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thatfanfictionchick · 2 years

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Kicked out by my own bad choices

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Ace x f!Reader

Rating: 18+; Explicit

Warnings: Ace is kinda jealous; Akin to voyeurism (others sleeping in the same room); Vaginal fingering; Vaginal intercourse;

Word count: 2495

Notes: JUST SAYING what if Jack didn't come and the reader took up Ace's offer back in book 3 to go stay with him in Heartslabyul? 👀

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You were thrilled when Ace and Deuce showed up as the Leeches were kicking you out of your house, even more thankful that Riddle was willing to let you stay at the Heartslabyul dorm for a few days. Cater gave you some extra blankets and Trey promised to make breakfast in the morning and Riddle reminded you not to wake the other students before sending you on your way.

The other two students who shared the room were fast asleep. It was after midnight, after all. The moonlight coming through the window was all you had to work with, the thin crescent in the sky providing what it could through the open drapes. The four of you spoke in hushed whispers, moving quietly to the far end of the room.

"They're pretty heavy sleepers, but still." Ace said quietly after refusing Grim’s request to turn on a lamp.

"Do you want to make a bed on the floor or - ?" Deuce started.

"We're not gonna make 'em sleep on the floor!" Ace interrupted. "But, Grim should probably bunk with Deuce. I move around a lot in my sleep and he might get kicked around otherwise."

"Oh but you're cool with kicking me around." you teased.

"You can take it," Ace said with a wink. You smiled and shook your head before ducking into the adjoining bathroom. It was communal so you changed at top speed, throwing on a pair of shorts and a faded t-shirt. By the time you came out Deuce was already in bed, somewhat surprised by Grim curling up behind his knees and almost immediately falling asleep.

"He's a talker, you have fun with that." you said with a giggle.

You noticed the window above Ace's bed was partially open. He brushed it off, saying you'd be surprised by how hot the room could get.

Ace let you climb into bed first, waiting until you were comfy to fit into the remaining space. "Wow," you remarked. "You guys got it good, your beds are so quiet. Mine sounds like a rusty spring convention."

"Oh, I'm aware." Ace said with a sad little sigh. "Dunno how you ever get any sleep on that thing."

"Desperation?" you offered with a smile. Ace shook his head, tucking his arm under the pillow and closing his eyes.

You couldn't fall asleep. There were too many things in your head to let you relax. The fear of letting everyone down. The anger at realizing that Azul had likely been scheming a way to get his hands on Ramshackle house for a while. Worrying about all the ways the photo retrieval could go wrong. And Ace had been partially right: it wasn't the room that got hot necessarily, it was him. If it weren't for the cold air coming through the window the heat radiating from him would have been uncomfortable.

You laid there in the dark, listening to Deuce's light snoring and Grim's muffled sleep talking. You shifted onto your back, staring at the ceiling before your gaze drifted to Ace. You had to admit, the anemone was kinda cute. Almost ethereal, the way it moved under the moonlight.

"Don't you laugh." The sudden poke of his finger against your cheek startled you. His eyes never even opened.

"I would never," you wheezed, failing to disguise the laughter in your voice.

Ace stretched, letting his hand come to rest on your stomach. Your shirt had drifted upward and his palm rested on your bare skin. "Can't sleep?"

"I'm trying this new sleep method where you ruminate on your failures and keep your eyes wide open."

"Hm," his hand dipped around your waist and before you could formulate the words to ask what he was doing he'd pulled you against him. "Don't think it's working."

Your face was burning. And not because it was millimeters away from his chest. You swallowed, hoping your voice came out even. "I didn't know you were such a cuddler."

"Hush." His hand was back on your stomach but now his thumb was slowly sweeping over your skin, inciting a riot of butterflies in your belly. "Let me have this, it's the closest I've gotten to being alone with you."

Your heart was in your throat but you could feel its erratic beating all the way in your toes. "I didn't know I was such a hot commodity."

He didn't reply and for a minute there was silence. Then he sighed, shifting so that his mouth was by your ear. “Ya know, sometimes I regret not transferring.” Whatever witty reply you might have had shriveled in your throat. His whole hand was moving, splayed fingers curling softly over your skin. A couple of them kept dipping just under the elastic of your shorts, making your own fingers dig into the sheets as something akin to burning electricity started to build in your blood. He spoke so softly, barely whispering into your ear; his words laced with an undercurrent of loathing you never would have expected from him. “Who’d have ever thought I’d be jealous of a dumb weasel.”

Shocked, you turned your head to look at him. For just a second you could see the anger in his crimson eyes and you wondered, how had he managed to hide it so well? Then his lips were on yours, soft and warm, and you stopped thinking. You leaned into his kiss, your hand trailing lightly over his before resting on his arm, clutching his sleeve in your fist.

You touched his lips with your tongue and he parted them, eagerly meeting your silent request to deepen the kiss. His fingers were slipping further into your shorts bit by bit, leaving tender touch-starved trails in their wake. Your legs were tense with anticipation. You gripped his arm, your nails leaving dainty crescent marks in the skin.

Then just as suddenly he stopped. "You're shaking." And once he said it you realized you were trembling all over. "Do you want to stop?"

"No." You looked at him, eyes round and brimming with desire. You grabbed his hair, your fingers twisting in the red strands as you brought his lips back to yours. Soft, quiet kisses. The kind that fluttered in your chest. The kind that made your insides flop about in nervous anticipation.

His hand, nearly completely down the front of your shorts, had stopped painfully short of where you were beginning to throb. But your tongue couldn't find the words to tell him to keep going. It didn’t help that it was currently in his mouth, or that you lacked the discipline necessary to stop kissing him even if you actually wanted to. Fortunately, Ace made the choice for you, pressing his forehead into the pillow, his lips on your neck. “Do you want me to touch you?”

Your head was spinning. You couldn’t trust your voice to work even if you could find it so you settled on nodding vigorously, pulling on his hair as you tilted your pelvis upward. His hand slid between your legs and you dared part your knees, heels digging into the mattress.

If there was one thing Ace was proud of, it was his quick learning abilities. And frankly you were all too happy to be at the receiving end of those abilities. He traced your opening, feeling the way you trembled every time he dipped the tip of a finger inside you before pulling it out again. You squirmed, your teeth marring your bottom lip as he repeated the motion over and over, building a surge of anxious static under your skin. Only when he'd coaxed out enough slick to dampen your shorts did he slide his fingers fully inside you, pushing them as deep as he could before curling them and dragging them back out, searching for the soft spot that made you try and sink your ass through the mattress. You almost regretted when he found it because he exploited it, his fingers hitting that spot with ruthless precision as this thumb pressed down on your clit.

It was a herculean effort to keep quiet. You shoved your fist in your face, biting your knuckles to keep from whining. Ace was pressing soft kisses along your neck and it tickled. He wanted so badly to sink his teeth into you, to leave marks for everyone to see and the fact that he couldn't was torture. He wasn't going to give Riddle a reason to keep you out of the dorm that easily.

“Ace…” Stars swarmed your vision as you tried to focus on breathing. Long, silent breaths in; shaky breaths out. The fingers inside you curled, moving slowly to match the thumb that was circling over your clit. A shudder of release passed like butterflies skimming over you. A feeling as soft and sweet as the kisses he pressed against your shoulder. You muttered fervent pleas under your breath, your back arching off the mattress. “I…I need…”

“This?” His fingers pulled away abruptly and you pursed your lips to quiet a sharp squeal. He dug under the pillow and you blinked, willing your blurry eyes to make out what he held aloft. It wasn’t hard; the shape itself was an immediate giveaway. The moonlight shining on the foil wrapper seemed almost alarmingly bright. You gaped open-mouthed like a fish before nodding enthusiastically, uttering a breathless ‘yeah’. Ignoring the small part of your brain that shrieked, he had that under there the whole time?!

Ace pushed himself up slowly, glancing down the row of beds to check that the others were still sleeping. A muffled snore followed by a faint string of gibberish sounded from somewhere under Deuce’s blanket but no one stirred. The blanket rustled softly as he moved, pulling his shirt over his head before pushing his pants down to free his leaking cock and sitting on his heels. You froze with your shorts halfway down your legs, reaching out and wrapping your fingers around him, your thumb teasing the velvety underside of the shaft. It felt hot in your hands and you wondered how hot it would feel inside you. You licked your lips, your mouth suddenly entirely too wet. Ace shuddered, his lips pressing into a thin line and he wrapped his hand around yours, allowing himself just a moment to relish in the feeling before abruptly tapping the back of your hand and hissing “stop that.”

You grinned wickedly and finished pulling your shorts off as he rolled the condom on. Then he was grabbing your leg, lifting it around his waist and positioning himself between your legs. You held your breath, your hands on his shoulders. Licking your lips nervously you glanced to the side. Your heart pounded with a mix of fear and, quite frankly, excitement at the idea of doing something so lewd in a room full of other people. You wondered if you felt as hot under his hands as he did under yours.

“You good?” he asked, his voice a rough whisper. You met his gaze and were nearly lost in the glitter of the moonlight in his wide eyes. You swallowed hard, nodding as your hands cupped his cheeks and you pulled him down to kiss you. His tongue twisted with yours as he slowly, reverently filled you.

You tensed with every inch. The slow drag was torture and you could feel your walls twitch and pulse around his cock. By the time he stopped you were shaking again, kissing him with savage hunger. With one arm bracing against the mattress he grabbed your thigh, his fingers digging into the soft flesh, and started to thrust. He had to move slowly but you were so wet that your pussy still made delicious squelching sounds to his ears. You were whimpering and lifting your hips to meet his. It was cute.

He lifted himself back up, looking down at you with awe. Moonlight spilled across your dewy skin and you positively sparkled. The cold air coming through the open window turned your nipples into smooth pebbles and he could see the glimmer of your slick all over his pelvis and your thighs. You pressed your hand to your mouth; the change in position had the head of his cock digging into your cunt in a way that made you want to cry out. His hand traveled up your thigh and over your belly, sweeping ticklishly around your breasts. He didn’t care if anyone woke up anymore. Let them see how beautiful you looked with his cock buried inside you. Let them see the way your eyes glazed with how good he made you feel. He grabbed the backs of your thighs, folding your knees against your chest and fucking into you with deep deliberate strokes. A sob caught in your throat and you clutched at his pillow, your eyes rolling back in your head.

Yes. Yes. That was what he wanted to see. He wanted that image seared in his brain. His eyes fluttered closed and he thrust deep, his fingers digging into your thighs with bruising force as he came. He didn’t stop rutting into you until the pleasure was too much and he finally stilled. He lifted one of your legs over his shoulder and trailed his tongue along the salty skin before biting your calf, his hips digging into you as he bent down to kiss you. He could feel your smile and your fingers buried into his hair as if holding on for dear life.

They were going to help you beat Azul at his own game and get Ramshackle House back. And when they did the first thing he was going to do was fuck you so hard in the main room even the ghosts would be think the place was haunted.

You struggled back into your shorts as Ace ducked into the bathroom to discard the condom, your hands trembling and your legs like jelly. Ace came back out, holding up one finger in your direction and then crossing the room to slip out the door into the hallway. You had nearly fallen asleep by the time he slipped back into bed several minutes later, handing you a half empty bottle of water. You drank it thankfully before noticing the look on his face.

“What’s wrong?”

He sounded like he wasn’t sure if he should laugh or cry. “Ran into Cater in the kitchen.” Your eyebrows lifted but he carried on before you could speak. “He looked me up and down, fist bumped me, and walked away.” You stifled a snort.

“Oh shit he knows-”

“He absolutely knows!” Ace hissed, covering his face with his hands.

“So we should expect the congratulatory Magicam post within the hour?” you asked. Ace scowled, pinching your cheeks hard enough to make you squeal before kissing you.

“Shut up and go to sleep.”

“Make me.”

“Oh you’d like to go again?”

“Shut up, Ace.”

“Goodnight, Prefect~”

#insert flaming elmo gif #IT IS DONE I HAVE COMPLETED THE THING #please don't ask how long this has been hanging around #and it's not even the oldest one #whoo Ace my man you are something #twisted wonderland #twst #twst smut #twst ace #twst ace smut

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razorblade180 · 4 years

Text

Rosebud part 14

Some days go by fast. Other days go by incredibly slow. For Ruby, it was the ladder. Deep in the woods of Anima she sat on the porch of Ren and Nora’s orphanage with kids around the age of ten circled around her in amazement as she told them stories of her adventures. Each one more amazing than the last until the Sun was setting on the crisp winter day. Funny, she’d never particularly loved the cold but lately it was so inviting. Most likely because she was in comfy sweatpants and being pregnant made her body feel like she was a furnace. The phrase bun in the oven never felt more real. Soon it would be over though. In fact, it would be considered a day over cooked right now.

Ruby:Ok, story time is officially over.

Children:Awwww!

Little girl:But I wanna hear more about the food fight!

Little boy:Yeah! Also how do you ride a locker. I wanna try!

Ruby:Hehehe, now, now, I gotta save stories for later. Plus I bet Ren is almost done with dinner. Don’t wanna miss that now do we?

Children:Okay….

They all slumped down with puppy eyes. Ruby wasn’t naive. She’s seen this tactic; she might as well be the inventor of it. Yet it was working on her!

Ruby:Tell you what, wanna hear the song I sing to my baby? It’s practically one of the few I can actually sing well.

Children:Yaaaaay!!!

Ruby:*clears throat* Dream of anything. I'll make it all come true. Everything you need is all I'll have for you. I'm forever, Always by your si-

The front door opened and Yang came walking out with baby Kovu in her arms. The little guy has gotten pretty big in just about a year. He was wearing a black onesie and enjoying being swayed.

Yang:Ren says dinner is ready for you little ankle biters. You have five minutes to get to the table if you want dessert.

Terror spread on the children’s faces before they ran inside.

Yang:Wash your hands!

Ruby:Look at that. You have one kid and now you know how to master them all.

Yang:I think you’re forgetting who helped raise you. If anything, you’re my first child Ruby. It’s actually very comforting seeing it like that.

Ruby:It’s also emotional and I’d appreciate it if you didn’t make me cry. I’ll need all the energy I can muster when this little procrastinator decides to be born.

Yang:Like mother like daughter.

Ruby:Ah! I don’t remember giving you this bedside manner when you were blown up like a balloon. Kovu, your mom is being mean to your aunt.

Kovu does nothing but giggle and wiggles his ears.

Ruby:Fine, take her side.

Yang:He knows better than to upset his food supply. Soon you’ll be on straight solids mister and I can be free.

Kovu looks at Yang for a moment in silence. She’s a bit stunned that he might’ve understood that. Then Kovu starts tugging on her tank top and Yang’s eyes squint at him while Ruby chuckles.

Yang:I don’t think he likes that idea.

Ruby:He’s a simple boy. Boobs are his life.

Yang:Don’t lewd my son or I’ll make fun of….whatever gender your kid is. Why can’t you be a normal person and know ahead of time.

Ruby:I like the surprise. Nora knows but that’s because her and the nurse here have done basically everything. I’m surprised she hasn’t told Jaune.

Yang:He still on patrol with the others? He should really be right by your side.

Ruby:I wish he was but we agreed keeping these woods safe is top priority. Can’t afford to get careless; not this time.

Ruby rubbed her stomach slowly as she remembered a time very similar to this. Hard to believe it’s been three years. Even so, the ache still felt somewhat fresh. Yang reached out and rubbed her shoulder. A comforting smile eased Ruby’s worries and she returned the smile genuinely.

Yang:Now is the time to look forward. Wouldn’t want your anxiety to harm the baby. Aren’t you the one usually preaching about hope?

Ruby:Yeah, the curse of being a good leader strikes again. All my advice coming right back at ya.

Yang:Gotta bring it up all the good ones so you’ll remember it for your little one.

Ruby:My little one had to come out first! I’m tired of being pregnant Yang.

Yang:Yeah I went through something a little similar. Due date was coming soon and this little guy stopped being as active. I started eating ice so the cold stirred him up. Ghira even tried spooking me into labor. Oh! Let’s try that. Kovu, scare your cousin.

Ruby:You’re so ridiculous sometimes.

Yang crouches down to Ruby’s belly and holds Kovu to it. His tiny hand reaches out and starts tapping it.

The two sisters laugh at his attempt.

Ruby:Sorry Kovu. Good atte-

Yang:Ruby?

Ruby:Yang...go get the nurse and Nora.

Yang:*eyes widened* Really!?

xxxx

Out in the woods, Jaune makes his rounds around his designated area like the others. The only thing distracting him from the cold was the thought of his wife. This was all for her safety and peace of mind and for that reason alone, he’d put up with anything.

Jaune reached for his scroll and brought it up. He checked on his friends' aura levels. Still high; little to no fighting has happened then. That’s all he could ask for.

Jaune:Everyone okay?

Blake:Yep

Weiss:Naturally.

Qrow:All clear.

Raven:Not so much as a beowulf on my side.

Tai:Really? I’ve killed like five.

Raven:Stop worrying about everything and they might stop seeking you out.

Tai:Mmmm nope. I need the exercise anyways.

Jaune:You need any help?

Tai:I’m just fine. Don’t worry about me for one second.

Qrow:Says the worry wart. Besides, I think you have something coming your way kid. Can you see the sky?

Jaune jumps on a branch to see above the treeline. What he saw was plumes of black smoke and the sight of birds fleeing the scene. ”Someone’s killing grimm? In my area?” He said, confused. ”Who could be out here besides-”

His heart sank to his stomach and he gripped his tight. Without a moment of hesitation, Jaune darted towards the scene. “I’m checking it out now. Everyone be ready for the worst.”

“Roger!” They all said with conviction in their voice.

It didn’t take Jaune long to get where he was headed. Each step he took brought growls and the familiar sound of metal striking bone armor. ‘It’s not them, it can’t be them. We took every precaution.’ He kept telling himself as he slowed down and crouched into the shrubs. ‘Relax Jaune, don’t get impatient. Observe and go from there.’

He took a deep breath and parted the plants in front of him. There was a forest clearing. Dozens of Ursa laid fading away while a massive one stood on its hind legs and roared. Below him was a figure in a cloak. Jaune could only see his back but it was easy to see how worn out the person was.

The cloak was all covered in dirt and their shoulders rose and fell with an intensity that could only mean deep breathing. Still it looked like they remained calm. Their stance low and poised as their hands ready their cane to the side. Wait, Jaune recognized that cane.

The Ursa slammed its weight to the ground and a shockwave blew cloak back along with the person. Jaune popped up from his hiding spot. “Ozpin?” The figure turned around. Yep, it was him.

“Hello Mr. Arc. How-“ another roar interrupted the headmaster and the Ursa charged. Ozpin was caught off guard.

“Look out!” Jaune screamed as he cloaked himself in aura and rushed over there almost as fast as Ruby. He slammed his shield right into the Ursa’s head; making it stumble back. He kept up the momentum by spinning forward and chopping the head off in one swipe.

Ozpin:Nice form. Oh how far you’ve come.

Jaune:Oz, what are you doing out here?

Ozpin:I thought that was obvious. Killing grimm like the rest of you. She’s almost due, right?

Jaune:H...How did you know we were here in the first place? This was supposed to be tight lipped.

Ozpin:It is. The only one who was supposed to know I was here was Mrs. Rose herself but as you can see, things got a bit messy.

Ozpin took a knee and held his head down with his cane supporting him. If it wasn’t for the eye and white hair, He’d looked exactly like how Oscar did after training.

Jaune:How long have you been out here?

Ozpin:Not too long. About a month.

Jaune:A month!?

Ozpin:Yeah. That Ursa Major was number 257 by the way. All the office work is making me rusty.

Jaune:You know if the other’s saw you here then they might have some choice words with you right? I appreciate you being there for Ruby but your agreement-

Ozpin:I’m well aware. It’s why I’ve been trying to remain inconspicuous. This isn’t me trying to build good karma and I have no intention on asking anybody for anything. If anything this should be my way of thanking you all for your years of service and making sure you can continue living life the way you want. It’s the least I can offer. Besides some advice.

Jaune:I think I’m a little old to be your student.

Ozpin:Hardly. Humanity might as well be kids compared to my age. You’re never too old to learn regardless; you’ve all taught me many things for example. I’m grateful for that.

Jaune:....Fine, lay it on me professor.

He sat down in front of his old professor to humor him. Oz couldn’t help but smirk as he stood up like he was about to give a lecture.

Ozpin:This part of Anima is known for slow moving grimm that are spaced well enough apart that the success rate of a traveler running away is pretty high in comparison to other places. I imagine that is one of the reasons why the orphanage was built here.

Jaune:That’s right.

Ozpin:Not a bad idea. When I arrived, I killed thirty grimm at most in my first week. Next week they were more agitated and mobile. Makes sense; Mrs. Rose was here and so were you. Childbirth is an anxiety filled event that happens by nature. However, the grimm kept showing up by the dozens and I got very busy as you can see. Which means...

Jaune:More people showed up? I knew that. Practically everyone is here by now.

Ozpin:Yes but you have to think a bit bigger than that. More people showing up isn’t the problem. It’s everyone who showed up is on edge and attracting the grimm; you all are causing the dangers that you’re trying to prevent. No doubt you could handle them together but if it wasn’t for me then at least half of you would be needlessly exhausted. That would be a real problem if a grimm of frightening destruction showed up, or a rogue maiden out for blood.

Jaune felt his heart stop for a moment. Oz was right. He’d been so caught in his head that instead of being proactive like he thought he was being, he was actually just reacting to his own fears. The only reason the plan was working was because everyone was more than skillful to handle most problems.

Oz walked over to Jaune and got him on his feet. He put away his cane and rested his hand on Jaune’s shoulder.

Ozpin:Strength and diligence are very important but not the most important right now. You all have that in spades. I bet there’s a million things on everyone’s minds right now. All valid fears no doubt. Give them a chance to get it all off their chest. A leader protects the mind along with the body. Just you do as a husband, and just like you’ll do as a father. *smiles*

Jaune:You think that highly of me huh?

Ozpin:Well you are the one who has done the most growing. Then again, that’s only natural seeing how you were….let’s say a late bloomer.

Jaune:That was almost a complete compliment.

Ozpin:Hehe, my fault. You know, I never had a son but looking at former students like you and Ren really makes me feel like…

Oz’s words trailed off and he stopped speaking. Instead he stood right in front of Jaune and examined him thoroughly. Hair, clothes, frame. He’d really grown from his first day. Jaune looked a little embarrassed and confused as Ozpin nodded and smiled with what seemed to be pride. Then, he walked off. Jaune said thank you and got only a wave goodbye. Class was dismissed.

Jaune almost wanted to call out to him but stopped; his scroll ringing nonstop like an alarm. Everyone was messaging him. Yang most of all. ‘How have I not noticed this?’ He thought answering Yang’s call.

Jaune:Hey what’s-

….

Jaune:RIGHT NOW!?

xxxx

Yang:Yes right now! I know we had this system in place but I think you should be-

Ruby:AAAAAAAHHHH!

Yang:I think you should be here for the birth!!!

Jaune:I’m on my way! We all are.

Yang:What about-

Jaune:I’d Cinder wants to show up then that’s her death wish. We’ll handle her together.

He hung up before Yang could even respond. The girl sighed to calm herself before looking over at her sister. Ruby was sweating bullets on a hospital bed they have gotten earlier. The nurse was going back and forth with clean attire for the baby and making sure Ruby’s vitals were okay. She’d been healthy all through the pregnancy but better safe than sorry. Natural births could get tricky sometimes.

Nora had the honor of actually being the person delivering the baby. She’d done it more than anyone around and it was showing. Her face displayed laser focus on the task at hand and she was dressed in proper hospital attire except for her hair which was pulled back into a bun. Truly she was the rock Ruby needed right now.

Nora:You’re doing great Ruby! Keep it up!

Ruby:Agh, you...you’d think this would be easier the second time. Hehehe….

Yang:*grabs her hand* Jaune’s on his way. All of them are by the sound of it.

Ruby:That’s good...wouldn’t mind some more happy faces in here.

Nora:Then let's make them really happy by making them to the party. How about they see you with a beautiful baby in your arms? Ready?

Ruby:*tightens grip* To get back to a life of combat skirts? You bet.

Nora:*smiles* One...Two...THREE!

xxxx

‘Almost there. I can’t believe this is actually happening.’ Jaune thought as he sprinted through the forest. Jumping over tree roots and gaining speed along the way. The man didn’t miss a step.

The sounds of his boots going across the floor began to get drowned out by other footsteps. With each passing moment a friend came into his peripheral that joined him in the journey back to Ruby. Weiss was the first, followed by Blake, and then Tai.

Blake:You nervous?

Jaune:Hell yeah, but it’ll all work out. I have you guys. I don’t know how far I would’ve made it otherwise.

Weiss:Think nothing of it. This has always been a group effort.

Jaune:Not Just with this. I mean everything. School, adventures, regular life problems, you’ve helped so much in so many ways. I couldn’t ask for better friends and family.

Tai:That goes both ways you know? We’re thankful for you just as much as you are for us.

Weiss:We love you, you dunce. I can’t imagine anything we wouldn’t do for you or Ruby honestly.

Blake:And we know it’s mutual. Now and forever, we’ll watch each other’s backs.

Jaune:Thanks guys. *smiles*

Tai:Hey, where’s Qrow and Raven?

On que a bird flies right past them and gains some distance. “That’s totally cheating” Weiss pouts as she can feel the heels of her shoes getting a bit worn. The bird flies around a tree and transforms back into Raven. “Need some help you slow pokes?” She grabs her sword and opens a portal. The group smiles and happily jumps through it. They come out the other side in front of the orphanage with Qrow leaning against the door waiting.

Qrow:Good thing I looked so you all could just leap. What if I was inside the house when Raven made that portal?

Tai:Sounds about on brand really. The kids would’ve had a good laugh.

Jaune:Never mind all that. Is Ru-

“Waaaaahhh!”

A cry from inside was heard loud and strong. Jaune’s eyes widened. It could’ve any kid. From the small kids to Kovu, but somehow, he knew it wasn’t. The cry, it belonged to someone new.

Jaune said nothing and walked towards the door. Everyone fell in line behind him with cheerful smiles on their face. They gave him space. It was his moment more than theirs after all. Ren stood with a child in his arms when he noticed them coming in. He gave his best friend and leader a smile then pointed upstairs. Jaune nodded then went right towards them; the crying getting louder as he got closer until it reached its peak with him right outside a wooden door. His heart felt like it was about to fly out of his chest. Jaune grabbed the door knob but felt too anxious to turn it. A fire in his chest that didn’t frighten him, but made this moment surreal. Then, a voice cut through it all.

“Don’t worry, I got you. Nothing will ever harm you…”

Without anymore thinking, he walked in. From that moment on, the winter night felt incredibly warm. There she was. His closest friend. His wife. Holding their newborn child in her arms with such grace and gentleness that it took his breath away. Despite what Ruby would probably think, Jaune doesn’t think he’s ever seen her look this angelic. She hasn’t even noticed him yet. Her attention focused on soothing the baby with the same song she used all pregnancy; the same song for Dustin.

“I’m close by, I’ll stay here. Through all things I will be nea- Hmm?” Ruby finally felt the presence of multiple eyes and looked up. It was a pleasant surprise to see so many loved ones staring in awe from the door while. Then there was Jaune. Speechless in front of her bed with tears in his eyes. Ruby had already been crying for several minutes and smiled back at him. Though she hadn’t realized just how happy he was; why they were all thrilled. It wasn’t just the baby. It was Ruby herself. Jaune was looking at deep pools of silver that shined like the moon’s reflection on a still lake. For the first time in a long time, Ruby finally looked like herself again.

Jaune:H...Hey…

Ruby:Hey there stranger. Looks like you were right this time around. Come say hello to your daughter Carmine.

Jaune’s smile grew even bigger. He’d forgotten all about that silly wager from long ago. Slowly he walked to Ruby’s side and she held the little one up so he could see the new addition to their lives. What he saw was beautiful. Carmine had come out with already a full head of blonde hair that grew darker and red at the tips. Her cheeks were all rosy; he’d assume from crying but he hoped that maybe she had a natural blush.

Regardless, what really captured him was when she opened her eyes. Purity couldn’t describe them. They were eyes that stole his heart in an instant. Maybe it was because he was already so emotional. Or maybe, it was because it was because they were just as captivating as Ruby’s. An intense silver that showed him anything possible.

Jaune:Hey Carmine Arc Rose. Welcome, to the best family ever.

Part 13

#rwby #rwby rosebud #ruby rose #jaune arc #ruby x jaune #rwby lancaster #weiss schnee #blake belladonna #yang xiao long #taiyang xiao long #raven branwen #qrow branwen #lie ren #nora valkryie #ozpin

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itskateak · 4 years

Text

Oceans and Stars - Chapter 8

Story Summary: A story of how Bucky Barnes falls in love with oceans, stars, and the woman who gave him the reasons to.

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x Velika Dante King (Fem!OC)

Chapter Summary: Bucky's life isn't easy without her, but he's getting by. And he's getting better.

Words: 3.2K

Warnings: Mentions of war, mild language, PTSD, Relapsing, Anxiety, canon typical violence, some fluff, harassment

A/N: I know the words of the song are the same as the last chapter, but that's because that section repeats.

Masterlist

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𝓛𝓲𝓿𝓮 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝔀𝓲𝓵𝓵 𝓵𝓲𝓿𝓮. {𝐿𝒾𝓋𝑒 𝓎𝑜𝓊 𝓌𝒾𝓁𝓁 𝓁𝒾𝓋𝑒}

Bucky glanced at his gloved hands, fingers laced as he rested his elbows on his knees. The waiting room was silent except for the receptionist taking calls from other patients. A diffuser puffed intermittently, spraying oils into the air. He recognized the smell of chamomile and lavender. It was meant to calm and relax people as they waited. Instead, it just made him more anxious.

He hated waiting in the open like this. He was lucky there wasn't anyone else in the waiting room with him and he was seriously considering leaving without even holding his appointment. The diffuser huffed out another dose of the anxious elixir.

Steve had offered to come with him, but he didn't want his best friend to see how broken he actually was. In some ways, Steve glossed over the cracks and believed the front Bucky put on when he was having a rough day or week or even month. It had been especially worse now that Velika hadn't been around.

"James Barnes?" A dark-skinned woman in a pair of jeans and a blue knit sweater called for his attention. She had a pair of thick-rimmed glasses pushed up onto her crown, holding her unnaturally colored box-braids back. Her eyes were a soft brown, which matched her soft and friendly smile.

Bucky stood slowly to not startle her and gave her the kind of smile people give when they hold doors open for others.

"I'm Doctor Naomi Winters. It's nice to meet you, James." Naomi extended her hand to him in a manner that didn't pressure him to return it. He did, though, and shook her hand.

"Bucky, please." He kept his left arm at his side and still.

"I'll make a note of that because I'm sure I'll forget in the next five minutes. It's been a long week. Come on back." Naomi rolled her eyes at herself and gestured with her head.

Bucky followed her down the hall. The walls were painted an awful beige color that reminded him of the sun-faded flour sacks he hauled down on the docks. Random paintings and pictures were hung between offices. Some were of plants and flowers, others were what he thought were meant to be inspirational quotes but really just sounded condescending.

Naomi opened a door to his right and invited him in, shutting it softly behind him. The room was a cool grey with paintings hung on one wall. A black bookshelf filled with various medical journals and alternative books was pushed into the corner. A plush rug in black was laid out across the floor, one edge of it hidden under a desk with a couple of computer monitors in sleep mode. A comfy looking grey couch was under the paintings and a chair by an end table sat opposite it. A deep red blanket was thrown over the back of the couch and a pair of decorative pillows sat against one of the arms. The room was dim, lit up by warm fairy lights in plastic jars.

"If there's anything you need to make you more comfortable, please let me know," Naomi said, grabbing a file from her desk and sinking into the chair.

Bucky nodded and sat cautiously on the couch, unsure of himself now that he was actually in the room with her. She picked up a pen and made a note at the top of the first page.

"Do you need a few minutes to get used to the room?" She asked, pulling her glasses down to rest low on her nose. She looked at him patiently over the top of them.

"I'm okay." He responded, voice much gruffer than he intended. He winced slightly and cleared his throat. "It's fine."

"Okay, Bucky. I glanced over your file and there's a lot to cover. We can start wherever you want and I won't push a subject if you tell me you don't want to talk about it in that session. I want this to be helpful to you and at your own pace," Naomi set her pen down and picked up a steaming mug on the table beside her. She wrapped her hands around it and took a sip.

Bucky nodded hesitantly. Where would he even begin? He furrowed his brow and dropped his gaze to the floor, eyes flickering over the threads of the carpet. There was a lot to cover over his life and finding a place to pull the thread without unraveling the carefully woven web he'd created was more difficult than he expected.

"Alright, I have an idea. I can see you're having a hard time trying to find a place to start. We can start with the intro survey you filled out and talk about each section. This will allow me to help diagnose you properly." Naomi spoke softly and with an evenness that was already loosening the tension in his shoulders.

"Okay." Bucky nodded again, lacing his hands together again.

"You checked most of the boxes for the anxiety parameters. Let's talk about that first." Naomi set her cup aside and took her pen up again.

Bucky took a deep breath. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad.

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"You okay, Bucky?" Steve checked in with him, putting a hand on his shoulder. They were between meeting people as the groups were being switched out.

"Yeah, why?" Bucky glanced at him before smiling to a fan who had called his name. He waved in the direction of the shout. The sea of people in line didn't let him pinpoint exactly who had said his name.

"I'm just making sure. It's a big crowd and it's a lot of people," Steve said, taking a step away as the next group of people were brought in.

"I'm okay. Promise." Bucky gave him a reassuring smile and had his attention diverted by one of the convention's staff. He greeted the person in front of him, making casual conversation and giving them a hug when they asked. He smiled for a photo, a warm feeling in his chest.

People had been wary to accept him at first. He hadn't attended public events like this often. He would sit on panels and do interviews, but other than that, he never did meet and greets. After attending therapy for a few months, he had felt stable enough to attend a short one.

A small boy, maybe ten, approached him with wide eyes and a smile. His mother stood behind him, a hand on his shoulder.

Bucky opened his mouth to say something when he noticed a pin on the boy's shirt. Immediately, he kneeled to be on the boy's level and pulled his sleeves up to the middle of his forearms.

"Hi!" Bucky signed.

The boy's eyes widened further in surprise. Even his mother seemed a little surprised. They had expected Clint Barton to know sign language since he was hard of hearing, but they really didn't expect Bucky Barnes, the ex-Winter Soldier, to know sign language.

"Hi!" The boy beamed.

"How are you?"

"Excited and happy to talk with you. How are you?"

"A little nervous. My sign is rusty. But happy to talk with you, too. What's your name?"

"My name is James."

"My first name is James, too. But everyone calls me Bucky." He tucked a piece of hair behind his ear. "What's been your favorite part about the con so far?"

"Meeting you." James ducked his head sheepishly. "Your arm is so cool! I really liked the-" James broke into a flurry of signs that Bucky couldn't keep up with.

"Hold on! Slow down, please. I can't understand at that speed." Bucky chuckled at his enthusiasm. It made his heart swell.

"Sorry. I got excited. I talk fast when I'm excited. I really liked the red star on your silver arm, but I know it was tied to really bad things in your past so I'm happy for you now that it's gone. Your new arm looks really, really pretty! I love the gold designs." James' enthusiasm wasn't dulled even with the slower signing. He was nearly bouncing on his feet.

"Thank you. I didn't design the appearance but I really like it, too. Shuri was excited the whole time she was fitting it. It's not as glitchy as the silver one, which means less time I have to spend around the compound missing an arm." Bucky wrinkled his nose up in mock disgust before chuckling. "Did you see anything cool today or buy something from the vendors?"

"I got this replica of your .... and meeting all of you guys was really fun!"

Bucky furrowed his brow and looked to his mother, repeating the sign he didn't understand and asking for its meaning.

"Oh! Motorcycle. That's not a sign I've seen before. I usually fingerspelled it. Would you like to take a picture?"

"Yes, please!"

"Do you mind if I use my phone to also take a photo?" Bucky verbally asked James' mother but signed as well so James could understand him.

"Go ahead!"

A staff member took Bucky's phone from him and he wrapped his right arm around the boy. He held his left hand up with the sign for I love you and smiled.

James' mother counted down with sign and snapped a few photos. The staff member followed her lead. They handed Bucky's phone back to him and he nodded to them in thanks.

"Can I give you a hug?" James asked with a shy smile. Bucky opened his arms up and nodded. James threw his arms around his shoulders, squeezing tightly. Bucky squeezed him back, rocking from side to side slightly.

James' mother tapped James on the shoulder and signaled it was time for them to move on. James pulled back and waved, thanking Bucky.

"I love you, James. You're a superhero."

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Bucky wandered through the bookshelves, head tilted inquisitively as he read the titles. His hands were sunk into his pockets. He'd discovered this small bookshop with Velika on accident. They had been wandering through New York's downtown areas when the rain had suddenly started to pour down. They found shelter in the family-owned bookshop tucked between a thrift store and a business office.

He pulled a book that had caught his attention from the shelf, reading the synopsis curiously. He'd been reading a lot more, finding it enjoyable again. Usually, his mind would wander while reading, and his thoughts would be completely unrestricted. Now, he could read for hours and be uninterrupted by his intrusive thoughts.

The synopsis wasn't as intriguing as he'd hoped so he put it back in its place and continued down the row.

A scoff behind him interrupted the quiet calm of the shop, but he paid it no mind. He did step closer to the shelf in case it was someone wanting to pass behind him. He took up a good amount of space in the small aisles and didn't want to be a bad person.

"I see you're letting anyone in here." The voice was muffled, and obviously feminine, but he heard it clearly. Blame his superhuman hearing.

"What do you mean, Loraine?" The owner, a kindly old Jewish man, asked in a gentle voice.

"You let a criminal in here." She whispered. "He deserves to be in jail. Not browsing your shelves."

"He has done no harm and he is quite kind. You would know if you talked to him. He's a hero. He saved my mother from certain death when he was a Howling Commando. This bookshop wouldn't exist if not for him. If you are going to continue, then you will leave." The owner's voice was firm and the door slammed closed shortly after. "I'm sorry about her, Mr. Barnes."

"You don't need to be sorry, sir. It's completely alright. I'm used to it." Bucky rounded the end of the shelf with a soft smile.

"But you shouldn't be. You should not be judged on the actions you could not control but rather the actions you did. That is what makes you the man you are." The owner extended his hand to Bucky.

"I have never asked your name." Bucky shook his hand firmly and smiled.

"Mendel Belenky. It is a pleasure to truly meet you, Mr. Barnes." Mendel said in a wistful tone.

"Please, just call me Bucky. Would you like to talk sometime about your mother and the war?" He offered, shoving his hands back into his pockets.

"I would love to, Bucky. And know you are always welcome in my store." Mendel's warm eyes crinkled up as he smiled.

"Thank you."

"Now, I haven't seen that lovely woman that is usually with you in awhile. Did you two break up?" Mendel asked.

"Ah, no. We weren't dating. We're just friends. Velika is currently fighting on the frontlines of a war between her homeland and her birthland." Bucky explained, face flushing lightly.

"I do hope she comes home. And you finally ask her out." Mendel winked and returned to the counter.

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𝓖𝓻𝓸𝔀 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝔀𝓲𝓵𝓵 𝓰𝓻𝓸𝔀. {𝒢𝓇𝑜𝓌 𝓎𝑜𝓊 𝓌𝒾𝓁𝓁 𝑔𝓇𝑜𝓌}

"So, how has the last week been?" Naomi asked, settling in her chair with a sigh. She flashed him a genuine smile as she picked her ever steaming mug of tea up.

"I didn't have any nightmares. At all." Bucky grinned, a feeling a pride spreading through his chest.

"That's great! That's really good!" Naomi's smile grew and she wrote it down on the notepad. "How many times did you feel overwhelmed or anxious this week?"

"Twice. I went on a mission Monday to Wednesday, so I was nervous beforehand. The second time was after I got out of the shower. I was thinking too much and it just hit me." Bucky stretched his right hand against his left, gloves tucked away in his pocket. He'd stopped wearing them as much in public.

"Any progress made is good. You were overwhelmed and anxious five times at the time of our last visit and you had two nightmares. I say that you're definitely getting better with every week." Naomi made another note. "Let's talk about fears this time since you mentioned feeling like you have irrational fears last time we met. Can you tell me more about that?"

"It sounds ridiculous, but I'm terrified of falling. Heights don't bug me, but falling? It scares me." Bucky sighed, leaning back against the couch. "Ever since I fell off the train and into that ravine, I just...I dunno."

"It's perfectly rational, Bucky. You fell something like five hundred feet. Anyone would be scared to fall after something like that," Naomi said.

"Jeez, you sound like Velika. She nearly said something identical to that a couple of years ago." Bucky smiled fondly at the memory.

"Tell me about that, then. And tell me about her."

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"Bucky, there's two on your tail!" Nat shouted from across the room before swinging herself around a guy nearly twice her height.

"Copy that." Bucky turned and engaged with the two men who had followed him. They weren't anywhere close to being a match for him. He continued towards the main server room, hand on the top of the pistol strapped to his right thigh.

"You guys have five minutes to get back out here before the charges go off. Get a move on!" Tony ordered through the coms.

"Yeah, yeah. We're movin' as fast as we can." Bucky ducked into a hall, firing rounds off at the people coming at him. He heard someone approaching from behind him but he wasn't concerned.

A round went off behind him and an exasperated sigh followed. "Barnes, you nearly just got your head blown clean off. What the hell was that?" Natasha asked.

"I...thought Velika was here again. Thought she had my six." Bucky admitted in a quiet voice. Nat's expression changed and she patted his arm sympathetically.

"I know, Bucky. We all miss her."

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"You son of a bitch!" Sam howled, nearly coming across the kitchen table in rage.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Did you say something, Wilson? I couldn't hear you over the sound of all this money." Bucky dramatically fanned himself with millions of dollars worth of Monopoly money. He had a shit-eating grin as he watched Sam turn red in rage.

"He cheated. He had to have cheated." Tony threw his money onto the board in frustration.

"That's it. You're banned from playing Monopoly with us ever again." Nat threw a handful of popcorn at Bucky and he started laughing.

"Sleep with one eye open, Barnes. You're gonna pay for taking away my win." Sam fumed, crossing his arms.

"Whatever you say, Wilson. Whatever you say."

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𝓢𝓲𝓷𝓰, 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝔀𝓲𝓵𝓵 𝓼𝓲𝓷𝓰.

Bucky leaned his head back against the seat of the couch, emotionless gaze staring at the grey wall. He hadn't slept for the last two days and he was exhausted both physically and mentally. He'd been doing so well and suddenly it all fell apart. So here he was, sitting on the floor of his therapist's office.

Naomi settled next to him, reaching over his legs to set a mug of tea on the solid floor. She held her usual cup in her hand, sitting cross-legged and facing the wall with him. He wasn't ready to talk. He felt numb. Shattered. His arms laid limply in his lap and he stared blankly ahead.

"If you need anything, you just have to ask. When you're ready to talk, I'll be here. I've cleared the rest of my schedule so you can be here as long as you need." Naomi quietly broke the silence.

"You didn't have to do that," Bucky muttered, voice gravelly and hoarse. His gaze didn't waver from the grey wall.

"I didn't, but I felt it was the best option for you. I felt it was what you needed." Naomi took a sip of her tea. "I will be here whenever you're ready."

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Bucky felt his phone buzz in his pocket and he pulled it out to check the notification. Rain tapped against the window, breaking through the soft jazz music playing from an old record player. He unlocked his phone and navigated to Instagram. A memory had popped up from two years ago. He clicked on it and couldn't stop the smile that spread across his face.

The photo was of him and Velika on the fallen tree above the river. She had her braid pulled over her shoulder, a bright smile on her face as she leaned against his shoulder to be in frame. His left eye was squinted because they were facing the sun, but he was smiling as well. Today's adventure included nearly falling into a river because that one wanted to sit on a tree above the water.

"Let me see her," Mendel said, shifting his glasses further down the bridge of his nose. Bucky looked at him with mild confusion. "Oh, don't pretend it isn't her. I know that smile when I see it."

Bucky turned his phone around to show him the photo and Mendel smiled with a nod. "She is beautiful. An angel, yes?"

"You have no idea."

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Bucky laid on the roof with his left arm under his head, watching the stars. It wasn't the same without Velika, but it brought him comfort on the nights he couldn't sleep. He played with her dog tags as he stared, a slight smile on his lips.

"I love you, Velika," He whispered to the moon.

𝓨𝓸𝓾'𝓵𝓵 𝓼𝓲𝓷𝓰. 𝓨𝓸𝓾 𝔀𝓲𝓵𝓵 𝓯𝓵𝓸𝔀.

Taglist-

#oceans and stars #my writing #bucky barnes #james buchanan barnes #bucky barnes x oc #bucky barnes x original character #bucky barnes x ofc #bucky barnes x original female character #bucky barnes fanfiction #velika dante king #mcu #marvel #mcu fanfiction #marvel fanfiction

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dreamingformuses · 5 years

Text

i’m uhhhh back on my bullshit

mostly inspired by one of @agib-2002 ‘s anons asking about peter being taken but for a long period of time and here’s my take on that.

bio!dad au. peter is about 7-8

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When he was born, Peter Stark was Tony’s entire life. He was the pride and joy of the Starks, and the media fell in love with him. Everything was perfect, until Peter’s fourth birthday, when he disappeared without a trace. Tony called every force he could think of. The NYPD, the rest of his teammates, the FBI, even Interpol. He even called Fury himself. They looked non-stop for over a year, to no avail. It was if Peter had simply vanished. The day after Peter’s funeral, each Avenger made a promise to themselves.

Tony promised he would never stop looking.

Steve promised he wouldn’t let Tony destroy himself.

Natasha told herself that if she couldn’t save Peter, she would save the rest of the world’s children instead.

Thor promised that he would make sure Peter got into Valhalla.

Clint promised he would enjoy all the time he still had with his children.

Bruce promised he would help Tony with whatever he needed.

Natasha started to take up cases involving child trafficking rings. She always interrogated the leaders and made sure to ask if they knew anything at all about a child named Peter Stark. They never did.

It was the latest on her string of cases. She went in alone, guns blazing. With the ringleaders finally dead, she was able to shepherd about thirty children out of an assuming house in the suburbs. They stood on the lawn together as they waited for law enforcement to come. The oldest kid was nine, and the youngest was three. Some of the braver ones went up to Nat to thank her profusely for the rescue. As much as she now worked with cases involving children, Natasha still wasn’t sure how to handle them. She called Tony. It was the closest person who was both good in crisises and with children. He flew down to the house, and landed on the street in front.

All of the kids watched in awe as Iron Man went and talked to the nice lady with red hair that got them out. They made a plan to start asking the kids if they had any family they could stay with. They split up and it takes them about an hour to get to their last kids. Natasha knelt on the grass next to a little boy with unruly brown hair. He was clutching a rag close to his chest. Natasha supposed it was a security blanket of sorts. “Hey buddy.” she said. “Do you know if you have any family you can go to?” She looked at his face and put on the kindest smile she could. He seemed skinny. Too skinny.

“Pe- Pe’tr.” He managed to say. His voice was rusty from disuse. That caught Tony’s ear. He came over and knelt next to Natasha.

“Do you know him? Do you know where he is?” Tony asked. It was a long shot, but he was desperate. Peter was a pretty common name, and his Peter had been gone for three years, if not longer.

He pointed to himself. “No. I- I’m Pe’tr.” Realization dawned on Tony. He could recognize those big brown eyes anywhere. The rest of him had changed so much, but his eyes still shone brightly.

“Tesoro? He used the nickname he gave his son all those years ago.

“Daddy?” A tear fell from Tony’s eye.

“Come here, baby.” He opened his arms, and let Peter run in for a hug. “I missed you so much, Peter.” He pressed a kiss on Peter’s forehead. “I never stopped looking for you. Even after the… um…” On second thought, he probably shouldn’t tell Peter that they held a funeral for him after he was missing for a tear. Tony’s suit retracted around him, allowing Peter to fall closer to his chest.

Tony gave Natasha a look, and she began to help the other kids. She notified the police of the situation as they pulled up to the house. “These kids, they’ve been through a lot. Just make sure they get back home, will you?”

A female officer smiled sincerely, and said that they would do everything they could. Natasha looked behind her, and Tony and Peter were still locked in a tight embrace.

“I love you, Petey-pie.” Tony pushed him off gently, and ran his thumbs under Peter’s eyes to brush any tears away.

‘I love you too.” Peter mumbled.

“Are you okay?”

Peter sniffled. “No.” That simple admission absolutely broke Tony’s heart. Whatever was left of it was now in a million pieces on the floor.

“Did they hurt you?” Peter nodded and looked at the ground. Tony smiled sadly, and hugged Peter again. “Do you want to go home? I haven’t moved any of your things. Your room is still right next to mine.”

“Thank you, dad.”

“Of course, baby. Of course. We can get home in about fifteen minutes in the suit, but it’ll be more comfy if we take a car. What do you want to do?”

“I can choose?” Peter looked up to Tony with hope in his eyes.

“Of course. Whatever you want.”

“I want to go home.” Peter wiped away a stray tear. The suit formed around Tony again as he scooped Peter into his arms.

‘Stay still and hold on. I’ll go as fast as I can.” Tony whispered into Peter’s ear. “FRIDAY, plot fastest course back to the Tower.” The thrusters quickly reached maximum speed. They flew pretty low, and even with the harsh wind, Peter soon fell asleep in Tony’s arms. He landed as gently as possible on the balcony. The suit collapsed back into the housing unit on his chest. That had been new since Peter… left. When they were still living a normal life, he still had the arc reactor.

He opened the balcony door with the toe of his boot. Pepper was sitting on the couch, checking her email in a rare moment between her meetings. Without turning around, she asked, “How was the mission?”

“You’ll never guess who I found.” Tony breathed.

“Who? Norman Oscorp and his lackeys?”

“No. I found Peter.” That got Pepper to turn around.

@penis-parkerrr

#irondad #irondad and spiderson #biological irondad #irondad whump #implied/referenced child abuse #tony stark #natasha romanoff #peter parker #peter parker is an actual child

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allthephils · 5 years

Text

Wax on, Wax off

Rated: E word count: 1282

Read on ao3

Happy birthday @doineedtohaveawordwithyou ! This was supposed to be a little desert introspection but I haven’t been writing much and I’m a little rusty, so it turned into solo Phil smut. Oops. Happy birthday, here’s some porn! Thank you for being such a delightful and positive presence in this fandom.

Phil thought there would be howling coyotes, screeching owls, and chirping crickets. He’d prepared himself for the frightening skitter of tiny lizard feet. He had not prepared himself for this kind of quiet, a silence that screams it’s stillness all around him, unavoidable. It’s beautiful here but so expansive, never ending, and so hot that the air presses in from all sides. VidCon exhausted his social reserves. Las Vegas will be yet another onslaught. The ghost towns and quirky truck stops were his favorite part so far but this part, just relaxing in nature, that doesn’t come so easy. He’s meant to be resetting, renewing, taking time alone out here. Dan went off to strip out of his poor clothing choices and shower. Martyn and Cornelia have long since disappeared but he can hear their chatter and Corn’s musical laughter every so often.

The ground is hard under Phil’s back but his feet hang over the edge of the pool, slowly kicking back and forth through the too blue water, still visible in the bright moonlight. That’s one thing, the moon. It’s full and bright, illuminating in ways it just doesn’t in London. The stars are dull, hidden behind the veil of light. He counts as many as he can, tracing shapes with his finger tip stretched out in front of him. He thinks he spots a planet or two.

Somewhere behind him, he hears the shower turn on. Phil had rushed through his, feeling oddly exposed in the bright morning but showering under the stars doesn’t sound too bad. Dan must be loving it, surrounded by the night sky, under a spray of cool water. What a perfectly pretentious end to a day spent wearing £300 joggers in 40 degree heat. He’ll be lathering up by now. Rubbing that cruelty free, organic jasmine body wash over his sweat soaked skin. An absent minded hand finds it way to Phil’s open collar, scratching gently through the soft hair there. With an image of a soapy Dan in mind, he fingers a button open, then another and another until he’s wriggling his shirt down his shoulders and tossing it aside.

As oppressive as the heat is, it does bring some gifts. Dan’s pretty legs, shaved smooth, pale but somehow still golden made an appearance yesterday. Phil remembers running his hand up a slim calf, he can practically feel Dan’s warm skin as he drags his fingers down over his own belly, teasing past his waist band slightly before flattening his hand and feeling the skin, muscles rippling as he lifts his head to watch.

Dan’s probably got his head thrown back, watching the stars as he washes. He probably has a hand on his inner thigh, idly reaching fingers to stroke the skin behind his balls. Phil’s hand has made it’s way over his rib cage to his chest now. The swirling heat just under the surface has nothing to do with the desert, prickling up his thighs and behind his nipples. He grazes over a one sensitive nub, gasps just a bit and moves straight to pinching and rolling, his other hand shooting down to unbutton his shorts. Sweat and heat are irrelevent to Phil if it means he can press his body to Dan’s but Dan won’t want to fuck in this heat. Sex tends to override discomfort for Phil. It also overrides propriety, good judgement, and modesty but that’s neither here nor there. There doesn’t seem any good reason to deny himself this. Everyone else is occupied and he is meant to be relaxing.

For a brief moment, he reconsiders calling out for Dan, or getting up to go join him in the shower. He’s so good to himself though, no one is better at touching Phil than Phil, not even Dan. And he’s rather settled here, just warm enough with his feet in the pool, perfectly acclimated. His body says stay a while, get comfy, keep going, and Phil is never one to deny his body a craving. Lifting his hips, he shoves his shorts and pants down in one motion before wrapping a hand around himself. He’s half hard but the idea of open air around his cock has it filling his grip completely.

His hands are lazy. A low electric current runs through his fingertips, leaving his skin dewy and buzzing with every touch. Yeah. Touch my cock. Fuck. Words whispered to himself through crooked, quirked up, self aware lips. Words that push the hum of arousal until his slow tease becomes a torture and he gives in. Thoughts roll through his mind, half formed and disjointed, moving from fantasy to memory and finally to simple here and now reality. There is no one for miles and Phil’s cock is beautiful moving in and out of his fist. Nothing wrong with finding your own cock beautiful. He can’t deny what so many have told him. It’s long and perfectly straight, deep pink and shining at the tip where it slips past his foreskin.

His breath catches and his thumb finds a rhythm, flicking over a nipple in time with his stroking hand. His eyes slip shut but he forces them open. Seeing actual stars when he cums is too good an opportunity to pass up. He giggles a bit at the thought. Tension builds in his gut and his strokes speed up, losing coordination in a deliciously desperate surge toward release. There are splashes from the shower and Phil’s imagination runs wild. Maybe in the morning, he’ll push his nipples against the smooth wet wood, arching his back so Dan can fuck him silly before breakfast.

He gives his nipple a break to free up a hand, running through his hair with a tug before moving his hand down to cup and massage his balls while he jacks himself fast and hard. He sees naked Dan on an ass shaped rock, he sees Chris Hemsworth on his knees, he sees himself, half naked on the ground, feet in the pool, cock in his hand. That’s the image that does it. Narcissism is underrated. He tries to be quiet but a groan escapes, eyes squeezed shut, as he makes a terrible mess of his own belly.

He’s alone and sticky and smiling in the dark. It’s nearly midnight and the shower is still running. Maybe Dan had the same idea. Now they can climb in to bed and just cuddle. That sounds too good to resist so he stands, stepping out of his shorts and shoes and walking naked into the sliding door that goes straight to their room. When he opens the shower door Dan looks dreamy and tired, spent and happy. He looks Phil up and down and lets out a raucous laugh.

“I see you’ve been taking your self care seriously,” He says, smirking. “I was afraid you were coming in here to get frisky.”

“Frisky?” Phil cocks his brow, “Ok grandpa, I figured you��d be too tired after today anyway.”

“Not tired at all.” Dan answers, “but you’re clearly all used up.”

“Is that a challenge?”

A high pitched ha! echos in the night. “You’re filthy. Covered in cum and already asking for more.” He’s attempting derision but only achieving a kind of fond reprimand. “You aren’t a teenager anymore Phil, I don’t think you have it in you.”

Phil steps into the shower and kisses Dan, soft enough to make him shudder, hard enough to make his knees weak. Spinning Dan around quickly, he pushes him into the wall and lays his body over him, Dan’s giggles bouncing off the shower walls. Phil kisses behind his ear and whispers there. “Let’s test that theory, yeah?”

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living-dead-parker · 6 years

Text

12 Days of Christmas; Peppermint Lane and Christmas Carols

Summary: Days 9 and 10 - The Avengers go visit Peppermint Lane and the do some caroling too.

The caroling part was inspired by an ask sent to me by @briaw96 so thank you so much for that!!

Warnings: some cussing, mentions of cheating, and Denny’s.

Word Count: 2.6k

series masterlist | masterlist

Every year, a local neighborhood likes to set up a mile long light show, allowing visitors to roam the streets and look up at the intricate lights. It was much like a similar one back in California that Tony always took you to as a kid. It was big and elaborate and usually, the last house was the biggest one with the most elaborate design of them all. When you had moved to New York, and Christmas was fast approaching, Tony took to it to find a similar one in New York, finding one not too far from his tower. Eventually, the more you two moved around, he'd always find a new place. This year, he found one not too far from the tower called Peppermint Lane.

The excitement begins to bubble up as you hand Peter the ugly Christmas sweater that matches the one you're wearing. It's red with a reindeer on the abdomen, red light up nose, bells on the antlers, and the sleeves have tiny reindeer printed all over. Peter giggles as he throws on the sweater, looking over to see you're already layered up with a jacket over the sweater. He walks over to you, grabbing your cheeks and bringing you closer to his face. He presses a kiss to your lips but pulls away almost immediately as he perks up a sudden thought entering his mind.

The light necklaces!

He runs off into your closet, grabbing the bag with random little decorative things, pulling out the two necklaces. Almost simultaneously, he opens the two boxes and pulls the necklaces out of their constraints. He watches as they light up when he flips the small switch on the back, glowing light of color, each different than the next. With an eager quickness, he stands in front of you and places the necklace over your head and places it on your next before repeating the process on himself.

"There," he says through a content sigh. "We look like each other now."

You grab his hand and lead him to the mirror, giving yourselves a once over and enjoying what stands before you. The two of you looked like happy little kids instead of adults, though you don't care at all. Everyone has a childish side and Peter of all people deserves to bask in it. A thought that always plays in your mind. Peter deserves to bask in his childishness as much as he's allowed.

"We should head down. I'm sure they're all waiting," Peter says as he pulls you close to him. His face is so close to yours after he leans forward and your eyes can't help but wander down to his lips before meeting back up at his eyes. His grip on your hips is firm and your arms instinctually wrap around his neck in order to hold him close to you. The smell of his sandalwood cologne making your head whirl in the best of ways. After deciding you've had enough teasing, you lean forward and press your lips to his, feeling them mold together in perfect harmony. His hands pull you closer into him until there's absolutely no space between the two of you.

His lips feel warm against yours, the taste of mint hitting you almost immediately. You can feel yourself become needy of air, but you just don't want to part. Something about the holidays and Peter makes you never want to let go. Though, in your defense, Peter is such a cozy and comfy person. His warmth just draws you in. When Peter pulls away, you gently bite his lip, tugging at it slightly but letting go a few seconds later. He rests his forehead on yours, making you lose your breath once again when you stare into his longing eyes. A warm feeling spreads through your body and despite feeling the slightest scared that you're falling deeper, you never want it to end. It feels better than any high you've had and it's the best thing you could ever ask for. Peter is the best thing you could ever ask for.

Peter chuckles as he pulls away, grabbing your hand to lead the way out. "Okay, Y/N. That's enough, we should go."

He steps out of your room and leads the way down the hallway. When the two of you step into the living room, you see almost everybody except Bucky and Steve. You walk over to your father and watch as he plays with Morgan. She's in a fit of giggles as Tony tickles her, the sound of Pepper telling to Tony to tone it down being drowned out by Morgan's giggles. Bucky and Steve finally step out decked out in their ugly sweaters, much like everyone else. You and Peter decided to match with your parents and Morgan. May and Happy decided to match with each other, looking sickeningly sweet.

"Alright, let's get this show on the road!"

The bunch of you, a total of 12 people, head into an elevator and descend to the first floor of the tower. Sam and Bucky joke about getting the elevator, but receive a nudge on the ribs when you tell them it's not funny. They only laugh about it until you give them the glare, which can be pretty scary when executed properly. Thankfully, you always execute it properly.

It wasn't until you reached the beginning of the lane that you were told the news. Everybody but you knew, which was a little suspicious. Peter was in on it too, which sort of had you feigning betrayal. Your sweet boyfriend wouldn't lie to you or hide things, right? Except that he did, knowing full well this was your forte. This was your thing. And he knew about it all day. And didn't say a single word for once in his darn life.

"We're caroling!" Tony tells you as he hands you the book of carols they stuffed in one of Morgan's baby backpacks.

"Father, the fact that you got everybody to stay quiet and not tell me about this offends me on so many levels," you begin as you grab the stupid book. You flip through the pages before dramatically throwing the book at Sam. He lets out a grunt as the book hits his face, but you're not too bothered by it to check on him. He'll live. "But the fact that you think I need some book to help me belt out every single word to Mariah or Justin offends me so much more than anything anyone could ever say or do."

Tony lets out a chuckle and Pepper just giggles as they watch you turn around. You storm off up the driveway of the first house and knock on the door. The wait was only a few seconds, but by the time the door was open, everybody was standing behind you; books open, smiles on their faces, and voices ready.

"Wow! You guys are the Avengers!"

"Jingle bells," everyone starts simultaneously, causing you to cringe a little on the inside. Do any of them know about pitch and range? Disgusting. Absolutely disgusting. Like a true performer, you continue despite the harsh work conditions and terrible background vocals. You can't blame them too much as they're all very much rusty and it's only the first song. A mere warm up.

"Hey, that was disgusting so we need to figure out a new singing system," you say once you've all exited the premises of the first house. Bucky and Sam roll their eyes playfully and Nat just winds up tuning you out.

"What do you mean? She was so into it!" Steve argues back.

"Yeah because her musical palate is that of a child, get in a line."

From there you worked into setting them up in a way that would work for, not only you but for the listener's ears. Not to say it didn't go down without a fight. Because everyone did try to fight you on it. In the end, because you're a Stark, you fought for it to go your way. So, now after being all sorted out, the twelve of you walked over to the next house, enjoying the lights as you walk up the driveway. After knocking, there was a brief wait until the owner opened up. She was quick to call her family to watch the carolers.

"Have a holly jolly Christmas," you sang, watching as their faces all turn into ones of pure amusement. Slowly, everybody else joined in, having fun with it and realizing it sounded much better than the first. Once the song was over, the family thanked you with some hot chocolate and some peppermint candies. Peter being part spider at this point just gave you the peppermint as he's completely repulsed by it.

The journey through the entire two-mile-long stretch began. That's only on one side of the street. You all still have to make your way around two miles back. It seems tiring but singing for hours should be fun. Plus, the houses had been handing you all items you'd need, so there was plenty of water and tea being given to cool your vocals.

"Alright, we're doing a classic, so follow along," you tell the group as you approach a new house. They all nod as they follow down the main pathway leading to the door. The house is decorated in all colorful lights and follows a Mickey Mouse theme, which is really cute. You knock on the door, and like every other house, the person behind takes a few seconds to open. When they do, it reveals a middle-aged woman who seemed oddly familiar to you.

"Y/N Stark? Oh, it's been so long sweetie!" the woman says. You smile at her, not remembering how she knows you and why she looks so familiar. "Let me get the kids, they're all here!" she says excitedly before turning around. You also turn and look over at your father and Pepper.

"How the fuck does she know me? Why does she look familiar to me?" you ask them. They shrug and when you turn to the side, you see a decoration with their last name on it. Casper.

"Dad get me out of her-"

"Y/N Stark?" a familiar voice says. Pepper's eyes go wide and Tony has to hold back a chuckle. Peter grabs hold of your hand, noticing the slight discomfort.

"Des Caspar. It's been so long," you tell him with faux excitement. He nods eagerly, holding a hand out for you to shake.

"It has been too long! I've missed you so much-" Obviously not when you were cheating on me. "What brings you here?"

"Caroling! With my family and my boyfriend," you say as you hold yours and Peter's interlocked hands. His smile doesn't falter, not one bit. For some reason, it pisses you off. Especially because Sam and Bucky are laughing in the back and you can so hear them. Tony isn't plummeting the kid into the ground and Morgan isn't beating him up like she said she would if she ever saw him. The biggest betrayal is that Peter isn't showering you with love like he said he would if he ever saw him. So you do the only thing you can.

"I don't want a lot for Christmas," you begin, belting the line out. Make 'em jealous and give 'em a show. So once you've reached the middle of the first verse, you turn to Peter and hold his chin in your hand. "I just want you for my own."

By the end of it, you realize you've been belting every note by yourself. Which seems right because nobody seems to know how to sing. It would rude to steal the thunder from your amazing vocals. You also realize how upset Des looks, noticing the same look of jealousy he used to have when you'd make new friends or how his face turned red much like it did when you'd both argue. So as Tony was saying goodbye on everyone's behalf, you left a big kiss on Peter's lips after making sure Des was watching. Putting on a show is just something Stark's enjoy more than anything.

"What the fuck was that?" May asks.

"He was some stupid guys I used to date Freshman through Junior year. Broke up with him because he was a possessive cheater. I liked his sister so the breakup was tough because I was essentially breaking up with them too. The rest of his family, not so much."

"He was a little shit. The night Y/N came to me crying he had the audacity to show up at the old tower and ask for her forgiveness and he got mad at me for not letting him in. I was so ready to aim a repulsor at the kid," Tony rants. You chuckle, shaking your head. Almost as if to shake the memories away.

The rest of the night was a breeze. Singing Christmas carols was fun and everyone seemed to have a good time. By the end of it, Tony decided to buy out a nearby Denny's. You are all seated in a big booth, Peter sitting next to you. May sits on Peter's other side next to Happy. You rest your head on Peter's shoulder as he looks over at one of the menus. Your hand rests on his, wanting to be as close to him as possible. When you look over, you see May smiling at the two of you, the close proximity of being with each other making her heart melt. She always wanted Peter to be happy and to have things he never had before. A family being one of those things. Seeing the big family the two have become a part of made her happier than anything ever could.

"How does it feel having to trade in a big family of in-laws for just one in-law?" May asks you, referring back to Des.

"I mean, at the time it was great because the Avengers were really becoming much closer at that point and before it was just me and Dad. Then Pepper came along and it felt great having a mother back. So having a large family of in-laws was cool at the time. But then when the Avengers were really getting closer and more people were coming along, I felt content with the big growing family I had," you explain, noticing how May leans on her two elbows to look at you better. "So it made the breakup slightly easier. Steve is the big caring uncle, Bucky and Sam are the annoying brothers who protect me, Wanda is the cool sister who I can joke around with about anything. Nat is the cool wine aunt who gives me alcohol and the rest are all uncles to me. When Peter came along, I knew from the get-go he wasn't gonna end up being like a brother to me. I thought he was the cutest shit to walk the planet and I wasn't scared to open up like I thought I would be. Then when I met you I just knew you'd be a great mother-in-law. So, it may just be the two of you but I have a big family to back me up and you guys do too. Because we're all family here."

You notice May's eyes go red and Peter is slightly shaking. Not noticeably shaking, but you can only slightly feel it. He pulls you closer to him, pressing a kiss to your forehead. May goes back to talking to Happy.

"You know, you're pretty badass," Peter whispers into your ear. You shiver at the closeness and because it slightly tickled too.

"Yeah?"

"I don't know how I got lucky with you, but Des was stupid and he didn't deserve you. I'm glad you picked me of all people."

"You're all I want, Parker."

Please leave feedback/requests. Send me asks or just come talk to me!!

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baekhyuniebacon-blog · 6 years

Text

Prisoner - part 3

Baekhyun x reader

summary: Y/N works in a prison where Baekhyun comes to sit his 6 year imprisonment. He catches Y/N’s attention right away and it’s hard for her to keep herself away from him. Weird events make her avoid him but Baekhyun needs her help. He’s the main suspect to a murder but swears he didn’t do it. Will Y/N trust him and let her feelings take over?

warnings: violence, mentions of death and blood, cursing

words: 2,2k

note: I changed the story line a few times and wrote this pretty fast. It’s slightly rushed but I hope it’s still good

Masterlist

Baekhyun sat in a questioning room, leaning back in his chair, arms lazily crossed on his chest. For three days, he had been sitting in that same room, on the same chair for police to ask him questions. He started to get pissed about how the case wasn’t moving, same questions were asked every day by the old mustache man with bad breath. No one believed him because of who he was, every word he said made the police doubt him. Finally, he stopped talking as his lawyer told him to.

Great, not even a week in prison and I’m getting another sentence – he thought a laugh of frustration leaving his lips as he leaned his head back to see the back of the room. It was just a white wall with papers, his interest fell from the wall to the corner of the room. There was bucket with a mop in it and immediately thought of you.

He didn’t have a crush, it was something much more complicated. In short, you were his target. No, he wasn’t paid to kill you like you first thought. He was told to keep eye on you by a man he didn’t know, but the prize he would get was so big, he couldn’t say no. Normally, jobs like these were something we wouldn’t do, except now. The man had helped Baekhyun to get police to find him, and he also had made sure he went to the same prison where you were working. It was a strict prison but there the prison warden didn’t really care about what happened there.

Baekhyun shook his head, how could he now fulfill his task when he was in the police station. Accused for something he hadn’t done and of course you had to be the one who got there, just when he had gotten you to talk to him. He was mad, if he gets a longer sentence, he’s not even trying to do the task.

The door on his right was opened but Baekhyun didn’t bother to look or sit straight. The same old man stepped in the room but stayed at the door. “Alright, you’ll be heading back to the south prison today as the case has something to look more into. You can wait in here until they come get you” he informed, clearly he didn’t really care about it more than Baekhyun who again just sat there quietly.

You were scrubbing the huge stain of blood from the old side. Something in it just didn’t make sense. One single gunshot wouldn’t cause this much blood, and the so-called blood didn’t seem to be legit. It was sticky, smelled weird and it just wasn’t real blood. You had been trying to clean it for three hours and only half of it was gone. Sweeping the sweat off from your forehead, you dunked the sponge in the water.

Everyone was talking about the murder and seemed to respect Baekhyun for killing a guard, but you didn’t think it was him. First you did but after seeing the blood and thinking about the case, something wasn’t adding up. First the blood, then the gun. Where Baekhyun could have even gotten it? All the guards had their own guns, even the one who got shot.

Many things changed after Baekhyun was taken away, thought it had been just three days. All the guards were tense all the time, but the prison warden didn’t seem to care. He didn’t really care about anytime to be exact. It was forbidden for you to speak to the prisoners, but he never did anything about it. Chanyeol had suddenly been clinging onto you, trying to flirt with you like usually but now he tried even more. That make you stay with Chen as much as possible so Chanyeol wouldn’t try anything stupid.

You heard footsteps coming closer and as you turned around, Baekhyun was walked by two men, they went past you to the room next to you. His eyes burned holes in you as he looked behind him, yet you couldn’t look away. He was pushed to the cell and after the guards left you weren’t sure if you should talk to him or just clean the blood. He was standing right next to you, just metal bars between you two.

“What do you think?” he suddenly asked, sitting on the floor to meet your eyes. He looked tired, eye bags under his eyes and his face was puffy. You could almost say he was cute. “Do you think I’m the killer?” he asked, filling his earlier question as he didn’t get an answer from you.

Slowly you shook your head, continuing to clean the blood off. A slight smile lingered in his lips fast, but you were able to catch it and made you curious to know why he was asking. “Why?” you asked, staling a look of him before looking at the blood again. It had to be fake, there was no way it was real.

“Because I need your help to prove I’m not guilty” he said, plead in his voice. He knew that if you helped him, you would have to spend more time with him and it would be easier to keep eye on you. He still didn’t know what it exactly even meant. What would happen if he didn’t?

“But shouldn’t you have seen the killer when it happened right here, next to you?” you asked, settling your hands on your thighs as you were on your knees. Baekhyun shook his head, staring at the blood. “I was sleeping. I woke up to the gunshot and I saw glimpse of someone placing a gun on the floor. I came to the bars but there was no one there anymore” he looked back at you. “Did you see where he or she was running?”.

“That way” he pointed on his right. “But there’s no way out” you said slightly puzzled. The door, leading to the old side was on the left and on the right, there were just cells and then a wall. Baekhyun shrugged “You ran here right after it, did you see someone running out from here?”

Now that you thought of it, no you hadn’t. The hall had no one else besides you, that’s why you first thought Baekhyun was the guilty one. “Think about it. Let me know at dinner” he said and stood up. “I’m going to sleep now, you can continue with that”. yawning, he walked to his bed and laid down, making himself as comfy as he could. You looked at him, wondering if you should help him. You had once misunderstood him, thinking you were his victim so maybe now you should just trust him and help.

“It’s not nice to stare” Baekhyun murmured, startling you. You took the sponge and started to scrub the floor again.

After it was clean, you went to Chen. You had to give him his snacks or he wouldn’t stop whining. Taking the little bag full of candy, you walked through the 2nd floor, listening to the prisoners shouting again. God how annoying it was.

You opened the rusty door and went inside his cell. “My snacks!” he shouted like a little kid and grabbed the bag from your hand as you walked next to him, taking a seat on the bed. “Why are you so sweaty?” he asked, mouth full of candy and you laughed at him. Touching you forehead, you realized the sweat from cleaning was still there. “Oh, I was cleaning the old side. And guess what, it was fake blood. No matter what i did I wasn’t able to get it fully off”

Chen stopped his munching and stared at you, trying to hold his smile. “Maybe you weren’t rubbing hard enough” he cracked a joke and started to laugh, almost falling out of bed. “Not funny” you punched him on his arm and held your smile. This wasn’t a right time to laugh. “But did you hear what I said? It was fake and means that someone put it in there. You usually like mysteries, why aren’t you interested now?”

“I’ll be once I have eaten these” he said putting another handful of candy into his mouth. He truly had a big sweet tooth. Rolling your eyes, you got off from the bed and out of the cell. It was impossible to get anything out of him when he was eating.

At dinner you sat alone in the full cafeteria, listening people tell bad jokes and fight. Luckily this time you didn’t get hair in your food, but you still didn’t feel like eating it. You were waiting for Baekhyun thought you still weren’t sure, if you should help. Chen didn’t come to eat either, so you just decided to leave. Baekhyun probably hadn’t woken up from his nap.

You stood up, stretching your sore arms and legs. Four hours and you would finally be able to go home and take a bath. Before you were able to take the tray on your hands, someone grabbed you by your waist and turned you around. You got startled and grabbed on the persons arms. Looking up, you saw Chanyeol standing there, smirking down at you and at how flustered you looked. This had happened a few times, but he had only grabbed you hand, now they were on your waist.

“What are you doing?” you asked, clearing your throat and not looking at him. His obsession on you had gotten even worse and you didn’t know how to make it stop. He didn’t like the answer no, he always got what he wanted. “Just admiring you” he tilted his head and kept staring at you. “Can’t you do it like from other side of the room?”.

Chanyeol let out a laugh. “Why should I when I can be this close?” with that, he pulled you even closer, but you avoided his eyes. It felt so wrong and for a minute you hoped it was Baekhyun or even Chen but not him. He checked you out from head to toe and his hands started to go lower. “Stop, now” you demanded, trying to push him away but he didn’t move a bit. His grin just got wider, and you looked around the cafeteria. No one was looking at your direction or had any intention to help you.

Soon his hands found a way to your ass and you froze. It felt so uncomfortable and you started to feel nauseous. “Stop it” you said through your gritted teeth. Again, he didn’t do anything about it.

“You heard her, take your hands off” A familiar voice spoke behind you, making you sigh in relief. Chanyeol’s smile faded away and he turned his upper body to meet eyes with the man. Now you saw behind him, and there Baekhyun stood with a messy hair from sleeping. He stood straight, arms loosely on his sides.

“Why the fuck are you talking to me?” Chanyeol asked mockingly.

“I’m Baekhyun nice meet you, and she told you so” Baekhyun said, walking closer next to you. He grabbed Chanyeol’s hand and looked at him with dark eyes. They looked each other like they were enemies, like they had known for a long time. “And what if I don’t?”

Baekhyun tilted his head in annoyance and twirled his tongue in his mouth, smiling and twisting the man’s wrist. It made Baekhyun’s hand brush against your butt, making you blush but you tried to hide it. Chanyeol winced and pulled his hands away and you could ease your body more. He gave a glare at Baekhyun and mumbled something while walking away.

“You alright?” he asked, still staring at Chanyeol’s back. In his mind, he wanted to beat the man up. They knew each other better than you thought. They had had a few bloody fights in their past, making them hate each other more.

“Yeah” You nodded and turned to him but looking behind him. “Thanks” you said, biting your lip. “Now I know why you said you don’t like him” Baekhyun said and looked at you. Inwardly you were screaming that he remembered what you had said about Chanyeol to him few days ago.

Baekhyun saw how much you hated Chanyeol and what he did to you and his expression softened a little. He told himself not to get feelings into this, so he tried to keep his cold face. This was just his job. “Let’s make a deal” he said, making you look at him. You raised your brow and waited what he had on his mind.

“If you help me with the murder case, I’ll keep Chanyeol away from you”. Knowing how much you wanted to stay away from the man, he offered to keep him away. He needed you to solve the murderer before he got a longer imprisonment of it. You thought about it. The real killer would be found and Chanyeol wouldn’t bother you anymore. It’s a win-win. You nodded and Baekhyun smiled to your response, feeling his heart warm. He shook that feeling away right away. Not now - he thought

#baekhyun series #baekhyun #byun baekhyun #baekhyun imagine #baekhyun scenario #exo #exo imagines #exo imagine #exo scenario #exo fanfic #kpop #kpop imagine #kpop scenario #kpop fanfic #baekhyun fanfic

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youngjusticeslut · 6 years

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Mirror Image (Chapter 2)

Fandom: Young Justice Links: FF.net // AO3 Characters: Lian Harper, Roy Will Harper, Jade Nguyen Ships: RedCat Summary: After seven years, Jade returns home to meet her daughter. It’s not as simple as she thought it would be. Rating: T Word Count: 4836 Disclaimer: I don’t own any of these characters.

So, fun fact. I said this would be a two-shot and I lied because the second chapter got too long. Whoops! Now this is a three shot. There’s a lot of Harper Family Feels in this chapter, so I hope y’all like it <3

Unexpected visitors in the middle of the night were not an uncommon occurrence at the Harper household.

Though Will was no longer an active vigilante, there was an unspoken rule that anyone would be welcome at his house, at any hour, should they need it. Will didn't mind the intrusion, it kept him in the loop with a lot of the hero-drama. He also remembered what it felt like to be against the world, on his own. If the least he could do was offer someone a place to sleep and a cup of instant noodles, then that was enough in his book. Besides, how else was he to grow his ever lengthening list of babysitters for Lian?

The knock on his front door had come at two in the morning. Normally, Will would have been fast asleep, either comfy in his bed or with a TV show playing in the living room. Not tonight, though. He hadn't been able to even think of sleep after Lian's outburst; how could he? His daughter was having a crisis behind the closed doors of her room, and he could do nothing to help it.

Some parents would have gotten mad at him for leaving her to cry. The moms on the PTA, for instance. They would have immediately berated Will, insisting that the correct thing to do was to go back in and comfort her. They'd cluck at him and shake their heads, insisting this was typical 'single-dad' behavior, forever clueless. That's what he got for having a kid so young.

But Will knew better.

Lian didn't get upset often, but when she did, he could solve most her issues with a tight hug, some reassuring words and a karate movie marathon. This wasn't one of those times. He could count the number of times Lian had gotten to this point of distress on one hand, and a simple hug wouldn't solve it.

The first time she'd been this upset was when he'd gone missing for two weeks. Every now and then, he would take up a simple mission, if only to keep from getting too rusty. Sometimes the call of the chase was too much to bear and he missed the adrenaline rush of his youth. The mission should have been simple, in and out. Instead it had gone awry, and he and Roy were left on the run for a agonizing number of days. Lian was so angry, she wouldn't speak to him when he returned home. By the time he finally coaxed her into saying something, she screamed that she hated him for the first time. Two hours later, after she'd stewed in her bedroom, she came out and wouldn't leave his side all night.

In the rare instances in which she got like this, leaving her alone to self-soothe seemed to work out the best. It wasn't easy, though. Will kept glancing at her bedroom door, wishing that he could go in and comfort her. When the crying ceased, he figured she was asleep and allowed himself to relax. Then he cleaned. And organized. And baked. Jade had made fun of him for his endless need to be productive, but Will was certain it was part of his clone programming. He'd tried to quell it over the years, but the urge still lingered.

Will had just pulled a tray of triple fudge brownies, Lian's favorite, from the oven when he heard the knock on the door. Setting the tray down, he removed the oven mitts and wiped his hands on his sweats, heading for the door. Whenever he had visitors, he would play a little guessing game to try and figure out who it would be on the other side of the door. Most times, it was Kaldur. Sometimes, it was Artemis needing a break from Wally and the toddlers; though they didn't live together anymore, Will couldn't deny that he missed her presence around the house. Depending on the time of night, he had a pretty good shot at guessing if it were the younger members of the team. If it was before midnight or after five, odds were it was them, as they usually wanted to see Lian before they left. Any time in between, it was likely one of his friends.

He sighed, running a hand through his hair before looking at the clock. If Will had to place his best bet, it was either Kaldur or Dick, needing a cup of tea and someone to talk to.

However, it was neither.

Jade cocked her head to the side, hand clutched tight around the strap of her duffel. "Did I wake you, Red?"

"Jesus Christ," Will muttered, rubbing his eyes and wondering if she would disappear.

She laughed, leaning against the doorway. "Not a nightmare. Am I late?"

He removed his hand and narrowed his eyes. "Funny. I've forgotten how funny you are."

"It's a living. Are you going to invite me in?"

"That depends." Will crossed his arms, unsure yet whether to pull her into his arms, or shake her senseless for being so late. "Are you going to sneak in through the window if I don't?"

Jade laughed, coarse but light. "Thought I'd do things the easy way. It's not easy getting a duffel through the window, you know."

He did know, and he preferred the front door. As much as he wanted to let her have a piece of his mind and refuse her entry, this was Jade; his Jade. He knew that she would explain in her own time. Will stepped aside to let her in and returned to the kitchen to turn off the oven.

It was odd having Jade home. Will had a plethora of things he wanted to say to her, things he'd kept saved up for months at a time. Yet every time he spoke to her, or saw her, all his words flew straight out the window. What could he say that he hadn't said before?

Come home.

I can't. You know why I can't.

Lian misses you.

I miss her more.

This is the last time we're doing this. You're either in or out, Jade.

Mm, you're the one going in and out, Loverboy.

Yeah, when it came to Jade, Will wasn't always at the top of his game. His wife's presence tended to zap him of most logical thinking. Given that he only got to experience her a few times a year, if that, he wasn't one to waste it.

"Something smells good."

Will turned the oven off, grabbing the kettle and filling it with water from the sink. "Brownies. They're for Lian."

"Special occasion?"

"Crisis, actually." He could feel her eyes on him, watching his every move as he popped the top back on the kettle and set it to boil on the stove. Will leaned against the counter, looking over his wife. Jade looked good. Her hair was pulled back into its usual ponytail, covered by the baseball cap, but it seemed longer than the last time he'd seen her. She looked thinner, too. But… happy. He didn't want to hope that it was because she was home.

Jade took a step forward, gently grabbing his wrist. "Crisis?" She raised a brow, nearly smirking. "Boy troubles?"

Will rolled his eyes, pulling his wrist back. "She's nine, Jade."

"Never too early to start," she purred. "Boys are going to be all over her, you know. All that red hair is sure to attract them."

As much as the thought of boys made Will's blood boil, he couldn't help but somber at the mention of Lian's hair. "Not anytime soon," he said, taking out two mugs from the cabinet above his head. "You still like green tea?"

"Naturally."

"This'll take a minute." He nodded in the direction of his bedroom. "Freshen up if you want to. I don't think I put away the stuff I bought for you yet."

"You'll have to be a little more specific, Dear."

"Toiletries. You said you were coming for two weeks, and from what I remember, you're not much of a packer."

Jade took a step closer, almost pressing herself to him. "Will you join me?"

The thought was tempting. If it had been any other night, Will would have thrown everything off the counter and picked her up, closing the distance between them in a matter of seconds. It was pathetic, really, how much he missed having her around.

Will shook his head, stepping away from her and starting to cut up the brownies. "Not tonight, Jade."

He waited until he heard the shower running to finally relax, slumping against the kitchen table and resting his head against the painted wood. Of all times for Jade to show up, she just had to pick now. How convenient that she couldn't have come a day, hell, even a few hours earlier. They could have prevented this entire thing with Lian.

But now his daughter knew the truth. Will wasn't sure Lian would want to see Jade, let alone speak with her.

To say Lian felt awful was an understatement.

She woke up the next morning, laying in bed and replaying the previous day's events on a vicious cycle. Lian was often too brave for her own good, but there were occasional instances in which she were a little apprehensive. Like the time Artemis and her Dad had to coax her out of the bathroom before the school play. Or the time she'd had to give a girl an apology letter for punching her in the nose. Now she wished it were that simple. After what she'd yelled at her Dad last night, she couldn't bear to face him quite yet.

Instead she looked to the trash, where her cheshire plush lay, covered in a small mountain of red hair. Lian swallowed, messing with what remained on her head. Picture day was next week, and all her aunts and uncles would request a print. She would be willing to bet that this year's picture wouldn't be going in anyone's wallet.

From her room, she could smell breakfast. Chocolate chip pancakes, her favorite. She couldn't decide if it was an olive branch, or a bribe. Her stomach growled all the same.

They had to talk about last night, Lian knew that much. An apology was probably expected. As was an 'I'm disappointed in you, you know better' speech. Yeah, that was definitely coming. She thrust a pillow over her head, groaning and knowing that she was only making things worse by delaying. The grown up thing to do was to go out and face the music, no matter how unpleasant the consequences.

Before she could will herself up from the bed, a quick knock came. She lifted the pillow off her head to see Will poking his head inside. He gave a soft smile, seeing her awake. "Hey Squeaker. Thought you were still sleeping."

"If only," Lian muttered, making her Dad chuckle.

He entered her room and closed the door behind him. "Can I sit?"

"It's too early for us to talk about this," she groaned, putting the pillow back on. "I beg of you, not now."

Will laughed again, but to Lian's dismay he didn't leave. Instead her floorboards groaned as he came closer. The pillow was unceremoniously lifted from her head and set to the side, and Lian glared right up at the amusement on his face. "You wound me, Li. Really," Will said, climbing onto her bed and laying opposite from her.

Lian sighed and pulled the blankets closer. "Please. Not now."

"Not now," he agreed, resting a hand on her head. "Someone's here to see you."

"I don't want to see anyone, Dad. Not like this."

Will messed a bit with her hair and laughed, but not cruelly. "Yeah, not your best look. We'll need to fix that at some point. Or you could take another crack at it. I have clippers in the bathroom if you really want to go stick it to your mom."

"Ha ha. You're hilarious," Lian muttered, shooting him a glare. "I'm laughing so hard right now."

"I can see that," he mused, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "Sorry, I shouldn't tease. But your old man has to get his kicks in when he can. It's not often that I'm not the one on the receiving end."

Lian knew it was true, but she didn't feel like owning up to it at the moment. "Who's here? Is it Uncle Kal?"

He shook his head. "Wrong gender."

"Auntie?"

"Close. Try… her sister."

Her eyes widened. "You're lying. You have to be lying."

Will sighed, pulling Lian into his arms and holding her tight against his chest. She didn't fight him off, her heart beating erratically. It couldn't be. Her mom wasn't supposed to be here.

"Please say you're joking," Lian squeaked, her throat growing tight.

"I'd never joke about this," Will said. "She came while you were sleeping."

"And you let her in?" Lian pulled away from him, sitting up and taking a shaky breath. "She's Cheshire. An assassin for the League of Shadows."

He nodded, following her lead and sitting up. "I know. She's also my wife. And your mother."

Lian scoffed, looking away. "How could you marry her? Didn't you know what you were doing?"

"I did." Will grabbed her chin, turning her face to look at him. "I made a lot of mistakes when I was younger. Marrying Jade wasn't one of them."

"She's a killer, Daddy! How could it not be a mistake?" she snapped.

"It gave me you. If we'd never gotten married, you wouldn't be here, Lian." Will got off the bed, shooting a quick glance at the trash can. "It's complicated, Lian. But I didn't fall in love with Cheshire. I fell for Jade."

"Jade left us."

"Maybe it's time you knew why." He rested his hand on the doorknob. "But not from me. If you want answers, you'll have to ask her."

Lian grimaced. "If you think I'm talking to her-"

Will held up a hand to stop her. "You don't have to. But she's here to see you. And for what it's worth… I really think you'll want to hear what she has to say," he explained. "I meant what I said last night. She loves you, Lian. More than anything. Cheshire or not, she's your mother. Leaving you was never something she wanted to do."

"You sure about that?" Lian asked, putting a pillow over her head again.

He shook his head; just like her mother, Lian had a flair for the overdramatic. "I am. You don't want breakfast?"

"Not if she's out there."

"Suit yourself. I'll put it on the counter if you change your mind."

Jade didn't particularly care for sweets.

It probably had to do with her upbringing, how her family wasn't well off enough to feed them sugar whenever they pleased. Lawrence would never keep it inside the house, and Jade hadn't particularly cared enough to seek it out. The habit stuck with her as she grew, and she generally stayed on a strict diet.

However, she always made an exception for Will's cooking.

"These pancakes are divine," she remarked from the kitchen, swallowing the mouthful with a sip of tea. Will returned to the kitchen, frowning as he looked her over.

"Wearing my clothes, I see."

"Not much of a packer," Jade reminded. Really, she couldn't deny herself the habit. There was something about wearing her husband's clothes that filled up a hole she'd left open for so long. The hole wouldn't close forever, but a temporary patch served its purpose.

Will scoffed. "You brought an entire duffel this time."

"I told you on the phone," Jade said, waving a forkful of pancake at him. "It's not my stuff. They're presents for Lian."

"Right," he sighed, pouring himself a cup of coffee. "Just don't steal it this time."

"No promises, Red." Jade looked towards Lian's door before resting her chin in her palm. "I suppose she doesn't want to see me."

"Can you blame her?" Will took a long drink of his coffee, glancing up towards the ceiling. "She just found out that everyone's been lying to her about you. I'd be pissed, too."

Jade hummed, holding her mug in her other hand. No, she didn't blame her. If she were Lian, she would never speak to her again. But she was her mother, which entitled her to a certain amount of selfishness. She hadn't seen her daughter up close in seven years. Not face to face, at least. Will sent pictures when he could, and Jade treasured every one, but it wasn't the same. She was long overdue for a visit, and the thought of seeing Lian again kept her going.

If she would only come out of her room.

"Should I go talk to her?"

"Absolutely not. If she wants to see you, she'll come out. If not, then…"

She raised a brow. "Then what, Will?"

"Then maybe you should go." Her reaction must have shown on her face, for Will left the counter and joined her at the table, taking her hand. "It's not that I don't want you to stay. But if she doesn't want you here, my hands are tied, Chesh."

Jade snatched her hand away. "Don't call me that. Not here."

She'd been looking forward to this visit since she'd suggested it. Enough time had passed that nobody would think of looking for her, of wondering what she was up to. Jade had planned to spend weeks with them, finally getting to spend time with the daughter and husband she wanted but wouldn't allow herself to have.

"Jade."

Her fists clenched, threatening to break the handle of the mug she was still holding. "I want to see my daughter. It's been seven years," she said, unable to stop her voice from wavering.

"You think I don't know how long it's been? You chose to leave, Jade. You chose to stay out of her life."

"I didn't have a choice, Will."

"Didn't you? You didn't even think to try otherwise," he bit out, sharper than intended. "Rationalize it however you want, you left a broken daughter behind. She thinks you don't love her."

Jade swallowed; with just a few words, all the holes she'd attempted to patch over the years were torn back open. "You know that's not true."

"Don't I?" he scoffed. "You haven't spoken to her in four years. Why is that? A fucking phone call, Jade. Are they tracking those now, too?"

She pushed herself away from the table before she could let the tears fall. Of course Jade loved her daughter. The fact that she'd distanced herself from her had nothing to do with that.

Will followed after her, grabbing her arm. "I won't let you run away, not this time."

"Why?" Jade spat, trying to yank her arm away but remaining unsuccessful. "Were you not finished? I'm sorry, go on, Will. Go on and continue telling me things I already know!" She angrily swiped her eyes, refusing to let him see her cry.

She loved Lian, and that's why she stayed away.

If she saw her, or even spoke to her, she'd come running back. Jade couldn't risk her life for a selfish drive of motherhood. So she made do with pictures and letters and anecdotes from Will, eating herself up on the inside.

Will rested his hand on her cheek. "I'm sorry. I was out of line."

"No, Will." Jade looked at Lian's door, biting the inside of her cheek to keep herself from crying again. "You're so in line, you may as well be sober."

"That was bad," he chuckled, resting his head on top of hers. "Get dressed, we'll go on a walk. Clear our heads a bit."

Jade nodded, running a hand through her hair. "You think she'll come out?"

Will took her hand, pressing it to his lips. "She's more like you than you know."

Lian was always a particularly good eavesdropper; it's how she found out that she was going to Disney World for her sixth birthday. Will had learned to be extra careful over the years, but her skills only improved in compensation.

The argument between her parents was one she wished she'd had the tact to miss out on.

She sat against her door, knees pulled to her chest, playing it over in her mind. For as long as she could remember, her dad always defended her. Always made sure he had something nice to say about the woman who gave her life. It was clear that his anger at her was something Lian hadn't been meant to hear. She couldn't make up her mind on what it meant, and the curiosity was gnawing away at her.

On the one hand, her mother was still Cheshire. Still an assassin, still a part of the Shadows.

On the other, she was her mom. Even now, despite everything, she wanted to see her, to feel her embrace and finally get to know the woman who'd been missing for most of her life.

It seemed there was no easy answer to this dilemma. Lian almost laughed when she thought it, for she heard it in her Uncle Kaldur's voice. He'd probably have some stellar advice at the moment. Artemis, too. What she wouldn't have given to have them both here, so she could ask them what to do.

Lian heard her parents return a while later, both sounding in better spirits than before. More than once she'd tried the doorknob, only to chicken and pull away. What if her mom wasn't what she expected? It was entirely likely that the assassin didn't do hugs. All of Lian's expectations of rushing into her mom's arms, burying her face into her chest would be shattered. Worse, what if she wasn't what Jade expected? All she had to go off of was a few pictures, the real Lian might be a disappointment.

As she fretted, the clock ticked on; breakfast time passed, and then lunch. Her stomach growled, but the nervous churning kept her from truly feeling hungry. Lian remained fretting, choosing to spend her time procrastinating instead of facing the issue. She cleaned her room. For once, she even finished her homework without Will having to remind her.

Somewhere between the fifth math problem and the last, curiosity won out. Lian could hear them talking, no longer arguing. The smells of dinner permeated her bedroom, and her mouth began to water. Worse came to worse, she could always return to her bedroom. If she didn't want to see her, she was sure that Jade wouldn't return. Avoiding her mirror, she changed out of her pajamas and into clothes. She definitely didn't want to think about what she looked like, at the moment.

A deep breath, and she left her bedroom.

"Careful, careful," Lian heard her Dad chide. "You have to keep stirring the meat, otherwise it'll burn."

"Remember when we had that apartment in Gotham? I nearly burnt the kitchen down trying to make chicken."

Lian's heart skipped a beat, realizing that it was Jade who answered. It really was her. She crept closer on socked feet, praying they didn't hear her. Upon reaching the kitchen, she paused, lingering by the doorway. It all seemed so surreal, watching the two of them cook dinner together. She hadn't seen her Dad that happy in… well, ever.

"How could I forget? The oven was never the same."

"It was shitty to begin with, Red. We weren't exactly living in the laps of luxury, then."

"Just keep stirring, Jade. When it's all browned, go ahead and add the canned tomatoes. I'll be right back." Will turned and looked at his daughter, nodding to the living room. Careful not to make a sound, she nodded and led the way She was surprised he'd even known she was there; must be a dad thing.

As soon as they were well enough away, Will crouched down and gave a small smile. "So. That's your mom. Thought I'd give you a second before ratting you out to her."

Lian swallowed, looking back in the direction of the kitchen. "She probably knew. Shadows have… have super hearing," she said lamely.

"Nah." Will reached up, brushing a short lock of hair out of her face. "I mean, she does. But she wasn't expecting you. Do you want to come meet her?"

She shook her head, her throat growing tight again. "She won't like me."

"Lian Nguyen-Harper, you cut that out," Will scolded, both hands firm on her cheeks. "She wants to see you. And I'm willing to bet all my arrows that you want to meet her."

She smiled. "Even the limited edition ones?"

"Especially those. Now, come on." He stood back up, holding his hand out to her. "You can hold my hand if you're nervous."

There were many reasons Lian loved her dad. He wasn't perfect, but he always made sure she knew her feelings were valid, even if they were dumb. She took his hand and squeezed it hard as he led her back to the kitchen. Lian was sure the neighbors next door could hear how loud her heart was beating, and her dad was probably in pain from how white his hand was turning, but he said nothing as they paused just inside the entryway.

"Jade."

The ebony-haired woman turned at her name. Nobody said anything as Jade looked at Lian; the girl was sure she'd stopped breathing. Will let go of her hand and gave her a gentle push forward, but Lian's words were lost to her. She didn't know what to say.

Jade was the one to break the stillness. She turned the stove off first, wiping her hands on her pants before going over to her daughter. She was hesitant in her movements, as if everything were calculated. It seemed forever until she finally crouched before her. Lian held her breath as the woman reached her hand forward, caressing her cheek with a tenderness she never would have expected.

"You look just like your father," she whispered, her voice thick.

Will laughed, resting his hand on Lian's head. "I don't know. Everyone else says she looks like you."

"They're blind," Jade said, never lifting her eyes from Lian's face. Pictures didn't do her daughter justice; Jade couldn't believe that the beautiful girl before her was really her daughter. There was no way she had made something so beautiful.

"Do you two want a minute?" Will asked. "I can finish up dinner."

Lian wanted to say no, almost terrified of being alone with her mother, even though she was aching to. More than anything, she wanted to close the distance and hug her hard, but she refused. If Jade wanted to hug her, she would have already.

"I can fix your hair," Jade offered, smoothing it down.

"You don't have to. I was going to take her to a shop tomorrow."

Lian watched her mother roll her eyes, shooting her dad a look. "A barbershop is no place for a little lady. What do you say, Lian?"

The girl's eyes teared up, hearing her say her name for the first time. She nodded, sniffling and trying to wipe her eyes. Lian wasn't sure what she was supposed to feel. Her insides were still aching with the conflict of the matter, unsure whether she should get far away from her or remain close.

Jade grinned, squeezing her cheek. "I'll meet you in the bathroom. Give me two minutes, okay?" Lian nodded again, looking to her dad for reassurance before heading there alone. When Jade didn't move, Will rested a hand on her shoulder.

"She's terrified," Will noted, turning the stove back on. "Give her time. She's been waiting to meet you for most of her life."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Jade asked, her hands shaking. "Why didn't you tell me about her?"

"I tried, Jade. You wouldn't listen." It was true. He'd begged her so many times to come home, that Lian needed her. She had refused him, placing herself on the opposite end of the planet just to stay away. Now she'd seen her; now she knew.

"What do I do, Will? She hasn't said a word to me."

"She thinks you're a master assassin," he smirked. "Don't worry, she'll be yelling at you in a hot minute. Just let her get over the initial shock."

Jade sighed, resisting the urge to twist her fingers in an attempt to calm her nerves. "I suppose you're right."

"'Course I am. I'm her dad," he teased, nodding to the bathroom. "Go on, then. Get to know your daughter."

"What if she hates me?"

Will could have laughed. "She asked me the same thing a few minutes ago. Relax, Jade. Just… be you."

Not the assassin, not Cheshire.

Just Jade.

She could do that.

#young justice #lian harper #roy harper #jade nguyen #will harper #artemis crock #yj fanfiction

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sydneytorome · 7 years

Text

Where the lemons grow

My dearest friends, family and readers

I guess I’ve officially turned into an Italian stereotype: I once again didn’t keep my promise of writing a new blogpost on time. I’ll no longer keep you waiting by writing an unnecessary long introduction, so enjoy reading part two of my Italian journey!

The first week of April started off calmly. I have the feeling all of us are a little bit stuck in a rut right now, so the general atmosphere around school wasn’t all too cheerful. Most of us were going to be on a two week Easter break starting from this weekend and the prospects of seeing friends and family again or going on a nice trip away from Rome probably didn’t help either. With the few of us that were not flying back home over the weekend, we came up with the idea to organise a little road trip to Pescara, a sleepy beach town in Abruzzo. I was more than excited, because I really felt the need to just be on the road with good friends and ‘breathe’, away from the ever so busy streets of Rome. Quite soon, however, we figured I’d be the only one with a legal driver’s license, so I’d be the only one driving. How cool the idea may seem, I wasn’t ready yet to carry that responsibility. There goes my ‘Paper Town meets Eat, Pray, Love’ teen movie scenario.

On Tuesday, I visited the MACRO Museo d’Arte Contemporanea Roma after classes. A lot smaller and not as impressive as the MAXXI, but nevertheless an ideal way to spend a sunny afternoon!

On Wednesday, I booked a spontaneous train ticket to Montecarlo, a Tuscan town right between Firenze and Lucca to visit Allegra and her family in their Italian house from Friday to Saturday. I seriously couldn’t wait and looked forward to just get away for a while, visiting a friend and thus a little piece of ‘home’. Besides, who could say no to a weekend getaway in Tuscany?

On Thursday, we went out for dinner for Claire’s and Florence’s last dinner somewhere near the Pantheon. It’s so crazy how fast time flies – I can still remember Florence’s warm welcome when I first arrived here like it was yesterday, or I genuinely had the feeling Claire had only been here for a week instead of a full month. Florence was like my big sister here, and Claire was a whole lot of ‘woop woop’ fun. Goodbyes are never fun, especially when you’re saying goodbye to people you grew sincerely fond of.

My weekend began early, because on Friday early morning, I was already sitting on the train towards Montecarlo. The three-hour train journey was actually somehow relaxing – a cappuccino, a bottle of ice tea and my travel journal by my side, enjoying the green scenery the train kept riding by. Around lunchtime, Allegra and her cheerful mom came to pick me up at the tiny train station. I got welcomed by the entire family and got handed a glass of divine champagne made in their own fattoria as everyone was busy setting up the table on the terrace to dig into Tuscan specialities for lunch. Little to say, I was so overwhelmed by all this kindness and warmness – something you can really only find in Italy.

Allegra and I spent the day talking about everything and nothing, enjoying the splendid view over the Tuscan valley and walking around the grounds of the house until it was time for dinner. It was so heart-warming and amusing to see how they were all just chatting along and bickering about the latest news; it made me long for my own family yet made me feel so grateful that for a moment I was seen as a part of theirs. After dinner, we drove up to the closest village that still had an open gelataria to enjoy Italy’s best dessert, gelato!

On Saturday morning; Allegra, her mom and I did some shopping in Lucca. I vaguely remembered a few streets, as I had been here with my parents a few years ago, but I had honestly forgotten how lovely and picturesque it was. We were back in Montecarlo at lunchtime and after another nice lunch on their splendid terrace, it was already time for me to head back to Rome.

On the train ride home, I had the biggest smile on my face. I was so proud of myself, because the past two days I had seen a Marie I hadn’t realised I had the potential to be yet. I was chatty, open and enthusiastic; never feeling nervous or not at ease. Moments like these just really show how far I’ve come. One last time; I want to thank Allegra, her parents, her grandparents, her brothers and her cousin to be so welcoming and amazingly kind. This weekend has meant the world to me.

On Sunday; I finally found the time to meet up with Nikolaas, Emma and Jens; who were here on their ‘Italy trip’ with school. They didn’t have a lot of time as their lunch break was short, but it was nice to catch up with them. Afterwards, I quickly said hi to a few of my old teachers before they started the infamous queue to get into the Colosseum. So surreal to see all of them here, in ‘my’ Rome! After saying goodbye to everyone, I hurried to the metro station where I had met up with my friends to go to Ostia where we spent the afternoon picnicking on the beach. A Sunday well spent brings a week of content!

The second week of April already marked my last week in the A2 level, so that meant I’d have to take a level test to go into B1 by the end of the week. Fair to say I’m learning quickly! On Tuesday evening, we went to a dinner/drink/party event on a boat which was part of club called Lian. The food was surprisingly good, the drinks surprisingly cheap and we all had – not so surprisingly – a really, really good time.

On Wednesday, I basically used the free time I had to revise for my level test, which would take place the next day. So yes, EF students do study. Sometimes.

On Thursday afternoon, we explored Monti, a part of Rome right between the train station Termini and the Colosseum that’s known for its more laid-back and alternative atmosphere. We treated ourselves with some pastries and coffee before looking around some thrift shops in search of some edgy piece of clothing. No luck, but at least I had eaten a gluten free brownie, so I wasn’t complaining.

On Friday, we got the results back from our tests, which went well for pretty much all of us. B1, baby! As it wouldn’t make sense to have actual lessons today, the weather was nice and it was Friday; we had both our classes outside today. We did some photography activities around Piazza del Campidoglio and walked around the Ghetto Ebraico di Roma. The nice thing about doing those classes outside is that you find out so much about small, hidden spots in Rome thanks to your teachers – like a stunning rooftop terrace belonging to the Musei Capitolini and offers an incredible view over the city, yet is completely free!

After school, we walked to Villa Borghese and enjoyed the sun for a while. I still remember how wintery the park still looked the first time I went there in February, and now all the trees and bushes had blossomed, turning the park into nothing but luscious greenery.

On Saturday morning; Andrea, Valentina, Thomas and I left for Verona to spend the Easter weekend in the infamous city of Romeo and Juliet. We had our train at seven in the morning, so we got there early enough to still enjoy an entire first day in this beautiful little city. After eating lunch in our AirBnB, we immediately started to explore the city. We walked around the Arena of Verona and Piazza Bra, found our way through the bustling shopping street and made it to Casa di Giulietta. In Juliet’s House, we were overwhelmed with romantic notes everywhere along the outside walls, rusty locks, couple pictures and long-lost love letters. The museum itself wasn’t really worth it in our opinion, but at least we each got our dreamy balcony picture. Has my Romeo already arrived, though? After enjoying a fresh fruit salad at the market at Piazza delle Erbe, we walked alongside the river for a bit until the sky coloured pitch-black and it started to rain like crazy. We had to sprint back home, but the damage had already been done: all four of us were literally soaking wet when we arrived back in our apartment. We were all so tired and just in the mood to curl up on the couch with some comfy clothes that we ended up ordering Chinese take-away. I know, it’s an Italian horror story, but we’re not gonna lie that it felt kind of nice to eat something else for a change. Besides, our apartment is so damn cosy, we just couldn’t not enjoy a nice night inside. It all made us want to start studying and have our own student dorm so badly!

On Sunday, we slept in a little before having a nice Easter breakfast. It felt weird not to celebrate Easter with our family, even though it’s normally not that special of a holiday anyway. Still, at that moment, I just wished I could be enjoying my family’s Easter brunch. Afterwards, we visited the Giardino Giusti, which was absolutely beautiful. It was so calm and peaceful, and the top of the garden granted an incredible view over Verona. It all left us speechless!

In the afternoon, we walked around Castelvecchio before enjoying the sun alongside the river. We spent some time coming up with background stories for the kids who were lazily trying to let the pebbles bounce on and over the water surface, enjoying the serenity of it all. On the way home, we walked past a book store and decided to buy ourselves some children’s books in Italian to start reading. I opted for stories I knew all too well in my mother tongue, such as Peter Pan and Charlie and The Chocolate Factory. The nostalgia is real! In the evening, we had dinner somewhere at Piazza delle Erbe to enjoy our last evening in Verona. Cheers!

On Easter Monday, we took our train back to Rome around noon, so we were back in the city around the late afternoon. Although we were all really happy we’d spent the busy Easter weekend outside the city, we were happy to be back. As nice as Verona is, it’s nothing compared to Rome!

On Wednesday, I had an admission interview for University College Maastricht. I had prepared it well-enough, so I wasn’t all too nervous. I suddenly felt so grown-up having to go through all these things all by myself, though! Anyway, I have a good feeling about the interview so fingers crossed! On Thursday evening, I went to a jazz bar in Trastevere called Lettere Caffè, where each night a local jazz group hosts a small set before the actual jazz jam session starts. I love jazz, but I had never been to such a thing before, so I was completely amazed by the atmosphere and the beauty of the music. Nothing better than enjoying damn good music in the company of damn good friends. To more nights like these!

On Friday morning, I joined an EF activity to Gelataria del Freddo Giovanni Fassi, one of the oldest and biggest gelatarie of Rome. We could take a little peek inside the kitchen where the actual ice cream magic happened as they explained us the whole process of making artisanal ice cream. Afterwards, we could all choose a cup of ice cream with three flavours. I like to call myself an ice cream expert, so trust me when I tell you guys it was one of the most delicious and flavourful ice creams I ever had.

On the way back to school, our teacher Elisabetta got a message from one of the people that work at Fassi that someone had left their IPhone on a table. Panicking, we all checked our pockets and handbags, and I ended up being the one who had been clumsy enough to forget my phone. An ice cream brain freeze, I guess? I ran back all the way to the gelataria, where they handed me my phone back with a big grin. Yes, not my smartest move, I know. Yet I can’t help but think someone is guarding over me, ‘cause I always end up being lucky enough to find either my phone or wallet again. In the evening, we went out for dinner to celebrate Rodolfo’s (Rodolfiiiito) last evening in Rome. I wasn’t planning on going out afterwards, but a few drinks later and I ended up having one of the nicest nights!

On Saturday, I slept in before kicking a hangover work-out and having lunch with Andrea close to our house.

In the afternoon, I met up with Thomas to go to Villa Ada, a park a little further away from the usual city centre, but definitely worth the visit. It was packed with locals enjoying their Sunday afternoon, yet felt a lot quieter than the always-busy Villa Borghese. We spent the afternoon reading, gossiping and people-watching. Productive enough, right?

In the evening, our hostdad Vincenzo taught Andrea and me to make our own ricotta cheese. So easy, and so damn good!

On Sunday, it was time for another day of picnicking and tanning at the beach. This time, we hit Santa Marinella, which is a billion times more relaxed and cleaner than Ostia. I’m seriously so happy I can still go to the beach from time to time now, otherwise the Sydney withdrawal symptoms would be oh so real.

On Monday, the Easter break was officially over and the school was completely packed again. Plus, a lot of new students arrived as well, so let’s just say things got a little bit chaotic. Because there’s also a tiny lack of teachers for the amount of students EF Rome is currently hosting, they combined my B1 class with the B2 class until they will have found an adequate solution. So, as it was the first day after Easter break for a lot of us, our teacher took us on an outside activity all morning. We had to spot some clues all over Piazza Navona and the Campo Marzio area, and afterwards she told us a lot of fun and interesting facts about the buildings and statues we’d never had known otherwise! School’s hard, you guys. After class; Valentina, Thomas and I went to La Feltrinelli to start some sort of small book club. Each week, we’d get together and pick a book for us to read before the next meeting. At each meeting we’d start with discussing the previous book before choosing the next one and starting to read the first chapters out loud. A really good exercise to practice speaking and reading comprehension, and it’s a nice thing to do with friends!

On Tuesday, we had a day off as it was La Festa Della Liberazione D’Italia. Everyone, and by everyone I mean literally everyone, was gonna go to the beach again to have a day of fun and picnicking. Even my host parents were doing something. Somehow, I woke up in the worst mood. I wasn’t up to do anything, let alone do something so social and busy. I felt like I really needed a day to myself. And so; I slept in, had a nice work out and ate breakfast in all quietness and prepared for an essay assignment I would have to take on Wednesday morning for the Hotelschool of Maastricht. In the afternoon, I took my beach towel and my book with me, and walked all the way up to the Gianicolo Hill to sit back and relax in the sun while reading and enjoying the magnificent view over the city. It felt so peaceful to just enjoy sometime being all alone, not having to talk to anyone. This was exactly what I needed to get out of the rut I felt like I was stuck in!

On Wednesday evening, we all went out together in a club in Testaccio, a part of Rome we don’t frequent so often. We tried to change things up a little instead of always going to the same places! I was initially planning on only joining for some drinks – I was even wearing a simple pair of jeans and my oversized knitted sweater – but I ended up joining to the club as well. All in all, I had a really crazy and fun night. You always have the most fun when you least expect it!

On Thursday evening; Valentina, Thomas and I went to The Space Cinema Moderno to watch “Famiglia all’improvviso”, the latest film with Omar Sy. It was honestly one of the nicest films I’d ever seen in a while, but maybe that’s also due to the fact that I was so happy I had not a single difficulty with watching it in Italian without subtitles! And maybe also because I literally had popcorn for dinner.

On Friday, I woke up wishing I could already press forward to the evening, because that’s when Laurine would arrive to spend my birthday weekend with me! I had been waiting for her visit for weeks and weeks now, and I couldn’t believe I’d finally see her again. It was so nice to find her waiting for me when I arrived in the bed and breakfast at night, and to be able to hug her again! I immediately started talking about everything and nothing, about all the things that had been going on here. Of course, she already knew half of those things I had been telling her, as I usually talk to her on the phone weekly. However, I just wanted to enjoy the moment I had to be actually really talking to her. Just two sisters, giggling and sleeping in the same room together, just like when we were young.

On Saturday morning, we started the day early. We had a quick, Italian-style breakfast before hitting the city. And boy, what a day it was! When I think about it, I have no clue how we ever managed to walk so much and so much in one single day. We started with the Museo Dell’Ara Pacis, where my inner Latin enthusiast marvelled at the sight of this beautiful altar dedicated to the goddess Pax and offered to Emperor Augustus. In my fifth year of high school, I’d also done a whole essay about several architectural pieces in Rome which were built in favour of Emperor Augustus, so I was pretty excited I could finally see it in real life.

Afterwards, we walked up the Spanish Steps and visited the neighbouring Chiesa della Trinità dei Monti, where we lit a candle for Oma and Opa, our grandparents who both have passed away. Then, we obviously couldn’t restrain ourselves to do some shopping alongside Via Borgogna and Via del Corso. Girls will be girls! Before lunch; we walked inside the Pantheon, past the Tempio di Adriano and around the Fontana di Trevi before finally ending for a break at Piazza Navona where we enjoyed a well-deserved lunch at the beautiful Vivi Bistrot. It’s an all organic restaurant that serves the yummiest dishes!

Even though I had seen all these places I had guided her through so many times, I never got bored of seeing the ‘same’ city over and over again. Even I discover new things every day, and I notice how I know much more about the city with each passing day. Maybe I could become a tour guide one day, who knows? After lunch, we bought some strawberries for dessert and ate them overlooking Largo di Torre Argentina, the forum where Caesar supposedly got murdered and is now also known as the ‘Cat Forum’, as a lot of cats seem to always hang around the area. Afterwards, we walked around Palazzo Venezia all the way along the Fori Imperiali to end up at the Colosseo. As I personally find it more impressive on the outside than on the inside, we decided to not waist our time and wait in line to get in. We continued our tour to Piazza del Campidoglio, where I showed her some secret spots from where you can marvel at the Foro Romano from above. Afterwards, we took a break on the rooftop terrace of the Musei Capitolini and snacked on freshly-cut melon and ice coffee. Surprisingly, we still had the energy to walk towards the Circo Massimo and to smell the roses in the beautiful Roseto Comunale di Roma. Last but not least, we enjoyed the view over Rome from the Giardino degli Aranci before peeking through the famous keyhole of the Buco della Serratura Priorato dei Cavalieri di Malta, where you have a special view on the Saint Peter’s dome. So, if you wanna see the best parts of Rome in a single day, call me!

In the evening, we enjoyed a really nice and relaxing dinner at Il Margutta RistorArte, that fancy vegetarian place I had already been to once. Cheers to Rome!

On Sunday, we planned on visiting the Vatican. Apparently, there was some sort of catholic gathering going on, so the entire Piazza San Pietro was closed off and we couldn’t get inside the San Pietro either. On the plus side, we did see the Pope cruise around in his Pope Mobile and we heard a tiny part of his speech! Afterwards, I thought we could probably get in the Vatican Gardens for free to walk around for a bit, but they were closed off to the public for some unknown reason. Besides, you can apparently only visit them if you have a ticket for the Vatican Museums as well, but the line to get in there was so mind-bogglingly long we didn’t even bother trying.

Instead, we walked back to the city centre to stroll around the Campo de’ Fiori morning market and have a nice lunch at Ginger, a healthy salad and panino place we usually go to during lunch breaks at school. Afterwards, we walked towards Piazza del Popolo, from where we went to visit the Galleria Nazionale d’Arte Moderna. The building itself is so impressive, and the art collection as well! Towards the late afternoon, we strolled around Villa Borghese before treating ourselves to a few scoops of the real gelato artiginale.

In the evening, on the eve of my 19th birthday, we had an apéritivo at Freni e Frizioni, a bar that used to be an old garage and is known for its buffet with all kinds of yummy, atypical Italian food from 19:00 to 22:00. We ordered an Apérol Spritz and joined the many people sitting outside with a drink in one hand and a tiny plastic plate full of food on their laps. For dinner, we went to Tonnarello, a restaurant in Trastevere that’s already been in Rome since 1876. We had to wait outside for a bit before we could get a table for two, but we did get tiny glasses of prosecco to keep ourselves busy. The food was divine, and served in cosy-looking old school pots and pans. Tonnarello’s motto? “Le persone che amano mangiare sono sempre le migliori.” We couldn’t agree more!

After these two really intense days, both of us were so exhausted. So, we decided to go back to our bed and breakfast and fall asleep before midnight instead of staying up to see the date shift from the 30th of April to the 1st of May. One more night of being 18 for me then at least!

On Monday, I woke up, well, as a 19-year-old young adult. How crazy! It’s actually the first time I ever feel genuinely different, so it was the first time I could actually come up with a reasonable reply to the typical question “And, how does it feel to be one year older?” Because wow, it has been a year of a lifetime... I opened up my presents and cards in bed before we went out to enjoy a long breakfast at Ginger. We all know breakfast is my favourite meal of the day, so you might as well do it right! Afterwards, we returned to the Vatican again so that Laurine could at least see the Piazza San Pietro from up close. As we had already done most of the visiting (I mean, all the visiting) on Friday, today was all about relaxing and enjoying our last day together. I had the idea to go picnic on top of the Monte Mario, Rome’s highest hill, around the afternoon. A lot of people had told me it’s really nice there. Unfortunately, due to it being a national holiday in Italy, the public transport network wasn’t running very smoothly and to get there by foot, it takes quite some effort. Besides, the neighbourhood around it is quite sketchy. We both got a little frustrated at the situation and thus at each other, as we were walking around a busy road with no nice place to sit for a long time and it didn’t seem like we were gonna reach the hill anytime soon. It’s a shame I hadn’t looked it up better and that we had lost some precious time together. We decided to turn back and catch the first bus that would bring us to Villa Borghese, where we enjoyed the rest of our afternoon. We had a really fun time watching all the people and families around us, and coming up with background stories for each and every one of them. It even made us a little nostalgic!

Around 4 o’clock, we enjoyed one last drink together at a bar around Piazza del Popolo. While drinking highly-overpriced gin and tonics, I suddenly started tearing up. It felt so weird that I had to be here in Rome on my birthday, and I just wished I could be able to spend it with my friends and family at home. Although I have so many nice people around me here as well, it never ever could feel the same. But hey, I know I’ll see them all again very, very soon!

At 6 o’clock, Laurine took the taxi back to the airport, and so I was alone again. Somehow, the reunion had been less intense than the one in Sydney; because we had such an easier time keeping in touch while I was here in Rome, and maybe also because we had already learned from the previous experience of me being away for a long time. But that didn’t mean the farewell wasn’t just as hard!

On Wednesday evening, I had dinner at Juul’s apartment together with two of his Italian friends. There’s nothing better sometimes than a good pasta pesto and a glass of wine! Talking in Italian with the two girls was still way out of my league, but at least I could understand everything they were saying. And trust me, they were talking at the speed of light! Juul and I also came up with the idea to write a short story together, as we both like writing and feel like it could be a good project to work on during out free time. I’m looking forward to it!

On Thursday, we had a SPIN class outside again. This time, we had to interview random Italian tourists and ask them about fashion. Nothing all too exciting, but I did positively surprise myself by how ease it was for me to address complete strangers. A year, hell, even 6 months ago, I would have never ever seen me doing it so comfortably. Every day, I discover new parts of myself I never thought I could ever recognise myself in. In the evening, I had my very last evening with my roommate Andrea and housemate Jemima. My parents were arriving tomorrow morning, and the girls were leaving this Saturday, so I’d have to say goodbye to them now. For me, it was especially hard to say goodbye to Andrea. She has been with me ever since I arrived here in Rome, so without her it’s not gonna feel the same to live in the house!

On Friday, I woke up extra early to work out (I had forgotten how nice it is to work out in the morning) before heading over to the hotel where my parents were waiting for me. Loaded with an extra suitcase full of winter clothes I’d send back home with them, my tiny suitcase for the weekend and a handbag, I huffed and puffed my way through the city. Although Italians are generally nice and helpful, in a touristic city like Rome you hardly find anyone who’s willing to give you a hand. I often have moments where I miss Sydney terribly, and moments like these definitely remind me of the many things I loved about that city. The friendliness, the surf, the sweet potato fries and avocado toasts; oh how I feel ‘homesick’ sometimes! I arrived at the hotel when my parents just had finished breakfast, talk about perfect time. I felt like their little girl again when the both of them hugged me really tightly the second I entered the room. It had been since September that it hadn’t been ‘just the three of us’, so we were all looking forward to this weekend together. I surprised my mom with a leather jacket she really wanted, and she had brought some Belgian Easter chocolate with her! After a quick catch up; we started the day by visiting the Pantheon and Fontana di Trevi, where we of course threw a little coin over our left shoulder. Afterwards, we walked passed Via Del Corso, where we did some shopping in a store both my mom and me really love. You gotta give dad some credit for his patience. When we were done, we walked around Piazza di Spagna and along the small pavestone streets until it was time to lunch at Vivi Bistrot. We finished off our lunch with a creamy cappuccino before walking up the Spanish Steps and all the way over to Villa Borghese. We walked around the park for a while, which was surprisingly quiet for a Friday, before enjoying the view over Piazza del Popolo on the Passagiata del Pincio. Around the late afternoon, we enjoyed an ice cream while walking back to the hotel. We got ready, because around 6’o clock, we walked over the Ponte Sant’Angelo and to the Vatican. The sun was already turning a little paler, so the Piazza San Pietro was covered in a beautiful kind of glow. At 19:00, we entered the Musei Vaticani, which is only open at night on Fridays during spring. I have no words to describe how beautiful it is to walk around the few parts of the garden while the sun is slowing setting and radiating its golden light over the dome of the San Pietro. The museums itself are also breathtakingly impressive. I have never ever seen such an incredible art collection in such a majestic building! In the Capella Sistina, I could have easily been banned from ever entering the Vatican again, as I started taking a few pictures of the ceiling even though you’re strictly not allowed. Woops, my bad.

Afterwards, we headed to Trastevere to have dinner at Tonnarello. I couldn’t not take my parents to this awesome place. The end of a very lovely day!

On Saturday, we started off a rich breakfast at Coromandel, a cool place close to Piazza Navona that kind of looks like you’ve walked in into your grandmother’s house. At 10 o’clock, we had booked a bike tour that would guide us all the way through and along the Via Appia Antica, one of Rome’s most important ancient roads that led all the way to Brindisi, in the south of Italy. It might ring a bell for some of you who’ve watched Spartacus (or just have a kick-ass history knowledge), because it’s also the road where in 71 BC, 6000 slaves were crucified along the part of the road that led to Capua. In the beginning of the day, the weather wasn’t really that good. It was really humid and we often got a little rain shower. Besides, I had been feeling a little under the weather myself lately, so the biking was harder than expected. But, all along the Via Appia Antica, you come across impressive and very well-preserved remnants of old, old Rome; such as the baths of Caracalla, ancient catacombs and mausoleums. Plus, the area around the Via Appia Antica is absolutely stunning. Giant pine trees are perfectly lined up on both sides of the road, accompanied by beautiful fields filled with poppies. Around noon, the weather finally cleared up completely and we enjoyed the rest of the day biking with the sun on our face and the wind in our hair. Special thanks to our tour guide from Roma for You, by the way!

In the evening, we strolled around Via Margutta, a street known for its many art galleries and exposés. Unfortunately, this time the artists weren’t displaying their artworks, so it was unusually quiet. We found some time to pop by the Trollbeads store, a brand known for being the first to start making bracelets you could personalise with several little charms, where I bought a special edition charm dedicated to Rome: a tiny, silver Colosseum! This way, I’ll always have a little part of Rome close to me. And thanks to a friend in Australia, I’m soon getting a special edition charm dedicated to Sydney as well, representing the Sydney Opera House and the Harbour Bridge! Afterwards, we had a delicious cocktail and apéro at a trendy bar called Salotto 42, which literally means ‘living room’. It did have a really cosy atmosphere! We snacked on homemade sushi (it has been ages!), mini foccacie and bruschette; before going to a restaurant close to the Pantheon, but well-hidden on a tiny square, called Osteria Delle Coppelle. We scored a table outside, close to the heating lamp, and enjoyed a delightful meal. For me, personally, this has been one of the best restaurants in Rome I’ve been to! We enjoyed the special flavours of gelato at Gelateria di San Crispino for dessert, the sweetest and best way to end the day!

On Sunday morning, we had breakfast at Vivi Bistrot. Who can’t say no to a gluten free carrot cake, fruit salad and a cappuccino for breakfast?

Afterwards, we walked around Piazza Navona and the impressive church of Sant’Agnese in Agone. We made our way to Piazza Venezia and Piazza Campodoglio, where we marvelled over the views of ancient Rome before enjoying the smell of roses at the Roseto Comunale. As we didn’t have enough time to visit the Giardino degli Aranci nor the Keyhole, we immediately went to the Colosseum instead. Even though it’s probably Rome’s most touristic place, it’s definitely always gonna be one of the most impressive as well. We headed to Monti for our last lunch together. I had read about a nice panino place, where they make original sandwiches in the shape of a flower, called Zia Rosetta. And the best part? They also make them gluten free! Sadly, it’s more of a grab and go kind of place, so we couldn’t sit there and relax comfortably. We decided to just go for a traditional trattoria, where my mom could finally have a real Italian pizza and my dad enjoyed a good plate of pasta. I, on the other hand, had to settle for a caprese salad, which wouldn’t be enough judging by the fact that I was so incredibly hungry. And knowing that I couldn’t eat the bread that comes along with it, literally made me cry. I’m not kidding. I actually started crying because I miss eating bread, because I’m so tired of having a gluten allergy while being in Italy – the land of the holy carbs – and that I don’t get why people who voluntarily stop eating gluten because they think it’s healthy and cool. Okay, in all honesty, I also started crying because I was gonna miss my parents like crazy. It’s just easier to blame the damn gluten. Eventually, my dad came with the idea for me to just go grab one of those sandwiches at Zia Rosetta while we would wait for out food, and I seriously think that sandwich may have been the best thing that has happened to me so far in 2017. Thank God for carbs!

Before heading back to the hotel, where a taxi would pick my parents up at 4 o’clock, we had one last ice cream together. An ice cream a day… When I came back home, I was all alone. It was so weird knowing that I would have no housemates for the rest of the week! Plus, the clothes I had left out to dry over the weekend were lying on my bed, still moist and smelling like cigarettes. Safe to say I had one of those “God, I wish I was home” moments.

Monday and Tuesday were just regular school days. The weather here is getting warmer and warmed each day. I love how it just feels like summer in the beginning of May! On Tuesday afternoon, we had our second book club meeting at La Feltrinelli, where we ended up discussing our previous book for the entire afternoon instead of choosing a next one to read. Oh well, the conversation was really, really interesting. It’s nice to have such good friends with whom you can be ridiculous yet also serious with when you feel like it. In the evening, we went out for drinks to celebrate the last night of one of our friends. You always realise how much value someone adds to a group when you come to the day they’re gonna go back to their own life. It’s a funny thing, this EF bubble.

On Wednesday and Thursday, we had two Global Career Days at school. It meant we had class from 9:30 until 16:30, with lectures from Italian professionals and workshops with our own teachers in between. Although the days were long, they were really interesting and flew by in no time! One quote I heard during one of the lectures, was the following: “Italia, la terra dove crescono i limone.” The whole poetic sound and the feeling this sentence evokes, couldn’t be more accurate. I think it’s the best and most sentimental way to describe Italy. We also had longer lunch breaks, so we could enjoy our afternoons much more.

The past 2 weeks, I’ve been having some strange and tense pains in my right foot again. I’m hoping it’s not a tendinitis again, like the one I had in my last week in Sydney. I’m trying to cut back on working out and walking, but I get so restless if I don’t do any sports. I’ve also struggled more and more with the feeling that I’m just so tired of everything here. I feel like my time to go back home has come, and I’m constantly counting the days. Let’s just hope all of this negativity blows over quickly…

On Friday evening, I met up with Juul again to go out for dinner at Mama Eat, that one place with really good gluten free pizza’s. We discussed the plot and characters of our upcoming story, but we also talked about life in general. I lately had been feeling the need to talk about a few things with a really good friends, and this night was just the perfect one for it!

On Saturday, we all fled the warmth and humidity of the city centre by going to Santa Marinella. It was the first time since Sydney that I actually swam in the sea, and boy did it feel good! I’m just as much a city gal as I am a beach bum.

On Sunday, I was planning on going to the beach again, but I got quite sunburnt on my back, so I decided to sit this one out. So, Thomas and I had lunch at the Vivi Bistrot restaurant in Villa Doria Pamphilj. Afterwards, we found ourselves a nice bench under the shadow of some trees and each enjoyed the afternoon writing. I was updating my travel journal and he was writing cards to his relatives. A relaxing day in one of the most beautiful places in Rome!

In the evening, I finally met my new roommate, a really sweet girl from Austria. I had a really nice week with my host parents, being just the three of us, but I was happy I finally had someone with me again.

On Monday, we finally started with a SPIN course that’s bound to prepare us for taking the CILS exam. It’s kind of like the Cambridge for the Italian language, so it’s pretty serious. I’m not taking the exam here, as I only wanna pass it at a higher level than B1-B2, but I was allowed to join the preparation course anyway. After the first class, my brain was going to explode. It’s pretty hard stuff! I’m also receiving the exercise and preparation for someone who would take it at a C1 level, even though I’m only in B1. But I have to say I’m pretty proud of myself that it’s going kind of well.

Because we were all so tired after such an intensive lessen, our book club meeting ending up in us trying to read and understand the book we had chosen, but completely failing. Enough Italian for one day!

In the evening, we went out for drinks at Freni and Frizioni for Emma’s birthday. The temperature was still so nice, we even ended up buying our own alcohol and sitting alongside the Tevere at the Isola Tibertina. Once again, another amazing night, mainly because I keep on getting to know people in a much more different way!

On Tuesday, I did nothing more than go to class and relax at home. I was still a little tired from going out, and I wanted to prepare for my admission interview at Hotelschool Maastricht I would have the day after. Fingers crossed!

Before dinner, I did my daily work out outside on the square close to my house. At some point, a few of the toddlers that were playing around there, were starting to work out with me! I couldn’t stop smiling, that seriously was the cutest thing I had ever seen! Maybe it’s a good idea to start my own aerobics class, no?

Today, I woke up extra early to have a nice and calm morning run before I had my interview for Hotelschool Maastricht. All in all, it went really well, so let’s hope I get it! I’m really excited to finally start studying now, so I can’t wait to hear the news in a few days. But that’s not the only thing that makes today special. Froukje, my famous roommate in Sydney, is arriving in Rome this afternoon. I’m finally go see her again! And tomorrow, Chantal, another really good friend is arriving as well. I’m so looking forward to a weekend with my Dutchies. On Saturday and Sunday, Chantal and I are even going to visit Venice together with Reina and Thomas. Safe to say I’m feeling completely energised again to make the most out of my last weeks in Rome!

A presto!

With love,

Marie

#rome

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itsworn · 6 years

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Racin’ Granny Just Won’t Stop

Cheryl Kaiser’s 1929 Ford Model A Drag Truck

Take a look at Cheryl Kaiser, and you’d never guess she is a drag racer. A petite woman in her 60s, Cheryl and her partner, Steve Morley, drove their 1929 Ford Model A pickup truck 900 miles from Arnold, Missouri to HOT ROD Drag Week’s starting point in Commerce, Georgia. “I’m the guy that works on this thing, and she drives it,” Steve says. “She built the engine though!”

“With guidance,” Cheryl interjects. “He told me what to do, and I did it all.”

Despite its paint job with “Grenade Racing Engines” signage on the doors, Cheryl affectionately calls the Model A “The Little Blue Truck.” The grenade is a bit of a good luck symbol- a nod to Steve’s early years of building project cars. “I’d build something, and it would just be junk, and I’d say ‘Well, this is gonna be a grenade, it’ll never live.’ And then it would live forever. So I just started naming all my projects grenades.” A pilot friend of Steve’s did the artwork, depicting a plane similar to those he flew.

The Model A was a complete rust bucket when they bought it 10 years ago. After hacking off and tossing a bunch of the modifications to the body and frame the previous owner had done, Steve added a straight axle to the front, “like a real hot rod,” Steve said. “We tried to keep it clean and simple. It was a rusty cab on a hacked up frame someone was putting together. It had a Mustang suspension, and it was miserable. So I threw all that junk in the garbage. Chopped all the fiberglass stuff out, and we made the splash aprons, running boards, and fenders.”

Inside the cab, a friend of Steve’s did a beautiful job installing a wood slat headliner. The seats have been upgraded with a modified bench from an S10, after removing about a foot from the middle to make it fit. Plus they added tool storage under the seat. “It’s actually really comfortable,” Cheryl assures me. Comfy enough to be a daily driver, in fact.

“It never sits,” Steve says.

“We drive it every day,” Cheryl confirms. “We don’t trailer it anywhere.” The gauge cluster is a mix of airplane parts, with an air speedometer out of a Cessna, and a tachometer out of a Grumman Hellcat. “It runs pretty accurately, except when you drive around a bunch of tractor trailers, then it’ll chop around,” Steve explains.

Under the hood of The Little Blue Truck is a rebuilt 327 small block bored out 0.040-over, with a steel crank, 6.125” rods, and Mahle pistons. Steve describes its new Trick Flow aluminum 461 heads, and a hydraulic roller cam. When Cheryl ran the truck on the dyno, it made 481 hp, and about 440 lb feet of torque. “But the front of the thing is so flat, the wind just kicks its ass,” Steve laughs. “If this engine was in anything else, it would probably run low 12s or faster. But this thing… whoo! Henry (Ford) spent zero dollars on wind tunnel testing. Zero.”

The fastest Cheryl and her slate blue truck have gone is 105.99 mph in the quarter mile, in 12.777 seconds. “The best on this trip (during the 2018 Hot Rod Drag Week) has been 13.12,” Cheryl explains, with a slight air of disappointment. Despite this not being her best time, she is clearly still enjoying herself. “Steve doesn’t want me to go too fast to get hurt, but just enough to have fun. I told him this is all the faster I wanna go. I don’t want to wear a fire suit and [install] a roll bar and all that. This is fast enough for me.”

Steve says, “Y’know it’s kinda’ ugly, and beat up, and flat. This is just a base coat of paint, I never put a clear coat on it. And it’s slowly washing off. You can see through the paint. I don’t have to worry if someone leans on it or scratches the paint.” There is a spot on the driver’s side door sill that is worn through the paint; the kind of wear and tear some painters purposefully add to a paint job to make a restored vehicle look old and weathered. “That’s a wear spot from my arm!” Cheryl laughs.

Cheryl has been drag racing the Little Blue Truck for about 8 or 9 years. It took Steve about a year to restore and rebuild the truck to running condition, with help from a bunch of friends. Steve had a bad accident on a four wheeler that almost took his life, and, needless to say, set him back on the project. Thankfully, he has since made a full recovery. Over the years, they’ve made improvements here and there, but their aim has been to keep it simple, “So we can fix it with a rock and a stick on the side of the road if we had to,” Steve jokes.

Out of the 10 years they’ve owned the Model A, with the first year going into rebuilding the truck, Cheryl took a year off of racing when she got diagnosed with cancer. “I had cancer in six different places in my body,” she explains, “And I couldn’t just be a normal cancer patient with one kind of cancer, I had multiple kinds. 30 percent was the fast growing kind, which they can usually get rid of right away, and 70 percent was slow growing.” Throughout the whole experience, she kept a good attitude, as Steve shows me a video of him pretending to buff her bald head during her chemo treatment. It’s clear these two have a lot of fun together, no matter what they’re up to. HOT ROD Drag Week was the first drag racing event she did after finishing chemo in 2016, and Cheryl has been cancer free for 3 ½ years now.

Aside from drag racing, Cheryl also enjoys knee boarding and four-wheeling. Her grandkids call her “Racin’ Granny,” which she lives up to. Despite being the oldest competitor at this year’s Drag Week, Cheryl shows no signs of slowing down. The next thing on her bucket list is skydiving. “We just have fun together,” Cheryl says warmly, of her time with Steve. “We’ve been through a lot together, been together 19 ½ years, and we have a lot of fun.” With an ever-present smile on his face, Steve quips, “I’m a lucky girl.”

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itsworn · 6 years

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This Custom 1966 Box Nova built to move out!

Chevy lover Mitchell Laucks had every intentions of building a radical street/strip ’66 Nova with the help of his hot rod lovin’ father, Bruce. They even went as far as locating a sweet starting point for the build, which the twosome dug out of long-term hibernation and then towed back home to their garage in Fredericksburg, Pennsylvania. But their plans changed dramatically when Mitchell’s mom, Lisa, got an eyeful of this needy Chevy compact. She saw the potential for her own brazen, hot-rodded muscle ride hiding deep down inside the beat-down Box Nova.

“This one’s gonna be mine … right boys?” She firmly asked, adding that “it’s not really a question” inflection on top of it. Mitchell and Bruce were stone silent. With that query the father/son team knew that they were in big trouble. Neither answering yes nor no here would ever work in their favor when dealing with Mama Laucks. They both now had to face the fact that they just might have just lost their new toy to the queen of the household.

But hey, all was not lost … yet. You gotta look at the bright side here. Even though Mama “poached” the Nova for herself, the Chevy was still in their house. And who knows … the boys might just be just a “pretty please” away from getting the keys, and the chance to drive her new hot rod. You’d figure that was a definite possibility, especially since Mitchell and Bruce were going to do all the labor on her new “super car” anyway. So the threesome joined together, battened down, and came up with a bulletproof plan to take this basic Box Nova and turn it into a Chevy that rocks.

The Nova was found in Manheim, Pennsylvania, not far from their home. It was a little less than a complete car. “It was missing the whole front end, but we didn’t need that stuff anyway,” states Mitchell. And that’s the truth, since the plan was to make this ride into a wild custom with power to spare and not some meticulous 100-point OEM restoration.

When they checked out the Nova before purchasing, Mitchell used a magnet to scan the panels. Their “high tech” imaging system showed that the car was pretty much rust free. Good deal they thought. However, once the car was stripped they found that newer metal was welded right over the old rusty panels. The last “sheetmetal technicians” didn’t even try to remove them at all. Mitchell realizes now that he might have to upgrade his rust analyzing equipment. So the boys were behind the eight ball from the start. But that didn’t deter them at all, as they knew Mama was expecting this ride to be the hottest Chevy compact this side of the Mighty Muddy Mississippi.

So Mitchell and Bruce soon found themselves elbows deep in a near total restoration of the Nova’s sheetmetal. The job included replacing the roof skin, the quarter-panels, a complete set of floors (including the trunk), sourcing a new cowl-induction hood, and, to top it off, welding a myriad of patches throughout the body. It seems like the rust was the only thing holding this little Chevy together. But they forged on.

When they made their way to the front end, a Martz Chassis bolt-on front clip was purchased and installed, which brought a major improvement to the overall strength and look of the semi-unibody construction. Once the front end was set up, the boys continued with the theme by adding a Martz Chassis bolt-in rear suspension with a four-link setup, and installed a healthy Ford 9-inch rear. Homemade round tube subframe connectors were fabricated in house and used to tie the chassis and body all together. Before moving on, the rear wheelwells were mini-tubbed in preparation for some big meats.

Soon the boys had to start thinking about what powerplant would propel this rocket ship down the strip for Mama, or whomever else that could wrestle the keys out of her hands for a drive. “First thought was to build a traditional small-block, but dad thought the Chevrolet Performance LSA would be badass,” says Mitchell. Well guess what? Father knows best, and so the duo bought a Connect & Cruise LSA engine package complete with a 4L85E transmission.

The insertion into the Nova engine bay was way easy, but packaging the engine cleanly was the real trick here. The duo spent plenty of time cleaning up plumbing, wiring, and hiding intercooler hoses. The latter being run through the firewall, under the dash, and under the fender to the tank and heat exchanger in the front of the engine bay. They added a Cadillac CTS engine cover for an offbeat modern touch. Church Boys headers remove the spent gasses and send them through a pair of DynoMax Ultra Flo mufflers.

The differential is stuffed with 3.70 gears, which spin the big rubber out back. To get this ride down the road, 18×10 Budnik Shotgun G wheels shod in 285/35/18 Continental tires do the damage. Up front, 18×7 rims wrapped in 215/45/18 skins keep this ride pointed in the right direction. Wilwood disc brakes, with 12-inch rotors up front and 11-inch in the rear work with a Wilwood master and booster to do the stopping on this wild Chevy.

Mitchell did all the finish bodywork and prep himself. When it came to the paint, he did that, too. He sprayed the DuPont Hot Hues Purple Rhapsody on the Nova’s flanks right there in the family garage. “When Mama picked this color, my dad and I tried to convince her to try something else, but we lost out. But now we realize how awesome the color is,” he gladly states. Good job Mama, you did well. The car’s color and finish are judged to be an undisputed knock out in our book.

Mitchell wanted the underside of this Nova to be as nice as the top side, so he made sure that he gave the belly a little love as well. He sprayed the undercarriage with SEM bed liner tinted to match the Chevy’s new body color. To finish off the chassis, he skinned all the suspension parts in Sterling Gray metallic, and then gave them a few coats of satin clear to give them some extra toughness.

The interior was next on the list. Mama made her demands and the boys carried them out to perfection. First off, a Dakota Digital dash was installed for a more modern look at the vitals. To take control of the climate in this fast but comfy Chevy, Dakota Digital HVAC controls were used in conjunction with the Vintage Air A/C system. When it came to the overall look and feel of the Nova’s new cockpit, well, that was left up to Chris McClintock and Corey Lyba over at Bux Customs in Pottstown, Pennsylvania. “These two guys really made the car what it is and totally blew my expectations out of the water,” states Mitchell. They pieced together one beautiful interior, using black and gray leather to accent the wild purple paint, while repurposing buckets out of a ’11 Buick Regal. Overall, the results are just stunning to say the least.

Mitchell and Bruce finished off the car, adding the subtle touches that are rarely noticed, but important nonetheless. Stainless steel brake and fuel lines were plumbed in, and a stainless Rick’s Hot Rod Shop gas tank was added as well. This choice ride sends go juice by way of a CTS-V fuel pump out back. Billet hood hinges add some bling under the hood.

After four years of hard labor, the car was finally ready for testing and tuning. The twosome racked up many hours on the Nova, with Mitchell working 2-3 hours on it every day after doing his regular 12-14 hour shift. When the car was finished, they had Dennis Wheet troubleshoot, fix some minor issues, and then tune the car. They were quite happy with the 500 rear-wheel-horsepower that the LSA made. And Mama … well, she was downright giddy.

Today, the Nova sees plenty of road time. And yes, Mama has been good to the guys, letting them partake in the fun whenever they like. “I built this car, and I drive this car often,” states Mitchell. So don’t feel sorry for them because they lost this one to the queen. There’s always another one for the taking, and maybe Mama will let the guys keep the next one. Maybe.

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