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[twoidiotwriters1]

The Curse of Oenone (Leo Valdez xFem!Oc)

A/N: I feel much better now! Women prevail -Danny Words: 1,905 Series' Masterlist Previous Chapter // Next Chapter Listen to: 'House Song' -by Searows

LIV: Wasting Away to Be Useful All the Time Ain't Paying Off, Methinks

The dream changes, now Nico and Ara are on the fire escape of her parent's apartment.

"I'll go back to a witch trial," the girl leans her head on both arms and groans. "Iris messages aren't working! How am I supposed to tell them to hold on until August first?!"

"I already told Clovis I'm on my way."

"Like that's gonna fix it..." Ara stands upright, staring at the urban scenery with a troubled expression. "I never noticed how pretty this place was at sunrise..."

Nico doesn't seem as enchanted. "How is your crew holding up?"

"Jason got hurt but he's coming around," Ara lies, not wanting to worry Nico. "We caught Nike and she's helping us figure out a way to, you know, safely euthanize Leo. How's yours?"

"Steady and in great condition," Nico replies, and he's probably lying too, for the exact same reason. "How are you?"

The girl stares at her fingers, squeezing the railing and drinking in these seconds at home. "I'm trying not to think much, obviously, because... how do I even process all of it?"

"That you're soulmate's fated to die?" Nico snorts with a tone of sarcasm. "But it's so easy..."

"Not a soulmate," she mutters grumpily.

"I think it's sort of impossible," Nico pauses and glares at her. "Don't take that as a challenge."

She smiles a bit. "I don't know what to do. Do I hype myself up to get over Leo, or tell him we'll be together forever? What did Helen do that I shouldn't?" Ara squints and rubs her brow. "It's so unclear if she loved Paris or not..."

Nico shrugs, fidgeting with his ring. "Even if you figure it out, it won't make things easier. The two armies under your command are about to kill each other and you have a bunch of mentally ill gods giving out crazy orders, then there's the curse. How do you choose which one to tackle first? You just deal with them as they come."

"It's not working," Ara scowls. "Had it coming, though. All of this feels right."

Nico raises a brow. "What do you mean?"

Ara thinks of her next words carefully. "I just accepted that this is the weight I'll carry forever. At least I've gotten stronger."

Nico frowns. "You've also aged, though."

"I was going to, anyway. The only thing that I've been unable to outgrow is feelings. Leo chose his path and I must be okay with it... I love him, so I either go along or get in his way and make it worse—and since I can't offer a better alternative..." Ara sighs heavily, giving in. "I suppose I'll follow Eros's advice."

Nico's expression sombers. "So Leo will die?"

"The difference is that maybe this time it might not be permanent, and he might save another soul if he succeeds," Ara faces her friend. "Nike told us about the Physician's Cure—"

"Oh, my dad hates that," Nico pipes in.

"You know what that is?"

"The cure for death? Yeah," the boy scratches his nose casually. "One of Apollo's sons created it, but my dad forbade him from doing it again... so good luck getting it."

"Thanks," Ara says sarcastically. "You always make me feel so much better about the bad stuff in my life."

"We're talking about the last resource of last resources," he raises a brow. "You might as well go to my father and ask for Leo back."

"If I only wanted him to come back, I would drag him out of the Underworld Orpheus-style minus the looking," she rolls her eyes. "But big dumb-dumb made an oath to go back to Ogygia and get Calypso—so not only does he need to die, he has to be blasted out so he can go back to her island or he'll die regardless of the antidote he gets from the gods."

Nico frowns. "Your boyfriend is the stupidest man alive."

"He's a genius that likes to overcomplicate things, but yeah, love made him stupid," Ara mumbles, looking more sad than angry. "And I'm just like him."

"Minus the genius part."

"Whatever, man."

Nico gives her a look when she doesn't react to his teasing, and he makes an attempt to cheer her up. "Listen, sometimes the fates do things that feel unjust, but in the long run, they're for the better. Leo's choice was hard to make no doubt, he would rather cut his leg than leave you, and still, he's willing to risk his life not just for you but also for Calypso and the rest of the world... that's brave."

"I don't want him to come back to me if it means it's always going to hurt him," Ara confesses worryingly. "I'd be happier looking at him from afar."

"No, you wouldn't," Nico replies in a strange voice. "You really wouldn't."

"I mean it." Her voice trembles. "I haven't been the best version of myself since I decided to become a child of Olympus... Leo is good in a way I can no longer be, and that's why he's dying. Because he's kind and selfless, and I won't give him up because I'm stubborn and selfish, so they're taking him away by force."

She looks away for a moment. Nico squeezes her shoulder tighter than he's ever touched her in the last three years. "Ara, listen... all the bad stuff I've said to you, they aren't true. You can't be perfect, that's it."

"Exactly. I should've stayed away," she presses. "Life kept telling me that romance was off-limits, that I wouldn't be able to handle it, and yet I took Leo as soon as I had the chance, and he says he doesn't mind dying but—"

"You've experienced this too many times, just in this lifetime," Nico finishes knowingly. "His reassurance feels empty, I get it."

"He could've been loved and cared for on Calypso's island, and he didn't stay because of me," she says bitterly. "I should've been the one to jump into Tartarus. But now I've got people under my care, so I can't let myself die now..."

"I don't think this is about wrong choices or bad timing," her friend retorts. "I doubt you were more deserving of the curse in your past lives than you are now—hell, I even doubt Helen was deserving of the shit show everyone made around her."

Ara rubs her forehead and groans. "I know, I know... maybe this isn't my mess to clean... but I'm right in the middle of it, so not doing anything stresses me out all the same."

"Yeah well, you've never been good at staying out of things, we know that."

"None of us is."

"That's why we get curses all the time," he shrugs. "See? Things tend to happen when it comes to demigods."

Ara shakes her head. "Sometimes I think my stupid father should've suffocated me with a pillow when he had the chance."

Nico laughs. "Same."

"I feel like I should've gone with them."

"It's FOMO," Annabeth replies, lying on Ara's bed with a cherry facemask on.

"They're searching for that poison to help Leo—"

Nike's hollering cuts through her speech. "AN A- IS A FAILING GRADE—"

"These are literally Frank's relatives," Percy reasons, his back against the wall and a peel-off mask covering his face. "You would've made them nervous. Most people think that children of Olympus attract bad luck."

"And they're right," Ara's hanging upside down with her legs propped up next to Percy, a green tea facemask on her face.

It's spa day. Once Ara realized she could buy all kinds of beauty products in New York—as long as she had the budget—she became obsessed. The first time Percy agreed to join her many years ago, he claimed to be humoring his little sister, but he loves to lie around and eat snacks while Ara puts fresh-scented stuff on his face.

Ara agreed to have a spa day today solely because her brother and Annabeth had recently come out of Tartarus, so if there was someone who deserved to use her stash of fancy facemasks, it was them. She also knows they're doing this to help her clear her mind after her dream last night, and she'd missed being pampered by her older siblings anyway.

"There is a sea serpent watching us," Percy says out of nowhere, vaguely pointing ahead. "Been there for the past ten minutes."

Ara lifts herself on her elbows. "And why aren't we doing anything about it?"

Percy shrugs. "It's trying to figure out if we're food, Festus confuses it."

"Nice," Ara lies back down. "Good headmast."

"So Leo is trying to rebuild your dragon inside the ship? How does that even work?" Annabeth asks, rummaging in a bag of chips.

A flash goes out and then Leo's voice responds. "It doesn't—yet. You guys having a fun time?"

The three teenagers look back at the door completely unbothered. "Did you get my good side?" Percy asks.

"You know, water boy, blackfacing isn't cool anymore—it never was."

"Call me water boy again and I'm freeing Nike inside your cabin," the older boy threatens. "And this is a peel-off mask, it saves me so much money on acne products I don't even care if it looks stupid."

"You want one?" Ara lifts a thin package.

"No, I came to tell y'all Piper and Frank are back," Leo's too amused by the sight that he can't move past it. "I'm sorry, what exactly is happening in here?"

"Spa day," Annabeth explains. "Never had one of those?"

Leo snorts. "Hephaestus isn't the cleanest guy around..."

"She means with Ara," Percy shows him a shit-eating grin, though it looks creepy with the peel-off still on his face. "Haven't been invited to one yet?"

Leo's smile disappears. "I didn't know it was a thing."

"I didn't think it'd be up your alley," Ara pulls her legs down and sits upright. "The only Cabin Nine campers that ever humored me were Beckendorf and Nyssa, but I had to bribe them first."

"I wanna have a spa day," Leo pouts, looking at the Polaroid he just took. "I feel discriminated."

Ara gets up and moves to her vanity, pulling off her mask. "You're invited to the next one."

"Piper and Frank are back then—that means they got the poison?" Annabeth fans her face while Percy takes off his mask.

"Yup, so we should hold a meeting," Leo approaches Ara and kisses her hair, leaving the Polaroid on her nightstand. "You don't need skincare, there's a reason why I call you Doll."

Ara chuckles. "My skincare is the reason you think I don't need it."

"Holy 'Dite, I can't do this!" Percy moans, falling back on the bed with the mask still on. "Birdy, help me..."

The girl laughs and glances at Leo before going to her brother. "We'll meet you on deck in five, alright?"

Leo looks at the trio with an uncomfortable feeling in his chest, but he manages to show a smile when he nods, although he stays consciously away from Ara so she can't feel his emotions. "Good luck putting your face back on, Nemo!"

"You're not allowed to call me that!"

Leo exits the cabin grinning, but as he walks out, his expression turns into a frown. He can't put a finger on what is bothering him, but it feels as if he were watching Ara's life slowly slip back into its old place, erasing him from the plot.

He has this dark thought that maybe those six months with him at camp were only an intermission, and now Leo is waiting for the fates to pluck him out and toss him away as they did with Michael Yew. "Well, that was a fun season! Send the next cute boy in!" 

Each day he inches closer to his certain death, and Ara's future does nothing but shine brighter.

Next Chapter –>

Taglist.

@siriuslysirius1107 @ask-giggles1303 @im-planning-something-look @bandshirts-andbooks @coolninjapaper @thewaterlily @whenisthefall @1randomcomic @you-bloody-shank @sunflowergraves @owlalex44 @taylordaughter @typicalsolangelolover @writingmia @espressopatronum454 @slytherinnqueen @orbitingpolaris @obxstiles @ellipsisspelled @thepixiechicksh @ebony-reine-vibes

[kai-anderson-whore]

Sweet serial killer (James patrick march x fem reader)

Summary: you are a ghost of the hotel cortez since 2019 and you only just heard of devil's night

Warnings: mentions of murder, serial killers

A/n: this was rubbish I had it in my drafts for a month or so

You walked into the elevator of the hotel cortez these same walls you walked through since 2019 where you were killed by your boyfriend.

You had both gotten into a huge fight about him cheating on you and he killed you not knowing that you would still be roaming the hotel he planned to stay for a day to clean up the mess but he also never got to leave because of what you did to him.

During your time in the cortez you became friends with Sally a heroine addict who died in the 90s when iris pushed her out the window.

The countess was also fond of you, you both would have late night drinks at the bar till all hours in the morning since you were both well dead you never felt it the next morning.

You would often have a girls night with liz and the countess with glasses of bubbly and having a laugh, but one night you had an invite to something devil's night making you frown your brows.

"Hey liz" you said by the bar gaining her attention "yes dear?" She asked cleaning a glass in her hand "What's devil's night here james invited me" you asked you had met James patrick march before numerous of times.

"Well well well you my dear must be doing a very impressive job here if u got an invite" she chuckled if you were alive she probably would have been frightened but since you were dead she wasn't.

"A good job of what I haven't done anything" you laughed confusingly liz only shrugged "go ask him maybe he'll tell you" she said you finished the last of your drink before going to James's room to asked him.

Walking through the abandoned floor of the cortez made you feel nervous you only been to this floor once when you first died but hadn't returned.

Finally you made it to his room it was empty "James?" You called looking around the room it was still relatively clean for an abandoned room you walked into it spotting the old record player it reminded you of the one that was handed down in your family for years.

"Ah y/n for what do I owe the pleasure of seeing you today" the bright voice of James march beamed behind you  giving you a bit of a fright "James can I ask you something" you asked making him raise an eyebrow at you.

"Of course" he replied.

"What's devil's night?".

"Ah devil's night you have been in my hotel for what three years almost four and you still hadn't heard of devil's night" he chuckled you felt a bit embarrassed not knowing what it was at all "well my dear devil's night is the one night a year I get the best serial killers and have well a get together" he shrugged.

Now you were even more confused you weren't a serial killer at all yes you killed one or two people but not enough to make you one.

"But why did I get an invitation I'm not a serial killer" you asked handing him the invite he took it in his hands

"Well you see y/n I'd like you to accompany me to my event plus Elaine would love to have another female there" he said.

"So like a date?" You hesitantly asked making him chuckle "well if that's the way you want to put it yes like a date" he said.

A few days later it was finally devil's night you and James grew a bit more closer those past few days and even accompanied him on his kills.

"I'm nervous liv how is this" you asked straightening you dress "you look incredible" she smiled touching up your red lipstick soon enough it was time for you to go to the room where the event will be in.

You walked into the room to find people already there eyes on you "well well well who do we have here" a woman said smirking walking up to you "I'm Elaine wuornos" she introduced "I'm y/n y/l/n" you smiled.

"I'm John Wayne gacey and thanks Jeffrey dahmer" the other man introduced 'shit is this really happening' you thought.

"Come sit next to me dollface" Elaine said she was Flirting with you "no Elaine we sit at our assigned sets and y/n is next to me" James said appearing out of no where "Hey suck my left tit Clarke gable" she laughed you couldn't help but laugh aswell.

"Now everyone is here let's begin" James said Elaine put on a record 'fade into you by mazzy star' playing it was one of your favourite songs she and Richard were dancing.

"You alright dear your not scared are you?" James asked you shook your head "No not at all they're nice" you shrugged despite what they had done, but to you they were welcoming.

"John old chap how are we" James beamed getting up to greet the last guest to arrive

"Great" John replied.

James handed you a glass of absinth you took a sip almost gagging at the taste 'how the fuck can they drink this?' You thought.

The night went smoothly you chatted with the notorious serial killers dahmer was shy, Elaine teased him that he had a thing for John.

Soon enough it was time for dessert which you didn't know meant that you had to kill someone, sure now with the help from James you were a serial killer a dead one.

Miss evers brought someone into the room "thank you Miss evers" James said pulling his knife out wiping it with a napkin "y/n since it's your first devil's night shall you do the honours?" James asked handing you his knife "Okay" was all you said.

Elaine put on a new record for the third time tonight all eyes were on you now waiting to see what you would do.

You took the knife plunging it into the person's neck almost killing them instantly everyone else joined in taking turns with their usual methods of killing

James called miss evers to clean up as the guys bet their goodbyes soon after leaving you and James "I'm impressed you got on so well with everyone dear" he said A cigarette in hand

He offered you one which you accepted "well I guess I'm one of you now" You chuckled

"A sweet serial killer" James smiled

_________________________________________

[marmolady]

Reginald

Main Pairings: Aleister x Grace

Summary: Grace and Aleister’s baby boy celebrates his first birthday.

Word Count: 5578

Tagging: @saivilo, @edgydepressedchoicesthot, @sceptilemasterr, @greengroove @mauvecatfic​

Thanks for reading!

“Dada!”

Reggie, sitting up in his cot, waved his arms over his head. His cherubic face was full of delight from the moment his father opened the door. “Dada, up!”

“Time to get up? Yes, I think it might be.”

Aleister scooped his infant son into his arms. The way Reggie held onto him with his small hand, finding comfort in his simple being there, was still a heart-rending thrill.

“It’s a very special day today, my darling boy; do you know what it is?”

“Da!” came the happy squeak of reply. Reggie kicked his legs around happily; there was something that had gotten his father excited, and that good feeling was catching.

“Your very first birthday,” Grace cooed. “One whole year Reggie has been with us! Aren’t we lucky?” She reached and took a tiny waving hand and kissed it. Her eyes were heavy with rings; it had been so late that she’d waited up, hoping for a last-minute reply of some kind-- anything-- from her mother. Still, there was today… but Grace was left feeling, as she so often had, that hell would freeze over before Blaire acknowledged her grandson. There was a unique kind of tiredness that came with a long cry, and Grace was feeling it all over. But this was Reggie’s day; a celebration of the little boy who had quickly become the light of her life-- and Aleister’s. Today was for love and laughter.

The morning routine was as usual; Reggie was changed, then had a feed and cuddle, then the family sat down together for breakfast around the wooden table on their front porch. Iris, of course, was present for the meal, even though she couldn’t physically partake. So much of her own son’s life she’d missed out on, and she’d be damned if she wasn’t going to be right there cheering on her little grandson as he bravely tried new foods. The hole her untimely death had left in Aleister’s life couldn’t be healed; his childhood had been what it had been, and it gave what they had now, as a loving family, a certain poignancy.

Already, the sun was shining, and the sea sparkling. From their home in the Catalyst village just outside Elyys’tel-- now quiet and usually near-empty-- the family of four could look over the stretch of beach that would take them to a far smaller reincarnation of The Celestial, and hear the distant sounds of Vaanti life going on within the majestic tree just north of them. It was utterly peaceful. On his mother’s knee, Reggie contentedly gummed on a piece of toast, while turning his head to the sights and sounds of La Huerta, all around him. Today, his attention had been caught by a butterfly the size of a tea plate, as it landed on a nearby tree.

“Can you see it, Reggie?” Grace encouraged, pointing her finger. “Big, big butterfly.”

“Fuuh.” Reggie watched, entranced, as the butterfly flew away. “Buh-buh!”

Aleister beamed. It seemed that every day, his young son brought something new. There was so much that Reggie was learning-- soaking in the world around him like a sponge. Aleister couldn’t imagine he’d ever tire of trying to understand the world through Reggie’s eyes; the small things that caught his interest, the actions that made him smile.

“Bye-bye, butterfly!”

“Buh-buh, fuuh!” Reggie cried, his face lighting up as he realised his father understood what he was saying.

Grace kissed his soft, curly hair. “You are such a clever boy…”. Never; not ever, would she ever let it be that her little Reginald didn’t know how proud she was of him… how his every achievement-- however small a thing it was that brought him pride-- would be her happiness to share. He would know he was enough. Always. The thought brought with it another wave of tiredness, of longing for the approval she could tell herself she didn’t need, but still craved nonetheless. But, she told herself, as she had done again and again; Reggie was not missing out by his maternal grandmother being absent. It was better that Blaire Hall stay away than make contact only to cause harm. That kind of toxicity was not what Reggie deserved… and, Grace had to remind herself, it was far less than what she herself deserved too. As Reggie turned around to offer in return a much more slobbery kiss than the one he’d received, Grace couldn’t help but laugh her woes away for the time being. Reggie had that kind of magic effect about him.

  _______________________________

July 2022

 Grace gritted her teeth, and braced herself, curling her small frame inward.

“...you’ll at least consider having a termination, surely?…”

She panted, and her pants became painful groans as her body seemed intent on tearing itself apart. She could do this… she had to do this. Small pants, small pushes, the midwife had said. It was hard, everything in her body screamed to give more.

“...I didn’t pour a small fortune into your education for you to waste the best years of your life chained down with a baby…”

The midwife spoke, her voice coming to Grace as if through a fog, barely cutting through the pain that was now all-encompassing… and the gripping fear of failure, of falling short as she always, always seemed to.

“The head is delivered; now I need you to push really hard. Your baby is almost here.”

Aleister’s voice followed after… warm, and remarkably close to calm, though the way his hands trembled as he stroked Grace’s back gave away his nervous trepidation.

“Darling, you’ve been so strong… heroic. More than I’ve ever believed in anything… I believe in you now. And I’m here, Grace….”

A whimper escaped Grace’s lips. A split-second doubt in herself that flared up, borne of a habit of a lifetime. Panic that faith in her was being woefully misplaced….

“...I’ve become used to you disappointing me, Grace, but this… you’re not the daughter I thought I’d raised…”

With a guttural roar that made Aleister jump in surprise, Grace heaved, pushing down into her body with all her might. This, she was doing for herself. And she was going to kick labour in its ass while she was at it.

“Hold my hand!” she demanded, and Aleister did.

“Grace… you can do this, love.”

Her breath shuddered with the strain of labour, but then Grace’s jaw set with determination. “I know I can do this.”

A tiny, squalling bundle of baby emerged into the world, quickly gathered up by the midwife and placed on Grace’s chest.

“Congratulations! You have a healthy son!”

Aleister’s legs gave way, and it as only with the midwife’s timely assistance that he didn’t collapse straight to the floor.

“We… we have a son…,” he stuttered.

Dazed, Grace gently stroked the infant, their little boy. She’d done it. All those years she’d believed she wasn’t enough… and now there in her arms was indisputable proof that she’d been been sold a terrible falsehood.

“Our little baby…,” she murmured. “Hello, little one. We’ve been so looking forward to meeting you…”.

Any doubts in herself, in the future she’d have with her beautiful family, had washed away, expelled through the screams of a mother bringing forth a new life. As Grace’s senses returned to her, she breathed in her baby’s scent, marveled his perfect, bewildered face, and felt his heartbeat against her own… and she wept.

Aleister tenderly put his arms around her and kissed her damp forehead again and again as she laughed and cried, delirious.

“He’s amazing…,” Grace gushed through her tears. This moment… she had to hold onto it forever; let it be her strength.

No cruel words could reach her now.

  ______________________________

One-year-old children, Aleister had established, had refreshingly simple needs when it came to parties. Though there was a part of him that had been saddened that it wasn’t possible for the extended Catalyst family to be around for baby Reggie’s first birthday, that fact had meant that the occasion could be enjoyed without an excessive hullabaloo. One only had to utter the ‘p’ word around the likes of Raj and a feast would materialise… along with noise, and booze, and more than likely, a cupcake tower. The cupcake tower they’d deigned to keep, but the rest Aleister was quite happy to do without. What mattered was what would make little Reggie happy… even if that meant putting on the most undignified high-pitched sing-song voice he could muster. Again, thank god this thing was being kept small.

Diligently, he put out the necessary play-mats, picnic blankets, chairs, tables, and-- of course-- toys, for the small and simple first birthday celebration in the grass out front of the Rourke-Hall family home.

“What do we think, Reggie?” he asked, taking the time, as he always did, to engage his young son in whatever he was doing. “Not half bad, I’d say. A bit of shade… and perhaps we should bring out the bassinet for Liv, and I believe we’ll have a venue fit for a very special birthday boy.”

“Da!” Reggie cried from his bouncer, strategically placed so he could watch all the goings-on, and his father could in turn watch him.

“Thank you, I thought so. We may not have all the bells and whistles, but a little birdie told me there might just be some wrapping paper on the way… that is your favourite part of any gift, I know.”

Parenting had not been as hard a slog as Aleister had anticipated. Certainly, the broken nights’ sleep had been… less than pleasant, and the tinkling sounds of Reggie’s favourite musical toy were seared into Aleister’s mind, surely to torment him until his dying day; but throughout it all, he knew a most complete happiness, and somehow, he seemed to make his small son happy as well.

Reggie was an easy-going baby. For all that they had felt like torture, those nights of interrupted sleep were short-lived; Reggie settled into the routine with limited fussing. As the months went on, he spent far more time smiling than he did crying; in fact, once he’d started to become more mobile, he barely seemed to cry at all. A little shy with new people-- and overwhelmed by the sheer energy of the Catalysts all gathering together-- Reggie approached the world and people in it with wide-eyed curiosity, and one hand hanging on tight to one of his ‘safe’ people. Aleister was certain his son had inherited that amiable nature from Grace-- the alternative seemed… unlikely. Reggie’s joie de vivre was infectious; seeing that easy contentment, Aleister had to believe that he and Grace must have been doing something right.

  ______________________________

July 2022

 Aleister looked down at the tiny bundle in his arms, and a lump rose in his throat.

“I wonder if he’ll look at all like me,” he pondered out loud. “I think we’ve established that my father’s genes aren’t the strongest; Estela is the image of her mother and I… well, the cloning process must have been a long way south of perfect. I have his build but, to be honest, it ends there.”

Iris smiled. “I don’t doubt he will.” Her eyes sparkled cheekily. “I could go so far as to scan your resemblance, but I feel a mother’s word holds more value. I’d recognise that face anywhere. Baby Reginald Aleister is taking after his daddy.”

The baby grumbled, and a quick check determined that a diaper change was in order.

And so it begins.

Setting down a changing mat on the floor, Aleister’s hands trembled. Who was he kidding to think he was cut out for this? His experiences on the receiving end of parenting had only instructed him in what not to do, and he remained convinced, though Grace demanded otherwise, that he had all the warmth of a polar bear with hypothermia… eating an ice cream.

Noticing her son’s clear apprehension, Iris hovered closer. “It’s truly daunting to bring a child into the world. A whole little life… dependant on you.” She knew the regret would come through in her voice, but she’d always give Aleister honesty. He’d had precious little of that from the man he’d called ‘father’. “The only advice I can give is to break it down. Eighteen years of raising him doesn’t happen all at once… it’s small steps. Changing one nappy at a time.”

Aleister slowly went through the process, one that sounded so simple, but with the significance he placed upon it, it might as well be scaling Atropo.

“Would you believe I do actually know how to put a fresh nappy on a baby?” he said as he powdered Reggie’s bottom. “But I get down here and try to put it into practice-- the simplest of tasks-- and I’m completely hobbled by my own certainty that I’m bound to get it wrong. I don’t know if I’ll break this down small enough that I won’t be daunted. He’s… too important.”

“You mustn’t underestimate how powerful your own intent is. I know without a shadow of a doubt that you will always mind your son… you’ll never let his needs be lost. You love him, and if that’s guiding your path with him, I don’t believe you’ll go far wrong.”

Painstakingly, Aleister fitted a new diaper, adjusting and readjusting when he did it up too tight, and then not tight enough. With the adhesive worn out, he had to move on to a second. Finally, though, baby Reggie was changed, and one significant small step had been taken. With a sigh of release, Aleister got back to his feet, and with utmost care, picked up his son, whose eyelids were now heavy.

“I do appreciate your faith in me, Mother,” he said. “Truly, I do. But I cannot fool myself into believing that my best intentions will prevent me from inflicting harm on my son. We have all seen first-hand just what my best intentions can do.” When he looked up, Aleister saw such sorrow in Iris’ face; in her eyes was an aching desire to hold him-- something that could never be. He reached out his free hand, letting his fingers brush through the projection of hers. “The most terrible, most idiotic thing I’ve ever done was a decision made out of love. Arrogance as well-- I’ll never deny that. But all I wanted was to protect the woman I loved from something too horrifying to even comprehend.”

“My darling,” Iris whispered, “the fact that you care so much makes all the difference in the world. The people you love believe in you; all that’s left is for you to learn to trust yourself.”

Aleister sniffed. “Is that all? Just a bit of crippling self-doubt to conquer? I’ll have that polished off before lunch.” He smiled sadly. When he truly thought about it, he knew that he’d learned from his own mistakes-- the foolish certainty in his own being right, even in the face of those he trusted telling him otherwise. He’d taken their lives in his hands, well-intentioned or not, and they’d suffered for it. If they could all endure that stupidity and everything that came of it… and still manage to regain some belief in him, it seemed the lesson he needed to hear was to place his belief in them right back. “Well,” he said, “I certainly owe it to a lot of people, myself included, not to shy from that challenge.”

Iris’ eyes shone with pride and tenderness. “Reggie is going to have a wonderful father in you.”

And Aleister dared himself to believe it.

  _____________________________

“Reginaaaald!”

At the sound of the cry, Reggie pulled himself up onto his feet, holding onto his mother’s leg while he peered out to the direction of his aunties’ house down the way.

“Oh. Here come the rabble,” Aleister said, bracing himself. Farewell, peace and quiet. It was nice knowing you.

Grace giggled and took her son’s tiny hands. “Who’s that, Reggie? Is that Auntie Taylor?”

“Ah-tah!” Reggie proudly confirmed. “Yah-steh!”

“That’s right, Auntie Taylor and Tia Estela. Do you want to walk to see them?”

Reggie lurched forward, balancing against Grace’s hands as they guided him.

At seeing her nephew’s awkward goose-step in her direction, Estela paused her approach and hunkered down with her arms opened wide. “Look at you go!”

Coming up behind with tiny baby Liv strapped to her chest, Taylor enthusiastically cheered Reggie on.

The toddling infant shrieked with mirth, and his little legs worked all the harder, until Grace let him go, and he collapsed into his aunt’s waiting arms.

“Yah-steh!”

“Happy birthday, mijo!” Estela cried, lifting Reggie in the air and planting a kiss on his face while he giggled. “You are getting to be such a big boy!”

Taylor brought over the much-smaller Liv, who greeted her cousin with wide eyes. Six-weeks-old, she was beginning to take an interest in the people and goings on around her, and Reggie was about the most fascinating thing she’d ever seen.

“Happy birthday, Reggie!” Taylor said in a sing-song voice, gently waving Liv’s hand. The little boy squealed happily as he waved back, and his aunt grinned from ear to ear.

Estela angled Reggie closer so Taylor could properly greet him with a kiss and a tickle.

“I love you so much, sweetheart. Best. Nephew. Ever!”

“Ba-bee!”

“That’s right, Reggie…baaaay-by,” Taylor said, and she bounced Liv a little closer to her curious cousin. “Baby Liv has come to see you!”

Reggie gently bonked the smaller child on the shoulder, and she blinked at him in fascination.

“Ba-bee, ba.”

In no time at all, a picnic was laid out, and Reggie was merrily tucking into some soft pieces of fruit, and offering up portions to the members of the loving family who had gathered around him. He gave a jolly chortle as Aleister made a big show over just how delicious dragon-fruit was. To his right, his baby cousin was being fed, something that always piqued his curiosity. Liv was something he was still getting his head around. He’d seen other babies in Elyys’tel on occasion, but the fact that this particular baby seemed to be attached to his aunties, made her very interesting. Pouting slightly, he gazed up into his Auntie Taylor’s face as she fed a grumbly rumbly Liv. It didn’t look like he’d have any luck muscling in there… and he already knew that he did not want to make that baby thing start crying. Liv was far too loud for his liking.

“Hey, sweetheart,” Taylor cooed gently, reaching out her free hand to stroke Reggie’s cheek.

That small acknowledgement was all that was needed. Reggie hadn’t been forgotten, and he could get back to cheerily playing with the last scraps of his birthday lunch.

With lunch polished off, it was time for presents. The sight of the bright, colourful packages that Taylor pulled out from her bag made his eyes go wide. More big, crinkly paper? For him?

“This is from us… and this one is from Livi.”

Grace laughed and leaned over to give a fed and contented Liv a kiss on the head. “My word, you are a generous little lady! Thank you both-- so much. I can’t say what it means to us… for our special little boy to be shown so much love.”

By now, Reggie had some understanding of the way this ‘presents’ thing worked. A smiling grown-up would hand him a thing made of colourful paper, and his job was to rip it until something inside fell out. Then, the grown-ups would clap and cheer, and the paper would be free to be further ripped and crinkled and played with. It was a fun game.

Burbling happily to himself, Reggie tugged at the paper until he’d extricated the pesky thing inside, something soft and floppy.

“Oh, look, Reggie!” Grace exclaimed. “It’s Furball! Auntie Taylor must have been very busy sewing for you.”

“Thank heavens it isn’t a spear…,” Aleister muttered.

Estela smirked, her eyes glinting with mischief. “Yeah, I lost rock-paper-scissors. Reggie will get his spear next year. He’ll have stopped putting everything in his mouth by then, right?”

Lord, give me strength. This, Aleister now knew, was the price of family. But it was better, infinitely better, than being without.

  _____________________________

July 2022

 Taylor was a bundle of nerves, and if the uncharacteristic twitchiness was anything to go by, Estela was too. As if to reassure, but taking just as much comfort in return, Taylor grasped her wife’s hand.

“It’s okay, Taylor,” said Estela, softly. “I’m scared too.” She was scared of herself, how she’d feel when she walked in that room and saw Grace and Aleister with their perfect new baby boy. They didn’t deserve the most joyous day of their lives to be clouded by someone else’s envy and longing. Somehow, she and Taylor would have to forget just how much they’d been hoping for that magical day for themselves. Gently, she kissed Taylor’s brow. “Are you ready?”

With a deep breath, Taylor nodded. A piece of the family she’d dreamed of lay just ahead… she was someone’s aunt now, a fact almost incomprehensible when she looked back at what she came from. There was no way in hell she was going to let her own heartache take the shine off this day. “Yeah, I am. Let’s meet that little nephew of ours.”

Aleister opened the door, to find himself pulled straight into one of Taylor’s world-famous hugs. “I really should have braced myself for that, shouldn’t I?”

Estela laughed. The only other time she’d seen her brother so completely helpless in the face of a smile that just wouldn’t leave him was the day of Niala’rei when he’d been wed to Grace. That kind of happiness was impossible not to catch. “Don’t worry; you’ll soon be able to deflect her onto your son.” Oh, what the hell? She joined in the hug, putting both arms around her brother. “Congratulations, hermano!”

“Yes, yes, isn’t it wonderful, et cetera, et cetera…,” Aleister said as he found his way out of the three-way embrace. “If you’ll follow me, Grace and I have someone we’d like to introduce you to.”

Oh my god, Taylor thought to herself, as she trailed after her friend, he is practically skipping!

They came into the neat and tidy lounge room to find Grace gently rocking in the hand-carved nursing chair that had been a gift from Varyyn and Diego. In her arms… a small bundle, wrapped in a soft powder pink blanket.

Grace beamed as Taylor rushed forward, and had to hold back a laugh as her sister-in-law’s mouth fell open. “This is Reginald. Reginald Aleister Hall… but I have a feeling he’s going to go by ‘Reggie’ more often than not.”

“Grace!” Taylor gasped. “He is absolutely gorgeous… oh my god….”

“Isn’t he just? He wasn’t too sure about coming out, but I’m so glad he eventually decided to bless us with his presence. Isn’t that right, little man?” With a great deal of effort, Grace looked up from her newborn son, and noticed a wide-eyed Estela hanging back. “It’s all right; you can come closer.”

Estela swallowed hard. With the relationship she had with her uncle as close as it was, the thought of being someone’s aunt was… overwhelming. And she knew from that first look that she’d willingly move mountains for this kid.

“Hey,” Grace said warmly, “would you like a cuddle?”

Her heart in her throat, Estela allowed Grace to place the baby into her waiting arms. Reggie made a little squeak as he settled into the new embrace, then his body relaxed, safe and secure as his aunt held him. Holy shit. “I… can’t believe I’m his tia. I am so happy to meet you, mijo. You are gonna be so loved.”

Taylor brushed away a tear from her eye. “I think he already is! Oh god, the waterworks just aren’t stopping….”

Grace chuckled, totally content, and smiled as she watched Taylor gently kiss baby Reggie’s soft forehead. “It’s amazing. This kind of love… it’s just taken over my whole body. I can’t imagine feeling happier than this.”

Soft as a murmur, Estela hummed a gentle tune to the baby as she rocked him, and the smile on her face just grew broader and broader. It had cut her to her core to discover that she’d been fathered by the murdering bastard Rourke… and now that connection had given her the chance to be this little one’s aunt, to pay forward the loving care her uncle had lavished on her. There was not a shadow of a doubt in her mind; young Reggie would have his Tia Estela in his corner, ready to hold his hand through whatever life saw to throw at him. She sighed happily. “How about you meet your Auntie Taylor? If she gets any more excited she might just explode. We don’t want that, do we, chiquito?”

“Haha, very funny,” Taylor said, rolling her eyes. “But, yeah, I would love a cuddle.” She inhaled sharply as Estela eased Reggie into her arms. “Oh, little man! You are one handsome little tyke….”

Aleister watched proudly-- and catching himself from hovering too protectively. The way Reggie’s aunts looked at him… it was a look of adoring family. Love was something that little fellow would surely never need yearn for. “Yes,” he said, quietly, “he’s rather perfect.”

 ___________________________

 With full bellies all round, the birthday party had gone on pause for a couple of hours, allowing for desperately-needed naps to be taken. Reggie woke from his afternoon snooze to his home filled with lights and streamers, and even more friendly faces seemingly intent on showering him with affection. He wasn’t completely sure what to make of it all, but it sure was fun.

Birthday cake took the form of cupcakes, of course.

“Quinn Skyped us through the whole thing,” Diego explained. “Obviously, she really wanted to make something for Reggie herself, so we basically ended up being her cupcake-baking puppets.”

“Cupcake-baking, and frosting-licking,” Varyyn corrected. “Quinn was very right when she said that is the best bit.”

Grace smiled from ear to ear. “That was so kind-- of all of you!”

It had been a significant wrench for both herself and Aleister to see their friends return to the States after the reunion a month prior. Life didn’t stop; it couldn’t-- so much had already been upended, and the world outside La Huerta would keep turning, waiting for no one. Grace suspected her longing for her friends’ closeness was tied to the stirring of the wounds she carried over her relationship with her mother. Or… her lack of one. Time had done wonders in healing, but these moments she spent with her precious son had their way of making it so starkly obvious just what was missing. It couldn’t be changed, and she’d woken up that morning with the resolve to stop wasting her energy on wanting that change. Quietly, she re-directed her mind whenever it wandered into destructive territory.

The people who matter won’t let distance keep them from showing their care.

Aleister sunk into the couch and put an arm around his wife.

“That little fellow is going to be out like a night, come bedtime,” he said warmly, looking over Reggie as he toddled between friends with Diego holding his hands. “His legs have barely stopped moving since nap-time.”

Grace sighed happily and cuddled close. “He’d better be able to keep his eyes open long enough for the bedtime group call. Craig will be gutted if he doesn’t get to sing ‘Happy Birthday’.”

“I’m sure Craig would survive, but I have a feeling the sugar from those blasted cakes will see Reggie through just long enough.”

Reggie, indeed riding a slight sugar-high, was showing no signs of slowing down anytime soon. Everyone wanted his attention, and he was loving it. Varyyn, who was gently bouncing baby Liv in his arms, had made a point of wearing his crown; experience had taught him that the infants were mesmerised by the way the scarlet feathers danced on his head. Between staring up at the elyyshar with wonder, chasing around the colourful holographic projections Iris bounced around the floor, and cheekily prodding Estela into tickling him, Reggie had no shortage of entertainment in the form of his guests, but something from behind Taylor’s chair did catch his eye.

“So,” Taylor said as she pulled out a bulging sack of gifts, “we got left all this to surprise you with. I think everyone just went crazy with gifts; Reggie’s got a lot of love from all his aunts and uncles.”

In no time, Reggie was laughing fit to burst as he crawled through a sea of coloured paper; it was like some kind of wonderland… but emerged from it to see that, for some reason, his mother was… weepy. Concerned, Reggie awkwardly dragged the largest piece of paper he could find, then offered it to Grace as he hoisted himself upright using her leg.

“Mama?” It looked like she was… happy? Really, grown-ups were the strangest things….

Grace chuckled warmly and scooped up her boy. “You, young man, are such a lucky little guy.” She kissed him, and kissed him, and kissed him again, until he was once again giggling. Reggie, she knew, was not missing out on anything at all. Her worst fears would come to nothing; her son would forever be loved without conditions… and his mommy and daddy would just have to get used to the fact that they were too.

[xxrainbow-princessxx]

Band of Brothers - Leo x Liam

Well this has turned into an unexpected mini series isn’t it? This mini series is to explore the angst and uncertainty that the Royal Heir ending did not deliver on. I expected more tbh so this is where the AU has arisen from.  Trigger warnings as always - there’s some angst, fighting, swearing, discussions of kink. Read at your own risk as the jump will be below! 

To catch up, please see the below chapter listing

Chapter One: Enough

Chapter 2: Homeward Bound 

Tag list: @lorirwritesfanfic @drakewalkerfantasy @desireepow-1986 @liam-rhys @mom2000aggie @lorircreates @rainbowsinthestorm @hopefulmoonobject @rafasgirl23415 @itslaniquelove @texaskitten30 @kingliam2019 @speedyoperarascalparty @kimmiedoo5

Leo didn’t know what to expect when he would return to Cordonian Palace. The one thing he was sure of was to trust no one; the betrayal of the noble houses of Cordonia was tantamount to treason in Leo’s mind. For the noble houses to turn and threaten the Rys line once again, it was time that they were reminded of their place. It was the early hours of the morning as the Cadillac Escalade drove up the gravel path towards the beautiful baroque building’s outline glowed under the moonlight except for one room that burned the midnight oil. The warm glow was only a perceived invite, inside was nothing more than what felt like an empty shell. The room itself felt like Liam, the walls were like his body, a simple structure holding everything together but it was empty like his heart. He was surrounded by Cordonian Law books, the same books he read night after night to find a loophole, to find some hope in what had become a very dark six months. Staring at the picture of him, Sienna and Camille that sat on his desk, he couldn’t help himself. Picking it up and looking at her smiling, Liam could feel a lump forming in his throat, “My beautiful Camille...” he whispered, “I am so sorry my darling... I hope some day you will be able to forgive me...”

Leo sighed heavily as he saw his brother falling apart, his heart breaking as he pleaded for his daughter’s forgiveness. Liam slowly dropped the picture on his desk, not noticing Leo’s presence as he ran his hands down his face to disguise his falling tears. “Liam...” Leo quietly spoke as he closed the distance between them, putting his hand on his brother’s shoulder, “Come on... it’s 4am... you need to get some sleep...” Liam’s steel blue eyes looked up towards Leo, he was completely lost, “Brother... I can’t... I need to...” Leo closed his eyes, composing himself as he tried to persuade him, “Liam... what your doing, this isn’t going to help Camille, it’s hindering it... you’re exhausted...” Angrily brushing Leo’s hand from his shoulder, “What would you know?” Liam barked before rising to his feet staring down his elder brother, “What the hell would you know what Camille needs?” Leo sucked in his cheeks, not rising to Liam’s rant as the Cordonian King squared up to Leo. Liam’s 6’1” muscular frame was impressively strong as he took a swing, his fist colliding with his brother’s jaw.

Leo wiped his mouth carefully as he glared at Liam, “That was the free shot...” before he dodged Liam’s second attempt to maim his sibling. Liam might have been strong, but he had never been a match for Leo. Every time they ever fought, even as kids; Liam never stood a chance as Leo outwitted him each and every time. Liam may have been the more scholarly brother, Leo was more athletic. Strategically backing Liam into a corner, Leo took him by the throat, pressing him hard against the wall. His nostril’s flared and face reddened as he growled, “This is your mess you selfish son of a bitch!” Leo’s sea green eyes burned with anger as he watched his brother struggling to breathe turning a fiery red as he struggled. “Do not regret me coming back here to...” Leo threw Liam back like a rag doll against the wall watching as he gasped for air and his face turning from a bright red to a light pink, “fucking help you...” Liam bent over slightly as he coughed, glaring up towards Leo, “You bastard...” he wheezed watching as Leo smugly chuckled to himself pouring a glass of whiskey.

“Brother...” Leo savoured the smokey texture that filled his senses, “Don’t think for one minute that I won’t beat the absolute shit out of you... that was pathetic...” before handing Liam a glass, “You need sleep... maybe then that swing...” Leo’s lip curled upwards, “...might have done a bit of damage...” Liam reluctantly took the glass trying his hardest not to smile, “Next time... you won’t be so lucky...” It had been the first time in what felt like forever that Liam had a hint of a smile. “But you never answered my question... what are you doing here?” Leo ran his fingers through his sandy blonde feathered hair getting the crystal tumbler down gently on Liam’s desk, “For you Brother...” Leo sat down on the edge of Liam’s desk, “I might not always be here but Cordonia will always be my home and like hell will I stand back and allow someone to tarnish the reputation of the Rys name...” Liam rubbed his neck as Leo continued and stood to his feet “But I need you fighting with me, I can’t do this alone. I need you, for Camille...” Leo extended his hand out to Liam his sea green eyes flickered with hope, the green and blue speckles that framed his iris glistened with a focus and drive that Liam didn’t expect, “You in or not?” Liam took Leo’s hand before the elder Rys brother brought him into his embrace whispering, “We’ll get her back even if I die trying...”

Leo didn’t remain in the Cordonian capital. After his visit with Liam, they agreed the Palace was not their safest option if they were flush out the rats. Leo retreated to the Lythikos mountains out of view; very few knowing of his return to Cordonia a week ago. If anyone asked him why he had returned, or where Isabella was, Leo dodged the question. “Thanks Liv...” he mumbled, furiously going through the documents that were uncovered during Anton’s reign of terror. Each page, the words and letters began to roll into one, becoming one large smudge of ink on the page hoping to find something, anything to help their cause. It was the past that kept haunting them, so the Lythikos vaults were the first place Leo wanted to search. “Do you know when Liam is going to arrive?” The fierce redhead rolled her emerald green eyes, “I’m not his keeper you know...” Leo slowly began to smirk, “Don’t even sit there Liv and bullshit me like you don’t care about him... wasn’t the first time I walked in on you and Li...” Olivia snorted at the thought as Leo continued to tease, “The Nevrakis wildchild and the overly polite Cordonian Prince...” The auburn haired statuesque beauty raised her brow, “Remember Leo... I know where you sleep and I promise...” as she removed a dagger from her knee high boot pointing it towards the former Crown Prince, “I don’t miss...” Leo’s eyes narrowed ever so slightly, taunting Olivia, “Are you trying to seduce me Lady Olivia?” Leo began to chuckle as the tip of the cold blade of steel was gently pressed to his throat, “I’m still a married man... but who knows, I might like it...” Pulling the dagger away, Olivia drove it into the table as Leo grinned, “Ugh... You’re still a deviant... How did Isabella put up with you?”

As the Cordonian delegation arrived, Olivia‘a staff quickly ushered them into the grand drawing room. Drake, Hana and Maxwell wandered around taking in their weaponised surroundings as Liam stood with his hands behind his back anxiously waiting to see if they had found anything. Leo and Olivia walked side by side together discussing the finer intricacies of a choke hold as they met their waiting guests. Leo’s sea green eyes immediately narrowed as he saw Maxwell standing in front of him with a smile. Stepping closer to Liam, Leo angrily whispered, “What the fuck is Beaumont doing here?” Liam didn’t flinch as he replied, “Well... there’s someone else outside waiting for you, so stones in glass houses brother... Matéo turned up at the Cordonian Palace earlier today...” Leo clenched down on his teeth, his jaw rippling “Get him out of here...” - , “Olivia...” he turned smiling pleasantly, “Can you fill these guys in... I seem to have an unexpected visitor...” Leo pulled on the arms of his jacket, finding his soon to be brother in law standing in the Navrakis hallway, “Matéo...” Leo questioned, “What can I do for you?” Isabella’s brother raised his brow, “I think you and I need to have a pretty frank conversation...”

Leo ushered Matéo into a side room, closing the door behind him, Matéo placed his black leather briefcase onto the table, taking out a bundle of papers throwing them onto the desk, “Sign these...” Leo began to scan through the documents, taking a pen out of his blazer jacket. Isabella had cited ‘Irreconcilable Differences’ as the reason for dissolution of their marriage. It was a bitter pill to swallow but it had to be done. Whilst Leo examined the documentation, Matéo crossed his arms, infuriated at the situation, “So are you going to tell me what happened?” Leo signed the decree nisi papers, before clicking the top of his pen, “Not even a hello first...” Leo began to chuckle, “Don’t try to fuck me over before buying me dinner Matéo...I think we’ve known each other long enough to cut out that bullshit... This is between Isabella and I...” Running his fingers through his sandy blonde hair, Leo sighed heavily “You can tell Isabella I will be making a press conference tomorrow...” Leo looked up, his eyes meeting Matéo’s dark chocolate brown eyes “...that’s all you need to know...” before handing him the signed documentation, “Is that everything?” Matéo sucked in his cheeks as he reached for the signed decree nisi, snatching it from Leo’s hand, “Believe me Leo... I will find out exactly what’s going on... and when I do... I will kill you with my own bare hands...” Leo smirked as Matéo slammed shut his briefcase and without another word he walked towards the door, Leo’s lips were curled upward as he grinned, “Say hello to your husband for me...”

“Ok...” Leo returned to the grand drawing room, clapping his hands, “Now where were we before I got interrupted...” standing in front of them all, Leo wanted to gauge their expressions; he wanted to know what they knew. “As some of you may or may not already know...” Leo began to rub the back of his neck as he awkwardly stood, “Bella and I are divorcing...” Drake stood with his arms folded and brow raised as Leo continued, “After discussing the matter with Liam privately earlier in the week, there will be a press conference later today at the Palace to confirm, that’s why Matéo was here so I could sign the legal paperwork...” Drake shook his head in disbelief, “I really didn’t see that coming...” stepping forward, he placed his hand on Leo’s shoulder in solidarity, “...sorry to hear that man...” Leo nodded as his sights turned to Maxwell who remained unusually quiet. His sea green eyes flickered a shade of turquoise blue as they narrowed, “Beaumont... I’m rather surprised you are as quiet as you are...” Liam’s shoulders dropped as he sighed heavily praying to the highest heavens that his friend was true, “Maxwell?” The youngest Beaumont laughed nervously, “I don’t... I’m just in shock. I haven’t spoken with Bella in forever or Matéo... I’m as surprised as the rest of you...” Maxwell bit down on his lip as a sadness filled his heart.

He and Isabella had always been so close and with a sniff he continued, “Bella and I haven’t spoken since Nicolás was born... I’ve been too embarrassed to go visit with everything that’s been going on, someone’s had to keep an eye on Barthemely... Bertrand and I are ashamed of what’s happened, but we only stay to ensure Camille’s safety and to help Liam where we can...” Leo pursed his lips as Liam jumped to Maxwell’s defence, “It is true... we are able to FaceTime with Camille, Maxwell and Bertrand have been keeping us in touch with her as much as they can...” Leo knew he couldn’t trust anyone but he had to test the waters somehow. “Ok... ok...” he submitted, “Whatever you all can do to bring ideas to the table, we would appreciate it...” stuffing his hands into his trouser pockets, Leo continued, “The law is strict when the Royal Council call for a child of the Monarch to be placed into regent’s care but we may have found a loophole, isn’t that right Liv?” Olivia raised her brow, a little taken by surprise. Her ruby red lips were pursed as she read everyone’s expression, “Yes...” her strong, confident voice hammered the point following Leo’s lead, “Yes... we have. We will brief you all after the press conference... let’s go...” Olivia slowed to walk beside Leo, her emerald green eyes glared at him for putting her on the spot, “What the hell are you doing?” she whispered, Leo slowly began to grin with a mischievous twinkle in his eye chuckling as he watched the others walking ahead, “A simple game of Telephone should stir things up a little...” Olivia coyly smiled at Leo’s response as she placed her hand on her curvaceous hip - his plan was so simple, it was elegant, “I’m slightly impressed Rys...”

Leo fixed the lapels of his Armani suit, pulling on the sleeves to straighten his jacket completely unfazed by the gathering media who congregated in the Cordonian Royal Gardens waiting impatiently for the press conference to start, not knowing what statement was going to be made. Ana de Luca and Donnie were front row, looking slightly confused as Leo waved out to the crowd, taking centre stage on the Royal podium. “Good Evening everyone...” Leo began, no script needed as he continued, “I’m sure you all are surprised that I would be addressing you today; however...” he took a deep breath, his was pushed out, determined as he spoke with a commanding confidence, “I must announce that myself and Queen Isabella are in the process of divorcing...” His eyes narrowed slightly as the media began to shout wanting questions but Leo ignored them, “... I still and always will have the utmost respect for Isabella as we embark on this new journey. This is very new for us and we are still navigating how we can work together for the best of our children... but during this transition period, I would ask that our family’s privacy is respected at this time. There will be no follow up questions, thank you...” Walking off of the podium, Leo kept his head down as he was ushered back into the Cordonian Palace shielding himself from the cameras. Now all he could do was wait.

[islcndxmisfits-a]

below is a list of my currently updated thread tracker since the website hasn’t working lately.... but here’s the link anyway.  the threads are listed in abc order (as best as i could) by partner url !!

now that i have updated my tracker, i am willing to take on more threads (will probably post some starter calls for muses without any threads since they need love too) .... with exception!!!! as well as bust out my currently old memes in my ask box :P

and figure out relationships & verses & bios & which muses to keep / get rid of since my last update and clearing out my followers / following lists !!! pretty much everythiiing!!

i will probably from now on, as replies come in for me, i will most likely reply & add them to queue as i do them so they don’t build up and i can also work on other things in between however some might get posted right away depending on how much muse and how much interest i have towards that specific thread at the moment.

if I’m missing ANYTHING please let me know.

I OWE: already replied and added to queue. if you want to drop or move any of the following threads, feel free to let me know. i will delete it from my tracker & my queue if it hasn’t already been replied to !!

plain text = done, queued, & added to tracker

italics and indented = queued, needs added to tracker after posting

indented = in the drafts, needs icon, queued, & added to tracker.

bold = needs replies, then queued, then added to tracker

@abrokenwitch​

Family Reunion // Sebastian & Lizzie

@actionrewarded​

Romantic Dice // Lizzie & Peter

Playlist // Lauren & Peter

@agentjadelance​

Resident Evil AU // Ray & Kayla

@aheroslegacy​

Early Lunch // Kara & Lena

@akumubaku​

Amnesia // Dabi & Yume

@bracteatum​

A Christmas Witch // Seraphina & Sharon

Almost Uncertain Death // Laurel & Sara

Arranged Marriage // Leonard & Sara

Bloodlust // Leonard & Sara

Dragon and Assassin // Eleanor & Sara

Familiar Faces // Steve & Diana

Gotham's Queens // Sofia & Sara

Sara & Enzo

Saved By The Flash // Leonard & Sara

Second Chances // Ray & Nora

Treasure Hunter // Chase & Jean

Welcome to Hell // Caden & Sara

@cheaburi​

Friend In Need // Charlie & Dean

New Friends // Charlie & Claire

@dalphahale​

Drunk Beck // Beck & Derek

A Helping Hand // Beck & Derek

@dawnblxde​

Escape // Marceline & Noctis

Long Live The Queen // Historia & Noctis

Investigating // Winry & Noctis

@demon-blood-youths

Blood Kink // Himiko & Shdwkyz

@devicus​

Bad Influence // Toni & Amber

Dangerous // Steve & Seb

Hot Tubbin' // Lea & Lana

I'm a Delacour // Adaline & Camille

Live To Party // Farah & MIchael

Snap with Sierra // Sierra & Camden

Stepcest // Kara & Gray

@dorthbaum​

Reincarnated Lovers // Dean & Dorothy

@fclsusrex​

New Visitor // Sonia & Yozora

Tomato Fight // Sonia & Yozora

@fxckingnxrd​

Soft Lips // Bakugo & Deku

Comfort // Bakugo & Deku

Nightmare // Bakugo & Deku

@galaxiism

Birthday Boy // Dominic & Jagger

Caden & Rory

Christian & Jagger

Hugh & Jagger

Klaus & Rory

Rory & Elijah 

@hallowcrown​

A ghost and a vampire // Hal & Sally

Who Sent You? // Hal & Sally

@heartonanoose​

Infamous // Tara & Alu

Kill to Survive // Natalia & Alu

Loners // Stefan & Alu

Truth or Dare // Nick & Alu

@inkdreamt​

A New Meta // Barry & Maddie

A Powerful Mutant // John & Victoria

After Cotillion // Ben & Mal

Another Kryptonian // Kara & Maddie

Another Mermaid // Cleo & Evie

Anything She Wants //  Lea & Kara

Corrupted Ben // Ben & Mal

Done Talking // Avery & Kara

Easter Dinner // Evie & Mal

Fake Girlfriend // Michael & Clara

Famous in Love // Josh & Maddie

Fancy Meeting You Here // Wes & Liv

Forgive Me // Erik & Ondina

Holden and Superhero!Liv

House of El // Kara & Clark

Hurt // Gar & Gwen

Hurt & Angry // Mon-El & Kara

Into the Spiderverse // Brainy & Gwen

Livewire's Apprentice // Livewire & Liv

Mermaid Reunion // Cleo & Emma

New Earth // Miles & Gwen

New York Minute // Holden & Liv

Old Friends // Sebastian & Lilly

Pain in the Ass // Tandy & Ruby

Peter & Mal

Poisoned Mal // Ben & Mal

Quiet Time // Hades & Mal

Return of Lilly // Lilly & Freya

Revisiting Themiscyra // Diana & Maddie

Romantic Evening // Ben & Mal

Seeing Double // Lilly & Harry

Stefan & Elena

Superhero!Maddie and Josh

Surprise Return // Mason & Alex

Survival // Lorna & Victoria 

Thank God You're Breathing // Mason & Alex

The World of Music // Barry & Kara

True Love // Harvey & Sabrina

Vampire Powers Activated // Hope & Lilly

What Do You Think You're Doing? // Ben & Mal

Winter Spirits // Noelle & Evelyn

@loktonphoto​

Shower // Levi & Prompto

You Can Be Useful // Levi & Prompto

@magicallyimpossible​

Drag // Harley & The Professor

Scoot Over // Clara & The Professor

Sit On My Face // Harley & The Professor

New Playmate // Harley & The Professor

Morning Sex // Harley & The Professor

Crisis Averted // Oliver & Lea

@multidivision

A Whole New World // Staz & Kise

Attractive Meme // Kageyama & Tsukishima

Gilthunder and Gowther

Impatient // Kageyama & Tsukishima

Puppy Love // Gilthunder & Gowther

@multiversalmagic​

Cisco & Hestia

Cisco & Aria

Cisco & Aqua

Cisco & Tara

@musesatyourservice​

Accidental Mistletoe // Hayley & Elijah

Ass on Display // Hayley & Elijah

Ass on Display // Lucien & Cami

Carnival Date // Kol & Davina

Comfort After A Nightmare // Elijah & Hayley

Karamel Angst // Kara & Mon-El

Mating Season // Klaus & Camille

Nude Pictures // Klaus & Camille

Oh Bite Me // Kol & Davina

Pinned // Klaus & Camille

Small Closet // Klaus & Camille

Smell of Blood // Klaus & Camille

Snowstorm // Klaus & Camille

Take Off Your Pants // Christian & Hayley

Trapped in a Closet // Hayley & Dean

@naturesloopholed​

Hizzie // Hope & Lizzie

Hosie // Hope & Josie

@paintedragcn​

Old Faces // Hades & Mal

Seduction // Harry & Mal

@prcttypoiscn​

Bucky & Harley

Drunk & Missing You // Mon-El & Kara

Kai & Katherine

Mommy’s Little Monster // Lucy & Harley

Selina & Harley

WinterQuinn

@predictableisnotbad

Bloodbath // Christian & Alice

Damon Royalty AU // Damon & Alice

Dark Kink // Christian & Alice

Familiar // Christian & Alice

From Playful To Possessive // Damon & Alice

Greece Vacation // Christian & Alice

High School Sweethearts // Christian & Alice

Late Night Phone Call // Christian & Alice

Mating Season // Damon & Alice

Need You Now // Christian & Alice

Negative Soulmates // Christian & Alice

Pray For The Wicked // Christian & Alice

Prince Christian // Christian & Alice

Sex Under the Stars // Christian & Alice

Surprise Me // Christian & Alice

Vampire Lover // Christian & Alice

@redemptivexheroics​

Brotherly Reunion // Kol & Henrik

Distracted // Persephone & Poseidon

Do You Knock? // Rebekah & Henrik

Fated Meeting // Hope & Raven

Forgot To Knock // Freya & Kol

New Students // Jackson & Sebastian

Opposing Sides // Natasha & Jake

Persephone's Garden // Hercules & Persephone

Please Remember // Hope & Kol

Singles Night // Riley & Kyle

The Modern World // Hades & Ares

We're Family // Hope & Henrik

Who The Hell Are You? // Hope & Jackson

Young Gods // Persephone & Blake

@storiescfdreams

A Pirate's Life For Me // Harry & Harriet

Children of Hades // Mal & Hadie

Children of the Sea // Uma & Uriella

Like Mother, Like Daughter // Jasmine & Jasura

Mermaid Teachings // Ariel & Aria

Riddle Me This // Chesney & Alice

Sisters At Heart // Ruby & Ginny

Stretch Your Wings // Maeve & Fleur

The Aftermath // Audrey & Preston

The List // Erica & Malia

The Sheriff and Archer // Roland & Skye

Underworld's Royalty // Hades & Persephone 

Voodoo Queen // Freddie & Mal

@strawberrycolaaa​

Childhood Crush // Gou & Sosuke

Future Fish // Rin & Sosuke

@sxcrificx​

Heaven and Hell // Maxxie & Cas

How Badly Do You Want Me // Maxxie & Cas

Oral Sex // Dean & Cas

Pin My Muse // Dean & Cas

The End // Dean & Cas

@tellmeitsadream​

High School Sweethearts // Hugh & Addie

@thecharmingknightemma​

Not Alone // Iris & Emma

A Princess and a Pirate // Killian & Emma

Super Friends // Kara & Emma

@thewxnderer​

Lucy Quinzel, Nice To Meet Ya // Rick & Lucy

@tofeelthecold​

Enzo and Bex

Brothers Salvatore // Stefan & Damonm

@violetxsilverxstark​

Ain't No Crying in the Club // Harley & Kelsey

Breaking and Entering // Harley & Kelsey

Hold Still // Kelsey & Asya

@wicxedxcharming​

Heartbroken // Luciana & Dahlia

Stargazing // Benny & Ben

@youngkopa​

Almost Killed Me // Lizzie & Oliver

It's Safe Here // Josie & Oliver

Lost Stray // Harley & Oliver

Make Me Feel // Lizzie & Oliver

New Roommate // Oliver & Harley

Oliver and Chloe

You're Staring // Josie & Oliver

YOU OWE: let me know if you want to drop any of the following !! i am also willing to move some to discord to make things easier. these threads will automatically be dropped if i don’t get a reply within a month except for those with a ** who have been on hiatus.

@actionrewarded​

School Work // Penelope & Peter ( x )

Upside Down // Josie & Peter ( x )

Tour Guide // Lizzie & Peter ( x )

@amnesiic

Alice & The Mad Hatter // Alice & Jervis ( x )

@bracteatum

Kennedy Cochran, P.I. // Kennedy & Sara ( x )

@daddyxreyes​

Master & Servant // Lucy & Kyon ( x ) ** will be archived temporarily due to hiatus.

@heartonanoose​

Cheryl and Alu ( x )

Don't Let Them See // Hazel & Alu ( x )

Oldest Friends // Jayden & Alu ( x )

Slow Dance // Dick & Alu ( x )

Terrifying // Valerie & Alu ( x )

@inkdreamt

Sorry I Ran Into You // Remi & Maddie ( x )

Travel Back in Time // Kara & Annabelle ( x )

Birthday Girl // Vera & Luciana ( x )

Practice Makes Perfect // Snow & Hope ( x )

Thief In The Night // Mal & Roland ( x )

Found Dog // Neal & Snow ( x )

@lonelybxstards

Aren’t You Afraid // Diana & Chaos? ( x )

Chaotic Good // Harley & Chaos? ( x )

Hot When Angry // Harley & Chaos? ( x )

@galaxiism

Too Much To Drink // Lux & Chase ( x )

@loserbled​ / @hcrlequins​

Mommy's Little Monster // Harley & Lucy ( x )

@mudbirthed

Handosie Threesome // Hope, Landon, & Josie ( x )

Landon & Ava ( x )

Landon & Jo ( x )

@multidivision​

Stolen Sweatshirt // Tsukki & Kageyama ( x )

Can’t Wait // Dean & Tsukki ( x )

Personal Chef // Tsukki & Shinomiya ( x )

Attention // Tobio & Tsukki ( x )

Summer Vacation // Gou & Momo ( x )

@musesatyourservice​​

Christmas Celebrations // Nick & Sabrina ( x )

Broken, Beaten, & Bruised // Steve & Nancy ( x )

One Scratch, Two Scratch // Nick, Nate, & Sabrina ( x )

Nick, Harvey, & Sabrina ( x )

Sweet, But Psycho ( x )

@ofeniigma

Sibling Bonding // Mia & William ( x )

I Own You // E2!Laurel & Felicity ( x )

Taking Care of Laurel // Laurel & Felicity ( x )

Apocalypse Now // Emily & Felicity ( x )

@paintedragcn​

Cold Weather - Penguin // Uma & Mal ( x )

Cold Weather - Santa Hat // Ben & Mal ( x )

Fake Girlfriends // Evie & Mal ( x )

New Villain at Auradon // Harry & Mal ( x )

Listen... // Ben & Mal ( x )

Happy Anniversary // Ben & Mal ( x )

@prcttypoiscn​

Alone // Toni & Cheryl ( x )

Harley & Wade // sms ( x )

Roommates // Ivy &  Cooper ( x )

@predictableisnotbad​

I’m Gonna Show You Crazy // Kai & Alice ( x )

Bad Things // Damon & Alice ( x )

Dance, Dance // Christian, Damon, & Alice ( x )

Newly Turned Vampire // Cristian, Damon, & Alice ( x )

Teacher’s Pet // Christian & Alice ( x )

Dark Kink // Christian & Alice ( x )

High School Sweethearts // Christian & Alice ( x )

Fifty Shades of Grey AU // Christian & Alice ( x )

@redemptivexheroics​

Christmas Party // Aurora & Henrik ( x )

Into the Unknown // Regan & Wyatt ( x )

Anti-Christmas // Kai & Henrik ( x )

Masquerade // Lucien & Ellis ( x )

@sheroaredlouder

Earth & Fire // Tara & Ember ( x )

@strawberrycolaaa​

Old Friends // Nagisa & Rin ( x )

@wicxedxcharming​

Shielded From The Rain // Ruby & Dorian ( x )

DROPPING:

Should've Been You (fcxsinned)

Protect Ban (fcxsinned)

Not Morning (fcxsinned)

Why Him? (fcxsinned)

Butterfingers (licnspride)

Drunken!Sins (licnspride)

Massages (licnspride)

Remarkable (licnspride)

Fairy Children (windscint)

Spanking (windscint)

Extra Special Service (pollutedxdesires)

I'm Fine (fragmntedx)

Home For the Holidays (monsterineveryone)

Gotham City Siren (sarcasmpersonified181)

I’m Your Mother (killersmoakism)

Snow Fairy (killersmoakism)

Brothers (memorystxrs)

Are You Cold? (pinafcl)

On Your Knees (multidivision)

The Hunter & His Wolf (multidivision)

Cook Off (multidivision)

Not Drunk Enough (multidivision)

Pinned (multidivision)

The Boar Hat (multidivision)

Oikawa & Shoyo sms thread (multidivision)

POSSIBLY MOVING TO DISCORD:

all threads with @chooseyourmuse​ & @ocylum​

Elizabeth & Howzer ( x )

Workout Routine // Izuku & Bakugo ( x )

Freaking Me Out // Meliodas & Elizabeth ( x )

New Friends // Gou & Kamina ( x )

Take Me With You // Xi & Colin ( x )

Is That Blood? // Cassandra & Matthew ( x )

Guzma & Alice ( x )

Blushing // Ochaco & Bakugo ( x )

Romantic Dice // Ban & Jericho ( x )

some threads with @multidivision already moved over; not linking bc too much work and they’re already linked in discord.

[redhairedwolfwitch]

Next Generation

Daughter of Laurel Lance & Tommy Merlyn - Y/n Lance-Merlyn - Siren

Daughter of Oliver Queen and Felicity Smoak  - Olivia Smoak-Queen - Green Arrow

Son of Clark Kent & Lois Lane - Conner Kent + Jon Kent - Superboys

Daughter of Dinah Drake & Vincent Sobel - Dory Drake - Canary

Grandson of Barry Allen & Iris West - Bart West-Allen - Impulse

GABRIEL - AI of the ship/van/thingy

A/n: I wanna keep writing this but does anyone find this interesting like at all? Especially if the doppelganger’s of their parents were to show up? 

*Unknown Earth*

“Mum, what’s going on?” You exclaimed as you woke up, being carried by your father to an unknown location.

“We’re sorry sweetie, but we’re doing this to save you.” Your mother Laurel Lance explained as a door opened and you were placed onto a seat next to someone you recognised.

“Liv? Conner? What’s going on? Mum, dad!” You questioned, confused as the door closed.

“Y/n?” 

“Dory!” You exclaimed, trying to reach your girlfriend but your seat-belt stopped you.

“Gabriel what’s going on? This is not cool.” Bart questioned, vibrating in his seat.

“Sorry Mr West-Allen, I am unable to tell you that information.”  Gabriel’s voice echoed over the small ship.

“Something bad is happening.” Liv replied causing everyone to look at her.

“That doesn’t explain much. Where’s Jon?” Conner asked to Gabriel.

“Your brother is unable to reach the ship and is thus with your parents preparing.” Gabriel explained.

“Preparing for what?” Dory enquired causing you to look at her.

“The end of the Earth. The five of you are being evacuated to another Earth.” Gabriel explained.

“What the multiverse is real?” Bart exclaimed, excitedly.

“Which Earth are we being moved to? Are our parents coming?” You asked causing Dory to tense.

“Earth Prime. I’m sorry Miss Lance-Merlyn but your parents are unable to come. The five of you are the only ones being evacuated.” Gabriel replied.

“No! This better be a prank!” You all exclaimed as you felt the ship’s engine turn on, looking out the windows at your parents.

“Oh you have to be kidding me!” Bart exclaimed, spotting the breech opening before the five of you passed out.

///

“Please tell me that was a nightmare.” 

“What? What happened?” Liv grumbled, watching as Conner began to try to open the door.

“Gabriel open the door.” Bart requested, about to phase through it.

“Wait! We don’t know where we are... even if we reached Earth Prime, we don’t know what’s out there...” Dory exclaimed causing you to groan as you stood up, hitting your head on the ceiling. It was a low ceiling.

“Gabriel scan the outside areas and work out where we are please, then we can move to cover and work out our plan from there. No doubt they’ll be doppelgangers of the people we know... knew...” You stuttered, catching Dory’s gaze.

“Let’s just find cover.” Conner replied, the door finally opening.

“Thanks Gabriel.” 

“You’re welcome Miss Lance-Merlyn.”

///

“Where the heck are we?” Liv grumbled, glancing around.

The terrain was crumbly with little light besides the light from your ship-van-thing. 

“Impulse, go scout around but be careful. Earth Prime has speedsters too.” Liv instructed, having suited up into her Green Arrow attire. 

“What about us?” Dory questioned, Liv glancing at her before pulling an arrow from her quiver.

“Superboy... Kryptonians aren’t on this Earth but they know of them. I read in the history books that The Flash ran to Supergirl’s Earth once... just be careful...” Liv replied before turning to you and Dory.

“You two can fix Gabriel and the... we need to name our... ship-van-thingy...” Liv replied causing you to stifle a laugh as Dory grabbed your hand dragging you towards the ship.

“What are you going to do Liv?” Dory questioned as she began to take apart the ship with you working on fixing Gabriel.

“I’m the Green Arrow.”

“Yes because that gives us great insight.”

///

“What do we call this then?” Conner questioned as he pulled the doors apart.

“The Castle sounds awesome.” Bart grinned, munching on a taco.

“Cliche but okay, we can build something from this.” Dory replied with a smirk.

“Are we secure here?” Liv enquired causing you to grin from your seat in the ship.

“Well if you move out of the way I can park the ship and get Gabriel to set up some scans.” 

“You got the steering wheel to work?” Liv asked, intrigued.

“We improved it so we don’t need one.” Dory smirked, moving away from the door as you activated the ships engines.

“Did you figure out a name for the ship?”

“Minibus.”

“Minibus?”

“Its temporary.”

“Welcome to the Castle...”

///

“Guys we’re picking up some weird signals from way south of Star City. Looks like the out lands of Coast City. A breech opened up and something came through but its dead land. No cameras or anything.” Cisco Ramon explained, looking over the readings.

“So we got nothing but breech energy readings?” Barry Allen questioned, crossing his arms in thought.

“Basically.” Caitlin Snow answered, looking over the results next to Cisco.

“We should go check it out...could be someone from another Earth?” Iris suggested causing Nora to pause.

“I have a feeling I know who are here...they’re on time...” Nora replied causing everyone to pause.

“At least some pieces of the timeline are intact.”

“RALPH!”

[ff15trashgoldenslumbers]

So...here we are! And I refuse to believe that Tonberries are bad! Nothing that cute can be evil! And just to prove it! Another Tonton story!

~

As the dust cleared the most recent hunt, Tonton shuffled over picking up the spectacles that fell before him, before calling out in a grunt to the man who had lost them.

“Thank you, Tonton,” Ignis called, kneeling before the only member of the Crown's Gaurd that was not a human.

Tonton let out a pleasing huff as his tail wagged, allowing Olive to scoop him up, knowing that it was faster for them to carry him than himself walking, small legs and all. Noctis had given the little guy Crown’s Guard status and last they ran into Iris she promised to make him an attire like the others so that he didn’t feel left out. Such as before when he wasn’t in the blacks like the rest of his team.

“So what’s for dinner Iggy, I’m starving.” Gladiolus huffed.

“Seeing that our provisions are rather low and it is getting late, we are best having Noct catch us dinner,” Ignis stated.

“No prob,” Noctis called summoning his fishing rod. “You up for it, Prompto, Ton?”

The smallest member cheered as Olive handed him over to Noctis, those two loved their fishing. “You remember where we set up camp?”

“Tonton watch over Noct and Prompto,” Ignis called, rather having Gladiolus or Olive go after them, but Gladiolus still needed to set up the tent and Olive needed to go hunt down some herbs until they could get more potions.

Which is why when only the Prince and Photographer returned just before nightfall without a Tonberry it confused everyone at camp.

“Well, he’s a Tonberry, not many things are going to mess with him out here,” Gladiolus stated, setting down his book.

Olive giggled nudging the man, “You’re just as worried as we are, but Gladdy’s right Tonton’s smart.”

“We did get him use to humans think someone picked him up?” Prompto whined, he was very upset that the little green guy went missing on their watch.

“Nah, you see how he is with new people,” Noctis stated. “He knows where we set up camp, he’ll be back before we know it.”

Still, the next hour dragged on as Ignis prepared dinner, once everyone was served did they hear something coming from the darkness, only to see the familiar haunted eyes of one Royal Lucian Tonberry, waddling towards his group.

“There you are!” Prompto cried rushing over to the little guy, scooping him up as Tonton gave a please squeal at getting attention from Prompto. “You had us, worried buddy.”

Tonton gave another squeal, hugging Prompto, before tapping a freckled cheek and then motioning toward the ground. The blonde placed him down, before he waddled just out of the reaches of their fires glow, waving towards something.

Everyone waited on alert, only to see something waddling towards them, only to stare in shock at the two Tonberry babies before him.

“Wait I thought Tonton was a guy,” Gladiolus stated.

Tonton quickly waddled over to Olive pulling at her pant leg, asking her to come over to the two babies. While Tonton came to rest just below Noctis’s knee, these little ones came to rest at Tonton’s shoulder, if not shorter. They also appeared different, one was green still but had a red cloak, while the other was snow white and had a blue cloak on. Both with very long sleeves that was a surprise they didn’t stumble on when they moved.

“Hi, are you friends of Tonton?” Olive smiled kneeling down, only now noticing the white one had a tear on its sleeve. “Were you hurt?” As she reached out the one in red, reached out igniting a small fire, causing the woman to jump back.

“Olive!” “You okay?”

“I’m fine guys.” She giggled, as Tonton moved over to the smaller ones, assuring them that the woman was fine. Only then did the little white one shuffle forward. “I’m sorry did I scare you? Can I see your arm?”

The little one allowed Olive to pick it up, watching as Tonton and it’s friend followed towards her seat.

“Is this why you disappeared, Pug?” Ignis inquired, missing his chef at his side, as Tonton nodded.

Everyone watched as he moved over to the cooler before pulling out an egg, then pointing towards the two smaller Tonberries.

“They just hatched?” Noctis inquired, as Tonton squealed a yes. “So they really are babies.”

“A baby that almost lite, Liv on fire. They don’t look like Tonberries.” Gladiolus stated, watching the red one, who was staring at Olive with the same golden eyes as Tonton as the other healed the pale one in her lap.

“That’s because they’re not Tonberries,” Prompto replied holding up his phone. “The white one is a Paleberry and the red one is Red BonnetBerry, they use magic instead.”

“There you are little one.” Olive smiled finishing the healing to the small on, giving a mending stitch to the sleeve until Ignis could sew it better. “Feel better?”

The Paleberry cooed, looking at the woman with pale blue eyes, it’s small tail wagging underneath its cloak. Turning to its friend with a coo, as Olive set it down so they could inspect each other.

Tonton than moved over to Ignis looking up with bright golden eyes, almost begging as he let out a grunt for Ignis.

“We’re not keeping them,” Ignis replied staring down the Tonberry before him.

“Ugn.”

Ignis sighed, “All right fine.”

“That quickly Iggy, you losing your edge?” Gladiolus chuckled, as the man moved over to the cooking station filling up Tonton’s plate.

“He makes a very compelling argument,” Ignis replied, as he handed the plate to Tonton, who gave it to the two smaller ones.

The following morning, it wasn’t strange to find the little white one trailing behind Prompto and Ignis as they were always on the move. It even cooed when Prompto picked it up allowing them to see what Ignis was doing at the kitchen table. While the little red one kept an eye on Gladiolus, watching everything the man did with a watchful eye, often scampering away from the man when he turned to it.

It wasn't until everyone was in the car that the little red one seemed to forget it judgment and skittishness it was in awe of the fact of the car. Even being so daring as to sneak in the front seat between Prompto and Ignis.

“Would you like to try?” Ignis asked, raising his arm.

The little red one scampered into his lap, placing their small hands on the wheel like Ignis, standing on tiptoes. Gasping as Ignis lifted them up, so their feet stood on the bottom of the wheel, and they could see out the front.

“Looks like you got it, you’re a much better driver than Noct and Prompto.”

This got the strategist a coo from the Bonnetberry and an offend grunt from the other two.

“I think we should name them if they’re gonna be with us for a bit,” Gladiolus stated, as the little white one sat on the back of the car with Noctis, her little hand holding tightly to Noctis’s jacket so as not to stumble or accidentally get blown from the back of the car.

“We don’t even know what they are.” Olive stated, “We only know Tonton’s a boy because he told us.” She replied referencing when they asked Tonton if he was like Gladiolus or Olive and the little guy pointing towards Gladiolus, this could have also meant that he thought he could take Gladiolus in a fight. “These little ones more than likely don’t know the difference.”

At that moment the ambassador of The Berries woke up from his slumber, poking his head from his carrier with a yawn.

“Morning.” Gladiolus chuckled, as TonTon rubbed an eye. “You wanna help us out, and tell us if these little guys are boys or girls?”

Tonton pointed towards his Moogle charm he got from Iris, then Gladiolus.

“They’re your little sisters?” Prompto asked as Tonton nodded, then pointed to everyone else in the car followed by himself. “You’re gonna take them in like we did you?”

This got the blonde another nod.

“The fact you can understand him is both awesome and terrifying,” Noctis replied, placing a hand on the pale ones back, so she didn’t have to keep clinging to him.

“You said she’s a paleberry and she’s a red bonnetberry?” Olive inquired.

“I believe Ally would be nice for the little paleberry and Bonny for this one here,” Ignis stated, petting the little one's head. “Are you fine with that, Ally, Bonny?”

The two smaller berries let out coos.

With two more berries joining the party, hunts became rather easy, as no one really wanted to tangle with the aggressive fighting style of a regular Tonberry, plus add spell casting berries to the mix, who were learning to use their powers made the battlefield rather dangerous. There were a few times that if someone didn’t get out the way fast enough Bonny might accidentally light them on fire, and Ally ever the sweetheart would try to freeze the flame, accidentally freezing the entire battlefield, which would cause the little Paleberry to panic and tears, as she would cuddle them when they thawed.

Bonny took quite a liking to Gladiolus and often assisted with camping, her job every evening was to start the fire. She was a feisty little thing, and would often fight with Gladiolus, but that only made the duos bond stronger. She also took the role as co-driver, which she took very, very seriously.

While Ally was more sensitive and always enjoyed cuddling, which luckily she wasn’t as chilly as she appeared. She even learned a basic healing spell, not able to heal serious wounds but enough to give comfort until someone could get a potion.

 A backpack was added so that the twins had some place to rest, granted Ally would often sleep in the car’s cooler, surrounding Ignis’s Ebony’s to keep them cool, and handing them out when requested. While Bonny would sleep on the leather seats absorbing the heat.

The duo even got Ignis to make them black cloaks, with a blue hood for Ally and a red one for Bonny.

“Everyone in,” Olive called, as Gladiolus zipped the tent closed. It had started to storm something fierce, fortunately, everyone made it in just as it began to downpour, but dinner was just getting started.

“BonBon mind heating this,” Gladiolus called, pouring a bottle of water into a cup noodle, as the Bonnet Berry wrapped herself around the cup, heating it up.

“Ally,” Ignis called, as the smaller twin climbed into the cooler, flash freezing their suppose dinner so ingredients didn’t go to waste.

“It’s like having our own little kitchen.” Prompto laughed, as Bonny handed him a cup of noodles, while Ally climbed from the cooler, handing a beer to Gladiolus.

The two smaller Berries shrieked as they heard a loud crash of thunder, quickly ducking behind TonTon who petted their backs and heads with soft cooes.

“Poor things.” Olive cooed, only to giggle at another clash of thunder drove the smaller berries to the arms of Noctis and Prompto. “It’s okay, little ones, it’s just a storm.”

As the storm raged on, the duo was placed before Prompto’s phone with Olive’s overhead headphones on to drown out the sound watching a video.

“Maybe we should drop them off with Iris,” Gladiolus replied, this was not the first time that this conversation had come up. “They’re still kids, and we don’t want them to get hurt.”

Tonton nodded, he liked Iris and knew that the smaller Amicitia would protect them.

“The car’s gonna be quieter without them.” Prompto sighed, looking to the two berries huddled together.

“If they’re with Iris, we wouldn’t have to worry about her safety or theirs,” Ignis suggested, as Tonton climbed into his lap. “It’s getting late we’ll discuss this further in the morning.”

As the lanterns turned off for the evening, the two small berries looked towards Tonton as he waddled over sitting beside them, taking up his post of guard. The two removed the headphones as they moved sitting beside their elder brother to join the watch for the evening.

“You’re going to meet Iris tomorrow.”

“Iris?” The younger ones cooed.

“It’s Gladio’s little sister.”

“Like us!” Ally beamed her little blue tail wagging.

“Are we going to be left with her?” Bonny asked.

“Maybe.” Tonton sighed.

“Don’t they like us?” Bonny asked as Ally let out a soft cry.

“Of course, that’s why they want you to go with Iris you’ll be safer, and won’t get hurt,” Tonton explained.

“I like it here.” Ally cried. “I promise not to freeze anyone again.”

“Ally.” Bonny sighed as her little sister stopped her whining. “Is Iris nice?”

“Very,” Tonton called. “You should get some sleep.”

Ally waddled over to Gladiolus, having a little trouble crawling up the man, only to have him in his sleep pull her onto his chest. While Bonny moved over to Ignis snuggling underneath his arm. The two would eventually make it across the tent by morning, but it sucked this was their last night together as a family.

~

“Come on Ally,” Noctis called, as the little Paleberry clung tightly to his shirt, burying her head into his shoulder as she gave her whine of Noctis.

“They’re normally not like this,” Olive replied, trying to help Prompto pull a growling Bonnet Berry from his shirt too.

Tonton waddled over letting out a grunt, as the two immediately let go of the two shirts.

“Don’t be this way,” Ignis replied petting Bonny’s head.

Bonny whined, Ignis was the smart one, he’d want her around.

“I don’t think they want to leave you,” Iris stated.

Tonton stared his little sisters down, as they whined before walking over to Iris, who scooped them up.

“Are you sure you want to leave them?” Iris asked, the two clinging to the young woman.

Olive moved over stroking the two’s back, “We’ll be back soon. Promise.” The woman gasped as both berries jumped from Iris’s arms, hugging the woman tightly, letting out soft cries in her shoulders. “Oh come now don’t cry.” She whimpered tears appearing in her eyes. “You’ll be safer here.”

“We don’t have to leave them here right?” Prompto cried, tears streaming down his cheeks.

“We never did ask them what they want,” Noctis replied.

The two younger berries jumped from Olive’s arms, before quickly waddling over to Ignis and Gladiolus, hugging the tallest’s legs.

Gladiolus groaned, “Looks like we really don’t have a choice.”

“It’s your call Noct,” Ignis replied.

It was lucky that the Regalia was a spacious car, as five humans and three berries made the car a little cramped. Tonton looked over his family, Bonny was taking selfies with Prompto, where she would bounce back over to help Ignis drive later when the man would request an Ebony from Ally, who would with Noctis’s help bounce over to Gladiolus to climb down to the cooler, and get the can which she would chill to the correct temp and hand to Olive to give to Ignis.

Tonton smile as he curled up on Olive’s lap, his family was strange, but they were his.

~~~~

FUN FACTS

Tonton is mostly nocturnal, but the twins are not

A new battle strategy is to pick up the nearest Berry and throw it in the air

Ally gives you a Snow Storm or hail

Bonny gives you firestorms

Tonton gets you a missile of death

Bonny is considered the hothead

But Ally has taken down a courel by herself

You don’t mess with her big brothers!

Everyone learned Bonny is fireproof when she walked into the fire to get a dropped smores

There was a lot of screaming

Like a lot

You don’t understand! There was a lot!

For whatever reason Chocobos aren’t afraid of this group of berry

Tonton will hold the little one's hands so you may have a Bonnetberry holding a lantern and a Paleberry holding a knife

Like a good older brother, he has taught them how to use a knife

This is horrifying to nearly everyone else

Bonny absolutely adores Cor!

Cor is worried that the team keeps gaining Berries

Ally thinks Lunafreya is so pretty!

She has a characterized pin on that backpack that is of Oracle

Gladiolus gave each of them a nickname

Tonton: Little Fucker

Bonny: Smaller Fucker

Ally: Snowball

When asked why Ally doesn’t have a name that matches the others Gladiolus stated

She’s the good one

They both have little dresses because they wanted to have fancy clothes like Big Brother Tonton

Iris makes 90% of them

They pay Iris with their share of the money from hunts

Bonny doesn’t like people touching the Regalia!

They have to go through her first!

Looking at you Cindy!

She will set you on fire!

The berries love cuddles! 

Strange considering most Tonberry aren’t social

Depending on the weather, either Ally or Bonny will act as A/C or a heater

TonTon has taught the twins how to scare Gladiolus

Gladio will wake up in the middle of the night to two golden eyes staring at him, so he’ll roll over and has woken the team up when meeting the glowing blue pair 

The blue eyes only woke up because her bedding shifted and woke her up.

She didn’t mean to scare him

Both Tontoon and Bonny have agreed

Gladiolus is a beautiful soprano

[stwrryniight-a]

❛ ░ ✰ ˙˖ astrid’s to do list ❜

❝ ———  ♡ replies ❞

azad’s reply

olivia’s reply

dara’s reply

nevada’s reply

nick m’s reply

marjorie’s reply

noah’s reply

pandora’s reply

rhaenyra’s reply

ana clara’s reply

paris’s reply

❝ ———  ♡ starters❞ 

nicholas r’s starter

marine’s starter

❝ ———  ♡ blogs ❞ 

sweet pea’s blog

leonie’s blog

yoosik’s blog

seojoon’s blog

crimson’s blog

cyrus blog

❝ ———  ♡ plots ❞ 

vmin

laystal

❝ ———  ♡ chats ❞ 

se alguma de vocês vier a, de certa forma, se sentir exposta, prometo retirar seu nome, okay?? é só dizer e, sim, sou esquecida ao ponto de reservar um espaço na minha to do list para os chats, quando digo que sou um trash nele não é brincadeira djskjsdks, olhem a quantidade e me digam:

iris

kitty

star ( desculpa qq )

cecilia

jon

lully ( discord )

harry

liv

winter

harlcsquinn

vivi

meng

❝ ———  ♡ others ❞ 

responder ask memes

finalizar hemlock grove

atualizar a muse page

mudar o theme

[leofemt]

milk, no sugar

"I heard you like Broadway," Carisi starts awkwardly. This is an awful, awful idea.

"Occasionally." Barba doesn't give anything away, setting his coffee down and fiddling with what looks like a bouquet-in-progress. It reminds Carisi of a creamsicle, or something, bright orange and soft white petals, accented with greenery.

"Hey, that's cool, New York City and all that." Carisi blusters, and he doesn't know why he's tripping over his words now. Maybe something of what Rollins said yesterday's gotten into his head.

barisi, barista/florist au, 7.3k words. 

on ao3.

Carisi yawns as he unlocks the door to the coffee shop. The street is still dark, the occasional car speeding by.

"Dodds?" He calls, re-locking the door behind him. The light in the back room is on, filtering through the cracks around the door. He flicks the lamp on the front counter on, not wanting to turn on the main lights just yet.

"Yeah!" Dodds replies through the door. "Hey, Carisi, good timing. Come help me with this."

Carisi frowns, quickly turning on the coffee machine, hearing its familiar stutter, and opening the door to the back room.

"Yeah?" He says, and his eyes widen, taking in the scene in front of him. He laughs. "Dodds, what-"

Dodds frowns at him.

"Shut up, just help me." He mutters. There's flour on the floor and an explosion of sticky dough on the counter. "I was trying a new sticky bun recipe, and the Cusinart-"

Carisi chuckles and rolls up his sleeves.

"Figures, my opening shifts I end up with the new guy." He says, and Dodds huffs.

"You were the new guy two months ago." He replies, scraping dough off the marble counter with a piece of plastic. He glances over. "You should've put on an apron, Carisi."

Carisi grumbles, because Dodds is right. There's already flour and sticky, drying yeast on his shirt.

"I'll put an apron on over it, or something," He says.

"That's disgusting," Dodds says.

"It's your fault." Carisi pinches his lips.

Dodds sighs.

"Yeah, okay. I'll lend you my spare shirt." He offers, and Carisi mumbles an acceptance, placated. They clean up as best they can, but at some point Dodds has to put those buns in the oven, or Carisi will be opening a coffee shop with no pastries.

There's a knock at the front door. Carisi's head shoots up.

"Hold on, I'll get that." He says, rushing to the sink, scrubbing his hands as quickly as possible. "Liv's still on vacation, right? Did Rollins forget something?"

Dodds shrugs.

The knocking gets sharper. Carisi hisses as the water turns too hot. He shuts off the tap.

"Coming!" He shouts. His gaze swivels to Dodds. "Get those buns in the oven, yeah?"

Dodds looks at him.

"Technically I'm more experienced than you, Carisi." He says, working the dough under his hands without looking down. "Y'know."

Carisi makes a shooing motion with his hands.

"Yeah, I know, whatever," he replies, wiping his hands and all but sprinting to the door to the front end, bursting out of it. "Rollins? Is that-"

It's not Rollins. Fucking Christ, it's the guy, Carisi blinks, the guy from across the street- the florist in the apron with the sharp hair and the weird ties, and he's scowling through the glass.

Carisi jolts out of his trance and fumbles to open the door.

"Uh." He says. "Can I help you?"

It's snowing outside. Carisi can see why the guy's understandably grumpy. Snowflakes are gathering on the shoulders of his coat, and he glances meaningfully at the warm, dimly lit interior of the cafe.

"Uh." Carisi repeats. "Yeah, come in. You're-"

"Rafael Barba." The guy says, brushing off his shoulders, stepping inside. "I work across the street-"

"-at the florist's, yeah." Carisi finishes, and Barba looks startled, like he's never been interrupted mid-sentence before. "Liv's gone over there a couple times, whaddya need?"

Barba looks slowly over the dough-sticky front of Carisi's shirt.

"I thought Liv usually works Sunday mornings." He says. "Who are you?"

"Oh, Liv's vacation leave starts today." Carisi replies, crossing his arms over his front self-consciously. "She's goin' to the Bahamas, or something. With her mystery suitor."

Barba frowns.

"Was that today?" He mutters.

"Didja need something?" Carisi asks again, awkwardly, and Barba looks back up at him. He shakes his head.

"No, I think I'm fine." He says. "I needed to talk to Liv, but if she's not here-"

He motions towards the door.

"Right." Carisi says. "Uh, here, I'll get the door."

Barba nods succinctly, gathering himself. Carisi sees him leave without a goodbye.

~~~~~~

It's not until an hour later Carisi remembers he'd forgotten to introduce himself.

Damn, he thinks, the chance to tell the attractive guy across the street his name- all he knows about Barba is that he's a florist, he likes Broadway musicals, and he takes his coffee with some kind of milk but no sugar. He likes to come in when Liv is on duty. She knows how to make his coffee right.

He shakes himself out of it. Dodds clatters another tray of scones on the counter, and Carisi pulls on his latex gloves and puts the rest into the glass display case- it's ten minutes to opening. This is his first shift without Liv or Rollins or Fin to watch his back. His hands shaking may or may not have something to do with the three espressos he's already had, just to psych himself up. He's going to crash so, so badly this afternoon.

"Make me a frappe before we open?" Dodds jokes, and Carisi rolls his eyes. "I'll settle for an espresso shot."

Carisi hits the button. Dodds downs the cup. The sun's started to rise outside, so Carisi turns the main lights on, seeing the coffee shop come to life. In half an hour, it'll be full of people looking for their morning caffeine fix.

~~~~~~

Carisi sees Barba hand a bouquet of sunflowers to a young, redheaded woman outside the front of his shop, and sighs. His cheek is propped up on his palm.

"Barba?" Dodds looks ac Carisi, then Barba out the window, then back again. "Really?"

"Hey!" Carisi protests. "Listen-"

Dodds holds up a hand.

"Nevermind. I don't want to hear it." He says on second thought, shaking his head. Carisi's protests die on his tongue- it's not like he has thing for the guy, outside of him looking cute in an apron. He's kind of an asshole. Right? Carisi wonders what makes that kind of guy decide to run a flower shop.

The crowd has died down. All their customers are either the hipster-looking type, who tap away on their Macbooks at the small tables in the front of the shop, or take their drinks to-go.

"You could ask Liv to put in a good word," Dodds offers.

Carisi buried his head in his hands.

"It's not a job recommendation or something, Dodds." He says, voice muffled in his fingers. "Just..."

Dodds pats him on the back.

"You're lucky you're engaged." Carisi sighs.

~~~~~~

Rollins comes to relieve Carisi after six hours of scribbling names on cups and pressing well-worn buttons on the behemoth silver coffeemaker behind the counter. She ties her apron behind her back and cracks some joke about Fin's perpetual lateness, and Carisi washes up, gratefully.

"I'll get your shirt back tomorrow." Carisi promises Dodds. He purses his lips. The shirt hangs baggy on him, because yeah, sue him, he doesn't have the other man's strong biceps or thick chest. He has a slim figure. Not weedy. Lean.

"You alright, Carisi?" Rollins looks up at him. "Earth to space cadet."

"Hey, I'm at least an astronaut." Carisi protests. "Dodds is the cadet."

Rollins laughs, and draws a dog's face in the foam of the latte she's making for herself.

"Excuse me." A voice from Carisi's elbow. Carisi almost jumps out of Dodds's shirt.

"Jesus." He exhales, pressing a palm to his chest, swiveling around. "Barba, you scared the-"

"Hey, Barba." Rollins interrupts, smiling her southern-belle smile. "Need a pick-me-up?"

Barba sighs and pinches the bridge of his nose, his forehead wrinkling.

"Yes, please." He groans. "The usual. If I see one more iris I'm going to go insane."

"How is it everyone knows Barba's usual but me?" Carisi wonders aloud.

"Because he makes a point to come in when Liv or I are working." Rollins jokes, pouring steamed milk into a to-go cup. "Barba doesn't like learning new faces."

"Don't make me out to be some... antisocial hobgoblin." Barba snarks, crossing his arms, but he won't look directly at Carisi.

Rollins shrugs.

"I mean, you play the part." Rollins fires back. "I still don't like you, and I've been working across the street from your shop for three years."

Barba rolls his eyes.

"I ordered coffee, not your opinions." He says, taking his wallet from his back pocket and rifling through it for a fiver. "I should get a refund for having to listen to insults."

Rollins pushes his coffee across the counter. The name scribbled on the side is 'hobgoblin'. Barba stares at it distastefully before, apparently, deciding that his need for caffiene trumps his petty instincts, and picking it up.

"Keep the change." He deadpans, turning around and walking out of the shop. Carisi tracks his back with his eyes. Dodds raises his eyebrows.

"He's a ray of sunshine." Dodds says.

Rollins laughs.

"Just wait 'til you see him at the street small-business meetings." She says. "He's like a lawyer, or something. That's why the light in front of our shops never stays out for more than a day when it goes out, 'cause he gets what he wants at the municipality meetings."

Carisi groans. Rollins gives him a funny look. Great. Barba is hot, smart, and a sarcastic dick. He has really stellar taste.

~~~~~~

"The shop holding up while I'm not there?" Liv's voice is tinny through the speakers. Rollins, Fin, Carisi, and Dodds are crowded around the phone. The last customers are filtering out of the door, and it's almost time to close up- Carisi had left around lunchtime, run some errands, checked up on Bella on his niece, but Rollins had suggested they all try the new burger joint down the street, so he shows back up at the coffee shop around closing time.

"As well as we can." Fin says with a chuckle. "Enjoy your vacation, but come back soon, Liv."

"Noah alright with your sister and Lucy?" Liv asks, and Rollins smiles.

"As well as they can be." She laughs. "Hey, Kim's come pretty far after she started getting therapy and meds, and you've got a good sitter in Lucy. There's not a lot of sitters who'll stay in a house they're not familiar with for an entire week."

Benson sighs.

"Yeah, I know." She says, but she sounds happy. "Heard Barba came in again."

Carisi speaks up.

"Yeah, didja know he avoids us newbies?" He says, faking an offended voice. "Shoulda seen the look on Dodds' face."

"Yeah?" Liv chuckles. "Well, I'll be sure to call him and tell him to apologize to Dodds."

"I'm right here, you know." Dodds says.

"Anyways." Rollins interrupts, giving Carisi a look. "We won't keep you. Go have fun with your mysterious friend."

"Yeah, who're you with?" Fin pipes up, but Liv only laughs.

"I'll call again later." She says. "Text me if anything happens."

They say their goodbyes. Liv hangs up. Carisi sees Barba locking up his shop across the street, back illuminated by the setting sun- the navy snowclouds from this morning have cleared, and now the sky is flooded with the shades of roses and tropical fruit smoothies. Barba and the nice girl who works the front desk who sometimes comes in to pick up two coffees- her name reminds Carisi of caramel, but he's so wiped he can't pull it from the reserves of his memories-, one with steamed milk, one caramel-something-frappe, are pulling the display carts bursting with flowers into the shop.

"Let's get dinner!" Rollins says, beaming. She seems a lot happier now that Kim's working her program and she can focus her energy on Jesse. No more gambling, no more heavy drinking, just her and her sister and her baby and her dog and maybe her friends at the coffeehouse- she seems... well-adjusted. Carisi's happy for her.

"Yeah, Carisi's paying." Fin says, grinning, and Carisi starts.

"Hey, wait-" He says.

"I'm down with that." Dodds laughs. Carisi starts to wish he had better friends.

~~~~~~

Carisi wakes up the next morning sprawled on the floor. It's dark. There's a tapping sound.

"Fuck." He groans. "Fuck."

Beside him, someone shifts.

"Carisi?" Dodds mutters. "What the fuck-"

"Yeah, yeah, Ma, I'm comin'..." Carisi mumbles. The tapping sound is getting louder. He throws an arm over his eyes. At least it's still dark.

"Hey." Dodds slaps him. "Carisi. What's that noise."

"God, don't ask me." Carisi groans.

After a moment, he forces himself to sit up. God, Rollins and Fin must have goaded him and Dodds into drinking more than advisable last night. He definitely needs to get better friends.

"What!" He shouts, rubbing his eyes, and Dodds smacks him again and hisses to shut up. They're both so, so hungover. Carisi gets to his feet and goes to the door, because they're on the floor of the coffeehouse. This can't be sanitary.

He stares unseeingly out of the glass door.

Barba stares back at him. His tapping against the glass doesn't stop.

"Barba." Carisi groans when he comes back to his senses, and of course the cute guy across the street has to see him. He opens the door.

"Carisi." Barba says, deadpan.

"Barba." Carisi mumbles again. "Sorry."

He's not quite sure why he's apologizing, but in front of Barba, with his perfect tie-shirt-accessory combo and his sharp ears and his nice figure under an apron, he feels a little like a slob. Probably because he's just woken up from drunk-sleeping on the floor.

"I got a note." Barba says, looking down at the paper in his hands. "Stuck under my shop's door."

Carisi blinks, non-comprehending.

"The newbies got out of control last night, so we left them in the store, because I don't know where they live." Barba reads aloud. "If they're still there when you open up, make sure they're not dead. Rollins."

Carisi wishes he did die.

"Carisi!" Dodds shouts from the floor. "Shut the door, you're letting in a draft."

"Well." Barba says, folding up the note. "You're both alive. I'll take my leave."

"Uh," Carisi says, before he can rein in his runaway tongue. "Can I get you coffee?"

Barba pauses in the act of turning away.

"On the house." Carisi continues, slightly desperate. "God, I need some coffee."

Barba apparently can't refuse free coffee, because he makes a noise and steps inside. Carisi gratefully closes the door behind him, remembers that he's still wearing Dodds' shirt, goddamnit, tells Barba to make himself at home and turns the lights on. He leans down to shake Dodds.

"Hey. Dodds." He mutters. "Get up, you need to make the stuff, coffee, c'mon-"

Dodds groans and rolls over. Carisi kicks him lightly and heads into the staff bathroom.

He rolls up his sleeves and splashes water on his face, gets some on his shirtfront- god, neither he nor Dodds have spare clothes here anymore- and heads back to the front. Barba is sitting at one of the stools by the front of the counter.

"Awake yet?" Barba says critically. Carisi grumbles assent.

"Dodds." The other man is sitting up, rubbing his face. "Hey, go to your place and get a couple shirts, would ya?"

"Yeah, you owe me two shirts now." Dodds mutters, rubbing his temple. He rifles around in his pockets for his apartment keys. Luckily, he lives only three blocks down, and this is a safe enough area that he won't get jumped for walking around before sunup.

Carisi turns on the coffee machine. He glances apologetically at Barba.

"Sorry," he says, "give it a minute to warm up."

Barba shrugs.

"I don't have that much prep work before I have to open the shop." He says offhandedly.

Carisi frowns.

"But you're here at, like, 5 am every day." He wonders, opening the fridge and looking for something to drink to take the edge off. There's juice for smoothies, and he pours himself a cup, swallowing the entire glass.

Barba doesn't reply. Carisi doesn't register the silence until his brain starts working marginally more because of the sugar in the orange juice and he does, and he looks up.

Barba's flushed. Or maybe it just looks that way in the dim light.

"Uh." Carisi says. "I mean, I guess flowers gotta be checked on too."

"Yes." Barba replies shortly.

Carisi gets the milk out of the fridge and puts it through the frother. Coffee with frothed milk for Barba, two espresso shots with a shot of caramel syrup for him. He slides Barba's drink over the counter and takes a sip of his own- it's still scalding hot, and he grimaces.

The silence is awkward. Carisi tries to dig through his subconscious, through the blaring headache, for a conversation topic, but he's got nothing. He sighs and rubs his temple.

"Do you want some aspirin?" Barba says abruptly.

Carisi blinks and looks up.

"Uh." He says. "What?"

Barba turns his head to the side. His shirt collar tightens around the front of his neck.

"Aspirin." He repeats, fishing a bottle out of his pocket. "I thought... whoever was here might appreciate some."

Carisi stares at him. Barba glances at him. His eyes are green in the low light.

"Oh." Carisi startles. "Thanks. I'll, uh, tell Dodds when he gets back, too."

Barba makes a noise and goes back to his coffee. Carisi hesitantly reaches across the counter, like he's expecting Barba to hiss and bat his hand away like a cat or something, grabs the little white bottle that has his headache relief in it and pops two pills with a gulp of coffee- he's seen those weird studies that say don't mix caffeine and pills, but he'd done it plenty of times in college, so once or twice can't hurt.

"Thanks," Carisi says again, for lack of anything better to say.

"Mm." Barba says. "You guys make the only decent coffee within two blocks, so it's in my best interests to keep you around."

Carisi laughs. It makes his head twinge, but the painkiller and coffee is doing its job.

"Yeah, I'd say somethin' nice about your place, too, but I dunno flowers." He chuckles, and Barba levels a deadpan look at him.

"I'm not surprised." Barba says.

"Hey!" Carisi exclaims, then winces, because his own voice hurts his head. Lowering his voice, he says, "I'm, y'know, classy."

Barba looks at him.

"Sure." He doesn't sound convinced. Carisi frowns.

"Seriously." Carisi insists. "Any fancy coffee-drink you can think of, I can make it. I might not know flowers, but I know coffee-"

The bell above the door jingles, and Dodds walks back in.

"Hey." He says, interrupting Carisi and Barba's stare-off. "Clothes, Carisi."

He tosses a change of clothes to Carisi behind the counter- light blue, standard collared shirt, and black slacks- and strides off to the bathroom to change.

"God." Carisi groans. "Dodds' clothes are too big."

Barba's avoiding his eyes. He looks like he has something on the tip of his tongue, but doesn't want to spit it out. Carisi glances at him, then away again.

Dodds comes back out of the bathroom.

"Is there coffee?" He mutters. "My head hurts."

"Yeah, and painkillers, courtesy of Barba." Carisi gestures at the counter, where Dodds' usual- milk coffee with hazelnut- sits next to the little white bottle Barba had brought.

"Thanks, Barba." Dodds sighs. Carisi takes his turn changing in the bathroom, tries as hard as he can to tuck the shirt into the pants, even though it's still too baggy, and washes his face again.

He walks back out to see Barba draining the rest of his coffee, saying he has to go- something about flowers and Carmen arriving soon, which Carisi remembers suddenly is the florist's frontwoman's name- and waves him out the door and into the dark street, watching the warm front of his shop light up.

"Y'know, he stopped chatting when you went to change." Dodds remarks. "Should I be offended?"

Carisi scowls at him.

~~~~~~

It's not until later that Carisi remembers he had never told Barba his name, yet the other man had addressed him as "Carisi". Despite Rollins not naming names in the note.

Maybe Olivia had mentioned him. He tries to let it go.

~~~~~~

Noon can't come fast enough.

"Fuck you," Sonny says. Rollins laughs at him.

"Hey, you fell asleep halfway down the street." She snorts. "I don't know where your apartment is, what am I supposed to do?"

"Dodds' apartment is only, like, three blocks from here, you know." He grumbles. "You coulda dropped me there."

"I didn't know that." Rollins shrugs, still smiling.

"Not funny." Carisi crosses his arms.

~~~~~~

Carisi isn't working morning shift the next day, so he sleeps in, restocks his fridge, goes for a run- his apartment is empty, but whenever he wants company, he goes to the coffeehouse or Bella's apartment. Or, hell, Staten Island.

He walks into the coffeehouse for his afternoon shift markedly less tired, without a headache. Rollins tells him to wipe the dopey grin off his face.

"That's just how my face is," Carisi protests.

Rollins and Fin take off, and it's up to Carisi and Dodds again.

It's a slow hour. By 3 pm, the lunch rush is over, and Carisi leans over the counter, chewing on a toothpick.

The bel jingles again, and Carisi looks up- it's Carmen, looking gorgeous as ever.

"Hey, Carmen." Dodds says.

"Hey, Mike." She smiles. "Two coffees, please, the usual."

Carisi starts on Carmen's regular immediately- black, strong, sweet with vanilla syrup for winter, and something iced, blended, minty in the summer- but hovers over Barba's. He thinks to their conversation yesterday.

"Carmen." Carisi says, looking at her. "Think Barba would kill me if I changed his order up a bit?"

Carmen looks at him.

"It's your grave." She shrugs, smiling. Carisi laughs.

"My treat. In case he gets grumpy over it." He says, and now that he's been given free reign, he scrawls Barba's name on a cup and thinks it over. Barba orders non-sweetened with frothed milk every time, which smacks of someone who hates to lose routine. He decides to find a happy medium. The same dark roast Barba prefers, a light pump of mint syrup, hot milk, and whipped cream- nothing complicated, but enough to test the waters of change. He caps it and smiles to himself.

~~~~~~

Carmen comes back twenty minutes later with a note.

"A note?" Carisi says incredulously. "What is he, five?"

Carmen rolls her eyes.

"You're lucky it's slow at the shop, and I agreed to deliver it." She sighs. "I'm not an errand girl."

"Right." Carisi says. "Muffin? My treat."

He's been buying a lot of stuff for the flower shop across the street recently. He tries not to think about it, or the hit his paycheck's gonna take.

Then again, working at Liv's shop has better pay than most coffee shops around the city.

~~~~~~

Carisi,

I don't know what compelled you to change my order. It wasn't objectionable. Free coffee is certainly not objectionable.

Barba (212)483-2848

~~~~~~

Carisi texts Barba later that day.

"Not objectionable?" he says.

"Carisi." Barba replies.

"Am I the last one to get your number?" Carisi asks.

"Except for Dodds." Barba says. "Rollins texts me when there's spare scones."

"Sweet of her." Carisi laughs.

~~~~~~

The next day, Carisi's working morning again. He sees Barba pulling his carts and displays out to the front again, explosions of color muted in the navy blue of the early morning.

Dodds sets another pan of cookies on the counter, moving them to the glass display case. Carisi inhales blissfully. His hand sneaks over to the tray.

"Hey." Dodds glares at him.

Carisi scoffs.

When he looks up again, Barba is looking directly into the window, at them. He raises his hand and waves. Barba doesn't wave back, but turns back to his flowers. Carisi wonders what it would be like to get a bouquet from Barba.

~~~~~~

Carmen comes in a little before noon, before Rollins comes to relieve Carisi, and he tries not to jump like he's been waiting for her.

"Hey, Carmen!" He exclaims, grinning.

"Carisi." Carmen smiles wryly. "You should've seen the look on Mr. Barba's face when he tasted your drink."

"You didn't tell him?" Carisi laughs.

She winks and shakes her head.

"Something new today?" She asks.

Carisi grins at her, and the noon rush is starting to come in but he wants to make Barba's drink, first. Today: caramel, chocolate, medium roast, frothed milk. It's nice to have someone he can guinea-pig his drinks on. He doesn't know by what twist of fate it's the hot florist from across the street, who, a week ago, didn't even know his name.

~~~~~~

"Decent." Barba texts. "Needs more of a kick."

Carisi snorts.

"Spicy?" He replies. "Didn't take you for that kinda guy, Barba."

~~~~~~

The next day: horchata mocha coffee with cinnamon and a dash of chili powder after browsing the internet for mexican mole recipes.

The day after that: mango, passionfruit, hazelnut. The sweetest yet, but Barba doesn't complain. He has a sweet tooth, according to Carmen.

And after that: honey, blueberry syrup, classic dark roast. It smells like flowers and coffee, and Carisi almost laughs, wondering if Barba can even smell it because he spends all day with his flowers.

~~~~~~

"Why don't you send him something back, boss?" Carmen smiles. Barba scoffs.

"It's nothing." He says. "A convenient arrangement. Besides, I'm pretty sure he's seeing Dodds."

Carmen pauses.

"Dodds." She says. She follows Barba's motions with her eyes.

~~~~~~

Two weeks of exchanging coffee and texts, and Carisi's been watching Barba from the window of the shop every morning he's on duty. He props his cheek up on his palm. At least Liv's back from vacation, pushing paper in her office. Fin sucks at managing finances.

"Jesus." Dodds comes up behind him, covered in flour as always. "Just ask him out, Carisi. This is getting painful."

"Hey." Carisi protests. "You took, like, a month to ask Alice to marry you."

"Yeah, because that's a lifelong commitment, not 'hey, wanna get coffee somewhere that's not here?'" Dodds deadpans.

Carisi sighs.

"As if." He bites into a scone.

Dodds glances at him.

"He's a single florist." He says incredulously. "Carisi-"

"Alright, alright. Jeez," Carisi interrupts, standing up and waving his hands at Dodds, "if you're giving me advice, my life must really suck."

~~~~~~

"Barba thinks what?" Dodds says, shaking his head. "Jesus, he and Carisi are a perfect match. Can't read the situation at all."

Carmen shrugs.

"That's my boss," she says, heaving a sigh. "He keeps shooting down people who insist on using weirdly obscure flower language in their bouquets, because it looks awful."

Dodds snorts.

"Well." He replies. "Tell Barba that I'm happily engaged, thank you very much."

~~~~~~

Barba comes in to get his coffee in person, one day.

"Barba." Liv says, behind the counter. "Where's Carmen? The usual?"

Barba blinks.

"Liv." He says. "Carisi usually works Monday mornings."

Benson narrows her eyes.

"Good morning to you, too." She says, a smile sliding up her face. "Looking for Carisi?"

"Not in particular." Barba lies.

"Dodds tells me you get along well." She continues.

"He's mistaken." Barba grumbles. "No need for him to get jealous."

Benson frowns.

"Jealous?" She asks.

"Aren't they together?" He snorts.

She bites back a laugh.

"Dodds? And Carisi?" She can't stifle her chuckling. "Barba, you know Dodds has been engaged for around three months, right?"

Barba blinks.

"Dodds and Carisi are engaged?" He asks, and Benson levels a disbelieving look at him.

"I don't know how you can pull out all those fancy rhetoric explaining why our street should get re-paved, but not have a social bone in your body." She sighs. It's not even that he's bad with people- Barba just doesn't like them. He's abrasive and snippy. He could be a real force to be reckoned with if he put in his pound of flesh with societal niceties.

Barba stares at her. He's drawn the conclusion himself.

"Carisi took a sick day." Benson smiles. "He has the flu."

~~~~~~

"The flu?" Barba texts.

"Worried about me?" Carisi replies within ten minutes.

"Sure." Barba says, sarcastic. "Maybe I'll go ballroom dancing with a panda tomorrow, while we're on the subject of unrealistic situations."

"Categorical denial, Barba?" Carisi laughs. "Thou dost protest too much..."

"Didn't know you could read classics." Barba snarks. "Out of character?"

"Offensive." Carisi replies. "I'm very educated, thank you."

~~~~~~

"I think Barba likes you." Rollins raises her eyebrows at Carisi.

"Fat chance." Carisi scoffs, wiping down the counter, ignoring how the idea makes his heart flutter in his chest. Rollins has taken Dodds' shift today, because she wanted the overtime. "Besides, how d'ya know he's not straight?"

Rollins looks at him.

"I'm going to forget you said that, because I don't believe in stupid questions." She says. "And it took me, what, three months for him to even work with me? A week after he starts talking to you, you're texting and making him custom coffee."

"Hey, I offered to make you guys custom coffee too." Carisi objects.

"Just go for it." Rollins tilts her head to the side. "Maybe if Barba were getting it on a regular basis, he'd be less pissy."

"Jesus, Rollins." Carisi groans.

Rollins puts her hands up in a gesture of surrender.

"I'm just saying!" She exclaims, smiling. "I've been here since he moved into the shop. He's never dated, never comes to street hangouts, doesn't socialize with the neighbors unless he gets something out of it. And now," she shrugs, "he texts you for coffee every day."

~~~~~~

When Carisi comes in to open up the next day, there's a vase of flowers on the counter.

"Uh." Carisi says. "Dodds?"

"Yeah." Dodds calls from the back room, where he's making the dough again.

"Where did these come from?" Carisi asks hesitantly. He locks he door behind him.

Dodds pokes his head out of the doorway to the back room.

"Barba dropped them off." He says. "Says he felt bad about getting free coffee all the time."

Carisi scoffs.

"Sure." He unlocks the register. "Barba, feeling guilty about something."

"Unless you want to believe there's another reason." Dodds says, and there's a light tone to his voice. Carisi scowls.

"Lay off." He mutters. The flowers are poking out of a blue ceramic water pitcher Carisi remembers seeing in the storage closet- Dodds must have gotten it out. Sunflowers and ivy and tiny white dewdrops.

~~~~~~

"Thanks for the flowers." Carisi messages. "Unusually generous."

"Unusually?" Barba replies within five minutes. "Should I be offended?"

"Didn't you call yourself an 'antisocial hobgoblin'?" Carisi texts, even though he knows Rollins is the one who brought that up.

Barba doesn't respond.

~~~~~~

Carisi doesn't wait for Carmen that day. Two coffees in hand, he hovers outside the doorway, taking in the colors of the blossoms.

There's a bell above the door. It jingles when he enters.

"I'll be right with you." Barba's voice comes from the back of the room.

"Uh, yeah, no rush." Carisi calls out. The interior of the shop is warm, with winter sunlight flooding in from the front windows, walls painted a light green. Every surface inside the room is covered in bursting blooms of every color.

Barba's head pokes out of behind a row of orange and white flowers.

"Carisi?" He says. "What are you doing here?"

"Uh, Liv sent me over to bring coffee." He says, and that's not technically a lie. "She said it's on her today."

"Fantastic." Barba gets up from kneeling on the floor, and god, he is cute in an apron, but Carisi shakes himself before the thought can go any further. "The usual, or one of your concoctions?"

Carisi laughs.

"She made it herself." He says. "Said she almost forgot how to use the machine, between moving up to co-owning the cafe and being on vacation."

"A classic Benson brew." Barba sighs in relief, taking the cup. "Is that for Carmen?"

"Yeah, I made it, thought she might want a pick-me-up too." Carisi replies, looking around. "She out?"

"Making a delivery across town." Barba says, taking a sip.

Carisi shifts weight between his feet.

"So," he says.

Barba looks up.

"Hmm?" He asks.

"I heard you like Broadway," Carisi starts awkwardly. This is an awful, awful idea.

"Occasionally." Barba doesn't give anything away, setting his coffee down and fiddling with what looks like a bouquet-in-progress. It reminds Carisi of a creamsicle, or something, bright orange and soft white petals, accented with greenery.

"Hey, that's cool, New York City and all that." Carisi blusters, and he doesn't know why he's tripping over his words now. Maybe something of what Rollins said yesterday's gotten into his head.

~~~~~~

"What are you doing?" Rollins asks. The door to the bakery in the back room is propped open by a bag of sugar, and Rollins is wrist-deep in a bowl of cookie dough.

"Concentrating." Sonny says, biting on his tongue, trying to remember if he's getting the pour-over technique right. He's a barista, for god's sake, he should be able to do a simple pour-over, but the fact that they have a perfectly good machine combined with his nervousness over trying something even more new with Barba's coffee is starting to get to him.

"That's some hipster shit," Rollins says.

"Yeah, no kiddin'." Carisi mutters. "It's not like we work in a coffeehouse, Rollins."

Rollins shrugs, kneads her dough a little more before turning the bowl upside down onto the stainless steel countertop and dumping it out in a lump, rifling around in the shelf under the counter for the rolling pin.

"Where the hell does Dodds keep hiding the rolling pins?" She complains. She's justified. Dodds has the weirdest habit of rearranging kitchen supplies.

"Try the cabinet above the sink." Carisi suggests, not looking up, arm moving in consistent circles. "Think I should try cold brew this summer?"

"Sure." Rollins says distantly, and there's a banging sound from where she's acting on Carisi's suggestion. "Our clients are hipsters, right? That seems like it would go over well."

"Not so loud, Jesus." Carisi hisses, glancing at the clientele. "Even New Yorkers can hear you talkin' shit about them."

Rollins covers her mouth and shrugs, grinning. Carisi rolls his eyes.

"Anyways." He says, finishing with his pour-over, sighing. "Think I should go with almonds and cream today, or something else?"

"Fancy coffee for Barba again?" Rollins asks. "Why don't you just invite him in here? You could make something other than the standard grande cup size."

Carisi folds his arms across his chest.

"Yeah, that would go well." He snarks. "Hey, Barba, want to come hang out with me? What am I, seven?"

"Carisi, I'm pretty sure that guy would do anything for free coffee." Rollins deadpans.

"That makes it worse." Carisi says, morose. "What if he's just using me for my sweet, sweet access to unlimited caffeine?"

Rollins snorts.

"Yeah, like he needs you for that." She replies. "He's, like, best friends with Liv already."

"Best friends?" Carisi sighs.

Rollins walks over and kicks him in the shin. He yelps.

"Hey!" He shouts. Several customers look up at them but, in true New Yorker fashion, return to their business.

"I'd pat you on the shoulder, but," Rollins trails off, wiggling her sticky fingers in the air. Carisi rolls his eyes and makes a shooing motion.

"Yeah, yeah." He grumbles. "Anyone ever tell you you and Amaro make a great pair? You can go to anger management classes together."

"Hey, what did I say?" Rollins jostles him again. "Me and Nick are over. Never again. He's back with his wife, anyways."

"Sure." Carisi says. Rollins' love life is... enigmatic, and it's best not to fall down that rabbit hole, he's discovered. "I'll take your great advice, Love Doctor Rollins."

Rollins glares good-naturedly at him.

"Don't get sarcastic with me," she scowls. "Anyways, your moping over Barba is getting weird. Just ask him to hang out, Carisi. This isn't high school."

"Barba's an intimidating guy," Carisi replies helplessly.

~~~~~~

Carisi does, though, try to take her advice.

"Want to drop by the shop?" He texts. "Made too much espresso."

"You had me at 'too much espresso'." Barba replies within a minute. Within five minutes, he's wiping his hands on a paper towel and stepping out of the flower shop, untying his apron from the back. Carisi has strategically sent this message around the time he knows Barba and Carmen usually finish straightening up the shop and business lulls. He watches Barba make his way across the narrow street, slotting his hands in the pockets of his coat to keep out the chill.

"Hey, Barba." Carisi says when the bell's sound heralds the other man's opening the door.

"Carisi." Barba says. His nose is pink. It's cute enough to make Carisi flush.

Rollins pokes her head out of the bakery.

"Barba's here?" She exclaims. "You really are whipped, Barba. Carisi, this guy only comes over for free scones."

"And free coffee, thank you." Barba smirks. Carisi wants to choke Amanda with his tie. Just a little.

"Ah, yeah, thanks for comin'." He says instead, adopting a bashful expression. "I was testing some new drinks and it... got out of hand."

He gestures to the twelve cups of varying sizes and shapes scattered around the counter.

Barba raises an eyebrow.

"Just a bit." He chuckles, and Carisi thinks the ridiculousness is worth it to bring a smile to Barba's face. In the next moment, he mentally slaps himself, because that's the stupidest, sappiest, most overreaching thought he's ever had, and he kinda wishes he could scoop out his own brain with a melon baller, but he pushes everything aside and hands Barba a cup.

~~~~~~~

"Barba dropped off flowers for you again," texts Dodds.

"They're not for me," Carisi grumbles, but his chest tightens anyways.

"I don't know why he won't bring them over while you're here," Dodds sighs.

"Because they're not for me," Carisi repeats.

"Take it from an almost-married man," Dodds starts, and the typing symbol stops, and starts, and stops again. Carisi decides to put Dodds out of his misery.

"Alright, alright," he groans, "don't rub it in my face."

~~~~~~

It's almost by fate that Carisi comes into possession of a pair of Broadway tickets.

It's a popular show, Carisi knows, and decent seats, so they can't have been cheap, but when Gina and her newest high-class boyfriend say that they don't need them anymore because they've booked a last minute weeklong getaway to Hawaii, or something. Gina had pressed them in his hand 'cause neither Bella nor Teresa care about musicals in the slightest, and one of the most painful periods of Sonny's life had been his secondary leading role in his high school play.

"Hey, Barba." Carisi writes. "Heard you like Broadway."

He deletes it.

"I have some tickets to a play," he writes, "do you want to come with me?"

He deletes it.

"If I take you to a play, would you let me call you Rafael?" He writes.

He deletes it.

"I wish the flowers you bring to the coffeehouse were for me," he writes.

He deletes it.

God, Carisi thinks. Forget high school. This is the most shameful period of his life.

~~~~~~

"Hey, Carmen." Carisi strikes up conversation, pouring her and Barba's drinks. Double espresso, a splash of half-and-half, a teaspoon of raw sugar, frothed milk. "D'yknow if Barba's seen that hit new Broadway show?"

Carmen looks at him.

"I don't think so." She says. "He mentioned wanting to see it, but not having the time."

Carisi hands her the coffees.

"Have... you been paying for Barba's coffee this whole time?" She asks, laughing, handing him the change for her drink. She insists on paying for herself. Carisi flushes.

"No." He says. "I mean, I have an employee discount, and it's not that much, and sometimes Liv says don't worry about it, 'cause she owns the place and she's cool with it and she buys him coffee too, sometimes-"

Carmen holds her coffee-filled hands up in surrender.

"Alright, alright." She chuckles. "I'll... surreptitiously ask if Mr. Barba wants to go see that show with you."

"I- I didn't mean." Carisi says miserably. Carmen turns and walks out, still smiling. Carisi wants to die, just a little.

~~~~~~

Ten minutes later, Carisi gets a text.

"He hasn't seen it," Carmen says.

"..." Carisi sends.

A pause.

"Thanks, Carmen." He says.

~~~~~~

Carisi doesn't know what Carmen has told Barba, but Barba pushes open the coffeehouse door with his arms bursting with flowers. Carisi blinks.

"Barba?" He says.

Barba stares at him.

"This might be overkill," Barba says to himself, like he thinks Carisi can't hear. He almost turns around.

"Uh, are those for the shop?" Carisi supplies.

Barba looks back at him.

"...yes." He says. "Yes, I mean, you keep buying me coffee. Yes. These are for... the shop."

Barba sounds... off. His eyes are a little wide, a little wild.

Carisi frowns.

"Are you alright, Barba?" He asks, and it's lucky that it's slow right now, coming off of the noon rush. Carisi steps around the counter and takes some of the flowers from Barba's arms- they really are gorgeous, health clips of every color, ivy spilling out from his elbows.

Barba's face has gone pink. He's still wearing his apron. Carisi is hit with the sudden urge to pull on the strings.

"I-I'm fine." Barba says in a rush.

"Uh, alright." Carisi says. "Here, I think we have some vases-"

One arm full of flowers, Carisi makes his way to the supply cabinet, pulling out half-a-dozen odd ceramic pitchers of all colors and shapes, pulling the blossoms into bunches and slotting them in the makeshift vases, filling each with water. Barba follows him uncharacteristically quietly behind the counter.

"They're beautiful." Carisi says.

"Yes, they are," Barba agrees, looking at the jumbles of brightly hued flora bursting from every available container.

Carisi turns to him.

"Hey, Barba." He starts, his mouth moving ahead of his brain, like it always does, like he doesn't even know what he's doing before he's doing it. "I got tickets for that musical this weekend, d'ya wanna come with me?"

Barba stares at him.

"The- the one on Broadway?" He asks.

"Yeah." Carisi says, mussing his hair self-consciously. "My sister got 'em, and-"

"Sure." Barba interrupts him, still watching him. Carisi blinks, dumbfounded.

"Really?" He says, giddiness starting to swell sweetly in his chest.

Barba breaks eye contact. He huffs, glances back at Carisi and away again.

"Yes." He replies. "I've been meaning to go, anyways, and it's not like your coffee is half-bad-"

"Wait," Carisi is the one to interrupt, "Barba, you know I'm asking you on a date, right?"

Barba chokes.

"I-" He starts, and seems to think better of it, breaking out into incredulous chuckles. "You're unique, Carisi."

"You brought me flowers," Carisi says helplessly.

"Pick me up at six," Barba smiles.

~~~~~~

Barba looks good.

Carisi blinks.

Barba tugs on the edge of his cuff, and he has the kinds of shirts that need cufflinks- Carisi suddenly feels self-conscious in his off-the-rack suit.

"How d'you afford your wardrobe on a florist's salary?" He wonders aloud, and Barba snorts.

"Should I be flattered or offended?" Barba asks, straightening his tie, and Carisi flushes in embarrassment.

"Uh." He starts. "Flattered?"

Barba levels him with a look. Carisi laughs.

"You look good," he says.

"I know I do," Barba says.

Carisi might have felt self-conscious, but Barba walks right up next to him, glances up into his eyes, and brushes down his lapel, taps him on the elbow, and they catch a cab to the theater.

[inloveamateursatbest]

@irisnsc replied to your post: aaron IS such a nice man. i wonder if he got eve...

He calls Dave to break up with him!

no iris! he still has to get liv and vic, best to keep Dave on side!!!

[ricardosousalemos]

The Pitchfork Guide to Upcoming Releases: Winter 2017

Welcome once again to the Pitchfork Guide to Upcoming Releases, our seasonal guide to new music. Four times a year, we round up a list of albums, singles, EPs, reissues, and more arriving in the coming months. This installment covers winter 2017, starting with this Friday, January 13. (Please note that release dates may change.) For more about the albums we're most excited for in 2017, including Arcade Fire, LCD Soundsystem, Drake, Lorde, Haim, and more, check out our recent feature.

January:

01-13

Bonobo: Migration [Ninja Tune]

Cavern of Anti-Matter: Blood Drums [Duophonic] [reissue]

Chavez: Cockfighters EP [Matador]

Code Orange: Forever [Roadrunner]

Dear Nora: Mountain Rock [Orindal] [reissue]

The Flaming Lips: Oczy Mlody [Warner Bros.]

Flo Morrissey / Matthew E. White: Gentlewoman, Ruby Man [Glassnote]

Half Japanese: Hear the Lions Roar [Fire]

Julie Byrne: Not Even Happiness [Ba Da Bing!]

Nackt: Night System [The Night Owl Diner]

Sepultura: Machine Messiah [Nuclear Blast]

Sohn: Rennen [4AD]

SUSTO: & I’m Fine Today [Missing Piece/Caroline]

The Stooges: Music From the Motion Picture “Gimme Danger” [Rhino]

Various Artists: Up Too Early [Friends of Friends] [compilation]

A Winged Victory for the Sullen: Iris OST [Erased Tapes]

The xx: I See You [Young Turks]

01-19

Shackleton & Vengeance Tenfold: Sferic Ghost Transmits [Honest Jon’s]

01-20

AFI: AFI (The Blood Album) [Concord]

Austra: Future Politics [Domino]

Bash & Pop: Anything Could Happen [Fat Possum]

Cherry Glazerr: Apocalipstick [Secretly Canadian]

Foxygen: Hang [Jagjaguwar]

The Grateful Dead: The Grateful Dead [Grateful Dead] [reissue]

Jean-Michel Jarre: Oxygene Trilogy [Sony Legacy] [reissue]

Joan of Arc: He's Got the Whole This Land Is Your Land in His Hands [Joyful Noise]

Kid Koala: Music to Draw to: Satellite [Arts & Crafts]

Michael Chapman: 50 [Paradise of Bachelors]

Mick Harvey: Intoxicated Women [Mute]

Pink Floyd: The Final Cut/A Momentary Lapse of Reason [Capitol] [reissue]

Shintaro Sakamoto: Love If Possible [Zelone]

Tim Cohen: Luck Man [Sinderlyn]

Uniform: Wake in Fright [Sacred Bones]

Vitalic: Voyager [Citizen]

William Basinski: A Shadow in Time [2062/Temporary Residence Limited]

01-25

Dr. Bronner: Sisters & Brothers [Dr. Bronner] [reissue/compilation]

01-27

Allison Crutchfield: Tourist in This Town [Merge]

Arcade Fire: The Reflektor Tapes / Live at Earl’s Court [Eagle Rock] [DVD/Blu-ray]

Ariel Pink & Weyes Blood: Myths 002 [Mexican Summer]

The Avalanches: Since I Left You [Astralwerks] [reissue]

Banana: Live [Leaving]

Cate Le Bon: Rock Pool EP [Drag City]

Cloud Nothings: Life Without Sound [Carpark/Wichita]

Delicate Steve: This Is Steve [Anti-]

Ennio Morricone: Un Uomo Da Rispettare [Superior Viaduct] [reissue]

Fred Thomas: Changer [Polyvinyl]

Gabriel Garzón-Montano: Jardín [Stones Throw]

Japandroids: Near to the Wild Heart of Life [Anti-]

Kehlani: SweetSexySavage [Artist Partner Group]

Kreator: Gods of Violence [Nuclear Blast]

Mark Eitzel: Hey Mr Ferryman [Merge]

Matthew Dear: DJ-Kicks [!K7]

Max Richter: Three Worlds: Music From Woolf Works [Deutsche Grammophon]

Migos: C U L T U R E [300/Quality Control]

P.O.S: Chill, dummy [Doomtree]

Priests: Nothing Feels Natural [Sister Polygon]

Richard Osborn: Endless [Tompkins Square]

Sleater-Kinney: Live in Paris [Sub Pop]

Ty Segall: Ty Segall [Drag City]

Various Artists: Antologia de Música Atípica Portuguesa [Discrepant] [compilation]

Various Artists: Dreamy Harbor [Tresor] [compilation]

February: 

02-03

Andy Suzuki & The Method: The Glass Hour [self-released]

Big Sean: I Decided [Def Jam/GOOD]

Communions: Blue [Fat Possum]

Elbow: Little Fictions [Polydor]

Homeshake: Fresh Air [Sinderlyn]

Iron Reagan: Crossover Ministry! [Relapse]

Matteo Vallicelli: Primo [Captured Tracks]

Mega Bog: Happy Together [Nicey]

The Menzingers: After the Party [Epitaph]

Moon Duo: Occult Architecture Vol. 1 [Sacred Bones]

Rose Cousins: Natural Conclusion [Outside Music]

Sampha: Process [Young Turks]

Surfer Blood: Snowdonia [Joyful Noise]

Vangelis: Delectus [UMC/Polydor] 

02-10

Hand Habits: Wildly Idle (Humble Before the Void) [Woodsist]

Jesca Hoop: Memories Are Now [Sub Pop]

Lupe Fiasco: DROGAS Light [TBA]

Meatbodies: Alice [In the Red]

The Necks: Unfold [Ideologic Organ]

The Sadies: Northern Passages [Yep Roc]

Thievery Corporation: The Temple of I & I [ESL]

Tinariwen: Emmaar [Anti-]

Trevor de Brauw: Uptown [The Flenser]

02-14

Marilyn Manson: SAY10 [TBA]

02-17

Bing & Ruth: No Home of the Mind [4AD]

The Courtneys: The Courtneys II [Flying Nun]

Grails: Chalice Hymnal [Temporary Residence Limited]

Jens Lekman: Life Will See You Now [Secretly Canadian]

Maggie Rogers: Now That the Light Is Fading [Capitol]

Mind Over Mirrors: Undying Color [Paradise of Bachelors]

Molly Burch: Please Be Mine [Captured Tracks]

Mozart’s Sister: Field of Love [Arbutus]

Nikki Lane: Highway Queen [New West]

Novella: Change of State [Sinderlyn]

The Orwells: Terrible Human Beings [Canvasback]

Ryan Adams: Prisoner [Pax Am/Blue Note]

Sam Patch: Yeah You, And I [Dep]

Six. by Seven: The Closer Your Get [Beggars Arkive] [reissue]

Son Volt: Notes of Blue [Transmit Sound]

Strand of Oaks: Hard Love [Dead Oceans]

Tim Darcy: Saturday Night [Jagjaguwar]

02-24

Alasdair Roberts: Pangs [Drag City]

Circus Devils: Laughs Last and Laughs Best (The Kids Eat It Up) [Rockathon]

Clap Your Hands Say Yeah: The Tourist [Undertow] 

Crystal Fairy: Crystal Fairy [Ipecac]

Dams of the West: Youngish American [30th Century/Columbia]

Dude York: Sincerely [Hardly Art]

Emel Mathlouthi: Ensen [Partisan]

The Feelies: In Between [Bar/None]

Hippo Campus: Landmark [Grand Jury]

Immolation: Atonement [Nuclear Blast]

King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard: Flying Microtonal Banana [ATO]

King Woman: Created in the Image of Suffering [Relapse]

Los Campesinos!: Sick Scenes [Wichita]

Oddisee: The Icebergs [Mello Music]

Old 97’s: Graveyard Whistling [ATO]

Peter Silberman: Impermanence [Anti-]

Pissed Jeans: Why Love Now [Sub Pop]

Power Trip: Nightmare Logic [Southern Lord]

Rhiannon Giddens: Freedom Highway [Nonesuch]

Six Organs of Admittance: Burning the Threshold [Drag City]

Xiu Xiu: Forget [Polyvinyl]

02-27

Sun Kil Moon: Common as Light and Love Are Red Valleys of Blood [Caldo Verde]

March: 

03-03

Grandaddy: Last Place [30th Century]

The Magnetic Fields: 50 Song Memoir [Nonesuch]

Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds: One More Time With Feeling [Bad Seed Ltd] [DVD/Blu-ray]

Sleaford Mods: English Tapas [Rough Trade]

Temples: Volcano [Heavenly]

Why?: Moh Lhean [Joyful Noise]

03-07

High Plains: Cinderland [Kranky]

03-10

Elliott Smith: Either/Or: Expanded Edition [Kill Rock Stars] [reissue]

Hurray for the Riff Raff: The Navigator [ATO]

Laura Marling: Semper Femina [More Alarming]

Planning for Burial: Below the House [The Flenser]

The Shins: Heartworms [Aural Apothecary/Columbia]

Sunny Sweeney: Trophy [Thirty Tigers]

Tennis: Yours Conditionally [Mutually Detrimental]

Valerie June: The Order of Time [Concord]

03-17

Paul Shaffer & The World’s Most Dangerous Band: Paul Shaffer & The World’s Most Dangerous Band [Rhino]

03-24

Craig Finn: We All Want the Same Things [Partisan]

The Jesus and Mary Chain: Damage and Joy [ADA/Warner Music]

Pallbearer: Heartless [Profound Lore]

Paul McCartney: Flowers in the Dirt [MPL/Capitol/UMe] [reissue]

03-31

British Sea Power: Let the Dancers Inherit the Party [Golden Chariot]

Chaz Bundick Meets the Mattson 2: Star Stuff [Company]

The Doors: The Doors [Rhino] [reissue]

Gold Connections: Gold Connections EP [Fat Possum]

Julia Holter: In the Same Room [Domino Documents]

Nelly Furtado: The Ride [Nelstar]

TBA: 

Alice Glass: TBA [TBA]

Amber Coffman: City of No Reply [Columbia]

Arca: Reverie [TBA]

Arcade Fire: TBA [TBA]

At the Drive-In: TBA [Rise]

Beck: TBA [Capitol]

Chic: It’s About Time [TBA]

Chromatics: Dear Tommy [Italians Do It Better]

Chuck Berry: Chuck [Dualtone]

Dan Auerbach: TBA [TBA]

Depeche Mode: Spirit [Columbia]

Dirty Projectors: TBA [Domino]

Drake: More Life [Cash Money/Young Money Entertainment]

Earl Sweatshirt: TBA [TBA]

Fischerspooner: SIR [TBA]

Fleet Foxes: TBA [TBA]

G.O.O.D. Music: Cruel Winter [G.O.O.D. / Def Jam]

Girlpool: Powerplant [TBA]

Gorillaz: TBA [TBA]

Grizzly Bear: TBA [TBA]

Haim: TBA [Polydor]

Kelela: TBA [Warp]

King Krule: TBA [TBA]

LCD Soundsystem: TBA [Columbia]

Lil B: Black Ken [self-released]

LIV: TBA [Ingrid]

Lorde: TBA [TBA]

Mac DeMarco: TBA [Captured Tracks]

Mary J. Blige: Strength of a Woman [Capitol]

Mastodon: TBA [TBA]

Meek Mill: DC 4.5 [TBA]

Real Estate: TBA [Domino]

Rick Ross: Rather You Than Me [Epic]

Sky Ferreira: Masochism [TBA]

Spoon: TBA [Matador]

St. Vincent: TBA [TBA]

U2: Songs of Experience [TBA]

Vampire Weekend: TBA [TBA]

The War on Drugs: TBA [TBA]

Wavves: TBA [TBA]

Wolf Parade: TBA [TBA]

Zack de la Rocha: TBA [TBA]