#and she said it's fine and left it in the backyard not even attached to anything‚ just sitting there.

[squid--inc]

.....

[supernovafics]

✧∘ଂ ࿐ ཾ 𝑳𝑬𝑻𝑻𝑬𝑹 𝑶𝑵𝑬. ✭・.・✫・゜・。.

pairing: ex-bestfriend!steve x fem!reader

word count: 683 words

warnings: explicit language, minor mentions of parental trauma 

series masterlist | last part — next part

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。. .・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.

❝ 𝒊 𝒅𝒐𝒏'𝒕 𝒘𝒂𝒏𝒏𝒂 𝒍𝒐𝒔𝒆, 𝒊 𝒅𝒐𝒏'𝒕 𝒘𝒂𝒏𝒏𝒂 𝒍𝒐𝒔𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒚𝒐𝒖. ❞

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。. .・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.

Dear Steve,

Do you remember how we met?

Weirdly enough, I remember the exact moment. Mainly because I was so fucking nervous. (side note: being the new kid in town sucks absolute ass)

But, anyway, I moved in next door to you and our parents hit it off immediately since it turned out that our dads were going to be working with each other. 

As they all nonstop talked for a solid fifteen minutes in the front yard and I stood by like the most lonely twelve-year-old fifth wheel ever, you pulled up on your bicycle coming from God knows where. 

Our parents were quick to introduce us, and then they made you hang out with me. It was nice finally seeing and interacting with a kid my age, but I also thought that you would hate me since our parents were essentially forcing this “play date” to happen. However, you were actually really nice and I was kind of glad that my parents forced me to meet you. 

We went to your backyard and sat by your pool, and I remember that it was insanely hot that day and I really wanted to go swimming but had no idea where my bathing suit was packed among the boxes scattered in our new garage. I could tell that you really wanted to swim too, and although I told you that it would’ve been completely fine if you did it without me, you shrugged like it was no big deal and said that you didn’t want me to feel left out. Which, now looking back on that moment, is probably when I knew that I really wanted us to be friends. 

It surprised me how much we had in common and how so much of that commonality came from how insane our parents were. In the moment it felt funny, but now I can’t help but see how sad it was because of how nonchalantly we were talking about our parents being so neglectful to us. 

You told me the story about when you were in first grade and your mom forgot to pick you up from school because she booked a spa appointment that went until 5pm, and that’s how you learned how to walk home. And I followed up by talking about the time both my parents missed my dance recital when I was eight because my dad worked late (even though he said he wouldn’t), and my mom somehow showed up so late that she missed the number I danced in. 

Now I’m realizing that those fucked up storytimes were probably what cemented our friendship. Because somehow we both found someone that actually fully understood what all of that parental shittiness was like. 

The next day I went over to your house again, since mine was still in complete disarray from unpacking, and I brought a bunch of my favorite movies and we watched them in your living room. 

It’s funny because I think you hated all of them, or at least most of them, and I remember thinking something along the lines of: “I can never talk to this guy again. How could he hate The Great Gatsby? He’s an idiot!”

Of course, none of that happened, because aside from your horrific judgment of movies (which I hope has changed by now), I already saw you as an important person in my life. 

I think we probably spent that entire summer before school started attached at the hip, and when school did finally start it felt okay walking in as the new kid because you were there. Helping me and protecting me from the idiots. 

Twelve-year-old me truly never thought that there would be a time when we weren't the greatest of friends with each other. And I know how naive that probably was for me to think.

But, actually, I don't believe it was entirely that naive to think because we were different. You and me, our friendship, was different than just any other one.

And I honestly think that if I didn't mess things up as badly as I did, we would still be in each other's lives right now.

Sincerely,

Y/N

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。. .・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.

next part

[silverynight]

By blood

<---Previous

Part IV

Tanjirou doesn't like to lie and yet he's been lying to his hashira ever since the whole thing with Akaza started.

He knows they don't deserve it, but he can't risk the demon's life in the process. Besides, Tanjirou can't give up on him now that he said he's willing to become human if there's a cure for him.

Everybody deserves a second chance, especially when they're making an effort to be better.

"Was it a difficult mission, sunshine?" Kanroji asks, face darkening with concern. She pulls Tanjirou into her arms, but has to let go of him because Kocho wants to make sure he's completely fine.

"No, actually it was pretty easy," he says, cheeks turning slightly pink. He's determined to say as many truths as he can.

"Are you hurt?" Kocho asks then, cradling his face with both hands.

"No. I'm fine," Tanjirou mumbles, which is also the truth. The demon didn't have the time to do anything because Akaza arrived quickly.

"I'm glad!" Uzui grins before carrying Tanjirou in his arms and taking him to the backyard where his wives are waiting for them.

All of them, including Tokito, who attaches himself to Tanjirou as soon as Uzui puts him back on the ground, Kocho and Kanroji have lunch together.

Tanjirou really wishes he could tell them everything, but then he remembers his and Nezuko's trial and thinks that's a very bad idea.

The other Pillars are busy at the moment, but Kocho makes sure to send them messages assuring them Tanjirou is back and he's completely fine.

Some of them pay him a visit the next day though; they make sure he's alright, bring him gifts as usual and spend as much time with him as they can.

They're very good people.

He gets a partner for his next mission, which means Akaza can't see him or help him that time. Tanjirou tries to finish as quickly as possible, but it gets him a little bit hurt in the process.

"Tanjirou!" Genya is the one who ends up saving him more than once and the redhead feels very grateful for having the boy with him.

"It's okay! I'm fine! At least it's over!" He smiles, although he is too exhausted to walk and Genya notices it.

He carries him to the nearest inn, where they get to rest for a while.

"We have to spend the night," Genya insists, placing Tanjirou on a futon. "You're too tired to move at the moment."

The redhead grimaces, even though he knows his friend is right. Although he really wanted to go back to the butterfly estate so they could give him another mission as soon as possible.

"Okay," he nods, feeling his body like it has grown too heavy for him.

"Do you want me to call a doctor?"

"No, I'll be fine. These are just scratches."

Genya nods, although he's still worried about him.

"D-Do you want me to change your clothes? They left us a couple of robes here."

Tanjirou is so focused on his need to rest and the idea of having some comfy clothes on is so appealing, it doesn't occur to him why it'd be a bad idea to let Genya help him with that.

"Yes, please," he sighs and gets a little bit confused by the way Genya's face turns completely red.

Too late it comes to his mind that the only one who has undressed him up until that point is Akaza... Tanjirou sits on the futon only to find a very embarrassed Genya handing him a robe with a shaky hand.

"Are those... Do you have a lover? I'm sorry! It's none of my business!" Genya stammers, immediately turning his head away from Tanjirou.

Of course he's seen the bite marks.

Tanjirou takes the robe, covers himself and thanks the gods Genya didn't look close enough to realize those are demon bites.

And yet he feels like this is not good.

"Yes, I'm seeing someone," he blurts out, which is not actually a lie, but it's not the truth either. However, he thinks it's better if Genya believes he has a boyfriend. "He's... intense."

Tanjirou feels his own face burning up as soon as he tries to "explain" the marks on his thighs. No wonder Genya thought he had a lover.

"Is it serious?" The tall boy asks in a whisper, looking miserable for a second. "I mean... do you think you'll end up marrying him?"

Tanjirou bites his bottom lip, considering for a brief second to tell Genya the truth. No, it's too risky. What if he ends up blurting everything out in front of his older brother?

"No, I'm not going to marry him," Tanjirou whispers. "It's not like that."

Which is also the truth. Akaza would probably laugh if he found out someone thinks they're lovers.

"Oh," Genya releases the breath he's been holding, looking almost relieved. "That's... okay. Although I think you should tell the Pillars."

Tanjirou pales; no, they are the last people who should know about that. Besides, they would quickly realize that Tanjirou is trying to feed a demon instead of sleeping with another boy.

No. He won't tell them.

"I don't think they care about something like this."

"Trust me, they do," Genya says. "Although maybe you're right, perhaps you should wait a little bit because I think Nemi would kill the guy if he knew."

Tanjirou thinks that too, but for a completely different reason.

"Will you keep the secret, right?"

"Of course, Tanjirou," Genya says and gasps when the redhead pulls him into a grateful hug. "Can I c-cuddle you tonight?"

"You don't even have to ask, Genya!"

For a couple of minutes, Tanjirou decides to forget about the trouble he's in and try to sleep, unfortunately, the tall boy still has a couple of questions for him.

"Why are you dating him?"

"We're not exactly dating," Tanjirou mumbles, glad Genya is cuddling him from behind and can't see his face. "I'm just... giving him something he needs."

Which is not a lie, although Tanjirou immediately regrets phrasing it that way, mostly due to the way Genya reacts.

"You shouldn't..." the boy almost growls, turning Tanjirou around to stare into his eyes; he's angry, but not with Tanjirou. "You shouldn't let anyone use you like that! I mean I know it's none of my business, but please just... you could do so much better! The Pillars would never treat you like this! My brother–"

Tanjirou presses their foreheads together to calm the other boy down; it works like a charm.

"Thank you for worrying so much about me, Genya, but I know what I'm doing," he assures him with a gentle smile. "Besides, I know the hashira are good people and they care about me a lot, but it's not like that."

His Pillars don't see him that way; they're just very good friends.

Genya shakes his head, but doesn't say anything else, instead he pulls Tanjirou closer.

***

"Tanjirou!" Rengoku rushes into the recovery room before sitting on the bed next to him and pulling him into his arms. "I'm glad you're okay!"

When the flame hashira starts nuzzling against his cheek before Iguro complains and pulls him away from the other Pillar, Tanjirou can't help but giggle.

It always makes him so happy to be around his hashira, even if not all of them are present at the moment.

"Are you sure they don't see you that way?" Genya asks from the other side of the room as soon as Iguro and Rengoku get out to bring him some food.

"They're my friends," Tanjirou mumbles, ignoring the way his heart starts beating furiously inside his chest. He turns around to look at Genya and realizes that his friend is still angry at his "boyfriend" for treating him like that.

Maybe he should tell him the truth. But Tanjirou is not sure; no, he needs to inform Akaza about what happened first.

***

Next--->

Patreon

[mrs-dasilva-santos]

Pt. 1

*How it started*

You were getting ready to go to your friend Lori's party she had invited you and your sister who is of the most top models of the year.

Zaire Fahmi

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Zaire Fahmi: Out fit for tonight🌃 🌟

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@Zendaya:you slayed the fit

@didistone:😍

@tyla:thats my bestie💕

You arrived at Lori's party with your sister zai, you both started greeting every one there was really no new faces or anyone you didn't really know

Until "Zai and Zaire" you heard Lori call both you and your older sister to introduce you to a guy who you feel like you've seen bit not really.

"This is my guy friend Keith"

"Nice to meet you ladies"

"Keith this is Zai and Zaire some of my very best friends hope you guys get to know each other more" she said while walking away to greet more people.

"I'll go to" your older sister said leaving only you and Keith at the same spot

Keith looked at Zaire her beautiful brown skin her pearly brown eyes and breathtaking body that was heard not to look at.

Not a while ago Keith had broken up with his long term relationship girlfriend he wasn't really desperate for love but Zaire seemed to be one of the prettiest girls he's seen since which lead to these unholy thoughts in his head.

Keith shook his head coming back to reality he didn't even realize that Zaire started talking to someone else.

"Hey Zaire right?

"Yeah that's me" you said with a little giggle at the end

"How about we go take a walk in the backyard it's much less noisy out there"

"Sure" you said without hesitation

You and Keith were walking around this huge house's backyard talking about your life achievements and how life was before you were put on the spot light.

The more he heard you talk the more Keith fell for you he was trying not to get to attached of course because it was you guys first time meeting but it seemed impossible.

You stopped and sat on a bench that was next to a tree in the backyard

Keith looked at your eyes that are impossible to forget you looked at him too to gonna lie you do find him.

In a split second you find yourself and Keith kissing on the bench you closed you eyes as his soft lips crashed into yours you felt butterflies in your stomach.

But it all came to an end when you heard you sisters voice "Zaire I'm leaving do you wanna stay"

You broke away from your kiss taking your purse back in your hands "I think I have to go now" you told Keith as you started walking away.

"Yo- Zaire" he called after you "can I at least get your number- O or even you Instagram" he yelled out but you were already going.

"Well it was nice seeing you guys here" Lori said while hugging you goodbye

"Yeah it was nice too"

"Well by" you said before leaving

On the other hand Keith was frustrated sad because you left and disappointed in himself because he should have asked you for your Instagram before all that happened.

Soon enough Lori noticed his behavior and ask him "what's the matter Keith are you ok"

"No I'm not but you could make me feel better if you give me Zaire's Instagram"

"Ok" she said in a confused tone

"Wait Keith don't tell me that..." She Ross one eyebrow before coming to the conclusion

"You like Zaire" she said in a teasing tone.

They both looked at each other before bursting into laughter.

"Ay I'm just sayin she's mad fine"

To be continued

[animated-unicorn]

I Would Have Done the Same - Chapter 3

Astarion x Tav (Freyja) Minor Act 1 spoiler. Freyja was on edge and desperate and could only think to turn to Astarion for help.

Read chapter 1 here -> https://www.tumblr.com/animated-unicorn/740359880245952512/i-would-have-done-the-same-chapter-1?source=share

The night of the Tiefling party was a week behind them, but Astarion’s thoughts would often drift back to that night. He almost missed the feeling of her skin on his fingertips and the all-too-familiar pained look in her eyes. Astarion shook his head to shake her from his thoughts and groaned when it didn't work. He began to fear that his simple plan would be harder to enact than he previously predicted. The attachment he began to feel for Freyja would only hurt him in the end. Life was too cruel for such attachments. He could feel his frown deepen as he continued behind the rest of the group, lost in thought. 

Freyja was leading the way, her eyes wide open and bloodshot.  Now that they were traveling in the Underdark, Freyja's nerves had heightened. She couldn’t help but strain her eyes, as she looked for any sign of a threat. The Underdark was dangerous, but for Freyja, it was exceptionally more deadly. The letter she received a week ago threatened that she must return home immediately, or she would be taken there forcibly. She knew she must consider her next actions carefully, but a part of her wondered if her mother would truly come after her. Now that she was practically traversing in her home’s backyard, she knew she should be on guard. She also knew she should tell her companions. She knew this and yet she hadn’t told anyone. Not even Astarion, whom she had grown closer to in the past couple of weeks. She feared that speaking it aloud would only give it the power to twist her nightmares into a sickening reality. That was her first stupid mistake. An oversight she would have normally avoided if it wasn’t for her recent restlessness. For the past couple of days, she has been unable to meditate. Night after night, she would try for hours but instead, she was forced to relive her anxieties about that damned letter and the horrors of her life down here. Just to give herself something to do she would read that letter over and over again in an incessant loop trying to find any subtext that would provide any helpful information. Was there something wrong back home, and that’s why her mother wanted her back? Or did her mother just finally notice her absence? 

One solution she had found for sleeping was effective but left her bloodless for the rest of the day. Freyja still felt she was more on her game when she had her sleep despite the bloodless effects. Although Astarion noticed her reddened eyes with dark circles underneath, he relished in her dependency on him for a moment of reprieve and the opportunity to satiate his hunger. Selfishly he indulged in her wishes and fed from her the past two nights. Every night after she stumbled out of his tent he convinced himself that it was not his problem. However, a small part of him began to wrestle against his usual detachment. Alongside his growing concern for her welfare, his suspension that there was foul play behind their fearless leader’s current state grew.

 “Astarion. Can I come in?” Freyja mumbled outside of Astarion’s tent. 

“Go ahead,” Astarion called back. He shifted up straighter, closing his book. Freyja came in, face a bit pale. He could hear her heartbeat beating quickly. “Gods. You look awful.” 

“Always the charmer. And to think I would have let you feed from me again.” She smiled but was a bit lopsided as if she was too exhausted to fully perform.

“I think you may need it more than me.” His eyes roamed over her from head to toe. 

“I’ll be fine.” She said sternly, straightening her posture to appear more awake and alert. She smiled reassuringly. 

“So will I.” He smiles at her, his fangs peaking under his lip. “Now what is this really about? Just like to have a man at your neck?” Blood rushed to her cheeks. 

“No! I just… It helps me rest.” Her shoulders dropped in defeat at the admission. 

“I’m sure Shadowheart or Halsin could make a meditation draft for you. It would be the smart thing to do,  not that I am complaining,” he teased.

“Of course, they could, but this way you get something too.” Her voice dropped almost to a whisper. “We are a team, aren’t we?” 

“Team? I suppose we are. Very well, I shall help you fall asleep.” His wicked smile returned. She could swear that his eyes darkened as they drank up her form. She let out a relieved exhale as she dropped to her knees in front of him. 

“Thank you,” she whispered, letting her eyes close. 

“Thank me with an answer.” 

“What’s the question?” Her eyes opened; he was closer to her now. His nose just barely brushed against hers. 

“What changed? Ever since we came down here…” His eyes widened for a second. Recognition settled in. 

“Is your mother still looking for you?” Freyja’s eyes bolted to meet his. Her heart skipped a beat before pounding against her chest again. She could feel her hands begin to clam up. 

“Why do you care?!” She snapped before she could think. “If you're not hungry then I will leave.” Astarion struggled with what to say or do after her outburst. He could see her arms shaking despite crossing tightly. 

“Don’t,” he said quietly. His heart clenched as he looked at her. Fear bubbling up that everything he had built between the two of them had shattered. He couldn't let her leave, at least not like this. “May I?” He asked, his hand hovering over her collar. Her head just barely nodded. He slowly pushed back her collar and leaned in. She even smelled different. Could emotions affect such a thing? Astarion thought as he pierced her neck right where he bit the night before. He was always so careful to not create another scar. 

He fed very little this night, painfully aware of her state with each swallow. As soon as he sensed her muscles relaxed, he pulled away. She almost seemed disappointed as he looked down at her. Blood dripping down from her wound and staining her tattered blouse. 

“You can rest here if you would like?” Astarion suggested gently, her eyes now half-lidded. Her unfocused gaze stared past him for several moments before she could muster her reply. 

“I'm fine.” She stumbled to her feet, waving her hand away when he attempted to lend a hand. “Thanks,” she grunted. Her steps were quick as she made her way to her bedroll. The letter was finally the last thing on her mind as she crashed onto the floor, unconscious. 

Her dreams at first were strangely peaceful. She was back at her apartment in Baldur’s Gate. It was located in the Lower District, crushed between two larger buildings. It was cramped and barren, but Freyja adored it. She had spent most of her life underground in a cold, pristine palace. She needed the warmth and closeness. Her little apartment did just that. This particular night she was doodling around her collection of old contracts, not bothering to use the fresh parchment she had purchased a ten-day ago. Most of the time Freyja was excellent at perception but this night her mind was elsewhere. Due to her lack of sleep and grumbling stomach, Freyja was easily caught off guard. Mere inches away from where she sat, was her mother. Her thin lips were pulled in a scowl as two piercing red eyes stared down at Freyja. 

“You can’t hide from me forever, child,” her mother’s deep sultry tone spat. 

Her mother’s anger echoed in the back of Freyja’s mind as she fought to wake.  Her eyes shot open to see the world upside down. The back of what she can assume to be a man from this bizarre angle, clothed in drow leathers. Her wrists and ankles burned as coarse rope constrained her heavy limbs together. Despite the dense fog of numbness that blanketed her, her stomach twisted in sickening hot coils that sent sweat to her brow and forced her mouth to water. 

“Finally you are awake. I would have thought you would have been smarter than that. Mithridatism is practically the first thing mother taught us as children, and yet my dear little sister thinks she knows better.” His voice boomed as a dark chuckle left his lips. Freyja’s mind struggled to think past the haze, trying to recall an opportunity that would have left her defenseless to his attack. The letter. Mother had poisoned the letter, and then sent her brother, Kalid to retrieve her. A poison that most likely was the cause of her restlessness. Little did he know she did poison herself just a little bit every day, but nothing could have prepared her for the hours she had held that letter, rereading it.

“What does she want from me?!” She attempted to screech but she was interrupted by a burst of coughs. Her senses began to return, numbness replaced with aches and a sharp pain in her side. 

Astarion woke later than usual. Due to Freyja’s nightly visits, his hunger has been just a bit quieter. Once again his night dragged on as his mind incessantly analyzed Freyja while replaying the moments they had shared. 

“Hey Freyja, you want eggs and sausage again today, right?” Gale yelled across the camp. Astarion was quick to smother his ears with his pillow. No reply. Gale yelled again, his voice even more piercing. “Freyja?! You awake?” His voice is louder. Astarion sits up, brows creased. Gale threw back the flap to Freyja’s tent and gasped. Gale’s quick heartbeat was loud in Astarion’s ears. 

“What happened!?” Astarion yelled as he bolted over, now peering over Gale’s shoulders. He could not stop the gasp that left his lips when he took in the interior. Freyja’s bedroll was stained in red crimson and thrown up against the wall. There was a crumpled-up letter on the floor next to her backpack that was on its side with all of its contents scattered. Astarion snatched up the letter and skimmed it. Gale looked at Astarion impatiently, the paper titled just so that Gale couldn’t read it. 

“What does it say?” Gale huffed. 

“It says that we need to be out there searching for her, right now,” Astarion commanded, folding the letter and putting it in his pocket. The rest of the party packed up camp and headed out, following what they hoped was the direction Freyja went.

You can also read this on AO3 <3

[fandomfollowerart]

Woods Brothers AU

Based off this video! If you scroll down you can see me debating the idea. Sorry if this isn’t great I just browsed for grammar errors and didn’t really re-read it I sat on my bed, staring up at the ceiling while music blared through my headphones. I did this a lot when I was bored with nobody to talk to. E.J and Ben were out on a mission and Liu was who knows where. It was still- a bit weird, my relationship with my brother, he still cast a few snide remarks my way but- it was mostly civil, and it was nice… Nice that my brother was alive, nice that we were actually getting along, and nice to be back being as normal as we both could be. Granted… it didn’t stop the guilt that still swarmed me at the sight of the scars I’d left on his life and his body. It didn’t stop the nightmares that still plagued me of that night. It didn’t stop the constant thoughts of ‘I don’t deserve this.’ But that was fine. That was karma for everything I’d done to him. I still had my brother, and he didn’t completely hate me. I was pulled from my thoughts as my headphones were pulled from my ears only to meet Liu’s gaze as he smiled at me. It became much easier to tell between him and Sully since we started getting along. “I swear if you keep listening to your music this loud you’re going to blow your ear drums.” I snatched them away from him, but shut off the music. “If you hear how much E.J chastises me for how much I get injured and ‘Jeff it’s a stupid idea to fight a God’, you’d want to lose your hearing too. Anyways, what did you need?” I asked, sitting up. He laughed but spoke up, “Well, I found this really cool place out in the woods, perfect for stargazing, and wanted to ask you to come see it with me. Ya know, spend some- brotherly time together.” I hardly hesitated, quickly agreeing. When we were younger we did it a lot. When one of us couldn’t sleep we’d go outside together to the backyard and just stare at the sky. He’d gotten me a book on the constellations one year and we both had a blast with it. It sent a wave of emotions remembering those times. Happiness that we were getting back to it, but sadness and guilt at what I had given up. I took a deep breath, pushing the thoughts aside and standing up. “Let’s get going.” —————I ran through the woods, after Liu as he had decided to run ahead, challenging me to a race. Due to how out of the blue it was and my feet decided to find every tree root, I was falling behind, having to rely on the broken twigs and footprints left behind. I eventually made it to what I assumed was the clearing he was talking about, but he was nowhere to be seen. I called out to him, only gaining no reply. “Go to sleep, Jeffery.” Before I could even process what was said, or figure out who the voice even belonged to, something hit me over the head. Hard. I fell to the ground from the force and lost the fight to keep conscious. Everything faded to black.—————Ugh… my head… What ha- The memories flooded back to me. Liu’s offer, chasing him through the woods, someone hitting me over the head… The room I was in was dimly lit by a shitty pull string lightbulb but I was able to make something out. 3 figures, 1 sat in the corner in shadow and the other two I recognized quickly, even in my slightly dazed state. Jane and Nina. I tried to lunge at them, trying to grab my knife. That was quickly stopped by the restraints they had me in. Handcuffs attached to chains stuck to the wall. Shit… this wasn’t good… The attempt earned a giggle from all of them. I had to get out of this. I wasn’t dying here. I kept struggling. “Alright assholes let me go! Or are you too scared to fight me head-on?” I taunted, trying to rile them both up. I’d deal with the shady person after I got out of these stupid chains. They both glared at me, but I gave them no chance to speak. “Awww, you are scared.” Jane took a step towards me, pulling out her knife. “Let’s just get this over with. This f**ker’s getting on my last nerve.” she hissed, taking another step. The figure in the corner moved quickly, putting a hand on Jane’s shoulder. Liu….? No. No this had to be Sully. It hated me since we first met after all with no sign of giving me a chance as my brother did. “Relax Jane, don’t want to spoil this too soon, right? We agreed to let him suffer for what he did, didn’t we?” Nina pipped up in agreeance, gripping her own weapon as she glared at me. “Let me go.” I hissed, grabbing the other two’s attention. As they both turned to me, I noticed something. See- one of the easiest ways to tell Liu apart from Sully was the earrings they had on that switched depending on who’s in control. And right now… they were green… “Liu…?” I said, barely above a whisper. He-... N-no he- he said he was willing to try. He said he was willing to fix things! “How- H-how could…-” Liu laughed. Full on laughed. Like I had either said the funniest thing or I was a complete idiot. Probably the latter- He stepped closer to me. Kneeling down to my level on the ground and quickly composed himself. “How could I do this? I would think you’d have been smarter than that. Why would I ever forgive you? You ruined my life.” The words were like a punch to the gut. Sure… I had the thoughts myself. But hearing them come from his mouth hurt more than anything I’d been doing to myself. I stared up at him, all the feelings I’m sure reflecting on my face. “You… betrayed me….?” He stood, stepping back to stand with the two girls. “Of course I did! Look at us. Look at the people you’ve ruined. What did any of us do to you, huh?” I felt like crying in all honesty. The waves of guilt washed over me. Actually- it felt like being run over by a truck. “I’m sorry… I didn’t-” “Save your breath.” Liu stated, a threatening tone to his voice, “To be honest, I don’t care about your apologies. You will, and always will be, a monster and a murderer.” I lowered my head, keeping my mouth shut. What else could I do…? It hurt… being backstabbed, but- wasn’t that what I’d done all those years ago to him? My past actions had finally caught up with me, and this was the consequence. I deserved this. Especially from Liu.

[cryptid-killjoy]

Kuzco’s Mardi Gardi Head Canon

The Groovemaster’s Llamageddon of Feral 

The Groovemaster would consider where he was going to spend his Fat Tuesday when he heard from Bastien there was a little shindig at Funkytown. Cute. How quaint. There was always New Zealand. He could go see that fine bunch of people. He knew they knew how to party as was Delta’s line of thinking when she was feeling a sense of nostalgia and rage at her own attachments. Peru? He could stay there and bring the Mardi to the place of his birth where his daughter now had control. There was always Italy. He could take a hop over there and hit up the relatives that took him and Clopin in on his mother’s side and give them a good time. Paris was never a bad time. He could opt for some place completely new. There were so many options for Lil’ Llama as he watched his Kuzcoptia being rebuilt into perfection on the ol’ Pachacuti estate.

New Groove Chef handed him a plate of shishkabobs while New Groove Nail Chick was giving a pedicure as he was watching the low budget horror movie Llamageddon. He was also having New Groove Maid turn the pages on a photo album so he wouldn’t get food on the book when he came across photos Sassy with the big dick spray painted on his back. Clopin did that one day when they were in a budding youth of their relationship in Nola. He missed ol’ Sassy. He was a special Llama, a draco-llama actually. He’d burp fire every now and again due to having cross genetics. He wasn’t a space llama like in the movie he had on screen, but something about it inspired the Groovemaster to hunt down Sassy’s origin story. 

There had to be more, right? Was he one of a kind? Kuzco got his people right on it. He had people again. Well, rephrase. Piper had people now and he was a part of it just like her Papa Clopin. She wouldn’t begrudge them a resource. Even if all Kuzco had left with was his parents’ money and estate the hierarchy was hers. Still, Kuzco and Clopin were like icons at this point now that the story was out. Absolute icons. Despite not being the original Kuzco he sure as Hell was the one and only and the people adored him all over again as sort of symbol if not anything else. 

That said he found out Sassy was one more result of Yzma’s secret lab. This one was one more That said he found out Sassy was one more result of Yzma’s secret lab. This one was one more botch of the poison for Kuzco, the poison chosen especially to kill Kuzco, Kuzco's poison. In the making of said poison there was a lab accident with her animal morphing potions. Some potions got mixed together and Kronk pushed all the lab animals out that were licking the floor of the spilled and mixed up portions of potions trying to hide his accident and voila. There were a handful of rare magic mixed up animals out there that got captured and sold off. Sassy just so happened to get sold to someone who gave Sassy to Kuzco as a gift. The information wasn’t hard to track down because it was left on Yzma’s notes in her not so secret, secret lab, which was abandoned after she was put on her permanent outplacement program oh so long ago. Otherwise they may have never figured it out. 

With the mystery solved Kuzco didn’t have the heart to try and recreate the same accident to come up with more Sassy’s or draco-llamas as he liked to call him, but he did decide it was a shame Feral wouldn’t have a cool llama like Sassy anymore. He looked out in his own backyard and he could see llamas for miles scattered on the hills. Nola was only cool when he and Sassy walked down the street. He started to see this as a problem for Feral. He decided he was going to be a fix it guy like Thomas. 

Fuck yeah. 

So, he got dressed for Fat Tuesday. He told his daughter, the Pied Piper, to herd the llamas. They were going to Feral. Bring it in Clopin. 

Then as a last minute adjustment to his outfit the Groovemaster would get a golden king’s scepter and place a llama head golf club cover over top of the fancy ornamental scepter piece.  But, that wasn’t all. He got The New Groove Seamstress Lady to tear out eyes and stick in little red laser pointers. Then he had them sew on a jester hat to Mardi Grasify it. The fucker had a Llamageddon killer space llama with jingle bells on his scepter.to shake at people all night and point at their eyes if he so wanted. He would also drive cats up walls. 

Over time he’d probably stop saying New Groove in front of all the new staff’s titles, but he’d been in a mode of loving his new life. So, it was kind of a thing at the moment. 

Then on he’d go. He’d follow the Pied Piper into Feral, the only girl on this earth with a special way and completely safe way in and under a truce with Delta and Frank to do so. Speaking of them. They were gone by happenstance and Kuzco was taking over Feral for a night. He was pretty damn sure the two headed dragon was going to thank him when they got back. 

His Groove Music? The end groove from Llamageddon. When the Blue Piper’s doors busted open this night and the Groovemaster’s Booyah stamped out that door to gift Feral with his presence the sounds of “Llamageddon! Llamageddon! Llamageddon! It’s a Llamageddon muthafucker” were the first words that would BOOM loud bass beats and echo into the city. 

Then the parade of llamas would enter behind him. He’d shuffle step to this tune as dozens of llamas from the hills of Peru flooded into Feral all dressed up in purple and gold so fabulous one would think they were ready for a drag queen event. 

Piper in her get up and make up would be a sight with her flute and devil stick as they paraded this line of flamboyant llamas through town. 

Now, Feral had some issues. Kuzco realized this because Willem talked to Piper sometimes. There were a few annoying things, okay. He and Figaro couldn’t exactly order out pizza and do all the convenient life things they used to. Other than that Willem didn’t mind the changes at all. He was excited to go on his Pixie Hollow adventure and the town looked pretty bad ass to him. He was glad all the assholes were gone truth be told, but there were challenges at the moment. They’d figure it out. It was okay. Kuzco doesn’t like challenges. He hears any of this sort of talk and his ears tune out with a big cringey ew. He doesn’t want to hear anything about it. Now as wonderful as Feral is for Delta and Frank and theirs yada yada yada. Whatever. This is where Kuzco and Clopin met and Delta can think this place is hers. Good for her. Kuzco is going to fix a few things that need fixing. 

After Piper spreading feral costumed llamas around Feral would also come out of the Blue Piper the construction crew. Flyers would be posted around as they marched about how The Blue Piper was now “the place” for Italian, Peruvian, French, Cajun, Soul, Creole mixed cuisine takeout, for all your groovetastic delish on the tongue, whatever your taste buds crave needs by a specialty New Groove Chef provided by Groovemaster Entertainment Industries. Then of course the Blue Piper’s phone number would be listed but there would also be code to scan to pull up a menu, and info on downloading the app for delivery. 

He was turning The Blue Piper into what was needed and that was apparently everything. He could afford to have a second set of staff to cater to the people of Feral for food. Every room in the inn would be a different specialty shop. It was small. There was hardly anyone in Feral, but they were to start to cater as needs arise and create a room if needed. Work as they go. If you need a specialty worker, a plumber, an electrician, a tailor, a piano mover, absolutely anything and everything that Feral does not provide anymore, who you gonna call? Not the Ghostbusters. The Blue Piper. Always, always the top floor for Kuzco and Clopin will be left as it always was with the fresh blue flowers just in case Chihiro ever comes back.  

Why would he do all this? Because suddenly Feral wasn’t cool enough and that didn’t work for Kuzco. He needed to coolify Feral. Thus came the Llamageddon of 2023. 

Next, he’d lead this llama march to the street corner where he met Clopin. He’d make sure the tree was safe and in place. He’d order his construction crew to put a half fence around the bend of the corner to make a park-like medium of the area with a bench kick ass stone bench where people can take a load off. Then he’d put in a star in the sidewalk like the Hollywood stars with Clopin’s name in it and all his many titles, even Street King. He would not let Clopin argue it. He’d bonk him on the head with his llama jingle bells if he did. Jester. Reaper. Among others. But absolutely it would say Street King, not former Street King. Just Street King. That’s who Clopin always was there. No one else ever lived up to the title. So that’s that in Kuzco’s mind. 

This was Clopin’s corner damn it. He performed on many a corner but this one was a special corner. Delta could claim the whole damn city but this was theirs. Of course no one wanted to be a bench. It was turning the corner into more than that. It was a protected spot, beautified with the bench. That was sitting. So, was a boulder and the tree branches behind it. But, the real add in around the corner besides the star was a puppet show theater stage. It would look like a miniature castle made of stone, solid, like a fortress to match Feral. He at least did Delta this favor. But, the purple and gold trim they’d never get out of. Now Willem or Smalls or whoever would have a nice corner to commemorate the best corner in the land of Feral there ever was where the best jester there ever was always used to perform and if Feral was ever lucky maybe could catch again some day before his days were done. 

Kuzco knew their friends that hosted their hideout off the grid days so well he did Flotsam a favor too. He put a plaque up by that tree where Flotsam used to climb so high and watch his husband the streets’ best jester ever, best entertainer, best magician, best cart wheeler, and dubbed it Flotsam’s Tree. The best tree for watching the best jester there ever was on this street corner.  He was just a boy who would hide up there trying to figure out how Clopin did his tricks. He never did figure them out, but fuck yeah it was Flotsam’s tree. Now it was there in front on a stone before that tree to say so forever, a big heavy sitting boulder, nice and purdy, done up by Kuz’s New Groove Landscaper Guy. 

He’d of course leave room for any of Clopin’s ideas in this llamageddon takeover march through Feral. Koda would come out and see the march when Will and Zero refused to let him hibernate indoors for this holiday either. Those two boys were going to make sure the triple threat crew of boys got back together and back in sync whether Koda liked it or not. 

There were already stray undead lurking about Feral, zombies were not unrealistic after what the Horned King had done, stray animals loose, and wild animals from the zoo loose too, odd creatures from the dark fae realm. Feral was quite... well... feral already. Now Kuzco marched in a bedazzled uncounted number of colorful sassy llamas. He would show up to the Funkytown party without an invite, totally crash that scene with llamas draped in beads and shades in tow ready to spit on anyone who looks at them wrong, divas all. But, he would leave them all dressed up in Feral as they were. 

It was his gift. It was like when the fairies bestowed their gifts on Sleeping Beauty. Well, Kuzco was bestowing Feral with gifts too. Damn cool llamas and the fucking place to be. The Blue Piper. So by the time Delta ever gets back from her trip to The Lion Heart she’s going to come back to the castle, look over her land, and see scattered purple and gold fabulous llamas everywhere and Kuzco’s flyers. Every single flyer would say: You’re Welcome.  

[stewardofningishzida]

Heartwarming Story 1:  Bathtub Surprise!

A few days before my 10th birthday, it was business as usual. Though one day, my dog started barking and scratching at our bathtub. At first, we thought it might have been a lizard or something under the house. So, we paid it no mind, figuring it would crawl back out the way that it came in.

The next day, while I was at school, the dog kept barking and scratching. My dad went to go check and found 4 newborn kittens under our house. The mother had given birth under our bathtub a few days beforehand and had presumably gone off to hunt. He carefully passed my mom the kittens and she brought them into the house. Then, my dad set up a trap to catch the mom so she could be brought in safely to take care of her babies inside. He managed to capture her and took her inside. It turned out that she was a feral cat and incredibly fierce, but thankfully her maternal instincts were strong and she went to nurse her babies as soon as my parents left her alone in the spare room.

When I got home, I was told the news and quietly peeked into the room to look at the cats. Mama Cat shot under the daybed like a brown streak. The kittens were in a large cat bed sleeping. Within 2 seconds, I fell in love with all of them, including the mother. I cooed at them softly, but gave them space because I didn’t want to scare them. My parents said not to get too attached because they were only going to stay until they were big enough to be adopted. I was a bit disappointed, but happy that we at least had more animals for a little while.

Our dog, Muttley, was still curious, but we kept her away from the room to protect the cats. My mom’s old cat was also curious, but fairly calm. Kitty Kitty was a very relaxed calico cat. She had simply followed my mom home one day and stayed with her. So, Mom had adopted her. Muttley had come later as a Christmas present when I was 2 years old and she was a mixed-breed. We suspect that she had some terrier in her because she was very hyper and would occasionally hunt gophers in the backyard. We tried to discourage her and would place gopher repellent where we hoped that Muttley couldn’t reach while it could still keep gophers away, but she still had a way of finding the poor things. Despite that, she was a good girl and very protective of all of us. Being an almost 10 year old, I was excited about any animal and my heart had (and still has) plenty of room for more critters.

As the kittens grew, their unique features became more apparent. So, we decided to name them to differentiate between each of the little boys. One had a pink nose. So, we named him “Pinky”. Another was gray and very timid compared to his brothers. He was named “Mouse”. The third was named “Markie” because he had a black mark that looked like a skull on his forehead. Last, but not least, the runt was named “Smudge Pot” because he had a brown smudge across his nose and the region we lived in at the time was known for citrus production. A common tool used to thaw out orchards is called a “smudge pot”. Though now…we had named them and spent time with them.

Needless to say, we all got attached. So, putting them up for adoption was no longer an option. They were now OUR boys. As for the mother, she was still looking after them. We kept her too, but she was still wild. Mom named her “Mama”. She’s not too good with naming animals. Heh. Her bird was simply “Bird”, her cat was “Kitty Kitty”, you get the idea.

Eventually, the kittens were weaned and the animals all got used to each other. So, they were all allowed to freely roam the house. To give them fresh air even though all of the cats were indoor cats, we would occasionally let them wander around the patio because it was an enclosed patio surrounded by screen windows. We figured it was a good idea. Though Mama was smart. Far smarter than we had previously thought. For a few weeks, she was fine and we figured she had relaxed a bit around us. Then, one day she suddenly went wild on the patio, clawed her way through the screen door, and raced out. Smudge Pot, being curious, tried to follow, but Mom caught him. As for Mama, she escaped and never fell for any of the traps again. She seemed happier outside and would return periodically to glare at us while staying far out of reach. Meanwhile, we took care of and socialized her babies, adding them to our family

That’s how we ended up with 5 cats and a dog. Thank goodness we lived out in a rural area where we could get away with it. 😉 I have plenty of other stories about each of my animals and will share them accordingly.

[ladyvesuvia]

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@justadreamyhufflepuff: GSJSVSKSBSJD BABY CONGRATS- CAN I PLEASE GET A 🎠 -> Harry potter + soft love + fluff + prompts 9, 10, 32, 42 from prompt list 1. || for my 300 followers celebration

Prompts:

9. “You took all the pillows so I’m using you as one.”

10. “Stop moving and let me braid your hair.”

32. “Make a wish!”

42. “Darling I love you and all, but please step out of the kitchen.”

Pairing: Harry Potter x Fem!Reader

Summary: Moving into your new house with Harry.

Words: 3.1k

Warnings: fluff but with slight and subtle mentions of sexual activities + let me know if i missed anything!

A/N: omg yay harry fluff :DDD ok sorry go ahead btw this hasn’t been proofread yet mbad

After years of setting things up, they could finally move into their house. Of course, there were some parts of it that still needed fixing but they’ll eventually work it out. Right now, they wanted to bask in the comfort and triumph of their own house.

“Got your key?” said [Y/N], holding out her own key. She had already attached a duck keychain to it.

“Got it,” replied Harry, showing her his own. They both sniggered at his ridiculous bathtub keychain, which looked undeniably out of place but she was glad for it nonetheless. See, she had bought it years ago when they first talked about getting a house. “Will you do the honors?”

“You know, we could easily Alohomora the heck out of this bas —”

“Do the honors,” he teasingly urged, poking her on the waist where her tickle spot was and she recoiled. “Do it, [Y/L/N].”

“Ha! I’m Potter now, too. Ergo you’re not so special anymore,” she said as she marched up the raised porch. It was a lovely sight indeed — she could already imagine inviting the others to come over: roasting marshmallows either here or at the backyard and such. She giddily walked towards the door. This is it, she thought. “Wait, this is unfair. You carry me as you open it so I’ll be like a pretty wife.”

“That you are,” said Harry as he scooped her up into his arms. She let out a whoop of approval, patting his cheek as he put the key in and swung the door open.

All their boxes were on the floor already, with a lot more scattered all over the house. “Ooh, this is a lot of work. Wanna sleep it off?” she yawned, kicking some boxes aside on her way to the stairs. “What, you gonna protest, Mr. Potter?”

“Not at all, Mrs. Potter,” said Harry, and they both stopped and looked at each other, eyes narrowed while scrutinizing the name. “Mrs. Potter.”

“Does it sound a bit weird to you? I mean, no offense. I mean, I’ve waited for this half of my life but — you know?

“Yeah, like, [Y/N] Potter,” he said again, making arm gestures as if parting a curtain. She started to laugh. “I see what you mean.”

“You look like a . . . getching shooba driver but on land,” she said with a yawn.

“A what?” This time, Harry was the one stifling his laughter.

“Glitching scuba diver on land,” spat [Y/N], taking off her jacket. When she saw he’d been eyeing her with a dazed expression on his face, she made a show of getting off her right jacket sleeve with a suggestive smile on her face. “Wait, uh, can’t get it off. Sweat, I think. Help?”

“Will do, will do,” said Harry, approaching her and reaching out to pull it off her with a tight smile in an awful attempt to keep his laughter.

“Whatever. Can we sleep now, please? Where’s our bed again?”

“There,” he pointed somewhere in the kitchen room.

“I thought our room was upstairs?”

“Our room is upstairs, the bed is here.”

“Why would that be the ca—oh, no. D’we really have to assemble it?” she whined. They had to travel by Muggle transportation due to issues with the Floo network and they wanted to minimize suspicion, and the it was finally taking its toll on their entire energy: [Y/N]’s back was cramping from the long ride, Harry’s head was already hurting like hell. To make matters worse, neighbors were peeking through their windows so they had to go inside immediately.

“No, we can just bring the mattress up and assemble it all tomorrow, yeah?”

“Oh, yeah,” she said with a moan, tossing the jacket on the kitchen counter. “Yeah, yeah.”

“Oh, are we — ?” He shrugged hesitantly.

“No! I mean, do you want to? Now?”

“Do you?” The two chuckled nervously. They were standing there for probably around half a minute or one when the doorbell dinged and the two of them jumped. [Y/N] volunteered to get it.

A woman younger than her for about a year stood in front of her doorstep when she swung the door open, carrying a tiny baby probably about a few months old in her arms. [Y/N] managed a friendly smile as she wiped away a drop of sweat from her forehead.

“Hi, welcome to the neighborhood. I’m Karolina Martin. I live right across and I brought you something!”

“The . . . baby?” [Y/N]’s shoulders tensed as she thought about this over an over until she realized that was highly unlikely.

“No! You’re hilarious, though. I like you. I actually came here to give you” — the woman put down a bag she hung over her shoulder down on the floor — “this.”

Inside was a basket with a bottle of what [Y/N] could only assume was fine wine or champagne or whatever it was couples with a number of chocolates and cookies inside. She realized with a start there was also a pot inside.

[Y/N] laughed, holding up the pot. “Funny, because we’re Potters?” she asked, setting it back down again.

“You are?” Karolina said, impressed. “So which do you suggest I should start with first? Stoneware or earthenware? Ooh, what about fire clay?”

It took a few seconds before [Y/N] realized the direction of the conversation. “Oh! Well, heh, not that kind of potter.”

Karolina flinched, eyeing [Y/N] with suspicion. “You smoke — ?”

“No! Not that kind of potter. We don’t smoke po—Sorry, that’s on me, I should have clarified. I’m [Y/N],” she said. Karolina still looked confused. Composing herself, she managed a tight smile. “[Y/N] Potter.”

“Oh! Oh, my goodness. I’m so sorry!” Karolina chuckled. “I was a bit confused, I’m really sorry. I haven’t met someone around here about my age.”

“Don’t worry about it. Thanks for the welcoming gift, by the way. I just moved in with my . . . husband.” It still sounded surreal to call Harry that way, but she liked it all the same. Her eyes fell on the chubby little kid.

“Right! This is baby Sydney, she’s turning six months old next week. Would be really nice if you and your husband could come — and kid or kids, if you have some?” Maybe it was the coos the baby made or her adorable eyes and hints of two teeth growing, but [Y/N] felt intimidated by the little kid. She was bigger than she thought babies would be. Is this what she’d push through her bottom? She shuddered. “Do you . . . want to hold her?” asked Karolina, oblivious to the thoughts going on in [Y/N]’s heads.

“Listen, I’m really grateful you stopped by but we’re kinda tired. I’m so, so, sorry! Thank you a lot for these stuff. We’ll definitely come by next week — me and Harry, just Harry and me.” [Y/N] chuckled nervously again, smiling at the baby.

“I totally understand. Me and Joey were also very tired when we first moved in, hence Sydney.” Karolina laughed. [Y/N] simply chimed in the laughter as well, not wanting to jeopardize a newfound friendship over a joke. “Have a lovely evening, [Y/N]. I’ll see you around!”

When she shut the door with the bag over her shoulder, she jumped in fright at the sight of Harry just behind the door with an amused grin on his face. “What?” said [Y/N] as she rubbed her eyes.

“Husband?” he mused. When she shot him a glare saying not to push it further, he resorted to giggling. “Sorry, my wife.”

“Shut up, Harry,” she said. “Now, where’s that damned mattress?”

“Worry not, I got it upstairs already, all we gotta do now is take a quick shower and go to bed.”

After they finished dressing into more comfortable clothes, they made it a point to plop down as hard as they could on the mattress. To her relief, Harry had settled a plain white bedsheet on top of it earlier while she was talking to Karolina. She was the first to jump in, stretching her legs all over. “Finally!” she exclaimed.

“Your turn,” she said, pointing at a spot right next to her. Harry took off his glasses and was about to jump in next when she asked where the pillows were.

“Er — Accio pillow!” She could hear the sound of boxes moving downstairs bumping each other when a pillow came hurtling in and landed on Harry’s chest, forcing him to plop down on the mattress.

A shrill squeak sounded, and the two of them froze. [Y/N] narrowed her eyes, pointing her finger at him in accusation. “Did you fart?”

“No, we just still haven’t removed the plastic from the mattress.”

“You want to remove it?” she suggested, ready to get up and get her own wand when Harry gently nudged her back down.

“Okay, where’s my wand?“

[Y/N] looked left and right until she found it tying on an old bedside table he managed to set down earlier that day and said, “There! Bedside table.”

“Eh.”

“Agreed, let’s just say you did fart.”

“Agreed,” said Harry, who unconsciously wrapped his legs and arms around the pillow on top of him and closed his eyes to sleep. [Y/N] was quick to act. Not to take his pillow, but to turn him into one — metaphorically, of course. She laughed at the thought of using Transfiguration to turn Harry into a literal pillow.

Just as he wrapped his limbs around the only pillow, [Y/N] did the same to him. He woke up with a jolt, but did not take her off him. “I’m the little spoon?” he asked with a smile.

“Yes, and I happen to like little spoons a lot,” she said casually. Harry turned his head in her direction, with a wide grin on his pretty face. “Okay, that sounded wrong. It’s just that you hogged the only pillow so now I’m using you as one.”

“Well, do you want it?” he offered obliviously.

“Nope, I like this set-up. Go back to sleep.”

And he did — they both did. At some point during the night, they turned each other into a pillow. Harry, however, awoke to the sound of her snoring. It wasn’t like his Uncle Vernon’s, though. Looking at her face seemed to dull it all out. It wasn’t exactly an endearing sound, but the sight of her was more than so — tousled hair, mouth slightly open. . . . With one last smile on his face as he watched her sleep, he felt himself drifting off into a deep slumber.

˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥

A loud clanging from downstairs awoke Harry. Had he overslept? He found that his back ached whenever he did so much as move, but knew better than to bide his time if there was danger nearby. He reached out to the bedside table to grab his wand, but realized he had to put his glasses on first.

Harry ran downstairs, clutching his wand tightly with his outstretched hand as he listened for anything there was to hear. He paused. A stranger walked out of the kitchen, and he pointed his wand at them.

The stranger held their hands up with a bewildered look on their face until [Y/N] came out of the kitchen all sweaty with a frilly apron. “Harry!” she cried in bewilderment at the sight of him pointing his wand at their new neighbor. “Alright, uh, Karolina, this is my husband, Harry; Harry — stop pointing your . . . stick at her — this is our neighbor who lives across from us, Karolina.”

“Er — hello, Karolina. Sorry about the wa—” [Y/N] shot him a dirty look. “—ander. Wander. Sorry about the bad . . . wandering. You know what? I just woke up on the wrong side of bed and I got paranoid with the . . . new house and all.”

“He tends to get jumpy,” said [Y/N] in hopes of wrapping this up immediately. “Anyway, five minutes left till it’s done. Thank you so, so much for the help, Karol! One last thing, for the whipped cream, do I. . .”

He then noticed that some of the furniture were already arranged such as the sofa and the dining table. Some cabinets were decorated with non-magical framed pictures of them. Harry begged to disagree, though. Each picture there was more than just ma— Is that a baby? Sleeping in a car seat on their couch?

Harry blinked. It stirred, eyes fluttering open. Harry was now holding his breath in anticipation. It was watching him curiously. When he did not move, the little thing started to giggle. Smiling sheepishly back, he made a show of raking his hand through his hair and walking into the kitchen.

It was still messy, but the fridge was on now, and some condiments were put where they belonged.

Karolina was washing a bowl on the sink when the baby outside started crying. She washed her hands quick and ran out, excusing herself while smiling apologetically at the two of them.

[Y/N] opened the oven, pulling out something that smelled of a scent that made Harry’s mouth water.

“Is that Treacle Tart?” he blurted out.

[Y/N] almost dropped the pan of delight she held in her mittened hands. She cleared her throat in an attempt to maintain her composure as she set it down on the counter and pulled off her mittens. Still panting, she looked at him and said, “Harry, darling, I love you and all but please step out of the kitchen.”

“Sorry,” he muttered as he pressed a kiss against her head.

“Don’t do that, my hair stinks. I haven’t showered yet,” said [Y/N].

“What do you mean? It smells just fine.”

“Yeah? Well, it’s greasy. Is it greasy?”

“Yeah, you kinda look like Snape from where I’m standing. Ow! Sorry, bad joke. Okay, keep doing what you’re doing while I. . .” he trailed off as he grabbed her wrist gingerly and pulled off the scrunchie off it and started braiding her hair whilst she shook the whipped cream. “Could you just stop moving and let me braid your hair?”

“Oh, shut up! This tart’s for you, anyway.”

“So it is a Treacle Tart?”

“Uh, Doy,” she said mockingly. “It’s for your birthday, genius.”

“But it isn’t till next month,” said Harry.

“Eh, well, thought we could spend some time together in our new house without a crowd for a while. Why’re you even braiding my hair?”

“That baby got me thinking about it,” said Harry, as the child’s sobs started to cease. “You know, like . . . do you think we’re ready?”

“Well, what will be, will be.” She squeezed whipped cream on each side, scanning the final product with narrowed eyes. Harry tied the poorly-done braid with the scrunchie, letting her hair fall down to her back. [Y/N] turned to him. “Honestly, I’m kind of scared about the whole thing, you know? Like, aside from the . . . bloody pushing, it’ll be a huge responsibility. And I want to know if you’re up for it.”

“Okay,” he found himself saying so casually.

“Okay?” [Y/N] repeated to him, with an expression the combination of excitement and disbelief. “Okay as in, ‘okay let’s start trying?’”

“Okay, yes! Let’s start trying now!”

“Okay, but not right now, though,” said [Y/N] under her breath.

“Why not?” he said. Merlin, I have to stop.

“For one, Karolina’s right there at the doorway with Sydney.”

Harry shifted his gaze from [Y/N] to Karolina, who was now trying hard to stifle her laugh with a sleeping Sydney in her arms. “Okay, I’m gonna pretend I didn’t just hear that,” she said with a suggestive smile. “I’ll get going now, [Y/N], Harry.”

“Oh, you won’t try the Treacle Tart out?” called out [Y/N].

“Nah, we’ve eaten a lot of that already. We’re having cheesecake for tonight. Anyway, see you two.” With a friendly wave, she went off her way, leaving the two of them alone in their house.

Harry expected her to berate him, but she was already facing him with a slice of a tart resting neatly on a plate with a lousy candle set in the middle of it. “Make a wish,” she told him.

“Uh. . . I’m bad at wishes, you know that.”

“Then wish to be better at making wishes then make a better wish next month,” she said.

“Okay, I wish to be better at making wishes,” said Harry before blowing the candle out. [Y/N] pulled off the candle and lead him to the living room, where she put down the pan and separated the entire thing to put it on an adorable floral plate she loved.

“Happy super advanced birthday, Just Harry,” said [Y/N], kissing his head this time. “Have some Treacle Tart. I tried, okay?” Laughing, she put a fork on his plate and went to slice one for herself.

“Thank you, soft love,” said Harry as he helped himself to his slice. “Merlin, this is per—”

[Y/N] bursted into laughter, a couple crumbs spitting on the table. She had to get a tissue and wipe the table as she bellowed. “What’d you say?”

“Soft . . . love. Does that mean something bad?”

“No, no, no. It’s just funny to hear it from you. Say it again,” she said, resting her elbow on the top rail of a chair, eager to hear him.

“Soft love?” said Harry hesitantly.

“Oh my— Who told you to say that? Where’d you learn that?” choked [Y/N], wiping tears of laughter from her eyes. “Okay, sorry.”

“Er — you see, before we left to go here, Ron told me to experiment with . . . pet names.”

“So you delivered?”

“Do you not like it?” said Harry, his fork frozen in mid-air.

“Oh, I do. I so do,” she replied, chuckling. “I’ve had enough of tough love, I could use some soft love. But d’you know what it means?”

When Harry shook his head, she took one step forward to run her hand through his hair, grinning. “Means you accept all flaws instead of trying to build up a wall just to better and correct those flaws.”

“Then what’s so funny?” he asked with genuine curiosity rather than annoyance.

“Oh, Harry. Nothing! I just find you trying new stuff very, very amusing. Moving in here was a good choice, you know. Now I get to find out new things about you,” said [Y/N].

Harry smiled back, his cheeks a tad warmer than usual. “So which do you prefer? Tough love or soft love?”

“Eh, a relationship can’t work with just one of the two. Both works. Now eat your slice before we get working on this house,” said [Y/N] as she snapped her fingers, picking up her own plate and savoring her own work. “Chop chop.”

“You mean home?”

“Yep, I mean home,” answered [Y/N] without any hesitation. Oh, and, just one small update: they didn’t remove the plastic wrap of the mattress until next week.

Taglist: @gingerale2017 @maybanksslut @hey-there-angels @mrzweasley @gwlvr @booksarealwaysbettersworlds-blog @greenlyblue @henqtic @meiitanoia @badass-yn @catching-the-train-to-hogwarts

[queen-rainy-love]

pastry cookie with cake puppies, i can imagen them getting very attached to pastry

:) (Set after Pastry leaves the St. Pastry Order and Red Velvet doesn't trust her)

*the scene is set in the Pure Lily Cookie Kingdom home, where Pastry is babysitting Custard III. All because Madeleine has something to do that he nearly forgot.*

Madeleine: Thank you again for watching Custard Cream last minute, Pastry.

Pastry: Of course. I do not mind helping out. Besides, I can't say no to the future king, can I?

Custard III: *Giggles* Aw! Thank you, Miss. Pastry!

Madeleine: Perfect! Now I must get going! Please make yourself comfortable and I'll be back in an hour or two. *mutters* Hopefully.

*Madeleine leaves and the duo starts playing king. It was not long until small yips could be heard.*

Pastry: What was that?

Custard III: Oh! That's most likely the Cake Pups that Red Velvet rescued. We need to feed them! Would you like to see them?

Pastry: *hesitantly* Oh...um...sure. Let's go.

*Custard III leads Pastry to the kitchen where all forty Cake Pups are in a playpen, ready to eat.*

Pastry: O-oh my! That's a lot of Cake Pups.

Custard III: Yeah! Red Velvet wants to make sure that the Cake Pups are stronger before going to a new home. He does go overboard a bit. But it's fine! Time to feed them!!

*Custard III tries to grab a bag full of candy bones that's twice his size. Pastry stops him and takes the bag instead.*

Pastry: How about you get the bowls instead?

*later, Red Velvet comes home with the Pure Lily Cake Hounds. He notices Custard III drawing with a few Cake pups around him.*

Red Velvet: Hey kiddo. Where's Madeleine?

Custard III: *Without looking up* Hey Red Velvet. He had an errand to do. So he left me with Miss. Pastry Cookie.

Red Velvet: *on the verge of popping a vessel* And where is she?

Custard III: She's in the backyard with the other pups.

*In an instant, Red Velvet is running toward the backyard, ready to fight. However, when he reaches there, he sees something he wasn't expecting.*

Pastry: Now, now. You'll make a mess of yourselves! Please sit!

*All the remaining Cake Pups are surrounding Pastry, begging for her attention. Every step she takes, the Cake Pups follow as if she was their mother. Red Velvet can't help but be impressed.*

Red Velvet: Well, well, well. I guess even the former gnat of St. Pastry Order can't win against the Cake Pups.

Pastry: *jumps and yells* How long have you been there?!

Red Velvet: Long enough to know that you might become their mother. *starts calling over the Cake Pups, only one, a milk Cake Pup, still staying with Pastry.*

Pastry: *blushes* I...I was just trying to let them stretch their legs a bit. But they won't leave my side.

Red Velvet: They do get excited when they see a new Cookie. But that one is interesting. She usually stays away from Cookies but me.

Pastry: Really? *pats the Pup*

Red Velvet: Yes. There's something about you that she likes and trusts. *smiles at the Pup* You might be perfect for her.

*Pastry blushes a bit. Red Velvet realizing what he said starts back peddling.*

Red Velvet: But don't think that'll let you off the hook! I still don't trust you with my young soldiers!

*Pastry smiles a bit and walks over to him. She places a hand on his cake shoulder and gives a gentle smile.*

Pastry: Of course. But thank you for the compliment.

*Red Velvet could hear his chest beat a thousand miles per hour. Later that night, he's staring at his ceiling and wondering what had happened.*

Red Velvet: Am I...oh no. *blushes*

[kravkalackin]

“Krav, I’m dying. My soul is actively leaving my body, I don’t know how much longer this feeble flesh puppet will hold out. Remember me when I’m gone,” Taako whined into the phone, flopping over on the bed. He could hear Kravitz laugh on the other end at his suffering, while that damned music continued to play muffled through the thin walls. 

“I’ll write a very moving poem in your honor,” he joked, and Taako knew it was a joke but the thought of Kravitz doing something as cheesy and romantic as writing him goddamn fucking poetry might have caused a blush to rise to his cheeks. Just a little bit. 

Then Lup’s loud singing on the chorus came belting out through the walls, and he could very easily focus on that instead. 

“I just don’t get why she had to pick this as her tortured, heartache of a lament,” he complained. 

“I mean, Mamma Mia is a good song? It’s catchy,” Kravitz insisted. Taako groaned, rolling over as he heard the upbeat singing of ABBA fade out for a few too short seconds of bliss before starting up again. 

“Yes okay, and it was fine for like, the first two days. It’s been a week Kravitz, a week! I swear I’m hearing it in my sleep now,” he whined. Sure, he got that Lup wasn’t happy about this, neither of them were. There wasn’t anything the could do about it though, they were spending the summer with another distant relative, maybe they’d get to go back when school started up again, maybe they wouldn’t. The didn’t get a choice and they knew that. 

That was why, usually, they kept to themselves. Didn’t grow all attached to people, all they really needed was each other. 

Taako wasn’t even sure how Barry and Kravitz even happened. Lup broke first though, dragging the huge nerd that was Barry Bluejeans over after school one day like she’d found the greatest toy in the world. Kravitz came later, he had just been an asshole in Taako’s AP world history class who always got pissed at Taako for slacking off but then getting better grades than him. 

Taako figured that was all he was ever going to be until they went over to Barry’s house one day and Kravitz was just... there. Because apparently, the two assholes were brothers. Barry was adopted, about ten or so years ago. 

That was also the day him and Lup learned that Barry’s last name was not in fact, actually Bluejeans. A lot of things were lost that day. 

The point was they fucked up and gotten attached. Now Lup was locking herself in her room playing ABBA on repeat for the entire fucking neighborhood to hear and Taako was losing his goddamn mind. 

“Yes I’ve been broken hearted! Blue since the day we parted! Why, why did I ever let you go?!” Lup’s voice echoed through the walls, and Taako let out another muffled shout into the pillow. 

“Have you tried playing something to drown her out?” Kravitz asked, and Taako rolled his eyes a little at that. 

“I have. It doesn’t work, nothing works! I’m stuck in Swedish pop hell Kravitz!” he whined. 

“You could... go outside,” Kravitz said, and Taako’s frown deepened at that. 

“Yeah sure, I’ll just go live in a tent in the backyard for the summer. Boyscouts here I come, I’m a tent boy now! Snuggle up with the neighborhood racoons,” he said. He was pretty sure he could imagine Kravitz rolling his eyes at that, but it wasn’t like he could just spend forever outside. 

“Has it really been since you left?” he asked, and Taako nodded vehemently. 

“Yes! I knew she was fucking hopeless for Barold but I didn’t realize it was that bad,” he said. Sure, Lup hadn’t actually told him, but he knew his sister well enough to know what was up. And this? She was so goddamn lost for the nerd it was ridiculous. 

Kravitz didn’t say anything for a moment, and right when Taako was starting to get worried he spoke up. 

“Actually, I have an idea. Gimme a second,” he said. 

“Yeah, alright,” Taako said with a shrug. It wasn’t like he didn’t have much else to do after all. He could hear Kravitz put the phone down, and there was maybe a two or three minute pause where nothing happened. Taako was starting to get bored when suddenly the unthinkable happened. 

The music turned off. 

He could hear Lup’s phone ringing for a second, but it didn’t last long before she picked up. 

“Barold! Shit, long time no talk, thought you might’ve forgotten about me,”  Lup’s voice came in muffled through the wall, gradually fading as she moved further away, probably to pace like the lovestruck idiot she was. 

Taako was speechless. 

“Did it work?” Kravitz asked, having returned to the phone. 

“I fucking love you,” Taako blurted out, his face turning beat fucking red as soon as he realized. From the way Kravitz laughed he probably didn’t think it was serious. Of course it wasn’t serious. 

It was kinda maybe a little serious. 

“I’m glad I could help,” Kravitz said, all smug pleased and yeah okay, Taako might’ve fallen a little bit. He wasn’t as bad as Lup thought. 

As long as he wasn’t as bad as Lup, it was probably fine. 

[redrobbingabank]

Syndicate Foster AU Chapter One

No one knew much about Philza Minecraft. Ranboo was pretty sure that that was because Philza Minecraft wanted it that way, and what Philza Minecraft wanted, he got. 

Not in a bad way. The man was a good one, an oxymoron in the world of rich people Ranboo saw on the news when he bothered to watch it. He didn’t come up often––that’s what happens when you choose not to be known––but Ranboo had yet to see him wrapped up in any sort of scandal.

The list of unknowns about Philza was long to anyone outside his circle, and for Ranboo, it had just gotten longer. As he sat in the chair outside the social worker’s office, purple backpack hugged close in his lap, he couldn’t get the question out of his mind: Why in the world would some billionaire choose to foster a teenager?

Fostering anyone was enough of a question. Fostering a sixteen year old, only two years away from ageing out, was downright baffling.

Ranboo picked at a hangnail. It didn’t matter how he turned it over in his head. It just didn’t make sense. The whole thing felt far too weird, and not nearly real enough.

He looked past his worn out sneakers to the hallway around him. The linoleum floor was peeling where it met the wall, and the wall’s paint wasn’t faring much better. Everything was the same shade of grey, like snow when it turned into slush. Through the confused haze filling his mind, Ranboo hoped Philza’s house had some sort of color.

The door opening next to him made Ranboo jump. His social worker stepped out first, followed by Philza. Ranboo shot to his feet, swinging his backpack over his shoulder.

Philza smiled at him. “You ready to go, mate?” He was shorter than Ranboo. Ranboo did not like being taller than Philza Minecraft.

He nodded silently. Philza had a manilla folder in his hand. Ranboo’s file, holding everything the system needed him to know about the kid he was fostering. Ranboo had never actually gone through it himself. He’d never had a reason to, but now, knowing someone else had seen it, he was curious. What did it say? Did it list his problems? If it did, was his insomnia one of them?

His social worker smiled at him. “You’re all set, Ranboo,” she said. “I hope you have a good experience.” The last part was quiet, meant for Ranboo alone. There was no reason to plant doubt in Philza’s head about his parenting skills.

Ranboo felt his throat closing up. He’d never been around Ms. Parks much, past the times she handled his movements between houses, but she was still the most constant figure in his life. “Thanks, Ms. Parks,” he said tightly. 

Philza gestured towards the elevator. Time to leave again, to go blindly to a new home with no idea how long it would last. Tightening his grip on the backpack’s strap, Ranboo led the way in and pressed the button for the ground floor. They were quiet on the way down, on the walk through the lobby, out the doors, and to the black limousine waiting out front. Philza gestured for Ranboo to get in first, then sat down across from him.

“Is that all you’ve got?” he asked, nodding at the backpack.

Ranboo, who’d become a little transfixed by the striped green bucket hat Philza hadn’t taken off since… ever, actuall, now that he thought about it, scrambled to answer. “I––uh––yeah.” He glanced down at the bag self-consciously. Was it not enough? Was he supposed to have more?

Philza didn’t look mad at him. He just smiled and said, “We’ll go get you some more stuff soon, then.” 

Ranboo froze. “Oh, you don’t need to do that, Mr. Minecraft, it’s fine, really. I don’t need anything else––”

Philza held up a hand, and Ranboo fell silent. “First, you can just call me Phil, mate. Second, I want to. We need to get you a uniform for school too, and a laptop, I bet.”

A laptop? A uniform? Ranboo was starting to wish they’d told him what being fostered by Philza Minecraft would involve. “I’m sorry… a school uniform? Why do I need a uniform?” Panic started climbing in his throat. He’d assumed that he’d just be going to the same school he’d attended for the past few years.

Apparently, Phil planned differently. “You’re going to go to Kinoko High School,” he explained. “It’s where Techno and Niki go to school. Speaking of, are you ready to meet them? Do you have any questions?”

Technoblade and Niki Nihachu, Phil’s two adopted children. No one knew where they’d come from. The two were unrelated, but shared the same shockingly pink hair and hatred for the media. Unfortunately for Ranboo, that hatred cut off his mental profile there. Everything else on the internet about the two was speculation and rumors. Actually… 

“Is it true that Niki punched a reporter once?” he asked tentatively.

He’d been worried Phil would get defensive. It wasn’t really his business, after all, what the Minecraft children did. But, much to his surprise, Phil laughed. “It is,” he said. “But the reporter had it coming. She’s really very nice when you get to know her, as long as you’re not a dick.”

Naturally, Ranboo immediately began going through everything he’d ever done to see if he’d committed some terrible atrocity that had slipped through the cracks in his memory. He was tempted to ask what exactly the reporter had done, just to compare it to his life, but decided to leave it alone for the day, and offered a weak chuckle of his own to match Phil’s.

“Techno’s a good kid too, of course,” Phil added. “Just… they’re both a bit quiet. They’ll probably give you plenty of space.”

“Oh.” Ranboo bobbed his head, hoping it would suffice as a reaction. It was actually a relief to hear that he wouldn’t be expected to integrate into the role of sibling immediately. The day was already making him tired, and the feeling only intensified as he looked ahead to his arrival at the house. House? He suddenly realized he didn’t know where Phil lived.

“Where are we driving?” he asked, looking out the window. It was all the same buildings he knew, rising above eye level into the sky. Secretly, he hoped for a house somewhere a little away from the city. A big backyard sounded cool. And a dog. A dog would be nice.

Alas, it wasn’t meant  to be. “Pog Tower,” Phil said. “We’ve got the penthouse at the top.” The route they’d been driving towards the center of the city suddenly made sense.

“Oh,” Ranboo said, and sank a little farther into the seat cushions. Not that he wasn’t grateful. It would be better than the monotones of the group home, at least. Maybe they had a cat, or a fish. It would be great.

His time to convince himself of that dwindled even faster as the limo pulled into the semicircle drive in front of the tower. Big plants lined the sidewalk and stairs, flowy green leaves going all the way to the big revolving glass doors. Ranboo had the sudden feeling that his stomach had dropped into hell and left the rest of him behind.

His legs felt like nerveless attachments as he got out of the car, hoisting his backpack over his shoulder. Phil walked around the car and stopped next to him. He glanced at Ranboo. “Ready?”

Considering how much he felt like an ant right now, Ranboo was getting very scared of how much time he was going to spend at the top of this building. What if he fell out a window? How long would it take him to hit the ground and become a grease spot?

“Yeah,” he said, and cringed. His voice had gone up an octave.

Phil gave him a sympathetic look. “Let’s go, then,” he said kindly, and led the way inside.

The lobby was even nicer than the entrance. The floor was all marble tile, spanning what had to be at least half the bottom floor of the tower. A receptionist sat at a kiosk-desk-thing in the center of the room. It had a top made of smooth black glass. Behind her, an elevator with gold-looking doors taller than Ranboo was centered in the wall.

Phil walked past the receptionist with a smile and a nod, which she returned. On his way past, Ranboo tried to mimic the greeting, but it ended up as an awkward ducking of his head. The receptionist smiled anyway. She was paid to do that.

Just that small screw up made the trip to the elevator feel like an eternity. It was an astronomical relief when the doors shut, Phil leaning forward to insert a key into the slot beside the switchboard and press the button that would take them to the top floor. 

“You don’t need to talk to anyone if you don’t want to, when you’re coming in,” he told him when he straightened back up, slipping the key back into his suit pocket. 

“Oh. Cool.” In Ranboo’s head, he sighed loudly. It was probably just him, but he felt like living on the tower was going to take a lot more social interaction than he was used to.

The elevator ascended fast enough to give Ranboo the free-fall sensation of a roller coaster before slowing down and stopping with a pleasant ding!. Ranboo had time to exhale once more before the doors were sliding open, and he was greeted by a living room bigger than the cafeteria at the group home, currently occupied by two teenagers arguing over a binder on the glass coffee table. At the elevator’s chime, they abruptly cut off. The girl slammed the binder shut, and they both turned to face him.

Niki Nihachu and Technoblade looked as similar as they were different. Niki came up to Techno’s shoulder. She had on a black sweater and jeans, pink hair falling loose around her shoulders. Her build was that of a distance runner’s. Ranboo vaguely remembered some old photo posted of her at a track meet.

Technoblade had a pair of thin-framed glasses and grey sweats. His braided hair was long enough that when he’d spun around, it whipped over his shoulder. Dark bags hung under his eyes, though they were sharp and analytical as he looked at Ranboo. The crumpled Monster cans next to him offered an explanation.

No one spoke for an uncomfortable amount of time. Finally, Phil waved. “Hey guys, this is Ranboo.” Ranboo felt a piece of his soul shrivel up and die.

Techno and Niki looked at Phil. They looked at Ranboo, then looked at each other. Then, the two lifted their hands and gave him a perfectly synchronized wave. Were they sure they weren’t twins? “Hey, Ranboo,” Niki said.

“Um. Hi. Did you guys practice that?” Ranboo asked nervously, clutching the backpack’s strap tighter. 

“Yeah,” Techno said, grinning. Ranboo felt slightly less scared. “We thought it was funny.”

Ranboo bobbed his head wordlessly. What could he say? If he’d been watching and not scared out of his mind, he’d agree. 

“Guys, maybe avoid the pretending to be psychically connected for a few days,” Phil said.

“This happens often?” Ranboo squeaked.

Niki shrugged. “Pretty much, yeah.”

The pair hadn’t moved from in front of the coffee table, both in positions that prevented Ranboo from looking at the binder they’d been fighting over. He glanced between the two, but their faces betrayed nothing except for calm friendliness.

“Well,” Phil interrupted the silence, stepping to the side, “Your room is upstairs. I can show you where it is, and you can hang out up there or down here until dinner. It’s whatever you want, really.”

Thank god, an opportunity to hide. Ranboo almost led the way to the stairs, but stopped himself. “Sure,” he said. Then to Techno and Niki, “It was nice meeting you.” Was that okay to say to new siblings? It was probably stupid.

Niki grinned. It was a sharp expression on her face. “Nice to meet you too.” She and Techno watched Phil and Ranboo until they were at the top of the stairs, then turned back to the binder and started arguing again in whispers. Ranboo resisted the urge to glance back. 

At the top of the stairs, Phil led him down a short hallway and stopped at the second door on the left. “Since we weren’t sure what you like, we left it mostly plain,” he said. “We can decorate it and stuff soon, though.”

“I’m sure it’s great how it is,” Ranboo said.

“Nah, it’s boring. I want you to like it.” Phil stuck his hands in his pockets. “Anyway, we’ll be around. If you want to hang out or need anything, just come tell one of us. You can do whatever until dinner. I’ll send Techno up when it’s ready.”

“Awesome.” Ranboo gave him one last smile and waited in the center of the room until Phil left, closing the door behind him. He sighed. Dear god, that was exhausting. Maybe he’d actually be able to sleep tonight.

There wasn’t much to do on his own. Ranboo set his bag down on the dresser and tossed the sets of clothing inside without much care how they landed. Then, he launched himself onto the bed and just… kind of laid there.

He wasn’t even sure what to think about. The house? How big it was? How it actually seemed kind of like a home, and not some rich person’s museum-slash-autobiography? Whatever Niki and Techno were arguing about? They definitely didn’t want either Ranboo or Phil to know what it was.

Ranboo closed his eyes. Purple spots floated behind his eyelids. Sometimes, he liked to try to watch the patterns, but it usually ended with feeling like he was free falling through the void.

A knock on the door jolted Ranboo out of sleep. “Yeah? Uh, come in?” he called.

The door creaked open just enough for him to see one of Techno’s eyes. “Dinner,” he said.

“Oh. Awesome.” Had it really been that long? Ranboo wasn’t really hungry; he’d actually rather go back to sleep, or whatever had made the time pass like that, but he stood up anyway. “I’ll be down in a second.”

“Awesome.” Ranboo thought he saw Techno flash him a thumbs up, but then the guy was gone, muffled steps walking down the carpeted hallway to the stairs.

Ranboo stretched his arms over his head and groaned quietly. Dinner. He could do that. He could do that, and then he could go back to sleep and be done with people for the day. Slowly, he shuffled over to the door. Just eat dinner and sleep.

Phil made dinner. Ranboo wasn’t expecting that. He wasn’t sure why he wasn’t expecting that, but it was probably related to his general impression of rich people. He cringed a little at how clearly wrong he was, at least about this family. Especially because Phil had made mac and cheese.

It was freaking good mac and cheese too, he thought as he ate, carefully watching the others to make sure he wasn’t eating the wrong way. So far, he was doing well.

The four of them sat at a big table in the kitchen. Niki and Techno sat next to each other across from Ranboo, who was alone next to an empty chair. When he first saw it, he thought maybe it was Phil’s, but then Phil had taken the seat at the head of the table. Through the entire meal, Ranboo’s gaze was drawn to the chair and the question if someone was missing from their group. 

“So, Ranboo,” Niki said casually, like they’d been friends for a while and this wasn’t the first conversation she’d ever initiated with him. Ranboo looked up and put down his fork to make sure she knew he was listening. “You start school the day after tomorrow, right?”

Ranboo glanced at Phil for confirmation before nodding. “Yeah.” He was actually doing his best not to think about it. Everytime he did, his heart sped up unpleasantly and his knee started bouncing and a lot of thoughts he didn’t have space for crowded his mind. He was eternally grateful for Sunday tomorrow, giving him a bit of a reprieve before he was thrown into it.

“I thought we’d go shopping tomorrow.” Phil joined the conversation with such ease that Ranboo almost stared. “We need to get you your uniform and some supplies. I also thought a new backpack would be nice. But if you want to stick with the one you’ve got, that works, too,” he added quickly.

Ranboo thought of the seam starting to rip on one of the straps. “No, a new bag would be awesome.”

“Great. It’s settled. Techno, Niki, do you two want to come?”

The two shared a glance and nodded. 

“Alright. We’ll go to the mall at ten tomorrow, I think. Does that sound good, Ranboo?” Phil asked. Everyone was suddenly watching him. Ranboo nodded quickly, if only to make them stop.

“Did you get your schedule yet?” Techno asked, looking at his plate instead of Ranboo.

“No.” Was he supposed to have one?

“We’ll get it tomorrow with your other things,” Phil told him.

“Oh. Okay.”

When dinner was finished, Techno and Niki were the first to get up. “We have homework,” were their parting words, and then they were out the door with a surprising lack of sound. The silence held until their doors closed a few moments later.

Phil set down his fork and turned his attention to Ranboo. “I’m gonna head off too, mate. The office called, and they want me to head in for a few hours tonight. Unless you need me to stay?”

“Oh, no, I’m fine,” Ranboo rushed out. Time alone would be good. He always found it easier to breathe when there were less people in the house.

“If you’re sure,” Phil said, standing. “Techno and Niki will help if you need anything, and my numbers are on the coffee table. You should probably put them in your phone anyway.”

Ranboo imagined the battered old model he had upstairs. The corner was bashed in from being dropped a few too many times, and the 5 button was fickle. He cringed a little at the thought of showing it to Phil.

“Will do,” was all he said. Then Phil, too, left, and Ranboo was alone in a kitchen in a new house with no real idea what he should do, except that he wanted to leave Niki and Techno alone.

With that in mind, he went to bed. Or, not exactly. He went to sit in bed with his legs crossed, hunched over his journal as he wrote everything that had happened that day down. It had been a long time since he’d lost a day, but that did nothing to remove the fear that at some point, he would.

A strange bang sometime later made Ranboo jump. He checked the digital clock on his nightstand: 1:15 am.

The noise reminded him of a window being shut, and for a brief moment, panic flashed through him like lightning. What if someone had broken in?

But that was impossible. They were at the top of freaking Pog Tower. Just to reassure himself, Ranboo got up and looked out his own window. The distance from himself to the ground made him close the curtains. Yep, no one would be scaling the building. He was fine. He was safe. 

Ranboo looked at the journal, still open on his bed. The moment when he’d gone from writing to staring blankly at the pages was a mystery. He sighed, closed the journal, and put it back in its place at the bottom of his backpack. He had to go shopping tomorrow… well, technically, today. Sleep would be a really great idea.

Not that saying it would make it happen. 

Nevertheless, Ranboo climbed into bed. This time, he got under the covers and made his eyes stay closed. The suggestions ran through his head: count, tell yourself a story, take deep breaths. None of it ever worked.

Sometimes, Ranboo really wished it did.

[clydesdonovan]

tell me ur cryde thoughts rn!! 🔫

I’m so sorry this is such a delayed reply fksjdkb I started writing up an elaborate answer to this but I was like “actually I don’t like this” so I scrapped it and decided to just write out any thoughts that came to my head instead lol

So!! Here they are :^) Some of these I want to flesh out more and maybe turn into fics, while others are just silly little blurbs

Fake dating au where they (aka Clyde, it’s his idea) decide to pretend to become a real couple to prank their friends, because they constantly tease them for being attached at the hip already. Things are going well and they both have fun messing with everyone… until they both mutually (but like, secretly) realize, oh crap, I think I actually do want to date my best friend???? Sos

Spaceman Craig lives on forever. I love the idea of Craig being knowledge about the planets, stars, constellations etc. They spend a lot of time laying around outside, usually in their backyards, where Craig shows Clyde all of the constellations he can spot. Sometimes he’ll point out any visible planets and just talk about them. Clyde loves listening to Craig happily ramble about space :’)

Clyde lives in Craig’s hoodies. Like, at least 80% of the hoodies in his closet belong to Craig. (He also steals his t-shirts and even his sweatpants. He just steals all of Craig’s clothes over time!) Craig has given up on trying to find his favorite sweatshirts whenever they go missing because, odds are, it’s somewhere in Clyde’s room and he’s never going to get it back because it belongs to Clyde now.

Tricia and Clyde are besties. Clyde loves spoiling her and messing with her like she’s his little sister, since he’s the youngest of his family (remember his sister?? She’s an enigma) and doesn’t have a baby sibling of his own. It annoys Craig sometimes, because Clyde is his boyfriend and they’re supposed to be hanging out but instead, he’s busy playing video games with Craig’s little sister of all people. But he also finds it really cute how much Clyde adores her, and how Tricia really enjoys his company too. So he doesn’t mind that much.

Likewise, Roger loves Craig and he always has. Clyde told his dad that he thought he liked boys when he was in middle school, but he wasn’t seeing anyone or anything. Though he never said so to Clyde, Roger always kinda guessed Craig was part of Clyde’s self discovery and assumed it would just be a matter of time before they actually got together as a couple. Then, a few years later, he officially introduced Craig as his boyfriend and Roger was seriously thrilled. There is no better partner for his son, as far as he’s concerned.

Like the nerds that they are, they used to climb through each other’s windows in the middle of the night. It was fun and made them feel ~cool~. It lasted until Clyde lost his balance and nearly fell straight to the ground, and the ruckus of Craig scrambling to pull him inside woke his parents… who were just like, “ugh whatever, Clyde please just use the door next time. We already know you come like every night anyway.”

Hockey player Clyde (my beloved) injures his knee during a game. He’s fine, but he has a little trouble walking, and he’s very over dramatic about it. So Craig takes it upon himself to give him piggy backs whenever Clyde starts complaining that his knee hurts. Craig tells him it’s because he just wants him to shut up, but it’s really because Craig feels bad for him (and he kinda has fun doing it anyway).

College based au where they’ve sorta faded out of contact as life got in the way, but they reconnect when they go home for the holidays. They fall back together easily and soon enough, it’s like they’ve never even left. But!! This rekindling of their friendship brings a lot of old, buried and unsaid feelings back to the surface. Since things already fell apart once, they’re left with the question of “well, what do we do now?”

Another college au of sorts, maybe, but one where they become roommates instead of splitting up. Oh my god, they were roommates!!

This isn’t a headcanon really but I just love the idea of Craig with braces (a classic) and Clyde with glasses, and the two of them looking like “two halves of a whole dork” (as stated lovingly by Token).

I don’t have anything fleshed out for this either, but I want to try and write an adult cryde fic where they have kids too. All of the style content with future Kyle’s kids has made me feel really inspired lol. Maybe their future kids can be bffs :^)

And finally, honorary shoutout to this cryde scream au that has taken over my life for the past week or so 🖤

[mrsalwayswrite]

To Call Forth Love - Chapter 10

I’m sorry its taken me so long to update. I haven't had much time to write lately due to....well, life. But here we are and its long, so hopefully that makes up for the length. 

Side note- the Norwegian used is from Google translate so....

Warnings: swearing, mild sexual content, Lothbrok family dynamics (yes, its a warning), threats of violence

Words: 15,700 (yep, my longest chapter yet. I packed ALOT into this beast)

Tag List: @youbloodymadgenius @evelynshelby @pomegranates-and-blood @heavenly1927 @zuxiezendler @punkrocknpearls @love-all-things-writing @southernbe @ecarroll1978 @breezykpop @deans-ch-ch-cherrypie​

Series Masterlist

"Where are we going? I thought we were going to your flat?" 

 Gyda slyly smiled at Kari, sitting in the passenger seat of her bright yellow Porsche. "Change of plans."

 Kari stared at her friend. "I'm scared to ask."

 "Torvi asked for female reinforcement. So, we are going to keep her company."

 "Ok…. But where is that?" 

 "At the brothers' house." The blonde answered nonchalantly as she made a quick right-hand turn. "It's tradition. Kind of a last family summer party before it's too cold to swim anymore. They have a pool in their backyard."

 Kari felt her stomach drop. Ivar had told her he lived with his three other brothers. Gyda had her own flat while Bjorn and Torvi owned a house nearby. Whenever she tried to ask Ivar about his home, he would shrug off the question or ignore it completely. Eventually she just stopped asking. Curiosity certainly reared its head when she wondered what his home was like. For how much money meant nothing to him, she guessed it was massive and expensive. Maybe he knew she would not fit in and that was why he never brought her? Even through his speeches of wanting her to be his girlfriend, he knew she would not fit into his lifestyle. Why else would he keep her away? It was a valid truth that she had come to terms with. Even if she found herself secretly desperate to ease into his life, she never would. 

 "Of course, they do…." Kari rolled her eyes at the notion that obviously, there was a pool in their backyard. It fit the stereotype in her mind. Then she thought about what Gyda just said. "Wait. Do you have a swimsuit with you?"

 Gyda raised a perfectly manicured eyebrow at her while keeping her eyes on the road. "Don't worry, I've got you covered. Torvi brought an extra of hers for you."

 "You had this planned, didn't you? We never were going to your flat, were we?"

 "I don't kiss and tell."

 "Yes, you do. There was that guy you hooked up with two weeks ago that kept sending you dick pics after."

 "That guy was way too proud of his dick. I mean it wasn't even that big."

 "I don't want to hear this again." Kari groaned, tugging on her diamond earring. She enjoyed Gyda but she had learned far more about the woman's sex life than she had any desire to know. 

 "Okay, fine. And yes, Torvi and I planned this. Ivar doesn't know you're coming."

 "Why?"

 Gyda smirked. "Because he's been so secretive and only Hvitserk has seen you two together. Besides, the rest of the brothers want to meet you. We may be at each other's throats most of the time but we do care for one another."

 The brunette let her friend's words sink in. Hvitserk had mentioned the others wanting to meet her, but she had not fully believed it. Sure, she wanted to meet them and was curious after hearing Ivar talk about them, but why would they be interested in her? She glanced down at her clothes, the capri leggings and tank top that were practically a signature look for her. For once, she wished she dressed nicer regularly. "I wish you had said something before."

 "You wouldn't have come then. You'd have created some excuse why you couldn't come." Gyda pointed out the obviously painful truth without remorse. 

 Kari slouched in the passenger seat, butterflies doing somersaults in her belly. Slowly, she pulled her ponytail down, letting her hair hang loose past her shoulders, running her hand through it absent-mindedly in hopes it looked decent. 

 At a red light, Gyda looked over at her with a bright smile. "It'll be fun." 

 "I don't know…. isn’t it supposed to be just family?"

 "Ubbe sometimes brings his girlfriend but yeah, it's usually just family."

 There was another long silence before Kari spoke again, unable to fully conceal her nerves. "You should drop me off and just go. I don't want to intrude."

 "You're not. I'm bringing you because there is always way too much testosterone." Gyda groaned, then reached over and swatted Kari's leg. "What are you so worried about?"

 "What if they don't like me?" She whispered. The weight of her confession hung over her like a dark cloud. 

 "What?"

 She kept her gaze out the window. "The…. the others. What if they don't like me?"

 Gyda laughed. "Kari, don't worry. They will love you. I promise. And if they say anything fucking stupid, I'll slap them or Ivar will stab them. See? Simple."

 A smile grew on Kari's face. "That shouldn't make me feel better…. but for some reason it does." Maybe she had already spent too much time with various Lothbroks if the idea of people resorting to violence made her feel better. 

 "You aren't alone, if anything we'll steal Torvi and Asa away and have a girls' party."

 "Asa? That's her daughter, right?"

 "Right, and Hali is her son. I swear that boy is going to be a miniature version of Bjorn."

 "I've never been around kids much." 

 Gyda chuckled, waving a hand dismissively. "They are great, Asa is a sweetie who prefers to cuddle in someone's lap. It's Hali who is a bit wild but all his uncles love to play with him. He'll probably be swimming in the pool the whole time anyway."

 Still staring out the window, Kari thought about everything Gyda had said. Of course, she was still nervous about just showing up to a family event unannounced, even if she was sort of being kidnapped by Gyda. Some of her nerves faded away with the knowledge that Gyda and Torvi both wanted her there. She really would not be alone. She had friends. She had people that wanted to spend time with her. Hopefully Ivar would be pleased to see her. His potential reaction was the only real wrinkle in her fluctuating confidence. 

 "Okay. I can do this." She said aloud, wondering if she was trying to fully convince herself. 

 "Good, cause we're almost there."

 Kari stared out the window as they approached a gated community. Gyda showed her ID to a guard who chatted with her like they were old friends. As the yellow Porsche drove by the houses in the community, Kari just stared in awe. She had seen houses, mansions was a better term, like these before but it always amazed her that people lived in them. What did they do with all that space? All of the homes were set back from the road so Kari only caught glimpses of them but it was enough to remind her how out of her element she was. 

 Finally, they pulled up a long driveway to a massive two-story house. It was white with an insane number of windows, and a huge garage attached on the left side. On the right side looked like an expansive addition that made Kari wonder why they needed more space. The roof was made of some slate gray tiles, with a balcony above the front door and ivy draping elegantly over the corners. There were various sized potted plants and shrubbery around the front of the house and leading down the sides. Several European beech trees were strategically placed in the front yard to block most of the view from the road in an attempt at privacy. Whoever the grounds keeper was, for surely they had one, needed a raise. 

 Kari could only gape for a long moment, unable to move as she took in the immaculate, beautiful house. To think this was where Ivar lived and he always came over to her tiny townhouse. It was a struggle to tamper down the post embarrassment. 

 Gyda started talking as she parked in front of the house. The only other vehicle in sight was a silver four-door Audi, that Kari recognized as Torvi's. "Aslaug chose the house for them. When she isn't traveling for work or staying at their family home in Norway, this is where she stays. So, she insisted on this place. Something about the natural sunlight and old aesthetic blending with the new vibe. Or some other shit. I can't remember."

 "Huh." Kari said as she followed the blonde out of the car. She noticed there was no mention of the father, Ragnar, and wondered where he stayed but knew it was none of her business so she kept her question to herself. Maybe Ivar would explain it to her. 

 Gyda opened the solid, wood front door, waltzing in like she had done this a million times. Kari took two steps in and froze. The vaulted ceiling in the foyer was enough to stare at but it was the large chandelier that caused her to stare. The way it caught the afternoon light through the many windows and gently cast it about was truly gorgeous. This view was worth owning the house for itself, in her opinion. 

 A tugging on her arm made Kari squeak as she found herself suddenly being dragged along like a ragdoll. 

 "You can stare later, Torvi is waiting for us." Gyda stated, a large purse over her shoulder and her heeled boots clicking on the shiny, wood floor with each step. 

 Kari caught glimpses of other rooms as they passed down the long, straight hallway. A living room with a TV that took up most of the wall it was on. A kitchen that would make any celebrity chef drool. Pictures and awards displayed along the walls in the hallway that were obviously put up by their mother.  

 The two finally stepped out into a room with glass walls, where the pool and expansive backyard lay before them. Most likely what used to be a porch before being enclosed. Still being pulled along, Kari followed Gyda through a side door onto the stamped concrete that surrounded the pool and lounge area. A pool in a rectangle shape dominated the area, a diving board on the far end. A quick glance around showed a jacuzzi on the other side, closer to the house, the water bubbling like a cauldron. There was a large grill, several short tables and lounge chairs spread over the stamped concrete. At the far end was an adult size statue of the Buddha with two flowering pots on either side of him and some kind of cheap, plastic crown on his head. 

 The backyard was several acres wide and at least that many in length. Trees and large shrubs blocked the views of the neighbor's properties and made the place feel almost like a hidden oasis. Further down in a corner was a lovely gazebo with a cobbled stone path leading to it and gardens decorating the way. 

 "Gyda! What took you so long?!" A distinctly male voice called out. 

 "I had to pick up a package." She called back, pulling Kari into full view of the others. 

 The brunette gave a small, self-conscious smile at the many pairs of eyes that she could feel land on her. Before she could really get a good look at who was around, a shout of her name startled her. 

 "Kari!" Hvitserk jumped up from his lounge chair, wearing only dark green swim trunks, and walked over to her with a beaming smile. 

 "Hey…. OH!" She started to greet him only to be swallowed into a hug and spun in a circle. Unable to deny him, she hugged him back and laughed. It was funny since last time she saw him, he was in business attire, coming to check on her per Ivar's instructions. Now she could not help but notice his toned body. His form reminded her more of a runner, while she was used to seeing Ivar's muscular torso. A couple tattoos on Hvitserk caught her eye and she wondered if all the brothers had them. 

 When he finally set her back on her feet, he kept his hands on her shoulders, green eyes twinkling with a mischievous glint. "I didn't know you were coming here."

 "Yeah, I didn't know either until Gyda told me on the way."

 He chuckled, glancing over her head to his half-sister. "Yeah, not surprising."

 "Uh huh. Watch yourself, boy. I could still beat your ass if I wanted too." Gyda quipped. 

 "Maybe fifteen years ago. You don't have a chance now."

 "Keep telling yourself that, Hvitty." She teased, then yelled at Torvi. "You got it?"

 As soon as Kari was released by Hvitserk, she could sense a pair of sharp, blue eyes boring into her. Skin prickling under the sensation, she hesitantly looked up and immediately met Ivar's intense gaze right away, as if subconsciously her mind already knew where he was without having to search for him. 

 Reclined back on a cushioned, lounge beach chair, he wore loose black sweatpants, instead of swim trunks, under his leg braces, but without a shirt. His tattoos were a stark contrast on his skin and shamelessly on full display. Her fingers twitched with the urge to trace them again. It was his penetrating gaze though, the lack of emotion on his handsome face, that made her wonder if being here was a bad idea. 

 Before she could make a run for it, Gyda grabbed her arm as if sensing her desire to flee. "C'mon, let's get changed."

 With one last glance at Ivar, she followed behind Gyda and Torvi, who had joined them, back into the massive house. They headed to the kitchen and Gyda pointed out a bathroom across the way. 

 Placing the beach bag on the kitchen counter, Torvi dug in it for a moment before murmuring a quiet "here it is" and handed Kari something. "Here. I bought this forever ago but never wore it. Bjorn said he didn't like the colors."

 Kari took it, guessing it was the promised swimsuit, and peeked down at the two pieces of clothing in her hands. "Um…. where’s the rest of it?"

 Laughing, Gyda rolled her eyes. "Get in there and change or I'll do it for you."

 With a concerned look between the swimsuit in her hands and the two blondes staring at her expectantly, Kari finally conceded defeat and stepped into the bathroom. It was only a half bath, with a toilet and sink, but it was still roomy and felt fancy somehow. The mirror above the sink was large and there was a small, pretty flowering plant on the counter that upon inspection, turned out to be real. 

 Quickly, she changed out of her leggings and tank top and into the swimsuit, figuring it was best that way, like ripping off a band-aid. Plus, if she stopped moving, her nerves would get the better of her and she would somehow find a way to sneak home. Even if she had to crawl through a window. A smile grew on her face remembering Hvitserk's enthusiasm to see her. That had honestly surprised her but she found she did not mind. Hvitserk seemed like a good guy and the little bit of time they had spent together, she felt comfortable with him. He was funny and caring. 

 Then Ivar's blank face came to mind and all of her excitement slipped away like water down a drain. There had been no acknowledgement, not even the hint of a smile, only a hard stare that made her anxious and self-conscious.  

 Taking a deep breath, she tried to remind herself what Gyda said. At least the two Lothbrok women wanted her here, and apparently Hvitserk was happy to see her. That was what she needed to focus on and not Ivar's reaction.

 Once done changing, she finally took stock of what Torvi had leant her and gasped.  

 "Oh no. No, no, no. Hell no."

 She stared down at the wide-band bikini. The top and bottom both had alternating white and light pink stripes, strangely reminding her of cotton candy. The design was certainly something she would never pick out for herself but she did not hate it. The real problem was the way half her ass cheeks hung out of the bottoms and more of her breasts saw the light of day than they ever had before. Never had she been so exposed. Even swimsuits she bought in the past were never this revealing. Her gaze immediately zeroed in on her fuller hips and thighs, fully exposed. Faint whispers that sounded like her mother's taunts echoed in the recesses of her mind as she stared at herself. There was no way she could go out in this. She would rather wear her leggings and tank top than have anyone see her wearing this. They would all laugh at her. 

 "Kari? You done yet?" Torvi called through the door. 

 "I'm…. I’m not coming out in this!" 

 "Let us see it first!" Gyda shot back. 

 "But…." Kari tried once again, unsuccessfully, to tuck her breasts into the bikini top. "It's padded!" 

 "Open this door, Kari." Gyda demanded, suddenly sounding closer. 

 She took one more look at herself, feeling the embarrassed tears welling in her eyes. With a deep breath, knowing she could not escape Gyda just yet, she opened the door. Immediately her blue-green eyes scanned to make sure it was only Gyda and Torvi in the kitchen before she further opened the door so they could see. 

 "Shit, Kari, you look great." Gyda said after giving a wolf whistle. 

 "Half of my butt is hanging out and most of my boobs. I can't wear this out there." She said, almost panicking now. 

 "No, they aren't, you're overexaggerating."

 "Kari," Torvi said kindly, drawing the brunette's frenzied attention, "you're more curvy than I am and let's be honest, your ass and tits are bigger than mine. I'd kill to have a body like yours. You look beautiful. But if you're uncomfortable, I think I have a cover you can wear over it."

 "Please." She replied softly, hating how she sounded like a fearful child.  

 Torvi smiled at her. "I'll be right back."

 Swiftly, Kari stepped back into the bathroom before Gyda could say anything. Her nerves felt alight and not in a good way. Grabbing her phone, she scrolled through her Pinterest, anything to distract herself from this nightmare. If it was just Gyda and Torvi seeing her in this, she might have been uncomfortable but she could tolerate it. Even with Ivar she might have shied away some but he always made her feel so desirable that she doubted her nerves would have lasted long. It was the thought of prancing around in this in front of the other brothers, men she had never met, that made her stomach twist into knots and her breathing quicken painfully. 

 Finally, a gentle knock on the door and a quiet, "It's me," had Kari open it to take the cover from Torvi. It was a solid white oversized V-neck cover with a simple pattern around the neckline. Without wasting a moment, she slipped it on over the bikini, immediately feeling better. The hem of the cover touched the tops of her thighs, higher than she would have liked, but it was better than before. 

 She looked up, running her hands over the cover. "Thank you." 

 Torvi smiled softly with understanding. "I understand. I don't wear swimsuits that show my stomach anymore. Stretch marks." She shrugged casually, moving back to slip onto an island stool. 

 Kari trailed behind her with her bundle of clothes and purse. Without a word, Gyda slipped into the bathroom to change, leaving the other two waiting for her. It was now that Kari really took note of Torvi's swimsuit; it was a classy black and white one piece with thin crisscross straps across the back. The blonde could easily wear a bikini and look amazing in it, but it made Kari feel marginally better that she was not the only one self-conscious about her body. Perhaps that was why Torvi shared about her stretch marks?

 "Is it…." Kari started then stopped, leaning against the black marble countertop. Surveying the grand kitchen for a second, hoping to gather her thoughts, she took a deep breath before continuing. "Is it okay that I'm here? Gyda said this is a family event and I don't want to intrude."

 Torvi turned to face her fully, green eyes gazing at her before she shrugged again. "Normally we try to keep it just family, Ubbe sometimes brings Margrethe, but I doubt anyone will be upset you're here. Honestly, the brothers keep asking about you, so now maybe they will finally shut up and stop teasing Ivar."

 Kari fiddled with the hem of the swimsuit cover. "He didn't seem happy to see me."

 "Ivar?" At Kari's nod, Torvi snorted. "I don't think it's you he's upset with. He's a very private person, as I'm sure you know. If I took a guess, I'd say he was keeping you hidden."

 "But why?"

 "Look, I've known the Lothbroks for about ten years and during that time, I've seen Ivar go through some ups and downs…. well, as much as he lets anyone see. I mostly heard it from Bjorn. Point is, he's allowing you into his inner circle. Hell, you're probably at the center of his inner circle. I saw how he acted with you at the yoga studio. You mean something to him. It's no secret he wants you to be his girlfriend. Maybe he is worried that you'll meet his family and decide we're too much or that you find one of his brothers more attractive or easier to deal with? He pretends to be super confident but it wouldn't be the first time that a woman chose one of the others over him."

 Every time Kari heard that, her heart broke once again for Ivar. How many times had he been overlooked because of his legs? Or his harsh demeanor? Something that she was beginning to realize was just to protect himself, to keep others at arm's length. It made her want to hug him and never let him go, to remind him he was more than just his disability. That he was worth being cared about by more than just family. 

 Kari must have been lost in her thoughts for longer than she realized. Suddenly she was drawn out of her inner musings by Gyda coming out of the bathroom, having changed into a plant print cutout tankini. Of course, looking like she just stepped out of a magazine cover. There had to be something in the Lothbrok blood for everyone to be this damn attractive. 

 "Are we ready?" She asked, her large bag in hand, presumably with her clothes in it. "Kari, you can put your stuff in here for now."

 Torvi touched Kari's shoulder. "Don't worry. If anything, you are here to keep me and Gyda company, okay?"

 Kari smiled, finding herself reassured and grateful for the two women. "Thanks." She slipped her clothes and shoes into Gyda's bottomless bag. They stashed their bags in the glass room and then headed back out into the backyard. 

 Soon as they stepped out, a little girl came running over. Torvi swept her up into her arms gracefully. She turned to Kari with the little blonde girl on her hip. "This is Asa. How old are you, Asa?"

 The little girl stared at her mom before shyly tucking her face into the crook of Torvi's neck, while her blue eyes stayed on Kari. After a moment, she held up two fingers. 

 "You're two?" Kari asked. When the little girl shyly nodded, Kari's smile widened. "I wish I was that old. It's nice to meet you, Asa. I'm Kari."

 Torvi pressed a quick kiss to the top of her daughter's head. "Did daddy let you play in the pool yet?"

 Asa shook her head. 

 "Alright, let's go kick his butt. He did promise, didn't he?"

 That made the little girl giggle and Kari could feel her heart melting slightly. She was just too cute and most likely spoiled by all her uncles. Even her swimsuit was a purple halter top and green bottom with a little skirt that was very The Little Mermaid-esque.  

 A happy scream followed by a splash drew Kari's gaze to the pool. A young boy resurfaced laughing loudly. Bjorn, she recognized, was in the pool also, but turned to look up at Torvi as she approached with Asa on her hip. 

 "Let's go sit down." Gyda slipped her arm through Kari's and pulled her along to where there was a grouping of lounge chairs. Ivar, Hvitserk and a curly-haired blond reclined with beers in hand. 

 Kari could feel Ivar's gaze tracing over her form as she approached, like fingers trailing over her skin leaving a fire in its wake. She sneaked a peek at him, only to find his ardent gaze on her. She blushed and kept her eyes downward. At least he did not look impassive anymore, but she still felt hesitant. 

 "Hey boys. What are we drinking this time?" Gyda questioned. 

 Hvitserk turned the beer bottle to show the label. 

 "Ew. I don't why you drink that shit. I'm going to get some wine. Kari, you want some?"

 "Ah, sure." She murmured.

 "Good. You boys be nice to my friend, especially you Ivar." With that Gyda walked back towards the house but not before giving Kari a subtle wink.

 "Take a seat, Kari." Hvitserk gestured to an open chair next to him. 

 For a split second she considered slinking into the seat, anything for the attention to be taken off her, but realized that was not what she actually wanted. It had been two days since she had seen Ivar and the last time they hung out, it was when he returned from his trip to Italy. He had picked her up the next day to take her out to eat but he ended up spending the majority of the time on his phone, yelling into it in a foreign language and seeming on the verge of throwing his phone or punching a wall. She ended up ordering take-out for them that they ate at her townhouse but he was too wired to really relax and left soon after. The next two days he had been busy with work so they could only text. The one time they managed to Face-Time, she could not help but notice his bruised knuckles and when she asked him about them, he said he did some boxing to release stress. 

 With butterflies doing somersaults in her belly, she took a step closer to stand near Ivar's lounge chair. Tugging on the hem of her cover as she quietly spoke. "Hey, Ivar. Can I sit with you?"

 "Oh, you're acknowledging me now?" He snapped, never removing his severe blue eyes off of her.  

 She blinked owlishly, surprised by his sharp tone. Her stomach dropped to her feet and she could feel an embarrassed flush rising on her cheeks. "Yeah, I'm sorry." She whispered, dropping her chin, unable to meet his eyes anymore. This was all a mistake, she knew it. This only sealed her poor decision. 

 Shifting to look back at the house, she wondered if she should find Gyda and beg to drive her back home, or if she should find the closest bus stop. Before she could take a step away, a calloused hand snatched hers in a firm grip. Startled, she looked down to see Ivar holding her hand. Her eyes jumped up to stare at him in shock, confused by his conflicting actions. In those vivid, expressive eyes she could easily read the regret in them. Without her conscious decision, her heart softened. 

 "Sit." He said quietly, what most likely meant to come out commanding but sounded more as a plea. She nodded and allowed him to guide her onto the wide lounge chair next to him. 

 A furious blush warmed her cheeks when Ivar wrapped an arm around her waist, tucking her into his side and pressing a quick kiss to her temple. What she assumed was his nonverbal apology. 

 "Hey, this is Sigurd." Hvitserk said, gesturing to the unknown blond sitting with them. "I don't think you've met him yet. Ubbe had to take a call, so you'll meet him later."

 "Hi, it's nice to meet you." She said, looking at the other Lothbrok. He had light blond, curly hair in frazzled braids and brown eyes. At first glance she would not have guessed he was one of the brothers, but she figured genetics were always weird. He had a lean body similar to Hvitserk with a tribal tattoo sleeve and a Thor's hammer necklace laying on his bare chest like the other brothers wore.

 He silently raised his beer bottle at her, still stretched out in his chair like a lazy cat in the sun. 

 Thoughtfully she peered up at Ivar, keeping her voice low. "I'm sorry, I didn't know Gyda was bringing me here otherwise I'd have told you. She literally didn't tell me until we were pulling up."

 "It's fine." He murmured evenly, but Kari got the feeling that was not how he truly felt. 

 "Do….do you want me to leave?"

 He sighed, his grip around her tightening for a moment, before he seemed to relax. "No. I'm glad you're here. It won't be boring…." a wolfish grin grew as he slid his hand up her exposed thigh sensually, ".... especially if you take off this cover and let me see what's underneath." 

 "No!" She squeaked, grabbing his roving hand before it could migrate further. 

 He chuckled. "Come on, kitten…. just a peek?"

 "Ivar, no."

 "Why not?"

 "Its…. it’s scandalous."

 Hvitserk raised his hand, a devious smirk on his face. "I want to see."

 She covered her face with her hands, embarrassment flooding her. "Oh gods, this was such a bad idea." Then she had to rapidly grasp Ivar's hand as it slipped under the swimsuit cover to caress her hip and trace her bikini bottom. "Ivar…."

 "Fine." He slipped his hand back out but splayed it over her exposed thigh. "You can show me later."

 Thankfully, Gyda reappeared with a glass of white wine in each hand and another blond male in tow who carried the wine bottle. He had short, cropped hair and a muscular body that spoke of many hours in the gym. Kari wondered if this was the brother that Ivar regularly worked out with. 

 "Why are you sitting with Ivar? I brought you here! I'm even bringing you wine!" Gyda teased, handing a glass to Kari. 

 "You also dragged me here unknowingly. Wine is the least you could do." Kari said without thinking, making the others laugh. 

 "You know damn well you're happy to be here." Gyda winked then took the open lounge chair next to her. "Right, I'm guessing you've been introduced to Sigurd." She flicked a hand in the curly-haired Lothbrok's direction followed by vaguely gesturing to the last unknown brother. "Now this pain in my ass, over here, is Ubbe. Ubbe, this is Kari."

 Sitting between Hvitserk and Gyda, Ubbe rolled his blue eyes but leaned forward to shake Kari's hand. "It's nice to finally meet you."

 "Yeah, likewise."

 Ubbe sat back with an impish glint in his eyes. "So, you're Ivar's girl?"

 "Um…. we’re just..." She started, unsure what to say to his family. 

 Ivar broke in, his single word answer almost coming out in a growl. "Yes."

 She whipped her head to look at him, only for him to stare her down as if waiting to see if she could refute his claim. Logically, she knew she should say something, argue that they were only friends. Yet any rebuttal died on her tongue under his fierce gaze. Instead she chose to sip on her wine generously.  

 "Right." Ubbe finally said, watching the two with an amused look. 

 Sigurd scoffed loudly before taking a swig of his beer. 

 "Something you want to say, Sig?" Ivar turned narrowed eyes at his brother.

 The curly-haired brother smirked, seeming to debate saying anything. Finally, he sat up and his gaze zeroed in on Kari. "How much does he pay you to fuck him?"

 The reaction from those around was instantaneous. Next to her, Ivar tensed, ready to spring up and fight his brother. A sharp reprimand of "Sigurd!" came from both Gyda and Ubbe while Hvitserk pinched the bridge of his nose. 

 Something rose up inside Kari though. She understood enough to know about the animosity between Sigurd and Ivar. His comment felt more like a cruel jab at Ivar than her. She was just the pathway to try and cause torment between the brothers. But if no one else was going to stand up and defend the dark-haired Lothbrok, she would. 

 So instead of taking his words personally, she just smiled sweetly at Sigurd, placing a hand on Ivar's thigh as she responded. "He doesn't. I'm happy to do it for free. Besides, he has something you never will."

 "And what's that?"

 "A cock big enough to pleasure someone….is that why you go through girlfriends so quickly?"

 The rising tension evaporated in a flash. Gyda snorted so hard she almost dropped her wine glass. Hvitserk threw his head back laughing while Ubbe tried to cover his smile with his hand. Kari was sure her eyes were comically wide as what she said without thinking sunk in. Her face flushed and she pressed her face against Ivar's shoulder. Sure, she had meant to defend Ivar but she had not meant to be so crass. The statement seemed to fly out of her mouth before her brain could catch up. 

 Next to her, Ivar laughed as he nuzzled her. She squirmed under his onslaught but also at realizing she just insulted one of Ivar's brothers. Even if it was the one he liked least of all. For a fleeting moment, the idea she had just made herself an enemy crossed her mind. 

 When she sneaked a peek, Sigurd quickly drained the rest of his beer and walked away murmuring something about getting another one. 

 "I think you'll fit in, Kari." Ubbe stated, still trying unsuccessfully to hide his amusement. 

 Kari was unsure of that. She quickly took a large sip of the wine to settle her fraying nerves. What had she been thinking? It hurt to hear Ivar's brother being so blatantly cruel to him and if this was a regular occurrence, no wonder Ivar wanted to spend most of their time at her place. 

 "I didn't realize you liked my cock so much, kattungen." Ivar whispered salaciously into her ear, drawing her back to the present. His tongue flicked her earlobe, making her jolt. "I think I'll have to give you a reward later."

 She shivered at his tone, her core clenching without resistance. It was unfair how just at his husky tone alone, her body betrayed her desire. But they were in public though, in front of his family no less, so she willfully attempted to cool the heat warming her veins. With a smile, she tried to nudge him away from her but he was too strong, only tightening his grip on her and laying a quick kiss to her neck. 

 "I can't believe I said that." She whispered, hoping only he heard her. 

 He smirked, an unmistakable fire in his eyes. "It was sexy as fuck."

 Thankfully, Torvi came over to join the group, a welcome distraction for Kari as she was sure the fire in Ivar's gaze was enough to set her ablaze and further stoke her own heat. 

 Torvi settled into Sigurd's now absent spot. "What did I miss?" 

 "Kari said Ivar's cock is bigger than Sigurd's." Hvitserk stated smugly. 

 Torvi stared at Kari with a tilt of her head and an amused grin. "Really? And how did we get on the subject of dicks already?"

 Some of the group laughed as Kari covered her face once again, mortified that she was the center of attention because of what she thoughtlessly said. She had the sneaking suspicion none of them would ever let her live this down. 

 "Alright, enough. Come on, it's girl time now." Gyda grabbed Kari's hand and dragged her to her feet, much to Ivar's obvious chagrin. She scoffed, meeting her half-brother's gaze. "I'll give her back later."

 The three women wandered over to some open chairs further down from the guys and closer to the Buddha statue. Gyda carried the wine bottle and her glass while Kari carefully held her own glass. Torvi snatched a beer from a nearby cooler as they meandered over. Gyda settled on a single, lounge chair adjacent to a cushioned two-person seat which the other two sat on. 

 "Alright, we have a very serious matter to discuss. Your answer may or may not break our friendship." Gyda started, leaning forward as she pointed a single finger at the brunette. 

 Kari found herself straightening in her seat, hand clutching her wine glass tighter. 

 Eyes intent, Gyda's voice dropped conspiringly. "Who is sexier: Steve Rogers or Bucky Barnes?"

 Shock rendered Kari momentarily speechless. At Gyda's serious tone, she had imagined a topic that would involve confessing a secret, not…. not a movie franchise. "Um…. Bucky." She hesitantly answered. 

 "Yes!!" Gyda shouted, throwing her arms up and almost spilling her wine. "I knew I liked you! Ivar, she is mine now!"

 Kari laughed at her enthusiasm; all concern having vanished instantly. "I take it you like him too?"

 "Hell yeah. I would willingly choke on his cock or he could pound my pussy to pulp and I wouldn't complain either way."

 Torvi shook her head, a hint of a smile tilting the corners of her lips up. "Something's wrong with you."

 "You prefer Steve?" Kari inquired, once she recovered from choking on air at Gyda's blunt statement. Her friend always had a way of surprising her, and giving her second-hand embarrassment.

 Torvi shrugged. "A tall, handsome blond. That's my kind of man."

 Peeking over at Bjorn who was still playing in the pool with both kids, Kari hummed thoughtfully. "Huh. Makes sense."

 "No wonder you are with Ivar if you prefer Bucky Barnes."

 "But we aren't…. together." Kari fixed her eyes on her wine, knowing her answer sounded lame even to her own ears. 

 Gyda patted her leg. "You keep telling yourself that."

 "We're just friends."

 "No, you aren't."

 "Kari, it's fine." Torvi shot Gyda a look. "It's between you two, it's not really our business."

 "She's our friend!" Gyda whined, throwing herself back in her seat dramatically. 

 "And she will let us know if something changes. Including telling us if Ivar does something stupid and we need to kick his ass."

 Kari giggled as Torvi tapped her beer bottle against her wine glass. "I promise. Hvitserk already made me swear too."

 "Good. So is Ivar really that good in bed?" 

 "Gyda!" Kari exclaimed but laughed at how shameless her friend was. 

 Torvi thankfully changed the topic of conversation to Ubbe's birthday coming up next month. Asa wandered over, wrapped in a green and brown towel with long ears sticking out that made her look like baby Yoda. When Sigurd eventually appeared, Hali dragged him to the pool where they jumped in together. Not long after, Hvitserk joined them, doing a cannon-ball with the splash almost hitting the ladies. 

 Kari chatted with Torvi and Gyda for some time, enjoying herself immensely. The topics varied, but she never felt unincluded. More than once, she glanced over, only to find Ivar's gaze already on her. After the third time, he tipped his head to the side and patted the spot next to him. A not-so subtle invitation or demand, depending on how you looked at it. 

 A smile teased her lips and she nodded. She started to rise, with her second glass of wine in hand, when the sound of a loud "shit" from Gyda distracted her. 

 "What is she doing here?" Torvi quietly asked with an undertone of frustration. 

 Curious, Kari followed their gazes towards the door leading into the glassed-in porch. She was met with the sight of two blondes emerging in matching, white swimsuits that barely seemed to cover anything. Both strutted as if they were on a runway, while chatting with one another. 

 "Kari, go sit with Ivar." Gyda encouraged, snatching her hand and leading her back without a moment's hesitation towards where Ivar and Ubbe were still sitting. The wine was left forgotten on the side table. 

 "What's going on?" Kari asked in a hushed tone. 

 "Drama. I can't believe that bitch brought her. What was she thinking?"

 "Gyda?"

 She clicked her tongue but hurriedly whispered back. "That's Ivar's ex."

 Surprise made Kari almost stumble but she managed to catch herself at the last second. Further explanations had to wait because they came upon the brothers at the same time the two blondes did. Soon as Kari was close enough, Ivar held out his hand, a sweet gesture, but she could see the tension and anger in the set of his shoulders and the thin line of his lips. Silently, he guided her to sit between his spread legs, arms banding around her waist and pulling her indecently close. For once though, she did not complain. 

 "Hey, baby." One of the blondes said in a sickly-sweet voice as she pressed a kiss to Ubbe's cheek. "Sorry we're late."

 "It's fine." Ubbe slowly answered as he shifted his gaze to the other blonde. "I didn't know you were bringing someone."

 "This is supposed to be family only." Gyda snapped, having dropped into her seat next to Ivar and Kari. 

 The blonde, who stood next to Ubbe still, narrowed her eyes at Kari. "Then why is she here?" 

 "That's Ivar's girlfriend." Ubbe answered.

 "Uh, hi, I'm Kari." She decided to speak up, hoping introductions would somehow break the rising tension. At her words, Ivar momentarily dropped his head to kiss her shoulder. Unsure if his actions were encouraging or reprimanding, she laid her hands over his, which were still wrapped around her. 

 "Hmmm…. Margrethe." She replied flatly, with a pinched look, as if talking to Kari was beneath her. "I'm Ubbe's fiancé."

 The other blonde smiled pleasantly as she looked Kari in the eye. "I'm Freydis. It's lovely to meet you."

 "Yeah, nice to meet you too." Kari managed to say around the suddenly tightened grip around her waist. She would be a liar if she said she was not intimidated by Freydis. While both women were beautiful, something that seemed required to be in the presence of the Lothbrok family, Freydis was a step beyond that. With her doll-like features, lovely blue eyes and flawless skin, she was gorgeous. Kari could feel all her own insecurities screaming at her in the presence of Ivar's ex. How the youngest Lothbrok went from someone as stunning as Freydis to as girl-next-door as Kari, she had no idea….and it made her uncomfortable. 

 "What the fuck is she doing here?" Ivar demanded, ignoring Freydis' presence completely.  

 Margrethe rolled her eyes as her hand slowly stroked across Ubbe's shoulders. "I get bored and wanted to spend time with my best friend, so fuck off." She turned her head to look at Freydis beside her. "Come on, let's get something to drink." 

 After a quick kiss to Ubbe, the two headed back towards the house but not before Freydis glanced back at Ivar and Kari one last time. 

 Once they were far enough away, Gyda rounded on Ubbe, not even bothering to contain her ire. "Fiancé? Really, Ubbe?" She sneered. 

 "Hell no. I haven't proposed. I damn well don't plan to and she knows it."

 "Why are you still with her? She's a greedy bitch."

 "Gyda, I know you don't like her but she's still my girlfriend."

 "Who the fuck knows why." 

 Ubbe turned his attention to Ivar. "I swear I didn't know she was bringing Freydis. I'd have told her not to come then."

 "As long as she stays the fuck away from me, I don't give a shit." The dark-haired Lothbrok growled at his older brother. 

 The residual tension in the air was painful to abide in. It felt like a caged animal, pacing, waiting, ready for the moment to unleash a terrorizing attack. 

 "Hey, I have a question." Kari blurted out, unable to take the way the tension made her skin feel like it was being sunburned. Once Gyda and Ubbe shifted to watch her, she posed her question. "Ah, well, I've been wondering for a while but why don't you guys have bodyguards or something?"

 Ivar snorted, brushing her hair over her shoulder to press his face into the crook of her neck, making her squirm although he did not relent his position. 

 It was Ubbe that answered with a wide grin. "Eh, we don't need them. We can handle ourselves."

 "But you guys have drivers, isn't the next step to have bodyguards?"

 "You worried for us?" Ivar whispered, nipping at her skin, only to soothe the spot with his tongue. 

 "I'm serious."

 "Let's just say we know how to protect ourselves. Besides, no one is stupid enough to come after us." Ubbe concluded, raising his beer in a mock salute.

 Gyda snickered. "This is why I stay out of the family business."

 "You've no issue spending Father's money though." Ubbe retorted in a jovial way. 

 She shrugged and sent Kari a playful wink. 

 A minute later, Bjorn, Torvi and Asa came over, taking open seats with Asa sitting in Torvi's lap. Even though Kari had met Bjorn before, it still shocked her to see how much larger he was compared to the other brothers, both in size and physique. Now sitting next to Torvi, he appeared larger. With his long, braided ponytail and shaved sides, a short beard and sharp, blue eyes, he seemed quite formidable. Kari wondered briefly if that helped with the family business. 

 "See Kari there, she is the one who teaches yoga." Torvi softly said to Asa. 

 Asa peeked over at Kari, shyly smiling, still wrapped in her towel but with a juice box in hand. 

 "I bet if you ask nicely, she might show you something." Torvi said then looked up at Kari. "Lately she loves watching me do yoga at home. It's cute when she tries to do it with me."

 Bjorn chuckled, slinging an arm over the back of his wife's chair. "And usually falls down onto her face."

 "Hey, she's trying!" Torvi defended, elbowing Bjorn in the side.

 Looking at the little girl across the circle of seats, Kari smiled. "Want me to show you something I've been working on? I'm not very good at it though, so if I fall over, you can laugh at me. I'll be laughing at myself too."

 Asa nodded fervently, eyes wide in anticipation. 

 "What do you say?" Torvi tapped her daughter's nose. 

 Asa looked up at her mom then back to Kari. "Please." Even though it came out sounding more like "peas".

 "Sure. I need to stretch some first." Kari stood up and immediately had to slap Ivar's hand away that prowled down the curve of her ass. She tried to glare at him over her shoulder, only to be met with a mock innocence. Overly aware of the eyes on her, she chose a spot nearby in the plush, green grass, trying to keep her nerves to a minimum. Carefully, she warmed up her muscles, doing a few simple stretches so as not to hurt herself. Honestly, she was nervous since she never did advanced poses in front of others. It was not that she was unable to, for she did them frequently at home on her own time. It just felt like she was vying for attention or trying to show off when she did advanced poses in view of others. Conflicting memories of her grandmother's encouraging voice fought with her mother's reprimand in her mind as she stretched. 

 "What are you going to do?" Gyda called over, returning from retrieving her wine glass and bottle. 

 The question pulled her from her mind's internal war, bringing her back to the present. "Um, it's called the super soldier."

 "Oooo, I like it already."

 Once stretched, Kari stood frozen for a moment realizing she was going to need to take her cover off to do the pose. 

 "Kari, you look sexy as hell, now take the damn cover off." Gyda called out. 

 Kari hesitated, fears and insecurities rising afresh within her. 

 "Do it or Ivar will get his ass up and help you. I'm sure he wouldn't mind."

 "I hate you." She mumbled but gave in. Slowly, she walked back over to the circle of chairs, pulling the white cover off and dropped it on the lounge chair Ivar still sat on. Her eyes briefly flickered up only to meet Ivar's smoldering gaze. Instantly, she could feel herself flush. Hoping no one noticed, she moved back to her grassy spot. A loud wolf-whistle came from the direction of the pool, most likely from Hvitserk but Kari ignored it, knowing if she thought about it too much, she would make a run for it. Mentally preparing herself, she pulled her hair back into a bun on the nape of her neck, then faced the group but kept her gaze downward, too scared to look at them. 

 After taking a deep breath, she bent over to lay her hands flat on the grass without bending her knees. Next, she hooked her right shoulder behind her knee and extended her left arm for balance. She took a long, deep breath before continuing onward. Then she lifted her left foot and grabbed it with her right hand, still tucked behind her right leg. After another deep breath, she pulled her left leg up until her knee was pointed towards the sky. She held it there for three breaths before slowly releasing her leg back down and carefully straightening back up. 

 A small round of applause greeted her when she straightened. 

 "Another!"

 "You go, Kari!"

 "Do another one!"

 Blushing furiously at the cheers, she leaned forward into downward facing dog. Carefully, she slid her hands forward until her elbows touched the grass with her ass still in the air. Taking a deep breath and hoping she did not make a fool of herself, she engaged her core and kicked her legs up so she was doing a handstand but still on her elbows. Once she felt stable, she pressed her legs together and slowly bent her knees until they were almost parallel with her forearms on the ground. Feeling the burn in her core and arms, she hoped she could finish the pose without falling on her face. Next, she lowered her legs, knees apart now and big toes touching until her feet touched the top of her head. She could not help the smile that stretched across her face as she held the pose for a couple seconds, making sure to breathe slow. Scorpion pose was one she was still trying to master on her own, let alone in front of others. If anything, this felt like a victory for her. Methodically she unfurled, bringing her legs up and then back to the ground. 

 When she finally stood up, brushing the grass off her forearms, it was to another round of applause.

 "That was amazing!" Torvi said. 

 "I was thinking sexy as fuck!" Hvitserk exclaimed, a smile on his face from where he now stood, leaning against Ubbe's chair. 

 Self-consciously, Kari tugged on her swimsuit, making sure everything was tucked into place, as much as it could be, before pulling her hair out of the bun. She walked back over to the lounge chair quickly and yanked the cover back over her body. 

 "I'm going to wash my hands." She said without meeting anyone's eyes, skirting around the group and heading towards the glassed-in porch. 

 Laughter erupted behind her as she approached the door but she ignored it as she walked inside. She padded through the porch, stomach twisting in knots, and turned into the kitchen. Her feet stuttered to a halt as she noticed Margrethe and Freydis standing there with bottles of something in hand. For a split second she thought about turning and heading to the bathroom but it was too late as the two blondes noticed her intrusion. 

 "Hi, I just need to wash my hands." Kari explained. After a moment's hesitation, she walked around the opposite side of the massive island from them and towards the kitchen sink.

 "So, you're Ivar's girlfriend?" Margrethe stated with a mocking undertone. "I didn't think someone like you was his…. type."

 "Margrethe…." Freydis chided. 

 "What? Look at her. I mean she's got tits and an ass, and I guess she could be pretty but that's it."

 "I'm sorry." Freydis apologized kindly. After a long, awkward pause where the kitchen was silent besides Kari washing her hands, she asked, "How long have you and Ivar been together?"

 "Um, we aren't…. we’re just friends." Kari found herself admitting, as she finished drying her hands and turned around to see them both staring at her. Though Freydis had a gentle smile on her face, Margrethe looked nothing less than the cat that caught the canary and planned on lording it over everyone. 

 "Oh?" 

 "See. Told you, Dis. He is still single." Margrethe smugly said, flicking her hair over her shoulder. "He's just playing the game."

 "Game?" Kari muttered aloud. 

 Freydis set her glass down and came around the island to stand in front of Kari. Her blue eyes were bright as they met Kari's. "You seem like a nice girl and clearly the others like you too. So, I'll be honest because I don't want you to get caught up in the Lothbrok drama and get hurt. Okay?"

 "Okay."

 "Ivar and I are getting back together. We're just taking a break right now. Truly, I know we are destined for each other and he agrees. We had a bad fight and needed some space but he loves me just as much as I love him. So, I know he will come back to me when he is ready. I'm so sorry to tell you that you're just the rebound girl. I'm sure he likes you but that's as far as it will ever go. Gyda likes to try and mess with the brothers' love lives so I am sorry if she dragged you into this without telling you the whole truth. It's not your fault. I am sure Gyda lied to you and probably Ivar too. But it's good for you to know now. I don't hold it against you if you've have had sex with him but just know your time with him is limited, okay? How long have you two been 'friends'?"

 "We met last month." Kari whispered, dread and despair a writhing mess of snakes churning in her stomach. Air refused to fill her lungs, leaving her struggling for breath. 

 Freydis sighed. "It probably will be soon then. Just take advantage of the things he purchases for you, so when he leaves, you can have something to sell if you're in a pinch. Yeah?"

 "Ah…. sure."

 "Good. You seem like a nice girl. I'm sorry to be the one to tell you this."

 "It's…." Kari choked back a sudden sob. "It's alright. Thank you."

 "Of course, we girls need to look out for each other. Is there anything I can do for you?" She inquired, sounding so genuine in her desire to help, her gaze imploring and lips in a faint, comforting smile. 

 "No…. no. I just need to check my phone. Have you seen Gyda's bag?"

 "I think she left it on the porch." Margrethe helpfully added, never having lost the smug grin on her face as she watched Kari with a hawk-like intensity. 

 "Oh, right. Thank you." Kari shifted back and forth on her feet, body primed to run, to flee before anyone could see the tears that welled pathetically in her eyes. 

 Freydis reached out and squeezed her arm, a brief exchange of understanding, then strutted back around to grab her drink and follow Margrethe to the porch and outside. 

 Once alone, Kari pressed a hand over her mouth to try and stifle the sob that lodged itself in her throat. She knew it. Everything Freydis said made sense. 

 Without a second thought, she rushed around the island and onto the porch, quickly locating Gyda's bag. She scooped her purse and clothes out only to hurry back inside. A quick check of the time and she figured she might be able to catch a bus, but in this gated community, there was no way buses came through so she would end up walking somewhere. Feeling the sting of tears in her eyes, she sniffled, trying desperately to hold them back. She looked up the nearest bus stop on her phone, pleased it was only a few blocks away from the gated community. 

 Once positive she knew where she was going, she stared down at her clothes on the counter, wondering if she should change before leaving. It would certainly look odd for her to be walking down the street in the swimsuit cover and sandals in such an upscale neighborhood. Then she thought about any of the Lothbroks finding her trying to leave and pushed the potential oddity of her attire from her mind. It appeared there was a gas station nearby when she found the bus stop, it would be simple to change there quickly. Somehow she could give the swimsuit and cover back to Torvi…. but not today. Right now, she needed to leave. 

 She tried to shove her clothes into her purse, only succeeding by making it look like an over-inflated balloon but it worked. Lastly, she reached to grab her phone off the kitchen counter but froze. Ivar bought it for her. Freydis' words came back to her about taking advantage of the things he bought for her. Bile burned the back of her throat at the idea. She promised herself she would not be one of those girls to him. Slowly, she retracted her hand, forming it into a fist by her side. Ivar could give the phone to Freydis or throw it in the trash for all she cared. Even with the feeling of her heart being ripped in two, she refused to take advantage of him or his money. She was a better person than that. Or so she hoped. 

 Worried someone would come in soon, she tossed her purse over her shoulder and swiftly headed towards the front door. She passed through the hallway she entered in, but the pictures and awards blurred before her eyes as the repressed tears threatened to make an appearance. Hastily, she wiped her eyes with the back of her hand but knew it was ultimately futile. 

 "Kari?" 

 Her stride never faltered towards her escape, even after hearing Hvitserk call her name from what sounded like the porch. 

 "Kari? Where are you going?" His voice came from behind her, probably standing at the entrance of the hallway now. 

 "I have to go." Kari said, not bothering to turn around, unsure if he could even hear her. She could barely hear footsteps behind her over the sound of her sniffles and ragged breathing. It did not matter since she was close to her escape, just a couple more moments. Her hand touched the handle, just beginning to pull the door open when Hvitserk's hand appeared in her direct line of vision and slammed it closed. Although the sound was muffled, it echoed in her mind like a gunshot. 

 "What's going on?" Hvitserk stood directly behind her, his hand still firmly planted on the door as if to prevent her from even considering leaving without permission again. 

 "It's nothing." She murmured, staring down at her feet. 

 "I seriously doubt that if you are trying to sneak away while crying…. what happened?"

 "Nothing. I just…. I just want to go home."

 "Okay." He shifted to lean his shoulder against the door, ducking his head to try and catch her eyes. "Does this have to do with the yoga stuff?"

 "No. Just…. please, Hvitserk."

 "You need to tell me something. Look, I'll give you a ride, we can leave right now but you have to tell me what happened."

 She swallowed thickly, still refusing to look at him. It was taking all of her willpower to keep the tears at bay. At any moment she felt the tears would come forth with all the power of a hurricane, reducing her to a sniveling mess on the floor, nursing a broken heart. It was all her fault though. How could she have believed someone like Ivar Lothbrok would actually be interested in her for more than just a one-night stand. She was just a challenge for him, someone to pass the time. Then once she gave in, once they finally had sex, he would walk out of her life and back into Freydis' arms and bed…. where he apparently belonged. 

 "Kari?" Hvitserk softly prompted. 

 "It's…. I just have a better understanding now…. of where I stand…. of my purpose here."

 "Your purpose?"

 She sniffed, wiping her wet eyes once again before the tears fell. "I'm just a rebound girl….and that's alright. I get it. But I just want to go home now." 

 "Fuck. Freydis said that, didn't she?"

 "It doesn't matter. Can you please just take me to the bus stop, I can get home from there." She knew she was begging but she did not care anymore. 

 "Kari, give me that." He grabbed her purse from her and tossed it onto a wooden side table. His hands held hers in a manner that was comforting verse restraining. His thumbs rubbed along the back of her hands as he softly spoke. "Look at me, you know it's not like that."

 "It doesn't matter." She shook her head, even as her hands gripped his tighter, the feeling being the only thing keeping her from falling apart at the front door. "I shouldn't have let Gyda bring me here. I should have made her drop me off."

 "Kari…." He began but was interrupted. 

 "Hvitty?" Ivar's loud voice boomed from the kitchen. "You better not be trying to fuck Kari!"

 Kari flinched at the sound. The facade of strength she fought to maintain evaporated like smoke. The tears she had been trying so desperately to withhold slipped free, rolling down her cheeks like a cleansing rain.  

 "Over here!" Hvitserk called back, releasing her hands but not moving away. 

 Ivar's measured gait could be heard coming down the hallway like the footsteps of doom. 

 "What the fuck is going on? You disappear to find Kari and then…." His voice trailed off as he entered the foyer, piercing gaze zeroing in on her tear-stained face. What sense of jovial teasing transformed into enraged fury. When he spoke next, it came out in an animalistic growl that bespoke impending violence. "Who fucking hurt you?"

 "I'm fine." She mumbled, wrapping her arms around herself. Her chin rested on her chest, tears still streaming down her cheeks. "I just want to go home."

 "Freydis….and I'm betting Margrethe also said something to her." Hvitserk snitched, leaning fully against the door. He watched both Kari and his brother as if ready to intervene at a moment's notice. 

 Ivar snapped, stepping closer. "What did they say?"

 She was unsure who he directed his question to but she still shook her head, refusing to look at either brother. Hearing his wrath, it only made her heart ache more. All of this was a show, it had to be. Why would he truly care? The sound of his heavy gait coming closer brought a fresh wave of silent tears. 

 Moving to her other side, he cupped her cheek. When she resisted looking at him, he shifted his hand to grab the back of her neck, forcing her gaze to meet his. A tempest swirled in his icy blue eyes. "What. Did. They. Say?"

 "Why does it matter?" She questioned, bottom lip trembling as a sob rose from her chest. 

 "Because they hurt you."

 "But I'm no one. I don't matter." She shook her head, pressing a hand over her mouth to contain the cries bound to escape at any moment. "You're just going to get back together with Freydis when you get bored with me."

 His eyes widened as if she had sucker-punched him. His mouth dropped open for a moment before he collected himself, the maelstrom rippling under his skin on the verge of breaking free. "Did they say that?"

 "Freydis said…. she said you two were just taking a break….and I'm the rebound girl."

 "Fuck. Fuck!" Ivar stepped away, running his hands through his loose hair. In an instant, he grabbed the decorative bowl off the entrance table and threw it. The shattering against the wall reverberated in the foyer followed by Ivar's guttural shout. "FUCK!" 

 "Ivar." Hvitserk softly said, warily watching his younger brother. 

 "I'm going to kill her. Fuck! I can't believe she would fucking say that!" Ivar ran his hands through his hair again, looking on the verge of ripping the strands out. The ferocity in his eyes was unmatched as he glanced down the hallway, clearly wanting to go after his ex, then shifted back to Kari, who remained silent and unmoving. "What else did she say?" He barked at her. 

 "You're destined for each other." She confessed after a moment's hesitation. 

 Ivar stormed over to her, devouring the ground beneath his feet as he invaded her space. Standing before her, he cupped her face, eyes imploring her to believe him. "Freydis is a crazy, jealous bitch. She manipulates to get what she wants. Don't believe a word out of her fucking mouth. Fuck! Please, Kari, don't cry. I'm right here, kitten."

 His words seeped into her mind, slipping in through the cracks and delving deep into her soul. His words alone should not have reassured her like they did. Between his pleading eyes and his gentle touch, her few walls surrounding her heart crumbled, unable to fight him. She believed him, even before her mind fully recognized it. 

 She lightly placed her hands on his bare chest, one directly over his heart, feeling the rapid tempo under her fingers. "Promise?" She whispered wetly. "You're not just…. I’m not just a rebound girl?"

 Ivar groaned, pressing his forehead to Kari's. "I swear. I never thought that about you." 

 And she believed him again. The truth falling from his lips resounded in the very core of her being. It made no sense how she knew, but somehow, she did. 

 After a long second, Hvitserk pushed off the door from next to them. "I'm going to head back and keep an eye on them. Kari, if you still want a ride just text me, alright?" 

 "Thank you, Hvitty." She reached out and snagged his hand, giving it a quick squeeze. With a smile, he responded in kind before heading down the hallway towards the backyard. 

 Soon as Hvitserk started walking away, Ivar grabbed her hand and led her in the opposite direction. They hurried through a short hallway to arrive at a closed door. Impatiently, Ivar thrust the door open and pulled her into a room, slamming the door shut behind them. She had a brief moment to scan the new room and notice the two walls with floor to ceiling bookshelves packed full and the couple couches near a large window. 

 Before she could do anything, she shrieked as she found herself suddenly yanked back, her body colliding with the closed door. Immediately Ivar's mouth claimed hers in a hungry, feverish kiss. His body pinned her to the door, hands kneading her hips. It was all she could do to just breathe. Her hands clung to his broad shoulders, desperate to stay above the waves of passion-fueled desire that surged unchecked within her. 

 Ivar withdrew his mouth from hers, but only to place kisses over her cheeks, washing away her tears with his affections. "Don't listen to her. Her and I. We are through. I will never go back to her. She has been sniffing around but that ends tonight. I won't fucking let her talk to you again. I fucking swear it."

 "Ivar…." She whined, tilting her head. An open invitation which he took. 

 He swooped in, continuing to speak between leaving open-mouth kisses on her neck. "It's you. It's you I want. It's you I think about all the time. Fuck, kitten, you have no idea how much I want you. And seeing you do those yoga poses in that swimsuit…. fuck! You looked so goddamn sexy; I got a hard-on just watching." He grabbed her thigh, lifting it up and curling it behind him, pressing himself against her core. At the touch of his hardened length against her, she whimpered. "Do you feel that? That's for you, søte Kari."

 She could not help but roll her hips, grinding against his erection, body automatically seeking friction. 

 "Yes! Fuck." He growled against her neck. "Come here."

 She whined when he released her leg, letting it fall down to the floor. Her breathing was unsteady already, heart hammering away in her chest. A part of her knew she should stop this, open the door behind her and walk out to avoid the temptation. Yet when his hand latched onto hers once again, tugging her towards one of the couches, she followed willingly, unable to deny the sweet sin that was Ivar.

 He dropped onto the couch and settled her into his lap to straddle him. As she settled, he grabbed a handful of the cover over her and yanked it off, tossing it haphazardly onto the floor. Her first instinct was to cover her chest, but as her arms moved to do that, Ivar guided them behind his head. His gaze drunk in the curves of her body, an unashamed starved look in his eyes that made her shudder as it further ignited the fire in her belly. 

 "Kattungen min." He whispered reverently. "Fucking hell, so gorgeous. No one else gets to touch you like I do. Got it? You're mine." He started lavishing her chest and neck with his mouth, alternating between his lips and tongue. 

 She knew she should feel more self-conscious straddling Ivar's lap in only the swimsuit that barely covered all of her assets; but it was as if his touch banished the thoughts away. Instead she felt beautiful and cherished. 

 He palmed one of her breasts and the moan that escaped her was pure wanton. Hands tangled in his long locks as her hips ground harder against his erection in response. His leg braces were only an afterthought that did not impede her actions. 

 "Ivar, please."

 "That's it. Fuck, you're so beautiful. I can't wait to fuck you senseless."

 Suddenly he shifted under her, his hand fumbling between them. Her mind barely took notice as he sucked the skin between her breasts, something that would definitely leave a mark. Next thing she knew, his cock was freed, standing at attention between them. 

 Before she could protest, he spoke up. "I know you're not ready." He slid it under her, pulling her hips back down. At the sensation of his cock rubbing her slit with only the thin barrier of the bikini bottom between them, she threw her head back with a whine. Desire roared through her like a freight train as his cock rubbed against her soaking core. 

 "You like that, kitten?"

 "Yes." She sighed out, head tilted back as she rolled her hips. 

 "Good, my turn." He reached behind her and promptly untied the straps of the bikini top behind her back. 

 "Ivar!" She tried to cover herself but he swatted her hands away. 

 "Trust me."

 Once she relented, he laid a hard kiss to her lips then tugged the top over her head, the band behind her neck without a tie. She desperately wanted to cover herself, now before him feeling on full display. But it was the look on his face that stilled her movements. 

 "Guder. Du er utsøkt. Faen. Den vakreste kvinnen." He murmured with adoration and awe dripping off each word. 

 "What did you say?"

 Instead of answering her, he lowered his face to her chest and captured one of her perky nipples in his mouth. His other hand moved to grab one of her ass cheeks, encouraging her to keep riding him. 

 All breath vanished from her lungs. All thoughts and insecurities fled under his touch. Her hands tangled in his hair, keeping his mouth on her. All she could feel was him. All she wanted to feel was him. Gasps and moans slipped from her as she allowed herself to be overtaken and drawn into an ocean of pleasure. 

 She could feel herself rising higher and higher, riding the wave. Her mind was becoming delirious from fire in her veins and the motion of her hips rocking over his exposed cock. 

 To her surprise, Ivar grabbed a handful of hair at the back of her neck. "That's it, beautiful. Fuck. Let's see what that bendy spine can do." Carefully, he pulled on her hair, not in a painful way but as if to guide her. Willingly submitting herself, she bent her back, following his lead. When her chest was parallel to the ceiling, he stopped pulling, keeping her suspended with her back arched. 

 Ivar groaned loudly, thrusting against her. She met his action, too absorbed in the bliss to care about decency. 

 "All the dirty, fucking things this makes me want to do to you." He licked a scalding line up her sternum, only to swirl his tongue around one of her nipples, making her mewl as she continued to move her hips faster. "Come for me."

 "Yes, yes." She chanted. "Ivar, please."

 "Keep begging, kitten. Let me know how much you want my cock."

 As her climax hit, the tightening coil in her core sprung loose, her mouth dropped open in a silent scream. Wave after wave rolled over her. She could feel Ivar grunt and thrust a few more times beneath her before retracing his cock and spurting onto her exposed stomach. After he released her hair, letting her rise back up to face him. Their eyes fixated on one another, chests heaving as they struggled for breath. 

 Gently, she reached out and touched his cheek, a shy smile on her face. Then, when he made no move to pull away, she leaned forward, uncaring of his cum slipping down her stomach, and drew him into a lazy, slow kiss. He responded, lips melding to hers in a way that was full of softness and contentment. After a moment, she felt him reach behind him for the blanket laying on the back of the couch and wipe her stomach off, all the while never abandoning their kiss. 

 Once she was clean, he dropped the blanket to the floor and somehow managed to keep their lips locked as he guided them to lay down on the couch, their bare chests pressed together and his arm under her head, legs tangled. 

 "Do you believe me now?" He eventually asked, leaning back but only far enough so the tips of their noses almost touched. 

 "Mmmm?"

 "That it's you I want. Freydis and anyone else can go fuck themselves for all I care."

 She bit her bottom lip and dropped her gaze. "I don't understand why."

 "What are you talking about?"

 "I mean…. Margrethe said I'm not your…. type."

 He snorted and muttered under his breath, "fucking bitch".

 "But she's right." Kari pressed onward, her hand running up and down his side as if to ground herself. "I mean, I could never compare to Freydis…. or Torvi or Gyda or any of them. They are all beautiful and….and in perfect shape. I'm not. My thighs and butt are too big and I'm maybe pretty but that's it."

 "You're right. You're not my usual type. But those girls, I'd fuck them and then never look their way again. You though, fuck, I can barely take my eyes off you when you're around. And these," he reached down and grabbed a handful of one of her ass cheeks, making her squeak. "I love them. And these thighs, fucking hell, kitten, I want you to suffocate me with them when I finally eat you out."

 She gasped, a bolt of electricity shooting through her at the image. 

 A devilish grin grew on his face, his hand stroking her ass cheek. "You like that idea? My tongue teasing your folds before slipping inside of you. Your thighs wrapped around my head as I feast on your pussy."

 "Ivar." She whined, unable to stop the sudden roll of her hips. 

 "Soon, sweet Kari." He chuckled darkly, ceasing her movement by melding their hips together. "And your tits, gods, they are perfect. I could stare at them all day."

 She giggled even as she flushed under his praise. "I'm sorry for doubting you. I guess, I'm still just surprised you'd…. well, that you want me."

 "You are mine. You're my woman." He stated resolutely, gazing directly into her eyes so she could see how serious he was. 

 "But we aren't dating…."

 "Doesn't fucking matter. You're mine. And one of these days you'll change your mind and stop playing this game of trying to keep me away."

 She sighed, wishing it would be that easy. Before he could continue with that argument, she changed the subject. "You know, I think we exceeded our kiss quota for the day."

 He snorted. "I didn't see you complaining earlier."

 "That's true. Do you think we should head back out?"

 "If I see Freydis or Margrethe right now…." His voice trailed off, but the fury from earlier lingered in the unspoken threat. 

 "I know. We don't have too. I'm okay right here." 

 A grateful smile on his lips, he kissed her quickly then rolled her onto her back and laid his head on her chest. They relaxed like that for several minutes in silence, her hand running through his hair, just enjoying the feeling of complacency and peace between them now after their fight. If you could even call it that. 

 Finally, she spoke up in a hushed tone, a random question coming to mind. "Do you ever get in the pool?"

 "No."

 "Oh." Was all she could say after his sharp, barbed answer. Clearly it was a subject that was not open for discussion. Her mind wandered, wondering what happened to cause such a response from him. An uncomfortable tension hung over them after his response. Something she was not sure if she should try and dissipate or ignore for now. 

 After a minute of continued silence, he kissed her chest, letting his lips linger there as if using the extra time to mentally prepare himself. Before she could tell him it was none of her business, he spoke. His tone was quiet and, in anyone else, almost shaky. 

 "I…. I used to try when I was younger. They'd put me on one of those stupid floating things and pull me around or someone would hold me. Then, when I was about seven…. Sigurd and I got in a big fight earlier that day. He claimed I broke one of his toys. Fucking asshole. I was sitting by the pool, this in our childhood home in Kattegat, I liked to watch things float on the water. Sigurd walked by me and….and pushed me over the edge."

 She gasped. "Oh Ivar…."

 "Ubbe jumped in and pulled my half-drown ass out." He nuzzled against her skin; his tone having lost the insecurity as he reassured her. "I'm alright, Kari."

 She drew his face up and gave him a long kiss, their mouth connecting with a deeper need and alleviation. "Remind me to thank Ubbe when I see him next."

 He rolled his eyes. "Don't. He's never let me forget the fact."

 "Still."

 They laid there for some more time, wrapped up in one another and content in the peaceful stillness. She could not help but think about the memory Ivar shared with her. How far back did that resentment go between the brothers? Had there ever been a time where they cared for one another? And how bad was the animosity between them if one was willing to kill the other, even as children? If her arms tightened around him, neither one mentioned it as they continued to lay there. 

 A loud knock on the door followed by a yell through the door of "are you two done yet?" disturbed their peace. 

 "Hvits, fuck off!" Ivar called back, burrowing his face between her breasts. 

 "Do you have clothes on at least?!"

 "I do!" 

 Kari swatted the back of Ivar's head at his admission. Leaning up slightly, he gave her a cheeky wink before laying his head back down. 

 "Well cover up, I'm coming in!" Hvitserk yelled through the door. 

 "Ivar, get up." Kari softly said, a panic setting in at the brother coming in and seeing them in this suggestive position and her topless. 

 "No." He mumbled. 

 Before she could shove him off, he snatched the throw blanket off the floor and threw it over his head to cover her chest. As she began to protest, the door cautiously opened. In an instant, she tried to spread out the blanket over them as best as she could, keeping the blanket over her chest and spread it somewhat over their torsos. Although how much good it did was questionable. She peered over to see Hvitserk standing in the doorway with an amused look before shaking his head and stepping in, closing the door behind him. 

 "What the fuck do you want?" Ivar asked, muffled by the blanket and his face still pressed against her skin. 

 Kari raised her gaze to the ceiling for a moment then mouthed to Hvitserk, "I'm sorry."

 Hvitserk winked at her before answering. "Bjorn and Torvi want everyone together before they leave. Sounds like they have an announcement or something."

 "Are the bitches still here?"

 "Yeah." Hvitserk sighed. 

 "Then no."

 "I'll go." Kari softly said. "It must be important."

 "No, you aren't." Ivar nipped at the side of her breast, making her squirm. 

 "Well everyone is waiting on you two." Hvitserk pointed out as he watched, clearly entertained if his broad grin said anything. 

 "I'm coming."

 Ivar pulled the blanket back slightly to stare up at her. "Why the fuck do you want to see them?"

 "Is it….is it terrible I want to show Frey…. her that I'm still here. That no matter what they said, that I'm not going anywhere."

 A positively, feral grin spread over his face. He swooped in and pressed a devastating kiss to her mouth, not letting up until she thought she would suffocate from the intensity of it. "Let's go." 

 He started to rise up but when she squeaked and tried to clutch the blanket to her, he froze. 

 "Hvits, leave."

 "You sure I can't stay?" His smirk grew as he caught Kari's eye and watched her flush deepen. 

 "GO!" Ivar bellowed, glaring at his older brother. 

 "Fine. I'll wait out here for you. If you're not out in three minutes, I'm coming back in." Hvitserk stepped outside and closed the door behind him. 

 Ivar carefully slid off of her, standing up beside the couch, the blanket in hand. His predatory, blue eyes remained trained on her form, raking over her body like a sweet he wanted to devour completely. A familiar warmth awakened in her core, even as she shyly glanced away, covering her naked breasts with her hands. 

 "Fuck, you're gorgeous. On second thought, I think we should stay. I need another taste of you and to hear you moaning my name for everyone to fucking hear."

 She squealed, quickly skirting away from him before he could pounce on her. "Ivar, no!" Yet, miraculously, he managed to snag an arm around her waist and drag her back against his chest. 

 "Should we make an announcement of our own?" He asked, running his nose along the shell of her ear, chuckling under his breath when she shivered against him.

 "What do you mean?"

 "That you're my girlfriend. That this just-friends is shit."

 "I…." She balked, eyes wide and heart beating a painful staccato in her chest. “We…. we can't."

 "Why the fuck not?" He grasped her breasts, rolling her peaked nipples between his fingers. 

 She practically swallowed her tongue, biting back the moan lodged in her throat. When she was positive she could control her voice, she replied. "We've talked about this. I'm just…. I’m not ready."

 "But you'll practically let me fuck you?"

 At his harsh snap, she tried to push out of his embrace, unwilling to have this conversation in their current predicament or maybe have the conversation at all. The innate desire to flee rose up in her but she tried to force it down as she squirmed in his arms. He held her firm, not giving up an inch, her body flush against his own. 

 "Ivar!" 

 "What aren't you telling me?" 

 She hated both herself and him in the moment as she ceased her escape attempts. She hated him for continuously pushing her, for ignoring her words and trying to force her where he wanted her to be. Even more though, she hated herself. If she had kept away from him, however unlikely that was, if she did not have to hide, then none of this would matter. If she could be honest, truly honest, he would most likely reject her. And that was why she hated herself most. Because she was selfish and wanted his attention and affection, even knowing if he knew who she truly was, he would walk away. 

 Carefully, she turned her head to meet his stormy eyes. "I promise one day I will. I just…. can we please just enjoy this? What we have? I just need…. time."

 He stared down at her for a long time. She wondered what he read in her face when he finally gave a resigned sigh. "Fine. I'm telling people you are my girlfriend though."

 "You're unbelievable."

 "I think you like that about me." He matched her smile with his own before letting her go.  

 She quickly found her bikini top, noticing Ivar not-so-subtly adjusting his sweatpants. She slipped it over her head but when she went to tie the straps, a pair of calloused hands covered hers. Without a word, he tied it behind her back. Once done, his hand slowly prowled down her back to lightly smack her ass. 

 "Hey!" She whipped around, only to see a Cheshire grin on his face. 

 "That's my sexy ass."

 "Oh my god. Unbelievable." She muttered to herself as she snatched up the cover and pulled it over. She looked down at the blanket piled on the floor. 

 "Leave it. I'll deal with it later." He took her hand and walked with her towards the door. When they opened it, a still-shirtless Hvitserk stood leaning against the wall across from them. 

 "Took you two long enough. Damn. Almost came in and threw Kari over my shoulder to get you out." 

 Ivar spat something out in their language that made Hvitserk roll his eyes. Before they could move further down the hallway, Hvitserk reached out and placed a hand on her shoulder, freezing her in place.  

 "Hey, whatever they said. Just try to ignore it. We all want you here. Hell, all of us would kick them to the damn curb if Ubbe would let us. But Ubbe and Bjorn have already approved of you."

 Ivar scoffed but Hvitserk kept his gaze on hers, letting her know he was serious. 

 "Just know, we're on your side."

 "Thank you, Hvitty." She squeezed his hand, warmth blooming in her chest at his words.  

 "Either one of them tries to talk to her, I'll strangle them." Ivar growled, starting down the hallway, towing Kari behind him. 

 "You can't kill them, Ivar. Mother said murder is wrong."

 Ivar laughed, looking over his shoulder at his brother. "Mother still loves me."

 "Yeah, yeah, we all know you're her favorite."

 "Can you blame her? Look at me. I'm far superior and more interesting than the rest of you."

 "Keep telling yourself that."

 Kari could not help but smile at their teasing, a mock argument that sounded like it had been executed many times before until now it was said out of fondness and mock sibling rivalry. 

 The three walked back outside through the glassed-in porch. On the way, she noticed her purse back next to Gyda's bag and wondered if Hvitserk moved it there for her. Outside, everyone else sat on chairs or lounge chairs that were grouped in a haphazard circle, obviously waiting for the remainder of the group to join.  

 "What took you so long? Thought we'd have to send a search party to find you." Bjorn called out as the three approached. 

 "I got 'em. The library reeks of sex though." Hvitserk said, dodging Kari's swing. 

 Ivar guided her back to the lounge chair they had been sitting in earlier, tucking her into his side with a hand laying possessively on her hip. Hvitserk sat on her other side instead of pulling a new chair over. She tried to ignore Margrethe and Freydis who sat across from them, keeping her eyes trained on her lap, fiddling with the hem of her cover.  

 "Ok, now that we're finally all here." Bjorn said, standing up with Asa in his arms. "We just wanted to tell our family the good news in person."

 "Torvi is pregnant!" Gyda blurted, staring at her sister-in-law in shock. 

 "Fuck! Gyda!" Bjorn groaned. 

 "Daddy said a bad word." Hali looked over at his mother from his spot next to Sigurd. 

 "Yes, he did, thank you, Hali." Torvi replied smiling then addressed the group. "I'm about two months along. So right now, we are only telling family, so please don't share this with anyone else yet."

 "Wow! A third! Congrats!" Ubbe started, others immediately echoing their own congratulations and well-wishes. 

 Kari jumped up and moved to give Torvi a hug after Gyda. "I know we haven't known each other long but I'm so excited for you. You're an amazing mother."

 "Thank you, Kari. Maybe your own time will come soon." She shooting her eyes over to Ivar for a second then meeting Kari's again. 

 "Oh, I don't know." She blushed at the thought. After another brief hug, Kari returned to her seat. 

 "How old are you?" Hvitserk asked suddenly. 

 "Um, I turned twenty-five this summer."

 "Ha! Still the baby of the group." Sigurd laughed, pointing his beer bottle at Ivar.  

 "Hey, nothing is wrong with an older woman. We're in our sexual prime." Gyda defended. 

 "She's not that much older." Ivar retorted, his hand skimming up and down Kari's thigh. "Just a year."

 "And a few months. You're turning twenty-four after the new year." Ubbe helpfully added with a grin. 

 "Fuck off." 

 "Mommy, Uncle Ivar said a bad word now."

 "Yes, he did, Hali. I think it's time for us to go. Say goodbye to everyone." Torvi said. After a round of goodbyes and hugs to all the uncles and aunt, the small family headed back through the house to head to their own home.

 "Did you know Ivar is younger than you?" Hvitserk asked conspiringly, once conversation started around them again. 

 She tilted her head as she looked at him, slowly answering his question. “Yeah…. we talked about this a while ago."

 "Good. Do you want kids?"

 "Hvits, what is this?" Ivar butted in. 

 "Just testing the waters to see how she feels about having my babies. You know they'd be beautiful." Hvitserk chuckled when Ivar glared at him. 

 "Be nice you two or I'm moving." Kari chided. 

 "Yes, mom." Hvitserk said, sneaking a kiss to her cheek before jumping away. He turned around and pointed at her as he walked backwards. "One day you'll have my babies!" 

 She laughed, shaking her head. She could practically feel the smoke coming from Ivar's ears. Before he could burst a vein, she leaned closer to him and laid her head against his shoulder. "He knows I'm yours."

 "He fucking better or I'll beat his ass to remind him." Ivar murmured, nuzzling her temple. 

 She relaxed against him, looking around the backyard. Hvitserk and Ubbe had started some kind of wrestling competition in the pool, both looking like they were trying to drown each other. Gyda and Ivar called insults from their seats. Sigurd was texting on his phone but occasionally looking up and making a comment. At one point he caught her eye and gave her a brief nod, which she smiled back, hoping any animosity between the two of them from her earlier comment was gone. She purposefully ignored the whispering between Margrethe and Freydis, taking a note from Ivar's book and acting as if they did not exist. 

 Looking at the Lothbrok family around her, she smiled at the group, still amazed she found herself in their midst and how welcoming most of them were. For almost two years she had been alone in a new country, thinking that was what she wanted. Now though, she wondered if she had just been missing a group that accepted her without question. 

 She peered up at Ivar, heart swelling with gratitude and affection. Without second guessing herself, she kissed his cheek and leaned back against his shoulder. He hummed, placing his own kiss to the top of her head. 

 She wondered if she should just give up fighting this, whatever this was between them. Maybe it would work out. Maybe everything would not fall apart as soon as the truth fell from her lips. Maybe he could accept her past and who she was. 

 Silently, she shook the thoughts away. It was still too soon to tell and if she was honest, she did not want to lose this. 

 Or lose him. 

[goldentournesol]

The Receptionist and the Profiler (Seven)

Chapter Seven: Sweet Fulfilment

(Spencer Reid x f!Reader)

Series Masterlist

General Masterlist

The silence that fell upon them in Rossi’s backyard was so heavy, no one dared to break it. Derek was brave enough to stand and follow Y/N into the house, most likely to drive her home. The rest received the message and began to dwindle away, until only Ashley and Spencer were left.

Spencer absentmindedly fiddled with the top of his cane, still stunned into silence from Y/N’s heavy confession. He could feel Ashley’s eyes on him, but didn’t bother looking at her. His mind was racing ten times faster than it ever had before.

Ashley breathed out a sigh and kept it simple and straightforward, “Do you love her?” She asked softly. 

He wished to hear some malice in her tone, thinking it might make him feel something other than shock, but all he heard was curiosity. He didn’t even have to think to find the answer, but which answer was he willing to give?

“Yes.” He said, not even having the audacity to see the reaction it brought upon her eyes. 

He should have felt horrible for hurting Ashley, but he couldn’t bring it upon himself to feel anything but relief as he replayed Y/N’s words in his head. He heard her move to stand up and remained motionless as she left him on the couch. She went inside and Spencer deduced that she’d probably already taken her car and returned home. He’d have to find a different ride home but that was the least of his problems right now.

No one knew what to tell him as he passed them in the spacious living room a half hour later. No one knew where to start with him, but their unrelated hushed conversations continued on. Y/N had stupefied them all, but him especially. His heart should have been soaring because of her confession, but he knew he’d have to give Ashley a proper goodbye. She deserved one, even though he had quite literally used her in the most ungentlemanly of ways. He hadn’t let themselves get too invested in the relationship, though. He’d always kept her at arm’s length for fear of getting too attached. 

The next day, he’d promptly gone to her apartment and given a heartfelt apology. She’d let him know how hurt she was and that she was not going to be returning to the BAU. He still felt bad, but once again, he felt like he could breathe. Like the air knew its way back to his lungs. 

The weekend came and went, silence on both ends. Both lovers just stewing in their own pots. Both pots teeming with unadulterated, unconditional love and affection for one another. It could barely be contained at this point. Time seemed to float by and before they knew it they were back in the office. A new month had just begun. She felt new, she felt like she’d peeled off a layer of her skin, one that had been holding her back, trapping her within the confines of herself.

With the new month, she was called in early to have the routine monthly meeting with Hotch where they went over the itinerary of the next month. They liked to plan whatever they could given that half of the BAU’s job was unpredictable.

“So, I have here the form that Strauss asked for. Also, the 6th floor’s printer is a literal piece of junk and I’ve typed up a formal proposal so that maybe we could get a new one? I coordinated with Penelope about the funds and she says there are sufficient funds for a new printer.” Y/N said, handing Hotch a typed document. 

Even after all these years, her dedication to this job continues to blow him away. He’d come to see her as a work-daughter. He has taught her so much over the past few years and he’ll always have a special place in her heart. He nodded, glancing over the document.

“Great, I trust you and Penelope will pick an adequate printer.” He paused, sending her a smile. He noticed the slight glimmer in her eye, “I know you’ve been having a rough few months, Y/N, and it’s not technically my place to get involved in your personal life, as your boss, but as your friend, I hope you know that I am available to help you in any way I possibly can.”

Her whole face formed into a fond smile, “Thanks, Hotch and yes, I know.” She chuckled slightly.

“You are a dedicated employee and a wonderful person. If you ask me--” He was interrupted by his office door slamming open, showcasing an absolutely beaming Dr. Spencer Reid in the doorway.

“Hotch, I am so sorry to interrupt your meeting,” Spencer’s eyes flew from Hotch to Y/N, his attention now zeroed in on her. He leaned into the office, not fully entering, “are you free for dinner tonight?” he asked in a rushed manner, as if not getting a fast answer would somehow make him lose all the confidence he’d mustered up.

“M-me? Yes! I mean, yes, I’m free tonight.” Y/N answered, flustered at the interruption as well as the question. Spencer’s face split into a grin and he tapped the doorframe once awkwardly.

“Great, then...it’s a date.” He raised his brows and tried to lessen his grin as he snuck a glance at Hotch before gracelessly forming his lips into a line and scurrying out of the small office.

Y/N turned back to Hotch quickly with eyes widened with disbelief and a face totally failing to contain the utter joy she felt, “I’m sorry, what were you saying?”

Hotch only responded with a knowing smile at the precious interaction he’d just witnessed firsthand.

First dates were supposed to be awkward, however, their first date was anything but. Spencer had showed up with a fresh haircut, his shoulder length hair cut into a dreamy, swoopy style that sat along his forehead comfortably. It was so much more attractive than Y/N could outwardly-or inwardly- admit. His knee was now fully healed and no longer needed his cane which allowed them to walk around the city freely.

They’d both realized how stupid and blind they’ve been over the years. Y/N confessed to feeling especially stupid for staying with Anderson for so long, even when she had realized her true feelings for Spencer. Time had passed them by like it was nothing. 

Spencer, like the true gentleman he is, insisted he’d walk her home. He’d feel more comfortable knowing she was safe, not to mention that he was extremely curious about her new apartment. He hadn’t expected Y/N to invite him in, but of course she did, because that was who she was. She was warm and inviting, and if she was being honest, she didn’t want the night to end yet.

“I’m sorry about the mess, I haven’t really been in the right headspace these past few weeks.” She said, walking him inside. He took a look around and noticed a few unpacked boxes out of place but he definitely wouldn’t characterize it as messy. 

He chuckled softly and shrugged, “Trust me, it’s fine.” Her shoulders dropped with relief slightly and she returned his lightheartedness by smiling and flopping onto the couch.

“It’s been so long since I’ve lived on my own. I don’t think I’ll ever get used to the silence.” Y/N said, but only realized how sad it must have sounded after she said it. Spencer took a seat next to her on her small, but comfortable couch.

“I feel quite the opposite, I think I’ve been living on my own for--for a long time.” He said, thinking back to his days but pushing away the especially dark parts. 

She dared to glance at him, seeing him in her space was so...different. So refreshing. It’s like this apartment needed Spencer in it for it to feel complete. Or maybe that was her heart speaking. Maybe both the apartment and her heart needed Spencer to feel whole. Her glance had long been forgotten and had turned into a longing gaze instead.

“Spencer, I-” She gazed at him, feeling the words get caught up in her throat before she could have had the chance to voice them. Besides, what words would ever be able to convey the way she felt towards him? 

Words escaped her when he looked at her like that--all soft eyes and a fond, lopsided smile, despite his curiosity at her interrupted sentence. She made the mistake of glancing at his lips, the lips that were so appealing, practically calling her name. The ones she’d caught herself daydreaming about for years and years on end. His proximity was intoxicating and before she could doubt herself, she closed the gap between them, her hands attaching themselves to the lapels of his blazer to pull him ever so slightly closer.

His lips were just as warm and inviting as she’d remembered them, but this time the kiss tasted sweeter, it was no longer tainted with suppressed guilt and confusion. His lips tasted like certainty. It was clear that she’d finally found what she’d been missing all these years. The gentle push and pull of the kiss was invigorating to them both. His slightly calloused hands found her flushed cheeks, each thumb delicately caressing the delicate skin beneath the pads of his fingers. They’d savored the kiss so much that when they pulled away, two, three, four tender, short kisses followed the initial one.

Almost as if they’d never get enough of each other. Like if the world was ending, it wouldn’t matter, they’d go peacefully, knowing that this is what it was like. That this is what quenched thirst felt like.

“I love you.” She murmured against his lips, breath uneven. She’d known it for as long as she could remember and he’d known it too, but she was past the point of timidness to admit it now. There’s no use in prolonging it, not when she was this certain. 

The pad of his thumb traced a line across her jaw slowly as he heard the words. His face couldn’t contain his smile, teeth almost clashing into each other from their closeness. His warm, amber eyes flitted to hers, visible comfort and reassurance filling his irises. He was transported back to Rossi’s garden when he’d first told her he loved her. She knew, she knew he loved her too, which is why it was so easy.

“I love you, too.” He murmured back, pressing another passionate kiss to her lips, as a quiet admission of love. She could feel the tears gather underneath her closed lids almost as quickly as relief flooded her chest.

They’d decided to keep things under the radar for a while, neither of them too eager to showcase their relationship to the world just yet, excluding Hotch of course. They did their best anyway--or at least they thought they did. Their recent smiley faces and cheery attitudes were not invisible to America’s top profilers and well, Penelope, who was perhaps the sharpest of them all, despite not being trained to analyze behavior like the others.

Exactly two weeks after their first date, Penelope cornered Y/N at her desk around lunchtime, right before the two lovebirds took their daily lunch walk. 

“Spill.” Penelope demanded, her colorful teapot earrings swayed, contradicting the sternness in her voice.

“What are you talking about?” Y/N gazed up at her with genuine confusion.

“Uh-uh, don’t give me that. I know something fishy is going on. I can smell it.” Penelope leaned in closer and began pointing fingers. Y/N barked a laugh.

“Garcia, nothing is going on. Please tell me what you’re talking about.” She laughed, amused at the sight of her friend being so outwardly nosey.

“You think I haven’t noticed you and Boy Wonder--” She was interrupted by a loud clearing of the throat noise from Spencer to announce his presence.

“Garcia, Derek said something about making hot chocolate in the kitchenette and you know how he dips the sugar spoon back into the chocolate mix? Yeah, you should probably--” Spencer lied through his teeth but Penelope wasted no time in rushing off to the kitchenette, groaning about how she hated finding extra sugar in the chocolate.

Spencer caught Y/N’s eye and they both burst out laughing. They quickly made their exit, whispering about how close of a call it was with Garcia. Little did they know, Rossi had caught every little bit of the very tender, intimate kiss they shared before the doors of the empty elevator had closed, leaving him shaking his head at the obliviousness of the two. 

The team decided to make a game out of it very quickly when they all realized. They wanted to see which of them could expose the couple the quickest.

 JJ found extreme joy in trying to set Y/N up with one of Will’s friends right in front of Spencer.

“Come on! This guy’s totally your type, Y/N.” JJ pushed, showing her a picture of a man on her phone, leaning towards her over the top of her desk. Y/N laughed uncomfortably and glanced with panic at Spencer who was watching curiously.

“I don’t know, I d-don’t think I have a type, JJ.” She tried to brush her off, continuing to laugh in discomfort. Emily and Derek almost split their lips as they bit them to try and keep from laughing. They watched Spencer shift nervously in his seat.

“I’m just not interested.” Y/N said, “Thanks, though.” JJ finally gave in and accepted that she’d lost the bet.

Emily tried her hand at “girl-talk”, hoping that maybe Y/N would slip up and tell her about Spencer, but to no avail. That woman’s lips were sealed shut.

Derek and Penelope both tried to follow them around but Spencer and Y/N were far too cautious at work now. Derek actually had to convince Penelope to take the moral high road and refrain from tracking their devices or hacking into their messages.

After trying and failing for so long, the team finally gave up on trying to rat them out and instead decided to respectfully wait for their announcement. 

Y/N realized that she hadn’t technically invited anyone over to her new apartment and decided to throw a somewhat delayed “welcoming party” for herself. She’d cooked dinner, which Spencer did his best to contribute to, decorated the place nicely, and invited the whole team over.

“Thank you all so much for being here. I know this has been a long time coming. I’ve missed our little get-togethers and thought it’d be fitting if I finally host one, given that I now have my own apartment.” Y/N spoke from her place at the head of the dinner table which had barely ever been used before this night. It was a tight squeeze, but her heart soared as she saw the faces of her caring coworkers and friends staring up at her. They all lifted their glasses and gave her a silent toast of appreciation.

Spencer stood from his seat that was to the right of Y/N’s and cleared his throat, “Also, we have an announcement to make.” He timidly began, catching the eager smiles. “Y/N and I are, finally, together.” He waited for the cheers of excitement but nothing but an eerie knowing silence befell the dinner table.

Something clicked in Y/N’s brain as she spotted Rossi handing Hotch something under the table not-so-discreetly, “You all knew?!” She gasped in disbelief. The team broke out into fits of laughter.

“The whole time!” Garcia guffawed. Spencer and Y/N shared a look of incredulity before breaking into laughter themselves. Y/N shyly hid her face in Spencer’s shoulder as he wrapped an affectionate arm around her back.

“You guys thought you were so sneaky.” Derek threw his head back, laughing.

“Wait, so what was all that about?” Y/N asked, referring to Rossi handing Hotch something, “You guys had a bet going?”

“Technically there were two bets going. Everyone else was determined to expose you, which they all failed at, thankfully, while Rossi and I had a separate bet. I said that you’d announce it first and Rossi apparently had more faith in the team.” Hotch explained, smirking triumphantly at Rossi, who appeared delighted despite having lost the bet.

“Bet or not, you two deserve each other. I’m glad you two are happy together. To the lovely couple.” Rossi raised his glass and everyone followed in pursuit.

Spencer turned to Y/N to place a sweet but chaste kiss on her lips, leading everyone to cheer in response.

There was little he could compare to the feeling he had then, but if he had to, he’d compare it to being whole.

previous chapter/epilogue

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thank you all for joining the ride, feedback is always appreciated!

[annab-recs]

Mind Readers - JJ Maybank

Since y/n and Kie have been attached at the hip since birth, they can literally read each other like a book and can finish each other’s sentences. The boys witness this one day out on the boat and to them, it sounds like straight gibberish.

Requested by an amazing anon 💙

Warnings: some curse words; alcohol use

Word Count: 1.6k+

--------------------------------------------------

You and Kie have been best friends for as long as the two of you can remember. Your moms were best friends before y'all were even thought of and when they found out that they were both pregnant at the same time, they just knew their babies were going to be best friends like they were. It was not long before Kiara and you were born and that was the beginning of an incredible friendship that would last for years.

Over the last sixteen years, the two of you have basically shared every memory you have together. From playing in the backyard to sleepovers to working at The Wreck to your terrible year at the Kook Academy, Kie was with you through it all. Being together for practically all of your lives has led to you two being able to read each other like a book. You can always tell what the other is thinking or feeling and you can finish each other's sentences as well. Conversations would be had between the two of you without a full sentence being completed.

But without your best friend, you wouldn’t have met your other amazing friends or your gorgeously handsome stud of a boyfriend. Kiara brought you Pope, John B, and JJ and the five of you were inseparable. Y'all were going to do anything and everything to make your summer fun and today, you were going to spend the day out on the water. After making some sandwiches and packing some beers in a cooler, you walked out onto the dock and made your way to the HMS Pogue.

"Whatcha got there, princess?" JJ asked you as he held his hand out to you to help you onto the boat. You sent a smile his way before taking his hand in yours and stepping in.

"Just some sandwiches and beer for the long day ahead of us," you replied to him as he placed a sweet kiss to your cheek and grabbed the cooler from you to set it down. A smile played across your face and you went in to give him a real kiss. His arms traveled around your waist to hold you close to him and your hands found their way into his gorgeous mess of golden locks.

"Really? The day just started, and you guys are already macking on each other," Pope huffed from behind you. You pulled away from the blue-eyed boy before a blush scattered upon your cheeks.

"How can I not, Pope? Have you seen her?" JJ mentions as he twirls you around and pulls you into him. "If someone this beautiful and amazing had walked into your life, wouldn’t you want to mack on her every chance you got?" You gush at your wonderful boyfriend as he plants little kisses all over the top of your head and face.

"Stop! You gonna end up suffocating me!" You giggle as his kisses invade your space to breathe. He plants one last kiss on your lips before leaving you to grab a beer and talk with John B. You can't help but notice the way that Pope looked at you two a few moments ago and how he was gazing at Kiara right now. God, he is so in love with her. Before you could encourage him to swoop on her, she called you over.

"Y/N! Come here," Kie shouted from the front of the boat. You and Pope parted, him going with the guys and you with your girl. "Guess who we passed on the way over here?" By the way she rolled her eyes, you could tell it was someone she does not like.

"Skank Cameron?" You asked, using your nickname for the middle child of the Cameron family. You and Kie had nicknames for almost everyone y'all talked about. You two could literally be talking about the guys right in front of you but they would not know because of the nicknames you use. The nod of her head let you know you were correct.

"She was with your ex too," She muttered as she slid her sunglasses down from the top of her head to rest on her nose. You groaned after being reminded of one of the worst decisions of your life.

"Please don't remind me," you exasperated, dramatically letting out a huff of air. Kie giggled at your theatrical display before sipping on the beer in her hand.

"But while we are on the topic of boys, what about the one over there?" You ask as you tip your head in the direction of the guys. Her eyes follow to land on the group of three. She knew you weren't referring to your own boyfriend, but she didn't know if you were talking about the one with a brain or the one with shaggy hair. She sent you a confused look before you mouthed 'Pope'.

"I don't know y/n," she whispers so that the guys don't overhear.

"What's not to love about him? He is smart and caring and have you seen the way he looks at you? He absolutely adores you and I know he'd do anything for you," you tell her.

"But the rule-"

"JJ and I have broken that rule sooooo many times and have done so much worse than just macking, I promise," you chuckle and send a smirk JJ's way. He notices and shoots you a wink before returning to his conversation with the guys.

"Ew, y/n, gross." Her face shows pure disgust as she speaks which only sends you into a fit of laughter.

"Don't act like you don't know."

"Oh, I know. I just don't want to be reminded of it." She shivers as if to shake off a bad memory. She has never caught y’all doing any worse than kissing. Now, John B is a different story. He has seen a lot more than you would like, but he's fine. He hasn’t been traumatized by anything he’s seen, but he should have listened a little better before opening the door anyway.

"All I'm saying is he is clearly interested in you and it wouldn't hurt to try," you encourage as she shrugs. The two of you continue to discuss other topics before Kie suggests hopping in the water to which you nod happily. You two shuck your shorts and shoes before jumping off the boat's edge into the nice cool water.

"Mind if we join?" John B asks as soon as you and Kie resurface.

"Not at all," Kie speaks softly as she lays back, letting her body float and relax.

"Come on in, boys," you say as you gesture for the boys to join you. JJ sends you a big smile before cannonballing into the water below him and sending splashes and waves as his body hit the water. You saw it before it happened, so you were able to shield yourself, but Kie had her eyes closed in her relaxed state.

"JJ Maybank!" She huffed angrily as JJ ducked behind you. Giggles escaped you as JJ cowered behind your frame.

"Mama's mad," he muttered as his hands rested on your shoulders and he peered around you.

"Maybe a little warning next time?" She spoke through gritted teeth before rolling her eyes and continuing to swim.

"Aye aye captain," JJ joked as he saluted her. John B jumped in during the bickering of your best friend and boyfriend and all that was left was Pope. He walked up to the edge of the boat and attempted to jump. He actually slipped and belly flopped into the water.

"Oh my God!" You yell trying your best not to laugh as Pope comes back to the surface.

"Are you good bro?" John B asks and swims closer to Pope as he nods. After we are sure he's alright, the group erupts into a fit of laughter.

"Dude, it was like you've never jumped off the boat before," JJ chuckles behind you.

"Y/n-" Kie starts but is interrupted by her own giggles, "do you rem- remember when-"

"Oh my God-" Your laughter keeps you from speaking as well as the memory she is referring to comes to mind. "Wh- When Whitney wiped ou-"

"Completely!" Kie shouted as she laughed.

"And then Topper-"

"And when he tried-"

"He fell in-"

"Rafe and Kelce laughed-"

"And they got pushed-"

"That was probably the funniest party I have ever been to," Kie spoke after you two had finally calmed down from laughing so hard. That was when you noticed the strange stares you were getting from the boys.

"Uh, what the fuck?" John B sounded astonished as he had a look of shock on his face. You and Kie shared a confused look between the two of you before speaking.

"Did we miss something?" She asked as she looked around us to make sure there wasn't anything in the water.

"Yeah, the second half of your fucking sentences," JJ remarked.

"What the heck were y'all talking about?" Pope questioned with wide eyes. You could see the gears turning in his head as he tried to put the pieces of the sentences that you two said together.

"A party that I made Kie come to."

"And for some reason, people just kept slipping and falling into the pool," she said as her laughter came back. Your own giggles did as well.

"Girls are weird man," Pope spoke as he pulled himself back onto the boat to grab a sandwich.

"They're like fucking mind readers dude," JJ agreed as he joined his friend to get a sandwich as well. He couldn't help but look down at you in the water in adoration as your lovely laugh filled his ears.

"You got it bad, lover boy," John B teased but JJ didn't seem to care. He had his eyes fixed on you and that was all he needed. You.