#ugh it’s the one of him hitting the hollow purple | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

dronebiscuitbat · 5 months ago

Text

Oil is Thicker Then Blood (Part 66)

“You made it! Good, I was beginning to worry you two wouldn't show.” Khan smiled and let them both through, Lizzy looking up and around at the decorations and grimacing while V rolled her eyes. As they came through the door, Lizzy quickly pulled away from V, as if trying to hide the fact she was doing it at all.

“Oh that option was tempting, but free food is free food.” V replied, eyes drifting first over to Thad and Tera, then to N and Uzi.

“Is this everyone?” She asked, an eyebrow raised as if she was unimpressed, Lizzy leaned on the counter by the food, smirking lightly.

“Probably, the tiny grape doesn't have many friends.”

“Bite me Lizzy.” Uzi immediately replied, though she noticed that she'd used the word grape instead of freak. It was still an insult, but one far less potent or personal.

“What, I'm here aren't I?” Lizzy pointed out, looking over at Uzi, who was looking up at her with the world's most unamused expression, arms crossed and eyes in the formation of the classic Doorman glare.

“Only to make my life miserable.”

“Hm, never insulted your intelligence, Doorman.” Lizzy snapped back sarcastically, causing Uzi to growl and step forward only for N to subtlety grab her hand and squeeze.

“Whatever…” Uzi grumbled, trying to ignore Lizzy and instead focus on what her daughter was doing, which was nibbling on Thads fingers while he talked to Khan, thankfully, it didn't seem to be enough to hurt him, or even have him notice.

“Happy Birthday, purple toaster.” V came up to her, an aluminum chip already in her mouth that she was chewing on, her tone was sarcastic, but somehow genuine at the same time.

“You know my name V. I've heard you say it.” Uzi replied, deadpan. Even so a small smirk began to play on her face, her favorite person to rile up was here…

“You have no proof.” V hummed, clawed hand on her hip and she leaned down to Uzi's level, Uzi's smirk, if anything, grew wider.

“You're the one who carried me aalllll the way home when I was injured. Face it murder girl, you found a nanospark in your cold dead core to care about me~” She teased, making V pull back with a slight dusting of a gold blush of embarrassment.

“Ew, never in a million years.” She grumbled, but it held no malice behind it, V huffed, then her eyes went hollow and she turned towards Uzi again, the smaller worker could hear her olfactory sensors activate several times, before V pulled back.

“You smell weird.”

“Oh well thanks, that's not rude at all.” Uzi replied, feeling slightly insulted but mostly freaked out, could V smell that there was something different about her? That was concerning…

“I didn't say bad, I said weird. You sick or something?” V replied, looking up at N and finding he had a very guilty look on his face that he was trying hard to mask.

“Nope, maybe your nose is broken from smelling yourself all day.” Uzi bit sarcasticly, she wasn't sure why V was suddenly acting so weird, but it was probably best she tried to throw her off.

“Ugh, fine, drop dead from some weird virus for all I care.” V grumbled before sauntering off towards Lizzy and immediately locking her into a conversation.

“Alright, now that everyone's here, I have something to say.” Khan cleared his throat and straighted his posture, standing behind the counter while everyone looked at him.

“Thank you all for being here, I know that my daughter struggles making friends… so it means a lot that you're all here.”

Lizzy and V snickered, Uzi ignored them.

“Today my daughter, my little girl, turns 19. It seems like only yesterday that she was running around the house with my wrench, hitting everything in sight.”

Ugh… Uzi wasn't sure how much she wanted anyone in this room to hear about how she was when she was little, er - littler. She definitely didn't want Lizzy to have any more blackmail material… though at this point she wasn't even confident Lizzy would say anything about it.

“But now I have a lovely granddaughter, and someone that I hope, and anticipate, I can call ‘son’ soon enough.” He side eyed N, who turned a bright golden and looked away, feeling eyes all over him.

“Seriously, just propose already.” Khan smirked, making N cough and stare down at the floor while the rest of the room chuckled at him. Uzi looked up at him with a half-embarassed smile, which he returned.

“Happy Birthday Uzi, and I'm so happy I get to be here… to see this part of your life.” He finished, clapping for her, which only half the room returned, with V only doing it half-heartedly and Lizzy doing nothing but nodding slightly.

“Speaking of… parts of our lives.” N began after everyone settled down, making Uzi's breath immediately catch in the back of her throat, oh, oh robo-god they were doing this now? She wasn't sure if she was ready!

“We have an announcement to make.” Everyone's eyes were on them now, N rested one of his large hands on her shoulder, doing his best to ground her, she took a deep breath, okay, okay, she could do this, it was just saying a few words.

“Uzi?” He looked down at her, smiling gently. She looked out at all her freinds (or y’know, close enough) and family and steeled herself, closing her eyes for a moment.

“I'm-I'm pregnant.” She blurted out, feeling that if she waited any longer then she'd loose her nerve. She looked at Khan first, his jaw was on the floor, his eyelights hollow and his fists balled onto the counter.

V was the first to say something.

“That's why you smell so damn weird! I knew something was off!” She growled, before the actual situation caught up with her, and then she looked a mixture of shocked and pissed; “Do you two ever think things through?!”

Uzi winced, that was a reaction she had expected… but didn't want. And it only added to the pit of uncomfortable emotions swirling in her stomach.

“V! It wasn't a decision, It just… happened!” N was there, backing her up. It was just a rehash of their argument of Tera's adoption, only now V seemed more upset, and N more defensive.

“Oh! Like an unplanned pregnancy is so much better!” V was spitting venom, and Uzi felt the ball of discomfort tighten, this was… not going well.

She looked back at her Dad, who looked back at her with his mouth trying to move but nothing coming out, she hugged herself, this was a nightmare.

“Okay! Everyone stop!” Everyone was surprised when it was Lizzy of all people to break up the chaos in the room, making V shut up instantly and N real back slightly.

Lizzy walked up to Uzi, at first, she thought she was about to get laughed at, or even some insult that would hit a little too hard in her vulnerable state.

Instead, she was wrapped in a tentative hug from the pink worker, shocking her so much that her mouth fell open.

“U-uh.”

Lizzy pulled back, not saying a word. She looked embarrassed mostly, mixed with some sort of irritated and empathetic.

“Look you don't like me, I haven't given you a reason to. And I don't really like you, for like… way shittier reasons. I'm working on it.”

“But no one should be yelling at you or giving you shit.” She turned to V, who looked like she'd just got her tail caught in a door, because she instantly looked away and crossed her arms.

“Thanks… I guess.” Uzi was still wondering if she had passed into an alternate dimension somewhere in the last few minutes.

“Yeah.” The pink worker responded, looking down at the floor for a moment, before smiling ever so slightly. Clearly not meant to be seen.

“Don't get used to it, just don't want a pregnant woman to be yelled at.” She flipped her hair and walked away, leaning back onto the counter where she made eye contact with V, who looked guilty for the first time in her life.

“Congrats Dudes!” Thad immediately cut through the somber reactions with his own extremely positive one, Tera laughing as the drone holding her got excited. Uzi let out a breath, and so did N.

“Thank you, kinda figured your reaction would be positive.” Uzi laughed lightly, still feeling a little down from how nightmarish this had gone, she hadn't even gotten to the weird part yet…

“Well duh! More kids to teach sports too! Right little football?”

He lifted Tera up while she squealed in delight, raising her little arms as if they were wings and she could fly away with them.

Uzi turned back to her Dad, who was slowly closing the distance between them nervously, he gave her a wary smile before opening his arms to invite her in for a hug.

She sighed in relief and accepted it, her dad petting down her head while she felt him take a steadying breath.

“I can't say I'm not surprised. You're 19, that's so young dronelette.” He said quietly as he pulled away, looking at her with worried eyes.

“But… if you're happy with your choices, then so am I. Heh, you're only a year younger then your mom when she got pregnant with you.” He admitted, rubbing the back of his head awkwardly.

Huh… she did not know that.

“So… when can we expect them to be printed? I assume you've known for awhile.” Khan asked, putting a hand on her shoulder, as sweat appeared on Uzi's visor, right… the weird part.

“Yeah… uh, thats the thing, they're already being printed, uh… in here.” She pointed at her midsection, and everyone seemed to look at her like she'd spontaneously grown a second head.

“What?” Everyone said at once, but this they had prepared for, N handed Khan the scanner first, showing what the inside of Uzi's midsection looked like, and the now larger mass within, it looked a bit like a potato, and was about half the size of one too.

“Oh my- how is this possible?” He asked as he handed it off to V, who also looked at it like she was about to pass out.

“We think the solver has something to do with it… I'm very organic now… so…” Uzi replied, not exactly sure how she felt about people looking at a picture of her insides.

“Your mother also had… the solver, you call it? Her pregnancy was normal, we transferred you to a shell after you were done in her core.”

Well… that made her feel even weirder, but N was still pressed up against her back, doing his best to calm her down.

“Well… I'm partly organic too. And I'm pretty sure I'm connected to it too in some way, maybe that's why?” N suggested, gesturing to himself, mainly, his organic core.

“I wouldn't know, is the baby-?”

“Healthy, and still in the core.” Uzi interrupted, feeling anxiety eat at her.

“It says here it's made out of normal drone material, so it's not like it's going to be some… mass of flesh or whatever.” Lizzy interrupted, handing of the scanner to Thad.

“Gnarly” Was all he said. Which Lizzy rolled her eyes and punched his shoulder for.

At that, V seemed to visibly relax, sighing while looking Uzi up and down.

“Are you eating enough?” She asked, startling the both of them it seemed, but Uzi just answered the question without calling her out on it, for once.

“Yeah I am now… there was an incident where I almost ate somebody I was so hungry… but I didn't!”

V snickered, nodding her head almost in pride while Lizzy looked horrified. “Who?!”

“Chloe”

Then Lizzy looked decidedly less horrified. “Almost wish you did, she's a bitch, even compared to me.”

“Yeah…” Thad agreed, and V laughed out loud at the groups mutual agreement.

“Oh damn, now I have to meet her if even Mr. Chill thinks she's bad.”

Uzi felt herself relax, despite not going so well at the start, they were actually taking the weird part exceptionally well.

It looked like things were turning out okay.

#murder drones #uzi doorman #serial designation n #nuzi #biscuitbites #oil is thicker then blood #tera doorman #Khan literally saying what everyone's thinking #they announce the thing #and it goes bad before it goes good

62 notes · View notes

fushiglow · 1 year ago

Text

sooo... can we all agree that this fight is definitely ending next week???

some (lots of) thoughts on the jjk 234 leaks below!!

i feel like i'm the only person who's still really enjoying this fight??? like i think it's great????? anyway.

i can't believe megumi had a TIGER SHIKIGAMI??? and now it's just GONE????? honestly, ever since the yorozu fight i've been bummed out by how much of megumi's growth sukuna has taken from him, but this one *really* hurt.

i convinced myself that gege would save the tenth shadow for the boy's big comeback (because i'm an idiot) 😭 i know there's still a ton of potential in megumi's domain but his precious animals!!!! ugh.

although speaking of comebacks — "how long are you gonna make me wait? you're no longer fushiguro's shadow, you're MINE" is suspicious as hell 👀 is mahoraga reluctant to follow sukuna's wishes??? WHY????

as for gojo, turns out he *is* the strongest because he's gojo satoru. i've got so much respect for him after all this, he doesn't even need to win to prove himself.

when hakari said gojo told them only to intervene when he's weaker than them, i laughed out loud. he's there with half an arm, no rct left, brain damage from using his domain too much, and you're telling me we're *still* not at that point?? like i knew the gulf between him and the next strongest was big but not THAT big??? just how strong is he???? 💀💀💀

as a side note, i'm *so* happy to see that the students have a plan in place!! and i love that gojo wasn't too proud to make one — although we knew that already. i hope we get more insight into what's happened over the last month in the coming chapters. (also will everyone stop coming for my boy yuta now??? he was just worried about his sensei!!)

still, i feel like the peek into the future on the last page spells either victory or death for gojo. the insight into sukuna's thoughts was very welcome and i'm glad to see that he's sweating as much as gojo right now. however, the dialogue about win conditions at the start of the chapter keeps playing on my mind. a lot could happen in 41 seconds and there's no guarantee that gojo is still standing by the time that hollow purple hits.

(by the way, are we thinking it's the same purple from the start of this fight swinging back around like red did a couple of chapters ago?? or is this the unlimited hollow thing from last week??? confusion)

i have no idea how this fight will end, but it definitely feels like next week's chapter will mark the conclusion. it lines up with the end of the volume, so it seems likely. anyone brave enough to make any solid predictions???

i keep changing my mind about what's going to happen. like i know we've all convinced ourselves that gojo will die (probably to prepare ourselves for the worst) but it seems too predictable for gege. i think he's done well to keep us guessing for this many months though.

anyway, the essay i started writing about gojo a few weeks ago has turned into a monster essay about gain and loss and karmic cycles and how they play out in this fight. unlikely that anyone else will care but i've spent too long rotting my brain over it not to post so... maybe later this week??

#jjk #jujutsu kaisen #jjk 234 #jjk leaks #jjk spoilers #jjk manga spoilers #jjk manga leaks #jujutsu kaisen spoilers #jujutsu kaisen leaks #呪術廻戦 #gojo satoru #fushiguro megumi #sukuna

63 notes · View notes

aqua-dan · 1 year ago

Text

World's Finest: Teen Titans #1 Review

Now that the first issue of the series has been out for a while and I'm less concerned about spoilers, I felt like now would be the time to say a few things about the start of the series and get some of my opinions out there. There's a lot to say, so I suppose I'll split it up into pros, cons, and general commentary.

Pros

On the positive side, it's genuinely nice to see the Fab 5 + Karen together in a group again! No matter how much time goes on and no matter how many interpersonal issues the group has, they're still my favorite team.

It's nice to see all the different little references to the original series -- from one of their fights being against the Separated Man to the picture of the Flips up on the wall of their base, it does feel pretty nostalgic to someone who is a big fan of Teen Titans vol. 1!

The art is overarchingly pretty nice (although I wish I could hit the colorist over the head and scream at them that Garth's eyes are purple! NOT BLUE!)

Despite my nostalgia for the original series, I am finding myself being more ok with the changed lineup than I originally thought I'd be. Now, this obviously messes with some Titans history that I'm reluctant to give up, but it is nice to see Karen highlighted especially! I also think the inclusion of Golden Eagle was nice! He's probably one of the lesser known Teen Titans, so even seeing him show up was surprisingly pleasant.

Despite the fact that I do also have a slight complaint about it, I do think it's nice that they are leaning into popular slang and what is "cool and hip with the teens." To be honest, I think it could even be dialed up a notch! Bring out your inner Bob Haney!!

The ending to the first issue was also interesting! I like that they are setting up the major conflict but keeping it vague for right now. I'm genuinely excited to see how that progresses!

Cons

On the more negative side, there is also a lot to say. Some of it might be nitpicking, but I feel it's worth putting out there anyways. My biggest issue with the series thus far is that it feels too self aware. I know it's only the first issue, and I know that I just praised the references to the original series in the "pros" section, but in many ways I can't help but feel that the series is superimposing later versions of these characters onto their younger selves despite the story-beats that would cause them to act that way not having happened yet.

Just for example's sake, I think the way Batman is acting is a decent showcase for this. Not to say that he entirely wasn't strict before a certain time, but the extremely controlling and closed off way he's acting is far more in-line with post Death in the Family characterization, and not the time period in which Teen Titans vol. 1 would take place.

Not all of the characterization in that regards is bad -- after all, those traits need a base to develop from -- but in some cases it really feels too aware of how these characters would later become. Because of that, a lot of the dialogue and interactions feel sort of hollow and don't allow for much natural or nuanced progression.

Besides that, this series has really made me confused on the DC comics timeline. With the constant mentions of social media, livestreaming, and modern slang, it reads like it should be something set in present time aka 2023. But considering how this is a flashback, shouldn't this be set in the time of, like... Myspace? Shouldn't the slang be ever so slightly dated, and social media NOT be such a ubiquitous thing? Maybe I'm wrong and the current DC timeline is actually taking place in the future, but still, the over-modern nature of the writing feels a little bit jarring to me.

Speaking of jarring, there are a few details that felt super weird throughout the issue. Roy's comment about Ollie "taking him in from the streets" is jarring since I guess that means they're sticking with the N52 backstory for Roy, which.... ugh. The other things I find jarring are honestly just nitpicks. Without going into it too much, there were just a lot of small details that make my brain go, "hey! That's not how that happened! That's not correct!" Regardless, I need to remember that this isn't a part of the old continuity, so changes can be made whether I like it or not.

General Commentary

All in all I don't think it's a bad start to the series. As it continues, I really hope that things start to feel more authentic so that the series is actually able to develop both its own identity and develop these characters further than they have been before without feeling redactive. I sort of miss the small, homegrown feel of the original series, and how going from smaller missions to world ending events was genuinely a big change for many of the Teen Titans. I'm hoping that there are some more small moments going forward that keep it from getting too big too fast.

I think it's too early to judge the series more heavily, so for now I'm just eagerly awaiting the next issue so we can see how it's going to hold up in the long run.

#Dan Says Shit #World's Finest: Teen Titans #Dick Grayson #Roy Harper #Garth #Donna Troy #Wally West #Karen Beecher #Comics Reviews

11 notes · View notes

rainbowchewynuggets · 2 years ago

Text

Hellboy & The Gatekeeper (pt 9)

The monstrous ancestor has nearly closed the gap between itself and the exit.

Hellboy hops from the ledge and surfs roughly down the wet clay wall. He pulls his gun and fires at the thing’s cracked body. It appears that breaking its bones apart isn’t enough. It animates itself in disjointed pieces like the ghost it is. Hellboy skids to the ground and catches his breath. It’s hard. The oppressive atmosphere makes his lungs heavy and cold. He can barely feel his limbs. Realizing he’s almost out of time, he turns his attention to the creature’s head.

A lucky attack sends some more boulders his way. He throws them at the nest of spines that cover the ancestor’s skull. Only a few break off each time. An agitated roar fills the cave. Claws narrowly miss pinning him against the wall. Repeat.

His windows of opportunity get narrower and narrower, especially when the monster pulls in one of its other hands to try to catch him. But he’s winning. With so many spines cleared away, he can see light shining through cracks around the thing’s eyes and temples. He keeps going. One more hit. Then two. The second one leaves a large star-shaped fracture square in the center of the field of stumps on its forehead.

The creature lunges. Hellboy sees it coming, but his legs fail to fire in time. He nearly gets thrown back through the light. His wind escapes him again.

Hellboy’s arms tremble as he hoists his frame off the ground. He rests on an elbow and readies the gun for one more shot. An earsplitting clamor erupts from the thing’s throat, but falls dull on Hellboy’s ears. The vibrations shake his arm. It doesn’t matter. His target is wide.

The muzzle flashes. A bullet rockets through the air toward the glowing cracked forehead.

It passes through without a sound, as if it were a mere projection in a horror show.

Hellboy looks at his gun. His fingers and the rocks beyond him are visible through the heavy gray steel. He looks at himself. He’s barely there.

Hellboy: Ugh… crap.

The monster opens its overfilled jaws even wider and bellows noise, as if to laugh.

The man stares at it with contempt. He can’t will himself to do much else.

That’s when he notices a tiny purple-white figure cresting the creature’s head. He squints to focus his tired eyes. It’s the Gatekeeper.

They climb unsteadily, either from keeping one hand around the long narrow support beam or from the powdery substance that falls from their body in sheets with every movement.

When they reach the damaged frontal bone of the ancestor’s skull, they plant their feet and stand up at their full height. They look to be closer to their original height, if a bit taller. The little Keeper raises the beam over their head. Big chunks of the possessed form fall away from their body like plaster. Angry tears stream from their eyes.

Gatekeeper: BEGONE!

The Gatekeeper plunges the rod through the wound on the thing’s face. Its skull collapses with a hollow sound. Its body instantly erupts in a flash of light. Its voice is gone in a clap of silence.

When the flash passes, the room is dark purple and lightless. The Keeper tumbles to the ground in a mass of wet dust. They get up in their old body again with a few more tendrils and warts than before. There’s a long thread growing just under their right eye. They rub it with their wrist as they run over and help Hellboy get to his feet. Everything is violently shaking.

G: We have to get out. Now!

Hellboy follows without the breath to answer.

They both step out of the dead world. The big man instantly finds the energy to move himself and lets the Keeper lead at a run. The floor of the temple violently undulates. Pillars as wide as oak trees shatter and crash into each other. Massive sharp chunks of overhanging coral fall all around them as they head back to where they came in.

Out in the dim valley, the same thing is happening to the townspeople. They pull each other out of their homes and run together in groups to evade the rapidly terraforming land.

Up in the Gate temple, the sand moves in waves so steep that the Keeper and Hellboy must leap from peak to peak and slide down the sides of mountains. The floor takes the walls with it as it bucks and rolls so that it becomes impossible to tell up from down.

They reach the coral forest. The entryway has been turned on its side, swallowing down the sand and whatever else like an open mouth.

The ground evens out at the bottom long enough for Hellboy to get his bearings among the shadows of the branches. The Keeper isn’t there. They shout down to him from where they've perched on the horizontal archway.

G: Go on! We’ll find our way somehow. When you get back, tell them… tell them all I’m sorry.

A beat passes between the two. The Keeper expects any variety of damning responses. But Hellboy only raises a hand in valediction.

H: Take care, kid.

They’re separated in falling rubble. Hellboy gets thrown headlong through freezing, burning dusty sand as the dimensions pull apart in waves of purple fire that grade to red and orange. Dust washes over him again and again, burying him deeper until there is no movement at all.

Deprived of air, Hellboy jerks awake.

He shoves his hand through the dust and touches open space. Worming his way out, he finds himself in the actual completely normal abandoned farmhouse basement, having emerged from a pile of purplish gray dust and ash. The evening light streaming through the hole in the ceiling casts a yellow silhouette over the empty stool and the charred stone floor.

He gets up with some difficulty and drags his aching carcass up the short staircase to fresh air.

The sun is about to set. Regina is still there, leaning on her truck to stretch her good leg. She spots him coming out of the basement doors and balks at his injuries.

Regina: Jeez. Did you get that thing, or did it get you?

H: Yeah, I got it.

R: You need a ride to the hospital?

He casually brushes the dust off of his shoulders.

H: Nah. I feel better already. But I could really use a phone.

R: There’s one at the bar in town.

H: Perfect.

————

First

(Epilogue on Halloween! 🎃)

Index

#hellboy fanart #hellboy fancomic #hellboy and the gatekeeper 9 #hellboy spoilers

12 notes · View notes

lightsovermonaco · 4 years ago

Text

His Good Sweater: Chapter 12

Masterlist

Winding down from the frenzy of the last chapter... Thanks to @acollectionofficsandshit for being my bestie and beta reading! This would have never happened without her ❤

Word Count: 5.9k

Recommended song: "I Don't Care" by Fall Out Boy

“Mon amour, wake up.”

Pierre’s sleep-heavy voice rouses you from the best sleep you’d had in a long time. You’d fallen asleep to the sounds of his even breathing under the soothing touch of his thumb tracing patterns on your side.

You crack your eyes open to see him silhouetted by the white light of the waning moon, his bare chest left uncovered by the blanket slung low over his hips. The sight alone has your mind instantly jumping into overdrive, fighting the need to sleep with the need to continue ogling the bare skin a foot from your face.

“I let you sleep as long as I could,” he says softly, reaching behind him for his phone. “We have to be on the M1 in about half an hour.”

“Mmmph,” you groan, snuggling back under the blanket and closer to him, chasing the warmth radiating from him. “The sun isn’t even out.”

His chuckle shakes the bed. “I figured you would say that which is why I made you breakfast and picked out your clothes. All you have to do is brush your teeth and get dressed.”

You hum appreciatively and press a kiss to his bare sternum. “Is this how you’re going out today? Because I won’t complain but you might cause a few heart attacks.” A kiss to your temple is a small reward for your comment, as well as a concession.

"Don't worry, this is reserved only for you." He stretches an arm above his head, grinning when your eyes immediately are drawn to the way the muscles ripple and pull under his skin. You stare shamelessly as he flexes a little for your benefit, the action going straight to your head.

"As it should be." You bite your lip and let your fingertips dance over his chest, memorizing the way it rises and falls so predictably with each deep breath. Against your better judgement you trail kisses up over his pectoral and spot them along his shoulder, dragging another light chuckle from him.

"My love," he warns, voice tinted with mischief, "we don't have time."

"Oh I think we do." You continue your path over his collarbone and to the hollow of his throat. Taking advantage of his biggest weakness, you flick your tongue over his prominent adam’s apple. The move has his hand engulfing your upper arm, giving you a warning squeeze.

"As wonderful as this is" -he sucks in a sharp breath when your teeth graze his neck- "if I'm late Horner will kill me."

"What's new?" You say, but draw back. The mere mention of his name made you see red and shattered the moment. "Do you really want to go back to Red Bull after how they treated you?"

"No," he admits, slipping an arm around you and tugging you up and into a sitting position, taking advantage of the momentary lapse of lust. "But if I want a shot with a top team when my contract is up, I don’t have much choice."

"Where do you see yourself going?"

Pierre studies you as you slip into the clothes he had selected for you. Nothing fancy, just an AlphaTauri branded navy and white hoodie and some light wash jeans. You don't miss the way his lips twitch upward when you notice it's his hoodie, his last name embroidered in block font on the cuff a dead giveaway even if the hoodie hadn't been ridiculously oversized on you.

Cheeky bastard.

"I think I would look good in sunshine yellow," he remarks. You make a show of looking him up and down under the pretense of imagining him in a Renault branded hoodie or their signature black race suit. Truthfully it was just another excuse to drink him in like the fine wine he was and recall how he had tasted on your tongue last night.

He would look good in any color on the grid but you don't grant him the satisfaction of pointing that out. Instead, you lean forward to toy with the waistband of the jeans he had hastily buttoned seconds earlier. "You and Daniel get along just fine." You snag him by the belt loops and yank him forward back onto the bed. "I think you should go to McLaren.”

“I’d still look good in orange.”

You wind your fingers under his waistband. “I think you’d look best wearing nothing at all, actually.”

“The time,” Pierre protests lightly when you pop open the button and undo the zipper. He groans when you yank the denim down around his thighs, finally submitting to your touch and lacing his fingers in your hair. Your lips explore the planes of his abdomen, any and all thoughts of speed abandoned on your end. "If you don't hurry up we're gonna be late."

"Maybe you'll just have to drive fast. I hear you’re good at that."

**********

"So how is it that they got your car all the way to London?"

"It's got its own private jet."

You roll your eyes and smack the hand resting on your thigh. His response is a light squeeze and a chuckle before he continues, "They've got a few spares they keep around for when drivers come to town. I can't be seen in a Mini or it would cause a scandal."

"Oh yes it would be quite tragic." His hand charts a dangerous path along your thigh. He knows exactly what he's doing as he slots a thumb between your legs and presses it tight to the apex of your thighs.

You snap your knees shut, effectively trapping his hand "Now you're just being cruel."

"Only dishing out what you did this morning," he points out and wiggles his hand free to rest on your knee instead. The message was clear: he had shaken you well enough for his liking and was perfectly content to leave you frustrated until he could get you home.

“So catch me up on what I’ve missed,” you say, determined to distract yourself from Pierre’s slight teasing. “What’s new in the life of the rising star in Formula 1?”

“Rising star,” Pierre mumbles and rolls his eyes. “Not yet, my love. Getting there, but not yet.”

“Please, you’re too modest. Last night when you fell asleep- you were out like a light as soon as your head hit the pillow, don't give me that look!” Pierre picks his jaw up off the floor and shakes his head as you continue, “I read plenty of articles that called you the next big thing, right up there with Max.”

The comparison didn't seem to sit right with him. He shifts in his seat, rolling words over on his tongue. “I’m sure you’re caught up then. I haven’t done anything really besides train and race.”

“I did notice you’ve beefed up a bit.”

“Yet another reason to thank Pyry.”

“At this point I should send him a fruit basket for his trouble.”

“Maybe you should.” Pierre grins, hand leaving your thigh for a split second to upshift. “What about you? How’s year four treating you?”

“Ugh, don’t get me started,” you groan. “My senior project is already killing me and I’ve only just started it. We have to design a building from the ground up- I mean I like architecture but I’m trying to be an engineer, not an architect. I dunno why I have to be the one to design a building! At this point it’s just a brick box.”

“Sounds challenging,” Pierre notes, flooring it when he merges onto the highway. Though the speed makes your stomach flip, you don’t miss a beat.

“My team doesn’t do much either, I’ve been doing most of it. I could rant for hours about it.”

Pierre glances at the clock, then back to you. The blue of his eyes is blocked by his signature purple tinted sunglasses, shielding them from the rising sun that casts him in a warm orange glow. “Humor me. We’ve got time.”

The hour and a half drive was by no means dull with Pierre's teasing touches and endless string of questioning along the way. He asked after every aspect of your life that had transpired in the last four months, only stopping you once in a while to interject with an opinion or anecdote. He didn't stop at your life either, even asking after Ben's relationship. You'd been happy to report that he had indeed wooed his crush and had officially asked him to be his boyfriend.

"Those secret French lessons paid off," Pierre jokes as he pulls up to the imposing glass fronted building that served as Red Bull Racing's headquarters. The sweeping curve of the entrance was flanked on either side by two-story red and yellow bulls; proof that the team's dramatics extended far past the track. Anyone approaching for the first time would have been intimidated by the sheer size of them that suggested they were ready to stomp on their competition at a moment’s notice.

“Guess it’s time.” You sigh and undo your seatbelt and fiddle with the buckle, doing your best to stall. There was no reason to be this nervous. You were no one to these people; the focus would be entirely on Pierre. You would be an afterthought, not that you minded because it made it easier to fade into the background.

Pierre picks up on your hesitation in a heartbeat. “I’ll keep them off your back,” he promises and you nod, the single sentence taking the edge off. “Ready?”

“As I’ll ever be.” You reach for the door handle but Pierre tsks and you pause.

"You know better." You bite your lip to keep back the grin fighting its way to the surface as he comes around to open your door. He offers you his hand and you gladly take it and are pleasantly surprised when he threads his fingers through yours and heads for the entrance.

The atrium serving as the lobby is breathtakingly gorgeous. You had to hand it to the interior designer; they knew what they were doing. Sleek white marble floors are accented by red and yellow leather chairs scattered in small groups throughout the grand space. A tiered circular modern interpretation of a chandelier hangs above to offer guidance to the accountants, engineers and artists that weave through the lobby on their way to their respective wings or offices.

A waist high, glass front cabinet of drivers helmets serves as the reception desk. The unmistakable scent of a fresh cup of coffee hits you as you approach and the secretary hands a steaming paper cup to someone before they scurry off, presumably to a private office if they were important enough to warrant special attention. The first rays of morning sunlight glint off the silver Red Bull logo inlaid in the black marble behind the woman at the counter, making you squint.

"Bonjour Monsieur Gasly," she says in perfect French. "Ça va?"

"Bien," he says simply and switches to English for your benefit. "Has Christian come through yet?"

"He has," the woman says, glancing sidelong at you. Whatever conclusions she draws about you are insignificant enough that she writes you off immediately, angling her body towards Pierre and resting her chin in her hand. The posturing puts her ample chest on display, nearly spilling out of her billowing blouse, but Pierre's eyes don't wander. "He's not expecting you yet. Voulez-vous un cafe?"

"I'm good." The woman may have been determined to alienate you but Pierre was having none of it. Pierre turns to you, a grin playing on his face. This was your first test as an official couple and he intended to see how you handled it. "How about you, my love? Coffee?"

The woman's eyes slip to where your hand remains clasped in his. She cocks her head so slightly you think you might be imagining it until Pierre's grip tightens, a silent encouragement. Your confidence soars. If this was how Daniel's girlfriend felt when the two of them were out, you finally understood why they didn't hide. It was a rush knowing that everyone wanted Pierre but he only wanted you. No matter how blatantly women threw themselves at him, there was no doubt in your mind that he would never give a single one of them the light of day.

It was about damn time you afforded him the same unwavering commitment as he had shown you.

"No thank you," you reply sweetly with a mocking smile directed to the woman. You lean in and drop your voice to a conspiratorial whisper. "You might want to fix your shirt though, it’s… slipped. I know I'd hate for that to happen to me and no one tell me, especially at work. I don't think I'd ever recover from it."

Her face immediately turns scarlet as she stands straight and folds her arms over her chest. "If I were you-"

"Let Horner know I'm here," Pierre interrupts and it's somehow the hottest thing he's ever said. His purely commanding tone leaves no room for argument.

"Of course," she replies with a sharp smile in your direction that makes your spine stiffen. "Good luck. Christian is in rare form this morning."

"Just ignore it," Pierre murmurs and sweeps his thumb over the back of your hand as he leads you across the cold marble and down a carpeted hall. "You handled that well.”

“I may have gotten a few pointers from Daniel’s lover.” Your soft smile doesn’t quite reach your eyes. The short interaction had sapped most of your confidence, leaving you on uneven footing. “I would rather not have to deal with that again soon though.”

“I can handle the women easy enough when I know I’ve got you to come home to.”

The tightness in your chest eases further when the hall opens into another startlingly white space, this time packed with rows and rows of navy cubicles. But that's not where your attention is drawn- instead, your gaze is immediately snagged by the case of trophies towering high along the back wall. Cups of every shape and size shine within, each one representing a different podium for the team achieved in various years and tracks.

"There must be over a hundred," you breathe, mesmerized by the glinting silver and intricate craftsmanship. The case was easily thirty feet tall and you had to crane your neck to catch a glimpse of the ones in the top row. Each one told a story of blood, sweat and tears, each one earned by a driver who had made countless sacrifices to be where they were and finish on a podium.

"A hundred and eighty five to be exact," he counters, laughing at your amusement. "Your inner architect is screaming isn't it?"

"Only a little."

Pierre laughs outright at your white lie and tugs you along. "You can stare on the way out. I'll even show you which ones were Max's."

"Did you memorize what all his trophies look like?"

"Hey, meetings with engineers get boring. It's one of the more interesting ways to occupy your time when they are going on and on about fluid mechanics and thermodynamics- you know, stuff you understand but not me."

"Oh whatever, you enjoy those meetings and you know it."

"Only a little," he quotes.

People recognize him as you pass and some nod or give a simple greeting as they go about their morning but no one stops him to chat. The air feels a bit hostile, like no one knows what to do with him now that he's walking through the building after a nearly two year absence.

"Do you miss it?" You ask after he smiles at someone for the millionth time.

"I miss the team," he admits, "but not the management culture. My team was great- they supported me any way they could but it didn't help that Horner didn't exactly encourage them to believe in me. It's hard to crank out results when there's no one on your side."

"I'm on your side," you point out, nudging him with your hip. "You've got me forever, no takesies backsies."

"I'm grateful for it," he murmurs and gives your hand a squeeze. He hadn't let go once; not when he had to open a door or the two of you had to walk single file to let people pass.

The building was a labyrinth and if it wasn't for Pierre you'd have been lost the moment you set foot inside. He navigates the twisting halls with ease, having no need for the countless signs posted along the way.

He leads you up a set of steel stairs after what seems like ages. When he knocks on a heavy oak door, his grip on your hand turns possessive like he suspects the office’s occupant would try to rip you away from him.

“Morning.”

God, even the one word makes rage simmer in your veins. The voice precedes the man and Christian Horner swings open the door, a plastic smile splitting his face. He doesn't bother acknowledging you with a greeting, instead addressing his driver directly.

“I wasn’t expecting you to bring a guest.”

“A pretty face was needed around here,” Pierre snaps back without missing a beat. You bristle, free hand curling into a fist. If there was one person you didn’t mind teaching a lesson to, it was Horner. He had little respect for anyone he viewed as disposable- up to and including “underperforming” drivers.

Christian raises an eyebrow. “Sure. She can wait out here- you and I have terms to discuss.”

Fine, Horner wanted to play dirty? So could you. When it came to staring him down, you became fearless. He was the one person you refused to let intimidate you.

Drawing on your newly minted confidence you smile up at Pierre and silence the protest forming on his tongue with a grin. “Gimme a kiss, race winner.”

Pierre doesn’t hesitate to press his lips to yours. Cupping a hand to the back of his neck you draw him in and nip at his lower lip. The hand on your hip tightens at Christian's scoff but Pierre makes no move to break away. You linger a moment longer than necessary to drive your point home: you didn’t care what Horner had to say about you, you were here to stay and he would have to get used to it.

Pierre gives you a small, blissed out smile before dropping your hand and following Horner inside. The door clicks but doesn't shut all the way, Pierre leaving it cracked for your benefit.

Uninterested in eavesdropping on small talk, you lean on the metal railing to observe the research and development garage coming to life on the floor below. Hybrid engines in various stages of disassembly dot the space, small teams of mechanics and engineers tweaking components to reduce weight or increase horsepower. Pistons and valves are scrutinized and exchanged before being placed under stress to test their strength.

An FIA official in a red jacket wove through the garage to observe and jot notes down on a clipboard. He looks over the shoulder of an engineer pouring over formulas on a whiteboard, startling him when the official asks a question. Someone calls your name from below and you search for the origin, finally spotting the woman and waving back at her.

Management may have their qualms with Pierre but it was clear there were still some within the team that had his back. They were likely the same ones that knew he would have to leave the Red Bull umbrella to find any semblance of success. They may not have possessed the guts to stick their necks out for him when Horner had cut him but they were at least happy to see him back around headquarters.

"You sure you'll rise to the challenge?" Horner's question drags you back to the mezzanine.

"I'll take seventh. I'm only a few points away and we have plenty of races left."

He had five races to catch up to be exact. Pierre currently was comfortably ahead of the pack in ninth, Sainz was only three points ahead in eighth, and Norris ten points beyond in seventh. It would only take a DNF or two from his rivals and a few podiums to pass them up.

"Right," Horner starts. "There's a reason you've done so well this season and it's not luck. You've been racing exceptionally well and I don't want that to change."

"If there's something on your mind just get on with it." Pierre's voice is calm and collected in a way yours wouldn't be if you had been in his shoes. You've been dying to rip into Horner since the day he wrote Pierre off.

"There's been a fire in you the past few months since she has been gone-"

"Leave her out of this."

The tone sends a chill down your spine. It maintains the same level headedness that Pierre had perfected over the years and you had come to expect when he was backed against a wall, but it was laced with an unspoken threat. The intent was clear: he would walk out and abandon his chance for a seat at Red Bull if it meant protecting you.

You creep to the door to peer through the crack. Horner crosses his arms, a sly smile on his face. "You would sacrifice your chance at a championship winning seat for her? Everything you've worked so hard for, gone in a flash, because of her?"

"Without question," Pierre answers immediately. The conviction and commitment behind it nearly makes you stumble. "I'm sure there's plenty of other teams that would love to have me after the season I've had. She’s not going anywhere, so either you stop disrespecting her or I walk out."

You clench your fists, ready to burst in and demand Pierre stop being a fucking idiot. His long term plan saw him at another top team that would take care of him and nurture his skill- a long stint at Red Bull Racing was never in the cards. It wasn't an environment for everyone. Some people like Max thrived in it, letting the toxicity roll off their backs but for Pierre it was a cruel form of punishment. However, a seat at Red Bull for the 2022 season could mean the difference between an offer from Alpine and an offer from Haas when his contract was up for renewal.

The idea of seeing his number stickered to the floor in a Red Bull garage excites and intimidates you. Last time he hadn't been given the chance to prove himself. Would they still hold that against him? Knowing Christian, he probably would. On the other hand, it meant that they admitted their mistake in cutting him mid-season, whether they said it outright or not.

Pierre's redemption day was on the horizon and you couldn't wait to see the look on Horner's face when he finally won. And the longer Christian stays silent, the more potent the urge to throttle him grows.

Christian gives a slow clap. "Now there's the unwavering commitment that was missing during round one."

Your heart hammers in the dead silence as papers are shuffled. "Here's the contract. Terms are as discussed, you secure seventh in the world championship in 2021 and the second seat at Red Bull Racing is yours for the entire calendar in 2022. No demotions, substitutions, or shuffling of drivers unless medically necessary or mutually agreed upon by all affected parties."

"And the same spec car as the number one seat," Pierre insists, spine straight. "Same strategy."

Christian waves a hand. "Yes, that's in there too. Feel free to take a moment and read it over."

He does, allowing Christian time to pour a knuckle of whiskey and set the glass before Pierre. He pours himself an identical glass and waits until Pierre signs and initials all the boxes before raising it in acknowledgement.

"Congratulations. Welcome back to Red Bull- conditionally."

Pierre leaves the glass untouched and remains silent, staring his potential future team principal down. He gives the man no margin to question his abilities further, conveying all he needs to with a look that would have had you shaking at the knees. Even if you can't see his face, wrath radiates from him in waves and you wouldn't want to be on the receiving end of it when it explodes.

"Right then." Christian lowers the glass, his fake smile vanishing. "I look forward to seeing what you can do."

"Don't worry. I'll deliver."

You step back and allow him to set the mood as he exits the office and slams the door behind him. Pierre sighs and scrubs a hand over his face. "You heard all of that right?"

You nod. "You wouldn't have really walked out, right?"

"I almost did."

He says it like it's the most obvious thing in the world. Like you should know that he would choose you over all of this, that all of his dreams and everything he had sacrificed to achieve them thus far meant less to him than you did. How many times did he have to prove his unwavering commitment before you realized it was true?

Pierre laces his fingers through yours, the heat welcomed by your ice cold skin. It was as much a comfort to you as it was to him. "I just have to grab some things from Max's office and then we can head out."

His jaw is still set after his stand off with Christian and you want nothing more than to ease his mind. Publicly comforting him with a touch to his chest or a kiss to his neck was out of the question so you settle on temporary distraction.

"Hey, you know what I want to see?"

"What's that?"

"That room full of all the old chassis. You know, the one that they hold all the fancy virtual events in? I wanna see those."

"I think I should be able to get you back there." He veers down a hall and you yelp, pulled along by his momentum. His attitude brightens a little at your laugh. The grin he throws your way is your own personal sun, warming your soul.

"Hey- hold on." You pull him to a stop and lead him into an alcove. The inch of space between your chests is charged with electricity, begging to jump from one to the other.

"Can I help you?" He asks and grins down at you.

"No," you say nonchalantly. "Just wanted to be selfish for a second."

You rise up on your tiptoes to press a kiss to his lips. He melts into you, one hand coming up to cup your jaw while the other finds the small of your back. You side your tongue over his lower lip and he presses you against the door leading to who knew where and opens his mouth to you. You sigh into the kiss, arms winding around his neck and losing yourself in him.

Now that you had gotten over your anxiety, everything was so much easier. You know there's press roaming about the building and any number of them could pass by at any moment but you genuinely couldn't care less. Let them talk; you were over caring what anyone thought or said.

All that mattered was the man beneath your fingertips. You would endure a lifetime of insults if he was the one to soothe the wounds afterwards. As long as you both were happy, no one could come between you ever again.

Pierre pulls away when someone passes by and coughs quietly. "You're trouble," he murmurs, leaving an arm propped next to your head and effectively caging you in.

"And you're dangerous," you tease, tugging on his hair and exposing his throat enough to nip at it once. "Together we're the perfect pair."

He groans and leans away. "Keep that up and I might have to stay in London an extra week."

You slip out of his grasp and give him an unrestrained grin. "Don't threaten me with a good time." You spin on your heel and set off down the hall, swaying your hips a little more than necessary.

"You know where you're going?" He calls after you.

"Someone will point me in the right direction, I'm sure."

"Someone like me." He catches up to you and once again takes your hand in his. He was enjoying showing you off almost as much as you enjoyed hanging on him.

"Maybe we should head right to Max's office and hurry home, huh?"

"Maybe-"

"Pierre, there you are."

You both turn to a woman hustling up the hall after you. She’s slight and her brown curls bounce as she jogs to where the two of you pause at a bend. You glance up to Pierre to see if he's just as confused as you are.

"Hey Mary," he says cheerily. "How are you? Sorry I didn't check in with you when I got here."

"Oh it's fine- why aren't you in the Alpha samples I sent?” The woman props a fist on her hip and tips her head to the side. “I think I got your size right now that I’ve laid eyes on you. I was hoping for a shoot today since you've finally come by."

It takes you a moment to register that she's addressing you. You shoot Pierre a look and he offers you a tentative, closed off smile. "Um, what Alpha gear?"

The woman's chocolate brown eyes go wide. "The ones I've been sending to Pierre. Hoodies, dresses, jackets. All the stuff from the new line. They have been sending the samples to you, right?"

"Um, yeah I've gotten them," Pierre says, rubbing his neck. "I haven't given them to her though."

"Oh, I see!” Pink tinges Mary’s cheeks. “I must have missed a memo. I just thought that you'd want to do a shoot with her today, since we already had a quick one planned for you. After all, you talk about her all the time."

"He does?"

Mary nods. "Oh yes, we've all heard plenty about you. You're lucky to have someone so enamored with you. I just dropped off some more samples in Max's office as a little thank you for letting us steal him so often-"

"Okay, thank you Mary," Pierre says abruptly. "I'll get back to you on that."

Pierre steers you away and down the hall. "What was she talking about? Why would they want me to come by for a photo shoot?"

Pierre runs a hand through his hair and pauses outside Max's office. The Dutchman must have been away because Pierre pulls out his key and fits it in the lock. "I just- come on."

He waves you inside and you obey, letting him close the door and grant you some semblance of privacy before continuing.

"I never formally told anyone that we broke up. Most people came to their own conclusions once they didn't see you around for a while. Some people didn't get the message. Obviously Mary was one of them. I would still talk about you, I couldn't help myself. There was one shoot where Yuki and I were together and he mentioned off hand that you'd be a good brand ambassador. I tried to explain that it wouldn't work but Mary wouldn't hear it and she just kept sending me more and more samples.”

You draw a breath and interrupt his rambling. “But where-”

"I had it all in a box in my office but I struggled to concentrate with a reminder of you hanging over my head. I sent it over here to Max and that's where it's sat ever since. I used the excuse that Max was in town more often than I was and no one read too far into it."

"Why didn't you tell me?" You whisper. "I would've taken them. I'm sure you got an earful from Mary."

"Would you have?” Pierre pauses, your silence in the face of his frustration speaking volumes. “I waited four months to hear from you. Tell me that sending you thousands of dollars in unreleased merch wouldn't have made you even more hesitant to come back to me."

Not knowing what else to say, you let your gaze fall to the carpet. Sending you expensive things would have felt something like a bribe, like he was trying to influence you with fancy clothes.

Pierre shakes his head. “It doesn’t matter, it’s in the past now. We can take it home today and you can wear it when I take you for dinner and Alpha will get the press they’re after. Everyone will be happy.”

He wasn’t happy. That much was plain to see. He hadn’t been able to stomach seeing something intended for you, even that minute of a reminder had been too much for him to bear. God, you had thoroughly wrecked him. You were lucky that there were still enough pieces of him left to heal.

“I didn’t realize you were hurting so bad,” you say, voice barely above a whisper as you cross the cramped space to him, stepping over piles of strewn paperwork carefully so as to not disturb whatever random order they were placed in. You don’t dare reach out to touch him as his shoulders slump, any and all forward momentum he’d gathered suddenly sapped.

“It’s one of the worst things I’ve ever gone through.”

Unable to let him suffer alone with his thoughts, you wrap your arms around his middle and let your cheek rest between his shoulders. “I didn’t mean to alienate you. I was waiting for you, too.”

“You needed space and I gave it to you.” His hand rests on your arm with a gentleness you’ve come to expect when he lays himself bare like this. “There were so many times I almost gave in to the impulse and just messaged you but I made myself wait. I didn’t want to rush it and make things worse. You always need time to think things through- I knew you would come around eventually. It didn’t make it any easier though.”

You rub soothing circles on his side as you blink back the tears that spring to your eyes. “I’m sorry I put you through that. I’m sorry I took so long and I’m sorry I made you wait. It had to have been torture-”

He turns in your embrace and cups your chin, forcing you to look up at him. The pad of his thumb sweeps across your cheek, the metal of the ring on his middle finger biting into your flushed skin. “It’s alright. You had a lot to sort through and I had to respect that.”

“We lost so much time-”

“Hey,” he says softly, ducking his head to meet your eyes. “We’re together now. If there’s one thing I’m sure of it’s that you can’t let missed opportunities control you or else you’ll never be happy.”

You nod, swiping your sleeve under your eyes. “What did they send?” you ask, nodding towards the box overflowing with tan and navy threads.

“Pull up a chair,” Pierre suggests, “there’s a lot.”

You roll over Max’s desk chair and tug on Pierre’s arm. Once he gets the picture and sits, you settle in his lap. He winds an arm around your middle, the close contact already soothing your frazzled nerves.

“That better?” he murmurs.

“Much better.”

@seasidetom @flashcal @limp-wrist-max @sunshinesewis @lifeofzoemichael @ninuffi @perfectfantasies22 @lamboleglerg @ladyperceval @0forgottenparadise0 @evie-pr @avsensio @ninuffi @ricciartodododo

If you have asked to be tagged in the past and I missed you I apologize! Just comment below and I’ll get you added for future updates. Thanks for reading ❤

#my writing #pierre gasly #pierre gasly imagine #formula 1 #formula 1 fanfiction #formula 1 fantasy #formula 1 fanfic #pierre gasly x reader #f1 #f1 fanfic #f1 fanfiction #f1 fic #f1 fantasy #f1 imagine #formula 1 fic #formula 1 imagine #f1 rpf #formula 1 rpf #pierre gasly fanfiction

127 notes · View notes

lloyd-needs-therapy · 4 years ago

Text

I haven't posted a oneshot in a while so take some season 5 aftermath💚

Not Your Fault

The ninja were all on edge. Lloyd has been possesed by this Morro dude, that apparently was Sensei's first student. Everytime they fought Morro, Lloyd looked thiner. They were all worried about Lloyd espeicially Kai. He promised to protect Lloyd and he's doing a great job at that so far isn't he? Of course this ghost had to possess Lloyd of all people. The kid was already having a hard time accepting that his dad was gone. He hopes that they can get Lloyd back soon.

***

They were coming out of the first spinjitzu master's resting spot, they didn't get the realm crystal but they did get Lloyd back and for now that was the best thing that they could of asked for. Kai and Cole were helping Lloyd walk. Lloyd was barely keeping his eyes open and he couldn't even stand by himself, Kai just hopes that Lloyd can recover from this.

If he had to be honest, his baby bro wasn't looking to good at the moment. Lloyd was sporting cuts everywhere and a good few looked like they would be needing stitches. He was far, far to skinny, Kai fears if he holds him to hard he'll break. Lloyd's eyes are dull and hollow, not the vibrant green they were supposed to be. He also clearly didn't have any sleep in the weeks morro had him. Oh and didn't he mention that him and Lloyd are soaking wet, after being in a freezing river and almost drowing. Kai's lucky that he is naturally warm, but Lloyd is shivering so much, that it worries Kai.

He wants to comfort Lloyd but what do you even say to someone who was possed by a ghost? And Lloyd's probally feeling guilty knowing him, he would find a way to take responsibilty for any bad things. Maybe Kai should tell him that there almost back to the bounty, that might cheer him up knowing that he can go home.

"Don't worry green bean were almost to the bounty then we'll get you all fixed up okay?"

"Mhm" lloyd replied half asleep.

***

"Are you out of your mind!" Jay whispered shouted. Lloyd was in his bed after collapsing on deck. Sensei Wu gathered them for a meeting to discuss the plan of attack, but Sensei was suggesting that Lloyd will be the one to destroy the realm cyrstal.

"Yeh, Sensei Lloyd can't even stand by himself and your suggesting that we just launch him into battle, I don't agree" Cole replied.

"We have no other choice" Sensei Wu said firmly,"Nya, bandage Lloyd's injuries and try give him some food."

"Yes Sensei" she half nodded and slipped out of the room, with Kai close behind.

They walked down the hallway to the medbay in silence. When they walked in Lloyd was still dead to the world, he didn't even shift from where he was laid down. If it wasn't for his quiet laboured breaths, you would off thought he was dead. It sounded that he was having dificulty breathing, it was quiet but every now and again you could hear the harsh hitch in his breathing.

"Do you think we should wake him up?" Nya questioned Kai, "It's better if he's awake to bandage him up, but he looks like he needs to sleep for a solid week"

"Its probally best if we do wake him, we still need to tell him that hes the one that has to destroy the realm crystal" Kai sighed, walking over to Lloyd.

"Hey Buddy it's time to wake up"

"Mmm let m'sleep" Lloyd slurred, "ugh it feels like I've been hit by a truck"

"Good to see you haven't lost your sense of humor" Nya chuckled quietly.

"C'mon Kid we need to get tou bandaged up" Kai mumbled, while helping Lloyd sit up.

"How long have I been out for?"

"An hour or two I think." Nya replied

"Okay" Lloyd whispered quietly.

Nya got to work on bandaging Lloyd's injuries, on his face, arms, legs, and anywhere else where he gotten hurt.

"Can you lift up your shirt please?"

"O-oh yeah sure" Lloyd nervously stuttered.

He slowly lifted up his upper half of his gi.

The sight of his chest almost made Kai sick.

Lloyd had deep cuts all over his chest, half of them were infected, and all of them had dried blood surrounding them. He also had bruises turning all shades of blues and purples. Lloyd didn't look up choosing that the floor was a way better place to look instead of seeing his siblings reactions.

"Oh Lloyd" Nya began feeling an awful dread of guilt, because most of those bruises were from her and the ninja themselves, but the cuts themselves must of been from morrow because they were careful not to fully harm Lloyd.

"Its okay, I'm fine yous don't need to worry about me" Lloyd mumbled so quietly that you could've missed it, but Kai and Nya both heard it.

"Lloyd, of course we need to worry your our baby brother. All of us were so worried we could barely talk because it didn't feel normal here without you!" Exclaimed Kai.

"I'm sorry" Lloyd whispered, still looking at the floor as if it were the most interesting thing in the world.

" Aw, I'm sorry buddy I didn't mean to be harsh. It's not your fault, it's Morro's fault. Nya will get you all bandaged up and I'll go get you some food."

#ninjago #lloyd garmadon #ninjago lloyd #ninjago kai #ninjago nya #ninjago one shot #oneshot #ninjago morro #ninjago fic #ninjago angst

81 notes · View notes

skyeknight-hyperfixations · 4 years ago

Text

Written in the Wings

"C'mon Aster, I promise! I'll try not to freeze your tail this time by accident."

The rabbit scowled, "That ain't a promise, ya twit, especially if ya pair it off with a 'try.'"

"But I'm so bored!" Jack groaned, falling back mid air, his wings fluttering to keep him from hitting the ground. "And I've already bothered Ryder with his Animal training with the newer fairies."

Aster raised a brow, paws on his sides and foot thumping on the ground repeatedly. "Now ya decided to bother me?" He huffed, "How 'bout workin' on your Frosting instead? 'm sure there are a bunch of windows, plants and frozen lakes that are gonna need that."

"Please, I'm the best Frost fairy around. I don't need the practice." Jack snorted, "Just let me ride you to the border and see the mainland animals from the Autumn woods cross over!"

"And why the bloody hell can't ya just fly over yourself?"

"I'm running low on Pixie dust and restock isn't till next week. But I have enough to spare if I just fly going back."

"How about walking then?"

"C'mon bunny! You owe me!"

Aster scrunched up his nose, "Aye?" He snorted, "How do you figure?"

"Okay, you're going to owe me." Jack corrected himself, "Because if you don't let me come along, I'm not going to tell you about a particular someone's very particular prank."

Aster groaned. "Ugh, I hate it when I have to visit winter woods to monitor the animals crossing over." He said. "you're a pain in the arse always. All right, all right, I'll take ya."

"All right!"

"But ya ain't coming anywhere near the border line itself. They're bad for your wings." The bunny warned.

"Aw bunny, you do care."

Aster rolled his eyes, "And no need getting them Spring Fairies into any of your trouble."

Jack made a mock-offended gasp, "When have I ever been in any sorts of trouble?"

"If ya want me to answer that, it's gonna take a while."

Jack shrugged, conceding to that and flying over to rest on the rabbit's back as he hopped along.

Back at Spring valley of Pixie Hollow, the fairies were taking their time preparing for their season since Winter was just about to start in a few weeks. Over at the Tinker fairy village, the Tinker fairies were preparing baskets to be sent to the winter woods.

One of these fairies, Hiccup, was riding a lizard. A carriage made of twigs and leaves were loaded with thinner strands of leaves.

"Look sharp, everyone!" Gobber hollered, "The Snowy owls will be arriving to take the snowflake baskets to the Winter woods." he smiled before scanning the area, and his eyes fell on a fairy lounging about. "Milo, stop reading all day and start tinkering."

Jim looked up from where he was weaving a basket with Ben, an anxious squirrel who's a bit more nutty than the ones he eats. "Funny how they're called snowflake baskets," The Fast flying fairy hummed, "when they're not made of it."

"Don't you start now, Jimmy."

"It's Jim, Gobber!"

"That's head tinker fairy Gobber to you, kid!"

"And a mouthful." Jim rolled his eyes, "you should be glad I'm using my free hours helping the tinker fairies out."

"Actually, he should be glad you lost a bet against me and had to help us." Hiccup quipped, and with a mechanism resembling a fishing pole, he reeled another batch of leaf strands from a lizard. "Is that the last load, Toothless?"

The lizard grunted, giving him a gummy smile.

"Thanks, bud. Again, wouldn't hurt if you used your words once in a while."

The freckled fairy hummed, before flying over to Jim and Ben.

"Am I doing this right, Hiccup?" Ben asked, "I can only see in shades of gray, so was all the strands I got the color a leaf should be?"

Hiccup smiled at the Squirrel fondly, "It's fine, Ben." He said. "I think Merida was looking for you, something about baby squirrel training."

The special animals of Pixie Hollow help the animal fairies nurture regular animals brought from the mainland. Usually, in seasonal rounds to the mainland, Animal fairies encounter abandoned baby animals. Not all infant animals end up abandoned, but those that do, they bring to Pixie Hollow to care for. Some of them, once grown independent enough, are brought back to the mainland. Those that aren't, they keep in Pixie Hollow.

"All right, I'll see you around then." Ben nodded, "See you, Jimmy."

The Fast flying fairy waved the animal off, before sighing. "I'm never getting rid of that nickname now, am I?"

"Morning Jim," Hiccup smirked, before settling the thin leaf strands, "this should be enough to finish my batch of snowflake baskets."

Jim looked over, "If you say so; you know about this crafting stuff more than me."

"I still can't believe we make these things but don't get to take them to the winter fairies."

Jim mimicked his tone, "I still can't believe you guys are calling them snowflake baskets."

"Dang it, Jimmy, if ya got a problem with the way I name things, just say so!"

"I am saying so!"

Hiccup rolled his eyes, before nudging his friend and giving the older fairy a placating wave. "Go easy on Gobber. He's a more easy going head fairy than yours, after all."

"I guess that's true," Jim conceded, "Don't let Gogo hear you say that though, or tell her I agreed with you. She already doesn't like me very much."

Hiccup chuckled, "Not that you care about what she thinks of you much," he quipped. Jim shrugged, "Seriously though, wouldn't you want to go into the winter woods?"

"Between you and me, I rather keep my wings since I enjoy flying with them than on Dragon flies." Jim deadpanned.

Hiccup grinned cockily, "Which is why you lost that bet with me." He teased.

Jim snorted, shoving his friend. "Anyway, you know they wouldn't last a day in that cold, never mind us." he said, "So don't you start getting any ideas."

Hiccup made a look of mock indignant, "I assure you, I don't know what you're talking about." He said innocently.

"Yeah, don't even try," Jim rolled his eyes, "your ideas are trouble. Remember when you almost delayed Spring?"

Hiccup scowled, pointing at the fast flying fairy crossly. "Hey, that was as much the fault of Snotlout poking on my self-esteem as it was mine." He said.

"Funny how you didn't deny having a fault on it too."

The two fairy friends continued to tousle each other more, till Gobber yelled at them to quit fooling around.

"Anyway," Hiccup rolled his eyes, starting to weave a new basket. "Since when were you afraid of a little risk?"

"Since it's more than just a little, and I believe I mentioned flying." Jim hummed as he finished up the one he was doing, until a familiar voice was heard calling out his name. "Ack, although, if not flying meant getting him off my back..."

'Him' was referencing a certain dust keeper fairy, who was just flying towards Tinker fairy village with stock delivery of pixie dust.

Hiccup snickered, "Just go out on that date with him already." he said. "What's the harm?"

"He's annoying."

"Yes, yes, that's why you always end up sitting beside Dimitri instead of your own fairy group, or me, whenever Queen Anna has an announcement or during any of our events." Hiccup drawled, earning him another nudge from Jim.

Jim glared at his friend, "Well, that just means they're more annoying than him." He said, "You know, fast flying fairies are very competitive and can be jerks at those times."

"Don't I know it." Hiccup mumbled.

Dimitri flew over to the two, grinning widely... Mostly since Jim was there. "Hey Hiccup, here's your batch," he handed over a leaf pouch to the tinker fairy, before turning to Jim. "And here's yours..." Then, he lowered his voice and puckered his lips a bit. "But you know what to do to get an extra batch."

"You know that's against the rules." Jim deadpanned.

Hiccup grinned, "No, last I check, kissing wasn't against the rules."

Jim hits him in response to that.

"And you know I have my ways," Dimitri said, as if Hiccup hadn't spoken, "and accept them anyway... Every. Time." he smirked, sending Jim a wink.

Hiccup raised a brow, giving his friend his own smirk. "Every time, huh? But if this happens often..." He then feigns a gasp, "So you had gone out with him already!"

"Ack, I told you to keep that between us, you dimwit. I have a reputation to maintain."

"Is that reputation pretending you don't like me? Because I got news for you, it's not well maintained," Dimitri smirked, "Jimmy."

Jim scowled, "Oh for the love of... Give me that." He huffed, grabbing both pouches and hiding the extra one in his jacket made out of butterscotch daisy petals. It didn't really work with the Fast flying fairy purple color ensemble, but Dimitri had given it to him and that was the color of the Dust keeper fairies.

Honestly, Hiccup was still at a lost why Jim pretended nothing was going on with him and Dimitri when clearly, everybody and their Head fairies could tell there was.

Then, a horn sounded, announcing the incoming arrival of the Snowy owls. The three fairy friends looked up in wonder, and see the aforementioned creatures coming in. Gobber's voice is hollering something along the lines of activating the pulley.

Another tinker fairy did as told, and the baskets were brought up by a conveyer system developed by Hiccup. The mechanism brought the baskets in time for each owls to grab each one in their talons. A frozen tablet floats over as well, and Gobber flies over to check the message of remaining orders needed.

"That's it for the first shipment," The large fairy called out, "But according to this, they still need a lot for tomorrow's. So don't start dawdling now! Milo, put those books down already and help!"

Hiccup grinned, using Gobber's distraction as a chance to fly higher to see where the owls were going after taking a basket; off back to the winter fairy territory. Despite his earlier arguments, Jim flew after him to get a good look as well followed by Dimitri.

"It's like a whole 'nother mainland," Hiccup sighed, "I'd give up all the lost things I've collected to see what they've got over there."

Jim raised a brow, "Does that include all your tools made from lost things?"

"Okay, maybe the ones that are only for display so far." Hiccup conceded.

Dimitri shrugged, crossing his arms. "Not that you'd have to, either way." He said, "I'm not one you'd say is by the book..."

"Really?" Jim drawled sarcastically.

The Dust keeper fairy continued, ignoring the sass. "But the 'No crossing the border' rule is there for very good reason." He said. "Bad things happen to those who disobey it."

"But if no one's ever done it, how bad can it be?"

Jim sighed, shaking his head. "Honestly, do you have a death wish, Hic?"

"And what makes you think death's the 'bad thing that happens', hm?"

This time, both Jim and Dimitri groaned.

"No, no, come back here you naughty kit!"

Startled by the urgent cry, the three looked down to see Ben chase after a younger squirrel, that started going through the quad of Tinker fairy village, disrupting the work in progress.

"Oh Ben," Jim shook his head, noticing Hiccup's invention and thought of an idea. He hurried back down, taking the device to help Ben, literally, reel in the frenzied kit. "Gotcha!"

The squirrel lets out a sigh of relief, "Thanks, Jimmy. Always a life saver."

"It's Jim." The fast flying groaned, handing the device to Hiccup. "At this rate I'm going to forget the real name."

Dimitri laughed, "Well, I like both." He said.

"Yeah, you would."

Hiccup started to unbind the kit from the string around it, as Ben placated the kit, patting its head.

"Now c'mon, little guy, Merida will be waiting for us already with your brothers and sisters at the border." The older squirrel said. "We have to hurry if you're going to join them."

"Oh, you're taking them across the border today?" Hiccup grinned.

Ben sighed, "Trying to, and it's a long way still," he huffed, "Feels even longer since this guy's such a handful."

"Need some help?"

Jim and Dimitri grimaced, exchanging looks with one another.

"It should not feel like such a chore being someone's friend," Jim shook his head, "Fine, if Hiccup's going I'm coming along too."

Read it here

Hoping to get more readers this way. Hehe.

Edits done by Jasmin Abarca (@jasmin_abarca) Thank you again for it!!

#Rise of the Guardians #How to Train your Dragon #Hiccup #Jack Frost #Jim #Dimitri #ao3 fanfic

5 notes · View notes

rosedavid · 5 years ago

Text

A Day Off

I feel like, especially in the later seasons, we didn’t get to see as much of Gwen and Merlin’s friendship, so I decided to make a quick little oneshot about Merlin and Gwen still being besties even after Gwen becomes Queen. I hope you enjoy :)

Pairing: Merlin & Gwen Friendship

Word count: 1,303

...

“Merlin, Arthur’s giving you the day off,” Gwen declares, having just entered through the chamber doors. She looks regal and impressive standing in front of Merlin. Her stunning purple dress seems to float along the floorboards, curly hair framing her face perfectly.

Arthur, who sits at his desk pondering over some documents, stares at her with confusion.

“I am?” Arthur questions, pulling a face.

“He is?” Merlin repeats from his spot on the floor polishing Arthur’s armor.

Gwen tilts her head up. “Yes, you are, Arthur. I have important duties to attend to today, and I need Merlin’s assistance for the time being.”

“You know, there are much more competent servants around to help,” Arthur says, smirking at Merlin’s glowering expression.

“Merlin knows all the ins and outs of the castle the best. Besides, with how much you complain about him, wouldn’t you like to spend a few hours without him?”

This time, Merlin is the one smirking at Arthur.

“I mean, well…”

“Perfect!” Gwen smiles, gesturing for Merlin to follow her. Merlin stands up, momentarily forgetting about the armor sitting on his lap. It crashes to the ground, causing Arthur to flinch. Merlin sends him a sheepish smile, while Arthur glares daggers at his servant.

“I’ll come by to clean that up later, sire,” Merlin teases. “If you can stand my presence, that is.”

Arthur picks up an empty goblet as if to throw it but stops when Gwen gives him a stern look. He drops it back down on the table with a hollow thump, then runs his hand over his face.

“You better be back here tonight to attend to me, Merlin.”

“You can count on it, sire!”

With that, Merlin and Gwen head out, keeping up their normal pretenses until they get a ways down the hall. Then, the pair of them collapse into giggles.

“You were great!” Merlin compliments. “I can’t believe Arthur didn’t even question you.”

“Of course he didn’t. I’m the Queen. He knows better by now.”

They continue giggling for a few moments. Although Merlin knows that Gwen belongs as Queen of Camelot, he also misses servant Gwen sometimes. He misses the freedom they had to joke around with each other, to go to parties after hours with the other servants, and to tell stories of the latest gossip for hours on end. That’s why days like these are so important for them both. They established these days long ago after missing seeing each other terribly. It was Gwen’s idea, of course, and a brilliant one at that. They use these days to catch up with each other as friends, not as Queen and servant. It almost feels like old times again.

“Picnic today?” Merlin asks.

“Definitely,” Gwen confirms. “I had the kitchen prepare us a feast. I even got the cook to prepare your favorite tarts.”

“You are truly a blessing, Guinevere.”

“Well, I expect plenty of servant gossip in return. Is Claire still being fought over by her two suitors?”

“It’s three now.”

Gwen laughs, offering Merlin her arm. Merlin loops their arms together, grinning down at Gwen. No one questions them as they head out of Camelot to the edge of the forest. They go to a spot that Merlin discovered a while ago, perfectly hidden by looming trees and beautiful flowers. It’s a gorgeous day outside, the sun peeking out from behind the clouds for the first time in days. If it weren’t for Gwen, Merlin muses, he would be stuck inside right now tending to every whim of Arthur. Merlin hopes that the prat can get by without him for the day without getting too grumpy.

“And then, Lord Richard complained about how all servants come from filth,” Gwen continues, causing Merlin to snort. “You should have seen his face when I told him that I used to be a servant! It turned as red as a tomato. He couldn’t stutter out apologies fast enough.”

“And what did you say?” Merlin chortles, biting into another pastry.

“’Now Camelot knows what you truly think of their Queen.’”

“Amazing. I would have paid to see that. Where was Arthur during all of this?”

“The two of you were out on a hunt that afternoon to prepare for the feast.”

Merlin groans, “Oh, now I remember. It was about to pour rain that day, and I warned Arthur that there was a storm coming. As usual, he didn’t listen. An hour later, we were completely soaked through. Then, he had the audacity to get mad at me for not stopping him from going!”

“That’s Arthur for you,” Gwen chuckles. “I noticed he’s been in a throwing mood lately.”

“Ugh, I know! The other day, he threw a goblet at me that was full, then made me clean it up! Luckily, it didn’t’ come even close to hitting me.”

Gwen giggles, but then trails off into thought. Merlin nudges her shoulder to get her attention. She looks over at him, sun making a halo around her head. “What are you thinking about?”

“I just…” Gwen begins. “I miss this. Our friendship.”

“We’re still friends, Gwen,” Merlin promises, “but I know what you mean. It’s just not….”

“The same.”

“Exactly. But it’s okay, really. You make a wonderful Queen, Gwen, and I wouldn’t want to change that for the world, even if I do miss our antics as servants.”

Gwen hums. “Thank you, Merlin.”

“Besides, now that you’re Queen, we can get into a bunch of new types of antics, like shirking our duties to go on this picnic.”

“I’ll toast to that,” Gwen grins mischievously, before pulling an entire bottle of Camelot’s finest wine out of the picnic basket.

Merlin gasps in fake horror, “Guinevere, I cannot believe you! Stealing wine? I could never agree to this type of crime.”

Gwen drapes a hand over her forehead dramatically. “I know, I’m just horrid! What would the King do if he found out?”

“Nothing to you. He’d put me in the stocks for a few days, though!”

They take turns sipping from the wine bottle in silence for a bit, simply enjoying the calmness of the day and the subtle breeze brushing the plants.

Gwen suddenly speaks. “Arthur’s not really that bad to you, is he?”

“No, he’s not,” Merlin responds with honesty. “As much as I complain about him, which he rightly deserves by the way, he’s not that bad. In fact, I’d even go as far as to say I’ve grown a bit attached to the prat.”

Leaning in, the smell of wine on her breath, Gwen whispers, “Don’t tell him I said this, but I think he’s grown a bit attached to you, too.”

“Wait, did he mention something to you?! You have to tell me. I need some more good blackmail material on him in case he threatens me with mucking out the stables, again.”

“I don’t remember anything exactly,” Gwen says, “but I can tell. He smiles a lot around you. And he always seems sadder when you leave.”

“Are we talking about the same Arthur?”

Gwen swats at him playfully. “It’s true! You just have this ability to make people happy, including me. I don’t know what I would do without these days. The stress of it all gets to me sometimes, but you always make me feel at ease.”

Merlin blushes, “It’s nothing, really. You make me feel happy, too, Gwen. I’m so glad we’re still such good friends.”

Gwen smiles in agreement, taking the offered wine bottle again to take another sip.

“You’re looking like Lord Richard now,” Gwen jokes. “And you might be stuck like that permanently if we stay out in the sun drinking wine for too long. How about we go see what we can do to mess with Arthur?”

“You read my mind.”

#merlin bbc #merlin fanfic #gwen pendragon #merlin #bbc merlin #merlin fanfiction #gwen and merlin #fanfiction

102 notes · View notes

athingthatwantsvirginia · 4 years ago

Text

The Infamous Jethro Tull Incident

PART THIRTY-THREE OF THE DO YOU SEE HER FACE? SERIES

Pairing: Jess Mariano x Original Character (Ella Stevens)

Warnings: discussions of anxiety/panic attacks please read with caution, plentiful pop culture references, allergies

Word Count: 6.9K

Summary: Visiting Stars Hollow once again, Ella and Jess help Luke with his custody battle and see the Spring Fling.

A/N: The descriptions of panic attacks in this chapter and in this fic are based on research and my own experiences. Everyone is different. If you need to talk, I am always here. I just felt Gilmore Girls always kind of ignored Jess’s trauma, and the after-effects it would have had on him.

Though Chris and Matthew had invited them out, neither Jess nor Ella had any desire to eat at some fancy restaurant on a Sunday night. It was under the guise of a celebration over the monthly Zine including an interview with someone who had once interned for Dave Eggers. Not that it was a small feat, but both Ella and Jess knew it was simply just an excuse for Chris and Matthew to go on an expensive double date. Often, the two called them frugal. And they called the two of them unnecessarily hedonistic. Whatever the case, Ella was glad to have the apartment for the night. Two days into spring break, and she was still only just bouncing back from the mid-semester exhaustion.

She sat cross-legged in her pajamas on the couch, sketching, as the water on the stove began to boil. Once again, she was attempting dinner. Spaghetti, something simple, she’d told Jess earlier in the evening. She could totally manage it. She still couldn’t understand why her baking skills were never able to travel over into cooking territory. Just as she finished the lines around the eyes, the phone on the counter began ringing. Putting her sketchbook to the side, she rushed up to the counter and saw it was Jess’s cellphone alight with a number.

“Jess Mariano’s phone,” she said as she opened the phone, hoping to answer in time.

“Ella?” the voice came through the receiver.

“Luke?” she asked.

“Yeah, it’s me.”

A smile came to her lips. “Hey, boss! How are you?”

Luke cleared his throat, hesitating a minute. “Oh, well I…”

“Jess is in the shower, but I can get him if you really need to talk,” she cut in, growing worried. Not only because she noticed the water on the stove was boiling over and hissing on the oven. She dashed over to the stove.

“No, that’s okay. I have no desire to speak to him while he’s any degree of naked,” Luke said gruffly.

Ella uttered a chuckle and she stirred the pot to lessen the overflow. “Well, that makes one of us.”

Only a heavy sigh came from the other side of the phone.

“Sorry, sorry,” she said. As she broke the spaghetti in half, balancing the phone between her ear and her shoulder, several noodles flew across the kitchen. A few landed on the burner and started to smoke instantly. “Fuck!”

“What?” Luke asked, suddenly alarmed.

Growling under her breath in frustration, she sweeped the noodles from the burner with a damp kitchen towel. “Nothing, sorry. The spaghetti caught on fire but it’s fine now.”

“Why are you trying to make spaghetti? You can hardly make toast,” Luke groaned knowingly.

She rolled her eyes. “I’m broadening my horizons, alright? But that doesn’t matter. What’s going on?”

“Well, uh...you know April?”

“The name rings a bell, yes.”

“Well, Anna wants to move her to New Mexico,” Luke said, voice emotionless. “And I’m trying to get joint custody. The lawyer uh...he said Jess, or you, might be a good character reference. The trial, or whatever we should call it, is on Tuesday. If you can’t get here, that’s fine. They’re speeding up the process because they’re moving away so soon. You could just put it in writing, but I don’t know if it would get here in the mail. So, if you can’t, I completely-”

“Luke,” she interjected.

“Yeah?”

“We’ll be there,” Ella said with finality. “What time is the hearing?”

“Eight,” he answered.

Nodding, she stirred the spaghetti. Furrowing her brows, she considered the time. “Could we maybe stay over tomorrow night? Then, we can all go to the courthouse.”

“Really? Is Jess okay with that?” he asked.

“Jess won’t hear of anything else, I promise. The Zine just came out. The other guys will understand. We’ll call it a family emergency. And I’m on my spring break. It’s fine, boss,” Ella reassured him, face flushed over the steaming pot.

“Are you sure? I mean, only if you’re sure-”

She sighed again, a long exhale through her nose. “Luke, I’m sure. Just hang in there. We’ll be there tomorrow. I’ll bring you some of this spaghetti, if you want.”

“I think I’ll pass,” he said flatly.

“Noted.”

There was a long pause. “Ella?”

“Yeah?”

“Thank you.”

A sad smile ghosted over her face. “Don’t mention it.”

“Hey, it’s the Spring Fling, too. In case you guys need something to do tomorrow night,” Luke added, shifting the conversation away from emotions.

A pang of nostalgia hit her, and she could smell the greasy food. “Oh, well, I was on the fence about coming up there before. But the Spring Fling? There’s the thing to seal the deal.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Luke grumbled, unamused by her sarcasm.

“Alright. Well, I gotta focus on this spaghetti, for the sake of public safety. I’ll see you tomorrow, okay?” she said, brows furrowed in concern.

“Yeah. Okay, Ella. See you tomorrow.”

“Bye, Luke.”

“Bye.”

Hanging up the phone, Ella flipped it closed and set it back on the counter. Waiting for the spaghetti to finish boiling, she tried to hum but couldn’t bring herself to. A knot sat in her stomach. She knew how much Luke loved April; she had seen it even through the few months she’d witnessed them together. And she knew how much April loved Luke. She wondered over how the girl would feel, if she were not allowed to see Luke ever again. Not exactly like her own mother’s death, but Ella could certainly sympathize.

She was too deep in thought to hear Jess emerge from the bathroom, hair damp and still dripping slightly.

“Is something burning?” he asked, coming up next to her.

She jumped slightly and then huffed out a breath when he smirked at her surprise. “For just a second, it was. But, now, everything is under control.”

“Whatever you say, Stevens,” he teased, brown eyes twinkling.

Pursing her lips, she finally took her eyes away from the water. “We have to go to Stars Hollow tomorrow.”

“What? Why?” he asked, his brow crinkling.

She bit the inside of her cheek. “Luke is trying to get joint custody of April. The hearing is on Tuesday morning and he wants us to testify as references.”

“Huh,” Jess deadpanned, nodding slightly.

“If we get there tomorrow, we can make sure he doesn’t completely melt down during the dinner shift and then ride with him to the courthouse. Is that alright with you? If you can’t come, I could just-”

“Woah, Stevens. I’ll go. Obviously, I’ll go. Not like Matthew can’t babysit Chris all on his own for a couple days. He’s been doing it pretty much his whole life,” Jess said, pressing a kiss of reassurance to her cheek.

“Good. Just...making sure.” She bit at her thumbnail for a moment, nodding. “What if...what if he loses her?”

“I don’t know,” Jess said, shaking his head. “But, at least we can try to help. Here’s hoping it’s not too A Few Good Men.”

“There’s the bright side, Mr. Sunshine,” she said, smiling weakly.

Jess smirked a tiny smirk, then grabbed the wooden spoon as the pot began boiling over, spaghetti spilling onto the glass top, once again.

. . .

Misty March air seeped in through the cracked Station Wagon windows, the afternoon sun warming up the early spring day. Pollen and dust were stagnant in the air, flowers beginning to bloom in the Connecticut countryside. Television, “Marquee Moon,” played on the radio, Jess’s arm draped over Ella’s headrest. Hydrangeas were blooming, blue and purple and pink, on the sides of the road as they crossed over the edge of town into Stars Hollow.

As soon as they passed over the border, Ella’s eyes began to itch, and she started sneezing into the crook of her elbow.

“Jeez, Stevens. Bless you,” Jess said, eyebrows raised. “Are you getting a cold?”

“I don’t know,” she sighed, sniffling and blinking the irritated shine from her eyes. “Maybe it’ll make me more sympathetic to the judge.”

“There’s one way to win a case,” he chuckled.

“Hey, who am I to look down on a shortcut?” she said, shrugging lightly as she took the turn down Main Street.

As they reached town center, their eyes widened. Parking was one of the chief worries to pop into Ella’s mind, but not the only one. Hay was stacked up every which way, forming a maze. Stray straws littered the empty spaces, bales piled ten feet high and taking up space on every single street. Hitting the brakes, Ella came to a stop on the edge of the strip, next to the bookstore.

“What the hell is this?” Jess asked, flabbergasted.

Shaking her head, Ella was at a loss for words. Then, it dawned on her, and she groaned in frustration. “I forgot to tell you. Luke said it’s the Spring Fling this week. I guess now that means a hay bale maze?”

“Ugh,” Jess grunted, rolling his eyes. “The last time I was at this thing, Taylor almost called the cops on me because of my Jethro Tull t-shirt.”

She chuckled as she turned around, headed for the small parking lot with the dumpsters behind Luke’s. “Well, only time will tell what this year will bring.” Sneezing again, she sighed.

“Besides hay fever, that is,” Jess added, teasing, tucking a strand of hair which had fallen loose behind her ear again.

“We’re doing this for Luke, we’re doing this for Luke,” she muttered under her breath, feeling a headache already forming behind her eyes.

. . .

She felt transported to the past as they entered Luke’s through the back door, leading into the stock room. It still smelled of tomatoes, dirt, pine; an odd mixture but not unwelcome. The room dark and dank, Ella took Jess’s hand and led him carefully through the random crates and boxes. In his other hand, he held their old duffel, containing both of their only business-appropriate clothes. Apparently, she would be wearing the pencil skirt again much sooner than she had hoped. Jess could already hear Luke ranting before they got to the main room, flashbacks to the consequences of stealing gnomes and baseballs and dry erasers.

Lane passed by the stock room door and caught sight of them out of the corner of her eye. A panic filled her eyes and, immediately, she approached them, a dirty dish bin held in just one hand.

“He’s on the warpath, guys,” she began, retreating into the dim room and glancing over her shoulder anxiously.

“Well, hello to you too, Lane,” Ella smirked.

Lane’s face morphed into a delicate, rushed smile. “Right, sorry, sorry. How’s one of America’s most historical cities?”

Jess shrugged. “Historic.”

“Wow, your vocabulary had really grown since I last saw you,” Lane said, feigning amazement.

A crash sounded, followed by a yell, from out in the main room. The door slammed and Ella couldn’t mistake the sound of a fearful yelp from some customer.

“I think we can continue this love fest later,” Ella suggested, gesturing to the main room.

“Agreed,” Lane said, turning on her heel.

Jess and Ella followed her out of the stock room, finding the counter almost completely empty of customers. The tables were dotted with just a few customers, staring down silently at their plates, faces drawn in fear. Boots trodding heavily on the tiled floor, Luke was making his way back from the door to the kitchen. Caesar was nowhere in sight, and a thin cloud of smoke was billowing through the kitchen window. The front windows were a view of nothing but giant walls of hay. Nothing boded well. Ella glanced at Jess doubtfully, and he only gave a slight shake of his head in response.

“Can I get you guys something?” Lane asked, returning to the space behind the counter.

“No, I think I’d rather not risk it,” Jess said, taking a stool, placing the duffel on the floor next to him.

Ella hopped onto the seat next to him. “Says Mr. I-Live-On-The-Edge.”

“Even I have my limits,” he replied.

“I’m fine, too. Thanks Lane,” Ella told her friend.

A couple steaming plates appeared from the kitchen window, burgers blackened and fries soggy. Lane looked at them suspiciously, but placed them in front of Kirk, who sat on Jess’s other side. Kirk grinned and nodded emphatically.

“The gourmet experiments keep on coming,” he exclaimed, digging in with a fork and knife instead of his hands.

Ella’s brow crinkled. “Kirk, that’s-”

“Don’t,” Lane warned. “It’s...not worth it.”

Perking his head up from his food, Kirk craned his neck to see the two of them. “Oh. You’re back. I’ve missed your pies, Ella. I hope Luke has rhubarb.”

“Kirk, we’re not...moving back here. We’re only gonna be here until tomorrow,” she said, head tilted in confusion.

He narrowed his eyes, then turned to stare closely at Jess, who leaned back against Ella slightly. “You just had to take her to Philadelphia with you.”

Jess was about to respond, before Ella jumped in again, tone vehement.

“Excuse me, Kirk, but I moved to Philadelphia on my own to go to grad school. Jess just happened to be there.”

“The hand of fate, huh?” Kirk asked, unphased. “What a beautiful thing.”

Jess snickered, eyeing Ella to gauge a response. Instead of retaliating, her jaw tensed and she turned her head to the kitchen window.

“Luke, we’re here!”

Raising his eyebrows, Luke reappeared from the kitchen. His sleeves were rolled up messily, his shirt splashed with grease. He didn’t look as though he’d been careful in the kitchen. A black baseball cap sat backwards on his head, the one he’d been wearing since he and Lorelai broke off their engagement. But Ella had heard, through her weekly phone calls with Lane, Lorelai and Christopher had divorced, breaking up once again. The constant romantic whiplash was beginning to make Ella dizzy.

“Oh. Hey, guys. How was the drive?” Luke asked.

“Well, I don’t know about Eleanor, but that huge ball of twine gets more interesting every time I pass it,” Jess deadpanned, arms crossed over his t-shirt, elbows on the counter.

Ella smiled thinly. “Jess is thrilled about the Spring Fling, if you couldn’t tell.”

“Yeah, I might’ve guessed. I mean, who could forget that Jethro Tull incident?” Luke replied.

She was about to respond, but instead Ella buried her nose in her sleeve again and sneezed.

“Bless you,” Jess said.

She sneezed again.

“Bless you,” he repeated, smirking.

A moment more, and she sneezed a third time.

“And one more for good measure,” Jess continued, increasingly smug. “Bless you.”

Luke furrowed his brows at Ella. “What the hell is wrong with you?”

“The hay doesn’t agree with Rudolph,” Jess chimed in, smoothing a hand over Ella’s back.

Blinking the wateriness from her eyes again, she shot Jess a look. “Bite me.”

“Just like old times,” Luke grumbled, going over to the register when two meek customers came up to pay.

Catching her breath, Ella got down from the stool again. “I’m gonna go to Doose’s. Try to get something to handle this new reindeer look I’ve got going for me.”

“You want me to go with you?” Jess asked, almost hopefully.

“As much as I would love that, cutie, I think your existence would probably be a catalyst for Taylor’s flashbacks. I’ll be back in like ten minutes. I think you’ll survive.”

“That’s debatable,” he said.

She turned away and sneezed into her elbow yet again, growling under her breath in annoyance.

“Debatable for me and you both,” he added, smirking once more.

Flipping him off, she made her way to the front door, preparing to brave the wall of hay which was about to meet her eye-to-eye.

. . .

“Don’t touch!” Ella exclaimed, exchanging a flathead screwdriver for a phillip’s head on the counter next to her.

“Do you see me touching anything?” Jess shot back, rounding the counter to make his way to the dish pit.

She snorted a bitter laugh. “You were getting too close. I think you just coming in this register’s dance space would be enough to break it more.”

“If you make one more Dirty Dancing reference-”

“Need I remind you of the shower head?” she continued, ignoring his complaints.

He sighed heavily.

“Oh, please, remind him of the shower head,” Luke piped up from where he was wiping off the red tables.

“In January, the shower was leaking,” Ella began, straightening up from her spot tinkering with the cash register drawer.

“C’mon, Elle,” Jess moaned from the dish pit.

“Jess, both Luke and I are privy to the swan attack. This is far less humiliating, I promise.”

“Fine,” he said, turning the boiling hot tap back on. Only a few more mugs and he would finally be finished. He was careful to avoid any stray kitchen knives.

“The shower was leaking. I had class, but I said I would fix it when I got home. Because, somehow, Chris, Matthew, and Jess are all completely devoid of home improvement skills,” Ella said. “Jess tried, which was so sweet of him. But then the entire shower head and the faucet ended up coming off the wall. It took me four hours to get them back on.”

“Hence the register dance space,” Luke replied, biting back laughter.

“Exactly.”

“Hey, I fixed that toaster out there!” Jess shouted over the sound of the water.

“And it only took you six years to admit it,” Ella said.

“Shut up,” Jess retorted.

“There’s the charm,” she mocked. She pushed the small gold button, and the register drawer popped out silently. A bright smile crossed her face. “This might be the first time this hasn’t sounded like Janet Leigh since I started working here.”

She wondered in the back of her mind why Luke hadn’t fixed the cash register sooner. It was antique; maybe he thought a screeching drawer just came with the territory. Or, maybe it was because nearly every single repair he had done in the past few years was on either the Gilmore house or the Dragonfly Inn.

“I told you guys you didn’t have to work,” Luke said, rolling his eyes guiltily. He began flipping the chairs up onto the tables, stuffing his damp rag into his apron.

“For the last time, we wanted to!” Jess called from the back, wiping his hands on a stained dish towel as he finished up with the mugs.

“Well, you’ve done enough. I can finish closing. Go see the Spring Fling.” Luke came over and took the screwdrivers from Ella’s hand, putting them back in his toolbox and shutting it with a snap! before she could protest.

“Oh, yes, it’s bound to get wild out there in the hay bale maze,” Ella quipped, going to grab her coat from the rack with Jess following behind.

“You’re tellin’ me. Just go see it. Taylor certainly spent enough on it.” Luke went back to the tables, upturning the chairs rhythmically, as he had for so many nights and so many years, wearing the same thing.

“We’ll be back before midnight,” Ella said, shrugging on her leather jacket and tugging her long hair, half-up, half-down, out from beneath the collar.

“And, now that we’re grown up, we can go get involved with as many ritual cults as we want while we’re out,” Jess added, grabbing Ella’s hand.

“Don’t mention that in the deposition tomorrow,” Luke warned.

“It’s good you said something. Otherwise, I definitely would have mentioned it,” Jess shot back smugly.

As they emerged into the evening, the stars were just beginning to appear, Luke having closed up early at around eight o’clock. Ella looked around, trying to see any other way into the maze besides the opening just in front of Luke’s. She’d thought about popping into her old house, surprising Fiona and Adam after school. But, she’d gotten busy with the dinner shift and could see no physical way to get there in the dim light of the twinkly strings somewhere beyond the maze.

“How the hell do they pay for stuff like this?” Jess asked as they began strolling through the maze.

“Beats me,” Ella replied, shaking her head. “This place makes no economic sense. I stopped guessing a long time ago, my friend.”

He hummed, eyes roaming over the seemingly endless yellow straw. “Tax fraud, you think?”

“I wouldn’t put it past Taylor,” Ella said, smirking.

“Oh, now how could you accuse a sweet old man like that of such a crime?” he asked, feigning shock.

She shrugged, grinning. “Since he conveniently ‘lost’ the money for the bridge renovations and we had to start the whole fundraiser over again.”

“Y’know I was the one who took that money, right?” Jess asked, thinking back to his first two weeks in Stars Hollow.

“No, I meant the first time. I was like eleven,” she explained, feeling a pleasant night time breeze ghost through her hair.

“What?” Jess chirped. “It happened before?”

“Yeah, and Taylor kept saying someone stole it. But I had a sneaking suspicion it was an inside job.”

Breathing deeply, she could smell nothing but the hay. It seemed odd, considering the Spring Fling usually had booths with caramel apples and popcorn and all other sorts of junk. But, she was also just glad she could breathe through her nose again with the help of the allergy medicine she’d picked up at Doose’s, though her eyes were still a bit itchy.

“How very Watergate.”

“I’m telling you,” Ella insisted, only half-joking, “Taylor could be an evil genius for all we know.”

“It would explain a lot,” Jess agreed, nodding. They’d taken many turns, and he figured they must be nearing the end. The carnival in town square was what he remembered as the main event.

“Yes, all the sweater vests would be perfect for establishing a mild-mannered cover,” she continued, speaking with her free hand.

“Well, with that logic, Chris is also an evil mastermind,” Jess pointed out.

Ella pursed her lips in thought for a moment. “I think Chris is probably more of a Jekyll and Hyde situation.”

“I just love how much faith you have in humanity,” he smiled, pressing a kiss to her hair.

She laughed, and was about to retort, when they turned a corner and she almost ran straight into Lorelai. Her stomach did a quick flip, and her hand tightened slightly on Jess’s. But then, her old instincts kicked in, and she plastered a small, polite smile on her lips. On Lorelai’s right side, Rory stood hand-in-hand with some blonde guy.

“Oh, hey!” Lorelai greeted them brightly, looking between them. “I didn’t know you were in town.”

“Only for today and tomorrow. Just taking care of some stuff, y’know?” Ella said, unsure of whether Lorelai would be aware of the custody battle. Then, she turned to Rory. “What about you guys?”

“Visiting. We just had to come down for the Spring Fling,” Rory explained. She turned to the man at her side, gesturing between him and the two of them. “This is my boyfriend, Logan.”

“Oh, hi,” Ella said, shaking Logan’s hand.

“It’s a pleasure,” he grinned slyly, one dimple on his left cheek. “Strong handshake.”

“That’s what I’m famous for,” she replied. “I’m Ella.” Tilting her head to Jess, she broke hands with Logan. “And that’s Jess.”

“Hey,” Jess said shortly, also shaking Logan’s hand.

Logan’s smile didn’t even falter in the wake of Jess’s tight demeanor. “Nice to meet you, Jess.”

“So, how about this hay bale maze? Gives you Labyrinth vibes, doesn’t it?” Lorelai asked, smiling warmly.

“Yeah. All that’s missing is Bowie,” Ella agreed, nodding.

Intertwining their fingers again, Jess leaned into Ella’s side slightly against the chilly spring breeze.

“I wouldn’t mind seeing him in that costume,” Lorelai continued.

“Agreed,” Rory chimed in.

It occurred to Ella how long it had been since they had seen each other. Rory’s hair was longer and straighter, with side bangs and a redder tone. And her clothes seemed different, as well. Kate Spade and Coach and other brands Ella couldn’t have named. As far as first impressions went, she couldn’t quite figure out Logan. His smirk seemed constant, but not genuine like Jess’s. It wasn’t endearing, as though he were about to laugh at a private joke. Instead, it was almost smarmy. She wondered in the back of her mind what he was trying to sell her. Seeing Lorelai, though, was welcome. Images of movie nights and sleepovers and quiet afternoons reading flashed across her memory. Ella could recognize Lorelai just fine in the memories; Rory was not as easy.

“Not sure it’s worth it for how long we’ve been wandering around, though,” Lorelai added. Ella could see new, blonde-ish highlights in her hair. A pang of guilt hit her; with as much Lorelai had done for her, she should’ve checked in more. Even if she and Luke were still, inexplicably, on the outs.

Jess furrowed his brows. “What? I thought we were near the end.”

“Far from it,” Rory said.

“What about the caramel apple stand and stuff?” Ella asked.

“The budget wouldn’t allow it. Not after Taylor bought all the hay in Connecticut,” Lorelai said, gesturing to the maze around them. “This is it.”

Ella scoffed, shaking her head. “I’ll say it again. Evil mastermind.”

“What?” Logan asked, laughing.

Before she could answer, Ella’s nose began to tickle and she caught another sneeze in the crook of her elbow.

“Gesundheit!” Lorelai exclaimed.

“Well,” Jess began, looking between Ella and the other three, “we should probably start making our way to the other side. Seems like sneezy’s allergy medicine is wearing off.”

“Anyone who starts naming the other six dwarves will be in grave danger,” Ella warned, sniffling and blinking harshly.

They bid each other goodbye and were about to part ways when Rory suddenly spun around and called Ella’s name.

“Yeah?” Ella asked.

“Do you wanna maybe...go to lunch at Weston’s tomorrow? If you’re still gonna be in town,” Rory offered, her voice soft and hopeful. Her blue eyes were large in the moonlight.

Ella blew out a breath, considering it for only a moment. “Sure. Meet you at noon, alright?”

Rory nodded, and was soon whisked away again by Lorelai and Logan. They turned a corner and were masked by the hay.

. . .

She had never been to the Hartford courthouse, and it shocked her how much the place smelled like a dentist’s office. Chilly and plasticy and devoid of all human feeling. Painted in white with mahogany accents and bright lights, the building had supposedly been standing since before the Salem witch trials. Or so the plaque on the front of the red brick structure read. The minute hand on her watch ticked on silently, as nine o’clock rolled around. Ella had tried sketching, but couldn’t keep her focus on the portrait of her grandmother surrounded by sunflowers. Jess was halfway through a worn Bukowski volume, scribbling penciled notes in the margins, despite the faded writing already there. Ella’s head rested gently on his shoulder, dozing. Neither of them had slept especially well, nervous over the deposition. And neither of them were willing to take Luke’s bed again, and had squeezed onto the old brown couch. They considered the old twin bed, but decided falling off wasn’t worth it.

Ella was nearly asleep, her sketchbook shut and stuffed into her purse next to her, when she felt Jess shifting beneath her. His form tightened, and his breathing had become labored. Immediately, Ella’s eyes shot open, as she recognized the noise. She turned to find the novel shaking in his hands, his eyes wide and watery as his breathing began to pick up.

“Whoa, Jess, hey,” she began calmly, taking the book from his hands and placing it absently on the bench behind her. She faced him fully and reached out, but then hesitated. “Can I touch you?”

He swallowed dryly, trying to fight the tears blurring his vision. One second, he had been underlining a sentence; the next, his entire being became rigid and his heart was pounding. Not long after, he felt his throat tightening. Harsh shivers rolled through his body. He simply couldn’t control his erratic breathing.

Then, his eyes flitted to her face, the crease between her brows, and he nodded slightly.

“Okay,” she replied. Grabbing his wrist with a gentle hand, she brought his palm to her chest, the fabric of her blouse soft beneath his fingers. “Just breathe with me, cutie. Everything will be fine.”

“Pretty optimistic, Stevens,” he grumbled breathlessly, raising a doubtful eyebrow.

“Desperate times, Mariano. C’mon, just breathe with me,” she said softly, breathing in a long breath through her nose, exhaling out her mouth.

Beneath his hand, he could feel the rise and fall of her chest. Though he felt a little silly, he focused on the earnestness in her face. A few pedestrians passed by them, tossing uncertain glances their way, but Ella paid them absolutely no mind. She only focused on Jess. His cheeks were flushed as he ran his free hand over his mouth, nodding at her again as he finally began to mimic her breaths. Air hitching in his throat, he had to try more than a few times to steady himself.

“Good job, James Dean,” she smiled, watching him eventually begin to relax. His cheeks were glistening in the fluorescent light, and she wiped them dry with her thumb. “You okay? I can find you some water.”

“I’m pretty sure all they have here is burnt coffee,” he said, voice still uneven. The stench of stale coffee permeating the air in the whole building only added to the dentist office vibe.

She gave a breathy chuckle. “Hey, anything’s possible. My powers of persuasion are pretty strong.”

“I’m fine,” he insisted, averting his eyes from her. His cheeks burned hotly.

“Hey,” she said, tone serious once again, as she placed a hand on the back of his neck, “are you sure? If you can’t do the deposition, you can just write something down. I’m sure I could just go in.”

“No, I’m fine,” he said, eyes widening emphatically. “Don’t worry, Daria.”

“Impossible,” Ella said, dropping her hand from his neck and intertwining their fingers instead.

Jess cleared his throat. She saw his eyes flicker nervously over to the door of the room Luke had disappeared into over an hour earlier. Jess almost raised a hand to run through his hair, but then stopped as he remembered they were supposed to look professional in front of the lawyers. He felt fidgety and anxious.

“You’ll do fine, cutie,” she told him.

He faced her again, trying to force a confident smirk on his face. But he couldn’t bring himself to. “I know, just...like you said. What if he loses her? Or if-”

“‘You’ll never get anywhere if you go about what-iffing like that,’” she interjected.

He stared at her curiously for a moment before he ventured a guess. “Chuck Palahniuk?”

“Roald Dahl,” she answered.

“Huh,” he chirped indifferently.

Her eyes lingered on his distracted expression, watching his gaze be drawn again to the door to the deposition. He pursed his lips, a wistful, guarded look.

“Jess,” she started warily, her voice a sigh, “did you ever think about seeing someone? I mean, is this only the second time-”

“Can we please not talk about this, Doctor Laura?” he snapped quietly. Not unkindly, simply impatient. Ella hadn’t previously realized just how nervous he was for the deposition, considering how neutrally he’d reacted when she’d first told him about it.

She sighed again through her nose, jaw tensing. But she reminded herself where they were, and who they were. She told herself not to push too hard, not to worry about him getting scared and running off again. But still, a familiar fear threatened to rise in her throat. She swallowed thickly, then gave a slow nod. She pressed a quick kiss to the back of his hand and disentangled their fingers.

“Okay, James Dean,” she said flatly, handing him back his book. “To be continued.”

“Thank you,” he replied, flashing her a weak, half-hearted smile.

She tried to quiet the uneasiness whispering in her mind.

. . .

Weston’s looked much the same. The outdoor tables were adorned with vases of gerber daisies, fluttering in the light breeze. Bright sunlight warmed up the afternoon. Rory came back to the table with a tall coffee in one hand and a tea in the other. A tin of pound cake sat in between them on the frilly lace tablecloth, two forks beside it. Back in her plain purple dress and leather jacket, Ella felt more comfortable. And the judge had, thankfully, ruled in favor of Luke. Ella’s heart was alight with joy at just the thought of the verdict.

But an odd sense of deja-vu filled her. After Saturdays swimming in the Stars Hollow Community Pool, she and her father would come to the bakery, sunburnt and exhausted. She would get an apple tart and he would get a slice of chocolate satin pie. Just the two of them while her mother and brothers were at home playing board games. It had been their place, a father and a daughter, before everything fell apart. Her mind wandered to Jake for only a moment, wondering where he was and what he was doing. She wondered if he ever remembered their post-pool bakery visits, sitting outside with towels wrapped around them, damp bathing suits sticking to their bodies.

But then Taylor rode by, in the front seat on a bus of tourists, blasting his words through a megaphone. She snapped out of it. Offering a grateful smile to Rory, she took a sip of her tea. “Really, Rory, you didn’t have to get my tea.”

Rory waved a dismissive hand as she sat down. “It’s fine, Ella. Consider it making up for those last few birthdays when I wasn’t there to force presents on you.”

Ella smirked through a chuckle. “Okay. Thank you.”

“So,” Rory began, leaning in, conspiratory. “Tell me everything.”

“Well,” Ella said, shrugging and glancing over to her left. She forgot that her vision of the lush green square would be obscured by the wall of dry yellow hay. Having dosed up again on allergy medicine, she was glad to soon be leaving. She snickered under her breath, then turned back to Rory. She had a small smile on her pink lips. For a moment, Ella saw her as she had when they were teenagers. Bookish and shy, similar to Jess in a lot of ways. “I’m pretty busy with grad school. My students are all so fucking smart though, so it’s honestly not all that hard getting things to stick with them.”

“Yeah, Lane told me you graduated early,” Rory nodded along, almost jealous.

“Just took a bunch of summer classes and stuff. Luke gave me so much time to study. I wouldn’t have been able to do it otherwise,” Ella shrugged, spinning the tea mug around as she spoke.

“And how’s living with Jess? Above the publishing company, right? Is it Truncheon? I can’t remember. It seems like so long since Luke told me about it,” Rory said, giggling through her words.

Ella’s smile widened. “Yeah, Truncheon. They sell books and local art. Even some of mine, actually. But we live with Chris and Matthew, Jess’s partners, above the store. They’re...interesting. Matthew can do these crazy, Good Will Hunting math problems in his head. And Chris has, like, forty Red Bulls worth of energy everyday, but he hardly ever drinks caffeine. He just has a natural, endless supply. Kinda reminds me of your mom.”

“Sounds eventful,” Rory chimed in.

“That it is. But...it’s really fun. The city...it’s so lively. Everyday I walk outside and it’s a whole new place,” Ella said, blushing slightly at the sentimental words as she spoke them. But it was true. Returning to Stars Hollow always reminded her how much she enjoyed Philly. “But, what about you? Let’s hear about this Logan character.”

“Oh,” Rory began, looking down at her drink. “He’s good. We’re good. He’s really smart and we have a lot in common. And he’s really well-traveled. We’re great. He’s great.”

Eyes widening marginally, suspiciously, Ella nodded at Rory’s babbling. “So, you’re great, I hear. Alright. He makes you happy?”

“He does,” Rory answered, taking a sip of her coffee. Then, after a moment of pause: “It’s just…”

“What’s up, Ror?” Ella asked softly, furrowing her brows. “You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to.”

Rory finally met her eyes again. “It’s just...I got offered this job at a newspaper in Rhode Island. And it’s solid and steady. My mom thinks I should take it.”

“That’s awesome, Rory! You’re gonna be at the Washington Post before we know it!” Ella exclaimed.

Rory offered her a weak smile. “Yeah, but, I also applied for this big scholarship. Only like five people get it every year. But it could be huge, and Logan thinks I could go for it. But, he also just lost about a million dollars and quit his job at his father’s company.”

“Hm,” Ella hummed, trying to keep her face expressionless as Rory continued. They were nowhere near close enough anymore for Ella to criticize her boyfriend.

“And then, the other day, I found this ring...”

“Oh, fuck,” Ella said, leaning back in her chair.

“Yeah,” Rory sighed. “And I have no idea what to do. I don’t know when he’s gonna ask me, if he’s gonna ask me, if he’s gonna want to follow me to Rhode Island, and...I mean, do you wanna spend the rest of your life with Jess?”

Taken aback by the question, Ella bit the inside of her cheek and paused. “Um...I...I hardly believed in love before I met Jess. Sometimes change doesn’t happen all at once. But...I mean...I would always rather be with him than not with him. If that means I want to spend the rest of my life with him…then, yeah. I do.”

Rory tucked her hair behind both her ears, shrugging. “I guess it’s not the same type of thing. I mean, you’ve been the Catherine to his Heathcliff forever.”

“Nothing’s perfect, though, Ror,” Ella said. She thought back to a few hours earlier in the courthouse, Jess’s stony expression. She could practically see the scowl he was sporting back the diner, where she’d find him after Weston’s to drive back home. “I mean, marrying someone doesn’t solve everything. Living together doesn’t solve everything. Jess and I argue. We fight.”

“Yeah, I think we all remember what it was like when you two worked at the diner together,” Rory scoffed nostalgically.

Ella snorted a laugh. “Believe me, I know. Jess and I don’t love each other because it’s easy. We don’t communicate the best sometimes. He’s not the chattiest, if you remember. And I’m not the most flexible. He turns the heat up in the apartment way too high. And, sometimes, I swear he’s got the worst taste. But we promised each other a long time ago we would always try for each other. That’s all it is. We try for each other.”

“You sound like a Nicholas Sparks novel,” Rory said, giggling once more.

“I do not!” Ella exclaimed, a blush creeping further up her skin.

“Oh, really?” Rory asked doubtfully. “Tell me what you love about him, then. Tell me the little details about the man who melted the icy Ella Stevens.”

Ella snorted again, shaking her head. “It wasn’t some sexist Taming of the Shrew situation. He’s just...he’s my best friend. That’s it.”

“Come on, you have to get back to Philly soon, don’t you? Humor me for the sake of this advice session,” Rory continued.

Rolling her eyes and groaning dramatically, Ella shifted in her seat and sighed. “Fine. For old time’s sake, Rory. He...he’s such a good writer. He writes like nothing I’ve ever read before. It’s thoughtful and deep and...I don’t know. He does that thing where he bites his lip when he’s nervous. And he’s probably the biggest romantic I’ve ever met. I used to think it was absurd, but now it’s just cute. He rubs circles on my back sometimes, for no reason. He just…always likes to be touching. And, as much as that man loves words, it’s the actions. He doesn’t need to say something for me to know...I guess. He’ll show me instead. Does that make sense?”

After a moment of gaping, Rory burst out in laughter. “I knew it was serious. I didn’t know it was a Tennyson poem.”

“Alright, alright, enough,” Ella grumbled in embarrassment. “The point is: do you want to be with Logan for the rest of your life?”

Rory’s face fell slightly, and she could only manage a non-committal shrug.

As the breeze blew past them again, and Ella watched Rory’s expression falter, she felt her stomach fill with nerves. She hadn’t realized it before, quite how committed she was. When she imagined her life, Jess was always there. It wasn’t even a question. She didn’t know exactly when she’d decided he would be a permanent fixture, if he wanted. But apparently she had. And no matter how frustrated she was with his refusal to talk about his panic attacks, or the anxiety which had been following him for, perhaps, years, it didn’t matter. It had been a tough trip for him. She just wanted to get back to him, to make sure he was alright. To see if he was feeling better.

38 notes · View notes

nny11writes · 5 years ago

Note

Can I get a uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuhhhh, Number 29 Jelous Kiss on a Glitra with extra clingyness?

UGH, I re-wrote this and I’m still not 100% thrilled, but it’s good enough. My overachieving ass needs to stop lol! Any who, Catra is Jealous and does something about it! (technically part of the “Green Isn’t Your Color” au/story)

Sometimes it’s hard to feel like she’s enough for Glimmer. She’s course and short and crass, and you can’t even get a good fuck out of her at the end of the day. Catra’s used to feeling like an outsider and a fool, she’s used to being a second class citizen always forgotten and left behind. The idea that Glimmer, normal, beautiful Glimmer, actually likes her despite all that?

That sounds like bullshit spun by Scorpia or Bow to make her feel better, when she knows they’re just pitying her and tired of dealing with her anxious, depressed ass.

Fair. So is Catra.

But here’s the thing, Glimmer isn’t. After making things crystal clear at Scorpia’s end of summer party, Catra had fully expected a few months of bliss and then a lifetime of regretting whatever behavior was sure to drive her off eventually. That...wasn’t what happened. Glimmer kept asking her out, kept seeing her, calling and texting and sending her stupid memes at 2AM. Rolling into Catra’s job on Valentine’s Day with a small box of chocolates, a flower, and a staunch warning to not make herself sick from eating all the chocolate at once. Their first anniversary came and went, and while Catra was wondering when the other shoe would drop Glimmer asked if they could move in together.

She knew they’d have to talk about it soon. The way Catra was still waiting for the other shoe to drop. But until then, she was going to be an insecure little bitch about it all.

Catra isn’t opposed to PDA, she enjoys most varieties of it in fact. Especially when it let’s everyone else know to fuck off regarding Glimmer. Her hands are soft and a little pudgy, and they are perfect for holding and squeezing even if they get sweaty against her palms. She needs the little assurance squeezes, and the fingers playing with hers. Cuddling and snuggling? Oh hell yeah. Glimmer had laughed about her girlfriend being a lap cat, but only in private where Catra could pretend to be upset and bite at her gently. Hugging? Fuck yeah. Ideal hug time, several hours! Kissing, actually okay for the most part, as long as there wasn’t tongue.

Her whole body seized up at that. Fucking gross, why did anyone enjoy that? Squirmy wet, weird tasting muscle flesh. Yuck.

But kissing, like, kissing kissing? Catra was a fucking fool for that! A peck to the cheek, nose, forehead, lips, and it turned out she could be both a solid and a liquid. It was wild. Intense. Deeply, hauntingly beautiful. And Glimmer? Glimmer was very free with her kisses in public once Catra okayed it. She rarely if ever initiated it, too paranoid that Glimmer would somehow take it out of context and be hurt if Catra didn’t want to go further.

Which was why Glimmer was shooting her several concerned looks as they walked hand in hand through the mall. Because Catra would not stop flopping all over her, and had been given several quick kisses. She didn’t want to worry her, but if that guy who was clearly following them after hitting on Glimmer at the cinnamon roll stand was going to act entitled, Catra was going to make a point.

Just...she didn’t want to worry Glimmer. Most women would not take, “Hey that guy is following you.” well and she is not going to ruin their day out being an idiot. She needed a game plan, she needed fucko boy to leave them alone, and if getting a little more clingy with her girlfriend was the cure? Well, what a treat.

So Catra held on tighter, remembering that fateful night at the party she slipped her hand in Glimmer’s back pocket and got front row tickets to watching her purple eyes dilate. Tail around her amazing, fucking kill me now how did I get this lucky hips. Snuggling up hard at the food court to the point that Glimmer had complained that she couldn’t eat. Catra was prepared to do just about anything to get Stupid McStupidFace to stop looking at Glimmer.

Like she got it, okay? Fuck, she was lucky and had a beautiful and, dare she say it, sexy girlfriend.

Glimmer could probably bench press her, even if only once. Glimmer had thighs blessed by Thor himself. Glimmer had a cute nose, and kind eyes, and a sparkling laugh, and even the way she growled was adorable. She understood if people were looking, Catra was looking too. But being this creepy? Gross!

“You okay? You’ve been a little…” Glimmer paused, her free hand waving vaguely as Catra did her level best to not hiss at the asshole in a reflection and then have to explain herself.

Her whole defense was to whine like a child and burrow in closer under Glimmer’s chin with a soft chirp. Still, she knew her ears were twisted hard to listen to the competition and her tail was a bastard hell bent on ruining her whole life. She could feel her nails burrow into Glimmer’s shirt a little as she pulled back, the guy was finally walking towards them and Catra was gonna kill him if he came over here and opened his stupid mouth.

“Can I kiss you?” Was not what Catra meant to say, in fact it wasn’t even close to what she’d meant to say. When Glimmer blinked in shock, Catra rubbed their cheeks together, giving only the smallest little lick on instinct to her girlfriend’s temple. Her whole body was hard wired to betray her apparently.

“I might die if you don’t,” Glimmer said breathless.

So Catra kissed her, a proper kiss, as if she was some old timey soldier going off to war and unsure if she’d return. They parted only long enough for Catra to switch her hold and kiss Glimmer again, this time with a dip for fucking emphasis because no one was going to win Glimmer’s heart when Catra had finally gotten a glimpse at it.

“No seriously,” Glimmer said in between the next few desperate kisses, “this isn’t really like you? Not to be rude? Not that you can’t?? I’m not complaining!”She didn’t look, SHE DIDN’T, but her stupid fucking ears twitched and one rotated to listen as the douche bag walked away. It was enough for Glimmer to smirk at her. “Oh, didn’t like my not so secret admirer huh?”

She knew?! Of course she knew! For one moment Catra felt like a colossal idiot, heart hammering as a flash of pure rage went through her. Then it was gone leaving that same hollow feeling, the sickly leftovers of jealousy still smoldering in her gut.

Glimmer leaned up to kiss her, hands carding through her mane, one scratching just behind her ear and holy FUCK. She was purring, it was mortifying, but Glimmer was still kissing and scratching and shaking as she tried to hold her weight more on the leg not jammed between Catra’s in some last valiant effort to be chivalrous. Stupid, sweet Glimmer.

She pulled them upright and grumbled into her neck, still wrapped around Glimmer tight.

“Hey, seriously, are you okay with all this? I, uh, I’m having a blast. Ugh! I’m, this is, that is to say,” Glimmer sighed, kissed her on her nose, and tried again, “I love dicking with assholes too, and I’m enjoying all this attention. But I’m not enjoying that you’re feeling bad.”

Oof.

“ ‘m just being stupid,” Catra mumbled, hoping Glimmer wouldn’t hear her and let it go.

“Hey, no! Talk shit about my girlfriend again and I’ll punch you.”

Catra clung a little tighter.

“Catra, he’s not even my type. Does he have a dick? Yes. Newsflash dummy, I’ve got a spare at home and if the choice is you or some random dude with too much hair gel and not enough brain to recognize a couple? It’s gonna be you.”

It was sweet. It was too sweet. Catra didn’t deserve that did she? Holy shit, she never failed to be totally gobsmacked when Glimmer chose her and it felt like she was going to float right off the ground. The two stood there for a while, rocking back and forth on occasion as they just held onto their hug.

“Hey,” Glimmer whispered, heart hammering under Catra’s ear, “he just went into laser tag. Wanna kick his ass?”

Catra kissed her, let it linger, and answered, “Let’s destroy him.”

“Fucking sweet!” Glimmer cheered, teleporting them over.

#spop #glimmer #catra #glitra #prompt game #mini fic game #fic game #ask game #two idiots in love #standing 5 mm apart b/c they're super gay #Catra is so unwell guys OT3 Glimmer/Catra/Therapy #until them have some low grade #cw: self loathing #cw: negative self talk #jealousy #green isn't your color #spin off #looking it's the jealousy story how could I not connect them!?#therodrigator6

78 notes · View notes

miracul0us-multishipper · 5 years ago

Text

Queen of Nothing

I have yet to come to terms with Chloé‘s latest developments in Miracle Queen, so, as one does, I have decided to

make

gay.

So here’s my idea of what Chloé would have done if she actually had managed to sting Ladybug.

- - -

“This is too risky! It’s just us now, we can’t take on all of them.”

“We won’t have to. Stick to the plan, I’ll handle the rest.”

“The plan is bullshit!”

“It’s brillant! Trust me, it’ll work out.”

“Isn’t this the exact same mindset that got us into this mess? Putting your trust in the wrong person?”

“...”

“I’m sorry, that was unfair.”

“Yes. Yes, it was.”

“It’s just-“

“You’re worried, I know. But... I know that I can do it. And that she needs this.”

“She needs a lot of things, but you don’t owe her anything anymore.”

“Maybe. But I don’t do this because I think I have to.”

“...then why?”

“Fine!”, Miracle Queen snarled into the purple butterfly outline hovering in front of her face. “Go on your stupid, senseless hunt! Who cares what Miracle Queen, your once-in-a-lifetime-Akuma says- Hawkmoth?”

The glowing symbol vanished into thin air, leaving her talking to herself.

“Hawkmoth! Ugh, whatever...”

Miracle Queen flung her hair back and leaned against the wall. It wasn’t like she actually cared about what happened to that suit wearing egg-head. If he wanted to chase after Chat Noir, let him! With a little luck, the cat and his stupid bug would take Hawkmoth and Mayura out, and then she would be the only superhero left - after she defeated the original duo, of course. The guardian, trapped by his own shield and the sentimonster guarding him, certainly wasn’t much of an opponent for her, the unstoppable Miracle Queen.

Unfortunately, he was even less of an entertainment: he’d sat down on the roof a few minutes ago and refused to move even an inch. She’d considered pestering him about all the Miraculous’ in her possession, but she knew she wouldn’t get any answers out of him, so she preferred to stay out of sight. The old man had something unnerving about her, a vague air of disappointment that reminded her too much of someone she didn’t want to think about.

As for the heroes under her control... They might have made for a decent entertainment, but she had already sent them away to run errands, prepare her castle and fetch her a chair throne! Can’t rule over Paris without a fancy throne, right? But now that Hawkmoth and his blue lackey were off too...

“He’ll get tired of ignoring me soon enough!”, she said to no one in particular. Her voice was booming in her ears, breaking the suffocating silence that had fallen over the place. She continued to speak, just so she wouldn’t have to think about it.

“He’ll realize there’s only one person capable enough to take down the heroes: moi! And then he’ll come crawling to beg for my help.”

She spun around, imagining a crowd applauding her every word. Was that a movement down the stairs...?

“But joke’s on him! By the time he gets back...”, she looked around, expecting one of her puppets to answer her wish for an audience. “...I’ll already have captured-“

She froze, her words dying on her tongue when she recognized the figure approaching.

“-L-Ladybug?!”

One hand scrambling for her spinning top and the other raised in defense, she stumbled backwards as Ladybug kept on walking towards her, her pace steady and eyes lowered - as if she doesn’t want to look at me, as if even the sight of me makes her sick, as if she truly really hates me now-

“Bees!”, Miracle cried out, her back hitting the wall. Ladybug had almost reached her, was close enough to touch her and now she...

“Sting her! Sting-“

...kneeled.

“-her...?”, she trailed off, her buzzing army pausing mid-flight. Ladybug wasn’t attacking her, she wasn’t even moving. She simply kneeled in front of her, her head lowered and back unguarded.

“Ladybug...?”, her voice cracked. Slowly, Miracle stepped away from the wall. “What... What are you doing?!”

Ladybug raised her head and Miracle froze. Her former idols eyes, these sky blue eyes she’d always craved to feel watching her... they were yellow.

“At your service”, Ladybug said in a toneless mockery of her once so cheerful voice.

“My Queen”

“Y-You’re... You were stung.” she whispered, her mouth suddenly too keen on talking while her brain was still catching up. “You’re...”

Without consciously deciding to do so, she raised her hand. Ladybug didn’t move when Miracle’s hand hovered in front of her face, trembling with a suffocating mixture of wariness and shock. It has to be a trick. An illusion. There’s no way she...

Her fingers made contact with Ladybug’s mask. Solid, spandex-like fabric. The her index finger reached the skin of her forehead. It wasn’t wrinkled with resentment, nor was it furrowed the way it always was when Ladybug schemed. Miracle had to know, she’d zoomed in on every minuscule expression on that familiar face, in thousands of different angles on dozens of different news channels. And she’d studied her profile at every opportunity as Queen Bee. In disbelief Miracle brushed Ladybug’s hair aside. It felt... real. Soft even, though a lot less silky than she’d imagined it. This close, she could see how her haircut was a little sloppy on the front. Rushed, unprofessional. Homemade.

Realizing that Ladybug’s unnaturally yellow eyes were on her, she quickly drew away. Not that Ladybug would object, now.

No orange smoke. No attack.

Miracle let out a shaky breath. Then she chuckled. Laughed.

“Oh my gosh!”, she all but cried. “I did it! I... I actually did it! I captured the unstoppable Ladybug!”

Buzzing with excitement she turned around, tapping into the connection she had to that idiot butterfly.

“Hawkmoth!”, she demanded his attention. “Stop chasing the cat and get your purple butt over here! While you were busy ignoring me, I...” - she giggled - “...captured Ladybug!”

No answer came, and it took her a moment to realize the purple symbol hadn’t appeared in front of her.

“Hawkmoth?!”

He wasn’t still ignoring her, was he? Did he think she was lying? No, he had to have felt the truth in her words! Then why wasn’t he answering her?

“Is he... out of range?”

Was that a thing that could happen?

“Ugh, whatever!”, she stomped her heel onto the ground. “Looks like I’ve got to do everything myself once again - even celebrating my victory!”

She looked over her shoulder to Ladybug. The red-clad wannabe hadn’t moved, only her gaze had followed Miracle.

“Guess Hawkmoth won’t make it in time.”, the Akuma shrugged and walked back to her catch. “So I’ll be the first one to know who Ladybug really is.”

She knelt down in front of her, so they were at eye level at last.

“Not so high and Mighty now, huh?”, she gloated. “Bet you regret not asking me for help earlier today!”

Ladybug didn’t answer. Her face remained impassive, like a sculpture made of ice. Miracle suppressed a shiver and put on the most gleeful smirk she could muster up.

“Now, let me see these oh-so mighty earrings of yours.”

Obediently Ladybug leaned her head sideways, giving Miracle direct access to her most precious possession. Triumphant, she reached out to take them, ready to be the first one to ever succeed in revealing Ladybug, her fingers almost touching the miraculous, when... she paused.

Her fingertips hovering only a millimeter over the most powerful object in the world, yet she couldn’t move.

“I’m taking them now.”, she said to no one. “I’ll do it. You’ll be revealed, just like me.”

Swallowing, she risked a glance at Ladybug’s face. The heroine was watching her attentively, yet expressionless. There was no fear in her eyes, nor anger, nor anything else. Not even recognition.

Miracle pulled her hands away as if burned, taking a sudden step back and almost falling over. She caught herself though. Breathing heavy and tucking her trembling hand into the belt-wire of her spinning top, she looked at Ladybug.

“Don’t get the wrong idea, Bug!”, she sneered, despite the fact that Ladybug literally couldn’t have any ideas until Miracle Queen told her to. “I am simply taking my time to come up with the perfect revenge for your betrayal. Just taking your Miraculous isn’t enough. I can do better than that.”

She turned away, trying to calm her breathing. What’s wrong with me?!

“It’s not like this is a now or never thing, you know?”, she muttered under her breath. “I’ve already defeated you, after all. I can afford to enjoy the moment a bit.”

Finally composed again, she turned back. Towering over Ladybug, she made sure to show exactly how serious she was.

“I don’t need to take your Miraculous.”, she repeated, emphasizing every syllable. “You’re mine now.”

The words made her head spin with exhilarating triumph, yet they tasted foul in her mouth. She felt like she was going to puke.

For a moment, she wished Ladybug would taunt her. Would look at her with blue, stern eyes and tell her to stop being so dramatic. Can’t you see we’ve got important matters to deal with? I know you can be better than that. Come on, Chloé, stop being petty.

“I’m not petty!”, she said out loud, before realizing Ladybug hadn’t said a thing. She was as quiet as all her other puppets.

“Ugh.”, Miracle groaned and let herself fall on her butt. “Whatever.”

This wasn’t what she’d had in mind for Ladybug. She’d imagined a grand battle, the epic showdown of admirer and idol, the marvelous moment where the apprentice would surpass her teacher. It would have been... a miracle. But now her victory rang hollow.

She’d wished to be the Queen of Miracles. Instead she found herself the Queen of Nothing.

- - -

To be continued

#miramu writes #miraculous ladybug #mlb #ml season 3 #ml season finale #chloé bourgeois #chloe bourgeois #marinette dupain cheng #chloe x marinette #chloenette #miracle queen

225 notes · View notes

10boys · 5 years ago

Text

MLQC : Oral (receving)

♡ ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━♡

Gavin:

-Ugh ok so Gavin is 100% a giver

-He loves you more than life literally and theres nothing he wouldn’t do to show you.

-Naturally , hes a super bashful guy and gets a bit embarrassed when its time for he himself to be taken care of. He’s so used to being responsible for others that showing his vulnerability is something that took time, which you gladly gave him. You and Gavin have such a comfortable bond now he could do anything infront of you but ya know only things that make him look cool infront of you

-He came to your house superr late at night since after being on one of his week-long missons, still in uniform and smelling of “outside” to his airborn location

-after quick ilys and imys you offer him a shower to wined him down of his journeys

-The moment he stepped in and left you alone with your thoughts, they went wild

-His thick body fit into his uniform so well, his chest heaving from fatigue of his flight. His masculine smell filled your nose when you first embraced, the same one emanating from his steamy shower. Your thighs twiched as you imagined his body elongated and streached out to wash himself in the shower. His musclier arms reached above to rub the conditioner into his hair, the white bubbles dripping down his muscles coming together in the creases of his back. They’d dip into his V-line , as if showing your eyes where to go. Just as your were getting to the most delicious spot..

-“Babe..what are you looking at?”

-Actions speak louder than words......

-He layed beneath you on the bed as you kissed and sucked at his neck and ears. His fresh wet scent was tantalizing, his skin was soft and delicate beneath your fingertips. He held a tight grip on your waste, seemingly trying to keep you close as possible to him.

-Feeling your breast smothered onto his chest , nipples supply poking into his skin made the heat rush to his dick at an unbelievable speed

-Gavin has a very...active imagination. A small peak at your collar bones or the back of your lower thighs and he already has a saucy full-body image of you in his head. Saying something vaguely suggestive to him is the equivalent of your whimpers in his ear. You’ve ever wondered why those cheeks are always red?

-Plus the boys just super horny in general lol he always wants saucy times when hes with you. You don’t even have to ask and at the blink of an eye he’s shirtless ( he loves being shirtless for you ‘baby pls look at my hot bod pls love me the most’ )

-He poked you from beneath his navy boxers, hips slightly bucking into you as you continued to grope as suck at his neck and chest. His face flushed pink as his head started to cloud in his light waves of pleasure.

-As you began to kiss him lower, golden eyes poured into your own. He watched the way your lips connect and parted with his skin, leaving sheen pelts of spit his torso. Your tongue danced down his happy trail as you sucked light purple circles onto his lower abdomen.

-Gavin is a grunt and groner. He’s still shy, so he’ll be quiet at the beginning, but its hard to keep his cool when your figure is present to use at his leasure. Heavy breaths and pants will escape as he lets himself roam. His hands will never stay in the same spot when you’re around...They’ll start on your thighs, then to your waste, then your chest, then behind your head, then back to your chest, then to your ass, waist and chest, thighs and chest you get the idea

-Actually, most of the moans you hear from him are simply cause he failed at holding them in

-Btw Gavins v gentle with you but his ass grabs are superr hard. He probably just gets carried away at the sensation of it filling his palm but you usually still feel his grip long after he’s let go.

-He just wants to be everywhere, to take and claim all of you.

-You kiss and smell along his length, palming him over his briefs. The smell was so intoxicating you couldn’t help but clench your thighs, trying to create a heat of your own. You quickly disregard of his boxers revealing his beautiful fully erected cock. Pre-cum dribbes down as the cold hair hits his tip, or maybe cause the view of your face so close to his cock is just that hot.

“Mmm Babe stop looking” srry baby ur just so beautiful. Ofc you can’t look for long without him getting bashful.

-He has a large vein ranging from ball to tip and it feels amazing when you run your tongue across it. Like Victor, Gavin loves watching you play with it. Its almost too much for him to watch. Lick him all around with as much spit on your tongue as you can get, kiss his tip with his balls in your hand. And for the sake of our boy make alllll the dick-sucking noises too- They’re his favorite. He even trys to stay quiet to hear them better.

-You don’t tease Gavin as much as you do the others. Although he would take it for you, hes way too impatient. He’s got great stamina from his daily workouts and could fuck for years, but his first nut usually comes rather quickly. Like i said, it doesn’t take much to rile him up.

-A wet mouth and hollow cheeks get the job done for him. His grip in your hair is kinda massage like, he rakes along your scalp in un-rythmic patterns. In other words, he totally fucks up your hair everytime.

-In usual circumstances, your body is usually draped over him in the 69 position while you suck. Gavin absolutely, and i mean absolutely loves the smell of pussy. He is 100% a panty stealer. He loves to have your backside smothering his face as he thrusts up into your mouth. The smell is absolutely engulfing to him, he can’t help to suck at you from over your panties.

-But for sessions created just for catering to him, he likes to sit on the edge of the bed with your naked body quivering below him. He likes watching the liquids from your mouth dribbling off your chin to rest on your bouncing chest. But his favorite part is your legs spread wide for him exposing your opened heat. His tongue often peaks out in in-voluntarily licking motions before he can bite his lips. Your clit is his eye candy as he thrusts himself closer to his release.

-Typically lf hes layed across the bed he uses his forarm to hide his erotic faces from you he must not know how orgasmic you find them

-Gavins orgasims come on strong, erupting a deep growl from his throat as he shoots his loud into your mouth. His tense face softens , eyebrows rising showing his state of complete bliss. He stiffens, holding you down on him until his very last wave.

-Once he’s done, he releases his grip resulting in an erotic view of his white semen spilling out from your mouth, it drips down onto your breast piling up with the rest of your liquids. Your wattering eyes look up into his sending an intense blush across his cheeks

-If Gavin were in an anime he would be the boy with massive nose bleeds when he see’s you

-ooh no he’s horny again

-yes he will clean u up first

Kiro:

- Kiro is also a giver in theory

- Now dont get me wrong- this bright bubbly ball of sunshine loves to give his acts of service to you, but he is , very much so, a boy. He loves when you go down on him, he loves being the center of your attention and all your gestures.

-Kiros definitely a pint up boy- going from show to show and interview to interview, he barley has enough time to sleep let alone relive himself. When you two first got together, he was very modest and a bit shy to show his manly desires for you. He respects you for being such an important person in his life, having ungodly thoughts about you made him feel like a nasty boy. But as time passed and you escalated in your intamacy, he is absolutely shameless in letting you know what he wants or if he’s ‘in the mood~” “babee.. stop working..i wanna play~” “Those shorts look very good on you miss chips...so... short”

-Kiro doesnt talk much to let you know what he wants anyway, in fact, one glance into those ocean blue orbs and you know his intentions. He’ll act super cutesy at first, slowly inching his body closer to yours for ‘innocent cuddles’. Kiro is a very hands-on affectionate, so this part was normal. But soon his hands will start to wonder and grope while a devious smirk spreads across his face he knows you see him as a sweet little angel and he will play that role to his advantage

-He’ll nuzzle his head into your chest demanding you take notice to his actions like a freaking puppy, And once you lower your gaze to find his figure latched around yours, his seemly sensual orbs pour into you, sending you notice of his want for you. When kiro uses his cuteness to fight for dominance he will always win.Always. And you’re okay with that.

-Kiros not necessarily shy about his noises for you , especially after all the praises you’ve whispered to him about how good they sound. He’ll moan and whimper to you as your hands massage his length over his boxers, peppering kisses down his neck and across his chest. Your kisses feel like heaven to him, leaving small waves of heat at every peck and nibble left on him.

-With that said, when you start kissing and sucking at his lower abdomen , his mouth immediately hangs releasing a steady breathy moan for you. The view when you looked up at him was godly..

-Kiros pleasure face is absolutely erotic. His pleasure state in general is mouth watering. His eyes are dark and low, his face twists and contorts, he grabs at everything; His hair, the sheets, the pillows, you, anything that might fall into his grasp is being pulled and scratched at. As much as you would love to spend all your time planting kisses on his skin, you quickly relocate to different spots making sure not to leave any marks. Kiros shirt lifts a considerable amount of times from him jumping around on stage, so its better not to ruin any of his fans’ day by new-found knowledge of his intamacys. This service is for you but that is fan-service for them.

-Kiro loves being teased :)

-Blow your heat onto his head from over his boxers for a easy and quick way to wake up little kiro. Kiss him around the spots he wants you too, and make sure to keep eye contact. He gets super off from you watching him he just loves attention

-Please pay all attention to his balls. Lick them up and down for a while with his legs spread wide, nibble and suck at them. This will make his hips a thrusting mess as he trys to create more friction for himself.

-He’ll use his own hand to push his dick in your mouth, but first, he’ll watch as you lay there mouth wide and tongue hung for him. He’ll press his tip against your face, letting it roll over all your features. He lets out a soft giggle before letting the tip roll over your hot wet tongue. The wave immediately made his cock twich infront of you, a dribble of pre-cum leaking from his tip.

-Kiro is def a hand holder. Pls expect him to want your fingers interlocked to bring a loving gesture to your vile actions. He’s internally lovey-dovey during sex. Even if he’s not verbally spitting soft phrases at you, his mind is filled with fluffy thoughts of you “ahh.. so pretty” “she uses her mouth so good..” “she’s so lovely” “im so lucky” “..m-more there...ah...perfect” “i love her so much”

-Kiro nuts very well <3

- The boys orgasims...are mighty. His hip thrusts might get a little rough as his head fills with waves of pleasure, subconsciously bobbing your head down a little harder than intended. Short moans tumble over eatch other as his breath quickens considerably. He trys his hardest to keep his eyes open, the view of you teary-eyed engulfing his length is enough to finish him and it does .

- A few more deep sucks and his back arches, his body stiffens as waves of hypnotizing pleasure take him over. His moans were as pretty as his singing coming close, but as the shocks of heated kisses reminisce through his nerves , he sits silent, mouth hung open only to release small high-pitched gasps and a maybe dribble of drool.

-As he comes down from his high he’ll wipe your face and spit beautiful praises at you. He’s a fluff after sex so expect lots of mushy gushy cuddles and pillow talk <3

“Wow...that was the best one...”

“you said that the last time...and the time before...”

“Yeah !!! Until next time too~ !!”

Yayyy the continuation is done! Pls lmk what you think, and my ask is currently open ! Gavins is a bit short cause he’s my fav, so im a perfectionist in representing his image lol. Will add the links once im off work -Myk

89 notes · View notes

iguessihavemore · 5 years ago

Text

Just a little content in these trying times

It’s just audition tapes. A big chunk of it you guys have actually made yourselves that I just wrote over in hopes of them flowing together a bit more. So yeah, credit to the creators of each character! Hope you find these fun!

The scene is set in a luxurious bedroom decked out in pinks. A brunette sits at a vanity with her back facing the camera, twisting a final lock of hair around a curling iron. When she frees it, it falls just above the collar of her white T-shirt. She twists around and flashes a glossy smile. “Pardon me for not being completely ready.” She began, smoothing out her denim skirt as she got closer to the camera.

“I noticed too late that my hair wasn’t perfect, and I can’t have that.” She bounced one lock near her face. “My name is Amelia Delaney. Daughter of Johnathon Delaney. He’s not well-known outside of our town, but he owned quite the successful department store in our local mall.” Her expression falters into a distant gaze for a brief moment, but she snaps out of it in a second. “I say ‘owned’ as unfortunately, my dear old father was killed in a robbery gone wrong not long-”

A car door slammed in the background, and Amelia’s face changed to hollow shock. “Umm… and his passing left me alone with my elder sister, Melissa, who’s only pleasure in life must come from seeing me miserable.” A second, closer slam could be heard next, and Amelia cringed with a whispered swear. She made a swift move toward the camera. “And that’s why I need the money. I have to get away from her please I’m losing my mind.” She said in one breath before turning off the camera.

*III*

A beep sounded off, assumingly letting the auditioner know the recording began, as the honey-blonde girl was looking away, leaning in what looked to be her closet doorway. Handmade steamers and folded paper animals littered the frame. “Alright, listen ‘ere, ‘n listen close.” She brought a blade up cooly, twirling it by the handle. “I know I ain’t the sharpest knife in the drawer-”

She froze. She let herself chuckle, and rolled her one exposed eye. She cocked her knife to the side. “...but I think it’s better if you pick me. Annabelle Dwight. For your sake.” She faced the camera lens, giving the blade a gentle lick. “It’ll hurt a lot more for you that way. I promise.”

*III*

Two girls sharing a shirt sat on a bed in the center of the video. One of the two flinched in surprise, as if she hadn’t expected the camera to begin recording, despite the fact that they were both staring at it. “Erm…” They glanced at each other. It was clear they were related, identical at that. The girl on the right attempted to perk up, her smile quavering. “Did you know that the average person is more likely to be hit by lightning twice than they are to ever meet a conjoined twin?”

“Not that we’re… uh, threatening anyone. Putting us on the show isn’t going to make anyone get struck by lightning.” The girl on the left tapped her fingers nervously. Her sister couldn’t keep up her facade any longer either, and deflated. The left one, the one with longer hair, spoke up again. “We’re really, really shy. We can barely be around people that aren’t from the orphanage. When we are… we fall into an act we’ve inadvertently made, a ‘creepy, conjoined sisters’ thing. We don’t mean to, but, like, it’d be a lie to say it hasn’t saved us a few times by some people who think they can get one over on us.”

“We’re pretty strong, all things considered, but at the end of the day we’re still a kind of crippled. The world is scary, so when we’re scared, we naturally try to make it think we’re scarier!” The shorter-haired sister said. “But it’s basically impossible to make friends like that, eheh. Not unless we’re in an enclosed space with the same people for a long time… like the orphanage.”

“Or an island!” The left exclaimed. “And with the oddballs that Total Drama attracts, we might even be able to get used to them faster than we ever have before! Erika and I- er, Avery, is my name- are really excited and hopeful for this opportunity-”

“So please, PLEEEASE consider us!! We all know we’d be good for ratings! Even if we don’t make past the first vote, you get views, and we had a chance!”

The sisters ended the video by begging ‘please’ until it cut off.

*III*

“Hi! My name is Cameron, and to prove I’m Total Drama material, I’m gonna summon satan.” A girl with plum purple hair in a bob cold-opened, the shot swinging as she was in the process of moving it where she needed. She placed it on a short patio table, the time being after sunset, the sky dim. A loud chatter shouted off-screen, indiscernible in video, but Cameron straightened so her head was out of the shot and yelled back, “It’s just for business, mom!”

She lowered down with a mischievous smile, ready to do something with the ouija board and candles set up on the ground. The harsh voice started up again, and Cameron groaned in irritation. She left the scene for a few moments, their voices going back and forth. She returned with a defeated sigh. “Okay, fine, I’m just gonna summon a normal, lame ghost I guess.”

She lit the candles and began to seat herself, but before she sat down her mother yelled once again, this time something about fire could be heard. “UGH, MOM!” Cameron shot to her feet. “I do this all the time! Why do you only care when I’m actually trying to show people-!?” She stomped away once more. Once that chatter ended, she came back and instantly plopped down in her spot with a huff. “Alright, okay. Here we go!” She closed her eyes. There was a pause, the lighting of the video going unnaturally dark. Her green, choppy bangs waved in a sudden big breeze. A content smile crossed her face, the film glitching at the edges. It switched to night vision just as a pair of legs clad in mom jeans materialized behind Cameron, hand on hips, and then the video cut out entirely.

*III*

A platinum blonde, choppy-haired boy clapped in the lens of the camera, pulling his hands away to reveal his panicked expression. “Total Drama! I’d be the perfect contestant for your new show! Or season! Whatever!” He awkwardly did half of some kinda hand gesture. “And I could just do something cool right now to convince you, but I’ve been ready for this my whole life. You’re about to see a compilation of me proving myself for years!” He leaned back a little, looking above the camera. “Thanks for making the montage, mom-”

The film abruptly switched to a shot of a flock of birds, pecking away at a green field of grass. A bush behind them rustled, and the blonde burst out. The birds erupted upwards, but after the curtain of wings cleared, the boy was triumphantly holding one in his hands. A swarm of beaks began to descend upon him before the scene changed.

The next clip started in the middle of the boy furiously arguing. The camera wasn’t initially focused on him, but started to come up behind him. “It was NOT a foul!! How would you know, I was on the field- you’re just some dumb referee! He kicked me first-!” After a turn, it was revealed that the person he was arguing about was a toddler, both of them with potato sacks pooled around their feet. It cut off when a woman came up beside the film taker to ask her to calm her son down.

A few more clips later, it returned to him as he was auditioning. “So that’s why you should pick Jackson!” He screeched. He brought his fist into view, clutching a lemon. He squeezed it with a battle cry, and a spray of lemon juice shot out in all directions. “AAUG-!!!”

*III*

A latina girl with long dark hair stands at a countertop, tapping a spoonful of dried jasmine flowers into a cup and pouring a stream of steaming water over them. She stirs it with a spoon before glancing at the camera with her dark eyes.

“Hello, Chris.” She begins, a haughty tone etching her words. “Starting another season, hm? And here I thought you’d run out of ideas. I mean, building an entire island after the last one sunk? I don’t know how you’ll top that.”

The girl leans forward on her elbows, letting go of the spoon. It continued to stir around the cup as if guided by an invisible third hand. “But let me get to the point: you need new contestants to traumatize. And lucky for you, I’m going to step into that role.” She straightened, waving her hand in the air. The spoon stopped as a cupboard opened on its own, a box of cookies tumbling out and floating over to her. She opens the top as it rests itself on the counter, taking out a cookie to dunk in her tea. “Now, I can’t promise that I’ll start fights with the other contestants, but I will… work a little magic.”

She chuckled, nibbling at her snack. “Something to really blow them all away. I’ll see you there.” She waved lightly with her free hand, sending the film off with a snap.

*III*

“Okay… alright.” A pasty young adult said as they fidgeted. Their pink eyes darted nervously behind their glasses, but held a determination to them. “Hey there. You gotta pick me, Jupiter! Know why!?” They jolted about, picking up a med’s kit into the frame. “Who else can patch up a kid’s leg one-two-three STAT! Eh?” They chuckled under their quavering breath, the kit shaking in their hands. “Ehhhh?” They let out an involuntary sigh, dropping the white box.

“A-and between me and you…” Their eyes flicked about with purpose this time. “I need to be the one to get this money. I- I need my mom to think-” They sighed with a pleading laugh. “I just want… okay, okay, listen my bro,” They clasped their vibrating hands together and looked into the lens. “C’mon man, please?”

*III*

A pink-clad teenager sat on her bed in a pastel room, the wall behind her adorned with heart-shaped decorations, pressed flowers, and pictures of the Greek coast. She gave a short wave with her ebony hand. “Hello. My name is Marina. I am fifteen years old. I am applying to be considered as a competitor in the newest season of Total Drama.” She stated one-after-the-other, smiling and getting to the point with each thing she said.

“I am a great team player. I always play fair, no matter who I’m up against. And if I win, I would like to have my Sweet Sixteen in Greece.” She finally let herself get a little off track, her eyes trailing to the side. “I mean… my sister, Stella, would be upset that I didn’t put the money towards our Quinceañera… but I’m sure she’ll understand. Eventually.”

Marina perked up as a door opened off screen. She watches someone get closer to the camera, until another girl’s face is right in front of it, completely blocking the shot of Marina. “Oh, hey Stella. I thought you were outside picking berries?” Her voice said.

“No berries.” The newcomer stated.

“No berries? What about oranges?” Marina suggested.

“Yeah.” The face turned towards her sister.

“Yeah? You want to go pick oranges? We can make orange cake.”

“Yeah!” She moved away, revealing the auditioner once again.

“Okay, let’s go pick some oranges.” Her eyes followed Stella out of her room. She stood up towards the camera, picking it up to her level. “Well, that’s all the time I have. Pick me! Um- please. Thank you.”

*III*

An auditorium is already applauding when the tape begins, a girl in a bright blue hijab coming up to center-stage to take an impressive-looking award.

It cuts to the same girl at a field, standing on her hands and looking forward. Her legs bend backwards but her feet stay placed about her head, with no help beyond her own strength and flexibility. She holds a bow and an arrow with her toes, only showing her strain once or twice, but nowhere near enough to break her steely demeanor while doing such a feat. She pulls back the string with one leg, and releases it. The camera follows the arrow through the air until it sticks its landing just above the bullseye on a target a few yards away.

The scene cuts again to the young woman, now in a completely different outfit and addressing the camera herself. “My name is Nadine, and I’m a winner. As a competitive acrobatic, you know I don’t go for easy wins. Your game show is in a similar boat, but I intend to accomplish it with just as much ease. Observe.” She turns and picks up a new bow ‘n arrow, flicking a lighter and catching the arrow head on fire. She got in the position from earlier, and began to draw back the string. On its way, however, it nicked her head scarf and left a flame- and with the way her eyes widened, she definitely wasn’t oblivious to it.

*III*

“Is this thing even on?” A girl with bright green hair pulled back with a bandana muttered to herself. Her tongue was sticking out as she messed with it, until finally noticing the blinking red light. “Oh! Okay!” She jumped back, revealing that she was standing in a kitchen, dressed in a pink apron. “Hi, I really want to be on Total Drama! I’m really cool and super strong and I bake awesome cookies-”

She reaches for a pan on the counter in front of her bare-handed, and begins to hold up her freshly baked cookies for the camera. Utter pain shoots across her face as she drops the pan, screaming. A bang makes her shout again, pulling up a reddening leg that must have gotten hit by the hot pan.

“OW OW OW!” She chants, hopping around one-footed. “Ugh, I’m so stupid-”

The hopping jostled the camera. The shot suddenly became a blur as it fell to the ground, shattering the lens.

“Oh, dangit!!”

She shuffles towards it on her knees, her chin just cut off. “Uhh… My name is Paulie, by the way-” It cut to black on its own.

*III*

“-But I have my audition tape right here-” The video was trained on a fully clothed boy standing in his room, but the person filming moved the camera around wildly. They briefly settled on a shot of a roll of sticky tape on a desk that the auditioner was gesturing to. “Why are you filming-? To prove that it’s mine-?”

An irritated growl sounded out of frame. “That’s not going to get you into the show, Roger!” There was a quick pan between the boy and a windowpane on the next wall, then back to him. “Show them what you can do or you aren’t going to be picked!”

“What are you talking about!? I want to be on it if YOU want me to be on it, but I already told you I’m not cut out for it! They aren’t going to like me any more than anyone else does!” Roger argued.

A hand materialized from behind the camera and lightly clutched the cloth on his shoulder. “You need to win the MONEY, dunce! They’ll pick you once they see your tricks- now jump out the window!”

The boy gasped in shock, despair filling his eyes. “I can’t believe- you finally want me d- dead…” He whimpered. He tore away and went to pout on his bed. “Leave me alone, then…”

Presumably his sibling yelled in frustration, shaking the camera. “Fine! I’ll just follow you around until you accidentally do something…” They griped before switching off the video.

*III*

Not much can be seen at first except for a silhouette leaning forward, framed by the orange light of a campfire. A flashlight flicks on, and the tall girl in front of it can be seen in full color, plus a few trees of the nighttime forest around her.

“Howdy!” The girl says sweetly and boldly. “The name’s Rosie! I saw your little TV show on forever ago, and I’d like to camp with y’all!”

She gets to her knees and reaches into a backpack mostly offscreen. “I can do all kinds ‘a knots, I can do them backwards, sideways, inside-out, blindfolded-” She twisted the rope around as needed then tossed it aside. “I can hike to the top of a mountain in a day, swim upstream in a thunderstorm, and know every single berry by heart!” She reached into her pockets and pulled out two handfuls of small blue berries.

“Right now, here’s a little test. Which one do you eat?” In a moment, she flung both behind her. “Neither!” She shouted proudly. “If you snacked on a pokeberry OR a nightshade, you’d be dead in a heartbeat!”

She placed a hand on her chest, grinning wide. “I love to camp. ‘Makes me feel alive.”

She glared at the camera without warning. Her eyes darkened. “”Pity some folk don’t properly enjoy it. I suppose I’ll have to weed those out.”

*III*

Bouncing up and down on her bed, a girl with a yellow ribbon in her hair greets the camera with a wide smile. Her yellow wall behind her was decorated in stars and displayed several pictures of macaroni art smothered in glitter. A light shadow near the frame moved away, the person behind it ready to begin. “Okay, it’s rolling now. Say hi, Stella.”

“Hi.” The latina girl ducked down a bit and gave an enthusiastic wave.

“So, Stella, can you tell the camera why you want to compete on Total Drama?”

Rather than answer, she waves again with no change in expression.

“Yes, hello Stella. Do you want to be on Total Drama?”

“Yeah!” She agrees gleefully.

“Why?”

“Yeah!”

The girl taping the audition giggles and tries a different approach. “Okay, if you won the million dollars, what would you do with it?”

Stella moved her eyes away as she pondered it, her grin stretching from ear to ear. “Party.”

“You want to have a party?” The other pressed.

“Quinceañera.” The auditioner specified. She closed her eyes, brought her hands up, and wiggled in her seat like she was dancing to music.

“That sounds like a great idea, Stella. Back to the show, are you a good team player?” The camera-girl asked. Stella agreed. “Yeah? And do you like to make friends?” Stella agreed again. “Okay, say goodbye to the camera.”

“Bye bye!” Stella slid off the bed as she said this, already wanting to see the playback.

*III*

Tony doesn’t GET an audition tape. I hate this man. I’ve been trying to think of an audition for him forever and it just. Ain’t. happening.

#garden #garden cast

8 notes · View notes

creativenostalgiastuff · 6 years ago

Text

Dance with Me, Darling

Warning: dancing, stress, frustration

Pairing: Prinxiety (romantic or platonic… most likely romantic)

Word Count: 1700

Prompt: “dance with me, darling” but the line cannot be from Roman

Virgil sits on the couch, curled and wrapped up in a blanket as he scrolls through yet another random YouTube video, his eyes heavy. He has no idea how much time he had been there mindlessly shuffling through the various apps on his phone. All he knew was that it had been long enough that his back was a little stiff, but his attention was still trained on the phone. He had worked hard and this was his reward: no actual interaction with people, just the phone.

Or at least, that’s what he told Patton and Logan when they asked earlier. The real reason was that he wanted to make sure that Roman came back okay. He had been under a lot of stress recently due to the creative demands that Thomas was under recently (so what else is new). And while he was doing his best, Virgil was very well aware that the Prince needed more support than he let the others know. Roman wore his princely smile that exuded confidence, or at least tried to, enough that honestly Virgil was surprised that Deceit hadn’t been practically attached to the creative Side’s, well, side.

Don’t get him wrong, Roman was trying his hardest to keep it from them, but makeup can only hide so much when close up. And Roman had been keeping his distance from Virgil, most likely due to his correct assumption that Virge could feel the negative emotions rolling off of the romantic.

So Virgil had taken a kind of Virgil in his ball on the couch, only looking up when Roman pops back into the room. Virge doesn’t move as his eyes scan over Roman, noticing the slump in the man’s shoulders and practically feeling the heavy sigh that came with a hand to the forehead.

“Hey.”

Roman spins around, jumping slightly, “Ah, Virge. I didn’t see you there. You blended in with the blankets with your hoodie.”

Vigil pushes the blankets off of himself as he slides his phone and hands into his hoodie, looking away slightly, “Well, you know me: the blankets and I are one.”

“Heh, right,” Roman laughs, although Virgil could hear the dead hollowness thud in it. “Well, don’t let me stop you from your activities…”

Virgil nods, his hair falling into his eyes with the shaking, “Hey, uh, Roman? Can I ask you a question? No, never mind, I shouldn’t…”

“No, no,” Roman quickly takes a few steps towards his friend, “Go ahead. If I don’t want to answer, I won’t.”

Virgil shuffles his feet before he looks through his hair at the other man, “Are you doing ok?”

Roman takes a half step back, his mouth open as his hands come slightly up in front of him before he seemed to regain his composure and smiles, “Of course! Everything is as wonderful as always.”

Virgil stares down his friend, “Come on, Roman. It’s me you’re talking to.”

Roman’s eyes stay fixed on Virgil for a few minutes, not saying a word.

“Listen,” Virgil says pinching the bridge of his nose. “We both know that you are struggling with the current workload. You’re putting up a brave front, but you look exhausted and… I don’t know, man, something seems off.”

Virgil is met with silence. Roman looks at the floor for a while before he says, “I think I lost it, Virgil.”

“Lost what?” Virgil asks as he takes another step forward, placing a hand on Roman’s shoulder. Anxiety’s eyes get big as he notices the red splotches on Roman’s face, a trail from the makeup running etching itself in his features.

“It!” Roman says sharply, throwing his arms up in the air in exasperation. “Whatever you want to call It. The fire? The passion?” He turns away.

“Oh.” Virgil says, his mind running in circles going oh shit how do I fix this. “How do I help?”

“You don’t,” Roman cries. “You’re Anxiety! It’s not your job. You protect. I’m supposed to be a driving force, the passion, the dream. How do I help Thomas have the drive to fulfill his dreams when I’m so burned out like this?”

Virgil’s eyes grow large when an idea hits him. Dreams, that’s it!

“I don’t care if it’s not my job,” Virgil says as he walked to face Roman again. “You try to help me when I’m down, now it’s my turn.” He holds his hand out to the Prince, looking at him with a sense of determination. “Now, do you trust me?”

Roman laughs through his tears and wipes his nose on the back of his hand, “I’m sorry, are you trying to sway me by quoting a Disney Prince?”

Virgil rolls his eyes, “Well, if the glass slipper fits…”

Roman shakes his head as he took Virgil’s hand, “That’s a Disney Princess, Nightmare Before Christmas.”

Virgil smiles despite himself as he leads Roman up the stairs towards the Prince’s own room, “Whatever.”

Roman looks to see Virgil reach for the door to the Imagination and stops him, “Wait, you’re volunteering to go in there without me having set it up?”

Virgil shrugs, “First time for everything. Besides, I read some of Logan’s theories of your room and I have a plan.”

“Alright, then lead the way,” Roman says, the tears from earlier starting to dry some.

Virgil takes a deep breath and opens the double doors. The room is black and empty, not surprisingly to Virgil. Roman’s face wrinkles up as he looks inside at the abyss.

“Logan thinks your room, when serving as Imagination and not just a normal bedroom, doesn’t have a set form,” Virgil explains. “That YOU are what gives it form.”

Roman scoffs, “I don’t think-”

“Ballroom,” Virgil says flatly, watching the room. Roman gasps as the room appears out of the nothing, just like Virgil expected. Where before it had been a void of nothing specific, now was a majestic ballroom with beautiful tiling floors, mirrors lining the walls, a wall of just windows that were draped in beautiful red curtains. Red walls and gold crowning left the room with the hint of royalty that was expected given Roman’s thrill for drama. In a word, it was a ballroom that Roman would have pictured if asked to describe one on the spot.

Roman walks into the room and looks around, “Yes, my dear Emo, this is indeed a ballroom now.”

“Yeah,” Virgil said as he leaned up against the doorway, “One that you came up with in a moment’s notice. No planning. Nothing extra. Just you.”

Roman walks over to one of the mirrors and frowns at his reflection as he pokes the shadows under his eyes, “Is this what I really look like right now? Oh god, Virge you should have told me I looked a mess.”

Virgil smirks as he walks over towards Creativity, “Mess is relative. Logan would say that my natural state is a mess while you would just call it ‘creative expression’.”

“You know what I mean,” Roman shoots back as he inspects his hair. “The Prince needs to be in shining armor, no matter what dragons he faces.” He snaps his fingers and everything fixes itself: his hair flips the right way and the makeup fixed.

Virgil can’t help but smile as Roman continues to fix and fuss on his appearance. He almost actually laughs as Roman runs a hand over his hair and makes a face that Thomas was most often caught doing in the viewfinder between takes.

“So what exactly was the point of bringing me here?” asks Roman as he looks at Virgil’s reflection in the mirror. “If you just wanted to tell me I looked bad, you could have done that in the bathroom, so why are we in the creative realm?”

Virgil rolls his eyes, “I just wanted to show you that you can do more than you think.”

“Fair point,” Roman admits as his eyes start to wander up the wall and across the ballroom. “So a ballroom?”

Virgil shifts uncomfortably for a moment, “I… well… I thought you could use a distraction.”

“And this is the distraction?” asks Roman. “I mean, not that it isn’t a good distraction…”

“No,” Virgil sighs as he looks at his feet for a minute, feeling the rush of heat come to his cheeks. “I mean, you probably need something more… ugh…” he holds a hand out to Roman without moving his eyes to the floor, “Just… here.”

Virgil can feel Roman’s eyes on him, clearly trying to see what Anxiety was thinking. He hesitated before he took the hand offered him.

Virgil snaps his other hand and the room flickers dark for a moment. When they came back on, Virgil is dressed in a black button up shirt with an unbuttoned black vest and purple bow tie. His eyeliner is on perfectly and his hair has the purple in it restored back to his preferred level of brightness. He lets out a slight laugh, happy to see that Roman was doing most of the heavy creating.

Roman stands there watching, wearing a burgundy jacket with a button up, looking very curious at Virgil, “What are you thinking, Virge?”

Virgil just smirks as he slowly starts to pull Roman in towards him, the blush returning to his face, “Just dance with me, darling.”

Roman’s mouth drops open as he complies, moving close and placing a hand on Virgil’s shoulder. Virgil can’t help the bubble of worry that creeps up in him oh god he thinks this is ridiculous! Until a soft melody starts playing from seemingly nowhere. A slow, sort of jazz fills the air and helps to reassure Virgil that he’s doing the right thing. He starts to lead Roman, taking a few steps as they start to move around the empty room.

“Did you just take my line?” Roman finally asks with a nervous laugh.

Virgil shrugs, “I figured, the reason you feel like the spark is gone might at least in part be because you are always trying to romance others, but when was the last time you let someone do that for you, Roman?”

The Prince says nothing so Virgil continues, “Sometimes you have to let others help you out and remind you that you are appreciated. I’m not saying always. But you aren’t the only one here. Sometimes you have to let us do things for you.”

“That’s almost funny coming from you,” Roman chuckles. “You could really use your own advice sometimes.”

“Do as I say, not as I do,” Virgil quips back.

“Fair enough,” Roman nods with a sigh.

They continue to dance around the room, gliding together with the music almost perfectly. Virgil has no idea how long they stay there dancing. Slowly he can feel Roman relax as they talk about nothing in particular and the music changes from a slow melancholy sounding saxophone to a more upbeat trumpet. And Virgil is surprised to realize that he is relaxing as well. Maybe they should do this more often, he thinks before he quickly pushes the thought away.

They stay until the sun starts coming up through the windows of the ballroom, causing the golden designs to glisten. Roman pulls back from his dance partner and gives his dazzling smile. He says something about pancakes and is pulling Virgil out of the room with him, causing the ballroom to fade away behind them. Virgil follows, happy to see that the Prince is back to his usual self and that all was right with the “kingdom” once more.

#sanders sides fanfic #prinxiety #roman sanders #virgil sanders #dance with me darling #stress #frustration #dancing #romantic or platonic

553 notes · View notes