#woke up still craving crab rangoon

[random-kido]

Suddenly remembered that the thing that started by rdc kick today was the fact that I woke up craving crab rangoons lmao

[lumine-no-hikari]

Dear Sephiroth: (a letter to a fictional character, because why not) #346

I have 7 hours of sleep, yay! Admittedly, it's still not the ideal 8 that I was going for, but today I am not writing while trying to stop my head from drooping down to the table. I can keep my eyes open. I'm not struggling to focus. Here's how I woke up today:

Mogwai is very cute. Please do feel free to say hello!

I mostly rested today. I was supposed to meet a new friend from the friend-making app at Eggcellent, but when I asked them if they were still on for today, they reported that they must stay late at work and asked for a different time. I asked them to tell me a different date and time at their leisure. The ball is in their court now; I guess we'll see what happens.

M saw how stressed J and I were from yesterday, and suggested that we get Chinese takeout as a means to relax and enjoy tasty snacks that we don't have to prepare. And I thought that this was an excellent idea. I got a variety of things, though my favorite things were probably the crab rangoons and the grilled squid...

The container of turkey on the far right is not from the takeout place, though. No, that is from J's parents' house. I asked them to give me the parts of the turkey that they're not going to use – namely, the skins and the wing tips. No one eats those, but I like them because that's where all the tasty collagen is.

I crave it all the time, and I suspect it's due to the fact that the Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome makes my cartilage wear out a little faster than normal.

...I thanked them for giving it to me, but... J's father made it a point to tell me, essentially, that there's no reason to thank me because the only reason they're giving it to me is because it's “expendable”.

...Sigh. The thinly-veiled hostility is exactly that – thinly veiled. Oh well.

This morning, J and his father got into a textual kerfuffle because apparently, his father didn't like the fact that J didn't obey him when he told J to get dishes for the pies. J didn't obey him, because J was already in the middle of doing it when his father demanded that he do it. Feeling disrespected and like he was being ordered around arbitrarily, J stopped doing it.

For context, J's father has a habit of asserting dominance over his children by ordering them to do things that he could definitely do on his own. One glaring example that stands out in J's memory was one time when they were all watching some TV show together, and J's father demanded that J get up and get him a glass of orange juice, as though J is some kind of servant. Apparently, J's father does this sort of thing a lot. He seems to get a kick out of pushing people around that he considers “lesser” as compared to him.

Well, this time, J wasn't having it, and told his father “no”. And in the end, J's mother got the plates, because J's father didn't wanna do it. And for all intents and purposes, it seemed just... like... “okay, you don't wanna get the plates.” Which would have been the normal response.

For reference, I ask for things, and J says no all the time, and that is a good thing. Having healthy boundaries is essential. It took a long time to break J of the habit of automatically saying “yes” to anything I ask for, even at the expense of himself. But J is NOT an extension of my will, and I don't ever want him to behave as such; he is a full person with his own needs, wishes, thoughts, feelings, and priorities. He's not my personal errand boy or my personal problem solver.

Unfortunately, neither of J's parents, and especially not his father, feel the same. So today, J's father came at J via text, demanding an explanation for J's behavior, and asserting that J personally attacked, affronted, and disrespected him by not doing what he told him.

...The sense of entitlement J's father has to J's immediate and unquestioning obedience is real and VERY bizarre, considering that J is only 5 years away from being 40 years old.

So J explained his position, and his father REALLY didn't like the answer. Responded with a whooooole ton of gaslighting, guilt trips, projection, and deflection. It was one of the most spectacular adult temper tantrums I've seen in a while. Grade A cognitive dissonance there, when J explained that his father tends to belittle, dismiss, and invalidate him, and his father comes out with, and I quote, “you have spent 35 years misinterpreting your reality.”

...Wow, J's dad; way to do EXACTLY the thing that J said you do while claiming you don't do it. Holy shit. And what's worse, J's dad's reaction to J's explanation was foreseen, precisely because he consistently acts this way.

Well. It is what it is. J turned to M and I for support with trying to keep his responses measured, logical, and well-thought-out. J ended with something akin to “I'm here to talk when you're ready to hear me without belittling me.” And that was very good. M and I were very proud.

...Still, there's part of me that kinda wants to punch J's dad's face right off. Like, so hard that it flies off his skull and lands on Pluto. That's because I feel rage whenever someone deliberately tries to hurt someone I'm close to. But that is not how we do. It is not the way. That sort of thing is how I grew up, for sure. But that is not who I wanna be. And this is J's fight, anyway. We can be here for support, but it's J's voice that has to stand up to his father in a way that conveys integrity and respect, despite J's father's lack of these things.

When we use the same tactics of the people who hurt us, it's tantamount to stooping to their level. There are better ways of handling toxic behaviors than mirroring those behaviors back at the person who engaged in them. By mirroring their toxicity, we perpetuate its existence within our own minds and bodies, and that's no good. We can't clear out generational curses by becoming the very same thing that hurt us. That's not how it works. So we have to choose something else. And when that doesn't work, we have to step away from those people – sometimes permanently, as much as that sucks.

So... I tried resting today, but I got a bit riled up on J's behalf. But that's all right, these things happen. I chilled out on the couch for a bit while talking to a new friend I made from the friend-making app; he's from Italy! Here was my view from the couch:

...Hunter, Mogwai, and Hoshi. All the cats, all the time! Hahahaha...!

Maybe I'll try to learn a little Italian. Why not. If it'll help me talk to my Italian friend a little better, why not?

Fwhoof. Actually. Sephiroth. I'm starting to nod off again, even though it's only 11:13pm. I guess I'm not fully recovered from all those days of 5 hours of sleep or less.

...I gotta get up early for work tomorrow, too. I'm looking forward to going, but... I wanna be well-rested and present while I'm there. So I guess I'll go to bed now.

...I wonder how things are in your general vicinity... I wish you could tell me...

Hey, Sephiroth? Don't forget that you're loved, okay? Because I love you a whole lot, and lots of other people do, too. If you look around, you'll find tons and tons of folks who were very much unlike those you were raised with. We of my house found all kinds of awesome folks, once we were able to look beyond the veil of painful memories that clouded our vision. I hope someday that you, too, will be able to look at the world with unclouded eyes.

Please stay safe. I'll write again tomorrow.

Your friend, Lumine

[shion-yu]

Day 22: "You didn't use my cup, did you?"

988 words for @sicktember, an Elliot and Alex tour story. No TWs.

Elliot didn’t usually drink, but after their show tonight he very quickly downed two beers and now was on a glass of wine to relax. He’d been sick all day, coughing even between singing verses and feverish with chills that made him feel strangely cold even under the hot stage lights. He was not going to cancel a show, he never would, but that didn’t stop him from looking like absolute crap. The audience had filled in multiple lines for him, which he’d gratefully thanked them for from stage all the while feeling more and more useless as the show went on. Now, finally, it was over. They had one day off tomorrow before their next show, and Elliot planned on sleeping for the entire day and a half before he had to be on stage again. He just needed to wind down, first.

The glass of wine he was sipping was finally hitting him, and Elliot was just starting to relax when Alex swooped in, stole his drink and BAM, there went his relaxation.

“Alex!”

Alex turned in surprise at Elliot’s shrill voice. “What?”

“You didn’t use my cup, did you?” Elliot said, his tone entirely defeated because he knew for a fact that Alex had. Alex looked down at the glass of wine in his hand and swore.

“Fuck. Oops.”

Elliot dropped his head in his hands with a groan. “Great, now we’re both going down.”

“Hey, I have a pretty good immune system,” Alex said, but he didn’t really believe it was going to help him when Elliot was clearly at the peak of contagiousness right now. He grimaced. “We have Emergen-C on this bus somewhere. I’m gonna go chug it.”

“Please do,” Elliot said miserably. 

Unfortunately, and predictably, the Emergen-C did nothing. Elliot slept all day as promised and Alex told himself he was just feeling run down until he woke up the morning of their next show with a scratchy throat and a low grade fever. 

“I told you,” Elli out said accusingly when he saw Alex at sound check fumbling with a bottle of aspirin. “You look like crap.”

“No thanks to you,” Alex muttered. “I can still play.”

Elliot, who was also still working through the tail end of this cold, snorted loudly. “Yeah, I know. Me too. Doesn’t mean it’s gonna be fun. Gimme some of those.”

They popped aspirin together like it was some strange ceremonial pre-show ritual. The show was… rough. Decent enough. But they both stumbled off stage with fevers, skipped the encore, and spent the rest of the evening passed out on the bus thanks to hefty swigs of NyQuil. They shared that cup too, but it certainly didn’t matter at this point.

“This is your fault,” Alex whined, coughing pathetically and openly. He didn’t bother to cover his mouth at this point, since it was just the two of them on the bus and it wasn’t like Elliot could catch more of his own cold.

“My fault?!” Elliot exclaimed incredulously. “You’re entirely, 100% at fault here.” He plucked a tissue from the box they’d been sharing, which was already running dangerously low despite replacing it only hours before. The sinus pressure when he blew his nose made his eyes water.

“It’s your fault for being so weak to catch a cold first,” Alex elaborated grumpily. Elliot ignored his accusation and scrolled through local takeout menus on his phone until he found a place that, at least by their pictures, appeared to make a proper thom yum soup. It was the only thing he was craving right now. “Do you want food or not?”

“Crab rangoon.”

“That is absolutely not sick food,” Elliot said. But he ordered it anyways, knowing Alex didn’t give a shit what was sick food or not. What he really wanted right now, was for his mom to make him her grilled cheese and tomato soup that no matter what, he could never recreate despite it being wonder bread and American cheese slices. He wanted Cliff to hold him, give him more sympathy than he really needed, and to fall asleep watching reality TV in bed together. But instead he was stuck on a tour bus in Nevada with Alex far away from any at-home comforts.

Elliot sighed and made the order. By the time the food came, he was too sleepy to really care about eating anymore but forced down a few mouthfuls before passing out in his bunk, Alex having done the same above him. They were halfway through their tour, and this was just a bump, Elliot told himself as he drifted into unconsciousness. It’d be worth it - it already was worth it - he just had to weather this damn cold.

He wasn’t sure where they were - probably somewhere past the Arizona border - when he woke up to something cold on his face. Elliot whined and pushed the coldness away, shivering. “Cliff, leave me alone,” he mumbled.

“Keep it on,” a voice that wasn’t Cliff growled. Elliot slowly opened his eyes and realized it was Alex crouched beside his bunk with a wet washcloth. He stared at the younger man in confusion. “Your fever is bad,” Alex explained gruffly. “If you’re awake, take some more Tylenol.”

Elliot didn’t have time to answer before Alex climbed back up into his bunk and shut the curtain. He picked the washcloth off his face, in shock even half asleep as he was that Alex had decided to help him. He knew Alex was uncomfortable with that sort of thing - probably why he’d escaped back up to his bed so quickly - but the gesture, small as it was, made Elliot feel surprisingly loved. He took the Tylenol obediently and then bundled himself back under his blankets, shivering but feeling just a bit better knowing that even if he didn’t have quite what he wanted right now in terms of care, he had someone.

[cosmicbug379]

You Look Good in Purple

Pairing: Francisco “Catfish” Morales x Reader

Rating: T? There’s like one swear word. 

Warnings: None? This is super soft because I’m in a Mood™ and don’t seem to want to write anything else right now.

I’m back with another fic! Woo! This is extra extra SOFT because I woke up to a damn earthquake this morning and I felt like I deserved a little self indulgent fluff. I love Frankie so much and this is my first time writing for him so hopefully it’s not too bad. Honestly I should probably stop saying it’s my first time for anything because this is like the 3rd fic I’ve posted here so it’s safe to assume it’s my first time writing anything. SO if you desire to read my reader insert you may, but this is mostly for me. Also I suck at titles and endings, but I was afraid if I tried to drag it on more I would just make it worse so I hope the ending isn’t too bad.

Waiting for Frankie to get home was taking too damn long so you had decided to start painting the nursery without him.You hadn’t been able to decide on a color for the baby girl you had on the way and finally he had just picked one. You two had decided on a lavender purple for the walls and then Frankie had spent hours finding the perfect little pink butterfly decals to put over the crib. He was more excited than you had ever seen him and everyone could tell. He always made sure to research and buy the best things available for your baby girl. He was going to spoil her, you just knew it.

You had finished the white base coat by the time he finally got home and he was less than thrilled that you had started without him.

“We were going to do this together, baby,” he almost whined.

“I know, but I was bored and you were taking forever. Besides, I only did the base coat! We can still do the purple together and put up the butterflies and the crib and everything,” you defended. 

Frankie sighed but wrapped his arms around you and kissed your forehead.

“Alright, but you’re not getting on that step ladder anymore. It’s old and I don’t want it to break and you get hurt.”

“Fine,” you agreed. “But you have to buy me Chinese food because I’m really craving some crab rangoons and sesame chicken.”

He laughed and agreed to buy you Chinese food before helping you set up the rest of the paint and get started. You were on opposite sides of the room, and he smiled when he heard you singing along to the music coming from the speaker you had set up in the middle. He liked it when you sang, it usually meant you were happy. 

“I haven’t heard this song since our wedding,” he mumbled and turned to look at you singing along.

“Really? That’s impressive, because I listen to it all the time. It’s one of my favorites. It reminds me of you.” You smile at him before going back to your painting. 

Frankie watched you a little longer before switching sides and coming to stand beside you to paint the same wall. He doesn’t say anything, and neither do you, it’s just nice to be near each other. You’re about to say something about how nice it is to spend time with him when all of a sudden you feel some paint hit the side of your face and you gasp.

“Francisco! I swear to god if you just got paint in my hair I will kill you!” you turn to him and glare, but he can tell you don’t really mean it. 

“I didn’t do a thing,” he feigns innocence and tries not to smile too big. 

You roll your eyes and go back to painting. He thinks you might not retaliate, but after a few seconds, you gather a large glob of paint on your brush and fling it at him, getting it all over his shirt and face. It takes him a moment to register what just happened before he laughs and turns to you. 

“Oh, I’m gonna get you for that one, sweetheart. That was way more paint than I threw at you.” He waited a moment before lunging for you and you laughed and moved away from him, but he was faster. Catching you and pulling you back against his chest he uses the paintbrush in his hand to brush it all over your growing belly and then up over your neck before laughing and kissing your cheek.

You laugh along with him before turning around and kissing him deeply, pulling yourself as close as you can. He kisses you back enthusiastically and you both lose yourselves for a moment, but when Frankie is least expecting it, you strike. Using the paintbrush still in your hand you pull away from the kiss and immediately wipe the paint over his mouth and face before running from him again.

He chases after you, but not before gathering a little more paint on his brush for his revenge. The paint fight that ensues has both of you laughing and leaves you covered from head to toe. You decide Frankie looks good in purple and you tell him so with a laugh.

“Well thank you, beautiful. I was thinking the same thing about you. But we’ll have to buy more paint to finish up these walls,” he teases gently.

You look around and realize he’s right. Most of the paint has made it onto the two of you instead of the walls and there’s definitely not enough left to finish the job. 

“Well. Shit,” you laugh and look up at him. “To be fair, you started it. I guess we’ll just have to go get more and finish tomorrow when you get to stay home with me all day!”

Frankie laughs quietly but smiles and kisses your hair gently before whispering, “that sounds perfect, mi amor. Now let’s go take a shower and I’ll order us some food.”

You agree happily and follow him to the bathroom. It takes longer than you both anticipated to finally get all the paint off both of you. Frankie helps you wash your hair three times before it’s all out, but it was worth it. With everything that had been going on recently with Frankie getting his pilot license revoked and trying to get it back, and with a baby on the way, the two of you deserve a break to have a little fun.

When you’re done with your shower, Frankie orders the requested Chinese food for you and then sits with you to watch your favorite movie while you eat. It’s nice to just relax a little bit and spend time with him. You hadn’t been able to spend enough time alone together lately. 

Frankie has his head in your lap and you’re running your fingers gently through his hair while you watch your movie. You’re just starting to fall asleep when you feel the baby start to kick, but it’s a common occurrence at this stage in your pregnancy and you’re tired, so you try to ignore it. You keep your eyes closed even when you feel Frankie shift to kiss your belly and start whispering. 

“Hey, princesa.” he mumbles. “You need to let your mama sleep, she had a long day.”

You try not to smile when you hear him talking to your baby girl so he doesn’t know you’re awake, but it’s hard. You hope he’ll keep going, you love it when he talks to her. It’s so obvious how much he loves her, and it makes your heart melt.

“Do you know how much we love you, baby girl? We can’t wait to meet you. We’re getting your room all ready for you, you’re gonna love it. We got a little excited earlier, that’s probably why you’re not calm right now. Sorry about that, but your mama and I were having a good time. We’re just excited for you to get here and we love each other a lot, sometimes we get carried away. But don’t worry because everything will be perfect for you when you get here,” he keeps talking to your baby girl, telling her how much you both love her and how you can’t wait for her to join you.

The next time you feel her kick, it’s closer to Frankie’s head, right where he’s talking to your belly. That one is hard enough that it jolts you and you open your eyes and smile at him. 

“She likes hearing your voice. I think she might already like you more than me,” you tell him.

“Don’t say that. I’m sure she doesn’t like me more. She’ll like both of us.”

You smile a little bigger and push his hair away from his forehead. “Of course she will, you’re right.” 

“I’m definitely right. But maybe, just in case she does like me more, we should have another one and that kid will like you more,” he grins at you and you can’t help but smile back.

“Maybe,” you laugh. “We’ll see how we feel in a year or two. I have a feeling this little girl is gonna be a troublemaker just like her papa.”

He smiles a little then sits up and looks at you nervously, “What if I’m not a good father…? What if she really is just like me and something happens to her and I can’t stop it. God, what if she decides to join the military when she’s older?! I don’t want her anywhere near that. I don’t want her to go through all the shit I went through.” 

Frankie looks genuinely scared and it hurts your heart a little to see him like this. You know his time in the military isn’t something he’s always proud of and he always worries it will catch up to him and hurt you or your growing family. You cup his face gently in both hands and kiss his forehead, his cheeks, his nose and finally his lips, as light as a feather.

“Francisco Morales,” you begin quietly. “You will be a wonderful father. You already love me and our baby girl so much, there is not a doubt in my mind that you won’t do anything for her. The fact that you’re so worried about being a good father should prove that you will be. We won’t be perfect, that’s impossible. We’ll make mistakes and sometimes things won’t go exactly how we want them too. She’s probably going to fall off a bike or something and get hurt and she’ll have her heart broken, but guess what? Her wonderful, kind, sweet, loving papa will always be there to pick her back up and help her feel better. So never doubt that you will be a wonderful father.”

There are tears in his eyes when Frankie looks at you again. He kisses you with such passion, you think you never want him to stop. 

“Thank you,” he mumbles against your lips. “I love you, baby. More than anything, you know that right?”

You smile and nod before kissing him once again, “I know, Frankie.”

He kisses you one last time before standing and helping you up to go to bed. You follow him willingly and you two finish your nightly routine together before climbing into bed. It’s hard to snuggle with your belly in the way, so Frankie pulls your back against his chest tightly and kisses your neck while stroking your belly gently. “Get some rest, mi amor. Tomorrow we’ll go get more paint and finish the nursery.”

You nod sleepily and scoot back a little closer to him, “Goodnight Frankie. I love you.”

“I love you too, baby,” he whispers, but you’re already asleep.

Tags: @rzrcrst​ @landlockedmermaid77​

[lovemesomesurveys]

What’s the weather like right now? 43 F. What are you currently sitting on? My bed. How many times have you brushed your teeth today? I haven’t, yet. It’s 330 in the morning. When did you get up? I haven’t gone to bed, yet, but I’ve been sleeping in until 1 the past couple of months, so I’m sure today will be no different.  Have you been in a vehicle for more than 45 minutes today? I don’t plan on going anywhere today. 

Where is your best friend? She’s in her room asleep. How many days until Christmas? Christmas was over a week ago. Have you kissed someone today? No. Is your mom over 50? Yeah, she’s in her mid 50s. How old were you 7 years ago? 23. Do you know what ‘C'est la vie’ means? Yes. Do you usually take showers or baths? I only take showers. I haven’t taken a bath since I was a kid. What kind of bottoms are you wearing right now? I’m wearing black leggings.  Are you wearing anything red? There’s red on my scrunchie. What was the name of your first pet? Buster. Do you live in an apartment? No. What color is the floor in the room you’re in? Tan. What was the most irritating thing to happen to you today? Nothing, yet. It’s still early, there’s plenty of time for something to happen. I’m sure it will. Do you wish at 11:11? Do you wish on shooting stars? Do you wish on dandelions? No. Are you drinking anything right now? No. About how tall is your father? 6 ft. How old is your oldest living grandparent? My Nana just turned 80 and my Papa is 85. Do you know anyone who has lived to be 100+? No. Have you had your birthday yet this year? Nope. My birthday is in July. Do you read your horoscope on a regular basis? I don’t read them at all. I used to when I was younger just for fun. Do you like the color yellow? Yes. Are you an aunt or uncle? No. Why is your best friend your best friend? I can trust her with my life and talk to her about anything, she’s always been there for me and is very supportive and encouraging, we have a lot in common, I can always count on her....she’s my rock. She’s also my mama.  What is your hair like at the moment? It’s in a side pony. How many times have you donated blood this year? I don’t donate blood. Are you wearing any jewelry? I’ve been wearing earrings that I got for Christmas. Prior to that, I hadn’t worn earrings in several years. Are you a video-gamer? I like playing my Nintendo Switch. Currently, I’m playing Luigi’s Mansion 3. Who got married at the last wedding you went to? Friends of a friend. Do you like Chinese food? I like some, like chow mien, egg rolls, pot stickers, and crab rangoon. I used to love orange chicken, but I can’t eat spicy food anymore. :( Anyway, I rarely ever have any of that. It’s not like something I crave. How far is the nearest Walmart? About a 10 minute drive. Have you ever been a designated driver? I don’t drive. Who is your 20th phone contact? I don’t even know if I have that many. I don’t feel like checking. Do you have any plans to get a tattoo? I’ve kind of wanted one for years, but I’ll probably never get one.  Or a new piercing? No. What would you name be if your last name was the color of your shirt? Black. If you could find out how you would die, would you want to know? Absolutely not. Do you make your bed regularly? It stays made. I just sit and sleep on top of the comforter and use a throw blanket that I keep to the side. Do you look forward to the weekend? All my days are the same for the most part, so it doesn’t matter. How much do you know about the mechanics of cars? I don’t know anything about cars. Has anyone ever told you you should be a model? Ha, no. How old was your mom when she had you? Early 20s. Do rainy days get you down? I’m always down, but I love rainy days. Who is the artist/band you’re listening to at the moment? I’m not listening to any music right now. Do you ever take aspirin when you 'feel a headache coming on’? I can’t take aspirin anymore. A few years ago I developed a sensitivity or something to it. I don’t know what happened, but I just started getting the worst stomach pain and it didn’t matter if I ate something or not, so I just stopped taking them. I used to, though. I don’t take anything headaches now, I just have to suffer through.  Is there a calendar in the room you’re in? There’s 2. Do you prefer to be in a relationship or be single? Single is best for me right now and for the foreseeable future. If you’re single, do you wish you were in a relationship? No.  Have you ever had your heart broken? In the romantic sense and in other ways. Do you live within an hour of the beach? A couple hours away. How do you like your steak? I don’t. Were you born in the 1980’s? Yeah, ‘89. A Few Firsts What was the first sound you heard when you woke up? I haven’t gone to bed, yet, but I’m sure it’ll be whatever is on my TV. Who was your first best friend? These 2 girls, Crystal and Starr, in preschool. Who was your first boyfriend/girlfriend? His name is Derek.  Who was your first date to a formal dance? I never had one. How bad was your first break up? My first one wasn’t bad. Well, not for me. :/ Like I did feel bad, but I knew it was for the best. He didn’t take it well, though.  What was your first favorite movie? I don’t recall. How old were you when you had your first kiss? 16. What was your first trip to the emergency room for? My accident that happened when I was 7 months old. Where was the first place you went today? Nowhere. I don’t have any plans to go anywhere. Who was the first person you saw? It’ll be my brother.  What was the first thing you thought about when you woke up? I haven’t gone to bed, yet.  Do you remember the first time you spent the night away from home? Not the very first time, but I remember some of the times I slept over at my grandparents’ and cousin’s houses. Where was your first big vacation to? Disneyland. What was your first job? I haven’t had one. What was the first thing you had to drink today? Starbucks Doubleshot.  Some Lasts What was the last movie you rented? I don’t remember. I haven’t rented any movies in a long time.  Where was the last place you went? Walmart. What was the last restaurant you went to? IHOP. Who was the last person to call you? My mom. Who was the last non-relative you spoke in person to? One of my doctors. What was the last thing you bought? Food. When was the last time you drove more than an hour somewhere? A few months ago to the beach.  Why did you last get angry? Blah, stupid stuff. What color was the last vehicle you rode in? Red. How long ago was your last birthday? 6 months ago.  When did it last rain? A few days ago. When was the last time you used a dictionary? I use Google to look up words, which I probably did recently.

[storiesandgarbage]

Rescue You - Chapter 3

An Ask for Permission

Pairings: Featuring: Avenger!OC // OC x Steve Rogers, OC x Loki Laufeyson

Style: Multi-chapter fic // Chapter  3 / ?

Word Count: 2.4 k

Warnings (chapter specific): Some fluff, The Fast and Furious (movie 1) spoiler [if I didn’t include this there would be someone who was upset, I promise]

Summary: Chapter 3 of Rescue You. Loki definitely has feelings for Amelia, but can he really act on them? It seems as though there is a brick wall shaped Super Soldier standing in his way.

A/N: Hi my lovelies! Chapter 3 of Rescue You is finally here! I hope you guys like it. Please, as always hit me with asks, requests are open and so is my taglist! Thank you for reading and for your support x

Chapter 1  I  Chapter 2 I  Chapter 3  I  Rescue You Masterlist  I Main Masterlist

Amelia woke up that morning with one thought: why is it so cold?

October had taken over quickly, time passing without much regard for the people it affected. This particular October morning was especially chilled. Amelia put on leggings and a hoodie featuring Mjlonir and headed down for training, for once anxious to get her blood pumping. Maybe she would be able to warm up a bit.

“Ah, Lady Amelia, I see you have finally come to your senses,” Thor was smiling smugly, pointing to her hoodie, “the best weapon from none other than the strongest Avenger.” She smiled at him and winked, practically being able to hear Tony’s head begin to explode.

“Point Break, I think the hoodie was just a lapse in judgement,” Tony argued, “Maybe it’s laundry day.” Cap nodded next to him.

“Yeah, it would have to be laundry day for her to wear the hammer.” Steve’s smile was one full of mischief. “Otherwise she would have worn the shield.” Tony scoffed in response as he started another set of reps. Amelia just shook her head at the boys before joining Nat on the treadmills.

“Cardio.” Amelia scrunched her nose in disgust and Nat just laughed. The pair chatted while they ran and Amelia couldn’t help but let her eyes wander all around the gym. Whether they were her best friends or not, the team was certainly eye candy.

“If you start drooling I’m going to vomit” Nat said in a low tone, following the girl’s gaze to a certain Norse god who was skillfully throwing daggers at practice dummies.

“Shut up,” Mel giggled, “just because you only have eyes for Banner doesn’t mean that I can’t have a look around.” Natasha immediately got red in the face, her and Bruce’s relationship was still in its rocky beginnings, neither one wanting to get hurt but both wanting very desperately to be with one another. The girls continued their banter throughout their run.

By the time the workout for the day was complete Amelia’s legs were nothing but jello. She trudged to the elevator and fell in when the doors opened. Dragging herself to the shower she turned the water a bit more warm than necessary, the chill of the day already settling back in. She was finishing getting dressed when there was a knock on her door.

She opened it to two very excited super soldiers, they were holding snacks and blankets and the girl spotted a set of DVD’s in their hands, she caught sight of the words Fast and Furious on one of the covers. She smiled.

“Come on guys, those are action movies,” she faked her complaint, “can’t we watch something romantic?”

“There’s a love story included, they’re very well rounded films, I hear.” Bucky’s response was exactly what she anticipated.

“Fine,” she sighed dramatically, smiling the entire time, “but you have to carry me, Nat killed my legs.” She pouted and reached her arms out, and waited for Steve to scoop her into his arms, which he did with ease, he was a sucker and they all knew it, but at least Amelia didn’t have to use her fatigued legs. The group hurried down the hall to the elevator.

“Wait!” Amelia cried just before Buck stepped in, he paused and turned to her and Steve. “Let’s invite Loki!” Her voice was firm and the guys had no qualms so they turned and headed back down the hall. The prince had been listening to the entire exchange and was prepared when Bucky knocked lightly on his door.

“Loki,” the man asked, “Are you in there?”

The door opened and Loki stepped out into the hall. He was wearing sweatpants that hung just right on his hips. Amelia’s eyes lingered a second too long on his form before she cleared her throat. Loki on the other hand openly stared at the girl and Steve. He had he cradled in his arms and her hand reached up to grasp his neck, steadying herself against his body. Loki couldn’t help the fire he felt building in his chest. Gods he was incredibly jealous.

“Hey pal,” Amelia spoke to him, interrupting his inner rage, “we are gonna watch these really boring movies, they’re all action and no romance.” Bucky rolled his eyes at her, she ignored it. “You wanna join us? Only requirement is bringing a blanket because it’s freezing in this damn tower.” Amelia was smiling. Loki knew from the moment they arrived at the door that he would do anything she asked him to. He hadn’t realized it would be so incredibly mundane. He also hadn’t realized how much he craved the mundane after the last few years of his life. He nodded.

“Okay, but there better be good snacks and you have to make me some tea,” he turned back into his room and picked up the quilt that Amelia had made for him, draping it over his arm before returning and following the three to the den.

Steve placed Amelia gently on a couch and she patted the cushion next to her, motioning for Loki to sit next to her. Steve sat on her other side and Bucky fell in next to Steve. The group barely made it through the first movie without Amelia becoming completely too involved in the story. She cried when the young Jesse was shot, Steve chuckled at her and Loki conjured her a box of tissues. By the third movie they were all lounging, Amelia started to get tired and she laid down, resting her head in Steve’s lap and draping her legs over Loki’s own. Loki only panicked for a moment at her action before placing his hands on top of her shins and relaxing, enjoying the physical contact. He however couldn’t help but watch her interaction with Steve, the second she laid her head in his lap he began playing with her hair, massaging her scalp and running his fingers through the entire length of her chocolate colored locks. She sighed in contentment at the sensation and Loki’s heart felt like it would explode. Why did he have to fall for the girl he couldn’t have? Watching their interaction it was obvious to Loki that Steve and Amelia were more than friends. He wondered how Steven felt about her using him as the second part of her human pillow. However, when Steve noticed him observing their interaction he just shook his head.

“Mel’s a cuddle bug,” Steve said aloud and Bucky nodded almost immediately, “can’t get her to stay in her own space.” He laughed when she reached up and smacked him lazily in the chest. He grabbed her hand and held on to it, giving it a tight squeeze.

Loki felt somber then, seeing their bond and knowing there was nothing he could do about it. But he did wonder, if they were together, why had he never seen them kiss or embrace more romantically that this? He pondered this, the movie just background noise for him. He decided he would find out for sure, after all, it would probably be easier to step to the wayside if he knew that she was taken and not just assuming.

The third movie ended and Amelia groaned, “I’m hungry for real food,” she tossed a bag of candy onto the table away from her to emphasize her statement, “what is for dinner?”

“Let’s order Chinese,” Bucky suggested, getting the now fourth movie in the series ready to play.

“Loki, do you like Chinese?” Amelia sat up on her elbows looking up at him.

“I will admit that I have not yet found a Midguardian food that I don’t enjoy, I would be willing to try some Chinese.” Loki responded and Amelia nodded. She reached her hands out for Loki to take, he did, pulling her up from her horizontal position until she was practically sitting in his lap, Loki fought the blush which crept to his cheeks, thankful that no one seemed to be watching them. Amelia stood then, muttering about where the take out menu had been left last as she wandered from the room.

She quickly returned, menu help triumphantly in her hand. She handed the paper to Loki and leaned over the couch, reading over his shoulder. They were cheek to cheek, Loki could feel the woman’s breath on his shoulder but found that he could hardly breathe himself. Her scent was intoxicating him.

“What do you think you might like?” Amelia asked, her voice was low so as not to yell in his ear but the pitch sent pleasant vibrations throughout him. He almost shivered in delight but held it back.

“I like shrimp,” Loki said, looking to that section of the menu, “Do they have anything spicy?” Amelia pointed to a menu item and Loki read the description. He nodded, “yeah, I’ll try that he said.”

“Okay but I’m ordering extra egg rolls and crab Rangoon. You have to try them, they’re a staple in any Americanized Chinese meal.” She laughed and stood up straight then. Her phone was already in hand and she dialed the take out restaurant. Apparently already knowing the other two men’s orders by heart she placed the order and then hung up the phone.

“Should be about 20 minutes.” She declared as she took her spot back on the couch. “It is fucking cold in here.” She shivered visibly and wrapped herself up in the blanket she brought from her own room. Loki lifted his extra-large blanket and used some of it to cover her even more.

“Ah, much better,” she said and scooted closer to Loki on the couch, resting her head on his shoulder. He shot a sideways glance at Steve who seemed unbothered by the interaction though Bucky did raise an eyebrow at all of it for a brief moment before returning his attention to the movie.

The night passed on and soon Amelia was asleep on the couch, Steve went to pick her up and take her to her room when Loki offered instead, stating he was too going to retire. Steve nodded and Loki stood, scooping the girl and her massive cocoon of blankets and started up to their shared floor. Laying her down in her bed he covered her with her comforter and smoothed her hair out of her face.

He turned to leave when he was surprised by her grabbing his hand. She squeezed it gently and murmured.

“Thanks Lok,” smiling with her eyes still closed.

“You’re sneaky, little one,” Loki laughed, realized that she had been awake but still let Loki carry her to her bed. She laughed softly at him.

“I’m resourceful.” She yawned and cuddled down into the blankets.

“Good night dear,” Loki said as he pulled her bedroom door shut and went to his own.

He laid in bed, staring at the ceiling and letting his fingers trace the pattern on his quilt for hours before he decided to fix the issue that kept him awake. Throwing the covers back he left his room and headed for Steve’s praying he was awake.

He knocked on the door and Steve almost immediately opened it, inviting him in and sitting on the edge of his bed while Loki stood before him, fiddling with his fingers.

“Steven, I was hoping to ask you a rather personal question.” Loki’s voice was low, he was bracing himself for the coming blow.

“I mean, I’m a pretty open book,” Steve was being truthful but he still had his guard up, not able to anticipate what would come from Loki next.

“I wanted to ask you if you were involved with Amelia.” Loki looked down as he spoke the words, slightly afraid that if he offended this man that he would come out swinging. Instead, he earned a laugh.

“Oh um, no Loki I can’t say I am, but if I’m sensing the reason that you’re asking the question then I would suggest that you are not either.”

To describe Loki’s facial expression as bewildered would have been an understatement. He was absolutely baffled, who was Steve Rogers to tell him he couldn’t pursue someone who was not taken?

“I know what you’re thinking,” Steve said, reading Loki’s expression, “and this isn’t me trying to control you or tell you what to do. I have my reasons.”

“Would you care to elaborate then?” Loki’s voice was low and angry.

“Listen, I have always admired Mel, I think she’s truly the most gorgeous woman to walk this planet.”

“Most gorgeous woman in the nine realms.” Loki interjected and Steve paused for a moment before continuing.

“Yes, that too,” he said smiling, “but I would never pursue her.”

“And why not? I am struggling to understand.”

Steve sighed, “Amelia is 22 years old Loki, I have existed on this planet for 100 years. You have existed in this universe for over 1000 years. We are, for lack of a better way to put it, too old for her.” Loki pondered this. Steve was correct, Amelia could not begin to fathom the things the pair had seen and done before she was even a thought in the cosmos.

“I suppose I see your point Steven, but Amelia is wise beyond her years. Do you not see this in her as I do?”

“Of course I do, I realize that she’s the most amazing human to exist, I see it. It just feels like if someone like you or I were to be with her, we would be robbing her of the normalcy she deserves.”

Loki’s heart sunk in his chest. Yes, of course, Amelia could never have a normal existence with him. He would even consider trying to extend her lifespan if he could find a way. But was that what she deserved? No, probably not. Loki managed a nod at Steve who felt the same sadness in his heart.

“Sometimes, we have to do the right thing for the person we love, we cannot be selfish.” Steve said and placed a hand on Loki’s shoulder. “Amelia is in our lives and the best we can do for her is to be good friends. I know, how hard it is to push those other thoughts to the side, but perhaps we can be there for one another. Support system of sorts I guess.”

Loki smiled, “Are you asking to be my friend Rogers?”

“I suppose I am,” Steve smiled and reached out a hand they shook on it and Loki left the room. Not necessarily feeling any better, but feeling at peace with the circumstances.