#Vanessa rambles and gives summaries of the fics she needs to finish before the end of the month

[snarkwrites]

FFT: expecting someone taller; captain boomerang

Notes:

So idk where this one was going or anything. All I know is that I got this fake fic title and I got this idea, so I rolled with it bc there is not that much Captain Boomerang fic and I absolutely fucking adore the way Jai played him, tbh. So, maybe in the future you’ll see more Digger content here, idk.

Summary:

Vanessa is not a fan of blind dates. So when she’s roped into one by her friend Donna, she expects a 5 alarm failure. What she gets instead, purely by happy accident is a night with Boomerang himself.

Warnings:

uhh.. Digger being Digger, slightest alcohol tw - because location is a bar/nightclub and.. that’s it.

Pairing:

Captain Boomerang x OFC, Vanessa

“ This blind date was a bad idea. You know my luck, this is going to end badly. Either it’ll be awkward as hell or he’ll be a self absorbed jackass like Tom or I’ll drink way too much red wine and throw up all over the guy…” Vanessa could feel her best friend giving her the eye, so she trailed off after finishing weakly, “I’m just saying, it was stupid of me, letting you guys talk me into making a stupid dating profile. I suck at this and I attract the worst…”

“We accept the love we think we deserve. Just trust me. Tonight is going to be great.” Donna replied to her friend’s rambling. “Now the text said he’d be the guy in the black blazer… I wonder..” Donna’s eyes darted around the nightclub, particularly the VIP area, because that’s where Pierre, the guy she’d set her best friend up with tended to prefer hanging out when he came to this particular nightclub.

As Donna was scouring the VIP section, Vanessa’s eyes were also darting around, searching for any sort of an exit she could use if the date went south like so many of her others tended to. She spotted the man in the black blazer hanging towards one of the side doors and she swallowed hard.

“Wish me luck, Donna.”

“Huh?” Donna had just spotted Pierre, her friend’s blind date for the evening and she was just about to wave him over to their table and introduce Vanessa to him, but Vanessa was standing and moving quickly through the crowd towards the back of the club.

“Shit, she’s bolting. I knew she’d bolt.” Donna stood too, but Pierre reached the table just as she did and he let out a low approving whistle. “You look sexy tonight.”

Vanessa spotted the man again, just about to step out into the alley, and she tapped his shoulder cautiously.

Digger Harkness nearly jumped out of his skin and swearing, he whirled around. He’d been prepared to either throw a punch and run or chew out whomever had come up on him like they had, but all that changed as soon as he saw her standing there.

The girl from the dance studio just down from the bank he’d been casing -and had coincidentally just robbed, hence the need to steal someone’s jacket in the cloak room and try to hide out in the crowd until the cops were long gone. The one he’d spent way too much time lurking in the hallway watching after he’d gotten done casing the bank for the day.

“Wow… I.. Hi. You look nothing like Donna said you would. I’m Vanessa… Your blind date?”

Digger raised a brow and he started to say something, to clear up whatever it was she thought, but something inside him decided better of it. Instead, he leaned in a little, chuckling.

“What? Were y’ expectin someone taller, luv?” he asked, going into full on Boomerang charmer mode, something he hadn’t done in a while. Though she wouldn’t know it.

Vanessa gave a quiet giggle and shrugged. He towered over her -and it wouldn’t matter anyhow, she wasn’t very big on judging by appearance alone. He seemed excited.

Or maybe he was nervous?

Digger leaned in, muttering against her ear, “Do y’ want t’ dance?”

“I’d love that.”

His thought was that if he kept moving, if he kept himself towards the back of the club, then any cops who may come into the club searching for him wouldn’t see him and he wouldn’t have to pass up the chance to spend time with Vanessa. When she agreed to dance with him, Digger was quick to pull her close, keeping his back to the front of the club.

Something seemed off but Vanessa wasn’t too concerned with it. After all, this blind date had already beaten the others she’d been on as of late. The guy seemed nice enough, if not a little fidgety.

When his hand migrated down, gripping and squeezing her ass to hold her closer, she rested her face against his chest and he made this quiet noise, kind of like a groan.

That rough hand gripped at her body tighter and she sucked in a ragged breath as the end result was her, being rubbed right against his muscular frame. She tilted her head to look up at him and he leaned down a little, muttering quietly against her lips, “Havin a good time?”

“I am.”

“Me too.”

Just as he caught sight of the cops talking to the doorman, he swore to himself quietly.

“Think y’ might want t’ leave with me? Go for a walk?”

“I’d like that.” Vanessa let him lead her out of the club and he did so in a hurry. It was almost enough that she asked what the hurry was, but something told her that the less she knew, the better. She’d promised to at least try to give this blind date a chance, and so far, she’d been pleasantly surprised. Once they were outside in the alley, Digger pulled her against him, his arms going around her because he could see her shivering a little in the cold night air. He finally wound up shrugging off the black blazer and draping it around her shoulders as he stared at her for a few seconds, not saying anything.

“Is everything okay? You seemed kinda… Nervous?” Vanessa asked the question before she could stop herself and she felt a wave of relief wash over her when he was quick to reassure, “Oh yeah, yeah. I’m fine. Just not all ‘at into crowds.” as he slipped his arm around her and they started to walk down the alley.

“Oh god, me either. I had to be talked into coming on our blind date tonight. I’m a disaster.”

Digger shook his head and chuckled quietly. He’d feel bad for the man who was supposed to be on a date with her, but honestly, he couldn’t be bothered to do so. Everything happened for a reason.

Or so Digger was choosing to believe.

“ Yer not.”

“You have no idea.”

“Well, I’m willin t’ bet yer not. And I plan t’ find out.” Digger pulled her closer against his side. Sirens screamed past the end of the alley and out of habit, Digger pressed against the wall and pulled her against him, Vanessa was now looking at him with a raised brow.

Digger shrugged and explained in the simplest terms, “ I’m not a fan of authority.”

“Ooh, a bad boy.” Vanessa wanted to kick herself, she barely knew this guy and here she was, flirting like this. Digger chuckled and leaned down slightly, staring intently at her mouth, “Y’ like bad boys, hmm?”

“Maybe.”

“Then yer really goin t’ have fun. Let’s get goin.”

“Where?” Vanessa asked as he chuckled, leaning in closer, pressing the side of his finger into her soft red lips, “It’s a surprise, luv. We’ve got all th’ time in th’ world. Let’s just get lost, yeah?”

[monroe-militia]

I can’t decide which of the Femslash February fics to work on so I’m just lying here doing nothing instead, even though I really need to get them done and posted before the month ends. I’m not going to be able to do all the ones on my bingo card, but I’ve got a specific line I’m hoping to finish.

So here are the five fics I’m hoping to get finished in time.

1. Charlie x Nora fic for “au: fairytale”

So I’ve already made a post about this before, but it’s got aspects of Cinderella in it. Miles is keeping Charlie safe and hidden from Monroe in Philadelphia with him until he get can safely escape the republic with her. She attends a masquerade party that he specifically told her not to where she meets an intriguing woman named Nora. I’ve got a bit over 2k written of it at this point and I think I’m closeish to finishing it.

2. Charlie x Duncan fic for “accidental marriage”

Again, I’ve briefly mentioned this one before. Charlie wakes up in New Vegas married to Duncan and now Duncan’s men listen to her, but there’s the expectation that Charlie’s people will listen to Duncan too. I’ve got a little over 400 words of this one written so far. I’m expecting it to be a shorter one-shot unless I get carried away.

3. Charlie x Nora soulmate au fic for the free space

Because I’m always a slut for a good soulmate au. This is set back early season one when Miles decided he couldn’t be around Charlie all day every day and told her, Maggie, and Aaron that he would meet up with them in a couple of weeks only for her to follow him anyways. He sees Charlie’s soulmate mark and it reminds him of the woman with the matching mark whose help they could really use if they want to get Danny back. I’ve also got a little over 400 words down for this one.

4. Charlie x Heather fic for “road trip”

The blackout never happened and Charlie and Danny take off on a road trip together because they have a lot of places they want to see and they haven’t really been anywhere. They were only planning on stopping at the hotel run by the Matthews family for long enough to catch a few hours of sleep before taking off again early the next morning, but the girl working there makes Charlie rethink that. I haven’t started writing this one yet.

5. Nora x Rachel fic for “au: science fiction”

More like au: more/different science fiction. I don’t have the details worked out yet, but Nora and Rachel are an established badass couple in this. I haven’t started this one yet either.

[artificialqueens]

To New Hytes (Group fic) 2/? - Mac

AN: Again, this entire work would not be possible without my lovely betas Meggie and Grapefruit. You girls keep me young!

Summary: Blair and Kameron find themselves bonding over their respective passions, Brooke loses her cool at Vanessa, and Nina and Monet think they all should just make out.

Blair sat back and admired her work.

Vanjie - or as the young dancer has insisted - Vanessa, looked like a vision in gold. Blair patted herself on the back mentally for the fringe that hung off of her small frame ever so delicately.

“Now I know she said you ain’t performin’ for a few weeks, but thought I’d get your measurements and stuff done heada time.”

Vanessa gave her a winning smile.

“I don’t mind pretty girls like you takin’ my measurements.”

Blair blushed and ducked her head a bit. The young costume designer wasn’t used to getting compliments often, so she tried to ignore how her brain short circuited at the statement.

“What about shoes? You good in a heel?” She tried to change the subject.

Vanessa nodded. “Nothin’ too tall though. Can’t be breaking myself out there.”

Blair laughed lightly and turned to the closet on the far wall. She rifled through a few boxes before coming back with a sensible heel.

“I’m a size six.”

“I know.”

“Who told you?”

“Nobody. I just got a gift for knowin’ people’s sizes I guess.”

“Pretty and smart, huh?”

Blair blushed again. “A dancer and a flirt, huh?” she shot back.

Vanessa laughed, loud and unhinged. It took Blair aback for a moment before she let herself laugh too. It felt freeing in a way.

“Not to rain on your parade or nuthin’, and I appreciate the compliments, but I don’t date dancers.”

“Oh yeah? Too many broken hearts?”

Blair nodded firmly and Vanessa didn’t press the issue.

“Oh well.” Vanessa sighed overdramatically. “Guess I can settle for friends.”

Blair smiled. “Friends it is.”

…

Kameron never imagined she’d end up here.

Maybe she was torturing herself. Being so close to the thing she loved. The thing she still craved like a drug.

It didn’t happen suddenly either. She had been with the company since the beginning. When it was just a thought Brooke tossed out one drunken night.

Brooke, Nina, and Monet had gone over to Kameron’s place with the thought of going out and letting loose, but had ended up on her worn down furniture passing a bottle of wine around in a circle. Nina has been too focused on Monet’s antics to really hear the idea, but Kameron jumped up as soon as she heard it, albeit she jumped up gracelessly and almost fell back on her ass.

She smiled at the memory now. She doubted anyone knew that she was one of the original co-founders of the now acclaimed company. Not that she cared much for the recognition.

She had spearheaded the whole process, looking into spaces to rehearse and business laws. It was a lot of work and long nights. Brooke had been right there with her through it all though. It had been nice to have a friend, a sister almost, supporting her and putting in just as much work.

Nina and Monet had thought they were crazy. Off and running with this idea that was never going to pan out.

They were all fresh out of out of NYU after all. They were baby adults, living off of ramen noodles and Red Bull, but still…No one expected them to make it.

That was when Kameron had the idea. A YouTube channel. They could rent a dance space for a few hours and bang out three to four videos. She and Brooke performed duets and solos, any style they wanted. They had fun. Kameron sometimes would miss those days before their lives got so hectic. When she and Brooke would pass out on a studio floor because they had filmed in one night enough videos to last them a week.

The channel grew slowly, and then not so slowly. Almost overnight they had amassed enough followers and garnered enough views to buy their own studio. It was teeny tiny and run down. It needed a lot of TLC for sure, but it was theirs.

Almost overnight the dance world was looking to them for the next big thing. It was incredibly intimidating, scary even, but Brooke and Kameron were ready.

Nina agreed to stage mom duties as well as marketing, and Monet enthusiastically accepted the offer to take pictures, dusting off her old camera.

It was all starting to come together.

Then it all went wrong.

Kameron quickly pulled herself out of those thoughts. The memory of a too bright stage light still burned her eyes.

“Are you ok?” came a small voice to Kameron’s left.

Kameron had been so lost in thought that she hardly realized she had been sitting on the floor for nearly ten minutes now, back leaning against a large speaker.

Kameron sat up immediately and looked at Blair. The sweet girl was looking at her, concern creeping into the reassuring smile she gave.

“Yeah, I’m fine.”

“Well, your nose is bleeding a bit there.”

Kameron’s hand shot up to touch lightly at her aforementioned affliction. When she pulled her hand away, bright red coated her fingers.

“Come here, darlin’, come sit with me.”

Kameron bit back her reply that this happened all the time, curiosity getting the better of her.

Blair took Kameron’s hand and the older girl surprisingly didn’t jump at the contact.

Blair weaved through the backstage area like she had done it a million times before. Kameron supposed she had. The costume designer rarely made it out on stage, except during rehearsals to solve a fashion emergency, so moving around in the shadows must have been a frequent pastime of hers.

Blair opened the door to her small office space off near the side exit of the theatre. It was cluttered with half-finished garments on every surface and sketches that lined the walls. The mannequins looked passively at the two as they made their way to the stools near the back of rows of costumes.

Blair tilted Kameron’s face up with the pads of her fingers that left sparks in their wake. Kameron looked up at her as the young woman searched for tissues in the crowded workspace.

Kameron let her eyes wander around the office until they fell on a nearly finished sketch hanging out of a notebook on the desk.

“What’s that one? It doesn’t look like any of the girls we have on tour.”

“Oh that’s nothin’.” Blair quickly shoved the paper back in the notebook, but winced at the crinkling sound it made.

She came to stand in front of Kameron, eyes trained on the red liquid still fresh around her nose. Blair dabbed at it hesitantly, almost as if she were scared to hurt Kameron. Kameron’s heart surged at the thought.

Blair studied the area closely, but avoided eye contact. She resolutely kept her eyes trained on the afflicted area, and no higher. It made the tension in the room raise noticeably.

When Blair was satisfied with her work, she sat down in the stool across Kameron, their knees would be touching if Blair hadn’t pulled hers closer to her body, almost unconsciously.

“All better.”

Kameron smiled at her and Blair smiled back. It was a rare moment of silence. Of peace.

They both started laughing at the same time. Breaking the silence and the ice between the senior stage crew member and the costume designer. They must have looked crazy. Sitting and laughing at each other like old friends.

They hardly knew each other, really. If you didn’t count passing greetings in the hallway they were perfect strangers. Still, Kameron hadn’t laughed this hard in a while. It was refreshing and terrifying that this person, this stranger, could bring a part of her she thought she’d lost, to the forefront.

Kameron stuck out her hand. “I’m Kameron, but everyone calls me Kam.”

“Nice to finally meet you, Kameron. I’m Blair.”

“Oh, I know who you are. I’ve seen you around before. Never said ‘hi’ or anything ‘cause most people treat us crew members like we got the plague.”

Blair suddenly looked seriously at her. “I’m sorry for that. Y’all are the reason the whole show is possible, I imagine it’s frustratin’ not havin’ your hard work appreciated.”

“You’re one to talk! The costumes you make, you make from scratch, yeah? All of them original and come from your head. That is a talent that goes underrecognized, I bet.”

Blair blushed and looked down, avoiding eye contact. “Well, yeah, I suppose. But I’m not in it for the recognition. I just love designin’, ya know?” Blair looked up, meeting Kameron’s eye finally. “You ever had that thing you love more than anythin’ else in the world, and nothin’ could ever take you from it. Like even if you tried you couldn’t give it up?”

Kameron nodded. She did have something like that once.

“Show me your favorite design then. Something you wouldn’t give up for anything in the world.”

“Oh, I don’t have a-”

“Don’t give me that. I know you’ve got one. C’mon, I’m sure it’s just as phenomenal as all the other ones, if not more so.” Kameron winked.

Blair blushed and looked away again. Kameron thought she looked even more beautiful with color high on her cheeks.

Blair stood up and turned back to the notebook Kameron had eyed earlier. She opened it up and Kameron saw every page covered in different outfits on the same model. The model girl looked nothing like any of the dancers they had in the company.

As if sensing her question, Blair quickly rambled out, “She isn’t supposed to be anybody in particular! Just a model for the outfits. I don’t know why she keeps popping up in my head, but when she does, I sketch out a costume for her and send her on her way.”

Kameron looked up at her with a goofy smile.

“I’m not crazy! I know I sound it sometimes,” Blair defended herself.

Kameron laughed. “You don’t sound crazy at all. But you are lying to me.”

Blair looked taken aback for a moment before Kameron explained. “She is somebody in particular. Who is she?”

Blair sighed. “You’re good at that, ya know? Readin’ people.”

“I know,” Kameron answered confidently.

Blair laughed but it was with less joy than before. “Her name was Brianna. We dated for almost three years. She danced and I did her costumes.” Kameron nodded along, encouraging Blair to keep going, if she wanted. “We worked well together, ya know? One of those couples that just worked.” Blair took in a breath. “And when it stopped workin’, we just didn’t mention it. We pushed on for the sake of her career, and mine too, but mostly hers.”

“Wait, Brianna Palandrani?”

Blair groaned. “Yup. That’s the one.”

“She married that Giovanni guy right? The heir to that million dollar makeup company?”

“They got married a week after we broke up.”

“You’re kidding! Oh my god Blair, I’m so sorry.”

Blair shrugged. “It’s fine.”

“No, it’s really not. That’s horrible.”

“Her career was important to her, I always supported that, but then it became more important than me and my feelins.”

“I’m so sorry, Blair. You deserve better.”

“Thank you.”

“I mean it.”

Blair swallowed heavily, the tension was suddenly back, but it felt a bit different this time. “What’s done is done. But I made a promise to myself that day: no more dancers.”

Kameron’s heart sank a bit at that. “So you decided to surround yourself with them every day of your life? Seems a bit counterintuitive.”

“I’m puttin’ my career first. For the first time, I’m being selfish and focusin’ on me. Gettin’ my designs and name out there.”

Kameron smiled wide. “I’m proud of you.”

“Thanks, Kameron.”

“You can call me Kam, you know, everyone else does.”

“I like Kameron. It suits you.”

It was Kameron’s turn to blush.

Their little bubble of peace was suddenly broken by a disheveled Yvie slamming the door open, looking around the room wildly.

“Kam. We may need you onstage.”

Kameron looked at her quizzically, but followed after the contortionist. She shot one last apologetic look at Blair before the door shut silently behind her.

…

Never in her life had Brooke yelled at someone like this. Let alone one of her dancers.

“You can’t speak to me like that, I’m your boss!”

“You sure don’t fuckin’ act like it. Gettin all mad and shit from a little comment. Not very professional of you, mami.”

Vanjie was calm, collected, and cocky, which made Brooke lose it even more.  

“What the hell would you know about acting professional?”

“Clearly a bit more than you, since I’m not currently screaming at one of my employees.”

Brooke was seeing red. She wanted to scream some more, wanted to put the fear of god into Vanjie. Wanted to wipe that smug fucking smile off her face for good. And suddenly it hit her like a ton of bricks.

It took all her willpower not to smirk triumphantly. She breathed in and out and suddenly, Brooke was composed, calm, yet predatory.

“I’m sorry, Mateo. That was out of line.”

Vanjie’s jaw nearly fell to the floor. Everyone’s jaw nearly fell to the floor. Was Brooke Lynn Hytes, the Head Bitch herself apologizing? To Vanjie of all people?

Vanjie didn’t have a response. Didn’t have any words.

Brooke let herself smirk at that reaction. She wasn’t going to give Vanjie the fight she was aiming for. She was going to give her the opposite. Two can play at Vanjie’s game. And Brooke hated losing.

Brooke turned her head to her other dancers and raised her eyebrows expectantly. “The show must go on, ladies. Up and at ‘em. Let’s go.”

The dancers quickly made their way up the stage, shock still clear on their faces, but the boss was still the boss, apology or not.

Brooke surveyed them for a few minutes before she decided to cool down in her office. She made her way up the stairs but paused when she reached the office door.

She heard muffled voices through the wood.

…

Nina sat in her and Brooke’s shared office. Brooke liked to think of it as her own office, but as Nina did all the heavy lifting, she considered it a shared office.

Monet was sitting in the armchair across from the desk looking through photo after photo from the camera around her neck. Nina watched her. She found herself watching the younger girl a lot these days. Call it mere exposure effect, call it fate, call it the lack of girlfriend, Nina didn’t care. She liked looking at Monet. Liked how the younger girl carried herself. Liked that she put others first.

“Any salvageable ones?”

Monet smiled, still looking down at her camera.  “Hmmm, I dunno. You tell me.” She hopped up from her seat and came around the desk to stand next to Nina. She pulled out her memory card and some device Nina still couldn’t figure out, although she was sure Monet had explained it to her many times over. Monet plugged the device into the computer and they waited in a comfortable silence for a few seconds before the pictures popped up.

Nina clicked on the first few. They were of Violet, of course. Monet had admitted once that Violet was her favorite to take pictures of. “She gives so many good angles, and there’s not a flaw to be seen on that bitch.” Nina had rolled her eyes.

Monet pulled up a chair and the two sat side by side scrolling through pictures. Most of them were incredible, as always, a few were silly candids. The one that caught Nina’s eye though was a picture of herself.

It was of her backstage, with the stage lights in front of her. It was clearly edited with a black and white filter over it, but it didn’t look staged. It looked organic. It captured Nina in her favorite spot, just offstage. Supporting her friends and their passion. It looked like some artsy film project from college. She looked majestic. Nina paused on it for a minute.

Monet looked at her worriedly. “Sorry, I-”

“It’s beautiful.” Nina meant it.

Monet shrugged. “I had a lot of beauty to work with.”

Nina could have snapped. Could have acted on the growing attraction they both had been feeling for the past few months. Could have just leaned over right then and kissed Monet senseless.

She didn’t.

Monet broke the suddenly thick tension with a cough. “There’s more.” She reached across and clicked to the next picture. It was another picture of Nina, this time, her face was visible and she was looking off - probably at one of the dancers - she looked so incredibly happy. Monet blushed and clicked through what must have been at least twenty more photos before finally coming to one that wasn’t of Nina.

This one was of Brooke standing with her arms crossed looking up at an equally cocky looking Vanessa.

“I think you captured their dynamic perfectly.”

Monet laughed again, effectively breaking up the tension a little more. “Honestly, I’m waiting for one of them to snap and just start sucking face one day.”

“Me too!”

“No way, you were getting that vibe too! God, I swear they just need to fuck some of that anger out of each other, maybe it would make Brooke less uptight.”

“Hey!” Nina said defensively.

“Oh bitch, we all friends, don’t pretend she hasn’t been a stick in the mud since she became the boss.”

“She’s just stressed,” Nina insisted, less forcefully this time as the smile started to eat away at her face.

“Know how she could get some of that stress out?”

Nina laughed and it echoed around the room.

…

Brooke’s mouth hung open so long she was surely going to swallow a bug.

Did her friends really think she was into Vanjie? Sure the girl was hotter than hell. Sure she met every one of Brooke’s comebacks with an equally snarky one. Sure she had wormed her way into Brooke’s mind from day one. Sure Brooke thought about her all the time.

DidBrooke like Vanjie?

“Fuck.” Brooke was pulled out of her thoughts by the door to her office being swung directly into her face.

“Oops! Sorry, B!” Monet apologized immediately, then she paused. “Wait, how long have you been standing there?”

“Since you two started flirting, so, the whole time.”

Monet blushed but pushed past Brooke and headed for the stairs she had just come up. “Well, you know what they say about eavesdroppers,” she spoke over her shoulder.

“What do they say?” Brooke called after her.

“They only ever hear the truth.”