#when i got her face down I will practise Emily

[werwolfie]

My Jesse doodles from today! Mostly done while being on the train.

1 Is Jesse chatting with Polaris. I like to think that they sometimes just.. hang out

Will I ever be consistent? Will Jesse ever wear clothes?? Who knows. I certainly do not.

[sequinsmile-x]

Our Great Divide - Chapter 4: Beyond the Terror in the Nightfall

It's what they'd hoped would happen for years. For close to a decade it's what they would talk about late at night whilst snuggled up in bed together, quiet voices whispering about a life where Jack and Haley came back, where Jack could meet his siblings and their family would finally feel complete. Now it was finally happening, Emily had a pit in her stomach. A heavy weight made of fear and guilt as she worried that this could actually be the thing that tore them apart.

A Foyet Arc AU

-x-

Hi friends <3

I continue to be blown away by the love for this fic, thank you so so much. This is such an interesting perspective to explore their story from and it means so much that you're enjoying it too <3

As always, let me know what you think of this chapter !

-x-

Warnings: Full list of warnings can be found on the Master List

Words: 4.1k

Read over on Ao3, or below the cut

Emily’s grateful to have Stella in her lap. The reassuring and familiar weight of her youngest keeping her grounded as they had a family conversation Emily had pictured so many times. She’d semi-practised it in her head when hope had a hold on her, but the reality of doing it was so much more difficult than she’d imagined. 

“Do you understand?” Aaron asks, Leo and Hugo sat on either side of him, matching expressions on their faces that usually brought her joy. Hugo nods, his lips pressed together as he speaks first. 

“So Jack and Miss Haley are back home?” 

Aaron nods, his arm around the boy's shoulders as he tugs them closer, his need to have his children near as strong as it had ever been. He smiles tightly at Emily before he responds, “That’s right.” 

“Can we meet them?” Hugo asks, his innocence allowing him to be excited, “I’ve always wanted a big brother.” 

It feels like a punch in the gut, the reality that in another life, when things had been simpler, Hugo would have always known his older brother. That they’d have grown up together and been close. Jack’s resistance to even hear about his siblings, whilst understandable, had hurt Aaron more than he’d admit. His naive fantasy that this would work out the way he’d been dreaming of for years crumbling around him. 

“We’ll take this one step at a time, baby,” Emily says, replying for her husband, “We’ve got time,” she smiles when Hugo nods, his disappointment silent but clear. She looks at Leo, her heart clenching at his confusion, “Do you understand Leo?” 

He nods but furrows his brow, “Do you think he’ll like me?” 

Emily tilts her head, “Who sweetie? Jack?” 

Leo nods again, “What if he doesn’t like me?” 

Aaron is snapped out of the semi-trance he’d fallen into at the shake in his son’s voice, and he tugs him closer, kissing Leo’s dark hair, “Of course, he’ll like you,” he smiles softly, “Everyone likes you, buddy.” 

Emily smiles as Leo beams and she turns her attention to Stella, tilting her head as she looks down at her little girl, “Do you understand sweet girl?” 

“The bad guy is gone, and Jack is home,” she says, summing it up in such a way, her sweet voice making it sound even more innocent, that Emily pulls her closer on instinct, kissing the top of her head. 

“That’s right baby,” she says, smiling when Stella turns to wrap her arms around her, always keen to be in the arms of one of her parents, “Do any of you have any other questions?” She asks, and Leo raises his hand, something he’d started doing since he’d learnt it in school, and she chuckles, “Yes Leo?” 

“Can we have pizza for dinner?”

She laughs, unable to stop herself, and she feels a little lighter when Aaron does too, the speed at which their children had accepted something so complicated so easily enough to ease some of the tension that had settled over them. She looks at Aaron, who nods, his smile as relaxed as she’d seen it in days, and then she looks back at her youngest son, “Yes, baby. I’m sure we can manage that.” 

They have dinner together and it feels normal, like the last week or so hadn’t happened, and Emily feels guilty for how grateful she is. Aaron puts Stella to bed, and then Emily puts Leo to bed, taking more time than she usually would as she does it, revelling in the one-on-one time with her youngest son as she reads him a story until he falls asleep against her. When she makes it back downstairs she hears laughter, twin giggles from Aaron and their son as he gives Hugo a piggyback around the hallway. It was a game they’d played since Hugo was small, small enough that it had worried Emily at first, her mother’s instincts kicking in as her toddler laughed so much on his father’s back that she worried he’d fall. She stands back and watches them, letting the small piece of normality wash over her as she leans against a wall, her shoulder catching a framed photo of their family of 5 from Hugo’s most recent birthday. 

She’s pulled out of the moment when the doorbell rings and she frowns, wondering who would come over at this time of night. She walks to the door, keen to answer it before the bell rings again and potentially wakes up either of her kids sleeping upstairs. She doesn’t check the peephole, so she doesn’t prepare herself for coming face-to-face with her husband’s ex-wife. 

“Haley,” she chokes out, clearing her throat in an attempt to hide her surprise, “I…wasn’t expecting to see you.” 

Haley smiles tightly, “I felt bad for how we left the other day,” she says, crossing her arms over her chest, “I thought we should talk some more.”

Emily nods and stares at her for a second before she realises she’s still blocking the door. She takes a step backwards, “Sorry, come in.” 

Haley walks into the house. She doesn’t hide how she looks around, her gaze drifting from photo to photo hung on the walls, every corner of their house the home they’d fought for it to be. She turns to look back at Emily, “It’s a lovely house.” 

“Thanks,” she replies, the awkwardness misplaced in her home, “Would you like something to-”

“Sweetheart,” Aaron says, turning the corner, Hugo still on his back, “Who was that at the…” he trails off when he sees his ex-wife, “Haley.”

Emily watches as realisation crosses Hugo’s face and she walks over, helping him down from Aaron’s back, “Why don’t you go up to your room, honey?” She says, crouching down to his level and scraping his hair back from his face, encouraging him to look at her and not the blonde woman standing in the hall. 

“But-”

“Please, sweetheart?” She asks, “I’ll come up and see you in a little bit,” she promises, “You can play the Switch up there.” 

His eyes go wide at the offer, “Really?”

She nods, grateful that bribery still worked now he is no longer a tiny thing that needed to be talked into brushing his teeth, “Really,” she confirms, kissing his forehead, “Just this once, okay.” 

“Okay,” he says enthusiastically, running off to the den to grab the Switch before he trundles up the stairs. 

It’s only when he’s out of sight that she stands up straight, shaking off her husband’s apologetic smile as she presses her hand against his back, rubbing a soothing circle to remind him that she was there no matter what, “Shall we go sit down?” She offers, and he nods, and she looks up at Haley, “Do you want something to drink?” 

Haley shakes her head, “No thank you.” 

They settle in the living room, Emily so close to Aaron that she’s practically in his lap, their thighs pressed against each other as their joint hands settle on her thigh. He’s sure it’s some kind of subconscious attempt to mark her territory, as if they weren’t sitting in some kind of museum of their love for each other. 

“I’m sorry for the other day,” Haley says, clearing her throat as she settles on the opposite end of the couch to them, “Jack is…it’s been a lot for him. He’s a teenager and thats hard at the best of times,” she says, unknowingly repeating what Emily had said when they’d left her office, “And I was surprised at the news that you had children. I just needed some time to…adjust,” she blows out a shaky breath, “I know it isn’t fair. But I don’t think in any of the ways I imagined this I pictured coming back to find out you had a new family. That you’d just…replaced us.” 

Something about the way she says it has Emily’s shackles going up, her back tight with the implication that she and her children were some kind of consolidation prize. A backup that wouldn’t have been needed if things had turned out differently. 

“My family isn’t a replacement, Haley,” Aaron says, an edge of sternness creeping into his voice as he tightens his hold on Emily’s hand, “And I could never replace Jack. He’s my son.” 

Haley sighs and nods, “You’re right. I’m sorry. This is just an impossible situation,” she smiles tightly, “There aren’t any books on it. I checked.” 

Emily smiles, “Me too.” 

Haley returns her smile, her gaze flicking to a picture on the wall, “Your children are adorable.” 

“Thanks,” Emily replies, looking at the picture herself, her children’s matching smiles shining back at her, “We think so too.” 

“How do manage with work?” Haley asks, “I noticed Emily’s name on your old desk, Aaron,” she says as she looks at him, “Did you finally get that promotion?” 

He takes a deep breath, knowing his answer would likely get a reaction, his inability to do for Haley and Jack what he’d done for Emily and their children had been one of the reasons his first marriage had turned to dust around him. Settling on every good memory that had come before it, each happy moment he’d had with his eldest son and Haley marred by how their relationship had ended. By the choices he had made. 

“Actually, I retired when Hugo, our eldest, was born,” he says, watching as his ex-wife’s shoulders get tense again, “One of us had to, and Emily wasn’t ready to leave yet. So we eventually came to the decision that I should.” 

“You…you retired?” She asks, swallowing thickly as a bitter laugh pushes free from her throat, “You did the one thing that would have stopped any of this from happening if you’d just done it years ago when I asked?” She shakes her head and laughs again, “But, sure Emily wanted to carry on working so you retired no questions asked.” 

Aaron sighs, “Haley-”

“It doesn’t matter that my son and I had to hide for so long. That we had to live under different names and break off contact with everyone we knew. As long as you got to start everything from scratch and make the right choice this time it’s all okay.” 

“Haley-” he tries again, but he’s cut off by Emily this time, her fury clear from the way she grips his thigh, her blunt nails digging in through his jeans. 

“You don’t get to come into my house and speak to my husband like that,” Emily says, protectiveness flaring in her lungs, “I understand this is difficult-”

Haley scoffs, “Oh, you understand-”

“But you aren’t the only one who has been impacted by this,” she says, carrying on as if Haley hadn’t spoken, “We’re all trying our best.” 

She can see how tight Haley’s jaw is from across the couch, but she nods sharply, “Okay,” she clears her throat, “I know,” she screws her hands up in her lap, “I think it would be good if we tried to all get together again. Jack would…he would like to meet his siblings. But maybe not here.” 

Aaron nods, the tension in the room thick enough that he struggles to fill his lungs, “How about that park we used to go to? The one near Capitol Hill?” 

“That sounds good.” 

“Mommy.” 

Emily sighs at the sound of Hugo’s voice travelling down the stairs, his patience clearly running out. She looks at her husband and squeezes his hand, “I’d better go up and see him.” 

He nods and kisses her cheek before she stands up, and she smiles tightly at Haley before she leaves the room, not quite able to fill her lungs until she’s out in the hall. She takes the stairs two at a time, smiling when she sees Hugopurposely standing just inside of his bedroom so he keeps in line with her request to stay in there. 

“Hi sweetie,” she says, ruffling his hair before she steps into his room, “Are you okay?” 

He shrugs, his eyebrows furrowed as he sinks into his bed, “Is that Miss Haley?” 

She nods as she sits on his bed with him, gathering him up against her side, needing the comfort of her little boy, “Yes, it is.” 

“She sounds mad.” 

She closes her eyes as she presses a kiss to his head, settling them down so they are lying next to each other, “She is, honey. But I think she’s mostly sad.” 

He frowns as he looks up at her, “Did Daddy do something wrong?” 

She shakes her head, running her fingers through his hair, “No, baby. No one did anything wrong. It’s just…really complicated,” she says, unable to stop herself from smiling when he looks confused, “It’s hard. Like that big puzzle with all those tiny pieces that Aunt Tara got you for your birthday.” 

He nods in understanding and rests his head back against her chest, “I miss things being simple.” 

She smiles again, “Me too, sweet boy,” she says, kissing his head, soaking in the scent of him like she had done since he was just hours old, “Want me to stay until you fall asleep?” 

“Yes please, Mommy.” 

She sings to him until he starts to drift off, his body heavy against her as his breath evens out. She stays with him long after he falls asleep, content to stay in the relative peace she’d made in his room. She sighs when she hears the front door open and close, and then Aaron’s footsteps on the stairs. She closes her eyes and relaxes her grip on Hugo just enough that her husband would hopefully think she was sleeping, the thought of talking this through again, of having to discuss how complicated everything had become again, enough to make her cry. All she wanted was to lay here with her oldest and pretend it was just a normal night. 

If Aaron knows she’s faking it, he doesn’t say anything. Instead, he leans over her and kisses Hugo’s forehead and then hers, whispering an apology against her skin before he leaves the room for a second. He’s back with a blanket that he lays over her before he kisses the top of her head one more time. He turns off the light and gently closes the door behind him, leaving her and Hugo alone and safely tucked up in his small bed. 

She falls asleep curled up around her son, hoping more than anything they’d make it through this.

___

March 2013

It had been hours of this. Hours of laying on her back, of being checked on by nurses and doctors as her labour slowly progressed. With each passing contraction she felt more on edge and the only things keeping her grounded were her husband and the thought they’d soon be meeting their son. 

She had a plan. She was going to spend as much of her labour on her feet as she could, letting gravity do its job as she waited for her son to make his entrance into the world. Hugo, it seemed, had other plans. 

She’d felt nothing short of ridiculous when she cried as her due date came and went with no signs of labour - not even a Braxton Hicks contraction which had been happening on and off for weeks. She tried everything to induce labour naturally, her doctor’s warning that she shouldn’t go past 41 weeks ringing in the back of her mind. Aaron bought her every type of spicy food possible. He went to a specific whole foods store to buy her tea, which the internet said would start her labour. They had enough sex to rival the early days of their relationship, with no small amount of manoeuvring and her pile of pillows to make sure she was comfortable. 

Nothing had worked. So her plan was torn from under her and she had no choice but to lay in bed as an IV delivered medication to do what her body hadn’t been able to do for itself. She knew it wasn’t her fault, that it was just one of those things, but it didn’t make it any easier to take. 

She’d wanted one thing about her pregnancy to be as she’d hoped it would be. 

She clenches her teeth to capture a groan, her grip on Aaron’s hand so tight she’s sure she feels his knuckles crack together but it barely registers as the contraction rips through her. She screws her eyes shut as she tries to breathe through it. Aaron rests his forehead against her temple, whispering comforting praise as the contraction reaches its peak and then fades. It had been hours of this. Her body pushed almost to its limit each time, and she was exhausted. 

“Fuck,” she exclaims, resting back against the bed again, “Fuck this sucks,” she opens her eyes and looks at her husband, something she refused to call a pout spreading across her face, “Why won’t he come out?” He opens his mouth to respond and she cuts him off, “And don’t give me any of that ‘you’ve made a comfortable home for him’ bullshit,” she grimaces, shifting her hips to try to find some relief from the discomfort in her back, “I can feel him in my fucking pelvis and I doubt it’s any more comfortable for him than it is for me.” 

Aaron simply leans forward to kiss her forehead, “Want me to get the nurse to come and check on you again?” He asks, his endless patience for her almost irritating. She nods and he kisses her forehead again before reaching over her and pressing the call bell on the wall, “You’re doing amazing, sweetheart.” 

She squeezes his hand tightly again when the nurse examines her, and she’s disappointed that she’s not much further along, the desire to meet her son even stronger than her desire for this to all be over. 

It takes another hour for things to change, for the contractions to get closer together and for the pain to become close to overwhelming, each pass of it through her body almost too much for her to bear. Everything she’s been ignoring for months starts to creep up on her, the fear that she wouldn’t be able to keep her little boy safe pressing down on her chest, her lungs tight as another contraction rolls through her. 

“I can’t do this.” 

She doesn’t even realise she’s spoken outloud until Aaron presses her hand between both of his, kissing her knuckles as the machine she’s attached to lets him know her contraction is coming to its end, “Em, you’re doing an amazing job. You’re so close - Hugo is almost here.” 

She shakes her head, “No, you don’t…” she trails off, her laugh close to hysterical as she looks at him, tears splashing down onto her cheeks, “He’s safe where he is. I can’t protect him when he’s here,” her voice cracks and she thinks her chest does with it, the pressure of everything forcing it to concave as she tries to breathe. Aaron cups her face, rubbing back and forth across her cheek, “I can’t do this. He has to stay safe.” 

Aaron stands up and sits on the edge of her bed and presses his forehead against hers, “Emily, you can do anything,” he says, kissing her before she leans in to rest her head against his shoulder, “You’re the strongest person I know,” he rubs his hand up and down her back, his eyes flicking to the monitor as she tightens her grip on him, her body tense against him as another contraction starts to build, “And I’ll keep you both safe no matter what. We’ll keep each other safe.” 

She shudders out a breath as she pulls back to look at him, her eyes shining as her lower lip trembles, “I think…I think it’s almost time.” 

He smiles softly, “I’ll get the nurse.”

___

She gasps as her son slips into the doctor’s waiting hands, the relief overwhelming as she collapses back against the bed. She barely pays attention as Aaron kisses her temple and then her cheek as he tells her how much he loves her, how proud he is of her. She doesn’t notice how the nurse on her other side pulls down her gown leaving her practically naked. 

All she is aware of is him. 

Hugo’s cry is loud and sharp, and as the doctor holds him up and passes him to her, letting Emily settle him against her chest, she feels a wave of love rush through her, her breath catching in her lungs as she looks at him. He was bright red and covered in god knows what, his dark hair stuck down to his cone-shaped head, and he was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen in her life. 

“Hi Hugo,” she whispers, kissing his head, “Hi. Look at you,” she looks up at Aaron, sure she’d be knocked over if she wasn’t lying down at the strength of the love in his gaze, and she cups his cheek, “Look at him, Aaron.” 

“He’s beautiful,” he says, kissing her head and then Hugo’s, “Just like you.” 

She looks back at her son, smiling as he continues to cry. She shushes him, resting her cheek against his head, “You’re okay, baby,” she says, “Mommy’s here.” 

“Would Dad like to cut the cord?” 

The doctor’s question is what reminds Emily that they aren’t alone, that it isn’t just the three of them in their own little world, and Aaron nods, kissing his wife and son one more time before he stands up. He pays close attention as the doctor tells him what to do as Emily continues to whisper to Hugo, telling him how loved he is, how much they’ve been looking forward to meeting him. 

By the time they are alone, what feels like hours later, Hugo clean and wrapped up warm in Emily’s arms, and her fresh out of the shower, she doesn’t think she’s ever been happier. She’s exhausted, sore in ways she didn’t know was possible, but she doesn’t think she could sleep even if she wanted to. All she wants is to sit and look at her son, to commit every single thing about his sweet face to memory, and enjoy this first night of his life. 

She looks up at her husband as he barely covers a yawn for the third time in as many minutes. He’s sitting on the bed with her, half behind her as he has his arms wrapped around the both of them, his excitement and happiness tinged with the sadness that followed them everywhere. The sadness that, for once, she wasn’t going to address.

“You should get some sleep, honey,” she says, unhooking one arm from around Hugo as she cups Aaron’s cheek, “You’re exhausted.” 

He chuckles, “You’re the one who gave birth, sweetheart,” he says, stamping a quick kiss against her lips, “You should get some rest.” 

She shakes her head lovingly, “I feel too wired to sleep,” she says, “You’ve been awake just as long as I have,” she kisses him again, “Get some sleep. We’ll both be here when you wake up.” 

She knows she’s hit on his fear in one shot, hours and hours of labour not enough to dull her skills, and he rests his forehead against hers, “You’ll wake me up if you need anything?”

She nods, her forehead knocking gently against his, “I promise.” 

It takes some manoeuvring for him to slip out from behind her, but they manage it without waking up Hugo. Aaron kisses them both and tells them he loves them before he settles onto the cot the nurse had rolled in for him. Emily has to stop herself from laughing when he has to curl up to fit on the small bed, at least a foot too tall to sleep on it comfortably. Despite that, he falls asleep the quickest she’s ever known him to, his arms wrapped around the thin pillow. 

“Daddy loves us so much, sweet boy,” she says, turning her focus back on her son. She runs her knuckles up and down his cheek, smiling when his face twitches against the touch. The fear she’d felt earlier that she couldn’t keep him safe returns in full force, stealing the breath from her lungs as she lifts the baby to kiss his forehead, her breath shuddering in her chest as she breathes him in, “I’m going to make sure you’re always safe, Hugo,” she kisses him again, her eyes closed as she rests her cheek against the top of his head, “No matter what.” 

[aintgonnatakethis]

find the word tag

BIG thank yous to @fortunatetragedy (here) @gioiaalbanoart (here) and @bagheerita (here) ❤️️❤️️❤️️ I've got 3 of these stacked up so I figured I'd try to do them all at once! Everything will be below the cut as this is gonna get long. Warnings: one NFSW and one depiction of reasonably graphic violence. 👍

My words are bride, fork, coin, snack, edge, sip, orbit, court, stealing, enthusiasm, days, and red!

Tagging: @wolgerrswraith @romances-not-tragedies @lychhiker-writes @drchenquill @the-golden-comet Your words to find in your WIPs are screen, cheek, allow and topple.

Bride - November: Break-up for The Aspec Year Challenge (SGU)

He throws a bachelor party and stands up for Everett at his wedding and gently extricates himself from the bridesmaid's clutches. Normally he would sleep with her, simply because it's the expected thing for him to do, but it happens to be Emily's sister and he wants none of that, thank you very much. Everett finds him after a couple of hours, where he's secreted himself away in a corner of the room. The newly married man has clearly had too much to drink and is way too handsy with Telford. It's dangerous, but a wedding is surely enough cover, Telford reasons with a sudden unexpected burst of desperation. Everett's girlfriends have never taken him away, have never come first, but a wife is another matter, isn't it? Telford doesn't want to lose Everett.

Fork - Aliens made them do it (SGU)

"Let's fucking do this," the man growled, spitting a mouthful of blood into the dirt. They were showered with dust as they moved deeper into the tunnels, at one point the width narrowing so much they were forced to shuffle sideways, rifles detached from their tac vests. They arrived at a fork, one tunnel leading upwards and the other down, the latter steep and treacherous looking.

Coin - June: Mermaids for The Aspec Year Challenge (James Bond)

It had started roughly six months ago, gifts beginning to appear on Q's desk without anything attached that could give him a clue as to who his sudden benefactor was. There didn't appear to be a pattern in temperament or price. A stuffed elephant one time, a box of the finest Cuban cigars the next, followed by a Newton's cradle with tiny cats hanging off the outermost balls, followed by a puzzle box intricate enough to flummox Q for a record two days - a flattened Roman coin inside - followed by a gigantic cat tree, still contained in its four large boxes. Q had questioned his staff and actually believed them when they swore they hadn't seen who'd left them, even if it seemed nigh on impossible to smuggle so many metre-and-a-half square boxes through the bowels of MI6 without anyone noticing.

Snack

Edge - What Big Teeth You Have (SGU)

Young glared daggers at him, while Telford flopped down on his side, his head coming to rest on Young's knee. It was all very... intimate. The whole thing: casual touches and bedding down together and the practised edge the whole situation carried. The protectiveness, the trust, the astute readiment of violence brought to bear in defence of one another. A lot of the soldiers stationed here showed similar regard for their fellows, but still the instinct that he was witnessing something that went beyond the 'bond of brotherhood' nipped at Rush's heels.

Sip - Dentist (SGU)

They sipped their drinks in companionable silence for a while, sitting comfortably shoulder to shoulder. If Telford were another man, he would get drunk and stay here tonight instead of facing Rush so soon. But he wasn't another man. That other man was sitting right next to him.

Orbit - i am a prisoner just like you 2x03 Awakening (SGU)

Alternatively, maybe sex was something Telford could use to pull Rush further into his orbit. He was the only one who knew the man was a vampire, and it had been long enough since Rush had joined the program that it was impossible for him to come forward without getting himself in a great deal of trouble. Everything else about him belonged to Telford. Why not add his body to the mix?

Court - i am a prisoner just like you 2x02 Aftermath (SGU)

The man was at least attempting a direct approach, Telford generously decided. Telford was always the person who was very straightforward about personal relationships: this is what I want. What do you want? If we're compatible, good for us. Tell me if anything changes and I'll do you the same courtesy.

Stealing

Enthusiasm - Your Own Worst Enemy (SGU)

"Those are for shuttles," he says, gesturing with his flashlight. His statement kicks off a rapid fire discussion on the subjects of mining and refining, production and repair. The geeks are in their element, the enthusiasm even breaking through in Rush's demeanour. Unfortunately the eagerness is short lived, a thudding sound coming from the other side of the blast door bringing the conversation to a screeching halt. Silence hangs in the large space as everyone hopes it was just their imagination. Of course it isn't, because they couldn't be that lucky.

Days - The Little Death (SGU)

Telford breathed hard, eyes tight shut behind the protective shield of his arm. "You're killing me." He knew he sounded winded and he also knew he didn't care. Rush laughed, slapping him lightly on the thigh. "You're so fucking into it." The problem was that he wasn't wrong. It was disgusting how into it Telford actually was, the constant arousal swirling through his gut, the teasing and orders and edging and Rush stringing him along and then informing him that no, actually, he wasn't allowed to come tonight. It made Telford think about what if Rush hadn't shared the timeframe of their little exercise before they'd started. He wouldn't know the target was five days; he'd be constantly caught in the trap of will-he won't-he. It was exciting enough to him that his cock took a long time to flag and he almost suggested they go another round. He didn't because asking for things showed people you wanted them and he was giving Rush enough rope as it was.

Red - Sheppard-turns-Kolya-over-to-Todd (SGA)

Before Sheppard had time to blink, let alone draw breath to formulate a response, Todd snarled viciously and slashed his claws across Kolya's lower back. The man arched into a bow, the breath knocked out of him in a great whooshing wave. Sheppard could see the blood dripping from Todd's fingers, the impact of the droplets striking the floor echoing across the room to his ears. He could imagine the rivulets it was running down Kolya's back, a river of red against bruised and torn skin, the cuts deep and bewitching in the way they would bulge grotesquely under the strain.

[shawty-writes-a-little]

Mundane longing 4.

[series list]

Spencer Reid x fem!reader

word count: 2.8k

-

Weeks were commonly long in a suburban living, nothing unusual and soft life. Later that week, y/n was called in at the bureau on her leave day, for some sign off on a paperwork that needed to be sent to another unit and the process would be very slow without her. New superintendents of neighbouring units were rather combative of competence. Petty.

It was just going to take an hour or so and since she was called in as an urgency she didn’t bother dropping Julian home and brought him with her directly from his school game. From the looks of it, she had a big supportive sports jersey on with the same colour as Julian’s and his football shoes. However a grumpy pout adorned Julian’s face as she walked in with the boy, “I’m really sorry it was last minute” Emily said as y/n shook her head dismissing the trouble of it.

“It’s fine really, the game was over anyways” she shrugged as she took the file from Emily glancing through its contents. Julian, with crossed arms and a face of frown evident of his anger crossed to y/n’s desk and sat on her chair.

“What’s up with him?” Derek asked as Spencer joined too when he passed a grumpy Julian who didn’t say hi to him.

“School football.” She replied with a sigh, half attention still on the file she was going through with Emily.

“Let me guess, his team lost?” Emily inquired.

“Worse, they won but he was benched the whole time.” Y/n replied with a bit of a regretful look on her face “I somewhat embarrassed him too” she told them as she turned around to show the back of her sports jersey which had Julian’s name in big letters with his number.

“Wow, y/l/n.” Emily remarked with raised brows, regardless they got back to work.

“It’s alright though, he’ll come around” She shrugged in Spencer and Derek’s direction getting along to finish whatever she was required for at urgency with Emily.

In the meantime Spencer decided to approach Julian on y/n’s desk who was spinning around on the chair. His legs didn’t reach the floor so he had to use his hands with the support of the desk to spin and again and again had to unfold his crossed arms, display of being upset. “Hey there” Spencer spoke gently as he leaned on the desk beside him.

“Did y/n send you?” Julian asked with a scoff and a best attempt to roll his eyes, he surely had his auntie’s temper.

“Of course not, I don’t follow orders from her.” Spencer clarified and stoped Julian’s spinning so he could see him “I came by myself.”

“Then you can curtainly leave by yourself.” Julian mentioned.

“You mean certainly?” Spencer asked as a small chuckle escaped him. “Why I just wanted to talk, why are you so mad?”

“Football…” Julian told him with a sigh. “I didn’t even want to join their stupid team or go to their stupid practise or wear this stupid tshirt!”

“Then? Why did you?” Spencer asked, he was naturally very patient with children.

“Y/n made me. Just because I like messi and football doesn’t mean I’m good at it. I don’t even like any of it anymore” He confessed as his tiny brows furrowed.

“So you’re saying you don’t like messi anymore?” Spencer asked full well knowing the answer, people children idolise are difficult to let go off.

“I’ll always like messi…” Julian trailed off with a dejected sigh “Just football.”

This time Spencer knelt down so he could see eye level with Julian who sat on the chair, “You don’t like football because you’re not good at it? You’re just a beginner yet, beginner in football and even in life. You’re just seven. You got selected to be on a team at seven, that’s a huge deal already. When I was 13 I wasn’t even selected to volunteer for our school football team.” He recalled laughing a bit to himself.

“Yeah but…” Julian trailed off with a sigh “Everyone gets selected at my school team, everyone got to play today and I was just on the bench as an extra. I really did want to play.”

It was sad to see his spirits so dampened, it would be easier to convince and console an older kid with words, Julian being as young as he was had superficial hurt “hey now, you’re going to part of teams much bigger than that, where a coach who favours some kid whose mom sent cookies on practise days won’t get to decide who stays on the bench and who gets to play.”

“Y/n was so excited for me, she should’ve gotten to see me play…” Julian trailed off with a little hurt in his tone.

“Are you kidding? Y/n will forever be excited for whatever you do Julian. You are her absolute favourite and she loves you unconditionally, if you get benched or play or loose the game. It wouldn’t change anything for her since you’re you.”

“You kinda make sense” Julian nodded as a little smile formed his face, his tiny legs dangling, he giggled even more when Spencer tickled him. “Stop!”

“There’s that smile again” Spencer added laughing along for a while. Derek too came in, conversing with the little man. The two of them even got offered to come to the amusement park with him and y/n later once she was done with the work. Derek apparently had to refuse because he did not have a half day unlike Spencer.

“I don’t think y/n would really agree” Spencer told Julian about him joining the two of them to go to an arcade.

“Agree to what?” She asked from behind when she was done with the last minute file work she was called for, packing up her desk. It wasn’t as messy given she was there for just an hour.

“Can red come with us to the amusement park?” Julian asked her with big eyes.

“It’s Reid.” Y/n corrected him with a suppressed laughter “Uh I don’t know I-“

“See. She doesn’t get along with me you know because I’m bet-“

“He’s not better or whatever, he’s probably just busy right now. I get along with everyone.” She added feeling dismissed of her credibility of ‘making friends’ since she didn’t her last lesson to Julian about being nicer to his nemesis at school. She could be nice to Spencer, kids learn from actions.

“I’m not busy.” Spencer huffed.

“Can he join us then?” Julian asked raising his brows at y/n.

With a pause of contemplating how annoying Spencer was as it is on her work day, now she’d have him around even on her day off. She masked to be pleasant about it anyways “Sure thing!” She said as as Julian jumped out of his seat with a big ‘yes!’ Y/n was surprised he got over his prior hurt so fast.

She raised her brows at Spencer correlating if he had something to do with Julian’s lifted spirits. Spencer nodded a yes with a blink of his eyes and an understanding smile. Somehow that was a hit heartwarming to y/n. It was unexpectedly cute how well Spencer got along with Julian, because Julian was very reserved and y/n herself was always bickering with Spencer. They had a record of ‘fighting’ through a 3 and a half hour of flight. The reason they were going to the amusement park was because every time julian was having a bad time y/n liked to do all she could to change it. Spencer had already become a catalyst to that.

-

It was a beautiful evening at the amusement park, Friday crowd wasn’t huge and the lines were short. Julian and y/n just did the typical rides, the cup and saucer, the cars, some arcade games. She was terrified of the big machine rides which weren’t even that huge, but any ride with her feet off the ground was a big no so Julian never got to ride them.

But since Spencer on his side, the scenario was changed. It was generally y/n dragging Julian away from the big rides now it was different “It’s not even that high up what are you afraid of?” Spencer asked, the swing ride wasn’t even that high in truth.

“I’m not afraid” y/n said wanting to appear completely neutral to it as Julian tugged at her legs to come join them too.

“Don’t be such scaredy cat!” Julian whined at her.

“I’m not a scaredy cat, just-“

“Oh you’re most definitely scared” Spencer had a good laugh along with Julian. “Come on it’ll be fun” he said attempting to hold her hand to come with them since Julian’s tugging was futile.

“No!” She exclaimed “I will remain on solid land, ground, where I put and where I am intended to be you guys carry on..” she said, Spencer and Julian seemed very sincere to have her join them so dropping the I’m-not-afraid act she instantly folded.

“She always does this!” Julian sighed giving up sharing a look with Spencer.

“Scaredy cat.” Spencer said as he held Julian up in his arms so the two of them could go along.

She rolled her eyes at the two of them having a fun jab at her, “I’ll wait for you guys on the bench.”

She walked back to the bench carrying loads of stuff Julian had on him, the stuff Spencer won him from the claw machine. With a faint smile on her face with how Julian and Spencer were laughing. She waved at Julian who was getting buckled up on the ride as she sat on the bench, an elderly man next to her who witnessed the whole interaction.

“Kids…they’re very adamant!” He remarked laughing softly.

“Tell me about it” Y/n added offering the old man a smile.

“My wife and I used to take our son to the carnivals, back in those days they were very frequent around the holidays. No matter how many times we’d go my wife would never climb on the ferris wheel!” He laughed recalling the memory, “It’s too high, too untrustworthy she’d say…my son and I would have a good laugh about it.”

Y/n couldn’t help but laugh as well as she nodded, “I relate to her.”

“We sometimes come here with our grandkids, it’s the same story even today…” he talked to y/n about his wife, family. Showing her pictures of his grandkids on a phone he didn’t know his way around but his wallpaper were the kids.

“Aww they’re adorable!” She exclaimed as she saw the picture the old man showed her.

“You and your husband have a beautiful family too!” The old said with a smile, talking about Spencer and Julian who were still on the ride.

“Oh-“ y/n paused for a second. She was always seen as Julian’s mom, being his god mother auntie and parent figure she mostly never corrected anyone. But her and Spencer well, “Thank you!” She accepted with a smile instead of correcting him. It wasn’t a long pause but she contemplated why she just did that? She couldn’t simply clarified they weren’t married, maybe on the spot how she never corrected the family dynamic assumptions with Julian was why she didn’t correct him. Because she was used to it.

But Spencer? Really? She’d be so irked if anyone mistook them for even friends. ‘We’re just people who have to work with each other.’ was her line followed by his annoyed eye roll. Why did just accept that. That to be with a smile or prolonged hesitation.

Her and her husband’s beautiful family: Julian? It did not sound as bad, she thought about the old man’s life. Growing old with Spencer going to such rides she would be too scared to be on. Growing old on inside jokes and a grounded domestic life. Envisioning a life with Spencer amongst hers, waking up next to him, stupid conversations and a twenty four seven fun fact box within him she secretly cherished which wouldn’t be so secret if they were married no? She realised how closely she knew Spencer despite it all, to vision a life with him not just so superficially she actually knew him that well? Perhaps he did too beneath all their petty fights. To be loved is to be known is it not?

No. Stop it. What in the actual world? Some sappy old man just going about his day with absolutely nothing to do but sit at benches and talk to strangers about his kids and grandkids would not induce some feelings for Spencer in her. Feelings what feelings, what even was that no? She suddenly pulled out of that train of thought feeling heavily awkward with her own self. Genuinely uncomfortable the life she was off to imagine. There was no reality where that was possible with the annoying Spencer.

“Oh they’re back!” The old man informed her of what he saw, when Julian and Spencer were getting out of the ride.

“Right…” she trailed off with a smile getting out of the bench, “have a good day sir.” She told him leaving the bench as if she was guilty of something, she somewhat was. Not planning to tell Spencer about the interaction nor planning to have that conversation with herself ever again she greeted the two normally. Them going off about how fun the ride was as Spencer carried Julian and they walked through the park to its restaurant.

Going through the menu as y/n announced she’d try something different, Spencer suggested an item on the menu with a reasoning of her taste. Which was absolutely accurate. He remembered that? How did he know this? To be loved to is to be known. No. Rubbish really stop. That was so inane, he was a profiler, it was his career to notice and know things him noticing her preference through lunch and dinner does not mean it’s romantic. It’s barely platonic they don’t even like each other that much.

She felt like she was disgracing herself with how far her mind could think, too embarrassing. Thinking about your coworker like that. As someone who’s raising a child having a teenage girl day dreaming segment in your mind was ridiculous she had to pull herself out of this before it gets worse.

-

Later that night Spencer dropped off Julian and y/n back at her place, hugging his goodbye to spencer Julian was the first inside. Leaving y/n and Spencer on the porch, street light illuminating above the houses in a line and her yellow light from the swing on the porch on the two of them.

“You don’t want to come in?” Y/n asked politely, completely courteous, like a professional. She added those adjectives for herself in her head. “Cup of coffee?”

“Weren’t you off of coffee though?” He asked puzzled remembering how she told him she was on a coffee detox on his last visit.

“Two whole days. New record.” She told him with a sarcastic smug at the irony of it, gaining a small laugh out of him.

“Remarkable.” He added soothing his laughter “Later I guess…I plan to sleep tonight so” he said.

“Right of course” she nodded with a smile, “good night then” she told him. Awaiting his goodbye and goodnight but neither of them said anything nor moved. He didn’t, for some reason and y/n’s mind wandered to what it would be like if he just kissed her right here. On her porch like in the movies, she was somewhat paralysed in that state with a small smile adoring her face. Evident of her wandering mind having good thoughts.

Just then Spencer closed the gap between crashing his lips onto her. It took her a while to register she wasn’t going mental and hallucinating this, it was actually happening as his hands held her in his. Pulling her close through her waist, she had already instinctively kissed him back. To keep up she smiled into the kiss enlacing him in her arms. It was a passion filled kiss with tender touching of holding and wanting to be held.

After a while when she pulled away to breathe, the smile hadn’t left her and how she was naturally flushed brought a smile on Spencer’s face too. Neither saying anything after that long and passionate kiss.

It was all in the haze of new romance until it dawned on her, the upcoming misery marathon. No no no no. What? What did she just do? “That was-“ before Spencer could finish his sentence she immediately looks for a way out.

“I uh I have to walk my laundry…” she said hurriedly as the awkwardness burst into both their faces. To over explain much much more poorly she added “And wash my dog…” she said with urgency and opened the door behind her to inside her house. “Good night.” She greeted him and ran inside shutting the door behind her.

Eyes wide and for once the genius’s mind worked too slow to comprehend her.

-

[hollyand-writes]

My other Arlathan Exchange 2023 gift for @highwayphantoms (2nd of 2 fics I wrote for @arlathanxchange!) 😁

Rating: Teen/Mature   Chapters: 7/7 Word Count: 9,785 words Pairing: Carver/Merrill Characters: Templar Carver Hawke, Merrill, Keeper Marethari, Female Hawke (Jay's OC Serafina Hawke), briefly-mentioned Isabela & Fenris Other Tags: Soulmate AU, Title from the novel Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë, Soulmate-Identifying Marks (Soulmark Tattoos), Descriptions of Cutting For Blood Magic, Time Skips, Angst with a Happy Ending, Referenced Mahariel/Alistair/Zevran (Jay's OC F!Mahariel), Background Anders/F!Hawke

Summary:

All Carver knew was that his soul-mark would exactly match that of a soulmate; and that the identical symbol on their flesh represented both him and them. Either way, it didn’t matter: there was a war to fight; and the soul-mark still etched on his skin meant whoever had its twin was still alive, or Carver’s own mark would have faded.

He didn’t want to think about how his soulmate might feel if their mark ever faded.

So Carver got the mabari tattooed over it—something that made his soul-mark look like nothing more than kaddis war-paint on a war-hound—and tried to forget about it.

–

Soulmate AU. Templars and blood mages are mortal enemies—but what if one is the other’s soulmate?

——————— 

When Carver Hawke’s soul-mark showed, he covered it with a mabari tattoo.

As an eighteen-year-old away at war, about to go into battle at Ostagar, the last thing Carver Hawke wanted to think about was his soulmate—the possibility that there was someone out there, waiting for him, needing him to come back alive. For he was happy to lay down his life if need be, if it meant saving his country, saving his family—saving his home.

He didn’t have time to think about soulmates. What use was that anyway, when his purpose was far higher, for a far worthier cause.

The only girl he’d been interested in was Peaches, but when her soul-mark showed… well, his own wasn’t fully visible yet; but it was clear the design gradually forming on the skin over his tailbone was never, ever going to match hers in a million years.

(He was only glad Serafina and Bethany were off practising magic in the woods again when he got home, so that they weren’t there to see the disappointment on his face.)

When Carver’s soul-mark finally emerged fully, on his lower back, a glance in the mirror told him it had a sword in the middle of it, along with some flame-like markings around it that would have made it the Sword Of Mercy—the symbol of the Templar Order—if it wasn’t for these strangely delicate, swirling, pencil-like outlines surrounding it that could have been… vines? but hollow, rather than filled-in? or maybe they weren’t vines at all?

He couldn’t be sure.

Read more on AO3...

[iwritefandomimagines]

All Yours

masterlist

pairing: spencer reid x fem!reader

description: when lila archer breezes into town and makes a stop at the BAU to see spencer, you have a tough time staying quiet as you watch her lingering touches, even if spencer tells you it means nothing to him.

warnings: angst, cursing, light hurt/comfort, jealousy, sex references

a/n: I may do a part two with a reversal of this with spencer being jealous of an ex of yours if anyone would like that?

"Hey Spence, I assume you're busy getting started on the case but I'm almost back, just calling to let you know. Speak to you in a--,"

You paused, noticing a blonde woman envelope your fiancé in her arms, a beaming smile on her face. Spencer looked taken aback but didn't shy away, hugging her back as Derek's eyes moved from them to you.

He sent you a small reassuring smile, which you tried to return as you placed your phone back into your coat pocket.

You recognised her. Lila Archer -- Derek used to tease Spencer about her back when you'd just joined the team. Movie star, blonde bombshell, and the last person to kiss your fiancé before you did.

Spencer would shoo Derek away and tell him it had been nothing, considering he never saw her again, but you couldn't help the jealousy bubbling in your gut at the sight of their embrace.

Derek called you over affectionately, doing you a favour that you were incredibly grateful for. Everyone's eyes snapped up to you, and Spencer quickly pushed Lila back from their hug.

"Y/N!" he called, as though he was surprised to see you, "Y/N, this is Lila Archer. Lila... My fiancee, Y/N Y/L/N."

You couldn't help but smirk a little at the fact he introduced you as his fiancee, purely because you'd feared that he'd keep it from her. You trusted Spencer, but you knew his kiss with Lila had been a pretty damn big deal at the time.

"Fiancee? Wow, Spence. You've done well for yourself."

You didn't like her condescending tone, quickly opting to reach up and kiss Spencer gently, "Well, if after five years he wasn't at least considering making me his wife I'd have been worried." you could see Derek and Emily stifling a laugh at the venom in your tone.

"Five years, wow," she feigned a smile, placing her hand on Spencer's upper arm, "I've missed a lot."

"Well..." Spencer began, but you interrupted, "Yeah, well."

"I uh, half expected you to still be waiting on me," she looked down at her feet as though she was disappointed. This bitch was a better actor right now than she'd ever been in any of her movies.

"With all due respect, Lola, you kissed him... once? Years and years ago. A lot has changed, sweetheart," the sickly sweet tone of your voice made her furrow her brows, whilst Spencer bit back a laugh.

You were embarrassed by your petty behaviour, but she was really fucking pissing you off. Spencer, meanwhile, couldn't help the excitement he felt seeing you jealous and possessive.

"Lila," she corrected you, but said nothing more. She just narrowed her eyes at you, to which you rolled yours.

"Right, Lila," you replied, "Well, we've got work to do so uh.. Have you not got some lines to practise or something?"

Even Hotch bit back a laugh, nodding once, "Y/N's right. We've got work to do. I'm glad you're doing alright, Ms. Archer. It was nice to see you, but we'd best get on."

Lila clenched her jaw, leaning up to press a kiss to Spencer's cheek, "Well it was lovely seeing you again. I'm in town filming for the rest of the month."

You couldn't believe her cheek, "Well have fun, we'll be on our honeymoon for a lot of it. What is it they say... Break a leg?"

Spencer couldn't help but actually laugh now, and he pulled you aside by your waist into one of the side offices, "A little jealous, princess?"

You bit your inner cheek, blushing with embarrassing, "I'm sorry baby, I just--,"

"She was being a bitch, Y/N," he shook his head, his hands curled around you. You could feel Lila's eyes on you as she lingered at the exit, "Plus its kinda hot watching you fight for me, even if there's no competition anyway."

You smiled widely up at him, "Can't believe she thinks she can waltz in here just because she's a movie star. She's like... a C lister at best these days anyway. And she's treating you like-like a toy and--,"

He stopped you with a firm kiss, his hands reaching up to your face as he drew you closer. You relaxed into the kiss, running your hands through his hair and tugging gently.

"I'm not marrying Lola," he teased at your mis-naming, "in three days am I? I'm marrying you, I'm marrying the love of my life."

You kissed him quickly again, desperate to show him how much his words meant to you, "I love you so much, Spence."

"I love you too, Y/N. I'm all yours... Always."

He took your hand in his, opening the door and returning to the rest of the team who were half smirking, half irritated by the fact Lila still hadn't quite left, poised watching you.

"Reid, Y/L/N, I've sent you the location of the victim's school. Can you go check it out for me?" Hotch asked, as Lila finally seemed to be stood by the elevator to leave, "The extra details are all in this file," he handed you a file with a small nod, "Just need you to find out more about his last few days alive in school."

You nodded, tucking the file into your bag and linking your arm with Spencer's as you headed to leave, passing Lila with a smirk on your face as you spoke loud enough for her to hear your next words,

"C'mon, baby. Hot, steamy sex in the elevator down?"

"Sounds like a plan, princess."

That made Lila wait for the lift to come back up again, whilst you and Spencer crumpled over in laughter as you descended.

If she was going to play games, you could too.

----------

thank you for reading !! hope this was okay -- here's my masterlist for more and my prompt list for ideas if you'd like to request! <3

[ridiculously-over-obsessed]

Caught up??? Me??? It’s more likely than you think 👀

Also on AO3!!!

DAY TWENTY TWO: EYE FOR AN EYE

Beca’s leg bounced as she sat in her car, eyes glued on the warehouse in front of her. This was it. She was finally going to catch this asshole. God was she going to make him wish he’d never been born, when she got her hands on him he’d be begging her to kill him.

A hand rested on her thigh, Beca’s head turning to find her partner Chloe smiling softly at her.

“We’ll get him Becs. He’s not getting away this time.”

“Damn right he’s not...” Beca muttered darkly, sitting up a little straighter as a car pulled up. Beca lifted her radio as she watched their target get out of the vehicle and head inside, “I got eyes, he’s heading into the stash house just like we thought he would. He’s stocking up.”

“Move in.” Came the command from their commanding officer Aubrey on the other side of the radio, “Silent and quick, I want this asshole brought in alive.”

Beca and Chloe got out of the car, guns in hand as they moved in practised formation, Chloe’s hand on her shoulder as they crossed the distance between their car and the warehouse. The radios were silenced as they went in, Beca signaling for Chloe to go left as she went right. They’d seen other members of their team enter the warehouse, they weren’t alone here but there was a lot of ground to cover and not a lot of time to do it.

Beca moved with a precision that came from years of experience, eyes scanning the warehouse for her target, heart thudding in her chest. She had to find him. She had to make him pay for this, for everything he’d done.

The sound of gunfire made Beca duck behind a shelving unit, wincing a little as the bullets flew past her head. Got him.

“Atlanta PD!” She yelled, gun held tight to her chest, “Put the gun down Leon it’s over!”

“Make me bitch!” 

Beca’s lip curled into a snarl as she dropped to her knees, swiveling and aiming low as she tried to get a clear read on Leon’s position. He was crouched behind a shelving unit three feet away from her, but unlike her he had some kind of assault rifle. No way she could take that head on.

“Put it down Leon or I swear to god I will shoot you!” Beca spat. Like she really needed an excuse to put a bullet in him at this point, “We have you dead to rights and surrounded, there’s no way you’re getting out of here, so put. The gun. Down!”

“I said make me!” He screamed, Beca spotting a gap where she could go for his ankle, bring him down that way.

“Last chance Leon!” Beca lined up her shot, “Put the gun down!”

More bullets flew in her direction as Beca flinched slightly, but she took her shot. She got a small sense of satisfaction as he let out a screech and went down, gun skidding from his hands as he scrambled for it. Beca was quicker though, kicking it out of his reach, on top of him in an instant as she grabbed the front of his shirt.

“Where is she Leon?!” Beca’s eyes were wild with anger, “Tell me where my sister is asshole!”

“Beca!” 

Beca barely registered Chloe’s voice as Leon smirked up at her, nor did she register that it was her hands pulling her off him before she could punch him in his smug face.

“The little brunette?” He sneered, “Mmm she’s a cutie... she’ll fetch a tidy little profit. Emily right? She keeps crying for you...”

“LET GO OF ME!” Beca was practically foaming at the mouth as it took Chloe and another of her team Stacie to hold her back, “GET OFF ME, I’LL MAKE HIM TELL US!”

“No Becs.” Chloe shook her head, putting herself between Beca and Leon as Aubrey moved to put him in handcuffs, “No, not like this. Do not throw your career away over that bastard. We’ll find her, but not like this.”

“I don’t care.” Beca snarled through gritted teeth, still struggling against them, “I don’t care Chloe, she’s just a kid! She’s just a kid and she needs me, I’m all she has and that asshole knows where she is!”

“I know.” Chloe’s jaw was set, “And we’ll find her Becs, we won’t rest until we do. But she wouldn’t want you to do it like this. You’re Em’s hero Becs... don’t betray that because of him.”

Beca shook her head a little, slumping in Stacie’s grip as Leon was dragged to his feet, Aubrey not giving a damn for the bullet wound as she forced him forward and out of the warehouse.

“I have to find her...” Beca mumbled, “Before it’s too late, before they- he’s hurt her, you know he has, so why can’t I hurt him to find her?”

“Because you’re not him.” Stacie sighed softly, “You’re not like these scumbags Beca. Emily’s a strong kid, you raised her to be strong, she’s going to be okay.”

Beca sniffed softly as they left the warehouse, glare practically burning a hole into the side of the ambulance she watched Leon be carted away in. She still wanted to kill him, to hurt him until he told her where he’d taken Emily, where he’d taken any of the girls he’d snatched off the street. But they were right, as much as she hated it they were right... she was better than that, she couldn’t stoop to their level, not even for Emily.

“Anything?” She asked Aubrey as they joined her, watching as a coy smile spread across Aubrey’s face.

“He might have been a little more... forthcoming once I got him outside.” Aubrey shrugged, Beca’s eyes widening a little, “I got an address for us to check out.”

“Seriously?” Beca ran a hand into her hair, “Posen I-”

“Not a word.” Aubrey shook her head, “I didn’t do anything. Now c’mon, let’s head over there.”

Beca nodded, racing back to the car with Chloe on her tail, yanking open the drivers side door before Chloe stopped her.

“Give me the keys. I want us to get there in one piece.” 

There was a teasing note to Chloe’s voice but Beca knew she was serious. Swallowing hard, Beca handed over the keys to the car and they quickly followed Aubrey and Stacie through the streets, pulling up outside a rundown house on the very outskirts of the city. Tears welled in Beca’s eyes as Chloe reached over and took her hand, pressing a soft kiss to the back of her hand.

“She’ll be okay. She’s really strong Becs.”

“I know.” Beca sniffed softly, “I hope you’re right.”

They got out of the car, silent again in case there was a guard or two with them, not wanting to tip them off in case they hurt the girls they were holding. Beca nodded at Stacie as she saw the silent question cross her face, holding her gun tightly as she and Chloe went in the front, Aubrey and Stacie going around the back.

Beca had to bite her tongue to stop herself calling out Emily’s name as she walked through the deathly silent corridors. She could see a big guy at the top of the stairwell, a gun in his waistband. If she called out, he’d hear her and there was every chance he’d pull it out and fire it off before she could get to him.

Chloe nodded firmly as Beca turned to her, reassuring her that she had her back as the two of them silently made their way up the stairs. The guard was facing away from the stairs as Beca pressed the barrel of the gun into the back of his neck.

“Not a sound.” Beca hissed, “Atlanta PD, you make a move for that gun and I’ll blow your brains over the wall.”

The guard lowered to his knees as Beca dragged his hands behind his back, Chloe taking his gun and stowing it in her belt as Beca handcuffed him. They moved on as Aubrey and Stacie joined them, Beca opening door after door to find each room empty save for a mattress on the floor and a pair of metal handcuffs welded to the wall. It made her stomach churn as she thought of Emily. She must be terrified.

“Em?” 

Beca had opened another door, finding a brunette chained to the wall, whimpering softly as her hair fell into her face. The sound of Beca’s voice caused her head to turn, Beca’s heart leaping into her throat as her eyes met a heartbreakingly familiar pair of brown ones.

“Becs?”

Emily’s voice was hoarse as Beca rushed forward, stowing her gun as she gently cupped her sister’s face in her hands, “It’s okay Emily, I’m here now, you’re okay.”

Emily let out a sob as she pressed her face into Beca’s hand, biting her lip a little, “I- I knew you’d find me...”

“Always.” Beca nodded, “Always Em, I got your back.”

“Get- get this off me...” Emily tugged at the handcuffs, “Please... get them off...”

“Yeah, yeah I’ve got it, hang on.” Beca turned as Chloe handed her a lockpicking tool, Beca making quick work of releasing Emily’s wrists.

Emily launched forward in her arms, sobbing heavily into her chest as Beca held her tightly, lips pursed as she pushed her own tears away.

“I’ve got you Em. Those bastards can’t hurt you anymore, I promise. We got them, they’re going to rot in prison okay?”

Beca felt Emily nod against her as she clung to her bulletproof vest, her sobs betraying every ounce of pain and fear that she had felt over the last four days. Beca gently shushed her, rocking Emily slightly as her eyes found Chloe’s. Chloe gave her a gentle, encouraging smile, knowing Beca needed confirmation that she’d done the right thing by letting them stop her ripping Leon apart upon hearing how distraught Emily was.

“All clear.” Stacie’s tone was gently as she looked into the room where Beca was cradling Emily, “We got three perps in total, and there’s eight more girls here. Job well done Mitchell.”

Beca nodded a little, kissing the top of Emily’s head, “Thanks Conrad. I want to take Emily into the hospital myself, is that okay?”

“Yeah, course.” Stacie nodded, “I’ll let Aubrey know, we got this Becs. Take care of mini Mitchell.”

“I’ll come and join you once we’ve debriefed at the district.” Chloe promised, giving Beca’s hand a soft squeeze as she helped her support Emily down the stairs.

“Thanks Chlo.” Beca gave her a watery smile, “For... for keeping me on an even keel today. I would’ve-”

“I know.” Chloe nodded, “But you didn’t. Focus on Emily, that’s all that matters now.”

[marvelatthetwilight]

Found in Forks

A/N: A quick one. To satisfy an Emmett shaped need in this story.

Y/N’s POV

Months had passed since we had declared our love, solidifying my bond with Paul. We were inseparable. I couldn’t bear to spend time without him, and even in his company, I NEEDED to be as close to him as possible.

When the pack were discussing the threat of the newborn army I couldn’t help my nerves from making my legs shake, my foot tapping against the leg of the table. Paul reached over and squeezed my hand. He gave me a look that said it’ll be ok. I was desperate to believe that was true.

“We are meeting the Cullens in an hour to train.” Sam said after hanging up the phone to Carlisle.

I felt Paul shake with anger beside me and a growl left his lips. “Why do we need to train, we’ve hunted bloodsuckers before?” He said, whilst I curled up against him to dissipate his anger, he wrapped his arm around me and kissed the top of my head.

“Carlisle said this will be different, we need to trust them right now Paul. This threat isn’t just for them, we need to protect the reservation” the pack nodded at this and Paul didn’t press any further.

Everyone split off after this, with Quil and Embry heading off on patrol, agreeing to meet in the field in an hour. I turn in my seat to look Paul in the eye. “I want to come to training.”

Paul laughs, then sees the serious look in my eye and shakes his head. “Nope, not happening. I’m not putting you at risk by taking you to the bloodsuckers. That’s ridiculous.”

I place a hand on either side of his face and look deep into his eyes.

“I need this. I need to see that you will be ok. If I see you train it’ll make me feel better, help me to visualise you winning. Please Paul.” I try my best puppy dog eyes that I know he can’t refuse and he huffs in reply.

“Fine. But you will NOT be leaving my side, promise?”

“As if I ever would.” I reply and he pulls me tight towards him, kissing my forehead.

“I love you Y/N” he looks down at me, his eyes now softer.

“And I love you” I smile up at him and kiss him softly on the lips.

~~~

We had made it to the agreed field, with the Cullens already standing waiting. I could see Bella who Jacob always talking about was standing there too, recognising her from school, so I’m not the only human here. I send a small wave and a smile in her direction and she waved back, surprised to see me with the pack. Edward whispers something to her and she nods in understanding.

I slide off of Paul’s back once we come to a stop, and he gestures for me to take a seat in the grass. He lays down beside me once I am seated.

I look across at the Cullens, my first opportunity to see the whole family, having only seen the “children” briefly at school before.

Your eyes land on Emmett. You remember him from school, sitting in the cafeteria with the other Cullens, and you are reminded how much he looks like your dad and your grandpa. The similarities are uncanny. Images of your dad and your grandpa flash in your head as you compare them to the cold one you see in front of you. Weird.

You glance away and see Edward staring at you, a look of realisation on his face. Paul growls from beside you and you stroke the fur around his face before leaning your head against him. “Oh be quiet Paul, he’s doing nothing wrong” you whisper to him. He huffs before turning his attention to Carlisle, who begins to address the pack.

“Welcome, Jasper has experience with the newborns, and will teach us how to defeat them.”

Paul nods slightly beside you.

“They want to know how the newborns differ from us” Edward says as he reads the packs’ minds, Paul had told you about the gifts they possessed on your way to the meeting.

“They’re a great deal stronger than us because their own human blood lingers in their tissues. Our kind is never more physically powerful than in our first several months of this life” Carlisle explains. You shudder at this thought, fearful for your friends and Paul. As if sensing this he leans towards you, and your body relaxes with the contact.

Jasper steps forward, and addresses the pack. “A newborn army doesn’t need thousands like a human army. But no human army can stand against them. Now the two most important things to remember are; first, never let them get their arms around you, they’ll crush you instantly. The second, never go for the obvious kill, they’ll be expecting that, and you will lose.”

The Cullens begin to demonstrate fighting, as Jasper narrates, advising the pack on what to do, or what not to do in some cases.

As the training comes to an end, Jared and Paul head off for patrol, Embry and Quill promising to get you back to Emily’s safely as they wait for you to finish talking to Bella.

“I’m so sorry the pack need to be involved Y/N.” Bella says quietly, an apologetic look on her face.

“The threat is a risk to everyone, including the reservation, they would help whether you ask them to or not, it’s just what they’re like.” You say with a smile as you watch Embry and Quil practise some techniques with Jasper.

“Y/N” Edward joins Bella, an arm quickly wrapped around her, pulling her close to his side.

“Edward, nice to see you again.” You were briefly lab partners a couple of years ago and you always appreciated how little he talked, no awkward small talk, unlike some of your peers. Little did you know that he also appreciated working with you, your mind was never filled with the inane gossip of your classmates.

“I don’t know if Paul has told you, but I can...hear people’s thoughts. I didn’t want to alarm you but I need to talk to you about something you thought about when you first got here” you nodded slowly, trying to remember what you had thought about.

“Erm...ok? I can’t remember what it was though?”

“It was when you were looking at Emmett, you thought he showed some similarity to some family members?” He motions for Emmett to join them.

“I’ve always thought it, but dismissed it before as it was ridiculous. He looks exactly like my dad and my grandpa, I’m sure my grandma has some photos of my grandpa when he was younger in one of her photo albums and he looks identical”.

Emmett appears at Edward’s side just as you finish talking. He frowns slightly and then asks; “where are your family from Y/N?”

“Erm...well my dad was born here in Forks but my grandpa was from Tennessee...Gatlinburg I think my grandma said.”

Emmett’s eyebrows dart up in shock and shortly after Edward’s expression changes to shocked too. Emmett walks closer, not worrying about the distracted wolves.

“What was your grandpa’s name Y/N?”

“Ernest Y/L/N”

Emmett smiles a big smile, and turns to Edward, then motions for Rosalie to join them. He squeezes Rosalie’s hand, excitement showing on his face.

“Y/N, I think your grandpa was my nephew. My older sister Mary was his mother, Mary Y/L/N. That makes me your great-great uncle!”

You laugh at this, moving forward to hug Emmett, he picks you up, wrapping his large arms around you. This draws attention from Embry and Quil, who quickly realised that Paul would destroy them if anything happened to you. They move forward quickly, as if they are going to attack before Edward steps in front of you and Emmett trying to explain.

“They’ve just discovered they’re related, it’s a hug! He isn’t attacking her.”

The wolves look at each other, then back at you as Emmett sets you back on the ground.

“I’m fine guys, just happy!”

You turn your attention back to Emmett as he speaks again, “when I died I worried about my family a lot, I was the only son, I was strong and provided for them when my dad got too old. I left them some money, but after we moved away I never found out what happened. Now I know!”

You smile at this. “My grandpa always used to tell us stories about his uncle when we were younger, he was wild, he used to say, really strong, and an amazing hunter. He said they were all devastated when you were eaten by a bear...”

Emmett looks sad at this.

“Were they ok though, how did Ernest end up here?”

“I’m not really sure, but my grandpa owned a hunting shop just outside of Forks, they were comfortable I think. My dad is a lawyer, based out of Seattle during the week, then he comes home to Forks at the weekends. My grandpa saved up to put dad through school, he was so proud of him.”

A smile returns to Emmett’s face, as he thinks about his nephew, hard working like him, providing for his family.

Rosalie walks over and wraps an arm around his waist. “So all these years of wondering, wanting to go back to Tennessee to try and find them and you’ve found your family in Forks?”

“Looks like it babe!” He ruffles your hair as he speaks and you try to swat his arm away.

“I’m so happy to meet you Y/N, I’ve spent years wondering, and now I know.” You smile at your great-great uncle, wishing you could tell your family. Edward heard this and walks to your side, placing his hand on your shoulder.

“You are welcome to our house anytime, you’re part of the family now...with...er...wolf bodyguards of course” he adds as he glances to the wolves growling behind you.

You laugh as you look at the wolves, then back at the Cullens. I’m so lucky to have found so many people to call family.

Taglist:

@volturidoll13 @clearwater-hoe @like-rain-or-confetti @teampaul @fatiguing-thoughts @wallwriterstuff @moviequeen51 @awesomebooklover17 @cncogirl18 @megzdoodle

[creativeashproductions]

What If...? III // Alive!Luke Patterson

Summary: The aftermath of both the car accident and the proposal is something Luke struggles with dividing you two for the first time. With an ultimatum in place Luke finds himself standing in front of his childhood home but can he open the door he had locked and shut?

Warning: Swearing, talk of injuries, self-guilt, angst, Unsaid Emily (I’m a terrible person), and fluff (I SWEAR THERE IS FLUFF IN THIS)

Words: 4.0k

Requested: By @beautifulblogsblog . There will be two more parts at least.

A/N: Grammarly estimates that this will take a little over 15 minutes to read. I also almost made you not get an answer to a make or break question somewhere in here but I wanted to make up for the cliffhanger in part one.

*Bobby’s last name in this is Willis, it will come clear why soon.

TO BE TAGGED SEND AN INBOX/ASK PLEASE!

Masterlist (other parts for What If can be found in the masterlist)

(This goddamn shirt is also a warning holy christ)

Hollywood 1996

Life after the car accident was strange, to say the least. You lived with the guilt that your father couldn’t pick up a guitar. He had severely broken his arm in the crash in the instinctive moment to protect you. Your mother hovered, and Luke was there, but something changed since his hospital proposal.

There was a weird tension between you and him that concerned Alex because Luke wouldn’t talk about it. He would change the subject whenever Alex inquired about that empty ring box he found. Luke hadn’t told the guys he planned to propose and being rejected wasn’t something he wanted to share. However, one night he finally did.

“You could propose at the Eiffel Tower!” Reggie suggested having seen a commercial with the tower in the background. His excitement was visible to the band members in the living room.

 “Too cheesy.” Luke grumbled, rolling his eyes slouching down on the couch, “I’m not proposing.”

“I understand it’s a big step b-“

“I’m not proposing because I already did.” Luke snapped running hand through his messy hair with a glower. Alex was quiet, taking in the news and watching Luke’s body language.

“Oh congrat-“

“Read the damn room.” Luke snapped, slamming his pen on the coffee table as he stalked up the stairs to his bedroom. The resounding slam of his door marking his anger more prominent. Alex flinched at the sound.

“Was it something-“

“Seriously man?” Alex groaned, shaking his head at the bassist standing up from the armchair leaving the bassist the lone sitter, “You are so lucky you can play bass.”

Alex left Reggie downstairs to enter Luke’s room where he was throwing darts at the board harshly. Luke didn’t need to turn around to know Alex was in his personal place with one goal in mind, to cheer his bandmate up.

“What happened?” Alex asked, sitting in the second-hand office chair with a hole in the seat. His blue eyes watching the jerky movements from the obviously frustrated guitarist.

“She said no.” Luke whispered, rubbing a hand over his weary hazel eyes, more of a blue with the sadness he felt, “I proposed, and she said no.”

“I’m sorry. Did Y/N say why?” Alex hesitated to ask the question fearing Luke would fully snap as he had down a few times in the past. The one time was when he found Alex crying as an asshole overheard Alex admit to his crush on Jonathan Taylor Thomas after seeing him on Home Improvement. Courtesy of Luke, that asshole never breathed a word about it.

“An ultimatum. She won’t say yes until I fix things with my parents.” Luke sighed collapsing onto his bed, staring at the blue ceiling. Going back home after hurting his mom was something hard to do.

The night he left had been filled with a lot of words he regretted saying, he can’t even remember the last time he told his mom he loved her. The last time dinner hadn’t been tense and filled with anger. There was a pang of deep guilt for running out on his family, his mother and seeing the missing person posters further hammered the guilt in.

“She has a point.” Alex admitted, “We made it. We proved to our parents that this band was worth it. Take it from me. I would give anything for my parents to be the way they were before I told them I’m gay.”

Luke was quiet.

“You have a chance to fix things and Luke, that’s something you’ll regret. Remember the night of The Orpheum? We were gonna get street dogs? If we had, we would have died man.”

“I guess we got lucky?” Luke half-smiled remembering when they had been walking near the Orpheum a few days after performing.

The guy that sold the street dogs was arrested, and an ambulance was taking a couple to the hospital. The couple died, and it made the guys think how close they could have come to dying all the times they ate out of the Oldsmobile.

“We did. She loves you, Luke, but if you love her. You’ll reach out to your parents. I know they would love it.” Alex spoke, squeezing his best friends’ shoulder before he let himself out of the bedroom.

Alex joined Reggie in the living room watching a VHS they had rented from Blockbuster this morning. A smile appearing on Alex’s face as the muted familiar sound of a guitar came from upstairs. The sad melody Luke had taught his band playing.

“So, what year do you think we should release a country album? I can play the banjo.” Reggie asked, looking over at Alex with a thoughtful expression, “I’ve been writing this wicked song. I’m thinking of calling it ‘Home is Where My Horse Is’? How long would it take you to learn how to fiddle?”

“Reggie. I love you man, but I am not gonna be barefoot in overalls fiddling.” Alex spoke, shaking his head at his bandmate who pouted softly.

Alex and Reggie fell asleep on the couch that night while Luke worked tirelessly through the night on Unsaid Emily. It was by far the most personal song he had ever written, but it was the only way he could release the feelings he had. By the time morning came, his eyes had turned bloodshot and swollen.

Luke’s hands trembled at the sight of the childhood home he hadn’t been inside in months, not since that cold December night he left. The car was parked in the very same spot with the front bumper still dinged from when Luke was practising for his license.

Luke had developed a streak to avoid the bitter taste of disappointment from his parents. He would sneak out to gigs or little known locations with Alex; either for the band and his secret relationship. Luke never breathed a word of the relationship for the safety of Alex and avoid anything that would spike his boyfriend’s anxiety. The guilt died down when he and Alex mutually decided to be friends instead, but the band topic was different. At fourteen it was becoming apparent to Luke’s parents that this band wasn’t a hobby to him anymore, the first time his parents regretted buying the guitar.

“C’mon!” Bobby hissed from the safety of the curb. Luke was behind the wheel of his family’s station wagon in the dead of night. Reggie stationed in front of the car and Alex behind it, “This is stupid guys!”

Luke shakily took a breath in putting the car in drive to align with Reggie before he placed the vehicle in reverse. Learning to parallel park seemed to be going well as Luke did okay pulling into the parking spot. He got ahead of himself; however, when he moved to drive forward to center between Reggie and Alex. He may have hit the gas too hard.

“Ah!” Reggie screamed as the car bumped in him in the leg. The boy went down shuddering while his three friends hurried to his side.

“Are you okay?” Luke asked not minding the sting of the asphalt on his covered knees seeing as he just hit his best friend.

“I’m good.” Reggie raised one thumb in the air. Each boy leaned back in relief confirming the bassist was as good as Reginald could be.

 “Why the hell didn’t you move out of the way?” Luke demanded helping the boy up from the ground with a deep frown.

 “I was a traffic cone. Cones can’t move unless they get moved.” Reggie proudly announced with his typical oblivious attitude. Reggie wasn’t stupid, he was definitely the comedic relief in the band and prided himself on it.

“I-what. Okay..” Alex whispered to himself, pinching the bridge of his nose, “Sometimes I don’t know Reg.”

Reggie shrugged it off while a familiar girl jogged down the road with a furrowed brow, a girl that had lived in Luke’s neighbourhood for a while. She was moving to a bigger house soon, but she was an acquaintance that had never acknowledged the group.

“Are you okay?” The girl, you, questioned the bassist scanning him over as Luke stared dreamily at her. His ever-changing eye colour turning a soft mossy green at the girl that had held his heart for years; only temporarily vacating it for Alex.

“Oh, totally. This doesn’t hurt as much as the amp.” Reggie supplied waving it off whereas you were more worried the guy hit his head. Your gaze scanned the boys of Riot Curve. A deep developing on the pale cheeks of the Patterson boy.

“Aren’t you guys in my grade?” You questioned pursing your lips together, “You’d be like thirteen. Why are you driving? Aren’t you a little short to see over the steering wheel?”

A bark of laughter fell from Bobby Willis’ mouth, earning him a glance from you, closing his mouth as Luke’s look of disgust.

“I’m not short!” Luke shouted, “I’ll have you know I grew!”

You snickered at his offended expression, “Dude, I’m joking. You’ll get a growth spurt soon. Besides, I think you have bigger issues than your vertical challenge.”

A question fell from Luke’s lips before he followed your view. The bumper of his parent’s car had a small dent that his father would most definitely discover at some point.

“Oh, I am dead meat.” Luke sprouted just before the guys started brainstorming explanations that didn’t include four fourteen-year-old boys out after curfew driving.

“Hey, I have a little experience with bands and whatnot. Just a suggestion, maybe consider changing your band name from Riot Curve to something else.” You suggested starting to jog back to your house, “See you in class!”

Luke once again stared dreamily after your form forgetting what he should be worried about.

“Our name is already-“

“Sunset Curve.” Luke shouted, earning weird looks from his bandmates at the rather uncharacteristic change of mind, “We are renaming the band.”

“Why?” Bobby scoffed, “We agreed on Riot Curve!”

“Uh, no. You two did. Reggie and I weren’t there.” Alex raised one his eyebrows facing Bobby, “I was sick with the flu, and Reggie was at his aunt’s second wedding.”

“Why the name?” Reggie asked his pining lead singer flicking his gaze between Luke and the empty place where you had been.

“Because that was the first time, she talked to me. A sunset behind her brightening the pretty curve of her smile.” Luke sighed scrambling when the front step light at his house turned on. Each boy running for the safety from the Patterson windows.

“I like the name! I didn’t like the violence in the other name!” Alex shouted, rushing towards his bicycle to head back home. 

That was also the last time Luke saw you until 1993 at that concert as you moved to the medium-sized mansion by then.

Luke grinned at the memory of how he actually spoke to the girl of his dreams before everything went full to shit. Reggie’s parents started fighting, Bobby grew more into girls than music, Alex told his parents he was gay. Luke finally sat down with his parents telling him that he wouldn’t go to college and didn’t want to finish high school. He did finish high school to appease his parents even after running away.

“Luke?” The breathless question brought the guitarist back to the present time and to the blue eyes of his father. The shock on the man’s face preceding the tears building up, “Son.”

“Hon?” Luke’s knees collapsed as he heard the soft voice that had read him stories and sung lullabies when he was a child. Emily gasped as she saw the one person she had wished to find for so long, “Luke.”

“Mom.” Luke choked, raising his hands to press them to his face, “I’m so sorry. I didn’t-“

“Sh. Baby.” Emily wasted no time in scooping her son into her arms, so thankful nothing terrible had happened to him. She didn’t care where or what he had been doing as long as he in her arms again.

A hand clapped his shoulder to squeeze, announcing his father silently thanking whatever God there was for bringing his son home. That they didn’t have to worry blue and red lights would precede news no parent wanted to hear.

“Can I come in?” Luke asked tentatively. A soft hand brushing his hair away from his eyes for his parents to finally see the unique eye colour their son had inherited.

Emily ushered her son into the kitchen that hadn’t changed in the time Luke had been gone, the only difference being the Christmas decorations put away. They would reappear the last week of November; Emily wouldn’t have to struggle to put the ornaments on the tree without her son.

“I don’t know how to say what I want. Could I…could I sing please?” Luke murmured to his parents. It was a question he wasn’t sure he wanted to be answered. He hadn’t brought his guitar just in case it was the wrong move. His parents regretted buying him that guitar.

“Of course.” Mitch spoke, climbing to his height, “Just one moment.”

Luke watched his father leave the kitchen only to shortly return, holding a beautiful acoustic guitar. He had never seen it in his life either. He was confused when Mitch set the guitar into Luke’s lap.

“You’re like your mom. When she worries the only thing that can help calm her is knitting. I figured the guitar is your way of knitting.” Mitch calmly told his son choosing to not bright attention to tears in either of the Patterson men’s eyes.

Luke settled on the couch in the living room while Mitch and Emily took to their respective long known spots. Ones that faced the windows perfect for knitting and reading with natural light. Emily reached over to hold her husband’s hand while Luke started strumming.

First things first

We start the scene in reverse.

 All of the lines rehearsed.

 Disappeared from my mind

When things got loud

 One of us running out

 I should have turned around.

 But I had too much pride.

No time for goodbyes

 Didn’t get to apologize

 Pieces of a clock that lies broken

Not a dry eye in the Patterson home as Luke gave the best performance of his life. Performance didn’t build a bridge between him and his parents, why make a new bridge when the first one only needs repairs.

“Please record that.” Emily choked wiping her face of tears, “I want that on your first album, I loved it. I’m going to buy the first CD it’s on.”

Luke Patterson smiled a piece instead of healing at her words and the acceptance he had craved. Now he just had to propose again.

The cosy soft knit blanket Emily gave you at Christmas the first time you met Luke’s parents when it became clear that the relationship was serious. It was one that you cuddled into for a sense of comfort, eyes focused on the demo the song was waiting. Fingers itching to put in the CD player and listen to the finished product.

“Hey. Sweetheart you gotta stop blaming yourself.” Lance spoke coming to sit beside you on the piano bench. The bench you had learnt how to play directly across from the couch that you spent hours with him on learning the guitar.

“How can I? I asked for a ride, and you might never play again.” You scoffed, bringing your knees to your chest. Lance’s heart broke, hearing the guilt leaking from your words and the slump on your shoulders.

“I picked you up because I love you. You’re my daughter, my baby and I’m gonna tell you something that hope knocks some sense in that head.” Your Dad sternly spoke, taking your hand to place on his cast, “This? This doesn’t matter. If I hadn’t done this, you would be dead, and I wouldn’t be able to hold a guitar because you wouldn’t get to hear me play. I’d rather not be able to play and have my daughter alive.”

Tears rolled down your cheeks as your hero wiped your tears tugging you in his arms, “Besides I’m a Y/L/N, we don’t let other people tell us how to live.”

Lance leaned over to insert the CD into the machine before pressing play bringing a soft melody in the room. You snuggled into his side as his rich voice broke through into the most beautiful song you had ever heard. Unbeknownst to you, Luke stood in the doorway with his bandmates listening to the gorgeous record.

“I love it.” You whispered glancing over your shoulder, feeling the gaze of someone, and while you expected your mother, the sight was welcome. Not a dry eye in the room as the last chord rang with the joyful voice of a little girl; your voice from a family video.

“That’s beautiful.” Luke breathed grinning when you swiftly made your way into his open arms, “I’m sorry I haven’t been here for you like I should have been. I was hurt, and I didn’t want you to see that.”

“Was that the song that was playing- OW!” Reggie exclaimed rubbing the back of his head that Bobby had thumped. The bassist grimacing at the pain clueing that it wasn’t the greatest question he had said.

“Bittersweet was the song playing. This is the finished product.” Lance confirmed standing to his full height, “How about I let you see some unreleased songs?”

Lance ushered everyone but you and Luke from the room for privacy only winking before closing the door. Luke breathed out, leading you back to the couch with his hands squeezing your own.

“You were right,” Luke announced brushing the pad of his thumb under your eye to swipe an eyelash. His hazel eyes showing more of the green with the adoration gleaming from them, “It hurt being rejected but you were right about it. I hurt my parents by running out one them, especially my mom. I don’t want to hurt her more by excluding her from the biggest moment of my life.”

Your own hand raised to cup his cheek heart bursting when Luke turned his head to press a chaste kiss to the palm.

“You couldn’t guess how much it ached telling you no. I wanted to so badly, but your mom was always so good to me. I didn’t want her to miss out on anything.”

“She won’t miss out.” Luke replied, tugging you to your feet, “I went home, and we talked it through.”

Your feet cemented to the floor, “You went to see them?”

“I did. I was no sure Mom and Dad hated me for running away, for choosing music over them.”

“You didn’t choose music over them, Lu. You made a decision that they didn’t like, but you did what you were raised to do. They taught you to stand up for yourself, never second guess or quit.” You passionately told him, “They love you with their whole heart, they just didn’t understand how important music is to you at the time.”

“God, I love you so much. I would do anything for you.” Luke tugged you into his arms, bringing your attention to his different outfit choice.

He was wearing his best black jeans with no holes but still the chains, but his wallet wasn’t on display. His lucky blue rabbit’s foot was clipped to his necklace laying over the long sleeve purple corduroy shirt. The shirt he wore a lot when he wanted to be wanted to a little more dressed up.

“You’re wearing that shirt.” You stated glancing up to the boy, “And your lucky rabbit’s foot is not on your chains.”

Luke smirked, leading you through the house to the backyard where Luke had asked Nancy to be. Your mother sat at the piano with your father beside her, Nancy and Lance Y/L/N hadn’t sat at a piano together since you were tiny. Tears built up as Luke gently brought you into his arms entirely in time with the notes that Nancy began.

Heart beats fast

Colors and promises

How to be brave

 “Are you trying to make me cry?” You choked as he used the dance lessons he took with his mom twirling you around. As if you couldn’t cry more your gaze found Reggie strumming the acoustic guitar. Alex waiting at his drums with a grin at Luke and you.

I have died every day, waiting for you.

Darling, don’t be afraid, I have loved you for a thousand years.

I’ll love you for a thousand more.

Everything faded as you two gazed into each other’s eyes, in his you swore you saw every moment with Luke play. The sweaty palms shy to hold each other to the first kiss, the second kiss, sharing the most vulnerable time at sixteen, his serenading at seventeen after signing with a label and everything between those precious moments.

Time stands still

Beauty in all she is

I will be brave

I will not let anything, take away.

What’s standing in front of me

Every breath, every hour has come to this.

Bobby made his presence known harmonizing with you mom so low you barely heard, but it was Luke singing that enthralled you. Everything about this moment you would remember for the rest of your life.

The music faded as Luke took a step back to kneel down in front of you with the ring he had yearned to give you. The ring his mother had held on to for the girl Luke would fall in love with. She had given it a few days previous so thoroughly happy she got the opportunity to pass it down.

“Luke.” You breathed cupping your hands, one still in a brace, over your shocked face. His expression softened into the most loving one you had ever receiving in the years you had been together.

“My life has been leading me to this very moment. I believe that I was guided into music because of this absolutely perfect moment. Surrounded by the people who cheered us on and gave wisdom. The people that gave us a look at what true love is supposed to be.” Luke began keeping his entire focus on the love his life, “I knew about you before you knew me. I was ten when I saw you during recess sitting up against the tree with your walkman. I fell for you at that moment, but it wasn’t until I hit Reggie with the car that I got to talk to you.”

You giggled as you remembered running to a group of guys after seeing one get hit. If only you knew who they were at that time.

“Our first real conversation was at a concert, and I fell in love at that moment, and I am so thankful you gave me a chance. There isn’t anyone else, sorry, Alex!” Luke teased over his shoulder, earning a chuckle in response, “There isn’t anyone I want to spend my life with. You are my muse, the person I share every lyric with, my love and my soulmate.”

“Luke.” You choked reaching up to cup his cheeks so close not a single sheet of paper would move between you.

“Will you marry me? In front of our parents and our friends?” Luke shakily questioned begging for his rabbit’s foot to work with it being close to his heart.

“Yes.” You answered, reaching up to pull his face down to yours. The most passionate kiss of your life he wrapped his arms around you waist lifting you in his arms; he twirled around with you.

This was his most significant moment ever. The Orpheum could never live up to this.

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[melancholyblues0]

𝓌𝒽𝑜 𝓃𝑒𝑒𝒹𝓈 𝓎𝑜𝓊

𝒸𝒽𝒶𝓅𝓉𝑒𝓇 𝓉𝒽𝓇𝑒𝑒 : 𝒽𝑜𝓂𝑒 𝒶𝓁𝑜𝓃𝑒

brian may x reader series

warnings : swearing, that’s it rlly tbhh

a/n : so i was planning on posting last week but i got completely caught up in my new job lol so im only just posting now !! so sorry about the wait. ive already started the next chapter, and i was planning on spice but we’re going for a plot twist instead 🤨 the smut is definitely coming i promisee, im tryna build up the courage bc smut isnt my strong suit but im practising (that sounded a bit odd but you get what i meann). so. voilá :)

‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾　　☽༓･*˚⁺‧͙

y/n groaned, rubbing her head as she sat up in bed. her pager lit up beside her, grabbing her attention. she scrambled over to read the notification she'd been sent - from brian. she immedietly smiled as she swiped the hair from her eyes, as she reached for her phone to ring him.

"y/n ! hi - i need to ask you a favour. anita is going away for the weekend with the women, and i'm supposed to be at the studio with the guys. it would be absolutely amazing if you would be able to babysit the girls tonight for me ? jimmy is completely unreliable and i can't leave them by themselves."

you'd completely forgotten about the 'women's trip". you'd managed to uninvite yourself, claiming you had homework due in. this would be the perfect opportunity to spend some more time with brian. granted, he would be out tonight, but you had all of saturday, and if you were lucky, at least until sunday evening with him. you quickly checked the time - it was almost eleven am, meaning the ladies had most definitely already left for the holiday home down south.

"hey, of course i'm free tonight. you're lucky i'd spun a lie to get out of that godforesaken trip." you laughed, hearing him chuckle also down the line. "i must be a very lucky man. the girls are already at school, and i'm at the studio just now. i've left a key in the flower basket near the door, just let yourself in at any time. i should have enough time to pick them up later, but i won't be able to stop for long. they really want this bloody album finished soon." he sighed. y/n chuckled, before letting him know she'd head over soon. "will you be back tonight ?" you asked, hoping he would. "yes, definitely late. you're more than welcome to crash at mine. i know you're only over the road, but i worry about the girls." he replied scratching his forehead as he leant against the doorway. you smiled; it was nice to see that he genuinely cared for his daughters' safety, unlike your father. "of course. just let me know when you're way and such." you replied, beginning to get out of bed. you both said your goodbyes, and hung up.

- - -

after slipping on a pair of shorts and a jumper far too large for you, you packed a small overnight bag and wrote a note for xavier, telling him where everything was. knowing your father, he wasn't exactly reliable, and whether he would actually come home was a mystery. you and xavier had bets on who he was cheating on your mother with - his secretary, or florence. you personally were betting on florence. you'd seen the looks they gave each other at gatherings, and how the so often ended up being absent at the same time. you didn't really care, but you also didn't blame him if he was. your mother was an absolute nightmare, and an absolute bitch to everyone (to put it lightly). you walked over to brian's place, and opened the door after finding the key amongst the dirt, and stepped inside. it was almost exactly the same as yours, but seemed bigger almost. it could've been the open planned ground floor, though. you set your bag next to the sofa, and sat down, and making yourself comfortable. you glanced over at the array of women's magazines sprawled on the coffee table - obviously anita's doing. there was something about her entitlement that annoyed you. the little side glances and once overs she'd give you when you went within a five mile radius of her husband. that day at the country club seemed like almost a trick, a game. after he'd defended you from mark. he wouldn't have done the same for her; not for the past five years anyway. they'd drifted long before you'd been in the picture, if you were even in the picture in the first place. to most, you were just the innocent but rebellious neighbour, simply doing a favour for brian. but to anita, you were a home wrecking, conniving little bitch who needed putting in her place. you were just a naive little girl to her, trying to take something that wasn't yours, not even to look at. you'd gotten bored quite quickly thinking about anita, and what she so clearly thought of you. you got up to look around the house; the kitchen, the girls' rooms, the toilets, and brian's room. you smiled as you saw a small section of the wall covered in polaroids. you looked closer, and realised it was every city he'd visited while on tour, all the way back to their first ever tour. you smiled - he looked so happy, and so young. he wouldn't have been much older than you in some of the pictures from the early 70's.

you left the room quickly, not wanting to seem weird if he turned up with the girls and found you looking around his bedroom. it was almost four, and realised that the girls would be back any minute. you heard the door open, and louise and emily walked in, brian not far behind them. "dad, i don't need a baysitter. i'm fifteen-"

"only just, lou. it's just one night. just think of it as extra company."he laughed, before catching your eye. "nice to see you, y/n," he smiled, before walking over to the kitchen. "and yourself. how's recording going ?" you asked, although by the look of brian's face, it wasn't going well. "don't ask. freddie and roger both have a stick up their arses today, and keep biting each other's heads off. we're no where nearer to finishing the album than we were two weeks ago," he groaned, setting the glass of water on the table before sitting next to you. "sounds rough. i'm here all night, so take as long as you want. you're more than welcome to go for a cheeky pint before you come home, if you want."you smiled, nudging his shoulder. he shook his head, laughing good heartedly. he explained the girls' usual routines, and also added that louise would be fine, she's just being a 'teenager' as he'd put it. you'd gotten on well with lou at the party last week - you were sure she'd be fine. "i'll try and get home when i can, but i'll give you a ring when i'm on my way." he smiled, kissing your temple. you blushed furiously, smiling to hide your panic. he headed out, leaving you with the girls. you thought of calling your mother - you never did, but she usually had some good gossip on these trips. you had a good half hour before the girls would be back downstairs, so you dialled her number and waited for her to answer.

[sequinsmile-x]

I would like to request: Touching 25: stroking the other’s arm soothingly. Thank you! And congrats on the 500+ followers :-)

Thank you so much bestie <3

I hope you enjoy this!

Details on how to submit a prompt can be found here, along with a list of ones that have already been requested

-x-

Words: 982

Warnings: Nightmares

Read over on Ao3, or below the cut

She wakes up suddenly.

At first, she’s not sure what’s done it. It’s still dark in their bedroom, and it’s too early for the alarm to have gone off. It only takes a few seconds for the mattress to shift, for the all too familiar groan to echo around the otherwise quiet room. 

Emily turns on the lamp on her nightstand as she sits up. She turns to look at Aaron and she’s not surprised to find him in the middle of a nightmare, a sadly regular occurrence in their home.

“Oh, Aaron,” she says out loud, her fingers twitching to reach out for him. 

She waits him out, knowing from past experience it was best to let him wake up naturally. A lesson learnt by a bruise on her wrist from where he’d grabbed her in his sleep that took weeks to fade. His guilt had lingered even long after the fingerprints on her skin, her misplaced jokes about how he’d done worse during sex falling flat. 

Her heart twists in her chest as she watches him closely, every second an eternity as she waits for the moment he wakes up so she can comfort him. So she can slowly bring him back to her. Remind him what his subconscious so often tried to make him forget. 

That he’d survived the very worst a person could. That he’d made it through. 

That they had a life together now. 

He sits up suddenly, a gasp leaving him as he does so, and she’s immediately on him. One hand on his shoulder and the other reaching for his face, the cold metal of her engagement ring against his skin. She tilts his head so he looks at her, his eyes still slightly wild. 

“Hey, you’re ok,” she says, keeping her voice quiet and calm despite the way her heart hammered in her chest, “You’re ok, sweetheart. I’ve got you.”

“Em?” He chokes out, his breathing still ragged, and she nods, shifting closer to him so she is all but sitting in his lap, her forehead against his. He wraps his arms around her tightly, as if she was his anchor. The thing that kept him grounded. 

“Yes, it’s me,” she replies, wrapping both arms around him so she can cup the back of his head, her fingers tangled in his short hair as she holds him in place, “I’m here.” 

His breathing slowly evens out, and his grip on her loosens. He swallows thickly, pulling back just enough so he can look into her eyes, a shaky smile spreading across his face. 

“I’m sorry.” 

She smiles softly at him, idly pushing his hair off of his forehead as she shakes her head. It was a common occurrence, unnecessary apologies that they both uttered as they came back to themselves. Free, for now, of their long-dead monsters and the pasts they would never quite escape. 

It felt like a privilege to care for him like this, that he allowed her to. And she knew he felt the same when he did it for her.

“You have nothing to be sorry for,” she leans forward and kisses his cheek and then his lips, “Shall we lay back down?”

Aaron nods, pressing a kiss to the corner of her mouth as they lay back down. They do so like it's a well-practised dance, a routine neither of them wishes they had to know. He lays behind her, his chest firm against her back as he holds her close, his arm tight around her waist. It’s what he needed in moments like this - to hold her. Just like she needed to be surrounded by him when it was her waking them in the middle of the night. The weight of him against her enough to remind her she was safe. 

She places her hand on his arm, stroking her hand up and down it, allowing herself to feel the muscle underneath. The strength that was always present lingering under his skin, always ready to protect her and Jack. She carries on doing it, a soothing pattern from his elbow to his wrist that she knew he loved, another reminder that she was there, as she begins to speak. 

“Did I tell you Mother called about the wedding again today?” She asks, and she tilts her head back to look at him, exchanging a small smile as he shakes his head. She rests her head back on her pillow, “It was about the table settings this time,” she says, continuing with her fingers up and down his skin, “She brought up babies breath again even though I’ve told her, repeatedly, I refuse to have flowers at my wedding that smell like cat piss.” 

When he chuckles into the top of her head, she smiles, pleased that she’d achieved what she had set out to. She can’t remember how it started now, at what point they’d started to exchange little stories in the aftermath of a nightmare, but it had become part of their ritual. Little reminders of what they had to come, of the good things they had ahead. An essential part of living with what they’d had to survive. 

“I thought you settled on dahlias.” 

Her soft smile widens, something easing in her chest as he speaks for the first time since his apology as he tore through the haze of his nightmare. 

“I did,” she replies, “Mother just hasn’t quite accepted that yet.” 

They fall into silence after that, and he briefly removes his arm from around her, reaching over to turn the lamp back off before he curls around her again. She starts stroking his skin again as if she had never stopped, aware she’d carry on until he fell asleep. 

“I love you,” he says, kissing the side of her head, and she briefly squeezes his arm, holding him closer. 

“I love you too.” 

-x-

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[gravelyhumerus]

Criminal Minds College AU - Chapter 3

Fandom: Criminal Minds

Title: “I may just take your breath away”

Relationship: Jemily

Summary:

It's midterm season and Emily runs into JJ at the library, they decide to study together.

Slow-burn Jemily college AU where they live across the hall and despite all odds, the universe pushes them together. AKA they’re silly gay babies who pine after each other for months.

Read it on AO3

Tumblr:  One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven, Eight, Nine, Ten, Eleven, Twelve, Thirteen, Fourteen, Fifteen, Sixteen, (bonus scene), Seventeen, Eighteen, Nineteen, Twenty, Epilogue

There were no seats left in this entire goddamned library. Not a single one. Emily was on her second lap on the third floor, desperate for somewhere to sit down and have some peace and quiet to study for her test. She should have assumed this would happen. It was midterm season and the libraries were packed with students around this time each year.

She quietly made her way through the stacks and came upon a long, rectangular table near the back window. It overlooked a dark parking lot. The books were gigantic tombs of old academic journals that no one had probably even opened in decades.

There were eight seats and seven people, with one selfish asshole storing their backpack on the empty seat. Well, could be saving it for their friend, but with it being midterm season, those rules really shouldn’t apply anymore.

Emily braced herself and, with a smile, tapped the boy on the shoulder.

He had a large pair of headphones on. He lifted one side off his ear in a gesture of: ‘what do you want.’

“Is anyone sitting there?” She whispered, as quietly as she could, pointing to the seat next to him.

“Oh sorry,” he said, somewhat reluctantly, moving the coat and bag, inviting her to join him. She smiled in thanks and sat down.

Carefully unpacking her laptop and books, Emily tried to avoid disturbing the other folks at her table, the silence making each noise she made boom through the library. She settled down and pulled out her thermos, taking a sip of her coffee and bracing herself for a long night.

Her core classes for psychology were brutal, filled with endless memorization of terminology, stacks of mandatory books to read and countless essays.

At 8:30 the next morning it was her Introduction to Clinical Psychology midterm, worth a whopping thirty percent of her grade. She spent the entire day, between classes, at the Starbucks on campus, drinking her way through her student funds in coffee form and making endless flashcards.

She already had a stack of almost one hundred cards and she still had a couple hours of work left.

Just returning from dinner at the cafeteria, Emily had decided that she needed the relative quiet of the massive campus library to focus on the memorization period of her evening.

She flipped to the right page of her textbook: page 315, with a large header reading “SEXUAL DISORDERS” in large caps. Emily sighed, it was a strange thing to spend her time learning but at least it never failed to be interesting.

At least she wasn’t in Statistics this semester.

Emily took another sip of coffee, then rummaged through her bag for her wireless headphones, connecting them to her phone in order to play her studying playlist, which was mostly movie soundtracks, interspersed with Emily’s favourite classical music and of course, some lo-fi hip hop beats. She could not listen to music with words when studying, she would get too distracted and get nothing done.

Emily began gnawing at her thumbnail, focusing on writing down the definitions.

After around two hours of writing, Emily finally finished her flashcards. She stretched her back, closed her textbook, and went on her phone for a short break.

A Snapchat notification popped up on her screen.

Cheetobreath98 added you as a friend.

Emily frowned. Who on earth was that? Emily clicked on the profile, revealing the familiar face of Jennifer Jareau.

JJ had added her as a friend! On snapchat no less! That was at least three steps more intimate than Instagram.

Woah. Slow down there Em. She told herself. Don’t make it something it’s not.

They kept running into each other. JJ was probably just being friendly. She probably just wanted to say thank you for the cookies or send her funny snaps of the other students on their floor.

She has a boyfriend, a boyfriend she is having trouble with, but a boyfriend nonetheless. You can’t go around thinking about intimacy and Jennifer Jareau in the same sentence.

Emily accepted the friend request. Did that make them friends now? Emily hoped so. They could be friends.

As Emily stared at their chat, a new snap from JJ came in. Emily couldn’t help herself, she opened it immediately and she was met with a photo… of herself.

Emily’s head shot up looking around. She looked back down and it was clearly a photo of Emily, hunched over the desk with her head resting on her chin, staring down at her phone, taken from somewhere to her left.

JJ waved at her from between some books. Emily shot her a surprised smile in response.

She closed her laptop, stood, and walked over to her.

“Creeper,” Emily whispered with a giggle.

JJ had a large textbook and some notebooks in her arms, and a backpack hanging off one shoulder, and leaned in towards Emily to speak quietly, which let Emily catch the light, fruity smell of her perfume, blending nicely with the earthy smell of the old books around them.

“Guilty as charged,” JJ smiled.

“What are you working on?” Emily asked, gesturing at her heavy load, she leaned and took a peek at the title of the textbook.

“French,” JJ said, “It’s hard to bullshit that when you don’t know it. I’ve got a midterm tomorrow.”

“Bien sûr,” Emily replied confidently in French.

JJ blinked.

“Tu parles Français?” JJ’s French was shaky and uncertain, with less of an accent than Emily would expect.

Emily coughed quietly and tried to clear her throat.

“I do,” she replied in French, “I’ve been told that when I was a toddler, I was speaking it more fluently than English.”

JJ glanced down, seeming to be translating her words for a brief moment before replying, slowly, clearly excited to use Emily for practise.

“Are you French?”

“No,” Emily said, “My mom wasn’t around much when we were living in France and the nanny didn’t speak English.”

“Ton nurse?” JJ asked, not knowing the definition of ‘nanny’ in French.

“Oh uh,” Emily replied in English, “My nanny, the lady who watched me when my mom was working. She’s an ambassador.”

JJ nodded, then switched to English. She didn’t ask about Emily’s dad, which Emily was grateful for.

“My family is French, originally I guess,” JJ said, “Hence Jareau , the French name. I remember my grandparents speaking it when I was growing up. I only learned a few words from them so I thought I’d take a course here. I need language courses for my communications degree anyways.”

“Your French is good!” Emily assured her. “Honestly mine is getting rusty, I have no one to practise on.”

“Well,” JJ said between coughs, “you could tutor me?”

Emily smiled. An opportunity to spend more time with her? She would take it. She nodded.

“Mais oui!” Emily replied in her most dramatic accent that she could manage, sending both girls into a fit of giggles.

“Shhhhh!” Someone at Emily’s table hissed.

The two girls made eye contact, then burst into another fit of giggles.

“I have a study room booked for nine,” JJ said, “If you want to join me.”

“Absolutely,” Emily replied, “I have a midterm tomorrow as well, so I’ll be here for awhile.”

“Allons-y!” JJ whisper-yelled.

Emily collected her things and followed JJ into a room down the hall, tucked behind the stacks. Inside, was a desk, a couple of white boards and a small window facing into the quad. It was small, with only two chairs. It was shocking that JJ even managed to snag that, the booking system filled up days in advance during midterm season.

“I hate whispering,” Emily said at normal volume once the door was shut.

“Libraries are supposed to be quiet,” JJ said.

“I’ve never been good at quiet.”

JJ laughed.

Emily sat down next to her, stealing a glance at JJ while she was distracted: she had a pair of track pants, with a loose fitted t-shirt on top, a pastel blue which complemented her skin tone well. On top, she had her varsity hoodie unzipped, with their school’s crest on display. She looked good, as always, despite being in basically athletic sweats looking ready to go to the gym at any moment.

Emily placed her books down next to JJ at the table, stacking her flash cards neatly next to it. JJ’s eyes widened at the sight of the pile.

“You don’t have to help if you don’t have time,” JJ said, “Honestly I would just appreciate the company.”

“Nonsense,” Emily replied, “I’d be happy to help. I’ve been working on these flash cards all day, I need a break anyways. How ‘bout we work through your practise sheets, then you quiz me after? What’s your test on?”

“Conjugation,” JJ replied, flipping her notes open to a page full of irregular verbs and their conjugations.

“Oh sweet,” Emily scanned the notes, “Present tense, I can do this.”

Emily leaned back in her chair, pulling her feet up to sit crossed-legged.

“I was worried you were going to ask me the difference between plus-que-parfait and subjonctif or something.”

“I don’t even know what that is.”

“Lucky,” Emily said.

JJ then reached into her bag, pulling out a small case and revealing a pair of glasses—reading glasses—and put them onto her face. They were gold rimmed, round framed, and made her eyes slightly larger with the magnification.

“You-” Emily stuttered, her brain feeling like it was short circuiting at the sight of JJ, “Have glasses?”

“Yeah,” JJ muttered flipping through her notebook, “I don’t really need them but I’ve been staring at screens all day and my eyes are tired.”

“Nerd,” Emily fake-coughs. JJ’s draw drops and she hits Emily playfully with her notebook, whacking her on the arm lightly.

“You promised to help me, not mock me for my bad eyes,” JJ huffs.

“Ok fine let’s conjugate… hmmm… ‘voir’ to start,” Emily jokes, spinning her pen between her fingers.

“I know you’re kidding but I actually don’t know that one.”

Emily grins and begins explaining to her how to conjugate ‘to see’ in French.

“Now,” Emily says, “If you want to talk about how I can see, and you can’t—because you’re blind—you would write: Emily voit. Emily sees.”

“Elle voit? V-o-i-t?”

“Oui, et, Jennifer ne voit pas!” Emily giggles, “Jennifer does not see!”

“Ha-ha,” JJ says, not laughing.

“Sorry, I’ll stop now,” Emily says, picking up the worksheet and reading it over.

“Basically,” JJ says, “I need to just memorize this list of common irregular verbs by tomorrow. I already have the regular er, ir and re verbs down.”

“Cocky girl,” Emily said. “I like it.”

“Ok what verb should we start with?”

“Vouloir,” Emily said, “to want.”

The deeper meaning of this was not lost on her, even as she said it. Emily was far past the point of denying it to herself, or Morgan when he teased her, Emily wanted JJ.

“Start with je,” Emily continued, unfazed by her own internal monologue. “What do you want?”

“Je veux… un biscuit,” JJ said, sticking her pen in her mouth. She was so cute when she focused, chewing distractedly on the cap, with her glasses falling down her nose.

“Now what would I want?” Emily prompted, trying to focus back on the worksheet and not JJ in profile, gazing at the gentle slope of her nose, her pink lips that would probably taste like chapstick.

“Tu veux du thé?” JJ grinned, evoking their previous late-night hang out.  

“Oui,” Emily smiled, “I could definitely use some of your tea right now. Stuck with coffee for now though. I need the caffeine.”

They continued through that verb, moving down her list and covering aller, mettre, venir, before cycling back to the most important ones to make sure JJ had them memorized. Covering lots of ground, the two girls spent almost two hours straight working through her midterm prep booklet.

“Thanks so much for helping,” JJ said. “Maybe you could tutor me again sometime.”

Emily grinned. Maybe it was just tutoring but that meant hours alone with her and her pretty face and her laugh and the way she smelled like warm vanilla.

“Whenever you need me!”

“Je suis excité!” JJ said, in French, which was definitely not what she aimed to say.

Emily began to laugh. Hard. It started as a giggle but the sheer ridiculousness of her situation made it so much funnier. Her crush just looked her in the eyes and told her she was horny.  

“What?!” JJ demanded, nervously laughing at Emily’s reaction.

“Oh gosh I’m sorry,” Emily tried to calm down, to hold in her laughs. “In French we never say excité. It does not mean excited.”

“What does it mean?”

“JJ you just said that you were horny,” Emily made out between laughs. It must be the lack of sleep that made the simple mistake so much funnier.

“Emily!” JJ laughed, “don’t laugh at me I didn’t know!”

Emily’s laughter was infectious and before long the two girls were lost in a fit of giggles.

“You should say: ‘J’ai hâte!’” Emily said eventually, “it means I can’t wait. Like: J’ai hâte d'étudier avec toi. Or Je suis ravi. Or impatiente. Just don’t go around telling people how horny you are.”

“Fine,” JJ said, with a slight pout, “ J’ai hâte. ”

Emily nodded.

“I guess I can say I learned something today,” JJ murmured, “I guess it really is the language of love.”

Emily didn’t say anything, taking a sip of her cold coffee to muffle the squeak threatening to come out of her throat

“So,” JJ changed the subject, “gimme your flash cards. What are you learning?”

Before Emily could earn her, JJ flipped over the first card which read: ‘SEXUAL DISORDERS!’ in Emily’s messy script.

“On the same theme,” JJ murmured.

And so for the next hour, JJ and Emily made their way through her psychology flash cards, slowly making sure that Emily had the endless serious mental health disorders, personality disorders and other terms memorized before her midterm.

Luckily, In the process of writing them down, and due to her religious commitment to attending lectures, Emily had already retained most of them. Studying with JJ did help, because it forced her to explain some of the concepts in plain language, which, she found, furthered her understanding.

Moreover, JJ had brought snacks. Which made studying every more doable when she  could award herself with an m&m for each correct answer.

The thing was, half way through Emily’s stack of cards, and as the night crept on, JJ’s energy crashed as the girl’s body decided that it was way past her bedtime and that she should be asleep.

Unlike Emily, JJ was clearly not a night owl.

Eventually, Emily finished up her studying alone, discovering that the blonde was just about useless, as she read out gibberish and expected Emily to understand her. JJ finally fell asleep sitting up at about one-thirty in the morning. Emily decided to leave her be as she still needed to jot a few things down.

“JJ?” Emily murmured after a few minutes, poking the other girl with her pen. “JJ? Wake up.”

“Mm?” JJ murmured, her eyes still closed shut, her head heavy resting on her hand. She was adorable.

“I’m calling it,” Emily said, closing her textbook. “It’s almost two. We’ve studied enough.”

“Mmm… yeah I don’t know if I can fit any more French in my brain,” JJ rubbed her eyes.

“I think you’ll do just fine!”

They packed up their things, bundling up against the cold fall air. JJ went through the motions with her eyes half shut, allowing Emily to guide her out of their study room, down the spiral staircase and into the lobby.  

Unfortunately, as they stood just inside the library door, the clouds broke, sending rain pouring down onto campus. Sighing at their poor timing, they pulled their hoods over their hair in an attempt to stay relatively dry.

They walked home, laughing as it rained down onto them.

JJ seemed to wake up and her prior drowsiness seemed to fade into the night sky. She giggled as she splashed in a puddle, and her yellow jacket lit up under a street lamp.

Emily grinned, feeling elated in her exhaustion. How lucky she was! Splashing in the rain with JJ, which was a strange yet pleasant ending to what had promised to be a dredge of an evening. JJ waited for a moment, letting Emily catch out before grasping onto Emily’s hand and holding on, pulling her through the rain.

They tore through the torrential downpour, their hands clasped together, unbothered by the cold as the fiery feeling of JJ’s hand in her own had her full attention. A warm feeling filled her chest as she thought about how it was JJ who wanted to hold Emily’s hand.

Not caring whether it was just a friendly hand hold, or if it meant more, Emily’s heart soared.

JJ’s hand was smaller than hers, and their fingers fell together perfectly, comfortably linked like they were built to do so.

They only let go once they reached the door to their building, as Emily fumbled with the wet metal key ring in her pocket, unlocking the front door and offering the two relief from the rain.

They lingered in the hall, both damp, looking at each other as the tiredness returned and settled into their bones. Emily could see the bags under JJ’s eyes, the exhaustion clear on her face. Her cheeks were flushed from running through the rain and her blonde hair wet and tangled from the wind.

A voice in Emily’s head demanded that she reach out her hands, firmly grab the sides of JJ’s perfect face and kiss her then and there. It would be so perfect, their lips would meet and JJ would rest her hands on Emily’s hips. She would pull her in close and their bodies would crash into each other, fitting together perfectly. Emily’s tongue would graze against JJ’s lips, and their kiss would deepen until finally they would pull apart and-

“Goodnight, Emily,” JJ said, smiling at her sweetly, “Get some sleep before your midterm.”

Emily was brought crashing back into reality.

“Oh,” Emily said, “Yeah you too, you need it.”

“Thank you for helping me out,” JJ continued, “I was having a really bad day and you really made me feel a lot better.”

JJ looked down.  

“Yeah, uh, this morning I broke up with Will. Or maybe he broke up with me. I don’t know,” she admitted, “and with the midterm… then the home game tomorrow afternoon...“

She sighed.

“It was a long day and I’m grateful for your company.”

Kiss her, the voice in her head screamed, do it!

“I’m sorry about your break up, either way,” Emily said sincerely. “I feel the same way. I mean, I enjoyed your company. I think I’m going to do well on my midterm too.”

She smiled at JJ who returned it sleepily. Emily kicked herself for the awkward phrasing but blamed the fact that it was late at night and she was processing the fact that her crush was single. Single and had held her hand.

“Bonne chance demain,” Emily said with a wave, wishing JJ luck.

They looked at each other for another moment, before turning and unlocking their individual rooms. That night, Emily dreamt of Paris, cookies and the girl across the hall.

[twoidiotwriters1]

Written In The Stars CIII (Harry Potter xF!Oc)

A/N: I know last book ended horribly but I promise this one won’t be entirely sad, just a bit frustrating– Enjoy and please leave feedback! -Danny

Words: 3,888 

Series’ Masterlist

Book IV // Next Chapter

Listen to: Then -by Anne-Marie

Chapter One: A Lousy Summer.

1974

Emily wasn't going to cry where the girls would be able to hear. 

She could've used a spell to quiet her own sobs, but she just needed to be in a place where there was no need to hide. 

So she went to the common room, drowning her cries on a blanket and wondering how was she going to crawl her way out of this one. She thought it was unfair, she'd never experienced something so embarrassing prior this moment. Wasn't love supposed to be beautiful?

"Mily?"

The girl gave a start and cleaned her face hastily.

"Padfoot," She tried to sound casual. "What's wrong? Had a nightmare about cats chasing your tail?"

"Are you okay?" He walked up to her, ignoring the teasing. "I'm sure that if you were to talk to them..."

"I think it's clear enough," Emily averted her gaze. "All of us want things we can't have."

"That's not true."

"What exactly should I do after the humiliation I went through?" She sniffed. "He kissed me in front of everyone! I can't be near him and I refuse to be around Lily, I don't want to see any of them!"

"Mily, when I tell you Matt got the worse deal..." Sirius frowned. "The look on his face–"

"You don't need to remind me," Emily lamented. "Why can't I like him back?"

"You can't force things to happen," He shrugged. "If I could make all of you forget I would, but you'd find a way to do whatever you want anyway."

"This is not the time for jokes..."

"Talk to Moony then," Sirius complained. "I'm not good at comforting people..."

"I don't want to talk! Can we just... sit in silence?"

The girl curled up and got closer, he wrapped an arm around her awkwardly.

Really –Sirius thought with exasperation– What was she expecting? This was bound to happen, one of them would eventually develop a crush on her...

Well, more than one... but Sirius was going to take that secret to the grave. It was out of place, Matthew was way better than him– Hell, anyone was a better choice! But tonight it was just the two of them... and Emily had asked him to stay.

"It'll get better, right?" She asked quietly. "I'll get over my stupid crush and so will Matthew... we'll be back to normal in no time..."

"You were never normal," He joked.

"You know what I mean..."

"Yeah," He fixed his gaze on the dying fire, a hint of bitterness in his voice. "If you ask me, James doesn't know what he's missing..."

1995

It was the driest and hottest month of the year back in Private Drive, but Mel was freezing at the front door of Grimmauld Place.

Her mother led her in as she closed the door behind them, Mel hugged Grey's basket closer, thinking a ghost would walk out of the hall. Instead, Sirius walked in with a bright smile.

"You're here!"

Mel looked around dubiously.

"This is your house?"

"Mel! Don't be rude!"

"That's okay," Sirius made a face. "This place is hot rubbish. Your room's clean though. I made sure you'd be comfortable. I know it's hard to be away from home, stuck in such a... place."

"Well, at least you're here," She smiled. "I'm sure I'll get used to it."

"Hand me those," Sirius grabbed her trunk and walked ahead of them. "Let me take you to your rooms... Try to be quiet, my mother's portrait is mental. I tried to take it down but she glued it there. It's bloody torture."

"Language, Padfoot," Emily said, though she was far more interested in the house-elves on the shelves. "Love the decor..."

"Don't mention it," The man growled. "The house-elf that kept the house clean while I was young used to be here, I have no idea where he is, but I haven't found him. I can't wait to throw all those heads out."

"You think he died?"

"I'll find him eventually."

"So this will be the headquarters for the Order?" The girl asked, choosing to ignore his vague answer.

She'd read her mother's letters in secret until Emily found her snooping around, by then it was too late, so Emily didn't see the point on hiding it anymore.

"That's right," Sirius opened the first door of the second landing. "I figured, if I can't be of use out there, the least I can do is give a safe place where to have our meetings. It's secured with a Fidelious charm, Dumbledore did it last Saturday when he heard you were coming."

"Interesting..." Mel looked around. "Who used to sleep in this room?"

"Guests, that's why it's so plain. I thought you'd like it that way, my family wasn't keen on jolly decorations."

"I noticed," Mel grinned.

"You must be hungry, coming all this way from Remus' place. Why don't we go to the kitchen and have lunch? We can unpack later..."

Mel was helping her mother set the table when she heard a strange noise coming from the corner of the kitchen.

"What's in there?"

"It's where the elf used to keep his appliances... there might be rats in there, be careful."

When she opened the door something fell swiftly on her feet and she screamed, jumping on the table.

"What happened?" Emily circled the table. "Oh–! Sirius! I believe Mel found your elf..."

"Is he alive?" The girl asked in terror.

The creature looked ancient and dirty, with a sneer that she'd never seen in an elf before; usually, they were all smiles and compliments. This one started to insult them as soon as he lifted himself from the ground.

"Rats! Thieves! Traitors of the blood had come to rob my masters' treasures!"

"Kreacher," Sirius said. "Shut up."

The elf closed his mouth tightly but sent Sirius a deathly glare.

"He listens to me because I'm the last member of my family that still lives. Be of use, Kreacher, go clean my mother's room."

The elf's eyes shone with anger but he turned away and vanished.

"He always liked to throw tantrums," Sirius added, pulling Mel down from the table. "You're okay?"

"Yeah– it took me by surprise..."

"You jumped so high!" Her mother laughed.

"Laugh at your daughter, will you?" Mel scoffed. "Not like you're the adult or anything..."

"No one here is allowed to be an adult," Sirius crossed his arms. "Not unless we're holding a meeting. In which case we're adults. Today there won't be any, though."

"Don't listen to her, she's just upset about spending summer away from Harry," Emily mentioned.

"I'm not," She replied tensely.

"It's okay, I was beyond sad the first time I had to leave Matt for–"

"I don't feel that way about Harry," Mel retorted roughly.

"What?" Her mother's smile fell. "What happened?"

She bent down to pick up the things that fell when she'd jumped on the table.

"I'd rather not talk about it..."

"Am I missing something?" Sirius raised a brow.

"Last summer Mel told us she was having feelings for Harry..." Her mum began carefully, "I thought it was still a thing..."

"I'll tell you what it was. Stupid..." The lump in her throat formed at a remarkable speed. "I should've known better..."

"Did you talk to him?"

"He doesn't like me, Mum."

Sirius and Emily shared a look, the woman moved to hug her.

"We can talk about it if you want? Once you're ready..."

"Can we have lunch?" Mel asked quietly.

"Sure thing, little Em," Sirius nodded. "I'm a brilliant cook. Your mother's skills will be put to shame."

"How're you so sure?" Emily grinned.

"Because I remember your cooking."

Mel was spending some quality time with Buckbeak when Sirius walked in. It was almost midnight and her mother had gone out on a mission.

"Is it okay if I join you?"

Mel shrugged.

"I know you said you didn't want to talk about it, but maybe you'd like to talk to me now?"

The girl remained silent.

"C'mon, Mel! We'll live under the same roof for a while, let's practise our social skills!"

"My social skills are fine, thanks."

"I heard from a reliable source that you're still scared of speaking to large crowds..."

"I simply don't find it exciting," She lied.

"Well then, I'm not a thousand people, but I have a nice pair of ears that would love to listen to fifteen-year-olds' problems."

"I'm sure your godson will have plenty once he's back."

"He's been demoted to my godson?" Sirius taunted.

"I don't want to talk about it."

"All right, we won't talk about him... What about your father?"

"What about him?"

"Well, when he was about your age–"

"He kissed my mum and she turned him down?" She replied tiredly. "So what? They married anyway..."

Sirius frowned.

"They didn't know they were going to marry each other, that's what! Matt didn't look like himself for weeks! Your mother'd been rejected, that's why your dad kissed her. He thought it would help... to this day I don't know why he thought that, but alas, it worked!"

"Did you know the other?" Mel asked. "That kid mum used to like?"

"A fool," Sirius shrugged. "A nice fool, but an idiot nonetheless... your parents were lucky, Mel. They found a way to fall in love, but even if that hadn't been the case, your father would've found someone– your mother would've found someone... It's not that we're meant to find just one person and stick to it. Most times it's just finding an equal that understands you and suits your needs, and there are plenty of those."

"I don't want anyone," Mel pouted. "I hate this, and I wish there was a way I could avoid liking people. It's hideous."

Sirius laughed.

"Trust me, you'll regret it if you don't give someone a chance. Though I'll tell you this, no person in this world will ever be fully worthy of you, little Em. And even if it's true and you don't find one, your life will still be full of adventures."

Mel didn't think she was that great, but whatever had happened between Harry and she felt right, it felt natural, she'd been able to see a future with the boy. Then again, that could've been her childish and gullible self thinking that her first love was going to last forever. Maybe, if she were to try hard enough, she'd be able to see someone taking Harry's place.

"Have you ever been in love?" Then she added rather bashfully. "I mean, not that I have, but you know..."

Sirius cleared his throat.

"It was a long time ago. Long before leaving Hogwarts... It wasn't meant to be, nor my place."

They fell in comfortable silence, watching Buckbead nibble some bones.

"If you really want to help me," Mel started. "You can teach me how to avoid detention..."

"Nice try," Sirius laughed. "Emily warned me about you... My official answer is no."

"What about your off-the-record answer?" She inquired, standing up at the same time as him.

"Only the days Mily's not in the house."

Kreacher kept insisting on following her around as if she were a criminal, making sure she wasn't touching any of his old trinkets. She didn't have any interest in doing so; everything had dark magic, she'd sense it without even having to touch them.

On a normal day, she'd go to the attic to spend time with Buckbeak, sometimes Sirius would make tea and they'd sit there talking about his adventures in Hogwarts. He'd tried several times to ask her about Harry, but she would ignore him every time.

Dumbledore visited one morning to ask her to keep it all a secret, what they were doing there, meaning that if she was planning on sending letters to Harry, she wasn't allowed to talk about the Order. But Mel wasn't writing to him at all, and her letters to Hermione and Ron were always vague. Both of them were under the impression that Mel, true to her nature, was keeping an updated knowledge on Harry's whereabouts, that she didn't confirm nor denied.

Erick wrote to her a week after she'd moved to Grimmauld Place. Anne went completely unmentioned, but that was expected. He was busy looking for young supporters, things got a bit complicated when Eliot Flint got sick again and Erick had to look after him. He seemed to be having just as a dreadful summer as she was.

It wasn't that her mother, Lupin, and Sirius would leave her to rot inside this huge house, but they were adults who had their minds set on important matters, and she had nothing to do but overthink about him.

She still had feelings, but she was doing her best to bury them. Mel was hoping that once in Hogwarts she'd find a way to be okay with his existence. She didn't want to get rid of him altogether, that was impossible.

"I take that you're having a rough morning?" Sirius spoke from the doorway.

Mel gave a start, looking up from her seat at the kitchen table.

"I had a nightmare," She said drowsily.

"Same as before?" Sirius knew about her dreams, but that day she didn't want to talk about them. Today all she wanted to do was to sit in silence and drink her coffee.

"Have you had breakfast already?"

"No. I came here so Kreacher would stop nagging about me trying to steal the rubbish he keeps in the living room."

Sirius chuckled, walking up to the stove.

"Maybe if you praise my mother's portrait he'll stop..."

"Would love to, but I'm not a good liar."

"I can help you with that," He turned around for a moment. "Don't laugh when you speak, don't smile– if someone accuses you of causing mischief, act like it was the most insulting thing you've ever heard."

"What if they don't buy it?"

"Confidence is key, Mel. If you believe it, then it's done."

"Sirius, you're not giving my daughter bad advice, are you?" Emily walked in.

"Not at all," Sirius said, feigning surprise. "It shocks me that you think so, the only thing I want for Mel is her well being!"

"He's good..." Mel snickered.

"You have to pick your battles wisely, Paddie. A fifteen-year-old, or an experienced witch that's old enough to hex you," Emily warned him.

"I'll trust my luck," Sirius smirked.

"I got Molly's answer by the way," She ignored him, "The Weasleys will be here next Tuesday."

"Hang on... where will everyone sleep? I know the place is big, but..."

"Ginny can sleep with you," Emily started, "Ron can sleep in Phineas' room, the twins can sleep in the room next door to yours– Molly and Arthur can stay in Walburga's room..."

"But Sirius is in that room," Mel tilted her head.

"Yeah..." Emily glanced anxiously towards the man. "Sirius will take my room. I spend the night outside anyway, remember? Like uncle Lupin."

"But sometimes you don't."

"Little Em," Sirius told her. "Don't worry, your mother and I will make sure everyone's comfortable. As much as this bloody house can be..."

Mel knew Sirius was less than happy about spending his days locked up in the house where he'd lived the worse years of his life, but he was glad to have her, or at least he'd said as much. According to him, Mel was a lovely housemate.

She also knew there was something going on between the two adults. She could see it in the way Sirius would stare at her mother when she wasn't paying attention, and the way her mother would look more cheerful than usual after talking to him. The nights where she had to eat with the two blatantly flirting felt like personal karma from all those months she'd spent recklessly ogling at Harry in front of her friends.

"Can Hermione come too?" Mel asked.

"D'you think she'll want to come to this musty old place?"

"Please?"

Sirius sighed.

"Look at those eyes, Mily. I can't say no to those eyes!"

"Those are my eyes," The woman crossed her arms. "I can."

"I got my father's smile though," She said cheekily. "Please? It could be my first birthday surrounded by friends!"

"You heard that, Mily? Her birthday," Sirius said without missing a beat. "Are you going to deny such a simple request to your only daughter?"

"Oh, you two are unbelievable!"

"Is that a yes?"

"You have five minutes to write that letter and send it– Wipe that smirk off your face, Black. You're washing the dishes tonight."

Mel and Sirius high-fived, laughing at Emily's annoyance.

"And here's where we'll be sleeping!" Mel dragged Hermione into the room.

The house was definitely more fun now that the Weasleys and Hermione were there, from time to time some members of the order would visit as well as her uncle. The place almost felt like home.

"You're not sleeping with your mum?"

"My mum and Sirius share–" She stopped abruptly. "Mum goes out a lot, sometimes when she's here Sirius will give her his room so she can take the bed and he sleeps on the couch."

"Ginny sleeps here too?" Hermione examined the jumpers laying around on the other bed.

"Yeah!"

"How is she? She's over Harry now?" Hermione smiled. "She's okay with him liking you and all?"

Mel groaned internally. This was going to be a long month if people kept asking her about Harry.

"Harry doesn't like me."

"Please, Mel–"

"No," The girl interrupted. "I actually talked to him this time. Don't ask. It's better if we just forget it."

Hermione stared at her in shock.

"I–I could've sworn he... that he..."

"'Mione," Mel stared at her. "Forget it."

Hermione nodded, sitting down at the edge of the bed.

"Careful with the twins, by the way," She continued calmly. "They're free to do magic now, and they're out of control."

"I'll keep that in mind."

Ginny and Hermione were acting oddly ever since they found out she wasn't talking to Harry. They had the right to be, it was strange to see how unfeeling she was about being so far away from her former best friend. The twins and Ron, on the other hand, weren't that worried. They thought it was her way of coping and, in a way, it was.

They kept asking a lot of questions about Erick though, whether if he was to be trusted and exactly how much could they get away with. Mel thought it was funny, so she answered as many questions as she could.

Her birthday passed without much of a fuss, suddenly she was fifteen and just as quickly, Harry was too, but he wasn't there to celebrate. For the first time in weeks, she wished he could be there with them, she didn't dislike him as much as to wish him a bad birthday.

Hermione and Ron started to write to him. She tried to write a Happy Birthday note but it sounded stupid, she knew it'd be far from happy, all alone in Privet Drive. That night he would open his window only to see hers completely shut.

Erick's present had been one of those old radios his Grandad used to make with a note that said 'So you can practice your dancing' signed with two E's. She and the twins used it a lot while working on their products, that way it would drown the noise and their mothers wouldn't suspect as much. Mrs Weasley was on edge lately, Percy and his father had gotten into a real nasty fight and now the boy was gone, it had the poor woman in a terrible state.

One night after dinner, Fred walked into her room.

"Hey," She said without looking up. "Erick told me there's a station where they do these radio novels? I'm trying to find them, bet they're hilarious..." She said while toying with the buttons of the object.

"You're all right?" He asked, sitting next to her.

"Brilliant."

It was a lie. She'd been having a terrible headache for the past twenty minutes, probably because of the lack of sleep and the white noise.

"I'm not the best talker, and you don't have to say anything, but–"

"Not you too, Fred," Mel rolled her eyes, turning off the radio. "I told you I'm fine–"

"Exactly. I'd never seen you so calm about leaving Harry before, there must be something," He raised a brow.

"It's called growing up," She scoffed. "He's capable of looking after himself. You know it, I know it..."

"A real grown-up wouldn't avoid confrontation."

"That's rich coming from you, considering you keep hiding your products away from mummy."

"That's not fair, you know it's a safety measure!"

"Okay then," Mel stood up. "This is my safety measure. I don't talk about things that don't concern others..."

Fred caught her wrist and stopped her from leaving.

"Lady..."

"Using my nickname in that aching voice won't change my mind," She raised a brow. "Let go."

"Don't be grumpy, you're starting to sound real' bossy and you haven't gotten the Prefect badge yet!"

"Fred..." She tried to move. "Please, my head is killing me..."

"Did you guys fight?" He tilted his head, finally letting go. "I don't get why you fancy him if you're always bickering..."

"I don't like Harry."

"Yeah, right," Fred laughed.

"I don't," She tried to follow Sirius' advice and kept a neutral expression. "We went to the ball as friends. He saved me during the second task because I was his friend. What Skeeter wrote was rubbish, I don't fancy him."

"If you insist," Fred shrugged, but she could see he wasn't buying it.

He stood up as well and she realized, with a strange sense of accomplishment, that she was tall enough to reach his chin. She was about to point that out when something completely different came out.

"Why did you ask me to the ball?"

"What?"

"You said it was because you thought it'd be fun. Was that it?"

"Why does it matter?"

That was a good question.

Why did it matter?

But also, why not Fred? He was handsome, funny, smart...

It wasn't that she didn't like him, it was that she hadn't picked him. Sirius said there was more than one person for her, she just had to find them. Mel wasn't ready, but she would eventually, and if she could pick...

"It doesn't," Mel sighed. "I was curious, that's all. Ron used to think you fancied me, you know? I told them it was stupid..."

"Well, not stupid," Fred was quick to correct. "Just... I don't know, unlikely."

"Am I unworthy of your affection?" She joked.

He eyed her intently, like pondering the idea she had put out there. Suddenly, her mother stormed into the room.

"Harry was attacked," The woman blurted out.

"What?" Mel snapped, walking away from Fred.

"He's all right, but he used magic. The ministry has been looking for an excuse to get him– I'm afraid he just gave them one."

"Get him?"

"If we don't do something, he'll be expelled from Hogwarts."

"How– we're not– Do what?" She stammered.

"They're bringing him here," Her mother replied. "Harry's coming."

Next Chapter —>

Taglist.

@dee123ksha​ @vampiregirl1797 @siriuslysirius1107 @stardusthigh @mikariell95 @vernon-dursley @thesuitelifeofafangirl @tomshollandz @kylosleftbuttcheek @reverse-hxlland @bloodorangemoonlight @omiwashere​ @t-rexs-world

[princesstreaclefanfic]

Quidditch Official

Penelope is a Slytherin but she has her eye on a Gryffindor; who will she cheer for on match day? A three part story.

Disclaimer - All recognisable characters belong to their original owners. I do not make a profit from writing this; I am simply doing it for my own amusement. No copyright infringement intended.

Realisation

Penelope watched as Emily groaned and let her head fall on the table in the Great Hall, attracting attention from those around them.

"Why? Why? Why?" Her friend gave Penelope a pitiful smile. "Why didn't you try and stop me?"

"I did if you remember," Penelope told her smugly. "I said don't take Ancient Runes - it's meant to be difficult and you said 'I can handle it'."

Emily gave her a fake smile. "How the hell am I meant to get this essay done by Friday?"

Penelope shrugged. She had changed Ancient Runes for Arthimacy and couldn't be happier with her choice. It suited her much better. "You could always ask Spencer."

"Do you think he'd help?"

"I don't see why not." Penelope took a grape from the fruit bowl and popped the small fruit into her mouth. "He's the smartest in the year and was really nice when I asked him for help during third year."

Emily looked behind her to the Ravenclaw table where Spencer was buried in a pile of books. "There's no harm in asking." Her friend got up and went over to talk to possibly the smartest wizard who had ever attended Hogwarts.

No sooner had Emily gotten up and left, JJ sat down in her place.

"Hey - are you still coming to the game next Friday?"

Before she had a chance to respond, Grace shot across from where she had been sat and loomed over them.

"This is the Slytherin table - you're a Gryffindor. Are you lost?"

"Go away, Grace," Penelope told her, turning her back on the girl. Grace Lynch was mean and nasty and she was part of the reason that Slytherin's got a bad name. Her father was a purist and had more than once made it known that he disapproved of Hogwarts allowing any wizard in, regardless of their parentage. There were rumours he had experimented on muggle-borns and half-bloods but no one was able to prove anything. From the dead look in Grace's eyes to the evil smirk she got when doing something horrible, Penelope was inclined to believe that the rumours were right.

"You shouldn't socialise with the enemy, Penelope."

"Then go away," Penelope hissed watching as Grace's eyes widened when she got her meaning. She let out a loud breath and flounced away from the table, her shoulders tense.

"I see Grace is still as pleasant as ever," JJ commented and Penelope felt the corners of her lips turn upwards.

"She's a delight." She took another grape. "Yes, I'm coming to the game. I've got to support my favourite seeker."

JJ waved her hand at her. "Don't, you'll make me blush."

"Will a certain someone be there?" Penelope asked, waggling her eyebrows as JJ giggled.

"He might be." JJ had recently started dating a Hufflepuff called Will. He was nice and funny and it was clear to see that he held a torch for JJ.

"Are you going to make it 'Quidditch Official'?" Penelope teased.

"We might."

"You're not giving me any clues are you?"

"Nope." JJ stole a grape from the bunch Penelope had been eating and popped one of the sweet fruits into her mouth.

JJ and she chatted pleasantly until Emily returned with a smile on her face.

"How does Spencer make me understand something in ten minutes when Professor Strauss can't?"

"Boy wonder - that's why," Penelope told them. Emily and JJ nodded their heads in agreement.

Emily turned her head and gently elbowed JJ in the ribs. "I think someone is looking for you."

JJ and Penelope both turned to see Luke Alvez enter the Great Hall clad in his Quidditch gear.

He spotted JJ and headed straight over.

Penelope immediately looked down at her parchment on the table and pretended not to care about him.

"Hey JJ, Emily, Penelope." She gave him a wave without really looking up. "Are you free for practice?" He asked JJ.

"Yeah, but I thought we were practising tomorrow?"

"We were meant to be but Alex is having a crisis of faith and thinks we need to fit a few more in."

"That's 'cause we're going to smoke your asses!"

"You wish!" Luke taunted back.

JJ shook her head. "Give me ten minutes to get back to the common room and change and I'll meet you on the pitch."

Luke nodded and JJ get up and left.

"So, what's the plan for tomorrow, Newbie?" Emily used the nickname that she knew Luke hated and he groaned.

"Don't call me that." He turned to Penelope. "Thanks for that by the way."

She looked up from her parchment. "I didn't know it would stick." And she didn't. She was good friends with the Gryffindor Quidditch team and when she had met the new beater she had immediately called him 'Newbie'. The nickname had stuck and for the first few weeks, that's all the team called him. What made it worse was that Luke responded to it.

"I think you did."

"If I did, I would have chosen a better name."

Luke snorted and Emily grinned at both of them.

"What are you grinning about?"

"You two… flirting."

This caused protests to be raised from both Luke and Penelope.

"We were not flirting!"

"I wasn't flirting with him!"

"Yeah, yeah, whatever," Emily said as she dismissed them. "Say what you want but anyone here can tell that you two were flirting."

Penelope felt her face flush and she stuttered.

Luke just shook his head. "I have to.. Go now. Mainly because I don't know what to say." Even Luke looked a little red in the face. He turned and his robes flapped behind him as he made a hasty exit.

"You were flirting," Emily said, very matter of factly.

"I was not!" Penelope vehemently denied.

"Whatever - you like Luke, he likes you and you're both too stubborn to admit it."

Penelope ignored her friend and tried to focus on her essay. Okay, maybe she did think that Luke was cute (or drop-dead gorgeous) and yes, he was a good student and Quidditch player and alright, her head did speed up every time she saw him… but that didn't mean that she liked him. Had he featured in some of her dreams? Yes. Did she think about what it would be like to kiss him and do other things with him? Yes. Did she miss him when he wasn't around… yes.

Crap! She liked Luke!

[chuffyfan87]

Growing Pains. Part 22a

Cowritten with @disastrousintention. Trigger warnings for discussion of illegal drug use.

-x-

The entire house was asleep, or at least that’s what Louis thought. He crept out of his bedroom, a pile of books in his hands and quietly walked along the hall. Reaching the stairs, he made a mental note of which floor board squeaked and climbed down them. He didn’t want to wake the house up, he’d be too embarrassed if anyone found out what he was doing. He cursed quietly when he ended up standing on the squeaky floorboard and found himself dashing down the stairs.

Lottie rolled over sleepily. "Did you hear a noise?" She mumbled to Tilly.

Tilly nodded, “Probably Em.” She mumbled back.

Louis reached the bottom step and listened out for any noise. Satisfied he hadn’t disturbed anyone, Louis wandered into the kitchen. As he reached the doorway, he dropped a book that hit the floor and echoed around the house.

"For someone so tiny she's so noisy!" Lottie grumbled, pulling her pillow over her head.

Tilly sat up, “Lottie? What if we’re getting burgled?”

"Someone else can deal with it." Lottie shrugged.

“Shall we call mum?”

"She's just finished a run of eighteen hour shifts - she won't thank you..!"

“Dad then?”

"I thought he was working..?" Lottie yawned.

“Shit! I’m getting mum! I’m scared!” Tilly got out of bed and quietly moved to the door.

"Wussbag!" Lottie teased.

“Shut up!” Tilly frowned and went out of her bedroom. As she reached the door of her parents room, she heard another thud from downstairs and pushed open the door. “Mum?”

"Mmm?" Duffy yawned.

“I can hear noises downstairs and I’m scared.”

"What?!" That got Duffy's attention.

“Noises downstairs. Like banging.”

"OK. You go back to bed and I'll go take a look. It's probably nothing."

“I’ll come with you?” Tilly swallowed nervously.

"There's no need." Duffy reassured her daughter as she reached for her dressing gown.

Tilly nodded and kissed her mum’s cheek before going back to her room.

Duffy crept down the stairs slowly. The light was on in the kitchen so she grabbed a shoe which she held aloft as she burst into the kitchen.

Louis jumped off his chair, “Bloody hell!!”

Duffy let out a startled squeal, not expecting to find her stepson in the kitchen.

They both just stared at each other for a minute before Louis moved to try and hide the things on the table. “I didn’t mean to wake you.”

"You didn't, Tilly did." Duffy attempted to get her heart to stop hammering.

“Sorry.” He smiled sadly, “I know you’ve been working eighteen hour shifts so I didn’t want to disturb you.” He managed to close the notebook.

"She thought we were being burgled." Duffy smiled. "What are you doing?"

“Oh... Erm, nothing.” He looked down at the floor, his cheeks flushed in embarrassment.

Duffy stooped to pick up a book that still lay on the floor. "Looks like you dropped part of your nothing..." She remarked, handing it back to him.

He looked up and took the book. “You won’t laugh if I tell you, will you?”

"Of course not."

“I’ve been studying for my exams.”

"Why would I laugh at that? That's a good thing."

“Because I know people don’t think I can do it.” He admitted sadly, “But I want to go to college.”

"And you will."

He smiled. “Sorry about waking you up. I find it easier to study down here.”

"That's OK. I'll leave you to it."

“Goodnight Duffy, love you, sorry once again for waking you.”

She squeezed his shoulder and placed a soft kiss on his hair. "Don't stay up too late. You've got lessons tomorrow."

“I won’t, I promise.”

She bid him goodnight before heading back to bed, stopping on the way to reassure Tilly that they weren't in fact being burgled.

“Who was it?” Tilly asked as she lay on her side in bed facing the door. “I can sleep now, mama?”

"It was just your brother getting a drink. He dropped a cup." Duffy explained. "Yes, you've got school in the morning missy!"

“Love you mama.”

"Love you too."

It didn’t take Tilly long to fall back to sleep. As promised, Louis spent an hour downstairs studying before going to bed.

The next morning Duffy pulled Louis aside once the other children were at school.

He was just getting ready to go out. He was still anxious about taking trips on his own in case he bumped into his old friends and wasn’t strong enough to resist the temptation. “Yes Duffy?” He asked.

"After last night I was wondering if you'd like me and your dad to look into increasing your lesson contact hours?"

He nodded enthusiastically. “You and dad would do that for me?”

"Of course. You've shown that you're taking it seriously and committing to it."

“I’d really love that, thank you.” Then he paused, “That would mean more time at school though, right?”

"It would. But it would be like now - you'd still be with the teacher one to one."

He nodded, “Ok.”

"You're worried about spending more time at school?"

He nodded, “A little bit.”

"Is there a particular reason for that?" She asked gently.

“I worry I might be tempted.”

"Would it help if me or your dad drove you to school and picked you up after?"

He shook his head. “I need to face it. I can’t avoid it for the rest of my life.

"If you're sure..?"

Louis nodded. “I don’t want to ever use drugs again. But it isn’t always easy to avoid temptation.”

"It'll always be there but you have us to help you."

“I’m grateful for that.” He smiled.

"Its what families are for." Duffy smiled.

He smiled. “How are things with you?”

"I'm ok." Duffy smiled.

“Good.”

"Did you want a packed lunch or would you rather eat in the school canteen?"

“I’ll eat in the canteen today, if that’s ok?”

"Saves me a job." She smiled.

Louis opened his bag to stick in his textbooks, a comfortable silence between him and Duffy.

Duffy finished clearing up from breakfast. "What lessons do you have today?"

“Double English and Maths and Biology and IT.”

"Sounds like a busy day."

“Yeah it is.” He smiled.

"How do you feel you're getting on with it all?"

“Some of it is ok, some of it I’m finding difficult.” He admitted.

"Which subjects?"

“Physics I’m finding difficult and sometimes English.”

"It might be worth chatting to Peter about physics." She mused.

“Peter’s good at physics?”

"I know he's good at chemistry and I'm pretty sure he's good at physics too."

“I’ll ask him. Thank you.”

"That's OK. We may need to look into a tutor to help with the English."

“It’s not always but sometimes I find it difficult to follow what’s going on.” He sighed, “I think that’s me though.”

"I would suggest you could work with Emily's tutor but I'm not sure how she'd feel about that."

“Would it be OK if I asked Em?”

"I have no issue with you asking her."

“I will after school. If she says no, that’s fine. I’m sure I’ll manage.”

"OK."

“Thank you for the idea though.” He kissed her cheek before zipping up his bag. “I suppose I better get a move on.”

"Yes, don't want you being late!" She smiled.

“No, it wouldn’t look good.”

"Both me and your Dad are so proud of how much progress you've made these last couple of months." She smiled.

Louis blushed, “I’m really trying.”

"You are and that's wonderful." She smiled. "Now off to school with you!" She chuckled.

He smiled, “Yes Duffy.”

Duffy smiled as she watched Louis head out the house. She was thrilled that he seemed to be making such good progress.

Louis was desperately trying to be better. He was still awaiting an appointment with the mental health team. He hoped it would come soon because every now and then, he’d get some really horrible thoughts.

Arriving at school he was greeted by his English teacher.

“Hi,” He smiled.

"Good morning Louis. Did you manage to read the pages of the text that I asked you to?"

“Yes Miss, I did. I quite enjoyed the text.”

"That's good. We're going to work through some exam style questions on that section of the text today."

“I’ve been practising.”

"That's good. As you know you'll be given an option of three questions in the exam." She passed him a previous exam paper.

He took the exam paper and opened it up.

"Pick which question you want to attempt and then we'll discuss it."

Louis listened to the teacher’s instructions and began to read the question. He circled key words to help him.

He looked up briefly as his teacher sat down at her desk. She smiled before starting to work through marking some homework from one of her classes in the lower years.

Louis looked down at his paper and re-read the question: “What is the importance of Cathy in the play DNA and how does Kelly present her.” He smiled, he loved that play! He began to write his answer.

By the time his teacher told him it was time to stop he'd written two sides of A4.

He placed his pen down. He felt oddly positive about the experience! It wasn’t as bad as he thought it would be.

"You're smiling." His teacher remarked.

“I am?” He blushed.

"Yes. I'm presuming you were happy with that exam question?"

“It wasn’t as scary as I thought it would be.”

"That's good. Exams shouldn't be scary."

“I’d really like to go to college Miss, so I know I need to pass my exams.”

"Well you're making good progress towards that goal." She picked up his paper. "Let's have a look through your answer now shall we?"

[not-so-incorrect-au-quotes]

The Gymnast

Words: 1,159

Part of a series of short fics telling the story of a found family of all star athletes competing in various competitions and tournaments.

Ships: Apaceit, Morolo, Jamil

~~~

If Patton was honest, he hated travelling in a group. Worrying about the weight of the luggage, making sure everybody had all the right paperwork, and especially in a big group like this, just keeping track of everyone was getting to be draining. He loved his fans so dearly, but if they got approached one more time, he would not be held responsible for the consequences. The others picked up on his irritation, and tried to ease the pressure, but to no avail.

They were headed to Tokyo for Patton's Olympic event, and the general air of excitement kept them all going. Thanks to Jay's connections, they had a private jet to take them straight to Tokyo International, and thanks to a lot of finagling and a 'conversation' between Jay and Emily's new manager, she managed to tag along.

"This is the first time I've left the country in years! I can't believe M managed to convince that icy bastard to let me come."

Dec laughed at that, mussing up her hair, only to be met with complaints. Logan looked over inquisitively, head slightly cocked.

"How is it you've never left the country before now?"

Ali winced, preparing a lethal speech about poverty and privilege, fully ready to defend Emily, when she laughed, like he'd just forgotten his own name.

"Well when I wasn't doing swimming galas, I was kind of preoccupied with formal education, glasses boy. I'm still a kid."

Logan prepared a retort bringing up the fact that she too wore glasses, and thus had no footing to stand on, but the look on her face when Alistair praised her efforts and gave her a high five made him stop short. He made a note to investigate his hypothesis at a later date, as they had arrived at their gate, and were quickly being swarmed by fans.

"Roman, you're popular, do something!" Patton whisper-shouted, looking urgently at the growing crowds, then back into Roman's startled face. His Patton-ted Puppy Eyes won the unspoken argument, and Roman was sacrificed to the masses to keep them at bay until their plane was ready to board.

Twenty painstaking minutes and a lot of apologies later, the group were up in the air and on their way to Japan. Logan and Emily were teaching each other new phrases in Japanese, Roman was preparing for the time difference, Ali had gone with Dec to the bathroom to help him with his vehement fear of flying, and Emil was curled up with Jay on his lap, completely oblivious to the rest of the world, and only focused on their colliding lips. Lucus and Castor had found a secluded corner and gone to do… whatever they did when they so often went off alone, Patton didn't really know. What he did know was that he had a lot of snacks available to him (fellow passengers not included, unfortunately), and twelve hours to fill. So fill them he did, with movies, and a Roman makeover, and learning about the culture from the resident smarty pants.

Upon arrival in Japan, they exited the plane, took a second to adjust to the difference in temperature, and were greeted by a series of cars, ready to escort them to their hotel. Patton could absolutely get used to this. If there was one thing he adored about the Japanese, apart from the adorable food trends, it was how efficient and reliable they could be in formal settings. The group clambered into the cars, and took the time to admire the streets, the colour, and get to know their translators provided by the Olympics team.

The hotel was big, western, and bustling with other gymnasts. Patton's stomach dropped when he saw just how flexible and agile his competition was, especially compared to his slightly chubby physique. He was so distracted that he jolted when Roman put a hand on his shoulder and walked him inside. It did name him feel a bit better to see the jealous looks he got, walking in with a podium finisher on both arms, followed by an entourage of all star athletes, but he made sure to be his full Patton Polite to the receptionist, who seemed eternally grateful. He knew gymnasts, in general, had a habit of stereotypically being a bit haughty and high strung, and knew first hand how tiring it was to deal with them, so the least he could do was give the staff a break.

They checked in with no fuss, and the room arrangements stayed the same as last time, Emily's manager having taken a plane the day before and come ahead. They set down their stuff, and killed time for an hour as Patton got dressed and went to warm up. Jay dragged them through the Harajuku district, and Logan noted that it was the first time Jay and Emily had smiled at each other since the incident, for however brief a moment it was, the two were getting along like old times.

Then the time came for Patton's routine. They took their seats and watched, as Patton nodded to the judges, and began. His routine was a combination of more showy, slightly sensual moves, and impressive flips and tumbles. His technique was not flawless, but the complexity of his routine made up for it, and the execution left every audience member feeling either a little bit more or less straight. Logan had to look away during several parts, face a deep red. Even the judges looked a little more than impressed. This was not what Patton had practised, but he'd clearly put the hours in, because the changes were all very fluid, so it was hard to tell where one move ended and the next began.

Then, all too soon and not soon enough, he raised his arms one final time to signal he was done, and the crowd clapped ferociously. Nobody expected the sweetheart Patton Foster to pull such uncharacteristic moves, but they scored him a solid bronze and an astonished interviewer, both of which he met with his signature angelic smile, but there was definitely a look of knowing there that told the fans he knew exactly what he'd just done. Alas, Patton knew he'd need to smooth out his technique to score higher next time, but he was more than happy to accept his victory, raise his flag high, and bathe in the resounding cheers that followed, looking almost blissful. The internet was going to have a field day, he knew it already, but he couldn't bring himself to care.

The group met afterwards, and Roman scooped up Patton into his arms and swung him around violently, placing kisses all across his face. The only time he paused was when Logan wanted a turn. But, affection was fought off until they were back on the plane, heading back to England for the Rugby world cup finals, where Ali and Castor would be playing tomorrow.