#you know my son uses william as a pillow all the time right ?

[woso-dreamzzz]

Ma'am VI

Aitana Bonmatí x Royal!Reader

Summary: You come home after a meeting

"Sorry," You laughed," This must be a pretty elaborate joke."

But no one at the table was laughing and your own petered off uncertainly.

"No, I'm serious. Who's pulling this prank?"

You glanced between your father and your brother but neither of them had a hint of a smile on their faces.

"I understand that this might come as a surprise-"

"A surprise?! You're not telling me you're actually serious."

"Y/n," Your brother said," I know that this isn't what you expected-"

You stood up, hands slamming onto the table. "No! You can't be serious. I wasn't even born second in line. Are you crazy? This is breaking, like, years of tradition!"

"As the reigning king, I'm well within my rights to-"

"Just because you can doesn't mean you should!"

"It's already been decided," Your father cut in, holding your gaze unwaveringly," William does not wish to be King and does not wish to for his children to feel the same pressure. Harry has already made his own thoughts on the moment known. It falls-"

"If you say it falls to me, I swear to god-"

"As my only other child, you are next in line."

"Do you understand how crazy you sound? Skipping over two perfectly good lines of succession to instate your youngest child as heir?! What will the media-"

"The media has no say in family decisions," Your father said," Don't think of them. Is it truly this bad for you? That you cannot see a world where you sit on the throne?"

You pursed your lips, glancing away from your father to your brother. "This is truly what you want? William, you and Kate are beloved-"

"I want what's best for my family, I hope you can understand that."

You narrowed your eyes at your brother, poking your finger into his chest. "You so owe me for this," You told him," Big time."

He grinned. "So that's a yes?"

You rolled your eyes. "Well," You said," I always did look better with a crown than the rest of you."

It was only on the flight home that you'd realised just what you agreed to, though to use the word agree would probably be wrong. Your agreement didn't matter much at all actually. With or without your consent, it would have happened.

Something that you realised with startling clarity the moment you stepped through the front door.

The decision had been made.

Now all you needed to do was tell your wife.

"Well, hello, Rufus," You cooed as your nine week old Corgi came bounding towards you," Were you good for your Mami? I think you were!"

"The girls are training were all spoiling him," Aitana said, hip leaning against the wall and arms crossed over her chest," You're home late."

"Meeting ran over," You replied, looping your arms around Aitana's waist to pull her closer," I missed you though."

"I know," She said," You only sent me twenty-thousand messages telling me."

"Don't be stupid," You said," It was at least thirty-thousand."

Aitana rolled her eyes, dropping a soft kiss to your lips.

"Well your son kept me very good company."

"Our son," You corrected, leaning down to pick up the happy Rufus so he could join in," Like I knew he would. He's a good boy."

"Well that good boy took over your side of the bed so you might not be getting it back."

"That's okay. There's a perfectly nice bed at Buckingham Palace waiting for us."

"A bed in which Rufus will sleep in," Aitana insisted and you rolled your eyes, lifting up your wiggling puppy to eye height.

"You win this round, Mr, but don't go around thinking that you're stealing my wife and my side of the bed."

Rufus licked your nose.

"Yeah, I love you too."

"Me or the dog?"

"Both?"

"Good."

It isn't until early evening that you get the chance to tell Aitana about your meeting, when you're curled up in bed together and her head is pillowed on your chest.

"William has withdrawn himself and his children from the line of succession," You said, voice low like it was something secret you were telling her," And Harry's already done the same."

"I don't understand," Aitana said, drawing a soft pattern on your stomach with her finger," What does that mean for us?"

Your muscles tensed under her touch and you had to remind yourself to breath.

"Well, with my brothers and their lines are out," You replied," I mean, technically, it falls-"

"To you," Aitana said," You're next in line."

"I can always abdicate," You explained," I won't take the crown if you don't want me to. I can always-"

You didn't get to finish your thought because Aitana surged forward to plant a kiss on your lips.

"I think," She said," You would look very good in a crown."

"Yeah? I mean, you'd get a crown too."

"Shh," Aitana said, grinning as kisses were given lower and lower," Let's focus on you first."

[williaml0ver]

☆ <3 William Ellis General Dating Headcanons ☆ <3

[🖇️] word count: 1454

[🖇️] warnings: g/n reader, once again not proofread idgaf!!!!!!

[🖇️] author's note: thank you all for the feedback on my first post omg i didn't expect anyone to read that ijbol... ANYWAYS... today i present you headcanons of my love, my adopted son, my silliest soldier... tomorrow? Who knows...

☆ ☆ ☆

-Where do i even start

-LHFPLYYLLHDLDH <3

-He's the sweetest

-Just like you're his biggest fan, he is your biggest hypeman.

-The ultimate walking sunshine. Gets an ultimate mood boost when you're around. When he falls for someone he falls hard. Always smiling around you.

-He doesn't have a main love language. One day he would constantly compliment you, next day he'd help you reach something that's standing above you and cuddle with you next.

-We all know he is the master, the pioneer, the king of rugby, he is always the best, but when you're spotted in the audience? That man is UNSTOPPABLE. Like some strange force possesed him. And this doesn't get unnoticed by his teammates.

-Starting from then, you will always be asked to attend their most important matches, to the point random people start mistaking you as a part of that team. You'd think those invites would stand for free entry to their matches, right??

-Well not at all...

-William would demand at least 10 minutes of victory kisses or loser cuddles (which, of course, barely happen).

-Also, if he sees you wearing merch with him? Get ready to not be able to break free from his arms.

-Probably has a photo of you kissing in front of his teammates under his bed.

-When he gets home he just wants to throw you onto the bed and cuddle (STINKYYYYY). You allow him only to do it after a shower.

-He'd be in heaven if you asked him to train together. He wouldn't care if you weren't the best. All that matters is that you cared enough to ask about his interests.

-Which means, he would love to take a look at your hobbies.

-Dates with William are always so much time. One time you'd wake up to him knocking on your door holding roses, inviting you for w romantic dinner, meanwhile next time he'd want to take you to a trampoline park.

-You'd be a frequent visitor of events, fairs, festivals. William WILL take part in that hammer game whatever it's called. He's also going on insiting to win you a plushie in those game machines. He aims for those big ones but you end up with a small teddy bear (you still love it).

-Holds your hand all the time. He likes comparing their sizes.

-Loves to sleep together. You both started a huge collection of plushies to decorate his bed. William would insist on you to wear his pajama - maybe sleeping only in underwear isn't the best idea when you live in a cold manor, but you would snuggle with him anyway.

-Plushies aside, you two have a collection of funky blankets.

-You spend hours braiding his hair.

-Especially loves when he's laying on his bed and you kiss every part of his face. Absolutely a big spoon.

-Pillow forts, PILLOW FIGHTS. He's... surprisingly competitive.

-Isn't a fan of reading books for entertainment, though would kill to have you reading to him. It can be anything really, he's going to fall asleep in a few minutes.

-Also loves when you sing him lullabies.

-Your sleep schedule is unhealthy? Not on his watch!!! He WILL trap you in his embrace. No buts.

-His wardrobe is basically your wardrobe now.

-Very big on pet names. Would use some basic ones but also likes coming up with the most ABSURD stuff. You don't know how to act when you're randomly called a silly rugby ball.

-You two probably make up some weird code only you two understand, maybe a special handshake?

-He loves showing you off to everyone else. If you don't have a lot of friends fear not because after William constantly talks about you his friends would be keen on meeting you.

-A volcano of energy. He can have a lot of thoughts at once. If it's too much for you, tell him to slow down. You often help to ground him.

-If you're comfortable with pda you're going to be constantly hugging, being carried, kissing. He would also make a big deal off showing himself off to you. Expect to be asked to sit on him while he's doing pushups.

-A total crackhead. Loves acting like he doesn't know you in public so he can hit up on you and make you blush.

-Would offer you to teach you some self defense moves, so his love can be safe when he's not around.

-Takes your safety seriously. He wants you to think of him as THE man.

-Loves it when you sit on his lap. You maybe me next to a table that has like 10 not taken seats yet you'd still choose William to the point when you're invited to a party people stop reserving a seat for you.

-He's the life of that party as well. He's like that one strange uncle at the family gathering who'd like to show off his wild dance moves to you.

-You're his partner in crime, his little helper. When he wants to pull off some pranks around the manor he's going to ask you to help him out.

-If you're feeling uncomfortable, he's going to take all of the attention to himself.

-Though, please, dear reader, make sure to check up on him. Sure, he finds proving himself to you fun, but i'm convinced you'd prefer to do some silly activites together instead of having to take care of his aching body.

-Whetever it's an accident or actually William's fault, you always take care of him after tough matches and training sessions. You'd have him laying in a bathtub and washing him, you'd also patch him up if anything happened.

-Secretly loves when you kiss his wounds, though won't directly admit. Also liked his beard touched!

-You love kissing his muscles in a non sexual way. It's making his ego rise to the roof.

-And he'd do the same. He'd place you on his bed and you won't have to move a hand. Maybe his bandaging skills aren't the best but he bandages you with love.

-Man's an athlete, and an athlete has to eat a lot. He would be so flustered if you made him food, especially if it's something foreign, something he's never tried before. If you messed something up he'd act like the tears from his eyes are out of love.

-Likes when you hide sweets in random places in his dorm so he can seek them.

-He'd love to make some food with you together next time! And share it with you later.

-Would make a bucket list of all the weird restaurants nearby to visit with you.

-Prepare his sport clothes for the next match/practice, he's going to melt.

-You bought some new clothes? His dorm suddenly becomes a catwalk.

-He's fit, therefore he rarely gets ill, but when it happens? He's going to act like a literaly baby, whining for you to be near him all the time, feeding him, entertaining him.

-He is very emotionally intelligent. William can tell when you're uncomfortable, sad, or acting happy but not actually feeling like it. If you feel down, he'd cheer you up by acting goofy to see you smile. You can talk to him about anything that bothers you.

-He wants to be there for you all the time. When he's not, he's making sure to hire Ganji as your bodyguard.

-He's like a walking heater. And you take advantage of it.

-You like climbing him up like a goofy monkey.

-He's turning into a giant teddy bear the moment he sees you crying. And when it turns out someone else made you cry? He makes sure to give him a talk the next day.

-Would wrap you into a blanket burrito and hold you.

-Or, a more intense option, he'd warn you about the tickle monster. WHAT monster you're probablt asking? Well, he turns off the light and suddenly the tickle monsters attacks his prey.

-He isn't very jealous. Overall, while he wants to be a safe place for you, he also believes he should let you handle a few things on your own - though do not hesitate to come to him if in need, he'd be more than happy to help. Though if he ever becomes jealous, he tries to act like he actually isn't.

-William would become feral if something happened to you. It's now up to Naib and Ganji if they decide to spare the intruder and hold William back or not.

-Arguments between both of you rarely happen, they're play fights at most if anything.

-When you provoke him into a tickle fight he shows NO mercy.

-You two are totally going to overdose vitamin gummy bears for kids.

☆ ☆ ☆

Honestly i was reading my first post and thought to myself damn this i kind of good... meanwhile i feel this one is kind of worse idk 😭😭 i tried

Anyways i'm aiming to pick one more character with general headcanons and i'm going to do bigger headcanons with those three combined about like more specific situations ... i'm thinking MAYBE Ganji, Andrew or Luchino but idk yet 🧐

[resi4skz]

CHAPTER 3

Pairing: Christopher Bahng x Aubrey Williams (OC)

Warnings: none for this chapter

This is purely fiction! MDNI

The next morning, I wake up in a bed that's not mine. It smells like vanilla and I just want to stay here forever.  I look around the room as I sit up and notice a study desk in the corner. Walking over, I also notice a lot of polaroid pictures hanging above the wall of the desk. They were of Chris posing with what looked like his friends. Then I glance over his desk and surprisingly, it's very clean and tidy. Typical Chris.

My eyes catch a photo frame sitting on the corner of the table. "Is that..." I pick it up and smile. "He still kept it all these years." It's a picture of us both, back in high school before I left. He was so tiny back then. But now he's taller than me.

"You're awake."

I gasp and turn around. He's wearing black sweats and looking very good in it. "Yeah, just woke up."

"Breakfast will be ready in 15. Why don't you freshen up? I left a spare toothbrush in the bathroom for you." He closes the room door, leaving me to myself. I let out a breathe that I didn't even realize I was holding. What is with him? Does he have this affect on everyone? Or just me?

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

When I walk into the kitchen, the aroma in the air is enough for me salivate. I glance around and spot a cup of hot coffee and steaming omelette with 3 kinds of jams, marmalade and jelly. There was also a basket of croissants and bread in the middle of the table. "Take a seat."

I sit and he comes with a plate of crisp bacon, just the way I like it. "Do you want cream or milk for your cofffee?"

"Cream, please."

He adds the cream in my cup and stirs it before handing it to me. "Thank you."

He smiles. "Eat."

And eat, I do. I finish my plate and manage to eat 2 croissants and 3 pieces of bread. The whole time, I noticed Chris didn't say a single thing. And I was very thankful for it. And by the end, I was satisfied with a full tummy. If it was Troy, he would've taken my plate after my third bite. "I've never eaten a meal which ended in a full tummy," I confess.

I watch Chris tense, his hand turning into a fist. "Aubrey."

"Yes?"

"Are you happy?"

I tilt my head, confused at his question. "Yes."

"With Troy?"

I wanted to say yes but with all that went down last night, he will see right through my lies. "No."

"So why are you still married to him?"

"I don't....," I sigh. "Chris. You don't know what his mom is like. She will ruin my reputation and make sure to tell everyone what kind of a person I really am who couldn't give her son one thing: a child."

As he's about to say something, his phone rings. Scowling, he puts it to his ear. "Yeah?" He gets up and goes to the patio. I watch him close the patio door and turn around, saying something on the phone.

I gasp. My phone! I sprint to the room and scan till I spot my phone on the bed side table. Quickly, I unlock it and tons of notifications start popping up. My eyes widen at Troy's 30 missed calls and 20 texts. I click on the texts and instantly regret it.

T: where are you?

T: so you're not even going to pick up my calls?

T: aubrey, pick up your damn phone

T: where the fuck are you?!

T: i swear to god if you're screwing around behind my back

I scoff at his last text. Screwing around is your job Troy. I send a quick text to Leanna.

A: hey i need a favor. Pls, if troy calls and ask about me, tell him im sleeping at your place

L: already did that since i knew from the way he was asking about you. He kept pestering to talk to you but i hung up on him.

A: you're a life saver. Thank you <3

L: no problem. Btw, where are you?

A: long story. Talk later.

I sigh and lay down with my arms wide. If only my life was with a guy like Chris, my life would've been much better. I prop my head on a pillow and scroll on my phone. Next thing I know is I'm being tucked in bed. "Whoa, what's going on?" I say groggily.

"Sleep," Chris says, as he sits on the bed. "I'm working from home for a few days so I'll wake you."

"Okay," I close my eyes and sleep takes over me for the next few hours. Because I wake up to my phone ringing and I groan, my hand blindly reaching for my phone. Cracking one eye open, I groan at the name on the screen. Do I take it? And listen to him scold me? And then be miserable again? Do I want to go through it again? It stops ringing only to start ringing again, making me jump.

The room door creaks and I whip my head up. It's Chris, looking very cozy in his sweats and a sweater. I'm not going to lie but he looked very kissable with his hair down like that. "Hey, I was about to come and....what's wrong?" He walks towards me and glances at my phone. Sighing, he snatches my phone from my hand and before I can protest, he presses on the screen and puts it on his ear. "Hello?"

I watch in awe and fear. "This is Chris." I wanna crawl in a hole. "Why am I answering her phone?" He looks at me and smirks. "Because she left it at my place and now you're going to ask why she was at my place?"

Oh my god. This is brilliant. I try to keep myself from laughing. "Well, Mr. Parker. That's for me to know, and for you to find out. Nice talking to you." He hangs up and shuts down my phone off before handing it back to me.

"Oh my god, that was awesome!" I exclaim.

"He whines a lot," he says.

"He's very vanilla," I say. I was starting to see where I went wrong when I married him. "Very low on stamina."

Chris looks at me with a look I can't quite describe and then his eyes travel down. As I look down, I gasp at my shirt lifted up, showing some skin. This is embarrassing. I fix my shirt and nervously chuckle.

"Yeah?" He asks, still looking at me. His eyes a bit cloudy.

"Yeah," I replied. I squirm on the bed from his stare.

"So you've never been satisfied?"

What even is that question? And why on earth does he want to know? "You could say that." I mentally slap myself for saying that. What the fuck, Aubrey? "But...."

"But?"

"He was my first but it never felt like that," I confess. "He never iniated anything, it was always me. Until his mom started demanding for a baby. And now..."

"And now? What?" He asks.

"I think last night was the last straw. I don't think I can take it anymore, Chris."

"Hmm," he continues. "So you want out is what you're saying?"

I can't believe what I'm about to say. But I nod instead.

"I need you to say it, Bri."

"I want out," I reply and let out a breath of relief. "Okay, that felt good saying it."

"Good," he says, scratching his chin and pulls his phone out. "I know a good lawyer."

"Wait!" I cry out, making him stop his fingers typing on his phone. "He won't sign it. Ever. His mom has brainswahsed hum so bad that he gets suspicious of things like that."

I watch as he paces in the room a few times before he turns to me with a smile on his face. "I have a plan."

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

*CHRIS POV*

After I drop Aubrey off at her work, I drive back home but as I walk towards the house enterance, I'm greeted by my cousin. "You mind telling me why I just got a complaint about you from one of the employees?" He asks.

"Well, good morning to you too, Felix." I say as I walk inside with him right on my ass. I walk into the kitchen and see the table still the same as it was an hour ago. I was already missing her presence. She looked very cute when she was sleeping. The image makes me smile as I reach for a glass of water on the table.

"What's gotten you so smiley this morning?"

Taking a gulp of water, I look at Felix. He's dressed rather casual today. His hair still blonde as ever. "Hey, would you mind doing something for me?"

"What?" He asks.

My phone vibrates. I take out it out my pocket and instantly smile at the text. "Do a background check on Troy Parker."

A: thank you for last night and this morning

C: you're welcome

"Why?" Felix asks.

"Just find out what he does and any other information that might be useful, yeah?"

He sighs. "Fine. But whatever it is you're planning, I want in."

I grin widely. "Of course, cousin. That's why we're partners."

His phone suddenly starts ringing. "Well, that's my cue to leave. You'll be fine for the next few days at home?" I nod and he leaves.

My phone vibrates again.

A: am i doing the right thing?

This girl. I press on her name and press call. She picks up mid first ring. "Hello?"

"Aubrey," I say. "Do you remember the time I told you that I envied you for your family?"

"I do, yeah. Why?"

"And then you invited me that night with dinner with your family? I couldn't stop smiling the entire night," I continue. It was also the time where I discovered that I had feelings for her. But I couldn't say that to her.

"Well, I didn't want you to feel left out."

I chuckle. "It made feel assured that I wasn't alone."

"I'm so confused right now," she replies.

"Sweetheart, what I'm saying is that you're not alone in this," I reply, smiling. "You have me."

"Oh."

"If you could only see that you have a lot of people that will be there for you, no matter what."

"Thanks, Christopher," she says.

Fuck. She said my name. I hang my head low, trying to compose myself. "No need to thank me yet."

She giggles. "Okay. I have to go now. Talk later?"

"Yeah. Talk later," I reply, smiling. God, she makes me crazy.

When I saw her crying on the sidewalk, my heart broke in half. The anger I felt at that moment but seeing her in that state, all I wanted to do was get her to a safe place. And warm clothes. I wanted to give Troy a piece of my mind, rhat's for sure. Once I got her to calm down and in warm clothes, she broke down again and told me everything about Troy and his mom. After I had tucked her in my bed, I watched her sleeping for a few minutes. I wanted to kiss her worries away. I wanted to hold her hand and tell her it's okay.

My phone vibrates snapping me out of my thoughts. An email from Felix. That was fast.

F: here's everything about Troy Parker, thank me later

I click on the document and I'm immediately hit with his face on his job application form. I gotta admit, he's got the qualifications for it. As I scroll down, I see that he owns the house that him and Aubrey live in. And then I see that he works in the accounts department in the company. "Sheesh, what did she see in this guy?"

A name pops on my screen and put my phone on my ear. "Leanna."

"Chris! Darling, it's been a while. How are you?"

"I'm well. You're taking care of yourself?"

"I am. I had been meaning to ask if you're going to my nightclub's opening this weekend?"

"You know I wouldn't miss it," I reply.

"Oh good! My best friend just said she'll come with her husband. I can finally introduce you to her!"

"Should I be scared or thankful?" I joke.

"Aubrey is just the kindest girl you will ever meet. Can't say about her douche of a canoe husband though."

Why did I get the feeling that I knew her best friend? "What's her last name?"

"Williams."

My lips curve upwards into a smile. Perfect.

A/N: ayo troy be giving major red flags

[lostonehero]

Instead of the big fake fnaf place

Henry builds a museum history or fnaf all original aniomtroics inside behind bulletproof glass reinforced

Henry visits often at night he knows they come to life at night

He always stops by the springlock suit his old friend, his business partner, and his enemy.

"Henry." A raspy British voice sounds through the glass as a familiar pounding as the robotic hand slams against the glass doing nothing.

"William, my old friend, we both know that won't work." Henry sits on the bench and places his cane next to him. "Your prison has sastified the rest. However, that isn't why I'm here. Although they are excited for night tours to see people again."

"Come to make another mockery of me? If it wasn't for "

"If it wasn't for Elizabeth accidental death, you wouldn't have gone over the edge, I know, I know." He sighs. "Someone is posing as your dead son Micheal." Henry looks over hearing static in his ears. "Evan, relax. I don't think it's him, but if you like, I can get the imposter here for you to talk to."

"Micheal." Willaim spits that name like poison.

"You're the one who reinforced the jaw. Not important anymore, is it? You lead him to Baby's circus world, and well, that much blood we both know he didn't survive."

"What would someone gain posing as him? He was an awful son and a terrible kid." William hisses.

Henry tisks. "He was lashing out against you, William. He knew he was unwanted and a mistake Clara didn't let him forget."

William steps back, looking away. "Again, I was unaware how my wife treated him. As much as I didn't like the boy, I never laid a finger on him."

"I know William, I know." Henry sighs. "I can at least say you weren't a completely awful parent to them, but that's all I'll give you." Henry gets up. "Don't be too rude to guests, William. I'll bring the imposter here. He did apply for the night position."

Willaim turns away. "If it is him, he would be in his 50s. Neither of us would be able to recognize him."

Henry taps his cane. "Maybe not, but he'll be here tomorrow night. I'll be interviewing him myself touring around here. We can both judge."

"Very well, Henry, I'll be civil." He pauses. "That teenage bite victim you never told me if he lived."

Henry chuckles. "Jermey, we did keep in contact. He's the one who pushed the imposter to apply here. He's a bit damaged and heavily scared, but his hair covers most of it. It's amazing how a human can survive a bite like that."

"Fascinating, will he be visiting?"

"For the interview no, but he will be here opening night."

William hums sastified. "This may be my prison, but it is yours as well."

"That may be so, but my daughter speaks to me." Henry hums walking away.

......

"You really shouldn't wear that shirt to the interview." Jermey frowns brushing the hair out of his taller partner face.

Micheal sighs, tracing his fingers around jermey scar. He then smiles. "Henry is my uncle, and if he knows the truth, he'll smile at the joke."

"It's a little dark, Micheal. This is an interview you can't expect nepotism to help you." Jermey sighs, letting Micheal brush his hair.

"I really don't want the job, I just want to see my uncle, and this seems like a great way to get to him without the illegal options."

"Remind me not to ask about that." Jermey sighs. "Please take off the shorts and wear pants."

"Fine, fine, I'll wear normal pants." Micheal kisses his forehead and gets changed.

"Also, don't get blood on your outfit, I don't want to drag you home in another body bag."

"We both know that was one time, and I don't stay dead that long." Micheal dodges a pillow thrown at him. "Yeah, yeah, I'll be safe."

.....

Henry waited by the entrance. He adjusted his weight, shifting on his old knees. He watched as a figure crossed the street brown hair tied back in a ponytail, but his shirt caught his eye.

"Aniomontric wore my skin like a suit, and all I got was purple rot." Then there was a fnaf logo right underneath of it.

Henry's eyebrow shot up confused. This kid sure had the gall to come to this interview fake name and a bootleg shirt. He clears his throat, finally looking at this kid in the eyes, and his words get caught in the back of his throat. Haunting blue eyes state down at him like he was looking into the eyes of a photo.

"Hey, I'm here for the interview. Sorry, I didn't think you would actually interview me, Uncle Henry." He pauses. "Right, you probably don't recognize me it's been a long time, and I look way younger than I'm supposed to. I mean, I was in denial a long time when I never got my first gray hair yaknow."

"Micheal?"

Micheal nods. "Yeah, I missed you, Uncle Henry." He gives a sheepish smile. "We have to do the tour, right?"

Henry nods mutely. This had to be William's fault. Did he experiment on his kid? "Follow me, and try not to rush ahead. I'm not as spry as I used to be."

Micheal nodded and flinched as he entered. The puppet was right in front of the first thing you'll be greeted with crawling along the glass. He swallows, trying to make himself smaller. The puppet was one of them that freaked him out, and even though he couldn't die, strangulation is one of the worst ways to go.

Henry looks back, raising a brow. "Don't be afraid, Micheal. She wouldn't hurt you."

Micheal swallows a liar on his tongue as he follows Henry. He watches the others stretch and come alive. "Are you sure this is safe?"

"The glass won't break Micheal. I created it myself and tested it." Henry sighs. "Now do keep up."

Micheal nods, pulling his hat down to cover his face. This was the worst spot to be since he shared his father features. He could feel static in his ears and hear a familiar tune being hummed. He really shouldn't have eaten before this.

Micheal trips on Henry's cane, not realizing he stopped and falls on his face nose bleeding.

"Micheal, are you alright?" Henry asks, holding out his hand.

Micheal sighs, holding his bloody nose, and with a sickening crunch, he pops it back in place. "I'm fine. I'm fine." He gets up hands coated in blood, and his nose bleeding has almost stopped inhumanly fast. "Why did we stop?"

Henry frowns. The sounds of rusted springs and grinding metal pull Henry away from asking what's wrong.

A familiar hiss of a voice echos through the glass. "Henry, you told me this would be an imposter. It looks like you.found my grandchild."

Micheal wipes the blood on his pants and huffs. "It would make sense you would be in the center, father, but once again, you are wrong."

Henry hands over a handkerchief from his pocket, which doesn't do much to help, but it helps Micheal get all the blood off his face. "He isn't your grandchild, William."

"He has to be, Micheal would be in his 50s, not this brat in his 20s."

Micheal sighs. "I did have quite the bender for my 50th father, but that's 3 years ago. As for my looks, your guess is as good as mine." He shoves the ruined fabric in his pocket. "You never did pay enough attention to my actions. Do you recall the tree branch incident? Yeah, it was in my chest, not under my arm like you said, but you didn't know you threw me the hose and told me I wasn't allowed inside until I got the mud off of me. Pulling that thing out hurt a bunch."

Henry gives a confused glance to Willaim, whose robotic bunny ears twitched as a look of realization crossed his face. "The branch?"

Micheal nods. "I mean, you should have asked mom more. She did poison me a bunch of times. I think that's why she started to get physical, looking back at that time." He purses his lips. "You built him a prison."

William tilts his head.

Henry furrows his brows. "How did you figure your mom was poisoning you?"

"I may have accidently drank the clean g supplies under the bathroom sink, and it tasted like the soda mom would give me. To be fair, I was like 7 and unsupervised." Micheal shrugs. I mean earlier when I was 6 I snuck into your work shed and fell onto something sharp, everyone kept saying it was an animal I never did find the animal till I realized you were talking about me."

Henry looks at William moving to the bench to sit down.

"That was your blood?" William raises a nonexistent brow. "That explains why you kept asking when Evan would wake up."

"I was 13. I didn't know any better. I thought everyone was like me." He shrugs. "I was a bad kid. I know that." He covers his ears at the static noise. "I think I think I should go. They all think I'm you, and I would rather not be stuffed into another suit again."

Henry raises his hand and motions for him to sit. "No, Micheal, they know your father is in the glass."

"Unfortunately so... you never did grow out of your accent." Willaim seems to smirk.

Micheal sits next to Henry, covering his ears. "Static is very loud." He grits his teeth.

"Evan, that's enough, it's Micheal." Henry taps his cane. "And that's counterintuitive if you wanted to talk to him."

A whisper of a sorry carries through the exhibits.

Micheal sighs, crossing his arms. "I'm sorry, I was the worst." He frowns as static procks his ears again. "If it makes you feel any better, Lizze got my guts scooped out of me and wore me like a skin suit." He hissed in pain as the static got loud again.

"I don't think Evan likes you bad talking yourself." Henry chuckles, then frowns, turning his attention to William. "Why so quiet?"

Willaim narrows his gaze. "I have a few things to mull over."

[mr-moose-man]

Late Night Convo

PART 1  PART 2  PART 3  PART 4  PART 5

Summary: Michael and Ennard watch Season 2 of The Immortal and the Restless together. Michael however cannot sleep that night, so the two of them talk through the night

TW: Smoking, clowns? idk man

This will be a multiple chapter series. Let me know if you want to be on the tag list.

______________________________________________________________

“As the wolf gravitates to the full moon, so too does a newcomer gravitates to these lovers”

Sleep was hard to find today. His adrenaline from last night kept him awake through the morning. It was a change of pace for sure, but not something he would’ve welcomed. Ennard’s presence wasn’t the best thing either. Oh that’s right, he learned its name this morning. It’s not pleasant name, but that’s what it wants to be called.

Vlad and Clara pull away from their kiss. “Oh Vlad,” Clara cooed. “Do you want to come back to my place?”

“Isn’t your son there?”

“It doesn’t matter, I just want you right now.”

Ennard puts its hands over Michael’s eyes. “Don’t look!”

“Nothings gonna happen. It’s a PG13 show-” Michael protests, pushing its hands away.

As they enter Clara’s house, telling each other sweet nothings, they suddenly stop when they sees the menacing silhouette of a wolf in her home, standing over the baby’s crib. Clara gasps. “Who are you and what are you doing here!” 

He turns around to reveal that he is a werewolf. “Clara! My sweet! You’re home!”

“Clara, who is this guy?” Vlad questions

“I am Fabrico, Clara’s boyfriend. And who might you be?”

Vlad purses his lips. “I am Vlad! Clara’s fiance!”

“Vlad, please.” Clara say, putting herself between the two men. “What are you doing here Fabrico?”

Fabrico takes Clara's hand and kisses it. “Is it such a crime for a father to see his son?”

Michael stares at the screen, jaw dropped to the floor. Ennard takes the liberty of picking it up.

“Like the torch on the dungeon’s wall warms the cold stone, conflicts are heating up in Clara’s living room! Who is this man? Who is the real father? Tune in tomorrow for answers and more.~”

“I did NOT see that coming.”

“It’s such a common trope, how could you not?”

“Because it’s Clara!” Michael argued. “She spent all of season one convinced that Vlad was her baby daddy and now this guy shows up out of nowhere!”

“Girls sleep around too. It’s fun.”

Michael waves his hand dismissively. “At least it’s decent plot-.”

“At least it’s a decent plot.”

---

He can’t sleep. No matter how many times he adjusts, turns his pillow, or counts sheep, he can’t seem to drift off. Ennard peeks it’s head inside. “You make a lot of noise Michael.”

“That’s the sound of sleeplessness.”

“I know the sound very well.”

“Doesn’t help that you scared the shit outta me, looking out of the door like that.”

“Are you scared of clowns?”

“Not normally,” he admits. “I guess I’m just not used to you yet.”

Ennard thinks for a moment. “Do you mind if I come in?”

“Yea go ahead.”

It walked into his room and sat down next to the bed, pulling its legs into itself. Michael reaches into his bedside drawer to grab a cigarette and a lighter.

“You shouldn’t smoke,” Ennard advises.

The lighter is shorting. “Why? You’re not my mom.”

“I am your mom.”

“Are we even sure of that?”

“Suppose we still don’t trust each other.”

“I suppose not.” He puts a hand over the flame and then takes a long drag. “I wish it didn’t smell so bad. You’re lucky you can’t smell.”

“What’s it like to smell?”

“It’s a lot like breathing. Oh you don’t remember what that’s like either. Well, it’s rustic and artificial. You expect it to be sexy but instead it’s angry. Like a…soothing attack on your senses. Not all smells are like that though, just this one.”

“You look like a dragon,” Ennard points out with a smiling tone.

“Dragons are cool. Maybe that’s why people think smoking is cool-” He takes another drag and relaxes into the matress.

“I think you really are Michael.”

“How’d you figure?”

“You don’t look nervous. William was always nervous. Plus, you’re very in tune with emotions. We think we remember you being that way.”

“And dad wasn’t?”

“He was, but not in the way you were. He was more theatrical and yet, reserved. You spared your thoughts for no one.”

Michael chuckles. “I was a pretty angry kid.”

Ennard laughs too, for a little longer than appropriate.

“What’s funny?”

“Either you really are Michael, or the best bullshitter in the family!”

He smiles at this. “I’m not really a good liar. Like you said, everyone knows what I’m thinking.”

“Ah jeez, why did you have to teach Elizabeth to swear?”

“It was funny! Small child plus swearing is funny!”

“It’s not lady-like!”

“Well you’re not exactly a lady or lady-like. Besides, I remember you...well…mom swearing at me after I pulled that prank call.��

“Don’t even remind us. That was tasteless.”

“You’re right, you’re right.” Michael taps the cigarette into the ashtray. “Come to think of it, I’m not really sure what to think of you. You’re my mother and my sister, but you’re also Foxy and Freddy. So I don’t really know how to treat you respect-wise.”

Ennard thinks.

“Also I’m not sure how to refer to you. I’ve been thinking of you as ‘it’ but I know that three of you go by ‘she’ but Freddy is a ‘he.’ Should I just treat it like Spanish and call you all by he?”

“It’ is fine. We don’t mind ‘it.”

“I know some people go by ‘them?”

Ennard sits up at this. “Them.’ We like ‘them.”

“So ‘it’ and ‘them?”

“Yes that’s perfect.”

“How about respect? What are we to each other?”

“Hm.” Ennard looks to the ceiling. “Partners in crime?” They ask, holding its hand out to him.

Michael smiles and shakes their hand. “Partners in crime. But you should do dishes.”

“We will literally break all of your dishes.”

“Jokes on you, they’re plastic.”

“Fuck.”

______________________________________________________________

Tag List

@hyperfixations-org @rockeater @literallyneurodivergentandaminor

[youngster-monster]

Walk your path

When Laurence is twelve, he runs away to join the Navy.

‘Running away’ here is entirely literal. He climbs out his window in the dead of night, his meager belongings thrown over his shoulders, and dashes across the grounds of Wollaton Hall. His clothes, a size too big, pilfered from his brother’s closet, flap around him as he races through the damp grass before he can be seen.

No window lights up behind him. No one sees him leave. In the morning the servants will find a letter sitting on his pillow, addressed to Lord and Lady Allendale; it will thank them for everything, reassure them that he is well, and bid them goodbye.

It will say that he does not want to be wed, or to go to the convent.

He hopes his mother will not cry. He hopes they don’t send anyone after him. He suspects they won’t.

What shame would it bring to their family name, after all, to have the youngest daughter of the family run to the sea dressed as a boy?

When Laurence finds a ship willing to take him on, he gives the name William.

A good, masculine name, common enough it will not raise any eyebrows. It sounds nothing like his old name; so different in fact that at first he worries he will not respond to it. But he is only ever referred to as Laurence on the ship. No one calls him by his first name before the first storm he weathers on the water. He falls in the water then, and is only saved by the rope that he manages to latch onto at the last possible second.

The sailor who pulls him back on deck calls it a miracle in the same breath that he calls him William, lad. Laurence considers it a baptism.

Most call him Laurence still, and he never encourages them to do otherwise. He keeps himself at a distance, knowing, in the privacy of his mind, that he is not like the other men on ship, and that he should never let them notice.

He undresses quickly, in secluded corners, passing himself as prudish; he accepts to sleep in the darkest, most cramped space on ship if it means he’ll have a little privacy to unwind the bandages around his chest. He gets better at it as he grows and his body changes — indeed he doesn’t have a choice. He learns to deepen his voice when nature will not do it for him; finds the balance between the awkwardness universal to all teenage boys growing into their body and too much awkwardness from inhabiting a body that is simply not the right shape.

Life at sea beats the dainty manners taught to all girls of good name out of him, and the Navy replaces it with the easy bravado of military men. What little of the former remains is pinned down to his upbringing: what he despairs to see as feminine is, by all others, explained as the manners of the nobility.

If some wonder what an aristocrat’s son would do here, they do not voice it. Most assume he is hiding from something; perhaps they think him a bastard, or his family disgraced.

They do not know how right they are.

Soon enough Laurence learns to use these expectations to his advantage. No one questions why he never undresses in front of others: indeed it is simply that he puts great attention into the way he dresses, as is proper. And his stilted manners can easily be attributed to his upbringing, rather than fear that in allowing himself to be casual he would let people close enough to notice something is amiss.

These habits do not make him many friends. He is reliable and competent, but his fear of being recognized makes him somewhat cold and some see his near fanatic observation of Good Manners as a subtle insult to the rest of them.

Captain Barstowe is one such man.

Laurence makes himself irreprochable; he knows Barstowe would jump at the occasion to have him flogged, and his disguise would not survive the initial undressing.

It might be the only punishment he avoids under the man’s command. He scrubs every inch of the deck; he goes days without sleep, without food, without water. Some days he can barely keep his footing, his mind hazy with a dozen needs unmet, his fingers clumsy on the rigging. Every mistake only serves to bring the ire of the captain upon him.

He does not know how long he could have lasted. Were it not for Barstowe catching pneumonia and choking to his death, he suspects the other man would have found a way to have him whipped, eventually.

-

Laurence is eighteen and fresh out of battle when he sees his parents again.

It’s pure happenstance. The small ship he served on was present at the Battle of the Nile, and his captain saw fit to reward his bravery in battle with a promotion and an invitation to a society event along with the other officers once they were back in England. It would have been impolite to decline.

He finds himself regretting that politeness now.

Captain Foley describes Lord and Lady Allendale as good friends of their host tonight, and he introduces Laurence to them as William Laurence, one of my youngest officers — and a real lion in battle. At least it spares Laurence the ordeal of having his parents call him by his old name, though there’s no avoiding the awkwardness that follows.

“We know him quite well,” his mother says eventually. “He is our son, after all.” She stresses the word in a way that Laurence knows to be distaste, and that Captain Foley mistakenly assumes to be directed at himself.

He apologies and excuses himself from his embarrassment and the trap he’s inadvertently left Laurence in.

Lord Allendale turns his chilly gaze on his youngest son. That, at least, has not changed: he’s never looked at him with much fondness or warmth.

“Father. Mother. It pleases me to see you both in good health.”

His mother looks wan, and his father has aged twice the amount of years he’s lived. Have they mourned him, all these years, thinking their daughter dead or abducted rather than turned into a son and finding success at sea? Would they have preferred the former, now that they face the latter?

He escapes before they can offer a response. Nothing they could say tonight would mean anything, not when a single word alluding to his birth would risk bringing his subterfuge to light. It would shame them both.

A letter comes the following day, inviting him to Wollaton Hall at his convenience. He thinks about going, for an instant.

His father’s disapproving glare, his mother pleading him to come home — Laurence is hardly a coward, but he cannot stand the thought of standing there in men’s clothes while his parents call him by the name of a girl long gone.

He’s lucky that the Goliath takes to the sea too soon for him to make the journey to Wollaton Hall and back in time. He writes back, apologizing for his absence, and takes to the sea.

[boldlyvoid]

Hypothetically | Chapter 21-24

Summary: Reader and Spencer were friends in kindergarten, she watched him grow up and explore the world while she was still trying to catch up to him. now that they work together, they fall in love incredibly fast. friends to lovers, case of the week style story.

Warnings 18+: Murderers, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Blood, Guns, mentions of autopsy, Fluff, Falling In Love, Friends to Lovers, bed-sharing, Riding, Unprotected Sex, Virgin Reader, Case of the Week, original crimes, Food mention, Smut, Oral Sex, Light BDSM, Pregnancy, Pregnancy Talk, obgyn appointments and info, Home Invasion, Past Rape/Non-con, Implied/Referenced Suicide, Emotional Manipulation, Grooming, Pedophilia mention, non-con oral (male receiving), Pregnant Sex, Daddy Kink, Breeding Kink, Homophobia, conversion therapy

A/N; thee case in c21 is personal to me, like fictional revenge.

word count so far: 70K (chapter 1-25)

chapter 21

Having Spencer all to herself for 3 weeks straight was an experience she’ll never forget. They had the whole month of January off together, painting and re-decorating their home till it was exactly how they wanted it. It felt like home, it was theirs for real now.

Painting the bedroom green was the best idea she’s ever had. When the sun finally woke them up every morning, it wasn’t as blinding. It was paradise. The golden beams of light cast a beautiful glow around the room, it was like she was in a magic forest at the start of every day.

Spencer was laying on his back, his hair scattered on the pillow. He looked so peaceful, sleeping with his mouth wide open. Y/N was leaning on her elbow, looking down at the beautiful man she had the pleasure of spending the rest of her life with.

She brushed the hair off his face, watching his nose scrunch up as he felt her fingertips on his cheek. The sun on his face made him glow, he looked like a gift from god laying before her.

“Good morning baby,” she whispered softly. Dragging her finger along his jaw and down his neck, “we get to go to work today.”

Spencer stretched as he woke up, slipping an arm under her and pulling her into his chest. She held on tight, kissing his neck as she settled in. “Morning,” he replied. Raspy as ever.

“Wanna go get breakfast?” She asked softly.

He laughed against her skin, “gotta feed the baby.”

“And the wiiiife,” she teased.

“Not for another 11 weeks and 2 days,” he corrected her. “But yes, we should go get breakfast,” he whispered after a moment.

“Come on get up,” she replied with a big smile. He patted her ass as she peeled out of his grasp. Sitting up and stretching, taking a look down at the basketball protruding from her stomach. “Damn.”

“What?” Spencer asked.

She stood up beside the bed and pulled her shirt up, showing Spencer how big her stomach was. Turning sideways so he really got a good look at it. Spencer leaned over and kissed her right on her belly button that was beginning to pop.

“I know your ears are on in there, I love you, Matthew,” Spencer whispered against her skin.

She couldn’t stop smiling, taking a moment to rub her hands over the bump in amazement. “Hi Mr. Matty MaGoo, mommy also loves you.”

“Mr. Matty MaGoo?” Spencer laughed, looking at her with the biggest smile.

“Yes,” She laughed. “It just came to me, and it's going to stick.”

“Derek’s been calling him Mini G,” Spencer added.

“We should tell him it's Matthew, then he can be little Matty G,” Y/N swooned. “Seriously let’s go I miss everyone.”

“Okay, okay go get ready then,” he insisted, getting out of bed and dragging her to the bathroom.

—

Spencer drove, giving her a chance to look over her work emails before the day started. She was still CC’d on a bunch of VICAP things, being able to snoop on what was coming in and inspecting it.

Sometimes Mindy would CC her in just for an opinion.

Subject: Found Something. From; Mindy Patel To; SSA Y/N Y/L/N, Unit Chief SSA Aaron Hotchner, SSA-CL Jennifer Jareau

There’s been a child abduction in Arizona, I’ve pieced together some thing’s I’ve been working on in the background that might help the case if you are called in to assist. Even if you are not I believe you should take a look at this.

Mindy Patel, VICAP.

Attachment

Year: 1998 Victim 1: Emily Lawrence - 13. Kept till 16. Taken: August 3rd, 1998. Williams, AZ Found: June 10th, 2001. Camp Verde, AZ ME: decay has he placed at 48 hours postmortem when she was found - strangled, sexually assaulted long term, extensive throat damage. Never been pregnant. - COD: asphyxiation Info: good student, innocent shy girl. Followed the rules. Taken when walking home from school. Held for 3 years, assaulted and chained. Dumped without care.

Year: 2001 Victim 2: Olivia Tomms - 13. Kept till 16 Taken: August 3rd, 2001. Payson, AZ Found: June 23rd, 2004. Florence, AZ ME: decay has her at about 2 weeks postmortem. - strangled, sexually assaulted long term, extensive throat damage. Never been pregnant. - COD: asphyxiation Info: good student, innocent shy girl. Followed the rules. Taken when walking home from school. Held for 3 years, assaulted and chained. Dumped without care.

Year: 2004 Victim 3: Shelby Summers - 13. Kept till 16. Taken: August 3rd, 2004. Peach Springs, AZ Found: July 16th, 2007. Keams, AZ ME: decay has her at over a month postmortem. - strangled, sexually assaulted long term, extensive throat damage. Never been pregnant. - COD: asphyxiation Info: good student, innocent shy girl. Followed the rules. Taken when walking home from school. Held for 3 years, assaulted and chained. Dumped without care.

Year: 2007 Victim 4: Beth Green - 11. Kept till 13 Taken: August 3rd, 2007. Saint John, AZ Found: January 13th, 2010. @ flagstaff hospital. ME: COD complications from a miscarriage. Massive blood loss. - well taken care of. Throat damage. Signs of being detained long term. Info:good student, innocent shy girl. Followed the rules. Taken when walking home from school. Held for 3 years, assaulted and chained. Dumped with remorse like he didn’t want her to die, and he felt sorry because he loved her.

Newest abduction: Name: Sally Irvine - 12 Taken: February 3rd, 3pm. Middle School pick-up (missing 13 hours now) Witness Report: Italian/greek man. Early 30’s. Claimed to be her parents assistant. Sally was used to going home with random people from her parents' work. Handsome man, very charming and convincing. He wore a suit and drove a Silver Honda Civic. Rust at the back, partial plate HC8.

“Fuck,” Y/N cried silently as she scrolled through all the information, even in a compact form.

“What’s wrong?” Spencer asked, looking over at her with concern.

“Um,” she didn’t really know why she was reacting like this at first. Then it hit her. “Mindy sent me a case and it’s hitting a little too close to home.”

“Would you like to explain it yet? It’s okay if you want to process it alone,” Spencer comforted her easily like it was his second nature.

She let out a deep breath. “There’s a serial killer in Arizona that is kidnapping girls between 11 and 13, only keeping them 3 years. Every ME report says they have extensive internal throat damage, and 3 of the 4 found were never pregnant. This unsub is forcing them into oral for 3 years straight.”

“Fuck,” Spencer agreed. “I think we should take this one, if you can’t I would fully understand.”

“I think the unsub is my rapist.”

Spencer pulled over onto the side of the road. Putting the car in park and flashing the 4-ways. He turned to her softly and looked at her with a blank face.

“Walk me through it.”

“What?”

“If I’m going to go in there with you and tell Hotch that this is the same guy who hurt you, then you’re going to need to explain it to him and the team,” Spencer explained softly. “You’ve never even told me the full story, I don’t know anything about that summer other than the fact something happened. The first time you repeat this in front of me is going to be hard, and I don’t want you to have to do that in front of all of them.”

She couldn’t help herself from letting out a small sob, “okay.”

She took a few minutes to collect her thoughts, and calm down enough to get full words out of her mouth.

“When I was 12,” she started. “My mom went back to work, and she didn’t trust me to watch my brothers because they were rowdy and never listened to me. Like you said, they were more like my older brothers.

“My dad’s best friend, Jimmy, his wife had MS so she was home all the time. They had 3 older children and a few foster boys, she was used to lots of kids being there. And she had a pool to keep us occupied,” she bit her lip before she explained anymore.

“My mom’s birthday is June 8th. That’s when victim 1 was murdered,” was the first fact she explained that related to the case. She handed Spencer her phone so he could read and follow along.

“My dad is a Mason with the Masonic Lodge in Los Vegas, and he was becoming the master of his division on my mom's birthday that year, so we rented a hall and had a big party. Jimmy’s foster son was there, you remember Christopher Torsey? He was a freshman and I was in grade 6, about to enter grade 7, that was when the grooming started. He took me into the back room and asked if anyone had ever kissed me, I said no. He leaned in and kissed me in the dark and I was a giggly mess.

“My parents and his were really friends and he would come over all the time, our dads would drink in the backyard with our mothers till 1 in the morning most weekends. So I spent long periods of time with this boy for a few years, trusting him like a friend before he started anything. That summer he would always find a way to wander off with me, at first it was just kissing in different places where we could be alone together. Then he would touch my boobs, and he had me take my shirt off a few times.”

Spencer looked calm, but the redness in his face and the pulse in his neck told a different story. Her breathing got heavier as she had to recall it all, and she didn’t want him to be so upset.

“We worked at a local church camp together that July, we’d do crafts and sing songs and after all the kids left and we had to clean up, he’d find a way to take me to the room where they held the nativity scene out of season. He’d start kissing and touching me like normal, and then Kendra walked in once and saw and suddenly he went from obsessed with me, to disgusted, saying I came on to him and that it was all me. He was disgusted by me when we were in public, but he loved me apparently behind closed doors.”

“On August 3rd,” a tear slipped down her cheek. “The day the girls go missing. That was the first time he took me back to the shed and said ‘when two people are in love, they do things, and I love you. So you have to,’ He took his, you know, and I’d never seen one before. It was scary and I didn’t want to, I wanted to leave, but he pushed me against the wall and down to my knees.” She had to stop to take a breath, Spencer was crying silently as he watched her explain it all.

“He kept me trapped there while he did it,” she explained. “The worst part is that his parents were hosting a wedding that night, so no one could hear me basically screaming no over the music. He knew that. And so, when I complained about the sore throat the next day, my parents thought it was from all the singing.”

Spencer let out a shaky breath, he looked at her with so much love and sadness, she knew he loved her. She reached across the centre console and wiped the tears off his face, pecking his lips softly before sitting back to continue.

“The dates match up, he was Italian, they’re all 11-13 with throat damage,” she ran it down. “It’s him.”

Spencer licked his lips, wiping the tears off his face before taking a deep breath. “Okay, let’s go tell Hotch.”

Aaron stood up from his desk after Y/N explained the situation, walking up close to her with a sad smile on his face, “this was a very hard thing to come forward with. How would you like to participate in the investigation?” He was soft with her for the first time, it was surreal.

“Um, I’d like to come with you to Arizona,” she said softly. “when Garcia finds him, I’d like to be the one to interview him.”

“Do you think that is a wise idea?” He asked softly.

“When I was 16, years after everything happened. I went to Jimmy’s house for an event, and Christopher was there, and I went to his room. I was so desperate for the bullying to stop. For the lies, he had told about me to go away, that I went in there and apologized to him,” her voice almost disappeared as she got to the end of the sentence. Crying in disbelief. “2 years later he started abducting. I apologized to my rapist and he started kidnapping girls. I need to look him in the eyes and find out why he did it.”

“Okay, let’s tell the team.”

Y/N and Garcia spent an hour building the case files and compiling all the data they had on Christopher Torsey. Joining the team in the briefing room, where Spencer had already relayed the events to the team. Y/N didn’t need to describe it all 3 times in 2 hours.

She passed all the folders out, trying to avoid the looks the team gave her. They were sorry, they respected her, they wanted revenge for her. She knew it all came from a place of love, however, she hated being perceived by others.

It was a trauma thing. For so long people had the wrong idea about her, she was bullied and put down, and hated for no reason. She hates any form of attention, the glances and staring, the whispers of rumours being told as fact. It was stressful.

“Before we start,” she started softly. “Thank you in advance for your concerns, but I’ve been in therapy for 10 years. I’m very happy, this is gonna fuckin’ suck, but at the end of the day I’m coming home to a man who loves me, a baby on the way, and the best friends I can ask for. He’s going to prison. I win.”

Derek smiled at her, “that’s my girl. What did you find?”

“Christopher Torsey was born in November of 1979. His father was extremely abusive, he was in the ER a lot by the time he was 11. His mother killed herself in front of him when he was 12, he also watched his father rape his mother according to his child therapist,” Garcia started. Not knowing how to say the next part without Y/N crying.

“He uh, he said that his dad would tell his mom to be quiet. That-uh, I’m sorry, shouldn’t you say this?”

Y/N stepped in without a second thought. “He said that his father would hold the fact that he loved her over her head to force her into having sex with him. The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.”

“He’s our guy for sure. Do we have an address?” Prentiss asked.

“Yeah, he lives in a double-wide trailer in Cottonwood. Near the back with his own access to the main road,” Y/N explained. “I knew he moved to Arizona when Jimmy finally kicked him out. I haven’t heard from him in years.”

“Y/N is coming with us, wheels up in 20.”

—

Cottonwood PD waited for them to arrive before apprehending him. They were concerned that he would run, with his access to the woods and a four-wheeler in his possession, it was a matter of boxing him in quietly with a backup plan in place and men on the ground.

“Can I suggest something?” Y/N cut into the Police Chief and Hotch’s conversation.

“Sure.”

“Um, what if I walk up in our civilian clothes, and just pretend that we’re there to rub it in his face that I'm happy and in love,” Y/N suggested. “I can wear a wire, you can be in a surveillance van listening in. You’ll be right there if we see Sally or sense something’s up.”

“Are you sure you can do that?” Hotch asked her.

“I am,” she turned to Spencer, “if you can control your temper you can come. If not, I’ll show up with Derek and still rub it in his face that someone loves me now.”

Spencer sighed deeply as he contemplated it. “I’ll kill him,” he admitted. “Take Derek.”

“Let’s get suited up,” Derek patted Spencer’s shoulder. “I won’t let him hurt her again. Don’t worry.”

“I know.” Spencer looked disappointed.

Everyone left the room, leaving Spencer and Y/N alone. She wrapped her arms around him in a tight hug resting her face against his chest. He softly held her in return, rubbing his hands along her back with his cheek on her head.

“I love you, forever and always,” She reminded him. “And I know how much you love me, believe me. I wouldn’t have been able to do this if I didn’t truly believe Chris was wrong.”

She pulled back when she felt a tear on her head. She wiped it softly with her thumb as he leaned his cheek into her palm. “I am loveable, and you love me. I win.”

He laughed softly, “I won too.”

She pulled him into a soft kiss, “I’ll be back in your arms soon.”

“I’ll be in the van watching the whole time, I love you so much,” he added for good measure.

She smiled as she walked away, throwing a fist in the air like the end of the breakfast club. Knowing full well he’d never get the reference. JJ on the other hand, laughed as she followed with Spencer.

They changed into regular clothes, getting in a car from the impound lot and following the surveillance van. Morgan was quiet, Y/N knew he wanted to talk to her, to go over the plan, but he didn’t know how to. The wire wouldn’t be on till they walked out, giving Y/N and Derek their privacy if he ever chose to speak.

“Did you ever confront your guy?” Y/N asked.

He nodded, “Carl Buford. I got to show him who I am now, that I put men like him behind bars. That I’ll always win.”

“Is it a good feeling?”

Derek set his hand palm up on the centre console, looking at her softly as if to ask her to take it. She interlocked their fingers, he rubbed his thumb against her skin.

“You’re right, it fucking sucks. The original pain never goes away, but there is a content feeling knowing he won’t get to hurt another person, that he might get his ass kicked in prison,” he smiled that beautiful Derek smile. “I’ll always be here for when you need someone who gets it.”

“Thank you,” she smiled.

They pulled into the trailer park slowly, separating from the team as they approached Christopher’s trailer. “Just pretend you’re Spencer, treat me the way he would. I know Spencer tells you everything, go off of memory of what he’s said about me.”

“You know he tells me everything?” Derek asked softly, laughing a little to himself.

“Because he also tells me everything,” she smirked. “When he’s tired and he rambles, he tells me about his whole day and that includes when he asks you for advice.”

“You two are gross,” he smiled. “I hope I can replicate it.”

“Come on,” she laughed, getting out of the car and waiting for Derek at the hood.

She took his hand before walking up to the door, a hand on her belly to make it look bigger. Really wanting to show off that she was in a better place than he was.

She knocked, 3 times, stepping back so he could open the door. She didn’t feel scared, she felt anxious in excitement to watch Derek take him to the floor.

“Y/N?” She heard his voice for the first time in 13 years. “What are you doing here?”

“My therapist suggested that I come here and show you someone actually did end up loving me, regardless of what you said,” she explained.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he panicked, flashing his eyes back and forth between her and Derek.

“I can come in and explain it for you if you’d like?” Y/N smiled. “You’ve got nothing to hide I assume? I’m just wildly obsessed with you and a liar right? That’s what you told everyone so I wouldn’t be able to say you forced my head on your dick with the promise that you loved me.”

“I- I uh,” he stuttered. Starting to shake lightly.

“That’s what you do to all the girls, isn’t it, Chris?” Derek cut in, pulling the screen door open and watching as Christopher ran to the back of the house. “We got a runner!!” He announced to the wire.

Y/N didn’t run after him, she knew the team had him. She walked through the house to watch from the back door. Only to find Spencer stiff-arming him.

Christopher flipped over Spencer’s arm, hitting the ground before Spencer was on top of him. Spencer punched him in the face, once, twice, three times before he stopped. Sitting over the unconscious man as he caught his breath. Everyone just watched him. He rolled Christopher over, cuffed him and walked away into the woods.

Y/N carefully jogged into the yard, passing the bleeding and groaning asshole she used to know as she ran after Spencer. He was walking too fast, and he didn’t look like he was going to stop.

“Spencer Walter Reid!” She yelled at him as if she was his mother. “Stop.”

He stopped abruptly, huffing as he did so. He only turned around to face her when she finally caught up to him. “Don’t touch me yet,” he instructed her.

“Okay,” she stopped a foot in front of him. “Look at me, breathe. In and out.” She used her hands as she motioned a breath in, and a release out. She repeated it 4 times, watching him do the same.

“Can I hug you now?” She asked softly.

He nodded, stepping into her space and wrapping himself around her. “I’m sorry,” he whispered.

“It was actually really appreciated,” she laughed. “I was debating if having a baby at 22 weeks was worth punching him in the face a few times.”

Spencer laughed softly into her shoulder. Squeezing her in his grasp as he breathed her in. “I love you.”

“I love you, more,” she smiled against his neck before pressing a soft kiss to his ever-beating pulse. “Let’s go see the team, come on.”

Y/N was adamant about searching the trailer with the team. Going to the surveillance van for a vest and gloves while Christopher was taken to the police station, and Spencer had his hand wrapped up.

It still smelled like him in there. The smell of his detergent mixed with smoke from the fireplace. It never changed. She noticed his PlayStation was on, he was still interested in games. He still slept with the brown comforter that was on his bed when she was 12. It was worn down, holes gathered at the bottom as it was almost see-through now.

She opened the closet to see a very large metal safe in its place. She took a deep breath, looking at the keypad to see what numbers had been worn down the most, guessing his password.

0803

It popped open, it made her feel sick to her stomach. As she opened it, she heard the muffled screams behind duck tape. Sally Irvine was tied up, hunched over in a tiny metal box while he played GTA.

She wanted to kill him.

“Hey, hey it’s okay,” she shushed the girl. “Sally, my name is Y/N. We’re here to take you home, you're safe now.”

Y/N took the tape off Sally’s mouth softly, the girl sobbed immediately. Not able to say a single thing as Y/N untied her and held Sally in her arms. Sally hugged her back as tight as she could, sobbing into her shirt as Y/N rocked her back and forth. Crying along with her.

“He did it to me when I was 12 too,” Y/N whispered.

Sally pulled back and looked at her with puffy eyes, “really?” She asked. Her voice low and scratchy.

“JJ can you get some water?” She called behind her. “Yes. I was his first.”

“Y/N,” the girl repeated. “That’s what he called me?”

She couldn’t stop the sick feeling in her gut, “let’s get you out of here.” She changed the topic, helping the little girl to her feet and to an ambulance.

Y/N smiled at her as she dropped her off with the EMTs, walking off into the woods as quickly as she could. She leaned over, holding her own hair back as she threw up on the ground.

She swatted away at the hand rubbing her back suddenly, continuing to hurl in the bushes as she heard them behind her, shushing her. She wiped her hand on her mouth before she calmed herself down.

She sighed and turned around to see Morgan. His arms were open for her to hug him, she buried her face in his chest as she cried. Not able to fully process all the information she just heard.

“Let’s get you home,” Derek whispered. Escorting her back to the car, she was done for the day.

chapter 22

Valentine’s day had come and gone by the time they finished their most recent case. Landing in Quantico very late on the 16th of February. Everyone departed the plane slowly, half asleep after the 3-hour flight.

“Did you guys miss any plans?” Y/N asked JJ and Emily as they walked together.

“Yeah,” Emily sighed, “I uh, I’ve been seeing someone.”

“Since when?” JJ asked, both her and Y/N suddenly not tired at all. They stopped on the tarmac and stared at her.

“Um, a few months now,” She blushed.

“Was this the sin to win weekend?” Y/N asked softly.

Emily nodded, “what’s sin to win?” JJ asked just as quietly.

“It’s a weekend for gay people in Atlantic City,” Emily replied. “It’s an easy way to mingle in a safe space.”

“Oh,” JJ was shocked. “Oh, so you’re, and you too?” She pointed at both of them as the information was processed.

Y/N and Emily smiled at her and laughed. “Bi? Yes,” Y/N replied.

“I’m still not sure,” Emily added. She sighed deeply, shaking her head as she tried to speak again. “I’ve never really enjoyed male company? It feels more like a performance than a relationship.”

“I mean good for you for noticing that now, if it wasn’t for Spencer I’d be in the same boat,” Y/N smirked at her. “He’s more than just a pretty face.”

“Wow,” JJ was shocked. “I would’ve never known.”

Emily placed her hand on JJ’s back, leading her towards the charter back to headquarters, “oh you poor, poor, heterosexual woman.”

“She has a cat, she cuts her bangs when she’s stressed and she bites her fingernails,” Y/N explained to JJ as they picked their seats. “She likes pussy, JJ.”

Emily smacked her arm lightly, all of them laughing hysterically. The boys walked onto the bus to their cackling, desperately wanting to know what was so funny.

“I was just telling them, I met someone and I’d like for you to all meet her soon,” Emily explained to the rest of the team. “I think you’ll really like her.”

“No way,” Derek smiled, high-fiving her. “Congrats dude, welcome to the dark side.”

“You too?” JJ was shocked. “Okay, put your hand up if you’re a straight person,” she stretched her arm into the air. Hotch and Rossi joined her.

“Really?” Spencer and Y/N looked at each other with excitement.

“What the fuck?” JJ was dumbfounded. “How did I not know this?”

“It just never came up before,” Derek shrugged. “Tell us more about this girlfriend of yours, Prentiss.”

“Or,” Y/N cut in. “you could bring her to Vegas in April.”

“Why?” Emily smirked at her.

“If you’re all free on April 23rd,” She teased them along. “Spencer and I would like you to come to our wedding at my parent’s house.”

“Oh!” JJ and Emily freaked, “holy shit!”

“So, you guys are in?” She laughed.

“Yeah!”

For 2 in the morning, the bus was the most excited they had ever been. And Penelope didn’t even join them on this trip. Normally it was her making this kind of excitement, Y/N basked in the happiness that filled the bus.

They discussed little details on the way to their cars, standing in the garage for a good 15 minutes as they planned the dates they’d need to arrange to have off. Hotch knew he could pull some strings to use everyone’s vacation time for a few days.

They exchanged hugs before breaking apart for the night. Planning to return around noon that same day. Giving them a sweet 9 hours of peace and quiet.

“We still need to invite Penelope,” Spencer whispered when they were halfway home. Interrupting the silence that Y/N was enjoying.

Y/N laughed softly, watching him drive with a smile on his face. “I only told the rest of them because Penelope somehow hacked into my calendar app, to plan a baby shower around my schedule, and saw the plans.”

“Of course,” he nodded along.

“So yeah,” she smiled. “She’s told me that she wants to throw me a baby shower/bachelorette party now.”

“That would be nice,” Spencer agreed, squeezing her thigh where his hand was always glued to her.

“If we even get more time off before the wedding, I’m crossing every appendage on my body in the hopes all the psychos take the day off!” She laughed, twisting her arms and legs in a demonstration.

He laughed, leaning against the wheel as he tried to keep his focus on the road. “I love you.”

“You better!” She teased him.

It went quiet again. She could hear the tires on the sandy slush. The grinding of pressure as the snow compressed into the tire tread. Small rocks being flicked up from the wheels, smacking the underbelly of the car as they approached their house.

She sighed as she saw the place, the beautiful green door illuminated by the porch light. Screaming ‘welcome home!’ As they pulled into the parking spot.

Sleep surprisingly came easier to her the more pregnant she got. She was used to laying on her left side now, she actually preferred it, because it means that every morning when she woke up, the sun came in just perfectly to make Spencer glow.

The alarm on Spencer’s table started to beep letting them know it was 10:30. She softly watched him roll over and smacked the machine before turning back to her and closing his eyes once more.

“No.”

She huffed in a silent laugh, getting closer to kiss the tip of his nose. “Time to wake up,” she whispered between kisses spread across his face.

He was trying his best not to smile as she peppered his skin with kisses. Pushing him onto his back so she had more skin to cover. It had been a while since they did anything together.

Between the cases and the baby, and everything Spencer learned about her past trauma. He’s been a little distant, and it was starting to make her worry. Dr. Korrapati promised that this sudden burst of anxiety was normal at this stage of pregnancy. It was what contributed the most to the nesting phase, but it still scared her.

She wanted to kiss him, to run her hand down his chest and palm over his boxers until she couldn’t take it anymore. So she did, just a little more seductively.

She moaned softly as she kissed the patch of skin under his ear and down his neck softly. She dragged her fingers over his skin, looping around his nipple as she sucked on his neck. She lifted her leg lightly over his, trying to get some friction between her legs as she kissed him.

“We should probably just go to work,” Spencer softly interjected.

She sighed, dropping her forehead against his shoulder and letting her shoulders slouch.

“I’m not broken!” She sat straight up as she yelled at him. “Can I please just fuck my boyfriend? I have been horny for Weeks,” she wasn’t sure where the sudden burst of emotion came from.

“Oh,” he sat up too, resting his hand on her back softly. “I didn’t realize you wanted to after everything, and the baby? You’ve had a rough few months.”

She laughed lightly, “Spence, of course I do?”

She looked at him softly, cupping his jaw in her hand. “I’ve had to process my trauma before. Yes, it’s still bothering me, and yes I have new trauma that I need to address with my therapist. But,” she emphasized. “I am a woman with needs, and one of those needs is getting railed before work by Doctor Reid.”

“You’re one hundred percent sure?” Spencer asked again.

She smiled and nodded, pushing him back down against the pillows. She resumed her last position, putting her leg between his so they could grind lightly and make out. “If it gets to be too much, I’ll ask you to stop.”

“Okay,” Spencer looked up at her, brushing her hair behind her ear as she hovered over him. “I love you.”

“Prove it,” she teased him, leaning in and kissing his neck again.

He reached behind her to grab her ass, she had noticed his hands gravitating there more as she gained pregnancy weight. She wasn’t complaining either, the way his hands felt on her skin was glorious.

He was putty in her hands, tilting his head to the side so she could kiss, lick and suck wherever she so pleased. She reached her free hand into his hair while he other kept her steady, in the perfect spot to grind against his boney hip.

He was all gasps and heavy breaths underneath her, she raised her leg lightly dragging it over his hardening erection before putting herself back in place. Just wanting to see how far along he was.

She rolled onto her back then, laying flat, waiting for him. He pushed his underwear to his ankles as he flipped on top of her. She was nothing but giggles as Her Spencer came out to play.

Opening her legs, she greeted him back into her grasp as he hovered over her. Both hands planted against the pillow as he looked down at her. His hair falling into his eyes, she pushed his hair back behind his ears.

“You might need a haircut soon,” she teased him, biting her lip softly.

“Shhh,” he whispered.

She took his right hand from beside her head, gripping him by the wrist and guiding him towards her mouth. Taking his middle and ring finger in, sucking on the digits softly. Making him release a sound she’s never heard before.

She looped her tongue around his fingers, spreading them lightly as she licked a stripe through them. Feeling his skin against her teeth, which only seemed to excite him more.

She pulled off with a pop, he looked mesmerized by the trail of spit that connected her bottom lip to his wet fingers. “Fuck,” he gasped as his breathing hitched.

“You know where to put them,” she whispered up at him, staring into his eyes as she bit her lip.

He kissed her quickly, pulling her forward so he could get the t-shirt she was still wearing off her body, throwing it off the bed as he kissed her neck, sucking a mark into the skin as he pushed his hand into her panties.

“Jesus,” he whispered against her neck as he felt how wet she was. “You weren’t kidding.”

Making her twitch slightly as he used the two fingers that were just in her mouth, to drag up and down on her clit. Rubbing it back and forth between the two knuckles.

“Fuck,” she breathed out as she gripped his hair. Palming his scalp while he kept kissing her neck.

She could feel him grinding against the bed as he kissed her, moaning against the space under her ear as he quickened his finger movements.

“I need you to fuck me, like yesterday,” she panted against his mouth, licking his bottom lip after.

He pulled away from her then, lifting her hips to drag her panties down. Keeping them on one of her ankles as he gripped the base of his cock and sat on his knees.

The sight between her legs was phenomenal. The glow of the sun on the lake through the windows as Spencer stroked himself in front of her.

Suddenly, he took both of her knees in his hands. Pushing them to her chest slightly before flipping her over. Extending her hips as he held her ass up. Kissing each cheek softly before straightening his posture.

“Ready?” He asked, she wasn’t expecting it.

Her face pressed into the pillow as she tried to find the best position to support herself. Pushing her hips back in a silent yes. He understood her body language, lining himself up with her and slowly pushing in.

She pushed back against him as well, moaning as she took all of him. “Finally,” she sighed, wiggling against his hips.

He gripped her hips, pushing her off abruptly before slamming back in. She was shocked, letting out a gasped moan as he fucked into her. Taking the instructions too literally, railing her.

She had never been that loud before in her life. Concerned Rossi would be able to hear them from across the lake, but it didn’t stop her. Only enticing him to keep it up.

She pressed her face into the pillow more as she attempted to reach her clit. She couldn’t, “fuck, Spence?”

“Yeah?” He slowed.

She took his hand off her hip, “can’t reach.” Her breath was erratic as she tried to explain.

“Aw poor bunny,” he teased her, slowing to a grind as his fingers ghosted over her clit. “Can’t get yourself off anymore?”

“Please daddy?” She let it slip, feeling his cock twitch inside of her as she did.

He leaned forward, kissing her shoulder softly. “Tell daddy what you want, use your big girl words.”

She pushed back against him, raising herself from the pillow to look over her shoulder at him. “I was going to say breed me, daddy.” She teased, watching his entire personality change. “But it looks like you already did.”

He licked his lips, pushing his hair out of his face as he shook his head at her. “You’re going to regret that.”

She pressed her face back into the pillow and perched her ass back more, ever the invitation. He ran his hand softly over her asscheek, slapping it before he started to fuck her again, reaching around to rub her clit, like she asked, ever so nicely.

They found their rhythm then, pushing against each other in just the right way. Between her deep breathing and the moans she released, the only other thing she could only hear was the sound of their skin slapping together as Spencer fucked her harder than ever before.

“Fuck, sweet Jesus I love your cock,” she praised him, punching into the pillow as she pushed herself back into him, on all 4’s now.

Using his free hand, he spread his fingers through her hair. Gripping her at the roots and pulling her head back as he slammed into her.

“Yes, daddy,” Y/N panted as she felt herself get closer to the edge. “Right there.”

“Cum for me bunny,” he instructed her, “let me fill your perfect little cunt.”

She came with a shout, pushing back against him as his words pushed her over the edge. Not being able to ever say no to that man, feeling his hips shake as he tried to fuck her through his own orgasm.

He pulled out, flipping her limp body back over so she could lay on her back, releasing the pressure on her stomach. Legs still spread as he observed his handiwork, scooping it up with his fingers and pushing it back inside of her. Making her clench up at the feeling.

“Spence-“

“Too much?” He smirked down at her.

She nodded, catching her breath as he just sat there. Still, on his knees, cock now soft and resting against his leg. She preached herself up on her forearms, shaking her head at him as she bit her lip.

“Where the fuck did that come from?” She asked him.

“I have no idea,” he laughed. “But hypothetically,” he bit his lip and raised his eyebrow. “I wouldn’t mind revisiting that on a later date.”

She laughed, dropping back against the sheets. “Me either.”

—

She waddled from the car to the elevator. A mixture of pregnancy and over-extending her hips, exercising with Spencer. Lamaze class more specifically, if anyone asked.

“I should really start calling you ducky,” Spencer whispered in the elevator.

“I hate you,” she bit her lip to stop herself from laughing.

“Really?” He teased her, “because if I recall 27 minutes and 15 seconds ago when you were saying ‘fuck, sweet Jesus, I love your cock,’” he whispered into her ear.

The elevator doors opened as her jaw dropped, “notice how I specified which part, Doctor Reid?” She answered abruptly, walking out towards her coworkers.

“So that’s how it’s going to be?” He said as he followed her. Making everyone turn around to see them.

“What’s going on?” Morgan noticed it first.

“Nothing,” Y/N rolled her eyes. “Just correcting the genius.”

“On?” Prentiss pried.

“Well this morning she said and I quote-“

“I will cut your balls off and hang them from the mirror in my car,” she snapped, glaring at him as she pointed her finger in his direction.

“Mama’s got claws,” Morgan laughed at them. “Damn.”

Spencer wrapped his arms around her, kissing her cheek in front of everyone. She turned pink, pretending to be pissed while a smile crept onto her face.

“She loves me,” Spencer smiled, pressing their cheeks together.

“One part, it’s nice to me and doesn’t talk back,” she replied, making everyone laugh as Spencer shook his head.

“Okay, you win,” he put his hands up in surrender as he backed away. Opening the door to the bullpen and disappearing behind his desk.

chapter 23

St. Patrick’s Day was never a holiday that Y/N or Spencer really cared for. Yes, they wore green to work, but other than that they didn’t really see the hype. They were Halloween people.

Will and JJ, on the other hand, went all out.

It was something to do with Will’s love for beer and his frat-boy attitude. Explaining to them that morning in the bullpen that the best parties on his college campus were around St. Patrick’s day and Mardi Gras, making February and March party central in his life.

They walked in with little Henry, decked out in green from head to toe. Green beads around his neck, gold chocolate coins in a basket, and the cutest little shamrock light-up head bopper.

“Look at you!!” Y/N called out to Henry as she walked into the room. Opening her arms up and leaning down to pick him up as he ran into her arms.

“Any Y/N!” Henry called her, not being able to say his T’s yet.

She pressed his tiny cheek against her face as she picked him up and snuggled him against her chest. It was getting harder to pick him up now that she was pregnant but she wasn’t going to miss a Henry snuggle.

“Since when did the FBI consult with leprechauns?” She asked him, booping her nose against him.

“Nooo,” Henry leaned back in her arms, “I’m not a leopard-con,” he tried his best to say the word. Making the team all laugh.

“Well, either way, why’s my favourite little guy here today?”

“Hey?” Spencer complained.

She leaned her elbow into him, “hi unca Spence,” Henry smiled at him. Spencer ran his fingers through Henry’s hair, messing it up under the headband.

“He wanted his godparents to see his outfit before the party at daycare today!” JJ explained with excitement.

Y/N placed him back on his feet, “go on the, show it off!”

He walked around the room, doing a fake model strut as he shook his diapered butt, walking towards the stairs before running back. “Woooow!” Everyone clapped and cheered.

Y/N looked up from Henry’s gaze, seeing Emily in Hotch’s office with a blond woman she didn’t recognize, “what’s going on in there?” She pointed.

“They’ve been in there all morning,” Rossi explained. “I think that’s the girlfriend.”

“How so?” Spencer asked, moving across the room to get a better view through the blinds.

“The way Emily leans against her, hand on her arm like that as she speaks. That’s the same way you and lady boy-wonder act when you’re in there together,” Rossi raised an eyebrow at them.

“Ahh,” Y/N smirked. “I wonder what happened, no one talks to Hotch with the door closed unless they need us to look into something.”

“I’ve gotta go,” Will cut in, scooping Henry up from the carpet with a tight-lipped smile.

“Bye buddy,” Y/N scrunched her nose at him, getting in close to press their noses together. “Have a good day today.”

“Bye, love you,” JJ kissed both her boys and watched them leave the room.

“they’re the best,” Y/N said as she wrapped an arm around JJ.

“Anyone want to go sit and have coffee while we wait for them?” Derek asked prior to a long yawn.

Rossi patted Derek on the back, leading him up the stairs and towards the briefing room. The remaining team members following their lead, discovering fresh donuts and flowers waiting for them.

“A gift for helping in advance, -Noelle” Read the small card on the table.

“Emily’s girlfriend?” JJ pondered, holding the card up and waving it slightly.

“I like her already,” Derek said, kicking his feet back and taking a donut.

Hotch walked in with Emily and Mindy 45 minutes later. Following them was a beautiful blond woman, probably 6’1 even in her flat running shoes. She was wearing cuffed blue skinny jeans and a big Barbie Pink petticoat.

She smiled lightly as she walked in, glueing herself to Emily’s side. “This is Noelle, my partner, Noelle these are my co-workers.”

“Hi!” She waved, “let me guess. Chocolate thunder, Derek Morgan.” She pointed to the nearest person to her.

“Correct,” Derek nodded in her direction.

“You would have to be Penelope Garcia,” she guessed right once again. “Emily was right, your aura is very bright.”

“Oh,” Penelope blushed.

“Y/N and Spencer, she said you’d be basically sitting on top of each other,” making everyone on the team laugh. “JJ, she said you’re like wonder woman, you look more like you could be cast as Super Girl if you ask me.”

JJ blushed, “thank you, Henry would agree.”

“Rossi, I already knew you. I love your books,” she fangirled a little. Something Rossi was incredibly used to.

“Signing hours are from 6-8,” he teased her.

Noelle laughed, her smile wide and toothy. “It’s lovely to meet you all.”

“Noelle has come in today with concerns that local gay men in her circle of friends are going missing. Over the last few holidays, 3 of her friends have disappeared. Dropping all contact after a trip to the bar,” Hotch explained.

“I’m a firefighter,” Noelle explained. “I have a Facebook group of friends who are gay and in the forces in any capacity. Just to let each other know where they’re going, to be safe.”

“Smart system,” Rossi complimented. “But also incredibly easy for someone to pose as trustful to gain access and track them.”

“That’s what I was thinking,” Emily’s pressed lip smile portraying just how uncomfortable she was with the situation. “I’ve met our supposed victim number 3. Officer Perry is a great man and we haven’t heard from him since Friday.”

“Where was he going?” Y/N asked.

“He was at the bar with us on Friday for a little, we got a few beers and then he said he was meeting with a guy he met online, he was never big into online dating or even dating in general. He didn’t know how to be an officer and gay at the same time,” Noelle explained the situation fully. “He is one of my best friends, I excused it Saturday when he didn’t call cause I guessed he was having a good time. But when he missed Sunday dinner I knew something was wrong. I begged Emily to let me pitch this to you.”

“I believe you,” Hotch added. “Which is why I’ve asked Mindy Patel from VICAP to join us today.”

Mindy waved, she dressed more like a techie than an agent. Beanie, headphones on her neck and a big black sweater.

“Strauss and I agreed it would be beneficial to have a member of the team solely responsible for going through VICAP coincidences and letting us know. We stumble across too many rare cases thanks to Y/N and Mindy,” Hotch explained. “Mindy Patel is now officially VICAP Liaison. Her office will be across from Garcia’s from now on, she’s going to be our eyes and ears in the missing person world for the time being.”

“I took into account the fact that your friends were all masc for masc, on the police force in some capacity and male obviously,” Mindy explained. “And I found the two men from Valentines Day and New Years, and then more going back every major holiday for the last 2 years as of this St. Patrick’s day.”

“We’ve compiled the data and sent it to Garcia, it’ll be on your tablets shortly,” Hotch confirmed. “I’d like everyone to split up into teams and take an apartment of the most recent 3 victims. Prentiss and Rossi, you get New Years’.”

“Yes sir,” Emily agreed. “Noelle can stay here with Penelope for insight.”

“Yes. Reid, Y/N and Morgan, you’ll take officer Perry’s apartment. It’s the freshest so I need the best eyes.”

“Absolutely,” they replied in unison.

“Myself and JJ are going to the Valentines Day abduction,” check in with Garcia when you need to, fill me in on everything. Good luck.”

—

“Yeah a cop lives here,” Y/N laughed as she searched through the carefully organized home. Combing the place over for the slightest abnormality.

“He definitely wasn’t taken,” Morgan agreed. “He went willingly and never made it home.”

Dust was starting to settle on his possessions. Photos on the wall looked blurry as the sun shined through the windows. It smelled stale, no one had opened the windows in a while and the man who lived here worked out.

His clothing was organized by category. His laundry had 3 separate baskets for darks, lights and colours. Inside his bedside drawers, all his condoms were lined up by type. He was definitely anal about something.

“Guys?” Spencer called from the office.

Morgan and Y/N followed the sound of his voice, seeing him hunched over an iMac. “I moved the mouse and it’s open and unlocked.”

“But you don’t know what to do?” She teased him.

“Yeah,” he blushed. Watching Y/N sit in the desk chair and start looking through his things.

“His Facebook is pretty basic, he checked in at the bar with a photo here of him with Emily and Noelle, and then he went offline. He doesn’t have Twitter or Tumblr logged in, so I’m guessing he doesn’t have that,” Y/N explains as she stalked his activity. “In his history, your male basics. Case research, pornhub, Facebook, Hotmail… hold on.”

She read through all the subjects, all looking pretty normal. “What would a gay man hiding his sex life from his co-workers disguise his emails as?”

“Work-out appointments,” Morgan answered almost too quickly.

‘Workout’ she typed into the search bar. Seeing 15 messages from another man named domworkouts@hotmail.com. “got him, call Garcia.”

“Hey baby girl,” Derek spoke softly as she answered. “We got Jensen Perry’s computer open, his email shows he’s been working out with a domworkouts@hotmail.com.”

“Already working my finger magic,” she teased him. Hanging up before he could say anything back.

“That woman will be the death of me,” he sighed.

“I don’t think we’ll find anything else here, our best bet is with Garcia,” Y/N admitted as she closed all the windows. “Wait,” she pulled up the search and typed in ‘find my iPhone,’ “if he has a Mac he has an iPhone, not many people blend their tech.”

Last ping: 2256 Sheerly Lane, Friday at 23:56.

“I’ll call Hotch while you drive,” Y/N said, pulling out her phone and following the men out the door.

Morgan followed the GPS 15 minutes down the street to an apartment complex. It was worn down and looked as if no one had taken care of it in the last 25 years. “I’m calling Garcia before you go in, I don’t feel good about this.”

“Hey doll,” Garcia’s cheery voice was a nice refresher.

“Hey, do you have any info on who owns and occupies 2256, Sheerly Lane?” Y/N asked softly. “Also send backup to this location, it’s where Perry’s iPhone is apparently and it looks sketchy as hell.”

She heard the clicking of the keys before she heard Garcia’s reply. “Yep, we have 1 occupant. Amy Romano, 46, left the building after her mother died. She’s been living there in room 333 for years, not renting any rooms out at all in the last 3 years.”

“A woman?” Morgan was shocked.

“Must be why we’ve never found the bodies, female serial killers are 90% less likely to ever be caught,” Reid added his fun fact, one she’s heard from him a handful of times before.

“Exactly,” Y/N agreed. “What do we know about her?”

“She’s an interesting one,” Garcia’s tone changed. “Her father was a minister, big bible freak. Her mother was the maid here at the hotel before being given the deed from the original owner’s family. She died in 1988.”

“How much of the religious upbringing rubbed off on her?”

“Enough to make her have multiple psychotic breaks, being diagnosed with schizophrenia when she was 15,” Garcia gained more insight. “Claimed to have been visited by God, and was told sinners are punished by word of god. That one day she would be the one to follow his word for the righteous man.”

“What if she’s doing her own form of conversion therapy?” Y/N gasped. “She’s not killing them. She’s following god’s word and freeing them from their sins. This is the perfect place to keep them. Locking them in rooms away from each other, secluding them and only subjecting them to a female for long periods of time.”

“Garcia, we need back up right now,” Morgan stressed.

“they’re 4 minutes out, good luck in there my babies.”

“See you soon, baby girl.”

Being left out of raids was weird to her, watching Spencer put on a bullet-proof vest and load his gun without her cover made her anxious. Luckily, she got to stand with JJ outside. Watching the building as they listened over their radiofrequency.

“Clear,” Morgan spoke over the system.

“Clear here as well,” Hotch said. “Meet me at the stairwell.”

“I hate this,” Y/N whispered.

JJ ran her hand along Y/N’s back softly, “me too.”

“Floor 3, room 33,” Hotch explained. “I’ll kick in the door, Morgan, you enter first. Spencer and Prentiss, follow our lead.”

Not having a visual was the worst part. There was no way to know where they were or who was there. They worked on sounds, if and when the team decided to speak.

“1, 2, 3,” Morgan whispered before they heard the door smash in. “FBI!”

Then it was silent again, too quiet for anyone’s liking, staring up at the third floor trying to hear everything in the neighbourhood.

“Amy Romano put the gun down!”

“No!” They heard before 4 shots were fired.

Y/N’s heart was in her throat; she couldn’t hear anything going on inside. The officers asked over the radio for updates, hearing nothing in return. Y/N couldn’t stop herself from running towards the apartment buildings before anyone could catch her. Up 3 flights of stairs, drawing her gun and walking towards the room.

Morgan was shot in the arm, down. Prentiss, hiding behind a table with Morgan and Spencer as she tried to stop the bleeding. Hotch in the unsub’s grasp, fighting for a gun.

Hotch noticed Y/N in the doorway. Kicking the unsub down. Y/N wrapped her arm around the unsub’s neck, putting her in a headlock as Hotch attempted to cuff her. She struggled like a wet fish against them, slipping out of her grasp and falling to the floor.

“If God wants to tell me to stop, he’ll tell me himself!” She screamed.

Y/N presses her gun to her head, “he just did.”

“Amy Romano you’re under arrest for the kidnapping of 24 men, attempted murder of a federal agent and resisting arrest,” Hotch explained as he cuffed her.

“Y/N!” Spencer stood up, looking at her like she was the crazy person. “We agreed, 3rd trimester, no fieldwork.”

“You didn’t reply on the radio and suddenly I was here,” Y/N explained, “I’m sorry.”

“We need EMTs, Morgan’s been shot in the arm. The bleeding is under control, just hurry.” Prentiss ordered over the radio.

“Y/L/N is going to need to get checked as well,” Spencer added.

“Why?”

“You ran up three flights of stairs, wrestled an unsub and got elbowed in the side,” Spencer explained, taking her hand and leading her out of the room.

“I’m sorry, I get it now I really do,” Y/N stopped him in the hallway, holding him in her arms. “I don’t like when I can’t see that you’re safe.”

Spencer kissed the top of her head, “I love you.”

“The baby’s kicking,” she replied softly, “that’s good right? 4 movements in 30 minutes after activity is a good thing.”

Spencer laughed, pulling back to feel her belly. “I’m sure he’s all hopped up on adrenaline now, come on let’s get him looked at quickly.”

—

They found 16 of the 24 men alive and in critical condition inside the apartment building. SCSI was canvassing the scene with local cops, taping up the building and surrounding property while the city discussed demolishing the building altogether.

Y/N was able to witness Noelle running into Jensen Perry’s arms, hugging him as they cried in his hospital bed. Y/N could imagine the trauma he was going through, the terror and the fear of something you really don’t want, happening anyway.

“Why do people do terrible things in the name of God?” Y/N whispered towards Spencer, looking up at him with soft eyes. Truly curious.

“The religious system runs similarly to cults, they believe the words are to be followed and thus they will gain entrance to heaven. If there’s one thing humans are afraid of more than dying, it’s internal damnation. Holding the fact that they will suffer in death over their head is a way to get them to do anything.” Spencer explained softly. “With the right person, the wrong message can actually sound like a pretty good thing.”

Y/N let out a deep sigh, “how do you raise a good child in a fucked up world?”

“Matthew, 18; 1 through 5, At that time the disciples came to Jesus and said, “Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” And He called a child to Himself and set him before them, and said, “Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.” Spencer repeated the bible verse softly. “Whoever then humbles himself as this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever receives one such child in My name receives Me.”

Y/N smiled, “I like that.”

“He was always supposed to be good, he has you as his mother.”

chapter 24

April rolled around out of nowhere. Suddenly the snow had all melted, the birds were returning, and the trees were starting to bud thanks to the week of thunderstorms.

Love was in the air, both in the wild and in Y/N’s life.

The wedding’s in 2 weeks and she’s growing daily. She wanted to wait till the last possible moment to get her dress. Wanting it to actually fit over her stomach on the big day without any struggle.

Being placed on office duty for the rest of her pregnancy made it easier, not being allowed to leave Mindy and Penelope's side, under direct order from Aaron Hotchner. She was starting to notice that the more pregnant she got, the more the men of the team wanted to protect her as well.

JJ said it was the same for her the first time, all the alpha personalities came out around the third trimester. It was like they didn’t quite register that a woman on the team was pregnant till it was abundantly clear.

The girls had all agreed to go to the dress store with Y/N when they had a free afternoon, but that didn’t seem to be happening any time soon. Y/N ended up going by herself between cases while Spencer was on a flight, trying on 6 different dresses before she found one that made her happy.

The sales associate was being extra nice to her, knowing she had both a big budget and no time. It was an easy sale, but this wasn’t an easy decision.

She tried a sleeveless, skin-tight number on first. Not being able to even move once she got in it, not even bothering to look in the mirror. It wasn’t right, that was for sure.

Eventually, by #5 they had an idea of what she wanted. Long sleeves to hide her stretch marks, it had to be flowy but still show off the bump. And she wanted lace, embroidery even. Something that made it different, something that was more like her. Always growing, changing, adapting.

She was wandering the racks when she saw it.

It was so long, the train had to be at least 6 feet. It was light, made with sheer fabric so it would twist and flow with whatever direction she ran or danced. She could imagine walking through the grass with the train flowing behind her with purpose.

The most wonderful aspect was the long sleeves and the neckline. Cupping her chest perfectly with a nice ribbon right above her bump. The entire dress reminded her of something, the floral embroidery sending her back to a dress she remembers from her childhood, not able to place it but knowing it in her heart.

She looked in the mirror at herself, she felt beautiful. She shook her head lightly as a tear fell down her cheek. “It’s perfect,” she whispered.

The sales associate shook a big bell then, causing everyone to look at her and cheer. “Are you saying yes?” She asked, as cheesy as it was, she loved it.

“Yes!” She cheered back, feeling the love from everyone in the store.

The dress was huge, she laid the bag against her passenger seat and stared at it for a while. It felt a little crazy that she was getting married in a few days, even crazier that she was having a baby in 2 months.

Her phone rang as she started to leave. “Hewwo?” She answered softly, knowing it was Spencer.

“I just got home, where are you?”

“Oh,” she smiled. “Penelope said you guys wouldn’t be back until 9, I went and picked out a dress.”

“Alone?” He sounded sad.

“It was better this way, I picked it for me and no one else,” she reassured him. “I’m on my way home now though baby, I’ll see you soon.”

“Okay, drive safe. I love you,” Spencer replied, his voice nothing more than a whisper.

“Love you too,” she hung up.

She sighed, turning on the stereo and driving home to her favourite albums. Driving alone was different for her now, she used to love just escaping into the Virginia wilderness, picking a road and an album and just going somewhere.

Driving with Spencer meant silence, hand-holding, humming and ha-ing as he discovered new facts that intrigued him. She loved it, the ambiance of Doctor Spencer Reid was not something you could replicate, it was special and calming and wonderful.

She couldn’t wait to get home to him.

He was waiting on the front porch as she rolled into the driveway. Joining her at the car, wanting to help her carry her things inside. “Hi,” she smiled at him as she stepped out.

He pulled her into a hug, kissing her cheek softly. “Want some help?”

“If you don’t mind carrying in my dress, I need to pee so bad!” She said, almost about to run inside when he stopped her.

“Like how bad?” He asked.

“Excuse me?”

“If you were to get surprised would you pee your pants?” He tried not to laugh as he asked.

“Spence?”

“Just go in,” he said softly.

She sighed, knowing what this meant. Walking up the stairs slowly, turning the doorknob just as slow. Not ready to have her eardrums blown out.

“Surprise!!”

Sure enough, there were balloons and flowers and her friends gathered all inside her front hall. “Oh my god?”

Penelope wrapped her in a hug first, “your first baby shower has to be special!”

“You guys really didn’t have to do this?” She was so shocked to be getting attention that she felt a little embarrassed.

“We wanted to,” JJ hugged her next, their bumps too big to hug normally, opting for more of a side snuggle. “I got you something to change into before we get started.”

Y/N took the small blue bag from her, kicking her shoes off before they went upstairs. Spencer joining with her wedding dress, hanging it in the closet and slipping back downstairs, unnoticed.

Y/N opened the gift bag on her bed, JJ looked around the room for the first time ever. Looking at the photos of their first day of kindergarten on the wall, the artwork they chose. How Spencer wrote notes to her on the mirror with whiteboard markers.

“You guys are really cute,” she smiled.

“Thanks,” she smiled.

Finally taking the dress out of the bag, it was just something simple. Blue with pink flowers. Something she’d definitely pick out on her own. “This is so beautiful!”

“I got it when I was pregnant with Henry and never had a chance to wear it,” She smiled, “thought that you’d like it more.”

Y/N hugged her, “seriously this is the best thing you guys could’ve done for me!”

“I’m also going to need a pink dress,” JJ said softly in her grasp.

“No?” Y/N was shocked. “Really a mini JJ?”

“Yeah,” she smiled softly. “Hurry up we have more surprises for you downstairs!”

—

It took her longer than she hoped to get changed. The baby was just big enough to make her winded all the time now. Having to stop and take a breather just from taking her pants off. Not to mention the struggle of standing up after peeing.

When she finally made it back down the stairs on her swollen feet, she heard a familiar giggle that she loved very much. “You didn’t?”

JJ smiled, “it was Rossi and Will, they flew them all in and got them here.”

Her parents, brothers and wives were all in the kitchen waiting for her. Then she saw Diana, who was pressed up close to Spencer having a conversation in their own little world.

She walked in and cried, hugging her parents for the first time in 5 months. Showing off her big baby bump and chunky face for the first time too.

“You look amazing!” Her mom complimented her, taking her hand and making her spin slowly.

“Thank you, I feel huge,” she smiled. “I can’t believe you guys are here, I’m literally coming home in 2 weeks!”

“When David Rossi calls you and says he has a jet picking us up, you don’t just say no,” her father laughed, wrapping his arm around Rossi. They were going to be something else together.

She gave Diana a big hug when she could, watching her rub her belly and talk to the baby through her stomach for a good 10 minutes. It was so cute, everyone in the room watched and swooned. Secretly always hoping Spencer’s family got a moment like this.

After dealing with the Riley Jenkins case, and Gideon leaving, they worried for him. They never expected him to just show up one day with a girl and start the rest of his life the way he did. But it just made sense. He sped through school and early adulthood well before Y/N, now they’re moving fast, just together.

They had pizza for dinner, spreading 6 different kinds across the counter and telling everyone to dig in. Y/N took a slice and walked around, mingling with everyone to ensure she thanked them for coming.

“Henry!” She finally found him with Chloe and Lizzie. He ran into her arms, giving her a big hug. “Did you meet my niece?”

“You’re my any?” He questioned her right back.

“Come here Clo,” she called her over, huddling them both in close to her. “You both get to call me aunty Y/N, isn’t that so cool? You’re new friends and you share an aunty!”

Chloe gave her a big hug, she was getting bigger and bigger every day, about to turn 4 in a few months. It felt a little crazy, but she wouldn’t have it any other way.

“How are you?” She asked her softly.

“I’m good,” she whispered at her, smiling before hiding her face in her dress.

“Are you having fun here? Did you meet buddy yet?”

“No!” Chloe’s face lit up.

“Well, what are we waiting for?” She gasped at them both, getting back up to her feet and walking with them to where Buddy hid in the laundry room.

He was curled into a ball in a basket of towels, peaceful in the quietest room in the house.

Chloe and Henry took turns petting Buddy, kissing his head and playing with his tail, it was good for him to get a little used to grabby kid's hands. She was a little worried about how he’d handle a baby, but he was a chill cat he never really cared about attention as long as he was fed.

Eventually, JJ and Lizzie found them, peeling them away from the cat with the promise of cake while Y/N opened her gifts from everyone.

Everyone was watching her as she sat down in the living room, feeling a little anxious like she had to perform for them or something. Spencer finally joined her on the couch then, wrapping his arm around her in a soothing motion.

“So,” Garcia started. “I took it upon myself to organize the party but I didn’t just stop there, I also emailed everyone a link to a chart where they could pick the category of gift they got you so that we avoided repeats and got everything you would need.”

“This is all so much,” she turned bright pink. “You guys really didn’t have to I feel like I haven’t bought anything for myself since I met Spencer.”

“Nonsense!” Penelope hushed her. “Here, pick whatever one grabs your fancy.”

Y/N’s eyes raked over the pile of gifts, “um that big one over there, why not.”

It was a big blue bag, stuffed to the brim with tissue paper. The card on the handle was signed, she opened it to find 'from; Erin Strauss' on it. “Oh?”

“She couldn’t come but she passed that along on behalf of the section,” Hotch explained.

Y/N didn’t waste any time opening it. Finding brand named everything that she would need for breastfeeding, losing her mind at the never-ending bag.

Almost every gift was the same, all themed and absolutely filled. She was never going to have to buy anything for Matthew, she got it all today.

Hotch and Haley got her a babies bath essentials set. Her parents equipped her with every form of linen she would ever need for a baby, as well as a quilt made just for Matthew.

Penelope bought easily $400 in clothes for him over the past 7 months, with the promise of not stopping any time soon. Derek and Emily got together to buy them an all-terrain stroller, for the walks they expect them to take down the back roads. Emily’s girlfriend even brought a mom after-care set for her.

Diana’s gift made her cry the most, opening the box to find old copies of childhood books. “Those were all Spencers when he was a child,” she explained softly. “His love for the world started with those stories, I would like for Matthew to know them too.”

“Absolutely,” Y/N wiped the tears off her face, leaning over to hug her. “If Matty ends up being even half as wonderful as Spencer I’ll be grateful.”

“Spencer, did you get her anything?” Diana asked him softly as she was still mid embrace with Y/N.

“It’s in the garage,” Spencer smiled.

She looked at him with excitement, “you didn’t!”

“I might have,” he smiled.

“What?” Rossi asked, hating suspense more than anyone on the team.

“I was joking about wanting to get an SUV and become a soccer mom,” Y/N’s whole face lit up. “Did you get me a soccer mom mobile?”

He smiled back at her, “here.”

She held the key in her hand, her car was old as hell. She has had it since she moved to Virginia and even then it was a 2004 model. She had never had a new car, with the fresh car smell and clean everything!

“I am so overwhelmed,” she announced, bouncing a little in her seat as she shook her hands. Stimming just a small amount in front of everyone in all the excitement.

“We’re all done celebrating you now, I think we can start getting out of your hair, right guys?” JJ stood and pressured everyone that wasn’t relying on their house for the night, out the door.

Penelope helped Debbie and Diana clean everything up around the house. Peeling Henry and Chloe away from each other was the most difficult part of the night, becoming fast friends and wanting to look at books all night together in uncle Spencers library.

Rossi offered to let her brother Levi and his wife stay at his place while Diana and Y/N’s parents took the guest room in her home. Harrison and Faith driving back to Fort Meade to their own house.

—

Y/N and Spencer sat up in their bed, leaning against the headboard as they listened to the quiet of their house. Their co-workers were gone, their parents were settled in the guest rooms and most likely still awake from the time difference. The day had been so crazy that she barely had time to wrap her head around it.

“So…” Y/N cut the awkward silence. “Wanna make out?”

He laughed at her, shaking his head. “Remember the last time you asked me to do that?”

“Yeah, I lost my virginity,” she whispered back at him. A little scared that everyone could hear them talking.

“We can't,” Spencer looked at her with wide eyes. “It's bad enough my mother knows I’ve had sex once let alone possibly hearing us.”

He nudged him a little, crawling into his lap and sitting there softly. Her belly pressed against him, filling the space between them as she held his face in her hands.

“They’re on the other side of the house,” she pouted. “Just make out with me?”

He kissed her quickly once, “why are you so needy tonight?”

“All day I’ve had everyone's attention but yours,” she explained softly. “I missed you and I want my Spencer time.”

He couldn’t say no to that, because he felt the exact same way. He ran his hands up her thighs, over her hips and finally resting them on her back. She ran her thumbs over Spencer's cheeks, looking at him softly as she tilted her head to really admire him.

His lips were perfect, his nose was adorable. The way his stubble grew in and darkened his jaw was amazing. His bone structure, his eye colour, the way his hair just fell flawlessly into place with 0 effort. She sighed as she looked at him.

“I love you,” she whispered, biting back a smile as she waited for his response.

“I love you,” he giggled as he looked right back at her. It almost felt more intimate than sex, just staring into each other's eyes in a dimly lit bedroom, in the middle of the night.

She ran her hands up into his hair, combing her fingers through it. He tilted his head back every time, closing his eyes and enjoying the feeling. She was about to smile when she got a sharp shooting pain in her hips.

“Oh, my, god,” she breathed out. “Ouch?” She scrunched her face with the pain as the sharpness dulled into the bone, just feeling uncomfortable as she tensed up in his lap. She didn’t even realize she was tugging on his hair in response to the pain.

“What?” Spencer asked, concerned as all hell.

“I think that was Braxton hicks? It was like everything down there just lit up in pain,” she explained with a horrified look on her face.

He ran his hands softly over her hips, soothing the skin in an attempt to help. “Are they bad?”

“It just feels like a pinched nerve at first and then a dull ache, it’s not the worst. I don’t enjoy it that's for sure,” she laughed a little louder. “God, I hope he’s kind to me on the way out.”

“I was doing research into the best drugs and techniques for birth for mothers that don’t want any drugs either because they’re sober or they don’t want to be removed from the moment,” Spencer explained softly. “There are a lot of options if you want to look into them with me this week?”

“Of course you did,” she smiled at him once again, feeling a bit better. “We also have to pack the baby’s go-bag.”

Spencer laughed at the way she phrased it. “Isn’t it just a hospital bag and a diaper bag?”

“No, it’s a mission to have a baby. It’s a go-bag.”

They kept giggling with each other over the dumbest things, staring at smiling as they laughed. Spencer’s hands roamed her back while she poked his face. Happily just talking in each other's space about the most random shit.

It was what she loved the most about him, that they could equally ramble about what they found interesting and the other felt just as excited about learning something new. They had mutual respect for each other's interests and feelings that ran deeper than most, truly loving every word that left their partner's mouth.

By the time they settled against the pillows and attempted to sleep it was half 1 in the morning. They turned all the lights out and still just stared at each other.

She booped his nose softly with her own, watching him scrunch his face as a result before giggling again.

“Do you have any idea what the case tomorrow will be?” She was only asking because she wanted more time with him, needing to find every topic to bring up so that the night never ended.

“Mindy’s pitching something to us tomorrow again,” he whispered. “You’ll be good at this one.”

“Oh I’m excited now okay, goodnight,” she closed her eyes and pretended to snore, making him snuggle in and wrap her arms around him, pulling her in close the way they liked it.

“I love you, bunny,” he said one last time for the night.

She sighed as she settled into him, “I love you more Spence.”

[swanofsnow]

“ Doar.”

Lena held her mother hand, when she mentioned Doar. She moved to prop a pillow up, to help ease her comfort. She looked down at the drawing, smiling “ I didn’t even know you had long hair before” Ever since she could remember, her mother hair was short, just below her shoulder. It was beautiful to see it was once to her waist line.

“ I was twelve years old, when my brother ascended to the throne. My country has a very strange custom, if you fell ill, your council has the right to remove you from the throne and give it to the next person in line. My mother, my grandfather were both at one time near death, and because of it, it caused them to lose their title, position and power. Health, was the most important thing. “ she explained very carefully because this was the most frustrating part; that same rule happened to her.

“ your uncle Andrew had recently been married to a woman named Meredith, she was even crowned the queen, they had a son together. I was seen as a threat. I was another person who could step in and reclaim it at anytime with the right support. my mother also didn’t like the idea of me potentially going to spend time with other siblings, my father wasn’t faithful. Your aunt Robin and I, shared a father.”

Lena moved to lay at her mothers feet as she spoke “ your father couldn’t keep it in his pants ..” she chucked “ How many other siblings did you have?”

They matched in smiles, that was the beautiful glimpse between them. “ I had four half siblings from my father other relationship. But, that’s other story, in order to keep me busy I was sent on an errand, my job was to bring back an alliance or friendship. But I was given no training or information, so I traveled to different places,until I found.. Doar. I was so tired, I had been traveling on my own for months. I wasn’t allowed an escort, I looked terrible.They saw right through me. They saw what your uncle Andrew was attempting to do, to use me. But the queen, she was a kind soul, she saw something different she saw a child. I kept coming back, over and over. One day, my brother came with me and he made a deal. He would sign me over to the queen, in exchange for land. “

Lena sat up listening to that piece of information “ So, your family just let you go.. for a piece of land, momma that’s awful. But, was it something you wanted?” She frowned and waited for her continue.

“ my mother, my real mother was never kind to me. She hated my existence, and questioned why I was even brought into the world. I wanted a family, so I said yes to the agreement. I was finally going to be happy and your grandmother, the queen was amazing, she was the kindest soul. She gave me everything.. she taught me how to speak, how to dance, how to hold a conversation and how to be a princess. But she also gave me the chance to build relationship, she gave me new siblings, she gave me your Uncle Maxim”

In that moment; Nichola became even more emotional. “ He was the first person in my life that was good, someone who was good for my life. He didn’t believe in all the hype or bullshit. He was exactly what a brother was smeant to be, and oh my god we fought like cats and dogs.” She smirked a little and continued.

“ Your grandmother was set on making sure I would be set up for a good marriage. Marriage for royals is a transaction, it’s not always about love. It’s an agreement and something for each party to win or lose something. When I was fourteen, I finally got the chance to meet suitors, I was only supposed to be meeting them. I wasn’t supposed to get close to them.”

Lena sat up again,she had heard her mother speak briefly about Doar, and what happened there with her aunt, and father. But she was never allowed to know the full details. She gave her mother a firm nod, to continue.

Nichola would clear her throat, and for the first time tell the truth. “ I met three men that summer.. names I want you to remember. I met Gordon, William, and Vergil. Vergil was much older than I was, and he was close friends with your uncle Andrew. Gordon was a painter, he had come to the palace to study art and he..” she pointed at the picture. “ he liked to draw me often, and I met a sea merchant named William who was looking for a bride. Spring, came.. and my birthday rolled in, I was finally allowed to spend more time with suitors, and the night of my birthday party I was seen dancing and strolling the gardens with Williams. But .. when the sun began to set. . I began to drink more heavy, I was introduced to things, and I climbed into the bed with someone. Your uncle Maxim warned me not to be left alone, I was out of control at one point. But I knew exactly what I was doing. I slept with Gordon.. and by mid morning, he was gone.”

Lena sat up with her eyes widen, taking slow and deep breathes. “ Mom, you were a who.. you gave me so much shit for even looking at a boy when i was fourteen and you basically spread your legs for one.” There was resentment in her voice, as her cheeks turned red, seeing her mother raise her hand, there was much more to say.

When Lena became quiet again, she would continue “ I told your grandmother the next day I slept with someone, and we made a vow to never speak of it again, she was very disappointed in me. Because I was now used goods. It would have remained a secret between us, but two months later I stopped getting my monthly courses, and the midwife was brought in to examine me. I was pregnant .. and now, there was no chance for me to marry a suitor. My brother had to be sent for, and when he arrived he became angry, and was even more angry at your grandmother for letting it happen, that’s what’s I told the lie. I told them both I had lied, that I had been taken advantage of, and I had been “ she couldn’t even say the word anymore “ they both immediately asked who the man was. . And I told them the man was William Duncan.”

Lena immediately became even more angry “ You lied about the man you slept with.. why, why would you do that, why would you say the wrong person name. Tell me … did you love Gordon or something, why would just tell this story.”

There was no real way of saying it, but she knew Lena wouldn’t accept anything but the truth. “ Because he was the easiest to blame, and I knew no one would doubt it, he was the last person I was seen with. I needed to survive, and I needed to protect the child inside me. So I lied..”

# long post again sorry! But getting this allll out together for there final conversations.

[lunaralight09]

Could you do books that the scps might read?

Books that the SCPs might read

SCP 035 Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins Anna is shipped off to boarding school in Paris where she meets the super-charming Etienne, and that's when things get interesting. I was a squealing, giggly, mush-fest all the while through reading this book. Stephanie Perkins knows just how to turn a seemingly ordinary love story into an unputdownable read. SCP 040 Your Brain Needs a Hug: Life, Love, Mental Health, and Sandwiches Just the title of this book by Rae Earl makes us feel a little lighter. And we don’t know about you, but our brains could definitely use a hug right now. While the book is geared towards teens, we found Earl’s advice to be relevant for all ages — particularly for anyone who struggles with depression, anxiety, social media addiction, and self-esteem issues. TBH, pretty much anyone can benefit from this book! SCP 049 And the Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini And the Mountains Echoed is such an amazing and heartwarming read. It's about a pair of siblings that fate cruelly separates and then finally reunites. A must-read for its simple yet gripping narration and amiable characters. SCP 049-j The Red Notebook by Antoine Laurain This is a French romance novella, and basically a love letter to book lovers. There's mystery, romance, and some of the most beautifully crafted sentences and paragraphs I have ever read. The ending is so sweet, even though you wonder how you ever got there so soon. SCP 053 Lulu and the Rabbit Next Door by Hilary McKay Lulu and her cousin help their neighbor Arthur learn to love and care for his (neglected) rabbit. She doesn’t want her neighbor to feel bad so she writes the rabbit little notes with helpful gifts signed from her own pet rabbit named Thumper. It’s a kind way to show Arthur how to take care of his new pet SCP 073 HumanKind: Changing the World One Small Act At a Time Looking for heart-warming stories of kindness and compassion? HumanKind by Brad Aronson was made for you. But the book isn’t only full of uplifting stories that will move you to happy tears, it’s also packed with practical and actionable tips for how to be kinder in your everyday. One thing is for sure: after you put this book down, you’ll feel inspired to do something nice for someone else. And because of that, we think this is one of the best books on the planet! SCP 076 Do Unto Animals We absolutely DEVOURED this book by Tracey Stewart. Whether you’re looking for tips on how to better understand skunks and squirrels or read your pet’s body language, every page is full of compassionate wisdom about to treat animals in a way that they deserve. Also, the illustrations are absolutely beautiful — we nearly wanted to pet the pages because the animal drawings were so lovable. SCP 079 Walden (Henry David Thoreau) With the outdoorsman renaissance happening as we speak, it is nice to look back at one of the books that probably started it. Walden isn’t the bore you read back in middle school, it takes time to appreciate like a nice bottle of red. Thoreau’s masterpiece tackles so much while quietly nudging your brain into activity. It also makes you want to build a cabin SCP 096 Black Beauty by Anna Sewell Told from the perspective of the horse, this story is so beautifully written that it's easy to get lost in it's pages. I laughed and cried, as did my daughter when she read it. SCP 105 Dandelion Wine by Ray Bradbury Warm and fuzzy the whole way through, Dandelion Wine is by far the best story to make you feel good. Though I'm not the correct age to directly relate to the young adult story, I still felt the warm summer days and the wonder of it all. SCP 106 Catch-22 – Joseph Heller “War is hell,” is the old adage we all know, but Catch-22 looks to modify that a bit. Instead, war becomes super goddamn weird. The book follows a bomber squadron in the Second World War whose collective sanity is slowly being eroded by whatever passes for power. Throughout it all, the main character keeps trying to prove himself insane enough to be kicked out of the Navy, which is precisely why he can’t

be kicked out. Which is a catch 22 and yes, this is where the phrase comes from. It’s a great extrapolation of quirks and idiosyncrasies we see in day to day life, only this time, they’re affecting war SCP 134 (I know she don't have eyes . But there is a books for blind people) A Mango-Shaped Space by Wendy Mass A Mango-Shaped Space is about a 13-year-old girl with synesthesia (she can see, taste, and hear colors) and her journey in getting a diagnosis and accepting herself and all her differences. It's sort of a coming-of-age story, too. As someone with multiple chronic illnesses who has gone through the same process at the same age, this really was an incredible reading experience. One of my favorite quotes is "We all do the best we can, trying to keep all the balls in the air at once." I recommend it to everyone. SCP 173 Rabbit, Run (John Updike) The greatest mid-life crisis novel of all time doesn’t actually deal with a mid-life crisis at all. Harry “Rabbit” Angstrom is 26 when he decides to leave his wife and son for a new life. Of course, what that new life is, and what exactly he wants out of it isn’t clear to the reader or to Rabbit himself. It will strike a cord with all men who struggle with the idea of settling down. SCP 239 The Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling SCP 682 THE WOLF AND THE WATCHMAN BY NIKLAS NATT OCH DAG If you're the kind of person that can't get enough of Scandi noir films, TV shows and literature, then Niklas Natt och Dag's The Wolf And The Watchman should be next on your reading list. Set in 18th-century Stockholm, this tale is as dark as it gets, following the titular watchman and a detective as they hunt down the killer behind a dismembered corpse that appears in a local pond. As gruesome as it is gripping, it's the perfect literary companion as the nights get longer and increasingly eerie. SCP 847 The Case Against Satan by Ray Russell Two priests are called in to examine a girl who might be possessed by the devil. The Exorcist, right? Nope, it’s Ray Russell‘s The Case Against Satan, a novel of theological horror that beat William Peter Blatty’s book to print by eight years. The Case Against Satan is as much the story of a crisis of faith as it is a supernatural tale, and readers looking for a nuanced take on both should give it a try SCP 953 THE PILLOW BOOK BY SEI SHŌNAGON If you want to learn a bit more about the Japan of the past – and also, weirdly, all of us in the present – The Pillow Book is a cult classic you should absolutely try. Sei Shōnagon was a lady-in-waiting in the court of Empress Teishi in the year 1000 and here she collects her thoughts and musings about court life. To read a woman more than 1,000 years ago being as philosophical, neurotic and scandalous as anyone is today on social media is a thrill that lasts from the start to the end. SCP 1678 Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden Absolutely moving, the struggles Sayuri faces are painted so beautifully by Arthur Golden's masterful craft that you totally empathize with her as she grows and triumphs in a world designed to see her fail. The ultimate conclusion of the novel fills me with such warmth — it's both entirely unexpected and wholeheartedly appreciated.

[janetbrown711]

Can you write how Wakko’s birth and the fact that he even exists effects this AU

“Just one more push, your highness, then this’ll all be over,” the doctor instructed the exhausted princess. 

“Why did we ever agree to have a second child,” Lena panted and lamented her husband. 

“C’mon Lena, you’re almost done. You’re doing wonderfully,” William kissed her head. 

“Easy for you to say, you’re just the observer,” Lena rolled her eyes, but as she felt another contraction crash over her, she did as she was told, and gave one more final push, instantly collapsing back onto her pillows once she was done. 

“Good job, my love,” William smiled and kissed her again, but a deathly silence filled the room. 

“Wh-what’s the matter? Wh-why aren’t they crying? A-are they even breathing?” Lena asked as she saw the doctor rush the baby away. “W-william, what’s happening?” She looked up at him, but he looked just as frightened as she was. He cautiously wrapped an arm around her. 

“A-are they alright? A-answer me, dammit,” she demanded, tears falling down her face. She heard the doctor and nurses whisper a few things as they attempted to fix whatever issue it was (as they clearly weren’t willing to clarify).

This couldn’t be happening. 

“Please...” she whispered aloud. 

There was another long stretch of silence, and then-

The baby cried. 

Everyone in the room let out a sigh of relief, and in a few moments, the new royal baby was in the arms of the princess, now sobbing tears of joy instead. 

“Congratulations, your highnesses. It’s a boy,” the doctor said with a smile, but William and Lena were too happy and crying to really notice what he had said. 

“He’s okay,” Lena said, and William squeezed her a little, and touched the new baby’s face softly. 

“He’s perfect, Lena,” He smiled.  

“I’m never, ever going to let go of him,” She declared. “I’m simply going to hold him for forever and ever and ever and ever.” Nobody argued. 

“I’ll never let anything bad happen to him... he’ll be safe, and with me,” she swore. William nodded, silently taking the vow himself. 

“Do you have a name for the prince?” One of the nurses asked. Lena and William looked at each other. 

“Wakkorotti, like the performer- but we’d call him Wakko for short,” Lena said. 

“With the middle name Alan, like my father,” William added. 

“A perfect name for a perfect prince,” She smiled, and kissed her baby’s forehead. 

However, Lena and William didn’t have too long to themselves, before none other than Angelina and Yakko entered the room, with Yakko immediately running onto the bed. 

“Is that my baby brother?” He asked cheerfully. Lena giggled and nodded. 

“Do be quiet though, he is a baby,” She reminded the four-and-a-half-year-old. 

“He’s a rather tiny thing, isn’t he?” The queen observed. 

“Why are you here, mother?” Lena didn’t have the patience for her mother’s games. 

“Why do you act like my grandchildren aren’t important to me?” she said, placing a hand on Yakko’s shoulder. Yakko didn’t mind, utterly entranced at the sight of his new sibling. William rolled his eyes. 

“Well, it was nice of you to come by,” He wiped his eyes. “You can go now, though.”

“I will do as I please, thank you very much,” Angelina glared at him.  

“He seems weak,” she remarked once more. 

“If all you’re going to do is criticize a newborn, I suggest you leave,” Lena growled. 

“You know I’ve always said it’s good to have backups, but I’m not quite sure this one would even be adequate enough to qualify,” Angelina didn’t stop. 

“That’s enough, mother,” Lena said. 

“I’m just-”

“I said enough,” She snapped. Angelina paused. 

“You’re lucky I feel pity for you and the weakling,” She said, before turning and exiting. 

“Is he okay, mommy?” Yakko asked. 

“He’s perfect,” Lena smiled once more, and looked back at Wakko. 

“Why is he so tiny?” He asked again. 

“All babies are tiny, Yakko. You were once that small too,” William explained. Yakko “ooh”ed in fascination. 

“That’s cool,” he gave his dad a toothy grin. He continued to stare at him for a moment, before pausing and frowning. 

“Are you gonna forget about me?” he asked softly. 

“Of course not honey,” Lena reassured. “We would never forget about you just because we have a baby now.”

“We love you very much Yakko,” William placed a hand on his elder son’s shoulder. Yakko nuzzled his face on it. 

“And it’ll be part of your responsibilities to watch and care for him too, you know,” Lena said with a soft smile. 

“Really?” Yakko gasped. 

“Yep! As big brother, you have to make sure to always have his back and keep him safe when we aren’t around,” William explained. 

“Cool,” Yakko accepted the new responsibility. 

“He’s not a weakling, right?” He asked. 

“Of course not, honey. Your grandmother is wrong about that,” Lena quickly said. That was not something she was going to let her plant into his brain. 

“Okay,” He happily agreed, but Lena and William shared a look, knowing it wouldn’t be too long before he started his lessons and well- if ideas were already starting to take root...

No. Yakko would be fine. He was better than that. He was very sweet, he’d never be outright cruel or mean like his grandmother likely wanted him to be. When the time came, he’d make the right decisions. 

And so the family carried on, and Yakko did eventually start up his lessons with his grandmother, and Lena and William did their best to counteract them as they could, but it wasn’t easy. Angelina was tricky like that. 

And in the meantime, Wakkorotti (or just Wakko) was growing up into quite the wild child. He loved to run around- sometimes on all fours. He loved to chew on things, make mud pies, many other “improper behaviors” according to his grandmother. However, for the most part, Lena and William were good at keeping him away from her, being more protective over him than they were with Yakko. 

Still. That never stopped the little prince from getting into trouble anyway. 

“Wakko, what are you chewing on?” Lena looked up from her book, her maternal instincts kicking in. Wakko didn’t respond. 

“Wakko...” She said in a warning tone, looking at him, before gasping and realizing he was chewing on a book from her mother’s study she had given to Yakko for her or William to read to him. 

“Wakko, drop that now.” she ordered, panicked. Confused at her urgency, he dropped it immediately, and Lena quickly bent over and took the papers from him. 

“Remember what I said? We don’t chew on books. You can chew on your toys instead,” Lena reminded him softly. 

“Sorry mummy,” he apologized. Lena sighed tiredly. 

“It’ll be alright, let’s just get it fixed before-”

A knock on the nursery door interrupted her sentence, and before she knew it, her mother entered the room. 

“Angelina, it turns out I need-” The queen stopped midthought when she noticed Lena was holding the book, which was covered in teeth marks and slobber. 

“You let him get to it?” She gave a look of disgust at her grandson. 

“Wakko, get behind me,” Lena stood from her rocking chair, and Wakko obeyed, scurrying behind the safety of his mother. 

“That ‘son’ of yours is no better than a goat in a barn,” Angelina shook her head. “Though even a lowly goat is more intelligent than him.”

“He’s four, mother, have some mercy,” Lena responded. 

“Mercy is for those who deserve it, not for stupid, filthy animals,” Angelina rolled her eyes. 

“That book was supposed to be for Yakko’s lessons.” she looked at Wakko. “He’s going to be important one day, unlike you. Your job is to simply sit on the sidelines and be civilized, but you can’t even do that, can you?” she glared. 

“That’s enough, mother,” Lena warned, stepping in front of Wakko to block his vision. 

“Don’t act like you’re so tough, Angelina,” she warned. “I know your weaknesses too. The Tower is still plenty functional.” 

Lena didn’t break. 

“Well now... seeing as you’ve ruined a perfectly good book of mine, I suppose I’ll just be leaving this here then,” Angelina rolled her eyes and pulled out a toy bunny from her dress pocket. “I think one of them left it in my study, and I can’t fathom as to why.”

“That’s- that’s Yakko’s bunny. I haven’t seen that in years... why did you have it? He missed it so,” Lena took the toy from her. 

“Toys are for fools, of which Yakko is not,” She remarked. 

“Toys are for children, of which Yakko is,” Lena replied coldly. 

“Of course you’d think that,” The queen sighed. 

“Well... seeing as I have no more use of the two of you, I’ll be taking my leave now,” She nodded and left. Lena rolled her eyes before turning around. 

“Are you alright dear?” Lena asked Wakko. Wakko sniffled, holding back tears. 

“M’fine,” he said. Lena wrapped him in a quick hug. 

“I’m going to give this to Yakko- his sword lesson with his father should be done soon,” Lena looked at the clock in the room. “Will you be okay waiting in here a moment?”

Wakko nodded. 

“Good,” she kissed his forehead. “Yakko will be right here in a moment. I’m afraid I have to go- I’m not feeling well. You’ll stay right in here though, right?” She asked with a soft smile. 

Wakko nodded once more.

“Good,” she gave him another hug. 

“I love you,” She said, and left the playroom in a rush. Wakko didn’t have the slightest clue as to why, but he was fine with waiting in the playroom. It was his favorite place to be. 

However, his grandmother’s words played on repeat in his head, and for some reason, he couldn’t get it out. 

She said he was a wild and filthy animal. That wasn’t true. He took baths, though he did have a tendency to get dirty at times... but that was because it was fun. Fun things aren’t bad... right?

Wakko wasn’t any more an animal than his grandmother was, that’s what Daddo would say. 

Still... Grandmum was scary. She was mean and old and wrinkly and her stares were mean. He didn’t like how it felt when she looked at him. 

Thinking about it made his eyes fill with tears, and before he knew it, he crawled under the playroom table and began to cry. 

He wasn’t stupid... was he?

He had been told several times not to chew on books or things that weren’t his, especially if they were his grandmother’s. He should’ve paid more attention. Stupid people don’t pay attention...

“Wakko? Where are you?” Without Wakko realizing, Yakko had entered the room. Still, Wakko was in the middle of crying and wasn’t going to stop now. 

“Wakko? Are you crying?” Yakko asked, looking around for him, until he eventually found him under the table. 

“Hey... it’s okay,” Yakko said, crawling under the table and joining him, giving him a tight hug. 

“I-I’m not stupid, r-right?” Wakko sniffled. 

“Of course not, Wak,” Yakko reassured. “You’re smart.”

“B-but I don’t read o-or talk like you,” he pouted. 

“Dad said being slow isn’t stupid, so you aren’t stupid,” Yakko let go and pointed out. 

“Did Grandma tell you that?” He asked. Wakko nodded sadly. 

“Grandma is wrong about you,” He said. “She doesn’t like you for no reason, but she should like you. You’re really fun.”

“I am?” Wakko perked up a little. Yakko nodded. 

“You make up the best games and stories,” He grinned. “Plus, you’re pretty cute too. I don’t know many people who can refuse those puppy dog eyes.”

“Thanks Yakko!” Wakko beamed and gave his brother a hug. “You’re a good older sib.”

“No problem, Wak,” he chuckled. “Let’s play now, I have to go to my lesson in a half-hour.”

“But that’s so sooooooooon. I’ll die of boredommmmmm,” He pouted.

“I know, but you know you can’t sit in. I don’t need to remind you of last time...” Yakko said, and Wakko looked at the floor. 

“Okay...” he sighed. Yakko bit his lip. 

“Oh! I have an idea!” He snapped his fingers. Quickly, he crawled out under the table and grabbed his toy bunny and crawled back under. 

“While I’m at my lessons you can have this,” he said, handing it to him. 

“But mum said it’s yours,” Wakko frowned. 

“I don’t mind parting with Bugs if it’ll make you feel better,” Yakko smiled.

“You mean it?” Wakko’s face lit up. 

“Of course. Bugs has brought me a lot of comfort, I’m sure he can do the same for you,” Yakko said. “Plus, Grandma doesn’t like him much, so he’ll need someone to watch over him too. Are you up to the challenge?” 

“Yeah!” Wakko agreed enthusiastically, and Yakko handed him the stuffed bunny. 

“I’ll protect him with my life,” he promised. Yakko snorted. 

“I know you will,” he elbowed him lightly. 

“Now... can we crawl out of here and get to playing? I’m a lot taller than you and it is cramped under here,” he joked. 

Wakko nodded, and together the brothers crawled out from under the table, and began to properly play their silly little games to the fullest they could, and when their thirty minutes was over, Wakko was happy waiting and watching over Yakko’s bunny, Bugs, promising to make sure the bunny didn’t feel lonely and that he always had someone to watch over and protect him, like how he had Yakko. 

Wakko was the luckiest little brother in the world.

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 Part 8

[official-weasley]

Love, William (Bill Weasley x OC) - Chapter 4

WARNINGS: I would say none. Maybe fluffy fluff! Beware of Bill having a crush 🤭

Chapter 4 - Bill's Night

Bill hurried into his room, closing the door behind him, never being so happy about having the whole room to himself. He sat on his bed and buried his face in his hands. Will he be able to do this? Will he be able to be around Theodora for the rest of the summer?

Why did he have to be so attracted to her? It was wrong. It was so wrong but he couldn’t stop. She was so nice and didn’t make fun out of him or teased him as his brothers did. He genuinely had fun degnoming the garden for the first time ever, just because he did it with her.

He could even say that he was grateful that Charlie made him work with her but that would be taking it too far. First of all, admitting that Charlie was right about something – even if just in his head – was too much, and second of all, he can’t feel like this about her.

Perhaps, it was because he hasn’t had a girlfriend in such a long time and she was nice to him. Or maybe because she didn’t idolize him like most women he has met upon telling them what his job is. She doesn’t strike him as a person who puts a lot of thought into looks and genuinely enjoys his company not because she thinks he’s hot or something, so perhaps it’s that.

Bill sighed and pushed himself backward, bouncing on the bed. He stared at the ceiling for what seemed like an hour, trying not to think about her, trying not to wish she was his age, trying not to picture himself with her.

“Hey, Bill, you in here?”

Bill lifted his head as he heard Charlie come in. The second he saw his face, his brows furrowed, remembering that he was still mad at them for throwing him and Theodora into the pond.

“What do you want?” He snapped at him, looking back at the ceiling.

“Listen, we are sorry for before. We took it too far.” Charlie cleared his throat. “Let me make it up to you by letting you beat me in some Exploding Snap.”

Bill lifted his body, his elbows supporting his weight, and looked at his brother with his eyes narrowed. He hated Charlie’s stupid apologetic grin but he couldn’t deny that playing a game with his siblings would be a good distraction.

“I will only forgive you if I win.” He glared at him, bumping into his shoulder as he exited the room.

Charlie went to the cupboard where the family had their board games to find the cards, while Bill and Ron moved the coffee table in the living room to make space for them to play on the floor.

—

“You’re really bad at this game, Charles.” Bill laughed at his brother.

He wasn’t sure if Charlie was losing on purpose just because he promised him to win or if he actually sucked at the game.

“I told you I’ll let you win.” Charlie tried acting annoyed but he couldn’t deny that it was nice seeing his older brother relax a little.

“Ha! Another one for me!”

It didn’t matter how well Bill was doing or how bad Charlie was losing, Ron was still better than both of them. The cards didn’t explode in his face once and at this point he was having too much fun winning something against his two eldest brothers.

“Hi, Ron, Bill, Charlie.”

The trio was so busy having fun playing the game that they didn’t hear Theodora come downstairs. They all turned their heads to her when she greeted them.

“Hi,” Ron mumbled, being too busy winning.

“Hey, Theo.” Charlie grinned at her. “Hi, Theodora.” Bill bestowed her with a quick smile, trying to get back to the game as soon as possible.

“You call her Theodora?” Charlie chuckled, mocking Bill.

“That’s her name, isn’t it?” Bill said through his teeth.

He went without teasing him for a full hour and a half. Before Charlie could say anything back, the cards exploded in his face again, not getting the right pair. Bill laughed – that made him feel better.

“Mrs. Weasley, can I help you with anything?” Theodora sat down at the kitchen table and observed what Molly was doing.

“Oh, that’s quite alright, dear, you’ve been of great help in the afternoon.” She smiled at her.

“I want to make it up to you for this morning.” Theodora bit her lip.

She still felt guilty hearing Mrs. Weasley shout so much and seeing her so angry. It might’ve been George’s fault for letting the fireworks loose in their room but that wasn’t an excuse. She was right there and was equally guilty.

“Oh,” Molly’s smile grew larger, “I told you I don’t blame you. You don’t have to be so harsh on yourself.”

“But –” Theodora didn’t know how to reply.

She wasn’t used to someone being so nice to her. She knew her mother would blame her either way – being it her fault or not – and she would’ve punished her and bring it up for days.

“Listen, Theo,” Mrs. Weasley turned away from the counter and sat next to Theodora, “I know your mother is strict and I know what she wrote in that letter. I understand that you got detention in school but I also know you wouldn’t get in trouble if it wasn’t for my boys.” She sighed, looking at the ceiling as if she was trying to telepathically find out what they were doing in their room.

“I promised her to take care of you this summer and make you behave but you have been nothing but an angel so far so you have nothing to worry about.” Molly pulled Theodora into a hug and she was more than happy to return it.

Mrs. Weasley might have frightened her this morning a little bit with how angry she was but she couldn’t stop wishing for her mother to be more like her. Shouting when your children do something wrong is entirely different than not showing any affection to your child.

She knew Mrs. Weasley only did so because she loved her children and even if they behaved badly, she still showed them how much she loves them – something Theodora’s mother never did. Not with her nor her brother.

“Thank you, Mrs. Weasley.” Theodora pulled away and smiled at her.

“Any time, dear. Now go and play Exploding Snap with the boys.” She rubbed Theodora’s shoulder with her hand and nodded her head to her three sons.

“I think I’ll get some fresh air instead.” Theodora stood up and walked past the boys.

She tried hard not to look at them but in the end, she couldn’t stop her eyes from escaping to Bill who was looking back at her until a pair of cards exploded in his face. She giggled and walked outside.

Not only didn’t she want to play the game with the boys because Bill was there and she tried to avoid him as much as possible but she honestly wanted some alone time. She has never been surrounded by so many people before – except at Hogwarts but that was different – as her mother didn’t allow her to go anywhere.

While at school, she sometimes wanted a break from the twins as they could be too energetic for her taste at times, especially during that time of the month. She was grateful that they always understood when she wanted to be alone and never bothered her but waited for her to come to them instead.

“Bill, I thought you were better than Charlie.” Ron bestowed his older brother with a confused look.

He wasn’t doing as bad as Charlie did but the cards exploded in his face 4 times in the last 5 minutes.

“Oh, I know, why he suddenly sucks.” Charlie winked at Bill, leaving Ron oblivious.

Bill frowned and punched his brother in the arm. Playing Exploding Snap didn’t help him anymore. He wanted to hex Charlie now.

“Why don’t you join her outside?” Charlie kept pushing it.

“Will you give it a rest!” Bill raised his voice but then quickly looked towards where their mum was, hoping she couldn’t hear him.

“Is this about Theo?” Ron finally caught on and joined the conversation.

“Bill fancies her.” Charlie sang.

“I do not. It’s not like that at all.” Bill scoffed.

“How is it then?” Charlie asked with his eyebrows raised high.

“Oh, bugger off, Charles!”

“Sorry to interrupt your bromance but she is way out of your league, Bill.”

Bill stopped his staring war with Charlie and turned his head to his little brother, his mouth open. Ron was always the quiet one among the boys in the house and he has never heard him talk like that to him before.

He rolled his eyes, wanting to throw a pillow at both of them. Now, Ron was on Charlie’s side too. This day kept getting worse and worse.

“Oh, don’t listen to Ronald, William.” Charlie tried putting his hand on Bill’s shoulder but the glare his older brother gave him made him change his mind.

“Charlie, seriously stop.” Bill hissed. “This isn’t funny anymore.”

“Why are you so uptight?” Charlie’s expression turned into a serious one. “We’re just trying to help you.”

“You still don’t get it.” Bill pressed his fingers against his forehead and shook his head. “She’s still at school, she’s too young for me.”

“She’s more mature than both of you idiots.” Ron chortled.

“She’s 17,” Charlie said, ignoring Ron’s comment.

“Exactly, do you know how wrong that is?” Bill tried explaining.

Perhaps if he can make them see how wrong it would be for them to date, they are going to leave him alone and he can finally start enjoying his summer.

“Why?” Ron looked puzzled. “We become of age when we’re 17. She’s an adult, she can apparate and she can use magic out of school.”

“See, how is Ron making more sense than you right now?” Charlie raised an eyebrow at Bill.

“It’s...no...that’s not the point.” He didn’t know what to say.

Was he putting too much thought into this? Was he the only one seeing this as a big deal? They had an 8-year gap between them. No, they can’t be right. It would be weird. In a few years maybe but it was strange to think that she was the same age as his two mischievous brothers.

“It doesn’t matter, in the normal world, she is still underage.” Bill tried defending himself, crossing his arms on his chest.

“What are you, a Muggle?” Charlie furrowed his brows.

“There’s this girl in my Potions class, meaning she’s 15 and she is dating someone that just finished his seventh year and I know for a fact that he already celebrated his 18th birthday,” Ron said matter of factly.

“See and if people don’t see that as wrong, why should you?” Charlie supported Ron’s statement.

“They still don’t have an 8-year gap between them.” Bill stuck to his side.

“Is that what this is about? Because she’s so much younger?” Ron looked confused.

“Bill,” Charlie sighed, tired of fighting with his brother, “it’s clear that you like each other. Will you stop fighting yourself and just see what happens? What if you hit it off and it turns out to be the best decision you have ever made?”

Bill stared at Charlie as if he just told him he doesn’t care about dragons anymore. He couldn't believe the words that came out of his mouth. That had to be the most mature thing he has ever said.

Charlie was very hard working when it came to his job and it was just about the only time he was serious. He was a goofball and liked to laugh and not take things seriously in any other situation.

“So?” Bill turned his head to Ron as he spoke, still looking astounded.

“So, what?”

“Are you going to argue with us some more and miss your opportunity to be alone with her or are you going to gather up some courage and join her outside?” Charlie nodded his head toward the door.

“I –”

Bill was speechless. He didn’t know what to do or how to answer the question. It was like a never-ending battle inside his head. He wanted to stand up at once, grab the blanket from the sofa and walk outside. But the voice inside his head was still telling him that it’s a bad idea and that they simply can’t be together.

“Bill, if you don’t go out right now, I’ll go and I’ll tell her you have a crush on her!” Charlie said with a serious voice.

“Fine!”

Bill stood up angrily, feeling as if he was being blackmailed. He snatched the blanket from the sofa and went outside, slamming the door hard behind him.

He found Theodora sitting on a stump in the garden, looking at the stars. She looked ravishing in the moonlight and it seemed as if she was deep in her thoughts.

He knew this was a bad idea. He was ready to turn around and go back inside. He can’t do this. He doesn’t care if Charlie’s going to tell her how he feels. He’s an adult. He can just go back to Egypt!

“Bill?” He stopped walking back towards the house when he heard Theodora speak.

“Hi,” he turned to her and waved awkwardly, “want some company?”

Her face lit up at his words but she didn’t like the fact that her heart started beating faster against her ribcage.

“Would love to.” She said with a rusty voice.

“Come with me.” Bill smiled at her gently and waved his hand for her to stand up.

He has to stop smiling at her like this, her head was losing it. Was this a bad idea? Where was he taking her? She probably shouldn’t be alone with him.

As if she didn’t hear the voice inside her head at all, she stood up and walked toward Bill. He gently took her hand and started walking down the path.

His touch took her breath away. What was he doing? Why were they holding hands and why couldn’t she take her eyes off their entwined fingers? She wasn’t sure how she felt about this sudden change in Bill’s behavior.

She shook her head. She was reading too much into this. He just wanted to make sure she followed him, that’s all.

They stopped by the edge of the orchard, where the tournament is going to take place in a few weeks.

“This is a better place to look at the stars,” Bill explained, looking at the sky.

He let go of her hand and Theodora’s heart leaped as he did. She had to try hard not to grab it again. It was soft and warm and the feeling it gave her was so nice.

Bill unfolded the blanket and placed it on the ground. He gestured to Theodora to sit down and she did.

She leaned on her hands behind her back and lifted her head to look at the sky.

“Wow.” The sight took her breath away.

There wasn’t a cloud in sight and she has never seen so many stars before. What a difference the complete darkness makes.

“I told you.” Bill chuckled and sat down next to her.

As he was positioning himself their fingers brushed together, making them look at each other. Bill quickly pulled his hand closer to his side of the blanket and was thankful it was so dark that Theodora couldn’t see his cheeks turning scarlet.

He doesn’t know how he mustered the courage to grab her hand before and he was sure she could tell how nervous he was, as his hands were shaking while they were walking. He was mad at himself because he couldn’t deny how good it felt holding her hand but he still couldn’t agree with Charlie and Ron that this was okay.

“Do you know any constellations, Theodora?” Bill asked her after a few minutes of them stargazing in silence.

“You know you can call me Theo, right?”

Bill turned his head to her, grateful that he moved a bit further away before, otherwise their noses would be touching right now. Despite sitting in complete darkness, he could still see her lips curving when she spoke due to the faint moonlight.

“I love your full name.” He blurted out, too busy gazing into her eyes to think straight.

His eyes widened when he realized that he shouldn’t have told her that. He knew he could call her Theo. Everybody in his family did and he knew she wouldn’t mind if he did the same. But he liked her full name. It suited her so well and he would be lying if he would say that he didn’t like how it sounded when he said her name out loud.

“Oh.” Theodora bit her lip, a bit taken aback by his words.

Nobody ever complimented her name before and everyone she knew always tried shortening it in any way. Theo. Dora. Odie. She never liked her name much. She always thought it was too long and wrong for her but now that Bill said – so genuinely – that he likes it, perhaps it wasn’t that bad.

“Thank you.” She managed to add.

The last thing she wanted was to make Bill uncomfortable and leave. She knew it would be better if he did as this was too romantic and she knew that she will only start crushing on him harder because of it but she couldn’t help herself. She wanted to let go and just enjoy his company while it lasts.

“So what made you run away from Fred and George?” Bill tried desperately to find something to talk about.

“I just needed a break,” Theodora answered honestly. “We have been working on a product together for the past 3 hours and sometimes I want some alone time.”

“They can be a bit much sometimes, yes.” Bill chuckled.

“They are amazing friends. Sadly, they don’t show their good side to most people. They like to hide their true personality behind pranks and mischief.” Theodora defended her two best friends.

It was true, she wanted to get away so she could relax a bit after working and thinking hard without a break for such a long time. But she wouldn’t trade the twins for anyone in the world. They were the best friends she could ever ask for.

“How did you become friends?” Bill asked her.

“Well, we’re schoolmates, being in the same year but I was pretty much alone in our first year. I’m not big on making friends.” She giggled. “But then in our second year, George was trying to sabotage someone’s potion in Snape’s class by making it explode, but instead of throwing something into their potion, he threw it in mine. Snape gave me detention and didn’t want to hear any of the twins’ excuses.” Theodora laughed at the memory.

“So when I came out of detention that night, Fred and George waited for me in the common room and started apologizing, promising they will make it up to me.” She finished her story.

“And did they make it up to you?” Bill was curious.

“Yeah. They helped with my detention and brought me candy every day for 14 days before I asked them where are they getting it from and they showed me how to get to the kitchen. Their adventures intrigued me and before I knew it I didn’t have a choice whether I would like to go or not.” Theodora smiled.

“So you’re like them?” Bill tried not to be judgemental but he really couldn’t see how she could like pranks as much as they do.

“Nah. I’m more there for the fun. It’s nice to see them brainstorming and it’s nice to do something else than studying.”

“When you put it that way...” Bill rubbed his chin, thinking.

“As I said,” Theodora hugged her knees, looking up at the stars again, “they’re smart and can be serious, they just don’t show it to everyone.”

“They do seem pretty serious about that joke shop idea of theirs.” Bill thought out loud.

“Oh, they are. I can’t wait until we graduate and we open the shop.” Theodora clapped.

“We?” Bill looked at her puzzled.

“Oh, I thought they told you.” She smiled apologetically at him. “We’re opening the shop together.”

“No, they didn’t tell me.” Bill suddenly felt left out. “Charlie told me about it. I guess he’s easier to talk to about these things.”

He shrugged his shoulders, hoping it would come across as if it doesn’t bother him that the twins tell more to Charlie than him, even though he is the eldest. Perhaps he was too strict and they felt like he wouldn’t understand. But they were wrong — he does understand.

Mum would be against it, but when wasn’t she against something one of her children wanted to do? She wanted Bill to stay closer to home and Charlie to pick a less dangerous job. Maybe she was proud of Percy for working for the Ministry but he wasn’t home that often either.

He decided then and there that he has to loosen up a bit. He has to stop being such a parent, stop being so similar to mum and just enjoy life more. He couldn’t deny that their idea of a joke shop sounded brilliant. There weren’t many shops like that, come to think of it, there wasn’t any in Diagon Alley and not only kids love that stuff.

“What about being a Curse Breaker?” He wanted to know why she changed her mind, hoping that Fred and George didn’t drag her into it.

“I was excited about it, especially,” she took a deep breath, “especially when you told me so much about it all those years ago.”

She wasn’t so sure it was a good idea to tell him that but she was enjoying talking to him so much. She felt as if she could tell him anything and he would listen.

“I do have good marks at school, I am more than qualified for the job, I did great on my O.W.L.s but I fell in love with coming up with ideas to make joke products and then brainstorming about how we are going to create them and when they are fully tested and you can give them to a kid...” Theodora gently shook her head. “...the joy it brings them is pure happiness.”

Bill didn’t know what to say. He didn’t expect her to say that. He loved that she was opening his eyes to so many things – he always felt as if he was too narrow-minded and the way she explained it to him made so much sense.

“That is an amazing job to have.” Bill grinned. “So you want to do it for the joy of others?”

“Yes, I love kids.”

She said that so genuinely that Bill’s heart skipped a beat. He has never heard a 17-year-old say that before.

“You’re really mature for your age, do you know that.” The words escaped his mouth.

“So I have been told.” Theodora giggled but the smile quickly faded away from her face.

“Did I say something wrong?” Bill sat closer to her, not sure what changed her mood so quickly.

“No,” Theodora reassured him with a smile, “it’s just the reason for me being that way is rather bitter for me.”

“Want to talk about it?” Bill tilted his head, now sitting so close to her that their shoulders were touching.

He could see that something was bothering her and they have been having such a nice time he didn’t want anything ruining it for her. He wanted to hug her so badly but thought better of it.

“It’s my mum,” Theodora started, “Fred and George are the only ones who know what a monster she is.”

Bill’s eyes widened with her choice of words to describe her mother.

“She’s the reason my brother moved to America instead of taking an Auror job here, she’s the reason dad left because she didn’t support him. She wants me to be just like Eric and doesn’t let me breathe without criticizing me.” Theodora rolled her eyes. “That’s why I am so close to Fred and George, they make me feel so welcomed and that’s why I correspond with Charlie so much.” She smiled.

“I hope you know how lucky you are to have such a loving family, Bill.”

Bill just nodded. She was right. He couldn’t complain. Yes, it was crowded and they didn’t have a lot of money growing up but they were loved and they had each other.

He understood why she was so independent now, why she thought the way she did – she was on her own, she didn’t have a choice. She was a fighter.

Something ignited in Bill’s chest with those thoughts. He didn’t think she could grow on him more but she did and he couldn’t deny it anymore. He couldn’t tell himself anymore that he doesn’t fancy her, because he does – a lot.

For the first time, he forgot all about their age gap, forgot about how young she was, and started seeing the situation from the perspective of his brothers.

He didn’t even care who was right and who was wrong anymore as she continued to talk about her mother and with every story she told him about her, he felt a bigger urge to protect her, to defend her, to keep her away from that woman – and not just as a friend – wishing for nothing else that she could join him in Egypt.

But he could never do that to her. He would never ask something that big of her. His heart sank as he realized that it doesn’t matter if he would be okay with their age difference – they simply couldn’t work out.

Knowing that they will never happen and even if he lets his guard and morals down and would give in to his feelings they can’t be together. He was in Egypt and was going to stay there for the foreseeable future and she was going to run a successful shop with his brothers.

A smile painted Bill’s face and his chest felt lighter when he realized that they might not end up together but at least she will have Fred and George and if he can’t be there for her – stand by her side as her partner – he knew that the twins won’t disappoint him because he knew how much she meant to them.

They ended up laying on the blanket, observing the sky, almost until the morning. Theodora couldn’t believe how much they had to talk about. She felt so vulnerable when she told him about her mother but Bill was so understanding and his presence made the memories she relived so much easier to bear.

Bill talked about his job and told her all about the tomb he is currently working in. He told her stories of when the twins were little and made her laugh so much that she shed a couple of tears.

She has never seen Bill in such a way. He seemed so much more relaxed around her than with the others and she liked that a lot. He opened up and got more talkative and as much as she loved that he did as much she didn’t like the fact that her crush was turning into something more serious.

She has only been at the Burrow for a few days and her feelings for him started growing already. She didn’t want to know how she will be able to contain them and what will happen to her when the summer ends.

She took a deep breath, careful not to startle Bill as he just started to tell her how Charlie fell off a broom when he was 9, as she tried calming herself down.

She knew that they were just friends, Bill will never be able to see more in her than that. She came to terms with that and decided to relax and enjoy being his friend as he made her laugh once again, imitating Charlie’s screams when he barely scratched his knee when he fell off the broom.

[ad1thi]

2020 fic recs!! [Part 1]

this idea was stolen from @iam93percentstardust cuz i just,,,thought that this year was absolute shit and it would be nice to make a fic rec list of fics from this year that helped me through it. this will be over a range of fandoms and ships, but all fics were written this year. 

fics are ordered by the month they were published. ive tried to keep to five fics per month, but this is not obviously all the fics ive read that month - i just didn’t want to make this insanely long. 

im releasing the first half of this on the 1st of December, and the second half on the 1st of January 2021 - because otherwise it would just get so long (and also so i will actually have fics for December)

happy reading!! hopefully you find fics on this you haven’t read yet

***

January

The cat is mighty dignified (until the dog comes by): @five-wow

Steve and Danny find them on the pillow in the corner of the dining area, where Eddie is on his side, ass half on the floor because the pillow is more cat-sized than lab-sized, and Pickles is nestled between Eddie’s front legs, essentially being spooned and looking very I-got-the-cream about it. Pickles’ head is tucked into the crook of Eddie’s neck and Eddie’s head slots perfectly on top of Mr. Pickles’, like a furry jigsaw puzzle.

“They’re cuddling,” Steve points out, unnecessarily.

Or: There is a love story unfolding under the McGarrett roof.

Captain ‘Socialist Rage Muffin’ America: @baffledkingcomposinghallelujah

It takes three months of dating Steve Rogers for Tony to understand why Aunt Peggy once shot at him in sheer frustration.

Alternately titled, Honey, I committed treason again.

The Best Laid Plans (Of Mice and Men): @arboreal-elm-ash-oak

His Dark Materials AU

It was Annalise who noticed their small visitor first.

“Tony,” the spider daemon said softly, skittering up the collar of his dress shirt, two of her eight legs resting delicately against his cheek, “Don’t startle them, but I believe we have a guest. Look, by the coffee table.”

Fourteen Million to One: @tunastorks

Six months after Thanos, six months after Tony’s death, six months after Steve returns to his own timeline, Tony Stark turns up on their doorstep.

Brewed Awakening: @iam93percentstardust

Two years after he comes out of the ice, Steve is drifting through life. On his teammate's recommendation, he decides to go back to school where he meets the grandson of an old friend. He finds happiness with Tony but Steve won't be in Boston forever and someone is out to hurt the Starks. Will Steve and Tony be able to reach their happily ever after?

February

the young, the reckless and the foolish: @bruciewayne

In most universes, they don't know each other, not in the slightest, or they hate each other, in a way that's perfectly logical for anyone who were to find themselves in a similar situation.

In this one, they've known each other since they were four years old and naively idealistic.

This is them over the years, against the odds.

a giant sign: @areiton

“Think you can get him to open the weapons division up again?” his CO asks, his voice hungry and Rhodey laughs because this--

“No. Tony hung up his weapons.”

“That’s not what the suit says,” his CO objects, and Rhodey shrugs.

Tony has always had rules, rules he expects the entire world to live by.

And then there was Rhodey, slipping under them.

my heart is driftwood, floating down your coast: @nethandrake

Tonight, there’s a stranger in his backseat. That’s not unusual.

He’s also sad. That’s not unusual either.

What is unusual is that the stranger is silent.

(One night, a stranger enters Steve's taxi. Nothing is the same again.)

Just A Cold: @/delighted 

There’s a new text waiting for him. It’s from Steve of course, and it’s vaguely threatening as most messages from Steve are these days. Still Danny ignores it, and now he’s really playing with fire. Maybe it’ll burn the cold out of him.

Or, Danny’s sick, and Steve can’t stay away. The usual comfort fluff. With a little cameo from a gently meddling Grace.

An Unexpected Guide: @/Rachel500

Danny Williams has hidden his Guide status to keep being a detective, but his time of hiding is up when he unexpectedly finds his Sentinel, Steve McGarrett in the midst of a tragedy.

March

Why don’t we (Collide the spaces that divide us): @five-wow

When they finally catch sight of each other again through the milling crowds, they’re both a little worse for wear. Danny’s left side is covered in glitter and every time he brushes a hand over his hair, more blue and purple confetti rains down. Steve is- Well, Steve is randomly shirtless, which is all things considered not excessively remarkable, but he’s also covered in smudges of colorful paint and has a very nicely printed bloodred lipstick kiss mark on his cheek.

“What did you do?” Danny asks, because it looks like Steve had a lot more fun than he did.

Or: Steve and Danny accidentally end up in the middle of something entirely new.

A Little Unsteady: @finduilasclln 

Written for the Tumblr prompt meme : "Hey! I was gonna eat that!"

Tony lashes out at Bucky for eating his dessert. Only, it really isn't about the dessert.

a national treasure: @starklysteve

Steve isn't looking for an apple and Tony decides his passion is to inspire young souls. -x- OR: the AU where Tony is a Youtuber and Steve is Captain America and somehow they still save the world together.

April

cycle through: @ambivalentmarvel

Twenty-five years ago, Tony Stark disappeared from his family home a month after the tragic deaths of his parents, Howard and Maria Stark, leaving a billion-dollar tech conglomerate without an heir and the world wondering what happened.

Twenty-three years ago, HYDRA gained another super soldier.

Ten years ago, Peter Parker’s parents died in what is ruled as a home invasion gone wrong but he knows was murder, plain and simple, because he spoke to the killer.

And in the present, Project Insight fails, and the Iron Soldier pays the price.

FOREVER-LOVE YOU-I: @/Eudoxia

Tony Stark is twenty-one when he loses his voice. It shouldn't matter, but in a world where the first words your Soulmate says to you are marked on your skin, it can be pretty damn annoying.

Especially for Tony's soulmate.

--

Companion piece to my fic Thumb, Index, and Pinky Extended. This is Steve's POV, with a few extra scenes, as a treat.

(Edit: Sorry if you guys get multiple notifications for this. I just realized (about two hours after posting it) that I fucked up the grammar in the title and I HAD to fix it. YOLO, I guess.)

come build a home out of me: @maguna-stxrk

Steve clears his throat.

“What if I went with you?” he asks nonchalantly, like his heart isn’t threatening to beat out of his ribcage.

Tony blinks a few times, looking at Steve, his mouth ajar. “As a— As my date?”

“Yeah.” Steve nods, feeling a little breathless.

“You don’t mind?” Tony furrows his eyebrows.

“I don’t. In fact, you can just tell them I’m your boyfriend. I’m sure they’ll back off, wouldn’t they?”

What.

“I— Huh?” Tony stares at him, brown eyes blown wide open.

What. What. What.

“Huh? Uh, I mean— You know, that way people will see that you have definitely moved on. Monica will see that you have moved on. Right?” Steve smiles, hoping that it masks his inner panic, because what?

Steve Rogers, what have you done?

i don’t have a choice (but i’d still choose you): @nethandrake

There’s a name inked onto his chest, a name written in an all-too familiar scrawl. And it’s— It’s—

Steve doesn’t realize his body is quaking until he’s tracing the tattoo with a shaky finger.

Because of course that is the name etched into the skin. Like a brand, a reminder for everything he has done. An appropriate retribution.

Anthony Edward Stark.

(When Thanos snaps half of the universe away, he unknowingly leaves the other half with soulmarks.)

ua haʻalele ʻoe iaʻu (a ua hoʻomālamalama ʻoe iaʻu): @just-fandomthings

"The truth is, I was shot in the chest and nearly died, and not even three days after I was released from the hospital, you up and left-- and of those two, I'm not sure which one hurt me worse!"

(Coda to 10x22 because come on, we all need a better ending than the one given to us.)

Title loosely translates to: "You left me in the dark (you lit me up)" -- inspired by the brilliant song "Say You Won't Let Go" by James Arthur

May

A Piece Of The Past: @hddnone

It had been so many years since Bucky had gone undercover in the Stark family's mob, he thought he'd gotten away clean.

Then Tony Stark slid into the seat across from him at his breakfast diner, and Bucky's boss has a new case for him.

the privilege of loving you: @starklysteve

“Why won’t you let me touch you?”

It’s a desperate plea, half-shouted and half-whispered, Steve’s voice cracking at the end. Tony stops in his tracks, halfway to the stairs. He doesn’t dare to turn back, and he really doesn’t want to fight, or to leave, to spend the last month of his life away from his husband and their son. But Steve can’t know, can he?

-x-

Or: Tony has palladium poisoning, but he doesn't tell Steve and Peter

your pillow feels so soft now (but still you must advance): @firebrands

When Bruce is 13, he decides to go to boarding school. It's an opportunity for him to learn about other people, and how to interact with them.

Bruce has the misfortune of meeting Tony Stark upon his arrival in Roxbury. Bruce is moving into his room, and Tony opens the door of his room to watch. He looks a bit younger than Bruce, hair wild and eyes bright. Bruce has never seen a boy like him before—handsome and confident.

Bruce doesn’t like it.

IMPORTANT: This fic has them meeting at 14, then progresses slowly until they’re 17. Includes underage drinking and kissing.

This is set before Bruce becomes Batman and Tony becomes Iron Man and I have no explanation as to how or why they just DO Canonically, Bruce is 17 when he finishes school and goes around the world to train, so we're sticking with that

The Real MVP: @sword-and-stars (part of a series)

[“I have saved this Tuesday!” Sokka announces, rattling the bag upon reentry.

Zuko doesn’t even look up from his phone as he deadpans, “It’s Thursday.”

Okay, so Sokka is still having trouble getting his days right without checking. At least he’s gone back to sleeping at night! Going to bed at night is way easier when you have a cute, cuddly boyfriend who starts falling asleep around eleven o’clock. It also helps that he and Zuko are on solid gold butt-touching terms.

It’s been a while since Sokka has been on butt-touching terms with someone and it’s amazing.]

Or,

Sokka knows a guy, gets laid, and introduces Zuko to the merits of an afternoon delight.

When is a bed not a bed? (When you’re not in it): @riotwritesthings

There’s a tiny safe house, with one tiny window and one tiny couch.

And one tiny little bed.

June

Nice Fingers: @anthonyed

A single compliment given by Tony stirs Bucky restless until he caves in and asks him out on a date.

With Steve’s help of course (whether he likes it or not).

The Darkest Touch: @starkrogerrs

This is the story of how Steve finds that it has been ordained that he is to marry a monster he cannot resist aka the God of Love himself, Tony.

It's Cupid x Psyche retold, but with thrice the amount of porn.

The Night Shift:  @weethreequarter

Welcome to the Emergency Department of San Antonio General where Dr. Tony Stark joins the team fresh from his most recent tour in Afghanistan and - much to the consternation of the other staff - strikes up an instant rapport with Nurse Steve Rogers. Meanwhile, new resident Bruce Banner refuses to give up on his patient, and Dr. Sharon Carter learns something from her own patients. Throw in a pissed off hospital administrator, Clint using the coffee pot as a mug again, and a major car crash and you have, well, just another night shift.

Wind Beneath My Wings: @iam93percentstardust

Sam first meets Tony Stark in 2005 when he joins the EXO-7 Falcon program.

In jest: @/apathyinreverie

“No, babe,” Danny shakes his head with a grin. “If the apocalypse were to go down while I’m elsewhere for some godforsaken reason, then you stay put and I’m coming to wherever you are.” His grin widens. “And I expect you to have cleared any aliens or zombies or whatever else might be messing with us off the island and to have set up a nice, comfortable military dictatorship for us to rule over by the time I get back.”

It’s a joke.

Of course it’s a joke.

Until it isn’t.

(A the-day-after-tomorrow-style apocalypse AU, where the world decides to end right when Danny is visiting one of the other islands with Grace. Because, of course, it does.)

[extremelyblackandwhite]

handmaid - 33

PAIRING: mob!sebastian stan x ingenue!reader

WARNINGS: age gap, guns

A/N: we’re a few chapters away from the end and i’m much too emotional. hope you enjoy this chapter x

NEXT CHAPTER

Her reflection in the mirror was quite clear: the handmaid was dressed like a bridesmaid. She observed the tiny details of the dress which reached all the way to the ground, the same tiny details reproduced on every single dress any of her bridesmaids were wearing and in that exact moment, Y/N never felt more hypocritical than ever before wearing a celebration dress for a celebration she didn’t want to celebrate. She really wanted to be happy for her and if she were marrying anyone else, she would’ve been so excited, but she wasn’t. Gwen was marrying Sebastian, she was marrying the man she was in love with and the man who was unknowingly the father of her baby. 

Everything just seemed to happen in slow motion and she felt herself leave more and more from the scene as she stood there in her bridesmaid dress and berry coloured lipstick with no one talking or even noticing she was there. For the first time in her life she realised how invisible she was to everyone in that room. Every single person in that room had once asked for her help being with homework or lying and she was still as invisible as ever. As the bridal party exchanged various gifts to be used on her “first night” along with unholy amounts of champagne and expensive gourmet canapés, Y/N took away from the bedroom, slowly and quietly closing the door. The halls of the Ritz were filled with several guests from mob families’ heads to their friends, celebrities, public personalities and rich people waiting for the time to get a peek the blushing bride. Y/N would have easily swayed through the crowd and returned to her bedroom had it not been for a few flower girls running around in their puffy taffeta baby pink dresses with their hair up in silky ribbons with some flowers peppered around. 

She didn’t know if it was her hormones playing tricks on her or if the lack of sleep had finally caught up to her but she couldn’t help but stare at them with an inherent sadness as her hand rested against her stomach. Was she gonna even have enough to provide for her child? The pay checks coming from being in Sebastian’s employment wouldn’t be enough for more than the first year and with the economy, Y/N didn’t think someone would be looking for an English Literature major. She had never even had experience in the field, being forbidden to do a internship year at the British Museum with the excuse that it would be much too dangerous. How was she gonna provide for the baby? Maybe she could get a job as a waitress in Paris, the city was filled with cafés and restaurants. 

Nevertheless, she couldn’t help but feel worry as her thumb caressed her stomach. Turning her head away from the playing children she continued her way down the hall until the lift that would take her to her bedroom. Y/N watched the numbers of the doors go down until she noticed Sebastian’s door. Unlike Gwen’s door, there was no one awaiting outside, it was void of any seemingly curious people about the groom. She should really keep walking and not get in, yet she felt pity for him not having his mother or his father on his wedding day and so she knocked softly on his door, opening it to see Sebastian walking from side to side, a condensed glass of orange coloured whiskey on his left hand and a untied tie hanging from his neck.

     - Liquid courage? - she walked into his room. He looked at her for a few seconds before gulping the rest of his beverage, cleaning his lips with the back of his hand afterwards. - Where are your groomsmen? 

     - In the same place where non-existent things belong. - he replied, turning to his floor length mirror to try and tie his tie to no avail. Y/N sighed, placing her hands in his shoulders and turning him to face her before her hands moved to his tie to tie it into a Windsor not. 

     - You surely must have someone close enough to be your groomsman or best man. - she straightened his crisp cotton dress shirt before sliding her hands back to his shoulders. She let out a sigh, looking to the other side and contemplating what she was about to ask him. - Let’s run away.

     - What?

     - Let’s go to France. There’s a place I know which would definitely take us in until we found a place since I’m sure Mr. Forrest wouldn’t allow me to keep the house. Let’s just go, please.

     - What? Angel, we can’t just run away, my whole money is dependent on this marriage. How am I supposed to take care of you? Do you know how many enemies I have? I couldn’t possibly hire enough security for you. - he cupped her face, trying to make her understand her point. - I will never have enough to give you if we leave.

     - As long as you’re with me, that would be enough. Am I not enough? 

     - Angel, there is a legally binding contract between me and Genevieve. I can’t just ... I promised my father. - Y/N took a step back, hitting the door while her hand held the knob. - We can’t rush in, we need to have a pla ...

     - Why do you care so much about what your father made you promise when you were a child. The same child whose mother he forbad you from seeing ... you know Sebastian, just because your father was a great man, doesn’t mean he was a good one. 

Before he could reply to her, she opened the door and exited, rushing through the hall and punching the button of the lift so she could return to her bedroom before she completely broke down. She could feel her chest clenched and the warmness of her tears which almost burned the brim of her eyes. All she could hear was her heart pounding in her ear mixed with the soft music of the lift and nothing made her want to break down more in tears than she should.

As she rushed into her bedroom she collapsed on her bed, the tears finally rolling down. Mr. Williams was right, she was a mistress and a innocent mistress at that. Why would she believe he would run away? Why would he gave up on what he knew for her? But will all of that, what would she do with the baby? She clearly couldn’t stay, Gwen and Dan would be quick to notice her growing bump along with other pregnancy symptoms? No, she had to leave. Start again, start again Y/N. She can’t spend her whole life dreaming despite it being all she seemed inclined to do. She was about to be a mother and needed a brand new start. Wiping the tears from her eyes, she opened the bedside drawer to pull out the key to her apartment in France but instead of it she found a blanket. Her eyes couldn’t believe the picture they saw as she realised it was the same blanket she had left back in Sebastian’s penthouse. 

     - My, my, there must be quite a story to go with that blanket. - her blood froze as she turned her face towards one corner of the bedroom to see Mr. Williams sat on her arm chair. - Won’t you tell me? 

     - Get out. - she held tightly onto her pillow, fear installing itself in her whole being?

     - No? Alright then. - he grinned darkly. - I will tell you a story. Once upon a time there was a man who was deeply in love with a beautiful young woman. He used to sit in the box of her operas every single night just to hear her sing and all was well ... But, one day, the beautiful woman shows up engaged to a mob boss. He quickly understood that in this world love is meaningless and all that matters is power so, he decided that he was gonna get as much as he could and maybe win the woman as a treat too. He planned everything, he had her unborn daughter’s safety put in risk knowing the young woman would rush to his employer for help. He thought that surely offering his employer the only family that stood in his way would make him overcome with joy and he would finally promote the man to the type of power he wanted. However, the employer instead decided to make sure that family would never stand in his way by ensuring his son would marry the young woman’s precious daughter. The man knew his only way to power was if that daughter disappeared so he decided he would kill her yet when he tried the beautiful young woman stood in the way and he couldn’t finish the job. 

      - Why are you telling me this? 

      - The father of the young woman’s daughter grew worried that his precious little daughter would be harmed again so he made an orphan baby pass out as his daughter to ensure she would never be harmed. However, the father was much too weak to completely give the baby up and instead kept her around as a handmaid. The man thought power was just on the horizon but then at a masquerade he saw the eyes of the same woman he loved controlling the man who held the power he deserved. And so, I lived unhappily ever after. 

     - You’re lying. - she could feel her heart pound harder as she felt into an abyss of existentialism. What do you do when you see that who you think you are isn’t what you think you are. 

     - I knew I would have to get some concrete proof so I asked a few favours. I knew Michael Forrest wouldn’t leave his only child, his only daughter completely penniless and so when I saw your name as the sole benefactor of his will I had my proof. 

     - But Dan ...

     - Daniel Forrest is nothing but an affair gone wrong whom he took pity on but you ... you were born more powerful than I have ever been. Not only are you the sole benefactor of a whole entire family’s work and prestige, you also were born rich enough to never work a single day on your life. Everything was given to you and you didn’t even know it while I paid and I suffered only to see that petulant man child grab the spot that I rightfully deserved. - Y/N looked at her door hoping Elias would be there to help her out, she really hoped someone would pass be. He had to be lying, he had to be lying. - Here is how you’re gonna pay me if you were to have what you so want. No one will believe you, a pregnant mistress who isn’t even smart enough to dispose of her own pregnancy test and your daddy would never allow you to be married to someone from the Stan family, but with me on your side, with my evidence, they will listen. When you are married, you will make me a personal adviser and you will put forward my good name and I shall manage that clueless little man child who should’ve never been born in the first place.

      - He’s not clueless. - her voice was low but full of intention.

      - And who are you? How are you gonna rule two mob families if you can’t even piece together who your parents were even with me giving you clues. Best give it to me, that way both of us will have exactly what we want. 

      - No. - she stood up from her bed, looking him down from where he was standing much to his surprise. - I couldn’t defend my mother from you but I will protect Sebastian.

      - Well, birdie ... - his hand grabbed something from his side and as it hit the light, Y/N realised her was holding a gun in her direction. - Who will protect you? 

      - Please, don’t do this. - she pleaded. - I ... I told Sebastian not to be harsh with you, I helped you, I was kind to you. 

      - Kindness doesn’t get you anywhere in this business. - he noticed her eyes on the door and chuckled. - Your bodyguard thinks you’re in the bridal suit, no one is gonna come looking for you. Now, you’re gonna be a good girl to me and go with me to the car or I’ll make sure they find your bodyguard in a pool of his own blood.

He got up from his seat and rushed to her, putting her in front of him, one hand gripping her arm while the other one held the gun against her spine. She could feel her heart beat and flashes of everything she had done since she remembered living. Was she gonna die? Was this how she ended? Nevertheless, there was nowhere she could go as he led her drown the stairs and onto the lobby, stopping as he noticed the telephone on the entrance table. He turned her harshly towards the desk until her ribs hit the edge and before the assistant could say anything, he pointed his gun at her. 

     - Sebastian always thinks he has everything under control, I’m about to show him just how wrong he is. - he ordered the woman to type in a number on the hotel’s phone before grabbing it himself. - If you want this lovely lady not to have a bullet in the middle of her eyes you are gonna tell him you’re pregnant and how scared you are. 

He shoved the phone against her ear, hurting her in the process and she could feel her tears burn the brim of her eyes yet again as the loud beeping played around and around before he picked it up, a rather upsetting hello coming through. She, however, couldn’t say anything which quickly changed as he pressed the gun against her back rather forcefully. 

     - Go on. - he whispered against her ear as Sebastian said another hello on the phone. 

     - S...Sebastian, it’s Y/N ... - the gun pressed harder on her back. - I’m scared, Sebastian. I’m scared.

     - Are you alright? 

     - Now, don’t play games with me Y/N. Go on ... tell him

     - I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to, I’m so sorry. 

     - Angel, whatever it is, you can tell me. 

     - I’m pregnant. 

tag list: @lilya-petrichor​​​​​​ @xoxohannahlee​​​​​​ @irespostthingsiwanttoseelater​​​​​​ @nikkipea​​​​​​ @madisonpillstrom​​​​​​ @cevans98​​​​​​ @thelostallycat​​​​​​ @sideeffectsofyou​​​​​​ @anxiousdreamersworld​​​​​​ @captainchrisstan​​​​​​ @lookiamtrying​​​​​​ @sarge-barnes-sir​​​​​​ @stuffforreferences​​​​​​ @thebadassbitchqueen @sebastianstansqueen​​​​​​ @nsfwsebbie​​​​​​ @strangerliaa​​​​​​ @emzd34​​​​​​ @everything-is-awesomesauce​​​​​​ @dreams-in-blxck​​​​​​ @krismeunicornbaobei

[mldrgrl]

Hi. I was wondering if you could write and AU fic where after Mulder shaves his beard baby William can't recognize him anymore and only wants his mama. It could be set between the last seasons or even during IWTB, is up to you. Your writing is amazing ❤

Thank you, Anon.  I totally intended to give you what you wanted, and then I forgot to follow instructions.  This can be an AU/post-Trust No 1 story.

He Knows

It’s late when she picks her son up from her mother’s house.  She should leave him there, let him spend the night in the pack ‘n play undisturbed, but she can’t be away from him right now.  Not when she was so close to seeing his father again and had the opportunity slip away.  She needs to hold him, smell the top of his fuzzy little head and remind herself that she still has a piece of Mulder with her.

William falls back to sleep in the car as Monica drives them back home.  Scully nearly falls asleep herself.  She’s been running on hope and adrenaline for days and with a failed reunion as the end result, exhaustion has taken over.

“Do you want me to come up with you?” Monica asks.

Scully shakes her head.  “No,” she answers.  “I appreciate it, but I just need…”

Monica nods in understanding.  They say no more.  Scully gets out of the car and opens the back to unlock William’s carrier.  The baby flinches slightly when the door is closed, rolls his eyes open, but doesn’t really wake.  Monica waits until Scully is inside the building to pull away.

The carrier is heavy in Scully’s arms and weighs her down.  She trudges into the foyer of her building and trudges up the single flight of stairs.  She’s starting to tremble and she wills herself to wait until she’s inside to fall apart.  Wait until she has William down so he doesn’t see her.  As soon as she opens the door, she sets the carrier down inside so she can drop her keys and shed her coat, but she doesn’t make it that far.

“Don’t turn on the light,” a soft voice to her right murmurs.

She freezes.  “Mulder?” she whispers.  Her eyes dart through the dark room, searching.

“I’m here.”

“Oh my God.”  

He’s a dark figure coming slowly towards her, all shimmers and shadows.  She shuts her eyes, squeezes them tight, and then opens them again to see if it’s only wishful thinking playing a cruel trick.

“Scully,” he breathes.

“Mulder,” she answers.

His hands are on her face and his mouth is on hers and it’s all real and not a dream.  He feels differently to her, thinner than he used to be, and the whiskers of a full beard tickle her chin and cheeks.  She whimpers and folds her arms tightly around the back of his neck, lifting onto her toes to get as close as possible.  He takes his hands off her face to wrap his arms around her, squeeze her tight, and she breaks from their kiss to hide her sudden tears in the crook of his neck.  She clings to him and he holds her, rocking her from side to side until William squawks lightly in his carrier, reminding her that she’s not the only one that’s been waiting for this reunion.

Mulder releases Scully with a nervous chuckle.  She wipes her wet cheeks and bends to pick up the carrier, shushing the baby quietly as she takes him into the bedroom.  Mulder follows.  He turns the blinds as she sets the carrier on the bed and then switches the bedside lamp on low.  

William blinks and squirms.  Mulder blinks and stares.  Scully shifts her eyes between the two of them and unhooks the baby from the carrier.  “Guess who’s here,” she murmurs, her lips against the soft shell of William’s ear.  She finally gets a good look at Mulder as she stands cheek to cheek with their son.  He’s wearing a rumpled sweatsuit and looks as tired as she feels, but relieved as well, like he’s dropped a heavy burden he’s been carrying.  She’s taken back to the moment nine months ago when she first placed the baby in his arms and she comes closer.

“He may not want me to...” Mulder says, taking a step back, but he opens his arms anyway.  He’s eager, she can tell, but nervous.

“Go see Daddy,” she whispers, passing William to his father.

The emotion of the moment is written on Mulder’s face.  He’s the happiest Scully has ever seen him, taking his son into his arms, perhaps even more in awe than the first time he held him.  William looks up at Mulder with a pensive expression, the tuft of his left eyebrow lifting in skepticism he could only have inherited from his mother.  

Mulder lifts William a little higher in his arms and looks at him all over like he’s trying to memorize everything about him.  “I’ve tried to imagine what he looked like,” he says.  “What he...just, everything about him.”

“He’s got six teeth now,” Scully answers.  “Pears are his favorite food.  We usually read The Very Hungry Caterpillar before bed.  He sleeps through the night.”

“Nice to know one of us does.”

Scully chuckles softly.  “He babbles a lot to himself, but hasn’t said his first word yet.”

“Maybe he just doesn’t have anything to say quite yet,” Mulder says.  “You’ll talk when you’re ready, won’t you?”

In response, William reaches up to grab hold of the whiskers on Mulder’s cheek, taking a fistful with a strong grip.  Mulder winces, but laughs, taking William’s hand in his and bringing it to his mouth to kiss his chubby little fist.

“I know, I know,” Mulder says.  “I look a little different from when we last saw each other.”

William drops his head suddenly and rests it on Mulder’s shoulder.  Mulder splays his hand out against William’s back and bends to kiss the top of his head.  Tears gather in Scully’s eyes again and she brushes them away.  Mulder glances at her and opens one arm to her to invite her in.  She steps into his embrace and feels him sigh as she rests her cheek against his chest.  She watches William grow sleepy again and struggle to keep his eyes open.  He rubs his face against Mulder’s shoulder, giving a frustrated snuffle as he fights off sleep.

“I should put him down,” Scully says.  

“Do we have to?” Mulder asks.

Scully lifts her head and looks up to see the longing in Mulder’s eyes.  Her heart stutters in her chest.  She moves to the bed, clears the carrier off, and turns the comforter down.  “Come,” she says.

As Mulder sits down, Scully kneels.  She unlaces his tennis shoes and slips them off before he swings his legs up onto the bed and slides back against the pillows, cradling William against his shoulder all the while.  She quickly removes her jacket and steps out of her own shoes before she lies down beside him.

William is slack against Mulder’s chest, his face tipped up and mouth open near his father’s neck.  Mulder cups the back of the baby’s head gently as he adjusts to a more comfortable position and then closes his eyes.

“I was so afraid I’d never see you again,” Scully whispers.  “I thought I’d lost my only chance tonight.  To have you back...I’ve missed you so much.”

Mulder swallows and tips his head back further.  He doesn’t open his eyes, but tightens his jaw.  She touches his face, strokes the scratchy and unfamiliar whiskers at his chin.  He pulls away, kisses William’s head and then tries to pass the baby over to Scully.

“What’re you doing?” she asks, sitting up, refusing to take the baby.

“I told myself it would just be for a minute.  Just to see you and William, to know you’re alright, but it was a mistake.”

“What’re you talking about?”  She pushes into his shoulder, holding him down against the pillows as she looms over him.  

His eyes are bloodshot and watery.  “I’m putting you in danger.”

She shakes her head.  “You’re wrong,” she says.  “The danger is in not being together.”

“What do you want me to do, Dana?  Tell me what you want because I’m tired of running and I’m tired of hiding, but I will disappear forever if it means you’re safe.  If William is safe.”

“If you think I’m letting you walk out of here alone you’re insane.”

William jerks at the intensity in Scully’s voice.  He whimpers and turns his head back and forth on Mulder’s shoulder.  Mulder shushes him quietly and runs a soothing hand down his back.

“Whatever we do from now on, we do it together,” she says, emphatically, but quietly, so she doesn’t disturb the baby.  “If you go, we’re coming with you.”

“Absolutely not.  Scully, you don’t know what you’re saying.  Hiding.  Looking over your shoulder all the time.  That’s not the kind of life our son deserves.”

“I know that he deserves to know his father.”  She stops, her voice suddenly thick with emotion and throat closing almost painfully.  She swallows it down.  “I deserve...Mulder, we deserve…after everything we’ve been through...we deserve to finally, finally be together.��

“You don’t know how badly I want that.”

“I don’t want to do this alone,” she whispers.  “I don’t know if I can.”

Mulder turns his eyes to hers, instantly recognizing his former plea to her in the hallway of his apartment many years ago.  “If we quit now, they win,” he responds.

“Let them.  Let them win.  We have already lost so much, Mulder.  But, this...”  She lays her hand over Mulder’s on William’s back.  “You told me once that there was so much more out there than the x-files.  This is it, Mulder.  This is the something else.  We could walk away and have this.”

“It would be…”

“It would be worth walking away for.”

He nods slightly and that pacifies Scully for now.  She lays down beside him again and puts her arm around him.  Mulder reaches over and snaps the lamp off.  The weight of his son on his chest is both familiar and foreign, but it feels right in the same way that Scully beside him as always felt.  

Mulder sleeps heavily and wakes alone.  He can hear quiet noises in the kitchen and the low murmur of Scully’s voice.  He’s awash in sorrow, knowing it was wrong of him to come here, knowing he has to leave and what it will do to them.  His heart is breaking just thinking about it.  If it were possible to sneak out somehow, he just might consider it, but he’s afraid Scully would never forgive him for taking the coward’s way out.

Heavy and mournful, Mulder gets out of bed and shuffles into the kitchen.  He smells coffee.  William is at the head of the table in his high chair stuffing what looks like Cheerios and banana into his mouth.  Scully is buttering toast at the counter and she looks over her shoulder at him.

“Hey,” Mulder says.

Scully smiles and it makes his chest hurt.  “Good morning,” she says.  “Coffee?”

“Sure.”  Mulder sits down in the empty chair to the right of William.  William offers him a Cheerio, which he pretends to eat.  William giggles and kicks his foot.

Scully sets a mug of coffee in front of Mulder and puts her hand lightly on William’s head as she moves to sit down across from Mulder.  Mulder sips his coffee.  Scully takes dainty bits of toast and sips orange juice.  William chases Cheerios around the tray of his high chair with his index finger and then pokes at a slice of banana, smashing it to a pulp before closing his fist around it and pushing it into his mouth.  The clock in the kitchen ticks ominously.

“You kept the fish,” Mulder says, nodding at the fish tank at the tank by the wall.

“William likes them.”

“Um, about last night,” Mulder says, lowering his eyes to his coffee mug.  “What you said.  I think-”

“Dada,” William says suddenly, pointing to Mulder.

Scully looks startled.  Mulder is also taken aback, his mouth opening, but he’s unable to form words.

“Did he just…”  Scully says.

“Dada,” William says again.  He merrily kicks his foot against his high chair and shoves another fistful of mashed banana into his mouth.  He stares at Mulder with an intensity Mulder has never felt come from a baby before.

Mulder is drawn closer, leaning in to stare into William’s crystal blue gaze.  There’s something about the look in his son’s eyes that feels all-knowing and purposeful.  And there’s a sudden vision projected in his mind of a whole life ahead of him; chasing a laughing toddler down a narrow hall to get him in the bathtub, playing catch as twilight sets in, birthday parties, family movie nights on the couch with bowls of popcorn between them, building sandcastles on the beach, launching home-made rockets into space.  A feeling of pure joy floods through him.

But then, suddenly, he also sees a parallel vision that starts with him walking out of Scully’s apartment alone.  There’s Scully crying, William growing up with a different name and different parents, confused and angry, Mulder and Scully suppressed by darkness and pain.  So much darkness and pain.  It takes Mulder’s breath away for a moment and he blinks, falling back in the chair, sweating.

“Mulder?” Scully asks.

“I uh…”  He blinks again, leans closer to the baby, but William’s gaze is innocent.  And yet, there’s something there.  Something that tells Mulder this child knows more than all of them.

“Dada,” William says, reaching his sticky, banana-coated fingers out and gripping the whiskers on Mulder’s cheek.

“Oof.”  Mulder winces and pries William’s fingers loose.

“Unbelievable,” Scully says.  “I’ve tried getting him to say ‘Mama’ for weeks, and then you show up and...he’s just suddenly a Chatty Cathy.  Can you say ‘Mama,’ William?  Mama?”

“Dada,” William answers, holding a soggy Cheerio out to Scully.  She grimaces and shakes her head.

“What were you going to say about last night?” Scully asks.

William stares at Mulder with that cool, all-knowing gaze again and though it can’t be possible, Mulder can feel his son willing him to heed the warning he was just given.  Trust me, his son’s eyes are saying.  Trust me, Daddy.

“Uh, I just wanted to tell you that...you were right.  If we go, we go together.”

Scully nods and Mulder gets to his feet, stroking his sticky cheek.  William smiles and pokes at his Cheerios.

“First thing’s first though,” Mulder says.  “I need a shave.”

The End

[imgoingtocrash]

Made of Iron, Born of Fire: The Fanmix 

by @imgoingtocrash

Listen on Spotify and 8tracks

Read the series on Ao3

AKA: A labor of love for @savvysass’s birthday!!!!

What can I say that hasn’t already been said because we’re both incredibly sappy people in our Author’s Notes? Writing this series with you has brought me so much joy in the last two years, and I never could have hit over 100k words without you. Here’s to whatever we write next in the series...and all of the WIPs we’re working on right now...and only god knows what’s next for us personally and professionally...and most importantly, to you on your Birthday. Thank you for being such a good friend, in both fandom and outside of it. I’m so, so thankful to know you and love you. 🥰

Director’s Cut Below, because we all know I love talking about this series, and yes, that does extend to why I picked these songs. (And also maybe because these song choices only make sense in my brain and hopefully Savannah’s?? Who knows! Feel free to ask questions if you want but let’s be honest this series and fanmix are most importantly for us, because we love the series so dang much.)

My Wildest Dreams by Ron Pope

I spoke in riddles and in rhymes, but my time with you has taught me to simplify, you’re not quite what I pictured you would be, you’re better than my wildest dreams.

We’ve talked about this one before, and I’LL TALK ABOUT IT AGAIN!!!! Ron Pope is so good imo, and this song wowowow the father-child feels, but especially with Tony and newborn Peter a la A Foreign Feeling and A First Time For Everything.

Big & Scared by Raleigh Ritchie

I want to be better for you, let me do that now, you’re my favorite human, so you should be prepared, I’ll help you get through it, when you’re big and scared

We’ve mentioned Tony’s thoughts about legacy multiple times by now, and I think this song really represents Tony looking forward to the person Peter could be become and that “breaking the cycle” mentality of supporting Peter even when he’s not a perfect father.

Legacy of Sadness by Ron Pope

irrational as it may seem I guess I’m sorry, even though I know that none of it’s my fault, it is easier for me to count my blessings, than to cry for every single thing we’ve lost

I have 0 shame putting these two songs by Ron Pope almost back to back because they’re the opening and closing of an album dedicated to his child like...it’s so perfect for Tony and this theme of reflection on who he is and who Peter will become/is becoming and all that entails.

this is me trying by Taylor Swift

They told me all of my cages were mental, so I got wasted like all my potential, and my words shoot to kill when I'm mad, I have a lot of regrets about that

I wrote something...very sad but also soft recently??? and this is for That it’s about pre-CW Pepperony being separated and the road to them trying to come back together including Tony working on himself and I love it!!! It hurts really good!!! This whole song is perfect for it and I can’t wait until people get to read it.

Be Good When I’m Gone by Four Year Strong

I'm sorry I can't stop to listen, but I've got so much to do and I've got some place to be, the house looks like the aftermath of a hurricane, I hope it stays that way

Tony being a busy parent but doing his best to make time for Peter in his life and making that time count has been something super important to illustrate to us, especially the transition from being a CEO to being a superhero and how that changes how Peter sees Tony’s absence over time.

I Won’t Back Down by Johnnyswim, Drew Holcomb & The Neighbors, and Penny and Sparrow

Tony puts on the original version by Tom Petty in Home Is Where The Heart Is, but I think this cover has a very slow, emotional undertone that’s really great too. The interludes, if you didn’t catch it, have all been featured in a fic previously.

Let It Matter by Johnnyswim

So if it matters let it matter, if your heart's breaking let it ache, catch those pieces as they scatter, know your hurt is not in vain

Pepper in Never Tell Me The Odds ALL DAYYYYY. She’s the emotional rock of that fic (and of our Ironfam TBH) and it’s all because she allows herself to feel her feelings and encourages the Stark boys to do so as well.

Simmer - Acoustic by Hayley Williams

And if my child, needed protection, from a fucker like that man, I’d sooner gut him, cause nothing cuts like a mother

Post-Home Is Where The Heart Is...y’all know Pepper’s not that mad about what happened to Obie. Also just Pepper when someone hurts her family?? I always write it as her sort of putting all of her emotion into something she can control and doing it well, so, this song is all about that.

Tightrope by Nia Hendricks

one step after another, keep holding on to each other, don’t look back, move on and let go, that’s how you walk on a tightrope

Pepperony trying to navigate their relationship and the insanity of superhero stuff and also co-parenting. It’s all excellent, I love them so much, I enjoy writing it so much!!!!

Dancing With Your Ghost by Sasha Sloan

Never got the chance, to say a last goodbye, I gotta move on, but it hurts to try, how do I love, how do I love again?

This song is tilted towards romance, but if you’ll remember, we’re a Pro-Tony Survives Endgame AU series, so it’s not about THAT...but well...Infinity War sure will hit something fierce for certain non-romantic relationships in this series, huh?

The Bones by Maren Morris

Call it dumb luck, but baby, you and I, can't even mess it up, although we both try, no, it don't always go the way we planned it, but the wolves came and went and we're still standing

Post-Endgame Ironfam!!! Tony and Pepper married with their kids, their family and HAPPY...THIS IS WHY WE DO ALL OF THE ANGST...FOR A FAMILY...WE LOVE THEM

Carry on Wayward Son by Kansas

Considered Pepper and Peter’s ‘song’, as it’s referenced multiple times in the series, and was one of the bigger solidifying moments of their mother-son relationship as a whole.

Mundane by Hardcastle

And I’ve been sinking into silence, dwelling on my thoughts, and in these months, I haven’t felt that most conversations have left me anything but blue

Peter’s selective mutism was something very special to us when we originally had the idea, and making sure we talk about it and utilize it in the right way is something we’re still working on, particularly with the Therapy Fic we’re brainstorming atm.

survivin’ (One Eyed Jack’s Session) by Bastille

What can I say? I'm survivin', crawling out these sheets to see another day, what can I say? I'm survivin', and I'm gonna be fine, I'm gonna be fine, I think I'll be fine

Spoiler Alert: Peter’s not fine, like, a decent amount of the time. But he’s sure trying, and we love him for that.

Jacob from the Bible by Jake Wesley Rogers

Mama, don't worry, it took me years, to say I'm sorry, to see your tears, Mama, forgive me, I grew up too fast, but it's not on you, it's in the past

Mostly part of Peter growing up to become a hero and realizing what his parents--particularly Pepper--have gone through for him to become the person he is today, but that sometimes he still doesn’t feel like he’s making them proud enough.

Compassion Is a German Word by To Kill A King

Don't be so arrogant, you ain't no different to anyone I've met, we're all the heroes in our own film, or maybe the villain in someone else's

Spider-Man being an excellent superhero boi!!! Being kind and good!!! We love it!! Also, I put a TKAK song on...a LOT of my playlists, because I think they’re great.

brutal by Olivia Rodrigo

And I'm so sick of seventeen, where's my fucking teenage dream?, if someone tells me one more time, "Enjoy your youth", I'm gonna cry

I mean...this song is such a Teenage Mood...I had to do it...

In The Wee Small Hours Of The Morning by Frank Sinatra

So, I had this cute little scene in my head that went with this song for SO LONG but there wasn’t really anything for it to fit into so...yeah that’s part 2 of Savannah’s Birthday Gift, a little soft Baby Peter drabble. Fluffy Goop from top to bottom. That can be read here.

Home by Phillip Phillips

Just know you're not alone, 'Cause I'm gonna make this place your home

...I know it’s not original, okay? It’s found family, it’s great, I don’t care!

Comes and Goes (In Waves) by Greg Laswell

And this part was for her, and this part was for her, this part was for her, does she remember?

This song is good family angst in general BUT these specific lyrics made me think of Mary and that they never forget her in their lives despite the other stuff going on (because we refuse to let them).

I Have Made Mistakes by The Oh Hellos

I have made mistakes, I continue to make them, the promises I've made, I continue to break them, and all the doubts I've faced, I continue to face them, but nothing is a waste if you learn from it

No one in the Ironfam is perfect, but they all do their best to try and grow even when they’re scared they’ll never be able to. The ups and downs are all par for the course of this series to us.

Easy Days - Demo by Bastille

Cause I don’t wanna fall back again, back into the easy days, everything was so simple then, little fires burned away

Strife is a part of life, and the family in this fic growing through their loss and struggles and moving ahead as a unit to get to a better place is super central to making the fic what it is...but it’s easy for them to remember the old days before being superheroes and wishing it was simple again.

North by Sleeping At Last

Let the years we’re here be kind, be kind, let our hearts like doors open wide, open wide, settle our bones like wood over time, over time, give us bread, give us salt, give us wine

The way Tony went from feeling so alone to having an entire built family that’s so full of love and everything he never dreamed of...*screams into my pillow* I love this series so much thank you and good night!!!

[randomfandomnerd]

Sunshine and Shadows- Chapter 1

Watching Nico talking to Annabeth and Percy, Will mentally slapped himself in the face. That conversation had gone about as smoothly as the surface of the moon. There was no chance of Nico ever willingly talking to him if he behaved like an overprotective mother hen, although part of him still wanted to wrap the son of Hades up in a blanket, burrito-style, and hand-feed him nutritious snacks.

“Solace!”

The harsh tone of Clarisse’s voice snapped him back to reality.

“Quit admiring Di Angelo! I know you’d be more than happy to do that all day, so I’m reminding you now! You have an appointment after lunch to give Chuck a check-up DO NOT BE LATE OR YOU’LL BE GETTING AN APPOINTMENT WITH MY SPEAR!”

On that friendly note, the newly-elected godmother stormed over to the Athena Cabin to harass the campers who had offered to weave clothes for the new-born satyr. Gods help whoever stood in the way of her warpath. She adored Chuck and was determined to make his life as perfect as possible. 

Will nodded vaguely, before turning back to watch the son of Hades. He couldn’t help it. It wasn’t his fault that Nico was so gods damned attractive. Nico laughed at something Percy said, the action lighting up his face, making him truly look like the angel his name said he was. He gave Annabeth a high-five before heading back towards where Will was standing in front of the Apollo Cabin. 

Will noticed a blush creeping into his cheeks and quickly turned away, mortified. A moment later he felt a prod at his shoulder and looked up to see the son of Hades regarding him questioningly. 

“Will? We’d better get these 3 days over and done with then, right?”

Startled, Will let out a weird laugh that sounded like a piece of machinery made by Cabin 9, before nodding, turning round, and promptly walking into the doorframe, much to the amusement of Kayla, who was sitting inside, waxing her bowstring. Embarrassed, he quickly changed from his flip-flops into something more suitable for the infirmary before emerging again onto the porch. 

✧✧✧

Nico was waiting for him on the porch, leaning against a post, drumming his fingers against the railing. When Will approached him, he stood up and gestured for the son of Apollo to lead the way. The walk to the infirmary was short, thank the gods, and Will spent the time determinedly staring forwards. A few campers were hurrying around, carrying supplies. Will nodded a hello towards Jake Mason, who  was with a few other Hephaestus kids. The older boy didn’t have crutches any more, but preferred to use a cane when he had to walk around. Typical Cabin 9-style it had several cool additions, such as being able to extend into a fighting staff and, if Harley had anything to do with it, probably a flamethrower somewhere. The scarily muscular 8-year-old was chatting animatedly to his older brother, but he wasn’t at his usual bouncy self. Harley had worshipped Leo, and had been devastated by his loss. It didn’t help that now, closer to the start of school, all of his siblings, save for Nyssa, would be heading home or to college for a while. Will made a mental note to hang out with him more. 

The two boys reached the doors of the infirmary and Will opened one, stepping aside to let Nico in first. Once they were inside, Will made a beeline for an empty bed at the back of the infirmary.

“We save the front beds for anyone that comes in with a really severe injury”,

he explained. He gestured for Nico to sit on the bed while he fussed around, clearing some of Austin’s sheet music away from a chair before plonking himself down on it. He’d have a word later with his brother about working on his compositions in the infirmary. Glancing up, he noticed that Nico was looking rather awkward (and adorable). He kept moving his hands around, as if he weren’t quite sure what he was doing, whilst desperately avoiding eye contact with anyone. Right. Nico wasn’t a people person, and it was currently quite busy in the surrounding area. Will stood up to draw the blue curtain around their area, before turning to address the son of Hades. 

“I know this is primarily for you to get some rest, but I think I should give you a general check just to make sure nothing other than your irresponsible use of underworldy powers is a problem.”

Nico scowled at him but didn’t argue, instead opting for a curt nod. Will continued,

“I’ll start by looking under that bandage on your arm”

He reached out to Nico’s arm 

“Is this ok?”,

he asked. Nico paused slightly, before nodding again. As gently as he could, Will raised Nico’s arm and began to slowly unwind the bandage, revealing several nasty-looking red claw-marks gouged into his skin.

“Werewolf claws”,

mumbled Nico. Will frowned.

“These are definitely infected. I’ll check for a fever and get some ambrosia for you. I reckon these will leave scars.”

He hesitated, then leaned in and brushed Nico’s raven-black hair from his forehead. It felt soft and, to his dismay, Will found his cheeks turning pink again. Holding the back of his hand against Nico’s pale forehead, he noticed how warm the son of Hades was.

“Nico, you’re burning up!”,

he announced before rummaging around in a nearby cupboard for some ambrosia and anything else he could use to treat the wound. He noticed a rather sad-looking Aloe Vera plant. Didn’t his siblings know that Aloe Vera should be placed in direct sunlight and not at the back of supply cupboards? He placed the poor plant in the windowsill, before taking a washcloth and some antibacterial ointment from the cupboard, along with the promised ambrosia. After thoroughly washing his hands, he handed the ambrosia to Nico, who began to delicately take small bites out of it, while he wet the cloth under the tap and started to carefully clean the wound. Nico winced slightly when the cloth made contact with the infected area, but had a slightly dopey faraway expression whilst he ate the ambrosia. Will wondered what Nico tasted when he consumed ambrosia. When Will ate it he tasted the sweet lemonade his grandma made whenever he returned home to visit. He tended to remain at camp most of the time, due to his mum always travelling for work and his insistence not to attend any sort of boarding school, but every now and again, he would fly over with a satyr protector to stay at his grandparent’s house with her. When he left, he would spend most of his time wondering when, or if, he’d ever get to go back. Especially after having 2 big wars in the space of a few years. Of course, his problems were all miniscule compared to what Nico had had to go through. He’d had to face the death of his sister, being alone with only a ghost for company, knowing about Camp Jupiter and not being able to tell anyone, being kidnapped and locked in a jar by crazy giants, and then on top of all of that had to deal with everyone at camp avoiding him, because they thought that he wasn’t normal. It all made Will so angry at the world, for allowing some people so many good things, when Nico could probably count the number of times he’d been happy since coming to camp on one hand, and still have fingers left over to spare.

Nico cleared his throat, and Will realised to his embarrassment, that he was staring again. He sheepishly placed the cloth in the sink, before lightly spreading a thin layer of the antibacterial ointment over the claw marks and murmuring a prayer to his father, while wondering if it would even work, seeing as Apollo was probably at that moment in time in the middle of a long lecture from his father, Zeus, concerning Octavian, the evil stuffed-toy destroyer (Percy had treated the whole camp to a story at the campfire of how his panda pillow pet had been brutally slaughtered). 

He then covered the wound with a gauze pad, finishing by gently wrapping a length of bandage around, to prevent further infection. 

He turned round to clean up while giving Nico strict instructions,

“I’ll talk to Chiron and explain that you are under no circumstances to partake in any sort of training exercises. You should spend most of your time here, getting some much needed sleep, however I think it’s a good idea for you to attend 1 meal a day at the pavilion, which will also allow you to have some healthy time outdoors. The rest of the time I will provide food for you.”

Even though he was facing away, he could imagine the son of Hades glaring daggers at him. 

“I can get food myself. There’s a McDonalds near enough that the shadow travel shouldn’t hurt me.”

Will sighed in exasperation, running a hand through his hair and turning around to face his stubborn patient.

“Really? What part of ‘you can’t even summon a wishbone without melting into a puddle of darkness’ do you not get? I’m not even going to start on the ridiculous lack of proper nutrients in a McDonalds meal. What can they offer you that camp doesn’t?”

Nico raised his chin in a show of defiance

“Does Camp Half-Blood offer snazzy boxes? No I thought not. It also has an over-bearing mamma bear watching my every move. When I agreed to this, I expected gentle rest, not a prison sentence.”

He dramatically flopped back on the bed, his head on the pillow. 

“I’m not even tired! Not one bit!”

Fixing his glare at the ceiling he mumbled

“This is a nice pillow. Soft and squishy.”

On that note, he fell asleep, still muttering about how fully awake he was. Amused, Will shook his head and stepped out of the curtained area into the main area of the infirmary to see Cecil and Austin chuckling in his direction. Austin was in the process of checking Cecil’s strained calf muscle and met Will’s eyes with an amused look.

“Why William my dear brother, I do believe that you have met your match. He’s just as headstrong as you are!”

Disgruntled, the senior counsellor of the Apollo cabin went to the storage closet to reorganise the medical supplies.