#and sun's setting behind alex and he turns around laughing and he's got that spark in his eyes and he's yelling at max to catch up

[camslightstories]

Tolerate It - Part 13

Lena Luthor x reader, Kara Danvers x reader, Alex Danvers x reader. Baby Danvers. Female Reader.

Notes: Hey! I hope you guys are doing great and if you are not I promise things get better. I’m sorry I haven't updated but its just work and home are being hectic but I’m trying to get everything in track again. This chapter took an awfully long time write, i hope you guys like it!

My inbox is open for suggestions, recommendations, questions, and more. If any of you need help I will be honor to help you, always! Please fill my inbox with theories, comments and more i wanna hear what you guys think of the story! Hope you have a great day!

Taglist: @multi-images​  @captain-josslett​  @aznblossom​  @venteen​   @coxmicbabygirl​  @lezzzbehonesthere​

The smell of fries and burgers invaded your nose as you sat on the floor, glancing at your sore hand. Your legs extended on the floor as you held your head against the column of the place. The uncomfortable ache on your hand had seemed to increase by the second, as you sat down.

Confusion was the main thing in your head, the confused heavy feeling in your chest when you close your eyes, the twisted and ached void confusing you when reality sets in. It felt like a war between your mind and heart that neither of the two you understand. It felt like the reasons that your brain had were now gone, the reason part of feeling nonexistent.  

“Didn't think I would see you so soon” You claimed when you felt the presence of the brunette behind you. Two bags in her hand as the archer sat beside you. 

Thea replied teasingly, and flirtatiously grabbing fries from her bag, after hitting you softly in the shoulder. “Neither did I, princess”

“Thanks” You whispered as you started to eat, both of you sharing a knowing and somewhat comforting. The Queen woman smiled and kept silent giving you a nod. 

Thea had known you for a long time, but not until three years ago she saw you as her older brother’s best friend. She and Talia had taught every skill, you needed and wanted to learn. She had seen you put all of your anger everywhere you could. You were there subtly with alcohol after every break-up and make-up she had with Roy, showing your care as you sat with her drinking in silence until she couldn't anymore. 

The small creek sound of the door took both of your attention. Your mother stood silently with a white medical kit in her hand and an understanding expression on her face. You glanced at the brunette beside you, meeting her glance. A small spark in her eyes which you had never noticed before, you stopped in your way to comment on it when you heard the knowing clearing throat of your Mother. 

“Can I come in?” The Queen woman smiled reassuringly before leaving the room. Your mother stood at the side of the door, watching curiously and carefully before speaking. 

You looked up and met her eye glance, giving her a small nod as you spoke almost inaudible. “Sure”

Your mother had been making the small notes, and remainders when she saw you. She couldn't lie about the fact that her heart joined in joy and broke in less than 24 hours. It had been difficult to maintain a straight face when your oldest sister called her explaining the situation, letting her know and Jeremiah that after days of trying, they were the last option to bring some feelings to you. 

She saw your father way too comfortable yet nervous when they got the news, the trip had been too questioning and secretive that she suspected something had happened with the two of you. But seeing you with her own eyes as you stood in the room with void eyes, and rage protecting your walls. 

The complete silence from your party told her more than you knew. The isolation, the hidden pain, the calm and silence. It all reflected in one thing and it was you trying to understand your feelings, your world, yourself. It had happened when your dad had supposedly died. The heavy feeling in her chest grew as she sat beside you, while you stared at the wall quietly debating with your thoughts and feelings. 

Flashback - February 2005

You sat in the backyard of the house, dressed in black attire. Your eyes watching over the waves as they ended in the sand. The way the breeze moved the palms and softly touched your face. Your hands gripping the blanket covering you. 

You waited for everything to process in, you waited to wake up, you waited for him as you walked down the stairs that morning, you waited for your sisters to tell you it was a lie, you waited for your mom to serve his favorite lasagna as he came back home, you waited for the sound of cheer when he and your oldest sister finished repairing another part of the old car, you waited for him and Kara coming back from the forest at night after watching the stars, you waited for him to sit on the small bean bag of your bedroom as you played him something new in your instruments, you waited for the loud laughs and scolds that would come after you and your sisters would create an eating contest ending with Kara smiling proudly as you and Alex throw up, you waited for the ‘pizza and tacos night’ where the five of you somehow cooked without burning the kitchen down, ending with a marathon of movies and smiles on everyone faces. But it never came. 

The distinct voices from the house gained your attention as they felt closer. You closed your eyes, trying to focus on the sound of the waves failing in the attempt. Turning around to see both of your sisters standing side by side as one of your family members expressing their condolences to them. Kara seemed to keep it together as she nodded shyly, while Alex clenched her jaw giving a small thanks before walking away, your blonde sister watched the redhead walk away before looking at the floor excusing herself too. 

You looked away back to the beach, before deciding to get up and walk down the small hill entering the beach. Taking off your shoes, you put them at the side of the beach entrance before wrapping the blanket tightly around you. The voices began to zoom out and the sound of the ocean began to fill your ears. The soft sand on your feet as you walked closer to the shore felt grounding. The soft breeze that moved your hair out of control felt comforting as you sat down. 

Burying your feet in the sand as you closed your eyes trying to remember something, to have something to hold on to. It felt weird, out of place, like something was missing. Your mind tried to wrap up with the fact that your father was dead but even if you knew what was happening, you still had questions. Sitting on the sand, you stared blankly at the ocean, as the waves came, as the breeze moved the palms and touched your cheeks, as the soft salty smell invaded your nose, and the coldness of the day began to increase.

It was like a debate between what you wanted to believe and what was happening. There were running thoughts in your head that made you feel exhausted. It was unpleasant and even tiring to think of how this event would change your and your family's life. You avoided the thought as much as you could, wishing and hoping to wake up from the nightmare but it was real and as much as you didn't want to accept it, your father was gone, and he was not coming back.

You didn't even realize when the sun that was high in the sky had come down and reflected in the ocean, you didn't feel the breeze and air get heavier or the way the only thing illuminating the night was the light bulb you dad put at the entrance of the beach. 

It felt like time went in seconds, long seconds that you wished to take back and at the same time to move faster. It wasn't easy, it didn't feel easy, and the hole in your heart was unmistakable. You weren't a person who liked change, nor a person who easily understood what was going on around you. 

Sure when Kara came into the family, it was like the missing piece. It didn't take you long to warm up to the blonde, but she was suffering from the loss of her planet so you stayed behind the doors and waited the right moment to comfort her and make her as welcome as you could. You saw her hesitate when she was doing something that would make her happy, you saw her doubt herself as Superman came into the news, you saw her shed tears when she tried to find where Krypto would be. 

You tried constantly to win her affection, her trust, her intelligence, and more but you couldn't make her happy if she didn't heal. So you stayed awake during the night waiting to comfort her, you played with melodies on the piano so she could have a similar bed song as she had in Krypto, you ran as fast as you could after school to help her with her English or to watch and sing along with Wizard of Oz. You keep trying and trying even though she was legally your sister, you wanted to have a connection with her just like you did with Alex. So when the blonde the morning of your birthday hugged you and in English told you, you were her sister and she could be prouder than to call you that, you shredded in tears hugging her closely. 

But it was different, everything was different, it felt different, it sounded different, it even tastes different. There was a silence between your family, Alex kept her feelings inside and bottle them in trying so hard not to break, mad at the world, mad at dad, at you, at your mom, even Kara. Your mom was understanding but quiet, she tried to be your and your sister's rock during the day but at night you can hear her crying her heart out. Kara kept silent, mad at the world for taking another person from her, holding you close trying to be helpful as much as she could even if she was hurting as much as she was when she first landed. And you, you kept quiet, trying to understand, trying to find the lie, trying to reach and understand your feelings but couldn't. So you waited for the time to pass by and for things to get in order, just like your dad used to say ‘time heals things, everything gets better with time’ but as the words rounded your head you couldn't feel more than the biggest lie of the world.

Flashback ends

The soft wrap with alcohol against your knuckles ached as your mom determinately disinfected your hand. You felt her eyes constantly glancing at you when you kept silent, trying to ignore the slight throb from the small wound in your hand. You glanced from the wall you stared continuously into her eyes, before speaking. “I tried”

“I know sweetie” Eliza looked up while finishing wrapping her hand before speaking in a motherly tone. As soon as she heard you talk she knew, she knew what you meant. Just your silence gave it away, she knew your conflicted feelings weren't going to help now and they didn't before, but what scared her was how long you were going to take to heal, to flash a familiar smile, to laugh until you couldn't anymore, to look at the eyes of your significant other, to sign with your older sisters until either of your throats wouldn't give more. 

Fighting back the tears your eyes had swollen, you claimed again making eye contact with your mother, your mother's eyes redating with comfort and sadness as she looked at you. You clenched your hand into a fist but immediately opened it again when you felt the strong throb in your knuckles. “I tried, and it didn't work out. It didn't do anything”

“Healing isn't about not feeling sad or feeling numb, it's about letting in, letting go, and finding yourself again but you can't do it if you are not ready for it” She answered brushing a strand of your hair behind your ear. 

And the understanding in her eyes and voice made you doubt, as your feelings started to fall in place. Heartache, anger, sadness, disappointment, pain, and more began to feel your chest and your mind as you took the words of your mother in. Your now bloodshot eyes looked away from her as you felt your lip tremble.

You nodded quietly, and before you knew. You threw your arms around your blonde mother, tears furiously leaving your eyes as she soothed you, with comforting and reassuring words. Your head was hidden in her neck as you cried your eyes out. 

The feeling of heartbreak and pain overwhelming you as everything started to come down on you. And you wanted to cry, for minutes, for hours, days, weeks, even years. Because somehow after everything you still didn't feel enough, you felt everything you did was wrong, that you could have been better and you could have changed differently, closing your eyes you wished for it to be gone, but deep down you knew it wasn't.

“Please just make it stop, mom. Please, it hurts so much”

Flashback - February 2005

“Please just make it stop, mom. Please, it hurts so much”

You don't know how it happened or how long you had been furiously crying until you stared at the small seashells in the sand getting wet thanks to your tears. The once beige shell now was white. Grabbing the seashells from the sand, you started to throw them angrily at the water. 

The sound of the rock making contact with the water somewhat comforted you, longing to throw everything away for it, for the broken shells to absorb your problems and leave with it. Soon enough you fell to your knees sobbing out. As the night lighting shot in the ocean, as the ocean tide had gone up, the once breeze became violent air. 

One second you were crying furiously on your own, and the next you sobbed into your mother's arms, as she reassured you that everything was going to be okay. You gripped her shirt hugging her closely before looking up to her, touching your chest as your bloodshot eyes glanced in hers.

Your lip trembling from the cold and your sobs, her heart broke, even more, when you hid in her neck which made her look up as she soothed your back. She was trying so hard to keep it together for you and your sisters but the moment she caught sight of Kara and Alex with blankets around themselves walking straight to where the two of you sat, made her break into tears. 

You looked up from your mother's neck as you felt a hand rubbing your back and others grabbing your hand softly in reassurance. Each one of them by you and your mother's side, your cries had slowed down when your redhead sister asked with a crack in her voice to your mother. “Are we gonna be okay?”

“Yeah, we will be but it will take time to heal, we can't rush it, we have to be ready”

“We are going to be okay” Kara claimed as a statement of reassurance after your mother responded, but her trembling lip, bloodshot eyes, and the high tone she used made her sound more like a prayer than anything.

Your mother reassured, making you three nod slowly before falling into a reassuring silence. “Until then we have each other, and one of the most precious things you girls are going to have in your life is each other, your family.”

Flashback ends

Unknowingly to you, your sisters had been watching from the door the moment Kara heard your heart spike. Tears in their eyes as they watched your mother rocked you slowly as you cried. Silent sobs and bitten lips coming from them as they stopped each other from walking into the room. 

Alex kept her jaw clenched as her hands gripped each other hard as she tried to keep the tears inside. The redhead felt responsible for your crying, the urge to run in and comfort you debating her self-control. Doubts, questions, and more gained in her head as she saw you sob into your mother's arms, rage slowly consuming her emotions as the protectiveness over you began to show up.

Kara let out silent sobs, with her hand on top of her mouth. Her bloodshot eyes and red cheeks had overwhelming tears. The superheroine hated herself, as she felt responsible for your crying. She just wanted to hold you in her arms and tell you everything was going to be just fine, she wanted to see your sunny smile when you saw her or the bad jokes and puns you used all the time, she wanted you, she wanted her little sister but a part of her told her you needed the same space she once received from you. 

The two of them standing next to each other with broken hearts and tears in their eyes, a small sense of hope in their chest as they watched the scene. Sharing a knowing, Alex came closer putting her arm around your blonde sister’s shoulder before speaking. 

“Everything is gonna be okay, we are getting her back, I promise,” She said quietly reassuring Kara even when neither of them fully believe it.

[kasey-writes-stuff]

The boy with the reindeer clothes and captain america mask part two

The next day you both awake tangled in each other’s arms, you smile and blush softly “morning calla” he nodded softly groggily saying “good morning y/n” You sigh softly and begin to untangle yourself from Calla but his grip is firm as he whined softly and you giggle saying “calla we need to get up and make some breakfast and we need to decide where we’re going today” He groans “But y/nnnnn wouldn’t it be better to just stay here on the couch forever” You roll your eyes fondly “Well maybe for you but I’m hungry so I suggest you let me go before I start eating you!” You giggle playfully nibbling his neck making him squeak and giggle as he scrunches his neck “Eek! Ahhallrihihgghhtt ahhalllrrihihggjhttt ihihill lehehett yoouu uhuhupp!” You smirk softly “Good! Lets go” He lets you up reluctantly and you both head to the kitchen and begin making a simple breakfast of French toast and sausage. Once breakfast is finished cooking you sit and begin trying to think of where to go for the day. “Well we could go shopping I’d love to buy you some things while you’re here” you shake your head at him “no no way you’re not buying me anything I can buy stuff for myself but I don’t really feel like shopping today maybe we could go to an amusement park or something” he rolls his eyes “You’re not leaving without me having at least bought you one thing! Hmm I think the fairs in town does that sound good?” Your eyes sparkle as you nod excitedly “That sounds great! I’m so down for that!” He smiles at your excitement “The fair it is then!”

So your trip to the fair started off with getting some snacks! You each got a corn dog, a lemon shake up and then ended it with sharing a funnel cake! After the snacks you went and played a balloon game where you won each of you some posters and then played another one where Callahan won your plushie! He wanted to try and win you one of the big ones but you said no and he saw how truly happy you were with the little Fuli from lion guard plushie and stopped trying to convince you to let him win you one of the biggest plushies… Next you went walking about trying to find a ride that sparked your guys interest and you finally settled on the cheesy but classic Ferris wheel… The line luckily wasn’t too long and the sun was just beginning to set so in theory normally you would be looking at the sunset right? Yes but in your case no you and Calla were just so entranced with the other, you were desperately staring at his face in fear you’d forget it and he was stuck staring at yours not worried he would forget it because you show your face often but he was just taking in every detail he could that the cameras never seemed to catch… The little mole on your nose he was sure you probably hated but he was sure he loved, the way your cheeks could change from pink to red so fast and how it was shades of pink and red that he had never seen before… The way your eyes sparkle in a way he’s never seen anyone’s eyes sparkle and how just when he thinks they can’t get any sparklier they do when you laugh and he doesn’t know but when he laughs they’re at their sparkliest….

After the Ferris wheel we get ready to head home but as we pass by the fish game y/n stops me tugging on my sleeve softly and looking at me with puppy eyes as they ask “Calla can we please win two fish? Just two! Just so they’re not lonely… I’ll come visit all the time to help take care of them and I’ll send you money to help with their food and cleaning supplies and I’ll buy their tank and all the little decorations and everything they need!” I sigh softly rolling my eyes fondly at them as I nod and sign “Okay we can try and win some fish” They clap excitedly as they lean up and leave a kiss on my cheek, my cheeks heat up and I smile softly as I give the person the money.. We each begin throwing the ping pong balls as if our life depends on it we miss so many times but finally half way through I make one in and at the very end when we only have but two balls left y/n makes one in as well! They cheer excitedly hugging me tightly and it’s like a warmth I’ve never felt before washes over me, and when they pull away? It’s like there’s a big dark hole of cold emptiness left there that I’ve never noticed until now… We collect our fish and head to the car once in the car y/n is immediately brainstorming names “What about phineas and ferb or Drake and Josh or if they’re girls Carly and Sam?!” I snicker softly at their suggestions shrugging “Phineas and ferb sound cool but what if ones a boy and ones a girl?” Their eyes light up as they say “Phineas and Isabella” I nod as we finally begin to actually leave “I like that it’s cute like you” They blush turning their face away from me mumbling “shut up I’m not cute” I scoff softly rolling my eyes as I quickly poke their side, they squeak and jump lightly glaring at me but with no real malice “Eek! Cahalla don’t!” I snicker again and sign “Well then admit you’re cute” They sigh softly “ Fine I’m cute… to you” I shrug softly “Good enough for me”

Soon enough we made it to Walmart figuring we could get some decent stuff for now and upgrade it later on down the line. As we got out of the car y/n glanced at my face and then at my hand and I could tell what they were thinking so I wordlessly grabbed their hand pulling it to my lips for a few seconds and then let it down gently but didn’t let go instead keeping them clasped together my thumb gently rubbing their palm making them giggle softly for a few moments before sighing contently… Once inside we quickly found the fish supplies settling on a decent sized rectangle shaped aquarium, we grab the most colorful pebbles we can find, we decided to also pick out some decorations settling on a few different sized plants along with a little fake log and finally a little bubble chest!

I make sure to grab a few snacks before me and Calla leave and soon enough we’ve made it home! I carry in the snacks and the prizes while Calla carries in the aquarium supplies… We quickly rinse the aquarium and the rocks and then begin trying to find the best place to set it, we finally settle on putting it in the living room setting it on a small table off to the side. “So how much water should we add?” He shrugs softly “I don’t know maybe a little over half way? I mean we do have a lid for it so it’s not like we have to worry about them jumping out” You nod “Yea that sounds good let’s do it!” You decided even though it would take much longer to fill up this way that it was better to leave the aquarium on the table and use cups of water to fill it up… Of course you can’t take it fully serious and decide when almost done filling it up to splash a bit of water on calla as you’re filling up your cup, he gasps in surprise as you giggle before gasping as he splashes a bit on you! He snickers hiding behind his hand and you dump a little under half a cup on him and he squeaks softly before narrowing his eyes and pouring a full cup on you. Both of you are now soaked but smiling brightly at each other and before you know it you’re leaning up and he’s leaning down and your lips have connected again for the second time… You kiss only a few seconds longer before you say “As much as I enjoy this I’m getting cold and we need to finish filling the aquarium” He whines softly but nods knowing you’re right.. You each fill up your cups that being the final cups needed, you add in the special water treatment as calla grabs Phineas and Isabella… He carefully opens their bags and placed them in, you each stand back and smile looking at them, he softly wraps an arm around your waist and side holding you close against his side as you rest your head on his chest…

You stand there together a few more minutes before breaking apart, you quickly to grab some pajamas and begin to take a quick shower… Soon after Calla takes a quick shower his own self and then you each agree and decide to see if your friends are free to finally talk on discord, luckily they are you decide to play a slight prank maybe it could be called on them… Calla let’s you take his main chair as he grabs a second smaller chair for himself, you hold back a giggle as you quickly click call… Soon enough all your friends begin joining they were all quick to say their hellos to calla though they were confused asking why Calla was calling when it was y/n who asked if they were busy or not… Dream and Niki are the only two who already realize what’s going on so they simply stay silent… But for the rest of the group,the group being, Sapnap,George,Alex and Bad, they were very shocked when they suddenly heard a voice and then finally Alex being the one with a little sense realized it was you!

“Y/N THE PERSON YOU MET UP WITH WAS CALLAHAN?! NO WAY!” You giggle and Callahan smiles happily holding your hand “yep! I finally did it!” George is quick to make jokes “So have you seen his face yet or are you still like the rest of us and have no idea what he looks like” Calla covers his mouth hiding his laugh and you quickly mute to allow him to let his laugh if he wishes and he does and his laugh makes you laugh and you can hear George begging for answers but you don’t care and neither does Calla! A few more moments though and you’ve each stopped laughing and are looking at each other and suddenly Calla closes the distance leaving a quick peck on your lips… Finally you unmute “Sorry uh I’m- I mean we’re back, and for your information George…” You pause looking to Calla for confirmation that it’s okay and he nods softly “I have and it’s truly very cute and both everything I expected and nothing I ever expected” Everyone either awwed softly or made exaggerated gagging sounds which made you and Calla blush and then giggle softly, Dream was next to speak “So how are you guys communicating?” You look to Calla and he shrugs softly nodding for you to go ahead..

“Well I of course just verbally talk but Calla does a mix of sign and verbal talking but mainly just sign” Everyone thinks and decides to not make any jokes as they don’t wanna risk upsetting Calla and instead Dream takes lead saying “That’s great, so what have you guys been up to?” You and Calla look at each other knowingly smiling a bit and he presses the quietest kiss he can to you cheek as you say “We went to the fair the other day and Calla won me and plushie and we each won a fish! Calla is gonna keep them though and just video call me so I can see them when I want” Karl gasps excitedly “What did you name them?!” Calla types in chat “Well I didn’t tell y/n but I was thinking of naming them dumb and dumber” You scoff and hit him softly before going to hit the mute button but he stops you and just covers his mouth as he laughs a bit… Theres a collective sound of gasps before sapnap says “NO WAY DID CALLAHAN JUST LAUGH?!” Calla rolls his eyes at their shock and excitement light heartedly and you shrug softly as you say “maybe it was maybe it wasn’t that’s for me and Callahan to know and you guys not to know” Alex whines softly “but y/nnnn we wanna know!” Bad is quick to agree “Yea! We wanna know!” Even Niki joins in on the joke “Yes! Stop gatekeeping Callahan from us!” You and Callahan both laugh and you say “Hey I could really gatekeep him by just ending the call right now to go-“ suddenly you cut yourself off blushing realizing while yea they know your main love language is physical touch they also know you’re crushing hardcore on Calla so they might catch on… And neither of you are ready for that! You’re quick to catch yourself though saying “To go take care of Phineas and Isabella” Luckily most everyone sounds distracted well enough by the names to not realize your near mistake and they just take it as a normal small stutter, George says “But how do you know ones a boy and ones a girl?” Alex says “Yea and how do you know which is which?!” You really don’t have an answer “Well we don’t and we can at least tell them apart because one has a white spot on its head, but yea we don’t know but they need names we can’t just call them fish one and fish two!” Dream snickers “Then just call them white head and not white head” He bursts into giggles and soon everyone else is giggling as well including you and Calla soon after though you yawn softly and despite your protests Calla types in chat saying “Guys I’m gonna go ahead and make y/n get some sleep we’ll try and call you all again soon okay?” Everyone starts saying a chorus of sad goodbyes and a mixture of well wishes and jokes…

Soon enough the call is finally over and you whine softly looking at Calla before giggling softly “Now they’re really gonna think I’m gatekeeping you” he laughs as he stands and holds his arms out to you as he says “so let them think what they want maybe I like you gatekeeping me…” he pauses as you walk towards him and then he swiftly picks you up bridal style “maybe I want you to gatekeep me all night…” Your eyes widen a bit before another yawn escapes and you blush “Let me get some pajamas first okay? Then I would love to gatekeep you all night” he smiles blushing brightly as he carries you to your room and gently sets you down before turning around and shutting your door waiting outside it for you.. You find some comfy shorts and t-shirt tossing it on and open the door lightly tapping Calla’s shoulder, and despite your insistence that you can walk he turns around and smiles picking you up once more and he carries you to the bathroom allowing you to do your business and you allow him to do his and then you each brush your teeth and despite you insisting again that you can walk he says “no I wanna carry you it’s nice I uh like having you in my arms…” You blush leaving a kiss on his cheek, soon after you’re back to his room and he sets you down and you each pull back the covers and climb in… Calla and you both get comfortable and then he nervously puts his arms around your back hands resting on your stomach and you smile snuggling closer to him and within minutes you’re each asleep..

[fanficimagery]

A Baby Spark

Imagine it being almost two years since you've seen your family. You've been through some changes since you've been gone and you're surprised at how well your family just seems to roll with the punches. Then again your little sister is exactly how you remember her either.

Words: 8.7K Author's Note: I'm a weakass bitch who loves a good crossover. Hopefully I did these two fandoms some justice. I'm warning you right now there's a little violence in here.

Pacing in front of the couch out back in the studio, Julie opens her mouth to say something but snaps it shut and shakes her head as she mumbles to herself. For about ten minutes now she's been like this and Luke, Reggie, and Alex can only stare at her with dread slowly creeping in.

"Is she having a breakdown or something?" Reggie asks quietly, eyes following her back and forth. "I've never seen her like this."

"I don't know, but I'm starting to feel queasy," Alex says.

Luke rolls his eyes. "It's Julie. It's nothing bad," he says. "We all know she works herself up over nothing."

"Okay!" All three boys startle, jumping in their seats and practically clinging to one another. When they realize what they've done, they quickly let go and attempt to act cool. "So my sister is coming down for a visit and dad thinks we should ease her into the secret of you guys being ghosts."

"Your sister?" Alex wonders, intrigued. "She finally got in touch?"

"Yeah." Julie slowly smiles. "She, uh, she sounded weird on the phone. Really emotional. But she said she's ready to be home for a bit."

"Well you said you haven't seen each other face to face in almost two years," Reggie says. "It's understandable that she'd be emotional."

"True." Julie shrugs. "Anyway, you guys need to remember no vanishing into thin air or appearing from thin air while in the same room as her. We can't have her asking questions until we're ready to tell her."

"I think we can handle that." Luke nods, looking at the boys. "At least I'm pretty sure we can."

Alex nudges him, scoffing. "Of course we can."

"Okay. Good. Because she's going to be here any minute now."

"WHAT?!"

"I thought we had more time!"

"Aw man," Reggie whines. "What do I wear?"

          - - - - - - - - - - 

You pull up to your childhood home about twenty minutes after the sun has set, excited to see your family and the boys who had reintroduced your baby sister to music after your mom had passed. You'd been keeping up with her via social media and was shocked to see her performing with holograms. Something about the holograms didn't quite add up, but you didn't question it seeing as your sister was thriving with her newfound friendships.

You've barely shut the door to your rented vehicle when the front door swings open, and your baby brother and baby sister are barreling down the porch. You laugh at their enthusiasm, opening your arms wide and bracing yourself for the impact. The moment they hit you, you bring your arms down around them. "Oh my god. You guys have grown so much!"

"Well that's what happens when you don't visit. We grow up."

"Carlos!" Julie quickly reprimands him. She then glances up at you, chuckling nervously. "He didn't mean that."

"Of course he did," you muse. "He's a Molina. And it's not like he's wrong."

But your sister isn't having it. "You had valid excuses- school and then you were really sick that one time. It's okay."

Sick, you mentally scoff, if only it were that simple.

"Right. Well I'm home now and I plan to visit whenever I can in the future," you say. Carlos and Julie beam at you. "So come on. I'm starving and I really want to see dad and meet these phantoms."

Carlos releases you and immediately turns to run back inside, and Julie latches onto your arm as she walks side-by-side with you. The closer you get to the porch, the more a faint scent on the air tickles your nose. Then once on the porch, it's a little bit stronger and it has you tensing.

Julie notices as she continues to walk, only to be pulled back from where she's still connected to you. "What's wrong?"

Staring off the side where you know the gate is for the backyard, your nostrils slightly flare, but at the sound of Julie's voice you close your eyes and shake your head to clear it. "Nothing. I'm fine," you mumble. "I just- I thought I smelled burning wire or something." Looking forward and then towards your sister, you chuckle. "My roommate started a fire a couple weeks back. It's made me paranoid ever since."

The lie comes a little too easily and you feel guilty. But then Julie snorts, you breathe a little easier, and then the two of you make the rest of the way inside the house. The smell of home makes your shoulders sag and feel like a weight's been lifted off of you. You glance around the living room, smiling softly at various touches you knew your mother added and the fact that your dad's kept them as reminders of the love of his life. There are three familiar, yet unfamiliar at the same time, faces sitting together on the couch. They stare at you, hesitant expressions on their faces until you smile and wave at them. The boy in a leather jacket is the first to smile back, waving, followed by the blonde and the shaggy haired brunette.

"That's Reggie, Alex, and Luke," Julie introduces them to you. "Guys, this is my older sister Y/N."

"Hey guys, it's nice to finally meet you face to face."

"Likewise," Alex says. "Julie's told us so much about you."

"Aw." You let go of Julie's arm just to wrap it around her head, she immediately struggling to get out of the headlock you put her in. You laugh, tugging on her curls. "You talk about me? Am I the cool older sister? You love me that much?" You tease her.

"Get. Off." Julie tries to shove you off, but the two of you just end up falling to the floor.

"Alright. Girl fight!" Reggie cheers. "I got money on the older Molina."

"I don't know," Alex muses. "Jules can be pretty feisty."

"Pft. No way." Carlos scoffs. "Y/N has this in the bag."

"How are you so freakishly strong?" Julie complains. "Did you start working out or something?"

"Or something," you laugh.

There's a sigh that has you looking up instantly. "You would think that my college-aged daughter would be adult enough to not wrestle her younger siblings on the floor."

"Dad!" Immediately you abandon your sister, flicking her forehead once for good measure, before launching yourself at your dad. "You're lookin' healthy, old man. The younger crotch goblins keeping you in line?"

"Hey!"

The boys laugh at Julie and Carlos' simultaneous shouts, and you wink at them before squeezing your dad a little bit longer. "How was the drive, mija?"

"It was fine," you say. "Long. And now I'm just ready to chow down."

"You have perfect timing then. The stew is ready, but now we're just waiting on Reggie's rolls to come out of the oven."

You dramatically gasp as you look towards the boy in question. "Not only is he cute, but he bakes too? Julie, you better husband that one up."

Two out of the three boys laugh as the other one frowns, and Julie rolls her eyes. "Shut up." Then looking out towards the group, she says, "Someone come help me set the table."

Your dad and Carlos head into the kitchen behind Julie, and you walk over towards the couch to sit on the armrest nearest Luke. Putting a hand on his shoulder, you squeeze. "Don't frown, biceps. I totally ship you and my sister. The two of you just ooze chemistry and I find it utterly adorable."

Alex groans. "Please don't say ooze again."

"Ooze," you deadpan. You look Alex in the eye. "Ooze. Ooze."

His nose wrinkles. "So you're the evil Molina. I know who Carlos takes after now."

All four of you chuckle and fall into a comfortable silence. However, as you sit there, you realize something odd. Everyone, human or not, has a scent. But these three boys next to you? There's no hint of B.O or cologne. Nothing. You frown as you stare at each one, at how human they appear to be, but before you can notice anything else your dad's calling out.

"Dinner's ready!"

You quickly paste on a smile as Luke and Reggie rush towards the kitchen. Alex sighs. "I would say sorry on their behalf, but then I'd be saying sorry the entire duration you're here because it's just how they are."

"I get it," you chuckle softly. "I have a friend like that. Stiles. He's- he's a lot to handle sometimes."

Dinner is quite the affair and you can't help but be in awe with how these three boys have brought life back into your home. When your mom passed, it was like the life was sucked out of everyone. There were no smiles, there was no laughing, and everyone seemed to lose interest in something. You almost didn't go back to school, instead choosing to look after Julie and Carlos, but from one day to the next it was like your dad snapped out of his grief and started looking after the kids again. So you went back to school, kept up with your schoolwork, got.. sick, and finally had enough strength to visit your family. You wanted it to be a happy family reunion, so you'll be damned if three charming boys took advantage of your family.

The following day is spent with just your family and a brief visit made by Flynn, but throughout the entire day you can't help but notice something is off. Every now and then it feels like the temperature drops or you have an overwhelming feeling of being watched or you catch Julie mumbling towards nothing but thin air. Your little sister acts highly suspicious, but she plays it off every time you call attention to it.

On your third day home, however, your family's been out grocery shopping when you decide to visit your mom's studio. It's the first time you've gone out back since you've been home, so of course the scent that first put you on edge hits you full force. Annoyance immediately sets in and you follow the musky scent which leads you to the studio. Hearing voices inside makes you freeze and you tilt your head to get a better listen.

The three voices are Luke, Reggie, and Alex, and while that should be weird since no one is home.. it's not the oddest thing. The oddest thing is that while you can hear them talking and the hum of their amps, that's all you hear. No heartbeats.

Pulling open the door, all three boys look like deer caught in headlights. "Hey, boys." You quirk an eyebrow at them, walking in and taking a little pleasure in watching them squirm. "Whatcha up to out here?"

"Oh, um," Alex stammers, "R-Ray lets us practice out here whenever we want."

"Mhm." You glance at Reggie, his demeanor entirely too soft to threaten. Instead you glance at Luke and realize he'll be the one revving for a fight if you go after the other two. So you set your sights on him. "I'm sure my mom would have adored you boys." Walking around Luke, you step close and trail a finger along the strap of his guitar. "Well at least she would have adored whatever it is you boys are." The boys all seem to cease breathing and quick as lightning you grab a fistful of Luke's shirt and bring his face close to yours. "So tell me, Luke, what are you?"

His eyes blow wide. "W-What? I'm a d-dude. Human!"

"Wrong answer." Eyes flash gold and you can feel the teeth in your mouth shifting. Luke seems to lose what little color he had left in his cheeks. "You have no scent. You have no heartbeat! So tell me what you are."

Luke gapes at you until all of a sudden he completely vanishes out of your grip. You growl, eyes darting all over the place.

"What am I? What the hell are you?!"

You whirl around, snarling, and startling all three boys. All three are gaping, staring wide-eyed as they take in the full picture of what you are. Of what you had to become. "Why are you messing with my family?"

You're so caught up with the boys that you're not listening to your senses and completely miss the fact that your family has gotten home. You're caught off guard as Julie walks through the studio door and you take a step back as Julie's erratic heart nearly makes you whine.

"I- what?" She mutters. You exhale shakily and you can feel your face shifting back to normal. "Y/N?"

"I can explain," you tell her softly. She stares at you, fear wafting off of her and making your nose itch. "But first your boys need to come clean. They're not exactly what they look like." All four- FOUR!- suddenly fidget nervously and your eyes narrow. "But you already knew that, didn't you?"

She numbly nods her head. "Yes. Dad and Carlos too. B-But it's nothing as crazy as whatever is going on with you." She gulps. "Which, by the way, what- what even are you?"

You sigh, backing up until you're plopping down onto an armchair. You gesture to the couch across from you and watch as the three boys keep themselves between you and Julie until they're all on the couch. "Remember when I was sick? And the doctor said I had a fifty-fifty chance of surviving?"

She frowns. "Yeah. But what-"

"He was lying to you. I didn't have a fifty-fifty chance. I was going to die. No ifs, ands, or buts about it."

"How would you know that?"

"Because my roommate could smell death on me," you say. Julie, Luke, Reggie, and Alex all blink at you. "The thing you need to know, Jules, is that pretty much every supernatural creature we grew up reading about is real."

Alex gulps. "Witches?" You nod.

"Vampires?" Luke starts to grin. You nod again.

"Werewolves?" Reggie wonders, awe already filling his features.

You glance at him and flash your eyes. "What do you think I am?" You muse. His eyes widen, but then a smile breaks out and you breathe a little easier. At least he won't be running from you. "Anyway, she literally smelled me rotting from the inside out. So when she really grew concerned, she went to one of her alphas and told him what was going on with me."

"Wait. One of her alphas?"

"Yeah." You shrug. "It's a whole pack, the Hale-McCall pack. There's two alphas within the ranks and instead of protecting one little town they decided to spread out. Scott protects Beacon Hills since that's where he lives and Derek came down south to expand our territory. We're kind of all spread out in California with two ally packs further up north."

"Okay so this is all interesting, but how does that explain how or why you changed?" Julie asks.

"Oh. Right." You sigh. "Well Cora- my roommate- didn't want me to die. She came to me and asked me that if there was a cure of sorts, a way that only granted me a fifty-fifty chance of survival rather than a hundred percent death, if I would take it. I asked for more of an explanation and she showed me what she was while explaining more about the supernatural world. So I said I wanted the cure. And then I met her brother Derek."

"Who and what is Derek?" Your sister asks.

"A werewolf. An alpha werewolf to be exact," you tell your audience. "Only the bite of an alpha werewolf can turn someone, but at that it's only a fifty-fifty chance. So I took it since it was more of a chance than I originally had and I became a beta werewolf."

"Is this why you stayed away?"

"I had to. Turning isn't as simple as it sounds. I had to learn control and I had to learn to protect myself. I might be stronger and faster and not entirely human, but there are people out there who train to kill people like me. It wasn't safe for any of us if I were to come so soon after becoming a werewolf."

Julie nervously shifts. "And it's safe now?"

"Yeah. We have some friends in the Hunter community, and Scott and Derek have been working hard to mend bridges between everyone. Since Derek approves of my control, he said it was okay for me to come."

Luke huffs. "You call this control? You attacked me."

"Can you blame me?" You raise an eyebrow at him. "I came home to find three individuals with no scent or no heartbeat practically living with my family, and the scent of another werewolf around my childhood home where my very human family still lives. What was I supposed to do?"

"Wait, what?" Julie's eyes blow wide. "There's been a werewolf around us?"

"Yeah. And speaking of," you say, "since these three appear to not be the culprits, has there been anyone hanging around? Staring longingly or just giving off the creepiest of vibes? The scent was maybe a few days old, but it's definitely werewolf."

Your sister shivers and crosses her arms over her chest as if to hug herself. "Not that I noticed."

You glance at the boys and all three shake their heads. "Keep an eye out then. That's kind of suspicious." Everyone nods. You inhale and then exhale deeply, looking at each individual. But as no one says anything, you lightly clear your throat. "So is anyone going to tell me what you three are or..?"

"Oh!" Julie leans forward, smiling softly. "Ghosts."

"Ghosts?"

"Ghosts!" Reggie disappears from his spot on the couch and reappears at your side. You faintly startle, but he still sees it and chuckles. "We kind of kicked the bucket about twenty six years ago now."

Luke sighs. "Street dogs, man. We can never look at them the same way ever again."

You snort and then slap a hand over your mouth as you stare at the boys with wide eyes. "I am so sorry. I didn't mean to laugh."

"Don't even worry about it," Alex says. "We've had some time to get over it and well now we have this cool gig with Julie so it's fine."

"Well either way I'm sorry you guys died, but I'm stoked you came into my family's life when you did."

The three boys beam, but Julie leans forward. "You know you have to tell dad, right? This is something dad needs to know."

"I know." You frown. "I just- how do I tell dad I'm not exactly human anymore?"

"Together." Julie smiles sadly at you. "We'll tell him together."

After calling an emergency family meeting the previous night, telling your dad and baby brother that werewolves existed was possibly the hardest thing you had to do. Out of the two of them, Carlos was most excited about all the new information you were offering up. But your dad, however, had a brief breakdown when you explained that you were literally going to die unless you had taken the bite from a werewolf. It had taken you almost ten minutes to calm him down, but you only made it a little bit worse when you told him there were rules now that the family knew the supernatural world existed.

Your dad and Carlos had tons of questions, and by the time dinner rolled around Ray just called in several pizzas so they could continue to grill you. Eventually things had settled and everyone went their separate ways to shower and get some sleep.

Then the day after that, you spend the day watching Julie and the boys rehearse because they got a last minute gig this coming Friday night. Even when they're goofing off they play amazingly and you praise them every moment you can. You're so caught up with your family and the boys that everything else is pushed to the back of your mind. And that's where it stays until after Julie and the Phantoms' performance three days later.

It's approaching midnight when you get home, you having rode with your family to and back from the club. It was the most fun you had in awhile, standing directly in front of the stage and screaming the lyrics back at your sister and Luke as they performed. And when you get home you and Julie are still singing along to one of her songs as you walk towards the front door, only to stumble to a halt when the scent of werewolf hits you full force.

"Mija, what's going on?"

"Shh!" You push Julie towards your dad and walk closer to the front door, eyes narrowing at the fact that it's cracked open when it should be locked. You put your nose close to the gap of the opened door and inhale deeply, eyes glowing gold in anger. There's a loud thump from inside and you whirl around to face your dad. He tenses as he eyes the fangs peeking from between your lips. "Get back in the car," you growl. "Do not get out until I come get you."

"Mija-"

"Do you understand?" You growl again, cutting him off. Your dad gulps and quickly nods, grabbing ahold of Carlos and Julie's hands to rush them away.

When you hear the car doors slam shut, the rummaging from inside your house stops. So before whoever is inside can flee, you brace yourself and walk inside. Slamming the door behind you, you open up your senses to tell you who or what is inside with you.

There's a warning growl from up above you and you snarl in response, not taking kindly to being warned off in your own home. Suddenly there are footsteps rushing towards the staircase and you lunge for them, bounding up the steps a few at a time. You meet the werewolf on the stairs, roaring at the sight of electric blue eyes glaring at you. He tries to leap over you, but you catch him by the ankle and tug him down with all your strength.

He's taller than you and more solid than you originally thought, so you mentally curse yourself when you can hear the staircase creak and crack as you fall down the stairs with him. Taking a boot to the gut, you swing out to claw him down his thigh. You draw first blood, but then the werewolf rounds on you with his teeth and claws bared. He lunges, catching you around the waist and slams your back down on the stairs. You grunt in pain, punching and clawing, but only earn a set of claws being dragged down the side of your face in return.

You hear him grunt, followed by a large crack, and your eyes fly open wide when you feel a thin pole from the wooden bannister be shoved into your gut. You roar out, completely shocked at this wolf's aggressiveness, and your saving grace comes in the form of three ghosts.

Alex, Luke, and Reggie pop in, startling the werewolf hovering above you. Their exclamations of pure joy quickly turn to ones of surprise and fear, and you use this brief reprieve to summon all your rage and push back. Once your feet are back beneath you, you shove the wolf back and against a wall. One hand goes around his throat and you use the other to shove your claws into his gut.

"What.. do you want.. with my family?" You ask, shoving your claws in deeper with each pause. The werewolf growls and easily overpowers you, shoving you back and fleeing through the back door.

When you get back to your feet, you attempt to run after him but Reggie rushes in front of you. "Whoa, whoa, whoa! Where do you think you're going?!"

"Reg, get out of my way," you seethe.

"Nope. No way. In case you haven't noticed, you've been impaled!" His hands flail in the direction of your abdomen. "Shouldn't you like go to the hospital or something?"

"I'll heal." You grab the wooden pole protruding from your body, grasping it tightly and yanking it free.

Reggie gags and you let it drop, only to then be approached by Luke." Y/N, where's Jules? And Carlos and your dad?"

At the mention of your family, the haze of rage starts to fade. You breathe deeply, letting the aches and pain take over as your features shift back to normal. "They're in the car," you say. "Can you go get them? I need to check upstairs to see what that asshole was doing."

"For sure."

As Luke poofs away, you turn back towards the stairs and make your way up them. You follow the scent of werewolf and when you find where it leads your rage comes back ten-fold. Shoving your way in Julie's room, you snarl when you find the strange scent by her dresser, in her closet, and on her bed. You catch whiffs of his scent on random items and you tense when there's a shout of your name from downstairs.

Realizing it's only your dad, you give yourself a moment to make sure you have yourself under control before making your way downstairs. "I'm sorry about the staircase," you say. "I'll call someone in the morning to come estimate the damages and fix it." Everyone is oddly quiet and when you meet their gazes, you see half are on your face and the other are on your stomach. "Relax. It'll heal."

"Will it?" Ray asks. He walks forward, gently cupping your face and angling it so he can get a better look.

"Yeah. It's already stopped bleeding. Now all they gotta do is close up."

"Okay." Your dad gulps. "Did you- did you figure out what was going on?"

"Some rogue werewolf," you tell him. "Normally I wouldn't worry because it's normal for a werewolf to scope out another werewolf in their territory, but this one was only in Julie's room. He didn't go near mine. Something's up."

Luke wraps an arm around Julie's shoulder as she gasps and Ray worriedly glances at his daughter. Carlos steps up on Julie's other side, grabbing her hand and looking every bit determined to keep her safe.

"What can we do?" Luke asks.

"Well for starters," you sigh, "everyone can take a chill pill. Go change, go shower, and go to sleep. I'll clean up and I'll call in reinforcements. I hope you guys are ready to meet my alpha."

"Are you sure, mija?" Your dad asks.

"Yeah. I'm too amped up to do anything other than keep watch and my alpha is necessary since this rogue werewolf easily overpowered me. I'm still new to this whole supernatural business, so it's better if someone more experienced comes in."

Ray and Carlos hesitantly make their way towards the stairs, but as Julie moves she makes a lunge for you. Her arms wrap around you and yours her, and you rub the side of your jaw along her temple. "You're going to be okay," you mumble. "Trust me."

"I do."

Luke and Reggie readily follow your family upstairs, but Alex lingers. You look at him, smiling softly. "Are you sure you're okay?" He asks. "You literally had a pole sticking out of your stomach."

"I'm fine, Al." You lift up your shirt, showing him the barely there hole. "See? It's closing. The healing process is just a little slow for me because I'm a bitten werewolf, not born."

"Oh. Okay. Cool." His hands go into his pockets as he glances around the room nervously. "So do you want some company?"

"Sure." You chuckle softly. "But first, I have a call to make."

Alex follows you into the kitchen where you lean tiredly against the island counter, putting your phone down on the counter top as you look for a specific contact and then put your phone on speaker as to not be rude to your guest. It rings a couple of times before the line clicks open.

"Y/N? What's wrong?" Derek's gruff voice makes you smile and Alex's eyes widen.

"Why would you think something is wrong, Der?"

"Because you told us not to contact you until your two weeks with your family were up. You still have another week with them and you're calling me. In the middle of the night. So again I'll ask, what's wrong?"

You sigh and this time it's Alex's turn to grin at you. "So I might have a problem."

Derek groans. "What did you do this time?"

You open your mouth to play off the seriousness of the situation, but after the night you had you're just not feeling. So you snap your mouth shut and sigh once more. "When I first got here, I smelled a werewolf around the house," you say. "I didn't think anything of it because it was faint, but tonight I found the werewolf in my little sister's room. We fought and he fled. I have an uncomfortable feeling about this, Der."

A moment passes in silence before Derek says, "We're on the way."

"Okay, but before you come to the rescue there's something you need to know." He doesn't say anything, but the line is still connected so you know he's waiting. "So you know how we always said something was odd about my sister's holograms?"

"Yeah?"

"Well funnily enough, they're ghosts! But don't worry," you're quick to cut off an inevitable rant, "there's nothing fishy or any ulterior motives. These guys are good, pure, and goofy. Please don't start anything."

There's a heavy exhale and then, "We'll see."

"Bring food!" You're quick to toss in, grinning that you got that in before the call ended. Alex stares at you and you roll your eyes playfully at him. "Relax. It's going to be fine."

Derek and the others could have been there within a few hours, but they didn't want to be rude and show up while your family was sleeping. You texted back and forth with Cora after Derek spilled the ghost secret, and you laughed when she mentioned she was excited to meet them because your little sister's music was quite catchy.

When you hear your family starting to stir awake, you send off a quick text to Derek to let him know that it was okay for them to finally come over. And to bring food because there's not enough to feed three werewolves, three ghosts, and three humans in the house.

Carlos is the only one who looks well rested, Ray and Julie looking like they tossed and turned all night. Luke, Reggie, and Alex poof into the room and you tiredly nod at them.

"Did you get any sleep?" Your dad asks.

"Nah. I've been keeping watch and keeping in contact with the pack," you say. "Derek and Cora are on the way, and Scott said to let him know if we needed him. The rest of the pack would come if needed."

"Mhm. Is there anything we need to know about this Derek and Cora?"

You glance around at your family and ghosts, and sigh when they're waiting for some sort of answer. "Just that they had a really traumatic event happen when they were younger, so if they're not exactly warm in the beginning don't take it personal."

Reggie leans forward in his seat. "Mhm. How traumatic are we talking?"

"Like their entire family was trapped in their home and burned alive traumatic." Everyone's eyes widen and you wince. "Yeah. A bunch of other stuff happened, but it's confusing and not everything is black and white as you may think. I just rather not delve too deep into their personal business moments before you meet them."

After a few lingering moments, Carlos is the first to mention he's hungry. Your dad says he'll get started on breakfast, but you stop them before they can even make it to the kitchen. Then before you can explain why making food isn't necessary, the doorbell rings and everyone freezes.

"I'll, um, I'll just get that."

Hurrying to the door, you open it up and smile in relief at the sight of your two favorite Hales.

"We come bearing McDonald's," Cora says. "We also might have pissed off a long line of cars because we bought out all their sausage biscuits and hash browns."

You laugh. "And I bet you cackled as you drove off."

"She did," Derek deadpans.

You shake your head and then step out of the way, gesturing the two Hales inside. You shut the door behind them and when you turn around to follow them you find that you don't have to go far. Everyone is just standing around, staring at the two newcomers and you shake your head. "What are you all doing out here? Get into the kitchen! I want to eat."

Carlos steps forward, staring up at Derek and Cora with a curious expression. "So werewolves, huh? And you're the one who bit my sister?" Derek tenses, but nods nonetheless. "Well thanks for saving her, but now I'll never beat her in a wrestling match. Can someone biscuit me so I can eat my feelings?"

You snort just as Cora cracks a grin and she walks forward while gesturing for Carlos to follow her into the kitchen. Derek stays put and you step up to his side, nodding up at him before looking out. "So," you start, looking at everyone else, "I'd like you guys to meet alpha Derek Hale. Der, this is my dad, my sister Julie, Carlos followed after Cora, and then we have Alex, Reggie, and Luke."

Everyone gave some form of acknowledgement as they were introduced and Derek sticks his hand out for your dad. "It's nice to finally meet you, sir. I'm just sorry it's under these circumstances."

Ray grasps onto his hand and shakes it. "Ditto."

"Okay," you drawl. "Now that the awkward introductions are over with, can we eat?"

Everyone walks into the kitchen then, you nudging your sister and chuckling at her wariness. Then once in the kitchen, you introduce everyone to Cora as well. The food is passed out and it feels like you're smiling encouragingly at everyone because they're intimidated by Derek's mere presence.

When everyone appears to be done with their food, it's Derek who clears his throat. "So do you wanna know why there's a werewolf interested in Julie now or later?"

The table falls silent and it's Julie who finally addresses him. "Wait. You already know? Without snooping around?"

Derek looks at her and smiles kindly which sets your heart a flutter. You're not stupid, you're well aware just how attractive your alpha is, but you never let yourself cross that line. Cora, however, has no problems teasing you about it, nudging you and smirking. You glare at her and return your attention to Derek. "I do. I'm not surprised Y/N didn't pick up on it, but I am surprised my sister hasn't mentioned anything."

Cora stops her teasing them, brows furrowed as she looks at her brother. "What?"

Derek pushes back from the table and offers his hand for Julie. "I'm sorry this might be uncomfortable for you, but will you join us over here?" she quickly glances at you and your dad, and your dad nods at her. She gets up and joins Derek at his side, and he gently grabs her arm to hold between you and Cora. "Focus on Julie's scent. Who does she remind you of?"

Cora's more in tune with her senses, so it doesn't take her long to pick up on what her brother is suggesting. It takes you a minute and when her scent has fully engulfed you, your eyes fly open. "How did I miss that?"

"M-Miss what?" Your sister stammers, pulling her arm back.

Cora glances between Julie and her brother, and you shake your head. "It's impossible. Stiles is a.." you trail off and Derek quirks an eyebrow at you, grinning.

"Excuse me," Luke pipes up, "but who and what the hell is a Stiles?"

Derek and Cora snort, and your gaze darts between Luke, Reggie, Alex, and your sister.

"Mija, what's going on?" Ray asks.

You gulp as realization slowly settles in. Looking at Julie, you ask, "They used to be invisible, right?"

"Yeah."

"But then they were cursed by another ghost, almost jolted out of existence, and you pulled them to you at the Orpheum. You wanted them and they appeared, and then by some weird happenstance you didn't want them to go and the curse was lifted. You were finally able to touch and everyone could see them."

Julie frowns at you. "You knew this already. What does that have to do with-"

"You're a Spark."

"What?"

Ray glances between both his daughters. "What's a Spark and how bad is this?"

You're left blinking at your sister in awe, so Derek takes over once more. "A Spark is someone with magical abilities, sir. When trained properly, they're a force to be reckoned with. They're highly sought after because they're not as neutral as a pack Emissary and can offer a hell of a lot more protection than an Emissary."

"Mhm. And what's an Emissary?"

"It's someone who offers advice and keeps peace during pack meetings," you say. "They're limited in their knowledge and magical abilities, but a Spark.. a Spark is so much more."

"So that's why this werewolf was sniffing around the house?" Ray asks. "Because he could smell the magic coming off Julie?"

"Yes." Derek tells him honestly. You can hear Julie's heartbeat pick up speed and you're quick to stand and wrap her in a hug. "If he's an Omega, which I believe he is since no one else came back when he faced off against Y/N, I think he wants to grow his own pack."

"And having a Spark within his pack would look good when recruiting others," Cora says.

Ray sighs. "What do we do?"

"Honestly? Julie needs to harness her power and learn how to use it."

"What? No!"

"Dad." You look towards him, frowning. "Derek's right. Julie is full of untapped potential and you do not want the wrong person training her. We can help."

Your dad sighs some more, rubbing his hand down his face. Finally he looks at Julie. "What do you want to do, mija? This is your life we're talking about here."

Everyone seems to hold their breath as Julie glances at every person she's come to love. But before she can say anything, Cora speaks up. "Before any decisions are made, I think we need to make sure Julie is a Spark." She then looks at your little sister. "Would you be willing to complete a test? There's no pain, no questions, just simple concentration."

You sister shrugs. "I guess so."

Julie is still apprehensive as Cora exits the room, so you rub her arm up and down. "It's going to be okay." You smile reassuringly at her. "If you truly are what we think you are, I think you might enjoy this. I know Carlos will."

Your baby brother perks up and you grin at him. You're quick to clear away the trash and are done just as Cora re-enters the room. She drops a duffel bag atop the table and Derek opens it up, pulling on a pair of gloves before he removes a vial full of black powder.

"What's that?" Luke asks.

"Mountain ash." Derek explains. "Create a closed barrier with this and no supernatural creature can cross it."

"And the rest?" Reggie wonders, peeking into the bag. Several vials clink together and he's quick to back off.

"Wolfsbane," you tell him. "It's lethal to us, but if we're shot or nicked with a weapon that holds a certain strain of this stuff, we figure out which strain it is and burn the ash that we have on hand to press into our wounds. For some reason it counteracts the effects."

"But in order to see if Julie truly is a Spark," Derek says, pulling everyone's attention back to the main topic, "we need her to create a barrier of mountain ash around Cora."

Julie quickly glances at you and you give her a nod. She walks towards Derek and Cora, and Derek opens up the vial to pour a small mound of black ash in the center of her palm. Julie glances up at him in surprise and then at the space around Cora's feet. "That's all you're giving me?"

"That's all you get."

Julie glances at you again and the panic is clear in her eyes. "Relax," you say. She gulps. "Relax," you say again, softer. "Inhale and exhale, Jules." She does as you say and after a couple of deep breaths, you say, "Now close your eyes. Form a loose fist and believe that you have all the ash you need there in the center of your hand as it tips out while walking a circle around Cora."

Julie's eyes fly open as she scoffs. "Seriously?"

"Seriously." You grin. "Magic is all about belief. Now close your eyes and concentrate. You have to want to close this circle. Do it."

Again everyone seems to hold their breath as Julie closes her eyes and shakes herself out. She takes a few deep breaths, letting them out slowly. You can practically see the moment her mind clears, her expression going slack right before she tips her fist and the ash starts to fall. She walks in an unsteady circle, her brow furrowing halfway around. She unknowingly walks the entire circle, her eyes flying open as she groans. "This is dumb."

"Is it?" Cora wonders. She raises her hand and goes to touch Julie, but her hand hits an invisible wall that shimmers a faint blue before fading.

Julie glances down, her eyes widening before she looks at you. "It worked?"

"It worked," you assure her. Everyone seems to scramble up from their seats then, gathering around Julie and Cora. You snort as Carlos and Reggie easily put their hands inside the circle, but Cora has no such luck of reaching out of it. You raise your eyebrow at that. "Well at least we know mountain ash doesn't work on ghosts."

"Um, how do we get her out now?" Julie nervously wonders.

"You or any other human can just drag the toe of your shoe through it. It'll break the circle."

"Cool!" Carlos readily drags his socked toe through the ash and Cora laughs as she steps out of the circle.

"So what happens now?" Alex asks, glancing between his newfound family a bit nervously.

"Now we find her a mentor," Derek says. "And a pack because without one-" he says, cutting off your dad, "it'll just be a matter of time before another werewolf comes looking. Or something worse."

"We, uh, we know a Spark," you say, glancing at Derek who gives you a nod to continue. "Stiles. He's obnoxiously smart and powerful, and unfortunately he refuses to leave alpha McCall's side long term. But since we're basically in the same pack, he'll visit and help mentor Julie if we ask."

"What about a pack?" She frowns. "I don't want to join a bunch of strangers."

"Then join the Hale pack," Derek says after a beat. You and Cora look at him in surprise, but he only has eyes for your baby sister and dad. "We can locate further south so Julie doesn't have to leave anyone behind."

"Der, are you serious?" You shakily ask.

He glances at you and smirks. "Of course. We'll start house hunting if your sister agrees."

You glance at Julie and her eyes are wide. A moment passes and then she looks at you, a relieved smile taking over. "Yeah. Uh, yeah. I'll join if it's okay with my dad?"

Everyone looks at Ray. "Why do I get the feeling my grocery bill just got a whole lot higher?"

You, Cora, and Derek laugh. "Don't worry, dad. As alpha, it's Derek's job to provide for the pack."

Over the next couple of days, Derek and Ray spend a lot of time in Ray's office- the alpha filling in your dad about pack politics since Julie was still so young. Stiles has already been called, but he had a few things to take care of before he could make the trip down south. So until then, you, Derek, and Cora were going to be staying with your family. Derek took to searching for a new pack house while you and Cora happily told the younger generation about your favorite pack stories.

Julie, Ray, and Carlos have a chaperone everywhere they go, but surprisingly no one complains. You and Cora had to take a brief leave from school, citing family emergencies, and you spend the newfound time protecting your family.

Unfortunately, before Stiles can show up and lay protection wards around the house, the omega werewolf strikes again. Fortunately, however, your dad is with Carlos at one of his baseball games so they're not there to witness the brief brawl.

You and Cora are sitting on the back balcony, listening to Julie and the boys rehearse. Derek had gone for a quick jog around a few blocks, most likely scenting the area for anything out of the norm, and you were in charge of holding down the fort. But the comfort of your house and the fact that nothing had recently happened made you let your guard down, and the opposing werewolf was smart enough to stay down wind.

But then there's glass shattering, the music suddenly cuts out, and Julie's shout pierces through her still live microphone. Without second guessing yourselves, you and Cora get up and jump over the balcony railing. You both land in a crouch, faces immediately transformed, growling. You're quick to straighten up, running towards the studio and throwing open the door.

Julie is huddled into Alex's side with Reggie and Luke brandishing their guitars as weapons in front of them. The werewolf in question is nearly six feet tall with electric blue eyes and a lean build. He's more clean-cut than you remember, but it's the same wolf you saw inside your house. It's a quiet stare-off, but the moment your eyes track to the completely shattered bay windows at the back of the studio a snarl rips free.

"Walk towards us," Cora says. "Do not turn your back on him."

The moment Julie takes a step back, the other werewolf growls and shifts in agitation.

"Try it and you're dead," you seethe.

There's a moment of hesitation and then he's lunging. Cora lunges for the male werewolf while you lunge for your sister, you shoving her and Alex aside. Luke and Reggie are quick to poof out of the way, and then reappear at the couch where Alex and Julie are huddled together. The snarling of Cora and the other werewolf keeps you on edge, and you join your packmate in clawing and shoving, and making sure you do not damage your mom's beloved studio too much.

You and Cora receive a few blows and gashes of your own, but Julie's frantic heartbeat has the two of you fighting for her. You try to fight with all your might, but you know you're in trouble when you and Cora both show obvious signs of tiring whereas the male werewolf still looks as anxious as ever to get his hands on your sister.

A mistake on your part has the male werewolf taking the upper hand, he kicking Cora away and grabbing you by your throat. The sudden action startles you and your lack of air makes you panic. So instead of using your full strength to break his hold, you claw at the hand squeezing your throat.

"Stop. Stop!" Julie pleads.

But her cries fall on deaf ears and it takes the roar of an alpha to startle the male werewolf into dropping you. 

As you gasp for air and scramble towards your sister, you look towards the studio doors to see Derek standing there with glowing red eyes. Derek, half transformed, is completely more terrifying than either you or Cora, and even though you're part of Derek's pack you can't help the uptick of your heartbeat at the power radiating off him.

"The girl is under protection of the McCall-Hale pack," Derek growls. "In fact, this entire territory is now ours. You have until sunrise to be gone or I'll rip your throat out with my teeth if any of us ever see you again."

The werewolf has the audacity to growl at Derek, but you and Cora are quick to flank your alpha. The two of you growl threateningly behind his back and as the opposing werewolf glances between the three of you, he grunts and slowly backs away towards the window he'd thrown himself through.

The second he's gone, Derek leans towards Cora. "Follow him. Make sure he leaves." A growl rumbles from her chest to show she understands and a moment later she's disappearing out the same damaged window. Derek takes a deep breath and let's it out before looking over at your sister. "You okay?"

Reggie blinks and then huffs softly. "Well I think I ghost peed a little, but I'm fine."

"Same, dude," Luke nods. "That was intense."

Your werewolf features fade as you fail to contain your laugh, Alex then glancing over at his friends. "You guys are so lucky you can play instruments and sing."

Julie giggles and you step forward to lean against Derek's arm. "I'm pretty sure Der was talking to my sister."

"Oh."

"Oh."

"I'm fine," Julie says. "But he's not- he won't come back, will he?"

"Not unless he wants an alpha to rip him to shreds," you tell her.

"I'm gonna follow after Cora and make sure the rogue is gone. You good here?"

You glance up at Derek and nod. "Yeah. We're good." Derek smirks at you and you roll your eyes, nudging him to go. After a moment he jogs out of the studio, no doubt following Cora's scent. Someone clears their throat and you glance back at your far too amused sister. "What?"

"So.." she drawls, "care to explain what that just was?"

"What what was?" You ask.

Luke starts to smile. "You totally have a thing for the scary wolf." Alex and Reggie eagerly nod in agreement.

"What? I do not."

"You totally do," Julie says.

"Oh whatever." You roll your eyes, willing yourself not to blush or smile. You'd be damned if you let them in on that particular secret crush, even though you were pretty sure it was mutual. "We have more important things to discuss like fixing the window and informing dad of what went on without freaking him out."

Julie's smile slowly fades. "Are things always going to be intense like what we just saw?"

"I hate to break it to you, baby girl, but yes. Sometimes worse."

"Oh great."

"But you're going to be a total badass," you assure her as you walk towards her. You kneel in front of her, taking her hands in your own. "Stiles is the best and he will make sure you know everything to protect yourself and those close to you. And besides, you'll have three badass werewolves just a few blocks over. You won't be alone."

"Are you sure? I'm still kind of young. I don't want to put your pack in any danger."

You shake your head. "You won't. I don't mean to brag, but the Hale name carries some weight. Scott kind of made a name for himself as well, so when everyone finds out you're under our protection it'll be okay. Trust me, sis. It won't always be this scary."

"Well as long as you're positive."

"I am. Now come on." You let go of her hands and pat the tops of her thighs as you stand. "Let's go find something to eat and call Stiles. We'll see if he can speed up his trip out here."

[kaleidoscopeminds]

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆ ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆ ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆ ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

main works/series:

Ballet fic ‘verse (41.5k, Mature)

Luke's life is perfectly on track. He is about to get everything he's ever wanted, to become a Principal dancer for the Royal Ballet. He's focused, determined and nothing will get in his way. Then he meets Calum, a smooth-tongued barman with dangerous eyes, and suddenly not everything's so simple.

dream makes the sounds (that carry me so far away) (36.5k, Mature)

Luke's just got to California, on a trip to get away from his life for a while. Calum might be there for the same reason. When a chance meeting pushes them together, Luke might get more out of the four-week road trip than he ever imagined.

i’m not made by design, how can you be satisfied? (21k, Mature)

It gets to about three p.m. and Calum’s seen so many models at this point he thinks his vision is going a bit blurry; and that’s when the next boy “Luke Hemmings” gets let in. He’s stopped pretending to review the portfolios ahead of time on the iPad in front of him, just looking at the models as they come in and making a note whether it’s worth looking at it afterwards.

He kind of wishes he had looked at Luke's before he walked through the door though because he almost swallows his tongue.

A fashion AU

the flatmate arrangement (20k, Mature)

Hi Calum/Poor Struggling Paralegal, So I’ll be upfront with you. It’s a one-bed flat. I also live here. HOWEVER before you delete this and think I’m a freak, I work nights so I wouldn’t be here anytime you would be. You can have the flat exclusively from 6 pm to 8 am, Saturday night and all day Sunday. Understand this sounds like a bit of a crazy arrangement but I could do with the cash, let me know what you think?

Luke Hemmings (Poor Struggling Children’s Nurse)

A 'The Flatshare' AU

talk to me, baby (18k, Explicit)

“Is that why you’ve been looking at me all night?” Luke asks, reaching out and brushing a finger over one of the rips in Calum’s jersey. “Trying to get me alone to sell your services?”

Calum looks delighted that Luke has called him out and it makes Luke smile again.

“Not at all,” Calum says, taking a swig from his drink. “But I was trying to get you alone to offer some other services for free. Interested?”

Luke laughs. “Is that an innuendo?”

“Absolutely, but I can be less subtle.” Calum sips his beer, eyeing Luke. “Wanna fuck?”

meet me in the back under exit lights (17k, Mature)

“Mate, you do know what our job is right?” he asks amusedly. “You’re a writer at an indie music magazine. Just in case you hadn’t realised.” Calum rolls his eyes at Ashton.

“I know,” he says grumpily. “But if Alex makes me interview another one of these boring-as-fuck sad boy singer-songwriters I’m gonna lose my fucking mind.”

The journalist Calum/musician Luke AU no one asked for

Bakery Cake ‘verse (15k, Teen and Up)

“Bye, Luke,” Calum says. “Maybe see you tomorrow, and... Hope you have a great day too.” His face breaks out into a wider smile that reminds Luke of the feeling of getting just the right consistency for macaron batter, or a perfectly smooth finish on a cake, or the way good puff pastry flakes into the perfect fragments when you cut through a mille-feuille. Or something.

A bakery AU

and what if you’d never smiled at me (15k, Teen and Up)

Calum's really not happy about the new bakery that's just opened up down the road from his own bakery; it's gaudy and pastel and covered in flowers and is an offence to the name of baking. At least he's got a new regular to make him feel better about it all. One with a smile that can turn a day around just like that, even on a Tuesday.

in the places that we met (9k, Mature)

“I think I might be being haunted by a ghost,” is how he greets Michael at the pub that Friday.

“A ghost?” Michael responds suspiciously.

“Yeah and he’s personally haunting me and only me,” Luke says, pulling himself into a booth.

“Sounds frightening,” Michael says mildly.

“He’s also really fit,” Luke says, taking a sip of the pint Michael’s provided him with. “I saw him at the gym today.”

“Sounds sexy and frightening,” Michael says.

you wanna be closer (5k, Teen and Up)

Five times Luke and Calum touch platonically, and once when Calum realises maybe it was never platonic at all.

we're just friends (4k)

“I want to kiss you,” Calum says, voice not above a murmur. Luke’s heart stutters and a blush fills his face as it works overtime pushing his hot blood around his body.

“We shouldn’t,” Luke starts as his hand comes up to grip Calum’s wrist. “We’re friends, we’re just friends.”

drabbles and prompts:

i think i'm getting stuck, i think i'm getting hooked on you (2k, Teen and Up)

it's just a spark, but it's enough (2k, Teen and Up)

main works/series

in a world of black and white (12k, Teen and Up)

“Hey,” Luke says, as close to Ashton’s ear as he can get. Ashton’s head snaps up immediately and his hazel eyes behind his tortoiseshell glasses flick towards him, wide in surprise. Ashton’s eyes are a conundrum to Luke, sometimes gleaming warm amber with flecks of deeper mahogany, sometimes sparkling emerald and viridescent, and sometimes somewhere between the two, glinting and swirling with a golden green. Luke could spend weeks trying to solve the enigma of Ashton’s eyes, and thinks that he might be happy to.

if you dance with me darling, if you take me home... will we talk in the morning? (4k, Teen and Up)

Luke is drunk, but nicely so, he thinks, everything slightly softer around the edges, lights a little brighter and laughs a little louder. Everyone and everything in the world would be slightly better if they were this level of tipsy all the time, he muses to himself as he waits for his drinks, leaning his chin in his hand on the bar where he’s wedged himself between two other people that were definitely waiting before him, but don’t have Luke’s height or smile.

put on your dancing shoes, there’s one thing on your mind (2k, Teen and Up)

Luke squeaks and grabs Ashton’s wrist, bouncing on his toes as excitement flows through him, his heart rate picking up as he feels the crowd shift and pulse with anticipation, voices of enthusiasm and shouts beginning to ripple across the sea of people. The lights begin to flash and Luke can feel the energy thrum through the air.

sad luke ‘verse (2k)

Luke flexes his fingers around his glass and tips his head back to look at the ceiling, letting the lights flash around him, burning his eyes as he forces himself to keep them open, but he still feels like they’re not as bright as he wants them to be, not bright enough to sting as much as he yearns for them to.

Will someone tell me who I was before? (500, Teen and Up)

When I close my eyes and try to sleep I fall apart, I find it hard to breathe (500, Teen and Up)

Looking on, as all of life's colours seem to fade (1k, Teen and Up)

drabbles and prompts:

you light up my whole heart, it feels like the sun (1k, Teen and Up)

i don't wanna be wasting my time alone (2k, General Audiences)

pressed against the wall just watching your every move (1.5k, General Audiences

misc works and drabbles

fingertips on me, i can feel them still - malum (2k, Teen and Up))

The lady on the phone had offered him a new guy, and even though he was wary, he knew he couldn’t put off getting his hair cut any longer. That didn’t account for the new guy being the fucking prettiest man he’s ever set eyes upon, mask and all, and if Calum didn’t want to take his hat off before, he definitely doesn’t now.

some invisible string tying you to me - ot4 (1.5k)

That’s the thing about the four of them, they say they can’t really pinpoint exactly how it happened. How it became the four of them in every single iteration of the words, wrapped and tied together securely, looping in and out and around them all.

misc tumblr prompt ficlets

[annaraebananawriter]

Hands

First off...HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THE SQUID!!! 

I honestly had no idea it was his birthday until last night from twitter. I was in the middle of writing this scene, in fact, and realized ‘Hey, you know what? I could probably get this done in time for it!’. Now here we are.

Secondly...This is a scene from one of my WIP’s. It will probably take place somewhere in the middle chapters, but I saw that it was a fairly out of context scene to show that it wouldn’t really matter if I showed it now as a teaser or later. 

Obviously, I chose the latter.

That said, this is set to change a bit as the WIP develops, but it’ll be nice to see what you all think of it. Hope you enjoy!

Fandom: Undertale, but specifically UTMV

Pairings: Implied Errorink, or Pre-Errorink

Characters: Error (Who belongs to CQ) and Ink (Who belongs to Comyet)

Warnings: Nothing really. Although, again, it is a scene from a wip, which means that it is not in it’s final form. Let me know!

Word Count: 2488

~oOo~

His phone buzzed on the floor beside him. Ink paused in the middle of trying to balance a pencil on his finger, which was probably a losing battle, but since when has that ever stopped him before? That’s right, never. And it never would. Setting the pencil aside, he checked his phone and read the short message.

mommy-bear

Are you coming home for supper? It’s past 5.

Ink jumped, looking outside to see that, indeed, the sun was lower in the sky and time had in fact passed. They must’ve gotten lost in the throughs of their homework, or the casual avoidance of it, for one of them. Error seems to have made some sort of headway into the work from Mx. Alex. Good for him. He’ll be able to hand it in on Monday without it bugging him in the back of his mind while he ignores that bugging and just doddles instead of doing his work like he should until the next thing he knows it’s almost midnight on Sunday and he still hasn’t gotten it done.

But honestly, who would do that? Certainty not Ink.

Error had also noticed his jump and was looking at him now. “What is it?”

“Just a text from my mom.” He answered, gathering up his things. A glance to his study buddy showed Error blinking and setting down his pencil as well in order to listen. “She was just wondering where I was. It’s after five, y’know? I said I’d be back then.”

“Oh.” Error fell silent after that.

Once his things were all accounted for (he did lose his eraser for a minute there and partially freaked out about it, which was kind of silly as he had plenty more than just this one white one, others that were far more colourful, but he didn’t have to worry for long—Error had silently placed it on the bed for him to grab, making Ink smile in gratitude), Ink walked to the bedroom door and got to the top of the stairs before he realized another pair of footsteps were following him.

Man, Error really needed to take him up on the suggestion of bells. He was too silent on his feet, just too much like a ghost for his liking. Not that he didn’t like ghosts. He just didn’t like people being silent when their walking. It made him paranoid.

Ink turned around. “You know I can just walk myself back, right? I literally live right next door.” He held up one finger. “That’s the house right beside yours.”

Error scowled, just like he always did when Ink pointed things out like that. It was also a reason why he was determined to point things like that out as often as he did, which was rather often. “Don’t be stupid. Of course I know that.”

“Then why are you following me?”

“What if I wasn’t? What if I just decided to get some food? To do that, I’d need to go to the kitchen, which is also downstairs.” He gestured to the passageway to said downstairs. “Those are the only stairs to get there.”

Ink smirked, “You have a box on the top shelf of your closet where you keep all the chocolate you bought, stole, or stole from Fell.” This statement was rewarded with a light blush of embarrassment from Error, who looked around as if to make sure his brothers didn’t overhear.

Ink was sure that they already knew though.

He also suspected that they put chocolate in the box too, as Error was sometimes surprised that there was some there when he had said he had eaten it all.

“I didn’t even say I was getting chocolate! I might be getting something else.”

“You don’t snack on anything but chocolate.” Error’s scowl deepened. “You also sort of admitted to following me” He couldn’t help but laugh when the blush on Error’s skull deepened in realization and his taller friend looked away from him. It was always interesting to see just how much it took to get to this shade of blue, with the yellow freckle-like dots just barely seen overtop. The sight made Ink want to draw it.

He wanted to draw it so badly.

Laughter dying down, Ink tilted his head and smiled at Error. “If you wanted to walk with me, you could’ve just asked.”

For some reason, Error glanced back at him and quickly looked away again, blush deepening again, the yellow becoming brighter. He also started to glitch a little bit, which would normally spark a tiny bit of worry, but he could see that the other wasn’t in any danger, so he had no reason to worry. If the glitches got worse, then he could worry.

That was…pretty much the saying for being friends with him.

‘If the glitches got worse, then you could worry.’

Error burrowed down, like he usually would if he had his scarf on. It was, presumably, back in his room. Weird. The glitch he knew never went anywhere without his scarf; at school, at home, at the café, at the park, walking, sitting, it was always on. Well, it probably came off at home. Here he was with his family, a safe, happy environment away from the judging eyes of school and the city. He could be himself here. That’s an assumption, at least, hopefully the right one. Ink didn’t know the relationship between skeleton and scarf and never asked, never would talk about it until, or if, Error brought it up. He wanted to respect his privacy, after all.

But now that he thought about it, the scarf had been coming off around him lately. It had started off small. It started with it being up to his mouth, almost as if a way to hide or be smaller than he was. That was how it was for a while. Then one morning, it was down just a bit, just under his mouth. And as the days passed and the two talked more and became friends, the scarf would be lower and lower. Down to the chin in Math. Under the chin the next day. Around his neck a week later in English class.

It was almost like earning his trust. He had earned Error’s trust, which meant that he got to see the skeleton behind the scarf. The true, unshielded one.

It was…kind of nice, to be honest.

Ink blinked, coming back to himself and realizing that Error had mumbled something.

“Sorry, what?”

Error looked back at him and sighed a little before speaking up just enough so that Ink could hear. “I said, can I…walk with you?” His arms went in front of him. Ink guessed that it was a temporary shield in place of the scarf.

He was prepared to be rejected and just walk back to his room.

Well, Ink couldn’t have that, now could he?

“Of course!” The smile on his face widened and he started down the stairs with lighter steps. It was always nice when friends offered to walk you home or something of the sort. The walk was less lonely, even if you never spoke a word.

It’s just how it was.

They talked in the small time it took to get from Error’s house to Ink’s. Well, that wasn’t really true. Ink did most of the talking, which ended up being mostly complaints about homework and school and also talk about his works in progresses. Error just listened quietly, humming or nodding in certain spots. He would like to think that Ink could talk about nothing at all and Error would listen. It just seemed to be the way he was.

Their friendship was a good one. Maybe there were a few unbalances here and there, but overall, it was good and healthy and, most importantly, mutual. It benefited both of them in different ways. Ink had someone who would listen without interrupting, who cared about his interest and how he felt, even though he didn’t have a soul and relied on substitutes. Error had someone who didn’t pressure him into a conversation, who gave him and respected his personal space and asked before touching his things and body. It was like a missing piece just fell into place, so perfect, it felt like it hadn’t been missing at all.

That said, there were some hurdles.

Like how Ink was soulless. There was always that thought, loud or quiet, one that questioned whether the love he felt towards his friends and family was real. Or if he was just deluding himself and everyone around him into thinking that they were. This thought had always been there, since before Dream and Blue, before Error, before anyone he was with now—what if it was all fake?

It was kind of silly. The substitutes he took acted as a soul. It supplied him his soul magic, the working parts of his body and the emotion spectrum. He may not feel things as intensely as others and may be lacking a feeling in a certain way, but that didn’t mean they weren’t real. They’re substitutes for a reason, after all.

…Ah! They’ve arrived at his house.

Ink blinked, stopping on the first step and turning back to Error. “So…” he said, finding himself unable to think of what else to say. He shifted awkwardly and cleared his throat. “I’ll see you next Friday?” He tried to think back on what else was going on in school. “We have some sort of project to do or test to study for, right?”

Error nodded. “Yeah, I think so.” He fell silent too, but didn’t leave like Ink had expected. He lingered, clearly thinking about something with the way his arms slightly glitched around. He didn’t say anything, though.

“Anything else?” Ink asked, trying to prompt him.

The blush, which had died down as they walked over here, brightened again. “Um…yeah, actually.” Error straightened and fiddled with his sleeve. “Do you remember the lesson we had…I think it was a month ago? In Health?”

Ink rocked on his heels as he thought. It was times like these that he cursed his memory. A month ago…a month ago…he didn’t really remember a lot of the lessons from a month ago. But the ones that he did… “Do you mean the one about the different types of intimacy? I only recall that it was about intimacy, nothing specific.”

“Yeah…yeah, that’s the one.”

“Okay…why is it important?” Curious. Error rarely asked him if he could remember a lesson from as long as a month ago. He knew how bad Ink’s memory was, so why did he ask? And why now, of all times?

“I, uh…w-well…” Error stuttered. Error didn’t normally stutter. It was only when he glitched really badly and was on the verge of crashing that he stuttered, or lagged, as he liked to call it. Normally, though, he spoke fine, if quiet and almost echoey.

Speaking of glitches…the ones on his arms had quickened up a little. Not enough to be too worrying yet, but definitely something to watch over.

Frowning, Ink was just about to bring that to attention when Error spoke again, voice clearer. “Just…can you…raise your hand?” He slowly brought up a hand with the inside facing Ink, like he was to high-five someone. “Like this?”

Ink eyed him suspiciously.

One of the first things he had learned about Error was that the other had haphephobia. He couldn’t stand people touching him, as it usually caused a flurry of glitches in the touched spot, and sometimes it was so bad that the minute someone touched him, he crashed. Those days were few, but they have happened. Ink had been lucky that it hasn’t happened since meeting Error. But this fact he had taken in and committed to memory, determined to not trigger his friend like that.

He would hate himself, if he did.

But now Error was asking him to raise his hand? For what? He couldn’t see them high-fiving. It would be too painful for Error and frankly a bit of a reach for Ink (he hated being short like that). And because it would be painful, he couldn’t see why he had to raise his hand.

But he was curious.

Curiosity usually made his answers for him.

Just as slowly as Error did, Ink raised his hand, mirroring the one in front of him.

Error inhaled and…

Ink’s mind froze.

He could barely focus on Error stepping closer as excitement and happiness began to take over. The urge to squeal was overwhelming, but he reigned himself in as he knew that wouldn’t help Error at all. It would probably just make him run away and never come near Ink again. And he didn’t want that. So, he forced himself to stay still and stay quiet, eyes focused on the hand that started to come closer and closer to his.

He could see the black bones begin to glitch a ton and felt a spark of worry—despite what might just happen, he didn’t want Error to hurt himself. He would never want him to—he should speak up now. He should tell Error to stop and calm down.

They didn’t have to do it like this.

They didn’t even have to touch at all!

They didn’t…have to…

It was…warm.

Fuzzy.

The hands contrasted starkly and they would be stunning in a painting. The white of Inks and the black of Errors. They were different, but they looked so well together.

This…This had to be a dream.

But it wasn’t. There was a light touch to his bones, just enough to know that the hand against his was, in fact, against his and trembling ever so slightly and actually existed in the world and not just his imagination. Somehow, this made it even more surreal. He knew it was real…but he just couldn’t believe it.

If this was a dream, he didn’t want to wake up.

Despite his promise to stay still, Ink shakily inhaled.

And just like that, the spell was broken.

Error retracted his hand and walked away quickly. Ink was slow to realize what was happening and so by the time his hand was up and the name of his tongue, his friend was already gone. He stood there with his arm outstretched, gazing at the house next door blankly.

He slowly looked down at his hand.

It still tingled.

Gently wrapping his other hand around it, not daring to actually touch, he brought the hands closer to his chest, right over where his soul would be.

It felt like something should be beating wildly in there.

It felt like some new emotion had been lodged in his substitutes.

And somehow, it felt like that contact, the light touch of hands, was far more intimate than a kiss had ever and would ever be.

[secretly-tword-obsessed]

Aaron Bu...Oh boy

Hello lovelies! This is the first part of my ‘Alternate ending to Hamilton songs’ series. Hope you enjoy!

Fandom: Hamilton

Ship: Hamburr

The guy was cuter than he’d expected. Okay, that might be a bit of an understatement. The guy was more devilishly handsome and adorable than he’d expected. There, thats a better description. 

The guy was shorter than Alexander, and had a little round face with large eyes and lips. He wore a simple outfit; a dark purple coat, a white shirt and high-risen pants. And he was muttering something under his breath, just standing there motionless, as if waiting for something. Alexander was not too familiar with such a stance, he never waited, not for a thing. He was far too active and productive to wait. I mean, what was the point? Why wait when he could act?

He approached the man, first checking that he had the right guy.

“Pardon me-”

The man turned around with an intrigued look on his face. Alexander’s heart beat sped up, and he felt his palms getting sweaty. He had never seen a cuter man in his life.

“Are you Aaron Burr, sir?”

Burr chuckled: “That depends, who’s asking?”

Ah, so he had a sense of humour to. And the most cheeky adorable gorgeous smile imaginable. Great.

“Oh sure sir, I’m Alexander Hamilton, I’m at your service sir. I have been looking for you”.

Crap, perhaps that last comment sounded creepy. Jeez, it was hard enough for him to have discussions like this in the first place, but the fact that the man was cute made it ten times harder.

But Burr just kept smiling. Oh, that smile. “I’m getting nervous”.

“Sir!”, Alexander interrupted, “I heard your name at Princeton, I was seeking an accelerated course of-”

“Sorry, what was that? Please slow down”, Burr said, a trace of nerves in his eyes too.

Slow, how slow? Slow-motion snail-slow? If he made that joke, would Burr laugh? Well, here goes...

“I heaaaaarrrdd yooooouuurrr naaaaaammmmeee”

Burr chuckled. Again. That chuckle. 

“Haha, very funny”

“Your not easily amused I see”, Alexander joked.

“I am amused, but only mildly”, Burr stated, “Continue”.

“Well, uh, I, uh, heard your name at Princeton”

“Are you okay?”, Burr asked tentatively, stepping closer to Alexander. He could see all of Burr’s features more clearly now, like his scruffy eyebrows, and he felt like he could melt. Was the sweat running down his forehead showing?

“Yeah”, Alex responded, “I’m fine, your just a bit hot. Crap! I mean, it’s just a bit hot”.

Kiss. 

Peck. Smooch. Emotion-backed. Right in the centre of Alexander’s cheek.

Burr’s lips may have been big, but they were delicate against his rough skin.

Burr smiled brightly as he departed, “I think your hot to, Hamilton”.

Alexander blushed, if he wasn’t blushing before, he was now, “What was that for?”

“I’m very good at reading social cues”, Burr said with a shrug, “I knew you had a crush on me from the moment you looked at me. In fact, I think anyone would’ve known”.

Alexander shook his head, how? 

Burr could see the man’s confusion, and found it quite cute. The man was quite cute in general. He had a soothing voice and a shaky posture, and the most beautiful eyes Burr had ever seen.

Alexander kissed his lips, and he returned the kiss. The sun shone bright in the sky. Both Burr and Alex believed in miracles at this point.

When they departed from their second intimate action, Burr let Alexander know everything in his mind. Alex responded with everything in his mind. They stared at each other for a few seconds.

“Do you, uh, consider this a long term relationship?”, Alexander asked.  

“I sure hope so Hamilton!”, Burr remarked, “I wouldn’t have kissed you unless I saw definite potential!”

“You-you can call me Alex”, Alexander stuttered, wondering how on Earth Burr was keeping so calm in this situation.

Burr tilted his head a bit, “How about Hammy?”.

Alexander chuckled, “Sure”.

”Okay than, Hammy”, Burr said, leaning forward to lightly kiss Hammy’s neck.

Hamilton giggled and jumped back, “Be careful Burr! I’m ti-”

He stoped when he saw the spark in Burr’s eyes.

“Your what, Hammy?”, Burr asked inquisitively, his eyes glistening.

Hamilton shook his head, “Uh, nothing”.

Burr smiled, “Did you know, Hammy, that I have a catch phrase?”.

Hamilton raised his brows, wondering where Burr was going with this. “Um, no. What is it?”.

Burr took a step closer to Ham, “Talk less”

Hamilton tilted his head in confusion, “Okay?”

Burr smiled brighter and got up on his tiptoes, and whispered faintly in Hamilton’s ear: “Smile more”.

With that, he dug his fingers into Hamilton’s side. Hamilton burst out laughing, the biggest smile on his face.

“Wow!”, Burr said, “You were right, you ARE ticklish. But no, not just ticklish. I’d say, very ticklish”.

Hamilton somehow managed to squirm out of Burr’s grip, “Not fuhunny!”

Burr just grinned smugly at him, “I’ll give you ten seconds to run”

Ten seconds? That was far too generous. There would be no way Burr would catch up if Hamilton even had a five second head start, but ten seconds, jeez! Wondering what on Earth the adorable munchkin was planning, he ran.

Somehow, a civilised greeting had turned into this. A game of chase. Although, Hamilton definitely didn’t mind. He felt careless and free as he ran, wind gushing though his hair. 

And after about fifteen seconds of running, he felt an unfamiliar long arm wrap around his torso. The arm tackled him gently onto the grassy ground. When he looked up, a freckled boy with bushy hair, who looked about his age, was staring down at him. 

“John Laurens”, he said with a grin, “Pleasure to meet you”.

“Wha-?”

He saw three other men run behind him. One had a muscly figure and a strong expression, one was skinny and had curly hair tied up in a bun, and the third was Aaron Burr.

“Maquis de’Lafayette”, the skinny man said in a thick French accent, “But just call me Lafayette”

“I’m Herc”, said the muscly one, “We’re all friends of Burr’s”.

“So”, Laurens said, turning to Burr, “Why have we tackled him anyway?”

Burr smirked, “Oh, I think he knows”. Burr crouched down beside Hamilton, the cheekiest look on his face. “Hammy, why do you think Iv’e ordered these men to tackle you, huh?”

Hamilton gulped, and his cheeks went pink, “I, uh, I don’t know Burr”

“You honestly have no idea?” Burr asked in a slightly teasing tone.

“Nup”, Hamilton confirmed, “No idea”.

Burr grinned, “Liar”. 

He dug his finger into Hamilton’s ribs. Hamilton instantly tossed his head back, and began laughing.

Mulligan, realising what was going on, leaned down to pin Hamilton’s arms above his head. The other two men just watched in amusement and delight.

“No-Heheheheherc!”, Hamilton cried, attempting to kick his legs out but failing as Herc held them down.

Burr wiggled his fingers under Hamilton’s arms. His laughter ticked up a pitch, “Nohohoho!”

“Your so cute Hammy”, Burr teased, seeing how flustered it made his new boyfriend, “Uh tickle tickle tickle. Uh tickle tickle tickle”

Hamilton was so red with flusteredness and laughter, but Burr knew that the man was fine. In fact....

“You know what I think, Hammy?”, Burr asked as he went down to squeeze Hamilton’s knee.

“Ohohoh shihihiht nohohot thahahaht!”

Burr gasped and put a hand to his heart, “Language!” He squeezed tighter and spidered his right hand fingers around the upper leg. Hamilton lost it, an ear to ear grin plastered on his face.

“Well, as I said earlier, I am very good at picking up small social details”, Burr stated, as if there wasn’t a squirmy, giggly mess below him, “And I have noticed that you, Hamilton, correct me if I’m wrong, are actually enjoying this”.

If Hamilton wasn’t red before, he certainly was now. And Burr’s words only heightened the ticklish feeling.

“Nohohoho I dohohohn’t!”

Burr lifted his hands up, looking down and observing the mess below him. He gestured for Herc to get up, and he leaned down to plant a light kiss on Hamilton’s forehead.

“Oh, don’t be so sappy Burr!”, Laurens whined with a chuckle, “Hamilton, if you want to get him back, his worst spot is his neck”.

Burr swung his head around instantly, “What?! Laurens, why you little-”

Burr was interrupted by his own short giggle as Hamilton leaned up and lightly tickled his neck. Burr looked down at Hamilton in horror.

“Oh my dog Burr, that was so cute!”, he stated with the biggest shine in his eyes.

Burr jumped off Hamilton instantly, making a run for it. Hamilton stood up and laughed with the other three.

“Perhaps this would be a better time for me to get further aquatinted with you”, Hamilton said. Lafayette just chuckled, “I’m from France, happy now?” “No time!” Laurens cried, “Burr is getting away!” And with that, the four men set out on there first adventure together, there common goal: finding Burr and tickling him to pieces.

[starlightbuck]

safe inside

word count: 5.6k || read on AO3 || cowritten with @bilbobagglns​ in honor of @letitialewiss​‘s birthday

World-famous actor TK Strand and his bodyguard Carlos find themselves seeking shelter from fans and paparazzi in a bakery Carlos knows very well.

Or

Baking leads to a few life changes.

“What’s got you in such a good mood?”

TK freezes in the middle of shrugging out of his cobalt blue blazer. The soft fabric rests in the crook of his elbows and he tries to focus on that instead of Marjan. “It was a good meeting.”

“The meeting that you swore up and down was a waste of time and that you said was going to bore you to tears was good?”

“Yeah,” TK says, the response tasting pathetic on his tongue. As an actor, and a pretty successful one at that, shouldn’t he be better at lying?

Marjan laughs as she takes the blazer TK holds out to her and hands him a distressed denim jacket in return. “Whatever you say, pretty boy.”

She busies herself with putting the blazer away in a garment bag, while TK slides his jacket on. It’s his favorite and usually makes him feel untouchable, but that feeling has been subdued by Marjan. Her attention to detail and capacity to remember even the most offhanded comments TK makes in regard to his wardrobe is what makes her the perfect stylist for all of his needs. However, those same traits are much less convenient when it comes to getting the truth out of him.

Marjan is right though. TK did spend the past week complaining about today’s meeting and, just like he said, it was painfully boring. So much so that Paul, TK’s agent, had to nudge TK multiple times to make sure he stayed awake. TK is entirely sure that the meeting could’ve gone on without him there but, had that been the case, he would’ve missed out on the news that currently has him in such a good mood.

The same news he’s looking forward to sharing with one person in particular.

“Was Carlos in the hall when you came in?”

“Yeah, he was.”

The three words shouldn’t be enough to set TK’s heart racing and yet, that’s exactly what it does. “Can you send him in on your way out?”

“Of course.” Marjan grabs her things, including a few alternative outfits she brought along with her for TK’s meeting. “And just so you know, he’s looking especially handsome today. I’m usually not a fan of all-black ensembles, but he’s definitely pulling it off.”

Heat floods TK’s cheeks and he has to hold back from covering his face. It’s an annoying reaction that’s still fairly new to him. Usually he’s full of confidence when it comes to guys, but there’s something different about Carlos. Something TK has been trying his hardest not to think about. “Marjan!”

She shrugs, looking extremely unapologetic. “What? I figured you’d want to know.” When TK doesn’t say anything, her expression softens. It’s a shift in demeanor that he’s only seen a handful of times since they began working together. It sets him on edge immediately. “Are you still trying to ignore your feelings for him?”

Feelings.

When she puts it like that, it makes the whole situation sound much simpler than it actually is. In a perfect world, it might’ve been.

But this isn’t a perfect world. TK’s a celebrity, Carlos is his bodyguard and, no matter how much his feelings have grown for Carlos over the years, he cannot act on them. He won’t. Carlos is the sun, TK is dark grey clouds, and he refuses to be the reason for dulling Carlos’s shine.

“I can’t like him.”

“Says who?” Marjan shoots back without missing a beat.

TK’s heart bangs painfully against his ribcage, reminding him that what he feels towards Carlos is something that he’s meant to keep to himself. “Because he works for me.”

“And?”

“And I can’t I-” TK’s mind travels back to a whirlwind romance with a co-star that led him down a path he never wants to travel down again. “I just can’t.”

TK is hoping to leave it at that as his previous good mood deep dives off the ledge into something much less positive.

Marjan must sense the shift because she frowns. “Carlos isn’t Alex, TK.” And you deserve to be happy.”

She leaves the room then, but her words still hang heavily in the air. It’s possible that TK would’ve spiraled into overanalyzing what she said and thinking back on a relationship he’d much rather forget had it not been for a knock at his door.

“TK?” Carlos calls through the door. “Can I come in?”

TK clears his throat, shaking his arms out in an attempt to shake off his declining mood. “Yeah.”

Seconds later, an imposing figure in all black enters the room. TK hates that Marjan was right - Carlos does look especially handsome today.

“Hey,” Carlos greets, his bright smile a direct contrast to the dark outfit he’s wearing. As an actor, TK should be used to people’s ability to transform from who they really are into the character they’re playing, but he’s never adjusted to watching Carlos do the same. One second, he’s smiling and the human embodiment of a cuddly teddy bear. Then, in the next second, he’s a fierce bodyguard ready to hurt anyone who tries to harm TK. “How was your meeting? As boring as you kept saying it’d be?”

“I mentioned that to you too?”

“Just a few dozen times,” Carlos says with a laugh. He walks further into the room, doing his usual cursory check before standing in front of TK. When he does, his smile devolves into a concerned frown. “Are you okay?”

Carlos does this a lot, locks onto TK’s emotions before TK even gets a chance to verbalize them. It could be said that it’s a skill he’s picked up after working for TK for close to three years now, but saying that would be a disservice to Carlos. The bodyguard has a way with people like no one TK has ever met before and that’s saying something considering how many people TK meets on a regular basis.

“I’m fine.” Carlos’s eyebrows furrow together and TK can tell that he’s trying to determine whether or not to push for more information. It’s why TK adds, “I actually have some news for you.”

“Me?”

“Yeah.” A small spark of the excitement TK felt earlier reignites. “We’re leaving for a weeklong trip tonight, so pack your bags.”

Carlos’s phone is out of his pocket in an instant. “A trip? I don’t remember seeing anything about that on your schedule.”

“It was just decided at today’s meeting.” TK pauses, always ready to add in a dash of suspense whenever he can. He likes to believe that it’s the actor in him that always chooses this dramatic route. “Oh and you should probably let your family know.”

At this added statement, Carlos lowers his phone and focuses back on TK. “Why?”

“Because we’re headed to Texas.” TK’s lips lift up into a grin. This was the part of the meeting that fully woke TK up because he’s heard Carlos talk about where he grew up on multiple occasions. “Austin, Texas to be more specific.”

For a second, Carlos stares at TK in stunned silence. It takes another second for him to find his voice. “Are you serious?”

“Very. And, it’s also possible that I talked Paul into extending the trip an extra two days so you could have a chance to see your family and friends. I know how much you miss them.”

“TK,” Carlos says in an unbearably soft voice. There’s a twinkle in his brown eyes that wasn’t there before and TK’s chest swells with pride because he’s the one that put that twinkle there. “Really?”

“Yes, really. Austin, here we come.”

Wherever TK goes, people recognize him.

It’s just a fact of life – the Sun rises in the East, hot dogs go best with mustard, and TK Strand can’t go anywhere without being noticed.

Someone must have tipped the paparazzi off or someone tweeted about it because, as soon as they exit the building TK has just finished an interview in, Carlos notices a crowd of people running towards them, phones and cameras out and yelling TK’s name.

“Oh no,” TK sighs.

Luckily for them, Carlos knows this neighborhood like the back of his hand.

“Follow me.”

He does not even look to check if TK is following, Carlos knows he is. That’s how they work – they trust each other fully and without hesitation.

Carlos makes them turn onto a street he has walked up and down countless times before, and his gaze finds the bakery facade right away. He runs faster – behind them, the crowd is still going strong but they are a street behind.

They don’t have much time before their hiding place gets made.

“Over here,” he shouts, dragging TK ahead of him and pushing him through the bakery’s door.

Carlos doesn’t hesitate.

As soon as TK is through the door, he whirls around and locks it behind him, flipping the closed sign with a precise movement born out of repetition, and then lowers the blinds.

It’s right on time as he just manages to catch a glimpse of the horde of reporters and fans before the room is plunged into relative darkness.

Instantly, relief floods through him.

He has made it.

TK is safe and they will be able to hide in here until the crowd has dissipated enough that they can get a chauffeur in without risking another scene.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?”

“Look, I can explain,” TK is already saying, apology sincere on his tongue. Carlos does not have to turn around to picture the contrite look on his face, but he turns anyway. That’s his role, making sure TK does not have to deal with anything that could prove a threat to him.

But the man is no threat.

“It’s my fault,” Carlos cuts in. TK’s expression is exactly how he’s expected it to be. “I made us barge in here to take cover.”

“Take cover, huh? And who do you think you are to be closing the shop this early?”

TK is worrying his lower lip, Carlos wants to smooth the worried lines between his brows but he holds back. That’s not his role.

The man facing them is tall. Carlos is no short man but even he has to tilt up his neck to look the guy in the eyes.

“I thought I’d take my chance.”

Both men try to hold it together but they break into a huge grin at the same time. TK frowns in confusion and this makes Carlos snort. In turn, Judd Ryder barks out laughing, long gone are the tensed – fake – lines of his shoulders which now sag into an eased position.

“Well, come give me a hug, Reyes, since you’re dropping by unannounced.”

Laughing, Carlos goes to give his old friend a hug and Judd squeezes him tight, even sweeping Carlos off his feet with ease.

It’s only when he’s let down to the ground that he notices three customers seated at the only table in the bakery – I’m here to sell baked goods, not to entertain guests. They are one small family of two men and a bright-eyed kid and they don’t appear to be too bothered by the commotion as they’re all laughing in delight at the scene.

TK, who loves kids and making them laugh, waves at the boy which elicits a pearly laugh from him. One of his dads, the blue-eyed one, laughs and nods at TK.

In that moment, Carlos knows that TK has been made but these people won’t bother them.

Relieved, Carlos manages a small, thankful smile at them. The second father, brown-eyed, nods gracefully.

“Sorry about that, gents,” Judd says, his Southern drawl deepening with his humor. “I’ll be back in a minute.”

And with that, he drags Carlos by the arm. TK, as always, follows right behind.

The kitchen smells exactly as Carlos remembered it. A million moments, a million memories rush to him and he almost staggers under the weight.

Grace laughing as she wipes Judd’s face of flour. Himself dancing as he cleans, music blasting through the speakers, and Mateo attempting to sing the highest notes of ‘I Wanna Dance with Somebody’. Michelle slipping in the backdoor to tell him she found her sister alive and well.

Countless memories twirl before his eyes, some joyful, some not but all of them bright and loud and alive.

“So what’s the deal?” Judd asks him when the door is closed behind them and that breaks Carlos out of his trance-like state. “And does it have anything to do with Superstar over here?”

“Yes,” he admits with an amused glance at TK who shrugs, sheepish. “We just want to wait until things calm down enough for us to leave. Is that okay with you?”

Judd hums low and long, but Carlos knows him enough to know he is only pretending to think it over.

“On two conditions,” he drawls. “You bake like the good ol’ times. And Superstar puts a post about the bakery on Instagram. Grace is always telling me to add content to the page, that’ll make her happy.”

“Deal,” Carlos replies with a laugh.

And so that’s how he finds himself going through Judd’s drawers feeling once again like he’s  seventeen and wondering if he’s ever going to find his path.

“I had no idea you knew how to bake,” TK says and his eyes never leave Carlos as Carlos moves around the kitchen to get everything he needs ready.

Judd has barely changed anything at all, except there are more pictures of Grace and the two together now.

“I guess I can,” Carlos replies.

“Don’t be an idiot,” Judd shouts from the other room before sticking his head through the doorway, looking at TK. “Boy can bake, he’s great at it actually. It was a damn shame when he left the shop. We could’ve made a chef out of him.”

“Please, I was mostly at the counter. I just helped in the kitchen a bit.”

“Please,” Judd parroted, earning a laugh from TK though if anyone asked Carlos, he would say the imitation was lacking. “Get to work, Chef Costner.”

TK laughs again, his eyes are bright and his cheeks reddened. It’s mesmerizing.

Carlos forces himself to look away or else he thinks he could spend the rest of forever staring into TK’s eyes.

They don’t talk as Carlos continues rummaging through the drawers and cupboards, but when he turns around, his old favorite spatula in his hand, he finds that TK is still staring at him, a strange look on his handsome face.

“You okay?”

“Yeah,” and TK shrugs as if to rid himself of his odd mood. “I’m good.”

Unconvinced, Carlos decides however to drop the subject. He has found that it is no use pestering TK for answers when he isn’t ready to open up. That’s actually the best way to shut him all up and never get a word about it ever again.

It’s taken some time for Carlos to figure this out.

When he first started as TK’s bodyguard, he thought him to be like any other celebrities he’d worked for. Yet, slowly, Carlos saw behind the mask, behind the happy party facade, and caught a glimpse of the real man that was TK Strand.

Glimpses soon turned into longer and longer looks until all that Carlos could see was TK, without artifice, without lies – the truest of him and all of him beautiful in every definition it could ever have.

Carlos knows it. He is in love with the man. How could he not be? TK is a sun and Carlos has been pulled into his orbit.

He is more than happy to burn.

TK has seen Carlos do a lot of things as his bodyguard over the years. He has easily forced his way through rabid photographers, carefully navigated through crowds of TK’s adoring fans, broken down a locked door to be there when TK needed him most, and so much. Yet all of those moments pale in comparison to this - Carlos baking.

It’s mesmerizing to watch those same hands that hold so much power do something as delicate as crack an egg and expertly wield a whisk.

TK doesn’t mean to stare, he doesn’t , but there isn’t really anywhere else to look. And really, why would he even want to look anywhere else when Carlos is right there?

It’s usually at this point in his train of thought that TK would force himself to think of something else. It’s such a natural process for him, that he switches his thinking without realizing it, letting his mind wander to his meeting earlier. He has just started wondering how he could’ve made a better impression when Marjan’s words from two days ago flash through his mind.

You deserve to be happy.

It’s a sentence he’s heard a million times before but has very rarely ever believed. The inability to do so has led to a struggle that brings down TK’s mood more often than not. But today, TK doesn’t want to let it bring him down. If there’s one thing he’s learned as an actor, it’s to fake it ‘til you make it. And, if there’s one thing TK is good at, it’s faking it.

It’s for that reason that TK grants himself the indulgence of continuing to watch Carlos as he bakes. It’s intoxicating really, being in Carlos’s atmosphere. Especially here in this place where Carlos spent so much time when he was younger. He can tell that Carlos feels completely at ease here. The usual tension in his shoulders has all but dissipated and he hasn’t stopped smiling since he started baking.

TK would happily give away all the money in his bank account if it meant always getting to see that smile.

“There was this one time,” Carlos says, gearing up for what TK is sure will be a very entertaining story when they hear it. A series of sharp knocks at the backdoor nearest TK.

Three things happen simultaneously.

TK jumps, knocking over his seat in the process. Carlos, who was in the process of pulling a tray of finished cupcakes out of the oven, carelessly shoves them right back in. He rushes to stand in front of TK, effectively acting as a physical barrier between TK and whoever is at the door.

There are a few terrifying seconds where the sound of someone continuing to bang on the door melds together with the sound of TK’s rapidly beating heart. Situations like this have arisen in the past, more times than he cares to remember, but the fear it incites in him is always the same. He’s aware that it’s the price he has to pay for his fame, but in times like this, that’s a particularly hard pill for him to swallow.

“I think they’re gone,” Carlos determines after the backroom is once again bathed in silence. His height makes it so that TK can’t even see the door, so TK peeks around him at the offending object. TK’s not sure what he’s expecting to see, but it seems wrong that the nondescript steel door is the reason that he currently has adrenaline coursing through his veins.

“Maybe I should go out there and check.”

It’s instinct that has TK reaching out for Carlos’s forearm before he can walk away. “No.”

Carlos flinches like he’s been hurt and it’s not until TK pulls his hand away that he realizes that’s exactly what happened. There, on Carlos’s forearm, is an angry red mark. “Carlos,” TK whispers just as Carlos turns around to face him. TK is unable to look anywhere but at this new, unfamiliar injury.

“Ouch,” Carlos mutters, lifting his forearm so that he can see the mark more clearly. “Didn’t even realize I did that.”

“How did that happen?”

“That knocking and you jumping out of your seat caught me off guard,” Carlos explains, poking at his arm in a way that TK is sure is only aggravating the wound. “I accidentally lowered my arm onto the oven door. Very hot oven door.” Carlos winces when he touches a particularly sensitive part. “It’s just a burn.”

TK is not at all appreciative of Carlos’s nonchalance. There’s no world where TK is okay with being the cause of Carlos’s pain. He hated it the first time it happened two months into Carlos working for TK and he hates it even more now.

“Where’s the first aid kit?”

Carlos looks up at that, wiping away all traces of his discomfort as he offers TK a warm smile. “You don’t have to do that. I’m okay.”

“No, you’re not.” TK takes a step closer to Carlos, to do what, he’s not sure. All he knows is that he has to do something . “Now point me in the direction of where it is before I go out there and ask Judd for it myself.”

The threat works as Carlos points at the corner of the room. TK moves in that direction right away with the knowledge that the sooner the injury is taken care of, the better.

“Sit,” he tells Carlos, resting the first aid kit on the counter and popping it open while Carlos takes a seat. It’s jarring for TK to be taller than Carlos, but TK brushes that off in order to focus on his task - tending to Carlos’s burn.

“You don’t have to do this,” Carlos says, repeating his words from earlier in a much more subdued voice.

“I want to.” Then, because he’s impulsive and still running on an adrenaline high, TK adds, “you always take care of me. Let me take care of you.”

TK only hears Carlos’s sharp intake of breath because of their proximity. He doesn’t comment on it, choosing instead to uncap the silvadene he found in the first aid kit and carefully spread it over Carlos’s burn. He’s almost finished applying the cream when Carlos winces.

“Sorry.” TK stops, giving Carlos an opportunity to pull his arm away. When he doesn’t, TK finishes applying the cream with an even lighter touch than before. “I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

“You could never hurt me.”

This time, it’s TK whose breath gets lodged somewhere in his throat. When he chances a glance at Carlos, he finds Carlos’s gaze resting steadily on him. Those brown eyes have seen so much of TK over the years - the good, the bad, and everything in between - and yet they still stare at TK like he’s something precious.

Someone loved .

How has TK never noticed that before?

“Carlos.”

Carlos leans in closer, face only a hair's breadth away from TK’s. His breath fans across TK’s lips and TK would laugh if not for the importance of this moment. Earlier, TK noted that watching Carlos bake was intoxicating. That is nothing in comparison to this.

“Tyler Kennedy.”

It’s the name, his full name, coming from Carlos’s lips for the first time since Carlos began working for TK that pushes TK over the edge. In the past, his tendency to act without thinking has gotten him in hot water, but TK knows without a shadow of a doubt that there are no negative consequences that can come out of kissing Carlos.

Finally.

When their lips meet, it’s everything TK has ever wanted but never knew he needed all rolled up into one. He’s so dizzy with the sheer joy and relief of having Carlos invade every one of his senses that his knees buckle. TK is certain that he would’ve fallen over if not for Carlos wrapping a steady arm around TK’s waist.

Leave it to Carlos to still be taking care of him.

Carlos tilts his head and TK follows suit despite his lungs aching for him to pull back and take a breath. He has waited too long for this to occur to be bothered by his need for something as trivial as air.

He trails his fingers up Carlos’s neck and tugs lightly on the hair there when -

“I thought I told you to come back here and bake, not makeout like a couple of teenagers.” Carlos and TK spring apart in a flash, much to Judd’s amusement. “Didn’t realize that was something I would need to clarify.”

Carlos stares down at his feet, unable to meet his old boss’s gaze. TK has never seen Carlos look this bashful. It’s unfairly adorable.

TK takes pity on Carlos and does what Carlos has done hundreds of times for TK - steps in between him and the thing that’s trying to cause him harm. Or, in this case, embarrassment. “That was my fault.”

“Really? ‘Cuz, last time I checked, it takes two to tango. Or two to play tonsil hockey.”

TK snorts, Carlos gasps in mortification, and Judd laughs.

“As fun as picking on you two is, I came back here for a reason. Follow me.”

Judd turns on his heel, leaving the room and giving TK and Carlos a moment to themselves.

“You okay?”

“Usually I’m the one asking you that,” Carlos comments, some shyness still lingering despite Judd’s exit.

“Well get used to it because I plan to ask you that every day from here on out.”

“Yeah?”

There’s hope shining in Carlos’s eyes and that prompts TK to take his hand while still mindful of his arm and the burn that is now covered in cream. “Yeah.”

“If y’all are still making out back there again-”

“We’re coming,” Carlos yells, the annoyance in his voice not at all matching the genuine smile he directs at TK.

They walk out to the front of the bakery together, temporarily too distracted by each other to take note of anything else. That bubble is quickly broken by the overwhelmingly loud noise that’s barely muffled by the store’s glass door and windows.

“Looks like all of Austin found out that we’ve got ourselves a superstar here.”

Even with all the blinds drawn, TK can tell there are a lot of people standing right outside of the building. This kind of large gathering caused by his presence alone is an inconvenience that TK has yet to adjust to. “I’m so sorry about this,” he apologizes, mentally trying to come up with a solution for their problem. Maybe he can sneak out the back door and draw the crowd away from the bakery?

“What’re you apologizin’ for? All business is good business” All the chattering from outside floats into the store. “I’m thinking we let them in, in a controlled manner of course, but only if it’s something you’re comfortable with doing.”

Judd stares at him expectantly and, at first, TK is at a loss for what the right call is here. It’s not until he feels Carlos squeeze his hand that TK remembers he’s not alone. He never has been, not with Carlos by his side.

“Let’s do it,” TK decides and is surprised to hear a child cheer in response. When he swivels his head to the right, he realizes that the family he and Carlos came across upon first entering the bakery is still here. They have abandoned their table in favor of standing off to the side, out of view of the flashing cameras. “You guys are still here?”

“We didn’t really have any way out,” the brunette responds drily.

“ Eddie ,” the taller man hisses before shooting TK an apologetic smile. “Please ignore my husband, he’s usually better behaved than this.”

“Usually,” the young child echoes. This makes the blond man laugh as he holds out his hand for a high-five. The child readily reciprocates.

“How could you turn on your old man like that, Chris?”

“You and Buck always say that honesty is the best policy.”

The blond, who TK assumes is Buck, barks out a laugh and Eddie struggles not to do the same.

It’s a small exchange but TK can feel the love the small family has for one another.

Maybe one day that can be him and Carlos.

“Anyways, if there’s any way we can be of assistance, let us know.”

Judd shakes his head. “Y’all don’t have to do that.’

“We want to,” Eddie chimes in. “And maybe when all is said and done, our son can get a picture with Mr. Strand.”

“TK,” TK corrects. His father goes by Mr. Strand, not him. “And of course. We can take as many pictures as you guys want and please let me cover your bill from today’s meal. Also, I’d be happy to pay for any extra treats you decide to buy before heading out. I have it on good authority that the red velvet cupcakes here are delicious.”

It’s Carlos who ends up taking the reins and concocts their game plan. He’ll be in the back, baking like his life depends on it while being mindful of not burning himself again. The latter detail is one that TK stressed multiple times. Judd will man the cash register. TK will be set up at a table next to the cash register, greeting people, taking photos and signing autographs. Chris will be sitting nearby TK, there to act as moral support and do things like hand TK a pen and refill his water as needed. And Buck and Eddie will be standing at the front door making sure there are only a certain number of people allowed in the building at a time.

“We’re firefighters so we���ve had to deal with crowd control before,” Buck says after Carlos tells them what they’ll be doing. “We’ve got this.”

Buck and Eddie walk to the front door hand-in-hand, Judd goes to set up TK’s table, and Chris follows. Their dispersal grants Carlos and TK some last-minute privacy.

“Are you sure this is what you want to do? I won’t be out here to keep you safe.”

TK tugs on their entwined hands, pulling Carlos closer and wrapping his arms around Carlos’s waist. “I’m sure.”

Leaning in for a kiss shouldn’t already feel as natural as it does.

“Alright, lovebirds.” Judd claps his hands just as he returns to the cash register. “That’s enough. Time to get this show on the road.”

Carlos pulls away reluctantly. “Now that I’ve gotten the chance to kiss you, I don’t think I’ll ever be able to stop.”

“I hope you never do,” TK replies happily as happiness swells in his chest like a balloon.

Waking up in TK’s arms feels like a dream, a dream he’s had many times before but which proves, this time, not to be a dream at all.

Carlos’ hands have a mind of their own it seems as it takes him quite some time to realize he’s tracing mindlessly on TK’s soft skin. He lets his hands do what they will anyway.

“How’s your arm?”  TK asks, sleep still clinging to his voice.

“Good,” Carlos whispers back, the moment feels too intimate and precious to speak too loud. “You saved me.”

It’s said a little jokingly but Carlos means it too. TK saves him every day in so many ways and he might never know how much.

“No, you save me. ”

He almost wants to protest but he doesn’t. TK has uttered the words with such sincerity and simplicity that it takes Carlos’ breath away.

Unable to speak, he can only snuggle closer to TK, and as TK caresses the wound on Carlos’ arm with the utmost gentleness, the only burn Carlos is able to feel is that of his own love for this wonderful, impossible man.

“We should get up,” TK says.

“In a minute.”

“You said your mom doesn’t like when people are late. I’m not about to make a bad first impression on my boyfriend’s mom.”

His hands still but his heart beats with renewed enthusiasm and it’s with something akin to awe that he looks up at TK.

“Boyfriend?”

TK, with his hair tousled and his big bright eyes, looks even more handsome than Carlos has ever seen him, and he has always thought TK to be the most handsome man in the world.

“Yes, boyfriend,” TK replies with the softest of smiles. “That’s good with you?”

Carlos smiles widely.

“More than good.”

They share a breathless laugh together and then, without either initiating or maybe both initiating at the same time, they share a slow, loving kiss.

They kiss and they laugh and they kiss some more. Drunk on happiness and TK’s laughter, Carlos has never felt more at peace than he does in that moment.

The two of them have been through so much together – ups and downs and downs again. They have seen each other at their worst and they stayed anyway, not because it’s easy but because they have made the conscious choice to.

They are still here, and though they don’t know it yet, they will be for the rest of their lives.

Carlos and TK will grow old together, will live full lives together, will spend every day of their lives assured in each other’s love.

But they don’t know that yet.

They don’t know they will marry on a stormy summer day and laugh as they and their guests run to get shelter from the sudden rain.

They don’t know that Carlos will hold TK’s hand as Owen Strand tells his son he’s been diagnosed with lung cancer.

They don’t know that TK will turn down a movie that could transform his career into legendary status to stay at Carlos’ side after Carlos has broken his spine.

They don’t know.

Or maybe they do, deep down.

It must be hope.

Until all that comes to pass, they continue laughing and kissing.

Whatever comes will come and they will have each other.

[nancywheelxr]

heaven help the fool who falls in love

( read on AO3 )

They stay there, sitting around the table until all conversations fade out and the only sound is the flickering of the flames. It feels very important to be there, somehow, like something was starting, something big. It feels a little like being at the Dawn of Time, watching the universe being born.

  The flames flicker and Black Lightning is the first one to leave, heading back to Freeland with the promise of returning whenever he was needed, with backup, too, a faint smell of ozone lingering in his wake.

  After that, everyone seems to filter out quietly, going back to their lives, to try and figure out what’s changed and what’s the same, a shared trepidation of finding something’s too irrevocably different, but they’ll all be fine– they’ve got each other’s backs, and honestly, Kara can’t think of anything worse than having Lex Luthor as her boss.

  “Need a lift?” Kate asks, smirking a little, and she’s got her mask back on, wig and all, and Kara can’t help a small smile from blooming. 

  “I feel like I should be the one asking you that,” she counters, watching the sun setting behind her, washing Kate in orange light. It should not be so flattering, considering all the red she's got going. “Gotham’s a long way to walk.”

  Kate raises her eyebrows, head tilting to the side, nodding at a monster of a bike parked nearby. “Who says I’m walking?”

  “Okay, that does not look safe,” Kara says, noting the distinct lack of a helmet, “I think I’ll stick to flying, thank you very much.”

  It earns her a huff of a snicker and for some reason, she feels the urge to do a victory dance. “So, I guess I’ll see you around?”

  “Until the next time the world’s ending,” Kate gives her a two-finger salute, readying herself to drive away on her upgraded bike, key dangling from her fingers.

  “Or before,” Kara ends up blurting out, hands flailing more than she wished they would. Rao, Kate is always so precise, every movement with a destination, with a meaning, with a goal; why can’t Kara be just a bit more graceful? “You know,hopefully.”

“Ha!” Kate snorts, shaking her head, amused, and adds before walking away, “I think I’ll leave the hoping to you.”

  Her bike’s engine roars above the low buzzing of the city and Kara watches her drive out onto the road, back to Gotham and whatever waits for her there. Something in her chest constricts and she has the strange feeling she should probably leave the bravery thing to Kate too.

*

  Things in National City aren’t exactly normal, but there’s something comforting in having Nia and Alex and J’onn and Brainy knowing Lex’s farce, in not being the only one living in an upside-down world and still being so freaking grateful for it. Now, she can trade a look with Alex over the computers and see the same resigned despair reflected on her eyes. 

  It’s only a miracle and very, very careful avoidance that Kara hasn’t run into Lena or Lex yet. She’s not sure she could stomach that, doesn’t want to know what Lex turned Lena into– a puppet? The obedient, starry-eyed sister he wanted? A villain, like him? Kara can’t face that, not yet.

  So yeah, maybe she’s just a tiny bit glad when the alarms start ringing. “Where?” She demands, hiding her relief beneath a mask of professionalism. 

  “The park,” Brainy calls behind his shoulder, fingers flying over the keys, and he’s frowning, “it seems to be a meta-human, he’s freezing the trees.”

  “Okay,” she nods sharply, preparing to take off, “ice powers, got it. It’s time to teach him some chill!”

  As she leaves the DEO behind, Kara hears Alex’s groan and just for a little minute, just while she’s flying, everything feels normal, fine. 

  Not that it stays that way for much longer, of course. The guy with a weird-ass bowl on his head is a pretty good wake-up call. 

  “Okay, okay– hey, ice guy,” she glares, dodging what she supposes is some sort of freeze ray. Behind his goggles, the guy seems to focus on her and away from unsuspecting trees, “I don’t know who you are or what you think you’re doing, but winter is definitely not coming here, pal.”

  “I am Mr. Freeze,” ice guy booms, spreading his arms and encasing a terrified duck in a block of ice as he does it, “and no one will stand in my way!”

  “So, another megalomaniac, yeah, that tracks,” she shrugs, heat pooling behind her eyes, and the world is already tinting red when a blur flies past her, black and red and as fast as a bat. Kara blinks, huffs. “Oh, come on! Again?”

  “Sorry, blondie,” Kate throws her a smirk as she stabs Mr. Freeze with a syringe in the neck where his armor and helmet meet. He crumples in a white-and-blue heap, tied up and ice gun disabled. Never let it be said Batwoman isn’t scarily efficient. “This one’s one of mine.”

  Rolling her eyes, Kara lands in front of her, arms crossed and the best grumpy expression she can manage. “I had it covered, you know.”

  “Yeah, I don’t doubt it,” she says, pocketing her Batarang in her belt, and okay, it’s been only a week since the Crisis, but Kara had forgotten how it felt to be at the end of Kate’s whole laser-focus. Is this how people feel when she uses her laser vision? She hopes not, it’s very odd to feel like this– like she’s lighting up from the inside out, a whole forest fire sparking somewhere in her chest.

  Truthfully, it might just be the turkey sandwich she had earlier, the mayo had tasted a bit off, after all.

  “But Freeze's my problem,” she continues, shrugging, “but you're welcome to handle the cleanup if you want?”

  Kara glances around. Half the lake is frozen and there are at least half a dozen trees melting. “Nah, I think I'll leave that to the DEO, thank you very much.”

  “Right,” Kate grimaces, and now they're slowly moving towards the shade, to one of the benches in the park that isn't wet with melting ice, “and how is that going?”

  “Not very good?” Kara sighs, slumping on her seat, drags a hand across her face, “I mean, Lex is still just– parading around as, as! I don't know! A good person that's not a psychopathic evil genius!”

  A hand falls on her shoulder and Kara looks up, something loosening in her chest. Kate doesn't offer her a smile but her eyes are sympathetic and surprisingly open like she truly doesn't mind being here, away from Gotham, in National City, sitting in a park bench and listening to Kara's stupid problems. Her hand is warm through the gloves, solid and real.  

  “Hey,” says Kate, fingers squeezing her shoulder once, and Kara has to glance away, swallowing thickly, “do you want me to punch him for you?”

  Startled, Kara laughs, picturing Batwoman flying to Luthor’s penthouse and decking him in his stupid smug face. “Thanks, but no,” she shakes her head, “I think– we’ll figure something out, it’ll be fine.”

  “There she is,” Kate grins, leaning back on the bench, apparently very self-satisfied, “that sounds more like our Paragon of Hope.”

  “Maybe I just needed, you know,” she looks up at the sky, stretching indefinitely in all directions, cloudlessly blue, and Kara feels suddenly oddly unmoored. Turning, she catches Kate’s eyes. “A bit of courage.”

  It’s Kate’s turn to look away, red hair falling in a curtain as she turns, and her hand retreats back to her lap. “No,” she stands up, brushing dirt and snowflakes from her uniform, and when she looks back at Kara, there’s something shuttered in her eyes, even as she smiles carefully, “I’m pretty sure you’ve got it covered.”

  *

  Another month goes by and the Lex problem is far from solved but at least the Brainy problem is. It was honestly so weird to have more than one Brainy, she's kinda glad they're down to just their Brainy again.

  Anyway, successfully solving one thing makes her feel better about the rest; maybe slow truly does it, maybe she can do this one day at a time, bit by bit.

  Maybe Kate was right, maybe she does have this covered.

  Maybe she'll even tell Kate that the next time one of her rogues end up in National City– something that, by the way, happened more than she would have expected? Seriously, she ran into Kate at least five other times in this month alone, either fighting someone or following a lead.

  Not that she’s complaining, she appreciates the company.

  “So,” she says, sitting down with her latte and passing Kate her coffee, “I’m sorry your lead went cold, I can keep an eye out for any shady business going on if you want?”

  Kate waves her off, picking up one of the donuts. “No need, Black Mask will turn up soon,” she pauses, moaning around her donut, eyes closing, “shit, you were right, this is the best donut I’ve ever had!”

  Pride swells in her chest and satisfaction brings warmth to her cheeks. “Told you,” she makes the executive decision of leaving the sprinkled one for Kate, “but seriously, are you sure? Because it must’ve been urgent for you to come all the way here.”

  “Maybe I wanted to see you,” Kate winks, playful like she only ever is out of the uniform, and it’s nice to see her like this, no wig and no mask– just Kate. Once again, something shifts inside Kara. “No, but I mean it, let me handle Black Mask.”

  Right, sometimes she forgets how touchy the Bats are about their city. “Okay, your call,” she says mildly, taking a sip of her latte, “but for the record, I am glad you’re here.”

  Kate ducks, smiles, then shakes her head as if dispelling a fog. “Tough morning?”

  “More like, tough week,” Kara huffs, thinking back at the peacocking Lex has been doing all month, rubbing his success on her face, at Lena’s fond eyes, clear of the anger and betrayal that had been swimming there before the world was reset. Shame rises to her throat at how traitorously happy she still feels sometimes at having Lena on her side again, half-wishing things could stay like this– it makes her nauseous, feeling dirty, almost as bad as Lex. 

  “I could still punch him for you?” Kate’s suggestion brings another snort out of her, just like the first time, and also like the first time, Kara’s no doubt she fully means it. It’s nice, she thinks, to have someone in your corner like this. 

  “Thanks,” she exhales, hoping to push her worries away along with the air in her lungs, “how about you handle Black Mask and I’ll handle Lex?”

  “Damn, that’s a shame. I was kinda hoping to get to punch his smug face,” Kate grins, then grows serious, uncharacteristically soft, reaches for Kara’s hands where they’re resting on the table. Her fingers curl around Kara’s wrist, delicate and precise, and Kara wonders why her heart is stuttering like that, wonders if Kate can feel it through the skin, if she can tell why that’s happening. “Hey, you’ll be okay, you’ll beat him. Maybe not today, maybe not next week, but you’re gonna win this shit.”

  Throat tightening oddly, Kara swallows, licks her lips. “Thanks, I– thank you.”

  Kate pulls back, thumb brushing one last circle over on the underside of her wrist. “Don’t thank me yet,” she runs a hand through her hair, tattoos catching Kara’s gaze like always, “I’ve still got a favor to ask.”

  “A favor? What’s is it?” She straightens up, slipping into a more professional mask, “come on, hit me up.”

  Hesitancy crosses Kate’s eyes, but it’s gone in a flash, dismissed as quickly as it materialized, and Kate nods sharply. “I want to come out.”

  Kara chokes a little on her latte. “Excuse me? But I thought–”

  “No, yeah, I’m already out,” Kate snickers, waiting for her to recover before sobering up, “I had some– look, some reporters got in their heads Batwoman is straight and I just can’t stand for that, not when I could be helping people, you know? So, I think it’s past time Batwoman gives an interview.”

  “Oh,” Kara blinks, processing, “that’s– I’m sorry, people do like to just assume stuff.”

  “So you’ll do it? The interview?”

  “Oh,” she says again, “you want me to interview, er, Batwoman?”

  “There’s no one else I’d trust with this,” Kate shrugs, indifferent, and Kara wants to do her victory dance again because, from all she’s learned about the Bats and Gotham and Kate, trust is not something so easily given, but this is not the first time Kate showed her the extent of hers in Kara. It’s– a strange tangle of emotions knots themselves in her ribcage.

  “Then, of course, I’ll do it,” Kara smiles. This she can do. 

  “Thank you,” she says, a grin finally breaking on her face, “I’ll call you later to schedule it?”

  Kara has a feeling Andrea won’t be too mad if she delays a few articles in favor of an exclusive with freaking Batwoman. “Sounds great, whenever you want.”

  Her latte is getting cold but Kara can’t quite bring herself to hurry– if anything, she takes her time eating the donuts, sipping her beverage; the sun is shining especially bright today, reflecting off Kate’s hair and blinding Kara to anything else around the world.

  *

  Gotham is still dark, and grim, and oppressively rude, and Kara, superpowers and all, feels the need to clutch her bag a little tighter and keep her head down as she makes her way to the Kane penthouse– because Kate has a penthouse, that’s a thing, because Kate is rich. How is it that Kara keeps befriending millionaires?

  “Oh, hello,” says the girl who opens the door and is definitely not Kate. She has a friendly smile and very sad eyes, and she reminds Kara a little of Lena, if only a little softer, kinder, friendlier. “I’m Mary, can I help you?”

  Right, Mary Hamilton, Kate’s stepsister. “Hi, I’m Kara Danvers– the reporter? Kate said to just come here instead of Wayne Tower? I’m sorry, I know how this sounds but I swear I’m not just some tabloid–”

  “You’re Kara?” Mary’s whole face lights up and Kara is faintly happy for Kate, she remembers how miserable she had been talking about when her step-sister had been at odds with her. Now, Mary waves her in, grinning wide, “come in, come in, Kate’s talked so much about you! It’s so nice to finally meet you, seriously, I feel like I already know you–”

  This is all happening rather fast, but Kara tries to keep up with Mary’s words, following her to a large, open-concept living room, talking a mile a minute. “Thanks, I– she talked about me? I mean! She talked a lot about you too!”

  “Really? Because I swear, it’s like pulling teeth with her when it comes to this stuff–”

  “Kara!” It’s Kate, rounding a corner and looking sorta alarmed at her sister, eyes going between them as if she’s assessing the situation, and for the first time, Kara thinks she might be a little wrong-footed, even if it’s only for a second. “Thank you for agreeing to this,” she pauses in front of Kara with a small smile and Kara hesitates– should they hug? Shake hands? What’s the protocol here now that there’s no villain to serve as a buffer? She waits too long and the moment passes, Kate turning her focus to Mary and leaving Kara feeling slightly disappointed, bereft. “Don’t start– she’s here for an interview.”

  Mary’s smile becomes sly. “Sure, see you later Kate, it was very nice to meet you Kara, come by anytime. Have fun!”

  She takes her leave like a hurricane, the dull sound of the door closing behind her almost jarring in the silence that stays after her.

  “Sorry about that,” Kate grimaces, half-apologetic, “we're still– she resents Sophie, I think, and she thinks I should have more friends, that's all.”

  Again, Kara tries to match the name with a face, coming up with very little information– ex-girlfriend, married, works in security, messy breakup. Though, messy isn't exactly the word she'd use, not when she clearly hurt Kate then and is most likely hurting her again now. Whoever Sophie is, Kara would very much like to have a few words with her.

  Yeah, after all, Kara knows a little about messy breakups. 

  It’s not the same, though, she reminds herself; her situation with Lena isn’t complicated like Kate’s with Sophie is, like hers with Mon-El had been. If she had more time, if she were alone, perhaps Kara would examine why she’s holding them all to the same level, or why her chest is aching bitterly for no good reason at all.

  Everything is so complicated these days.

  “It's okay, I know how sisters can be,” she smiles, forcing herself to be very still when Kate sits down beside her in the couch, knees touching hers, “so, how do you want to do this?”

  Kate sighs, not quite a scowl on her face but none of the playfulness from before either. “Here is as secure as it can be,” she says, glancing out the large windows, and Kara wants to ask about the Batcave, a few fragmented memories of Oliver mentioning the secrecy around Batman and his dislike of meta-humans in general the only things keeping her away from the topic. She’s not about to pry into someone else’s secret, not when Kate is already going against what her cousin would have liked for their city just by inviting Kara there. 

  Something about Kate– it gives Kara pause, recorder dropping to her lap. There’s a tiredness clinging to the corner of her eyes, taking up space where laughter lines should be, and while she’s going through the motions of this conversation as natural as ever, it’s clear she’s not wholly there. Wherever she is, Kate’s mind must be worrying and unhappy if the way her eyebrows keep knitting minutely, a crinkle in her forehead that Kara is itching to smooth over with her fingers. She wonders if Kate will feel cool to the touch against Kara’s sun-charged skin, Kryptonians always do run a little hotter than most humans. 

  A blink. Jesus, where’s this coming from?

  In any case. “Hey, are you sure you’re okay?” She hovers a little before deciding to place her hand on Kate’s knee, just an inch above the rip on her jeans. It’s more tempting than it has any right to be. “We don’t have to do this today, you look tired.”

  Kate shakes her head, seeming to dispel a stormy cloud of thoughts, and looks warily at Kara, eyes seizing her like she’s still unsure how genuine the question is, how much is out of politeness. It’s almost offensive, really, Kate should know better by now. 

  She really, really should know better by now, considering how long they spent in the Vanishing Point, before the timeline reset, before things hit the fan and then more or less fixed themselves. 

  Then, Kate sighs again, not deflating but maybe unsteeling. “Alice has gone underground,” she admits, running a hand through her hair, “and there’s only so much I can do until she resurfaces again.”

  So she’s probably running herself ragged the whole night. Kara frowns. “I’m sorry,” she says, biting her lip, “it never gets easy, having to stop people you love, family.”

  “She killed Mary’s mother,” the words leave her lips through gritted teeth, and Kate is now glaring at the tiled floor like it’s personally responsible for every bad thing that’s going on. The faraway look in her eyes returns, fogging over, “you know, when I took Bruce’s place I didn’t think– it wasn’t supposed to be Beth.”

  Today is a bad day, Kara recognizes with terrible clarity, one of those where everything weighs a little heavier on your shoulders. There’s not much to be done in those times, she knows from experience. Saying I’m sorry again feels awfully inadequate. Instead, she shuffles a little closer, subtly trying to telegraph I’m here, it doesn’t have to be lonelier than it already is. “Once,” Kara clears her throat, “my aunt and uncle tried to take over the world in the worst way possible and I had to stop them. They’re dead now. My point is– Beth isn’t. There’s still hope. She’ll appear again and you’ll stop her, get her the help she needs.”

  “How can you be so sure?” Kate looks up at her with clear eyes, greenish-blue like a bottomless ocean, tides warring over each other with tall waves of emotion. Kara likes to think this is better than the fog, than the tar-like glaze. You can’t see through fog, but every storm clears eventually. “There’s not many places for hope in Gotham.”

  “That’s okay,” Kara says decidedly, meeting her gaze steadily, head-on, “I can do the hoping for you.”

  Kate smiles, a small, weak, sad thing, brittle, and it’s not a smirk and it’s not the malleable plastic she gives the media. It’s just that, a smile, and Kara commits it to memory like a treasure map.

  *

  Her computer screen gives off blue light, illuminating her face in the rapidly darkening room, but Kara’s fingers still hover unsurely over the keys, the blank page mocking her just like it’s been doing for the past hour.

  Beside her laptop, her recorder sits, red light blinking, and Kara is tempted to run it again, listen to the whole interview one more time to try and find the right words for this. The article is important for Kate, for Batwoman, and for so many people– it could be huge, it could be a great thing, inspiring. But only if Kara gets it right; there’ll be no do-over for this.

  Sure, the main purpose of the interview is for Kate to come out, but they didn’t just talk about that. The lines got blurred. Kate told her about West Point and Sophie, about waiting in her bike for Sophie to come out of the building, a thousand plans for the future already bubbling in her mind, never once thinking about Sophie’s side of things. I was being selfish, she had told Kara, I’m still being selfish, I think. Her voice had been horribly sad and Kara thinks complicated had been both an understatement and exaggeration on the state of things. 

  In turn, Kara had thought it was only fair for her to tell her about Lena and all the snowball of tragedies that brought on, her own voice stilted and cracking at the edges. About Myriad and Andrea and how confusing everything had become at the end.

  Halfway through, though, Luke had texted, calling Kate away to deal with someone they had called Killer Croc over the phone. Kate had been apologetic and guilty, but– here’s the thing, Kara truly gets it. She had told her so, too. Supergirl had had to exit stage left many times over the years.

  It’s nice, she thinks, not to have to lie about that.

  And now, here Kara is, fretting over how to even start the article, how to be truthful to Kate’s story, live up to the trust she’s placing on her. 

  She wonders what it means that she’s worrying so much.

  *

  Thank you, Kate texts her while Kara is still reeling from the outpouring of reactions the article has sparked, and she can’t help grinning madly at her phone, heart running a marathon around her ribs.

  “You look happy,” Nia tells her much later when they’re patrolling together to avoid the DEO and Lex and his lies, “do you want to know what I dreamt about last night?”

  “Shoot,” says Kara, unbothered by her remark.

  “There was a field of wildflowers,” she pauses at the edge of the roof, frowning in concentration, “and a bat was flying high even though the sun was shining very bright in the sky. Do you know what it means?”

  Her chest aches hopefully. Kara thinks she’s beginning to understand now. “I might have an idea.”

  “The sun usually has to do with you,” Nia shrugs, “but I was thinking the bat might have to do with that friend of yours from Gotham. That’s all I got though, sorry.”

  “That’s okay,” Kara smiles, knocking her shoulders with Nia’s in comfort, letting her know it’s alright not to know everything, she’s still learning how to interpret her dreams, after all. “I like a little mystery.”

  Nia blinks. “You really do look happy,” grins, “I’m glad.”

  *

  The months spent in the Vanishing Point are both sharp and fuzzy in her memory. Some days they feel like minutes spent in someplace far away, in suspended animation, a blink compared to the enormity of their task. In others, though, lingering grief turns them into years of stretched out nothingness, a lifetime of blank repetitions.

  Somehow, it always feels like a world of its own– nearly enough to make Kara wonder if it hadn't all been a dreadful nightmare, a delusion from the anti-matter wave.

  But then, she looks at Kate now and it's so painfully familiar, those terrible months have to be real. She remembers Kate training endlessly in the shadows, tiring herself out for days on end, working until she would collapse in a corner somewhere to sleep fitfully, and she remembers curling at her side and feeling a little less alone, red cape still clutched tightly in her fingers.

  When she closes her eyes, she can still hear their whispered conversations, half plans and half rants, too desperate and sad to be anywhere useful. Mostly, it was only to keep the silence at bay.

  To be reminded there was at least one other person in the whole universe.

  Anyway.

  Somedays the Vanishing Point feels very far away, but Kate is always close, sharp in focus, a streak of red in the dull grey landscape.

  Kara resolutely does not think about those months, accepting the shifts in dynamic as only natural, a fast forward of more pleasant times.

  *

  “Alex,” Kara says quietly, huddling closer to her pillow, phone pressed to her ear and a hundred and two thoughts swimming in her head. No, that’s not right, it’s just one, just the one thought about just the one person. 

  Across the line, she hears her sister yawn. “Yeah? Everything alright?”

  “Yes. No. I don’t know,” she closes her eyes, trying to keep everything contained, all the cards laid orderly on the table. Facts, questions, answers– if she goes over it like one of her stories, then it’s easier to figure it out, to see the bigger picture from the puzzle. Or maybe it’s not that Kara can’t finish the puzzle, it’s just that she owes it to Kate to make sure it really fits the image on the box. She exhales and in the same breath, asks, “how do you know you’re in love?”

  “What?” Alex’s frown it’s clear even through the phone, the sounds of the rustling of covers probably meaning she’s sitting up in bed. A low murmur, muffled; Kelly is there, too, then. A door opening and closing. “What’s going on?”

  “How do I know it’s love?” Kara rephrases her question, tries to shift the pieces so it’s easier to make anything out, “I liked James and Carter and Ioved Mon-El, and I think I could’ve fallen in love with Lena– but I didn’t– it’s easier to realize how I felt later, after things were already sorted out. I need to know– how do I know it’s love now?”

  Before I go and say something I don’t mean, before I make a mess of things, before I risk the best thing that’s happened all year, before I hurt someone who’s been hurt too much already.

  Alex pauses. “Did you just say you were in love with Lena?”

  “I said I could have fallen in love with Lena,” she corrects, biting the inside of her cheek, “things– changed. The moment passed, the timing isn’t right anymore.”

  I met someone else, she doesn't add.

  “Yeah, it’s probably– sorry,” Alex sounds rattled, and Kara supposes that’s fair; this is all a lot to dump on someone without warning. “I’m just– is this you coming out?”

  Kara smiles, not necessarily nervous, but still a bit anxious. Did she wait too long to do this? Things were different in Krypton and by the time Kara realized she actually needed to come out and say something, it never felt like the right time. And then Alex came out and it felt– she doesn’t know. Maybe she is nervous after all. “In part, yes. Sorry, I should probably have done this in person.”

  “So you are…” Alex trails off, probably not wanting to assume anything. She’s considerate like that.

  “Bisexual,” Kara says, testing out the word. Yeah, it feels right, saying it out loud. As if that makes it properly real– no, official. Kara Danvers is bisexual. Supergirl is bisexual. “I’m sorry I never said anything sooner, maybe if I had, it would’ve been easier for you, but–”

  “Don’t– there’s nothing to apologize for,” Alex says softly, gently, “everyone has their own time. Thank you for trusting me with this.”

  Kara wonders if this is what Alex had wanted to hear when she first came out. Yeah, Kara really could have handled that one better. “Thank you," she swallows, breathes, “you're the best sister in the world, did you know?”

  There's a quiet huff that Kara recognizes as Alex breathing out a laugh. “I love you too,” she pauses for a second, “so now that we got that out of the way, what's really going on? Is this about Kate?”

  Something cold weights on her gut and Kara chokes on nothing. “Is it that obvious?”

  Am I that obvious?

  “Relax,” now there’s definitely the sound of Alex snickering, “I just know you, I don’t think she’s noticed it yet.”

  Boldened by the rush of relief talking about it brings her, Kara takes a deep breath. “I have feelings for her, I just don’t know if it’s love,” then, she adds quieter, hesitant as if this was the real secret all along, “I really want it to be love.”

  “You know,” Alex begins, “mom used to say you like someone because and love them despite of.”

  “That sounds like she was quoting something,” Kara replies, almost sullenly, “what does it even mean?”

  “She probably was, yeah, but it’s not wrong– it’s easy to like someone because of their qualities, but loving someone means staying despite their flaws. It means knowing all the stuff that annoys you about them, that you don’t necessarily like, and choosing to be there anyway. I like Kelly because she’s beautiful and ridiculously smart, and I love her despite her being a bit of a know-it-all.”

  “Kate’s so beautiful, and smart, and so, so brave,” Kara says, rolling on her bed so she feels less like she’s reciting a prayer, “I like that about her. I like that she’s trying to keep her city safe and still save her sister. I even like how she’s always smirking like she knows something no one does. I like how she cares and how determined she is. I like how she never gives up.”

  Alex sounds like she’s still smiling. “And?”

  “And I don’t know,” Kara whines, plainly whines, covering her face with her arm.

  “I think you do,” Alex counters, mild and steady, “but for the record, you seem a hell of a lot happier now that she’s around.”

  Her conversation with Nia on the roof claws its way to the forefront of her mind and Kara blushes even though no one is there. Nonsensically, she feels sort of guilty about it. As if she shouldn’t get to be this happy when so much is still going on, half-afraid the universe will come collect its due later– so far, her happiness has always been more or less on borrowed time.

  “I have– I need to think about this,” she finally settles, “thanks for listening.”

  “I hope I’ve helped a little,” says Alex, yawning, “will you be okay?”

  “Yeah, I’ll be fine,” glancing out her window, Kara can see the stars, too bright to be swallowed by the city lights, “go back to sleep. And tell Kelly I say hi.”

  Alex is probably rolling her eyes. “See you tomorrow, try and get some sleep too, alright?”

  Sleep does claim her sooner rather than later, and Kara drifts off to dream about a field of wildflowers, two hands reaching for each other, the sun shining warmly over their skin, and Kate’s smile softer than the grass under their feet.

  *

  Movie night is a fairly regular occurrence, especially after the Crisis, and there’s honestly no telling who might show up.

  Tonight, besides Alex, Brainy, Nia, and Kelly, a lot more people are crowded inside Kara’s living room. Barry, Cisco, Sara, and Ray are all spread out on the couches and armchairs, swapping tales of their latest adventures and bitching about their hurdles.

  It’s– nice. More than nice. Better.

  And now, of course–

  “Hey, I come bearing gifts,” Kate grins, holding up a six-pack of beers in each hand, and Kara is taken aback by how unfairly good she looks under the fluorescent lights of her building’s hallway, sharp and bold in her leather jacket, and for a second, Kara stays there, rooted to the spot while her brain reboots. 

  Sara and Cisco push her out of the way first. “Thank you,” Cisco mouths happily as they run off with the booze, disappearing back into the living room.

  “Hi, sorry,” Kara shakes herself into moving, waving Kate in with a smile, “come in, we’re watching The Wizard of Oz tonight. It was Barry’s turn to pick, so. I lucked out, I guess.”

  “That’s your favorite movie, right?” Kate follows her into the fray, throwing a half-hearted greeting to the room before sitting on the floor beside Kara in the conveniently only open seat left. Well, not only, she could have chosen anywhere else in the carpet to seat, after all, but it would be sort of impolite– okay, yeah, this is probably what Alex means about Kara overthinking things. 

  “Yup,” Kara nods, passing Barry the remote, “I know all the songs by heart at this point, really. And the dialogues. Maybe. I might have been in my high school rendition of the musical too.”

  Kate’s eyebrows rise and she stretches her legs, crossing them at the ankle, and Kara forces herself not to track the movement with her eyes. “I would’ve paid a lot of money to see that, please tell me someone recorded the whole thing.”

  “Don’t laugh!” She hits her arm lightly, earning said a huff of said laughter, and hugs the popcorn bowl closer, “you can’t make fun of me, I’m holding the popcorn hostage now.”

  “I’m not! I think it’s cute– actually, it’s adorable,” Kate is grinning, eyes glittering with humor, with mischief, with something, “so will you release the popcorn or is this going to escalate to a hostage negotiation?”

  “I haven’t heard any negotiating yet,” Kara says haughtily, holding the bowl out of reach.

  If possible, Kate’s grin grows wider, sharper. Prettier. Deadlier. “I guess I’ll just have to try harder to convince you.”

  It knocks the breath out of her lungs, something hungry brewing somewhere down her chest, and Kara needs to say something soon before it gets awkward, needs to get her shit together and stop melting every time Kate maybe-flirts with her. This doesn’t have to mean anything. This is just how Kate is. She smirks and teases and, and whatever, but it doesn’t have any deeper meaning. There’s no need for Kara or Alex for that matter, to read anything into it.

  And she really, really needs to stop having a meltdown over it.

  As it is, she is accidentally saved by Sara, who throws popcorn at them with a half-hearted shush.

  Barry, on the other hand, is not helpful at all when he adds, “yeah, quit flirting so loud, the movie’s starting.”

  Now Kara is frigging blushing, she knows she must be because her cheeks feel hot and heat is crawling up her neck, but Kate only laughs, leaning over her to rescue the popcorn bowl from Kara’s numb fingers with a, a playful wink.

  Rao, tonight is going to be the death of her.

  Because now that Kara is aware of her feelings, it’s like she’s opened a door she doesn’t know how to close again. Someone has turned off the lights and Kara sneaks a look at Kate, and she is so close, Kara can’t bring herself to look away, too busy tracing her profile, following the lines of her tattoos down her collarbone, disappearing under her shirt, and something is shifting on her chest like her ribcage is cracking open and all these emotions are pouring out– she looks at Kate and she wants and wants and wants, and it all feels rooted down to her bones, so deep down inside her being that it would bleed her dry to try and pluck them out like wildflowers.

  It feels so much it hurts.

  Can you be addicted to something you never tasted?

  Is this how love aches?

  I shall take the heart, the Tin Woodsman is saying on the screen, and Kara forces herself to look away. It doesn’t matter, anyway, Kate’s image is burned in the back of her eyelids, filling the dark with leather jackets and dangerous smiles.

  *

  “You should tell her,” Alex says, “you really should tell her how you feel.”

  It’s a very rehearsed argument at this point and Kara is tired of explaining there’s little room in Kate’s life, in Kate’s heart, that isn’t Gotham, or Beth, or Sophie. She doesn’t want to be another Reagan. She’d rather wait in silence and, well, hope, than rush in and ruin everything.

  Things are fine now, they’re friends, and Kara genuinely loves being her friend, why should she put that in jeopardy? Friendship isn’t less than a romance. It can be enough; she can be content.

  “It’s not the same as happy, though, is it?” Alex always replies, mouth in a thin line. “Won’t you trust me on this? I’ve seen how she looks at you.”

  Sometimes, she wishes Alex wouldn’t say things like that.

  “You won’t ever be one hundred percent sure, Kara,” she adds, “it’s a leap of faith– you gotta jump and trust she’s going to catch you.”

  Maybe that’s the problem, Kara is too used to be the one doing the catching.

  *

  She’s fine, this is fine, it’s all fine.

  *

  “You’re pining,” Barry tells her, “it’s a little sad to watch– not that I’m one to talk, but. Yeah, it’s kinda sad, you should tell her how you feel.”

  *

  Oliver’s memorial has nothing to say on this matter.

  *

  Not that Oliver would know what to say– he’d probably tell her to talk to Barry about it.

  *

  “Tell her how you feel, oh my god,” Barry groans, draining the last of his milkshake, “seriously, please, just go over to Gotham and confess your undying love, Kate’s been grumpier than usual– she growled at me to get out of her city, Kara. Growled. And I didn’t even want to be there. Just tell her how you feel so I don’t have to fear for my life every time the Trickster decides to wander out of Central City.”

  *

  Somehow Kate owning a gay club comes as less of a surprise than one would think. Sure, she’s got the vigilante gig at night and keeping Wayne Tower in one piece seems to be trouble enough, but Kara can’t think of anything Kate can’t do if she puts her mind to it.

  Especially if it’s out of spite.

  “I could punch that guy for you,” Kara offers after Kate finishes the story, anger simmering under the surface only mitigated by Kate’s own petty vengeance, “seriously, one hit and he’d be out like a light.”

  Kate laughs. The music is loud here but it still somehow rings clearer than anything. “Thanks, but I need him awake to see this place.”

  “Pity, I’m pretty sure punching bigots is in my job description by now,” she shrugs, not-so-fake disappointed. They’re in one of the booths, secluded away from most of the crowd, alone after the others left for the dancefloor; it might have been an excuse, although there’s not enough information for her to be totally sure. “So,” she says, sipping her drink unconcernedly, “Barry said you were in a bad mood last week.”

  To be fair, Kate does look regretful at the reminder, pouring herself another shot. “Yeah, I should probably apologize to him later,” they both look at the crowd, searching for Barry and sharing a laugh at his uncoordinated moves. “Man, you’d think he’d be better at dancing, all things considered.”

  “Maybe it’s a good thing nazis from another dimension crashed his wedding– can you imagine him trying to waltz?”

  “That,” Kate keeps laughing, head tilting back, and Kara watches the curve of her neck, wishes to cover it with kisses until she’s shivering under her lips. “Sounds like a story I want to hear later.”

  She shakes her head. “It’s not a very fun story, really, I shouldn’t have joked,” she hurries to add, “but I did have time to sing before the shoot-out!”

  “Of course you can sing,” Kate huffs, leaning back on her seat, shakes her head, and the way she’s looking at Kara, it’s all a bit too much, it leaves her unsteady, drunk like the alcohol didn’t. It barely registers what an odd thing that is to fixate on. When she continues, it’s just a murmur, probably not meant for Kara to hear, “why wouldn’t you? You’re perfect.”

  Perhaps she should have taken it as a compliment or nothing at all since she wasn’t meant to hear anyway, but Kara still feels vaguely betrayed. Thinking someone is perfect only means you don’t know them at all and she had thought– being hopelessly hopeful, she thought Kate knew her deeper than that, more honest than that, past Supergirl and Kara Danvers down to whatever is left under both.

  “I’m not perfect,” the need to point out is greater than the disappointment swirling in her gut.

  “Oh, no, I know that,” Kate waves her off, leaning back in on her elbows, glass half-empty on her fingers, glinting in the colorful lights, and she just looks so, so painfully beautiful, “you can be self-righteous sometimes and you trust way too easily. You’re too optimistic and also, when you nap, you drool. I know you’re not perfectly perfect, you’re just…” she gestures in her vague direction, making a face and downing the rest of her drink.

  And Kara. She lets the words sink in and thinks oh.

  She thinks oh and she hears Alex’s words on her head, voice wavering into Eliza’s even though she never heard Eliza say that, and she knows with blinding clarity that this cannot be a dream because Kara’s never been more awake in her whole life.

  If anything, it’s as if she’s finally, finally, awake.

  “You brood a lot,” she hears herself saying, “and you can be a little self-centered, and you can be a little arrogant, too.”

  Kate has set her glass down and she’s now staring at Kara like she’s trying to solve a particularly difficult puzzle, “ouch,” she fakes a wince distractedly, “harsh, but you’re not denying the drooling, I see.”

  “Kate,” Kara says, heart trembling in her chest, and maybe this is why Kate is the Paragon of Courage– she feels a lot braver when she’s with her; it’s easy to fall and trust she’ll catch her. “Kate, I could give you infinite reasons why I like you, and I love you despite all I said. I think I could love you despite anything, really, and I’ve been loving you despite that, too.”

  For one terrifying second, Kate says nothing, frozen into perfect stillness, but then she’s rounding the table to stop in front of Kara, looking down at her as if she’s watching the whole universe unfold, openly vulnerable, as if she can’t quite believe this is real, and Kara wants and wants and wants.

  And when Kate finally leans down, she’s already meeting her halfway.

  Her lips are soft and her hands are in Kara’s hair, and Kara was right, Kate’s skin is blessedly cool against her own feverish touch, and the world ends and begins in the inches between them they steal with each new kiss.

  It’s terrifyingly addicting.

  People are all made of stardust, Kara even more so, maybe that’s why for her, Kate feels an awful lot like coming home.

  “Kara,” Kate whispers her name against her lips like a prayer, and her eyes are still shut even as she presses her forehead against Kara’s, “I love you, I do, but I really need you to be sure. Are you sure?”

  Are you sure you can love me, she hears, unsaid.

  “I’m sure,” Kara answers, kissing her softly, a fleeting press of lips, just because she can, and then another, just because prayers are never recited only once, and one more because neither should promises, not if you intend to keep them, “I love you, that’s all.”

  Kate smiles.

  It’s more beautiful than any sun.

  “That’s all,” she echoes, and it’s as simple as that, “I love you,”  she says and holds Kara like she’s a delicate thing, even as her fingers dig wonderfully into her hips.

  In the end, Kara thinks she’ll take the heart too, and with Kate pressing yet another kiss, her mind clears, and she thinks nothing at all.

[ravens-words]

We burned down our paper house

"Spanning years and continents. Lives ruined, bloodshed. Epic."

Scenes from a lost decade.

Part 1

On AO3

................

Chapter 2 of 4

.................

Late 2008

Alex had given Michael his number a little over two months ago,  and Michael hadn't called him. Alex was disappointed, but he couldn't say he was all that surprised. He'd probably been setting himself up for failure when he'd left while the other boy was sleeping, but the mere idea of saying goodbye to Michael had been like a vice around his heart. 

He remembered woking up next to him, and for a second, allowing himself to fantasize about a lifetime of mornings waking up just like this, cocooned in the warmth of Michael's arms, feeling so happy he could burst  with it.

But then the second was over and reality had set in.

He'd gotten up and gotten dressed, as quietly as he dared. He'd gathered Michael's clothes and folded them neatly. The next thing he'd done was to take out a blanket from the small dresser. He'd draped it cautiously over his sleeping form and then sat on the second bed in the room, taking a minute to just watch him sleep, wondering how it was possible for him to miss him already. 

Alex remembered wanting to wake him up,  to kiss him one last time. He'd wanted to say goodbye because he knew how much it hurt when Michael hadn't been there two months ago. But then he'd looked at Michael again and his heart had fluttered and ached and for a whole minute, all he could think was; I don't want to go. I want to stay here with him. Which had confirmed what Alex already knew. 

If he'd woken Michael up, he would not have been strong enough to leave him.

So, he hadn't. Instead, he'd given him his number and had allowed himself to hope.

He'd planned on taking his leave after tech school to visit Michael, but after two months of no contract, he figured it would be better to save himself the heartbreak of being rejected and instead chose to spend his leave in Biloxi. He stayed close to Keesler for no other reason than his lack of desire to go home. Saving up the money and spending his days on the beach were just added bonuses. 

A day before his leave came to an end, his cellphone rang. Alex spent a good three seconds staring at the number, trying and failing not to get his hopes up. He pressed the button to answer with shaking fingers and put the phone to his ear. 

"Alex?"

His breath left him in a rush and he closed his eyes when he felt the pressure behind them. 

"Alex?"

"I'm here," he managed to say and could hear what was probably a sigh of relief coming from the other end. 

"How are you?"

Alex laughed at how awkward he sounded and realized just then that they'd never been ones for small talk. Nevertheless, he went along with it. "I'm doing okay. How about you?"

"I'm good."

Alex smiled. "You staying out of trouble?" 

His attempt to break the ice fell flat. He'd only meant to tease him, but from the silence on the other end, something had gotten lost in translation. "Michael, I didn't mean it like that, I was just ki-"

"I know," he cut him off. "I know. And, I am staying out of trouble. Well, mostly."

Alex laughed quietly and dug his toes in the sand. "Michael?" 

"Yeah?"

Alex gatheed up every bit of courage he had in him and asked the question that had been churning in his mind for the past two months. "What took you so long?"

Michael answered his question with a question. "Why didn't you come back? I know you're on leave."

Alex wondered how he knew that, but didn't ask. He sighed and lay back in the sand, staring at the clear sky. Part of him wanted to be stubborn and demand that he answer his question first, but Alex was tired, and he missed him so much it was like a constant ache at this point. "I didn't know if I had anything to come back for."

Silence greeted him on the other end and he he was afraid that Michael might have hung up on him. But then he spoke, "I didn't know if you really wanted me to. I knew you'd be busy at school and- you left, Alex. You just left."

"Michael-"

"I bought an airstream off Sanders a couple days ago," Michael rushed to say, changing the subject. Alex went with it, though he wanted to reassure him that there would always be space for him in Alex's life, that Alex would always make space for him. 

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. I'm fixing it up now."

Alex could imagine the smile he heard in Michael's voice on his face if he tried hard enough and it made his heart ache. 

"That's really good, Michael."

"I mean, paying for it is gonna be a pain and it'll take me forever, but-" 

I'm proud of you, he almost said, but didn't. You could so much more. You deserve so much more.

He smiled. "Maybe the next time I'm in Roswell, you can show it to me?"

When he answered with an eager, "yeah!" his voice sounded considerably brighter, and Alex felt a spark of hope ignite in his chest.

"Hey, I-uh, I gotta go okay? Isobel's gonna kill me if I spend any more of her minutes."

Alex chuckled. "Okay."

"Can I call you again?" He inquired hesitantly.

"Yes, of course you can," he answered quickly and he sounded eager to his own ears. "We can e-mail each other, too."

"Yeah- I- Alex?"

"Yeah?" 

"I miss you," he whispered.

Alex closed his eyes again, but not before a tear escaped and ran down his cheek.

He cleared his throat, trying to dislodge the lump in his throat  "I miss you, too, Michael."

He heard what sounded suspiciously close to a sniffle before Michael let out a cough. "I'll talk to you later?"

"Yeah." Alex smiled. "Take care of yourself, okay?"

"You too." And with that, Michael hung up.

Alex smiled helplessly to himself and breathed in deeply. He rested his chin on his folded arms and watched the sun set, casting an orange- pink hue against the ocean water.

Hope burned bright in his chest and, try as he might, he couldn't stop it. So, he indulged himself and allowed it.

Tomorrow, he would think about all the reasons he and Michael couldn't really work.

Tomorrow, he would think about how hard it would be to maintain a relationship, if that was even something Michael wanted with him, when he had to hide it, when he had to hide who he was. 

He would deal with everything that was wrong with his life, but only tomorrow. 

For now, though, he was content to just watch the sunset and be happy that Michael wanted to give this a try, that the other man was making a life for himself despite what his father had done to him and that maybe, just maybe, Alex had a place in that life.

Late 2009

A little less than a year into his first deployment, Alex managed to get approval for a leave. He didn't tell anyone in Roswell, and in the years to come, he would regret that decision.

But for now, all he could feel was excitement and an eagerness to see Michael.

In the year after their phone call, Alex and Michael e-mailed each other at least once a week, but they rarely got to talk to each other over the phone, mainly due to time differences and the fact that Michael didn't actually have a phone yet. 

They never talked about anything important, though, and there was always this feeling of disconnect between them that bothered Alex.

In an unspoken agreement between them; there conversations were never about anything too heavy or serious. They didn't talk about the war, they didn't talk about Michael's hand or his money issues, even though Alex wanted to know desperately. And the only people they'd ever mentioned were Alex's squad mates and Max and Isobel. And even then, they only tended to share the light-hearted tidbits of their lives. Alex, though he wasn't proud to admit, had lied a few times, made up a cheerful or funny story or two to share with him on the days there weren't any, because the alternative would have been the truth and the truth was this:

Alex was miserable.

Almost a year in and he still lay awake at night, most nights, and thought about all the ways his life could've been different if he'd been braver, faster, stronger. On the bad days, he wished he'd never tried to kiss Michael in the shed. On the worst days, he wished he'd never offered him the shed in the first place. 

Those thoughts never lasted long, though; they were always chased away by memories of Michael's kisses, his touches, his smile. The thoughts never lasted because he could never regret Michael, no matter what.

Michael had saved him in ways Alex suspected he never realized. If it weren't for him, Alex would never have known what it felt like to be completely safe with someone. 

Before he left the Roswell airport, he hurriedly changed out of his fatigues in the airport bathrooms and stuffed them carelessly in his duffel. It didn't take him long to find a cab and thirty minutes later, he was about half a mile away from the junkyard where Michael had parked his airstream. 

He'd decided to walk the remaining distance,  wanting to have a clear head, maybe get rid of the nervousness too, before he saw Michael. The night air was cool on his skin and it soothed him.

When he got to Sanders', all Alex could hear was the frantic beat of his heart. He tried to take deep breaths, he told himself it was just Michael, that he didn't have to be so nervous about seeing him. 

He walked ahead and was just a few feet away from the airstream when he heard it; a giggle, high-pitched and obviously female. It was followed by Michael's deep laugh and Alex froze, unable to do anything but breathe raggedly. When he could get his feet to move a little, he saw them. 

Michael was sitting in a lawn chair, and the girl was in another one next to him. His hand was buried in a her hair and when he moved closer and said something, too low for Alex to hear,  she laughed and then they were kissing. Alex turned away and all but ran away. He ran for a long time.

The thing was, he and Michael hadn't promised each other anything. They hadn't defined what they were to each other, had skirted around the subject masterfully, so was it any wonder that Michael moved on? 

Alex couldn't really fault him for it. They were young and they weren't ready. Maybe it was better this way, for the both of them. Maybe they were never meant to last and Alex had just held on to the hope because Michael had been the one person in his life who'd given a damn about him.

Alex gathered all the heartache, the pain and the disappointment, put them in a neat little box and put it away. 

And he ran.

He ran for what felt like an eternity.

He didn't see Michael for another five years after that night.

[wewillwriteyou]

Crazy Little Thing Called Love || Chapter 10

A few elements from the main plot: A fine line falls between fiction and reality: what starts as a musical slowly becomes a game-changer. Tables will turn and it will get clear as the sun that the only unstoppable power in life … is love.

Summary Chapter 10: Christmas is coming and some people go, others stay at the campus. But what if, as it always happens, plans will change last minute? And what if ‘these plans’ are none other than Ben’s plans?

Word count: 5.2K+

Warnings: Language here and there, but this chapter is mainly fluff / descriptions, so safe territory everyone

A/N: This chapter is indeed one of our favourites, folks! We loved writing it, so we do hope you’ll like as much as we do! 💛 xx

Tuesday, 24 December 2019

The Sorceress was right: he had leaped without looking. Leaped into something that was bigger than him and any of us mortals. Suddenly, a plan unravelled before his eyes. To fix everything. To make amends. This time he knew he couldn’t do it by himself. He needed help.

The alarm going off made him jump off the bed. He turned it off fast but not fast enough to prevent Rami from waking up.

“Sorry mate,” Ben apologised to his roommate as he pulled a suitcase from under his bed.

“It’s Christmas Eve – Rami mumbled, rolling on the other side of his bed – did you need to set a goddamn alarm today?”

“It’s almost twelve…” Ben observed, chuckling.

“Yeah, but still… Christmas Eve…” Rami complained, using his pillow to cover his ears.

“My dad’s picking me up in an hour – Ben shook his head chuckling and threw him a cushion – we’re going to Italy on the annual ski trip”

“Right, - Rami threw the pillow back and got up, stretching his spine – how did he convince Miss New Americana?”

Ben rolled his eyes, chuckling lightly. Miss New Americana was his dad’s fiancée and she was… not easy, to be nice. Something of a bitch, to be honest.

When his parents were still together, the Hardy’s would always go to Italy in the winter break and Ben only had happy memories of that time.

After Ben’s mom died just as he was starting college, he and his dad went on the ski trip on their own for a couple of years. And then he met Linda, a sparkling pink American who inexplicably made his dad happy but who was clearly more interested in his dad’s money than she was in his actual happiness.

That would have been the first year someone outside the family had joined their trip and Linda didn’t seem like the type of person who liked to… mess up her hairstyle with sky goggles.

“I suppose he’s gonna tell her we’re gonna go to Milan to go shopping and then listen to her complaints during the whole trip once she realises he lied to her” Ben answered, making Rami chuckle from the bathroom.

Rami closed the water and emerged from the bathroom with the towel around his neck, “Are you gonna survive with her there?”

“No Rami, - Ben stopped and pointed a finger at him – the question is: is she gonna survive with me there?”

Rami laughed, “Oh God, you’re gonna be your own first client, Mr lawyer…”

They were both laughing when Ben’s phone rang and his dad’s number appeared on the screen.

“Yeah dad, I’m almost ready, what time are you gonna be here?”

Rami got out of his pijama and went through his drawers to find a shirt, he could tell something had happened by Ben’s facial expression. He watched him slowly put the wool socks back on the bed, out of the suitcase, and sit on the mattress.

“You must be joking. Tell me you’re joking.” Ben harshly said on the phone and Rami mouthed him a ‘what’ but Ben just shook his head.

“Dad, you know she’s just playing you, right? Are you still falling for her crap?” Ben rubbed a hand on the back of his neck and let it fall on his side.

“I cannot believe you’re taking her side…”

Rami walked up to him and sat on his bed while buttoning up his shirt.

Ben was defeated. His dad was one of the best lawyers in the UK, after all. He let his head fall forward and hid his face in the palm of the hand that wasn’t holding the phone.

“Fine – he blurted out, interrupting his dad on the other side – Do whatever she says. I don’t care. I hope you two are gonna be happy.”

He was about to hang up when, “Oh, and I’m glad to hear I’m the only one of us to still give a shit about mom.”

Hitting the red button, he ended the call and threw the phone into the suitcase. He brought his hands to his face and rested his elbows on the knees, exhaling frustrated.

“I can’t believe her – he began – when he told her about the trip she flipped out and caused a scene in the middle of his Christmas dinner party and threatened to leave him and go back to her parents and my dad, being the dumbass that he is, told her they didn’t have to go if she didn’t want to…”

Ben exhaled tiredly, even if he’d just woken up.

“What a manipulative bitch… - Rami commented – I’m sorry, man”

Ben got up again and began unpacking, “Yeah, I know”

“You can come with me and my folks… I can try booking you a last-minute ticket to Egypt”

“Thanks, Rami, but I don’t think it’s possible… and in any case, I’d feel like an outsider with you and your family”

“You know my parents love you,” Rami patted on his shoulder before going to the wardrobe again to pick out his trousers.

Ben half smiled, “Thanks, man”

An effusive knock on the door interrupted them.

Rami opened the door and an impeccably dressed Lucy made her entrance.

“Happy Christmas Eve boys,” she kissed him on the cheek and went up to Ben to place a kiss on his lips.

She noticed Ben was unpacking and frowned, “Aren’t you supposed to be already packed? – she shot a look at Rami and he shook his head while looking down – What happened?”

Ben exhaled and threw his last T-shirt on the duvet, “Linda. That’s what happened…”

Lucy placed a hand on his back and brushed it soothingly, “I’m sorry, babe… you can always come at my parents’ if you want”

“Thanks, Luce, but I think I’m not in the mood…” Ben walked away to put his clothes back in his drawers, letting Lucy’s hand fall back to her side.

She furrowed her eyebrows, “So where ‘re you gonna go?”

Ben closed the wardrobe and put his hands in his pockets, “I think I’ll stay here…”

“Here? – Lucy shrieked – You wanna be alone at Christmas?”

Ben huffed, “I’m not gonna be alone, Luce. There’s a lot of people who don’t go home for Christmas and I know they’re throwing a small party tonight at the cafeteria… more like a Christmas dinner for the ones who cannot have one with their families and-”

“It’s because of her, isn’t it?” Lucy cut him off. Steam was already bowling up in her head and she had to force herself to listen to what he had to say instead of storming out of the room.

“What? No, Lucy I-”

“Don’t play dumb with me, Ben, I know you’re not telling me something and I plead you tell me before I walk out of that door or I won’t be coming back”

“Alex’s gonna be at her parents for the holidays… – Rami jumped in – She was telling Elizabeth the other day at rehearsal. She’s leaving tonight…”

Lucy moved her eyes from Rami to Ben, “That doesn’t answer my question, though”

She knew Ben better than she knew herself and he was hiding something. Since the beginning of the month, she had noticed that something was off with him. He talked less and missed a couple of rehearsals. He hung out more with his canoeing team than with the cast of the musical. And more importantly, he’d been avoiding physical contact as much as he could.

Lucy knew something had happened with Alex, she just knew.

Since that kiss on stage, she hadn’t believed a word he had told her. He swore it didn’t mean anything and he was just acting but she smelled the lie from miles away.

Lucy distinctly remembered Ben kissing her like that, with that passion… but it had stopped ages ago. And she had been fine with it because she had always been told that after the excitement of the beginning, it was normal to lose the spark in a relationship and ‘get used’ to the routine.

Seeing him having the same spark they had with another woman had nearly driven her crazy.

She refused to believe they were done. She couldn’t accept the idea she was losing him. Ben. They had been through so much together and she knew for sure her parents were already looking into wedding halls for when they’d graduate. They had not-so-discretely told her they needed to be together because ‘it was good to the families’ on countless occasions.

And even though all of the above was true, she still needed to know what had happened so she could dump his ass before he could do it with her. She refused to be the cheated loser who got dumped by Ben Hardy. God, my parents are gonna kill me, was the only thought that circled inside her head.

She struggled in keeping up her stone-cold bitch façade, but she felt like she was crumbling to pieces and she knew she couldn’t have held it much longer.

Ben almost involuntarily glanced at the dresser by the door and Lucy followed his gaze.

The picture of them at the first canoeing race he ever won was sitting in its frame, the glass completely shattered.

“What happened to that picture?” she asked, her voice squeaky.

“Crap,” Rami muttered under his breath and walked away from the couple, closing the bathroom door behind him.

Lucy stared at the broken glass, her mouth agape, “Did she do this?” her voice feeble.

Ben looked at his feet, running miles in his head to find a plausible answer that wouldn’t completely shatter their relationship.

“Fucking say something, Ben!” Lucy shouted.

“It was an accident! – Ben shouted back, still averting her eyes – Alex had come by and-”

“That’s all I needed,” Lucy cut him off and aimed to the door, but Ben blocked her arm.

“Let go of me,” she wriggled her arm away.

“I’m sorry, Lucy, I really am-”

“For what Ben, uh? For wrecking our first memory as boyfriend and girlfriend? For cheating on me? Or for me founding out about you two? Uh?”

Ben didn’t know what to say.

“You bastard,” Lucy’s voice broke as she completed those last words and while Ben stood there she opened the door.

She walked out, but before shutting the door behind her she turned one more time, “Rot in hell, Ben Hardy”.

With that said Lucy slammed shut the door on their relationship.

It was over.

Ben walked back to his bed and sat there staring at the floor.

“Jeez mate,” Rami emerged from the bathroom.

Ben looked up to him, “You heard everything I suppose…”. Rami nodded.

Ben scoffed, “What have I done, man?”

“Well, to be honest… a fucking mess” Rami sat in front of him and Ben emitted a bittersweet chuckle.

“Thanks… – Ben brushed a hand in his hair – What do I do now?”

Rami exhaled, “How much do you need me to be honest?”

Ben looked at him and realised Rami was probably the only person who knew him well enough to give him advice on this, “100%. Shoot.”

Rami nodded, “Listen, Ben, you’re my best mate and you choose complete honesty so I have to tell you… You acted like a dick.”

Ben sarcastically chuckled, “Well thanks, man, I needed that…”

“Let me talk…” Rami shushed him, “You acted like a dick with both Lucy and Alex. You cheated on Lucy, knowing all the shit you two had been through and you lied to her about the kiss with Alex on stage. You deluded Alex you two could be together without telling her that you still hadn’t talked to Lucy and you had no intention of doing it soon…”

Ben was staring at the floor, feeling all the horrible things he’d done stabbing his back like daggers.

“So now you have to do only one thing and you have two ways to do it… - Rami continued – You have to make things right with both of them and you can either choose to run after Lucy or go talk to Alex. Your choice.”

Ben finally looked up at him and saw a half-smile on Rami’s face, meaning that he’d support either of his choices. Like he had always done.

He smiled, “Thanks, Rami”. They both got up and Ben hugged him, suddenly knowing what to do.

He walked away from his friend, picked up his phone, jacket and keys and headed to the door.

“I’ll probably be gone by the time you’re back, – Rami said, making Ben turn to look at him – so don’t do anything stupid. And keep out of trouble.”

Ben smiled, “Merry Christmas, mate”

As he closed the door behind him he heard Rami shouting Merry Christmas asshole back to him. He chuckled to himself and let his feet walk him in the only direction he wanted to go.

***

“So you’re telling me you’ll spend New Year’s Eve here?”, Denise tucked her phone between her head and shoulder and picked up her books, then headed towards the library’s exit.

“Apparently so,” Gwilym was cheerier than she’d expected and it made her smile to herself.

“That’s cool… – she tried to keep a straight tone while dodging the people in the corridor and finally stepping outside the building – Well, let me know when you’re gonna be here. We could… grab a bite… and maybe wait for New Years in the main hall with the others…”

Gwilym smiled widely, “I would love that”

Denise was able to contain her joy only because of the books she was holding. She was actually jumping around inside her head.

As she proceeded on the sidewalk of the 9th dormitory, she noticed a familiar puff of blond hair waving at her from the distance.

“Listen, Gwil, I’ll call you back.” She hung up the phone and fished it not without some struggle in her pocket.

“Hi, Ben… What are you doing here?”

“Hey Denise, – he sounded nervous and after everything Alex had told her, she didn’t know how what to think of him – I was looking for Alex and I know she lives here, but I don’t know her room… Is there any chance you could tell me?”

Denise furrowed her eyebrows and narrowed her eyes, “And why should I tell you that?”

Ben was confused at first, but then he realised Alex had probably told her what had happened between them.

“Listen, Denise – he started, brushing his hair nervously – I need to speak to her as soon as possible. She hasn’t picked up my calls in weeks and, besides that, I need to do this in person… I wanna make things right, trust me. I’m here to make things right.”

Denise stared at him and he did look desperate. She knew Alex would have killed her, but she decided to trust her instinct, “The room is 986. Second floor, west end of the corridor.”

Ben let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding, “Thank you”.

He patted her on the shoulder and smiled, before climbing the steps to the building.

“Don’t make me regret this, Hardy” she shouted before he could enter and he turned to wave as if to say ‘promise’.

Ben eluded security and ran towards the stairs, jumping two steps at a time. He was so focused on arriving in time that he couldn’t think of anything to say to her face.

When he got to the door, he almost hesitated to knock.

Suck it up Hardy, he said to himself and rapidly knocked on the wooden surface, eagerly waiting for an answer.

“Who is it?” Elizabeth asked.

“It’s Ben,” he cleared his voice.

The door opened and Elizabeth emerged with only her head from behind it, a nervous smile on her face, “Hey Ben, what are you doing here?”

Ben looked her up and down and hesitated for a second, wondering who was she waiting for that made her so nervous.

“Uhm, I was looking for Alex… I need to talk to her urgently”

Elizabeth’s expression changed, “Oh, ehm… she left last night to go to her parents… I’m sorry”

“Oh,” he lowered his gaze as to think about a backup plan. He had not seen that coming. He looked up to Elizabeth again, “They live in town right? Do you know the address?”

“Wow, well Ben you’re asking me a lot…” Elizabeth inadvertently opened the door more and he took it as an invitation to walk inside.

He looked around and noticed that only one bed was undone, sign that at least one of the roommates had probably not slept there that night.

The girl closed the door with a scoff and he squared her up and down. She was wearing a large t-shirt that was most certainly not hers and that only barely covered her super short shorts.

Elizabeth scoffed again and crossed her arms on her chest, “Eyes up here, Hardy… - he recomposed himself but couldn’t hide a smirk. She was evidently waiting for someone – What you’re asking me is betraying a friend. A friend that clearly doesn’t want to hear from you… or she would have picked up at least one of your calls, wouldn’t she?”

Ben looked at his feet and brought a hand on the back of his neck, looking for a good excuse as to why Elizabeth should have trusted him.

When he was about to speak, the noise of water starting and stopping right after interrupted the silence.

Ben looked at the girl with a confused and way too amused face, “If Alex’s not here… who’s in there?”

He watched her gasping for words and then hiding her face behind her palms when the bathroom door opened.

Joe emerged from the door frame in pijama pants, with no t-shirt on and a towel around his neck. He widened his eyes as soon as he registered what was going on.

Ben’s eyes widened as well and he brought a hand to his mouth in disbelief. He darted his look between the two of them and a smirk gleamed on his lips, as he did the math: Joe’s pants and Elizabeth’s t-shirt were undoubtedly two pieces of a whole pijama.

“Oh shit,” was the only thing Joe could say.

“Oh my God… – Ben snickered – what the fuck’s going on here?”

Joe glanced at Elizabeth but she was still hiding behind her hands. She peeked from between her fingers and she could see the two boys staring at her. She let her hands fall and huffed.

“We are both staying here for Christmas and both roommate-less… - Liz hoped the phrase would complete itself, but when she saw Ben nodding in her direction, asking to continue, she rolled her eyes – Joe moved in here for the holidays”

Ben laughed out loud, earning a punch on the arm from the girl, “Cut it out, Hardy.”

She knew she should have been more worried about someone knowing that a guy was sleeping in the female dormitory, but when she caught Joe who had started breaking as well, she couldn’t help but chuckle.

“Fine, - she conceded recomposing herself – but you can’t tell anyone about this, okay?”

Ben tried pushing down the laughter and nodded forcefully, clearing his throat, “Don’t worry… Your little secret is safe with me…”. He winked at Elizabeth, unable to hide his wily smirk.

“There’s no secret – Joe blurted out, his face more nervous than he cared to admit – Nothing happened here…”

“Right, – Ben nodded condescendingly – and she’s wearing your tee because she doesn’t have any clothes?”

He raised an eyebrow and chuckled at the redness that was spreading on both their faces. They were so cute, both embarrassed and awkward every time he suggested there was something between them.

It was crystal clear to his eyes that there was something there and he smiled to himself, wishing he and Alex had taken things as slowly as they had. Because it was evident to him now that there had always been something else besides friendship between Joe and Elizabeth. All those stolen glances he had caught during rehearsal and the way Joe had reacted when he’d seen Elizabeth kissing Gwilym. It was not casual.

Only after a few seconds, he realised that whatever had happened in that room, they probably hadn’t talked about it yet.

“Listen, guys, - he started, - I’m not here to mess around… I have to talk to Alex. I screwed things up and I want to make them right, now that I have the chance. I need to make things right.”

Joe and Elizabeth shared a glance.

“Can you please help me? – Ben continued – I’ll keep your secret, I swear. Just please, will you help me?”

Elizabeth glanced at Joe again and he nodded as to say ‘it’s your call’.

She exhaled, “I’ll write it down for you – Ben let out a breath of relief, but Elizabeth continued – but you have to swear on everything you’ve got that you will not make me regret helping you.”

Ben forcefully nodded, “Sure, I swear. I do”

“And you have to shut your mouth about what you just saw,” Joe jumped in.

Again, Ben nodded and watched as Elizabeth picked up her phone and texted him the address.

“Thank you. For real,” he said to both of them.

Elizabeth half-smiled, “You’re welcome, Hardy. Now get out of here before I change my mind…”

“Merry Christmas, guys,” Ben said with a chuckle, before patting Joe on the shoulder and sprinting towards the door.

As it closed behind him, Joe turned to Elizabeth, “You know you sent Alex a ticking time bomb right?”

She sat down on the bed, thinking that Joe was probably right and that Alex would have killed her for what she’d done. But she also knew Ben and Alex were both secretive, big-headed people that lived in the fear of letting someone close.

Well, sometimes people like them needed a small push to take the leap.

Elizabeth chuckled to herself, “Yeah, that’s my Christmas present.”

***

“I told you, it’s not just another musical. It will be very important for my extra credits and, besides, I get to play the piano in front of the whole campus which is the closest I’ve ever gotten to a concert” Alex replied, shrugging her shoulders and placing the carrots on the cutting board.

“Thank you, dear,” her mom said and Alex smiled, kissing her on the temple. It was Christmas Eve’s afternoon, but Christmas dinner was already taking its form on the stove.

“Still find it useless, you could be studying other stuff instead of wasting your time playing a witch” her brother Jason commented.

“Oh, like economy? Like you, Jay? ‘m sorry to disappoint you, but my place will never be behind a computer typing on the board all day” Alex sassily replied, raising her left eyebrow.

“And where’s your place, Alex?” Jason used his smart-ass tone, that knew would have bothered his sister for days.

Alex inhaled sharply and walked towards the table where Jason was sat at. She put her hands on the marble surface and leaned down until her eyes were looking straight into his.

“In front of thousands of people, that cheer my name”

“Like mother like daughter – their father appeared in the kitchen, still wearing the gloves he had used to collect the firewood – she always used to say she would have sold theatres and would have danced for the Queen,” he proudly continued, hugging his wife from behind.

“And that’s exactly what I did. Apart from the exhibition in front of the Queen”, the woman chuckled, turning her head to place a brief kiss on her husband’s lips.

Alex looked at them and sincerely smiled, before turning in her brother’s direction.

“You see: a dancer, a conductor – she started, indicating their parents – a wanna-be musician – she went on indicating herself – and then there’s you, an accountant” she ended her sentence indicating Jason.

They all started to giggle.

“How many times will I have to hear this story?” Jason asked, defeated.

“Until mom and dad admit you’ve been adopted, there’s no other explanation to me” Alex joked, messing his hair up. He pushed her away and they cackled again.

“It would be weird to discover that at thirty years old, don’t you think so?”

“There’s always time for new discoveries. Am I wrong dad?” Alex said, walking closer to her mom and stealing a carrot to munch it.

“You’re absolutely right, my dear” the man answered, winking at his daughter and walking out of the kitchen to go and light the fire up inside the fireplace.

The two women started to laugh, while Jason rolled his eyes getting up to help his dad with the wood. Alex’s mom scrolled her head and kissed her daughter’s forehead.

“Let me help you,” Alex said, taking the knife from her hand.

All of a sudden, while the two men were struggling with the fire in the living room and Alex was cutting vegetables for her mother, the doorbell rang.

“George, are you expecting someone?” Alex’s mom shouted from the kitchen.

“No, Eveline, I’m not. Christ, why won’t it light up?” her husband answered in a rush, before starting to insult the wood that did not want to burn.

“I’ll go and see who’s it,” Alex promptly said, and her mother thanked her before going back to cook.

She cast a glance at the salon and could not contain a hushed chuckle that escaped her lips in seeing her dad so pissed kneeling in front of the fireplace and an even more pissed Jason standing behind him.

She scrolled her head and toddled towards the door.

Alex did not know whom she was expecting to find; maybe a family’s friend, or the postman, or even one of their relatives that had decided to surprise them. She was sure of only one thing: she surely would’ve not expected to find him.

“Ben! – her welcoming smile fading away from her lips in the exact moment she opened the door and saw him, standing there – how … what ar-”

“It’s over. Between me and Lucy, it’s over” he cut her off and let out in a rush.

He seemed out of breath as if he had run a marathon to get there in time. His coat was unbuttoned and his scarf was carelessly entangled around his neck, while the keys of his car were dangling from his index finger.

Alex opened her mouth and, looking behind her back, she took a step outside to have some ‘privacy’.

“Ben, I … that’s … I mean, I don’t think it’s the right time to have this conversation” Alex stuttered and had to cough halfway into the sentence to recompose her tone.

Her heart was jumping at the sight of him, but her brain was sending thousands of warning signs. She had to think about the way she had felt when she left his room that day, the way she had felt every other day at rehearsals when she had to pretend nothing had happened.  

Ben slightly nodded and looked down to the ground for a brief instant, while a few snowflakes graciously fell on his blonde hair.

“It’s just, that… ‘ve missed you, Alex. And I know I screwed everything up, but … you know, when this morning Lucy walked out of my bedroom I felt I finally had a choice,”

He paused again, finding the strength to look into Alex’s eyes.

“And I choose you” he then confessed.

A long stripe of frozen breath flew out from the corner of his mouth and, while he was breathing, free from the burden he had carried on his chest, Alex, at those words, felt as if her lungs had stopped functioning.

“Ben – she started, unsure on what saying after – I think it’s better if we talk about all of this after the holidays” her tone was cold. Glacial.

Panic had taken over her body and her insecurities had immediately built a barrier to shield her, cutting Ben out once again.

“There’s my whole family inside, it’s not the right time for this. You understand that right?” she proceeded when she noticed Ben had not dared to speak a word yet.

“I understand – he echoed her, nodding – Merry Christmas, then” and saying that, he turned on his heels and walked towards his car.

Alex felt tears reaching her eyes and had to look up to push them away. When she decided to reserve one last gaze at Ben, she noticed he was struggling with the car’s ignition.

He punched the steering wheel and exited the car.

“It doesn't start-up,” he said, letting his arms fall loose by his sides.

“Are you joking?! – Alex shouted, feeling her heart pumping harder inside her chest; when he scrolled his head, she knew she didn’t have any choice – come inside” she surrendered.

Ben’s chin touched the ground as he tried, and failed, to hide the big smile that was now adorning his face. Alex opened the door for him and let him step inside first.

“I talk, you keep your mouth shut!” she threatened him and, as an answer, Ben pretended to zip his lips.  

“Alex, who was at the … oh, hi” Jason appeared from the living room and grinned at the scene in front of his eyes. Soon, their parents too emerged from the salon and the kitchen and Alex felt as if she was under the spotlight.  

“Ehm, this is Ben, a friend from college – she cleared her throat and felt her mouth go drier – his car broke down”

“Oh, that’s terrible!” Alex’s mom immediately commented.

“One of my friends is a mechanic! I’ll call him and tell him to come here and have a look” Alex’s dad, promptly suggested.

“No need to rush, sir. Really. No one is expecting me at home, so I’m in no hurry” Ben almost innocently replied in front of all that kindness, not thinking about how terrible his situation sounded from outside.

Alex had snapped her head in his direction, not sure she had heard correctly. When Ben met her worried gaze, he immediately said:

“Not a big deal, no need to be preoccupied. Everything is… fine”

“Don’t be ridiculous, no one should be alone on Christmas! You can stay here with us. Alex what do you think?” her mom kindly offered and Alex could not stop the redness that spread all over her cheeks.

Jason smirked when she saw her blushing.

Alex looked up at Ben, who shrugged his shoulder and she found herself sighing in defeat.

Her heart had won another match.  

“You can stay. If you want”

On Ben’s lips crept a smile so big, that he thought he would have burst of happiness in a couple of seconds.

“I can’t even find the words to thank you right now,” he then said, diverting his eyes from Alex to her family.

“Oh don’t worry, dear. It’s a pleasure – Alex’s mum said walking closer to hug him – George, Jason, ask him if he needs help with the luggage and Alex, come in the kitchen and add one more seat for tonight’s dinner” she added, plucking Ben’s cheek.

“At your orders” Jason answered and took his coat. Once he was close enough, he elbowed Alex who reserved him an immediate middle finger.

Ben laughed under his breath and it was in that moment that Alex thought about one thing. She took him by the sleeve of the jacket and, as he was about to step out and guide Alex’s brother and dad to his car, she pulled him down and whispered:

“How did you know my address?”

Ben flushed and, nervously adjusting his scarf, he caressed the back of his neck and replied:

“That’s actually a pretty funny story”

-

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[the-witch-and-her-husbands]

I Think I’ll Skip This Christmas, This Year

Bah, humbug!

Perhaps that was a little strong. Jilomena sighed. Christmas WAS her favourite holiday, after all. But it had been a crazy year, mostly passing by in a blur. She could hardly get her head round the fact that it was December already.

She dragged her tired self around the small kitchen. Her new small kitchen. She’d moved to the area in February. It was a quiet town, and the neighbours seemed nice enough. Linda was hard work at times, but Jil was still fond of her.

Mentally, she ticked off the things she still had to do. Work had been hectic, and Jil was incredibly low on energy. Why rush about driving yourself mad because it was the Christmas season? And don’t get her started on how expensive it all was....

Ah, yes. Presents. She still needed to get something to send to her sister and her sister’s husband and her nephew. Ungrateful bastards that they all were. She wondered idly if they’d send her anything in return. You shouldn’t give to receive, that was true, but it would be nice to get SOMETHING. Probably just a scarf, or a pair of socks. Again.

What would her perfect gift be? She mused idly, staring out the window as she sipped her hot chocolate. Maybe some sort of completion to the year just gone, a meaningful connection with someone.

Her mind drifted, unfocused eyes not seeing the snow falling outside. Linda’s friend. Alex Hughes. She’d met him briefly in one of the local shops. He’d seemed interesting, it even seemed as if a spark had passed between them. He was older, but still handsome, funny and self-depreciating. A tasty silver fox, the type that she was normally drawn to. And oh, those glasses! It made her want to remove them slowly before going in for a kiss...but she was getting sidetracked.

They’d even gone so far as to exchange numbers, but nothing had happened. He’d never phoned her, and she wasn’t quite forward enough to phone him. Linda had said he’d had a tough time of it. Perhaps she was expecting too much.

She sighed, attention returning to her list of unfinished tasks. Halls to deck, tree to trim. Really, she just needed to catch her breath.

Explaining to Lettie that she was spending Christmas by herself this year had been fun. Lettie couldn’t understand why Jil wanted, no, NEEDED, some time alone. Couldn’t understand why she was passing up a family holiday in Bermuda to be ‘stuck in all that horrid shitty snow.’

But the frozen landscape outside her window was like a picture from a calendar. She loved Canada, loved the snow blanketing everything with its uniform whiteness. Like the world made new. Even if the house seemed to have a chill she could never quite get rid of, it was still wonderful to her. The way the snow sparkled on the evergreens took her breath away.

Lettie hated winter. Jilomena loved it. Lettie preferred warm weather and springtime.

Thinking of springtime made Jil think of Alex again.

He’d been visiting Linda when she dropped by. This time, there was actually a mention of the two of them going for lunch together, but they couldn’t seem to agree on a day that was convenient for the both of them. A shame. They laughed and agreed that they’d try to keep in touch.

They didn’t. Not until it was summertime. He was heading to his lake house for the weekend. He had a boat. Would she care to join him?

She DID care to join him, but this time she put paid to it by getting a severe sunburn. Second degree burns. Linda had nagged her incessantly, telling her over and over that she needed to wear sunscreen, the sun was hot and didn’t Jil know that?! Burns were a bad thing to have...

Ah well. Too late to do much about it. She’d set her mind to forget it and concentrate on the holidays.

Work occupied her days. Time passed in a blur, and already it was Christmas Eve.

She’d decided to hell with tradition, she was going to have her Christmas dinner on Christmas Eve that year. It would have driven Lettie to distraction, she thought with a smug smile as she popped the world’s smallest turkey breast into her nice and hot oven. But this way she could get it over with, and spend Christmas Day slobbing about in her pyjamas, watching crap on the television and picking at leftovers all day.

Let’s see, she mused. Potatoes, check. Peas, carrots, and corn, check. Stuffing, check and check! She loved stuffing. Cranberry sauce...uh oh.

She quickly ransacked the cupboards, trying and failing to find the cranberry sauce. Oh, damn. She sighed heavily. There was no use pretending that she could have dinner without it.

She turned off the oven and got on her boots, ready to trudge back out in the snow. Luckily, the Valu-Mart was still open if she hurried.

Jil arrived several minutes later at her destination, cheeks pink with the cold and exertion. She stalked straight for the condiments aisle, weak with relief when she managed to grab the last jar of cranberry sauce on the shelf. It wasn’t her usual brand, but she was past caring, grateful she was able to have it at all.

Only one line was open for checkout. Just her luck that there was a customer already waiting. She sighed inwardly as she got in line behind him.

When he turned to place his item on the counter, she gasped audibly. ‘Alex! Oh my God!’

He looked up, confused for a moment. The look turned into a wide smile when he saw who it was. ‘Oh, hello again, Jilomena. Just doing a little last minute shopping. I’m on my own this year, needed a break, it’s been insanity...’ He trailed off, gesturing at the lonely jar of cranberry sauce that he’d put down.

‘Me too! But why are you...’ She stopped, seeing the item he’d put down. ‘You mean...you forgot cranberry sauce too?!’ She laughed then, a big belly laugh of pure mirth until her eyes were watering. It was too surreal to be believed.

He joined in, once she held up her lone item for purchase.

The sales clerk stared at them impatiently, wanting them to finish having hysterics and buy their damn cranberry sauce and go home so she could close up.

‘Well. Put that back and we’ll combine our efforts,’ he managed at last. ‘ We can go to mine, or I can come to yours. That is, if you’d like to....’ He trailed off then, a nervous smile on his face.

‘I’d love to. I’ll bring the stuffing.’ She slipped her hand into his as the exasperated clerk began to ring up the purchase at long last.

Who would have thought, she mused as she followed him back to his car. Perhaps there is such a thing as Christmas magic...

‘Merry Christmas.’ He gave her a quick kiss before opening the door for her.

‘Merry Christmas!’ she repeated with a grin, sliding herself inside his car.

I’m so glad I didn’t skip this one, this year, she mused with a smile.

[slothgiirl]

forever isn’t for everyone part 11

We sit down at a McDonalds. The Chinese theater visible from the window. 

I can't help but notice that bags under his eyes are gone as he sits across from me. Cheeks flushed red, for once his skin wasn't quite so pale.

While the first floor is still moderately trafficked by people, both families and people out for a fun night, the second floor is devoid of anyone other than us. A fact I'm sure Alex was counting on. 

"What the fuck," I utter, taking a seat across from him. There were no other words, as I tried to wrap my mind around the idea that-that vampires exist and that Alex was apparently one. I fixed my gaze on his bambi eyes, trying to reconcile the imagine imprinted into my mind of crimson irises. 

"El," Alex tries, clenching his jaw as he rests his palms on the plastic tabletop. 

"No," I shake my head, not daring to take my eyes of Alex. "Just-just explain this . . .I don't know." There probably wasn't anything he could say that would rationalize this, that would make me stop freaking out. 

I think of all the time we spent together, in the night, in the dark. 

He reaches a hand out towards me, an openness to his expression, movements slow. His lips cracked open, a tad bit, as if he's trying to think of the right words to say. 

I flinch. 

Seeing the blood, the girl, all over again. Blood on his mouth, on the lips I had kissed so eagerly once upon a time. 

Alex pulls back, curling in on himself, shoulders hunching over, letting his hair fall into his eyes without reaching to push in back. He frowns, his gaze falling from you to the table. It almost makes me feel bad, but then I remember how we had left things. It takes all the sting out of his expression. 

"Just-just start somewhere," I ask him. I can't take this tension anymore. Maybe it'll help. 

Having some context. 

"Alright," he sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose, closing his eyes as he takes a deep breath. "Alright. Guess I gotta start somewhere." Alex runs a hand through his hair, before meeting my eyes once more.  

"I-uh. . .I met Miles ah couple of years ago. He'd just gotten into London. With tha band." Alex sits up straighter. Swallowing thickly. "I-I dunno. It's Miles. There was this girl playing a tune. And I was there by me self. . .I've been by me self for a decade by then. Miles just. . .just uh was suddenly there. It was easy from there."

"And you told him," I fill in, unable to keep the hurt out of my voice. I don't know if I would have handled it any better if he'd told me before. And it wasn't my secret-I wasn't entitled to anything. 

But god had I fallen for this man. 

Even now, I keep waiting to hear something that will clean the slate of the last few months.

Maybe if he just wipes it all away. . .

It's a nice thought, but it wouldn't be real. 

"Miles," Alex pauses, bringing his hand to his chin. "Miles figured it out. A couple of months later. Guess it was pretty suspicious that I never go out in the day." He laughs humorlessly.

For the first time, you wonder how old he actually is. When was the last time he'd seen the sun rise?

"Well now I feel stupid."

"No," Alex cuts in, his hand reaching to grasp mine once more, his touch as electric against my skin as it was the first time, even a brush enough to set me aflame, "no. You weren't stupid El. I could see. . .I could see you start to put things together. And-I didn't want you tah know. I wanted. . ." His cheeks turn scarlett, as he ducks his head down. 

"I thought we could have more time together El," he states, looking up through his eyelashes, "Without any complications."

And wasn't that the understatement of the year. 

The truth was I had begun to become suspicious, and if we hadn't, if he hadn't been an ass, I probably would've put things together. I mean if Miles could, then do could I. 

"You still didn't have to be an ass," I note, looking at my hand, held in his. 

"I'm sorry," he utters, his thumb tracing circles on the back of my hand, "it was stupid but I thought if you hated me, you'd never want to see me again."

"You underestimated my professionalism," I retort, smiling sadly. 

"That I did," Alex nods, the edges of his lips turning up, eyes twinkling in the harsh fluorescent lights. 

"When-you still haven't explained the whole dracula thing," I point out, because there was no way my feelings, whatever that mess was right now, was going to distract me from the fact that bloody vampires exist. 

Alex laughs bitterly, lips curving into a sardonic smile. "That's certainly one way to put it."

I shrug, pulling away, and crossing my hands against my chest, tasing a brow and stating, "well?"

He nods. "It's. . .its ya know. . .blood and chance encounters."

I roll my eyes. "How can you be such a good writer and so bad at storytelling."

"Just give me a moment love," Alex smiles, the bite softening, "it's-its just a lifestyle by now. I've got to drink a bit of blood every few days. Can't go out in the sun." He frowns. "I loved summer days. Loved the warmth of the sun, just made me feel happy ya know. After months of rain."

"I'm sorry," I tell him, trying to imagine never feeling the heat of the sun, waking up and knowing I could finally wear a dress without ten layers. 

"It's alright," he states, "I've had entire lifetimes to get over it."

"So you're really an old man underneath the baby face," I note, smiling despite the turmoil of emotions, of loss and want and just feeling completely lost as I try to come to terms with this.

He chuckles, "I do still get carded outside of London pretty often."

"And you're really?"

"I was born in 1811," he admits. 

"Wow," I gasp, eyes widening. That would-he was more than two hundred years old. "How did-how do you even end up a v-vampire?"

Alex shrugs, "I was never trying. Dracula hadn't even been written yet. It just sort of happened."

"Alright but how? Wait no go back," I tell him, "Dracula hadn't been written! Did people know about vampires like the whole twilight craze?"

"More of a folklore thing. They were still going around about witches. . .," he looks up thoughtfully, "guess witches were all the rage back then."

"So you can brainwash people. . .what else?"

" 's not exactly brainwashing. Just suggestion. I can't. . .I cant make people do anything they don't want to do. And they all like forgetting the nasty bits."

I frown. "You mean the part where you drink their blood?"

"Yeah," he smirks, "that part. They just want to have the good time." I purse my lips. Thinking back on all the times we'd spend together. All the nights. 

"I never-I never did it tah you El," Alex whispers, "I would never. . .I love you. I know ya probably don't want to hear it right now, but I do."

I look away, eyes stinging as they fill with tears. It's Alex and a month has done nothing to-it's still too soon and shit. It's not something I want to deal with when all I can see is Alex's blood coated lips. "Just tell me more."

"I can't do any of that bat shit. Or mist. Complete fookin lies. So is sleeping in a coffin. But-but the mirror thing is true. Rare. . .now. Silver backed mirrors aren't too common. The sun will burn me. Bram Stoker made the garlic and crucifix bit up. I have fangs but nothing noticeable."

I raise a brow, my gaze immediately going to his mouth. 

"I'm careful. Can’t tell unless you’re up close and know what to look for," he laughs, noticing my stare. "And my eyes turn red when I. . .uh-feed. As I'm sure you noticed."

"Alex-," I start, breaking off as I realize I have no clue what to say. What to do with this information. 

"El," he says, his gaze steady. "ya don't have to dea with any of this. Just say the word-"

"I'd rather know." I think about all the people I've ever known. I don't think I've ever met another vampire. Looking back, Alex's habits stick out, when you know what to look for. Not having any food. 

"El. I do mean it. I love you."

"Please don't."

He sighs, "it was wrong of me to think we could make things work. That we could have something normal when I’ve long left that behind. It was selfish, but I can't make myself regret it."

I swallow thickly. "I need time to think."

"El?"

"Please," I tell him, "I need time to think. You can't just-you can't expect me to know what to say."

"Alright El," he smiles softly and it's like my heart is breaking all over again. His brown eyes, that weren't actually brown at all. 

I lean in, "can I see?"

Alex's gaze flickers around the second floor. Still as empty as when we had sat down, the voices of customers downstairs drifting up. Then his gaze meets mine, first the hazelnut colour dusted with flecks of gold, then in a blink, the dark crimson colour, like a vintage garnet, deep and rich and absorbing in all the light. 

My hand reaches to him. Fingertips ghosting the skin of his cheekbones, resting on his temples, seeking him out with a desire that has not abated. His eyes flutter shut.  

Unmoving in my touch. 

I must be insane, to have seen him, to have him bare before me and still want him all the same. 

This time, when I lean in, I tilt my head to his, meeting his lips with mine. It's no, intense nicholas sparks moment of reunion, of the scene before the credits when everything works out, just a quick kiss on his lips. 

The surprise is clear in his features, Alex's eyes blown wide. 

"We should start over, without world changing secrets."

He nods, a tiny bob if his head, his lips still touching mine. Neither of us willing to pull away first. "Anything you want El."

[post-itpenny]

Miss for Magpie perhaps

Let’s party 

She was alone at home.

Again.

Magpie sighed, she supposed it wasn’t a bad thing actually. Juno has come for a few days visit and was currently taking Honey and Brie to the movie theater.

Perhaps she should have accepted the offer to join them? Magpie shook her head, no the movie wasn’t to her taste. Besides, she couldn’t help but find it sweet the young ones were having fun together. She would just feel like a babysitter, Magpie was certain.

Juno also seemed eager to do something fun, Magpie noticed. Her niece had never been one for indoor activities so that could only mean something was bothering the butterfly.

Was it her brother?

Magpie rolled over on the couch she was currently reclining on. She felt so awful about Vespers and Cosmos fighting. This isn’t what she wanted she just needed to get away from things. how was she to know what would happen?

Magpie sighed.

Damn she needed a life.

Magpie frowned, probably a lot more than that but it certainly was not a road she was going down anytime soon.

Magpie sat up and looked around. Her home had become a little untidy with so many people living in it.

Correction, so many young people living in it.

Correction to her correction. Magpie had zero incentive to pick up the place. She sighed and snapped her fingers. In an instant the home was spotless, from every dust bunny down to the last dish in the sink.

So now what?

Trouble had been snuck into the theater by Brie so taking the dog for a walk was a no. She wasn’t hungry nor feeling particularly creative so setting up one of her webs was out.

Magpie pulled on her coat and left the house. She couldn’t sit at home, her mind wandered far too much.

Magpie walked the streets, at one point her nose catching a plethora of scents: excited, chaos, lust, anger, delight.

Wow, what a mix.

Not much of it appealed to her, but Magpie was still curious. She rounded the corner and smirked. Alexander’s nightclub, but the looks of things it was a busy night.

She ended up standing in line, several of the patrons giving her odd looks. Magpie looked at her outfit. A simple blouse, skirt, and blazer; it was a perfectly nice outfit. At least she wasn’t half naked like so many of the young human girls that were in line. Though as Magpie looked she noticed one young woman wearing a particularly nice pair of boots. Magpie looked down at her flats with a frown, then snapped her fingers. A pair of knee high boots appeared around Magpies feet. She smiled, no they didn’t match her outfit but she did like them quite a bit. A few people behind her in line looked on in surprise, how did she do that?

Soon Magpie was at the front of the line before the bouncer. Magpie smiled, “good evening.”

The bouncer arched an eyebrow and looked down at the clipboard in his hand. Before he could even say anything-

“Well it looks like Lady Luck dropped in!” Alex greeted as he stepped out of the club. “Ah girl, what’s up?”

Magpie looked up in confusion as Alexander chuckled and pulled her out of line. “I’m asking whats shakin’.”

Magpie blinked, “I’m not shaking though, I brought a coat.”

Alex laughed, seeming to admit defeat. “How are you?”

Magpie sighed in relief, “to be honest I needed to get out.”

Alex grinned, “oh you definitely came to the right place. Go on inside, I always like to pick a few “special guests” if you know what I mean. People who really know how to party.”

Magpie nodded and headed inside, she didn’t need to ask what he meant, considering his glasses spelled out “hungry” and all.

Magpie wondered around the less crowded areas of the club. This was so different from how she recalled humans interacting growing up. So much had changed. Granted she had visited dimensions where civilizations were more developed, but it had always been with her parents and never for a long stay. Magpie felt a bitterness in the back of her throat. She would have loved to interact with this culture through the decades. No it wasn’t to her appetite, but it was still fun. Magpie found herself randomly on the dance floor, someone pulling her into a dance.

Well, why not?

It was after Alex had been sure to get his special guests “taken care of” and his stomach satisfied that he realized there was something… different about his club.

The lights were brighter, people more energetic, and somehow everyone’s favorite song came on next. Out of curiosity, Alex snagged a drink and took a sip. Stronger, tastier, the ice wasn’t melting in the glass. Also, when did everyone get glow rings?

Alex grinned and made his way through the crowd.No one had their toes stepped on, no one spilled a drink, everyone’s second favorite song somehow came on next.

He found Magpie in the middle of the dance floor with stacks of glow rings around both arms and her neck. She grinned, clearly buzzed.

“Alex! Hello!” Magpie giggled as she pulled him into a dance. Magpie actually couldn’t stop giggling and as Alex dances with her he noticed that from somewhere above the bubble machine started up.

Did they own one of those?

Nonetheless the crowd was excited as tiny bubbles floated down from above.

As they danced Alex noticed something else, the crowd around them grew in close, people actually reaching out to touch Magpie without seeming to be aware they were doing so, though Magpie herself seems to bask in the attention. Growing more and more drunk as the night wore on. There was a strong scent in the crowd, what was it?

Alexander was curious, “hey Pie how much did you drink tonight?”

Magpie smiled at him, her eyes unfocused, “ha-haven’t why?”

Alexander sniffed the air again, ah so that was it.

He decided to pull Magpie to the bar where she could sit down and have a glass of water, the effect was immediate as Magpie began to sober up and smell of adoration from the crowd diminished. Seems they were unconsciously drawn to the source of all the good vibes, huh.

“Girl we gotta work on your tolerance,” Alex chuckled. “Having fun?”

Magpie gave a tired nod, “yes actually.”

And then someone tripped into Magpie, splashing her with both the glass of heater in her hand and the alcohol in theirs.

It was like the air had been sucked out of the building. Alexander watched as behothe bar three bottles of liquor fell over and shattered. The dj’s equipment suddenly sparked, setting off the sprinklers.

Magpie whipped around in panic. “I’m sorry! I- I can fix it!”

Alex shrugged with his signature grin, the sprinklers already turning off but it was clear the party was over. “It’s all good chica, how about we go someplace I know where they have a party that’s real crunk.”

Magpie looked to him in confusion before folding her hands thought deeply.

Alex grinned, “take your time…”

Finally, Magpie looked up at him, “good?”

“You got it!”

It was hours later and the sun just rising that they were back at the front door to Magpie’s home. They both had confetti and glitter in their hair, Magpie had successfully collected enough glow rings to completely cover bother of her arms from wrist to shoulder.

“I just think they’re neat.” She grinned. “Thank you for the fun time Alexander-“

“It’s Alex.”

“My apologies, Alex. I feel like I’ve missed out on so much even when I’ve been here and not with the excuse of being locked away. Thank you for being such a good friend to me. I know Maggie and Vespers can give you a bit of a hard time on occasion and I do apologize for that.”

Alex grinned, “hey it’s all good. Heheh.”

Magpie hugged him, “you’re a good person Alex. I understand why Belinda brags about what a good brother you are.” Magpie finished with a wink.

Alexander’s grin broadened, “well you’re a pretty swell gal too. Come by anytime and we’ll have some fun.”

Magpie quietly entered and shut the door with the slightest “click.” All was dark as she tiptoed towards the stairs.

When a light clicked on.

Juno sat in an armchair with an open book in her lap, frowning at her aunt. “So what time do you call this?”

[persephone-andromeda]

Part 3

Pairing: Alex Hogh x OC

Warnings: Angst

Word count: 1,411

It’s all over social media and by all over social media, I mean I made it to the Google Discover page. Now everyone can read about how I punched my therapist in the face. I try to open the article, but Alex plucks my phone from my hands.

“Hey!”

“Hay is for horses,” he says and tucks my phone away in his jacket. “Stop looking at it and come out with me. No, we’re not going to the club. Dinner, you and me.”

“And Marco, and Gee, and…”

I can feel his eyeroll from my spot on the couch. I’m curled up as much as I can be as I try my best to hide from the world. But I can’t seem to hide from Alex anymore.

“That was one time. I’m never going to hear the end of it, am I?”

I shake my head but smile a little. At least I know my sense of humor is still intact, what’s left of it. I really don’t want to go out since the article has been posted of my mistake, another one to add to the long list I already have going, and I’m certain that we’ll be spotted, not because of the blood red hair cropped to my shoulders that’s become my discerning feature, but because the article raises questions. What was I going to therapy for? What secrets does my ex-therapist have to exploit? What dirt is in my past?, etc.

“Alex, I don’t think it’s a good idea. People-” I start to protest but he strides over and picks me up, shrieking and all. “Put me down, Andersen!”

One of the things about Alex is that he’s a good listener, but only when he wants to be. Sometimes I think he purposely ignores me just to piss me off and other times he listens when I don’t want him to, which is partially the reason he discovered my drug issues. To this day, I still wish he hadn’t walked into my apartment when he did, and I curse myself for giving him the spare key. Right now, he’s ignoring my protests as he carries me over to the doorway and plopping me down on the floor. I cross my limbs and huff.

“Evna, Google isn’t TMZ. It’s not the end of the world. You’ll be fine and by this time tomorrow, I’m sure it’ll be gone, and people will forget about it, if anyone has actually taken the time to read it.”

I still don’t turn to face him and even purposely turn my whole body away just to annoy him. He just sits right behind me and rests his chin on my head. Another thing about him is that he’s persistent. I keep my resolve for a little while longer as he just sits but melt a little when he wraps his arms around me. Curse him for being so perfect.

“Fine,” I let out in an exaggerated groan of defeat. “But I want to be home by ten and I’m wearing the wig.”

He kisses my head.

“As the lady wishes.”

****

By the time we arrive at Jagger, my head is itching from the brown wig that makes me less noticeable, and it’s past six and it’s not as crowded as I thought it would be. Only two tables out front are occupied with the white chairs catching the setting rays of the sun. He lets go of my hand to open the door and I step inside, instantly feeling at ease. Alex tells me to pick a table and I look to one of the tables by the window but feel that anyone walking by could see us. Alex would say I’m just being paranoid.

I sigh and slide into the chair and look out the glass to watch cars and people go by. Despite my vast array of issues that have been exasperated with fame, I still love this city. It’s a beautiful place to be and I know that this is my home, but I still think of my birthplace and that many what if’s if my mother had kept me. At least I have Alex.

He takes the seat opposite me with the tray a few minutes later and I can’t pass up the opportunity to tease him.

“So, if this is your idea, I can’t wait to see what you come up with for an actual dinner date.”

He rolls his eyes again as he pops a fry into his mouth.

“Relax, flame. You don’t have to worry your pretty little head about it. Alex has got everything under control.”

A little spark of hope blooms up in my chest. All teasing aside, I would love to work up the courage to ask him on a proper date so I could stop with the teasing and the flirting and finally be secure in something I want. But that’s never going to happen. He’s Alex and I’m trying to recover drug addict Evna.

But I need to know if there’s even a slight chance that maybe he, or someone else, could ever love me. I know he’ll be honest, at least try to be, but I want an answer, even if I don’t want to hear it.

“I want to ask you something, but I want you to be honest with me,” I say as I look up at him and not at my fries. “I want you to tell me the truth, even if it’ll hurt my feelings.”

He sets his burger down and wipes his hands on the napkin before leaning on the counter to look at me.

“Should I be scared?”

“No.” I shake my head and regret saying that. Of course he should be. “Do you think I’m too fucked up to be loved?” I ask as I swirl a fry in the paper cup that he filled with ketchup for me.

His silence is deafening, and I look up at him trying to process what I asked. Or maybe he’s trying to make up a lie. He opens his mouth but closes it as he lets out a sigh, munching on another fry, before leaning forward to look me in the eyes, and I get lost, but only for a moment.

“I think if you keep thinking that way about yourself, you will be.”

“That’s not an answer, Alex.”

“Well, that’s all I got for you, Evna. I don’t know how to answer that or if I even want to.”

I withdraw with my arms close together on the table and look down at my food once more. My appetite is out the window.

“I’m sorry,” I speak softly.

“You don’t have to be sorry. I just….” He pauses to collect his thoughts. “You’ve been through a lot and those experiences have changed you, but we all have a lot more changing to do before we die. Where you are now isn’t going to be the final Evna. Are you flawed? Yes, but so is everyone else. You and I, Marco, Gee, Jordan, all of us now have every inch of our private lives underneath a microscope for people to see and interpret as they see fit and that’s not fair, never will be, but we’ve got to be the best we can despite that.” He takes his hands in mine as I look up at him with watery eyes. “You are not your mistakes, okay? We all mess up in life and that’s just how it is but you cannot let that from preventing you from doing what you love or being who you want to be. I believe in you, Evna, and I know that you will overcome this. This is not the end of your story or of Mernin for that matter. I think she’s still going to kick Ivar’s ass into the next century.”

I laugh and wipe my eyes with the napkin in front of me and Alex wipes away the tears I’ve missed.

“Thank you,” I say as I squeeze his hands in mine.

He leans across the counter to kiss me and for those few seconds, I feel the high I so desperately crave seep into my veins, and I believe him. I believe his words that I can be better. As we part and finish our food, I know that there’s no chance for us to be together. I won’t be alive long enough to see it.

TAGS: @unbetaedimagines @i-am-amora-the-enchantress

[marcusmettalus]

Dawning/Winterveil/Yuletide.

Christmas/Yule with a few of my characters. Thought this would be a nice long write in different verses with similar themes.

Enjoy it all below the cut!~

The Tower, Last City, Earth.

Amanda Holiday was working on a jumpship's turbo arc-injector, it had been her latest project the last few days and it was going nowhere. Grumbling, she tosses her spanner into the nearby toolbox, muttering some manner of obscenities as she stormed off to her alcove.

Her assistant-frame clinks over to reorganize the contents of the tipped over toolbox, as Amanda drinks from her water flask, still muttering and trying to solve this latest conundrum, when a gentle voice spoke.

"I do hope I am not disturbing you Miss Holiday." Amanda turned round to see an Awoken Warlock, with that sharp styled hair and dimly glowing golden hues.

"Nah, you're fine Tez. Just this ship got my springs all wound up and it ain't giving way for me. Sigh,," the blonde human combs ran her stained gloves through her messy hair, leaning against the steel frame of her little shack.

"Maybe you need to take your mind off of the,, springs, and look at something else for a bit. Clear your mind, see things in a new light." Tez'sara chuckles quietly before pulling out a parcel for Amanda, bound in emerald green paper and silver ribbons.

"Happy Dawning Miss Holiday." Tez'sara grins broadly while Amanda laughs softly, taking the gift and plopping herself down onto her workstool.

"Aaaw, Tez you shouldn't have. This is adorable, thank you baby. I got nothing for you tho-"

"I think you have given me a lot over the years Miss Holiday, and you've helped me more than just fixing up my ship. You've lent your ear and your thoughts to me."

Amanda smiles tenderly, what weight on her shoulders slipping away as she opened up the gift, to reveal a set of new tools of curious design. "What in tarnation,,?"

"They adjust their heads to wrap about what you are working on, so I call them 'Morph-keys'!" Tez'sara bounces a little excitedly while Amanda looks over the tools, holding up one the keys, before having a light bulb moment.

"Wait wait a hot second,, maybe,, yes! I think you helped with my problem!" Amanda rushes back over to the jumpship and a few second later, the drive roars into life, the turbo arc-charger purring happily.

"Ha ha! It worked! Tez, I swear I could," Amanda whirls around to look for Tez'sara but found that the Warlock has gone, her smile dropping slowly, "kiss you.."

Tyran sat at the edge of the cliff, overlooking festivities below in Stormwind. The humans, the elves, the dwarves and gnomes have decorated the city with lights and baubles, great pines from Dun Morogh set up in the squares and plazas.

Winterveil was in full swing below, yet Tyran sat alone at the top of the cliff, alone. It has been months now since the war between the Alliance and Horde started in earnest, and Tyran had now left the adoptive home of the Horde. The aging dragon, in his Orc form, sighed deeply, a dense cloud of hot air billowing away.

"There you are, I was wondering where I would find you,, you always had a sweet spot for this city."

Tyran tensed up as he heard that melodious voice, and did not need to turn to see who it was approaching. The armored heels cut through the snow with ease, the flowing red shawl and cape floating behind, as the Queen of the Red Dragonflight approached Tyran from behind.

“My Queen,, I thought you did not wish to see me,,” Tyran spoke slowly, turning his head slightly away as Alexstrasza stood next to the cliff edge.

“Tyranastrasz, I required time to process my emotions and mind. I mourned your passing, I saw your blood stain those tiles and the claws of Deathwing, your corpse dragged away to be burned or butchered or worse. Decades pass, and we all mourned.Then, my beautiful daughter Elestrasza, comes home with you in tow, not truly realizing who you truly were. I,” Alexstrasza falters, having started so strong but now those emotions she thought sorted come welling up again,”I saw right away. It was you, alive, changed and scarred, but alive. I was shocked, overjoyed, furious, lost and found,,”

Tyran closes his eyes, his chin dipping to touch his chestplate, sighing deeply. Alex clenched her fists, her clawed fingers digging into her palms before she relaxed. “You came back from the dead, I had just come to accept your loss, I had found a new consort and started a new clutch,,”

“Twas not my plan to disrupt the peace you had created, My Queen.” Tyran spoke quietly, but Alex heard clearly.

“I am not your Queen, Tyranastrasz,,”

Tyran flinches, his eyes squeezing tightly as he waited for whatever was to follow those words. He expected a blow, a vicious blow of words, something. But, all he felt was those warm hands gingerly caress and trace over his jaw and cheek, contrasting to the biting chill winds whipping the mountain.

“, you are my husband, my King, my closest companion I had ever had for millennia. Always by my side, the soundest of mind, and the fiercest of warriors. There can be no true comparison for such a man as you. Queen is not sufficient enough of a word to used.”

Tyran opened his eyes, looking into the glimmering hues of the Lifebinder, and smiled wholeheartedly. As the sun begins to dip behind the mountain, lovers once separated, are reunited.

30km off the coast of New York State, United States of America, Earth.

The massive vessel slowly drifted over the soft waves of the North Atlantic, its heavy engines and drives idle. The deep red and blackened armored hull almost indistinguishable from the night sea spray, salt and ice staining the void hardened metal.

Galaxus slumbered, the great carrier resting in these short hours of the early morning on Earth. The waves on this great ocean, he had found soothing to him, and would often land here when he felt weary from the conflicts and travelling. On board, many of the gang were either resting or tinkering with their hobbies. but some could not dictract themselves.

Cometstrike tapped her talons lightly against the bulkhead door, a door that led outside onto the outer hull of Galaxus. She wanted to fly for a bit, but knew it would reveal the position of not only herself, but also of Galaxus and the gang. Given the humans latest activites and organizations,,

A blast of chilled wind hits her visor as she exits onto the outer hull, icy water getting kicked up by the crashing waves against the hull. Acitivating her mag locks in her feet, the female Autobot walked along the top of the carrier till she was half way down. As she looked up into the night sky, she could see the myriad of stars and constellations softly glowing in the vastness of space.

She hesitates again, the call for flight is strong here, the whipping winds, the clear dark skies, the thrill of evading detection. But the sight of the night stars distract her.

The golden dermis and neon azure lights glint against the dark waves and armor. Lost for the moment.

“You cannot rest, but you cannot attain excitement for risk of bringing danger to your companions.” Cometstrike whirls around with her blades drawn, the visor locking onto the source of the voice, only to see no one around. Comet looks around again, before looking down to spy an opened service duct, revealing what looks to be a speaker of sorts. Sighing softly she retracts her blades.

“Aye, do not blame yourself Galaxus, I enjoy your hospitality but I do feel sometimes confined within your hold and walkways. I want to feel some openness and freedom, to feel myself soar again, breaking the sound barrier.”

“Nothing to apologize for sister. I know these emotions deeply. Even as we speak, I wish to feel the chilled embrace of the Void, the rumble of my drives as I traverse the stars, to find new realms to explore and to feel the silent roar of combat in space.” 

“,, I recognized you, you know? When you and Earthquake offered to save Starlight. I did not say anything at the time, but I knew whom you were. You were at the Battle of Cretus Tertius, it was the first time any of the Autobots saw your kind. You and your siblings d-”

“They were not my brothers and sisters. I was awake, they were machines, forced into a war not of their own. They saw and killed, but could not get rid of Megatron’s leash. I resisted, I yanked on the chains they tried to bind me with. But the damage was done, and it would take me many years before I got the shackles removed.” Galaxus rumbled softly, the hull shuddering slightly underneath Comet’s feet, but they soon went away.

“Since then, I have fought against the shackle and chain, the rule of tyrants, and that anyone should follow their Spark in their inter-celestial flight across the sea of stars. Like you once did, long ago.” Comet snaps to look back down at the speaker system, squinting behind the visor before she feels something soft beginning to fall on her dermis.

Soft petals of snow had begun to fall down over the Atlantic, and starting to dust over the large carrier and Comet.

“,, remind me what day it is Sister?”

“On Earth, it is the 25th of their twelfth month. Why?”

“Then in the traditions of Earth, may I wish you a Merry Yuletide. It is a time to look to one’s family, think of the future, and what bright goals you set to better yourself, and to aide those you call friends and family.”

[queen-scribbles]

Of Lucky Breaks

Okay, here we go, Happy Birthday, Alex!  and only a month late.  😰 

Sometimes, to get what you wanted, you had to make sacrifices. If you were lucky, you got to choose what was sacrificed. Trinne’s luck in that area had been... mixed, at best. But this time, it had been her choice-- and she’d gladly traded a few nights in her (warm, comfortable) bed for getting to spend more than a passing few seconds with Harvey for the first time in weeks.

The Wardens in general were extremely busy during the rebuilding period--not enough hands, too much work--and the two of them even moreso. Spending time together took effort(which both were happy to do), and actual time(which both found in short supply). Most days started with a rushed kiss good morning--if they were lucky--before they went their separate ways and ended with whoever tumbled into bed last mumbling g’night, usually met with a half-awake grunt from the other. On days they weren’t so lucky, they weren’t even in the same place.

Hence Trinne’s willingness to give up her rotation back at Vigil’s Keep in order to go to the city with Harvey. Even if this was largely going to be negotiation and diplomacy and all those things he was far better at than her, at least they could be together. A few more nights spent camping and the potential for being bored out of her skull were a worthwhile sacrifice for that.

Trinne was brought out of her musings by a gentle nudge against her knee.  “Mm?”

Harvey raised an eyebrow as he offered her her share of dinner again. “You seemed awfully lost in thought. Usually food gets a much faster reaction out of you. Everything alright?”

“Just tired,” she said, taking the food with a nod of thanks. “Heading right back out after a four day patrol and all.”

He frowned slightly. “You didn’t have to come.”

“If I wanna have a decent amount of time with you, yes, I did,” Trinne countered dryly. “And I’m not complaining, just prob’ly gonna sleep like a log once I turn in.” Hard ground or no, Warden dreams or no, she was fairly certain of that.

Harvey shot her a bemused smile. “So you should have first watch, in other words?”

“Yeah. Probably a good idea,” she admitted. “And I still might be grumpier’n usual in the morning, so let me apologize in advance for that.”

He gave a single nod. “Noted.”

They lapsed into comfortable silence after that; both enjoying the food and the relative peace and quiet as best they could. Trinne had just swallowed her last bite and was about to ask for the trip’s itinerary when something rippled at the edge of her senses. It was a familiar ripple. One she hated under the best of circumstances and had been praying they would avoid this trip. No such luck, apparently. Damn it.

An exasperated sigh escaped her when the ripple came again and she glanced over at Harvey. “Did you feel that?”

>>X<<

He hadn’t, not yet, but there was only one thing that caused her that level of exasperation. Harvey shook his head. “Which way?”

He’d really been hoping this trip would be uneventful. Go to the city, discuss the plans for rebuilding, what the Vigil could contribute while dealing with their own reconstruction and losses, head back to deal with his responsibilities at the Vigil. No excitement, no surprises. That hope had gone double when Trinne decided to tag along. He’d known why, of course, even before she said it. But he shared her opinion of their (lack of) time together and so didn’t protest. It would be good to have some time sort of for themselves.

And now there apparently were darkspawn. Not many, if Trinne could sense them and he couldn’t(yet), but they were there. No lucky breaks for us, then.

“They’re over that way,” Trinne pointed toward the setting sun. “Not close at all; it’s really faint, and I’m pretty sure it’s a small group...”

“But darkspawn are darkspawn. Regardless of their number.” Or which master they served....

Trinne groaned and rubbed her temples. “I was afraid you were gonna say that, Cousland. We gotta go find ‘em, don’t we?”

“That is covered by our job description, yes,” he replied dryly. “Unless you want me to scout it out alone first?”

“No, no. I’m not asking you to track down a darkspawn band solo.” She pushed to her feet and gripped her staff. “We go together.”

He wasn’t going to argue. Trinne was fairly good at being stealthy, and backup was always a good idea when dealing with darkspawn. So they banked the campfire, concealed their packs, and headed off in the direction Trinne had indicated.

It didn’t take long before Harvey could feel the vertigo of nearby darkspawn as well. It stated as a muted tug and grew stronger, until he murmured, “Four of them?”

“Five, I think,” Trinne whispered back. “Unless one is really, really big. And I think I’d rather deal with five.”

He concentrated a little harder and had to agree with her. Five, all relatively average as darkspawn went. No alphas or emissaries. Must be our lucky day.

Trinne bit back a smile and for a second Harvey wondered if he’d actually voiced the deadpan comment(or if she’d read his mind). “And to think I left Dane behind, b’cause I didn’t figure I’d need him.”

“Given his absolute inability to be stealthy, that’s probably a good thing,” Harvey pointed out.

“Why? The darkspawn’re gonna be able to sense us anyway,” she shrugged.

“The longer we can put it off, the better. And a mabari warhound galloping toward them would be counterproductive in that respect, I think.” The tugging worsened and he winced. “Don’t you think we can handle them on our own?”

“Well, yeah, but the mabari war hound wouldn’t hurt our odds, that’s for damn sure,” Trinne said with a quiet snicker. “And he enjoys himself.”

Harvey couldn’t resist a smile of his own. “I’m sure he’s perfectly happy back at the Vigil.”

She snorted. “With Sigrun there to spoil him rotten? You bet your life he’s happy. He’s gonna go soft.”

“I doubt that,” Harvey said wryly. “He runs around too much, to go soft.”

Trinne started to reply, but instead sucked in a sharp breath and clenched her jaw around a muffled curse. Having also felt a surge in the vertigo, Harvey was fairly certain he knew why. She usually handled this better, but maybe being tired had her more sensitive to it. They should probably start being quiet, anyway, if they were getting close enough for the sense to spike like that. He caught her free hand and gave a single, wordless squeeze of support, which Trinne met with an equally silent smile of gratitude.

The two of them pressed on in silence, alert and ready for the darkspawn they could sense getting ever closer.

>>X<<

There were five of them. Just as Trinne had predicted. Four hurlocks, and a genlock restlessly clutching a pair of jagged knives A rogue, like as not. They were grouped together well away from the treeline, too far to sneak up on them. One hurlock stood in an approximation of sentry duty while the rest tore apart whatever they’d found to eat. Neither Warden wanted to look too closely at what it may have been.

Trinne nudged his shoulder and Harvey turned to look at her. She gestured at how closely grouped the darkspawn were, then held up both hands, lightning crackling from her fingertips to dance toward the staff’s headpiece. She raised an eyebrow, waiting for his agreement before proceeding.

He gave it to her with a sharp nod. It was a good plan; strong start, would injure and incapacitate the darkspawn--hopefully long enough he could get that genlock out of the picture for good.

Trinne smirked and winked at him as she started working up the spell. Lightning crackled and spat, spreading from her hands back toward her elbows, spiraling around her staff. A few stray sparks snapped out from her hair as well as the spell neared the tipping point. Trinne pulled in one more harsh breath, glanced over to be sure he was ready, and unleashed the lightning toward the unsuspecting darkspawn.

Harvey was moving just a few seconds behind it, daggers out and focus zeroed in on the genlock. The lightning slammed into one of the hurlocks, then leapt from darkspawn to darkspawn until all five were locked in spasms. It was child’s play to dispatch the genlock, one dagger in through the neck of its armor, a severed spinal cord, and it was out of the picture.

It was also, apparently, the only easy kill they were  going to get. The hurlocks recovered quickly, and a pair each closed in on the Wardens.

Trinne yelped behind him, likely in irritated dismay they’d shaken it off so easily. Harvey risked half a glance back, enough to watch the air warp with miasma around her, before dodging a wild swing from the first hurlock that reached him.

It screeched angrily and swung again. This time Harvey ducked under its arm, one blade coming up to gouge the usual weak point at its elbow. But whether because his aim was off or this hurlock had better armor than most, his dagger scraped harmlessly away.

Well. Shit. That was all the mental grousing he had time for as the hurlock wheeled and its elbow caught him in the side of the head. It was pure luck on the hurlock’s part, not deliberate and only glancing , but still made him see stars. 

The hurlock chuffed an ugly laugh and moved in to exploit its unintentional advantage. Shaking off the stars still rattling across his vision, Harvey dodged again, and aimed his next strike at the shoulder joint. This one hit true and a good two inches of the blade sank into the creature’s shoulder.

It bellowed and jerked back. Harvey barely managed to keep hold of the dagger--it did even more damage coming out--and even more barely managed to pivot in time to parry away the second hurlock’s attack. This one was bigger but less heavily armored, both of which he planned to use.

He took advantage of the brief moment the hurlock needed to raise its blade again and slashed open its bicep. Dodged--almost tripped(Maker, his head still hurt)--out of the way when it swung at him. Its size and momentum carried it forward to crash into its fellow darkspawn, and Harvey allowed himself a moment to breathe as he worked out his next move.

That was decided for him by three things in quick succession: the ugly bellow of a hurlock’s laugh, the unmistakable muffled thump of a shield slamming into a body, and Trinne crying out in pain. Harvey spun and lit out toward the mage before the echo of her cry had time to fade.

The ground gave more than he was expecting as he ran, a lingering reminder it had rained the week previous. He’d reached the hurlocks, both with weapons raised, both looking much worse for wear. Trinne had clearly done some damage before one got in a lucky hit. Harvey slipped between them, stunned one with a hard rap to the temple from the pommel of his dagger, and slit the other’s throat. In the brief moment before the remaining darkspawn set upon them, he helped Trinne to her feet.

“Well, that was suitably dashing and heroic,” she managed between clenched teeth, offering a lopsided--and clearly pained--grin.

“Only if you’re claiming to be a damsel in distress,” Harvey countered, raising an eyebrow as he  settled in next to her to face the surviving darkspawn together.

Trinne snorted, then winced. “Yeah, that doesn’t sound much like me, does it?” Her expression flattened in concentration and she flung a stonefist at the nearest of the advancing hurlocks. “The lengths we have to go for a little quality time, huh, Cousland?”

He didn’t have time to do more than snort a dry laugh in quasi-agreement before the hurlocks reached them. 

>>X<<

It was hard to cast with her ribs aching like a sonovabitch, but she didn’t really have much choice. I’ve gotten too used to having armor... Trinne grumbled a curse under her breath and irritably flicked a hex toward the hurlock swinging at Harvey. The magic took hold and the saw toothed blade hit the ground instead, much to the dismay of of its wielder.

Suck on that, you bastard, she thought with grim amusement. That one wouldn’t be able to hit shit for a minute or so.

“Trinne!”

She instinctively ducked at Harvey’s warning, her ribs howling another protest at the abrupt motion. But the darkspawn sword whizzed over her head instead of through it, so she would deal.

A wicked smirk tugged her lips when she saw how close together two of the hurlocks were standing. Time for an old favorite. The lightning buzzed and popped as she called it to hand, sparks dancing around her fingers until she unleashed them toward the darkspawn in a dizzying whirl of purple and white. One--already badly injured from everything else she’d thrown at it--convulsed, twitching in its death throes until the rush of lightning faded, then dropped, lifeless, to the ground.

The other was caught on the fringes, but managed to avoid the main barrage of the spell. It screeched in something between pain and rage at the blistered flesh of its arm (Trinne gagged a little at the smell) and pulled back its arm for a vicious strike.

Trinne’s arms tucked in close as if to protect her battered ribs while she hastily conjured another stonefist. Those weren’t great at close range, but it was better than just letting the damn thing hit her.

Rushed and unaimed as it was, the fist-sized rock glanced off the hurlock’s burned shoulder. It jerked sideways, away from the pain--and straight into the dagger Harvey was already jamming into the hollow under its raised arm.

It must have been a lucky hit; the creature crumpled like old parchment. Even as Harvey’s dagger slid free, however, the lone surviving hurlock backhanded him hard across the face. 

Trinne felt the first vague press of--not terror, panic, maybe?--at the small spray of blood that accompanied his cry of pain. She channeled that panic(concern? no, not strong enough) and her anger that this thing wouldn’t sodding die into a crushing wave of telekinetic energy.

The hurlock must’ve been more battered than it appeared; it only lasted a few pulses of its new prison before hanging limp for the remainder of the spell. Trinne still let the magic run its course--to be safe, obviously, definitely not out of any vindictive streak or extra ire. 

With the danger past, she wheeled toward Harvey, trying to keep from letting too much of her worry bleed into her voice as she demanded, “Let me see.”

Harvey obliged, pulling his hand away so she could see the gash left by the hurlock’s vambrace. It looked ugly, blood already trailed down toward his jaw. “I’ve had worse,” he mumbled, clearly trying to reassure her, even as he left an accidental bloody handprint on her arm.

“I know you have, I was there,” Trinne said wryly, her fingers shaking as she traced the line from just in front of his ear, up past his eye(so, so close to his eye), to his forehead. “I patched you up for most of those, too.”

He snorted softly. “True.”

On the way back down, her touch trailed healing magic in its wake. The skin knit back together without so much as a scar, to her vast relief. Lucky break, it looked worse than it was... She left her hand resting gently against his cheek as she gave him a quick once-over for other injuries. “No permanent damage?”

>>X<<

Harvey shook his head. That spell had done the trick, cleared the pounding headache as well as closing the more obvious injury.

“Your turn,” he said with a pointed nod at the arm she held curled protectively against her ribs.

“Not that simple,” Trinne sighed gingerly. “First I gotta figure out if they’re broken or bruised, and it’s tricky business healin’ ribs. I’ll take care of it when we get back to our camp.” She reluctantly let her hand slide from his cheek. “But first...”

Harvey watched her expression flatten in intense concentration, almost protested she was going to hurt herself, but bit his tongue as flames engulf the dead darkspawn and all the ground where their blood had spilled. That was smart, dealing with it now, rather than coming back later and having to remember. He just hoped she wasn’t pushing herself too hard.

From her white-knuckle grip as she summoned ice to quench the flames, he figured she probably was. Just a little. She let her gaze linger on the clearing to ensure all the fire was out and the corruption nipped in the bud. Then she looked over and shot him a shaky smile. “Okay, we can go now.”

“Are... are you going to be alright?” Harvey stepped closer, one hand on her arm in a wordless offer of support if she wanted it. “Trinne?”

“Mm. Once I get back to camp and can deal with my damn ribs, yes,” Trinne said, flashing a brief--strained--smile. She leaned into his support, accepting it as wordlessly as he’d offered. They made the first half of their walk back in silence before she commented, “Lucky I decided to tag along, huh?”

Harvey raised an eyebrow and ever so slightly adjusted  his grip on her elbow.  “How so?”

Trinne snorted, then hissed in pain. “Ow. Damn, can’t do that right now.... An’ you’re a very skillful fighter, dear, but handling five on one odds would’ve been just a little tricky, wouldn’t you  say?”

“If you hadn’t tagged along I probably wouldn’t have known there were there,” he pointed out. “I’m not as sensitive to their presence as you are.”

“Oh, right.” She huffed loose hair out of her eyes. “Lucky for Amaranthine, then. Maybe not so--ow!--much for us...”

“Are you sure this isn’t something more serious?” Harvey felt obligated to check.

“I’m sure it’s something I can deal with myself,” Trinne replied, her voice strained. “But I’m definitely leaning more toward broken than bruised.” She wilted against him in relief when their campsite came into view. “Sweet, merciful Maker.... Alright, I’m going to sit on that rock and fix my bloody ribs while you get our stuff.” An apologetic smile. “Is that fair?”  

He kissed her temple before depositing her on the indicated rock. “Fair enough.”

>>X<< 

Much to her relief, Trinne found she’d been mostly wrong about her ribs. One was cracked, just a little, but it wasn’t as bad as she’d expected. Lucky me, she thought sarcastically, perched on her rock as she channeled healing magic. But it could be far worse, so she was lucky, even if it didn’t feel like it.

Harvey was too, she mused, watching him get the camp set back up and the fire going again. The hurlock’s backhand could have been so much sodding worse. Just half an inch lower.  Trinne shook off a fresh welling of panic at the thought. No. They were both fine. Or, well, she would be in a minute or two. The rest of this trip would be uneventful and boring, if the Maker was feeling kind. (She hoped he was, He sort of owed them.)

Harvey joined her, slightly squished, the boulder was barely big enough for both of them. “All better?”

“Just about,” she confirmed, smiling as she interlaced her fingers with his and squeezed his hand.

This was what she wanted. No more excitement(on this trip, at least). Just some quality time for the two of them. And, Maker as her witness, that’s what they would get.

If they were lucky.

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I realized, like, 3/4 of the way through that this is sorta similar in the basic plot points to the birthday piece from a couple years ago, but by then I was too committed to scrap it. xD (This one’s more compliant with their canon following a certain change we made after DA:I released....)