#yes she saves his life and he converts who do you take me for

[clementimetodie]

for your consideration:

a devout paladin falling in love with the vampire she's tasked with hunting and vanquishing

[lkfarrout]

I need everyone to understand that Stan and Mabel are SMART. Ford and Dipper are often portrayed as the smart ones while Stan and Mabel are the "stupid twins" but here's the thing: Stan and Mabel are just as intelligent as their twins, they just care about different things.

Alex himself, in one of the episode commentaries (Little Dipper, I believe) says that Mabel is just as smart, if not smarter than Dipper, and could beat him at chess if she wanted to. But she cares more about playing pretend with the cute horses instead.

Mabel is also a genuis when it comes to crafting. If you've never done something like knitting before, you have no idea how hard it is and how impressive it is for Mabel to make all the sweaters and things that she does. Maybe not all her sweaters are handmade, but the Waddles sweater and Goodbye Stan sweater are crazy impressive on their own. There's also Wax Stan, all the puppets, and many other examples. Those types of things take a lot of planning, math, practice, and expertise.

Stan is portrayed as being lazy and dumb in high school because he copies off of Ford in class and has a very lame science fair project compared to Ford, but Stan shows ambition in other areas during that time of his life.

For one, he builds what we can assume to be a sea-worthy vessel out of basically scraps of old wood ("Tony Stark was able to build this in a cave! With a box of scraps!"). I personally don't know anyone - much less a teenager - who could do that, especially in a time before youtube. And while Ford definitely did help Stan with the boat, we can tell by their feelings about it that Stan really did put in most of the work and care.

Another example, and a more subtle one, is that Stan was able to save up and purchase a nice, new (7 or 8 years old at the most) convertible catillac by the age of seventeen. He probably spent a lot of time working outside of school to accomplish that, while Ford was more focused on work inside of school. It's highly doubtful that Filbrick would have bought the car for Stan. Stan was highly ambitious during this time in his life, just like Ford was, but in different areas.

In the Land Before Swine commentary, Stan talks about working on the portal and says he had to learn "high school math". He really thought that what he was doing all that time was high school level math when really, it was probably closer to masters-level theoretical physics. This tells me that he probably didn't struggle with the math parts all that much, and because it wasn't super hard for him, he assumed it must have been high school level because he's far too dumb to do anything harder than that. Yes, it still took him 30 years, but that's mostly due to him not having access to all the blueprints that Bill helped Ford create.

All in all, I believe that Stan and Mabel are just as smart as their twins, but it isn't picked up on because the areas that they like to focus on are seen as silly and girly (in Mabel's case) or unprofitable and a waste of time (in Stan's case). In constrast, Dipper's intellectual efforts of solving mysteries, cracking codes, and doing things like converting a CD into a record (impressive!) further the plot of the show and are thus seen as more important. Just like how Ford's academic efforts are seen as profitable and thus more worthy of praise.

I'm of course not saying that Stan and Mabel are better than Dipper and Ford in any way - all the characters have their strengths and weaknesses and I love that about them. I love all four of the Pines Twins so much - they all have so much to offer and are all so smart. I really love this show and they way it creates depth with the characters, and I love analyzing them and writing commentary on them.

[judesmoonbeauty]

WC: 1,745 Writing Prompt: Play Fighting/Playing with Hair Pronouns: She/Her Tags: SWF ┃Modern AU ┃Road Trip ┃Fluff ┃Slice of Life ┃Pinching Kisses┃Established Relationship┃Teasing Dividers: @/natimiles This may potentially have a part two! Part 2: Here. [Master List] [Invitation to Crown]

Arid desert air swept through the hair of three beautiful Crown members riding in a black convertible as it sped down the blacktop that stretched for miles beneath them, just as the boundless blue sky did above them. The static of an FM radio played even though no one was listening to it, and a cloud of smoke that breezily escaped Jude’s lips, quickly disappeared into the air. Lying reclined in the passenger seat with his feet propped on the dashboard, he finished the cigarette he smoked right after he woke up from a rare nap that he usually wouldn’t take.

As Ellis drove them towards their destination that was still a few hours away, Jude had intended to review his prospective business partner’s profit and loss statements they’d submitted to him one more time, but the hot climate had relaxed his tense muscles into a much needed slumber. Jude lifted his black, round sunglasses and massaged his eyes in order to rid himself of his last bit of drowsiness, when he started to wonder if she had gotten any rest herself?

She hadn’t slept since departing from London for their overseas trip. It was like she was hardwired the entire flight. If she wasn’t looking out the window snapping pictures of the clouds or of the food that was served to them in the first class cabin, she was hard at work, arranging Crown’s ever-growing missions itinerary, along with his own work schedule. She was skilled and diligent, but this was concerning.

Subtly turning his his head to find her laying down in the back seat, Jude found her typing away on her tablet and check her watch for messages.

“That damned princess is going to work herself to death,” Jude grumbled under his breath.

Ellis said, “She’s been awake the entire time. What’s wrong, Jude? I thought you liked it when we work hard for you, it makes you happy doesn’t it?”

“The hell it does. I may wanna work ya both to the bone, but if ya work yourselves to death, then I just lose out when ya both die of exhaustion.”

The entire point of inviting her to tag along on this trip was to get her away from Crown for a while. Yes, while it was her choice to be a part of it’s darkness, and by extension, the darkness of his world due to the enemies he’s accumulated along the way of growing a successful business. But, Jude still felt disgusted at himself for grabbing hold of her and keeping her in his clutches when she offered herself and her love to him.

Poor lil’ bird. He’d often think this since she had no one who could save her from him now, but every once in a while, he simply wanted her to experience a somewhat normal life - one she would’ve had if she hadn’t chose him and Crown. And this business trip for his first overseas venture afford the perfect opportunity to do just that.

After a short while, Jude felt her wrap her arms around him from behind, and looking up at her as she looked down at him, he watched her hair dance wildly in the wind.

“So, how much longer before we get there?” she asked him.

Jude grabbed her face with his hand and slightly shook it, “What are ya, five? Get off me.”

“No.” she snapped back playfully while sticking her tongue out at him.

“Careful princess, I’ll clip that tongue off if ya get too sassy with me.”

She laughed at him and shifted her head around the head rest to place her face closer to his, and asked him, “Really? Ya promise? Remember, contract’s a contract, even if it’s just a verbal agreement.”

Imitating his accent and snarky attitude, she kissed his cheek and chuckled at him. The sweetness of her kiss spreads over his skin, prompting him to return her love with his own by pinching her cheek hard.

“Owww!”

Jude snickers evilly at her pain, “There’s more where that came from princess. Keep it up.”

She pulls her face back and rubs her cheek when Ellis speaks up, “Kate, it’s not safe to be moving around without your seatbelt on. Jude would be unhappy if something happened to you, please put it on, or do I need to hand the wheel over to Jude to go back there and restrain you myself?”

A pair of twilight eyes teasingly peek at her through his sunglasses with a slightly mean smile, and before she could even be attracted to drown in their wicked sweetness, Jude shoved Ellis’ face away.

“Quit makin’ eyes at my woman, ya nutcase and keep ‘em on the damn road instead.”

“Yea, okay,” Ellis smiled and turned his attention ahead of himself.

Turning her attention back to Jude she asked again, “No, but really, why did you have to rent a mansion in the middle of the desert, hours from the city when there’s a perfectly suitable hotel 10 minutes from the business meeting?”

He let an exasperated sigh, “’Cause I can afford to, that’s why. Now, sit back ‘n get some sleep. I don’t want my woman lookin’ haggard for our meetin’.”

Jude puts another cigarette in his mouth, but she grabs it from his mouth and puts it in her own as she goes back to her seat with a triumphant grin on her face.

“I’m not tired, and I’ve rested plenty. Oh! We should pick up some items from the market after the meeting….let’s see….we’ll need a cooler for the cold items, bags of ice, meat, vegetables, fruits…..”

No sooner had she lay back down on her seat had she started making lists and researching local markets.

“Oh, Jude, can you please confirm the tasks that I sent you while you were sleeping? I need to coordinate them with your schedule when we return to London, and - Oh, Victor just sent us more missions that require intelligence gathering, and Ellis there is another scheduled assassination for yourself….”

Growing weary of his love’s constant prattle about work and irritated that she stole his cigarette, Jude climbed into the back seat.

“Hey, Jude! That’s not safe!”

“Can it, Ellis.”

Jude steps into the back seat, grabs his love’s arm to pull her off the seat, and seats her on top his lap.

“Woah, Jude!” The unlit cigarette that she chewed between her teeth fell to the floorboard.

“What? Don’t trust me? ‘Fraid I’ll toss ya out the car?”

“No! But you scared me. What did you miss me that much?”

“Ha!” Jude pinched her thigh through shorts.

“Ouch! Stop pinching me!” She wrapped her arms around his neck and put her forehead to his.

She looks so tired. The silvery, thin bags under her eyes were worse than he thought, and all of a sudden he felt a pang of guilt for falling asleep while she stayed awake. How was that protecting her well-being? Feeling frustrated at his self-proclaimed failure, Jude determined that he was going to kill that guilt right now.

“C’mon princess, we both know ya love a little pain. Like when I do this….”

His lips caress her earlobe sending a tingly spark through her as he slowly sucked on it for the some time before he bit down on it hard.

“Nngh…”

“That’s for stealin’ my cigarette and droppin’ it on the floor.”

“S-sorry..”

Hearing her soft moan-filled apology blend into the wind, Jude gently kisses her all over her face, the tip of her nose, her eyelids, and brow bone. Saving her forehead for last he planted the most tender kiss there.

His eyes found her smiling at the shower of love he had just poured onto her, and when she opened her eyes, he said, ��’Night, princess.”

Poking her on the forehead, Jude caught his beloved and laid her head to rest in his lap, rolling his eyes that he had to go to such lengths in the first place, but at least now she’s resting.

“That was mean, Jude.”

“Hah? Do ya not see the bags under her eyes? She’s been actin’ like a hyper-active lemur since we left Crown, and now she looks like she damned exhausted panda with circle under eyes!”

“That’s not what I meant….I meant the lie you told her. Aren’t you going to tell her the real reason why we’re staying in the desert? You know about toni-”

“Shuddup, or I’ll shove tumble weed down your throat, ya idiot!” Jude kicked Ellis’ seat as if she would over hear their conversation, though that wouldn’t happen due to the strength of Jude’s ability.

“Sorry…..”

Jude’s nerves chaffed when he thought of the real reason why they were staying in the middle of nowhere, so he tried to distract himself from that any way he could. Jude stared down at his other half, both stroking her cheek and pinching it to his satisfaction now that she couldn’t protest. Noticing her fly away hairs whipping around, he decided to braid her hair to prevent them from hitting her face, and he did just that. In the heat of this quiet desert, he carefully separated and twisted her hair until everything was neatly in place.

She truly was like the Sleeping Beauty of his cursed fairytale, the only good thing about it, the blessing that offset his curse. Lifting her hand to lips for a kiss, he gently mumbled against her warm skin, “Love ya, helpless princess.”

Tag List: @judejazza @ichigostellaglynn @atelierquinn @mrslelouch Please let me know if you want to be added to my tags list.

[mulders-too-large-shirt]

my favorite scully moments from s5

in episode 1, we see the tomato poster on her wall, and i love it so much <3

shortly after, she has a confrontation with skinner:

“and what about your lie, agent scully? what does it lead to?”

“the truth- about the men behind what happened to me, about my abduction and the tests, about being exposed to something against my will, about being put on a table and having something implanted in me and then having my memory stolen, only to have it returned along with a disease that i was given” <- the way skinner was concerned for her safety but she took it as a challenge, getting angrier and angrier throughout the scene- OOOH, it was just SO good!

and when she finds that she was exposed to the mysterious substance from the ice core, she says “if my work with agent mulder has tested the foundation of my beliefs, science has been and continues to be my guiding light… now i’m again relying on its familiar and systematic methods to arrive at a truth” <- YES!!!!! SCIENCE!!! coming back to what has saved her over and over again and has been the basis of her life's work!! and the admission that her beliefs have been challenged by the things they've found!! i love this quote so much!! i want to analyze it forever!

in episode 2, mulder arrives at her hospital bed while her cancer is worsening, explaining his theory that the microchip he found will cure her. bill gets mad at him for suggesting something so ridiculous. she diffuses the tension by saying that everyone has their hearts in the right place, but it needs to be her choice (very diplomatic; she's clearly the middle child) and then decides that she will move forward with the procedure, choosing to take a risk and choosing hope... trusting mulder... augh. the symbolism of it all...

in episode 4, scully arrives in mulder’s motel room with cheese and wine, ready to relax, with this killer line: “however, i must remind you, this goes against the bureau’s policy of male and female agents consorting in the same motel room while on assignment” (and then she is SO sad when he runs off to investigate something instead of enjoying hangout time, telling him he needs to work on his communication skills😟)

another bug fact moment with scully in episode 4 when she starts telling mulder about tick metabolism!! i love bug facts with scully!!

later, she's staring intently at the dead mothman and says “there has to be a scientific explanation for this” which is just so Her. (also, she shot and killed mothman with her amazing aim, which deserves its own shoutout)

the striped suit in episode 5......... good LORD!!!

in episode 6, she sees bill’s heavily pregnant wife tara and loudly declares “you’re HUGE!” which was SO cute

later, when she is worried that the phone isn’t working properly because she kept getting mysterious calls, she dials mulder's number. she doesn’t say a word when he picks up; she just listens to his voice. the intimacy of this moment makes me want to cry.

her episode 10 beach outfit! showing up to maine in a t shirt that says "maine", so you know she bought it before she even rolled up! renting that convertible! telling mulder that she is going to hang up now!

(i'm imagining how she was preparing for her trip and must have bought a shirt that says her destination on it, and it is SO funny/cute/nerdy)

scully episode 10 one-liners shoutout moment: “people say she’s a witch” “well, that’s not the first time for that accusation in these parts” and then later her dry remark on “new england hospitality” after someone slams the door in her face

she was SO dedicated to not getting involved with that dumbass haunted doll case. even though the local cops had no idea what they were doing and she had to walk them through it with baby steps, she kept saying “well! that sucks for y’all. let me go visit the beach now” and i was DYING. she was COMMITTED to that rest. and rightfully so!

bubble bath time with classical music and reading “affirmations for women who do too much” <3

jack the policeman takes her to get lobster and she is utterly shocked at the size of the creature, saying “that looks like something out of jules verne. we’re supposed to eat that?” <- NERD! nerd! i was blushing and giggling.

i’m barely exaggerating when i say that scully putting that haunted doll in the microwave might be the best moment of the whole show.

she also calls mulder and asks about the prevalence of evil dolls in occult literature, because she does not give a damn if this thing is a demon or a ghoul while she’s off the clock, she just needs it to leave her alone, and i respect that SO much

in episode 11, she’s very cranky to be woken up by mulder at 2:45 AM to poke around and investigate, and i don’t blame her!!

they’re trying to figure out what messages this dead hacker left behind when she points out the obvious (“anyone, uh, think to check his email?”) and the reaction from mulder and the lone gunmen is PRICELESS

(she also looks SO impressed when mulder figures out a series of random numbers is an ID for a shipping container. i swear she wanted him there)

her visible attraction to esther/invisgoth- i saw that tackling scene, the hand to the chest, the bullying (“what was your role in all of this? were you the bass player?”), scully's reaction to learning her name is esther, that face she made when esther asks “are you gonna take off my cuffs, or do i have to do this with my tongue?” ... scully. i know what you are.

and she is SO pissed off when esther takes her hostage- mulder calls while she's driving, and she picks up with the most flat and angry voice you can imagine: “where are you? it sounds like you’re driving” “you are correct, sir” 😐

but then esther starts sobbing in her car, and scully comforts her, putting her arm on her shoulder, as if moments ago there was not a gun to her face- because she is fundamentally a kind person and will offer a shoulder to cry on, even to this annoying, attractive goth lady who kidnapped her <3

(she also climbs onto a tractor trailer to tell a guy not to drive over the exploding bridge, which i thought was funny because she just gets right up there)

later in episode 11, she has to decide between killing this AI thing that will ruin the whole world or saving mulder, and she picks saving mulder with zero hesitation!!!!!!! and then carries him to safety!!! and tries to save esther, too!!!

there are SO many excellent moments in episode 12, but a special shoutout to: “first of all, if the family of ronnie strickland does indeed decide to sue the FBI for, i think the figure is $446 million, then you and i will most certainly be codefendants. and second of all… i don’t even HAVE a second of all, mulder! i’m in this as deep as you are, and i’m not even the one that overreacted! i didn’t do the (gesturing) with the thing!” <- scully being so mad she’s at a loss for words is SO funny to me!!!

she has to do an autopsy and lets out the saddest yeehaw ever recorded when her scalpel blade slips out (AND when she finds mushroom pizza in the dead guy's stomach, she thinks it sounds so good she orders some for herself... scully, you are so weird and i love you) 

then when she finds more pizza in the second dead guy, she immediately realizes mulder is in danger, and runs back to save him from a teenage vampire!!!!

when mulder renounces his belief in the extraterrestrial in episode 13, she jokingly says her work here is done and tells him to have a nice life <3

she also grows to be cassandra’s defender, sticking up for her despite her eccentric story of alien abduction after she notices the parallels between their experiences; she breaks her agreement with spender to leave her alone because she needs to warn her that if she removes the implant, she will get very sick (!! again!!! her kindness!!!)

scully IMMEDIATELY noticing that mulder is being weird as hell in episode 18, but not knowing it is because he is undercover, and straight up confronting him about it (“i expect you to give me an answer. i expect you to tell me the truth” <- YEAH, YOU TELL HIM GIRL!)

and her accusing the motel worker of giving someone else her keys so she could figure out where tf mulder went: “who are you?” “who am i? who is he?!” and of course “are you the wife?” “not even close” <- oh she was so mad she suddenly knew how to lie!!! i watched that scene three times and laughed each time!

she’s also MAD AS HELL when she gets brought before the CIA representative and skinner and it killed me: “what the hell is going on?” “i apologize for our methods. they may well have saved agent mulder’s life” “what about my life? i don’t appreciate being run off the road” <- STOP RUNNING HER OFF OF ROADS!!! she knows her value and she is worth more than that!!!

but when they ask her if she’s suspicious of mulder’s actions lately, she IMMEDIATELY denies it. she might think that he is up to no good, but how DARE an outside party accuse him of this?!? this cannot be! she will defend his honor!!

(and breaking into his motel room to fix his finger........)

doctor nerd moments in episode 18 as she looks at bacteria and says “it looks like a streptococcus!” and then realizes it cannot be that, because “strep wouldn’t be able to survive any kind of exposure to the environment” (and then her incredibly confident “my research indicates that it was almost certainly developed domestically"... yeah, dr. scully MD is ON the CASE!!!)

when mulder gets all pissy in episode 19 because he thinks skinner is sending them on a busywork trip, she sets him straight: “you’re saying ‘i’ a lot. i heard ‘we’” <- ONCE AGAIN: GET HIS ASS!

sticking by her guns in episode 19 and refusing to autopsy the body and fuel mulder’s delusions (until she later is forced to)

later, he’s being held in the hospital, and the nurse refuses to let her see him, so she bursts in with her gun just in time to save him from some evil bug creature!!!

she holds gibson’s hand in episode 20, comforting him and walking him back to his room after he underwent testing <3 and later she chats with him about how his powers work while he watches cartoons; he says she doesn’t care what other people think, and she promises that no one will hurt him </3

then she brings the data she gathered from the testing to the lone gunmen, tells them to analyze it “with an eye to the parapsychological”, AND gets the tea on diana. truly a woman of action!

[poguelife4life]

His and hers.

A/n: Robin is going on a ‘date’ with kitten but it’s only due to the fact that he wants to save his city. Robin and reader have been going out for a month. After the gangs defeats a bad guy they celebrate with pizza and truth or dare. Also there’s some Robin and reader cheezy love stuff. Warning: jealous reader, fluff/angst. /not proof read/ Cheezy clichés, and other stuff.

Today was the worst day of robins life. Robin had been forced into taking a teen named ‘kitten’ to her prom and he was not pleased.

“Robin! No! Absolutely not!” His girlfriend yelled at him. “I have to!” He yelled back starting to feel bad. “Who does she think she is?! Robin this is a stupid idea.” She replied in a slightly politer tone. “Babe, I know you’re not keen on this but you have to trust me I don’t want to do this anymore than you don’t want me to, but it’s the city.” He replied placing a hand on her shoulder. “Do you trust me?” He asks looking at her. “Of course!” She replied pulling him into a hug. “I-“ he started but stopped himself. “What?” She asked politely. “Oh- uh. Nothing. anything more than dancing and I’m shooting my own foot.”

later that night Robin arrived. He must admit this was a nice venue. “Really hoping she doesn’t show.” He said tugging at his shirt. Soon enough he felt a light tap on his right shoulder. He cringed slightly as he turned around until he saw… “(y/n)?” “Hi. You forgot something.” She said putting a flower on his tux. “You look beautiful. You’re definitely going to help me get through this horrible night.” He laughed slightly. “Robin?” She asked “yes?” He replied, “that’s the first time in quite awhile that I heard you genuinely laugh.” She said giving him a quick hug before kitten came around in her pastel pink convertible. “OH ROBIE POO!” She yelled showing him of like a trophy. He was (y/n)’s trophy.

“here we go.” She replied sarcastically. Before pouring herself a drink.

later that evening Robin and kittens ex boyfriend fang started fighting. “You guys make one ugly couple.” Robin said flatly grabbing (y/n)’s waist.

Once the actual fight began she went to go pour another drink. “Awww they’re fighting over me!” Kitten said in her high pitched voice. “They ARENT FIGHTING OVER YOU!” (Y/n) said ruining kittens dress. Once (y/n) beat up kitten and the police showed up she decided that was enough crime fighting for one night. “Robin?” (Y/n) said smiling. “Yeah?” He replied. “Good job tonight.” She said kissing him on the cheek.

Back at the tower they decided to celebrate with pizza. “Robin we should tell the others about us. It feels wrong for them not to know about me and you.” She said grabbing a slice. “Yeah maybe.” He whispered back. “LETS PLAY THE TRUTHS OR THE DARES!” Starfire squealed excitedly. “Sure” Cy answered. “Beast boy truth or dare?” Star asked. “Dare!” He replied. “Turn into a beluga whale! I just learned about them!” She answered happily, Beast boy obliged. “Ok who is next? Oh I know! Mr grouchy himself! Rooobinnn!” Beast boy yelled like a show host. “Alright I pick truth.” He replied flatly. “Oh ok! Are you in love with anyone? Is a big unknown question.” He replied. “Yes I am.” He responded. “Who?!” They all shouted. “I already answered my question. Any who (Y/n) truth or dare?” Robin said smiling. “Oh uh… dare?” She laughed. “Ok then I dare you to kiss me” he said boldly. “No probl-“ she started before getting interrupted by robins lips. “What the HELL?!” Beast boy yelled. “Surprise” Robin replied “we’re dating!” (Y/n) replied brightly.

After the other titans went to bed Robin and (Y/n) decided to go on the roof of titans tower. “It’s beautiful.” She said looking down on the city lights. “It is isn’t it, that why I had to go on that dumb date.. thing. I couldn’t let this go away it’s all us Titans have left.” He replied while admiring the city below them. “It’s ok. I understand there’s no need to explain yourself, I get it” she said softly smiling at him. “Thank you so much for the last month.” He said. As the couple sat in calm silence they had begun to move closer together until (y/n)’s head was on his shoulder. “Hey uh- there’s been something I wanted to tell you.” He said nervously, which freaked her out because he never acted this way. As she lifted her head of his shoulder Robin pulled her into a hug. “What I’ve been trying to say is that I’m so happy you agreed to go out with me last month and I’m glad you care about me. when we are apart I feel sick. What I’m saying is… I love you.” He said separating so he could see her face. He pulled her in for the first kiss they had ever actually shared. She looked at him. “Robin I- I love you too.”

A/n: THANK YOU!!!AHHHH FIRST SMALL FIC!!!! Pls leave a comment or like!!!!

[jokerislandgirl32]

So Zach, you used to be a villain but when Varina was born you became good and started working with your besties, the wild kratts? But when you youngest started dating a villain you went back to villainy again? What happened? How did Violet feel?

Hehe, *pulls collar of sweater,* this question?

Ugh, fine…Below the cut because it’s a long explanation…

Well, I can’t say I’m proud of this decision…I truly changed my life for the better after Varina was born, and it created a wonderful life for me, Violet, and our children for many years. There was no fear of losing everything from my villainous actions, I reconciled with the Wild Rats Crew (yes I still call them that, that’s never changed), and it helped me gain such a great appreciation for animals, nature, and others around me. I was finally able to get over myself long enough to well…to put it in words that’ll make Violet squeal in adoration: “see the beauty in the world around me.”

This change in my life affected me so dramatically that it caused me to eventually develop an aversion to the general thought of villainy. I ended up having to go to therapy to try to get past the pain and anxiety I experienced on a daily basis from self reflection on my past actions.

I had just gotten to a much better place mentally when Victoria, our youngest daughter, approached us with the revelation that she was involved with a man who was quite a bit older than her, but worse yet was a villain. The man, Eric Espinoza, rose as a villain after command of the Wild Kratts Team was transferred over to Vera, Nolan, and a handful of the other former Wild Rats Kids.

The new Wild Rats Team, the former Wild Rats Team, myself, and Violet, along with my reformed villain friends, teamed up to take down this threat to the creature world. This jerk, Espinoza, created a powerful device that was able to control any animal via a special chemical compound, you can think of it as something like pheromones. All he had to do was press a button on his remote, and it would trigger any varmint that was exposed to the chemicals to react violently.

He was causing such great destruction to the creature world we were at a loss for what to do to stop him, that’s when Victoria stepped up and said she’d go bargain with him, because she figured given the nature of their relationship he would listen to her. Well, it appeared she did more than bargain because after a few meetings with him she came to us with the joyous news of her elopement to him. It turns out they decided to marry secretly because they feared with his status as a villain we would not accept him.

Eric and Victoria’s Elopement Pic Picrew Link

She figured right….I was livid. Not only was this older man trying to seduce our daughter, but he was also trying to corrupt her! I knew he was trying to convert her to a life of villainy too, so I decided to take matters into my own hands and end this threat against my family and the creature world.

I honestly felt like I’d lost control of my life with this revelation, and I decided the only way to combat the feral varmints Espinoza was creating was to pit them against the failed inventions of my past, albeit with modifications. I set to work gathering up all the necessary varmints for the battle against him. I equipped the varmints with their battle wear and pitted them against Eric and his army of violent animals.

By some miracle I was able to defeat him…I was able to get access to him long enough in the middle of the battle that I got ahold of his chemical compound, and I was able to reconstruct this compound to make an antidote to save the affected varmints whenever he tried to unleash the chemical compound upon them.

But, this didn’t bode well for my family, Violet was furious over my actions and Victoria was so hurt that she stopped talking to me and her mother altogether. Violet and I only mentioned divorce or separation in our marriage twice, and this was one of the times. The confrontation was quite intense, but eye opening.

“Zachary! I know you were hurt by Victoria eloping with Eric, I know you were upset about the horrible acts he was committing. But you don’t understand what you’ve done. When we had Varina you made the decision to turn your life around for the better. You made the choice to not harm innocent animals ever again or use them as spare parts. You made the choice to be a better man for your children, for me, and for yourself. And you’ve gone and thrown all of that away just because you didn’t approve of your daughter’s partner and his occupation?

Victoria isn’t a child, she can make her own decisions, Zachary! Sure, she may have decided to elope with an older man, with a villain…but she only did that because she was so afraid of what you would think, of disappointing or hurting you! She thought that by marrying him maybe you would come around, maybe you would even use your experience of becoming a reformed villain to help him change his life for the better. But you didn’t!

You were so angry that you didn’t think about the consequences! You hurt innocent animals, you hurt our family, and you’ve hurt our marriage. I’m not going to divorce you, I’m not going to leave you, I love you and care for you too much to do that, but we’re not in a good place right now. I might need some time away from you…ARGH! I feel so angry! I feel like you’ve betrayed me and everything we’ve worked so hard for! I never thought the day would come that my own child refuses to speak to me, but it’s happened and it’s destroying me.

In case you’ve forgotten…I fell in love with a villain too. But I saw the good in him, and I loved him flaws and all…I still do…so, I know exactly how Victoria feels…I just wish you had realized that too…because now it’s too late.”

Violet and I soon reconciled, I completely swore off villainy for good, but it took longer for Victoria to come back around…it was the death of her husband Eric and learning she was going to become a mother that brought Victoria back into our lives. And now Victoria, little Eric Zachary Espinoza, and I are inseparable.

[donkeytonk]

La Robe Verte

Inspired by the traditional folk song “La Robe Verte” as well as the song “Les Amants du Saint Laurent,” this story is set in Ville de Québec in the early days of British military occupation of Nouvelle France (Canada) during the Seven Years War (1756-1763). It's not necessary to know the songs at all, but lyrics for the two songs can be read here. (Also, I almost forgot I had written an alternate story about Les Amants several years ago which is here.)

 ---

“Louise, are you sure you want to go through with this?” Margot asked, clasping her friend’s hands in her own. “It’s not safe! Is it?”

“No, it’s not safe, but it’s a matter of life and death! He’s in far more danger than I will be, and I can’t just let him – I can’t let them – ”  She could not even say the words, and she had to pause and wipe her eyes. “It’s not fair! It’s not fair and it’s not right.”

Margot returned to the little seat with a clean handkerchief for her. “I know.”

“It’s not even what the judge said, the French judge originally. He was going to send him to the galleys. And then he changed it to a fine. It was a huge fine, but he could have paid it from his share of the family business, and he would have except for his wretched brother making a fuss, and I’m certain it’s just because Pierre-Joseph converted. But now the English judge! He has it all wrong!”

“I know.”

“And he didn’t abduct me, we were going away together to be married!”

“I know, I know.” Margot had heard all of this many times before, but she nodded sympathetically.

“And he didn’t even touch me, not in any improper way. He’s far too sweet and shy. Did I ever tell you about our first kiss?”

 “Yes, about a hundred times,” Margot laughed lightly. “He was too shy and you had to ask him for a kiss, and then you ended up kissing him first.”

Some of Louise’s anger faded, and she smiled at the memory. Then Margot continued, cautiously, “And didn’t a midwife even…?”

“No! I told my parents I was willing to let a midwife examine me if that’s what it would take to free him, but they wouldn’t let me. Not even after the English judge took over.” She stopped as she realized she was twisting the handkerchief into a knot, and she paused to smooth it out again. “But I’ve been thinking, maybe they would have let us be married if – you know. Maybe this time, if anything happens, I’ll tell them that I’m pregnant.”

“Louise! You’d lie about that? To your parents, and in court? And even to a midwife?”

“Maybe it wouldn’t have to be a lie.”

“Louise!” Margot was scandalized but intrigued at the same time.

“Well, we’re going to be married anyway! And how can it be a sin if it saves a life? I will do anything I can to hold onto him. We promised each other we’d be together until death.” A shadow passed over her face as she thought of the full implications of that promise. Hopefully death would be far, far in the future, but to make sure of that, there were preparations that she must do now. “Well, I think I’d better go now.”

“Right, I’ll get Simon to saddle the horse for you.”

“Simon’s here now?”

Margot smiled shyly. “Simon is nearly always here. And he’s fond of Pierre-Joseph too so he’s glad to help. Or, at least glad to do anything I tell him to do. You don’t need a sidesaddle? Oh right, of course not. You can take Silène, the gray; he’s a good steady boy and the most recognizable. Oh, I almost forgot! Here, Simon brought you some clothes too. What are you going to wear?”

“My green gown.”

“Good, and here’s my hood too. Or the cloak? Yes, I think the brown cloak will be better. And you’ll go to Trois-Rivières, to Simon’s cousin?”

“Yes, the one who married a protestant too. They won’t think to look for us there. I hope they won’t.”

“Good. And Simon will be waiting at the Porte Saint-Jean to change horses tonight.”

“And what about you? Will you be all right, Margot? The Gagnon name is so prestigious, and your father…”

“Don’t worry about my father. I’ll deny everything, and so he’ll deny it too. I’ll be sure to spend the whole day at home so he’ll have to deny it, though I wish I could be with you.”

“And you’re sure you don’t mind? You could get in trouble if they found out you were lying.”

Margot shook her head. “I can’t let you take all the risk yourself, can I? Not when I can help. Like you said, if it saves a life, I will do it. For you.”

Louise embraced her friend heartily and clasped her in her arms. “Thank you, my dear, dearest friend in the world. I’ll write to you as soon as I can.”

---

With trepidation, Louise knocked on the door of the judge’s house and was shown in by an English servant. It was the first time she had actually had to converse with one of the English, and the fool was incomprehensible. She assumed that he was asking her what she wanted, so she said simply “The judge?” hoping that he would at least know what that meant. The man muttered something and gestured for her to follow him. There was a narrow hallway with a few other people who she assumed were also there to speak with the judge, but it did not take long before a man opened a door to summon her.

The preoccupied man whom she presumed to be the judge was seated at a desk covered with papers and books. He was wearing an elegant coat, but she could not tell if it was a military uniform. He grumbled a question in English before looking up and realizing that she was a French woman. He switched to passable but irritated French. “What do you want, mademoiselle?”

“Oh, good Monsieur Judge, I wanted to get your permission to speak with my master in prison. I’m a servant of the Rouffio family, and they sent me to speak to my poor young master Rouffio – “

“Yes, yes, all right,” he snapped, much to her surprise. He spoke sharply to his English clerk who looked equally busy across the room, but he lost patience found a fresh piece of paper to write the note himself. “You want to see a prisoner named Rouffio, yes?”

“Yes, sir.”

He signed the note and handed it to her. “There, take that to the prison guard. Good day.”

“Oh thank you, sir! Good day.”

Louise clutched the note in triumph, trying to hide her look of delight, but the judge was already busily harrying his clerk over a ledger. Once she was back in the street she examined it, but it was written in English and his handwriting made it even more indecipherable. She saw the name Rouffio, however, and she thought she could read the words “servant” and “master.” She could not believe how simple that had been! She could have visited him sooner and her parents would never have known.

---

At the prison she had much the same ease, though the guard outside was a soldier who barely spoke French at all. She asked him to help with her horse, and he pretended not to understand her meaning. He was able to read the note, however, and he brought her inside to speak to another guard, a Canadien like herself who had some English.

“So, Bower here says you’re a servant come to see Rouffio?”

“That’s right.”

“And what’s in there, then?” he asked, prodding the basket on her arm.

“It’s some fresh clothing for my poor young master,” she said, wiping her eyes with her apron. “And there’s a few bottles of brandy. One for you, good sir, if you’ll show me the way!”

His somber face became a smile as she handed him a bottle. “Ah, well! Right this way, mamzelle! Don’t you touch my brandy, Bower. On second thought, better take it with me.” He escorted her and his bottle through the prison up to one of the upper levels. Thankfully he was not a talkative or curious man, and she spent most of their ascent following behind and pretending to cry. Finally, he unlocked a door and called out “Rouffio!”

It was a large, dim, crowded room with most of the occupants on the opposite side where there was rosy violet light slanting in from a few small barred windows. Even with his back to them silhouetted against that sunset light, she recognized Pierre-Joseph immediately. But when he turn towards them at the call of his name, her heart was stung by the look on his face; it was a pitiable mixture of hope and fear at the same time.

 “Oh, my poor young master Rouffio!” she cried, rushing to grasp his hands before he could speak. “It’s me, your servant Lucie, remember? Your brothers sent me to beg you one last time to talk to the prie- the preacher. The pastor at the church.” He stared at her in bewildered and speechless delight. Then the jailer, satisfied with his duty, closed the door to wait outside with the bottle of brandy for company.

“Louise!” Pierre-Joseph finally exclaimed in a whisper. “My dear beautiful Louise! What are you doing?”

Still speaking loudly, she added “And I brought some brandy for you and all your friends to share.” An appreciative murmur rose from the other prisoners in the room, and she handed two bottles to the nearest men. The remaining bottle she gave to Pierre-Joseph. “Is there anywhere we can be private?”

He was still staring at her in joy and disbelief, but he quickly steered her to a cell. During the day they were allowed to move about freely in the open room, but this was the cell where he was locked in at night. It was quite dim even with the door open, but he was fumbling to light his precious stub of a candle.

“No, no, leave it.” The darkness would be better. She put her hand on his to stop him, and he pulled it up to his lips. Then he was embracing her, kissing her face all over, and after returning one kiss she had to force herself to pull back, laughing. “I’m supposed to be your servant, Monsieur Rouffio. What will they think?”

He laughed too, though he did not let go of her hand. “I’m sorry. I can’t believe that you’re actually here. I didn’t think I’d get to see you again, or get to say goodbye.”

“It’s not goodbye.” Her tone was now deadly earnest, and he stared at her in eager curiosity, studying her face in the dim light. She picked up the bottle from the floor where he had set it. “Will they give us privacy for a while? Can you ask them?”

He nodded and took the bottle out to the open room where the other prisoners were sharing their brandy. There were a few appreciative cheers of “Rouffio!” as he delivered the fresh bottle to one of the men and he whispered in his ear. The man nodded. After a first swig, the man passed the bottle and started a song which the others quickly joined in singing.

Louise meanwhile unpacked the rest of the contents of her basket and laid them on the narrow wooden cot, as well as her cloak and white linen cap.

“They’ll be busy for a while, I think,” Pierre-Joseph announced as he returned. “What’s all this about? What are these clothes?”

“They’re for me, and some are for you. Take off your jacket and your waistcoat. We’re going to swap.” She had already unpinned her apron and was removing her green gown.

He gaped at her in amazement. Louise, his beloved Louise, was here in the prison on his last night on earth, undressing right in front of him.

“Stop staring, Pierre-Joseph! Take off your things! You can keep your shirt and breeches.”

He obeyed, casting an anxious eye at the door, but he still did not understand. She was clearly not here for a moment of intimacy before his execution. “Why though? What do you mean we’re going to swap?”

She threw her gown on the bed. She was marvelously beautiful just now, and his breath caught in his throat at the sight. She was still wearing her stays, chemise and petticoat, but he was transfixed.

“Waistcoat! Off!” she reminded him. “We’re going to swap so you can leave dressed as me.”

That certainly broke his reverie. “What? But what about you?”

“I’ll stay here dressed as you.”

“No! No, Louise, you can’t stay here! They’ll never believe that you’re me.”

 “Exactly! When the time comes, they’ll see that I’m not you, and you’ll be long gone by then, and they’ll have to release me.”

“Or they might just decide to hang you instead!”

She shook her head. “No, out in public for everyone to see? They wouldn’t do that. They wouldn’t dare!”

“You don’t know that! They’re English. There’s no telling what they might do.”

She understood his doubt but her resolve was firm. “It’s worth the risk so you can live and we can be together. Don’t you agree? You would do the same for me, wouldn’t you?”

“Of course!”

“Then let me do my part. Please, will you do yours?”

He took a deep breath and then nodded. “All right. Yes. I will.”

By now she was removing her other petticoat, and he was astounded to see that she was wearing a boy’s breeches underneath. For a moment the sight drove all other thoughts from his mind.

“Where did you get those?”

“Simon’s little brother.”

“Simon Boulanger? Why is he helping?”

Louise laughed as she fitted herself into petit Boulanger’s shirt. “Because he’s in love with Margot and will do anything to please her. He’s going to meet you at Porte Saint-Jean. I left a horse for you outside, a gray horse to the left of the building, so you can ride there to meet him. Now, petticoat first, this goes over your head, ties around the waist. Can you do up the ties? I need to loosen these laces.”

He moved obediently and allowed her to guide his arms. Even as he dressed, he continued his protest. “I hate the idea of you being here even for one night, with all these men around. Some of them are dangerous, Louise! And if they find out you’re a woman…”

“Well I hate the idea of you being hanged tomorrow,” she countered.

He choked out a rueful laugh. “So do I. I don’t want to die, not when I could be so happy. I want to live, with you. I don’t want to leave you.”

She offered him the sweetest smile and squeezed his hand. “Leave me for just one night, and afterwards we’ll never part again. But tonight I can stay in the cell and I’ll be safe. Don’t they shut you all in your cells at night? I asked a laundress whose husband was here. And also I brought a knife.”

He stared at her once again in astonished admiration. What a woman! She had planned for everything, and she was magnificently charming in her boy’s clothes and his waistcoat which made it difficult to think of arguments.

“Stop staring and put on the other petticoat, hurry.”

“They’ll never believe I’m you,” he mumbled through the layers of fabric as he pulled them over his head.

“They will if you don’t speak. Just pretend to cry and maybe no one will talk to you. Wipe your eyes on your apron, and cover your head with the hood of the cloak, and no one will see your face.”

“And you, don’t you speak to anyone either. Pretend to be sleeping for as long as you can. If you need help, go to that man I gave the brandy to. Did you see him? His name’s Michaut; the others will listen to him. The best guard is one named Roussel, big man with a big white mustache. He said he’d be here tomorrow for the… execution.”

“Roussel, Michaut,” she repeated, nodding. “All right, let’s see if this will fit you now I’ve loosened it.” She helped him into the gown, pinned it in place at the front (with many apologies for pricking his skin) and adjusted the laces at the back. “Your shirt neck, can you tuck it down? I didn’t think about your sleeves either. Well, it can’t be helped. Probably none of the men will notice, and it will be dark soon anyway. Neckerchief, you can tuck that in, now the apron. Sit down and I’ll put on the cap.”

He sat on the edge of the bed while she placed the cap on his head, adjusting the lappets to hide his face. The closeness was more than Pierre-Joseph could bear. He slipped his arms around her waist and pulled her down onto his lap.

“Stop,” she scolded him. “We don’t have time.” But she took a moment to caress his face and kiss him. “We have to hurry, love. Show me how to do these leggings. Don’t stare, show me! You’ll have time to admire my legs later.”

With the leggings in place, she donned his coat and finished with her hair tucked under a woolen cap. Pierre-Joseph tied her cloak around his neck and pulled the hood up onto his head. And then they stood back to look at each other and make final adjustments.

“Well I think you’ll do, though you’re not the most beautiful woman,” Louise sighed, examining her handiwork in the dim light.

“You are.” Pierre-Joseph gazed at her in utter love and admiration. “And you’re far too beautiful for this place. You’re the most beautiful and the bravest woman – the bravest person that I’ve ever known.”

And then they were embracing again until the guard called for her. “Mamzelle, time for all visitors to be out.”

“I’m coming!” she called back, and continued speaking in a loud and weepy voice. “Goodbye, my young Master Rouffio. God have mercy on you.” She kissed Pierre-Joseph’s cheek and whispered, “God bless you. Until tomorrow!”

“Until tomorrow. I love you!” he whispered fervently, squeezed her hand, and then he was gone.

---

The night stretched on interminably in Louise’s extremely dark cell, but her every moment inside the prison meant that Pierre-Joseph was safely out of it. She thought that she would never manage to fall asleep in the cold cell with its painfully thin straw mattress on a hard wooden cot, but she was startled awake in the morning by the clanging of keys on metal bars.

“All right, Rouffio, it’s morning.” A large jailer with an impressive white mustache opened the door. “Brought you some fine white bread that Madame Roussel made, special for you since it’s your last breakfast.”

She scrambled to feel that her cap was still on her head, her hair tucked away, and her shirt and waistcoat still closed at the neck. He was already leaving as she sat up on the edge of the bed. “Roussel?”

“Hmm?”

“What time –” She coughed and deepened her voice, pretending to have a rasping sore throat. “What time is it?”

“It’s just gone seven o’clock. You’ve got an hour, my lad. Sure you don’t want a priest?”

She shook her head. Poor Pierre-Joseph. He may have converted in order to marry her, but he did not understand last rites yet. She briefly wondered if she might be safer with a priest present, but she did not think she could carry out a deceit in front of one.

The jailer was leaving when she called for him again. “Roussel?”

“Eh?”

“I need to speak to the judge.”

Roussel’s mustache twitched in a sympathetic grimace. “You’ll see him at the scaffold, lad. He’s not going to listen to last minute pleading. Ah, here’s my good wife.”

A woman! Even better than a priest! Louise stood as the jailer’s wife squeezed past him at the door and came into the cell with a bowl and pitcher. “Poor Monsieur Rouffio, you get yourself washed while the water’s warm.” She set them down and then started with a squeak when Louise grabbed her by the hand.

Roussel rumbled angrily and strode into the cell to knock her hand away, but suddenly both he and his wife could see that this diminutive person standing at the back of the cell was not Pierre-Joseph Rouffio at all.

“Who are you?” the jailer demanded. “Marie, light that candle. Where’s Rouffio?”

“I don’t know. I need to speak to the judge,” Louise repeated, no longer bothering to disguise her voice. “And I think he would probably prefer to speak in private rather than out on the scaffold in public.”

The jailer’s wife held up the candle to peer at her face. “Saints preserve us, he’s just a young boy!” she said quietly.

Roussel stared hard at Louise and finally decided that she was right, the judge was needed here. Let it be a problem for the Englishman.

“I’ll go and send word for the judge,” he finally grumbled. “Come on, Marie.”

Louise once again grabbed the good woman’s hand. “Wait! Madame, will you stay with me? I don’t want to be alone.”

The other prisoners had already come out of their cells and were waiting to eat in the open room beyond the cell door. A few were calling for Rouffio to come out and join them for a last meal together. After exchanging glances with her husband, the woman nodded.

---

They did not have to wait long before Roussel returned with the judge and his clerk, and by that time Louise had convinced the jailer’s wife of her true sex. She had also washed her face and eaten Pierre-Joseph’s final breakfast. Still holding her hand, Mme. Roussel whispered in her husband’s ear as the other two men waited outside the cell. The clerk began setting up his writing slope at the long table where other prisoners were eating their bread, though many stopped to watch the proceedings with open curiosity. It was not often that a judge came to see a prisoner on the morning of his execution. The judge glanced at the two figures in the back of the cell and rounded on Roussel. “Well, what’s the problem, guard? And this woman, who is she?”

“That’s my wife, sir.” Roussel was at a loss for words, but that question at least he could answer.

“Well? Come out of there, Madame, and you Rouffio, come here.”

The woman began to obey but Louise pulled her back, remaining in the shadows at the back of the cell. “I’d rather not, sir,” she said quietly.

“You’d rather not?” the judge sputtered. “Ridiculous. The guard has said that you have something to tell me that’s extremely urgent. So if you want to speak before you’re hanged, come here, sit down, and tell me.”

The common room had become far too quiet at this point. The other men had stopped pretending to be busy with their food, and every ear was listening.

Louise took a deep breath. It was time. She spoke very quietly. “But sir, you would be wrong to hang a girl in boy’s clothing.”

The silence lasted only a second before the first shocked prisoners whispered the words to their neighbors, who passed it along to the next louder, then louder, until the crescendo broke like a crashing wave of men who were shouting and crowding to the door of the cell to see the spectacle for themselves. Barely ahead of them were the judge and Roussel who bellowed at them to step back, while the poor clerk still sat speechless at the table.

The judge managed to enter the cell and was barking orders in a mixture of English and French. “Guard, let my clerk come here – Gilchrist, get in here! – and shut this door. Is there a light? Gilchrist, strike a light. Can you write in here? I want all of this taken down. Now, prisoner. Prisonnière.” He held the candle up to her face. “If you’re a girl, tell me your name.”

She had been prepared for this. She could hardly admit that she was Louise Cadet, the girl that Pierre-Joseph Rouffio had been condemned for abducting. “My name is Marguerite. Marguerite Gagnon. Perhaps you know of my father, Monsieur Charles Gagnon.”

The judge stared at her in shock, as did Mme. Roussel who told him, “It’s true that she’s a girl, sir, that’s true. And ah, Charles Gagnon! He’s one of the richest men in the city, a very rich merchant with a fine house.”

“Yes I know,” the judge replied testily. Everyone knew the name Charles Gagnon. “So, Mademoiselle Gagnon, why are you here in prison dressed like a boy, and where is prisoner Rouffio?”

“I don’t know sir. I don’t know who that is. I was here last night serving soup with the Ursuline sisters for charity, and I became very dizzy and must have fainted. When I woke up, I was trapped in here and my gown had been stolen. Please, may I go home?”

He stared at her incredulously while the jailer’s wife fussed over her, and then he turned to make sure his clerk was writing it all down.

“Wait – Rouffio. Wasn’t that the name of the man that one woman wanted to speak to yesterday? I wrote her a note.” The judge spoke with the clerk for a moment, but it seemed that the man had no record of the interaction. He turned to Louise. “A woman came to see me asking to see Rouffio. Was that you, Mademoiselle?”

She widened her eyes in sweet innocence. “Oh no, sir. I was at home all day yesterday until supper. You can ask my father.”

Her tale was utterly preposterous but there was no point in detaining an innocent and wealthy girl in the men’s portion of the prison, and he knew where to find her if he needed her again. After a moment of conferring with his clerk, he turned back to her and said “Yes, very well. My carriage will take you home.”

That had not been part of the plan. “Oh, no sir, I’d rather walk,” Louise protested.

“Walk? No, not at all, you mustn’t walk about the streets in those clothes, and there’s already a crowd gathering for the – damn it, Gilchrist, run and tell the warden that Rouffio’s gone missing and there will be no hanging today. I’ll go up and speak to him in a few minutes. Madame, will you find my man and tell him to bring my carriage to the back. Guard, open the door, we’re coming out. Please, mademoiselle, put your coat on.” Still not satisfied with the coverage of her figure, he pulled the blanket from the bed to wrap around her like a cloak, then guided her out of the cell and through the room with his hands on her shoulders like she were a child. He was an imposing figure with his fine coat and stern face and wig, and Louise was glad to have him between herself and all the cheering, laughing and shouting men.

---

She managed to persuade the carriage driver to take her to the servants’ entrance at the back of the Gagnon home instead of the front door, and then she had her long walk back in the direction she had just come from. She wished that she could rush inside to see Margot, but she knew that her friend needed to remain above any suspicion.

She was tired and footsore when she at last reached the Place d'Armes, but she smiled to recognize Simon Boulanger, Margot’s admirer still waiting for her in the driver’s seat of a carriage with the curtains drawn closed. She expected it to be empty, and that he would bring her to the appointed meeting place past the city gates, but inside to welcome her was Pierre-Joseph, her own handsome beautiful Pierre-Joseph, freshly bathed, freshly shaved, and dressed in clean but suitably unremarkable gentleman’s clothes. She barely contained a shriek before she threw herself into his arms for a kiss. Simon took this sound as a signal, and the carriage began to move. After perhaps a thousand kisses, Pierre-Joseph leaned back to look at her in the morning light that was peeking through the curtains. He smiled at her and shook his head fondly.

“My dear little boy, my dear Mademoiselle, you are the most beautiful and wondrous woman in the world, but these clothes don’t suit you and they smell! I brought back your green robe. Shall I be your servant, my poor dear young master-mistress, and help you to dress for our wedding?”

[pentupfortoolong]

Cos-Played: The New Players Part 2A- The Rising Of Rose

Writer's note: this is a sequel to my sequel to the fantastic @misseviehyde's Cos-Played two-parter, which she has graciously given me permission to do. You can read them at

https://www.tumblr.com/misseviehyde/702837005277675520/cos-played-part-1 And

https://www.tumblr.com/misseviehyde/703353607291011072/cos-played-part-2

Whether or not you accept it as a continuation is up to you, but I love this story and wanted to add-on.

Please read the previous story before this one for more context.

This is also the first of what I'm calling "possible outcomes" for the first story. Think of the A as "choice one". There will be three more parallel stories, and you can choose which you like as your favourite.

The machine was ready. All it needed was someone to turn into the next skin suit. And there were two people dangerously close to falling in…

Bianca and Rose looked into the whirring hopper, worried at the prospect of either becoming a costume of memories or a corpse. Either way, life appeared to be over. For one of them, anyway. Bianca had been bumped into the machine. She screamed as she was converted like her best friend before her. Down the bottom of the machine, a ping sounded out as a tube plopped onto the ground. Everyone had stood there, stunned. Everyone except Rose, who climbed down in a hurry.

"Rose, did you bump Bianca on purpose?" "Yes Mom, I did." "Rose, if this was to save yourself-" "No, it was to better myself." Donald's eyes widened a bit. Chloe raised an eyebrow "Better yourself?" "Yes. I got tired of being bullied. Now I want to BE the bully. Isn't that what you wanted? Me to be tougher? Well, now Sam and I get to be the biggest bitches in school." Alice grinned before laughing evilly. Donald was stunned. He feared he was losing his entire family now. Chloe was skeptical. "You want to be a bad bitch like your sister and me?" Rose had just finished putting the skin suit on and let all of Bianca's memories and personalty seep in. Immediately after, she pulled out the pack of cigarettes Bianca had in her jacket and lit one up. Rose had absolutely hated smoking, but now that she was Bianca, she fell in love with the taste right there

"I was thinking badder, even" Bianca said after taking another drag. Chloe was getting excited internally, but kept it cool in case Rose was trying to lower her guard. "OK, you've taken up smoking. I need to see a little more proof." "I've got an idea. Keep the gun on daddy dearest for a minute." Chloe aimed the gun at her husband, still in the maid suit. Bianca went to the next room, which was now dubbed the "costume room".

She came back with Alice's father's costume. She put out her cigarette and put the suit on. Although it took a few seconds longer, she did indeed morph into Alice's father. "OK, that tests my theory: even in a skin suit, you CAN put another one on without losing anything. It seems to take a bit longer, though." Bianca took the suit off. Chloe looked puzzled. "OK, so you've proven you can put a suit on a suit. How does that prove to m-" Bianca immediately snapped the catch off from the skin suit. She would never be Rose again, not that she wanted to go back to being a sniveling brat. "I'm all in, mother. And I'm not done. I'll show you why I did that little test."

Bianca walked up to her father. Or, what WAS her father. Even as Rose, she had been losing respect for her father for not doing a better job of standing up to his wife. Still, she had him to thank too. Now she could be her true destiny. Bianca found the catch of the Naomi suit. She ripped it off. Now Donald was gone, and Naomi was all there would be. Naomi reacted in horror. "ROSE, NOOOO!" Bianca slapped Naomi. "That's Bianca, bitch! Now you serve ME, too!"

Alice and Chloe laughed and laughed. The once pathetic, shriveled Rose had quickly ascended to their level of bitchiness. They both went to hug her as Naomi fell to her knees, sobbing. "Welcome to the family, Bianca!" they said in unison. "I love both of you sluts!" Chloe spoke up next "Now Bianca, we've still got some things to teach you. And one of the first things is to forget all our old names, bury them real deep." "Oh, those losers are dead! Fuck Linda, Sam, Donald and especially Rose! It's Chloe, Alice, Naomi and Bianca all the way!" Naomi spoke through sobs "My little girl has to be in there…" "Not anymore! Naomi doesn't have a little girl, she has three hot babes who need her to get off her ass and get cooking!"

Bianca kicked her a couple times while Naomi screamed out. Naomi couldn't tell who was laughing the loudest, Chloe and Alice at getting Rose to join them when they weren't even considering it, or Rose for getting corrupted so quickly. Bianca lit another cigarette before offering them to Alice and Chloe "I'm going outside to look at the sunset in my sexy new body. You bitches care to join me?" Chloe and Alice lit up and joined Bianca. All three a happy, bitchy family.

[73chn1c0l0rr3v3l]

Hey, other Chibnall era/13th Doctor fans, a word in your ear?

I get the annoyance that y'all are feeling at all the people going "oh, Rogue was so much better than anything with Yaz and Thirteen, this is such better rep etcetera etcetera" - I feel that same annoyance. Having our favorite era constantly being shit on and being compared (negatively) to the current era is horrible and obnoxious and annoying, and I really wish people would stop doing it! Trust me, I am entirely in your court on this. If Thirteen has a million defenders I am one and if she has one defender I am one and if she has none I'm dead or however that meme goes - you get what I mean.

But you know what's EQUALLY shitty?

Defending Chibnall's era by going down gender essentialist or homophobic roads. WLW (or lesbian or queer women's or whatever term you'd prefer) relationships are not inherently more deep or emotional than MLM/queer men's/gay/etc just by dint of the gender of the participants. You can have women in fucky, weird horny relationships with each other and men in deep, emotionally resonant but not demonstrative relationships with each other.

15/Rogue and 13/Yaz are two very different relationships, with two different iterations of the same character. 13 as a character is an open wound - she had just lost her best friend and seen her companion cyber converted and died trying to save a group of people in a move that was ultimately futile. This on the aftermath of losing people and losing people and losing people (Donna, the Ponds, Clara), from losing Gallifrey, from discovering that she wasn't who she thought she was due to the Timeless Child. To say nothing of the Flux.

To say nothing of the fact that by the time we get to Legend of the Sea Devils, 13 literally knows she is going to die.

TIME: You can leave here, but you won't outrun me. Your time is heading to its end. DOCTOR: No, it's not. You're wrong. TIME: Nothing is forever. No regeneration, no life. Beware of the forces that mass against you. (sotto) And their Master. DOCTOR: What do you mean? What do you mean, their Master? TIME: I restore you, Doctor. Reunify you. But for how long?

Thirteen is a person who knows she is going to die, who wants to love and wants to care for people, but is so afraid of how much it will hurt them when she dies, of how much it will hurt her knowing that they're hurting. She's in pain and she's sad and she loves Yaz but she can't let herself take that risk, can't do something that cruel. She loves so hard and so much, and she says "If it were anyone, it would be you" because she has to let Yaz know that if she COULD, she WOULD, but she can't. She can't pass that pain on, she can't open herself up like that, she can't take that risk.

Their romance is a tragic one, and I eat it up with a spoon because that is the kind of yearning adoration that makes me want to die (positive).

Fifteen is not in pain.

Fifteen is, by his own admission, someone who's gone through rehab. We can argue about how much of that is just the Doctor being the Doctor (so a lot is beneath the surface), but he is a lot more emotionally open. More than being emotionally open, he seems utterly and intensely dedicated to having FUN, look how much FUN he's having (he really is taking after 13, I love it).

Him and Rogue were two strangers who met each other in an adventure and had a fun connection. Utterly different vibe to Yaz and Thirteen - not better, not worse, just different. And yes, it's resonating with people in a different way because it is a different dynamic!

(It didn't do anything for me, but I'm not interested in M/M. I'm glad for the people who are enjoying it!)

You can definitely tell people off for being obnoxious about your preferred ship without diving into gender essentialism. I promise. I have faith in you. You can do it.

[harleenfleck]

"5 years later" A letter for Artie

This is a kind of fanfiction/selfshipping. It'll be soooo cringely, yes is a warning haha, just wondering how is that Arthur comes back to my life after those long five years without him.

So, I hope you like it, oh my god, will be so cringely but i don't care hahaha! Based on a lot of Taylor Swift music, to be specific, "the 1", "right were you left me" and "daylight" Hope you like it! Again, sorry for the grammatical and language mistakes, English is not my mother tongue.

Hope you like it!

...

Hey. Hello?

Arthur? Arthur Fleck? Is that you?

It's me, hi. It's a very bad, really bad way to say "hello" as nothing after 5 years later, don't you think so?

It's hard to explain what is in my head now, in my heart and even in my lungs. I wanted to ask what happened to those years. How have you been? I hope better than the last time we saw each other. Something inside me wants to beliv you're better now, I want to belive it, help me to belive in it.

You're still in the same old city? I am right in my own old and sad town. A lot of friends of mine aren't my friends now. That narcisist guy who you hated to death is ruinning the life of another girl, hope she's okay and she'll be okay. I'm still in the same job I hate, but I try to make it better.

Speaking about it, do you remember the social worker who don't help you? I think what would happen if she could help you since the first moment... And you know what? Today I'm studying to be a Social Worker too. Everybody thinks was to get a better job and it's true in a strange way. But the real reason was you... I'm studying that career because I want to help, that help was deny to you, to help others like you.

I try to found relief and cure in music as you, I found a blonde and beautiful woman who writes songs of love, pain, girlhood, anxiety, sadness, freedom and poetry. I've heard her songs and I even go to her concert, was one of the best nights in my life.

And you know something funny? When you come back, all her songs about love started to come to life and make sense to me.

Do you remember "California"? That song we listened for hours and hours in midnights? You finally come back, and I want to take you yo California, forever.

It's kind of funny you back after I go on with my life, I have new friends, some of my old friends, a new partner who help me as you did it in the past. He treats me so well, so tender and gives me peace, sometimes I think both of you have the same soul.

I see you found love for your way, she's the character I've played for months and wanted to be, to convert myself to her. She looks like so interested on you, and I hope she treats you and loves you as I do. I hope you have her picture in your journal, I hope you dance with her with emotion and hold her hand with passion, I hope she laughs with your jokes as I did, I hope she helps you as I try to do in the past.

I never thought you'll come back again to my life, you were in my mind, my daydreams and my lungs after you showed in my eyes again. It's funny that I use "lungs" and not "heart", but since you come back, your name is in my breathing. Heart has envy to lungs now.

There's a lyric in a song who makes me think about you since I've heard it, "In a world of boys, he's a gentleman". Be a gentleman with her as you was with me before.

I think I'll bought a chain with your initial, and I'll use it for the rest of the year until our next date in October. I'll use it and you'll know I'm still owns you and you really knows me. I take this from a song of the blonde singer I've tell you.

I'm starting to think I'll never stop to love you, you show me after the darkest period in my life I can back to love again, to take me to the dark and scary night and bring me to the golden daylight. Maybe you know that I need to be saved again, and you're here to take me to daylight again... Thank you again, Artie...

With love

You know who I am

[horizon-verizon]

Cult and Cannibalism in TLoU Episode 8

I think this was the most interesting episode of The Last of Us for me.

But I also think it could've leaned more into cannibalism, the history of the group, and scenes on how David began to make them compliant to buttress the "frightening" violence Ellie has, as the creators emphasized in the post-episode interview. As if Ellie truly is more the frightening party here, when that aspect should be focused on David and the ignorant cannibals.

While it's clear that killing David and narrowly escaping rape and butchering for punishing cannibalism was traumatizing for her, she has a justified incentive to be violent...since they are trying to kill her. While Joel killed one of their own, just as Sam caused Kathleen's brother to die to save his brother, Ellie like Sam is not wholly responsible for his actions to protect her. Their group of scavengers was the ones to attack Joel and Ellie.

I think that it would have been stronger to:

reveal that the raiders of episode 6 were also hunting actual living humans to take back to the group to butcher and eat. In theme with their literal hunger and to create a survival-cult-maddened depravity that doesn't just linger under David's skin, but lingers on some form under everyone's.

see the cannibalistic community outside of the hall -- in their homes through one or two extra scenes with specific props (like with Maria's plaque for her son) to indicate their unique pasts or the lack of such things -- to hammer in their coerced self-deprivation.

As they are, they are more sitting props for David rather than dehumanized humans (aside from the crying girl). As it was, I felt that the episode wasn't generating those senses of dread or suffocation as much as it should have or really showed how lost and dispossessed the group was.

Instead, it seemed to not give enough context or build up for the psychological battle between Ellie and David, which I think could have gone longer as well. So while I liked the episode and Ellie's bloodcurdling moments of triumph mixed with savagery, the episode also felt like a draft and bare bones of itself than a finished piece to me

David vs Ellie

David began to "believe" in the Christian God after the outbreak, which mirrors the event where a person may adopt a religion to find hope in a frequently dangerous and/or traumatic world.

One of the directors of the show said that David and Ellie's hearts are "violent" and that Ellie is forced to recognize that violence that David points out to her. I disagree that they are the "same"; similar but he same. The violence in David's heart is destructively hungry, like a wendigo. While Ellie has a hunger, that hunger is for connection and assurance that she will have and sustain that love and emotional security in others, therefore her violence comes from the need to protect herself and others. She does not want to be long deprived in the security and of emotional security itself. And David sees that, tries to force her to see him as her only means of that by separating her from Joel, isolating her in the cage, and saying that they are the same.

Trying to merge their interests and make as if they are the same, when they are totally different. He is trying to "eat" all that she is as a person to make his own "loyal" wife/lackey.

In the same scene where he's trying to convince the imprisoned Ellie, he has been turning her words against her and converting them to mean as if she is a threat that he must transform. For her and his own benefit:

David: I can see how much you care about him so I know it hurts. But even so... you gotta face reality. That part of your life, it's ending. And what I'm offering you is a beginning. But if you can't find a way to trust me... then, yes, you are alone.

AND

David: It was a last resort. You think it doesn't shame me? But what was I supposed to do? Let them starve? These people who put their lives in my hands, who e-expect me to keep them safe, who love me?

Ellie: Yeah, maybe.

David: You don't believe that. I don't think your friend would either. Didn't he take another man's life to save yours?

Ellie: He was defending himself.

David: He was defending you. But you knew that. You see a lot. So do I. And you know what I see when I look at you? Me. You remind me of me. You're a natural leader, you're smart... loyal. Violent.

Ellie and Joel are like many other people out there, just trying to survive. They are different in that they are more willing and better at using violence to protect each other and themselves, but their experience can't be reduced to "violence is evil", which is what David attempts to do. By guilt-tripping her, he is trying to convince her that her violence needs to be tamed by him specifically, and put to "better" use. Ellie could never and would never do something like this, because, again, her "hunger" comes from deprivation while his comes from a sick need to dominate and destroy that will never be satisfied.

David reveals to her that he has always struggled with the violence in his heart, even before the fungus when he was a teacher instead of a preacher. After he points out that Ellie would stab him as soon as he lets her out and that Joel killed to defend her, he says:

David: I've always had a violent heart. And I struggled with it for a long time. But then the world ended and I was shown the truth.

Ellie: Right... by God.

David: No. By Cordyceps. What does Cordyceps do? Is it evil? No. It's fruitful. It multiplies. It feeds and protects its children, and it secures its future with violence, if it must. It loves.

It is here where we see his true inspiration and desire: to dominate and "infect" or spread his influence to others, which was already hinted at when he mentioned his group "picked up" others after their QZ fell apart. Like the fungus that destroyed and "ate" human society, replacing the literal body mass with its own, David wishes the a similar thing and not-so-secretly revels in that emotional violence that he uses as a tool. And his goal is to force/persuade people that this hunger is altruistic love.

He sees ultimate power/"God" in the fungus, and he has always wanted to be a god himself.

But since we know that he had a position of power over children in his past life, was about to rape Ellie, that he had prior "pets" (James mentions it in the butcher room), and tried to coerce her into being his "wife"/helpmeet (Genesis reference), we also know that David has pedophilic urges alongside or interwoven with his need for general domination. There's room to argue that:

in his past, he felt too small and unimportant, held back by the systems that could hold him accountable for his hypothetical (probable) actions, but by forming and leading a cult he can better act on his urges more often

thus I think that it's highly likely, keeping in mind his obsession with Cordyceps, he EITHER semi-consciously knows he tricked others & himself into religion so he can be top dog OR never believed and just used religion for the same ends, fully aware -- I think the former since cult leaders do tend to have some "belief" in their own lies

Also, when David spits, "You think you're special?!" after Ellie injures him in her escape attempt, it hints at Ellie's immunity to Cordyceps -- the thing David styles as a god and powerful presence. Ellis is special, and something that actually means something positive and beneficial to the rest of the suffering world because she may provide a literal, material cure. Unlike David, who provides semblances of the things his people look/ed for in their suffering.

Cannibalism and the Dissolution of Community

Aside from the literal cannibalism, David is another type of cannibal -- one that destroys the emotional connections between those he leads and converting them into bonds of fear for himself. And the group takes this because they have long been convinced into seeing him as their only hope, with their long history of slow deprivation. (David says to Ellie that they have traveled and lost many people.) But the group does not seem to have any strong bonds of trust amidst themselves -- they do not ever look at each other except for that aforementioned one of disapproval -- and they have had a long history of slow physical and emotional deprivation. Other than the woman who sits at the same table as the girl, who I couldn't tell if she was protective of the girl and tried to show emotional support, her mother/relative or was some sort of more intimate lackey of David's. That being said, it wouldn't have hurt to see more of these two alone or interacting with those other than David and the hunters.

David uses Christianity and its images of love to validate his own leadership and acts of violence. He calls himself a "shepherd" to a "flock of sheep", the latter he himself later reveals to Ellie when before, as they met he called himself "the good father". With the father image, David means to present and style himself as a protector and guide towards a course of action/location where his group is supposed to survive. Not only does he spectacularly fail at being a guide by physically leading them into a snowy, isolated waste of a town with their food supplies dwindling, he deceives them into eating their own and making them commit an taboo act and has been openly harming members moments of punishing, casual violence that are meant to reaffirm his power over them as a jail guard would do against prisoners. (Although I feel like the people may know that they are eating their own, but don't say anything because food is food at a certain point of starvation or fear of being deprived of food.)

Cannibalism in media and literature almost always has the symbolism of people crossing the boundaries of kinship, of people failing to recognize kin as kin or people as people. Failure to see them as like yourself. David further shows that he sees his group as not true beings or those worth humanizing through characterizing them as mindless "sheep", ironic since he was one to destroy them. He acts with the belief that he is inherently better and therefore different from them.

When the mourning girl interrupts his speech to demand they kill both Ellie and Joel (as Joel killed her father back in episode 6), David takes a silent moment to hang them and us in suspense and then smacks her, saying that she must not "disrespect" her new "father", that after her father died he is her new father. One member of the group gives the girl's table the side-eye, as if thinking that she is a trouble-maker before turning back to eat what undoubtedly could be the girl's father.

In this moment, David does another cannibalistic act: he uses intimidation and fear to turn the girl's anger and need for violence into docility, essentially trying to diminish her connection to her father to redirect her focus and "loyalty" towards him. But his slap also signals to everyone else his right of authority. He "consumes" the potential for community by breaking those bonds and has been doing so for long enough where they themselves mostly see as either necessary or totally normal. Obviously all this indicates that this is more a cult than a community. At the same time, like a fascist regime, he wants total domination and obedience from those he leads, from child to adult. We also can compare this group to Maria's group back in episode 6, which is a true, thriving community with a council of elected leaders.

All this is good, but I can see it as being so much more heart-pounding-with-dread and filled with a heavier feeling of a looking/teasing threat with what I already suggested so that I can also feel the dread of how easy it can be to overlook a use and atrocities for the sake of survival. There by generating more of a sense of doom.

There's a lack of community and trust? Show that. Give more side-eyes, people making pains to ignore each other, dilapidated windows and shivering children with neglectful or walking, half-conscious parents. Show more of how these people become "zombies". How the girl's repressed emotions turn into her anger and need for revenge, how that even is stomped out by David's refusal to listen and address that properly, instead slapping her in front of all the others. Have David let her out and subdue her more, take her out to see the people as they are to show what he thinks he can do for her as he promises, only to reveal the desert he made of his own people.

Show the corruption of what Ellie wants and needs the world to be and highlight how this may or may not have become a new fear or reawakened fear of hers. Mess more with perception.

[persephoneggsy]

A little scene I wrote related to my Goddess!Hawke x Champion!Sebastian au. May or may not add more to it, I mostly just wanted to get this scene down before it left my head.

~

The domain of death was, as expected, a gloomy place. On a floating platform made of crumbling marble, suspended in the dark, endless void of space, the goddess of death sat on her throne of black feathers, mulling over recent events.

Her legs were thrown over one arm of the throne, her back resting against the other, looking for all the world like a carefree woman lounging in the privacy of her own home, and not the oh-so-feared deity she was. At the base of her throne, a large skeletal dog sat dozing, the warm fire blazing within its ribcage the only source of light aside from the moon hanging above in the foreboding night sky.

In her hands was an arrow, clearly made by a child’s clumsy fingers.

She turned the arrow over and over, taking in every small detail, every mistake. She wondered if he’d been frustrated as he made it, or if he kept going with that same look of dogged determination in his deep cerulean eyes.

Her musing was cut short, however, as she felt a presence enter her realm. Her hound jumped to his feet, growling in the direction of the intruder. Hawke did not even bother to lift her head from the arrow.

“Lady Hawke.” A female voice, light and beautiful but weighed down with the clear reprimand in its tone. “You have gone too far.”

“Lovely to see you too, Andraste,” replied Hawke, still not looking up. Her hound continued to growl, fire beginning to spill from his mouth.

Andraste, goddess of light and life, frowned at Hawke’s dismissive attitude. She walked forward, uncaring of the hellhound’s agitation.

“You altered the threads of fate,” she accused. “Lamont Vael was fated to die.”

“That’s up to me, isn’t it?”

“His fate was written eons ago,” she insisted, ignoring her. “By sparing him, you have irreparably changed the fate of his entire family.”

“Oh yes, I know.” Hawke finally moved to sit on her throne properly, and gingerly set the arrow down on one of the arms. Her attention fully on the light goddess, she stared her down with dark eyes. “Lamont Vael was to waste away, a painful and humiliating end for a would-be king. His brother Tyrus, blinded by grief, would fall in battle not months later. Their mother, unable to bear losing her eldest sons, would then take her own life with a glass of poisoned wine. Their father, already possessing a weak heart weakened ever further by his grief, succumbed easily to the machinations of a scheming rival, who had him assassinated in his sleep and passed off as a heart attack. In a matter of months, nearly the entire Vael line would be wiped out… Leaving Sebastian Vael the only true heir to the throne.”

“You understand, then?” Andraste sounded wary. “You’ve deprived the boy of his destiny.”

“I rather think I saved his family,” Hawke shot back.

“He was going to be a king!” yelled Andraste, frustrated. “Instead, now you’ve bound him to a miserable existence as your servant!”

“As my champion,” Hawke clarified. “And he chose to swear himself to me.”

“It was that or death,” came the bitter reply.

“And an afterlife at the side of a goddess he supposedly revered. I wonder, Andraste, why do you suddenly care about Sebastian Vael now?” Hawke rose from her throne, descending the steps one after the other. “He prayed to you, he must’ve. He begged for his brother’s life, and you did not answer. Why? To preserve his so-called destiny? To make him the sole survivor of a tragedy?’

“To be a great king,” Andraste stared her down, unflinching in the face of death. Hawke did like that about her, in spite of everything. “He would’ve led Starkhaven into an era of prosperity and light! He would’ve united the Free Marches under a single banner for the first time in ages untold!”

Hawke raised a brow. “And converted all those under his rule to your worship?”

Andraste narrowed her eyes. “Do not accuse me of something so crass, Shepherdess.”

“No, you’re right. No point in speaking about hypotheticals now. The facts are this: Sebastian Vael chose this path. He chose me. I am the one who answered his prayers. I have done more for him in a day than you have his entire life.”

Andraste bristled, her eyes flaring with anger. The hellhound let out a sharp bark in warning. Hawke laid her hand atop her companion’s skull, calming him. Her own expression stoic, she faced the goddess of life and spoke once more.

“He will serve my needs, but beyond that, his fate is his own. Find some other poor mortal to turn into your witless lackey.”

She waved her hand, and just as Andraste opened her mouth for another furious rebuttal, she was ejected from Hawke’s domain. The realm was once again silent, and her hellhound sniffed once before returning to his dozing position. Hawke spared the beast a small smile before she turned back to her throne, and the arrow lying on its arm. The fletching made of hawk feathers… Perhaps there was something to be said for fate, after all.

Sebastian had carried a bow with him both times he came to her chapel. His preferred weapon, to be sure. She would have to see about getting him properly equipped, though -- her champion deserved the finest she could provide.

[sakuraswordly]

Enkidu: Sonic, do you remember that we used to play together when you were young?

Sonic: You must be.....in my memory....."Enkidu" right?

Enkidu: Uh-huh

Sonic: So that means this place.......

Enkidu: You could say "Dreamworld".

Sonic: I know...because...you had already died...

Enkidu: Why are you so sure that I have died?

Sonic: I don't know.....I just know....

Enkidu: Just know? Do you remember Punch?

Sonic: Yeah...I finally know her....she was the one who saved me...

Enkidu: And unseal your locked memories, that's why you can come to communicate with me.

Sonic: So....I am really...him

Enkidu: Yes. So, do you remember Humbaba?

Sonic: I finally remembered him too. So that was really Humbaba?! But I saw it in my memory...

Enkidu: That jerk Kujaku was reviving Humbaba back to life. That's not Humbaba I know...that Humbaba is not like a zombie now.

Sonic: But.....are you sure about this Enkidu? I mean...Humbaba was your friend once....

Enkidu: You really didn't change, Gil....you are still soft inside even in your judgment. I had already told you, didn't I? Enkidu whom Humbaba knew was already gone and Humbaba I knew was already gone too.

Sonic: I....huh? (Wait....Gil? Never mind...why do I feel so sad like I was with Enkidu for a very long time like a best friend?)

Enkidu: Remember when we once defeated him in the past?

Sonic: We...? Oh! You mean with that golden guy! Yes! I remember when we fought together....Huh?! Not again....my head....

Enkidu: Hehe. Your enthusiasm is the same as Punch I see.

Sonic: Hey! That was not nice Enkidu! Oh...not again...Sorry.

Enkidu: This time use my powers combined with yours to defeat….you already knew how to defeat him right?

Sonic: Are you teasing me again?! C'mon! I knew I was Punch or that golden guy! But still, I am myself! We never defeated Humbaba together but we did play together, okay?!

Enkidu: Hehe. I know.

Sonic: But I remember how my name comes from now...

Enkidu: Pretty cute, right? That's the name that both Punch and Gil decide together.

Sonic: Ugh...what do you mean "cute"?!

Syaoran: Sonic! Can you hear me? Wake up! Wake up!

Sonic: Syaoran?

Enkidu: It's time. You should go, Sonic.

Sonic: We still meet again...right?

Enkidu: We will meet again.*Smile*

*Whoosh*

Sonic: Huh?! I'm wake! I'm Wake!

Amy: Sonic, are you really okay? In the fight, you immediately fell asleep.

Sonic: I know how to defeat that creature!

Syaoran: You are? How could you know--?

Sonic: We were once friends...

Amy: Tails told us that the creature's name was Ḫuwawa. Ḫuwawa is a figure in Mesopotamian mythology.

Espio: The name Ḫuwawa is also an alternative spelling of Huwawa. Ḫuwawa was originally known as Humbaba. Ḫuwawa is depicted as an anthropomorphic figure that is similar to an ogre, giant, or demon.

Sonic: Demon...? That's horrible.....

Espio: Huh?

Amy: How are things now, Espio!?

Espio: Shadow and Velvet can't continue for much longer, I think. Even if we had all chaos emeralds, this creature was older than chaos emeralds....

Sonic: Let me handle this....I knew how to save him...

Amy: But....Sonic...

Sonic: Amy, can you trust me?

Amy: I trust you but I still worry about you! You still hurt inside after saving Chaos that time.

Sonic: This "hurt" now doesn't belong to me....but I need to shoulder this "hurt" with me.

Amy: *Sigh* Alright. Syaoran takes care of him.

After entering a black hole that caused their ship to fall apart and crash land on an alien planet, the Chaotix converted their office into a restaurant in order to earn money for repairs to their ship. But until that creature appears out of nowhere and attacks everyone on the alien planet even Cafe Chaotix.

Sonic: Humbaba......

Ḫuwawa: -----------!!!!!!

Sonic: I'm sorry.

Enkidu gave his chain and axe to Sonic, and Sonic used his and Enkidu's powers to defeat Humbaba with a single blow.

Shadow: (I think I've discovered what the ultimate life form is. Sonic...you really are...)

Once he couldn't move before Shadow and Velvet deal with him.

Ḫuwawa: Before.....I ask....why did you kill me again?

Syaoran: Because you're dangerous and if we don't do that....you will kill everyone you love without knowing.

Ḫuwawa: So my rage made me into a monster wasn't it?

Velvet: We still can save you if you want to.

Sonic: No. He can't be saved anymore.

Velvet: What do you mean, Laphi?

Ḫuwawa: You......

Sonic: You didn't do anything wrong but we had no choice but to kill you...not because of your rage but because darkness corrupted you and changed you into the monster.

Ḫuwawa: .............!!

Sakura: Sonic?

Sonic: Here goes nothing.....*Inhale* We are still friends. Because of that, I was terrified at that time. In fact, I was so afraid that made me want to run away. I never ever want to hurt you at all but Enkidu...told me to defeat you no matter what. Punch also didn't want to lose you as well. None of these should happen. I want to thank you for being friends for many years and for always being a comfort to Enkidu and me.

Ḫuwawa: I know......my king....I'm really glad I will be able to apologize to you one last time.

Sonic: Rest in peace, friend.

*Slash*

.

Enkidu: In the past, he earnestly respected the gods, and loved humans with all his heart. Both Punch and Gil...

.

Syaoran: That memory… belongs to King Gilgamesh, right?

Sonic: Umm.....Humbaba isn't technically a "bad monster." Like Velvet, he doesn't just hang in the Cedar Forest threatening everybody because he's some kind of selfish ogre who wants the trees all to himself. Basically, his deal is that he was appointed by Enlil, the king of the gods, to be super scary and guard the Cedar Forest. He's just doing his job guarding the trees from humans who would like to cut them down.

Tails: ..............................

Sonic: Humbaba's rage reminds me of when I tried to rip Eggman apart. Even though I am not that golden guy but I know he felt the same way as I do because we're the same I guess.

Tails: But we should thank Humbaba.

Sonic: Why....?

Tails: He did help us take down Metarex and thanks to him no ambush awaits from Metarex and our Typhoon once it takes off safely.

Sonic: Maybe Metarex did capture him and planned to use him as ambush us but in the end, he turned down on them, I see.

Tails: Sonic.....you made your decision already right?

Sonic: That's right...I think it's time. I will confess with Velvet.

Tails: Sonic............(I knew that one day he would go to his own path...even me too)

Sonic: ......................

"The burden is too great. In turning back time, you may be able to change the course of the princess's future. But it would also change the futures of all others involved. Especially…the futures of those who knew of the mark on the princess. And you would bear full responsibility for that."

Later at Cafe Chaotix

Sonic: (Kujaku.....this guy must be dangerous more....I need to....) Hey little buddy.....you still remember what you said in the past.

Tails: I know....when this is all over, I'm going to keep the peace my way.

Sonic: A way only you can.

Tails: Um......

Sonic: You know what I meant right?

Tails: Umm.....but even so...I want to go with you. Amy, Shadow and Cosmo will feel the same way too. For now...this isn't the right time now. We can talk about this later. I know Dr Eggman want to say something before you go too.

Sonic: Thanks......I'm always rooting for you to grow up, buddy....

*thud thud thud*

Sonic: ..........................

*flip book pages through*

Source: Humbaba is the monster who guards the Cedar Forest.

Being a monster and all, he isn't the most complicated character, although he can do a neat trick where he changes his faces, and apparently it is pretty hideous. He is described as having seven layers of mystical armor, though he only wears the full seven layers at certain times of the day.

Why's that? We don't know. But lucky for everyone (except him), he's only wearing one when Gilgamesh and Enkidu attack. Even so, the friends only triumph because the sun god Shamash sends down 13 winds, which strike Humbaba from all directions and immobilize him.

In the heat of the battle, Gilgamesh offers up a desperate prayer to Shamash. Shamash hears him and unleashes thirteen storms against Humbaba. Humbaba staggers and reels under this divine onslaught, and at last Gilgamesh overtakes him. But Humbaba pleads for mercy and says he knows Gilgamesh is Ninsun’s son. He tells Gilgamesh that if he is spared, he will be Gilgamesh’s servant. At first, Gilgamesh considers being compassionate, but Enkidu is pitiless. Enkidu urges Gilgamesh to make a quick end of the monster.

Humbaba chides Enkidu for his cruelty. He suggests that Enkidu is jealous and fearful that Humbaba will supplant him in Gilgamesh’s affections. Humbaba reminds them that he is the servant of Enlil, the god of earth, wind, and air—a greater divinity by far than Shamash. If Gilgamesh kills him, he will surely bring a curse down upon himself. But Enkidu tells Gilgamesh to hurry up and kill the demon before Enlil finds out what they’re up to and tries to stop them. Only by killing Humbaba and stealing his cedars can they guarantee their fame. So Humbaba dies.

*Close the book*

Sonic: (Something wasn't right in there....in my memories...Enkidu didn't want to kill him in the first place......Enkidu wasn't jealous and fearful.....why I felt like.....someone made things up....)

[struggling-with-time]

Mother’s aren’t always the best [Corpse x reader]

Paring: Corpse husband x female!reader (platonic)

Summary: You’re the youngest in the group and recently moved out. When your mother decides to pay you a visit while you’re streaming.

Warnings: Angst, fighting, yelling. Big bro Corpse, kinda abusive mom

Words: 1.5k

A/N: My job just cut my hours in half, so yay. If anyone want to, I have a Ko-fi in my bio, if you buy a fic through there you get to skip the queue. I know it’s not a lot, but it’s only if you want to of course! <3 Also I’ve wanted to write this for quite a bit

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

You have recently finally moved out from your home and is now able to stream on a schedule and far more often. While living at home your mother had been very against the mere thought of her daughter putting herself out there on the internet. Which meant you have had to tiptoe around when you wanted to stream. Only being able to do so when she left you home alone. The only good thing about having a single mom, was that she worked a lot. So that meant a lot of alone time.

You’ve never really gotten along with her. The two of you having very different views on life, she wanted you to grow up and be a pretty girl, you were supposed to study social science, and get a project of your own, and while doing so you were supposed to meet the guy you would eventually marry, and give her grandkids with.

However, that’s not really what you want to do with your life. Despite only being able to stream when you’re all alone and having to chuck your entire set up into the shirt drawer, knowing your mother wouldn’t go through your drawer as one of the only things. You had managed to build up a small following.

“Hey guys! Sorry for the delay, I wasn’t able to find my microphone.” You tell on stream, and to the group in the discord call.

“Are you settling in nicely Y/N?” Corpse asks, the two of you have been talking behind your mothers back for quite a while, he has become like the big brother you’ve never had.

“Yeah, I still have couple of boxes lying around…” You look around your small one-bedroom apartment. You only have your dining table, two chairs, and your bed set up. And your dining table have been converted into a streaming set up. So, there’s that too. You are lucky enough to have a small hallway, that leads to a bathroom at the end, and the kitchen on your right, and the bedroom/living room on the left.

“I take that you haven’t done any packing out yet.” Corpse chuckles.

“Hehe… Yeah… I haven’t gotten everything out, so I have ordered some takeout, that will sadly arrive here during steam, in about…” You look at the clock, “in about half an hour.”

“Then let’s get started!” Rae says, as the countdown starts.

You get through the first round of among us alive, and wining as crewmates, you’re about halfway through the second game of the day when your doorbells goes off in the middle of discussing.

“Sorry guys, I’ll just go grab my food.” You apologise, and gets up from your chair, leaving your microphone behind, thinking it’s muted.

You open your door, with your wallet in hand, and takes a step back when you realise who’s on the other side. It’s your mom. The one who you moved halfway across the country to get away from. The one who you didn’t give your address to.

She looks angry, and more than pissed off. You know she is going to start a screaming match right here. In the hallway of your new apartment complex, only 4 days into your lease.

“WHAT THE #@!$ IS WRONG WITH YOU?!” She starts off, a normal way to greet your daughter of course. “I GIVE YOU SHELTER AND FOOD ON THE TABLE FOR 18 YEARS AND THIS IS HOW YOU REPAY ME?!”

You take another step into your apartment, knowing if it comes to it that you must push the door in her face. She will win that fight.

“HAVEN’T I BEEN THROUGH ENOUGH?! YOU UP AND LEAVE ME, ALL ALONE! YOU DON’T GO TO THE COLLEGE I CHOSE FOR YOU! YOU GO AGAINST ALL MY RULES!”  She’s screaming right at you, you can feel yourself starting to shake. “And I know your little secret, you think you could keep it from me, huh? You think I am stupid don’t you. I know you’ve been selling your self on the internet for money.” You can feel tears are starting to come, this is what she thought you were doing.

She throws down a binder of some sorts on the ground, making you jump a little. “You’re not my daughter anymore. I refuse to have someone as disgusting as you even share my last name. Here’s everything you need from me to change it.”  

You watch as she passes your delivery guy, who looks at you awkwardly with tears streaming down your cheeks and a shocked look on your face. He puts down your order, and slowly walks away again.

You get yourself together after a few minutes, enough to close the door, and pick up the binder and food. You dump the food on your table, along with the binder. You run your hands over your face, before you pick up your headset, and try to act as chipper as ever, not having noticed you never muted your mic.

“Sorry for the long break, had to fix a smaller cable issue, but I’m all good now!” You don’t look at chat, instead you focus everything you can on keeping your energy up, and not for anyone to notice you’re not doing the best.

“Y/N are you alright?” Corpse asks, extremely worried over the fact that he just heard you get disowned by your own mother.

“Yes, of course, I’m always doing good!” Your voice shoving no hints to what everyone and their own mothers head. You watch as your phone gets a call from Corpse. “I think the next game have to wait a bit longer if everyone is cool with that?”

Everyone agrees they’re cool, nobody knows what to say after hearing what just happened. You mute your microphone properly this time. Before picking up your phone.

“Hey there.”

“We just talked Corpse, get to the point, we shouldn’t let the others wait for us for too long.” You tease him.

“We all heard?”

“Heard what?”

“Y/N I’m so sorry.” You can hear his voice crack a bit, and you can feel yourself edging a breakdown.

“It’s okay, we all knew it was coming at one point or the other.” You dryly laugh, trying to get out of the topic.

“We both know she’ll be back by next week, it’s not safe there.” He worries, you can hear him already stressing at the thought.

“I can’t exactly move. I blew everything I had by getting this place.” Your voice is slowly starting to crack and you know if you keep talking. You won’t be able to get back on stream.

“Then stay at me, I have a cough. It’s not safe there. She only yelled this time. But who knows what else she might try to pull?” You listen to Corpse, and subconsciously wrap an arm around yourself, still able to feel the bruises from when she hit you, because she found a stack of cash you had been saving up for yourself to get out. You break down sobbing.

“Y/N are you still with me?”

“Y-yes.” Your voice reaches through the phones, nearly covered by sobs.

“Can you get up for me? I need you to turn off your stream, okay? You’re not going back on there for tonight.”

You shake as you push the right button abruptly stopping the stream and leaving the discord call.

“Good.” It comes from the phone. “Let’s get you to bed.” He talks you through the tasks you have to do. Helping to distract you from the bad thing. He stays on the phone worried for you all night, until you’ve tired yourself out enough to fall asleep on the call. He wishes he could help more as he hangs up the phone. Knowing he’s the last of your support system. As the call end, it leaves you alone in the world. Now mother and fatherless.

[camslightstories]

All of you

Lena Luthor x Fem. Reader

Request - Anonymous

Warnings: Angst, homophobic comments, self hatred, negative comments and thoughts. 

Notes: Hey Guys! How are you guys doing? So First of all I'm sorry for taking so much time to write and I hope you guys are doing great! My messages and asks box are always open. I think this request has been the easiest but scariest to write and I hope you would like it! It’s a little overwhelming I know but I'm here if you need a friend.

I’m always open to hear about suggestions, comments, theories and more. Right now until I get caught up with my request I'm not accepting more but when I finished all of them, I will! Hope you guys enjoy have a great day!

Taglist: @captain-josslett​ @aznblossom​ @multi-images

National City had become your home after you and your family immigrated to the US from Y/H/C. The streets that once looked mysterious now were more than familiar. The library which took your time most of the afternoons. The park that was less than a mile away from your house where you went to find calmness when you could. The small cafe restaurant right around the park where you and your family went to celebrate sometimes when your parents could afford it. The small music store in which you spent your summers working and studying during your high school years. Everything was familiar, was safe and it didn't change with time. 

You appreciated your family, you loved them and you couldn't be more grateful for them but there were times that you wish you understood them. Every day your parents had been putting pressure on your shoulders that sometimes was too hard to manage, there were comments of how you needed to look, how you needed to be, what you needed to be, and more. You kept quiet as both of your parents recited every day what was wrong with you and what needed to change.

With the passing of the years you learned to keep quiet and just go with whatever they were saying, it was easier. Easier to explain to them why you wouldn't want things, or why you would feel a certain way. And with two parents constantly reminding you how you need it to be to fit in society, you learned to keep quiet. 

There were contradicting things, and comments that made you wonder about your life with them. Things like ‘We came here for you, we had a built life in our country but we wanted you to be better, small jokes about the LGBT community jokes about people with different weight and more. They would comment on what you were wearing, what you had done with your hair, why you wouldn't put makeup on, why you wouldn't hang out like the other kids, everything had always a small comment and you learned to live with it. 

Sometimes you wished you would say something, as you cried in your bedroom until you couldn't more. You looked at the mirror and saw all of those imperfections that they had remarked, and you hated it. You hated the fact that you stood in front of a mirror and every single time there was a self-hatred coming from you.

You hated that you didn't look like they wanted as much as you tried. You hated that you weren't comfortable with everything you did even though they said that it was going to make you feel sure of yourself. You hated the fact that you couldn't go an hour, feeling like the best you could without having a comment on how you looked. How it wasn't appropriate for society, how you looked like a shadow, a scared child, someone who doesn't take care of themselves, how you just looked unpleasant even if you tried your best. 

The black combat boots you had been longing for so long had finally found a way in your feet, after months of doubts and saving you had finally got them. You moved your feet as you sat in the car on the way to the restaurant with your family since a friend of your parents was in town. 

A smile on your face as you check your outfit, a grey crew neck knitted with black mom jeans, and your small cross-body purse on your right shoulder. Without noticing you guys had arrived at the restaurant. You got out of the car, like the moon and the stars brighten the night, looking up smiling, you registered that it was the first night out your family had made a comment about how you look, and with victory, you started to walk to the sidewalk beside your family. 

Your father looked up from his phone and eyed you from head to tone in a questionable glance, before sighing as he rubbed his temples. “Y/N, you look like a homeless person. Couldn't you at least find something good to wear in that closet of yours? We are dining with the O’mells, couldn't you at least look presentable ”

“Yeah, little sis looks like princess Fiona. All ugly” Your older brother joked as he laughed loudly, hitting you in the shoulder. Your bit the inside of your mouth as the insecurities started to come into your thoughts. Rubbing your shoulder carefully because of the impact.

Your younger brother interrupted, before both of the guys started to laugh. You looked down at your shoes, as you felt a tear ran through your cheek quickly cleaning it as you heard your father clearing his throat. “Don't get me started on the horrendous shoes, what are you a lesbian?”

“You have five minutes to look presentable, put on makeup so you don't look like a zombie, and next time you are not entering with us if you don't look like the lady you should be.” He said before opening the door of the restaurant as your mother gave you the keys to the car.

“Yes sir, I will. I’m sorry, so sorry” You responded immediately only to be ignored by them. You breathed in and out as you felt the need to let the tears fall but keep quiet looking at the car window as your reflection came across it. 

Your head was so involved in your insecurities that you see the young black-haired woman that had been standing a few meters from you watching the scene unsolved.

Lena stood there captivated by you the moment you had gotten out of the car, completely forgetting the fact that she had called over a taxi. Clenching her jaw as she saw the way your family had basically shamed you. She waited until they had left and walked to where you stood in front of the car window. 

Your Y/E/C eyes staring back at yourself lost in your head. Your hands held the car keys strongly, as a way to control your insecurities. You bit your lip as your eyes raked over your face, tears invading your eyes.

She slowly approached you before touching your shoulder softly. You flinched as she did, and turned around immediately with a concerned expression on your face. Your eyes looked down apologizing only for two green eyes to be looking right at you. 

Her black hair falling on her shoulder, a green tucked-in shirt, and a concerned expression hidden behind the charming smile of the woman. Immediately speaking as she kept eye contact. “Hi, I’m Lena”

“I’m Y/N, Y/N Y/L/N” You responded introverted after a second with fidgeting hands.

“Lovely name, for a charming person” She stated flirtatiously with a smile. You looked at the green-eyed woman confused, the older woman tilted her head as you immediately looked behind you curiously because of her comment. 

Noticing Lena’s expression you pointed at yourself, and the woman seemed to understand perfectly, nodding rapidly with a smile on her face before speaking. “You are quite lovely, and I would love to offer you dinner if you want tomorrow?”

“I-” You started as your insecurities flowed in. You were looking at the black-haired woman apologetically, only to stop as you looked over to the window to see your family on one of the tables smiling and laughing with the O’mells. 

Looking away from them, you looked down and back up. Glancing at her before finishing talking as fast as you could, letting out a sigh which converted into a small smile when the green-eyed woman laughed as she put her hand out, asking for your phone. “Yeah, I would love to”

“Okay then. Here is my number darling. See you tomorrow at 7 here then.” She stated rapidly as her hand lingered on your phone, while you annotated your number on her phone. 

A taxi stopped in front of the restaurant making the black-haired look away from you as she sighed. Lena walked closer leaving a small kiss on the palm of your hand before walking away. A redness crept on your cheeks as she did, making you look at the ground. 

---

Ten months, ten great months. With hidden moments that made your heart flutter every time. Kisses that grounded you, comments that made you blush furiously, cuddles after hard days, dates that you wished to be never-ending, and moments that you cherish every second of it. Your insecurities and fears were forgotten by the comments Lena made, only coming out on small moments that were inevitable, moments when you felt the self-hatred coming back, moments where you loved everything except yourself. 

The soft smell of plumerias invaded your nose as you sat in the university library, books surrounding your table as you studied with handwriting on the notebook and the other rubbing your temple while reading through the book in front of you. 

You kept studying until a soft hand touched your waist softly, immediately you moved away looking at the person weirdly ready to argue with the person only to find your girlfriend in her business attire. The bouquet was full of plumerias on one of her hands and a large bag of food on the other hand with a charming smile on her face as she sat next to you.

Your face lightened up speaking and immediately blushed when she reached for your cheek leaving a small peak on it, trying to remove the evident red mark on your cheek she rubbed it softly with her hands. “Babe! What are you doing here?”

“Hello, love. I wanted to see you, plus I knew you weren’t gonna eat anything because of your research project and I miss you” She responded immediately smiling widely.  

You tilted your head before shaking your head carefully looking at her before looking down to the carpet floor as you responded. “I miss you too, you didn’t have to come all the way here. You are a busy woman Lee, I’m not supposed to waste your time-”

“Darling, don't ever doubt that you are wasting my time. To me it's the best and most important part of my day is when I'm with you” She interrupted bringing your face up with her finger, closing the distance between the two of you immediately with a short breathtaking kiss. With your cheeks burning red, the two of you rested your foreheads with each other as she spoke softly looking at you as if you were the most precious thing on the planet, and with that glint in her eyes, she made you believe it. 

---

The different laughs are heard on the balcony as the rest of Lena’s friends and somewhat your friends sat on the living room floor. Screaming, laughing, eating, and competing in another game night. You stand on the balcony with a wine cup and your phone answering the text your dad had sent you. Your dry and immediate response was already answered with a goodbye. Your fingers hovering over the keyboard as you hesitated and typed the wanted message only to remove it immediately as you took every last drop of the wine on your glass. 

Staring at the lighted city, you wondered. You wondered if you were finally ready, you wondered if the feeling of happiness and butterflies in your chest would ever become pain again, you wondered if what your family had said over the years was true, you wondered if Lena would ever get tired of you, if she would wake up one day and realize the butterflies she once had for you were now gone, you wondered until you felt the familiar presence of your girlfriend hugging you from behind. 

She murmured into your neck, as she rested her chin on your shoulder. Your scented shampoo and fragrance filling her nose makes her leave small kisses on your cheek while speaking “Are you okay?”

“I want to tell my parents, Lee” You immediately admitted turning around meeting the sight of your girlfriend. Her hair was down with small waves on the end, her oversized button-up shirt you usually wore in her apartment with rolled sleeves and some of the bottoms completely open revealing some of her freckles on her cleavage.

A sincere look of confusion, worries, and happiness on her face. Grabbing both of your hands delicately she spoke when you kept silent and started to fidget with your fingers. Rubbing the palm of your hand softly as she spoke. “Y/N, love, are you sure? Whatever you want to do, whenever, and however. I'm always going to be by your side”

When the words came out of her mouth, she didn't hesitate to bring you into a warm embrace, holding you close by the waist as you rested your head on her shoulder. The two of you swaying slowly at the sound of the music Kara had put on the TV while you spoke softly looking up to kiss her only to be interrupted by a yelling voice. “Thank you-” 

“You took my potsticker! Lena, Alex took my potsticker!” Kara yelled, glaring at Alex. Alex kept her challenging stance glaring at her sister, Sam, and Lucy choking down the laugh as the Danvers Sisters kept up. 

“You ate mine! Y/N come and defend my honor, your best friend's honor” Alex shouted desperately, making you laugh as you looked at Lena, seeing her chuckled before walking inside separating the two when she took the other box of potstickers out of the refrigerator, both of them running to the kitchen to either side of the black-haired woman.

You laughed as you saw Lena scold your best friend and her best friend, making them walk back to the sofa giving the potstickers to Sam and Lucy and leaving some for you and her. The Danvers duo sitting on the floor as they started to shuffle the cards quietly, pouting making everyone else laughed with you. 

---

The silence that overwhelmed the car made your heart rate somewhat faster, thoughts, possibilities, doubts, and insecurities running through your head. As your now white knuckles were gripping the steering wheel. The sunlight of the afternoon made the pressure increase, the smell of the variety of pastries on the back of your girlfriend's car

Lena watched you worried as you sat quietly. It had been half an hour since you guys had arrived and there wasn't any movement from you, she wouldn't even know if you were breathing if your chest wouldn't move when you did. Worried now as she feared you hurting yourself, mentally. She decided to speak up softly putting her hands on top of yours which immediately softened in her hands. “Y/N/N, if you don’t-”

“I do, I'm ready” You pleaded while looking over at her, meeting her careful glance.

She responded, giving a small kiss on the cheek as you grabbed the pastries. Making you nod slowly as you got out of the car. “Okay, love. I'm right here by your side”

As you knocked on the door, the nerves that were once quiet now were rigging in your ears loudly. Your little brother opened the door and went to say something only to stop when his gaze fell on Lena, immediately accommodating his posture before opening the door completely with a smile on his face, to which Lena responded with another smile.

“Hey Jo, it's everyone here?” You asked for his attention only making him scoff, you shifted uncomfortably in your feet. A small voice in your head repeating the name again and again like a song as you stepped to the side.

He answered before extending his hand to your girlfriend. Lena looked at him weirdly, controlling her feelings when the 16-year-old kid called you that but kept the fake smile for your sake. “Yeah, but aren't you gonna present your charming friend? Thought you were better than that Fiona”

“I’m Joseph, you can call me anytime” He flirted with the green-eyed woman only to be ignored completely. 

She claimed following your glance at the pictures on the wall. Various family photos on them and also photos of your brothers with awards and trophies and only a few of them of you. “Lena”

“Y/N is here and she brought company!” Your older brother yelled as you stood in the middle of the living room, Lena by your side. 

Lena looked around as the two of you stood waiting for your parents, the house was completely clean, without a spot of dust in any place. Pillows, blankets, photos, books, and everything was perfectly placed, at first it seemed comfortable, cozy, and homey until she realized the fact that it looked too perfect. To perfect to be happy, to perfect to be comfortable, to perfect to make mistakes, to perfect to be yourself.

Your older brother was sitting on one of the edges of the couch with his phone in hand, glancing at Lena flirtatiously as she stood by your side. Your younger brother was leaning against the door frame texting when your parents came out of the kitchen. 

They looked at you curiously before speaking. Your Dad immediately commented on what you were wearing before extending his hand to take Lena’s. You gulped down when Lena looked at you when you kept quiet only responding as respectfully as she could.  “Couldn’t you at least look presentable?... Welcome to our home, I’m Y/F/N”

“Lena, Lena Luthor” She responded respectfully, shaking his hand and giving your mother a small smile. 

Your older brother, Nick, questioned as he looked at you up and down, rolling his eyes right before glancing at Lena flirting “And how in the world did Scar score to be Lena Luthor’s friend?

Lena looked at you shocked when you kept quiet and avoided her glance. She was about to counter back a response only to be stopped by the sound of your voice.

Clear worry and fear in it. You fidget with your hands after you set the box of pastries aside hearing your mom commenting “Yeah, darling put those there before you look like all of those people on the TV, horrendous” 

Lena clenched her fist and kept her head high, her expression slowly with each comment changing into her CEO character. Tensed muscles, head high, fake plastered smiles, and the confidence like she had the whole world in her hands. Even though her whole world was standing less than a foot away from her.

“I wanted to tell you guys something,” You said, taking a step towards them. All of your family watching curiously.

“I’m Y/S/T and she is my girlfriend, Lena” you continued as Lena took your hand for support. Your breathing had gotten quicker and the tears of fear in your eyes were evident, with a trembling lip as you spoke.

“That’s a good joke” Your younger brother responded letting out a small laugh while the rest of your family kept silent looking between you and your girlfriend. 

“Just because you decided to look unpleasant all the time, making no guy ever attracted to you so you know decided to be with a woman” Your father was the first one to get out of the trance scoffing in annoyance and anger. 

Your mother gasped yelling, with anger in her voice. “It’s a sin, Y/N!”

“It's a sin, Y/N. We are Christians just because you're immature and hideous and nobody is attracted to you, means you are going to break the rules, young lady” Your father claimed getting closer to you with a demanding voice, his finger pointing at you threat making you take a step back.

You pleaded to take a shaky step closer to him, only to immediately flinch as he screamed angrily. “Dad, plea-”

“NO! Absolutely no! We are not going to accept your idiotic tactics, just because you can't find someone to love you! Newsflash Y/N, like that you won't ever!” He screamed angrily, taking a step closer, making Lena step in with her CEO stand in front of you grabbing your family’s attention. 

Tears came slowly out of our eyes as you looked down, biting your lip to keep the soft whimpers and sobs that were coming out. Your dad eyed the black-haired woman up and down before stepping back letting out a sarcastic laugh, making your girlfriend raise her eyebrow in question to him.

“And her! Do you really believe someone will love you? And will be attracted to you? A woman you know how complicated women are with their taste. You need to get the thought in your head that if you don't change. YOU WON'T EVER FIND LOVE!” He shouted. 

“You have no reason nor sentiment to treat her like that!” Lena claimed as she stepped in front of your father. Clenched fits with white knuckles, a threatening stand, and an intense glare with a clenched jaw containing her anger.

You took a step forward putting a hand in her bicep making her turn around immediately, recognizing the soft touch of your hand. You spoke softly only to be interrupted by your mother’s yelling. “Lee, please. It doesn't matter-”

“Out of my house! NOW! And never ever come back until you change from being an abomination” She yelled as she slapped you, making you gasp before walking out of the door with tears coming down your eyes. 

Lena glanced at them finding pain, hatred, insecurities, and more. The soft makeup you had on your face had become black spots on your face. Your Y/E/C colored eyes were hidden behind the redness. A red evident mark on your face where your mother’s hand had made contact with your skin. Every single detail made her angrier and angrier by second, losing control at the side of you hurting. 

“She is perfect just the way she is, a completely passionate, sweet, kind, emphatic, wonderful, selfless person. And she is so much more of what you guys told her, she is perfect” Lena snapped as she felt the anger take over.

How dare they treat you like that? How dare they tell you those things? How could you stand to all of that? How dared they thought and said things like that of you? How couldn't they see the amazing human you were?

“This is my house-” Your father started as he looked at her angrier with a challenging look on his face in which your girlfriend returned.

She said, taking a step back, raging herself soothing her black dress. “It may be your house but first I will have to be dead for you or anyone else to treat the person who is my whole world like that” 

“You know, you guys may think she is a complete mistake, abomination, and more but she is perfect, she is the person I fall in love with every single minute more and more. You guys are the ones losing the greatest thing in your life, I feel sorry for you but the truth is you don't deserve, hell I don't even deserve her. Have a great day and I think it's a little over the top but if any of you tries to reach Y/N just to be like that then I can sure I will make your life a living hell” She finished letting out a smile of satisfaction when all of them clenched their jaws and kept quiet before walking out. Leaving your family madly quiet in the living room.

Your knees were high and pressed into your chest as the furiously streams of tears came down. Somehow the smell of Lena in the car calmed you, the sweet smell of mint and lavender invaded your nose. The only sound you could hear was your heavy breathing. The passenger leather seat felt uncomfortable, the salted flavor of your tears on your lips as you cried, everything felt wrong as the thoughts and insecurities run through your head.

Everything they said was true.

You are an abomination, nothing and no one will love you.

So full of imperfections, so full of horrible things, full of-

“Love? I need you to breathe with me. In and out, darling please” You heard her pleaded as she grabbed your hand, noticing the way everything felt too close, too overwhelming, too bad. 

Lena kept stroking your back as she kept your hand close to her chest making you feel the way her chest rises and falls trying to make you follow it. Your eyes kept staring at her hand with yours as your sobs started to calm down, and everything began to zoom out. In a blinking moment, you stumbled into your girlfriend's arms, holding her tight, hiding in her chest making Lena hold you as close as she could trying to keep her own tears out when she saw how hurt you were. With her reassuring and words, the minutes passed slower than usual.

“I’m sorry” You murmured repeatedly into her neck, as she started to stroke your hair. When tears began to fall again from your eyes. 

She didn't wait for another second to bring your face to rest on her forehead, both of you sharing an Eskimo kiss. The closest, the comfort of it brought you happiness and butterflies in your stomach which were abruptly kicked out when the thought of what your family said came back to you.

You pulled away meeting green tearful eyes, which made your heartbreak more. The voice in your head telling you it was all your fault, that she wouldn't want you anymore or that she ever wanted you because your family had opened her eyes to what you truly were. With a shaky and broken voice, you commented fearfully as you glanced back to her eyes and your trembling hands. Scared of what was going to happen next, scared of everything as you tried to hold on to the happiness she had made but you knew the moment, Lena would say the words. You will break in million pieces, beyond repair and everything would feel worse than it was before because you had met your sun and without it, the night would remain constantly reminding you of her  “It’s okay if you don’t want me anymore, I know what they said it's true-”

“Y/N, what they said wasn't true. You are far away from what they said you are perfect and wonderful and I don't know how they can see you like that because all I can see is my whole world, the love of my life, my person” She interrupted cleaning your tears with her thumbs as she grabbed your face by the cheeks bringing you closer to her slowly. 

Holding you like if you were glass, afraid of breaking it, afraid of losing it or damaging it because to her you were the best thing in her life and she wasn't going to let you go. It was the moment your eyes met, when you saw, heard, and felt everything. There was an understanding of what the two of you meant, all the love, all the happiness, and the pain, everything was there standing freely in silence. 

In a silence that made you believe it, she made you believe every word, every action, and the love and comfort which radiated out of her expression made you forget everything. The comforting and loving silence was more than enough to let everything behind, to dream of the desired future you both wanted. It was perfect, you wouldn't change a thing of what you were feeling or what had happened because everything led to that moment, the moment you knew you were going to be okay, the moment you realize that for the first time in your life you felt like enough, the first moment in your life you called something that was part of you perfect. The happiest moment of your life for now.

[theredwritingwitch]

Mr. Irresistible- Part 2/3

Pairing: Marcus Pike x Fem!/reader

Summary: Two dumbies. Two lonely hearts. But what does the new year bring for these wayward hearts?

Word Count: 3,735

Warnings: some angst, SMUT, female masturbation, explicit sexual content,  vaginal fingering, lonely people watching couples being in love, holiday fluff, marcus pike fluff

Ratings: Explicit (18+ no minors)

Part One - Part Three

You were a real chatter box. You chatted away to Colleen on the phone as you drove to the airport. You chatted off the ear of the sweet old lady that sat next to you at the airport. Then you chatted at the headphone wearing teen who sat next to you in the airplane. Even the uber driver chatted enthusiastically back at you on the drive to your parents’ house for the holiday. And finally, when you had settled down to rest after hours of travel, your brother and sister-in-law listened to you recounted the whole day as they stood in the hallway outside of the guest bedroom in their pajamas.

“Well, I guess that’s one way to get mom off your back,” your brother Chris whispered as to not wake up your parents.

You shrugged and smiled “I mean I’m pretty excited about this new guy.”

“Even if you aren’t really dating him?” Bri asked as a smile tugged on her lips.

“Well, that’s beside the point. He did ask me out to a late-night dinner.”

“Which you should have taken him up on! Your Mom would have understood if you missed your flight to get some dinner with a cute agent!” Bri giggle in her hushed excitement.

“She probably would have encouraged it,” Chris added.

“She probably would be texting me question about the date as it was going on. I really don’t need that sort of pressure, she’ll just have to be satisfied with missing the honeymoon stage,” you groaned with an eye roll.

“Except you’re aren’t in the honeymoon stage right now!” Chris poked at you.

“Well kind of yes, but kind of not.”

Bri bumped your brother with her hip, “Yeah, we’ll have to save up on the poking fun of her when she’s actually in a relationship with this guy!”

“Your right, we will. So, when do you get to see him next?” Chris shook his head with a smile as you brought your phone out of your pocket.

“That’s a good question, I’ll have to ask him.”

“Well give us an update when you figure it out!” He said as both he and Bri entered the guest room to head to bed.

“Will do! Good night!” you whispered to them. A bright smile shone across your face as you made your way to your childhood bedroom that was now converted into an extra guestroom. The purple walls that you adored as a child were now painted a neutral moss green. All the band posters were gone, replaced by farmland paintings. You settled on the full-sized bed that was actually a lot more comfortable than the tiny twin you had as a child. Sighing out as you toed off your shoes from a full day of running around, you scrawled through your contacts looking up the name Marcus Pike.

As your fingers swiped on the screen, your eyes glazed over to the thought of the pretty faced man that had those deliciously soft lips, those puppy dog eyes, and the large encompassing hands. You closed your eyes and paused your scrolling as you touched your own lips and traced them with the tip of your nail. A shiver rippled throughout your body as you thought back to the way he held you aloft under the soft veil of Christmas lights and the swirl of snowflakes. You hugged yourself, imagining his strong arms around you once again. That adventurous tongue of his seeking you out started to take over your mind as you let your own fingers investigate the building heat between your thighs. Your hand snaked down, and you found yourself wetter than you originally thought you would be after thinking about a total stranger. Especially a stranger that was just supposed to be just a quick kiss. Christ, you haven’t been laid in so long; you suppose it was in retaliation to having any sort of romantic relationship because of your mother’s obsession with your love life. Wait, don’t think about your mother while in this position. This is your time, your me time after a long day.

Your time to think back to those long fingers that were buried into your hair. You wondered where else they could be buried. Those thick digits could probably curve into a delicious curl as they probed into your heat. You imagined him slowly stroking at your walls while his other hand slowly slid over your torso, from your hip to your perked breast. His one hand encompassed your whole breast, gently squeezing it as his fingers inside your cunt stroked in time with the squeezes. You shiver and lift your hips up as the pads of his callused fingers run down your fluttering walls. Not only do you feel his fingers sluggishly pet at your heat, but you also feel the broad pad of his thumb gently slid down to your sensitive bundle of nerves. He adds a soft and delicate stroke to your clit before circling gentle rings to it while giving the same attention to the nipple of your breast that he was once squeezing. You tilt your head back to the man against your back, surrounding you now. There’s a deepening broad struck down you heated walls, a rooted circle to your clit, and finally a rough pinch to your nipple. You lean further into him, letting your heavy breathing fan him as a low moan rolls out of you and over him. And then he does it all over again. Stroke, circle, pinch. You’ll probably go insane. The scruff of his beard rubs against your neck as his nose nudges into the reddening joint of your neck and collar, right where Marcus is sucking and licking at your skin. Your own lips are reddening from you biting them so hard after trying not to make a sound as Marcus makes the softest of sucking sounds against you. A tiny, short and sweet hum can be heard between the two of you. You can’t register who it comes from, but what you do know is the feeling of Marcus’ bulge resting and leaking against your thigh. It’s not until you feel the heat of his breath against your lips, and the loving caress of his mocha eyes taking in your own, do you finally cum.

Alone in your own bed for the holiday in your parents’ house, you take in the silence of your now sex smelling room. Your tongue gently licks at you lips that you had rough up and torn from your own bites while you muffled your own sounds. You gently replace the pain with your own juiced coated on your fingers. Sighing and stretching out of your bed, you change and clean yourself up. Finally exhausted, you sink back into your bed, embraced by the covers, and welcoming in the promise of a delicious dream of your Mr. Irresistible.

Marcus went home in total despair. He mentally smacked himself in the face for forgetting such a simple thing like getting the cute girl’s number. Wasn’t that step one in the whole process of dating? Marcus completely skipped that step and went straight for making out, which was both very fortunate and unfortunate. He smiled as he remembered the way you had moaned to his touch, and quickly adjusted himself after thinking of the way you had touched him. He had such a good day going for him too. He had made a break in the case, met a pretty girl, caught the forger, closed the case, made his boss happy, and even got one hell of a kiss from said pretty girl; and all was done before the holiday! But now Marcus was kicking himself in the butt, the day had gone so well all too end with a complete miss.

He scoffed at himself and continued his way to the Mel’s diner. Maybe he should be walking back to the bar where the rest of his team was celebrating. They’re probably deep into their drinks already and would be way too annoying to be around, specially as Marcus’ thoughts had taken a dive. But maybe some quiet time with a stack of pancakes would lift his spirits.

Marcus enters the diner and takes his usual spot where his favorite waitress can serve him. He doesn’t bother with the menu, and Wendy the waitress doesn’t bother to ask him when she serves him his black coffee.

“I already put your order in when I spotted you crossing the street, Marcus.” Wendy sings to him as he sips on his coffee.

He smiles into the steam of the coffee, “Stack of strawberry cheesecake pancakes with cream cheese syrup?”

The 60 something year old waitress pauses with her hand on her hip, “And what else would I have ordered for you?”

Marcus chuckles, “Thank you, Wendy. Should I be concerned that I’m so predictable?”

“Yes, or maybe no,” She mocks a thinking face. “Depends on if you’re deciding on leaving me for a new diner. If that’s the case then nope, you’ve got no worries in being so predictable.”

Marcus shakes his head as he watches Wendy walk off to the kitchen. He’s been at this diner so many nights. Nights where he was working on a long case. Nights where he closed a case. Some nights he would bring a date, others he would brings friends. On nights where he was off on his own, he would always get so lost in his own mind. Even as the snow in D.C. fell outside the window, his mind wonders to the heat of California where his former fiancée is starting her own family. She’s happy and thriving with her new life, the one she wanted before she met Marcus, the one she wanted without him. He thinks even further back to Texas, where his ex-wife is doing God knows what. Maybe she has a family as well, or if living out a happy wild child-free life. Maybe she’s really found her stride in her career. Whatever it is, she’s probably happier than Marcus. She always told Marcus that he was too shackled to his job, too stuck in the clouds with his fantasies. He should be living in the real world, not in his romantic pastels and color schemes. But he could never help himself. Marcus Pike loved love. Even the fleeting kind, which brings Marcus back to the present.

“Alright here’s a stack of Strawberry cheesecake pancakes for my favorite FBI agent,” Wendy proclaims as she places the plate of food in front of Marcus.

He turns away from the window to utter a thank you and smiles at her, but the smile doesn’t meet his eyes.

“Now honey what’s with those sad puppy dog eyes? You look like you’ve been kicked to the curb,” Wendy worries as she places a hand to his shoulder.

Marcus waves her off, “Oh nothing to worry about. I’m a grown boy, I can take care of myself.” His wave doesn’t deter the experienced waitress away.

“No, no. This is my diner; you don’t get to tell me what to do. That is, unless your ordering more food and drinks, but that’s not the case right now.” Wendy settles herself in the seat across from Marcus, “So what’s got you so down, baby boy?”

Marcus blushes from the endearment as he stuffs pancake into his mouth.

“I’ll guess.” Wendy eyes him. “Trouble in an art heist? Trouble back home? How about trouble in love?”

He makes eye contact with her over his fork of pancake.

“Maybe.” It comes out as a huff that causes Wendy to glare.

“Fess up now.”

Marcus sighs, “Well the started out well. Got the break in the case. Caught the guy that was involved. Even kissed an amazing girl just an hour ago.”

“So, what went wrong?”

Marcus’ eyes are cast down to his food as he speaks, “I didn’t get her number.”

“Oh, heavens boy, that’s it?” His eyes snap up to Wendy’s exasperated face, “Can’t you just use those FBI tools to find her number in the system or something?”

“That’s a breach of privacy, Wendy.” Although Marcus does pause to consider the option.

“I don’t think a single soul could ever be mad at a charming lad like yourself.”

“I may be charming but I’m also an idiot.”

“An idiot for love Marcus, just like the rest of us. And it’s Christmas, time to spread the love around.”

“Or the idiocy in my case.”

“Even the idiocy. Chances are she’s feeling pretty dumb as well.” Wendy called as she walked back off to work, leaving Marcus to stew.

You did indeed feel like an idiot. All the way through Christmas and to the final day of your holiday at home. Who in their right mind would forget to get the number of a captivating and handsome agent? Well, really you weren’t in the right state of mind to think clearly. Those sweet, soft lips of Marcus were to blame in all honesty. How could anyone blame you for being forgetful if they knew the delicious control those lips had over you. Well, your brother and sister-in-law blamed you. You had been moping all day when they finally cornered you in the basement while you were on the search for decorations.

“You keep this up, and your face will be as long as the Christmas tree,” Chris had said as he lumbered through boxes and boxes of childhood toys.

“Shut it, Chris.” Your tone sliced through the spider webs that clung to a box of old dolls.

“Did something happen with mystery agent man?” Bri questioned as she stood off to the side, out of the way of toppling boxes and long-legged spiders.

“Yeah, well actually, you could say nothing happened.”

Chris shoved a stack of dated magazine to the corner as he finally reached the Christmas decorations, “Did the guy need another rain check for your date?”

“No, there’s no date.”

“What do you mean no date?”

“What happen? Is he no longer interested? You didn’t tell him that your mother is already planning the wedding?” Bri called out to you.

“No, it’s so stupid…”

“You? Stupid? You don’t say.”

“Chris! Not helping,” Bri threw a glare at her husband until she looked back to you. “Never mind him. Go on and tell us what happened.”

You huffed out a long sigh as your shoulders sunk. Eyeing the ceiling, you muttered “I forgot to get his number.”

“What?”

“His number! I didn’t get his number!” you yelled as you threw your arms in the air and pouted. Bri pouted back at you with a sympathetic look while Chris narrowed his eyes and let his mouth gape open.

You looked at them both, “I know. Go ahead and say it.”

“It’ll be ok!”

“You are an idiot.”

They said it in unison to your scrunched face.

“Maybe you’ll run into him again!”

“How could you not get his number?”

You rolled your eyes as they continued to berate and uplift you at the same time.

“I mean, if you know what his lips felt like…” You shrugged as Chris waved you off and as Bri perked up.

Which now leads to you sitting at the dining room table, surfing any FBI website for one mocha eye agent. Dinner was over, the lights were twinkling down for the night, and most of everyone had gone off to bed. Only a plate of red frosted cookies and a now cold cup of hot chocolate gave you company this late into the night. Bri had sat by you earlier as you searched the web for any pictures or descriptions that would match Marcus.

“Maybe they had something like a class portrait on the site?” Bri tapped at your shoulder.

“I don’t know if the FBI posts that sort of stuff publicly, let alone if they have some sort of grade school picture day.” You chuckled at her.

“Well, what department does he work in?”

 “That is such a great question. If I ever see him again, I’ll make sure to ask him that.”

“After you ask him for his number.” She shouldered you at the table with a giggle.

“Good point. You know he said something about a forgery card marker, a decapitated Santa, and damaged property. What department looks into that sort of stuff?”

“Maybe the Holiday department? He’s in a seasonal crime unit?” Bri shrugged at you.

Moments later, it was just you on the search alone. After fruitless searches, Bri headed to bed as you continued through random articles, news releases, and dead ends. Was that his sweet dimple in the photo? Nope. Was that his clean-shaven face smiling to the photo? Doesn’t look like it. Did he work more in cyber security or was he always on field work? Who would know at this point? You ate a red stocking Christmas cookie in despair.

It was finally December 31. The new year would begin in just a few hours and Marcus couldn’t care much about it. He spent most of the holiday catching up on sleep, binge watching his favorite black and white movies, and revisiting his old hobby of painting. Most of the time he was alone, having told his family in Texas that work was too busy for him to travel. He had attended the office holiday party, even gone to a dinner with co-workers on Christmas day. But he decided against going to the party his partner had planned. He was worn out of the holiday festivities. Normally Marcus was the planner, the ever-dependent host, and the plus one everyone wanted to bring to the gathering. Tonight, he was voluntarily on his own. The holidays this year just didn’t appeal to him like it usually did.

Sure, he had been heartbroken in the past, ex fiancée and ex-wife did a number on his past festive plans. But this year seemed worse than the others. He had only known you for a few minutes, not even half an hour. Probably not 15 minutes, but still there was a bitter sting in him as he conquered so many potential futures with you. He cursed himself for letting his own fantasies cloud his mind. He tried to clear his mind of his flights of fancy and tried his hand at another movie, at a book that had been sitting on his nightstand for months, and even tried a paint by number puzzle. Nothing interested him tonight though. That’s why he was on a walk. Maybe the fresh air would exhaust him out and put him to bed sooner than later.

That’s when Marcus finally saw the diner again, his salvation for everything. A smile perked up on his face as he caught site of the shining neon “Open” sign that lit up the plastic booths and the sticky, white speckled tables. Through the windows he could see the place was busy; decorated with shimmering streamers around the entrance and balloons tied down to the lamps outside the diner. Marcus contemplated not going in and avoiding the clutter of party goers. His stomach gurgled in anticipation. Late night breakfast again? Would Marcus ever say no to that?

He jogged into the diner, letting the chill of winter seep away as he took his normal seat. He could smell the waft of bacon greasing the flattop stove from his table. Marcus ran his fingers over his mustache as he took in the busting and cheerful yet quant vibe of the diner. Some gold tinsel was stapled to the ceiling and walls as balloons floated about the floor. He flicked off small shimmering cutouts of the new year from his hands that were scattered about the tables. Wendy waved him down from the counter, she was busy wondering the groups of people excitedly chatting, drinking, and laughing for future promises. Marcus couldn’t help but smile in all the cheer. Even though he had tried to spend the last week or so away from such merriment, he was finally getting caught up in the cheer. But even letting himself out of his own self-isolation, there was still a small pang of loneliness as he watched a couple kiss each other under the clock the diner had set up.

“You here by yourself?” Wendy broke Marcus’ gaze.

“I am and it perfectly fine. I can enjoy everyone else’s happiness. I glad they’re all having fun,” He admitted. It was true, even if he wished for that same excitement for himself, with a specific disappearing girl.

“Oh Marcus. Really now?” Marcus gave Wendy a pleading look. “Fine, suit yourself. I’ll put your order in.” She walked off with a shake of her head.

Marcus leaned against his seat as he watched the TV show of a large crowd gathered downtown. They had the giant ball high in the sky with large clock ticking down. Couple wore big glasses with the year printed out. Many people held confetti poppers as other had little noise makers to twirl around. Even the bell of the door chimed as someone entered the diner, ringing out to the approaching new year. Over the live band playing on the TV and the music floating in the diner, Marcus didn’t hear Wendy greeting a new customer. He didn’t even hear two pairs of footsteps approaching his table.

“Well, the diner is all full, but I’m sure my friend Marcus here would be willing to share a table. Is that all right Marcus?” Wendy tried hard to smother her smirk as she invited a new customer to sit with him. Marcus looked up, after rolling his eyes, to accept Wendy’s attempt to push Marcus into socializing. He nearly jumped out of his seat, almost spilling his coffee, as he finally laid eyes on you. The Hallmark girl of his own Christmas past was here at his diner. His eyes darted over you, taking in your beauty and insatiable delight that he had obsessed over when her first saw you.

“Hey.” He smiled at you.

“Hi.” You breathed out as the soft sweep of mocha eyes warmed you.

Marcus smiled as he stood up and helped you with your jacket. He held his hand out to the seat on the other side of the table as his eyes sparkled to you.

“Do you like pancakes?”

Part One - Part Three