#toddler!noh

[kissforyouu]

Would you ever write a little drabble or something of oc having a huge reaction & going off at jk & how he responds? Or how he just crumbles lmao like you said he would 😭😂

"but then it didn't make sense, noh? i asked rhea about the theme and it was beach. the clothes they've provided us with are nowhere near beach? i don't know how we're gonna come up with a beachy look with those. i mean, kook, it's literally a long dress. even worse, it's fucking formal! who wears formal to the beach? nobody! but you know what the worst part is? they said we weren't allowed to use the given clothes to make new ones. like, what? that doesn't make sense at all", you continued with your rant, "it's unfair, to be honest. it was just our time and like 2 more out of the entire competition who got these non beachy looking clothes. it doesn't make sense. but we're all thinking of making a complaint. i have to win, you know." you nod, body slanted against the table.

"what do you think—" pause.

"you're not even listening are you?" you glare at your boyfriend, who's been glued to his phone for the past 20 minutes. he's watching some football match. a fucking football match.

he mindlessly nods, pretending to listen. he doesn't even know what you're saying!

"you're not listening to me."

once he just nods again, you groan and then just slap his arm. jungkook jolts at the sudden hit from you, looking up from his phone.

"what?"

"you're not listening to me." you whine.

"hm, no, i was." liar.

"quit lying, jungkook."

"nah, nah, i was." he looks back at his phone again. you hate when he acted like this. makes you feel ignored.

"see! again! you're not listening to me!" you shout, throwing your hands in the air.

jungkook groans, rolling his eyes at you. you gasp, looking at your boyfriend with pure shock. did he just roll his eyes at you? oh no, he didn't!

"my bad."

the short careless responds were annoying you to the core.

"okay." your voice is stern. you get up, stomping your way around his room. he still doesn't bother to look at you or anything, eagerly watching his match. and just because you're such a dramatic spoiled bitch, you grab your bag and put on your shoes. your boyfriend, who was playing with his lower lip, drifts his eyes away from his stupid football match for a moment. and suddenly, he starts panicking.

nah, you were gonna leave. oh he messed up.

"baby, where you going?" his lazy ass finally gets up from his bed, brushing his hands on his sweats as he walked towards you.

you scoff, looking away dramatically.

"home."

"nah, come on, stay." he grips onto your arm tightly.

"no. because my boyfriend who invited ME over isn't paying me any attention because of some stupid fucking football game!"

"baby, i'm so sorry, okay? i didn't realise. now come on, don't go."

you squint your eyes and look at your boyfriend with a glare. and because you love the game, you decline again.

"y/n, i'll be better, come onnn. you can't just leave. i'm sorry i was being an ass to you earlier. please stay. let's cuddle and watch a movie or something. i'll rub your feet and give you a massage too." you try not to break into a laugh at the rubbing your feet part and somehow manage to keep an expressionless face.

"you need to be put on timeout."

"okay, say less."

jungkook walks back to his bed, sits on and faces his wall. he stares at it blankly as if he was a toddler who had just gotten scolded by their parent. the sight was hilarious. god, the things he does because of you. i mean, you didn't mean it literally, but he just accepted it.

"am i good now?" your boyfriend peaks at you slowly. you scowl. he slightly finds it funny and cute at the same time. everything you do is cute for him.

"come on, sweetheart. don't look at me like that." you kiss your teeth at his slightly flirty comment.

"okay. i'll stay." jungkook releases a loud sigh, falling back onto the bed.

"you're so dramatic sometimes."

"I'M LEAVING!"

(okay ik this isn't a major argument but i js thought this would be cute😭😭)

taglist:

@fungie2332 @wintertxt @wheexine @hyunjinswifeee @ohsweetmimosa @canyon-txt @kooreo @rrosiitas @goldenjeonkoo

[mybeautifulwifegojo]

I think it is very very very cute that Yuji's cleave/dismantle have the international "cut along the dotted line" marks because it makes me think of a toddler carefully cutting something out of construction paper while their adult is using an Xacto knife to freehand carve a perfectly detailed miniature out of wood. like, Yuji just finished cutting out a mask on the back of a cereal box while Sukuna is making an actual wooden mask for a Noh play. it's ADORABLE and I need more people to understand so I'm not alone in this thought.

[silent-raven13]

Billie's first written word

Little Billie, only three years old loves to be at Headquarters' daycare to hang with all her new friends. Lately, there's been a massive new gain of kids coming in besides, Mayday, Gerald, or Gabriella.

Now, she made friend's with Bitty Morales, or the triplets from Miles 2020 and the Gonzalos of other Miles' variant.

"Okay, kids. Today, we're gonna have such a wonderful time," The Daycare Spider-man and Spider-woman would watch over them as part of their duties to the Spider Society.

Gabriella sat at her spot being super bored, she looks over at her friends. They were younger than her so they often don't understand the older kids likes or trends. Well, Gerald and Mayday seem to be able to, but they were still younger by one year. She went back into doing her homework, while listening to her favorite pop singer, Ellie Rodrigo. "Hmm-mmm-mmm." She nodded her head while finishing up her math homework.

As one of the toddlers play among each other, Billie seems to look over at Gabriella and the older kids. She would watch them use pencils and paper to create these things called words, and they would write words all together. So, she got up on her two little legs and walk over to Gabriella, she had her pacifier in her mouth.

Gabriella felt a hand on her lap as she turn to find little Billie with her big eyes, "Oh hey, Billie! What is it? You wanna play?" She happily put her headphone down to hold on the little girl's hands happily doing a little sway.

"Noh!" Billie muffled through her pacifier, then pat her hand on the paper.

"Oh you wanna draw?"

"Huh uh!" Billie stood next to Gabriella while taking a blue crayon. Gabriella took a clean white paper from the middle of the table. The table was meant for the children to sit on the floor and draw. So Gabriella sat while doing her homework, and little Billie wanted to stand to draw.

"Here you go." Gabriella giggles, seeing the little girl scribbling on the paper. Yet, the older brunette girl saw Billie glancing at her homework then trying to scribble on her own like she's mimicking Gabi's homework. "Hmm, Billie, do you wanna learn how to write?"

"Mmm..." Billie tilted her head, "Wats rite?"

"I'll teach you!" Gabriella took a white paper and wrote a pretty neat letter 'A', "That's an A." She slowly wrote it again.

"A..." Billie study the flow as she tries to write, but did it crook it.

"Here, let me help." The older girl hold on her hand and helps her write it. "Don't worry you'll get better."

"A..." Billie saw the A and did it, again. "A!" She happily saw the fourth A looked better than the first, her eyes gleam. "A! A!"

Gabriella smiles happily, "Yup, an A. Say you wanna know how to spell your name?"

Billie's eyes gleam even brighter when she had an idea. Can she learn to spell her big brother's name? "Noh! NOH!" Billie shake her head. "Miles! Miles!" She started drawing her big brother with joy.

"Oh, you wanna learn how to write your brother's name? Okay, that's easy, but are you sure? Your name is super easy, too." Gabi asked.

Billie chanted, "Miles. Miles! Miles!"

Gabriella giggles, "Okay, Miles it is then." She happily taught Billie how to write Miles' name out. Then little Bitty came by wanting to know what Billie was doing.

"Meows. Meows!" She chanted as she saw Billie learning how to write.

Gabriella giggles, "Okay, Bitty. I'll teach ya!"

Later that day.

Miles came by to the daycare after finishing up a mission. Lupe stood waiting for one of the daycare helpers to bring out Gabriella, "Lupe! Hehehe, are we gonna go bowling?"

"We sure are. First we need to get your dad." Lupe chuckles as she patted on Gabriella's head.

"Oh boy!" She happily hold Lupe's hand as she skips out of the daycare.

When Miles came to check his baby sister's out of daycare. "Boo-boo!" He happily calls out for his sister only to be surprised by the pile of papers with his name written in so many colors.

Billie stood still writing her brother's name out. When she turn her head to find her brother, her eyes lit up like gems and stop whatever she was doing. She took the piece of white paper, and rush over holding it out. "Miles! Miles!"

"Hey, boo-boo! Oh my gosh, did you write this for me?" Her older brother squat down with his own eyes gleaming with joy. He took the paper and pick up his baby sister.

"Huh uh!" Billie nodded being so happy yet shy.

"That's amazing, Boo-boo! You wrote my first name so perfect!" Miles gave her kisses on the cheeks and happily hugs her. "Wow, I'm so proud of you. Were you doing this all by yourself?"

"Gabi help." She took off her pacifier to say.

"Oh wow! Boo-boo, you got a pretty handwriting." Miles complimented her, showing her all the love.

Billie hugs her brother back being so happy, "Miles! Miles! I luv you!"

"Awe, me too, Billie-boo!" Miles happily hugs her.

During the week, Billie had been writing only her brother's name everywhere. At first, her parents were super happy to find her writing Miles name, but then...

"Honey..." Jeff looks at his newspaper.

"Qué papí?" His wife asked while she put on her earrings.

"I think Billie is getting a bit too fixated on Miles' name."

"What makes you say that?"

Jeff saw his newspaper, the mini chalk board, the many notebooks with Miles' name on. Billie sitting in the middle of the living room with a red crayon writing her brother's name on her color book. "M...I...L...E....S! MILES!" Billie happily shouted.

Rio finally got to understand what her husband meant, "Mi vida, mi amor... how about learning to spell your name?"

"NOH! NONONONO! MILES!" Her daughter shook her head with a huff as she went back to writing her brother's name.

Recently Hobie came by to the Morales' home only to find Miles trying to help Billie spell her name, "Boo-boo, look. Your name is B...I...L-" Billie writes, "Nonono, MILES!" She wrote her big brother's name, again.

The punker went in to find a lot of papers being marked with his Sunflowers name. "Oi, Sunflower. What's lil blu doin'?"

"Oh hey, bae. Um... Gabi taught her how to spell my name and lately she been only writing my name." Miles sighs at all the markings she made, "She even wrote on our dad's white shirt because they ran out of printing paper."

"Hehehe," Billie giggles being happy as she writes more and more of her brother's name.

"Mom thinks it's cute, tho." Miles scratch his forehead.

"I see." Hobie went over taking a Magenta crayon then wrote above Miles' name, "How about this, lil one?"

Miles looks at the paper then had a contempt expression on his face, "Bae, really?"

"What? It's the truth no?" Hobie asked out loud with a grin on his face. "Hobie heart Miles." He wrote his name and drew a heart next to Miles' name.

Billie stares at the name, "Who dat?"

"That's my name, lass. Don't you wanna learn it?" Hobie asked with a kind tone in his voice.

The little girl took her crayon and began scribbling Hobie's name, "NONONONONO!"

"WHAT! You're scrubbing over my name! Lil Blu, I'm hurt." The punker frowns being dramatic as he went for a hug from his boyfriend.

"Relax, bae. She's just into my name that's all." Miles giggles. Billie saw the heart and started to think, while her brother comforts Hobie.

On the next daycare, Billie went to Gabriella, again. This time she whispers in her ear asking for a favor. "Ohh, what is it?" Gabriella leans over to let Billie whisper in her ear. "Ohh, okay! I can teach you that." She happily smiles at her.

When Miles came by to pick up his sister, he was surprised to find his sister holding a long paper being rolled up. "Huh? What you got there, boo-boo?"

"Se-cwet! For home!" She happily said.

"Okay, we'll opening it when we get home." Miles was curious to know what she wrote, maybe more of his name. All he knows is he needs to support her and encourage her to write.

When they got home, the Morales' family watch Billie hand the rolled up paper to her brother. "Open it!"

"What did the lil sprog wrote this time?" Hobie asked being curious.

"Okay, Boo-boo." Miles unrolled the paper on the middle of the dinning table.

Everyone's eyes slightly widen to find the new words being spelled out. 'Billie loves Miles!' In pretty colors, too. Billie name written in blu, love had pink, and Miles in red. There were other words and cute draws of flowers, butterfly, and hearts.

"Ohhh qué lindo! AWWWEE!" Rio had her hands together on her lips being so awestruck at her baby girl's hand writing. "Ay, mi nińa! Escribiste una hermosa frase." She went over to hold her daughter giving her a kiss on the forehead.

Billie giggles, "Lookie! Lookie! Mamá! Papá!" She pointed at the other words of her parent's.

Jeff adjusted his glasses, "I'll be... she learned how to write 'Papa'!"

"Ohhh, mira! Mamá! She wrote 'mamá'!" Rio happily said.

Miles smiles widely, "Awe, boo-boo. That's so cute." He looks over to find Hobie looking at his parent's reaction being please to see them so cheerful. "Bae, isn't it cute."

"Yea, it's cute." Hobie nodded, "Very cute for the Morales' family..." He trails off.

Billie waves her hand at Hobie, "Obie! Obie!"

"Hmph?" Hobie looks at the three year old, "What is it, lil blu?"

"Lookie!" She pointed down at her paper.

The punker looks down finding his name written out, "Obie! Obie!" Billie said out loud. Miles saw Hobie's name being written in many versions, 'Obie', "Hobie', or 'Hobe' which got him chuckling.

"Awe, bae. She really try to spell your name." Miles said to his partner.

The punker let out a sincere smile, his eyes soften, "Thanks, lass." It brought his great warmth to be included to the Morales' family name.

Billie said, "Allies, now! Tomorrow, I'm watching you." She did the two fingers point at her eyes to Hobie.

Rio giggles, "HAhaha, awe. You love Hobie, mi vida. I bet you see him like a big brother."

Billie huffs having to snuggle her mom. Hobie grins widely, "You do! Awe, shucks, lass. Don't worry I'll be your best big brother."

"Hey, I'm her big brother." Miles pouted.

"MILES! MILES! My big brother." Billie chanted.

Jeff stood seeing his family being cheerful, "This calls for a celebration. How about Chinese?"

"Oh, I'll BBQ PORK with fried rice!" Miles said out loud.

"EGGROLLS!" Billie chanted.

Hobie happily chimes in, "I could go for some Chow Mein with Garlic Shrimp, POPS!"

"I'll have Beef with Broccoli with fried rice." Rio added.

"Alright." Jeff made the call.

"Eggrolls! Eggrolls! C-wabsticks! C-wab-sticks!" Billie chants out loud.

"I wonder if Billie will learn how to write Eggrolls, now." Rio giggles.

Miles laughs, "That is her third favorite food besides Pizza, Empanadas, and Arroz con Habichuelas." That gave Billy an idea.

Next week, the family saw paper with simple words like 'Eggrolls' or 'Pizza'. "Billie... what do you want for dinner?" Miles asked being curious while the parents already knew what Billie wanted. They saw her still writing those words out.

"EGGROLLS! PIIIZZZAAA!" Billie shouted while holding her red crayon.

"I guess we can have a Chinese-Pizza night....?" Jeff rub his chin as he didn't want to upset his baby girl.

Rio said, "I wonder if we should teach her a bit of Spanish words. It'll be cheaper since her favorite is Arroz con Habichuelas..."

"Gabriella said she didn't know how to write that so it ended up being weird letters... she's still learning how to write in Spanish." Miles explained with a weak chuckle.

"A Chinese Pizza night? Pops, I'll a Chow Mein Pepperoni Pizza!" Hobie casually said while his boyfriend playfully slap his arm. "Ow, what did I do!" Being dramatic since the slap didn't hurt it was more of a pat.

"Bae, that's gross." Miles said.

Hobie chuckles, "Luv, I'm only helping lil Billie out. Right, Billie. EGGROLLS!"

"EGGROLLLS!" Billie shouted along with Hobie, who picked her up as they chant together.

Rio chuckles, "Those two are so funny together. I won't be surprised if they become close friends." Jeff made the order, while Miles listen to his mom.

"Yeah, they are."

As the family spend their times, the new family banter of Billie's words was places up on the family wall. It happily stays there till the end.

[phoenixyfriend]

I mean, Noh-Varr had the silver-and-green color scheme in 2000, several years before Tommy popped up in YA, so... technically, Tommy stole HIS color scheme, if we're treating it like that (and not just, you know, there's only so many color schemes out there).

(This is solely about the "giving Noh Tommy's colors" since Noh had them first, and then even CHANGED them in V2 by incorporating his Protector colors and the yellow of the gauntlets to differentiate from Tommy.)

ok did they have to give Noh the same color scheme as Tommy??? And then have them both like Kate???

[sergeant-angels-trashcan]

[Slides into your ask like] can I request a "Clint takes care of de-aged Kate" plot?

(It's probably Loki's fault.)

ok, so there are two ways this can go: Kate is de-aged but like. to a middle school age. So she’s perfectly aware of what happened, and who she is, and she’s MAD about it. So you’ve got this tween swearing like a sailor and bitching about coffee quality. Basically Five from the Umbrella Academy.

OR, of course, the Classic, Kate is a Baby! And Clint frantically calling everyone he knows, can babies eat pizza?? Sam??? Help???

Whatever scenario, you’re right, it’s Loki. And Leah, too. Loki probably gets frustrated at being seen as a teen when they’re, you know, THOUSANDS of years old!!! A little respect, please! So he turns his team into children. A plan that backfired magnificently when all of the Adult Adults call Loki because this is YOUR team, we need your help to figure out how to reverse this!!! (also: sads? because Noh gets to be a baby and I don’t think he ever got to be a baby irl) 

If Kate isn’t at at at least chest level, she starts SCREAMING. So whoever is looking after her MUST have her in a baby bjorn or babywrap her. Clint SOMEhow convinces Tony to create a hovering baby chair thing so she can be at eye level and Clint uses the controls to allow Kate to terrorize various Avengers. OBVIOUSLY BOTH OF THEM ARE HAVING AN INCREDIBLE TIME. 

With like, a toddler Kate, Clint just carries her around on his shoulders. She’s still got arrow skillz so Clint gives her a nerf bow with exploding glitter arrows. Clint gets her all hopped up on sugar and waits for the inevitable crash to go bitch out Loki. Natasha sitting at a kid-size table coloring with Kate, who stares at her with HUGE EYES when she finds out Natasha was a ballerina too??? Little!kate doing ballet with Natasha and being DELIGHTED as Clint does circus acrobatic things with them. I’m also seeing little Kate being VERY protective of her Brainwashed Boys, please imagine Noh’s shocked expression as tiny person Kate stands in front of him yelling at some rude SHIELD agent and then doing the same for Bucky. 

Clint is all “this is Junior Avenger Hawkeye.” Deadpool takes Junior Avenger Hawkeye very seriously. 

I feel like Clint taking care of a de-aged Kate is a lot like regular Clint and Kate’s friendship, like, there’s SO MANY bad ideas, but now Clint can be like “it was Kate! and you can’t yell at her, she’s just a kid! she didn’t know any better, did you, Kate?” and Kate gives whoever this wide-eyed innocent nod. It’s a CON, it’s a SCAM, they are having a BLAST. Their coordinating outfits are even CUTER now, Clint gets them matching sunglasses, they are amazing. Clint gets a million pictures to blackmail Kate with when she’s back to normal.

[its-elvie-innit]

Wilbur refuses to let go, and Phil regrets everything.

Okay, well, maybe not everything but he certainly regrets a lot. Especially the part when he told Wil that his mother was a fucking fridge.

Wilbur was currently stuffed inside a fridge (he can't stress that enough, his toddler was sitting inside an unplugged fridge in the middle of the kitchen, refusing to come out) and had been in there for about a day. Seriously how long can a toddler go without eating? Phil didn't know. The clock hit ten p.m on a Saturday night. He was tired.

"I'm no' coming ou'"

Phil sighed again, fingers drumming against his temples as he leant on the cleared-off copper countertops. In the middle of his kitchen sat the unplugged freezer, clean and empty of juiceboxes, snacks, vegetables that noone would eat without bribery, and wow he was so fucking tired. His fingers traveled back to the bridge of his nose.

"Wil, you have to. Technos in the car buddy. We can't take the fridge with us."

"I'm noh' going if mum's noh'" the little british accent called out. Phil glanced over to Daisy, sitting forlornly in front of the fridge with her legs crossed. Her head was planted softly in her palm, the nails on her other hand swirling through the silvery fridge door, old cotton sweater just as stark against the maroon carpet as it was against her hair. He couldn't imagine what she was feeling right now. The clock ticked by.

Phil stayed silent another minute, watching a third of his living family be so distraught over someone who was right there, even if he couldn't see her, while all of his dead family stared up at their son who thought she was an icebox. He put his head in his hands.

"..why do you wanna leave mum so bad?"

The question, quiet as it was, leapt out at him and thrust a sword through his heart. Daisy froze. The fridge door inched open a little, and a pale hand grasped the side.

"Why do you wanna leave mum so bad?" The question repeated a touch louder. Phil let out a tiny wounded noise.

He didn't know how to explain the situation they were in to his child. It wasn't like there were any books on 'How to tell your kids that their mom is dead and not a fridge' or 'How to get your kid to leave behind an object that they think is their mother when you're moving cross-country', and there especially weren't any books on how to do that in front of your dead ghost-wife. If there were, then what the fuck.

Two little black eyes peered at him expectantly from the fridge.

He didn't know how to answer.

"Wil, I...I love your mother very much. I don't want to leave her," Phil started, pausing again and searching through the sea of words in his brain. "But I don't think she'd want us to fight about it." no movement came from inside the fridge. Phil rolled his next words around his mouth.

"I know that it's hard for you to let go bud, but we all have to let go at some point,"

"We're moving really far away, to a place where you'll get to see more of your family, and the fridge-er," he shook out the stutter "your mother can't come with us."

Wilbur pushed the door open wider, and Daisys fingers phased through her child's knuckles "Why? I wan' her to" his tiny blustery face peeked out from the dark fridge "I donh' wanna go without mum"

Phil's heart wrenched again, but he was making progress. At least the door was open. This time he had an idea of what to say.

"A little after I and your mum had you, your mum had to go away for a little while. I told you about that, didn't I?"

Wilbur nodded. "she ha' to go to a repair sho'hp" Phil nodded seriously, but Daisy cracked a smile from his peripheral vision.

"A repair shop." He agreed "Well, I didn't see her for a long long time, and it was hard." the toddler looked solemn, glasses tilting off his nose, "But your mum helped me get through it."

"How'd mum help if' she wasn' home?" he questioned.

Phil grinned a little, a sad, soft grin. He tapped his dark green pocket-square, right over where his heart would be.

"Because I have her in here. She's not really gone, because I always have her with me," Daisy tilted her head, an even softer smile than Phil's tracing her face, "It might take a while for her to come back physically, but I'll always have her with me in here Wil."

Their son sat and thought, removing his hand from the side of the fridge and placing it on the wrong side of his chest. Daisy laughed, silent.

"Can I do tha' too?"

His parents nodded.

Wilbur sat still a little longer, staring down at his hand, then hopped off the fridge shelf and stumbled a little, both of his parents making a move to help. Before they could, though, Wil righted himself and wrapped his tiny little arms around the side of the refrigerator as far as they could go, pecked it, and then ambled over to Phil. He tapped his heart, still on the wrong side.

"Mum's in here'" he smiled. Phil smiled too.

He gathered the boy up in his arms, Wilbur almost shielding the place where he had tapped with an arm, the other wrapped around his father's shoulder. They started walking out to the door, but Phil paused and turned, checking if Daisy was following them. She stood now, a statue in the dark moonlit room, hands behind her back and a pleased look on her face. His wife mouthed a "I'll be there in a minute" and shooed him out with one hand. He complied and continued on his walk to the car, sleepy boy in hand.

---

Daisy clicked the plug into its socket and stood back as the fridge lit itself up. She was going to miss this piece of metal.

Phasing through it one last time, checking the wiring, making sure everything was to her liking, she twisted back out and looked bemusedly at her work. She tapped one of the buttons on screen, shut the door, unplugged it, and floated back out to join her family.

The next family who'd move in wouldn't know what it meant. Daisy didn't care. She was always cryptic, in a way, and her boys got that from her. But even if they never knew what it meant, she thought it was poetic, in a way. That object that was so important to her family unit would always carry a reminder of them.

The next family would move in, and then the next, and then the next. But until they managed to bring it to a repair shop or broke the screen itself they would always have a reminder.

Nobody, living or dead, was left in the house. But if they were then they would have seen the lens flare fade out, shut-down screen a pale blue against the dark pixels. They would have seen the strange absence of the samsung logo.

They would have seen, against those faded blue-black pixels, Sleepy Boys Inc.

Inspired by this post, made by @half-a-heart-hopes [I hope you don't mind the tag if you do I'm sorryytyy!!!!!!!]

[onlystylesangels]

My Love For You

Requested: Anon: Imagine H being really in love w y/n celebrating his daughter birthday at Anne’s and everyone realising that Harry has found the one OMG THS IS REALLY CHESSY I LOVE IT

Pairing: Harry x Reader

Warnings: Fluff, that’s it just fluff and cuteness.

Word Count: 8k+

A/N: I went overboard because I found this concept super cute! I kind of changed it up a bit too.

P.S: Thank you to my beta reader for being the first to read this and giving me amazing advice! 💓💞

“Darlin’. Throw it the way I showed you- no- well, okay.”

Harry was teaching his little ball of sunshine, Evaleen how to throw a soccer ball.

“I can’t do it, daddy. I’m trying me best.” Little Evie said, as her big round green eyes looked up to his.

“Darlin’, it is not that hard. Look, I will show you again, yeah? How’s that.”

“Yes! Yes! Teach again, daddy!”

Evie grabbed her daddy’s hand as Harry only made her grab ahold of his index finger, leading them along the park where the ball was untouched.

“Okay, darlin’. Jus’ like this.” Harry kicked the ball, as little Evie clapped her little hands and ran to get the ball.

“So daddy, like this?” Evie had the ball in front of her foot ready to kick the ball. When her foot kicked the ball, the ball went flying and landed on the ground where the goalpost was at. 

“Evie, darlin’! You made a goal!” Harry ran to his daughter and scooped her up kissing her cheeks and forehead. “I’m proud of you you little petal.”

Evie’s little hands cupped her daddy’s cheeks and smiled, hugging him.

“Tank you, daddy.”

“Everythin’ for you, my little Evie.”  When Harry and little Evie finished playing ball. They walked to an ice cream truck where Evie begged Harry to buy her an ice cream cone. Harry bought her ice cream and they walked alongside each other, making themselves towards the train.

Harry found an unoccupied seat but there was no room for Evie so he made her sit on his lap where a little Evie continued to lick away her chocolate mint ice cream.

“Daddy, Why that girl tall?”

“What girl, Evie?”

The little toddler points to a girl who was standing, holding onto the metal railing from the shaking of the rapid train. She was beautiful. Her hair was loose, legs crossed as her ear buds were in as she bopped her head to whatever music she was currently listening to.

“Don’t point, Evie. S’not nice.” Harry tells her, as she puts down her little pointer finger, as she continues eating the rest of her ice cream.

“Daddy. Why she tall?”

Her curious questions always made Harry overthink things. Such as telling her the actual truth or just telling her a different truth? He didn’t know at first but when she asked him that one time where babies come from and how she was born. Obviously, Harry had to come up with a little lie, and that’s what he would always do whenever Evie would ask him anything.

“She is much older than you, darlin’. That’s why she is taller.” Harry says. As he smooths out her hair. Little strands of hair almost meeting with the sticky and sweet ice cream on Evie’s cone.

Before Harry could finish up smoothing her hair down, Evie hops down from his lap and walks towards the enchanting woman that Evie was talking about.

Her hands tightly wrapped around the ice cream cone which was beginning to get smaller and smaller.

Once Evie made herself behind the girl she tapped her leg with the same finger that she pointed out for Harry.

“’Ello tall girl. Me daddy over there said that you are old.” And she ran back to her daddy as Harry had a shocked expression on his face.

Evie hopped up on his lap as Harry's wide eyes looked down at his daughter. Evie continued eating her ice cream cone. Harry looked between Evie and the girl that she just came from talking to.

“Evie! Why’d ya tell her that?” Harry asked Evie. As she continues to bite her cone, a smile on her face.

“But you said she older than me. yes daddy?” Harry sighs. As he wipes Evie’s mouth with a napkin that he had in his coat pocket.

After the train ride was over, Harry set Evie down on the floor and grabbed her little hand in his and walked out of the train doors.

He waited. He knew why he was waiting. Although he had Evie pulling on his hand trying to make him walk so they can make it home on time for Evie’s favorite television show.

“Hold on darlin’. We’ll leave in a minute.” Harry assured Evie.

When Harry saw the woman walk out the sliding doors of the train he approached her trying to come up with an apology after Evie telling her that she was old.

“Hello miss. I’m so sorry about my little one. She’s quite ambitious. I apologize for saying that you are old, that was never my inten-“

“Oh, don’t worry about it. You have a beautiful little girl.”

“Daddy-- a minute passed.” Evie said behind him. As Harry looked back at a mad little girl.

“I know, I know. My little petal.”

“What’s her name?”

“Evie. Short for Evaleen.” Harry told the woman.

The woman bent down, automatically catching Evie’s attention.

“Tall girl!”

“Hi sweetie!”

“Is it true you are old?” Evie asked. Her curious mind working yet again.

“Well, I don’t think I’m that old. Do I look old to you, Evie?”

“No.”

The woman smiles, looking up to Harry who was smiling down at his daughter. “Thank you, Evie. I don’t think you look old yourself.”

Evie giggled, as she stomped her feet softly. “Daddy! Tall girl funny!”

“My name is Y/N, sweetie.” Y/N told her.

“Y/N?”

“Yes.”

“‘Ello Y/N.” Evie greeted. As she waved her little hand and continued giggling as she was hiding behind Harry’s leg.

“You got a cute little button.”

“She is. She’s an angel.”

Harry and Y/N look down at Evie who continues hiding her face behind Harry’s leg.

Harry and Y/N having smiles plastered on their faces make the whole situation less tense and more comfortable.

“I never got your name.”

“It’s Harry. Harry Styles.”

Harry extended his hand for Y/N to shake as she told him her full name, “I’m Y/N Y/L/N. Nice to meet you Harry.”

They shook hands as their smiles never left their faces. Their hands detached from each other as they looked at a curious Evie looking up to them both. Her eyes looking between them as she continued smiling.

“Well, we better get going. I think Evie’s favorite show is going to come on soon, so we better start heading home.”

“Yeah, yeah. Can’t make your little one angry. I have to get going too, it’s getting late.”

“It was nice meeting you, Y/N. Even though my Evie told you that I told her that you’re old. I still feel bad about that by the way, I apologize.”

“No worries, Harry. I didn’t feel offended in any way so you don’t have to worry about it.”

“Okay, love. We’ll see you around. Have a safe walk or drive home, yea?”

“Thank you, Harry and you too.”

“Thank you, love. Evie, my little bunny say bye bye to Y/N.”

Evie looked up to her daddy and up to Y/N who was smiling down on her.

“Bye Y/N!” Evie waved her hand as Y/N bent down and said goodbye to her.

“Have a good night, Y/N.”

“You too, Harry.”

Harry lifted Evie up and set her on his hip as Y/N waved back as the father and his daughter walked away from the smiling woman who was just too sweet and such a beautiful soul who adored little Evie and she barely even knew Harry and Evie. But she was sure for one thing. They were both lovely and a beautiful little family.

**//** “Daddy, daddy! Me teeth need brushy!” Evie pounced on her daddy’s bed, automatically waking up Harry from his slumber.

“Lemme open my eyes first, sweetheart.” Harry groggily murmured out. As Evie continued to jump on the bed.

Evie lied down on the bed facing her daddy. She was smiling her small dimples making their way on her chubby little cheeks.

“Hello daddy.”

Harry opened up his eyes and smiled back at his beautiful little daughter, as he stared at her dimples that he loved so much. He raised his finger and softly poked the indented skin of her dimple, making Evie giggle as she too stuck her finger in her dad’s bigger dimple.

“I’m up little petal. How’d you sleep?”

Evie retrieved her hand back from his cheek and gave Harry a thumbs up.

“Good. Did you let the bugs bite, daddy?”

“Hopefully not,” Harry said as he gave Evie a little kiss on her forehead. “Uh oh. The raspberry monster is coming, Evie.”

Evie was automatically on alert. She sat up on the bed and was ready to slip out of the bed but she was too late to hop down the bed. Harry brought her back up and blew many raspberries on her belly as Evie continued to release many giggles as she tried to tickle Harry so he could finally let go of her.

“No daddy!” Evie exclaimed, as she had her perfect opportunity to hop down the bed, running to the bathroom and hopping onto a little step-up chair so she could lock the door.

“Evie. Let me in, darlin’. Promise I won’t let the raspberry monster out.” Harry reasoned with her. As Evie was hesitant in opening the door, but she did anyway.

“Okay, daddy.”

Harry came in the bathroom and went to retrieve Evie’s toothbrush and her toothpaste.

“Okay, little bun. Hop on the chair.” Evie obliged and hopped on the chair, already giving her daddy the elastic hair tie on her wrist.

Harry gathered Evie’s straight, dark brown hair and tied it into a mini little bun.

“Okay. Like we did yesterday, Evie. Mouth closed brushing side to side and brushing each tooth in a  circular motion.” Harry explained. As he handed her the toothbrush, the bristles full with toothpaste.

Evie started to brush her teeth. Harry looked down at her movements, his smile making its comeback.

“Just like that, Evie. Now I’m goin’ to step out and get you some clothes so you can take your bath, yeah?”

“Noh daddy. Notch chewday.” Evie let out. The toothpaste causing her to say gibberish.

“What was that, darlin’?” Harry asked as he stuck his head back in the bathroom.

Evie rinsed out her toothbrush and mouth, finally putting back the brush in its proper place.

“I say no.”

“No? Why not?”

“Just change clothes.”

“Are you sure? But you usually want me to bathe you whenever you wake up, why not today?”

“Not right now. Later.”

Harry nods at her daughter, as he wipes off the water from her mouth with a towel and they walk to Evie’s room where she goes through her dresser and closet to get her clothes ready for the day.

Evie gets a pair of jeans, but she was debating either putting on a patterned shirt or floral shirt. So she walked back to Harry and showed him what she found to wear. She made Harry to make the final decision on what she was going to wear and he made the choice for her to wear the yellow floral shirt. Once Evie changed into her clothes, she went to her closet and grabbed two head scarves his auntie Gemma got her and one that Harry got her.

“Which one daddy?” Evie asked. As her facial features looked perplexed. Each scarf in one of her small hands.

“Hmm… maybe this one. It would match your outfit and it would also bring out your eyes. Do you want to put this one on?”

“Yes.”

“Are you sure? You don’t have to agree with me if you don’t want to wear that one.” “I think the purple one.”

Harry grabbed the purple head scarf from her hand and wrapped it around her small head. When he finished wrapping it on her head he got up and looked at his daughter. He just realized that her yellow floral shirt had purple little flowers as well which matched perfectly with the purple scarf. Evie was one who loved to match her clothes and she probably got it from him. They both were serious about their clothing options and they always asked each other which item of clothing looked better. “I think you’re done. Do you think it's daddy’s turn to get dressed?”

Evie giggled and ran towards Harry’s bedroom.

**//**

“You got your boots on, love?” He asked Evie, as he looked behind him seeing a grinning Evie already having her boots zipped up.

“Ready, daddy.” Evie grabbed Harry’s bigger hand and they both walked out, already enjoying the beautiful breeze and the bright rays of the sun.

**//**  When they both stepped inside the small restaurant they walk towards their usual booth where they had a view of the playground that Evie would always go right after having brekkie, but each time Evie asked Harry he would tell her “Maybe later, Evie.” Or “you just finished eating, darlin’.” He wouldn’t want Evie to feel sick while she would be playing on the swings or going down a slide. Harry orders himself a chamomile tea and some pancakes that came along with biscuits so he could share with Evie. And he lastly ordered Evie some blueberry waffles along with a chocolate milk. While they both waited for their food to arrive, Evie and Harry were in their own little worlds. Evie was drawing on the mini coloring book that the waiter gave her while Harry was on his phone sending emails to people about the different designs he had done for the fashion company he worked for. He was certain that one day there would be people interested in his designs so they could make him the creator of his own fashion line. That has been Harry’s dream. Designing something that everyone would be comfortable wearing. He designed gender-fluidity clothing that one day he would love to see people wearing his precious designs. As he continued emailing and texting people, their food finally arrived and Evie automatically wrapped a napkin on the collar of her shirt and she began eating her waffles after Harry sliced the waffles into miniature pieces for her to eat. Harry started to eat once he saw Evie eating her waffles. He cut, stabbed, and bit the pieces of his pancakes swallowing it away with his beverage. Evie continued eating her waffles as she got a precut biscuit and spread strawberry jam on both sides.

“Daddy! Look! It’s tall girl!” Evie exclaimed. Harry continued putting notes on his notepad on his phone, as he jotted down ideas of his next design.

“Hold on Evie. Let me just write this down, okay, darlin’.” Harry said as he continued tapping away on his phone.

After Harry was done he put his phone down and took a sip of his tea.

“What is it Evie.”

Evie pointed and was now standing on the seat of the booth.

“Evie please sit down,” His hands reaching over to sit her back down. “What are you pointin’ at?”

“Y/N!” Evie yelled out.

Harry looked to what she was pointing at and it was Y/N. She was with someone, assuming it was a friend.

“Evie!” Y/N exclaimed. She excused herself to the other woman that she was accompanied with. Evie hops down the booth and walks towards Y/N who was already making herself towards the booth.

“Y/N!”

“Hi Evie. How are you sweetheart?”

“Good.” Evie nodded.

Harry stacked his and Evie’s plates on top of each other before he got up from the booth.

“Y/N. It’s nice seeing you again.” Harry smiles his dimples showing.

“Yes. It’s nice seeing you- it’s nice seeing you both.” Y/N let out, as she fixed Evie’s head scarf from falling from her head.

“Do you both come here often or was it just today?”

“No. I just didn’t feel like making brekkie so we came here. Do you come here a lot?”

“Not a lot. This place is my favorite though.” Y/N smiles at him.

“Me daddy’s favorite, too.” Evie interjects. Her little hands looking at Y/N’s rings and bracelet.

Harry looked at Evie who was messing with Y/N’s bracelet and rings he was about to tell her to stop but Y/N got up from being on her knees for so long.

“I better get back to eating. I haven’t finished my breakfast.”

“Daddy can we go to the park?” Evie asked Harry as he started to put her jacket on for her.

“You just finished eating, sweetie.”

“Can Y/N come too!” Evie looked to Y/N who was still smiling from seeing them both here in the little breakfast restaurant.

“She has to finish eating, Evie.” Harry told her as he was bent down, zipping up her jacket.

“Maybe when I finish eating is that okay?” Y/N said as she bent down to Evie’s height.

She smoothed down her jacket as Evie began grinning, her little dimples showing.

“Yes! Daddy, Y/N said yes!” Evie exclaimed as she tugged on Harry’s pant leg, a habit that she did whenever she was excited about something.

“You don’t have to if you have somewhere to be Y/N.”

“It’s fine. I don’t have nowhere to be. I haven’t been to a park in a long time so it could be fun.” Y/N assured Harry.

Harry was still hesitant. He didn’t want Y/N to feel forced to go to the park with them. He didn’t want to be the one to stop her from going anywhere else she had to go. It was the weekend so she might have other things planned for today. He didn’t want her to stop for him and Evie.

“Are ya sure?”

Y/N nodded. As Evie began hopping up and down.

“Okay. Well- We are going to sit on that bench. I don’t want you to feel rushed, love. So please take your time while eatin’.” Harry said, as he pointed to the bench that was overlooking the park.

“Yes. Don’t worry ‘bout me. I’ll be out in a bit,” She told Harry, as Harry smiled at her. “And I will see you soon, Evie.” Y/N went back to her seat next to the woman that she was accompanied with as Harry and Evie exited out of the restaurant and walked themselves to the park that barely had any visitors.

Harry sat down on the bench as Evie sat right next to him as her legs were swaying back and forth while she sat.

While they waited Evie asked if they could play rock, paper, scissors.

“How ‘bout rock, paper, scissors, and fire?” Evie grinned as she was excited to play the game. Each time that Evie threw a paper or rock or even a scissors, Harry would throw a fire, making him win each time.

“Daddy, you’re cheatin’!” Evie yelled, her little hands throwing whatever little object her hands represented.

“No such thing, lovie.” Harry smirked. During their sixth game of rock, paper, scissors, and fire. Y/N practically speed-walked her way towards the bench where Harry and Evie were sitting.

“So, who’s ready to go on the swings?” Y/N said smiling down at Evie.

“Y/N!”

“Hi little Evie.” Y/N was on her knees as Evie was about to hop off the bench.

“Daddy, can I go with Y/N?” Evie asked, her green eyes sparkling by the sun hitting her little irises.

“Of course, darlin’.” Harry smiled down at her. Y/N gave her hand to Evie who held automatically and they walked towards the swings. Harry was left smiling, his thoughts kept to himself and feeling regret all of a sudden. He was an amazing father to Evie he knew it because his mum would always tell him that he was amazing at it and even Evie would tell him as well. He still felt guilt though. Evie did not grow up with her mother. Everyday he wished that she was here. She would know how to comfort Evie when she gets older, she would teach her more than he has already taught her. He missed her so much, and the fact that he knows that she is no longer with them haunts him and pains him even more. Evie was his treasure and he would love her for the rest of his life. Seeing Y/N and Evie laughing while Y/N was pushing Evie on the swing he felt the butterflies again, reminding himself of his relationship that he had with Evie’s mother. Memories. It was just the memories that were left of her.

**//** Harry went back to looking at his phone, emailing some more, but he stopped when he saw someone sit next to him.

“It’s lovely isn’t it?” Y/N asked him about the beautiful weather, as she kept a close eye on Evie going down the slide.

“It is innit?”

“How have you been? Sorry I never asked you back at the breakfast place.”

“Good. And you?”

“Great,” Y/N smiled, but her smile faded as she looked at a perplexed Harry. “You sure? ‘Cos every time I looked back to see you were on your phone. You looked worried and unsure of something. Is everything okay?”

“Yea. I was debatin’ which designs to send to my boss.”

“Designs? What’s your job?”

“I’m a fashion designer. I’m the one who creates designs and I send them off to my boss and he gets to either decide he wants it for the clothing line or decline it.”

“Fashion designer? I never thought you would be a fashion designer, no offense.”

“None taken, love. What’d ya think I was?”

“I dunno. Maybe some sort of guy that works at an office that owns his own company or somethin’.” Y/N giggled her hands folded on her lap.

They both looked away from each other as they watched Evie already making a friend at the top of the slide. Evie waved to them as they waved back at her, smiling as they saw her go down the slide.

“So was that your friend that you came with at the restaurant?”

“Yea. We work with each other.”

“Where do you work at?”

“At a company- stop, I know what you’re thinkin’, Harry.”

Harry smirked, “And here you were thinkin’ I worked at a company.” Harry smiled as Y/N looked away making Harry let out a laugh. “I’m jus’ jokin’ wit’ ya, love.”

As Harry and Y/N continued to talk they both didn’t notice the time passing by that fast.

Harry checked his watch on his wrist and saw that three hours have passed. Three hours passed. Three hours of non-stop talking. Harry didn’t mind it, to be honest he actually never wanted the conversation to end, he enjoyed talking with Y/N. She was funny and she always laughed at his jokes which was new, because people would just shrug it off and walk away from him. But Y/N, she didn’t. She listened to everything that he had to say and also he listened to whatever problems that Y/N was currently going through.

Harry stood up from sitting on the bench too long and walked towards the swings where Evie was happily swinging herself.

“Come, Evie. We have to get goin’, my bum is hurtin’, lovie.”

“No daddy!”

“Yes.”

“No.” Evie retorted back.

“Evaleen Sty-“ Harry continued, his hands on his hips as Evie walked towards him, shoulders slouched.

“Okay, daddy.” Evie finally says, intertwining her hand into Harry’s. Y/N walks towards the small little family of two. Her insides start to soften, seeing Harry and Evie being happy even though she has noticed that there isn’t a mother in the picture. She was going to ask about Evie’s mother and where she was, but she also didn’t want to ask something so personal to them. And besides, they just met yesterday at the train station so it was a risky question and she didn’t feel comfortable asking.

“Y/N. We’re going to get going, love. It was nice seeing you.” Harry said, as he fixed Evie’s head scarf a bit. She looked cute, a head scarf wrapped around her straight brown hair, almost matching Harry’s outfit. His yellow sweatshirt which made him look like a big bumble bee, paired with some black skinny jeans and brown boots. They looked exactly alike. “Yea yea, you two should get going, it is getting quite dark.”

“See ya later Y/N, the tall girl.” Evie said, as she smiled grabbing Y/N’s soft hand into her little one. “Tank you for playing wit’ me.”

“Of course, sweetie.” Y/N said as Evie wrapped her arms around Y/N’s neck.

“Evie, don’t choke her now.” Harry warned a happy little Evie.

“Sorry, Y/N.” Evie unwrapped her arms from Y/N’s neck as Y/N wrapped her arms around Evie.

“No worries, sweet Evie.” Harry, and Evie said their goodbyes to Y/N who was holding a smile the entire time she has been around them. Before Harry and Evie walked away from the park, Harry asked for Y/N's number and they both exchanged numbers to each other. Evie was smiling and Y/N and Harry were both smiling as well.

One would be convinced that they were a couple and that Evie was their little ball of sunshine. But they just got along so well, it just felt normal for them smiling and laughing at each other.

Y/N was so enchanted with the small family that she was getting a little disappointed that they were leaving. She was not gonna to lie they were amazing people. Little Evie being an angel and Harry. Harry being a gentleman and such a great dad. It was like he was born to be a father and Y/N could tell how much Evie meant to him and how he cherished her to the fullest and that was the most amazing thing that Y/N has seen in a father and daughter relationship. 

**//**

“Y/N, can you get these papers to the boss? I’m going to be on my lunch break.” Cami asked as she swung her lunch bag on her shoulder.

“Yeah. I actually have to go talk to her right now, so I’ll give them to her.” Y/N smiled as Cami smiled and threw a peace sign as she walked out the door and mouthed a ‘thank you.’

Y/N walked towards her boss’s office space and has the papers tucked under her arm. Once she was going to turn the corner she saw someone that she recognized right away. Her glasses made it easier for her to decipher the person better, and when the figure moved closer she noticed that it was a man and a little girl holding onto the man’s hand. She was confused if it was actually someone she knew or if it was a husband visiting his wife.

“Aren’t you a charmer. You look adorable with ya little dimples, love.”

“Daddy! Lady touching me little dimples.” A soft voice that Y/N recognized too well.

Y/N stuck her head out to see the commotion. Harry and Evie were both here, they were surrounded by her coworkers and the women were stealing glances at Harry.

“Hi, I am- we are lookin’ fo’ Y/N. Is she here?” Harry asked, as he held onto Evie’s hand tightly, and looked around if he found the person he was searching for.

“Yeah, Y/N was just giving some papers to our boss, she should be back.” Cami said, as she put her hand on Harry’s shoulder.

Y/N walked towards the group of her coworkers and she instantly landed eyes on Harry and Evie.

“Harry, Evie. Hi.” Y/N let out as she ran a nervous hand through her hair.

“Hi love. We were just in the neighborhood and we decided to stop by and give you these cookies, hope you like ‘em.” Harry invited as he handed Y/N the tupperware of cookies.

“Daddy wanted to see you.” Evie confessed, her little mischievous smile making Harry stare down at her.

Harry stiffened, his face becoming a light shade of pink.

“We just wanted to see you.” Harry explained, his cheeks still pink.

“Thank you Harry and thank you Evie for visiting me.” Y/N chuckles as she takes the tupperware.

“We should get goin’ I have to take this little one to get her some new sneakers, she outgrow the ones she had, the little bug.” Harry smiled as he looked down at a grinning Evie who kept looking up to him and Y/N.

“I’ll see you two later then? Drive safely, yeah?” Y/N encouraged.

“Can I show you me new sneaks when you come by?” Evie asked as she was bouncing on her heels and toes.

“Of course, lovie! I would love to see your new sneaks!” Y/N exclaimed.

“Okay. We’ll see you soon, love. Text or call me if you want to stop by, yea?” Harry said as he gave Y/N a hug. “Evie, say bye bye, darlin’.”

“Bye Y/N. Hope you like the cookies, I actually made them, daddy just put them in the oven fo’ me.” Evie whispered in Y/N’s ear, as Harry looked at them suspiciously.

“I’ll love ‘em even more, lovie. Thank you,” Y/N whispered back as Evie smiled. “Bye Evie, bye Harry.” Y/N said as she stared into Harry’s beautiful green irises that she has become enchanted with these past few weeks.

“Bye, love.”

And they were out. Evie holding onto Harry’s bigger hand as they walked towards the sliding doors.

“He’s a keeper, isn’t he?” A woman next to Y/N whispered to her. “Would love me a man like that.”

“He is an adorable dad, where did ya meet him Y/N?” Another woman asked

Y/N just stared into space, she stared down at the tupperware full of cookies and smiled to herself.

“Hmm? Did you say something?” Y/N asked as she now came back to reality.

“Let her be will you? Don't you both have work to do?” Cami retorted, as the two women walked back to their cubicles, sending glares to Cami.

“What were they talking 'bout?”

“The dad and the little girl that just came by. You never talked about them, Y/N.”

“Yeah, I know.”

“I like them, especially the little girl. What was her name?”

“Evie. She's precious isn't she?”

“Her dad is actually the precious one. Did you see his dimples and his eyes oh my go-” A woman added

“Don't you have work to do? Go on, up you go!” Cami exclaimed. “Sorry Y/N. It's just people can't fucking mind their own business. Want me to accompany you to your office?” Cami asked, a real gem she was.

“No, no. I'm fine Cami. I have to give these papers to our boss.” Y/N concluded, as Cami reached for the Tupperware grabbing a cookie.

“Mmm. They're delicious have you tried one?” Cami asked as she munched on her cookie.

“Not yet.”

“I’ll actually take those papers to our boss. I'll see ya later.” Cami says. As she was about to move passed Y/N. “Oh and I almost forgot to tell you. The dad gave you the eye. He is quite fond of you Y/N.” Cami whispered in Y/N's ear. She started to walk off and gave her a wink.

Y/N smiled to herself. Was he fond of her? She never realized the eyes that Harry gave her. If she was being honest she probably sneaked in a couple of googly eyes as well.

Once Y/N was comfortably inside her little office, she opens the Tupperware and grabs a cookie. If she was being quite honest, they were one of best cookies she's ever tasted.

**//**

After three months of seeing each other. Taking Evie to the park and Y/N busying herself by playing with her. And Harry, oh Harry.

At first he thought  it was a slight crush on the beautiful and smart woman that was Y/N. but once they started seeing each other more often, he never really realized how much in common that actually have. Same favorite candy, same favorite rom-coms. (Although Y/N fancied No Reservations, and Harry always told her that The Notebook was and is the best rom-coms that are out there) She also adored Harry's little jokes that he would always tell her which this would make Evie super ambitious and tell some of her own jokes as well.  

Y/N didn't know it at first but when their stars started to connect creating a constellation, they were both falling for each other, but neither of them didn't risk to confess their feelings to each other. When were they going to tell each other? It would still be a cold mystery, but the fact that they have been seeing each other made it so tempting but difficult.

Today Y/N was at Harry's little home. She was sitting on a stool near the kitchen island while Harry was scolding Evie to clean up her toys.

“Evie, sweetie. I think you should do what your daddy tells you, darling.” She told Evie who had her small arms crossed over her chest as a pout was showcased on her face.

“Daddy won't gimme candy.”

“Evie, I will give you some candy when you do what I asked you to do,” Harry said, as he bent down so he could be at eye-level with his daughter. “Jus’ put away  your toys, lovie. Promise I will give you some candy.”

“Promise?”

“I promise, darlin'.” Harry smirks as he bopped Evie's cheeks so she could smile.

“Alright, daddy!” Evie smiled showing off her perfect little dimples. She runs off to her room right away.

“You bribe her with candy?”

“'S the only way she cleans her room. I know I have to move past that when she starts gettin’ older.”

“Parenting at it's finest.”

“Indeed, love,” Harry smirks as he walked towards the big kitchen. “You hungry? I made this pasta casserole, we still have some left.”

“I'm good, Harry. Thank you for offering.”

Harry and Y/N were both sitting on the couch talking about the different designs he was currently working and Y/N talking about some of her annoying coworkers who just can't stop talking about their significant other.

“I mean, we get it Lucy. We all know you are dating for fuck sakes. Don't have to tell us ‘bout your sex life too.” Y/N bickers as Harry is just staring at her laughing at how Y/N was just so worked up about her coworker.

“I get it, love. I hate it too.”

Y/N remembered that one time that Harry and Evie visited her at work. She remembered most of her coworkers talking about them especially about Harry. It disgusted her when she would hear them gossip about his size and how they would wish to sleep with him. Disgusted her and it felt disrespectful. They didn’t even know anything about him and they were all over him after that one day. She didn’t dare talk about the many conversations that her coworkers had that involved him, she just didn’t feel comfortable.

“Cami was the one at that one breakfast place, right?” Harry asked as he rested his forearm on the cushion of the couch.

“Yeah. That was Cami. I love her to bits, a great friend she is.” Y/N smiled as Harry’s smile never faltered.

“She seems nice,” Harry abruptly stood up and walked towards the kitchen and grabbed a water bottle from the fridge. “Thirsty, love?”

“Yes please.”

“I never asked you. What’s your favorite color?”

“I dunno. I have a lot of favorite colors I can’t really choose one color.”

“C'mon, you have to at least like one color.”

“I can't choose one. I like all of the colors. Why are you asking?”

“Jus’ wanted to ask, love.” Harry teased as he tickled Y/N's side.

They continued talking but before they could continue any further, Harry realized that he hasn't seen Evie after telling her to put away her toys.

Harry was worried if something happened to her because before she would go to bed she would always ask Harry to read to her, but not today.

“I'll be back Y/N, have to check on the little one.”

He walked to Evie's cozy bedroom and found his daughter cuddled in the bed, the covers wrapping her small body like a cocoon. Harry tucks the covers so they could completely keep her body warm and by the time he finishes covering her he leans forward and plants a kiss on her forehead and whispers a good night.

“She's fallen asleep the little bub.” Harry added as he sat on the couch where Y/N was sitting on.

“She did have a busy day.”

“She sure did.”

After hours have passed by Y/N started to rub her eyes and Harry continued letting out little yawns.

“I think I should get going harry it's getting quite late.”

“Yeah. You should start gettin’ home. Don't want ya catchin’ a cold 'cos of staying here so late.”

“Nonsense Harry. I really do enjoy spending most of my days here with you and little Evie.”

Harry grabbed Y/N's coat from the coat rack and helped Y/N get snuggled up.

“You be careful, yeah? Text or call me when ya get home.”

Y/N smiles finally wrapping her scarf around her neck, “Thank you Harry. And yes, I'll call you when I get home.”

“Okay. I'll see ya- we'll see you tomorrow, love, for brekkie.”

“See you two tomorrow Harry, bye.”

“Bye tall girl.” Harry smirked as his body was leaning on the door as Y/N smiled back at him making him combust with butterflies in his belly.

Harry shuts the door after waving goodbye to Y/N. After he shut the door closed he felt an emptiness, there were no laughs, no jokes, no storytelling, but most importantly there was no Y/N.

Harry sat down on the couch where he reminisced the many conversations that him and Y/N had and the abundance of giggles. He missed it already.

To be certain he was actually missing her. He didn't know why she was the one who he missed but he just wanted to see her again even if it was just for a millisecond. He wished to see her again.

**//**

“Darlin’ do ya have everythin’?”

“Yes daddy.” Evie says, as her little hands carry the little lunch bag which contained a variety of snacks.

“Let's see. We've got bananas, pretzels, juice boxes. Is there somethin’ else you want in the lunch bag, Evie?”

“Some cookies?”

“Cookies it is then.”

Harry grabs the cookie jar and puts enough cookies so it could fill up the zip lock bag.

“Okay, petal. I think we're ready to go.” Harry added as Evie looked up smiling as her dimples were on full display.

And with that they were out the door.

The walk was oddly silent. Evie was walking alongside Harry and Harry was constantly looking down to check on Evie. She looked fine.

Whenever they would walk to their location Evie would always ask her dad about something and she always attempted to tickle Harry's side.

But today felt off, she didn't try to tickle him or ask him questions that he secretly loved because that was just what kids do. But nothing. Just a Evie looking down at her shoes while they continued to walk towards the park.

**//**

“What's wrong with Evie?” Y/N asked, as she bit into her sandwich.

“Dunno. She was fine before we left the house, but once we were walking she didn't try to tickle me or ask me anything.”

“Hmm,” Y/N added as she wiped her mouth with a napkin and got up from sitting cross-legged on the grass. “I'm gonna go talk to her. I will be right back.”

Y/N walks towards Evie as she was busying herself with her coloring book.

“Hi Evie.”

No answer

“Evie, sweetheart. What's the matter?”

Still no answer

“Do you want me to sit with you and color?”

Evie finally looked up from her coloring book and nodded her head, handing Y/N a piece of paper.

Y/N and Evie sat next to each other in silence.

Their hands dragged along the paper with many little illustrations filling the pieces of paper.

“Evie. Please tell me what's wrong, your daddy is very worried.”

Evie stopped coloring and looked up, locking eyes with Y/N.

“Sick.” Evie croaked out.

Y/N went to place her palm on Evie's forehead and retrieved it back concluding that Evie had a fever.

“Sweetie, we gotta get you home now.”

Harry and Y/N gathered everything and Harry carried Evie in his arms while Y/N carried the lunch bag.

Once they arrived to the house Harry set Evie on the couch as Y/N stood at the door.

“Harry, I'll be back. I'm gonna run to the market and get some things to make Evie feel better.” Y/N sighed out as she put everything she was holding in both hands on the kitchen island.

“You don't have to do all of that, love. I'm sure that we have some medicine lying around.” Harry said, as he tried to convince her to not leave.

“It's fine Harry, I insist. I won't be long, okay?”

And Y/N was out the door leaving a confused Evie lying down on the couch shivering.

“Daddy, it's cold.”

“Don't worry darlin’ we'll get you feeling better soon. Promise, petal.” Harry leans forward and plants a soft kiss on Evie's forehead.

Once Y/N came back from the market, she brought lemons, ginger, honey, and other things that she was going to give to Evie.

“Evie, honey. Can you sit up? I want you to drink this tea.”

“Is it sweet?” Evie asked, as she held onto the blanket tighter.

“Not really. It may taste bitter at first but it will make you feel better.”

“Promise?”

“Promise.” Y/N reassured.

Evie drank the tea at first making a grimace.

Harry sat on the other side of Evie so he could be there to check on her and give her medicine.

“Daddy?”

“Yes, darlin’?”

“Can I have candy?”

“Evie, you’re just barely getting better. Maybe tomorrow when you feel a little better, yeah?”

“Tomorrow?” Evie coughed out.

“Yes, maybe tomorrow.”

Tomorrow came around and Evie was feeling much better than yesterday.

While Y/N was taking care of Evie the day before, Harry offered to let her spend the night because it was getting a little late. Harry wanted Y/N to spend the night so she wouldn’t have to be driving at such a late time, which was something that Harry didn’t want her to do.

“Daddy! Daddy, Y/N stayed home! She stayed home!” Evie exclaimed as she was jumping up and down in place.

“She did didn’t she? Why don’t you go brush your teeth, darlin’, I’ll come in and see how you did.” Harry rasped out as he just woke up from his slumber.

“Okay.”

Evie went into the bedroom while Harry stayed put on his bed. He stared at the ceiling as he rested his head on his hands. Thinking of the day before and thinking about Y/N. Y/N, with just the thought of her made him smile to himself and butterflies started to invade his stomach. Harry got up and walked towards the exit of his bedroom. He wanted to check if Y/N was okay, so he walked towards the guest bedroom and opened it. What he was expecting was Y/N in bed still sound asleep, but what he didn’t expect was seeing a half naked Y/N.

“Shit, sorry Y/N!” Harry yelled out as he covered his eyes.

“Harry! Close the door, please!” Y/N demanded as she continued covering her cleavage as the jeans she was about to zip up dropped to her ankles.

“Sorry Y/N. I just wanted to make sure you were okay.” Harry added as his back was facing the closed door.

“No, no, no. Harry it’s- I just, I was just going to check up on you if you wanted breakfast, but now that you’re awake- do you want breakfast?”

“Yeah, yeah breakfast sounds nice. But I’m making it okay?”

“Okay then.”

“Okay, I’ma go now I’ll just- uh leave you to it.” Harry finally let out as he was feet away from the guest bedroom door.

“What in the bloody hell, Harry.” Harry whispered to himself, as he felt embarrassed from the whole encounter with Y/N.

“Daddy look! I washed me teeth!”

“I see that, lovie. You did really good Evie, proud of ya.”

“Tank you daddy.”

Evie gave Harry a warming hug as Harry smiled down at her.

“Is Y/N still here Daddy?”

“Yes Evie. She might be in her room still.” Harry said, his hand sliding down on his face. Evie ran out of Harry’s bedroom and left Harry with his many thoughts concerning Y/N.

“Bloody hell, Harry. What the fuck were ya thinkin’?”

Before Harry could continue scolding himself some more, his phone started ringing. Once he lands his eyes on the device he sees his mother’s name flash on the screen.

“Mum!”

“Hello Harry, my darling. Are you busy?”

“No mum. I just got up.”

“Good. How’s my little Evie? Is she all right?”

“Yes mum. She’s fine. Jus’ yesterday she had a cold or she was ‘bout to get a cold, but Y/- a friend came and took good care of her.”

“So Evie’s okay? Does this friend have a name?”

Harry took a deep breath and rubbed his sweaty hands on his thighs.

“Her name’s Y/N. I’ve been knowing her for almost eight months now.”

“You’ve never talked ‘bout her. Well I’m glad you and Evie are good. Tell Y/N thank you for taking care of Evie and tell her I said hi.”

“Yes mum, I’ll let her know.”

“I called to remind you of Evie’s birthday party. I need to know the theme and what Evie wants.”

Harry has forgotten Evie’s birthday party that his mum was going to throw at her house. He also totally forgot about Evie’s birthday he forgot that it was next month and he didn’t even know what Evie wanted for her birthday. He would always know what Evie would want.

“Evie’s birthday party! I almost bloody forgot that we were going to celebrate it at your house, mum. Let me call her so she can talk to you, yeah?”

“Please Harry, I haven’t talked to her in a long time.”

By a long time, she meant a week without talking with little Evie.

When Harry called Evie in, she was munching on a chocolate pancake.

Harry leaves Evie in his room as she was on the phone with her grammy.

Harry walks towards the kitchen, but before he comes into the kitchen, he stands two feet from the entrance of the kitchen. He stands thinking what he’s going to say. Once Harry maps out what he’s going to say he steps in the kitchen and sees Y/N sitting on a stool near the kitchen island.

“I told Evie to tell you that your pancakes were ready.” Y/N says as she furrowed her brows while taking a bite of her pancake.

“She didn’t tell me. She’s talkin’ with her grammy.”

“She probably forgot to tell you then.”

Then awkward silence filled the kitchen.

“Look I-” They both said at the same time.

“Look, I’m sorry I walked in on you. It was very rude of me to just barge in like that.”

“Harry it’s fine. I should’ve locked the door before going to sleep, it’s not your fault.” Y/N added.

“I’m sorry Y/N. I didn’t want you to feel uncomfortable here.” Harry added.

“It’s all right.” Y/N said as she set her hand on Harry’s folded hands. “Now eat your pancakes they’re going to get cold.”

“I told you I was going to make brekkie.” Harry said as Y/N just smiled.

Y/N and Harry continued eating their pancakes, as they laughed at a joke that Harry finished saying but before he could say another joke, Evie came running towards them.

“Daddy, daddy!”

“What is it Evie?”

“Grammy said I’m going t’have a birthday party!”

“Did she now?”

“Yes, daddy!” Evie exclaimed as she danced in place making Harry and Y/N grin at each other.

“It’s next month. Is there anyone you’d like to invite?”

“Are Luna and Danny going?”

“Yes. Pretty sure auntie Gem and uncle Michal are comin’ so both are probably goin’.”

Evie moved her sight towards Y/N, her brows were lifted as she looked tentatively at Evie and back at Harry.

“Can we take Y/N?” Evie asked as her smile was present along with her adorable dimples.

“Umm- I don’t know. Y/N?”

“Not sure sweetie. I might be busy next month.”

“Aww please Y/N? You can’t miss me birthday party.” Evie asked her eyes getting a little glossy.

“I’ll see if I can go.”

“Tank you Y/N.” Evie said as she walked towards Y/N and gave her a hug. “And tank you for making me feel better.”

“You’re welcome Evie.” Y/N smiled down at the little girl.

Evie smiled back and ran towards her room and yelled out, “I’ll be coloring!”

Harry and Y/N exchanged smiles as Harry ran a hand through his messy curls.

“She really wants ya to come, huh?”

“Yeah. I would love to but-”

“You should go, but if you’re busy that weekend I’m sure she’ll understand, love.” Harry assured her.

“Yeah hope so,” Y/N gets up and puts her dirty dishes in the sink. “I’ll just wash these dishes and I’ll be out of your hair.”

“Stay as long as you want, love. And let me help you with dryin’ ‘em, least I can do after you made breakfast.”

Harry and Y/N both help each other wash and dry the dishes and lastly putting them away where they belong.

“I should get going it’s getting late and I have to stop by to buy some food.”

“Sure. Let me get Evie here to say bye.”

Once Harry walked to Evie’s room he saw her lying down on the floor, colored pencils scattered on the floor.

“Oh, my little Evie.” Harry whispers as he carries Evie and sets her on her bed. “Goodnight, Evie.” Harry kisses her cheek and tucks her in.

Harry came back to the kitchen, finding Y/N putting on her jacket.

“She fell asleep while coloring. I’ll tell her in the morning you had to go.”

“Okay then. It was nice spending the night here and cook you both some pancakes.”

“Even though I told ya I was goin’ to cook breakfast.”

“Which you were too slow to come by to the kitchen. It’s fine it was a treat from me to you and Evie for letting me spend the night.”

“Of course, love. Anytime. And thank you for doing your magic and curing Evie.”

“Of course! I love the little one,” Y/N smiled as she walked towards the door. “I’m going to head out now, maybe soon we can go to that picnic or to the park?”

“Yes! Yes, we can go anytime.”

“Okay. Well, goodbye Harry.”

“Bye Y/N.”

Before Harry could close the door Y/N leaned forward to give him a hug and a kiss on the cheek.

“I really enjoy spending time with you Harry.” Y/N grinned as Harry blushed when they both detached from each other.

“Me too, Y/N.”

Me too.

Taglist: @meet-me-in-the-harry

A/N: Hope you liked it! I know I haven’t posted any writing since last month (I think) Let me know what you thought, your feedback is much appreciated, much love. -Ani ❤💞💓

[neganandblake]

I think I liked you better when you didn’t have a knife in your hand, Peaches...  Chapter 201 - Chickens

When Blake finds herself sold out to the Saviours by her abusive fiancé, she realises that she’s certainly not on her own anymore and finds an unlikely friend in Negan. And Negan does NOT like men who beat their girlfriends, one tiny bit….

Chapter 201 - Chickens

[Blake just wants a quiet breakfast. Why is that always impossible at the Sanctuary?]

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

Blake woke early with a headache the next morning .

She had had a terrible night's sleep. Half to do with the wriggling toddler that had been sandwiched between her and Negan, who couldn't seem to keep her legs still. And half to do with the impending dread of having to tell Brandon just what had happened to David.

She knew that today needed to be the day.

Blake knew that running out on him, without even an explanation last night, had not been the most sensible thing to do. But would telling him have been the best idea either?

Even so, today had to be the day.

Brandon had always seemed very chilled out and Blake could only hope that he stayed that chilled when she told him the truth. But it did worry her now that despite David never previously showing the signs of having much of a temper, his true colours had eventually come out, revealing him as the monster he truly was.

By the time Blake had dragged her pounding head into the bathroom, showered and dressed, she emerged back into the bedroom to find Mia stirring in the bed.

Not wanting to wake Negan, who was lying on his front, head squashed into a pillow, arm hanging off one side of the bed. Blake scooped up the baby girl and headed into her bedroom next door.

"Come on, Sweetie," she murmured, pressing a kiss to the top of the little girl's head.

Ten minutes later they were out, dressed, and heading down to the large dining hall for breakfast, Mia yawning as they went.

"You still tired, baby?" asked Blake, cocking an eye at the girl who was sat on her hip, as they walked down the wide metal staircase, it taking all Blake's effort not to yawn herself..

"Yesh," said Mia in a matter-of-fact voice. "Mommy wos wriggly in tha night."

Blake knew she had tossed and turned a lot in the night, unable to settle properly.

"Sorry, Mommy didn't mean to wake you," Blake said soothingly, smoothing tuft of Mia's hair away from her face.

Mia peered up at her with round eyes.

"Wos Mommy scawed of the storm too?"

At the toddlers words, Blake smiled softly. "No, baby, I wasn't scared of the storm."

But Blake knew deep down maybe there was another thing she was scared of. One thing keeping her up at night.

One thing that appeared just twenty minutes later, as Blake was sat with Mia on one side of one of the long tables at the very edge of the large dining hall.

The blonde had just been watching Mia messily eat a little oatmeal, not able to stomach anything herself, when she had glanced up to see Brandon walking through the door at the opposite end of the room.

She saw him pause for a moment, eyes searching the room until finally, to Blake's utter dismay, his gaze landed on her.

Brandon gave a smile and quickly hurried over.

"Blake," he said brightly, eyes flicking to Mia as he approached. "I've been looking for you. After you ran out last night I-"

"Yeah sorry…about that," uttered Blake cutting him off. "I was just….feeling a little under the weather."

Brandon eyed her but didn't make any comment, merely turning to Mia, who was currently shovelling a large spoonful of oatmeal into her mouth, and giving a wide grin.

"Now who's this?" he asked titling his head.

But he didn't give either girl the chance to answer, before turning his attention back to Blake, an astonished frown passing over his face.

"She's yours?" he said in amazement. "A-And David's?"

Blake's blood suddenly ran cold at the words.

Her and David's? Is that what he really thought?

Blake felt her blood run cold at the idea of ever having had a child with that man who had abused her for so long.

She looked hurriedly to Mia.

The little girl to her left certainly could have been the right age to be her and David's, especially if they had conceived some time in the year after the apocalypse.

"No!" the blonde woman said quickly, a little louder than she probably should have.

And Brandon looked more than a little shocked at the outburst.

"No, she's uh…she's not mine…" But immediately Blake regretted her words as Mia peered up at her, smacking her lips as she ate. "…I mean, she is…but…not biologically…but we found her…and-"

"You and David?" asked Brandon with another small frown.

At the use of her ex-fiancé's name, Blake faltered, paling immediately.

But Brandon obviously wasn't stupid and spoke before Blake had the chance to answer.

"Listen, Blakey, it's ok. I'm guessing by the way you keep avoiding my question, that David….that he didn't make it."

The blonde woman felt her heart begin to race in her chest.

Shit.

"I…" she began, but Brandon shook his head, cutting over her.

"It's ok," he replied gently. "A lot of people are gone and, well, I hoped that David was still alive…but I guess that's just the way of things now. The people we love are always the first to go and it's us that's got to deal with that heartbreak of losing them. Just living with that loss for the rest of our lives."

Blake stared at Brandon but didn't say a word in response.

If only he knew the truth.

But fuck. How the hell could she tell him now?

But suddenly, a tiny voice from beside her broke the tension.

"Does you knows my Daddy? He taykin' me to see tha chikins layter," Mia said proudly, brandishing her spoon, that was clutched in her tiny fist, up at Brandon.

Negan had indeed agreed, after much whining from Mia, and whining equally as much about the loss of his own big bad reputation himself, to take the little girl down to visit the chicken coop at some point today.

Blake, as much as she liked the gardens, had blanched at the idea, the smell of chicken crap forever making her nauseous.

Brandon immediately beamed down at the toddler, reaching over and tickling her beneath the chin fondly.

"I knew your Daddy alright," he said with a chuckle. He gave a soft sigh. "Betcha miss him don't you?"

Shit.

Blake opened to her mouth to respond but Mia did it for her.

"Noh. I onwy sawed him jus' naw."

Brandon retracted his hand slowly, giving a frown, but seemed to dismiss Mia's comment as toddler babble, turning back to Blake and stuffing his hands into both pockets.

"So…" he said bouncing on his heels. "Big place right? Only got the chance to look around part of it this morning, but it looks like a proper community."

Blake nodded as Brandon continued.

"Not like the last place I was at, just a couple of houses, fifteen of us there max."

"Yeah, the Sanctuary's a great place," Blake replied, her eyes flitting this way and that before they finally fell to her lap, pondering her life anywhere but here at the Sanctuary now.

If David had never brought her here, would she still be at Alexandria? Would she still have been alive even? At David's hand she wasn't so sure…

"This Negan guy seems a but of a hard-ass though, right?" Brandon said suddenly causing Blake's eyes to flick immediately up to him. "Haven't seen him yet but from what I've heard-"

Brandon gave a whistle.

"-seems like a guy you don't want to get on the wrong side of, y'know what I mean?"

Blake opened her mouth to reply.

Because she had to tell him right? Tell him who exactly Negan was to her?

But to her utter dismay, before she could even say a word to forewarn him, despite the buzz of the bustling dining hall, a set of unmistakable heavy and chinking footfalls could be heard approaching.

And Blake looked up to see Negan, leather jacket on, Lucille lifted up onto his shoulder intimidatingly, crossing the room towards them.

Blake closed her eyes.

Goddamn it.

Brandon followed Blake's gaze over his shoulder, stiffening slightly as Negan strolled towards them.

Despite never meeting Negan he obviously recognised him, and the bat on his shoulder.

The dark-haired Saviour had his jaw clenched, eyes narrowed and glinting and looked so very far removed right now from the soft and caring Negan Blake had confessed her worries to last night.

Now he looked like the fearsome leader of grotesque legend.

And certainly someone you didn't want to get on the wrong side of.

But yet again, a certain toddler was the one to break that foil.

"Hai Daddy!" she said happily, lifting a spoonful of breakfast up towards him. "Does you wan sum of mai owtmeel?"

Brandon didn't move for a moment before his eyes slowly travelled, first from Mia, then to Negan, a sudden realisation dawning upon his face. Before turning back to Blake, who instantly felt her cheeks turn a bright pink colour.

But Negan didn't give a response to Mia, merely stroking the top of her head with his large hand, the gesture enough to make Mia lower her spoon back to her mouth contentedly.

But the dark-haired man's eyes were fixed now to the blonde man before him instead.

"So….you mus' be Brandon," said Negan in a low and growling voice, taking a long and looming step forward.

Blake saw Brandon give a visible gulp, his bright blue eyes looking far more fearful that they previously had a mere moment ago.

"Y-Yes, I am…" he nodded instantly.

Negan sucked on his teeth, looking slightly irritable as he continued to gaze at Brandon.

Blake knew what Negan was thinking of course.

The same of she had last night when she had first laid eyes on him.

Just how much, in this slimmer form, he looked like David. The hair, the eyes… especially to someone like Negan who had only met David a handful of times.

But Brandon looked more than a little flustered now with the way that Negan was staring him down, unblinking and not speaking. And so with his blue eyes unable to meet Negan's gaze any longer, he excused himself.

"I errr, I'd better get going…" he said quickly, easing himself around Negan and shuffling quickly away, crossing the dining hall, getting lost in the crowd.

Blake gave a small groan as she watched him go, letting her head drop forwards in frustration.

"You didn' tell him, Doll-face?" enquired Negan, climbing on his long legs over the bench and dropping down into the seat opposite the blonde woman, placing Lucille down onto the table before him.

Blake looked up at him, letting out a sigh.

"Well he figured out David was gone by himself," she said wearily. "But I didn't tell him how it happened."

"That enough?" Negan said cocking an eyebrow up at her.

But Blake gave a shrug. "I don't know, he deserves he truth, but telling him…well its hard."

Negan huffed. "You gotta remember what that asshole fiancé of your did to you for all those fuckin' months, Darlin'. Shit, Davey-boy wasn' a fuckin' saint. An' his damn brother needs to hear that shit."

He was right of course. But that still didn't make any of this any easier.

Blake stared at Negan. "I know," she murmured, letting out yet another heavy sigh before turning to Mia who had dropped her spoon into the bowl before her with a clatter. "You done, baby?"

Mia, who looked like she had had more oatmeal on her, than was likely in her stomach, nodded.

"Chikins naw, Eggy?" she asked the dark-haired man before her hopefully, as Blake wiped at her face with a napkin.

And this time it was Negan's turn to sigh.

"Shit, alright then, Beansprout," he said tiredly, pushing himself to his feet again and reaching across the table and hauling the toddler up from beneath her arms, pulling her into his chest.

"You able to look after Lucille for me for a while, Peaches?" he smirked at Blake as Mia made a grab for his ear, pulling hard on it.

Blake smirked back at his words rolling her eyes.

"Do I have to?" she asked, tutting playfully.

"Now, now, Darlin'," Negan scolded in a teasing voice. "Play nice, Sweetheart, an' if you're lucky Daddy might jus' have a treat for you later, if you catch my drift."

And with that Negan waggled his eyebrows in Blake's direction cockily.

But this only caused Blake to grin, narrowing her green eyes in his direction, as she got to her feet and slid herself from the bench neatly.

"You talking to me or the bat there, tough guy?"

But she didn't wait for a response now, merely snatching up the barbed-wire covered Lucille from the scrubbed wooden table and giving another audible tut, before turning and walking away, swaying her hips as she went.

"We'll be in the west garden if you want us," she called back to him over her shoulder, as Negan chuckled behind her, watching her go, carrying Lucille with her as she went.

"You know what, Beansprout?" said Negan, pressing his face into Mia's, grizzling his stubbly cheek across hers. "Your Daddy really does love your Momma. Very fuckin' much."

"Chikins naw, Eggy," Mia reprimanded, pressing her chubby palm flat to Negan's cheek and holding his face away from hers.

And Negan could only grin.

"Alright, alright, kid," he chuckled, as he turned, making to head back across the busy dining hall with Mia in tow. "Chickens it is."

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

@collette04 | @mssharingisfun | @daydreamsandchai | @onemorebeautifulnightmare | @arwa-alii| @maggiesourie | @blumenkind72 | @toloaughistolove  | @negans-womam| @elinyaes | @mwesterfeld1985 | @letseatandsleep |  @lovesjdm | @padmeisgay | @karlbourbonismyhero | @lfsbitencourt | @toxic-ink | @laaadygisbooornex3 | @cutiedaij| @warriorqueen1991 | @itstheamandashow|  | @dessie @lovelynerdytraveler|@joelssmugglingservice   | @sophiestru24 | @intensemindorgasms | @jenn0755 | @nerdygirlwithacrush | @ali-in-fandomland  | @spn-mudkip |  | @embee222   | @xagateophobiax   | @nu1freakshow | @simplysiriuslyjoking | @negan5589 | @ididntchoosethislife  | @yezzyzzz  | @jessiellong1987 | @likearaindropfilledwithgoldust| @kristenallison04 | @vanilla-negan | @simplysiriuslyjoking | @shannmiw  | @qhbr2013 | @uncharte-dlove  | @thedeadwalks | @pizzaisrelationshipgoals| @kalista225 | @saved-by-fiction | @nerdywriter| @hayleighloatx| @miss-cap21  | @nyakozhovur  | @theunwantedwriter | @myrabbitholetoneverland| @topthis808| @depressed-teenagekids| @band--psycho  | @artisticlales | @itstotalyblue | @athena1504 | @sighsophiia | @make-things-beautiful2 | @lynn1712 | @thamberlina | @batmanlover1593 | @jdmsgal | @queenslandlover-93 | @neganrpblog | @michellevalvona | @roguesandsaviors  | @fuckyeafishes | @hotdigggittydogg | @thewingeddragon | @negan-the-cat | @little-big-mac2  | @lunatheumbreon | @itookherteethies | @lauraclapton | @justnatalies | @queen0fants | @belsoleleann | @lellatron  | @bvckysbrns  | @omqstyleseditss| @tigger4367 | @ohmy-sammy | @ainhoitaoz| @youshouldloveyourselfbruh | @babeinthesun| @topthis808 | @colormewhole-blog-blog | @so-i-died | @sannamahlkvist | @the-nuup | @i-fucking-rock| @deanervs | @searchf0rtheskyline  | @starlessskies94 | @lellatron | @carolines24 | @youll-all-get-yours | @jackybehappy | @candiloverr | @emybug101 | @imstonecoldnegan | @sapphirerose0122 | @katerinas | @blondekel77 | @thetruebornwildchild  | @nekocookie11 | @mellowspypersonadeputy | @champagnesugamama | @lostdarksoul6 | @babygirlmeepi | @may-machin | @julyintherain12 | @drina365 | @bob-giovanni | @journeyrose | @faith-lynn9 | @mellowspypersonadeputy | @queenredfury | @heyworld07 | @sarcasticrose18 | @wonder-cole | @scarletthart96 | @mychemicalimagines | @risenfromearth | @haleyea | @ifsomeonewroteabookaboutme | @beegnc | @imsensitiveplzdonthurtme | @xrosegoldwolfx | @vlightning95 | @elskinner45 |  @negans-network | @josten10-minyard03 | @neganscherryblue | @suoheiwajima | @mrsalliej47 | @myxtina| @negansfav0ritewife | @jamiekingofmen | @gawd-why-is-negan-so-hawt | @thenightshadequeen | @stars–thunderbird | @hippychick912 | @neganfreak​

[ilsangdo]

WELCOME TO YOUR HOME AWAY FROM HOME!

beyond the sandy shores there’s a storm brewing, and PARK SUNGHYUN (he/him), a thirty-two year old REPORTER has walked right into it. perhaps they aren’t aware of it now, but the STEVE SANGHYUN NOH ( actor ) look-alike is in for quite the memorable experience. will our beloved TOWNIE be able to enjoy their stay?

be careful where you step PARK SUNGHYUN, for HUMANS seem to be a little less welcomed here. and remember, here at ilsang, things aren’t always what they seem.

a scrapbook is placed half haphazardly into a storage bin, the front of the book has “the park family” written in faded golden lettering. a few old yearbooks, some old medals, and a tacky snowglobe with a miniature tokyo sit alongside the scrapbook.

 polaroid of a young couple, no older than teenagers, posing in front of an arcade game. the girl is wearing a baggy jean jacket, her permed hair framing her huge smile. the boy has his arm thrown over her shoulder, he’s wearing an oversized t-shirt tucked into high wasted jeans.

 scrawled underneath the photo in neat handwriting is mikyung and junho’s first date 1988.

 on the next page, a photo of the same girl, mikyung, only this time she’s sitting in a hospital bed,  her hair has been straightened, her smile subdued and a baby tucked carefully in her arms. the same boy junho,sits beside her bed, his eyes a bit red as he smiles towards the camera.

 scrawled underneath in the same neat handwriting is sunghyun’s birthday, 1990

 a toddler dressed in hogeon sits in the middle of various objects; he’s clutching a toy stethoscope in his hand.  

 sunghyun’s doljabi ceremony, 1991.

 the next page has various photos of the young couple — the first being junho wearing a cap and gown, holding a diploma, with mikyung beside him carrying a boy who seems to be around 3 years old.

 junho’s graduation, 1994.

 the second photo on the page is of mikyung, her hair tied neatly into the bun, posing by a makeup counter, two other women are beside her.

 mikyung’s first day at the department store, 1996.

 the following page has a photo of the young boy sunghyun, now around 6 years old, smiling with a tooth missing, he’s holding up a small gold ribbon with an older woman, with graying hair and smile lines standing beside him.  her nose looks vaguely similar to junho’s.

 sport’s day at sunghyun’s school, with grandma 2002.

 the next page features another hospital photo, mikyung lays in the bed smiling at sunghyun who is now around 12 years old, carrying a baby. he’s wearing a school uniform and smiling proudly at the camera, as he shows off the baby in his arms.

 sunghyun meeting hyunmi for the first time, 2002.

 beside it, is a photo of hyunmi, sitting in a high chair. sunghyun’s back is facing the camera, but his hands are in frame, as he holds up a spoon of rice towards hyunmi.

 below in much messier handwriting, hyunmi and sunghyun, 2003

 the next page has a photo of hyunmi, now around 5 years old, her hair tied in pigtails ( though one is lopsided ) with junho and mikyung behind her. but she is clinging onto sunghyun,now a teenager, who is kneeled beside her, her eyes watery.

 the same messy handwriting as before, minnie’s first day of school, 2005, and a heart sticker beside the caption.

 a photo of hyunmi laying in a hospital bed, her smile forced as she looks up at the camera. mulitple stuffed animals litter her bedside table, and sunghyun sits beside her, holding balloons. his dark circles are apparent even through the photo.

 minnie’s successful surgery, 2007

 tucked in the corner of the page is a picture of sunghyun, posing alone with a diploma in hand.

 sunghyun’s high school graduation

 the next page features multiple photos of sunghyun and a group of young adults. the one in the center is sunghyun with his arm wrapped around the waist of a young woman wearing a scarf.

 Study aboard trip in tokyo, 2010

 another graduation photo, this time sunghyun is centered in the photo dressed in a cap and gown, holding up his dilopma. hyunmi now a teenager, is beside him her smile wide. mikyung and junho stand on the other side of him, now middle-aged.

 uni school graduation, 2011

 a photo id of sunghyun, titled “press pass” and the name of the newspaper underneath it.

 on the last page of the scrapbook, there are multiple pictures missing; only a caption remains.

 sunghyun’s wedding, 2019

 the last photo is of sunghyun, his clothes are ruffled and multiple manila folders are present, his smile strained as he throws a peace sign at the camera. his wedding ring is missing.  

 sunghyun’s last day at (redacted) ilbo, 2022

[starlessskies94]

The Nurse Part 20 (Negan/BlakeAU)

Masterlist...

So this is it the last chapter of The Nurse! Thank you each and every one of you lovely people that read/commented/liked/reblogged this story it honestly means the world to me. And I’m so glad people have enjoyed and loved this story as much as I’ve enjoyed writing it. It started as a single oneshot and took on life of it’s own and I can’t believe how far it’s come. 

A huge massive incredible thank you to @neganandblake​ for your help/advice/ideas and endless support! Girl you are a saint and a beautiful genuinely lovely person inside and out! Thank you for being so awesome and a friend. ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

I had thought about the possibility of continuing this story passed this chapter but in all honestly I really like where we leave Negan and Blake here so I don’t think it’ll be something I’ll take on. But that gives me the time to focus on my other fics.

I also borrowed some dialogue for Negan from the comics because his speech about Lucille melts my heart 😭😭

So here’s the last chapter...I hope it doesn’t disappoint ❤️

The days had slowly dragged by, the months gradually blurring together as the winter's chill had once again begun to appear. The deal had been done, the terms decided. Negan and Blake would leave Alexandria and never set foot in any settlement again. In return; Rick would return to the Hilltop with Michonne and staying true to their words; as far as anyone was concerned outside the four of them; Negan and Blake were dead.

Killed in the car crash by the outskirts of the woods, bodies destroyed to prevent them from turning. They could live as they wanted now. No more fighting. No more running. They’d decided to settle in the abandoned farmhouse they’d hidden out in months earlier, as it hadn’t taken much work to fix up.

They’d taken on the rebuilding together, Negan fixing up the barn while Blake cleared the house in order to make the place livable again. Between them they’d even constructed a wall surrounding their new found property and in a few short months the ex-savior and young nurse had created themselves their own little settlement to reside in. With a barn sheltering a small group of animals for food, a garden filled with fresh growing crops and vegetables just as Blake had wanted. Negan had even included his idea from the Sanctuary of chaining walkers to the fence a few meters outside for protection. It had worked for a time before, not just to keep away the dead but also to ward off trespassers.

In the end the couple had been exceptionally proud of what they’d built in so short atime it really was something and more importantly, it was theirs.

They’d agreed to stay away from the other communities providing Rick agreed to do the same with their land. Never hunting or foraging in the same places to lower the risk of ever crossing paths, for Rick had just as much to lose as they did if anyone found out he’d lied about their deaths.

And as they settled into their new home, the ex-savior found there was really only one thing left he had to do…

As the darkness closed in, Negan felt suffocated. The storm clouds looming over his head, water pouring endlessly from the gray sky. Lightening illuminated the day followed by the deep roar of thunder. The grass seemed to drown in the low flood of the storm. He stood before the small and neatly laid grave. The wooden cross tied together with rope stood tall in the freshly unearthed soil. It wasn’t ideal to what Negan would’ve wanted for her but it was better than nothing. He hadn’t been able to find any lilies to lay by the grave, but he had picked some white wild flowers he knew she would’ve loved.

It was foolish really the more he thought about it. It wasn’t the real Lucille he’d laid to rest underneath that soil, it was just a damn bat. But Blake had suggested that this might be a good way to finally say goodbye to her. To finally let her rest in peace by the willow tree not far from their settlement.

Standing with sweated brows and muddy shaking hands; his breath caught in his throat. The guilt now rising again, the heart ache he’d repressed for so long in his attempt to appear as cold as possible, was now allowed to consume him for the first time in years.

He was so sorry for everything.

Sorry that he never got to bury her before. But he hoped this was the next best thing, after all it was the closest he would ever get. He hoped she was at peace. That she was in heaven with someone who treated her better than he ever did. If anyone deserved an afterlife in paradise it was Lucille.

She’d always been so good to him, put up with all the shit he’d pulled. Thinking back to the man he once was, made him sick.

To treat such a kindhearted, sweet loving woman with such selfish disdain for her feelings.

He felt the tears well in his eyes as the guilt weighted heavily on his chest. The silence that met him cutting deeper than he had originally thought it would.

“Lucille…I don’t know if you’re here, hell I don’t even know if you can hear me. You know I never believed in any of that shit. But I fucking hope you can hear this; I’m sorry. Sorry I wasn’t there when you needed me, both before and after you got sick.”

He paused taking a step back as he sighed. He was just so damn tired. Drained. Looking back, his knees went weak threatening to give way. Wiping a trembling hand over his stubbled chin before he continued.

“I know I tried but we both knew it would never make up for everything I did. I want you to know that I’m trying…I’m trying to be better. To be the man you always saw in me. That day when you told me to move on and fall in love with someone else…I didn’t think it was possible, I didn’t want to. But Blake…”

His voice faded in his throat, a small broken smile coming to life as his tired brown eyes drifted to the nearby truck parked not too far away. Blake waited patiently in the passenger seat, a book in one hand while the other traced lazily across the swell of her pregnant belly. A small smile of content played on her lips. The caramel-blonde had understood that he needed time and had respected Negan’s decision to go alone. So she had waited for him, assuring him that when he was done; she’d be there and they would go home together.

“My Peaches… she’s means everything and I promise you Lucille, I’m sure as shit not screwing this up again. I’ll always miss you Lucille…I’m sorry I named a fucking bat after you. There’s not much I can do to honor you and let you know I’m thinking about you…other than this.”

He shaking hands gestured at the grave as he kneels down; eyes never leaving the cross wrapped with white wild flowers as they sway gently in the wind; the cold rain dripping from the delicate petals.

“I’m always thinking about you Lucille. I want you to know that. You’re not a fucking baseball bat. I’m talking to you like a crazy person, but you’re my dead wife Lucille. Not the baseball bat I named after you. That was just a fucking bat. I didn’t love it, not really. I could always replace the bat…that’s not replacing you. It’s not. And I’m not replacing you now. I’m doing what I should have done a long time ago. I’m letting you go…letting you move on to wherever you need to be. I’ll always love you Lucille. Thank you for sticking with my ass for much longer than I fucking deserved it.”

As Negan walked away he saw his future smiling back at him. A warm bright grin; a golden glow of long locks and green shimmering eyes of possibilities looking back at him.

And though he’d always return to the small grave under the willow tree from time to time, he never went back on his word. He never went back to man he was once was and he truly appreciated what he had.

As the years flittered away, like the leaves on that same willow tree from summer to fall, he was grateful for every single damn day he had lived now.

His truck driving up the dusty road through the heavy metal gates. To the long stone path leading up to the house. His face beaming at the sight of his girls walking out to greet him.

“Daddy!”

His grin widened at the sound of his three year old daughter Mia running towards him. Her little legs moving as quickly as they could carry her before her little arms caught ahold of her father in a tight embrace. Negan was quick to scoop her up as the little toddler squealed in delight.

“Hey how’s my little Beansprout huh? What’d you get up to with mommy today?”

“We maded tweats, mama showed me haw to make pie. We maded one with peeshes coz mama sed yoo lyke doez da best.”

Negan couldn’t help the chuckle that erupted from his chest. He’d eventually told Blake the real reason behind his ‘Peaches’ nickname and it had quickly become an inside joke between the ex-savior and his wife. Keeping a tight hold of the little lady in his arms, he leaned forward capturing Blake’s lips in a deep kiss before his attention was once again grabbed by a very demanding toddler that insisted on pulling at his growing stubble.

“So is my little lady gonna grow up to be a chef then hmm?”

“Noh daddy…I gunna be a cowgurl lyke ma bookz…wide horsies!”

Blake and Negan both shared a smile at Mia’s excitement. She’d always loved growing up in the farmhouse with the animals. And after Negan had found some old western kid comics, the young infant had become obsessed with them. The three year old always making sure that her daddy knew to look out for new comic she could read. Though as young as she was it was more likely she just enjoyed the colorful pictures.

She’d become so obsessed that she’d taken a particular liking to Negan’s horse; a dapple grey mustang named Bailey he sometimes took out on supply runs. Kneeling down he popped Mia back onto her feet; his large callous hand ruffling her unruly blonde locks that mirrored her mother’s.

“Well then beansprout, what do you say we head out on a little ride on Bailey before supper huh? That sound good?”

The little girl squealed in delight, her little arms waving around as she flashed him a partly toothy smile.

“Yay! Baiwee! Go wide Baiwee!”

“Well hop to it then little lady, go get your boots and we’ll get going.”

Mia clearly didn’t need any more encouragement than that as she raced back towards the direction of the house, her little arms swinging by her sides. And damn it; if it didn’t warm Negan’s heart to see his little princess so happy. It was hard to believe any of it would’ve been possible; to raise a family after the world went to hell and actually have a pretty decent shot of doing a good job at it and giving the kid a good childhood. But somehow; Negan and Blake were doing just that.

Turning back to his wife, Blake hummed a smile as she snaked her arms around Negan’s neck, pulling him forward for another kiss. Hands tangling into her golden mane as he pulled her closer; tongues brushing against one another; hearts racing as the kiss deepened. Even after being together for years the mere sight of this goddess before him; still took his breath away. And at times he’d wondered by she’d settled for someone like him. Had stuck around long enough to be husband and wife and eventually bringing their beautiful Mia into the world. It was sometimes a mystery to him. That was of course until she had given him that smile melted his heart before moving things to the bedroom to show him just how much he meant to her and how wrong he ever was to doubt himself.

Looking down at his wife, he shared her smile. Her bright green orbs lighting up as she met his gaze.

“So I take it, the run went well?”

“I managed to siphon some gas from a couple’ old cars for the generator. Found some canned food that seems to be in good shape. Fraid’ that’s all Peaches. Still couldn’t find anything for Beansprout either.”

Blake’s features fell at Negan’s words. She knew she’d have to tell him, she just hoped he wouldn’t get mad. Wringing her hands; her gaze dropped from her husband’s as she carefully thought over her words.

“About that…baby there’s something you should know. Mia and I had a visitor this morning not long after you left. Rick actually stopped by to leave some supplies for Mia…old clothes and toys that Judith grew out of and I think that-“

“Send them back.”

“Negan…”

Negan’s features darkened with a deep scowl as his blood began to boil. Who the fuck did Rick think he was?! He didn’t need the prick’s charity. He was perfectly capable of providing for his own daughter. And what’s more, he didn’t want that prick anywhere near his home or his family. There was a deal in place and he expected Rick to damn well honor it! The last thing he wanted was someone catching wind of Rick’s little errand and find out that he and Blake were alive. He couldn’t risk losing his girls. He wouldn’t.

And while Blake had expected this reaction from her husband, she still had hope that maybe she could talk him around.

“I said send it back Peaches…we don’t need that shit. We can find clothes for our own fucking daughter ourselves.”

“I never said we couldn’t Negan. I’m just suggesting that maybe we should accept help sometimes…Maybe we could start trading with other settlements, it doesn’t have to have anything to do with Rick. And I have all this medical knowledge; maybe I could open a clinic and help people on the road who pass us by. Or we could find and trade medical supplies. It would be so much easier than one of us having to leave Mia every other day.”

It made sense. Of course it made sense. Most of what Blake suggested during their time together always made sense. But the thought of word getting out. Of reaching Rick’s people…honestly scared the living shit out of him. So taking a hold of Blake’s hands, her slender fingers perfectly sliding into his large paws; he pressed a soft kiss to her forehead before pulling her towards him.

“I know baby. I know. But we’ve been doing alright on our own so far. I don’t wanna screw this shit up. I’ll find another way before the winter sets in. No more leaving Beansprout. No more leaving you. I promise I’ll find another way. Just not that, okay? Not now.”

Blake smiled despite herself at Negan’s stubbornness. It was one of the things she both loved and hated about him. But he wouldn’t be her Negan if wasn’t this way and that meant so much more to her than deflating his male pride. Her attention was drawn back by the squealing voice of her daughter running back from the house with her little leather boots on, ready to set out on her little adventure.

“I wedy daddy! We go foor Baiwee naw?”

“We sure are Beansprout!”

Breaking apart from his wife, Negan rushed to his daughter. His outstretched arms lifting her up onto his shoulders as the toddler let out screams of giggles. Her chubby little paws grabbing fistfuls of Negan’s dark hair to keep steady. Blake bit her lower lip at the slightly pained look on Negan’s face as Mia continued tugging on his hair, sending her mischievous grin back before turned towards the barn.

“Be careful Negan! And don’t be out too late!”

“We’re always careful, aren’t we Beansprout?”

Mia simply giggled in reply, Negan continuing to bounce her on his shoulders as he walked away, turning back briefly to flash Blake his winning smile that even now make her heart race.

“We’ll be back soon. Love you darlin’.”

“Love you too.”

Blake watched the two disappear into the barn, only being gone a few moments before riding back out on the dapple grey horse. Negan keeping a tight grip of the reins while holding Mia in-between his legs as the toddler grinned widely; her little fingers playing with the wisps of the gelding’s mane.

The horse trotting slowly passed and through the gates, heading down the lane that led towards the trails of the woods. Negan had given her a smile and a wink as he passed, her heart soaring at the pure happiness that seemed to glow around her.

Thinking back to where it had all started. Made her realize that she had truly done the right thing, saving Negan because in return he had saved her. In a world where she had been alone and unwanted. He had loved her. Protected her at all costs. He had proved that he was never the monster they had made him out to be at the Hilltop. That he was worth more than being branded a killer destined to die alone in that cell in the basement. He was the love of her life. The savior of her heart. The father of her child.

And as she looked down at the small growing bump hidden underneath her jumper she couldn’t help but grin at the thought of another new beginning for the three of them.

She couldn’t wait to tell Negan the good news when he got back.

But for now she would wait. She would feet the chickens and tend to the garden. Because in the end, life was really just beginning for Negan and Blake.

And it was the second chance they both rightfully deserved.

End.

I hope this ending was fitting for this story and I hope ya’ll enjoyed it and agree with how I ended things. Again big thank you to everyone that’s read this story means the world to me!

Until next time lovelies, have an awesome day!! XXX

[nangmaiba]

How did you know he was the one? He's been "the guy" since you stepped into college and has been i think. How did you say yes and how did you get through the tough times together? Sorry i always found you pretty and wanted to be friends kaso nahihiya ako idk we interact online but very minimal pero sobrang idol ko love story mo hahaha wala lang have a great day!

Hiii! Thank you for this message :)

For the record, actually, I didn’t. Before college kasi, i had so many crushes na pero mababaw lang and mostly anime at jdrama cutebois pa yun so my ideal guy was over the top ang criteria. The college happened, naculture shock ako kasi ang daming students, mas matanda sakin, from different places, etc. i was from a private school lang kasi na hanggang highschool lang ang meron so hindi ako sanay makakita ng mga older people kaysa sakin.

then, I saw him sa harap ng department namin and idk tumatak lang sakin. And believe it or not, marami rin akong crush dun sa school before ko siya naging bf. Hindi lang halata kasi i keep distance. As much as possible hindi ko pinapaalam kasi ayoko ng may lalapit sakin at hindi ako comfortable makipagusap. (Introvert) then one day lumapit siya to ask something. About freshman night. He is a fourth year na and the student council president ng department namin pala nung nagpakilala siya. So okay usap ganurn.

Long story short, lagi kami magkasama after class for practice, tanong about dun sa event, tips, assurance na may mag-aasikaso dun sa event. hatid sa kanto pasakay ng jeep. 1 month yun lagi ganun. Then even after event ganun pa rin. Hahaha

Mind you we’ve only met like 3 months palang. We also had the same circle of friends during that short period of time(from me first year students, second third to fourth year students) na sobrang saya lang kasama. Then on the 4th month sinagot ko sya. May bagyo nun. First time ko siya pinakilala sa mga friends ko sa LB.

Funny unbelievable events na nangyari:

hinahatid niya ko sa may amin sa sakayan, inaakbayan niya ako sa jeepney, pero tinatanggal ko lagi kasi hindi ako sanay. (Sorry naman lol)

Nagsasabi siya ng i love you pero sagot ko lang noon, thanks or thank you! *insert joey marquez lool* (2009 yun) Hindi ko pa maexpress or mafeel talaga yung love or hindi ko pa alam yung true meaning nung love dati kaya hindi ko yun masabi.

3 months after ko siya nasabihan ng ily. May hiya pa yun kasi hindi nga ako sanay na nagsasabi ng sweet words like that.

Kapag naman nagaaway kami, we had a simple rule. Di kami matutulog ng hindi naguusap about it at nagkakabati. Yung away namin magkakasagutan kami magkakalakasan ng boses pero after some hours before the day ends, maguusap ng mahinahon anong nangyari ganun. Basta hindi natagal ng isang araw yung away.

Nung sinagot ko kasi siya, nagclear kami ng mga things na dapat gawin if something worst happens like away. Advance kami magisip nun eh. Lol. Kasi we believe na kapag pinatagal, dun nagkaka distance sa inyong dalawa. Both of you will feel the need to share it with someone na maiintindihan kayo, like hahanap ka ng someone na feeling mo mavavalidate yung current feelings na nararamdaman mo. (Wow lalim noh) anyways.

ayun na nga. Sana nasagot ko naman tanong mo. :) thank you for being there at nasusubaybayan mo mga teeeny moments namin. Ahahaha

currently we’re going stronger than ever. Have a 6yearold toddler and another one this coming June. 💕

Have a great day too! thank you!

[incorrectyoungavengersquotes]

Noh-Varr: Oh, man! I didn't even want that thing, why am I trying to win it!

Kate: Because the machine says it's a prize.

Noh-Varr: *eventually manages to win a stuffed Minion*

Noh-Varr: I won this ugly yellow toddler, which is one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen.

[monohart]

dating ha sungwoon. (college!au)

ft. noh taehyun and guanlin!

you meet him for the first time outside the library toilets

yeah, what a place to meet the love of your life… but there we go

you were taking a quick break from a group meeting, and he was goofing around with his best friend, noh taehyun.

you kinda knew taehyun, he had a class with you. taehyun nods and smiles in your direction, and you do the same before ducking into the ladies’ room quickly

because taehyun’s smol friend was staring at you. and by staring, i mean Staring.

he was basically undressing you with his eyes

yeah that kinda stuff

as you were taking care of your business, taehyun was bombarded with questions about you. “who was that?” “how do you know her?” “pft, what? no, i’m not interested, wys. i’m just looking out for my best friend.” “no… i’m serious, what’s love at first sight? i don’t believe in those things.”

oh, he fell alright. taehyun pretended not to notice the tips of his ears growing redder and redder by the minute.

when you walk out, sungwoon immediately drags taehyun away, but his best friend yelled out to you, and you look at the pair oddly.

“sorry, i’ve got a meeting to attend!”

“can you spare us one minute? just one?”

“ah, sorry taehyun. i’ll see you in lecture!”

you accidentally made eye contact with sungwoon, who was staring at you again. but after the brief eye contact, he turned soft all too quickly. you could tell he was blushing. it was like a chain reaction because it made you blush too.

taehyun noticed the interaction and smiled to himself.

a few months pass and it there was a week-long holiday

you had a checklist of dramas you had to catch up with, and you were halfway through the first one when you got a call from taehyun.

“no i can’t go to parties.”

“no… it’s because i don’t want to…..”

that boy…

that boy taehyun…. he had a way with words.

before you knew it you were standing outside taehyun’s apartment..

…debating whether or not you should go in…

lowkey wondering if his friend would be there

little did you know the guy was actually just sitting on the couch on the other side of the door by himself, wondering if anyone else was coming to the ‘party’

holding your breath, you knock on the door

taehyun yelled for sungwoon to open the door, so he did.

you almost ran the other way

his soft, amber locks, his smooth pale skin. the gentle look in his eyes.. the stutter in his voice as he introduced himself.

somehow his nervousness gave you confidence.

it turns out taehyun played both of you. he wasn’t throwing a party at all - he just needed someone to babysit his cat because he had a date to go to

the rest of the night was history

your mutual friends called you two the toilet couple… if only taehyun kept his big mouth shut about meeting outside the toilets…

he only had classes for three days in the week, so on the days he had free, he would attend your lectures

sometimes you’d be sitting there, actually trying to focus on the content, and suddenly a familiar amber head comes rushing into the lecture hall, muttering a ‘sorry i’m late’

you sink into your seat a little as you hear a voice whisper “does he even go here??” you sink even lower as he stumbles his way across your row to sit next to you, with a goofy grin on his face

on the days you sit with your friends, he would notice, pretend not to mind (but secretly u knew he was hurtin), then sit in the next available seat that was closest to you

studying together never worked

he always offered to book a private room so you two could chat without having to whisper, but you’d smirk at him and he would become so flustered and forget his next line

and like, he would be thinking about it all night so he would probably have to run a few laps around the campus, drink a gallon of iced water and slap himself with taehyun’s cat before he could calm down

all because of that one suggestive smirk….

aNYWAY. your first kiss happened at a new years’ eve party

your aunt insisted you brought your boyfriend along, and he was more than happy to meet the family of the love of his life

you wanted to introduce him to everyone too, but you were mostly scared of your cousin, guanlin.

everyone has that one cousin

the one who would seize every opportunity to embarrass you just like he did with your boyfriends from highschool - you remember that one prank he did when you had your then boyfriend, daniel, over for the afternoon…. let’s just say it didn’t end too well

SO, you and sungwoon were sitting in the living room, his arms slung over your shoulder, as you two kept an eye out for the younger kids playing twister

yes, twister. the wildt af twist-your-bodies-around-each-other game.

well, more like sungwoon was keeping an eye out - you were texting your best friend who was stuck in a very awkward new years’ eve family dinner

as you were thinking how chill your family was about new years’ eve dinners, guanlin slips into the room with a giant album you recognise all too well.

“sungwoon look away it’s porn”

“what do you mean, it’s just a fully clothed baby, though?? oh wait… is that you?”

you wanted to grab the album, curse at guanlin, then build a bonfire with the dreaded thing and then curse at guanlin again, but the excitement and happiness radiating off your boyfriend as he paged carefully through the entire book, made you stop yourself

he would glance at you every once in a while, trying to visualise and compare your expressions as an adult, with the ones you made as a toddler. there would be a subtle grin on his lips. a soft look in his eyes as he stole quick, barely noticeable glances at your lips… hoping you wouldn’t notice.

you noticed, of course. he could never hide his emotions well, and you knew he wanted to kiss you. but he was too shy

there were still a quite a few hours before the big countdown, and you couldn’t really wait anymore, so you put guanlin in charge of supervising the children, before dragging sungwoon to the back porch

your aunty had a cute wooden swinging chair that was mostly used for reading. it was only big enough to fit one person

sungwoon sat down and pulled you onto his lap. he ran a hand through your hair softly as you glance shyly at each other

you both knew what the other wanted - but were both too shy to say anything gdi

“can… can i borrow a kiss? i promise i’ll return it.”

you laugh and hide your face in his shoulder at his sudden pick up line attack. you placed a hand on his cheek, which was warm af

“you better return it or i’ll be sad.”

you press your lips against his before he could reply, and he was quick to respond to the gesture.

they were as soft as you’d imagine?? and addicting too

it wasn’t until you pull apart for air, that you two notice there was an audience

no wonder the house suddenly grew quiet

one of the kids dropped their half eaten breadstick on the ground. another started screaming. one of the older ones said they were going to tell the adults that their cousin and “the boyfriend” were eating each other alive

it was sungwoon’s turn to hide his flustered face in your shoulder

oh, guanlin was going to have a rough year, that’s for sure.

[dynamitekrp]

SEARCHING FOR DARLING . . .

PUBLIC PROFILE

birthday: november 11, 1994 years trained: 3 position: main rap, sub vocal, dance 

CAREER

2016, supporting role in webdrama 7 first kisses as ji-young 2017, main role in webdrama how are u bread as noh mi-rae 2018, supporting role in a drama work of love as gan bora 2018, supporting role in a drama the last empress as hyun-joo 2019 main role in a drama angel’s last mission: love as lee yeon-seo

IMAGE

the charming one, the wannabe actress, the plastic surgery monster, there are times when she feels as though she no longer belongs with violet, especially after all the years in the business. she was initially type-casted as the elegant and yet adorable rapper, sweet in all the right ways like a chocolate bonbon that suited the perfect idol image, but as she grew older, so did her aspirations and desires and greed, and the more she tried to venture into the world of acting, the more rumors about her kept piling up. some accused dabin of focusing only on herself while leaving the rest of the group in the shadows, others claimed that she was one of the reasons why violet’s popularity kept declining, and then there were those who defended her of course, highlighting her dedication to violet and the rest of the girls.

over the years, the very same labels remain, reminding dabin that she must work thrice as hard if she wishes to prove herself. however with all the new shifts and addition to the group, she finds herself often pushing harder, perhaps even more than she needs to in order to prevent others from stealing her thunder and shine as she is growing increasingly jealous. last came the rumors of plastic surgery, of how she wishes to purchase the ideal face, face of an actress, and while dabin has yet to confirm if any of that is true or if the wonders of time, aging and makeup have simply done their magic, she can’t hide the fact that the attention suits her, even if it’s not entirely pleasant. so what if her eyes and mouth and cheekbones don’t look as they used to? why can’t she finally be the girl she’s always dreamed of being? the elegant love interest, the type of a girl that others look up to, especially other younger girls.

BACKGROUND

they were so charming, the kims, especially the first daughter, dainty as a spring flower, with a perfect smile that matched her innocent beauty. but the second one, named dabin, was born desperate for attention and the way her parents had doted on her, spoiled her and given her everything certainly didn’t aid the case.

she was a mischievous toddler, disobedient and headstrong, and despite so, there was nothing more that she had wanted than to be like her older sister, who had always reminded her of a true classic beauty with her sweet manners and nearly perfect facial structure. if only, if only, she had often wondered, if only i had her charms and wits, and cheekbones and ebony hair. if only.

some could say that it was tv that had ruined her brain. she had spent countless of hours nearly glued to the luminous screen, observing, mimicking, imaging, and even memorizing the lines of her favorite shows and films, which she was often fond of reciting and performing in front of family friends and closest neighbors. she lived for applauses, words of kindness and of course unwavering attention, expecting it to always be bestowed upon her.

needless to say, she eventually started begging her parents to pay for her acting classes and while at first, her childish wishes were swept to the side as nothing more than a frivolous phase, it didn’t take long for them to notice her commitment. starting at the age of merely twelve, she had begun her little pursuit, auditing for countless of companies and simultaneously paying for numerous private acting classes, only to find rejection on every corner. you’re too young, you’re too old, you’re not slim enough, fix your eyes and nose.  

her parents had hoped that she’d over time outgrow her dreams, that she’d settle and follow in her sister’s noble footsteps, but while their first daughter was packing her bags and getting prepared for a life in america in order to pursue a medical degree, the second one was barely managing to maintain mediocre grades in school, far too blinded by the promise of stardom.

finally, at the age of fifteen, she was offered a training contract, but only for an idol. the idea seemed absurd at first, even preposterous, as she wasn’t a singer or a dancer, but despite so, she didn’t turn it down, deciding to look at the contract as yet another stepping stone, something that would pay off in the longrun, far down the line.many actresses had started out as idols, she had once told herself, and so why can’t i be like them too?

next came the dubious training sessions, day after day and month after month, and all she had done was hope for the best. if anything, it could be said that she was relentless, keen on debuting, willing to sacrifice her social life, sleep and even acting lessons in order to perfect at least one skill and get herself closer to her ultimate goal. it took three years, three years to transform into a mediocre rapper, but for an idol it proved to be just enough.

on the near cusp of her adolescence and alongside three other girls, she was at last given a chance to debut, only for the entire group to be overlooked by the industry. she cared, but not enough to weep, searching only for her personal gain in it all. none of it meant anything. not the debut. not the songs. not even the members. it was all manufactured, staged. faked till perfection and yet she couldn’t but feel as though something had been taken away from her.

she wasn’t an actress, and worst of all, her group was overshadowed, close to being forgotten.

then they simply had to add another member, another distraction, maybe even a bait for the younger crowd, but much to her great surprise, at least it had bestowed attention upon them in an abundance for a brief and saddening moment. after it quickly faded away again, they were left in a limbo, a constant state of trying to prove themselves.

career driven, she did her best to adapt to every new concept that had been thrown her way, but over the more recent years, she’s been focusing on each and every chance to make it in the world of television and film, distancing herself from the overly charming image of the group and turning to something more elegant, timeless and romantic, just like she’s always dreamed.

and so maybe the most recent merge with another company will finally be of some use when it comes to her career. stubborn, at times cruel, but trained well enough to lie without a second of thinking, she’s as charming as she’s devious and life means nothing if she can’t be an actress, a charming leading lady on the silver screen.

[superadz18]

Maayo mani sya uy wa may forms himoon ug thesis nga e revise. 🤣😘♥️😍 Chill ra madame noh. ♥️🎀 #aldyjulliaghna #bossbaby #toddlerlife #toddler #mommysharing #chill #babylove https://www.instagram.com/p/B93g9P7hUmj/?igshid=f7qxmlh1qprq

[meenasmoon]

Singing in the Moonlight Ch 10: You’re Not There

“Johnny! Johnathan Bannerton! Come ovah and give your mum ah hug!” A woman’s voice echoed out of sight of the camera and the lens revealed a tiny yard covered in green grass and a variety of toys. Suddenly a little gorilla toddler burst out of the bushes and ran towards the camera at full speed. He was covered in dirt and leaves and was wearing nothing but his diaper.

“Oh mah goodness! Look at you child! You’re a bloody mess!” The toddler just giggled and continued to run for the camera. The camera was jiggled around as the toddler collided with the camera operator. It was sent flying through the air and landed somewhere in the grass with the lens pointed towards the pair wrapped up in an embrace.

The filthy toddler had been captured by a beautiful female gorilla who didn’t seem to register than her pristine sundress was now smeared with mud. Rather she was paying more attention to the wriggling child in her arms. She was peppering every inch of him with little kisses, laughing along with his high-pitched squealing.  

“Oh I’ve got you noh you little bally. You cannot escape mummy!” She yelled out and the toddler laughed along with her as he squirmed desperately. After another round of kisses the female gorilla released the baby and retrieved the camera. She carried it over to the back door of a little house. The toddler had his entire body pressed against it, trying fruitlessly to reach the door handle and escape.  

The woman snatched him up into her arms and the camera was knocked around a bit until they were inside and a large male gorilla filled the lens.  

“Wot is garn on ‘ere?” The male asked, his rough, heavily accented voice booming, but still soft with love and affection, “Looks loike our boy got into a bit of trouble.” He let out a gravelly laugh that was rich with humor and affection. 

When the female spoke you could tell that she was smiling just by the sheer happiness in her voice, “Ohh yes he did. And noh he’s getting ah bath!” The toddler immediately began struggling harder and the camera was handed to the male as the female grappled with him and headed towards the bathroom. The last thing that the camera saw before the screen went black was the female’s back, the toddler draped over her shoulder as he pouted adorably.  

Ash closed the door to Johnny’s room quietly, puzzling over what exactly she had seen in there. It had been over a week since the hospital incident and Meena’s grandfather was recovering at home. The elephant was considerably cheerier, but was rarely seen outside of practice now that she spent the majority of her time working or helping her mother take care of her grandfather. Ash had a sneaking suspicion that all Meena really did was hover over him and spoil him with treats.  

Ever since they left the hospital and returned to their apartment, Ash had noticed that Johnny was particularly subdued after the hospital and as the week went on he retreated to his room and spent most of his time buried under the covers and watching movies.   

Ash had let him wallow for a week, keeping an eye on him just in case she needed to intervene. While he had seemed sad, and quiet, Ash let him be only because, at the same time everyday, he would sit down at his piano and play what sounded like an unfinished song.  

But today the piano was silent, the videos almost constant, and he hadn't even emerged for food. Ash shot the door another worried glance and then grabbed her cell phone, dialing a familiar number.  

Meena answered amidst the sounds of chaos of her home. Her grandfather was arguing with her mother about his freedom in the house and Meena's grandmother was giving Meena baking directions. Meena fit the phone in between her shoulder and her ear and cheerily greeted her friend.  

"Hey Ash! What's up?"   

"Hey Meena." Ash sighed and spoke quietly into the phone. Meena immediately sensed that something was wrong and handed the baking off to her grandmother so that she could focus on her friend.  

"What's wrong Ash? You sound off..." she asked worriedly and Ash was silent on the other line for what felt like an eternity.  

"It's about Johnny." Meena's heart froze in her chest at her friend’s words and she waited with bated breath for what Was wrong, "Something's up with him. Can you come over?"  

"Yeah. Yeah I-I'll be right over." Meena's reply came out in a rush of anxious breath and as soon as Ash hung up the phone she was a flurry of motion. She tore off her apron, threw on a jacket and raced towards the front door.  

"I'm going out!" She called behind her as she slammed the door and ran as fast as she could to the bus stop. Luckily, she managed to catch the bus that was waiting at the stop and as soon as she boarded it took off towards downtown.  

The entire ride she fiddled with her jacket, various scenarios flying through her head at a million miles a minute, each one only raising her anxiety another notch. By the time she reached the stop next to Ash and Johnny's apartment she was a veritable ball of nerves. She fumbled her way up the stairs and before she could even knock on the door Ash wrenched it open.  

Meena had seen Ash's face through a variety of expressions but this level of concern and confusion was a new one. Before Meena could even open her mouth to unleash the tirade of questions that were ready to burst from her Ash pulled her to Johnny's door and cracked it open.  

"He's been like this since we came home from the hospital that day." She whispered and then went quiet as the two girls peeked through the door and watched the scene that was unfolding on Johnny’s TV.  

The camera stealthily moved through the halls of a familiar home until it reached a closed door. Slowly, it opened the door a crack and peeked through at the clandestine happenings of the room.  

A little gorilla in spaceship pajamas with unruly bedhead stood on a stool at the counter opposite the door, trying his best to stir a concoction in a bowl so big it was probably half his size. To his left, a curvy female gorilla wearing a robe and slippers was chopping fruit and watching her son with a critical eye.  

“Noh what does daddy fancy ohn his pancakes?” She asked him, her soft voice filled with mirth when her gap-toothed son grabbed a bag of chocolate chips and shook them excitedly.  

“Chocolate chips mummy!” He declared and Eloise Bannerton laughed loudly and snatched the chocolate chips away from her son before he could pour them into the batter.  

“No I’m pretty sure that’s your favorite love. What does daddy fancy?” She asked again and the little boy pouted adorably as he reached for the bag of pecans.  

“Daddy loikes pecans.” He grumbled and then began struggling with the bag of pecans, trying desperately to wrench open the bag. Eloise chuckled again and gently took the bag from her son, opening it rather easily. They poured the pecans into the batter and then Johnny kept stirring as his mother heated up the plan.  

Eloise took a couple chocolate chips out of the bag and booped her son on the nose before popping the chocolate morsels into his mouth. Johnny giggled and gave his mother a bright smile as he chewed his treat.  

“I love you my sweet.” Eloise pulled the boy close and peppered his face with kisses, prompting him to struggle playfully and release a round of shrieking giggles.  

“I love ya too mummy!” He declared loudly and Eloise released him with one last kiss on his unruly bedhead.  

At that moment the cameraperson pushed open the door and Marcus’s booming voice filled the small kitchen, “’Owabaht sum love for dad? Those pancakes ready yet?”  

His demand was only met with indignant yells as his wife and son descended on him, ushering him out of the kitchen until the screen went black.  

“We’re going in. He shouldn’t be alone.” Meena whispered and Ash nodded her confirmation as they slowly opened the door and wordlessly walked into the room. Johnny was curled up in his bed, surrounded by tissues with red-rimmed eyes and tearstained cheeks. He looked startled that they were there, but both girls just climbed into his bed and snuggled up next to him. Johnny let his confusion evaporate as he relaxed into their comforting embraces. He ended up curled up against Meena’s side, his head resting on her shoulder as Ash clasped his arm and rested her head on his shoulder too.  

They sat for what felt like forever before Johnny finally spoke in a voice that cracked with disuse, “I ‘ate ‘ospitals.” His voice grew thick with emotion and his friends tightened their grip on him, as if they alone could keep him grounded, “It’s where I lost me mum.”  

He stared at the TV in his room as the screen prompted him to move onto the next video. “I been in ‘ere makin’ this video for ‘er.”  

He pressed play on the remote and his soft voice came through the speakers, accompanied by a slow but thundering beat that captured their attention and emotions in its tractor beam. And then the home videos started. 

I only got you in my stories

And you know I tell them right

I remember you and I, when I’m awake at night

So give it up for fallen glory

I never got to say goodbye

I wish I could ask for just a bit more time 

Parents were lined up on either side of a kids soccer field as their children raced across the field, chasing desperately after the soccer ball. 

The camera zoomed in on Johnny who was wearing a right green and yellow soccer jersey. He was running at full tilt towards the player in the red jersey that controlled the ball and was getting dangerously close to the green team's goal. 

Little Johnny forced the red player to kick the ball out of bounds and suddenly the green team had control of the ball again. 

The camera panned over to Johnny's mother who was decked out in all green and was cheering at the top of her lungs for her son. 

“Yah Johnny! Spiffing shoh love!” The posh in her came out as she yelled exuberantly at her son, watching proudly as he took his position on the field and tried desperately to ignore his exuberant mother. 

“Go get ‘em son!” Marcus called out from behind the camera and Johnny gave them an embarrassed little wave before turning his attention back to his teammate. 

Johnny’s teammate threw the ball into play and the game moved towards the other team’s goal. Johnny was running like a little black bullet, calling for his teammate to pass the ball to him. When he remained open and unguarded Eloise went off. 

“What the bloohming hell are you doing out there?!” She roared angrily, gesturing wildly to Johnny as Marcus chuckled and captured every minute of it, “Pass the bloohming ball to my sohn!! Learn to play foohtball you little-!” 

Marcus quickly cut her off as some of the other parents were starting to stare, “Oi love! It’s just a kiddie footie game, not the bloody premiere league.” 

Eloise looked at her husband sheepishly and shrugged before turning around just in time to see Johnny get the ball and make a break for the goal. They both started cheering loudly, jumping up and down in their excitement. The other parents watched them like they were circus freaks but neither parent paid attention, their every sense focused on their son. 

Johnny expertly dodged the defensemen, using moves that were far too advanced for the other children, but he had been practicing them for months. He took a moment to set up his shot and then kicked the ball with all of his might. The goalie didn’t even have time to jump for it before the net caught the ball. 

Eloise and Marcus went crazy, the camera knocking around crazily as the referee called the game and all of the kids went running back to their parents. Johnny was at the head of the pack; his grin so wide that he looked like his face might break in half. The camera dropped to the ground as the family embraced in the middle of the soccer field. 

Every step I take, you used to lead the way

Now I’m terrified to face it on my own 

Meena’s blue eyes were filled with tears unshed as she watched the family videos that kept popping up on the screen, moving along with Johnny’s sad song, and bringing an onslaught of emotions with them. Suddenly she wasn’t just comforting Johnny as he mourned his mother, she was remembering her father. 

When her mother dropped her off at the firehouse that morning Meena had practically leapt out of the car in her excitement. She dashed across the driveway with a hurried wave in her mother’s direction. She burst into the cavernous garage, weaving in between the two fire trucks that gleamed red in the bright lights. She knew the firehouse layout as well as her own so in no time she found herself in the mess area. This was usually where she found her father, who had become the unofficial cook for his team. 

Sure enough he was standing in front of the counter, busily chopping vegetables as the small radio blared music in the background. Meena’s father had never been discriminatory in his music choices and he could be found dancing along to hip-hop, country, and even rock. But his favorite music of all time was R&B. His deep voice echoed softly through the room as he followed the singer through the song, most of the time badly off key. Meena’s face lit up with a huge grin as she set down her backpack and rolled up her sleeves. 

As she came into her father’s line of sight he looked up and gave her a small, warm smile, “Hey baby cakes.” He nodded towards an empty cutting board and paring knife that were waiting for her on the other side of the counter, “You gonna help your old man?” 

“Sure thing Daddy.” She smiled back and grabbed a squash, expertly chopping it up on her cutting board. They both knew that one of Meena’s favorite pastimes was cooking, and she would never pass up an opportunity to improve her skills, even if it was just a simple stew and rolls. Without looking up from his task, her father prompted her for information. 

“So how was school today honey?” He asked simply and Meena frowned a little at the thought of school. She proceeded to tell him all about their new lessons and her recent assignment grades, hoping that it would keep him from asking for any more details. He nodded and voiced little affirmations as she talked, but he was a quiet man, and unlike his exuberant wife he rarely pushed for information. So it was a rare thing that when Meena stopped talking he questioned her again. 

“Still having trouble with those kids huh?” He asked and Meena looked down at her cutting board, unwilling to meet her father’s eyes. The sound of him chopping ceased and Meena braced for his next question, but it never came. Instead he just turned up the music and began to sing along louder. It was a familiar song and soon Meena found herself joining in, her sweet voice overpowering his low baritone as she perfectly matched the notes and rhythm of the song. They sang along with every song as they prepared the meal until the other fire fighters started to trickle in and hang out around the tables, waiting for the food to be ready. 

Meena went quiet in front of the other animals but her father did not, his loud voice still booming along. Slowly, she grew comfortable enough to sing along as quietly as she could, her father’s quiet confidence and love for music winning her over in the end. When a well-known song came on the radio most of the fire fighters joined in and suddenly the room was filled with a myriad of different voices with different levels of talent. Meena, soothed by the familiar motions of cooking and the camaraderie around her, finally let her full voice loose as the singer barreled through a solo. She didn’t notice the room go quiet as the firefighters watched her in awe but as soon as the song was over she was startled by the loud applause and whistles of approval that filled the room in place of her voice. 

She immediately turned scarlet and hid behind her ears bashfully. The cheers died down a little bit and Meena looked up just in time to see her father clapping along with the others, a proud smile practically breaking his face in half. Meena had only seen his smile that big a few times, when he was truly happy. A warm bubbly feeling stirred up in her stomach and she smiled shyly back at him, withdrawing slightly from her protective shell exposing her smile for everyone to see. 

“That’s it baby girl.” Her father said softly, and she had never been more proud of herself. 

You're not there

To celebrate the man that you made

You're not there

To share in my success and mistakes

Is it fair? 

You'll never know the person I'll be

You're not there

With me 

Once again the screen flared to life to reveal a dark room where the only light came from the stage in the front. A small, modest piano was settled on the center stage and behind it a crudely made poster board declared that it was the annual elementary school talent show. The room was suddenly filled with applause as Johnny walked onto the stage, dressed in his dark jeans and a white button up with a loose tie. On top of his head was a black fedora, angled rebelliously and sunglasses covered his brown eyes. 

He took his seat on the bench just as the applause died down, and nodded to the teacher in charge of sound to cue up his track. His little fingers deftly moved over the keys, playing the opening notes just before his happy little voice joined in with the song. It was an old favorite of his parents’ and every time it had come on the radio they would slow dance to it. Johnny had grown up with that song as an integral part of his life. It was the song his parents played after he went to bed; it was a song that reminded him of their love. 

Naturally it was the song that he chose to play when he entered the school talent show. His performance was as beautiful as it could be for a small child, his little fingers dancing on the keys as he fought the smile that naturally tried to bloom on his face. He did have a cool, Billy Jackal persona to keep up after all. The rest of the track caught up with him, drowning out the piano but not his voice. 

Suddenly the camera shifted from the boy onstage to the woman sitting in her seat, her hands clasped and her cheeks wet with the happy tears that flowed like a water spout from her golden eyes. She was mouthing the lyrics along with her son when Marcus’s large hand enveloped her smaller one, bringing it to his lips so that he could bestow a slow and reverent kiss on her knuckles. Eloise smiled at her husband and then their attention turned back to their son as he jammed along to the song onstage. 

When he finished with a little added flair on the piano, they stood up and cheered loudly, the crowd laughing when Johnny tipped his hat and then strutted off the stage like a musical bad boy. The last thing the camera showed before it stopped rolling was Eloise laughing joyfully at her son, her eyes filled with pride. 

Though I know that you're not there

I still write you all these songs

It's like, you still got the right to know what's going on

As I struggle to remember how you used to look and sound

Sometimes I still think I can spot you in the crowd 

Ash felt nostalgia hit her like a brick through a glass window and her heart dropped to her feet as memories that she had tried desperately to repress up until this point forced their way to the surface. 

She was only seven and still filled to the brim with a hope and optimism that is all to often slaughtered in the real world. As soon as she and her foster siblings finished dinner she would sneak away from the chores up to the room that she shared with the three other girls that lived in the tiny apartment. She would leap into her tiny bed and dig her journal out from between her mattress and the box springs. She meticulously chose her favorite colored pencils and began to chronicle that day’s events, adding in little pictures and designs as her innocent heart decided that they were necessary. 

The journal was the only thing that she did consistently as her curious mind often encouraged her to try out new ways of doing things and she hungered for new experiences. Her foster home wasn’t as bad as some of the ones that she had been into in the past but she still didn’t feel like she belonged. None of her foster siblings wanted to play with her because of her sharp quills and her foster parents often became frustrated with the mess that she inevitably left behind when quills would come out. 

So every night she would write in her journal and stare out the window at the night sky, the city that surrounded her, wondering where her parents were looking that night. In her mind it was an absolute fact that her parents had lost her one day and had yet to find her. Every night they must search the city, block by block, looking for their little girl. There was no way that they would just leave their little girl alone in the world, in a place where she wasn’t loved. 

In her free time Ash had learned all that she could about what having a family was like. The books that she had in her room and at school serving as her only source of information. She learned that families came in sets: two children, two parents. The dad worked and the mom stayed home and baked cookies and did chores. Ash could practically taste her mother’s chocolate chip cookies. She had always heard that cookies from a mommy tasted better cause they were made with love. 

She also learned that families lived in cute little houses and not dirty old apartments. She was very relieved to learn that her parents had a house away from the city. She did not like having to share a room with three other girls. They always complained about her quills. 

She also learned that families were always happy. And that’s how she knew that her foster parents did family wrong. They were usually unhappy with her, or each other, or sometimes her foster dad got mad at the TV. After she had exhausted every book that showed a happy little family, Ash would lay back and dream the night away, thinking about her perfect family, just waiting for her to make them whole again. 

And so everyday she would write in her journal, a story for her parents, so that when they found her she would know how to fit back into the family, and they could learn all about her. 

Every step I take, you used to lead the way

Now I’m terrified to face it on my own 

Meena got off the school bus that day, humming happily along with the music that trickled out of the new headphones that she had gotten for her fourteenth birthday. She had practically refused to remove them since she had gotten them, they were her favorite thing in the world. She walked happily down the street towards the tiny house that she lived in with her parents, now singing softly under her breath. She turned the corner to her street and her brow furrowed in confusion when she saw cars and her father’s fire engine surrounding their house. 

For a few minutes she struggled to recall whether or not her father had a barbeque planned for tonight. That was the only reason that her house had ever been surrounded by that many cars, well that and celebrations. There wasn’t a holiday today so the crew must be waiting inside for her to help get dinner started. She already began assembling a menu in her head and she picked up her pace towards her house. 

When she got to the yard her excitement overwhelmed her shyness and she broke into a run, her stomach growling hungrily. She ran up the steps and burst into the house in a whirlwind of excitement, half expecting to be mobbed by hungry fire fighters when she walked in. As soon as the door closed behind her something in the air told her that something was off. It smelled like singed fur and the house was way too quiet with all of the crew here. She shed her backpack, letting it land on the floor with a dull thud, and wandered through the house, looking for everyone. 

She finally found them gathered in the living room, her mother surrounded by the crew, all still wearing their gear and stinking of smoke. Meena stopped in the doorway and felt her heart sink frantically as she took in the scene before her. None of the crewmembers could seem to look her in the eyes, but before they looked away she could see the blatant grief on each of their faces. 

It didn’t hit home until she saw her mother, slumped on the couch and sobbing silently while the chief tried to comfort her. Clasped in his hands, was a familiar singed helmet. Meena felt the breath fly out of her body like it was trying to escape the realization that was dawning on her. Her brain could only process one thought; her father was nowhere to be seen. 

“Mom…” Her voice was soft, lost as her mother looked up and met her baby blues with red rimmed brown eyes, “Where’s dad?” 

Her mother didn’t answer, but the chief stood up and slowly walked towards her, “Meena honey I’ve got some bad news. Your dad-“ 

In an uncharacteristically rude move Meena cut him off, her voice simultaneously hard as stone and crumbling under emotion, “Where is my father?” Her demand went unanswered as the chief continued to slowly move towards her, until he was close enough that Meena could see the tears in his eyes. 

“Meena-“ He tried again but now Meena’s swirling emotions created a combination of anger and despair. 

“Where is my daddy?” She asked brokenly, tears breaking free and racing down her cheeks like a waterfall. The chief wordlessly looked down at the helmet that was still clasped in his hands, too emotional at the sight of her devastation to answer. 

“Where is HE?!” She screamed, and suddenly she was wrapped up in her mother’s embrace and her anger turned to sobs, the only thing that she could think to say was no. She couldn’t believe it and yet the evidence was abundant that her father was gone. The two women sobbed in a tight embrace for what felt like forever before another pair of arms joined them. 

Meena looked up to find that the chief had joined them , and one by one the other fire fighters joined in on the hug until Meena was completely surrounded by the people that she loved. 

“He was a hero sweetie.” The chief whispered but Meena didn’t reply, because all she could smell was smoke and all she could hear was her father’s happy humming. And then she was silent, and the only thing that could be heard was her mother’s sobs. 

You're not there

To celebrate the man that you made

You're not there

To share in my success and mistakes

Is it fair? 

You'll never know the person I'll be

You're not there

With me 

It was midnight and Ash snuck around her room, shoving her meager possessions into a ragged backpack. She was dressed in grunge style clothing and her face was dominated by a triumphant smirk as she stuffed cash that she had been making on the side into her suitcase. Lance had said that tonight was the night, they were finally breaking out of the hellhole that she had lived in for years. She shoved a couple more articles of clothing into her bag and instinctively lifted the corner of her mattress to stare at the journals that were lying there innocently. 

She had been writing in them for as long as she could write, but the year that she turned thirteen, reality had finally gotten to her in the form of Lance. He had educated her on what being in the foster system meant for their chances of having a loving family of their own. He had come in like a wrecking ball and shattered every truth that she had known up until that point. 

She had hated him for it in the beginning but then he started to teach her properly about love. He remade her by showing her how she should act if she wanted someone to love her and slowly she changed from a bright hopeful child to a sullen teenager, in love with the only ever porcupine that had decided to tell her the truth. 

And why shouldn’t she believe him? He was another porcupine, he knew her struggles with her quills and how foster parents reacted to them, and he was older, more experienced. And so she latched onto him and she learned to love him the way that he wanted her too, changed herself so that she could have that elusive sensation that she had been chasing since she was a child. To be loved. 

She would follow him anywhere, and tonight he was an adult, and he was taking her with him into the city. Ash looked at the journals with a new level of scorn, disgusted that she used to be so naive that she thought her parents would come for her. Lance said that they were probably dead or in jail so she had focused on him, on loving him instead of pretend parents. 

Ash gathered up the journals, her gaze still locked on the covers, all of which she had decorated with glitter and stickers. She almost opened one, her broken heart curious and yearning for the feeling of certainty that her parents were out there, that her perfect family could exist. Before she could even crack the cover the door opened quietly and Lance was standing in the doorway, his backpack thrown over one shoulder and his guitar clasped in one hand. 

“Ash. You comin’ babe? We gotta hurry this up.” He whispered and Ash was suddenly pulled out of her thoughts and back to her reality where the only animal that would ever love her was waiting. it was time to throw away fantasies and follow the best that she could get. She through the journals haphazardly into the garbage can and grabbed her bag. 

“Yeah I’m coming.” And she left without looking back, despite the ache in her heart. 

Time can heal your wounds if

You're strong and standing tall

I've been doing all of that, it didn't help at all

They say you'll grow older, and it'll get better still

Yes, I will, but no it won't

They don’t get it, 

The camera panned over a public park and landed on a picnic table where various presents, food and drink and a huge homemade cake dominated the surface. The camera showed everyone at the table including Uncle Dominic and Uncle Barry, some of Johnny’s childhood friends, and his father. His father and his uncles were teasing him about becoming a man and that they got him bad presents. Johnny just laughed and wriggled away when they decided to take turns giving him noogies. 

Johnny ran over to his friends and the camera caught them all running around the park playing with water guns and enjoying the summer day. After about an hour the kids showed signs of tiring and the camera was passed off to Johnny’s father as his mom called the kids over for cake. They came sprinting back to the table like little heathens and eagerly clambered into their seats, practically bouncing at the prospect of getting sweets. 

“Alright noh you little buggers. We must sing happy birthday to the birthday boy.” She admonished them and Johnny sat proudly in front of the cake, waiting for the song to begin. Eloise started it off, her soft voice bringing the rest of the party in until they reached the proper volume for the rest of the park to hear them. When the song was over Eloise cut the cake and handed out pieces to all of the kids, giving Johnny his first for luck. 

The kids practically inhaled their cake and by the time they were ready for the parents the hand-frosted, homemade cake was reduced to only a couple slices. Johnny then proceeded to open his presents, starting with his friends. He cheered happily for all of the toys and gift cards that he got, politely thanking each friend just like his mother had taught him. Finally he came to the present from his parents. It was in a long rectangular box that was almost too big for Johnny to carry. 

Johnny tore into it, and his eyes went wide with excitement when he unearthed a brand new skateboard, still secured in its box. It was the exact one that he had been asking for all year, the top of his wish list for his birthday and Christmas. His friends gathered around to admire the skateboard as Johnny took it out of the box and held it reverently. It was a little big for him, and he would need to grow into it, but it was perfect for a growing gorilla. 

One of the kids suddenly suggested that they go try it out and all the others cheered in agreement. Johnny rose to go with them, but hung back a second to thank his parents. He easily slipped into his mother’s embrace, holding her tight as she did the same to him, “Thank ya mummy. I love it.” 

“I knew you would darling.” She replied and gave him and loving kiss on the forehead. In that moment the camera was able to capture the look in her soft golden eyes as she gazed down at her baby boy like he was her entire world, like everything she knew could collapse but as long as she had her baby she would get through it. And then the moment was broken as Johnny rushed over to his dad and slammed into his legs, hugging them in a tight little grip that made Marcus chuckle. 

“Thanks dad!” He exclaimed as he looked up at his father, pure love in his little brown eyes. “Yer welcome son. Nah go enjoy tha’ thing wif yer mates.” Marcus urged him on and suddenly the little boy was off like a rocket, his skateboard held victoriously over his head as if he could conquer the world with a plank of wood and four wheels. 

'Cause you're not there

To celebrate the man that you made

You're not there

To share in my success and mistakes

Is it fair? 

You'll never know the person I'll be

You're not there

With me 

The video ended and left the trio silent as the cuddled against each other, each one nursing their own wounds and drawing strength from their companions. The screen had been blank for an eternity before Ash finally spoke up, her voice uncharacteristically choked with emotion as she laid her head on Johnny’s shoulder. 

“That was…that was beautiful Johnny.” She choked out and Johnny reached over to gently squeeze her hand, offering what support he could, “Do you want to talk about it?” 

Johnny’s grip on her hand tightened for a second and then loosened as he released a breath and warily nodded his head, “Y-Yeah. I…It’s time.” He sat up a little bit, trying to swallow back the knot of emotion that had taken up residence in his throat. He looked at his friends, his face vulnerable and almost childlike in his uncertainty as he began his story.

 “Me mum and I were drivin’ back from a piano recital one night.” his eyes looked misty as he relived the memory before their very eyes, “I was asleep in the back seat…” 

Raindrops lashed angrily at the windshield of the car as Eloise drove steadily through the streets of the city, focusing on the streetlights as indicators for where she was. The clouds had threatened downpour all day but they had held out until that night when she and Johnny were driving home from his piano recital. She cursed quietly to herself as she slowed down to squint at a nearby street sign, barely able to see through the sheets of rain coming down on them. 

Marcus hadn’t been able to come to the recital because he was working late in the garage. He had been beating himself up about it for days since he found out but Eloise had understood. They needed the money and Johnny would have other recitals that he could come to. She couldn’t help but wish that he was with her tonight as she nervously drove through the deserted streets.

No one in their right mind was out driving in this storm but Johnny had been exhausted after the recital and had quickly fallen asleep in the back seat. Eloise was just focused on getting her son home to his bed. At the thought of her precious boy she smiled and looked back at him in the rearview mirror. He was so peaceful, passed out against the window, his breath fogging up the glass. 

Suddenly another car came out of nowhere and rammed into the passenger side of their car so hard that the sound was practically deafening. Eloise frantically tried to look back at her son, not even paying attention to the fact that the car was rolling violently and her old seatbelt was fraying with each turn. The last thing she saw was Johnny’s frightened brown eyes snapping open from sleep to the horror. And then her head hit the pavement. 

Johnny lifted up his shirt to reveal the scar that ran down the length of his torso, barely concealed by his thick black hair. Ash winced sympathetically and Meena gasped aloud, her tentative hand coming out to touch it gently, soothingly. Johnny felt a warm feeling radiate out from where she touched and he reluctantly watched her withdraw her hand, taking the warm feeling with her. 

“I got this from a piece of the window, broke me arm and I got a concussion.” He sighed and pulled his shirt down back into place, “But me mum lost ‘er life.” His voice was hoarse from crying and though the pain of losing his mother was still real and painful it felt better knowing that the two people closest to him knew about it.  

The girls immediately pulled him back down into their cuddle pile and they silently embrace each other for a second before Meena found her voice, trying in her own way to show Johnny that she understood his pain, that she had felt it and still did, “M-m-my dad died in the line of duty. H-he was a… he was a f-firefighter.” 

“I never knew my parents.” Ash chimed in as well, every inch of her stubborn tough girl persona screaming at her to keep her pain inside where no one could ever see it, despite the good feeling that releasing it brought. Their tight circle of comfort seemed to grow closer as they revealed their hurts, finally letting their new family see the scars that covered their heart. Tears were shed on both sides as emotions were spilled out and sorrows were shared, their connection thrumming stronger with each word or action. After a few hours they were all empty of tears, their emotions drained and their past hurts reduced to a dull throb. in healing Johnny the girls were surprised to find that they had found healing as well. 

“We all lost someone.” Meena finally whispered as she clasped both of their hands and brought them to her heart, “But we found each other. I know for a fact, that it was always you guys that I was looking for.” She gave them a meaningful look, which they both returned. 

Words ceased and the rest of the day was spent eating takeout, watching movies, and just being together, letting their friendship banish the demons that lurked in the shadows.

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