#which you guessed it lead to the aforementioned teaming up and me being stuck with the kid my mom now thinks is like my best friend or smt
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My heart is beating so hard Iâm so pissed about Everything rn
#you see there was really no one my age in our neighborhood#There were kids slightly older than me or slightly younger than me#And for some reason a lot of teen girls and little boys#so my siblings both got on fine. Her with the slightly older kids him with the boys#and I was just kind of stuck in the middle#always#now. I am a middle child. My whole deal is being stuck in the middle#so I was used to it#But like it does suck#I never really had any friends except this one boy that everyone accused me of being in love with#and like heâs a good kid but we never shared any interests so it was hard to hang out past kindergarten#(Yes we were already accused of being bf/gf at 3 years old yes thatâs fucked up and I hated it with my entire being)#so I didnât have friends save for him in school#I didnât get along very well with my sister because she was very very bossy when playing so I had to do exactly what she said#(or get yelled at)#I had the choice between hanging out with like. Girl that only lives here every second weekend. Snippy girl that was chronically ill.#older girl thatâs okay and friends with older girl that hates my guts#The Twinsâ˘ď¸ (their mom didnât like me and their dad made me deeply uncomfortable. He turned out to be physically abusive.)#and those two neighbours#which you guessed it lead to the aforementioned teaming up and me being stuck with the kid my mom now thinks is like my best friend or smt#so I had the choice between that or my mom inviting people I didnât know that I didnât want to play with or playing alone#and thatâs just how I lived until I was ten#which is when we moved and I started secondary and OH MY GOD I COULD HAVE FRIENDS?? WHO COULDVE GUESSED#og
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Tell me about Snowstorm!
WIP Ask Game:  Post the names of files in your WIP folder, regardless of how  non-descriptive or ridiculous. Let people send you an ask with the title  that most intrigues them and then post a little snippet of it or tell  them something about it! and then tag as many people as you like.
This is one I think I just need to admit where it ends, much as I like the beginning of the next morning (detailed in the excerpt below). That, or I need to find the point in the next morning. Perhaps itâs meant to be a 2 part story? Not sure.I wanted to get some explanations and arguments in here but thatâs hard to write and dunno if itâs needed.
It also follows through on the idea of Thancred being a bit touch-starved, especially early in the HW patches before Antitower and the kick in the face he got there. In this case, itâs while he and Aeryn are still entirely platonic friends, though twinges of Feelings begin to get noticed around this time--and initially fought against, due to that âbut weâre friends and colleaguesâ issue further complicated by the aforementioned kick in the face.
Itâs a spiritual successor to âSandstormâ which is about them getting stuck on the way to their first mission in Thanalan versus Ifrit together. "Snowstormâ is their first duo mission since Thancredâs rejoined the team in Coerthas and highlights some of the changes in each other separately and as a team, or is meant to anyway; itâs still a WIP for a reason!
Excerpt Below:
--
Morning came, though it was hard to tell. The wind still blew and the high windows were only a little lighter. Thancred blinked and looked around, momentarily confused as to where he was and who was draped over him.
Ah, right; the storm, the abandoned farmhouse, and his rather embarrassing nocturnal episode leading to being cradled like a babe. Speaking of.
At some point in the night positions had switched; he was on his back now, Aeryn using him as a pillow, arms and legs wrapped around him for warmth, her fine black hair in his face. Not the most unpleasant way to wake up, he had to admit.
Although he was uncomfortably aware that he just woken, he was only in his smalls from the waist down, and he knew exactly where her thigh was. She was still sound asleep, too. Godsdammit.
Also it was going to be cold as the Hell of Ice when they did finally move out of the little nest of blankets. So may as well stay put a little while longer and not at all examine any other reason why that seemed like a nice idea.
Thancred shut the mental door firmly there. Aeryn was a friend and colleague, and theyâd both been through too much hell in recent moons. His time of isolation had affected his mind and physical reactions when he had been literally freezing and she had only done what was necessary to keep him in good health. Had their positions been reversed, heâd have done the same with no thought of anything but her safety.
Well, he may still have made a few jokes, just to make her scoff and smile and snark back the way she often did when he teased. He had truly missed that.
Aeryn stirred; not quite awake yet, but getting there, the warm weight of her against his side simply comfortable.
Thancred frowned and thought for a moment. How long had it been since he had touched, and been touched, by another person so intimately? Moons, certainly, even counting his brief tryst with Hilda on arriving in Ishgard. That had been...different, in every way, than this; more desperation than anything, sating an immediate need for skin-to-skin contact and even brief company that wasnât insectoid.
All right then; how long since he had experienced an innocently friendly, intimate touch with no expectation of sexual reciprocation? He really couldnât say. That seemed like it ought to be an issue, perhaps.
A sleepy, confused âmrf?â came from the direction of his chest.
Thancred looked down. âGood morning--I think.â The windows were still snow-covered.
Aeryn raised her head, blinking the sleep from her grey eyes. âGuess we didnât freeze,â she mumbled, pushing away--then leaning back in, as that had let a rush of chilled air into their nest. âSâit me, or did it get colder?â
âGet the fire going again,â he said, prodding her. âNecessity, unfortunately, demands I rise.â
She made an adorably petulant whining noise even as she reluctantly got up, the air much colder once the blankets had fallen away and they were separated.Â
âThis is much too cold for my Thavnairian blood,â she sniffed as she poked at the banked fire, adding fuel and magic. She had been sure to turn completely away from him, he noted.
âYouâre half-Coerthan,â Thancred replied as he got up, keeping a blanket around him as he checked his pants. They were cold and stiff, but dry; the rest could be fixed with wear. âSurely that affords you some acclimation.â
âI left when the place still had proper seasons,â she countered, reaching for their meager rations.
âOf course,â he replied dryly while tying his bandana back on; his left eye was already beginning to throb, especially when he happened to glance her way. âBe just a moment.â Pants back on--and another layer of socks added to his feet, since those had dried too--he left the main room for the even colder hall.
#Final Fantasy XIV#Heavensward#Thancred Waters#Thancred x WoL#Shippy Nonsense#Aeryn Striker#WIP#Lyn Writing#Lyn Prompts#Lyn Meta#latenightsenpai
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đđđđđđđ. the boy you meet in detention, felix, doesnât see colours. you want to gift his eyes with the kaleidoscopes and the rainbows of your world. the palette of your love story is supposed to bring together a work of art, but calamity lies beneath the canvas. đđđđđđđ. felix x reader đđđđđđđđ. swearing đđđđ đđđđđ. 4.8k đđđđđ. do i actually ever proofread anything that i write? also yes this is really late oops anyways iâd appreciate any and all feedback, comments, speculations, etc. i just wanna hear that u guys are actually enjoying this <3 pls and thank you
ORANGE. | PART II - âTHE BEACHâ
you lived that sweltering summer to the tune of jim morrison and the taste of ocean breeze kissing the tip of your tongue. those moments played back at the back of your mind like a film reel, the rainbows and glimmering lights of it all with felix. before that, though, a dark shadow loomed over and stood firmly in your way. the first challenge you were forced to tackle before embracing your newfound freedom, was tackling graduation.Â
everyone hated graduation, save for their own few moments of spotlight, before they were rushed off the stage and reduced to trying to not doze off for the rest of the ceremony. it was an event for the parents of said graduate, rather that the newly finished student themselves. maybe thatâs why some people made such a big deal out of prom, claiming it as âtheir nightâ and the âpinnacle of youthâ or whatever other bullshit your classmates wanted to spew out in order to convince themselves that spending hundreds of dollars on one night was reasonable. obviously, you had skipped. that also meant that today really was a true goodbye to the last four years of pure lunacy.Â
âdonât you want to take pictures with your friends?â your mom had asked, after you finished posing for what seemed like an hour for pictures at the front of the school.Â
a myriad of graduates and their families teemed along the sidewalks and the parking lot and even just a few feet away from yourself at the entranceway. there were the mandatory pictures with the parents, maybe some with a favourite teacher, as kids held up their awards and flowers with stretched grins plastered upon their faces. you werenât one of them, though you did get one decent award and a bouquet of forget me nots to show for it.Â
you shrugged. ânah. itâs okay.â at that, your mom proceeded to shrug and was distracted momentarily by a fellow pta mom, as they engaged in conversation about the terrible speeches that they were forced to sit through.
the four or so people consisting of people you once considered your âgroupâ were taking pictures in the other direction, doing the stupid jumping in the air pose, as one of their boyfriends was dragged into capturing the moment on someoneâs hello kitty cased iphone. you rolled your eyes at the sight. they were crying, something about how they were going to be friends forever.
âwhat a bunch of saps.â
whirling around, the one thing that wasnât forced that day was the bright smile tugging at the corners of your lips upon the sight of felix. the chances of finding him before the ceremony were slim, as you had overslept and were basically heaved and yanked and hauled into your parentsâ minivan to make it to the graduation. when you finally met once again, your heart began to stumble and leap.Â
even despite finding the entire occasion a snooze, you felt a little bad about sleeping right after you were handed your diploma. you missed felix crossing the stage and receiving his own. however, no such disappointment shone in his eyes, which were smiling at you.
you snorted in response. âtell me about it.â
giving him a once over, felix looked. ��. .good. you never saw him outside of school and thus, never saw him outside of the ugly polyester uniform that he had no intention of actually wearing properly. heâd abandoned his cap and gown at some point, just left in a grey button up and black slacks. his over the ear headphones still hung around his neck.
âcongratulations,â felix said, shyly shoving his hands into his pockets.
you couldnât help but smile wider. âsame to you.â
the two of you had yet to cross paths again since that day in detention. it was almost as if heâd begun skipping class as much as you begun to do so towards the end of the year. maybe a little part of you tried looking for himâyou werenât going to ever admit thatâwhen you poked your head inside the detention room some days hoping to see him or lingered around paradise ice cream a little too long.Â
but, you didnât see him. felix came and went as he pleased, like a ghost. nothing was haunting about that smile, though, as you melted a bit under the sun because of it. youâd never met someone so genuine.Â
felix leaned against the wall, peering over at the crowd forming in the parking lot. âyouâre not going to that beach party everyoneâs talking about?â
he really did listen. you, on the other hand, had no idea about it. frankly, you didnât care and felix caught onto that quickly with your silent, indifferent shrug.
âyour mom?â he questioned and pointed towards her. it wasnât hard to see the resemblance, as you took after her well.
you nodded in response. âwhere are your parents?â
âoh, they went back to work. always busy, they were only able to leave for a few hours.â that situation tugged at your heart slightly, trying to imagine what that wouldâve been like for him. at least felix didnât have to go through the mushy traditions.Â
a stuffy dinner party was in the works for you later that evening, with your mother calling up just about every relative within two hours away to come and celebrate your milestone. you wanted no part in it, preferring to jump face first back into bed and waste the rest of the day away watching tiktoks. felix made a confused face when you mentioned that.
âi can see why you donât feeling like celebrating,â felix said, glancing around the streamer decorated walls, trying not to feel tiny underneath the intimidating âcongratulations graduatesâ banner hanging from wall to wall. âwhen youâre stuck around this place for so long, youâre just relieved enough that you made it out of here.âÂ
you blinked at him and after a pause, let out a soft chuckle. heâd hit it right on the nail. you didnât even realize that yourself.Â
âhonestly? i canât stand being here for another second.â you sighed, trying to cool down the blood beginning to boil. your patience was ticking and it seemed like your mom wasnât going to tear away from her conversation with the other âcan i see your manager?â pinterest-loving, wine-drinking moms.Â
âso donât.â
biting back a snort, it was obvious that felix was used to just not being somewhere if he didnât feel like it. however, he had no idea that he sparked an imaginary lightbulb to shine above your head. your eyes darted over to your mother, as your confirmed her lost engagement in her conversation. she wasnât going to budge anytime soon and that gave you an idea.Â
felix noticed the flicker of change in your expression and raised an eyebrow. âwhat is it?â
a grin spread across your lips. âsay, felix.â you dug into your momâs purse, which she had abandoned for you to hold while she left to talk to the other mothers. it didnât take long for you to find it and you giggled when you came in contact with the cold metal. with a swift pull, you dangled the keys to your momâs minivan in the air.Â
âuh, yeah?â he cocked his head slightly.
âyou got your license?â
in retrospect, felix never actually answered the question. he only said that itâd âbeen a whileâ since he was behind the wheel, but that didnât stop you from suddenly leading the way to the honda odyssey with scratched on the rear from your practice driving from when you began doing so. maybe you shouldâve caught on that he either never had his license or was warning you of how fucking bad of a driver he was. but you didnât feel like getting in the driverâs seat in favour of controlling the aux, so you gave him that responsibility.
âletâs go for a drive. you got nowhere else to be, right?â it was probably a little cruel to guess that felix was not invited to the aforementioned beach party, but youâd already spoken the words.Â
felix gave a mirror of your indifferent shrug and you grinned wider.Â
âyou know how i feel already about those guys. drinking cheap beer around a campfire isnât really my idea of âhaving the time of our lives,â yeah?â he replied.Â
you werenât sure what exactly took over and possessed you to basically steal your momâs minivan with somebody you barely knew. maybe it was because of that feeling, the carefree feeling that zipped and danced through your veins like a breeze the last time you hung out with felix. it was unlike anything else youâd ever felt before.
a hint of hesitance painted over his face. âum, so where are we going?â
âyou go out often?â the question was blunt, but you couldnât help but ask, considering the surprise he wore when you invited him out after detention.
felix smiled bashfully. âno.â that was all he said, as the two of you made your way over to the old odyssey. âwill your mom be okay with this?â
âhuh? oh, hell no.â yet, you still unlocked the car with a click and gave an under hand throw of the keys to him.
the wash of uncertainty lingered on felixâs expression, as you opened the door to the passengerâs seat. then, he met your eyes and something shifted within his muscles and energy. warmth formed at the eye contact, gifting him with confidence to proceed.Â
time was ticking and you knew that the two of you had to back out of the parking lot as quickly as possible, in order to remain unseen and undetected by your mother. you reiterated this to felix and suddenly, you were wishing that you didnât.
âwatch out!â you hissed, as felix reversed and almost ran over a former member of the hockey team. the said male began cussing at the car, which only prompted felix to get out of the parking lot in even more of a hurry.
swivelling and swerving around some stray individuals and other cars like a madman, it was a wonder that the two of you made it out and onto the street in one piece. it felt as though your heart dropped to the bottom of your stomach and was threatening to burst out of your throat. your breathing paused for the entire time.Â
worse than a goddamned rollercoaster.
âoops?â was all felix had to say, as innocently as possible.
you allowed yourself to breathe, finally. the car was on the street and you were alive. hysteria bubbled at the back of your head and you began to giggle uncontrollably. felix looked over at your, eyebrows knitted together, before he, too, burst out into laughter.Â
the car stopped at the first red light and you nodded at something in the distance. âstraight ahead and then onto the highway.â
âwhere exactly am i going?â felix gave you a side eye, as you began fiddling with my phone. he glanced at it and raised an eyebrow, watching you scroll through your favourite early 2000s throwback playlist.
âtake the exit for the beach.â
felixâs eyes nearly leapt out of his skull. âuh, are. . .are we gonna crash that party?â
you froze midway through your motions and began laughing once again, uncontrollably. but, felix didnât react and you realized that he was being serious. you cleared your throat and paused.
âno,â you responded, in awe that he thought you were that rebellious. frankly, it wasnât just that, but you were never going to carry those kind of guts. âscrew that party. i know another cool spot on the beach, itâs kind of like my hideaway.â
and like that, felix shrugged and returned to his usual carefree demeanour. you thought about how much you dug that about him. then, you promptly shut that thought down because it came out of absolutely nowhere. plus, the two of you were still sitting in silence. not for long.
you turned on âms jacksonâ by outkast and the two of you sung along to it. every. single. word. at some point, someone rolled down the windows and the wind began roaring in your ears and through your hair, but the only thing you could hear were your voice, straining to be heard at the top of your lungs.Â
as the opening notes of âget ur freak onâ began, you looked over to felix. the curiosity you felt must have been pronounced because he cocked an eyebrow at you. you continued staring at him.
âwhy are you here? youâre awfully trusting,â you chuckled, as you caught eye of the upcoming exit you were meant to take.Â
he made the turn. âiâm bored. like you said, i donât have anywhere else to go.â felixâs tone was light, but you felt bad about the comment. âplus, iâm the one behind the wheel. if anything, youâre the trusting one, putting me in this position.â you managed to snort at that.
âwhat, iâm not scary enough that i could be leading you to some crack house?â
felix smirked. âarenât you the girl who volunteers before school hours to help the lunch ladies? the one who exclusively wore pink butterfly hair clips for two years straight? the one who wrote valentine cards for everyone in homeroom last year? the one with a pikachuââ
âokay, shut up. that doesnât mean shit.â you scowled and he laughed at that. you didnât realize that he noticed all of these little things about you, considering youâd barely spoken for four years straight and you tried to ignore the butterflies taking flight in your stomach as a result.Â
he said, âsenioritis really killed your soft side, huh?âÂ
âjust a little,â you admitted. or maybe you were tired of being the good girl that everyone wanted you to be. something in you mustâve changed, like felix said, after ditching your long time friends and beginning to do things like skip class and warrant detentions. at this point, you were in way too deep and clearly, you no longer cared. high school was a chapter finished and you were perfectly okay with that.
the next song that drowned out your surroundings, just as the smell of sea salt filled your senses, was âwe could be so good togetherâ by the doors. the song was definitely not on this specific playlist as far as you knew, perhaps it was slipped in by accident when you were downloading your music. regardless, you kept it playing and you saw the way felix began drumming his fingers against the leather of the steering wheel.
âyour influence, by the way,â you revealed and he smiled just a little brighter, if that was even possible.Â
he said, âyou remembered.â of course you remembered the way he lost himself in this band that day in detention on his stupid first generation ipod. how could you forget?
eventually, the beach emerged closer and closer in your line of sight. the traffic grew heavier, as the sound of trap music overcame the bluesy twangs of the doors. you rolled your eyes; the rest of the kids from your school had caught up.
âtake the left here.â
âisnât it a dead end?â
you shook your head no, they had long since expanded the street a few years ago. thankfully for you, the extended pedestrian way gave access to one of the best hidden gems in town. he didnât argue and followed the direction.
felix turned up the music a little bit louder, even though you were now a little bit farther away from everyone else now. âiâd never thought iâd meet anyone as annoyed by everyone else at school until you.âÂ
âyeahâwait, turn onto this path there, donât worry about the treesâarenât we just quirky and different?â you snorted.
although it was still a path nonetheless, it was a little bit cramped for the heap that was your momâs car. a wrinkle formed in between felixâs brows and you tried to relax the atmosphere by continuing to mindlessly sing to the music. he nervously hummed along.Â
he blinked rapidly. "it looks like thereâs no end. . .â
lush trees stood firmly on both sides of the path, dangling branches over in a wispy pose. sunlight weaved in and out of every open spot, creating a storm of sun on your surroundings. the taste of sea salt continued to dance in the air, though, dispelling any thought of suddenly finding yourself in a mystic forest. in the distance, underneath the voice of jim morrison, the sound of ocean waves commanded your ears. the car lurched up, tilting ever so slightly up to indicate the uphill drive.Â
âwhy are you avoiding your parents?â felix asked out of nowhere, glancing at you and trying to not appear nervous at the path.Â
âbecause today sucks. i donât get the big deal.â you shrugged. âand honestly, iâm just a little bit overwhelmed.â your life had been moving in the fastlane for so long and upon the sudden closure, you ached for just a moment of relaxation.Â
felix responded, with a thoughtful gaze to the distance. âyeah, i guess youâre right. same thing every year, just a new class of idiotic seniors forced out into the world on their own.â
eventually sunlight transformed from small dots leaking in from the weaves of branches and leafs into a full glaze from above. darkness disappeared and you were treated with a kiss of the bluest sky your eyes had ever laid eyes on. the tranquility came to an abrupt stop due to felixâs unpolished brake. he was in shock and that sacrificed your back because the two of you hurled forward in the sudden movement.
âsorry,â felix said, but neither of you chose to make a joke about his driving when this beautiful of a distraction presented itself in front of you.
the engine was killed and the music paused in one swift second. felix wanted to drink up his surroundings as much as he could. the two of you were perched on the top of a small hill, overlooking the rest of the beach from the height. even though you still remained on the same earth and balance as the people down there, it felt like you were far above.Â
he managed to sputter out a low whistle. you grinned in response and hopped out of the car, trying your absolute best to refrain from stumbling in your heels. upon meeting the fresh air, you took a deep inhale.
âwhere the hell did you find out about this place?â felix looked around, eyes wide as he took in the view.Â
you were not going to expose the fact that you were taken here the first time by a boy that wanted to hook up with you. heâd parked at the top of the hill, just as the two of you had just done moment before, hoping to get lucky before you swore at him and demanded that he brought you home. oh, freshman year.Â
âi have my secrets,â you exchanged that embarrassing memory for what you hoped was a mysterious smile. âit really is beautiful, though, right? i feel like iâm on top of the world. the sky is clearer from up here and the ocean is, like, so goddamn blue. . .â
it was then when you remembered who you were with and your jaw snap shut after those words.Â
he couldnât know how blue the ocean was. felix probably wouldnât have even noticed if it werenât for your sudden reaction, but he only shook his head with a smile at your sheepishness. âitâs okay. donât be embarrassed, people forget.â a lie, you guessed, as heâd mentioned so few people knew about his sight.
a weight of gloom settled at the pit of your stomach, but you pushed the feeling aside. he trusted you with the knowledge of his condition and you forgot to consider it. you bit your lip, raining down on the apologies, to which he just waved off.Â
the male kicked a loose stone off the hill, watching it fly across the air and rocked into the deep, icy waters. âitâs really is beautiful, anyway. thanks for bringing me here.âÂ
âactually, you did the driving,â you grinned. âbut, this isnât all. you still trust me?âÂ
felix looked at you with a questioning regard and you took that as an answer. you had to swallow some fear down and the next thing you did surprised even you. you held out your hand and after a beat, he took it and intertwined your fingers with his.
his hand was warm and molded with yours to perfection. his skin was soft and pillowy, as if theyâd been waiting for you for years to grasp. upon the grip, your hands became one and you wished to the clouds that youâd never have to let go. you took a glimpse of felixâs expression and you wondered if he felt the same way, trying to read the small small forming on his face and the light tint of pink glowing on his ears.Â
then, you remembered what the hell you were doing and snapped out of your daydream. he locked the car for you and you led him down the hill, just a few feet back from where you were parked. there, you tugged him towards the smallest of entryways in between two trees, having to duck underneath some branches and step over some bushes to get through.
the path from there was clear, as shades of creamy corn coloured sand roughened up against your shoes and you dared to not sink into the ground with each step. it was one, steep trail that led straight into the land below, with waves just about stirring up against the sand. there was not much room to walk and you had to walk in front of felix for the two of you to fit.Â
âhold on,â you said, as you wiggled out of your already dirty graduation gown, which you realized you should have abandoned at the car. you left to to lay on the ground, losing interest in it.Â
felix gave you a once over. âthatâs a nice dress.â did he just check you out?Â
when you woke up that morning, almost afternoon, you were ill prepared for the day ahead of you. you jumped into the quickest shower of your life and nearly broke your fingers trying to braid your hair in record time. there was no room for daydreaming about what you were going to wear and you figured that it was going to be hidden underneath your graduation gown, anyway, so you grabbed the first thing in your closet, which was a yawn of an orange bridesmaid dress from a past wedding. it was a boring, floor-length with a sweetheart neckline and a semi-modest slit running up the leg. youâd ripped off the hideous bow on your way down the stairs, after not bothering with any makeup and from there, was hauled into the old minivan because you were already late.Â
âwhat?â you laughed. âi hate this dress. i put on the first thing i saw and unfortunately, it was this abomination.â you thought your tone dripped with hatred, but felix didnât look convinced.Â
you climbed up onto some large rocks that marked the end of the path and tried to keep your balance. felix helped you steady yourself, hand still grasped in his and the other holding you by the waist. at that point, youâd also kicked off your nude pumps in favour of actually being able to stand.Â
felix helped himself up on the rock, following your motions, and hopped over the rocks with you. you grabbed a handful of the tangerine fabric and pulled it up, at least caring enough to make sure that it didnât get wet. the two of you landed together, just before a darkened entrance into a cave. the entry was concealed from the main beach, far too tucked away at the corner at every angle and only visible from hopping over the rocks.
âwhat colour is it?âÂ
the question was sudden and you gaped, as if you forgot how to speak. âhuh?â
âyour dress. what colour is it?â felix wasnât even focused on the cave, his eyes still locked on you.
âitâs orange,â you told him. he nodded, his gaze not leaving, as if he were trying to memorize the sight. you frowned and put your free hand to his arm, beckoning him to continue following you.Â
squeezing inside of the compact entryway, the two of you were introduced to the interior of the same golden sand that brushed against the waterline in a narrow opening at the very base of the cave. another gap was framed higher up, a bigger outlet that allowed most of the sunlight to stream in.Â
âwow. just wow.â his hand squeezed yours just a little bit tighter, even there was no need to hold each other, now that you arrived at your destination.
you couldnât help but notice the little things now. there were little fragments etched into the walls of different mineral colours, from the deep maroons and the slate greys and the rare navy blue. the small waves rushing in shone just a little bit differently depending on where you stood, just a little bit brighter or darker either way. even in the sand, there were bits of ivory for every handful of gold. they made the sight all the more gorgeous and felix couldnât experience that.Â
he noticed your sudden daze, staring off into the larger outlet and your mind miles away. thatâs when you were hit with a wall of cold water, hand released from felixâs and your entire left side endured the splash. you gasped, whirling around to see him with an mischievous glint in his eyes. with the addition of a soaked arm sleeve.
âfelix!â your jaw dropped and he responded with yet another splash.Â
this escalated into a full on splashing match, until the two of you were completely soaked. your hair was dripping wet and felixâs sneakers were probably ruined.Â
you also somehow also ended up tackling him to the ground.
that resulted in the unexpected position of being on top of him, as the two of you gasped to catch your breaths in between your hysterical bubbles of laughter. it took at least five minutes minimum before the two of you were able to inhale properly again.Â
that didnât mean you moved from your position, though. neither did he. felix wore a lazy smile and brushed a piece of wet hair out of your face.
âyou ruined my dress. not so pretty now, huh?â you teased.
felix replied, âyou said you hated it, i was just tryinâ to help you out.â he then paused for a moment, stumbling over his words. âplusimeantthatyoulookednice. notthedress.â
you werenât sure if you were normal because you managed to actually understand his jumbled up words. you laughed off the blush heating up your cheeks and finally pulled yourself up, trying to hide it. sitting up, the two of you gazed up at the sky through the main gap in the wall.Â
for the nth time that day, you decided to say âfuck itâ and swallowed down your nerves. felix sat up, awkwardly running his hand through his grown out hair. he looked at you, seeing that it appeared as though you were struggling to say something.
âwhatâs wrong?â
you managed to choke it out. âcan i kiss you?â some sort of monster, one that was definitely not you, had overcome your being because you were in shock that you actually just said that.
felix nodded without hesitation, which put you into even deeper of a shock. you didnât even notice that you were already slowly leaning in and he, too, as he reached out to lightly touch your cheek as he did so.Â
from a distance, the sound of music and laughter dallyed and with every passing second, a new wave of water rushed in. the smell of salt and summer lingered about. your orange dress was doused and at some point in the psudeo fight, your once tightly wound braids broke free into loose waves. none of it mattered when felix pressed his lips against yours. they were just as soft as his hands.Â
#lee felix imagine#lee felix scenarios#stray kids x reader#stray kids imagines#stray kids au#stray kids fanfic#stray kids scenarios#lee felix x reader#â COLOUR THEORY.
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A Few Days Off for Christmas, Part Two
In which Killian Jones isnât as retired as he originally claimed to be, cute kids continue to be cute, and home ownership is pondered against the backdrop of the worldâs most competitive air hockey tournament.Â
Or: Christmas at the Vankald brownstone
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Rating:Â f l u f f Word Count:Â 8.8 of all that aforementioned fluff AN:Â Hey, remember when I wrote a bunch of Christmas-themed Blue Line stores and then only posted one of them? Attempts to remedy that are currently being made, so weâve got the Christmas after Killian retires and just before Chris is born, with almost too much fluff, peak!Vankald feelings, and Elsa accepting none of Killianâs nonsense. Plus kissing, I am who I am.Â
Also on Ao3 if thatâs how you roll.Â
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The door was going to fly off its hinges.Â
One bump became two, evolving into several kicks before it turned into something astoundingly similar to a hip check andââOh my God,â Killian groaned, squeezing his eyes shut while also doing his best to melt into the mattress. Didn't work.Â
He hadnât really expected it to. Â
âYour fault,â Emma mumbled, half into the pillow and partially into the mess of hair covering that same pillow. Her hair was everywhere. And she was smiling. Killian didnât bother double checkingÂ
Maybe smiled himself, actually. Despite whatever was happening on the other side of the door. None of the noises resembled an actual knock. Cracking open one eye, the ends of his mouth tilted up slowly and his hand moved before he even thought about it, reaching out to trace the curve of Emmaâs stomach.Â
Another noise.Â
They were going to have to get out of bed eventually.Â
Or the kids in the hallway would resort to drastic measures.Â
âHowâd you get to that conclusion, exactly?â Killian asked, twisting until he managed to lift his arm up in some unspoken attempt to get Emma closer to him. Getting out of bed could wait five minutes. Possibly six if they were feeling exceptionally greedy.Â
It was Christmas Eve, after all.Â
Something about the holiday, although that would also suggest the opposite of greed and probably something else about peace on Earth and goodwill amongst men, but the door was not going to stand up to much more of this and if Emma kept biting her lower lip like that Killian wasnât sure he could be held accountable for his actions. Ten minutes more in bed, at least.Â
âYour kid is checking the door, Cap,â Emma said, voice lacking any frustration, âhow could this be anyone elseâs fault?â
His heart jumped.Â
Skipped a beat, and then defied several other biological rules, and none of that should surprise him anymore. Not when they were nearly six months removed from the third Stanley Cup, and the prospect of a full Jones line wasnât all that intimidating. Even with the limited space in their apartment. Theyâd figure it out. Had to, really. And all of it was good. Perfect, honestly. Was nice in a way that deserved a far better adjective, because retirement hadnât really stuck.Â
Had rather quickly evolved, actually. Into director of player development for the New York Rangers, a job that came with a fancy office and polo shirts that made Emmaâs eyes widen ever so slightly, although Killian wasnât sure if he was supposed to notice that, and Matt came to practice with him.Â
Regularly.Â
That was now coming back to haunt Killian.Â
And the structural integrity of his and Emmaâs bedroom door.Â
âBlame Scarlet,â Killian argued, âheâs ancient, so heâs got nothing better to do during practice than prove his worth to Matt. This is all his technique.â âAh, well now I kind of feel like a jerk.â âNo, no, he does not get your pity. The kidâs leading with his shoulder out there.â âIs that not how itâs supposed to work, then?â Making a noise in the back of his throat only served to hurt the back of Killianâs throat, Emmaâs expression some sort of flashing neon sign that he was being effectively teased andâ
She gasped.Â
âSwan?â Far from parenting experts â and closer to apartment-hunting procrastinators than either one of them would like to admit â they had gone through this twice before, so Killian figured there was something to be said for confidence borne of experience, and he wasnât really nervous at the hitch in Emmaâs breath or the overall dexterity of her fingers when she yanked his hand forward.Â
No noise on that kick, but it was definitely a kick and his heart must have evolved at some point. Beyond human emotion and into the stratosphere of family-based feelings and if Killian didnât win the air hockey tournament, he was going to be very disappointed.Â
Matt was yelling in the hallway now.Â
âTook offense at the technique, I guess,â Emma laughed, âI think heâs trying to show off.â Killian exhaled. That was unexpected. He hadnât realized heâd decided to hold his breath. Twelve extra minutes in bed, maybe. They were already late, might as well be very late.Â
The door swung open.Â
âDad! Dad! Dad,â Matt yelled, leaping onto the edge of the bed and Emma barely moved her feet in time. Killian wasnât so lucky.Â
Groaning when an elbow somehow found its way into his calf, he squeezed his eyes shut again. âWhat did we talk about with the door, kid?â Killian asked, trying to shift his leg so Matt would realize he needed to move.Â
No such luck.Â
All he got was the dramatic sigh of a nine-year-old who appeared close to demanding Christmas-type attention, and Mattâs head hung over the side of the bed as several pillows fell on the floor. âI knockedâkind of.â Emmaâs snicker was far too loud.Â
Killian gaped at her, but that only got him a wider-than-usual smile, and several strands of hair that drifted dangerously close to her eyes when she propped herself up on her elbows. âNuh uh, donât look at me like that. Itâs Christmas, and thatâs my excuse for everything for at least the next seventy-two hours.â âSo, the day after Christmas too?â âYou heard me.â Killianâs grin threatened the muscles in his cheeks, nosing at the side of Emmaâs cheek because he couldnât get much closer with a kid draped over his stomach. Or while that kid was groaning quite so loud.Â
âGross, gross, gross,â Matt chanted, and the distinct lack of footsteps following him should have been their first clue. Killian was willing to blame Christmas for that too.Â
And Will, just on principle.Â
âThanks for the commentary,â Emma grinned, âwhy were you checking the door?â âI wanted to talk to you guys.â âDid you just?â
âYuh huh.â Killianâs eyes darted towards Emmaâs. Not parenting experts, but at least passably observant and they really should have checked to see where Peggy was. âWhat about? And for future reference, checking is not the same as knocking. Whoâs even teaching you to check like that because if it is actually Scarlet, thenââ Matt shook his head. Ducking his gaze, the bedding was suddenly far more interesting than anything Killian could have asked, and Emma shrugged when he glanced up again. âNot Scarlet?â Another head shake. âWhatâs going on, kid ?â What felt like several hours passed, color rising in Mattâs cheeks â which wasnât really fair, because watching his own reactions play out on his kidâs face seemed like some form of emotional torture for Killian, who was barely managing to temper his impatience. He rested his hand on Mattâs back.Â
âAt the Piers?â Killian pressed, only to get a noise that was far too familiar as well. Not quite an agreement, but not an argument either and he briefly wondered how the Vankalds ever dealt with him like this. He knew the answer before he askedââDylan, huh?â Shrugging couldnât have been easy for Matt when Emmaâs hand joined Killianâs on his back, but he made the effort all the same. It somehow ended with an elbow in Killianâs ribs.Â
âIâs not a big deal,â Matt muttered. âI justââ ââWanted to beat down our door?â Killian finished, fully prepared for the scowl he got and Emmaâs inability to control the sound of her own reactions might have been one of his favorite things in the world. âHeâs not going to be there. They went to visit Ericâs parents this year.â
At some point in the last nine years, it seemed the entire New York Rangers roster had collectively fallen into family mode, a decision that, while not entirely planned, left the lot of them with kids in the same age bracket. And Dylan Havfrue, at just eight months older than Matt, was ready-made for rivalry. Already impossibly tall for a nine-year-old, he was a penalty-minutes record waiting to happen and not nearly as fast as Matt.Â
It wasnât that Dylan and Matt didnât get along. At least when they were off the ice. On the ice, they played the same position on the same team, competing for minutes and stats and, well, at the risk of losing any metaphorical Christmas points, Killian knew Matt was better. Than Dylan.Â
And just about everyone else at Chelsea Piers.Â
âOh,â Matt said, head falling back onto Killianâs chest and for half a moment it felt like years before and they werenât dealing with some kind of first-ever bully situation.
âYou getting checked, kid? Is that whatâs going on?â
Matt shrugged again, burrowing closer to Killian like that would somehow make the conversation end. It wouldnât â but the footsteps finally racing down the hall might, and theyâd probably have to reconsider that whole parent of the year thing when it was obvious one of their kids was hopped on pre-Christmas sugar.Â
Of the stolen variety.Â
âDo not jump on this bed, Margaret,â Emma warned, but the smile was back and her voice was soft and Peggy barely slowed enough to flop onto the comforter with a soft thump.Â
Frosting lined the corners of her mouth.Â
âWhy are you guys here?â she asked. âWe have to go! We have to go! Aunt Anna said I couldââ Pausing to take a deep breath, her shoulders heaved. âI could use her camera this year, and Kris is going to help andââ ââHow many cookies, Margaret Jones?â âNo cookies!â Scrunching her nose, Emma hummed in disbelief as she leaned forward. To wipe away the frosting. âNext time make sure you get rid of the evidence, huh? Howâd you even find the cookies? Theyâre supposed to be on a shelf.â âDonât look at me,â Killian balked when Emma stared accusingly at him. âTheyâre up there. Theyâve been up there since last night.â âMD and I got them while you and Dad were asleep,â Peggy explained, as if staging a daring cookie rescue on Christmas Eve was to be expected.Â
âMar!â Pushing his hand into Killianâs stomach when he sat up, Mattâs groan echoed around the room .âYou werenât supposed to tell!â
âI was stuck! You ran away and I had toââ ââWait, what?â Emma interrupted sharply. Neither kid noticed.Â
Killian resisted the urge to pinch the bridge of his nose.Â
Fifteen extra minutes in bed. Ten of which should be used to talk about the Dylan thing, and proper checking technique, and then three minutes solely for kissing Emma. Theyâd use the other two minutes to get the kids out of the room.Â
Like responsible adults, and successful parents.Â
âYou were taking too long,â Matt said, âand I wanted to talk to Dad andââ ââI had to jump off the counter!â âAlright, alright, alright,â Killian snapped, voice rising on every repeat and both kids sat up straighter. Emma tried to turn her laugh into a noise that didnât sound like a laugh and it absolutely didnât work. âNo more cookies. No more plans for cookies. No more leaping off the counter, Margaret. Understood?â
âHockey voice,â Peggy whispered. Or, at least, tried. She glanced meaningfully at Matt, who just widened his eyes in response, lips ticking down and it all felt so painfully familiar and painfully family that any frustration Killian felt disappeared all too quickly.Â
âHockey captain voice,â Emma corrected softly, pressing a kiss to Peggyâs temple and grinning at her conspiratorially.Â
âSwan,â Killian sighed.Â
She shrugged. âI kind of want a cookie now.â âWe know where they are,â Peggy said, rushing over the words like they werenât an admission and they hadnât just been talking about the great Christmas Eve cookie theft. âYeah, I picked up on that. Câmon, lead me to the cookies, Peg, and then we should pack.â âI packed!â âIâve heard that before. Last year, we got downtown with three t-shirts and no pants. Weâre not doing that again, soâletâs go, feet on the floor.â
Peggy grumbled, but she didnât argue and Killian tried not to smile too widely. At the scene in front of him, or the memory of last Christmas â two shirts with his number on them and another with a Team USA logo on the front, and Locksley emblazoned across the back. It had made Roland blush.Â
âWeâll save you guys some cookies,â Emma promised, following Peggy out the door and Killian waited until he heard the squeak of glass sliding across the counter before he looked at Matt. Who hadnât so much as blinked yet.Â
âYou want to talk now?â Killian asked, Matt making an eerily similar noise to the one heâd let out a few minutes earlier. âHow come you didnât say anything about Dylan?â âWasnât really a big deal.â âSure, sure, youâre not supposed to check much at the Piers.â âIâm not the one checking.â âYeah,â Killian said, tugging on the front of Mattâs shirt. More team-branded merch. That might have been all Matt owned. âHe been doing it for long? âSince the start of the season.â âYou tell Hopper?â Matt shook his head. âHow come you didnât tell us before, kid? And how come youâre pushing your sister on kitchen counters to steal cookies that weâre supposed to bring downtown?â âI didnât push Mar on the counter. She got up there on her own. And it was her idea.â Killian narrowed his eyes, filing that particular bit of information away for a day when they werenât, once again, behind schedule or coping with on-ice issues of a nine-year-old rec league.Â
Matt played in more than one league.Â
âNot an answer.â âI know,â Matt sighed. âI just...itâs stupid. Heâs stupid.â âItâs not stupid if heâs breaking the rules,â Killian countered, and Ariel was going to be upset. Disappointed, too. Which, as everyone knew, was fundamentally worse. âHe canât check you. You guys are way too young for that.â âYou tell all the guys at practice that they donât need to back down from hits!â Taking a deep breath was impossible when his lungs were busy disintegrating in his chest, but Killian figured it also might have had something to do with the kid still sitting on his legs and Matt didnât object when he hooked his chin over his shoulder. âTheyâre getting paid to get hit. Not quite there yet, Mattie.â. âHeâs really good at checking,â Matt grumbled. âBetter than me. Even Uncle Will thinks so.â âUncle Willâs opinion on this isnât important. And he shouldnât be teaching you how to check either. Youâll end up in the box and then you canât score goals.â âI guess.â âThemâs the facts, kids.â Matt considered that, body shifting with the force of his sigh and distinct inability to argue. Forty-seven thousand parental points, at least. Killian grinned at him. âYou tell us stuff from now on, ok? No matter how stupid you think it is. Thatâs the gig, for me and Mom.â âAnd you didnât really check guys.â âBecause I wanted to score goals. Not sit in the box for two minutes.â âScoring goals is cool.â Killian nodded, trying to regain feeling in his legs. âYou know, maybe we could go somewhere that isnât the Piers sometime and you could take some shots. No checking, just âpractice.â âPractice?â âOn our own.â âWith you?â His stomach joined the fray, that time. Flipping and flying directly into the middle of his throat, which didnât do much to help his breathing. Worth it. For the look on Mattâs face, which was somewhere in the realm of of overjoyed and that was appropriate on Christmas Eve andâ
âWhen? Could we go during the break? Today? While Rol and Henry are home? You think Uncle Liam will skate? Did they bring skates? I told Lizzie she should bring skates.â
Plans spilled out of Matt, hardly any defined syllables, more half-shouted demands and Killian felt the smile spread across his face quickly and easily and immediately. And if heâd never really considered a family in some kind of chaotic, cookie-stealing, perfect way, then heâd definitely never considered a son who wanted to practice his forehand at every available opportunity.Â
âRelax,â Killian laughed, a flash of dark hair in the hall as it dashed towards another room and a suitcase that likely had four shirts in it.Â
âWhat about the day after tomorrow?â
Matt nearly trampled Killian in his effort to jump off the bed, a cry that almost sounded like yeah several times over, and he barely stopped before he collided with Emma. And the three cookies in her hand. Â
âWhat did you do, Swan?âÂ
âWith the cookies orââ Wrapping her arm around Matt, she pulled him against her side and he was far too busy announcing roster spots to express any sense of displeasure. The cookie she gave him likely helped too. âRubes and I might have planned...something.â âAs in?â âAs in rented out that rink uptown for the day after Christmas because thereâs a million and two people coming to the brownstone this year, and weâre going to need something to do after we try to kill each other in air hockey.â âThis is a very violent family, weâre always threatening to kill each other.â âOr check,â Matt muttered.Â
Emma kissed the top of his head.That got a reaction. âItâs also kind of nice. At least the air hockey. And Uncle Liam will totally have skates, so you can wreck him during faceoffs, Mattie.â Whatever noise he made at that wasnât so much a human sound, as it was something that made Killianâs ears ring. Which he planned to use as an excuse. For walking forward, crowding into Emmaâs space and kissing her.Â
In a crashing, not-quite violent, but decidedly emotional sort of way.Â
She pushed up on her toes.Â
âI love you.â âWeird,â Emma said, but she also hadnât moved her mouth away from his and that helped lessen any sense of insult.Â
Killian hummed, bending his neck again with every intention to keep making out in the middle of the bedroom, and it wasn't how he initially planned to use his extra minutes, since it did involve far too much standing, but there was also kissing and he hadnât noticed Matt leave. Only that Peggy was back. In surround sound. âWe have to go! There are presents at Vâs. Presents! And you guys not being gross.â
Clicking her tongue, Emma managed to stay pressed against Killian, even as she zipped up the backpack hanging off Peggyâs shoulder. âTake at least three jerseys out of your bag, Matthew David,â she added on a shout.Â
Killian kissed her forehead.Â
âBut, Iââ Matt objected, twisted around his doorframe. Emma widened her eyes. Killian assumed. He didnât look. He was too busy narrowing his eyes. âFine, fine, but Marâs got to bring some socks.â
âHat might not be a bad idea, either,â Killian added. âWhat about shirts for under the jerseys?â Silence. Of the resounding variety.Â
âFigures,â Emma scoffed, ushering Peggy back and they were only half an hour behind schedule by the time the lock clicked behind them. Better than usual, really.Â
The hat, despite assurances that itâs in my bag, I promise never made it to the brownstone â Â forgotten in the desperation to get downtown for presents and eggnog and the force that had become Mr. and Mrs. Vankald grandparents.Â
Adopting Roland and Henry into the fold was as natural as anything, the Locksley family welcomed with open arms after that initial Christmas spent on the living room floor. Especially once Regina started baking. And Leo Nolan was in the midst of a Christmas obsession to rival any kid on the planet, certain Santa preferred the cookies left in front of Vankald fireplace above any other offerings. Â
Liam and Elsaâs twins, far removed from their own obsessions over cookies for Santa, had stepped into key air hockey roles â refereeing and commentating â while Lizzie Vankald-Jones developed a trash-talking talent that left all of them just a bit stunned.Â
There were, always, enough baked goods to feed several small countries and enough Chinese food to feed a large army, and enough laughter that it echoed in Killianâs head long after they went back uptown. There werenât enough rooms for them.Â
The kids all camped out in the living room.Â
And the front door swung open before Killian could adjust the bags in his hands.Â
âWhy are you lurking by the door, Banana?â âWaiting for my money.â âExcuse me?â âMy money,â she repeated, while failing to elaborate any more and this bit they seemed to do every year had gotten old half a dozen Christmases ago.Â
âThey bet on when weâd get here,â Emma explained. Killian tugged Peggy towards his side so he didnât do something heâd regret. Matt was trying to work into the brownstone already, mumbling about cookies. âHow much, Anna?â
âFifty bucks, super serious business.â âSounds it.â Anna shrugged, leaning against the open door frame like it wasnât December and starting to snow and the telltale smell of cinnamon wafted out onto the block. âBah humbug, also you guys have never been on time for anything ever. Iâm playing to tradition. But I should thank you, because all this was Scarletâs idea, and he vastly underestimated you.â
âHow so?â Emma asked, ignoring Killianâs huff of frustration.Â
Peggy giggled.Â
âThought youâd be late, but only by like twenty minutes andââ âHey, Banana,â Killian interrupted, and Annaâs eyebrows flew up her forehead when she heard the tone of his voice. She stood up a bit straighter. âIn case you also hadnât noticed, weâve got some kids out here and Emmaâs pregnant, so, uh if you could get out of the way, thatâd be fantastic.â Crossing her arms with a huff, it almost looked like Anna was about to stomp her foot as well, and Emma rested her hand on Killianâs chest before he could start arguing. âDid Gina and Reeseâs start baking yet? Because I think Killian could use some pie.â âYeah, I think so,â Anna agreed, making a face at Killian and he hadnât let go of Peggy yet. She grinned at the kids in front of her, holding out her hands expectantly and tugging them both inside. âYou guys want some hot chocolate?â Bags were immediately dropped, forgotten on the steps, as soon as the words were out of Annaâs mouth, leaving Emma and Killian alone with her hand still flat against his jacket. âMaybe you should start checking something,â she suggested.Â
Killian sighed, but he couldnât bring himself to hold onto any tension. He kissed the top of Emmaâs head instead. Mrs. Vankald probably had extra hats. âSeasonally inappropriate.â âProves my point, i think.â âFifty bucks.â âJust means weâre the hottest ticket in town.â He widened his eyes at her, and almost-three kids later the smirk didnât really accomplish anything except getting Emma to groan, but it had been a strange day and he probably should have expected her to kiss him in response. âCenter ice,â Killian said, grinning against her mouth.Â
âNot even clever.â âItâs a work in progress.â âGuess that means Iâll have to stick around. See how it all plays out.â âYou think youâre very funny.â Shaking her head, Emma pulled away before they could start making out in a different location, which was probably for the best, but also a little disappointing and he didnât realize the door was still open.Â
âHook,â Roland said, a note to his voice that made it clear it wasnât the first time heâd tried to get their attention.Â
âGod, donât sneak up on us like that. HowâSwan, stop that.â She didnât. Hair brushed his cheek when she kept laughing, body shaking against Killianâs side and the flush of embarrassment on Rolandâs face shouldnât have felt like a victory. âHow long have you been standing there?â
âLong enough to know that Ruby won her bet.â âJeez.â âWhat was that one, Rol?â Emma asked, twisting towards the teenager. âAlso, can you take, at least, four of these bags before Killian has some kind of complete breakdown on the steps?â Roland chuckled, leaning forward to grab five bags in one hand. âRuby bet David what you guys were doing on the steps and why Matt and Pegs ended up running into the kitchen without any parental supervision in sight. Their words, not mine.â âJeez,â Killian repeated. âWhereâs your dad and why isnât he telling everyone to grow up?â
âHeâs kind of busy.â
Nodding towards the foyer, Killian directed them inside as voices from several rooms made their way into the space and down the stairs that were, as always, covered in ivy and lights and the photos on the wall were different now. The draft night photo was still there, but there other ones too â Stanley Cup finals and second weddings and Roland in a red, white and blue uniform and, right in the middle, that very first Christmas when theyâd all fallen asleep in the living room.Â
That one hung in the apartment uptown too.Â
âWas I right, Rol?â Ruby asked, walking into the foyer sporting a sweater that wasnât just ugly, was somehow bordering on atrocious and covered in hockey pucks.Â
âWhat are you wearing?â Emma countered.Â
Ruby brushed her off, staring expectantly at Roland who shook his head. âIâm still on the kid side. I want no part of this.â
âWas the door still open?â âRuby.â
She grinned â that slow, slightly intimidating look that had terrorized reporters for the better part of the last decade â and jumped towards Roland, slinging her arms around him and pressing a kiss against his cheek. âYouâre a God-awful spy,â she said. âDavid and I should have taken your loyalty into account.â âWhere is David?â Emma asked, glancing towards the living room. âOr Robin and Will, for that matter? Or Henry. Heâs supposed to show me what heâs writing.â Rolling her eyes, Ruby leaned back against Rolandâs side and he was still holding the bags. âYou can put those down, mate,â Killian muttered, grinning when he dropped several tons of presents on the floor.Â
âOh, thatâs why we had Rol out for surveillance,â Ruby answered. âAll of those adults are sitting at the kitchen table with several different poster boards and, at least, one full cake, trying to bracket out this yearâs air hockey competition.â Emma laughed immediately, but Killian wasnât sure if it was because of the absurdity of the news or because of how heâd reacted to it. Gaping at Ruby, his eyes widened when he looked towards Roland for confirmation. Who shrugged.Â
Thatâs probably where Matt got it from.Â
âWhat the hell, Lucas?â Killian yelled. âTheyâre supposed to wait until weâre all here. There are rules!â
âThis is not my fault,â Ruby argued, backing away from Killian like heâd lost his mind. Emmaâs lips had all but disappeared behind her teeth. âThis is your crazy, insanely competitive tradition. If you want to have a seat at the literal table, you guys should get here on time. And stop making out on the steps. But I will tell you that Liam has tried to get himself higher up the bracket at least six times. Robinâs the only voice of reason. You owe him, Cap.â âIâm obviously the top seed, I won last year, thatâs how it works. Thatâs science.â âIs there science involved?â Emma asked, Roland dropping onto the bottom step with one arm wrapped around his waist while he threw his head back. Laughing. Loud enough to draw an audience. Matt slid across the wood floor â shoes forgotten somewhere between the foyer and the kitchen and back again â and Killian ducked down out of instinct, grabbing him around the waist and tugging him back upÂ
âDad,â he yelled, tugging on Killianâs t-shirt like that would get him to move. âDad, youâve got to come to the kitchen. Uncle Liam and Uncle Will are trying to formâŚ.â
âAlliances,â David finished, slinging his arm around Emmaâs shoulders as soon as he stepped into the foyer. He kissed the top of her hair, looking almost repentant.Â
Killian wondered how many alliances heâd made so far.Â
âRight, right, alliances,â Matt continued, âyou have to come. Youâre the top seed. You won last year and you have to be up top. Weâve got to go now, Dad!â
Matt twisted, a mix of energy and excitement and Christmas coming to a boiling point that demanded acknowledgement. He got it from Roland. As per usual. âCâmon, Matt. Letâs go challenge Henry to...something.â Lifting his suddenly-empty hands, Killian wasnât sure what to say to any of that, only aware of how abrasive Rubyâs cackle was. âAt the risk of repeating myself, Cap, this is your weird, competitive thing. Although Liam really is trying to cheat, so you know, go in there and be morally upstanding, or whatever.â
âIsnât that Davidâs schtick? Maybe El.â David clicked his tongue. âIâm not sure if I should be offended by that, or not.â âNah, that was totally a compliment. Although you were making bets.â
âOh, what the hell Ruby?â David groaned. âYou werenât supposed to ask them! Rol was supposed to look.â âYeah, well, we forgot that Roland Locksley thinks Killian is some kind of hero. He wasnât going to rat no matter what he saw.â âFor the record,â David said, âI said you guys werenât making out on the front steps with the door wide open, so, you know, take that into account. Although Elsa is probably the most moral.â âNot Reeseâs?â Emma asked. She took a step back to Killian, sliding underneath his arm like there was a magnet in his side. âI mean, if weâre going to stage moral high ground competition, sheâs got to be near the top.â âIs this conversation weird?â Ruby asked, sitting on one of the bags in the middle of the floor despite protests from Emma and Killian. âThis conversation seems weird. Especially when Capâs going to get screwed out of his top seed and anything Mary Margaret bakes is going to get devoured by the ridiculous number of kids in this house.â
As if on cue, a crash echoed from the general vicinity of the dining room and Mrs. Vankald shouted from the second floor, voice carrying as well as it had thirty years before. She leaned over the edge of the bannister, eyes falling on Killianâs immediately and he waved â like he was ten years old and just coming back from practice.Â
âTell Liam he canât cheat this year,â she shouted.Â
âI think youâre picking favorites, Mrs. V.â âI bought three things of creamer this year and Liamâs determination to circumvent the bracket rules means theyâve already been through one. Iâm picking the Jones brother who isnât going to ransack my refrigerator and well-organized food options.â
Killian scoffed, but Mrs. Vankald just tilted her head, staring at him with a fondness that, maybe, left him blushing in the middle of the foyer in front of pictures of his entire family. âWe bought a new container of cinnamon for you, Emma,â she added. âIf Liamâs even looked at that, I give you full permission to kick him out of the tournament.â âWow,â Emma breathed. Ruby made a face, mouth tilted down as if kicking Liam out of an air hockey tournament was the worst insult a person could level against another human being. âIâve never really felt this powerful.â âI trust you. Youâll use your power for good.â
âMaybe Mrs. V is the most moral,â Ruby suggested, but Killian shook his head quickly.Â
âNuh uh,â he objected. âSheâs pulling all the strings up there. Who do you think demanded the referee last year?â
âGo claim your number one seed, Killian,â Mrs. Vankald said. She paused for a moment, pressing her lips together tightly and the air in the foyer seemed to shift noticeably, something important about to happen or, maybe, already happening and Emma shuffled closer. âAnd...uh, come talk to me before dinner.â âA little foreboding, Iâll be honest.â
âFill out the bracket first.â
Saluting was another child-esque response, but Killian was almost positive he was getting shorter the longer he stood there and something crashed in the kitchen. Mrs. Vanaklad rolled her eyes.Â
The crash, it turned out, was a makeshift hockey puck smacking into the baseboard of the dining room, leaving a sizable dent in its wake as the twins argued with Henry over what constituted as the blue line when there was a table and a dozen chairs in the way.Â
And Killian wasnât sure which took longer â figuring out those rules or keeping Peggy from climbing on top of the dining room table in an attempt to keep the game organized or attempting to figure out an air hockey bracket.Â
It was definitely the bracket.Â
âYou canât do this again, Liam,â Will sighed, perched on the edge of the counter. âIâm actually going to go insane if you do this again.â Liam muttered a string of curses under his breath and Killianâs head fell forward, colliding with Emmaâs back. She was balanced on his leg, his arm around her waist and her fingers trailing over his hand, tracing over scars and up towards his wedding ring. It was almost enough to make him relax. Until Liam started complaining about seeding again and the whole process had to start over.Â
âWhy donât we keep better records?â Robin asked, not for the first time. They were clearly stuck in a time warp. Of Christmas competition and a dwindling coffee creamer supply. âCanât El do that? Isnât that, like, her job?â âDo you know what a state senator does, Locksley?â Elsa asked. Sheâd collapsed onto Liamâs chair when he started pacing two brackets ago, resting her chin on the top of her pulled-up legs.Â
âIâm assuming your tone that I donât.â
âDing ding ding.â âThe problem,â Liam started, and Killian didnât even try to mask his groan. He knew where this was going. The same place it had been going for the last two hours. Absolutely nowhere. âIs that weâŚâ âHave an uneven bracket,â the kitchen finished, and Liam paced louder. Somehow.Â
âWe just have to figure out whoâs going to play-in.â âLiam if you say that one more time, Iâm going to strangle you with tinsel,â Killian threatened.Â
âThat is oddly specific.â âChristmas spirit.â âThatâs another Scrooge reference,â Emma shouted, twisting to knock her knuckles against his shoulder and Killian bit his lip tightly so he didnât actually make any noise. They shouldnât have kept flirting in the kitchen. While Liam freaked out about traditions and tinsel. âHow come we didnât bet on how many times youâd make Scrooge references?â âBecause weâre adults, Swan,â Killian answered.Â
Elsa scoffed.Â
âOk, if I offer myself up for a play-in game, would that help?â Robin asked, dragging the poster across the table and writing in his name before Liam could object.Â
âLocksleyâs going all dad mode,â Will muttered. âPut Mary Margaret in there too. She said sheâd play-in to help because sheâs a better person than all of us.â The kitchen hummed in agreement, and Robin finished half the bracket by the time Liam stopped pacing. Forty-five minutes, and only three more arguments later, the entire thing was full of mismatched handwriting in several different Sharpie colors.Â
Liam taped it to the basement door.Â
âYou know,â Emma drawled, somehow still sitting on Killianâs leg, âIâm coming for your title.â
âThat so? Care to place a wager on that?â
âI thought we were going to be grown up.â âI mean, no one has to know except us. Save face when you lose that way.â âJust diving right into the trash talk, huh?â âYouâre the one who started it, love. The real question isâŚâ âOh my God,â she groaned, but her eyes were bright and heâd probably think about her smile for a questionable amount of time. âIf you say, whether or not youâll finish it, Iâm going to punch you in the face.â Laughter flew out of him, any sense of competition forgotten in the rather desperate desire to make out with his wife again. âMaybe you should be teaching checking techniques.â Emma sneered, nails digging into Killianâs shoulder as she tried to stay balanced. On top of him. âGive me some credit, love. Iâm not going to let you fall.â
Cliches and vaguely romantic double entendres were acceptable on Christmas Eve. Especially if it guaranteed that particular angle, Emmaâs head tilted up and her teeth digging into her lower lip, and he couldnât think when she did that.Â
So.Â
Kissing it was. Anything else was overrated.Â
Although it did make it difficult to hear the pointed cough from the other side of the kitchen.Â
Mr. Vankald rocked back on his heels when Killian finally looked up, amusement coloring his gaze even as the blush on Emmaâs cheeks emitted a very specific kind of heat. âSuper grown up,â she mumbled.Â
âBe glad it wasnât your brother,â Mr. Vankald reasoned. âProbably steal your number one seed.â âHe hung the bracket up,â Killian argued. âThatâs Christmas doctrine now. No more changes or the entire house will rise up in revolt.â
âMight keep things interesting.â âThereâs a giant dent in the dining room wall and youâre still looking for interesting?â âDepends on how the next few minutes go. Câmon.âÂ
He walked away before either Killian or Emma could answer, leaving them sitting on one chair with matching looks of confusion on their face. âSo, uh, weâre supposed to follow him, I guess?â Emma asked.Â
Killian shook his head. âThis has been the weirdest day.â âGod bless us, every one.â âSomething like that, for sure. Letâs go before someone else comes in.â
Mr. Vankald hadnât waited for them â retreating to the dining room and the, now, multiple dents on the baseboards. Killian barely noticed them. He was more interested in the stack of papers sitting on the edge of the table, just a few inches away from the pile of plates and the almost questionable number of forks.
And whatever it was Mrs. Vankald was doing with her face.Â
Like she was half a moment away from a waterfall of tears. If that was possible. It really had been a weird Christmas Eve.Â
âWhatâs going on?â Killian asked cautiously, hooking his foot around one of the empty chairs and nudging Emma towards it.Â
âOverprotective weirdo,â she mumbled. He grinned at her.Â
âMrs. V,â Killian continued, trying very hard not to tug on the back of his hair or grip Emmaâs shoulder too tightly. âYou want to expand on the mandate from before?â
She tilted her head in response, eyebrows lifted slightly and he wasnât quite prepared for the force of her smile.Â
Like he was seventeen and deciding to go to Minnesota. He told them he was going in the dining room. Or like he was seventeen and theyâd found out he and Anna had snuck uptown on the one the weekend before.Â
âSit,â Mr. Vankald instructed, pointing at another chair next to Emma and they must have rented chairs. There were too many people in this family. âWeâve got approximately five minutes before Roland announces heâs hungry again.â âIs that the reason for the cloak and dagger?â âThereâs neither cloak nor dagger,â Mrs. Vankald chastised, smile shaking ever so slightly when the tears finally fell to her cheeks. âSuggests this is bad.â âI feel like Iâm about to get grounded.âÂ
âDid you get grounded a lot?â Emma asked, glancing over her shoulder and it absolutely would have been wrong to kiss her again. Although maybe Mrs. Vankald would stop crying then.Â
Killian shook his head, smirk settling into place with practiced ease, and Emma rolled her eyes. She grabbed his hand. Heâd appreciate that eventually.Â
âNot grounded,â Mr. Vankald said suddenly and Killian snapped his head up. âWeâre giving you the house.â Jaw dropping and shoulders sagging, Killian hadnât really been holding his breath then either, but it had been a very weird day and his lungs were no longer functioning. Emmaâs head moved on a swivel, eyes like saucers as she squeezed his fingers. His knuckles cracked.Â
âWait, what?â
âThe house,â Mr. Vankald repeated, grinning and waving his hand through the air.Â
âI donât understand.â âWhat isnât there to understand?â âAny of it?â Leaning forward, Mrs. Vankald pushed the pile of papers towards Killianâs free hand and he couldnât actually make out the words on the page. His vision had gone glossy.Â
And maybe he squeezed Emmaâs hand that time.Â
âButâŚ.â Emma started, licking her lips. âWhy...we have an apartment.â Neither one of the Vankalds looked impressed. âAnd how many rooms does that apartment have?â Mr. Vankald challenged. âAlso, weâre leaving.â Killian was glad he was sitting because his legs felt like heâd just skated sprints for the last several days. âWhat?âÂ
âLeaving. In a couple of months.â âI amâŚ.wait,â Killian sputtered, blinking again and staring at the doorway like a camera crew was going to appear and announce that this was all some practical joke. Or Liam was doing it to get in his head before air hockey. That would have made more sense. âYouâre moving? From New York?â âOh, no, no,â Mrs. Vankald said, âwe couldnât...not when you areâŚâ âSuper grandparents,â Emma finished, and Mrs. Vankald beamed.Â
âOk,â Killian said, trying to process everything that had happened since theyâd walked into the brownstone. Maybe the kids would let him play hockey after dinner. He wanted to shoot at something. âSo, let me get this straight. Youâre moving out of the brownstone, but staying in New York and youâve already decided this is all just going to be ours?â Mr. Vankald nodded, humming in the back of his throat. âSee. Wasn't confusing, was it?â âYouâre making jokes.â âKillian,â Emma whispered, staring at the papers in her hand. âItâs already done. This is...I mean Iâm not a lawyer or a real estate agent or anything, but this is notarized.â She looked up at the Vankalds, eyes as glossy as his and Killian wished, not for the first time, that they could have these major life conversations on ice. Heâd be able to keep his balance better that way. âWhen?âÂ
âWhen did we decide?â Emma nodded. âAs soon as you brought Matthew home,â Mr. Vankald admitted. Killian wasnât breathing. âAnd then when you told us you were expecting Christopher and Killian had retired, and it made sense. This is...we want you to have this.â
Mr. Vankaldâs smile softened â like gifting the house Killian had grown up in wasnât some kind of overwhelming type of decision. And on C hristmas Eve, no less. Killian tried to swallow down the bundle of nerves and emotion in the back of his throat, leaning towards Emma before he realized heâd shifted in his chair. She kept moving her fingers, alternating between squeezing his hand and swiping her thumb across the back of his palm, and her eyes hadnât moved away from the deed sitting in front of them.Â
âYouâre sure?â Killian asked, voice scratchy and maybe he wasnât seventeen and going to Minnesota. Maybe he was eight years old and terrified that the Vankalds were going to kick him out of the house.Â
Neither one of them answered immediately, but then the floorboards creaked and Mrs. Vankald was next to him, one hand on his cheek and the other on his chest and she stared at him like he was hers in some kind of overwhelmingly emotional way. âThere should be kids here and chaos and horsemen,â she whispered. âThere should be yelling all the time and even more holes in the wall and maybe Mattie can learn how to properly check someone."
"See, scathing."
Mrs. Vankald scrunched her nose. "You should have that. Both of you. This is your home.â
Emma sniffled, lip between her teeth and head resting on Killianâs shoulder. âThe Jones Line,â she muttered. âThatâs what weâve been calling it. You know with three of them.â âThatâs perfect.âÂ
They put another hole in the dining room wall that night â Leo tripping over a hockey stick that somehow ended up propped against the table, and there had been crying and questions about concussions and no one knew how to administer medical assistance when Ariel wasnât there. Which didnât make much sense because she wasnât actually a doctor.Â
In the end, Leo opted to eat another egg roll.Â
And then scored a goal when the quasi-hockey game resumed. Spread across several rooms and inching dangerously close to the Christmas tree, the game had taken on a life of its own, and Matt and Lizzie eventually had to be separated when they started arguing over the location of the penalty box.Â
Mrs. Vankald handed out t-shirts when the game was called a draw, silencing the cries of half a dozen kids as soon as they were gifted brand-new team merch with their names on the back. Matt and Peggy each had a âCâ on their shoulder.Â
âThey tell you?â Elsa asked, knocking her hip against Killianâs where he was leaning against the wall. He nearly jumped a foot in the air. âJeez, KJ, relax. This isnât an interview.â âI am retired. I donât do interviews anymore,.âÂ
âPlease. Youâre as retired asâŚ.something that makes sense.â âComing up a little short of cliches, huh?â âI wasnât looking for a cliche, just an example. Whatever, youâre deflecting. Did they tell you yet? Mom and Dad?â âHow did you know?â âKJ.â Killian groaned, glancing back towards Emma. She was sitting on the corner of the couch, Matt in front of her and already tugging on his t-shirt, with Peggyâs head in her lap, eyelids fluttering and feet tucked underneath her. âYeah,â he said, not sure why it felt like admitting to something. âCalled us into the dining room like they wanted to discuss the end of the world and then justâŚâ âGave you the house.â âYeah.â âGood.â He hadnât been expecting that â and that might have been why he couldn't quite shake the nerves or the twist in his gut and why his eyes kept darting towards Emma and their kids, like he was trying to make sure this wasnât some ridiculous dream heâd come up with a decade before.Â
âGood?â Killian asked, and Elsa nodded.Â
âDo you not think it is?â âLook whoâs deflecting now.â
âNo, Iâm confused. You guys have to move again anyway. Might as well move here. Put some more holes in the wall.â âThat is exactly what Mrs. V said.â âGod,â Elsa sighed. âDonât tell me that. It makes me feel old.â Killian grinned, slinging his arm over her shoulders and Emma met his gaze across the living room â  probably wondering why he kept staring at her like a lunatic. âOh,â Elsa sighed, rapping her knuckles across the front of his shirt. âYouâre an idiot, you know that?â âMerry Christmas.â âDoes Emma know sheâs married to a total idiot?â âProbably, at this point.âÂ
Elsa scoffed and the knuckles had taken a decidedly more aggressive approach. âIâm serious, KJ. How come you donât think you should have the house?â âGet out of my head, witch.â âFirst of all, thatâs rude. Second of all, youâve been brooding and un-Christmasây all night. Liam asked me what was wrong with you. He thought it had something to do with the bracket.â âHe needs to stop with the bracket stuff,â Killian said, but Elsa narrowed her eyes and it felt exactly like being disciplined by Mrs. Vankald. He didnât mention that.Â
âThird of all,â she continued, âItâs not like weâd take it. All things considered.â âWhat are the things weâre considering?â Gritting her teeth, Elsa sighed with all the drama of someone whoâd been keeping something secret for several months. âYou have to promise not to react because I havenât told Mom and Dad yet.â âOk.â âThe national seat is up for reelection next year.âÂ
Killian waited for the rest of it, the explanation that would, eventually, hit and when it, finally, did, he felt like heâd been checked over the boards. âOh, shit,â he yelled, drawing the attention of the entire living room and several reproachful clicked tongues. Emmaâs laugh still didnât sound much like a cough. âElsa Vankald-Jones takes on the world.â âAt least Washington D.C.â âTo start.â âYou canât vote, so your support doesnât count, but I appreciate it,â Elsa smiled. âAnd this is yours, KJ. Has been forever. This city and this house and you should be here. Your kids should be here. Stop thinking otherwise.â Killian hummed, resting his chin on top of Elsaâs head until she cursed. Not in English She also didnât move. And maybe that look Mrs. Vankald had given him before â that promise that this whole roster of a family that didnât share a last name or much more than a ridiculous desire to make each other happy â was real.Â
God bless us, every one.Â
Or something.Â
The kids fell asleep wearing matching t-shirts with the Christmas tree still on, and it only took a few minutes and several glasses of spiked eggnog to get the presents downstairs.Â
And Emma was already in bed when he got to his room, pillows kicked on the floor.
âAre the stockings all hung?â Â
âAt least laid by the chimney with a relative amount of care.â Her eyebrows moved, lips twitching slightly and Killian tried to keep his hand out of his hair. It didnât work. Appeared to be a trend that day. âYou know, itâd be easier to get to the Piers from here,â she said. âMore space. You really could teach Mattie how to check.â âI thought we werenât encouraging the checking.â âAh, yeah, but then he totally dominated whatever game they were playing and maybe he should have several thousand square feet to fine-tune that. Plus, you know, Ruby mentioned something.â Killian dropped onto the edge of the bed â  knocking off a few more pillows in the process â and Emma scrunched her nose. âBetween you, El and the Vankalds, I feel like Iâm on the wrong end of all the secrets.â âMore like late-breaking news.â âEnlighten me.â âAriel texted Ruby about whatever Dylan is doing with Mattie and sheâs super upset and she thinks youâre going to be pissed after the break because sheâs not monitoring her nine-year-old enforcer on skates.â
âIâm not pissed,â Killian promised, ignoring Emmaâs immediate scoff. âIâm not, Swan. I justâŚâ âKillian Jones, defender of his kids.â âExactly that.â âRuby was mad enough for everyone involved anyway, even Mattie, and I think he was just upset that he couldnât score twenty times a game when he was worried about getting hit.â âAt this point I honestly wouldnât be surprised if he did score twenty goals a game,â Killian muttered. Maybe heâd had more than one glass of spiked eggnog.Â
âItâs because heâs trying to be you.â
Twisting wasnât easy when he was laying on his back â or when Emmaâs fingers were in his hair, but he was nothing if not stubborn and there was another joke about magnets to be made. When his hand rested on her stomach again.Â
Emma smiled at him.Â
âDonât talk to me about whatever sentiment that entails. Iâm super pregnant and itâs Christmas and weâve been given several thousand square feet of house.â âSuper pregnant, huh?â Emma waved her hand, pointing at her stomach and Killian flipped over â head somehow finding its way onto he legs. She didnât stop moving her fingers through his hair. âAt least now we know where Peggy gets it,â she added softly, tapping her thumb on his temple.Â
âAre you suggesting sheâs inherited an innate desire to have her hair played with?â âAre you?â âPossibly,â Killian admitted, reaching up to tug Emmaâs hand back down. He wrapped his fingers around hers, glancing up to make sure she was still smiling before pressing a kiss underneath her wedding ring. âWhat do you think, Swan?â âAbout?â âSeveral thousand feet of checkâable living space.â âOverwhelmed, a little,â she admitted, âbut not in the way youâre thinking.â âHow am I thinking of it, exactly?â âYou know Scarlet asked if, and Iâm quoting here, Cap is doing that thing with his face because heâs mad about having to face Mary Margaret in the first round of the tournament.â âJeez,â Killian groaned, hand moving towards her stomach out of instinct. He was met, immediately, with a kick. âHey, kid,â he mumbled, smiling despite the nerves and the worry and there was a lot of square footage. Room for a whole Jones Line.Â
âHeâs been doing somersaults all night.â âYou think thatâs a sign?â âAbout being able to do somersaults in all the space of a downtown brownstone?â Emma laughed, and Killianâs eyes darted back up towards hers. There were tear tracks on her cheeks, but she didnât look as worried about the ridiculous amount of family gifting theyâd been on the receiving end that afternoon. âKind of,â she said. âAnd you already said we.â âThatâs true. You didnât answer my question though.â âIâm not worried about some Vankald family overload or even what happens next Christmas when we inevitably have to order the Chinese food. I amâŚâÂ
She trailed off and the sigh was more of an exhale, eyes falling on the pile of pillows and the edge of the bed and it felt symmetrical to be back in that room â where it had started and sustained a desperate middle and watched Emma Swan tell Killian Jones she loved him for the very first time on Christmas Eve.Â
âYou areâŚâ Killian prompted, grinning when Emma glared.Â
âItâs not something I ever thought I could have,â she said quickly, stumbling over the words and refusing to meet his gaze and it was like heâd been pulled into the mattress or maybe through the floor and Killian sat up before his mind had processed the idea of moving. âA house and a hockey line and you...trying to make out all over the place.â Killian barked out a laugh, leaning forward and kissing her â again. His lips slanted over hers, one hand pressed into her hair as he tried to tug her towards him or touch every single inch of her and he could live for the rest of time without ever quite getting over how much he loved Emma Swan right back.Â
On Christmas Eve, or any other day.Â
âThatâs because I;m super attracted to you,â Killian said, and it was the most honest string of words heâd come up with all day. âItâs a struggle not to make out with you all the time.â âMattie would never forgive us.â âHeâd cope.â âI love you a ridiculous amount you giant, vaguely attractive weirdo.â âVaguely attractive? You wound me, Swan.â âAh, well, I will admit that becoming a homeowner adds to your overall attractiveness.â
Kissing her again was the only reasonable response â Â brushing his lips across her face and down her neck and over her shoulder and she probably would have actually punched him if he tried to kiss her stomach, but he was on some other level of overjoyed and Killian was willing to live on the edge, as it were.Â
âEl told me I deserve this,â Killian muttered, pressing the words against Emmaâs t-shirt. âBut at the risk of being a sentimental asshole, I think you do too, love.â âTeam Jones,â Emma whispered, tugging on the collar of his t-shirt so he moved back up, falling asleep wrapped up together.Â
Until several kids tried to check the door the next morning.Â
#cs ff#captain swan#captain swan ff#cs fic#captain swan fic#a few days off for chirstmas#blue line one shots#just fyi guys: the likelihood of me posting chirstmas fic every day this week is very high
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The Greatest Kingdom | RWBY Volume 7 Chapter 1 Review
Now that my hype has died down a respectable amount, I think Iâm clear-headed enough to express my thoughts on the RWBY Volume 7 premiere. Iâm going to hold off on posting this until itâs publicly available and everyone comfortably knows what Iâm on about, so by the time of reading, thisâll be a week-or-so old.
Going into Volume 7, I have to say, I was extremely excited. Volume 6 was a little bittersweet for me: a solid mix of things I liked and didnât, where one didnât really overshadow or completely take away from the other. The hiatus between Volumes 6 and 7 was also particularly exhausting, on both a mental and emotional level, and while that may sound over-dramatic, Iâm sure many can attest to how much of a drag it all was.Â
However, Volume 7 set us up somewhere Iâve been aching to see more of for a while: since Volume 2, if Iâm honest. That being, of course, the Kingdom of Atlas and its defunct partner, Mantle. Thereâs so much rich potential for story in Atlas and, as âThe Greatest Kingdomâ revealed, CRWBY was set to dive right in, to some fairly pleasant results.
We open the Chapter with a shot panning down through the night sky, with our typical emphasis on the shattered moon. This is the first Volume, though, wherein we are aware of its true nature: how it got to be that way and, appropriately, the raised stakes now quite literally looming over our heroesâ heads. There is something more immediate to attend to, however, revealed as the shot finishes moving: the Atlesian air fleet.
Iâm not certain if this was mentioned anywhere too openly, but Volume 7 Chapter 1 was originally intended to be the finale of Volume 6. I seem to recall Neath Oum, the voice of Ren, making comment on how an important moment was shifted because of this change (which weâll get to in a bit). Point being, the Volume picks up exactly where Volume 6 left off, with the heroesâ stolen air ship, Manta 5-1, being welcomed home by an Atlesian officer. It doesnât feel all that much like the premieres of the past; simply a continuation, though Iâm hesitant to label that as a good or bad thing.
âBut we are here,â Jaune then insists to the group. âWe got the lamp to Atlas, so I guess we land and get some answers.â Itâs obviously not going to be that simple -- wouldnât be very interesting if it was -- but thatâs something that stuck out to me. The heroes, this little hiccup aside, have accomplished the majority of their mission. They made it to Atlas, which was as far as they presumably intended to go (Yang, V6Ch6: âWe canât stop until the lamp is safeâ). Theyâre our heroes, of course, so something will keep them going, but I am interested to see exactly what does push them to continue a fight they now feel is rather pointless. James has a line in the trailer about how âuntil now, I believed it was impossible to truly turn the tide against Salemâ. I do wonder what that could be, and moreover, whether or not our heroes will inform him of everything they learned in Volume 6.
Back in the Chapter, Weiss warns that if they land in a stolen air ship, thereâs no way theyâll be heard out or get a chance to speak with Ironwood. Now, I promise this is the only time Iâll mention further gripes with Volume 6 but honestly: you couldnâtâve realized that sooner? That shouldâve been the first thing on their minds when they decided to take such a risky course of action: is this really going to get us where we need to go when we know that the Kingdom of Atlas has closed its borders? It doesnât matter that the air fleet is deployed aggressively; they should have accounted for the fact that they wouldnât just be able to waltz right up Atlas. Yet somehow they seem to have forgotten about that until this rather convenient -- or inconvenient -- moment.
After Weiss perks up and remembers she can contact her sister, we get our first look at Mantle proper, and itâs wonderful. Literally down-to-earth, the dirty streets and brown-grey color palette intermixed with neon signage gives it something of a dystopian feel that is incredibly unique. Here, we get our first look at General James Ironwood since Volume 4 (discounting the Volume 7 trailer), and the presentation is telling. On an enormous neon holographic display, looming over the city of Mantle, and though his words are a promise of safety, he makes them at a distance. I doubt this is intended as screaming âdictatorâ, but merely showing a divide; one that is certainly not good. Yang and Ruby share a remark that he looks tired and Qrow wonders worriedly what heâs been doing (a year is kindly added to my life every time Qrow calls him âJamesâ, and yes I will die in this rarepair hell). Indeed it seems that, in the month and a bit since Weiss left, things have taken a steep turn for the worse, with constant Atlesian patrols and surveillance drones in the streets. Itâs certainly looking bleak, and Iâd be lying if I said I didnât love this set-up. The shot with the children lobbing a pebble at a drone, then hiding from it, in particular does a good job solidifying that this has become a norm, but an unwelcome one.
Weiss continues to insist that Winter can help them, but our first look at the eldest Schnee sibling begs to differ. It appears as though sheâs upholding the military law placed over Mantle, and this seems to shock Weiss a good deal. With that off the table, Maria interjects that she knows someone who can help them.
Now would probably be a good moment for a quick aside to mention how wonderful of a job Jason Liebrecht does as the new voice of Qrow. The difference is noticeable, but I found it wasnât enough to completely throw me off: at least, not for long. Itâll take some getting used to, but the character is no different, and Jasonâs performance is solid.
Our heroes head out into the streets of Mantle, and we get a bit of light exposition from Maria about the Kingdom on the walk, after Yang continues to be everyoneâs favorite brash blonde and kick subtlety out into the middle of the street where it is summarily smashed by a truck. I donât have much to say about the encounter with Rupert the Drunk other than it felt perfectly in-place for what we know of Atlas and Mantle, and that Mariaâs right: these kids have no concept of keeping a low profile when it counts. Not that I can blame Weiss; I honestly probably would have done the same. Although, given that we do see Rupertâs blue-beanieâd friend in the trailer, and how the shot pans back to show Winter, Iâm willing to make a bet that this particular man will let someone in Mantle know the lost ex-Schnee heiress is back.
And then weâre introduced to Pietro. He is wonderful. Please protect.
The scene itself plays out as fairly lighthearted, until Yang and Blake bring the topic back around to the situation in Mantle. From there, we hear what we were basically expecting: James is scared (âparanoidâ, as Pietro corrects), and it seems like our heroes arenât the only ones having a hard time figuring out who to trust. Iâd be hard pressed to believe that, given the Volumeâs opening and the circumstances, the Queen virus from Volumes 2 and 3 is completely out of the picture. As it was so succinctly put by a fellow Redditor: this Volume is going to break this man.
Weiss steps up to ask about the Council and Winter, but itâs quickly sidetracked by Pietro recognizing her, and then Yang by the arm that he, presumably, built for her. The revelation that Pietro knows Team RWBY isnât given much time to sink in before the alarms out in the street begin to blare and it becomes time for the premiereâs obligatory -- but honestly, very well done -- fight scene.
And now I will make my own obligatory aside to praise the music. The guitar piece in this fight is not done by Jeff Williams, as many probably expected, but is rather Alex Abrahamâs work. Iâve seen a good handful of people I mentioned this to be surprised that he even plays guitar, and yes; yes, he does. And he kicks ass at it, if that wasnât obvious enough.
While I saw the fight scene a handful of times before the Chapter premiered, thanks to RTX and again about three days before hand when it was released through Entertainment Weekly, Iâm still incredibly impressed by it on a technical level. Itâs a fight scene mostly for the sake of having a fight scene, but it looks damn good. Qrow, Oscar and Rubyâs sections stood out to me the most as having some solid choreography and camera work.
And then in a somewhat jarring shift in tone (will this show ever decide if the Grimm are a threat or not? Will power levels ever not give us a headache? Find out... sometime! Hopefully!), we get the aforementioned big moment: Penny, our resident robotic ray of sunshine, is alive and well!
And... kinda honestly makes our heroes look like jobbers? I say that fondly, and with a good deal of chuckling, because I do recall that Monty (or perhaps it was one of the boys?) mentioned Miles and Kerry were fairly averse to having a character use lasers specifically because of how powerful they are. In any case, it makes for a spectacular entrance, and I do especially love Pennyâs graceful little flair of a pirouette up to the moon before she lands.
I will say perhaps my one gripe with this episode isnât Pennyâs return, but Ruby and the othersâ reaction to it. It doesnât break the episode, but allowing for comedy over what should have honestly been a very emotional moment for our lead didnât sit right with me, personally. Itâs treated as though this was almost expected, or at least a possibility they knew about in-universe, not a âholy crap, we saw her get torn to shredsâ. Just because the audience expects it doesnât mean the characters would, and I think I was simply expecting more from it. Then again, this is only Chapter 1, so weâll see where they go with it.
After Penny blasts off to go save another quadrant of the city (she is now its official protector, after all), and Maria is brilliantly oblivious, RNJRWBY and QO are, in an unsurprising turn of events, apprehended by Ace Ops (ASOPS, Atlesian Special OPerativeS, would make a lick more sense, but ah well). Iâm a bit concerned about the big ensemble this Volume, but I love the no-shits-given Chad vibes off their leader, Clover. It seems as though his Semblance, or character inspiration at least, is good luck (spinning a horseshoe, wearing a rabbitâs foot and has a clover as his emblem), and I cannot wait for him to have some dynamic with Qrow.
And Clover summarily lists off how many rules theyâve violated in the city in the span of about 10 minutes. Maria: hums, nods, fucks off. Basically one big âwelp, heâs got ya there kidsâ. Bless her snarky soul; I hope this isnât the last time we see her.
And, yes, thank you very much: these are the consequences I was hoping for. Itâs likely to just get them where they need to go -- we wouldnât have a Volume if they were in jail for all of it -- but they did still break the law and thatâs that as far as Atlasâ forces were ever going to be concerned. Iâm contented with something surface-level on that front.
We end the Chapter with our heroes arrested, in the back of a transport, and looking like theyâre reevaluating their life choices. Cue the new OP!
Briefly: visuals of the new intro are solid, the staff of Creation being behind Montyâs name is really damn clever, âTrust Loveâ is a wonderful pop-y theme, Pennyâs a cinnamon roll, someone please save James from all this bullshit.
Overall, a strong continuation off the previous Volume, but again Iâd be hesitant to say it felt like a âproperâ premiere. Itâs very different from the feeling of previous ones, which can be chalked up to the fact that it wasnât supposed to be a premiere but a finale, so ultimately I cannot fault it for coming out like neither. It was a good introduction to Mantle, the dynamic of the lower Kingdom, and left me in anticipation of whatâs to come, which is such a refreshing feeling.
Iâm hopeful and excited for the rest of the Volume. Letâs see where this roller coaster ride takes us.
#rwby#rwby volume 7#it was solid#also LOVE the OP#catch me swooning over Qrow's new look#in fact all the new looks are growing on me#oh and Robin Hill!#she's gonna be neat#ace ops too#so much cool stuff#i'm just worried they won't have time for it all tbh
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okay, all right, I got some Emotions to get out because theyâre starting to fester, honestly I thought Iâd dealt with a good chunk of them years ago, but I guess not
under a cut because itâll be Long and also very Why Does This Keep Happening to Me, which is not something I indulge in much because it leads to a spiral 9/10 times
I quit my job about a week ago, is the gist of it, but the Why Me is because they were threatening to demote me and because this is the second time this has happened to me.
so back in september when I was promoted, it was with the understanding with my immediate boss (who had more power at the time, he was effectively demoted too, itâs almost like thereâs a pattern of behavior here) that I could only work three shifts a week because Iâm Severely Clinically Depressed and can only work that often if Iâd like to live in small piles of my own filth rather than active rotting mountains. it wasnât enthusiastically accepted, but it was accepted, and it stood fine for four months.
in the interim, first boss was effectively demoted (was store manager, then became a Superlead, so like an Extra Special Shift Manager; moved from salaried to hourly and Yes It Was A Pay Cut) and understandably stopped giving a shit, so he was eventually fired and replaced by actually promoting from within. I like her, it was a good choice, but the whole thing still sucked.
the entire chain (11+ stores) also moved from doing schedules at the store level to having One Centralized Schedule Person, a move that none of us liked because weâd rather talk in person to a person we know about why our schedules need to be that way instead of Some Person We Send Emails To. Iâm far from the only neurodivergent person who was working at my tiny forgotten store, much less the entire company, so it was like, fuck, now what do we do. the company, btw, proudly markets itself as Accepting of All Diversities and Mainly Here For The Medical Patients, Although We Like Recreational Users Too.
aside: the lady hired is married to one of the Powers That Be, a PTB who is by all accounts a pretty cool dude, but I have sincere doubts that Scheduling Lady was in any way qualified to be Scheduling Lady for Over 100 People and strongly suspect nepotism, since I donât believe she was working for the company previously to becoming Scheduling Lady.
I quickly started feeling resistance from Scheduling Lady, mostly from sheer overwhelmed-ness of going from 0 to Handling the Schedule for 100+ people, but also because I wouldnât cover shifts because of the aforementioned depression reasons. this is partly because the store I was at was So Goddamned Tiny that anyone unable to work a shift triggered a minor catastrophe that was generally solved by A) granting overtime or B) shuttling someone over from another store.
then the new year happens.
I notice that, for the second week of january, Iâm scheduled for only two shifts instead of my usual three. theyâre both shift manager shifts, which will become important later. I feel something niggling in the back of my brain, but because this is the first instance of this, I put it aside and send an email to Scheduling Lady asking to be restored to my regular three.
about 4-5 days later, I get a response from her amounting roughly to no, and that shift managers are expected to work four shifts/week. apparently the emailâs been chilling in her drafts. (this is a paraphrase, I have a screenshot of said email on my phone)
at this place in the story, hereâs a reminder that Iâd been a shift manager for four months at this point, and that for those four months, at least two of which were during her tenure, my usual three shifts had been completely fine.
at this point I enter a depressive episode, because I feel like Iâm being punished for something that was Completely Fine. I marinate in it for approximately three days, during which I receive my schedule for the week after -- Iâve been given two non-manager shifts, which feels like a Big, Hearty Fuck-You -- until the day of the store meeting, before which I tearfully ask my immediate supervisor (the Extra Special Shift Manager) and the regional manager responsible for my store if Iâm being demoted.
Regional Manager doesnât immediately say no.
Regional Manager instead says -- very nicely, heâs also a pretty cool dude, heâs one of the people who originally trained me when I first got hired Which Only Makes This Worse -- he instead repeats the thing about how shift managers are expected by the company to work four shifts/week.
I fully start crying at this point and am handed a box of tissues.Â
I tell them that Iâm clinically depressed and can only work three shifts, as Iâve been doing.
Iâm then asked if Iâd like to step down, citing the story of a coworker who decided he was too stressed to be a store manager, back when that was still a thing, and stepped down two levels to budtender, which is entry-level and the level Iâd been promoted beyond four months previously.Â
I say thatâs cool for him, but I want to continue to be a shift manager, and Iâm not going to be forced downwards, because almost this exact thing has happened to be before, only I was stupid enough to go back.
[itâs a long story, but itâs from back when I was an assistant swim coach (some of you may have known me then, I donât remember because my memories from around then are shitty and full of holes because depression!). tldr, at the end of the summer I was paid maybe half what someone with half of my coaching experience was paid and wanted to be there so badly the next summer that I returned as a volunteer, only to quit halfway through because an entirely new coaching staff had been hired in the interim and now there was no place for me to do anything and I couldnât take it anymore. I was the youngest, but had been there the longest.]
I just took a break to sob into my hand. I have really not dealt with that betrayal at all.
back to 2018.
Regional Manager looks like he hadnât thought of it that way, says he wants to keep me on and move me to the store that will be opening -- eventually -- much nearer to my place. says he canât promise anything, but heâll bring it up on Monday (this was Thursday) at the PTB meeting and see what he can do.
I go outside to cry on Husband, who has stuck around after dropping me off because heâs a genius and knew this would probably happen. heâs reminded me that I can quit a couple of times at this point, which we are very finacially able to do, but weâre kind of. saving up to buy a house. so that guilt is fun.
I dry my face off and go back inside to work my closing shift.
over the weekend, the depressive episode deepens. I keep cycling back to things like âit was fine for four monthsâ, âwhy does this matterâ, âwhy is this the hill they want to die onâ, âif they want me to take four shifts why was I moved down to twoâ, and the old standby âdo they all secretly hate meâ, helped along by the fact that I HAD TO START THE CONVERSATION. no email, no nothing from Regional Manager. I had to notice on my own through how I was being scheduled.
by Monday, things have gotten so bad in the brain case that Iâm sporting a brand new set of stress acne and do my best not to curl up into a ball whenever the thought of the store crosses my mind.
Regional Manager pulls it off in the meeting, and says I can come back to the way things were before. I take a day to compose my reply, but encouraged by Husband, I quit because âthe stress surrounding this whole affair has negatively affected my healthâ because it has. Iâm still crying as I write this, btw. still have painful stress acne.
now Iâm dealing with lingering guilt and stress and depressive episodes and super fun job-hunting stress which is my ABSOLUTE FAVORITE THING IN THE WHOLE WORLD and everythingâs flipped so hard that I actually miss it there.
this, this is why I went back to the swim team.
I fucking hate everything.
I call out sick twice in six months, donât cover shifts because of a medical reason, have exactly zero discipline marks on my record, and this is how I leave.
fuck everything.
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