”

“No!”

“Patton-”

“NO!”

“Patton, shh, they’ll hear you.”

“So let them hear me! I don’t want you to go! I don’t want you to leave me! I’m not going to let you go-”

Logan pounced on Patton and pinned him to the floor. Patton opened his mouth to scream, but Logan covered it. They chewed on their lip.

“I know you won’t. You’re too stubborn.”

Patton’s teary eyes pleaded for them to let him go. He twisted his head back and forth to try and shake Logan's hand from his mouth. Logan moved their other hand to Patton’s forehead to keep him still. Patton clawed at Logan’s arm keeping his mouth closed.

“I’m sorry, Patton. I don’t know what else to do. Don’t make me make you forget me.”

Patton said something behind Logan’s hand, but they couldn’t make it out.

“Maybe if I wasn’t your twin, maybe if I wasn’t such a brat, a stupid screw up brat, everything would be okay. Maybe Damian should be your twin, not me. He’s the one who helped you, not me. I got you hurt! I got… Patton?”

Logan looked down, and to their horror, Patton’s eyes were totally white. Logan’s heart pounded in their chest. Their mouth moved, but they didn’t say much else. No. No! They didn’t mean to! They didn’t- they didn’t erase Patton’s memory, did they? They didn’t want to. They-

“Patton!” Logan shook Patton’s shoulders. “Patton, are you okay? Patton!”

Patton’s eyes returned to normal, and he blinked several times. Logan pulled Patton close to their chest, and they cried, “Patton! I thought I hurt you.”

Patton hesitated before he wrapped Logan into a hug. He patted Logan’s back and waited until Logan pushed away. Logan, however, noticed something… off about Patton’s smile. It looked forced, polite, strange.

“Patton, are you okay?”

“I think I’m okay.”

Logan sighed. “Good. Now, please stay here and don’t come after me.”

“Okay.”

Logan blinked several times. “Okay?”

“Yeah, okay.”

“But… aren’t… you going to stop me?”

“Why would I do that?”

“Because I… I’m going to give… Patton, what’s wrong with you?”

“Is there something wrong with me?”

“Yes!” Logan threw their hands up in the air. “You were just screaming for me not to go, and now you’re suddenly okay with it.”

Patton shrugged. “Why wouldn’t I be?”

“You are joking with me right now, aren’t you? This is all a joke. A really bad joke.”

“Can’t say I am, sorry. But I do like jokes! Why do flamingos stand on one leg?”

“Patton-”

“Because it would fall if it lifted up both legs!” He laughed, but it died down to a nervous giggle the longer Logan stared at him with an empty expression. “Guess you didn’t find that too funny, huh?”

“How can you be laughing at a time like this?” Logan grabbed their hair. “They’re going to take me away.”

“Haha?”

“No song references!”

Logan could start to feel a strange emotion coming from Patton, distress. Uncomfort. Something that Logan had never felt around Patton before. Everyone else caused it, but never Logan themselves.

“Patton? What’s wrong?”

“Huh? Oh, uh, well… I just don’t know why you’re leaving.”

Logan’s stomach dropped.

“Oh no,” they whispered. “I did do it, didn’t I?”

“You did what?”

Logan looked up at Patton. The gears in their head began to turn, and they responded, “N-nothing.”

Logan flexed their fingers. They erased Patton’s memory just like Dr. William. But they didn’t mean to! They didn’t mean to. They hugged their arms and tried not to cry. Why couldn’t they control this? Patton must’ve sensed Logan’s sorrow because he ran over and grabbed a tissue. He held it out, and Logan gratefully took it.

“Thanks.”

“No problem. Um, what's your name?"

Logan thought for a moment before they responded, "Paddington. My name is Paddington."

"Like the bear!" 

"Yes, like the bear." Logan took off their glasses, blew their nose, and wiped it on their shirt sleeve. They heard someone walking up the stairs, and Logan hurried to their feet. They said, “I’m sorry, Patton, but I have to go.”

“Oh, okay then. Thanks for coming.”

“Can… can I borrow Froggie? Just for tonight.”

“If it’ll make you less sad, sure.”

“It’ll make me very less sad.”

Patton grabbed the stuffed frog off the bed and hopped over to Logan. He presented it, a too innocent, too pure smile on his face. Logan wiped tears from their eyes. Instead of taking the frog, they pulled Patton into a tight hug.

“I love you, Patton,” they whispered.

“Aww, thanks. I love you too, Paddington.”

Logan wished they could stay like this forever, but they knew they were just delaying the inevitable. They took Froggie from Patton’s hands, said one last goodbye, and pulled the door shut. Logan felt like collapsing. Their knees shook, and their heart pounded, but they had to be brave. They had to be brave. For Patton.

Slowly, step by step, Logan made their way back down to the living room. Their mom had moved to the couch, her head buried in Nikki’s shoulder. For a moment, Logan caught Nikki’s eyes and sent a nonverbal message. Take care of her. Take care of Patton. It must’ve relayed because Nikki sent a small nod of approval.

Funny, Logan had to sacrifice themself to get one ounce of human dignity from that woman.

Dr. William looked up at them and smiled a sickening grin. 

“Well then, Logan, we better get going, huh?” Dr. William purred. Logan’s mother choked back a sob. A sympathetic smile crossed Dr. William’s face, “Oh, don’t worry, Mrs. Shea. Your check should be in your mailbox tomorrow morning. Then, you can move as far away from here as you like and forget this ever happened.”

The man put a hand on Logan’s shoulder as the two of them walked out. Logan was put into a fancy black car with windows that were completely black on the outside. They read somewhere that the cars were called limousines. Logan buckled up, and they stared out the window the entire way. 

“Oh, cheer up, little guy. Where you’re going, you’re going to help so many people. There’s no need to be sad.”

“I’m not sad.”

“Good. If I were you, I would want to get as far away from those two as I could anyway. You did the right thing.”

Logan sighed. The car stopped next to the park. The wind blew the swings back and forth, and the merry-go-round lazily spun. The library on the other side was dark, its lights long extinguished by the last librarian in the building. Logan took one last look before the car sped back down the road.

“You’re going to love it there, Logan. You won’t regret this.”

Logan hugged Froggie close to their chest. They sure hoped so.

--

“I knew it.”

“Knew what?”

“I knew they were wrong. You weren't a dream. Mom and Nikki kept talking about how I wanted to be you somehow, that you did… this to me.”

“Did what to you, Patton?”

“Made me trans.”

“Patton, that is ridiculous.”

“I know but… for a while, I really believed it.”

“I’m so sorry, Patton. None of this would’ve happened if-”

“No, don’t blame yourself for this. It’s all Dr. William’s fault.”

“Patton-”

“I’m not taking any objections either.”

“... If you’re sure.”

“Hey, Logan?” 

“Yes?”

“Do you still have Froggie?”

“I’m sorry, Patton, but Froggie was left behind in my old room years ago. I haven’t seen him since I was fourteen. They probably threw it out by now.”

“Oh.”

--

To Be Continued...