#they kept swarming and stinging the dogs so they had to leave

[creekfiend]

these are my porch wasps they're my friends

[britswriting]

Fallen For You H.S | AU - Three

Fallen For You Masterlist - find description here

Read on Wattpad

Rancher!HarryxPlus-sziedOC

🦋Delaney🦋

I tucked my phone into the back pocket of my jean shorts, bending down to pull up my ankle sock that annoyingly kept falling down my heel in my boot before quickly going down the rickety wooden steps; feeling them flex underneath my weight.

I knew we needed to redo the deck, but it really makes a girl feel good when the floor flexes under your feet.

I was met with a few of the dogs who followed me to Harry's door, my knuckles stinging slightly from how hard I knocked against it; wincing, I rubbed them, awaiting him to open the door. Trying a few more times, I was met with no response.

Did he leave?

I raised my hand again, ready to knock one or two more when I heard "Delaney" behind me, quickly spinning around on my heel, almost tripping over Milo in the process who quickly moved out of the way. "What are you doing?" he asked, sounding.. assertive yet confused? I couldn't quite place it. Intrigued, maybe?

"I was looking for you" I replied, "My dad said I had to show you around the place. Are you uh, ready?" I questioned, taking a quick glance at him, swallowing the saliva that once again accumulated in the back of my throat.

His hair looked like his fingers had recently run through it, hair strains tossed to the side; even dangling slightly against his forehead. The scruff on his face was starting to grow in, telling me he hadn't shaved that morning. No matter how desperate I wanted to linger on his facial hair and lips, my eyes continued down. A black snug t-shirt, blue jeans, same expensive looking cowboy boots that Louie tried to ruin.

He looked just as he always does. If it wasn't for the new shirt, I would've just assumed he grabbed the same clothes off the floor from the night before, until I looked closer.

A new belt buckle and no brown staining on his thighs and knees told me he put in some effort; even if that didn't include shaving or doing his hair.

I couldn't help but giggle to myself when I realized my outfit didn't match his at all.

I was wearing dark wash blue jean shorts - unlike Harry, whose were more of a medium wash; a tucked in loose t-shirt - a need when you're working in the heat, and even down to my white ankle boots screamed opposite.

"What?" He asked, my head titling.

"Hm?"

"You laughed" He said, my eyes widening slightly.

Shit

That wasn't in my head?

"Oh.. uh" I nervously chuckled, "I just uh.. we're so different" I giggled again, looking down at my shoes before looking back at Harry.

"What?"

"Our outfits, they're very different" I pointed at his jeans and tight fit shirt, then my shorts, grabbing the loose fabric that was bunched up where it was tucked into my shorts to hopefully get my point across.

"Why are you wearing shorts?" He asked, not sounding like a question, more like an accusation.

What's wrong with wearing shorts?

I looked down at my legs, confused.

Did he have a problem with me wearing shorts?

"Because it's hot?" I hesitantly responded, noticing his gaze lingered on my legs, beginning to make anxious thoughts swarm my head.

I chewed on the inside of my lip as I fought the urge to hide my legs.

Should I have worn pants?

But it's hot out. Sweltering even. If I had worn jeans, they would've chaffed my thighs, or stuck to my skin, and or even ripped. Shorts felt like the best option for functionality.

Harry stayed silent and I sighed, debating if I should change or not.

I waffled for a few seconds before deciding to screw him and just stay in my shorts.

Who was he to tell me what to wear? If he didn't like my thick thighs he can get lost. He's here to help us, not the other way around.

"Alright, well" I I sighed, glancing down at Milo, giving him a quick pet before moving to walk in front of Harry, Milo following me, knowing it was breakfast time. "We better get working" I continued, my back to him. "First step is the barn so I can feed the dogs and cats and show you where certain feeds are"

Harry and I opened the big barn doors, a smile plastered to my face as I was met with our beautiful horses; the grin quickly vanishing when the waft of horse manure filled my nostrils.

Yuck.

"Welcome to Fallen Ranch!" I laughed, ready to joke that the work was about to begin, but once again, Harry was hot on my heels with his reply.

"Oh, I thought it was fall in. Like fallin' apart" He.. joked? I think it was a joke? Was it not? He was joking right?

I frowned, "Falling a part?" I asked, Harry nodded as he looked around the barn. "That's rude" I grumbled, moving over to a workbench that was against one of the walls; a stack of food bowls ready to be filled.

I started laying them out in front of me, reaching for the scoop in the dog food bag, ready to pour it in when our bitch of a cat jumped onto the workbench.

"Keep your nasty paws out of Leo's food!" I scolded, scooping the calico cat off my work bench and gently tossing her to the floor, "Dogs first you little brat" Sassy mowed at me, jumping back up, "Sass-a-frass! You're a freeloader! You don't do shit around here— DON'T EAT THAT!" I yelled, her head dipped into Opal's food bowl. "Oh my god" I groaned, beginning to feel overwhelmed.

"What the hell are you yelling about?" Harry grumbled, opening one of the horse stalls that lead to the fenced in outdoor grazing area, starting to let out the horses for the morning.

"My sister's bitch of a cat is eating my dog's food" I grumbled, my eyes widening when the work bench wobbled, Knox's front paws resting on the edge. "Get down!" I scolded, Knox immediately jumping down, my hand grabbing the cat and removing her yet again. "Can you help me, please?" I asked, wanting to get these dogs fed before it all landed on the floor from either Knox or Sassy.

"That is not a part of my job description" he snapped back

"Yeah well shoving my foot up your ass isn't mine either but the days still early!" I snapped, having had enough of everyone's attitudes.

I like to think I'm a pretty patient person, but my fuse runs short when the cause is days, if not weeks long.

Everyone has a snapping point, right?

"Days still young" he replied, leaning against one of the wooden support beams in the barn, watching me.

"What?"

"It's "Days still young" Days still early just sounds stupid" He corrected, pushing the right button to make me give any less of a fuck than I thought was possible.

What's this guys problem?

"You know what?" I huffed, immediately getting interrupted before I could continue.

"What? Enlighten me" Harry replied, not missing a beat as the forming smirk popped a dimple yet again.

I swear my eyes had hearts in them, even though I wanted to shove him out of my way and never see him again.

How can one be so cocky and disrespectful?

I swear I'd walk miles for this man with sores on the bottom of my feet, and it still wouldn't be enough.

"I don't need your help anyway. I was doing' just fine without you" I finished, setting down Knox's food bowl since he was right here before setting down the others all holding Sassy in my arm, ringing the food bell and waiting for the four legged little helpers to come get breakfast.

"If I recall, your family desperately hired me because of how much you needed me" he smirked, his egotistical aura making me want to scream.

Why did I think he was to die for again?

"So you feed off the poor?" I questioned, the ick starting to form deep down, even as his stupid dimple popping smirk wanted to make me do irrational things to him.

Harry's arms crossed over his chest and his lips formed a line, "Aren't you supposed to be showing me around? Isn't that your job?" He emphasized, apparently ready to move on from a conversation I was very ready to have.

This man was infuriating in an annoyingly sexy way that it was truly starting to piss me off.

I walked him through the barn, showing him where everything way; Harry adding Hay to the troughs whilst I put in fresh water.

The bucket of manure always made me gag, even when I was a kid; thankfully I ran away before he could try and make that my problem.

"How many damn dogs do y'all have?" Harry asked, his tone causing a frown to tug at my lips as Harlow, Knox, Daphine and Milo gathered, eager to work.

"They come in pairs of two, besides the Pyrenees. There are three. Knox and Harlow are the cattle herders" I explained, climbing over the fence much to Harlow's dismay, "Grab the shovel, we got shit to clean up, literally" I laughed, wobbling slightly as the heel of my ankle boot got caught on the top of the barbed wire fence almost sending me straight into a pile of cow poop, Harry's chuckle was heard over my instinctive shriek of horror and disgust as my heart dropped to my stomach. "You could've helped ya know"

"Why would I do that?" He asked as I watched my step, my nose wrinkling at the smell.

People say when you live on a farm you get used to all the smells; but that was never my truth.

"Because a decent human thing to do when someone is falling is try and help them" I huffed, seeing out of the corner of my eye, our female Border Collie's front paws on the fence. "Harlow, wait" I instructed, showing her the palm of my hand, silently telling her to stay.

"Here, you can do that whilst I feed them" Harry said, dangling the pooper scooper shovel over the fence, ignoring my comment about human decency. Typical.

"Why can't I feed them?" I argued, really not wanting to clean up cow poop in my white ankle boots.

"Your farm" He shot back, still holding out the shovel.

My brow raised, "You're the rancher. If I recall, picking up shit is apart of your job"

"Then why are you the one in the pen, and I'm the one over here?" he smirked. I swear my knees buckled a little when his dimple popped yet again.

God the things I'd give to lick it, or kiss it.

His pink lips looked so inviting.

I could feel my body start to become mush. The inside of my stomach felt all warm and gooey as my knees metaphorically buckled; ready to give in at any moment.

God damnit! Get a grip Delaney!

Can't you focus more on how frustratingly annoying he is? And less on how kissable he looks right now? I mentally scolded, but the thought of kissing him made me start to wander again.

I bet he gives the best kisses. Sweet, warm, just enough passion to make you yearn for me; knowing his asshole tendencies, he'd leave you to suffer though. Tease you. Make you want more.

His big strong arms would hold you so soft and tight. Comfort and protect you in all the heartwarming ways. His green eyes would look at you so lovingly it would hurt.

"Delaney" Harry grumbled, the shovel clattering against the fence, startling me.

"Whatever" I huffed, quickly recovering as I turned around, "Get moving. We got a lot to do"

"Why do you daydream so much?" Harry asked, his eyes squinting at me.

"None of your business" I grumbled, shockingly choosing to scoop up poop over talk to Harry.

Five minutes into cleaning the pen, I grimaced with a shriek, my white ankle boot covered in a dark brown sludge that I knew all too well.

God damnit!

"You've got to be kidding me" I grumbled, dragging the sole of my against the dirt, knowing damn well I shouldn't have worn white shoes.

I wasn't supposed to be cleaning the pen today though. I was supposed to show this dreamy muscle man where everything was, preparing him to work for us before going off to help with my actual job! Now my shoes are covered in disgusting cow poop!

I heard a chuckle next to me, my head whipping up to find Harry's sparkling green eyes and annoying sexy dimple mocking me as I tried my best to get the cow poop off my shoe.

"How's it going?" he asked, a teasing undertone to his words. Or.. maybe he was mocking me in an aggravating manner? It sounded like he was teasing me, but maybe he was ready to explode on me at any given minute.

"Shove it, Harry" I groused, my eyes prickling with tears as my pushed down emotions began to bubble over.

I can't fucking cry in front of him! It'll give him just another reason to make fun of me!

I kept my head down, leaving the shovel against the fence before letting Harlow and Knox in to help move the cows to the other fenced area for grazing.

"Just open the gate, they'll get them in and then close and lock it and bring the borders back to the main house. I'll be right back, I need to clean my shoes" I spoke quickly, wanting to get the instructions out before the knot in my throat grew too big that I couldn't suppress my emotion any longer.

The second I slipped my once white shoes off, bending down to carefully pick them up by the collar of the shoe with a grimace, the slow hot tears started falling one by one down my only what I can assume pink cheeks as I rushed to the bathroom to try and save my shoes from landing in the trash.

I struggled to clean them off with my watery vision, but thankfully I managed, leaving them in the tub to air dry as I took a quick glance at myself in the mirror, praying I looked presentable enough to go finish helping Harry.

My full rose cheeks were bright pink, along with my nose and eyes. My face had damp tear stains; my hands quickly swiped them away.

There was no fixing this.

Fuck.

Slipping on my worn down cowgirl boots, I met back up with Harry; his eyes narrowed at me, like he was trying to place me from somewhere, but I ignored him, "Ready to finish the tour?" I asked, Harry taking a few seconds before nodding.

I showed him where the sheep were; showing him how the locks worked, mentioning they all had to be replaced eventually.

"The sheep get fed three times a day" I started, Harry interrupting me yet again.

One can argue his habits are more annoying than my daydreaming ones.

"I know how to care for sheep" he stated and I nodded slowly, deciding to just drop it and let us both do our jobs.

I commented that we do sheer them at least once a year, my lips pursing, feeling like everything I was telling him was going in one ear, out the other.

I couldn't tell if it's because he didn't care, and truly already knew how to do everything; maybe my dad has walked him through it already? If that was the case, surely my dad wouldn't have asked me to do this then, right? And wouldn't Harry have said something about my dad showing him already?

Was it because I was a woman, and this was a "man's" job? I scoffed at the thought, feeling my lovey dovey rose colored glasses turn cold dark and gray.

Surely that isn't it, right? He couldn't be sexist, right?

With the sheep's out in their fenced in field, I took him over to the garden, smiling at our flourishing plants.

"This is our garden!" I grinned, the feeling of pride washing over me as I watched him look around; "It's my grandma's favorite part of the farm. She's tended to this garden for decades" I told, "We love using stuff from our garden to cook with, or to feed the horses and stuff. If you ever need anything, feel free to help yourself! My grandma comes out almost daily to harvest since our bunnies sometimes like to swipe stuff" I paused, cupping my hands around my mouth as I began to whisper loudly, "Even though she literally gave them their own garden patch by their hutch" I grinned, watching Harry crack a smile, sending my stomach swirling once again.

God the things I'd do to see that on a daily basis.

I took him over to the bunny hutch, noticing a few of them out in their fenced area.

"This one is Lydia" I pointed at the one near us, "She's mine. She's a Holland Lop" I smiled over at him, bending over the fence to give her a little pet, "The gray and black one over there" I pointed to the far corner, "Are the neighbor girls. They like to visit and see them but their family doesn't have room for them. So uh, if you see 2 tween looking girls on the Ranch, It's probably Sarah and Fiona" I informed, "Want to pet her? Lydia's super friendly!"

"I'm good" He stayed stoic.

Party Pooper.

"Well I want to hang out with her for a while" I stated, not ready to leave my bunny. "I got her when she was really young which was fun" I decided to tell him, entering their pen and taking a seat in the grass, smiling when Lydia hopped over to me. "She always comes over because I typically bring her snacks" I giggled, watching her cute pink nose flutter.

Getting distracted with the bunnies, I heard Harry's familiar, "What the fuck!" making my head shoot up, seeing him scowling down at his cowboy boots again.

"What?" I asked, confused as I pushed myself up off the ground, careful not to step on Lydia.

"What is with your fucking animals biting me!" He shouted, my eyes widened yet again. I swear they were going to get stuck like that.

I noticed Charles, "our" duck next to Harry.

I snickered, Harry glaring at me.

"It's not funny! These are expensive! You still owe me for your fucking rat of a dog leaving marks!" His brow furrowed, the scowl only making my giggle turn into a laugh.

"I think they like you" I teased, "This is Charles. he's our duck"

"Your duck?"

"Well, a duck" I corrected, "I mean, we don't own him.. but he hangs around here. He has a duck wife and ducklings of his own" I told him, surprised Charles wandered over to us.

Usually my younger brothers were chasing the ducks by the pond, so maybe nipping Harry was payback.

I giggled again, thinking about the duck being spiteful, Harry's glare deepening.

"This is why you don't own animals" he huffed, marching away from the duck who was waddling after him, my grin never leaving my face as I giggled, watching a grown ass man get chased by a duck.

"Animals bring joy to your life!" I countered, "Just like kids"

"No" his head shook, "They bring chaos"

"But isn't that fun? Life's boring if it's so routine all the time"

"Routine isn't boring. It's orderly" Harry corrected, turning to face me again.

"Again, borrring" I dragged out, a big smile on my face as I teased him.

I stand by it though. Who wanted to spend all day doing chores? That's the shit you get done so you can go have fun!

When the time came to milk the cows, Harry and I reached the warehouse-like area we used for it.

"They just.. go in?" He asked, seeming impressed that the cows did it in such an orderly fashion.

"Mhm. They like it. Think of it like your morning pee. It's reliving, plus, they get fed after" I noted, slipping on my gloves. "Right here" I pointed to the wall on my left, "Is how you clean the materials. We'll get to that, but just in case you forget"

Harry scoffed, telling me off, "I won't forget, I'm a professional" which only made me roll my eyes at his cocky attitude.

Can't this man ever just accept that not everything is routine? Some things have to be new and take a learning curve?

We got to our first cow, and I sat down on the stool, this entire process feeling like muscle memory, having done it with my dad so many times in the last 26 years.

"So, if god forbid, a machine is broken, this is what you do" I looked up from the cow, seeing that Harry was surprisingly paying attention like my words actually mattered.

This is new.

I couldn't help but feel my heart smile at the idea of me mattering to him. Even if it was as silly as how to milk a cow, it still made me happy that it appeared that he cared.

"Okay, so she is eating her hay right now, so she couldn't honestly give less of a fuck" I giggled, moving my bucket. "Come here and hold this bucket" I demanded, surprising him since he quickly moved. "Grab that stool, take a seat, stay a while" I joked, handing him the sterile bucket we use to catch the milk. "So, these are her udders" I chuckled, glancing over at Harry, expecting a chuckle or maybe even sexual innuendo, but his eyes were just locked on the cow. "They are clipped, as you can see here" I showed, "We keep our cows healthy" I commented, hoping he knew we did not stand for animal abuse or neglect here.

"Clipped?" he asked, surprising me.

I nodded, "You clip them to keep them clean"

"How do you clip udders?"

"Well, there are two ways. You see here, how her udders are just skin?" I asked, Harry nodding, "That's because we've shaved the hairs to keep her udders healthy and not have bacteria etcetera. My dad prefers to manually shave them. We only have a few cows after all, but the other method is singeing with fire. If done properly, it works well, but we don't like to risk possibly burning their skin or something"

"You.. hold fire? To the cow?" Harry sounded bewildered, staring at me like I have three heads.

"It's a way to do it, yes. Anyway, we do keep up on that, and I'm sure my dad can show you when the time comes, but for now, don't worry about it. Oh! Also, make sure the area is clean" I grab the paper towel, "You kind of just... swipe? At the udder? Uh, here, let me show you" I cleaned around the udder, noticing some dirt and what looked like grass, "Don't use water" I warned, "It can prevent the teat from opening"

"Tit?"

"Teat"

"Cows have tits? Is that why people refer to nipples as tits?" Harry asked, my eyes closing as my head turned out of shameful withheld laughter.

"It's a teat, and uh, I guess. Women's nipples and cow's teats produce milk" I chuckle, pulling myself together so I can focus. "Step one, you put on gloves. Keep everything clean and sterile. They're all over the place around here. Let us know if you need a different size" Harry nodded, "So, the step two once you're gloved is to prep the teat. You take this" I grabbed our pre drip solution, "You want to cover the four teats with it for at least 30 seconds. You do one at a time"

I could feel Harry intently paying attention, even with how in the zone I got, wanting to do this properly.

"Next, you grab the udder like this" I wrapped my hand around it, "You squeeze slightly downward.. kind of half twist? You don't want to like.. ring out the udder, but kind of guide the liquid out? I uh.." My cheeks flushed, "You've um.."

Delaney, no! Stop!

"Hm?"

"You've uh.. um.."

Delaney, seriously! Don't!

"I've what?" Harry asked, my slight squirming not helping as mental imagery flashed through my head.

"You uh.. you know how you uh.. um.."

"How I..?"

Oh my god

You're fucked!

Totally completely fucked!

You did this to yourself!

You couldn't just shut up and think of a better example?!

This is definitely not how your father taught you!

"So uh, you know when you um.. masturbate?" I rushed, "You kinda.. do a similar motion" I refused to make eye contact with the man. I can't. I won't. I refuse. "Just uh.. slowly.. like.. like edging"

DELANEY NICOLE FALLEN, YOU DID NOT JUST SAY THAT

I could feel the heat radiating off my face.

I can't believe I just said that.

I did not just bring up Harry masturbating whilst I have my hand wrapped around a cow udder.

Oh my god.

The rest of the explanation only got worse as the liquid began to drip out into the bucket, unacceptable mental images of Harry doing things I should definitely not be thinking about whilst I'm milking a cow, Harry right next to me, refused to leave my head.

I've never wanted to run out of a room quicker in my life, and it was my own damn fault!

I thought it couldn't get worse, but the redness in my cheeks stayed put as Harry took place on the stool, his own hands gloved as he began to prep the next cow to try doing it himself.

I slowly walked him through it again, his hand wrapping around the udder, with a soft chuckle and head shake, softly confessing, "I wish you didn't compare this to masturbating"

You and I are both, buddy.

I'd say it's a safe assumption that I want to simply forget today ever happened.

* * * * 

I listened to Lacy by Olivia Rodrigo the entire time I wrote this lol

Written on: September 9th, 10th, 11th 2023

Published on: September 11th 2023

Word Count: 4.2k

Part Four

[extremelyblackandwhite]

innocence - 38

  PAIRING: bodyguard!bucky barnes x innocent actress!reader

WARNINGS: angst, smut (18+), oral (male receiving), handjob, slight innocence kink 

A/N: not me still not fully recovered from the “you wanna see what i can do with leverage” moment. oof, still gets me heated up. anyway, this smut was mostly inspired by my pinterest board showing me this and this which i feel would be something y/n would wear for bucky. enjoy xx 

NEXT CHAPTER

She didn’t know she was running, but she was. She ran off that room before he could catch up to her but through the middle of her thoughts she could hear him yell out for her and run after her. Maybe it was an adrenaline rush, the thought of getting severely hurt or any other thing but she had managed to outrun him, running into the main corridor where everyone was awaiting for the judge to announce the results. As Mr. Hawthorn screaming her name registered in her brain, she rushed to Bucky, taking him by surprise. Out of instinct he wrapped his arms around her, looking down to see her hiding her face in his chest. 

As Bucky started to wonder why she had suddenly appeared and even why she had left in the first place, Mr. Hawthorne made his way down the hall yelling out her name made it all the much clearer. Bucky held her slightly behind his back, hand tightly holding hers as the man made his way to them. Bucky held out his metal arm in front of him, stopping Hawthorne from getting any closer to her. 

     - Give me that phone, Y/N. Now. - he wasn’t yelling, his tone was constant as he starred both Bucky and Y/N down. She moved her phone behind her back, typing while maintaining eye contact with the agency director. - I said ...

      - Back off, man. - Bucky tried to remain calm, he knew having a major fight or even yelling at the man in front of him wouldn’t put him in a good spot. However, he’d be caught dead if he allowed that man to even dare to touch his wife.

      - C’mon, Y/N. You wanna play with leverage? At least step away from your guard dog and confront me or are you already too comfortable with being a housewife? 

      - You wanna see what I can do with leverage? - Bucky pushed him slightly backwards but Y/N stopped him before he could do anything else, squeezing his hand and handing out the man in front of the two of them her phone. Before Bucky could even complain about getting her phone back, Mr. Hawthorne left the two of them in a fast pace. - What the fuck was that? What did he do? Why did you give him your phone? 

      - Trust me, okay? - she cupped his face, leaning her forehead against his when she wasn’t even sure if what she did was going to work. Her eyes darted slightly across the hall, seeing Chuck with the lawyer but quickly returned to Bucky. - I love you. 

      - What’s wrong, princess?  Hm? What did he do to you?

      - I love you too would’ve been nice, Buck. - she teased.

      - You know I love you too that’s not the point. You’re trying to distract me. Don’t shut me out. 

      - I am not shutting you out, Bucky. Nothing happened, it’s fine ... he’s just ... upset at me. 

      - Why is he upset at you? 

      - I ...

      - Mr. Barnes. - the lawyer approached the two of them, interrupting her just  as she was about to start her sentence. - The judge has called everyone in, let’s go. 

      - Has the jury made a decision? - Y/N’s grip on Bucky’s hand tightened and she was almost frozen on the spot as he started to walk to back to the court room, but she didn’t move. 

      - Hey, it’s just us, princess. Just us. - Bucky smiled at her, kissing the top of her head but she could barely register things.

She couldn’t hear anything as the two of them walked to the court room’s door where they were separated again with Sharon, Steve, Sam and Chuck accompanying her to the bench while Bucky took off with the lawyer. She sat down on the harsh, cold wood, her heart beating fast as she tried to read Chuck’s face yet she couldn’t. The jury and judge arrived, and suddenly everyone was on their feet, waiting for whatever decision the jury had taken; however, the jury looked confused, almost puzzled by the fact they were back into the court room. 

      - It has come to my attention that further evidence as been found. As such, bailiff, take the witness Mr. Hawthorne into custody where he will be charged for the harassment and stalking of Y/N Barnes as well as obscuring justice. In the matter of The People vs James Buchanan Barnes, this case is dismissed. Mr. Barnes, you are free to go. 

A few oh my gods erupted into the court room which went into complete frenzy as the bailiff took Mr. Hawthorne into custody who merely stared her down and shouted out in disbelief. She turned over to Chuck who took his phone off his pocket and played the exact same audio which she had played to Hawthorne just a few minutes ago.

     - I could kiss you. - she hugged her friend, a big smile on her face.

     - Please, don’t. I am still largely afraid of your husband, he would crush me like a soda can. Do you want me to die such a painful death? After I had to somehow understand your typo filled text with the worse recorded audio I have heard. Sincerely, Y/N, Bucky would’ve done a better job and he is what? As old as dinosaurs?

     - You’re the best. - she kissed her friends cheek before going over to Bucky who was being swarmed by both his friends that had come to congratulate him, his lawyer and some reporters.

She smiled at him, standing in the back of the crowd and catching his eye despite everyone surrounding him. Bucky couldn’t care less about those people surrounding him, congratulating him and even some complaining that he once again had avoided paying for his mistakes. All she cared was catching her eye in the middle of the crowd, as if a spotlight shone onto her. 

     - I hope you enjoy being being out of a job for 10 years. - Mrs. Olson said as she passed by to probably be with Hawthorne but Y/N didn’t say anything. 

She knew what was on the line but she would throw it away for Bucky. If it came between Bucky being free or her career, she would always pick the first option. However, it didn’t sting any less.  Yet, this was not about her, not today. Today was Bucky’s day. The day where he got rid of the problem that she had brought upon the two of them and while it was now gone, it still occupied a tiny spot of her mind which screamed at her about her own guilt in this whole situation. The flashes were bright and she kept being pulled to the back as more journalists and reporters tried to get some time with the former Winter Soldier but he avoided them, breaking through the crowd to be with the only person he actually wanted to celebrate this with. 

    - What did you do, princess? - he wrapped his arms around her, turning to exit the court room and leave all this experience behind. - And don’t say it wasn’t you, the lawyer told me it was you.

    - He could be lying. 

    - You could’ve gotten hurt. Why didn’t you tell me? 

    - It was just a guess ... I didn’t want to raise your hopes over a guess. I’m sorry. - she leaned her head against his covered arm. - It’s my fault this whole thing happened and I thought if I fixed it, I’d feel better.

    - It’s not your fault this happened. You could’ve gotten hurt, he could’ve hurt you and then what?

   - He was not going to hurt me. - she scratched her neck. She knew it was a lie, everyone is capable of everything in her business. - I had to do something for you. I am ... I am so tired of being weak. 

    - You’re not weak, what are you talking about?

    - Weren’t you in this trial? They talked about you as if you were some cold blooded murderer and me as if I were the weakest person ever. As if I wasn’t standing in that room and hearing to it. If I could defend myself, if I had put my foot down none of this would’ve happened. 

Bucky’s heart broke as he heard her talk, tears pooling in her eyes as what she had been feeling for the past weeks of meeting, court days and witness speeches seemed to finally explode, breaking free from the pressure she had been putting on it so it didn’t show, so she didn’t feel weak. He had never felt weak before, helpless maybe but never weak. Even as the Winter Soldier he could easily overpower his handlers if he wanted to, he could overpower new recruits and pretty much everyone who he was presented with. He’d never felt weak, he’d never know what it was like to feel weak and he had never even considered she felt weak because he just did not see her as weak. She was soft but not weak, she had strength in her softness, in her kindness. She’d done things he couldn’t see himself doing in his mid twenties. 

     - Hey ... - he flushed her close to him, drawing invisible circles on her back and kissing her temple. - Do you wanna get cheesy chips?

     - I need to go say goodbye ...

     - It’s fine. - he combed her hair away from her face to kiss her forehead. - I don’t want you to get caught up in a mess with photographers. 

     - I’m ridiculous. - she cuddled against his side as he led her out the back of the court where he had parked his car. - I should be comforting you, not the other way around.

     - You’re not ridiculous. This was as bad for me as it was for you. - he opened the car door for her. - Besides, I love comforting you. 

     - Really? Because from what I know, you were the one in danger of being in prison for at least 5 years. The only danger for me was trying to get naked during spousal visits. 

     - Aw, princess. You were willing to get naked in prison, for me?

     - You’re ridiculous, Barnes. 

     - So are you, Mrs. Barnes. - he smirked. - You are not weak and you are not ridiculous. Are we clear? 

     - Don’t use your sergeant voice on me.

Bucky chuckled, putting the key onto the engine and turning it on as the car started to roar up. She leaned her head against his shoulder, mindlessly listening to the song on the radio, probably one of Bucky’s favourites. On that moment, she didn’t care her career was on hold for the next 10 years because he was here and he was free like he deserved. As he pulled in front of the chippy shop nearby his flat, she perked her head up to kiss the corner of his mouth. 

    - Can we do takeaway? I wanna go home. - she cuddled against his shoulder once more. 

    - Sure, princess. Stay in the car and I’ll be right back, yeah?

    - Yeah. 

He left the car, loosening his tie as he entered the shop, leaving Y/N in the car. She rose her hand up, looking at the wedding band on her finger. It had barely registered in her that she was married, she of all people. She knew she wasn’t attention’s sweet centre and she knew she definitely did not deserve a guy like Bucky. God, in her wildest dreams she’d never thought she’d even end up with a man as caring and thoughtful as he is. It was almost surreal she’d even gotten married without having to fight her agency, at least too much. Her lips stretched in a smile as her husband came out of the shop, a toothy, childish grin on his lip as he waved the brown paper bag on his way to the car door.

He drove the two of them back to the flat and once they were inside, her shoes were thrown to one side as well as his tie and jacket and the couple made themselves comfortable on the couch. Y/N sat on Bucky’s lap, takeaway on her lap while he held his on his hand with the other searched for something to watch on TV, eventually landing on The Honeymooners.

    - I need to take you on a honeymoon. 

    - I don’t need a honeymoon. 

    - Bullshit. - he held her close by, hearing her giggle through the small digs onto the plastic container. - Where do you wanna go? C’mon, entertain me. 

    - Hm ... - she looked up, nose slightly scrunched. - Italy. 

    - I was stationed in Italy for a while. Nice place, great food. Where about?

    - There’s this movie called Letters to Juliet, it’s in Verona, and I always thought it looked so romantic. 

    - Okay, princess. Whenever you want, I’ll take you to Verona and we will have a nice month long honeymoon. 

    - Month long? 

    - Yeah. If we go any less, we won’t have time to do any sight seeing. 

    - Why is that?

    - Because I do intend to have sex with you in every part of the hotel we stay in. - he kissed the crook of her neck, taking the takeaway container away from her and placing it on the coffee table. - Maybe even try it in those tiny Italian balconies.

    - You just escaped five years of prison and you’re thinking of vouyerism already?

    - You shouldn’t look so pretty, then. - he hooked his finger under her chin and turned her face towards him, giving her a long drawn out kiss. His hand climbed up from her thigh up to her dress, pushing the sleeve down to expose her shoulder. His stubble rubbed against her soft kiss as he laid a kiss on the subtle skin of her shoulder.

   - Mhm, Buck ... - her hand pushed his shoulder back and he immediately pouted. - I have to shower. I smell like the dusty, mouldy court room and I’d like that smell off me. 

    - Mind if I join? - he pulled the sleeve off her other shoulder but she held her dress against her chest before it could fall down. - I can give you a massage.

   - If I allow you with me in the shower, there will be no showering. - she got off his lap, pushing her dress up. - I’ll be back. Try to keep the pouting to the minimum until I’m back. 

   - Just so you know, you’ll need another shower after you’re back. 

Y/N rolled her eyes, before padding into the bathroom, leaving Bucky on his own in the living room shuffling through various channels. The shower on the background was running until it was running for too long, Bucky turned his head around, looking at the door that led to the bathroom.

    - Princess, everything ok? - he prepared to get up and check on her but was. interrupted by her opening the door.

She stood against the door wedge with her typical shyness which made her so endearing to anyone who met her, yet, this time, it was something other than endearment that Bucky was feeling when looking at her. She was dressed in a white corset and knickers with a small floral print and small pink ruffles at the edge of her underwear. The corset was also adorned with a blue ribbon and small blue bow, everything covered in with one of her many short satin robes that she normally used over her pyjamas or over one of Bucky’s shirt which always looked like a dress on her. 

    - Were you wearing that ... - he cleared his throat, trying not to stare at her perky chest. - Were you wearing that today? 

    - No, I bought this one in case you won. - she closed the door of the bathroom behind her, padding barefoot over to the couch, standing in front of him, her robe slightly slipping of her shoulder. - Do you like it? 

    - Fucking hell, princess. - he leaned forward, hands wrapping around her waist to pull her close to him. 

    - It looks silly, doesn’t it? I don’t know, I just thought I’d wear something nice and do so ... - Bucky interrupted her rambling by kissing her, his hands pushing the robe fully off her and throwing it somewhere in the living room. His hands massaged her thighs and upper body until they were cupping her face, kissing her as if he hadn’t seen in her in ages. 

Her hands rest upon his shoulder, lips melded against his in a long, drawn out kiss. She whined as Bucky moved his lips from hers to her jaw and slightly under it, sucking the subtle and sensitive skin he found there. She allowed herself to get lost in the feeling of his slight stubble against her sensitive skin, drawing kisses and leaving hickeys with slightly rough lips. His hands scouted her corset for the square brackets, loosening the garment and pulling it over her head before leaning to kiss her again. She smiled against the kiss, breaking it to look at him which greatly annoyed Bucky, who tried to kiss her again. 

    - No... - she pushed him back against the couch as he tried to kiss her collarbones. Her hands toyed with the fabric of his shirt, fingers trailing up and down his chest. - Let me do something for you.

    - Princess ... - she ignored his pleas and attempts to pull her in and distribute more kisses all over her body.

Instead she climbed off his lap, standing on her knees in front of him, eyes looking up to him with a devious like innocence which was intoxicating to him. Her hands ran up his thighs, nails racking over the fabric of his trousers until they reached his belt. She bite her lip, unbuckling the accessory and tossing it aside before pushing his trousers down along with his underwear. She gripped his cock in her hand, her finger swiping the pre-cum off his tip before he started to move her hand slowly up and down.

    - Oh fuck ... - Bucky groaned, throwing his head back with his eyes shut. She smirked at this reaction, continuing to move her hand up and down in a painfully slow motion. 

Bucky groaned and moaned, head pressed against the headrest of the couch, eyes closed and lips opened. Her confidence grew at the sight of her completely blissed out husband and she stopped her motions. Before Bucky could whine about it, she kitten licked his tip before licking a broad stripe up his cock eliciting a low grumble from him. He looked down at his wife through half closed eyes, locking eye contact with her. Y/N gave him an innocent smile with innocent eyes before taking him in her mouth. Bucky breathed out, high gasp as his hand gripped onto the couch cushions. He moved his hips forward unconsciously, his cock hitting the back of her throat. She breathe through her nose as she bobbed her head up and down his cock slowly, cheeks hollowed out as she made it upon the spot. 

   - Fuck, princess. Fuck, you’re so good, fucking hell. - Bucky breath harshly as she picked up the pace, her movements almost matching up with his breathing tempo until she started to vigorously suck his tip, getting him almost shaking before returning to take him inside her mouth once more. - Fuck, stop. Stop. 

  - Did I do something wrong? - she pushed her hair behind her ears.

  - Come here. - Bucky helped her up and on top of his lap, pushing her underwear down her legs before he did so. She held herself up by holding onto his shoulders, staying slightly taller than him as he holstered her up. 

She looked down as he looked up, his eyes gazing onto hers as he lowered her down onto his hard cock, silencing her whimpers with a consuming kiss. Her skin seemed to flush hot and cold at the same time as he filled her to a halt. Bucky let her accommodate to his size, kissing down from her lips to her collarbones.

    - Fuck, you’re pretty. - he panted, moving to kiss her neck while his hands held her still. - So fucking pretty, princess.

    - Bucky, please ... move. - she hide her head in the space between his shoulder and neck, a hot flush settling in her cheeks. 

    - I’m not gonna ... fuck ... I’m not gonna move if you hide, princess. - he spoke through moans, voice strained due to the grip of her walls around him, pulsating. - Look at me, look at me when I’m fucking you. Let me see your pretty face. 

Y/N whined, moving to look at him as he flushed her chest against his. She probably looked a mess yet had no time to worry about that once he started to push her hips up and down on him, eventually leading her into riding him. Her hand slide from his shoulder to his chest as she bounced on top of him, the sound of skin slapping against each other along with the moans and groans of both of them as they chased their high. She felt her own walls pulsating with each thrust, her lower belly coiling up as she continued to move up and down his cock as if she were going to die if she stopped. She gasped and whined, continuing with her movements as the coil continued to tighten up and her movements sped up. 

   - That’s it, princess. Such a good girl. - he moaned against her ear, silencing some of her moans with messy, wet kisses. - You wanna cum on my cock, hm? I know you want to.

   - Buck ... - her gasp was high as her walls spasmed and her body tensed. The grip on his dick led him over the edge just a few seconds later and he pulled her completely flush against him, feeling him cum fill her up and leak onto both hers and his thighs. She hide her head on the crook of his neck, mewling while she regained her breathe. 

Bucky chuckled through his breathlessness before slipping out of her which caused her to let out a small whine before he laid her down on the couch, arms wrapped around her. 

   - Make that a 3 month long honeymoon. - he cuddled her against his chest. 

   - How much of that will be sex? - she looked up, completely blissed out.

   - You’ll get a week of sightseeing if you keep pulling this on me.  

   - Right. - she rolled her eyes. - I forget that you are old and cannot take this much excitement. 

   - Are you teasing me, Mrs. Barnes?

   - Maybe. - there it was, the little playful smirk he loved so much. 

   - Oh, princess ... - he lifted her up as he got up from the couch, walking towards their bedroom. - You’re gonna regret that. 

taglist: @disasterbi @lookiamtrying @buckysteveloki-me @americasass81 @jamesbarnesappreciationclub @lostinthebeans @mariahthelioness29 @oh-nohoney @peaches-roses-sins @theadorasabditory @sipsteacasually @saiyanprincessswanie @booktease21 @noiralei @learisa @everythingisoverratedbutgreat @uglipotata72829 @naturalthrone22 @husherstan @mandiiblanche @vicmc624 @itsallyscorner @chipilerendi @emzd34 @writerwrites @bluevxnus @that-girl-named-alex @captnrogers @nsfwsebbie @sarge-barnes-sir @niki-is-a-thing @cynic-spirit @tenaciousperfectionunknown​ @buckyswillow​

[barry-j-blupjeans]

31 from the touch list? Please?

31 (touches). doing a pinky swear

((prompt list here - still accepting!!))

u didn't request any ships/characters specifically so here's Magnus n Lucretia (platonic)

--

It was five days back into a new cycle and Lucretia still wasn't talking to him, which Magnus was trying to accept. Last year hadn't been great for any of them, he was sure, but it was specifically terrible for Magnus, Barry, and Lucretia. There hadn't been any humans on that plane but there had been a council. The world was full of strange and mysterious oddities that the council set out to study. Being freshly new and odd, the council had taken it upon themselves to-

Study was putting it lightly.

Barry had been taken first, under the prose that the council just wanted to speak to him, privately. The "private meeting" went on for much longer than they had agreed upon and when they had gone to look for Barry, he hadn't been there.

Davenport had made Lucretia and Magnus promise not to leave the ship. They did so, Magnus less willing than Lucretia, and well-

Magnus was usually good at following orders. But there were lives at stake. Humans weren't the only ones being hurt by the council and the breaking point for him had been seeing a dog-like creature dragged into the research center, as Davenport made him stand back and out of the way.

He tried sneaking out in the middle of the night, but Lucretia had caught up with him. They argued for a bit about Davenport's rule and then set out together, to go find Barry. Lucretia had made Magnus promise- promise, wholeheartedly- that he wouldn't do anything rash. Magnus agreed, knowing how he was, and without the intent to actually follow through.

He had sort of... broken that promise upon seeing what was going on inside the research center. Even now, thinking about it made him sick. He felt guilty, after re-gen, for breaking his word, but even more guilty upon the realization that his actions had lead Lucretia to death for the first time ever.

That's probably why she wasn't talking, thinking logically about it. Taako and Lup had told him the story of what happened after (once they were done mobbing Barry, that is). It had been a grizzly sight and they had even convinced Davenport to let them burn down the facility once they rescued everyone inside. The sadness of missing a revolution was outmatched by the stinging regret he felt every time he saw Lucretia.

"Just- talk to her," Lup groaned, head in her hands, after Magnus had come to her for the fifth time to talk about it. She swept the papers she had been working on aside and turned to face him.

"Look, Mags, both of you are, putting it nicely, stubborn little shits- don't give me that look, you know you are. The rest of us are, too, that's why we're not perma-dead yet. But babe, you can't just let it lie. It's just gonna end with you two crying at each other and then getting over it. C'mon dude."

"But," Magnus started. Lup rolled her eyes.

"Lucy's like a sister to you, yeah?" Lup asked and Magnus nodded, frowning. "Okay, then take it from me, someone who has a terrible, horrible brother, whom I love very dearly. This fight, or whatever, isn't helping anyone. Communication is key when it comes to any relationship, even platonic ones. Stop being so scared that she's mad at you and start being scared that you might lose your friendship if you don't do anything."

"Right," Magnus said, a little more determined. "Okay, yeah. Thank you."

"Uh-huh," Lup said, turning back to his papers. "If you see Barry on your way tell him that, uh- the experiment we started earlier is going well."

"Is that code for something?" Magnus asked, watching the way Lup's face split into a sly grin.

"Not that I'll tell," she said, winking.

--

It took until that night for Magnus to properly work up the courage to talk to Lucretia, which made him feel stupid. He could run into a swarm of the Hunger feeling nothing but excitement, but the idea of talking with Lucretia about what had happened last cycle made him feel almost sick to his stomach.

In the end, he knocked on Lucretia's door half an hour before dinner. There was a shuffle from inside and then the door opened a bit and Lucretia peaked out. She didn't look surprised to see him there. If anything, she looked just about as nervous as Magnus felt.

"Alright," Lucretia said. "Come in."

She opened the door wider and beckoned Magnus inside. He had been in here before, of course. There was a slowly filling bookshelf of her journals, and journals she had yet to use. Her sheets were a dark, royal blue, from a fabric shop from a few cycles back. There was an easel in the corner and a bucket full of different types of paints and art... things... Magnus wasn't very well versed in any of it.

She pulled the chair out from her desk and let him sit, sitting on top of the desk herself. They stared.

"Taako said-" she started, at the same time he said,

"Lup-"

She grinned at him sheepishly. It made Magnus feel a lot better to know she had gotten advice, too. She gestured at him, letting him go first.

"I went to Lup," he began, "because I didn't know exactly how to- to fix this, but she just said to talk to you, and let it come out, so, uh. I'm sorry, I guess. No, I mean- I am sorry, I just- I'm not good at thinking through things and you got hurt because of it. You died because I rushed into something and I should have thought about that. I should have kept you in mind, but when I saw all those creatures getting hurt, and thought about what must have happened to Barry, I- couldn't help myself. I'm sorry you died because of it. Because- of because of me."

Lucretia was silent for a few moments, hands resting in her lap. He had been avoiding her eye during his speech, but when he was done, he looked up at her.

"I'm not angry because I died," she said. "I'm angry because you broke your promise."

"I- what?"

"I don't care that I died!" Lucretia said loudly, slamming her hand on the desk. "It fucking- yes, yeah, it hurt, but it hurt that you promised me you wouldn't rush in, and then you did! If you're going to be rash, you need to tell me outright- that's what got us killed, Magnus! That you didn't trust me enough to tell me what you were thinking!"

"I trust you!" Magnus said, but Lucretia shook her head. She was looking a little teary.

"Did you promise with the intention of actually keeping your word?" she asked, and when Magnus couldn't respond (because, no, he hadn't been planning to be "rash" about it), she turned away from him and said, "that's what I thought."

"They were hurting the animals and people they had there," Magnus said, finally, voice wet and hurt. "I couldn't just... let them do that. I couldn't, Lucretia."

"I know," she said, taking a deep breath. "I know. I just- just as appalled you was, trust me. We could have gotten out alive, though, I think. If you had taken the time to think about what to do with me. Like Lup and Taako did, when they broke everyone out after we died."

Something uncomfortable was rooted in Magnus's chest and it was that she was right- she was a hundred percent right. He had the tendency to act instead of think and had been like that before the Starblaster mission. It was fitting for a twenty-two-year-old, fresh into the real world, but- fuck. He wasn't twenty-two, anymore, not really.

He saw the pain in Lucretia's eyes and realized she wasn't twenty anymore, either. Not like they were when they started.

"You're right," Magnus said, nodding. "I broke my promise, willingly, and it was stupid of me. I can't promise things like that right off the back because I'm realizing I still have a lot of growing left to do. It's- weird, I think. Being so young with so much knowledge. I don't feel like I'm living up to the age I actually am."

Lucretia nodded, slowly, and looked into his eyes. He could see the tears in them.

"I shouldn't have made you promise something so drastic for you," Lucretia said.

"Maybe not," Magnus shrugged. "But there is something I can say- I can promise, I mean. Look, pinky swear, so you know I'm not lying."

He held out his pinky. Lucretia took it apprehensively in her own, a small smile sneaking back onto her face.

"I promise I'm gonna try to grow up," he swore and Lucretia snorted. "Seriously- maybe not like, uh, like I'm still gonna be childish as fuck, don't doubt that, but- I'm gonna try to think things through more. Think of the consequences to my actions."

He shook their pinky's, a bit violently. Lucretia took her hand back, looking at him appraisingly.

"I'll hold you to that," she said.

"Please do," Magnus said.

[pink-peony-princess]

From Unpredictability Comes Strength

Are you sure you're okay babe?" Shawn, my boyfriend asked as he walked over to the bed where I was currently laying curled up.

"I'm sure, still exhausted from the jet lag, and my period is giving me grief," I told him causing him to pout. Most girls my age would probably cringe at the thought of telling their boyfriend details about their period, but not me. See Shawn my boyfriend, my older brother Connor, and their friends Dave and Brian were all well respected doctors at the local hospital here in Toronto. That was part of reason for my moving from LA to Canada, I didn't want Shawn to loose such a good job, it was an added bonus that Bri and the other two guys also lived with us so I would get to see all of them.

"Okay," he agreed, though I could tell from the tone that he wasn't completely convinced.

"Call me if you need me, I get off at 6." he added before kissing my head and leaving the now empty house, the other having already left for the hospital.

Several hours later, and the pain just wasn't getting any better. I had always had bad periods. They were made especially bad though by a cyst that I had on my left ovary, something which when I asked my old doctor about she had told me that there was nothing that could be done short of some pain relief. I had tried everything though, hot packs, cold packs, a bath, even drinking green tea, (which I hated) to no avail. Finally I decided that I would try going for a short walk, as I heard that exercise could alleviate pain.

While on the walk I got a call from Shawn, "Babe come home, we all got off early so we're having a family dinner. " he spoke.

"Be there soon, I love you." I told him, before turning around and jogging home. As I went to cross the road, a dog came out of nowhere, and me being deathly afraid of them as I was tried to avoid it, by running the other way only to mis-step and fall directly into gravel. Unfortunately for me, I ended up skinning my knees and as I stood, groaning from the painful sting tht was now emanating from my limbs I realised there was dirt caught in them. Great, just great, I thought as I made my way home slowly, tears falling as I tried to ignore (and failed) how much pain I was in.

"Ana!" Brian called coming over to greet me with a hug. "How was your run?" He asked stepping back to look at me. "Wait, " He paused looking at me more closely. "Ana, you're crying, and bleeding, " he spoke as he looked me up and down before spotting my bloody knees.

" Shawn, " he called, looking over his shoulder to the kitchen where I could hear the other guys all laughing.

"Hi babe, " he started before noticing my knees as Brian had moments earlier and pouted.

"Let me see Princess," he spoke as he helped me into the kitchen and lifted me onto the bench.

"Aw, Poppet, what happend?" My brother asked when he saw me crying as Shawn gently examined my wounds.

"There was a dog." I shivered. I hated dogs except for Tarzan. "So I ran but I tripped." I hiccuped as I tried to slow my breathing.

"One Dr.Brian at your service," Bring sang as he reappeared holding the household first aid box, pulling out tweezers, antiseptic spray, gauze, tape, bandages, cream and pills. "I'm just going to remove the dirt, clean them and then I'll bandage them up. " He explained as he positioned my leg so the kitchen lights were directly above him. "Hold Shawn and Connor's hands for me okay, this will probably hurt."

He wasn't lying it feel like fire was being rubbed into my wounds, and I found myself biting my lip to try and stop myself from crying out loud.

"Nearly done hon," Brian soothed patting my leg as he washed out the last little bits of dirt. A minute later, he stepped back with a smile.

"The worst part is over now Princess," Shawn whispered in my ear, causing me to loosen my grip on their hands just a little. I still clung to them as Brian bandaged them up though, needing the physical contact.

"And you, my fair lady, are all finished," he smiled as he tucked the last bit of bandage in. "You'll need to get me or one of the guys to change it daily for three or so days, but other than that you'll be fine. "

"Thanks Brian," I whispered reaching to give him a hug.

"Ready to get down babe?" Shawn asked, going to grab my hands again.

"Can you just hold me for a minute?" I asked feeling slightly embarrassed.

"Of course. " He smiled before wrapping me in a warm embrace, and allowing me to rest my head in the crook of his neck. "Are you okay? " He asked when I sniffed.

"Mmm," My response was muffled, but they must have heard it because Connor was the next one to speak.

"Why are you so upset Bug?" he asked, using my childhood nickname.

"I don't know!" I cried. "I'm not sleeping because of the jet lag. I'm in pain and now this." I threw my hands up.

"Tell you what, " Connor started. "you have a shower then we'll have dinner and you and your other half-" he gestured to Shawn "can go have sappy cuddles on the couch. How does that sound?" He ruffled my hair softly as he spoke before returning to the cooking.

Fifteen minutes later, I came back down the stairs wearing one of Shawn's old Zeppelin shirts, it reaching my knees and drowning me, but I didn't care. It was comfortable, and it smelt like his aftershave.

"Feeling any better Princess?" he asked coming over and kissing my forehead

"A little," I spoke. Sighing as I leant into his hold. Truth was I was feeling less of the period pain and more of a sharp ache now. But I wasn't going to tell them that, all four of them would be swarming around me like sea gulls if I did.

"I'm hungry," I spoke stealing a piece of tomato that Connor had placed on the counter to add to the salad.

He merely glared at me playfully, but didn't say anymore.

Half an hour later and we were all sat at dinner, the boys all chatting amongst themselves about their work days, discussing patients and funding. While I just pushed my food around my plate, trying to ignore the now increasingly sharp pain radiating from my stomach.

"Ana are you okay?" Dave asked worriedly, watching as I pushed my plate away.

" I don't feel good." I spoke, before grimicing in pain as a particularly bad cramp took hold.

"Dont feel good how?" Shawn asked as he came over to where I was sitting, two seats down from him, bending down.

"Just make it stop." I groaned, reaching for my stomach.

"Make what stop Princess?" he asked, searching my face, and rubbing my leg trying to comfort me.

"The pain, it's like there's a knife there!" I cried, leaning into him and breathing heavily.

"Do you think you can stand up?" Brian asked, coming over to help Shawn support me as I slumped in my chair.

I stood slowly feeling extremely shaky before nearly collapsing as dizziness took over.

"Ana you went for a run right?" Dave asked, coming to stand by my side, taking my wrist so he could take my pulse.

I nodded my head, trying to slow my breathing as the room kept spinning.

"Shit, her pulse is racing, bring her over to the couch." He told Shawn before leaving the room.

Shawn and Dave both held me tightly as we moved slowly. I could barely lift my legs as every time I did pain took hold. "Okay, lay back babe," Shawn spoke as he helped me sit down, and situated me between his legs as he sat behind me.

"Right, Ana where is the pain?" Dave questioned coming to kneel down beside the couch.

"Right here, " I spoke pointing to my left side.

"I'm just going to feel," he spoke as he hiked my shirt up to just under my chest.

Everyone was quiet as Dave concentrated, moving around to press on different sections of my stomach. Finally he said "It is a bit swollen. Do you have any pain in your back or thighs? "

I looked back at Shawn,confused. "If the cyst on your ovary has ruptured or is close to, it can cause pain in the back and thighs," he explained, helping me to pull my shirt back down.

I nodded causing him sigh.

"We'll try some heat, maybe have a bath okay, the water may help to soothe it," Dave added before standing up and taking my wrist again. "Your heart rate is a little high, but we'll just keep an eye on you." He smiled,as Shawn scooped me up into his arms, and carried me up the stairs to our en suite.

"Arms up Princess, do you want bubbles?" he asked as he deposited me onto the closed toilet seat and helped me remove my clothing.

"Please?" I asked, watching as he grabbed my favourite bath lotion, and poured a generous amount in.

"Here we go. In you get," he spoke as he helped me into the tub The difference was almost immediate.

"I think it's time my little invalid gets out," Shawn whispered after about twenty minutes of me just laying back in the water, and letting him massage my scalp from where he sat next to the tub.

"Okay," I agreed, taking his hand as he helped me out of the bath slowly.

It was a slow process getting dressed, as I couldn't make any sudden movements, but Shawn was patient. "There," he said finally. "Snug as a bug, " He had not only redressed me into the shirt I had stolen from him, but had gone and gotten a sweater that he had left lying about and pulled it on me. "Can't have you getting cold little one," he laughed, before pecking my lips.

"It is freezing!" I agreed, as we made our way down the stairs.

"How's my patient?" Dave asked as Shawn placed me gently onto the sofa, covering me with a quilt.

"Sore," I replied, pouting, causing him to laugh.

"Here,this might help," Connor called walking in from the kitchen and placing a heating pad on my stomach.

"Thanks Con," I yawned, readjusting myself so that I could lay against Shawn's side as he squished onto the sofa beside me.

"Get some sleep babe," he whispered, "You need it." He didn't need to tell me twice, it was about three seconds and I was out like a light.

...

When I woke I wasn't sure what time it was, but I was no longer in the couch, instead Shawn had taken me up stairs and tucked me into the bed, and judging by the lack of light and the soft snores coming from Shawn as he slept soundly beside me, it was much later.

Unfortunately for me, there was no way that I was getting back to sleep any time soon, as the pain that had been uncomfortable, but bearable earlier was now causing me agony. So much so that I was literally feeling nauseous.

"Ana, are okay?" Shawn asked, talking into my neck, sleep thick in his muffled voice.

I didn't answer, trying to focus on not passing out.

"Ana," he sighed, as I just sat there crying grabbing fist fulls of sheet as each wave of pain came over me. Sitting up and switching on the lamp beside the bed, he rubbed my arm softly.

"Hold on I'll get the guys." He got up, before quickly exiting the room. A minute or so later I heard the sound of him knocking on the other's doors, and tired voices.

"It's worse? " Dave confirmed, walking into the room closely followed by Shawn,Brian and Connor.

"It never hurts this much, it's so bad!" I cried, pressing on my stomach, wanting the pain gone. I could feel a stronger wave of nausea just as Shawn bent down so that he was at my level, Connor coming to sit with me on the bed as he saw me gag, holding my hair back just in case.

" I'm gonna be sick!" I gasped holding my hand on my mouth, feeling the bile rise.

"Okay, just a second, Bri's gone to get a bucket bub," Shawn soothed coming to rub small circles in my back.

Finally just as I nearly let myself be sick on the bed, Connor spoke, "Here let it all out, " he soothed rubbing my back as Brian held a bucket beneath me that he must have bolted to get from somewhere. I was thankful though, as I could no longer hold it.

After a few minutes, I was able to catch my breath, though I still lay there sweaty and dazed.

"Here,come here Princess." Shawn motioned for me to shuffle over, so he could wipe my face down with a wet washer he had gone and gotten from out bathroom.

"I bleed on the bed," I cried, embarrassed as I shifted and felt the leak, before seeing the masive red stain on the once white sheet

" It's okay, it's normal to have heavy bleeding when a cyst is inflamed. Honestly, we see blood every day babe," Shawn soothed, as he pushed my messy hair out of my face "Besides, they're just sheets, worst case, we'll chuck them out."

"I feel horrible," I groaned letting my head fall onto Shawn's arms half an hour later, when even after a dose of strong pain killers I could barely move.

"Do you want to try sitting in the shower?" Brian suggested as he came back into the room after going to put the dirty sheets in the washer.

"Will it help?" I asked unsure.

"It might," Dave nodded, "The constant stream of warm water may help to loosen some of the muscles in your back and help with the pain and nausea. It's worth a try. "

"Okay," I agreed, watching as Dave stood up and came to stand at the side of the bed.

He held out a hand, helping to support me as Shawn pulled me into an upright position. The room spun a little, and I could feel myself swaying slightly but I managed to stay standing. "Just move very slowly, Ana, no sudden movements honey." Dave grimaced in sympathy as my face tensed with pain as I stepped forward. "

It's okay. We've got you. Breathe Ana. Just breathe," Shawn encouraged as we finally made it to the bathroom.

... Two hours later...

I had sat on the tiled floor of the shower cubicle for almost two hours now, yet nothing was changing and I was miserable. All I wanted to do was sleep. Shawn had sat with me the whole time, holding me gently under the water, not caring that his clothes were now soaked.

"Shawnie I feel dizzy," I told him trying to stay awake. "And my stomach is burning," I groaned, trying to ignore the hot feeling that was now taking over my tummy.

He took my wrist in his hand, before gently taking my pulse.

"Ana we need to go to the hospital honey," he spoke before leaning me against the glass door of the shower and standing up.

"No please can't you just do what you need to do here," I begged crying. I hated hospitals, and he knew it, it had been that way my entire 22 years of life.

"Shhh, calm down," he consoled before calling out to the others. "Dave, Brian, Connor!"

The looks of pity on all of their faces as they stepped into the room and took in my bedraggled state was too much for me to handle.

"Oh Ana, buddy. " Brian sighed, before bending down and helping Shawn to stand me up.

"We need to go to the hospital,she's dizzy her pulse is at 130 beats a minute, she's in more pain than before, she told me a minute ago that her stomach was burning, and she's bleeding more than she should be. I think it may have burst," he told the others as he wrapped a towel around my wet-clothed body.

"Burns," I whimpered as we made our way downstairs, me in my brother's arms, allowing Shawn to run and change into dry clothes.

I heard them muttering amongst themselves, not making out much more than medical word: inflammation and gastritis,and then I was tuning them out.

I couldn't help the tears as we made the short drive to the hospital, me laying across Connor and Shawn's laps.

"I know bub,we'll sort it out okay. But just focus in staying calm. The more upset you are, the worse you'll feel." Connor explained rubbing my stomach softly.

-Connor-

I felt horrible as I watched my little sister in pain, desperately clinging to Shawn as we pulled into the staff carpark. Luckily for us Shawn and I worked as critical care doctors in the ICU while Brian and Dave ran the ER, meaning we could just go straight in, not having to worry about admissions, and insurance just yet.

"I thought you were off tonight? It's been one hell of a night!" Nancy one of the nurses spoke as we walked in.

"We were, but Ana has a burst cyst," I spoke pointing to Shawn who held her in his arms as we walked towards the only available exam room.

Nancy frowned sympathetically, before walking back to the nurses station "You'll need to run it, no doctors available," she called.

Normally we won't treat relatives but she was high priority as as Nancy had said there was no one else there.

"Right Ana I need to run some tests honey, I'm going to get Shawn to change you into this," Dave spoke holding out a gown, as Shawn placed my sister onto the exam table gently.

Once that was done Dave came back over, setting up the portable ultra sound machine next to the bed.

"So I'm just going to put some gel on your stomach, and have a look okay. It might be a little uncomfortable so I apologise in advance."

She whimpered slightly, grabbing Shawn's hand as Dave pressed the wand down."

"I know I'm sorry, " he apologised as he continued to move it around, finally he stopped, zooming in.

"Here it is, you've got a burst cyst on your left ovary, that's why it's hurting so much. When you were running the exertion must have caused it to burst. It also looks as though you have evidence of gastritis too."

"What's that?" she asked looking to me for help.

"Its inflammation of the stomach lining, that's the burning you were feeling.We'll run some more tests though, just to be sure-"

He was interrupted as he spoke by one of the nurses poking her head around the curtin.

"Dr. Craigen would you be able to consult in triage?"

"No," He answered politely. "I'm currently busy looking after a personal patient."

Ana laughed once she had left. "Can you do that? Just ignore?"

"For you, yes, you're our most important patient." He winked. " Good news," he added, " There's no twist, so no surgery but it did burst, and you have lost some blood. So I would like to admit you so we can give you fluids and pain relief," he explained causing her nose to crinkle in distaste.

-Ana-

"Can Shawn stay?" I asked worried that I'd be stuck here by myself.

"I'm not going anywhere Princess," he reassured, me, coming to sit on the side of the bed with me.

Half an hour later and I'd been officially admitted and hooked up to a blood pressure machine, oximeter, and an I.V. with pain meds which was working wonders.

"How you feeling now princess?" Shawn asked, looking at the machines briefly before focusing his attention back to me. We were now the only two in the room, Brian and Connor having gone to the Cafeteria for much needed coffee, and Dave to check my previous file notes, not that I knew how he'd get a hold of them.

"I'm cold." I shivered, trying to burrow myself further into the too think blankets.

"Here, this should help," Shawn smiled, pulling one of his jumpers out of his bag and helping me into it.

There was a knock on the door, before Dave stepped into the room,a clipboard in hand. "Sorry to interupt guys." he apologised. "Ana, I need to ask you some routine questions," he spoke coming to sit next to the bed.

"Is there any chance you could be pregnant?" he asked seriously.

I blushed, "Ummm no," I laughed hiding my face in Shawn's shoulder.

"Sorry,this is just as awkward for you as it is for me. Trust me I don't want to know the details of one of my best mates private this. But this important," he explained smiling sympathetically.

"Well, No, trust me," I laughed, just wanting to move on.

"Okay. Well I'm going to do a blood draw just to rule a couple things out. Make sure nothing additional is going on."

"The doctor basically told me there was nothing she could do," I told him, watching as he grabbed all the necessary supplies.

"Well now that you're over here Dave will take care of you princess," Shawn spoke kissing my head.

"You don't have to worry about a thing." Dave smiled before snapping on a pair of gloves and coming to sit next to me.

"Shawn move your fat bum so I can get this blood work done," he spoke, shoving Shawn off the bed with his hip where he had been sitting next to me.

"Sharp scratch Ana," he warned causing me to squeeze my eyes shut in anticipation. "Just stay nice and relaxed."

Several hours later,and nothing abnormal had shown up in my blood work, meaning that once my pain was under control I was free to go, however Dave did explain to me that he had seen evidence of gastritis as Connor had mentioned earlier a symptom of the strong medications I had been taking to manage my pain. I was prescribed an ant-acid, toldstay away from spicy food, and change medications to something a little less harsh.

"You also need to be on bed rest for a few days to give your stomach time to heal," Shawn had added, laughing when I whined in protest. He knew I hated being stuck immobile.

Days later I had been released on strict orders to rest, something which I reluctantly agreed to.

" I'm so glad your feeling better," Shawn said sitting next to me on the sofa, that had become my temporary home due to not being able to walk easily on my own.

"Well it wasn't exactly the way I wanted to spend my first few days here, but thank you guys," I spoke, looking to the other three who sat across from us. They all smiled. "Seriously. Hopefully this will be the start of a great new chapter! I can't wait to see what living in Canada brings," I shouted causing them all to laugh.

"What would I do without you babe?" Shawn chuckled, kissing me.

"I don't know, your life would certainly be more predictable though," I laughed, snuggling into his shoulder.

"But then life would be boring, besides from unpredictabiliy comes strength, and you Ana, are the strongest person I know," he smiled, kissing my temple and resting his head atop mine.

[bidoldaccount]

A Little Kept Secret (part 1)

Chris Halliwell x reader

Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6

Water dripped from her lashes like droplets leaking from a faucet. Her veins sizzled like a fire had been lit inside of them and she can't feel her body anymore. God she was tired. Her vision was blurred and dancing with pretty purples and yellows that swayed and twinkled in every direction.

Then, just as she felt like every last drop had been drained from her existence, it stopped, and everything went black.

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

Lights. More lights. They were dancing beyond her closed eyes, twinkling like fairy lights. Yellow and orange sparks of pristine beauty.

Y/n awoke with a gasp, the lights fading and transforming into a bright glow that was emanating from a pair of hands that were unfamiliar to her.

"Who are you?" Her voice was raspy and her throat tight.

"My name is Leo, can you tell me yours?" The lights stopped, a dull ache filling the entirety of Y/n's body.

"Y/n," she pushed herself up, taking in her surroundings. She was sitting on an old couch, the white, floral decorated cushions soft beneath her aching body. "Where the hell am I?" She asked, pushing frizzy strands of still-damp hair out of her face. She swept all of her hair up her neck, smoothing it along the top of her head and twirling it all into a bun.

"You're in the Halliwell manor. I would have healed you in the alley but there were still demons around and you were barely hanging on," Leo said, his eyes staring down at her with a softness she wasn't used to. She squirmed a bit under their warmth, sliding her feet off of the couch and onto the floor to gather more of her bearings.

"Great, go out to get a damn sandwich and end up in the charmed ones living room. I'm guessing your the white-lighter?" She asked, quirking an eyebrow.

"No, that would be me." Y/n's eyes travel beyond Leo and land upon a man a few years older than herself but looking younger than the man who had just healed her. He was leaning against the frame of the living room entrance, his arms crossed over his chest and his eyebrows drawn down with a cautionary expression. "And you are..." the words came out almost judgmentally, making Y/n's shoulders rise.

"Covered in dry sweat and dirt, so if you'll excuse me, I'll be on my way," Y/n stood up, her black jacket shifting uncomfortably against her skin. She looked up at Leo, the man smiling softly at her. "Thank you for helping me, I really do appreciate it," she said, nodding her head with a half smile.

"Leo!" Y/n's attention strayed to the entrance of the living room as three women walked in. She can't lie, of course she was a bit starstruck. The charmed ones were legendary. Even if you were the highest level ranking demon out there, you would still pale in comparison to the charmed ones.

"What's wrong?" Leo turned towards them, his feet spread and his shoulders squared like he was ready for anything to be thrown at him. Y/n stood slightly behind him, her eyes flicking between all five people in the room, her magic tingling for her to just get out of there.

"Well we vanquished those stupid little parasite demons, but once we did, more stupid little demons came swarming at us trying to get this thing," one of the women held up a ring. Y/n's eyes narrow on the ring, the band thick and the color a pure gold. It was intricately designed with spirals of black that looked like billowing smoke and a blood red diamond in the middle of it.

"It is pretty, looks just about my size too," the woman beside the one with the ring took it and held it over her finger, ready to slide it on.

"No! Ring," Y/n held her hand out, the ring gone from the woman's fingers and appearing in Y/n's hand.

“Okay, who is this?" One of the women asked, pointing at Y/n with raised eyebrows.

"Oh, this is Y/n," Leo moved a bit to the side, revealing her completely. "I found her a little down from where you guys were fighting the other parasites. She was being drained but there were too many there so I brought her here," he explained.

"Good thing he did too, otherwise this one," Y/n pointed to the woman in the middle, "would have tried to kill all of you," she said, holding up the ring. "This is Alexa's ring. Named after the dark witch who cursed it in the 14th century."

"Right, she was infuriated because her lover slept with her sister, who was adamantly good even though they came from a famously evil family," the white lighter still leaning against the doorframe said.

"Right," Y/n furrowed her eyebrows, "except it was her cousin and that 'lover' was that cousins fiancé," the women all snickered as their white lighter flushed. "Alexa casted a love spell on him but it wore off mid-intercourse and he was so enraged that he nearly killed her, which is why she created the ring. It was meant to flip the morality of whoever wore it. So those that you'd normally as loved ones or friends would become enemies," she explained.

"Oh," the one that had almost put the ring on said, "well that wouldn't have been good," she chuckled innocently. "So thanks for that. I'm Paige," she stepped forward with her hand out. Y/n shook it and politely smiled, not offering her name because Leo had already said it.

"I'm Phoebe," the one who had originally been holding the ring introduced herself with a sweet wave.

"Piper," the last one introduced.

"And the white lighter?" Y/n asked, gesturing to the other man in the room.

"That would be Chris. Don't worry about him, he's a grumpy little thing," phoebe pinched the white lighters cheek as she walked past him and out of the living room.

"I am not grumpy. I am mission oriented," Chris yelled after her.

"A.k.a grumpy," she yelled from a different room. Chris rolled his eyes as he looked back at Y/n, his eyes taking her in from head to toe. She shifted uncomfortably under his gaze, clearing her throat to regain everyone's attention.

"Anyways, This has been lovely but I really need a shower," she handed the ring to Leo and gave them all a salut. "It was really nice meeting you all, thanks for not leaving me to die," she started for the door without waiting for any kind of goodbye, closing the manor door with a soft click. She shimmered out as soon as the door closed, her surroundings vanishing.

The outside of the Halliwell manor was replaced with her bedroom, her dog running up to jump on her thighs before she was even fully solid.

"Woah, hello to you too Dragon," she greeted, scratching at his ears. He barked at her, rubbing his snout against her stomach. Y/n chuckled, gently pushing him down so she could walk to the bathroom. The black leather jacket  wrapped around her was torn at the sleeve, her lips pursing in dissatisfaction as she poked her finger through the tear.

"Damn" she cursed, throwing it on the sink. Looking up at the mirror she saw just how much damage was done. Her arms were covered in bruises and cuts that had been healed thanks to Leo. She's almost lucky that the parasite demon had almost killed her, otherwise Leo wouldn't have healed her and Callies attack would have actually done her in.

Taking off her tank top revealed a deep gash at her side that stretched from the side of her torso all the way to above her belly button. It was only half healed, no longer gushing with blood but still throbbing and exposed. She sighs at it but pushes it away for now, kicking off her shoes and socks then stepping out of her pants.

Her cuts sting under the spray of the water, but the warmth of it soothes the aching in her muscles and makes her sigh. Dirt and blood seep out of her hair, sliding along the white porcelain tub and down the drain.

Nothing had really set in until now. Her mind is too active to slow down and process until she's alone and everything is quiet. With the water running at a constant, steady pace, and the flow of it being the only sound in the bathroom, there's nothing to do but process the day. She was standing face to face with the charmed ones. Her pulse is rising just thinking about it. It's like growing up reading a fairytale then meeting the fairytale characters. She can't say it was as glamorous as that however, they were ordinary people with the exception of their extraordinary powers. She could see the worry lines on pipers face, and the exhaustion on Phoebe's, and the flickering confusion on Paige's. Realizing that extraordinary people have flaws is like realizing that your parents are sometimes as scared of the dark as you are.

Y/n's mind switched to Leo and the kindness in his face. It was a baseline emotion that he didn't seem to be aware of. She could feel it inside of him, the protectiveness and the kindness that dictates his decisions. He was there, waiting and ready to help, to heal. She had never met someone with such softness in their eyes who would still get their hands dirty to help someone.

Her attention moves to Chris. Her skin heats up thinking about the way she corrected him, how someone like her could have more knowledge than the white lighter for the charmed ones. It gave her a bit of an ego boost, but the tingling in her skin didn't result from confidence.

Shaking it off, Y/n finished her shower and stepped out. She wrapped her hair in a cotton tee shirt and gently towel dried her body. She pulled a first aid kit out from under the sink and opens it on the counter. She tears a pack of alcohol swabs open with her tears and a sharp hiss escapes her mouth as she runs it along the edges of her wound. She covers it with a large white bandage, making sure it's secure  before pulling a tee shirt from her laundry basket. Y/n didn't bother with anything else other than underwear, exhaustion creeping up on her once she turned off the bathroom light. She fell into her unmade bed with no grace, burying herself unceremoniously beneath the covers and closing her eyes, letting sleep lull her unconscious.

[mother-snake]

I FOUND FREE TIME!! Sorry if this one is a bit rushed Jessie!!

Italics are memories

-----

The first thing a yellow side notices is that his head feels like its being split open. The second thing is that he's laying on a very soft couch. And the third? The third is that he doesn't remember anything.

He makes a slight noise of discontent before opening his eyes, only to have five people swarm him. Talking to him very fast and keep trying to touch him. He tries to curl up only to be unable to move.

One by one the colourful people back away only a dark blue person stayed by him. His lips keep moving but it all sounds like its underwater. Only to clear.

"-us, Janus! Can you hear us?"

His voice is raspy but he manages to respond, "Who's Janus?"

The people seemed to not like that answer, he didn't know why but making someone upset makes him feel like he's in danger, the indigo side didn't react that much.

"You are Janus, that is your name. Do you remember us?"

Janus shook his head.

"Well, I am Logan, Thomas's logic. The red side is Roman, one half of creativity. Green is Remus, the second half of creativity. The purple one is Virgil, he represents anxiety. And the light blue side is Patton. Thomas's morality.

Janus seemed to be taking the information in. Thinking about that one name he said... What was it? Timothy? Tobias? Travis?

"Do you remember Thomas?"

Janus had to stop and think. Thomas... Thomas was their centre. I'm one of his sides. Janus nodded

Logan handed Janus a glass of water, helping him take careful sips. The water felt like heaven, it was cool and soothing. But the heaven was gone soon enough.

"Do you remember your function?"

He squeezed his eyes shut trying to remember. "Deception?.....Or was it self preservation? I- I can't remember."

Logan had a small smile on his lips. "You are correct, your title is Deceit and your function is Self Preservation."

"Deceit... Isn't lying bad? Am I bad? Why does my head hurt?" Janus didn't notice the looks of pain on the others faces because they put those thoughts there.

Logan's smile disappeared. "No, you are not a bad side. You work for the good of Thomas. Why would you think that?"

"Because they told me so."

"Who?"

"..... I don't remember... They wore a lot of black."

"Do you mean the Dark Sides?"

A sharp gasp came from the yellow side. Blood, there is so much blood. Its my blood. Screaming. No, not screaming. Yelling. I'm running, the hallway is dark, the rug keeps triping me, my door lock is broken, I'm hiding... I can feel my breath.... The door to my room is open. Orange. I scream.

Janus is still screaming, he's trying to run but something is holding him down, he can feel someones breath. "Let me go! Please I'll do what you want!" he feels a slight sting in his arm before his eyes get blurry. The voices in the background get farther away as he feels himself involuntarily relax and fall back asleep.

Logan pulls the needle away as Roman, Remus and Virgil all let go of the sleeping side. Worry is blinding them as all of them walk into the kitchen to talk.

"The NopeRope doesn't remember anything. What do we do here?" Roman kept messing with his sash.

"His memory seems to come back with certain prompts or questions. However it seems to have a bad reaction-"

"A bad reaction? A BAD REACTION?? Logan, he was screaming for help while repeating the word no! That is more then JUST a bad reaction!!

Logan sighed, "Virgil, I know that you're worried about him but he does need to get his memory back."

"Does he?"

Everyone was now staring at Patton.

"I mean well, if he doesn't remember what the others put him through and what we put him through maybe he would be happier? He just looks to peaceful while he's asleep that I've never seen him have before."

"He will most likely remember anyway when he sees the scars, we can not hide this from him forever."

The kitchen was now an awkward silence. Until Remus broke it.

"How long till he wakes up, nerd?"

"Should be around 3 hou-"

"He'll be awake in five"

"What? Why five?"

"He's smaller then normal, plus he's not a full grown side yet, so-"

"What?" Patton didin't seem happy knowing that info.

Remus shugged, "he popped up in the gray when Thomas was ten, followed virgil around like a lost puppy next to a railroad. He just grew fangs a few months ago! I don't think they have venom though, bit of a shame. Everything is better with venom.-"

"Remus, getting off track here. Janus is the youngest?"

Remus nodded enthusiastically. "Yep" poping the P, "he was a cute little baby snake! Loved strawberries! The other three didn't like him very much though."

Patton was pressing his palms to his eye sockets. "they burned, beat and tried to kill a child?"

Remus nodded and looked to the ground.

The sides split up to go a few things before Janus woke up again.

When Janus opened his eyes all he could smell was strawberries. A song played in the background. He felt stronger and managed to sit up. He looked on the TV to see a frog singing the loveliest lies of them all.

"Vee! Vee!" Boucing up and down. "Can we watch Over The Garden Wall?" Virgil looked over at the shorter side. "You just watched it yesterday, short stack" even though the yellow side was 15 he still bounced and gave Virgil the puppy dog eyes. Virgil sighed, "Fine. Bring up the episode." trying and failing to sound annoyed. The smaller side smiled even wider.

"Vee?" Janus mumbled under his breathe the name. The side in the memory looked similar to...What was his name? VIRGIL! That was it! Was Vee Virgil? The snake zoned out in his thoughts and the song from the frog. Only to be brought out of it when a light blue side stood in front if him.

"Patton? That was your name right?"

"Yep! You got it in one mr scales!" Patton seemed nice, wait. Scales?

Get out of here you slimy boi! reptilian rapscallion! Snake! Evil! Villian! You are no good for Thomas! Just leave! Leave! LEAVE! LEAVE!

Janus lifted his hand and touched the left side of his face. Smooth scales greeted his hand and old burnt skin next to his eye. Tears started to leak for a reason he couldn't pin point. Continuously touching the scales, stoking over the sharp bottom of scales. Sooner then he thought someone was sitting next to him.

Patton sat next to him and was counting numbers.

1 2 3 4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Janus didn't know what the numbers where but he followed along anyway.

Soon he could smell the strawberries again. He likes strawberries right? Janus thinks he likes strawberries. When he looks up, Patton gives him a hug. Wincing when his arms touch something on his back.

More and more time passes. With each memory things get clearer. Janus still doesn't know why he can't remember anything. Until another memory happens.

"WILL YOU PLEASE JUST SHUT UP?" " No! Roman I want to apologize! I'm sorry I compared you to your brother! I'm sorry I manipulated you at the courtroom! I'm sorry I sent Remus to deal with my problems! You don't have to forgive me but ay least listen to me!" Roman growls "FUCK OFF!!" And suddenly, he is back at the dark household.

He needs to get out before the others find him. Who knows what they would do to h- "Ohhh Deceit! So lovely for you to stop by~" Too late.

He runs to his room, tripping on the carpet. The lock is broken. He hides in the closet. Wrath finds him. He's dragged to the dark side commons and chained to a wall for days to become the personal punching bad. Apathy set him on fire, Wrath beat him up and Depression.... Depression did something to his head. He was thrown into the gray after depression had his fun. Then he blacked out

Janus doesn't want to leave his room. He's being punished for wanting to apologize. That seems like bullshit to him.

Weeks pass. People keep knocking on his door, they say that they're worried. What a bunch of liars.

After a month, the sides make Thomas take them inside if the bedroom. After a bit of convincing, Janus tells them everything.

And much to his surprise. They are livid.

------

Beep boop. Thingy done! I hope this thing made sense! Brain is broken atm. This one was inspired by Once Upon a December from Anastasia.

This turned out a lot more fluffy then I originally thought.... Hope ya like it! I need to go write a poem now ❤💛❤

protcetive sides alert! yeah! may i say that this is some quality content? im running out of things to say wihout repeating myself but they are all just so amazing and normaly leave me with energy to write stuff. (sorry im responding to these now, i was asleep when i got them last night and consumed by school fr the past few hours...)

[pinkpeonyprincessblog]

From Unpredictability Comes Strength

Are you sure you're okay babe?" Shawn, my boyfriend asked as he walked over to the bed where I was currently laying curled up.

"I'm sure, still exhausted from the jet lag, and my period is giving me grief," I told him causing him to pout. Most girls my age would probably cringe at the thought of telling their boyfriend details about their period, but not me. See Shawn my boyfriend, my older brother Connor, and their friends Dave and Brian were all well respected doctors at the local hospital here in Toronto. That was part of reason for my moving from LA to Canada, I didn't want Shawn to loose such a good job, it was an added bonus that Connor and the other two guys also lived with us so I would get to see all of them.

"Okay," he agreed, though I could tell from the tone that he wasn't completely convinced.

"Call me if you need me, I get off at 6," he added before kissing my head and leaving the now empty house, the other having already left for the hospital.

Several hours later, and the pain just wasn't getting any better. I had always had bad periods. They were made especially bad though by a cyst that I had on my left ovary, something which when I asked my old doctor about she had told me that there was nothing that could be done short of some pain relief. I had tried everything though, hot packs, cold packs, a bath, even drinking green tea, (which I hated) to no avail. Finally I decided that I would try going for a short walk, as I heard that exercise could alleviate pain.

While on the walk I got a call from Shawn, "Babe come home, we all got off early so we're having a family dinner, " he spoke.

"Be there soon, I love you," I told him, before turning around and jogging home. As I went to cross the road, a dog came out of nowhere, and me being deathly afraid of them as I was tried to avoid it, by running the other way only to mis-step and fall directly into gravel. Unfortunately for me, I ended up skinning my knees and as I stood, groaning from the painful sting tht was now emanating from my limbs I realised there was dirt caught in them. Great, just great, I thought as I made my way home slowly, tears falling as I tried to ignore (and failed) how much pain I was in.

"Ana!" Brian called coming over to greet me with a hug. "How was your run?" He asked stepping back to look at me. "Wait, " He paused looking at me more closely. "Ana, you're crying, and bleeding, " he spoke as he looked me up and down before spotting my bloody knees.

" Shawn, " he called, looking over his shoulder to the kitchen where I could hear the other guys all laughing.

"Hi babe, " he started before noticing my knees as Brian had moments earlier and pouted.

"Let me see Princess," he spoke as he helped me into the kitchen and lifted me onto the bench.

"Aw, Poppet, what happend?" My brother asked when he saw me crying as Shawn gently examined my wounds.

"There was a dog." I shivered. I hated dogs except for Tarzan. "So I ran but I tripped." I hiccuped as I tried to slow my breathing.

"One Dr. Brian at your service," Bring sang as he reappeared holding the household first aid box, pulling out tweezers, antiseptic spray, gauze, tape, bandages, cream and pills. "I'm just going to remove the dirt, clean them and then I'll bandage them up. " He explained as he positioned my leg so the kitchen lights were directly above him. "Hold Shawn and Connor's hands for me okay, this will probably hurt."

He wasn't lying it feel like fire was being rubbed into my wounds, and I found myself biting my lip to try and stop myself from crying out loud.

"Nearly done hon," Brian soothed patting my leg as he washed out the last little bits of dirt. A minute later, he stepped back with a smile.

"The worst part is over now Princess," Shawn whispered in my ear, causing me to loosen my grip on their hands just a little. I still clung to them as Brian bandaged them up though, needing the physical contact.

"And you, my fair lady, are all finished," he smiled as he tucked the last bit of bandage in. "You'll need to get me or one of the guys to change it daily for three or so days, but other than that you'll be fine. "

"Thanks Brian," I whispered reaching to give him a hug.

"Ready to get down babe?" Shawn asked, going to grab my hands again.

"Can you just hold me for a minute?" I asked feeling slightly embarrassed.

"Of course. " He smiled before wrapping me in a warm embrace, and allowing me to rest my head in the crook of his neck. "Are you okay? " he asked when I sniffed.

"Mmm," My response was muffled, but they must have heard it because Connor was the next one to speak.

"Why are you so upset Bug?" he asked, using my childhood nickname.

"I don't know!" I cried. "I'm not sleeping because of the jet lag. I'm in pain and now this." I threw my hands up.

"Tell you what, " Connor started. "you have a shower then we'll have dinner and you and your other half-" he gestured to Shawn "can go have sappy cuddles on the couch. How does that sound?" He ruffled my hair softly as he spoke before returning to the cooking.

Fifteen minutes later, I came back down the stairs wearing one of Shawn's old Zeppelin shirts, it reaching my knees and drowning me, but I didn't care. It was comfortable, and it smelt like his aftershave.

"Feeling any better Princess?" he asked coming over and kissing my forehead

"A little," I spoke. Sighing as I leant into his hold. Truth was I was feeling less of the period pain and more of a sharp ache now. But I wasn't going to tell them that, all four of them would be swarming around me like sea gulls if I did.

"I'm hungry," I spoke stealing a piece of tomato that Connor had placed on the counter to add to the salad.

He merely glared at me playfully, but didn't say anymore.

Half an hour later and we were all sat at dinner, the boys all chatting amongst themselves about their work days, discussing patients and funding. While I just pushed my food around my plate, trying to ignore the now increasingly sharp pain radiating from my stomach.

"Ana are you okay?" Dave asked worriedly, watching as I pushed my plate away.

" I don't feel good," I spoke, before grimicing in pain as a particularly bad cramp took hold.

"Dont feel good how?" Shawn asked as he came over to where I was sitting, two seats down from him, bending down.

"Just make it stop," I groaned, reaching for my stomach.

"Make what stop Princess?" he asked, searching my face, and rubbing my leg trying to comfort me.

"The pain, it's like there's a knife there!" I cried, leaning into him and breathing heavily.

"Do you think you can stand up?" Brian asked, coming over to help Shawn support me as I slumped in my chair.

I stood slowly feeling extremely shaky before nearly collapsing as dizziness took over.

"Ana you went for a run right?" Dave asked, coming to stand by my side, taking my wrist so he could take my pulse.

I nodded my head, trying to slow my breathing as the room kept spinning.

"Shit, her pulse is racing, bring her over to the couch." he told Shawn before leaving the room.

Shawn and Dave both held me tightly as we moved slowly. I could barely lift my legs as every time I did pain took hold. "Okay, lay back babe," Shawn spoke as he helped me sit down, and situated me between his legs as he sat behind me.

"Right, Ana where is the pain?" Dave questioned coming to kneel down beside the couch.

"Right here, " I spoke pointing to my left side.

"I'm just going to feel," he spoke as he hiked my shirt up to just under my chest.

Everyone was quiet as Dave concentrated, moving around to press on different sections of my stomach. Finally he said "It is a bit swollen. Do you have any pain in your back or thighs?"

I looked back at Shawn, confused. "If the cyst on your ovary has ruptured or is close to, it can cause pain in the back and thighs," he explained, helping me to pull my shirt back down.

I nodded causing him sigh.

"We'll try some heat, maybe have a bath okay, the water may help to soothe it," Dave added before standing up and taking my wrist again. "Your heart rate is a little high, but we'll just keep an eye on you." He smiled, as Shawn scooped me up into his arms, and carried me up the stairs to our ensuite.

"Arms up Princess, do you want bubbles?" he asked as he deposited me onto the closed toilet seat and helped me remove my clothing.

"Please?" I asked, watching as he grabbed my favourite bath lotion, and poured a generous amount in.

"Here we go. In you get," he spoke as he helped me into the tub. The difference was almost immediate.

"I think it's time my little invalid gets out," Shawn whispered after about twenty minutes of me just laying back in the water, and letting him massage my scalp from where he sat next to the tub.

"Okay," I agreed, taking his hand as he helped me out of the bath slowly.

It was a slow process getting dressed, as I couldn't make any sudden movements, but Shawn was patient. "There," he said finally. "Snug as a bug, " He had not only redressed me into the shirt I had stolen from him, but had gone and gotten a sweater that he had left lying about and pulled it on me. "Can't have you getting cold little one," he laughed, before pecking my lips.

"It's freezing!" I agreed, as we made our way down the stairs.

"How's my patient?" Dave asked as Shawn placed me gently onto the sofa, covering me with a quilt.

"Sore," I replied, pouting, causing him to laugh.

"Here, this might help," Connor called walking in from the kitchen and placing a heating pad on my stomach.

"Thanks Con," I yawned, readjusting myself so that I could lay against Shawn's side as he squished onto the sofa beside me.

"Get some sleep babe," he whispered, "You need it." He didn't need to tell me twice, it was about three seconds and I was out like a light.

...

When I woke I wasn't sure what time it was, but I was no longer in the couch, instead Shawn had taken me up stairs and tucked me into the bed, and judging by the lack of light and the soft snores coming from Shawn as he slept soundly beside me, it was much later.

Unfortunately for me, there was no way that I was getting back to sleep any time soon, as the pain that had been uncomfortable, but bearable earlier was now causing me agony. So much so that I was literally feeling nauseous.

"Ana, are okay?" Shawn asked, talking into my neck, sleep thick in his muffled voice.

I didn't answer, trying to focus on not passing out.

"Ana," he sighed, as I just sat there crying grabbing fist fulls of sheet as each wave of pain came over me. Sitting up and switching on the lamp beside the bed, he rubbed my arm softly.

"Hold on I'll get the guys." He got up, before quickly exiting the room. A minute or so later I heard the sound of him knocking on the other's doors, and tired voices.

"It's worse? " Dave confirmed, walking into the room closely followed by Shawn, Brian and Connor.

"It never hurts this much, it's so bad!" I cried, pressing on my stomach, wanting the pain gone. I could feel a stronger wave of nausea just as Shawn bent down so that he was at my level, Connor coming to sit with me on the bed as he saw me gag, holding my hair back just in case.

" I'm gonna be sick!" I gasped holding my hand on my mouth, feeling the bile rise.

"Okay, just a second, Bri's gone to get a bucket bub," Shawn soothed coming to rub small circles in my back.

Finally just as I nearly let myself be sick on the bed, Connor spoke, "Here let it all out, " he soothed rubbing my back as Brian held a bucket beneath me that he must have bolted to get from somewhere. I was thankful though, as I could no longer hold it.

After a few minutes, I was able to catch my breath, though I still lay there sweaty and dazed.

"Here, come here Princess." Shawn motioned for me to shuffle over, so he could wipe my face down with a wet washer he had gone and gotten from out bathroom.

"I bleed on the bed," I cried, embarrassed as I shifted and felt the leak, before seeing the masive red stain on the once white sheet

" It's okay, it's normal to have heavy bleeding when a cyst is inflamed. Honestly, we see blood every day babe," Shawn soothed, as he pushed my messy hair out of my face "Besides, they're just sheets, worst case, we'll chuck them out."

"I feel horrible," I groaned letting my head fall onto Shawn's arms half an hour later, when even after a dose of strong pain killers I could barely move.

"Do you want to try sitting in the shower?" Brian suggested as he came back into the room after going to put the dirty sheets in the washer.

"Will it help?" I asked unsure.

"It might," Dave nodded, "The constant stream of warm water may help to loosen some of the muscles in your back and help with the pain and nausea. It's worth a try. "

"Okay," I agreed, watching as Dave stood up and came to stand at the side of the bed.

He held out a hand, helping to support me as Shawn pulled me into an upright position. The room spun a little, and I could feel myself swaying slightly but I managed to stay standing. "Just move very slowly, Ana, no sudden movements honey." Dave grimaced in sympathy as my face tensed with pain as I stepped forward. "

It's okay. We've got you. Breathe Ana. Just breathe," Shawn encouraged as we finally made it to the bathroom.

... Two hours later...

I had sat on the tiled floor of the shower cubicle for almost two hours now, yet nothing was changing and I was miserable. All I wanted to do was sleep. Shawn had sat with me the whole time, holding me gently under the water, not caring that his clothes were now soaked.

"Shawnie I feel dizzy," I told him trying to stay awake. "And my stomach is burning," I groaned, trying to ignore the hot feeling that was now taking over my tummy.

He took my wrist in his hand, before gently taking my pulse.

"Ana we need to go to the hospital honey," he spoke before leaning me against the glass door of the shower and standing up.

"No please can't you just do what you need to do here," I begged crying. I hated hospitals, and he knew it, it had been that way my entire 22 years of life.

"Shhh, calm down," he consoled before calling out to the others. "Dave, Brian, Connor!"

The looks of pity on all of their faces as they stepped into the room and took in my bedraggled state was too much for me to handle.

"Oh Ana, buddy, " Brian sighed, before bending down and helping Shawn to stand me up.

"We need to go to the hospital, she's dizzy her pulse is at 130 a minute, she's in more pain than before, she told me a minute ago that her stomach was burning, and she's bleeding more than she should be. I think it may have burst," he told the others as he wrapped a towel around my wet-clothed body.

"Burns," I whimpered as we made our way downstairs, me in my brother's arms, allowing Shawn to run and change into dry clothes.

I heard them muttering amongst themselves, not making out much more than medical word: inflammation and gastritis, and then I was tuning them out.

I couldn't help the tears as we made the short drive to the hospital, me laying across Connor and Shawn's laps.

"I know bub, we'll sort it out okay. But just focus in staying calm. The more upset you are, the worse you'll feel," Connor explained rubbing my stomach softly.

-Connor-

I felt horrible as I watched my little sister in pain, desperately clinging to Shawn as we pulled into the staff carpark. Luckily for us Shawn and I worked as critical care doctors in the ICU while Brian and Dave ran the ER, meaning we could just go straight in, not having to worry about admissions, and insurance just yet.

"I thought you were off tonight? It's been one hell of a night!" Nancy one of the nurses spoke as we walked in.

"We were, but Ana has a burst cyst," I spoke pointing to Shawn who held her in his arms as we walked towards the only available exam room.

Nancy frowned sympathetically, before walking back to the nurses station "You'll need to run it, no doctors available," she called.

Normally we won't treat relatives but she was high priority and as Nancy had said there was no one else there.

"Right Ana I need to run some tests honey, I'm going to get Shawn to change you into this," Dave spoke holding out a gown, as Shawn placed my sister onto the exam table gently.

Once that was done Brian came over, setting up the portable ultra sound machine next to the bed.

"So I'm just going to put some gel on your stomach, and have a look okay. It might be a little uncomfortable so I apologise in advance."

She whimpered slightly, grabbing Shawn's hand as Brian pressed the wand down."

"I know I'm sorry, " he apologised as he continued to move it around, finally he stopped, zooming in.

"Here it is, you've got a burst cyst on your left ovary that's why it's hurting so much. When you were running the exertion must have caused it to burst. It also looks as though you have evidence of gastritis too."

"What's that?" she asked looking to me for help.

"Its inflammation of the stomach lining, that's the burning you were feeling. We'll run some more tests though, just to be sure-"

He was interrupted as he spoke by one of the nurses poking her head around the curtin.

"Dr. Craigen would you be able to consult in triage?"

"No," he answered politely. "I'm currently busy looking after a personal patient."

Ana laughed once she had left. "Can you do that? Just ignore?"

"For you, yes, you're our most important patient." He winked. " Good news," he added, " There's no twist, so no surgery but it did burst, and you have lost some blood. So I would like to admit you so we can give you fluids and pain relief," he explained causing her nose to crinkle in distaste.

-Ana-

"Can Shawn stay?" I asked worried that I'd be stuck here by myself.

"I'm not going anywhere Princess," he reassured, me, coming to sit on the side of the bed with me.

Half an hour later and I'd been officially admitted and hooked up to a blood pressure machine, oximeter, and an I.V. with pain meds which was working wonders.

"How you feeling now Princess?" Shawn asked, looking at the machines briefly before focusing his attention back to me. We were now the only two in the room, Brian and Connor having gone to the Cafeteria for much needed coffee, and Dave to check my previous file notes, not that I knew how he'd get a hold of them.

"I'm cold." I shivered, trying to burrow myself further into the too think blankets.

"Here, this should help," Shawn smiled, pulling one of his jumpers out of his bag and helping me into it.

There was a knock on the door, before Dave stepped into the room,a clipboard in hand. "Sorry to interupt guys." he apologised. "Ana, I need to ask you some routine questions," he spoke coming to sit next to the bed.

"Is there any chance you could be pregnant?" he asked seriously.

I blushed, "Ummm no," I laughed hiding my face in Shawn's shoulder.

"Sorry, this is just as awkward for you as it is for me. Trust me I don't want to know the details of one of my best mates private this. But this important," he explained smiling sympathetically.

"Well, no, trust me," I laughed, just wanting to move on.

"Okay. Well I'm going to do a blood draw just to rule a couple things out. Make sure nothing additional is going on."

"The doctor basically told me there was nothing she could do," I told him, watching as he grabbed all the necessary supplies.

"Well now that you're over here Dave will take care of you Princess," Shawn spoke kissing my head.

"You don't have to worry about a thing." Dave smiled before snapping on a pair of gloves and coming to sit next to me.

"Shawn move your fat bum so I can get this blood work done," he spoke, shoving Shawn off the bed with his hip where he had been sitting next to me.

"Sharp scratch Ana," he warned causing me to squeeze my eyes shut in anticipation. "Just stay nice and relaxed."

Several hours later,and nothing abnormal had shown up in my blood work, meaning that once my pain was under control I was free to go, however Dave did explain to me that he had seen evidence of gastritis as Connor had mentioned earlier a symptom of the strong medications I had been taking to manage my pain. I was prescribed an ant-acid, told to stay away from spicy food, and change medications to something a little less harsh.

"You also need to be on bed rest for a few days to give your stomach time to heal," Shawn had added, laughing when I whined in protest. He knew I hated being stuck immobile.

Days later I had been released on strict orders to rest, something which I reluctantly agreed to.

" I'm so glad your feeling better," Shawn said sitting next to me on the sofa, that had become my temporary home due to not being able to walk easily on my own.

"Well it wasn't exactly the way I wanted to spend my first few days here, but thank you guys," I spoke, looking to the other three who sat across from us. They all smiled. "Seriously. Hopefully this will be the start of a great new chapter! I can't wait to see what living in Canada brings," I shouted causing them all to laugh.

"What would I do without you babe?" Shawn chuckled, kissing me.

[krizaland]

some of zim with a beekeeper s/o? if not it's cool.

Oooh! How interesting!

I’ll bee honest with you, I’ve always had quite the fear of bees (and just bugs and arachnids in general) but ever since I rediscovered my love for Invader Zim, I’ve actually started to notice how insect-like Irkens are.

Like my dad always said that Zim looked like a bug and tbh the more I watched the show, the more I noticed how insect-like Irkens are.

Like they’re obsessed with sugary snacks and whatnot and seem to all worship the Tallest like a hive/brood Queen.

And in most insect the species that have queens (Like: Bees, Ants, wasps ect.) The Queen is almost always bigger than the rest of the hive/brood.

So the fact that Irkens have a height based society is pretty insect-like.

There’s even a real life species of bee called Texas Sweat Bees that are bright green like Irkens.

Anyway, I could go on forever about Irkens being space insects but this long intro is probably bugging you by now.

So onto the fic!

You and Zim have been dating for over a month now! While Zim was a wonderful boyfriend, there was just one problem:

Zim was terrified of bees.

Even just the mere sound of wings buzzing was enough to send him screaming for the hills.

Of course most people are afraid of bees and just bugs in general.

They’re strange, noisy, and even bite and sting!

However, being raised by beekeepers, you never seemed to mind.

You always loved bugs of all shapes and sizes!

You found their big eyes and antennas just so cute!

Your family’s profession aside, Honey bees were always your favorite animal!

They were so fuzzy and friendly! Not to mention their honey and wax is extremely useful!

Honey can be kept fresh for ages and the uses for beeswax were endless

While you couldn’t blame Zim for his fear of bees, you couldn’t help but feel that Zim believed a bunch of nasty misconceptions about your favorite insect.

And thus, you decided to give Zim a tour of your family’s bee colony!

Zim was understandably apprehensive at first but was quickly convinced by your sad puppy dog eyes.

After getting both yourself and Zim suited up in beekeeping suits, you carefully led him to the colony.

BZZ!

Zim jumped a bit as a bee buzzed past his head.

“It’s ok, they won’t sting you as long as you stay calm.” You explained as you gave Zim’s hand a gentle rub.

“R-Right! I knew that!” Zim lies as he adjusted his hat.

“Now here’s our main colony!” You announced as you gestured to a large white box like container.

“You keep the bees in boxes?” Zim asked as he tilted his head.

“No, No! These are our special beehives! Here I’ll show you.” You laughed as you pulled out a small metal can.

“What’s in the can? Is it repellent?” Zim asked as he gestured to the can.

“What? Oh no. This is just smoke from burning pine needles. We spray this when we open the hive to let the bees know we’re coming to take a look.” You explained as you gave the can a few sprays.

And with that, you carefully removed the lid of the hive and quickly sprayed the inside with a light layer of smoke.

Zim jumped back and braced himself for a swarm of bees to pour out of the hive.

However, the swarm never came.

“Zim, you can look now.”

The sound of your playful laugh, brought Zim back to reality.

“Right! I was just um...admiring the trees.” Zim spluttered as hell carefully reproached the hive.

“Are you ready to meet the hive?” You asked with a playful wink.

Zim nodded slowly but still kept his guard up.

“Alrighty, here they are.” You sang softly as you pulled out a large frame covered with hundreds upon hundreds of bees!

Zim let out a startled squeak but slowly calmed down when he realized the bees weren’t attacking him.

The bees seemed perfectly content crawling around the frame.

“This is only a small part of our hive but it’s the most important one.” You explained as you carefully held up the frame.

“Why is it the most import part?” Zim asked as he kept his distance from the frame.

“Because this frame has the Queen bee herself! You’re gonna need to come a bit closer to see her though.” You explained dramatically.

Zim swallowed hard as he took a small step forward.

“Closer....”

Zim took another small step.

“Closer.....”

Zim took another small step.

“C’mon Zim I won’t let them sting you!” You giggled playfully.

And with that, Zim finally came close enough to the frame.

“Yay! Now do you see that really big bee right there?” You asked as you pointed to a very long and chubby bee.

“Yes.”

“That’s the Queen Bee. She lays over thousands of eggs a day!” You explained as the Queen wandered with the rest of the bees.

“Really? Fascinating...” Zim trailed off but his eyes remained glued to the Queen Bee.

The more he watched the Queen, the more she started to remind him of the Almighty Tallest.

She was very large and was clearly royalty!

Zim begun to wonder if the bees had the same height-based society as Irkens did.

“So the tallest bees are the ones in charge, right?” Zim asked as he continued to watch the Queen.

“Well not exactly. The Queen Bee is really the only one that gets that big. All the other bees are the same height.” You explained as you gestured to the other bees.

“I see...So do bees conquer other...hives?” Zim hummed as he stroked his chin.

“What? No. Well, I mean there are some species of insects who do stuff like that but Honeybees  aren’t one of them.” You laughed as you carefully put the frame back into the hive.

“Oh, so what do they do?” Zim asked as he turned his attention back to you.

“What do they do? They do lots of things! They pollinate flowers, make wax and most importantly: they make Honey! Lots and lots of honey!” You explained dramatically.

“Hon-ee? What is this Hon-ee?” Zim’s voice quivered a bit as he spoke.

“You’ve never had honey before?! Honey is a delicious treat made by the bees! Cone on! You have to taste it!” You insisted as you grabbed Zim by the hand and led him to your family’s honey reserves.

You were about to lead Zim inside when-

BZZ!

A bee decided to land on the side of Zim’s head!

Zim was about to scream but you quickly put a finger to your lips.

“Stay calm and still. She doesn’t want to sting you. She’s just saying hi. Just stay calm and she won’t sting.” You whispered.

Sweat poured down Zim’s face as the bee brushed up against his wig.

“This is one strange human.”

A gasp escaped Zim’s throat.

“You didn’t tell me bees could talk!” He whispered as he struggled to remain still.

“Bees don’t talk. I mean they communicate with their antennas but they don’t speak English.” You giggled as you rubbed the back of your head.

“You’re a weird human but I like you!” The bee giggled as she wiggles her antennas.

“So you’re telling me you didn’t just hear that?” Zim whispered.

“Hear what?”

“The bee! You’re telling me you didn’t just hear the bee compliment me?!” Zim hissed as he gestured to the bee crawling on his hat.

“I’m getting thirsty! I’ll see you later!” The bee sang as she flew away.

“I think you’ve been standing in the sun for too long. Come on let’s get you inside.” You giggled as you led Zim inside the honey reserves.

You spent the rest of the day talking all about honey but all Zim could think about was the bee that landed on his head.

Clearly that was no Earth bee! It had to had to have been some kind of alien spy!

After trying (and falling in love with) honey, Zim decided it was time to go home.

When the night fell, Zim scurried back to your family’s bee colony.

“Ok, now to track down that spy-bee- ACK!”  

Zim let out a yelp as the same bee from earlier landed on his head.

“You smell like that weird human from earlier.” The bee giggled.

“I am not human, you pathetic spy-bee!” Zim snapped.

“Huh? Are you upset or something? I can’t understand you.” The bee whimpered with a gentle wiggle of her antennas.

Zim was about to respond when he noticed the bee’s antennas wiggling.

“It appears this spy communicates with her antennas...” Zim hummed as he stroked his chin.

And with that, Zim decided to wiggle his own antennas at her.

“I am not human! I am a MIGHTY Irken warrior! Leave my sweet Y/N alone spy!”

“Spy? I’m not a spy! I just work for my queen. Just like you probably work for yours!” The bee explained as she continued to crawl.

“Eh? Zim has no queen!” Zim replied curtly.

“It’s ok, I know you just want to protect your hive. It seems like your queen, Y/N likes to keep things secure.” The bee giggled.

“What? Y/N is not Zim’s queen. Well..um…Y-You need to leave them alone!” Zim demanded.

“Ok, ok. Will do! No need to shout. I can’t really guarantee we won’t cross paths but I’ll do my best to steer clear!”

And with that, the bee flew back to her hive to report back to her queen.

“That’s right! You better run!” Zim cackled as he put his hands on his hips.

“Zim? Is that really you?”

Zim’s laugh screeched to a halt.

No! That couldn’t have been your voice he just heard!

Zim swallowed hard as he slowly turned around.

Sure enough, his worst fear was confirmed:

He had accidentally exposed himself.

“Y-Y/N! I-It’s not what you think! I just…have pink eye in both eyes!” Zim lied as he gestured to his ruby eyes.

You simply stared at Zim in awe.

“Zim, you don’t have to lie to me. I promise I won’t tell anyone about this!” You insisted.

Zim blinked in shock for a moment.

“Promise?”

“I promise” You confirmed as you put a hand on your chest.

“Alright then, I guess you were bound to find out sooner or later….I suppose I owe you an explanation. But you better keep your promise or I will destroy you, got it?” Zim asked as he shot you a glare.

“I got it!”

“Very well…Y/N, I guess it’s plain to see that Zim is not a normal human worm baby. No, I AM A SUPERIOR LIFE-FORM FROM THE PLANET IRK!” Zim sang dramatically as he threw his arms into the air.

“Wow! That’s…so cool!” You squealed as you clapped your hands.

“I can understand if you are scared-Eh?! Did you just say I was..cool?” Zim spluttered as he rubbed his eyes.

“Yes! You’re so pretty! You look like a sweat bee or a Jewel Wasp!” You gushed as you ran up to him.

“Eh? I’ll take that as a compliment…I guess..” Zim muttered as he rubbed the back of his head.

“Oh my god! Now I know why you heard the bee talk to you earlier! Your antennas probably picked up on her antennas!” You explained as you gestured to his antennas.

“Oh, well…That explains a lot,” Zim hummed for a moment, “So do you think I could communicate with other insects?”

“I don’t know? Wanna go find out?” You squeaked.

“Sure!”

And with that, you and Zim spent the rest of the evening seeing what kind of bugs he could talk to!

From that point forth, Zim decided to help you out at the bee colony when no one else was around.

Thanks to his new found talent, you were able to harvest honey without smoking out the bees as well as see how they were doing.

Zim was a little nervous with you knowing he was an alien but after seeing how wide your smile was, he knew you could be trusted.

[ineffably-effable]

Honey Trapped (aziraphale/crowley crack!fic, 1.6k words)

Summary:

What happens when @racketghost​ makes a film reference that goes completely over my head, and I’m left pondering the question of how Crowley might come to believe himself a bee. 

Notes:

Unbeated. All mistakes are my own. 

(Link to ao3)

Slight warnings for some platonic, non-consensual cuddling from someone not currently in their right mind.

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

4 months after the narrowly averted armageddon.

2 weeks and 6 days after Aziraphale and Crowley moved into a charming cottage in The South Downs.

2 weeks, 5 days and 10 hours after a comical series of misunderstandings  left them both under the impression the other was only comfortable with platonic cohabitation.

Shortly before Elevenses.

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

Aziraphale was a creature of habit.

Every Sunday he made his way into town to pick up pastries to go with his morning tea. This particular morning was no exception. Shortly after breakfast he had left Crowley to his gardening and set off to visit the local bakery.

All in all, he’d been gone less than an hour.

Certainly, he thought to himself, not enough time to excuse (or explain) Crowley standing in their front yard - wings out for all the world to see - rubbing his face into a sunflower.

“Crowley?”

Aziraphale called out to him more out of habit than out of an expectation he would reply. Although unlikely, he supposed it might be possible Crowley was trying out some new unconventional method of gardening. 

That particular hope evaporated when the demon looked up and stared at him with an entranced expression on his face, sclera blown wide and orange pollen clinging to his skin.

“Are you- ah” Aziraphale took a few cautious steps forward, a little unnerved by the vacant stare, “Are you feeling well, dear?”.

Crowley tilted his head to the side, but otherwise only stared unblinkingly back at him.

As Aziraphale drew nearer, he noticed Crowley’s nose start twitching. The demon had flicked his tongue out and was alternating between sniffing and tasting the air. In a flurry of movement he spread his wings and beat them with such unnatural speed they emitted a low pitched buzzing sound. Before Aziraphale could react, Crowley flew straight at him. In a matter of seconds he had wrapped his arms around the angel’s shoulders and pulled him in close, effectively pinning Aziraphale’s arms to his sides as he pressed their bodies together. (Blessedly, Aziraphale managed to hang on to the pastries - but it was a close thing). The more the angel attempted to extract himself, the more Crowley tightened his grip. In fact, as if encouraged by the movement, he nuzzled Aziraphale’s neck and started lapping with his tongue all over Aziraphale’s face.  When Aziraphale flinched, Crowley took advantage of the angel’s shocked gasp to start licking directly into his mouth.

This act proved a bridge too far for Aziraphale. He recoiled, wrinkling his nose at the sickly sweet taste of pollen, and exerted a small amount of angelic strength to push Crowley away.

Unperturbed, the demon flew back across the yard, ostensibly in search of a new flower to harvest.

Well, thought Aziraphale. That was a thing. 

He watched as Crowley selected a new flower, favouring one large enough that he could start tonguing it enthusiastically.

"Hullo Mr. Fell." A familiar voice called out. Looking past Crowley, Aziraphale noticed a bemused adversary waving to him from the swing on their front porch, his diminutive hell hound on his lap.

"Adam!" Aziraphale greeted, faking a composure he didn’t feel as he miracled the pollen from his face and his disheveled clothing to its previous state.  "I don’t suppose you happen to know what's gotten into Crowley?"

Adam grinned.

“He bet me I couldn’t hypnotize him.”

Aziraphale resolved never to leave Crowley without supervision again.

“So now he believes himself to be a... bee?” Aziraphale guessed (taking into consideration of the demon’s recent affinity for flowers and buzzing).

“Yep.”

When no further information appeared forthcoming Aziraphale voiced the obvious question:

“Why?”

“Bees are great. Pepper’s mums keep a hive and- ” 

Recognizing a tangent when he heard one, Aziraphale nipped it in the bud.

“Sorry, dear boy, I meant why were you discussing hypnotism?”

“Brian’s Dad is trying to quit smoking and the doctor suggested hypnotherapy,” Adam said quickly, in a way that suggested this was not his first time telling this particular story, “but his Dad fell asleep during the session so Brian asked if I’d give it a shot. Pepper and Wensleydale thought I should see if Mr. Crowley could teach me how.” 

Aziraphale blinked.

“Adam,” he began, “Surely you realize it would be wrong to coerce someone?”

‘‘Yeah, but Brian’s dad wanted to try it.” he insisted, “We told him my godfather was a magician and he was going to teach me how.”

“You told him Crowley was a magician?” 

“He looks the part. ‘Just needs a spot of eyeliner, that one’ Mum said - ”

(Aziraphale possessed enough self-awareness that he recognized how ridiculous it was to be offended by that. He also recognized now was not the ideal time to engage in a conversation about how a spot of eyeliner did not a magician make.) 

“- so I popped over here to chat to Mr. Crowley and he said I probably wouldn’t be able to do it because it’s more of a snake demon trick than an occult trick.”

“I see.”

“That’s when I bet him that I could.” 

“Right.”

Crowley chose that moment to repeat his trek back over to Aziraphale who, now wise to what he was after, was able to narrowly avoid being pounced on before shooing him back off towards the flowers. Adam did a very poor job of hiding his amusement, but wisely kept his mouth shut as Aziraphale turned back to him.

“Do you have any idea why he seems quite so insistent on licking me?" 

Adam snorted and concealed it poorly with a cough.

"Well, Pep’s ma said the worker bees swarm around their queen? They sniff her out so they can feed and protect her.”

"Oh." 

Adam grinned but otherwise ignored him.

"He’s always around you, so seems reasonable he’d think you were important?"

A little distance away, Crowley hummed in displeasure as the flower he was nuzzling collapsed. Aziraphale performed a quick miracle to enlarge one of the nearby violets to keep him occupied.

"Is there any particular reason you haven’t restored him yet?" 

“Nah, just waiting for you to get back."

"Me?"

"Crowley suggested that I should wait for you if anything happened. I think he was worried about stinging me or something." Adam rolled his eyes. He stood up and walked down the steps, Dog at his heels. "You want me to do it now then?"

"Yes please."

"Sure."

Adam waved a hand and suddenly Crowley was coughing and spluttering, wiping his tongue clean on the inside of his shirt.

"What in the ever loving fuck?"

"Back with us, dear?" Azirpaphale asked sweetly.

"Angel what the sodding hell is going on? Everything smells like flowers-" he felt along his face, "- I'm sticky. Why am I sticky?"

Adam glanced sidelong at Aziraphale.

"Adam, what are you doing here?"

"Just visiting, thanks for the help Mr. Crowley!"

"Help with-?" Crowley’s face fell. “-don’t tell me you got it on your first try,” he growled.

Aziraphale feigned a sudden interest in his hands.

"Thanks for the chat Mr. Fell."

"Anytime dear, you're always welcome. Did you want a croissant before you go?"

Adam grabbed one from the proffered bag. He made a “cheers” gesture before biting into it and promptly vanishing (along with Dog).

"Angel?"

When Aziraphale turned Crowley was standing only a few paces away from him, looking stricken but considerably less orange.

"Yes dear?"

"Please tell me I didn't stick my tongue down your throat."

"Well, that's a little hyperbolic-" he began consolingly, "- I mean, even with your tongue the length it is, you could barely reach my tonsils."

When he finally looked up Crowley was starting at him in horror.

Stung, and not caring to conceal it, Aziraphale turned for the cottage. "Well, no harm done then. Let’s get you a cup of tea."

"I’m sorry angel, I’d have never done that if I was-”

"Never?" Aziraphale asked, somewhat sharper than intended.

Crowley blinked.

"Not on purpose!"

"That inspires confidence."

"Aziraphale." 

"No? Would you prefer coffee? The croissants are fresh, maybe some human food would do you good after all the pollen you’ve ingested-"

"Aziraphale." When he turned, Crowley was regarding him with a bemused look.

“Yes?’

"Was it any good?"

Aziraphale didn’t quite manage to avoid cringing. 

"It was rather like being licked in the mouth by an enthusiastic puppy,” he quipped. “Not much finesse I'm afraid.”

Crowley shook his head. He rubbed a hand over his face, and pulled slightly on his earlobe while not quite making eye-contact.

"Well apologies if my technique was subpar, there was the slight impediment of believing I was a bee." Crowley responded waspishly.

"Of course, dear." he gestured back towards the cottage, “Shall we?” 

"Seems like it's only fair I should get the opportunity to defend my honor." he offered a little too casually. 

Aziraphale raised his eyebrows.

"Consider it a professional courtesy. I'm the original tempter and you've impugned my abilities."

"Indeed," Aziraphale played along, pursing his lips to keep back a smile "In the face of such unassailable logic who am I to disagree?"

"Right." Crowley said. He walked up to Aziraphale, nodded, and tilted his head. "Right," he repeated.  Moving swiftly, he snaked an arm around Aziraphale's shoulder and brought his hand up to cradle the angel's cheek as he leaned in.  The kiss was forceful but chaste.  When Crowley made to pull back Aziraphale darted forward and gently nipped his bottom lip. That, plus a completely unsubtle pout, soon had the demon kissing him back in earnest.

By the time they parted Crowley looked exceedingly pleased with himself.

"Well?"

"Overall?” Aziraphale smirked, “A considerable improvement."

"Excuse me."

"It’s only fair I deduct some points for the overwhelming taste of pollen."

"Angel?" 

"Yes dear?"

"Buzz off."

[virgilantejustice]

On the edge of the end of the world

I wrote this when i was supposed to be doing composition coursework while listening to a ton of cello music because cellos are the best instrument. So, enjoy!

Word count: ~2100

T/Ws: mentions of death, apocalypse scenario (tell me if i missed any)

Ships: none

Notes: Honestly, ask me any questions you need to, i don't know if this is confusing or not for people who don't play the cello....

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

When it was announced that the world was at an end, Logan’s first thought had been “finally, what took you so long”.

You see, Logan wasn’t a huge fan of ‘the world’.

But, Logan’s second thought had been something more along the lines of, “everyone's leaving”.

And his third thought was, “everyone’s gone”.

Logan usually had a lot of thoughts, far more than just three, all moving around and mixing together on his head like a swarm. But when he watched his parents leave the house with suitcases in tow, when he went to his friends' houses to find them shuttered and empty, when he saw Roman and realized that it was just the two of them now, the two of them against the end of the world, his thoughts had become as sparse and meaningless as the dust on the deserted road.

Deserted, all but for a boy and his cello.

He gripped the cool, wooden neck tightly as he walked. /Everyone had fled, where to Logan simply could not fathom, there was to be no running from the end of the world. But, not to be left out, Logan’s friends had fled with the rest, jumping overboard to escape the sinking ship. But Roman had stayed, as he knew as well as Logan did that they weren't sinking, it was a head on collision that would kill them before they had the chance to drown, no matter how hard they tried.

Perhaps they had gone underground, Logan had heard that many people intended to. But he didn’t understand it. Soon enough there would be no ground to hide beneath. The earth had protected them this long, but now could do no more than a blanket.

After the rest of his family had left so hide in their earthy blanket fort, Logan and Roman went down the road to the local theater. A small-ish building, but plenty big enough for the end of the world to seek out in time.

He had tried to reason with them, tell them that there was no point in running, but they wouldn't listen, and so he had stayed behind. Now it was just him and his cello verses the end of the world, and the theatre seemed an appropriate arena for the final showdown.

The wind blew down the road, whistling and roaring as it was funneled between the rows of houses, picking up dust and blowing Logan’s hair onto his face. He didn’t brush it back into place as he would have liked to, for he held Roman tightly in one hand and his bow in the other. And, besides, he had walked this same path in his head so often that he knew the way.

Logan had promised a long time ago, as soon as he had found out that the world would come to an end, sworn not only to god but to himself, that he would perform before he died. And there wasn’t all that much time left before that was going to happen. He was glad that he had also sworn to himself, as his already tenuous belief in god was dwindling with every brick that fell.

The sky was red with fire and dust and the end of the world, burning like hell had finally risen, like the sun had focused a deadly flare.

Or maybe it was just sunrise.

The last sunrise? The last on earth, certainly, but just because you die and your world ends, the sun will keep on shining, and the other planets certainly won't shed a tear.

There were sirens in the red sky. Blaring sirens, screaming and sighing as they completed their cycle of loud and quiet, high and low, a dog chasing its tail. Logan hoped, as, yes, he had resorted to hope, that he could create better music than their symphony of metal droning.

Logan stood, a lone wolf in a world of dogs, with only a cello to fend off the pack.

He would take those odds, he decided, almost as if he had a choice.

If anyone else had seen the look that was on Logan’s face, they would have called it grim and set, determined and driven. They would have seen the tears in his eyes and the tightness of his lips.

But there was no one left to see the look on Logan’s face.

Although they would have been right.

-

Logan looked out over the seats from the stage. He estimated that there were about two hundred. He doubted that there were enough people left in the county to fill them all. That’s what happens when you're right next to the end of the world.

And so they remained empty.

Logan placed Roman gently on the ground, carefully, as if the end of world would spare a cello, and slid his hand into his pocket and pulled out his phone.

He didn’t need a phone anymore. Who was there to call? Who was there to call him? Patton had been ‘evacuated’ days ago. Logan really wanted wherever he ended up to be at least marginally safer than a crumbling concert hall on the edge of the end of the word, but he knew that no matter how far you ran, you'd still be on earth.

And Virgil. Virgil seemed to have run away with the rest. He had always said that they would stick it out together, go down together, but you simply cannot deny the call of safety when it is so loud. At least, Virgil couldn’t, nor could he be expected to.

And so there was no one to call. And no one to call him.

His phone landed on the floor of the stage and he ground the heel of his shoe into it. The glass cracked, then it crunched, then it gave completely and turned to dust. Glittering dust and the metal organs and innards that was all that really composed a phone. Logan smiled a grim smile, on the inside at least.

Turning away from the end of that little bit of his world, the bit that he had ended himself, Logan fetched a stool. It had to be a stool. Not a chair. A stool, that was what he had always been told. He found it in the wings, it had a simple wooden circle on three slightly spindly wooden legs. Probably for the backstage crew, but now it was center stage as Logan picked up his cello and his bow and put them together.

Roman's voice sounded thin and reedy as it echoed around the cavernous ceiling of the theatre. Logan scowled at his shaking hands, as he knew that his fear would only get in the way.

But, on the other quivering hand, extra vibrato.

He began to play again, and Roman sang bold and proud with the shaking of his hands adding an ironic warmth into the sound.

Harness the fear and make it work for you, Logan thought. If you can't beat them, control them.

As Logan played, it would have been easy to assume that he was improvising, spewing out one note after the other with little to no plan. But improvisation wasn’t exactly Logan’s strong suit.

In actuality, he could simply play from memory. Muscle memory to be precise. He wasn’t quite sure what the next note would be, but he knew that his hands would find it if he just didn’t think too much.

That also wasn’t his strong suit. But, his unwieldy fingers found a way, and Roman sang.

Logan felt himself sway slightly from side to side. He had never been one to obey the marking of espressivo that found itself on his music far too often, but he supposed that now was as good a time as any to explore the romantic era.

He raised his elbows, as he had always been told to do, and pushed even harder still, distilling gold from the aluminum of the four strings, as Roman began to sing more beautifully than Logan had ever managed to coax from him.

The bracelet that hung from his wrist clattered against Roman’s body with each sweep down his neck into fourth position. His teacher had always told him to take it off before he began to play. But his teacher wasn’t here. And so each high note, each harmonic, each glissando was accompanied by a small clicking sound as the metal beads flittered against Roman's shoulder.

He willed his hands to work faster still, his fingers to push harder until they turned white and ached like he had frozen them in ice. But they worked and pushed and played more beautifully than anyone had ever heard him play, more beautifully than anyone ever would.

A part of him was bitter for that, but he had no time to dwell on it, no time at all. All that mattered was that they played. Boy and cello, playing as one.

A scuttling came from somewhere behind him but he didn’t turn around to see. Earth was a sinking ship, and the rats were still aboard.

Something fell on Logan’s right. Not close enough to hit him, but close enough to startle him into dropping his bow. He picked it up again without so much as a word and looked it over. There was a scratch on one side. Logan didn’t much care, so he began to play once again. Nothing as common as a collapsing building was going to stop them playing.

The end of the world was going to have to face them itself if it wanted them dead.

And so he played and played, closing his eyes so that he didn’t stop playing as the ceiling collapsed around him.

When his eyes were open, he was facing death. But when they were closed, he had some extra percussion from the crashing down of his little, temporary world. So he kept them closed and led his orchestra in their cello concerto.

When it seemed the world could hold no more of his music, crumbling as it was, Logan stopped, drawing out the final note on a perfect cadence and letting the sting continue to vibrate, unwilling to stop Roman from singing so soon.

There were so many gaps in the surviving walls that they looked like lace, and Logan could see the red sky, bleeding onto the reddened earth.

“The world is dead, Roman,” he said, licking his dry lips and shaking his sore hands. “Am I to die with it?”

You see, Logan didn’t much want to die yet, but of course: “Only a for considers oneself above death,” he swallowed, “perhaps I'm more foolish than I like to believe.”

Logan blinked and squinted a little (absolutely not holding back tears, and offended at the suggestion) as he placed his hands back on his cello’s body to rest.

“I sound like you,” Logan continued, gazing down at Roman. “All these unnecessary decorations.”

He sounded a little like these words should have been spoken with a laugh, even just a small, dry one. But he didn’t laugh. Not even at the fact that he was speaking to his own cello while drowning in the apocalypse. Instead, Logan ran a hand softly over Roman’s head, letting his fingers fall into the gentle rises and falls and cervices of the carved curl.

‘Unnecessary’ was such a subjective word. The curls and cutouts that covered Roman’s head and bridge and sound holes may not change the sound, but all of this talk of necessity called into question the necessity of music itself, and therefore the integrity of the artform.

“Perhaps,” Logan told Roman, “if the purpose of music is to beautiful, the tools with which one makes it should be beautiful also.”

As another section of the ceiling feinted and collapsed in on the building, a new ray of sunlight shone onto the stage, and Roman preened in it, glowing and reaching out to his audience.

Logan smiled, just a little, just the tiniest little bit, and he placed his hand back on the strings.

This time he played something different. His hands glided up and down and his fingers moved with far more grace than ferocity.

Logan smiled at the end of the world as his gentle melody reached out, as Roman reached out, to where the other walls of the theatre once stood, long fallen with no heed from either of them. Roman reached out a hand, or was it Logan, and together they welcomed the end with suppressed tears and smile alike, and a song in their outstretched fingers.

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

taglist (tell me if you want to be added or removed): @stop-it-anxiety @combine-the-kitchens @randomavengersquotes @soakinforsif @uwillbeefoundtonight @hopeoncelivedhere

[itsclydebitches]

Can we have a prompt with hugs? After everything going down this volume I think Oz/Oscar need all the hugs!

Apparently I’m really bad at coming up with excuses for hugs so here, have some super classic fic cliches… 

(Updated prompt list is here!) 

“I officially hate you.”

Now, now. No need to get snippy just because we’re cold.

“You mean I’m cold.”

I assure you, Oscar, I am just as capable of sensation even while ‘riding backseat,’ as you so eloquently put it. You know that well enough by now.

“I don’t know anything because I can’t think because I’m cold!”

Up ahead Ruby and Blake exchanged glances. Oscar’s one-sided fight—going on ten minutes now—had done a lot to lift the group’s spirits. They hadn’t expected the grimm attack on the train, nor to crash land in Mistral’s wintery wilderness when a manticore’s blast had decoupled the luggage cars, half of their group still on top at the time. Though Ruby supposed things could be worse. Jaune, Nora, and Ren were still on their way to Argus, their last look at one another a silent, We’ll reconvene. No one had been injured thanks to Weiss’ quick thinking—even the relic had remained secure against Oscar’s hip. They’d found a path to follow. Beyond some general grumbling at the situation itself, there wasn’t too much to complain about.

Well, except the cold.

“We’re really not dressed for this weather,” Blake admitted, pulling her coat closed over her midriff. “I should have at least grabbed my other coat…”

Ruby shook her head. “You know there wasn’t time. Besides, it’s not like we thought we’d be out here any longer than the fight. Ugh. Fights keep me so nice and warm.”

Blake’s lips twitched. “Want to spar while we walk?”

“…Is that a thing people do?”

“It’s a thing we can do.”

With a blur of rose petals Ruby was suddenly launching a punch at Blake’s face, easily dodged with a quick turn of her heel. Ruby went ploughing into the snowy bank in front of Qrow (who neatly stepped over his niece, barely blinking) and shrieked something about being even colder now. She was up a second later though, the two of them flitting ahead as they tried to work out how to keep a sparring match moving forward.

Oscar watched with hands wrapped tightly around his elbows and his nose buried in the crook of his shoulder.

It seems Ms. Rose has improved her technique after all, Ozpin commented, both of them following the arc of Blake’s body as Ruby managed to sweep her feet out from under her. Already they were both a little rosier in the cheeks. Would you like to join them? Ms. Rose is not wrong to think that movement is one of the best ways to keep warm.

For a moment longer Oscar watched the flurry of semblances and long limbs. He grimaced. “Don’t think I can keep up with them.”

You sell yourself short. You’ve just gotta play a lil’ dirty, eh?

Oscar stumbled, thrown by the advice. It took him a moment to realize that Ozpin had only said the first half. The second had come from Yang at his shoulder. Voices got garbled like that sometimes.

He turned to find her grinning. She at least appeared warm enough while in the mood to tease. “No one ever said a good fight was a fair one,” she continued. “Ruby? Super ticklish. Go for anywhere along her side and you won’t even have to worry about landing a hit. Just touching her there will send her into a fit of giggles. Blake? I love her, but that long hair is a disaster waiting to happen. At least Weiss keeps hers tied up. Grab a decent handful and—bam! You’ve got her right where you want her.”

Oscar’s eyes strayed up to Yang’s own hair. “Then shouldn’t you…?”  

I would recommend you not complete that sentence.

Yang’s sharp smile said exactly the same.

“Never mind.”

“Keep walking,” and Yang gave him a thump on the back hard enough to nearly send Oscar into the snow.

“Is this what having sisters is like?” he muttered, low enough that the rest wouldn’t hear. Except Ozpin of course. It was always Ozpin, picking up on every stray, stupid, impulsive thought that flit through his head. Oscar had found it overwhelmingly invasive at first—who wouldn’t?—but now it was just…a thing. One more thing in his life with upsides and downsides. Right now at least, when Ozpin filled their consciousness with barely repressed amusement, the upside was an emotion so strong Oscar could almost pretend that he was warm.

Almost. His boots were meant for muddy fields and years long use, not insulation. Oscar wanted to say that his toes were numb, but if that was the case then why did they hurt? He grit his teeth and kept slogging forward, leaving a shambling trench behind him.

“You’re, like, a bajillion years old,” he said, teeth starting to chatter again. “Haven’t you learned anything useful in all that time? Like how to keep from becoming a human popsicle?”

Beyond conventional means we currently have no access to? I’m afraid not. I may be knowledgeable and long-lived, Oscar, but I am no god.

There was a tinge of self-reproach in those words, an emotion Oscar didn’t understand, but he knew better than to ask about it. Instead he just bent his head against the wind and closed stinging, running eyes.

A second later Oscar walked directly into Weiss.

“Watch it,” she hissed, pitching forward. Oscar instinctively made a grab for her arms and ended up chest-to-back as he worked to keep them both from losing their balance. In theory? Not a bad way to stop a cold, wet fall. In practice with a girl who had two inches on him, not counting the heels? Kinda awkward.

Yang was making a noise somewhere between a squeak and a car backfiring. “That’s one way to keep warm!”

And so was blushing. Oscar felt what little heat was left in his body rushing into his cheeks. “Um… sorry. Wasn’t looking.”

Weiss just rolled her eyes. “It’s fine. Besides, Yang might be an idiot—”

“Hey!”

“—but in this at least she’s right,” and to Oscar’s utter shock Weiss pulled him around to her left side, slotting him neatly against her hip. One arm wrapped down around his shoulder while her scarf—some sort of cashmere material that was softer than anything Oscar had ever owned—swayed against his cheek.

“Weiss?”

No need to call attention to a kind act. Especially one that benefits you both.

…Right. Weiss was shivering too, even more badly than Oscar, though she somehow hid it better behind a stony expression, squared shoulders, and a carefully lifted chin. Oscar had heard the group call her Ice Queen more than once. Seemed a little funny that an Ice Queen kept giving tiny, almost imperceptible sniffles from her red, runny nose.

“You two are disgusting,” Yang said, coming up on Oscar’s other side. She draped an arm around his shoulders, overlapping Weiss, like that was a thing they just did, normally, and beneath her skin thrummed a semblance hot as fire.

“You three,” Oscar corrected, missing the brief surprise that crossed Yang’s face, settling into something wary. She didn’t remove her arm though and Oscar was too busy trying to bury himself into the warmth. Weiss kept pressed to his other side as the four of them kept up an awkward, lumbering pace through the snow.

Yang opened her mouth to say something but was interrupted by the sudden cloud of rose petals swarming around her shoulders. A second later they reformed into one little sister, clinging monkey-style to Yang’s back. She briefly staggered.

“Ruby!”

“Warm,” came the only answer, muffled as Ruby buried her nose against Yang’s neck. A very cold nose based on the shriek that tore from her throat. Ruby just hummed and reached over to wrap her free hand into the fabric of Oscar’s shirt, tugging them even closer.

Weiss let out a huff that clouded the air in front of them. “We’ll never reach… wherever it is we’re going at this rate.”

“Better than dying before we get there,” Blake said, finally catching up to her easily distracted partner. She did look warmer, red in the cheeks and panting even as she shivered. She immediately slotted herself next to Weiss and tried to adopt the hip-bumping walk they were all practicing.

As the smallest Oscar felt rather squished. But squished in a good way. Like when his aunt crushed his ribs during one of her infamous birthday hugs. Or when Morado two farms over had once let his dogs pile on Oscar and wouldn’t call them off no matter how much he claimed he couldn’t breathe.

Good squished, Ozpin echoed. Oscar thought he could feel the nod of their head, even though they hadn’t actually moved. Yes, I’m quite familiar with that feeling.

“You are?” There were a few curious glances at his whisper. 

I am indeed.

And Oscar had a…sense. What literally felt like a new sense, an alien smell or touch or sound that suddenly flooded through his being, the feeling of memories re-surfacing when they weren’t your memories at all. Oscar’s shoulders felt the press of hands he’d never seen, his chest was tight with emotions not his own. Someone’s fingers ran through his hair and brushed a tear from his cheek and straightened glasses he’d never worn. Oscar took a deep breath and felt his whole body engulfed in a hug that was everything and nothing like the ones his aunt gave him. It was lifetimes worth of them. All at once.

“The hell are you lot doing back there?” Qrow called. He had started walking backwards, surprisingly balanced as he watched the group huddle and scoot through the snow. His lips twitched, catching sight of Oscar’s astounded expression. Attributing it to Weiss’ arm now wrapped safely around his waist. Yang’s arm linked through his. Ruby’s face buried halfway between her sister’s shoulder and her friend’s hair. “Lil’ chilly?”

“Something like that,” Blake said, all but purring the words as Weiss tugged her closer. An exhausted, but otherwise happy chuckle spread through the group.

We’re getting there, Ozpin noted. It was for Oscar’s ears only, but it turned his chuckle into a laugh that the whole group got to enjoy. 

They bottled the sound up, drank it down, and let it warm them from the inside out. 

[marvelmadam08]

The Princess & The Nomad (1)

Sequel to The Captain and The Culprit! With your hypnosis gone and your identity fully known, you and Steve reunite and pick up right where you left off. But with The Avengers disbanded and a new danger looming in the future, what’ll keep everything from falling apart?

Summary: Things are going great for you on Asgard, until a ‘threat’ to the throne is revealed

Warnings: Slight angst, jealous non-girlfriends, treason

You ran through the garden, face covered in a light sweat, as you looked for a place to hide before you could be found. Ducking behind a large bush, while quieting your breathing, you listened out for a sign of your approaching opponents. The soft footsteps along the grass alerted you to the two people closing in on you.

The sun peeked from behind the clouds, your shadow cast out from behind the bush. You roll out the way in time for a blade to slice through the top of the topiary.

"Sif!" Hogun protested "Thor said we were no longer permitted to use the swords during training."

"Got caught up I suppose." Sif gave you a sly grin as she replaced the sword in its sheath "Are you alright- Princess?"

"Fine." You grimace helping yourself up

You'd been on Asgard for the last ten months, learning and training with your powers and hand to hand combat from only the very best: Lady Sif and The Warriors Three.

"I apologize for Sif." Hogun says to you in a whisper "She's still a bit testy about you."

The day Thor arrived with you by his side, the whole kingdom was in uproar about how the future King of Asgard had an illegitimate child. You had to be confined to the palace for nearly three weeks, and palace guards had to escort you everywhere when you were eventually allowed to leave. Many speculated if you were actually the daughter of Thor, one of them being Lady Sif herself. She was constantly giving you jagged glares and making sly comments under her breath in passing, but never around Thor. He would occasionally drop in on a session whenever he returned from his search for the infinity stones, but lately his visits grew shorter and less frequent.

"Of course she is." You look over your shoulder at Sif, now polishing one of her daggers "Mind if we end a little early? I’ve made plans for the rest of my evening."

"Not at all Your Highness." Hogun bowed

"(Y/N), please." You still hadn't grown accustomed to having an Royal title, you still enjoyed being simply (Y/N)

"Are we boring you Princess?" Sif called after you "Rather go out gallivanting with your friends?" 

You don't bother to respond to her as you leave the garden to return to the palace halls. A few servants stop to bow at you while you stroll pass them, heading towards the throne room. You smile when you see the older gentleman standing in the center of the room, admiring the artwork on the ceiling.

"Gainor." You run to him, wrapping him in a tight hug

"(Y/N)." He hugs you back, kissing the top of your head "My beautiful granddaughter. How are you my child?"

"A lot better now. Where's everyone else?" you look over to the doors, expecting to see other people waiting for you

"Cadence thought it'd be best we didn't overwhelm you with the screaming hoard of relatives. They're all waiting for us back in Norheim."

“(Y/N).” Odin approached you with a proud grin, an expression that dimmed slightly when he made eye contact with Gainor “I see you’re finished with your training today.”

“Yeah- I mean yes Allfather. I’m off to Norheim today.” you feel the growing tension between your grandfather's “Remember I told you about it last week.”

In addition to the uproar of your arrival, a long standing feud between Odin and Gainor resurfaced. Gainor blamed Odin for everything that happened all those years ago with you being cast out as a baby as well as the unfortunate falling out between Thor and your mother.

“Yes of course, please enjoy.” Odin patted your hands

“Thank you.” awkwardly bowed to him.

Gainor steers you out of the throne room, throwing a spiteful glare back at Odin. Two horses were waiting for you out front, along with a palace guard (You still weren’t allowed to go far without them). Once you mounted the horses, you all start off for Norheim.

“I do wish you chose to stay with your grandmother and me, instead with that- Frost Giant of a man, you unfortunately have to call blood.” Gainor says lowly to you to keep the guard from hearing

“Odin isn’t that bad, he’s just...he’s....” You couldn’t seem to define Odin in just a small matter of words. There were times where he was lively and attentive and other times where he was completely blank and lost. “I guess he is a bit off.”

The day you met Odin, he called you ‘Thor’s new pet’ and was completely taken aback when you corrected him. Telling him that he was there the day you were sent to earth, but he appeared as if he had no recollection of the event at all. As if he had no idea you existed in the first place. Although he welcomed you with open arms, he always kept his distance from both you and Thor; most days you believed it was because of guilt, but other days you felt as if you were dealing with a completely different person.

Upon your arrival in Norheim you felt your palms get clammy, you'd slowly been introduced to your mother's family, starting with your grandparents Gainor and Cadence. They were reduced to tears when they saw you. After them you met uncles and your aunt, all with kids of their own, that’s who you were meeting today.

"Gainor, is that you?" Cadence shouts over the commotion in large yet cozy Villa

It seemed to filled to the very brim with people, all buzzing and quickly swarming around the door to see you.

"Yes my Love, I've brought- back away you'll scare her-" Gainor pushed through the large group "(Y/N) is here with me!"

"Oh my she looks just like her mother." An older woman squishes your cheeks "May her soul finally rest peacefully knowing you've made your way back home."

"Let the girl breath for Norns sake." Cadence, your grandmother pulls you back from the woman holding your cheeks "(Y/N), this is my sister, your Aunt Fatima. She's dipped into the mead a few times before your arrival."

"Have not!" Fatima hiccuped

"Come meet the others."

After being introduced and reintroduced to relatives, you were able to find a moment of peace when you slinked off to Gainor's study. You enjoyed being in there, surrounded by many books and other small family heirlooms, you knew that if you grew up on Asgard your fondest memories would be in this room, and not on a Hydra examination table.

You shudder at the cold memories, things you hadn't thought about in what felt like years. Unlike Steve, who was on your mind constantly. You sighed, playing with the dog tags around your neck. Although you loved seeing Asgard and getting to know yourself, you couldn't wait to return to earth and be with him again.

"(Y/N)? Is everything alright?" Cadence pokes her head in to see you curled up on the chaise lounge

"Yes Ma'am." You nod

"I've told you before. Stop being so formal." She sits next to you and kisses your forehead before examining your face "You really do look just like your mother."

"Tell me about her again?" You find yourself resting your head in her lap "About how they met."

“Your mother was incredibly smart, such a kind and beautiful spirit. They met while your grandfather was tutoring Thor, your mother would tag along with him to the palace. And they were smitten with one another." Cadence starts, stroking your hair while speaking "Time passed and Thor decided to court your mother. Or what did you call it on Midgard?"

"He asked her on a date."

"Yes, although Odin did not approve completely, he set aside his belief that royal blood should marry royal blood for his son's happiness. And then one morning I caught your mother climbing through that window, after spending the previous evening out with your father." Cadence pointed to the window next to the lounge chair. "I didn't know it then, but that was the night you came to be. And it was also the last night your father would be on Asgard before traveling to Vanaheim to finish his studying."

"Was she sad?"

"Oh, your mother wept for days, until she realized she was going to have you. She ran away to the palace, she feared we'd disown her.... Unfortunately Odin decided it would be best to keep you a secret, being conceived out of wedlock, and with them being so young."

"What happened afterwards?" You frowned, already knowing the answer

"Your mother was a strong woman, but even a mighty bolder gets worn down by crashing waves." Cadence sighs "Being in that palace, under his thumb for so long, Odin somehow convinced your mother that Thor would be unwavering to the idea of a child. That giving you a home elsewhere would be better than living with a father that resented you.”

You felt the stray tear running along the side of your nose and quickly wipe it away before Cadence could see. You never went into full details about being raised by Hydra, never bringing up the torturous experiments and hypnosis just to save them from imagining you being put through all of that.

“The day she put you in the bifrost, the day she returned home, the light in her soul vanished. She was gone come winter.” Cadence stopped stroking your hair, you sit up and see her staring out the window  

“Grandmother?” you held her hand, bringing her out of her trance

“But thank the Norns you crossed paths with Thor, and he brought you home to us.” she gave a sad smile and a gentle touch of your cheek “Your mother would be proud of who you became. We all are.”

You fight back the stinging tears as the palace guard storms into the room.

“My apologies Princess, but we must return to the palace immediately.” he holds a hand out to you

“Why? What’s happened?” Cadence asks holding a protective arm to you

“It’s the bifrost keeper, Heimdal. He’s just been sentenced to death for treason.”

Taglist: @classybai @moisoverennyi-thestarlessone @floralandspice @bi-bi-bi-bisexualz @theonelittleone @grey-junior @marvelousbuckystark @captainsthor @sebbystanlover-vk @jovialcalzonepaperzine @chook007 @dontchawishyouknewhowtosalsa @geekysimmerthings @codename-buckybarnes @marvelfansworld @emmaschhh @bruisedfaye @mackyk06 @teamcap4bucky @paigeem96 @lily-horvitz @tshollandlove @nerdypisces160 @mrs-captain-evans 

[arnorcttos]

( ludovico tersigni + 22 + muse 59 ) isn’t that apollo amoretto over there? i heard HE joined faction: nomads after they got back to west ham. it’s funny, ‘cause they were only on the service trip to terrorize his peers. hopefully they fit in there – they’re ADROIT, but also INDELICATE. oh, i’m sure they’ll be fine. ( james, she/they, 20, EST )

okay hi i’m james and this is my baby apollo, who is actually a brand new spankin’ muse of mine so !! we’ll see how this goes b/c i’ve literally never rp’d him before !! and i’ll b frank. his background is inspired by logan in veronica mars. sue me. actually don’t i’m already in college debt but sudfjkfg PLEATHE plot w/ him. leave a like. two likes. that’s not even possible. i may change his fc in the future b/c like ... i’m currently making his gif icons as i go and to b frank ,,, it’s rly hard sdjfkgh but i love him. so we’ll see. sdjnfkmgh

TRIGGER WARNING - DEATH, MURDER, MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

a e s t h e t i c s

fingers across keyboards and piano keys, m&m’s scattered, vintage gaming consoles and tangled wires, worn vans and broken skateboards, banging of drums and splintering drumsticks, deep rhythms beating with your heart, the hum of a hefty computer and the buzz of a monitor, green text against black screens, unruly hair unkempt, flannels filling closets, bloody baseball bats, posters lining up and down walls, loud punk music shaking the walls, glares and whispers, the suffocation that comes with loneliness, pills rattling in their bottles, unmade beds.

general info !!

full name: apollo casimir amoretto

nickname(s): caz, polly, lover boy, 2000 (b/c of his screen names lmaoo)

b.o.d. - january 31st, aquarius boi

label(s): the escapist, the hellion, the insurgent, the netizen, etc. etc.

height: hitting 6′0″

hometown: west ham, kansas !

sexuality: bi...? fucking. it’s pride month ofc he’s bi.

his stats are TBD but his pinterest is HERE !

biography !!

cristian amoretto and camilla silvestri had a romance that could be described turbulent at best, and down right explosive at worst

cristian, a native italian actor whose career began before he could walk, and camilla, the daughter of two italian immigrants with big dreams in a small town, met on the set of a coffee shop. their love story began quickly, dating within only a few months of knowing each other and engaged before the year was up

camilla walked down the aisle 6 months pregnant with lil’ baby apollo, who was then born in west ham, kansas, aka the town that camilla’s family had settled in

was raised primarily by his mother and grandparents! his father was often off shooting movies, leaving camilla to take on the role of stay-at-home mom despite her own dreams of making it big as an actress

apollo grew up as a huge momma’s boy -- i mean, god, he just really loved this mother, y’know? his relationship with his father was much rockier because of his ... lack of being around.

when his grandparents died around the age of eight, that’s when things got...worse. it felt as if camilla’s parents were the only barrier between camilla and cristian’s budding wrath.

it became more apparent that cristian was not meant for the family life, his anger quick and his fists quicker, stinging words and venomous glares. a control freak who couldn’t handle camilla being an independent woman.

this wasn’t apparent to the neighbors, or much of the town in general, because the amorettos were such a prominent family up in their mini-mansion in oak ridge -- it was hard to imagine that their life was anything but exquisite and dreamlike.

this was, of course, up until camilla filed for divorce and a restraining order in the same day, face bruised and nearly unrecognizable. she, obviously, got custody of apollo.

at this point in time, apollo was fourteen and...pretty stoked for them to get away from his father. they holed up in southside and life continued as normal. for the time being. gossip swarmed apollo at school surrounding the circumstance which was annoying, to say the least. it led to him becoming withdrawn from the other students, not getting the whole ... gossip appeal.

in hindsight, they should’ve moved out of west ham. death threats in the form of letters and the eerie feeling of eyes constantly being on them came to a halt on apollo’s graduation day: the day that his father also, coincidentally, murdered his mother.

for making me miss out on years of my son’s life, was cristian’s excuse as he was escorted from the bloody crime scene at their apartment and into the police car.

obviously, cristian was convicted and sentenced to prison. apollo still has dreams about testifying in court against his father.

and then apollo became known not as the son of two celebrities, but the son of a murderer. total bummer !

became even more withdrawn and almost dropped out of college a few good times! the only thing that kept him rooted to west ham was his band.

and now he can’t leave, and he’s surrounded by people who all look at him weird and he feels like they’re all expecting him to be like his father, and he’s not, but god -- when people expect you to be one way, it’s so hard to act otherwise. it’s just not a good time !

pretty much why he went on the service trip tbh ... like, y’know ... if ppl want to believe that he’s just as bad as his dad then damn ! he was gonna wreck sm havoc on the trip, just being an absolute nuisance. 

personality !!

his main focuses are computers / video games, drums / his band, and like ... skating ... vaping ... gamer things, y’know.

from a young age he’d always been very fascinated by video games, and being the Rich Boi (tm) that he was, ended up with a whole lot of them to play, on a whole bunch of consoles.

but like ... he’s a PC guy :/ he may have a super rare nintendo 64 console or two but nothing can beat his dual-monitor set up with his hand-build computer !

he also got real into hacking, y’know, just small things like watching security cameras in different cities and occasionally changing his grades b/c like ... who wouldn’t ? also ... cheated in dark souls. fucking loser.

his favorite games to play were always multiplayer games online like WoW and overwatch so !! he’s pretty fucking mad he can’t play them anymore. like. so mad. genuinely furious. he’s been trying to hack his way into like ... wifi or something dumb, ever since they got stranded in new west ham, but he’s had no luck !

he joined a band in high school because he was angsty and young, and like, turned out to be really good on drums ?? they had like ... some real big jimmy eat world / green day / say anything / old school fall out boy vibes. just a whole bunch of ‘fuck the government, fuck the authority, anarchy, rebellion, revolt revolt revolt’ angry rock music that got a buuunch of noise complaints during practice.

his role in the band was essentially the ~nerdy~ one, because he was a gamer, but like he was also Edgy and Angry and wore all black like Constantly (he still does who are we kidding)

probably paints his nails black and has a nose ring b/c gamers can be edgy too !!

huuuuuge junk food junkie. like ... he will consume Everything and Anything unhealthy. has a huge sweet tooth, he can’t remember the last time he’s drank straight up water.

but like ... he’s a loner pretty much. only friends he really bothered keeping were his bandmates and like ! half of them went missing along with the rest of the town so ! he’s feeling a lil’ lost

but not lost enough to do Nothing, y’know ?? coming back to west ham to an empty town awoke his little baby survivalist in him, probably due to a lot of survival games he played online, and he immediately took over his old home in oak ridge ! it was pretty much rotting there with his dad in jail, but not anymore !!

has also probably broken into a few homes already tbh b/c he’s just. ruthless. impulsive. if it feels like the end of the world then he’s yolo’ing, he’s peace-ing out, u cannot stop him.

uuhhh so he’s got this fucking...pomsky, right? her name is tulip. she was camilla’s before she passed away and like, what is apollo gonna do, huh ? put the dog in a shelter ? hell fucking nah. that’s his dog now.

unfortunately tulip isn’t the most .... tough looking dog. apollo set up a bunch of fucking speakers around the property of his dad’s house and plays large barking noises whenever somebody gets too close, just to ward off intruders, but like ... there’s no fucking big dogs man. it’s just apollo and tulip.

this isn’t like a Personality Trait but idk where to put it so ! apollo’s on antidepressants b/c like ... y’know ... the whole dad-murdering-mom thing sort of fucked him up a lot ! they make him feel pretty blah and diminished his sex drive so like ... hook ups aren’t really an option for him atm !

besides that he smokes a lot of weed b/c self medication

he’s ... sort of an asshole. like ... he can be rude and he doesn’t have much of a filter and i don’t know if there’s any softness left to him ! he just really misses his mom and his bandmates and has a lot of wishes involving changing the past and he reacts badly to things because he’s so defensive and on edge constantly.

he misses twitter the most, tho.

no but he’s just like. .. sad gamer boi ... a man and his dog ... who also carries like five knives on him and definitely knows where his dad kept his gun.

like he’s not socially awkward or necessarily Bad with people .. he’s just bad with people :/ doesn’t try hard enough ! is a little too apathetic ! chaotic to true neutral

wanted connections !!

i envision his band to have like ... four or five members including him. two guitar electric guitar, one bass, one drums / keyboard, any of them singing idk that’s not important. and since two of them have Disappeared, i’d like the One (or two) that Remains ! anarchy boys !

generally .. anybody else who is tryn to survive, that maybe he can bond with or completely clash with ??

i’d love enemies, just ppl he Refuses to get along with or they are just on bad terms for whatever reason

people he’s trying to not ! not get along with ! but it just doesn’t work out b/c like ... lbr, apollo’s pretty bad with other people.

just any falling outs.

uuhh ... maybe a few somewhat-friendships ! like... awkward acquaintances

ppl he knew primarily from high school / haven’t spoken to since

maybe one or two ppl who’s soft towards him or he’s soft towards or vice versa b/c like ! i’ll b real .. it’s pretty nice to have !

ex-flings, ex-somethings, ex-gfs, bfs, anything from the past.

hookup gone bad b/c he couldn’t get it up b/c antidepressants be like that (this is based off of a true story can we get a sad yeehaw in here)

gaming pals from before no wifi.

skater buds. vaping buds. b/c i can confirm that apollo owns like three juuls. stoner buds.

someone he’s like ... hesitantly forming an alliance with b/c sometimes it’s easier when you have someone on ur team ! b/c then drama when one of them betrays the other uwu

somebody trying 2 break into his house b/c u Know it’s got some good shit in there but he’s just like ‘alexa play dogs barking audio’ and then ur muse is like ... there’s no fucking dogs

juul pod dealer. that’s all.

i’m down for anything rly !! pleathe hmu !!

[crossbowking]

The Road Ahead : Chapter 9

Chapter Index HERE

Summary : (Set in the beginning of season 1) Anna Brooks lost everything after the world ended — the last remaining part of herself being her older brother, who she lost contact with after communications dropped. While en route towards Atlanta to find him, Anna’s truck breaks down, leaving her at the mercy of the cruel new world. Now, Anna must face her fears head on as she struggles to deal with devastating loss, constant danger, and finding her way in a land that now belongs to the dead. But sometimes, a glimmer of hope can be found disguised as a short-tempered, hard-headed redneck who may just save her life in more ways than one.

Pairings : Daryl x Original Female Character

Warnings : Slow-Burn, Language/Violence/typical Walking Dead themes

Author’s Note : As usual, thanks for all the love! Hope you guys are enjoying this story!

Happy reading!!!

xx crossbowking

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Previously…

Then the gunfire ceased, the campsite eerily quiet, the only sounds coming from soft cries of grieving survivors who’d lost loved ones.

Anna tore her gaze away from Daryl’s, cradling the hand she’d cut open against her chest as she collapsed backward, laying flat against the soil. She exhaled a shaky breath, heart hammering against her chest, eyes wandering the glistening night sky.

And she wondered silently to herself…just what in the hell had she gotten herself into.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Now...

No one slept that night.

The survivors worked from dusk until dawn, sifting through the decimated camp, dividing the dead walkers from their dead friends and placing them into separate growing piles. They worked in silence, the grief settling over the camp nearly tangible.

Anna stuck around to help clean up the aftermath — she’d felt like it would’ve been disrespectful not to. She had no ties to these people, dead or alive, but just because the human race was destroyed, that didn’t mean humanity had to fade along with it. No one questioned her presence either — she received some curious looks, but she just kept her head ducked down and focused on whatever task she was dealing with.

Her heart felt heavy, the gruesome images from the attack seared into her brain. She’d seen so much death and destruction since the world ended, it was all starting to blend into one, long, never-ending nightmare.

The morning became just as grim — it’d been brought to light that one of the survivors, Jim, had been bit while helping take down the herd the night before. His fever was already starting to take over, hallucinations bending the cusp of reality, and Anna knew it wouldn’t be long until he turned — she’d seen it happen before. There was no coming back from a bite.

Anna took a break from dragging yet another biter to the growing fire, the group having decided to burn the dead and bury their own. Stretching out her sore muscles, she arched her back, relishing in the brief moment of relief it brought. She tightened the cloth wrapped around her torn palm — she’d ripped off a strip of her flannel, using it as a makeshift bandage around the hand she’d cut open tackling that final walker.

She peeked under the cloth, inspecting the angry red slash mark, picking at the dried blood caked around the wound. Gritting her teeth together, Anna pushed away any discomfort and reached down to grab the ankles of the walker below her, continuing her trek to the fire.

“Need a hand?” came a soft voice from behind.

Anna craned her neck, spotting the mother of the boy she’d saved standing in her path. “Uh…yeah, sure,” Anna nodded, voice rasping from being unused.

The woman quietly walked over to stand opposite of Anna, bending down to hoist the biter up from its armpits. They made it to the fire much faster working together, each slightly out of breath as they tossed the body into the flames with a huff. Anna paused, wiping the sweat that formed on her brow with the back of her hand. She felt eyes on her and glanced over at the woman who was watching her, an odd expression on her face. “Want me to check that out?” she suddenly asked, pointing towards Anna’s makeshift bandage.

“Oh, no. It’s okay. Thank you though,” Anna waved off immediately.

The woman sighed, taking a step closer. “You saved my sons life,” she stressed, tears suddenly swarming her vision. “Least I can do is wrap your hand properly,” she finished, a steely determination settling over her face.

Feeling a bit cornered, Anna relented, nodding her head in acceptance. The woman shot her a tight smile, motioning for her to follow. “I’m Lori, by the way,” the woman introduced as Anna fell in step beside her.

“Anna,” she retorted, reaching out to shake the woman’s outstretched hand.

“I’m gonna grab the first aid kit — you just go on an’ make yourself comfortable by the fire pit, alright?” Lori urged, her expression taut despite the kindness in her eyes.

Anna nodded, parting ways with the woman and heading towards one of the lawn chairs set up near the fire pit. She winced as she lowered her body onto the chair, not realizing until that moment how sore her entire body was. She hadn’t slept in over twenty-four hours, barely ate or drank anything, and was finally feeling the aftermath of her scuffle with the walker that almost ended her life.

That should’ve ended my life, a quiet thought suddenly snuck up.

Anna sighed, surveying the campsite. Glenn and T-Dog were working together to carry more bodies to the fire. An older woman, with buzzed gray hair and a faraway look in her eyes, held a young blonde girl to her chest, absently running a hand through the girls short hair. The other police officer in the group who’d already introduced himself to Anna — Shane — was hunched over a map, speaking in hushed tones with an older man wearing a khaki fisherman’s hat.

And then her eyes landed on Daryl, who was wielding a pickaxe and making sure the dead stayed dead. She watched as he swung the pickaxe into the temple of the dead, grunting as he yanked the blade out. He wiped the sweat from his forehead with the crook of his arm, resting the weapon against his shoulder as he turned.

His eyes suddenly flashed towards Anna, narrowing when he realized she’d been watching him. But Anna didn’t back down, holding his gaze steadily until he clenched his jaw and stalked back into the forest.

Daryl had saved her life — again. For someone who seemed to truly dislike her, he sure was making it a habit of keeping her alive. Twice now he had interfered, putting a stop to whatever had been putting her life at risk. Which led her to believe that maybe underneath all of the archer’s stoniness, he had a heart. She had seen it before — that day she first met him on the road, she saw it. He could’ve left her to fend for herself against Merle, he could’ve left her stranded, he could’ve walked away. But he didn’t.

She sighed once more — there was no use in trying to unravel the enigma that was Daryl. She wouldn’t be sticking around long enough to figure him out. As soon as the bodies were cleared and buried, she was leaving for Fort Benning like she should have from the get-go.

Anna saw Lori striding her way, first aid kit in hand. She silently sat on a chair opposite of Anna, balancing the kit on her knee as she rifled through the supplies, pulling out antiseptic and a bandage. “Alright, lemme see,” Lori murmured, setting the kit by her feet as she held out her hand. Anna untied the knotted flannel strip, hissing as some skin was pulled along with it, the blood having dried against the cloth. She held out her exposed palm to Lori, who held it gently, examining it close to her face. “Not too bad. We’ll have you fixed up in no time,” she assessed, a soft smile tracing her pretty features.

“Thank you,” Anna replied quietly, allowing Lori to begin cleaning the cut, wincing as she dabbed antiseptic along the wound. “How’s your son doing?” she asked, trying to distract herself from the sting.

“He’s okay…” Lori hesitated, looking up at Anna. “Carl’s strong. He’s a real strong boy. He gets it from his father,” she emphasized, her eyes softening as she glanced over to where her son sat beside the older woman and her daughter. “So, have you been on your own long?”

Anna paused, gnawing on her bottom lip for a moment. “Uh, kinda. A couple weeks, I think.”

“An’ before that?” Lori questioned, unraveling the bandage, satisfied that the wound was cleaned thoroughly.

Anna reached subconsciously for her necklace, squeezing the rings in her hand. “I was with my parents,” she murmured simply, not needing to go into detail.

Lori looked up at her, expression somber. “Oh, honey. I’m sorry.”

Anna shook her head quickly, letting the rings fall back against her chest. “It’s okay. It’s just how things are these days, right? I mean, look around,” she scoffed humorlessly, motioning towards the growing pile of bodies near the RV. Lori followed her stare, nodding sadly as she began wrapping Anna’s hand.

“It never gets easier,” Lori exhaled. “Loss, I mean,” she clarified, sniffling softly.

Anna hummed in agreement, her gaze landing on a blonde woman sitting by the RV — she hadn’t moved from that spot all night, still holding hands with one of the survivors who hadn’t made it.

Lori followed Anna’s eye line over to the pair of women. “Amy was such a sweet girl,” she murmured, voice thick with emotion.

“Who’s the other woman?” Anna asked quietly.

“Andrea. Her sister,” Lori explained as she finished tying the bandage around Anna’s wrist. “Amy came back. Andrea put her down. But she still won’t let us take her — even pulled her gun on my husband when he tried to talk to her,” she griped, clearly not happy with Andrea’s threat.

“I’m sure she’ll come around once she’s ready,” Anna sighed sympathetically as she examined Lori’s handiwork. “Thank you for this,” she spoke, holding up her bandaged hand, quickly changing the subject.

Lori waved her gratitude away. “Like I said — least I could do.”

Anna forced a smile before pushing up from her chair and heading back to work, needing to distract herself from her haunting thoughts. All she could think about was Ben and if she and her brother had been in the position Andrea and Amy had been in…would she have been able to pull the trigger?

She hoped she’d never have to find out.

The rest of the morning remained uneventful. The group had decided to put together some semblance of a funeral, wanting to bury their own and pay their respects. And once again, Anna found herself sticking around. She could never seem to find the right time to make her leave, something always drawing her back in.

By early afternoon, the entire group was standing on top of the quarry’s peak, the Atlanta skyline in the distance, watching the bodies of their loved ones being rolled into shallow graves. Anna stood off to the side, hands clasped tightly in front of her, watching body after body disappear beneath the Earth. But it wasn’t until Andrea stepped forward that it became too much for Anna to bear.

Watching the woman’s quiet desperation as she gently maneuvered her sister into her grave broke Anna’s heart. She recognized the defeat and utter sorrow crumpling the woman’s features, so similar to her own. Anna wiped at a stray tear that snaked down her cheek before she turned on her heel and made her leave, hurrying back down the hill and to the campsite, unable to watch any longer.

The campsite was quiet with the others still up the hill and for the first time, Anna felt like she could finally take a breath — she found peace in the silence. She wandered past the RV and came to a stop beside the quarry’s cliffside, overlooking a breathtaking body of water below.

Fort Benning. She needed to start making her trek to Fort Benning — she had to know whether or not her brother had made it there. That was the point of everything she had done up until now and she wasn’t going to stop until she found the answers she was looking for.

The quiet didn’t last long, a truck’s rumble sounding through the air, followed by a crowd of shuffling footsteps. Anna peeked over her shoulder, watching Daryl park his pickup near the RV, sparing her a quick glance before he stormed off to his tent. She watched as the group dispersed, some joining together by the fire pit, others heading towards their respective tents.

Her eyes then landed on the sheriff bringing up the rear of the group, hand in hand with Lori, their son running ahead to catch up to the little blonde girl. Rick caught Anna’s gaze and leaned in to kiss Lori’s cheek, before parting ways with her and making his way towards the cliffside where she stood.

“Afternoon, officer,” Anna greeted with a small salute. He scoffed lightly, some of the tension in his face fading despite the fact that he looked as though he carried the weight of the world on his shoulders.

“How you holdin’ up, Brooks?” he inquired, nodding towards her injured hand as he came to a stop in front of her.

“Could be worse,” Anna shrugged. “Hey, I’m sorry about your people,” she murmured, kicking at the dirt with the toe of her boot.

Rick nodded quietly, eyes far away before coming back to settle on her. “Could’a lost a lot more if you hadn’t shown up.”

Anna shook her head, brushing him off. “Oh, I really didn’t — ”

“You did,” he urged, his expression worn but gaze fierce. “You didn’t have to give us a ride, but you did. You didn’t have to help us with that herd, but you did. I haven’t had the chance to properly thank you for last night. My son is alive an’ that’s because of you.”

Anna didn’t know what to say, watching as Rick’s eyes flooded with emotion, his gaze swiveling towards Carl, giggling alongside Lori near the fire pit.

He cleared his throat, turning his attention back to Anna. “Now, I know you said before that you’ve got a brother out there somewhere. An’ you said you were thinkin’ of tryin’ for Fort Benning, is that right?”

Anna simply nodded, still taken aback at the sheriff’s words.

“I met a man a couple days ago. He told me there were rumors about the CDC an’ how it might still be up an’ runnin’. Now, Fort Benning is a hundred miles in the opposite direction. I think we should try for the CDC — maybe they’re workin’ on a cure, maybe there’re other survivors,” Rick paused, quieting his voice as he took a step closer to Anna. “Jim’s gettin’ worse an’ we can’t stay here — all those gunshots last night…we might as well have rung the dinner bell. Those walkers from the city could be headin’ up this way as we speak. I think this may be our best shot,” he implored, seeming sure about this new course of action.

Anna’s brows knitted, confusion spreading over her features. He was speaking as if she was involved in this decision — ‘our best shot’. “If you think the CDC is the best move, I would trust your gut,” Anna finally responded. “But my brother left me a note in Atlanta. He said he was heading for the army base. So that’s where I need to go.”

Rick exhaled, looking torn for a moment. “I get it, Anna, I do. Family’s everythin’. But this world jus’ isn’t what it used to be,” he pressed, holding out a hand warily. “Now, riskin’ it on your own…the chances of you gettin’ there may be slim. But in a group, you may jus’ have a better shot. You got people watchin’ your back, you got supplies…an’ if the CDC’s a dead end, we can turn back an’ try for Fort Benning.”

Anna crossed her arms over her chest, still unsure why she was being included amongst this group of strangers. “Why does it matter what I do? You’ve got your own people to worry about, don’t you?”

Rick cocked his head to the side as if she was missing the point. “You’ve more than earned your place in this group, Anna,” he expressed sincerely. “It’s your decision, of course, but I think it’d be good for us all to stick together — an’ I’ve seen you take on those geeks. I know you can handle your own out there. We need more people like that in this group if we stand any chance of survival.”

Anna exhaled heavily, pinching the bridge of her nose as she mulled over his words. “Yeah, no pressure,” she scoffed sarcastically. The corner of Rick’s mouth quirked up as he waited for her answer. “Look, you guys seem like good people — otherwise, I would’ve been long gone by now,” she began. “But my brother…he’s all I’ve got left, you know? I mean, what if the situation was reversed? What if it was your family out there?”

An odd expression flashed across his face as he paused. “I’d do anythin’ to find them,” he admitted truthfully, a weightiness to his words but Anna didn’t press the matter.

“So would I,” Anna shrugged meekly, watching as Rick’s expression deflated, although he seemed to understand where she was coming from.

But as a heavy silence hung in the air, she wasn’t sure as to why she was suddenly so torn about her decision — finding Ben meant everything to her. It’d been something she’d been so dead set on. It’d been what kept her alive this long. But now, after finding this group, after hearing Rick’s words…that certainty wavered.

“Jus’ think about it, alright?” Rick finally relented, placing a hand on his hip as he scanned the camp. “We’re leavin’ first thing in the mornin’. Stay the night an’ see how you feel tomorrow, okay?” he offered.

Anna found herself nodding in agreement before she realized what she was doing, the sheriff possessing a compelling nature in the art of persuasion. Rick shot her a tight smile, reaching forward and squeezing her shoulder gently.

But as he walked away, heading towards his family and the group of survivors Anna felt so drawn to, she came up with one, single, frustrating conclusion — she was more conflicted now than ever before.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A/N : I hope this chapter wasn’t too boring! I know it’s not as action-packed or angsty as others, but all good things take time! (I miss season 1 Rick, btw. *sad sigh*) Thanks for all the love and support!

QUESTION OF THE WEEK: Your home has been overrun. You have to evacuate immediately. You can only take three items with you and the rest you’ll never see again - what do you take? Something personal? Something resourceful? Which three items do you pick?

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‘Til the Clock Runs Out

So apparently when I feel ill I decide it’s time to make my favorite boys sick too. Didn’t actually expect to finish this one, but here we are! 

Summary: While taking care of a sick Taiyang, Qrow recalls the time when their situations were reversed and realizes that they’ll always be there for each other.

Rating: K

Word count: 2.3k

Pairing: Taiqrow

A03 Link: ‘Til the Clock Runs Out

~

Coughing awoke Qrow immediately.

It took a moment or two to adjust to the bedroom’s only light coming from the moon spilling through between the curtains, splashing silver slats along the wood floors and across the end of the bed. Definitely too early to be up. The sentiment was shared by his partner, who gave a weak groan and another violent round of coughing.

Qrow stretched out his legs and turned over, looking up at the lump of blanket beside him. He reached out, tugging down the edge until he could see Tai’s face. He brushed the back of his hand along his forehead. “You’re really hot.”

One corner of Tai’s lips quirked up into a smile and he croaked out, “You know it, beautiful.”

“Save it, Casanova.” He replied, amused, though it quickly shifted into concern when the other buried his face into his pillow, whole body jerking with his coughs. “Alright, I think some medicine’s in order.”

The pathetic moan was the only answer he got.

Qrow slid out of bed, slipping through the door always left open in case one of the girls had a nightmare. The hallway was drafty and he kind of regret not grabbing a shirt or some slippers as he padded barefoot along the ice-cold floor. Out of habit, he paused once he reached the first bedroom, peering inside. Yang was a sprawled mess, golden curls and limbs everywhere, her blanket having been kicked completely off the bed. Ruby was sleeping more soundly, curled up on her side. Their newest addition, Zwei, was cuddled in her grasp, little snout resting on the pillow.

Though he knew he was playing fate, he tiptoed into the room as carefully as he could, having to step around wooden blocks, action figures, a ball and two chew toys, before he finally got to Yang’s bedside. He picked up the knitted quilt, unable to help admiring the mismatched patterns as he tucked it around his niece. The whole team had made the quilt together before Yang had been born. Each fourth of a section was obvious whose side it was, right down to Tai’s dragons and Raven’s flowers, to Summer’s dogs and his birds. It was honestly the ugliest thing they’d ever made and they’d never been so proud.

Ruby had one as well, though made with only three hands instead of four. They filled in the fourth side by letting Yang pick what it should be – and being two at the time, she was innocently unaware that perhaps dinosaurs and fire patterns didn’t send the best message. He looked back at the little squirt still resting soundly with her puppy, wondering idly if maybe they should make one for Zwei next. A tiny puppy quilt knit by the four of them.

Qrow shook off the inane idea, wondering if he was somehow channeling Tai spiritually now. Maybe they’d finally just spent so much time together their personal auras had intertwined.

Who knew, maybe tomorrow he’d be gardening and shopping for zip-off cargo pants.

He shuddered at the thought, ducking back out of the room, miraculously not tripping over anything or rousing anyone. Distantly, Qrow could still hear Tai giving his most valiant effort to bring up a lung, so he quickly got back on track as he hurried down to the first floor. As soon as he flipped the switch, he had to blink away spots as the kitchen lights assaulted him, hip-checking the table in his partial blindness.

“Stupid.” He grumbled at it, rubbing at the mostly non-existent ache as he crossed over to the pantry, shuffling through the top shelf where they kept the medicine hidden away. He shook out the painkillers and filled the cap of cough syrup, before pouring a glass of water, letting the tap run hot first.

The motions were much too familiar because he’d done it all at least a hundred times before. He and Raven had gotten sick often after they’d relocated to Beacon; especially during their first year. Their immune systems were so unaccustomed to Vale’s vastly different ecosystem that any virus just wandering on by saw they were prime real estate and moved right on in. It made for a very miserable experience.

During those days, Summer and Tai mostly let them be, only getting things when explicitly asked. It hadn’t been because they didn’t want to help, because they did, especially Summer who would dote on them in suffocating amounts if allowed to. But he and Raven refused all attempts at their teammates playing ‘nurse maid’, leaving them to find subtle ways of helping them. Granted, Summer’s best attempt at subtly was acting like a medicine fairy by leaving cough drops on their nightstands. Tai tended to be a little more discreet, like offering to fetch lunch for one of them under the guise of getting it for the whole team. Most of those instances were just hazy memories, disjointed and brief, but there was one Qrow never quite forgot, the events playing with almost startling clarity.

It had been a stormy night in November, the wind howling as it rattled the trees and rain pattered noisily against the window. It wasn’t particularly late in the evening, the rest of his team still doing homework, but he was feeling rather lethargic, so he had turned in early, hoping to sleep away the sickness. Instead he found himself only restlessly tossing about. The lingering chill in the air had him shivering under two sets of blankets, but the fever was mild in compared to the pain in his throat. It was as if someone had taken a blade to the back of it, leaving dozens of tiny, little cuts along the lining of his esophagus until every swallow was like an agony worse than throwing salt into a wound.

Tai, who was in the bed right next to his own, eventually looked up from the chapter he was reading and asked, “Qrow? You alright?”

“My throat’s killing me.” He rasped back, voice so distorted he could hardly tell it was his own.

Tai frowned, the genuine concern on his face only making Qrow wish he hadn’t said anything at all. He set aside his textbook and shifted until he was sitting up. “You want some painkillers?”

“Mmno. Not working.” He turned his back to him. “Don’t worry ‘bout it. M’fine.”

There was a hovering pause between them, drawing long enough Qrow was certain the issue would get dropped. But then the bedsprings shifted as Tai got up, chirping almost merrily, “Hold on. I know just what you need.”

He watched him go, the blond only pausing long enough to snatch his vest from his bedpost and hurrying out their bedroom door with a quick, “Be right back!” to the girls before they could even think to ask where he was going. Qrow didn’t remember how long Tai was gone but he did remember how he returned, all of them looking over when he finally walked back inside.

Summer took one look at him, gaping as she pointed towards the window still being pummeled by rain. “Did you go all the way to town? In that?”

“Yep!” He was looking more triumphant than a man should when soaking head-to-toe and only having a small, plastic shopping bag to show for it. He dropped it onto the desk with a wet plop.

Raven’s expression was one of someone who didn’t know how to compute this rare brand of stupidity. “Why?”

“Home remedy.” Was his only answer as he kicked off his shoes. “Now uh, little privacy ladies? I really need to get out of these clothes.”

Tai didn’t wait for their agreement, already yanking off his jacket and undershirt. Summer gave a squeak, shoving her face in her notebook. Raven just rolled her eyes, turning back to her phone. Qrow just pulled up the blankets further and didn’t look.

Alright, alright. He peeked, just a little.

“Okay, I’m decent!” Tai eventually called, towel-drying his hair until it was nothing but an untidy mess before going back to the desk where he’d left his mysterious ‘home-remedy’.

Qrow watched him curiously, quickly realizing the familiar motions as the blond went about brewing up a kettle of tea. It made no sense; he knew Tai had plenty already here in the room. Why go through the storm for more?

He found out the reason was in a little jar of amber-gold liquid that Tai carefully took a spoonful of and stirred in. He wasn’t really sure what to make of it, so as he was being encouraged to sit up and handed over the cup, he mostly just stared between it and the brewer suspiciously.

“It’s just chamomile tea and honey. I promise.” Tai said, holding up two fingers like a salute. “A few cups of this’ll make you feel much better. The honey will help lessen the swelling in your throat. And chamomile is like, a SuperTea; it’s good for everything.”

Qrow wrinkled his nose some. Honey? As in the waxy, sweet stuff in beehives? The tribe only gathered that if they had someone with burns; the painful stings combined with the insects’ tendency to swarm usually drew them away for anything less. And people here could just buy it in a jar? And had enough to spare to throw it into their drinks?

Society was weird.

He doubted a bunch of sugar being poured down his throat would really make a difference, but he was desperate enough to try anything. He sipped slowly at the hot beverage, the taste of it – or what of it he could taste at least – surprisingly pleasant. Tai went back to his book, but always seemed to know when he’d finished a cup, happy to hop up and pour him another.

Qrow didn’t start noticing a difference until he started on his third, the pain seeming to lessen little by little. By the time he was through with his fourth, he could have believed he was in heaven with how much relief he felt. He hummed softly as he leaned back into the pillows propped up along his headboard, hugging the lingering warmth of the cup between his hands. He was almost content enough to doze off right then and there.

“Want another?”  

“Nah. M’good.” Qrow peeled his eyes open, turning his head some. The girls’ side of the room was dark, the two having gone to bed a little bit ago.

Tai stifled a yawn, looking about ready to faceplant in his book. “Well, this is a good place to stop anyways.” He dogeared the edge, setting it on the nightstand. The cup joined it next, their shared lamp being turned off.

In the dark and with the girls already asleep, he finally felt brave enough to say it: “Tai?”

“Yeah?”

“Thanks.”

“Anytime buddy.”

The past hazed into the present, the smile he imagined on Tai’s face ten years ago now a warm, caring reality greeting him as he crossed the room, balancing the tray on the nightstand.

“Gee, with this amount of preamble, I was thinking I was getting a four-course meal!” The blond quipped, voice having gotten scratchier in just the few minutes he’d been gone.

“Sorry, not your butler, just your drug peddler.” Qrow handed him the painkillers and lukewarm water once he’d sat up.

Tai chuckled, swallowing them without complaint. It was when he was given the cup of cherry cough syrup that he hesitated, turning to look up at him with eyes so sad that puppies would have adopted him. “Do I have to?”

“Gods, you’re more dramatic than your daughter.” He snarked.

“Which one?”

“Whichever choice offends you more.”

“Wow you’re getting lazy if you’re making me finish the insults for you.” Tai laughed – only for it to result in a new round of coughing. Served him right.

Qrow propped a hand on his hip. “Drink the damn medicine.”

“Yeah, yeah.” He groused back once he could breathe again, doing a mental countdown before taking down the medicine in one go, quickly chasing it with the rest of the water, shuddering overdramatically against the taste.

“Here’s your reward for being an adult.” He said as he traded the glass and medicine cap for a tea cup.  He placed the tray onto the ground where it would be safer.  

Tai took a slow, savoring sip before saying, “Not sure a guy like you can give those rewards.”

Qrow ignored that in favor of diving back into the warm bed, rolling into the blankets and curling his arms underneath his pillow to better nestle into it. He had to fight the urge to immediately drift off. Instead, he angled his face enough to confirm, “Guess I’m subbing for your class tomorrow.”

“Yeah.” Tai wilted, head like a drooping sunflower bud as he hunched over. “Sorry.”

He shrugged as best he could. It wouldn’t be the first time. Sure, keeping track of twice the amount of students wasn’t exactly the easiest of tasks, but he’d managed before. Tai just always acted like it was something to feel guilty about; as if they both didn’t have those days when getting up in the morning seemed impossible. “Eh, whatever. Your rugrats are nothing compared to mine.”

“Probably because you don’t teach them manners.”

“That’s not part of the syllabus.”

That finally got him to smile again. “You’ll have to get the girls ready for the morning too. Unless you want me to wake up with you?”

Qrow flipped onto his side, getting more comfortable. “Nah, no point risking you getting ‘em sick too. I got it.” He yawned some, tacking on drowsily, “Just worry about feeling better.”

“Alright. G’night.”

“Night.”

Things grew quiet. Qrow started to slowly drift. Just as he was on the edge of dreamland, he felt the warm touch of fingers brushing his bangs aside and the press of a gentle kiss on his forehead.

“Thank you.” Tai said, so soft it was almost missed entirely.

Though he could not rouse himself enough to answer verbally, it did not lessen the strength of his mind that whispered back:

Anytime.