#usually if it’s an accident it’s fine but your brother slept in the bed one night and you’re demanding new sheets?? grow up

[ri-notafan]

Yes, you may have gotten what you wanted

But that doesn’t mean you aren’t still an asshole

[darkdevasofdestruction]

Chapter 2 - Turtle War

What a peaceful night!

Though she fell asleep faster than usual, Kisara experienced not the usual nightmares, sleep paralysis or even the sporadic waking up in the middle of the night - No place like home, they'd say - Yet the peculiarity of her dreams reminded her of the double edged curse she was plagued with. In the bed she hasn't slept in for thirteen years, she dreamt of Kaoru's gruesome death, discarded in a bathtub full of water, like a broken doll, turtles protruding out from inside her body; Bloody and eating her away from within, and about. Blood was everywhere - Crimson, like the exact shade of her hair. 

What an unsettling imagery. Clearly, she couldn't let the children know about this picture, yet at the same time, she had to prevent this fatalistic outcome from fulfilling - An ending prophecised, meant to become reality, much akin to the cursed bound to Akira.

Her only way of cheering up a little was to call her brother for a pleasant conversation, make sure he was fine and dandy; And for the rest of the day, she went out shopping for some proper outfits - Not much to wear, as she's been away from this place for so, so long. By the time she was done with her day out, it had already turned evening, and it was time to meet up at the usual place - The Black Rabbit bar. They were going to properly investigate the Yamato Shrine - Or, as much as it was possible.

"Hey, sorry I'm late. The bus driver closed the doors in my face, after he saw me running down the street. How ruthless." Kisara chuckled in amusement, fixing her hair with the used of her pocket mirror. "Don't worry, we just got here ourselves." Akira mentioned, as he nodded in a welcome manner. "That's great to hear. Anything that happened while I was away?" she asked, hoping to hear a negative answer, but it was in vain, as Akira recalled about his 'murky bath water' accident. Kisara look downed down, in deep thought. "I knew I should have given you some incense to burn!" Kaoru mumbled in annoyance, but the more experienced lady could only shake her head. "Incense is more stress, not ghosts." the red head shut her up. "Murky water inside your home means the Urashima woman is making her presence known. She is trying to scare you away - A warning, that if you approach, she will kill you. The more you investigate, the worse they will get." she explained, noticing Seiji shudder slightly from the corner of her eye. "On the field, I can shield you from harm - But at home, there is little I can do. We must purify the spirit as soon as possible." "Then, we'll just have to get more clues on how to do that tonight, right?" Akira asked in question. "Yes, but it certainly won't be easy, especially as neither of you has any prior experience. The trick to this will be to investigate the area and figure out who exactly the Urashima Woman is, the circumstances of her death, and her reason for anguish." Kisara hummed softly. "Usually people who had a brutal death, were horribly wronged, or have strong lingering attachments to something earthly remain trapped in a void, unable to find inner peace and pass on to the after life. That's where we come in. We appease them into moving on." she found herself chuckling slightly. "Consider us Paranormal Therapists." "Great, we are the ghost busters now. Halloween is still a few months away." Seiji pinched the bridge of his nose. "I won't say that I believe in this or not... But even so, did you guys come up with a good idea on how to get into that place?" Seiji asked, relatively shaken. "Yeah. We're sticking with Hazuki lending a hand." Akira explained rapidly. "Not just a hand, but my whole body." Kaoru replied without batting an eye, making Kisara's eyes widen in surprise at her poor choice of words. "My plan will stay a surprise, but I've no doubt that it'll work perfectly." the young one continued nonchalantly. "You... Might wish to reconsider the poor choice of words you've just uttered. In front of two boys. With complete lack of shame or awareness." the crimson lady coughed at the uncomfortable atmosphere. "Let her say what she wants, maybe she's actually telling the truth, not being an idiot with her wording. Look at how confident she is. We're counting on you." Seiji asked, patting her shoulder in amusement. "It's time for us to get going anyway, don't you think?" he asks, extending his hand towards everyone. "Hold on a sec. Hey, Kijima, don't you think we should tell Amanome and Kisara about your Bloodmetry? He probably won't believe it, but Kisara should at least know something about it." Kaoru suggested seriously. 

Nodding his head in agreement, Akira explained the way his 'Bloodmetry' ability works; touching the bloodstains on Ami's headphones, he had a vision of her. It was brief, but it spoke to him, as a minor clue about her whereabouts and life-status. In exchange, Kisara told them of a similar ability she has - Not partaining blood alone - If she touches an item with an exorbitant amount of spiritual emotions and memories lingering from a phantasm not yet moved on in the afterlife, she will experience a fragment of their life, through their own eyes. She can see, hear, and even feel everything they did, at the time of the memory. A rather unfortunate party trick which, although helpful in investigation, caused her an unfixable amount of emotional and mental trauma - Especially when it came to investigating Hanayome's rape and suicide, the Kannon soldier's live experimentation or the Masquerade girl's torture and mental insanity.

Although Amanome felt, for a split second, the uncomfortable sentiment he first had when watching a member of the Yakuza torture a criminal who betrayed them. Though he has felt no pity for the next that came after him, he could only imagine the pain Kisara must have felt, dealing with these malevolent spirits - If they even existed, that is. Not only for Kijima, Ami and Aunt Natsumi, but for Kisara's sake also, he will step over his fears and hop on this train wreck to aid them.

In spite of all the inner-turmoil he had about ghosts, Seiji couldn't help but let out another sneaky, snarky comment regarding the way Akira and Kaoru spent some good alone moments together. Of course, it earned a harsh glare from the brunet, who went on ahead to lead the group towards the park. With the reminder that the current guard is a die-hard, fanatic fan of new idol sensation Kuruse Momo, Kaoru put on a silvery-blue wig, added a few face tattoos, whilst Kijima interrogated the much more laid-back and friendly guard.

"How is it? Is it crooked?" Kisara fixed her wig carefully, neating it out, along with the many accessories and outfit, before stepping back and giving her a thumbs up. "Yes, much better." she nodded her head in approval. "Wha... No way..." Seiji raised his eyebrow in surprise. "You seem to have had an Eureka moment. Care to enlighten me?" she looked back and forth between the two, as Kaoru started giggling like a little girl. "Hehehe, Momo Kuruse is here. How's your guardian angel today?" she said in a much softer voice. "I... Still don't get it." the older one gave up with a deep exhale on annoyance. "I-I'm glad Maruhashi isn't here. But, uh... That's one hell of a secret weapon. So you were Momo Kuruse all along." Seiji grimaced, thoroughly flabbergast. "If the security guard is a fan of mine, then this certainly should work, don't you think?" the girl grinned brightly at her shrewd plan. "So you're a singer. Good for you." Kisara looked more confused than anything. "An idol alone gives more of an impact than some girl playing the seduction routine. Even more punch if that's the person's favourite idol... But... Shouldn't you maybe add a bit more padding on the top?" Seiji finished with a mocking remark, which made Kisara's eyes widen slightly. "Seiji, she's just 16 years old, please don't say such things!" though she gasped, shocked at his remark, Kaoru's comment was completely uncaring and indifferent towards such words. "My fans rather prefer smaller." she informed with such nonchalance that it almost disturbed the other girl. "That's... In no way better..." Kaoru left to have a chat with the overly-enthusiastic guard, leaving Kisara and Seiji to look at each other. "Is... This the norm around teenagers these days? Isn't she a little too young for all this?" "You'd think a 16 year old girl would cater to an audience her age - Instead, grown men lust over the most child-like girl I've ever seen." Kisara's bewilderment made him realise she's not encountered a great variety of teenage boy uncouthness, nor creepy old men. Hopefully, it will remain that way. Miss Kisara seemed much too innocent for the ugly tainting of the world.

Although even Kuruse Momo was unable of stepping over the strictness of a #1 idol fan guard on duty, she created a most reliable opening for the lot to sneak in; Whilst she would call him in and chat as Momo, the guard would be far too overly-enthusiastic to observe the other three jumping the fence.  Kisara gulped a little, staring at the tall fence. "Don't worry, I can give you a lift." Seiji reassured in a shushed tone, seeing the worry on her face.

"Okay then, Hazuki, you call the guard. I, Amanome and Mashita will go in." Akira stated the definite plan. "Okay, sounds good. I'm going to call now." Kaoru stated firmly, taking out her phone. "Wait, but... Will it be okay... Leaving Kaoru here, all by herself? She's still a child... Ergh... A rather famous child." Kisara cleared her throat awkwardly. "I don't see why not. There's a guard here, and barely anyone comes to these places, especially at night. If you ask me, she's safer than we will be." Seiji shrugged, clearly uncaring of Hazuki's fate. His argument was rather compelling, though the elder girl was worried in particular about the old guard. How many people in position of power don't abuse their influence? "I... Hope you're right." she muttered, sighing as she was in clear minority with her unbased worries.

The plan went flawlessly - As soon as Hazuki dialed the given phone number and the guard picked up, the adventurous trio bolted for the fence; Amanome jumped first, ready to catch his princess as she hops off, aided by the musclehead Kijima. "Are you okay?" he asked chivalrously, his arms tightly secured around the girl, who smiled gratefully at him. "Stop your flirting already, we gotta move fast." Akira snapped at the two, grabbing them both and hurrying deeper into the park, aiming for the boat place.

Before they got there, they noticed a rather peculiar pacifier laying innocently in the empty fountain - Though as soon as Akira removed the baby item, water started spraying and splashing everywhere, scaring them half to death. "That scared the shit out of me, jeez..." Seiji cringed, putting his hand over his heart. "Y-Yeah... My faint heart can't handle all of this sudden scares." though Kisara whined, something else caught her attention. "... A pacifier in the fountain, and now, an old stroller appearing out of nowhere. This is definitely the work of the Urashima woman." she muttered, only to see the poor boy flinch. "Don't say that..." Seiji's eye twitched in slight panic. "Forgive me... I didn't mean to upset you." the boy sighed, shaking his head; It wasn't her fault he was so terrified of supernatural bullshit like this.

Throughout their investigation of the place, they found a metal wire, a towel-ket, a tie pin, a dirty neck tie and a bloody hair decoration. A little nervous, Akira and Kisara looked at each other, knowing they had to touch the evidence, to find out a piece of information to put together the puzzle needed to resolve the mystery behind the Urashima Woman's death. The two touched the hair accessory in tandem, each getting transported into their own vision; Regardless, Seiji was incredibly freaked out, as neither of his friends was responding in any way to his callings, and he was all alone, in a supposedly haunted park, with the baby items said to have belonged to that damn ghost.

Though Akira looked unmoving and unphazed, not sketching a single expression on that already stone face of his; In perfect contrast to Kisara and the clearly horrified look on that otherwise angelic visage, her whole body was trembling softly like a leaf in the spring breeze, and it almost looked as though she was whimpering, like his own dog, Yuki, when she's afraid.

In her vision, Kisara wasn't near the fountain anymore, nor was she flanked protectively by Akira and Seiji; Instead, she was surrounded by turtles of all sizes, and all she could feel was pain. She was drowning miserably, her mind was dizzy, her vision blurry and her lungs were burning desperately for oxygen. She was a good swimmer, so why couldn't she move her limbs and swim up to the surface, to her freedom, to her survival? Why was she feeling so heavy, as though invisible shackles were dragging her down to the depths of the abyss?

In her struggle with agony, the only thing she could see clearly was the reflection of a spirit resembling a heavily pregnant woman, shrieking in such a high pitched voice that it was inhuman - Almost like Hanayome screeching her grief into the world; A sound so painful, so filled with anguish, that it thrilled Kisara's heart with sadness. She was just a mother, seeking her dear baby. How tragic.

However tragic Urashima Woman's situation was, Kisara's was tenfold - In that reflection, she also saw herself, her body, twisted in such abnormal, awkward, unnatural angles; So unnerving, that compelled Kisara to shut her eyes tightly and pray herself back to reality, into her own, real body. As soon as her eyes snapped back open, Kisara's legs weakened to such a degree, that fell down on her knees, panting for air and clawing at her neck for air; She was still drowning, she thought, or at least so dictated the impending panic attack. Akira, although not affected to such a degree, was gasping for air, having come out of his vision also.

"H-Hey...?! Are you okay?" Seiji asked petrified, kneeling next to the girl, who merely nodded; She looked completely drained of energy. "I saw her... The Urashima woman... Is real..." Akira stated between his deep breaths. "And the story of the college girl... Is also very real... And much creepier than the rumours said." the girl shivered a little. "D-Did you... Actually see something from that blood?" Seiji asked in a soft voice, unwilling to believe such a shitty party magic trick. "Yeah... We did." Kisara nodded her head, standing up with a little help. "I saw what happened to the college girl. Her body was twisted by the ghost like a capricious child playing with a marionette, then discarded her in the water, to drown, unable to swim back to the surface, while the turtles gnawed at her flesh." Seiji shivered at the overly-descriptive scenario. "C-Come on, seriously... There's no way... That's impossible... Please, don't make up things like that, it's not fun to tease me that way." he mumbled in a mousy voice, which made Kisara sigh, pulling the boy in a tight hug. "Don't worry. I won't let her harm you." she said, cooing into his ear and rubbing his back, comforting him the same way she did to all victims of the Death mark. "I couldn't believe it either, but I saw it myself." Akira explained, nodding curtly. He might be tough, but even he wasn't getting any thrill or excitement out of watching people die in torturous ways. "And that hair ornament wasn't here yesterday. Neither were the pacifier or the stroller. I think Kisara is right, the ghost brought them there." "I think the hair ornament was the college girl's, rather." Kisara chimed in quickly. "A-Are you saying the ghost of the college girl brought it...?" Seiji asked, cringing even more at the idea of not one, but two ghosts around them. "I couldn't say for sure." she muttered, patting his shoulder.

Though when they next went to explore the place, the stroller had somehow moved in a completely different place altogether, fact which frightened the poor Yakuza prince half to death, to the point of holding on to the girl's hand, almost breaking it.

"There's a book here. Something about Prenatal yoga for a blissful delivery. And there's a bloodstain on it." Akira stated as he got near them. "Gah, another vision already?" Kisara whined, glaring at the bloodstained book. "Fine, whatever. Let's get this over with." as she dared touch the dreadful book, the Crimson Knight found herself in a complete state of panic and claustrophobia, engulfed into an abyssmal void surrounding her; Trapped in a cramped contraption and thrown into the lake, while a maleficent female voice spoke to me - She must have been the one who threw her in the water, Kisara concluded, falling pray to the darkness taking over her vision as she drowned, on the bottom of the Urashima Lake. "Is it only me, or do these things get worse?" Akira asked, trying to regain his senses. "A-Ah..." Kisara coughed pitifully. "I think our little ghost was trapped and thrown in the lake to drown..." she whimpered softly. "Yeah, they are getting worse." though nowhere as bad as those she experienced during the Death Mark ghosts. 

As she was ruffling her already messy hair, Kisara froze, pointing towards the lake. "I... Don't want to alarm you, but our ghostie wants to have a little chat with us." she chuckled dryly, stepping in front of the boys. "Be good and don't intervene, will you?" "You can't tell me you're going to have an all-right brawl with the ghost." Akira asked sarcastically. "Watch and learn, newbie." that smirk was enough to stun even the trembling Amanome, who was now focusing on the vixen and the way she was ready to deal with that spirit. How can she appear so strong and confident when a malevolent ghost is there to rip them to shreds? How can she look so aloof, stepping in front of them so carefree, so sure of herself.

"My... Stroller...What are you... Doing...?" the inhuman voice of the spirit woman got carried by the wind. "I'm looking for someone." her voice was loud and clear, so much so that not even Seiji detected even a sprinkle of hesitation or fear. "The... The baby.... Tell me..." she started panting as if she was getting more agitated, and with each pant, Kisara started to feel as if she was drowning. With one hand tightly fisted in her coat pocket, doing an active effort of stopping herself from reaching to her throat and claw for some oxygen, her other hand pointed to the large belly of the phantasm. "You are carrying your baby." came her deadpan rely, though the ghost went crazy from such an answer. "Why... Stomach... Why...?" she asked in a low voice, before completely vanishing; Kisara started coughing again, happy to regain her ability to breathe once more. "Is it... Over...?" Seiji's freaked out voice could be heard with a meek vibrato. "For now, yes." she nodded. "Are you guys okay?" they looked both concerned and very much relieved. "I'll just say... I'm fucking glad we didn't die just now." Akira exhaled deeply in relief. "You didn't believe me when I said I wouldn't let spirits harm you." she chuckled lightly. "I am pretty reliable, don't you think? It comes from many years of experience... And a lot of trauma." her empty smile sent a shudder down Seiji's spine. "Hey. Seiji, look at me." she stepped in front of the shaken up boy, cupping his face gently. "It is over. You don't have to fear her anymore. You are safe with me." "I-I just c-can't believe what I just saw." he replied after taking a few seconds to pull himself together. "I promise I won't let her get close to you." she tilted his head down just a little, reaching up to plant a gentle kiss on his forehead, which seemingly managed to calm him down slightly. "Just trust me." "I trust you." the boy found himself muttering. He wasn't sure what urged him to feel that way, let alone speak such words, but something about her was making him feel... Safe. His intuition was never wrong - He was sure it was fine to trust her.

Taking some time to discuss the objects that belonged to the woman, and the latest vision, the trio concluded the Urashima ghost was most likely killed by the Tamate sanctum - Thus, they needed to get one of the boats working somehow to get there. Their next destination was by the shack to get the much needed equipment; Seiji volunteered to pick the lock - Not only to get his mind away from the ghost encounter, but to show off his skills in front of his crush.

"It's a cheap cylinder lock. How basic, I can open this easily." he boasted, trying to sound confident in front of her. "Oh, really? That's rather impressive." Kisara hummed appreciatively at him. "That's the son of a Yakuza for you." Akira spoke in surprise. "Whoa, hey, that has nothing to do with this. I had my own reasons for learning." Seiji refuted, almost offended. "Would it be too much to ask for the reasons?" Kisara smiled, clearly curious out of her mind. Such stories were always the best. "Well, with a smile like that, I can't hold anything against you, Kisara. A while back, I was convinced Pops had locked up a gun in the safe in his study. I had a phase where I was all about them, so I went through a lot of trouble to open it, so I pretty much learned the basics of picking locks." he explained with a victorious smirk on his face. "Ohh, ambitious, I like it! So, was it really there?" she asked, very excited by the story. "Yeah, it was there, all right. A fine, gun-shaped LIGHTER, appearing real in every way right down to the weight. Apparently a friend from Sicily gave it to him." Seiji complained in annoyance. "Pfffff, well that was funny! Your dad must have a real sense of humour, alright!" she stifled her chuckle, but he only shook his head. "It's a real problem for the family." he sighed. "Oh, I got off topic, let's focus on this. But I'm glad I could amuse you with my story." he smirked lightly at her, before turning back to the lock. "I will need some tools to pick this. I can do it with random junk... A tension wrench stand-in and a thin, sturdy metal wire. Give me two decent subtitutes and I might be able to work something out." Seiji explained, as Akira opened his bag to see what he managed to pick up. "I... Don't think I have anything that works, for now. Let's go look around, maybe we can find something good on the way." Akira suggested, while they agreed and made their way to the lake... Only to find a boat ashore? That's new.

"Amanome, give me a hand." Akira ordered, suggesting they do a chain so they can get the boat ashore. "Sure, but I'm ashore." Seiji nodded simply, walking to the boat. "Uh... Why?" the brunet looked at him with confusion. "I don't want to have my outfit dirty in front of Miss Kisara. That would be unsightly of me, don't you think? You're in black, so it's fine. Come on, let's do it." Akira took his hand and leaned further, having faith and not falling in the water, thankfully, only to get... A broken umbrella. "That's a rather sad trophy of our team work." Seiji huffed mockingly. "Can't this umbrella skeleton thingy be used as a tension wrench? It's worth a try, right?" Kisara quickly asked. "And we can use the hair ornament in place of the metal wire." Akira suggested, agreeing with her. "Hm.... That could work. I approve. You pass. Congratulations." the chestnut haired boy nodded.

Returning to the shack, Kisara watched intently as Akira dismantles the umbrella with Seiji's instructions - The Yakuza boy then started working on the lock - Within less than ten whole seconds, he was all but done, shocking both watchers. Yeah, he sure did like to show off.  With the much needed praise earned from the girl, Kijima looted the boat oars and was ready to go for the boats - Only to get a warning call from Hazuki, telling them the guard was on his way, and they had to get the hell outta there before they get caught.

"No good. A guard." Seiji muttered, instinctively stepping in front of the girl "What do we do? Should we make a circle around the park and make sure he doesn't see us?" Kisara whispered, clearly not having experience in sneaking around like that. "Or should we dive for the bushes over there?" he suggested quickly. "It's kinda far. It'd be easier to knock him out." Akira shrugged, putting his fist in his other hand. "So barbaric. Ever try solving your problems withOUT using your fists? You're in front of a lady, be mindful!" the yakuza heir scolded the fighter. "Or... Maybe we can distract him." the girl thought, picking up a rock from the ground and throwing it at the guard's hand, making him gasp and drop his flashlight in shock. "Nice aim, Kisara!" Seiji praised, with a wide smirk on his face. "My brother's a detective. I'm stopping at that." she muttered. "Now come on, let's hide!" she grabbed their arms and his in the bushes. "Hey?! Where'd you hide?!" the guard cried out threateningly. "Can you distract him with another rock?" Amanome asks, as she picked up another rock. "Hmm... I can't hit him again, it will throw our location away. Akira, can you hit that lamp post? It should confuse him enough." she handed the rock to Akira, who only scoffed. "Piece of cake." he said, and rightfully so, as he managed to make it shatter. "What do we do now?" she whisper, biting her lip. "Amanome, you go first with Mashita. I will go after that. That way we can back each other on the go." Akira suggests, and nodding, the boy in cause grabbed her hand and bolted for the entrance. This time, he was the one boosting her up, though her landing wasn't very ceremonious.

"Did you get hurt?" the boy asked with worry, having heard her little squeak of pain. Not the best landing. "I will be okay. Thank you for the help." she smiled at him. "Should we call the guard and distract him away from Akira?" the girl asked. "Yeah, sounds good." he nodded, walking towards Hazuki. "Glad you're safe, guys! But where is Akira?" the girl asks in concern, looking behind the duo. "Give me the guard's phone number." the boy ordered her, basically taking away the phone from her hands. "Hey, what are you doing?!" she glared at him, raising her voice in anger. "Your phone looks so stupid, no wonder you're still a child." he mocked her absent-mindedly as he called the guard. It almost looked like mocking her became a born reflex. "We're rescuing Akira, so calm down, please. You're too loud for this hour of the night." Kisara patted the girl on the head, calming her down, as Amanome chatted the guard up, long enough for the brunet boy to appear in sight. "Oh, you're back! When I saw Amanome and Kisara come by themselves, I started panicking. He then took away my phone, like a jerk. Honestly, I thought he left you behind, but I knew Kisara wouldn't do such a thing. If it weren't for her, I would have been so close to slapping him!" she said all that with a bright grin, making Kisara sighed, aggravated. "Why must everything retort to violence for you two?" she whined. "You are perfect for each other." "I am shocked and offended. Do I look so coldhearted that I'd do that to my best friend?" his voice was mock-hurt, yet his face remained as stoic and passive as always.  "I could have gone without your help." Akira shrugged, looking away, making it obvious that he felt embarrassed. "Aww, look at you being shy." Seiji cooed at his best friend, who started growling. "Don't make me punch you." he threatened, already seemingly preparing his fists. "Okay, okay, enough for now, let's just go home and sleep. I think we deserve it." Kisara patted the boy awkwardly on his shoulder, making him back up. "Come on, lovebirds, quit messing around and let's get out of here. The guard could be back any time soon." Kaoru giggles, walking ahead, followed by Akira. "How rude of you to assume that I would want anyone but Miss Kisara to be my little dove." Amanome chuckled lightly, putting his arm around her shoulder as they rushed away from there. "At least I'm glad you're not fixated on my aunt anymore." Akira shrugged nonchalantly. "Mrs. Natsumi is 40. I may like elegant and mature women, but I don't want to get to be a widower by the time I reach my middle age." Seiji replied with a shrug.

On the way back to the station, the four of them discussed the shock of realising the rumours of the Urashima woman, along with her ghost, were all true and based - Fact which unnerved Seiji to no end.  However, a person blocked their path further; A middle-aged man, wearing a scowl as well as he was wearing his Ozzy Osburne shades and his long black hair, tied back neatly. He was holding such an intimidating aura that screamed danger. They were in deep trouble.

"What were you doing at Yamato Shrine? The place is off limits at night right now. Why are a bunch of punks coming out of there at this time of night?" he asked without a second of hesitation. "What is your excuse?" Kisara chimed in, stepping in front of the trio and looking up at the man towering over her, crossing her arms with deep arrogance, as Seiji subtly stopped Akira from becoming violent. "Surely, if you saw us there, you must have been yourself present." she smirked up at him with no fear. "Being outside of the closed gate doesn't make me a culprit." he refuted simply, crossing his arms, mimicking her. "And how do you know it was us? Do you have any proof? It's rather shady of you to go to some kids and throw around baseless accusations, don't you think? An old man like you should see to his business... And maybe retire." she shrugged, provoking him further.

"I-I'm not that old, damn it." he was pissed off at having his age called out like that. "And I have proof, I took pictures of you going inside the shrine. Your childish provokations won't work on me, Mashita Kisara. Or should I say... Hasashi Kitsune? Step-sister of the detective from H-city, Mashita Satoru who got discharged because of allegations of sexual assault? What are you even doing here? Shouldn't you be playing around with your puppies and kittens like the good little vet you are?" the man talked so freely about her past as if he had known her for ages. How creepy. "The fact that you know all that makes it obvious that you're some sleezy and super creepy stalker, and I'm going to report you to the police for that. Following kids around, especially an underage girl, taking stealthy pictures of minors, researching buried information like that... Tsk tsk, don't tell me you're some cheap unemployed-...Oh, pardon me, I meant to say, a FREELANCER journalist? You lost all your money on bets and now you come to some kids to steal their pocket money? Man, you're a different kind of low." she huffed, holding in her anger wonderfully well, whereas the stranger was getting physical. "Now, listen here, you foul-mouthed missy!" his voice went lower and deeper, as he grabbed her face and forced her to look up at him. "First of all, not everyone wants to waste a lifetime on a degree that's only good for playing with some mangy mutts. Some of us like to earn money and live a real life. Secondly, I do what I have to do to get a new hit on the paper, and I don't care how I achieve that. I know the law inside out, there's no plot hole you can find that I wouldn't know or have taken advantage of, prior to this moment. So tell me, before I call the cops, what were you doing at the Yamato shrine?" the man threatened, his face very close to mine. "I don't think you should be touching a lady like that, nor talk in such a barbaric way to her." Seiji called out the man, ready to slap his hand away, only to hear a low threat coming from the most innocent person there. "Unhand me, or I will rip you to shreds." all four around were shocked to hear such a blatant death threat from the otherwise docile girl. "Oh, little kitty found her claws and wants to play with the drapes? Ha! How adora---" 

Before the stranger could taunt her further, he found himself slamming onto the ground, his throat pressed with the girl's knee, his hands pinned above his head, and his precious artery threatened with a sharp scalpel blade. The stranger looked up into the girl's eyes - The shock from the masterfully practice self-defense move, and the pain surging down his spine had dissipated, and only the tragic realisation remained. He knew, better than most, that people practice self defense only out of need, not out of having a peaceful life. It wasn't difficult for him to piece together the puzzle brought before him. 

Her eyes were wide and petrified, almost lost in dissociation and a spiral of raw fear - Like an abused animal defending herself for the first time. It wasn't like he was going to hurt her - Though even he has to admit, he stepped out of line. Grabbing her like that was unbecoming of a man his agee, especially with a girl like her. "I know who gave you that information. If I find out you continue associating with him, I will drop your body in battery acid and relish in your screams as your flesh is melted off your bones." threats that made even a grown man shudder weren't exactly fun, even for someone seasoned like him. "Fine, I get it, I get it." his voice went much calmer now, as if to sooth the terrified beast within her. "You know how sharp scalpels are, don't you?" she leaned down, whispering into his ear. Her crimson hair acted as perfect curtains for the show. "If you as much as tell him my location - I will make sure you experience their sharpness first hand." "I'm a negotiator and information dealer, not a villain. I came here to extort you of information on the ghost, not threaten you with your ex." slowly, Kisara backed down. "I'm a journalist, not a criminal. I'm just doing my job here." "You better keep onto that. I have my ways of safely disposing of a dead body." still cautious, Kisara pulled back the scalpel in her sleeve and released the stranger's hands, standing up.

"If you are done harassing women - " 

Seiji's voice was cold like the harsh wind of winter whipping against your skin, stepping protectively in front of Kisara for the second time in to nights. It was getting annoying - What gave these men the entitlement to even look at her, let alone grab her with their filthy hands? Don't they know women are sensitive? What if she gets bruised?

"It's dark outside. Any picture you may have of us, potentially, would not look as true evidence." he spoke in a light, professional way, even though his eyes were burning with anger. "You talk big. All grown up. You don't seem to be afraid of anything at all. Isn't that right... Amanome Seiji?" the journalist spoke Seiji's name with a dark tone, almost as if he revealed a huge secret. "What, you're playing in daddy's shoes to impress older girls?" "Ah, you know who I am." his voice now became ice cold and sharp. "Oh yeah, I know very well. You're the only son of the boss of the Amanome family, Taizou Amanome." he spoke as if he was talking to a criminal. "Treating me like a criminal because I'm a Yakuza son is a violation of my civil rights." he refuted easily, almost as if offended. "Stop pretending like you're innocent. I know who you are under that sheep disguise. I know very well what sort of shithead you really are. Profiting off fights betting is just a start. You use that money and your underworld ties to dig up people's weaknesses and threaten them! I hear politicians and high ranking members of the police force are already in your pocket! Quite the balls are your age!" his voice raised by an octave, accusatory yet almost somewhat impressed. "No wonder you must retort to vulgar speech and threats - You look at the accomplishments of a man half your age, and realise - You will never come even close to him. It must be tough, being such a failure. How can you live with yourself? If I was so pathetic, I'd have long since killed myself." the stranger scowled at the nasty comment coming from the red head who almost killed him. "Ah, there was an opinion piece like that in one of those trashy weekly rags. 'The Prince of Threats lurks in the darkness of Shinza! The truth revealed!' was it? Although, as I recall, this so-called 'Prince of Threats' wasn't named." Amanome's face twisted in something resembling a weird kind of pleasure mocking him. "Woaw... That's the sort of click-bait title only some trash excuse of a so-called writer like you could come up with. It was you who wrote it, correct?" Kisara also chimed in with her denigrating comments. "Oh, if that's the case, this must make you the rumoured Ban." Seiji nodded, realising who he was dealing with. "You know of me, I'm honoured. I guess that article put a bit of fear into you." this so-called Ban smirked in victory. "No... I only remembered because the headline was so tasteless. Mister Ban, would it be fine with you if you withdraw for today? It's not exactly pleasant being defamed in front of my crush." he sighed, not defeated though, as he pulls a few 10k yen bills out of his wallet. "Sure, fine." his smile was vulgar as he snatched the money away from Seiji's delicate hand. "I'll give you some time to consider. I'm nice toward children like that." he finished, making the girl scoff. "Oh, yes, very nice. Nice enough to rob them of their money, huh? It's no surprise you're nothing but a scumbag with no professional success." she looked at him with disgust. "Business is business, no matter what shape or form. I'll make contact with you another time. Look forward to it. Don't think you can run. I already know what you look like." he sneered directly at her, before turning on his heel and leaving that place. "As if you're worth running away from." she spoke back, but he seemed to get an amused smirk on his face. "What about spirits? Do you run away from them when they attack you? You know very well what it's like to hunt them, don't you, Crimson Knight? If you haven't died by now, you must be aware of the value information holds." without even saying goodbye, the man left the angered girl and the rest of the crew the relish in the silence of the streets.

As Akira felt himself growling slightly at the evident extortion they went through, and Hazuki was still afflicted by the shock of everything they experienced, Seiji turned to look at the red head girl, who evidently was processing the events that jsut unfolded "Are you alright, Kisara?" Seiji asked, gently fixing her slightly out of place strands of hair.

The girl looked up at him, with such an innocent smile that it painfully hurt; Dripping with poison and a murderous intent. "I have a... Sudden urge to perform vivisection on that guy... And wipe away that stupid smirk off his face. Who does he think he is, speaking to me like that?! Digging out information from long-buried graves? And what's his deal with spirits?!" she spat out venom and carnage. "And why'd you let him take your money like that?! That deadbeat doesn't deserve to even look at you, let alone feel any kind of victory out of extorting you." 

However right she was, Seiji was compelled to simply smile and shake his head. His hands found their rightful spot ofer her shoulders, squeezing them lightly in an attempt at calming down her anger. "Dealing with that kind of people is always bothersome, but it's best for him to keep his mouth shut. I will make sure to find out one way or another about his information source. His name is Naomasa Ban, he's an infamous unethical writer type. Hoodlums who dig into the dealings of Yakuza and businesses to find scandals to profit off of." he spoke seriously, yet his voice was so soothing that it seemed to do the trick, and he felt her muscles lose their tension, little by little. "Don't worry your pretty head over him; Whatever it is that's bothering you so, I will deal with it."

Kisara looked up into his gorgeous eyes, so soft yet so mature and sincere - And she sighed, shaking her head. "I think that's an issue even you cannot solve." then, she smiled at him, genuine this time. "Never mind that. It is getting late. I think we've dealt with enough problematics dangers for a single night." "Kisara - You forget who I am." she shook her head, but said nothing more.  "Let's meet up tomorrow again. If anything happens to either of you, just call me, and we'll solve the issue." Kisara said with a passive, impersonal smile. "Good night." Though she turned around to leave, Seiji and Akira followed, flanking her. "You didn't think I'd let you go home by yourself, did you?" the boy chuckled simply.

On their way home, they briefly discussed aspects of Kakuya's curse, her words, her threats, maybe even her potential location. In the meantime, Seiji called his associates to make sure they gather all the relevant and irrelevant information they could on Naomasa Ban - And in the end, they went around a little convenience store, where they met up with a hulky fat guy with an awful hairstyle and a sleazy-looking mug face; He seemed to be a sort-of slave for the Yakuza boy - Boy, who rather enjoyed tormenting this Maruhashi guy, who could only tremble and sweat in fear and intimidation. He hadn't paid his monthly due, and he was afraid the boss will be informed if he doesn't continue to do a good job.

"I have to buy some stuff from the convenience store. Miss Kisara, would you join me? I know it's pretty late, but I will walk you home either way." he smiled softly, watching the girl do her own shopping idly. "It's quite a nice change of pace - Doing something so mundane and... Domestic, even - After all the mess we've gone through" she hummed idly - Only to see the boy paying for her stuff also. Though she tried to protest, he simply brushed her off. "I can't let a lady pay." he chuckled as he made Maruhashi carry everything. "Haven't you wasted enough money already? You really needn't." Seiji couldn't help but hum in amusement, seeing how uncomfortable she was over a simple act of charity. "Wasted money? I'd rather call it a thank you - After stepping in front of that ghost for us, it's the least bit of gratitude I could show." he shrugged simply, looking ahead.

There was no room for arguing with the Yakuza prince, so Kisara dropped the subject entirely, opting for a much lighter conversation, such as the upcoming movies coming up on theaters, and even going as far as to agree to a movie date, once something interesting gets screening.

It wasn't sure how time worked, yet for the two, whenever they talked, time seemed to be passing by alarmingly fast; Thus, they found themselves in front of Kisara's home - Only to see the front door covered in mud. Their breathing stopped, and the girl thought the worst - Not the ghost following her home, but that somehow Ban actually gave away her home address, and this was her stalker ex going out of his way to terrify her, to threaten her, to make his presence known. That... That was a most terrifying thought.

With a heavy heart and shaking hands, Kisara unlocked the door. "Let me go first." the boy volunteered. "Maybe someone broke into your house." yes, that's the most logical train of thought. Slowly, he opened the door; No one seemed to be there, in the apartment - Yet a rather large trail of mud and murky water led towards the bathroom. "How unsettling..." the girl took a deep breath - This wasn't her ex, she realised quickly - This was the work of the Urashima Woman. "Seiji, stand back. This isn't an intruder - Or, at least, not in the physical aspect." the boy froze immediately, watching the girl swiftly open the bathroom door, only to curse. The lights inside were open, and the shower water was running. "You okay?!" he looked at the scene before him, the water in the bathtub slimy and murky, and overflowing.  "This stupid ghost has no mind for my bills!" the girl groaned, quickly turning the water tap off and lifting her sleeve up, she scowled as she reached to drain the bathtub. "The water and electricity went up recently - This is going to cost me a fortune. Do I look like I have a money tree in my kitchen or what?" "You can't possibly think this was the work of the... The g-ghost, right?" Seiji gulped tragically. "Maybe a robber of something?" "A robber would have stolen something, not ruin my precious bathroom." she sighed softly. "The Urashima woman drowned in the lake. With all the water around... I've got a lot of cleaning out to do." she joked weakly. "And I also think Akira is a victim to ghost pranking." "Will you be okay, staying here all by yourself?" the boy asked, feeling on the edge. "You can always stay at my place - I've got a few empty guest rooms - Or I could try to find you a nice hotel?" the girl shook her head. "What if it attacks you while you're asleep?" "I..." Kisara peeked at the muddy trails. "I have faced far worse things before. I should be able to manage dealing with a few water splashes." though she tried to appear convincing, her smile was faltering. "Thank you for everything, Seiji." "Instead of thanking me - How about you call me, if anything happens?" her smile sweetened, and she nodded. "Okay. We have a deal." she promised. "Rest well, Seiji. Sweet dreams, and don't forget to text me when you get home."

With a hum of acknowledgement, the boy planted a soft kiss on her forehead, before leaving for his home. At once, Kisara cleaned up all the dirty trails - By the time she was done, it was already late into the night. Once she heard the notification sound, coming from a text by Seiji, and she quickly replied back. After a light dinner, she was finally content going to sleep - Making sure the door and the windows are locked tight, Kisara fell asleep to the thought of ways to purify the Urashima woman successfully, and make sure nobody came to harm...

Or worse.

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[abusivelittlebunny]

"Oh no," Donald breathed, almost dropping the pan he was holding to the ground, but letting it slam on the stove with a piece of egg falling right out instead. "Oh no, Oh no, Oh no, no, no, no-"

"Oh stop it," Logan huffed, taking a seat at the table, but rubbed over his shaven jaw protectively. "It's not that bad."

"No, no, no, no," Donald was still chanting as he slid smoothly into Logan's lap, his apron bunching up between them. He held Logan's face in both hands as he observed the damage done, looking like someone just chopped Logan's head clean off. "Where the fuck did you put my husband?"

"I just shaved, it's no big deal, it'll grow back." Logan held onto his wrists with a glare but didn't try to peel his touch away. "Just be patient. It'll be the same in two weeks."

"Two weeks?! Jesus fuck-," Donald groaned, pouting like a kid.

"Stop whining, Christ. You're acting like a big baby. Cory and Roland just grew out of diapers, now you're taking their place?"

"I'm mourning my man," Donald was still rubbing at his shaven skin, watching him like a zoo animal. "I don't think I'll ever recover from this tragedy."

"I'm sorry," Came the meek voice of Laura as she was coming down the stairs. She could barely look at her parents, looking like a guilty puppy.

"You're sorry about what, baby?" Donald frowned, instantly slipping into his concerned mother persona.

"It was my fault." Laura just nodded towards Logan before going to the stove and scooping up some of the surviving eggs in a plate.

"It was an accident." Logan sighed, shaking his head, defending her immediately, "she just came into our bathroom too suddenly because she ran out of toothpaste and wanted to borrow some, but the door knocked into my elbow as I was trimming my beard and..."

"I cut daddy." Laura pouted sadly, half a toast bagged away in her cheek, looking like an ashamed hamster.

"I cut myself baby, it wasn't you. But yeah, evening it out meant the whole thing had to go." Logan massaged at Donald's thighs but he was now jumping out of his lap to approach Laura, kneeling down in front of her and raining kisses on her little face affectionately.

"Aw, baby, don't feel guilty, it's okay, you didn't mean to do that, yeah? It's all good, babygirl, mommy and daddy loves you so much," Donald hugged Laura close and Laura melted into it, hugging back eagerly and sniffling into Donald's shoulder. "Daddy’s face is gonna be just a little nakey for a bit, but that's alright."

That did elicit a laugh out of Laura and an eye roll from Logan, and Donald made sure to hug and comfort Laura until she was just fine and filled with parental love.

"I'm gonna make you some pancakes, okay, baby? Let me just get your brothers down for breakfast as well."

Laura nodded and handed her plate of eggs and bacon to Logan in apology while Donald went up to collect their toddlers. They slept much better now, so usually they let them sleep until breakfast was fully done. But Logan noticed that Donald took longer to bring the kids down than usual. Maybe they had a little bed wetting accident? Or at least that's what he thought until Donald actually came downstairs with a beautiful blond baby in each arm. But Logan's eyes counted three babies at first sight.

"What the f-," Logan gasped but stopped himself in time. They've been trying to avoid swearing in front of the kids since they got a note from Laura's teacher about her trucker mouth. "Oh no."

"I just thought, since Laura took you to the barber shop, we might as well match." Donald grinned, and good God it felt different, without the facial hair. He looked so young with his face all smooth, so... clean. Not his rugged rascal, but a fucking choir boy.

"You look like a goddamn baby." Logan frowned, standing from his seat and taking Roland from Donald without looking. "I feel like an old pervert now."

"That's because you are one, daddy," Donald chuckled, kissing Logan's shaven cheek, and with no facial hair between the two of them it felt more sensitive and intimate. It made Logan shudder.

"This is so weird," Laura giggled looking back and forth between the two of them.

"Tell me about it." Logan was still holding onto Roland, sitting down with the grabby toddler in his lap who was also confused by who the hell was holding him; daddy didn't look like that. "I know, baby, you love grabbing at my beard, but see, this is what happens when you rip too much of it out."

He knew Roland and Cory were cloned out of Donald but it was still freaky to see that little face frown at him with pitch perfect resemblance of his partner.

"Now I'll keep mistaking you with your mama. Same smooth baby face."

"Bit of a size difference though, don't you think?" Donald mocked with a roll of his eyes, placing Cory in Logan's lap as well for safekeeping, who was much more interested in digging his little fingers into Logan's sunny side up egg than daddy's lack of beard.

"No, I think you're about this big usually." Logan chuckled. Donald was tall, but Logan was still digging that couple centimeters of height advantage he had on him. "Just as coherent as well."

"Alright, so I'm burning your pancakes to charcoal, got it," Donald mused, gently guiding Cory's little hands away from daddy's food and giving him one of his soft toys instead to torture.

"You look young, is all I'm saying." Logan smiled down at his crouching partner, "And pretty."

"Maybe you can have a few edible bits," Donald purred, leaning in for a kiss which Logan gave happily. "God, this is so weird, bring back your beard now."

"Roger that," Logan chuckled, watching as Donald went back to the stove to whip up some pancakes and warm some milk.

via @abusivelittlebunny

X

[sandwaveswater]

𝙰𝚏𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚐𝚕𝚘𝚠: 𝙰 𝚝𝚜𝚒𝚝𝚙 𝚛𝚎𝚠𝚛𝚒𝚝𝚎

Synopsis: You return to Cousin’s beach after three years and suddenly everything has changed. Torn between the two brothers, a complicated family and a new job you try to make the best of this summer, hoping that maybe different can be good.

Part 1: Summer nostalgia

Word count: 3k

It’s finally summer. For the first time in three years you are finally returning to Cousin’s beach. You are sitting in the passenger seat, your mother driving while your older sister sits in the back, headphones in her ears. The radio is playing softly and the wind is blowing through the car.

You have been waiting for this for months now.

The last time you walked these paths was when you were fourteen, and it seems forever ago that you last swam in the ocean. You can still remember the way you swam around with Belly, Steven, Conrad and Jeremiah.

Over these past three years you had only really kept in contact with Belly, her being the only one to know what actually happened. You kind of froze the two Fisher brothers out which had not been fair to them but you had been overwhelmed at the time.

Now you regret your choice. You missed, still miss them. They had been your best friends and the few ‘Happy Birthday’ and ‘Merry Christmas’ texts weren’t nearly enough.

Belly had sent you photos and videos of all of them together, but it was not the same. She had never been allowed to tag along with them, Steven always making sure to exclude her while you had always been allowed to go. Half of the time you still spent your time with Belly, not wanting her to be lonely but the memories you made with the boys had been special too.

You look down on your phone and see that you missed a text.

Belly:) : i’m here already (3:28pm)

Belly:) : please tell me you are coming over for dinner (3:28pm)

Belly:) : i’m completely drenched and miss you :( (3:29pm)

You had never stayed at the Fisher’s house in the same way that Belly had. Your family had always rented out the same small apartment a few minutes away from the Fisher’s house, but you often slept over anyways.

“Mom, can I go over to the others for dinner tonight?”, you asked your Mom.

She made a left turn and you were only a few minutes away now. “I’m sorry sweetie, but I think you are going to have to make dinner tonight.”

Not trying to show your disappointment you smiled, “Yeah sure. Are you both okay with noodles and red sauce?”

Both of them nodded.

Your mother caught your eyes and worded a ‘thank you.’

You: i can’t today, have to make dinner (3:56pm)

You: i’m totally coming over after tho (3:56pm)

Belly:) : can’t wait!! (4:00pm)

You lean back in your seat and look out of the window. This summer was going to be different than usual but it was going to be fine. Everything was going to be fine.

~*~

When you had settled back into your room you walked past your Mom’s room and you realised why she had asked you to take care of dinner. A little over three years ago your parents had gotten divorced. Then, one day on the way to court your father had been in an accident and passed away. Your mother had never truly gotten over the guilt she felt because she had been the one to suggest the divorce.

This apartment was still full of memories of your Dad and your Mom must remember them the same way you did because she was only sitting blankly on the bed, staring at the wall opposite her.

You clenched your fists and walked away. There was nothing you could do for her when she got like that. Her therapist had told you that these episodes would fade but with these new memories it must be a setback for her.

In the kitchen you boiled the water and put in the salt. Everything was going to be fine. You knew how to make a few basic dishes without burning them or you now and you knew how to take care of your mom now.

It was going to be fine.

After setting the table you called your sister. When she saw the way you had only set out two plates instead of three she shot you a betrayed look and left the table. Mom had always been her favorite parent and she was mad at you for wanting to come here even though it meant that mom wasn’t going to eat with you for a few weeks.

You eat alone.

After washing your dishes you prepared a plate for your Mom and knocked on her door.

She doesn’t look up from that sopt of the wall and you sit down next to her.

“Hey Mom, you haven’t eaten yet.”

She barely hummed in response.

You sent a text to Belly to tell her that you were going to come later than expected.

Cutting the spaghetti in smaller pieces you put some on the spoon and nuged your Mom with your shoulder.

“Look, I even cut them in the way you like.”

She turned her head to you but her eyes still seemed far away. Still, you put the spoon in her hand and made sure she ate at least half of the plate while chatting about your friends back home.

After you looked in the mirror and hung your head. Was this really worth it? When you talked to her therapist she told you it was, but now you weren't so sure anymore. While changing into your favorite jeans, a top and a button down texted Belly that you were on your way now.

Climbing out of your window and landing soundly in the grass you almost ran over to the other’s house.

You had never been more glad to live on the ground floor.

~*~

When you arrived at the house you saw Belly sneaking out the back. You waved at her and she made a sign to come and follow her so you did.

“What are you doing? I thought we were just going to stay in?”

“Shhh, keep your voice low,” she gestured toward the living room window where Laurel and Suzannah sat on the sofa.

You nodded.

Around the corner on the way to the beach she let out an audible breath and giggled, “I can’t believe I’m sneaking out of the house now.”

“Me neither,” you answered, “what are we doing anyways? Not that I mind going out with a pretty girl like you.”

You winked at her, she laughed some more and linked your arms. “Tonight you see, we are going to go to the bonfire.”

That peaked your excitement. You had always loved the bonfire. “You look so pretty in your dress, but are you sure you aren’t going to be cold?”

“Yeah I think I am. I just, I don't know, I wanted to be the pretty one too, you know? But I kind of regret it now.”

“We aren’t having any of that today,” you said and took a step away from her to stand in front of her, “this summer is going to be your summer and you are going to look pretty every single day, okay?”

Shaking her head at your words but smiling she agreed.

You still took off your button down and handed it to her and when she accepted it you made your way down to the beach.

~*~

At the bonfire you made sure that the creep that approached Belly was really gone and when Steven came over with a girl by his side you made sure to introduce yourself to her too.

The four of you chatted for a while but it was clear that Shayla and Steven wanted some alone time so you and Belly made your way closer to the bonfire.

“I want to get a drink, you want something too?”, you asked her.

She shook her head and after making sure that she was going to be fine there you made your way to the cooler. From what Steven told you you were allowed to just take the beer so you did just that.

“Hey there, are you here alone?”, you got asked by a guy standing next to the cooler.

Not really wanting to talk to anyone new today you said that no, you had company but he didnt seem to get the hint and kept talking to you. When you searched for Belly you found her at the side of the party, sitting in the sand with another guy you didn’t know. You wanted to yell her name but when the other guy put his hoodie over her shoulders you hesitated because she looked really happy.

The guy was still talking to you and you really tried to get away but you didn’t want to be rude in case this was his beer.

But when he leaned closer and asked you, “Do you want to get out of here?” you panicked a little but still said, “I’m sorry, but I-” when you get interrupted by an arm around your shoulders.

Who-

“Dave, hey man, but she is actually here with me today, aren't you, love?”, he looked at you and fuck you knew you had to answer, so you mumbled a ‘yes’ and the other guy backed away.

Jeremiah Fisher.

It was Jeremiah Fisher. And he had grown up. Really grown up. Before you had always thought of this little idiot but now he was taller than you and he looked good. Better than good even. Your breath got taken away for a second there.

“Y/N it really is you, I can’t believe it!”, he said as he put both of his hands on your shoulders.

“Jeremiah?”, and that smile he gave you was the same it had always been, but his teeth seemed a little straighter than years ago.

His expression melted into something softer and he swept you off your feet, literally and twirled you around. You laughed because nothing had changed. There had been no reason to be nervous about the boys, they had always been your best friends and a few years wouldn’t change anything.

When he put you down you both just looked at each other for a second before he buried his head in the space between your head and your shoulder and you hugged him back just as tightly. He whispered, “I really missed you.”

Your throat closed up, but you whispered, “I missed you too.” back anyways.

Then the moment was over, he put his arm around your shoulder and you took a sip of your still cool drink.

“Come on, I have to find Conrad so that we can all catch up together,” and with that he leads you a little further away from the fire, in the opposite direction of Belly.

“I actually have a job this summer.”

He turned his head at that, “No way, me too? I’m a lifeguard at the country club.”

“No way, I’m a waitress there!”

“We totally have to take the same shifts. Steven is probably going to have a weird schedule because I bet that Shayla is going to rope him into being an escort.”

“Steven? An escort? I can’t believe this.”

He laughed and tilted his head back and you admired his face, illuminated by the moonlight and the fire. Your eyes trailed down his jawline and his throat and against your best wishes you blushed a little. This was insane, it was only Jeremiah.

“Me neither, but when you really like someone, you sometimes do really dumb shit, right?”

And for a second time today you looked him directly in the eyes and you suddenly felt very aware of the fact that you haven’t slept through a full night in a week.

A figure moved closer and you broke eye contact. It was Conrad. And fuck when did the two of them become hot?

Jeremiah tightened his arm around you but when Conrad came closer he happily said, “Look who I found getting a free beer!”

Conrad, whose eyes haven’t left you since he saw you nodded at you, “Y/N. I didn’t know you were gonna be here today.”

You were still kind of distracted by his height, his hair and his eyes, just a shade darker than Jeremiah’s.

“Belly kind of sprung it on me, but it’s nice to see you too.”, you said with a smile.

He just shook his head and smiled a little. When he held out his arms you left Jeremiah’s side and hugged him. His hands felt larger than before.

“I’m glad you are here,” he said against your hair, and you answered, “Yeah, me too.”

Behind you his brother cleared his throat, “A very touching moment, but I’m pretty sure that someone just said cops so we should really get out of here.”

You let go of Conrad immediately and the three of you ran your way up the beach while you tried to find Belly in the crowd. When you saw her and the other guy hand in hand you smiled to yourself.

At Jeremiah’s car the five of you met up and when Jeremiah pushed a still slightly uncoordinated Conrad into the car you got into the other side of the back of the car. When the car suddenly stopped and you realised that you were still missing Steven you got out as well, and when you looked back to the car you saw that Conrad was reaching out to Belly. Something constricted in your heart but you weren’t sure if it was jealousy, pity or understanding.

When there was a knock on the window and the cop asked you, “Have you kids been drinking?” you knew you were fucked.

~*~

Laurel’s lecture was not as harsh as you expected, but as you stood in the doorframe to the kitchen you realised that you didn’t really want to go home.

So, after she dismissed all of you hung back. You heard her and Conrad exchanging a few words when she turned to you, “I’m sure that you can sleep over in Belly’s room. I’m going to text your Mom in the morning.”

You couldn’t tell her that your Mom’s phone was currently in your possession, knowing that otherwise she would keep scrolling through old pictures, not sleeping, so you only nodded.

After making sure her door was closed upstairs you snuck out to the pool. There you sat, your head tilted back to look at the stars. It was a clear night.

Then, to your surprise, the door to the patio opened again. At first you were scared that it was Laurel but it was only Jeremiah. You breathed out. “You scared the shit out of me. I thought it was Laurel, ready to chop my head off now.”

“Sorry to disappoint you. I noticed you weren't behind Connie on the stairs so I came looking for you.”

Of course he did. It was Jeremiah.

“You could never disappoint me, you know that. Aren’t you tired?”

He sat down next to you. “Yeah, but never enough to not hang out with you.”

Warmth spreads through your body. Both of you enjoy the silence for a while.

“Last year I broke my arm while surfing”, he told you.

You hummed in response. “Did it hurt?”

“At first not so much, I was more focused on getting back to the land, but once my Mom asked if everything was okay I started crying really hard.”

“Last year I stopped playing the piano.”

“A few years ago I had a marshmallow eating contest with Connie and won.”

“Last summer my cousin taught me how to skate but I was miserable at it.”

You talked for what seemed like a few minutes and a few hours at the same time. Both of you had missed so much of the other’s life that it made your heart ache.

After a while you felt your eyes start to get heavy. Jeremiah nudged you with his shoulder and when he offered you his hand to get up you took it.

When you got into the house you realised that Belly was most likely still asleep. “I really don't want to wake her. Maybe I should just go home.”

He dragged you upstairs with your interlocked fingers. “You can crash in my bed, I don't mind.”

Too tired to refuse, you said yes.

He closed his door as quietly as possible and tossed you a green hoodie and some of his old basketball shorts.

“I’m just gonna,” he pointed at the wall, “turn around.”

You mumbled a thanks in response and started to up on the hoodie and take off your jeans. Here you were, in Jeremiah’s room, in his hoodie, taking off your pants while he stands not even five feet from you. This time you really blushed.

“I’m done now.”

“Do you want me to sleep on the floor?”, he asked, nodding towards the bed.

“Don’t be ridiculous, your bed is big enough for the two of you. Besides, we have shared a bed before, right?”

“Right. I wanted to ask anyway.”

You ruffled his hair and deliberately did not notice that it was really soft. “Thanks.”

With your phone secure on the nightstand you flopped down to his bed, opening your eyes when he didn’t immediately follow you. He just stood there, on his side of the bed, looking at you, with something indescribable in his eyes.

Then he broke away and laid next to you.

Trying not to think about how everything smelled warm and just like him, you fell asleep, calm and comfortable.

~*~

When you woke up in the morning you were huddling closer to the warmth. Sleepily blinking you eyes open you noticed that this wasn’t your bed. Your sheets weren’t blue. Then the events from yesterday came back to you and you opened your eyes completely.

You were cuddling with Jeremiah. His arms were around your waist, your head slightly tucked under his chin. It seems that in your sleep you did the same, your arms in the same position as his, your legs tangled. Immediately you wanted to get up and leave, but you were still so tired that you couldn’t bring yourself to. So instead you cuddled a little closer, enjoying this moment for as long as you could and closed your eyes again.

The next time you opened your eyes you were alone and you ignored your disappointment.

----

And that's it!! I hope you all enjoyed it! I will reveal the endgame after the next chapter and add content warnings as soon as I figure out how to do a masterlist.

I'm sorry that this is a week late but my depression kinda took a turn for the worse over the last few weeks so. yeah. fun.

Stay tuned for the next part coming at the end of the week. [if you want a sneak peek you can send me an ask and maybe I will share something ;) ]

[ragingbookdragon]

So Live A Lie, Just Tonight, And Burn Out Bright

Batsis x Hal Jordan One-Shot

Word Count: 3.8K Warnings: Explicit Language, Mature Themes

Author's Note: I decided to compile that one Batsis "story" into one doc, and I added the alternate ending for the one anon who asked! Enjoy! -Thorne

**********************************************************************

“Alright, easy sis, easy,” he worried, watching her carefully for signs of pain flickering across her face as he helped her off the bike.

She scowled, managing to drag her injured leg forward. “Quit nagging. I’m—ngh—fine.”

“You’re on emergency oxycodone and you’ve got a broken femur,” he retorted. “I’m nagging until you’re in surgery.”

“Ugh, stop reminding me.”

Someone hauled her off her feet with a quiet, “I’ve got you.”

She grunted in pain laying on the gurney. “Thanks, dad.”

“Miss Wayne, are you alright?”

Her eyes found Alfred’s. “I’m good. I just ne—motherfucker!” she yelped, glaring at her father who was squeezing her thigh. “Hey! That’s broken, jackass! Quit!”

Bruce grunted. “You need an ORIF now.”

A pinch in her arm made her twitch and she turned her attention to Alfred who was uncapping a needle. “Alfred, what’s that?”

He shook his head. “Nothing to worry about, Miss Wayne.” Smiling, he stuck the needle into the line. “You’ll feel better when you awaken.”

Her vision blurred rapidly, “Gonna take…a nap…now…” her head lolled, and Bruce met Alfred’s gaze.

“Call Damian. He’s got the steady hand we’ll need.”

***

“How’re you feeling?” Jason asked, setting a cup of juice on the bedside table.

She blinked slowly, staring at her fingers. “Why are my fingers like this?”

“Like what, Queenie?”

“Bendy,” she replied, flexing her fingers. “It’s fuckin’ weird.” She looked at him. “I feel weird.”

He snorted, nodding at Dick and the others who were walking in at the sound of her voice. “You’re on hydromorphone, sis.”

“Hydro—what-what?”

“Hydromorphone, sister,” Damian said. “It has increased your threshold for pain and reduced the perception of it.”

She stared at him like she hadn’t heard a word come out of his mouth. “I didn’t understand a single goddamn word that you just said.”

Snickers sounded around her, but her head was up in the clouds and she rested back against her pillow. Her family gathered around her, sitting up on the bed, and suddenly she cocked her head up, squinting at each of them.

“Sweetheart? What’s wrong?” Bruce inquired.

“Where’s Dick?”

“I’m right here, sis,” he answered, pressing a kiss to the back of her hand. “What’s up?”

“Why’d you break up with Kori?”

His eyes widened. “I—what?”

“Kori. Tall alien with the shooty-hands.”

“I know who she is. What about our breakup?”

“Are you kidding me? That woman is spectacular, and you broke up with her. She’s gorgeous, wicked intelligent, fantastic in bed and—”

“Wait, back up there,” he interrupted. “Good in bed? Did you sleep with, Kori?”

“Oh yeah, totally. I was her rebound after you.”

Dick blinked while the others cackled. “Have you…have you slept with any other exes?”

“Of yours? Or in general with the family’s exes?”

“Wait,” Jason said. “Have you slept with any of mine?”

“Did you date Artemis?”

He shrugged. “Sort of?”

“Then, yes.” She looked at Bruce. “I slept with Selina too, but to be completely honest we were both drunk and I don’t think either of us remember.”

“I uh—” he started, then quieted. “I didn’t know you were gay, sweetheart.”

She let out a ‘pfft’. “I’m not.”

“Oh, you’re bi, then?” Dick smiled and she shook her head.

“Nah, I like the wine but not the label.” She grinned. “I’m a lover of people.”

“How many superheroes have you slept with?” Tim questioned and she pursed her lips.

“Uh…I dunno…kinda lost count.”

For a moment no one said a word, then Jason asked, “You know how we call Dickhead the fuck-boy? Can we refer to you as that now? I think you’ve topped his count.”

Her eyes narrowed into a glare and she pointed at him, though she was seeing double, so it was entirely possible that she was pointing at the wall. “Keep that up and I’ll sleep with your best friend again.”

“You slept with Roy?!”

“I was talking about Kyle, but Roy works too.”

“OH MY GOD! IS THERE ANYONE YOU HAVEN’T SLEPT WITH?”

She thought for a moment, then offered, “Diana. But I asked her out last weekend so it’s up in the air until our date.”

***Part Two***

There was only one rule that everyone collectively followed in Wayne Manor and that was: no excessive noise until after twelve P.M. It was mostly influenced by Alfred who’d more than once pulled out the shotgun but surprisingly, mornings were usually calm and quiet. Keywords: “Were” and “Usually”. There were some special cases.

An ear-splitting scream shattered the silence of the breakfast room and in an instant, everyone was jumping from the table, sprinting towards the staircase to find out what was quite possibly murdering their eldest sister. As they neared the staircase, they came face to face with her as she stood behind the banister, her hands gripping the railing until her knuckles started whitening.

“Sis, what’s wrong?” Dick worried, already starting to come up the steps, Jason and Tim close behind.

“I’m late,” she whispered, and they leaned forward.

“What was that?” Bruce inquired, brows furrowing, and she looked at him.

“I’m late.” Her voice was firmer this time.

He blinked. “How long?”

“Two months.”

“Wait, what’s going on?” Jason questioned, shaking his head and she scowled.

“My period’s late, jackass.”

She wished she’d taken a photo of their faces, because nothing would ever amuse her as much as the way their jaws went slack, eyes widening in total shock. Running a hand down her face, she groaned, “Oh my God. I knew something was up. I completely forgot about it.”

“Sooooo…” Tim drawled out with a recovered grin. “Who’s the daddy?”

Her eyes narrowed and she shot him a glare. “Shut. Up.”

“C’mon sis, someone—some guy did it for you.” Jason quipped. “Who’s the lucky man?” he paused, seeming to remember something. “How many superheroes have you slept with in two months? That have dicks, of course.” She clenched her jaw and his eyes widened. “Oh no. Oh no…is it, Roy?”

“It’s not Roy!” she hissed.

“Kyle?” Dick offered and she shook her head.

“No. I’ve only slept with one guy in the past two months.”

“Who was it sister?” Damian quizzed, placing his hands on his hips. “I have yet to meet anyone acceptable for you to populate with.”

“Thanks Damian,” she griped, then groaned. “Oh God, I know who it is too. And I wish I didn’t.”

“Why’s that?”

Her eyes found Tim’s. “Because we were drunk as hell after a League mission.”

“Who is it?” Bruce grunted and she met his gaze.

“You’re not going to like it.”

Something passed between them, and his eyes narrowed. “Please don’t say that’s who you slept with.”

She nodded, pressing a hand to her face, hiding her embarrassment. “Mhm.”

“You slept with him?”

“Unfortunately.”

Jason looked between his sister and father. “Wait, I’m confused. What’s going on?” A snort sounded beside him, and he looked over, seeing Dick in tears. “Why are you crying? What’s so funny?”

Dick cackled. “SHE SLEPT WITH HAL JORDAN!”

Another round of slack jawed brothers appeared in her sight, and she hissed. “It was an accident!”

“YOU’RE HAVING A BABY WITH HAL JORDAN!” Dick gasped, starting to drop to his knees from laughing so hard. “OH MY GOD, YOU SLEPT WITH THE GUY DAD HATES THE MOST!”

“You slept with Hal Jordan?” Tim gagged. “Ew.”

“Sister, I am disgusted in your choice of partners for children.” Damian noted and she scowled.

“I hate all of you.” she looked at Bruce.

He sighed heavily, a defeated father…or maybe a defeated grandfather. “I’ll go call Hal…and order prenatal vitamins.”

She ran a hand down her face. “I’ll call Leslie and get in for an exam.”

“Holy shit,” Jason gasped. “We’re gonna be uncles!”

***Part Three***

He shifted the phone to rest between his ear and shoulder, hands busy pouring coffee into his cup. “Hello?”

What are you doing right now?

“Bruce? Is that you?”

Answer the question, Hal.

He rolled his eyes and frowned. “Well, it’s nine A.M., I’m making a cup of coffee. I know bats are nocturnal, so this might come as a surprise to someone like you, but rest assured it’s a normal habit for us normal folks.”

How fast can you get to Gotham City?

“Willingly?” Hal chuckled, setting down the coffee pot to grab the phone. “What’s going on?”

I need your…help…with something. And I need you in Gotham as fast as you can get here…please.

He almost dropped both the phone and coffee mug. “Did you just say you need my he—” the line went dead with a click, and he pulled the phone from his ear. “Asshole,” Hal scowled and shoved the phone in his pocket, before putting the mug down. His body flashed green as he suited up and he sighed. “Can’t believe I gotta go to the land of the living dead at nine A.M.”

***

He rubbed his temples as he disconnected the call, barely suppressing the sigh that wanted to escape him. “Are you mad at me?” he heard behind him, low, scared, and worried; he shook his head.

“No.”

She leaned against the desk, staring down at the side of his head. “Are you disappointed in me?”

Bruce sighed this time. “At your basic lack of common sense and sleeping with a team member despite the fact that I’ve told you time and again that inner-team-dalliances only end badly? Yes.” He turned his eyes to her. “But for being pregnant? Never.”

“Doesn’t seem like it, dad,” she muttered, crossing her arms over her chest; he watched them lower to hold her stomach.

“I think Hal Jordan’s an idiot,” he stated. “If it seems like I’m upset, it’s because he’s going to be my grandchild’s father and I’ll have to be nice to him now.” She huffed a laugh and he reached over, placing a hand on her arm. “It’s going to be okay, sweetheart. We’ll take care of this.”

“I know, it’s just…” she sighed. “I never expected this to happen.”

“No one ever does,” Bruce answered. “Have you contacted Leslie yet?”

She nodded. “Yeah. I’ll go see her around three.” Grunting, she muttered, “Figured if Hal got here in as soon as possible, we’d have enough time to sit and talk about this before we went.” She ran a hand over her face. “God, I can’t believe I Hal knocked me up.”

“Please don’t say that,” Bruce griped. “I don’t like that phrase.”

“But that’s what happened, dad. I got knocked up by Hal.”

“Why do you hate me?” he scowled, dropping his head into his hands. “How did this even happen?”

Sighing, she recounted, “After the mission in Brazil, Hal invited Barry back to Coast City for a drink and Barry invited me.” She shrugged. “I didn’t wanna be rude even if I am typically antisocial, so I accepted, and we got there and found a bar. After a couple hours, Barry had to get back to Central and we just decided to keep drinking.”

She grunted. “Hell, by seven thirty we were already gone so we got a ride back to his place and he offered to let me stay the night and one thing led to another and—”

Bruce raised his hand, effectively silencing her. “I can infer what happened after that.” He rubbed his temples. “Let’s just wait for Hal to get here, yeah?”

“Yeah,” she agreed, falling silent.

***

Alfred cleared his throat. “Master Jordan, is here, sir.” They both looked up from the Batcomputer at the test pilot.

“Thank you, Alfred,” Bruce said, and the butler nodded, ascending the steps.

Hal walked towards them. “So, what’s the deal? Why do you need me?”

Bruce looked at her and she sighed. “Actually, I’m the one who needed you to come here, Hal.”

His brown eyes darted to hers, a flash, a recognition of something and he nodded. “Aright. What’s up?”

“Dad…give us a moment?” he nodded and stood from the Batcomputer, walking to the medical section on the other side of the cave. She waved Hal over. “You might wanna sit down.”

He did, albeit suspiciously. “Why are you acting so…weird?”

“Hal,” she said, then looked at her hands. “I’m…ah crap.”

“What’s wrong?” he asked, brows furrowing.

She took a deep breath and admitted, “My period’s late and there’s a good chance I’m pregnant.”

For a moment, Hal didn’t say a word, then he burst into laughter. “Oh, that’s hilarious!” he held his stomach and wiped his eyes. “That’s a good one.”

“I’m not joking, Hal,” she spat. “In the last three months, you’re the only man I’ve had sex with. If I’m pregnant, you’re the father.”

He stopped laughing at that. “Are you being serious?”

“Dead.”

Hal ran a hand through his brown hair and let out a shocked breath. “Holy hell.” She watched him and he gaped at her. “W-what…what do we do?”

“I’ve got an appointment with Doctor Leslie at four. You’re welcome to come along if you’d like.”

He nodded. “Yeah. Yeah, I will.” Swallowing thickly, he said, “Does he know?”

“Dad? Yeah. They all do.”

“They?” he repeated, eyes wide.

“My brothers.”

“You told them we slept together?”

She chuckled. “Apparently a year ago under heavy meds, I admitted I slept with Dad, Dick, and Jason’s exes.” She shrugged. “There’s not much I keep from them.”

Hal’s eyes shifted to Bruce’s back. “Can’t imagine the Big-Bat is happy about this.”

“Oh, he’s not. He thinks you’re an idiot, but judging by the look on your face, you already know that.”

He scoffed. “Your dad likes to think he’s smarter than everyone else.”

She cocked a brow. “He is.”

“And it seems like you’re following that strain well,” he shot back, and they glared at each other before cracking smiles.

“If this is real, we’re going to be some parents, huh?”

Hal could sense the fear in her voice, and he stood in front of her, placing his hands on her hips. “Hey,” he murmured. “No parents are perfect. And we’re sure as hell not.”

“If this is supposed to cheer me up, it’s not.”

“I’m not trying to cheer you up. I’m trying to reassure you,” he corrected, squeezing her hips lightly. “We’ll work through this, and we’ll do it together.”

She gazed at him then heaved a sigh and leaned her head on his shoulder. “Thanks Hal.”

“Don’t mention it,” he chuckled, then murmured, “But if we really are going to be parents, should we tie the knot?”

“Absolutely not.”

***

“Hal, for the love of God, will you sit down?” she griped. “You’re starting to make me anxious with all that pacing.”

He sighed, running a hand through his hair before shrugging off his bomber. “I can’t help it,” he retorted. “I hate waiting.”

“Yeah, I’ve noticed.” She rolled her eyes. “Leslie’s working as fast as she can. Just sit down and be patient.”

Hal paced for another minute before collapsing into the seat beside her; she took his hand in hers and rubbed her thumb on the back of his hand. “What are you doing?” he asked, and she hummed.

“Comforting you.”

“Why?”

She looked at him. “Because you’re worried.”

“How are you not?”

“I am,” she commented, and he scowled.

“You don’t look it.”

“Well, that’s because I was trained to retain my emotions a as child,” she retorted. “It helps when I’m dealing with children who are scared.”

“I’m not a child,” Hal hissed, and she snorted.

“Could’ve fooled me.”

“You know what? I’m gonna—”

The door opened and their mouths snapped shut as Leslie walked in with a smile. “Good afternoon.”

“Hey Leslie,” she greeted, then glanced at the papers in her hand. “So? What’s the verdict?”

Leslie handed her the file and she looked it over. “Case of irregular period, dear.”

She blinked and said dumbly, “I’m not pregnant?”

“No,” she said, shaking her head. “Our bodies act up sometimes, even when we’re grown. Irregularities can still happen even now.” Clearing her throat, Leslie added, “But your blood and urinalysis came back negative. You’re not pregnant.” She looked between Hal and her. “With the results, you’re free to leave.”

She stood to her feet, but when Hal didn’t, she tugged his hand. “Hal,” she whispered. “Come on.”

He staggered to his feet. “Yeah, I’m coming.” He disappeared out of the clinic room, and she sighed, then looked at Leslie.

“Thanks doc.”

“Of course.”

***

They were quiet on the park bench, watching the sun reflect off the water and listening to the birds singing in the sky. “So…I guess that’s a relief,” Hal stated, and she nodded.

“Yeah. I guess it is.” Laughing, she said, “I mean could you imagine if I were actually carrying your kid?” when he didn’t laugh, she looked over at him. “Hal?”

He blinked, shaking himself out of his thoughts. “Yeah, couldn’t imagine it.”

“Hal,” she plead. “Are you upset that I’m not?”

“What? No. No, I’m relieved you’re not pregnant, but…” he sighed and shrugged. “I dunno at the same time as scared as I was, I was happy, you know? Ready to step up and be there for you.”

She lowered her gaze to his hands and reached over, placing hers over his and he took it, squeezing. “Well, look at it this way. This was the universe telling you that you’re ready to be a father and this was the universe telling me that I’m not ready to be a mom or your baby’s mother.”

Hal gazed at her for a moment then chuckled. “Yeah, I guess it is.” He squeezed her hand again and climbed to his feet, flashing green as his suit appeared. “Now that everything’s sorted out, I should be getting back to Coast City.”

“Sounds good,” she agreed, standing to her feet.

“Can I drop you off anywhere?”

“Nah, I’m gonna walk around for a bit,” she said.

Hal took to the sky then looked down at her. “If you ever find yourself ready…call me?”

A shocked laugh bubbled in her chest, and she shook her head. “Not a chance in hell, Jordan.”

“Come on, don’t you think it would be fun to have the old Bat call me his son in law?”

Giggling, she waved him off. “Get out of here, Hal.”

Winking, he replied, “See you later, babe.”

She couldn’t help but chuckle and watch him leave, then she shook her head. “Ridiculous.” But a small smile was still on her lips as she headed down the street.

***Alternate Ending***

She gazed numbly out at the water, not sure if she should feel surprise or shock, but whatever emotion she was feeling had completely dumbfounded her. She was pregnant. Her hands had unconsciously pressed tight to her stomach, and she felt sick more than anything. Sick, scared, ashamed, every emotion that came with sleeping with a coworker—and every TV show and movie where the woman got pregnant from the affair.

How was she going to explain this to her family? To her friends? How was she going to face their scrutiny? Pregnant out of wedlock? With the biggest skirt-chasing, arrogant asshole in the galaxy? She’d take the brunt of their scathing opinions. He’d get off scot-free. He’d—

“(Y/N).” Someone’s hand rested on her shoulder, and she blinked, suddenly brought from her stupor and she looked over at him; his gaze was full of worry. “Are you okay?”

Instantly, she felt angry, and she jerked away from him, standing to her feet. “Am I okay!” she shouted. “You got me pregnant! Do you have any idea what this is going to do to us! To our reputations! To mine!”

Irritation etched across his face, and he stood to his feet, getting in her face. “It takes two to tango, (Y/N). We both did this—not just me.”

Her mouth opened to retort sharply, but damned if he didn’t have a point and she shut her mouth, tasting something bitter as she looked away. “I’m going home.”

She turned and his hand shot out, grabbing hold of her arm. “Wait, I don’t want you going alone.”

“Let go of me.” She hissed, trying to pull away, but he tightened his grip.

“No. It’s too dangerous for you to be out alone.”

(Y/N) scoffed. “I think you’re forgetting who you’re talking to Jordan. I’m—”

“The mother of my child.” Hal declared and she gaped at him. “I know what you and your family think of me. I know you think I’m an arrogant asshole and yeah, I’ll admit that I am.” He pulled her to him and wrapped his arm around her waist. “But if you think for a second, I’m going to let you wander around this bat-shit crazy city alone while pregnant, then you’re the one who’s being arrogant.”

He searched her gaze. “I’m many things, (Y/N). But I’m not going to abandon you or shy away from whatever this is.”

She swallowed thickly. “What do you mean ‘whatever this is’? Parents?”

“Us.” Hal said. “Maybe it’s just my big head, but I see the way you look at me. Yeah, I annoy the hell out of you, but you care for me.” He reached up, cupping her cheek. “And I care about you too. More than just what teammates should for one another.”

(Y/N) didn’t know what to say, because he did have a point. Hal was an annoying prick who at many times provoked her into physical confrontation, but on the other hand, there was nothing she loved more than fighting with him, because she knew he found it just as amusing.

Her gaze lowered and she felt tears well in her eyes. “I’m scared, Hal.”

“I know. I am too,” he murmured. “But we’re going to get through this.” He tipped her head up, catching her eyes once more. “We will get through this. Together.”

(Y/N)’s lips wobbled, and she tried for a lighthearted comment. “Isn’t fraternization against the rules?”

Hal grinned. “Only in the military.” He winked. “Last time I checked—we’re not in it.”

She laughed, leaning forward, and pressed her forehead to his. “How’s everyone going to react to this?”

He shrugged. “Probably with shock. I mean about me getting a girl pregnant? Not likely. Getting you pregnant? More likely.”

“Shut up.”

“I think we should consider getting married though.”

(Y/N) pulled away and stared at him. “Excuse me?”

Hal looked at her. “(Y/N), we should think about getting married. I mean, we’re gonna have a kid together. Might as well tie the knot while we’re at it.”

She merely blinked and spun, walking off. “Nope. Not happening. I’ll be your baby-mama, but I am not marrying you.”

“Hey! Wait up!”

[theladyofdeath]

Life As We Know It {Prologue}

Summary: After the sudden deaths of Nesta’s sister and Cassian’s best friend, they gain guardianship of their nephew, Nyx.

Based on Life As We Know It (2010) and a prompt sent in by anonymous for our Nessian fanfic contest. This is a modern au.

Instead of doing a tag list for this story, we have decided to have a set schedule. Chapters will be posted weekly on Mondays and Thursdays. Chapters will be posted on both Shelby and I’s blogs! >> @snelbz​

We hope you all enjoy. :)

Cassian knew very little about Nesta Archeron, but he knew one thing for certain: she was hot as hell.

He had sworn he’d never go on another blind date, but Rhysand had begged, over and over again, for him to go out with the eldest sister of his girlfriend. So, to shut his brother up, Cassian agreed.

Reluctantly, but nonetheless. 

He took a quick shower where he bathed himself in a new bottle of body wash before stepping out and towel-drying his hair. Considering Nesta was Feyre’s sister, he felt the need to make a good first impression, although he wasn’t sure what a good impression was to Nesta Archeron.

He was hoping he was sufficient enough.

He dressed in his usual attire of jeans and old boots, but decided to wear a button up for once, rather than one of his go-to t-shirts. Still, he pulled on his leather jacket and grabbed his keys before hurrying out the door.

He typed the address Rhys had texted him into his gps, seeing the drive was going to take him nearly twenty minutes longer than he’d anticipated, thanks to an accident on the interstate.

He swore under his breath, throwing his truck into motion. He hurried across town and parked in front of Nesta’s townhouse, fifteen minutes later than he was supposed to. Flipping down his sun visor, Cassian ran a quick hand through his loose hair and was heading up to the front door, knocking twice.

Or he would have, if the door wasn’t pulled open the second his fist made contact with it.

Suddenly, in his jeans and leather jacket, he felt extremely underdressed.

Nesta Archeron wore a beautifully fitted dark blue dress that fell only a couple inches above her knees. She wore heels, and her hair was curled. A silver clutch was gripped tightly in her hand.

She eyed Cassian, from the top of his head to his toes. For once, even though he was half a foot taller than she, even in heels, Cassian felt smaller than shit.

“Hey,” he said, at last, once the silence became unbearably awkward.

“You’re Cassian?” she asked. 

“Were you expecting someone else?” he shot back.

Nesta’s lips thinned. “You’re late,” she said, instead. 

“At least I came,” he grinned. “Hungry?”

Nesta took a deep breath as she lifted her chin. “I suppose so.”

“Good,” he said, gesturing toward his running truck. “Let’s go. I made reservations.”

She locked her door and followed him down the sidewalk. “Are we going to be late for those, too?”

Cassian elected not to answer her, pausing at the passenger door and opening it for her. He let out a sigh as he rounded the truck to his own seat.

Something told him this was going to be a long night.

He was absolutely right.

Not a single word was said on the way to the restaurant across town, and, by some grace of the Cauldron, they made it on time for their reservations.

They were set at a table by the entrance quickly, and once their server arrived, Nesta ordered a glass of wine, while Cassian stuck with his usual beer.

“So,” Cassian began, clearing his throat as they waited for their drinks to arrive. “What should I know about you, Nesta?”

“That’s it?” she asked, brow raised. “That’s the question you’ll begin with?”

Cassian’s head fell to the side. “What question should I have gone with?”

Nesta took a moment to look around the bustling restaurant. “Well, you’ve yet to tell me how beautiful I look, or ask me how I’m doing tonight.”

Cassian couldn’t help but chuckle. “Fine. You look nice. How are you?”

Nesta snorted. “Well, I waited twenty minutes for my date, thinking he wasn’t coming. Other than that, fine, I guess.” 

“You don’t do this often, do you?” Cassian asked. There was nothing accusatory in his tone, just simple curiosity.

“Do what?” Nesta asked, the words nearly clipped.

“Date,” Cassian replied, simply. “Go out with someone for the first time.”

She crossed her arms over her chest. “No. I don’t particularly have a lot of free time to waste.”

Cassian’s eyebrows rose at her choice of words. “You don’t have to be here, you know?”

The server quietly returned to the table, setting their drinks down, before hurrying away, sensing the tension between the two. Nesta’s eyes didn’t leave him the whole time. She picked up her wine glass, taking a long drink, before she asked, “What do you mean?”

“I mean, you clearly would rather be anywhere but here,” Cassian replied, leaning back in his seat. “I’d hate to waste your time.”

She was about to reply when a voice came from their left.

“Cassian?”

He looked over his shoulder to find an old friend - a term that he used very, very loosely. 

Tanwyn and he had a very complicated relationship. They were friends - at least, they had been at one time. It had all become very complicated the first time he had invited her into his bed.

And the second time.

And the third.

And every time after that.

He smiled at her, almost hesitantly. “Hey, Tan. What are you doing here?”

“Here with some friends,” she grinned, approaching their table. “And you?”

“Here with…” Cassian’s voice trailed off as he looked across the table. “This is Nesta Archeron. Nesta, this is Tanwyn-.”

“Nice to meet you,” Nesta said, words clipped. “If you’ll excuse us, we’re on a date.”

She blinked, taken aback at Nesta’s cold greeting. “Right… Sorry to interrupt. I’ll see you later, Cass.” She nodded to Nesta. “Nice to meet you.”

She was gone before Cassian could say another word, and he looked at Nesta incredulously.

She raised her glass before putting it to her lips. “So when is the last time you slept with her?”

Cassian was stunned, shaking his head. “She’s a friend, there was no reason to be rude.”

“My question still stands.” Nesta folded her hands on the table, her eyes on Cassian’s.

“How do you even know-? What are you, a psychologist?”

“No, I’m a chef,” she said, glaring at him. “But you show everything on that pretty little face of yours. It was easy to read.”

He closed his eyes, dragging a hand down his face. “We just need to…start over. This is all going wrong.”

Nesta stayed quiet before finally nodding. “Fine.”

The server picked that time to return, the two of them ordering their food, and the awkward first date conversation began again.

“I have to be honest,” Cassian began. “I’m not sure where to even begin.”

“Your name would be fine,” Nesta said, sipping from her glass.

Cassian watched her for a moment to make sure she was serious before saying, “Cassian Nazari. Childhood friend of Rhys’.”

“And your occupation?” she asked, in all seriousness. 

“I’m a bartender,” Cassian said.

Nesta stared at him for a moment before asking, “Seriously?”

“Yeah, seriously, and before you make any judgements, bartenders make damn good money,” Cassian said.

“Interesting,” Nesta said, watching him intently. 

“Right,” Cassian muttered. “Now, will you give me some insight into you or should I beg?”

Nesta rolled her eyes before saying, “I’m Nesta. And, yes, lie I said, I’m a chef. I’ve got a little restaurant in the Square”

“That sounds…interesting,” he said, repeating her words. “And your Feyre’s sister?”

“I am,” she said, pausing as the server brought out salads and she began to eat hers, without any dressing.

Cassian, on the other hand, nearly drowned his in ranch dressing. He watched as she ate her plain lettuce. “That looks…boring.”

“Salad dressing is fattening. It negates all of the goodness of the salad.” She took another bite, chewing and looking at him, then his salad swimming in ranch. “You look like you take care of yourself, I’m surprised you don’t watch what you eat as well.”

He scoffed. “I work out, but I’m not going to be miserable and eat rabbit food.” He gestured to the bowl in front of her.

She rolled her eyes, but continued to eat her rabbit food.

Silence grew between them but neither of them attempted to break it. It wasn’t until their main courses arrived that Cassian nodded toward the cursive ink on the inside of her wrist. 

“You have a tattoo,” he said.

She eyed the ink that swirled around his arms, up beneath his rolled up sleeves. “I have a few,” she confessed. 

“What are they?” he asked, starting to cut up his steak.

She took a bite of her salmon, chewing it slowly before deflecting his question with one of her own, “What are yours?”

Cassian glanced down at the swirls and marks of black ink that covered his forearms. “They’re Illyrian tribal marks. They all mean something different, but I would be lying if I told you I knew what every one of them meant.” 

Nesta snorted. “Then why have them?”

Cassian met her eyes. “My mother was Illyrian. I grew up in Illyria, with her tribe.” 

It seems the answer nearly took her back, but she ended up nodding, curtly. “How is your steak?”

“Too done,” he said, shrugging as he took a bite. “I like my meat red.” Her nose crinkled slightly. He asked, “What?”

Nesta shrugged. “I don’t eat meat.”

He blinked and watched as she took another bite of salmon. “You’re…eating fish.”

An eye roll was her reply. “I don’t eat red meat,” she clarified.

“So you’re a vegetarian?” He asked.

“No, I just don’t like to eat red meat. Chicken, pork, fish,” she gestured to her plate. “I like that. But I just prefer not to eat red meat.”

“Hmm.” It was more of a non-answer than anything, but before she could say anything, a man appeared, standing next to their table. Cassian glanced up at him. “Can we help you?”

He wasn’t looking at him though. He was looking at Nesta, who was pointedly not looking at him.

“What are you doing, Nes?”

She took a drink of her wine, draining the glass. “This doesn’t concern you, Tom.”

“Bullshit,” he spat. “We take a break and less than a month later, you’re on a date?”

She finally looked at him. “We’re not on a break, I broke up with you.”

Cassian cleared his throat. “Is this where all exes gather?” He looked around again to see if he saw Tanwyn, but she was gone.

“Leave,” Nesta said, plainly. “I can’t enjoy my dinner with you standing over me like the controlling bastard you were in our relationship.”

Cassian’s lips nearly fell open.

The woman had balls.

He respected that.

“I hate to break up this little reunion, but this is awkward as hell,” Cassian muttered, popping a spoonful of garlic mashed potatoes into his mouth. 

“This doesn’t concern you,” Tomas said, looking to Cassian, using Nesta’s own words.

Cassian chuckled and ran a hand through his hair. “I’ll give you two choices here, Tom. Either I call someone to take your ass away from our table or I make you leave, myself.”

“Tough guy, huh?” Tomas asked, putting a hand on Nesta’s shoulder.

Nesta brushed his hand off the second it made contact with her skin. “This is ridiculous. I’m calling over the server. We’re leaving.”

Cassian was inclined to agree. This date had been a catastrophe so far, but he was hopeful that maybe if she invited him in, he could salvage it.

Tomas seemed to take the hint, looking back to Nesta. “I’ll call you tomorrow. We’ll talk about this entire situation then.”

She flagged down the server, but said to Tomas, “Don’t waste your time or mine.”

He walked away, muttering something under his breath, but the server returned and after a quick explanation from Nesta, she was off to get their check.

“Well, that was awkward,” Cassian said, clearing his throat, taking a drink of his beer, planning to finish it off.

“No more awkward than running into your fuck buddy,” she replied, pulling her lipstick out of her purse to re-apply it.

Cassian managed to swallow the mouthful of beer before he spewed it all over her. He coughed quietly. “You don’t tiptoe around anything, do you?”

Her answer was curt. “No.”

The server returned, standing the check book on the edge of the table, and Cassian elected to let the conversation drop at that. He reached into his back pocket to grab his wallet.

And froze.

It wasn’t there.

He checked every other pocket he had on him.

Nothing.

“Fuck,” he breathed, patting himself down.

Nesta arched a brow. “Issues?”

“I have to run out to the truck,” Cassian said, quietly. “I can’t seem to find my wallet.”

Nesta froze from where she sat behind her half-eaten salmon. “You forgot your wallet?”

“It’s probably in the truck-.”

“I didn’t see it in the truck-.”

“Then the glove box, maybe,” Cassian snapped. “Just, give me a minute.”

“Don’t bother,” Nesta bit, reaching across the table to grab the check.

Cassian got to it first and held it outside of her reach. “I can pay for it. I took you out, I’m paying.”

Nesta scoffed. “Spare me your holier than thou male bravado.” 

Cassian stood. “I just need to run out to my truck.”

She was on her feet, snatching the check book from him and looking at the total. Without another word, she reached into purse and laid down a series of bills, before closing it and heading for the door.

Sighing, Cassian followed her, his cheeks heating. Never had he let a woman pay for his dinner, and he’d sure as hell never let her pay for the first date.

He didn’t say a word as he unlocked her door, opening it, and closing it after she’d climbed in. He rounded to his own door, immediately looking around the cab for his wallet. It was nowhere to be seen. He reached across, opening the glovebox, pulling a few things out.

His wallet wasn’t one of them, but Nesta didn’t fail to notice the gold foil wrappers. And how many he had. She scoffed, buckling her seatbelt and looking out the window.

“I’ll pay you back,” he said, after he’d started the truck and had pulled onto the main road.

“No need,” she snapped, staring out the passenger side window. “Dropping me off and leaving me the hell alone will do.”

The words were barely audible. She spoke the words under her breath. And yet, Cassian felt them like a slap in the face. 

He was mortified.

He was at a loss for words.

He just wanted to go home.

He also wanted to make a move on Nesta Archeron.

There was something about the head-strong, independent woman that made Cassian swoon.

Not that it stopped the car ride back to her home any less silent and awkward.

“You’re Feyre’s sister,” Cassian said, randomly.

Nesta blinked, looking toward him. “Yeah. Is there something wrong with that?”

“No,” Cassian said quickly. “It’s just that, you’re so…” Different. Cruel. Different. Opposite. Different. Vindictive. Different. “Not the same,” Cassian finished, at last.

“I am my own person,” she snapped, as he stopped in front of her townhouse.

“I know you are, just-.” He sighed, turning to look at her. “This has been a mess from the start. Can I come in? I’d like some time for us to talk, just the two of us. No ex’s, no servers, no interruptions. I just want to get to know you.”

She laughed once.

The sound infuriated him.

“You mean you want to fuck me,” she said, unbuckling her seatbelt. He was, once again, caught off guard by how blunt she was. She pulled open his glovebox and removed the strip of condoms, holding them up. “Forgot your wallet, but made sure you didn’t forget these.”

Cassian slowly looked at her. “That’s not fair.”

“Not fair?” she repeated. “What are you, a child?”

Cassian couldn’t help but laugh out loud. “Are you fucking kidding me? I’ve tried to be the perfect gentleman tonight, alright? Yeah, I forgot my wallet, but-.”

“And we also ran into your fuck buddy, don’t forget about that,” Nesta said, with a vindictive grin. She opened the door, grabbed her purse, and hopped out.

Cassian was close behind her, following her up her walkway. “What the hell is wrong with you?”

Nesta spun around. “What the hell is wrong with me?” she laughed, humorlessly. “What the hell is wrong with you?”

“You’re a pain in the ass, you know that?” Cassian asked, as she approached her front door.

“Yet you’re still following me to my door,” she said, not looking back at him. She unlocked the door, opening it and stepping inside. Turning back to him, she held the door in one hand, the hand holding her purse propped on her hip. “Thank you for a truly unforgettable evening, Cassian, but I don’t think this is going to work out.”

He crossed his arms over his chest, letting his gaze slowly drag from her head to her toes and back up again. He watched as her cheeks heated, anger lighting up her eyes. “Yeah, I think you’re right. You’re too stuck up for your own good. Too bad.”

She groaned before slamming the door in his face, praying she’d never have to see Cassian Nazari again.

[queenshelby]

Accidents Happen (Just Friends Part 8) - Cillian Murphy Imagine

Featuring: Cillian Murphy x Reader

Warning: SMUT

Words: 3337

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Note: This is fictional and doesn’t include reference to Cillian’s real children and wife.

Dublin to Birmingham

Just six weeks ago you and Max moved in with Cillian and things couldn’t have gotten much better between you.

Whilst you both took this step out of convenience and fairly early on in your somewhat fresh relationship, you were both happy and comfortable with your decision.

Max loved having Cillian’s children around and Cillian was slowly becoming like a father to Max, something he had never experienced before. He treated Max the same way he treated his own children and, sometimes, you wondered how you got so lucky. Even you and Cillian’s ex-wife had managed to build a reasonable relationship and, when Cillian wasn’t able, you would sometimes drive to her house to pick up his two sons. The age gap between you and Cillian didn’t bother her once she learned how you interacted with the children and once she met your son Max.

As far as your relationship with Cillian was concerned, you loved having each other’s company on a day-to-day basis. You often cooked together, took long warm baths together and played board games with the kids. But, most of all, you loved spending nights together in the same bed. It was not only romantic but comforting for you to have the man you loved by your side every night until quite recently.

Unfortunately, just as you settled into your new home, Cillian had to travel to England to begin filming the next season of Peaky Blinders.

This meant that you were going to be on your own for three weeks with Max before you would see him again in Birmingham, which is where your parents lived.

Whilst filming didn’t actually take place in Birmingham, Cillian was meeting you and Max there over the long weekend to finally meet your parents. It was your father’s birthday and, unfortunately, he wasn’t too fond of your relationship with Cillian.

Initially, you didn’t share much with your family other than the fact that you were living with Cillian and that he shared care for his two children with his ex. Furthermore, your parents had a problem with the age gap between you and Cillian after your father asked how old he was.

Your parents considered that age and the fact that you had three children between you might become an issue if you wanted more children of your own. You knew that Cillian didn’t want any more children and at this point, neither did you. Things were perfect the way they were and you hoped that your parents would accept your relationship once they saw how happy Cillian made you.

But, little did you know that, your parents would give him a much harder time than necessary when they first meet him.

On the Friday evening, when you arrived in Liverpool with Max, you were excited to see your parents. But, you were even more excited to see Cillian who you were meeting at the airport.

You had hired a car to drive to your parents’ house together. That way, you could drive back to Liverpool on the Monday with Cillian for another few quite days between you while your grandmother had planned to take Max back to Dublin.

In her opinion, you and Cillian were in need of some time together without kids. Unlike your parents, she adored Cillian and supported your relationship.

As you and Max got out of the plane and entered the terminal, you could see Cillian waiting for you from far away. He couldn’t be missed wearing the Thomas Shelby haircut and, unfortunately for you, other people recognised him as well.

But, he didn’t seem bothered by the fact that people were starring at him and took you into his arms before giving you a kiss as soon as you and Max approached.

He then proceeded to give Max a hug before offering you help with your bags.

‘Nice haircut’ you chuckled as you ran your hand over the back of his head.

‘Funny’ he smirked as he took your bag and walked with you and Max to the car.

You knew that he hated getting his hair cut with this style and couldn’t help but tease him.

‘I just love that I will get to meet your entire family while having this ridiculous haircut’ Cillian chuckled.

‘Trust me, at least three of my cousins get their hair cut the same way. You won’t be noticed as the odd one out’ you laughed.

‘Great, if I put on the accent, no doubt I will blend right in, eh?’ Cillian chuckled.

‘Well, you can stay in character over the weekend if you want’ you laughed before giving him another kiss as you arrived at the car.

‘You know, I really missed you’ you said with a warm smile as you sat down in the driver seat.

‘You are driving, are you?’ Cillian smiled before telling you that he missed you also and giving you another even longer kiss than before.

‘Yikes, can you stop this’ Max said with some embarrassment. He had gotten to the age where he thought that kissing was disgusting and girls were silly.

After you both chuckled about Max’s comment, you were on your way to Birmingham.

While you were driving, Cillian exclaimed that he was nervous about meeting your parents after they were already disapproving of your relationship.

What he also didn’t know that you never mentioned to your family what he was doing for a living. Unless your grandmother told them, they might be lightly surprised. But, the topic had never come up after, every time you and your father talked about your relationship, you ended up hanging up on him when he started to argue with you.

Nonetheless, you reassured Cillian that your parents will come around once they met him and see how happy you are together.

The Moment of Truth

After an almost 2 hour drive you finally arrived at your parent’s house.

‘Hi darling, how are you?’ your mum said as she hugged both you and Max at the same time before introducing herself to Cillian.

‘You must be Cillian. It’s nice to meet you’ your mum said as she shook Cillian’s hand.

‘Likewise, Mrs Y/LN’ Cillian responded with a warm smile just as your father walked through the hallway and greeted you and Max.

‘I am Y/N’s father’ he said somewhat sternly before shaking Cillian’s hand.

‘Cillian, nice to meet you’ Cillian said politely.

‘I figured. Now come on in’ your father said as it was rather cold.

Your mother was quick to disappear with Max and you quickly instructed her to give him too many lollies before dinner.

‘He looks somewhat familiar’ your father exclaimed to you while Cillian closed the car just as your youngest brother came walking through the hallway to approach you.

He immediately noticed Cillian and looked at him with some surprise.

‘No fucking way’ Brendan said all of a sudden while his eyes widened, causing him to receive a nudge from your father.

‘Language Son’ your father said firmly, causing Cillian to chuckle before he introduced himself.

‘I know man. Me and my friends love Peaky Blinders’ your brother said before introducing himself to Cillian.

Your father looked at your brother with some confusion until it clicked and he realised that Cillian was, in fact, part of the TV show he had been watching occasionally with your brother.

Your sister soon approached you as well and greeted you with a hug. She also introduced herself to Cillian. You had spoken with her about in him on several occasions previously and there was no surprise. Nonetheless, her first question was whether Cillian could introduce her to Finn Cole, causing Cillian to laugh.

After some introductions and small talk, your father showed you to your respective rooms and it became evident to you that he had arranged for you to share a room with Max while he had allocated a separate room to Cillian.

‘Dad, that’s a joke, right? You do realise we live together?’ you asked, while Cillian remained quiet about the situation.

‘And yet you aren’t married, so you will not be staying in the same bedroom at my house’ your father said, causing you to take a deep breath.

‘We should have booked a bloody hotel, that’s ridiculous’ you said.

‘Fine by me’ your father said before walking off.

‘Y/N, it’s two nights and Max hasn’t seen his grandparents for a while. We should stay for him, yeah?’ Cillian said quietly and you nodded reluctantly. As usual, Cillian was comforting and loving despite your father’s dislike for him.

‘I am so sorry Cilly, I don’t know what his problem is’ you said.

‘It’s alright Y/N. He is just being protective of you and that’s a good thing. I am sure he will come around’ Cillian said as he took you into his arms.

‘I know. It’s just that I am 25 years old and cannot sleep in the same bedroom as my boyfriend. It’s so ridiculous’ you said somewhat upset. After all, you wanted to be with Cillian desperately, share a bed together and possibly have some intimacy.  

‘I know’ Cillian chuckled before giving you a gentle kiss.

‘I cannot wait another two nights to be with you. It’s been three weeks since we slept together last and the Skype thing is really not the same’ you said suggestively as you ran your hand over his crotch hoping that no would walk through the hallway and catch you.

‘Y/N, stop. I don’t think your father would appreciate it if he saw us like this’ Cillian chuckled trying to push your hand away.

‘I tell you what, I will come to your room after everyone goes to sleep. Just for a bit’ you smirked trying to reach inside his pants, causing Cillian to get fidgety and laugh at the same time.

‘That’s a bad idea Y/N’ Cillian chuckled.

‘Why is that?’ you asked before telling Cillian that you have needs.

‘Firstly, this is your parents’ house and I do not want to disrespect their wishes. Secondly, you aren’t exactly quiet when we have sex and, thirdly, you told me on the way here that you forgot your pill the last couple of days when you stayed with your grandmother in Galway’ Cillian said.

‘Well, you will just have to pull out in time’ you winked, knowing very well that he had exceptional self-control after you found yourself in the same situation the previous months when you forgot to take it. After that, it had gotten to the point where Cillian reminded you to take it as you weren’t exactly consistent and somewhat forgetful, which also made you schedule a doctor’s appointment in two weeks to discuss other options in so far as contraception was concerned.

Just as your quick conversation with Cillian was nearing the end, your mother called out to you both to tell you that dinner was ready.

‘Coming’ you yelled out as you removed your hand from the inside of Cillian’s pants.

‘Thanks…gotta hide that now’ Cillian chuckled as he rearranged his pants so that his erection would be hidden beneath the large jumper he was wearing.

You giggled and both made your way to the dining room.

Dinner Interrogations

During dinner, your father managed to step out of line completely when he asked Cillian whether he always dated women much younger than him.

Luckily, Cillian remained polite and answered his question regardless of its inappropriateness.

‘No. In fact, I was reluctant about the age difference between us at first’ Cillian exclaimed.

‘Well, I was just asking since, with many actors, that’s the norm, dating women half their age’ your father said.

‘It is?’ Cillian asked surprised, causing you to laugh but your father didn’t appreciate the sarcasm.

The conversation soon escalated and Cillian excused himself and offered you to put Max to bed so that you can catch up with your sister and mother.

It was obvious to you that your father and Cillian didn’t see eye to eye and Cillian tried best to remain calm and keep the peace for your sake.

He joined you and your family again after putting Max to bed and, by that time, your father had received a lecture from your mother and was up to his second glass of wine. Things went much more smoothly thereafter and your parents also excused themselves at 9pm to go to bed.

Cillian went on to have a shower before giving you kiss and returning to the room that was assigned to him. He knew you would join him shortly. After all, he knew you well and he found it rather difficult to deny you especially when you were aching for him. You were a rather sexual person and demanding when it came to intimacy. 

And just like this, after you had a shower and checked on Max, you sneaked into his room wearing nothing but your panties.

Cillian was lying in bed with a novel, wearing his Calvin Klein briefs and reading glasses. The beside table lamp was dimming the room nicely and his muscular chest was highlighted by the shimmering light.

‘Good Evening Professor’ you giggled as you immediately jumped on top of him. You loved when he was wearing his reading glasses.

Cillian put his book aside and pulled you close for passionate kiss before taking off his glasses.

‘I love you, you know that?’ he said quietly and you nodded in response.

‘I love you too Cillian’ you said before kissing him again passionately before lifting up your hips to take off your panties.

There wasn’t much time for foreplay and you certainly didn’t need any. After three weeks, you were desperate for him and he was desperate for you.

You quickly threw the blanket to the ground and helped him out of his briefs before pushing him backwards so that he would lie flat on the mattress.

You climbed on top of him before you kissed again, fast, desperate and passionately.

‘Don’t forget to pull out’ you smirked just before your body began to slowly lower itself onto his Cillian’s lap, the head of his cock pushing against your opening.

He was hard, harder than he had been in a while. It was obvious to you how much he simply wanted to be inside of you.

The lips of your mound were slick, covered by your juices and the precum that had pooled at the tip of his cock.

As you moved your body further down, he penetrated you without resistance, relishing the wet, soft and warm grip of your opening.

You were just as tight as he remembered and a soft growl fell from his lips. Your walls contracted around him as he entered you inch by inch. It almost felt like a vice-grip, and the fact that he didn't immediately cum right there after three weeks of abstinence was a miracle.

You also couldn't believe how good it felt, after three weeks. You needed this desperately and you no longer cared about the fact that your parents were staying in the next room.

‘Hmm, I missed this’ you moaned quietly as more and more of his cock filled you.

Finally, your shapely ass rested on his legs, the entirety of Cillian’s cock throbbing inside you.

‘I missed this too babe’ Cillian whispered as you leaned in and kissed him deeply, pressing your small perky breasts against his chest.

You raised yourself slightly before lowering yourself back onto his hard member.

Cillian kept both hands on your hips, guiding you as you rhythmically bounced on his lap.

You felt yourself getting lost in all of this and your moans soon became uncontrolled, causing Cillian to gently place his hand over your mouth for a few seconds to muffle the sounds you were making.

‘You need to be quiet’ he instructed as the feeling of him being inside of you was almost dizzying.

You tried the best you could to remain quiet, but your efforts were futile as your humping grew erratic while you nuzzled your face into Cillian’s neck.

Cillian wrapped his arms around you and started to both lift you and thrust up, taking control of your movements.

His cock was slamming into you now, the sound of your ass cheeks being clapped competing with the squeaking of the bed.

Neither of you cared any longer as you got lost in each other. Surely, your family was fast asleep by now.

‘Cillian, fuck’ you whispered in between laboured moans as you moved in sync with each other and the head of his cock hit your cervix over and over again. His length filled you perfectly and it felt as though he was all the way inside your stomach.

As you rode him for what felt like an eternity, you could soon begin to feel your orgasm approach hard and fast and, whilst you usually tried to draw it out, you didn’t that night.

You came hard and forcefully, your body shaking as you did everything in your power not to scream and moan.

As your orgasm washed over you, Cillian once again covered your mouth to stop you from screaming out involuntarily. Usually, you were loud in the bedroom, so loud that you had recently been questioned by one of the children as to whether something was wrong.

Cillian made you feel so good that you lost control and his hand muffled the screams that escaped you as your walls contracted around him, squeezing his hard cock tightly as you orgasmed.

The sound of your panting and contraction of your tight walls around his cock pushed Cillian close to the edge as well. In fact, he was dangerously close.

While you rode out your orgasm, his was approaching, fast and hard and his cock started to pulse inside you.

‘Y/N stop’ Cillian said quietly as he held still, trying to reduce the pleasure you were giving him. But, you were in a trance, still consumed by your orgasm after three weeks of abstinence, and continued to move up and down on top of him.

‘Y/N, you need to stop… Fuck’ Cillian panted in between involuntary groans as he could feel himself throbbing inside of you rapidly. He could not hold back any longer.

You finally realised what was happening when you felt his hands grip your waist, trying to move you off him and asking you to stop once again.

‘Fuck Y/N’ Cillian moaned as you quickly moved your body upwards, allowing him to pull out of you and, just in that moment, he came hard and fast.

You tried your best to quickly collect his hot and sweet seed with your mouth as you had planned. After all, this was something you enjoyed doing a lot. But, your efforts were partially futile and you would certainly have to find a way to discreetly wash the sheets tomorrow without your parents noticing. There was a lot, defiantly more than usual.

‘Close call’ you giggled after swallowing what you had collected and licking your lips suggestively before lying down next to Cillian.

‘Too fucking close Y/N’ Cillian said, still panting. ‘You won’t be going on top the next time you want me to pull out’ he said.

‘I am sorry. I just totally lost control’ you said as you curled up against Cillian’s chest.

‘I could tell. I hope your parents didn’t hear you’ he said with a slight chuckle before kissing you gently.

That night, you really wanted to stay with him, but you knew that you couldn’t and, after another few minutes of kisses and cuddles, you returned to your room quietly.

When you returned to your room you decided to change into your comfortable snoopy pyjamas which your mum had given you. They weren’t exactly sexy, but warm.

But, just as you stepped out of your black lace panties, you noticed a small amount of shimmery white liquid on the inside of them.

Hoping that it wasn’t what you thought it was, you ran your finger through your wet slit in anguish and observed a little more of it.

Perhaps the close call was too close after all.

[isabellabrodar]

Rely on You✖️JJ Maybank✖️

word count: 1573

warnings: mentions of alcohol and drugs, death/loss

JJ Maybank x Reader; JJ Maybank x John B’s sister

Everyone in my family has left me at some point. My mother ditched us for Colorado when my brother and I were only three years old. John B took that pretty, hard but I knew we were better off without her. Caring for her children wasn’t really a strength of hers anyways, so we barely talk about her now.

Then our dad went away to find the lost gold on the Royal Merchant and never came back. This time the loss of a parent broke me. I didn’t dare hope that he was just stranded somewhere, slurping on a coconut and waiting until someone comes to get him and although his body never was found, John B and I silently agreed on moving on. Accepting that your dad died isn’t the easiest thing for two teenagers to do. So I tried to lose myself in school stuff and John B took over our household. I think it was just his way of coping with the situation, but it became annoying pretty quickly. Every time our friends came over, it seemed like he was trying to prove that he was taking care of me.

And then he died. Or at least we all thought he and Sarah did. But turns out they were alive the whole time and now everything can go back to normal. But losing almost everyone that you have learned to rely on hurts you in a way that cannot be undone.

I was gripping the red plastic cup tightly as I tried to make my way through the dancing and drinking crowd. My eyes were moving rapidly over every face nearby, searching for my brother’s hazel eyes and curly brown hair. But I didn’t see him. So I pushed further into the mass of people until I passed a group of Kooks, standing on the edge of the boneyards, seeming to be staring at a girl dancing her heart out only a couple of feet away. I usually would’ve said something to them but I just walked by, my breathing becoming quicker as I whispered John B’s name over and over again.

When I felt a strong hand grab my shoulder, I turned around in a quick motion.

“John B?” I said before I looked into clear blue eyes.

“No, Y/N. He left about five minutes ago with Sarah. They’re fine.” JJ’s voice was calm but his look was drenched with worry and his grip didn’t loosen up as my breathing slowed down a bit.

“Sorry, J. I…I just didn’t know where he was. I was…I am sorry.” I felt a small tear of relief roll down my cheek as the panic started to die down and JJ moved to put a strand of my dark brown hair behind my ear.

“It’s okay. No need to apologize, smarty. We’ll go home yeah? I’ll get Kie and Pope.” I could hear a slight slur in his words, probably coming from more than just a couple of beers. Other than that he sounded tired and I knew that was my fault.

“No, J. I can get home by myself. Let them enjoy themselves, I don’t want to ruin the whole evening.” I put the empty cup on a rock wall next to me and straightened out my white summer dress. JJ looked me up and down once and then shook his head. I knew he wasn’t going to let me walk home alone after that panic attack.

“I’ll tell Pope that we’re going home. Meet you at the truck.” And before I could argue once more, JJ was already on his way over to our friends who were chatting with some other Pogues that I had seen before at school. So I went back into the crowd and saw that one of the Kooks from earlier was now dancing with that one girl and his friends weren’t staring anymore but looking around for something or better someone else to watch. I made my way over to my old truck, dodging several elbows and spilling drinks, while thinking about all the other times the panic had taken a hold of me and JJ had been there to help me.

Our friendship used to be very easy, I would say. We met through John B in third grade and have been inseparable ever since then. With the others we would go surfing almost every day but when it came to talking about serious matters, JJ and I usually kept to ourselves. Occasionally I had noticed the forming bruises on his cheeks or ribs whenever he came back from his house, but he always said it was nothing or an accident and I didn’t pressure him into telling me more, although I made it a point to come with him to his house as often as I could, so his dad wouldn’t get a chance to touch JJ.

And in return JJ didn’t ask about my nightmares that would wake me up every night after we thought John B and Sarah died. He’d move closer to me on the mattresses that we put into the living room for us four to sleep on. Kie and Pope mostly slept at their houses though, which was good, because then I didn’t have to explain myself to even more people. The problem is, that even after my brother and Sarah came back, the nightmares didn’t stop and I started having panic attacks when I felt like I lost them again. Just like at the party. And since JJ was the only person who knew about that, he felt obligated to take care of me.

This is pretty far away from us calling each other smarty and pretty boy, reducing each other to what people mostly noticed about us and never talking about anything besides parties, surfing and how many grams of weed we would need to get for the next tour on the HMS Pogue.

I grabbed a hoodie from the passenger seat of my truck and closed the door again when I heard footsteps approaching.

“You know I am fine. No need to deprive all these pretty girls from their favorite pretty boy.” I said in a mocking but tired tone whilst nodding my head towards the dancing crowd. JJ was now standing next to me, smiling.

“They can wait ‘till the next party. Let’s go home.” He held out his arm for me to loop mine around and then we started walking through the Cut. This kind of intimacy between us had become normal, but it never seemed to be anything besides friendship and we were both grateful for that. The summer air was cold on my legs and small goosebumps started to form on my skin.

“You really need to wear more… I don’t know, fabric I guess.”

“You sound like my dad. Or worse, like John B.” A small laugh escaped his lips as we made our way further along the street, arms still intertwined.

“I think you should talk to him about your nightmares.”

“And I think you should tell your dad he can rot in hell.” He let go of me and put a little distance between us.

“Damn, Y/N, I get it. Don’t talk to John B then.” It always came to this. Both of us telling the other what to do and to confront their problems, but we couldn’t do it and then we would get pissed off at each other, but that’s just the way our friendship worked.

We got to John B and I’s house a couple minutes later, which we had spent in silence. I opened the door and went straight towards John B’s room. The light was turned off already and I saw him and Sarah sleep peacefully. That’s when my heart beat finally went completely back to normal. When I stepped into the living room I saw JJ sprawled across one of the big mattresses. He was still wearing his clothes but that didn’t seem to matter to him.

“I’m going to sleep in my room today, J.”

He mumbled a quiet “ok” and turned his back towards me as I stepped past him.

I was standing on the beach and watched John B and my dad go into the waves on a small boat. Then thunder started and the heavy rain made it hard to see anything out on the ocean. There was lightning and then suddenly the sound of the thunderstorm stopped as I saw the lightning hit the boat that my family was on. Then they were just gone.

I woke up, breathing heavily with sweat on my forehead. My room was dark but I could hear quiet steps coming towards my bed. I scooted over to the side and started to relax as JJ planted himself next to me, still fully clothed. I laid back down and closed my eyes as the boy next to me but his arm over my side and started to calmly breathe onto my neck. This is something that has happened a lot the past two months. Always the same dream, the same horror in which I woke up and then JJ being there and helping me back to sleep just by getting closer. But this scared me. How can I let myself rely on him when everything that causes me pain comes from the people that I am closest to disappearing, getting hurt or leaving?

✖️Soo, I usually don’t write but I just wanted to try it. I know this is not a complete story or whatever and it’s kind of all over the place, but if you guys like it, then I might rewrite it or add more:)

[venzelwrites]

Albedo Headcanons

He makes ridiculous puns with a straight face and creates an awkward silence in the room

He will stare at people without blinking for an extended period of time

When he looks at people, most of the time he’s not really looking, more like he’s just staring into space

The most aloof person ever

Someone could recite an essay to him and if it didn’t catch his interest, he’d retain none of the information - he’d just stare

A very small number people leave impressions on him

When he hasn’t slept in days, he fidgets - biting his lip or occasionally chewing on his nail

If someone who is usually one way acts a different way, it’ll grab his attention like nothing else

For example; when they quiet and reserved Sucrose is expressive and passionate, it doesn’t matter the topic - he’s paying attention

He’s the only one who’s comfortable in a room with awkward silence

For some reason he doesn’t get cold

Like ever

He could live in Dragonspine and be fine with just his usual clothes

He rarely makes time for his friends - he doesn’t know who to consider a friend

He’s made Sucrose cry by complete accident

Multiple times

It’s one of the few times anyone has seen him panic

Klee will barge into his lab when he’s not busy and attack his hair with accessories

It doesn’t bother him

The first time Sucrose saw him with a hurricane of red accessories in his hair it startled her

He finds it funny when Sucrose gets startled by him

He doesn’t make noise when he walks

One time he came up behind Sucrose and started talking out of the blue and Eula bursted into the room ready to kill someone because of how loud Sucrose screamed

Sometimes when he talks he doesn’t realize he’s mumbling so people just stare at him like, “???”

Has a weird fascination with drawing Sucrose’s peculiar ears

Wanted to conduct research on them, but Sucrose was insistant on not doing so

When he’s denied something he’s interested in he looks like a kicked puppy

He will brew tea and get sidetracked for hours - and then just drink it cold

Sucrose has to check on him occasionally to make sure he’s not staying up for seven days straight or drinking old, cold tea

She’s had to wrestle him to bed

And had to wrestle unhealthy drinks from his grasp

One time he was actually startled by her - he was absorbed in painting and she gently poked his shoulder

He flinched and looked up at her like she grew another head because he didn’t even know she was in the lab

He’s a nightmare in the mornings whenever he does sleep

Has barged into the laboratory two hours late because he had a Eureka! moment while laying in bed and contemplating his life

Scared the living daylights out of Sucrose

Has actually managed to get the harmless sweetie to cuss

“Good morning, Sucrose.”

“WAA- FUCK!”

“...”

“O-oh, e-excuse me, M-mister Albedo. You quite s-startled me.”

It scared him almost as much as he scared her

Found it funny after

Once in a blue moon he’ll tease people

“Oh, I was unaware the soft spoken Sucrose could speak so vulgarly.”

“Mister Albedooo..”

Has a weird in-the-kitchen-at-three-am bond with Sucrose

One time they both met in the hallway, walking to the lab at four in the morning because they couldn’t sleep

Klee made a point to ask Albedo why him and Sucrose weren’t married

“Big brother, why aren’t you and Sucrose married?”

Insert Albedo malfunctioning and Sucrose choking on coffee

He had to explain the concept of work partners and assistants to her

Sucrose just about cried of embarrassment because she’s had a fat crush on him for the longest time

He is completely oblivious to this fact

One of the rare times when he teased her, he called her sweetie because of her nickname and she went bright red and hid behind her desk

Cue Albedo being very confused

He seriously thought she was sick

“Sucrose, are you feeling alright?”

She was about to cry I swear

Lisa joked to Albedo that Sucrose could have her own harem once

He looked her dead in the face and asked her what a harem is

He’s an intelligent person I swear, I just like to write him a very uneducated in people

Sucrose made a joke once and he stared at her for a good minute before laughing

It wasn’t even a laugh it was a chuckle

“Haha, I guess you could say my progress is blooming,”

“...”

“...”

“...”

“...”

*Chuckle*

He’s scared this poor girl too many times

He’s also found that she is not entirely harmless

One time she lost her glasses and accidentally made an explosive

The panic he felt when he realized

He’s also seen her obliterate a whopperflower

Whenever anyone teases him about anything he just stares at them with a blank expression

Has made Kaeya feel awkward

One time nail polish caught his interest and he painted both his and Sucrose’s nails with a tiny paintbrush

Sucrose was just, “???”

The stupidest thing can catch his interest

He’s like a cat

Kind of

One time Sucrose barged into his room apologizing a storm because she messed up in the lab and he just stared at her because he was half asleep

And then just pulled his arms around her and patted her back

Sucrose had never been so startled

“I’m sorry I broke one of your breakers and I know it took you a while-“

*Hug*

He honestly just wanted her to stfu so he could go back to sleep

And then he fell asleep again

And when he woke up Sucrose was still standing

With baggy eyes and sore legs

He just stared at her like wtf because she could’ve left and he wouldn’t have cared

He legitimately put a couch in the lab for him and Sucrose to crash on when they passed out from sleep deprivation

The rest of the knights thought it was for guests

Nope

[ducky-died-inside]

Okay i have an idea its kinda angsty so bare with me reader has a bad day and every litte thing that goes wrong sets her off a little bit more so when she comes back she accidently explodes on her family and maybe says she wishes someone was dead ( but not actually meaning it ) and she makes someone cry ( not antonio cause i would feel really bad ) and she just walks off and her brothers calm her down . Basically reader taking her frusturation out but not really knowing how bad it was . I understand if you dont want to do it and if you see a part you dont like take it out . Also sorry for not requsting i was trying to think of a good one . Anyways have a good day / night platonic camilo/carlos x reader . ( I hope this isnt to much )

Wished Dead: Triplet Au

Summary: You had a frustrating day and take it out on your family

Genre: Angst, Comfort

Notes: I didn't take anything out, but I did make it more angsty. Also, don’t apologize for the request. I love to write angst, so don’t worry about your request being angsty. You can shapeshift into animals and Camilo and Carlos can do people

Warnings: Anger, yelling, mentions of death,

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You woke that morning and your hair looked like a rats nest. Usually, you slept as an animal so that you could change back and look nice in the morning, but you forgot to last night.

You got up and tugged a brush through your curls. They were tangled up in knots and brushing them gave you a headache.

You put it up and started on your makeup to find that your favorite mascara was all gone.

You pulled on your orange ruana to find a tear in it. You groaned.

I just woke up and the day already sucks. I better find another one so that I can get food before Camilo and Carlos eat all the food. I know I have another one in here.....

You dug through your closet but couldn't find your extra ruana. You sighed and pulled out a dress that you hadn't worn yet because you liked matching your brothers. You hated wearing dresses as pants allowed for more movement and freedom, while dresses were confining and tight.

You went downstairs to get breakfast to find that your brothers had eaten most of the food.

It's fine, I'm fine, I'll just ask Tia if she can make something for me.....

Julieta wasn't in the kitchen. She was put in the town, giving people her healing meals.

I guess I'll just have to go into town then, and get food there....

You were walking to go out the door when you heard your Abuela's voice.

"Y/N! You're finally up! Come here so I can give you your chores for the day."

You grumbled and walked over to your Abuela. She started talking and gave you the same chores she did most days. Watch the children around town, entertain them but don't turn into anything scary around them, things like that. You nodded absent-mindedly and your gaze drifted towards the door. Abuela stopped talking and looked to you for a response. You looked back, confused.

"Y/N? Are you alright?"

"Yes, I'll be fine. I just need to get to Julieta and get some food. Camilo and Carlos ate the rest of breakfast without me."

"Those boys..."

She shook her head and smiled at you.

"You go get some food, then go do your chores."

You nodded and walked out the door.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Julieta was in the center of town, giving people her healing food. By the time you had gotten to her table, you had tripped three times, been stopped by about 20 children, and hit in the head with an apple. You were ready to go to bed and not get up. You went up to her to see that she was giving the last person in line her last arepa. She saw you walk up and her face filled with regret.

"Lo siento, mi sobrina. That was my last one. Do you want to come with me to Casita and I can make something for you?"

You sighed and nodded with relief.

"That would be great, Tia"

She grabbed you by the arm and pulled you to the Casita. On the way there, you had tripped four more times and twisted your ankle. As your Tia helped you up, you brushed off your dress.

"Ay, Y/N! I'm starting to think your as accident prone as Augustin!"

"Yeah. I guess I'm just not watching my feet today."

You tried to laugh it off, but on the inside, for no reason in particular, her comment stung. She helped you to the kitchen and let you sit down while she baked. She finished a small plate of arepas and gave them to you. You only had time to eat one before a child called your name outside. You begrudgingly got up, your scrapes and twisted ankle healed by the arepa you did eat.

"Thanks, Tia. I'll finish these later."

"Bye, Y/N! Be safe!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Your day went downhill from there. You weren't able to finish your chores until it was time for dinner, your boyfriend couldn't keep you company, you couldn't find your brothers and it seemed that you would blow up at the drop of a hat.

By the time you were able to get home, dark clouds covered the sky and rain was coming down. Your Mami was waiting by the door for you, a nervous expression on her face. She finally noticed you and you tripped in a puddle. She rushed over to help you up, but you brushed past her.

"Y/N! Are you alright? I've been so worried! I haven't seen you all day!"

You held back from yelling at her, not wanting to make the situation worse. You walked into the house, not wanting to talk to anyone. They were all waiting for you to get home so that you could do dinner with them, but you just walked past them.

"Y/N! Are you alright?!"

Camilo and Carlos got up but stepped back a bit when they saw your face. You turned back to face them, tears in your eyes.

"DOES IT LOOK LIKE I'M ALRIGHT, CAMILO?! NO, I'M NOT ALRIGHT! IN FACT, I WISH I WAS DEAD!"

Horror filled your face as you realized what you just said. Tears ran down your face as you turned away from them and ran up the stairs to your room. You heard them call out your name but you slammed the door before they could get to you. Casita made the door disappear from sight and you sunk onto your bed.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You had sat on your bed for about an hour when you decided you needed fresh air. Not wanting to go out yet, you turned into a bird and flew to a clearing that you used when you needed to clear your thoughts.

Dolores heard the flapping of your wings and told Camilo and Carlos.

"She left the house, hermanos. She's in the clearing."

They thanked her and left to go comfort you. They knew where the clearing was because they often had to find you for things. You heard them rustling the bushes nearby and looked up to see them making their way over to you. You weren't still crying, but seeing them made a new wave of tears start. They both rushed over and enveloped you in a hug.

"Oh, hermana. You'll be alright. We've got you."

You cried into their shoulders and they just hugged you and whispered comforting words to you.

After a few minutes, Carlos grabbed you by the shoulders.

"Y/N, what happened today?"

"A lot of things. I just couldn’t do anything right today. I had a panic attack, I'm having another one right now, I tripped at least 10 times, I couldn't find you guys or my boyfriend to keep me company, my ruana ripped so I had to wear my dress today, I dropped a bunch of things, I accidentally scared some children, I yelled at you guys, I made Mami worried, I-"

Carlos cut you off. You were getting close to hyperventilating, breathing quickly and heavily.

"It's ok, Y/N. You don't need to relive your entire day. You already went through it. You don't need that right now."

You nodded as your breathing slowed down. They both hugged you again until you fell asleep, exhausted from the day. They noticed your quiet breaths and smiled down at you. Camilo turned into Luisa and picked you up in his arms and carried you back to Casita. As soon as he came in, your door reappeared on the wall so that he could put you in your room. He set you back down on your bed and Carlos got a plate of food for you. He put it down on your desk and wrote a note that said it was for when you got up.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Taglist: @dai-tsukki-desu , @hiroyuki27 , @alexaizawa , @camilolovesroxiie , @katethecraziest , @merymikey , @kailoveswom3n

Ask to be added to romantic or platonic taglist! Please Specify so I can keep them separate!

[sky-berrie]

Goodnight - Damian

Summary: Damian pays you a visit at night ft. the one bed trope.

It was a typical eerie night in Gotham and as usual, you spent it alone in your room. You were completely engrossed in the murder documentary streaming on your laptop, the game of Tetris on your cell phone, and the barbeque potato chips you were shoving into your mouth. You were so unaware of your surroundings that you jumped right out of your seat and yelped when you felt a hand on your shoulder.

“Relax, Y/N,” said Damian, casually. “It is only me.” He was dressed in his Robin uniform. It was clean which meant that he was probably unharmed.

You scowled at him as your felt your heart beat wildly against your ribcage. Your eyes traveled to the open window. You were certain that you had secured the latch, added the anti-lift bar and activated the alarm not twenty minutes ago. Your newfound interest in murder mysteries kept you awake a night, so you amped up your security to give yourself some peace of mind. It should have been impossible for anyone to break in, but here Damian was, standing inside your apartment bedroom.

“Stop abusing your power like that,” you scolded.

“Stop leaving yourself vulnerable,” he countered, without missing a beat.

“I didn’t! Did you not see the steel bar and alarm?” you said with indignation. You had to wonder how he managed to slip in. In another life, he could be a magician, you thought.

“Indeed, I did notice,” he said. “It is quite the cute little system you have.” His smirk was as condescending as ever.

You rolled your eyes and huffed. You didn’t want to give him the satisfaction of getting a big reaction out of you.

Damian’s expression softened. “I am glad that you installed that, though. Now I do not have to worry so much about you when I am away.”

You had no idea how to formulate a response to a comment that was not an insult or sarcasm. You awkwardly changed the subject instead, “So… you need something or…?”

Damian looked at you expectantly as if he was waiting for you to continue. “Do not end your sentence with a conjunction,” he chastised you. “Proper grammar is imperative for effective communication.” You rolled your eyes again. Sometimes he was insufferable.

“I just wanted to make sure you were okay,” he said. And sometimes he was almost sweet.

His gloved finger gently tipped your face upwards so he could inspect it thoroughly. You found his concern rather considerate until he opened his mouth again. Damian’s face contorted into an expression of disgust before he said, “You are beginning to look like Drake.” Although Tim was very attractive, you knew how Damian felt about his adoptive brother. His statement was not to be mistaken as a compliment.

You pulled away and rolled your eyes again. “Got it. You came here to annoy me. Mission accomplished. You ready to leave now?” You pointed to the window.

“I am being serious, Y/N, you look unwell…” He looked around your desk space with a horrified expression. “And I can see why. When was the last time you slept?”

“Uh,” you blew a raspberry as you thought about it. “Yester…today?” you said, but it came out as a question. Damian looked unimpressed. “No, today. Definitely today,” you stated with more confidence.

You could tell Damian didn’t buy it. “What day is it today?” he challenged.

Your eyes roamed around the room in search of clues. The date and time weren’t visible on your electronics. You took a stab in the dark. “Saturday.”

Damian crossed his arms over his chest. “It is Sunday night.”

“Oh…” you pursed your lips sheepishly. Sometimes the days blurred together.

“That is it,” he said with finality. He closed your laptop. “You are banned from watching murder mysteries videos at night.” He went for your phone next. He raised it up for you to see your game of Tetris disappearing as he powered it off. “I am confiscating your phone every evening from now on.”

“What?” you whined, lunging out for your phone. Damian tucked it away and out of reach in the inner pocket of his uniform.

“You are getting time limits. Blue light disrupts your circadian rhythm - no laptop or phone after 10 pm.” He grabbed the crinkly chip bag. “And these, well, you really should not eat these ever. Do you know how much sodium is in this bag? Your arteries will know.” He tossed the half-empty bag into the trash can beside your desk.

“No!” You protested. He had no right to order you around.

“Yes,” he asserted. You watched him fluff up your pillows, tuck the sheets firmly under the mattress, and smooth out the bed spread. “You are going to bed now. Get in.” He lifted the covers for you.

“Yeah, no thanks,” you chuckled humourlessly. You just wanted to finish watching the unsolved mystery of the Gruesome Gotham Murders of 1902 and be so terrified that you can’t sleep for the next three days.

“Y/N,” he said sternly, indicating that he wasn’t in the mood for an argument.

“Fine,” you grumbled. You knew Damian was stubborn and wouldn’t take no for an answer. You figured that you would get in bed to appease him and get rid of him, then you could resume watching your video.

You stomped extra loudly across your room to make a point. You huffed loudly as you crawled into bed. He pulled the covers up to your chin and tucked you in as if you were a little kid.

“Good night,” said Damian.

“Yeah, bye,” you replied impatiently.

Your eyes following Damian as he flicked off your lamp. Once your eyes adjusted to the darkness, you realized that Damian was taking off his Robin uniform. He stripped down to his undershirt and hung the tunic over the back of your chair before sitting down. “What are you doing?” you asked, raising yourself up on your forearms.

“I am going to stay,” he said, like it was the most normal sentence in the entire world.

“Um, come again?”

“I know you are afraid to go to sleep, so I will stay and make sure you feel safe… even though it is self inflicted fear and I ought to leave you so you learn your lesson. I do not know why you insist on watching murder mysteries knowing that you are going to be frightened.”

“While that’s a very nice offer, it’s also super unnecessary. I’m okay,” you lied. You couldn’t let him stay overnight in your chair just because you had an overactive imagination.

Damian raised a hand to silence your argument. “It is not up for debate. I will stay right here and you will get some sleep.”

“But you need to sleep, too,” you reasoned.

Damian shrugged. “I will make do here.”

Your throat was suddenly dry as you prepared to make a compromise. “You could… sleep… here… in my bed?” You prayed that he wasn’t repulsed by your invitation to share your bed. You and Damian were just friends but somewhere along the way your feelings changed. You caught yourself noticing things about him that you found attractive… like the way his eyes were so expressive and always told you what he was thinking… or how he carried himself with strength and confidence, even if it could be annoying sometimes.

You held your breath in anticipation. The last thing you wanted was to scare him off. “Okay,” he casually accepted. While you were relieved that he wasn’t mortified by the thought of sharing your bed, you were a nervous wreck now.

You shuffled over to the very edge of your twin sized bed to make room for Damian. As he lay down, the side of his warm arm brushed against yours. You skittishly scooted away but tumbled out of bed.

Damian peered over the edge of the bed and his brows knit together in confusion. “What on earth are you doing?” he asked.

“Nothing,” you said, too quickly to sound normal. You tittered nervously as you climbed back under the covers. This time you lay on your side and faced away from him to put some distance between you two and to hide your embarrassment.

“Come closer, Y/N. I do not want you to fall off again.”

You shifted infinitesimally closer.

“Closer,” instructed Damian.

You inched towards him but left a good distance separating you two.

“There’s plenty of space here,” he encouraged.

You quickly came up with an excuse. “I toss and turn in my sleep. I don’t want to hurt you by accident.”

Damian let out a hearty laugh.

“What?” you asked with indignance. You rolled over onto your back so you could see him.

“Nothing,” he denied, stifling his mirth.

“Tell me,” you demanded.

“The thought of you, in your footie pajamas, thinking that you could injure a highly skilled assassin, is quite comical. Don’t flatter yourself. Now, come here and go to sleep.” Damian patted the empty space beside him.

This time you listened and moved towards the centre of the bed. You were so close to Damian that you could feel the heat radiating off his skin. The warmth was drawing you even closer to him but you reprimanded yourself and forced yourself to remain eerily still to avoid another accidental contact. Damian turned his head and you felt his eyes on you. “Are you all right?” he asked.

“Y-yeah,” you squeaked. You bit you lip anxiously. Your hand played with a loose thread on the blanket.

“Are you certain?”

“Yes,” you said, this time more confidently although you weren’t fooling him.

“You need not be afraid of the dark, Y/N, especially when I am here.”

You knew that already. You always felt safe when you were with Damian, even before you knew he was Robin. There was something comforting about his self-assurance that made situations less scary. But that’s not what was making you jittery.

“Why do you bother watching murder mysteries? They always overlook clues and never investigate thoroughly. Besides, you have a real detective right here,” Damian said, with a tone of umbrage.

You shrugged and tilted your head. “They’re fun,” was your simple answer.

Damian cocked an eyebrow. “Being so petrified that you cannot sleep alone is fun?”

“I don’t know. I guess I admire you for being Robin.” You don’t know why you said that. You really shouldn’t be feeding his ego. It’s big enough as it is. You kept talking, against your better judgement. “Watching you solve mysteries and fight for justice got me interested in true crime.”

Damian only hummed in response. He was quiet for a while and you thought that maybe he had drifted to off to sleep. Finally, he said, “Would you like to know who committed the Gruesome Gotham Murders of 1902?”

You gasped and turned on your side to face him. You were only a few inches away from him now, but you didn’t even register his proximity. Your anxiety was long forgotten and replaced by curiosity. “You know who did it?”

“Of course,” he confirmed.

“How?” you breathed with skepticism. The case had been undertaken by several of the most high-profile detectives and private investigators over the decades and none were able to solve it. In fact, no new leads had been uncovered in the last eighty years.

Damian rolled his eyes. “Batman and Robin are, without a doubt, the best detective duo in history. Not to mention, that case was child’s play.”

You scoffed. “I don’t believe you. Show me some proof,” you said, calling his bluff.

“Very well, then. I will show you the file the next time you visit the manor.”

“If you’ve solved it, why don’t you tell the authorities then?”

“We have. It is connected to several active cases so the GCPD is not able to release any information to the public yet.”

You scrutinized his face, looking for any signs of a fib. He didn’t waver under your intense stare, but then again, he was accustomed to the batglare so your measly glare was probably ineffective. You decided to trust him. “Who did it?”

Damian turned on his side as well and propped up his head with his arm so that he could look down at you. He pretended to think about it, building up the suspense. “If you go to sleep now, I’ll tell you tomorrow morning,” he said, almost playfully.

“What?” you exclaimed.

“Better get to sleep right away,” he warned.

You couldn’t believe he would tease you like this. There was no way you’d be able to sleep knowing that the answer to the city’s most enigmatic mystery was lying right beside you. You huffed angrily and flopped back down onto your mattress.

Damian let out a deep laugh in response. You grabbed a spare pillow and tried to whack him, but he anticipated your attack and caught it. “Damian Wayne, you are the absolute worst.”

“Goodnight, Y/N.”

[boldlyvoid]

Amoreena | Chapter sixteen

Chapter Sixteen

main summary: Heaven is a real place and it's located exactly 14.6 miles away from the FBI, Quantico Headquarters. Off behind a small park, under a fantastical willow tree surrounded by wildflowers, in every colour young minds can imagine.

Don't forget, heaven also comes with angels.

Chapter Summary/Warnings: Amoreena meets Jo, Jo shares her experience with the foster homes (tw self-harm and child abuse), and Spencer shares his shitty childhood with her. They bond, he loves her more than he thought possible, his dreams of a big happy family are coming true.

word count: 4.8k

from the beginning <3

His phone is ringing at 7:50 and all he does is groan, forgetting Y/N’s agreement with Amoreena. His wife reached over his face and towards the phone, picking up with an overly cheerful tone for a pregnant woman who was up until 3 am.

“Hello sweet girl, how was your sleep?”

“Ugh,” she makes a weird face as the morning nausea kicks in and she tries to swallow it down. “Yeah? Oh, I’m so glad, dad and I are just waking up. We have another big surprise for you today… I know honey there’s always a lot going on, but this one is a good one I promise!”

“Can I go talk to her?” Spencer asks, “alone?”

“Dad’s going to come and see you while mommy has a shower, okay? I love you too, bye,” she smiles as she hangs up and passes the phone back to him.

They kiss quickly before separating, Spencer throws on the same clothes from the beach last night before heading down the hall towards Amoreena’s room. He knocks quietly before entering, seeing her sitting in a queen bed with 2 cats.

“Taylor let Olivia and Benjamin stay in here last night, she said they usually sleep in here anyway!” She was whispering, but it was still loud for her this early.

He sat on the edge of her bed and gave her a big hug, “how was your night?”

“Really amazing, Dad, Taylor is my best friend now,” she’s completely serious, “I hope mom’s not too upset about that, I guess we could share her…”

“That’s a nice thought, are you good at sharing?”

“I think so,” she nods with a serious face.

“Good, because there’s a new person who’s coming to live with us. She’s going to be kind of sad for a while and I’ll be spending a lot of time with her too,” he watches her face as she listens, confused but fine with it.

“Who is she?”

“Did your mom tell you how she made you?”

She nods, “she said sometimes people with penises donate sperm to help people have babies, and you were the one who donated for me,” she gives him a run down so seriously that it makes him laugh like the 7-year-old.

“Yeah, exactly, well I also helped 2 other families make babies,” he says softly, petting her hair as she understands what that means.

“So I have more siblings?”

“Yep, 2 sisters and a brother,” he smiles as she starts to bounce with excitement. “Josephine is 12, almost 13, and she’s coming to live with us.”

“Where is her mom?” She asks, he knew she would.

“Her mom and dad were in an accident, they died and she looked for me because she didn’t want to be alone anymore,” he knows it’s a hard topic, and that she understands death after losing her gg, but it’s still hard.

“Oh, that’s sad,” she frowns, moving in to hug him again, she keeps her head pressed to his shoulder. “I hope she’s okay, is she here now too?”

“She is, but I’m not sure if she’s awake yet, she’s a teenager and they sometimes sleep in longer than you would, like when Henry was over and slept until noon,” he has all his kids profiled in his minds and it’s actually more helpful than a hindrance.

“Does she like Taylor?”

He knew that one was coming too, “she’s a huge fan, she cried meeting her just like mom.”

“Is she going to call my mom her mom now?”

“I don’t think so, would that upset you?” He’s worried for the answer, he had the same jealous tendencies growing up. Hell, he still has them.

“No, she needs a mom, I would be very sad without mine, I know she needs one too,” she looked at him like it was a stupid question because of course, all kids need a mom and her mom happened to be the best.

“That’s really nice of you, she knows all about you and she’s really excited to move in with us, maybe you can help her decorate her room?” He isn’t sure what Jo will think, but he knows it would be good for bonding.

“Can we see if she’s awake? Wait, she’s a she right? Miss Kennedy said sometimes people look like girls but they don’t like to feel like girls, so we use they,” Amoreena was so worried about being a good sister he didn’t know why he worried so much.

“Well, I’m not sure, Jo hasn’t told me but you can ask?”

She shot right out of bed, still in her dress from last night as she ran to the door, “come on, what room is it?”

“Right there, knock nicely,” he says as he joins her in the hall, pointing to the room across from her.

She knocked 3 times, hearing a small ‘yeah?’ From the other side before opening it, “good morning!” Amoreena cheered.

“Amoreena!” Jo smiled as she got out of bed and ran over to her. She dropped to her knees so they’d be the same height and wrapped her up in her arms.

They hugged like this was a reunion and not an introduction, they held on to one another so tightly they both squeezed their eyes shut and held their breath. He knew that kind of hug, that was a hug you gave when you deeply loved the person you were hugging.

It made him want to cry, again.

Jo pulled back from her and Amoreena immediately held her face in her hands, observing her. “Yep, you’re my sister,” she smiled as she saw her nose.

That same perfect little button that was slightly angled towards the sky, she booped it lightly. Jo booped her right back.

“I am, it’s pretty cool getting to share a dad with you cause now I get to meet Taylor Swift, how the heck did we get so lucky?” Jo talks to her like she’s used to being around kids, finding the wonder in every word and saying the whole sentence with enthusiasm.

She turns to him, both his girls making the same face as they looked at him in the doorway, “how did you meet Taylor, dad?”

“You remember Uncle Dave? He came over for the barbecue and talked to poppy bob about winemaking all night?”

“Yeah, he’s Italian,” Amoreena remembered his funny accent and how she called him Mario.

“His daughter is Taylor’s friend, so Taylor sent me an email asking to meet you,” he couldn’t help but smile as she did.

“So you guys really are knights at the FBI, huh?”

“Yeah, but my armour got too rusty so now I’m going to guard the princess only, no more battles for me,” he was happy to make it magical, to turn the terribleness of it all into something she could be proud of.

He feels cold hands reaching under the back of his shirt then as he jumps, Y/N is wrapping her arms around him and pressing her cheek to his back, “your armour is fine, it just needs some polish.”

“They’re kinda gross, you’ll have to get used to that,” Amoreena says, pressing her lips together awkwardly as she looks at Jo.

“It’s nice though, it makes you feel like love is real,” Jo smiled back, “not many kids have happy families.”

“You do now, okay?” Amoreena took her cheeks in her hands again, something she must have learned from Y/N. “My family is your family and we are the best family, you’re going to have so much fun with us, can I help you decorate your room?”

Jo cried, laughing lightly as she nodded, “that would be cool, maybe we can get bunk beds for random sleepovers?”

Amoreena shot her eyes to her mom, “can we?”

“That would be cool,” Y/N agreed, “we’ll go to Ikea on Friday when I’m not working, okay?”

“And this weekend we can buy some paint for your room?” Spencer added, “you guys can plan all week together.”

“Yes!” Amoreena cheered, hugging Jo again.

Jo held her gently, resting her cheek against the top of Amoreena’s head with a small smile. She looked genuinely happy, peaceful like she belonged somewhere again.

Right then Amoreena’s eyes are darting right to him, “It’s fathers day!” She screams, way too loud for 8 am in someone else’s home. Thank god Taylor was on the other side of the mansion.

“Oh my god,” Amoreena smacked her forehead with her little hand, “I was so carried away with the wedding I didn’t pack your present, dad! I’m so sorry.”

“I’ve got you covered little miss,” Y/N smiled at her, “It’s in my purse!”

Amoreena pushed past them in the doorway and ran to their room in search of said purse. Probably emptying it out on the bed and making a huge mess, but it was fine.

Y/N took a moment to kiss his cheek, “good morning, happy father’s day.”

“Thank you,” he blushed, turning to face her and hold her close, “I can feel you staring Jo, come here.”

She comes skipping right over, wrapping her arms around them both and resting her head on Spencer’s side. For a 12-year-old she was tall, a lot taller than Henry was, that’s for sure.

“Hey!” Amoreena butts in, “let me in,” she pushed into the middle of the hug to steal all the warmth, “happy father’s day, dad.”

“Happy father’s day,” Jo added with a soft smile, “thank you for everything.”

“Yeah, you’re the best dad in the world, Jo you should see how he reads with his mind, he doesn’t even need to look at the books at bedtime,” Amoreena bragged, pulling back from all of them then.

Spencer wiped the tears from his face and pretended he wasn’t crying, overwhelmed by love just like he told Jo to expect. “I love you guys, I’m so glad I helped make you both, you’re the best kids a dad could ask for.”

“Here,” Amoreena hands him a wrapped present.

It’s a handmade book, blue construction paper bound with green ribbon in little loops and covered in a thin layer of tissue paper from the present he got her last week. He carefully removes the tissue and hands it back to her, “do you still want it for dresses?”

“Sure,” she takes it with a smile, “I wrote this for you after a dream I had, Miss Kennedy helped me write it all and reword it a bit. But it’s all from my brain.”

“Spencer’s little women,” he reads and then his heartbeat almost stops when he sees the bottom, “by Amoreena Reid.”

“We can go sit in the living room while you read it to us?” Y/N offered, taking the girl's hands and leading them all down the hallway.

Taylor’s house was full of floor-to-ceiling windows, allowing them to watch the sunrise over the ocean as they cuddled up on the couch as a family. Him and his little women.

“Once upon a time, there was a kingdom ruled by a beautiful princess who had a broken heart. She promised to hide away from the townspeople until she gathered all the pieces again,” Spencer read the first sentence and knew he wouldn’t be able to make it through the whole book.

“You know, I think it would be better if you read this to me Amoreena,” he asks her gently, “I want to know it from your voice first.”

“Okay,” she bounces up from where she cuddled into her mother to take the book from his hand, sitting straight as she got ready to read.

“Slowly, but surely, the pieces came back to her one by one as the people felt the need to search for her, they missed seeing her smile as she ruled alongside her parents, the king and queen until her heart was fixed.

A little girl, Lady Amoreena, arrived like a gift. A fairy godmother handing a small child to the princess to raise and love forever and ever, they were best friends more than anything.

But the princess’s baby girl made it her mission to fix the rest of her heart as she grew up seeing her mom frown, questing for princes and kings, even another princess to come and fill that last missing spot of her heart. To make their family love grew as the cracks from where they separated were healed.

She set off on her daily adventure, running off past the gates on the way to the willow tree, excited to see what wonders the pond of youth brought to her this time. Surprised to find a knight, his broken and rusty armour fallen on the ground, he was wrapped in weeds, he had been trapped for too long to remember.

Amoreena cut the vines off him with her sword, “you’re free now, sir knight.”

“How can I ever repay you?” The kind man with the same nose as her asked.

“Meet the princess, tell her about your battles, make her laugh and you can stay with us,” she gives him one final quest. His last ever duty.

The princess smiles as soon as they meet. He wins her over without even trying, he completes their family and makes all the cracks in her heart fuse back together. Gold light shines from her as she’s healed, completed by the love of a family she never knew she needed.

The love didn’t end there… the knight and the princess knew lady Amoreena would be like her mom when she grew up. The possibility of a sad and broken heart as she got older, so they made her 8 more siblings, her group of sisters to keep her company during the happily ever after part.

“Sir Spencer, where are all your little women?” The king of the land asked, seeing the knight and the princess all alone on the path, old and slow as they walked.

“Down by the pond, it’s story day!”

He knew that’s where they’d always be, at their pond with a book, braiding each other's hair, weaving flower crowns and chasing each other through the wildflowers that replaced the vines that once held him down.

Free, healed and happy. Spencer and his little women healed the princess, allowing her to take the role as Queen, like her grandma always wanted for her.”

“There isn’t a 'the end'?” Y/N’s voice questions lightly as Spencer cries too hard to even respond.

She was the most amazing child in the whole world and he didn’t know what he did to deserve her. He wrapped her up in his arms and held her so tight she was smacking his arm to let her go with a laugh, “I want to add more to it when I’m older, like GG’s book.”

“You can write one for all your sisters,” Y/N smiles at her softly, “you know, gg only wrote Amoreena because you came to her in a dream?”

She nodded, “that’s why I started writing this book for dad because I had a dream about him reading to all of us, he was so old it was funny.”

“How old?” He asks, remembering his reflection from his own dream.

“Like poppy, you had a white beard!”

“What did we talk about?” He doesn’t know why he wants to know so badly but he’s desperate to know if their dream was the same.

“It was story day, you and mom were late, but you said, ‘I’d never miss a Saturday with my little women,’” she smiles, “I’m so glad you’re my dad.”

She holds him back just as tight this time, snuggling into his chest as he breathes her in. His first little baby, even if she was the middle kid now, she was his baby, he couldn’t even imagine holding someone even smaller than her soon.

—

They take a quick trip to target in the morning, needing to get some things for Jo and Y/N really, really wanted chocolate-covered cranberries, making sure he knew that she would kill him if he didn’t bring them back to her. Finally having those pregnancy mood swings he was expecting.

Jo is quick to pick out some summer clothes and a bathing suit for the day as well as toiletries and anything else she wanted because Spencer said so. He was going to spoil her because he didn’t know what else to do. This is what he wanted from his dad, someone to see something, think of him and just get it to make him smile.

She saw some purple bedding that she liked, so it ended up in the cart. And then she needed some new pillow, and some fitted sheets… oh and those curtains are nice… and before they knew it they had $300 worth of things for her bedroom in the back of Y/N’s car.

Jo pressed her lips together awkwardly as they sat in the front seats of the car, he looked over at her and smiled, making her laugh, “this is the best father’s day.”

“I’m supposed to be getting you gifts today!”

“You are a gift, Jo,” he doesn’t mean to get sappy, but he can’t help the love he feels for her already.

“Drive before I cry, dude,” she turns to look out the window. “Are we going to have a 'ground rules and behaviour' speech like all the foster parents do? I have a feeling you have no idea what you’re doing.”

He starts the car then, pulling out of the lot and starting the 40-minute car ride back with her, “how do they normally set the rules in the foster homes?”

“They pay for my phone bill with the money provided for me each month and they sometimes get me the groceries I want for lunches and stuff but they mostly kept the money for themselves. I’m only allowed on the internet for an hour a day, homework has to be done in front of their eyes at the kitchen table, no food after 7 pm, lights off and no walking around by 9,” she gave the rundown and it made Spencer’s stomach turn.

“I will pay for your phone bill, you don't need to worry about that. We can even get you a new one when we get home. Y/N has great internet and every streaming service available, you don’t have a time limit here. Just promise me you’ll go outside sometimes?” He reaches a hand out to hold her’s while driving, letting her know he means what is coming next.

“I trust you have a way of life you’re used to, and I’m not going to change that on you, if you want to share things with me and be open and honest, I’m always here and I will never judge you. I don’t want you to ever feel like you need to hide things from me. And that being said, I trust you enough to use the internet safely, and not hack anything without good reason anymore?”

Derek was right, it’s surprisingly easy to be a dad. All you have to do is love them and be there for them.

“Okay, then I think you should know,” she takes a deep breath and a pause. “I’m pretty sure I like girls too, I never got to tell my mom that but I’m sure she knew, and I’m kind of scared to put my bathing suit on when I get home.”

“First of all, I’m proud of you,” he squeezes her hand 3 times, and she does it right back with a smile. “Secondly, why? Did you not get one you liked? I was fine buying any of them for you.”

“I have a lot of scars on my legs, and I don’t want to scare Amoreena,” she’s really ashamed of herself and Spencer understands it.

He rolls his sleeve up and extends his arm for her to see his very faded track marks, “I was drugged on a case once, I had an addiction after. The scars fade over time, but I also haven’t shown Amoreena my bare arms yet.”

“Mine are pretty faded now too, it’s been a few months, they look more like stretch marks,” she smiled at his honesty, feeling safer with him.

“If she asks, you can say it was from a cat at the foster home. She’ll think about Cinderella and the evil stepmother's cat, and then completely forget why she asked,” he assures her, knowing Amoreena like the back of his hand now.

“Lucifer,” Jo smiles, “I was like her as a kid too, always making up stories and finding new movies to be obsessed with. I have ADHD, by the way, but I’m un-medicated cause my last foster home didn’t listen to the school’s diagnosis,” she says it like it’s not a big deal.

His blood starts to boil at the thought of someone not taking care of her, “excuse me?”

“Yeah, and when I asked for a therapist they said no to that too, I was ‘fine’ apparently and they settled for a dead parents support group so that Colin could have a coffee while I sat there,” she’s oblivious to how terrible it is.

“Make me a list of all the things you want, I mean everything down to the most niche interest or therapy technique that you’ve researched and I will help you with whatever it is,” Spencer is furious at the conditioning she’s experienced to think this is okay.

“You don’t have to, dad, I’m okay now,” she lies and he can tell.

“You don’t have to be, believe me, I cry almost every night to Y/N about things I thought I had recovered from. If you want to talk to someone because you think it will help, or if you want medicine because you feel like it’ll help you focus better or just be happier, I’m here to help you get that.”

She goes quiet, staring at their hands where he’s still squeezing her palm. She rubs her thumb along the skin softly, “did your mom ever hurt you?”

“Only when she wasn’t really there in her own mind,” he presses his lips together right after, he’s never told anyone about it.

“Did your dad?”

“Emotionally, but he wasn’t there long enough to lay a hand on me.”

She nods at the response, “my dad was evil, I think he killed my mom in that ‘accident’, but on purpose.”

“I thought my dad was a murderer once too, but it was actually my dad’s friend,” he isn’t sure why he’s telling her everything, but she deserved to know.

“There was a pedophile in our town who killed this boy, Riley, and my mom told him about a man who was watching me like I was next. And Riley’s dad killed him, but I was so young my mind tried to think it was my dad who did it all.”

“Your old job must have really messed you up inside too, huh?” She tries to laugh it off, scared of his past but intrigued at the same time, he just nods at her observation.

“I have a friend, her name is Penelope, her parents died when she was a little bit older than you. She snuck out and they went to look for her, and they were in a car crash,” he makes sure she’s comfortable, her hand is still in his and her thumb is still moving over his skin.

“Like you, she got into hacking, the FBI had to hire her because she was so good she became a threat, you’d really like her,” he says, turning to look at her quickly, he loves the smile on her face.

“I’d love to meet her,” she smiled, “thank you, I wish you could have always been my dad.”

It breaks his heart a little, “well, you have me forever now.”

—

“Two questions,” Y/N’s voice approaches as she walks towards the trunk of her car.

Jo and Spencer are digging through all the shopping bags trying to find all the things that she needs for the afternoon, leaving the rest for the ride home.

“Here,” Spencer hands her the chocolate-covered cranberries, “king-sized bag.”

“I love you,” she smiles as she takes it, “the second question, how are the suitcases going to fit in there now? We have two kids to bring home, they’re going to be squished.”

“I don’t mind,” Jo smiles, “one time they didn’t have room for me in a car so I sat in the trunk for 15 minutes.”

Spencer wrapped her up in his arms, “every time you tell me a story about what has happened to you, I want to kill someone.”

She laughs, holding him back gently, “believe me, I was an asshole to them, they got what they deserved.”

“What did you do?” Y/N worries about what she’s capable of, Spencer can tell.

“I called the tax people and said they have been claiming foster kids as dependents and now they might have tax fraud charges coming their way,” she seemed very proud of herself. “I would never hurt someone, but I have no problem getting them in trouble.”

Y/N extended her fist, bumping it off Jo’s with a smile, “as you should! Now, come on, let’s go get ready for the beach.”

Jo skipped inside with Y/N, their arms linked as they did so. Spencer couldn’t believe this was his life now. He closed the trunk with a slam, picking up the bag of things he set aside before joining them inside.

“Surprise!!!!” Amoreena screamed as soon as he walked through the door.

There was a hand-drawn Happy Father’s Day banner hanging from the staircase and purple balloons all over the place.

“Happy father’s day!!!” They all cheered for him, even Taylor’s mom was there now, smiling at the display of affection.

Amoreena and Jo came running up to him, wrapping their arms around him and holding him close, nothing felt real. “Can you pinch me?” He asked them with a small smile.

He didn’t think they’d do it, but even Y/N walked over and started pinching him all over. Amoreena pinched his leg, Jo pinched his belly button and Y/N, she pinched his cute little butt as she pressed a kiss to his blushing cheek. “You’re very real, so are we.”

“I love you guys,” Spencer reminds them, holding them all as close as he can for just a moment, “okay, enough sappiness, let’s go to the beach!”

Amoreena and Y/N are already in their swimsuits under their sundresses, Jo, on the other hand, picked out some trunks and a tank-style swim top, hiding her scares just enough that she felt comfortable getting in the sand and building a castle with Amoreena.

Y/N laid on the towel beside Spencer in the shade, Taylor and her mom were playing scrabble on the picnic table, her dad was cooking up burgers on the grill. It was serene, it was perfect, they were a little family and it made absolutely no sense to him how it all worked out so well, but he wouldn’t change any of it.

“Look how big it is after lunch,” Y/N grabbed his attention, sticking her belly out as far as it could go, “I’m going to get so huge again, at least this time I’ll be the biggest when it’s cold out.”

“Are you comfortable? Do you need more sunscreen or water?” Spencer worried, making her smile as she pushed her sunglasses up and turned to him.

“I am fantastic, thank you, cutie.”

He leans in to kiss her gently, but she wraps her arms around him and pulls him down on top of her. Kissing him like she just rescued him from the sea and hasn’t seen him for years.

When he finally pulls away, he doesn’t go far. Just sitting up as he brushes her hair off her face, “I love you.”

“I love you, too,” she reminds him with another soft smile.

“I missed mother’s day with you by only a few days, but you should know you’re the best mother in the whole world,” he whispered, wanting to share his day with her because, without her, he wouldn’t be a father.

She pulls him into another kiss, hands resting on his cheeks as she breathes in deeply through her nose. It’s like she’s taking the soul out of his body, he's a part of her now forever and always. He never wants to be anywhere else.

tag list: @shemarmooresfedora @spencers-dria @spookyspence @reidsfish @manuosorioh @mochionly @samuel-de-champagne-problems @jswessie187

@k-k0129

[mrsalwayswrite]

Say You’ll Stay - Chapter 9

Fury/Band of Brothers Crossover Fic

There are a million excuses I could give as to why its taken me so long to update. So I will simply say- writer’s block. Here we are though! 

Tag List: @happyveday​ @alwaysindecemberfeels​ @saritanotserena​

Series Masterlist

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He did not know what to do. He knew what he wanted to do. He knew what he should do. But when those two options were at odds, that left him in the quandary of what to actually do. 

 Either way, Anna was in trouble and did not even know it yet. 

 "Fuck." He muttered to himself. 

 "Something to add, Sergeant Collier?"

 Don looked over to meet the stern, blue eyes of Captain Winters. "No, sir."

 The redheaded captain stared at the tank commander for a moment before continuing speaking to the other officers in HQ. "This town here is a key point for supplies for the Germans. There is a railroad next to the town that intelligence says is crucial to them. Once we get control of the town, we'll secure it until 1st Battalion can relieve us." Winters said, pointing at a spot on the map laid across the table. 

 Don glanced back out the window, watching Captain Evans walk away from the HQ building. It had been three days since they arrived in Haguenau, and Captain Evans planned on leaving in two more. 

 The dark-haired intelligence officer began speaking next. "Our sources say it's only infantry there. It seems most of the tanks have been recalled back to Germany. Either way, we expect resistance but as to how much, we aren't sure."

 "That's why we are sending the Armored Division with you. Sergeant Collier will lead the four tanks in assistance." Winters said. "They will follow behind. At this point we've been asked to minimize damage to property but I will not trade it for lives. Understand?"

 A chorus of "yes, sir" answered him. 

 "Excellent. Fox Company will lead the assault with some of Dog Company in reserve. Have your men ready, you leave at oh-six hundred tomorrow. Any questions?"

 Don tried to focus on the rest of the discussion. He was leading his platoon for fuck's sake into another fight, but his thoughts kept drifting to Captain Evans leaving and what that meant. 

 Anna would be leaving too. 

 She had been sent to stay with Captain Evans, to be a medic and translator. She was never supposed to come to Haguenau. Don was never supposed to give a fuck about her. Their brief encounters back at that field hospital were supposed to be the extent of their interactions. Yet here he was. Worried for her safety. He and his crew were leaving tomorrow for the next fight. Captain Evans would leave the next day to start pushing into Germany. 

 His mind whirled with questions. Who would protect Anna? Who would make sure she ate and slept? Who would make sure she was looking out for herself just as much as her patients? 

 Don barely heard the dismissal from Captain Winters. The shuffling of feet and low cadence of voices heading towards the door thrust him back into reality from his dark thoughts. Without a word or acknowledging the paratroopers he would be working with, he headed out of the Battalion HQ and walked towards his lodgings. His mind raced with more questions than answers.  

 He knew what he wanted to do. 

 He knew what he should do. 

 Both options made him clench his jaw and want to punch a hole in a wall. 

 He trudged back to the house, throwing open the door, uncaring of the way it slammed into the wall. Stepping towards the common room, he saw Davis, Binkowski, Grady and a few others playing cards on a short table. A few others lounged around in the sunny room. 

 "What's the news, Wardaddy?" Binkowski asked, keeping his eyes on the cards in his hand. 

 "Leaving tomorrow. Oh-six hundred. Make sure your men got their shit together."

 "You alright, Don?" 

 He had not even heard Boyd come around the corner from the kitchen. His sharp gaze landed on his gunner, who was watching him warily. "Yeah, fucking fine." He snapped; his frustration was a writhing mess of snakes in his gut. 

 Christ, he needed some peace and quiet and a cigarette. Don stormed through the common room to head up the stairs, uncaring of the confused looks around him. In his haste to leave, he accidently bumped a flimsy chair someone must have left out. It just caught him at the right angle and dug into his side, nothing painful but just enough to infuriate him even more. He had not even realized how angry he was until the chair caught him, but it was the catalyst that released the pent-up frustration. 

 With a snarl, he grabbed the back of the chair and threw it against the wall. The sounds of wood snapping and breaking filled the now silent room. Without a word, without stopping, because if one person said something to him, he would beat the fucking shit out of them, he stalked up the stairs to his shared room. 

 After throwing the door open, he kicked it shut. The solid boom of the door slammed back only made him want to do it again and again. Instead he moved to drop onto the bed, sitting on the edge and quickly lit a cigarette. He took a long drag, the smoke immediately bringing some relief to him. 

 He was surprised Norman was not in the bedroom. When he left for the meeting, Norman had been curled up in the bed sleeping still. At first, he thought Norman slept so much because he was sick. Now he was beginning to wonder if the kid absorbed sleep like a desert soaking up a rainstorm; the rarity of it making it harder to ignore and easier to overindulge. 

 It could not have been even two minutes later when the bedroom door slowly opened. Don dropped his head in one of his hands, the other still holding the cigarette. 

 "Wanna explain what that was?"

 "Not now, Boyd." Don hissed, not looking up. 

 The gunner rocked back on his heels, the floorboards creaking under the motion. "A'right. Well, I'm just gonna be right here when you ready to talk."

 He chuckled darkly. Five minutes. He could not even get five fucking minutes alone. He tried to ignore Boyd as he stared out the window. 

 "Where's Norman?" He finally asked after taking another hit of his cigarette. 

 "Gordo took 'im to the aid station to see Anna."

 "She's not coming here?"

 "Dunno."

 "Fuck." Don whispered, rubbing a hand over his face. He suddenly felt like he should be in his sixties or seventies, not just recently turned thirty. His mind played over the past three days since they arrived in Haguenau. Besides that first day of their arrival, Anna had been over every day. He knew it was mostly to check in on Norman and make sure his cold did not worsen but she usually ended up staying for some time or if someone could convince or threaten her enough, she would also catch up on some sleep. During that time he had become so used to seeing her around, it felt strange to question if she was coming back or not. In his mind, she was a part of his crew, and he was positive he was not the only one to feel that way. 

 He needed her safe. 

 That was what everything seemed to come back to for him. He cared about her safety, like he would any of his crew. Except he knew, he wanted to be the one to keep her safe. To keep her gentle smile on him. To be the one she turned to. He felt like a moth drawn to her flame. 

 He knew what he needed to do. He doubted she was going to like it. Hell, if they got caught he wondered if he would lose his rank by going behind the backs of his superiors. He had to do something though. He had to keep her safe. Well, as safe as anyone could be while at war. 

 He knew the truth though- he wanted her close….to him. 

 With a groan, he stuck the cigarette between his lips then pushed against his knees to stand up. 

 "Where you goin'?"

 "Stay here."

 Boyd stood up, blocking the door. "What's goin' on, Don?"

 He debated just pushing Boyd out of the way before shaking his head. "Captain Evans leaves in two days."

 "Uh huh. Anna mentioned somethin' about the wounded finally being moved to a field hospital today. Probably why she ain't here."

 "We leave tomorrow." Don flatly stated. 

 Boyd's eyebrows drew together. "I feel like I'm missin' somethin'."

 "Anna is supposed to go with Evans. That was why she was sent."

 He could see the light bulb go off in Boyd's mind when what Don said finally clicked. His eyes widened, a myriad of emotions flickered across his face ranging from horror to frustration and what could be despair.

 "What…." Boyd stopped, looking off to the side and taking a deep breath before turning back to his commander. "What we gonna do?"

 "I'll take care of it."

 "Don…."

 "Stay here, Boyd. Start gettin' ready to leave tomorrow. I won't be gone long." This time he did gently push Boyd out of the way and with a long look, he stalked out of the room, down the stairs and outside. 

 He made his way to the aid station, only having to jump behind a building once to avoid a mortar. This was his first time coming to the aid station in Haguenau, having had no reason prior to come. He was pleased it was in better shape than most of the other buildings and further back from the river and Nazis. 

 Soon as he stepped through, he was hit with the smell of sanitation, coffee, and dried blood. 

 "Where's the nurse?" He growled at a pair of medics who stared at him like he was the grim reaper come to take their souls. One pointed towards the back. Don stormed in that direction, boots pounding on the wood floor. 

 He arrived at what most likely had been someone's study or library prior to the war but had been converted to the aid station. His gaze zeroed in on her folding up some blankets while she chatted with a medic. He stalked towards her. She only turned her head to look up at him as he was within five feet of her. 

 "Don?" The sweet smile on her face immediately faded away as she took in the serious expression he wore. 

 "We need to talk." He stated, moving to stand beside her. 

 "Of course, let me…"

 "No. Now." He grabbed her upper arm and started to pull her from the room. The other medic started to say something but snapped his mouth shut at the icy glare Don sent him. 

 "What's going on?"

 He ignored her question, looking down at her once they were in the hallway. "Where can we speak in private?" 

 "Upstairs." 

 Once she seemed to sense his urgency, he allowed her to lead him up the stairs and into a room that seemed to be used by the medics to store their personal effects. Two cots were pushed against opposite walls, both empty thankfully. Soon as he shut the door behind them, he rounded on her. 

 "You need to hide."

 "Ex....excuse me?" She stuttered, sapphire eyes peering up at him, wide and unblinking.  

 "Captain Evans plans on leaving the day after tomorrow."

 "We heard. One of the lieutenants stopped by after the wounded were taken to inform us. Why does…"

 He cut her off. "My crew and I are being sent out. We leave tomorrow. I don't know how soon we'll be back. So, you need to hide until Captain Evans leaves."

 "I don't.… I don't understand, Don."

 "Fuck!" He moved closer to her, grabbing both of her upper arms, his hands wrapping completely around them. "Listen. I can't protect you if you are in some other goddamn country. You can't leave with the Captain, alright? You stay here. You stay low and you'll get left behind. When we come back, I'll take care of you."

 "But…. I mean, I'll be fine. The men are….um…. It’ll work out. I'm more worried about you and the others. You are going into a fight!"

 "Fuck them and fuck the fight!" He shouted, moving away before he shook her, trying to make her understand. How could she not see what he was trying to do? "I don't trust those bastards to keep their hands off you! And you shouldn't either! Who's going to look out for you? Huh? Who's going to make sure they don't lay a fucking finger on you?! Cause I can promise you, it won't fucking be them!"

 He stood in front of her, chest heaving from the anger rolling through him like a tsunami wave. Only now, after his words spewed out like vitriol did he witness the effect. The tears that welled in her eyes, how one of her hands covered her mouth, the other wrapped around her torso almost in a self-hug. 

 "Anna…" Resentment towards himself flooded through his veins. Slowly he tried to reach out to her, to place a hand on her shoulder with an apology dancing on the tip of his tongue, but froze when she flinched.

 And that hurt worse than being pierced with a bullet. 

 He made no further move towards her, afraid of her reaction. Frustrated at everything but mostly himself in the moment, he ran his hands through his hair. 

 Her gaze had dropped to the floorboards, hunched into herself. Finally after several seconds, she whispered. "What do you want from me, Don?"

 What did he want from her? Hell, if he was still trying to come to terms with that answer himself. In the moment, he chose to honestly answer. 

 "I want you safe."

 His equally soft reply made her head jerk up, eyes meeting his. "Why?"

 "You're a part of my crew...and I swore to make sure they survive this war. I can't do that if you're in another company."

 "Is that the only reason?"

 Did she know how loaded that question was? How this growing tension between the two of them grated on him? Not because he disliked it. No. Because he wanted her closer. But this was war, and no one was guaranteed tomorrow. So he answered with something that tasted like a half-truth. "The only one that matters right now."

 She sniffled, wiping away the moisture from her eyes with her dainty fingers. 

 As if approaching an injured animal, he carefully shifted closer to her. Seeing the tears in her eyes broke what resolve he meagerly held. He hated that he made her cry, made her flinch. It tore at his soul. Something his mind demanded he fix, for both of them.

 Hesitantly, he reached forward and clasped her hands in his. She inhaled sharply, but only tightened her grip on his hands. The air between them felt charged with something unnamed but powerful. The way their gazes locked, hands holding each other, as if they had been put under a spell neither wished to escape. 

 "I need you safe, darling…." He murmured, the words flowing out of him without his conscious approval. Only after did they hang in the air, waiting to stoke the fire between them or shatter everything like glass. 

 "Darling?" The corners of her lips turned up in a barely-there smile. 

 He huffed a short laugh. "That alright?"

 "Yes." She answered with a blush growing on her cheeks. 

 And damn if that sight didn't stir something within him. Following his instincts, he gently tugged her closer, pulling her into a warm embrace, beyond pleased when she practically melted against him. His arms went around her back while her arms wrapped around his waist. Her cheek laid against the middle of his chest and he wondered if she could hear it pounding within him. Not for the first time was he reminded how small and vulnerable she seemed, tucked against his body now. He knew and witnessed how strong she truly was though. Faced with blood and death and distraught, she still persevered. 

 She sighed after some time, neither attempting to end the embrace. "I'll try to hide but I don't know where I could. All the medics know I'm here. Arthur and the others will be expecting me to join them especially after losing…" Her voice trailed off. 

 He pressed a kiss to the top of her head. "We'll figure it out. I promise." 

 "I trust you." They continued to stand there, finding solace in one another but also a silent understanding between them. Of affections that were too dangerous to say aloud but still lingered in the air. A few seconds later, her whisper disturbed the peace. "I'm so tired of this war."

 "Me too."

 A knock on the door broke their moment but when Anna tried to step away from Don, he only held her tighter, unwilling to give her up but also wanting to protect her. He watched the door open to reveal a medic, who although his face seemed calm, there was an undercurrent of tension in the way he clenched his jaw and the shifting of his eyes as he immediately took in the scene before him. 

 "Chérie? Everythin' alright? Spina said he 'eard yellin'."

 Only when she turned to face the medic did Don let her go. "Yes. I'm sorry, Gene. It's nothing.... just a misunderstanding."

 "Mmm." The medic glanced back down the hallway then stepped inside the room, closing the door behind him. "Someone wanna tell me what's goin' on?"

 Don immediately recognized the name Gene. She had referenced him multiple times when she had been over taking care of Norman. By the way she spoke about him, Don picked up that she trusted him and they were friendly. Perhaps he had an ally here after all. 

 "Are you able to hide her?" He asked bluntly, knowing his time was running short to figure out a plan. 

 Gene's eyebrows scrunched together. "What?"

 "Don, no... it’s fine," she answered at the same time, placing a hand on his arm, "I'll figure out something."

 "Nah, chérie." Gene looked back over to Don, expression reserved but determined. "What do ya mean?"

 Don quickly explained the situation, impressed by the medic with the thick accent and how he absorbed the information thrown at him without too many questions. 

 Gene nodded once at the end, gaze downward as he ran his tongue over his teeth. Finally, he looked up at the two. "I know somewhere. They got some extra room. Lemme talk to their Sergeant first."

 Anna's gaze bounced between the two men, clearly unable to believe what she was hearing. "We can't do this. We'll get…. I don't want to cause more problems or get people in trouble. What happens when your Captain finds out?"

 Gene shrugged. "Winters is a good man. He might not like it but he'll understand." He paused, tapping a finger on his crossed arms. "I'll go now. Anna, stay here, get ya things gathered. We'll bring ya over tonight."

 She stared at both of them again before Don could visibly see her acceptance when her shoulders sagged. With a roll of her eyes, she gave the medic a cheeky salute. "Yes, sir."

 "Fille effrontée." He grinned. 

 She blew him an air kiss that made him shake his head, a small grin on his lips. The two men nodded at each other once more before the medic slipped back out. 

 Once alone again, she turned back around, placing her hands on his chest, peering up at him earnestly. "Be safe, please...tell the others for me too."

 "I will." 

 This time he leaned down as she rose up on her toes to press a kiss to his jawline. His hands tightened on her waist, where they had landed. Instead of immediately pulling back after she fell back onto her flat feet, he lingered. Hovering over her, he cupped her cheek, guiding her head. She was completely pliant under his touch, allowing him to tilt her face until their noses almost touched. He was spellbound, staring down at her. Her gentle breaths sliding across his mouth tantalizingly. It was the soft adoration and trust in her sapphire eyes that pulled in his chest and stole the breath from his lungs. She was too good, too pure for someone like him. Yet he could not draw away from her, captured in her tender affections, left breathless by her kindness. Turning his face just slightly, he could feel the corner of her mouth against his, her warm breath hitting his cheek. 

 "I should go." He whispered, without moving away. 

 Her hands slid up to the nape of his neck, causing him to suppress a low groan as her chest pressed against his. "Don, please come back." Her words pierced his heart. 

 "I will, I promise." This time he brushed his lips over hers. It was just a moment, the faintest of touches but the spark it ignited in him felt like an inferno awakening. 

 Abruptly he pulled back, turned on his heels and walked out. If he stayed any longer, she would be in his arms, his mouth devouring hers, her back pressed against the nearest wall. He had half a mind to turn back and do that just now. But he kept walking. Why she held any affections for him left him boggled. She deserved better than him. He wanted her though. Christ above, he wanted her. It was becoming a truth he could not ignore. 

 And that barely-there kiss only proved it. 

 *****

 Anna followed behind Gene as they headed to a different building, supposedly where she would stay hidden. She worried all of this would blow up in their faces eventually, that the men would get in trouble because of her, that she would be sent away to a company she did not know. Would the army count this as desertion? Fears and concerns tormented her mind, but it was too late now. Her feet were already planted firmly on the path. Physically and metaphorically. 

 Gene had told her that she would stay with the paratrooper platoon until after Captains Evans and his company left. The Cajun medic had already started a rumor along with Spina, who seemed to be enjoying all this espionage a little too much, that she had been sent to assist a family living just outside of Haguenau where the wife was in labor with her first child. It would explain why she was only gone for a short time and as to why her sudden disappearance. Plus, Gene reasoned it sounded like something she would do. She could not blame him there. It would be. 

 So now, they walked in the late hours of the night, moonlight highlighting the ground beneath their feet. The ill-fitting ODs, the coat from a dead soldier and her medic satchel were the only things she owned. All of her other possessions and clothing had blown up when the medic truck was hit during the surprise attack. She desperately tried not to think about that fact. She was alive and with no injuries. Twenty-two men lost their lives that day. Her few belongings were minimal compared to that. 

 She still missed her book though. 

 Gene did not even knock when they reached the damaged house. Quietly, he opened the door and shifted so she could walk in first. The wooden floorboards creaked beneath her feet, making her freeze for a moment. Only after a word of encouragement from Gene did she continue. As she stepped in, she could hear the murmuring of voices suddenly fall silent. Knowing Gene was at her side and he trusted these men, she took a deep breath before taking another step forward. 

 She rounded the corner from the entryway and towards what must have been a common room before the war. There were three men, two sitting on beat-up looking couches and one standing. The moonlight shining through the window cast everything in deep shadows. Somehow it felt appropriate for all that these men had been through. How they were still waiting for the sun to shine on them again, to beat back the shadows and nightmares and remind them to hope and dream of the future without war hovering over them like a furie.

 It was as she met the gaze of the one standing, staring at her, that she could feel tears well up in her eyes. He looked so world-weary, as if he had not slept in years and all peace had abandoned him. His eyes once so bright with laughter and life were now dull. His once expressive face was now weathered and closed-off. Only his red hair looked the same. It broke her heart. 

 "Donnie…." She softly said. 

 The corners of his lips lifted up at the nickname she bestowed upon him so long ago. "Hi, Anna."

 Without warning or a care for his reaction, she flew across the room. She threw her arms around him, the top of her head just at his chin. A few tears spilled as he seemed to hesitate at her action, as if he had forgotten what a hug was, as if he no longer understood how to be comforted. Then slowly his arms wrapped around her, pulling her closer to his chest. 

 "I'm so sorry, Donnie." She mumbled against him, fighting a losing battle against the tears flooding her eyes. "Muck and Penkala…. they were the best of men. I'm so sorry. And for the others too." 

 He stiffened at the names of his deceased best friends. She could feel the shudder that ran through him, the soft sob he forced back. "Not…. not your fault." He finally whispered, a faint quiver in his voice. 

 She pulled back to meet his eyes, uncaring of the tear tracks staining her cheeks. Carefully she moved her hands to cup his face between them, forcing his gaze to stay on hers. "If you need to talk, I'll listen. Or just cry. Or hold your hand. I'll do it, without any questions."

 "Sure."

 "I'm serious."

 "I know. You sound like you've been hanging out with Doc Roe too much." He teased, forcing back the pain in his voice. A slight squeeze of her hand let her know he appreciated her words. 

 She giggled, sliding out of his embrace to glance at Gene, who had moved to sit next to another redhead on one of the couches. "He does start to rub off on you, can't decide if he's a good influence or a bad one."

 Gene scowled at her, making her giggle more. 

 "Who's the dame? Easy taking female paratroopers now?" The other redhead asked, his Philly accent unmistakable. 

 "Nah, this is Anna Cooper, a nurse. She's gonna stay with ya fellas for a couple days." Gene said casually. 

 The redhead's eyebrows were furrowed as his gaze darted from Gene to Anna and back. "Why?"

 "I just missed Donnie here so much." She smiled up at the man, who just gave her an awkward smile, shoving his hands in his pockets. 

 "Uh huh. So, what's the real fucking reason?" The third man asked, twirling a cigarette between his fingers. 

 "Joe, nothing you need to worry about right now." Malarkey answered. 

 Anna wondered if Gene expected the whole platoon to know of her existence there and why or only Donnie and himself. That was probably something she should have asked before their arrival but her mind was too caught up in its tornado of fears. 

 "How do you two know each other?" The other redhead asked, now eyeing her like she was a rare specimen. 

 Roe sighed, leaning forward to rest his forearms on his thighs. "She was in Albourne with us medics when we were training before the jump into Normandy."

 "Donnie here also took me on a date." Anna blurted out, a smile on her lips. 

 "What?" The one Malarkey had called 'Joe' stared with his jaw dropped. "A'ight, now I gotta hear this." 

 Malarkey rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly as he looked down at her. "Not sure I'd call that a date, Anna."

 "Mmm...it's a date when you kiss the girl after, right?"

 For a beat there was shocked silence before the two on the couches started laughing, Roe just shook his head and muttered something to himself. 

 "Holy shit, Anna…" Malarkey rubbed a hand over his face. If there had been more light, his face most likely would have matched the color of his hair. "I thought we agreed never to mention it ever again?"

 "It wasn't that bad, Donnie."

 "Yes, it was. That damn shovel almost broke my nose. You had to walk me to the aid station instead of me walking you home."

 "I mean.... when you say it like that." Anna teased. 

 "Shit, I really need to hear this now." 

 "Babe, no." Malarkey pointed his finger at the other redhead then moved it to the other man. "Joe, not a word."

 The one, Joe, shrugged, a smirk on his face. "How come I don't remember this?"

 "Cause you was in London chasin' skirts and gettin' in fights that weekend." Gene stated evenly. "It's late, I need to head back to the aid station. Malarkey, where is Anna stayin'?"

 "Right. This way." Malarkey led the way with Anna and Gene following up a set of stairs and down the hallway to a bedroom. "Supposed to be for officers I guess but since we don't have any…. the door locks too."

 "Thank you, Donnie." She smiled up at the man, someone she had thought she would never see again. It was funny how fate had brought Easy Company back into her life. Moving further into the room, she was pleased to find a single bed pressed against the wall and a desk across from it. Otherwise the room was completely bare of any other furniture or decorations. 

 "Ya ok here, chérie?" Gene leaned against the desk, arms crossed over his chest. 

 "Yes."

 "Good, good. One question then." Gene paused, an intensity in his eyes that startled her. "What's ya relationship with that Sergeant?"

 In the middle of slipping the coat off, she froze, having not been expecting that question. Her mind raced with trying to find an adequate answer. Although it felt futile. How could she describe her relationship with Sergeant Don Collier? Not that there was a relationship, per se, even if memories of their last encounter sprung forth in her mind's eye. Even though they had not known each other long, he was someone she found herself trusting wholeheartedly and feeling safe around. The loyalty of his men inspired her. The brutality of war was evident in the way he carried himself, the shifting of his eyes and the perpetual frown on his face when he was thinking. Yet he still cared. He still went out of his way to take care of a nurse who meant nothing to him. How when he was close by, her heart beat a little faster and butterflies danced in her belly. On more than one occasion, as she laid down waiting for sleep to find her, she wondered what his kiss would feel like. 

 Finally, she settled with a glossed over version, hoping Gene would be satisfied with just that. "Um....we don't…. he’s just looking out for me. Him and his crew kind of took me in."

 "Mmm….and when I walked into him holdin' ya in his arms, lookin' ready to kiss ya?"

 "It's....it's not like that."

 Malarkey spoke up, leaning against the doorframe. "Who’s this Sergeant?"

 "In charge of the armored division." Gene answered, dark eyes staring at her as if to sift the secrets out of her words and wide eyes. 

 "Don's just looking out for me…. him and his crew, they've, well, they've protected me several times already from…. others." She finished lamely, wrapping her arms around herself, trying to push the memories away. 

 He must have sensed her discomfort. "Alright, chérie, just be careful."

 She nodded. She appreciated his concern but felt it was misplaced. 

 "Don, huh? Do you call him Donnie too?" Malarkey broke the following silence. 

 She rolled her eyes but smiled at the slight change of subject. "No, only you get that nickname."

 "Lucky me. So, is he a redhead too? You have a thing for the name Don?"

 She covered her face as her cheeks warmed. 

 "Ya two can discuss this tomorrow." Gene pushed off the desk. "I'll come get ya the day after tomorrow. If ya need anythin', send someone to get me."

 She dropped the coat at the end of the bed and moved to give him a quick hug. "Thank you, Cajun angel."

 He rolled his eyes while Malarkey snickered in the back but returned the embrace.

 Next, she walked over to Malarkey and gave him another quick hug. "Thank you too. For doing this for me."

 "I'm in the room across, if you need me. Bathroom is two doors down."

 The two paratroopers then left, closing the door behind them. Taking a deep breath, she surveyed around her as she stood there in the small room under the moonlight shining through the window. The future was always unknown but especially now, she felt tossed about on the waves of uncertainties. She hoped this plan was not completely foolhardy, but she would admit, she felt safer with Gene and Malarkey looking out for her while Don and Boyd were gone. She would never admit how she had cried while hiding away from everyone when she realized she was no longer alone, that she would not be sent with Captain Evans and his company. There were good men looking out for her. 

 She crawled into bed, slipping under the scratchy covers. All the while, her mind sent a fervent prayer that the crew of Fury would be safe. That they would return to her uninjured. That Don would be okay.

[clonemando]

Late Night

Boba is trying to sleep but Din’s armor clanging as he walks is keeping him awake. (Din and Boba brother fic, no pairings, just brotherly bonding.)

Boba sighed as he heard the sound of metal clanking throughout his ship and he glared at the ceiling. Din had been pacing for the last 4 hours and if he made even one more lap past Boba’s bunk the older bounty hunter wasn’t going to be in control of his actions. The gentle clinking got further away and Boba closed his eyes starting to drift to sleep finally. His breathing slowed and he calmed almost to the brink then *clink clink clink* 

“Dank farrik! Djarin! I’m going to strangle you!” He growled throwing himself out of bed and walking out in only his sleep pants to glare at the Mandalorian who had frozen in place.

“Boba? What’s wrong?” He asked and his voice was so innocent Boba had to rub his face to keep from sneering at him. That was just how Din was, he wasn’t faking it to try to mess with him.

“You are. Why are you pacing up and down the Slave like we’re going to be in battle any minute? We’re in hyperspace. We’re safe. Go to kriffing bed Din.” He said sharply while crossing his arms over his chest. 

“My pacing has been bothering you? You slept right through that dog fight Fennec fought a few days ago.” Din pointed out and Boba scowled. 

“This ship was my father’s. I grew up on it. I know every sound it can make and exactly why it would make those sounds. I knew she had it handled. Your armor isn’t a sound that’s soothing to me.” He said lowly. Which was… partially true. During the day the sound was soothing and reminded him of the safety of when he would hear similar sounds of his father’s armor as he moved around the ship working on things. The difference was that it was the middle of the night and it was too clearly pacing for it to let Boba sleep. It made him tense like he should be expecting something. Jango had never been one to pace unless things were very bad.

“I’m sorry. I just… miss him.” Din murmured the pain in his voice making Boba want to punch something. Damn it. One year in the pit. It had been one year and now he was so easily softened by puppy dog eyes he couldn’t even see. 

“Yeah, well… come on.” He grumbled leading Din through the ship trying not to let the following clinking spark his annoyance further. He sat him in a chair in front of a tiny kitchenette and started to prep some tea, choosing one of the spicier flavors knowing Din could handle it. 

“You say the word, we’ll go grab the kid and run. The Jedi won’t even bother coming after us.” He offered as he waited for the water to heat. “I still don’t understand how you could just let that-” He let all the terrible words roll through his mind but didn’t say them. “Jedi just walk away with him. After all the work we did to get him.” He added. Din’s head tilted. 

“You really don’t like them, do you? The Jedi?” He asked and Boba sighed reminding himself that Din was clueless and had been purposely left out of proper history lessons by the Death Watch so they had more control over him. Not that his personal life was something taught at schools but most people he met already knew his issues with the Jedi. He didn’t have to explain it.

“No, I don’t. They have been a plague to my family for at least three generations and only in the worst ways. I’ve never met one worth knowing and would prefer if I never have to meet another one as long as I live.” He admitted glaring at the cups as he poured the hot water into them and set them aside to let them seep.

“Oh… I was told they were enemy wizards, but the kid needs them. He needs to learn to control himself. The Empire, they won’t stop looking for him. I can’t always be there to fight for him. He needs to learn and I don’t know about all that-” Din waved his hand in the air “Jedi stuff. I can’t teach him.” He finished though he looked even more troubled after what Boba told him. 

“The kid will be fine. They won’t hurt him. The Jedi are good to their own… usually. Look, my relationship with the Jedi doesn’t have anything to do with him and if they did have a single thought of doing anything we’d go in and get him out.” He swore causing Din to stare at him long enough it started to make him uncomfortable.

“What?” He demanded moving one cup to the table in front of Din and sitting down with his own looking away so the other Mandalorian could drink without worry of him seeing his face, however he could still feel Din’s gaze on him.

“Why are you helping me?” He asked and Boba sighed. 

“I told you it’s beca-” He started but Din cut him off. 

“Why are you helping me? You took the armor, I didn’t give it to you. The kid has been rescued and given to the Jedi. You owe me nothing.” He said seriously and Boba took a long sip of tea relishing the warmth and spice as well as the time to pull his thoughts and words together. 

“When a Mandalorian dies, if they were true to the creed, they believe they become one with the Manda, yes?” He asked instead and Din nodded, curious to where this would go. 

“That’s right. We earn our souls through our actions in life and join with our forbearers in the Manda after death.” He confirmed and Boba nodded. 

“I died in the pit. I’m certain of it. I saw my father and grandfather. They were not proud of what I had become. I could have taken the armor back sooner. I knew where Vanth was and that he had it. But then I would have been leaving that village and all who were in it to die. When I die again, I want it to be as someone they will be proud of. But my moral compass is damaged, I know that. I need a spotter. That’s you. You seem to do the right thing by accident most of the time. So long as I keep you around, I’m pretty sure I’ll manage. So… here we are.” He said looking over when Din was silent for several minutes before returning to stare at this empty cup. 

“You’re using me as a replacement moral compass because you think I’m… good? I’ve killed people!” Din argued and Boba nodded. 

“Din’ika, you are a cinnamon roll compared to the life I’ve lived. Look me up on the holonet sometime. Just promise not to go running for the hills after. I’d hate to have to hunt down my new compass.” Boba said more playfully and Din sorted. 

“I’ve heard enough of the stories. Fine. So then you and Fennec want to be part of my clan then?” Din asked and Boba gave him a toothy grin. 

“Aww, Din’ika are you asking me to be your Riduur?” He asked batting his eyelashes at him only to get punched in the shoulder making him start to laugh. “I’m too pretty for you anyway.” He added at what he could guess was a horrified face behind Din’s bucket. 

“NO! No. I am not interested… that would just be… No. I see you more like a brother.” He said the last part coming out almost shyly and Boba rolled his eyes. 

“You need me to say it, don’t you? You’re really tight to this creed. Fine. Ni kar'tayl gai sa’vod. I accept you as my brother Din. Better?” He asked and Din nodded removing his helmet and giving Boba a small smile. Boba had to admit, the face fit his personality even if it wasn’t what he expected.

“Welcome to Clan Mudhorn.” He said offering his arm and Boba took it squeezing his hand. 

“You’re a sap Djarin. Don’t think you’ll get me to cuddle away your nightmares now or anything.” He said and Din’s grin widened. 

“Aww ori’vod, are you offering to cuddle me to sleep? How sweet.” He teased and Boba glared. 

“You won’t be the first brother I’ve thrown out the airlock. Don’t test me.” He said standing as Din gulped down the tea. “And take those damn boots off so I can sleep.” He growled ruffling Din’s hair as he walked by feeling comforted in a way he’d never admit by the laughed that followed him down the hall as he headed back towards his bunk.

[official-weasley]

Meant to Be (Charlie Weasley x OC)

What happens when Bill brings home a girl and Charlie is completely awestruck by her?

WARNINGS: cursing, mentions of alcohol, struggling with self-love, emotional self-destructive behavior, and mentions of mental health problems

Chapter 19

Rhylee

“I am so glad that you’re a Muggle-born.” I shifted on my heel, turning away from the mirror to Lyla who was laying in her bed, her head resting on her crossed arms, her eyes on me.

“I don’t think anyone has ever said that to me.” Confusion creased her face. “It’s supposed to be a compliment, right?”

“Yes.” I grinned at her. “If you weren’t Muggle-born, you wouldn’t know about therapy, and the therapist you recommended me might have just saved my life.” By inhaling sharply I turned back to the mirror and stared at my figure.

“It’s been all you, darling. You have to want help to actually gain something from therapy.” I locked my eyes with hers in the mirror.

I loved nothing more than her friendly smile. She was the best friend I could ask for and I am the luckiest person alive for her not to give up on me.

“I know.” I turned around to look at my arse.

“Can you stop checking yourself out in the mirror? The dress looks great on you!” She rolled her eyes at me.

“I don’t know.” I pouted. “Perhaps the blue one would be better.”

“You do realize that we have been doing nothing else but picking your dress for the last two days.” She smirked at me.

“Don’t give me that face! I’m nervous, okay!” I stomped my foot against the floor as if angry.

In reality, I was just hoping to calm down my nerves.

“It’s time to move on, Rhylee. You said it yourself that your therapist said it’s time you forgive yourself.” She stood up and took the blue dress which was hanging over the dresser door and took it off the hanger. “But just in case, try this one again.” She winked.

I appreciated how supportive she was. She was all I had left.

I was such a mess. I still can’t believe that I let myself get so low. I hit rock bottom and then went even deeper. It’s a miracle what 6 months of therapy can do for a person. How do wizards not have that!

Perhaps, they are afraid of the pain that it brings. Because it was painful. Especially the first few sessions when the therapist is getting to know you and you start figuring out what your problem is. I knew what it was. I just couldn’t get over it.

Everybody telling me it was an accident doesn’t just make the guilt disappear. It doesn’t make you feel better. You don’t just forget about it. When you do what I did, you don’t just move on. But as I learned from my sessions, you can’t blame yourself forever either. Forgiveness and loving myself was something that was missing from my life.

It’s crazy to think that so many people around you keep telling you that it wasn’t your fault and that you can’t just go around and search for things that will make you miserable just to punish yourself and you never believe them and always brush it off. But when you hear it from someone specialized to tell you things like this, you suddenly think that maybe, just maybe all your friends were right.

Of course, it didn’t happen overnight and I even tried convincing Dr. Whitmoore that I will never stop blaming myself for what happened in my seventh year at Beauxbatons but I got there…eventually.

“So what are you going to say to him?” Lyla asked as she zipped the dress for me.

“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves.” I bit my cheek. “I don’t even know if he’ll want to talk to me.”

“Right.” She raised her eyebrows at me and laid back on her bed. “Are we going to go through this again?”

“I’m serious! I’m just going there to celebrate the love between two people.” I finally stopped looking at myself in the mirror.

I still don’t know which dress to pick.

“Mhm.” Lyla nodded once. “Let’s pretend that you have been picking out a dress for this wedding because you want to be there for Bill when he says his ‘I do’ with his future wife.”

“It’s…the main reason.” I proudly lifted my chin.

“Stop lying to yourself, love. This is all about Charlie Weasley.” She sent me a wink, got up, and went to the bathroom.

She was right. It was all about Charlie. There is no point in denying it any further. It has been all about him ever since Bill brought me home to meet his family for Christmas. I still remember the moment we were introduced as if it was yesterday.

He enchanted me the moment I sat down opposite him. With his smile and eyes full of passion about the creatures we both worked with. I know he wasn’t doing it on purpose but he was so flirty. With his eyes, his gestures. I just couldn’t stop staring at him.

And the feeling, the feeling I got while talking to him. I never felt that before and it was so strange. I knew Bill for years and here I was talking to his younger brother and it was as if someone ignited a fire between us. And the strangest part was that I am certain he felt it too.

The second I allowed the feeling to overwhelm me, fill my body with energy like nothing ever did before, my past came back to haunt me. I couldn’t sleep that night. The nightmares came back. Sweat running down my temples. I was glad Ginny was a heavy sleeper, she would think I was insane. Nobody in England knew my secret. It was the reason I ran away.

I buried the feelings, guilt and constant need to punish myself, make myself suffer and got the job at Gringotts. I was doing great for 3 years. I was quite proud of myself. I wasn’t hurting anyone and I didn’t let anyone get too close to me.

I allowed myself a fling here and there and I was happy with the way my life was. I could totally see myself doing this for the rest of my life and I was completely fine with it.

I was lying to everybody including myself when I said I didn’t know Bill fancied me but I ignored it, hoping he would move on if I seemed uninterested. Not that I wouldn’t want to date him. Are you serious, it’s Bill freaking Weasley, who wouldn’t want to date him!

But I made a promise to myself. I couldn’t. I knew what a good guy he was and I couldn’t allow myself to be happy. I didn’t deserve it.

I never expected him to get hurt because of my foolishness. Getting drunk and having sex with Charlie was a big mistake that I shouldn’t have allowed. Not that it wasn’t good, damn it was great and I let myself go and forgot about everything just for one night. Charlie had that effect on me. He made me forget about my worries and my troubles, even if just for a little while.

And how stupid it was of me to flirt with him the morning after and telling him it wasn’t just a one-night stand. What was I thinking! I should’ve just ignored the situation and moved on. But I couldn’t and I hated that I couldn’t. Something was pulling me closer to him. The curiosity of getting to know him better. To hear him talk about dragons. To feel his touch again. His lips against mine. His breath on my skin.

I had zero control over myself and I couldn’t stop it even if I wanted to. Of course, the aftermath was something I didn’t expect. Bill asking me out was the last thing I wanted and then I was stupid enough to tell him I slept with his brother. The look on his face, telling me just how much I hurt him broke my heart.

I broke my promise of not hurting anyone and everything from my past came rushing back up. I didn’t dare to ask Bill if he and Charlie talked about the whole situation. I was even surprised when only a month later Bill started speaking to me again. I definitely thought I didn’t deserve that.

After that, things calmed down again and I hoped that I could put it all behind me again. I bottled everything down before, I can do it again, right?

Wrong.

I couldn’t stop thinking about Charlie and it was driving me mad. Lyla, Lizzie, and I got drunk one night and they teased me and said that I should go work in Romania to be with him. My dumb arse actually wrote an application and we sent it that night. The second I realized what I have done in the morning I applied for the American Sanctuary too to calm the guilty feeling in my chest.

I can’t be trusted when I’m drunk. I relax too much and forget about my past and make mistakes like having sex with Charlie at the Burrow and then my actions hurt people and I feel even worse.

But the second I got the reply, seeing how excited they were to work with me I got so conflicted. They were offering me my dream job but I wanted to stop myself from accepting it because I knew Charlie worked there. I couldn’t face him, not even after more than a year.

However, I couldn’t get rid of the feeling the excitement brought me either. I just had to see him again. I wanted to talk to him and tell him everything. I accepted the job anyway, despite my better judgment. I was selfish, I know that now. I should never have done it, my mind being in a state as it was back then.

I don’t think I was ever so nervous as I was when I was standing in front of the Sanctuary gate. I tried calming myself down by thinking that perhaps I will work in an entirely different section than him and we even won’t see each other.

I couldn’t believe how wrong I was when I saw him approaching the gate. I wanted to apparate away, be swallowed by the ground below me, be fed to a dragon. I knew I made another mistake the second I saw the look on his face.

I know he wasn’t expecting me to stand there, how could he. It pained me to know that he wasn’t exactly happy to see me but at the same time, it gave me confidence. Perhaps, we can work side by side with each other and simply be friends.

The fact that I am never right about these things and usually the opposite happens could already tell me that it was only going to go downhill from there.

I tried staying away from him but I was pushing myself into him just as much. I just couldn’t help myself. In a different life, if I wasn’t as fucked up as I was, we could’ve been so happy together. I knew that and it hurt so much knowing that. What hurt, even more, was the look in his eyes every time we exchanged looks.

I knew how he felt, I knew he was falling for me and it was wrong. It was so wrong and I felt so helpless knowing I can’t do anything about it because I felt the exact same way. I was falling for him so fast that I didn’t even have the time to stop myself and at some point, I simply gave up trying.

The fact that everything that was happening between us was happening while I had a boyfriend waiting patiently for me to visit him once every 14 days made me an even worse person. I never wanted any of it to happen.

I knew I did the right thing finally giving in to all the nagging and going out with Nick. He was the only man I saw a future with because I knew how wrong he was for me but it was exactly what I deserved. An idiot without an ounce of empathy or feelings for anyone else but himself. For me, it was a match made in heaven and I knew that nobody would understand why I thought so.

I knew what I deserved. I wanted to be punished. I wanted bad things to happen to me so I could finally redeem myself for what I have done all those years ago. But nobody understood why I was doing it. Why be with a guy who doesn’t even make you happy instead of someone loving and kind?

Lyla got into so many fights with me over this. Many more than Charlie did. I know he couldn’t wrap his head around it. He caught me crying so many times because of Nick, because of my guilt, because of his gestures that told me just how much he cared for me.

And what did I do? I got drunk and had sex with him. Way to go, Rhylee! Way to break so many hearts, you idiotic bitch!

That night we spent together was the most beautiful night of my life. It showed me how happy I could be with him. How much joy he could bring me. He showed me my future with him and all I could think about was how wrong it was. How I have to run away from everything. What a horrible person I was to do this to him.

There was a moment when I thought about telling him everything but stopped at the last second. Truth be told, there were many moments like this and he knew it. He knew I had so many things I wanted to say to him but simply couldn’t. I was a coward, locked inside a loop of my own mind.

What I did at Beauxbatons was still haunting me at the time. The fact that everybody forgave me haunted me. That I begged the Ministry to send me to Azkaban and they laughed at my plea, telling me that people don’t go to prison for making a simple mistake.

That’s what they called it. A simple mistake.

A simple mistake that almost ruined my life and because of which I made so many people around me suffer. They just didn’t see it as I did and I knew they never would. But did that give me closure? Did that make me stop feeling sorry for myself and move on with my life?

No.

I was determined that if they weren’t going to punish me and lock me up, I will do it to myself. I wanted to completely destroy my life for it and be miserable as much as I can be. I will date a guy I know doesn’t love me and pretend I can’t hear the screaming voice inside my head telling me to be with Charlie because he’s the one.

He has been from the moment we shook hands and started talking about dragons.

I closed all the doors that could bring me happiness. I tried so hard to stay away yet I couldn’t. Yet I hurt him and Bill and even Nick in the process. They all suffered because I wanted to bring pain to myself.

How fucked up is that?

All because I just couldn’t stay away. No matter how destructive my mind was, no matter how much I was telling myself that I don’t deserve someone like Charlie, my body and my heart were guiding me right to him and I didn’t have the strength to stop it.

A few weeks after I told Nick and he told me that I have to stay away from Charlie, something broke in me. I couldn’t do it anymore. I made Charlie so miserable and my heart shattered every time I saw him. The longing in his eyes to save me. To do something to make me feel better.

I was completely aware of the fact that I let myself go. I isolated myself, barely ate anything, and tried to work on Kyan’s case so that I would do one thing right in my fucking pathetic life.

I was naïve to think that would do the trick. That Charlie would finally let me go. Move on. Find a nice girl and settle down with her. Be happy. That’s what he deserved. That’s what I wanted for him, ignoring the fact that I wanted to be his girl more than I wanted anything in my entire life.

But he didn’t. He didn’t want to give up on me.

So I did the only thing I thought would help him move on. I left. I didn’t want to, but I did. The second Nick opened the door, me standing there with all my bags, I knew what a mistake I’ve made.

For the first time in years, I thought that perhaps I suffered enough. Perhaps it was time to stop tormenting myself. I made a decision to stay overnight and then go back to the Sanctuary and beg Peter for my job back.

That night we fought and I suddenly started to feel dizzy and everything turned black. I woke up at St Mungo’s the next day and all my plans to return to Romania fell through when the healers told me I was pregnant.

I knew I couldn’t run now. I sealed my destiny and serves me right for doing so. I brought it on myself and since I was so convinced that I deserve a life full of misery the pregnancy was just perfect. Ironic but perfect.

I didn’t expect Charlie to come to the trial. I hoped he wouldn’t come. I just left without saying goodbye and I thought that would make him mad enough for never wanting to talk to me again. But there he was and he stopped me from fleeing.

He kept pressuring me to tell him the truth. I hated how well he could read me. How well he knew I was lying and yet I fed him more lies. I already knew the pain that he must’ve felt at that moment. How confused he must’ve been for me just disappearing, for acting like I don’t care about him.

I know he needed answers and Merlin knows he deserved them more than anyone but I couldn’t. I needed him to move on. It was too late for the whole truth. It wouldn’t have done either of us any good. I was carrying Nick’s baby and there was nothing he could do about that.

If I wasn’t pregnant I know I would’ve told him everything. I wanted to return to the Sanctuary for him for fuck’s sake. But it was too late now and he needed to know that so I told him about the baby. Just reminiscing on it makes me want to throw up. The pain in his eyes when he was trying to comprehend what came out of my mouth.

The painful goodbye when he wished for me to have a good life, knowing full well that it’s probably the last time he will ever hold me in his arms. It was good closure in a fucked up kind of way. If someone with so many mental issues wrote a fairytale I am certain it would make perfect sense.

I was fighting every muscle in my body not to go after him once he started to walk away. I knew that was it. He finally did it. He is going to move on and be happy. I regretted putting him through what I did, I still do. But at least he will be able to forget about me by hating me. It was for the best.

He deserves so much better than me. Someone who will love him unconditionally and bring a smile to his face and flutter the butterflies in his stomach not put him through the shit I put him through.

I finally got what I wanted. The punishment I thought I deserved. All my self-destructive behavior finally paid off. I was pregnant and living with a man that I despised. Welcome to my bloody fairytale!

If it wasn’t for Lyla, being the best friend she is, I would probably do much worse than hurt myself mentally. She was the one that opened my eyes and got me a therapist without even asking about my opinion.

After my first session, I decided to tell her everything. What I did, what Dr. Whitmoore and I talked about. Everything. We cried, sitting on her bed for hours. She couldn’t believe I hated myself so much to do these things to myself but in the end, she told me she understood why I tried so desperately to punish myself.

I felt relief knowing she understood and still wanted to be my friend. I was so lucky to have her. I don’t even want to think where I would be if it wasn’t for her.

A/N: I know that what Rhylee is dealing with can't be solved with 6 months worth of therapy as is stated in the story. I needed to fit it in the timeline to align everything with Bill's wedding and is the only reason why I picked 6 months. One of my best friends has a Ph.D. in psychotherapy and she told me that with everything Rhylee has been through (to be revealed in tomorrow's chapter) it is very unrealistic that she would be as fine as I wrote her to be - I am fully aware of that. I apologize if I made anyone uncomfortable with it or if anyone finds it offensive in any way.

[secret-engima]

This. Has been a perfectly terrible day. Can I beg you for a ficbit or a snippet from one of your works, like Team Gremlin or Noctscar or something ? I just - they’re beautiful, and I just really, really need something beautiful right now.

SURE. I don’t have much in the way of snippets, but lemme see what I can find. I might have to throw in something from BNHA cause that’s the fandom the muses are chewing on this exact second.

...

Team Gremlin:

     It had been … a very bad few weeks for Qrow all told. And that was saying something. Everything had seemed fine one day, business as usual. Tai was back from his requisite number of missions to keep his license and teaching at Signal again —which he genuinely seemed to enjoy for some reason—, his nieces were as adorable as ever, and Summer was sometimes talking his ear off about maybe taking a teaching position somewhere herself after running a few missions to keep her own license active —she’d been busier lately with the girls than running around kicking butt, but it wasn’t like Qrow blamed her for that—.

     Then Leo was found dead in his office. Knifed in the neck, one round discharged from his weapon in the direction of the guest couch, blood pooling all over the chair and low table where the investigators said he’d been dragged from and laid on the floor in some kind of pose. No one unusual had been seen going in or out, there had been nothing on the office cameras —covered by a Semblance of some kind, it was decided, because of the fading, glass-like Aura shards on the floor—. The only warning had been the sound of Leo’s single shot before he died. Qrow had arrived as soon as he could to help investigate, since the primary suspect would … not be one the police even knew to look for. He had helped Dyna —poor woman had been wire tense with rage rather than her usual calm self, and it was no wonder—, search for clues the police would miss, then searched the secret tunnels for good measure.

     They had found a Grimm inside one of the deeper antechambers, far too deep to have gotten there by accident, a strange, jellyfish like beast that had been surprisingly hard to kill for something that small. They’d never seen it’s like before, and the thought of it being under the school, where kids were, where Oz and his inner circle were supposed to hold sway-. He’d never seen the otter Faunus more furious as they stood amid the fading Dark dust, her lips twisted, brow wrinkled in a way that had made the black line and red dots of her old bandit tattoos look more pronounced.

     They’d found no other signs that Salem knew how to get into the school tunnels, but they rechecked them all and trapped several of the ones leading outward as temporary security measures. With Dyna in place as the new —temporary on paper but soon to be permanent— Headmaster, Qrow had gathered up what evidence they could pry loose from their police contacts and gone back to Oz so they could try to sort this out.

     Of course, Qrow’s first impulse was to blame Salem, but Oz had listened to the report of a jellyfish Grimm under the school and his expression had folded into something pained. Knowing. He must have known what kind of Grimm it was, but hadn’t elaborated yet, just told Dyna to investigate all of Leo’s documents, Scroll calls, and communications over the past year, and insisted he would not explain until there was either evidence or not for his theory, for fear of making them biased.

     So, with Salem seemingly not the automatic culprit, they had started hunting for info. Summer had offered to come back and help, but Oz had told her to stay on her chosen mission instead.

     The pen had been an unexpected complication.

...

Always I Dreamed verse

     Summer ducked past her into the shower as Raven left it, pausing to stare at Raven’s tattoos for only a moment before chirping a quiet good morning and asking if she was okay after yesterday. Raven just grunted, because she was combat functional and frankly that was all that mattered. She had already pulled on her clothes from yesterday —all their possessions were in her inventory and she didn’t want questions on where it came from, she’d have to stuff it all in a duffel bag and hide it in the den to explain that away later— by the time Taiyang got up and Raven remembered the uniforms. Raven nudged open the bag while Qrow ducked out of their den and peered over her shoulder, “Everybody has to wear that stuff?” Qrow sneered as Raven pulled out the first button down shirt, “Hardly looks sturdy.”

     “It’s just for the school grounds I think, we have our combat gear for training missions and stuff anyway.” Taiyang said as he pulled out a shirt of his own from a different bag. Raven took a moment to glance at his bare torso. He slept in pants but not a shirt apparently, which was stupid, but better than being entirely naked at night. He had a decent build, which she knew from watching him fight yesterday, and a truly appalling lack of scars. Her life had been saved by somebody who had probably never had a truly decent fight in his life before that day. Wonderful.

     He also had tattoos, and Raven squinted at them for a moment because despite the differing size and placement, they all looked very much like the ones Raven and Qrow had gotten during a rare moment of total drunkenness at fifteen. He was missing the large asian dragon outline that wound up Raven’s own torso, but he had the blue crow perched as if about to take flight that Raven had, the running blue wolf who’s lower half dissolved into petals, and she thought she glimpsed a blue clockwork rabbit under his right arm. When he turned around briefly to put his back to them, she saw that most of his back had been taken up with the stylized outline of a raven in flight.

     She shook her head and looked away. Whatever. Summer possessed a tattoo on her arm similar to the asian dragon winding up Qrow’s arm from elbow to shoulder. Some tattoos were just popular, and blue ink was easier to come by for fill-in tattoos than the black used for outlines.

     Qrow must have remembered Taiyang’s words last night about Raven’s uniform being at the top, because he was already rooting down to the outfit right beneath hers —there was more fabric in the bag than that, but Raven wasn’t going to worry about why just yet—. He yanked out a shirt and jacket that looked his size, then blinked when something short and plaid tumbled out with it. Snatching it up, he unfolded it and made a face, “Is this a skirt? With my uniform?”

     Summer poked her head out of the bathroom, a wash of steam following her —oh right, hot water showers were a thing, darn— while Taiyang looked from Qrow to the skirt and back. Qrow was busy staring at the skirt, so he missed the expression of pure glee that flickered over the other teen’s face before he casually said, “What, that? It’s a kilt, man. Old Vale tradition.” Raven blinked very slowly, because that was a surprisingly good lie even though she knew it was nonsense —her memory on early canon was fuzzy, but she would have remembered the male characters running around in skirts—. She debated calling him on it for a moment, but she was from outside the kingdoms like Qrow, so technically she had no way to know that Taiyang was lying.

     Besides, if Taiyang wanted to poke the bear that was her brother’s temper, better he do it now and get it over with than later when they were training.

     Qrow was still making annoyed noises under his breath as he examined the “kilt”, and a glance at Summer slipping out of the shower in a towel showed she was fighting down laughter. Silver eyes met Raven’s with hopeful amusement and Raven looked away. She was still angry that the Story had forced itself into place in her life. With a shake of her head, Raven finished yanking out her uniform —one of? There was so much fabric in there, did the school really waste money making multiple outfits for each student?— and started pulling off her old clothes to put it on. Taiyang made a noise like someone had knifed him just as she dropped her shirt to the floor and she looked up in alarm. Taiyang had whipped around to put his back to her, and she could see the flush of color crawling up his neck and the backs of his ears. He didn’t look hurt or anything, but when Summer wandered in and dropped her towel onto her bed to put on her uniform —huh, she had the same tattoos as Raven, Qrow, and Taiyang, just with the perched crow as a large outline that went down to her mid back and a large blue raven in flight over her abdomen that looked like the smaller one on Qrow’s back—, Taiyang made the dying noise again, snatched up his bag of clothes, and rushed for the bathroom.

     Raven had the feeling she should understand what that was about, but she didn’t get it, and when she risked a glance at Summer, the other girl actually looked just as baffled. So maybe it wasn’t some social thing she’d forgotten. Maybe it was just a thing with him specifically.

...

Feather-Light and Fire-Bright verse (BNHA)

     Which was why, the next time she spotted a little red feather slinking over to place a trio of shiny buttons on the park bench she liked best, she hastily caught it with one hand. It was very soft, wiggling slightly in her grip, twitching and fluttering almost like a frightened living thing, so much so she shushed it gently on instinct, “It’s okay, I won’t damage you.” Taking out the note she’d spent days agonizing over, she skewered it to the quill of the feather, “I need you to take a message to whoever controls you.” She let it go and the feather wiggled erratically in the air, like a cat trying to wiggle free of an unfamiliar collar before flitting away. Fuyumi resisted the urge to chase it and see where it led. She’d sent her note, now she would wait for a reaction.

     She absently took the three coat buttons and put them in her pocket before going home. It would be stupid to leave them as litter in the park, but it also felt like a bad idea to throw them away and possibly anger whoever was watching her. Besides, she had a collection going now, she almost had enough matching buttons to make a full set for a long coat.

     A week went by with no sign of her shadow before she finally spotted a red feather again. It lurked on the edges of the park, flitting out into view as she walked by before slipping off in the direction of a more sequestered part of the park. Fuyumi hesitated, saw the feather come back and swirl around her a few times like an excited puppy before rushing off again and decided she was either about to meet someone shy or about to be kidnapped and potentially murdered. Slipping her hand into her handbag to grip the small pro-grade taser inside just in case, Fuyumi followed the feather into the copse of trees that shielded that part of the park from the street and the rest of the grassy area.

     The feather slipped away to rejoin … a lot of other feathers, and Fuyumi paused on the edges of the little forested nook to get a good look at her mysterious shadow for the first time. Golden eyes, piercing and almost predatory in intensity, flitted up to meet her gaze as he stood up. He was about her age she would guess, maybe a year older, so lean that if she hadn’t been able to see the muscles of his bare arms she would have called him scrawny. He was wearing a sleeveless hoodie that looked like it had lost a few too many rounds with a washing machine, clean but all faded and stretched and worn looking. His hair was all tousled and pale gold, and the red feathers were clustered on his back in huge wings that looked like they belonged on someone about twice his size and weight. He smiled a little, a practiced thing that was too nervous to be real, but if Fuyumi hadn’t lived her entire life around Pro Heroes and the children of other such elites, she would never had known.

     He held up her note between too fingers, not commenting on the wary distance still between them nor making any moves to close it, “Um, I’m not a stalker, just wanna get that out of the way. Sorry if I … came off that way? I’m, uh, not good at introducing myself and I didn’t … really know what else to do.”