#when did penny sign up for the musical family

[mrsbradshaw-seresin01]

*Penny teaching Amelia to drive and taking Rooster and Maverick along for the ride*

Penny: That's a pothole. To the left!

Amelia: Take it back now y'all *drives directly into the pothole*

Maverick: *sticking his face into the front over the center console* Cha Cha real smooth.

Rooster: I don't think that's how the song goes, Mav.

Amelia: That's definitely not how the song goes... The next line is one hop this time.

Penny: *crying, gripping the handle* Please just take me home.

Amelia: Country roads.

Rooster: To the place.

Rooster, Amelia and Maverick: I belong!

Penny: *crying harder* What the fuck?

[purinfelix]

new recruit ₊˚⊹ - charles leclerc

summary: the age-old tradition of Top Gun pilots spending the night before a mission at the local bar is interrupted by a new, boyishly charming, face w/c: 1.8k

taglist: @zowifi @musicallisto

a/n: y'all knew it was coming .. as soon as he dropped these pics i knew what i had to do (consider this a semi-ode to my top gun phase when maverick first came out)

The Hard Deck Bar never changes, and neither do its visitors. It's a fact you rely on comfortably whenever you get the call to return to the beachside town you've learned to call home after years of missions there. You push through the heavy wooden doors, sighing happily as you're welcomed by the sound of laughter and music as the evening comes alive - all against the backdrop of the golden sunset.

"Dice, is that you?" You whip your head around at the sound of your call sign - a gift to you from your lieutenant, an acknowledgement of your risky tendencies in the air. You break into a warm smile as you make eye contact with Phoenix - one of the only other female pilots on the team to whom you've grown close.

"You look well," you reply as you walk over to where she and several others stand.

Surrounding the pool table you're greeted with several familiar faces, some newer than others but all smiling regardless. You had gotten to know the other Top Gun pilots fairly well as one of the most experienced amongst the group, and the one most often called back for missions. It had come to the point where whenever it came time to take part in the old tradition of hanging out at the bar before your first mission briefing, it felt more like a family reunion than a group of coworkers. The only thing that set you all apart from the general public was the khaki uniforms you donned, decorated with multi-coloured patches celebrating your achievements.

"Did you hear there's a new recruit?" Hangman asked, the question clearly directed to you, as he potted a pool ball.

"Oh yeah, the admiral did mention it to me when he called me in," you replied before sipping your drink.

"Reckon they'll be any good?"

"Hope so, I heard this mission's one of the hardest we'll be on," Rooster scoffed from the other side of the table.

"Agreed, especially since they're going to be my co-pilot," you sighed.

"Sounds like Chief had enough of your risky solo missions," Phoenix laughed as she took her turn to play.

You could only smile shyly as she did, finishing the last of your drink before letting your eyes scan through the rest of the bar. Music from the jukebox floated through the air, joined by the loud laughter of the bar's regulars as they drunkenly joked raucously. It was nothing out of the ordinary and worked wonders in calming the nerves you inevitably felt brewing about the responsibilities you'd have to step up to tomorrow.

The bell above the doors tinkles again, announcing the arrival of yet another customer, but this one in particular catches your eye. Not because of his messy brown hair or the boyish air surrounding him - but because you've never seen him here before. You lean over to elbow Phoenix before nodding in his direction, and she turns to look at him too.

"Newbie?" she asks, and you nod before hopping off of the stool you've perched yourself on and waltzing over to where he's leaning against the bar.

You watch as his round eyes scan the menu intently, eyelashes batting as he squints to try and get a better look - it's almost endearing how lost he looks. Shooting the bartender Penny a sly smile, alerting her immediately of your plans, you take the seat next to where he's standing.

"You alright there?" you ask, and he turns to you with a shocked expression.

"Is it that obvious I'm struggling?" You pick up on his accent right away, though it takes you a little longer to locate it. Regardless, you're drawn in almost immediately by the embarrassed smile that spreads across his features.

"Just order your usual, Penny makes everything taste amazing anyway," you reassure him. He nods obediently, leaning over and mumbling his order. "I'm guessing you don't come here a lot?"

"Yeah, first time actually," his hand comes up to rub the back of his neck and you take note of the multiple string bracelets decorating it. What you don't notice though is the way his eyes scan over you, or more specifically, your uniform.

"Are you a soldier?"

"Close, army pilot." You tap the crest on your shirt.

"You must be good then," he smiles, pointing to your patches and it hits you that he might just be flirting with you.

"I am actually, thank you for picking up on that," you shoot back smugly, "how about you, what do you do?"

"Oh me, I'm just trying out some new things, travelling, flying lots." He nods, though the smirk toying at his lips tells you he's not telling the whole truth. You don't care enough to press on though, as you shift on your stool. You don't care enough to press on though, and at that moment his drink order slides across the bar to him.

"You haven't told me your name yet," he's the first to break the silence this time, before taking a sip of his drink. He lets out a surprised hum as if to tell you that you were right about Penny's bartending skills.

"Everyone around here calls me Dice," you reply, gesturing around to the entirety of the room. This piques his interest.

"That's an interesting name."

"Well it's not my real name it's my call sign, it's a pilot thing," you explain and he nods thoughtfully, "it's because I tend to take a lot of risks while on missions."

"Interesting," he murmurs, "but these risks must work out for you." He points to your patches again and you laugh softly.

"I guess you could say so. What about your name?"

He pauses for a bit, almost as if he's forgotten his own name. "Predistinato," he finally says.

"Predi- wh- sorry could you say that again?"

"Predistinato," he repeats, laughing a little this time.

"Is that French or something?"

"Almost, it's Italian," he explains and all you can do is nod, unaware that you're silently mouthing it back to yourself. It certainly isn't a name you'll forget any time soon.

"Well, Mr. P," you say, slipping off your stool and dusting off your hands, "it was nice meeting you and helping you out with your order.""

You're about to give up on your plan before you hear him call out to you just as you're turning around.

"Hold on, Dice," he hesitates before finishing, "how about taking another risk?"

You spin back around and the expression on his face tells you he isn't finding this any less cringey than you are. "Pardon?"

"Do you think I could get your number?"

A cold smile spreads across your face as you skip back over to the bar and lean over to catch Penny's eye. As you do she walks over to the corner of the bar the two of you are seated in, reaching up and ringing the large bell hanging above it. Immediately, the entire bar erupts into a loud commotion of roars and whistles, with people lifting up their cups towards the man sitting across from you.

You can't help but laugh upon seeing his confused expression and all you do is point to the sign hanging between two beer taps. Disrespect a lady, the navy, or put your cell phone on my bar - you buy a round.

"Woah, disrespect? That's harsh," he smiles sheepishly, but you only shrug.

"Rules are rules."

"A round, for everyone?"

"Good luck, and see you around," you nod, patting him on the shoulder with a smug expression before turning to rejoin your friends at the pool table.

"Attention on deck!"

The heavy sound of several chairs scraping the floor in unison is the only thing you hear as you and the rest of the pilots stand at attention. Standing as still as you can, you watch as Admiral Bates marches to the podium at the front of the hangar.

"Good morning, and welcome to your special training detachment." His expression is stern and you watch as his eyes scan the rows of tables. "Be seated."

"Everyone here is a Top Gun graduate, I'm sure you know each other well enough to know that's true. You may consider yourself elite, the best, but that stops now. In here, you will all be treated like equals and you must prove your excellence to make the cut."

The air is tense and no one dares to look at each other as he talks.

"Today we begin with the introduction of a new face however, I'd like you all to welcome the newest addition to this mission." The admiral gestures towards the back of the room and several heads turn to the figure standing at the back of the room, who begins walking between the aisle of tables. His steps are heavy, confident, and almost eager.

"Despite being newer, he has proved his proficiency in every aspect required of this mission and so I warn you not to underestimate him."

The figure passes your table and you physically feel your heart drop to your stomach when he does. He's facing away from you, and he looks completely different when sporting the pilot uniform instead of casual clothes - but you're sure you'd recognise that messy hair anywhere, even though it's clear he's tried his best to comb it down.

"Please welcome Charles Leclerc. Call sign: Il Predistinato."

Of course, just your luck.

"Good morning," from the front of the room and under the bright morning light he looks different, but the boyish charm he seemed surrounded by last night still lingers in the way he smiles.

"Charles, why don't you take a seat next to Dice in the front row, you'll be co-piloting with her for now." Your eyes widen as the attention is suddenly turned to you, and scoot uncomfortably in your seat as he nears you.

"You look well" he murmurs, just loud enough for you to hear as he takes the seat next to you. You let out a low chuckle, not knowing what else to do other than nod a little awkwardly.

The admiral goes on talking, briefing you all on the aims of the mission, but despite your best efforts to focus you can't seem to. Not with the boy sitting next to you, the way he leans forward on the desk to listen attentively the same way he had last night at the bar, the way his deep brown hair falls onto his face as he does.

"Sorry about last night," you hear yourself whisper to him as you lean in, though he doesn't seem to be holding any grudges.

"No need to apologise," he begins, and you sit back with relief. "But next time, maybe you can pay for my drinks?"

You sigh in exasperation, as he shoots you a wink before turning back to the lesson. You could only pray he flew as smoothly as he spoke.

[ladybugsimblr]

Q: I don’t need the Bailey Kay Superstar Social Media Special. Maybe an assistant, so I don’t miss out on a dope opportunity because my inbox is flooded with enthusiastic butterflies. BK: Aht Aht! This is not about the Hive! This is about the thirsties slipping and sliding into your dms. My butterflies know how to act. Q: Oh really?! BK: Yes really.

Q: That’s funny because… let me see… here… Yeah I definitely got nudes from… wildbutterfly and a sexybfly4liiiife with four i’s. BK: So we’re keeping messages with nudes now, Quinton??? Q: Damn. The government?? Penny, help! Penny: You two are hilarious. This is quality entertainment. Maybe we should reconsider the reality show. BK&Q: NO!

BK: What’s with the face sir? Are we boring you? Khalil: I’m just wondering when we’re gonna talk about the elephant in the room. BK: ( Shit. How does he know?? ) Penny: Khalil, now is not the time. We’re celebrating. Q: No, get it off your chest because you’re definitely killing the vibe.

-

This was wordy so continue reading below…

Khalil: Look, I gave in with the residency decision, but I’m not rolling over on this retirement thing. I think it’s stupid and a huge fucking mistake. BK: Well damn. Khalil: I don’t get it B. You love this. Music is life. Performing is life. Your fans. All of it. Why would you stop now? BK: You’re right. I do love it. And music has been my life, but I’ve done it all. I’ve accomplished every one of my goals when it comes to being an entertainer. I’m ready to move on.

Khalil: This is crazy. You’re at the top of your game. Now is when you cement your legend status. All the greats are still recording and performing into their adult years, some even elders! BK: I hear you, but right now I just want to do things on my terms and time. I want to focus on my family. I want to help other artists make their dreams come true. Maybe even discover something else I love. Khalil: This industry moves fast. You know that. If you quit, there’s no guarantee you’ll get your spot back. Everyone will move on to the next hot thing. BK: I’m not worried about that. If I come back it will be out of love for the music. I don’t need to chase the fame and the top spot anymore.

Khalil: Did you forget about the 2 albums left on your contract? BK: No, I- Q: Are you really bringing up contracts right now?! Khalil: No one is listening to logic so yes I’m talking about legal obligations. Q: Clearly you didn't hear one thing she just said. You’re still only worried about what she can do for you.

Khalil: Q, stay in your lane. I don’t tell you how to do your job. Don’t tell me how to do mine. Q: Maybe you should think about something else other than the job. There is more to life. Khalil: Here you go with your speeches on family life. Focusing on the job got me, your wife and you the success you have now. You conveniently forget that. The family sim thing is for you. That’s great. But let me and B do what we do best and make sure we all stay winning. BK: It doesn’t have to be an either or situation. Both can be possible. Khalil: Retirement is not both. Retirement is quitting and that’s not the Global Superstar BK that I signed. It’s sounding like Bailey being influenced by Quinton.

Q: I don't like your tone. BK: Khalil, you’re about to cross a line and we really don’t have to go there. Khalil: I’m just being real because you two are not thinking straight. I swear you must be pregnant or something because that’s the only time you come at me with the home life work life balance shit. But even you two wouldn’t be that reckless.

*crickets*

Penny: Bailey… Khalil: Are you fucking kidding me?!

BK: We- Khalil: This is bullshit. I’m out. Penny: Khalil!

[ever-after-portal]

Another EAH oc!

Constance Duckworth

I used the same EAH character maker as I did here.

Constance, or Connie, is a swan adopted by a family of ducks. At a young age, her biological family left her behind, leaving her adopted family to take care of her. Although she's different, she loves her family, and they love her just the same. Her younger siblings annoy her and drive her crazy, but she wouldn't give them up for anything.

She's the daughter of the "ugly duckling," or at least is destined to be the "ugly duckling." As such, she struggles with self-esteem and body issues. In spell-ementary school, she was bullied for her grey feathers and young swan-like appearance. Kids could be pretty cruel. Unlike Duchess Swan, she cannot turn into a swan or have a swan form. Headmaster Grimm says that she must learn to love herself.

Her BFFAs are Penelope Pea, daughter of the Princess and the Pea, and Malita Midas, granddaughter of King Midas. Essentially, they are the only two people she spends time with; she will occasionally hang out with Earnest Charming (but only when Penny is around.) When not helping an underclassmen with their legacy, she's off somewhere by a pond or in the ballet studio.

Duchess Swan was assigned as her legacy mentee; neither of them liked to talk about it and instead just hung out in silence. Often, that silence is broken by some classical music. Connie sees Duchess as a younger sister and, in a way, wants to protect her. During school, when she tries to say hello, she is usually brushed off with a cold shoulder, and it doesn't exactly bother her all that much because many of the kids at Ever After High have reputations to keep.

Connie loves fashion and jewelry. She adorns herself in feathers and silver to distract from her lack of self-confidence. As much as she doesn't want to participate in her story and regrets signing the Storybook of Legends, she can't stop what's already set in motion. It's still being determined if her story will end when she realizes her worth or when she graduates. The only problem she has with the ugly duckling story is that she'll be seen as an ugly duckling. Something that kids had taunted her with for so long.

[cheese-ducks]

No twrp origins chapter update this week sorry

I do however have a lil one shot for ya (I promise chapter 10 next week)

Context: Stone LaChismo's daughter is staying with her uncle for the summer. The only problem: she doesn't remember him at all.

Stone set his hands on her shoulders, attempting to calm his hyper daughter.

"Listen, Penny, something's come up." He squeezed her hand lovingly as he sat her down at the kitchen table. "Your mom and I have to fly out to Toronto in a few days so," He paused waiting for the feeling to dissipate, but she sat there eager as ever. The moment Stan told her about 'summer travel plans', she'd been packing a small backpack in anticipation for somewhere fun. He really should've clarified. "You are staying here."

The excitement drained from her face and she instantly began to whine. 

"What? You're going to leave me here! To die of starvation and boredom?"  

"Honey, it is not going to be that bad." Penny's mother interjected. "Your Uncle Jack is coming!" 

Even though she'd only met him a handful of times she thought Stan's brother was incredibly strange. Her enthusiasm didn't give that away to her daughter, though. She didn't want to prolong the whining.

"Uncle who?" The young girl exclaimed.

"My brother. Penny you've heard me mention him a million times."

"So? I've never actually met him!"

"I think you did when you were little." 

"He could be totally evil! He could be a psycho for all I know!" She began stiffly karate chopping the table to make her point. 

"Honey, it's going to be fine." He said, trying to calm her down. "Your Uncle's really excited to-" 

"THIS IS GOING TO BE THE WORST SUMMER EVER!" She stormed out of the kitchen and up the stairs to her bedroom. They subsequently heard the door slam shut and muffled screaming into a pillow. 

"I swear she's gonna love him."  

.........................................................................

As the days passed Penny stayed confined to her room, dreadfully awaiting the day her Uncle arrived. In that time she was informed that not only was the Uncle she barely knew going to watch her all summer, but his three friends were coming to stay too. Her dad's only explanation was 'they're kind of a package deal'. So, she would be stuck in a house full of random people all summer long, great. Finally the day arrived with a sudden announcement from her family. 

"Penny, wake up! Uncle Jack is here!" 

She hit the ground with a thud while rolling out of her bed. Being dramatic hurt more than she thought it would. She snatched a pair of binoculars off one of her cluttered shelves and observed the driveway from afar. She couldn't see them clearly, in fact she couldn't see them at all. The short man she assumed to be her uncle was completely hidden behind her father's hug. Her mother was helping two other men unload their bags from a gigantic van, no doubt the friends her dad told her about. One of them, a man wearing a blue flannel, was hidden behind the doors, yelling at someone else inside the van. The other, wearing a black and white Adidas jacket and jeans, was handing off what looked like musical instruments to her mom. No wonder she couldn't see anything, the van was practically an apartment on wheels. 

She was startled by a harsh knock on her door, so much so she nearly dropped the binoculars. 

"I said, come down and say hi or you're in big trouble." Stan stood cross armed in her doorway. In her intense focus she hadn't noticed he came inside.

"Can't you read the sign?" Penny pointed to a colorful, hand drawn sign on her door. 

It read; DO NOT ENTER!! Penny Lecurno is spending the rest of the summer IN HER ROOM! Do not disturb until September, thank you for the inconvenience.

Stan chuckled softly as he read the sign.

"Oh really?" Stan's playful mockery going unnoticed by his daughter. "What about food?" 

She grabbed a small, pink laundry basket from the corner of her room. "I have a basket. You can put food inside and I'll pull it up." Inside the basket was every jump rope and ribbon she owned, tied together in braided knots.

"What about TV?" 

The child confidently opened her closet and pulled out a large device made of tissue boxes and plastic drain pipes. 

'Where did she get all this stuff?' Stan thought to himself. 

"It's gonna be a periscope. I'll be able to see the whole living room." Stan was almost impressed.

"As cool as all of this is, and I'm very proud of you for being creative," 

"Dinner's on fire!" A scream was heard from downstairs, followed by panicked shouting and the alarm from the kitchen smoke detector. They both raced out of the room, Stan heading downstairs and Penny heading to the bathroom. 

"I can save us! I'll get water!" She snatched two handheld water guns and filled them as quickly as possible in the sink. Water pistols in hand she jumped down the staircase. The entire kitchen was engulfed in smoke and everyone was rushing to put out the fire. She stared wide eyed as her dad pulled a currently on fire lasagna out of the oven. In a panicked frenzy she blasted water in every direction, desperately hoping to put it out.

"Penny! You're not actually helping!" Stan exclaimed through bursts of water to the face. "I was joking when I said you could do this!" 

A joyful cackle echoed through the chaos as the smoke cleared and a drenched Doctor Sung stood clearly in her field of vision. 

"Bullseye!" He proclaimed through laughter. 

In shock, Penny stopped blasting. She took a moment surveying the array of weirdos occupying her kitchen.

"Wow, Pebble LaChismo. In the tiny, human flesh." He swooped her off the ground and into a big hug, his dripping Hawaiian shirt soaking them both. "Stone! She is so cute!"

She was so taken aback by the strange nickname that she didn't take offense to being called cute.

"Alright, lemme get this from ya." 

Meouch gently took the child out of Sung's arms and set her on the floor next to her dad. "Doc, we've only been here five minutes and already we set your brother's house on fire."

Sung looked impressed with himself. 

"I shit thee nay, that is a new record for us." 

[ari-the-silly]

I have an idea for a rtc AU

SO, i wanna write this some day, but i already am writting two things ("The chaotic sillies groupchat" a chatfic i made out of boredom and "And so I walk Alone And wonder why?" My other rtc au) BUTTTT ITS THEM ALL GETTING REVIVED IN DIFFERENT BODIES AND DIFFERENT PLACES AND THEM ALL MEETING IN HIGHSCHOOL SO

this is the characters, their names, nationalities, ages and things theyve kept from the og characters:

Melody Isabella Camila, 16, spanish, extremely controlling and a perfectionist, horrible family -Ocean

Dan Chaiyo Ngam, 15, thai, the appearance and sarcasm, a lot of the style and his passions/quirks (writting, singing, picking his nails) -Noel

Cleopatra Antonia Francisca Constance, 16, american-brazilian, the appearance, her vocal range, her personality(or more how i see constance) - Constance

Alex Ionuț, 15, romanian, "IN MY COUNTRY IS TRADITION TO DRINK ON BARTHDEI", he lives away from his mom- Misha

Iran Sujin, 15, korean, appearance (glasses, curly hair, tall-ish), weird sense of humour, saying anything without changing his expression at all -Ezra

Anastasia Penelope Magdalena, 14, half russian half canadian, neurotic, extremely high notes, still listens to pop bands (7UP type shit), still sings opera -Penny

Rafah Noah, mixt (A LOT, not even he knows what he is), 16, still disabled, he can speak but also uses ASL -Ricky

Ok so they all met in various ways:

- rafah (ricky) and sujin (ezra) met in elementary school

-sujin (ezra) and anastasia (penny) met also in elementary school, but another year

-cleo (constance), melody (ocean) and dan (noel) have been childhood friends and during the pandemic they were online friends

-alex (misha) and anastasia (penny) met at school when alex(misha) just transferred

-rafah (ricky) and anastasia (penny) met at their theatre club

-anastasia (penny) met dan(noel), cleo (constance) and melody (ocean) when she signed up for choir

-so did rafah (ricky) and sujin (ezra)

-alex (misha) joined the choir cause he was failing music class

They are all at an art school with a lot of like extracurriculars/clubs (choir, theatre, band, football, cheerleading, book)

So these are also their extra curriculars they are at:

-dan (noel) :choir

-melody (ocean) : choir, student council, occasionally theatre club

-cleo (constance) : choir, band (plays the flute)

-rafah (ricky) : choir, theatre

-anastasia (penny) :choir, theatre, occasionally band

-sujin (ezra) : choir, theatre

ANYWAYS IDK WHAT IS HAPPENIGN TO ME BUT THESE SILLIES WONT LWAVE ME ALONE

[scotianostra]

10th January 1945 saw the birth of pop star Rod Stewart.

Although born in London Rod’s father was Scottish and he counts himself as a Scot. Stewart performed in several bands in the 1960s including Python Lee Jackson and The Faces. He worked a series of odd jobs, including working as a grave digger, before his singing career took off

Embarking on a solo career, Maggie May became his first hit single in 1971 Stewart moved to the United States in 1975. The next year, he reached the top of the U.S. charts with “Tonight’s the Night” from A Night on the Town. Stewart continued to have a slicker, more pop sound as the decade progressed. He also developed a reputation for his partying lifestyle and for dating numerous actresses and models. With 1978’s Blondes Have More Fun, he had another smash hit single with “Do Ya Think I’m Sexy?”

The 1980s proved to be more challenging for Stewart. While 1981’s Tonight I’m Yours went platinum, the albums that followed did not fare as well. He ended the decade on a positive note, however. His remake of the Tom Waits song “Downtown Train” in 1989 received a lot of radio play. A few years later, he released Unplugged and Seated, which was recorded at an MTV Unplugged concert and featured the hit “Have I Told You Lately.”

With his distinctive throaty, almost scratchy-sounding voice, Stewart decided to take on some of the classic songs and make them his own with It Had to be You: The Great American Songbook. He recorded four volumes of the Great American Songbook series, and won his first Grammy Award (best traditional pop vocal album) for Stardust: The Great American Songbook, Volume III in 2004.

At the age of 60, Stewart became a father for seventh time. His son, Alastair Wallace Stewart, was born on November 27, 2005. This was his first child with then fiancée Penny Lancaster. The couple married in 2007 and welcomed a second son, Aiden, in 2011. He also has a daughter, Kimberly, and a son, Sean, from his first wife Alana Stewart and a daughter named Ruby with former girlfriend Kelly Emberg. Rod also has two children from his marriage to model Rachel Hunter—Renee and Liam. Stewart publicly acknowledged his oldest daughter, Sarah Streeter, in 2013. Streeter was born when Stewart was only 18 years old, and he and the girl’s mother had decided to put their baby up for adoption. Stewart and Streeter first met in 2008.

In 2006, Stewart returned to rock music with Still The Same: Great Rock Classics of Our Time. The album reached the top of the pop charts in October of that year. Stewart put down the microphone and picked up a pen to write his 2012 memoir Rod: The Autobiography. The following year, he made an impressive return to songwriting with his album Time. Stewart co-wrote many of the record’s songs as well as serving as a co-producer on the project.

Although reaching his 77th birthday Rod shows no signs of living a quiet pensioner lifestyle, he and his son were involved with an altercation in Florida, with Rod throwing a punch at a security guard after he refused them entry to an event. He will need to be careful or he might end up being arrested by wife, Penny, who as well as working as a model, has volunteered as a Special Constable in the police.

Rod continues to release music, a new album is due out soon.

Strewart and his family spent the festive season in Scotland at the Gleneagles hotel. The generous singer bSowled over the saff when he decided to offer them £10,000 as a compliment for their hard work over the festive period.

He then jokingly suggested staff should put it to good use and stick every penny of it on Scotland to win the Euros this summer., let's hope we certainly do well!

Stewart, who is due to release a new album next month, said: “I’ve been lucky enough to stay in some of the top hotels in the world and the service at Gleneagles is second to none.

“The staff do a terrific job at a very hectic time of the year and deserve every penny. It’s Scottish hospitality at its very best.”

On his tip, he joked: “I advised the boys and girls at Gleneagles to invest the money wisely – stick the lot on Scotland to win the Euros.”

No matter what you think, nobody can deny his Scottish heritage or love for Scotland

Rod played Edinburgh Castle last year and I love this wee clip that captured the moment his 94 year old sister joined him on stage as he belted out Sailing.

[ali-annals]

5: isn't it just so pretty

Invisible String Masterlist PREVIOUS NEXT AO3

On June 24th, Red Robin popped by Lucky Charms, but it was closed.

He then headed to 195 Andes Plaza but saw Damian glaring at him from the window and left.

Marinette was finishing preparing for her upcoming album release/tour and didn’t need to deal with inquisitive birds and bats right now.

The second story had a large room for the kwamis to play around in. The spacious garden out back, tended by Tikki, Pollen, Nooroo, Fluff, and Wayzz, was lush and blooming abundantly.

Tomorrow Fairy would release the album cover and name, then in a week the tracklist and another MV for her second single, Threads of Time. With the new info released, there would be more interviews. One would be with Clark and Lois.

So Damian protectively shooed his brother away from Marinette. 

Chloe and Icarus would be going on tour as well, in the States and Europe. At least Bruce hadn’t questioned him when he requested to not begin working at WE till January, taking a gap half-year. There was the tour, the wedding, and planning the functions to do. He couldn’t be there for Mari and keep an eye on her health while he was busy acclimating to working at WE as well.

~~~~~

June 25th the Waynes were stunned by the cover of Fairy’s new album, Golden Ties. It was different from her debut album, Gossamer Wings. Gossamer Wings’ background was an iridescent, shimmering background with golden lines like butterfly wings curving up from the surface. Black italics spelled the title.

Golden Ties was a black background with loopy gold letters all connected spelling the title.

Fairy’s picture on the back of Gossamer Wings showed her back, with fairy wings attached. (Actually, they were her Ladybug wings and the background of the cover.)

On the back of Golden Ties was her profile in black, wearing her signature red lipstick and a plain gold masquerade-style domino.

July second, the tracks –all sixteen of them– were released, plus Threads of Time (MV). 

Damian, as Icarus, appeared in it.

One of the songs, Emerald Eyes, was about him, though no one except him, Mari, Jagged and Penny, and Chloe knew that.

~~~~~

Fairy began the American leg of her tour in Gotham with Jagged.

The Waynes came, of course, minus Damian again but including Bruce this time.

Fairy sent Chloe with a note inviting them backstage after the show.

Chloe reported that they were happy to join her and that they had all (minus Bruce) squealed in excitement.

Once the backstage fans left, Icarus escorted his family to Mari’s dressing room. 

“Hi! How have my ‘biggest fans’ been doing?"

“Great! This album is even better than your debut, and the concert was amazing!!”

“Thank you! Icarus inspired a lot,” she smiled at him in a way that the Bats could *tell* was reserved for him only.

"Did you know MDC was engaged to someone?” asked Bruce, not foregoing his detective tendencies even in the face of his children’s favourite artist.

“MDC is engaged? I didn’t know she made a press statement,” Fairy played dumb. “I did notice a lovely ring on her hand, though. She also seems quite close with whom I believe is your younger brother...Damian?”

“That’s him. Unfortunately, he had a previous engagement scheduled and couldn’t come tonight. I do know he actually quite enjoys your music.”

“High praise! I’ll have to tease him about it if MDC brings her man around!” Fairy giggled like her namesake. She turned to Icarus. “Remind me next time we see him?”

“Of course, Cherie. ”

~~~~~

Gold was the color of the leaves when I showed you around Centennial Park

Damian asked Jon to cover for him while he followed Marinette around the US. In return, Jon got MDC clothing and signed Fairy and Jagged Stone merch.

Jon was introduced to the kwamis, and Trixx was enlisted to create illusions of Damian and Marinette as needed. Kaalki was the MVP, opening portals regularly so Damian could maintain his presence in Gotham. 

At the end of August, Fairy headed to Europe for the next leg of her tour. She hit all the capitals, saving Paris for last. Luka, Jagged, and Clara all joined her at different parts of the tour for surprise collabs. 

Finally, the day came when Marinette arrived in Paris again. She hadn’t been since she wrapped up her and her parents’ affairs two years ago, and she was glad she was only there for a short while.

Damian portalled over, thanks to Kaalki, and they disguised themselves to go sightsee.

Marinette showed him Master Fu’s shop, the Couffaine houseboat, her grandparents’ house, and at last, the park by her old house, where she used to sketch.

The sunlight filtered golden through the leaves, the warm air blowing Marinette’s hair in her face.

Damian brushed it out of the way and handed her an elastic off his wrist.

She took it with a smile, grateful one of them could keep elastics close at hand.

They came out at the other end of the park, standing facing the corner where the bakery used to be.

Marinette’s grip on Damian’s hand tightened, and she wiped a tear away from her cheek.

“Let’s head back, mon ange .”

~~~~~

Hell was the journey but it brought me heaven

“Bonjour, Paris!” called Fairy the next night on the catwalk. “As many of you know, I’m originally from here. It’s good to be back!” And it really was, as she thought about it. With Damian by her side, her return had been much less painful than she had originally thought.

“As I wrote Lady Luck to pay homage to the Miraculous Team, I’m proud to perform it in their city! If you’re watching this, I hope you know how much we appreciate your hard work and selfless sacrifices!”

She knew the Couffaines were in the audience, and Chloe was backstage. Adrien and Kagami were planning their wedding for the week she was back, so she was unsure if they would be too busy to come or not. She had sent them tickets anyways.

Her guitarist played the opening riff, and she started the song.

~~~~~

Adrien and Kagami were married with Marinette and Damian in attendance. They planned to honeymoon in Osaka, then fly to Gotham for Marinette and Damian’s wedding. Two days later, Fairy and Icarus returned to Gotham. 

Marinette and Damian’s long absences had been chalked up to wedding planning, which was true. Mari only wanted a small wedding–just friends and her few family members– and Damian didn’t want lots of fuss either. His family attending was enough fuss, considering all their drama, he grumbled to her once. She simply giggled and told him she was sure they would be on their best behaviour.

Wayne Manor had much larger grounds than Marinette’s house, so the ceremony was set to be held there.

Tikki, Wayzz, and Pollen definitely never snuck over to encourage the lush grass and flowering blossoms, and Trixx never aided and abetted by illusioning them. The greenery was all Alfred’s green thumb.

In between concerts, Mari sewed her wedding dress and Chloe’s maid of honour dress. 

Damian’s tux and Jon’s suit were already prepared, and she collected what had been Gina’s veil while she was in Paris.

The final touches of embroidery were added in the last weeks before the wedding, and all the preparations ran smoothly, thanks to Chloe and Damian’s combined terrifying ruthless efficiency.

October 10th dawned clear and bright, sunny for once in Gotham.

(Marinette bet it was something to do with Tikki’s luck and cleansing accumulating in breaking down the curses on Gotham.)

As Chloe helped her dress she reflected that maybe she should be nervous, but she only felt happy and content. She was marrying her romantic soulmate today, what more could she ask?

(The whole week before she carefully avoided even thinking of anything that could go wrong, lest Plagg’s bad luck jinx them.)

Marinette surveyed herself in the mirror by the door as Tikki and Pollen slipped into their Chosen’s bouquets.

Her veil was her ‘something borrowed’, Tikki’s earrings her ‘something old’, her dress her ‘something new’, and the sapphire necklace Damian gifted her for her birthday her ‘something blue’.

The dress was scoop-necked white tulle over white silk,  the layers creating a slightly flouffy skirt. It was simple and understated, but when the light shone on it, gold threads embroidered throughout the fabric became visible. The patterns ran from her slightly pouffed sleeves, down her fitted bodice, and branched off in the skirt. Many little mementoes and details important to her and Damian were stitched in it. Ladybugs, the league of assassins and the bat symbol, a needle and thread, masks for Fairy and Icarus, dates important in their relationship, like their first meeting, the day Damian proposed, the day they found each other in her shop.

Damian’s suit was black, but another gold thread wound throughout it, spots and feathers trimming the edges. Plagg had taken a liking to Damian, and she had occasionally let him practice with the ring, just in case he needed to use it, so a tiny pocket for Plagg was sewn into his suit as well. 

The car pulled up to the flower strewn aisle, and Marinette gripped her bouquet, preparing to step out. The door opened and Bruce extended his hand.

She took it with a smile, sad that he wasn’t her own father but pleased that she could incorporate Damian’s into the programme.

Alfred, as the officiant, was waiting at the end of the aisle with Damian and Jon, Damian’s best man.

Damian’s jaw dropped as he saw Marinette walk down the aisle like a pageant queen, but he quickly closed it when Jon nudged him.

His eyes fell briefly to Tikki, hidden in the bouquet Mari held. She and the other kwamis had given him the equivalent of a shovel talk, which he took quite seriously, as he should. They all walked away from that conversation satisfied (and a little unsettled, on Damian’s end).

Damian met Marinette’s love-filled gaze and smiled widely at her, causing Dick, Bruce, and Alfred to tear up a little.

Tim, Steph, and Babs were a little surprised at how outwardly happy Damian was acting, but were pleased for him. Cass watched closely as Marinette took Damian’s hand and joined him in front of Alfred. Her hypothesis was confirmed when a faint golden glow appeared as they exchanged rings. Soulmates .

Bruce eyed his new daughter-in-law’s bouquet. He was sure something in it was watching him.

Plagg cackled quietly in Damian’s pocket.

After a lovely reception provided by Alfred and Wang Feng and Marinette’s cousin Fei, the newlyweds departed for parts unknown on their honeymoon.

In reality, they moved into 195 Andes Plaza. Relaxing at home sounded much better than jetting off after they’d just been on an extended world tour. Now was the time to be quiet and put down roots. 

(It also had the added benefit of keeping the Batfam’s prying eyes off them, as the Bats didn’t expect them to be under their noses, still in Gotham. After all, who decided Gotham was a prime honeymoon destination? Only Damian and Marinette.)

[beckleysbooks]

The Accordion Player

I'm really looking forward to addressing the Carroll County Retired Teachers Association on Friday, June 28th. My presentation will focus on the lives of women in the 19th Century, specifically the life of my 3rd Great Grandmother, Susannah Reigle Beckley, who lived her entire life in Carroll County, Ohio during this time period. If you haven't already obtained a personally signed copy of my historical fiction, "Oh! Susannah", then now is a good time to get one.

A relative of mine suggested I make contact with Rose, who is the organizer of the local retired teachers, and I did last year. With our schedules being as they are, I heard back from Rose earlier this year and we didn't really get a chance to talk and exchange information until this past March. After taking care of the business side of things, Rose asked, "Are you related to Wilda Beckley who used to be the music teacher in town?"

"That's my grandmother!," I exclaimed. "She and I used to play for special town events, also at the nursing home, and in some churches; she on her accordion, which had "Wilda" in sparkly letters on the spine, and me on my snare drum. There wasn't a polka we couldn't play to entertain the crowd."

Rose then mentioned how she took lessons from my grandmother from the 5th grade, and right through to her early years in college. The penny dropped! "You're not Rose Mary Cerneva, are you?" I asked. "If so, you were my grandmother's star pupil!" My how this conversation brought back vivid memories for me, of summers in my teen years spent in my grandparent's sitting room most mornings playing cards with my friend Alan. We both would be anxiously waiting for my grandmother's last pupil to pack up their music box and depart. It would only be minutes later when the three of us would be in that 1968 Ford Falcon and heading for the "swimming hole", otherwise known as Atwood Lake.

That accordion and my grandmother's love of music was also a mainstay of each of our family get togethers and those "Beckley Sisters" - my grandmother's sisters - in -law - were always the dancers. What a show! One that I'll never forget.

Wilda Beckley taught 118 students between 1955 and 1982 so it only seemed right that her bedazzled accordion be donated, and for many years on display, at the Carroll County Historical Society.

I was living in New Zealand back in 1997 when my grandparents celebrated their final anniversary together - 60 years - my grandfather, Bill, passing in 2000 and my grandmother following in 2001. But, what a grand party that anniversary celebration was! I saw it on snippets of a video my family had taken and sent down to me. We all remember how the camcorder was all the rage back then, a precursor of our I Phone cameras today.

There was my grandmother in her wheelchair tapping her fingers to the music, for she had suffered a stroke years before, which ended her accordion playing days. There were also the Beckley Sisters I saw on tape dancing up a storm. But, who was playing the accordion? A quick pan by the videographer showed me Rose Mary Cerneva seated front and center with her accordion merrily playing many of the all-time favorites.

"So, your dad invited me and my husband to your grandparent's anniversary party," Rose recounted in our recent conversation. "We were about to pull out of the drive and I told my husband that I should throw my accordion in the trunk, just in case. Then, at the party, your dad came up to me and said, "What a shame that I didn't ask you to bring your accordion." to which I told him, I'll go get it, it's in the car!"

Rose went on to say how playing "The Anniversary Waltz" meant so much to my grandmother as there were tears in her eyes. I readily agreed saying how the glimpse I got was of my grandmother smiling ear to ear, filled with pride and pleasure of hearing these old tunes again; tapping her fingers and nodding while keeping time to Rose's playing of "Sentimental Journey".

It's going to be a sentimental time this Friday at the Carroll County Retired Teachers Association meeting and I can't wait to reunite with my grandmother's treasured student and friend - Rose.

[lucillemartinisme]

Anyways they never returned me kids claiming that when they took them they took them to be checked out at the doctor office n they did a x ray n found a penny in his stomach me mom Linda and stepdad Johnnie Cannady used to collect pennies Farrah didn't want to lock Daicwon in their room with her but she WAS forced to or else the major beating so she did n while in the room with her he must've got ahold of their penny collection n swollowed one Daicwon would put all kinds of things in his mouth n that's what me told them but they still charged me with neglect n was trying to convince me to sign over me rights to me kids Jennifer Hayes was me caseworker at the time n me kept telling her no me wants me kids n she kept trying to convince me by saying look how pretty n light skinned ur kids are they can be adopted by anyone a white couple a black n white couple or a black couple n have things you couldn't give them n me told her no again then she said look at how u was raised what can you do for them just give them to us n again me said no n next thing me knew they filed petition to terminate me rights based off the so called penny child support n missing parenting classes and also around that time me stolen daughter Daizhana father Bennie Charles Copeland was arrested for rape n kidnapping n they held that against me too the devil worshipping TV n minions are erasing everything me writes they are still trying to play switch a roo with me life n also the sacrifice of me life for money just like they did for me stolen kids

These are some of the demons involved with the stealing of me children Jennifer Hayes me caseworker in black n white Karen Richards next to her who was me public defender for me kids judge Briggs who made the final decision to terminate me rights n here is me Lucille Shanton Martin n no this ain't no lie they have these guys presently in the music industry named Les twins they are supposed to be in relationships with some people in me family as well as Beyonce they steal everything from me n has convinced people as well as the state of Fort Wayne Indiana to have me sacrificed and me story given to someone else as well as pretending me kids are cousins n not siblings n that me stolen kids are not mine but someone else's n ironically me daughter Dainasia kids father name is Dareon n that is also Beyonce clothing brand name so ye y'all on that bullshit period they say me a hoodrat n not the right representation for me own life story n me has used a lot of her music and Les Twins videos that me would put in me books of me life stories n all thee above members of me family has been down with this for promises of fame n fortune for All of them n to exterminate me one way or another either by death or set up charges they have also tried to turn me into a whore they has trafficked me n me has been beatened by black men and Mexican men n also raped after going to see Les Twins in Florida and me daughter Dainasia is a witness to the rape confirmed by the hospital n the attack of me by the black community in one form or another n has covered up every crime committed against me

[oldsalempost-blog]

The Old Salem Post

Our  Local Tamassee-Salem SC Area News each Monday except holidays                                          Contact: theoldsalempost@gmail.com                              Distributed to local businesses, town hall, library.                                            Volume 7 Issue 26                                                                                                  Week of July 10, 2023                https://www.tumblr.com/settings/blog/oldsalempost-blog                                                         Lynne Martin Publishing

EDITOR:  If you care at all about your tax dollars, the next multimillion dollar school consolidation, and trying to prevent our Tamassee-Salem Elementary school from closing, now is the time, probably past time, to rally against the Oconee School Board of Trustees.  TSE is on the chopping block along with Keowee Elementary to consolidate.  Older schools are often  not maintained as they should be in order to give a good reason to close the school.  WGOG radio reports that the Board has seen very little opposition according to their website, where you need to access to give your opinion.   I feel people are best represented when they rally peacefully in massive numbers, and use the media to present the side that is unheard. LRMartin  

Town of SALEM:  Need Softball and Soccer players all ages! Sign up at the SalemTown Hall.  944-2819              

Jottings from Jeannie:  Time to Enjoy Kitty Cats   It would be just terrible to only have one pet and to have to decide between a cat or a dog.   I love them both.  Mama wouldn't let us have cats in the house, but then I married into a CAT family and fell madly in love with a succession of kitties.  I wasn't there, but "they" say that cats were domesticated 5,000 year ago.  Ancient customs and folktales record love between kitties and kids all over the world.   News to Me! If you meet a kitty with the tip of his left  ear cut off, that identifies a kitty who is feral (wild).  Kind folks have trapped, neutered, and vaccinated this kitty, and then let it go so it could roam the countryside catching mice.  I once tried to make friends with such a kitty, but he would not cooperate! He did stop by for a dish of milk every so often.  Miz Jeannie loves you!  Take time to cuddle your kitties and fix them a little dish of melted ice cream!

JOCASSEE VALLEY BREWING COMPANY,(JVBC) & COFFEE SHOP 13412 N Hwy 11 Open  Wed–Sat-Sat 8am-9pm. Sun: 12pm-7pm.  Events this week: Thurs: Old Time Jam 6:30pm. Fri– Food: RadDads at 5pm  Music: LUKE DEUCE at 6:30pm.  Sat–Food: IRON PIG Music: DOGDAY BLUEJAY at 6:30pm.  Sun 12pm-7pm Food: Lobster Dogs.  Music: Cornbread Heads 4pm.  Coffee shop features Pisgah Coffee Roasters and Dough-Dough pastries. More information 864-873-0048   PAINT & PINT or SIP ART CLASS: Paint a local landscape.   Sept 7. 6pm. $$45 Preregister. 864-873-0048

TAMASSEE DAR AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAM:  Sign up beginning July 3 for the Tamassee DAR Afterschool program that begins August 3.  Call 864-944-1390   for more details.                                                

Health & Recycle Tip : Freeze fresh water in a recycled plastic water or soda bottle to grab and take along with you on a short trip to town. Or, place many frozen ones in your cooler for a long trip.  It will keep you other foods cold along the way.  Drink the fresh cold water as it melts.  LRM                                                Conservation Corner:  Un-tethered growth has a cost:  Traffic, over crowdedness of once serene areas, need for additional services in law enforcement and emergency services, and loss of community…To Be Coninued ...E Martin                                                                                    

Have you ever heard?:  Sprinkling grits over a fire ant bed is supposed to get rid of those red hot heaping mounds of ants.  Placing a shiny penny in a ziplock bag filled with water and nailing it above your door entrance or windows is supposed to detour flies from entering.  

DID YOU KNOW?  If you are retired from Duke Energy and you are volunteer for community projects,  Duke Energy  will match your volunteer hours by donating $10 for each hour, up to $2000  a year to a nonprofit of your choice.  

QUOTE this week by Joyce Meyer:  If you are busy trying to change people you are too busy to allow how God is changing you.

(Adult )MOVIE RECOMMENDATION:  A Christian friend recommended we all need go to the movies to see  Sound of Freedom.  

DAR SCHOOL STUDENT FROM 1942-46 RECALLS EXPERIENCES - (Fifteenth Installment of Pauline Kelley Cannon's Memoir). . .On December 13th of our 10th grade year, Maggie's boyfriend, Leroy, came home on furlough, and he and Mama came to New Jersey Cottage and carried Maggie home. They did not come to see me. After they left, Mr. Cain told me Maggie and Leroy were getting married and she would not be returning to school. . .It really upset me that they didn't come to see me and tell me what they were doing and let me say goodbye to Maggie. I wrote Maggie and Leroy a letter to let them know how I felt about the situation, and Leroy wrote and told me that was the best reprimand he had ever gotten. I also wrote to Mama and let her know just how I felt. . .I was heartbroken and felt so alone. I had not seen any of the family except Maggie since early spring, as I had worked all summer to pay my tuition. But I talked to the Lord and soon got over it. . .MY 11TH GRADE (SENIOR) YEAR, Mr. Dupree was our class sponsor. That year seemed to fly by at breakneck speed. . .For our last prom we decorated the dining hall again, and it seemed even more beautiful than it was for the first one. Ernest was again my date, of course. . .Everyone had a wonderful time dancing and reminiscing about our school years. I don't remember all the menu for our meal, but I do remember we had brick ice cream for dessert. It was so delicious. . .My uncle, James Broome, and his band provided the music for the dancing. . .After it was over we had to clean up the dining hall and put it back in proper order. We were so tired after that, we were ready for bed.--TO BE CONTINUED NEXT WEEK

                                     EAGLES NEST ART CENTER                                    501c3

Located 4 Eagle Lane, Salem SC 29676  DHEC kitchen available & rentals                                                                                                                      

INDOOR YARD SALE at ENAC  Friday, July 14, 1pm-6pm and Saturday July 15, 8am-1pm.  Please call  or 864-280-1258 if you want to rent a table for $5/day.                                                                                                                          OCONEE MOUNTAIN OPRY:  July 15, 2023 at 7pm-9pm we will hold our 4th Oconee Mountain Opry featuring Spaulding McIntosh, Amelia Hawke, and The Waterkickers.  Tickets are $10 at the door, the day of the event. or online.                

TALENT SHOWCASE:  August 12th.  This will be a fun evening to show off your talents on stage.  Please sign up by July 30th.  Please call 864-944-2490  or email eaglesnestartcenter@gmail.com.                                                                               

*****The T-S Class of 1978  is having their 45th Class Reunion at ENAC, July 28,  6pm-8pm. Come visit us!******

                                              CHURCH NEWS                                                                                                                                                                               Salem Seventh-Day Adventist Church:  Join us for Vacation Bible School Sunday July 16 from 1-4pm. Theme: The Creator Is My Friend/What Do You Feel? Featuring “The Critter Keeper.” Ages 4-14 years. Children under 4 years must be accompanied by an adult. Come dressed for water play and bring a towel. See you soon!

CHILDHOOD PRAYER:   God is Great! God is Good! Let us thank Him for our food! By Your Hands we are fed. Give us Lord our Daily Bread!   Amen                                                                                                                                                  I missed you! Glad to be back this week! Lynne R Martin                        

[zipperzoo]

FIGHT TO MAKE IT UP

The Batman (2022) bruce wayne x f!reader

Word count: 3.1k

Fanfic Masterlist / AO3 / Playlist

Themes: Enemies to Lovers, Slow Burn, Crime Family, Thriller, Nior, Heist, Action, Comedy, Crime.

Prologue

Chapter one:

What goes through cities and fields, but never moves?

Swerving the car, turning around the bendy corners in Gotham onto the busy free-way. Sausages gripped his chair as Y/N went full speed. Her entire weight fell on that pedal. The dead body in the back seat, getting blood all over the new seating, bounced like a child excited for a field trip. In fact it’s giving the interior an entire new paint job. It was like a scene from a 70’s graphic anime where the body was a spray paint can and the mouth was a valve. Sausages just stared, memorized in a weird way.

“You kidnapped Bruce Wayne?!” She yelled making a sharp left, an attempt to avoid oncoming traffic. Sausages went flying across the car and fell into the arms of the dead passenger. Letting out a dry heave, he shoved the face of the man out of his own.

Struggling to sit upright, Sausages clawed for the headrest to get his bearings. “Watch it Princess!” 

Trailing the duo were a dozen GCPD vehicles, some of which where stationed at the Wayne Tower expecting to help transport the guide who was cuffed to a suitcase for extra measure. Little did they expect that two complete idiots would ruin all their plans.

“Sausages! Why is Bruce Wayne in the trunk of my car!” She screamed over the loud sirens behind her. 

“Our car! And I thought- once we hand Penguin what he wanted- we could cash Bruce Wayne in for ransom!”

“You what?!”

“Someone is gonna pay a pretty penny for-”

“You fucking idiot, you fucking- fuck fuck- He has no family, who would pay for his ransom? His fairy godmother?”

Speeding onto the free-way she realized her mistake. She went up the wrong road- she was face to face quite literally with the late evening rush.

Desperately spinning the wheel, weaving and threading between the cars while being welcomed by the loud horns of the aggravated drivers. 

While driving like a manic drunk driver, a bump in the road resulted in the radio spontaneously playing Sausages's playlist. Bye Bye Bye by the band NSYNC had been the song that was shuffled. Y/N snapped her eyes away from the road to look at the radio. Of course he made a playlist for the getaway drive. Of fucking course it had cheesy pop music on it. 

Y/N was beginning to believe this was a sign from a all powerful entity- anyone that being friends with Sausages and taking the odd job with him was perhaps the worst fucking idea. Gripping the steering wheel- digging her nails in making it an extra limb, struggling to block out all distractions to focus on the road.

“You're panicking!” He yelped, being pinned back into his seat from the inertia force.

“I can't help but panic! Especially when Bruce-mother-fucking-Wayne is in the trunk of my car!” 

“Our car!” snapped Sausages.

Knocking over traffic cones, making them airborne. Sausage's rush of thrill of being chased let out a loud and charged “WOOO!” Y/N reached her arm around smacking Sausages in the face.

“This isn’t the time to be enjoying yourself!”

She was driving on the wrong side of the road. Lights blaring into her face like rapid shots from paparazzi. The rain blurred everything, making it hard to focus while pixelated lights of harmony became larger in view. The windscreen wipers were not helping at all in fact they were making it all very much worse. 

“I know that I can't take no more- It ain't no lie”

She pounded her fist onto the radio, to silence the upbeat pop vibes that were throwing her off the groove of trying to survive. Annoyed and distracted by the tune, she barked “Sausages! Are you fucking serious!” Waving her hand over the radio.

“I want to see you out that door- Baby bye bye bye”

“It's a good song? I don't hear any complaints from Mr Wayne or this guy” he waved the dead guy's arm then dropped it to then have the car’s jagged movements have his hand slap him in the face. He had that coming.

The rapid movements threw around Bruce in the trunk of the car. He awoke in a panic. Surrounded by a red hue and the pitter patters of the rain from outside. Trying to catch his bearings while being thrown around crashing into every sharp edge of the space. Didn't help that he was tied up uncomfortably tight, wrists and ankles bound together. Bruce was also far too tall and large for this tiny room. He took a guess- Judging by the interior, well the feeling of the shape of it, the car was roughly a 1970’s model? Maybe a Cutlass? Hard to tell from inside the trunk.

The sound system at the back wobbled above him, playing some sort of upbeat music he was unfamiliar with. Only able to make out the odd word- something to do with bye?

Coughing, he reached his arms out in the space to get a feel around with his limited movements causing claustrophobia to rumble. Until the vehicle’s incoherent movements threw his head hard against the sharp bag besides him. It was the driver’s grocery shopping. At least Bruce wasn't going to starve to death.

“You just hit me with the truth- Now girl you're more than welcome to”

“Watch out!” Sausages leaped back into the passenger seat beside Y/N, leaving his new friend in the backseat alone, holding the suitcase on his cold lap.

A police car was charging at them straight on. “I can see!” She sang, mocking him. Clever of them to try and chase them both from the front while the others chased behind- boxing them in. They made the mistake of leaving the sides open and Y/N saw the opportunity- she diverged.

Cutting across the entire free-way making a hazardous path to the layby. Stressing to get off the road to anywhere nearby. she held her breath, turned the wheel to a sharp left. Sausages gripped onto the dashboard with all the will of a Victorian man seeing an ankle for the first time, trying to keep his composure. 

That swift move had lost them from the sight of the GCPD for now, but they still needed to get somewhere to hide. Somewhere to reflect on what to do with the dead man, the suitcase and Bruce Wayne.

A loud thud came from the back of the car. Sausages turned around and saw that the dead guy was lying seductively. It was poetic how he could fall into that position from a sharp turn. The sound actually came from Bruce who bumped his head, His eyes saw static for a brief moment. The shopping bag full of Y/N weekly grocery shopping had emptied. A whole uncooked ham had wacked Bruce right in the shin.

“And now I really come to see- That life would be much better once you're gone”

Rubbing where he had been hit, he looked back on how he knew how to get out of this mess. When he was younger Alfred had prepared him for any case of a kidnapping. It was a frequent threat, with him being a Wayne and all. This was going to be a piece of cake.

Look inside the trunk for the release lever, It glows in the dark. Alfred’s voice ran through his mind. Crystal clear. He felt around, with his wrists tied it made it hard, but in conclusion his results were that this old beat up car didn't have a release lever. 

Screeching from the rubber screaming against the tar roads made all noise around Y/N white noise. Driving full speed into a field, kicking up dirt alongside the car. Almost slightly missing some pedestrians who were dressed in a rather camp way. She was far too busy with getting as far away as possible from central Gotham- more notably Wayne Tower. Running away from what happened in that room.

Running away from hurting that old man, from shooting him and leaving him to bleed out there on the floor. Her grandfather came to mind instantly, he taught her how to drive. “Little mouse, You're in the wrong lane.” She choked back a sob as the memory flashed before her eyes. His voice is as gravely as ever.

The red glow, being his only source of light in the trunk, triggered Bruce to recall Alfred’s voice once again. “The red light is the tail light, if it's an old model it’ll just pop right off with a good kick.” Bruce tried to get into a good position to kick the light out. First he had to rip the protective cover off which was proving to be difficult with the car now driving along a bumpy and uneven grounding.

“I'm giving up I know for sure- I don't' want to be the reason for your love no more”

Zoning out of reality, and out of focus, everything was speeding by, flashing lights and colours zoomed past as the only thing that was in focus was her hands on the wheel. Her grandfather looked a lot like that old man back at the tower, but her old man was more tired. That old man at the tower was kept together, well mannered and composed. 

Sausages had said something- she didn't catch it, turning her head to face him suddenly everything came crystal clear. The panic on his face. He reached over and cupped her face, turning it to the direction of the road to then have her face blanketed in fluorescent lights.

She was driving dead straight into a circus. Those weird people she almost hit were a part of a show. Her eyes widened as she struggled to steer away. Sausages jumped to help with the wheel.

“Didn’t you hear me?!”

“No! I was too busy driving to your stupid playlist!” She reached up her leg and kicked the radio. It switched over from playing NSYNC to Uptown girl by Billy joel. The opening drum caused Y/N to squeeze her eyes shut briefly and let out a pained sigh.

“As long as anyone with hot blood can- And now she's looking for a downtown man”

“Hey! It's your theme song!” Screamed Sausages in utter panic

“Shut up Sausages!” 

One… Two… Three kicks was how much strength it took to kick out the tail light. Sending it flying behind the car, smacking into two clowns behind them straight into the face. Billy Joel’s blaring love song covered the entire endeavour perfectly. It was like an unlicensed music video. Bruce ventured to reposition himself to be able to look out the hole to see but was interrupted as the car was struggling to stay in a straight line. He let out a pained oof when crashing into the roof.

“She'll see I'm not so tough- Just because- I'm in love with an uptown girl”

Sausages and Y/N fought over the wheel as they crashed into several tents. Bright fabrics of red and white covered the windscreen, one or two clowns got hit and flew over the windshield leaving marks of white face paint splattered across it. Y/N swore she heard a clown make a honk sound as its face splat against her window.

A giant poster saying “The Flying Graysons” Smacked the windscreen. Covering their entire view with blazing orange and yellow contrasting with the greens of three performers outfits. Sausages reached out the window and yanked the poster and threw it out of the way.

They twisted and zigzagged away from the circus to a spot in the field. Slowing down and coming to an abrupt stop. The engine still rattled from the race all while Sausages and Y/N stationed in place. Mouths opened agape and eyes large. Panting and shaking.

“Uptown girl- You know I can't afford to buy her pearls”

One swift movement, Sausages turned the radio off letting them just sit there, around the aftermath.  

Bursting open the door, Y/N plunged her head out of the door, emptying her stomach all over the grass. The stare of the old man haunting her along with her last interaction with her grandfather. The dead man sat behind her, staring at the back of her head. Sausages look of concern, too many eyes burned into her.

Ripping the gun that was cradled on her hip, to then launch it into the horizon. Out of sight out of mind.

She bent over and chundered once again.

Parked in the middle of a field, Y/N banged her head against the steering wheel. This wasn't part of the plan. This was far from part of the plan. In Between each bonk she reminisced on how she could be merrily handing over the suitcase right now and then tell penguin to go fuck himself. She would be skipping out of the warehouse back home. Pack her bags and before catching her first flight to England with Sausages, she’d have a toast in the Iceberg Lounge. Giving a speech to how shitty Gotham is, to how stupid the idea of Batman is and lastly making penguin jokes. 

“Wow there.” Sausages put his hand on her head encouraging her to stop. She complied and rested her head on the steering wheel rolling her head over to him. 

“This is your fault.”

“How the fu- why were you in Wayne’s pent house?” He snapped defensively.

“Why would you kidnap Bruce Wayne when we have what we needed!” She challenged him but pointed rather aggressively at their passenger in the backseat.

“Why did you shoot him?” Sausages snapped back, also pointing at their passengers. She groaned, this game of ping pong wasn't getting anywhere. Turning her head away from him and then continued to tap her head on the wheel. 

“Stupid stupid stupid!” she uttered.

Sausages sat quietly beside her, stiff as a board with her mood ticking by the second awaiting an eruption. She laid her forehead on the wheel and then whimpered, letting everything rush through like a tsunami. Just as Sausages had predicted.

Bruce’s attempts to break out of the car had failed, but successfully popped the tail light of the back. The peak hole allowed the glared flashing circus lights to perform across his face, and had let him catch ends of a conversation between his captors. 

Flicking his head back, trying to get straggling hairs out of his line of sight. It seemed like they were a fair distance from the circus. An entire pathway was carved through it- looked like the parting of the red sea. What a mess.

Placing a hand on her arm, to reassure her Sausages was at a loss on what to do. Normally he would just easily crack a joke but considering how stressed Y/N appeared- he would only make things worse. Her shoulders trembled, it was dawning on her that she actually can’t run or speed drive away from what she did. Desperation to get whatever was in that suitcase. Whatever was in it Sausages kept to himself and Oz.

“What's in the suitcase” she hiccupped 

He looked away, uncomfortable with the atmosphere that was arising. The seriousness of it all. “You don’t want to know princess.”

Lifting her head off the steering wheel, staring at him with red shot eyes. “I do. I want to know what it was that we needed to get in exchange for our freedom- to pay off both our debts.” She paused “Tell me it was something worth killing a man and crippling an elderly person for.”

Now that the car was no longer moving, right now was a better time than any to make a move. reaching his arm through the hole where the brake light had been, Bruce made an effort to unlock the trunk from the outside by waving his arm around.

Sausages opened his mouth to speak, but then in his peripheral vision he saw a waving motion in the rear-view mirror. Slamming his lips shut to then shove his head out of the car window to get a good look at the arse of the car. 

 “Fuck-”

“Fuck?” she repeated, confused, trying to see what he could see. Rubbing her snotty nose along the back of her hand.

Swinging the door wide open, Sausages jumped out instantly slipping on the mud and falling onto his behind, covering all up his back and legs in fresh dirt. Clawing and desperately attempting to get up to make his way to the trunk. 

There he stood behind the car, seeing a singular arm extending out of where a tail light should be waving. Like a new organic limb grown out of a retro bright red 1970’s car.

“What is it?” Y/N yelled, poking her head out from the driver’s seat window, concern on her face. Unable to see exactly what Sausage’s was gawping at, she opened her car door and carefully trod out, avoiding the vomit plastered across the mud her side. Making her way around to see what was the commotion.

Bruce finally reached the lock on the outside. With the hole being just big enough for his arm, but his biceps were too big. Circulation was being cut- it was horribly uncomfortable. Grunting as he put pressure on the button, popping open the trunk. 

Click.

Slowly arising, in slow motion Bruce saw two pairs of legs come into picture. One pair was covered in dirt.

As the trunk door steadily arose the full image came into view of the man who had held him at gunpoint at the charity auction earlier that night- threatening innocent lives if Bruce didn't comply, was just standing there. Face like a smacked arse. Next to him was someone he hadn’t seen before. A woman who looked like a deer in the headlights. Stunned, speechless, eyes bright red and cheeks tear stained. Had she been crying? His first impression of her was a loss of words. She was a wreck but it captivated him.

Wiggling his arm free from the tail light hole, drawing it close into him. He gave a very subtle and awkward wave. Y/N blinked and turned dramatically slow next to her, to look at Sausages. Hands on her hip.

Earlier when exiting the Wayne Tower in a rush- she had suggested that they throw the dead man with the suitcase in the trunk, to avoid suspicion. to then be sprung with “Can’t do that, Bruce is having a nap in there.” just as security and the GCPD caught wind of them.

Y/N hadn’t believed it, thought Sausages was pulling her legs or lying like usual, but seeing it for herself really changed it.

“That’s Bruce Wayne.” she stated.

“I told you! We probably woke him up.” He whispered, side eyeing the man just laying recumbent. Knees bent up to fit into the small space he was occupying, not a single hair out of place.

“That's Bruce Wayne!” Her eyes widened, nodding her head towards Bruce. 

[cwritesforfun]

Rafe Cameron x Fem!Reader: I still want you

You’re Sarah Cameron’s best friend of 10 years and Rafe Cameron’s ex of 1 year. You were on friendly terms with the rest of the Cameron family too and even had babysat Wheezie before.

italics = Flashback

Y/N = Your Name

**I do not own the Outer Banks characters.**

Y/N's POV

It had been two years since I have been in the vicinity of Rafe Cameron. I’ve managed to convince Sarah that I just couldn’t be near him for 2 years.

Sarah wants me to go to her birthday party in 3 weeks. She has been begging for me to go. She even bought me my dream Converse that I’ve been eyeing while online shopping. She knew I wanted them and asked me to go again and again. I finally agreed. Sarah screamed so loud with excitement that my mom ran into the room concerned.

I need to face Rafe. I can be civil now. I’ve had time to reflect. Now, I can admit that he treated me like I was nothing, but a mistake in his “perfect” life.

3 weeks later... Y/N’s POV

Where else would you expect Sarah Cameron, the Kook Princess’ party to be, but a party yacht? I hadn’t even heard of such a thing until she sent me an invitation. I actually tried to get out of it because I get motion sickness like crazy. (picture of what a party yacht could look like below)

Since we are going on the boat at night, it was hard for me to pick what to wear. I chose to wear a bikini with a flowy dress over it and Birkenstocks. If we jump in the water, I’ll be prepared. I like to be prepared.

When I park my car in the lot where the yacht is, I see it and let out a soft chuckle.

Ward really went all out. There are lights across the boat, there are big signs saying “Happy Birthday,” and music blaring. He really wanted his golden child to have fun tonight. I remember how Rafe looked when I jokingly called Sarah the golden child. He looked like he would’ve killed me on the spot. Ugh, I have to see him soon.

I see some of my other friends getting out of their cars right now, so I decide to get out. I walk up to them and we all gush over each other’s outfits. My friend, Olivia, is my closest friend other than Sarah. She has a very bubbly personality and is a total player. I love her though.

We all walk onto the yacht.

I see Sarah standing near the entrance in a flowy gold dress with a sash on that says “Birthday Girl.” How fitting!

I walk up to her and hug her. She exclaims “Thank you for coming. I truly am happy you are here. I love you, Y/N.” I reply “I’m happy to be here. Now, where do I put your present?” She laughs and says "To the right of the DJ! Thank you!"

I walk over to where the DJ is and I set my bag down.

I turn and see Rafe staring at me from near the bar. Of course, he is over there. I do miss having a drink with him and letting loose. I miss when we went to parties and had the time of our lives. We did have fun especially when we were tipsy.

I half-smile at him and I walk off to where my friends are all talking. I make sure to face away from him, so I don’t have to look at him at all.

My friend, Olivia, says “Y/N, Rafe is staring at your back. He's been doing it ever since you walked up.” I reply "Yeah I know. Maybe he finally realized how poorly he treated me. It's the first time I've seen him in 2 years." She replies "Oh sh**! I forgot you two dated. He cheated on you with Penny, right?" I scoff and reply "Yeah she's always been angry at me since then. Who am I kidding? She hated me before that because I was with Rafe and friends with Sarah. I hate her.” She replies "I bet. I heard he moaned your name in bed." I reply "I heard that too. He's nasty. You know what? This'll end the staring." I turn around, make eye contact with Rafe, and show him my middle finger. He visibly gasps and looks horrified as he looks away. I turn back to face Olivia and she's cracking up laughing.

Olivia and I keep chatting even as the boat starts moving.

Sarah shows up after the boat starts moving and she pulls us all onto the dance floor. We have fun dancing for a while until the sun sets!

Sarah exclaims "I'm ready for cake. Let me tell the DJ." The DJ announces "Uh oh the birthday girl is ready for cake. Let's get on it, people!"

One of Sarah's cousins runs up to us and says "Hey Sarah... I got the cake." They then twerk in front of us. We all crack up and Sarah says "Not that kind! But thank you!" Her cousin salutes her and leaves.

The cake is brought out with sparklers on top of them. Champagne flutes are also brought out on carts.

The cake is passed out with champagne:) Sarah gets another bottle of champagne for our friend group and she pours us all another glass.

Wheezie walks over and says "Dad said to give you shots, Sarah." Sarah smiles and says "Oh my, well thank you Wheezie." Wheezie smiles and sees me. She lets out a squeal and hugs me. I hug her back and I hear her say "I am so happy to see you again Y/N. I thought my idiot brother would keep you away forever. Does this mean I will see you more?" I answer "Yes and since I have a car now, I can pick you up to hang out if you need to get away." She replies "OMG! Thank you thank you! Ok, I have to get back to my dad, but thank you." She then runs off.

Sarah says "Thanks for that. Wheezie has been begging to see you for so long. She really looks up to you and enjoys the time you two spend together." I reply "Well, I love hanging with her too. Should we take the shots?" She nods excitedly.

We count to three and we all take shots.

We dance some more!

I start to feel tired and I wander off to find somewhere quieter to sit down.

I walk and walk until I see an open balcony. I place my arms on it and take a deep breath.

I look out at the city's faint skyscape and smile. It looks so beautiful. Rafe and I had dreams of ruling the city. I can still remember the conversation like it was yesterday.

(flashback below)

Rafe kept poking me on the arm until he got my attention.

He finally said "Hey hey Y/N. One day, you and I are gonna rule the Outer Banks."

I laughed and replied "Really? We are? I don't want to be in politics though."

He replied "No no silly. You can be in business. I'll take over my dad's company and then this place is ours. We'll be that couple that everyone wants to be or wants to date, except we'll be happily married with no desire to divorce."

I replied "Wow. You're interested in marriage in the future?"

He replied, "Only if it's with you."

(end of flashback)

I gulp and see the skyscape fading more and more. That was only 1 week before we broke up. I can still remember that night vividly.

(flashback below)

Rafe had sent me a text that said hey we should break up.

I was pulling into his driveway when I got that text.

I remember storming into the Cameron house and up to his room. I flung the door open and exclaimed "Break up?! Why? You literally said last week that you wanted to take over Outer Banks with me married." He was sitting on his bed with his phone in his hand staring at the wall. He turned to me and said "That was a lie! I can't believe you ever thought we would end up together. I don't want to get married to you!" I asked, "Why?" He answered "Why do I need to have a reason?  I slept with Penny last night and she gave me something you never could give me... sex!" I replied "What? Slept with Penny?!?!" He snapped "Yeah! Do you have a problem with that? She wanted to have sex and you weren't there at the party! I told you to come! You said no. You were a mistake!" That's when the tears started pouring out of my eyes. He yelled "Why don't you go cry to your mommy? I'm sure she loves how much you cry. Me, well I'm sick of it!" 

Pure rage filled me when he said that. I replied through tears "I guess everything is temporary and so was this stupid fu**ing relationship! I hate you Rafe Cameron and I hope you burn in HE**!!" I ran out of the Cameron house at that.

(end of flashback)

I blink back tears and take another deep breath. I need to get those negative memories out of my thoughts.

I turn to my left and see Rafe leaning next to me. I jump back a little and ask "When did you get there?" He answers "A few minutes ago, but you were lost in thought. I didn't want to bother you." I reply "Ha! You didn't want to bother me! What a joke!" He continues to just stare at me. I feel tears in my eyes and I exclaim "Rafe, you hurt me 2 years ago. I trusted you. I loved you. You broke my heart and my trust all in one day. It still hurts that you chose Penny too." He replies "Y/N, I'm sorry. And I know that literally means nothing, but I want you to know I am sorry. I hurt you and by hurting you, I hurt myself. I loved you and pushed you away because I thought it would be better for the both of us. You were there for me when no one else was and for the last two years, no one has filled that void." I ask "Why Penny?" He answers "She was a blond bombshell with a big sex drive and I was high. I accidentally moaned your name during sex thought and she kicked me out." I ask "So that wasn't just a rumor?" He sighs and says "No. I wasn't over you. I still am not. Listen, I've been clean from drugs for 1 year and I don't drink every day of the week anymore. I am taking some community college courses, so I can be the person you deserve to be with. I still want you. I know I said some hurtful things 2 years ago, and I'm sorry. I shouldn't have been such a di** about you showing your emotions or at you for not wanting to have sex a lot. It was horrible of me and I admit that now. Can we start over? I'll do anything." I sigh and answer "Part of me always loved the times we shared and loved you. I don't think I ever fully got over you no matter how much I tried to convince myself." He asks "So is that a yes?" I answer "Let's take it slow. We should be friends for a little then we can date if we still both want it. If you start to feel things for another girl, let me know. Communication is important in any relationship and in the end, it's what made us fall apart. And if we weren’t meant to be, then we weren’t meant to be," He replies "I'm cool with that. I can't say that I won't get protective if another guy tries to be with you though." I reply "There's no other guy. There is and was only ever you."

.....................................................................................................

Writing a part two! Will be linked here when posted!

Thanks for reading!!!!! ILY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[goldenlaurelleaveswrites]

Anarka’s Big Day

The Big Day (AO3)

Ooof. I did not mean to go so long between updates on this! I'm sorry for the wait everyone, and thank you so much for your patience!! 😅

A funny story about one of the reasons it took me song long to update this. I managed to misplace one of the scenes I had written for this! And before you ask me how someone misplaces a scene... I didn't write it in the document, but when I went to look for it I couldn't find it anywhere and I didn't remember where I had written it, just that I had written it.

I did finally find it though... written on the back of a receipt that was at the very bottom of my work bag. Oops. 😅

Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter!

_______________________________________________

Soft guitar music floated through the room, light as a feather and as soft as summer skies. If it were anyone else playing, she wouldn’t understand how such a soft and gentle melody could communicate so much unbridled excitement. But it was her lad that was playing. That was all the answer she needed. 

She looked up from the jewelry she had been fiddling with to look in the mirror. In the mirror with her own reflection was Luka’s as well. He was sitting on one of the leather poufs in the suite that had been designated as their place to get ready. His eyes were closed, and his sleeves were rolled up—Penny was going to have a fit over that when she got back from lecturing Jagged about whatever he needed to be lectured for—and his knee was bouncing. The only outward sign of his excitement.

She had never been married. She had never had any interest in ever being married. Her one true love was the sea and its songs, second only to her family. But if she were to get married—though that would never happen—she couldn’t imagine being so calm. 

But then again, as much as he was her son, Luka was altogether different from her. 

All Couffaines were cut from the same cloth. Couffaines were passionate people; everything they did, they did because they were fuelled by a need to do. To be. And all Couffaines were about expression. About being authentic.

There wasn’t a Couffaine who marched to the beat of someone else’s drum. 

She and her children were cut from the same cloth all Couffaines were.

But somewhere between the warp and the weft, she and her son diverged.

She was a fire. Loud and roaring. Not to be contained. There was never a time when she didn’t say what she thought or act the way others wanted her to. She never let herself slide into the background.

Luka… Luka was music. He was there, and he made himself known. But if you didn’t know where and how to look for him, he would slide between your fingers. As strong as he was in his convictions, he was quiet and gentle in his passion. And unassuming in his voice.

She had never truly understood his desire to listen before being heard. She had never truly understood his willingness to let his heart go unread. 

She had accepted him, supported him as best she could. But she didn't understand.�� 

But Marinette did.

They were cut from the same cloth, but they had been fashioned into different things. She shook her head. Her new daughter was rubbing off on her. Since when had she understood the world through fabric instead of the tides and tunes?

She jumped at the sudden blaring of an alarm, pulling her from the depths of her thoughts. She wasn’t one to startle easily, but she had taken a deep dive into sentimentality. And if she was doing it, enough to get a tad misty ‘bout the eyes, who knew what kind of mess Tom would be? 

Grumbling, she fumbled with the spare phone Penny had left in the room, armed with a barrage of alarms, before she had dragged Jagged out into the hall. She had said something about the alarms being ‘to keep all of you running on schedule.’ 

She had barely managed to turn off the first alarm when the second one started. She had always been impressed with the woman’s ability to wrangle Jagged. But she was thoroughly less impressed in being managed herself. 

According to Penny’s schedule—so precise it would have put a drill sergeant to shame— they were supposed to be finished getting ready by now. Luka was still playing—she doubted he had even jumped at the sound of the alarms; the lad was so far off in la-la land—and Juleka wasn’t back from checking over the venue and checking in on Marinette and her parents, and the bridal party. And she still hadn’t finished getting ready herself. 

She scowled down at the jewelry box in front of her. Penny had selected several beautiful sets of jewelry; coral earrings and a necklace, turquoise set in silver... the list went on. 

Penny had told her to pick one set to wear. But when had she ever been one for rules? 

It took all of a minute to pile on all of the jewelry. There. She was finished getting ready.

And since Penny wasn’t back yet, it seemed it was going to fall on her to get her son moving. 

“Ye just about ready, lad?”

“I’ve been ready for eight years.” Now there was an understatement. She had been surprised the lad hadn’t been down on one knee the minute Marinette turned eighteen. But the small, near-insignificant, sensible part of her—that sounded an awful lot like Sabine—thought it was best they had waited. 

“Not what I meant, lad. It’s almost time.”

“I know,” he said, making no move to put down his guitar or get up from his seat. But he did open his eyes. “I just need to get this song out.” 

She looked at him, and she understood. She had recognized Marinette’s heart song as the song he had been playing. But she had also heard the familiar notes of the song he considered to be their family’s heart song. “Then maybe ye’d like some accompaniment? I’ve got te fiddle 'round here somewhere…” 

“I’d like that, ma. I’d really like that.”

As she hunted for her fiddle, she heard one of the suite doors open and close. The accompanying silence was more than enough to tell her it was Juleka. Jagged wouldn’t know how to be silent if his life depended on it. 

She turned around just in time to see Luka turn as red as her favourite guitar at something Juleka had whispered in his ear. She recognized the devilish gleam in her daughter’s eyes; she had seen it in her own reflection her entire life. 

“None of you are ready?” She turned to see Jagged and a flabbergasted Penny standing in the doorway.

                                                           ***

She was itching to go. She was not one for standing still and waiting. It was always the hardest part of performing, waiting for the cue to start the show. 

Somehow, waiting for their cue to start the wedding procession and head down the aisle was even worse. The fact that Luka was almost vibrating with excitement didn't make it any easier to wait. 

Seeing Luka like this, so far from his usual calm, she couldn’t help but think her view on what marriage could entail was shifting. 

She used to think of marriage as a mooring. As something that fixed a ship in place.

But she was beginning to see that maybe that wasn’t necessarily true.

Marinette did provide Luka with a certain steadiness. But it didn’t come from her holding him in one place.

She was constant in her support of him.

 She was the wind in his sails. 

And she was perfectly happy to see Luka set sail towards such a bright future. 

                                                          ***

This was why they should have had the wedding on the Liberty! 

She had always felt bad for him when he was growing up- anyone who had to spend more than ten minutes with old Agreste deserved pity in her books. But after everything he had done over the past few months… 

If they were on the Liberty, Adrien would be walking the plank. Or being shot out of a cannon for pulling such a stunt. He had long ago lost the benefit of the doubt. And she wouldn’t give him the excuse of being a pirate; the boy was no pirate. And even if he was, pirates had a code of honour to follow. 

And she couldn’t even do anything to remove the scoundrel from the room because Penny had thrown her arms out, holding her and Jagged in their seats. The woman was surprisingly and deceptively strong, given her slim frame. 

But then again… it seemed she didn’t have to do anything. 

Luka and Marinette had it under control. 

It was rare to see Luka glare, especially with such intensity. But his eyes were like shards of ice, burning with cold fury, trained directly on Adrien. 

And Marinette. Her voice was pure steel; each word she uttered seemed to hit Adrien like a cannonball to the face. 

She smiled to herself as Adrien sat down before turning her attention back to the couple. As soon as their eyes caught each other, they had completely melted once again. As if the blond had never interrupted their moment. 

                                                          ***

The lad has spent months agonizing over the song. She had never seen the lad spend so much time on just one song. Not even when he was first trying to untangle Marinette’s heartsong. He had started working on it before he had even gotten down on one knee and popped the question. 

She was fairly certain he had started working on it before he had even gotten Marinette a ring. 

The song had gone through countless versions. And when he had finally seemed happy with it, there had been the recording sessions. She could count the number of times he recorded and re-recorded it. Not that she wanted to. 

But all his hard work had paid off. 

She didn’t believe in perfect. It was the exact opposite of her life motto. But watching them glide across the dance floor, carried by the melody of their two hearts beating in tandem, she was sure this was as close to perfect as was possible. 

So, of course, there was trouble brewin’.

                                                          ***

She ignored Adrien’s yowls and complaints as she hauled him out of the reception by the ear. Marinette might have invited him as a professional courtesy. But she didn’t have any reason to be professional or patient with the scoundrel. If they were on the Liberty—like she had suggested—he would be walking the plank. For a second time. 

But unfortunately, she had been outvoted on the matter of the value and they were in a building and not on a boat. 

So throwing him out would have to do. 

She waved to Sabine as she passed by, indicating with her face that she would be back in time for dinner to be served. The serene smile on Sabine’s face as she led Tom away, even as Adrien called out to them, brought forth a hearty laugh from her chest. 

It seemed the model hadn’t endeared himself to anyone tonight. 

What he had been thinking, trying to cut in during the first dance—especially after the stunt he had pulled during the ceremony—was beyond her. But she wasn’t going to entertain any more Agreste nonsense. 

“And don’t be comin’ back in!” she said as she hauled him out the door and into the cool, evening air. 

“But-“

“Don’t be pushing’ yer luck wit’ me now, boy.”

                                                          ***

Of all the bleedin’ foolish things to do! Jumping onto a folding table! And a folding table that had the croque-en-bouche on it to boot! 

Penny had already given Jagged the look before stalking off, clutching her champagne flute like she was hanging onto it for dear life. It seemed Penny had given up. 

But she was a Couffaine. And Couffaines never gave up—or never knew when to quit, depending on how you looked at it. 

She stomped over to him and was about to give him the scolding of a lifetime. But then she saw the look on his face, a look and had never seen on his face before today, and she followed the direction of his gaze. 

Her words died on her lips. And she couldn’t help but smile. 

Luka and Marinette were both half out of their seats. As if they had been about to try and intervene in Jagged’s toast. But they must have caught each other’s eyes somehow because they were lost in each other again.

Fireworks could probably go off, and they wouldn’t notice. 

But it was a good thing what she, Gina, and Juleka had planned wasn’t fireworks. 

                                                         ***

‘Plausible deniability' were the words Penny muttered as she strode off in the direction of the open bar. With no sign of her clipboard in sight.

Jagged looked towards Luka and Marinette—of course, she wasn’t worried about them. They were so wrapped up in their own little world she was surprised either of them had remembered to actually eat or greet their guests.

“You’re good, let’s go-“

“There is no chance yer comin’ with us. After that toast, we don’t need anything else going wrong.” And Jagged plus compressed air canisters had disaster written all over it. “And I’m not fool enough te get on Penny’s bad side. Besides,” she nodded down to Fang, who had flopped onto his back in a clear sign he wanted belly rubs, “ it seems someone be needin’ yer attention.” 

She signalled for Gina and Juleka to follow her as Jagged flung himself to the ground in a flurry of smooches and baby talk. The bundles they had collected from Rose and Mylène were safely hidden out of sight as they made their way towards the doors. 

                                                         ***

“I’m sure it was nothin’ lass,” she said as they slunk back into the reception hall. The crowd had started to thin, but there were still enough guests around that no one would have noticed their temporary absence. And the guests who had left while they were putting the finishing touches on the surprise had given them a wide berth. So everything was set and ready. 

Beside her, Juleka bit her lip. “I sure I saw something, ma.” 

“It was probably just a shadow or the trick of the light,” Gina said. Juleka looked like she was about to protest, but Gine continued before she could. “We’d best get back into the thick of things. Don’t want to spoil the surprise!” Gina winked before sauntering off towards Tom. 

“Go on, lass.” She nodded to where Rose was very obviously waiting for Juleka. With a sigh, her daughter slunk off, mumbling something about seeing something. 

She caught sight of Sabine, sitting alone at an empty table, and started making her way over. 

“I’m glad te call her me daughter,” she said as she settled herself into one of the empty chairs beside Sabine, following the other woman’s gaze to where Luka and Marinette were still dancing. Still as lost in each other’s eyes as they had been when Marinette took her first step down the aisle. 

“I couldn’t have asked for a better son.” 

They sat there together, watching their children dance. She had meant what she said. She was glad she could call Marinette her daughter. 

Marinette was generous in every meaning of the word. She was generous with her time, her talents, her skills. Her love. 

And Luka had flourished under the love Marinette showered upon him; he was still quiet and laid back. He always would be. That was who he was. But he was no longer afraid to step into the spotlight and shine when he wanted or needed to. He never held himself back anymore. 

And she knew Marinette was the wind in his sails that had sent him in that direction. 

The last notes of the song hung in the air as the couple started making their way towards the doors. Their fingers still tangled together as they waved their goodbyes as they headed towards the doors. 

And… 

“Ye think they’ll like the surprise?”

[dreamescapeswriting]

Crashed The Wedding ~ JJK [Request]

WORD COUNT: 2.7k

GENRE: Non idol au, wedding, angst with fluffy ending, high school sweethearts, establushed relationship

PAIRING: jungkook x fem!reader

A/N: I hope you enjoyed this! I did a different kind of take on it so I hope it’s okay?

All week leading up to your wedding day you'd had a feeling in your chest that you weren't able to shake. It was the feeling that something was going to happen, something bad but you just weren't sure what. Normally you could trust your gut feelings but with it being your wedding you were putting the feeling down to nervousness. After being with Jungkook for almost Thirteen years you were finally tying the knot with friends, family and everyone else watching. It had taken you seven years of saving up every penny you earnt to be able to do this. Both of you wanted the wedding to be special and the time was finally right! High school sweethearts marrying one another after so long brought a lot of attention to your small town. Old teachers from the high school you attended together had even seen you around and decided to congratulate you and ask to go to the afterparty which you agreed with.

"Something's still playing on your mind isn't it?" Your best friend asked as she buttoned up the buttons on the back of your dress. It was a white lace mermaid gown with a sweetheart neckline and a small train at the bottom. Elegant and stylish and not too out there for the small wedding that was happening in the local church.

"There's just something wrong, I can feel it, Mina." You whispered as she finally did up the last button and turned you around to face her.

"The rain isn't here, remember...That was the only thing that was making you uneasy." She tried to reassure you but it did nothing but make the gut feeling grow in size. It was the perfect day for the perfect wedding, the sun was beaming down over the church despite the forecast being rain all weekend. When you first heard that it was supposed to be raining all weekend for your wedding you and Jungkook had expected showers but the only rain that morning had been a small spritz as you drove towards the church.

"Would it make you feel better if you got to talk to him?" Mina quizzed when she noticed you beginning to play with the beads on the dress.

"Please," You whispered as she smiled at you, kissing the top of your head as she turned to leave the room. Not before yelling at you to hide behind the changing screen so that Jungkook wouldn't be able to see you when he walked into the room.

 Both of you had decided that you wanted to not see one another until you were walking towards him down the aisle to make it all the more special when he did finally see you. The night before Jungkook had stayed the night at Jimin's house, his best man while you stayed with Mina. Your maid of honour. The two of them doing their best not to let you text one another or spoil anything that would be happening today, five times Mina had to stop you from showing Jungkook pictures of your dress in the past but you couldn't help it. You and Jungkook shared everything with one another, no matter what it was. The dress had to be a surprise so nobody wanted you to show him and then when you reunited it would be more special.

The door to your changing room opened and you smiled as you heard Jungkook's voice fill the room as he called out to you that he was there. He stood just behind the changing screen and held out his hand for you to take it,

"I told you everything would be okay, didn't I?" He whispered to you as you sighed in relief poking your hand out from behind the changing screen to hold onto his.

"Maybe I just needed to hear your voice," You smiled even though he couldn't see you, whenever he was around you was when you felt like you could relax the most. You always felt so at peace when he was near you.

"Baby, this is going to be fine. You're just nervous but I am too." He placed a small kiss on your hand before the door to your changing room opened once again. Mina clapped her hands together loudly as she ordered Jungkook out of the room.

"That's enough, you'll see her in ten minutes. Out!" Jungkook laughed at Mina as he walked away from you and headed out to see Jimin standing there and waiting for him.

"Everything's ready? The music? The people?" You questioned as your father stood beside you smiling at you as he nodded along to everything you were asking him. He'd heard about how nervous you were about everything so he was doing his best to reassure you that everything was going as it should have been.

"Do me a favour?" You questioned as you brushed down your dress and looked up at him to make sure he was listening to you,

"Make sure I don't trip like I already took off the heels so just make sure I don't fall over my own feet." He laughed at you as you lifted up the bottom of your dress to show that you were actually barefooted.

"You're no going to fall, but I will make sure you don't trip if it makes you feel better." He promised as he held onto your hand a little tighter when the music began to play. It was time to start walking so you took the small bouquet from Mina who went out of the double doors first and then you were next.

The moment Jungkook turned around to look at you he began to tear up, tears streaming down his face as he realised you were about to take the first step to the rest of your lives together.

"Hi baby," You whispered as you reached the top of the altar, smiling at him as he kept crying heavily.

"You look beautiful," He managed to stutter out causing those on the front row that could hear you laugh as he wiped his eyes on his hand. A giant smiled spread across your face as you looked into his eyes, the gut feeling leaving your body as you looked at him. Once everyone had quietened down in the church the vicar began to talk to everyone while you and Jungkook joined hands.

"We are gathered here today to bear witness to unite these two people in marriage. Their decision to marry has not been entered into lightly and today they publicly declare their private devotion to each other. The essence of this commitment is the acceptance of each other in entirety, as lovers, companions and friends."

The ceremony continued until it came to the vicar turning to look at everyone in the crowded church, your mum was sitting in the front row crying as you dad held onto her. Mina was watching you closely as she cried silently, trying not to let her makeup run.

"If any person knows any cause as to why the couple should not be wed, they should “speak now, or forever hold their peace.” The room was silent and he smiled turning back to you and Jungkook ready to finish the marriage ceremony when a door slammed open. Everyone turned around in their seats to see who was standing there,

"I OBJECT!" Turning around you looked over at the main entrance to see one of your ex best friends from high school walking towards you. Stomping her feet as if she weighed the same as an elephant and she cried out that she objected over and over again. Areum had always had a flair for the dramatics whenever she was around,

"Areum this is a church not a fucking court," Mina snapped as she stood in front of you and Jungkook as if she was a shield between you and Areum who just gave her a filthy look. None of you had spoken to her since leaving high school all those years ago, she was nothing but a two-faced person who could do nothing but make everybody around her miserable.

"I have reasons why they shouldn't get married, he cheated on her with me. Last night." The whole church seemed to let out one loud gasp as you stared at Areum in front of you, your heart felt as though it was being crushed in your chest as everyone started at you this time. Waiting to see what would happen as if this was happening on tv and not just right in front of them. Your eyes were trained on Areum, her neck covered in purple hickies as she stared at you and then to Jungkook who seemed just as shocked as you did about this whole thing. Your father was on his feet now coming over to talk to Jungkook with an angry look on his face,

"It's not true, I never slept with her. Ever." He said as he looked directly into your eyes but your head was filling with images of them together, your heart racing as you thought about how he was only with Jimin the night before.  You knew deep down that Jungkook would never do anything like that to you but your brain wasn't letting you think of anything except the two of them together. Jimin would easily lie for him if he really wanted to it wasn't as though you were close friends.

"You're just saying that because you know they spent the night apart, he was at home with Jimin the whole night. Right, Jimin?" Mina questioned turning to look at Jimin who was now staring at the floor and avoiding all means of eye contact. There was one thing that Jimin couldn't do and that was lying to Mina. They'd been best friends since you could remember and he couldn't lie to her, she knew every tell-tale sign of him lying.

"Jimin!" She snapped as you began to feel your hands getting sweaty, everyone staring at you and Jungkook as they waited for something to happen. No one had moved from their seats to try and make this less awkward,

"Well we went out for a couple of drinks last night and I lost him in one of the clubs but-" Jimin tried to defend himself but Areum cut him short as she yelled out loud enough for the whole church to hear her.

"And that was when he met me. Took me into the back of the stalls and fucked me," The gasps started again as it brought you back down into the church, the bouquet dropped out of your hands and you began sprinting down the aisle towards the changing rooms. Everyone staring at you as you did so watching the way you lifted up your dress to run.

"Babe! It's not true-" Jungkook was silence by the door to your room slamming as he stood at the altar. Your father was standing behind him now ready to either kill him for hurting you or kill Areum for ruining what was supposed to be his daughter's perfect day.

"You're a liar, Mina! Please I would never do anything to hurt her." Mina ignored him as she continued storming off after you, your father standing up beside Jungkook as he waited for some kind of explanation to come from him.

The door was being knocked on repeatedly but you weren't interested in hearing anything, you'd made Mina go and fetch the car around while you tried to get changed out of your dress but you couldn't do it alone. Instead, you sat down on the floor crying into your hands at the thought of Jungkook ever doing something like that. Your head and your heart conflicted with one another. The whole time you'd felt as though something was wrong and now this had happened. Maybe in your gut, you knew that Jungkook had done something bu even then it didn't feel right. After knowing Jungkook for so long you knew he wouldn't do anything to hurt anyone, he wouldn't even kill a spider.

"Babe please," Jungkook pleaded as he continued to hit his fists on the door, your father out there with him. You could hear them both talk to one another about how to let one of them in but you weren't going to.

"Listen to me, nothing happened. I went to the club, that's true but I promise you nothing happened between me and-" He stopped talking when the door swung open, you were standing there with makeup running down your cheeks. Sobbing as you stared into his eyes, searching for any signs that he was lying but he wasn't.

"Then why is she saying all of this why would she-" Jungkook cut you off before you could ramble,

"Because she hates us, remember why she wasn't invited in the first place? Why you haven't spoken to her in over ten years?" His hands were cupping your face as he stared into your eyes trying to calm you down and make you see the sense in all of this.

"S-She tried to tell me you cheated on me with her before." Memories of your time in high school came flooding back as you remembered her coming up to you in the middle of a lesson to tell you falsely that she and Jungkook had been sleeping together behind your back.

"We both know that I would never, ever cheat on you." You whimpered as you thought back on the church full of people that were all waiting for you to go back out there.

"Is she gone?" You mumbled looking over at your father who was smiling weakly at you, the second Jungkook had pleaded with him at the altar trying to convince him that nothing had happened he knew he was telling the truth.

"She is. I had your uncles escort her out after she claimed she still had Jungkook's DNA on her and she would prove it." You groaned at the thought and Jungkook looked at you,

"We can go back out there and get married or we can wait another month or two whatever you want, baby." The thought of putting off your wedding one more month was awful to you, you'd saved up for so long and nothing was going to ruin your big day with Jungkook.

"I want to get married," You reassured him as you walked back into the room and wiped the eyeliner and mascara that had been running down your cheeks.

"Ladies and gentleman! The bride and groom!" Your father announced, the double doors opening again so that you and Jungkook could walk back to the vicar again. The whole thing was explained away as a crazy ex-best-friend trying to ruin your perfect day.

"If any person knows any cause as to why the couple should not be wed, they should “speak now, or forever hold their peace.” Mina stepped out of place to look around the hall of people,

"If you have nothing nice to say then leave! There is no REAL reason why they shouldn't be married," You moaned at her to get back into her place and she smirked at you while the vicar continued on with the vows.

"Then you may kiss the bride," Jungkook smirked as he grabbed onto you tightly and dipped you down,

 "I've been waiting all night for this." You giggled wrapping your arms around his neck as he kissed you passionately in front of everyone. People cheering and clapping as they got up from your seats.

When you pulled away you smiled looking into Jungkook's eyes,

"Shall we go to the party, Mrs Jeon?" He questioned as he looked at you, raising his eyebrow as he got ready to pick you up in his arms.

"I think we shall Mr Jeon," You bit down on your lip as he picked you up and began carrying you out of the church in the direction of the waiting wedding car for you. The only thing you could see behind you was Mina holding onto Jimin's ear as she pulled him in the direction of their car, no doubt yelling at him for going out the night before your big day.

Tagline: @lyoongx @mitzwinchester @fan-ati--c @kneel-begyourpardon @taestannie @rjsmochii @sw33tnight @innersooya​ @sweeneyblue1​ @jin-from-the-block​

[madamewriterofwrongs]

Sending you all my hugs 🥰🥰🥰😍 How about...Buddie having the time of their lives being absolute shit at arcade games.

I remember I asked for fluffy prompts the night my boss passed away. That was months ago but I did not forget. Thank you everyone who sent me prompts while I was processing some tough emotions.

911/Buddie 

1v1 Co-op Matchmaking

Read on Ao3

“Are you sure this is the place?” Eddie tried to peer through one of the windows with the scratched off signage but the tinted glass made it impossible to see anything beyond vague shapes in evenly marked spaces.

“Absolutely.” Buck joined him in looking through the glass but seemed to be satisfied with what he saw there. “I found this place my first year in L.A.” He went on to explain as Eddie followed him to the blacked out double doors. “I promise you’re going to love it.”

As with most things in Eddie’s life, he had no choice but to follow his partner. He entered first, a blast of cool air hitting his face, bringing with it the scent of French fries and old pennies. Beyond the sound of whirs and buzzes was quiet chatter and the occasional exclamation of excitement or disappointment (usually accompanied by a string of barely recognizable curses – no doubt, due to the ‘No Swearing’ sign hanging on the cash register in the corner). All around him were a collection of game machines in nearly straight aisles reaching several rows down and across. Interspersed between the machines were tables and chairs with folded signs informing guests that food and drinks were not to be taken to the game machines.

“It’s an arcade.” Eddie dumbly informed his friend.

Buck stood beside him, chest puffed with pride as he examined the terrain. “One of the last in the city that hasn’t been overrun by hipsters.”

“So you’re saying you found this place before it was cool?” Eddie strolled towards the register knowing Buck would be glaring at him all the way. As predicted, Buck paid for both of them and converted twenty dollars into quarters for the two of them two split.

“Oh, this place is old school.” Eddie, once again, exclaimed the obvious while pocketing his share of the coins. “How did you find this place?” he asked as they wandered the aisles looking for their first game. “I didn’t think you would be old enough to remember ‘Ms. Pacman’.”

Buck bumped his shoulder with a playful gasp. “You are being so mean to me today.” He chided before falling more somber. “When I first moved here and started training, I needed a place to study. I had, like, six roommates so there was no way I could concentrate there. So, I wandered around looking for something a little less chaotic and I found this place.”

“And this place was quieter than your house?” Eddie hadn’t lived with roommates in a few years – not since his army days – but he couldn’t imagine one house being that overwhelming.

“No.” Buck rolled his eyes at Eddie’s internal monologue. “I ended up at the library a few blocks away. But I came here once or twice when I needed to get out of the house. Obviously, work keeps me pretty busy, but I like coming here from time to time.”

All of it made sense, but Eddie heard the softness in his friend’s tone, the way he spoke about this place as though it were something precious. He was being handed a gift and he would not turn it down.

“Thank you for sharing it with me.” When Buck looked up at his partner through long eyelashes (when did he start noticing Buck’s eyelashes?), Eddie felt goosebumps rise and wash down his body. Like awakening from a long nap, his limbs tingled and he felt every step as they continued their journey to find the perfect game.

It wasn’t the first time he felt that flash of lightning through his veins at the sight of his friend – he was a single man and his partner was very attractive – but it had been happening more often than he cared to admit. Noticing the little details of Buck’s appearance (his eyelashes, for example) was new. Feeling his heart beat faster and his skin burn with a desire he hadn’t felt in a long time…was less new. In fact, Eddie was nearly ready to put a label on the feelings stirring in his chest.

Last winter, when his sisters were visiting and the three siblings got to have a big family dinner with all the cousins and aunts and uncles, he’d spent a little too long talking about Buck. Or, maybe, Christopher had. Either way, Sophia managed to corner him in the kitchen after dessert had knocked out the majority of the children, and asked Eddie how long he’d been with Buck. Romantically. It was sometime after midnight (and a bottle of wine between the three of them) that Eddie finally admitted to both of his sisters that he had feelings for his best friend. Adriana had cooed and asked if Buck felt the same and, on some tipsy instinct, he’d answered “Yes.”

Of course, he didn’t know for certain – he’d never come out and said “Hey, Buck, I want to bend you over the railing and then grow old with you. What do you say?” – but he knew Buck. He knew Buck better than anyone (Maddie might give him a run for his money, but he’s fairly certain there’s a few stories Buck hasn’t told his sister about his time travelling the country). When that man loved, he loved with all his heart, and Eddie figured out a long time ago that Buck had given at least part of himself to the Diaz boys. Why not his heart?

So, yes, Eddie had a pretty good idea of how he felt, and was nearly certain that Buck felt the same way. And now, they were standing in an arcade – the location of which Buck hadn’t shared with anyone else in his life – occasionally making extended eye contact through the aisles. It wasn’t a matter of ‘if’. It was a matter of ‘when’.

So now, when not staring longingly into his friend’s eyes, Eddie scanned the names listed above each game. Some of the names were ones he recognized (‘Frogger’, ‘Pacman’, the aforementioned ‘Ms. Pacman’, ‘Centipede’). Others, were less familiar (‘Inferno’, ‘Dig Dug’, ‘1942’) and looked…confusing. His eye caught on a ‘Space Invaders’-looking game and he called his partner to his side.

“Want to be a member of the ‘Moon Patrol’?” He bumped Buck’s shoulder with the smile he reserved just for his friend, and dug for a quarter.

“Nope!” Buck declared as he retrieved his own quarter and inserted it into the appropriate slot, bumping Eddie out of the way so he could stand centered at the controls. “I call first game!”

Though he rolled his eyes in annoyance, Eddie took the loss as an opportunity to watch his partner work. He loved watching Buck work (nearly as much as he enjoyed working beside him). There were times when the man’s focus was hypnotizing. The firm set of his jaw, the piercing eyes that seemed unblinking, the way every part of his body tensed in concentration. He’d seen Buck excited, anxious, worried, panicked, even numb – when it came to the uncontrollable dangers of their job, they had been through a lot together. Every emotion showed Eddie how much his friend cared about his work.

This expression, however, was one he doubted many other members of the Los Angeles Fire Department had seen on the young firefighter. It was one Eddie had been privy to on more than one occasion when Christopher had brought over a particularly difficult puzzle or science question. He wasn’t sure he was ever meant to see it but he happened to be standing in the doorway after putting away leftovers from dinner and he’d seen it: the desire to win, the earnest focus, the eagerness and seriousness of his intent. The first time he saw, it was an accident.  Every other time he rushed to finish his chores whenever he thought that face might emerge… that was less of an accident.

He was pulled from his fond musings by a minor key jingle and light-hearted groan of disappointment.

“Only got to Point Q on the Champion Course.” Buck exclaimed, throwing his hands in defeat.

Eddie couldn’t help himself – or at least, that’s what he told himself. His partner was too genuine. But that was one of his favourite things about the man. Where Eddie could usually keep his outward appearance neutral in the face of adversity (a skill he’d used nearly every day since joining the LAFD), Buck never shied away from letting his face show just exactly what was on his mind – even if he never said anything.

And so, Eddie laughed. Only a small chuckle, but his heart never felt so light as when he was with Buck. It was easy to see, however, that his laugh could be misconstrued as mocking. Perhaps it was both.

“Think you can do better?” The newly-defeated champion bowed and offered the center position to his friend and Eddie stepped into place with another fond eyeroll (he made a mental note to ask his optometrist if too many eyerolls could cause nerve damage).

All right, Eddie thought as he tried to get a handle on the controls, so it wasn’t as easy as he thought. The joystick was rigid and the control pad was sticky and the graphics were definitely from an era long-passed. If he hadn’t been raised with an infinite amount of patience (according to his aunt), he might have given up. As it was, he died before reaching the first checkpoint.

Buck’s laughter could not be interpreted as anything other than mocking, and he didn’t bother to hide it. “You are truly terrible.” He informed Eddie with a slap on the shoulder.

Though he knew he didn’t need an excuse, it was too easy to play when Buck was around. “I’m used to the console at home. Unlike some people, I don’t spend my time playing with technology from the Reagan-era.”

“Well then let me show you.” Before Eddie could properly interpret Buck’s offer, the man had come to stand behind him, chin hovering over his shoulder, arms palming his elbows and guiding him back towards the console. “One more round.” Buck declared, enthusiastically. At his prompting, Eddie gripped the joystick and placed his hands just above the cluster of buttons on his left side. The now-familiar starting music began and Eddie focused all of his energy into game before him. Every few moments, he heard Buck mutter a command or offer advice and he took it without question. The joystick was still rigid and the buttons were still sticky but together, they made it to the second checkpoint. And then the third. By the fourth, Eddie had all but forgotten the world around them. The only things that existed were Eddie, the game, and Buck’s voice in his ear. It was soothing, almost, to fall into that rhythm. So long as he navigated the bumpy terrain and dodged the alien invasion, nothing else mattered.

Until he missed jumping over a landmine and was blown to smithereens.

“Damn!” Buck’s voice was suddenly too close. The air around him electrified on an exhale and the heat of his chest warmed Eddie to his core. As quickly as the world had fallen away in Buck’s arms, it came rushing back, more vibrant and alive than before. Every sound of electronics whirring, Buck’s steady breathing, and people shouting – even the rumble of the cars outside the arcade – was amplified. Every smell of old metal, sweat, and smoke hidden under Buck’s aftershave was overwhelming. Every touch of his scratchy jeans, the clammy plastic in his hand, and the warm presence at his back, made Eddie close his eyes to shut out one of his senses. The only one left was taste.

Buck and Eddie had held each other plenty of times over the years. They were partners and friends who worked in close contact with one another. At the end of a hard day, in the middle of a daring rescue, at the beginning of a heated glance as they stood in front of a game machine. They had shaken hands, hugged tightly, gripped for dear life at the edge of a cliff, even bumped shoulders often enough that he had a Buck-shaped indent near his heart. But standing in this loose hold – the other man’s arms barely brushing his, his back pressed against the other’s front – Eddie had never felt the overwhelming urge to taste more fervently than he did in that moment.

He knew that Buck was an attractive man – he was repressed, he wasn’t dead – and though he’d been contemplating thinking about maybe working up to taking some next step, he hadn’t counted on standing in Buck’s arms and feeling his heart flutter like a school girl with a crush.

Upon slowly dragging his eyes to meet his friend’s Eddie found himself breathlessly overtaken by the sensation of hope. Buck’s eyes were bright and round (earnest, just as he’d known them to be) His eyelashes closed and opened slowly, seemingly disbelieving of his circumstance. If Eddie knew Buck as well as he hoped he did, then there was a question in his friend’s eyes that was begging to be asked. A question Eddie was more than happy to answer.

“We make a pretty good team.” He felt his own breath reverberate off of Buck’s cheek and it stuttered in time with his heart.

“I’ve always thought so.” Buck’s lips twitched with suppressing a smile.

Then, came the moment of truth. Eddie felt a brief flicker of panic as he took one last breath before diving in.

“What should we do about it?”

In reality, Buck only contemplated his response for a few seconds but for Eddie, the silence stretched for years – three years, in fact. He felt the world move in slow motion and within it, he watched as Buck’s face flicked with a thousand emotions: fear, anxiety, excitement, contentment, desire, hope, doubt; finally, he settled on quiet happiness.

“I think we need to find a game we can play together. As partners. What do you say?”

As if there were any other response, Eddie smiled at Buck. “Partners.”

The rest of their time at the arcade was locked away, inaccessible to even Eddie, who recalled nothing more than laughter and flirtatious eye contact as they made their way through the aisles of games. At the end of the night, Eddie would get down the block before turning back to Buck’s door. He would run a nervous hand through his hair while he knocked with the other, and waited for the answer. And then, he would blush as he asked if Buck wanted to go on a date with him tomorrow. Buck would blush harder and assure Eddie that he would happily attend, but warn that he no longer kissed on the first date.

But maybe on their second date tomorrow, he’d get lucky.