#delete everything and abort mission

[nostalgiacauseitstrendy]

Unexpected Delivery- Kabal x F!Reader

So I had an idea of a reader who gets unexpectedly pregnant by Kabal and potential interactions the reader might have with other kombatants as a result of them finding out they're pregnant.

Warnings: swearing, mentions of blood, bodily functions, abortion thoughts.

Background:

Y/n is a kombatant, morally grey. Grew up in the south side of Chicago, living vagrantly and poor. Pick your own skills/abilities. Y/n is sometimes on the side of good, sometimes not. Y/n interacts with the Black Dragon faction every now and then for quick missions for quick pay, although she is not a dedicated member (merc; she doesn't like killing unnecessarily). Y/n and Kabal have been dating and getting busy for the past 10 months (and its poorly kept secret, everyone knows). Also (b/c this is my story, fight me) you are really close to Mileena. Y/n realizes Mileena is just misunderstood and just wants to be accepted and loved :) (this is relevant later).

Story:

"Fuck, fuck!" y/n paced in her bathroom what seemed like an eternity before shakily picking up the third and final pregnancy test off the side of their bathtub.

The two lines flipped Y/n's denial back on its head. Y/n was pregnant, and she had suspected so for a couple of weeks. Frequent urination, body aches, sore nips- all the alarms went off for Y/n, but those parallel pink lines struck like a ton of bricks. Was it worth telling Kabal? Should she just terminate? How far along was she? Y/n had to lean against the sink as these thoughts made her woozy.

Y/n unlocked her phone and began to type a long message to the speedster, but selected it all and deleted it. Y/n was lost in infinite possibilities. She would have to stop doing runs for the Black Dragon. What about Kabal? Y/n did not want their child to be exposed to any of the criminal syndicate, especially...Kano.

The words though, their child rung in Y/n's head, immediately spurring a flurry of butterflies in her stomach. She imagined Kabal with a goofy grin, speeding around with their child. She knew from the few times he's spoke on it, he values family and wants a big family of his own. She imagined their little family watching nerdy movies like Star Wars or Ninja Mime...

Y/n swattted at the air as to physically dismiss her thoughts. She had a mission today and that came first. She decided if she was going to tell Kabal, it would be after she completed this mission.

...

Y/n had to pick up some packages for the Black Dragon. Minus an excessive amount of stealth, this should have been a straight-forward and easy mission. All Y/n had to do was bust open the back of the truck and steal the two smallest boxes. Y/n drew a ragged breath before engaging. Looking through the poorly lit truck, she found the two smallest boxes surrounded by piles of larger boxes keeping those two in place. What are in the boxes? Who knows, Y/n does not ask, as she likes to keep some emotional investment apart from her despicable position. She does this for money, not for shits and giggles.

Reminiscing on her days homeless on the streets of Chicago, Y/n quickly moved the larger boxes before snatching the two and taking off. Despite her speedy pace, Y/n was not as fast as she normally would be, knowing damn well why. This cost her, however, as gunfire began to ring out. Y/n dashed off as fast as she could, but took a bullet near her lower abdomen. Y/n screeched in pain, but also fear- what about her baby?

Y/n gritted her teeth and kept running as fast she could, bleeding out in the process. Y/n reached the Black Dragon compound after 10 minutes of running. As she pushed the doors open, she drew a ragged breath, and the floor began to speed towards her. Everything went black.

...

Y/n groaned and winced, perceiving the bright lights of the infirmary through her eyelids. Realization hit Y/n like a ton of bricks, however, and she sat quickly and violently upright. Y/n let out a grunt before taking in her surroundings. As she quickly surveyed the room, her eyes met with a mask all too familiar. In a millisecond he was at her bedside, speaking 100 miles per hour. All Y/n could make out is "what the fuck happened?" "I'll never let you go on a mission alone again." "Those fuckers are going to pay..." Y/n drowned out Kabal's stammering once she saw a medic.

Staring at y/n, y/n asked the head medic, in merely a whimper, "how is my baby?" Dumbfounded, but lightly amused, Kabal said "I'm fine but what the hell happened to you? Are you okay?" Y/n would have laughed had not the situation been dire.

"The bullet just barely missed the babies. We ran some tests, from we can tell, the babies are healthy for three months." Holy shit, three months? BABIES? PLURAL?

Although he had a mask on, you knew Kabal was blank. For what felt like years, he did not say a word. Then, merely a pained whisper, Kabal asked, "why didn't you tell me?"

"I planned to tell you right after my mission. I legitimately found out this morning. I was still processing it myself."

Kabal sat quietly, before walking away. "Kabal, wai-," he was already gone. Tears began to form in the corners of your eyes. Was he just going to throw everything away? Just leave just like that? All the crying and the morphine began to takeover, and Y/n began to unwillingly drift off.

When she awoke, she was at her apartment, in her bed. Pacing in the living room, was the speedster. As rare as it could be, he was unmasked and in a plain white tee and black sweatpants. Besides intimate moments, Y/n did not see this casual side often. Kabal was known to be ashamed of his disfigurement. To Y/n, however, the burns meant nothing at all. You loved that man with every fiber of your being.

Kabal heard the sheets slightly ruffle and looked to see Y/n awake and dashed over. Staring down for a moment, is soft brown eyes met yours, vulnerability painted over them. "The doctor said its twins, said we'd know the gender in two more months." Kabal saying "we" was a relief, calming your heart rate and the warmth running up your throat. Y/n swallowed back the potential nervous vomit before stating, "I thought you were going to leave me."

Kabal flinched slightly, as though you'd physically punched him. "Why would I ever do that? Y/n...although sooner than expected, this is always wanted. A peaceful life, loving kids, loving wife..if you are offering me that, I would never pass it up."

Y/n was about to reply before you stopped. Wife? You involuntarily smiled and blushed at the idea before verbalizing that exact question, "Wife?"

Kabal smiled before getting up and speeding around to your side of the bed, digging in his pocket.

"I know I am bottom-feeder, a nobody." His brows furrowed for a moment, but then his face softened. "But you make me feel like I am somebody, Y/n. I forget the monster I see in the mirror every morning. You love me like no one has ever loved me, Y/n. There is nothing I want more to spend the rest of my life with you and this family we're making. Will you marry me, Y/n?" The beautiful black and diamond ring sparkled brightly.

Of course you said yes.

Interactions:

Kano: "Don't think just cause Kabal knocked ya up I am givin either of ya a break."

Y/N: "Wouldn't expect anything less, cue ball."

Kano: "Just for that, I am goin to make sure ya suffer."

-

Kano: "I gotta ask, is Kabal too fast in bed?"

Y/n: "Drop it."

Kano: "Ill take that as a yes."

-

Kano: "Don't think I am giving you paternity leave."

Kabal: "I'm taking permanent leave."

Kano: "In a body bag. Shame ya kids will be without a daddy."

-

Sindel: "So you let that bottom-feeder weaken you with a child."

Y/n: "Here I was, going to ask you for any pregnancy tips."

Sindel (disheartened): "Edenian pregnancies are different than Earthrealmers but, make the speedster give you backrubs."

Y/n: "Noted."

-

Y/n: "I gotta ask, any pregnancy tips?"

Sonya (face softens): "You're not going to like it but, low-strain exercise will actually help."

Y/n: "You're right, I didn't like that."

-

Sonya: "You better treat Y/n like a damn princess."

Kabal: "Yes, madam bootlicker." *sarcastically salutes*

Sonya: *sigh* "I tried, Y/n."

-

Sonya: "I don't know what Y/n sees in you."

Kabal: "At least Y/n didn't bang Johnny."

Sonya: "Now ya done it."

-

Cassie Cage: "Please tell me you're having a gender reveal party."

Y/n: "Maybe...."

Cassie Cage: "PLEASE let me plan it. Please."

-

Kabal: *regretfully* "Any advice on being a father?"

Johnny Cage: "Oh my god so first....When I first...you gotta be prepared for...'"*endless rambling*

Kabal: "I shouldn't have asked."

-

Johnny Cage: "So, finally settling down, eh?"

Kabal: "Choose your words carefully, Cage."

Johnny Cage: "Congrats."

Kabal: "That was surprisingly..genuine."

-

Kabal: "I am not going to make my kids watch your trash movies, Cage."

Johnny Cage: "C'mon, they're fun for the whole family!"

Kabal: "I don't want to fry their brains that early."

-

Y/n: "Look, I can pick anyone for Godmother, you can pick anyone for Godfather."

Kabal: "Deal. No quips about who I pick though."

Y/n: "Same goes for me."

-

Mileena: "Dearest Y/n."

Y/n: "I have to ask you something." *explains what a Godmother is* "Would you like to be the Godmother of my twins?"

Mileena: *tearfully runs and hugs you, no fight ensues, match ends in immediate friendship*

-

Kabal: "MILEENA? Are you serious?"

Y/n: "Like Erron is any better?"

Kabal: "She will eat them!"

Y/n: "You said no quips."

[miralines]

woe ouatis rpverse sptumblr: the sequel be upon ye

link to the original

172 notes

🥁insubordinationriskofficial follow 🔁 roseredasinfuckyou follow

🧱 roseredasinfuckyou follow

the insubordination risk show was fucking great btw

🥁 insubordinationriskofficial follow

Re: your tags– we’re in the process of launching a crowdfunding goal to get a real album out! We’re just figuring out the logistics, but believe us, we won’t shut up about it when it happens. In the meantime, if you want to support us Luna sells patches on their spetsy, including some band ones ＾▽＾

112 notes

🌱 gayforjohnspratt follow 🔁 antiroyalribbons follow

⚫ zanti-deactivated02334432

Althea Black is a naive fool. I don’t know why anyone agreed to publish that utter trash she calls a book. I’d feel sorry for her if she weren’t helping spread all this propaganda. 

My full review of her book will be up on my spyoutube channel at the end of the week. Hint: It’s bad.

🪐 rose-red-apologist follow

oh, fuck off, literally everyone is tired of your shit

🐱 catboykingcole follow

man really thought they could get on the rose red defenders website and say this lmao eat them alive

🌱 gayforjohnspratt

@spstaff wasn’t this guy banned? you wanna do something about that?

19 notes

🟥 realredhood follow 🔁 beaumontbogwitch follow

🧙‍♀️beaumontbogwitch follow

Help how do I convince my brother and brother in law not to name their kid fucking marion

🟥 realredhood follow

I mean I’d send you some receipts but I’m kind of on thin ice with FABLE so just tell them that I said Fucking Yikes

2,294 notes

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🌹 roseredbignaturals follow

FRECKLES LUCK SPOTTED ON SPTUMBLR ABORT MISSION

⚡ thundercatsbecameourskeletonhats follow

I’m sorry WHAT?

♋ aroarrowers follow

I still think it’s fake, but some random blog mentioned knowing her and got a bunch of questions about it and then made a post claiming to be from her saying to leave the blogger alone. Seems like they’re just looking for attention if you ask me.

🌹 roseredbignaturals follow

It’s real there’s a selfie and everything. Believe me if they got that from someplace else I’d have already seen it. Apparently this blog belongs to her adopted kid or something???

🦫 peripheralplatypus follow

LINK??

🌅 atypicalarielien follow

Stop spreading this y’all the blog has been getting death threats. Also stop calling details about her personal life fucking ""lore.""

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I’m deleting istg if she sees the shit I’ve posted about her

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coward

118 notes

👩🏻‍🦰 frecklesluck follow 🔁 roseredbignaturals follow

🌹roseredbignaturals follow

so im watching through the event footage for the conference from that interview she gave with the whole like, moulding breaking reveal conference. you all know the one. and i found a shot where she and adam bete are sitting together beforehand between speeches in the backround from a news broadcast. and oh my god. her piercings. its such a crime they made her take them out before she went on the news like. fuck. she's so pretty. her hair was down and she was laughing as something bete said. im so in love this is a crime. she's so hot none of you understand. her eyebrow piercings and her ears and the tattoos on her arms (they always have her wear suit jackets its such a crime like) and. and. im so gay NONE of you understand!! aaaaaaa

👩🏻‍🦰 frecklesluck follow

You know, when i searched my name on this site I expected the usual 'why isn't she in jail' shit that sptwitter tells me. thanks i guess.

83 notes

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🌱 gayforjohnspratt follow

so like @roseredbignaturals are you okay. how are you doing after that. your internet crush is married.

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NO IM NOT OKAY IM NOT OKAY IM NOT OKAY AH

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M NOTSHE SAW ME SIMPIG

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FUCK

5 notes

🧱 roseredasinfuckyou follow

for the last time, dyeing your hair red is not fucking appropriating rose red culture norms shut up and stop making things up challenge

If I get ONE MORE goddamn ask about this

82 notes

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🌹roseredbignaturals follow

HER DAYS OF SWEEPING LESBIANS OFF THEIR FEET ARE OVER

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WHY WAS I A TEENAGER ON ARIEL AND NOT IN THE PERIPHERY YEARS AGO IN A GAY BAR WHERE FRECKLES LUCK (FRECKLES LUCK!!!!!!) COULDVE SWEPT ME OFF MY FEET

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THIS IS THE WORST TIMELINE

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you're really having a time of it

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6 notes

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I told you guys I know her!!

[vague-humanoid]

Hannah doesn’t have to call herself a tradwife because she already is one. As such, Ballerina Farm has become the lodestar for those still aspiring to establish an aesthetically pleasing—and, ideally, monetized—pastoral existence. Most of her acolytes are less subtle about their politics, which they assume Hannah shares. In 2021, Morgan Zegers, the founder of the Turning Point USA-affiliated group Young Americans Against Socialism, said that Ballerina Farm gives her “DAILY inspiration on how to live out my values as a Conservative.” On her podcast, Zegers, who recently got engaged and does not have any children, gives “young unmarried women who dream of becoming a traditional wife and stay-at-home mom one day” advice on how to “become an asset for your future family.”

She is far from the only tradwife-in-training who has been inspired by Ballerina Farm. Take Gwen the Milkmaid, a Canadian “ASMRtist” and wellness-influencer-turned-tradposter. “Pov: you used to be a pro-abortion, anti-marriage, lesbian ‘feminist,’” reads the caption on a TikTok post of her rehydrating sourdough starter, “but now you’re getting married to your fav man on earth, love serving him, and can’t wait to make babies.” Like Hannah, Gwen is blonde, posts videos of herself cooking and frolicking in prairie dresses, and emphasizes the difference between her old life and the new one she has built for herself—or, rather, the life she hopes to have built, someday. In one video, Gwen asks God “why I don’t have a fifty-acre farm, seven children, forty chickens and five jersey cows yet.” Lacking a multimillionaire father-in-law, or a dairy cow of her own, she’s forced to churn store-bought cream into homemade butter. Gwen’s videos turn the subtext of Ballerina Farm’s videos into text, as if to compensate for the ranch she lacks: Gwen is proudly antigovernment, antivaccine, and anti-birth control.

Ballerina Farm has also been frequently boosted by Evie Magazine. Billing itself as the conservative answer to Cosmo, Evie publishes articles on everything from “How to Wear Shorts Like a French Girl” to the supposedly rampant child sex trafficking to which the Biden administration has turned a blind eye. In February, they responded to a minor scandal that broke out when details about the Neelemans’ family wealth began circulating on TikTok. The article ends with a full-throated defense of Ballerina Farm. “Our culture has become far too comfortable with criticizing people for being rich,” it reads. “There’s nothing wrong with having money or coming from money. And there’s certainly nothing wrong with using that money to create a beautiful homesteading life that creates useful food, products, and content for people all across the country.” For Evie, the Neelemans’ secret wealth isn’t proof that living off the land is largely inaccessible to the masses but a symbol of the virtuousness of Ballerina Farm’s mission. They have enough money to live glamorously; instead, they choose to live a simple life. That this simple life might be an expensive illusion is never considered.

A month later, the magazine published a treatise on tradwives by Gina Florio, a personal trainer who moonlights as manager to Candace Owens, a conservative commentator whose BLEXIT foundation urged Black people to abandon the Democratic Party. (Owens has also promoted Ballerina Farm on Instagram. Hannah, for her part, reposted the endorsement and later deleted it.) Like Gwen the Milkmaid, Florio is a reformed liberal who wrote for Teen Vogue and PopSugar before she “left the left.” Tradwives, she argues, are superior to “the shrieking, blue-haired protester who wants on-demand abortion and supports the ‘free the nipple’ movement.” She describes Ballerina Farm as the example on which conservative women should model their lives: “The children are blonde and seemingly well-mannered. The father herds cattle in a cowboy hat. And the mother is impossibly beautiful as she milks cows in her overalls, loose braids, and zero makeup.” This is all in contrast to “the average twenty-five-year-old woman” who “lacks basic domestic skills, serially dates multiple men, and loudly opposes manners and decorum.”

To her credit, Florio acknowledges that it’s functionally impossible for most women—even those who want nothing more than to dedicate their entire lives to caring for a husband and children—to fulfill the tradwife ideal. She points out that real wages have stagnated since the 1970s, making it impossible to raise a family on a single income. “We have to really ask ourselves if we want to truly return to tradition,” Florio writes, “or if we want to just fantasize about the perfect trad wife who is both gorgeous and domestic.”

[quensty]

hello all. as u can see ur assassins failed to kill me last night so i'm back to clogging ur dash w a tag game.

i was tagged by @moondal514 (hi bestie <3) to answer 20 questions tailored for fic writers. moondal my love u will regret giving me this opportunity <3

🪿 how many works do you have on ao3?

36! i've been existing in the mid-30-ish range for a good while now. it's starting to piss me off. i post things and then get scared they suck and delete and the cycle repeats.

🪿 what's your total ao3 word count?

153,155 *pops champagne*

🪿 what fandoms do u write for?

am i supposed to list all of them? i'm not doing that 😑🤚 if ur interested ya'll can check out the list here

🪿 what are your top 5 fics by kudos?

men abort mission is definitely my most popular fic (10,856 kudos, it's deeply embarrassing). then it's your crown of thorns holds roses (5,153 kudos, slightly less embarrassing); right hand on his rifle (522 kudos, still embarrassing but at least it's much better writing); kiss me like a snapped guitar string (480 kudos); and love, war, and other exit wounds (468 kudos, which is fucking news to me. i had no idea the kudos had climbed that high)

🪿 do you respond to comments? why or why not?

i do! i like it :D i like ppl to see that i saw their comment and appreciated it. i also do it cos, like, fandom is entirely abt fan-to-fan interaction. fanfic is no different. the point is that i want to engage w other fans and TALK abt stuff. i think it's fun! i've met a lot of friends this way.

🪿 what is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

100% would be altschmerz. i don't fix anything in that fic. in fact i probably make everything worse. logan still dies and he never has a proper relationship w laura and the world still sucks. and i sprinkle in some complicated relationships with latinidad while i'm at it. but i love it <3

🪿 what's the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

this is a difficult thing to judge cos most of my fics have happy or at least hopeful endings, but i think the fic that has the most rewarding happy ending is keep on keeping on, dean winchester. the first couple of chapters are meant to be absolute hell. but i offset that by ending the story with everyone happy and alive and together :)

🪿 do you get hate on fics?

no i am perfect <3

🪿 do you write smut? if so, what kind?

throughout all my time in fandom the answer to this has been no. but then i did this thing where i watched iwtv 2022, and my whole world shifted on its axis. so YES, i do, in fact, now write smut. occasionally. i have no idea how to respond to "what kind." it is gay sex.

🪿 do you write crossovers? what's the craziest one you've written?

ok when i first answered this question i said lifeboat, a sense8 aftg fic in 2 (if u've read it ur eligible for financial compensation), but i change my mind. most unhinged thing i've ever written is 100% between the desire and the spasm, which, i kid you not, is an all the president's men fusion, which, in case u don't know, is a movie abt watergate. WATERGATE.

🪿 have you ever had a fic stolen?

i feel like the answer is yes, but this was in my quotev days, and that site was exactly what republicans imagine anarchists want for society: complete havoc. anyway! my point is that i think i did have a case of someone copying my work almost word for word during that era, but i was 13 and it was like 250 words worth of writing so i was like whatever.

🪿 have you ever had a fic translated?

YES, i'm very happy to say! many very kind people have translated my work. i'll list them below cos they always do a fantastic job and i'm always hoping they get more recognition for their hard work:

@ghostofair wrote a spanish translation of men abort mission!

@sadluna wrote a russian translation of men abort mission!

@bloodymelonteamua wrote a a ukrainian translation of men abort mission!

@kais_room has very kindly written a russian translation of your crown of thorns holds roses!

🪿 have you ever co-written a fic before!

yes! i actually co-wrote right hand on his rifle with my bff liv (@cabeswater). she gave me a lot of ideas while i was crafting it, so it's really just as much hers as it is mine. i'm very happy w it! i would love to write smthn properly w them someday bc they're a phenomenally good writer

🪿 what's your all-time favorite ship?

this is an evil question wtf. i don't know! amara/me.

🪿 what's a wip you want to finish but doubt you ever will?

my sense8 au LMAO. i try so hard every few months to get back into the groove of it but it's a doomed enterprise i think. at this point i would have to rewrite it completely, but i don't have the same passion for it that i once did. sigh

🪿 what are your writing strengths?

i don't know. should i know that? maybe dialogue. i can't say whether i excel at it but i can say with certainty that i enjoy it

🪿 what are your writing weaknesses?

i always get impatient near the end of a long project and end up rushing the ending, which is such a shame cos i'm so talented :(

🪿 thoughts on writing dialogue in another language in fic?

in huge favor of it! i love doing that. i tend to do it when i write characters that speak spanish, and when it's done well by other writers? UGH. it makes me want to eat my phone

🪿 first fandom you wrote for?

pjo on quotev writing reader inserts ✌️ that is not a joke i'm dead serious rn

🪿 favorite fic you've written?

FUCK OFF. the real answer to this question is a fic i deleted. i loved it so much i deleted it off my ao3 so i could rework it into an original piece and turn it in for my fiction class this semester LOL. trust me though this piece was already, like, 90% my own writing and less "based" on the source material rather than it was "inspired" by it. if u compare me to those writers who made their harry styles fanfiction into published novels i will fight u. if i have to pick a fic that's still up, i think i'd pick either keep on keeping on, dean winchester or a ghost is a memory

i'm tagging @keepoffthetardis, @enterprisery, @weather-mood, and anyone else who wants to do this! if any of u actually read thru this whole thing i'm so sorry

[xaracosmia]

ꕥ — WELCOME TO CATA COSMIA, PRIEST ENTITY NADA. 🌕

ꕥ  — OOC INFORMATION;

name / alias: billie

age: 25

pronouns: they/them

ooc contact: @tenaclty on tumblr

other characters in xc: nefja

ꕥ  — IC INFORMATION;

name: Priest Entity Nada

age: adult

pronouns: they/them

series: No Man's Sky

canon point: post-Artemis Path

app triggers: 

mentioned mass death

personality: 

Nada is a curious creature, by pretty much every definition of the word. Like all Korvax, they have an investigative nature, and place great importance on understanding the world around them. The Korvax strive to live at peace with the universe, and think this peace can be achieved through study. They believe that harmony is the only solution to the mathematical equation of existence, and consider greed, hatred, and violence illogical. 

Nada, however, is not exactly like other Korvax. Faced with deletion if they ever return to the Convergence, they have developed a sense of individual worth that runs counter to Korvax sensibilities. They encourage the people they meet to think similarly, and place great value on the safety and wellbeing of their friends. Because they understand how terrible it is to be alone, they strive to create a community where everyone feels welcome, even when that’s inconvenient or dangerous. 

something your muse struggles with: Nada never truly recovered from being cut off from their species’s hive mind, the Convergence. It’s a source of constant loneliness and discomfort for them, and causes them to treat their friendships with a sometimes-undue amount of reverence.

your muse’s greatest strength: Nada is a great leader. They are patient, persistent, and visionary, with the skills to make big plans and put them into action.

history / background:

"With a fury exceeding all prior skirmishes, the Sentinels annihilated all biological life within the universe in a span of 54.2 standard minutes."

Shortly after, an apparently abandoned freighter went down over the plains of a backwater world. Such events were not uncommon in the sector in which Specialist Polo worked. Assigned to monitor this kind of thing, Polo noticed Korvax life signs in the scan of the wreck, and set out to investigate. They never returned to their post.

In the steaming rubble of the freighter–which bore the markings of no company known to the galaxy–they found a single living Korvax. The machine was shaken, disoriented, distressed… but mostly unharmed. They identified themself as Nada, a Priest Entity charged with the service of a Traveler. All that was left now to serve was a twisted corpse.

Nada spoke quickly, in terms that were sometimes complex and sometimes simply outlandish, but Polo hung on their every word. The Korvax told the story of all they had seen: of the Sentinels turned hostile, rising against the entire universe like a tide of glass. They detailed the freighter’s frantic escape, bound toward the center of the galaxy in the final, furtive hope of protecting the Traveler, its living payload. Their lights blinked forlornly as they described the moment, just hours from the galactic core, that the Sentinels finally broke through the hull. They had failed their mission, but by then it was too late to abort; the freighter tipped through the heart of the universe, with only Nada still alive aboard.

The truth was apparent. Neither Polo nor Nada could attempt to return to their former lives.

Instead, they began to plan. With Polo’s expertise, and Nada’s dreamlike recollection of the space between universes, they constructed an odd edifice–a ship the size of a space station, which cut through time and space like a fish through water. It was equipped with everything they needed to embark on their new mission: contacting other Travelers, and determining the true nature of their manifold reality.

powers / abilities: n/a

inherent abilities: 

KORVAX PHYSIOLOGY: Nada is a Korvax, a kind of sapient machine. They have mechanical analogues to most biological processes; for instance, instead of eating, they get energy from solar panels or batteries. Korvax also don’t breathe, are waterproof unless damaged, and can withstand pressures noticeably higher and lower than those tolerated by humans. Most Korvax can also wirelessly interface with compatible machines, but Nada needs a wired connection to do this.

items / weapons: n/a

starting ability: n/a

starting item: n/a

extra: 

if you play no man's sky with me i will kiss you directly on the lips (platonically)

discord id: priest_entity

[polyamorousmood]

Hey! Totally fair! You're not gonna like my answer, though!

The relationship being as it is is the problem. If you're already struggling to not have feelings for this woman, the simplest, easiest, safest bet there is would be scaling the relationship back🔆->🔅. That's not the only way, but its the only way I know how to describe. Some people can flip a switch in their brains and view everything as platonic, and if you're not one of those people, the most workable solution is for you to just talk to her less.

It feels bad! It feels like you're cutting off this person that's important to you! But for right now, the most elegant solution is just cutting back. That doesn't mean you can't still be friends, or that you won't be able to come back to a friendship later. But you have to, at minimum, stop flirting, stop seeking extraneous excuses to talk to her, and stop imagining romantic shit with her in it, whatever that looks like for you.

A good rule of thumb if you're not willing to throw down a hard wall (still your safest bet, though more painful) and struggling with this is "would I do this with my average friend?". Not your best friend, an average friend, in this circumstance. And if the answer is anything other than an unequivocal "yes", don't do it. If its a "well... maaaybee..." delete the text, close your mouth, abort the mission.

Once the feelings have died down to something more manageable, THEN you can reevaluate if these guardrails are too tight. Once the feelings have died down you can consider if you want her to be closer than what this framework would allow and what that looks like. But while you're having feelings for her, you can 💬talk yourself into seeing a LOT as more reasonable than it is 🌹👓. And if you do that, you're only feeding the feelings, in my experience.

As another thing, it helps me if I can point to fundamental incompatibilities that would make the relationship less than great. This cannot be, though, "her fiance is monogamous." It has to be "she's monogamous" -- problems that would crop up between her and you, regardless of the circumstances. I hesitate to recommend this, because it still has you envisioning a future together. If you do not focus VERY hard on the negatives, its easy to get lost in the ✨possibilities✨ and the ways to problem solve things and--. And so use this with caution. You are focusing solely on how it would never work. Or skip this step entirely.

Best of luck to you. I'm really sorry you're going through this. I've been there a few times, and it sucks. You'll make it though.

What do you do when you have a pretty strong crush on your coworker, you have reason to believe she likes you back, but you're both engaged and only your partner is somewhat open to polyamory

In my (completely non) professional opinion

You shut that shit down.

But you already know that, don't you? And you're looking for a different answer. And I'm not even in a position to judge.

So what I'll say instead is: your only other options are home wrecking and cheating -- are you okay with those?

If you already know her fiance isn't okay with polyamory, then it's already been discussed, and fiance said no. Maybe y'all could wheedle him into "trying it", I suppose. But how are you going to handle it if he tries it and then goes "yup, I was right, this isn't okay"?

You could try to talk to her, about "what if she's poly", and therefore "can she really be happy like this long-term". That is, to my thinking, a less fucked option. Hardly without its perils though; she or the fiance could hate your forever for (trying to) ruin their happiness, or she could break up with him because you're right and still be too much of a wreck to feel like dating you, or she does date you and the poly stuff is way too much (esp. on the heels of such a big breakup) and it all falls apart like Icarus's own wings. And then what? Would it have been worth it?

Will your fiance support these plans?

What about your coworkers? How will they react to you and her dating when you both publicly have fiances? Or are you going to try to keep it a secret?

If you don't have answers you like to these questions, it is unethical and unwise to encourage this. And your best bet, even though it hurts (and, fuck, it does hurt), is to start putting space between yourself and her. No more cutesy will-they-wont-they. No more carefully coordinating your breaks to align with hers. No more texting outside of work hours. No more whatever you're doing that makes it seem like she has a crush on you. Shut it down, board up the shop. If she asks, tell her why, but don't bring it up if she doesn't.

If you DO have answers that you like, and you're prepared to go through all that, well that's your life. 🤷‍♀️ You gotta let her know what she's signing on for, too, though. Or else you're a manipulative bastard.

I really do wish you the best though. This sounds very harsh, but it's not you're fault you're here. These things happen. It is your responsibility on how you handle it now, and I'm sure whatever you decide will be the best move for the position you're in. You will find happiness no matter what you choose, it's just a matter of how long the road is.

[gusu-emilu]

"idk if this fic is good, but I sure like reading it" is the ideal version of my writing process

[miru-has-thoughts]

ABORT. MISSION. GUYS!!!!

Delete everything!

Wait hold on, if Matt Jackson JUST implied that he looks on Tumblr. Then does this mean everyone else in the Elite does too???????

[vulptilla]

Omg, no one ever told me that people would actually comment fics on AO3! Not that I'd have the guts to actually read them.

(I know, I know, it's not that big deal, but it still kinda is for me, since I've always identified as a writer, but haven't been able to finish, let alone post, anything in... years? Not to mention that I'm reaaally out of my comfort zone when writing in English.)

[heavyhitterheaux]

Not Today Satan

First Lady of Private Garden Instagram AU

(Requested by 21 can you do sum for meeee @hoodharlow)

Liked by y/ninsta, saweetie, dualipa, 2forwoyne, quiiso, urbanwyatt, and 425,907 others

claybornharlow: happy anniversary to my wifey y/ninsta

Love you 💕

jackharlow: YOU BETTER DELETE THIS SHIT NEOW

claybornharlow: jackharlow no. I deserve to live in my truth 😌

saweetie: not baby brother being messy as hell lmaoooo

danivalentine: CLAYBORN!

urbanwyatt: lemme get my phone ready to call 911

y/ninsta: happy anniversary my favorite Harlow child! look at us! me and my little baby!

jackharlow: y/ninsta I will return EVERYTHING

y/ninsta: jackharlow no you won't because you a simp

sza: jackharlow wifey calling your ass out lmao

druski2funny: I mean, should I go make an anniversary post at this point too?

jackharlow: druski2funny I know where you live. don't do it.

normani: aww so cute!

jackharlow: normani no! not cute at all!

mortirolo: I'm actually not mad at this

jackharlow: NICOLE PLEASE FOR ONCE JUST PLEASE

mortirolo: jackharlow fine you're no fun. ahem! clayyyyy! cut the shit! (even if it is funny)

jackharlow: never mind 🙄

2forwoyne: lmaoooo aye yo

jackharlow: and he does this shit because if I threaten him, y/ninsta will have my ass smh

y/ninsta: jackharlow you damn right. you better not go near my little baby.

jackharlow: y/ninsta choose me, love me!

saweetie: jackharlow lmaoooo not grey's anatomy I'm screaming

softtcurse: I'm third in line for her hand in marriage. I'm ready.

urbanwyatt: softtcurse next time imma leave your ass outside when you knock on the door

y/ninsta: urbanwyatt leave my girl outside, and I'm putting your weed in my bra again

Liked by y/ninsta, softtcurse, claybornharlow, danivalentine, mortirolo, champagnepapi, quiiso, yungskylark, and 3,297,056 others

dualipa: look at my wife. she a baddie isn't she? Happy anniversary boo! Wishing and hoping for many more!

jackharlow: WHY THE FUCK DO YALL INSIST ON STRESSING ME THE FUCK OUT!? WHAT THE HELL IS THIS!?

claybornharlow: my anniversary post was better smh

dualipa: claybornharlow don't get your ass beat

jackharlowsource: lmaoooo first clay and now dua. jack about to be bald by 2027

urbandjack24: one thing about ms. dua is that she's persistant lmaoo

dualipa: jackharlow and you know what this is. I call it like I see it. MY WIFE.

jackharlow: dualipa imma whoop your ass

dualipa: jackharlow I'd like to see you try

y/ninsta: CHILDREN! STOP IT! and dualipa happy anniversary!

jackharlow: y/ninsta why are you encouraging this?

y/ninsta: jackharlow I'm bored

jackharlow: y/ninsta I am literally sitting right next to you

y/ninsta: jackharlow okay? I've been staring at you all day.

jackharlow: y/ninsta correction I've been in your guts all day

urbanwyatt: NO. FULL STOP.

sza: lmaooo here they horny asses go

dualipa: y/ninsta and I wasn't invited?

jackharlow: dualipa it's almost 2023 and imma need for you to find past times that do not involve trying to get at my wife

dualipa: jackharlow I saw her first

jackharlow: dualipa I FIRST SAW HER WHEN I WAS FOURTEEN

dualipa: jackharlow I have eyes everywhere

y/ninsta: jackharlow I want you to park that big mac truck right in this little garage!

jackharlow: y/ninsta oh so now you want me?

y/ninsta: jackharlow I always do, now get your ass over here

jackharlow: 🏃‍♂️🏃‍♂️🏃‍♂️🏃‍♂️

Liked by jackharlow, y/ninsta, dualipa, champagnepapi, estgee, brysontiller, danivalentine, lilnasx, druski2funny, and 4,982,073 others

popcrave: happy anniversary to one of our favorite couples! jackharlow and y/ninsta are celebrating five years today! 🥰

jackharlow: damn my baby fine 😍😍😍

y/ninsta: jackharlow stop it! 🙈

jackharlow: y/ninsta nope, not a chance

anitta: oh lmaoooo okay then

jackharlow: anitta you got something you want to share?

danivalentine: OH SHIT

shloob_: anitta ABORT MISSION

saweetie: let me get my popcorn

anitta: jackharlow oh you know there's plenty but I'll be quiet for now

jackharlow: anitta not today satan. stop being fucking disrespectful towards her because you've done that shit one time too many. my wife already kicked your ass once and she has no hesitations to do it again. how did them floorboards taste?

mortirolo: GOT DAMN JACK I'D NEVER THOUGHT I'D SEE THE DAY

lilnasx: OH MY FUCKING SHIT 😲

urbanwyatt: well damn

jackharlowsource: allthingsy/n GET YOUR ASS IN HERE NOW AND LOOK AT THIS

allthingsy/n: FUCKING RIGHT JACK! TELL HER!!!!!

2forwoyne: I can't fucking breathe, I'm laughing so hard 😭

druski2funny: lmaoooo I taught jackharlow well

saweetie: jackharlow READ THAT BITCH FOR FILTH! READ HER!

quiiso: well shit

jackharlow: anitta and instead of worrying about us and creating this fantasy in your mind that I want you because I definitely DO NOT, only dresses I'm taking off are on my wife's body. do me a favor and worry about how your tracks came out a little too easily when she got her hands on you. talked all that shit and was the first one on the floor.

theestallion: damn, Jack ain't playing

jackharlow: anitta and another thing, my wife has more talent in her pinky finger than you do in your entire body so I'm going to need for you to focus on that instead of how you're always going to come second place to her. she wins, you lose. bye now. have a good day.

urbanwyatt: you gotta do a mic drop after that one

y/ninsta: THAT'S MY MAN AND IMMA STICK BESIDE HIM 🥰

y/ninsta: anitta damn babes, he came for the throat huh?

yungskylark: oh my word

y/ninsta: jackharlow I knew that violence was going to rub off sooner or later but GOT DAMN YOU GOT ME HOT. PLEASE COME TAKE CARE OF THIS NEOW 😭😭😭

jackharlow: y/ninsta say less 🏃‍♂️🏃‍♂️

jackharlow: and let this be a fucking lesson to yall. don't come for my wife. EVER.

Taglist:

@harlowsbby

@babyharleezy

@hoodharlow

@stefansalvatoresgf

@jackiehollanderr

@primadxna-girl

@dessmxsworld

@cockslutslurper3000

@raelorns21

@variety-fangirl

@gbaabyyyy

@kamorsstuff

@harlowthot

@sinsandsuccubus

@curlyhairclub

@bootlegroach

@haylexo10

@thinkingaboutjharlow

@fluidsentiment

@charli123456789

@moody4world

@yourstrulymayah

@yana4life

@beanbagbitch

@alinaharlow

@carma-fanficaddict

@minaxcarter

@arination99

@xjup1t3r

@venusvinc

@jacksmoviestar

@jackharloww

@midnight-star47

@minkookie95

@inluvwithladybug

@exoticr0ses

@jharlowsangels

@jackierose902109

@jackmansbabymama

@cmalass

@megawhoree

@softtcurse

@sia2raw

@miniaturehideoutmentality

@hoya122

@nattinatalia

@jackslover12

@skyesthebomb

@jackharlows-world

@louisianalady

@fdl305

@automaticpeachsong

@harlowcomehome

@gassyandsassy1

@babygirlwilly

@amethyst09

@harrycanyonmoonn

@toocriticalharlow

@liv2sworld

@tattered-tales

@sisiking99

@dessxoxsworld

@gillybear17

@jacksdaycare

@iheartharlow

@disaster-rose

@babyvinnie

@evansxchalamet

@chtkmyharlow​

@mortirolo

@itsyagirljaz

[stevetonyweekly]

SteveTony Weekly - August 7th

Happy Sunday!! Here’s what I read this week. Be sure to leave your author a comment or kudos if you enjoy a story! 

***Marks my recent favorites 

~*~

The Ghost of Christmas Present by ashes0909

Steve was hoping he could get through the holiday season by staying alone in his apartment and not talking to anyone. But then Tony Stark happened.

Tony, Steve’s down by JehBeeEh

“Hey, Cap? Everything okay down there?

“Peachy. Worry about things above, Iron Man.”

“Yeah, see, there’s a problem with me doing that when I can basically see the plan forming in your head right now.”

“If you know what I’m about to do, why are you asking?”

“’Cause there can only be one self-sacrificing moron in this relationship, and I thought we’d established long ago that was me.”

Final Score by Captain_Panda

They get along just fine on the job.

What if there's no more job?

A post-A1 piece about Steve and Tony finally getting their act together.

The Northman by Anonymous

Alpha Warlord Steve takes Omega Tony as his prize.

Tony's Favorite Smells (Cheeseburger and Coffee) 

It’s been seventeen years since Tony was a young prodigy at MIT, hopelessly pining after the high school student working at the 24-hour diner across campus.

A story of smells and the memories attached to them.

**Now with an amazing illustration of young Tony at MIT by hail-hawk-eye**

The Mad and the Marvelous by wynnesome 

Tony introduces Steve to a new sex-thing. Steve doesn’t get it.

He’s supposed to sit there with Tony’s mouth on his cock and not move, and not get blown, and not come?

What the hell is the point?

Tony Tsum's Mission by Neverever for Fluffypanda

Tony Tsum's mission in life is making Tony happy, but this time he needs to get Steve to make Tony happy. That means he needs to talk to Steve Tsum and that makes Tony Tsum very nervous.

put your lips together and blow by starksnack for Fluffypanda

Steve suggests the team play the Kiss Card game for team bonding night.

if all else goes wrong, i'll be alright by ohjustpeachy

“It’s supposed to be a surprise, darling,” Tony tells him, smiling when he feels Steve’s arms wrap around him from behind, warm around his waist as Steve buries his face into the crook of his neck, breath tickling the fine hairs along Tony’s nape.

“Consider me surprised,” Steve smiles, still not lifting his head from Tony’s shoulder.

“Mmm. Did Erskine ever mention you being part koala? I have a theory,” Tony says, setting down a spoon and turning in Steve’s arms.

Or, 5 times Steve hugged Tony, and 1 time Tony hugged Steve.

i don't have a choice (but i'd still choose you). by frostfall

There’s a name inked onto his chest, a name written in an all-too familiar scrawl. And it’s— It’s—

Steve doesn’t realize his body is quaking until he’s tracing the tattoo with a shaky finger.

Because of course that is the name etched into the skin. Like a brand, a reminder for everything he has done. An appropriate retribution.

Anthony Edward Stark.

(When Thanos snaps half of the universe away, he unknowingly leaves the other half with soulmarks.)

Formerly by laireshi

A week ago, he touched Steve at night. A week ago, he kissed him. A week ago, Steve kissed him back.

(A week ago Steve was dead, and Tony deleted his brain.)

and so begins by romanoff

After Tony's death, Steve is adrift. He carries Tony's body, and thinks: I never said thank you.

overheard your heartbeat (calling me yours) by starklystar

"Tony - "

"I wish I could promise to come home this time," he feels the armor crawl back down his arm, continuing unnoticed over Steve's red gloves, then up the blue uniform as Tony fights to keep Steve's gaze firmly fixed on him. 

The last eyes Tony might get to see, and he wants to be lost in them. 

In the end, his entire life boils down a few simple things: "JARVIS, take care of him for me."

Breaking Point (The Abort, Retry, Fail Remix) by Sineala

 Here's a fact about Captain America that the entire world knows now: the last thing he did was commit murder.

The Illusion Cannot be Sustained by Ironlawyer 

When Tony first decided liquor was more important than pride, he promised himself one thing – blowjobs only. But when a man who looks too much like Steve comes along, that’s all about to change.

The Sweetest of Dreams by iam93percentstardust

After coming back to the Compound, Steve takes a moment to breathe and return to his old room. Tony takes a moment to flirt and ask Steve out on their first official date.

forged on low heat by ArabellaAM 

When they tell him his hand’s been promised without him knowing about it, Tony swears he can feel his blood boiling under his skin.

Or, Warlord Steve appears in the Stark's Clan territory one morning and Howard offers his son to him.

Oh, Purrfect (Or Alternatively "Damn it, Richards!") by inukagome15

Of course it was all Richards's fault. If Tony can get through this with his dignity intact, then it's all good. What? No, he's not purring!

and when it came down, i was looking in your eyes by Thahire 

"You’re not going to like it." Tony paused, pursing his lips. "In fact, I think you will be very very mad at me for it. But I want you to know that this something Bruce and I have thought about at length and there is significant evidence that it’ll help you—"

"Tony, I need you to come to the point," Steve cut in, nerves too frayed to make sense of what Tony was trying to tell him in bits and pieces.

“Okay,” Tony said, nodding jerkily. “You know what, I’ll just—”

And then he stepped closer and sat down right next to Steve. Steve opened his mouth to speak but no sound came out. Tony was so close, his shoulder pressed right up against Steve’s. Steve found himself leaning into the touch without wanting to—

He gasped, rearing back, when he realized what exactly Tony was offering.

or: Steve temporarily gets turned into a vampire. It’s somewhat manageable until Tony gets too close.

Amor Fati by citsiurtlanu

Tony Stark has always known what the words on his wrist are supposed to lead to. What he's never known is who the words are for. 616 soulmate AU.

Nothing but the shield 

Tony Stark has a hypothesis that he was very wrong about Captain America. He had put him in the boy scout box without a second thought, which, really, what a shame because look at the guy. In his defense, Captain America is Steve. Steve, who blushes every time their group movie night pick has a scene that is remotely steamy, and as far as Tony can remember has never come back from a date after 9pm. Steve, who wears shirts so tight they look like they've been painted on with all the confidence in the world but as soon as someone chats him up becomes all "aw shucks ma'am". Steve, who sat with his face in his hands in mortification the entire time Nat and Sam gave that impromptu lecture on sex involving all the vegetables from the kitchen. Well. Admittedly that was pretty detailed. Steve...who apparently prefers men. Who likes giving orders, and gets hot under the collar when Tony doesn't follow them. Who grins in a very particular way when he knocks Tony flat on his back during training. Who spilled coffee on himself that time Tony came into the kitchen shirtless. Who Tony is now almost certain wants to fuck him senseless on every available surface in every conceivable position. He just needs more data.

My Heart Belongs to Another by Veldeia 

Long ago, young, drunk and desperate, Tony made a deal with a fairy tale creature: his heart for someone else's life. When said creature shows up to collect his prize years later, things turn out more complicated than either of them expects, and unless Tony's true love can find the arc reactor that's now his heart, he won't have long to live.

Crossover with Once Upon a Time, but can be read without any knowledge of the show.

Bros Before by tsukinofaerii 

For a year, Steve and Tony have had a bromance of epic proportions, bonding over cheesy movies and long, dateless nights where they reminisce over love lost. But now something threatens to interfere with their precious Thursday Night Movies: a woman. Dun dun duuuuun.

Lay Me Low by dirigibleplumbing

On the last day Tony remembers, Steve made Tony's dreams come true by showing Tony that they’re soulmates. But Tony’s just woken from a coma with memories missing, and Steve refuses to disclose what happened during the time Tony’s forgotten. Even though Steve says he still wants Tony, Tony can tell he’s hiding more than what Tony can’t remember—and Tony is determined to learn what.

[justanisabelakinnie]

October 17

(Aka my birthday fanfic for Julieta, Pepa, and Bruno. If you’re thinking it’s out late, that’s because it is. But I ended up deleting a large chunk of it and having to rewrite most of it from scratch and memory, so I hope you will forgive me. I still couldn’t bring myself to abandon this story because the triplets deserve their birthday fic the same way the primas-hermanas do and so I had to give it to them. I hope you all enjoy nevertheless!)

Isabela peeked around the corner. “Is the coast clear, Dolores?” 

Dolores chirped then gave a thumbs up to her prima-hermana. “The coast is clear as a whistle.” She squeaked. 

Isabela grinned. “Great! Now’s my chance!” She ran to the kitchen, she knew it was now or never, if only she hadn’t procrastinated. But someone stopped her. 

Before Dolores could tell Isabela to abort mission and turn the other way, before she could even call “code yellow”, she was too late. Because Pepa was there in the kitchen. 

“Oh, hello, mi amor!” Pepa chirped with glee as she bent down into the cupboard, Isabela praying that she would never open the one with the surprise in it. “Just getting some desserts to take to Bruno’s room. We decided to have a triplet sleepover reunion, you know how it is.” 

Isabela gave a stilted nod in response, not wanting to ignore her tia but not wanting to answer and occasionally give away the secret either. 

Pepa tilted her head to the side. “Is everything all right, Isabela?” 

Isabela nodded once more. Pepa continued to look at her confusedly. 

“Yup. Totally. I’m fine,” she responded, making sure that Pepa knew she could speak, unlike her girlfriend Monika. 

“Okay, that is great, mi sobrina.” Isabela almost had a heart attack as Pepa opened the cabinet right next to the pantry was in and took out two muffins. “I’ll disappear and get out of your way for the night. Love ya!” 

“Love ya too, Tia Pepa.” Isabela waved as Pepa walked off. She looked up to the upper floor on the other side, where Dolores gave her a thumbs up. 

She had to hurry quick and get to work, carefully opening the pantry, Isabela took out the birthday cake and placed it gently on the kitchen counter. Then she used her vines to open the refrigerator and take out the yellow, green, and blue icing. 

Placing them next to the cakes, she picked up one at a time and used each of them to write “¡Feliz cumpleaños, Pepa, Bruno, y Julieta!” Pepa was written in yellow. Bruno was written in green. And Julieta was written in blue. 

When she was done, Isabela wiped her brow. Phew. And she didn’t get caught. 

But then she noticed that she had squeezed the blue icing a little too hard, and now there was an ugly blue smudge next to Julieta’s name. Isabela winced. What was she going to do? 

“Isabela? ¿Mija?” 

Uh oh. Isabela panicked, scrambling to hide the icing and cake behind her back as she stood awkwardly in a manner that blocked it. 

“What’s the matter, mi vida?” Julieta was standing there, looking confusedly at Isabela with an eyebrow raised. 

Isabela shrugged. 

“Nothing? You don’t know?” 

Isabela shrugged again. 

Julieta smiled. “You sure that’s not a birthday cake behind you?” 

Isabela was sweating bullets at this point as she rapidly shook her head. 

“Oh,” Julieta said, somewhat let down. “Well, that’s a disappointment, because I was so excited to try it. I guess mi familia doesn’t care about me after all.” She lowered her head sadly. 

Isabela felt very ashamed and disappointed to see her mother in such a state of sadness. But she knew she had to keep it a secret. The rest of her sisters and cousins were counting on her. 

Isabela sighed. “Look Mami, I’m sorry. But you don’t want your birthday surprise to be spoiled, do you? Just trust me and let me plan a birthday for you and the triplets that you’ll never forget. Please?” 

Julieta smiled. “I understand, mi vida. Mind if I give you a hug? I promise I’ll keep my eyes shut so I don’t take a peek!” 

“You promise?” Isabela asked suspiciously. 

“I promise.” Julieta’s smile seemed to be sincere. 

“Oh, Okay!” Isabela extended her arms. “Get in here!” 

Julieta walked over to her daughter with similarly outstretched arms, and hugged Isabela warmly, her eyes being closed, as promised. The hug lasted for about a few seconds, however, before she was abruptly shoved aside as Julieta’s big, greedy eyes took in the birthday cake. 

“Aha!” She cackled. 

Isabela watched in astonishment, gaping. “Mami!” She roared. “You promised!” 

“I promised myself that I would have some of this delicious cake!” Julieta sneered at her daughter, taking off some of the icing with her finger and sticking it in her mouth. “Mmm! Green and sweet!” She bent down into the cupboard to get a knife, fork, and plate. “An early birthday present for moi,” she was saying as she giggled, shoulders heaving, and started to cut the cake. “It’s what I deserve for being the best mother the world has ever known—“ 

“CAMILO!” Isabela screeched. “What are you doing?” 

Julieta sighed, then shapeshifted back into her nephew. “So you finally figured out it was me, huh?” He grinned. “Gotta say, I’m pretty disappointed in you Isabela. You need to be more perceptive and better at keeping secrets.” 

“You need to be better at not snooping!” Isabela roared. “This is exactly why we didn’t invite you to be part of the plan!” 

“Well, you did a bad job of trying to hide it from me!” Camilo mocked, sticking out his tongue. “And anyway, I think I deserve a slice for being so unbelievably smart and funny and sneaky and handsome—“ 

“Do NOT DARE take a slice!” Isabela hissed, vines erupting out of the ground and tightening themselves around Camilo’s wrists, cuffing them together. He winced at the pain. “Or you will feel my wrath.” 

“I’m not scared of you,” Camilo lied. 

“Get out.” The vines pulled Camilo out the door, forcing his feet to skitter towards the exit. 

“Woah!” Camilo squeaked, as he made it past Isabela, who couldn’t help but notice that some of the icing had somehow spontaneously ended up on his face. 

“And clean off your nose before you look suspicious,” Isabela ordered. 

“Will do, big prima.” Then, with a grin, he shot forward, touching noses with Isabela’s, until her face had green icing and crumbs on it too. 

“Urrrrrrggghhh!” She growled, wiping it off. But Camilo soon left the room. 

Gazing sadly at the messed up cake, Isabela sighed as she continued trying to fix it before putting it back in the pantry. 

💙💛💚

“So we’ve got the gifts,” Mirabel said while in her new room with Luisa. “And we’ve got the presents and ribbons too. All that’s left is to sign the card, which Antonio has. And then we’ll be good to go.” 

“All right!” Luisa was very pleased. “We should start wrapping then!” 

The two sisters started wrapping. Bruno’s wrapping was green with brown hourglass patterns on it. Julieta’s was blue with cupcakes on it. And Pepa’s was a yellowish-orange with teddy bears on it. 

Wait— 

“Umm, Luisa…” Mirabel paused skeptically, then gasped. “Luisa!” 

Luisa looked up. “What?” She asked confused. 

“That’s the wrong wrap for Tía Pepa! Don’t you see?” 

Luisa gave Mirabel a blank expression, then turned her head down. She gasped as well. “Uh oh. Mirabel, you’re right. This is Antonio’s gift wrap!” 

“We have to go to his room and find the right one. But we’ve gotta hurry and be discreet!” She rose to her feet. “Or—“ 

But Mirabel was cut off by a rhythmic knock on the door. 

Knock knock knock-knock knock. 

Mirabel and Luisa exchanged a fearful, worried glance. That knock was code for “we have an emergency.” And not the good kind of emergency. 

They raced towards the door, Mirabel opening it. And Dolores stood there with a worried expression. 

“Code orange.” Dolores said. The granddaughters and Antonio had a unique code for every form of emergency and to let the others know who was in their vicinity. Code yellow was for Pepa. Code blue was for Julieta. Code green was for Bruno. Code orange was for Camilo. 

“Excuse me?” Mirabel gawked. 

“We have a code orange,” Dolores repeated. “The chameleon is onto our plan. He ruined the cake for Isabela. And he’s trying to ruin or plan for the triplets! We’ve gotta stop him.” 

“We do!” Luisa whispered, agreeing. “But how?” 

“And we’ve got another problem on our hands!” Mirabel took the wrapping paper from Luisa’s hands and showed it to Dolores. “We need the correct wrapping paper for Pepa! Otherwise we’re in for a birthday disaster!” 

“The we’d better get from your room—“ Dolores turned and pointed ahead to Antonio’s room. “To across there to Antonio’s room fast. Without the chameleon being hot on our trail.” 

“Then let’s go, now!” Mirabel hurried over to Antonio’s room, and Dolores and Luisa followed. 

But on the way there, they saw the very last person they wanted to see. 

Camilo opened the door to his bed room and yawned. Blocking their way to Antonio’s room. “And just what do you girls think you’re doing?” 

The granddaughters gulped. This was not good news. 

“Camilo, it is frankly none of your business,” Dolores spoke up first. “Just let us pass and we can—“ 

“Oh, I don’t think so, my sweet sister!” Camilo cut off with a creepy giggle. “The three of you are up to something, and I am going to figure out what it is.” 

“Cami—“ 

“Oh wait!” Camilo interrupted Luisa. “I already know what it is! You three are trying to plan a birthday surprise for Tia Julieta, Mami, and Tío Bruno. And apparently Antonio is in on your little plan. Well, rest assured that you won’t get away with it that easily. Once the triplets find out about what you’re trying to do, the birthday surprise will be ruined! And you’ll all have made fools of yourselves! Isn’t that right?” 

“Why are you even trying to do this?” Mirabel demanded. “Why can’t we plan something for the triplets? What is your problem? What does it cost you?” 

“Why am I trying to do this, mi querida primita? Because I can, that’s why! Because it’s fun!” Camilo laughed. “Seriously, why else would I do it? Although maybe if you had included me in your plan we wouldn’t—no, you wouldn’t—be in this situation!” 

“This is literally why we didn’t include you, Cami!” Mirabel groaned, facepalming. Unfortunately, the hand she used to attempt a facepalm was the one behind her back, with Antonio’s wrapper in it. 

Oh no. 

“What’s that? Gift wrap?” Camilo reached to snatch it, but Mirabel quickly put it behind her back. 

Camilo circled the three of them like a hawk as the girls awkwardly rotated so that they were facing him. It got to the point where they had to hide the wrappers under the bottom of their dresses. 

Except for Luisa, as Camilo snatched Julieta’s birthday present wrapper from her hands. 

“Hey!” Luisa angrily growled. 

“Ha!” Camilo laughed out loud at the girls’ angry, disappointed faces. “It’s mine now! Sorry you don’t have anything to wrap your gifts in, what a disappointment! But it’s not like I care!” 

Dolores pushed Camilo aside and forced open Antonio’s door, not even bothering to knock like she always did. Mirabel and Luisa glared at Camilo as they followed their dear older prima. 

“Antonio, come quick!” Dolores said, not knowing where Antonio was in the jungle that was his room. 

But before she could step in, Antonio came out riding a Jaguar, with armadillos surrounding him and Parce. “I got the birthday card!” Then his smile disappeared as he noticed his older brother giving him a shit-eating grin. “Oh no.” Awkwardly, he was about to hid the gift behind his back, before Camilo snatched that from him too. “Camilo, no!” Antonio cried. 

“Camilo yes!” Camilo shot back. “Sorry not sorry, hombrecito, but this is my birthday card now!” Camilo couldn’t wait! It was a good thing the others hadn’t signed the card yet, aside from Antonio who had signed it in pencil because he was too little to use pen, because now he could put his name! All he had to do was erase Antonio’s and replace it with Camilo! Yes, this was all going perfectly as planned. 

“Well, I love you all, but I have a gift to go make. And I know it’ll be much better than all of your gifts combined. Later!” He ran away. 

Everyone blinked, unmoving for a second. 

“Oh no,” Mirabel lamented. “What are we gonna do?” 

Luckily, Antonio had the answer. Climbing back onto Parce’s back, he pointed at Camilo. 

“Charge!!!” 

Parce roared, and made a beeline(or a jaguar line, if you will) towards Camilo, the girls screaming angrily at Camilo as they joined him(Dolores covering her ears as she screamed along). 

“CAMILO! GIVE IT BACK!” Luisa roared. 

“Camilo, don’t you dare go into my room!” Mirabel commanded. She knew this boy like the back of her hand. The rest of the gifts were in there, wrapped and set to be presented to the triplets on their birthday. Camilo was probably going to use the wrapping paper to wrap his own gifts. If not pass off the girls’ gifts as his own. And with the birthday card, who would know otherwise? 

Being the second oldest and the most reasonable, Dolores instantly took to calling the shots. “Antonio! Try to sneak up on him!” She whispered in her youngest brother’s ear. Antonio sped off. Luisa was about to join him. 

But that’s when someone else got in their way. Abuela came out of her room and stopped the trio in their tracks. 

“Hello, mis nietas,” Alma folded her hands formally. “I’m so sorry to bother you now,  but I really need help trying to plan a birthday gift for mis hijos. Care to lend a hand?” 

Dolores, Luisa, and Mirabel blinked awkwardly, twiddling their thumbs as they looked past them to Camilo, Antonio, and Parce, begging internally for Alma to get out of their way so that they could finally stop Camilo from ruining the surprise for everyone! 

Isabela saw what was happening from below. Gasping in horror, she knew exactly what to do. 

Spontaneously sprouting figs from the floor underneath Camilo’s feet, she caused him to gasp in shock as he tripped, tumbling and trying his hardest not to fall, but that wasn’t enough as he got back on his feet. The figs rolled behind him and strategically around the granddaughters, Antonio, Parce, and Abuela, leaving them out of harm’s way. 

Alma looked down, raising her dress as she watched the figs roll. “What in God’s name—?” 

That’s when Isabela noticed Antonio slowly rising to his feet on the jaguar’s back, eyes dead-set on Camilo and ready to pounce like the animals he learned from. 

Isabela saw this as an opportunity. With quick thinking, she summoned a vine that attached itself to the ceiling. It was now or never. 

Dolores saw the vine, and instantly has the same thought as Isabela did. The primas-hermanas were like twins, and their mental link was out of this world, something that no one could match. 

“Antonio!” She called out over Abuela’s shoulder. “Swing!” 

Abuela blinked. Then looked behind her. 

Antonio didn’t need to be told twice! He grabbed hold of the vine and propelled himself, like Tarzan, over to the target. With a war cry, he landed himself on Camilo’s shoulders, forcing the older boy to give Antonio a piggy back ride. 

Camilo glared up at Antonio as Antonio tried to snatch the birthday card from his hands. 

“Stop this nonsense, Antonio!” Camilo growled. “Just let me have the card.” 

“Never!” Antonio protested. 

“Boys!” Alma stomped over to her grandsons. “Stop this madness at once.” 

“Please!” Camilo begged with tearful eyes, before his expression grew irate. “I am your older brother. You MUST do as I say!” 

“Not this time!” Antonio tried to lean over Camilo’s loose curls and grab the card. Suddenly a Venus Fly Trap gripped hold of Camilo’s left wrist. Once again, he cried out in pain as he knew who was responsible for this predicament. 

As he tried to wrestle himself free, a thick, low vine, almost easy to miss, grew at his feet, tripping him by the ankles as he toppled, Antonio hollering in fear. Not to worry though, as a pile of pink roses showed up to cushion him from the rough ground. 

Antonio continued to wrestle the card from Camilo’s hands, whining as he did so, Camilo holding the card in the air as he grinned down at his little brother. 

And that’s when Antonio started to cry. Loudly. So loudly that Dolores had to cover her ears. Luisa comforted her as they and Mirabel made their way over to the grandsons and Alma. 

Mirabel pointed angrily at Camilo, who was instantly apologetic of his actions, and glanced up at Alma in cowering fear, desperate to prove himself innocent. “You…” she uttered in a low, gravelly tone. “Will…pay.” 

“What on earth do you boys think you’re doing?” Alma glowered at the two from above. “Am I raising civilized young men? Or am I raising a zoo?” 

Mirabel walked past Abuela, and glared at Camilo. Somehow, that scared her older male cousin more than Abuela’s reprimanding did. Antonio got the hint and moved out of the way, even though he still didn’t have the birthday card. And Mirabel realized…Camilo was still holding it. 

“Camilo…GIVE ME THE CAAAAARD!” Mirabel leapt, pouncing at Camilo, as she took her turn in the ring with him, wrestling him for the card, Camilo squealing in pain and in protest. Alma merely rubbed her temple. 

“I am getting too old for this…” she murmured. “And I’m sure my Pedro would agree.” She turned on her heels and walked away. “Make sure you clean up this mess.” 

Between Antonio’s crying, Mirabel’s hollering angrily at Camilo, and Camilo’s moaning and groaning in pain as he tried to force Mirabel off of him while still keeping the card, it was all too much noise for Dolores to take. 

“SHUT UP AND GIVE HER THE CARD!” Dolores yelled. 

And she wasn’t the only one who couldn’t take it. 

The door to Bruno’s room opened. “Is everything all right out here…oh.” 

What Bruno saw was a complete and utter spectacle. Antonio crying at the top of his lungs like the toddler he was, Dolores’ ears being drowned in Antonio’s wails as she covered her ears, Luisa hugging her and patting her head, Mirabel trying to knock Camilo’s lights out as she tried to force something out of his hands, the two roughhousing in a pile of pink roses that could only be Isabela’s creation. And a Venus Fly Trap that snapped at Camilo threateningly. Bruno blinked, the others looking up at him in shock, Camilo smiling with glee. 

Mirabel snatched the card from him and stood up, making her way to stand beside Dolores and Luisa with her hands behind her back. 

“Wh—what is going on?” 

Camilo sprang up. “They were doing—“ 

“Rehearsal for a play.” 

Everyone turned to look at Isabela, who had swooped in on a vine from downstairs to stand next to Camilo. 

Camilo glared at Isabela. 

Bruno’s eyes lit up. “Ooh! A play! Que interesante, what kind of play?” 

“Well, it’s a really exciting story, filled with adventure, danger, and suspense,” Isabela explained. “Camilo is the villain, you see.” She ruffled Camilo’s hair, and he glowered. “A pretty but daft young fellow lacking in all manners of cleverness or good judgement. At least that’s what he lets people believe so as to get away with his acts of thievery.” 

“Woah!” Bruno exclaimed, clearly impressed. 

“He only steals from the rich, so as to make a fortune for himself. But he’s so sneaky and manipulative that he gets off the hook all the time. Or almost all the time.” 

“Seriously?” Camilo grumbled to her quietly. 

“Yes, seriously,” Isabela whispered back, using Camilo’s head as an armrest. 

“But Tío, you don’t understand,” Camilo proclaimed, desperate for the girls and Antonio to be caught in the act. “Do you know what Dolores, Mirabel, and Luisa were doing??? They were chasing me because—“ 

“Because they, along with me, are the heroines of the story,” Isabela cut off, flipping her long raven tresses. “Wealthy, cultured Spanish aristocrats by day, fearsome and brave fighters by night. Nobody would guess it from us elegant noblewomen, but the truth is we work as spies for the king and our job is to assassinate crooks and scoundrels. With Camilo being our current target.” 

“And I’m guessing Antonio’s the king?” Bruno looked down affectionately at his youngest nephew. 

“You’re right!” Isabela chirped, realizing that Bruno was making this all too easy. “We have to assassinate Camilo and bring him back to King Antonio, otherwise—“ 

“MY JAGUAR WILL EAT THEM!” Antonio roared. “Oops, sorry Dolores.” 

“Yeah.” Isabela was sweating glands. 

“Oh!” Bruno was not expecting that turn of events. “Well, hope you catch the criminal soon, if you don’t wanna be Parce’s dinner.” 

Isabela laughed, the granddaughters and Antonio giggling along. “Oh, don’t worry, we won’t. Because after all—“ 

“DOLORES ISABELA LUISA MIRABEL AND ANTONIO ARE PLANNING A BIRTHDAY SURPRISE FOR YOU MAMI AND TÍA JULIETA!!!” Camilo yelled at rapid fire speed, slapping Isabela’s arm away. 

That was when Pepa and Julieta came out. 

Mirabel groaned. “All our plans were for nothing,” she grumbled, crossing her arms and stomping her feet petulantly. 

“A birthday surprise?” Julieta said, eyes aglow. “You’d really do that for us?” She gasped. 

“So that’s why Isabela wanted to use the kitchen?” Pepa asked. “Will there be cake?” 

The grandkids—minus Camilo, who looked quite satisfied with himself—were silent and longing for death to take them as they shifted awkwardly and glanced at each other worriedly. Even Parce looked downcast as he let out a feline whimper. 

Then at last, Mirabel spoke up. 

“No, it’s nothing like that,” she confessed. “I mean, obviously there will be cake. Every birthday party has cake.” 

“Mira!” Dolores hissed. 

“Umm,” Mirabel stammered awkwardly. “Bht the real surprise is the…play…that Isabela and Antonio were just telling you about.” 

“I can’t wait!” Bruno cheered, clapping his hands. “Well, I don’t want it to be spoiled for me. I want to see how it ends, and if the spies will get eaten by the king’s mighty jaguar.” 

Parce licked his lips ferociously. 

“Well, let’s go back inside, mis hermanas,” Bruno said as he ushered his sisters gently back inside his room. “Give the grandkids time to practice.” 

“But they have to do it quietly!” Pepa said as she snowed. 

“Yes, that’s right, quietly, yhear?” 

“Yes, Tío Bruno,” they all said, even Camilo. 

“Great!” Bruno waved. “Can’t wait for the show, bye!” 

Then he locked the door behind him. 

“Phew,” Mirabel wiped an eyebrow as Isabela collapsed into a giant sunflower which she used as a chair. “That went well, don’t ya think?” 

“Yeah,” Dolores said. “Let’s get out of here.” She glared at Camilo. “And you,” she told him. “Don’t even think about following us.” 

Then she left, her arms on each of Luisa’s and Mirabel’s backs as they too walked away with her. 

“Guess you failed after all, Camilo,” Isabela said to Camilo’s downcast face, smirking as she did so. “Wait for us!” Isabela ran after her sisters, Antonio following on Parce. 

“Bye big brother!” Antonio said before Parce sped off. 

Camilo watched them leave silently, tears stinging at his eyes. 

Only Dolores heard him cry. But she couldn’t care less. 

💙💛💚

“I can’t believe that metiche tried to ruin our birthday surprise!” Mirabel snarled, pacing back and forth in Dolores’ room as she who owned the room, along with Luisa and Isabela, sat down on her bed, wrapping their gifts. Dolores was in the middle, with Isabela on her left and Luisa on her right. “Just who does he think he is? ‘Oh girls, don’t even think of doing anything good for the triplets! I’m gonna ruin it like I always do!’” She picked up the card which was on Dolores’ nightstand. “And it’s torn!” She huffed. “Can we even give them this?” 

“Of course!” Dolores said as she finished wrapping Pepa’s gift with the correct paper, which was yellow with thunderclouds shooting lightning on them. “There’s nothing a little tape won’t fix. I don’t think they’ll be upset at it not being perfect. That’s something our family needed to learn, after all.” 

Mirabel sighed. “Yeah, you’re right. But I’m just so mad at Camilo.” 

“So am I,” Isabela agreed, sharing Mirabel’s uncharacteristically grouchy expression. 

“Ay Ay Ay, when I find that little punk, I’m gonna—hrrrggh!” She made clenching motions with her hands. “He almost hurt Toñito too and he didn’t even care. What if Isabela hadn’t made the flowers?!” Mirabel bent down to Antonio’s side and cupped his face in her hands. “Ay, Toñito, are you all right?” 

“I’m fine,” Antonio said, rubbing his nose. 

Mirabel smiled. “Oh, I’m glad.” She wrapped Antonio in a hug. Antonio returned it. Isabela smiled at this. Though not as emotional, sometimes Mirabel could take after her Tia Pepa in alarming ways. 

“Thanks, Mira,” Antonio said. “And thanks for saving me, Isa.” 

“No problem,” the sisters chirped in unison. 

“Now, let’s sign the birthday card.” Mirabel opened the card and placed in on the nightstand. “Isabela, you get to sign first, since you’re the oldest.” 

“Okay,” Isabela said. She signed the card in delicate cursive. Dolores followed in her own cute handwriting, then Luisa in round, bubbly letters, then Mirabel, who didn’t forget the hearts over her i’s. 

The girls were astonished when they heard someone knock on the door. 

“I’ll go see who it is,” Dolores said, walking towards the door. 

But the moment she saw who it was, she slammed the door shut in his face. 

“What’s Camilo doing here?” Luisa demanded. “Hasn’t he caused enough trouble for us all?” 

The door knocked again. 

Dolores opened the door. “Look, stop trying to come in. We are not letting you in! You already tried to spoil the surprise for us. You really think we trust you?! Go away, Camilo!” 

“I just wanna talk,” Camilo uttered barely above a whisper, before a large cactus grew between them, forcing Camilo to take a large step back. 

Isabela stormed over to the door. “Excuse me, prima-hermana,” she said gently, Dolores stepping aside so that Camilo was forced to really feel Isabela’s wrath. “What part of GO AWAY do you not understand? Listen to your older sister and leave! Now!” 

“But—“ 

“I do NOT wanna see you and neither do the rest of us, you untrustworthy brat!” 

“Please!” Camilo begged. “I just wanna say that I’m sorry!” 

Isabela snorted. “Sorry for what?!” 

“Sorry for…everything. I just…I’m sorry.” 

Luisa and Mirabel approached just then, Mirabel carrying Antonio. 

“Why didn’t you just plan your own birthday surprise?” Luisa asked genuinely. “Why did you have to ruin others’?” 

“Yeah, make your own gift next time,” Mirabel said, still vexed at Camilo but lacking the adrenaline to yell and rant at him again. 

Camilo sighed, fiddling with his ruana. “I don’t have a gift, all right?” he finally spat out. “I don’t have one! I procrastinated and now there are three days left until the triplets’ birthday reunion and I have nothing to show for it!” Despite the crack in his voice, Camilo went on. “It’s just that, when you girls started planning the birthday surprise without me I felt left out. So I tried to take your presents and pass them off as my own instead of buying a gift by myself. But now—“ 

Mirabel snorted. “Did it ever occur to you that we wouldn’t have gifts either, tonto?” She sneered. “Get real.” 

Camilo resisted the urge to say “you don’t have a gift either, Mirabel.” He frowned. “But now I realize that was wrong. And I apologize.” 

He looked down at the floor as his tears dropped onto his sandals. 

“I’m sorry.” 

“We forgive you, Camilo,” Dolores said graciously. “But we’re still not letting you in on our birthday surprise. You betrayed our trust, and that isn’t okay.” 

Camilo hiccuped and nodded. 

“And quit crying please. It’s getting annoying.” Dolores sighed. Camilo wiped his face with his hands. “Look, we may not want to help you. But maybe Abuela will.” 

“Why would Abuela want to help me?” Camilo asked flatly. 

“Ask her and you’ll see.” 

“Oh okay.” 

“I think you should leave now,” Luisa said. 

“I agree,” Isabela said. “You should.” 

“Bye, Camilo,” Mirabel said. 

“Bye,” Camilo said, walking away. The girls went back inside, closing the door behind them. 

“Now, where were we?” Dolores said to the rest of the grandkids. They decided not to give Camilo the time of day. 

“Wait, I just realized something!” Isabela pointed out. 

“What?” Mirabel asked as they all looked at the eldest granddaughter. 

“Tío Bruno genuinely thinks we’re putting on a play on their birthday. Even though it’s not a surprise anymore, that’s what he thinks!” 

The girls took a while to process this fact, before realizing that Isabela was right. 

“Oh no,” Dolores said, her face matching Mirabel’s expression of dread. “Just great. Now we’re gonna have to tell Tío Bruno that the play was a cover-up all along.” 

But Isabela shook her head. “Not so. We can still put on the play! Do we really want to disappoint him?” 

“Of course not,” Mirabel said. “But we only have three days? How are we going to plan it?” 

“Three days is more than enough time to put on a play if you know what you’re doing!” Isabela retorted. 

“But we don’t have costumes!” Luisa protested. 

“I’m sure Mirabel has something extravagant that we can wear,” Isabela said. “And even if not, who needs costumes when you pull off a convincing performance?” 

“But what about our lines?” Dolores asked. 

“That won’t be hard!” Isabela explained. “And you’re the best at writing out of all of us. You could be the director and tell us what to say.” 

The girls all considered it. “Hmm, it seems like a good idea,” Mirabel quipped. “What do you all say?” 

“I’m in!” Antonio chirped. 

“Well, if Antonio’s in, then I guess I’m in too,” Luisa shrugged. 

“And if Luisa’s in, then I guess you can count me in as well,” Dolores agreed. 

“Great!” Isabela hugged her prima-hermana! “Oh, this is gonna go excellently! And I think this the only birthday surprise that Camilo will get to be in on.” 

“Oh, brother,” Mirabel groaned. 

💙💛💚

Camilo hesitated, then knocked on the door to Abuela’s room. 

“Come in,” said a seemingly sweet voice, but Camilo was still afraid. What if this voice meant trouble for him? 

He opened the door to see Alma sitting on her bed, writing something down in a book. 

“H-hi Abuela,” Camilo said, hesitating. 

“Hello, well, if it isn’t my lovely grandson!” She patted the seat next to her. “Have a seat.” 

Camilo hesitantly sat down next to Alma, who smiled generously at him. The smile reminded him of Isabela’s smile, but rather than putting him at ease(not that Isabela’s smile put him at ease either), it disturbed him. Why was she being so nice? 

“Abuela…I’m sorry about what I’ve done and I’m sorry for behaving like…umm…an animal in a zoo. Please forgive me.” 

“It’s all right, son. I was young and crazy once too!” Abuela giggled. “Anyway, what did you need?” 

“A gift for Mami, Tia, and Bruno,” Camilo said, getting straight to the point. “But I don’t have any. Dolores said I could come to you for help. So can you help me?” 

“Oh, well, what a coincidence, I don’t have one either.” Alma closed her eyes sadly as she lowered her head. 

“You don’t?” Camilo gasped. “But you’re their—”

“Their mother. Yes. I know. But I have been so distracted lately that it just slipped my mind until the last minute. Or perhaps my age is failing me. Either way, I have failed to come up with a present to bestow upon my marvelous children, especially Bruno, who will be celebrating his birthday with us for the first time in ten years.” She buried her head in her hands. “I know things can’t always be perfect, I know that now, but I’m a failure of a mother.” 

“No, you’re lovely at being a mother, Abuela. Listen to me! Eurgh, this is so weird. Look, I’m sure the triplets would tell you you’re a great mother. After all, where do you think your daughters learned to be such great mothers from?” 

“I suppose you are right.” Alma smiled again at Camilo. And this time Camilo felt at ease. 

“How about we plan a surprise for them together? And only the two of us have to be in on it?” Camilo whispered. 

“I say that’s a marvelous idea!” Abuela hugged her grandson tightly. “Oh, ¡mi nieto es tan inteligente!” 

“Awesome!” Camilo squealed. “I’ve always wanted to be a part of something.” 

“I’m glad,” Alma laughed. “Well, shall we start thinking about it now?” 

“Sure!” Camilo agreed. “What are you writing?” 

The two of them got to work writing down gift ideas for the triplets. And while they were doing so, it suddenly occurred to Camilo that he never knew what gift his siblings and cousins were planning. 

 But he found that didn’t matter. He had his own birthday surprise to share with Alma. 

💙💛💚

It was early in the morning, right after breakfast, that Isabela kidnapped Camilo using her vines. 

“Ow!” Camilo hissed as he felt the pain jolt through his system. “Why, Isa? Why?” 

“Shhh!” Isabela shushed. “Look, come with us! You wanna be part of our secret, right? Well now you’re part of the secret!” 

“I don’t wanna be part of your secret anymore, Isa,” Camilo grunted. “I’m already part of another secret that you’ll never get to know. So there.” He stuck out his tongue. 

“Well too bad. Because you’re part of the secret now.” With her vines, Isabela dragged Camilo into Dolores’ room and slammed the door. 

Camilo looked around to see the rest of his  cousins, his brother, and his sister. Dolores was sitting on her bed writing something on a stapled sheet of paper. Luisa was sitting next to her on her left and looking over her shoulder. Mirabel was on the floor, sorting through a bag. Antonio was trying on a costume that looked quite regal on him. 

“The end!” Dolores said declaratively as she finished writing. 

“Yay!” Luisa clapped her hands. 

“Can I see?” Isabela walked towards Dolores and Luisa. 

“Sure!” Dolores said, giving Isabela the paper to take. 

Isabela walked over to Camilo and shoved the paper in his face. “This is the play we’re putting on for the triplets tomorrow. It’s called ‘Las Cuatro Hermanas y El Ladrón’. And the good news is that you get to be a part of it!” 

“I don’t follow.” 

“Remember the play I claimed we were rehearsing for yesterday? That’s what we’re going to do—“ 

“Oh HELL no!” Camilo turned on his heel and walked away. “I am not doing that!” He reached for the doorknob. 

“Yes you are!” A sundew sprouted on the knob, and Camilo shrieked, pulling his hand back. “You have to! I already told Tío Bruno that you are the villain. And we can’t let him down! Besides, aren’t you a theatre kid? This is your chance to truly shine!” 

“But you came up with that to make me look bad!” Camilo exclaimed. “Why can’t I play the leading role?” 

“Because the leading role is a female role, Cami.” 

“So? I can play a lady!” And just to prove it, Camilo shapeshifted into Isabela. 

“But you’re not one. You’re playing the villain, and that’s final.” 

Camilo shapeshifted back. “Can’t Mirabel and I change roles?” 

“No. Here is the script, this is what you have to remember for the play.” 

Camilo flipped through the script, annoyed. “This is so blatantly done last-minute, it’s saddening.” 

“No duh, chico. But Dolores was the main writer, and she’s pretty talented and coming up with things rinitis on the spot. The rest of us still helped though, Mirabel and I came up with the songs, for instance, and Luisa did the fight scenes. And with you onstage with us, you’ll be able to help her vision come to life. Doesn’t that sound fun and exciting?” 

“It sounds like one of Tio’s rat telenovelas.” Camilo grumbled. 

“Well, whatever. Anyway, Mirabel already chose a costume for you.” 

Mirabel pulled out a black ruana and matching mask, a shirt that looked just like Camilo’s, but deep magenta, and black shoes. 

Camilo took a step back. “I am NOT wearing that. That looks embarrassing!” 

“Come on, just say you’ll agree.” Isabela gestured to their little brother and cousin. “Antonio looks so happy in his outfit.” 

Antonio twirled around in his regal cape and golden flower crown that Isabela had made for him. “I’m the king, Mira! Look at me!” 

“Yes you are! Oh, and here’s your outfit, Dolores,” Mirabel said, handing Dolores an elegant red dress with gold and pink heart-shaped trim. “Fit for a princess.” 

“Where did you get those?” Camilo demanded. 

“From my closet,” Mirabel said. “Also from Dolores’ and my sisters’ closets. I just…did my magic on them to make them look really royal. Although I’m not finished yet. The king outfit however I stole from a trunk in your bedroom.” 

Camilo wanted to eat his face off. “From MY bedroom?! That’s for the little kids I babysit when they come over, Mira! Why? How could you?” 

“Sorry,” Mirabel shrugged, clearly not sorry. “But you tried to go into my room first. And besides, I did what needed to be done.” 

“Camilo,” Dolores said. “Would you like me to paint your nails black for you to really complete your evil look? You’d look delightfully malicious.” 

“No.” 

“He’s lying, he would love to.” Isabela dragged Camilo’s body over to Dolores’ chair. “Sit down Camilo and let Dolores get to work.” 

“Fine,” Camilo said, but only because he liked when Dolores did his nails. He had ever since he was a little kid. It was a fun way of brother-sister bonding even if most boys didn’t get their nails painted. Just like most boys didn’t play dress up with their older sisters. But Camilo didn’t care. He had found it fun. 

He took a deep breath. Maybe this performance wouldn’t be as bad after all. 

💙💛💚

Later that noon, the grandkids were all practicing the last-minute play for the triplets in Isabela’s room, which was by far the most spacious with the widest and clearest area to rehearse in. And most of them were having a good time. 

“Wait, I just realized. Why do I have to die at the end?” 

“Because you’re the villain, and that’s what villains do,” Isabela replied. “The villains die and the heroines triumph. That’s how it’s always been, since the beginning of time. And that’s how it will be, till the end of times.” 

“Whatever,” Camilo said. 

“I’m confused,” Mirabel said, walking up to Isabela. “When Dolores says this part, am I supposed to look up and run away, or am I supposed to run away and look up?” 

“Either way is fine,” Isabela said. “You just have to wait for my signal before leaping up and grabbing the vine that I will send down to swing on.” 

“Oh, I get it now. Okay!” Mirabel shot her a thumbs up. 

“Let’s get into position!” Dolores shouted. “And action!” 

“Go, Camilo, go!” Isabela shoved the sack of cotton in Camilo’s hands and ran away, Camilo running on “stage” as Isabela followed him. 

“Stop right there, Carlos!” Isabela shouted as she pointed at Camilo. Then she grew a circle of cactuses around him, Camilo stopping dead in his tracks. “That money belongs to my family’s estate. I demand you give it back! Otherwise I shall have you hanged for your crimes!” 

“We’ll see about that, Doña Ines!” Carlos sneered. “The truth is, you snobby members of the upper class have it too easy. You were born with a silver spoon in your mouth. Everything was handed to you, and not a thing was earned. If a lowly being like me wants to make his way in life, the only way to do it is to steal from the rich folk, such as yourself! Don’t act like you wouldn’t do the same if you were in my position.” 

“I am nothing like you, you unscrupulous knave!” Ines fired back. “Do as I say, for I am of noble birth. Hand over the money at once, or—“ 

The door opened. “Camilo?” 

“GET OUT!” All the granddaughters yelled at once. 

“Nobody can see yet, it’s a surprise!” Mirabel exclaimed in protest as Alma came closer. 

“Sorry, I gotta go, Alma and I agreed to go out.” Camilo pulled his hair out of its slick ponytail, shaking it left and right to revert it back to its original state. He then removed the mask. 

“Go where?” Dolores asked suspiciously. 

“Does it matter?” Camilo mocked. “It’s our surprise, not yours. Anyway, buh-bye.” 

“Wait, Camilo, you still haven’t taken off your costume!” Luisa protested as Camilo ran out the door. 

“Wait, Camilo, you have a musical number to sing!” Dolores called out. 

“Camilo, you’d better not get it dirty!” Mirabel barked. 

But Camilo wasn’t listening. 

Mirabel sighed. “What do we do?” 

Isabela turned to the director for instruction. “Should we just do the scene where the four of us report to the king?” she said. 

“Sí. And then Mirabel and I will do our song and dance number for the scene where Luisa and Isabela get kidnapped by Camilo,” Dolores said. 

“Perfect.” Isabela agreed. 

“All right, places everybody!” Dolores commanded. 

And so they set the scene. 

Mariana, Ines, Lydia, and Lola curtsied before the king, their bodies trembling as they knew a reprimanding was exactly what they were in for. 

“Have I not told you what is expected of you ladies?” The king gnarled, displeased with the women. “You are to bring back Carlos’ head. I don’t think that is too simple of an accomplishment. But if it is, let me know, so I can prepare a punishment for you.” 

“It’s not that,” Ines, the oldest of her sisters, was the first to speak. “It’s just that—“ 

“I don’t want to hear excuses,” the king interrupted. “Have you slain Carlos?” 

“N-no,” Lola said, “But I promise we are coming closer and closer to—“ 

“Enough!” The king rose from his throne, pointing his mighty scepter at the girls, and silence at once fell upon them. “I am getting impatient at this point. I trusted you ladies to deliver that…that…” 

Dolores sighed. “Cut.” 

Antonio scratched his head as he peered at his script. “What does this say?” 

Dolores took the paper from him. “Vagabond.” 

“Vaga…bond?” 

“Yes.” 

“What’s that?” 

“You know, like a nomad?” 

“What’s a nomad?” 

“…Basically Camilo’s character wanders about without a job or a specific place to call home. He’s a homeless crook.” 

“Oh.” 

“Let’s start from the last line, and remember, it’s vagabond. Got it?” 

“Got it.” 

“Aaand action!” 

“I trusted you ladies to bring that…vagabond…to justice! And you have failed!” 

“We’re terribly sorry, your highness!” Lydia apologized. “Give us one more chance. We beg of thee!” 

The king was getting restless and irate at this point. But he still had some faith in these women. So he sighed and relented. “I will give you two more days to find Carlos, slay him, and bring his head back to me.” He stroked his jaguar’s fur, and the sisters’ blood ran cold. “If during that time frame you fail to complete your task, you will be devoured whole by my jaguar here!” 

Little Mariana gasped. “Please, your majesty! You couldn’t. You wouldn’t!” She cried out in desperation. She was too young to die! She would never see her true love Yamilet again if she did! 

“I can and I will!” The king stroked his jaguar, which growled. “Mi amigo, show them I mean business.” The jaguar obeyed. Lunging at the girls, they took a step back and embraced each other in fear as the large predatory cat bore its fangs. “Am I clear?” 

The sisters nodded. 

“Am I clear?” 

“Yes, your majesty!” 

“Good. Out with thee, out, I say!” 

Mariana collapsed in Lydia’s arms, weeping bitterly and relentlessly, as they walked away, Lola and Ines hugging each other as they also awaited what was sure to be their fate with doom. 

“Whatever are we to do?” Mariana cried out. 

“Fear not, hermanita,” Lydia comforted. “God is with us. We will catch that criminal. And when we do, he will not escape with his life a second time.” 

“More like a third time,” Lola quipped. 

“More like a seventh time,” Ines shook her head. “Really, it is a wonder we haven’t been executed yet.” 

“But we will find a way. I am sure of it.” Lydia said, looking up at the sky. 

Abuela and Camilo came back just when it was lunch time. 

“Hola, Mama!” Pepa came running and wrapped her mother in a hug. “Welcome home. “You too Camilo!” She bent down to kiss his cheek. 

“Hola Mama,” Camilo said, smiling at Pepa. “We just went to buy you a—“ 

Alma nudged him. 

“Food for lunch.” 

“Already taken care of, chico,” Julieta smiled at Camilo from the kitchen. “But thanks for your generosity.” 

“Oh, okay.” Camilo pulled at Abuela’s arm. “Come on, Abuela, let’s go wrap!” he whispered.

He and Alma walked up the stairs, giggling to themselves as they talked in hushed whispers. Even Alma was excited for the triplets’ birthday. 

“Umm, we will be back downstairs soon, mis amores. Set the table!” 

Then they disappeared. 

“I guess Camilo really did plan something with Abuela for the birthday reunion,” Dolores quipped emotionlessly. 

“Well, that’s good for him, I guess,” Luisa said. “By the way, remember to tell him about the changes you made to the play.” 

“Oh, I almost forgot. Yeah, you’re right. I’ll tell him at lunch,” Dolores said as she put Camilo’s plate right next to hers on the table. 

💙💛💚

“Aaand that’s a wrap,” Dolores said as the scene ended. “Wow, that change went more smoothly than I anticipated. Great work everybody.” 

The vines tying Isabela and Luisa unraveled, and they stood up. 

“Has anyone ever told you that you make a really good villain, Camilo?” Isabela asked. 

“I hope they never do,” Camilo murmured. 

“Well, I’ll be the first to tell you!” Isabela chirped, pretending to be oblivious. “You make a really good villain, Camilo!” 

“Of course you would think that,” Camilo murmured. 

“I can’t wait for tomorrow when we can rehearse this play again!” Dolores cheered as she changed behind a room divider. “It’s going to be awesome and I’m sure they’ll love it!” 

“I know they will,” Luisa agreed. 

The next day was spent almost entirely practicing for the performance. In fact, the grandkids did nothing else but rehearse for “Las Cuatro Hermanas y El Ladrón” religiously every time they weren’t eating or taking a shower/bathroom break. The only other exception was when Camilo would run off to do something with Abuela, but there were plenty of scenes without him anyway. 

“Are you done yet?” Dolores demanded as Camilo walked back in. 

“Yup.” Camilo said. 

“Did Abuela ask you why you were wearing that ridiculous outfit?” Mirabel asked with a smirk. 

The girls giggled, even Antonio joining in, and Camilo rolled his eyes. 

“Let’s get on with it,” Camilo said, and Dolores laughed, wiping a tear from her right eye as she dragged Camilo by the forearm into his place. 

And so they continued to practice the play. As Isabela and Luisa slept, Camilo kidnapped them in their sleep. 

Before they knew it, the triplets’ birthday had arrived. 

“Happy birthday, Tío!” Mirabel and Dolores, Bruno’s favorite sobrinas, said as they hugged him and kissed him on either side of their cheek. 

“Aww, thank you both!” Bruno said with a laugh. He kissed Dolores on the cheek, then Mirabel. 

Camilo and Luisa were hugging Julieta. “Happy birthday Mami!” Luisa sang. 

“Happy birthday Tía.” Camilo snuggled his face into her shoulder as he hugged. 

“Thank you, thank you so much!” Julieta replied. “I intend to have the best birthday possible today.” 

“And you will!” Luisa chirped. “We promise!” 

Isabela and Antonio were hugging Pepa. That is to say, Isabela was hugging Pepa, while Antonio was being held by Pepa. 

“Feliz cumpleaños, Mami/Tía! Te amamos!” 

“Awww, thank you thank you thank you! I love you both too!” She kissed them both on the cheek. 

“Everyone, to the table! It is time for the birthday dinner!” Alma commanded. 

The rest were happy to oblige as they sat at the table, the triplets sitting in chairs at the head did the table where Alma normally sat. The three of them next to each other with Bruno in the middle, as they should be. 

“Except for you, Camilo,” Alma said as she smiled, taking Camilo gently by the hand as she ushered him into a private area. Camilo nodded, grinning from ear to ear, as he stuck out his tongue at Dolores and peeled at his lower eyelid, showing the pink. 

Dolores only rolled her eyes, but she grinned. She was happy that Camilo was no longer antagonizing his siblings and cousins and was able to plan a birthday surprise with Abuela instead. She couldn’t wait to see what the gift would be. 

“Cumpleaños feliz, te deseamos a tí, feliz cumpleaños a los trillizos, feliz cumpleaños a tí! Que los cumpla feliz, que los vuelva a cumplir, que los siga cumpliendo, hasta el año tres mil!” 

“Hurry up and blow out the cake before I sneeze on it!” Mirabel urged, privy to imitate her uncle’s tricks. 

The triplets didn’t need to be told twice. They blew out the cake, and everyone cheered. 

“Never mind,” Mirabel said, rubbing her nose with a grin. Bruno smiled at her, realizing what she was trying to do. 

They cut the cake—well, Julieta, Pepa, and Bruno did, each cutting the first three slices with Alma joining them—and before long, everybody else was eating cake too. 

“So awesome!” Camilo said as he chewed with his mouth open. “Will there be seconds?” 

“That’s for the birthday triplets to decide,” Alma replied with a friendly grin. 

“Of course!” The triplets all affirmed in eerie unison. 

After getting over the uneasiness, they all laughed. 

Camilo laughed too, and turned to Mira. “Hey, Mira. Remember when it was Isabela and Dolores’ birthday and you got cake crumbs and frosting all over your hands and dress, and on the floor, and on Tía’s—“ 

“Stop.” 

“Oh, okay.” 

“Does that remind you of anything Camilo?” Isabela grinned mischievously at her cousin. “Anything you did a few days ago that you shouldn’t have? At an age when you should have known better?” 

“He messed with the cake?” Bruno asked. 

“Sure did!” Isabela said. 

Pepa laughed. “It seems like something he would do.” 

“But it’s okay, because this cake is really good!” Julieta complimented. And coming from a masterful cook like her, it certainly was a compliment. 

The granddaughters beamed with praise, as Dolores added. “You think so? Thanks! All four of us made it while you three were out! Hmm!” 

“That’s right, we did!” Luisa added. “And it certainly is a masterpiece.” 

“It tastes like one, too!” Bruno praised. 

Later, after they had all had their fair share of cake and decided to pack some away for later, it was time for the triplets to unwrap the gifts. 

“Are we ready for gifts now?” Bruno asked. 

“Oh, I am!” Mirabel picked up her gift, which was for Julieta, and bounced up and down on both feet. “Eek! I can’t wait for you to see what gifts we have!” 

“I had too much cake,” Camilo lamented, wiping his forehead. “I can almost feel the frosting pouring from my eyelids like tears.” 

“Me too,” Isabela agreed. 

“So, whose gifts should we open first?” Julieta asked. 

“Here, Mami, open yours first!” Mirabel shoved the blue-wrapped gift in her hands before she could refuse. 

Julieta giggled. “Well, I suppose I will.” 

Julieta opened the wrapper, and Mirabel moved to stand by Camilo’s side, between him and Luisa. She crossed her arms and smirked at him. 

“Now you’ll finally get to see what we got for the triplets,” she sneered. 

Camilo ignored her, although don’t think she didn’t hear him huff slightly. And that’s when Mirabel knew that she had won. She chuckled and bumped his hip with hers. 

Julieta gasped in joy. Her gift was a new pair of shoes, they were blue like her regular shoes, but they were a darker shade and much more beautiful. She had seen those shoes in the store for many days, but each time she asked for them, the store clerk merely shook her head and said that she was already saving them for someone else. Julieta was disappointed at first, but now she knew why. 

“Oh, mis vidas…” was all Julieta could say. 

“Do you like them, Mami?” Mirabel inquired. 

“Like them, I love them!” Julieta wrapped Mirabel in a hug. As she was doing so, she extended a hand warmly for Luisa, Dolores, Isabela, and Antonio to join into the hug. “Thank you so much! Mwah!” She kissed each of their cute little heads. 

Camilo moved towards the group hug, desperately longing to be a part of it, but Alma held him back with a firm grip on his shoulder. 

“But Abuela, I want to get a hug too.” 

“You’ll get a hug for your gift soon, querido,” Alma explained gently as Mirabel helped Julieta try on the shoes.

“Oh right!” Camilo beamed. 

Luisa and Dolores were next to present Pepa with her gift. 

Pepa opened it. It was a warm yellow blanket with cloud patterns on it. And behind each of those clouds was a pattern of a sun. 

“This is wonderful!” Pepa wrapped it around her, snuggling in the blanket. “Now I’ll be nice and warm!” 

“It’s for when you start raining or snowing especially,” Luisa informed her tia. 

“Or hailing,” Dolores said, punctuating her add-on with a wince for emphasis. “Just because we don’t want you to get cold, shivery, and potentially hurt yourself or get yourself sick.” 

“Awww, that is so sweet. And very smart of you children!” Pepa beamed. 

“Wow, looks snuggly, I’m jealous.” Bruno scooted over to Pepa’s side, trying to warm his way in the blanket. “You know, there’s a saying that there are always two peas inside a pod. And maybe that means you and me could—“ 

“Shoo, Bruno!” Pepa resisted, shoving him off gently. The family laughed at this, Bruno pretending to look downhearted. “Only one woman fits inside my sheets. Although I second thought, you may be right…Felix, how would you like to—“ 

“Say no more, mi vida.” Felix snuggled under the blanket with Pepa and gave her a peck on the lips. The married couple was now warm and comfortable. 

“Awwww!” Everyone but Camilo(who shielded his eyes and looked away) cooed. 

“And finally, Bruno.” 

Isabela placed the gift in Antonio’s hand. “Go on, hombrecito.” 

“Eeee!” Antonio ran up to Bruno and handed him the wrapped gift. “Open it open it open it, Tío Bruno. Please please please please please?” 

Bruno laughed. “Okay!” He took the gift and opened it. Inside it was a box. And inside the box were…tiny little costumes that not even Antonio could fit in. 

“What are—“ 

Bruno gasped, cutting Camilo off. “Awww! These are for my rats! I love them!” 

“It was Dolores’ idea,” Mirabel said, gesturing to her oldest cousin as Bruno wrapped Antonio and Isabela in hugs, once more carrying the youngest of he family. 

Dolores smiled. “Yeah. I heard you lamenting that you no costumes for the rats to wear for your telenovelas! So I told Mirabel and we got to designing them together. And Mirabel ended up making them!” 

“That is splendid!” Bruno gushed, admirably feeling the texture of the farmer’s wear, the princess dress, the cute little hats, it was all just so adorable and perfect. “This will be perfect for my shows!” 

Dolores beamed as she started thinking about the show they were going to put on. She knew Bruno especially would appreciate it. 

“And that’s not all!” Mirabel presented them with a card. “Open it!” 

Julieta gasped. “You even made us a birthday card?” 

“We sure did!” Mirabel beamed. “Now open it! Please!” 

“All right, mi chica.” Julieta opened the card and read it aloud. “To the most wonderful set of triplets who ever walked the earth, nobody nurtures like Julieta’s warm words, Pepa’s smile is brighter than the sun, Bruno is a blessing to everyone. To the five of us, it is clear as day, you’re the most dynamic trio all the way! Signed, Isabela, Dolores, Luisa, Mirabel, y Antonio!’ Mis vidas, this is perfect.” Julieta smiled affectionately at the girls and Antonio. 

Pepa wiped a tear from her eye. And more. And more. “You don’t know how happy this makes me!” 

“Seriously, amores,” Bruno patted his chest. “I’m glad I’m seen as a blessing to this family.” 

“Thank you!” They all said at once, bringing the grandkids in for a hug. Minus Camilo, who stood cross-armed next to Abuela. 

“We forgot the card.” He sighed. 

“Yes, but it’s okay,” Alma said as she rested a hand on his shoulder. “We still made up for it with our amazing presents. And I’m sure they’ll love them just as much.” 

“I should have stolen their card while I had the chance.” 

“You should have what?” 

“Never mind.” 

“Mijo, were you really going to—“ 

“Who’s next?” Bruno asked. 

“Oh, that would be me and Abuela, who also bought good gifts to share with all of you.” 

“That’s wonderful!” Julieta said. 

“Thanks. Tía, you’re first, since you’re the oldest triplet.” 

Abuela held out the gift for Julieta to take. “For mi hija.” 

Julieta opened it. She gasped. “A trinket box?! For me?” 

“Of course!” Alma said. “It was mi Camilo’s idea.” 

“Yeah, Tía, because you always made such lovely trinket boxes for all of us, and yet you had none of your own. So we bought you this. Sorry we couldn’t make it, it was sorta last-min—I mean I’m not really gifted in that arena like you are.” Camilo scratched the back of his head, and Abuela stopped glaring at him and looked pleased. 

“Well I love it!” Julieta said, opening her trinket box to admirably watch the little ballerina inside it twirl. 

“And this one’s for Pepa,” Alma said, piking up another present and giving it to Camilo to give to his mother. 

“Here ya go, Mami.” 

Still wrapped in the blanket, with her beloved husband’s arm around her waist, she daintily unwrapped the gift. 

Inside it was a snow globe. 

“Shake it!” Alma and Camilo said in unison. 

So she did. 

“It’s lovely dears!” Pepa cooed as she wrapped her mother and son in a hug. “Thank you so much!” 

Camilo had to resist the urge to squeal. 

“And finally, Bruno,” Alma said, handing her son the gift. 

Her grandson beamed, bouncing on his heels as he giggled. “I picked the best gift for you, Tío Bruno. We’re both theatre kids, so I thought you would love it!” 

Bruno opened his gift. “A sketchbook?” 

“Yeah!” Camilo chirped. “So that you can draw all of your ideas for your rat plays.” 

Bruno scooped up Camilo in a hug, then extended a hand and dragged Alma to join in. “Thank you,” he wept. 

“Relax Tío, you’re making me wet.” 

“Sorry,” Bruno said. 

“It’s cool just don’t use me as a living tissue next time.” Camilo smiled excitedly at Bruno. 

“Camilo!” Abuela demanded. “Speak to your uncle with respect!” 

“I-I—“ 

“It’s fine, mama,” Bruno said. 

Agustin and Felix then joined in with their gifts. For Julieta they got her a cookbook(which Felix said his mom used to use), for Pepa they got her a portrait of herself(where she was dancing in the rain with grey clouds surrounding her in all her temperamental glory), and for Bruno they got him a new and cleaner ruana that actually fit him. 

They got lots of hugs of course(and kisses from Pepa and Julieta). 

“Now that we’ve done all that, do you know what it’s time for now?” Dolores  asked. 

“Music and dancing!” Alma proclaimed with her hands in the air. “Oh, it will be such a delight—“ 

“No,” Dolores cut off. “It’s time for our play!” 

“The play!” Bruno remembered. “My, I forgot about the play! Well, let’s see it!” 

“We’ll be doing it in my room, that’s where we’ve been practicing after all!” Isabela said. 

They all went into Isabela’s room, the adults taking seats in the fancy pink flowery chairs that Isabela had set up for them. 

“Wow, it’s like a real theatre!” Bruno whispered to Pepa. 

“I know, tell me about it,” Pepa whispered back. “They really went all out for this, I just know it’ll be good!” 

“And to think they did it all in only three days!” Julieta agreed. “I’m just prepared to he impressed.” 

Meanwhile— 

“Come on!” Dolores commanded as she ushered everyone around “backstage”. “Hurry up and put on your costumes.” 

Mirabel twirled around in her dress. “I never cease to amaze me.” 

Camilo admired himself in the mirror. “My hair looks so good in a ponytail!” 

“Thanks for helping me, Luisa!” Isabela said as Luisa helped her tie the bow around her dress from behind. 

“No problem,” Luisa replied, and then Isabela helped her with her hair. 

“Now we look like real aristocrats!” Isabela said. 

Meanwhile, Dolores helped Antonio into his own costume. “All right, i think we’re all set—wait, wheres your crown?” 

Antonio felt his curls. Then panicked. “I can’t be a king without my crown!” His eyes watered and he started to sniffle. 

“Hey, hey, it’s okay. Isabela, we need another flower crown.” 

“Right on it, sister!” Isabela said as she created a new flower crown for Antonio. One with white lilies and yellow roses. “This one’s even prettier than the last one, if I do say so myself.” 

“Yeah!” Antonio cheered, hugging Isabela. “Thank you, prima!” 

“You’re very welcome, chico,” Isabela said as she kissed him on the forehead. He giggled and kissed her back on the nose, making her giggle too. 

“Did you just—“ 

“All right, that’s enough, we don’t have time for sentimentalities! Let’s get in places! And remember, Ines, you have the introduction to do!” Dolores commanded. 

Isabela nodded. 

“Go go go!” 

The sky around them dulled, as the room slowly grew dark. Pink flower vines used as curtains were opened slightly for Isabela to stop out and address the audience. A single pink spotlight was shining on her. 

“Aww,” Bruno whispered before being silenced by Felix. “Sorry.” Felix nodded. 

“Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, it is with great pleasure that I present to you all the play that me and my sisters and cousins have been rehearsing for the last three days. I hope you all find this very enjoyable, because we worked very hard on it with the short time span we have had to practice. This is a story of love and death, of joy and sadness, of tribulation and tragedy, of fierce warrior women, brave kings, and rugged scoundrels. Welcome, to the Madrigal grandkids’ first production, which of course was my idea. ‘Las Cuatro Hermanas y El Ladrón”! 

The audience of six whooped and cheered, before the curtains parted and the play officially begun. 

“Long long ago,” Isabela narrated, “in the faraway country of Spain, there lived a happy couple with lots of money and status, but none of that money compared—“ Isabela placed both hands over her heart and sighed. “—to the passionate love they felt for each other. Their names were Don Agus y Doña Juliana. And at the center of this story are their four lovely and noble daughters. The eldest, Ines…that’s me, the second eldest, Lola, though not theirs by blood, was taken in and loved by them all the same, and the two youngest, Lydia and little Mariana.” 

The other three daughters came on stage and began dancing together as Isabela continued to narrate. 

“They lived a lavish and charmed life, never happier than when in one another’s company, and not a force in the world could bring them apart, not even a man’s love. They were the quintessential picture of elegance, grace, and poise. However, there was a secret about them that nobody, not even their parents, knew. It happened the same way it did any other day. The king’s messenger came to them on horse and told them to come to his palace at once. There, they would be informed of what task they were to accomplish.” 

The four ladies curtsied in front of the king as was customary to, and waited for the king to lay out their mission. 

“This is a very important task, and I expect you not to mess it up,” King Antonio instructed. 

“We won’t let you down, sire,” Mariana said. 

“I hope not, because this is a man too dangerous to be left alive.” 

Bruno leaned over in his seat towards Pepa. “Hey hermana, this is actually good!” 

“I know right?” Pepa hissed back. “And the best part is, it’s like an actual play you’d seen in a theatre!” 

“Yeah, I can tell they went all out even though—“ 

“Shhh!” Felix hissed again. “You’re gonna miss important stuff!” 

“Sorry,” the younger two triplets both said at the same time. 

“I want you to find the man that fits that description, kill him, and bring his head back to me!” The king demanded. 

“Don’t worry, your highness,” Lola said. “We will!” 

“We won’t let you down!” Lydia added on. 

Throughout the entire production, the adults watched in sheer, unadulterated amazement as the grandchildren acted out their performance, from Carlos sparring with Ines and placing her in the very trap she set to capture him, to the sisters dancing at a fancy ball before Lola heard the sound of a painting being stolen off of the walls. It was all very amazing and impressive. 

And then before they knew it, it was time for intermission. 

Then the play returned. 

Ines and Lydia woke from their deep sleep, looking at each other in confusion. Tight ropes were tied around them as they were lifted from their beds forcefully. 

“Hermana, what is happening?” Isabela immediately fretted, trying to wrestle free from the vines, to no avail. 

“My dear Ines, I fear that we may have been captured!” Lydia said, as she began to weep bitterly. 

At this point, Ines started crying too, overcome with despair as Carlos carried them away. The two girls knew they were in deep danger, as Carlos was a cruel and vindictive man who would not hesitate to harm or even kill two lovely ladies such as them. 

Carlos noticed their wailing, and before long, the two girls began crying for their remaining sisters. 

“Lola! Mariana! Help! Please! We have been captured by that evil spirit Carlos! Please! You must free us!” 

Carlos sighed, he didn’t have time for this. He took out a frying pan. “You two ladies make far too much noise.” He chuckled mischievously and grinned. “It’s time to go back to sleep. Goodnight.” 

“Carlos, no, no! NOOOOO!!!” The girls pleaded, desperate for their lives to be spared. 

But Carlos quickly silenced them. Whacking Ines on the head with the frying pan so hard that her eyes fluttered shut and she slipped into unconsciousness. 

Lydia watched in horror as tears enveloped in her eyes. Before her attention turned to Carlos as she glared at him with the heat of a thousand suns. “You will not get away wi—“ 

CLANG! And just like that, poor, sweet Lydia was out cold as well. 

Carlos grinned evilly at the two unconscious girls. Rubbing his hands together, he felt a twisted joy overtake him as he realized he was much closer to achieving his dreams. “Everything is going just according to plan,” he spoke aloud to himself. “With these two lives at mercy, Mariana and Lola will have no choice but to submit to my wants and make me the most powerful and wealthy man in ALL OF SPAIN! MWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!” He laughed, a horrific and monstrous cackle, screeching wickedly into the moonlit sky. 

Mariana and Lola were scared out of their wits at this point, but they nonetheless knew it had to be done. Only they could stop Carlos from inflicting further harm on their beloved sisters. And if they didn’t act, not only would their fortune be stolen from them, but they would be eaten by the king’s most trusted feline companion. 

To be fair, with them gone, they wouldn’t have to see their fortune get stolen, but that was of no comfort to them as Carlos would still win. And they needed to stop that from happening. 

It hurt them so to see Ines and Lydia tied up as they sat back to back on the floor behind the wicked man that had caused them so much misery and suffering. With a determined finger, Lola pointed angrily at Carlos. 

“You will give us back our sisters, at once!” 

Carlos grinned. “I will.” 

Mariana gasped once more. “You will?” 

“Why yes, of course, my little one,” Carlos grinned, and Mariana knew he was not at all being truthful. Carlos went on. “But only if you do one teensy little favor for me! Give over all your riches, all your money, all your most valuable possessions, to me! I want them all!” 

“Never!” Lola roared. 

“Never?” Carlos said. “Well, if that’s how it is…” Carlos grabbed hold of the captured girls, who began kicking and screaming, and dragged them over to the fire he had set up. “You can say your last goodbyes to your sisters right now! Because I will be placing their heads in the fire unless you do what I say!” 

“No! NOOO! No!” Ines and Lydia screamed in desperation, sobbing relentlessly once more as the stench of death could be detected right under their noses, beckoning them closer and closer. 

“Not a sound!” Carlos screeched at them to be quiet, but they didn’t listen. 

“Please, Mariana and Lola!” Ines yelled. “Just do what he says!”

“We can’t!” Mariana responded. “Don’t you see? It’s a trap! We can’t give in to his temptations!” 

“I’d rather do without my riches than without my sisters,” Lydia said with a smile, her facade of joy tarnished by her fearful desperation to live. “Wouldn’t you? Wouldn’t you rather the four of us all be together?” 

Lola let out a heavy, shuddering exhale. “All right, Carlos. You want our riches?” 

“I sure do!” 

And that’s when Lola drew her sword. “Then you have to battle me for them!” 

Carlos grinned. “Challenge accepted!” He pulled out his own sword. 

The two fought each other with their swords, Lola coming closer and closer to overpowering Carlos. However, Carlos was not privy to give up that easily. 

Meanwhile, Mariana rushed to unravel Ines and Lydia. 

The three girls hugged each other, and kissed each other’s faces, overjoyed that their lives had finally been spared. Then they put out the flames. 

As the battle progressed, Lola was getting increasingly weaker, and was running out of stamina. 

“Aha! Not so fierce and tough now, are you princess?” Carlos grinned satanically. “Fear not, for I will pierce through your aching and trembling heart with my sword, seizing the win and putting you out of your misery!” He laughed. “Adios!” 

“Now!” Mariana yelled. 

And that’s when the jaguar leapt out of the bushes, pouncing on Carlos and saving Lola’s precious life, just as Carlos was about to slay her. 

“Please!” Carlos pleaded pathetically. “Spare me, I beg of you!” 

But the jaguar knew no mercy. Tearing at Carlos limb for limb, the beast of nature feasted on his delicious body, until it left nothing but skull, bones, and tattered fabric behind. 

The girls ignored Carlos’ blood-curdling wails of pain and agony as he was made a delectable jaguar meal. When the deed was done, the girls rejoiced loudly. 

“We are free!” Mariana cried out, leaping and hugging Lola. 

“Yes, we are!” Lola proclaimed with joy, leaving a sloppy kiss on Mariana’s cheek. “We are free and Carlos is no more!” 

“And the best part is that we won’t be eaten by the jaguar!” Ines added. “Mariana, Lola, you have no idea how thankful we are for your quick thinking, fierceness, and brilliance. If it wasn’t for you taking away the king’s jaguar, we would be at the mercy of Carlos, and perhaps not live to see another day!” 

“Sí, the king will be so proud of us once he realizes we have been victorious!” Lydia agreed. “We’ll have rekindled his trust and faith in us. I can’t wait for him to receive the news.” 

The four girls were joyful as they hugged and kissed not just each other, but their good friend the jaguar too. They went home, jolly and in good spirit, and spent the rest of the night up in Lola’s room, gossiping and chattering away quietly so that their parents wouldn’t be aware that they were awake. 

They had never been as proud of themselves as they were in that moment. 

The adults watched, stunned, as Isabela continued to narrate the ending of the play. “The girls were elated that they had defeated the wicked thief Carlos, and the king was pleased with them. Although he had been enraged at them at first for stealing his jaguar, he very quickly  forgave them after seeing just how efficient they were at carrying out his tasks set out for them. And they bestowed upon him Carlos’ skull as a gift, and as proof that he was indeed slain. And so the girls went on, continuing to be good friends and close sisters, and lived happily ever after. The end.” 

The audience clapped as the characters all showed up onstage to take their bows. When they all showed up together, they received a standing ovation. 

“Well, that was an interesting ending,” Bruno told his sisters. 

Julieta nodded. “Yes, but you know Dolores. She always comes up with the weirdest and wildest of stories.” 

“She’s a good writer though,” Pepa wiped a tear from her eye. “That’s my baby!” 

“Definitely,” Felix and Agustin agreed. 

Once the play was finally done, Bruno was the first to wrap Dolores in a hug. “You were stellar out there!” He told her, giving her a fist bump. “And honestly Lola was my favorite character! I loved her drive, her fire, and her spunk!” 

“Thanks Bruno!” Dolores chirped. “I’m so glad! I put a lot of effort into the role.” 

“I can tell!” Bruno hugged Isabela. “Great job everyone! And Isabela, that was a really good idea to put on a play for us.” 

“No problem!” Isabela said. “I liked getting to do this, since we don’t do it often, but I just thought we ought to repay you for all the plays you have put on for us!” 

“That’s true,” Julieta said. 

“And it was an awesome idea!” Bruno agreed with a giggle. 

“Was I a good king?” Antonio said, running towards them. 

“You were an excellent king, mijo,” Pepa said, bending down to Antonio’s level and rubbing his hair. “And look at your pretty little crown.” 

“Isabela made it!” Antonio said. “Tell them Isabela, tell them you did!” 

“I did.” 

“Yay!” 

“Well, everybody did an awesome job!” Bruno agreed. “And I love the costumes!” 

“I enjoyed it too,” Agustin agreed. “Especially when Carlos got eaten in the end. Rawr!” He made clawing motions with his hands, as the grandkids giggled at the praise. Except for Camilo, who rolled his eyes and crossed his arms, but a grin crept onto his face nevertheless. 

“That was my favorite as well,” Alma said. “Along with the sword fight. She smiled at Dolores, and Dolores smiled back. It was certainly a good thing that Agustin and Alma agreed on something. 

Mirabel yawned. “As fun as that was—“ she punched Isabela’s forearm jokingly. “I’m never doing a last-minute play again, no matter how good it turns out.” She collapsed into Luisa’s arms. “I’m tired.” 

“All right, get some sleep,” Felix said. “It is almost midnight.” 

“Yes, that is a good idea,” Alma agreed, patting Felix on the back. “Goodnight everybody.” 

“Goodnight,” they said, as they all retreated to their rooms, the grandkids to their room, the triplets to Bruno’s, and the husbands to Pepa’s. Alma went to her own room of course. 

That night, Alma pulled out a locket, and opened it to see Pedro inside. 

She smiled warmly. “Pedro,” she said softly. “I just wish you could see your children today. They are so happy to be reunited, and their bond is stronger than ever. Each day they grow and Bruno is becoming more and more handsome like his father, Pepa is showing more and more of your wit and perseverance, and Julieta is displaying more and more of your love and kindness.” A tear slipped from her eye. “I wish you were here, mi amor. For you have given me the greatest gift of all. My children.” She kissed the picture inside the locket. “Goodnight Pedro. I will see you again one day.” 

💙💛💚

The kids camped out in Mirabel’s room that night, Dolores and Antonio sleeping in a second bed, Isabela and Luisa sleeping in sleeping bags on the floor, and Mirabel and Camilo sleeping in Mirabel’s bed. Except only Mirabel was sleeping. Camilo was awake with the rest of the siblings, holding Mirabel protectively as she snored on his chest. 

“Awww. She’s so cute like this. In the daytime she’s a total nuisance. Coochie coochie coo!” He wiggled her nose and mouth. 

“Camilo, she is not a baby.” 

But Camilo didn’t listen to Dolores as he played with Mirabel’s eyelashes, making her wince and rub her eyes but fortunately remain asleep. Camilo grinned and kissed her nose. 

“That was a fun play everybody!” Isabela smiled. “I’m so glad I came up with it.” 

“Of course you are,” Dolores said. 

“My favorite part of the play, besides the ballroom scenes, was when Carlos and Ines fought one on one,” Isabela continued saying. 

Camilo huffed. “And Carlos should have won.” 

“So not true.” 

“So true,” Camilo protested. “Carlos deserved much better than the story he was in. I mean, all he wanted was to not be poor and at the bottom of society, is that so bad? But no, instead he gets devoured alive by a jaguar just for wanting a better life for himself.” He sighed sadly as he absentmindedly combed Mirabel’s curls with his fingers. “That hardly seems fair.” 

“Carlos may have been poor, but that still doesn’t excuse the things he did throw the story,” Isabela pointed out. “Like kidnap innocent people. Or try to set Ines and Lydia on fire unless Lola and Mariana gave over their wealth to him.” 

“He wasn’t just looking for a better life, Camilo,” Dolores explained. “He was selfish and greedy and dishonest. Not to mention opportunistic. And in fact I wanted to have a scene where he even killed the sister’s parents and hoarded the wealth for himself, but I decided that was overkill.” Dolores paused. “Plus, I had nobody to play the parents.” 

“But why didn’t the king help him?” Camilo asked as an arm was wrapped around Mirabel. 

“It’s not like they’re brothers in real life,” Dolores answered. “And once again, he’s a criminal.” 

“But—“ 

“Sounds to me like someone’s just upset at the role they were asked to play!” Luisa pointed out with a grin.” 

“W-what?!” Camilo spluttered. “N-no I’m not!” 

“Yes you are!” Dolores grinned. 

“Nuh-uh,” Camilo turned around to face Mirabel. “I’m going to sleep. Goodnight.” 

“Don’t forget that it’s your fault we had to do the play in the first place Camilo,” Isabela said. “After all, if you hadn’t tried to ruin the surprise we were planning for them, I wouldn’t have come up with that lie.” 

“I said goodnight.” Camilo huffed, hugging a sleeping Mirabel closer and burying his face in her hair. He had to fight to resist a grin. Secretly he had liked being in the play. But he wasn’t going to give the granddaughters the benefit of the doubt. 

“Goodnight Camilo.” Isabela smirked, rolling her eyes. 

“Goodnight big brother!” Antonio whispered in the night. 

“Goodnight Antonio.” Camilo said as he continued to snuggle with his cousin. It was times like these that made him happy that he and Mirabel were so close. Hugging her closer as he accidentally breathed in strands of her hair—not that that was a problem, since her hair smelled good—Mirabel wrapped an arm around Camilo as well, mumbling something. 

Camilo closed his eyes. 

“Anyway, I think he’s asleep.” Isabela turned back to the girls and Antonio, not knowing that Camilo wasn’t in fact asleep. “Anyway I really liked the play. Maybe we could perform it for the village as well.” 

“That would be a good idea,” Dolores said. “Not tomorrow though, maybe much later in the future.” 

“What if Bruno’s not okay with it?” Luisa asked. 

“I’m sure he will be,” Isabela said. “After all, this play will remind him of the best birthday party he ever did have with his grandkids! I’m just glad we got to do something like this for them. Not just Bruno, but all of them.” 

Luisa nodded. “It wasn’t just entertaining, it was a good way of showing our love for the family.” 

“Yes, that’s true!” Isabela said. She pulled the blankets over her head. “Well, I’m going to bed now. Goodnight.” 

“Goodnight,” Dolores said. 

“Buenas noches,” Luisa said. 

“Buenas noches!” Antonio said as he snuggled with Dolores the same way his brother was doing with Mirabel. 

And the grandkids all fell fast asleep. 

THE END 

[theperfectlovestory]

No Matter What

Summary: When Yelena disappeared along with half of the Earth's population, there was only one person you know who you can go to to help get her back. Natasha promised she will return and was successful on doing so because of your help but at what cost

Pairing: Yelena Belova x Reader

TW: Scar, Blood, Violence, Mentions of death (everything is light)

Theme: Angst

Word Count: 2,303

A/N: My first draft of this was a 500 word line prompt based on my friend, @my-wandering-rabbit​‘s quote: "She was... she is my favorite, my favorite existence.". But as the day goes by I just keep adding and adding scenes that it’s no longer the focus but I’m still going to give her credit because this story is still inspired by that line and I still used it at the end  

Italized words happened in the past but ngl, it’s more of what happened in the past than in the present

. . .

“Y/n, I need you to find Clint Barton”

“Understood” You picked up your laptop, scanning everything and anything that can lead you to the agent, tracing his footsteps, starting from his home 

“I guess you don’t want to be found, but you are not that very good at deleting your traces” you scanned the farm house “Your family got deleted too huh?” sadness overwhelmed as you empathise with him “I understand the want for privacy but if I want to get her back, I need to assist her as much as I can”

“You are here again” You whispered, offering a sad smile to the woman standing in front of a tomb. She looked back at you and smiled

“My feet drag me here” She raised a plastic filled with ingredients “I was only planning on buying ingredients for our dinner” you nodded in understanding, stepping closer to her

“I understand” You sighed “I miss her a lot too”

“Sucks to have a heroic sister huh?” she joked and you giggled softly, nodding 

“Maybe” you leaned down, removing the leaves that fell on the tomb, brushing the name plate with your hand

. . .

“How’s the searching going?” the voice on the other line asked

“I’m on his trail” You said, flipping the plastic of a oatmeal bar “He is not that careful clearing up his tracks” 

There was silence on the other end of line and you felt the chill run down your spine the moment she spoke again “Be careful, it might be a trap”

“It is” a voice behind you said as he slashed a wide scar in your face. You screamed in agony, hand flying to your head to cover your face. Blood continued to pour in your hand but you recover faster, jumping back to get some distance from the man

“Y/n!?” Natasha called once again and you finally hear it now that your pain censors completely dulled 

“He is here” You grit your teeth “but I have to retreat” you whispered, embarrassed that you fell into this obvious trap and got injured

“I understand, abort mission until you are healed” The line dropped and soon a beep from your phone sounded

“Who are you and why are you tracking me?” Clint asked and you spit your blood near his feet before jumping down the window. He run after you but you were already speeding in your motorcycle even before he reach the wall

“Damn it” He cried, hitting the window frame with his fist as he watch you get away

. . . 

“But if not for her, you’ll be the one who is gone” you shook your head

5 years without Yelena and you can’t do anything about it as she turned to ash in front of you. You contacted Natasha the moment she disappeared, it went to voicemail but the night after, Natasha called and you answered

“She’s gone too?” Her voice cracked, you nodded, forgetting she can’t see you

“She is…” You confirm, having the same sadness in Natasha’s voice “Please...get her back”

There was a long pause from the other line as you sob on the phone, the thought of Yelena being permanently gone broke you into a million pieces. She’s been one constant in your life since you were young, her being with you, training with you, getting mind controlled with you in the red room. You smiled together, eat together, sleep together...killed together

She’s the only one who understands you. Yelena, she’s your life purpose, without her, you are nothing

“Natasha” You called once again and she answered this time

“I will get her back” Natasha said, more to herself, a promise “No matter what, Y/n, I’ll get her back”

And the line cut off

For 5 years, you were Natasha’s connection outside. Whatever she needs, you deliver. Whoever she needs, you look for. It doesn’t matter when, what time or where you are, she calls, you obey. All to get Yelena back

“I’m sorry you had to go through all the trouble to bring me back” Yelena’s hand hover over your face, tracing the scar that goes across your left eye to your lips 

“I will do anything for you, my love” You smiled, capturing her hand in yours and leaning into it “Natasha was a good leader, she was the backbone of everything when all hope was lost. I truly, mourn her death” you sighed 

. . .

“This is such a deep cut, are you sure Clint did this?” Natasha asked as she clean up your scar

“Yes, the face matched the pictures you sent me”

After she cut the call, she sent you a direction to a safe house and went there immediately herself. She welcomed you, immediately assisting to clean your wounds. No one else knows she have outside connection and bringing you to the hospital will attract attention

It’s also your first time seeing your girlfriend’s sister

“I’m sorry for sending you on his tail, I didn’t know that he...” Natasha’s hesitation to say that her friend changed saddened you

“His whole family disappeared, I understand his pain, you do too” You held Natasha’s hand “We will get him back your friend is still there”

Natasha nodded at your encouragement. You watch her face, seeing the exhaustion and sadness in her eyes. The past years since the blip, everything has been hard, more to others than most. 

Natasha’s been carrying the Avengers since they lost and all the pressure that comes with that shows on her face but she remains calm and strong. It’s what she needs to lead

“I’ll come with you next time, rest up and track him again” you nodded, face bandaged up. She traced the blood that started to sip out “This will leave a mark”

“So be it, a reminder that we all did our best to get her back” Natasha smiled at your determination 

“We will get them back, all of them”

You took a 3 day rest before Natasha gave up on stopping you from tracking Clint. You only need to type up a bunch of things in your laptop and Natasha will be the one to track him personally. Time wasted is not time you can afford

Every day that Yelena is gone, every waking moment that she’s not there beside you, you feel your heart dying and you are not sure you can take more of it

“He’s gone” Natasha said, sighing. You hit the table and your coffee mug fell on the floor with a loud crunch

“I need to be one step faster than him” You whispered to yourself before you, Natasha hearing the impatience in your voice and she can only frown, because she understand the feeling too

You pulled all nighter, and barely sleeps in the morning as well. Sometimes Natasha will catch you sleeping in your recliner while your computer load up and download files and the moment it beeps, it’s like an automatic switch that you will wake up and continue working

She’s very impressed with how much you wanted her sister back. She looked at the files in her hand, having done some research of her own as well and looking at one particular yellowstone. She have a bad feeling about it but as she watch your determined eyes to search for Clint, she knows that whatever happens, her sister will have someone to protect her, be there for her and love her through the end of times 

With your determination, it didn’t take long before Clint was found, trapped and brought back by Natasha. She made it clear that Looking for Clint was your last mission but the preparations took their all so you stayed, just until you were sure that they have a plan 

Once they do, you and Natasha met for one last time, saying thank you and greetings for when Yelena comes back 

“I trust that you will be there for her, yeah?” Natasha squeezed your shoulder and you nodded 

“Always” you smiled 

“No matter what?” Natasha jumped on her motorcycle and you gave her helmet, locking it in place 

“No matter what”

. . .

When you reached your house after a long flight, a hurried footsteps came down the stairs and a yellow blur tackled you, hugging you so tight the breathe got knocked out of you

You were so shocked that you froze, she stepped back, both hands still on your face as she stare at your wide open eyes and mouth

“Y/n” She whispered and that’s when you fully realized, she’s back. Natasha fulfilled her promise and the 5 years of hardship of Yelena’s disappearance finally ended

Tears immediately poured down your cheeks and sobs wrecked your body that Yelena had to hold you as you both dropped to the floor. You squeezed her shoulders, afraid that if you let her go, she’s disappear once more

“Y-You’re back…” you said through sobs “You’re finally back”

“I am” She said, rubbing your back while hugging you tightly, she’s a bit confused on how long she’s been gone but it’s not the priority right now because the thought that you went through so much hardship that you broke down in front of her for the first time since you’ve met, it breaks her “I am back now, I’ll never leave you again”

. . .

“So 5 years have passed?” She asked, attending to your wound. It’s no longer fresh but it still needs regular cleaning

“Yes, 5 long years” You smiled, trying to ease the heaviness of the situation but Yelena didn't believe you. 

Exhaustion is evident in your face, you grew older and she stayed the same. Your eyes carry a heavier torment than before she disappeared and the scar...Yelena traced the scar in your face

“All this...to get me back” She whispered, sadness and regret in her voice

It wasn’t her fault nor her decision to leave but nevertheless, she did, and you went through hell because of it 

“I’m willing to do anything to be with you for the rest of my life, Yelena” you caught her hand as it retreats, pulling her closer to you

You stared at the eyes of the person you love the most once again, after 5 years “I can finally look at your beautiful eyes” you whispered, lips almost touching Yelena’s at every motion. You look down her lips, a silent ask for permission and not a second less, Yelena captured yours, and you finally feel like everything is once again, in perfect order

Yelena insisted for you to rest, never leaving your side until you were fully knocked out, breathing even and deep. She traced your face with her fingers, memorizing all the new crease and scars

When she reached your nose, you frown and scrunched it, she chuckled softly, habits die hard, she guessed

Slowly, she fell asleep as well while listening to your soft snoring despite the stories of the hardships you went through swimming in her mind. She needs to catch up, she can’t let anything that happened to you pass by her

. . .

It’s been a few days since you’ve last met Natasha and you lost total contact with her after. She has your number and said she’ll call once everything is settled but you haven’t heard anything so far. You watched the news while Yelena is asleep, listen to radio constantly and everyone is talking about the big battle and Tony Starks death but you can’t get any details on Natasha

Tonight, marked the 3rd night of Yelena coming back, you called Natasha’s phone. It rang, and rang...and rang

But no one answered, until the 5th call. There was a hesitant ‘Hello’ from the other line but it wasn’t Natasha. Your heart pumped, dread suddenly filled up your body but you swallowed it, clearing your throat, you asked

“How’s Natasha?” The other line was silent for a moment, a moment too long for your liking. Your hand starts to shake. You tried to ask again but the voice spoke once again

“Natasha’s…” He started, sadness evident in his voice. You heard Yelena called for you but you were too shocked to answer her back. Your phone fell through your hand, activating the speaker mode, as the voice on the other side of the line uttered his next line

“Natasha is dead” Yelena looked at you shocked, having heard the last bit of your conversation with the man

Her eyes started to water and lips started to quiver. Hesitantly, she kneeled down, took the phone that fell on the floor and looked at the name flashing on the screen

‘Natasha Romanoff’

Before the line went dead, showing a picture of Yelena smiling. She closed the phone and saw her reflection on the screen, her expression now full of pain. She crawled to your leg to hug it, sobbing hysterically, she’s no longer coherent but you understood

You understood her pain, you understood what she’s saying, what she wants and what she regrets

You understood it all...because you’re feeling it too

Yelena shook your legs as she begged for it to not be real and all you can do is stand there as your own tears fall on your cheeks

“Natasha’s gone” You muttered “She’s gone…”

. . . 

Yelena gently took her hand and kneeled in front of the tomb, hugging it as if it was Natasha herself "She was... she is my favorite, my favorite existence." You kneeled beside her and hug her too 

“I know” you smiled "Natasha loved you, Yelena. You are a sister to her as much as she is to you"

‘She fulfilled her promise to me to get you back, now I will fulfill my promise to her. I will forever protect you, and love you, Yelena. No matter what’

. . .

That’s all for my first Yelena fic, thank you for reading! 

If you like how I write for Yelena, kindly tell me so I can consider writing for her more. Feedback is always appreciated since it helps me improve as a writer

[foxymoxynoona]

okay, back on my bullshit. You’ve missed my existential crisis for Flux, am I right?🥰🥰

Alright CHAPTER 15: Kwang-su, I don’t like the dude. I don’t like his parties and I don’t like him talking to JK and I don’t like anyone talking to JK honestly lol. You know what I think I don’t like him just because he doesn’t do what I want him to do so don’t really take me into consideration here BUT technically I feel like he was being genuine in helping him out when jk told him everything. But still in my head everyone should root for them to get back together so, for now, Kwang-su is black listed. One thing that I already noticed last chapter was that I felt completely numb while reading about jk having sex with other people but, girl, I got A BAD STOMACHACHE SEEING SASHA DO THE SAME. Am I broken somewhere? Lol, am I jealous of Sasha?👀 for real, I wouldn’t want this to be like a subconscious response and justification for JK because “he has been actively hurt” and now I’m unknowingly mad at Sasha. I DON’T WANT TO BE. BABY NEEDS SOME SERIOUS HELP, and the fight she had with Michele proves it even more. AND SHE DIDN’T EVEN TELL MAXI, YOU KNOW SHIT IS HITTING THE FAN WHEN THAT HAPPENS. She is pushing everything and everyone away as if she is a bomb on the verge of exploding and she wants to limit the casualties. Oh and homeboy needs to be careful with who he fucks. No one needs a scandal and most importantly YOU DON’T HAVE TO GO TO THAT FUCKING PARTY ABORT MISSION FUCK GO BACK.

CHAPTER 16: okay the feeling of numbness about jk having sex with other people? Yeah, forget it🤡 As soon as I saw Hallie my heart sank to my asshole BUT IT WOULD’VE BEEN BETTER THAT WAS HAPPENED NEXT. THE MAKEUP NOONA? REALLY? ON COCAINE?!!? “You’re gone and I gotta stay high to keep you off my mind” but boy you took that literally💀💀

Maxi? Favorite character, hands down. He’s there even when he is not, if you find this kind of person you’ve found gold. I love their dynamics. AND THE INTERACTION BETWEEN SASHA AND JK? I’m honestly a mess. Seriously, that was ducking heartbreaking. Comforting and depressing at the same time? As soon as he arrived I though I was just going to cringe because lord knows I hate confrontation and I honestly could never meet an ex after breaking up, burn my shit but don’t make me look at you ever again✨. BUT NO IT WAS SO BEAUTIFUL AND TRAGIC AND REALISTIC AND I WANNA CRY. The way he got her through her panic attack, THE WAY HE WAS SO ACTIVELY HELPFUL TO MAKE SURE SHE WAS IN GOOD HANDS. please, where do I sign up to get a jk, I need him😭

When they talk all their shit out I hope maturity will stand above it all. Like, they made some questionable decisions but, even if and WHEN they get mad about it, they will find a way to settle it in the past. Is this me projecting into a happy future already? Yes, yes it is🤧

Too much? Fuck, I’m so sorry, truly. I wait for a week and this happens. Sorry😢

🌸

I feel like I've done my job with readers having such divided feelings about Kwangsu. yesssss.

JK and Sasha seeing each other again is also not something I personally could have managed, lol. I saw several readers previously point out that it just didn't feel right for them to just be GONE. That abrupt loss followed by them both traveling absolutely created this sort of weird limbo space, they both felt it, they both went wild during it, and this crossing paths again was a reality check, and neither of them liked what they saw in themselves or each other. I'd point out too that I suspect they both wanted it to happen. They both expected the other one to be doing better than they were. JK texted sasha, not Michele, about getting his stuff back. Sasha agreed to be the one for the trade off. They could TOTALLY have avoided this. And as another reader pointed out... did JK really want/need his stuff back? This dude who will fucking delete Decalcomania just because*?? He is not nostalgic about things and yet... here we are.

Anyway, definitley not too much, you know I selfishly love hearing from you and I know other readers do too :D

*as someone who is very nostalgic about things and work, no, I will never be over this

[consumedkings-archive]

“Did you just bite me?!” for Elliot?

angel!! thank you so much for sending this in and being PATIENT, i am a clown and procrastinated for so long but i still hope you enjoy this. ♡ ♡ ♡ i decided to write this from elliot’s main canon, as sort of an additional/deleted scene that would have taken place in chapter 12! i just really miss their dynamic before everything went to shit lol (ಥ﹏ಥ)

as you can see, this was also requested by my angel @shallow-gravy because y’all are big brain and know my girl too well  ♥(ꈍᴗꈍ)

v. drag me into place ✤ ancient names-adjacent

john/elliot + “did you just bite me?!” taken from this prompt list!

words: ~1k!

warnings: brief, brief, BRIEF and VERY VAGUE mentions of elliot’s raging and untreated ptsd. john being a shithead. naughty language. that’s all!

“It’s pretty cute,” John said conversationally as they walked out into the sort-of-alley stretching behind the Spread Eagle.

Elliot arched a brow at him. “Fall’s End?”

“That you’re still pretending you don’t like me.”

She rolled her eyes. Hard. It was near-impossible to ever get a read on John, a real one, because every time something happened, he flipped some kind of switch inside of himself and put on a big show of it again. That’s what he’d done with her the entire time at the ranch, and in front of his brothers, and—

“I mean,” John continued lightly, “we did kiss.”

And then, too. When Joey had come in and he’d pretended like he had some devious secret she wasn’t privy to. Of course, in a way, he did—but Elliot intended to keep it that way.

For now, anyway.

“Plenty of people kiss,” Elliot replied, huffing as she lifted her leg and balanced the crate on the top of her thigh to fish around her back pocket for the truck keys. “Family members. Friends. The Pope.”

“Do you think the Pope kisses with tongue?”

She shot him a dirty look, and he flashed his teeth at her in a grin. She said, “I’ll kill you, John.”

“Yes,” he acquiesced, clearly trying to behave himself. “You’re very scary and threatening, deputy. Put your leg down, you look like a flamingo—I’ll get it for you. Back right?”

“Is this an excuse to put your hand on my ass?”

“I don’t need an excuse to do that,” John informed her plainly. “I’d like to do so anyway.”

“Back right,” Elliot confirmed, feeling his finger hook into the belt loop of her jeans to turn her more towards him. “And don’t take your time, Seed, I’ve got a surprising amount of upper-body strength and it’ll take about five seconds for me to slam this crate of supplies into your—”

“Shhh—shh shut up.”

John hissed the words into the shell of her ear, slapping a hand over her mouth and hauling her behind the edge of the Spread Eagle. The crate of supplies she’d been carrying nearly toppled out of her hands; Elliot could hear the sounds of voices on the other side of the building, car doors slamming and laughter.

It wasn’t Eden’s Gate, because they chattered comfortably in what she now recognized to be Swedish. The Family, she thought, but only vaguely—and only vaguely because John’s fingers over her mouth and his breath on her ear and the sudden way he’d pulled her out of immediate view of the streets in Fall’s End had kicked her brain into high gear.

She tried to turn it off. Wouldn’t that have been nice, if she could just do that—turn off the instant surge of panic and the urge to drive her elbow straight into John’s face for spooking her? After all, it was one thing for John to slowly crowd his body up against hers, lean down because he wanted to kiss her but didn’t want to spook her, card his fingers through her hair and say I can have both. It was entirely another to—

The reasonable thing to do would be to reach up and pull his hand off of her mouth. But that would mean dropping the crate, and that would mean having something inside of her brain that wasn’t screaming RED ALERT, ABORT MISSION, IMMEDIATE DANGER, ABORT ABORT ABORT—

So she didn’t. She thought only about how it felt like she couldn’t breathe, how both the abrupt way John had grabbed her made her want to be sick, how the knowledge that the Family was just feet away sparked an itch for violence in her, and so she opened her mouth and—

“Fuck!” John’s hand jerked from her face, and he hissed the word out probably about as loud as self-preservation would allow him. “Did you just bite me?!”

“Told you not to fucking grab me like that,” she snapped viciously, pitching her voice into a whisper at just the last minute. “You’re lucky I didn’t take your finger off.”

“You—” The brunette sucked in a sharp breath, his eyes narrowing into dangerous, gemlike slits. Though her heart was hammering in her chest from the instinctual adrenaline, it felt good, too, to have John be wary of her. He’d gotten too comfortable getting in her space, touching her, instigating a response or a fight or some kind of visceral reaction out of her because he didn’t know how to get attention unless it was negative attention.

“Don’t. Fucking. Grab. Me,” Elliot reiterated, biting the words out between her teeth.

“Okay,” John replied tartly, shaking his hand like he’d just gotten stung. Didn’t draw blood, she thought, somewhere in the back of her mind. A shame.

“You’re being a baby about it.”

“You bit—”

It was Elliot’s turn to hiss at him to shut up when the sound of the front door of the Spread Eagle shutting caught her attention. She heard tables and chairs getting moved and scooted around, the sound of someone laughing at something another person said drifting through the back.

Car, she mouthed at him, now.

For once, he didn’t complain, but yanked the crate out of her arms to haul it into the truck while she grabbed the keys from her back pocket. It took about thirty agonizing seconds of situating before she turned the key, grimacing—knowing that they would be heard—and then slammed her foot on the acceleration.

Nobody came rushing out of the bar. Nobody hauled ass to hunt them down. Elliot thought she might have heard the sound of inquisitive voices just before the engine of the Eden’s Gate truck roared to life; but she couldn’t say for sure, especially considering that her world became the grind of the tires on the dirt road before she hit pavement.

Should have stayed, something in her said, fingers itching. Should have stayed and fucked them up for trying to take Joey from me.

They made it all the way out of Fall’s End and to the gas station before she slowed down. John was looking at his hand still. She glanced at him, the dread of a possible run-in still fresh in her stomach, and said,  “I didn’t even draw blood.”

“You’re a fucking animal,” was his reply.

Elliot tried not to sound pleased when she said, “I told you, we’re all animals in the end.”

[p-jiminaa]

Play Date (Part 1)

Park Jimin and You.

Summary: It’s all started with a WhatsApp status.

Genre: Fluff, fluff, fluff, and little angst towards the end.

Gif is not mine, credit to the owner.

Masterlist

| Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 |

I am bored. Can someone come here and play with my heart.

Date me.

A text from your best friend, Park Jimin and yes, you know he has been crushing on you since you started being a friend and he never denied his feelings to you but it's just that he never initiates anything. Like well, he confesses his feelings to you but never asks you out so you were kind of confused whether his feelings to you are genuine or he's just playing with you.

Leaving his text with a blue tick you put down your phone. You know he'll call whenever you left him on a blue tick.

"Three... two... one..." and your phone rang. With a huge smile on your lips, you answer his call.

"Date me." He said bluntly.

“Why should I?” Jokingly, you replied to him.

“Because you need someone to play with your heart. I am here and I am ready for it.” He answered promptly.

You laugh at his direct reply. “Hmmm, what if I say no?”

“Well, give me a reason for your refusal.”

“Hmm let me think.” You paused for a few moments intentionally because you know he'll be annoy by this.

He let out a breathy chuckle. “You can’t even think of anything Y/n. So shall we go on?”

“Sure. So come and bring me food. I am starving.”

“Hah! so that why you want someone to come and play with you? So they could bring you food right?”

“Of course! But the real reason is that I know my you're viewing and will reply to it immediately. You're too whipped for me Jimin.”

“You witch!”

“So are you coming?”

“Never!”

“Fine by me because truthfully speaking you’re not the only offering themself to me.” Lied! Because you put your WhatsApp status on private that only he’ll be your only audience.

Letting out a groan, he replied to you. “Don’t you dare to reply to them. I am coming and delete that status now!”

“And if I don’t?” You answered gleefully to irritate him more.

“No chicken popcorn for you!” He said in a smug tone

“As I said earlier Jimin, you’re not the only one texting me. I can just ask others to bring it for me.” You can imagine his irritated expression right now.

“Fine then. I’ll tell your father what you did last weekend. I mean is it’ll not cause anything to you right?” Your eyes widened in surprise. No! He can’t do that or else you’ll be grounded for a month!

“I am deleting the status right now. So please come with my chicken popcorn.” You said, giving up and with a pleading voice. Chicken popcorn is more important than annoying him.

“Now that’s good Y/n. You should do that earlier you know.” He states and as you can imagine with a triumphant smile on his lips since he successfully frightened you.

It took him precisely twenty minutes to buy your food since you keep on texting him about the food you wanted to eat and another ten minutes for him to reach your home.

Hearing the bell and knowing that it was him behind the closed door you open it happily. “Where’s my food?” You say as you open the door for him without actually acknowledging his presence.

He lifted both his hand showing you all things that he bought for you with a wide smile. Gladly, you took it from him and walked merrily inside leaving him on the doorway.

“I am being used.” He says as he closed the door. You know he didn't mean that. He's not that pathetic to feel down just because you forgot to invite him in.

“No, you’re not. We’re dating now.” You answer him without actually looking at him since you’re busy munching on your oily chicken popcorn.

“Y/n... I thought you’re on diet.” He asks as he pulled the chair and sat opposite you.

“Maybe. But I am starving and been craving a lot of foods lately.”

“You know your father will be mad if he knows about this.” Sure he'll be angry. Like you have to lie to him about going to ballet practice instead you went out it with your group of friends including Jimin to eat.

You shrugged your shoulders. “Well, if you’re not telling anyone then he will forever not know about this.” You say, wiggling your eyebrows. He squinted his eyes at you. “Please... It’s not every day I'm eating this kind of food.” But you see him not buying it. “Fine!” You put down your chicken, hesitantly. “I am not your date anymore.” You say with a pout.

He flicks your forehead while shaking his head, a smile emerged on his lips. "I am just kidding.”

Your lips quirked into a smile instantly. You know he can’t resist seeing you angry. “Now you’re my playdate again.” You say while sending him a wink.

He snorted in response follows by a laugh. “What did I sign up for dating you.”

“Hmm... a charming lady.”

“More like a baby.”

“Well yeah, a baby is alright since I am your date.”

“Oh, God!” He says in disbelieve.

***

“Hey girlfriend, can I come over later?” Jimin asks. You both are walking towards your lecture room and no, you’re not in the same class but your class is next to each other.

“Sure. Father is not home and his concubine is accompanying him this time.”

“You really should not call her that.”

“Well, she’s not my father’s wife. She’s just his P.A whom he asked to babysit me  whenever he’s away which is unnecessary by the way and yeah, he’s fu*king my Dad sometimes so I think the name suits her so much.”

“Okay TMI.”

“I know. By the way, come after my ballet class.”

“Sure.” He stops. Since he reached his class. “See you lunchtime?”

You nodded your head and step away before he called up your name. You whirl around. “What do yo...” you paused abruptly when you feel Jimin’s lips on your temples.

“Study hard girlfriend.” He says, eyes locking with you before he walks back to his class. You heard some student hooray-ing and whistling behind and you can feel your face about to blow up so you march towards your class, embarrassed with the unexpected event.

***

You’re sitting alone at the cafeteria when Jimin suddenly took the seat next to you. “Hello, Girlfriend.”

You turn to him, shooting your eyes at him. “Jimin, seriously...”

“We are dating so I can call you any name.” He responded to you pronto.

“Yeah but I prefer a romantic one, please. Not just ‘hey girlfriend’. What is that supposed to imply? A friend who is a girl?”

“It’s correct though. You’re my friend who is a girl. I mean you don’t want me to call you ‘hey date buddy’. That just so unromantic.”

Rolling your eyes you turn away from him continuing munching your so-called lunch which only consists of salad and water.

“Awww you’re pouting.”

“I am not.”

But then yes you are. Maybe because you’re too confident that he’s serious this time. Well since he’s been so transparent with his feelings all this time and that made your feelings bloom and truly speaking, you were waiting for him to say the word or simple words asking you to be his.

Maybe he’s not serious with all of this. But then if he’s not why would his other friend keeps on eyes on you for him. You remember how before he tells you that he likes you so much that he can’t wait to graduate so that he can date you properly and asked Jungkook to observe you all the time since you both have nearly all the same classes and this comes to your knowledge when you caught Jungkook following you when you’re about to enter the lavatory and you urged him to tell you about it and yeah, without actually being forced he tells you everything. Not only that, he asked Yoongi to keep an eye on you when you attended that birthday party since he’s unable to come due to family function. Then there’s this time when he suddenly appeared in front of your house to give you a ride to college because your car was sent to the workshop. It turns out that Taehyung’s father owned the workshop so he informed Jimin about it and many others that you can’t even recall anymore.

“One thing you need to know about me is that it turns me off when a girl is sulking.” He said proudly.

You turn your gaze to him “and?” You asked him to continue because knowing him, he’s not done yet. “Take note of that.” He says as he tucked a hair behind your ears.

“But then this turns you on instantly.” You speak proudly before you wink at him as you slowly gnawed your lower lips with your teeth.

His facial expression darkened and you saw how his adam apples bobbled with a hard swallow. “Oh, that turns me on for sure,” He answers as he licks his lips.

“Perv!” You push his shoulder playfully.

“This perv is dating you remember?” He says in a whisper while staying close at you.

"We're in public." You remind him.

“So any plan for later?” He asks. But you know the meaning behind his question.

“You’re coming to play admit it.”

“I mean yeah. But can do the adult version of ‘play date this time?”

“Yeah perv, whatever!” You get up from the bench and while walking away he called you again.

“Can’t wait for tonight Girlfriend.” He says before sending you a flying kiss which you respond by rolling your eyes.

***

Abort mission. Change the date. Concubine is home.

-you

Lied! I know you’re still at the studio.

-PJM

How can he know that? Then you remember something. You lifted your head and your eyes meet with his friend, Hobi who is also a part-time choreographer at the studio.

Did he report to you everything

-you

That you were asked to stay because of your weight gain? Yeah, he did report everything to me. FYI, I am the one sending him the list of food you ate last night.

-PJM

How could he! This guy will be the death of me someday.

Hate you.

-you

Love you Girlfriend! I know you intend to send me this. Be proud of me okay? I am telling Hoseok about this because you ate like a pig last night and I am concerned about your weight.

-PJM

Rolling your eyes reading his excuse as you know he deliberately did this. He knows that even a little raise to your weight you will be having an extra practice which is usually ended you being stuck for three hours at the studio.

And you never wrong with your intuition. You were always right with your feelings because your coach finally let you out after three hours of practice not forgetting to weigh you again before going out.

***

“Aww finally done?” Jimin says as you were walking towards the gate of your home. Rolling your eyes, you press the bell. “You’re tired! How can we ‘play-date’ tonight?” He asks with a smirk on his lips.

“What about ‘sleep date’?” You replied as you heard your gate sound indicating it’s open. You're dead tired and you honestly just wanted to sleep.

“I know you’re not that innocent.” He teased.

“Honey, innocent had long gone leaving me. Now you’re up for it or not?”

“I am in.” He says as you both step into your home.

Okay, the reason you have a gate is that you’re born rich? Well, you’re not sure about that but since you’re well provided since baby then you just assumed you’re rich since your dad owns a company though it’s still growing and yeah, you have a housemaid and everything at home you’re so bored staying at home alone so that why you’re always out either permitted by your father or you just went out by jumping from the concrete wall gate and that's easy for you since your father sent you to the ballet class since you were a kid and you don’t even know the reason why. It's not like you wanted this but since he's been sending you so you just continue doing it except that now you're an adult so you usually absent from practice when you wanted to go out or feel like 'ah today should be a lazy day'.

Arriving at your room, you thought he’ll be pushing you to the bed and him jumping above you since he looks so eager earlier but you got it wrong when he placed his bag on your desk and he drops to your mattress. You stare at him, puzzled by his act since this is not what you expect. Like he’s the one that recommended to you about the ‘adult version of play-date’.

Seeing you're standing observing him, he tapped the space next to him, asking you to join him.

“You said you want to sleep date earlier or do you wanted to do that so much?” He asks voice laced with a teasing tone.

Rolling your eyes, you lay down next to him. He moves his body closer to you while wrapping his arm around yours and you head nestling to his neck. Hmm, this feel ... intimate.

Silence engulfed both of you as you lied down on the bed that the only thing that you hear is your and his breath.

"Y/n..." he finally speaks, breaking the quietness. "I know this sounds personal but I am just curious. Are your parents divorced because I remember seeing your mother during our first day at university and now, I hardly see her nor hear you say anything about her? It's always your father or his concubine."

"She's still around and lives separately." You reply followed by a sigh. "Both of them are too lazy to apply for the petition of divorce plus it'll cost money too. So they agreed on living separately but not divorced and will appear together if any event wanted both their present." You state nonchalantly. You're just too lazy to think about your face confessing about your parent's toxic relationship that you just blurted out everything to him. "And Mother is having you know her beau."

"Oh..." you hear he replied. "This is the first time I hear you talking about your parents."

"Yeah. Because no one is asking, not that I have many friends plus they don't care about me. What they care about is the free meal or things that they get when we're out. But that change when you come to me that one day asking me to be your fake friend because girls had been chasing you nonstop and yeah, that fake friendship turns into a good one right now and I never regret helping you that time." You speak with a smile remembering that day.

You remember how Jimin suddenly sat next to you while placing his arm around your shoulder nervously and says "Sorry to keep you waiting! My class finishes late today." Confused by his words and action you're about to shove away his arm before he mouthed 'help me' and you saw how two girls standing behind him eyeing you two.

With an awkward smile, you say "It's fine. It's only been two minutes."

You remember how his hard demeanor turn soft when you utter that and when you see the girl walk away so told him "They had gone."

He removes his arm from your shoulder. "I am sorry and thank you so much!"

“Hey Y/n....” Jimin’s voice breaks your train of thought.

When you look up he watches you with concerned eyes. You smile reassuringly. “Let’s sleep. I am dead tired.” You tightened your arm around his body.

He let out an airy chuckle before his word broke the calm atmosphere. “Yeah, but have you shower 'mi Girlfriend'?”

“No. And it’s too late for you to push me away.” You said as you felt his arm about to let you go. “Because you’ve been tainted with my sweat.”

“Y/n...” he said, giving up but didn’t let you go nevertheless.

***

You don’t know if you should be sad or happy with this ‘play date’ but one thing for sure is that you and Jimin are more intimate than usual.

You both spend the most time together and when you’re out with his group, by a group you mean his close friend; Jin, the eldest but always acted like the maknae of the group, Yoongi, second eldest the quietest one with a scary demeanor but a sweetheart especially when you were out to visit the dog cafe, Namjoon and Hobi; the same age friend of the group. While Namjoon is the brain then Hobi is the sunshine of the group. Then there’s Jimin and Taehyung; another same-age friend. Taehyung is the definition of cuteness especially when he let out his rectangular smile and when he sees a dog! This man loves dogs so much that he wanted to adopt one but unable to do so since his parent banned him to do so and Jimin? Well everybody knows him. The college sweetheart and you may add sweet talker remembering the first day you met him that when you conclude that this is the reason girls always went after him. And there’s Jungkook, the youngest of all. Handsome + Abs + Good at everything = Hotness. You can’t explain more about this since this equation concludes all and you know most girls will agree with this too.

Despite this, Jimin will always find a time to be together with you alone, excluding his friends and this makes you feel like having a real relationship with him when you’re dubious about it. He never really asks you out. You know this sounds pitiful but you just need to hear it from him so that you can be certain about this.

“What are you thinking about?” Jimin’s voice disrupts your train of thought.

You both are actually at this cafe, far away from college because Jimin said he wanted time alone with you without any disturbance from his friends. You thought he was still at the counter, ordering food for both of you and you don’t even realize he had come back.

“Nothing.” You said calmly.

You feel his eyes studying your gaze, not convinced by your answer. “You can tell me Y/n.”

Exhaling a sigh before you said anything, you lifted your eyes to meet his. “Jimin...” You stop shortly, watching to his reaction, and when you see him waiting for you to proceed, you continue “We’ve been, I don’t know how to say this... but here it is, we've been dating for three months and...”

“And?”

This is so wrong. You should never say this in the first place but it’s too late now since he’s curiously waiting for you to continue. “Y/n...”

You smile awkwardly before you continue. “Well, I don’t know. You never properly ask me out.”

“Well, there’s literally no one to date right now and you know that.”

You face fall when he said that. It’s hard for you to formulate a reply but you did it anyway. “Ah... well, what about me?” You wanted to hide once you uttered this because... oh God! That just sounds so pathetic!

“What I mean with no one is excluding you Y/n.” Ah, so I am someone then. Good to know that.

“But you have Casie.” And there you go again. You super uncontrollable bubbly mouth.

“Casie is my presentation partner.” He says with a frown on his face.

“Casie can be your date.” You pointed out.

“I literally just said that there’s no one to date except you.”

“Yeah but I don’t know... it just makes me feel I am your last choice. Hearing you said that doesn’t make my heart at ease.” You admit.

“I am not ready to be tied down.” He answers in firm tones. “That why I never ask you out properly.”

“Okay. I... understand.” You say slowly. You don't understand actually!

“Listen Y/n...”

“Y/n.” Your head whips to the source of the voice. Your eyes widen in surprise and you got up abruptly.

“Father...” His hard gaze never left you before he scanned Jimin who is standing up too.

“Home.” He said fiercely.

You turn your head to Jimin while taking your bag with you. You let out a small smile before you walk to your father. He then turns and walks towards the exit while you followed him closely behind and before you realize that Jimin ran towards both of you and stopping you dad.

“I am sorry sir. It was my fault bringing Y/n out at this time.”

You could not see your father’s expression since you’re standing behind him. But you’re quite surprised with his reply although there’s a hint of anger in his tone. “Thank you for your honesty young man. But I need to speak to my daughter.” He said and walks away before Jimin could reply to anything.

You watched Jimin’s panicked expression but hold his hand to assure him. “It’s going to be fine.” You say before you followed your father’s back.

Arriving at his car you’re not surprised when the back seat is occupied by his concubine who is smiling devilishly at you. You rolled your eyes to her before you took the front seat while your father sits beside her.

“Home.” Your dad instructed his driver and he started to drive away once he heard your father’s order.

“See. I told you she’s been missing from her practice. You’re so delusional with your defense saying that your daughter will never lie to you.”

“Shut up will you.” Your dad spat out the word angrily at her.

You’re unable to hold your smile with your father reply at her so when you look at the side mirror, you see how she glare at you and so you lifted your middle finger at her. You saw her flustered expression but could not report it to your father because your father is not in a good mood at the moment. However, you keep on reminding yourself not to be too happy because you don’t know what kind of storm you’ll face later.