#though I would like to add! This is a very tidy town and lemons are a rare thing to find laying about!

[lukashaa]

Had to physically stop myself from taking a photo of a shrivelled up lemon I saw in the parking lot of my local college, thinking “this is just like pathologic”

[owletstarlet]

the grand deeds of great men, the smallest of gestures

"My hero."

An (extremely late) request of sorts from @taizi for some solid nishi content, involving Tanuma putting those childhood karate lessons to good use. Established tanunatsu.

Ao3 link in the notes. 

“Your boyfriend,” Satoru announces without preamble, dragging Tanuma by their joined hands through the hotel room door, “is a badass.”

Natsume looks up sharply from where he and Atsushi are huddled over a pile of rumpled travel pamphlets on the bed. But it’s Taki who’s on her feet first, closing the distance to the door with a pinched look and taking the shopping bag out of Tanuma’s hand.

Satoru’s grinning. Tanuma is very much not.

But they’re both shaking.

Satoru doesn’t let go of Tanuma’s hand until Natsume’s there to take it. Atsushi’s there to grab Satoru by the shoulders, and the five of them shuffle back as one towards the beds.

Natsume doesn’t press for the explanation until they’re all seated, he and Taki pressed up against either side of Tanuma, their knees bumping up against Atsushi’s and Satoru’s in the narrow space between the two beds. The muttered question is probably more directed at Satoru than at Tanuma, because Tanuma’s gray-faced in the lamplight, gaze a little too wide, breaths coming a little too fast. Both Natsume’s hands are wrapped around Tanuma’s slack one, and on his other side Taki’s hands are gentle where they rub his back, but her keen eyes keep darting over to Satoru, expression tight with all the same concern. Satoru, for his part, is practically vibrating where he sits tucked against Atsushi’s side, from nerves or exhilaration or both, Atsushi can’t quite tell.

“He flipped a guy!” Satoru declares, with a wide one-handed swoop of a gesture at Tanuma, sounding positively giddy about it.

Well. Whatever Atsushi was expecting to hear, it wasn’t that.

“What,” Natsume says, blankly, at the same time that Taki says, “…wait.”

And then they’re all looking at Tanuma. Who very much looks like he’d rather not be looked at.

“It was the actual best thing I have ever seen,” Satoru says, nudging Tanuma’s knee with his own, and there’s something fierce and warm in his eyes. “And he thinks he’s gonna go to jail or something for it, which he’s not, because the guy deserved it, so that would be dumb.”

“What happened?” Atsushi blurts, now well and truly alarmed.

And he tells them.

They’re in Osaka for a long weekend, because Natori had invited them all along for some premiere of a new period piece that Satoru had been gushing about for months. Natsume’s not exactly ecstatic about attending the event itself, but he’s clearly happy that Satoru’s happy—Atsushi gathers that that’s whole point of this—and even if Natori himself is all booked up with press events for the majority of the weekend, it’s a chance for them all to explore the unfamiliar city together.

Not thirty minutes ago, Satoru and Tanuma had volunteered to make a combini run for snacks, only about two blocks from the hotel. But once they’d finished and were through the door, bags in hand, Tanuma had realized he’d forgotten to get the ice cream Taki had asked for. He’d gone back in to get it, while Satoru stayed out front to sip at the cocoa he’d bought. They hadn’t really paid any mind to the group milling about out front. Salarymen, by the looks of them, three or four younger guys in tidy suits with raucous voices and beers in hand. Satoru had been making his way to the bench near the entrance to wait, not quite looking where he was going, and he’d bumped into one of them, causing some of his beer to slosh over the lip of the can and onto the guy’s blazer sleeve. From his place in line Tanuma had heard it, the sharp “Oy!” and the rumbles of displeasure from man’s friends. Tanuma’s not sure what became of the ice cream he’d been holding—maybe he dropped it, maybe he shoved it into the hands of the customer beside him—but the next thing he knew he was out the door, wedging himself firmly between Satoru and the man who now had him by the arm.

“And then he just…bam!” Satoru mimes the motion, as though he’s grabbing something heavy with both hands from behind, and twisting it downwards in front of him. “Like. Grabbed him. And just. Flipped him! Guy went down beer and all, and he looked super confused about being on the ground all of a sudden. And it was amazing, and I had no idea he took karate before.”

And with that, three sets of startled eyes all land squarely on Tanuma. Natsume taps his knee, like he’s trying to break him away from whatever’s got its grip on him behind his own glassy gaze.

“Karate?” Taki looks, at first, gobsmacked by this piece of information. But it morphs into something like slow-breaking delight across her features.

Tanuma’s nod is a single, tight bob of the head. “Just, um.” It’s the first time he’s spoken since walking through the door, and his voice is a ghost of a thing, like it might get swallowed up by the stale air of the room. “Until I was twelve. On and off. I don’t remember much.”

“You remembered plenty,” Satoru tells him, tone banking no argument, before clasping his hands together dramatically. “My hero.” His grin is so wide and irresistibly cheesy that Tanuma looks up, just for a moment, with the barest twitch of his lips before his gaze drops back down towards the stretch of flowery pink carpet beneath their toes. Natsume shoots Satoru a grateful look, even as Atsushi finds himself doing the same to Tanuma. Somewhere, during the course of the story, he’d found himself squashed up impossibly close against Satoru, arm tucked firmly around his shoulders. He seems genuinely excited, not distressed, but against Atsushi’s side he still feels wound up tight as a coiled spring. It’s definitely not lost on Natsume, either, judging by the glance he gives Atsushi. Atsushi nudges Natsume’s foot—he’s okay, I got him—and Natsume nods, once, though his gaze lingers a moment longer on Satoru’s flushed, still-beaming face.

“So you’re afraid someone saw?” Atsushi asks, while Taki fishes out a tea bottle from the shopping bag, uncaps it and presses it into Tanuma’s hand.

Tanuma doesn’t answer, but that touch of a grin from before has twisted itself into something distinctly nauseated.

“If anyone did see, they’d know the dude was fine.” Satoru shrugs. “Also that he deserved it, remember. We ran, anyways.”

Natsume blinks. “You ran here?”

And Atsushi can’t help but see the comedy in that being what Natsume seizes on, considering the truly impressive amount of times Atsushi’s seen him tearing through town apropos of nothing like he’s got a swarm of invisible hornets on his tail.

“Yup,” Satoru says, brightly, tapping Tanuma’s knee. “Felt like an action movie.” A pause, before he tacks on, not unkindly, “Y’know, if you’re not gonna drink that tea, then I will.”

Tanuma blinks down at the tea bottle, which had tilted enough in his hand to nearly spill onto the scratchy comforter as though forgotten about. He manages a couple measured sips before letting Taki take it back and cap it.

Natsume squeezes Tanuma’s fingers in his own, looking unsettled. Taki looks thoughtful, idly tapping the bottle in her hands.

“Were you thinking they had a security camera out front or something?” she asks.

Tanuma says nothing.

Taki leans into his side. “You know, even if anyone watched the footage, it’s like Nishimura said. All they’d see is that man getting exactly what was coming to him,” she says, fervently.

“And you being cool as hell,” Satoru adds. “Seriously, they teach twelve-year-olds how to do that?”

The way his shoulders loosen, just a fraction, feels like a win. “I don’t…actually know?” he starts, squinting like he’s trying to recall. “I was in this class for high-schoolers at the time, because there were nothing else available in the town I lived in.” A shrug, a sheepish glance up and away. “Usually I was just partnered up with my teacher.”

“That actually sounds kind of brutal, though,” Atsushi says, curious now. “Did the teacher demonstrate take-downs and stuff on you?”

“She did, but. Really slowly,” Tanuma replies, and it’s as though the warmth of Natsume’s and Taki’s shoulders pressed up against his has started, though incrementally, to seep into his voice, his eyes. “And I never really got the hang of doing any of it back to her. I’m surprised that worked, earlier.”

Precisely none of this explanation seems to have made Satoru look any less starstruck. Atsushi has to hold back his snort. “You should totally pick it up again,” Satoru’s saying now, around a mouth full of the lemon ice pop Natsume had fished out of the shopping bag for him. “What color belt did you get up to?”

“Um.”

Just that half-second’s hesitation is long enough to put a loaded look into Natsume’s eyes, for him to slot their fingers together properly and squeeze.

Tanuma lets out a breath, and there’s something years-old and lonely clinging to the edges of his smile. Atsushi doubts he’s aware of it. “None.” He shrugs. “I didn’t pass the one exam I took. I got pneumonia that year and had to quit after that, so.”

He looks faintly embarrassed, now, and Satoru opens his mouth as though ready to nip that right in the bud, but Taki beats him to it.

“Tanuma,” she says, solemnly, turning around to face him. “You have got to teach me how you did that.”

***

By the time the polite-yet-firm call arrives from the front desk, indicating a noise complaint from their neighbors in the next room and forcing them all to call it a night, things are better.

By then, Tanuma had been goaded into demonstrating some unwieldy modified version the maneuver behind his earlier takedown, executed on a poor unsuspecting hotel pillow because the entire room had immediately nixed Satoru’s offer to be the human test dummy.

Now, Satoru and Taki are a boneless, lightly snoring tangle of limbs on the far bed, one of Satoru’s arms thrown over Natsume’s whale shark plushie. (A surprise gift from all of them, Taki’s idea, after they’d caught him eyeing it more than once in the aquarium gift shop yesterday. If he’d walked out of the aquarium clutching it to his chest just like he might’ve done with his fat cat, currently hundreds of kilometers away, none of them said a word about it.)

Natsume himself is dozing in the other bed, but he lies facing Satoru—and Satoru’s fine, he’s unharmed and happy and completely safe, he is. But for some reason the longer the night’s worn on, Atsushi’s had to remind himself of these facts more, not less. He knows the dark cast to Satoru’s slack wrist is the lamplight-shadow of his sweatshirt sleeve, knows because he checked.

Still.

Tanuma’s in the bath, now. And he seems, well. Better than he was, certainly. But Atsushi had seen the taut-lipped glances he’d stolen at Satoru, and he looks about the same way Atsushi feels. At least the unwelcome scenarios and possibilities unspooling in his own mind have got to be more vague than whatever Tanuma’s imagination was serving up. Tanuma had seen it. Had stopped it.

Let Satoru wave it off, insist ‘til he’s blue in the face that it was fine, all fine, that he hadn’t been in any real danger. If it would put his friends at ease, he’d have said the same with a smile on his face even if he’d just been robbed at knifepoint.

Atsushi really needs to stop thinking about this.

He’d heard Natsume earlier, voice whisper-gentle through the bathroom door after he’d led Tanuma in by the hand behind him. Satoru and Taki had drifted off by then. Atsushi couldn’t make out the words, and heard nothing at all from Tanuma, aside from a few isolated, stuttering breaths. Tanuma had re-emerged dazed, red-eyed, but calmer than Atsushi had seen him all evening.

When the door opens now, Tanuma steps out in a halo of steam, wet-haired and barefoot in an old t-shirt. Atsushi’s on his feet and halfway across the room before he’s even really aware of it, the change of clothes for his own bath forgotten at the foot of the bed.

Tanuma goes still, when Atsushi pulls him close. Atsushi almost lets go, but then he feels the tentative hands come up to rest on his back.

“Thank you,” Atsushi mutters into his shoulder.

“I—“

“No. Listen.” Atsushi pulls back, hands shifting to rest on his upper arms. And god but Tanuma looks exhausted. “You kept him safe,” Atsushi says. “And don’t try to tell me you didn’t, because you did. Thank you.”

Tanuma opens his mouth, closes it again, swallows. He says nothing for a long moment, but he doesn’t look away. Finally, “…sorry for freaking out.” He smiles as he says it, but his voice snags on the words. He swallows again.

“Hey.” Atsushi waits until Tanuma’s now-dropped gaze returns to him. “You don’t ever have to be sorry for that, okay? Not with us.”

A sound like an inhale, somehow sharp and shaky all at once, and then it’s Tanuma that’s pulling them together again. A steadying breath, in-out-in that ruffles Atsushi’s hair. Stillness.

“Okay,” he whispers.

***

If he does go to jail, it's Natori who'll have to bail him out :)

Sensei didn't come along because I like to think Hiiragi, Sasago and Urihime have been taking turns watching over Natsume, which is more than sufficient, except for when it's *not* Natsume himself who's getting into trouble--

Fun fact, according to the most current iteration of canon, Tanuma's taken judo in the past as well as karate, but the bulk of this was written before that chapter came out.

All credit to taizi for the nice hug idea--

[freshlyjuicedbeetles]

Drakken/Shego ficlet

I started writing this a few days ago. Not sure if I’m happy about it. What do you guys think? If you all like it, I want to add a scene with Commodore Puddles and Mama Lipsky. Still kinda rough, so don’t hate me too much.

Janice Sanderson considered herself a good neighbor. She baked cookies for the neighborhood, her hubby Hank kept the yards clean and tidy and noise levels low. Janice never allowed her boys to shoot off fireworks unless it was the Fourth of July between the hours of 7 and 8:30. She was mindful of their German Shepard, Moe and didn’t let him roam free throughout the neighborhood.

Janice took pride in her home and her boys (which included Hank). She was a stay at home mom to five boys who ranged in age from six to fifteen and homeschooled them all. Between that and biweekly church services, she was a busy momma, but she still had time to keep her eye on things.

One Saturday morning, a moving van followed by a black town car, a grey SUV and one last town car pulled into the neighborhood as she made her morning coffee. Well, her day just filled up, between Isiah coming down with the measles and her essential oils party that night, now this, she’d be up to her eyeballs in things she needed to do! The moving van pulled up to the side of the grey three-story craftsmen at the end of the street (she always thought that house was ugly. No wonder it took so long to sell). The SUV pulled into the driveway, one town car pulled up behind the moving van but left a gap between them for driveway access. The second town car drove around the cul-de-sac and parked at the end of the street, opposite side. No one got out of the town cars, almost like they were protecting the new homeowners.

Was the President moving in down the street?! Wouldn’t that just be a treat?!

Her phone rang. That was Mary-Alice calling for their weekly gab sessions. Janice didn’t want to stop watching the scene going on down the street, but Mary-Alice’s daughter started listening to this unholy band fronted by a man dressed as a cardinal with mismatching eyes that totally and completely appropriated religious iconography in the name of Satan! She had to be saved before it was too late!

Around noon and one ticket to a ‘boarding school’ later, Janice checked on the house down the street. The moving truck was half empty and the town cars still in there respectively places, engines running. Janice didn’t think of what she was doing as snooping, rather just being a vigilant American looking for any unsavory types. She decided it was time to introduce herself and baked a fresh batch of cookies and homemade lemon aide. She’d save a whole family introduction when the new neighbors had settled and Isiah was better.

Luckily, the husband was unloading the SUV when she came up, making him easy to distinguish from the movers.

“Hello there!” Janice chirped happily, trying to get his attention. He pulled himself from deep in the car, trying to reach the other side without actually walking all that way.

She was able to get a good look at her new neighbor for the first time. She was surprised to see that he was blue, blue all over. Well, stranger things were happening; there was a teenage girl fighting crime in the next city over! The scar under his eye and long black hair pulled into a ponytail were unsightly in her eyes, but he was dressed nice enough, had a nice car and bought this (ugly) house in her neighborhood so he couldn’t be that bad.

“I’m Janice Sanderson from down the street, house 3782,”

“Oh, uh, hello. I’m Dr. Drew Lipsky.” He replied, cordially. He preferred his ‘alter ego’ Dr. Drakken, who for the last twenty years sought to take over the world. Nowadays, he was more interested in getting his wife Shego to stop teasing him and building things.

Ever since the Lowardian incident, Global Justice secured Drakken and Shego with a cushy job with the government defense contract. Drakken could build anything he wanted, experiment on anything he wanted as long as the government could use it. Did he wake up one morning and decide he wanted to make a new nerve agent worse than novichok then the next day build a truth discerning AI that could fit in the palm of your hand, then the day after that build his own working lightsaber? He totally could. Shego? Well, she still got paid to punch people, so she was happy.

“Oh, a doctor, bet you’ll come in handy around the neighborhood.”

Drakken waved his hand dismissively, “I’m not that kind of doctor.”

Janice watched as a young, very pale, almost green tinted woman bounded with energy from the house and back into the van to grab more things. She had to restrain herself from gawking at the woman, at how immodestly she was dressed! She was dressed in a green tank top, frayed, black denim shorts that did not come to her knees, but mid-thigh and dirty black converse. Her thick, raven colored hair was pulled into a tight and high ponytail. Well, she certainly would not her boys around her unsupervised!

“Is that your…daughter?”

Drakken spurted. Shego was only ten years his junior! Was this old bat blind? Did he look that old?

“I’m his wife,” She corrected, walking gracefully down the ramp with heavy looking side table in her hands that she carried with ease.

“That’s my wife, Stephanie,” Drakken added.

Eager to change the subject, Janice asked, “So what do you do for a living?”

“I’m uh,” Drakken stumbled for a moment. How did he describe what he did without blowing his cover? “a government contractor.” It had a grain of truth, so it was easy to remember but vague enough to keep any secrets just that, secret.

“That’s fascinating! Stephanie, what about you?”

She draped herself over her husband, “I’m his…secretary.” She gave a small laugh as though only herself and Drakken were in on the joke. Truthfully, she was head of security. Had been for years, now it was only official.

“Oh, well, that’s nice. Welcome to the neighborhood! I’ll let you get back to work!” Janice bid a hasty a goodbye and handed them their treats.

That couple went too against the grain for her taste. Why can’t everyone just be normal?

[james--harrington]

Work Visit || JElla

Tagging: James Harrington & Ella Jameson When: 5/19/17 Where: The auto shop Notes: 

James-05/19/2017

James wiped the grease from his hands and went to answer his office phone which was ringing off the hook the past two minutes. The rag dropped onto a stack of paper and he slid his fingers underneath the receiver. "Harrington Auto Shop," he spoke as he sat down. He wanted to groan because it felt good to give his feet and back a rest. "Oh. Yeah. Been busy," he said into the phone. "No," he kept going," He felt like sparking a cigarette but after El told him about the babies he made a conscious effort to not smoke. "Things are fine, man. I'll come by the bar later this week. Alright?" He hung up his phone right when Ella's car pulled up. He wanted to give it an oil change. James sat there for a moment. His friend knew something was up and James didn't want to tell him, or anyone, what Ella shared with him. But Chuck always had a way of uncovering the truth.

Ella-05/19/2017

Cruising around had proven to be getting harder and harder with the growing bump, but today was a good day where Ella was feeling herself. Carefully getting in to the BMW Ella drove it down to James' garage noting how much smaller the car seemed as she grew bigger and bigger. On the way she stopped for two ice coffees for them as it was a warm day.  When she pulled in she cut the engine and got out, coffees in hand. Her bump led the way in her denim off the shoulder summer dress as she walked in to the shop. "Hey Theo, is James in the office?"

James-05/19/2017

Theo greeted Ella with a warm, welcoming smile. The man pointed to the office with a wrench. "He took a phone call," he told her in case he happened to still be on the phone. Theo set the wrench aside and walked to Ella's car. James told him what it needed done earlier in the day. James heard El's voice and he pushed the phone to the side and though to tidy his desk because he knew she'd give him an earful about his filing system. But he decided to hell with it. "I'm here, El!" he called out for her to come on in.

Ella-05/19/2017

Ella thanked Theo and balanced the coffees in one hand opening the door to James office. "Ya know, I think I need a bigger car. I kinda want a Rover.. what do you think?" Ella placed a coffee on his desk and kissed his cheek,"Hi baby, how's your day?"

James-05/19/2017

"A bigger car for you or one for the babies?" He asked, getting to his feet to kiss her hello. He picked up his coffee and set it away so he could sit on the corner of his desk, feeling a stack of paper push to the side. "Busy. Not overwhelming which is good." He chewed his lip a moment. "Got a phone call from a friend of mine. Someone I've known for a lot of years. He was getting ome about not being around."

Ella-05/19/2017

"Well for all of us. It will give you more leg room and more space for all the baby gear..." Ella shrugged, "We can keep the Beamer too. That can be our date night car or something." She moved so she was in between his legs and sipped on the cold drink, eyeing the papers that moved. She gave him a look but didn't say anything. Her head cocked to the side,"oh yeah? Anyone I've met?" She tried to read his vibe if this was bothering him.

James-05/19/2017

"I like how you sell the leg room for me," he placed his hands onto her hips and tried to ignore the way she looked past him. That look she gave said it all and he though to poke fun at it. But he decided to stick with the topic of his friend. "No. Chuck wasn't at the bar when you went there." He tried to think of a way to explain who he was, "Remember when I told you I went to jail and they discharged me because of a wrongful charge? This is the friend I was with that night. The one who was arrested for assault."

Ella-05/19/2017

"And they're so pretty.." Ella smiled with a her best pouty face. Of course she could buy one herself and would gladly get one for the family. But at James seemingly serious face Ella touched his chin lovingly,"Is he someone you should be hanging out with?" She questioned gently but seriously.

James-05/19/2017

James leaned back on his hands and eyed his girl, loving the way she smiled about the car. "Why do I get the impression you'll name this?" He asked, "Would it have one of those fancy names?" He picked up his drink and sipped from the straw. "And no. He's not. He has that way of knowing somethings on my mind. And after you told me about Peter I've had days it creeps back in there and angers me all over again. I don't need him to weasle that information out of me. A. It's private. B. I know he's push for some type of revenge shit." Not that James was opposed to that latter.

Ella-05/19/2017

"Name the car?" Ella thought about it delighted,"Maybe I can call that coco." She mused. But Ella's demeanor changed the more James spoke. She understood it angering James and how it found its way back in his thoughts - it certainly was on her mind more than she liked to admit seeing him day in and day out - but still. "I didn't tell you you that to torture you or to get revenge." Ella said pointedly. "I don't want this guy bringing you down, j. I need you. We need you."

James-05/19/2017

It was a good thing James stopped drinking when he did because the eye roll which followed her name choice would have caused him to sputter.  He held the cup between his knees and looked down at it, pinching the straw to move up and down. "I know that wasn't your intention, baby. But you've got to understand you're my woman. I'm going to get into these moods where I want to protect you. Even when it comes to things that have happened." He let go of the straw and set the drink down beside him to take hold of her, unable to bring her in fully due to her bump. "Don't worry. I'm here. I'm not going anywhere." He wanted to promise he wouldn't do anything stupid but he wasn't sure he could.

Ella-05/19/2017

Ella knew that being open with James would upset him and that had been part of the big struggle of how and when to tell him but now everything was out and she had no idea what he would do with this information. Nodding, she sipped on her coffee and let James pull her in more. His words bringing her more security than he realized as they still waited the results for the paternity test they took. Something felt unsettled and she couldn't put her finger on it.

James-05/19/2017

James went to take the coffee from her hand and set it next to his. There was no way to tell which was which without reading the sides of the cups. "How are you feeling?" he wanted to steer the conversation away from Chuck and anything involving Peter and focus on her.

Ella-05/19/2017

Ella searched his face for a moment before answering. She wasn't sure what to think of his subject change but didn't press and instead went along with it. "Pretty good. I've been feeling some flutters and I swear I felt a kick in the car after I ate that lemon pound cake." Ella looked down at her belly with a smile. "Im hoping they try and show off for daddy."

James-05/19/2017

"Does this mean I can't put my hand on your belly and tell one of them to kick for me?" He put his cool hand there anyway. Just in case they heard him. Could babies understand language already or was it all muffled sounds. Actually...it was better then or their kids would come out mimicking some of the words his El tended to say when they got good and hot in the bedroom. "I need to paint the nursery and put together the cribs this weekend." He said, hand remained on her stomach. "I'd hate for the room to be half finished by the time they come out."May 20, 2017

Ella-05/20/2017

"No no, you should; I want them to kick for you." Ella grinned. She took his hand and placed it a little lower to where she had felt the kick before. She looked up at him,"that sounds good, I'll help where I can but we could also hire a painter if you want?" It also lead back to their more involved conversation of where they would live.  "Have you thought any more about looking into buying a new construction build in town?"

James-05/20/2017

James' hand went to it's new place and he massaged the area with the lightest of touches, more of a caress than anything. "I have," he admitted. "The thing with that is if you want it to be under my name or yours. We can change all of that later when we're married." he said this as if there was no question about it. His ex made her opinon very clear saying Ella got pregnant because she wanted to trap him in the relationship and we he told her he planned to marry her that set off a whole other stream of opinions. "That's if you still want to after the babies are here and you see how much I suck as a parent." James had to laugh at himself with this.

Ella-05/20/2017

"We could be co-signers?" Ella suggested. "And we may not even need a loan; between what we get for our places and what I have in my trust we should be more than able to cover it in cash." Ella started to feel the fluttering in her belly and covered J's hand with her own, applying pressure and giving him a look, "Please these poor kids are stuck with the both of us." She laughed with him.

James-05/20/2017

As he was about to add something his hand was guided further down and his mouth dropped open; which turned into an immediate smile. "Oh shit," he whispered. "That's what the kicks feel like?" he wanted to get off the desk and go eye level to be closer. James' whole face lit up and he couldn't get over this. That one of their kids was feeling active and he wonder if it was the boy or girl. Or if they took turns. "Does that tickle?"May 21, 2017

Ella-05/21/2017

"Don't swear," Ella laughed, knowing all too well that both of them had mouths on them. She nodded,"I've been feeling the flutters for a while but they're getting strong enough to feel them from the outside now." There was a sharp little kick against James' hand,"Oh! That was a big one!" Ella giggled, as she stared down at her stomach in awe. "It kind of feels like bubbles or something. It's crazy. Must be the coffee!"

James-05/21/2017

James gave her a look and he laughed. By God did he laugh. "You do know our kids are coming out knowing all the bad words, right? They probably hear enough of it already." The kicking stopped almost as soon as it started but he didn't move his hand. He could still feel a trace of it against his palm. "Bubbles? Like indigestion but it pack a punch?" he grinned and bent down to kiss her neck. "Okay. The house. I know we need to figure this out. Is there a neighborhood you have in mind?"

Ella-05/21/2017

Ella couldn't help but laugh harder,"I don't know what you're talking about." She teased before nodding,"Yeah exactly. It feels pretty cool. I like that it lets me know they're doing okay in there." Ella gave a happy sigh at his kiss,"Well, I like the one where the new construction house would be but it's a little far from downtown if I decide to go back to work." That reminded her of something but she shelved the thought for later. "Your house is cute but it's not big enough and my house just isn't kid friendly. I think we really need to consider building and that way we can customize it however we want too."

James-05/21/2017

"I've never been in a house that was made from one of those plans. My first house was one my parents moved into before their marriage went to shit," He covered his mouth and said sorry before splitting into a grin. Not like he would actually change his language. Not until they were out. "Then my house now is even older." He picked up his drink and went for a sip. "How long does it take to get one of those built?"

Ella-05/21/2017

Ella's brows raised when he swore but she wore a grin to show she wasn't upset and giggled when he apologized. Ella shrugged, "Only a couple months. Maybe less if we get one where the frames already been put up and just needs finishes." She sighed,"I know it's a lot to think about but I do want to have some kind of plan." Ella propped her arms on his shoulders. "You know I'm a planner. Maybe annoyingly so."

James-05/21/2017

"That's all it takes? I thought they'd need more time than that." He swore the house down the way from here took twice that amount of time. Either someone was slacking or they got a good set of builders at he place Ella was eyeing. He wouldn't put it past her to find the nicest place to live in. "It is. A lot of this has been a big change. A year ago it was just me and ol' Rock. Sometimes I went out most of the times I stayed in. Now it's us and we got two on the way and talking about a new house and car. It's like life fast forwarded for both of us."

Ella-05/21/2017

"Well, I mean, I'm sure we could be persuasive." Ella mulled it over in her head, money talked after all. She nodded in agreement; it was true, life had done a 180 for Ella. One of the biggest including her job. "Speaking of change, I got a call back from that firm I was looking into. They said if I decide to leave, they want me." Ella ran her fingers along the collar of James' shirt. "All of these things together get me a bit anxious to be honest, but I just try to keep telling myself it's all good changes; The house , the car, the job, the babies..." Ella looked at him,"what about you? Are you happy with the changes?"

James-05/21/2017

"We? I think the pesuasive one out of this pair is you. I just sit in the back and look pretty," He chuckled and placed his now empty cup on the desk. "No shit? I knew that that firm would want you. You're good at what you do and the sooner you're away from him the better." he kissed her lips but pulled away for a moment, "How do you feel about that firm? Are they one you like?" He hated how Peter treated her and there was that ever-present anger associated with him, but James did what he could to move past it. She didn't want to press charges and didn't want him to do anything to him. No matter how hard he struggled. "I'm happy, El. A bit scared but it's nothing we can't handle. I need to work on getting the house ready to sell so we can have that money for the new place. And I don't want you stressing too much over everything. But I think most of my fear is about how things will be after they get here. Other than taking care of my sister I don't know much about babies."May 22, 2017

Ella-05/22/2017

Ella threw her head back,"Oh right right. You're the beauty in this relationship I forget." She laughed. Moving around to sit in his chair after he kissed her, she nodded, "I like them, I think I'd be a good fit. Taking a pay cut but." She shrugged. "I think it's worth it." Ella played aimlessly with the arm of the chair,"I haven't even told Peter I'm looking for a new job. I don't know how that's going to go when I give him my notice." The thought made her so uneasy but she tried not to let it show on her face. "Well I can always pay for it up front and we can sort out the rest after your house sells so we don't have to wait around?" She offered. But feeling that same fear about once the twins were here was something very real to Ella too. "Baby, I haven't even changed a diaper. Not one. Ever. I think we should sign up for those birthing classes they talked about ... I bet  they'd help us feel more confident and the next course starts in two weeks. You in?"

James-05/22/2017

"How could you? I think I should write the words 'The Beautiful' on my plain white undershirts. To serve as a daily reminder." He waited until she was in his chair to walk around it. James lowered and wrapped his arms around her. "By the way I'm kidding. Theo's the beautiful one. Let's be real." James kissed the side of her head and went to sit in front of her. "When do you plan to deliver the news? I can only imagine a man like him won't take it well," Would he try to sabotage her? The idea wouldn't surprise James considering how he tries to power play Ella. "If you're okay with doing that, then I think that'll be the best route. Houses haven't been selling that well in the neighborhood so I pray mine doesn't sit there long." James fingered a hole in his coveralls, feeling the firmness of his thigh underneath. "Yeah. We should do it. The earlier we get on it the better."

Ella-05/22/2017

Ella laughed at his tshirt design and then harder at Theo,"Oh my God you two." But she sobered a bit at the thought of telling Peter. "I want you to be there - not in the room, but close." She wanted the security of him around, not that she thought Peter would go after her again while she was pregnant. Though she wondered if James could be close to where Peter was without issue. She tried to sort that in her head but couldn't. Ella looked up at him with a soft smile,"look at us making big decisions. I'll get in touch with the contractor soon then and call the Lamaze instructor and tell her that we're in."

James-05/22/2017

"Have I ever told you how much I love your laugh," he admitted with a grin. "It's half the reason I say the stupid shit I do. To get you to laugh." James moved from the desk and walked to the door to open and check on Theo, who was in his own world. He finished with Ella's car and went on to another project. The guy was fine on his own and James closed the door. "I'll be there. I want to make sure he doesn't say or do anything to hurt you or our kids." He'd more than likely be on the other side of the door listening in, not giving a shit if people think that's overly protective. If they knew the type of man they worked for they would think he was doing the right thing. Hell they probably did and didn't speak up. "So. What is that now, with all the new things going on. The babies. Selling our places. Buying a house. The move. Lamaze classes. You leaving work and starting at a new firm after maternity leave." He whistled and shook his head. "It's not even June yet."

Ella-05/22/2017

"You have and it always makes me smile." Ella grinned back. She watched as he moved about, wondering if she upset him talking about work and Peter. "I just don't want him to know you're there. I feel like that would make things worse." Unless of course he needed to step in then by all means. "And dont forget my Rover." Ella unsuccessfully bit on her lip to keep from smiling.

James-05/22/2017

James grabbed a chair and brought it over to place in front of El, reaching over to grab the arms of his office chair to roll her close. "So I'm like the invisible body guard?" he asked, raising his eyebrows. He wanted Peter to know he was there. He wanted the man to sweat. Still why would he? He didn't know James' past or the fights he'd get into. He was a total stranger to him. "You're right. With a man like him he needs to feel as if he has the upper hand." James knew the type. As dispicable as he was he needed to watch his step. Ella's situation was fragile. "Do you think this is how it's going to be from now all? One change after the next? Or will it eventually settle and we just work on enjoying the things we added to our lives?"

Ella-05/22/2017

"I just dont want any trouble and I feel like telling him I'm not coming back after the babies are here is already going to have him ready to fly off the handle." Ella looked at J, sure he could see the conflict of emotion in her eyes, "I still hate that he won." She confessed in a small voice. Ella shook her head, "No, I think once we nail down these big changes and adjust to a family of, Christ - four- things will settle down."

James-05/22/2017

"No, no. I get it. The macho part of me wants to flex my muscles  and show him that you've got a support system. But I understand. You've gotta handle this the way that you know is best." James wanted to say something, about how it wasn't about winning because this was about her getting away from a toxic place with a man who didn't deserve to walk this Earth. "Fuck. Four of us. I can only imagine how things will get with you the closer you get to popping them out. I bet you'll want to nail my dick to a wall by the time the contractions hit."

Ella-05/22/2017

Ella grinned cheekily, " I do love the look of your muscles... But, no really, thank you for understanding, baby." She took her coffee and swirled it around before taking a sip, " I'm sure I will." Ella said with a big wide grin on her face. " To think I'm this big half way there... " she made a face. " I'm going to have you get fixed."

James-05/22/2017

"I think I have at least a set of triplets in me. Maybe after that you can have me snipped," he said as a means to make their conversation light again. Unless his comment warranted the rest of her drink on the top of his head. "I do want to be understanding, El. You've been at that firm much longer than you've known me. You've created connections with coworkers and clients. Your boss may be a prick but I don't what him, or my anger, to jeapordize anything you've worked so hard for."

Ella-05/22/2017

"Dont you even fucking joke!" Ella gasped with wide eyes. The thought of two children was daunting enough she couldnt even imagine having more, at least not currently, but that got her curious. "Do you actually want more than two kids? You can be honest. I promise I wont castrate you in your office." Ella nodded, appreciating his sentiments, "Thank you, truly, but if its okay with you, I really cant talk about it just yet? Everything still kinda stings and knowing he has ... sensitive material of me ." Ella couldn't finish that through and she didnt want to make things awkward but the truth was this crushed her. Sitting up, Ella smoothed out her dress. "So, are you getting together with Chet or whatever his name is? What did you say to him?" she asked bringing their convo full circle.(edited)May 24, 2017

James-05/24/2017

"The look on your face just now is what makes it easy to joke with you," he said, giving her knee a squeeze before leaning back in his chair. "I think two is plenty. Most people spread them out but we're getting them in one go. Any more than that?" He shrugged. "I think that's more as a we'll see how we are after the babies are a few years old." James rubbed the side of his face in thought while he spoke but his eyes fell on her, shifting from the family talk. "When you're ready to go into it, know I'm here for you, El. And no. I might see him at the bar but I'm keeping our private lives to ourselves. He and try to pry all he wants. This is to keep things from getting out of hand."

Ella-05/24/2017

"How we are meaning if we survive them? Good plan." Ella laughed, but wasn't entirely kidding. Ella gave a nod at what James said about his friend, she felt like that was probably best too.

James-05/24/2017

"Pretty much the only plan we got," he took the cup from her hand and gave Ella a tug on the wrist to sit on his lap. He leaned back to make it easier for her. "We've got this, El. We're people who know how to get things done and we have a lot of love and patience. Well. I have enough patience for the both of us." He'd probably get a hit from her with that one.

Ella-05/24/2017

Ella gave him a look and flicked his shoulder,"Shut up." She smirked, leaning in closer to his face,"Gimme some sugar." Ella closed the space between their mouths and kissed his soft full lips, feeling the scratch of his beard. "I love you and I know we got this." She went in for another kiss, longer and deeper this time.

James-05/24/2017

James laughed initially into the kiss but it soon slipped away and he place a hand onto her stomach, riding it out until she grew tired of his lips. If it were up to him they'd kiss all the damn time. He loved how good her lips felt against his. "I-" he was ready to say in the brief break and she was back on him and James rocked back laughing. And, as much as he didn't want to do this, he had to asked, "Are you done with the day? I want to grill some steaks and enjoy the weather. It's a nice enough day for it."

Ella-05/24/2017

A small whimper left Ellas mouth when he pulled away and while he spoke she kissed at his sharp jaw line and down his neck. " I have some  depositions I need to review because I have a few meetings tomorrow but other than that I'm free." she managed to speak in between kisses. "Steak sounds good. Maybe some grilled peppers too. And watermelon." Ella listed a new food after each kiss, "Hostess Cupcakes and salt and vinegar chips - the wavy kind."May 26, 2017

James-05/26/2017

"Can you do those at home or do you have to go back to the office?" James wanted her to spend as little time there as possible and knowing she went in everyday caused him to fight with the urge to keep close by. Just in case. "Please tell me you're eating all of this separately and not mashing it into a glob of food."

Ella-05/26/2017

"I can review them at home tonight but I have to be in office for the meetings tomorrow." Knowing that unsettled him she clarified,"I'll be with a bunch of people and Peter probably won't even be in." She kissed his cheek,"well I won't be eating any of it if my baby daddy doesn't go and get them for me?" She gave him her sweetest grin.

James-05/26/2017

James relaxed. It felt good to have someone who understood where you came from and what your concerned were. He and Brandi weren't compatible and they had a few colorful arguments due to how they just didn't sync. They were fine as friends but even that was strained at times. Especially now. "Is baby daddy a new name for me?" He asked as he went to kiss her neck.

Ella-05/26/2017

"I mean, it sounds more endearing then Sugar Daddy." Ella grinned, leaning into his kiss.May 28, 2017

James-05/28/2017

"Besides Sugar Daddy is those overly sweet caramel candy on a stick. If I'm to be named after a candy I prefer something better." He took her kiss and started to get to his feet. "Theo finished with your car awhile ago. I wanted to keep you here with me longer."

Ella-05/28/2017

"Those will rip your teeth out but I used to love them. " Ella thought back fondly. She slipped off of James lap to let him stand and smiled adoringly at her boyfriend,"aw you're too sweet Mr. Harrington. Will I see you at your house soon then? And maybe we can try to get these babies to move for us again.." Ella placed a hand a top her belly.

James-05/28/2017

"Now I can't feel the image of you eating one of those out of my head," he chuckled because it seemed like it would be sexy up until she takes a bite from it. "If you head there now I might be half an hour. I need to get groceries." James leaned against the door and tapped his finger to his lips. "You should lay a couple on me before you leave."

Ella-05/28/2017

Ella grinned and paused long enough to give J a few pecks on the lips. "I'll text you my list." She continued walking out, "love you! Bye Theo!" And carefully got back in her car.

James-05/28/2017

James watched her as she walked away, eyes on Ella's ass the whole time before she rounded the car and went right to the driver's side door. He gave her a wave and watched until she pulled out completely. When it was only him and Theo left he said, "Let's call it an early day. Wrap up what you're doing and get back to it tomorrow morning." James returned to his office and shut down his computer and grabbed his keys. He tossed their coffees in the trash and went out the garage door; where Theo was waiting. They said their goodbyes, and James stuck around to make sure everything was locked tight before he headed to the store to buy what was needed for the barbque, plus the other items Ella's been craving.