#alex getting ready to steal your man and your cat

[hesterias]

gifs by @hesterias

Alex Turner in “Is This What You Wanted” by The Last Shadow Puppets

[paperlovesadness]

Something to rely on - Miles Kane song analysis

// From Coup De Grace - 2018 //

Okay - I need to start releasing my draft-posts into the world. I've had this sitting there for a while but wasn't convinced it's ready. I think I should just stop overanalyzing though so here goes.

We're here - another silly little subjective analysis of a Miles Kane song (geared towards how it could possibly maybe be about Alex? question mark question mark ??)

I was gonna do Adios Ta-Ra Ta-Ra first, but then I was listening to this album and this one just got stuck in my head and didn't wanna leave. So here we are (will do others too of course though).

Big disclaimer is: this is just one little personal interpretation done for fun and please don't take it too seriously.

Even I personally have more than one idea in my head about a lot of these lyrics and songs and what they could mean. I just choose one - the one most convincing to myself, one that sticks out to me the most and write it down for what it is in that moment in time.

I like sharing these because I'm curious if anyone else in the world finds some of my thoughts convincing - and if not - what they think these things mean instead! Honestly the thing I want most from these is feedback and potential conversations - be it in tag, reblog, reply, or message form. I love trying to figure songs out together! So please share your thoughts!

[Verse 1]

Crescent moon, left in my drive

All too soon, you made your point

Keeping off the radar, how does that make you feel?

The moon seems like a thing in the whole Miles/Alex "lore"

-> We've got that interview, where Alex jokes around about them missing each other while on tour, looking at the moon, wondering what the other's doing.

-> There's the "He moves the moon that kid" quote from Alex when introcuding Miles during an AM gig.

-> "I'm Alex from the lash shadow puppets and I play the awhooo [interviewer Cat - so you're a wolf. Cool] // And I'm Miles from the Last Shadow Puppets and I play the midnight moon".

-> The moon is also ofc associated with Alex himself due to TBHC and the fact he 's stated that he's intereted in space overall

other things maybe worth noting?

* "Kiss me underneath the moon's sideboob" [AM - TBH+C]

* The Ultracheese. The whole song. The title being a cheesy [hehe] metaphor for the moon

* "Crawling through like midnight panthers

Growling at the moon" [ MK - First of my kind]

* Paraselene woman, I'm your man in the moon [Alex Turner, Glass in the Park]

All that to say... We've got another moon here and maybe that's done on purpose.

This one is crescent - seems like a sad metaphor. Crescent moons can symbolize either the beginning or the end of something. "Left in my drive" is giving me very much breakup vibes. Something left behind on the way out of your home/life.

There's nothing much left of the moon that they perhaps shared as "their thing".

Keeping off the radar - a thing that Alex very much does - not one for social media or a public presence at all if he can help it. Here - maybe also direct ghosting is invloved after a breakup or fight - whataver went on.

[Chorus 1]

Something to rely on

Something to get high on

Miles has had enough of the push-and-pull of the relationship. He wants something he can actually rely on. Something that'll bring him the pure joy love is supposed to bring - a high.

Miles also references a high/getting high together in other songs - like in "Wrong side of life" (the song he says is about the person who he broke up with/the one he's wrote most of the CDG album about + incidentally a song he apparently dedicated to Alex during a gig he was at) he writes about wanting to get high with you.

So i feel like we have a doube meaning - the high of love/and actually getting high.

(something - let's be honest - that is obvious Miles and Alex did once or twice during the EYCTE era)

I don't want to beg or steal, I don't want to borrow hearts

Another clue to the fact that the relationship was an on-and-off / push-and-pull / hot-and-cold thing. Maybe even an affair. Maybe just open or perhaps simply casual - but Miles doesn't want it to be just that.

He doesn't want to beg for the persons love and full attention.

Doesn't want to share them with anyone - have to steal them away from the person they officially "belong" to.

He doesn't want to have them sometimes - a heart borrowed for the day' when it's convenient. He wants to own the person's heart and in return be theirs fully too.

I just want to make it real

Something to rely on

Confirmation for the theory above. He wants it to be a real full-on relationship, not whatever it has been and has obviously not been enough for him.

The making of a mystery, wishing on a falling star

I don't want to let this sadness rule my heart

He knows he can't take it anymore - his heart is at stake and it's hurting. Whatever the relationship is offering isn't satisfying him and the sadness that brings is taking over his life. He has to put an end to it for his own good - but he still loves the person. He'd like to be able to rely on them. He wants to wish on a falling star for this to work out. (more space related things?)

[Verse 2]

Keeping it clean, through all the things you wanted me to be

Out of touch, with all the rumors I keep hearing of you

Keeping off the radar, how does that make you feel?

Keeping it clean is a confusing metaphor - It brings to mind images of staying clean - so drugs/alcohol. But that doesn't personally makes sense to me in this context.

I'd go towards keeping their image clean. This relationship - whatever it was - was a secret. That seems like something mostly the other person wanted - not ready to fully commit. They wanted Miles to be a secret / a friend with benefits maybe / something without a label perhaps, when Miles was all in and ready for the real deal with them.

He needs to seperate himself (be out of touch) from the rumours about this person who broke his heart // perhaps the rumours inevitably make their way towards him, because this person is a well-known public figure, often gossiped about. And associated with Miles closely - so he keeps hearing about them even though he'd like not to know what goes on in his life post their fall out. <- that's assuming the lyrics are from the "now" perspective; post-heartbreak.

But it can also mean that they had an actual relationship - but it was kept secret - something initiated by the other person, not Miles.

Miles kept the rules - kept their image clean, kept it all a secret. But that meant having to deal with rumours about the other person being with other people.

In this context "Keeping off the radar, how does that make you feel?" can also refer to the relationship. He's asking the person - keeping us secret - how does that make you feel?

[chorus 2 / ending]

The making of a mystery, wishing on a falling star

I don't want to let this sadness rule my heart

Your actions from the start

In spite of me insightfully inviting me to fall apart

This person was doing more-than-friend things with Miles and suggesting a possible something-more from the very start - when they first met. Their actions clearly invited him to fall for them and then in turn fall apart from the heartache that it caused in the end.

Miles may have known it's a bad idea (in spite of me) but coudn't keep himself from falling anyway. The person was super close to him, understood him well (insightfully inviting me) - which made falling all the more easy.

[Bridge]

All aboard the guilt train

Last call before we leave

First off - makes me recall the "All aboard the Kane train" thing Alex once said during a TLSP gig. May be a coincidence - may not be.

Secondly - Miles seems to feel guilty for the way things went - but he believes both sides should take the blame.

Last call before we learn to love

The last before we leave

(And here we collectively fall apart)

"Last call before we learn to love" seems to me to imply that it's the time to take accountability for their mistakes in this relationship so that they can move on and form other ones ina healthy way? [maybe] BUT-

if so, I still believe this is Miles being freshly hurt by the hearbreak. There are contradictory statements about this love he's lost on the album (and I believe some more on the next one). It doesn't really seem like he's given up on them and their bond.

Even here

You're all that I wanted

All that I need

You're all that I wanted

You're all that I need

at the end of the song we get "wanted" in past tense but "need" in the present.

So doesn't truly seem like giving up on the person and their true shared feelings.

[bigbrainblue]

star gazing 💫

featuring: cc!quackity x gn!reader

pronouns: they/them (none used)

genre: fluff

warnings: unedited , swearing , use of quackitys real name

note: plz request something i’m running out of ideas 😅

you were in mexico visiting your boyfriend, alex, who was currently in the basement streaming on twitch.

you were laying on his bed scrolling through tiktok as to not bother him when you heard someone climbing up the stairs and walking towards the room you were in.

you set down your phone and looked up at the doorway to see alex holding his cat, tiger, in his arms.

“oh hi y/n i didn’t know you were in here. i thought you and my mom were going to go for a walk.” alex said, walking towards the bed with tiger still in his arms.

“we did go for a walk. like 2 hours ago. man that basement really messed with your perception of time.” you said laughing as he sat down on the bed next to you and let go of tiger

tiger curled up between you two as alex laid next to you on the bed, facing you.

from here you could see the little freckles on his cheeks.

you wanted to spend hours just staring at him and noticing little things like that about him. like the way he combs through his hair with his fingers when he gets nervous or when he smiles so big, it takes up half oh his face.

as you were in your own little world, you heard alex speak again

“well i don’t know about you but i don’t have anything else to do tonight, wanna maybe take my dads truck out to the desert and look at the stars?” he said reaching a hand over to pet tiger, who started purring in return

“is that even a question? of course i would. if it means i get to spend time with you then sign me up.” you said

you slowly scooted down so you were laying down on your side, facing alex and mimicking his position on the bed

he was looking down at tiger but even from the side i could see his stupidly big smile and the blush on his cheeks

“you’re adorable alex, did you know that?” you said, playing with his hair.

he stopped petting tiger and looked at you

“whatever,” he said still smiling. “lets just go, i’m all ready”

“ok hold on i need a sweatshirt. it may be the desert but i know for a fact that i’m gonna freeze my ass off in that cold ass truck bed if i don’t bring one.” you said getting up and heading towards alex’s closet to steal one of his hoodies

you sifted through his hoodie collection before grabbing a random one

as you put it on, you instantly got blasted with the smell of his cologne, but hey, you aren’t complaining that’s for sure.

you turned around and posed. “how do i look?”

“you look like you just stole my favorite hoodie. but, i have to admit, i think you look better in it than me.” he said standing up and walking towards you

once he reached you, he put his hand on the small of your back and kissed you.

the kiss wasn’t a heated, lets-make out-instead-of-doing-the-thing-we-talked-about, kind of kiss. it was a slow and comfortable, you-don’t-have-to-worry-i’m-not-going-anywhere, type of kiss.

when he let go, you giggled, and gave him one final peck on his lips before running to grab your shoes.

~ oooo time skip ~

you sat in the passenger seat of alex’s dads truck as alex pulled into a gas station parking lot, still humming along to the song playing on the radio

“why are we stopping here?” you asked

“i wanna get snacks, duh” he said while jokingly rolling his eyes.

you both got out of the car and walked inside.

you ended up grabbing *your favorite snack* and *your favorite drink* while alex grabbed a bag of peach rings and a mango arizona iced tea.

you insisted on paying but alex got his card into the machine first, giving you a forehead kiss after as a ‘thanks for offering to pay but i’m not letting you’

once you both got back into the car, alex headed into the road again.

alex rested his hand on your thigh as you plugged your phone into the aux cord and played the first song that came to mind.

Dance, Baby! by Boy Pablo starts playing as you placed my hand on top of alex’s hand that was resting with your thigh

you started singing along , tapping your fingers against the back of alex’s hand

you were now in a full on theatrical performance, singing and acting out the song to the boy next to you.

alex laughed and watch you perform out of the corner of his eye as he kept his eyes on the road.

eventually he pulled to a stop along a dirt road about a mile from the main road you two were just on.

you both got out of the car, grabbing the snacks and drinks as alex let down the back trunk flap thing (WHAT IS IT CALLED???)

he set down his things as he walked around the car and opened up the back seat, grabbing a couple pillows and blankets he had thrown in the car before you left the house.

you and him made a little mass of pillows and blankets in the back of the truck before both standing back to admire the beautiful creation you guys just built.

he pulled you in by your waist so your back was against his chest. he lowered his head and gave you a kiss on the back of your head before resting his head on yours.

“we did an amazing job. high five.” alex said, holding out his hand in front of you

you high fived him and wriggled out of his grasp so you could jump into the trunk bed

he climbed in after you as you both made yourselves comfortable .

around 30 minutes of cuddling, eating the snacks you guys brought, and pointing out constellations and shooting stars to each other, alex said something

“hey y/n?”

“yeah what’s up alex?”

“can i tell you something?”

“you can tell me anything” you said, squeezing his hand that interlocked with yours underneath the blankets

“i,” he took a short pause. “i love you, y/n. and before you say anything i’m sorry if you don’t feel the same way, i just, i’ve loved you for a long time, and i feel like the love i have for you grows every time i see you and it felt like torture to keep it from you and so i’m really sorry i just had to tell you an-“ you cut him off by kissing him. hard.

once you pulled away, you looked into his eyes.

“i love you too, alex”

even though it was dark you could see his stupid grin and his face turn a crimson shade of red.

you laid back down next to him, interlocking your fingers with his once again.

alex spoke once again “thank god cause if you didn’t that would have been awkward”

[thewidowsghost]

Agent Danvers - Chapter 5

(Y/n) had never felt more naive until both her sisters had barged into her apartment, Alex blurting out that she was part of a secret organization that hunted down aliens.

“Stop, stop, stop,” (Y/n) holds up a hand. “And you didn’t tell me, why?” (Y/n) questions. “You know how much I hate it when people lie or keep things from me.” (Y/n)’s eyebrows furrow.

“We told you so that you could come with us,” Alex says, staring at her sister, and willing her to understand.

. . .

“Is all of this really necessary?” Kara asks Alex, and then her eyes fix on (Y/n), who is talking with one of the other agents. “I’m ready, Alex, for all of it. I can do this.”

“Well, believe it or not, he’s just looking out for you,” Alex replies, gesturing to Hank Henshaw. “You know, we all are,” Alex goes on. “I had a full year of training before he even let me into the field.” Alex sighs happily, “But I’m really glad that both of you are here, though. I hated keeping this whole part of my life from you.”

“And growing up, I always thought you were such a bad liar,” (Y/n) walks over to her sisters.

“That’s what a good liar makes you think,” Alex replies, nudging her sister affectionately.

“Supergirl. Come in, Supergirl,” Winn says in Kara���s earpiece.

“Winn, what is it? I’m kind of busy right now,” Kara replies.

“Kara, there is a huge fire raging down at the National City port,” Winn tells Kara. “It’s bad.”

“ All right,” Kara replies. “I’m on my way.” Kara turns to (Y/n), and then Alex. “Fire at the port. Gotta go.”

“Wait,” (Y/n) rests her hand on her sister’s arm. “You’ve been dodging missiles and pushing your endurance for hours.”

“She’s right. Even you have your limits,” Alex adds.

“For the last twelve years, I hid who I was,” Kara replies. “I don’t have to anymore. And I don’t want to waste a minute of it. Besides,” an excited grin appears on Kara’s face, “this sounds like a job for Supergirl.”

. . .

“Miracle or menace? That’s what the citizens of National City are asking themselves after the latest attempt at heroics by Supergirl left the bay facing an ecological disaster,” an newscaster says, and (Y/n) rubs her face.

“Forget about Supergirl’s lack of experience,” Maxwell Lord says on the news and (Y/n) groans, looking up from her algorithms. “I’m talking about the trouble she’ll bring to National City,” (Y/n) glances over at Kara. “Look at Metropolis. Since Superman’s arrival, a veritable super bad guy war has been waged on that city. Their maintenance budgets have quadrupled. National City does not need Metropolis’s problems.”

“W-who cares what that guy says?” Winn stutters.

(Y/n) gets up from her desk to nudge the young man fondly. “You do.”

“Isn’t Maxwell Lord your personal hero?” Kara asks.

Winn shrugs. “I own a couple of Maxwell Lord watches and his biography,” the brunette replies.

“Mmm-hmm,” Kara hums in reply.

“And his autobiography . . . ” Winn adds, trailing off.

Kara tilts her head towards the elevator and (Y/n) and Winn snap to attention as Kara walks forward with a cup of coffee and Miss Grant’s breakfast.

. . .

“We’re all aware of Supergirl’s latest debacle, yes?” Miss Grant asks, her top advisors, (Y/n), Kara, and Winn gathered in her office, James hanging by the door.

“She made sure no one will surf in National City for the next ten-thousand years,” a man beside (Y/n) says, and she raises her eyebrows. “Some hero.”

“It was the lead story on the Daily Planet homepage, their fifth in as many days,” Cat says, cradling her cup of coffee. “Which annoys me because the Daily Planet already has a go-to superhero, and now they're trying to steal mine.” Kara swallows thickly and Miss Grant walks around to stand behind her desk. “Now, when I branded her, there was an implicit promise that she would be, at a minimum, above average. But in the past week, she has proved herself to be . . . Oh, what is the opposite of super? Hashtag Terriblegirl?” she asks.

“You know,” James steps forward, “Superman made plenty of mistakes when he first started.” Kara looks over at James. “At least she’s saving lives.

“In the sloppiest, most awkward way imaginable, James,” Miss Grant argues. James lowers his head, and Kara looks defeated. “So it is left to us to take control of Supergirl’s narrative. Save her from self-immolation, and scoop the Planet. I want an interview.” Kara chokes back a laugh. Miss Grant raises an eyebrow, “Yes, Kara?”

(Y/n) winces with second-hand embarrassment.

“Sorry, sorry,” Kara laughs, but then falters. “I just . . . I started to think about this kitten video I saw online earlier.”

(Y/n) leans over. “Shut up,” she hisses and Kara shuts her mouth, glancing at (Y/n) and nodding thankfully.

“James . . .” Miss Grant is still looking at Kara for a moment. Then she circles her desk. “Perhaps your friend in blue would be useful in arranging a sit down? Maybe you could broach the subject, the next time you ‘Bro hang.’”

James smiles slightly. “It, uh, doesn’t really work that way, Miss Grant.”

“Mmm,” Miss Grant hums. “Well, let me assure all of you, Lois Lane, Clark Kent, and all of the hags over at the Daily Planet are working day and night to get this exclusive. We need to get it first.” Miss Grant moves around her desk again. “I want a sit down with Supergirl.”

Word Count: 932 words

[inknopewetrust]

A Little Chaos

Summary: A thief finds herself at the center of the kidnapping of two girls and has the attention one very attractive detective. 

Pairing: Detective Loki x Fem!Reader 

Word Count: 3.8k

Warnings: Criminal activity, flirting, sexual references, brief choking, probably 16+ based on content but no explicit smut. A mention of pedophilia but nowhere near in detail.

A/N: I don't think I've ever written something like this and can I just say that I really loved it!? So, I really hope you all do too! Requests are currently CLOSED but I hope to open them soon again and with new characters to add to my list. Check out my Masterlist for all other works. Thanks so much for requesting this @mrs-blooooom! I just loved the idea so much and thanks for being so kind about all the delays!

One - pick the lock 

Two - lift up the screen and frame as quietly as possible but make absolutely no rough work of it. 

Three - slip on the shoe covers and assess the gloves before entering through the window. 

Four - get to work. 

That was always the structure, no questions asked. Though, you noticed the news beginning to trace your patterns. You had made a hit in another neighborhood two weeks ago and because the news began reporting the patters, you were sure the police weren’t far behind. 

And perhaps on that particular Thanksgiving, you shouldn’t have done another–or picked that house, rather.  

Detective David Loki had a million different things running through his mind on a daily basis. When a case such as the Dover-Birch one stuck itself in the middle of an already pending investigation of burglaries in the Conyer’s area, he had a hunch of who he would investigate first. But he couldn’t get to that immediately because Keller Dover convinced him and his superiors that the RV belonging to Alex Jones was the first and only way to go. 

But even after interrogating the man who had a child-like innocence to him, David Loki was convinced there was something more to the story. There had to have been a connection to who burglarized the Dover’s that same night and where the girls could be... he was certain, but then he wasn’t because he wasn’t sure you were the kind of person who would kidnap two innocent girls. 

On a particularly slow Tuesday, no new leads had come in and the investigation had stalled because Alex Jones had now gone missing without a trace. Although he was doing everything he could, Loki was far from finding a solution and decided to take the initiative into his own hands and dive into the file he had been working on for nearly five months–the one into you and your less-than-stellar activities. The post-it note sticking out of the side of the manilla folder contained an address to an apartment in the center of town. He plucked it out, tucked it into his pocket and walked straight out of the station. 

You weren’t worried about being considered a suspect in the kidnapping of two girls. You had no connection to the Dover’s, Birches’, or the Jones’, as well as no connection to the scene of the crime. You were always careful, and the Dover’s had no security cameras. So, when your comm buzzed in the middle of the day, you weren’t expecting it to be the police. 

“Hello?” 

“Ms. L/n? This is Detective Loki with the Conyer’s Police Department. I have a few questions I would like to ask you.” The voice was cackled with the circuited communication buzzer but you heard the man loud and clear. You also knew exactly who that was. 

Detective David Loki was an infamous creature of Conyers. One day he just seemed to sprout out of nowhere and into the public sphere, but you had known him for a while. You were never friends, and you were sure until now he didn’t even know your name, but he was the star pupil of the town. And the spotlight he was in, he absolutely hated it. Every time his picture appeared in the paper or when he had to speak on the television relayed that message and you laughed in pity. The poor man just wanted to do his job and that was one part he didn’t sign up for. 

“Can I ask what this is regarding?” 

“The investigation into Joy Birch and Anna Dover. I just have a few questions I’d like to ask you if you would step-” 

“I’ll buzz you up.” You pressed the button and unlocked the door, opening it just enough for you to rest on the frame with one arm on the door and the other on your hip. 

Another thing you knew about Detective David Loki was that he was one of the most attractive people you had ever laid eyes on. The man was a walking dream but unfortunately, on the other side of the law which was far from promising when it came to your vivid imagination. 

“How nice of you to not barge into my home, Detective.” You called out to him as he appeared on the steps landing just down the hall from your door. Loki gave no smile but shoved an orange post-it into his jacket as he shoved his hands into his pockets. 

“This surely won’t take long.” 

With a nod you moved away from the door, shutting it closed behind you. With the sudden and unexpected presence of this man who was a fine line between formal detective and loose cop, there was an urge to be exactly the opposite of what he wanted you to be. He had been trailing you for just enough time to learn patterns in your life, the people you associate with, the fact that you had a degree and a decent job. You had an apartment to call your own, a car that wasn’t stolen and yet you continued to break into people's homes and steal curious objects for what? Consignment sales? He wasn’t sure. But you weren’t going to give him the answers he was looking for. You enjoyed the life you built for yourself...even if you had to steal and sell things to arrive at ends meet to pay for everything in your life. 

“So... what can I do for you?” 

“Can you recall where and what you were going on the night of Thursday, November 28th?” 

“Thanksgiving?” You asked with a raised brow and he nodded. Loki pulled out no notebook to take notes, rather he watched every movement. He was trying to identify guilt, but you were a casual sleuth. It wasn’t a game he was used to because all of his suspects eventually gave in. 

“I got up around 8:30, maybe 9 and ate some breakfast, um I-” You took a seat on the arm of your couch, running a hand over your mouth trying to “remember” what exactly you were doing a few days ago. 

“-took a shower and then got started on my dish to pass at my parents dinner. I made sweet potatoes and stuffing-or dressing... I don’t know what you call it.” Loki was far from amused that you were making this appear less than serious. He couldn’t let himself believe that you were stupid enough to believe he wasn’t there on behalf of the story that captured the attention of the entire nation, so he didn’t believe a word you said. 

“When that was done I got ready, did my makeup, and headed out to my parents where my sister and her family were meeting us to have dinner. Then I left their house around 7-ish and came home.” 

“After dinner you went straight home?” 

“Yes.” 

You looked at him with an unfazed gaze which he met but didn’t buy. It was a game. A cat and mouse game that he wasn’t willing to bite into but it was too late, you already had him on a string. Loki would be lying if he didn’t find you attractive, even in the slightest. You were a beautiful woman, and it was because of how you looked that you’ve never been caught. You always covered every inch of your body and you looked unassuming. You had a perfectly pristine house, looked like someone who didn’t need to steal to live but then again, most of the time, all the people who do steal never look like they would because that is what people are taught not to look for. 

“I made some phone calls late last week and someone in your family spilled that you weren’t there. In fact, you haven’t been to a family holiday since you graduated college nearly ten years ago. Bad relationship?” 

“I can assure you–whoever you talked to, they weren’t there. I was there. I can tell you what I wore, what I ate, what was on the T.V. and what color shoe my nephew was wearing that day.” 

“Those could just be good guesses?” Loki let his eyes wander around the small living space. He looked at the picture frames, the vases, the bins, the T.V. stand, everything that could have screamed “out of place” to him but nothing did. 

“You didn’t happen to pass two little girls on your drive home, did you?” 

“Excuse me?” 

“Two girls. I’m sure you’ve seen their picture on the news.” Loki pointed to the T.V. at first but then dug into his pocket and pulled out a single picture of two girls photographed on a playground. They were smiling widely and happily at the person behind the camera. You had never seen the girls so you shook your head no and crossed your arms. 

“No. I’ve never seen them before. Am I supposed to?” 

“I don’t know, are you?” 

“What are you implying, detective?” 

“Do you know the house you broke into on Thursday, November 28th was the home of Anna Dover. Anna and her friend Joy went missing that same night after returning to the Dover residence to find a whistle. You were inside the home at the time we believe the girls went missing. So, tell me–do you know where the girls are?” Loki was zoned in accusation. The man was unwavering in his tone or his assumption and you would say it was scary if you didn’t find it attractive. Why, God WHY, did the detective working on this case have to be everything you looked for in a man? It would be so much easier if he were old and wrinkled but he was far far from it. 

“Detective, if I would have known you would come into my home and accuse me of kidnapping two innocent girls, I wouldn’t have answered the ring.” 

“Where are the two girls? Do you know where they are?” 

“No. I told you I didn’t take the girls.” 

“But you were in the house? Did you see the girls?” 

“I didn’t say that either.” 

“What if I told you that you were a sloppy thief?” 

“Excuse me?” You furrowed your brows in confusion. You were certain that you were not. There was never a time where you left as much as a trace of hair in a location that you hit. 

“The bin.” Loki walked over to the T.V. stand that had three white bins tucked into slots. The bins were generally filled with junk except for one thing that the Dover’s told him went missing yesterday afternoon. A medium size blue decorative pot with yellow flowers on its sides. It was meant for shallow flowers as a table center piece that was gifted to Keller and Grace on their wedding day. Grace was distraught over it and it was sitting the left-most bin under the television. Loki pulled open the drawer and carefully took out the pot and you looked at it with a shrug. 

“Where did you get this?” 

“My mother.” 

“I thought I told you that they told me you haven’t spoken to them in a decade?” 

“Well I obviously spoke to them before that.” 

“I am going to ask you again and I want an honest answer. Where did you get this pot?” 

What were you supposed to do? The man literally cracked the code. If only you hadn’t chosen that house. Oh! How much easier your life would be. 

“I plead the fifth.” Oh, fuck. 

Loki set the pot carefully down and pulled a pair of handcuffs from his belt. It would have been hot if you weren’t terrified of what came next. Then you made an ill-timed joke. 

“You’re not pulling those out for another reason are you?” You didn’t even laugh yourself because he simply ignored it and motioned for you to stand and turn around. 

“I am going to take you to the station and we will talk more there. Stand up, turn around, and give me your hands.” 

“I already told you I don’t know where the girls are.” Ignored again but the feeling of him pushing your shoulder with his hand and taking your wrist was something you wished you would stop replaying in your mind. 

“You have the right to remain silent. Anything-” 

The Conyer’s Police Station was wimpy compared to other cities. It was a small, single story brick building with three holding rooms and one interrogation room. You weren’t sure how long you sat in the holding cell, but it was nighttime by the time you were taken out of the room by another officer and into a brightly lit, slightly yellowed room with a mirrored window and a small desk with two chairs. There was a pencil and a pad of paper at the center of it but you were sure if it was going to be Detective Loki interrogating you, he wouldn’t need it. 

The officer uncuffed you with no words spoken and pointed at the chair facing the window. You rubbed your wrists from the friction the metal left before taking a seat and staring into the glass where your reflection met your own. You had nothing to do with the two missing girls so you had nothing to give them, or rather, nothing to give Loki to further his investigation. 

The man of the hour waltzed into the room a mere five minutes after you were sat down. He had a half-drank cup of coffee in one hand and a small grouping of papers in the other. Loki sat down, settling himself before looking up at you and beginning the interrogation. 

“Please state your name, age, and address.” 

You recited the information as told.

“How many homes a year do you burglarize?" Loki opened a file that was tucked under some papers with a series of pictures printed on a piece of computer paper. It was amalgamation of missing objects from families around Conyers. You were fucked, but you couldn't let him think that, or at least believe that you were guilty in anyway. Your stealing wasn't going to find those girls because you had no idea where in the world they were. You had never seen them before their faces were plastered on every hour of the news.

"Shouldn't my lawyer be here if you are going to accuse me of something?"

"Do you need a lawyer?"

"Do I, Detective?"

It was the attitude that angered him the most. A woman like you didn't need to steal. Based on your records, he had no reason to truly believe you would. Clean record. No screaming signs of intent or distrust popped out but he knew you were guilty. There was not a doubt. But there was something in that attitude that made him squirm. An attractive quality that he did not want to admit.

"If you answer the questions I ask truthfully, then no, you won't need a lawyer."

"Ask away." You leaned back in the chair with arms crossed and a determined narrowness to your eyes. It was a challenge. Try me, Detective. Do it, I dare you.

"When did you first start stealing?"

"When I was seven. My sister always had better stuff, so I took it."

"And that escalated to...what?" Instead of leaning back on his own chair, Loki leaned forward. His shoulders were hunched in an aggressive, intense tactic to scare you into admitting something that you didn't have any part of. He just wanted to find those girls and you happen to be a speed bump in the way.

"Minor petty theft. I never take anything over $500."

"How do you know what something is worth?"

"I'm sure you can find that in my file, Detective. Everything is there I am sure of it. You all know just how to frame the people you want. But I had nothing to do with those girls."

Loki's line of aggravation was growing thin. Sooner or later, attitude wasn't going to cut it and he was going to have to use the tactics he used on Alex Jones and other potential perpetrators on you. He never liked to get outright violent with women, but he couldn't let this go without trying to get something. The days were wearing thin and he needed to find Joy and Anna.

"You were in the Dover's house the night of the abduction. Where are the girls?"

"I told you I didn't have anything to do with that."

"Didn't or don't."

"Doesn't matter. I did not see them. I do not know where they are. Ruining children's lives isn't my MO, Detective-"

"But you do and you did! YOU were in that house. YOU were at the scene of the crime at the time they went missing. YOU are the one who knows what happened to those girls!" His voice was no longer steady and calm as he had been taught during his training. His string had snapped when in response, you laughed.

Loki flew out of his chair, rounded the table as the sound of his chair skidded across the floor and to the wall behind him. If you weren't so focused on him, you probably could have heard the surprised yells of the Detectives and Officers behind the mirror. The angered Detective roughly arrived at his destination–you, and grabbed the back of your hair, pulling your head back to look at him as he stood over you.

"Where the fuck are the girls?" It came out like a hiss. His eyes enraged with pain for the families and his own reputation if the case goes wrong and he doesn't find them in enough time. You weren't scared of him or his tactics. Rather, it was quite the opposite. If he wasn't attractive, you would have been disgusted but the man was the epitome of perfection and this scene would be one to get you off for years to come.

"I told you, I don't know where the girls are." He gripped your hair harder and you felt the chair waver underneath you. Still not scared.

"You're a liar, a fucking thief, and I don't believe you. Where are the girls? Do you like that sort of thing, huh? Do-"

"You sick fuck. I'm a thief not a fucking pedophile. I didn't take the girls!" You were slightly taken aback by his suggestion, but it was all a tactic. You had seen it on millions of police shows before. He just wanted answers, but he wasn't going to find them with you. Whatever in the sentence you had just spoken to him, Loki was worse off for it. He practically lifted you by the hair and charged you into the wall roughly. Not enough to leave a mark, but enough to make a point. He wasn't playing around but neither were you.

Loki's hand let go of your hair and one found itself on the wall next to your head as he closed in on you. You could feel his breathe on your face and his eyes pierced your goddamned soul. The other, well the other found itself right on your neck, holding you in place against the wall with a slight squeeze. Holy fuck.

"Keep this up Detective and I would have the means to believe this might lead to something else." The smile, your smile crept up on your face at your own assumption. You wouldn't complain if it did escalate to that.

"TELL ME WHERE THE GIRLS ARE? WHERE IS ANNA? WHERE IS JOY?"

"I told you I DON'T KNOW WHERE THE GIRLS ARE!"

There was something in your own anger that made him want to believe you didn't take the girls or had any clue where they were. He would hate to see a woman like you throw your life away for a career of crime. The proximity between the two of you was next to none. A knife wouldn't have been able to break the tension and the way he held you, unintentionally violent with a hand just a little too suggestively on your neck was a mistake but not one that he was readily going to admit. If this was any other situation, he might have let himself be willing to feel something more. But this was an interrogation, so he kept the face and squeezed just a little harder.

"Where are they? Tell me where they are?"

"Starting to sound like a broken record there. I would tell you again but I'm sure you have my admission of NOT KNOWING WHERE THEY ARE ON TAPE!"

Loki had enough and let your neck go with a jolt. His hands went to his belt where his cuffs were sitting and he pulled them out and turned you around. Your body was flush against the wall and one of his large, tattooed hands held your wrists together as he went to cuff them. This was another thing that would forever be engrained in your "sexy when it shouldn't be" file in your brain.

"Fine. You won't tell me where they are? Maybe a night in lock up will make you think." His voice was low, just at the base of your ear and his hot breath lingered on your neck as you could hear nothing but your heart beating out of your chest and the sound of cuffs closing.

But the man didn't get much further than that because the door to the room opened and like two deer in headlights, you both turned your heads to the sound of the intruder. It was another officer who looked both scared and amused and slightly embarrassed in regard to what he walked in on. He approached Loki as the latter man pulled you off the wall and forward, in front of him to walk toward the door.

"It was the hospital. Joy Birch was just admitted."

The look on Loki's face was priceless. You literally scoffed out loud and turned your face to his.

"I told you I had no fucking idea where they were."

Loki simply passed you over to the other officer and headed to the door, frustrated and confused about his own work and internal feelings about what had just happened–both the realization that you had no idea where they were and that he had been aggressive to the point where it kind of turned him on.

"Detective!" He was halfway out the door when you called out to him and if he had a mind, he would have ignored you and continued on, but he was so flustered that he did.

"If you ever want to use those cuffs sometime, you know where to find me."

Loki didn't say anything, but his eyes wandered. From your face to your body to the floor and back up. It was an unashamed look that made the officer uncomfortable, but you couldn't help but let a small, sly smile grace your face at his look. This man would be the end of your criminal career if he managed to find the time to reunite with you again.

And he did. Two days after Keller Dover was found in a hole and on a holiday he knew you were not going to spend with your family.

[fbfh]

thankful for my (found) family - demisquad + reader thanksgiving special

2.4k

platonic everyone + reader, implied future/potential leo x reader if you look real close, thalia has a girlfriend that I had to make up bc they never mention hunters of artemis but go off rick, calypso is not included bc she acts more like an antagonist imo, gif doesn’t have anything to do with it besides nostalgia lmao

happy thanksgiving <33

You and Leo are cooking in the kitchen 

You have been all day

The doorbell rings, and Annabeth goes to answer, binder full of travel plans in hand

“That should be-”

Clarisse enters with a loud greeting and a hug to everyone in arms reach

Percy’s loud cheers echo from the living room as he calls out the new score of the football game he’s keeping everyone updated on

She drops her bag, hopping over the back of the couch to watch with Percy

“Woah woah, catch me up Jackson! What'd I miss?”

Hazel is helping Rachel make cute diy table settings and party favors 

Rachel, as with most art projects she takes on, is very focused on making it Martha Stewart levels of cute and amazing 

Frank and Piper are keeping everyone updated on the parade 

Frank pops down the stairs, calling out, “The last performance just ended, the dog show starts in 5!”

Hazel drops what she's doing and exclaims, “THERE’S A DOG SHOW?!” 

She runs upstairs to watch with Frank, her yellow dress swishing behind her

You chuckle, calling over to Annabeth as you mix batter in a bowl, " Hey Annabeth, how are the travel plans looking?"

She shuffles through some papers in her binder

"Magnus and Alex had another layover, but they should still be able to make it in time. Thalia and her hunter friend will be here in 10, and Travis's flight got delayed because of a sudden snow storm."

"Really?" You reply, "This time of year? That's pretty ironic for a son of Hermes..."

"I know, I'm looking at some shuttle services to see if that would be faster…" Annabeth replies

Nico enters, stealing a couple appetizers, "This is so stupid, I could just go get him."

Will, right behind him, eats the appetizer Nico hands him and replies, "No you can't. Doctors orders."

Nico starts to protest 

Will shoots him a look 

"Boyfriend's orders."

Nico tries in vain to stare him down,  "… Va’ a farti fottere." he says, cracking a smile

"Love you too," Will counters 

You and Leo shoo them out of the kitchen before they steal more of your recipes

Jason and Grover walk by with a bunch of pillows and blankets, setting up guest rooms. 

Grover calls through the pile of fluff he's carrying, "Hey, we're gonna need a few more pillows-"

Jason, over his pile of bedding, corrects, "A lot more!" And Annabeth runs over to help carry some of the blankets he's about to drop

"-A lot more pillows…"

You grab your keys

"okay uh… Grover, do you want to head to the store to get some more pillows-"

Leo, vigorously sautéing something adds over his shoulder, "And basil! And, uh… red wine vinegar, olive oil, and potatoes."

You rip a piece of paper off the notepad on the fridge and scribble a quick list 

You're probably going to need some more ice, too 

Tyson, very distressed, holds up an empty container of mellowcream pumpkins, declaring, "THERE'S NO MORE BABY PUMPKINS!" :(

you loudly add candy pumpkins to the list

Rachel approaches. 

"Are you going to the store?"

"Yeah," you reply, "how's crafting going? You need anything? "

"We're almost out of glitter and mod podge. It's not looking good. We could use some more fake leaves, warm toned glitter, and rhinestones - the nice ones."

Grover looks slightly lost 

You narrate as you add to the list, "Fancy rhinestones, mod podge, fake leaves, red, yellow, orange, and brown glitter…"

Tyson, still distressed, yells, "AND BABY PUMPKINS!"

:(

You hold up the paper, "Already on the list, bud, Grover's gonna get them!"

"What if he gets the wrong kind?" Tyson asks 

You, turn to Grover quietly, "Grover, can you take Tyson?"

Grover nods

"Hey Tyson, Grover has a lot of stuff to get, could you go be his shopping buddy? That way you can pick out the right baby pumpkins."

He doesn't look convinced

He wants to keep working on a secret project he’s been doing out by the garage

"And…" you add, sweetening the deal, "you can get two candies for the way home."

He agrees

You turn to Grover; "I'll call you guys an uber-"

"I'll drive."

You all turn around, shocked to see Reyna awake. 

You thought she was still passed out 

She showed up at 9am and immediately fell asleep from traveling all night 

"Reyna, hi! Are you sure-"

"We'll be fine, I need to stretch my legs a little." She proves by rolling her shoulders

"Okay, as long as you're sure," you hand her the paper, re-entering the kitchen

She takes the paper from your hand as you shut off the beeping timer and grab a pair of oven mitts from the drawer

Reyna examines the paper, "...This is a weird list. Where are we supposed to get all this?"

Leo moves to the side as you pull out the rolls from the oven, using tongs to set them on a wire cooling rack, "Maybe target?"

Leo, still very focused on cooking, announces, "If you get me generic brand spices I will burn this place to the ground."

"O-kay," you turn back to Reyna, laughing, "there's a Wegmans and a Joanne's right next to the TJ Maxx, you can probably find everything there."

"We'll be back within the hour." She states, taking your keys. 

Rachel meets her at the door. "Here, use my card. Also, make sure you get the flat backed swarovski crystals. And please pick some glitter with a nice color shift!"

You remind them to call or text with any questions and be safe

Heading back into the kitchen, you fill up a big bowl with carrots, celery, cucumbers, and mushrooms

You grab two cutting boards, knives, peelers, and a plastic bag for the peels, tips, and tails

You set it all down on the coffee table in front Percy and Clarisse

“Can you guys get the relish tray started?” 

They agree, and immediately return to yelling at the referee

You shake your head laughing, and head back to the kitchen

“How we looking, Sparky?”

“Stuffing cups just went up in the oven, pie crust dough is chilling, and the green beans are almost done sauteeing. Rolls are cooling - could you stir the cranberry sauce? - and… the turkey is going up as soon as the stuffing is out.”

You stir the sauce as you continue talking

“Great! We’re making good time so far. Oh, I found a recipe for brown sugar pie, which Frank requested - apparently it’s a Canadian Thanksgiving thing - so I figured if you’re doing turkey I can handle the pies.” 

He pours some cooking wine into the pan, and shakes it as the alcohol burns off

“Sounds like a plan, babycakes.” 

You laugh at the nickname, and grab butter, salt, some herbs, and a stick blender to finish the potatoes

A few minutes later, you hear the door open 

Reyna and the boys are back already? That was quick

You wonder if they need help bringing groceries in

“Eeeey get over here you knucklehead!” 

Bags drop, and you hear Jason laughing in protest

You poke your head out of the kitchen, and see Thalia with Jason in a headlock

In spite of the fact that he’s about half a foot taller than her, she’s still noogie-ing him, pretending she can’t hear him objecting through his laughs

She finally lets him go, greeting everyone as he adjusts his glasses

She bear hugs Annabeth, punches Percy in the arm, and high fives and hugs pretty much everyone else

You run up the stairs to the guest room Grover was setting up before he left

You finish making the bed head back down, meeting Frank and Hazel on the way 

"Oh, Hazel, what did you think of the dog show?"

"It blew my wig!" She says giddily 

A confused smile settles on your face

"It was awesome and she loved it," Frank translates smoothly

He and Will are understandably best at deciphering 40s slang

Thalia is introducing everyone to Amber, a girl she’d met on the hunt and become really close with

You greet her, and turn to Thalia

“Your room is all set up if you wanna get settled in,” you turn to Amber, “and yours will be ready soon,” 

They share a look

“Oh,” Thalia starts grabbing their bags, “that’s fine, we can share a room. We share a tent on the hunt all the time, right Ambie?”

"Oh,”

And then it clicks

“yeah, however you’re comfortable.”

You grab one of the bags, and help them upstairs

“Why don’t you guys take a while to settle in, I’ll tell the others you’re resting.”

They thank you, and you start to leave

“By the way,” you poke your head back in, “you two seem really cute together. Welcome to the family, Amber.” 

She blushes and Thalia gives you an appreciative look

You nod and head back down

You let the others know they’re going to nap for a little while, and not to wake them up

“Hey, any travel updates?” You ask Annabeth, on your way back into the kitchen

“Alex just texted, she and Magnus are finally on their way, should be here in the next few hours. As for Travis…” 

She holds out her phone, showing you Travis’s tiktok

He’s filming the mirror in the airport bathroom

“So uh, my flight’s delayed, I’m bored, I’m gonna fuck with some people,” he holds out a hand full of stickers that look like outlets

He records himself putting them around the airport, then gets people’s reactions when they try to use them

He ends the video asking for more prank ideas

You look back up at Annabeth, holding back a laugh, “Seems like he’s doing okay,” 

“Oh,” she replies, “that’s not all.”

She scrolls up, showing the next prank video where Travis goes around the airport having fake phone conversations to get people’s reactions

Conversation topics including ‘I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but slept with your grandma’, ‘hey bro I can’t come to the party, also turns out I’m going to be your stepdad’, ‘hey dude remember that old lady we used to cat sit for? Well, I found out I got chlamydia from her, so…’, and ‘yeah man, I’m so excited for the poetry slam. Also, it turns out my jazz fever is actually syphilis.’. 

Your hand flies over your mouth, trying not to laugh loudly enough to wake Thalia and Amber

“Yeah,” Annabeth says, fighting her own laughter, “he’s doing okay.”

You start putting together ingredients for pie filling

“That is the most in character thing I could have imagined,” you laugh, and Annabeth shows Leo the videos

“There’s a bunch more, too,” she adds, “Around making tiktoks, he found a bus heading this way. He’ll be here in a few hours.” 

“Cutting it close,” you muse, filling pies, “I’m glad he’s not stuck at the airport though. How about Connor?” 

“Haven’t heard much from him, but he said he'll be here in time for dinner."

A little while later, Thalia and Amber re enter, joining Percy and Clarisse in the living room 

The door opens shortly after, and Tyson enters, arms full of containers of candy pumpkins 

Reyna and Grover are right behind him

You take Grover's bags, announcing that Thalia got here a little while ago

He bleats excitedly and runs to hug her, Reyna right on his heels

Piper and Tyson bring in the rest of the groceries

Tyson sets down the last bags in the kitchen, looks out the window, yells, "IT'S ALMOST SUNSET!", and runs back out into the back yard, presumably to finish his mystery project 

Everyone eventually makes their way to the living room, nibbling on appetizers and watching classic Thanksgiving specials 

The food is almost done, all that's left is decorating the pies and a little tidying up 

You walk over to Leo, placing your hand on his shoulder 

He looks up at you

"Why don't you go take a quick shower and change before dinner," you muse, knowing the hoodie and jeans he's been cooking in all day isn't the outfit he'd picked out, "I'll wrap things up in here,"

He thanks you, dramatically presses a kiss to your forehead, and exits the kitchen 

You decorate the pies distractedly, catching the doorbell right before the second ring 

You smile at the people about to enter

"Annabeth," you call, "Magnus and Alex are here!" 

She drops what she's doing, and runs over to greet them 

Leo is back down stairs a short while later 

His brick red hoodie replaced with a burgundy one - his fancy hoodie as he calls it - a heavy flannel layered on top, and a beanie pulled over his almost dry hair

His pyrokinesis makes you forget how cold he gets sometimes 

You're about to go upstairs to change out of your cooking clothes when Tyson enters dramatically 

"The surprise is done!"

Everyone files outside to see what Tyson made as he leads you all out to the garage 

Perfectly attached to the side, is a very small horse stable 

"Wow!" Percy starts, "Great job, dude!"

Tyson is beaming as he's showered with confused praise 

"So uh," Percy ventures, "what did you build it for?"

"Maybe something like this?!" Descending voices declare in unicen 

Travis and Connor land in front of you on no other than Blackjack

Everyone erupts into cheers

“I thought you were stuck at the airport! What about those tiktoks?”

“Saved in my drafts, baby!” Travis laughs

Percy greets Blackjack and everyone else heads back inside with Travis and Connor 

You run upstairs to shower quickly and change, and are back downstairs just in time for appetizers and drinks 

You're about to take a sip of coffee when the door opens 

An irregular set of footsteps echoes into the room, along with a familiar voice 

"Ah, children, I hope there's room for one more," 

Everyone turns in surprise as Chiron enters the room 

After lots of warm excited greetings and making sure he has a warm cup of tea, he settles in to chat for a while

"I was on my way to meet with my more, ah, rambunctious cousins, but I couldn't let a day like today pass without stopping by."

After two cups of tea and lovely conversations, Chiron heads out to meet up with the other party ponies 

Thalia, Percy, and Will get all the food on the dining room table while Rachel makes the finishing touches to the centerpieces 

Everyone finds their seat, and you make the first toast

"I think I can speak for everyone when I say I'm thankful for you guys - my found family."

Every glass is raised

You can all drink to that. 

[kind-wolf]

Kiss on a stick

Fandom: Rainbow Six Siege

Character:  Dominic  Brunsmeier 

Genre: general

Rating: T

Warnings: Swearing

Word count: ~1650

Note: This is just a little something for my lovely friend @angelaiswriting 💗

Merry Christmas!

Even before reaching the common room, she could hear the Christmas music. 

Usually she wouldn't mind someone trying to spread the holiday cheer for all the operators who would be spending Christmas on duty. And even those who don't celebrate Christmas, didn't seem to mind the music and the decorations. But she did.

Or more accurately, she minded ever since one particular colleague of hers, made it his mission to torment her.

Although torment might be a bit of a harsh description.

Dominic Brunsmeier wanted to be a little shit and use the general holiday spirit and especially one decorative item to steal a kiss from her.

The first time he smugly pointed at the mistletoe they were standing under, her quick combat reflexes helped her duck away before he could get a hold of her.

"Hey! That's cheating, " he had called after her, while her laugh echoed through the hallway as she ran away. 

She should've known that he wouldn't let it go that easily. 

That man had spent years upon years alone undercover. He knew how to play the long game. 

So for the past 3 weeks, she never walked through a door without checking for the treacherous little sprig and the german operator who never seemed too far away from it. 

She had even taken to carrying around a baton, so she could nudge the mistletoe off, whenever she encountered one. 

It didn't seem to deter Dominic though. 

He kept at it. Only grinning at her when he caught her destroying yet another trap. "I'll get you eventually Engelchen."

"In your dreams Brunsmeier," she had scoffed, even though she was sure he noticed the upwards twitch of her lips she failed to suppress. 

Another memorable moment in their game had been when she tried to throw him off with the help of Alexsandr. Everybody had already caught on to the special cat-and-mouse game, so when she asked the Russian operator for help, he immediately agreed with a big grin on his face. 

They walked to the common room together and just as expected, there was a mistletoe sneakily attached to the corner of the doorway, meaning Dominic wasn't far. 

Alex gestured for her to go first. So she did. And just when her eyes met Dom's who was leaning against a couch, she felt Alex grab her wrist to pull her back. "Not so fast Милашка. I think I get a kiss."

She didn't tear her eyes away from Dominic until she saw them widen in realization. 

She had to suppress a giggle, since Alex was already leaning down to her height.

Just as he planted a firm kiss on her lips, she heard the German in the background complain "That's not fair! That's my kiss."

When Alex released her, she was ready to reply, but the Russian beat her to it with a laugh in his voice. "I didn't know you wanted a kiss from me so badly. But don't worry. I got plenty to give."

"Fuck you, " came instantly from Dominic, who was grinning nonetheless. 

Their game went on until there weren't many days left until Christmas. 

And she could tell he was getting desperate, for the mistletoe now also appeared in random places like the stairwell or the inside of the kitchen cabinets. One was even placed so high above her locker that she had to get a ladder to get it off.

Despite the music playing, the common room was empty. Suspicious. 

She made sure it was really empty by immediately checking every corner and possible hiding place, just like she would in a combat situation. 

But then the arm around her waist and the whispered "Got you" made her stiffen. 

Damn that sneaky bastard!

She knew it was Dominic. It was hard to admit, but she had grown accustomed to the smell of him, to the sound of his voice, his barely noticeable accent, his presence in her daily life. 

The hold on her waist was strong enough for her to know she couldn't just wiggle away. Of course she could fight him off if she really wanted to, but hurting him really wasn't on her agenda for today. Or any other day if she was being honest. 

She slowly turned in his grasp and the first thing she spotted was his gleeful smile, before her eyes caught the greenery dangling right above their heads. 

"How the fuck..." she trailed off upon taking in the fact that he had really put a mistletoe on a stick so he could hold it up wherever. 

They both laughed before she bumped her head against his chest, relaxing into his embrace. "You're such a dork."

She looked back up into his face, expecting a smart retort, but was only met with his intense gaze that suddenly threatened to set her on fire. 

She shouldn't be feeling like this for her colleague. She shouldn't...

When his face slowly lowered to her own, time seemed to freeze. Not even the clattering of the mistletoe stick as it hit the ground registered in her brain, as his nose bumped against hers, his now free hand coming up to hold her chin in place. 

Her eyes fluttered shut as first his beard tickled against her skin, before he brushed his lips against hers. 

A shuddering breath left her lips, before it was cut off by his firm mouth pressed against hers. 

She responded tentatively, grasping the front of his uniform as she tilted back to meet his lips fully. He pushed closer, mouth parting slightly as he deepened the kiss. His hand slid down to her neck, still holding her in place. 

It was as if he was trying to devour her, to never let her get away again. 

The hand that was not at her waist wandered into her hair, gripping it gently. She couldn't stop herself from answering his passion with the same enthusiasm he was showing her. 

She slid her arms around his neck and pulled herself impossibly closer to him, almost moaning when her body felt his muscles even through the layers of clothes. 

The hand from her waist slid down to her backside and he cupped her ass eagerly.

Her heart was hammering against her rip cage as she tried getting enough air into her lungs between kisses while Dominic barely seemed to feel the need to breathe. 

"I'm not sleeping with my colleagues, " she managed to gasp out, after pushing herself away from him a few measly centimeters, fully aware that the willpower to stay true to her word was dwindling with every second. 

His mouth was back on hers with barely a "Mhmm," to signal he had indeed heard her words. 

"I also don't date my colleagues, " she insisted with the next gasp for air. 

Again Dominic only hummed, his hands squeezing her ass firmly to get her closer again. 

"It only gets messy, " she continued, yet not doing anything more to stop his kisses. 

She felt his grin against her lips when he mumbled a cheeky "I sure hope so."

Even she didn't know if the sound that left her in response was a groan or moan "I'm serious."

With visible effort Dom pulled himself away from her and sighed before gently bumping his forehead against hers. "Look, Engelchen... I really like you. Or I wouldn't have been that persistent about getting a kiss. And from your reaction just now, I would say you like me too."

Despite knowing he was right, she still tried to keep it together, get back to something that at least resembled professional behavior. "That doesn't chan-" 

Both hands now on her hips, he swayed them both to the rhythm of the slow music that played in the background. "Let me take you on a date. We can take it slow. And if it doesn't work out, I promise not to make it awkward."

Fuck. She wanted to say yes. She wanted to be in his arms, run her fingers along his beard, hear his goofy jokes. She knew she shouldn't though. "But..." 

The german cut her off with a quick peck on her lips. "Say yes," he whispered before pulling away again to look into her eyes. 

Her hands finally slid away from behind his neck, down to his chest. And she sighed before she playfully patted his stomach. "Alright. But I'm expecting something spectacular. You gotta blow my socks off." 

Dominic's grin put the shine of the Christmas lights around them to shame. "Trust me, it'll be so good, you'll be the one who wants to blow somethi- OWW."

Bonus:

"Eeekk! What..." before she could even get her question out, she burst out laughing, almost immediately gasping for air. 

She tried her best to see through the tears that were already gathering in her eyes, wiping furiously to get another look at Domi. 

He stood in front of her, in what was obviously supposed to be a sexy santa outfit. The red dress rimmed with white fluffy fabric way too short on his broad frame. She would almost be able to see his underwear. If he was wearing any, which she wasn't so sure about with him. To add some more flair to his outfit he had also put on a hat with blinking Christmas lights and red knee high socks. 

"I take it, I exceeded all your expectations," he asked, turning his back to her and shaking his barely covered ass. 

At first she could still only wheeze as a reaction, but she tried to get some words out anyway. "You… are… out...out… of… your mind!" 

"And you love it," he simply stated while walking up to her. 

While she was still calming down and wiping the rest of the tears off her face, he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her closer. "Does your sexy Santa get a kiss before we go and gift the others with the sight of my gorgeous legs?" 

She risked a glance down at said legs, and barely contained another laugh before looking back into his face. "Kissing Santa? I'm sure that'll put me on his naughty list," she teased. 

He was prevented from answering when she placed a hand on his bare thigh, sliding it upwards under his dress while the other gently grasped his beard to guide his lips to hers. 

[writingmorsels]

Prompt: Surprise...?

One year after the happenings with The Company, you and Alex have finally found kind of an equilibrium. You two have bought a house together in some white-picked-fence neighborhood and you were even thinking about adopting a pet, to fill out the house. Well, you're gonna fill the house alright, but not with an animal.

You've been under the wind for a while now and it was frustrating.

You were temporarily the only breadwinner in the house, while Alex tried to have his old job back, and responding to a dispatch call while retching on your toilet wasn't the greatest feeling to start the day with.

You stopped a fight between two very angry, very 'I want to see your manager' looking women. You had to do a welfare check for an old man that almost shot you in the head with a sawed off shotgun. You had to respond to a domestic violence report only to discover it was for a couple really into roleplay.

You were tired.

Legs like jelly, you barely managed to reach for the bathroom before you could empty the contents of your stomach against the porcelain for the upteenth time that week.

Alex didn't know any of that and for a good reason: he already crucifixed himself for not being able to regain his job or any job really, because of his past. He didn't have to worry about your health, either. He was already a sweetheart with you as is.

It was just a stomach bug, you had worse.

Besides, Alex was busying himself at home while you were back on the field: he kept the house clean, did the laundry and, especially, he finally learned to cook something other than 'reheat bought stuff into the microwave'.

The first dishes were… okay. Edible.

But lately he managed to make something actually delicious… and it all ended up in the gutter, after you had another episode.

You came out of the precinct bathroom and flopped onto the nearest chair, at dispatch's station. "Ugh, someone got smashed yesterday or what?" You heard one of your coworkers joke and you groaned back to him, massaging your aching stomach. "Shuddup Mitchell... it's a stomach bug I can't shake off," you whined a little, making the man smirk. "Oh, so you don't wanna meet the recent reject from K-9? He was so eager…!" and a yapping sound made you perk up again. At your feet was a German Shepherd puppy, the fluffiest and cutest you ever seen.

Your eyes lit up as you bent down, meeting with the jumpy, shaky, ecstatic pup. “Oh my God you so cute! Awww yiss you aaare!” your voice came out as a high-pitched mess, almost mimicking the puppy’s yapps.

Your hands went to grab him underneath his front paws and hoisted him up, laughing as the little doggie started to lick your face.

Needless to say, not even ten minutes later you were sitting on the chair with the now sleepy pup melting into the crook of your elbow.

He had his front paws folded on themselves and he was nuzzling against your chest with small little snores coming from his nose. "He sure warmed up to you quickly!” Mitchell laughed, seeing the dog relaxed “Ready to bring him home already?"

Mitch knew of the cat-dog debacle in your home, so it came natural for you to ask him to keep him in the K-9 kennels for a little while. “I still have to speak with Alex about it… but I’m sure he would love him. Look at him…! Aww sho tired, good boy!” your attention went back to the puppy again, feeling him turn a little into your baby-hold.

You were having the time of your life, for once not even remembering your terrible mornings. “Aww, you’re practicing?” a voice joked and you moved your head to see one of your friends from dispatch, Lauren, approaching her desk.

You smiled, confused. “Practicing?” “Yeah! For the baby!” she replied to your question, pointing a finger towards the sleepy puppy in the crook of your elbow.

Baby?

“What are you talking about?” your voice came out with a slight hint of fear in its tone and Lauren giggled, putting her coffee down just so she could grab her headset. “Morning sickness, it never changes! In my second pregnancy it was even worse! If you want, I can give you a recipe for a miraculous smoothie."

You froze on the spot, her words hitting you so hard they almost knocked you over; all slowly came together with the nausea first thing in the morning, the strange tiredness, the moodiness that seemed to anticipate a shark week that never came.

Lauren noticed your uncomfortableness and furrowed her brows. “What’s wrong?” “N-no!...no I’m...it’s- I've changed pills recently, I’m not...” you lied through your teeth, eyes large as eggs and skin going a little pale.

You felt nauseous again, for different reasons.

You didn't even think about the possibility of…

Yeah your shark week still wasn't nowhere to be found, but you were only just a little late, it happened all the time. You were just...stressed.

That wasn’t the time nor the place to be pregnant. If you got stuck in maternity, how would you two pay for bills and food?

And Alex...oh your poor darling, after a year he still wasn't over Cameron's death and you wouldn't blame him.

You couldn't give him another heartache like that, giving him another child like some kind of substitute.

He would start spiraling down again like after everything ended with the Company, when he finally stopped worrying and let himself grieve.

You couldn’t do that to him, no no no...

With panic starting to fizzle in the back of your brain you watched Lauren, who looked amused. "Oh I get it! Yeah, changing those is always a pain…!" she shrugged before taking a sip of her coffee, booting up her computer.

Even Mitchell felt the awkwardness of the moment, because he broke it by leaning forward and grabbing the pup from your arm. “I’ll keep him for a little more, alright! No problem…!” the man smiled forcefully at you, silently asking if you were fine.

You were not fine.

The doubt had been planted.

On your way home you stopped by the nearest pharmacy and after grabbing an antiemetic from over the counter, you stopped in front of the rows and rows of pregnancy tests, uneasy and confused.

Old style? Electronic? Did the type change something? Did it matter?

"Fuck this…" you muttered as you bought a random one.

During the rest of the drive home you felt that little plastic thing weigh on your passenger seat like a block of cement, the pastel-colored box peaking through the paper bag, laughing at you with it’s ‘oh the joy of motherhood!’ packaging design.

Of course if things would’ve been different, you would’ve been thrilled. Having a family with the love of your life was something you always desired.

You would’ve been so happy to give Alex another baby, give Cameron a little brother or sister. Unite their fractured family once again.

Instead, you now had to suffer all that psychological turmoil, because of the Company.

Even after their defeat, they managed to give anguish to you all.

When you finally arrived home you parked in the driveway and waited for a second, for two. Waiting for someone to pop out from outside the frame and yell "That was a joke, there's the camera!".

Nothing moved but you, as you got off the car and trudged inside.

You passed the front door and approached the small table near the entrance, slowly removing part of your gear, one piece at the time.

The radio, the gun, the handcuffs with their keys, your hat and your boots. Everything found its place while your mind was still in utter chaos.

The only thing still glued to your fingers was the small brown paper bag from the pharmacy. "Welcome back honey!" You heard Alex’s voice come out of nowhere, right next to your ear, and you gave out a shrill yelp, grasping at your chest like trying to stop your heart from pounding out of it. "Alex!" You heaved as you turned, seeing him grinning down at you with a mischievous glint in his eyes. "For fuck's sake you gave me a heart attack! Stop being sneaky when I come home!" You added, watching him now starting to laugh uncontrollably, a half apron around his hips and sleeves rolled up to his elbows.

He was cooking you dinner, as always… sweet bastard. "One of these days I'm gonna shoot you by accident–" "That's why I wait until you're unarmed…!" Alex chuckled back, leaning down to kiss you hello.

You replied in kind, sighing just a little against his lips when they met. "What's that?" you felt him reach for your hand, grabbing the paper bag from your grasp. You came back to reality and his hand on your hip suddenly felt uncomfortable.

You immediately reached back and yanked the bag from him before he could even look inside, taking your forbidden loot to your chest. "Ladies have their secrets…!" You tried to joke, to sell him the lie as best as you could.

You couldn't, but he didn't inquire for the moment. Alex only rose an eyebrow and watched you with his interrogation gaze, making you squirm a little. "Don’t look at me that way, mister! You don’t have to know all that happens to my little lady down there!" you tried to double down on being light and jokey, maybe letting a little frustration come through.

It was a half-truth, was it not? "Well I would love to be let in the loop… Maybe I could help you out with that," he spoke softly, his voice in a good spot between affectionate and erotic.

Out of instinct you took one step backwards, away from him. "No no! No one but my eyes have permission to gaze upon the horrors of some yeast infection...or shit like that" while holding the bag closer, you put a hand on his chest to push him away. “I’ll handle it...just…” your eyes wandered for an instant, thinking. “Just think of this a ‘biohazard zone’ for a couple of days, ok?” your free hand now waved in front of your crotch, making him chuckle. “As long as I can kiss you, I don’t have a problem with that,” he replied, stealing another quick peck from your lips. “Dinner’s almost ready hun, go get changed.” Alex then moved away, towards the kitchenette of your lovely home.

You didn’t wait more than a second before bolting up the stairs to the bathroom, clutching the box through the brown paper. For a moment you remained impressed by your bullshitting ability.

You bullshitted your way out of that situation like Michael Scofield strolled in and out of his jail cell at Fox River (Sucre told you several times about that at every chance he got, when you invited the whole gang over for the holidays).

Closing the door behind you, you aimed for the sink counter and dumped the content of the bag on top of, grabbing the furiatingly pale box and almost tearing it open. Your fingers trembled when you finally grabbed the white-and-pink stick.

It felt like a murder weapon, in your hands. “Ok...how do I…” you mumbled, scared.

You never even think about researching it, it was your very first encounter with something like that. Did you have to...stick it in?

You grabbed the flimsy instruction papers from deep inside the box and opened it, trying to find the right language to read it.

Oh…

You peed on one side and see the result on the other.

Simple, right?

Sure, technically it was as basic as it could come, but no one prepared you for the longest. Three minutes. Of your life.

You sat on the toilet after you did the do, holding the test flat as it was written and watching intently at the little white window.

You saw the first line starting to appear, coloring in a light blue, and your stomach started to churn again. “Please stop there, stop there, c’mon it's just a stomach bug, c’mon c’mon…!” you begged the little demonic stick, your knuckles turning pale for the sheer force you used to hold it.

Your blood thickened in your veins, when the second little line started to appear, the color deepening by the second.

"Oh no."

Oh no indeed. You had to call someone...and your mind immediately picked the best number to call.

"Thank you for coming... I didn't– I don't know what to do."

Sara Tancredi had sat herself in front of you, in the small diner you chose for your encounter.

Little one-year-old Michael had been sleeping in his stroller from the moment he and his mother came in. "No problem, I was around!" The woman smiled at you, her eyes already scanning you.

She saw the paleness of anxiety, cold sweat and dark circles. And the way you grasped at a small brown box like it contained a rabid beast. "What's the problem that Alex isn't allowed to know about?" Sara immediately asked and you shrank in your seat, looking guilty. "Why you thought–" "We're in a public place outside his usual zone, away from your place of work where he sometimes surprises you and you didn't explained over the phone while he was at home," she never dropped the smile, watching you with her seemingly sweet eyes...but you knew there was a tigress behind the gentle façade. "I…" "I've been a drug addict for a good portion of my life...and on the run the rest of it. I can recognize the signs, Y/n. Just tell me, I'm the last person who would judge you."

Slowly your fingers let go of the brown paper and pushed it towards her, across the table. Sara grabbed it, confused, and gasped a little when she saw the pregnancy test box. "You mean…?" She whispered, opening the box and immediately looking at the result window. "I had this stomach bug and–" "how many days are you late?" Sara immediately asked and you blinked, counting mentally. "Five-no, six days. It happens all the time, I didn't think I could be…" your voice trailed off as your favorite Doc smiled even brighter, letting the text down to hold your hands. "Is wonderful! Aw I'm so happy for–" "Sara, is not wonderful…!" You heaved, clawing at her hands. "I'm the only one with a job, a dangerous job. And-and Alex is still mourning his son, how can I...just waltz in and tell him 'here take a replacement'! I... don't know how he would react…"

Silence fell between you two for a long instant, where you felt ready to vomit.

You weren't ready for any answer, really. You didn't want Alex to know and you felt repulsion at the thought of aborting Alex's child, making him lose another.

Then, Sara sighed, patting your hands. "Listen... keeping this a secret is horrendous, for both you and Alex. You have to tell him." The woman tried to find your eyes, pulling at your hands to grab your attention. "Everything could happen, Y/n, especially in your line of work. What if you got wounded while hiding your pregnancy and the first doctor Alex will speak to will make his condolences because your child died? It could lead to a lot more drama…" Sara's usually bright eyes turned dark a little, her expression souring. "If… I never told Michael about his son, he would've died without knowing it... and I plan on telling my son who his father was. Please tell him, Y/n. He's a smart man, you will work this through as a couple…" The good doctor then smiled again, shaking the melancholy off her shoulders. "Think about it, if you decide to keep it, Mike will have a friend to play with!"

You had to wait at least three more weeks for your plan to work out.

The first week and a half were spent building up the courage to make the announcement.

In the remaining time, you studied on the internet how to do it in the best way.

Eating anti-emetic pills as if it was candy, you lied through your teeth when Alex asked if your little lady felt better, telling him that yes, you felt better.

You tried to act natural, but the more time passed, the more you felt sick and the more time you spent evading Alex, knowing he would grill an answer out of you if he ever suspected something.

After work, you spent as much time as possible driving around searching for the items you needed.

Sara agreed to accompany you to your gynecologist, making it look like a girls' day out. You and your baby were healthy, the doctor assured you, and the pregnancy was going well. "How come hubby's not here?" The doctor asked and you choked on your saliva. "W-well I'm... I'm planning a surprise for him and-" "aww dear that's so nice! What about taking the baby's first photo to add to the surprise?" The man cheered, prepping the machine.

Your hands shook around the freshly printed black and white photo, Sara laughing at your side and telling you to breathe.

You practically sat in front of the entrance door when you bought online one of the items you needed, grabbing the Amazon box like Gollum would do with his precious, running upstairs where you hid all away in your closet.

Then, THE Sunday morning came.

You two had a really intense, really intimate encounter the night before and Alex was still asleep on his side of the bed. His naked body was always a pleasure to see first thing in the morning, you thought as you rolled over to give him a soft kiss on his cheek. "Breakfast in bed…?" You asked in a whisper, obtaining a low 'yah' muffled in the pillow.

With a little chuckle you kissed him again, this time searching for his lips. “Stay here, I’ll do it.” and then you got off the bed, walking downstairs towards the kitchenette.

Everything had been hidden the night before in strategic places, knowing you'd be the first to come and open the cupboards: there sat a new mug you bought for the occasion, with a cheerful 'good morning handsome' written on the side.

As you grabbed it, you smiled a little when you read the other phrase etched and colored on the inside of the mug.

You're going to be a dad.

Heart, heart, heart.

Then, behind it, you grabbed a pair of boxes. One contained a shirt that you immediately donned, bold text reciting 'sending backup' on your chest.

The second remained closed and found its place on the tray you prepared on the island.

Coffee was made, mugs were filled and a plate of cookies was strategically placed on top of the thin box. Then up you went towards upstairs, where Alex was still enveloped in the blankets like a tired mummy.

You smiled against your anxiety, feeling your hands tremble while holding the tray and the teaspoons inside the mugs clinked as you approached.

You tried to remember Sara’s words, he loved you and you would work that through, as you put down the tray near the end of the bed, but when you bent down you felt your stomach churn again, reminding you that yes, you forgot to buy new antiemetics.

Grin and bear, grin and bear… “Good morning…!” you called in a little singsong voice, feeling your heart stop pounding in your ears when he opened his wonderful, glassy-looking blue eyes, still sleepy but oh so shiny. Gemstones filled with entire oceans. “G’morning honey…” he replied, voice husky and a little gruff, stretching his neck to reach for your lips.

The kiss had been gentle, sweet and warm, his lips still soft from a whole night of good sleep. “Coffee’s ready, c’mon...I brought up your favorite cookies, too.” you moved aside, letting him sit up on the mattress, but instead reached for your hand and pulled you closer for another barrage of soft little pecks. “Mmmh ‘m up,” he mumbled between kisses, eyes closed and body one step closer to fall asleep again.

Oh no you didn’t go through all that trouble for him to just sleep on it..! “You’re not up…! C’mon sleepyhead, before it gets cold!” you chuckled, sincerely amused by his weak try in seducing you back to sleep.

Alex huffed and almost dragged himself to sit up, scratching at his collarbone for an instant before his eyes would finally take in the content on the tray. “What’s the occasion?” he smiled confusedly, brows furrowed as he grabbed the new mug, chuckling as he read the outside.

You sat down on the edge of the bed, facing him. “Well, we’ve been in kinda of a rough patch, lately...with too much job or no job at all,” you started to explain, putting a couple of fingers on the thin box so he couldn’t take it immediately. “This is...a gift...for you,” your voice cracked for a second, nervousness starting to show.

He saw that and for a moment Alex paused, mug mid-air.

“...it’s not a ‘sorry I cheated on you’, is it?”

The question came out maybe a little too harsh, Alex noticed only after the last word left his mouth, but he had that strange feeling that you were hiding something, for so long now.

You only snorted for the absurdity of the thought, shaking your head. “You wish! So you could dump my sorry ass and find yourself a rich cougar, uh?” you smiled, trying to ease his deep furrowed brow. “I’m not cheating, you should know-” “Then why have you dodged me for the last three weeks? I saw you talk to Mitch from K-9 a lot, last month” his husky voice came out with a tense curiosity in it.

“Eugh…!” you rolled your eyes. “Why do I stop talking to you about Christmas gifts two weeks before the twenty fifth? Because you spoil yourself with that smart brain of yours!” you grabbed a cookie from the platter and gently threw it at him, making him giggle just a smidge. Alex seemed appeased by your reply, taking another long sip of his coffee. “I would understand, if you cheated. I know I have a terrible personality, even if I try to-” his voice stopped all of a sudden, when his eyes focused on the bottom of the now nearly-empty mug.

His eyes shot back to you almost immediately, finally realizing what was written on your chest. “...that’s why!” he breathed. “That’s why you were all buddy-buddy with Mitch…! Oh no, Y/n, we already talked about it!” he almost whined, putting down the mug. “Don’t tell me you adopted one of the rejects from K-9...please tell me that’s not it…!” he added, a little desperate. “I love dogs, I do, but we’re rarely home one way or another and it would feel alone all day and it would destroy stuff and-” you stopped his rambling by handing him the thin box. “Open it,” you whispered, now nervous for his initial reaction.

If he seemed so negative about life with a dog, what would he say about a child…?

“Please don’t be a collar…” he muttered as his bony fingers removed the lid of the box.

His face became even more confused, as he saw a little square of fabric with some words written on them.

"What…" Slowly he brushed aside the crinkly paper and raised up what he thought was a shirt, but as the piece of clothing unraveled, his entire body froze, trying to compute what he was looking at.

A tiny, black onesie, soft as can be, with tiny little handcuffs on the front.

"Daddy's best backup" was impressed underneath the handcuffs, in bright pastel colors.

Alex didn't react for a good handful of seconds and now you knew how criminals felt while lining up for witness' identification. You never unglued your gaze from your lover, seeing him trying to understand, behind his clear, crystal eyes. You saw his hands tremble as he lowered the baby clothing, his attention passing from the fabric to yourself, then towards the box again.

A couple of fingers moved towards the ultrasound picture that you left on the bottom of the box, barely touching it before letting them sink again in the little onesie's softness. "Y/n…" he croaked your name and your chest went taut out of pure fear. "Is... you're telling me that...that you…" "y-yes" you immediately reply, as to cut short the torturous wait. "I -uhm… I took a couple of tests...and...a-all positive…" you managed to add, watching him sitting on the bed completely lost, as if the news didn't fully hit him.

He looked at the mug, then at the photo without stopping cuddling the tiny onesie with his fingers. "I... we're still in time if you...i-if you don't want–" "What?" He rounded his head towards you, as if snapping to reality.

You gulped, worried. "You...if you're not ready yet...we can wait...I could find a doctor, Sara will help me after the...t-the…" you stopped yourself from crying, the thought of losing the baby feeling like a wound opening in your very soul.

"What do you mean...not ready?" He then asked with a tender whisper. "I…" Alex gave out a shocked chuckle, but the corners of his mouth curled up in a smile. "I'm not the one pregnant with our baby, am I?" The word finally came out of his lips and the way he said it just melted your heart away, its panicked pounding now filling with warmth at every beat.

You watched Alex slowly fold the onesie again, this amazed and completely baffled expression on his face. "Because of Cameron…" you uttered, gripping at the hem of your t-shirt.

Every doubt you had, every fear, it poured out after that. Alex had always been your confident, your wise guide to ask for help and not being able to tell him your grudges for so long did a number on you, especially for something so important like a pregnancy. "I feared you would take this...as a replacement. Make you remember all over again…! I don't want you to….to fall back down in that dark place, Alex. I could never–" your voice gave out in a sob and immediately he seemed to turn back to his usual, protective self.

His hands grabbed the tray and moved it quickly on the other side of the bed, before taking both your hands and pulling you toward him. "Come here honey..." he called under his breath, enveloping you in his strong arms as you found place on his lap. One of his hands came up and started to gently stroke your nape, as the other wrapped around you.

For a moment, you didn't think of anything but his presence. His beating heart underneath his skin, finding your palm. His breath whispering in his lungs and falling onto the top of your head. "Listen... I'll never...never get over Cam. The death of a child is… devastating." He leaned slightly forward, completely hugging you with his frame. "And yes I was in a dark place… I got blinded by my pain and didn't see what I was causing you…and maybe I got addicted to my misery..." his hands shook against you, but he only pushed them a little harder to grip your clothes. "But don't you ever...ever think that I'll make you do something as horrible as abortion. I can't have you experience that kind of pain."

His lips came and kissed your hair, his whole body starting to tremble as well as his fingers. "And this...oh my God Y/n, I'm not accustomed to this kind of happiness anymore…!" Alex laughed now, his voice that stumbled for a moment in his throat. "And now I can't even... I can't find the words to describe how happy I am  right now..."

All of your anxiety melted away as he hugged you now even more. "So...we keep it?" "It's our baby! Of course we keep it!" He chortled at your question, now letting you go only to grab the onesie again, looking at it with tearful eyes, a bright smile on his face.

Alex brought the piece of clothing to his face and closed his eyes, to feel the softness of the fabric. "You always bring me the biggest joys in my life...even in my worst moments, you were there..." his glassy eyes opened again and found yours, the lights in them shining like a dawn after a long storm. "And now you gift me this miracle…our little miracle…"

Silence fell after his words, the speech hanging in the air like mistletoe at Christmas. Heartwarming, hopeful.

He always had his way with words, didn't he?

"This is way better than a dog..."

Sometimes his way with words was the dumbass way.

[leverage-ot3]

notable moments from The Zanzibar Marketplace Job

leverage 2.12

Hardison: Two weeks in Tokyo. We'd have a great time.

Parker: What are we stealing?

Hardison: We don't steal anything. We'd be tourists.

Parker: Not following you

hardison: BE DOMESTIC WITH ME PLS

- - - - -

Waitress (puts down beer): There you go.

Eliot: Ahh. Thank you, sweetheart.

Waitress: Anytime.

(Nate kicks Eliot under the table)

Eliot: What? Really? What, I can't have a friend?

Nate: Join a softball team

me whenever eliot flirts with someone other than parker or hardison

- - - - -

Tara: You know he's drinking again.

Eliot: I'm not an idiot, Tara.

Tara: I was told this was a problem.

Eliot: The drinking is not a problem. It's a symptom

this!!!

also eliot’s hair braids are adorable

- - - - -

(Sterling walks into the bar behind Eliot, approaches table)

Nate: Eliot, I'm gonna ask you not to do anything violent.

Eliot: What? What are you talking about? I only use violence As a - as a - as an appropriate response.

Sterling: Hello, Nate.

(Eliot’s face turns murderous and he turns to punch Sterling in the face, then proceeds to throw him down on a table and continue punching him. The bartender moves to call the police, but Hardison stops him by passing him money, Parker watches enthusiastically)

Tara: And this is?

Nate: James sterling. We used to work together. Insurance.

Tara: He seems to rub Eliot the wrong way.

Nate: You think?

(Nate walks over to where Eliot is still beating Sterling, and now has him by the throat)

parker and hardison literally have heart eyes for eliot in this scene ??? ot3 ???

hardison bribing the bartender not to call the police? parker watching like she’s being turned on or something? eliot’s face right before he hears sterling’s voice? sterling hitting eliot with a stick? CHAOTIC

- - - - -

Tara: Okay. Is there any chance she took the egg?

Parker: No. Maggie's the most honest person we know. But besides that, she's okay.

parker adores maggie

- - - - -

Sterling: You live and work here?

Nate: Yeah.

Sterling: I like the old place better.

Hardison: Do not mention the old offices.

people that have no rights: sterling

- - - - -

they had a legit P I L E of passports ready ??? SO MANY

- - - - -

Tara: Okay, you cannot out-bureaucrat a former Soviet Union bureaucrat. These guys gamed the most corrupt system on earth for 50 years. Paperwork's not gonna cut it. They're used to trading favors, not forms.

- - - - -

Nate: I just need some proof.

Parker: It was an inside job. Average keypad hack time is 1 minute, 9.3 seconds. Inner door access card takes at least 30 seconds for anybody but Hardison, and then the vault was an old Mark II Remington. In and out average - 7 minutes, 40 seconds. But these thieves, they did it in 5 minutes, 12 seconds. Maggie had the best access, so the real thieves only had to get her codes and badge. Yeah, only way they could pull it off that fast.

Sterling: How long has she been sitting..

sterling being utterly BAFFLED by parker is my aesthetic

+ she’s wearing a leather jacket AND a cute red flannel,,, the bi energy is strong

- - - - -

Parker: It's your first time being a fugitive, so I made you a bag..

Maggie: Thank you, Parker. It's not that I don't appreciate getting out of jail, I just can't live my life a fugitive.

Nate: But you're not a fugitive.

Parker: Passports, money, lock picks.

Nate: You were released, not broken out.

Parker: Toothpaste, explosives. Do not mix these up.

Maggie: Thank you, Parker.

+

Parker: This looks like gum. Not gum. Diamond-edged file blade.

Nate: Yeah, yeah. That's great.

Parker: She needs this stuff.

maggie is such a Mom™ rolling with parker’s antics and we love her for that

also PARKER IS TRYING SO HARD TO BE NICE BECAUSE SHE LIKES AND CARES ABOUT MAGGIE AND WE LOVE TO SEE IT

- - - - -

Parker: So, I took your advice and did the whole touristy thing. Went to the museum, and it was amazing.

Hardison: You see?

Parker: Yeah. They have a guardian T-840 security system. I've only seen those things in books. And the motion detectors - ooh, gorgeous! Six digital receptors. Six!

Hardison: What about the paintings?

Parker: What about the paintings?

she reads about security systems in books? omg I love it

- - - - -

Parker: We meet on internet.

hi I’m sorry but the way she said it was hilarious

- - - - -

Hardison: Alexander's got a travel visa to the United Arab Emirates. He's also setting up accounts in the Caymans, Macau, and Switzerland.

Nate: Yes, countries with no extradition treaty, tax havens

- - - - -

Tara: I got this one.

Eliot: Really? What are you gonna say to him? 'cause we got no cover story. We got no background on this cat.

Tara: Okay. That's it, then. I won't say anything. Really. Not one word. Just when he turns around and looks at you, do that thing with your eyes that scares people.

Eliot: I don't... know what you're talking about.

Tara: Oh, you know exactly what I'm talking about.

Eliot: Pffff.

(Tara sits down next to Chernov and grabs his lunch, taking a bite)

Chernov: What the... Who the hell are you? Do I know you? Did Samuels send you?

(Tara moves a little, still chewing Chernov’s lunch)

Chernov: I paid them off. I took care of it.

(Tara looks over her shoulder at Eliot, who is scowling)

Chernov: Oh, god. Please. Is this about the item?

(Tara throws up her hands)

Chernov: I didn't know. No one told me.

(Tara checks her watch and stands up)

Chernov: Wait! Here. This is all I have. (hands her envelope) I'll back out. I'm sorry.

(Tara gives Chernov back his lunch)

Chernov: Sorry! (walks away)

Tara (rejoins Eliot and gives him the envelope): What we imagine is always so much better than the reality.

Eliot: Like love?

this whole scene was iconic

- - - - -

Sophie: Well, the prospective buyers are invited by their black-market contacts. They show up, they verify the merchandise, and they make a sealed bid. Hey, um, shine an ultraviolet light on that card.

(Hardison pulls a light from a bag and shines in on the card)

Eliot: Seriously? You have one just laying around?

he had one on his keychain in The Ice Man Job and boy do I love continuity

- - - - -

Tara: Parker, double reverse on three.

(Tara places envelope on tray, Parker takes envelope and passes it to Eliot)

we LIVE for smooth hand-offs

+ eliot did the flip thing with the envelope

- - - - -

Sterling: You're welcome. I don't know how you people ever manage – (flinches at feedback on com)

[Interior Van]

Hardison: Oh, I'm sorry, man. That just happens sometimes with the ear buds - You know, feedback.

[Embassy Hallway]

Sterling: As I was saying, the method - (flinches at feedback on com)

[Interior Van]

Hardison: Sorry.

[Embassy Hallway]

Sterling: This isn't gonna stop until I - (flinches at feedback on com)

[Interior Van]

Hardison: Stop talking. Shh. Please

PARKER’S SMILE AT HARDISON FUCKING WITH STERLING? AMAZING

- - - - -

parker is wearing a flannel now :)

+ the leather jacket she wears over it a little later

- - - - -

(Sterling pulls phone from his pocket)

Eliot: What are you doing?

Sterling (dialing): Calling the police. They don't get to dictate to -

Eliot (grabs phone): We're not calling the cops. Two hostages means they can kill one to make a point. (throws phone down on table) All right, listen. There's three types of calls we can get next. One - amateur. Cash and a dump site. Number two - professional. That's wire transfers and multiple-location drop-offs. (glances at Sterling) And three - targeted.

Hardison: Targeted toward us?

Eliot: No. Towards a specific ransom demand - Not cash. (looks at Faberge Egg case)

Sterling: You're not risking a $9 million artifact...

Eliot: It might be the only chance.

Sterling: ...on a hunch! Let me run this. We track the calls, find out whoever it is, have the police surround -

Eliot (walks around table to stand with team): Sterling, I'm the retrieval specialist. That's my job.

Sterling: Your friends' lives hang in the balance, and you're gonna take your cues off a punch-up artist instead of me? (closes case and takes phone from table) Call me when you need me. 'cause you will need me. (leaves with case)

eliot being the focused, determined retrieval specialist that’s hell bent on getting everyone back safe? we love to see it

+ parker, hardison, and tara having 100% faith in him standing beside him

- - - - -

Eliot: He's angry. We took his payday. (phone rings) All right, all right. (pulls phone toward him and hits button for intercom) Go.

Distorted Voice: If you follow our instructions, your friends will be returned unharmed.

Eliot: We agree. Tell us what you want.

Distorted Voice: You owe me

(Hardison uses computer to remove distortion)

Alex: $9 million.

Hardison: It's Alex. It's Alexander.

[Embassy Hallway]

Alex: I still have a buyer for the egg. Return it, and I return your friends.

[I.Y.S. Insurance Offices]

Eliot: I want proof of life now.

Alex: Agreed

it’s cool to see how Retrieval Specialist™ eliot spencer actually works

- - - - -

Nate: Yeah. Yeah, I was lying to you for your own good.

Maggie: Quick little hint for your next marriage - that excuse does not fly with any woman on earth.

Nate: Oh, go- next marriage? That's really nice to say.

Maggie (hitting Nate with spray can): You know what? I've heard that one before.

Nate: Heard what before? What are you talking about?

Sam: Are you actually having this argument now?!

Nate: She started it.

Maggie: He started it

chaotic ex spouses

- - - - -

Eliot: Listen, listen - we know who's behind this, all right? We know what they want. We have the upper hand here. We do.

COMPETENCY!!! HE KNOWS EXACTLY WHAT HES TALKING ABOUT AND WE LOVE TO SEE IT

- - - - -

they made a taser out of two ends of a live wire and a flamethrower with a match and an aerosol I love it

- - - - -

Sam: Give me that. The thing everyone screws up when they fake their own death - no body. Well, that can work, but it leaves no suspect for the police to chase.

Alex: You won't get away with this.

Sam: No, you will. Of course, I've left an evidence trail a mile wide, Visa applications, accounts in offshore banks.

Alex: You were my friend!

Sam: I was your employee. And thanks to your screw-ups, I was an employee with no pension, no savings, no nothing. That was really, really unacceptable to me.

Nate: Well, it's a good plan. What? I- I - listen, I spent 20 years chasing, you know, guys that faked their own death. I mean, this one - it's pretty well thought-out.

Sam: Exactly. Alexander Lundy, desperate for cash, turns to violence. And his poor assistant, Sam, loyal to the last, caught in the cross fire at a ransom drop gone bad.

that’s actually really smart

- - - - -

eliot’s sly grin right before the flashback revealing how they got away with it

- - - - -

(Alex vomiting into a barrel)

Parker (handing him a cloth): It's okay. First bomb's always the hardest (cringes)

- - - - -

Eliot: Was it because they wanted us to hear Sam's performance? It's 101, man. After that, (looks hardison up and down) you don't have to be a rocket scientist to figure it out.

Maggie: You know, people underestimate you, Eliot.

Nate: That's kind of the point

HE CONSIDERES HARDISON TO BE AKIN TO A ROCKET SCIENTIST

- - - - -

Reporter (on television): And that's not all. Today, based on his work recovering the priceless artifact, James Sterling was invited to join Interpol. He's a real-life Sherlock Holmes.

Parker: Interpol? Seriously?

Hardison: Sterling's career gets another boost off of our hard work.

Tara: We didn't even get paid.

Hardison: Nope.

Tara: I hate this guy.

Eliot (taps his beer bottle on Tara's): Now you're part of the team. (walks away)

THAT is what it takes lmfao

also eliot was wearing a flannel in that scene

[echo-bleu]

Oct 19-21 is the Good Intentions WIP fest ( @goodintentionswipfest ), the time to let go of abandoned WIPs and post them as is. Given that I’ve written a lot in the last year and also recently moved fandoms, I thought it was a good time to clean up my WIP folder(s), so I’ll be posting a few things that I started and gave up part way through. This means that each snippet is unfinished and not meant to be a full fic.

RNM, Alex & Rosa 2x04 (I think) coda. 1496 words.

“Hey, Rosa,” Alex sighs, laying down the cleaning supplies he's used to scrub the heinous tag off the gravestone. Absently, he aligns the two bottles and the sponge and bucket in front of him on the floor. His leg is on fire from kneeling over the grave for too long. He had the forethought of bringing his crutch, but being down one hand means he'll need several trips to bring the supplies back to his car, and he's not ready for that yet.

Instead, he sits back, manually moves his leg into a position that doesn't put pressure on his stump, and stares at the now mostly clean gravestone. “I miss you. I haven't been here a lot since I got back and I'm sorry.” He closes his eyes, and Rosa's face is there in his mind, less clear than he'd like now after ten years, even though he has pictures of her. “Recently I feel like I'm seeing your ghost everywhere. Someone's been tagging the walls around town again. Not like...this,” he waves a hand at the grave, frowning in disgust at whoever took it upon themselves to spray-paint it. “It looks exactly like your stuff. I don't know if I should be angry that someone is stealing your art or if it's supposed to be some sort of homage.”

He looks around. The cemetery is mostly empty, at dinner time on a Thursday. He saw the tag when he came earlier, on his way back from work, and he had to come back to clean it up. The only living being he can see is a person with a baseball cap on, crouching by another grave and looking away from him. He wonders idly what loved one they're mourning, if it's a fresh loss or one that has long scabbed over, like his.

Lost in thought, he doesn't see the person approach until he hears their footsteps, far too close to him. He turns around in alarm, thoughtlessly trying to stand up on his aching leg. He falls back on his ass immediately, and finds himself in a particularly embarrassing position, especially in front of a potential threat.

“I was trying to come up with something a lot snarkier than this but, are you okay?” the figure asks.

Alex chokes on his breath. He knows this voice. He knows this face.

It's not possible.

“Hey, I'm really here,” Rosa says with a half-smirk, worry edging into her face.

Rosa, who looks exactly like the day she died.

Rosa, who died ten years ago.

Alex bites hard on his finger, and when that doesn't help, he scoots back in an undignified way, until his back hits the gravestone.

“Please don't react like Maria,” Rosa says, crouching down to his level.

Alex wheezes for a moment more, before his brain turns fully into danger mode. The shock can be dealt with later. Right now, all that matters is the threat.

“Rosa,” he acknowledges coldly, shifting his weight until he's reasonably sure he could stand up fast if needed. “How?”

Rosa looks a little wide-eyed at what must be an obvious change in his behavior. “Whoa, I think I preferred the panic,” she says.

“How?” Alex repeats, ignoring her.

“I know you know about the aliens. Max Evans healed me.”

“You were dead.”

“And now I'm not,” Rosa shrugs. “What's wrong with you?”

“Rosa, you were dead. For ten years,” Alex works his jaw, unable to say just how much this isn't possible.

“I know. Look, I know it's weird, okay? It's been over a month, and I'm still not used to this.”

“A month?” Alex frowns. “Does Liz know?”

“Yeah, of course. She's the one who told me everything that happened. And that Max is an alien.”

“Right.” Alex carefully stands up, using the gravestone as a crutch, even though it feels a little sacrilegious. The grave is apparently empty, since the person it belongs to is standing in front of him, so he can probably be forgiven.

Once up, he picks up his crutch and leans on it. It makes a good weapon, if needed, and a better support, since his legs feel wobbly from shock.

“Who else knows?” he asks, assessing the threat.

“Kyle,” Rosa answers. “Isobel and Michael, and Maria, since yesterday.”

Alex doesn't let the pang of sadness−anger?−that he's apparently the last to know get to him. He can think about that later. “Maria's been told about the aliens?”

“It was an accident,” Rosa admits. “But now she knows.”

“Okay. I'm going to need to confirm this. Give me a minute.”

Rosa frowns. Alex takes his phone out of his pockets, goes to take a picture of Rosa, but he thinks better of it. His phone is encrypted, but Liz's probably isn't. They don't want a photo of a dead girl to end up in any government database. Rosa? Over a month? he texts her instead.

“Alex, I don't−what are you doing?” Rosa asks nervously. She has the same tilt of her head, the same frowns as Alex remembers.

But it's becoming quite clear that the aliens have powers much further reaching than any of them thought. Up to resurrection, maybe, if this is real. But Alex knows for a fact that mind manipulation is. Texting Liz probably isn't enough of a check, but it's the only thing he can think of. “Wait,” he raises a hand.

I was going to tell you, Liz texts back.

I just need confirmation, Alex writes. He'll deal with the rest later.

Then yes. She's real.

Alex takes a deep breath and looks up at Rosa again. “We can't stay here,” he says. “Where are you staying?”

“Max's house,” Rosa answers.

“How's that working for you?”

“Well, Liz comes over twice a day and she can't leave without touching his hat. I'm mainly just bored.”

“Um.” Alex doesn't want to intrude into Max's space, even though he saw the man naked in a pod just a few days ago. “Let's go to my place.”

Rosa obediently picks up the cleaning supplies Alex can't hold in one hand and follows him back to his car. “What's with the crutch?” she tries once more.

Alex bites down the brutally honest answer he would probably give someone else. “I got hurt in Iraq,” he says instead.

“Liz said you enlisted,” Rosa says.

“She said that, uh?” Alex can't help the thought that he wasn't even told Rosa has been resurrected.

“I asked what you'd become. This is all very strange to me, you know. I last saw you a month ago and you were an emo teenager.”

Alex swallows. “Yeah. It's strange for sure,” he says, for lack of something better to tell her. His emotions are a jungle he's not entering. Rosa died the same day that changed everything and set him on the course that led him here. He's only recently learned that her death was actually connected to some of these events, but even when it had seemed like a separate incident, it affected him greatly. She was once one of his best friends, the rebel, free teenager he wanted to model himself after, and her death caught him at one of his lowest points.

They don't talk at all during the short ride to Alex's house, or while Alex fishes out his keys and opens the front door. He wants nothing more than to go remove his prosthesis and lounge in his armchair in sweatpants after a long day, but he doesn't want to deal with Rosa's shock.

He doesn't know how to deal with Rosa, period. She sits like a cat on his couch, legs tucked beneath her, her gaze expectant, and he doesn't know what she expects of him. Probably nothing he can give her.

“So you've been back a month,” Alex states, sitting down on the piano bench. The armchair looks inviting, but he can't get out of it fast enough if something goes wrong, not with how much his leg aches. “Max resurrected you. I assume that had something to do with his death?”

“Yeah, it killed him. Now Liz is trying to resurrect him. I'm pretty sure the world's gone crazy in the ten years I was gone.”

“No argument there,” Alex shrugs. Roswell has certainly gone crazy in the time he was gone. Or maybe he's the one who's changed. “Are you the reason Liz was so ready to leave town again?”

“Yeah. Apparently I’m not dead if I’m out of state. Or something. And she needed a change of scenery.”

Alex sighs. “She’s had a rough time.”

“But now she’s decided she can bring Max back too. I guess if anyone can, it’s Liz,” Rosa shrugs. “I just don’t really get what’s the big deal with that guy.”

“Me neither,” Alex mutters, too low for her to really hear.

“What was that?”

“Nothing. I just…” He runs a hand through his hair. “I can’t believe you’re back.”

[brooke0297]

Little Songbird (A Julie and the Phantoms Fic)

Part 2 | Masterlist

Hey hey it's me again! I can't stay away from songfics apparently and this one was inspired by the incredible song "Hey Little Songbird" from Hadestown the Musical. If you haven't listened to it before, I highly recommend the whole album. Enjoy!

“Julie?”

Julie sat up straight at the sound of Nick’s distress.

“Nick? What...are you okay?”

“I...I don’t know. I can’t… I’m at this hotel place and my parents aren’t answering and I have no idea where my car is… Julie, I need your help.”

She was already grabbing her purse and heading towards the front door.

“Tell me where you are, Nick. I’m on my way…”

Julie should have probably known something was up. It wasn’t everyday that her former crush and the ex of her ex-best friend called her out of the blue and asked her to come and get him at some sort of hotel in downtown L.A. But Nick had sounded so scared and she hadn’t even thought twice. She had texted her dad, who was out at a shoot late, to tell him a friend needed her help. But the guys had been out all day, and there was no way she could tell Luke that Nick needed her after the stunt he’d pulled at her school all those months ago. She probably should have texted Flynn, but she wasn’t sure what Nick needed and she didn’t want to embarrass him.

All she could think about was getting to him as soon as she could. She knew the bus line would take her straight to the hotel where Nick had called her from and half an hour later she was standing in front of the sprawling white palace of a building. She checked the GPS on her phone one last time to make sure she was in the right place before heading inside.

The grandeur of the ballroom was nothing she’d ever seen before. Not even at her cousin’s wedding at the Four Seasons at the beach. It was all art deco and sparkle and Julie was momentarily dazzled. Then she caught sight of the large sign beside her and her stomach dropped.

The Hollywood Ghost Club.

Dread filled her and she stumbled back in surprise. Her mind was a whirl of confusion, terror and anger. She whipped out her phone and her fingers shook as she attempted to text Flynn.

911. Tell boys I’m at Caleb-

“Hello Julie.”

Julie whirled around and came face to face with a well dressed man in purple velvet. His dark hair was slicked back and his piercing blue eyes were trained on her, his lips upturned in a slight smirk.

Caleb Covington. Julie felt a shiver run down her spine and she pressed what she hoped was send before shoving it into her back pocket.

“I’m sorry, do I know you?” She hoped playing dumb would be enough of a distraction to figure out where Nick was and get them both out. Caleb cocked his head and pursed his lips.

“Oh come now, Julie. Let’s not play games with one another. You know who I am and where you are. I know that you came to help your friend Nick.” He made his way down the stairs and further into the ballroom, turning back to wait for Julie to follow. 

Julie hesitated. This was the man who had almost destroyed three of her best friends all in the pursuit of their talent. The boys had warned her that Caleb was capable of seducing one with their heart’s desires and would snatch their souls before they could say “boo.” She unconsciously rubbed her wrist where a few months ago, her boys had had their club stamps. Caleb gave a gentle chuckle.

“I don’t plan on stealing your soul, Miss Molina. You can come down now.”

Julie was taken aback, but followed after him. She took in the elegant stairs and the tables and chairs organized neatly, ready for a show. When she turned back to Caleb, he was sitting at the front center table with a nail file. He looked bored and it stirred something dark in Julie’s chest.

“Where is Nick?” she demanded. Caleb glanced up at her out of the corner of his eye, before looking back down at his nails.

“You see I need to apologize, Miss Molina. I did have to play a little trick on you. Your friend is not here. I would love to chat with you, my dear. I’ve heard plenty about you from the boys of course. But I think you and I should talk about your future.”

“What could my future possibly have to do with you?” Julie spat venomously. Her anger at being tricked was only barely tempered by the relief that Nick was safe and not at the club. “I know what you did to the boys. I saw the pain you put them through. You almost took them away from me.”

Caleb had the decency to place his file on the table before crossing his legs and sitting back to look at her. But his impassive face remained in place.

“I suppose you would think I’m a monster, Miss Molina. But desperate times call for desperate measures. I do hope you’ll accept my apologies on behalf of the boys.”

“I’ll pass.” Julie hissed. Caleb only hummed in acknowledgement.

“What you don’t understand is that you possess a power that no one, not even myself, could ever comprehend. And I was understandably intrigued by it. At first I really did think it was those boys. They were the only ones who I’d met who could be seen by a lifer without my help. So, I invited them to come and visit my club, have a good time and enjoy the company of those who could see and interact with them. The afterlife is extremely lonely at times, Miss Molina.

“And when I found out just how talented they were, I knew I had to offer them the opportunity to perform with me around the world. Where they could be seen not only when they perform, but in the applause as well. They would finally receive the attention and appreciation they deserved.

“I will admit that the stamps were a little premature. I was simply worried I would lose them and their immense talent. But imagine my surprise when they were able to break through my magic. I was baffled, to say the least. And I was curious to see what could have possibly been powerful enough to break my stamp. So I did a little bit of recon and much to my surprise, it wasn’t those foolish boys who held the power. But you.”

Julie had heard a lot of monologuing in the movies from the villain. But this was a whole new world. 

“What are you talking about? I didn’t do anything.” 

Caleb laughed.

“And you aren’t even aware of the potential you hold! It’s quite hilarious. Nevertheless, Julie Molina, you hold an extremely rare power. And your voice...well that in and of itself is unlocked potential. You break barriers with your abilities.”

“Stop distracting me and tell me why you used Nick. What could he possibly have to do with any of this?” Julie demanded.

“Well, you see I needed to be able to get close to you without those baboons you call friends figuring me out. And poor Nicholas was the...vehicle if you will. He’s completely fine.”

Julie stared at the older ghost in horror. Nick’s odd behavior--the disappearances, the change in attitude, his wanting to hang around exclusively with her and Flynn--made complete sense now. Caleb had used him to get to her and the guys.

“You...you’re…” Julie stammered, disgusted.

“Like I said, he’s completely fine. He won’t even remember most of it and he can get back to his simple, boring life. Now, I brought you here for a reason, Miss Molina. Your talent is being wasted. Plain and simple. With your talent and ambition, you could be a star. You should be a star. I want to help you.”

“Like you helped Luke and Alex and Reggie?” Julie retorted. “How you tricked them into believing your lies and almost destroyed them? Mr. Covington, I can’t be swayed with pretty words and empty promises. I know what lies on the other side. And I want no part of that. I have a band and we will work harder than anyone to make it big. Without your help.”

A part of Julie expected Caleb to fly into a rage and she braced herself for the impact. Despite hearing the stories from Reggie and Alex (Luke refused to dwell on the time when they’d stood her up at the dance and almost missed their Orpheum performance), she didn’t really know what Caleb was capable of. She hadn’t felt her phone vibrate with a response from Flynn. She was caught between hoping the boys would get to her in time, and praying that they stayed away if only to remain out of Caleb’s grasp.

To her surprise, Caleb simply smirked and glided away from her towards the stage.

“‘Pretty words and empty promises’ you say?” he chuckled and Julie trembled slightly. His eyes flashed and suddenly Julie felt like she was frozen.

“I suppose I’ll just have to convince you another way.” The ghost smirked and there was suddenly a slow, melodic tune in the air. Julie looked towards the stage and saw the band shrouded in darkness as the violins sang and Caleb joined.

“Hey, little songbird, give me a song.

I'm a busy man and I can't stay long

I got clients to call, I got orders to fill

I got walls to build, I got riots to quell

And they're giving me hell back in Hades…”

Julie felt the song wash over her and it felt like a blanket on her soul. She blinked back a sudden wave of heaviness and tried to shake herself. It felt like the room had dimmed and her eyes were unfocused. But she felt...relaxed? She tried to remember why she had felt so angry before.

“Hey, little songbird, cat got your tongue?

Always a pity for one so pretty and young.

When poverty comes to clip your wings,

And knock the wind right out of your lungs.

Hey, nobody sings on empty.”

Caleb had moved slowly towards her and Julie felt her feet follow, coming to stand in front of him. She felt drawn to his song. It was like he knew what it felt like to lose her mom. The phantom grief echoed in her chest and she remembered what it felt like to drown in the ocean of pain and listlessness. The loss of music in her life for that short but agonizing time.

“Hey, little songbird, you've got something fine.

You'd shine like a diamond down in the mine.

And the choice is yours if you're willing to choose,

Seeing as you've got nothing to lose

And I could use a canary…”

Caleb beckoned her closer as he circled her and she could feel a haze cloud her mind. She could feel a faint vibration in her body, but she was sure it was the thrill of the music. There was a small part of her that couldn’t understand what was happening. But she was captivated by Caleb's words. It was like when she had first heard Luke’s songs. How she had immediately been drawn to him and how she could feel the fathomless well he drew his inspiration from. She’d once told Flynn that they drew from the same pain. But it was more than that. They were connected, as if by fate, or destiny.

Luke.

The fog cleared for a split second as she remembered her ghost guitarist. He’d be horrified if he could see her, succumbing to Caleb’s charm and she attempted to pull away and run. She could feel the determination flood her veins with adrenaline.

Get to Luke. Where is Luke?

Caleb was suddenly in front of her once again, sensing her distress. He gently hovered his hand in front of her face and began to sing again.

“Hey, little songbird, let me guess:

He's some kind of poet and he's penniless?

Give him your hand, he'll give you his hand-to-mouth.

He'll write you a poem when the power is out.

Hey, why not fly south for the winter?”

The haze descended once again. And Julie swayed with Caleb. He gently took her hand and led her gingerly up towards the piano. She gently sat her down and their gazes locked. Julie smiled mildly and Caleb mirrored it as he tenderly lifted the cover from the glistening black and white keys.

“Hey, little songbird, look all around you.

See how the vipers and vultures surround you?

And they'll take you down, they'll pick you clean,

If you stick around such a desperate scene.

See, people get mean when the chips are down…”

“Play something for me, Julie. Show me and the world where you really belong, my dear.” Caleb smiled widely. Julie nodded blearily and began to place her fingers on the familiar keys.

“JULIE NO!”

Through the haze in her mind, Julie watched as Caleb angrily turned towards the sound. She was suddenly pulled up from the bench and gently shaken. A hand came up to cup her cheek and brush a tendril of hair away from her face.

“Julie! Julie! C’mon wake up. It’s me. It’s Luke!”

Luke. Luke. She got flashes of a brunette with deep, fathomless hazel eyes and a perfect smile. Hands wrapped around a guitar. Soft voice that was softer still when he spoke to her. The feel of a rough brocade suit under her fingers before soft flesh and firm muscle, silk scarf wrapped around a bicep, hands calloused from steel strings. That warm golden glow she felt on the inside reflecting on the outside, encompassing him.

Luke.

“Luke…”

“I’m right here, Julie. I’ve got you.”

The fog wasn’t lifting as quickly as Julie wanted it to. She tried to shake her head and pull out of the tight, but warm embrace. Hands tightened on her arms.

“It’s okay. I’m right here. Come back, Julie. I’ve got you. I’m right here.”

Finally, finally, it was like putting on her glasses first thing in the morning. The sharp clarity and she could see the green and gold flecks in his eyes. 

“Luke!” she gasped, as the last few moments rushed back to her. She found herself gripping his arms tighter in fear Luke ducked down to meet her gaze and she could see a mixture of relief and happiness in his eyes.

“I’ve got you.” he reminded her. Julie became more and more aware of her surroundings, realizing the band had disappeared and Caleb was standing down across the floor, glaring in barely contained fury at the sight before him.

Julie was still at the piano where Luke had pulled her up from the bench. Alex hovered nearby, eyes darting between them and Caleb. Reggie had placed himself firmly between Caleb and them, shielding them. His face was twisted into the angriest expression Julie had ever seen him wear. Reggie didn’t get mad as far as she could tell. And yet he stared at Caleb as if daring him to try and get to her through him. In the midst of her terror, she felt a rush of adoration for him and Alex. 

Julie turned in Luke’s hold to face Caleb and felt the white hot anger rise up stronger through her. Luke’s hands fell to her wrist, as if checking for the ill-fated purple stamp he’d once worn.

“What did you do to me?” she demanded. Caleb sneered.

“I was simply trying to persuade you. And it seemed to be working. You have doubts, Miss Molina, that even you didn’t realize. You want what I can offer you: the fame, recognition. The glory. But there is something you want just as much as that. And I can give it to you. Only I can give it to you.”

Luke pulled away from Julie and came to stand just behind Reggie’s shoulder. His face was pulled down in rage.

“Don’t you talk to her.” he growled. Reggie shifted menacingly and Alex drifted over quickly to take Luke’s position beside her, reaching for her hand. Caleb chuckled.

“And Luke. You’ve had a taste of what I can offer you, but yet you ran the moment you heard our Miss Molina calling for you. And you don’t even realize you want the same thing!”

“You already tried the whole ‘join my club or die’ thing with us. It didn’t work then and it won’t work now. We will never give you our souls.” Luke finished.

“Even if I can guarantee you would be with Julie forever?”

The words had their desired effect. Luke reeled back as if he’d been slapped and Julie heard Alex’s sharp intake of breath. Reggie’s face melted into bewilderment.

“Wha...what...you…” Luke fumbled. Caleb laughed.

“Isn’t that the crux of this whole thing, boys? You wouldn’t leave Julie and the band. I can make it so everyone wins.” He moved in towards the boys, taking advantage of their shock.

“You would all be together as Julie and the Phantoms. You can make the music you want to forever and forever. You would become one of the most successful bands to ever exist. Your music would reach millions of people. You would become legends.” Caleb turned his eyes to Julie and her grip on Alex’s hand tightened.

“And you, Miss Molina. You have the determination, the drive, and the skill to be a crowning jewel in my collection. But your fear of loss holds you back. You know these boys don’t truly belong to this world. And there will come a day when they won’t be there for you. I can change that future for you. I can make it so that Julie and the Phantoms will live on in infamy. Together.” Suddenly his hands landed squarely on Luke’s shoulders and Julie could see Luke struggle to break free.

“And I could give you the future you dream of, Julie. I can give you Luke. Forever.”

The air in the room felt hypercharged and stifling. Julie felt her heart kick into gear as Luke froze and his wide, hazel eyes met hers in bewilderment. She didn’t know if she wanted to scream, cry, or throw up.

Because Caleb had seen through her like she was made of glass. He had seen her fears of that looming day when her band--her friends--would finally complete their unfinished business and leave her. She had tried not to dwell too long on it, but it was always there gnawing at the back of her mind. And he had seen the most vulnerable parts of her. The parts where Luke’s kind and genuine gaze followed her into her dreams. Where their hands brushing over their song book could actually turn into Luke taking her hand and refusing to let it go. A brush of her hair might lead to him leaning down and pressing a gentle kiss to her forehead, her cheeks, her nose, and then finally, maybe…

But Caleb had seen it all. And now she had to look at Luke as he laid her deepest secrets bare.

“It’s quite sad, really.” Caleb continued. “How two people who ‘connect’ so well and ‘draw from the same pain’ could never truly be together. And that duet. Oh Julie it really is a masterpiece. And to think it was all a daydream. You tried to stay away, I applaud you for that, but this one--” He gave Luke a good shake, “--just couldn’t be put off. He’s determined.”

“Enough with the games, Caleb.” It was Alex who spoke. “We’re done here.”

“We would never take a deal with you.” Reggie muttered. 

“Wait…”

The boys whipped their heads around to stare at Julie as she stepped out from Alex’s shadow. Caleb’s eyes glinted and Luke looked terrified.

“Julie, what are you doing?” he asked desperately.

“I’m getting answers.” Julie replied curtly. Luke’s eyes were wide and Julie felt a pang at the fear in them.

“Julie don’t!” Reggie begged, moving to block her path to Caleb.

“Julie, you know his promises have conditions,” Alex added. Julie did her best to ignore them and brushed her friends aside to come stand before Caleb. He had finally let go of Luke, who was standing stock still. She stood toe to toe with the older ghost, no trace of fear in her body.

“You do have conditions.” Julie stated plainly. “I assume one of them is my soul.”

She heard a choked sound come from Luke’s direction and Reggie inhaled sharply. Caleb only smirked at her.

“A lady who knows what she wants. You would assume correct, my dear.”

It should have worried Julie how calm she was with being faced with selling her immortal soul to someone who had tried to destroy her bandmates. But something inside of her wanted Caleb’s promises. 

She’d thought about death plenty since losing her mom. Growing up, they learned what Heaven was in church and she’d always wondered if it would be as beautiful as they always said it would be. When the boys dropped into her life, she thought about it even more. She found herself wondering what it could possibly be that made her three bandmates remain in limbo for 25 years before dropping into her life at the sound of their C.D. Did her mother really send them to her as a way to heal the gaping wound left in her absence? Was there really a plan set in stone before she was even aware?

The harder question still was something Julie hated to think about. Even more than the idea of dying and leaving her entire world behind. When Luke had mournfully told her all those weeks ago that the boy’s only options were giving into Caleb, total destruction, or crossing over forever, she’d wandered up to her room and let herself entertain the small seed of doubt she’d been putting off.

How long would she have them?

She knew they would one day have to leave her. Flynn had tried to keep her tethered to reality, reminding her they were ghosts that didn’t truly belong to this world. But Julie had let herself live in the moment, with their music and their friendship bringing her back to life. She had put off the idea that there would come a day when her three ghosts would no longer be hers. But Flynn had been right all those months ago. She would lose them either way. 

But now, Caleb was giving her door number two. And the selfish part of her wanted to walk right through it with no holds barred.

“Julie! Julie listen to me please!”

Luke’s voice pulled her back to the present. He approached her gently.

“Julie please don’t do this. Think about your family. Your dad, Carlos, Tia Victoria, Flynn. They all need you. You have so much more life to live, Jules. You have so much more music to give.”

“Luke…” 

“No please listen, Julie! You have a beautiful life with people who love you and you found music again! You can’t throw that away because you’re scared.”

“I can’t lose anyone else that I love!” Julie cried, tears beginning their descent down her cheeks. She felt like her heart was cracking open and it was too reminiscent of when she lost her mom. She wrapped her arms around her chest to try and hold herself together.

“You won’t!” Luke cried vehemently. His own hazel eyes were shining with tears and his arms were held in front of him, as if to grab Julie and embrace her.

“Yes I will! You’ll all cross over and I’ll just keep losing people I love. This is the only way!” Julie had never felt this kind of hysteria. Why didn’t Luke understand? How could he not see that losing her boys would destroy her?

“No you won’t Julie. I know you. Even if one day we do cross over, we will always be with you. I will always be with you, right here. Right beside you. I couldn’t leave you even if I tried!” His guitar suddenly poofed into his hands and he hurriedly strummed the strings.

“I got a spark in me.

And you’re a part of me.

Now ‘til eternity…”

Julie sniffled, remembering that fateful gig at Eats and Beats. As they’d shared the mic and she’d seen something in Luke’s eyes shift, felt the gravity of the words hit him. They hit her now, equally as powerful. Luke saw the recognition flash in her eyes and he traded eager looks with the boys. Alex and Reggie came around and grabbed Julie’s hands as Luke changed the melody.

“Whatever happens, even if I’m the last standing:

I’ma stand tall! I’ma stand tall!

Whatever happens, even when everything’s down:

I’ma stand tall! I’ma stand tall!

I gotta keep on dreaming cause I gotta catch that feeling!”

Julie squeezed the boy’s hands and joined in on the last lines.

“Whatever happens, even if I’m the last standing

I’ma stand tall! I’ma stand tall!”

She was pulled into the embrace of her three ghost best friends and squeezed tightly.

“We will always be with you Julie.” Reggie whispered in her ear. Julie nodded. She knew they were right. Even if and when they crossed over, there would forever be a Sunset Curve sized piece of her heart that hadn’t been there before.

“As sweet as this is…”

The four of them turned to see Calen yawning dramatically.

“...I’m growing weary of this affectionate distraction. I’ve tried to be nice. I’ve tried to be patient.” At this, his expression darkened and Julie shivered.

“I think it’s time I took matters into my own hands.”

Caleb suddenly lunged forward. The boys jumped forward to stand in front of Julie, but they were suddenly thrown back by the force of one of Caleb’s jolts. Julie cried out, but she was suddenly pulled back into Caleb’s chest with his arms constricting her.

“Caleb! Stop! Don’t hurt her!” Luke begged. Caleb sneered.

“I’m done letting you three get in my way. We’ll see you on the other side, Miss Molina.” Caleb reached across Julie and grabbed her arm at her wrist. Julie closed her eyes, expecting the sting of the stamp and perhaps something else as her soul left her body.

Nothing happened.

Well, more accurately, nothing happened to her. The yelp came from Caleb and he reeled back, releasing her. Julie stumbled into Reggie’s waiting arms as he tugged her away from the older ghost.

“Julie!” the others bellowed.

“I’m...I’m okay!” Julie breathed, focusing on Caleb. She gasped.

Caleb had stumbled away, clutching the hand that he had grabbed her with and Julie was shocked to see it was an angry red. As if he had been burned just by touching her skin. He roared in anger and pain, his steel blue eyes dark with rage. As suddenly as it came, his expression suddenly morphed into shock and fear.

“How? How is this possible?” Caleb shrieked. Reggie suddenly gasped.

“Julie? You’re glowing!” he exclaimed.

Julie glanced down and gasped as she saw the golden hue that radiated off her skin. She twisted and turned her arms and her legs, taking in the shimmer around her. She glanced up to see the boys staring at her in awe.

“What...what is this?” she asked. 

“I have no idea, but whatever it is, keep doing it!” Luke cheered. Julie glanced back at Caleb, who was backing away from her in terror.

“You can’t...you shouldn’t...how can this be true?” he was muttering. Julie could feel energy and power running through her veins. She was suddenly reminded of something her mother would always tell her.

“There is nothing more powerful than love, mija. It is the greatest, most beautiful feeling in the world. It will always give you strength. And sharing your love with others will be your greatest power.”

Could it be possible that her mother had been right? Julie thought back to the night of the Orpheum performance, when she had unintentionally saved the boys. She had only been consumed by the idea that she couldn’t let her boys leave her without them knowing how much she loved them. She had collapsed into Luke’s embrace without a second thought and it was only when she realized she hadn’t fallen through him that she’d noticed the golden glow around him. The same glow that surrounded her now.

It clicked for Julie. Caleb ruled by fear and derision. He’d tried to force the boy’s hands by scaring them into taking his deal. But it had been Julie’s love for all three of them that had broken the ties. Love would overpower fear every time.

And the boy’s love saved her. Protected her from Caleb’s stamp and his wrath. 

She glanced up to see the same glow, fainter on the boys. Alex looked mildly panicked, Reggie was surprised and Luke…

Luke was looking at her like she was the sun. He was equally bewildered and besotted and if Julie wasn’t internally freaking out about a new supernatural power she had just discovered, she would probably be freaking out about Luke looking at her like that.

With a fresh jolt of power in her veins and the feeling of her boys standing behind her, Julie turned to Caleb. He had backed away from her in fear and was now cowering on the floor.

“You messed with the wrong band,” Julie declared, her voice strong. “And now you will leave all of us alone. My family, my friends, my bandmates, Willie, and me. You will never have my band and you will never have me.”

“You will regret not taking my deal, Julie Molina,” Caleb hissed, “You will lose your precious band and then you will be alone forever.”

“No I won’t. I will always have their love with me. You will be the one alone. You will always seek power you can never have, Caleb. And eventually it will destroy you.” Julie turned from him and faced her boys, a small smile breaking across her face.

“Now let’s go home, boys.”

******

Thank you so much for reading! Let me know what you think! 

Read Part 2 HERE

[bamon4bamily]

TVD 9x11 - Jukebox Feels (part 1) Enjoy! =)

Cut to - 2018 prison world, the Salvatore mansion. Katherine walks through the front door, dazed and confused. She must be having a nightmare, she thinks to herself; this can’t be happening, she can’t possibly be where she thinks she is. Although her intuition tells her the contrary, she gives it a shot, on the slim chance it might not be true…

KATHERINE: Hello? Anyone there? (She searches the house; as expected, it’s empty. She tries different techniques to escape the situation. Pinches herself to wake up, nothing. Taps her feet together, and with her eyes closed whispers: There’s no place like home, there’s no place like home… doesn’t work either). Maybe if I go to sleep, I’ll wake up and everything will be back to normal… Yes, I need to sleep (she goes into Stefan’s room, puts on one of his pajamas and lies in his bed. Not even a minute in, and she’s off dreaming of sheep.

Cut to – Akumal, Mexico. After a beautiful moonlight dinner, Damon and Bonnie sit on the beach, admiring the full moon’s glow, and some real good tequila.

 DAMON: (Randomly) Truth or dare…

BONNIE: (Laughs) Are you serious?

DAMON: I’m dead serious, come on, scaredy-cat!

BONNIE: Please! I just don’t want to humiliate you, cry-baby!

DAMON: Oh, it’s on! Brace yourself for defeat!

BONNIE: Bring it!

DAMON: One rule, no magic or psychy stuff!

BONNIE: Fine, no vamp tricks.

DAMON: Deal. Truth or dare?

BONNIE: Dare.

DAMON: I’ll start easy, (smirks) don’t want you loosing so fast. I dare you to take a shot of tequila while doing a handstand.

BONNIE: Piece of cake! (Delivers to perfection) My turn, truth or dare?

DAMON: Truth.

BONNIE: Okay, let’s settle this once and for all; do you steal from the bank when we play monopoly?

DAMON: (Grins) Not every time…

BONNIE: (Whacks him with her elbow) I knew it!

DAMON: What can I say, Bon, too much temptation. Okay, truth or dare?

BONNIE: Dare.

DAMON: I’m sensing a pattern here, but suit yourself. I dare you to go up to one of the people at the bar and tell them, in a very low and creepy voice, I see dead people…

BONNIE: I’m gonna get you back for this one! (Although hesitant, she delivers; freaking the hell out of the poor soul unfortunate to be approached by her. They go back to their spot) Okay, Mr. smarty pants. My turn, truth or dare… and you better choose dare!

DAMON: Dare… I say truth!

BONNIE: I’ll break you, eventually. What is the most embarrassing thing in your room?

DAMON: Oh, you’re going there! You already know the answer…

BONNIE: I do, but I want to hear you say it.

DAMON: Fine, my unicorn onesies.

BONNIE: With a butt crack… can’t forget the butt crack (she laughs)!

DAMON: They’re cozy! Okay, missy, shit just got real! Truth or dare…

BONNIE: I’m going with truth; just cause I know you’ll make me do some crazy shit after that one.  

DAMON: (With a wicked grin, rubbing his hands) Excellent…  What is your guilty pleasure?

BONNIE: Oh, come on! You know that…

DAMON: I do, but I also want to hear you say it, so, go on…

BONNIE: Fine… occasionally I like to dress up like Whitney Houston in the Queen of the Night video from the Bodyguard, and perform in front of the mirror…

DAMON: Occasionally? More like every other Sunday... and it’s HOT AF!  

BONNIE: Can’t believe you caught me doing that!

DAMON: One of my fondest prison world memories! I have to hand it to you, Bon, you really got creative with the costume.

BONNIE: I’ve perfected it since then… Well, there, I said it! Happy now?

DAMON: Never been happier… (leans in to kiss her) and you are, beyond a doubt, the queen of the night…

BONNIE: Don’t think for a second that’s gonna get you out of what’s coming…Truth or dare?

DAMON: I’m a mix it up and go with dare.

BONNIE: (With a wicked grin, rubbing her hands) Been waiting for that since we started.

DAMON: I’m instantly regretting my decision.

BONNIE: (Laughs) Oh, and you should! You’re in trouble now… Mr. Damon Salvatore, your mission, which you have no choice but to accept, is to (she opens a portal to their room, goes and comes back).

DAMON: Hey, we said no tricks!

BONNIE: You said no magic, no psychic stuff, but you never mentioned teleporting, so suck it! Here (hands him one of her outfits and her make-up kit) Put this on, make-up and all. Once you are ready, and looking gorge, you are going to perform Queen of the Night to the guests at the beach bar. Good luck, doll! (Laughs hysterically).

DAMON: Oh, Bon-Bon… when you least expected, I’ll get you back.

BONNIE: (Mocking) I’m sure you will; but for now, come on, dancing queen, your audience awaits. (Damon performs, surprisingly well, or at least good enough to receive and applause from his audience, who, although very confused, found the show quite entertaining. They go back to their spot). You did great, almost nailed the choreography.

DAMON: Well, I learned from the best.

BONNIE: I think it’s safe to say I won this little game.

DAMON: This time around… 

BONNIE: How bout you get out of those clothes, I get out of mine, and we go for a night swim?

DAMON: Don’t have to ask me twice! (As he is taking the high heels off) How do you guys walk in these things??

BONNIE: You get used to it, (teasing) just don’t get too used to it... Ready, my night queen?

DAMON: (Carries her) Let’s go, witchy! (They swim under the moonlight; then make love till sunrise).

Cut to - The secret facility, Edward’s cell. He has been sleeping for quite some time. He slowly begins to wake; as he opens his eyes, he sees someone lying on the floor under a pool of blood, right next to his bed. He jumps up in a scare.

 AUGUSTUS: Oh, don’t be alarmed, son, it’s not me, I’m doing just fine. Meet your uncle Pete; granted it might not be the best introduction, but hey, you wanted to meet your family… well, there you go.

EDWARD: (Disgusted and in shock) What is this!!??  

AUGUSTUS: It’s a dead body, son. And, from what I hear they start to smell pretty bad once they decompose; so, I suggest you move fast and bring your cousin Matty back. Feel free to use our tech if it helps, Eddie here (points to the strange man that has been standing outside his cell everyday) is more than happy to help.

EDWARD: (Crying in despair, looking at the corpse) Oh god, oh, god!!! (To his father) You are fucking insane!!!

AUGUSTUS: Language, boy! I taught you better manners than that… guess I should have never left you in Tamara’s care; what a waste of an ivy-league education. My fault for bringing in the trash. Oh, well… time is ticking, and that body is stinking… Ha, that rhymed, maybe I should pick up poetry? I always did love Literature… Anyway, (belittling) Mayor Powell, let’s see just how smart and powerful you really are. Rest assured, if you get the job done, I promise I will make it worth your while (he leaves; Edward can’t stop crying, imagining Matt’s pain).

Cut to - Munich, Germany. Sam, Elena, Sage, and Alex, are having some drinks, after their first days of the program.

SAGE: I knew this program was going to be out of the ordinary, but it’s totally blowing my mind!  

ELENA: I agree, it’s amazing! The equipment we have access to is unbelievable! Never knew those types of tools and tech even existed.

SAM: (Putting his drink up for a cheer) Here’s to an unorthodox quality education, and to new awakenings!

ALL: Cheers! (They drink, share some laughs and anecdotes; at some point, the boys get into their own conversation in another area of the bar. Elena and Sage have no option but to interact more closely).

ELENA: Listen, I’m sorry for calling you a bitch.

SAGE: I’m sorry for being one. (Holds her hand out for a handshake) Do-over?

ELENA: Do-over (shakes her hand). So, tell me, why are you so obsessed with Pietro? Not judging, just curious.

SAGE: I know a lot of people think he is just an entitled jerk, but he is so far from that. I mean, yes, he is arrogant and pretentious, but when you’ve accomplished what he has, you kind of earn the right to be.

ELENA: Still don’t get it, what has he accomplished? He’s not even a Doctor…

SAGE: He owns the world’s most groundbreaking technology companies. Ai, IoT, nanotech, you name it, he is behind it. He might not be the science side of the operation, but he is the business side that makes it possible. Just between us, I’m pretty sure he is a vampire. Get this, while I was doing research on his background, I stumbled upon some pretty crazy documentation that dates his birth back to 1865. It’s either that, or he stole some real old dead guy’s identity.

ELENA: That is definitely not a coincidence… Do the names Stefan and Damon Salvatore ring a bell?

SAGE: Never heard of them, who are they?

ELENA: Besides my ex-boyfriends, I think they might be Pietro’s half-brothers.

SAGE: (Laughs) That’s impossible…

ELENA: Put two and two together…

SAGE: Oh, they’re also…? OMG! So, you slept with two vampires, and they were brothers??!! I totally miss read you, you’re a badass!! I love it!! (Holds her drink up) Cheers for that!

ELENA: Well, the brothers thing is something I’m really not proud of. I was young and gave in to my darkest desires; but I guess karma got me served, because they both fell in love with my best friends; so…

SAGE: Hey, nothing to be ashamed of; more power to you! I mean, it’s okay when men do it, but as woman we get shamed for it… Fuck that shit!

ELENA: Good point... (holds her glass up for a cheer) Here’s to woman equality!

SAGE: Fuck yeah! So, tell me, how did you end up getting involved with vampires?

ELENA: It’s a long and complicated story… Let’s just say I look exactly like someone they were once very obsessed with, and it grew from there.

SAGE: Who did you go out with first?

ELENA: Stefan… my first true love; but then I fell for the bad boy, who just happened to be his brother. Like I said, not proud, but that’s how it went down.

SAGE: Was it serious?

ELENA: Very. With Stefan I could see my entire future; it was like a fairytale love. With Damon, I lived for the moment and was consumed with passion.  

SAGE: Sounds like you were quite in a predicament.

ELENA: I was, for a while; but I ended up choosing Damon.

SAGE: So, what happened? Why did you two split?

ELENA: There were many reasons, but every time I go back to it, I think it’s because we got off to a wrong start. When I became a vampire, I was sired to him… not the best way to start a relationship.

SAGE: Wait, you are a vampire!!? Are you kidding me?!! This story keeps getting better and better!

ELENA: No, no! I’m not one anymore, but I was.

SAGE: Oh, okay, you freaked me out there for a sec! Anyway, then, what happened? Spill!!

ELENA: Well, a whole bunch of crazy stuff... then I took a cure, became human again, only to be put into a three-year sleeping spell, then I woke up. At first it was bliss, but then, once we moved in together our deeper problems began to surface…

SAGE: Did those problems have to do with him falling for one of your best friends?

ELENA: Not expressively… but in part, yes. I knew he was in love with her, and that there was nothing I could do to change that.

SAGE: Ouch, that’s gotta hurt.

ELENA: I mean, he never cheated or anything like that, they didn’t even get together until recently, but just knowing he would never love me like her, hurt for a while… then I met Sam…

SAGE: Wow, that’s quite a story!

ELENA: Straight out of a supernatural YA book, am I right?

SAGE: I’m a big fan of YA drama, and supernatural lure, so, right up my alley! Okay, let me ask you one last question. If you could go back, would you make the same choice?

ELENA: What do you mean?

SAGE: Stefan or Damon? Who would you choose?

ELENA: (Laughs) Uhm, okay, that’s a weird question…

SAGE: Oh, come on, just for fun, and keeping with the YA context.

ELENA: I’d say as a human, I would choose Stefan; as a vampire, Damon. But I guess it wouldn’t matter who I would choose, since they wouldn’t choose me a second time around, that’s for sure.

SAGE: (Teasing) Well, good news for Sam.

ELENA: Okay, I shared my stories; now it’s your turn.

SAGE: Well my stories are quite boring compared to that!

ELENA: Still, spill! It’s only fair, you have leverage on me, I should have some on you.

SAGE: Fair enough. What do you want to know?

ELENA: You and Alex, what’s the story there?

SAGE: Oh god, no! Nothing like that, he’s like a brother to me.

ELENA: Aw, that’s too bad, you two are cute together. How about you and Sam, anything ever happen between you two?

SAGE: This conversation is getting dangerous...

ELENA: Oh, come on, what’s in the past is in the past; there’s nothing dangerous about that.

SAGE: Fine, you asked for it. Long time ago, one crazy drunken night; that’s all.

ELENA: I know, he told me; just wanted to check if you would be honest with me.

SAGE: (Teasing) Now who’s the bitch!

ELENA: Sorry, trust issues. Now, for real, any past epic loves?

SAGE: Uhm, not really… I mean, I’ve had many relationships but nothing serious. I’m not the deep connection type; I just like to have fun, and I don’t like to put in the time, so short and sweet works out perfectly for me.

ELENA: Crazy hookups?

SAGE: Now that is my area of expertise! Wow, where do I start… I’ve done all the clichés, mile high club being my favorite one. But I have to say, the craziest has been with someone you actually know, (mocking) the renowned city Mayor of Mystic Falls.

ELENA: (Spits out her drink) Are you serious? You had a thing with Edward Powell? How do you even know him?!

SAGE: From NYC, our hometown. We were both part of the upper east side elite; a real Gossip Girl type thing. And let me tell you, he might seem like a Nate on the outside, but inside, he is a full-on Chuck Bass. Anyway, we went to this masquerade ball at an exclusive mansion outside the city. Long story short, we ended up covering for a murder which turned out to be anything but that; it was just a really drunk-ass Wall-Street magnate, that passed out in a tub filled with red wine. Good thing he woke up before we finished filling the whole… and that he didn’t see us having sex next to what we thought was his corpse. In our defense, we were also really drunk, and high as fuck.

ELENA: Holy shit! And you call your stories boring? Wonder what the exciting ones are like!

SAGE: (Laughs; then sees that Alex and Sam are heading back to their table) Well, that’s a conversation for another night… this has been fun, but I think our girl time is over; I’m glad we had a chance to talk like this.

ELENA: Me too, and I’m sorry I was so quick to judge you.

SAGE: Dido. Friends?

ELENA: Friends.

Cut to – Akumal, Mexico. Bonnie, Damon, Stefan and Caroline are having a nice beachfront brunch.

 CAROLINE: I can’t believe this is our last day! Time went by way too fast!

BONNIE: I know, seems like we just got here.

STEFAN: How about we make a deal, right here, the four of us.

DAMON: (Teasing) Bro, we are not even done with brunch; plus, it would be way too weird…

STEFAN: Of course your mind would go there… Anyway, no, Damon, that’s not what I want to propose. How do you guys feel about spending some money and investing on a property down here? That way we can come back whenever we want.

CAROLINE: I love it, yes!!!!

BONNIE: I’m in!

STEFAN: Damon?

DAMON: Just tell me where to sign!

BONNIE: La Bruja is coming over for dinner tonight, maybe she can give us some tips on property here.

STEFAN: That be great. I’m thinking nothing too fancy, but definitely beachfront.

BONNIE: And secluded.

CAROLINE: 2 master bedrooms, 1 kids room, and two or three guestrooms for when Ty, Lexi, Matt and Alaric come visit.

DAMON: So much for “not too fancy” …

CAROLINE: I’m not saying it needs to be fancy, just spacious, there are way too many of us.

BONNIE: We’ll also need a garden, good footprint area so we can grow our own food.

CAROLINE: And a pool of course, for the girls.

STEFAN: And I think we can all agree, we need a big bar.

DAMON: And a wine cellar.

STEFAN: Maybe we’re gonna have to build it from scratch, I’m pretty sure we won’t be able to find a place that checks all of our boxes.

BONNIE: If we have someone design it for us, I’m pretty sure La Bruja and I can pull it off.

DAMON: It’s settled then, we’ll brief La Bruja over dinner and start to plan our perfect Belvafore hide-away!

STEFAN: Belvafore?

DAMON: Yes; Bennett, Salvatore, and Forbes… Belvafore!

BONNIE: (To Stefan, mocking Damon) I’m telling you, not even with his vamp back on…

CAROLINE: I like it! It’s like Steroline and Bamon!

BONNIE: Steroline and Bamon?

CAROLINE: Yes, Bamon, aka, Bonnie and Damon; isn’t it perfect?! Stefan came up with it.

STEFAN: Sorry, Bon, just a fan.

BONNIE: (Laughing) Oh, Stefan, didn’t see that one coming... And Steroline, is Stefan and Caroline...

CAROLINE: You got it! (With pride) I came up with that one!

BONNIE: (With a y’all crazy look) Okay...

DAMON: Oh, come on, Bon-Bon; Bamon, gotta love it!

BONNIE: Fine, I’ll admit it... y’all crazy but I love it!

CAROLINE: (Holds her mimosa glass up for a cheer) To Belvafore and building new traditions!

ALL: Cheers!

Cut to – The Salvatore school, Alaric’s study. Alaric, and Radka, are trying to figure out their next steps.

ALARIC: How could I have been so reckless and stupid…

RADKA: It was an honest mistake, Ric. How were you supposed to know what would happen?

ALARIC: I know how dangerous that little gadget is, it was my responsibility to keep it under lock and key. Now, thanks to me, Katherine is probably being hunted down by a psychopath.

RADKA: Katherine is strong and witty, if anyone, Kai is the one that needs to worry. I’m sure she’ll be fine; we just need to figure out how to bring her back.

ALARIC: The only one that can help with that is Bonnie, and I’m not letting her go near Kai. We need to figure out a way to do this without the need for Bennett blood.

RADKA: How about 2 werewolves, 2 vampires and a hunter… think we could pull it off?

ALARIC: The problem is not getting in, but out… there’s no way out without the right ingredients.

RADKA: Okay, I might be thinking crazy here, but we need to think outside the box. What if we ask Margo to summon a Bennett witch, she can open a temporary spirit realm and do an incarnation spell so she can be materialized; then, we go to this prison world, get Katherine and use the blood of that Bennett witch to come back…

ALARIC: That sounds insane… but it might actually work. Isn’t Margo still on sick leave?

RADKA: She’s better now, called me up this morning to let me know she’d be back tomorrow.

ALARIC: Do you think she would be up for it?

RADKA: Not sure, but it doesn’t hurt to ask.

Cut to – 2018 prison world, Stefan’s room. Katherine wakes up to find herself tied up with her mouth covered. Kai is sitting on a chair, reading. He looks quite different than expected; very clean cut and intellectual, glasses and all.

KAI: I’m sorry I had to tie you up, but I do not appreciate intruders. God, these new generations have completely lost their manners. Sneaking into other people’s homes, putting on their nightclothes, sleeping in their beds… The audacity!

(Kai gets up, walks towards one of the many jukeboxes he has installed around the house, and plays a song...)

TVD 9x11 (part 2), coming soon! Hope you stop by, read and enjoy! =)

[vindogy]

Part 4 of the Skully ask that turned into a whole AU

(A little somethin extra at the end too)

After a concerning amount of time, Brian finally began regaining consciousness. Opening his eyes and letting out a few groans of pain, wincing at the soreness of his body, he looked down and instantly realized he was bound to the chair he was so familiar with. No longer having his vision obscured as he was so used to having, he realized his mask was off. He set his sights on Jay, giving him a knowing glare. He stayed silent, his gaze burning into Jay, but didn’t struggle from his position. All he had was an intimidating expression on his face that Jay wished was aimed at someone else. Mustering up some courage, Jay decided to break the silence at long last. But to his surprise, it was Brian who spoke first.

“Y’know, there were better ways to do this.”

Jay gasped in surprise. He assumed that one-word answers were all Brian could manage at this point, but it looked like that wasn’t the case. Brian continued speaking, a sly grin beginning to spread across his face, despite the several bruises and bloodstains.

“For starters, this chair is barely being held together after Tim nearly broke it. Metal’s bent, and I could struggle out pretty easily. Second of all, you can’t tie knots for shit. I already got a little wiggle room and I didn’t even move yet. Third…”

Brian turned his gaze to Tim, who was still crouched down and silent.

“… have you forgotten? We’re a team. I know how to control him, you don’t. Hell, I could tell him to kill you right now and you’d be none the wiser.”

Jay looked down in shame. He really didn’t think this through, and Brian was making sure he knew that.

“Seriously, what were you thinking? I don’t blame you though. I’ve seen how you act. You can be pretty damn stupid sometimes.”

Jay wanted to respond to the insult, but he couldn’t think of an adequate response. Brian let out a laugh and looked down at the blood dripping onto his jeans. He looked back up and flashed a crimson smile at Jay.

“But let’s say you weren’t a dumbass. Let’s say you took me far into the forest, Tim nowhere in sight. You tied me tight enough to make my limbs numb, and you have a jagged knife in your hand, ready to cut me up and bleed me like a pig if I don’t answer your questions. Let’s say you’ve absolutely broken me, and I’m sitting here crying in pain, begging you not to tear into me anymore. My eyes are gouged out, my clothes have been torn off, and you’re there making sure I feel as much pain as possible. Even then, I wouldn’t tell you jack shit. Let’s say you’ve trained Tim and you’re making him crush every bone in my body into fine dust. Hell, let’s say you’ve buddied up with Alex and he’s siccing The Operator on me, making me live through a thousand years of pain in one minute. Even then, I won’t tell you shit!”

Brian let out another laugh, taking sick pleasure in describing his own brutal torture.

“But none of that’s happening. You’re here, having me tied onto a flimsy chair, right next to one of my most vicious partners, and you didn’t even have the brains to gag me! You’re a real riot, Jay, I’ll give you that.”

In an instant, his tone shifted drastically, now looking at Jay with a stone-cold expression.

“But this is all so, so, so useless. Curiosity killed the cat, Jay, and right now you’re looking like a nice defenseless cat caught in a bear trap, surrounded by nature’s top apex predators. Why don’t you give me a reason to not kill you where you stand?”

Sweat was running down Jay’s back. He was terrified. Brian was not like this at all. Not the Brian he knew. Jay stuttered, trying to think of a valid reason that wouldn’t get him killed.

“W-well… you uh… y-you need me!”

Brian raised an eyebrow and smirked. Jay knew exactly what Alex was feeling when he told him to wipe that stupid smile off his face.

“I do?”

Jay tried his best to hide his fear. The shuddering overtaking his body was on obvious tell that he was very bad at hiding it.

“Y-yeah. You and T-Tim can’t take on Alex. Y-you’ve tried before! You need me!”

Brian looked to the side and nodded.

“Alright. Fair point. You can live for now, but if you t-”

“Wait!”

Jay made a sudden and brave interruption. He wanted answers, not another reason to fear the hooded man. Brian seemed surprised by the sudden courage as well.

“Whoa. Didn’t know you had the guts to interrupt me when I’m talking. What do you want?”

Jay stopped shuddering. He had to find out at least one thing.

“Why does the mask calm Tim down? Why does the mask turn him into that?”

Brian gave Jay a pained smile, looking like he’d been wanting to answer this for a long time.

“Aw well, that’s easy. See, when Timmy boy doesn’t get his meds, he gets real, real angry. It was always a slight problem. Back in college, the worst that would happen is that he’d lash out and maybe yell, but that’s about it.”

Brian paused for a moment, and Jay swore he saw a look of guilt in Brian’s eyes.

“But then enter Alex and The Operator. Yeah, that thing had latched onto Tim, but he did a pretty good job at not letting it get to him. Alex, on the other hand, oh boy. One encounter, and he’s out here killing people left and right, unknowingly feeding that thing. The Operator is a pretty messed up thing, y’know? If it doesn’t swallow you up in its dimension to keep your hopeless corpse in for god knows how long, it’ll instead chew you up and spit you out, breaking your mind in the process. Happened to me, happened to Tim, and now it’s happened to you.”

Brian’s eyes began to water, yet his voice didn’t waver.

“And man, let me tell you, it fucking sucks! Tim got even more violent before I was even there to intervene. He’d go on rampages late at night, running around the forest and tearing up all those poor innocent animals he saw. Dude was strong enough to take down a deer with his bare hands. That’s pretty impressive, ain’t it? Too bad I didn’t get any superpowers. All I got was a nasty cough and the worst trauma of my life!”

Brian’s voice was now breaking. He was beginning to lose his composure.

“You know how it feels to wake up one morning with no memory of what happened last night, and suddenly realizing that you don’t care about anyone anymore? I could cut up my own parents with a rusty razor, hear them cry my name and beg for mercy, and I wouldn’t feel a damn thing! Not even a drop of remorse, nope! And believe me, I wish I could. I wanted to care so much. But now, I couldn’t give a damn about what happens to anyone! Not even myself! I can’t live a normal life anymore. Society would lock me up and let me rot. I can’t have friends, I can’t have a family, I can’t have anything a normal person can have! And you know what? I’d prefer being dead!”

Brian let out a shaky laugh, several tears dropping onto his hoodie. He was vulnerable right now. Going against his morals, Jay decided to take advantage of this.

“Is that why you want to go to the ark?”

Brian immediately stopped. He looked up, his intimidating glare having returned. But just as soon as it came, it left. Tears welled up as Brian burst into tears, finally letting out years of pent up trauma and grief.

“Yes! Yes goddammit. I saw it! I saw the ark and by god, it was the worst experience of my life, but it has SOMETHING. I don’t know if I’ll ever go back to how I used to be. I want to. I want that life back so bad. I want all those lost years back. I want to have hope in the future, but right now I’m feeling that the only thing the future has for me is my lifeless corpse in the middle of nowhere.”

Brian took a moment to compose himself. Despite easily being able to free himself from Jay’s restraint, he chose not to do so. Jay wondered if this was a sign of submission.

“You though. After all those years, you began watching those tapes. You learned everything. And all of the sudden, I wasn’t alone anymore. I had a little sliver of hope in my life once more.”

Brian gritted his teeth and shook his head, regaining his anger.

“But you weren’t doing ANYTHING helpful. You just walked around like a headless chicken, getting yourself in spats with Tim. And then one day you team up with Alex despite knowing damn well something was up with him, and together you fucking broke Tim’s leg. No Jay, you weren’t just not doing anything. You were actively HURTING my efforts. You made it all worse getting all inflammatory with Tim. And I went back to being alone. Even more alone than before, since you took Tim along with you only to traumatize him even more.”

Jay immediately snapped back, shocked at Brian’s lack of self-awareness.

“I’m the one who traumatized him? Don’t you think treating him like your personal attack dog would have a worse impact on his psyche?”

Brian lashed out at the accusation, though Jay could see his facade beginning to break.

“Doesn’t matter what I do to him when he’s like that. He doesn’t remember any of it anyways. Unless of course, two lanky idiots decided to break his leg. That would matter quite a bit.”

Jay was getting heated as well. He knew that he wasn’t the most responsible decision maker, but Brian had a lot to be blamed for as well.

“You kept stealing his meds. You forced him into that state, robbing him of the normal life he tried so hard to have. He can’t hold steady work, and his mind is getting worse and worse every time you use him like that. Does that not matter to you?”

Another flash of guilt appeared in Brian’s eyes. He tried to deflect it once more.

“What matters is getting rid of The Operator. One casualty is nothing compared to the damage it d-”

“You never answered my question.”

Brian paused.

“Huh?”

“I asked you why the mask calms Tim down. Answer me.”

Brian’s face got red.

“Well, it’s because uh. . . it reminds him of the old days. I did my research. Back when he was being hospitalized, they’d always place a mask over his face to administer anesthetic to get him to calm down. Tim was too violent, though, so a normal mask wouldn’t work. They had to lock up his entire face into a heavy-duty one, made so that it couldn’t be ripped off or broken. Any time he wears that mask, it reminds him of those times. By instinct, it makes him calm and obedient.”

Jay shook his head as he glared at Brian.

“You’re fucked up. Don’t you feel any pity for him?”

Brian stayed silent.

“Well, do you? Tim was your best friend. Surely you feel at least SOMETHING for him?”

Brian bit his lip as he tried to stop the tears from flowing once more. He remained silent but pensive.

“What even is the ark, Brian? What is this thing you deem so important that you’re willing to ruin your best friend's life to even get a chance of seeing it?”

Brian looked up. His violent spirit had also been calmed, replaced with a softer tone that Jay could tell had a lot of fear behind it.

“The ark is where The Operator keeps all its victims. I saw it when Alex fed me to that thing. An ever-growing empty landscape filled with bodies. Some still conscious, but their minds gone. Some rotted, some freshly killed. Some still crying for help. The Operator feeds off of their despair. It prefers people on the brink of death, so it can suck out as much despair from them as possible. It keeps the corpses to induce even more despair into those who go into it.”

Brian’s gaze went off into the horizon, empty and unblinking, as he remembered everything.

“You’re a religious guy, aren’t you Jay?”

Jay nodded.

“You know the story of Noah’s Ark? Of course you do. There’s a reason why I call this place The Ark.”

Brian grinned for a moment before returning to his somber expression.

“There’s two of each.”

“What does that mean?”

Brian bit his lip once more, this time drawing blood.

“Every person in the world you can think of. A shy lonely man with social anxiety and a knack of bringing danger to his friends. A troubled man running from his past. A cheerful girl who dated the wrong man. Any person you can think of, any combination of traits or personality, anything. Absolutely any and all people you can think up of, no matter how specific, The Operator wants two of. Doesn’t matter how unique you think you are. In there, at some point, you’ll eventually find someone just like you. And that’s when you lose all hope. That’s when you realize that if someone just like you never escaped, you’ll never escape as well. How you’re just a bag of flesh with no purpose. And that’s when The Operator digs in, having the biggest feast of a lifetime.”

Brian took a deep breath, having to compose himself yet again. The stoic personality he kept in his hooded form had shattered thanks to Jay’s conversation.

“The Operator loves taunting us. Sometimes it’ll toss you into the ark without a second thought, wanting you to feel nothing but despair. But I want to go there. I know better. I can go in there with hope and help people escape. The more I help, the more people that can help others. It only takes one hole to sink a boat, after all. Once the ark is empty, The Operator has nothing left to feed on. From there, it’ll starve. And that’s one less horror the world has to deal with.”

Brian’s gaze suddenly turned hopeful.

“And that’s where my plan comes in. If I can get into the ark without being on the brink of death, I can save someone. Just one person. That alone would be enough to hurt The Operator and leave it from attacking us ever again. But that’s not what I want. I want it dead.”

Brian looked up at Jay, his eyes now kindled with a familiar warmth behind them.

“Catch my drift?”

Jay nodded. Brian had completely changed from the psychopathic sadist he was before this. Was a good conversation all he needed? Jay’s internal questioning was interrupted by Tim shuffling in front of Jay. This reminded Jay of another point he wanted to address.

“Wait! What about Tim? Do you really want to keep him like this?”

Brian nodded, then paused, shook his head, then nodded again.

“I uh. . . I don’t know. He’s more useful this way for sure but. . . if you take that mask off him and give him his meds again, he’ll be fine. But is that what you want? How do you think he’ll react to seeing you, not only still alive, but in cahoots with his presumed dead best friend who ended up being his stalker all along. How do you think he’ll react knowing that two of his closest friends brutally attacked him and broke his mind? Do you think he’ll be cooperative?”

Jay was stuck. Brian had a good point. Turning Tim back to normal would cause a lot more problems, and chances are it would traumatize him more than anything. But keeping him as an obedient, unthinking bodyguard felt wrong, and would only worsen his mental state. Meanwhile, Brian had already freed himself and was standing next to Tim, a bottle of pills in hand. He could tell Jay was having a rough time deciding. 

“Well, what’ll it be Jay? Free him, or keep him masked up for a while longer?”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

(Surprise! I don’t know how to follow this up so I’m just gonna say fuck it and let whoever cares enough about this to choose. Of course, if I get requests for both I’ll write em both, but I’m interested to see where people's hearts lie in this situation.)

[haloud]

silence is golden

ao3

Alex wouldn’t say, necessarily, that he waits around for Michael’s mouth to get him into trouble. It’s just such an inevitability that it always pays to be prepared. And Michael goes down so easy when he’s been baiting, that devil-may-care grin on his full mouth as Alex tosses him onto the bed, curls haloing around his head.

“Mm, you know how I love it when you get physical,” he purrs, hands grabbing at whatever he can reach—Alex’s shirt, the pillow beside his head, Alex himself. Alex grips his wrist bruising-tight, holding that hand still against the inside of his thigh before it inches any higher; but Michael’s clever fingers don’t stop—they start up a teasing massage, rubbing in a slow rhythm through the thick fabric of Alex’s jeans.

That hand is far from the only piece of Michael in motion—he twists his entire body, spreads his legs open and out like he’s either begging or about to buck Alex off of him, every muscle in his torso flexing and shifting with every breath and every deliberate arch of his back. God, he’ll never say it out loud, he’ll keep it private and personal, just for himself, but Michael is at his loveliest like this, in the electric minutes before they bury themselves in each other. And even better is the unique, wild light in his whiskey-colored eyes as he waits at Alex’s mercy, knowing he’ll be taken apart, desperate to be held down.

That light is there now, nervous and bright and excited as Michael touches the pink tip of his tongue to his full lower lip, arches his narrow hips between the vee of Alex’s thighs, and says, “I know that look. Bring it on, private—"

The singsong lilt to his voice, the insistent attempt at stealing friction for himself—they combine for a valiant attempt at bravado, but all Alex has to do is wait it out, patient and smug, like a cat waiting at the mouth of a warren. With his eyes, Alex tracks the fluttering of Michael’s eyelashes, the dilating of his pupils, the bob of his throat, all the way down that leonine body to the hidden twitch of his hardening cock, still trapped inside his jeans. He’ll snap any minute now, Michael will, he’ll crack open honey-sweet and honest and begging, but Alex could wait a lifetime in this exact moment. He always wins.

“Say something,” Michael says, twisting his wrist in Alex’s iron grip, voice tripping over the final syllable, and at last Alex lets a smile spread across his face.

“If you want me to talk,” he says, “You’re going to need to be quiet.”

Michael’s mouth falls open as if to respond, but he seems to think better of it before any words come out. His mouth stays parted, though, wet and tempting, and Alex wants to taste him, wants to crowd into him and cover the vulnerable spread of his soft, exposed throat with his palm and stroke behind his teeth with his tongue until their lips are red and swollen. Alex’s cock throbs in agreement, but he ignores it in favor of releasing Michael’s wrist and guiding that hand to rest still at his side.

“That’s a very good start,” Alex praises, positioning Michael’s other hand as well. “Now.” He slowly runs his own hand down his stomach and dips his fingertips beneath the waistband of his joggers, sliding the waistband down in tiny, teasing increments just to watch the ravenous way Michael watches him.

“Here’s what’s going to happen,” he continues, pausing in undressing to fetch the lube stashed beneath the pillow. “I’m going to ride you, and you’re going to stay quiet. Not a single sound, or I stop and you get to wait until I think you’re ready before I start again. Nod if you understand me, Michael.”

He nods frantically, pauses with a furrowed brow, then nods again.

“If you need to say something, say it now. Otherwise you don’t get to say anything besides your safeword until I say so,” Alex warns, and he tugs at his shorts again, revealing the lines of his Adonis belt, watching the heat flare again in Michael’s eyes.

Firming his jaw, Michael nods in acceptance of the challenge, and fuck, a surge of arousal and the fierce need to take this man to pieces rush through Alex, igniting an urgency in him that has him abandoning the tease and stripping the rest of his clothes off quick. He prepared himself already—had plenty of time to plan a response to Michael’s mouthiness and opened himself up in the bathroom as soon as they got home, not wanting to wait a second longer than he had to. Still, he wets two fingers with the lube and slides them inside himself, scissoring them to check the stretch, biting his lip and indulging in a happy hum when he nudges his own prostate.

Michael’s fingers twitch at his sides like there’s nothing more he wants than to be the one touching Alex, the one pleasuring him, and a rebellious little “nnn…” rumbles out of his throat before he can stop it.

Ha. “I haven’t even gotten your pants off yet. If that’s the best you can do, maybe I’ll just jerk off and leave you hanging.”

Michael’s cock gives another insistent twitch against his zipper at the same time he shakes his head frantically, tossing his hair against the pillow, and Alex has to touch it, has to gather a fistful of wild, silky curls and pull it tight until Michael is arched and trembling like a plucked harp, his eyes rolled back in bliss. His breath hitches out hah-ah when Alex lets him go, like he just barely stopped himself from breaking the rules again.

To reward that show of control, Alex takes a bit of pity and finally unbuttons Michael’s jeans and shoves them down and out of the way, letting his cock bob free. Then, just to be a little bit mean, he brushes his palm across his sensitive head, even less than a tease, and then he does it again, and again, letting Michael roll his hips to seek more, stroking him with lube to get him ready but never really applying any pressure or friction, then just as Michael manages to fully rub himself against Alex’s hand he pulls it away. And sure enough, that denial pulls a whine out of Michael’s throat, long and loud and upset, and Alex can tell that Michael’s already going down because it takes him a second or two to realize what he’s done. His eyes dart to Alex’s then, huge and begging, and his whole body goes so still as if trying to convince Alex he can still be good.

“Keep trying,” Alex teases, “I know you can do it. Nod if you’re ready to continue?”

As soon as Michael nods, Alex positions himself above his cock, braced to keep weight off the remainder of his leg, and sinks down, hissing in satisfaction at the stretch and burn of being filled.

He sets the rhythm, keeps it slow and deep, milking Michael’s cock with his inner muscles every time he draws up, bottoming out in full when he comes back down. The tendons in Michael’s neck stand out in sharp relief; he alternates between gasping out huge, wet breaths and biting his lip so hard the skin goes white around his teeth, but still he manages to stay quiet, no hungry moans, no grunts of exertion, no mewling for more the way Alex knows he wants to, needs to. There’s just the sound of his breathing, their breathing together, the sound of skin on skin, the filthy-wet sound of Michael’s cock thick and perfect stroking in and out of him.

Alex fills the breathless silence with words, with what he knows Michael needs, with exactly the right thing to make everything okay. “I know, I know how hard this is for you, I know how hard you’re trying—” he pants out in a constant stream of words, of praise, of the sound of his voice to give Michael a tether back to his own body. “—And you’re doing so well, doing everything I asked, mmmn, fuck—”

God, every inch of Michael is perfection, and never more perfect than when he’s Alex’s, body and soul, as selfish as it is true. Michael’s feet scrabble among the twisted sheets, desperate for purchase but unable to so much as twitch his hips unless Alex makes it so. Every breath he takes hitches at the end like it could be a sob, if Michael wasn’t swallowing every single sound, if Alex let it be. He’s perfect, he’s glorious, so obedient and controlled no matter how his cock throbs inside Alex, despite the helpless wetness clumping up his eyelashes and dampening his cheeks.

And Alex rewards him. Of course he does.

He leans forward to get better leverage, to slide his hands into Michael’s where they’re still at his sides, exactly where Alex put them, and Michael responds immediately, clinging on to him, holding on for dear life. Moving his hips quick and shallow now, no finesse, hurtling Michael towards the release he’s so completely earned, Alex lets his voice tumble out unfiltered, a repeated rush of “That’s it, that’s it, Michael, god, I love you, that’s it—”

Just before he comes, Michael’s hips twitch up hard, catching Alex off guard and forcing out of him a startled shout that dissolves into breathless laughter, and one of Michael’s hands jerks like a trapped moth in Alex’s grip, so he lets him go. He lets Michael smother whatever shout almost escaped him into the palm of his hand as his cock throbs and finally comes in hot pulses deep inside Alex, who collapses onto Michael’s chest to kiss him, first just under his bottom lip where his teeth have dug in angry red marks, then full on the mouth, lazy and languid until Michael’s heartbeat evens out and his body starts to relax. When his eyes flutter open, still dazed and glassy but at least able to focus, Alex sits himself back up until he straddles Michael’s chest, then he jerks his cock rough and efficient until he’s come too, in messy stripes across Michael’s face, and god, Michael’s eyes roll back at the feel of it, and Alex feels it too, possessing Michael as Michael is being possessed and reveling in it.

All loose and languid in the afterglow, Alex relishes the exerted tug of the muscles in his thighs when he leans over for the wet cloth and the bottles of water he left beside the bed before taking his leg off. He cleans Michael’s face tenderly, following each swipe of the fabric with his fingertips, kissing his swollen lips again once all the mess has been wiped away.

“You can talk now, if you feel like it,” he murmurs against Michael’s mouth, sliding off his body to press himself all against Michael’s side, pressing gentle open-mouthed kisses to his shoulder while he waits to hear Michael’s voice again.

He waits and waits while Michael lays there, eyes closed; he watches the movement of his Adam’s apple as Michael tries to wet his throat to speak.

“Was it too much?” Alex asks gently, bracing himself for the yes, mind spinning off into planning for deeper aftercare, into preparing the right words to say to re-center Michael in himself if he drops.

But Michael just laughs, even if it’s a bit strained and watery, and he shifts enough to be able to look Alex in the eye. He licks his lips a few times, then finally manages to say, “No way. You just broke my brain.”

Alex rolls his eyes, a warm flush of relief running over his skin. He reaches over to stroke across Michael’s jaw, and Michael leans into the touch like he always does, rubbing into Alex’s palm like he’d be purring if he could.

“You were amazing,” Alex praises, continuing to stroke him. “I knew your control was impressive, but to see you wield it in a way that doesn’t come as easily to you like staying quiet…I’m proud of you.”

And Alex just croons wordlessly when the words make Michael press himself even closer, squirming until there’s not an inch of space between them and his face is buried in Alex’s chest, where he stays, likely dozing, while Alex runs his fingers through his hair.

After all, it’s clear that they don’t really need to speak at all.

[kurtty-drabbles]

Ocean au (the plan)

N/A: Merciful short, I hope.

Contrary to what Peter Ross may believe, Kitty does not live with Gwen, in fact, she has her house/loof where she lives and plans her next move along with her two babies, but, as the woman enters in her loof something is amiss and she looks around making no sound(what good thief would she be if she alert her presence) hovering on the air by a few inches the woman has a knife on her hand ready.

(Who would visit a thief at this time?)

"Darling, this is your house?" a honey voice rings in the loft as a woman with platinum hair is sitting in one of the couches with a sultry smile on her face.

"No, I came here to steal this place as well" Columbina replies and takes a knife out her back "and I may be so bold to ask...what are you doing here?"

"Oh, my, my. You have a knife. No need to go physical, I´m not here to hand you to my husband nor to steal from you" Felicia promised to make a cute signal with her fingers "You can trust a thief´s word, Columbina"

"No, I can´t, much less yours, where are my babies?" Kitty asked dropping the knife.

"Your cat and dog? sleeping on your bed like two angels" Felicia states and points to the corridor where one can see the only door open and Kitty could verify that Cosmo and Jupiter are sleeping soundly over the pile of dresses tore apart.

"Goddamnit," She mutters tiredly and goes back to deal with Felicia who is all smiles now. "Ok, what do you want? And never again break in someone´s house...that may or may not be mine" she orders in a strong voice as she puts the knife on the kitchen site.

Felicia was never nervous to see Columbina with a knife(odd, as she knows Columbina can cause more damage with her hands than with a knife) and speaks freely as if she was restrained by any means. "I heard you are planning a heist and I want in"

"No," Kitty said a bit acerbic. This didn´t stop Felicia in the slightest.

"Darling, you´re one of the best, in fact, I would be happy to pass down the name Black Cat to you" she has a more serious attitude now as Columbina is sitting in front of her. "But this heist is something too big even for you"

"I have a plan" she states confidently.

"Your last plan involved green goo"

"Why everyone mentions that...ok, back to the point, how did you heard about that? " she asked and Felicia is offering that enigmatic smile of hers as if she won´t tell the secret for immortal life. "it was Gwen" and now the smile is dead.

"Yeah, I blackmail her to talk...you love to take the mysticism out of my words" she explains pouting a little "But I want to help, my husband is, well, let me tell you something, Shield deals with cursed diamonds ALL DAY, to the point I´m sick of diamonds and if that could make Bruce that a chill pill for a moment ...I´m in"

"Felicia....is cursed diamonds, you can´t keep with them"

"Wasn´t thinking in that, darling"

"If I say yes, you´ll stop coming to this place?"

"I can try to invade your house but I can promise to make this a secret"

______________________________________________________________________________

Kitty, on the next day, was walking with her cat and dog as any owner should and is not minding the oddities in the New Gotham Park. Cosmo and Jupiter are walking in their usual way, that as always, got the attention of people ("uhm, lady, your cat walks on the back of your dog?" "yep")

"Lady" a new voice gets her attention and Kitty turns to see a teenager chewing bubblegum and offering an amused smile. "I want to get in the heist"

Kitty almost had a heart attack, but, she´s Columbina for a reason. "An excuse me? I´m a semi-normal citizen of New Gotham walking with my cat and dog"

"I´m Jubilee Wayne and Felicia told me to speak to you"

"Urgh, Of fucking course"

__________________________________________________________________________

The place for the meeting was on Gwen´s penthouse, which the blonde was happy to offer as she is more than enthusiastic with this plan now that Columbina did get the heroines to help and ("no green goo so far" "IT. WAS.ONE. TIME") and soon all the heroines are presented.

"So, what do we know about cursed diamonds?" Columbina begins and White Witch explains the matter of such cursed items, but, sensing she notices the stares everyone was giving she realize that didn´t need to go full encyclopedia. "Well, thank you, Wanda, but the point is...where those diamonds come from?"

Meggan and Wanda's side-eye each other for a moment as this was a question they never did until now. Lorna, the green-haired hacker takes the powerpoint presentation.

Lorna takes the lead. "Those diamonds are magical and sentient enough to form a bond with human" she has a winning smile as she wants to give a big spoiler but Columbina is muttering to her (''keep going'') "now, think about, in all those cases of diamonds cursed, what we learned about the victims?" Lorna really wants to give a spoiler and Columbina is not letting.

Sparrow being invited here by Felicia that did invite herself as well, something that Columbina loves to point out, raises her hand. "All of them are very rich to buy a diamond...by the way, what you do with the diamonds you steal?" Sparrow asked intrigued and Columbina puts her finger on her lips and wink at the teen.

"Yes, they´re rich and yes, we have questions about Columbina, for example why your cat and dog are so...odd?" Lorna asked as Cosmo and Jupiter are in Gwen´s penthouse and are raiding the fridge together.

"Focus, Lorna, Focus"

"I think your cat and dog..." Wanda looks at them for a moment as they steal something and are gone from their eyes "are very familiar"

"They´re my babies, now, Lorna..."

"Ok, back to the topic, all of those rich people buy their respective diamonds in one place..." and clicking on the bottom it shows an image of Emma Frost with a moustache and devil´s horn "this woman here is responsible. She´s the owner of the Hellfire jewellery and is getting money, too much money for normal or even successful jewellery" Lorna explains and shows some dates.

"Look, this is the normal ratio that jewellery makes...but Emma´s is making the triple...is not normal" and Lorna then concludes "and is very convenient that she has very strong insurance in case of robbery or if the diamond takes over your body"

Felicia is looking at this for a moment while Jubilee Lee is surprised, how Dark Claw let this one fly under his radar? "But" Felicia states "if the diamonds are cursed and are sentient enough...why to stay with Emma?"

"They make a symbiote relationship with Emma, maybe, because she can turn into a diamond too" Lorna finally gives the spoiler and Meggan is making questions. Lorna has no problem in showing the picture of diamond! Emma to her and Meggan is shocked, how come they never noticed this?

"Yeah, she can be a diamond but I can still phase her" Columbina explains and continues "anyway since she has a symbiotic relationship with the diamonds...it means they trust her to deliver the cursed to every citizen and " pressing the button for a moment "the number of clients that buy diamonds is increasing...she´s disguising the diamonds as bijous making more accessible to everyone. She won´t stop until the last one is infected, everyone"

Wanda and Meggan are visibly shaken. Jubilee is impressed, Felicia is ready to do something and Gwen is drinking wine. Lorna is watching Cosmo and Jupiter raid the fridge again.

"Why we just don´t go there and beat her up?" Meggan surprised even herself with this suggestion but Columbina gestures her to sit down.

"Because while is a symbiotic relationship, I have a feeling they can search for other hosts" she clicks on the button and now there are 3 photos on display "some of the possible candidates Victor Savage, a millionaire that loves everything expensive, Sophie Muller a woman who has a mine of diamonds in a few countries of Africa" they notice Kitty´s mischievous smile "suddenly is noticing the missing of money on the mines as the cities around her are getting more prosper and finally, Alex Simsan, the man is an old enemy of JLX and loves magical items, so far they all are fact but...maybe with the cursed...what can happen if those diamonds were put together with those fakes? How can we be sure they are fakes or just dormant?"

Meggan sits down and is a tick that the situation is that dire. Wanda never foresees this situation. Lorna is sharing lunch with Cosmo and Jupiter and Jubilee raises her hand again. "How can we stop this?"

"Glad you ask, Sparrow/jubilee, the first part of the plan: Emma Frost loves to give the most lavish parties in her mansion...we need someone to be there and talk with White Queen to get a hold on the magical protections that place has" Columbina looks at Gwen who is sibilating ("green goo")

And no one makes any question.

"That´s why we need Wanda there" Kitty speaks and Wanda herself is shocked. "Yes, you, Emma seems to be a big fan of you, and, no offences Meggan, but, Maximoff´s name has more worth for her than Braddock"

"I see, I´ll be undercover then, talk with everyone mentally?"

"Oh no, you´ll give info to Lorna and Felicia who will be the waitress of that party" Kitty states and Lorna is confident enough to say she can hack the database of the company who provides the buffet for those parties and put their names there.

"Meggan will shapeshifter and speak with Sebastian Shaw. He´s one of her partners and is getting a big sum of money to be quiet about the location of the cursed diamonds, but, if the boss asks" Kitty trails off and Meggan nods.

"Now, here comes the big part, we will need to take all those cursed diamonds calmly and quickly without attracting anyone´s attention. Me and Jubilee will do that...yes, kid, you´re very athletic and that could work" Jubilee does not want to show how she´s happy for those words but fails on that.

"And Gwen your mission is to advocate new jewellery that has nothing to do with Emma"

"Yes, being an influence, but, while I have some influence can this really work?"

"Yes," Meggan states looking at Gwen "Because the ladies of JLX will support the new jewellery and we have a certain influence too" and Wanda nods. Jubilee states that since she´s the daughter of the billionaire and Felicia works as a socialite in her spare time they can work on this to help Gwen.

Lorna and Kitty aren´t billionaires or influencers, but, they are changing the world...well, they´re about to change Emma´s world.

"Kitty, what are Cosmo and Jupiter?" Lorna asked as the cat and dog are watching the commotion with somewhat confusion in their eyes.

"Two excellent boys" Kitty respond proudly.

[lothirielswanmarvel]

Love and Alex Russo’s Bitchy Pills [13]

Continue the journey of Avengers: Love and Lightning here, part II of new series, The Collector’s Cosmic Romance Saga! Love, fortune and glory to you!!

~*~

Thor was right on one thing: sickness did tremble before him. After hours of naps and cuddling (and the discovery that it was impossible to gross out Thor) I could actually breathe again through my nose. The plague was just a twenty-four hour thing, but I couldn't say the same for the cramps.

The Avengers returned later, and judging by the glum looks, we hadn't made any progress.

“I never thought I’d say this, but, I think I prefer fighting Loki instead,” Steve muttered and walked up to us. Thor’s arm was wrapped around my waist while I held Loki the Cat. I still had to explain that, somehow.

Steve scratched underneath Loki the Cat’s chin. I couldn't tell for sure, but it seemed like Loki had an amused expression.

“There’s too many people here from the holidays,” Rhodey remarked, easing onto one of the armchairs. A sheen of sweat glittered across his forehead.

Natasha’s eyes narrowed at Thor’s arm around my waist. She made a soft “hmm” sound and looked away. She was smirking.

“Why are you smiling?” Sam asked her.

“ ‘Cause Clint and Tony owe me money.”

I decided not to comment, although I was sure that my new relationship with Thor had been gambled on. Steve and Rhodey exchanged a few bucks.

Stephen approached us next. His gaze drifted to me first, “How do you feel?”

“Better, thanks.” I had endless apologies lined up on my tongue, for my sucky immune system and stealing Thor from everyone. But I didn't want to linger on it. “Where to next?”

“The trail went east,” Stephen explained. “The sooner we get out of this city, the better.”

~G R E E C E~

“I think I should stay with Evangeline. Amora picked her out before, I think the Strongest Avenger should be by her side,” Thor said, practically bursting with confidence. His voice boomed slightly against the gleaming white walls of the alleyway.

Stephen looked between the two of us. “The only reason I'm allowing this is because it could work to our advantage. It might draw out Amora.”

Scott was back and part of the new group. He was off to the side, nodding along with Natasha. “I ship them so hard. What should be their ship name? Evor? Thoreline—? The last one kinda sounds like a hair product, that could work.”

“We can hear you, Scott.”

“Sorry, Gelo—oh! Gelo! Sounds like jello.”

“We’ll set up a perimeter,” Sam said, thrusting up his hood as he went into incognito mode. “I miss my wings.”

The Avengers started to empty the alleyway one by one. Stephen came up to me, “Could I speak with you alone for a minute, please?”

I felt Thor’s grip slightly tighten on my waist. I glanced up at him. He was wearing that full-lipped, too-placid smile.

“Can I catch up with you after?” I said.

“Of course,” Thor’s fake smile seemed to grow wider. He leaned down and planted a kiss on my cheek. He stared down at me for a second too long.

Thor’s arm dropped from my waist. I listened to his loud, thunderous steps as he left. Loki the Cat wiggled out of my grasp and followed him, casting a warning glare back at me.

We were alone in the alleyway. A cool dampness pressed against me in the absence of Thor’s warmth. Most buildings in the city were a gleaming white, like they were made of pearl. The alleyway was much more dank and grimy.

“Never thought you would fall for a guy so grandstanding,” Stephen remarked.

“I put up with you,” I pointed out.

Stephen’s face broke into a smile. “Fair enough. I have something for you. A little Valentine’s Day gift,”

He held out an unwrapped box. I flipped it over. I smirked at the cover.

“Claritin,” I read out loud, laughing as I did so. “Thank you. That's very thoughtful. I'm sorry, Stephen, but I didn't get you anything.”

He dismissed it. “It doesn't matter. But I had to do something, because you are the most important woman in my life.”

My gaze snapped back to him. “That's very...sweet.”

“Not in that way,” He explained as he read my facial expression. “You are the one woman in my life that I will never sleep with, and that’s a good thing—and that came out wrong, dammit.”

“Stephen, I don't understand. And it's not because I haven't taken one of these yet,” I lightly shook the box of Claritin.

He sighed. “Look, let me start from the beginning. I have no romantic feelings for you. At all. Whatsoever. You are the one woman I’ve seen in a while as a friend, and that friendship keeps me sane.”

I studied Stephen very carefully. We spent a lot of time together, but I never saw it as anything more than that. We were close; that was all.

He continued, “I'm happy for you and him. I really am, I just...I’m not ready to lose you yet.”

My face scrunched up at his words. “What do you mean? Lose me?”

“Angie, Thor’s not from Earth. Who knows how long he's sticking around, and you’ll probably go with him, and—” He paused, taking a deep breath. “You’re the one person who gets...all of this. You get the weirdness. And you’re the only person I can talk to without sounding like I'm addicted to LSD. You’re the only part left of my life that’s human.”

There were too many details to take in. I focused on the one that scared me the most. “Thor's leaving?”

Stephen huffed, and paced the small alleyway. “He has to. He's the prince of an entire race, Angie—did you really think he would stay?”

The realization stung. I bit my lip. I whispered, “I didn't think that far ahead.”

Suddenly I was thinking of Jane. Thor had left her for two years. He came back, but only to hunt down Loki’s scepter and to fight Ultron. Thor was back in space, until I dragged him back to Earth with my cosmic engagement scandal. How long would he stay?

I could go with him. I could leave Earth. And in the process, I would abandon my broken Avengers, and my poor aunt. My cupcake business, all of my contacts...my future. It would be left behind.

“I don't think I’ll leave with him,” I croaked. I would endure the pain. I was an independent person, anyway. I had my own life. I wasn't living for someone else—but the new anticipation for Thor’s absence was excruciating.

Stephen stopped pacing. I knew he was relieved, but he wasn't smiling. Stephen spoke in a gentle tone, that was otherworldly to his usual formal, croaky voice, “It's probably for the best. It’s safer. It would be easier to end it now, in the beginning—”

“End it?” I hissed. End it...end the kisses that tickled from Thor’s stubble. End the near-constant handholds and the huge smiles. End the reign of the sun, right when dawn just broke across the horizon.

Stephen nodded hesitantly. “It's not a healthy relationship, Evie. Thor lives a dangerous life—”

“Oh, come on!” I threw up my hands. I didn't care if my voice was bouncing off the grimy stone walls, “That's the best you got? Are the Avengers too dangerous now? Are you too dangerous?”

“At least I stick to one planet,” Stephen remarked.

“Yeah, overlooking the other dimensions you flit to day by day!”

“That seems as ordinary as an office job, compared to you choosing to live your life with someone who will leave you, who won't age a day in a hundred years,” Stephen’s words were extra raspy as they flew out, without restriction. “the sex would probably kill you.”

He stopped abruptly. Either he realized the error of what he said, or it was because my hand whipped across his face.

I was starting to feel sick, but not in the way I had the last twenty-four hours. My insides were gnarled and twisted, like a garden infested with weeds.

My hand lowered to my side, and I curled it back into a fist. Stephen’s face was still slightly turned to the side from my slap. His gaze eventually lifted to mine.

“It's my life. It's none of your business.” I said in a stern, venomous tone.

“I'm sorry. I was out of line.” Stephen’s voice sounded strangled and wounded.

“Out of line—? Should’ve given me aspirin instead!” I remarked, holding up the claritin.

“...Actually, I could prescribe something.”

“I would say to stick you on something, but I don't know what would make this better!” I gestured at all of him.

I stomped off, and yelled without looking back at him, “Let me know when you stop taking Alex Russo’s bitchy pills!”

“They’re strawberry flavored.”

“Oh, shut up!”

~Author’s Note~

Tony Stark: Stephen, I like to think of myself as a woman expert, and after provoking a woman during the wrong time of the month, you should leave the country.

Stephen Strange: Should I really be taking advice from someone who just got dumped on their ass?

Scott Lang: Pepper left him :( Poor guy, he's spending Valentine's Day all alone...good thing we're here!!

Tony Stark: Yes. Terrific.

Peter Quill: Okay dudes, but we all know who the TRUE woman expert is here.

Thor: You are right, Quill.

Peter Quill: That's a first. Thanks, man—

Thor: It's me :D

Wanda Maximoff: Did it ever occur to you morons that a woman expert is a woman?

Shuri: Americans. Aliens. They are all the same. Literally, I cannot tell them apart. Love, fortune and glory to you, Awesome Adventurers!!