#ya know from that one time her and gabby got crashed into while in the back of the ambulance

[dylanconrique]

if cliché bad, why grey restraining tim from following lucy into the o.r. after spotting her being pushed in on a gurney so, so good????

[bords4life]

So I was about to release the next part. However there is a slight mention to a period of time that I wrote a little blurb, here is leading up to the birth of Noah.

Thomas’s pov

Coach had us doing lines as a punishment, we won in overtime but it shouldn’t have been a close game and we all know that. It was about an hour into practice and my legs were killing me. We were about to start another set when Gabby, one of our social media girls came rushing into the arena yelling my name. She is y/n’s roommate so immediately I think something is wrong. I skate as fast I can over to her barely stopping before I slam into the boards.

“Bordeleau!! Get your ass back over here!” Coach yells at me yet his voice is almost echoing in my head as all I can focus on is Gabby’s panicked look while millions of ideas run through my head as to what could be wrong.

“They tried calling you but couldn’t get a hold of you so they eventually called me.” Gabby spat out, rushing the words out.

“Who are you talking about?” I asked, who would be trying to call me.

“The hospital Thom, y/n was driving to work and she was struck by a semi. It’s bad Thom, it’s really bad.” Gabby looks at me with sympathy while the odd tear slips down her face.

I start ripping my equipment off then and there not caring about practice, the only thing on my mind is y/n.

“Bordeleau if you get off this ice you’re benched.” Coach threatens from behind me.

I turned around and see the rest of the team looking at me concerned, then I saw Luke. Fuck. I promised y/n I wouldn’t tell Luke but he needs to know his sister is hurt.

“Luke y/n was involved in a car crash and it’s bad. We need to go now.” I say as I look at him, the voice that came out was not mine, it sounded broken and scared. Luke’s face went from being confused to worried in a matter of seconds, he went pale so quick and started to rip his equipment off too.

“Okay guys practice is over, someone needs to drive these two because they cannot drive in this state.” Coach calls out.

The drive to the hospital felt like forever, Matty ended up driving Gabby, Luke, and I. It was silent the entire drive, until I realized someone needed to call her parents. Y/n changed her emergency contacts to Gabby and I when she found out she was pregnant.

“Hey Luke, do you want me to call your parents?” I offered as I looked over to him, he has been in a dazed state since I told him. Duker and Eddy had to help him get the rest of his equipment off as he was still processing the information.

“What? Oh ya uh yes please.” Luke could barely form a sentence which was unusual for him.

*Phone call*

“Hi Thomas, is everything okay?”

“Uh hi Jim, y/n was hit on the way to work. We are on the way to the hospital now, I have Luke with me.” How do you tell parents news like that? My voice cracked on every second word.

“ELLEN!!! Thomas is she okay? Did they say anything? Ellen grab the keys to my truck! Why didn’t they call us?!”

“I didn’t talk to them, they spoke with Gabby since I was on the ice, but Jim it doesn’t sound good.” I spoke quietly, then I heard some shuffling.

“Thomas is the baby okay?!” Ellen’s voice came over the phone, wait oh my god the baby. I totally forgot. Ellen knows?! Last I knew y/n didn’t want to tell them. Also to note I was on speaker since Gabby was the one the hospital called and she would have more information than me. I look up at Matty who is looking at me through the rear view mirror, his jaw is dropped but he doesn’t say anything. I then look at Luke who looks like his eyes are bulging out and is snapped out of his dazed expression.

“Ellen they didn’t say anything about the baby, I doubt the doctors knew at the time considering she still isn’t showing.” Gabby explains to Ellen in a calming voice. After a few more minutes we hang up the phone, I look at Luke who is ready to explode.

“You got my sister pregnant?!” Luke yelled at me, oh not exactly what I was expecting.

“No no I did not” Is all I said, I promised not to say anything, and with Matty here I definitely can’t. He’s too close to Trevor.

It was silent for a few seconds before Matty opened his mouth.

“It’s Trevor’s isn’t it?” Gabby whips back to look at me shocked, I’m shocked. How did he know?

“Trevor confessed one night a few months back after he got wasted, he called me telling me everything. We haven’t talked much since, I love him and he’s like my brother but she is important to me too and I can’t look past that.” Matty softly said not taking his eyes off the road.

Tag list: @hockeyboysarehot @emsully2002 @jayrami3

[witchygagirlwrites]

Best Friend (Part 3/3)

you and Kevin are best friends but when you start to fall for him you start pulling away until a life threatening situation urges you to confess how you feel

Kevin was sitting in the corner of the waiting room at Med. It had taken too long for Gabby and Sylvie to get you back. Minutes passed precious minutes that could mean the difference in whether or not you woke up.

The ride to med was the longest one he'd ever experienced. He couldn't ride in the ambulance because he'd been too upset Adam had basically drug him into a car. Otis had climbed in the back of the ambulance with Gabby to help bag you while she worked on stabilizing your injuries. Time you got to Med Will and Connor along with an army of nurses met you in the ambulance bay.

He'd stood outside trauma one watching as Will ventilated you. Your heart was beating but your lungs couldn't breathe on their own yet. You had inhaled too much smoke. He'd stood frozen to the spot until Kim and Adam had talked him into going to the waiting room which was packed with family members of the victims of the fire but one corner of the room was nothing but fire and cpd waiting to hear anything on you.

-----

Gabby and Sylvie both sat leaned against Antonio who was going from silently praying to trying to keep everyone calm.

Adam and Jay had both tried to talk to Kevin but after he snapped at Kim everyone had given him a wide berth knowing if he had acted that way towards her any of the men may have to duck a punch.

-----

Your words kept playing through his head "I love you Kev. You need to know that"

Why hadn't he realized it before then? Why hadn't he told you how he felt? Hell Vinessa and Jordan had called him out more than once but he always thought you just saw him as a friend nothing more and he didn't want to risk your friendship on feelings you may not reciprocate now he may never have the chance to tell you how he felt.

-----

The pregnant woman Jessica was going to be ok. She was far enough along her OB had decided inducing labor would be safer than waiting to check the baby's lung capacity.

She'd given birth to a seven pound, two ounce little girl about half an hour before.  Mom and baby were both going to be ok thanks to you.

They'd given the baby your name as her middle name citing that she wouldn't have been born had it not been for you. Jessica told her husband and Sylvie how you had given her the mask and the fire blanket then never left her side and how you had shielded her with your own body when the roof collapsed.

From what Casey and Severide said you had effectively sheilded her. They'd found the two of you under a portion of roof but Jessica hadn't been injured beyond her leg that she told them was broken before the roof came in.  She'd been sending her husband down to the emergency department as she could to try to find out any news on you but after the third trip Will had told him someone would come up because it was only causing more stress on Jessica and the people who loved you.

-----

He was proud of you even if what you did was the stupidest thing he'd ever seen. The paramedics had been told time and again after Shay died not to go in a building. He knew you though once you found out there was someone inside and heard that person hell itself wouldn't have kept you out. Your bravery was one of the many reasons he loved you.

Hell he could start now and that baby would be going into kindergarten by the time he got through listing all the reasons he loved you.

He leaned his head back and closed his eyes willing for all of this to be a bad dream and him to wake up and be able to start this day over.

A phone ringing pulled everyone's attention to the bag sitting at Sylvie's feet. Your bag. She cut her eyes at Gabby who nodded so she leaned over and unzipped the bag to find your phone sitting on top. when she pulled it out she showed the phone to Antonio who cursed under his breath before taking it and standing up.

Kevin hadn't moved when the phone rang because honestly he hadn't cared. If it was anything to do with you Will would have came out to tell them but when Antonio bumped his foot he glanced up and saw your phone was being held out to him and his heart stopped seeing Vinessa's name and a picture of you and her flash across the screen.

He took the phone from Antonio and took a breath before answering "Hey Vinessa" "Kev?"

He steadied himself for the next part of this conversation "Where's auntie?" "Hold on I'll go get her. Is everything ok?" "Just go get her" he answered being more snappy than he usually would be with his sister but not wanting to have to tell her what was going on with you not yet.

-----

He told his aunt what had happened and the shape you were currently in.  "She's strong Kevin. She'll pull through" she assured him but he couldn't shake the image of your body hanging limp in Kelly's arms. "I don't know what I'm gonna do if she don't" he admitted feeling like a portion of his heart was getting ripped out his chest at the prospect of you dying.

"Keep faith in her and the doctors. If she's half the woman you and these kids say she is she'll wake up"  he spotted Will walking towards him so told her he had to go. The last thing she told him was "I really want to meet her one day" then hung up.

-----

Everyone held their breath when they spotted Will. Sylvie and Kim stood to be next to Kevin as he heard whatever news was coming.

Will let out a breath and smiled slightly "She's got a concussion from the blow, fourteen staples in the back of her head and bruised ribs but all in all she was lucky considering. Now as far as the smoke inhalation goes we're slowly weaning her off the ventilator and so far she's doing good. If she continues at this pace she'll be backing breathing on her own before morning. She's medicated so she's resting but Kev she's going to recover" 

Kevin felt himself weaken at hearing you were going to be ok. He'd been preparing himself for the worse but now he knew you were coming back to him.

He pulled Kim then Sylvie into a hug. "She's going to be ok" Kim reminded with a smile.

-----

Will let everyone go to your room two at a time. Seeing you with a breathing tube in was hard but knowing you would recover lessened the blow.

Once everyone had saw you mainly to reassure themselves you were still intact they began to trickle out to head home and get some sleep so they could all come back in the morning before shifts started to check on you. Kevin however couldn't bring himself to leave so Will cleared it for him to stay overnight.

-----

He sat at your bed staring at your chest as it rose and fell. Your breathing was getting better. In the last few hours they had removed the breathing tube completely leaving you on just oxygen but you were still sleeping from the pain medication they'd given you.

Will had left orders with the night shift on keeping a check on you and that he would be in first thing to check your lung functions.

He was beyond tired. Sleep had been nipping at him since everyone left earlier but in his mind if he fell asleep something would happen to you and he couldn't chance it.

His aunt had called again for an update on you and was happy to hear they were confident in your recovery. He'd talked to Vinessa and Jordan and they were both worried about you and made him promise to call as soon as you were up to talking again.

He sat looking through the numerous photos of you and his siblings he had on his phone. He settled on one in particular that Vinessa had taken on her last birthday. You were smiling and hanging off his neck as you ducked a water balloon thrown by Kim and Adam.

Why hadn't he realized then he was in love with you? He finally drifted off to sleep with one hand touching your arm that was closest to him.

-----

Everything hurt as you swam out from under the fog of unconsciousness. The last thing you remembered was blocking Jessica from the piece of roof that was crashing down on the two of you.

You felt a weight on your left arm and slowly opened your eyes to see Kevin fast asleep with his head leaned over on your arm. He looked so peaceful you didn't want to move and risk waking him but you needed to see just how badly you were hurt not to mention you had to see how Jessica and her baby were.

Despite the pain you were feeling a touch of embarrassment hit when you remembered telling Kevin you loved him. Was that why he'd stayed? A sense of guilt? Or maybe he felt the same? That thought made a small smile slip onto your face but you pushed it down and looked around for the call button and hit it once hoping whoever came in would keep it down a bit until you at least found out what happened after you were knocked out.

------

Will's head popped around the corner and he gave you a small smile. You help one finger to your lips and he looked down and saw Kevin still asleep "How ya feeling wonder woman?" He whispered coming closer to listen to your breathing. "Not that wonderful" you croaked out grimacing at the sound of your own voice pushing the oxygen down once he gave the ok.

"So do you wanna know about yourself first or about Jessica and her little girl?"

-----

After showing you a couple pics on his phone of Jessica and your name sake Will gave you a rundown of your own injuries and you were honestly surprised you'd faired as well as you did.

"Has he been here all night?" You asked and felt Kevin stirring before he sat up rubbing his eyes "He's been here since they brought you in"

Will smiled and said "I'll give you two a few minutes. There's some tests we need to run on you but for now just rest. You need it" "Thanks Will" you replied with a tired smile. He winked at you before walking out "I'd say any time but I prefer not to see you again like this"

A silence fell between you and Kevin once Will walked out.  He spoke your name quietly bringing his eyes up to yours and you felt tears spring to your eyes “Just please be my best friend right now, not the guy I just confessed my love to.” you begged closing your eyes and leaning back against the pillows.

You couldn't face the pity you were sure was in his eyes. He was your friend of course he'd stayed to make sure you didn't die but now that he knew you were on the mend would come the talk that he didn't feel the same way.

He reached out and grabbed your hand running his thumb across the back of it. "Angel look at me please" you opened your eyes slowly and when he saw the tears brimming in them it hurt his heart. "Seeing Kelly carry you out that building felt like my whole world stopped. You weren't breathing, you were bleeding and they wouldn't let me get to you. It took me a while to realize it myself but I've been in love with you for almost as long as I've known you. You're my best friend and I don't want to ever have to doubt that you know how I feel about you again. So please baby don't think for a minute that I don't love you"

-----

You felt a smile spread across your face as Kevin's words tumbled out. When he got through he sat staring at you with an expectant look on his face as if he was scared that your confession had just been stimmed by the possibility of death.

"One request" you said turning your hand over to lace your fingers with his. A smile slipped onto his face staring at your hands before raising his eyes back to your face "Anything" he said squeezing your hand gently "are you willing to kiss me while I sound like a frog?"

He let out a shocked laugh and shrugged "Baby I'd kiss you even if you were a frog"

Kevin stood up and gently brushed his lips against yours in a tentative kiss. You raised your hand that didn't have an IV in it to pull him closer to you and deepen the kiss.

The sound of Will clearing his throat at the door made Kevin pull away from you with a smile. "I love you Kevin" you whispered pressing another quick kiss to his lips before he could pull away completely. "I love you too sweetheart" he said with a smile before stepping back so Will could get up to your side.

Will looked between the two of you and chuckled "I always thought you two would be good together"

[missgulliverinlilliput]

Miss Gulliver in Lilliput: The Junior Novelization chapter 1: The Arrival

Leia Gulliver clung to the railing for dear life, as the storm threatened to overtake the Swifts’ yacht. Another wave came over the side, dousing her in the salty spray and threatening to drag her back into the depths with it. The sky above was in turmoil, dark and ominous as though warning the two families they never should have dared come upon the sea for their vacation this day. 

A crack of lightning lit up the air, revealing the figures of her parents and neighbors scuttering about like lost seals surrounded by killer whales waiting impatiently for prey. For a brief moment, Leia saw the fearful look on her parents’ faces. She reached out a hand...

With a startled yell she suddenly felt herself pulled over the edge, miraculously tossed to the surface once more.

“Leia!” Someone called out, but Leia could not make out who it was in the darkness of the storm. She struggled to stay afloat as it was, finding solace in her lifejacket.

“Help!” Leia cried out, watching with growing dread as she was tugged further and further away, but whether her desperate screams were heard was of little consequence now; for better or worse she was at the mercy of the waves. She sputtered along, every so often finding herself drenched once more as wave after rocky wave crashed above her head. What was she going to do? She was adrift in the middle of the ocean, in the middle of a storm, with no ship in sight, and far from any… land?

Leia paused, feeling her feet touch sand. She had probably merely stumbled across a sandbar by chance, but Leia knew that this was not something that should form on its own. If she could touch here, land could not be far off.

Coughing up a bit of seawater, Leia tried to look around, disoriented as she continued to swim. It felt like several hours had passed since she was sent adrift, and by now the teenager was exhausted. As if to finally show mercy it seemed the storm had decided to die down, and in the silvery moonlight, Leia spotted a tiny island in the distance.

Spurred on by the sight, Leia used her last bout of adrenaline to swim to the shore. When she finally made it, she walked several paces inland to ensure that if the storm returned she would not be taken back to see.

Her mind screamed shelter, but she felt too exhausted to find a proper one. Letting her emotions overcome her, Leia slung her waterproof bag off of her shoulder, pulled off her lifejacket, laid down on the surprisingly soft sand and wondered if she would ever wake again.

...

Despite the length, the fourteen-year-old’s green gown was not meant to be worn at night, let alone after a storm. The cap sleeves were short, and the fabric was semi-thin. Lovely for when the nights were gentle and pleasant. She shivered as she rushed through the trees, her feet frequently tripping on the hem of the dress; a constant transition of speed-walking and jogging and minor tumbles forward.

The memory of the recent argument with her stepmother still buzzing in her head like an angry wasp, the girl trudged onward, knowing what lay beyond the other side of the woods. A nice trip to the seaside sounded like a good idea. The smell of the sea would do good to clear her head.

Lifting the skirt of her dress so that she could move at an even quicker pace, she continued onward toward the beach until she emerged onto the sand. Unfortunately, as she walked along the moonlit shore, she found herself only able to ruminate on the woman who took her dear mother’s place.

She huffed, gritting her teeth. So incensed was she at that lady that she didn’t pay attention to where she was going.

That is, until she tripped.

However, instead of collapsing on the sand, she landed face first on something large, soft and warm. Letting out a grunt of frustration, she picked herself up, and looked around, trying to make out in the darkness what made her trip.

Stretched out before her were five long objects. As her eyes adjusted, she noticed that they had a familiar shape. She looked down at her right hand, and opened up her fingers before her face to compare them to the unknown shapes. Sure enough, they matched perfectly.

Looking down at the mass beneath her, the girl realized with dawning horror that she was sitting on a giant hand.

Her curiosity forced her to follow the arm attached to that hand with her eyes. The blood drained from her face, then.

Before her was a huge face, eyes closed and lips slightly parted.

The tiny girl screamed. All thoughts of her despised stepmother were now completely forgotten as she leapt off of the hand, running with full speed back the way she came. Occasionally she tripped on her dress, but her adrenaline kept her going, until the lights of the city became visible to her.

Collapsing on the outskirts of town to catch her breath, the girl reflected on what she saw. Was… Was that an actual giant on the beach? Like in some of the stories she heard as a kid? She had to warn everybody, but would anyone believe her? Or even worse, what if the giant awoke before she could spread the warning? What if it was coming to destroy the town right now?

Staggering to her feet, she glanced over to the palace just beyond the city. Her father knew the Emperor. If she could warn him...

She took off again towards town. As she dashed through the dimly-lit streets, others took notice of her.

“Isn’t that Gabrielle?” the baker’s daughter asked.

“That’s Gabby, all right,” the cobbler answered with a resigned shrug. “I can’t even begin to imagine what’s got her so steamed up this time.”

Gabby didn’t hear them. She was too determined to see the Emperor.

At last, she reached the palace, hurrying up the steps to where two guards stood.

“Y-You gotta let me in!” she gasped.

“Not now, kid,” one guard said. “The Emperor’s in an important debate with the Emperor of Blefuscu.”

“I dunno,” said the other. “Sounds more like an argument from where I’m standing.”

Indeed, there seemed to be an argument; Two male voices, their words unintelligible from where Gabby stood, echoed out from the window of the throne room.

“Wh-But this is serious!” Gabby shouted indignantly. “I gotta see the Emperor now!” 

“Sorry, kid,” the first guard only replied. “Guess it’ll have to wait, whatever it is.”

Gabby huffed, silently cursing to herself as she stomped away. Now what?

Looking back at the palace, something caught her eye. A window on the ground floor, big enough for her to climb through.

Making sure the guards weren’t looking in her direction, Gabby snuck over to the window and pulled on it. Sure enough, it was unlatched.

Without a second thought, she pulled it open and heaved herself inside. She needed to tell the Emperor of the giant, and by golly, was she going to do just that!

...

Unseen by the adolescent, a man in a flowing cape and full royal regalia exited the palace and into his waiting carriage. He halted only long enough to whisper to three men awaiting him.

“Men, we’re at war, now.”

The shortest of the trio exclaimed “YES! Finally!” So saying, he pulled out a wicked-looking sword from his belt.

“Not right now, you idiot!” The tallest chastised, smacking the short man over the head.

The man in the middle, a burly fellow, asked “Your Majesty? What do we have to do?”

“I’m ordering you to remain here in Lilliput as spies. We go to war tomorrow. That will be all.”

Thus, the Emperor of Blefuscu and his attendants rode away.

...

Meanwhile, the Emperor of Lilliput was at a loss of what to do. His debate with the Blefuscuian Emperor had not gone so well.

“Did it really have to come to this?” he bemoaned.

As he sat on his throne contemplating the situation, a sudden commotion from outside the throne room reached his ears. It sounded as though his guards were trying to keep someone from entering.

He perked up. He recognized the intruder’s voice.

Standing up, he walked across the room to the double doors. As he pulled them open, his suspicions were confirmed: Gabrielle was there, arguing with the guards.

“...I saw it with my own eyes!” she exclaimed. “It’s as big as a barn!” She took notice of the Emperor. “Your Majesty, you gotta hear me out!”

“It’s okay,” the Emperor told the guards. “We know her father. Let her in.”

The guards obliged, and Gabby followed the Emperor into the throne room, all the while telling her story.

“I-I was on the beach, a-and I saw th-this thing... It’s a real giant, I’m telling ya! A real giant!”

This got the Emperor’s attention. “A giant?” 

“Yeah! Finally you get me!” 

But the Emperor replied “And, uh, why should I take your word for it, exactly?”

Gabby was incredulous. “Ya really think I would come here and risk being thrown in jail for breaking in if I wasn’t telling the truth?!”

The Emperor hummed. The kid had a point.

“So…there’s a giant…”

“Yeah...”

“...on the beach.”

“Yeah! You gotta do something about it!”

The Emperor bit his lips. “Well…it doesn’t hurt to check, right? In case you dreamed the whole thing.”

“I didn’t-I was on that thing’s HAND! How could that be a dream?!” Gabby protested. The Emperor ignored her, however.

They exited the throne room, and to the guards, he said “Get a mob ready. We’re going giant hunting.”

[alrightinbed-betterwithapen]

Clever Little Things — Part One — David Dobrik x Reader

A/N: hey guys so this one’s based off an awesome ask! I’m writing my asks a little slower at this time (and taking sometime away from Datalie until inspo comes back) to ensure better quality. I’m also turning this one into a series. Lemme know if you have any ideas of where you want this story to go. Anywho, thanks for taking the time to read, love ya!!

Masterlist

Summary: You don’t like David, and he plans on changing that.

Anon Asked: Hey !! Love you're writing, nobody ever does my requests so hopefully u can break that pattern :-), can u do a david x reader where it's an enemies to lovers sort of thing, where he's really charming and smug to her and like a huge flirt and she kinda just rolls her eyes and tells him to fuck off (maybe it could be a series??) Thanks !!

——

David fucking Dobrik.

Fuck that guy.

Yeah, you said it. Repeatedly and sometimes out loud. You couldn’t give a fuck about YouTube’s resident golden boy. You have lived in California far too long to be impressed with young, ridiculously wealthy men and their expensive cars. David seemed like a guy who fell face first into a vat of luck and wore humbleness like a cloak, hiding who he was underneath.

You were bound to run into him around Hollywood, your job as a freelance editor had you working with a ton of people in the industry he dominated. You had once preferred working in TV and film, but when a girl named Gabbie reached out to you, getting your info from a colleague, you were yanked into the YouTube world. Gabbie loved your work and had given your name out to all her influencer friends. The calls came rolling in.

Hey, it was a paycheck. These viral sensations actually made bank, and you were getting a more steady source of income from them than you did at any other job you’d worked in the city of angels. It even led to a pretty long contract job at a decent media group. Where you had to attend events and mingle and really learn about the world you were working in. It was mostly good.

But David, he fucking annoyed you. Whether it was hanging all over Instagram models for clout, or holding up the entrance line at a club to take paparazzi around his car, laughing and playing it up to an extreme, he fucking irked you. You had made the mistake of following him on Snapchat, one of his stories accidentally rolling over from a friends; he had two bleach blondes screaming about merch and then the camera flips around to his smug face telling you to swipe up. Yeah. Fucking. Right.

In your mind there were the Paul’s, Ricegum and David Dobrik: the premier fuckboys of YouTube.

So, there is no way you’re actually going to call Jason Nash about becoming his steady editor. You tell Gabbie as much over coffee.

“But, it’s a job, like long term and well paying... and he asked me about editors I knew the last time I saw him. Plus, if you last for a while, you can put that shit on your resume. And he’s great, like the coolest, chillest dude ever,” she’s explaining, trying to win you over. She had told you all about his kids and ex wife, how stressed he was. And that he could pay big money because he was racking in the revenue from his relationship with Trisha Paytas. Still, working for one of the vlog squad basically meant working for David, and you weren’t interested in that at all.

“Yeah, no. I’m sure he is, but the vlog squad? C’mon. Why would I do that to myself when you noped the fuck outta that mess years ago,” you tell her, sipping on your latte.

“Because I’m not an editor, (Y/N). It’s not like you have to hang out with them. You just hang around Jason and edit his shit. It’s not that complicated,” Gabbie says, looking at you like you’re dumb. You roll your eyes at her.

“Maybe I don’t want to be associated with David Dobrik and his loyal servants when their party comes crashing to the ground. You know it’s coming. He’s the next Shane Dawson expose for sure,” you ramble, “Like, Dobrik is the next Jake Paul. At least that’s what I get from his Snapchat’s, does he do anything but try to sell his shitty hoodies? And prank people until they cry?”

“Yeah. He gives people cars all the time.”

“PR move!” You yell, a little too loudly for nine in the morning at a coffee shop. Gabbie jumps a little and brings her hand to her mouth, shushing you. Ignoring her, you continue, “Yeah, it’s sooo genuine, Gabs. ‘Hey guys, I sent my friend to the hospital last week for a poorly thought out, unfunny stunt. This week I’m buying my assistant a car! No motive, no PR team screaming at me from the sidelines. Nope, I’m just a super awesome, humble guy who appreciates the people who obediently follow me around like a puppy so I can make content that’ll have 16 year olds everywhere buying my shitty merch!’ Gimme a break.”

“Holy fuck, I know you’re a cynic, but you have gone full pessimist lately,” Gabbie laughs at your impression, shaking her head. “They aren’t bad people, (Y/N). David isn’t either, he’s just young and rich and a little dumb. And Jason is probably the most down to earth one of them. Just think about it.”

“Ugh, fine. Fine, just no more talk about it. How’s your book coming?”

You change the subject, firm that the phone number she programmed into your phone will never get any use.

——

Then Defy Media goes under and Clevver, the main source of your rent lately, is done. You are out a decent paying job and next months check, you are royally fucked. Staring at the number in your phone, bent over on your couch, your thumb hovers.

You need the job. You want work, being at home with nothing to do all day makes you stir crazy. But all your points listed out about this still stand.

Fuck it.

You type out a quick message to Jason about Gabbie and his need for an editor with a link to your reel. You press send before you can talk yourself out of it. Then, it’s a waiting game. You’re scouring the internet for job postings when you get a message in return.

Hey! I’m so glad you hit me up. I desperately need help and would love to have you as my editor. Your reel is great! Can you meet for coffee in like 2 hours? I’m behind already and we can talk logistics.

You’re shocked. He must be desperate if he’s hiring you sight unseen and already getting you to work. But it’s a saving grace and more than you could of wished for. You’ll get a paycheck sooner and not have to worry about eviction. You let him know that’s fine and arrange a place.

The meeting goes well, Jason is a cool dude who doesn’t seem as wound up as your usual content creators were. You agreed on a wage (like 35% higher than your last gig, fuck yeah) and got to understand Jason’s edit style and post dates.

What didn’t shock you about the job, but you were hoping you could circumvent, was that you would be working closely with Trisha and David, as Jason often traded footage with both of them. And unlike Jason, they both edited their own vlogs because they had either, fewer responsibilities in their lives (Trisha), or were anal about their edit and wanted to do them personally (David). Great, great, great.

A jobs, a job though. You’ve survived working with some shitty people in your time and honestly didn’t think you’d have any problem on your hands.

——

There are problems though.

Yeah... there are a couple.

——

The first is Trisha. Well, she wasn’t a huge problem, but an obstacle. She was super insecure (you knew this going in) and the first time she came over to Jason’s and you were chilling on the couch, finishing up a vlog, things got tense. She knew you were hired, but she hadn’t met you before. You’d introduced yourself and shook the woman’s hands, wearing your usual editor getup of jeans and a giant hoodie, no makeup, hair not really done up but presentable enough for the public and giant headphones, to tune out the world around you.

You think that helped you because Trisha made a comment about how you were at least not trying to look good for Jason. You laughed at that, and looked her straight in the eyes with meaning behind them, and maybe a little intimidating,

“You couldn’t pay me into retirement to sleep with Jason.”

She’s taken a back for a second and you both look over to the man. You say no offense softly as the man shrugs, but don’t apologize or try to take it back. Trisha just snorts and says she likes you, claws retracting and a calmness returning to the room. Jason looks like a bomb’s been defused and ever grateful for you.

Bullet dodged... hopefully.

——

The next problem is David...

He’s actually the rest of the problems you have with your new job.

See, Trisha got over her bullshit pretty quickly and began texting you once a week for specific footage with Jason. She would describe them well and stay on the phone while you found and verified the clip, and then you’d send them to her. No muss, no fuss. She was an editor’s literal dream.

But, David fucking Dobrik was a nightmare.

Constantly texting you about clips from things that weren’t recorded, but he’s “sure they were because Jason was holding his camera like it was recording”, or waking you up in the middle of night to make sure you weren’t using a certain song for a montage or outro because he was going to use it in the next week.

And that was besides the ridiculous amount of times David was reminding you not to post certain things that were gonna premiere on his channel first. Like, yes, it’s fine to tell you. If it makes David feel better that you’re hearing it from him and not Jason, FINE. But to text you every post day, over a dozen times? It was a fucking joke and has been going on through week four of your new job. And you’d had enough. You’d mentioned it to Jason, but he’d just shrugged it off as David being David.

Well, fuck David.

You’d never even met the man in person at this point in time, but he was living up to every one of your terrible expectations. That’s when the 14th text comes in, as you’re exporting Jason’s latest vlog and just leaning back to relax on the older mans couch. That’s also when you snap, hitting the call button on the text and calling the douchebag.

“Hello? (Y/N)? Why are you callin-,” he starts after a few seconds of waiting for it to connect.

“Hey David! Nice talking to you finally and not just reading your utterly demeaning and demanding text messages!” You start in, just letting loose all the irritation he’s caused you over the last month. “Super appreciate the literally DOZENS of messages you leave me on post day, not to mention in the middle of the god damn night the rest of the week. I’m glad you understand what an invalid I am and how the constant texts actually do help me! It’s absolutely not a slight to my four year education and years of experience in my profession. Or the fact that I do heed your words the FIRST time I hear them, because it’s my literal job. A job I have that actually doesn’t revolve around you. Crazy, I know!” Your voice is just dripping with sarcasm at this point. In your brief pause you can hear a soft, amused breath from his end of the call. It doesn’t stop you at all.

“Anyway, I just wanted to call and let you know how productive you’re making me, and thank you! I really don’t know how I would function in my chosen career without your undying, unrelenting, un-asked for guidance. Hope the vlog that just posted meets your standards! Leave a comment if it doesn’t. Just please, please don’t text me about it.”

And you’re slamming the end button before he can respond. You look up and Jason is standing in the entrance way to his living room, jaw dropped. And all he can say after lifting it off the ground is,

“I didn’t know he was texting you in the middle of the night! Yeah... fuck him.”

You’re glad this ends with you both laughing and not you being fired.

——

“Your editor’s got some mega fucking attitude, dude,” is the first thing David says to Jason, picking him up in the Tesla the next day. Jason just starts cackling at that.

“Yeah, whatever. Don’t text her in the middle of the night. Most people’s work schedule doesn’t extend to 3am, Dave. And I thought she had quite a few points. Like, she works for me. And she does in fact know how to skillfully edit my shitty vlogs,” Jason’s laughing this out and is glad to find David just as amused.

“I wasn’t expecting to get ripped a new asshole is all. I was in an Uber to some event and Natalie heard the whole thing,” David replied, kinda sheepishly.

“You’re just butt hurt that there’s someone in this world that doesn’t give a fuck who you are and is willing to talk shit to your face. And that now Natalie and I know someone put you in your place,” the older man retorts, pointing at him accusingly before going on, “I’m not reprimanding her for having enough of you. She’s doing great AND Trisha likes her. Fuck off dude. Just text her less.”

“What do you mean she doesn’t give a fuck who I am?” Of course this is the part of what Jason was saying that David focuses on.

Shaking his head, he explains, “Well, she knows who you are and is absolutely comfortable enough to basically call you a dick within the first month of being my editor. Also, Gabbie told me the first time we talked about her that (Y/N) hates working for the bigger creators on the platform, and that she thinks they’re all materialistic and out of touch assholes. So, you know, I thought she would be a perfect fit for me. I’m basically nobody. But you? There’s no love lost there from the beginning, but she’s obviously professional enough to keep from snapping on your ass for like a month. I don’t know, Dave. What? You want me to force her to care who you are?”

“No! That’s not what I meant. I guess I just figured-“

“Sorry, dude. Not everyone loves our golden boy. But she’s not a mean person. She’s never even mentioned it. This is what Gabs told me forever ago. Either way, she doesn’t have to be blown over by you to be my editor. Right?”

“No, yeah, right. I guess I didn’t think I was bothering her. I’d always hit you up the same amount.”

“Yeah, but we’re friends. She works for me. It’s different,” Jason’s explaining as David nods along, eyes on the road, thinking.

(Y/N) doesn’t like him? Everyone likes him! YouTube world or not, David was charming as shit. It perplexed him, stirring uneasiness in his chest. This was just going to be a challenge in his eyes now.

She doesn’t like him? That’s fine. She will though.

David guar-an-fucking-tees it.

——

David Dobrik sends you an apology Edible Arrangement. The good kind, all chocolate covered fruit.

There’s a card attached that says,

Jason’s last vlog def met my standards, so you obvy don’t need my help. I’ll stop being such a dick.

(See? I didn’t text you.)

-D

It makes you laugh fucking hard.

You find it a little endearing but also, yeah, you deserve an unhealthy Edible Arrangement. He probably has a contact at the fruit company for appeasing all the people he steps on to run his empire. You’re not special, but the thought is at least there. Whatever. He had stopped bombarding you with texts and had been much more polite in general, so you were more than fine with the whole situation now.

You had hoped this was the end of it.

——

It wasn’t.

——

[alwaysmarais98]

OCEAN EYES | Chapter 5 | Jonah Marais

A/N: Hello to all my lovely readers! Here is chapter 5 it is a bit longer than the other ones and it also includes Jonah playing Baseball so I hope you are all up for that! 

Thanks to @danieljames1998 and @tempus-ut-luceant for helping me with the Baseball part I would have never gotten it without them!! GO FOLLOW THEM!! I hope you enjoy and please make sure to leave me some feedback. I love to read comments and it makes me so happy when I see someone shares my story. So happy reading!! 💙🌊

Find the other parts in my MASTERLIST

Warnings: None

Summary: Highschool AU, You move to Minnesota and attend high school there. Jonah just happens to be the captain of the Baseball team who also enjoys playing with girls.

The rest of the week passes by really fast. I get closer to Christina and Gabbie as we spend every break together and at Friday afternoon I Invite them over to my house. The game starts at 7pm so we have still plenty of time to kill.

“Really like your room, it looks so cosy. No surprise Jonah enjoyed being here and even more because you live in here”, Christina smirks at me and I just laugh, “Oh c’mon stop”. I told them both what happened on Tuesday night after the dinner.

Gabbie stands at the balcony looking over at his window, “So that’s his bedroom? What a coincidence. You could sneak over there as well, that’s so cute though but let’s be honest. Have you seen him shirtless already? I bet he walks around his room half naked all day”, she smirks.

“First of all, no I won’t crawl into his room, I don’t even like him and I haven’t seen him yet without a shirt on”, I shake my head at how they are acting, I’d lie though if I’d say I have never imagined his bare upper body.

“After the game there is always a party in the locker rooms. No matter if our team wins or not everyone just gets drunk but it’s even more fun if our school’s the winner of course. You have to come as well.”, Gabbie begs, “You might get some from a cute Baseball player.”

I run my fingers through my hair slowly nodding, “We will see okay but maybe I will come yeah”, I exclaim but knowing Jonah will be probably there making out with one of the cheerleaders and that’s one of the last things I want to see. Of course, he will do that, that’s the type of guy he is.

About two hours later I drive the three of us back to school.

“We need one of the best seats. Our boys have to see us”, Christian says all excited jumping out of my car. I giggle at both of their excitement and follow them inside. It also kind of makes me want to have a boyfriend playing some kind of sports so I can watch and cheer at him.

I cross my legs looking at all the players warming up already. I glance at Jonah talking to the couch biting my lip a little as he looks really good in his tricot. He turns around and winks over at me smirking some.

Jonah’s POV

I smile as I see her next to her friends at the bleachers feeling really happy she came to watch the game, not to mention how hot she looks in her tight jeans and crop top. I bite my lip knowing we need to win that game tonight, I was determined to.

I step onto the fresh field after the cheerleaders did their dance. The crowd instantly starts cheering and I feel my heart racing in my chest. I snap my head in Y/N’s direction and she is still smiling over at me.

We are the home team, so we start to get ready to bat. Me being our first batter I was already at the plate. Variations of cheers and chants are let out before the pitch is in. Strike. As the second comes in I swing and hit it deep center, scoring me a double. Our next batter steps into the box. I start getting my lead off. He hits it straight to short and I instantly sprint to third. I hear the famous words “play on ya” from my coach and start to slide. I turn my head to her and smile hearing her cute laugh as Christina whispers something to her, as she sees me looking she waves over at me showing me a thumbs up.

I take a deep breath looking to our next batter Kaden. The first pitch is great and Kaden goes for it. He hits it hard to the second basemen who fumbles with the ball before throwing him out at one, but me being me I thought I could make it home. I guess I thought wrong because as soon as I slide I hear the word out and I also hear the pitcher chuckle at me. We instantly get into a little glaring battle before I hear my coach call, “Marais forget it. It’s time to get on the mound.”

I sigh as I hold my head down. That can’t be true we can’t lose that game, not when she is watching me, I feel the need to impress her, to show I’m good at baseball. But after the first inning it doesn’t look good for us.

The other team is now currently winning with lead of one run because of a stupid error of a freshman at the beginning of the second inning. I have been pitching my ass off the entire second half as I really thought we still could win this and now the clean-up hitter for the other team is at bat.

He is cocky and arrogant winking at all the girls as he walks up to the plate. I could handle this guy. I roll my shoulders back trying to concentrate but I just got her in the back of my mind. The whole week I just kept thinking about her, her smile, her scent, her body, everything about her has me crazy. The catcher gives me the pitch call and the batter swings missing it. Strike one. Yes. I can see her smiling in the corner of my eyes.

The catcher throws it back. I grab the white ball to throw a slider. Once again, the batter misses and the umpire calls strike two. I feel my excitement rise but it’s not over yet. I could swear though that I heard her cheering my name making my heart flutter. Once I get the ball back the catcher gives me the sign for a screwball, I shook it off. I look to the coach and he gives me the same one. I want to show off how good I could be, I mean she is sitting at the side right now, I need to show off my best skills, so I ignore the coach and I decide that I’m going to throw a fastball right down the pipe.

I grab the red seams of the ball, wind up and let it loose. Suddenly the ball cracks off the bat and comes flying towards my face. I try to react to catch it, but it tips off my glove hitting the side of my head, some people jumping up from the bleachers.

Our coach runs onto the field calling for time to the umpires. I start to feel really dizzy, but I could not let him pull me out of the game, I’m not someone who gives up so easily and for sure not today. As I reach to pick up the ball, I stumble trip over my own feet. I regain enough balance to stay standing, but that was enough for the coach to call in another player. I hand my coach the ball as the athletic trainer walks me off the field into the dugout while I throw off my glove all upset.

I shake my head as I sit at the edge of the field pressing a cool-bag against my head. Everyone stares over at me but I try to ignore it, feeling also embarrassed that I didn’t listen to my coach. It was my own fault and now I have to watch how our team loses.

My POV

Christina and Gabbie walk directly to the field kissing Corbyn and Jack as it’s over. First, I sit there by myself then decide to walk down as well feeling so sorry for Jonah. I watched him at the side for the rest game seeing how he suffered as he wasn’t able to do anything.

As I approach the field I hug Daniel and Zach quickly then look around for Jonah. He still sits there, his head down as one of the cheerleaders approaches him, “Don’t even try to call me tonight! I definitely won’t have sex with a loser”, she says to him.

“Don’t worry that wasn’t my plan”, he mumbles as the players from the other game laugh. “Well not your day Marais hm? Too bad when even your girls don’t want you anymore”, the batter from before yells making his team chuckle.

“Just shut the fuck up Smith before I make you”, Jonah jumps up clearly angry but stumbling again being still dizzy. “Get home to cry in your mummy’s arms loser. Your time here is over”, the guy smirks giving Jonah a push before he walks off with his team.

I see how Jonah buries his face in his hands a moment then tries to get up.

“I’ll help you. Are you okay?”, I grab him at his arms to support him. “How is your head?”

“I’m alright Y/N. You don’t need to do that. I fucked up”, he sighs not looking at me.

I shake my head as I help him walk to the locker rooms to get finally off the field, “No you didn’t and it happens okay. I thought you still did great.” “You have no idea of baseball, right? But thank you little one”, he chuckles a little making me smile.

“I guess you aren’t in the mood for a party. I’m neither, so should I drive you home? You are too dizzy to get behind the wheel yourself anyways”, I suggest as he ruffles his hair, “You sure about that? You would do that rather than hooking up here with one of the players?” I shake my head and a smirk spreads cross his pretty face,” Well, my head still hurts will you help me change?”

Even when Jonah is hurt and whiny he still is able to be cheeky. I laugh some, “I will wait for you in my car Marais.”

About 15 minutes later I hear the car door open and I look up from my phone. He’s now in just a white shirt that hugs his strong upper body perfectly and some grey sweatpants shorts.

“Did you at least enjoy the game?”, he asks while I start the engine and drive home. I nod my head, “Yeah I mean I didn’t get it completely but it was quite fun to watch. Maybe I will be there another time”

“I mean I hope so, you could be my personal cheerleader you know.” “Yeah in your dreams”, I smirk and hit his arm. “I do dream of that no worries”, I suddenly feel how Jonah places his hand on my upper thigh. I suck in my breath, “Get your hand off there when you don’t want us to crash”, I warn him making him earning just a chuckle, “You can’t deny it. You enjoy those touches.”

I park in front of my house and he grabs his bag, “Thanks for driving me love, like honestly. Next time I will take you to school with me”, he smiles getting out of the car with me, “So you maybe wanna come inside? My mum isn’t home. We could…”, he ruffles his hair but I cut him off, “No thanks my mum texted me she made dinner so I should be there but it was fun also when you lost. Have a nice night.”

I get quickly into the house taking a deep breath not even wanting to think of all the things that would have happened when I would have been alone with him in his room.

After I had dinner I just lay down in bed being changed now in some pj shorts and some tank top. I walk to my window to get some fresh air when I see lights in Jonah’s room. I have mine off so he can’t see me. I don’t want to look like a creep and get back to my bed but my eyes widen as he slips off his shirt.

His upper body is even more toned than I imagined it. His abs look literally like photoshopped and he has quite prominent v-lines. I try to snap out of my thoughts but then watch how he sits on his bed, head hiding in his hands. He still seems to be sad about the game. It must be a lot of pressure for him to always win.

I don’t know when I stopped thinking but suddenly I stand on my balcony ready to crawl over to the roof of his house. I couldn’t see him so upset and alone in his room. I swallow as I look at the ground. I take a deep breath before I jump almost cheering out of happiness as I succeed. My mum isn’t allowed to find out so I have to be quiet. I crawl to his window and gently knock.

“Y/N?”, he asks all confused as he stares at me but I press my hand on his mouth so he will shut up. “Shh”

Jonah smirks against my palm and closes the window but he can’t hide his sad puppy eyes, “What are you doing here?”

“I don’t know myself but I saw you sitting and I felt sorry for you. You shouldn’t feel so bad for losing, you were great and…and”, I stop as I suddenly feel his arms sling around my waist pushing me back so I hit the wall.

“You are really something else you know”, he whispers, his voice being deeper than usual as his face is just a few inches away from mine now, “Thank you for doing that”

I wrap my arms around his neck hugging him tightly inhaling his scent that makes my knees go weak. Good thing he holds me even tighter now, my small body pressed into his bare one. I can feel his back muscles contract while he rubs his large hand along my back.

My head turns to the side so I can look into his eyes, “Please smile… for me”, I whisper. Jonah chuckles at my cuteness and can’t help but smile, “You are way too gorgeous to resist you know”, he tugs a strand of my hair behind my ear his fingers slowly stroking over the soft skin on my cheek as he leans closer, the tips of our noses touching. I feel his hot breath against my skin making me shiver. God, what is he doing to me.

To be continued…

Taglist: @wdwisperfect @jonahsbabymomma @averythingzachherron @bridgeofrainbows @danieljames1998 @moonlight-prin-cess @specialboyseavey @seaveystorm @wdwdramaqueen  @trustfundshawn @seaveyssparkle @kinkycorbyn @pjo-for-life @hello-love06 @onmywaymarais @prettymuchjonah @wdw-just-love @balley53 @maleriefay @blueeyedbesson

(Message me to be tagged) 

I hope you enjoyed this chapter!! PLEASE PLEASE leave me some FEEDBACK and comments. I really wanna know what you all thought of it!! Thanks for reading everyone!! Love all of you that read my stories. ❤

[mattholicguilt]

jessica’s x-men spotify playlists (part 2)

Pairings & Relationships:

scott and jean but it’s bad - uhh that’s pretty much it. arctic monkeys, the mountain goats, the front bottoms

mr. and mrs. x - rogue and remy are married let’s have a party but also can these two co-exist without self-destructing?? lindsay mendez, demi lovato, kacey muscgraves

welcome back to the world - this is one of literally six different emma/sean mixes but this is the most recent one and it’s about emma having just lost scott and sean being very freshly resurrected. florence, lesley gore, sara bareilles

jeanwarren - in my defense this ship has literally existed since xmen 1 so. i just want them to find solace in each other yaknow? yeah yeah yeahs, kerli, adele

hank/scott - here’s another ship that’s existed since xmen 1. dodie, troye sivan, champaign

ric and tabby - rowdy best friends. culture club, zendaya, paramore

emma/jean - just.... just date each other. how much nicer would x-men comics be if jean and emma just dated. hayley kiyoko, tegan and sara, nicki

lorna/jean - i started thinking about how jean was lorna’s best friend and she could’ve comforted lorna after alex left her at the altar and they should’ve bonded over the summers bros screwing them over and also they should’ve kissed. julia nunes, la roux, rilo kiley

Characters:

ro munroe - ororo should be leading any team she is on. janelle monae, eurythmics, alabama shakes

you’re the train that crashed my heart - laura kinney angst but also fight songs. bat for lashes, fob, kid cudi

man out of time - i love bishop. he’s from the future but he’s hangin out here now. fall out boy, modest mouse, kanye

remy lebeautiful - i love gambit he’s such a dweeb. wilco, front bottoms, ajj

gabby kinney - my sweet child whomst i love. she’ll knock you out though. hailee steinfeld, hayley kiyoko, carly rae jepsen

the wail of the banshee - sean’s back and i’m so happy he’s alive. there’s a lot of like. irish sea shanty-ish music on here because ya know. also the avett brothers and giles’ song from the buffy musical episode. 

illyana - when you’re lowkey queen of a demon realm but you also wanna go get froyo with your girlfriend. cults, lily allen, lindsay mendez

magik - another illyana playlist but this is primarily songs from 1983. journey, culture club. basically what she might have listened to while chilling with the new mutants and trying to ignore all her trauma. 

emma frost - emma gets treated like crap, especially now that she’s just lost the man she loved. lily allen, marina, alanis

kitty pryde - let her come out marvel. demi, kesha, alanis

jubilation - jubilee isn’t a vampire anymore but she’s still a mutant single mom and she’s like. 20??? she might be 24 who knows. anyway i love her. ariana, st. vincent, joni mitchell 

madrox - jamie can’t make a fucken decision to save his life. oingo boingo, front bottoms, tmbg

kid omega - obligatory quentin quire playlist. i have them for a bunch of young x-kids but his is the most complete rn. i’ll probably make a post with all of them eventually. this has ajj, against me!, panic!

warren worthington iii - SAD archangel playlist. it’s got “back pack” by ajj on there. also crywank and hozier. 

stars and $#%^&*@ garters - hank mix that’s kind of silly. oingo boingo, tmbg, the song “man or muppet” from the muppet movie. 

yana - don’t ask me why i have 3 illyana playlists idk why. this one, like the quentin one, goes with a whole set for the new mutants but no one else is complete yet. dead man’s bones, sufjan, brandi carlile

sina grace’s iceman - i really loved how sina grace managed to explore both bobby’s gayness and bobby’s depression without letting one overshadow the other. this is a playlist dedicated to that. ajj, front bottoms, nana grizol

tabby smith - explodey girl. sabrina carpenter, the runaways, madonna. this is more geared toward tabby in the 80s/early 90s x-factor v1 era

rictor - shakey boy!!! fun fact- my image of rictor is half 15-y.o. shaky boy from x-factor v1 and half x-factor investigations depressed depowered ric with a big blank spot where i haven’t read x-force yet. the turtles, the guess who, the front bottoms

Situational/Team:

Dark Phoenix Saga - these are songs i imagine could’ve been playing on the radio while they’re on the butte, while they’re fighting jason wyngarde and the hellfire club, and like. when they’re on the moon. pink floyd, fleetwood mac, the police

generation x disbanded - sad mix about emma, sean, monet, jubes, paige and jono recovering after everett’s death and angelo’s death, and all of them learning to go on with their lives now that the team is gone. samia, mumford & sons, kt tunstall

mama’s home - jean’s back!!!!! shania twain, ariana, janelle monae

there goes the pryde - songs for kitty after she leaves petey boy at the altar. dixie chicks, fleetwood mac, crazy ex girlfriend soundtrack

dig up charles xavier and shoot him again - i hate. that man. garfunkel and oates, tmbg, 3OH!3

uncanny - i am excited about uncanny x-men coming back and i’m excited about the writers. abba, drake, styx.

eXtermination - anybody reading eXtermination? it’s exciting. mainly i am just ready to be done with the young o5. gotye, mgmt, owl city. 

astonishing x-men - i’m fcking living for matt rosenberg’s astonishing run right now it’s so funny and messed up. also i hope u appreciate the cover art on this one because i think it’s hilarious. weezer, bear hands, huey lewis

scott at the orphanage - sad mix about scottie growing up. crywank, soft cell, ajj

x-terminators - this is for the o5 x-factor’s young wards. messing stuff up, bein teens. this is music that tabby would play on the boom box while she and rictor are antagonizing skids and rusty is making sandwiches for artie and leech. 

[mackloveswriting]

Prompts

I decided to go ahead and publish my prompt list. I will probably add more later but as of right now, these are what I have. I will always accept your own plot and everything like that.

1. "What do you mean, work with him?"

2. "Cookies? Your bribing me with cookies? I mean they're good but not that good."

3. "He's right behind me, isn't he?"

4. "I heard that!"

5. "Do you trust me?"

6. "You're insane!"

7. "It takes a very broken, twisted soul to do what you did."

8. "How long have you been standing there?"

9. "Shut up!"

10. "I thought you were my friend!"

11. "I'm in love with you. Don't you get it?"

12. "When did you become so smart?"

13. "I can't take you anywhere. You want to start fighting someone."

14. "Babe, stop looking at me like that."

15. "Oh, sorry I wasn't specific enough."

16. "Why are you glaring at me."

17. "I'm trying to have a serious conversation with you!"

18. "Why aren't you afraid of me?"

19. "I hate you!"

20. "Right now, I don't know if I wanna kiss you or shove you off a bridge."

21. "I am way to sober for this."

22. "You love her don't you."

23. "I'd take a bullet for you."

24. "You're not as evil as people think you are."

25. "Are you sure I can't punch him in the face?"

26. "Was that suppose to hurt?"

27. "On a scale from one to ten, how bad do you think It would be if-"

28. "I made you breakfast, I know it's just a bowl of cereal but it's the only thing I can't burn."

29. "You scared me!"

30. "Did you just agree with me?"

31. "I never stood a chance, did I?"

32. "I worked so hard to be where I am now and I'm not going to let someone take that from me!"

33. "You think you're broken when you're just the bad guy."

34. "You don't remember?"

35. "I wanna cuddle."

36. "Do you love me?"

37. "Why did you have to drink so much?"

38. "He's not gonna hurt you. Not while I'm here."

39. "I'm sorry for being.. what I was before."

40. "You're a monster."

41. "I never wanna see you again!"

42. "Tell me you love me."

43. "Can I kiss you?"

44. "Stop asking permission."

45. "You're lying."

46. "Did you ever love me?"

47. "Be honest for once in your life."

48. "Can we make out?"

49. "I don't party."

50. "Why can't you respect that?"

51. "I'm just... not ready."

52. "I'm scared! Don't you get that?"

53. "He's not just a bad boy, he's a bad guy and I don't wanna be with the bad guy."

54. "So, that's a 'no'?"

55. "Get out!"

56. "I don't get why I'm to blame."

57. "You're a douchebag."

58. "I am here to protect you."

59. "That's not what an apology sounds like."

60. "Why would you love me?"

61. "You bug me, weirdo."

62. "You deserve better than me."

63. "I couldn't protect you."

64. "I don't want better than you! I want you."

65. "Because you might not like what you see and I can't lose you."

66. "This isn't my first time dealing with people like you."

67. "You're my drug."

68." He was worse than any drug."

69. "t's like a disease, it's like I'm infected by him."

70. "Are you doing drugs?"

71. "Ew, gross."

72. "I hate you so much!"

73. "I should hate you."

74. "No, you don't."

75. "Are you sure you wanna do this?"

76. "Why do I have to love him?"

77. "Leave me alone!"

78. "You're a freaking monster! I hate you!"

79. "Are you serious right now?"

80. "Why did you cheat on me with my best friend?"

81. "I'm not pushing you away!"

82. "I'm afraid that if you see the real me, you won't like what you see."

83. "I spent the whole middle school trying to get rid of the real me."

84. "You're perfect."

85. "I'm in need of coffee."

86. "Can I sleep over?"

87. "Movie night?"

88. "I need you to need me back!"

89. "It doesn't matter, cause in the end it all hurts the same."

90. "I'm so in love with you and I can't do anything about it!'

91. "I've been trying to push down how I feel but it is impossible."

92. "I should hate you so much, but I can't bring myself to hate you."

93. "Can I try something?"

94. "You're such a freak!"

95. "I'm your freak." 96. "I know that deep down, below that cold dark exterior there is a actual human soul."

97. "I know that your bad boy image is just an act, you don't have to hide around me."

98. "I'm sorry, no one should go through that."

99. "But that's no excuse to what you did."

100. "I'll always be here for you, but I can't look at you the same."

101. "You need help!" 102. "Please!"

103. "I want to shout it from the rooftops."

104. "Why do we have to hide?"

105. "I don't like all the sneaking around."

106. "Are you ashamed of me?" 107. "I don' deserve you at all, I can't understand why you picked me."

108. "Why don't you love me like that?"

109. "I'm never the one."

110. "He doesn't love me like he loves her."

111. "Who did that to you?"

112. "Did he touch you?"

113. "Is that a bruise?"

114. "Did you get hurt?"

115."you got hurt because of me."

116. "I could never blame you because it was never your fault."

117. "We're the cutest."

118. "I think we're end game."

119. "I'm Pregnant."

120. "No one really likes you."

121. "You don't think that I'm adorable?"

122. "He has a big head already."

123. "There is no way you're a virgin."

124. "Can we do this again?"

125. "How stupid do they think I am?"

126. "There is no way that he didn't cheat, his ex could not sleep over without them having sex."

127. "I'm failing everything."

128. "Can we talk about us?"

129. "I have a surprise."

130. "I-I thought you were breaking up with me.."

131. "I would never hurt you."

132. "Did you think that I would hit you?"

133. "I wanted you t fight for me."

134. "Do not disrespect me."

135. "I know you're not that guy."

136. "You sleep around, and you expect me to believe that you love me?"

137. "I don't even know that person anymore."

138. "How can you throw everything away like it's nothing to you?"

139. "I need you to be safe and being with me does the exact opposite."

140. "You're way more experienced than me."

Song Prompts

Tell me you love me - Demi Lovato

Hurricane - Luke combs

Think of you - Chris Young

She didn't have time - Terri Clark

Because of you - Kelly Clarkson

Like I loved you - Brett Young

If it wasn't for me - Brieanna James

In case you didn’t know - Brett Young

Good Girls - 5sos

Amnesia - 5sos

She looks so perfect - 5sos

Here without you - 3 doors down

Never know - Why don't we

Nobody gotta know - Why don't we

Sad song - We the kings

Heartbreak story - The wanted

Marry me - Train

She's in love with the boy - Trisha Yearwood

All in my head - Tori Kelly

Meanwhile back at mama's - Tim McGraw

Like we never loved at all - Faith Hill

My heart is - Tiffany Alvord

Unforgettable - Thomas Rhett

Die a Happy man - Thomas Rhett

Not meant to be - Theory of a Deadman

You are in love - Taylor Swift

Clean - taylor swift

Wildest dreams - taylor swift

Cold as you - taylor swift

Enchanted - taylor swift

Mine - Taylor Swift

Gorgeous - Taylor Swift

End Game - Taylor Swift

Delicate - Taylor Swift

Stay - Sugarland

If you only knew - shinedown

The weight - Shawn Mendes

Life of the party - Shawn Mendes

Like I did - Shane Harper

Ghost of you - Selena Gomez

Bang Bang bang - Selena Gomez

Sober - Selena Gomez

My heart can't tell you no - Sara Evans

A little bit stronger - Sara Evans

Take your time - Sam Hunt

Make you miss me - Sam hunt

Cop car - Sam hunt

Mess this up - Ryan Robinette

Yours - Russell Dickerson

Going out like that - Reba McEntire

Consider me gone - Reba McEntire

Lonely Call - Raelynn

Perfect - One Direction

Does he know? - One Direction

You and I - One Direction

Love you goodbye - One Direction

Break up with him - Old Dominion

You and Me - Niall Horan

Slow Hands - Niall Horan

This Town - Niall Horan

To much to ask - Niall Horan

On the loose - Niall Horan

Whoever broke your heart - Murphy Elmore

Tin man - Miranda Lambert

Kerosene - Miranda Lambert

Like I'm gonna lose you - Meghan Trainer

Someone else calling you baby - Luke Bryan

Crash my party - Like Bryan

Back to you - Louis Tomlinson

Greatest love story - Lanco

Need you now - Lady Antebellum

Legends - kelsea Ballerini

Peter Pan - Kelsea Ballerini

Never again - Kelly Clarkson

Teenage Dream - Katy Perry

The one that got away - Katy Perry

Used to love you sober - Kane Brown

Fall - Justin Bieber

The truth - Jason Aldean

Laughed until we cried - Jason Aldean

I got the boy - Jana Kramer

Why ya wanna - Jana Kramer

Shy - jai waetford

Getting over you - Jackie Lee

Personal - HRVY

I hate u, I love u - Olivia O'Brien

Out loud - Gabbie Hanna

Perfect - Ed sheeran

My girl - Dylan Scott

Human Diary - Daniel Bradberry

[maybeyapping]

The Five Stages of Falling In Love by Edward Elric

People tell you that there are 5 stages of grief, but what they don’t tell you is that there are 5 stages of falling for someone.

 Hi, I’m a linguistics and science major at Royal Amestris, and I’ve fallen in love with my novelist Best Friend, Naomi Brighton.

 Perhaps you’ve heard of her, she wrote the groundbreaking Soul Cross triology, and a series called Koralyne, which revolves around a closeted trans lesbian. I’ve won a few awards for my projects too, but nothing she has.

 Anyways, I think I should get back to the story. Here’s stage one.

 1.       Encounter

 It was a sunny day, way too hot for my mechanic leg to rest comfortably on my skin. I was sipping a milkshake while sitting in my town’s local library, Books n’ Cookies. The name really suited the place, since it was a sort of safe haven for homeless guys, or LGBT folk hiding from family members or homophobic friends. They didn’t charge you for the cookies, at least in money. If you want a cookie and a drink, all you had to do was show your receipt for borrowing a book.

 Sheska, my classmate, was the one who first introduced it to me, and wow, I’m glad she did.

 Anyway, I was sipping the white, icy, beverage, when the door’s bell chimed. I was sitting at the tiny café area, flipping through a YA novel written in my target language, French. It was about an Asexual Biromantic girl, learning how to understand how Homophobia originated. Naomi walked past me at first, and ordered a drink and a cake. She then walked past my table, and she must’ve read an entire paragraph before saying: “The Girl and The Homophobes? Good choice. A LGBT Classic.” I looked up, and scanned her appearance. She was wearing a red headband, a light blue cardigan over a white blouse, a jean skirt with multiple LGBT and fandom badges; biromatic, demisexual, Percy Jackson, Zelda, Voltron, and some of her own merch. She was also sporting white sneakers on which she had painted the words ‘I’m Here and I’m Queer’ over them both. Her left leg was made of the same metal which my right one was created with. She had light brown skin, which reminded me of Professor Miles, freckles, deep black hair, and steely silver eyes.

 “Wh—oh, yeah. You know it?” I spluttered after a moment. She laughed, and leaned against the table, “Know it?” she asked, “I wrote it!” I gaped, “Seriously?” she laughed simply, nodding, “Yeah. It’s the first thing I’ve published,” she supplied. I nodded, eyes wide and lips parted slightly. “It’s good,” I said, “have you published anything else since?” Naomi nodded, “I’ve written the Soul Cross Legends book, and the short story Petrified.” My jaw dropped, “Seriously!? I love Petrified!” Naomi laughed, and nodded to the chair in front of me, “May I?” she asked. I nodded, a little surprised she wanted to continue talking.

 She sat down and unpacked her macbook. I whistled, “sweet.” Naomi rolled her eyes, “Only one of the perks of being a semi popular author,” I clicked my tongue, “Semi? Dude, my entire linguistics class loves your books. You should start your own library.” Naomi barked a laugh, “What? I wouldn’t make any money with that! I don’t even have enough books to fill a library.” I propped my arm on the table, “But you could.” “Do you have any idea how long it takes to write a book?” “No, but I bet you’ll tell me.” “Petrified took two years, with character creation and research. I asked people with PTSD and war veterans to write Gabby.” I whistled appreciatively, “That’s commitment.” Naomi huffed, starting up her macbook, “Or is it just proper representation?” She asked, at my widened eyes she chuckled: “I asked my trans lesbian friend on Koralyne too, so don’t underestimate my ability to do the proper research.”

 I raised my arms defensively, “Alright, I won’t. You’ve proven yourself worthy, bookworm,” I joked. Naomi laughed, “If I’m bookworm,” she pointed at the Bill Nye The Science Guy badge on my sweatshirt, “Does that make you Science Prince?” I laughed, “That’s better than Alchemy Prince,” Naomi giggled, tilting her head, “What’d you do to earn that name?” I groaned, rolling my eyes, “I held a presentation in High School about Alchemy Theory, and I’m researching it now, I got the name from my High School science teacher,” I grinned, “Man, Mrs. Curtis was an amazing teacher, always encouraged me and my brother.” Naomi smiled, “You have a brother?” I nodded. “He’s a year younger than me, studying linguistics and history currently.” Naomi sighed, leaning on her palm, “Wow that’s so cool. I can’t afford going to college, so I work at a cozy little Library.” Her smirk told me that yes, I work here.  

 We ended up talking for two more hours, and exchanging numbers.

 That was how I met my best friend.

  2.       Friendship

I’ll be honest, I hadn’t noticed I’d befriended her until she invited me to play Zelda with her at her apartment. It was a larger apartment uptown, and the mailbox in the entry hall had three names pasted onto it: Brighton, Alvarez and Mckinnon. I guessed Alvarez and Mckinnon were her roommates. I knocked on her door on the 6th floor, and let her pull me inside. She jumped over her couch and crashed onto it with a muffled ‘POOMPF’.  I dropped my bag onto the floor and fell onto the couch. She had moved to sit in front of it, cross legged, controller on her lap. “Welcome,” she said, as I lied on the couch, “to El Palacio de la diversidad, The Palace of Diversity.” I chuckled, “How diverse can it be with three people?” “You’d be surprised,” she said cockily, “Lysanna is Latinx, Cuban, to be exact, Ashley is from Cherokee decent. My parents moved to France two generations ago, then, my parents moved to madrid and I was born there. Then, I came here with Lys and Ash.” I whistled, “A woman of many cultures I see.” “Not to mention the diversity in sexuality and gender; I’m Demisexual and Bi, Ash is Pan and trans, Lys is queer.” I raised a brow, “just queer?” Naomi nodded, pressing buttons on her remote, “yep, she’s still trying to figure it out, but she has dated men, women, in between – basically, she’s seen it all.” I laughed, “Seriously?” Naomi giggled, “Yep! Without her I doubt Ash would be so confident today.” I tilted my head, “And you?”

 She froze. Her muscles tightened (and believe me, there was a lot to tighten), and her nostrils flared. Her eyes turned steely, “I don’t think anyone can help me recover from my lost pride.”  For a moment, I simply stared at her. When I inhaled, ready to ask her ‘Why’s that’, she bolted up. “I’ll be right back,” she said, and waved. Then, she disappeared down the hall. As she was absent, I looked at the polaroids decorating the walls, shelves and tables. There was a white string above the kitchen counter, as well as the TV. On all pictures stood Naomi, with two other girls, sometimes just one, other times Naomi wasn’t depicted. There was a pink polaroid camera on the shelf above the TV, next to it a picture of a girl with brown skin, dark brown curly hair, and sparkling green eyes. In pink marker the white area of the picture read, ‘I’m better than you at everything, but above all else: sex. –Lys’ There was a manuscript of The Girl And The Homophobes, next to it was a picture of Naomi in a bright blue, flower printed sundress and straw hat. It read: ‘Feelings aren’t sensible. People don’t make sense, and love doesn’t either. The people who do, are often times the wrong ones. – Nao’ the last item was a mannequin head, on which orange cat-ear headphones rested. The polaroid taped to the mannequin had a picture of a girl with light brown hair, dark red eyes and brown skin, and scars along her arms. She was wearing an orange sweatshirt-vest, and black jeans. It read ‘I have a free life long trial of feeling okay. –Ash, 2017’

 Just then, Naomi returned. She was holding a blue, white and silver bracelet that she had made herself. It was made of wool, one of those classic friendship bracelets that were popular a few years ago. She must’ve noticed the ones I wore, green and blue from Winry, a brown and gold one from Al, a yellow, white and gold one from Ling, a green and black one from Lan Fan, the list went on. “Here,” she said, handing it to me, “This is for you. A gift.” I took it, eyes blown wide, “Thanks.” Naomi smiled, and sat down again. “I consider us friends, you know.” I hummed, “That’s good to know, Bookworm.” After a moment of silence, the only sound coming from her controller, I added: “I consider us friends, too.”

 She grinned, silver eyes sparkling with delight.

 3.       Trust

She hadn’t come to the Library that day. That set me off. “Don’t worry about it, Brother,” Al had said, “She was probably just feeling under the weather.” I had hummed, but I didn’t believe it. She normally texted me if she wasn’t feeling well, so this was new. I left Al when he began talking to Mei, and ran uptown – to Naomi’s apartment.

 I bounded up the stairs and knocked on the apartment door. At least, I slid to a halt before it, just as the door opened and a familiar face exited. “Hm? Ed? What are you doing here?” Lys asked, green eyes glittering curiously. “Naomi didn’t show today,” I said, “Just wanted to check that she’s okay.” Lys deflated, green eyes turning dark. “She’s in her room,” she said grimly, “last door on the right. She’s…she needs someone she can trust.” I frowned, “And it’s not you?” Lys smiled sadly, “I’m not you, apparently.” With that, she dropped the apartment key into my hand and left.

 I unlocked the door and stepped inside. After dropping the key in it’s holder on the dresser next to the door, I headed towards Naomi’s room. There was a whiteboard pinned to the door, and the quote had been written with wet marker: “Dying is Easy, Living is Harder –Lin Manuel Miranda” From behind the door I heard coughing and broken sobs. I pushed the door open carefully, and my eyes flew over Naomi, wrapped in a bi pride flag blanket, curled up into a ball, sobbing uncontrollably.

 I slowly walked to her bed and sat down. She continued to cry until I placed my hand on her head tentatively. She stopped sobbing, and moved her head to my lap. “What happened?” I asked, voice quiet. Naomi hiccupped, “M-My step mom…I-I thought…I thought she—she had texted me…” I was no mind reader, but I guessed she didn’t like her step mom much. The way she avoided talking about her ‘Family’, I could only guess that she was the victim of Homophobia, Sexism, Abuse, or all of the above. I pet her head, and whispered, “I’m here. You’re safe.” I wanted to say ‘You’re safe,’ but I couldn’t lie to her, and I didn’t know if it really was safe. She coughed. “I’m…I’m sorry, I’m bad at this.” I said. “J-Just…cuddle?” she sobbed, and I froze. After a moment my shock morphed into a smile, “Sure.” I said, crawling into bed next to her.

 We lied in silence, me cradling her in my arms. I found we did this a lot, acting like a couple, even though we weren’t. I never did this with anyone else, it was something only Naomi knew of me.

 Suddenly, she spoke: “I was 7 when Ash told me she thought my mom was abusive,” I froze, my hand stopped stroking her back, “It wasn’t until I was 11 that the police did something. I was put in a foster home. I thought…I thought mom’s hit their kids, and that they refused to feed them when they got bad grades. I though Mrs Mckinnon was the weird one.” Ashley Mckinnon saved Naomi. That was a fact I knew then. I pulled her closer and whispered, “You’re free now. You’re here.” Naomi hummed, the vibration resonating through my body, “To this day, I flinch everytime someone gets really angry.” I frowned, I knew that. I had been on the ‘really angry’ side of the situation sometimes.

 “I won’t let her hurt you again,” I said, “I know Ash and Lys won’t either.” Naomi nodded, and grasped my shirt. “Thanks,” she husked, “Thanks Ed.”

 4.       Recognition/Acceptance

It was simple, really.

 It was such a small thing, I’m surprised I didn’t notice it sooner. We were sitting at the library café, laughing, joking, talking, brainstorming fic and novel ideas. Her eyes crinkled, and her grin was wide. Her gray eyes were sparkling, and looked like pure silver, she was curling a strand of hair around her fingers, her raid nails creating a contrast to her black hair. Had her eyes always been such an indescribable shade between silver and blue? I wasn’t sure.

 I felt my face grow hot, the warmth spreading to my ears when she began to play with her red earrings. Red reminds me of you, she had said when buying them with me, so I’ll be sure to always think of you when I wear these.

 Remembering that sent electricity through my body.

 Oh no.

  5.      Confession

We were on the Central City Pier, our feet dangling over the edge as the sky painted the sea in dark shades of blue under the setting sky. The sky was dipped shades of red, blue and purple. She was wearing shorts and a blue bikini top. A red ribbon held her braid together.

 She was smiling, licking her strawberry ice cream. Her lips were red from the cold, but she never shivered. She looked at me, and I whipped my head away. I felt hot from my nose to my ears, and then she did something that made me grow hot all over:

 She touched my ear.

 I turned around and she pulled her hand back. “You’re warm,” she said, silver eyes blown wide. The wind picked up and brushed her hair into a frazzled mess. I probably looked just as disheveled. “Mhm,” I hummed, glaring at the horizon. Naomi pouted, and scooted nearer. She studied the side of my face as I sipped my slushie. I felt my cheeks heat up. She tilted her head. “What’s wrong with you? You look like the sun just ruined Al’s surprise Birthday party.” I rolled my eyes and glared at Naomi. She smiled, “Now you look like I missed an expertly planned Chemistry pun.” “That’s how I feel, too.” Naomi laughed, “Oh yeah? Pray tell, what did I miss?”

 I glared at my slushie, now, and felt the heat spread down my neck. “You’re such a hypocrite,” I deadpanned, making her squeak indigilantly, “You call me oblivious while being 100% clueless yourself.” Naomi frowned, “What do you mean?” She got on all fours and stared at me intently. I looked at her, which was a mistake. Her face was positioned in a way that it was nearly impossible not to look down her shirt. I cursed, then turned to her. I grabbed her arms and pulled her into a sitting position.

 “Are you stupid?” I asked, “or just in denial?” Naomi deflated. “Denial,” she hummed, “I just don’t get how you could possibly have a crush on me.” I scowled, “Hell if I know. You’re cute I guess.” She laughed airily, “You guess?” I shrugged, releasing her. After a minute, she said: “How can you be in love with a fuck up like me?” “If with fuck up you mean you fuck me up, then, easy, you just…do.” Naomi smiled, and intertwined our fingers, “Can you help me love myself again?” I looked at our hands, face hot, “I can try. No, I…I promise I will.” Naomi laughed, “Don’t make promises you can’t keep.” “I only make ones I can.”

 I hadn’t realized how much her words affected me (and vice versa) until that moment.

 Then, she pushed me against the pier and kissed me.

[notwithout-mymuse]

Fic: Misfits and Wanderers 8/8

Fic in which Robert and Aaron accidentally become secondary dads to almost every kid in the village. No mentions of the current SL because positivity is fun.

Split into 8 smaller one-shots because my thoughts ran away with me. All parts with be tagged fic: misfits verse.

With thanks to @mrshiftysugden, @portinastorm, and @stulot

Part 1 – Noah

Part 2 – Gabby

Part 3 - April & Leo

Part 4 - Kyle

Part 5 - Sarah & Jack

Part 6 - Arthur

Part 7 - Samson

Part 8 - Epilogue: Christmas

A/N: Thank you so so much to everyone who has left comments/kudos/likes on this story. I've really enjoyed writing it and it makes me so happy that other people have enjoyed it too. I'm definitely interested in adding to this verse in the future, so if there are any scenarios or character combinations you would like to see, then feel free to leave a prompt either here or on AO3 (I'm itswheremydemonshide10 there too!)

--

The Mill buzzes with excited noise, the smell of warm gingerbread permeating the house. Liv had decided the day before that they needed to put some Christmas decorations up, which is how they ended up with a house full of kids helping them decorate.

Liv has April on her shoulders, so that she can reach to hang some tacky, brightly-coloured paper chains. Aaron is sat cross-legged on the floor, a string of tinsel around his neck, helping Noah and Sarah to work out which baubles to put on the tree first. The fire is on, and the radio is blasting cheesy Christmas songs, and Robert couldn’t be happier.

Once the decorations are up, and they’ve gorged themselves on mince pies, they all collapse in the living room, the start scene of The Grinch on the TV. However, Liv snatches the control before Aaron can press play.

“Before you start that, we’ve all got an early Christmas present for ya both.” Liv says, pulling a large box out from behind the sofa, covered in red, shiny wrapping paper and a glittery gold ribbon. “Careful, it’s fragile.”

“Liv if something jumps up out of this and smacks us in the face I’ll kill ya.” Robert tells her, not able to hide his suspicion as he pulls the box towards them.

“Oi. I’m trying to do something nice here.” Liv snipes back.

Robert notices that as he and Aaron start tearing at the wrapping to reveal a brown cardboard box, that it’s not just Liv that looks sheepishly excited, all of the children do.

“Why do I get the feeling you’re all in on this?” Robert asks, causing them all to grin, Kyle giggling nervously.

The box is full of bubble-wrapped mugs, and not just any mugs, but specially made ones. Each one has a photo printed on the side of one of the children, their names imprinted on the other side.

“They’re for when we stay over, so we can all have a mug of our own!” Sarah announces.

“It’s our way of saying thank you too, for looking out for us.” Gabby tells them.

Robert looks across to his husband, and sees the same soft, emotional look in his eyes that he knows are reflected back in his own.

-

They end up with a living room full of sleeping children that night. Aaron tip-toes through the maze of sleeping bags and pillows, trying not to disturb any of them as he heads for the spiral staircase, more than ready to crash into bed after the chaos of the evening.

There’s a line of gloves and socks hanging in a line in front of the fire, to dry them out after the epic snowball fight they had hosted in the back garden. The snow is still falling thickly outside the window, the harsh winter really hitting hard now. It’s why Aaron had sent a group message out to all the kids’ parents, to tell them that the children were all welcome to stay over, so that they wouldn’t have to battle through the snow in the dark to get home.

Gabby tosses from one side to the other, having bagged herself the big sofa again (and Aaron thinks that they really need to start a rota system for who gets the sofa each time, to prevent arguments). Noah snuffles unpleasantly into his pillow and Aaron makes a mental note to give him some more medicine in the morning, because his cold doesn’t seem to be shifting anytime soon, and the last thing they need is the other kids catching it too.

“Night-night Aaron” a small sleepy voice mumbles, catching Aaron with one foot on the bottom step.

“Night Jack, get some sleep buddy!” Aaron whispers back as loudly as he dares, before creeping up the stairs.

Robert’s already in bed reading when Aaron reaches the bedroom, hair scruffy and slightly damp from his shower and all he wants is to crawl into his husband’s warm arms, so as soon as he’s shed his clothes in favour of pyjama bottoms and an old t-shirt and brushed his teeth, that’s exactly what he does.

Robert smells clean and fresh, the scent of his poncy rip-off shower gel more comforting than Aaron will ever admit. He curls up next to Robert and nuzzles his face into his shoulder.

“They all settled?” Robert asks absentmindedly, flicking to the next page of his novel, before stretching his arm to settle around Aaron’s shoulder to hold him close.

“Yeah, finally.”

It’s moments like this that make Aaron realise how much marriage has changed him, because he’s pretty sure if he could travel back in time, his younger self would cringe at the sight of him and Robert right now. They’re the picture of domesticity, curled up together in bed like this. It’s one of Aaron’s favourite things to do at the end of a long day, because Robert’s always soft and unguarded like this and he can just relax and unwind, the rise and fall of Robert’s even breathing under his cheek soothing.

Aaron thinks that perhaps this is what his counsellor meant when she had talked the week before about allowing himself to have quiet moments to let his mind settle. He thinks he likes it.

“Do you ever wonder how we got here?” Aaron asks after a few minutes of contented quiet.

Robert understands straight away that Aaron isn’t just musing on the fact that they’re sitting in bed, because he reaches for his bookmark to mark his place, and puts the book on his side-table. He shuffles until he’s lying down on his side, face-to-face with Aaron, before responding.

“How do you mean?” Robert asks quietly. He waits, lets Aaron gather his thoughts without any pressure, content to run his finger-tips up and down Aaron’s arm in delicate, nonsensical patterns, leaving a trail of goosebumps in his wake.

“Robert… right now we have a living room full random children, none of them are ours, but they just… act like they belong here, you know? I’m not complaining, not at all, but… I mean I never imagined that this would be my life, and I’m pretty sure you didn’t either…” Aaron tails off, not really sure where he is going with this, not sure if it really matters.

Robert seems to mull Aaron’s words over before responding.

“Well, true. But I never would have predicted that I’d end up married to you either…maybe things are better when they just happen naturally ya know?” Robert’s hand threads through Aaron’s hair as he speaks, and he presses a chaste kiss to his husband’s lips before his continues:

“And it’s kind of nice, when I think about it. None of those kids have really had easy lives, for one reason or another, if being here with us nutters makes them happy, then we’re doing a good thing, right?”

It still hits Aaron hard sometimes, the depths of Robert’s heart that most people never even get close to, because they’re buried under so many years of isolation, denial, anger, and fear. Even though they’re married now, and know each other better than anyone else, it still feels like a privilege that he gets to know Robert in this way.

“Yeah, I think it’s a good thing.” Aaron responds eventually. “Sometimes, I just look at them and see myself ya know? I mean the situations are completely different, thank god, but I just remember when I was a kid and how desperate I was for someone to notice, to listen, to care… I’d never want any kid to feel like that if I could stop it.”

Robert closes the gap, so he can rest his forehead on Aaron’s. Their warm, minty breaths becoming one.

“That’s what makes you such a good man Aaron, and why you make me want to be a better one… all of that pain and misery and loneliness - and it just made you kind.”

Aaron has no idea how to respond to that, so he goes with humour instead.

“Why do I have a feeling that’s a quote from one of your nerdy sci-fi shows?”

Robert pulls back with a quiet snort of laughter.

“Well, actually…”

“Never mind, I don’t wanna know!” Aaron cuts him off before he can get going.

Robert and Aaron are content to drift after that. Small snatches of unimportant chatter, a few soft kisses, all in the warm embrace of each other’s arms.

Tomorrow will be chaotic again. Robert will get up first and make the kids tea and toast with Liv, while Aaron showers. Then it will be a rush to get them all home, a mess of backpacks, lost socks, spilt tea, and arguments over the bathroom. Someone will undoubtedly leave something behind, a jumper on the back of a chair, or a phone down the back of the sofa. Noah might join them for another night, depending on what Charity is up to. April and Leo will be back for their usual visit on Thursday too. They will all return at some point, some sooner than others.

But both Robert and Aaron know the door to the Mill will be open to them, at any time of the day or night, for any reason.

And most importantly, the children all know that too.

[hopeishappinessff]

Chapter 40... Continued

We eventually found room 211 and I politely explained to Chris that I would just wait outside while he went in to speak with Gabby. It took him quite a while to exit the room and when he did, I had to immediately take off down the hall after him. He burst out of the room like a wind storm and didn’t bother to slow down to give me time to catch up with him. He exited the hospital in a rush and once we were out, we immediately headed to the parking lot to his truck.

By the time we’d gotten back on the highway, I figured perhaps he was upset with me because he hadn’t uttered so much as single word. He exited a short while later and pulled up to a red light where he took a moment to lean his head back against his headrest and run a hand over his face with an exasperated sigh. "What's wrong?" I asked quietly. He lifted his head and shook it as he accelerated through the now green light "She ain’t put a name on the birth certificate for the baby’s father." “What?” I asked perplexedly, “What does that mean?” “That means all that talk about Jordayn being the dad was bullshit,” He explained as he rested his elbow on the handle of the door and fell into a bad habit of biting at his fingernails, “She told me that I have to step to the plate and do what I have to do as the father. That she’ll take me to court if she has to, to make sure she gets child support.”

“But how can she tell you that if she doesn’t even know if you're the dad? What if you’re not?” I asked. “I don’t know if I am or not Hope… I really don’t. I mean you saw that kid… he looked just fucking like me and I can’t deny that, but I just… I don’t know…” He fell silent then and stared out at the road ahead, leaving me stunned beyond belief. I didn’t know what to say to him… didn’t have any words of encouragement to let him know that it would all be okay, because truthfully I had no idea if everything would be okay.

I stayed as silent as him as he drove along and nearly fifteen minutes later, I realized we’d arrived in our neighborhood. Assuming he was simply dropping me off at home, I gathered my purse from the floor and prepared to exit. It wasn’t until he pulled into his mother’s driveway that I realized he had completely different plans. “I just wanted to stop by and talk to my mom for a second, if you don’t mind.” He said quietly as he removed his seatbelt and opened his door. I nodded empathetically and followed him until we were both out of the truck and standing behind a foreign car in the driveway.

"Whose car is this?" I asked, pointing at the Chrysler 300. He only shrugged his shoulders, barely turning to even glance at the car, then continued on up to the porch. He unlocked and opened the front door of the house then stepped through the threshold and waited for me to enter behind him before he closed it. "Ma!" He yelled as he moved toward the stairs. I quietly waited behind him and listened to the sound of footsteps approaching from the living room to our left. "Hey Ma. Can I talk to you..." His words seemed to get caught in his throat in that moment and I continued to stand back, wondering why he went silent so suddenly.

"Hello Christopher." My ears perked at the sound of an unfamiliar masculine voice and I leaned to the side of him, hoping to get a better view of who the unknown person was. "What he doing here ma?" He asked his mother softly, rather than responding to the man who’d originally spoken to him. "He just wants to talk Chris, just… just listen to him... please." I could hear the desperation in her tone and I took that as my cue to step to his side to assess the scene. Ms. Joyce stood a few feet in front of him and not far behind her stood a towering man. He had to be about six foot four and what baffled me the most was the fact that he greatly resembled Chris, excluding the fact that he was a few shades darker.

"What he got to talk about? He don’t have shit to say to me under the roof of this house." "Chris..." Ms. Joyce mumbled with a quivering voice. "Son, I just..." Son… it didn’t take long for me to figure out exactly who this man was… "Do not fucking call me that!" Chris roared suddenly. He turned to face me with rosy cheeks and pressed a hand against my side, obviously ready to leave the house. He didn’t get very far at all though… his dad called out to him once more and the poor man made the huge mistake of reaching out to grab ahold of his arm.

I knew it would happen, but I had no idea it would happen as quick as it did... Chris turned, faster than I even had time to blink, and swung his right fist into the left side of his dad's face. The man stumbled back and Ms. Joyce jumped in front of Chris with her arms stretched out in an effort to push him away. "No Chris, calm down... you don't have to talk to him anymore just calm down." She steadily glanced over her shoulder as she spoke with absolute fear in her eyes.

"Don't worry about this nigga ma, he can take a lil hit just like you could, can't you bitch? Get up... get the fuck up!" He didn't lash about with his mother standing directly in front of him, he only stalked forward with his fists balled at his sides, moving her back with him as she kept her hands pressed against his chest. "Yes, he took the hit Chris... he took it. You don't have to prove anything else, he took it and now you can leave." Tears began to trickle slowly down her reddened cheeks as she fought desperately to keep her son away from his father.

His dad was back on his feet now and clutching at the side of his smirking face "I guess I did teach you something, huh boy? You got a mean hit... just like ya pops." From where I stood behind him, I could only see Chris’s head tilting just barely and without second thought he pushed his mom out of the way and into the living room, giving me just enough time to swoop in and pull her out of harm’s way. The moment his path was clear, Chris charged at his dad and rammed him into the wall about ten feet behind him. He held a firm grip on his midsection and his dad held him in a headlock just as tight that left Chris's face a deep shade of red. I was starting to panic from the sound of Ms. Joyce crying and screaming hysterically behind me and the sight of Chris and his dad trying to kill one another in front of me. From what I could see, there would be absolutely no way to stop them… they both seemed to possess a nearly inhumane strength.

Somehow, Chris managed to loosen the grip his dad had around his neck and he swung his body around to the wall adjacent from the one they were on. His dad's head crashed hard into a picture frame that shattered from the impact. Chris quickly wrapped his hands around the man’s neck and began to squeeze like his life depended on it. There was a look in his eye, an ominous look, that shook me to my core and in that moment left me fearing for his father’s life.

I rushed forward and latched my hands onto Chris's left arm and tugged as hard I could "Chris stop it... please. You’re gonna kill him!" "Let the nigga die then." He muttered through gritted teeth. I continued to pull at his forearm and Ms. Joyce rushed out into the hall and lunged forward to get a grasp on her son as she sobbed hysterically "Chris let him go!" By the looks of it, I could tell that his dad was quickly fading in and out of consciousness. His entire face favored a bloated red balloon, yet he maintained a mocking smirk that I knew was only adding fuel to Chris’s raging fire.

In a last-ditch effort, I took it upon myself to slip into the small gap between him and his dad. I gripped his trembling face in my hands and stared into his distant and eerie eyes “Charlie, let him go… please. Just let go.” He snapped his gaze down to me and I wanted so badly to step away from him… the look in his eyes had me absolutely uncertain if he would slap me right out of his way. "Baby please." I whispered.

Within seconds his arms started to loosen and soon, he’d lowered them completely to his sides. Ms. Joyce reached in immediately and swept him away from his dad and I rushed along behind them, glancing back to see the nearly unconscious man sliding down the wall, gasping desperately for air. I wanted to feel sympathy for him… I’d just witnessed him come only seconds away from certain death. I couldn’t bring myself to feel an ounce of remorse for him though and I quickly made my way out of the hall and out the front door behind Ms. Joyce and Chris. Chris was standing there, breathing like a madman. His nostrils were flared and he looked as though he was on the verge of knocking his own mother out of the way to finish the job he’d set out to do on his dad.

"Baby, I’m so sorry... I didn't know he would come over here." Ms. Joyce blubbered into the deaf ears of Chris. He simply unraveled her hands from his arm and stepped around her to get to his truck. “Sy'Diyah, sweetie... I'm sorry that you had to witness that." She said as she turned to me. "It's okay Ms. Joyce." She nodded as she continued to cry and spread her arms to embrace me in a hug. The sudden sound of shattering glass snatched us from the moment and we both swung around as a car alarm started to blare deafeningly.

Chris stood only feet away from his dad’s car huffing and puffing like a bull. It was apparent that he’d picked up a loose brick from the front of the house and chucked it through the windshield of the Chrysler. I bolted forward off the porch and grabbed him, pushing him back toward his truck hoping that he would do no more damage. Before I could even get him two feet away, he’d already broken free from my grip and punched a fist directly through the driver side window.

"Chris, stop it!." I shouted, gripping onto his arm and practically dragging him off to the passenger side of his truck. I wouldn’t dare allow him to take charge of such a potentially lethal weapon… with him behind the wheel; he was liable to smash it right into the back of his dad’s already damaged car. Finally managing to get him into the passenger seat, I raced around to the other side to climb into the driver's side.

--

Less than half an hour later, I finally pulled into his designated parking spot and shifted the truck into park. The moment I shut the ignition off, Chris climbed out and slammed his door shut, leaving me to scramble along behind him. I nearly ran behind him as he took wide strides up to the building and by the time I had finally caught up with him, he was already standing in front of his door with that stone expression I’d become familiar with. Once I got the door open, he zipped past me and sped off down the hall to his bedroom, slamming the door shut.

I released a sigh and shook my head, moving on to the living room and plopped down on the nearest couch. I settled myself against the cushions and flipped on the TV then stayed in that spot for nearly two hours. I’d just about fallen asleep there on the chair, so I finally decided to take a chance of going back to Chris’s room to getting situated for bed. I made my way down the hall and quietly opened the bedroom door, glancing around just to see if perhaps he’d already climbed into bed for the night. I could hear the sound of running water, so I turned my gaze toward the restroom and noticed the light illuminating beneath the door. Noting that he’d tucked himself away in there, I crossed over to one of his dressers and pulled out a white tank to sleep in. I pulled my clothes off until I was down to my underwear and slipped the tank on over my head, smirking when I realized the thing fell down to my knees.

After placing my clothes down on the floor near my side of the bed, I climbed onto the oversized mattress and sat up so I could continue to flip through the channels as I’d done back in the living room. After failing to find anything to hold my attention, I turned the television off and climbed down from the bed. It’d been nearly an hour since I’d come into the bedroom and Chris had yet to come out of the restroom.

"Chris." I called out once I made my way over to the door and knocked. He didn’t respond and panic began to quickly set in so without thought, I reached for the handle and to my surprise the door was unlocked. I cracked it open just barely and immediately spotted him hunched over the furthest sink from me. His left arm lie stretched out across the surface of the countertop and his head was resting against his forearm. He kept his right arm bent into the sink and I watched as the water rushed out over his hand.

"Chris." I called out once more, only to be met by complete silence. I slowly eased over to him and rested a hand against his back, but backed off the moment I felt his body tense up. Seconds later I decided to lean over him and shut off the water and I stared at him, waiting for a response. Within about a minute he finally lifted his head and the moment I caught sight of his eyes, my heart instantly ached for him. They were red… bloodshot red, and it was clearly evident he’d been crying.

He sniffled and stood up straight, pulling his right hand to his chest as he attempted to walk around me to get out of the bathroom. "Wait." I said softly, stepping in front of him and reaching for his right hand. He didn't bother to stop me… he simply held his hand out and I gasped softly when I realized why he had it running under the water in the first place. His hand was bruised and cut along the knuckles and the backs of his fingers. Without second thought, I rushed over to the linen closet where I knew he kept a first aid kit.

Once I’d pulled out the necessary materials to mend his wound I applied it all to his hand, without so much as a word from him. I bandaged his hand up after the peroxide I’d sprayed on it had dried and put all the items from the first aid kit away then grabbed his functioning hand and led him out of the bathroom. I released his hand and moved around to the opposite side of the bed and the moment I tucked myself in and looked up, he was already gone. He’d walked out of the room and shut the door behind himself. I knew he was just a bottle of emotions and because he didn’t know how to deal with them, he did the best thing he knew how… he ran away from it all. I wouldn’t pressure him to talk to me or even be in the same room as me, so I simply rolled over onto my side, shut my eyes, and prayed for him.

[mascaracoffee]

Attacked ~Rafael Barba Imagine~

Rafael Barba X OC (Kelly)

Summary: Rafael Barba believes he is keeping his family safe by keeping the threats a secret. However, Barba is shaken when the threats materialize too close to home and suddenly everything Barba holds dear is Attacked.

Warnings: Assault, Anxiety attack, cursing 

A Baby Changes Everything 

She was perfect. Her thick dark hair was full of body and was already beginning to show signs of curls that tickled her small, delicate ears. She had inherited my blue eyes encased in long, dark lashes and Rafael’s mouth and a small, button nose was nestled between her full, round cheeks. She was a blessing, our little miracle.

Gabriella Lucia Barba

I smiled softly before finally pushing myself away from her crib. I stopped to switch on the monitor on the dresser before gently closing the door.  Sighing, my bare feet carried me to the living room where I fell into the couch with a content sigh. I smiled pulling a plush stuffed bunny into my lap from behind my back and smiling softly.

It was unbelievable what a small little girl could change in just two months of life. I especially loved the change I saw in Rafael. His normal stoic disposition had crumbled once he laid eyes on his little girl, he was completely and utterly wrapped around her little finger. Let Gabby even whimper and Rafi was there checking on her with a kiss and a song.  I had even become a morning person when my mornings consisted of waking up to Rafael singing to Gabby as he made the first round of his morning coffee.  Our normally orderly, clean, quiet apartment was now filled with 3 am feedings and diaper changes stuffed animals and pacifiers. I don’t know how we ever survived without her.

A knock on the door broke my train of thought and my brows furrowed in confusion glancing at the clock. It was 10:45, Rafi said he would swing by for a quick lunch around 1. A habit he had formed when he returned back to work. ‘That’s odd’ I thought. Our usual visitors were all at work, my parents had flown back home weeks ago and Rafael and Lucia had a key.

I stood up and walked to the door before opening it enough to stick my head out.

“Can I help you?”

The question rolled off my tongue as I examined the stranger. He was taller than me around 5’6 with a stocky build. His hair was buzzed and faded down the sides into a beard. He was dressed in all black and his tan skin and dark eyes made me think Latino.

“Yeah, is this the Barba residence?”

“Yes.” I quirked an eyebrow questioningly, keeping my grip on the door handle firm.

He smirked. “My name is Manny. I,uh, I know Rafael we went to school together in the Bronx. I ran in to him on the street a couple weeks ago and he gave me his card” he stopped momentarily to fish the card out of his pocket “said I could drop by and we could catch up on old times.”

I took the card from him and examined it.

Rafael Barba ADA

Along with his contact information, his office address and suite number, on the back of the card I recognized Rafael’s messy scrawl that spelled out our home address.

“Oh” I opened the door a little more for proper conversation. “Well Rafi isn’t home right now but he should be in soon for lunch.” I chewed on my lip softly “ Would you like to come in?”

“Thank you.” Manny smiled accepting my offer and following me into the living room. He shed his jacket and took a seat on the couch as I took a seat on the couch opposite of him.

“So you must be Kelly. Rafael couldn’t stop talking about you when I ran in to him.”

I blushed deeply absentmindedly twisting my wedding ring in place.

“That would be me.” I smiled.  “We’ve been married almost two years now.”

“That’s great. Seems ole Rafi is doing good for himself.” Manny nodded his eyes inspecting the apartment.  “Did you two meet at Harvard?”

“I was actually an ADA with him here in New York. I had just moved up here from New Orleans so the DA put me with Rafi until I got adjusted. Just helping him with big cases and such so we spent many a sleepless nights together going over case notes and testimonies over Chinese takeout and scotch.” I chuckled.  The conversation continued to flow casually about mine and Rafi’s life for a few minutes.

“I always looked up to Rafael growing up. He was older than me but I admired him ya know?”

“I know exactly what you mean. Rafael just seems to have that spark that naturally pulls people to him. He’s so dedicated to his work and he’s so goal driven. Or it could just be his snark.”I laughed.

I smiled at Manny. It was so nice to have someone to talk to that knew Rafi from when he was younger. Since the incident with Alex and Eddie, Rafael didn’t talk much about his past before Harvard. I believed he blamed himself in some ways for going to Harvard and leaving Eddie to be manipulated by Alex. It was nice to have someone shed some light on Rafael from his younger years.

“He gets that from his dad.” I froze. “I remember wishing how my dad would be more like him take me to baseball games and go with the family to church. I know he’s proud of Rafael.”

That wasn’t right. Rafael’s father was a terrible, abusive drunk who never made time for Rafael. His father had hurt him so terribly we as a couple still had to find ways to maneuver around the obstacles. Not to mention his dad died while he was away at college.  He seemed to know so much the Bronx and Harvard surely he would know about Rafael’s father?  This was all beginning to feel very wrong and Manny seemed to notice my change in disposition.

“Why don’t I just call Rafael? That way he’ll know you’re here.” I went to stand up when Manny shot up quicker, pulling something from his pocket.

“Don’t. Move.”

I froze seeing the knife glimmer in the light before I met his eyes.

“Yeah seems ole Barba’s doing well for himself. Upscale apartment in Manhattan,” Manny  walked around  tossing over an end table. I jumped as the table collided nosily with the hardwood the contents it held shattering to the ground. He rounded the coffee table and came closer to me lifting the knife to my chest “gorgeous wife” He gripped my sweater in one hand use the knife to slice through the material before it ripping it the rest of the way off me. A whimper falling from my lips as the sweater was ripped away, I cringed and shut my eyes. “beautiful baby girl.”

My head snapped toward him, ice running through my veins, as he mentioned Gabby.

“P-Please! Please don’t hurt my baby!” I begged. My heart was thudding in my ears seeming to cloud over my senses. “The-there’s a safe in Rafael’s office I’ll give you the combination I’ll give you my jewelry. Anything you want just please don’t hurt her!”

Fear was coursing through my veins mixed with the adrenaline and the nerve to fight. But fighting wasn’t that easy, not this time. It wasn’t just my life on the line here. He knew about Gabby, I had my daughter to think about. I had to make sure she was safe.

Manny chuckled before pushing me down onto my knees roughly, his hand gripping my shoulder tightly.

“Oh you’re gonna do what I want Mama. That’s for damn sure.”

I felt the bile rise in my throat as he used one hand to unclasp his belt buckle that was before my face. The other hand holding the knife loosely  to my face. How could I trust If I did what he wanted he wouldn’t hurt Gabby? I couldn’t give him the upper-hand with my cooperation. As he shoved his dark jeans down his thighs I took the distraction and pushed my body weight into his causing him to lose his balance. From there it was strictly a fight response.

Rafael Barba had always considered himself a levelheaded man, able to think through rationally before jumping to fear, but that wasn’t the case today. Rafael had never felt so terrified in his entire life. When Rollins and Finn had met him outside his office he expected them to talk about their upcoming case, perhaps new evidence or a new witness, never would he have guessed they were coming to tell him that his wife had been attacked in their home.  Once Rollins had pulled in front of the apartment building the fear intensified seeing the numerous patrol cars and the ambulance.  Rafael raced up to his apartment, pushing and shoving others out of the way.

“That’s my wife” Rafael growled as a rookie attempted to stop him from entering the living room. He quickly threw the officer’s arms away from him and pushed by.

Rafael felt as if the world had crashed down around him. Liv sat beside Kelly, holding one of her hands, as her statement was being taken, an EMT applying butterfly sutures to her cut cheek. Her right eye was swollen shut and turning a nasty purple hue, her lip busted.  Rafael’s observant eyes could make out the faint, purple outline of handprints around her slim throat.

“Oh Carino” Rafael whispered pushing himself closer to her.

“Rafi” Kelly said, her voice breaking and tears filling her eyes as she reached out toward him. The EMT stepped back having finished his job as Rafael gently embraced his wife holding her head to his chest as he felt tears wet the front of his suit. He closed his eyes and muttered prayers, thanking God that she was alive.

“Where’s Gabby?” Rafael asked his head turning from side to side looking for his daughter, a new course of fear beginning to pump through him.

“Sonny has her.” Olivia nodded to the tall, blonde Staten islander who held his small daughter in his lanky arms.

After taking a quick sweep of the room, Rafael felt his knees weaken as he saw Kelly’s sweater that she had been wearing earlier that morning, torn on the floor being tagged and photographed as evidence.  It was then that the ADA noticed his wife wearing one of his old tattered Harvard tshirts.

“Oh God, ” Rafael started with a raspy breath “Did he..

“No” Kelly whimpered into his chest shaking her head. “He tried, but he didn’t.”

“Oh mi amor” Rafael whispered solemnly placing kisses into her hair “lo siento, lo siento”

“He said he knew you Rafi” Kelly hiccupped as she pulled away to look up at him. “He said he went to school with you and he had your card with our address on the back and I-I…let him in.” Kelly wailed falling into a fit of tears again clutching on to Rafael desperate for his forgiveness.

From the moment her neighbor, Mr. Atkinson, had arrived at her apartment hearing the commotion to the second of relief she felt when the assault had stopped, Kelly had been flooding herself with regret and self-loathing. Why had she let that man into her home?

 Once Manny had fled, startled by Mr. Atkinson’s presence, Kelly rushed to her wailing daughter’s nursery. She had held her daughter tightly to her chest before the EMT’s begged her to be evaluated in which Sonny offered to take the little girl. Kelly was sick to her stomach at the thought of the danger she had put not only herself, but her daughter in.

Rafael’s heart felt as if it had solidified into stone and dropped into his gut when Kelly mentioned the business card. The one that he had filled out for the man that threatened his life on the courthouse steps, the man was smart, using the card to his advantage and turning the tables on Rafael.  Barba felt the color drain from his face, he took a shaky breath as Kelly buried her face into the crook of his neck her hand playing with the hair on the nape of Rafael’s neck, a tick she had developed subconsciously over the years.

“Barba” Liv looked at Rafael after scribbling something on her notepad.  “Could this be the man who’s been threatening you?”

Rafael’s body stiffened solid. Kelly’s cries ceased for a moment before she sniffed and pulled away from her husband slowly.

“Wh-What?” Kelly looked between Rafael and Liv, her blue eyes settling on Rafael’s desperate for an answer. “What is she talking about Rafael?”

Barba visibly gulped, his mouth drying as he searched for the right words to explain himself. Liv’s face had blanched considerably seeing the fire she had created. Rafael closed his eyes and took a breath.

“Its been going on about a year” He began “just ridiculous phone calls but a few months ago a man showed up outside the courthouse threatened to bust my head open on the steps. I told him if he really wanted to kill me he should have to come to my house. I never thought he would actually do it so I-I gave him our address.”

A look of horror marred Kelly’s face. Tears spilled over her blue eyes as Rafael tightened his grip on his wife’s wrist desperate for her to stay close to him, a sign that he would read as she forgave him. He could see the distance growing between them just from the look in her eyes.

“Let go of me” she spat forcing her arms out of Barba’s grip.”Estas pero si bien pendejo! (You’re a fucking idiot)” She moved away from him, gathered Gabriella from Sonny’s arms and proceeded through the door to Gabriella’s nursery, the door slamming shut in her wake.

Barba sighed dragging his hands over his face repeatedly, he was emotionally drained.  Liv stood from her seat, fumbling with her notepad.

“Barba, I’m sorry I didn’t realize Kelly didn’t know about the threats.”

“No, its my fault.” Barba sighed. “I should have told her.  Keep me updated on this?”

Kelly choked back the sobs as she moved back and forth between Gabriella’s dresser and an open bag, she stuffed more clothing and toys into the bag. She held the small child close to her heaving chest as the door opened. Rafael entered the pastel colored room and closed the door before his gaze landed on the partially full bag of clothes and diapers. His shoulders visibly slumped and his eyes widened and clouded over in terror.

“Please don’t leave” he whispered, his voice soft, vulnerable trembling with emotion. “Please don’t take Gabby from me either.”

 Kelly didn’t respond, a tearful sob emitting from her mouth. Her chest was heaving, her head swimming a thousand miles a minute. Kelly’s breaths were coming in short, unsuccessful gasps her body began shaking. Rafael recognized the signs and gently approached her and coaxed Gabriella from her arms, placing the baby in her crib. Kelly sat on the sofa futon across from the crib and brought her head to her knees.  She buried her face in her hands as she sobbed, her shoulders shaking. Rafael felt his heart clench as he took a seat beside his wife.  He gently grasped her wrists and whispered encouraging words.

“Look at me, focus on me carino por favor. Deep breaths.”

Barba chalked it up as a victory when he finally saw her blue eyes. Her chest still shook in uneven sputters but the shaking had lessened.

“How could you keep this from me Rafi? How could you give him our address?” the questions flew from her mouth in a painful spiral. Each question bringing forth more emotion, as Kelly struggled to keep herself from falling back into another attack.

“I didn’t want to worry you.” Rafael confessed. “When it first started I didn’t take it seriously. I had been threatened before and nothing ever came of it I figured why would it now? I had more important things to worry about like preparing for Gabriella to be born.” Rafael paused nodding his head toward the crib. His voice trailed off as he seemed to be lost in thought before he took a ragged breath.  “Then at the courthouse we had just had Gabby and I didn’t think he would actually do it.” He turned to face Kelly gently reaching her hands as he spoke “Sweetheart, I’m so sorry.”

“How could you think I’m so weak?” Kelly looked at him properly for the first time. The tears making her blue eyes glisten. “I’m not breakable Rafi! How could you keep this from me? When we got married we said we would never keep things from each other! When are you going to realize its not just you anymore, its not just us, we have a daughter to worry about!”

For once the Harvard educated lawyer was speechless. What could he say to justify an action that didn’t even deserve justifying?

“I would never intentionally put you or Gabby in danger” Rafael said his eyes pleading. “You know that don’t you?”

“I don’t know what to think Rafi.” She whimpered. “I knew you wouldn’t give our address to someone who was threatening you, especially knowing Gabby and I are here alone, but you did. If you’re not going to think about us then I have to. God, Rafael what if he had done something to Gabby?” the mere thought was sickening to her stomach as she clasped a hand over her mouth. Her head was beginning to pound along with her erratic heartbeat.

“Carino please” Rafael pleaded, dropping to his knees before her “You and Gabby are my world! I would do anything for you two. Giving him our address was the biggest mistake of my life; putting you two in danger like this will haunt me until my dying day. I-I thought I was being brave, standing up to him. Please, I know I can’t fix this but please don’t leave. Let me get you and Gabby a protective detail, I have to know the two of you are safe. Por favor, don’t just leave.”

“And what about you?” Kelly asked more calmly staring straight ahead, wiping at her wet cheeks before pushing herself to a standing position pulling her hand from Rafael’s grasp. She walked to the full window and stared down at the busy street below.

“Don’t worry about me” Rafael said softly. “Keeping you two safe is all that matters.”

“Bullshit Rafael!” She snapped turning toward her kneeling husband anger and fire burning in her eyes. “You’re not getting it! Don’t worry about you when there’s someone threatening your life? And you say you don’t want to hurt your family? What if something happened to you? That would destroy us!”

Her sadness and shock was fueling her anger.

“My little girl won’t grow up without a father” She said her face stoic and strong. Determined as the tears continued to slip down her face “and you can’t leave me here alone.” Her voice cracked. “You just can’t do that to us.”

Her voice dropped, emotion thickening her voice as she covered her face again.

Rafael stood and gently pulled her hands away from her face. She whimpered, burying her face into his neck. Rafael wrapped a hand into her lose curls and closed his eyes as he inhaled her scent. How close had he come to losing her, to losing Gabby? The thought made his knees weak and his stomach churn uncomfortably, tears brimming his eyes as he placed kisses into her curls.

“I’m gonna make this right carino”  he whispered into her hair.

Kelly pulled back slightly her fingers playing the lapels of his suit jacket before whispering.

“Then come with us. The DA will provide you a security detail too. Gabby and I need you with us. Please Rafael I don’t think I could do this on my own, not knowing what is happening with you. Always worrying..”

“Shhh” Rafael cooed brining Kelly’s face to his and gently pecking her lips, being careful not to disturb the tear in her lip. She dropped her head back to his chest and sighed deeply.

“I’ll go wherever you want me to carino” 

An hour later, the small family was packed and dressed surrounded by men in dark suites as the Barba family exited their apartment complex. Rafael secured Gabriela’s car seat as the sleeping baby suckled on her pacifier peacefully.  His green eyes looked up at his wife. Kelly’s head rested against the head rest as she stared down at their daughter. Her locks were damp and curling around her face and her skin dewy and rosy from the shower. The bruising was settling in around her eye making the hue darker. 

Barba reached across Gabby’s sleeping form and interlocked his hands with Kelly’s. Their eyes met and Kelly offered up the smallest of smiles as she leaned in closer. Rafael met her halfway and connected their lips chastely. As they pulled apart Kelly rested her forehead against his. 

[goodgirlmeetstoughboy]

Difficult Times

Fandom: Brettonio

Tv Show: Chicago PD / Chicago Fire

Crossover

AU

Rated: M

Words: 2377

Part: 1 of 2

Characters: Sylvie Brett  Antonio Dawson  Kelly Severide  Gabby Dawson

Genre: Romance, Drama

Part 1

She was standing her ground, she knew she was wrong but was not going to give in anyway. The sun had already settled a few hours ago but she just came home because work had taken longer than she had expected when she told her friend to go home to her kids and she'd take care of her stuff as well. She hadn't noticed time flying by as she was deep in thoughts. The radio had been playing quietly in the background playing music. She had really lost track of time, when she heard the vibrating of her phone inside of her purse.

She picked it up without looking who was calling. "Where the hell are you?" Antonio's with anger filled voice shot through the line. Sylvie was taken aback by his sudden outburst, so much, she almost dropped her mobile.

"Still at work." She snapped back. "Come down will ya. I have a lot of work. I just lost track of time."

"We said we have dinner together tonight. I cooked."

"I am so sorry hon. I totally forgot."

"Don't Hon me Sylvie. You better make this up to me or...-" "Or WHAT?" Screaming into the phone, Sylvie stood up not carrying that her chair fell over at her sudden reaction.

The line went dead.

Stunned that he hung up on her, she picked up the chair and decided to leave. She knew the moment she'd arrive at home, things would pick up where the call was left off. She wasn't up for another fight, praying that he maybe had gone to sleep already she parked her car in the driveway, grabbed her coat from the passanger seat next to her and got out of the car.

Opening the door she walked inside the townhouse she owned. The house was still lit but Antonio was nowhere to be seen. Throwing her handbag to the floor, she got rid of her shoes and coat by throwing them to the floor, making as little noise as possible.

She found him sitting on one of the wooden chairs at the dinning room table. The table was beautifully set, the candles he must have lit hours ago, were burned down, drops of wax had hardenend on the golden tablecloth that was beautifully laid on to the half glass, half wooden table. His gaze was hard, his body on edge. "I can't keep doing this."  There was no more anger in his voice just sadness. She felt the sharp pain go through her body as if someone was stabbing her. "What are you saying?" His eyes bored into hers, she could see how he tried to controll his anger.

"Antonio please, I had just a lot of work. I will remember next time."

"I thougt Cindy was working today as well, couldn't she jump in for once?"

"She did, I sent her home so she could be with her family." She said apologetic.

"And what about your family? Huh? Am I nothing to you anymore?" Sitting there calmly he let his head fall down to his chest, shaking it.

Defeated, silence filled the room. Tears dropping down to the livingroom floor. He stood, head held high, he walked past her. "Antonio..." "Not tonight." Putting on his coat and picking up his black dufflebag she now noticed being next to the front door, he left, shutting the door loudly behind him.

Crying she let herself drop to the floor, letting out all the emotions she had held back. ----------

Days went by slow, she hadn't eaten since the evening Antonio walked out on her. She had lost weight, her skin was pale, almost white. She looked like crap and she didn't do anything to hide it. She just didn't care. She pushed herself to go to work everyday even though she just wanted to stay at home in her bed hiding under the sheets until this whole nightmare would be over. But that wasn't going to happen, she was well aware of that. Sylvie had lost track on the number of how many times she had called Antonio's cell these past few days. He had never picked up once, but she kept on calling.

He didn't answer.

She tossed her phone into the nearest wall, regretting it a second later. It scattered to the floor leaving pieces all over the place. Great now she needed to buy a new one. As if she had the time and the money to do that. Well she had time, because cleaning up, she had done whenever she felt the need to forget, so apart from the phone on the floor, it was clean, to clean.

Grabbing her coat, she left her apartment, got into her car, and drove into the city. It was a beautiful day, the sun stood high in the sky. It warmed her body through the windows of her car. She arrived after a few minutes of driving and was lucky to find a parking spot near the mall she had planned to go.

The store was crowded, she waited in line and was soon annoyed of people bumping into her. She was about to say something when a familiar voice called her name. Turning around she spotted Gabby and Kelly who had just entered the store together. "Hy guys. What are you doing here together?" Curiously she waited for an answer.

"Kelly here, is helping me to find a birthday present for Matt." She patted Severide's shoulder and smiled at Sylvie. "What are you doing here?" Severide looked her up and down as if he knew that something was up. She hadn't seen her friends in a few weeks, and it seemed like Antonio hadn't talked to them either because it looked like they didn't know that he had left her.

"Broke my phone."  

Gabby's phone was ringing, she excused herself and went outside to take the call.

"Are you sure you're ok?" Kelly asked concern swinging in his voice. "You look bad."

"Yes I'm ok. I'm up next. I call you sometime this week with my new phone." Faking a smile she hoped would convince him, she added. "Bye."

"Bye." He leaned in and pressed a chaste kiss on her cheek before leaving the store.

----------------------------

She could fool everyone around her, but not herself. Deep down she knew her marriage was over the moment Antonio had walked out on her. He had given her many chances and as hard as it was to admitt, she hadn't taken them. She had thought he was just saying these things so she might change, never ever would she have thought he would leave her. Had they always had such a strong love and bond.

They had met right after she got her new job at the law firm she was still working, only had she then been the rookie and not the boss like she was today. It had taken her a lot of long nights and hard working hours to be where she was now.

She had bumped into him as he was walking on the sidewalk deep in thoughts, she remembered how young he looked back then, how young they both were. Falling flat on her ass after the crash, she looked at him, looked into his beautiful brown eyes. He wore a black leather jacket that day, a grey shirt underneath compaired with a blue jeans and sneakers. She remembered just sitting on the cold stony ground watching him. Smiling he helped her to stand up. When his hand touched hers, she could feel electricity lingering in the air surrounding them.

"I'm sorry." He had said after a while pulling her up and into his chest, like it was the most normal thing to do. She felt his hard chest under all that clothing, smiling up to him but somehow having lost her ability to speak.

-------

She had to call him again. Try to win him back. After all they went through together this couldn't be it, this was not how it was supposed to end. They were meant for each other, she knew that, deep down she knew.

What had she done, when had her job become more important than her marriage? She couldn't remember when things had started to change, she just knew that it wasn't supposed to go this way. She had to find out where he was staying, clearly it wasn't at his sisters.

--------

She had no clue where he was staying. So she had no other choice as to call Severide. She picked up the phone and dialed his number.

"Hey Sylvie, I was just about to call you..." Pause. "Heard what happend."

"It's ok really, I'm fine." She lied.

"No you're not. I saw you the other day, remember? You didn't look fine, and now I know why." She heard him suck in a deep breath before he continued. "Why didn't you say something? I am here for you."

"I know Kelly, thanks. Actually you really can help me with something... Do you know where Antonio is staying?"

"I think he's at a motel. Saw him the other day at Molly's and overheard him talking to Voight."

It was quiet for a moment. She heard Kelly breathing on the other end of the line but didn't give it any attention.

"Sylvie? Still here?"

"Yes. Sorry, I was just thinking of something."

"Wanna go grab a drink? Get your mind off of things?" He asked.

"I don't know..." Cutting her of midsentence he spoke. "C'mon, you need to get out a little, live a little. There is nothing you can do about your situation tonight anyway, so let's grab a drink at Molly's."

She was struggeling inside. She knew her friend was right, she sure could need some company and someone to talk to, also a glass of white wine sounded very tempting. "Ok. Pick me up please, I plan on drinking tonight. " She decided in a moment of weakness.

"See you in an hour." Then the line went dead.

---------

There wasn't much going on at Molly's. Severide was walking through the door behind her, she could feel his hand on her lower back, guiding her. Her slender legs carried her through the almost empty bar her friends owned. The smell of cheap booze hung in the air and matched the dark mood she was in.

They sat down at a table near the bar, she suspected so Kelly could make sure that she always had a drink standing in front of her. He sat down opposite from her, carefully eying her.

"Is there something in my face?"

Smiling he said "No, I was just thinking that you look like crap."

"Well, thank you very much." She said indignantly.

"You're very welcome." Her smile grew wider and soon they were laughing. "There she is... Sylvie is back." Kelly said as the laugther had faded. "I missed you." She said and meant it. She couldn't remember when she last went out. All she ever did was working. "Bring me a glass of white wine?" With doggy eyes, she added "Pleease?"

Kelly just smiled and shook his head as he got up from his stool and made his way over to the bar. Sylvie looked after him.

His back reminded her of the memory which was long forgotten. Kelly's broad torso turned into Antonio's in front of her inner eye. Smiling she walked away, but turing back to look at the man who she just had walked into. His back was to her. His leather jacket, was moving in sink with his steps. -----

She should have talked to him sooner, Kelly turned out to be quite a good listener. Loud noise coming from the bar got her attention and pulled her out of her thoughts quickly. Kelly was shouting, pushing someone.

"Leave her the hell alone!"

"Get lost or I'll arrest you." Her whole body stiftend as she identified the voice as Antonio's.

"Give her some time man." Sylvie watched as Kelly held up his hands in surrender, taking a step back.

"Mind your own fucking buisness." Antonio hissed and walked away, kicking away an empty chair who was blocking his way. She followed him with her eyes as he used the back door to get out of the bar.

"What was that about?" Sylvie asked as soon as Kelly sat down on their table again, placing a glass of wine in front of her. "As promised." She thanked him and took a sip of the cold liquor. Kelly waited until she had put the glass back down before he started telling her what just had happend.

"He was pissed that you came here with me." He started, his tone flat but his eyes focused on Sylvie's. "I told him that we're here as friends and that I had no intention doing something behind his back but he got into my face, throwing accusations before I even could explain." Kelly paused a second, she watched him sucking in a deep breath. "Maybe he was right." He almost wispered that part, and his eyes got lost somewhere for a second. "What do you mean?" Lifting his head up again, he found her eyes, blue met blue. "Maybe I still like you."

Sylvie couldn't believe what he was saying. Was he saying he still had feelings for her? But they haven't seen each other so long. Did she just not notice. Shocked she moved away from him, her back hitting the wall behind her chair. "Kelly..." He looked at her, sweet and sad. She could see the angst of rejection behind his eyes as he kept looking at her. She didn't know what happend in that moment, all she knew was that she wasn't going to waste another minute not knowing what could have been if things would have worked out between them.

"Then let's find out!"

End Part 1