#Lauris honey why this grin?

[wokeupinmars]

Agree to Disagree

Summary: Peter doesn’t believe you when you tell him you would've had a crush on him if you had known him in high school.

Warnings: None, this is just fluff featuring Husband!Peter and a Brooklyn Nine-Nine quote :)

TASM!Peter Parker Masterlist

Half-packed boxes surround you as you sit on the floor, a beaming smile plastered on your face as you go through a stack of photographs. Your husband leans against the doorway watching you, “Good to know that neither of us did much packing.”

You turn your attention from the pictures to Peter, “Got distracted by old stuff too?” He steps further into the room and takes a seat beside you, “Big time. Found my old DS and spent the past thirty minutes playing Mario Kart, you?”

You turn a photo around to show him, captured within the glossy film is a younger version of yourselves, sitting at what appears to be May’s kitchen table, Peter’s elbow propped up on the table with his chin resting in his hand, grinning as you excitedly talk about something. “I wonder what I was talking about here,” you say, turning it back to you.

He tilts his head to the side, giving the picture another, before taking the rest of the stack out of your hands and starts looking through them himself, “Hand gestures and the passion in your eyes tells me it’s about why Amy and Laurie were perfect together and how Jo and Laurie were platonic soulmates .”

You perked up at the mention, “They were platonic soul-” Peter cuts you off, “Why do we have a picture of MJ and Harry making out?” Your eyes scan the photo in confusion, but you quickly light up, realizing why the photo was in your possession, “Oh! It’s from the night we met, look, you can see us in the background.”

“You mean the night you fell madly in love with me after we all played Monopoly and you threw the thimble at my head because I bought Illinois Avenue and refused to sell to you?”

“Peter.” Your voice was stern despite the playful look in your eye. He lets out a huff, “The night you flirted with me for twenty seconds, and I became obsessed with you forever.”

A giggle leaves your lips at his words, “That’s more like it. MJ showed me, and I asked for a copy; it’s technically the first photo of us together, even if we weren’t dating yet. I wanted to remember it.”

“Aww, you like me,” he teases and scoots over to you, pressing a kiss to your cheek. He glances down at the picture, analyzing the background, and sure enough, there you two were sitting on the couch, his arm draped around the back of it, laughing as you whispered something in his ear. “Most days…oh my goodness! Look at this baby,” you say, spotting a picture of Peter from high school, “You’re so cute and dorky…or well, extra. God, I would have had the biggest crush on you.”

He scoffs at your statement, “Yeah right…I was so nerdy and awkward back then, high school you would have never given high school me the time of day.”

“Peter, my love, I need you to shut up, that’s future my husband you’re talking about.” You furrow your brows at him.

He shook his head and persisted, determined to make his point, “I’m serious. There’s no way you would have liked me then, I was this lame and insecure guy who had no idea how to talk to girls.”

“Okay? So was everyone else. I know I didn’t know you then, but I feel like you’re selling yourself short here. I mean, look at you.” You push the picture in his face, “Look at this cutie. He’s super smart and pretty and even if he’s unaware of it, charming. I would've been head over heels for this guy if we met back then. I’d also like to add that we’ve ran into several people who explicitly told you they had a crush on you back then.”

His lips twitched up slightly, “That’s really nice of you to say, Honey. But we didn’t meet back then, you met and fell for MJ’s hot friend with bleached hair in college.”

“Wrong. I was under the impression you were a dickhead before we met. I will be the first to admit that you were, in fact, a hot blonde, and I did begin to warm up to you after Monopoly was over, but I didn’t fall for you until you started rambling about string theory. I had never seen someone light up the way you did, and the way you talked…you explained everything in a way that never made me feel stupid. Plus, you got so flustered and started stammering over your words after I wiped salsa from the corner of your mouth and that-”

“-was embarrassing.” He concludes.

You shake your head, “It was adorable, you were so blushy.”

“That feels like an appropriate reaction when you nerd out in front of the pretty girl you've been trying to impress all night with salsa on your face, but you’ve made your point.” He pauses for a second, then continues, “We’ll just have to agree to disagree.”

You reach your hands out to cup his face and look into his eyes, “I was impressed, I love you and that big beautiful brain of yours. All it took was one conversation with you for me to know I wouldn’t be able to get enough of you, and I was right. It was true then, and it’s true now, and I’m certain high school me would have felt the same.” You give him a chaste kiss when you finish speaking.

Peter smiles into your kiss and then murmurs something against your lips, “God, it’s like you have a crush on me or something.”

[sylvie-writes]

Chain of Events

word count: 2500

pairing: andy barber x female reader

warnings: cheating, age gap, some profanity.

request: can i request a andy barber x fem!reader where the reader is his asisstant and his secret mistress (in mid 20s) which she always stick by his side and help him through jacob's trail. after the trail he divorced w laurie and they got marry and have a baby girl please!! thank you!!

a/n: sorry for the wait! i hope you enjoy lovely! ngl this really fueled my love for andy. 

please excuse any mistakes!

It wasn’t something you were proud of. Something that had started off as a night with a few innocent drinks paved the way for a never ending cycle. At times you felt dirty and awful, yet that didn’t stop you from going to see him every other night. Even when you had the slightest feeling that Laurie had a hunch, it didn’t stop you. Especially when things got dark for Andy, you were the one to hold him close and not his wife. It felt so right although extremely wrong all at the same time. 

༻﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡༺

Currently, you were sitting in your apartment bed, spending your Friday night a bit differently than most. Rain gushed from the sky and rhythmically hit your bedroom window which you were spaced out on, many thoughts running through your mind and a glass of wine occasionally hitting your lips. Using your free hand you softly ran your fingers through the mop of hair that belonged to Andy who was passed out in your lap. His breathing was even and it did your heart good to see him so peaceful for once. Just two hours ago, he called you, sounding so broken and vulnerable which was out of the ordinary for Andy. The minute you answered the door, he flung himself at you and held you tight, whispering repeatedly “don’t leave me, please.” 

It absolutely tore you to pieces to hear him say that and you were quick to reassure him that it wasn’t even possible. You then lead him to the bedroom to ask what had happened. 

“Is everything alright? Talk to me, Andy.” You placed a set of his pajamas into his hands but not without a pleading look in your eyes when meeting his own sullen ones.

“Laurie’s adamant it’s him, but (y/n)-” Placing a finger on his lips, you hushed him. 

“I know, I know. You just have to ignore it okay? Laurie is just,” Pausing, you chose your next words wisely, “having a hard time with it all. Everyone copes differently.” 

He sadly nodded before standing to kiss your forehead and make his way to the bathroom to get changed and cleaned up a bit. 

The two of you continued to chat about Jacob’s trial once Andy returned from the bathroom, and he confided in you in many ways more than one. You’d never seen Andy so open, even with yourself, and clearly it helped him quite a bit as he was now relaxed. 

Time had flown and amongst your thoughts, one stood out to you in particular. When would Laurie start to question where he was? Andy always had some bullshit excuse ready to give her and would then tell you that it would be alright. Normally, before you had time to truly convince yourself, Andy’s lips would be on yours or his hands would caress you gently and you’d melt into him as did your cares. Except for now. 

The two had just gotten into a huge fight and you were sure Andy hadn’t even thought twice about telling her where he was going. Even if he did, Laurie would surely be on the lookout for his return. 

Carefully reaching over to your nightstand, you grabbed your phone to check the time and noticed that it was getting late. 

“Andy? My love, when do you have to go home?” You leaned down to whisper to the sleeping man who groaned in return. 

You repeated his name once more, this time slightly shaking his shoulder to which he rolled onto his back, a goofy grin on his lips as he looked up at you. “Well hello, honey.” 

From Andy’s point of view, you peered down at him like a disappointed mother but with a faint smile upon her lips at her child’s goofiness. 

“Nice of you to join me, sleeping beauty. I was wondering what time you had to get home. It’s starting to rain more heavily and Laurie-”

Andy sat up and turned himself so he’d be sitting shoulder to shoulder with you. Silently, he took your empty wine glass from your hand, leaning to place it on your nightstand. As he did so, he didn’t let go of your wrist, which he brought to his lips when he returned to face you. 

Murmuring against your wrist, he started to place soft and delicate kisses to the smooth skin there. “Don’t worry about it. I told her I’d be back tomorrow morning.” 

“But Andy, she knows you don’t have anywhere to stay.” You didn’t want to exactly say “Hey! Andy, you have no friends and your wife knows that!” but it was implied in a kinder way. Andy picked up on this, clearly deflecting when he just nodded in response and started to place more kisses up your forearm. 

Letting out a frustrated “hmph,” you let Andy carry on before he victoriously smiled at you.

༻﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡༺

The vicious cycle went on throughout the course of Jacob’s trial as things between Andy and his wife got worse. Even though they both lived under the same roof, slept in the same bed, and put on a facade for Jacob, they were practically separated. One night Andy drunkenly showed up on your doorstep, confessing how he had come home to find Laurie with another man. In a fit of rage he let the cat out of the bag that he had been seeing you. Funny how things work. 

You knew they were both wrong, so instead of shaming either one of them, you just let Andy cling to you for comfort. When Andy was drunk, he was like a big child and if the circumstances were different, you’d been laughing, but rather you soothingly rubbed his back and listened as that’s all he needed. Someone who would just listen.

At three in the morning, he most definitely needed you as well when you found his head in the bowl of the toilet and not sleepily nestled in your neck. (Which was ironic as the two of you would be switching places very soon.)

Christmas came quick and along with it, many miracles, one being that Jacob was not convicted.

Just as Andy was in a rush to tell you the news, Laurie was even faster to serve the divorce papers to him. In a relationship, you and your partner are supposed to be able to push through tough times without breaking. With that being said, Andy and Laurie mutually agreed that they had failed and it was time they both quit lying to themselves. It was time for real happiness. 

༻﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡༺

“(y/n) meet me at our favorite restaurant in thirty minutes.”

You were working on some case files for Neil, despite your hatred for him, and tried to tell Andy that you were busy at the moment. He didn’t listen but continued to insist that you meet him there. His tone wasn’t demanding, but it was...excited? Surely, Andy had been excited over things in his life, but you’d never actually heard the usually emotionless man speak with such ardor. 

Setting down the case files, you rushed to put on some real pants and a blouse, but nothing too fancy or flashy as you had no idea what was about to happen. 

When you arrived at the restaurant, Andy happily flagged you over. He wore the biggest smile ever and you were borderline concerned. What could have him this happy? Was he getting back with Laurie? As much as you wanted them to be a functioning family, you weren’t sure if you could deal with such heartbreak because Andy really did feel like the one. 

Ever the gentleman, Andy pulled out your chair and handed you a small bouquet as you sat in the wooden seat. Before he walked away, the man planted a smack of a kiss on your lips and hurried back to his seat since he saw the waiter out of the corner of his eye. As the waiter approached, you were just sitting there, the most shocked expression on your face as it settled within you what Andy had just done. Long ago when this whole fiasco began, you and Andy always kept it professional when out in public because so many people knew him and word could get out easily that he was cheating. 

The minute the waiter left, you were quick to chastise Andy who just laughed as if it were the funniest thing in the world which left you a bit angered. 

Since the restaurant was quiet, you extended yourself across the table so Andy could hear your harsh muttering. 

“Do you realize what you just did, Barber?!” Andy shook his head in a content manner and at this point steam was about to emerge from your ears. Before all hell could break loose and you go ballistic, Andy cut in to explain. 

“Jacob, he’s a free man!” Andy looked at you with an awaiting smile and your face immediately softened, but for only a second as that didn’t explain why he was parading your relationship out like this. Didn’t he know what he was risking, not only for himself, but you.

Your counterpart noticed the sudden change of expression on your face and continued, “But among other things, I meant to tell you that Laurie and I got divorced recently.” 

“Oh hon, I am so sorry.” Reaching across the table, you comfortingly ran your thumb over the back of his hand, but he just shook his head in detest.

“No no, it’s not a bad thing because it just opened the gateway for this,” Andy pulled his hand away and went to dig in his coat pocket. You thought to yourself, no he couldn’t be-

“(y/n), I’m gonna make this short, but sweet. You mean the world to me and I could spend all night listing off why I love you, but that will never do justice, so instead, I ask that you make me the happiest man alive, and marry me?” 

His cliche, yet utterly adorable speech could make a person’s heart melt and instantly say yes, but you’ve always been a thinker, and maybe Andy had accounted for that a bit in his proposal. 

“Andrew! You just got divorced!” In a semi-whisper slash hiss, you bent over so only he could hear, hiding your words from the prying onlookers as if you had top secret info spilling from your lips. 

“I know, but, (y/n), you are the one.” He looked a bit awkward being on his knee for so long and the ring box still patiently in hand as you processed his question. Nonetheless, Andy continued to hopefully smile at you, ignoring all of the whispers, until you excitedly replied “yes” just a mere second later, though it felt like ages for him. 

This proposal was definitely gonna be a story for generations. 

༻﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡༺

You and Andy settled for a simple courthouse wedding with just your parents in attendance as witnesses. The two of you were never really used to flaunting your relationship, and even though you could now, it just wasn’t ideal. Besides, you had bigger things to worry about.

For example, when just a few weeks after your short-lived honeymoon, you noticed some changes and came to the conclusion that you were pregnant. 

One night, you casually brought up the idea of more kids to Andy to test the waters. 

“Hey love, you awake?”

Andy lifted his eyes from his book, no longer looking as if he was asleep. He nodded his head and set the book aside giving you his full attention. 

“What’s up, gorgeous?”

“I was thinking… what if we were to have a kid. Would you be opposed to that?”

The reaction on Andy’s face was most definitely not the one in mind and he looked as if you had asked him the most appalling question on earth. 

“(y/n), I love kids,” He chuckled a bit, “I thought I made that clear, you know, by being a dad and all.” 

His lame attempt at making a “joke” eased your nerves and you just came straightforward with the gold. 

“Andy, I think I am pregnant.” 

And faster than a predator can pounce, Andy was on you in seconds, his arms hugging you close as he whispered words of excitement. 

༻﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡༺

Nine months later and that statement was very true as you held a bundle of joy in your arms. Your hours numb in pain couldn't even be compared to the gift that was before you. Andy could hardly keep his hands off your stomach for the past few months and he never failed to speak to your daughter as if she was actually there. Now that her presence was finally in the world, Andy was yet to look away from her small figure and his smile hadn’t withered the slightest. 

The nurse had stepped out a few minutes ago, giving both you and Andy some time and privacy with your newborn. Even though drowsiness overcame your body, you visibly forced yourself awake just to absorb all the time you could with her. Little ones grow up in a flash and you weren't going to miss a second if it was up to you.

Andy joined you in the hospital bed when you silently invited him in with a soft pat to the crinkly sheets. Once he snuggled up against your side, you carefully passed the little baby who was about to have her first contact with her father. 

As Andy played with her mini hands, you sleepily rested your head on his broad shoulder, watching the two and already figuring out that they’d be lifelong friends. 

“They always say with age comes wiseness, but darlin’, your momma gives that phrase a run for its money.”

You giggled at your husband’s words and propped up the little darling the smallest bit so she could “see” you and her dad. 

“Don’t listen to Daddy, munchkin. The grey in his beard says otherwise.” 

“Hey! I’m not that old, I was still able to knock-” Backhanding Andy’s leg caused him to dramatically cut his sentence short. There were plenty of years for him to taint your daughter’s innocence.

 As you observed the two, you noticed Andy gazed at her as if she hung the moon and stars for him, a familiar look he often gave you. Possibly from the lack of energy or just being enamored with the interaction, a sweet tear slipped from your own eye. Upon closer inspection, one could see that a subtle tear fell from the man beside you.

If Andrew Stephen Barber had known all those years ago he’d be here with a second chance at life, he would’ve never even waited another second to be with you. It’s funny how life can send you down the most twisted paths, yet have you come out with the most precious of gifts. 

 taglist: @memissbee @tricereads @buckybarnesthehotshot @bval-1 @tonystankschild @just-one-ordinary-fangirl @turtoix @kelbabyblue @jakiki94 @aubreeskailynn @calirindo @lady-elena-adeline @siriuslyslyslytherin @sushiinmidnight @patzammit @iwik3it​

a/n: what did you guys think? it feels like ages since i’ve written anything, and I am sure you can tell haha

if you are new here, check out my masterlist at the top of my blog for more Andy Barber (and Chris Evans characters) writing. I’d link it but tumblr always tag blocks me :( 

[amortentiaparker]

when nothing feels right ❀ p.parker

summary: nothing just seems to go your way and peter’s there to make you feel better.

pairing: peter parker x fem!reader

word count: 1.5k

masterlist

Everything was hell. School works were piling on top of each other, your home life couldn’t seem to quiet down, and your body was dealing with all of this stress by somehow making it worse because the pounding on your head won’t leave.

Rain drizzled on you earlier this morning despite the news saying it would be a sunny day, your subjects for the day required hardbound textbooks which made your backpack ten times heavier than usual, and you got yelled at by some random dude in the street because he mistook you as the person who stepped on his shoes.

All you really wanted was simple. A nice hot cup of tea, watch some of your comfort movies without a care in the world, and some time with Peter. 

You couldn’t really demand any attention from him on a whim because he was not even your boyfriend. Yet. 

The two of you were teetering on the edge of something romantic, but you knew there were traces of hesitation from Peter because of his duties as Spiderman. You two were friends but definitely didn’t act like it. Hand holding under the cafeteria table, kisses on the forehead that lingered longer than what is considered normal, and it was all in the gaze you two gave each other. You and Peter protested when your friends pointed it out and teased you two about it. Ned and MJ’s winning argument was when they showed a photo of you and Peter during a decathlon practice. It was as mundane as it gets, a regular Tuesday, but that’s what made it a lot more heartwarming. You and Peter had this gaze as if the other put the stars in the sky, and when you saw the photo, the two of you admitted defeat.

As you recalled that moment, you were brought back to reality. It was a Friday decathlon practice but Peter was nowhere to be found. He was present earlier but when he sent a short message with a heart emoji after your last class for the day, you knew that he was out there in the streets of New York patrolling. 

You flushed when Mr. Harrington called you out during the start of the meeting, asking about the whereabouts of your boyfriend. Ned and MJ snickered when you struggled to answer and correct your teacher. 

Thankfully, the practice ended around 30 minutes earlier than usual. You were falling behind answering which frustrated you to no end, so you were looking forward to attempting to de-stress. But the thought of having to go home early immediately drained you. Arguments didn’t cease in your house and you were tired. So tired.

You sluggishly exited the classroom and proceeded to do the same as you walked towards the subway. Your friends offered to walk you home, Peter’s chivalry rubbing off on all of you, but you declined, wanting to just pop in your earphones and listen to sad songs during the ride home. 

You texted Peter that practice ended early, hoping he’ll appreciate the simple update while he patrolled. 

peter <3: great! wanna hang out at my place?

You were taken aback by his reply. He usually didn’t want you seeing him all sweaty, sometimes bruised and bloody, after his patrol so you enthusiastically replied a yes, not wanting to come home to your place just yet. This was an opportunity to unwind and spend some time with the boy you’ve been pining after. 

Taking the bus to Peter’s place instead saved you more time, which got you all giddy to see him. This week has taken its toll and you can barely remember the time within the week where you felt energized. 

May let you in and she had a mischievous shimmer in her eye when she said that she had somewhere to go, letting you wait for Peter all on your own. You felt at ease knowing that May was comfortable in trusting you with her home. The ease kind of faded when she winked as she mentioned you and Peter being all alone in the apartment. 

You were seated on the couch, scrolling on your phone, when you nearly got a heart attack. 

“Hey.” Was all you heard before your fight or flight senses took over. 

“Woah! It’s just me!” Peter chuckled as he saw that you now held a lamp in both your hands. 

“Don’t do that!” You scolded him as you put the lamp back in its place. Hopefully you didn’t pull a wire or else you will definitely beg on your knees in front of May, not wanting to break her trust. 

“Where’s your suit?” You asked as he opened his arms for you to step into. It was comfortable. Familiar. The type of feeling you’d want in the future as you come home after a long day. 

“Already changed,” Peter shrugged and rested his cheek on the top of your head. “Why? You wanna check me out, don’t you?”

“Shut up.” You lightly punched his arm but didn’t pull away from the embrace. 

Peter pulled away first, but not fully breaking contact as he cupped both your cheeks in his hands. It was silent, but it didn’t bother anyone, not when he was looking at you like that. He tucked a stray piece of hair behind your ear and you nearly purred at how gentle Peter was with you. 

“You’re tired.” He pointed out with a soft voice. It sounded more like an observation rather than a question. You nearly burst into tears out of how tired you were but opted to close your eyes instead, letting your other senses take your surroundings in. The familiar honey scent of Peter, the sound of his soft breathing, and his gentle touch grounded you. You barely nodded to yourself; Yep. This is what you want for the rest of your life. 

You hummed out a yes and opened your eyes when you felt Peter’s touch pull away. He was wordlessly fixing the throw pillows on the couch, and he fiddled with the TV remote for a moment. Your heart nearly burst when you saw that he clicked on Little Women, one of your absolute favorites. 

Peter knew all your favorite movies like the back of his hand. He knew that Little Women was your go to when you needed a pick me up. He’ll put on Mamma Mia when he sees that you were energetic and have the need to sing along or any Rachel McAdams rom-com when you wanted to devour ice cream and sob. Peter also knew that you weren’t that big of a fan of Star Wars but he sometimes put it on simply because you cuddled up next to him every single time and he adored every single second of it. 

You turned to head into his bedroom to get some blankets, but you halted and looked at Peter, wordlessly asking for permission and he nodded. Unbeknownst to the other, you two were thinking of the same thing. How great it is to have somebody that you understand with just a single look. 

You exited Peter’s room with not just blankets in your hand but one of Peter’s hoodies on your body. You already had one of his midtown sweaters at home but forgot to bring it today, which added to your sour mood earlier. You knew that he didn’t mind anyways. Peter has seen you multiple times with his jacket, sweater, or hoodie on but his grin at the sight only grows bigger every time. 

The sun has officially set after a few minutes and the city lights of New York have come to life. Peter opted to leave the lights turned off and let the light from outside fill the living room. You didn’t mind, it felt intimate and you weren’t afraid to feel that way with him. 

Fifteen minutes into the movie, you paused it and got up to go to the kitchen. You felt Peter’s curious eyes on you.

“Want some tea?” You asked. You knew that Peter preferred coffee over that anytime, but he still said yes when you offered. You’re the only one he says yes to tea to. 

“Later,” Peter’s eyes flickered from the screen then back to you. “You get sleepy after you drink tea.” 

You playfully gasped, “I do not!”

“C’mon,” He tugged on your wrist, pulling you back next to him. “I’ll make us tea later.”

Whether Peter purposely pulled you even closer than before, you didn’t say anything. Instead, you let your head rest on his shoulder and watched as the March sisters laughed with one another. 

When Peter went to get up when he found it to be an appropriate time to make your drink, he felt that you were much heavier on him than earlier. He realized that he was so entranced by the movie and your presence, that his heightened senses did not pick up that you had fallen asleep. The steady rhythm of your heartbeat was constant and always calmed him down, so it didn’t occur to him that you had fallen into slumber. 

He reached for the remote and lowered the volume as the infamous scene of Jo and Laurie started. Peter was about to scoop you into his arms but decided to stay for the scene. 

His heart started to ache as he thought about what could happen if he confessed to you and you rejected him. But as you nuzzled your face into his neck and he felt the faint kiss you placed, he knows that one of these days he’ll let his feelings be known; a day when the time feels right. 

[sweater-daddiesdumbdork]

55 with Andy Barber, please #sensory prompt

Sensory Prompts

Sensory Prompts Masterlist

Prompt 55- Finding old photographs you’d forgotten about

A/N- sorry this took so long babes! I hope you enjoy this little moment between the couple. Also, this is written where Laurie doesn't exist and Jacob is just a regular teenager. Mentions of smut. 

Remember When?

You had been sorting through your closet that evening, looking for a certain Christmas present you were sure you stashed on the top shelf. Of course, you were already dressed for bed, Andy was stretched out with his back against the headboard reading while you fussed over Jacobs's gift, wanting to make sure you knew where it was to wrap the first thing in the morning. 

“Honey, why don't you look in the morning?” Andy finally said while you cursed under your breath when a box slipped and fell to the floor. “It's getting late. I will drive Jacob to school early so you have time to get it wrapped.” Your husband offered. 

“What if I lost it? I could have sworn I put it up here.” You went to your tippy toes and closed your hand around a familiar bag, making you grin in triumph. “Got it!” Pulling it down, you set it on your dresser and go back in to retrieve the unknown box you had dropped. 

“Good, does that mean you are coming to bed now?” Andy gave a yawn. You ignore him for a moment while prying off the top and see it's a memory box you had made back when Jacob was just a baby, full of pictures and little tokens. Picking it up, you head back into the bedroom, sliding it across the bed while crawling in after it into your spot, the box wedged between you and Andy. “What's this?” He asked curiously while marking his book and setting it aside. You reach in and pull out a handful of pictures. 

“It's from when I was pregnant and after Jacob was born.” You grin while looking at the top picture. You looking a mess with your oversized belly and Andy grinning all proud with his hand pressed to the curve, giving you a kiss to your temple, you two had been at your brother's bbq, which is probably who had snapped the picture. Andy reached to take it from you, studying it and breaking out in a slight grin at the memory of it. 

“God I remember this. You were so damn close, I was worried half the time your water was going to break in the middle of this damn party.” He chuckled while you handed him another party picture of him playing horseshoes with some friends. 

“If only. That would have been a relief. Jacob insisted on at least another two weeks.” You tilted your head at the next picture. An infant Jacob nestled on his father's bare chest, Andys hand curled around the newborn protectively. You could see how tired Andy was in the picture by his half-closed eyes and a dopey smile on his face of being a new father. You to handed that picture over which made him sigh a bit. 

“Not that small anymore, starting to fill out college applications, has a girlfriend. Where did all this go?” Andy mused while you chuckle at your husband, knowing if you didn't change the subject on him, he would start in about being old, getting greys, start planning on retiring. You pluck out another picture and smirk at that one, flashing it at him. 

“Look at this idiot, where did he go?” you wave the picture, and he groans. A college day picture of some beer pong tournament where he was obviously losing at the number of red solo cups was tipped over on his side of the table. Andy snatched more pictures out of the box with a groan. 

“Where are yours Y/N? I can’t be the only idiot college day pictures in this box.” He muttered, sorting through them and you shrug while still going through some baby pictures. 

“I was behind the camera?” You suggested while setting your pile back in your box while Andy gave a slight yelp of victory. You could only imagine what it was. 

“Oh oh oh, and why haven't I seen this before?” He wiggled his eyebrows and turned the picture to you. Sure enough, there was one of you and your college roommate flashing the camera while mardi gras beads were getting thrown at you. “I don't think this belongs in the box Y/N.” 

You gasp and go to grab that, but Andy pulls it away from you teasing. You vault into his lap, trying to snatch at it. “That was before we started dating Mr.Barber,” You defended yourself and he let you have the picture, which you grasp to study it, wiggling your nose. “Actually... nevermind. It's when we just started. My bad.” Making him laugh at your confession and he slides his hands up your thighs and grasps your hips to pull you a bit closer to him. 

“Well you were always a little fucking minx,” he claimed, plucking the picture from your hold and letting it flutter back into the box. “How about you give me a show of how that night went right now?” You giggle as you tug his hair gently to tilt his head back and press your lips to his while moving to get off the bed and grab the box to dig through it, pulling out a fistful of shiny beads to toss at him. “Oh, I’m going to make you earn these Babygirl.” 

“I think those were the words you told me the night I became pregnant.” 

[speechlessxx]

Requite (Andy Barber x Reader)

Summary: A visitation to a prison invites new emotions. 

Warnings: slight CHEATING (it’s a kiss and like feelings), slight SPOILERS, for Defending Jacob, language, implied AGE GAP, this was just a brainstorm I had, unrequited requited love kinda not really (if that makes sense), mentions of ABUSE

Word Count: 2.5k

Hope you enjoy!

READ PART 2 HERE

It wasn’t your place – and you knew that. So, why were you here – trembling in front of a glass barrier and fumbling with the cord of the telephone in your hands?

The man in front of you looked tired and rugged. The years he spent behind bars evident all over his face. But when you looked in this murderer’s eyes, you couldn’t help but see Andy’s. They were the same pristine blue shade. The only difference was that Andy’s were warm, inviting, and full of light whereas the man in front of you looked as if the light had been snuffed out of him – perhaps it was never there to begin with.

“You’re the wife?” He asked. He looked you up and down and cocked an eyebrow up. “You’re younger than I expected.”

“I’m not his wife,” you muttered.

“So, what are you, then?” The man gave you an amused look. He was taunting you, trying to make you snap. Your eyes narrowed at his words.

“That’s not your concern.”

“Then why are you here, honey?” You cringed at the pet name. You remembered your abusive father coo that very word at you to apologize for laying his hands on you. You remembered your husband do the same.

Why were you there?

Andy was your friend… of kinds. He was a neighbor in your picture-perfect suburban neighborhood. However, you were treated like an outcast among the other suburban ladies. You always attended parties and gatherings with, or without, your husband. And in the crowds, you always felt so alone.

You were young – still in your twenties – and married to a wealthy businessman that was old enough to be your father’s younger brother. You pretended you couldn’t hear the gossip – the whispers and snickers calling you a “gold-digger” or a “trophy wife”. You married because you needed financial stability to pay off your student loans. You couldn’t do it on your salary alone. Afraid no one else would love you or help you, you said yes to the first wealthy sleaze that got down on one knee.

You tried to make your marriage as picture-perfect as your neighborhood. To strangers, it was. You were good at framing. Your framework made it impossible for others to see the truth behind the photos.

You were a doting wife to a man who was always gone on “business trips” to Vegas with a barely legal bottle blonde on his arm. When you finally got the courage to call him out for his numerous affairs, he threw one of his foreign beer bottles at you. It smashed against the wall, beer staining the paint and scratching it up as small shards of the glass cut your skin. It followed with a “honey, I’m so sorry” which reminded you of your father’s abuse.

After then, the incidents gradually got worse. He’d hurl things your way when he grew aggravated with you. Then, he began to throw punches. He held you down by your wrists before when you threatened to walk out. You felt like your adolescent self again. Instead of your father beating you, your abuser became your husband.

It was Andy, your next-door neighbor, who first asked you about the finger-shaped bruises wrapped around your wrists. You played it off, calling yourself a klutz, but Andy saw right through it. When the bruises, marks, and cuts became a staple of your appearance, Andy knew something was wrong. You weren’t clumsy. You were being hurt.

He confronted you about it. He was relentless in trying to get an answer from you. One night he heard crashes and screams from your home. He rushed over although Laurie had told him to stay out of it and call the police instead. He reasoned that if you were in danger and something were to have happened to you, he’d feel responsible. He found you crying in your living room, picture frames smashed and your coffee table demolished, a dining room chair was lodged into it. You had a bruise forming on your temple, a bloody cut on your cheekbone, and you were cradling your arm to your chest. Your husband had driven off in his luxury car. Whatever doubt he had about the abuse vanished. The scene itself answered all his questions.

It was Andy who saved you from the dangerous home. It was Andy who helped you with your divorce. 

After your divorce, your husband took off, leaving you the house and alimony checks. As your injuries slowly healed, you slowly built a relationship with the Barber family – primarily Andy. He’d often check in on you and invite you over, trying to make that big house of yours feel less lonely. 

“I’m here for Andy,” you finally answered. You stared into the man’s eyes.

“Oh?” The man sneered. His teeth were yellow, maybe even rotting. He smirked at you. “You’re here about his boy.”

“Jacob’s a good a kid,” you nodded. You babysat and often drove the Barbers’ son to and from school when Andy asked. Aside from his standoffish and strange behavior (one time you swerved around a dead cat and Jacob seemed so fixated on the animal), he was a good kid.

“So, I’ve heard… But good kids don’t become murder suspects.”

“He’s innocent until proven guilty,” you frowned. “Why won’t you do it? Andy just wants you to swab your mouth. It’s easy. Hell, you don’t even have to do it, the guard will.” He crossed his arms and leaned forward to the glass. His stare was unwavering and cold – just like your father’s… just like your husband’s. “You want to punish Andy.”

“He won’t help me and he knows he can. He doesn’t even acknowledge the fact that I’m his father.”

“You haven’t given him a good reason to,” you snapped. “Andy’s a good man. A better man than most will ever be. And he’s a damn good father. He wouldn’t even have come down here if it weren’t for Jacob.”

“You talk like you’re in love with the man.” He smirked. He leaned back on his chair as he studied you. “You are, aren’t you?”

“That’s not your concern.”

He laughed. It boomed and made you flinch. You looked down at your hands. You weren’t trembling anymore. In fact, you were just frustrated. How can a kind, compassionate man like Andy be the spawn of this heartless killer?

“What kind of a good man turns his back on his own father,” the man asked.

“He turned his back on a murderer.”

“And you don’t think he won’t do the same to his son?”

“Jacob’s innocent until proven guilty,” you repeated. “What will it take to get you to do it?” He smirked at you and you felt a wave of disgust as you remembered the reason he was here in the first place. “Not like that, you sicko.”

“I’ll do it,” he nodded.

“What?” You stared at him in disbelief. He repeated the three words. You frowned at him. “Just a second ago – “

“It’s good Andy has someone on his side. Arguing for him. Defending him and his son.” He smiled, wickedly. “Too bad you aren’t the wife, huh? How is his wife? Laurie, is it?”

“I’m not as close to her as I am to Andy,” you admitted.

“I wonder why you two are so close that you’re willing to drive up here to talk to me.” The man gave you a knowing look.

“It’s not like that!”

“Okay, okay, calm down, honey,” he chuckled.

“You’re not fucking with me? You’re actually going to do it?”

“I will,” he nodded. “You got a spark in you, honey… It’s a shame you aren’t the wife. I’ll do it for my son.”

“Thank you for your time, Mr. Barber,” you muttered and popped the telephone back onto its stand. There was no reason to stick around and hear his taunts.

You did what you came there to do.

-=+=-

Andy was relieved and a bit confused. Joanna had informed him that his father agreed to the swab. After the brief conversation that the father and son had, his father had made it clear that he wanted nothing to do with the trial – that he didn’t want to help Jacob. So, what made him change his mind?

He remembered talking to you about it. You were the first person he saw on his way back from seeing his father. He unloaded his frustrations on you, and you sat and listened to him. It reminded you of the times when you would confide in Andy about the abuse you endured from your father and your husband. It was the least you could do.

“Go inside. Tell your mom about the fish,” Andy told Jacob as the two began to unload the car. His son nodded and began to make his way to their front door. With a frown, Jacob looked over and saw his dad hastily walk towards your home. He shrugged before going inside.

Andy walked past the “For Sale” sign posted outside your lawn next to your mailbox. He frowned at the sign. When did you plan on leaving?

He knocked on your front door a few times and even rung the doorbell. He stood outside for a few long moments and just as he sighed and turned to leave, you opened the door.

“Sorry!” You apologized. Your hair was tied up and your forehead had a sheen of sweat.

“No worries… Mind if I come in?”

You widened the door and gestured for Andy to come inside. He gave you a small smile and a nod as he stepped through the door. The walls weren’t as decorated as he remembered. You must’ve taken down the picture frames. It made sense. Your husband was out of your life. Why keep the memories around? The hardwood floors were littered with boxes. Some were taped shut and had words scribbled on their sides – “kitchen”, “bedroom”, “donations”, etc.

“Sorry about the mess,” you muttered when you noticed that he was looking around the house.

“It’s not a problem, (Y/N), really,” Andy grinned.

“What can I do for you, Andy?”

“I think you’ve done enough.”

“What?” You frowned.

“You spoke to my father?” He asked. His tone was angry – or at least you registered it as so. Your eyes widened as you desperately looked around the room – staring at anything but Andy’s eyes. You crossed your arms as you tried to pull into yourself. It was a reaction you had when your husband raised his voice at you, an indicator that his patience was wearing thin and you were going to need an ice pack later. Andy’s brows furrowed in realization – you often held that posture whenever you spoke of your husband’s abuse. “I’m sorry… I’m not upset or anything, (Y/N). I just wanted to know why…”

You relaxed your arms as you found the courage to look at Andy. They did have the same eyes. “For you… and for Jacob,” you rushed. “I know it wasn’t my place, but you were so upset about it… I figured I could… I could give it a shot? Maybe talk some sense into him or convince him? I dunno… You helped me when I was in a tough spot, I thought I should at least try to return the favor.”

“You didn’t need to,” Andy shook his head. “But thank you.” You smiled at him and nodded. “No, really, thank you,” Andy sighed. To your surprise – and maybe even his – he wrapped his arms around you. You felt your cheeks flush as your ear was pressed against his chest. Andy’s chin rested at the top of your head.

You two stayed like that for a few minutes – it felt like eternity. You had forgotten what it felt like to be held, to be cared for, and appreciated. Perhaps Andy was the first man in your life that made you feel safe and you were grateful. Maybe that’s where your crush stemmed from. Andy was a kind man and an amazing father – things that were missing from your own life.

In turn, Andy had forgotten how it felt to hold someone. His and Laurie’s intimacy had been challenged for years now and their marriage took another hit with Jacob’s upcoming trial. He remembered how much he wanted to help you and get you out of your abusive marriage. It was a distraction from his own marriage that was slowly falling apart.

“You’re moving?” Andy asked after the long beats of silence.

“Yeah,” you said. “Nothing’s really keeping me in town anymore.”

Andy felt a pang in his chest. Nothing keeping you in town? Sure, your divorce was finalized – your husband had skipped town when his abuse came to light – but nothing was worth sticking around for?

“What about me?” Andy asked. It was wishful thinking, at best. Andy didn’t know why he asked the question. He had no justification for his next action either.

When you looked up at him with confusion, you had the intentions of asking him what he meant. But Andy leaned in and kissed you. His eyes were closed as his lips pressed against yours while yours were wide open with shock. But the kiss was sweet, gentle – you don’t remember being kissed like this. With your hands pressed against his chest, you meant to push him off and pull away, but your body refused – it loved the affection even if it was just an in-the-moment action on Andy’s behalf (he wasn’t sure if it was), but the kiss was nice. 

Instead, your eyes fluttered closed and your hands went up to his cheeks. His beard was rough against your lips and hands, but you didn’t mind. You began to kiss him back, allowing yourself to get lost in the moment.

Then your brain and your conscience flared up. Just as sudden as the kiss began, it was abruptly cut short. Your mind made you pull away and with wide eyes, both you and Andy unwrapped yourselves from each other.

“I’m sorry,” you whispered, taking a step back.

“No, no,” Andy shook his head. “I’m sorry… I shouldn’t have – “

“It was nothing, okay?”

Andy was taken back from your words. He wanted to argue – to tell you that it wasn’t nothing, that he felt something, and he was sure you felt it, too. But he stopped himself. He wasn’t thinking straight. The stress – whether it from his marriage or from the trial on the horizon, he didn’t know – was getting to him.

“Okay,” he finally agreed. “Nothing.”

“Okay,” you muttered. Arms crossing again. Your eyes darted around the room as you licked your lips. You could still taste him. “Well, um… you better get going.”

“Right,” Andy nodded. You walked him to the door and gave him a tight smile. “If you need any help with the moving or the packing, I’ll be happy to help. Repay the favor for the thing with my dad.”

“I’ll keep that in mind. Thanks, Andy,” you tried to smile. You closed the door after your farewells and a hand flew to cover your mouth. Tears brimming in your eyes.

You weren’t going to take him up on that offer. The guilt was already killing you. Although abuse was a major factor in your marriage’s demise, your husband cheating with much other women was the spark that started it all.

Now, here you were. You were the other woman.

READ PART 2 HERE

[sapphireplums]

You’re Not Alone

Description: Y/N Barber the twin sister of Jacob Barber decided to go for a jog one day, but who knew her whole life can change in matters of seconds.

Warnings: angst, language, sexual assault -DON'T READ IF YOU’RE NOT COMFORTABLE

Pairing: Andy Barber x Daughter!Reader Jacob Barber x Sister!Reader

A/N:  if any of you guys have ever been assaulted in any type of way, i'm so sorry that has happened to you. you guys are all beautiful and strong human beings. if anyone wants to talk my inbox is open :) 

While reading this, listen to lovely by billie eilish. it really sets the mood for the story. 

 REQUESTS ARE OPEN BABES

A second. It only took seconds for you to not pick up your phone call from your brother. It was one of those moments where you did not to pick up the phone because you were distracted. But because of that, it almost cost you your life. 

 THREE HOURS BEFORE THE ASSAULT

♧ 

You and your older twin brother Jacob were walking home from school arguing about what dog is cuter. You know, the ususal twin stuff.

“No, Jake, German Shepherds are the cutest dog out.” You said with confidence.

“No, Y/N, Corgi’s are the cutest obviously.” Your twin brother kept saying. “ And I'm obviously right because I'm older than you by 49 seconds.”

He always used the ‘older twin’ card on you.

The argument lasted about a few minutes until you guys just gave up and agreed that they were both cute. However, in your mind , you kept saying German Shepherds were better.

“I’m hungry Jake. What do you think we’re going to have for dinner tonight?” You said as your stomach was rumbling.

“ You thinking what I’m thinking?” Jacob said with a smirk knowing that your twin telepathy was tingling. 

“Ohhh yessss.” Then you both shouted at the same time:

“KENTUCKY FRIED CHICKEN.” 

When you guys got home, you saw your mom on the couch typing something on her laptop. 

“Hey kids, how was school today?” Laurie said looking up from her laptop.

“It was good mom” You said and you gave Jacob the look basically saying ‘tell mom we want kfc’

Jacob groaned. “Mom can we get kfc for dinner? Me and Y/N have been craving it for a while”

“Is that your guys’ twin thingy where you want the same thing and think the same thing?” Laurie said smiling at the thought of�� how her kids got along so well and had a strong sibling bond.

“ Yes mom, yes it is.” you said as chips were being stuffed into your mouth. “But can we actually get kfc though? Jake and I have been craving it for a while.”

“Sure you guys, I’ll pick it up around the time you dad will come home”

“Thanks Mom.” You both said at the same time. 

Going up to your guys’ room, Jacob turned on his video games while you were watching YouTube. 

He was talking to his gaming friend through the earpiece yelling words at him and the tv.

You just rolled your eyes and smiled slightly at your brothers actions. Closing your laptop, you looked outside the window and saw that it was a nice day, so you asked Jacob if he wanted to take a jog with you. 

“ Hey Jake, do you want to take a jog with me? It’s really nice outside right now.”

“ Sorry, maybe not this time sis. I’m really into this game.” Jacob said making you frown slightly.

“It’s okay Jake maybe next time.” Jacob turned his head towards you and smiled in agreeance. 

You got ready and then tied your shoes when you were near the door. 

“Mom, I’m going for a jog!” You yelled as you finished tying your shoes. 

“Okay honey be home before dinner.” Your mom said as she was washing the dishes. 

Running around the block, you took in the fresh air of the moisture that was in the air. Living in Massachusetts also meant wet weather which you loved. Summer wasn't really your favorite season but it was Jacobs. Being twins doesn’t mean you all like the same thing.

You and Jacob had the best sibling relationship not because you were twins, but that you just bonded in general. There is nothing he wouldn’t do for you and you thought the same.

Getting tired from the constant running, you decided to take a walking break and scroll through Instagram. As you were scrolling, your screen lit up with your dads contact picture. It was the two of you on a fishing trip making funny faces.

“Hey dad how’s work?” You asked slightly out of breath due to the running. 

“ Hey Sweetheart, after work I’m going to go to the grocery store and get those cookies you really like and I was thinking you and I can have a movie night?” 

“Dad, you know I’m always up for movie night” you chuckled. “What about Jake and mom?”

“Mom texted me saying that she was going to go shopping for swim trunks or something and Jake is going too so it's just going to be you and me.” 

“Okay dad, sounds good to me can’t wai-” 

“I’m sorry honey I have to go back now, I’ll see you at home. I love you.”

“I love you too dad.” He hung up the phone rather quickly but you didn’t think much of it because you were going to see him at home anyways

Well so you thought. You thought you were going to be home at your normal time. Thinking that it would just be another normal day, but it would be far from that.

After the short walking break and talking to your dad, you decided to start your jogging again. Jogging was one of the activities you liked to do after a long day to release the stress that was contained in you. Sometimes you would go with Jacob but today he didn’t feel like it.

Imagine if you just stayed on call a little longer with your dad or if Jacob went with you. Everything would be different. Every decision you make on a day to day basis affects your life.

When jogging,  up ahead you saw a man drop a box full of what looked like children's toys like dolls and race cars. Being the nice person you were, You approached the man and helped him pick up the toys.

Oh what a big mistake. 

“Oh, sir, let me help you with that,” you said bending down picking up the toys that were on the ground. 

“Thank you so much, darling,” the man said with a somewhat creepy smile, but you brushed it off.

Your phone started to buzz and you saw your screen light up with Jacob’s face, but you ignored it as you were still helping the man.  You were thinking of just calling Jacob back later when you had the chance. 

If you had the chance.

After helping the man, he stated his thanks to you. 

“Thank you again, honey,” you really started to get freaked out by this man especially since he was calling you these names. 

You gave him a nervous smile. “  You’re welcome, but I should get going now,” you said but before you could turn around and go back home, the man grabbed your wrist tightly, preventing you from going anywhere. 

“You are right where I want you sweetheart”

Before you could scream, he covered your mouth with a wet towel. The smell was really bad. Next thing you know, you’re knocked out like a light switch. 

♧

You woke up with a pounding headache. Trying to flutter your eyes open, you noticed you were in the backseat of a van. The next thing you saw made you panic. Your hands tied with your feet attached to them making it look like a fetus position. 

Before you could try and do anything, the man opened the doors to the van, revealing a wicked grin. Your eyes grew wide when he started to grow closer to you with duct tape. 

“Shhh don’t worry love I won't take long.”

You were confused what he meant by that. What did he mean he won’t take long?

That’s when it hit you like a truck. You were about to get raped. 

He started to put his hands around your breasts, trailing it up to your cheeks. He held your cheeks and stared into your eyes intently. This is when the tears started to come out. You couldn’t say anything since your mouth was duct taped, but you tried to move frantically though it didn’t do anything.

He started to take down his pants and he basically ripped your leggings in half.

Why did this have to happen? You were only being a good person, helping a man, and this is what happens in return.

DURING THE SAME TIME AT HOME

♧

Jacob was starting to get worried and anxious. It’s been over an hour and you wouldn’t answer your phone. He probably called you literally a hundred times but still no answer. He asked your mom to call you to see if you would answer.

It went straight to voicemail.

Jacob started to panic even more. He decided to call your guys’ dad to see if he knows where you were.

The line started to ring. Then he picked up.

“Hey Jake, I was wondering if-” he was cut off by Jacob frantically asking him if he knew where you were.  

“Dad! Did Y/N ever call you or anything?” Jacob frantically said to his father. 

“ I talked to her about a couple hours ago, is everything alright?

“I-I don’t know dad. She didn’t come home after her jog and I’m getting a really bad twin vibe” 

“Shit, okay Jake, I’ll be home as soon as I can.” With that Jacob hung up the phone. 

“God Y/N/N, I hope you’re okay” Jacob said with tears on the verge of coming out. 

When you woke up, you noticed that the familiar smell around your mouth. The man must have knocked you out. A burning pain was prominent in the lower half of your body. Everything started to come together. With your ripped pants and the bruises all over your body, you pieced everything together. 

You were raped.

All of the thoughts in your head, you didn’t even notice that you were not in the van anymore, no, you were at a park.

This park was all too familiar. It was the park you and Jacob loved when you were kids. You got up but fell back down due to the agonizing pain. 

The pain was unbearable. Tears threatening to come out of your eyes when you wanted to forget what happened. 

But you couldn’t forget.

You laid there on the cold cement floor.

♧

The Barbers were in panic when they couldn’t find you. They had called the cops after being gone for six hours. 

The police didn’t find you yet and frankly, they were doing a lousy job at it. 

“Fuck it, I’m going to go for a drive and see if I find her” Andy said while stomping towards the front door.

“I’m coming with you.” Jacob said without question.

His baby sister was missing, he couldn’t just stay home and do nothing. Andy shook his head.

“No, Jake you need to stay here with your mother.” Before Jacob could object, a officer wanted to question him maybe knowing where you could be. 

Andy drove around the neighborhood first, but no luck. He drove about another couple blocks where he stumbled upon a park. He knew the park. It was you and Jacob’s favorite park.

He slowly drove past the park to see if there was any luck. At this point, Andy almost gave up and went back home until he saw something.

Andy’s eyes widened with fear and joy when he saw you, his baby girl, at the park. But his smile fell when he saw you laying on the ground.

What if you were dead? Andy thought to himself

“ Oh my God, Y/N!!!” Andy basically sprinted towards you.

You could barely get out the words since your throat was sore from crying so much. 

“Daddy?!” You said weakly with tears on your cheeks and your eyes bloodshot from the crying. 

“Y/N what happened?” 

But before you could answer, he saw your ripped pants, bruises on your body and the blood coming out near your legs.

“Oh my God, Y/N please tell me you weren’t raped?” Andy said with sadness but also extreme anger knowing that there was a bastard out there who possibly touched you. 

You could barely get out the words but all you said was “ I was d-daddy.”

Andy was furious at this point his worst nightmare came true. 

“ Y/N I’m so sorry. If only I stayed on the phone with you a little longer I could have-” You interrupted your father knowing this wasn’t his fault. 

“Dad, this was not your fault.” 

Andy still looked at you with sad eyes, but despite what happened to you, he was just happy that you were alive. 

“Come on baby let's go home” Andy said while carrying you bridal style.

“ I’m so sorry dad. I was just helping this one guy and-and he-” 

You started to stumble on your words but your dad stopped you.

“ No no baby you don’t have to say anything now. But know Duffy might ask you some questions so we can catch the guy okay?”

You just nodded at your dads words not wanting to say anything. 

♧

On the drive home Andy heard you sniffling he reassured you with comforting words. 

“Honey, it’s okay, you’re safe now nobody is going to hurt you now.” 

You thought back to when Jacob was calling you. “ You know Jake called me when I was helping that man,” you started. “ If only I answered his call this probably wouldn-”

You were cut off by your father. “Y/F/N do not say that. None of this was your fault it was that son of a bitches fault” 

You were taken aback when your dad cussed and then you chuckled softly. “Woah dad, I didn’t know you tolerated that type of language” 

Andy just laughed, but before you could say anything else, you noticed you were home. 

Jacob and Laurie were outside talking to police officers, but they turned around and saw you in the car.

Jacob eyes widened and was the first to run towards you and give you a hug. When he broke the hug, he looked at you and saw your bruises which made him fume with anger, but he would worry about that later. He was just happy you were home.

“Y/N oh my god are you okay?!” you just nod your head. 

You went to give Laurie a hug which lasted short when a voice spoke up. 

“ Hi Y/N, I’m detective Duffy, I work with your father and I’m sorry to ask you this but we need to question you while your mind is fresh.”

“Duffy can’t this wait until later we just found her.” Andy said while looking back at his daughter.

“No dad it’s okay I’ll be fine.” Jacob gave you sad eyes of sympathy, but you gave him a reassuring smile. 

♧

“So Y/N, tell me from the start of what happened?” Your family was there to support you. You wanted them to be there. 

You started from the beginning with the jog, the man dropping the toys, the chloroform, the van, the pain in your lower area, everything.

Laurie just cried into Andy’s shoulders while his fists were clenched white. He was so angry. No, not at you, but at the fact that he couldn’t protect you. 

Jacob held your hand the entire time while you told Duffy what happened. He was angry that he didn’t go on the jog with you. He was mad that he couldn’t protect his baby sister. 

“Im so sorry this has happened to you Y/N, you should have not gone through that. We will find the man and he will be punished for his crimes.” 

You nodded and smiled slightly at Duffy. 

♧

After all the cops left, you didn’t know what to do. You were still traumatized.

Your head was resting on Andy’s lap and your legs were on Jacobs. You were dozing off, but you were scared to sleep or eve close your eyes. 

Everytime you closed your eyes, you just saw the man. Jacob seemed to notice this because you flinched a little. 

He rubbed your leg with reassurance telling you that you’re okay now. 

“ Y/N you can finally sleep now. We’re here for you, you don't have to worry about anything.” Jacob said to you

That's when everything broke. You couldn’t handle it anymore tears and sobs were everywhere.

Your family all gave you a hug with love evident in it. This is when you finally knew you were safe. 

You then spoke up while drying your tears. “Can we still get KFC?” you said with a smile. Everyone just laughed and that’s when you finally knew you had a loving family and you couldn’t be anymore thankful than that. 

♧

A/N :OMGGg I cried writing some of this ahhhh. I might make a part 2 depending if I get any ideas and if this doesn’t flop. 

Taglist for ‘You’re Not Alone’;OPEN

@cloudystevie​

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@tvckerlance​ @lozzypoz321​ @princess-evans-addict​

[desiraypark]

Stuck in the Mud

Characters: (Late) 60s!AdamSackler x Joyce (Black/Female OC) x Baby 

Content: New parent blues. Growing pains. Woodstock ‘69.  Y’all know what this picture does to me. 

August 15, 1969

“This is such fucking bullshit...” Adam mumbled. He pounded his fist against the steering wheel. “This is SUCH fucking bullshit!”

Her shirt lifted so that air could hit her belly, Joyce held her hand out the passenger window, letting the smothering air float through her fingers. All afternoon, she listened to Adam complain about everything. While everyone abandoned their cars to join the chaotic fun, Adam and Joyce sat in their borrowed car, bickering like the married couple they were. 

“Look at those fucking idiots still jumping the barricade. The festival is shit, just walk through. Fuckin’ assholes...”

Joyce released an exasperated sigh.

“Say it,” Adam said. “Fuckin’ say it.”

“Say what?”

“Say what’s on your mind.”

“There’s nothing on my mind, Adam.”

Adam scoffed and chewed his lip. “I hate when you fuckin’ do that.”

“Hate when I do what, Adam?”

“Pretend like you’re not mad about shit and then call me by name after every fucking sentence.”

“You know what I am about to get mad about?” Joyce asked.

“What?”

“You fuckin’ cursing at me like I fuckin’ did something to you!”

“I’m not fuckin’ cursing at you!” Adam argued.

“Yes, you fuckin’ are!”

“I’m fuckin’ NOT!!!”

Joyce rolled her eyes and reached behind Adam’s seat. She lifted the lid of the Thermaster cooler and pulled out a sandwich. “You want your sandwich?”

“No.”

Joyce huffed and pulled out a sandwich, a bottle opener, and a bottle of 7Up. First, she opened the soda and took a sip. Then, she pulled the foil away from a lake trout sandwich she’d made the night before. 

“Is that fucking fish?” Adam asked, face contorted.

“Yes, Adam. Yes, it’s fucking fish. You watched my fry the fucking fish last night.”

“I can’t take Ray’s car back smelling like fish!”

Joyce chewed on the inside of her mouth. Then, she grabbed the door handle and climbed out of the car with her food and drink in hand. Suddenly, she appeared in front of the car, and Adam watched her walk down the road. 

“Joyce? Where the fuck are you going?” he called out of the window. Without turning around, Joyce stuck her middle finger up and continued down the road.

ONE MONTH EARLIER

Joyce unlocked the door and stepped into the apartment, contemplative. Adam followed her inside, holding a box of pizza. He kicked the door closed, and Joyce jumped as if a lightbulb had gone off in her head. She rushed to Boots’ bedroom and looked inside the crib. Yes, she did pack Teddy.

“You didn’t fuckin’ forget anything, Joyce!” Adam shouted from the kitchen.

Joyce sighed. “I know.”

Just as she’d turned around, Adam was gliding into the bedroom--a singular step of his equated to two of hers. She wrapped his arms around Joyce’s waist and pulled her close.

“We’re going to go into this kitchen, we’re going to eat this fucking pizza, then we’re going to fuck all night.”

Joyce laughed. “I know the itinerary, Adam.”

“The baby’s fine,” he said.

Joyce looked down, but Adam lifted her face by the chin. “Say it.”

“The baby’s fine,” Joyce repeated. 

“Your sister has two fucking kids, she knows what she’s doing.”

“I know, I know,” Joyce said. She pulled away from Adam’s grip and paced the bedroom. “But what if something happens? What if she gets sick? What if she eats something she’s allergic to and we don’t know she’s allergic to it?”

“Jesus fucking Christ, Smalls,” Adam said. He took Joyce’s hand. “Come the fuck on before the food gets cold.”

Adam pulled Joyce through the living room and suddenly, the phone rang.

“Don’t answer it!” he said, tugging on her hand. Joyce pressed her nails into Adam’s wrist.

“Ah! Fuck!”

As she turned on her heels to grab the phone, he smacked her ass. 

“Hello?” Joyce answered. “Hey, Ma.”

Adam rolled his eyes and faked pain--hunching his shoulders and touching his chest.

“I’m doing alright, and you?” Joyce asked, biting down a smile. Adam fell to the floor slowly and dramatically. “Oh, that’s good to hear...”

Joyce covered her mouth as Adam stretched out on the floor, panting and panting until he let his head fall to the side. He closed his eyes and let his tongue hang out like roadkill. 

“We’re doing alright. Laurie is actually over at Jessica’s for the evening...just to give us a little time off...”

Adam opened his eyes and looked up at the ceiling. Suddenly, he lifted his hands and pressed his fingers against an invisible waist. 

“...well, Ma, I surely don’t want to drive from New York to Philly just to bring my newborn baby for a weekend, and I sure wouldn’t have you and Dad drive all the way up here for it...” Joyce said. Her eyebrows furrowed at the sight before her. 

“Uhhh...” Adam moaned. “Your pussy is still so tight...”

Joyce kicked the coffee table to get Adam’s attention, but he only chuckled. “Well, she’s still a newborn to me...”

Adam began to thrust in the air. “Fuckkkk...am I fucking you good baby?” He increased the pitch of his voice, imitating Joyce. “Yes, baby, yes!”

He lowered his pitch to imitate himself. “How good?”

“I can feel your dick in my belly!” he moaned, imitating Joyce again.

Joyce covered the phone’s mouthpiece and turned her back to Adam. “I don’t know, something weird on TV...well, how about this, how about you two come up here and stay for a weekend, some day?”

Suddenly, Joyce felt the sofa cushion dip behind her. Adam placed soft kisses against her shoulder--bare under the spaghetti straps of her striped tank-top.

“Well, look, Ma--me and Adam are about to eat dinner, I’ll call you back in about an hour?”

“You’ll call her back tomorrow,” Adam whispered. He cleared his throat and leaned over Joyce’s shoulder. “Hi, Mrs. Martin!”

“She said, “Hey, baby”,” Joyce said. She wiggled her shoulder to relieve herself of the pressure of Adam’s chin. “Alright, Ma. Love you. Tell Daddy I said “hey.””

Joyce hung up the phone, turned around, and poked Adam in the chest. “You’re disgusting!”

“Grrrr,” Adam growled. He leaned in to take nibbles at her neck, making her chuckle and squeal. Then, she waved him away.

Just as the two of them rose from the sofa, the phone rang again. 

“Don’t answer it!” Adam shouted.

“It could be Jessica!” Joyce exclaimed. She picked up the phone and Adam scoffed and walked toward the kitchen. “Hello? Hi, Ms. Fran!”

Adam flew out of the kitchen and shook his head from left to right. “Yes, he’s here.”

Adam’s fingers curled, forming the shape of an invisible neck between them. Joyce smiled and held out the phone to her husband. 

DAYS LATER

“You know that arts festival they’ve been talking about?” Adam asked, walking into the kitchen with Boots in his arm. True to her nickname, Laurie “Boots” Sackler began wiggling her toes and kicking her foot, anxious to prove to her parents that she didn’t need them to carry her around anymore. But Adam paid her no mind--he only pulled her closer. 

“Good evening,” Joyce said, flashing Adam a smile as she stirred sauce in a pot. 

Adam leaned in to kiss her on the lips. “Good evening. How was your day?”

“My day was fine. And yours?”

Adam sat at the kitchen table, moving Boots onto the opposite side of him as she tugged at his shirt. “It was great. You know that music festival they’ve been talking about? Music and art?”

“Nope,” Joyce responded. She turned off the stove burner. 

“Well, there’s this arts and music festival coming to White Lake next month...”

“I have no clue where White Lake is...” Joyce responded. She walked to the cupboard and pulled out two ceramic bowls.

“It’s further north. Well, anyway. I got us tickets.”

“Oh, okay. Sounds fun. When is it, what time?” Joyce asked unenthusiastically. “What kind of art, what kind of music?”

“Janis Joplin’s gonna be there. Santana. Creedence Clearwater. Sly and the Family Stone...”

Joyce whirled around with big, bright eyes. “Sly and the Family Stone? Why didn’t you just say that in the beginning?!”

Adam grinned. “Well, it’s a three-day festival...”

“When will Sly and ‘em be there?” Joyce asked, dumping penne noodles into one of the bowls. Then the second.

“The second day I think. But I wanted us to go for all three days...” Adam added carefully. 

Joyce shook her head “no” and placed the pot of strained noodles back on the stove. “I’m not leaving my baby for three days.”

“We can take her with us,” Adam suggested, placing a kiss on Boots’ forehead. 

Joyce sighed and looked at Adam. “How far away is White Lake?”

“Joyce...”

“Yes?” she responded.

Adam stood up and walked over to Joyce, towering over her and staring into her eyes. “Let me take care of everything. I want us to start having fuckin’ fun again.”

Joyce’s neck snapped backward. “We always have fun! What do you mean?”

“We don’t really go out anymore, babe,” Adam said. He paced the kitchen floor with the baby as Joyce finished making their bowls. “We’re still fucking young and we don’t do young shit anymore. 

Joyce carried the bowls of pasta to the table. “Do I make you feel old, Adam?”

Adam’s shoulders fell. “No, honey...it’s just...we got married and had a baby, and now we’re just...stuck. Doing the same shit over and over again. And this wasn’t us before. We were always doing some new, crazy shit...”

Boots grabbed her father’s hair--dark and full like hers. “Now, the craziest shit we do is eat pizza and watch fuckin’ Bonanza with our fuckin’ pants off.” Adam gently pulled Boots’ hand away. 

“I don’t know, Adam. Let me think about it. Okay?”

____________________

August 15, 1969 

“We’re not moving anymore,” a bearded man had shouted down the road with his arms up. He and three other people had climbed out of their car, and he walked the road to warn the people behind him. He paced back toward his own car. “We’re done. We’re stuck.”

People had parked on the side of the road and walked toward the festival. Not Adam. He parked the car and pouted like a child. Hotels and motels were booked, so Boots stayed home. There were no vacancies anywhere near the farm in White Lake. Or Bethel. “Wherever the fuck we are,” Adam had said.

It was hot and sticky--and there had long been calls for rain. The land was already muddy from previous rains. What was supposed to be a two-hour drive felt like an eternity--it seemed that everyone in New York City was headed to the same place at the very same time. This wasn’t what Adam had in mind. This was supposed to be fun--not a fucking headache.

“So, what are we gonna do? Just sit here?” Joyce asked. 

“We were supposed to have a motel room. We’re supposed to be out there with everybody else. We might as well be back in Brooklyn watching the fuckin’ show,” Adam complained. 

Joyce grabbed Adam’s face and kissed him on the lips. “We’re here now. Aren’t we?”

“Yeah, we’re fucking here.”

“Let’s see what all the fuss is about,” Joyce said.

Adam nodded. “Okay. But we’ve got tickets. We’re not gonna be assholes and jump the fuckin’ fences.”

“Okay, baby.” Adam and Joyce walked around for about thirty minutes before irritation took over again. The place was muddy and there was barely room to move. No shelter from the setting sun. They’d barely checked out the art vendors before they made their way back to the car. 

____________________

“Joyce!” Adam called from the window. He hopped out of the car and called down the road again. “Where the fuck are you going?!”

Joyce turned around and walked backwards. “Stop making a scene, Adam!”

Suddenly, the ground under Joyce disappeared. She fell backward--ass first into a pile of mud. 

“Oh, shit,” Adam mumbled. Festival attendees scattered about at their cars covered their chuckles, while others were prepared to step away and help Joyce up. But Adam made it in time. 

“Fucking, shit, Smalls,” he said. Joyce pouted at her lost sandwich and soda and took Adam’s hand. She was halfway up when Adam suddenly broke out into laughter. Unable to control himself, he accidentally let Joyce’s hand go, letting her fall back into the mud.

“Adam!” she cried. 

“Shit, I’m sorry!” 

Adam held out his hand again, but as Joyce grabbed it, she tugged hard to pull him down on the ground with her. Of course, “Smalls” wasn’t big or strong enough to pull him down, but he’d lost his footing and fell forward beside her. This time, making all the onlookers burst into joyous laughter. 

“That’s right, get him!” a woman shouted in the distance. 

“Good old payback!” another said with a laugh. 

Adam and Joyce sat up--two 30-something year-olds--giggling in a pile of mud. 

Hours Later

Adam and Joyce walked the festival grounds with muddy backsides for a couple of hours. They met new people, bought a few pieces of art and jewelry, then made their way back to their car before the expected rain came down. They placed a blanket along the front seat and sat inside with the windows partially rolled down. Rain poured from the clouds and Ravi Shankar’s sitar filled the country night air. 

“I’m sorry,” Adam said after a seemingly never-ending silence.  “I just wanted to do something for you. For us.”

“And I’m enjoying myself, Adam,” Joyce responded. “It’s not ideal. But we said we wanted to do something fun and crazy right?”

“Forty dollars to come to this shit and we can’t even enjoy it. We can’t even see who’s on stage. Smells like fuckin’ piss and balls all over the place. We’ve got mud all over our asses.”

“You’ve put worse things on my ass,” Joyce interrupted. She bit her lip, then released a chuckle. Adam laughed, too. 

“Fuck. Maybe we’re not as young as I thought,” he resigned. 

Joyce sighed and rested her head on Adam’s chest. “Or maybe we’re just comfortable around each other. Maybe there’s nothing wrong with watching Bonanza with no pants on.”

Adam laughed. “Maybe we can spice shit up and fuck on each other every time Hoss gets into a fuckin’ fight.”

“We can watch the show, but if Hoss gets into a bar fight, you have to take your dick out.”

“YES!” Adam agreed excitedly. “And you have to suck it.”

Joyce burst into laughter again. “Blowjobs for Hoss fights, pussy-eating for Little Joe fights.” 

“Fuckin’ deal,” Adam agreed. They laughed together once more, then fell into a comforting silence.

“I’ve got an idea...” Joyce said, breaking the serenity. 

“What?”

She turned Adam’s face toward hers by his chin and kissed him on the lips. Then, she let the tip of her finger trail down his chest. “Let’s do somethin’ crazy right now...”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah...”

“We can’t take Ray’s car back smelling like--”

“You’d better not say smelling like fish!”

Adam laughed. “No, you smell more like sweaty...”

“Don’t you fuckin’ finish that sentence,” Joyce said.

He laughed again--like a mischievous and troublesome kid. Joyce bit her lip and ran her hand along Adam’s thigh. He let his hand slide under her shirt and over her belly. Then, he pulled his hand away, and used both hands to unbutton her top.

[dweetwise]

Headcannons about Ace interacting with other survivors in the realm? Thanks!!

[yess trash husband! these all got weirdly wholesome sksksk just let me have this ok]

there are too many survivors lmao this is so long

Ace & other survivors headcanons

In general Ace is a friendly guy, trying his best to stay on good terms with all the survivors and avoid drama. He’ll joke, tease and flirt to keep things lighthearted in camp. 

He’s a lot more perceptive than he seems, and what initially seems to be an ill-timed quip or a joke in poor taste is often well thought out to lighten the mood and shift the attention away from an argument or tension between the others.

Dwight

Dwight was the first survivor to make him feel part of the group when he initially arrived in the realm. Where the others saw a shady man twice their age lacking any sort of tact, Dwight saw a potential ally just trying to cope with a shitty situation.

Ever since, Ace has made it his mission to act as Dwight’s #1 cheerleader. When the other gets wrapped up in his own head, Ace will offer cheesy compliments until Dwight can’t help but laugh at his antics, forgetting his insecurities at least momentarily.

Ace likes Dwight well enough despite their completely different personalities, but mostly recognizes how important it is to keep their leader’s spirits high.

Meg

Meg is a bit of a loudmouth and Ace likes that she gives as good as she gets. He’ll often tease her and she’ll insult him in return, the others not understanding why the two are grinning like idiots while seemingly arguing.

When Meg has a bad day, she’ll sometimes just flop down next to Ace and sag against him without a word. He knows not to say anything and just lets her rest against him, maybe shows her a neat card trick if she looks like she needs a distraction.

Meg pointedly never talks about any father figure in her life, only her mother, so Ace is happy to fill in for any paternal affection she needs. He’s not sure he deserves the trust she's placed in him, but tries his best nonetheless.

Claudette

Ace thinks Claudette hates him at first, since the girl rarely laughs at his jokes, sometimes even interrupting to defend the person he’s bantering with. It takes him a while to realize that Claudette just has trouble reading his tone, tending to take his words at face value.

He makes a conscious effort to be more genuine with her, and actually ends up opening up more to her than any of the others because he can’t hide behind wit and sarcasm.

Even though he loves being the life of the party, when he needs a breather he seeks out one-on-one time with Claudette and listens for hours while she talks about plants or her family in her soothing voice.

Jake

Jake is an ongoing project for him. Ace has caught glimpses of Jake’s wonderfully dark sense of humor and is determined to see more of what’s behind the stoic exterior.

So Ace pushes more than any of the others, teasing and joking even when it’s clear Jake wants to be left alone. Usually he gets an annoyed grunt or an eye roll for his efforts. Sometimes, he gets punched. But every once in a while, particularly when nobody else is around, he’ll get a small smirk and an amazingly witty quip in return.

So he keeps pestering Jake, hoping that one day the other will be comfortable enough to let his guard down around him and the rest of the survivors.

Nea

Nea is a huge brat and is Ace’s favorite partner is trials, as she’s always up for doing dumb shit with him and doesn’t care if he gets distracted and loots a chest or five.

In camp, she’s like an annoying little sister, constantly getting up in his business, calling out his cheating in card games and booing at his less than stellar jokes.

Ace is her go-to confidant for her girl troubles. She always pretends to be annoyed at his shitty advice and the cringy pick-up lines he suggests she use, but she’s grateful to have someone to talk to who never judges.

Laurie

Laurie doesn’t approve of Ace’s previous lifestyle, not to mention some of the impulsive decisions he makes in trials, and she’s not afraid of letting him know. He doesn’t mind being lectured by her and will be the first to admit she’s leagues more mature than he is despite her young age.

She pretends to hate his jokes but still catches her smiling when she thinks he doesn’t see. Though he learned the hard way that she’s not receptive to flirty comments when she wrangled his arm back for calling her “sweetheart”.

She has cried on his shoulder multiple times, especially after trials against her brother. Ace thinks it’s because he’s open to a fault compared to her reserved nature, and she knows he won’t push her away or make a big deal out of it. Afterwards, she’ll be embarrassed and threaten violence if he tells the others, and he’ll go back to cracking jokes.

Bill

In many ways, Bill is Ace’s polar opposite; he’s serious, grumpy and sarcastic compared to Ace’s lighthearted and over-the-top demeanor.

They make a good comedy duo, with Bill being a reluctant participant most of the time. Still, the other has yet to actually ignore his goading, taking every chance to try to knock Ace down a peg.

Bill’s true colors shine through in bad trials, when he’ll ask Ace to help him save their younger friends, trusting his skill and moral code at least momentarily. After all, there’s a certain kind of solidarity that only comes from bleeding out next to each other on the ground after having successfully bullied the killer away from their teammates.

Feng

Some of the others dislike Feng and how selfish she is in trials, but Ace has a soft spot for her and her erratic behavior, quick to jump in and defuse situations where the others are ganging up on her.

Feng eventually recognizes Ace as her equal and not a “pleb” like she sees most of the others. She’ll even almost look happy to see him if they spawn together in a trial, before pestering him until he hands her his item.

Feng’s competitive nature sometimes makes her take out her frustration on the others in a gamer rage. Ace often intentionally makes himself an easy target by teasing her, not minding being her verbal punching bag as he knows it’s all bark and no bite and it helps her de-stress.

David

Ace finds David’s complete lack of filter and dirty humor amusing. The two have the most bizarre banter, egging each other on with gags that consist of 90 % of obscenities and that cause some of the others to cover their ears in second hand embarrassment.

Ace likes that David doesn’t take himself too seriously, and often uses the Brit as the butt of a joke, knowing the other won’t mind and will most likely be the one to laugh the hardest.

If David gets in one of his moods, pent up after a trial and looking for a brawl, Ace is one of the few who can snap him out of it with one of their tasteless jokes. Sometimes the joke falls flat and he gets punched or wrestled to the ground instead, but hey, at least David’s not sulking any more.

Quentin

Ace goes easy on Quentin at first, because the boy looks so tired and seems like he’s struggling with the realm. Quentin eventually notices the special treatment and starts giving him shit for it. Ace goes full force with the banter and Quentin is more than happy to dish it back, displaying a delightfully quick wit and dry sense of humor.

He still recognizes that Quentin might have an aversion to older men so he keeps a healthy distance between them, consciously resisting his natural inclination for playful shoves or flirty jokes.

Proud member of the Protect Quentin / Kick Freddy’s Ass squad. He wishes he could do more for Quentin, but hey, at least he can make the sleepy boy crack a few jokes at Ace’s expense.

Tapp

His relationship with Tapp is tense at first; as conman and cop, they have a lot of prejudices against each other.

Tapp eventually drops the antagonism, recognizing the real threat in the killers and realizing the benefits of teamwork. That includes accepting petty criminals like himself and Nea.

They’re not the best of friends by any means, but it’s kind of nice to play cards with the man and be able to chat with someone his own age. Ace doesn’t even cheat in their games, and in return gets to hear about some of Tapp’s more colorful cases as a detective.

Kate

Ace values Kate a lot in their group; she’s hearty, genuine and he’s never seen her angry. She radiates charisma in a way that’s completely different to his own, and Ace feels like he can relax and drop the “entertainer” act when she′s around.

He’s not actually close to her personally, as they don’t have much more in common than being the token happy person by the campfire. Still, they have a silent understanding of one another.

Ace will sometimes call her obnoxious pet names like honey, sweetheart and pumpkin, and she’ll just laugh in her melodious voice and shoot back a “yes, darlin’?”.

Adam

Adam is well-read and sophisticated to a point where Ace feels a little bit intimidated. Adam will frown at some of his jokes and correct him, and Ace will feel dumb.

Ace starts having his guard up around the other, until Adam seems to notice and makes a conscious effort to befriend him, confessing that he’s just a little awkward and never meant to be rude.

Ace is always quick to forgive and forget and goes back to joking full force, also making an effort to ask the other about some useless trivia every now and then because it makes Adam’s face light up.

Jeff

Jeff is just so chill even Ace feels himself mellow out in his company. They have pretty much nothing in common but Jeff always chuckles at his jokes and has some pretty good one-liners of his own.

He’ll sometimes just sit with Jeff and talk about anything and everything, appreciating the other’s interesting worldview that’s so different to his own. It always feels kind of like he’s just out having a beer with a bro.

Jeff is the one Ace is most comfortable with asking advice from, because the man never judges and his advice often offers a whole new perspective.

Jane

Jane and Ace butt heads a lot. She doesn’t like some of his more questionable jokes and won’t hesitate to call him out. In return, he’ll claim she just needs to lighten up.

Eventually this dynamic becomes a joke of its own, with the others commenting on how “mom and dad are arguing again”.

Ash

Hoo boy. These two are so much alike and it usually ends in disaster. Will bully killers together and get facecamped while the other is slugged next to the hook.

Ash is more of an adrenaline junkie than him, and Ace actually starts finding himself being the voice of reason that tries to talk Ash out of sucker punching the killer.

Ash is somehow also even more of an attention whore than Ace, so when the man is telling a crazy story to the rest of the camp, Ace is content to quietly slip away from the commotion and go chill with Claudette or Jeff.

Nancy

Nancy is one of the smartest people Ace has ever met and he loves how flustered she gets whenever he tells her as much.

He’s happy to let her take the lead in trials, as she, like Dwight, seems to be a natural leader. She’s always surprised by his acceptance of her as an equal or even superior, and he can tell she’s had trouble with being taken seriously in the past.

That being said, he can’t resist messing with her every now and then, cracking jokes and trying to get her to loosen up and realize that the fate of the world does not rest on her shoulders.

Steve

Ace sees a lot of himself in Steve; the goofiness, the troublemaking, and the cockiness that sometimes verges on arrogance.

He goes along with Steve’s dumb ideas in trials, feeling decades younger every time the teen eggs him on to have flashlight lightshows or make farting sounds with the gauze rolls instead of doing the objective.

When Steve inevitably gets caught trying to pull a dumb stunt, Ace will be the one to save his ass while giving him shit for it, all in good nature.

Yui

Yui is a badass if he’s ever seen one. They’ve pulled off so many end-game rescues together that should have been impossible, but with her determination and his luck they always seem to defeat the odds.

In camp, Yui is a wiseass and they give each other so much shit for the smallest of things. Yui is painfully blunt and thrives on good banter, and Ace is happy to indulge her.

Yui has a filthy mouth that will give David a run for his money and has even managed to make Ace blush and gape on a couple of occasions.

Zarina

Zarina is not amused by Ace’s flirting and flamboyance. Zarina values actions, not words, and somehow seems to sense all the empty promises Ace has made in his past.

Each time he’s about to engage her in conversation is predated by one of her eye rolls or exaggerated sighs. He starts greeting her with the same gestures to mess with her, annoying her further.

Nevertheless, when push comes to shove, she’s there to pick him up off the ground at the expense of her own health state and reluctantly compliments him for running the killer for three gens.

Cheryl

Cheryl keeps surprising Ace, her shy demeanor hiding a dry sense of humor and a rebellious streak.

She plays along with his banter without missing a beat, throwing in some jokes at his expense for good measure, causing Nea and Yui to basically insta-adopt her as one of their own and bond over his shitty sense of humor.

sorry there’s only 2 for jane and cheryl!  i’ve done a hc with ace&jane before and i still don’t have a good grasp on cheryl/heather’s character ;w;

[yourstruly-clover]

Here's a Drabble, I'll probably fix some of the pacing in the morning but I just needed to write to calm myself down so here we are. And also the lack of SailorKing stuff I write is depressing and as the writer I must provide for myself. But yeah kill me if it's too fastly paced, or for the sad stufff, I'm half asleep rn

Anyways here ya go peeps!

(peeps being @piper-koko-barnes-rogers )

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

"WHAT DO THEY MEAN ELSA'S NOT A DAMN LESBIAN?!"

Friday nights at the palace, everybody. Friday nights where a king and a pirate sat watching Disney films to their hearts' content, enjoying the time with heaps of criticism towards every movie.

"Laurie really. Last week you said Cinderella-"

"Was gonna end up in an insane asylum, no sane prince is gonna keep a lass who's eventually gonna start talkin' about pumpkin carriages and mice turned into humans and horses. They're gonna have to talk about it at some point."

"...They made 2 sequels."

"STILL!!! WHAT THE HELL WAS "SHOW YOURSELF" SUNG FOR THEN?! SHE'S A LESBIAN, GOLDIE."

KG sighed in defeat, burying his face into a pillow. His boyfriend was an idiot (who wasn't wrong though).

Boyfriend.

The word bounced around in his head, growing louder and louder than Laurie's rambles. 2 weeks of dating the pirate captain, and the king couldn't understand why Laurie wanted to date him anyways. What was Laurie seeing in him? The thoughts started to snowball, growing more and more, much to the king's dismay.

"Goldiiieeee."

"Mhm?"

"Can I say something?'

"Am I gonna regret saying yes?"

"I didn't think I was a snowman, but you just made my heart melt."

"Already requesting you shut up," KG said, fighting back a smile as he lightly punched a laughing Laurie in the arm.

"Listen, I love you enough that I'm shooting shots with terrible pick-up lines. Suffer!"

KG rolled his eyes, letting his arms drop to hold his knees to his chest. Laurie grinned, sticking out his tongue in response. For a while, they sat in silence in the dark room, soft moonlight pouring in through the windows. Just each other's presence seemed enough. So there they sat. In such a peaceful, yet irritating silence. KG bit his tongue, trying to hold back so many questions. Questions fueled by his own self-judgement. How could Laurie love him. Why him? Why why why why why-

"Why me?"

Laurie snapped back to reality, staring at the king curiously. "What do ya mean?"

"Why do you like me?"

Laurie laughed, tilting his head in confusion. "You mean why do I like you in general? In a dating sense? Odd question easily answered, Goldie."

The king didn't respond, closing his eyes with a sigh as he tried to calm his nerves. In for four, hold for seven, out for eight. In, hold, out. Four, seven, eight.

"Because I absolutely adore ya. Everything you are, everything you do, I adore it all. You're fantastical. Plain and simple. I could go on for days with more reasons, but there's it simple as pie," Laurie said, a sense of sureness in his tone. It was the truth, after all.

The king gazed off, letting out a humorless laugh.

"You sure you didn't choose the wrong person?" He said, his voice dull.

"What?"

"I mean it! I mean you're you, you're the amazing one, what am I? I'm me! Some sad excuse of a king who can barely stand up for himself as it is."

"Goldie-"

"There's plenty of others out there who are amazing in every which way, and you chose me. Of all the fish in the sea Laurie."

"Goldie-"

"There are people out there who are better than me, Laurie. I'm nothing special. I'm just as normal as anyone, you deserve someone else, someone...someone just as magnificent as you. I surely don't deserve you."

"Goldie you're wrong-"

"I'M NOT," he snapped, his eyes brimming with tears. Laurie froze at the sudden temper, the interjection he had dying in his throat. "There are so, so many things wrong with me, you say I'm all these magnificent things but I'm not! I'm not who you want, who you need in your life. I- I know that. I know that. You say such nice things that aren't true, I'm not stupid. You deserve better, Laurie. Someone who doesn't come with so much to care for, someone you can have fun with. You absolutely do-"

"George." Laurie said, walking over and sitting in front of the surprised king, holding his shaking hands in his own. "I know what I want, and who I like. And you make me feel so, so many things, so many good things. Hell, by the first time we started sending letters I was a lovestruck idiot anytime I saw or heard from you. I've fallen so damn hard for you. Every time you laugh or smile, I just fall even more head over heels. You're so difficult not to fall for, and you're so difficult on yourself. Don't argue that "oh, there are plenty of better people out there for you Laurie," no, there isn't," he said. "Nowhere in the world. I've traveled all over, and no one beats you and your heart of gold. You are the best person you can possibly be, words of Parliament and the world be damned. I'm choosing to stay by your side, be there to pick you up when you fall. Look at me," he said, looking KG right in his honey-gold eyes. "You're perfect, and no amount of words could express what I think of you. Accept that you can be loved, and that you are loved Goldie. And I'll remind you forever and always. I love you, a million times over," he said softly, wiping away the tears streaming down KG's face, waiting for permission from a nod "okay" before gently pressing his lips against the king's.

"I love you, Goldie."

[smarchit]

Flash Dance pt 4

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Read the whole thing on ao3 Here

"M-mystery girl?" Janine stammered, completely caught off guard by her statement. 

Her cheeks turned bright red when Karen mentioned she was Maxwell's secretary. She really didn't think anyone would directly inquire her about what she was doing there. And then there was that comment. Mystery girl.

Karen gave a warm smile and patted Janine on the arm. "Mr. Lord's had this glassy look in his eyes for the last few weeks. He mentioned ordering flowers today and I realized instantly he'd taken notice in someone. Even powerful men like him can fall hard."

"Fall?"

"Oh, I've said enough already. What's your name, honey?"

"Uhh, it's Janine."

"Janine, it was so nice to meet you," Karen said as she slid into the backseat of the cab. "I hope to see you soon!"

The cab pulled away from the curb and Janine was left standing on the curb, completely dumbfounded. She didn't even notice she had been standing there like a statue until a cab honked at her, startling her from her stupor. 

She pulled open the door, gave the cabbie her address and sat back as he pulled into traffic. So Maxwell was thinking about her? Obviously that much was true, considering he'd sent her flowers. How would she even get ahold of him to thank him? He knew how to contact her, but she didn't know how to find him. 

Twenty minutes later, the cabbie pulled up to the little apartment that sat above a surprisingly delicious pizzeria. She handed him her cab fare and got out, making sure not to leave anything behind before she fished for her keys in the pocket of her windbreaker. 

The bell jangled in the pizza shop door and Mr. Russo, the large, balding Italian man that owned the whole building popped his head out. "Home early again, Janie?"

Janine smiled as she stuck the key in the lock. "Yeah, again."

"You need to go on a date," he tutted, wagging his finger playfully at her.

She chuckled and shook her head. "And you still need to fix that leaky faucet in my bathroom, and the squeaky floorboard on the landing..."

Mr. Russo chuckled and swatted his hand at her. "Ehh, I'll get to it. In the meantime, come down in ten minutes, I'll have a fresh pie for you, okay?"

Janine nodded and nudged her door open with her hip. "Extra mushrooms and pepperoni, please!" she called over her shoulder before the door swung shut. 

She bounded up the narrow staircase and flung her bag to the floor, followed soon after by her jacket and her tennis shoes. Her apartment was dark, and she padded over to the light switch in the hall. She flipped it on and blinked a few times as her eyes adjusted to the light that flooded her apartment. 

Janine had left the roses at the office that day; she knew she wasn't coming home directly after work and she didn't want to ruin them. Now that she was home, however, she wished she'd brought them to brighten the place up a little. It always surprised people when they came over at how bleak her living space was. It didn't match her personality at all. 

She grabbed a can of Tab out of her fridge and walked into the bedroom to change her clothes. She kept thinking about what the receptionist, Karen, had said.

Did Maxwell talk about her often enough that his employees knew who she was?

The thought made her bite her lip. How did he talk about her? She hoped it wasn't anything like how her friends talked about him. They said he was rude and pushy. Laurie said she dated a guy like him in college, and that he was an absolute monster. 

But the few interactions she'd had with Maxwell didn't make him seem like a monster. If anything, he was a little awkward and unsure about how to interact with people. 

Janine wished she could talk to him for more than a few minutes at a time. He never seemed like he was able to sit still. 

The last time she'd seen him, she hadn't exactly been cordial with him. Still, he seemed like he wanted to keep getting to know her, if the flowers were any indication.

She sat on the edge of her bed and stared at the painting that hung on her wall. She chewed her lip for a moment until she got an idea. 

Janine went back out to her living room and stood up on tiptoes to get the yellow pages out of the coat closet, where it sat collecting dust beneath an ancient Clue game. It wasn't often that she used the phone book. Most of the numbers she used daily were scribed onto a legal pad beside her telephone.

She quickly scanned the "L" section, hoping that just maybe by some stroke of sheer luck, his name was printed there. Lamarr, Lacour... Lorenzo.

"Shit," Janine sighed. She shut the phone book with a thud and tossed it onto the coffee table. She huffed and crossed her arms over her chest and shook her head. It didn't surprise her that he wouldn't be in the phone book. She couldn't exactly look up David Bowie in the yellow pages, why would Maxwell Lord be in there?

She glanced at the clock on her stereo and realized it had been fifteen minutes since she got home. Mr. Russo would have her food ready and, as kind as he was, he was very punctual and didn't like to be kept waiting. 

Janine pushed herself off the couch and went back down the stairs to the shop.

Let's Make A Deal! was blaring from the wall-mounted TV and Carla, the teenage niece of Mr. Russo, grinned at Janine when she walked in. She cashed out Janine's order and leaned across the counter towards her.

"Sky and I are going to the Depeche Mode concert next week!" she squealed. 

Janine picked her pizza box off the counter and rested it against her hip. "That's awesome! I thought it was sold out?"

Carla shook her head. The long earrings she wore jangled noisily against her cheeks. "Sky's older brother knows a guy that works at the arena - front row tickets!"

"That's so cool! You girls are gonna have a great time," Janine said with a smile.

"I'll tell you all about it!" she said, dancing in place.

"I can't wait to hear about it!" she said, turning to call into the kitchen. "Thanks for the pizza, Mr. Russo!"

There was a response from the kitchen that Janine only vaguely registered as she turned to head back out the door. Just as her hand brushed the door handle, the TV caught her eye. 

Maxwell Lord was grinning down at her, hands clenched in victory. The closed captioning was a few seconds behind, but Janine knew the commercial well enough to know he was on his bullshit spiel about achieving greatness through hard work blah blah blah.

"God, I can't stand that guy," Carla sneered. She picked up her magazine and rolled her eyes. "I'm just sick of looking at him."

Janine bit her lip as she watched the commercial. It was longer than it usually was, most likely the extended versions they played from time to time. He had the money for primetime advertising. Might as well use it.

Carla glanced over at Janine and snorted. "Seriously? I know that look, Jay. It's the same look Sky gives to her poster of that other guy from Van Halen. Gross!"

Janine shrugged and continued to watch the commercial. Looking at it now, it was easy to see that the Maxwell on TV was just an act. It always seemed super fake and put on but now that Janine had met him, the real him, she realized something. The awkward guy who she saw standing outside her studio was more genuine than the man on TV.

She just wished she knew how to get in contact with him. 

Janine slid the pizza box on the rickety card table she used for a dining room table and went to turn the television on. She was surprised to see the red light from the answering machine blinking up at her. She was absolutely sure there weren't any messages when she'd come home a bit ago.

She turned from the TV and pressed the playback button on the machine.

"Hello? Hello? Talk louder, I can't hear you! Haha, gotcha! This is Janine, I can't come to the phone right now, or I don't feel like talking to you. Leave your phone number, maybe I'll get back to you." Beep. 

There was an awkward pause on the other end for a moment before the caller spoke up. 

"Uh... Janine. This is Maxwell. Uh, Maxwell Lord. I, uh, hope you got the flowers. I hope it wasn't too much or anything like that - I wasn't trying to be too forward. If you want, I'd really like to be able to take you to dinner some time."

Janine lowered herself into the chair beside the phone and quickly reached for the pen and sticky notes she kept by the answering machine. She scribbled down his phone number as he mumbled it off, her cheeks flaring as he murmured, "Hope to see you soon," before he ended the call.

Pizza forgotten, she picked up the receiver and dialed it quickly. She assumed that someone else would pick up; maybe a fancy butler with a British accent, or to her horror, another woman. Maybe he wouldn't pick it up at all?

Maxwell himself picking up the phone barely made the top 5 of what she expected to happen when the phone stopped ringing.

"Hello?" His voice was instantly recognizable. 

"Maxwell," she said softly. She bit her lip when she waited for his response. 

"I didn't think you were gonna call me back," he chuckled. "I got your machine and thought you were upset or something."

"I..." Janine hesitated for a second. "I was downstairs getting food. I actually wanted to call you earlier. But I---"

Maxwell swallowed and ran a hand through his hair. "You did?"

"You aren't in the phone book."

He chuckled and smiled to himself at how sincere she sounded. The ache in his chest dissipated slightly at the fact that she wanted to call him.

"I haven't been in the phone book for a few years now," he replied. "It would be ringing off the hook if I was still listed there."

Janine paused and then sighed. "Did you mean it?"

"I'm sorry?"

"In the message you said you want to take me to dinner. Did you mean it?"

"Of course, why would I lie about that?" Maxwell was slightly offended that she thought he was lying. Then he felt angry that maybe someone lied to her about it in the past. 

"Sorry, I just... sorry. Uh... I'm free on Friday night. If you wanted to go then?"

Maxwell swore his heart stopped. "Friday. Friday! Yes, that's -- yes. Friday is great." 

Janine almost laughed at how eager he seemed.

"What should I wear?" Janine got the sinking feeling she would be drastically underdressed for wherever Maxwell decided to take her.

"A dress," he said, after he thought for a moment. He quickly added, "The color doesn't matter."

Janine smiled and nodded. "Okay... I'll see you Friday."

"Eight o'clock?"

"Sounds great. I -- I can't wait."

"I'll pick you up, okay?"

"Wait!" Janine nearly shouted, "You don't know where I live." 

She could almost hear the smile in his voice at his reply before he disconnected.

"You're in the phone book."

++++++

If you want to be added to my tag list, please let me know!

[zen3to5]

J/H 3-10: Fez Gets The Girl

Well, the re-tread's done - now here we go in earnest!

Following along with the production order rather than the air dates, we now come to "Fez Gets The Girl." I've left the "A" story with Red and Eric untouched, and the "B" story with Fez and Caroline has only minor adjustments. I've kept everything, however, to provide context and to try and simulate a proper 22-minute episode. Now, as for the stuff that I did re-write...well, read on, my friends.

FF.Net AO3

---

SHOW TITLE   EXT. FORMAN DRIVEWAY - DAY   The boys are gathered around the Vista Cruiser. ERIC leans inside from the open driver’s seat window, working on the speakers.   HYDE: Where’s the tunes, Forman?   ERIC: Hang on, you guys. Just one more wire here.   FEZ: I learned how to speak English faster than this.   KELSO: Fez, it’s not real English if you speak it with a foreign accent. Geez.   Eric finishes his adjustments. ROCK MUSIC plays loudly from the car. The boys all smile and start to head bang.   ERIC: Aren’t these the coolest?   FEZ: I can’t hear you.   ERIC: I know! They’re the greatest speakers ever!   Eric jumps onto the hood of the car, slides down to the end, and starts playing air guitar.   RED, dressed for work, steps out from the kitchen. He stares at his son and rolls his eyes.   RED: Eric!   Eric, not hearing, continues to jam. The other boys retreat through the garage. Red crosses to the car and shuts off the radio. Eric, finally noticing his father, sits upright on the hood of the car.   ERIC: Oh, hey, Dad. Sorry. Didn’t see you there.   RED: Well, I guess ‘cause you were too busy making an ass of yourself.   ERIC: Actually, I was trying out my new speakers. What do you think?   RED: New speakers? What was wrong with the old ones? Those were genuine GM parts!   ERIC: (beat) Uh... these are louder.   RED: Yeah, well – just keep your monkey music turned down. And go grab your smock. We gotta go to work.   Eric hops off the car and heads inside.   BOB (v.o.): Hey, Red! Is that you?   RED: Oh, cripes.   Red leans into the car and turns the speakers back on, at full volume, just as BOB enters. He smiles and leans on the passenger’s side door.   BOB: (to Red)  Hiya, neighbor!   RED: Can’t hear you, Bob. I’m testing out Eric’s new speakers.   Bob looks confused and wanders off the way he came. Once he leaves the driveway, Red turns the radio off and smiles.   RED: (indicates the speakers) Not bad.

MAIN CREDITS   BUMPER   INT. FORMAN KITCHEN - EVENING   Red and Eric sit at the dining table, eating their dinners. KITTY crosses from the counter to the table as Red talks.   RED: Boy, quite a day at Price Mart, Kitty. First, the price of light bulbs dropped two cents, then Eric was made employee of the month, and to top it off, they added Cheez-Its to the vending machine.   Eric looks up from his plate.   ERIC: Are you serious?   RED: Yep. Tiny little squares with the cheese flavor baked right in.   ERIC: Am I really Price Mart employee of the month?   RED: You sure are.    Kitty applauds wildly.   KITTY: Yay!   RED: (to Eric) And they even decided to throw in an extra 25 cents an hour.   ERIC: Oh, yes!   RED: I gotta admit, Eric. I had my doubts, but hell, you’ve hardly embarrassed me.   ERIC: (beat) Thanks, Dad. Oh, this is great. Whoo! Price Mart rocks!   LAURIE enters from the living room and joins the family at the table.   KITTY: Oh, Laurie, tell everyone your good news.   LAURIE: I just finished my first two weeks of cosmetology school!   KITTY: And she didn’t flunk out! Isn’t that great?   RED: (to Laurie) That is great, honey. Nice job.   Red leans over and gives Laurie a kiss on the cheek.   LAURIE: Thanks, Daddy. But I’m a little worried. We’re not allowed to practice on dummies anymore and I can’t find anyone who’ll let me style their hair for my next exam.   KITTY: Oh, honey, you’ll do fine. We’re all here to support you.   LAURIE: Great. So, you don’t mind being my model?   KITTY: (quickly) Oh, honey, no, no. I go to the beauty parlor. Maybe Eric can help out.   ERIC: Oh, sure. Laurie, first of all – always run with scissors.   Laurie makes a face at him.   KITTY: (to Eric) Boy, I never get tired of your sarcasm.   ERIC: Really?   Red clears his throat.   ERIC (cont’d): Sorry.   KITTY: Red, would you like to be a hair model?   RED: Kitty, I would like to have hair. Period. But I don’t. So, no.   Red pats Laurie on the back, then stands and heads for the counter.   LAURIE: It’s fine, Mom. I’ll just get Kelso to do it. He shorted out my hair dryer last week when we were all done -   She looks over at Red, who glares back.   LAURIE (cont’d): ... “talking,” so he owes me one.   KITTY: (beat) Well, that’s very nice.   RED: Sure it is, kitten. And hey, you’ll be practicing on a dummy after all.   He and Eric both laugh.   ERIC: All right, Dad!   He points to Red, who salutes with a beer can. They keep laughing while Laurie scowls and Kitty goes back to her dinner.   CUT TO:   INT. THE HUB - NIGHT   A quiet night at the Hub. The gang have two small tables pulled together. Eric, KELSO, and FEZ sit around one, with Eric backwards in his chair as Kelso and Fez both sip at their sodas. HYDE and JACKIE sit on opposite sides of the other table, bent over a beat-up chess board and set.   The chess game is clearly in Hyde’s favor. Jackie hesitantly reaches for one of the white bishops and pushes it forward.   HYDE:  Can’t move that way.   Jackie pouts. She sets the bishop back and picks up a white knight.   HYDE (cont’d): No.   Jackie’s pout deepens. She tries to pull a rook diagonally.   HYDE (cont’d): No.   With more force than necessary, Jackie slams the rook back on the board, picks up a white pawn, and takes a black pawn.   HYDE (cont’d): There you go.   He moves a black bishop to take the square Jackie’s pawn was just on.   HYDE (cont’d): Checkmate.   He laughs and Jackie groans.   JACKIE: Steven, this game is so stupid!   HYDE: Nah, man. It’s the game of kings.   JACKIE: Oh yeah? (lifts her king) Then why can’t the king do anything? The queen – (holds up her queen) Has all the power, does all the work, and – (looks at the queen) Deserves a way prettier crown.   She sets the pieces back down and crosses her arms. Hyde shrugs and turns toward the guys.   ERIC: So, guys, not only are they gonna hang my picture in front of the store, but I also get to represent our entire district in the national Price Mart Olympics.   Everyone gives disinterested nods. Jackie starts resetting the chess pieces.   FEZ: That’s nice. (beat) Do you think I would choke to death if I swallowed my straw?   KELSO: No, it’s got a breathing hole.   Fez takes his straw from his soda cup and puts it in his mouth.   ERIC/HYDE/JACKIE: Fez, no.   Reluctantly, Fez puts his straw back in his cup.   From the table behind the gang, an ATTRACTIVE BLONDE stands and crosses to the juke box, sparing a look Fez’s way as she passes him. Fez sits up straight as she leans on the juke box.   FEZ:  Oh, my God. There she is.   JACKIE: Who is that?   FEZ: The new girl, Caroline. She transferred here from Sacred Heart. Or Heaven, I’m not sure which. We have gym together. She barely sweats. Some day, I will make her my bride.   HYDE: Yep, no one likes a sweaty bride.   The guys all mutter in agreement, while Jackie rolls her eyes.   HYDE (con’d): Hey, why don’t you go talk to her, man?   FEZ: Oh, I...   He trails off into nervous mumbling. Pop music begins to play.   CUT TO:   FANTASY SEQUENCE. The Hub is dark, save for two spotlights, one on CAROLINE and the other on Fez. He rises, crosses to Caroline, and spins her around to face him.   FEZ: You’re the most beautiful woman I have ever seen.   CAROLINE: Thank you. Your cocoa-brown skin makes me hot.   FEZ: I know. I am irresistible. Would you like to dance?   Caroline nods. They begin to dance, the spotlights following their steps. After a twirl, they separate, Caroline returning to the juke box and Fez to his seat.   CUT TO:   Back in the real world. Fez sucks nervously on his soda.   HYDE: Hey. Why don’t you go talk to her, man?   FEZ: Oh, I don’t know, Hyde. I can’t. I don’t understand this. Usually, I am... I am suave, I am silky.   The gang stares.   FEZ (cont’d): But this girl makes me... I have to go to the bathroom.   Fez quickly stands and moves to the bathroom, taking his soda with him.   ERIC: Anyway, getting back to Price Mart –   HYDE/KELSO/JACKIE: Shut up!   ERIC: Yeah.   DONNA enters through the Hub door. She hurries over to the gang and takes Fez’s empty chair.   DONNA: Oh, my God. You guys are never gonna believe this.   ERIC: Wait, no – me first.   DONNA: Okay, go.   ERIC: Okay. I, Eric Forman – your boyfriend – am Price Mart’s newest employee of the month.   DONNA: (beat) Eric, that’s great. Are you done?   ERIC: Oh, yeah. Top that, cupcake.   DONNA: Okay. Kat Peterson’s parents are out of town this Saturday, and she’s throwing a huge party. Two bucks a head, anyone’s in, and – seven minutes in heaven. But instead of a closet, it’s in the guest bedroom.   KELSO: All right!   He stands and hollers. Jackie and Hyde both nod and smile. Eric slowly stands, mouth open.   DONNA: (to Eric) You and me – we’re going.   ERIC: Oh, my God, no. Did you say Saturday? I... I can’t go Saturday. It’s inventory night. It’s mandatory.   DONNA: Skip it, Eric. We both need this party. Call in sick. Tell them your grandma died. (snaps fingers) Burn down the store.   ERIC: You’re right. You know what? I’m going.   Donna snaps her fingers again and grins.   ERIC (cont’d): Ah, I can’t go.   He slumps back down in his chair. Slowly, so does Kelso.   KELSO: Man, Saturday night? I’m out too. That’s the night Laurie’s doing my hair.   Everyone turns to stare at Kelso. He looks around at all of them, pouting.   KELSO: It’s for her beauty school classes. Education is important, people!   ERIC: (stands) No, I am going! (sits) Ah, I can’t go.   DONNA: Are you sure?   ERIC: Yeah, I can’t. You know, everyone has to work. No exceptions. Plus, Red and I – we’re both kind of supervising.   HYDE: Corporate America claims another victim.   DONNA: Eric, it’s okay. You’re a really responsible guy. I love and hate that about you.   KELSO: Okay, you know what? I’m not embarrassed that Laurie’s doing my hair. Yeah, ‘cause everybody goes to get their hair cut anyway, and if I have my girlfriend do it – well, then, that just saves money. And it gets expensive, staying this pretty.   He points to his head as he shakes it, tossing his bangs to and fro.   Jackie tugs on Hyde’s arm and points to the reset chess board.   JACKIE: Okay, Steven. Try to beat me now.   She confidently moves a pawn forward. Hyde calmly moves one of his forward. Jackie advances another pawn. Hyde, having freed his queen, moves it into the Fool’s Mate.   HYDE: Checkmate.   He grins as Jackie gasps, covers her mouth, and looks back and forth from Hyde to the chess board.   BUMPER   INT. FORMAN KITCHEN - DAY   The next morning. Laurie is rifling through a large bag full of beauty products on the table. All around her are hot rollers, styling wands, brushes, applicators, scissors, and hairspray cans, all immaculately clean.   Kitty enters from the living room, sees Laurie, and chuckles.   KITTY: Well, now. This is nice. Look at you, getting all your things nice and ready for your big exam.   LAURIE: Oh, no, Mom. This is all mine.   Kitty glances, disbelievingly, at the mess on her table.   LAURIE (cont’d): Yeah... I should probably find something to use on Kelso, huh?   Kitty shakes her head and returns to the living room. Laurie shrugs and goes back to rifling through her things.   CUT TO:   INT. SMILEY’S – DAY   Early afternoon at a small local diner. Red and Eric sit at a small table, their meals finished. Eric stares off into space, a look of pride on his face, as Red chews on a toothpick.   Eric turns to his dad and lifts up a KEYCHAIN.   ERIC: Oh, hey, did you see this? They gave me a Price Mart keychain. It’s got a knife and everything. Yeah, I keep it in my pocket. Some of the other guys get jealous.   Red takes the toothpick from his mouth.   RED: Look, Eric. I know you’re very excited about your raise and everything, but I don’t want you to get too caught up in this.   ERIC: Don’t worry, Dad. I’m not about to alienate my fellow employees with my award-winning work ethic. I read the signs in the breakroom. There’s no “I” in teamwork.   Red shakes his head. THE WAITRESS comes and presents him with the check.   WAITRESS: Here’s your check, sir, and thank you for eating at Smiley’s.   Eric reaches for the check. Red slaps his hand down on it.   RED: (laughs) Very funny.   ERIC: You know what, Dad? I got this.   RED: (beat) Take your hand off the check.   Eric stares at Red, refusing to let go. Red stares back and tugs at the check.   WAITRESS: I’ll come back.   She walks off, as Eric and Red continue to stare each other down.   CUT TO:   INT. THE HUB – DAY   Early afternoon, with steady business. Jackie and Hyde sit at a table against the wall, with Jackie in the booth seat. The chess board is between them again.   HYDE: Okay, let’s review. The bishop – (lifts one) Moves on the diagonal, the rook – (lifts one) Horizontal and vertical, and the knight – (lifts one) Can jump with a two-and-one L move.   JACKIE: (lifts her knight) Why is this only a horse’s head? How is he supposed to gallop to the queen’s rescue? And where are the prince and princess pieces?   Hyde sighs and takes the knight from Jackie, placing it back on the board.   Donna and Fez stand at the food counter waiting for their order. In front of them sits Caroline, studying. Donna notices, and points her out to Fez.   DONNA: Fez, is that her?   FEZ: Yes. I wish I could go talk to her, but I get so nervous.   DONNA: Fez, you shouldn’t be nervous. You’re awesome. What girl wouldn’t wanna be with you?   FEZ: Well, there is Jackie, Laurie, this girl from gym, another girl from chemistry, Country-Western star Tanya Tucker, who does not answer her letters, and, uh –   DONNA: Okay, stop. Whatever happened to suave, silky Fez?   FEZ: You’re right. I forgot about him. He’s hot.   DONNA: Exactly. So, go get her, Fez.   Donna pats Fez on the back and crosses to their table to join Jackie on the booth seat. Fez clears his throat and walks over to Caroline.   FEZ:  Caroline, it is Fez. May I sit?   Caroline looks up and nods eagerly. Fez pulls the free chair out and goes to sit down, but knocks Caroline’s food on the floor and misses the seat of the chair, falling to the ground. He immediately stands up, not meeting Caroline’s eyes.   FEZ: Okay, thank you.   Fez crosses to the bathroom door, pauses to glare at Donna.   FEZ: Great idea, Donna!   He disappears into the bathroom as Jackie, Hyde, and Donna choke down laughter. Jackie pats Donna on the shoulder.   FADE TO BLACK   COMMERCIAL   BUMPER   INT. FORMAN KITCHEN - DAY   Later in the afternoon. Kitty scrubs the counter. Eric and Red enter from the patio door, mid-argument.   ERIC: Well, excuse me for trying to buy a co-worker lunch.   He shrugs his coat off.   RED: I am not your co-worker. You’re a high school kid with a part-time job. You’re temporary!   KITTY: Uh-oh! You know what ends fights? Pudding. Just give me seven minutes.   She moves to get the ingredients from the cupboard. Eric and Red cross past the counter.   RED: Eric, you’ve gotta stop acting like a big shot. You’re not the king of the world, you know.   ERIC: I’m employee of the month. I don’t have to take this.   He exits into the living room. Kitty, with milk and pudding mix, moves to the island.   RED: This is no good, Kitty.   KITTY: Well, what are you gonna do, Red? He’s growing up. There are worse things he could be than a little too proud of his first real job.   RED: Oh, yeah? Like what?   Kelso enters from the patio door and pats Red on the shoulder.   KELSO: Hey, Red. Is Laurie home?   Red and Kitty both slowly turn to look at Kelso. Red’s eyes dart from Kelso’s face to his hand on Red’s shoulder. Kelso withdraws his hand and hurries out of the kitchen into the living room.   BUMPER   INT. LAURIE’S ROOM - DAY   Kelso sits in a chair at the vanity. He bounces in his seat, a big smile on his face, as Laurie cleans a hairbrush.   Kelso looks up, sees Laurie is busy. With a sneaky expression, he slowly reaches for a pair of scissors on the vanity. He picks them up and starts to snip happily at the air.   Laurie, hearing the sound, smacks Kelso in the back of the head and takes the scissors from him.   LAURIE: I said, don’t touch anything!   She goes back to her brush as Kelso sinks lower into the chair.   CUT TO:   INT. THE HUB - DAY   Jackie and Donna are still at the wall table. Donna has taken Hyde’s place in the chess game. She moves a white piece, and Jackie moves a black piece into check.   JACKIE: Oh, my God! That’s check, right? I did it, Donna! I did it! Check, check, check!   She claps and wiggles in her chair. Donna laughs and moves out of check.   DONNA: Jackie, since when do you play chess?   JACKIE: Oh, Steven started teaching me a few days ago. Yeah, I wanted to play Mystery Date, but Steven said that if I so much as opened that game within ten feet of him, all the dates but the dud would never be seen or heard from again.   Donna laughs again, stands, and heads into the bathroom. Hyde, returning from the counter, takes her place.   JACKIE: So, Steven – I checked your king. Yeah, that’s right. I’m coming atcha. Let’s see you win now.   Hyde studies the board for a moment. He reaches out, his hand hesitating. Jackie grins. Hyde looks up at her, grins back, and moves his king, freeing his rook to form checkmate.   JACKIE (cont’d): Oh, come on!   CUT TO:   INT. HUB BATHROOM - DAY   Donna adjusts her hair. Caroline enters and comes up behind Donna, who sees her in the mirror.   DONNA: Hi.   CAROLINE: Hi. You’re Donna, right?   DONNA: Yeah, yeah.   CAROLINE: I’m Caroline. I think we have Spanish together.   DONNA: Oh, yeah. Hi.   CAROLINE: Hola. Um... you know that foreign guy you’re always hanging out with?   DONNA: Fez?   CAROLINE: Yeah, Fez. Um, is he... does he...   DONNA: Oh, my God. You like Fez? Oh, my God! Come on, I’ll introduce you to him.   CAROLINE: Oh, no, no. That’s okay. I just wanted to... I gotta go. Use the bano.   Caroline rushes into the stall. There is a banging sound on the walls.   CAROLINE (v.o.): Stupid, stupid, stupid!   Donna looks to the stall, then outward in thought.   CUT TO:   INT. LAURIE’S ROOM – NIGHT   Saturday night. Kelso’s styling is in progress. He is once again sitting at the vanity, a barber’s cape around him. His hair is wet and combed back. Laurie balances a pair of scissors and a comb in one hand and takes up a section of hair with the other, complicated by Kelso moving around. Just as she gets a section and moves to cut it, Kelso pulls away, smiling.   KELSO: Man, I love getting my hair done. Really makes you feel good, you know?   Laurie gives him a curt smile and nod, moves to take a section of hair. Kelso pulls away again.   KELSO (cont’d): Yeah, I’ve loved it ever since I was a kid. Going to the barber shop, getting all trimmed and cleaned up... plus, they had this lady barber with huge boobs. I used to check ‘em out in the mirror while she cut my hair.   He chuckles at the memory. Laurie grabs his head hard to steady him and takes a section of hair. She is just about to trim it when Kelso starts rocking back and forth in the chair.   KELSO (cont’d): Oh, and the best part? At the end of every haircut, they’d give me a lollipop.   He turns around to look at Laurie expectantly.   KELSO (cont’d): Do you have lollipops?   LAURIE: SHUT UP!   She grabs his head with both hands, yanks it forward, and locks it in place as well as she can with her elbows as she starts to trim a section of his hair.   Kelso’s eyes dart around the mirror of the vanity, and he starts to laugh.   KELSO: You know, the lady barber used to wear the same kind of sweaters in the winter. But that didn’t stop me.   Laurie slaps him on the back of the head with her comb, then goes back to work.   CUT TO:   INT. FORMAN LIVING ROOM – NIGHT   Red, dressed for work, is asleep in his chair, a magazine in his lap. Slow zoom in as we cut to:   INT. PRICE MART – DAY   DREAM SEQUENCE. A badly-aged Red, now a janitor in a smock, has his ear to the break room door. He goes back to mopping as it opens. A grayed, pale Eric steps out, in a Price Mart manager’s suit.   ERIC: Hey, Dad. Good news. Just got another raise.   RED: Well, good for you. (aside) You dumb bastard.   ERIC: Yeah, I tell ya. If they keep throwing money at me like this, I might be able to get my own apartment soon.   Red rolls his eyes.   RED: For God’s sake, you’re 57 years old!   ERIC: Oh...   Red takes Eric’s shoulder and shakes it gently.   RED: Eric, why didn’t you listen to me? If you’d gone to college, you could’ve really been something.   ERIC: Been something? Whoa. You’re talking to the interim assistant weekend manager of housewares here, okay? Yeah. Show some respect.   RED: Well, aren’t you just the president of Turd Town?   CUT TO:   INT. FORMAN LIVING ROOM - NIGHT   Red jerks awake. He shakes his head, stands, and starts to pace.   Eric, also dressed for work, enters from the kitchen.   ERIC: Dad, I’ve been thinking about why you went so crazy and yelled at me, and I’ve come to the conclusion that you’re crazy and you like to yell at me.   Red puts a hand on Eric’s shoulder.   RED: There’s something you gotta know. You’re... well... you’re an idiot.   ERIC: (beat) Oh, great. A pep talk.   RED: Sit down.   They both sit on the couch.   RED (cont’d): When I was your age, I thought I had it all, too. Great job at the plants, nice steady paycheck. Just enough to, you know, string me along for 30 years or so, and for what? So they could toss me out on my ass when things got tough.   ERIC: Dad, I’m not gonna -   RED: Look. Don’t get me wrong. I admire your work ethic, but you deserve better than Price Mart. You’re a smart guy. And I’m... I’m proud of you.   He stands, and Eric follows.   ERIC: Whoa! Really? You... you think I’m smart? You’re proud of me?   RED: Oh, jeez. What, you gonna ruin this now by talking?   ERIC: Listen, Dad... if I’m still working at Price Mart when I’m your – older – please, kill me.   RED: You don’t have to ask twice, Son.   Eric laughs.   ERIC: Ah, yes. That’s my dad.   They both laugh as Red pats Eric’s shoulder again.   A scream sounds, and they both look to the stairs.   KELSO (v.o.): Laurie, no! A cut and a style is one thing, but that is where I draw the line!   LAURIE (v.o.): It’s part of the exam, you idiot! Now, sit down!   KELSO (v.o.): NO! Get away!   Kelso, still wearing the barber’s cape, his hair wet and slicked back, races down the stairs, tripping at the bottom. He struggles to disentangle himself from the cape. Laurie starts down the stairs after him, an applicator in her hand. Kelso tears the cape off, throws it at her, races through the living room, and disappears into the kitchen. Laurie runs to the middle of the living room and stomps her foot.   LAURIE: (after Kelso) Get back here!   She stomps her foot again, sighs, and looks over at Red.   LAURIE (cont’d): (to Red) Daddy – would you like to be a blonde?   Eric chuckles as Red puts a hand over his face and sinks down into the couch.   CUT TO:   INT. PETERSON HOUSE - NIGHT   A rocking party is underway. Rock music plays in the background, teens dance where they stand, and a large keg is set up in the hallway.   Donna and Fez, both with beer cups in hand, move down the hall. Donna guides Fez to an unassuming door.   FEZ: Oh, Donna, I don’t know about this.   DONNA: Fez, relax. You’ll love this. Trust me.   FEZ: Okay. I trust you. But there is no penalty in this game if I can’t do it for all the seven minutes, right?   Donna laughs and pats Fez on the back. She opens the door and gives Fez a nudge inside.   CUT TO:   INT. GUEST BEDROOM – NIGHT   The guest bed is neatly made, and the room is lit with many candles on the dressers and nightstands. Caroline is pacing up and down the room. She stops as Fez enters. They smile at one another, and both move to sit on the bed, a few inches apart. They both look straight ahead.   FADE TO:   Some moments later. They both still look straight ahead, but Caroline’s head is resting on Fez’s shoulder. Fez reaches out with his hand to take Caroline’s. They look at each other and smile.   FADE TO BLACK   CREDITS   INT. FORMAN BASEMENT - NIGHT   Hyde is in his chair, and Jackie is on the couch. A chess board rests on the table between them. Hyde is down to his king, while Jackie has her king, queen, and both knights. She titters with excitement.   JACKIE: Well, did I do it? Huh?   HYDE: (beat) Queen and knight checkmate.   Jackie screams and throw her hands in the air. Hyde topples his king over and nods.   HYDE (cont’d): You’re getting the hang of it, man.   JACKIE: Yeah, so, what really helped me was to think of the queen (picks queen up) as me, the castles (picks rook up) as tough back-up like Donna, the horses (picks knight up) as unicorns, and your pieces (indicates Hyde’s king) as a bunch of dirty little Michaels.   She claps and bends over the game, while Hyde sits back in his chair.   END.

[tyrantasaur]

g i l d e d ◇ s p i r i t s

It was well into the afternoon when Pritchard entered Wesley’s bedroom to begin his daily routine. It seemed to Wesley, awakened violently by the loud clacking of metal on metal as the valet tore open the curtains to let the sun stab Wesley right in his reddened eyes. It had been another extremely late night, and if he was honest he could not quite remember the latter part of it. He was pretty sure there was a certain sadistically gleeful bent to the silent valet’s smile this morning. 

“Do you know, I’m still quite half-under, man. Stop enjoying this.” He squinted at Pritchard, who was standing with the window just at his back. “Evil old goat,” Wesley grumbled to himself, cursing Pritchard under his breath. “Damnit man, hand me the potion.: He held his head as it felt like it was rattling about on his neck. Pritchard stood, not moving. “Please,” he ground out through gritted teeth, prompting his cold-hearted valet to hand him a small vial. He downed the shot of thin amber potion in one go, thankful that he didn’t have to live like the poor mortals who would have to just struggle through their day.

It took but a few moments before his head cleared, and he felt as though he’d been abed before 10 PM. He fluffed up his pillows and leaned back, awaiting the breakfast tray that Prichard placed over his lap. The sunlight falling on his face felt peaceful, now, and he directed his man to open the window and let in the cool breeze, the ambient sounds of the city, and the smell of smoke and freshly mown grass. It was a scent so particular to the city that it didn’t even phase him anymore. Luckily his own estate had enough greenery that it wasn’t filled with soot and smoke like other parts of the city. Just enough to remind one that they were in an oasis surrounded by metal and smoke. Some didn’t care much for it, but his life wasn’t half bad, and he lived for the hustle and bustle. Besides, it was really good for business.

After enjoying his bruncheon of toast, eggs, bacon, and coffee, Wesley was soon up and dressed for the rest of the day. It was not out of his regular routine for him to be up late, as the work of a supernatural investigator really was much more active at night. He was between cases at the moment, though that didn’t much matter to him.

He spent most of the afternoon and evening puttering around in his workshop; he had a project that he’d been working on for the better part of the past year, but he’d been having difficulty tracking down someone with the particular skills he needed to help him with the magical aspects. His powers were strong and his knowledge might be broad, but he wasn’t an expert in many fields. So far he’d been having trouble with anyone who was powerful or clever enough. Winnifred kept silent vigil, watching what he was working on and offering up rare bits of advice for new things to try. It was proving to be an extremely frustrating project, and finally he tossed down his tools with a shout, put everything into a box and shoved it onto the storage shelf, then swept out of the room. 

Winnifred trailed behind him, silent as ever, although she slammed the door behind him in empathetic commiseration. He wasn’t surprised by the small cold hand on his shoulder or the whisper as she faded off to wherever her ghostly sensibilities drew her. 

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

“Laurie!” Wesley stood, taking three long strides to meet his friend who had been led into the drawing room by Pritchard, who bowed himself off.

“Wes, old man, thank you for that vile potion you sent over yesterday. It always does wonders; what a blow, eh? Ah....Winnie,” he grinned unabashedly as though he hadn’t just spoken roughly in front of the young woman. “Forgive me, old gel?”

She graciously held out her hand, draped on the chaise longue in the same outfit she always wore, her hair always perfectly coiffed. Lawrence stepped forward and held his hand just under hers, going through the motions of kissing the ethereal hand. She smiled, her lips parting in a silent laugh at his dramatic expression of apology.

“You know, I’ve been thinking about that absolute mess we saw at the Montgomerys the other night,” Wesley stood by the writing desk at the window, fiddling with some papers. He picked them up but stared off into nothing and set them back down again. He was frowning out the window, his thoughts on what had occurred. 

“I’ve had a case I think is likely related to that fracas with the maidservant. Looks like a satyr getting a little too bold.” He drew a sharp breath. “I think I may need to find that woman and see if she knows anything. I’d like to know why it was drawn to that house in particular. It doesn’t seem to be targeting the wealthy manors,” he chewed absently on his lower lip. “What do you think?”

Lawrence sat down opposite Winnifred, and lit himself a cigarette, arm thrown over the back of the sofa. He leaned his head back to look up at the ceiling, watching the smoke blown out through his nose. “I think I was altogether a little too zozzed to really remember if I noticed anything in particular. I mean, Frakes was there and you know he’s a bit of the gift, so does that deb and her daddy, you know, the ah…” he glanced over at Winnifred. “Er, Jack and his girl Millie.”

“Well,” Wesley let the papers drop back down onto the desk. He walked over to the gilded cart filled with crystal decanters of various shapes filled with different colored liquids. Pouring out a glass for himself and Laurie, he dropped down onto the cushion beside his friend, and took up the same pose, staring at the ceiling.

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

Was it guilt or simply being thorough? Wesley wasn’t sure why he kept getting a nagging feeling that he should be tracking down the maid who had encountered the work of the satyr. It was not often that he felt any sort of overwhelming need to play the knight in shining armour, and he was fairly certain that wasn’t about to start now. Currently sitting in the parlor with Vivan Montgomery, he sipped at the tea she’d poured. 

The reason he’d dropped in was not, as Vivian clearly believed, because of her irresistible charms and their important place in society; he was hoping to begin tracking the satyr from this spot. The traces were all muddied; there’d clearly been a few people or beings in the area with at least a touch of magic about them, and their paths overlapped. After a time the trace dissipated much like a smell, becoming more vague and foggy as time wore on. He could’ve cursed himself for waiting as many days as he had, but as he made his excuses and took his leave, he stood for a moment in pretense of fixing his tie. 

Focusing on a magical trace was as innate a skill as sensing a taste or scent, but it was often harder to place, or to match up with what caused it. It was more of a concept, a feeling or emotion or a memory of a little slice in time and place that served as the magical signature. Different people sensed magic in different ways, but every persons’ trace was unique. He could tell his own trace from the rest, of course; and Laurie’s, though the man didn’t have an ounce of magical skill in him he was still a Sensitive and quite knowledgeable about the theory and history of magics.

There were at least three other distinct traces. Sorting out which pieces belonged to which trace were the trickier part, but you could piece them together like a puzzle as they just fit the scene they evoked. There was the feeling of lying in the tall grass, dappled sunlight warming your skin, the taste of honeyed wine on your lips; it had melted into the feeling of a familiar old chair and the particular scent of lignin, and the particular cozy feeling one gets when a rainy day lets you laze about without guilt; the scent of a crisp breeze, the childish satisfaction of milk and a plate of cookies, and the softly sad feeling of reliving a cherished memory. A summer’s day, reading in his library, and a stroll down memory lane. Out of the three of them, the summer’s day seemed the likeliest, given the satyr’s origins.

Walking along the sidewalk, he was glad for the bright sun, the light breeze, and the energy that a hearty breakfast had given him. He’d been up early today, unusually so for him, but he’d taken a potion the night before and had slept like the dead. Sometimes he wondered if mortals felt all the spirits that lived in his house; there certainly were a number. Those departed who could not yet move on, but who had become displaced when their homes were demolished, or the new occupants were a little too sensitive. Even in death people weren’t immune to homelessness. Sad, really. He wished there were more who studied the necromantic arts, but there was a certain distaste many had to speaking with the dead. It was hard work, and one of the more dangerous fields of magic. It took a lot of discipline, hard work, courage, and unfortunately a certain amount of empathy. It was not generally a lucrative line of work, given that most dead didn’t have any wealth lying about, but it was still important work. 

The trace that reminded him of autumn in his childhood kept coming up. He wondered if there was someone who had been at the party, or that lived nearby, who had caught the attention of the satyr. He pitied the person, as they were quite the nuisance, especially for women. Lusty capricious little beggars, they were not exceptionally violent but could turn aggressive. Magical creatures were not as they were often portrayed in stories; the Greeks had it most to right, some good some wicked and mostly a mix between the two. Temperamental and given to dramatic impulses, they could be difficult when cross and a hassle when they took a shine to you. 

The path took him more into the less posh parts of town, and he frowned at the small cluster of fairies following the milkman’s cart, but kept going. It looped through various neighborhoods until it hit a gentlemen’s club. Wesley had no compunctions about visiting the house of ill repute, but it had taken considerable work to calm down the inhabitants enough to get any information out of them. The madam had not known what to believe, but one of her girls had enough gifts to see the creature. It was getting bold, and it was about time to send it back to the plane to which it belonged.

A wave of nostalgia washed over him, and he realized that the neighborhoods through which he had been tramping were filled with the second trace at various stages of strength. It was getting to be clearer as he drew closer to the department store. Intrigued, he wondered who it could be and what role they played with the satyr. He followed the trace through the store, and he saw fairies flitting between the jewelry cases and home goods, attracted to everything that glittered. They cast wary looks at him as he passed, but resumed their ogling as he passed them by.

Pretending to examine a pair of leather gloves, he tried to focus on where the concentration of the magic was centered. Fairies liked transformative, air and water elemental, divinatory and combat magics, so it made sense that they would have followed this mage, as there was the flavor of some of those magicks to their trace. He felt it up ahead and looked up to see the perfume counter. He did a double take, staring keenly at the young woman at the counter. She wasn’t dressed like the usual middle and upper classes that shopped at the department store, nor was she dressed as one of the counter girls. A friend, perhaps, stealing a few moments with their friend? Window shopping? Extravagant purchase with hoarded savings?

No, there was something familiar, and he tried to put it in perspective. Someone who would have been near the Montgomerys. If she was in that part of uptown and wasn’t incredibly uptown herself, it was more likely that she’d be a servant at one of the houses. 

As he picked up a different pair and tried them on, he could have hit himself, and cursed himself for a blockhead. The maid that had been dismissed, that was obviously who she must be. A second glance couldn’t quite confirm it; she wasn’t wearing her uniform anymore, and he honestly could not recall what the woman had looked like, as he wasn’t generally in the practice of paying attention to the staff at a party. He was incredibly detail oriented, but only when it related to his work; otherwise, he was wholeheartedly occupied with himself.

Once she left, he purchased a pair of driving gloves and meandered over to the perfume counter. “I need a gift for an aunt of mine. Something matronly and a bit out of fashion, you know the type.” The woman asked him a few questions to help identify the best scent, and wrapped it up for him. “The girl that was just here a moment ago, do you know her?”

The woman behind the counter seemed confused and a bit reticent, but she acknowledged that she knew the person about whom he spoke. “Ah, she worked for the Montgomery’s, did she not? I hate to gossip,” he lied convincingly. “But the old biddy is in a desperate situation. My aunt, you see, not your friend. Anyway, if she can stand the tyrannical rule of a mistress again, give her my card? Berries,” he grinned as she took his card.

[sweater-daddiesdumbdork]

Home Sweet Home: 112 Ocean Ave

Summary- 2.6k Andy Barber x You. You and Andy almost have it all, married and with a jointed family consisting of Andy’s teenage son Jacob, as well as your two younger children John and Cassidy. Looking to add another member, your family is in need of a bigger house, a forever home. You find just the place, 112 Ocean Avenue in Amityville Long Island.   Home Sweet Home

Written for @optimistic-dinosaur-nacho​ Spooky Scary Stories challenge. Divider by @firefly-graphics​

Warnings- swears, implied smut, mentions of murders. 

A/N- I chose Amityville Horror for the challenge because its one of my favorite Spook Stories growing up. When reading you will find a lot of similarities to the 2005 Movie, some of the scenarios and dialogue are specifically from that film. Other parts of it are from the book itself. The family name was changed for my own personal reasons. Happy Haunting!  🎃

Masterlist

You scrolled through your phone, double checking the address. “Andy it should be up the next couple streets. Lakeside.” You couldn't hold back the excitement in your tone, and Andy hit the blinker to turn down Ocean Avenue. 

“Babe, don't get too excited.” Andy tried to talk reason with you, his fingers thrumming on the steering wheel. “If it's too good to be true, it probably is.” 

You shifted over as much as you could, the Audi middle armrest keeping you from curling up into his side, but you could rest your head on his bicep. “Come on Andy, this might just be what we've been looking for. Good school district, excellent location, nice neighborhood, enough room for all three of the kids.” 

Andy tilted his head a bit to look down at you, his eyes softening around the edges as he finally smiled, you were so excited for this that it was hard not to match your enthusiasm. His hand released the steering column to take your hand, weaving his fingers through your hand, he let your hands rest against his lap. “You know Y/N, if this place is as big as what the pictures show, we could finally try for our own baby.” 

Wiggling your brows, you nuzzled his arm before sitting up. “I know Andy, why else do you think I want this place. Five bedrooms. It's perfect. Jacob can have a room to come home to when he comes and stays with us when he's not with Laurie. Cassidy and John each have their own bedrooms, and future little Barber Bean will have a cute nursery.” Your voice wandered as your gaze turned towards the window, watching beautiful homes pass you two by. Homes you never would have dreamed possible, million dollar homes on a lake. When you got the ping on your phone for 112 Ocean Avenue being lowered in price, you dreamed about the possibility of it. Then it lowered again, and you started to get hopeful. Then this last price drop, taking off another $30,000 dollar, you squealed in bed. Effectively waking Andy with a jolt, startling him. 

Now here you were, going to look at what will be your dream home, the perfect home. The forever home for you and Andy. Andy would probably scoff at you just knowing this, since he didn't believe in fate. But you did, fate after all was how you met the DA in a bar when you both needed each other in a dark time, and had fallen in love. So fate now was leading you here, to your and Andy’s new start in life. It could be a dream come true. You had enough belief for both of you.  

Suddenly a big white house filled your vision, and you glanced at the address on the GPS. “Andy, there it is! Look at it.” You said excitedly, and Andy slowed the car, pulling to the curb to lean a bit into the passenger side, looking out your window to gaze at the house, giving a small whistle. 

“Okay Sweetheart, I agree. This place looks nice. Too nice, are you sure that price is right?” 

“Yes, I double checked with the realtor when I called them last week. It's really the right price.” 

Andy straightened in his seat, and turned into the long driveway. “That true Honey, this is the deal of a lifetime.” 

You grinned excitedly, just about bouncing in your seat. Andy’s hand reached over, sliding his hand along your thigh before taking your hand, weaving his fingers with yours and giving a gentle squeeze. You knew that he was also excited now. 

When Andy pulled up to the house, the realtor waited for them on the front steps, clutching her phone to her chest and gave a smile. The kind a dealer who's looking to make a fast sale gives. “Welcome, I had hoped you all would be able to find the place easily. Magnificent isn't it? Built around 1910, the foundation is original, but all updated while keeping its original charm. Shall we go inside?” She dangled the keys and you with wide eyed enthusiasm nodded. Andy draped his arm over your shoulder, nodding in agreement. 

The realtor showed them right inside, bustling them inside as she shut the door. “As you see, lots of beautiful lighting, the kitchen has been all updated. The marble counter tops were just installed not even two years ago.” She clasped her hands together and kept a smile plastered on her face while you and Andy wandered into the entrance of the house, looking around. Andy’s head tilted back while looking for any kind of possible damage while you took a step or two on the stairs, and leaned against the banister. “What are you thinking Andy?” you wiggle your nose at him, and he glances at you, you can see him hiding a smile, and he stuffed his hands in his pockets, humming lightly while looking around once more before answering. “The entrance way looks nice, spacious. But I want to look over the rest of the house.” 

“Of course, if you come this way to the sitting room. Perfect for get togethers, children's sleepovers, family game nights. Do you… two have any children?” she flashed a toothy grin, and you wandered away from Andy a moment while he addressed the realtor. “Yes, Y/N has two smaller children, and I have a teenage son.” 

“How nice! Then this really would be perfect for living a family life.” she continued on while Andy followed her in, you waited a moment, then stepped away yourself, going the opposite way. You could still hear the realtor's voice, but you paid no heed. You already knew that this was home. You already could see yourself with a new baby on your hip, redecorating room by room. Andy would be able to set up a home office to work from. You might even be able to write that book you wanted. The kids would settle in, Jacob could come home on weekends from college, holidays the whole family could get together and everything you were picturing was the dream. 

Your dream and you hoped Andy's dream as well. 

Your fingers slid along the cool marble counters once you reached the kitchen, and looked around at the new appliances installed. You grasped the large kitchen sink, and peeked out the back window to see the lake view, catching your breath. Large old maple trees adorned the lake edge, and there was a boat house at the end of the deck. Could this place get any better? 

“Y/N?” you heard Andy coming up from behind you, the click of heels against the floor told you the realtor was right on your husbands tail when he entered the kitchen. Looking around, he gave a low whistle of approval. “Nice.” 

You spun and couldn't hide the grin. “Isn't it? Andy…” You gave a soft whine, and he hugged around you, shushing you in your ear a moment before turning towards the realtor. 

“Basement? I plan on converting it into a temporary office for now until we're settled.” Andy asked and the realtor turned around and opened a door, flicking on a light. 

“Go on ahead and look around.” She looked down the dark stairs and took a cautious step back, her voice wavering slightly. “I’m- uh- gonna just stay up here.” 

Andy walked past her, and you followed him, the both of you going down the stairs. Once you both got to the bottom, Andy looked around all the corners. It seemed dry, clean, and had all the usual things that made up a basement. “Yup, it’s a basement.” 

You leaned onto him a moment and chuckled. “You sound so excited Mr.Barber.” 

Up above them, the realtor said in her overly cheerful voice. “So what do you two think?” 

Andy arched a teasing brow and looked you up and down. “I think you look foxy in that skirt.” 

“Andy!” you hissed as you pushed lightly against his chest and started back up the stairs. He was right behind you and his hand slapped against your backside teasing before you two came back out in the kitchen. 

The rest of the tour went decent, the upstairs had more than enough bedrooms for everyone, closet space, the works. Even now Andy was getting a bit more on board with the prospect of buying this house, and you were sure he was going to give in. Your tour ended back in the main foyer, and Andy excused you two to talk a moment. He pulled you into the living room, sure to give you two enough space not to be overheard. 

“You really want this house Y/N?” his hands reached for yours and weaved your fingers together. “It will mean some sacrifices, because it's still on the high end of our price range, but we can do it.” He assured you, and you shuffled a foot back and forth while thinking about it. 

“I want to, Andy, I feel like this is the right place for us. It has everything we wanted and then some. I can see us being happy here.” 

That was all it took, Andy gave a smile and nodded in agreement, and you couldn't help the excited yelp, jumping into his arms, hugging around his neck and legs around his slender waist. The realtor with a look of panic came running around the corner of the entrance and put her hand to her chest in relief. 

“Were all happy then?” 

You grinned happily as you slid back to the floor, and Andy wrapped an arm around your shoulders. “I think we're ready to put an offer on it.” 

“Well, let me call my office and see about drawing up some papers.” She seemed to be relieved, and once you all were ushered outside, she closed the door firmly. Andy walked down the path a short ways, and turned around to look up at the expansive house, his hand rubbing at his beard in a thoughtful way. The largest purchase he’s made so far, but something was still bugging him about it. 

“Okay, what’s the catch with this place? I looked up what other listings go for in this area. None of them are nearly in such a nice location, or this size, and they are twice the price of this house.” When the realtor hesitated, Andy cleared his throat. “By law you're required to tell us if anything has happened here we should be aware of.” You suddenly could feel your heart sinking a bit at the realtors' crestfallen face. 

“Okay… There was a tragedy- a family was murdered here.” You gasped and the realtor continued. “But that was a long time ago, everyone in the town has moved on. Plus it's a house, a beautiful house just made to have a family in it and become a home. Why let one bad time ruin your decision? You will not find a nicer home in the area, that I can guarantee.” 

Andy took a deep breath and looked up at the house again, and you tugged lightly on his jacket. “Can we still? would it be too weird to live in a house where a family was murdered?” 

“Baby, it's not the house's fault. House’s don't kill people, people kill people. Trust me, I've worked enough cases to know.” Andy glanced down at you. “Would you be able to be okay with it?”  

You let it sink in, and you never had to find out the details honestly. You didn't want to know, you just couldn't let your dreams slip away by something that happened in the past. 

“Let's do it Andy, we can make a better story for this house. Our story.”

Later that night, you and Andy have just told the kids that they were indeed buying a house, and showed them pictures of it. After the two smaller ones were in bed, you and Andy were curled up on the couch, watching a tv show. Jacob was nearby on his phone, looking at the pictures he asked you to send him earlier. 

“This house is huge, way bigger than this one or the one Mom has.” Jacob happened to remark, and Andy nodded. 

“It really is Jake, and it's by the college you want to attend. Y/N and I were talking about it on the way home, and if you just wanted to stay with us rather than live on campus, you would save lots of money.” You nodded in agreement while Andy continued. “No rent, you just gotta help around the house a bit.” 

Jacob looked thoughtful at the offer you and his father was making, and he finally nodded. “That actually would be great guys, thanks. At least the first year.” He went back to his phone, and you hid a grin against Andy’s arm, both of you pleased that he was so eager to take up the offer. He might not be your son, but you cared for him just as much as either of your children. 

Jacob soon yawned and stretched. “Catch y'all in the morning.” 

Andy gave a nod and you yawned sleepily as well, but opted to stay right where you were. “Night Jakey.” You said, and he gave a wave as he headed up the stairs to the bedroom he shared with your son. 

It was quiet for a while before Andy kissed the top of your head, and you looked up at him. “Excited Baby?” 

You bit your lip and shifted to sit up more, pushing him back against the couch, and lifting your leg over his to straddle him while cupping his face. “Want me to show you just how excited I am Handsome?” your brows wriggled and his hands gripped your hips gently and tilted his head. 

“Think we're not going to get caught?” Andy said in a hushed voice and you tilted to look up the stairs, noticing all the lights were off. 

“We’re safe.” You giggled and covered your lips with his, brushing up against him with a soft moan. 

You were more than happy to show him just how excited you were. 

Later that night, when everyone was sound asleep, Andy eased out of bed, sure to make sure you were covered. Making his way down to the kitchen, he grabbed his laptop and started it up while moving to sit down. Quickly he pulled up google, and typed in the new house's address. Whatever happened wouldn't change his mind. But Andy liked to know what exactly he was moving his family into. 

What pulled up was horrific. Pulling up crime scene photos of the family who lived in 112 Ocean Ave years ago, he wasn't shocked to see splatters of blood across the master bedroom that would soon be yours, or the torn apart children's beds with holes blown through the mattresses. It wouldn't be the first time he's seen this kind of evil in the world with his work. Rubbing his hand against his chin in thought, his eyes scanned through the article. What he wasn't expecting was the oldest Deffor son, 24 named Ronnie was the killer.  

He had gone through with a rifle at 3:30 in the morning, starting with his parents and then moving onto his siblings. “Oh god.” Andy muttered as he read the details logged, the man claimed he was told to by a demon. Pushing back from his seat, just staring at the picture of Ronnie being taken out by the police, Andy couldn't look away from his eyes, bloodshot and wild. They bothered Andy to look at, imagining how terrified the children must have been to see their brother staring at them like that, from the end of a rifle. Reaching over to close the laptop, and cut off the pictures, he sighed. 

People kill people, the house is perfectly fine. Telling himself this, he put away his laptop and went back upstairs to join you again. You muttered in your sleep and eased back into his arms. 

[thepaperpanda]

Ben Bazen || Bucky Barnes x Reader

Summary: Bucky Barnes is spending nice time by your side during common trip to Paris.

Warnings: none

Words: 974

Authors: Rouge

Request by: @karina-marina9 Request: Hi, can I ask for a one shot based on song named "Ben bazen"? I got into that kind of music lately, and I wondered if you could write something like this. I would like to read about Bucky and reader just fooling around during summer months, maybe they take a trip around the world?

A/N: I hope you'll enjoy it! ♥

“... Ben bazen...” You were humming softly, resting your head against the window of a car.

“You do this again, Y/N!” Bucky couldn't help but giggled loudly as he poked your side with his metal hand. “Calm down, soon we're gonna get there, Y/N.”

“What?!” You improved your position, putting legs on a dashboard. “You don't like me singing?”

“If I can be honest...” Bucky paused, so you turned your head toward him. He was grinning, looking straight at the road. “I like it from time to time but you sound more like a dying cat, honey.” Bucky shrugged and looked at you.

“Oh, you!” You pecked his lips and opened the window by your side, sticking head out.

“Watch out! I don't want you to lose your head so easily.” Former Winter Soldier said as he briefly looked at you.

“Focus on the road, Buck!” You miffed but you curled your lips into a bright smile. “Shit, we're here!”

In front of you, on the horizon, the Eiffel Tower loomed.

You squeaked, clapping your hands.

“Y/N, easy! It's just a monument!” Bucky rolled his eyes as he looked for a place to park the car.

When he finally did, you jumped out of the vehicle.

“C'mon, Buck!!!” You were jumping in the place, doing everything to rush him.

“Easy, girl!” He closed the door and activated the alarm. Bucky put his leather, black jacket on and circled the car to grab you by hand.

The sun was going down slowly as you two were walking along the Avenue Pierre Loti.

A gentle wind was ruffling trees and grass, adding a specific charm to this moment.

You were walking slowly, proudly holding your head up and leaning a bit toward Bucky, who let your hand free only to wrap his metal arm around your waist.

“Ah, isn't it beautiful?” You asked softly, breathing deeply.

“Mhm...” Bucky muttered, looking down at you.

You rolled your eyes, you were a bit annoyed.

“Buck, you know, how to be romantic.” You said with irony. “We're at one of the most romantic cities on the planet and you are like 'yeah, whatever', seriously?” You stopped and slipped out of his grip, crossing arms on your chest. “Thanks, Buck.”

He blinked.

“What? I do like this place. I don't know, what are you talking about right now.” Bucky shrugged slightly.

You turned with your back to him.

“Oh, come on, Y/N!” Bucky took a step toward you and placed his hands on your shoulders. “Don't be like this. I didn't mean anything bad, yea?” He put his chin on your left shoulder, only to kiss your neck shortly after. “Come on, honey.”

You smirked and giggled, reaching with your hand to his neck to stroke him there.

“You know that I can't be mad at you for too long, don't you?” You turned your head to him and kissed his lips. Bucky gave the kiss back, humming softly.

You grabbed his palm and pulled him ahead.

Soon, you and Bucky arrived at Eiffel Tower.

“Good morning, Mr. Barnes.” A guard smiled at Bucky and showed him the way.

You were surprised seeing, how you and Bucky were passing all the people from a queue by.

“Bucky?...” You asked quietly, tugging on his sleeve. “What's going on?”

He only turned head to look down at you with a bright smile on his lips.

“You'll see, Y/N.”

You were led on the highest floor, to the restaurant.

From this point, there was a beautiful view of the Paris skyline.

Bucky shifted a chair for you to sit and you politely took your place.

“Buck... How... I've heard that you have to book a place here few months before the trip... It's a very fancy restaurant...” You smiled, feeling how blush was forming on your cheeks.

Bucky took a seat in front of you and reached for your hand above the table.

“I know. That's why I made a reservation four months ago. Just for you, my love.” He gently nodded with a smile.

Your heart skipped a beat. He did this FOR YOU!

“Bucky...” You whispered when a waitress brought a bottle of red wine. “You shouldn't have...”

“Hush.” Bucky put the metal finger to his lips. “Enjoy the moment, Y/N.”

Some time later, the dishes that you ordered have arrived.

“I would never say that you'll do something like this for me.” You smiled at him, taking a bite of duck in spicy sauce. “It's... I can't find suitable words to describe how happy I am.” You were looking at him with love.

Bucky raised a glass of wine.

“To us. To another happy year.” He smirked softly.

You did the same.

“To me and my sweetest boyfriend. To our love.”

“Y/N, I have always wanted to ask you something. Many times I heard you singing 'ben bazen'. What does it even mean?” Bucky giggled quietly, putting the glass down.

You put your fork down and nodded.

“Indeed. 'Ben bazen' means 'I sometimes' in Turkish.” You explained simply. “I like the song with the similar title, it somehow stuck in my head some time ago.”

Bucky was looking at you. Suddenly, he got up and walked to your chair, reaching the hand toward you.

“Y/N, may I have this dance?” Bucky asked and it was when you realized that your favorite song was on.

“Oh, Gosh, Buck!” You blushed hardly but offered him your palm.

Within a minute, you and Bucky were rocking slowly to the music beat, being so close to each other.

“It was the best surprise I have ever gotten.” You climbed on your toes to kiss his bearded cheek.

Bucky pulled you closer.

“And you called me not romantic enough today, Y/N.” He poked your nose gently.

You both were dancing slowly, admiring the setting sun.

Pandies🐼: @blue-dragon-ice @calkingwood @imidarogerson @grossograsso @thewildgardensstuff @irai-lauri @leven-and-ashley @la-verdura @bearded-steve-rogers @sebbystan-plantlover @atuckyismylife @krispyjellyfishzombie @personality-within @haseki-huricihan @choppedgardenwhispers @vroobelek @lattimelka @chris-beamz @hidden-secrets69 @side-blog-of-me @purepearls @i-am-margerita @volcanoxxx @kastrup-sofie  @mikkal-akasaki  @withoutashadowofhope  @radbluebirdeagle @marvel-fan-site  @smutloversblog  @buquete  @super-psycho-love69 @tanglesss @peter-sommer @baysidewest @vegemania @philip-stan @chodiusmmm @subwaystunnel @tykorclint @dagger-dragger @kurant @nothing-can-least-forever @oxfordkipem @deliciousbouquet90  @tuptuptup @hellenna80  @latimeriaaa  @bratko @wurld89  @scott-evans  @kiss-me-rouge @ovonel-espaniol @dancing-tacco @ratugadhi @white-tiger-shangrila @axn69  @eternal-life-awaits @mrs-laura-harmon @artsy-inside @gleeeeees @darkllaama @jatut @agawux @fuzzy-tigrrr @jrjohnsson2 @cassandbeast @maaargoshaaa @dontgetmewrongman @einexx @totorosbooty @whatever-thingswillgetbetta @humifiler @nwmtagsb @secretlygrantaire @kyloren-supreme-ben @yessy2012

[zdbztumble]

“Ice Shack” - J/H

Figured I’d try fleshing this out into a full story. To give myself some grounding, I decided to treat this as an alternate take on Episode 3x10, “Ice Shack,” except moved up one slot to be immediately after 3x08, “Jackie Bags Hyde.” From there, the domino effect would cascade through the remainder of the series, though I can’t say I’m likely to do much more than this. If anyone likes what they read here and feels like running with this continuity, I’ve no objections.

SHOW TITLE

INT. FOREMAN BASEMENT - NIGHT

The gang, sans Jackie, has just finished a round of poker. KELSO and FEZ exit out the basement door, glum looks on their faces, while a very self-satisfied HYDE leans back in his chair, counting out his winnings. On the couch, ERIC and DONNA watch Hyde and trade whispers with one another.

HYDE: (laughing) Man, you guys gotta learn to spot a bluff.

DONNA: I can’t believe you faked us all out with two pair. How did you make that look good?

HYDE: Zen, baby. Zen.

He rises, gathers his coat, and makes for the door.

HYDE (cont’d): Alright, I’ll see you later.

Donna nudges Eric lightly. He nods and looks up to face Hyde.

ERIC: And just where do you think you’re going, young man?

HYDE: (beat) Home?

ERIC: Yes...you’d like that, wouldn’t you? Just waltz out that door, head back to your apartment, and sit around with your poker winnings and your alcoholic dad, never thinking about the consequences of your actions. You know, we’ve been down this road with you before, mister.

HYDE: (beat) Foreman, if you don’t tell me what this is about, I’m gonna kick your ass.

ERIC: You just plant your ass back in your chair, because we have something we need to talk to you about! Don’t we, honey?

Donna nods. Hyde shrugs and heads back to his chair. Eric and Donna inch across the couch to get closer to him, and Donna reaches a hand out and places it on Hyde’s knee.

DONNA: OK, Hyde...is there anything you want to tell us about your date with Jackie on Veteran’s Day?

HYDE: (beat) OK, bye-bye.

He stands again, but Eric and Donna stand too, and push him back into his chair.

ERIC: No, no, no! You don’t get to do that, pal.

HYDE: Whatever, man. So we went on a date. So?

DONNA: ‘So?’ Hyde, she stalked you for weeks, you told her to ‘die away from you,’ then you decked that guy at the barbeque, took her out, and neither of you have said anything about it.

HYDE: (shrugs) Nothing to say.

ERIC: Yeah, see, you I expect that from, but the cheerleader? You went with her to the mall out of pity and she wouldn’t shut up about it until halfway through the third film in my Godzilla marathon.

DONNA: Hyde, we just...you know. If anything happened...

HYDE: Nothing happened. (They stare) Nothing happened. I got us some pizza, we sat around, nobody talked...throw in a stash and a guy pissed off his film turned out blank and I might as well have been hanging out with Leo.

DONNA: Huh. So...that’s it? It was a dud date, and it’s all over?

HYDE: Yeah. I mean...yeah. Well...yeah.

ERIC: (beat) Hyde...

HYDE: What? I’m telling you, it’s over. She said she didn’t feel anything, so - that’s that.

DONNA: Wait - she said she didn’t feel anything?

HYDE: Whatever.

DONNA: But what about you?

Donna and Eric both break into matching grins. Hyde shifts in his chair.

HYDE: (beat) Oh, no. You got it all wrong, man.

ERIC: Oh, I don’t think so, Hyde.

HYDE: No, I - so she thought the kiss was -

DONNA: Oh my god, you kissed?

ERIC: The horror!

Donna and Eric gape at Hyde, who jumps to his feet.

HYDE: Hey - listen to me! I do not like Jackie! I can’t like Jackie! I only took her on that stupid date to shut her up about all this fantasy hero-worship crap she’s been on! So we kissed, and she felt nothing, and she hasn’t said anything and - and I don’t care! It’s cool! It’s - it’s totally cool.

ERIC: Oh...well... (reaches out to take Hyde’s hand) It’s OK, Hyde. I know your poor orphan heart’s breaking now, but you’ll find true love some day.

Hyde yanks his hand free and storms out of the basement, while Eric and Donna fall against each other, laughing.

MAIN CREDITS

BUMPER

INT. FOREMAN BASEMENT - DAY

The next morning. Hyde sits in his chair eating oatmeal. Eric and Donna, dressed for winter, sit on the couch. They stare at Hyde and grin. As Hyde raises a spoonful toward his mouth, he stops, but doesn’t turn to face Eric and Donna. They don’t stop staring. Hyde resumes eating, but pauses again with the next spoonful. Eric and Donna keep grinning at him. Hyde finishes his bite, but when they still won’t stop, he shoves his spoon into his oatmeal and turns to face them.

HYDE: This is going in both your faces if you don’t knock it off. I swear to God.

DONNA: I can’t believe it. Tough, trouble-making Steven Hyde - no ties, no girlfriends - falls in love with Jackie Burkhart.

She cracks up as she says the name, and she and Eric lean their heads against each other as they laugh.

HYDE: I don’t “love” anyone. If I wanted to date Jackie, my interest would be strictly academic.

ERIC: Academic?

HYDE: Yeah, man. Think of it like an experiment. See, Jackie comes from money. Corrupt, Republican, corporate stooge money. She comes from the Man. Now, I’ve already taught Jackie zen. If I bring her into the full world of experience offered by sex, drugs, and rock n’ roll, then I’m turning the Man’s own child against him. 

Eric and Donna stare skeptically.

HYDE (cont’d): See? It’s like, I’m the virus, and Jackie’s patient zero. Through her, I corrupt the system from the inside. That’s how you bring on the revolution, man!

ERIC: Your lips mouthed some conspiracy mumbo-jumbo, but all my ears heard was “I wish she were mine.”

Donna starts laughing again. Hyde flings some oatmeal Eric’s way, and he dodges it.

ERIC: I dunno, Donna. Someone might have beat us to the draw on the bedroom this weekend. We might have to settle for the back of the van.

DONNA: Oh...as long as I’m with you, Eric.

ERIC: That’s my girl.

They cuddle.

HYDE: What are you talking about?

ERIC: You know - the cabin.

HYDE: What cabin?

DONNA: The trip to Kelso’s uncle’s cabin. Didn’t he tell you? We’re leaving any minute.

A horn honks off-screen. The three share looks and head upstairs.

CUT TO:

EXT. FOREMAN DRIVEWAY - DAY

It is a cold, snowy day, and KELSO is standing in front of his van, parked with its back facing the road. He paces and rubs his hands together. Hyde, Eric, and Donna come outside through the kitchen.

KELSO: Hey. So, you guys ready to go?

HYDE: Kelso, man, what the hell? You didn’t tell me about this trip?

Kelso looks as if he just noticed Hyde was there.

KELSO: Oh. I’m sorry, Hyde. I forgot.

HYDE: Well, as long as there’s beer, I’ll forgive you. (claps Kelso’s shoulder) Let’s get going.

KELSO: Wait, Hyde. You can’t come.

HYDE: Why not?

KELSO: Because! Because...

He steps around Hyde to reach Eric and Donna.

KELSO (cont’d): OK, I might as well let you in on my master plan here. See, what this whole trip is about is a romantic double date, with you two, me, and Jackie.

ERIC: OK, see, Kelso - double dates usually work better when the second couple are actually dating.

KELSO: So, it’s a secret double date. I told Jackie the whole gang was coming, but I didn’t invite Hyde or Fez. (to Hyde) No offense.

DONNA: (beat) I’m out.

She and Eric both turn to head back inside, but Kelso moves to block their way.

KELSO: No, I need you guys! Look - I wanna win Jackie back. I love her, I miss her...and I’ve been getting, like, nothing from Laurie lately.

Donna rolls her eyes, Eric grins, and Hyde fumes. Kelso ignores them all.

KELSO (cont’d): I wanna show her that I’ve changed. That I’m not the lying, cheating guy I was when we dated the first time. Or the second.

HYDE: By tricking her into a double date when you haven’t even broken it off with Laurie yet?

KELSO: Exactly! And, Eric and Donna, you guys are, like, the perfect couple, so if you’re there, I can just copy all the sissy, loser things that Eric does, and I’m gold!

ERIC: I mean - he asks so nicely, how could we refuse?

DONNA: Kelso, I am not doing this!

KELSO: Oh, come on! You guys get a romantic weekend out of it, and I’ll have tons of beer! We won’t even need a refrigerator 'cause it’s so freaking cold! (crosses to Hyde) Oh, but I need to grab the beer and gas on the way, so...I kinda need it back.

He holds out his hand.

HYDE: You need what back?

KELSO: You know...my money.

HYDE: What money?

KELSO: My money from the poker game last night.

HYDE: Kelso, that’s my money.

KELSO: No, it’s mine! I brought it!

HYDE: And you lost it!

KELSO: Well, since when does losing it to you in a poker game make it your money?

Hyde stares, and Eric and Donna roll their eyes.

HYDE: OK - fine, Kelso. I’ll pay for this trip - with my money - on one condition: I come too.

KELSO: What? No, Hyde! That throws off my whole plan!

HYDE: Then you’re not getting my money.

KELSO: Well, what do you want to come for anyway?

ERIC: Yes, Hyde - what do you want to come for?

HYDE: (beat) Kelso, all your master plans are stupid and blow up in your face. I could spend my poker winnings on beer, movies, and nudie mags, but those are there every weekend. Watching you crash and burn - that’s something special, man. And I don’t wanna miss it.

KELSO: (beat) Alright, you’re in. But we’re not bringing Fez! He’s all over Jackie right now, and I don’t need him trying to sabotage me.

ERIC: Yes, we wouldn’t want that. Would we, Hyde?

Hyde glares at Eric, who moves with Kelso to get into the front of the van. Hyde and Donna linger by the back. Donna takes a few steps toward Hyde.

DONNA: Hyde - you really do care about her, don’t you?

Hyde shifts on his feet.

HYDE: No...but do you wanna go through all that again? (imitating Jackie) “Oh my god, you’re so beautiful, Michael!” (imitating Kelso) “Oh my god, you’re so beautiful, Jackie!” (imitating Jackie) “But you screwed Laurie and made out with Pam Macy - you’re a dirty dog and an idiot!” (imitating Kelso) “Well, I’m gonna keep cheating on you, talk about breaking up behind your back every five seconds, then cry like a bitch when you break up with my dumb ass!”

DONNA: (laughing) Well, deny it all you want - this is the sweetest I think I’ve ever seen you. But I think it’s good for Jackie that she’s on her own right now. So please tell me you’re not gonna use this trip to crawl all over her like these other dorks.

HYDE: It’s like I told you - she didn’t feel anything. That’s that.

He looks down at the ground. Donna sighs, and reaches out to rub his shoulder.

DONNA (cont’d): Ugh, I can’t believe Kelso. And what about poor Fez? We’re leaving him all alone this whole weekend.

HYDE: Actually, I think he’ll be fine. He had some plans.

DONNA: What plans?

CUT TO:

INT. MOVIE THEATER - DAY

A packed theater sits back to enjoy a special screening of WILLY WONKA AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY. Pan across the first row until we arrive on FEZ, munching away at popcorn and chocolate. His eyes are wide and his mouth hangs open.

FILM (aud. only): Who can take a sunrise (who can take a sunrise) Sprinkle it with dew (sprinkle it with dew) Cover it with choc'late and a miracle or two...

Fez sits up straight and sings out, as loud as he can...

FEZ & FILM:  The Candy Man! Oh, the Candy Man can!

Everyone sitting around Fez glares at him. He smiles apologetically and slumps back down into his seat.

CUT TO:

INT. FOREMAN LIVING ROOM - DAY

LAURIE sits on the couch in her bathrobe. She watches TV and sips at a mug of coffee. KITTY enters through the kitchen door. Seeing Laurie, she sucks in a deep breath and puts on a hard smile.

KITTY: Good afternoon, sunshine. We missed you at lunch. And breakfast. And dinner last night.

LAURIE: Yeah...I would’ve made it, but it interfered with my plans to not spend more time in this dump than I have to.

KITTY: (Laughs) So, ah - what do you have planned for the day?

LAURIE: Same as every day. Lie here, do my nails, avoid talking to you. It’s not going that well so far.

Kitty crosses to turn off the TV. Laurie makes a hollow gesture of protest, but doesn’t stir from her spot as Kitty joins her on the couch.

KITTY: Honey, you’ve done nothing but party all night and sleep all day for months.

LAURIE: Oh, come on, Mom.

KITTY: Oh, not ‘come on.’ Sweetie, I’m worried about you. The way you’re going, you’re going to end up like...like Aunt Martha.

Laurie sits up straight.

LAURIE: You think I’ll end up like Fat Martha? With the beer gut?

KITTY: The poor woman couldn’t even play putt-putt.

Laurie stands.

LAURIE: I can’t believe you’d say that about your own daughter! And if I ever take three hours at that game, it’s only because it’s really hard to get it in the hole!

She storms upstairs. Kitty picks up the coffee mug she left behind.

KITTY: Not a problem anyone’s ever had with you, I’m sure.

CUT TO:

EXT. ICE CABIN - DAY

Hyde and Eric unload the van as Donna, Kelso, and JACKIE stand back and take in the small, rickety ICE SHACK sitting on top of the frozen lake. Kelso grins, while the girls look incredulous.

DONNA: This is your uncle’s cabin?

KELSO: Yeah...now that we’re here, I guess I can tell you that part too. It’s more of an ice shack.

JACKIE: It’s an outhouse!

KELSO: No, it’s an ice shack!

He crosses over to a large metal barrel just outside the shack.

KELSO (cont’d): This is the outhouse. And the hot tub.

The girls glare. They join Eric and Hyde on their way back to the van, but Kelso walks after them.

KELSO (con’d): It’s for fishing. My uncle comes out here all the time! It’s gonna be a blast. Just us, in this beautiful snow, all weekend long, with plenty of beer. And we can catch all the fish we want!

HYDE: Oh, I see. So, on the ride back from this weekend in Hell, we can enjoy the smell of dead fish the whole way home? Oh, boy!

Jackie moves to Hyde’s left, as far from Kelso as she can get. Donna takes a step closer to Eric.

DONNA: It’s kind of cold.

ERIC: Oh, here - take my jacket.

He shrugs his jacket off and drapes it over Donna’s shoulders.

DONNA: I love you!

ERIC: God, were are such the...

They both turn to look at Kelso.

ERIC (cont’d): ...Perfect couple.

Kelso rolls his eyes. Jackie shivers.

JACKIE: I’m cold, too.

KELSO: Well, damn, Jackie, I can’t control the weather!

He notices Eric and Donna glaring at him, and catches on to his mistake.

KELSO (cont’d): I mean - of course you’re cold, Jackie!

He makes a big show of taking his jacket off and presenting it to her.

KELSO (cont’d): Here - take my jacket.

It is now Jackie’s turn to roll her eyes.

JACKIE: Forget it. Donna, let’s go inside.

DONNA: (to Eric) How does that sound to you, honey?

ERIC: I think that sounds like a great idea, sweetie.

DONNA: Oh my God, let’s go!

The two of them link hands and follow Jackie towards the ice shack. Kelso starts to follow, but Jackie holds up a hand to stop him.

JACKIE: You’re not coming in.

KELSO: What? Jackie, it’s my uncle’s cabin!

ERIC: Well, Kelso, you can always warm yourself up in the hot tub.

He drums lightly on the rim of the barrel. He disappears inside the shack with Donna. Jackie lingers in the doorway and looks at Hyde, still by the van.

JACKIE: Steven, are you coming?

HYDE: In a minute. Think I’ll fumigate the van for a little while first.

JACKIE: Won’t you be cold?

HYDE: (shrugs) I don’t feel anything.

He and Jackie look at each other. Jackie breaks away first, disappearing inside the shack and closing the door behind her. Kelso crosses over to Hyde and scoffs.

KELSO: Man, can you believe this? I mean, what’s the point of bringing Eric and Donna along if copying all his dorky moves doesn’t work?

HYDE: Yeah, man. It’s almost as if a half-assed plan to trick a girl into liking you by pretending to be someone you’re not is a bad idea.

KELSO: I know, right? I mean, that’s impossible, but it’s so close to what’s happening here.

Hyde sighs, claps Kelso on the shoulder, and pulls him along as he steps into the van.

BUMPER

INT. MOVIE THEATER - DAY

WILLY WONKA continues. The “PURE IMAGINATION” song plays off-screen. Fez has finished his popcorn, and is now chewing a piece of bubble gum. As the song’s first three chimes sound, he blows a bubble. On the second three chimes, he sucks the bubble back in his mouth. He repeats this pattern two more times, the bubble getting larger and larger each time, until...

CUT TO:

The bubble blows up, becoming a pink BUMPER.

FEZ (V.O.): Ai!

FADE TO:

INT. VAN - EVENING

A CIRCLE is in progess, starting on Hyde.

HYDE: Man, Kelso, I am so happy I’m not in your shoes right now. I mean, every part of your plan - the trip, the cabin, copying Foreman - has backfired. This was such a good way to blow that poker money!

Pan to Kelso.

KELSO: Jackie just doesn’t know how much fun ice fishing is. I mean, I was out here for four days with my uncle once. He fell in the ice, lost all his fish, and woke up a hibernating bear. I laughed my ass off! And I’m tired of everyone ragging on the shack. It’s cozy.

Pan to Hyde.

HYDE: Kelso, “cozy” is sharing a bed, or a couch, or the back seat of a Lincoln. Dragging a chick along under false pretenses is no way to get cozy anywhere. If you want to get down and dirty in a place that’s down and dirty, you’ve gotta be up-front about it.

Pan to Kelso.

KELSO: You’re just not thinking about what you can do when you throw a cot over the ice hole and...wait. Jackie drives her dad’s Lincoln...

Pan to Hyde.

HYDE: Yeah, well, that’s just...whatever. Look, Kelso - why do you even wanna do this, man? You’re still with Laurie, and Jackie’s moving on. Seeing other people. And some of them are pretty cool. Can’t you just give her a break?

Pan to Kelso.

KELSO: Man, it’s just not the same with Laurie. I mean, I know Jackie. I understand Jackie. I care about Jackie. And...and why do you care so much about Jackie?

The circle is broken. Hyde and Kelso stare at each other from opposite ends of the back of the van.

HYDE: What? That’s crazy, man! Who said I cared about Jackie?

KELSO: Yeah, you totally care! You let her take you to the mall after we broke up, you went to jail for her, and...and you took her on that date on Veteran’s Day!

HYDE: No I didn’t.

KELSO: You so did! And you’re keeping me in here, when I could be in there doing it!

HYDE: Kelso, Foreman and Donna are in there. The only thing you’re gonna “do” is get your nose rubbed in how much better they are at this than you.

KELSO: Oh, yeah? Well, just what happened on your date? You scam on her?

 HYDE: What? No, man! It was nothing!

KELSO: You did it in the back of the Lincoln, didn’t you? Man, you don’t do that with another guy’s girl! That’s where we used to do it!

HYDE: We didn’t do it! And you also don’t trick your ex-girlfriend out to a frozen hell-hole so you can try and win her back while you’re still seeing the skank you cheated on her with. And Jackie’s not your girl anymore!

KELSO: Well, is she yours?

HYDE: She’s nobody’s! She said it herself at the end of the date, the kiss meant nothing!

KELSO: (gasps) Kiss? You’re dead, Hyde!

Kelso launches himself across the van at Hyde, and the two begin wrestling.

CUT TO:

INT. ICE SHACK - EVENING

Concurrent with the scene above. The shack is even dirtier-looking on the inside, with various pieces of fishing gear and winter clothing adorning the rough walls. Benches surround three sides of a square hole in the ice. Eric and Donna share the right bench, while Jackie sits on the center one. Eric has a fishing line in the water.

ERIC: Boy, ice fishing’s fun. Don’t you just love it here, Donna?

DONNA: Oh, Eric...it doesn’t matter where we are. It’s being together that makes it fun.

ERIC: You’d rather be anywhere else, wouldn’t you?

DONNA: Literally anywhere. You know me so well.

ERIC: Eskimo kiss!

They start nuzzling noses. Jackie looks on in disgust.

JACKIE: What the hell is with you two today?

Eric drapes an arm around Donna, and they both smile at Jackie.

ERIC: Oh, didn’t Kelso tell you? We’re the...(with Donna) perfect couple.

JACKIE: Yeah - perfectly nauseating!

ERIC: Well, if you don’t like what you see in here, missy, there’s some beautiful scenery and a wind chill near 10 just waiting for you outside.

JACKIE: At least you’re better company than Michael. God, can you believe that idiot? Who picks a small, smelly shack like this for a friends’ weekend? I don’t even think we could fit everyone in here!

ERIC: (flat) Oh, no. How could Kelso make such a terrible mistake?

Jackie pouts and looks at the door.

JACKIE: What’s keeping Steven? I hope he’s not too cold.

ERIC: Oh, a little worried about ‘Steven,’ are we?

Donna swats his chest playfully, and he withdraws his arm from her shoulder.

DONNA: (to Jackie) Jackie, we were saying earlier that it’s a bit strange you didn’t have anything to say after your date with Hyde the other day.

JACKIE: (shrugs) I didn’t think there was anything to say. I mean, at the time, I thought it was the most romantic moment of my life. Steven was jealous, he defended my honor, he took me out...and for a poor person, he can splurge when he wants to, ‘cause we got the good pizza. But when we got to the kiss, there just wasn’t anything there.

ERIC: Wait, so - Hyde can’t french? Well, that is just so good to know.

JACKIE: No, it wasn’t that. It was a hot kiss. I mean, hot. I just didn’t feel any different than I had all day.

DONNA: (beat) Jackie, you spent that whole day obsessed with Hyde.

JACKIE: (beat) Hey. Hey, you’re right, Donna! And Steven - Steven said he didn’t feel anything either, but only after I said I didn’t feel anything. And just now, when I asked him if he was cold, he said it again. But not like he really didn’t feel anything. More like he was upset.

ERIC: Jackie, to be fair, we’re sitting in an ice shack we were told was a cabin, with a trash can just outside that’s going to be our toilet and bath for the whole weekend. ‘Upset’ covers pretty much everyone right now.

JACKIE: Oh my God. What if Steven did feel something? And he just covered it up because he’s vulnerable and afraid and thinks no one would ever love him with those awful sideburns? And what if the reason I didn’t feel anything during the kiss is because I was already feeling all my love for Steven the whole day up to that point?

She rises and starts for the door, but Donna reaches out to take her sleeve. Jackie sits back down.

DONNA: OK, Jackie, slow down. Ever since you and Kelso broke up, you’ve been all over the place with guys, but the last few days, you haven’t worried about that at all. And I think that’s good for you.

JACKIE: But Donna, I have to talk to Steven. What if -

DONNA: You can talk to him, Jackie. I’m just saying that everyone needs some time alone. You can get to know yourself and get more comfortable with who you are.

ERIC: Yeah, Jackie. At least until you find your... (puts his arm back around Donna) ...perfect couple.

DONNA: (laughs) Yeah. (beat) And, you know. After that, too. Sometimes.

ERIC: What do you mean?

DONNA: Well, Eric, I love you, but I need some time for me too.

ERIC: Yeah, but that’s not what you’re talking about. You’re talking about time to yourself as in, not being with anyone. Are you saying you’d want a break from...from us?

DONNA: Eric, it’s not a big deal. I mean, you need some time to yourself too. It’s not like we go everywhere together. We don’t go to the bathroom together.

ERIC: (voice breaking) Well, we’ll have to up here! We don’t have a choice!

Before they can continue arguing, a loud crack sounds from outside the shack, and Kelso and Eric’s yelps can be heard. Eric, Donna, and Jackie hurry to the door.

CUT TO:

EXT. ICE SHACK - EVENING

The door to the shack opens, and Eric, Donna, and Jackie spill out just as Hyde and Kelso leap out of the back of the van. Hyde’s sunglasses are crooked and he holds his right hand in his left. Kelso has his right hand over his right eye. The cracking sound continues.

ERIC: You guys, what happened?

KELSO: I don’t know. All of a sudden, the van just started shaking!

HYDE: ‘All of a sudden?’ You jumped me, you tool!

DONNA: Uh...guys?

Everyone turns to watch as Kelso’s van slowly sinks into the ice. Kelso looks horrified, while the others seem torn between anger and schadenfreude. Kelso whips his belt off.

KELSO: Quick, everyone give me your belts. Together, we can pull it out!

A splash of water shoots up as the van begins sinking quicker. Everyone takes a step back. Kelso looks around pleadingly, but no one else moves to take their belts off. The van disappears beneath the water.

HYDE: Man, this master plan just keeps getting better and better. For me.

JACKIE: (to Kelso) Michael, what ‘master plan?’

KELSO: Who cares, Jackie? I’m losing my van!

Jackie pouts at Kelso as he stares at the hole where his van used to be. Hyde rubs his right hand, and Eric and Donna glare at each other.

FADE TO BLACK

COMMERCIAL

BUMPER

INT. ICE SHACK - NIGHT

Later that night. Donna sits on the right bench alone, while Jackie and Hyde share the left bench. Donna has her arms crossed, and Jackie watches while Hyde holds a cold beer can to the knuckles of his right hand.

Someone bangs on the door.

KELSO (v.o.): OK guys, I’m getting really tired of being kicked out of my shack!

No one even looks up.

ERIC (v.o.): Donna? Honey? I think this is enough alone time for one night, OK?

DONNA: (stands) Can it, you dillholes!

She sits back down. Jackie takes the beer can from Hyde.

JACKIE: Here, let me help you.

She holds it to his knuckles.

HYDE: Don’t hang on to it too long. I need it cold when I pop it open to drink.

Jackie rolls her eyes and looks around the shack.

JACKIE: God, how could Michael think this would win me back? After all the crap he did, he’d have to take me to Aspen before I’d even consider letting him touch me again.

HYDE: You mean you’d consider it at all?

JACKIE: (beat) No. Why, do you care?

HYDE: (beat) Whatever.

They look away from each other. Another knock comes to the door.

ERIC (v.o.): OK, we’re gonna go for help, but just so you know - Kelso’s already talking about sharing warmth, and I don’t know how long this walk is, so you just think about that during your alone time, missy!

Donna, Jackie, and Hyde all share looks of disgust.

CUT TO:

INT. FOREMAN LIVING ROOM - NIGHT

Kitty paces behind the couch nervously, while RED sits in his chair reading the paper. Laurie enters from the stairs.

LAURIE: Alright, I’m here. Let’s get this over with.

She throws herself down on the couch.

KITTY: Good evening to you too. Honey, we feel that you need some direction in your life.

RED: (not looking up) And by we, she means her.

Kitty scowls at Red before turning back to Laurie.

KITTY: Laurie, you have no future ahead of you, and you have nothing in your life right now. Just look at how you spent today. You sat around, watched TV, and drank all your father’s beer.

RED: (looks up) And in the future, always save one beer for Daddy.

LAURIE: (to Kitty) Look, will you get off my back? I have a plan for my future, alright? Find a guy who’s loaded and get married.

KITTY: You? Married? I think you left out the part about the unexpected pregnancy and the quickie divorce for your fiancee!

RED: See, Kitty? She has it all worked out. She’ll find someone who’s rich, and nice, and...not Kelso. Someone who can take care of her.

LAURIE: Exactly! (beat) But - Daddy, I could have a career of my own if I wanted, right?

RED: (beat) Well, sure. I just don’t want you to set yourself up for...like what happened at the college. If you set the bar too high, the fall might be...you’re just so pretty!

KITTY: Oh, I give up.

She storms upstairs. Red stands.

RED: Kitty, wait! (to Laurie) Here’s five dollars.

He slips her a five and runs after his wife. Laurie stares at the money and sighs.

The doorbell rings. Laurie stands and crosses to the door. She opens it to reveal Fez, his face and hair a sticky pink mess of bubble gum.

LAURIE: What the hell happened to you?

FEZ: Please don’t laugh. They all laughed. The audience, the usher, the ticket boy...even the Oompa-Loompas seemed to mock me with their doompaty-doo-doo.

Laurie bites her finger to keep back a laugh.

FEZ (cont’d): I cannot get the sticky out! Please, help me?

LAURIE: (shrugs) Well, at least someone’s day sucks worse than mine. Get in here.

She takes Fez by the shoulder and pulls him inside. She struggles to get her hand free; once she does, she lightly pokes him in the back with one finger to guide him into the kitchen.

CUT TO:

INT. ICE SHACK - NIGHT

Donna stands and looks out the window. Hyde and Jackie still share the left bench. Hyde is now drinking his beer, while Jackie holds his right hand and examines his knuckles.

JACKIE: What I don’t understand, Steven, is why you’d even come on this stupid trip if you didn’t care about what Michael was up to.

HYDE: Have you been sleeping this whole time? Gilligan does better with plans than Kelso. I’m getting prime-time entertainment here - with beer.

He holds up his can and takes a sip.

JACKIE: Then why did you keep Michael outside instead of watching him try something with me? And (holds up Hyde’s hand) what were you two fighting about in the van?

HYDE: (beat) Uh...boy, Foreman’s sure been gone a long time, huh, Donna?

DONNA: Yeah. I hope he’s OK. (turns to face the others) But what did he have to get so worked up for? I’m with him. I love him. Why can’t he see that ‘time alone’ for me doesn’t mean ‘time broken up from him?’

HYDE: Come on, Donna. If it surprises you that Foreman’s a spaz at this point, you haven’t been paying attention. I mean, the guy’s got no self-esteem. He’s still floored you’re even with him. Yeah, he was a little insecure, but you didn’t need to leave him out there with Kelso. I don’t know what that guy meant by sharing warmth, but whatever it is, Foreman’s not gonna like it.

DONNA: (laughs) OK, maybe that was a little much. (looks back to window) I wish they’d get back soon.

JACKIE: (to Hyde) And what about your insecurities, Steven? Did you or did you not feel something after our date on Veteran’s Day?

HYDE: (beat) Does it matter? You didn’t feel anything.

JACKIE: Well...

HYDE: Wait. You did feel something?

JACKIE: (beat) I thought I didn’t. But now, I think maybe I did. Ugh, I don’t know!

HYDE: Well...(beat) I did. And I do.

Jackie’s left hand goes over her heart. Donna looks back over to them, grinning.

DONNA: Aww...

HYDE (cont’d): (to Donna) Get bent! (to Jackie) So, what happens now?

Jackie closes both her hands around Hyde’s right.

JACKIE: I think Donna was right that I need some time for myself. But, when that’s over, I want to give us another chance. So, Steven - will you wait for me?

HYDE: So, you use me as a shoulder to cry on over Kelso, stalk me for weeks, send me to jail, and when we finally go on a date and I tell you I felt something, you expect me to wait around while you take time to sort things out? (beat) God help me, I’ll do it.

Jackie beams and throws her arms around Hyde’s neck. He struggles to keep a straight face as he pats her back. Donna happily looks on.

CUT TO:

INT. FOREMAN LIVING ROOM - NIGHT

Red leads Kitty back down the stairs.

RED: Now, try not to worry so much. Laurie’s just a child, after all.

KITTY: She was a child ten years ago, Red. She is a woman, and that woman is going to end up with a beer gut and gout!

Red sighs. He takes Kitty over to the couch, and they both sit down.

Laurie bursts in from the kitchen.

LAURIE: (to Kitty) OK, look. The reason I haven’t done anything with my life is because I didn’t know what I wanted to do.

KITTY: Well, sweetie, the post office has a dental plan that’s -

LAURIE: Shhh! But earlier tonight, something happened that made me realize that I’ve found my passion. Hair!

KITTY: (beat) The musical?

LAURIE: No! (she tugs on her hair) Hair! Look!

She steps to the right of the kitchen door and holds out her hands in presentation. Fez steps out, with a short, closely-cropped hairstyle. All trace of gum is gone. He stands with his hands on his hips and a very satisfied expression.

LAURIE (cont’d): Fez had a little accident, and I fixed it! And when I thought about it, I could see that this is where all my talents were! Mom, Daddy - I’m going to beauty school!

KITTY: This isn’t something you do through the mail, is it?

LAURIE: No. It’s a real school!

KITTY: Oh. Well...yay!

She starts applauding.

RED: Congratulations, sweetheart!

LAURIE: Thanks, Daddy! (to Fez) Come on, Fez. Let me practice a manicure on you, and I’ll introduce you to my easy friend Susanne.

Fez grins, and he lets Laurie usher him back into the kitchen.

RED: So, Kitty, what do you think?

KITTY: Eh.

RED: Yeah.

He turns on the TV, and they settle down on the couch.

CUT TO:

INT. ICE SHACK - NIGHT

Everyone is still in their same places. A knock sounds at the door. Donna hurries to unlock it. Eric is waiting outside, his cheeks and nose red with the cold.

DONNA: Oh my God. Are you alright?

ERIC: Oh, yeah. Three mile walk to the nearest rest stop, three miles back, snow, wind chill, no big deal.

Donna cups his head in her hands and kisses him.

DONNA (cont’d): Eric, I’m sorry.

ERIC: (beat) Me too. (gestures over his shoulder) One of the truckers offered us a ride. He’s waiting outside.

DONNA: My hero.

ERIC: Perfect couple?

DONNA: Of course!

They share another Eskimo kiss, gather up their things, and head outside. Jackie and Hyde stand. As Jackie collects her bag, Hyde takes his jacket off and puts it around her. She looks at him.

HYDE: (shrugs) You looked kind of cold.

JACKIE: Thank you.

She briefly places a hand on his cheek. They get their things and head outside.

CUT TO:

EXT. ICE SHACK - NIGHT

Kelso is standing right by the doorway of the shack as Hyde and Jackie leave. He notices Hyde’s coat around Jackie, and that the two are walking closely together and smiling at one another. He gasps in shock.

FADE TO BLACK

CREDITS

INT. FOREMAN BASEMENT - NIGHT

Fez, in his new haircut with Eric’s bathrobe over his clothes and Red’s hat in his hands, dances around the basement while “I’VE GOT A GOLDEN TICKET” plays on the record player. He uses a pool cue as a cane.

END.

[imaginesofeverykind]

Dorkerella || Peter Parker x Reader ||

Characters: Peter Parker x Fem!Reader

Fandom: MCU/ SM: HC

Request: Yes bless from my honey b @toms-spidey [a peter parker imagine where it's time for another school dance and he wants to ask reader and vice versa but peter's too afraid he'll have to ditch her like he ditched liz so he doesn't, but then he goes to the dance and sees the reader there alone and asks her to dance n yeah all that jazz :-)]

Prompt: You and Peter often find yourselves in a dilemma, this time around it was because of an upcoming dance. You’ve been a friend of Peter’s for quite some time and developed a crush on him, so naturally, everyone knew about it except for Peter and you so desperately wanted him to take you to the dance. Only he struggled to find it within himself to do so. 

Tags: @rafeadderall @deans-angel-of-thursdays

Word Count: 2,424

A/N: THIS IS HECKIN CUTE ASSSSSS, i changed it slightly toward the end but it still hella cute <3 omgggg

The school hallways filled with posters promoting the school’s fundraising dance this upcoming Friday, it was always a fun event for everyone, hosted by the senior students before their farewell early next year. Y/N had gone last year with Peter and Ned and they had the time of their lives, now times had changed. 

People changed.

Not negatively of course, over the year Y/N developed feelings toward Peter. He tended to stand out for her more, it was as if she woke up one morning and her dearest friend Peter Parker was suddenly the most attractive person she knew. That wasn’t quite the case at all actually, over time these feelings accumulated but it did feel as though it happened all at once. 

Here she was a year later, hopelessly crushing on her best friend. It had been quite the hard year for her, having to watch Peter change from the lovable nerd she fell in love with to super hero extraordinaire. She also had to guide him through the period of which he was completely infatuated with Liz Allan. Long before Y/N had a crush on him, Peter had a crush on Liz so while it hurt to see him pawn after another girl, Y/N always remembered Peter was a friend first. 

Since Liz left, however, things changed between Peter and Y/N, while oblivious both of them were to the obvious attraction was something everyone noticed. Ned noticed, May Noticed, her parent’s and siblings noticed, hell even Flash would give his time of day to tease the two. 

It was a waiting game for the past few months, but alas, Y/N remained clueless and so did Peter but Ned, having had enough of the tension between the two brought things into his own hands. “So, are you taking Y/N to the dance on Friday or what?” Ned asked Peter, propped up against the lockers and peering at his friend. 

Peter’s eyes widened as he took his text books out, shoving them under his arm for next class. “Uh...w-well... I was thinking about it...” He admitted, a blush forming on his cheeks. “Why haven’t you yet, dude? You’re still not hung up over Liz, because it’s so obvious you like Y/N.” Ned informed, he looked hopeful but he also kept in mind that Y/N was going to lay into him once she found out he began to meddle. 

“Is it really that obvious?” Peter cringed, slamming his locker shut and walking down the hallway. “Yes, Peter, It is. Everyone knows. You didn’t answer my question.” Ned ran after his brown haired friend, dodging the sea of people whilst they made their way to AP physics. Peter stopped, his jaw tightening in annoyance before he answers, “what if I bail on her - like I did with Liz, c’mon Ned I can’t do that to her... I’ve bailed on her so many times already.”

“And you know what? she’s still friends with you, she understands that you need to...y’know... spider it up sometimes...” Ned encouraged, he could see Peter cracking as he continued to reason. The two continued down the hallway, not wanting to be late and annoy Mrs Warren. “How do I know she’ll say yes, I mean I don’t want to make her uncomfortable. Make things weird between us.”

Ned rolled his eyes and looked at Peter, his expression deadpanned and slightly annoyed, “she’s in love with you Peter. What better reason to ask her, she’ll say yes.” Ned knew that Y/N was going to give him hell for telling Peter her ‘secret’ but it wasn’t much of a secret to begin with, it was simply that Peter was a typical boy who was oblivious to signs. 

“Will everyone stop saying that, she isn’t,” Peter grumbled and quickened his pace as he walked into the classroom. His expression changed immediately upon seeing Y/N sitting beside Michelle, and on the other side of Michelle, Jenny Carson. He waved at her as he walked by and seated himself behind her, where he always sat with Ned and Lawson. 

Michelle leaned in toward Y/N, giving her arm a slight jab, “Dorkerella is staring at you... has he asked you yet?” She groaned and shook her head, “Nope... and it’s like two days away...” Michelle hated seeing her sulk, especially over Peter Parker, she constantly badgered Y/N on trying to find someone else who’s more reliable for one and two; wasn’t an idiot. 

“Even if he doesn’t you’re still coming, right?” Michelle, although she’d never care to admit it, didn’t mind many social gatherings only because she knew the only three people that would definitely be there was Y/N, Peter and Ned. “Yeah, of course, I heard that Louie Minelli and Laurie Lynton were breaking up at the dance - perfect opportunity for you to sketch some teen angst.” 

Michelle grinned at Y/N and nodded, “well you do know I love angst.” Both girls laughed at each other before putting their heads down to actually do some work. It wasn’t even halfway through the class before a scrunched up piece of paper bounced onto Y/N’s work space. 

She shot around and her eyes fell on Peter who smiled at her, “read.” he mouthed, gesturing to the paper ball. She raised an eyebrow and turned back, pulling the paper out of its crumpled self. 

Hey, are you going to the dance, Friday night? 

Y/N was most definitely freaking out by the question but knew it would be suspicious if she tried to get Michelle’s attention. She pulled out her phone, her fingers ghosted over the letters rapidly as she fired a response to Peter. 

Did you seriously just pass me a note? 

Peter checked his phone seeing the text from Y/N, he subconsciously grinned to himself as he typed back a response. 

Yeah, it seemed more old school.

Y/N rolled her eyes but the smile on her face wasn’t fading anytime soon. She took her pen and scribbled a response back on the crumpled paper before screwing it back up in her hand. Turning slightly, she quickly tossed the paper ball back onto Peter’s work space. He flattened the paper on his desk, his breath hitched in his throat as he read her response. 

Yeah, wouldn’t miss it.

He frowned slightly, unsure if she was going with someone, or if it meant that she was just... going... He was quick to write back and give her the piece of paper. Once she read his reply, her heart hammered in her chest. 

Oh, did someone ask you? 

No one has yet, I’m probably going by myself.

She wasn’t bitter, but she was ‘low-key’ trying to egg Peter on to ask her. However, Peter, being the flustered mess he always was when around girls didn’t know how to reply to that, even if it was just a note he still could barely form a coherent and intelligent response. 

He simply scribbled ‘cool’ back and that was the end of it. His nerves always got the better of him, but this time he was mainly scared that he’d ditch her and after everything they have been through together he knew she deserves someone who is always there for her. 

Y/N wasn’t at school Thursday or Friday, presumably everyone thought she was sick but in reality, she was just frustrated with Peter Parker. The only person who knew this was Michelle, and try as she might, there was no feasible way to calm Y/N down or make her less frustrated. While she was low-key with her advances at time, she also could be incredibly obvious with her feelings, stating to Ned once that ‘I could kiss him and he’d still think we’re friends’ 

Which Ned wasn’t surprised if that actually happened given his friend was the most oblivious person ever. 

“I’ve been here five minutes and I already want to leave.” Y/N stated, her arms crossed over her chest as she stood next to Michelle, displeased by the booming music ‘DJ Flash’ produced. “Yeah, it’s not that great, is it? And Louie and Laurie clearly aren’t breaking up.” She gestured bitterly to the supposed couple due to break up, but they were swaying in each other's arms having the time of their life. 

“Hey, guys.” A voice appeared, neither of the two teenage girls moved knowing who it was immediately. “Hey, Ned.” They murmur in unison. “Having fun?” He asked the two girls, they both shook their heads, once again in unison. “No this place blows, I'd rather drive a hatchet through my own foot,” Michelle added on, in slight reference to the Saw films.  

The music had changed in tempo slightly, a more danceable beat in opposed to psychotic jagged beats. “Hmm well, would any of you like to dance?” Ned asked, a smile on his face as he waited for either to answer. “Beats standing around here with sulky Susie over here.” Michelle gestured to Y/N who took offence to the comment. 

“I am not sulky.” She defended, only to get a laugh from Michelle, “yeah, you are.” She poked fun it at before Ned and her whisked away into a crowd of people, leaving Y/N all on her lonesome. “Great.” She groaned; if she walked home at a slow pace her parents would be suspicious that she spent a grand total of ten minutes at the dance. 

Taking out her phone she calculated the distance and time, grateful she wore her boots in stead of heels. She pushed her way through the crowds, passing Ned and Michelle on the way, “I’m leaving!” she announced to them, they both nodded, “see you Monday!” they scream back at her. 

She nodded and continued out of the school’s gymnasium, skipping down the steps and out into the cool night air. There was ever so slightly a breeze which she knew would get colder by the time she reaches home, but she was happy to take the cold than stay in there any longer. 

Stepping onto the sidewalk and begin walking she hadn’t noticed Peter calling out to her as he ran up beside her. “Hey, Pete.” She murmured, not particularly happy as she continued to walk and keep her eyes trained on the ground in front of her. “Hey - where are you going?” 

“Home...” She gritted, the presence of Peter instantaneously annoying her. “Why?” Peter asked he slowed in steps but she kept walking. He outstretched his arm and gripped her wrist to stop her from walking anymore. “Is everything all right, Y/N?”

Y/N spun around and eyed Peter, finally boring into his eyes which she wanted to avoid. The muffled sounds of music could be heard from where they were standing. “I Just... I want to go home...” Her voice was deflated and defeated, she knew that as soon as she looked Peter in the eyes she couldn’t be mad at him, which is partly the reason why she always didn’t go to school today or yesterday.

Before she had a chance to slip from his grip he tightened it, “I’m sorry I didn’t ask you to the dance.” he blurted, he felt guilty that he didn’t ask when he had the chance, but he also had a reason as to why. Y/N looked at him, unsure if she heard him correctly. “You were going to ask me?” Her voice squeaked ever so slightly. 

“Y-yeah... But I -- I uh... I just didn’t want to ask and then bail on you... I've bailed on you too many times and I just didn’t want to disappoint you... not again...” Peter composed himself toward the end, his grip still tight on her wrist. “Peter you’ve never disappointed me... you never will either.” 

He smiled down at her, a blush crept onto his cheeks, suddenly the cool night air wasn’t doing much alleviate the hotness he felt. “Do you want to... dance?” He gulped, nodding his head toward the Gymnasium. “Oh, no... I’m mad at Ned and Michelle for ditching me, they can think I’m mad a little longer...” She chuckled, the smile on her lips making Peter’s chest contract.

She pulled her phone out of the pocket in her dress and scrolled through her music, “but... I’ll take you up on your offer...here.” She smiled, settling on a slow song and pressed play, letting the soft smooth beat play aloud. Peter drew out a shaky breath, he racked his brain to remember what Aunt May had taught him before homecoming. 

Hands on her hips. He mentally told himself, he gently placed them on her hips pulling her in slightly, she wrapped her arms around his neck and smiled at him. “You look... really nice,” Peter whispered, taking in her features softly illuminated by the moon and street lamps. Step side to side. He told himself, it was simple but Y/N never liked anything too extravagant. 

Her smile grew wide, “thank you... You look great in this suit.” She moved her hands, brushing them down his torso and gripped the lapels of his blazer. He gulped a grin on his face, it was difficult for him to concentrate on his footwork, not make a fool of himself and her features all at once.

“But, I like your hair better when it's a little messy...” she brought her fingers up to his slicked back hair, she loved the way his curls would start to break free from the Gel toward the end of a school day, or sometimes that loose curl that would fall on his forehead. She often pointed it out to him, saying it reminded her of Clark Kent and how both he - as Spider-man and Peter Parker- drew incredible similarities to the comic book hero, Superman. 

She raked her fingers through his hair, breaking it up from the style he spent so long trying to perfect all afternoon. “That’s better...” She smiled returning her arms around his neck. The two swayed together, smiling at each other up until the song faded out.

“They’re showing back to the future at the theatre on 73rd avenue, we could still make it?” Peter suggested, seeing the ways her eyes lit up at the mention of the beloved film. “Of course.” She grinned, breaking away from him and intertwined her hand with his as they began walking in the direction toward the theatre.