#this came to me like a vision at 2:30 in the morning

[hollyleavees]

okay but if the professors succeeded, what would the odds of zygarde scaling that wall between paldea and kalos be

[yrqrnc]

𖤐 ִֶָ 𓂃 STRAY KIDS : SMILING WEIRD AT THEM UNTIL THEY NOTICE

genre: fluff, crack, pranks

pairing: skz x reader

bringing the tiktok pranks back bcs i need funny headcanon ideas to write 😁🙏🏻

some member's parts might be a bit shorter than the rest bcs i wrote some while being sugar high at 2:50 in the morning so pls excuse that

leave comments, reblog, and feedbacks pls <3

𖤐 CHAN : —

is 70% concerned 30% holding his laugh

you approached him and started a normal conversation on a very normal thursday afternoon so he thought everything was nice and ok in the house and with you???

he guesses not, a minute or two into the talk 😟

bcs why are you smiling at him in a way that would summon his sleep paralysis demon at night???

he already sleeps so less now he fears he will have to sleep even less.

is too worried to say anything about it because what if this is actually your true smile and you’re just getting comfortable around him and he hurts your feelings by making a comment about it?

right????

but he’s also starting to get scared because wHAT HAPPENED TO HIS BABY YOU’VE NEVER DONE THIS BEFORE 😭😭😭 WHAT WENT WRONG ⁉️

PLS BRING THEM BACK 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻

doesn’t say anything but gets so tensed during the convo and gives you this look that has you breaking character shortly after, bcs you burst out laughing and going back to that cute big smile he was used to and the one he adored.

(sorry, writer-break-in: now if anyone comments abt how they ugly laugh, i’m gonna smash my guitar on your head. chris says that’s cute, so it’s cute. you don’t get a say.)

then he’s like “oh ☺️ that’s it. here they are <3”

thinks about it when he lays in his bed at night tho

might make him rethink everything and consider your health (mental & physical) for a couple days 😕👎🏻

𖤐 MINHO : —

right, ok. so, he notices it so quick

this man is VERYYY very very observant and he knows you like the back of his hand

so the moment you flash your worst smile as he’s in the midst of talking, taking just the chance when he looked to the side for a sec—

he catches it from his peripheral vision, snaps his head at you and he goes 🤨⁉️ (15% concerned 85% judging)

stares at you silently for a while after that, trying to figure you out

🧍🏻😾❓️ (yes.)

when you act completely normal and ask him why he stopped, telling him to continue and all that, he cautiously goes back to saying what he had been talking about

but then you pull your shit again and he catches it this time too right away

(bcs he’s always looking at you when he’s talking. he looks at you when you’re talking too. he looks at you. he just loves looking at you, that’s honestly it. bro is just an eye-contact and make their knees weak type of person)

and he knows he isn’t high

looks straight at you and goes — “what’s wrong with this one... 😐”

and you’re all like “what??? 😠🦿🦿 what’s wrong w me???” bcs how dare he say that in that tone

“why are u making yourself look like that plushie whose face doongie scratched up last week”

LMAOOOO 😭😭😭 SAVE YOURSELF

so you’re throwing hands now (& terribly failing) and this is the only part of your stupid prank that minho is finding fun

𖤐 CHANGBIN : —

HELP.

doesn’t know if he should laugh or cry someone pls take him away from you 🙁🙏🏻

he’s just casually telling you about this sick rap that he came up with yesterday night in the studio

and you’re nodding and laughing, and he turns to focus on you more and finds you like: 😁 i mean 👹???

and the lOOK THAT PASSES THROUGH HIS EYES AND THE WAY HIS SMILE DROPS SO SLOWLY

WITH AN EYE TWITCH TOO

LORD HELP ME

no HELP SEO CHANGBIN ACTUALLY

bro freezes but then he tries to play it chill, chuckling and being like “right... 😄☝🏻 hahah hahahahah so i was saying... ”

but you keep doing it and he can’t ignore it anymore 😔

“...baby what’s wrong? do you feel sick?” and that too in such a scared voice yOU CAN'T KEEP UP THE ACT ANYMORE

once you tell him it’s a prank, relief washes over him like cold water on a scorching hot summer day and he laughs along with you

might haunt him when he’s alone in his studio at midnight tho

𖤐 HYUNJIN : —

judges you.

no i’m not even gonna try to be funny first

HE JUDGES 👨‍⚖️

you do it and he instantly goes “😦😣 what the fuck”

and you’re like “what? what happened?”

and he doesn’t even know what to say

then he switches up just as quickly and starts yapping again

but you do it again too

and he’s so fed up he goes “dude tf wrong w u 🙄”

and when you keep doing it, he starts iMITATING YOU TO MOCK YOU😭😭

now you’re both just flaring your teeth and gums at each other while cackling in between too, and anyone watching would’ve started praying honestly

later that day, after finding out it was a prank he’s just thinking... why is my partner like this... 😟

he loves u tho <3

𖤐 JISUNG : —

honestly bro...

he finds you adorable :(

like, you guys are casually talking one evening

and he’s telling you about this new anime he watched recently, that almost made him cry

and he’s telling you the amazing sad plot and all, and out of nowhere you just 😁

first he’s really caught off guard bcs... girl (gn!) what 😟 i said??? i almost???? CRIED??? HEARTBREAK?????

but then he just looks at you as you keep up w the goofiness when he speaks again, and he thinks to himself

:(“i love this idiot so much even tho i do feel half irritated and offended right now”

bcs even if you’re pulling your ugliest smile rn, he loves that sparkle in your eyes as you stifle a laugh back and the way almost break character everytime you make eye contact with him

sorry guys this is getting soft but

jisung just loves you very much ☹️☹️☹️

prank is all forgotten, you are just two young people in love <3

𖤐 FELIX : —

i would say he already knows what the trend is, but that’s really boring so let’s pretend that he’s actually getting fooled here.

the moment he sees u doing it, that epic felix thing happens again— where his smile gradually just drops and he has that :0 face in the funniest way

he isn’t sure if he should speak bcs what if that unleashes more of that demon in u 😓

he’s torn between two things actually: should he hug you and try to squish the demonic smile out of you, or should be just stay away and give u your space until ur okay again

bcs he isn’t sure about how fine you are with the way you’re smiling at him right now

he might just be like:

“haha hahahahah hahahah ok we laughed now can we pls have my partner and their sweet smile back 🙁”

genuinely doesn’t know what to do

half of him is scared, half finds you very cute, some other bits are thinking of ways to get back on a a prank of his lololololz

he decides to continue speaking bcs maybe you’ll get distracted by the talk and come back to him normally again

doesn’t happen. so now he’s just there and thinking abt how to fix u 😞🙏🏻

𖤐 SEUNGMIN : —

you hate him

you hate him so bad

he doesn’t give you any reaction AT ALL 😐👎🏻

you start off gentle at first, right, like doing it when he wasn’t looking and then gradually more intensely and so he could clearly see

but nothing. no weird looks. no comments. no judgement.

NOTHING AT ALL?!^#^*@#,

at some point you get all up in his face and you’re like 😁😁😁👹😁😁😁👹😁😁❓️❓️❓️

and mf just keeps talking like nothing is wrong or off

it gets you more and more frustrated with each passing second but man, if you’d put that irritation aside and looked more closely into his facial expressions,

you would’ve seen the way the corner of his mouth lifted in the slightest and that glint of mischief in his eye

but you don’t 🙄

when you finally give up and go “babe why aren’t you asking me why i’m smiling weird??? 😕”

he... he says... he’s like—

“huh? but don’t you always smile like that?”

damn y/n 😥💔 that’s how it was huh

you’re abt to poke his eyeballs out and then shit tears yourself

jk dw tho he’s just teasing you

he stays with felix enough to know about these ideas

and from how you’ve done multiple pranks on him before, everytime you do something weird or out of place now, he just assumes you’re onto some prank

𖤐 JEONGIN : —

HE GETS SCARED PLS DONT😭

NO LIKE he actually starts taking it in all the wrong ways

when he sees you smiling like that.. there’s this STORM of emotions that starts cooking up inside him 😭

“are they ok” “are they mad at me and trying to play it off” “is this a trick move” “is this a prank and if so how should i react that it would make me seem cool and—”

but then... SUDDENLY

he suddenly remembers this piece of information he read on the internet LONG time back, like, AGES ago !! that said like

if someone is having a stroke or about to, their smile will be crooked / really weird and off/abnormal

....

no way... right ?

HIS BABY 😟😕🥺🥺😭😭😭 (emojis are satire im not—)

“...baby 😨😰 i think... i think you’re about to have a stroke 😣 or ARE YOU HAVING IT ALREADY 😰😢😢 HAS IT STARTED😭⁉️”

now ur not sure if u should stop or continue and whether u should laugh, cry or bonk him in the head

but he’s just a jeongin 🙁���

[silvershiningtarot]

🍾🍾PAC: Where Will You Meet Your Future Husband? 🍾🍾🍾❤️

Disclaimer: 18+ mature and minors as well. But this is a general reading. This is my last reading for now. I hope you guys enjoy it. I'll be back very soon. But this is my last reading for now. These are only three piles. Take what resonates and what doesn't. Use your intuition. Feel the pictures. I'll be putting the pictures on the bottom of each pile.

Pile 1: You might be meeting your husband where you are in the bathroom. Not naked I don't sense that. But maybe, when you are coming out of the shower they are just waiting for you in the living room. I believe that for some of you. Few of you, I sense that you were just coming back from the beauty salon. You see your husband just sitting there in the living room. I had a vision, you just walk into your house or apartment or condo and you see some guy just sitting there with their head down, and you are all shocked as hell. What the fuck is this guy sitting on my couch and how did they get in my house. I think one of your friends might know them or your roommate might introduce you to your husband. You all like the fuck! Weird. But the second you look at them, you are so stunned by their beauty. I can tell your husband looks fucking beautiful. Or should I say? FUCKING FINE! Woo 😯 your husband is drop-dead gorgeous. Damn! They are fine. Anyways, they stood up and they just froze because they were just shocked to see you too. I can tell that you two aren't going to talk for a second because you both will look into each other eyes for a minute. I can see someone or your roommate, snapping their fingers in your face or waving their hand in your face 😂 “Hello, girl are you there?” I sense your husband is tall but not like giant tall but tall. I can see that it might be morning time you'll meet them. Around 11:00 am or 11:30 a.m. That's what time I feel like. But you are stunned by your husband. I heard you say “Wow.” haha 😂 the second you looked at them you are crushing on them. I keep seeing that vision in my head. I can see it clear as day. You'll be stunned by them. They look fuccin good. For some of you, I have a sense that you'll be meeting them while you are in the bathroom naked. They aren't doing it on purpose maybe, they had to use the bathroom and they didn't know that you were in there. I see them coming in the bathroom and you scream 🙀 and they shut the door fast. But they are thinking about you, especially when they see you. Lol 😆 wow 😮 these are pictures that came out for you. Use your intuition and tell me what do you think of it?

Pile 2: Okay, Pile 2. It seems that you might meet your husband where are in a dark place or should I say? Getting out of a dark place. I think once you delve deeper into yourself. You start to realize a lot of your reflections on life and you start finding your peace. What doesn't serve you no longer? I heard “cutting off.” Maybe, you are cutting people, friends, families, old crushes, jobs, etc. Whatever that is you are finally deciding for yourself to find your peace. For some of you, again! You might meet your husband in a living room. Okay, I am kinda seeing the same vision I had just seen in pile 1. But okay, maybe, it will be a family gathering. Like a party. I see this big ass party now. It was at night and you know you dressed all fancy looking and maybe, you got a higher promotion at your job or you just brought your family together. I am seeing everyone wear all gold. Not your husband though! They are wearing a suit but it is a black and white suit. But man! They look good too. You drift yourself away from the party and so you see this guy just sitting there by their self and you know just on their phone. You walk up to them with your champagne glass🍾 in your hand and ask them “Hey, you okay?” I am picking up a vibe from them it seems like they didn't want to be bothered at first. But once they pick their head up at you. I do them turning there phone over and just looking at you. I see you asking them “May I sit.?” they all say “Of course,” clearing their throat. Haha, “Wow, this is a nice party.” “Yeah, it's a family tradition way.” you two will make conversation. All night just talking. You see that they are making you laugh all night. I see them having shades on. I don't think your husband likes to show their eyes like that. But man, they look handsome with their suit on. I don’t know who invited them. Maybe, one of your family members knows your husband. Huh? Okay, for a Few Of You, I see that you will be going to an amusement park. I see that you taking your nieces or nephews to the park or your child. But wow 😮 I can see it happening. Your husband is by those water guns. I forgot what you call those games but you win a teddy bear or some shit like that. If y'all know it then cool! But anyway, I have a sense that your husband will catch you first. Like a glimpse of you. When you are walking around with your nephew. I can see your husband just looking at you. They can't take their eyes off you. Maybe, your husband is a daughter. Like a child. Haha 😂 oh my goodness, I can see their daughter tapping them like “Daddy, Daddy.” wow haha, it is like their soul left their body just when they glimpse at you. Oh my goodness, I think they were trying to find you all day. Until they saw you sitting down eating. They just walk up to you. Wow, they are brave as fuck! Good for them. Lol anyways, this is the picture. Tell me what you think Pile 2 😘😘😂

Pile 3: wow, pile 3 seems a bit more interesting. Okay, you might meet your husband at the gym some of you. Where you are working out. Riding those bicycles they sat next to you. Oh! You might be creeped off by them. Because they just staring at you. Haha, I see you saying “Can I help you?” aww, they just put their head down. You might feel bad for a second because you know that was rude. I don't think they can help it because they just stare at people. Just for no reason. Your husband is the type to keep themselves. They don't socialize as much. So anyway, you'll feel bad and apologize to them “I am sorry, I just felt creepy.” “It is okay, my bad. It just happens and I couldn't help myself by looking at you. You are so beautiful.” I can see you blush ☺️ like Omg. You might invite them out for coffee. Or brunch. For a few of you, I am seeing two visions where you might meet your husband. At a factory or the zoo. So I think you might go to the zoo and see them there with their friends or like other relatives. You'll be looking at the giraffe 🦒 and I had a vision, you were looking at the giraffe, and then all of sudden you just got caught up in their conversation. You started looking at your husband because of their laugh. Maybe, they have a geeky kind of laugh. I heard “loud.” your husband's laugh is fuccin loud. You started laughing and then, they stared at you and I just saw you turn around so fast. Aww, I think you might get embarrassed 😊. But I see them smiling. I see them walking up to you but they were chasing after you, just to catch up with you. “Excuse Me, Miss.” Wow, they seem such polite. You two just look at each other. But I feel that your husband will initiate the conversation first. “HI, .… I just saw you and I couldn't help myself by coming over to you.” aww, I just saw that in my vision just now.” then I saw you guys talking all day until nighttime. Damn! Your husband just completely ignores their relative they just left them. I didn't their relatives being like a child I saw them as an adult. But the point is they just talking to you. The next day, you showed up where they work at. You didn't know your husband was working at a factory but you just showed up. I can see one of their co-workers pointing you out and they just looked up and saw you. They just completely stop their work to just talk to you. Aww, isn't that so beautiful? They might be a little dirty like their hands 🙌🏽. Or they might work at a toy factory. So either way they are working. Here's your picture that came out for this Pile 3. Tell me what you think of it. Trust your intuition. Take what resonates and what doesn't.

This is my last reading for now. I'll be taking a break from Tumblr. Sorry 💔 boo’s don't worry! I'll be back. Anyways. Enjoy your reading. Reblog this post and like it!!!! If you want a paid reading you'll know where to find me.

https://www.instagram.com/silvershiningtarot25/

[sugar-glaze-donut]

Once again - Berrien x Aruji-sama (you!)

☆Gender is not specified ☆Slight spoilers from chapter 4 of aknk ☆Angst then Comfort :3 ☆My headcanon of how Aruji-sama comes to the aknk world (at the end) ☆Time skips for every section. (section 1 - 30 years ago, section 2 - A few minutes ago, section 3 - N O W)

[—➰—⏳—➰—]

Faint light trickles from the curtains as a choir of birds chirp outside.

The monochrome man’s eyes flutter open, his eyes squinting at the light as he yawns.

Rubbing his eyes and forcing himself to wake up, he stumbles towards the curtains and opens them.

Morning has come. And like always, another day has begun.

The monochrome man wakes up his two co-workers and prepares for the day.

Comb his hair, fix his tie, and tidy up his side of the room.

He is now ready to start his day.

He greets everyone he meets in the halls, some already competing their duties, some half asleep, and a few… quite literally sleepwalking.

Everything seems to be in order.

Yes… “Order”. The constant loops they all live in.

Repeated routines, same pairs of clothes, tedious chores… this is the constant loop they go through every day.

Living a somewhat immortal life may sound exciting, but it is a tiring and torturous experience.

The time era you lived in… the memories of the past… the people you once knew, all pass away in a blink of an eye. But that’s only how story authors describe it.

They’re not completely wrong, though. Time does move fast.

But his first XXX years of solitary went by too slowly. As if life was mocking him for his existence.

Although it happened centuries ago… it still shakes his soul.

Even if his memory is quite damaged, the mere thought of having to experience that again gives him a feeling of…

Of…

…?

What do you call this feeling?

Sorrow? Hopelessness? Despair?

Whatever it is. He hates it. He never wants to experience it again.

No matter how many times he wants to scream, he cannot. No matter how many times he wants to run away, he cannot. No matter how many times he wants to DIE… he doesn’t want to.

Not now. He must stay strong for all of them.

and for his father and brother…

[—💕—🫖—💕—]

Another few decades have passed.

Faint light trickles from the curtains as a choir of birds chirps outside.

The monochrome man walks through the halls and enters a room, with a pair of teacups and a teapot in each of his hands.

He sets down the fragile objects down on a nearby table, and opens the curtains.

Sunlight beams into the room and on his pale skin.

Today is yet another beautiful day.

The man returns to his usual standing spot and fixes his tie. He fiddled with his gloves and he patiently waited.

Who is he waiting for you may ask?

It’s Y O U of course!

Come on, don’t keep him waiting!

Put on the ring! Come and say hi to him!

[—🦋—💍—🦋—]

A twirl of light appears in front of the monochrome man. He gasps in delight.

You’re finally here!

Small golden butterflies fly out of the light and form into a person.

Your vision slowly returns as you turn your head towards the man.

His pink eyes, filled with adoration are focused onto you.

A soft giggle escapes your mouth. “I’m back, Berrien”

The man, now identified as Berrien, responds to you with a huge smile adorning his gorgeous face.

“Welcome back, Aruji-sama”

He would gladly go through all of those years of solitary again if it meant that he could see you again

Thank you for breaking this cycle, Y O U .

[—🎀—🍩—🎀—] 🍩Glaze's Notes: *comes back from a burnout cutely* hii :3 this shot idea just came into my mind just when I was trying to sleep. I decided to make this into my comeback post for my burnout -3-

Last edited - July 26th 2024 {Please let me know if there are any typos in this post, and I will fix them right away!}

✦ Want to read more of my works? Come and take a look at my Masterlist! Have a nice day, toodles! ✦

[rose-colored-glasses671]

Let The Light In pt. 2

Simon "Ghost Riley" x fem reader

read pt. 1

a/n: yayyyyy! pt. 2 is finally out. After a lot of editing, i'm pretty happy with the final result, and I hope you guys are too. happy reading :)

The smoke from the cigarette billowed out of in front of him, Simon’s nerves relaxing as the nicotine coursed through his veins. This was his one vice that you didn’t like, and especially with the baby on the way, he tried to limit himself as much as he could.

But it was hard sometimes. Most of the time.

The sun peeked up from the horizon and the smell of morning dew wafted over Simon as he took another drag of the cigarette before grinding it out on the ash tray he brought outside.

You looked through the kitchen window, seeing Simon’s broad back to you. He had abruptly woken up while you were getting ready for work and was out of the room before you could ask what was wrong.

You suspected he’d had another nightmare, so you were giving him his space to process it before you went to him. You understood when he needed time to himself, and you didn’t want to smother him. He’d let it be known when he needed you.

Simon stared out at the beautiful array of colors in the sky, contemplating his dream. He had frequent nightmares thanks to his PTSD, but this one was particularly rough. He’d seen visions of Harper, visions he would never wish upon his worst enemy.

Blood, so much blood. Red, red, red. On the walls, on the floor, on his hands. Tears streaking down his face. His little girl’s pleas for help. But he couldn’t do anything. He was utterly helpless.

Simon’s breath grew shaky as he tried to keep his emotions at bay.

He had woken up in a panic at 4:30 am, the visceral nightmare making his breathing choppy. He’d immediately went and checked on Harper, seeing her peacefully asleep in her bed, her chest rising and falling with her soft breaths. His heart calmed at the sight of her safe, but the visions continued to haunt him. Hence the cigarette.

As you gathered your stuff to head to the hospital, Simon walked in through the back door. He looked at you with sleepy yet alert eyes, his hair disheveled from sleep. He walked toward you and you met him halfway, wrapping your arms around his torso in a hug the best you could with your eight months pregnant belly in the way.

“Nightmare?” you questioned, feeling him nod his head as his arms came around you too.

“Wanna talk about it?”

“Not yet,” Simon replied, his voice gruff. He wasn’t ready to rehash the details.

You reluctantly let go of him, running a soothing hand down his arm.

“I can call in and stay with you,” you offered, wanting to be there in case he needed you. “I have a good excuse since my due date’s coming up.”

But Simon shook his head no, giving you a small, reassuring smile.

“Okay, but you’ll call if you need me?”

“Of course,” he said, appreciating that you didn’t press him on the matter.

You and Simon made your way to the door, kissing goodbye before you left on your forty-five-minute drive to work. You lived on a relatively secluded farmhouse in the British countryside, and the nearest town was a good drive away. You didn’t mind, though, as the sights made it worth it.

After your departure, Simon went about his day, preparing for Harper’s teacher to come at 9. She was still getting accustomed to life, so you and Simon had decided to have Harper homeschooled for the time being. You would eventually transition her to a nearby school when she was ready.

It was discovered that Harper was an orphan, her birth parents having died when she was just a baby. When Simon found this out, you and he had a lengthy conversation about the options. Obviously, she would go up for adoption, but Harper was already doing so well with you guys, and you didn’t want to disrupt her life even more by having her put in foster care. So, you decided to adopt her.

The process was still ongoing, even after four months, but you were excited at the prospect of her officially being your daughter—not that you didn’t already think she was. She was, by all means, your child.

Simon turned on the TV, attempting to ease his nerves by catching up on last night’s Manchester United that he had missed. A steaming cup of his favorite tea sat on the coffee table as he tried to shift his focus to the game highlights, but his mind continued to wander to the nightmare.

At fifteen past seven, he heard little footsteps coming down the stairs. Harper walked over to where Simon was seated on the couch, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. Her hair was a mess and her PJ’s were askew, signaling that she’d had a good night’s rest.

It was something she struggled with when she first started living with you and Simon, but months of therapy was putting her on the right track, and she was having less and less episodes with each passing week.

“Good morning, my sweet girl,” Simon said as Harper approached him, holding his arms open. She crawled into his lap and found a comfortable position before relaxing into him, her cheek resting against his chest in a way that still gave her a view of the TV. She rather enjoyed watching football with her dad, laughing every time Simon groaned at a bad play and cheering with him for every goal.

“Sleep good?” Simon questioned, to which she nodded her head. Harper still had trouble speaking, her therapist telling you she suffered from selective mutism. Your heart ached at the thought of all the trauma she had been through to get to this point, but you were relieved that she was making good progress.

After twenty minutes of mindless TV, Harper looked up at Simon, patting her belly.

“All right then,” Simon said, letting Harper get down before he got to his feet. “Let’s get some food in ya.”

At the hospital, you clocked in for your shift and got about to business, tidying up your desk, which was often scattered with papers and pens due to the craziness of the ER. You chatted with nurses, looked over patient files, treated those in need, and took frequent breaks due to sore feet and a weak bladder.

The day was going by normally, the ER a little quiet today, thankfully. Well, it was going normally until about 1:23 pm. You were heading back to the nurses’ station after checking in on a patient when all of a sudden you were assaulted by a searing pain in your abdomen and lower back. You breathed through it, huffing out short breaths in an attempt to relieve the pressure.

“You okay, Dr. Riley?” Amanda, the charge nurse, asked at the look of pain on your face.

“Oh yeah, nothing of concern,” you reassured, but just as quickly as the pain had subsided, it resurfaced. This time you were left hunched over and feeling nauseous, and not even a minute later, you felt wetness seep through your scrub pants, fluid gathering in a pool underneath you.

You looked at the pool of fluid, dazed and confused. But only for a second, because you quickly realized what was happening.

“Um, actually, Amanda, if you wouldn’t mind bringing me that wheelchair?” you pointed to the corner where the contraption sat. “I think my water just broke.”

Simon was sitting at the kitchen counter, catching up on reports while Harper and her teacher went about their lesson at the dining table, when his phone rang. Your name flashed across the screen.

“It’s time,” your pained voice reverberated across the phone. “The baby’s coming.”

In an instant, Simon was out of his chair. “Right now?”

“Yes, Simon. Right now,” you wailed, before the line went dead.

“Shit,” he muttered, making his way to the dining room.

“We have to go,” he grunted out to the teacher before getting down on a knee in front of Harper. “Mommy’s having the baby now, so we have to go to the hospital.”

You and Simon had sat Harper down a couple weeks ago to let her know how things would go when her sibling was arriving. It helped reduce her anxiety about the situation, and really, it was just good to be prepared.

As Harper’s teacher made her way out of the house, Simon frantically ran around gathering up the go-bags, his excitement and fear skyrocketing through the roof.

It’s time, your voice echoed through his head. His heart beat at a concerning pace, but he busied himself with tasks to keep the panic at bay. He dialed your sister’s number to let her know in case you hadn’t gotten the chance to call her.

“I’m on my way to the hospital right now,” your sister said in lieu of a greeting, understanding how overwhelmed he probably felt right now. She lived in town so she’d get there sooner than he would and would be able to help while Simon drove there.

He blew out a quick breath of relief.

“Thank you.” And then he was out of the house with Harper.

Like a bat out of hell, Simon sped—reasonably—down the winding roads and onto the main highway that would take him to his destination.

He sporadically checked on Harper, only to see her peaceful gaze on the views outside the window. At least she wasn’t panicking. He’d take any win he could get at this point.

Once at the hospital, Simon zoomed into a parking spot and jumped out the vehicle, almost forgetting to turn it off. He grabbed Harper and the bags, and they both ran inside, stopping to a halt at the front desk.

“Maternity ward,” Simon said, more as a demand than a question. The lady at the desk jumped at the sudden intrusion, but let Simon know the floor.

At the ward, Simon inquired about your room with the head nurse, letting her know he was your husband, then went to find your sister.

“Lily!” he practically yelled at the sight of her dark hair in the waiting room, catching her attention.

“Hey,” she replied, frantically approaching the bedraggled duo, holding her daughter’s hand. “I’ll take Harper, you go. It’s room-”

“I know. Thank you.” Simon then turned his attention to his daughter, getting down to her eye level. “Hey, baby girl. Dad’s gonna go look after mum now, okay. You think you can stay with your aunt and cousin for now?” he asked, making sure Harper felt comfortable with her new surroundings. But she barely listened to him as she absentmindedly nodded her head, engrossed in what her cousin Nina was showing her on her iPad.

Simon gave a Harper a quick kiss before turning around and sprinting in the opposite direction.

2408…2410…2412…2414. This is the one.

Although the hallway was in no way quiet, Simon particularly homed in on your pained howls echoing through the closed door. He noticed his hand shaking as he went to open the door, reminding himself to take a deep breath to steady his nerves.

As soon as he entered the hospital room, he was met with the sight of you lying in bed, your face red and in agony. His eyes instantly met yours, as they often did. You could be in a room with a million other people, and somehow, he’d always notice you first.

At the sight of your husband, you broke down. You were so instantly calmed by his presence that it overwhelmed you.

“Are you the dad?” the OB asked sweetly, to which Simon nodded his head. “Perfect! Mom over here was very distressed at your absence.”

He scurried by your side, and as soon as he was in reaching distance, you leaned up a little and wrapped your arms around him. No words were able to leave you, not just because of the pain but also at the relief of him finally being here.

“I got you, my love,” Simon whispered into your ear, slowly easing you back into the bed.

“Okay, so it looks like you’re about 5 cm dilated right now,” the OB said. “I’ll be back to check on you, but at this rate, you should be able to deliver soon.”

The next hour was a whirlwind, nurses traipsing in and out, Simon’s surroundings a blur of wires and beeps and huffing breaths. When it came time for you to finally deliver, you felt your anxiety coming to a head.

“I’m scared,” you cried, gripping onto Simon’s hand like a lifeline.

“I know, my love. I know,” he cooed, keeping his tone a lot more relaxed than he actually felt. “This is scary for me too. But, hey, it’s gonna be over soon, and then we’ll have a little bugger to take home with us.”

You tried to laugh, tried to let the picture of your little baby in your arms calm you down, but the panic overtaking you didn’t allow that. Deep breaths weren’t going to cut it this time.

Simon noticed this, seeing the fear still glowing in your eyes. He pressed a reassuring kiss to your forehead, that sweet smell of vanilla that always seemed to follow you overtaking his senses. He had to make sure you were okay.

“I am with you every step of the way,” Simon said. “You wanna scream? Scream. You wanna squeeze my hand ‘till it breaks…well, you can try,” he joked with a teasing smirk. “Whatever you need, I will give it you. I’ll take care of you.”

You nodded your head, knowing that every word Simon just said was true. He had never once let you down, and he was a man of his words. Your anxiety wouldn’t fade right away, but you’d let your husband’s comfort overtake you until it did. It’s the most you could hope for.

And after an amount of time neither you nor Simon could gauge, you’d finally given birth to a beautiful, healthy baby girl. You had cried with the unending happiness and love when you finally got to hold your daughter, Simon right alongside you as he gazed at his daughter’s beautiful face, and then at yours.

When the nurse had taken her away and told you her weight, you and Simon had laughed. At 4.2 kilograms, she was a little bigger than normal, and the irony wasn’t lost on you. She was, after all, Simon Riley’s daughter.

Back in the recovery room, Simon brought Harper in to meet her sister and was pleasantly surprised at how easily she took to her. You let Harper sit on your bed as you cradled your baby, letting her play with her and take in the new addition to the family.

Harper was beyond excited, if not a little nervous, about her baby sister. But she was gentle and immediately took on a big sister role, much to your delight.

This moment was one for the books. For the longest time, you were Simon’s only family, the only one he could trust and confide in. But now, he had more than he ever imagined he could have.

“Baby cousin!” Nina’s shriek echoed through the room, none of you noticing that her and Lily had come in.

“Okay, now. Be gentle. She’s sleeping,” Lily said to her daughter, following after her. At the sight of your newborn baby, Lily let out an adoring sigh, looking at you with tear filled eyes. “She’s so perfect, bee,” she said, using your childhood nickname.

“I know,” you replied, getting just as emotional as her. “I can’t stop looking at her.”

The baby had blonde hair just like Simon’s, and her small button nose and chubby cheeks were the most adorable thing you’d ever seen in your life.

“Takes after Simon, doesn’t she?” Lily remarked.

“Cheeky,” he said, but secretly loving the fact.

“Sure does,” you stated, secretly loving the fact too. She was a perfect little piece of you and Simon, a testament to your love and commitment to each other.

Much of the day passed with family and friends trickling in and out, sharing in this happy moment with you. And although Simon tried not to let any negativity seep into this joyous moment, he couldn’t help but feel the stinging pain of loss at the absence of his own family.

It was often a hard pill to swallow, the fact that his mother, brother, even his nephew, were gone. That they’d never be able to share happy moments with him again.

But when his baby girl had opened her eyes for the first time, they were hazel. A striking, mesmerizing hazel that were so familiar to him, it almost brought him to his knees. Neither you nor Simon had hazel eyes, but obviously it had skipped a generation.

It was like his mother had sent a piece of her down to him, something for him to take solace in and to know that she would always be with him. That was also the moment you had known what you were going to name your daughter.

That night, when darkness kissed the sky and crickets chirped outside the open window, you broached the subject with Simon.

“What if we named her Margaret?” you asked him as he held the baby to his chest, taking in that newborn scent.

Simon paused in his pacing to look at you, seeing the sincerity on your face. His heart burst like a dam, the emotions he had been holding back flooding to the surface.

And you knew the answer just by the sheen in his eyes.

***

Later that night, when you and the baby were fast asleep, Simon didn’t dare to close his eyes. He gazed at your serene face, a little jealous of how your dreams never tormented you, but at the same time relieved that you didn’t have to go through what he did. Visions of his nightmare mixed with the memory of his daughter’s birth and the liveliness of the room as people came to see her.

His tired eyes drooped, and he was happy. He was so goddamn happy, but he was also restless. And scared.

Would he be able to protect all of you? Would he ever feel normal? Would his trauma continue to burden him, and inadvertently put that burden on you?

What Simon didn’t realize was that you were restless too, your anxiety from before morphing into something else. Anxiety about the future, about raising your daughters, about…everything, it felt like.

You opened your eyes, ready to accept that fact that you wouldn’t sleep tonight, when you noticed Simon sitting up on the couch to your right.

“Si?” You sat up in bed, reaching your hand out to call him over. He complied, coming over to you. He sat at the edge of your bed, a hesitant look on his face. “You okay?”

Simon considered lying. Considered telling you he wasn’t plagued with so many negative emotions so close to the miracle that happened today, because they weren’t supposed to. Right?

“No.” He settled on the truth instead. “I mean, yes. But also no, in many ways.”

“Tell me what’s going on,” you said, reaching up to cup his cheek. You ran your thumb across it, the feeling of his slight stubble something you’d never stop loving.

He smiled, leaning down to place a soft kiss on your lips.

“I don’t know,” he sighed, straightening himself. “I feel like I should be happier. I am happy, don’t get me wrong. I’m so happy. But I can’t stop thinking about the nightmare.” He described what he saw to you, how he felt helpless. “I’ll never be enough. Nothing I do will ever be a 100% guarantee that you and Harper and Margaret are safe.”

You stared into Simon’s eyes, feeling the anguish radiating off of him.

“Simon, you are enough. You’re more than enough. You are so much more than your ability to keep us safe. A loving husband, a doting father, and most of all, a human being. You have to give yourself a break.” You slid over on the bed, indicating for him to sit beside you. He did so, maneuvering himself to give you ample space.

You rested your head on his shoulder, closing your eyes and breathing in the subtle scent of his cologne. “It’s okay to feel doubt. God knows I do. It feels like I go through everyday not knowing what the fuck I’m doing. Every moment I spend with Harper is a moment that’s tainted with the fear that I’m doing her more harm than good.”

“You’re amazing with her,” Simon interjected. “You’re exactly the kind of patient and adoring presence she needs.”

“And so are you, Si. Don’t think for a second that you’re not just as patient with her.” You looked up at him to see him already looking at you. “Who’s been the one to guide Harper through her panic attacks, or plan her lessons with her teacher, or take care of her when I’m not home? It’s all been you. You care about her so much, and she sees that. She loves you.”

Simon contemplated, thinking back to a couple weeks ago when Harper had woken up in the middle of night screaming. Both your hearts had stopped, thinking something horrible was happening. As it was, Harper had had a bad dream, not unlike the ones Simon himself experienced. She was shaking like a leaf and refused to let either of you touch her, and Simon had been the one to help her through the panic attack and calm her down.

“A lot of things are out of our control. But what is in our control is what we do and what we say. It’s a lot of faith to put in ourselves, but that’s what we gotta do,” you shrugged. “Everything else is arbitrary.”

Simon relaxed into you, taking in your words. You were right, you rarely ever weren’t.

When Margaret started crying, he brought her to you, and gazed in wonder as you fed and comforted her. You whispered sweet words to her and held her close, and when she finally went back to sleep, Simon decided he would take this newfound joy he felt because of his family and pocket it. Relive that feeling when nothing else made sense. And he would never stop trying his hardest.

[vibratingskull]

Your name spells l.o.v.e.

Part1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34

Tags : Reader is disabled, fluff, self-doubts, ptsd, cuddling, hurt-comfort, ice-skating, heavy make out session

Your day started rather well but derails quickly. But Thrawn is never too far away to help

FemaleReader x Thrawn

You let the water roll on your body, eyes closed, appreciating the warmth wrapping around your body. Fortunately, your legs are waterproof, it would be such a pain either way. The vapors rise in the glass cabin, blurring your vision. You sigh in delight, letting your stress melt under the water. You’re mentally reviewing what you will cook for this morning. 

What would Thrawn like? You really should take note of his favorite dishes to cook them regularly, “Cooking is a good way to keep your man happy” your mom told you before when you helped her in the kitchen. 

You don’t know enough recipes, you should buy a new cookbook and practice. You shouldn't start worrying about acquiring new skills when you have a baby in your arms.". Also, you should be able to cook at the level of the dish served to him on the Chimaera! What would it say about you if you cannot even do that?  

You purse your lips, you also have the dishes and the laundry to take care of… 

Once your shower is done you wrap yourself in Thrawn’s robe, inhaling his scent deep inside your lungs. What a pleasure. You brush your face in the fluffy fabric with another sigh. You open the basket to find it empty. 

Where are all the clothes? 

You enter the kitchen where you discover Thrawn savoring a cup of caff while reading his datapad. He raises his head at your approach. 

“Cha’cah.” He greets you with a thin smile. 

You stop, getting submerged by the obscene memories of yesterday morning again and your heart starts sprinting immediately. You feel your cheeks flush, remembering how you served him and how he touched you sent you into a flustered panic. 

He tilts his head, amused. 

“Are you not going to greet me properly, my love?” 

He extends his hand to you, and you take it after an hesitation, pulling you into a hug and he captures your lips immediately. He came back to his usual self, showering you with affection, kissing your face, hugging you… But this time he doesn’t shy away from kissing your lips properly, licking them with his tongue and embracing them. 

It makes you melt and you feel like a teen experiencing her first relationship, all shy and giddy. You're glad his affection returned as before, he hugs and nudges you as he used to. These two days giving you the cold shoulder was killing you, and you are so relieved to be in his arms once again. 

He invites you to open your mouth and dances with your tongue delicately and you moan against his lips,earning a faint purr. He squeezes you against his large form, making you feel small, but protected. 

He then parts from you to let you breathe, looking unbothered but satisfied of his effect on you. 

“Did you sleep well, Cheo vir?” 

No. 

No you didn’t. 

Satlove’s head and voice is omnipresent in each of your dreams, haunting you. Sometimes you feel him behind your back when you’re awake, ready to jump on you and finish the job for good this time. You woke up at night, nerves on fire, goosebump all over your skin, refraining a scream to not wake up Thrawn and the neighbors. You hug the cover, nails digged into the fabric, out of breath with a headache. Your nights are either sleepless or full of nightmares since that fateful day.   

But he doesn’t need to know that. 

“Agitated but well.” You respond, circling his neck with your arms. 

You press your foreheads together and he cradles you gently. You look at his close face, with his eyes closed, his purr resonating at your ears.  

He is so handsome and regal…And so nice to you… So tender… 

Sometimes you look at him and want to burst into tears in joy, to have this man be your partner is a blessing of the Maker, even if you don’t believe in it. 

“Do you know where all the dirty clothes are? The basket was empty.” You ask, squirming closer in his arms. 

“I took care of it.” 

What? 

You lean your head over his shoulder and see the dishes are also done. 

“Oh… Thank you.” You say, a bit lost. 

It's the first time one of your partners has participated in the chores. 

That’s not... normal? 

“Fill yourself a cup and join me on the sofa.” Thrawn says gently, kissing your cheek. 

You take your favorite cup, a silly green ceramic mug with a produting tooka’s snoot and ears with the handle mimicking the tail and pour yourself a generous amount of caff before coming to sit on the couch. Thrawn circles your shoulders and presses your body against his. 

“Speak to me, Cha’cah.” He just says. 

“About what?” You ask, chuckling, “What do you want to know?” 

“About your nightmares.” 

Your sip takes the wrong way and you cough. Thrawn observes you, serious as always but you can see compassion in his shining rubies. 

“What?!” You ask with a white voice. 

“I know your dreams are plagued.” He squeezes your shoulders, “I spent all of our nights together cradling you while you cry in your sleep. I know you suffer terribly, as it is natural in your situation, and I want you to share your pain with me.” 

He… 

Oh great, you who thought you could push it under the rug. 

“It’s nothing, really.” You try to cut the conversation short. 

“I daresay it is not. Your trauma is important, and the sequelae are dire. You lost weight and your sleep, and I cannot simply stand by and watch you destroy yourself without you at least sharing the load.” 

You bite your lips, trapped. 

You didn’t tell him about your weight loss and took care not to dress before him, so when…? 

You suddenly want to slap yourself. When you took off your shirt when he had his rut crisis… What an idiot! You were so distressed by Thrawn state you forgot he could see in the barely lighted bedroom. 

Maker, what a dumbass you are! 

And now he has you stuck between his arms! 

Your mind spins at 100 miles per hour, trying to find an escape. 

“Speak to me, my love.” He insists. 

“I…”  

You gulp, suddenly feeling an immense pressure on your body. Your eyes avert his and you feel yourself starting to tremble, so much you have to put down your cup. 

“I…” You try to start, but your voice immediately crashes down. 

You fidget your fingers, digging your nails in the fabric of the robe. You open your mouth only for a strangled yelp to come out. You feel your stomach turning acidic and your breath escapes you. 

You hear Satlove's laugh resonating in your brain… 

“I…” You choke. 

You feel your ribcage retracting on itself, strangling your heart ready to explode. 

“It is alright, Cha’cah.” Thrawn takes your hand to kiss your knuckles, “Do not force yourself.” 

You look at him without understanding. 

“But you…” 

“It is evidently a wound too fresh for you. I should not have pressured you into talking. I am sorry, Cha’cah.” 

He kisses your forehead again in a soothing manner. 

“I simply wished for you to know you could confide in me anything, even your pain. It was distasteful of me and I did not expect it to send you into a panic.” 

“It is… still hard for me.” You concede with a little voice. 

Your heart is still speeding inside of your chest and you wipe your sweaty palm on the robe, but you’re relieved you will not have to talk today. 

You avoid that subject like the plague. 

“As long as you work with your psychiatrist, I am relieved.” He continues, caressing the back of your neck. 

“I don’t have one.” 

He parts with you suddenly, with a mixture of shock, surprise and indignation on his haughty face. It disappears in a split second returning to a deadly serious expression. 

“You do not see a psychiatrist right now?” 

“No?” You stutter, “I saw one for three sessions back at the hospital but that’s it. I don’t have time for that.” 

“Are you aware we have specialists aboard the ISDs?” He asks incredibly gravely. 

“We do?” You’re flabbergasted. 

You didn’t know that! 

He immediately takes his comlink, standing up from the sofa. 

“I am booking you an appointment.” He declares. 

“No Thrawn, it’s good. I assure you, it’s fine” You temper, trying to calm his ardour. 

He gives you a side glance, clearly unconvinced. 

“Permit me to doubt it. Your reaction was truly revealing.” 

You greet your teeth. You don’t want to speak about it! 

Ever! 

It is too painful. 

“Thrawn, please…” 

“Therapy is an efficient way to heal, Cha’cah. They are specialized in war traumas, they can help you.” He gently insists. 

“THRAWN, NO!” 

He turns to you, silent and eyes sharp and inquisitive. You realize you were the one who shouted. 

“I…”  

He tilts his head, awaiting your explanation of your sudden outburst. You hug yourself, still trembling, mouth open, trying to push words out of your mouth. 

You suddenly turn away and run to the bedroom. 

Thrawn calmly follows to find you curled over the toilet seat in your bathroom, vomiting your entrails. You feel his large and warm hand on your back, caressing it gently and soothingly. You try to ask him to get out, but another wave of sickness silences you, shaking your whole body. 

“Please…” You beg. 

“Breath, Cha’cah.” He advises softly. 

With one knee on the ground, he places himself at your side, delicately taking your hair out of your face as you keep puking. 

You gag over the toilet seat, but the sickness subsides slowly. You finally fall on your ankles, panting, flushing the toilet. 

Thrawn applies a wet washcloth on your forehead, his arm circling your shoulders. 

“Relax, Ch’acah. Breath through your nose.” 

“I am sorry…” 

“What for?” He tilts his head. 

“For shouting at you, and… that charming sight and smell…” 

“I have witnessed worse. I can stomach a sickness.” He comforts you. 

You gulp, laying your head on his shoulder, your strength slowly coming back through your limbs. 

“May I ask why you refuse to see a therapist?” He murmurs. 

You wipe your mouth with the back of your hand and sigh. 

“I do not want to confront those memories…” 

“Why?” 

“Because… They are so painful. I want to bury them, forget them…” 

“You will never forget those memories.” He responds, “But you can advance past them, grow and heal.” He pushes a strand of hair out of your face, “But you will need to confront them.” 

You shake your head, yelping. 

“You can try to push them down and forget them, but those memories will only devour you alive, poison your personality and reshape you in their image. They will make you suffer everyday, deeper and deeper until  irrevocably and drastically changing you as a person, for the worse.” 

“I… I can’t…” Your voice breaks. 

“I know it is hard, Cha’cah.” He presses you tighter, sitting with you in your little bathroom on the cold floor, “Facing yourself and your traumas is uncomfortable and terrifying. But you have to face your deepest fears to mend.” 

His hand comes caressing your hair as you shake. 

“Please, promise me you will think about it.” He asks seriously. 

Is it… Worry that you hear underlying his assured voice? 

“Aren't there any other ways?” You plead. 

“There is not, I am afraid. This is our fate as warriors.” 

You bury your face in the crook of his neck and let silent tears roll on your cheeks. He hugs you tight in response, caressing your hair and back. He remained still for as long as you needed him, for as long as you cried. 

You finally calm down and unfasten your arms around his neck to wipe out the last tear off. 

“Do you feel better?”  

“Yes, I think…” 

“Good. Brush your teeth, I will cook you something.” He says. 

You part with him with a shocked and worried expression. 

“You will… cook?” 

“Is there a problem?” 

This is your domain, your duty. You permitted him to try and play with it for a bit, but it is time order comes back in this household. 

“Thrawn, we both know your strengths aren’t in the kitchen.” 

“You are in no state to manipulate knives, let me help.” 

“Thrawn, with all due respect: No.” 

He purses his lips for a split second. 

“How can I help?” 

You giggle in his arms, touched by his pouty face and will to help. 

“Thank you, love.” You nudge against his large, tall and warm body, like a tooka in its basket. 

“You still need to eat, will you help and advise me in this case?” 

“Alright…” You accept with a tired sigh, “Either way you will poison me.” 

“I humbly admit, cooking is not part of my skills.” 

“Of course, it is my job to take care of that.” You assure. 

He frowns for a split second but doesn’t respond. 

He helps you stand up on your wobbly legs and exit the bathroom while you brush your teeth. 

When you go back to the living room, Thrawn is sharpening the blades adroitly, his tall stature turned back from you. You approach silently and circle his hips with your arms. 

“I am sorry I shouted…” you insist. 

“There is no problem, cheo Cha’cah, I should not have cornered you.” 

Your cheek pressed against his back, you let his warmth spread in your own skin. You sigh again, feeling more at peace with his presence.  

“... Did you go to therapy?” you finally ask. 

“No.” 

“Oh…” you let out. 

“But I had someone precious to me to listen to my doubts and uncertainties.” He continues in a softer tone. 

“Your brother?” 

He doesn’t respond. 

He doesn’t have to. 

“I am sorry, Thrawn…” You press him tighter. 

One of his hands comes caressing your arm in front of him. 

“There is no problem.” He repeats, ever so slightly tenser, “What recipe do you want?” 

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

“I never did that!” You scream, unbalanced, threatening to fall face first. 

“Stop agitating yourself. Focus on grounding your feet.” Thrawn slides closer to take your hands and help you. 

“Do not let me go!” You order, panicked. 

“It is simple. Trust your balance.” 

“In case you didn’t notice already, I have no balance on these!” 

You never ice skated, ever. You tremble on your thin blade on the ice, ready to fall at any moment. Thrawn is confident and graceful, assured on his feet he skates with ease and facility. 

Contrary to you. 

You are absolutely pitiful. 

Thrawn pulls you with him, slowly, as you dig your nails in the sleeves of his coat, desperate to not escape his grasp. 

“How do you do that!?” 

“I have skated since I was very young.” He explains, slightly amused by your stressful predicament, “It is second nature.” 

“Well not for me, so do.not.let.me.go!” You insist. 

“It is like me learning to cook,” He smiles thinly. “You need a mentor willing to let you go.” 

“No, no, no, no, no, no, no…” 

But he lets go of one of your arms, letting you agitate it in every direction to keep your balance. 

“Aaaaah…. No, no, no… Why did you let go?” You squeal. 

“For you to gain assurance.” 

As you pathetically try to not fall on your butt and actually skate on the ice, you see all the families all around you, old and young, skating with more or less experience. Some kids were so much more comfortable than you, some even spinning and jumping in the air to land with practiced ease on the ice. 

You cower against Thrawn, holding on to him. He receives you in his arms with a soft chuckle. 

“How do you intend to progress if you do not let go?” He inquires. 

“Do I really need to be able to let go for my first try? We could always come back!” You say panicked. 

“Indeed we could. But gliding with confidence on the ice is such a delightful sensation, I want you to experience it.” He pushes you forward, letting you go completely. 

“No! How dare you! THRAWN!” You scream horrified as you glide on the ice all by yourself. 

You can hear the experienced children laugh at you behind their hands, but you do not care. Your only worry is TO NOT FALL.  

By sheer desperation you push on your feet, skating farther and farther all by yourself. You keep going with the low wall as a finish line in your eyes. 

You crash against it, cutting your breath. 

Finally!Some support! 

You spin on yourself, holding the rail, ready to scream at Thrawn, absolutely scandalized. 

He arrives at your side smoothly, clearly amused behind his stern and respectful expression. 

“How was it?” He inquires, relaxed. 

He clearly appears more at home on the ice than anywhere else you saw him. It’s true his homeworld is frozen, it must remind him of the past. 

“Terrible! It was terrible! How do you do that?!”  

“I learned when I was two.” He explains like it is obvious. 

“How?!” 

“Temperatures used to drop so low that the only way for pedestrians to travel anywhere was ice skating. As soon as I could stand on my feet my parents put ice skates on them, I learned with…” 

The gleam of amusement dies down, and his expression hardens subtly, his eyes narrowing slightly. 

“With?” You ask, encouraging him. 

“It is not important. I mastered this skill early with my family. And now I can teach you.” The tone is just a tad colder and distant. 

You look at his face, gauging him as he awaits your response. 

“You were clearly speaking about someone precisely.” You try, “Who was it?” 

“It is nothing important.” 

“Is it? You have the same face you had when you told me about your brother, back in that cavern.” 

He tenses up ever so slightly. 

Oh… 

“Thrawn, I did not meant-” 

“I know you did not.” He cuts you short, “Maybe you wish to learn by yourself. I will give you some space for you to evolve on your own terms.” 

“Thrawn!” You try to hold him back. 

But he skates away from you with ease and elegance. You look at him going away, helpless. 

Blast! You just needed to keep your mouth shut, and now look at you… 

You sigh. 

‘Congratulations, you idiot!’ 

You look at him, slaloming between people swiftly. Away from you… 

You grumble and, very hesitantly, resume your skating, holding on to the rail for dear life. You laboriously manage to go forward, with the occasional loss of balance from time to time. You greet your teeth and keep going forward, really slowly, but that is still a win for you. 

You’re never going to reach him back at that speed. He will easily complete several laps while you pathetically look down on your feet to not fall. 

When you raise back your head to assert his position on the ice, you see him kneeling on the ice next to a kid. 

The child seems to be crying. 

Did they fall? Are they hurt? You accelerate the best you can to reach them. 

You see Thrawn helping the little ones back on their feet, they’re visibly shaken and terrified. 

You take a deep breath and push on the wall to propulse you in their direction.  

You reach them with more or less gracefulness, but join them nonetheless. 

“What-WOAH!” You yelp, slamming into Thrawn that catches you before you run over the poor kid, “What happened?” 

“She fell in front of me.” He simply explains, holding the little alien girl by her hand. 

The little girl is crying, cheek soiled with tears, holding on to his larger hand. 

“Oh no, poor little one.” You admit, “Are you wounded?” 

“No… I-I don’t think so…” She sobs. “But it hurted when I fell.” 

“Where?” Thrawn asks 

“On my knee.” She sniffs. 

He kneels in front of her and gently manipulates her articulation. 

“Does it hurt when I bend it?” 

“A little…” 

“You have not been scratched, I do not see any blood on your pants. It is a simple bruise, you will be fine.” He raises his gaze to hers with a soft voice. 

“I don’t know how to skate.” She explains. 

“You’re not the only one. I am a beginner too.” you say. 

She looks at you with round eyes. 

“But you’re an adult.” 

“That doesn’t mean anything. It is my first time skating and I am bad at it too.” 

“Judging from both of your performances, my fiance is worse than you.” Thrawn reveals. 

“Hey!” You protest, slapping his shoulder. 

“You’re engaged?” She asks with stars in her eyes, the pain of the fall already forgotten. 

Thrawn looks up to you, meeting your gaze. You do not know how to respond. 

It’s the second time Thrawn called you his fiance, and you both imagined your life together, but… 

“No, we are not.” Thrawn cuts your doubt, “But we are together.” 

“Like a couple?” She insists. 

“Indeed.” 

She gasps, eyes full of stars but suddenly, her expression darkens. 

“Mom and dad aren’t a couple anymore. They got a… a…” She searches 

“A divorce?” You propose. 

She nods, sadly. 

“I am sorry.” You sympathize. 

“Where is the parent looking over you?” Thrawn asks. 

“Not here. Dad left me here cause he has a meeting.” She grumbles. 

Thrawn looks back at you and you shrug.  

“Do you wish for me to teach you how to ice-skate?” Thrawn proposes gently, swapping the subject matter to something less painful for the kid. 

“You would?” 

“Yes.” He stands back on his blades, “(Y/n), take her other hand.” 

“Are you sure? I am still unsure of my own balance.” you argue. 

“Everything is going to be fine. You only need practice.”  

You clumsily walk to her side and take her little hand. 

And off you go. 

You advance hand in hand, at a low speed among the rest of the skaters. It is easier for you to skate while holding someone else, even if you still have some mishaps. 

“See? Even adults can have difficulties, what matters is working to better oneself.” Thrawn stoically points your errors to the little girl. 

She burst out laughing. 

“Hey! Hey! Hey! No mocking!” You bite back, “At least I didn’t fall on my butt, miss.” 

She grins, amused, getting more and more confident on her skates. 

You keep making laps slowly, cradled by the sliding sensation over the ice. 

Thrawn was right! It is pleasant! 

Soon enough, she lets you go, gaining speed, skating away. Thrawn closes the gap between you, a hand coming against your lower back to ground you. 

“There she goes.” He says mysteriously. 

You risk a glance to his face. He is observing her sliding away with a stern expression, but his gaze is incredibly soft. 

You smile. 

“Thanks to you.”  

He shakes his head. 

“She simply discovered it for herself.” 

Is he always blind to the impact he has on others lives, you wonder? Does he not see the good he releases on the world by simply being… himself? 

You seize his hand and squeeze it. 

“No, it is thanks to you, Thrawn.” 

You keep skating hand in hand again, this time he doesn’t let you go. He holds you firmly, but also gently. 

“Byyyyyyyyyyyye!” You hear a shout. 

You both turn your head to the little girl, smiling and holding her father’s hand, waving at you. 

You smile and wave back at the two. 

You flow on the ice with Thrawn’s aid, less terrified now.  

“You are progressing.” Thrawn praises you sternly. 

But the soft pride in his voice is unmistakable. 

“That is not a reason to let go!” You immediately add. 

And he doesn’t. Instead he holds you close to him, skating side by side until you are trembling, frozen. 

“Let’s go home.” Thrawn invites. 

You go back to your little apartment, hand in hand. His hand is large and warm compared to yours, just like the rest of his gigantic body. 

Not to your distaste. 

You bury your nose in your scarf and silently observe people's reactions to Thrawn. Men look envious of his stature and charisma, raising their heads to see him towering over them. And women giggle like young girls on his path, turning back to see him walk away. 

At your arm. 

Hidden behind your scarf you smile blissfully, measuring your chance to be with him. As a power move over all of them you stop him and raise on your tiptoes to kiss his cheek. He looks at you a bit puzzled by your sudden affection but does not reject you.  

This beautiful gentleman is yours only! 

He gently seizes your chin to incline your head and capture your lips in the middle of the street. You hear a gasp in the crowd as your lips meet immodestly at the view of everyone. 

You puff in the kiss, taken by surprise by his response. 

He leaves you breathless and panting while looking perfectly undisturbed, making you flush profusely. His thumb caresses your lower lips tenderly as he straightens his back. 

“Did you lose your words?” He asks with his typical dry humor. 

You feel your cheeks heating up so much at his carmine gaze devouring you like that. 

“I did not expect you to kiss me in the middle of the street in front of everyone…” You explain, flustered. 

“Why not?” He tilts his head, “You appeared to be craving some affection.” 

“I just thought you would be more secretive in front of others.” You confuse yourself in your reasoning, melting under his burning gaze. 

He lightly chuckles. 

“Why would I? I am not ashamed to be at your arm and even less to show you are mine. I thought you would appreciate me kissing you?” 

You hide your face in your scarf to hide from such inquisitive eyes, your legs feeling like absolute jello. The glowing heat signals of your face are all the confirmation he needs. 

“Come, Ch’acah.” He invites, squeezing your hand and guiding you to your apartment. 

-------------------------- 

You  sigh of relief inside your cocoon, home sweet home. You stretch to make your spine ‘pop’ with great satisfaction. 

“I love being home!” You sigh. 

“It is quite pleasant indeed.” Thrawn approves while taking off his long trench coat. 

“My feet are all sturdy frozen!” You chuckle, “I should have wear thicker socks.” You point at your ridiculous pink flowery socks with a big smile. 

You kept the habit of putting on socks and shoes to not see your mechanical legs. 

To hide them from your sight and forget, at least for a moment...  

“Is it uncomfortable?” Thrawn ask. 

“The articulations are frozen, it’s just hard to keep my balance and walk properly.” 

“Sit down on the sofa.” He orders gently, heading to the kitchen part of the room. 

You let yourself fall on your sofa with a laughing ‘oof’, sprawling on the comfy furniture like a starfish. You observe your red ceiling, hypnotized by the burgundy color. 

“The white ceiling was truly ugly.” You declare, “We did well to paint it all.” 

“You painted it all by yourself.” Thrawn retorts from the kitchen as you hear him rummaging through stuff. 

“You did the whole bedroom.” 

Thrawn reappears in his signature black tank top, a clothe and a basin of hot water and kneels before you. You look at him, tilting your head as he seizes your feet to take off your socks and gently lays them in the fuming water, letting the frost disolve. He gently 'massages’ the metal of your feet, bending your toes gently to test the damage of the frost. 

“No need to take care of it, I can do it myself.” You chuckle uncomfortable, not used to be served like that. 

“Shhhhh. Let me help.” He shuts you down. 

You fix his kneeling form, working on your articulations like he did it all his life. 

“Do you need a massage in return?” You ask. 

“I do not freeze as easily as humans.”Thrawn shakes his head as he looks up to you. “My organism is tailor made for cold climates.” 

You nod. You try to settle down the uneasy feeling in your guts, trying to just enjoy the moment but you can feel your mother's disdain darting on you. 

Why is Thrawn serving you right now and not you? 

You sigh. In some way it was easier to be with Nather, with his army of droids you only had to be a pretty candy in his arms and play the trophy girlfriend, you have a harder time guessing what Thrawn wants in his life. 

As that thought cross your mind you feel a wave of sickness rising in your throat, threatening to submerge you. You press your hand on your mouth to prevent the bile from passing your lips. 

How can you even think that?! 

“Is everything alright?” Thrawn asks, always careful of your health signals and mood swings. 

You nod with a pitiful smile, putting your hand away, trembling slightly with a cold sweat. 

Careful not to repeat this morning error, Thrawn doesn’t insist but you can feel his gaze on you at all time, monitoring your weakness at every moment of the day. 

He keeps rolling your articulations in hot water to test your legs flexibility. You let your gaze travel your cozy little living room, you locate Benedict with her red leaf, going strong and growing with shiny new baby leaves and little white flowers, the numerous art pieces projected holograms all around the room for Thrawn, the old TV screen, and the little coffee table with the poufs. 

“We should buy real paintings.” You say to yourself. 

“Where would we put them?” Thrawn asks, focused on the massage. 

“I don’t know. We can buy little rectangular ones, they slip anywhere! It would be better than holograms.”  

He silently nods. 

“Would it please you? To have some real art in the apartment?” 

“Why not your own pictures?” He demands raising back his gaze to meet yours, “You snap some really good pictures with your imagers.” 

“This old thing? No, not really. They’re just silly images I took in the heat of the action...” You giggle a little embarassed to be complimented on your hobby. 

“They are some really good ones, we could frame them.” He insists. 

You wince, pursing your lips and squirming on the couch. 

“We’ll see about that.” 

He takes your feet out the water to rub some grease on them and dry the metal with the clothe before putting back your socks on. 

“Here. It should feel better.” 

You bend your ankle and toes, testing their flexibility and indeed they now flex properly. Thrawn clears the basin water as you stretch again, fighting a yawn.  Getting cared for like that made you sleepy. 

An idea crosses your mind. 

“What do you think of a holo night?” You ask across the entire apartment. 

“As you wish.” He responds, “We should eat first.” 

You tut. 

“Taratata, you silly man! When it is holodrama night you snack in front of the TV!” You correct him with glee. 

His nostril flares. 

“Snack?” He inquires  

“I’ll make you healthy snacks.” You temper. 

“I’ll help you.” He goes to open the drawer with cutlery but you seize his shoulder and push him out the kitchen. 

“No, no, no! You did the service on my legs, I cook!” You order him. “Shoo, mister!” 

Once you’re alone in the kitchen space, you take out the cutting board and your kitchen knife. 

You open the fridge and takes out vegtables like tomatoes, Balka greens, green onions, carots and Kebroot. You slice them down or cut them in dice, placing them in little bowls to make an entire platter. 

Thrawn leans against the wall, looking at you cooking with his arms crossed on his chest. You turn your head to him and smile, simply happy by that simple life and domesticity.  

He gently smiles back. 

“If you only wanted to cut vegetables you could have let me help.” He argues. 

His cutting game is immaculate but he is a real terror in the kitchen, so you’ll keep him away as much as possible. 

You open the cupboards an take the mustard and olive oil. You mix in some thyme and add June-lime juice and a dash of pepper and salt with garlic powder, you pour drops of vinegar and add the grean onion and red pearls of Borfa and mix it well and thorougly. 

You wipe your hands on your apron and breath deep, preparing yourself for what is to come. 

Under Thrawn curious gaze you walk up to another cupboard and push all the tins and jars to take a box in the back. You brought it to the counter, feeling your hands starting to tremble. 

You brace yourself and open the lid to reveal a piece of meat you hide from him. 

“Where does that come from?” Thrawn immediately asks, “We stopped buying meat.” 

You turn to him with a smile you hope is reassuring. 

“A little surprise for you.” You say casually, hiding your tremors “It’s a family recipe I wanted you to try!” 

You take out the meat to put it on the bowl full of marinade and the simple contact with the flesh sends shivers down your spine. 

Let’s not even talk about the odor. 

You gulp and smear the sauce over the whole chunk, feeling sickness boiling in your stomach. 

You remember your torturer’s fingers gripping your soft flesh, manhandling your body... 

“Ch’acah?” Thrawn calls. 

But you start humming a nice tune, as much to shut him out and push down every sick feelings arising. Once the meat is well coated you take it off the bowl and on the cupboard. 

You wipe your knife clean and get a hold of the meat with your hand, placing your blade over it ready to cut. 

That’s when you see how your hands are trembling, you see the knife shaking terribly in your grip. You take a deep breath to calm down, to no avail. 

A blue hand comes caressing your arm to gently seize your hand holding the knife as you feel Thrawn’s body pressed against your back. 

“Enough Ch’acah.” He says, his gentle voice inviting no rebellion, “You are hurting yourself.” His fingers slide into yours to delicately take the knife out of your hand. 

And you feel your body falling, like the thread holding you in one piece just snapped. 

Thrawn catches and embraces your shaking body, pressing you tight against him, kissing the top of your head. 

“It is alright. No need to force yourself (Y/n).” 

“But I want you to try it...” You whisper out of breath, “That is my jo...” 

You gasp repeatedly, trying to breathe the best you could. 

“Do not inflict that on yourself, my love. There is no need. You are too sensitive yet.” 

“It’s a fa-family recipe...” You pathetically repeat like it would explain everything, “I want you to tas-” 

“Shhhhhhhh.” He craddles you, the knife laying on the counter where it cannot wound anyone. 

“I am pathetic...” You let out, disgusted by your own weakness. 

“No, you are not. You are suffering.” His thumb comes caressing your cheekbone as you slowly calm down. “You are home, safe. With me.” 

You sniff unelegantly, burying your head in the crook of his neck to ground yourself in reality with his warm presence and scent. He squeezes you tight, pulling you away from the meat. 

You hug him back, squeezing him tight. You feel the spasms of your body against his solid and still one. 

“I will throw it.” He decides. 

“No!” You burst into panic before calming down “No... It cost me a little fortune. I really want you to try that recipe, it comes from my homeworld...” 

He looks at you suspicious. 

“You cannot finish that dish.” 

“Let’s wait a bit, I’ll get used to it...” You try. 

“You are not touching that meat again.” He asserts, “If you really want me to taste it I will finish it.” 

Argh! Everything goes downhill here! 

You go to protest but his glare lets you know that your only options are him finishing that dish or him throwing away the meat alltogether. 

You sigh, defeated. 

“Alright...” 

You pour some essential oil on a tissue and press it against your nose to cover the meat scent, sitting at the kitchen table as Thrawn cuts the meat in long cuts, dripping some honey and putting it in a pan to braise. 

You inhale the essential oil, the trembling subsiding, overseeing Thrawn’s cooking. Everything goes rather well for once, he manages to cook both sides of each pieces pretty well all thing considered. 

Until he lets one side burn. 

“I am sorry.” He present you his excuses. 

“It’s me.” You sigh, “I should had kept an eye on you, it was going pretty well and I let my guard down...” 

“It is still edible.” He tells, “Nothing cutting cannot save.” 

He cuts the burned size to expose the inner flesh and dive them back in the marinade and finish by cutting the meat in little dices. 

You brought the plateau of vegetables with some cheese to the coffee table while he takes he meat, hidden under a clothe for your comfort. 

“What do you want to watch?” 

“I have no opinion.” He shrugs, “Anything you desire.” 

You shoot him a mischevious smirk. 

“Even a sappy, melodramatic romantic comedy?” 

“If you wish to watch one.” 

“Because I have an entire collection of those! If you don’t stop me I’ll force you to watch them all with me!” You threaten sadistically. 

He remains unbothered. 

“I am open to anything. Cinema is an art I am not well accostumed to.” 

“Your call!” You snicker maniacally. 

You roam around your collection of romantic dramas until you find your Graal. 

The ultimate romantic comedy among romantic comedies! 

The red roses of bridge Nine! 

You throw yourself on the couch and Thrawn’s embrace as you lauch the drama. 

Nyark nyark! That’s going to be fun! 

This is the sappiest, most sugary dripping, tooth cavity giving drama you have, you cannot wait to see Thrawn exasprerated face at that disaster of a movie! 

You snuggle agaisnt him with a deviant smile. 

The movie is as tooth roting as you remembered, with cheezy acting and dubious quality sets and costumes. The perfect recipe for a good laugh if you watch it ironically or get on your nerves if you take it at faith value. 

Thrawn remains stern, undisturbed by all the nonsense thrown at him. 

Crap! Is anything able to reach this Chiss? 

Laying arms in arms, his gaze travels from the screen to you. 

“You seem disapointed. I thought you enjoyed this drama?” 

You pout. 

“My plan failed...” You complain. 

One small loopsided grin spreads on his lips. 

The incident in the kitchen is long gone in your mind as you laugh your ass off at the holo, snuggling in Thrawn’s hug. 

He tries one piece of the meat under your watch, anxious to know if it would be to his taste. 

“It is savory and sweet.” He sentences. 

“Do you like it?” 

“Indeed. It as a really pleasant taste and texture.” 

You smile satisfied, resting your head on his arm. 

The holo continues until you reach a scene you completely forgot about. 

It’s when you feel Thrawn tensing up against your body that you realize subjecting a man in a rut to a sex scene, as vanilla it might be, is borderline torture! 

“I am sorry Thrawn!” You launch yourself on the remote to cut the drama but Thrawn arms holds you tighter against himself. 

“It is well. No need to panic.” 

But you feel his powerful muscles rolling under his warm blue skin, contracting at the action on screen. His breath deepening like he was trying to contain himself. 

You wince, feeling guilty. 

You suddenly feel his lips grazing your neck and shoulder like delicate butterfly wings, peppering sweet kisses on your thin skin. His arms snakes their way around your form to prevent you from moving away.  

From escaping him... 

He buries his head in the crook of our neck to deeply inhale your musk. You feel him shuddering in agaisnt your back, one of his hand sliding under your shirt to caress your tummy. 

He makes you roll suddenly to get on top of you, trapping you under his weight and captures your lips. You gasp, tacken by surprise. 

This kiss is so demanding! So pressing! 

You have difficulties meeting his eagerness as he licks and bites your lips and tongue, pushing his own down your mouth to hug and dance tenderly. You cannot help but moan in the kiss, circling his neck with your arms and his waist with your mechanical legs. He waves his entire body agaisnt yours, seemingly desesperate for any frictions. 

You let one of your hand travel south, caressing its way along his perfect body to take him and relieve him with some caress but one of his own hand immobilize it on the couch, clasping them and entertwining your fingers together. 

He kisses you urgently, groaning his desire in unison with the fake moans coming from the TV. You can feel his body temperature skyrocketing, getting sweatier as the rut takes the reins of his reason. Trapped under him you cannot do anything but take it. 

Like you wanted anything else more than that! 

You mewl and welcome him, more in tune with his craving now, spreading your legs open to welcome him. As you desesperatly try to breath in the kiss you hear his growl rising in the little room, getting steamier and steamier by the seconds... 

His other hand caress your back under your shirt, letting his warm skin discovering yours. His hand stops over the back of your bra and gently tugs on it, not to open it but rather to evaluate the true strenght he would need to tear it apart if need be...  

He presses down his clothed groin against yours and brushes them together. You mewl again for Thrawn, feeling the fire spreading through your veins and your core demanding attention. 

When you thought it will finally happen he suddenly pulls away with a painful groan, leaving you pantless on the couch, disoriented and clothes in a mess... 

You raise on your elbows, completely disheveled and flustered with swollen lips, observing him looking straight ahead, his hand clasped around his mouth like he couldn’t believe he just caved in his baseless tendencies. 

“Thrawn?” You call for him gently. 

He shudders slightly and passes his hand in his luscious black blue hair, sighing. 

“I am sorry, Ch’acah.” He finally lets out, “I lost control. It will not happen again.” 

He doesn’t look at you. 

“No, Thrawn... It’s alright...” Your hand goes to caress his shoulder but he evades you. 

He feels really on edge. Your hands fall on your knees, powerless in front of your Chiss’ pain. 

“I need a shower.” And he jumps on his feet to disappear in the bedroom. 

You’re left alone in the hot room, excited and frustrated. You cut the movie, not interested in it anymore. You dress back correctly and clear the table as you hear the water running. 

His shower must be icy cold to calm him down. 

You’re focused on the dishes when you feel strong arms circling your waist once again. 

“You’re back.” You note, a tad painfully. 

You hear him smell your undone hair. 

“I should not leave you alone after edging you like that.” He recognizes, “But I needed to clear my mind urgently.” 

You purse your lips, finishing the dishes. 

“Are you mad?” He asks, almost affraid of your response, almost... But you know him. 

“No.” You let him know, “You were clear nothing would happen during your rut cycle.” You turn to him, laying against the counter. 

“I see in your body language you are displeased.” He pulls you back towards him. “I am sorry.” 

“It’s nothing.” 

You’ll take care of it yourself later, you’re used to that. 

A glint of pain flashes on his face, very well aware of his mistake. He presses your bodies in a warm embrace he hopes is soothing to you. 

“Can I do something for you?” 

You purse your lips. 

“I just want a hug from my man...” 

He hugs you tight and eagerly, letting your face rest on his broad chest, still fresh from the cold shower and despite the shirt. 

“Let’s fisnish that movie.” 

You look at him in surprise and suspicious. 

“Are you sure?” 

“I was invested in the drama, we will simply pass the risqué scenes.” He smiles with his signature tight grin, pulling you to the couch again. 

@Bluechiss @justanothersadperson93 @al-astakbar @thrawnspetgoose @readinglistfics @twilekchiss @pencil_urchin @ineedazeezee @mssbridgerton @dance-like-russia-isnt-watching @Cortisolcosplay @telltale-vixen @obbicrystaleo @germie2037 @exoplorationn @leo4242564 @davesrightshoe @holylonelyponyeatingmacaroni @empresskrennic

[catharsis-in-darkness]

Family Affairs: Chapter 2

Authors Note: Things are looking up y'all! Unbeta'd per usual.

Pairing: Vinny Mauro x Reader

CW: Fluff, Implied smut, smut?? 18+ (kinda??), Pregnancy, slight angst

Word count: 1,224

Divider: @cafekitsune

Tags: @tearfallpixie @jilliemiw86 @vinyardmauro @malerieee

Let me know if you’d like to be tagged!

“Holy shit.” Vinny muttered next to me, out of breath. I rolled over looking at his disheveled figure. A light sheen of sweat covered his body as his chest rose and fell rapidly. His neck and cheeks were blotched with red. My own body was shaking slightly, still coming down from my high. Vinny moved closer, throwing an arm over me. 

“You okay, my love?” He murmured. Our legs entangled as I ran my hand up and down his arm. “Besides the fact that I feel like I just got my soul sucked out of my body, I’m doing amazing, baby.” I chuckled, slowly feeling his orgasm leaking out of me. I shuddered in discomfort. 

“Let me go get a towel.” He slowly made his way into our en suite bathroom, wetting a rag for me. He rolled me over before spreading my legs gently. I felt a finger trail down my thigh, getting closer and closer to my mound. I let out a hiss at the sensitivity as his finger scooped some of his release up and pushed it back into me. His head snapped up to meet mine.

“Can’t let any of this go to waste can we?” Vin gave me the toothiest grin he could muster. 

“Oh my god! Don’t make it nasty, Vin!” Grabbing a pillow from behind me, I hit him hard enough to feel it. 

“You didn’t think it was nasty when I-” I hit him again. 

“STOP!!” My eyes were now watering with laughter. 

“Don’t be embarrassed mama, it’s just us here.” Vinny cooed at me. I glared at him before nudging him to finally clean me up.

“When are the guys getting here?” I asked as we finally divulged into our now cold breakfast. 

“They should be here in like 30, I think.” Vin stated, swallowing his food. After our rendezvous this morning we showered and got dressed, but not before we went for round 2 in the shower. 

“Let me put pants on then.” I put my plate into the sink then washed my hands. Vinny came up behind me, yet again. One of his hands circled my waist, before pulling his shirt up that I was wearing. His finger slipped into the band of my panties slowly. 

“Round 3?” He asked me. Even though I couldn’t see him, I could hear the smirk evident in his voice. I turned around palming his bulge. I looked into his eyes as I bit my lip. Leaning in towards his ear, I whispered to him. 

“You’re not even packed yet doofus.” I pulled my hand away quickly, bursting into laughter. He glared at me, while I fell to the floor laughing. 

“You’re so mean.” He feigned sadness. He turned away from me with a pout on his face. I got up, giving him a peck on the cheek, walking out the kitchen past him. 

“If you finish packing before the guys get here, we can.” I taunted him, running into our bedroom. I heard his hurried footsteps after me soon after. 

“I’m going to miss you so much baby.” I sighed; my arms wrapped around Vinny tightly. My eyes started watering. I buried my head into his chest so he wouldn’t see me cry. 

“Hey, look at me mama.” I sniffled as he pulled my face up to look at him. 

“I’ll be back before you know it, and then we can have all the time in the world to make mini Vincenzos.” He lit up at the mention of his mini me’s. I nodded, my vision still blurry from my tears. He wiped them away for me, kissing both of my cheeks. 

I hated how lonely I felt, and he wasn’t even gone yet. I’ve never been an out-going person, so when Vin left I never really had much to do. It was stupid, I try not to over bear him when he’s gone, but sometimes I can’t help it. After 3 years of dealing with this, I have gotten better at it. Regardless of that though, I still feel alone at times. 

“Make sure you go and visit Logan while I’m gone.” I nodded yet again. Finally mustering the courage I kissed him. 

“I love you so so so much baby, be safe, have fun, no drugs or hookers please!” I added in the last line knowing Vinny would never do that to me. My spirit lifted a little higher when we opened the door to see the boys waiting for him. Rick let out a whistle.

“Rick! Leave my wife alone!” Vinny yelled, flipping him off. 

“Hey! She’s not Mrs. Mauro just yet.” Rick shrugged. 

I gave everyone hugs and told them all to have fun. Giving Vinny one last kiss, I made my way back to the porch.

“Keep my Vincenzo safe!” I called before they all got in the car. 

“Anything for you Mrs. Mauro!” Rick winked at me, getting a slap to the back of the head from Vinny. I laughed at their antics as they pulled away. My smile faded, and I went back into our now empty house. I sighed, starting to clean up the breakfast we never put away. 

1 Month Later

“I miss you so much, mama” Vin told me over the phone while I made dinner. 

“Me too my love, only 2 months left though!” I remained happy. 

“What’s got you in such a good mood today, love?” He was surprised at my tone. I bit my lip to suppress myself from telling him.

“I don't know, I’m just in a good mood. I went and saw Logan today, I talked to him about how I’ve been feeling, and I think things are starting to look up!” I rambled. It was true, I went to Logan’s gravesite and told him the news. 

“Okay it’s just a pregnancy test, nothing scary right?” I whispered to myself. “You wanted this, remember?” I stared at the test on the sink. From the kitchen, I heard my timer of 3 minutes going off on my phone. 

“Here goes nothing.” I slowly grabbed the test and flipped it to face me. I looked at myself in the mirror, taking a deep breath. 

Positive. 

I let out a gasp of excitement, the tears flooding my eyes before I could stop them. I need to tell Vin! I ran to my phone, but stopped before I pressed on Vinny’s contact button. I instead called Chris. He answered after a few rings. 

“Hey bean, what’s up?” He asked, sounding concerned. 

“Can you help me surprise Vin?” I asked excitedly. Chris helped me set up a flight and promised to keep it a secret from everyone. I was leaving tomorrow at noon and Chris said he’d pick me up from the airport. I was beyond ecstatic. I couldn’t believe after one try; we were pregnant!

“Baby we just got called for soundcheck, I’ll call you later, okay?” Vinny told me, snapping me back to reality. 

“Okay my love, I have a doctor's appointment in the morning so I’ll be asleep early tonight.” I shrugged, forgetting he can’t see me. 

“Doctor’s appointment?? For what??” He asked, his tone laced with worry. 

“It’s just my yearly checkup baby, nothing bad.” I calmed him. We said our goodbyes and with that I ate my dinner and went to bed. 

[baejax-the-great]

Haven't watched bridgerton but saw your tags & they made me laugh 😂 Perhaps she was just pretending to be out for five days. Like 'finally some peace and quiet'. Bonk

Spoilers for season 2 of Bridgerton, I guess.

Here is how it goes. She is on a horse. She is good at riding horses, as she's demonstrated repeatedly throughout the season. It is raining. Her suitor/lover/ex/whatever shows up and her horse rears in response, dumping her from the saddle. She falls to the ground and does not get up. Suitor checks on her and discovers 1. she's out cold and 2. She is bleeding from the back of her head.

He brings her to her home. She does not wake up during this time. She does not wake up for days. I don't know that the number of days was specified, but it seems to be around four or five.

She wakes up. She immediately recognizes her sister. She says she feels fine. She remembers the ride in the rain and falling from her horse. She is immediately concerned about whether her suitor came to visit her while she was sleeping and not, you know, the life threatening concussion she just had.

Friends, this woman is dead. She is not among the living. She is passed on. Bereft of life, she rests in peace. If someone sustains a head injury and is not somewhat conscious again in like 30 minutes, there is a strong possibility they will never be conscious again (especially without the interventions of modern medicine--neurosurgery is needed for severe injuries).

There is no button on your head that if you push it hard enough, you get a nice nap that lasts a random amount of time. That's not what a concussion is. It's brain damage. You don't just get a concussion and "sleep it off." In fact, if you see someone get a concussion and they decide they really want to go to sleep, it is your duty to 1. keep them awake and 2. get them to a fucking emergency room.

Now they didn't have emergency rooms in Bridgerton, but that doesn't matter, because she's dead. She died. She's pushing up the daisies. Four days. FOUR DAYS. But let's say a miracle occurred and she's not dead.

She almost definitely would not remember her injury. That memory was knocked the fuck out of her brain before it could be stored away and 2. probably the morning ride was forgotten, too and 3. she might even lose the preceding few days if she hit her head that hard and 4. she would absolutely be suffering from brain damage, because that's what a concussion is. It's brain damage. You bruise your brain and neurons die and you hope it wasn't very many or it wasn't any important ones (they are all important that is your BRAIN).

Kate would be left with anything from blurry vision and trouble concentrating to having to learn how to walk or talk again. She could have gone blind or deaf. She would almost definitely have one hell of a headache. She would not be spinning about the dance floor that evening because she would be too dizzy and uncoordinated for that shit and she would be for days if not weeks if not permanently. Even in a moderate case with eventual full recovery, post-concussion syndrome can last for months, and it sucks.

I am TIRED of shows using brain damage like it's a tiny lil nap. Just knock someone out and then you can sneak past them/skip the plot ahead hours/have them languish in bed for days and not feel guilty for it. It doesn't work like that. Bonking your head and going to sleep for four hours is a life-threatening life-altering situation, and not a "tee hee we snuck past the enemies without having to kill anyone!"

[almostwisegalaxy]

The glory

Ha Do Young x reader

Part 3

Two weeks later

Dong-woon and I left enough clues for Ha Do-yeon's mind to question her child's paternity. Normally he should come today and collect the results. I don't think I'll be there when he comes. I work nights, my shift ends at 8am and I have 30 minutes to drop Chin off at school.

Ha Do Young's point of view

My hands are sweaty and I'm stressed. It's only 6:30 in the morning, but I'm going to the clinic to get the results of this damn test. Find out if Ye-sol is my blood, if my marriage is based on a complete lie. As soon as you arrive, I go to the reception and ask for documents.

“Yes, here are the results of the genetic test, Mr. Thank you for using our services.”

I sat down in the waiting room and decided to open the envelope. I try, but nothing works. My vision is blurry and my hands are shaking. "Excuse me, is there a doctor who can read the results now?" »

"Yes, of course. It's the third door on the right."

When I opened the door, I saw Mr. Yu concentrating on what appeared to be a patient's medical papers.

"I'm sorry to disturb you this early."

“Oh, I'm fine. "What should I do for you?"

"Can you read his results? I'm afraid of misinterpreting them."

"Yes, please sit down."

"These results demonstrate 0% genetic identity between the two individuals."

“………… Thanks, I think I should go..."

Pov pov

Yes but no

he fainted

“Mr Ha, can you hear me?

I have no response. I expected him to be shocked by the news, but not so shocked as to faint. . He should wake up soon, right?

later in the day

It is 10 p.m. when I return to resume work with one of my colleagues. When I left this morning, Mr. Ha couldn't wake up, so I left that to the nurse, and he was very pale, so I asked him to give me an IV. And when I came back to my office, it was still as inert as it was hours ago.

The clinic isn't very busy tonight, so I'm going to see a few patients first. Some get a prescription and leave immediately, while others are kept in a room overnight due to their condition. I will go back to Mr. Ha. I stopped noticing his upper body movements, so I lowered myself to bed level to check for lice. I put my hand on his neck and looked at the clock. Yes, he is breathing quite normally. And at that moment he decided to wake up, put his hands on his neck and looked into mine. From this point of view, it looked like two people about to kiss.

"You're finally awake. I'm starting to worry."

"Why am I here?"

"You came for tests and due to lack of food, I guess you passed out"

He let go of my hand and we both sat down

" What time is it ?"

"11:40 p.m."

He tried to pull the IV out of his hand but I stopped him by putting my hand on it.

"Don't do this, you don't have enough iron and you could fall at any movement"

"You don't understand. I have to fix something at home"

"I know you must be worried about your daughter, but I don't think confronting your wife about it right now is good for your health."

"Because in addition to being a doctor, you are a marriage counselor?" I don't think a single mother knows what to do in this situation!

"Forgive me, I-"

"Okay. Take that needle off if you want so much you hit your face on the next stairs you'll see later. Get out of here" I said as I left the room.

"Miss Yu wait" but there was no time. I slammed the door in his face.

Dong Eun I hope you manage on your side because what I have is rat bowl

I slipped away 2 hours later and found him STILL there, lying staring at the ceiling. Let him do what he wants. I sat in the chair behind the desk, with my back to him, to study the somewhat complicated case of an undiagnosed woman.

Ha Do Young pov

"Miss Yu, I sincerely apologize to you. I should never have talked to you like that, especially since you were trying to help me"

" Hmm"

"And I also apologize for yelling at you. It was anger but I know it shouldn't have been directed at you"

" Hmm "

"You still won't talk to me?"

" Hmm"

"Can I at least ask you a question?"

" Hmm "

"How did you know I took a paternity test?"

"I was wondering what was the cause of your sudden unhealthiness and I got the information from the lab technician"

I say nothing more to collect my ideass. I don't know if I'm angry or sad right now. Well I blame yeon jin for lying to me but I don't know. From the beginning I suspected an extra marital relationship but I didn't dwell on it more than that. After all she fit the but gender standard and my mother had happily given her approval to the wedding announcement so I thought it was already good enough to live out the rest of my life. But I was seriously mistaken.

"What...what would you do if it was you in this situation?"

"I will do everything to keep my child. If eventually I still love him so much"

" But how to do it ?"

"It's simple. I turn his brain over to him in order to acquire proof of any mental instability of my spouse and the other in case he wants to recover the child following the divorce. But after that it's not that the opinion of a mother who raises her child alone does not take it into account "

"Sorry again for-"

" Excuse rejected. What do you think? Raising a child alone is easy? I have no one to trust my son to when I'm not around. I'm carrying my child just to have enough money to give him what he deserves. So I don't allow anyone to judge me. Is that clear?" She is now facing me speaking. I decide to get up to talk to him

"I can't say otherwise. I see how hard you are working for both of you and my words were very inappropriate. I don't know if you could forgive me"

"I think you'd better leave if you feel up to it"

" All right." I gather my things and get ready to leave. " Bye"

After leaving the hospital at dawn, I just went home to change. Ye-sol and her mother are still sleeping. It's better this way, I don't know how it's going to end if we talk. I am working at the moment. I just finished one and I'm so tired. I have too many thoughts swirling around in my head. But I don't want to think about anything. I just want to have my daughter with me, even if she's not really mine.

And this conversation with Ms. Yu ohhh. I hate this tension that has set in. I can understand his reaction to my comment. Basically, I always avoid unnecessary arguments, especially with those around me, so this situation makes me sad.

I decide to pick up Ye-sol from her school to spend some time with her and see if I still love her as much as before. The road from the company to the elementary school passed by the path of Ms. Yu's son Chin, I looked around not expecting to see anything special except for the little one sitting under the tree in front of the school. But what can he be doing at this hour outside. I got out of the car to go see him but noticed a few other kids around him.

"See, I told you. No one will come looking for him because he doesn't have a father."

“Bouu has a little chin without a father bouuu” “yes a bastard”

"Fuck bastards!" They screamed in their hearts but upon noticing me they ran away.

Chin was lying on the ground, his back to me. Looks like they pushed him. He tries not to cry, it shows. I leaned over to him and started a discussion with him.

“Did you hurt my little one?

"No...... Just a little crack on the knee"

"Okay, and can you tell me what you do outside of school?"

"The teacher has to go there urgently. The director called all the parents to come and take us home but mum didn't answer"

"but why aren't you in the yard, safe."

"It's them...... They like to bother me and hurt me. And I don't want to wait with them"

" OK. Uhh how about I take you to see your mom?

"You would do that?"

"Of course. I just need to take my daughter and go. Do you trust me?"

"No, But I Want to See Mom"

"so let's go see her"

I took her hand, bandaged her knee and we were on our way. Once at the hospital, I drove two toddlers across the street. Upon arriving, he knocked on the door and we heard a voice

"Yes who is it?"

"Hello, it's me momma" he says running to throw himself on the mother who has just caught up with him

"Yes and us too" ye-sol greeted her from inside the room

“Hey kids, what are you doing here? Shouldn't you be in class? "

"Madam must have come home early"

"My father came to get me"

"And he scratched his knee" I said

"Pardon ?"

Then she examined his wound, disinfected it and put a bandage on it. Meanwhile, ye-sol fetches snacks from the vending machine further away.

"How did you do that? Honey"

"Other kids push me"

"And why are they doing this?"

"He just likes to annoy me. It's nothing serious, momma."

"No, from what I could see, it's not just adispute. This is harassment", I said

"And maybe you know why he harassed you?" He immediately bowed to his mother's words, as if he had been mistaken.

"Chin answers mom" she told him, she gently grabbed his shoulder "my chick?"

"........They say I'm a bastard......That I don't have a father and that's why I'm going to end my life in school. I'm sorry mom, I know this is wrong. Anyway, I only need you” and he hugs her.

"You don't have to apologize for that. It's not your fault"

Then Ye-sol came back and offered to take the kids to lunch and bring her son back around the afternoon. She agreed and we left her alone. She really needs it.

___________________________________

hey hi. I don't have many ideas to continue the story, so I prefer to wait for season 2 which comes out soon to get an idea. I hope you like the story. and if you have any ideas. Help me

A perfect family 🫣

Part2:

[is-on-its-way]

Elegiac

Post-Episode: s04e22 Elegy

Elegy: A mournful or plaintive poem; a funeral song; a poem of lamentation. Elegiac: Expressing sorrow or mourning.

Part of the Scully is a human Series

---

MULDER: You can believe what you want to believe, Scully, but you can't hide the truth from me because if you do, then you're working against me ... and yourself. (his voice softens) I know what you're afraid of. I'm afraid of the same thing.  'SCULLY: The doctor said I was fine.  'MULDER: I hope that's the truth.  'SCULLY: (whispers) I'm going home.

Scully parked on the street on the side of her building. The clock read 2:30 in the morning. She'd driven aimlessly for three whole hours then. Nothing like a drive to quell the certainty with which she now knew her future. She didn’t want to believe it. She couldn’t. But the second vision, seeing Harold, was like a confirmation after the argument she and Mulder had had. She couldn’t deny it now.

She unlatched her seatbelt and leaned back in her seat. She snorted laughing at the preposterous nature of actually wearing a seatbelt when she was in fact dying. She sighed rubbed her face in her hands and tried to throw off the feeling of losing touch with reality that had come unbidden since she first looked into the rearview three hours ago. 

She thought of Mulder to ground herself again. Mulder had been horrible to her, mean and impatient when she had finally told him shed seen a vision of the dead girl. He'd thought she was deliberately keeping it from him and he was angry she wouldn't be open with him. But he'd missed the fact she couldn't, didn't want to admit the truth to herself. She was dying and he had been so mean. 

She opened her car door and stepped out. It was drizzling and the wind was howling, her long coat blew around her in the wind. She breathed deeply, head towards the sky. She loved a nighttime rainstorm. The scent in the air. Nothing was better. Shed miss this when… She lowered her head as she locked her door and made to head inside.

Scully turned the corner to her hallway, and found a figure slumped against her door. Head bent leaning on the door frame. Knees to his chest like a little boy. Scully didn’t even have to focus her eyes to know it was Mulder. She felt a pang, at leaving him waiting for so long. 

When she reached him, her long coat brushing his fingers. “Scully?” He looked up at her with bleary bloodshot eyes. Slightly puffy from what looked like crying

She kneeled down on the floor next to him. Placing a hand on his knee “Mulder” she whispered back “How long have you been here?” 

“I came to check on you. But you weren’t home I figured I'd wait, but you never came. I thought…” He looked up at her “What time is it?”

She stooped and pulled on his elbows, “Come on lets go inside” she said. He rose awkwardly and waited for her to open her door leaning on the door frame, head bowed.

“Mulder you have my key, next time just wait inside.” 

Mulder followed her inside and was looking down. “Okay” he said

She placed a hand on his shoulder and led him to the couch. She sat on the coffee table in front of him. 

“What is it Mulder?”

“I was worried and I… I didn’t want to leave it like that, I… My need for truth or justice I don’t know, takes over my sensibility sometimes and I say the worst things I could possibly say in a situation calling for understanding and empathy.” He looked at her, cheeks wet. “Im sorry I said those things to you, you could’ve… and it would’ve been the last things I said to you.”

Scully’s chin wrinkled and her brows lifted in emotion and concern. “Mulder Im not dying in the next three seconds”

“We don’t know that Dana” 

Her heart dropped. This was her fear as well and shed tried to ignore it for the better part of three hours while driving. Mulder saying it aloud broke the last remaining bit of restraint. Her chin quivered.

“Well in the spirit of telling you everything, I… I saw Harold” she whispered

“When?” Mulder’s head cocked to the side brow furrowed.

“When I got to my car, I… I didn't know what to do after that so I just drove around a while…” she blinked and looked away from him, tears in her eyes determined not to break down completely.

Mulder’s face crumpled and he reached for her, wrapping her in a hug. “Im sorry, Im so sorry.”

She let him envelop her in a bear hug her legs between his. They both cried into each other, for what they were losing. Emotions kept together until the proof was too much to ignore. When they had calmed a bit Scully moved to the couch Mulder still hugging her, she rested her head against his chest. Mulder stroked her hair absentmindedly. And there they fell asleep. Scully curled on the couch head on Mulder’s lap. Mulder with his legs stretched out on the coffee table. 

She stirred at the hint of the rising sun. Got up and threw the crocheted throw her mother had made her, over him. 

She headed to the bathroom used it and washed her hands. She looked at herself in the mirror. She wondered at her face. She’d never know herself as an old woman, with wrinkles, or saggy skin. Things she'd once worried about now seemed coveted. She wondered if she would have looked similar to her grandmother, her mothers mother. She'd never have a family, or grandchildren to leave behind. It was too much. She turned away from her image. 

She let out a sob and covered her mouth to try to stifle the sound. She didn’t want to wake Mulder. She sank to the bathroom floor, filled with wracking shaking silent sobs. 

A stirring told her Mulder was searching for her. “Scully?” Closer now. “Scully?” At the door “Oh Scully.”

She felt herself being lifted gently off the floor and carried to her bedroom. He placed her on the bed and pulled a blanket over her. He held her hand to his lips and knelt by her bedside. She continued to sob. She breathed in gasping for air.

She found his face with her eyes. and said as if she were a scared child afraid of being yelled at. “I don’t want to leave you alone”. 

Something inside him broke at the sound of her voice and he blinked tears back. Of all the things she should be worried about this wasn't what he'd expected. Mulder swallowed and looked down at her, stroking her cheek and then her hair. “Dana...” He whispered, tears falling down his cheeks. His voice broke as he said "I'll be okay." 

She calmed after a while, spent, and breathed “Hold me? Please?”

Mulder got up and climbed over her. He slid his arm under her and wrapped her in his arms. There was nothing romantic in this embrace, no angst or misinterpretations. Just a desperate need for comfort in each other and the loss they both felt. Scully fell asleep fitfully. Mulder stayed awake and watched her breathe in and out, afraid she wouldn’t survive the sunrise. 

She woke bathed in comfort and warmth. Fully relaxed and peaceful. She opened her eyes and realized she was in Mulder’s arms, her head rested against his chest. She felt his steady deep breathing. 

Her heart sank as the events of last night came flooding back into her consciousness. Her brow furrowed. ‘No’ she thought to herself pushing her thoughts away, she wanted the peace she had woken up to back. Her body still felt relaxed and warm, she willed her mind to be calm too. Shed done enough panicked crying for the rest of her short life. She looked out the window and listened to the birds and Mulder’s rhythmic breathing. 

When he stirred, itching his nose, she turned to look at him. He peaked at her with one eye open to the bright light. “You’re still here” he said sarcastic

She giggled, glad he was making light of the situation. She sat up and turned to look down at him. 

“Mulder, thank you for helping me last night.” She said, serious “I think Im going to go back to the doctor and get checked out again, just to be sure.” 

 “Do you want me to come with you?” 

“No Ill be fine. I just want to go back to normal, pretend like this isn't happening and work as long as I can with you.”

Mulder took her hand and squeezed it “That will make you happy?”

“That will make me happy” She said nodding

 “Okay… Well I should probably get out of your bed.”

She laughed again. They both got up

“Do you want coffee?” She asked

Mulder yawned and nodded heading for the bathroom

“Theres an extra toothbrush under the sink” she called as she headed for the kitchen. 

End.

@today-in-fic

[vthewriter1121]

Beyond the stars

Chapter 1

Red with love (Juno x Fem reader)

(Disclaimer this was written before she came out)

Space, somewhere vast and limitless, held a planet that gleamed red under the distant sun. Its gravity was lighter than Earth's, allowing for miles of undulating red rock and a solitary space station anchored to its surface.

In the bustling main office of the space unit at the home office, I found myself staring at the screen, lost in memories. Juno, my childhood best friend, was aboard the in Mars mission. The last time I saw her was at our high school graduation, a day etched vividly in my mind with the scent of flowers and the warmth of spring.

The memory swept me back to that sunny day. Students buzzed around, their excitement palpable. Amidst it all, Juno's voice and her touch stood out. Her purple hair cascaded around her shoulders, and even in her graduation gown, she exuded a charm that was unique.

"(Y/N)! Pay attention!" Juno's voice broke through my reverie as she grasped my hand. I turned to her, unable to suppress a smile. "Juno, you look so adorable in your gown. Did you curl your hair just for today? Who are you trying to impress? " I teased gently, brushing my thumb over her hand. She blushed, waving off my comment with a playful flick of her hand.

"Only for you, silly. You're my one and only," she replied, her gaze soft yet intense. My heart skipped a beat, a slight blush warming my cheeks.

"Are you ready to close this chapter of our lives?" Juno whispered, leaning into my shoulder.

"Yeah... these years flew by, didn't they?" I murmured, feeling a pang of nostalgia for the years we had spent together.

"Yeah," Juno sighed softly, resting against me.

The memory dissolved as I returned to the present, sitting at my desk in the space unit's office. I refocused on my work, typing away at my keyboard, organizing missions and spacecraft deployments for the communications department. My gaze drifted to a framed photo on my desk—Juno and I at our graduation, captured by her mother's camera.

Next to the photo lay a letter from Juno's mother, handed to me the day after graduation. I remembered the mix of emotions I felt as I read it, knowing it was the last communication before Juno's departure for Mars. Suddenly my mind gets pulled into another memory.

A sudden noise jolted me from my thoughts. I glanced at my phone—it was 10 AM. Breaking news flashed across the screen: "Teen Astronaut Sent to Mars." I ignored it, my focus drawn to unread texts from Juno, received in the early hours of the morning.

3:20 AM

Juno:

"I'm so sorry for not telling you, but I got accepted for the Mars mission!! It's my dream, and I leave in 2 hours. Remember when we played pretend astronauts? Now it's real..."

3:25 AM

Juno:

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner. If you had asked me to stay, I might have... You can yell at me when I'm back. I promise I'll come back. I couldn't forget about my favorite girl <3"

4:30 AM

Juno:

"They just took my official pictures. It feels surreal. I wish you were here. I just want to hear your voice again. I'm nervous, even scared... I'm just telling myself to breathe. Just like how you taught me to do."

4:50 AM

Juno:

"Blasting off soon. They're giving me final preparations. I brought a picture of my mom, auntie, you, and me. You're with me in space, too now! Haha! But my mom has something for you. She'll be home tomorrow..."

5:00 AM

Juno:

"Blast off... See you... take care of yourself (Y/N). I love you <3"

The realization hit that i'm sitting in my office chair, that the memory slowly blurred. Tears blurred my vision as I sat in my office chair, clutching the letter from Juno. Her words echoed in my mind, each sentence a testament to our shared moments and her unwavering affection. The page have not withered one bit even after five years.

"Dear (Y/N),

Years I spent with you... every single one I have in my mind. Every smile, every laugh, you have consumed every single memory. Through the sun, moon, rain, and snow. I can’t seem to get enough. It makes me sweat, 'cause you're always in my head. It turns me red with love.

So when I come home, please call my name, and I will always love you. Tomorrow is more than yesterday. I love you, I need you, and so promise me you'll never let this go."

Juno's heartfelt words cut through the pain, reminding me of her enduring presence in my life, even as she journeyed across the vast expanse of space. Her love and longing were palpable in every line, and I felt the weight of our unspoken feelings.

I wiped away tears, my heart heavy with regret for not responding sooner, for not telling her how much she meant to me before she embarked on her mission. The memories flooded back—our shared dreams of exploration, our laughter echoing through the halls of our school, and the comfort of her presence in moments of doubt.

With trembling hands, I reached for the framed photo of us at graduation, captured in a moment of pure happiness. Juno's smile was infectious, her eyes filled with determination and hope . How could I have let her slip away without telling her everything I felt?

I slowly closed my eyes as another memory rushed to my mind. Outside, the world rushed by in a blur as I raced towards Juno's house, my thoughts consumed by memories of our shared adventures .The streets seemed quieter than usual, as if holding its breath in anticipation of what was to come.

Arriving at Juno's doorstep, I hesitated for a moment, my hand hovering over the doorbell. What would I say to her mom?.Seconds stretched into eternity until the door swung open, revealing Juno's mother, her eyes red-rimmed from tears. Without a word, she pulled me into a tight embrace, her silent understanding bridging the gap between us.

"I'm sorry," I managed to choke out, the weight of my unspoken feelings heavy in the air.

"She left something for you," Juno's mother whispered, her voice thick with emotion. Leading me inside, she placed a small package in my hands, its weight a tangible reminder of Juno's absence.

Alone in her room, I unwrapped the package with trembling fingers, revealing a carefully folded letter and a photograph of us together, taken during graduation. I flipped the photograph , and The familiar handwriting on the back photo brought tears to my eyes once more.

"(Y/N),

If you're reading this, I hope you know how much you mean to me. Every moment spent by your side has been a gift, and I carry your laughter with me, even among the stars. Promise me you'll keep dreaming,

I'll be back, I promise. Until then, remember that I love you more than words can say. You've always been my guiding star, and I'll carry you with me, always.

With all my love ,Juno

In that moment, surrounded by memories and the tangible proof of Juno's love, I realized that our bond transcended time and space. Though separated by vast distances, our hearts remained intertwined, connected by a love that defied the boundaries of the cosmos.

With renewed determination, I clutched Juno's letter to my chest, vowing to cherish our memories and to wait for the day when she would return. Until then, I would carry her love with me, a beacon of hope in the endless expanse of the universe.

A voice booms over the intercom, jolting me out of the memory quickly

“J has touched down. I repeat, J from the Mars mission has touched down”

"J? J/ I thought no , wait … It’s Juno?!"

Back from the dead and Juno is play testing. Anyway might write a part two for one of my fics soon

[i-am-snowils-admiral]

oooooh roomate's shitty boyfriend tea? that you could rant about for a while? please do!

(or don't. i'm acknowledge i'm being nosey.....)

PLEASE be nosy about this I'm so down to talk about it my only limit is how many words I can type. I'm gonna refer to him as "J."

The first thing you should know is that my roommate is 27 and J is 41. Honestly they're both adults so there's nothing inherently wrong about that but I think it says a lot about him, and it especially says a lot about him because we genuinely couldn't tell that he was so much older because the maturity level was pretty similar.

On the first day I met him, we went to an estate sale across the road from our house. I saw a decorative teapot that I really liked but when I pointed it out, I said "oh, I really like this, but I have nowhere to put it and I don't want to have to store it." He tried to convince me to get it anyway but I reiterated that I had thought it through and decided not to get it. I went back to the house and he stayed at the sale. About 20 minutes later, he comes back to the house WITH THE TEAPOT and is all "you should have things that you like :)" and gave it to me. This seemed kind of weird and rude to me, but I let it slide because we'd just met and maybe he was trying to make a good impression or something. I didn't realize at the time that this was what they refer to as "foreshadowing." If J thinks a decision you made is wrong, even if it's about something that doesn't involve him at all, he'll take steps to stop you! Great! Love that! He does this frequently.

He's competitive to a somewhat pathetic degree. I had a good friend of mine over once and all three roommates + my friend decided we wanted to play Boggle, which we enjoyed. J, however, knew he wouldn't win this game because he wasn't familiar with it and wasn't very good at word games, so he first tried to claim that "nobody wants to play this" despite the fact that he was the only one that didn't want to play and THEN when he didn't get his way he sulked through all the games in a way that would've gotten me sent to bed early if I'd acted like that when I was like, ten years old.

Roommate #2 (G) has very specific things she wants in life. Many of those things require being financially stable enough for her to own a house, because she wants to run a daycare out of her own home and you can't do that in a rental. I'm not quite shallow enough to dismiss a man entirely based on his financial resources, but J is making no moves to even pretend he is going to support this dream of hers despite the fact that he's declared he intends to marry her (though he hasn't proposed yet). He has not bothered to save any money. He has not tried to move to a higher-paying job (he works part-time as a church musician). Every once in a while we hear him floating some weird vision of the future to her where he joins a band and they travel around the country for his performances. This man is 41 years old.

He doesn't make any long-term plans of his own but then if your plans conflict with the ones he came up with last minute, he's upset about it. He called up G the day before her mom came to visit and tried to organize the schedule for the visit, and was confused and offended when G informed him that she already had plans. With her own mom!! Buddy that is not your business!! If you wanted to do stuff with the both of them, you should have said so ages ago!

G wakes up very early in the morning to exercise (like 4 or 5am sometimes) and therefore goes to bed normally at around 8 or 8:30. J has absolutely no respect for this. When he stays over (not for long haha) he keeps her up past midnight talking. When he can be bothered to actually take her on dates rather than just hang around the house like a freeloader, he takes her to midweek concerts an hour and a half away that start at 9. She's frequently exhausted and can't seem to figure out why but she has no consistent schedule!!! She doesn't sleep!!! I'm gonna smack him.

I could keep going but now I definitely need to go to bed myself. His annoying text was only the latest. We are so worried about them both and G is desperate to marry this guy but like??? She could do so much better??? I genuinely worry that their relationship is going to end in her being controlled and manipulated. He'll ruin her dreams and be confused when she gets mad about it because he's getting everything he wants so he won't understand why she's unhappy. Ugh. Throw the whole man away.

Thanks for asking, though, I needed this rant.

[lymphonyduck]

The Surgery

Currently 6:27AM and I guess this is just when I wake up now. I had another melatonin induced dream. This time it was me being really angsty and anti-social? I'm not sure why haha but I will not look into any hidden meanings for it.

Anyways... I think I left off last time saying I was scared for my surgery.

But let's start with how I'm feeling at this point... knowing that I potentially have cancer. I cried on the way home from the urologist. This wave of sadness came over me and I couldn't stop it. It was hard to drive as the tears blocked my vision. I think it would've been weird for me not to cry. Was I crying that I had cancer? Was I crying that I was supposed to get surgery? I don't really remember the exact reason but I suppose it was just a really sad morning. I was also really shocked that the first plan of action was to remove the damn thing. Like it was just straight to surgery... no big deal.

At the same time, I felt confident(?). I knew this was an easy fix. Just remove it and be done. If I was going to get cancer, this would've been the best case scenario for a worst case situation. All I had to do was go and remove Mr. Righty and then I'd be cancer free. I accepted this. I was okay with this. Mr. Righty turned against me so now I remove him. He doesn't deserve to be with us anymore. Sad to see him go but that's just life.

So here I am ignoring the calls from the scheduler because If I had picked up and actually scheduled something, it meant this was all real. I mean it is real but it just felt even more real. Sorry girl, no hard feelings... I just needed to process all this but I do thank you for your determination to schedule me because all of this went a lot sooner than later and that's always good when dealing with cancer.

I had met with my urologist on Sept 10th and luckily he had openings literally next week so I had to choose Sept 18th for my surgery. It was either Sept 18th or sometime mid October and that was just too long of a wait.

During this I still hadn't told anyone. Not even my family. So this was going to be hard news to break. At least I could give them comfort by saying it's possible it's not cancer. Nonetheless, it's never fun breaking up the cancer news. Actually like 2 years ago my dad got diagnosed with CNS lymphoma, another cancer. I suppose it was just my turn now. I felt really bad for my mom because she had just gone through helping my dad get through cancer and now like 2 years later she has to go through the emotional turmoil again. It's always sad to see her cry. It's always sad to see any parent cry because you always think they're invincible. We're so caught up with our own lives you never notice their gray hairs or that they're getting older and weaker.

Before my surgery, the urologist ordered some labs to be done and I dislike getting poked. My girlfriend also needed to get her labs done because she went to a yearly checkup so we went to a walk in Labcorp one Saturday morning. The wait took forever but we eventually got it done. The phlebotomist was a nice older Vietnamese gentleman and it didn't hurt too badly. I was happy about this. I also needed to pee in a cup again. These labs were the only prep I needed to do and after that it was just stewing in my anxiety about getting surgery.

Surgery Day

Surgery was scheduled to be at 1PM and 11AM check-in time. My family plus one aunt all drove to the hospital 15 mins away. We arrived at the lobby and was greeted by a nice security guard. I did the whole check in process and then person who checked me said that my urologist was one of the best surgeons here. She also said he dad also get a procedure done by my urologist. This news brought me some relief and I'm sure it also made my mom relax a little too. I got the Meredith Grey of this hospital. I was in good hands.

We got escorted via golf cart over to a waiting area where we waited maybe... 30 mins before I was called into pre-op room and onto a bed. The pre-op nurse was nice and gentle with me. They had this weird airbag heater thing that was quite nice. It blew hot air into an inflatable bag and in turn would warm up the bed and me. Before I got into bed, I stripped down and wiped myself down with some wipes. The wipes were nice and warm but the cold hospital quickly made me shiver. I donned my hospital gown, cheeks to the wind and got into bed. The pre-op nurse came back and my parents were able to come visit me. My mom asked if I was nervous I said not really. My aunt who also works at this hospital came to visit me. My dad had switched out with my sister so that she can visit me. Now it was just a waiting game.

The only thing I dreaded was an IV being put into me but that was also quick and painless. They started a saline drip and then now it was just waiting time as the anesthesiologist and urologist came to visit me to go over details. The anesthesiologist was funny and chill. The urologist came well over 1PM so I'm already late to my own surgery. The urologist marked my right leg to make sure he's removing the right one. The anesthesiologist gave me something to take the edge off and let me tell you it hit within minutes. I felt funny and high as they rolled me away to a room. All I can remember was going into the operation room and the nurses helping me switch over to the operating table and then it was lights out... I didn't even get to be awake long enough to do a countdown. I really wanted to do a countdown.

[nei-ning]

I got my depression medicine today. SUPER TINY PILLS! :D I take one pill per day (10mg) for a week and then 2 pills, either at morning or evening. I took first one today during early afternoon to see what kind of side effects I get. If bad, I could go to hospital to seek help instantly.

About 30min after taking the pill, my vision came very very VERY slightly blurry (for a short moment) when looking for too far. Like if looking at painting's frame, the outer edge of the frame looked very mildly blurred. Nothing more. After that started to come this feeling that my eyes are very tired, wanting to go to sleep but otherwise, nothing! I am RELIEVED! I honestly feared the worst symptoms (getting urges to harm / kill myself, nausea, diarrhea, throwing up, bleeding, fainting, heartbeat issues etc etc etc.)

But if the pills only make me tired I AM HAPPY about that! I take that any day! And since they make me tired, I know to take them in the evening for now. I just hope they also help me to fall asleep and sleep better.

Doctor also wants me to go to full blood test after a month (which is fine by me) and she will call me after 3 weeks to ask how I am doing with the medicine. After that I've no idea what's going to happen. Will I keep eating the pills for 6 weeks in total and then slowly start to drop them out or will I keep eating them the rest of my life? I hope not.

After all, I've been feeling so good this week (sleep issues still remain). I haven't taken my anxiety pill since Monday evening either since I haven't been needing them. I have been laughing, feeling happy and joyful, I've been able to do small tasks daily etc. even with these mild anxiety attacks (which I try to suffocate instantly when they rise). But I think one reason is the following which I have start to do since Tuesday: - I greet myself every morning via mirror (Good Morning, Beautiful) - I sing a mantra for 15-30 minutes - I do little exercises. Many different tiny moves for 15 min max. - I have given myself a little task each day: Do laundry, wash one cup, take out garbage, stretch your legs, spoil yourself with a feet bath etc. Something simple and small which makes me happy! - Meditate 15-30min before going to bed - In bed I listen either more calming / relaxing music or guided sleep meditation.

I also got text message from therapist. She asked me to fill this online application (which I did) and then call her so that she can check it and we can talk. I tried to call her twice today but she didn't pick up. I will try to call her on Monday. If she won't pick up, then I send her a text, asking her to call me back. I'm quite excited to be able to talk with her about all the things in my life :)

Also! When I went to get the pills from pharmacy, older lady worker spoke a long time with me. I told her about my symptoms, about my periods etc. She looked at me, bend towards me and said: "You know, all your symptoms sounds like they also could be result of the lack of iron in your body."

I was stunned so she continued. She told me that iron is the most important thing in woman's body and pretty much everything in our body depends on iron! She added: "I have experienced it all myself. But you also know what? When a woman is pregnant, she should eat iron so that the baby would get iron too. If the mother won't eat iron during the pregnancy, her baby won't get much iron either. No matter how much iron this baby would eat as an adult, it will never go to normal / high level. You never catch that normal level of iron."

That makes SO MUCH SENSE! I'm 100% sure mom ate badly (still does) when she was expecting my sis, me and my little brother. No wonder we all are "zombies" more or less.

I'm not saying getting and taking iron supplies won't help, since they do at least some, but the iron level won't get as high as it naturally should be if the mother ate iron during pregnancy.

[newmomblog]

The Beginning

I married my partner in 2019 we knew before that we wanted children, he already had 2 from his first marriage, but we wanted to have kids together. We already knew their names and had a plan for when we wanted to start, so in January 2021 he went for his vasectomy reversal. The surgery went well and his sperm count was great, so when I didn't immediately get pregnant I started to feel like something was wrong with me.

After a year and half of trying it finally happened, I was pregnant! and sick, the morning sickness sucked so much, made me never want to have another child.... the second trimester was better and I started to love my changing body, I really loved the third trimester I felt wonderful (clearly forgetting how tired I always was), I didn't have a lot of pain it was amazing and probably a warning sign looking back.

When my due date came and went it was decided that I needed to be induced. Well, after 30 hours of labor and some struggles, emergency c-section it was. It was awful, I wasn't prepared and it didn't go well. I had a vision of a beautiful birth; skin to skin, my husband staring into my eyes with love, just, a beautiful moment. I still cry to this day thinking about what I missed out on. But I have a baby and I should be happy; right?... Clearly feelings I'm still working through.

I'm now a first time mom with 3 dogs, and a loving husband just trying to raw dog this thing and raise a beautiful, loving, well adjusted, successful child. The days are long, the months seem short, and I just need somewhere to vent and put it out there.

I've always struggled verbalizing my feelings to others and most of the time can't even put words to them for myself so I'm hoping by starting this it will help me explore and understand myself more.

[eventide-13]

Bad Luck Birthday

Bruno knew what he wanted his birthday to look like. Him and his family, with maybe a few extra friends, enjoying cake and spending quality time together while having fun. A nice, small, calm celebration. Yet no matter how tight he kept his fingers, how long he held his breath, or how much wood he knocked on, his wish never came true.

Ever since he could really remember, his and his sisters birthdays were not just a family celebration- but also the whole town's. The "few extra friends" always turned out to be the ever growing population of Encanto, all crammed into the rather overworked Casita.

He hated it.

Bruno knew it wasn't the best that he had come to hate his own birthday, but he couldn't help it. Like everyday of his life it seemed, it was a show. Julieta spent the upcoming days making enough food for the whole town, Pepa had to focus to keep the skies as clear as they could be. And he… well, he didn't really do anything. Anymore at least.

To that, due to some terrible luck or cursed irony, every year something bad managed to happen, and it was all because of him. Whether it was him helping Julieta cook and almost burning the kitchen down, or mixing up what was the juice and what was the wine- he never seemed to be very lucky on that day.

Bruno sighed. All this worrying and it wasn't the day of the event. No, instead here he was, pacing around the room at… he squinted his eyes. 2:30 in the morning.

Great.

It didn't help that his friend of many years, recently made novia, Sandra wasn't allowed to come to the celebration. Not that she ever was, with her father being one of the few who saw the Madrigals gifts as 'unnatural', but the ever increasing trouble she got in by coming to his birthdays (or just seeing him anyways-), meant that the day before he assured her that he would be fine and that she shouldn't come to it.

"So you're saying I shouldn't come to your own birthday?!".

To say that Sandra wasn't too eager about what he said would've been an understatement. He had been trying to reason with her for a good solid 10 minutes now.

"No, no! Of course you can come, it's just we both know you'll get into trouble for it!" Bruno said.

She scoffed. "I don't care if I get into trouble, I always seem too get into it anyway, but there is no way I'm missing your birthday!".

He sighed. "Look its not even that much of birthday, its just some boring formalities in front of the whole town- Last time it took me a full hour to find you! So lets just- we can just celebrate it the day after, that way we can do what we actually want.".

"But-"

"Sandy please" he cut off her protests, taking her hands and looking up at her with puppy dog eyes. ""I've done this before- 22 times to be exact" he weakly chuckled. "I'll be fine".

Oh how wrong he was.

After managing to get a few hours of sleep, Bruno's day started like the days years earlier. He got up, already tired from the lack of sleep the night before, and got dressed into the most formal attire he had, a fancy white shirt with a neat pair of trousers, topped with a green vest bearing his signature hourglass symbol.

Not that anyone would really see his formal attire anyway, he thought, putting his rather oversized ruana on.

As he combed his raven hair Bruno frowned, already seeing a few silver strands. He honestly hoped he didn't go grey by 30, remembering a vision he’d done for a now upset townsperson.

He'd probably see that person today. And everyone else he managed to spite.

He gulped.

Bruno reached to open the door but found he was frozen in place. He could almost hear his heart pounding against his chest. Miercoles. He wasn't even out of the door and he could barely breathe?!

Taking a step back, he sighed before springing into action almost like it was automatic. Fingers crossed, deep breath in, and 3 knocks on the door. He was ready to go.

Once downstairs (he could swear they were getting longer everyday-) he followed the smell of fresh foods into the kitchen.

"Woah!"

Even if this wasn't a common sight for Bruno, he'd be lying if he weren't impressed at not only the variety of food his sister made but also how much of it. The table was lined with full plates of all sorts of foods, but his eyes wandered over to the cakes. Torta Negra, the vibrant red of rollo rojo de guayaba, the silky cream on top of the torta de tres leches and more- it was enough to make his mouth water.

Humming a song to himself, his hand reached for a tasty looking tortita negra only for it to be smacked away.

"Uh- hey!" He looked up to see Julieta.

"These are for the later, when the guests arrive"."

"Aww come on, I can't even have cake on my own birthday?!" He whined in protest, still eyeing the cakes and trying to grab one whenever Julieta looked away.

"Of course you can, just not these and not yet! mamá wants everything to be perfect for when the guests arrive!" Julieta replied while organizing the kitchen counter.

With her back turned, his hand moved to swipe a piece.

'Clink clink clink'

The Casita moved its tiles, alerting Julieta who swatted Bruno's hand away, again.

"Gracias, Casita"

Bruno just looked shocked. Did the Casita really just snitch on him?

Realizing that he wouldn't be able to snatch it, he turned to phase 2;-pleading with her.

"Oh Julie please, you have no idea how hungry I am!"

"Well then you shouldn't have skipped breakfast!" Julieta replied, unphased.

He groaned, getting right in front of her, doing the best puppy eyes he could. "Please Julie?-Think about it, for your hermanito?"

While Julieta fully knew that he only used the 'hermanito' card to get what he wanted (usually arguing that a few minutes didn't make him the 'little' sibling), partly because she had a soft spot- and to get him out of the kitchen, she gave in.

"Fine, you can have one, of course I can't say no to my little Brunito!' She cooed teasingly, squishing his cheeks as he squirmed away from her, taking the tortita negra and eating it with a satisfied smile.

"Mmm, those cakes look delicious!" Pepa walked in, instantly eyeing the display of food, Julieta audibly groaning.

"You can have one, then please- get out!" Julieta said, Pepa and Bruno giggling. Even as adults they'd be lying if they said they didn't enjoy annoying each other.

"Gracias, Julie!" Pepa said, grabbing one. Then two. Bruno pocketed some for his rats.

"Ay, I said GET out!" Julieta took a rolling pin, chasing the two giggling thieves out the kitchen, Casita making sure to close the door on them.

"Ah, I'm sure she'll forgive us," Bruno said before bursting into laughter with Pepa. For a short, sweet moment, Bruno didn't worry about the party and the expectations on his shoulders, he felt just like he did when they were kids, running around and causing mischief-together. However, it was short lived, as Pepa saw Felix enter the Casita.

"Felix!" With a sudden rainbow above her head, she instantly ran over to him, leaving Bruno alone awkwardly holding too many pastries.

"Hola mi amor!" He twirled her around before giving her a kiss. "Are you ready for your big day?"

"Oh yes! You should see the decorations Casita has around, and the food..."

Their voices faded in the distance as Bruno sighed, walking away and sitting on the steps of the stairs. He watched them two from afar, seeing just how happy Felix made her (as always), and couldn't help but wish that Sandra was by his side. Of course, he and everyone realized that Felix was always allowed over so much so that mamá didn't have to worry about the weather, but Bruno still missed her company, anyone's company really. The scared and spiteful townspeople didn't count. He was alone for his own birthday.

'Squeak!'

Well, not entirely.

Bruno couldn't help but smile as he looked down. "Hola, Bonita," He said quietly, petting the curious rat behind her ear. Two others scuttered out from his ruana, one sitting on his shoulder and the other grooming itself on his lap.

"At least I can always count on you." he weakly chuckled, breaking off pieces of the ponque and giving them to the rats who ate them quickly before looking up at him expectantly for more.

"Heh, always hungry, never satisfied." He mumbled in between bites of his piece of torta negra, letting the rats have the rest.

"Bruno! Pepa!"

His rats perked up, immediately hiding back inside the ruana (something he had totally not taught them).

"Ah, there you are!" Alma huffed as she walked over, hands together like- they always were when she meant business. "Where is your sister- PEPA!" She called out.

Bruno sat on the step, pretending that he didn't have a mouth full of the cake that he-totally-wasnt-supposed-to-be-eating-or-anything.

"Coming mama, coming!" Pepa called back a little wearily, but she couldn't help smiling giddily with Felix by her side.

With the three there, Alma cleared her throat before speaking. "The guests will start arriving shortly, as always I want you to be there to welcome them inside. Make them feel at home here..."

Bruno gulped quietly while listening to her. Even if the whole town didn't seem to hate, him it was still awkward and nerve wracking for him. Make them feel at home? How was he supposed to do that? Just tell them they could nap anywhere and let them use his toothbrush?!

"Bruno."

His attention was brought back as he realized, in his worry, he hadn't been exactly focusing on what his mamá was saying.

Alma sighed. "As I was saying, Pepa and Felix will wait outside to welcome our guests, you.." she evidently faltered. He wasn't exactly a people-person to begin with, and with his negative visions, the townspeople were either scared of him, angry, or both.

She smiled, so obviously forced that even Bruno could tell. "Bruno, y-you can go and greet them with Julieta when she's finished in the kitchen.".His stomach fell a little as he felt conflicting emotions. On one hand he was scared of greeting the guests that disliked him so, but on the other he could feel his mother's disappointment in him, knowing she told him to wait for Julieta in case any of the guests acted out.

"What are you waiting for? Get a move on!" Alma clapped her hands. "And remember, we're la familia Madrigal!"

"La familia Madrigal!" Pepa and Bruno said, Pepa walking off with her novio and Bruno getting up from the steps, walking down, and eyeing his mother a little wearily as he passed her to get to the kitchen.

"Bruno-"- Mierda, what was it this time?

"Si mamá?..." he turned to face her with a rather nervous smile.

"Why are you wearing your ruana, no -one can see your nice clothes under it!" She put her hands on his shoulders, looking at the admittedly slightly worn and rat chewed ruana.

"Eheh, I- I like it mama! It's comfy..." he trailed off in a nervous chuckle. The last thing he wanted on his birthday was an argument with his mamá, something that was happening more often these days. Yet the thought of taking his ruana off...he just couldn't. He knew he'd sound crazy trying to explain, but he -needed- it. He could hide his rats in there to keep him company, fiddle with the little tussles and material when he was overwhelmed or bored, and hide his scrawny body from others, and himself.

"But it’s not what you should be wearing for your own birthday! The whole town is going to be there, you have to represent the Madrigals." Alma said firmly, looking at him to make sure he'd actually do it.

Bruno really didn't have the energy to argue right now, and every word from his mamá just reminded him of the expectations he had to uphold- ones he often failed to do.

"Si mamá-" he smiled weakly, trailing off and looking down. Alma smiled, glad that he agreed to it.

"Go to Julieta now, Brunito, you can help her with the kitchen before the guests arrive." She said, he nodded, softly saying "Si..". As soon as he turned back from her his fake smile dropped as he quietly sighed and looked down. Her words rang through his mind. 'The whole town is going to be there, you have to represent the Madrigals'. They only made him more nervous than he already was.

He took a deep breath, holding it as he knocked on the kitchen’s door frame a few times before walking in.

"Hola." He smiled awkwardly, giving a small wave to Julieta, knowing she wouldn't exactly be pleased to see him after he stole the food and was subsequently kicked from the kitchen.

"Bruno, I swear to god-" Julieta turned round, rolling pin clutched threatingly in her hand.

"Woah woah! It's okay! I'm not gonna eat more, I promise. Mamá sent me to help you clean up and then welcome the guests." he weakly chuckled, holding his hands up defensively.

"Ah alright then, Casita will still keep an eye on you though." she said, the Casita moving one of its cupboards in a gesture like it was a finger telling him off.

He just chuckled awkwardly, honestly finding himself too nervous at the moment to even eat the temptingly good cakes.

Walking over to where Julieta was, he helped her put the ingredients back to their cupboards. Julieta could tell that he was anxious, his eyebrows furrowed in worry and the complete silence from him was always an indicator something was wrong.

"Hey, it'll be okay hermanito." She smiled reassuringly, putting her hand on his shoulder. Bruno looked up at her, almost surprised at first that she had noticed so quickly, but he figured it was in her nature- and that he wasn't exactly the most subtle..

"Heh, thanks Julie." He smiled back weakly, really more to reassure her that he'd be okay. Secretly he doubted it.

She smiled, looking into his eyes reassuringly. She had always had a motherly instinct towards others.

"Let's go and welcome the guests inside, okay?" She said, looking at him partly as if he were about to make a run for it- something he admittedly felt like doing.

"Si.." he trailed off, following Julieta out of the kitchen and to the entrance of the casita. Just walking through the empty house that would so soon be filled to the brim gave him shivers. The roar of their distant chatter grew louder and louder as they approached the entrance, and for a moment Bruno found himself frozen, just staring ahead and trying to breathe. Already it seemed so loud, so much. Was it more than before? Of course, it always was. Maybe he could just go back up to his room and hide? Maybe nobody would notice-

"Bruno?"

He snapped back into reality, seeing Julieta right in front of the entrance, looking at him with a mix of concern and confusion.

Bruno held his breath and crossed his fingers. Uno…dos…tres …4…5…6…and exhale, he knocked on the wooden pillar lining the wall, finally walking up to Julieta.

Here he goes.

He stepped outside with her, having to go to the side of the guests that made their way indoors. Just like before, it seemed the whole town was here to celebrate. All apart from Sandra. Of course he didn't blame her, but he wished she was here, to see her face among the crowd...at this moment he'd be overjoyed.

That wasn't going to happen though.

"Welcome inside! You don't have to worry about your belongings, the casita will order them all up!" Julieta smiled as she warmly talked to the guests, and Bruno remembered that he wasn't here to sadly stare at people.

He mentally prepared himself as a couple were about to pass him. This was his chance!

"Ahem, h-hola!". He cleared his throat, greeting them with a smile obviously too wide to be natural. Then he just stood there. Go on, say something!.

They stood there, slightly startled, chuckling very awkwardly as they walked past him.

He sighed. Why did this seem to come naturally to everyone but him?.

He relegated himself to just awkwardly smile and wave at the rest of the incoming townspeople, trying his best to appear as if he didn't want to run away.

Julieta looked at him, honestly pitying her brother and his poor social skills. After a few moments of him awkwardly trying to greet guests and not look hurt at the looks they gave him, Julieta, who had been helping people sort out where to leave their donkeys, called him.

"Hey Bruno!"

Bruno turned, seeing Julieta next to some donkeys and the odd alpaca. He practically scurried over through the crowd to her, ignoring the looks people gave him as he did so.

"I was thinking you could show the Gonzalez's and Lopez's to the stables?" She smiled, trying to actively involve him into actually doing something and not just awkwardly waving at guests.

"Oh! Um yes- follow me!" He told the two families who exchanged cautious looks between each other before following him, taking their animals with them.

This was easy, just show them to the stables, there's no way he could mess it up! Bruno thought to himself, feeling the closest he'd been to confident that day.

"Here they are! You can just leave them in there and come back after." He showed them, chuckling awkwardly. Without saying much they started to gather their animals inside, Bruno just left uneasily standing there.

Deciding to push himself and actually be more helpful, he took a deep breath, gathering the courage to offer help.

"W-would you like some help?"-

The townspeople made a surprised "Hmm?" Before turning back to see him standing there, holding his arm as he often did when nervous, and in general.

"Oh!-Y-yes please, that'd be wonderful" one lady said, clearly a little hesitant at first along with the others, who exchanged skeptical glances before accepting his help.

"Here, you can hold Francesca and Simone." The lady handed him the rope around the two donkeys necks.

"Ooh, could you take Carlos and Paco as well?"

"And Rafeal and Pescado!"

"Woa!-" Bruno didn't even have time to comprehend that someone named their alpaca "fish" when he found himself holding the ropes around the majority of the animals.

"Uh alright, okay." he said more to himself, untangling the ropes. "This is fine, you can do this- I can do this" he quietly muttered to himself.

The first family began to sort out their remaining animals, not long after though they turned their heads back at the sound of music, the party was really starting to get raging.

The family members looked at each other, all seeming to contemplate whether or not to ask Bruno to sort the rest out while they went to the party.

Bruno however didn't notice this, trying to keep 2 donkeys from kicking each other, while awkwardly avoiding eye contact with a rather menacing alpaca, Pescado.

It loomed over him, ominously, looking at him as if the two were long greatest enemies. Bruno just looked down, not wanting to fight an alpaca. Why did it seem to be so filled with hatred towards him? He was confused, making people angry was something he had gotten used to, but admittedly he never thought he'd find himself being loathed by an alpaca.

"Ahem."

His attention was brought back as he looked at the family. "We, were wondering if you could maybe organise the rest of them while we went to the party? -It's just, some of our friends are waiting for us there, that's all!" The woman awkwardly chuckled, wearing a slightly overly sweet smile, as if she knew making the person whose birthday they were celebrating do work while they partied was a little morally ambiguous to say the least.

"Oh! Sure." Bruno however didn't mind at all, this meant he didn't have to be at the party earlier, but he also remembered what his mamá would say. 'It is your job as a Madrigal to help the people of Encanto'.

"Great! Gracias." the people left, leaving him with the donkeys and rather murderous alpaca.

He wasn't concerned though, instead just turning to the animals. "Well I guess it's just you and me, ay amigos?" He sighed, in that moment narrowly missing a hurtling ball of spit from none other than Pescado.

"Wow". Bruno just blinked his now wide eyes in surprise. "I think I'll put you in first."-

He nervously chuckled as he approached the at least 7 foot tall creature, taking the rope and leading the tall hateful creature into the stable.

He wasn't concerned though, instead just turning to the animals. "Well I guess it's just you and me, ah amigos?" He sighed, in that moment narrowly missing a hurtling ball of spit from none other than Pescado.

"Wow". Bruno just blinked his now wide eyes in surprise. "I think I'll put you in first".

He nervously chuckled as he approached the at least 7 foot tall creature, taking the rope and leading the tall hateful creature into the stable.

With quite a bit of effort, he managed to pull the alpaca inside, dodging yet another ball of spit it sent this way. "Not today amigo." he weakly chuckled, knocking on the wooden pillar before grabbing the rope to tie it around.

Huh. Why did others always make it seem so easy?- He furrowed his brows in concentration, trying "There!" He said triumphantly, chuckling in relief. Seeming to set off by his happiness the alpaca jumped towards him, making him yelp in fear as he fell back into the hay.

Bruno closed his eyes and curled into a ball, expecting the hooves of the angry alpaca next, only, that fortunately didn't come. He opened his eyes, confused. The knot seemed to have loosened, but by some miracle still held on, saving him from becoming the alpacas piñata.

"Whew" he chuckled shakily in relief, standing up, and running past Pescado as quickly as possible. "Hah!" He laughed in triumph again, this time out of range of the alpaca that eyed him with pure hatred.

"You! And me!-Not amigos!" He declared, genuinely confused as to why the creature disliked him so much. He remembered how earlier he gave a young girl a vision that her fish would die. Bruno cringed at the memory. It had been a rather big deal, another vision as usual gone bad. He began to wonder if fish in general were just bad luck to him.

"Alright, now the rest of you." he turned back to the couple of donkeys, most idly minding their own business, apart from two that kept trying to kick one another.

Bruno made a point to separate them first, bringing them by their ropes and then tying them to pillars. One by one, he sorted out each donkey, the process very quickly becoming mundane, but he preferred it over the unpredictable alpaca.

"Whew." He stopped to catch his breath, wiping sweat off of his forehead. Now he wasn't so surprised that the people were more than eager to leave them. Bruno turned around, finally! The last one.

He took the rope around the donkey, walking to the stables. "WoA-" Bruno yelped as he fell back, once again into the hay. He sat up, confused and by this point rather frustrated as he turned to the donkey that hadn't moved a muscle and was now looking at him with the same unbothered expression as before.

He sighed, leaning towards the stable and knocking on the wood, before taking a deep breath.

With his nerves somewhat settled, he got up, grabbed the rope and pulled again, at first thinking perhaps he just thought the donkey was still in place like a statue.

But as Bruno pulled and heaved the donkey didn't even budge from its place. He got behind it, trying to maybe push it to the stable, but nothing. Not even the slightest inch. The donkey had rooted itself, and had no intention of moving.

"Aurgh!" He kicked a bucket and held his face in annoyance. Of course, it seemed that there always had to be some kind of a problem.

Maybe he could bribe it?-

Bruno furrowed his brow in thought, trying to remember where the food was kept. Aha!, he smiled as he remembered they kept it in the first pen, the smile fading as he also remembered that was where he had put Pescado in.

He gulped, trying to weigh what he valued more, going to the party?- or his life?-

Bruno took a deep breath, knocking on the wooden pillar 6 times. He frowned as he thought about his mother, her and the townspeople's disappointment and anger with him when they'd find out he just let one donkey go. It seemed all he was good for was disappointment nowadays.

He sighed, walking over a little to the stable containing the potentially murderous alpaca in it. The food wasn't so far away. Yet Bruno knew he couldn't do it, he wasn't brave enough to even dare to. But Hernando was.

With a swift motion, Bruno put his hood up, 'becoming' Hernando. He walked towards the stable with a confident gait. It was almost as if he could hear western music, at a stand off with his arch nemesis, Pescado.

‘Hernando’ took a deep breath before sprinting quicker than he had in his life and grabbing the carrot from a bucket, narrowly avoiding yet another ball of spit hurtling his way.

"HA!" He yelled triumphantly, hood falling down as he jumped up, adrenaline still coursing through his veins. By now the knot had loosened even more, but was still enough to contain the ferocious creature. Bruno knew for sure he wasn't going to go back and redo the knot anyway.

The carrot seemed to do the trick, the donkey following him back into the stable where he promptly tied the rope into a knot. There! Now after avoiding near death he was faced with an even bigger, much scarier challenge- the party.

After picking out some of the hay in his hair and straightening his ruana, he ran back to the casita, knowing that at any time now his mamá would be making her announcement, and oh boy, she wouldn't like it if he was late.

Bruno went through the side of the house, avoiding the people out in the courtyard as he stopped to catch his breath, honestly worn out from trying to arrange the animals into their stables.

"There you are!"

Bruno turned around to see Julieta running over to him. "We've been looking for you for ages! Have you any idea how worried mamá is?!"

Bruno gulped, imagining his mamá’s angry face. "L-lo siento, just had a little run in with the donkeys.." He chuckled wearily, Julieta just rolling her eyes, regretting giving him the task in the first place.

"Come, mamá's about to start!" she said, and he couldn't help but quietly gulp again, nodding and following her up the stairs.

As he walked out to stand by his mother, Pepa already waiting there, he looked down at the people below. There were hundreds at least, all of them staring at his sister, and him. 'You're alright, this is fine-' Bruno tried to calm himself down, now uncomfortably sweating.

On top of that, he could feel his mama's disapproving gaze when she saw he was still wearing his ruana, despite of what she had said.

Not wanting to mention it aloud in public though, Alma didn't comment, instead turning to the crowd of people below, her disapproving expression turning into one of warmth and friendliness in an uncannily short amount of time.

"Everyone!" She began, the crowd of people quieting down. "I am so glad that so many of you made it here on this very special day". Her gaze visibly saddened, as she took a deep breath. "23 years ago, we all had to run away from our homes, looking for a safe place to take refuge in. As you all know, my husband Pedro… gave his life to protect us, giving us this miracle, the Encanto" she smiled sadly, clearly deep in thought.

Bruno couldn't help but look at his mamá with a frown at the mention of his papá, Pedro. He had no recollection of the events, him and his hermanas too young to remember, but everyone knew what had happened. How his papá gave his life for them. He was a hero.

Bruno looked down, unable to think to himself what his papá would think of him. He wanted to imagine that he'd be proud, but it seemed he could only disappoint.

Bruno subconsciously clenched his fists. Why couldn't he be better?

"With the Encanto and the Casita came another miracle, my children's gifts". Bruno looked down again, unable to look at the townspeople, knowing how many he had managed to anger.

"Because of the miracle, me and my children all swear to serve this community, to show how thankful we all are for our amazing gifts.."

Thankful? Bruno couldn't help but think to himself, by each sentence he managed to feel worse and worse. He couldn't help but feel guilt creep up on him, his papá had died for this, and he wasn't even grateful for his gift?

"And as every year passes we grow to help this community more and more, as our gifts grow with us, to help the people of Encanto" Alma smiled, the people below cheering and clapping.

"Now, let the celebrations begin!" She finished her announcement, immediately the music began to play as the casitas tiles moved enthusiastically. Everyone cheered, everyone but Bruno.

The celebrations were supposed to be the fun part, and yet it never felt that way anymore. Slowly Bruno slid through the crowd, keeping his head low as to avoid eye contact.

Everyone was conversing with one another, leaving him awkwardly standing there as he couldn't integrate to any conversation.

"Hey!" He saw someone smile and wave in his direction. Bruno wondered if he knew them, about to greet them when they walked past him, having been addressing the person behind him.

He frowned, deciding the best way to spend his time would be if he sat at good tables, and ate Julie's food. A grin grew on his face as he once again saw the cakes, taking some on his plate and sitting down in one of the few empty spaces.

Bruno ate the food, at least able to enjoy his hermana’s cooking as he hummed to himself. All seemed to be going well, until he looked down, seeing the rats he bought peeking their heads out, smelling the opportunity in front of them.

Two squeaked at each other, already fighting over the crumbs on his lap. "Shh! No, get back!" He whispered hastily, not noticing the few odd looks he got from the unknowing townspeople, now internally questioning why he was talking to and covering his lap.

As he focused on stopping the two from making too much noise, unbeknownst to him, one was already on the table.

Once he looked up he gasped, immediately snatching the rat back into his ruana before it could be seen. Seeing the weird looks people gave him he chuckled uneasily, deciding with the rats it would be best if he kept away from the food.

"This is absolutely ridiculous" he quietly reprimanded his rats as he walked through the crowd, eventually making it to one of the casita’s walls which he leaned on, pretty disinterested but glad that no one was paying attention to him

Before he knew it, it was now Bruno's least favourite part of the entire celebration. He had always thought of this part as a sort of "showcase" of their gifts. Julieta handed out food to people, Pepa made a rainbow, and he…just sort of stood there, away from them as if he wasn't even invited to the party.

"Woo!" He heard the cheer of people, Felìx as always ever so supportive of Pepa, and a now injured Agustin back with Julieta, who just rolled her eyes before stuffing an arepa into his mouth.

Bruno frowned and sighed. He thought about the fact that he was basically being ignored at what was partly his own birthday party, he supposed it was better that way, the painful memory of what had happened when he was 15 flashing in his mind.

He was doing visions for people, sat out on the floor with his equipment and a bucket of sand. When he had been younger this had been seen as the 'main event', and Bruno could see why.

The dramatic twirl of the sand, the bright glow of his eyes, and before you knew it, an emerald tablet in his hands. It was the quite the spectacle.

It seemed as time passed on though the visions only seemed to get worse, and who was to blame in their minds but him?

15 year old Bruno sat down, doing a vision for another person in the formed line. The glow of his eyes, the small dome of sand, and it was done. He didn't even have time to process what was on the vision tablet when he felt a fist hit nose, hard.

Gasps, followed by the angry man being pulled away, angrily yelling obscenities at the now bloody teenager. He sat on the floor, eyes wide in shock as he looked down at his bloody hands that had been instinctively over his broken nose. "Bruno are you okay?!" Said Julieta's voice, he didn't answer.

"Bruno!'

"Ah!" He yelped and jumped up a little, seeing Julie in front of him. He realised he had been so deep in thought that he didn't see her walk over to him, now looking at him with concern as he didn't answer her question.

"Oh!, oh yes!-hehe sorry…yea, I'm fine" Bruno chuckled weakly in an attempt to reassure her, yet her eyes were still filled with concern. Before she could say anything though, a loud crash was heard through the casita.

Everyone went silent, looking up at where the noise had come from.

They heard an ever so long scream, growing louder as a terrified and incredibly disheveled man ran into the courtyard.

"PESCADO- PESCADO HAS ESCAPED!".

Most people looked at eachother, incredibly confused. "Fish?" A few people muttered, others shrugging it off.

Bruno held his breath. Had the knot finally slipped loose?

In that moment though, the aforementioned Pescado had arrived, in the same place the screaming man was seconds ago, and with a murderous intent, charged towards the crowd.

Chaos erupted as people screamed, trying to get as far away from the four legged towering creature of rage as it rampaged around the courtyard.

Bruno was among the people, more than eager to escape, fearing what Pescado would do when he recognised him.

In a matter of seconds, a crowd had formed of people trying to squeeze through the doors of the Casita, and Bruno was stuck near the end of it. Pepa's weather didn't entirely calm anyone's nerves, a rain cloud surrounding her and drenching the guests as she quietly apologised, brushing her hair with her hands in an attempt to calm down.

He turned back to see how close Pescado was, seeing him fling over an unlucky bystander. That's when he noticed something. Strangely, it wasn't everyone who got to feel Pescados wrath, and as he looked over at the people the enraged alpaca targeted, he realised something. They were all wearing green.

"Huh.." Bruno said at the realisation, yelping as he got pushed forward by the people desperately trying to escape. He didn't really know why, perhaps in an attempt to fix his wrong, but with unnatural courageousness he ran back to the courtyard, calling everybody's attention.

"Hey! Everybody!" He yelled at the top of his voice, the people glancing back at him, clearly questioning his sanity. "Bruno get away from here!" Julieta yelled at him, he however ignored her.

"It's alright you can come back, it's green- he hates the colour green!" He gestured to the group of injured people by Julieta, all indeed wearing some form of green.

His voice had called the alpacas attention, as it turned to him, eyes like fiery coals. Bruno gulped, figuring there was a way to test out his feeling, but moreover knowing that running was futile.

He took off his ruana, the rats scurrying away from him. Bruno kissed his ruana, muttering a quiet "sorry" to his beloved garment.

Like a bull, the alpaca charged at him. He threw his ruana as far as he could, still closing his eyes in fear of impact, it however, didn't come. He opened his eyes, seeing Pescado had followed the green item of clothing, now angrily stomping at it.

He chuckled in disbelief, for once amazed at his luck. "Hehe… see! We can put him back in the stables now- just probably don't come out if you're wearing green..".

The people look at eachother, all nodding in agreement. In that moment, a little girl who had been hiding behind a wrecked table jumped out, crying out "mamá!" As she began to run back to the crowd.

The problem was, she was wearing a green dress. The crowd immediately gasped, her mamá’s far cry of horror as she realised what was happening. Pescado turned, charging at the little girl who just stood there, paralysed in fear.

Without thinking twice, Bruno threw himself in her direction, putting his arms around her, covering her with his body. He closed his eyes, expecting to feel the hard hooves of the alpaca, but he didn't.

"Huh?" Bruno dared to open his eyes. He couldn't believe it. Pescado was just…there. Standing there with a disinterested expression, like a completely normal alpaca. He figured with the child out of view, the alpaca simply just gave up.

Within seconds a group of men (not wearing green) threw new rope around the alpaca, swiftly taking it away from the courtyard.

It was over.

Bruno let out a short sigh of disbelief, uncovering the girl. He turned, hearing the mother running over to her child, grabbing her and holding her, crying from the overwhelming emotions.

Bruno stood up, not really minding that the she didn't seem to acknowledge his presence.

As people gradually started to refill the courtyard, Bruno went over to his now, very, wrecked ruana, putting it on purely out of need for comfort.

"How did the alpaca manage to get out in the first place?!" Asked a voice.

"Yea!-aren't the animals supposed to be tied up?" Said another.

Bruno gulped, quietly and subtly tried to get through the crowd of people, something that was taking very long due to the size of it.

A few questions later his heart sunk as he heard. "Who dealt with the animals anyway?"

A moment later and he froze as he heard the answer.

"I left him and the others with Bruno!" Said Pescados owner, the crowd now talking amongst themselves. "Us too!"-

"He said he'd deal with it all fine and look what happened!"

-"Uh, what did you expect- since when does anything good happen when it's Bruno?"-

They slowly ganged up as the people around Bruno stepped away, leaving him in singled out of the crowd.

He laughed, very nervously, feeling as if his heart would explode. He would honestly pick Pescado anytime over this.

"Hehe…everyone, it was an accident" Bruno said, instinctively shrinking away from the eyes on him.

"Oh, just an accident, like that time you saw my business would close down?" A voice sneered, followed by murmurs of agreement.

"Or perhaps that time a cat ate all my chickens!".

By this point Bruno was terrified, his whole body trembling as his eyes looked like those of a prey about to get caught.

"Why are you laughing?, do you think this is funny matón?".

"Yea! A little girl could have died because of you!".

Bruno’s quiet response, more of a murmur really, that he "laughed when nervous" was unheard, the crowd of people turning into a mob as they expressed their anger.

"You can't just blame him for everything! He didn't mean for this to happen, it isn't his fault!" Julieta spoke up in defense of him, feeling guilty for the whole situation as it was her who told him to help with the animals in the first place. "Right mamá?" She turned to her for support. If the crowd would listen to anyone, that someone was Alma.

Alma opened her mouth to say something but didn't say anything, she looked at him conflicted before frowning and looking away.

Bruno had enough. Of this party, of the people treating him like a curse, and most of all his mamá’s disappointment in him.

Wiping his tears with his tattered sleeve he ran off, the people parting for him, watching as he disappeared from view. No one went after him.

After going up the stairs, Bruno slammed the door to his bedroom. He slowly slid down until he was sitting, bringing up his knees to his face as he sobbed. Why did he even try to make things different?! Of course it was going to end this way, it always did.

The three rats he fed before came to his side, bruxing with concern as they could tell something was very wrong. One jumped up onto his knee, burying its face through his locks of hair before tilting his head at him worriedly.

"Hola Bonita" Bruno quietly croaked, petting the rat as it licked the tears off his cheek. He chuckled, unable to not smile a little. "I'm afraid not even you can make this day any good".

As if on cue he heard a loud smack against the window, jumping and ever so slightly fearing for his life again when he squinted his eyes, seeing a face and the oh so familiar red hair. Sandra!

Wait.

"SANDRA?!" His eyes widened as he ran over to the window, immediately opening it for her. What in the world was she doing outside his window?!

"Ah, thank you" she said breathlessly as she went inside, making sure to throw in the box she had been holding, adrenaline still coursing through her veins.

"What- what are you doing here?..." he asked in genuine puzzlement, still looking at her with wide eyes as he recovered from the shock. Even if it weren't for her entrance he was still shocked to see her, how did she manage to leave the shop? And hadn't he told her not to come?

"Oh!, erm, too many people outside hehe- and inside, so I took a shortcut-" she chuckled, thinking he was just referencing the window. Before she even got to finish her sentence however, Bruno had wrapped his arms around her in a tight, affectionate hug.

She looked a little surprised at first, before hugging him back.

"I'm so, so glad you're here" Bruno weakly chuckled, but meant it more than anything. Despite his words and effort to convince her to stay away, he wanted nothing more than for her to be here with him.

"Of course, mi amor" she smiled, speaking ever so softly. Sandra pulled away, not fully, just enough to see his face. Her smile turned visibly sad as she gently wiped a tear under his eye. "I'm so, so sorry". She was beyond heartbroken to see him like this, cheeks stained with tears, beloved ruana tattered almost beyond recognition.

Bruno sniffled, smiling back sadly. "Wait" he began, puzzled. "How did you know?...". Not only did she seem not surprised to find him in such a miserable state, but also knew exactly where to go- or in this case, climb.

"I saw everything…" She weakly chuckled. "I was going to come later anyway, it took me like, a full hour to get close enough to see the courtyard, and then suddenly everyone was trying to leave!, b-but…I managed to stay close enough to see the alpaca, and you, and what happened after…"

Bruno looked down and frowned. "Nothing can just seem to go right, can it?" He let out air through his nose almost as a sort of snort.

She looked at him, with concern. "Well I mean…I did manage to scale the Casita without falling to my death so…that's a plus?" She chuckled, trying to find her eyes and at least get a smirk out of him.

That didn't happen though, as he eyes remained on the floor, clearly in thought. "Do you think…my papá…would be disappointed with me?" He asked quietly, looking up at her with sad defeated eyes.

"What?!" Sandra's eyes widened a little, shocked by the question. "A-a-are you kidding me? Of course not! First you went out and bull-fought that alpaca, and then, then you jumped to save that little girl!, risking your own life!"

She held his hands, bringing them up as she looked into eyes. "Your papá would be so proud of you, no, he is so proud of you!, an-and I don't care what your mamá says!, you risked your life to save that small child, is that not giving back to the community?”

He looked up at her, taken aback and at a loss for words.

"Listen to me, they are the problem. They ask for more and never stop to appreciate what you already give! You are a hero, Bruno".

Bruno’s eyes widened even more, a small blush forming on his cheeks. "Hehe, I wouldn't say that.." He chuckled quietly, scratching the back of his head.

"But you are! You're like the great heroes you write in your telenovelas, I mean- that alpaca was terrifying…" she chuckled weakly.

"Yea… Pescado definitely is something else, I'll give you that" Bruno weakly chuckled, looking back at Sandra whose lips curled upwards as she tried not to laugh.

He sighed and she burst out in laughter, not able to hold back. "I-I'm sorry…but, Pescado?" She looked up at him.

"Look I don't know, that's what the guy said-" now that Bruno thought of it it was a very amusing name for an alpaca, unable to not laugh himself.

"That's like something out of a telenovela!" She wiped the tears of laughter under eyes.

"Pfft- I ought to write a story about it now" Bruno chuckled at the realisation.

"Please do, I'd like to watch it very much- ooh!, which reminds me-" Sandra perked up, looking over at the box on the floor.

She took it, sitting down on the bed and gesturing for Bruno to sit down with her, which he did. "Oh Sandy, you didn't have to.." Already he couldn't help but smile as he awaited her present with excitement.

"Shh! I didn't even open it yet!" She chuckled, jokingly pressing her finger against his lips. "Alright, close your eyes".

Bruno did as she said, unable to not giggle like a small child from the excitement.

"Alright, you can open them".

Bruno’s eyes dilated like a cat. His mouth was wide open, yet he was lost for words.

"MY RUANA?!" He asked in disbelief. In front of him Sandra held a perfect replica of it, just new and untouched- unlike the one he had on. She handed it to him and he buried his face in the material. "Oh my god" he muttered. It was so soft.

After a few moments of just holding it to his face he discarded his old destroyed ruana on the floor, putting the new one on. Making rainbows was part of his sister's gift, but in that moment he looked like he exuded them.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you-" He hugged her again, speaking rapidly from excitement but genuinely grateful.

He pulled away, looking down at it. "I just- woo" his arms automatically waved a little from happiness, making Sandra chuckle.

His rats instantly climbed onto the bed, eagerly going in the strangely familiar but also new garment of clothing.

For the first time today, Bruno was beyond overjoyed. His hands felt the softness of the fabric as he basked in its glory. "S-so what do you think Sandy?, do I look good?" He asked excitedly.

"You always look good, Bruno" Sandra softly chuckled, earnest in her words as his cheeks heated up.

"Hehe, thank you, you too" he quietly mumbled, shyly leaning forward to leave a small but loving kiss on her lips.

One of his rats popped its head out of his new ruana, and Sandra who had been caught up in the moment as well, remembered that there was more in the box.

"That's not all! I doubt it'll make you as insanely happy as this, but still.." she chuckled, handing him over the box.

He looked inside curiously, eyes lighting up once more as he saw the contents. "Sets and prompts for my telenovelas! Thank you" he smiled, taking them out.

The backdrops were painted in painstaking detail, many from recent books he had read and particularly enjoyed. As for the props, small household items were reused and remade to look real, pencil shavings made to look like fancy headpiece and more.

Bruno noticed one more item on the bottom, gasping a little as he took out a well crafted leather bound notebook.

"You mentioned your other ones getting full, so I thought why not?-" Sandra chuckled, once again unable to finish her sentence as Bruno hugged her, her hugging him back.

"Thank you" he smiled gratefully.

"O-of course" Sandra smiled back, happy that he was happy, especially after the days unfortunate events.

Her fingers stroked through his hair and she chuckled quietly from amusement. "Mi amor, you have hay in your hair" Sandra carefully took them out.

"Ah yes, fell into a lot of hay when I dealt with Pescado.." Bruno chuckled, content in just sitting there on his bed. After the unpredictable day he was happy to have some normal piece with the woman he loved.

Well, almost everyday peace.

"Sandy?"

"Hmm?"

"Please just use the stairs the next time-"

"...Alright".