#and when my mom got here she lectured me about it not being cleaner and said i should be keeping it clean all the time for my sister

[maybe-your-left]

heavy sigh…. no one asked for this but i’ve been reading too many dad KR fics and have to contribute.

“Have a nice day at school today! Happy Valentines!”

Belle rolled her eyes, closing out of the family text thread. This would not be a nice day at school, it would be the opposite! She-she couldn’t have a good day… it was the dreaded holiday.

Roses, pinks, reds, hearts, chocolates, people handing out cheap pieces of paper to one another in a show of fake affection.

She scoffed at that, the sentiment. Belle was too proud to celebrate such a holiday-no she was a strong, independent woman. Just like her dad said… but today wasn’t going to be a nice day.

Because…

Because…

Because…

She got dumped yesterday!

Belles eyes filled with tears, watery as she locked eyes with her phone screen under her wooden desk. Still the picture of her and her now ex boyfriend donning the front of it. A stupid snapchat filter over their love-how could he do this to her? On the day before Valentines?

She has splurged on a gift for him, a nice wrist watch and some eyeglasses cleaner. Belle always noticed he had smudges on the lenses and wanted him to know that she cared in her own way. But instead he dumped her! Over text!

And now all her friends were saying he was giving roses to some new girl with bigger boobs than her! The absolute disrespect!

And worse than that-she was heartbroken.

Belle couldn’t believe it, that the senior boy she has been seeing had been so cruel to her. After giving him her first kiss, and introducing her to her parents! He still left her, high and dry.

She didn’t even have the chance to cry about it, she didn’t want her parents to know about her being dumped. It would be too embarrassing-after she begged her dad to let her date the guy-practically promising stellar grades for an entire semester and to not talk back in her usual sarcastic tone. It was torture-but she did it for love!

Love?

A stray tear fell down her cheek, quickly wiping it away with her sleeve. Cringing at the foundation streak on her black sweater that it left behind, shit. She would have to fix her makeup in the bathroom, looking a round at her classroom she spied her friends looking at their own phones. Probably texting their boyfriends about there after school make out plans, while all Belle had was volleyball practice.

The loneliness crashed down on her shoulders, causing another wave of tears to overflow. She couldn’t stop it, hoping that Mr. Christensen’s lecture on world war two would drown out her sobs.

*ding*

Belles phone went off in her hand, she quickly scrambled to grab it. Maybe it was him! Saying that he was back in love with her and had a bouquet of roses for her at lunch!

New Message from: Old Man Grumpy Pants 👹

I’m parked in front of the school. Please don’t delay when getting out of class.

Belles face scrunched in confusion, quickly texting off a frowning face. Why is he here? Doesn’t he have work right now? Its a Tuesday afternoon, usually he doesn’t have breaks on days he has patients. Surely Belles mom would’ve said if she had an appointment she could t take her too.

Maybe she had a dentist appointment, or worse, her dad was taking her to the hospital for some freak disorder she had and wasn’t aware of.

Just like her parents, to ambush her.

———

Belle dragged her feet leaving class, ignoring her friends conversations about their boyfriends and giving a side eye to her old boyfriend in the hall giving her a weird look.

She wanted to break down in tears once more when he waved at her while giving a card to that new girl.

Once she stepped outside, her phone started ringing. “Ugh,” she groaned, looking at the screen. Belles friend Violet gave her a look, “What’s wrong?”

“Just my dad calling me-I don’t know what he wants.”

“Why don’t you answer?” She laughed, looking down at her own phone, “Where are we going for lunch, Dustin said he would drive us off campus.”

Belle chewed her cheek, looking at the crowds of teenagers flooding the parking lot. She quickly made eye contact with a vehicle parked idle at the front lot, no one else could own such thing.

“Isn’t that your dad right there?” Violet pointed in the same direction.

Belle whimpered, “Sadly… I think he’s taking me to the dentist.”

“Sucks for you, having to hang out with your dad on Valentine’s day. Doesn’t he like-hate everything?”

Belle shrugged, “Let’s just get this over with.”

The girls followed Belle on the way to the Jeep, dodging sophomores, juniors and seniors. Bumping shoulders with couples left and right, Belle was growing more and more depressed the closer she came.

The window rolled down as she stepped up, grasping the handle. Violet jumped up, huge grin on her face before waving dramatically, “Hi, Dr. Ren!”

“Hello Miss Violet,” Belles dad spoke through the window, “Princess-I told you to be quick and now there’s swarms of teenagers around my car.”

“It’s a high school, dad. There’s gonna be teens,” Belle rolled her eyes, bidding her friends goodbye as she strapped into the seat. Not bothering to give her dad another glance before the sped off.

———

“She looked so sad this morning, you have to go see her today. Take her to lunch, bring her flowers, something. I heard her crying in the bathroom last night.”

Rens grip tightened on the steering wheel as he remembered his conversation with you the night before. Thinking about his baby’s face, drooping and sullen all evening while she adamantly refused to admit what was wrong.

He wanted to snatch her phone from her hands and find out what had happened, but you were right to calm him from that. Belle would never forgive him if he broke that trust.

So, he called his nurse, got all his patients out of the way this morning and took the rest of the day off. To show Belle how much he loved her, and how she should be treated on such a trivial holiday.

His princess deserved it.

He glanced towards the passenger seat, sulking into the black leather was his baby. Dressed in head to toe black, not her normal color palette, and her mascara heavy (that was normal for his teenager). But it looked clumped and messy, like she’d been fighting back tears all day. He couldn’t have that.

Ren cleared his throat, “How was school this morning?”

“Fine.”

“Anything interesting happen?”

“No.”

Silence.

He prompted further, “Did you get anything from your friends? I bought the nursing staff flowers today because your mother told me it would be nice.”

“That’s cool.”

Ren scowled, stopped at the stop light to glare at his child. Deciding to just rip the bandaid off and make her spill what was wrong.

“Did Matt give you flowers today, or is he giving you them after school-“

And suddenly Belle was sobbing.

Uncontrollably.

Ren had no idea what to do, was she broken? Did something happen that he should be made aware of? Did someone hurt her? Hurt his precious little monster?

“Belle, sweetie,” he started, only to make her sob even more, he could barely hear himself think as she wailed into her little hands. This was so much worse than what he was imagining, he thought maybe asking would prompt her to admit that he forgot or something stupid but this was so much worse.

Ren pulled off the road into a Walgreens parking lot, deciding he should comfort her before she became dehydrated. He didn’t want her to be hysterical, the only thing he encountered this type of crying was when you were pregnant with Odin… oh god no.

“Belle are you pregnant?”

“What?” her voice raised an octave, looking at him like he was crazy, “What the fuck dad!?”

“I just have to be sure!”

“No!”

“Then what is wrong? You’re getting your makeup all over the car, and your nose is running, stop wiping your hands on your pants Belle-it’s disgusting!”

And her tears came flowing down again, maybe he was apart of the problem… He looked inward, thinking of how he should approach his hormonal (maybe) teenager.

Ren reached an arm across the console, careful to not startle his child. She flinched at his touch, it was unexpected, he handed embraced her as often as he wanted to as she had gotten older. He began rubbing in soft circles on her shoulder, shushing her as her tears dried down.

“Hush now, there’s no need for that. Its-its going to be alright. Just breathe a little bit,” he placed his left hand over her own, pulling her hands from clawing at her tear streaked face. His heart ached as he looked into the heartbroken eyes of his child, realizing now what had truly happened to make her so hysterical.

“Princess,” he whispered after her tears had died down a little more, “Is there anything you’d like to tell me?”

She shook her head side to side, squeezing her eyes shut in the process.

Ren tried again, “If not, it’s okay. I just want to make sure you’re okay. You know I don’t want you to be hurting like this, especially when you are doing it all alone.”

Belle sniffled, her voice was so small when she finally spoke. “It’s stupid…”

“No, nothing can ever be stupid if it hurts you.”

She nodded, “It’s just,” she took a deep breath, “You know that guy I was kinda dating?”

“Yes,” he growled a little, “The blonde one who wore glasses too big for his face? And called me ‘old man’?”

“Yeah…”

Ren rubbed her shoulder a little more, encouraging her. Belle took another breath, “Well, yesterday he broke up with me.”

His heart sank.

He broke up with her? His little girl? The most wonderful and beautiful girl in the world (aside from you of course), that anyone would be lucky to have grace their presence with? That lanky, big nosed jerk who said his Jeep was stupid that one time, dumped his little precious bundle of joy?

Absolutely not.

Ren quickly leaned across the console, not caring about smothering his daughter but needing to embrace her. No words he could share could lend the wound this silly boy had given her. All Belle needed right now was to know that he was there for her, and that he always would be.

He held onto her for a long time, letting her cry into his shoulder, and smear her too caked on makeup and mascara and snot all into his scrubs. He would wear the mess proudly just so his daughter knew that he was there for her. Ren hummed and shushed and rocked her back and forth as best he could until she tapped her little fingers on his biceps. Whispering out a pained, “I’m okay,” when she was through.

Ren did not take her back to school.

It was not important, instead he took her home. Briefly explaining to you what had happened while Belle washed her face and changed her clothes. You were angry, wanting to go tell the guy off and hold Belle in your arms but Ren talked you down from that ledge.

He took Belle to the nail salon, let her get whatever manicure and pedicure she wanted while he sat and worked on his emails.

Took her out to her favorite diner that serves waffles all day, every day, and watched her eat two servings of ice cream.

Bought her a necklace with a little cheesy heart on it, so she felt like she was loved by him. And she could keep it as a keepsake for when she was older. She wore it proudly out of the jewelry store, smiling down at it while they drove off together.

Ren even let her pick out some flowers at the store, that way she could keep them in her room. And have ones that would be unique to her, not the same bouquet everyone else gets on the holiday.

The two pulled into the garage at the end of the day, looking at one another as he sighed. Holding onto his daughters hand before squeezing it tight.

“I love you, Belle. And I’m sorry your first romance didn’t turn out like you wanted it to.”

She shrugged, squeezing his hand back, “It’s okay, I’m glad I got to spend it with you. I love you too, dad.”

———

:)

i always wanted my dad to take me out of school on valentines but that NEVER HAPPENED.

[milkweedman]

Worst thing abt cleaning is that rubber gloves and wrist/hand braces really do not mix. Meaning that unless i'm basically just picking stuff up and moving it, either my braces get disgusting/covered in bleach/soap/whatever, or else i wear gloves and no braces, so my wrists and hands hurt really badly the whole time. Literally no way to win

[rainey-staerie-daize]

A multi-day journal entry because it’s been a few: 03.10.21

Went for a nice walk around the neighborhood on Saturday because I felt like being outside and not at home. Found out where exactly Xan’s school is and how to get to it because I may or may not have to drop him off if Mom is scheduled extra days this month. Passed lots of houses and found out how all the nearby streets connect. Would've taken artsy pics except I forgot to take a phone with me. Met two or three tiny dogs and two big dogs at two different houses, and they all barked at me as I said hello. Oh, and one guy in a truck with tons of oranges in the back asked me if I wanted to buy some, but I declined. COVID-19, no money on me, and I don’t really like oranges all that much anyway because of the texture. Also passed by a house that was for sale with a kitchen sink that faces the front yard. There was a faucet zip-tied in its box in one side of it, and it’s the same faucet we have: Glacier Something, that detaches as a sprayer.

Getting to Xan’s school was kinda rocky for me because I was wearing my bad, thin-soled flats and I didn’t realize that there was a paved path on the other side of the wash until I got to the end at the school. Partway, I went to take off the mask because nobody was around and I needed all my depth perception, but one side broke as I did, so I spent a few minutes awkwardly standing at the end of the path as I retied my mask. Also tied my flannel shut because it’s too small to button, and it looked just a little odd with my AMBITION shirt and leggings.

Being at the school was kinda nostalgic, even though I never attended that specific one. Enough things were the same though: sun-faded signs, bike cage, playground equipment, fenced in area for the kindergarteners, portables in the back, a huge yellow field, clinking chains on the tetherball poles, and the silence of nobody else there but me.

Except, I wasn’t waiting for a parent to pick me up for once. I was there on my own free will. Other things that didn’t match my childhood include the entrance to the playground being nicely framed by four or so trees, a nice round gathering area painted like the sun around the flag pole, “welcome back” spelled out in blue Solo cups shoved into the bike cage fence, and one of the “no parking” signs by the drop-off area being scribbled out so it said “park here.” It was nice, and I yearn to be ten or younger again.

Partway through my little campus tour, it got a little windy, and I briefly thought about going home, but I ultimately decided to keep walking the same direction and circle my way back home. There’s a big dirt lot right next to the field fenced off, and then I could see the intersection that I’ve walked to the other way around before, so I headed over that way. Came across a shopping center with a bunch of stores, and looked at each one as I passed them. Was able to see inside of a dry cleaner place and look at the machines inside, but after the guy at the counter acknowledged my presence like I was a potential customer, I told him I had never seen inside one before and was just taking a walk, and kinda just... quickly walked away. The shopping center also had a Walmart Neighborhood Market, and I spotted a wild dark-haired Karen with no mask, that I felt was way to close to me. Probably three or four feet away, I don’t know. My depth perception sucks.

Rounding about the other end of the shopping center after looking at Panda Express, Denny’s, and a pizza place, I heard a familiar couple of notes come from one of the vehicles in the parking lot. The beginning notes of She’s a Beauty by The Tubes, which I almost never hear play on the radio or anything because it’s from the early 80s. Despite not being born until 2000, I know a few of their songs because my uncle is the bass player and I’ve been to a few of their concerts when I was younger.

So I started singing a bit as I was walking, and as it started getting more faint, I stopped walking, turned around, and cupped my right ear with my hand to keep listening. Pretty sure one guy looked at me like I was crazy, but I didn’t care. After it ended, or at least, I think it did, I continued on my way, the same route I use when I’m returning home from that street’s bus stop.

When I got home, Mom was out cold on her bed after the facial she did earlier. Skye later told me she never even noticed I left because she went straight to bed for an afternoon nap when she was done, never leaving her room.

I finally reset my sleep schedule enough to wake up at 4 AM on Sunday, which is good enough for me because I used to wake up then in high school anyway. I spent a while just waking up on the toilet, and then decided to do some light cleaning and picking up around the house to surprise Mom when she woke up. She never notices, but I didn’t care about that then.

After tidying up Kare’s hair accessories on the counter and finding her toothbrush still with toothpaste on it from the night before, I decided to rinse out her unicorn wash cloth sitting on the counter, and maybe clean up the toothpaste on the counter with it, but then Mom woke up from the couch. I got scared that she’d be mad I was doing stuff in her bathroom, so I snuck out to the other one. Was a little bored waiting for her to be busy with something so I could finish her counter, so I wiped down the counter of the bathroom I was in.

She tried to come in to get laundry, which startled me because I was right next to the door, and immediately spotted the unicorn cloth. She went off on me for using “something that she uses on her FACE” on the counters of all things. Briefly mentioned wiping the toilet, as if she thought that’s what I did before I walked in.

I didn’t even try explaining myself. Just stood there and let her yell. I know I got a little carried away with cleaning stuff, but like, it was soapy. It’s like Mom complaining that I used the dish sponge with antibacterial dish detergent on Roxie’s food bowls. It doesn’t make sense, but I was too tired and down on myself to care about her seeing my side.

During the visit, Skye and I stayed home and talked in our room, and I looked up that house I saw for sale. Not that nice, and currently off the market, but I found two others that I absolutely love. Kinda wish I’d had a job this entire time. Then maybe I could have enough money to put down a down payment and get one of them. Oh well.

Mom came home while the littles were still at the visit, and Skye and I both pretended to be asleep so we didn’t have to interact with her. Some of her behavior has seemed kinda... sus. I ended up falling asleep for real though, on the carpet, woke up briefly a few times, and finally got up at 1 AM.

Mom was still up, and told me how one of my old friends was trying to contact me but couldn’t because my phone was off, so I turned it back on and we talked for a while. I gave her my Google number in case my actual phone wasn’t working, and wished her a happy birthday, but she fell asleep before she saw the birthday message. Don’t remember much else of the day, except I turned in a Japanese quiz early and cleaned Roxie and her crate. Like always, cleaning took a while because I am very thorough, and because she pooped in the crate when I was washing her bowls. I had to rewash her and the crate floor, which, after last time, I now know slides TF out.

Ended it all with a hot bath for myself, which I fell asleep in. Woke up cold because half the water drained out through the faulty plug, so I ran it again, and fell asleep again. Woke up cold again, refilled it, and finally washed myself. Got out and was relieved to find Roxie and her “room” still clean, and I finished it off with her blankets and one of her beds from the dryer. I tried a new thing with the blanket where I tie one end (two corners) to the crate ceiling to almost make a tent, and she seems to like it.

Not counting the bath naps, I stayed up for over 24 hours, but didn’t realize why I was so damn tired until late Tuesday morning. Ended up falling asleep for a couple hours that afternoon, woke up for a while, and then went back to sleep at a decent time time at night, but I was woken up around 2:30 AM by Mom looking for her keys. She was panicking because March has blackout days and she’s already near her point limit, so being late could literally get her fired. She kept asking where I put them, since her purse and dealer apron were moved off of the crate by me to clean it, but I told her I hadn’t even seen them. I don’t think she believed me, because she still sounded like she was blaming me for not being able to find them.

Not my fault that you said “stop putting things on the dog crate,” and then you kept putting your own stuff on top of the dog crate, and then wanted me to clean it. Where the Hell was I supposed to put her stuff while I was cleaning it?

Skye eventually found her keys in the unlocked car, and she finally left, but was back by 4 AM because she signed the EO list. She tried to prank us when she came in by telling us she was fired, but I didn’t buy it because she wasn’t crying. Trust me, she’d be bawling her eyes out if that had actually happened.

Bringing us to Wednesday, I was a tired mess who’d done Duolingo all morning when I showed us to my Japanese lecture. I only remembered to do it because I heard Mom doing it. She’s apparently gonna learn Spanish.

I still have a few things to make up for that class, but at least I’ve finally organized my worksheets into homework packets. I’ve gone this long before remembering we own a stapler.

[hannahmcne]

It’ll Be Us - Chapter 2

"Ben and I just had the funniest conversation." Jay texted to a group that included Mal, Evie, and Carlos. Mal glanced up from the forms she was filling out for Powhatan Cotillion and glanced at the phone screen, skimming the message as Jay followed up the text with a winking emoji.

"Perchance, was it the same conversation he had with me?" Carlos asked. "That included a date and some plans and Mal's left hand?"

"Wait," Evie commanded. "He did that with you guys too?"

Mal clapped her hand over her mouth as a laugh bubbled up inside her. "No way." She texted. "For real?!"

"He asked for my permission." Jay confided. "And I got to see the ring."

"You got to see the ring?" Evie exploded. "I didn't get to see the ring!"

Carlos sent a string of diamond ring emojis and gifs. His texts were usually littered with stickers and moving pictures, as they had been ever since Ben had introduced him to the world of downloadable add-ins. "I got to see it too." He bragged. "Did you know he's had it ever since our last year at Auradon Prep? It's super fancy too – Mal, you're going to love it."

"Did he tell you guys when?" Mal asked. Several angry emojis from Evie came through. "Like, when he's planning on proposing?"

"We're not supposed to tell you," Carlos explained. "And Evie, the reason you can't see the ring is because that'll ruin the after-proposal freak-out you and Mal will have. It's pretty obvious."

"I want to see the ring!" Evie protested. Several emojis with swearing symbols covering their mouths emitted under her name. Mal let out a laugh.

"The powhatan coronation." Jay texted. Mal's mouth dropped open.

"Jay!" Carlos protested.

"You're not supposed to tell her that!" Evie screeched.

"The Powhatan Cotillion? I'm literally making plans for that right now, as we speak." Mal informed her friends. She glanced sideways at the abandoned papers under her elbow. They suddenly seemed a lot more important than they had thirty seconds ago. Could she literally be helping to plan her own engagement?

But as quickly as the shock sunk in, doubt replaced it. "Ben's going to propose to me on the night they're inducting Ka-Okee into the royal courts? That doesn't seem like him at all. He wouldn't steal the spotlight from her."

"Well, he's going to." Jay insisted. "He told me ALL the plans. Apparently, his parents already approved the idea when he asked them for permission too."

Mal scowled. "How many people is Ben going to ask if it's okay to ask me to marry him before he actually asks ME to marry him? I'm kind of the deal-breaker, here."

"I think he still has to ask his grandfather, the fairy that cursed his dad, all the gods of Olympus, a stone from the Enchanted Lake, all of Auradon, your mother, and the lint from your clothes before he asks you." Evie theorized. Five laughing emojis quickly reassured Mal that Evie was, in fact, joking.

"Oh." Carlos deadpanned. "Has Ben asked Maleficent yet?" Mal's blood ran cold at the question.

"You can't really… communicate with a lizard." Jay pointed out uneasily. "I mean, I guess she could flick her tail and hiss, but she can't really give permission."

Mal swallowed, and typed out: "Yeah, and I don't think Ben is dumb enough to ask someone we all know would say no." Her statement felt like ice water running over their conversation. The chat fell silent for a few seconds. Then Evie tried to pick up the beat again.

"Everything's so much easier for the boys." She proclaimed. "When Carlos proposed to Jane, he asked FG and Jane's dad. No biggie. And Jay had to beat Shang in a sword fight, but still, not much of a problem. But when Doug wanted to propose to me, he had to pick between not asking anyone or trying to find a way to communicate with my mom through the barrier of the Isle and convince her that he's good enough for me. And you know what he picked? Three hours of being screamed at by Cruella, Jafar, and EQ before my mom told him no and he hung up and asked me anyways. And now Ben has to jump through all these hoops because we all know who Mal's mom is, and he has to think of 750,000,000 people as well."

"That swordfight was NOT easy." Jay protested. "I got my leg all slicing up. You know how hard it is to get on one knee when you're covered in an entire half-inch of bandages?"

"You're coming up on fifteen months of engagement." Evie pointed out. "Are you guys going to tie the knot or no?"

"We are," Jay assured her. "She just got a new job though, so we're rearranging dates AGAIN."

Mal picked up her pen and continued scribbling, though she glanced at her phone frequently to catch up on the conversation. Briefly, she opened a text line to Pocahontas and asked: "Does Ka-Okee want chains, key charms, pen toppers, or lip balm party favors?" She felt tempted to follow up the message with: "Jane kinda loves the pen toppers," but knew the joke would only be appreciated by her.

A suspicious message appeared at the top of her phone. "Okay guys, I think we convinced Mal Ben is going to ruin the Cotillion. Now we got to figure out how to get her away from the main party… any ideas?"

"CARLOS WRONG GROUP CHAT!" Evie exclaimed. Several emojis with blue faces and hands slapped to their cheeks in shock or surprise followed.

"OH CRAP" Carlos mourned. A gif of someone slipping on a banana peel with the words 'oops' appeared underneath his message.

"ABORT MISSION ABORT MISSION." Jay groaned. "Ugh, Carlos you're telling Ben." A single teary-eyed emoji from Carlos was his only answer.

Mal reentered the group chat, biting her lip to keep from smiling too hard. "I'll just pretend I didn't get that, and we'll call it good." She added a thumbs-up to accentuate her point. No one responded. She got the feeling they were too busy lecturing Carlos in the correct group chat.

The date on the papers read September 30th. It was now September 16th, meaning that in less than two weeks, she could have gone from girlfriend to fiancée, and that was a thought that created a smile she couldn't wipe off her cheeks.

Pocahontas responded: "Pen toppers", which made Mal burst into laughter. As she included the request in the paperwork, her phone buzzed one last time. This time, it was from Ben.

"You still okay to make it to Powhatan Cotillion?" He asked. "I forgot you had a visitation day with your mom that day."

Oh, well that reminder certainly put a damper on her mood. Mal pinched her lips together and let out a breath. "Yeah, I'll be there. Can't wait!" She added a smiling emoji for extra effect.

"What about the Palace open-house for next week?" He asked. "For the anniversary of the formation of Auradon? You have a day with Evie scheduled, but I have it here that you're opening that event?"

Mal let out an audible groan. "Oh, that. Yeah, I remember. I'm not really looking forward to that, though."

"You'll be great," Ben assured her. "Have fun with Evie."

______________________________________________________________

"The carpets are being cleaned today," Belle announced as Mal entered the room for breakfast on the morning of the Open House. "They weren't able to make it last night, so they're going to be doing the main rooms this morning, and the rest of the palace in the afternoon. Is your room good for them to go through?"

"I think so." Mal furrowed her brow as she fixed a bag over her shoulder. "I'll run back up before I leave with Evie for the day." She sat down between Belle and Ben, who leaned over to give her a quick kiss on the cheek.

"What time are you getting back tonight?" Adam asked as he poured himself a large glass of orange juice. He glanced at his watch and followed this up with: "Ben, thirty minutes."

"We're leaving at three, so I'll be back around three-thirty, before traffic starts up," Mal sighed. "Plenty of time to get ready before five."

Belle nodded approvingly as Ben finished his breakfast and got up. "I'm off," He sighed, pushing his chair back under the table.

"Already?" Mal frowned. "I just got here."

Ben set his hands on her shoulders. "I'll be here tonight. I'll come to find you when you walk in." He leaned down and kissed her cheek again.

Mal let out a longsuffering sigh as he stood back up. "I'll be the one in purple," She reminded him. "Good luck with work."

"I'll need it," Ben laughed. He disappeared out a side door as Mal started reaching for food. A frown was stuck on her face.

"It'll get better, dear," Belle told her, reaching over to pat her hand with a smile. "Eventually, you'll be able to go with him to some things."

"They told me the separation would get better back when I graduated, and it's only gotten worse," Mal grumbled as she stole a helping of breakfast salad. "And really, all I want to do for the rest of my life is paint, draw, and be with Ben. Is that too much to ask?"

Belle laughed. She glanced cautiously at her watch. The doors opened and Lumiere appeared. "Queen Belle, King Adam, Lady Mal," He greeted, inclining his head to each. "I've come up to inform you that your cleaners for tonight are here and that Evie is waiting for Mal outside."

Mal frowned and pulled out her phone to check the time. "Ugh, she's early," Mal moaned. "I'll have to run down to my room and then head out." She stood up, taking her plate with her.

"Don't worry about the room," Belle rolled her eyes. "You're usually tidy. I'll just have someone glance through it to make sure nothing official or important is lying out before I send them up. Take more food with you, dear, or you'll starve."

Mal frowned as she took a few bagels and some strawberries. "I can run down. Evie will understand."

"Shall I tell the cleaners to start in the ballroom?" Lumiere asked. "I believe we have servants setting up things in there in about two hours."

"Yes, please, Lumiere," Belle nodded. "Have fun, Mal. Don't worry about the room."

"A spa day isn't really my idea of fun," Mal sighed.

"Evie's turn to pick?" Belle smiled. Mal nodded glumly. Belle laughed. "Well, good luck," She told her young protégé before she turned to Lumiere to discuss plans for tonight. Eventually, it'd be Mal's job to delegate maintenance crews, but for now, Belle did it as the unofficial head of household.

Mal hurried out to the circle, where Evie was waiting in her pretty blue convertible car with the off-white leather seats. Mal liked the car a lot, mainly because it wasn't as long as the palace limos and was therefore much easier for her to drive. However, Evie never let her drive it because a.) Mal didn't have her license and b.) Mal didn't exactly have the best track record with cars. She'd stolen and crashed/scratched the palace limos a few too many times for Evie to feel comfortable leaving her dream car unattended anywhere near Mal.

"Do you have it?" Mal asked, giving Evie a hug without so much as a 'hello'.

"Of course," Evie smiled. She led Mal to the passenger side of the car and reached down to lift out a silver dress bag with a hanger sticking out of it. She let down the zipper and Mal let out a laugh.

"You're not even being subtle, E," Mal remarked, leaning onto Evie's shoulder with a bright smile. The dress inside was her signature purple color and was obviously made to flaunt as much as possible. It latched above Mal's left shoulder and left her right one bare and hitched at her knees so there was no chance of her tripping on it. The fabric was soft and silky, and honestly reminded Mal of Evie's blue dress from her cotillion years and years ago.

"Now just imagine," Evie let out a breath and held her finger up as if she were framing a moment in the air. "A week from now, you're wearing this dress, and Ben gets down on one knee and-"

"Evie!" Mal burst into giggles, looking around them carefully. "Shh! You never know when the paparazzi are tailing me." She covered her mouth though, as the wonderful image Evie had just described filled her imagination.

"I can't believe you're getting engaged!" Evie proclaimed, much louder than she'd been whispering. Mal flinched. "Just think, Mal, Queen of Auradon. I honestly can't believe it."

"Honestly, I'm okay to just stop at 'wife of Ben'. The queen title, it can just-" Mal made a waving motion with her hand and then reached forward to drag a hand down her new dress. "It's beautiful, Evie. Thank you so much."

"It's going to be amazing," Evie promised. "Now come on, let's hit the road. When do you have to be back? Six?"

"Five," Mal corrected her. "I have to be there to read the official 'Celebration of Auradon' thing at the opening of the party, and to welcome everyone, and then to talk to people who may or may not secretly hate me for my mother." She let out a sigh and opened the passenger side door. It had been a long time since she'd opened her own car door, she realized. Between Ben and all the palace people and magistrates, she hadn't even been able to take more than a few steps without being on someone's arm. She supposed that would only get worse once she was queen.

As she collapsed into the leather seat, she let her lady-like posture fall a bit so she could slouch into her seat as Evie walked around. "You know," She began, "we might not be able to do girl's days as often anymore. Ben says they're going to track my phone, and, well, you know how he always has guards around him? It'll probably be the same for me."

"Why don't they just give you a knife?" Evie asked, climbing in on her side and shutting the door. "You can protect yourself just fine."

"Well, so can Ben," Mal reminded her best friend. "Remember Ben on the Isle back when we were seventeen? He's more than able to protect himself."

"He got himself captured within thirty seconds of walking away from us," Evie protested with a distasteful sneer. "And don't say those words ever again."

"What words?" Mal asked, raising an eyebrow.

"The words about the years," Evie whined. She clicked her seatbelt into place. Her fancy embellished sunglasses were kept in a little compartment underneath her radio. She removed them and flicked them open, sliding them onto her face. "It doesn't feel like it was that long ago. You make us sound like our parents. 'Remember when we were ruining lives?'" She mimicked and shuddered.

"Are you afraid of aging?" Mal asked incredulously as Evie put the car into gear.

Evie winced. "Aren't you?" She asked.

Mal shook her head. "Not really. Why are you afraid?"

Evie left one hand on the wheel as they left the circle and began to approach the visitor's center. She rested the other hand on her belly. "I don't know," She whispered. "It all just seems so… real lately. I mean, just a few years ago you were stealing candy from babies and now I'm about to have my own baby myself, and soon they'll have their babies, and their babies will have babies, and one day I'll wake up and I won't even recognize myself."

Mal shrugged as she watched the visitor's center approach lazily. "I'm not afraid," She thought out loud. "I have Ben, and I'm okay to grow old with him. But… children scare me. I mean, we know of people who died on the Isle during birth or pregnancy. I think I'm always going to be scared of the idea of being pregnant and not being able to run or flee from danger."

Evie scoffed. "It looks like we're both afraid of things we can't escape." Mal winced and nodded.

A guard appeared outside the visitor's center, and Mal suddenly remembered she needed her palace pass in order to get out. She cursed and began scrambling through her purse. Evie stopped the car beside the center and showed the guard her driver's license before they both turned to watch Mal scramble through her purse. "Please tell me you didn't leave it up at the palace," Evie deadpanned as Mal began to pull out her phone, her government ID's, her credit cards, everything.

"No, I put it in here before I left," Mal insisted as she continued digging. She sighed irritably. "You know who I am, can't you just let me out?"

"Ah-ha!" The guard laughed. "And lose my job for letting the head of the royal courts out without her permission pass? Not a chance."

Mal grumbled and began shuffling through a different pocket. "Ben's not in meetings for another five minutes; I'm sure he would give me permission to get out." She let out a groan. "I have my pass photographed?" She offered.

"You know why we can't accept that," The guard told her firmly. Mal sighed. Yeah, she knew why it was important that they didn't take a digital copy in case someone was somehow impersonating her, but it was still annoying.

"Mal," Evie grumbled in an extremely terse tone. "You better have that card."

"I have the stupid card," Mal insisted. She picked up her collection of ID's and began shuffling. "I've lived here for, like, two years. I know how the stupid permission passes work."

"Mal," Evie huffed. "You know I can be detained for trying to taking you out if you don't have your pass, right?"

Mal's hand grew a bit sweaty as she shuffled through her cards with a huff. Then the blue pattern stuck out among the yellow of her Auradon Prep cards and her white standard ID's and she breathed a sigh of relief as she pulled the card out and presented it to the guard. Evie let out a breath of relief. "Thank goodness," She whispered.

The guard waved them through. "Have that card ready when you come back," He warned. "You know, in a few years or whatever, you're not going to be able to leave the palace walls without that card and an escort or two."

"Yeah," Mal sighed. "I know."

The guard gave a wave and Evie put the car back into gear. Mal grumbled as she shoved her collection back into her bag. "Why do you carry so many cards?" Evie asked irritably. "You only need your government ID and your pass, maybe a credit card or two."

"Believe me, I used to, and then Ben, Belle, and Adam had this joint freak-out session," Mal explained. "See, they're worried that if I need to show someone my ID, and I pull out my government ID, and then they snatch it out of my hand photograph it or something, and suddenly my main official ID that proves I'm a citizen of Auradon is easily attainable off the internet. So, I carry all these extra ID's in case I need to prove my identity without jeopardizing palace security."

Evie sighed. "Your life is complicated," She grumbled.

"It's about to get more complicated," Mal warned. "Ben was telling me all this stuff… they're going to tag my phone and track me. I know Ben gets lots of his texts skimmed as he sends them, and they'll probably do that to me. And, you know," She gestured at the road behind them to remind Evie of the guard. "I'm not allowed to leave alone by myself anymore. I have to have guards or be with Ben, Belle, or Adam. Anyone else has to be palace approved." She lolled her head on her shoulders to look over at Evie, who had slumped over a bit.

"So, what you're saying, is I won't be able to take you out of the palace in the future," Evie sighed. She pushed her sunglasses up a bit to glance over at Mal mournfully.

"No," Mal shook her head. "Or, well, there's a system. But no, the queen can't just vanish from the palace for a day to hang out with her friends. I can ask Ben what the details would be, but chances are we'd still have to have at least one bodyguard with us. Everything changes once he puts a ring on my hand."

"Well," Evie grumbled. "We'd better make the most of today, then."

"Does that mean we're going laser-tagging or paint-balling after all?" Mal asked hopefully. She knew it was a lost cause though.

"No," Evie shook her head. "We're going to go to the spa and then get our nails done because I don't feel like chasing you around and my fingers are all cramped up after making that for you." She made a gesture to the backseat in reference to the dress. "And by the way, I brought my sketchbook because I have tons of wedding dress ideas."

"Really?" Mal laughed. "I can't wait to see them!"

Evie smiled over at her best friend. "Are you going to put a hat on to hide your hair?" She asked.

Mal leaned her head outside the car and felt the wind race through her locks. She smiled wide. "No," She shook her head. "After all, I won't be able to do this for long. I'm going to enjoy it."

Evie laughed and together the cruised down the road, away from the palace, on one of their last trips together.

______________________________________________________________

They left the spa on time but quickly ran into problems. One, a crash had occurred outside the nail salon Evie loved, meaning they sat in the car for an additional half-hour, casually trying to hide Mal's identity from those around them who were also stopped as law enforcement cleaned up the mess. They must have done a good job because no one from the palace called to ask why the official Lady of the Royal Courts was near a public crash, but people certainly noticed the King's girlfriend's bright purple hair.

Then, the salon itself was packed. Evie's platinum membership could only do so much when the place was stretched on staff for the day. Mal began to tap her fingers anxiously as two o'clock turned to two-thirty, and then to three. Three, as in the time she'd told Belle and Adam she'd be leaving. Evie, however, didn't seem that concerned as she insisted Mal get her nails painted purple with pretty, tiny, white sequins.

They left at three-thirty, which was when Mal had been planning on getting back to the palace. But by that time royals had started to arrive, and traffic had lulled around the palace. Evie drummed her hands on the wheel as they watched the time tick closer to four o'clock. "You'd better text your not-in-laws," She warned Mal.

Mal let out a sound of absolute discouragement and she shuffled around in her purse for her cell phone. Evie craned her neck a little, spotted the palace pass inside, and turned her attention back to the road.

At four-fifteen, they finally reached the visitor's center. Evie presented her license, and they both turned to watch as Mal pulled her ID's out one by one and examined them. "Again?" The guard asked.

"It is here," Mal insisted, wrinkling her nose as she shuffled cards irritably. "Dear God, where could it have fallen?"

The guard pinched his lips together. "Please pull the car over to here," He gestured to a parking lot beside the building. The only other cars parked there were a police car and a maintenance car. A new guard began helping the Royals in the car behind them.

"Oh, my goodness," Evie grumbled as she slid the car into gear. The guard walked them all the way to a parking space.

Mal upended her bag into her lap and began irritably looking through the contents therein. Lip balm, hand sanitizer, spare ID's, credit cards, her registration that she possesses magical powers, official court identification, and documents… but no ID?

Evie put the car in gear and looked over to Mal helplessly. "Ma'am," The guard directed to Evie. "Please step out of the car with your hands behind your head."

Mal's mouth dropped open. "Are you going to arrest her?" She gasped.

"I have to follow protocol," The guard frowned. "Ma'am, please step out of the car."

Evie made a sound in the back of her throat and opened her door. "Should I turn off the car?" She asked.

"Do not touch any of the controls. Keep your hands behind your head please," The guard directed. Evie left the door open as she lifted her hands up. She sent a desperate look to Mal, who was frantically opening pockets.

"Oh my gosh," Mal sighed. "Okay, I have to have some power, right? I'm a lady of the court and-" She watched the guard step towards Evie as he revealed a pair of handcuffs, and flipped out. "Don't touch her!" She commanded, pointing at him. "Don't you dare touch her." She opened the door and began feeling along the floor of the car. "It's here, it's got to be here. Don't you take her anywhere, don't you touch her."

"Mal!" Evie took a hand from behind her head to point to the crevice between seats, where a blue-tinged card lay. Mal slumped in relief as she snatched up the pass and showed it to the guard. He nodded, and Evie slowly returned to her seat in the car. "You are awful at this card thing," Evie sighed.

"I swear it was in here," Mal gasped. "I saw it on the way here, I checked. Oh my gosh." She got back into the car and slumped against the seat.

The guard clicked his tongue disapprovingly. "You need to get something to hold all your cards," He told her. Mal nodded to his words without comment. He shooed them away and returned to help check in everyone else. The palace was growing more and more crowded as people arrived.

"Take the royal family entrance," Mal told Evie. "I have my certificate of Court Membership and my official residency card here, so you can park in the royal family's garage and… that should be less crowded." She rubbed her hands against her face and dared a look at the clock. "I have twenty-five minutes to have my hair and makeup done and to get into my dress and get to where I need to be."

"We can do it," Evie assured her. "Here, my extra makeup bag should be under the seat. Hurry and start while I direct us."

Mal reached under the seat and felt the cool clutch of the plastic bag. She pulled it up and found, to her relief, some purple shades of eyeshadow mixed in with the blue and several tubes of eyeliner and mascara. "What about my hair?" Mal asked. "I can't curl it in twenty minutes and still be able to get into my dress."

"We'll braid it," Evie decided. "You know what, I usually have extra accessories in my glove box. Check and see."

Mal obeyed and found, tucked away, a hair adornment with white studs that looked like an assortment of silver leaves, a few bangle bracelets, and a variety of necklaces. She forewent the necklaces but took the hairpiece and the bracelets out. She quickly did her makeup as Evie directed them to the royal's entrance, pausing only to give the guard an assortment of passes and papers before Evie was allowed to descend straight into the heart of the castle.

Jay and Carlos, to Mal's surprise, were waiting for them. "What are you doing here?" Mal gasped as she climbed out of the car, hastily shoving things back into Evie's makeup bag.

"We brought you your dress," Jay announced, holding up a long, white cocktail dress with blue and yellow lace scattered around the bottom like she was supposed to be walking on the sunrise or something. "Belle thought you'd be quick enough to get up in time but we saw the traffic and decided to bring it to you so you could just go straight up to the party."

"Did you get your makeup done?" Carlos asked, squinting at her. "Oh, yeah. See, bro?" He elbowed Jay in the ribs. "I told you Evie would have some stuff."

"I always have some stuff," Evie announced, crossing her arms. "Just like Mal never has her pass ready. I was almost arrested for kidnapping her on the way in."

"Tough crowd," Jay scoffed. "Sounds like an adventure. Unfortunately, you are out of time. Have you been getting any of Ben's messages?"

Mal let out a nervous laugh. She hadn't even heard her phone buzzing. "I'll check them later," She decided, taking her dress from Jay and shoving the makeup bag back under the seat.

"There's a restroom over here," Evie pointed. "Let's get you changed." She steered Mal towards the restroom and shoved open the door. Quickly, the two girls worked together to get Mal changed out of her t-shirt and ripped jeans and into her ball gown. The official one that was actually in the colors of Auradon instead of her signature color for once.

"Faster, faster, faster," She urged Evie under her breath as her friend hid Mal's bra underneath the dress and fixed the angles the skirt flounced out in. She quickly braided Mal's hair back and used the silver hairpiece to hide the hasty work. Then they ran back out to the boys, locked Evie's car, and took the elevator up to the main floors.

Belle, Adam, and Ben were all waiting beside the doors to the ballroom, exchanging nervous looks when the core four came tearing around the corner with red faces. Carlos was still holding Mal's heels, which they'd forgotten about. She was still tennis-shoe clad.

"There you are!" Ben gasped in relief as she reached him. They exchanged a quick hug.

"I'm sorry!" Mal gasped for breath as Carlos realized he still had Mal's shoes balanced around his fingertips and began trying to get her attention. "There was a crash and then the salon was backed up and traffic got crazy before I almost got Evie arrested…" She took her shoes from Carlos and Jay leaned down to help Mal take off her tennis shoes since Evie wasn't exactly the best person to be bending down at the moment.

"You almost got Evie arrested?" Ben repeated with a growing expression of horror. "What happened?"

"Did you lose your card?" Adam asked sternly.

Mal groaned as she put her shoes on the ground and tried to step into them. "Yes, momentarily. But it's fine, I got it." She borrowed Ben and Carlos's shoulders for balance as she wrestled her feet into the evil shoes.

"Well, you look great," Ben laughed as she stabilized herself with several deep breaths. She slumped against the wall, and he handed her a sheet of paper to read off of. At least she hadn't had to memorize everything. She got a cheat sheet. Mal smoothed it over and began to skim as Jay gathered up her tennis shoes and socks with rolled eyes.

"How much longer do we have?" Mal asked as she finished reading.

"You made it with exactly two minutes to spare," Ben told her with a chuckle. "They'll be presenting you, and then us, any second now."

Mal could only groan in response as her friends gave her a couple of quick hugs. "God save me from the beast that is Auradon," She whispered. "Okay, I'm calm."

The doors opened a crack and Lumiere appeared. He breathed a sigh of relief when he saw her. "Come now," He commanded, taking her hand and helping her through. "It's good you're here; they're announcing you now."

And sure enough, down the hall, she could hear Cogsworth pronouncing her name with dramatic detail. "Lady Maleficent 'Mal' Bertha, of the Auradon Royal Courts, representing her home of the Isle of the Lost."

Lumiere guided her to the end of the hallway. Mal took a deep breath and turned the corner into the light. A gigantic stairway that she, personally, liked to slide down the banisters on, opened up into the large ballroom, which was currently filled with hundreds of Kings, Queens, Lords, Ladies, Dukes and Duchesses. Not to mention the servants. She painted what she and Ben referred to as a 'political smile' on her face and took hold of the banister to keep from tripping as she did her best to not resume her Isle strut down to the crowds. As always, her appearance was met with applause and murmurs of approval for her outfit.

She reached the bottom of the staircase where she saw a few familiar faces gathered – Lonnie, Jane, Fairy Godmother, Chad Charming – and carefully lowered into a curtsey before they turned their attention to the top of the stairs

Cogsworth cleared his throat. "The former King and Queen of Auradon, Adam, and Belle, representing the royal palace."

Representing the royal palace was another thing that she was supposed to do as queen. Soon, it'd just be 'Former King Adam and Queen Belle'.

Ben's parents appeared at the top of the staircase and began to descend in a dreamy fashion. They looked out over the crowd some, but not as much as they looked at each other. Mal couldn't wait for the day that was Ben and her.

Belle and Adam went to stand beside Aurora and Phillip and Tiana and Naveen as Cogsworth cleared his throat one last time. "His Majesty, representing the official government of Auradon, King Benjamin!"

She was jealous that they left out his middle name.

Ben appeared at the top of the stairs, looking down over his people with a bright, shy smile. He descended the stairs after everyone, reminding Mal of how he'd looked at her Cotillion, walking down the steps after her. This time, however, Uma wouldn't be interrupting.

Halfway down the steps, he took a microphone from a servant and looked for her at the bottom of the stairs. She picked up her skirts and walked back up to him. They met halfway. He bowed, and she curtseyed, and he pressed the microphone into her hands with a kiss to her cheek. Mal cleared her throat as he went to stand behind his parents.

"Test," She announced as clearly as possible, testing her voice and the mic at the same time. "Lovely, it works. Thank you all for coming tonight. On this evening, September twentieth, we gather to celebrate the formation of Auradon, the unification of kingdoms, and the continuation of peace in the land. It is the twenty-eighth year of peace, or year twenty-eight in the days of Auradon. King Benjamin, our second king, currently resides on the throne, long shall he reign."

The crowd echoed after her, "Long shall he reign." And thus ended Mal's memorized portion of her speech. She opened the paper without looking down and then delivered the redundant section that was heard every year about the beginning of the kingdom – how Adam and Belle had unified everything, and the election had placed ruling power in their hands. It was quick, but not quick enough. Finally, she refolded her paper and began to descend the stairs as the room erupted into applause. When she reached Ben, she tucked her folded speech into his breast pocket, and they looped their arms together.

Evie, Jay, and Carlos, who did not have to be announced, had slipped in unseen during Ben's descent of the stairs. The boys hung around the concessions table as Evie found a chair to sit down in. She was looking a bit ill. Jane and Carlos stood together, hand in hand, while Lonnie and Jay made a competitive game of sticking their tongues out at each other when their partner wasn't looking.

Belle and Adam were able to disappear to go and talk with their old friends, but Ben and Mal stayed near the stairs, backs straight, as guest filtered by, shaking their hands.

"Relax," Ben laughed in between light conversation. "It's over. You did fantastic."

"Ugh," Mal grumbled in return.

"Mal!" A sickeningly familiar cheery tone exclaimed. Mal looked up in surprise as she recognized Audrey, who was standing beside a tall, dark-haired man. She was balancing a small child – a girl – on her hip as she approached Mal with a bright, blinding smile. "Oh, my goodness, I don't think I've seen you for years! That is a beautiful dress."

"Thank you, Audrey," Mal smiled, dipping into a curtsey. "Who is this?" She gestured to Audrey's small family.

"This is my husband, James," Audrey introduced with a smile. "And this is our baby girl Angel." She moved the child as if to show her off to Mal.

Ben took a step forward and took the small girl's hand. "She's beautiful," He told Audrey. "She looks like you in all your old pictures."

Audrey laughed in agreement. Her husband, James, turned around and took two glasses of wine from a servant who was walking through the crowds. Ben watched him as he turned and offered a glass to Audrey, who accepted it.

"How have you been?" Audrey asked Mal, who watched the little girl's eyes train onto Audrey's glass. "I don't see a ring on you yet."

Mal blushed bright red and twisted her hands together. "No, no ring." She shrugged.

"Ben, you need to get on that," Audrey told her old friend with a smile. "She won't wait on you forever."

Audrey's little girl, Angel, started trying to reach for her mom's drink. Audrey swayed the girl's hands out of her reach. "Oh, no, sweetheart," She told the little princess. "Not for you. James, do we have any juice for her?"

James began to reach into a bag that hung around his shoulder as Audrey held the glass away from her. Ben and Mal watched as Angel pouted her lip and continued to reach. "Here," James told Audrey, procuring a sippy cup of juice. He handed it to Angel, but the small child wasn't interested. She dropped it immediately. Audrey leaned down quickly to try and catch it as it fell and missed entirely. Mal watched in slow motion as, while Audrey's posture changed quickly, her wine sloshed out of her glass and flew right at her.

She was suddenly aware that she was very cold as the red wine doused her bodice and rolled off of the fabric, spreading down to her skirts. She gasped as Audrey moaned in horror. "Oh no!" Audrey exclaimed. "I'm so sorry."

"That's okay," Mal gasped. She glanced around and noticed Evie was already standing up to come to her rescue. "I think I might just… go up to change."

Ben grabbed her arm in panic. "Problem," He told her immediately. But before he could say anything else, Evie appeared.

"What happened?" Evie groaned. "Oh, red wine…" She pinched the bridge between her nose in exasperation. "Do you still have your spare gowns up in your closet?" She asked.

"Yes," Mal nodded, still stunned over watching the red ruin her dress. "Let's just… slip out."

"You can't go into your room," Ben interrupted with a pained expression. "We were going to tell you when you showed up… there was a chemical spill when your carpets were being cleaned today. In the closet and over by your desk. They have to let the room air out before they can clean it because the cleaner smell isn't safe. And… a lot of your outfits were ruined."

Mal wilted. "I don't have another dress besides the ones in my room," She moaned, shivering a little as the wine soaked through to her skin and began to make her feel sticky.

"Well…" Evie trailed off hesitantly. "There's that one down in the car…" She bit her lip as Mal's expression crumpled.

"You have one down in the car?" Ben asked. A look of relief spread across his face. "That'd be excellent. Evie, can you help her, or should I-"

"I've got it," Evie cut him off, taking Mal's hand. "We'll be right back."

"Evie, you're a lifesaver," Ben told her as he took a half-step back. "Let me know if you need any help. And Mal-" He took her arm and gave her a smile. "I'll cover for you. Don't worry."

As Evie hastily led Mal away, Mal heard Ben start to say: "Thank you, Audrey," Before she was out of earshot and his voice blended in with the rest of the crowd. She sighed bitterly as Evie wove her around a few dozen crowds.

Mal pouted as Evie led her out towards a side exit. People gasped and expressed concern when they saw her heading out with her ruined dress. "It'll be okay," Evie sighed as she led Mal back to the elevators. "I think I might actually be able to get that stain out."

"I don't want to wear the other dress," Mal mumbled with a pouted lip. "That means he won't be seeing it for the first time when he proposes."

"I can make you another if you like?" Evie asked with a sigh. She gave her friend a hug, being careful to avoid the red wine. "It'll be okay."

Down the elevator they went and back into the royal garage. Evie pulled the beautiful dress out of the garment bag and Mal held back a sigh of disappointment as they walked back to the bathroom to change her outfit – again. She hated royal functions.

Evie hung the white gown up with a wince and Mal sighed as she looked at herself in the mirror. She looked like she was visiting Agrabah, or maybe Olympus with the style of the dress. And she hadn't noticed it before, but a black belt ran across her middle, sitting low on her hips. Evie walked over and set a hand on Mal's shoulder with a sympathetic frown. "It'll still be magical," She promised Mal. "And really, I can make a new dress for the Cotillion next week."

"I'd kind of already set my heart on being in this when he did it," Mal sighed. "But thank you, Evie. It really is beautiful. It'll probably take his breath away."

"Yeah, you will," Evie agreed, not-so-subtly changing the noun in her agreement. She studied Mal, and her lips pinched into a frown. "Your hair and makeup don't match now," She grumbled. "We have to redo it."

"What?" Mal frowned. "No, I'd better just get back up there. Ben's covering for me, remember?"

"He can cover a bit longer." Evie rolled her eyes as she took out the silver hairpiece and began attacking Mal's hair. The braids had made her hair a little curly, even though she hadn't even had them in for that long. Evie flounced out the natural waves and then a smile fell onto her lips. "I'm going to braid your hair like we did for your first date," She told Mal. "Can you crouch down a little?"

"Do we have time?" Mal frowned, stooping a little anyway.

"Ben's covering for us," Evie replied with an eye roll as she gathered up Mal's hair and quickly began braiding. "And I'm Evie, daughter of the Evil Queen. I always have time for fashion."

Mal sighed and leaned her chin onto the countertop as Evie fixed her hair. She had to admit: it was nice to see the hairstyle after so many years. She'd only worn it a few times since that date with Ben.

"Before you escape, let me fix your makeup," Evie commanded, finishing her work and pulling her phone out to check the time. A smirk spread across her face.

"Evie, I really have to go back up," Mal sighed. "I'm supposed to be running this thing, sort of, and-"

"I haven't been able to do your hair and makeup in years," Evie protested, folding her arms as she started texting someone – Mal assumed it was Doug. "Come on, indulge me."

Mal let out a groan as Evie returned the garment bag, now filled with the ruined gown, to the back of her car. She pulled her makeup bag out and sat Mal down in the passenger seat to correct the hastily-done makeup Mal had put on in the car. Mal squirmed and fidgeted as she glanced at the blank electronic clock in Evie's car out of nervous habit.

"This whole day has been a bust," She sighed as Evie finished applying a pink color to her lips. "For the last five hours, we've literally been late to every single thing. I just want to go to sleep and try again tomorrow."

"Oh, cheer up," Evie smiled. "Besides, you've got a whole night of dancing with Ben to get around to." She capped her lip gloss and smiled. "Viola! Hey, you're wearing Ben's ring still, right?"

Mal glanced down at her hands and held up her right one. On her index finger lay the gold ring with the beastly imprint. "Yeah, I don't really ever take it off," She reminded her friend.

"Hmm," Evie frowned. "Gold. Ugh, this dress goes so much better with silver, but I guess gold will have to work." She opened her glovebox and shuffled around before coming up with a thin-chained gold necklace. "Put this on, and then I'll take you up," Evie commanded, putting the silver bracelets and the hairpiece into the glovebox and straightening up with a sigh as she landed her hands on her stomach.

Mal frowned at her friend as she fumbled with the clasp on the necklace. "Are you okay?" She asked.

"Oh, yeah," Evie smiled. "It's just that all this running around is making me sick." She moved a hand to her mouth in a fist as if she were going to throw up, and then leaned against the car. "Ugh, I can't wait to go to bed either," She sighed. "When does this thing end?"

"At Midnight," Mal grumbled. "Hey, Auradon's got to celebrate themselves."

"Yeah, no kidding," Evie sighed. She pushed herself back up. "Let's head up."

Mal finished latching the necklace and looked down to examine the pendant. She frowned. It was of a little silver dragon with purple gemstones in its eyes. "Why are you carrying around purple jewelry?" She asked.

Evie blinked softly, as if she hadn't quite understood what Mal had asked, and then responded: "I think I forgot to give that to you. Huh. Oh well." She turned and headed back to the elevators.

Once inside, Evie pushed the button for the main flooring. "Oh, Evie, we actually need to go to the ground level," Mal corrected her, reaching to press the correct button.

Evie batted her hand aside. "Relax, Mal, I've got this." She yawned. She was pressing her hands to her stomach as if she were going to be sick. Mal frowned.

"Evie, there aren't any restrooms on the main floor. If we go to the ground floor then-"

"Mal. I've got this," Evie interrupted.

Mal crinkled her nose. "I can't even enter the ballroom from the main floor," She pointed out. Evie didn't say anything; she only made a hushing motion with her hand as she closed her eyes and leaned against the elevator walls.

The elevator doors opened and Evie, who was starting to look a bit pale, took Mal's wrist and led her out. They hurried through the hallways, tracing the same path they'd run earlier as Mal's lips pinched into an increasingly worried look. They paused outside the door to the entrance hallway, and Evie groaned.

"Is there a trash can, like, anywhere here?" She groaned, squeezing her eyes closed in pain. "Ugh," Evie felt around in her pockets for her phone and squinted at the screen. She let out a pitiful sound in the back of her throat. "Okay," She grumbled and tossed her phone onto the floor. Mal caught a glimpse of a screen full of text messages.

Evie straightened up and opened the doors. Mal immediately freaked out. "Evie, what are you doing? We're not allowed to go down the hallway after the presenting!" She hurried to shut the door, and Evie stopped her with a hand and a downright devilish look.

"Too bad," Evie grumbled. "We're going. Now." She seized Mal's wrist and hauled the stammering girl into the hallway. Mal sputtered and dug in her heels.

"I can't go down the staircase Evie! The entire room – I've already been announced!" Mal hurried to explain as she tried to wrestle her hand back from Evie. Evie whirled around in a moment of intense, spontaneous fury.

"Hush!" She commanded. "I know what I'm doing, Mal, and so help me you are going to walk down this staircase right. Freaking. Now." She released Mal's wrist and shoved her forward. Mal tripped a little and stumbled past the threshold of the hall and onto the staircase. Immediately, the room went silent.

Mal's hands shook as everyone looked up at her. She took in everything again – the large room, the multitudes of people – and it suddenly occurred to her that everyone was smiling.

She looked down to the base of the stairwell. Belle and Adam, Jay and Lonnie, Jane and Carlos, Audrey and her family, everyone was there. Even Doug, though he was missing Evie, who had suddenly vanished from the hallway. The only person beside Evie she could tell was missing was Ben.

A hand landed on her shoulder, and Mal looked up. She met brown eyes, and things somehow made all too much sense. Ben took her hand with a scheming smile and began to lead her down the stairs. He, like she, had changed clothes. He wore a black suit with, strangely, purple embellishments. A small collection of purple flowers was even tucked into his breast pocket.

"You look amazing," He whispered in her ear, guiding her down to about halfway up the stairs.

"You're wearing purple," Mal gasped. She couldn't believe it. The color made his eyes look a little darker, actually.

Down below, Evie reappeared and took a stance beside Doug, who wrapped his arms around her and gave her a kiss on the cheek. No one in the entire crowd said anything as Ben reached into his suit coat. She heard something click. "You're microphoned?" She asked. Her voice echoed a bit in the room from the speaker system.

"Gotta be heard," Ben chuckled. "Don't forget, we're on TV." He gestured out to the crowd. There were cameras broadcasting the event to Auradon, and people had their cell phones out, filming. Mal's mouth went very dry.

"You… you all set me up!" She gasped, turning to stare at her friends. Audrey had dumped her drink on her, Ben and Jay had sabotaged her wardrobe… Evie had hidden her card in the car to slow them down! She clapped a hand to her mouth in shock.

Ben laughed. "I'm not going to take any more time from the party," He told her. "After all, this has been a long time coming, and I feel like you've had plenty of warning." He took her hands and they turned to face each other. Ben cleared his throat.

"Mal, my idea of Happily Ever After changed forever when we started dating. For years now, all I've wanted in life is you. You're my partner, you're my teammate, you're my friend. And there is no one else I want to be my queen." Ben's voice echoed off the walls of the room and at the mention of the word 'queen', the entire room took a breath. Mal, for her part, couldn't breathe as Ben dropped to one knee in front of her, reached into his pocket, and pulled out the long-coveted black box. He smiled at her as he opened the box with a flourish and tears clouded her eyes.

"I want you if you'll have me. You already know my work is a burden, but you've more than proven you're up to any challenge that comes. Mal, will you marry me, and be Queen of Auradon at my side?"

Mal couldn't breathe, couldn't speak as she nodded over and over and over. She dropped to her knees beside him and threw her arms around his neck. And it was only then she finally found her voice again. "Yes," She gasped, sounding a bit hoarse with emotion. "Yes, yes, I'll marry you."

The entire room exploded into sound. Mal felt Ben fumbling with her left hand, and then something cold and metal slipped onto her finger. She withdrew a little to examine the ring. She was smiling so hard she almost couldn't see straight as she looked down and saw a silver band with a low-set diamond and dozens of pretty purple offset stones. She twisted her hand and examined the back of the ring, and then noticed something inscribed underneath the diamonds. It read: "happily ever after."

Ben got to his feet and helped her up as tears filled her eyes and immediately began to spill down her cheeks. The room was still applauding, people were still screaming in celebration as Ben tucked her arm into his elbow and began leading her down the stairs. Evie, Jay, Carlos, and all their families started up and met her halfway with hugs and calls of celebration. Mal let go on Ben long enough to latch onto Evie and begin sobbing into her friend's shoulder.

Jay eventually pried her off of Evie so he could pick her up and spin her around. "Why so sad?" He asked. "You did it! You said yes!"

Mal hid her face in his shoulder, well-aware her makeup was probably ruined. "I'm just happy," She hiccupped. "I'm really, really happy."

Evie seized Mal's hand, looking irritable. "Let me see the stupid ring!" She demanded crossly. Mal laughed as Evie spread her fingers and let out a squeal when she glimpsed all the sparkly rocks. They threaded their fingers together and let out two identical twin screams of pure excitement.

"That's beautiful!" Audrey cheered as she looked over everyone's shoulders. She smiled sheepishly at Mal. "Sorry about ruining your dress," She apologized.

"Oh!" Mal huffed, balling her fists up. "You all set me up!" She pointed at each of her friends accusingly. "I thought he was going to propose next week!"

"Thanks, guys," Ben laughed, reaching around her to fist-bump everyone one-by-one. "I owe you all big-time."

"Yes," Evie agreed, curling her lip. "We ruined a perfectly good cocktail dress and I almost got arrested."

"You hid my card!" Mal protested, digging her nails into her palms. "And that text thing! You're all dirty, dirty liars!" She pointed at Jay. "You brought my dress down so I couldn't go to my room, and you and Ben sabotaged my room so I had to wear this, and you even made me think it was going to be at Cotillion!"

"You really thought I'd ruin Ka-Okee's night?" Ben laughed. "And your room is fine. Actually, we filled it with surprises. You're welcome."

"Evie stalled me." Mal pointed at her best friend accusingly. "And Carlos-"

"Didn't almost ruin everything," Carlos interrupted with a laugh and a wince. "I orchestrated the traffic jam that almost made you late and helped with the microphones and equipment."

"By the way," Ben paused, opening up his suit coat and switching the microphone off. "Can you help me take all this junk off?" Carlos moved to help him as Doug continued explaining everything in lieu of everyone fawning over Mal.

"Carlos got the guard to slow you down, Belle asked the carpet cleaners to act as if there was a mistake and they were late, and Ben asked Audrey to knock her drink on you. The hardest part was for Evie to get you up on the forbidden staircase without you getting suspicious enough for Ben to not catch you off guard." He put a hand on his wife's shoulder as Evie began to calm down.

Evie slumped into Doug's side with a yawn. "I'm about done. Watching Mal panic about everything for the last few hours has worn me out."

"You feeling bad?" Jane asked, patting Evie's shoulder sympathetically.

"Yeah, she was about to throw up when we were in the hallway," Mal frowned, examining Evie in worry.

"I did on the way down, in the restroom," Evie sighed, resting a hand on her ribcage. "It's time for me to go home."

Ben paused. "Oh, are you pregnant?" He asked. Evie flushed and nodded with a happy smile as Doug took her hand and threaded his fingers through hers.

"Let's get you home," Doug whispered in her ear. He inclined his head to the group. "Congratulations, Ben and Mal. I don't know why you waited so long, but I'm glad you finally did it."

Mal glanced down at her hand with a wistful smile. "You had this for seven years?" She asked Ben.

"I've known for a while you were the one," Ben laughed. "I was just waiting for you to realize that." Mal blushed as she took his hand again. He reached up, guided his hand down her jawline, and brought her mouth up to his. Immediately, her friend all exploded into disgusted sounds, though it was clear they were all still very proud of what they'd accomplished. Mal relaxed as she felt the familiar magic tingle her fingertips and light her emotions on fire.

Belle appeared, hurrying up the stairs. "Mal!" She called, drawing her new future daughter-in-law away from her son. She held out her hands. "I want to see the ring!" She demanded. Mal laughed as Evie stepped forward for one last hug before Belle seized Mal's hand and began to examine the ring with intense scrutiny. Doug led Evie away, out the doors, and presumably down to her car. 'It's beautiful!" Belle proclaimed. "Now, when are you getting married? Have you talked about anything yet?"

"Nothing." Ben shook his head. "But I'd be willing to bet Mal wants a winter or spring wedding." He elbowed her with a smile. Mal immediately shook her head.

"No, no Ben," She declined. "I want, like, a tomorrow wedding. Is there any chance we can elope tonight?"

"Evie will murder you," Jay replied immediately with a wide look in his eyes. "She's been planning dresses since she learned your cotillion was getting engaged to being engaged. If she doesn't get the chance to make at least one, she will go ballistic."

"Yeah, let's not anger the pregnant Isle lady," Carlos laughed nervously.

"What do you mean, 'at least one'?" Mal asked with a furrowed brow. "Only one dress is needed, and really, we all know I'd be fine to get married in my jacket and combat boots anyways."

"Auradon might have a thing or two to say about that," Ben rolled his eyes. "The whole 'white wedding' thing is strangely important to everyone. People might revolt."

The group threw their head back and laughed before a sudden crash came from the concessions table. An entire table had collapsed, and the young Duke Alan Tudyk of Weselton was struggling to get up from it. The young man's coattails were covered in the jello pudding he'd landed in as he howled in outrage. He appeared to have been thrown, and it didn't take much deducing to see the source of the commotion. Adam's fists were balled up about ten feet away and he was shaking like the ground as a volcano went off. His face was beet-red and, for a second, Mal could have sworn she was looking at the Beast, and not Ben's dad.

"Adam?" Belle gasped beside Mal as Ben took Mal's hand and squeezed it. Adam didn't hear her as he procured an accusing finger directed in the young Duke Weselton's direction.

"Get out of my house!" Adam bellowed. More people in the room who hadn't been alerted to the disturbance when the table had crashed were staring as Alan struggled to his feet. "I'll not hear your blasphemy again!"

"Mark my words!" The Duke yelled, wiping what looked like the remnants of a slice of cake off of his face and hurling it onto the ballroom floor. "This is it for Auradon!"

People gasped in horror at his words, and Mal straightened up beside Ben, ready to fight. The Duke whirled and pointed an accusing finger straight towards their group – straight at Mal. "As sure as we stand here, she'll be the downfall of the kingdom!" He proclaimed. "We can't trust her!"

Ben stepped in front of Mal as Carlos and Jay both took up defensive stances. Mal was shocked as the Duke hurled another fistful of smashed cake from his shoulder onto the floor. He turned and stormed out of the ballroom, leaving a gigantic mess of frosting and whipped cream behind. People began to murmur as servants appeared and began to take the ruined confections away. Ben held up his hands to gather the attention of the people around him. "Please, everyone, go back to your party." He turned momentarily to squeeze Mal's shoulder and then walked to where the servants were trying to wipe things up. He picked up the platter of destroyed jello and disappeared out the door with it as Mal let out a breath.

Belle left the group to go talk to Adam. Mal watched the two interact briefly, and they headed out the door as Ben reappeared and continued to help with clean-up. Mal looked around at the surrounding guests. While many looked horrified and angry, several stood stone-faced, refusing to meet her eyes. And just like that, she was sixteen again and everyone was angry with her after family day. She could hear Jane's hiss: "he's never gonna make a villain a queen," and could feel everyone's eyes on her.

"Woah, calm down," Carlos told her, setting a hand on her forearm. Mal looked at him, confused, and realized her eyes must have flashed. She averted her gaze and took several deep breaths.

"Mal," Jay whispered. "They're wrong. You're not going to destroy Auradon. They don't know you."

Mal forced a tight smile. "I know," She whispered and looked up to the doors. She slipped past everyone at the base of the stairs and joined the few royals helping the servants clean the food off of the floor. She could feel people's eyes on her as she worked, but she didn't dare let anyone know how the situation had knocked her off-guard. One by one, everyone got up as the mess resolved itself, but Mal wasn't quite sure what she was supposed to do when she got up, so she kept pretending she was wiping up excess whipped cream until a hand stopped her.

Ben took the napkins out of her hand and threw them away. He slipped his arm around her waist and cleared his throat. "We were talking about when you wanted the wedding before we were interrupted," He recalled leading her away and into the crowd, inclining his head to anyone who stopped to congratulate them. "Assuming I can't get out of that charity event and subsequent meeting tomorrow, what's your option number two?"

"Do you think all of Auradon will react like that?" Mal asked, glancing over her shoulder to where the Duke of Weselton had landed.

"No," Ben stopped her, turning her to face him with an intense gaze. "No, they won't. The people love you. I love you. The Duke is just a close-minded fool. Don't listen to him. I honestly don't want you to think about him for another second. This night is about us, and he's wrong about you. Don't believe lies, Mal."

Mal swallowed at the tone of his voice. She'd heard him take that tone less than four times in her life. Under Uma's spell at Cotillion… at the Enchanted Lake when they'd almost broken up… no other instances came to mind right away. "I won't," She whispered.

Ben's gaze remained intent on her for another few seconds, and then he leaned in and gave her another kiss, in front of everyone. Despite the scene and the fact that they were probably being filmed somewhere, Mal felt all her worries and upsets heal. True Love's Kiss strikes again, she thought. A smile appeared on her face. "Maybe we should do a winter wedding," She mumbled against Ben's lips. "Or, like, a next-week wedding."

"Ah-ah," Ben tsked. "Cotillion next week. We can't hold an official event of that importance after their celebration. It's not nice. But we could probably do, like December. You could get married in the snow. Evie would have a field day with all the white."

"She would," Mal laughed as he returned his arm to her waistline and she wrapped hers around his. "So, what was with all the hype about Cotillion? You could have just had everyone make me think you were going to propose over dinner out of the blue or something."

"I'm not casual enough for that," Ben laughed. "And the real reason?" He snickered for a half-second and then schooled his emotions. "John Smith was complaining you hadn't finished filing your part of the paperwork."

Mal's mouth dropped open. "Oh my gosh," She covered her mouth as Ben doubled over in laughter. "That's manipulation!" She accused.

"Hey," Ben held up a hand in defense. "It was all done bright and early the morning after you had your text conversation with your friends. Two birds with one stone. You didn't see anything coming and I got you to focus on paperwork."

"You know about those texts?" Mal asked.

Ben snickered again and pulled his phone out of his pocket. "I orchestrated them," He told her, tilting the screen so she could look at what he was doing. He opened a message with Carlos, Evie, and Jay and himself – no Mal. Mal skimmed the messages and covered her mouth as she began to laugh.

Jay: "Kay Ben, I just told her abt Cotillion. She's suspicious but I think E and C 'freaking out' helped.

Evie: Yeah, she's sold on this.

Ben: What's she saying now?

Carlos: She's just spectating. She's reading all the messages but isn't saying anything. BTW she was working on Cotillion paperwork when we started texting her.

Ben: I wonder how much longer until it's actually done. She's had it for almost two months. Anyone want to place a bet for less than a day now that we've done this?

Evie: CARLOS YOU TEXTED THAT MESSAGE TO THE WRONG GROUP CHAT

Carlos: OH SHOOT.

Carlos: SHOOYT

Carlos: SHOOT*

Jay: Your an idiot.

Ben: Please tell me you didn't ruin everything.

Ben: Guys?

Ben: What happened?

Evie: Screenshot She said she's gonna pretend she didn't get that.

Ben: I think it's vague enough. She'll probably think we're going to sneak her away from Cotillion. BTW thanks for the heart attack.

Ben: Oh, she has visitation with her mom on that day.

Ben: EVIE you have a day out with her next week on the night of the Castle Party. Okay, I have a plan, and it involves lots of stress for Mal. You guys up to helping me?

Mal shook her head as she skimmed the texts and watched their plans unfold. The most impressive one, to her, was Ben saying: "If Mal doesn't tell you to go straight to the royal garage, ask her if she has the passes for it. She'll probably agree right away and roll with it without getting suspicious." She'd played right into their hands, and she wasn't even a little bit disappointed. "You guys are good," She complimented Ben. "And then none of you broke character, except for Evie when she snapped at me to go out on the staircase."

"I heard that," Ben chuckled. "By the way, I had no idea she was expecting, and I feel kind of bad for how much of our plan revolved around her."

"It would have had to have been her, though," Mal rolled her eyes. "For one, she would have wanted to have the biggest part anyway. And for two, it wasn't like Jay or Carlos could have sewn a 'getting engaged' dress and convinced me it was for next week, and then helped me change and get ready in the car, and everything."

Ben smiled as he looked down at her outfit. "You look amazing," He told her. "I prefer you in purple over Auradon colors."

"I don't look good in yellow," Mal shook her head. "Remember cotillion? And I had my bright purple hair and… yeah." She trailed off as Ben started to laugh and nod.

"Should I wear purple when we get married?" She asked over Ben's laughter. "Or would Auradon have a meltdown?"

"Auradon would have a meltdown," Ben confirmed. "Maybe Evie could put purple hints in your white dress though." He hesitated. "Actually, maybe we could do a double thing."

Mal tilted her head. "Like… two weddings?" She asked slowly.

Ben shrugged. "Maybe," He shrugged. "And you could wear purple or black or green at the private one, and we could have only our friends and no cameras, and heck, we could do that next week or month or whenever. And then Auradon can have their gigantic, ridiculous, over-the-top white wedding afterward."

Mal let out a wistful sigh. "I'm okay with that," She agreed. "I don't feel like my wedding is something I want to share with your kingdom."

"You don't want to share anything with our kingdom," Ben rolled his eyes. "Not your time, not your wedding, not even me."

"True," Mal grumbled. They hit the edge of the ballroom and walked out onto a balcony. A few couples were out, but not many. They walked over to the railing and Mal leaned down over the edge. "And really," She continued, elbowing Ben coyly, "So long as it gets me into your room quicker, I'm good with anything."

Ben hummed and rolled his eyes. "You're deathly afraid of raising the future heir or heiress of the kingdom yet you can't wait to sleep with me," He whispered as he leaned over the balcony with her.

"Well, it's the benefits, see," Mal shrugged. Her throat felt a bit tight as she considered his reasoning.

"There aren't any benefits to kids?" Ben returned with a raised eyebrow. "A little you or a little me, or a little both of us? And you get to watch them grow up and decorate their rooms and-"

"You sound like Evie," Mal cut him off with an eye-roll.

"Strictly speaking, it's good Evie is thinking like that," Ben shrugged. He put his arm around Mal and began to rub her shoulder with his fingertips. "So, when do you want to get married?"

Mal looked out into the night and considered the black, inky sky. A cool breeze drifted through and made goosebumps rise on her arms. She turned and met his gaze. "Tonight," She admitted. "I just want to be your wife already."

Ben smiled and leaned his cheek on her head. "What about after cotillion?" He suggested. "Ka-Okee gets put in next Wednesday, and Thursday I'm packed, but maybe I can move my last thing on Friday, and we can take all your friends out to DunBroch or to Paris for some whiskey or brandy, get our marriage license, have a ceremony or something, and then come home and start getting ready for Auradon's part of the celebration."

"Can we get back after midnight?" Mal asked. One of the rules, whenever Ben, Mal, or any of their friends went out together, was that the Royals had to get back before midnight. This would be a huge security blitz. He might have to add an entire extra meeting to his schedule to organize it, but it would be awesome. Mal hadn't been allowed to stay out till morning hours since she'd lived with Evie.

"You know what," Ben sighed. "That sounds fun. Let's do it. I'll probably die in meetings on Saturday, but-"

"But you're usually dying in meeting anyways," Mal interjected. "People literally drown you with their problems."

"I sense resentment in that statement," Ben laughed. He pressed a kiss to her head. "We won't be able to go anywhere until after we're publicly married, mostly because I need at least a month's warning before I can drop things and go, but we'll go on a honeymoon together after the white wedding."

"As far as me being queen, does that start after wedding one, or wedding two?" Mal asked.

Ben tossed the idea back and forth. "Technically… you'll be my wife. Which makes you Consort Queen until you're coronated with the official ceremony. So even though you're not immediately the 'Queen' of Auradon, technically your responsibilities change the moment you sign the paper. So… partial queen duties?" He shrugged. "I'll ask dad."

Mal chewed on her lip. "In theory, let's say I take on all the duties of Queen starting Saturday Morning. How does that change your schedule?"

Ben let out a physical sigh of relief. "I can't wait till I get to split responsibilities with you. I've honestly forgotten what free time feels like outside of our dates." He rubbed a hand over his face and thought. "At least half of my day Saturday would be cleared up if you started then. Because then I could move things so they're overlapping, and we can divide and conquer. In essence, my workday goes from sixteen to six, maybe seven or eight hours every day."

"Does that mean I actually get to talk to you now?" Mal asked with a smile.

"Amazing concept, isn't it?" Ben laughed. "What do you want to do? I'm okay to keep holding everything down until you're officially coronated if you want." He drummed his fingers on her bicep in a comforting thrum while he waited for her response.

"Actually, I think I might take over," Mal thought out loud. "That way I get to spend more time with you. Besides, I won't be swamped with Court Duties anymore."

"Well, you will be, but only to a degree since the courts and the monarch are separate. You already know that the king is head of court but when there's a queen she gets a say too. Her say is slightly below the king's but that's just a balance check because she has the power to veto any laws he makes," Ben explained, moving his hands a little as he spoke.

Mal let out a deep breath. "There's so much," She gasped. "How will I ever get it all?"

"I felt like that when I started out too," Ben told her, squeezing her close to his side. "But I had my parents, and you have me. We'll figure it out together. As far as your court duties go, chances are they won't release you until you're officially coronated, but I'm allowed to help if we're married."

"That's new," Mal hummed. "Usually whatever I was doing I was supposed to keep separate from you until it was developed."

"Same with me," Ben laughed. "I get to share laws in-the-making, legal cases, the works. Now it's just that you're not allowed to share what I tell you with your friends."

"The joys of National Security," Mal sighed half-heartedly. She reached for Ben's hand and squeezed her palm against his. "What else do we need to figure out? Who would marry us next week? Where would we go? Where can we find a ring for you?"

"Slow down," Ben chuckled, fiddling with her left hand so he could watch the diamonds sparkle in the dim light on her hand. "I think we have a few heritage rings in the family vaults. I had yours made special, but I could easily wear my grandfather's and get it sized and engraved. We could go anywhere within two hours of the palace and, heck, Dad can marry us since he still holds that power in the law. And if not Dad then I could easily find someone in the palace who's qualified."

Mal watched him move her hand back and forth to see the ring sparkle on her hand with a small smile. "I can't wait," She whispered.

"Me neither," He murmured in her ear. She turned her head to smile up at him and leaned up a little, ready to kiss him.

A door opened down below on the palace grounds, shedding light over all the shrubbery for a quick flash before a thud signified the door had shut again. "I can't believe it!" Someone declared down below. Mal turned away from Ben and leaned down over the balcony as a young man – maybe a duke or a prince – stalked out into the shrubbery with a young woman who had blue-streaked hair followed him.

"Believe what?" She asked in a high, snobbish tone. "Why are you acting like such a baby?"

The young man whirled around and made several angry gestures to the palace behind him. A few of the other couples on the balcony looked down with frowns. "Them, Clara, the royals!" He yelled. Spittle was flying from his mouth. Mal frowned and squinted. The two seemed to be dressed similarly, meaning they were either a couple trying to match or, more likely, two siblings, sent from the same country. The boy continued yelling. "I can't believe the audacity – how dare they?"

"What?" Clara growled, stamping her feet. "It's a perfectly good party we're missing. What's your deal?"

"I can't believe that he'd make a villain a queen!" The boy exploded suddenly, taking off his ties and hurling it to the ground with such force Mal took her hand off the balcony in surprise. "How dare he put the country in jeopardy!"

"Mal?" The girl deadpanned. "That's what you're mad about? Mal?"

"You're not mad?" The boy exclaimed, unbuttoning his suit coat and his sleeves while he turned red, even in the darkness. "He's putting the daughter of the evilest villain ever on the throne of our country, giving her plenty of power to ruin everyone's lives, and not caring that we all might die-"

He started emptying his pockets onto the ground. There were wrappers, a plastic spoon, peanuts and candies, and something greasy wrapped up in a napkin. He ripped off his coat and tossed it onto a shrub as he paced. Mal glanced around them. The other people on the balcony were intently watching the argument down below, and only two were glancing at her cautiously. She assumed most of them hadn't realized it was them standing there due to the night hiding most of their features, like her signature hair. She swallowed and glanced up at Ben, whose lips were pinched into an angry growl and whose eyes were hard with fury. Carefully, she untangled their hands from each other and looked down, examining the ring on her finger as she tried to calm herself down.

"Die," Clara repeated in a deadpan tone. "Doubtful. What, is King Ben just going to up and vanish?"

"No, she'll murder him!" Her brother exclaimed, spinning on his heel and kicking a small shrug, sending a bunch of leaves flying off of the bush. "Him and his family and everyone until it's just her and she's done everything her mom was never able to do! He's a fool, believing her lies and giving her everything she wants. You can't cater to evil, and he's just – walking around – hey Mal, you want this, sure thing. Hey Mal, you want the kingdom, here you go. Hey Mal, should I expose my neck as you raise a knife over my head? Sounds good to me!" The boy shoved his hands deep into his pockets and paced back and forth, practically steaming. "She doesn't deserve any kindness, any celebration, we ought to be summoning the army to stop her before we're all entrapped in her demonic lies and cutting her sinisterly, seductive mouth off. I wouldn't mind seeing her actually punished for her crimes and strung up like-"

"Young man!" Ben finally exploded. The sheer volume was so great that everyone, even Mal, jumped. She almost felt her frame edge into a defensive position before she reminded herself that this was Ben, and Ben wouldn't be hurting her. Her eardrums were ringing. The boy down on the palace grounds stiffened like someone had dumped ice water down his back and turned slowly. Mal dipped her head down, cheeks burning, as people on the balcony backed away from them, leaving her and Ben clearly isolated. Clara squinted up at them, winced, and turned her head away, covering her face in shame as the boy blinked up through the shadows at them. Ben took his arm from around Mal and planted his hands on the railing. He straightened up and glared – really, he glared – down at the young man.

"King Ben," The boy took a breath. His gaze fell on Mal momentarily, and his lip curled in distaste. "I apologize for interrupting your evening," He forced out, sounding like he had just swallowed a pound of rock salt before he tried to open his mouth. "May I congratulate you on your-"

"Save your breath," Ben spat, enunciating every word. He curled his fingers into the balcony railing and then forced his hands to relax. "Your worries are notable, but I assure you we take every precaution for your safety." Ben let out a deep breath and waved his hand. "Leave," He commanded. "Get out of my sight. Georgetown citizens, correct? I'll page ahead to your parents the details of this incident. So help me if I ever see your hide around here, you won't be leaving with perfect teeth. I will take personal pride in disfiguring your mouth for this conversation alone, so don't let me hear another word out of your mouth against my fiancée."

An icy feeling crept down Mal's spine as she listened to Ben's threats. She'd never heard Ben threaten anyone before – she'd never even heard him get angry before, not counting that time at her Cotillion. And sure, she'd heard threats against the royal family. Most notably from last year, when Ben's name had been smeared by the public for the crop failures. And not to mention all the threats she'd heard and had passed on regularly when she lived on the Isle. But she hadn't heard threats like this in a very, very long time, if ever. These threats were precise, striking fear into the hearts of everyone who heard them, and the tone of voice left no one any doubt that Ben would gladly – gladly – carry them out.

The boy coughed a little as he tried to clear his throat. He sounded like he was choking on his tongue as he sheepishly gathered up his jacket and picked most of the trash up off of the ground. He let out a hasty bow before he turned and headed back inside. Mal kept her gaze focused on the ground as the crowd slowly dispersed on the balcony. Her heart thudded against her chest like a hammer beating into her skin. No one said anything to them. Ben's breathing remained heavy and intense beside her. Her fingers trembled from the surprise of his anger and from the cold.

After several minutes of nothing – not touching, no words – Ben put a hand on hers. "I'm sorry for yelling," He murmured quietly.

Mal straightened up and shook her head. "Oh, it's fine. I mean, he wasn't being the nicest, and… I'm not mad."

Ben put his arm around her shoulders and rubbed her arms, which were covered in goosebumps. "Let's not talk about it," He whispered. "Come on, I want to go back inside and make sure he left. Let's find everyone."

They turned and re-entered the ballroom. Music was playing – the DJ had finally started his songs. A large area had cleared for dancing, meaning that a majority of the guests were now wandering through the other areas cleared for guest use – the dining room, the small library, the gardens, basically the lowest floor of the building. Ben and Mal skirted around the dance floor and then clasped their hands together as they began to look for Jay, Lonnie, Carlos, Jane, or Ben's parents. Mal used her free hand to reach into his suit pocket for his phone since hers had probably been taken back up to her room by Doug or one of the servants. The time read 7:20.

"Excuse me," Ben stopped a guard who was patrolling the perimeter of the room. "Can you please see to it that the young prince from King George Town is escorted out? His sister is fine to stay, but he was acting like a disrespectful snot, and I want him to leave early."

"Yes, your majesty," The guard nodded and pulled out a walkie-talkie. He began relaying the instructions he'd just gotten from Ben. As he walked away, Ben slung an arm around Mal's waist and pulled her close to his side.

"Are you hungry?" He whispered in her ear.

"A little," She nodded. Her hands still felt a bit numb from cold.

"Listen," Ben sighed, walking her toward the dining room where additional tables had been laid out. "I'm sorry I yelled. Please, don't think about that boy anymore. What he said… it's just not true."

"I grew up on the Isle, Ben," Mal grumbled. "I know how to take threats." They got in line behind a couple who immediately turned to greet them, thank them for the party, and congratulate them on getting engaged. Ben got Mal a plate of something fancy she didn't know the name of and together they wandered into the library on a hunch. There, they found their group hiding on a collection of sofas near the window, watching guests wander the gardens outside. Ben helped Mal sit down in her dress before he took a seat beside her without a word.

Adam appeared to have calmed down. He was eating the same thing Ben and Mal had just grabbed as Belle skimmed a book beside him. Their hands were intertwined. "I haven't seen you for a while," Belle smiled. "Are you alright?"

Jay craned his head to look at Mal. He was lounging on a window seat. Lonnie had collected cushions off of the couch and was lounging on the floor beside him. He was trailing his fingers through her hair as he studied his surroundings. "You look pale," He told Mal.

Janes and Carlos were sitting on a sofa together. She was leaning back into him with her eyes closed and his arms were latched around her shoulders comfortingly. But at Jay's words, Jane cracked an eye open. "Are you okay?" She asked Mal.

Mal swallowed. "I am," She whispered.

Adam straightened up. "I'm sorry if I scared you, Mal. The Duke of Weselton…" He trailed off, and Ben shook his head.

"No, it's not that, dad," He sighed. "My fault. I lost my cool with this… prepubescent scumbag who was talking about stringing her up in the gardens."

Carlos's face twisted into a vicious sneer and Jay straightened up and cracked his joints. "I hope you set the rules of things clear?" Carlos demanded in a low, threatening tone. Still, he had nothing on Ben's fierce threats. Mal barely batted an eye.

"I did," Ben assured him coolly. "But I snapped, and I know I scared you." He set a hand on her forearm. "Sorry."

"Stop apologizing," Mal waved him off. "I swear, I'm okay. I just wasn't expecting you to yell."

"You yelled?" Jay snorted. "Sheesh, who'd have thought the kitten could roar?"

"Oh, no, Jay," Mal shook her head, and a round of giggles rose up inside her. She began to laugh. "Oh, he snapped!" She clapped her hands together for added effect. Laughing helped the shock of the situation wear off a little. "And everyone around us jumped and you could see the kid's hair standing on end from fifteen feet away." Mal covered her face as she began to laugh spastically. "Everyone backed away. And then he started threatening the kid… holy crap, there are people on the Isle who couldn't have done better." She shook her head in disbelief and directed her attention to Ben. "You," She began with a smile, "are scary." She stabbed her food with her fork and took a bite, still shaking her head in disbelief.

"I don't believe it," Lonnie disagreed, shaking her head. "No. Not Ben."

"I was shaking," Mal protested, holding a hand up. "I've never seen him that intense about anything. He was all: 'you're not going to leave with a perfect smile', and 'I will take personal pride in disfiguring your face.'" She dropped off, still shaking her head in disbelief and smirking at Ben, who was looking a bit pink. "We did decide on some things for our wedding," She announced, and then elbowed Ben to signal she wanted him to talk.

Ben cleared his throat. "Mal likes her privacy, so we're going to get married ahead of time and then treat the coronation as her 'official wedding'. That way she doesn't have to wear white, doesn't have to give a speech, and is free to get drunk with her friends."

"That's not what I said," Mal frowned.

"I don't hear you complaining about the idea, though," Ben pointed out. Mal shrugged and subsided.

"When?" Belle asked, glancing over the pages of her book and smiling as if she already knew the answer, though there was no way she coud.

"Tomorrow," Ben claimed. Everyone in the group stared at him as Mal snickered. A smile spread across Ben's face. "Not tomorrow. But we were thinking about Friday. After Powhatan Cotillion. And yes, that's a literal answer."

"Next week?" Belle asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Yeah," Ben nodded. "And it's going to be a tiny, minuscule thing. I'm going to clear my day after three, we're all going to go out for some drinks, and pick up our marriage license before we do a small, non-public ceremony. We're thinking it'll be just us in this group, plus Evie and Doug. That's it." He waited for his parent's approval. Belle heaved a heavy sigh and turned to see Adam's response. Ben pinched his lips together. "We want it this way." He added, hoping to head off any concerns.

Adam shrugged. "We always knew their wedding would be a little weird," He reminded Belle, squeezing her hand. "At least they're giving us some warning instead of just running off and doing it. Okay. Need a priest?"

"Yes, please," Ben nodded with a smile.

Carlos and Jane exchanged raised eyebrows. "Are you really okay with the King of Auradon getting married like this?"

"He's not going to be the King of Auradon, he's just going to be Ben," Mal sighed irritably. "If we – if I – have to put up with royal bullcrap for the rest of our lives, then I at least want to have my wedding in peace. And Auradon will get their fake show of wealth later, in December. Everything will be fine."

"Is Auradon going to know this is a thing?" Jay asked as he went back to threading his fingertips through Lonnie's scalp.

"Maybe eventually," Ben shrugged. "But for now, this is just for us. Because we worked hard for this." He took Mal's hand and squeezed it. "It hasn't been easy. We deserve this much."

Mal smiled. "We'll make it work," She promised him. Across the sofas, Carlos let out a little sigh and pulled out his phone. Mal raised an eyebrow at him. "What are you doing?" She asked.

"Ben… and… Mal… are… getting… married… next… week" Carlos read aloud as his fingers flew across the screen. "Don't… expect… her… to… wear… any… of… your… white… dresses. Might… want… to… start… thinking… black."

"And purple," Jane reminded him.

"And purple," Carlos agreed, adding the statement onto the end of his text. His phone dinged, and a smile spread across his face. "Evie is making death threats through Doug again," He announced to the group.

"How much longer does this last?" Mal sighed as she leaned her head onto Ben's shoulder and began playing with her ring in the light again. Ben pulled out his phone and flashed the time at her. The clock read 7:40 now. Mal watched as he unlocked his phone, went to his calendar, moved a few things around for next week, and then opened a countdown function on his watch. He inclined his head to make sure she was watching as he started a countdown to Friday, three o'clock, next week. She chuckled and let her eyes close.

"She's going to go to sleep," Carlos warned Ben. "She, Jane, and Lonnie. The girls are all tired tonight."

"Add me to that list," Jay yawned. "Lon, you and I need to go home and get some sleep." He pulled her hair back from behind her ears as his fiancée yawned.

"Agreed," Lonnie mumbled. "I'll get up after you." And, expectedly, Jay didn't move, so Lonnie stayed on the floor in her personal cushion palace.

"You guys aren't really going to leave us alone, are you?" Mal grumbled. "Ben and I are supposed to stay up with the party and it literally ends tomorrow morning."

"Yeah," Ben agreed, poking Mal's arm. "We're supposed to stay up with the party. You know, Mal, how can you expect to stay out until two or three a.m. next week if you can't make it to eight tonight?"

"Evie forced me through a spa today and I almost died of stress because of you all," Mal wrinkled her nose. "I have a reason to be tired."

Ben chuckled and set his and her plates aside. "Come on, princess," He invited, standing up. Mal, upon losing her pillow, sat up scowling. He took her hand and pulled her into a standing position. "Let's go dance."

"Why?" Mal whined. "I can't dance."

"Then let's just spin in aimless circles and pretend we're dancing so you can stay awake," Ben laughed.

"We're probably going to head out," Carlos announced. "Classes in the morning." Jane nodded and sat up, swinging her legs off the couch. Jay jolted to attention and got up, and Lonnie, true to her word, followed.

"Bye Mal," Jane bid the purplette. The two shared a brief hug before Lonnie shuffled past with a yawn. Carlos clapped Mal on the back in his hug, and Jay pulled her into a tight embrace. "See you next week," He yawned. "We meeting somewhere, or no?"

"We'll send someone to pick you up," Ben smiled. "Drive safe, guys."

Before they left the library, Ben stopped to give his mom a hug and a kiss on the cheek. "Will you be turning in soon?" He asked.

"Soon," Belle repeated with a nod, setting her book down to wrap her arms around her son. "Good luck with the party. Make sure both you and Mal get to where you need to be – no funny business."

"Does it matter still?" Mal sighed. "No one would know the difference."

Ben rolled his eyes. "I'll make sure of it," He promised his mom. "I love you. See you in the morning."

"Good night," Belle yawned. She picked her book back up and leaned against Adam's shoulder as Ben took Mal's hand and led her back out to the ballroom. It was hard to believe he was all grown up, with a fiancée and his kingdom.

Mal yawned as Ben helped her weave through the crowd towards the floor. He carefully took up her arms and they began spinning with the other couples on the floor.

"Was it worth it?" Ben asked as Mal yawned a little and admired her ring against Ben's suit.

"I can't believe you wore my color," Mal smiled. "You've never looked so good before."

Ben laughed. "So, you're happy?" He asked, which was a silly question since she was always happy with him.

Mal looped her arms around Ben's shoulders and leaned into his chest. She let her eyes drift closed as they kept going, kept spinning. "It's perfect," She whispered. "Everything is perfect."

Ben chuckled. He kept Mal upright as her eyelids grew heavier and heavier until she was tripping over nothing and yawning constantly. They took a break around 10:30 on the stairs, but that was the end for Mal. She passed out on the fourth step up, with her head on Ben's knee and his arm draped around her. The pretty silver ring caught the light and scattered tiny rainbows on her face as the party continued on around her and she slowly slipped away from reality.

______________________________________________________________

Lady Mal to Become Queen - Auradon News – September 21, 28

Allow us to introduce the next royal bride: Lady Mal, daughter of Maleficent, the first maiden ever to join the official royal family. Hopefully, you already know of her from the eight years she spent dating King Benjamin, son of Beast and Belle and current ruler of Auradon.

In a history-making event, King Ben proposed to Mal in the beginning hours of the celebration of the formation of Auradon on live television. The palace has not released any details regarding when a royal wedding will take place but given that the couple took so much time just to date, it's likely we could be looking at a repeat of the famed tourney star Jay's relationship with his longtime fiancée. Jay also happens to be a close friend of Lady Mal's, so the chances they follow each other's lead may be higher than we think.

When they're wed, Mal will be the most atypical royal bride in this dispensation. She'll be the first descendant of a villain to be marrying into a royal family, and the daughter of Maleficent, at that. She's also one of the few royals who possess the ability to use magic, just a few steps behind Queen Elsa and Queen Rapunzel. Among other things she holds the title of longest girlfriend among any of the royals, the only royal raised on the Isle of the Lost, the only royal who can shapeshift, the only royal who almost destroyed Auradon and, truthfully, the most controversial royal ever in this dispensation.

Ben and Mal have been dating for eight long years, but after the first six months ended, they retreated into seclusion. Mal was accepted as a Lady of the Court six months after arriving from the Isle and has been working with him side-by-side since; even taking up politics professionally after leaving Auradon Prep to be with him. She rose to be the most powerful person in the court, taking up head responsibility right after the King himself. Most of their relationship is hidden from the public eye, though they can often be photographed on casual dates around Auradon, such as the one a few weeks ago at Auradon Prep. Over the years, people have speculated that he was about to propose several times, but each time the palace assured the public that when the time came, they would let Auradon know. Many people speculated it was because Lady Mal simply wasn't ready to take up the role of queen.

Now Mal, who has apparently decided she's prepared, is set to marry Ben and become the second half of the monarchy. She will have the power to veto laws Ben creates, direct all palace personnel, and to create official declarations alongside her husband.

The couple will live at Beast's palace where Former King Adam and Queen Belle also reside. The King and Queen have not given any official statement regarding their future daughter-in-law, but the elder couple was photographed and filmed during the engagement. It's clear they were aware that the proposal was going to go down, and that they were more than okay with it. As far as Mal's mother is concerned, it's safe to assume that she hasn't been told, as she is still available for viewing at the Auradon Zoology Emporium, where she has been for the last year in lizard form.

Ben and Mal met in the fall of 20 at Auradon Prep after Ben decreed that the second generation of villains would be given a chance to choose good and be integrated with the people in Auradon. Mal was among the first four students who almost destroyed his Coronation before turning Mal's mother into a lizard and publicly choosing good over evil. Ben and Mal, who had begun dating previous to Coronation, stayed together despite many people who doubted such a relationship would last. Things have only intensified over the years as Mal rose in politics and eventually moved into the royal palace to live with him and his family.

Today, it's clear that despite political tribulation, the couple is more in love than ever. We're excited to see everything that will happen over the next few years as King Ben and his new wife continue to make changes in Auradon. Long may they reign.

______________________________________________________________

Animosity after 'Scandalous' Royal Proposal – BG Metropolis – Sept 21, 28

Well folks, it finally happened! King Ben proposed to Lady Mal last night, on the steps of the palace ballroom in front of approximately 2,000 royal attendees. Details about the proposal are still being leaked, but Lady Mal was quoted saying: "You all set me up!" Sounds like someone definitely wasn't expecting her longtime boyfriend to be dropping to one knee that night.

Lady Mal previously opened up the party in a stunning white gown with yellow and blue details, but after an alleged wardrobe malfunction involving a glass of red wine being spilled on her, left the party. King Ben left soon after, reappearing only minutes later in a new outfit with purple detailing. He immediately called the room's attention from the staircase he was about to change Lady Mal's life on and announced that he was about to pop the question – just as soon as Evie, the owner of the popular Evie's Four Hearts and Mal's best friend, finished fixing her outfit. Soon after, Mal appeared on the top of the staircase, looking absolutely bewildered until Ben took her hand and led her down the staircase towards the crowd. He brought out the ring, gave a speech, she said yes, and the rest, at this point, is history.

However, despite the inherent happiness of the two, not everyone was thrilled by the revelation that Maleficent's daughter was about to ascend the throne. Within minutes, there was a commotion as the Duke of Weselton was thrown into a dessert table that had been set up alongside the staircase – the result of Former King Adam losing his infamous temper. Witnesses reported that the Duke was raving about the proposal and the future queen and that he even proclaimed that 'She'll be the downfall of the kingdom' before leaving the scene immediately. Witnesses also report that King Ben reprimanded a young royal who was angrily ranting about Lady Mal on the grounds.

Several other royals and citizens alike have taken alight to social media to express displeasure and worry over Mal's future appointment to the throne. A slow-growing social media presence titled 'Knights for Freedom' have declared their mission: "The throne of Auradon is not for the villains to overrun, and we won't let tyrants like Maleficent's daughter steal away our lives."

No details have been released on a royal wedding. Once Mal is instated as queen, she will have the power to block laws that Ben creates, decree official declarations with her husband, and direct all palace personnel to her bidding. Numerous failsafes exist to keep the monarchy from overthrowing itself, but it will be interesting to see, for the first time, if these systems will be effective in creating the balance of power Auradon so desperately needs. More updates coming soon.

[psychosistr]

Hero- Part 1 (CaeJose Dancers!AU)

I decided to add to this au because it was too cute to resist doing more of it. And, I figured, what better day to post this than valentines day? I’ve got other parts planned after this one, but this one’s mostly just laying the foundation for Caesar and Joseph’s relationship. Enjoy ^^

Also, I’m gonna name different sections after songs that inspire me for the chapters/the theme music I imagine for certain moments during them. This set was inspired by “Hero” by Enrique Iglesias.

Another day, another dance class finished.

As the students filed out of the studio to go change back into their regular clothes, Joseph gathered cleaning supplies to wipe down the balance bars and mirrors from where people had been leaning on them off and on all day. She hated getting stuck with the menial chores like cleaning, but her mother’s assistants, Messina and Loggins, were tasked with keeping up the Hamon Troupe’s studio whenever Lisa Lisa and Joseph were teaching at the class-studio, and, unfortunately, that left Joseph to do the clean up here.

On her way back into the studio, she saw Caesar leaving with the last of the class. When he spotted her, his face lit up with his usual charming smile and he stepped aside, holding the door open for her with a bow. “Ladies first.”

Joseph couldn’t help but smile as she walked through the opened door, Caesar following after her. “Geez, you sound like such a cliché romance character- the classy gentleman that tries to charm all the ladies around him to mask his secrets, only for the heroine to win his heart and turn the tables on him.”

Caesar chuckled a bit, leaning against one of the balance bars as he watched her pull out the glass-cleaning spray and some paper towels. “Well, you’re certainly not far off: I enjoy being a classy gentleman, and I may have a few secrets, though I only attempt to charm the ladies who catch my interest.” He looked her over with a smile that tested the border line of charming and seductive. “I suppose that just means I’m waiting for the right heroine to come win my heart.”

Joseph’s face flushed at the obvious flirt as she busied herself with cleaning the mirrors. “…”

Caesar did these sorts of things a lot after their first dance together: He would wait until the last possible moment to leave and make small talk with Joseph. He’d flirt with her, sometimes subtly if others were around, other times openly as he was now. Not to mention that during the actual lessons, any time there was any sort of partnering up that needed to be done, he would proudly declare that he would be Joseph’s partner for the dance- acting as if he was staking a claim even though no one else ever wanted to be her partner, anyway. Also, he had this habit of just standing there sometimes, watching her, as if he was studying her or something. It was all very flattering and Joseph wasn’t quite sure how to deal with it all.

Joseph was suddenly startled out of her thoughts by a warm hand covering her own. She looked at Caesar’s reflection in the mirror and saw his hand lightly resting over hers, fingers stroking along her own as they gripped the bottle of glass cleaner. “Would you like any help with that? It seems like a lot of work to have to do by yourself.”

Joseph shot him a grateful, if slightly flustered, smile through the mirror. “Thanks, but my mom’d have my head if I got one of her students to do my chores for me.” She looked back at him over her shoulder. “Maybe you can help next time she’s not around.”

He gave her a soft smile, his fingers trailing longer than necessary along her hand before finally pulling away. “Very well, then. Until next time, mia bella fanciulla.”

Joseph watched him leave the studio through the mirror, a dreamy smile on her face. It always made her heart flutter to hear Caesar speak Italian like that. She had to go look up a few phrases from time to time, but, from what she’d learned, pretty much every name he called her was some combination of “beautiful” and a feminine title- his favorites seeming to be “maiden”, “angel”, and “goddess”, depending on his mood. It was really sweet and Joseph never got tired of hearing whatever name he decided to call her.

Joseph distracted herself with thoughts of Caesar as she cleaned the studio to help time go by faster.

By the time she was nearly done cleaning, her mother had finished up some paper work in the small office attached to the studio. “How much more do you have left?”

Joseph indicated the bar she was wiping down with a disinfecting wipe. “Just this last one, then-” She stopped and looked towards the doors to the changing room when both she and her mother heard a loud crash from that general direction. “?! What the hell?!”

Her mother was already heading towards the sound, gesturing for Joseph to follow her. “Whatever it is, I doubt it’s anything good…” They followed the sounds towards the men’s changing room, a small crowd of male students gathered outside. “What happened?” Her sharp voice cut through their chatter, instantly turning all eyes in her direction.

“A couple of guys started fighting in there, ma’am!” One of the students explained.

Lisa Lisa glanced around the crowd. “Anyone left in there that wasn’t part of the fight?”

“No, Lady Lisa Lisa!” Another one responded.

“Good.” She looked up at Joseph. “I might need you to help break it up.”

Joseph nodded and cracked her knuckles in preparation. “I know the drill, mom.”

Her mom opened the door and Joseph led the way in, glancing around the room. She soon spotted the source of the crash from earlier: The two-sided island of lockers that normally stood in the middle of the room had been knocked over and was still being used as part of the battleground. Joseph saw one guy currently lying unconscious on top of the over-turned lockers, another one semi-conscious with a dazed look on his bruised face on the ground half-leaning on the lockers, and the remaining two brawlers on the floor nearby. It was about what she expected for a fight that would drive the other guys out of the room.

What Joseph hadn’t been expected to see, though, was Caesar being one of the remaining fighters. He had another man pinned below him with one hand gripping his shirt and the other curled into a fist that he slammed repeatedly into the other man’s face. He looked beyond pissed, his eyes narrowed with a look of absolute hatred that seemed almost endless. She’d certainly never seen him like that before…

“Bastardo!” He yelled in rage as he brought his fist down hard against the man’s jaw, a loud popping sound being closely followed by a cry of pain that didn’t dissuade Caesar from slamming his fist down again at all. "Lo sporco degenerato! Non ti meriti nemmeno di essere nella stessa stanza di lei! Questo è quello che ottieni per aprire la bocca, stronzo!"

Joseph was shocked, to say the least. She had no idea what could make Caesar this mad and it made her hesitate to do anything. “Jojo!” At least until her mother’s voice brought her back to reality.

“R-Right!” She hurried over to the scene of the carnage and got behind Caesar, grabbing his arm before he could bring it down for another blow. “Caesar!” He struggled to free his arm, apparently not hearing her, so she pulled him off of the other man by force and used her strength to subdue him in a standing full-nelson hold. “Caesar! That’s enough! Stop!”

“!!” That seemed to get his attention, finally, and he froze in her hold. “Jojo..?”

Joseph kept her hold on him firm, making sure he couldn’t break free. “What the hell, Caesar? What’s going on in here?”

Lisa Lisa walked up to them, looking between Caesar and the other men spread around the floor and the lockers. “That’s what I would like to know as well. Would anyone care to explain?”

The guy Caesar had just been wailing on popped his jaw back into place with a whimper, rubbing a hand over the forming bruise. “We were just talking and he suddenly went off on us!”

Caesar tried to surge forward at the man again, but Joseph’s hold was too strong. “Sei un bastardo bugiardo! I warned you to shut your mouths and you didn’t! You got what you deserved!”

Lisa Lisa looked down at the man on the floor. “What, pray tell, were you discussing?”

“We were just talking about clothes, I swear!” The man replied, trying to back away from the still struggling and bound Caesar. “We were talking about how certain colors of tights just don’t look good on guys and he decided to butt in and told us to shut up.”

At the part where he said “certain colors of tights” looking good on guys, he cast a glance in Joseph’s direction.

Ah.

She understood now.

She glanced at the back of Caesar’s head, feeling him struggle to break free with the clear intention of beating the guy further for the rude slight. “Continua a parlare e ti rompo i denti, stronzo!”

Joseph glanced between the two and suddenly let go of Caesar, pretending he’d broken free of her hold. “Oops.” She said with the fakest worried tone possible. “My hands slipped.”

Caesar glanced back at her with the smallest of smirks which she readily returned, the look shared between them only lasting a second but it communicated everything between them perfectly:

“Go kick that bastard’s ass.”

“I will, thanks.”

Then Caesar was tackling the guy back into the lockers and beating him again. Joseph stood back and watched for a while, simply enjoying the sight of Caesar beating up the other man with a protective fury that made her heart flutter and a smile spread across her face. Her mother was yelling at all of them, telling Caesar to stop and telling Joseph to grab him again. They’d all be in trouble later, but, for now, Joseph was content to enjoy the moment.

After receiving a thorough lecture from her mother about not doing what she asked of her, Joseph walked outside to wait for her. She’d already changed back into her casual clothes- a pair of ripped dark blue jeans, a super-hero themed red and blue tank top, and a pair of red converses. Outside, sitting on the front steps of the building, she saw Caesar finishing off a cigarette- now dressed in a pair of black leather pants, a matching jacket, and a white shirt with an image of a blue bubble on the front.

She decided to go take a seat next to him. “Hey.”

He looked up, a bit surprised to see her, and quickly stubbed out his cigarette on the concrete before flicking the butt away. “Hey.”

“So..” She started while casually leaning her weight back onto her hands. “I didn’t know you could fight like that. Three on one and you were still kicking all of their asses? That’s pretty impressive. The thing with the lockers was a bit excessive, though.”

Caesar looked down at his hands, one of them wrapped in bandages around the knuckles. “Perhaps. I didn’t plan on it, though- they just gave out when I tackled the guy.” He took a deep breath and ran one of his hands through his hair, a slight frown on his face. “I’m..sorry you saw that. My temper gets the better of me sometimes. It’s a sad remainder from my youth..”

Joseph shrugged and patted him on the back, leaning her weight onto her other hand to maintain her balance. “Eh, it’s fine. Honestly, I’m not much better: I once shoved a guy down a well because he threatened my uncle.”

That earned a surprised laugh from Caesar and he looked back up at her. “Hah! You did? Was there at least water in it?”

She shrugged with a smirk. “Maybe, maybe not. Either way, I think he got the point.”

Caesar smiled at her. “Wow. You’re pretty impressive, yourself, Jojo.” He rolled one of his shoulders. “I’m still a bit sore from that hold earlier. What was that, by the way- krav maga? Where did you learn that?”

Joseph winked at him with a grin. “Let’s just say that dancing wasn’t ALL my mother taught me.” They chuckled and an easy, comfortable silence fell between them as they watched the sun start to set along the city’s skyline. “….You know..” She began after a few minutes, not looking at him and keeping her eyes on the sunset. “You didn’t have to do all of that..I’m a tough girl, I can handle myself..I’m used to what they say, it doesn’t bother me..” That was a bit of a lie- it did bother her, she’d just learned to ignore it.

“I know.” Caesar said, keeping his eyes on the skyline as well. “I know I didn’t have to..but I wanted to. You don’t deserve to be treated like that. Aside from the damage to the lockers, I’m not going to apologize for what I did..or for what I might do in the future. I’ll do this as many times as I need to until everyone learns how to treat you properly. That’s my choice and I am going to stand by it.”

“……..” Joseph felt that tugging at her heart again and couldn’t help the small smile on her face or the tear that wanted to spill over the corner of her eye. “Hey…Caesar…” She reached over and found his hand, giving it a light squeeze. “Thanks..for being on my side..”

Caesar smiled softly and squeezed her hand back. “Of course, mia bella dea.” He held onto her hand as they watched the sun set behind the city together. “Always.”

Joseph smiled a bit more and sat there, content to enjoy the moment.

Part 2->

-From the Beginning-

Translations for Caesar’s Italian rage:

"Lo sporco degenerato! Non ti meriti nemmeno di essere nella stessa stanza di lei! Questo è quello che ottieni per aprire la bocca, stronzo!" - “Degenerate filth! You don’t even deserve to be in the same room as her! This is what you get for your opening your mouth, asshole!”

Sei un bastardo bugiardo! - “You lying bastard!”

“Continua a parlare e ti rompo i denti, stronzo!” - "Keep talking and I'll break your teeth, asshole!"

[hazcoms]

A little info and backstory on Hazcom DILF, my crush, who I tag as M.

He is a safety instructor, now exclusively for wind energy students it seems, at the tech school I go to. He was one of the two guys who gave us our class on hazcom and fire safety in nursing school (which was in 2018), probably the best day of school I had in that class. I had so much fun in that class, and it didnt help that I like M a lot.

When I first saw him, I knew I was going to have a problem bc this guy was my type. Dark hair with a bit of grey, scruffy facial hair, attractive outfit, and just the energy he possessed. His voice was interesting, one of the girls in class compared it to Steve O, but he also had a southern-ish accent so that made things funnier with that comparison.

He and the other instructor, we'll call him "Fire Guy" or "S," were hilarious. Not only as people themselves, but also as a team. They took jabs at each other and us as well. Although, M seemed to be a little less...I dont know, not mean, but rather...teasing? When he talked. I really dont know how to describe it. But S teased us far more than M did.

M and S both know my father, apparently, and that made me feel even more awkward about my growing attraction to M. Other than asking me about him and asking me a question about smoke during a slideshow, they did not really call me out. I was still pretty shy and quiet at that point, but if I had the class now I'm sure I would have been louder and participated more.

Anyways, the class started with one of our nursing teachers guiding us to the building where we had the class. It's detached from the main building, and to get to it you have to climb up a little hill made of big gravel and go past a weird object that S called "a rocket ship." It's a big cylindrical thing and I have no clue what it actually is and I havent had the courage to ask anybody what it is in all my years at this school.

Walking past the rocket ship, we were dive bombed by a flock of pigeons that apparently live inside the thing, and it scared all of us and it felt like resident evil. You know, the crows in 1 and 0 that come at you for breathing wrong? That's how it felt. So we ran the rest of the way.

In the building, it was freezing. Like 40 degrees. It was a good thing I wore a jacket, but others were not so lucky and they had to occasionally go outside to get warm. Later on in the class if we complained about how cold it was, they would turn down the temperature even more to make it colder. Funny, but irritating. We all sat down, and since none of us really knew each other, we sat sporadically at different tables. Some of us, including myself, were by ourselves. I was happy with that.

The first teacher to come in was S. M came in a few minutes later, but I didnt know he was M, his name was said by my teacher to be our instructor but since S was more talkative and acted like he was the teacher, I assumed he was M. But he wasnt, obviously.

As the two instructors prepared to teach us or whatever, they played a video of like...fail compilations for whatever reason. And that changed to a more safety focused thing when the video they played was a fail compilation themed around people setting themselves on fire. As a huge Jackass fan, I found this hilarious. Then they played the fire safety scene from the Office, and then a video known as Highway to Hazmat Hell (Watch here). If you don't want to watch it, it's basically a truck carrying cylinders under pressure which start falling off and a bunch of explosions and crashes happen while Highway to Hell by AC/DC plays. Great video.

After the video was done, M came to the front of the room and put his backpack down on the table, then sat/leaned on it. S went to the podium and began introducing himself and what the class would be about. I watched M the whole time, entranced by how attractive he is. The teacher really had to be hot and me get a crush? I thought I left that shit in middle school. But apparently not.

After S told us about himself, then he introduced M as "6'3, 170 lbs, and single" (still not sure that the first two are true although he is rather tall) and a few other things. When he said he was single, I felt myself turn all warm. I avoided looking at him. And it was true that he was single, because M had gotten divorced recently and said that he preferred being single. I didnt really care though considering I have no chance with him and I'm already in a lifelong relationship. Even if I wasnt, he knows my father and is old enough to BE my father. I wouldnt date him but I admit I would hook up with him had I been single myself and the circumstance occurred.

Anyways, he told us his life story, and then we got to introduce ourselves. This was where I found out they know my dad, because I said my last name and M looked at me and smirked and said "oh, shes (dads name) kid!" And S was like "oh yeah" and something else I didnt pay attention to because my face was on fire from M even paying attention to me and I became all shy.

After we all introduced ourselves, the slideshow on fire safety began. The first question S asked was, "what elements are needed to start a fire?" A girl in my class, one of the funniest, said, "uhh...fire?" I get where shes coming from, fire is an element in the four elements sense, but he meant like..chemicals or whatever.

So we all had a good laugh at her, and she happens to be from Texas so they would attribute her "stupidity" to that. S told us what is actually needed for a fire to start, and talked more about that. Then came to the subject of smoke, and S asked us what smoke is. Texas girl said "its smoke." We all laughed again, and S was just rolling his eyes and laughing. I dont think he genuinely thought she was stupid, because she isnt, but he wanted to laugh at her being "dumb."

The lecture continued and eventually we noticed this windowed room beyond a glass door attached to this room was beginning to look hazy. We pointed it out in concern, thinking that maybe they were testing us, but S was like "oh it's just humidity" and we went on with the lecture. Eventually the haze got super super noticeable and M and S called us out on it, asked us why we didn't do anything about the smoke, but it ended up that it was a smoke machine they were using to fuck with us. Which was, admittedly, pretty funny.

Later on, S told us we were going down to the shop to practice using a real fire extinguisher. Not the powder ones, just a water one, since powder would make a mess and fuck with the oxygen. So we all went to climb down that gravel hill, only to realize there was a sidewalk that went up it and M was like "you guys can go that way but I'll walk on the sidewalk like a normal person" which made me laugh and also annoyed at myself for choosing the gravel hill, because it slides down when you walk on it and I almost fell like multiple times.

So we got to the shop and there was this little box thing connected to a propane tank, it looked almost like part of a grill. M explained that it can be controlled to light on fire, similarly to a grill, and the fire can be put out using the same controls or a fire extinguisher. It's used specifically for fire extinguisher training apparently.

S went and filled up the fire extinguishers with water, as they were empty, then brought them out and showed us how to use them. But honestly, me and Texas girl and another girl we will call F were all paying attention to M. More on that later. Anyways, S asked why we were distracted and one girl was like "Texas girl is trying to get M's snapchat" which was a joke, I don't think he even had one.

Next came our time to use the fire extinguishers- we ALL had to do it and it was in front of everyone. Less than half of the class got to put out the fire on the magic training box, which was controlled by M, before it started raining. Like a literal downpour of rain, right out of nowhere. Along with the rain getting us wet (no pun intended irt M) it kept putting out the fire training box, PLUS there was some kind of problem with the gas and the fire training box.

So S sent us with M back to the building so he could figure out what was wrong with the fire training box. M then taught us the hazcom lessons- bloodborne pathogens, PPE, hazmat procedure, MSDS, placards and their meanings, etc. Then he got into the storytelling phase, which was the most entertaining thing.

First he told this story about a guy he either knew or someone he knew knew, who died from rat poison. Then he talked a bit about his time in the oilfield before moving to wind energy, and he told us about how one time they had this bottle of methanol in what looked like a water bottle, and one of his coworkers came in and just started drinking it. Like, he didn't notice it was in fact NOT water and WAS methanol, and just kept drinking it. M did not elaborate on the fate of this guy, but I can't imagine it was good.

Now came the best story. Liquid Fire. Liquid Fire is an infamous drain cleaning chemical that if you Google it, will show results of news about bad things happening with it. But they do still sell it, I found some in a hardware store and took a selfie with it which I intend to show to M if I ever see him again. Anyways, the story began with M's bath/shower drain being clogged for seemingly no reason, until he found out it was because his kids kept shoving their bath toys down the drain. M tried traditional drain cleaners and other methods, but none worked, so he went to this local hardware place (which my mom has a vendetta against because the people who work there are apparently real cunts) and found a product called Liquid Fire. He claimed that seeing it had a skull and crossbones on it made him sure it would work well.

One of the employees warned M that Liquid Fire was strong, and to only use a certain amount each time. But M said that he was stupid because he's a man and ignored this advice, using much more Liquid Fire than necessary. But the stuff worked, it unclogged the drain, so he continued to use it. Until one day, his bathroom started smelling weird, and he couldn't figure out why. So he hired a plumber, and the plumber looked at the drain.

The plumber then told M that the smell was because his shower water was draining directly under the house and stagnating. M asked why. Plumber explained that his pipes? Gone. Disappeared. Not there. After some investigation, they discovered that it was the Liquid Fire which destroyed the PVC pipes completely, it is THAT corrosive and he used THAT much of it. The reason it worked so well on the bath toy problem was because it was literally dissolving the plastic toys, and when it got done with them, it moved on to the pipes.

After M told the story he paused for laughter, which we did a lot of, and from then on Liquid Fire became a running joke between me and F, and a story I'd reference all the time, even to people who weren't there. We then went over a bit more stuff that I don't remember exactly, and S came back in saying the rain had stopped and the fire box was working again.

Well, part of that was true. The fire box wasn't working again, but using some kind of gas and a cigarette lighter from one of my classmates, S got it working again. The class then got to continue putting out the fire, and guess who was dead last? Yeah, me. Back then, I was a scrawny little thing. I'm 5'1, and then I was a size 00 XS who weighed 90 pounds and carried all that weight in her breasts (still where most of my weight is btw). So yeah, I had some trouble picking up the fire extinguisher. They're heavier than you think. S had to literally stand behind me and help me hold the damn thing- it was embarrassing enough being last, but being the only girl in class who could hold the extinguisher herself? Even worse.

I can only imagine how flustered I would've been if M had been the one holding me and the extinguisher. I may have just passed out. Anyways, I get to finally use the extinguisher!! By then, it was in a downpour again, but we couldn't delay anymore because lunch break was coming up and we didn't have time to delay.

So I'm in the pouring rain, held by S, extinguishing a controlled fire. But as soon as I got it out the first time, my celebration was cut short because M TURNED IT BACK ON. And the funny thing? HE LOOKED RIGHT AT ME AND SMIRKED AS HE DID IT. HE LAUGHED THE SECOND TIME. That's right, there was a second time, because he turned it back on after I extinguished it FOUR TIMES!!!!

Now I don't know why he did this to me in particular, or why he found it so funny, but at the time I was irritated. Later on I thought about it and was like oh. Wait. He was teasing me, that's kinda cute. So anyways after the fourth time of tormenting me in the pouring rain, I got the fire out and it was lunch time, so me and the class bid S and M goodbye.

Later, after we all got back from lunch, Texas girl called M a dilf. And oh my God did I feel relieved that I wasn't the only one who thought so. F also was attracted to him, while the girl who sat next to me was weirded out bc apparently he looks like her dad. We discussed M for a bit before the teachers got back.

From that day on, M was on my brain CONSTANTLY. I'd see him occasionally (check out my diary tag for M incidents) around the school and freak out each time. I still, to this day in 2021, have feelings for M. And they're strange feelings, because Im obviously in love with my boyfriend and we are getting married asap and I'd never leave him, but I talked over my situation with M with my therapist and she said it was fine.

Anyways, that's the story of M. Check out my diary or M tags for more stories and feelings about him. If you actually read this, thanks, and I hope you enjoy my blog.

[tea-and-cardigans]

You know how Jughead was sent to the delinquent center because of playing with matches? Could you do a fic where it was Betty playing with the matches and Jughead took the blame because he knew she would get in trouble?

Nonnie, sincerely thank you for sending this into me. As soon as I got this prompt I knew I had to fill it ASAP.

I hope you enjoy.

Let It Burn

He could smell the smoke. It permeated the air around him, burning his nose. He is familiar with the scent of something burning, after too many times putting them out. His father falling asleep on the couch, correction, passing out on the couch with a still lit cigarette in his mouth. He would wake up before Jellybean as the familiar scent wafted through the small trailer. He would put out the fire, slapping it with whatever he could find. An old jacket, a new shirt. Never his dad’s clothes though they would only add fuel to the fire. Sometimes he would earn himself a backhand for his troubles, waking the sleeping man. Other times it would be as if nothing had happened and he would return to the bedroom that he shared with his sister and try to return to sleep. Knowing that there would be yet another argument when his mum returned home and smelt the burning. She would see the burnt hole in the couch, or the blanket, or the old worn carpet.

She would threaten to leave him again and Jughead just prayed that she loved him enough to take him with her.

It was late after school as he wandered the empty halls, most of his fellow students couldn’t wait to leave. To return to the safe haven that was their home. Jughead tried to delay it as much as possible. Never knowing what he was going to walk into when he got there. Some nights it wasn’t so bad. His dad wouldn’t have drunk as much and his mum may be in a good mood. Those were the bearable nights the ones he hoped for. More often than not he came into a screaming match, accusations flying around the small space as he pulled Jellybean into their room and waited out the storm. Usually his dad leaving again, heading to the bar across town. He knew on those nights he had to be aware. He had to make sure he didn’t burn the place down.

He was rounding the corner of his final lap before he relented and made his way home when he smelt it. Smoke, a strong smell of smoke. Almost on instinct he ran in that direction, the smell becoming stronger and stronger as he neared the source. It was coming from one of the classrooms. The door was shut, but the smoke was escaping from the top and the bottom. It wasn’t one of the small fires that he had put out at home. This was something much larger and he cursed himself for not having noticed sooner. He could seen through the clear glass pane of teh door that there was a figure inside the room. Smaller than him and for a moment he imagined Jellybean being stuck there. Being stuck behind a fire she couldn’t escape.

He opened the door and prepared himself for the backdraft. He pulled off his flannel and put it over his mouth. It was a weak attempt to try and reduce the smoke pouring into his lungs but it helped a little. He made his way over to the figure who seemed to be sitting calmly in the middle of the room. The only sound they emitted was small coughs. His hand landed on their shoulder and they turned to face him.

Betty Cooper. Sweet, innocent, girl next door Betty Cooper was calmly sitting in the middle of the smoke filled room. She eyed him curiously as if she couldn’t quite figure out why he might be there or why he might look so distressed, before returning to gaze at the flames in front of her. He pulled her gently. Urging her to follow him to escape the room. Her eyes did not break their gaze the slight shake of her head the only indication that she understood what he wanted.  He groaned and pulled on her arm again, stronger this time and yet she still didn’t budge.

He lowered his flannel, “Betty,” he managed to choke out. She blinked and it was as if she returned to herself. Her eyes grew panicked and darted around the room. A scream left her mouth and Jughead gave her his flannel to hold against her mouth as he pulled her from the room. He placed her up against the outside of the door as he looked around for the extinguisher. She had pulled her legs up to her chest and was rocking now. Her face buried against her knees. He went back into the room and pointed the extinguisher at the desk that had caught fire. The flames calmed and he now pointed it at the source of the fire. A metal bin with numerous papers in it. Once he was satisfied that everything was covered in a sufficient amount of white foam he returned to the outside of the room to the hallway.

He dropped the extinguisher to the floor with a loud thunk, jolting Betty to look up at him while he bent over his hands braced on his knees as he attempted to catch his breath. He could now hear the faint sound of sirens in the distance and realised a silent alarm must have been triggered or maybe had seen the smoke. Betty returned her face to her knees and began muttering as she rocked back and forth. He took another deep breath. Filling his lungs with air that was cleaner and less painful. He moved to the wall Betty was leaning against and slumped against it himself. He folded his knees up like hers and rested his head against the wall. He tried to contemplate what had just happened. Why Betty Cooper of all people was setting a fire on school grounds perplexed him.

“I’m sorry.” Her voice was small and quiet. It didn’t sound like the Betty Cooper that he knew. She was sunshine, happiness and everything that was good in this world. To him she was perfect.

“It’s okay Betty.” The sirens were growing louder now and he knew that soon enough the fire department would be coming through the main doors to put out the fire that he had already extinguished. And then there would be questions.

“No it’s not, Jug.” She was the only person who could get away with calling him that. Coming from anyone else’s mouth it would have sounded wrong, but from hers. “I don’t know what happened.” She looked up at him briefly and he could see the tears behind her eyes as well as the fear in her voice. “I was just practicing for the debate this weekend. It’s the finals you know.” He didn’t but he nodded anyway. “I’ve been practicing so hard, but -” her voice broke as she choked down a cry. It was starting to bubble to the surface now, she sniffed loudly, taking a large breath to keep it under control. “I just can’t get it right, and Mom says that I need to work harder but I am and -”. He took hold of her hand without thinking. Holding it steady in his own as she lost her words again. She started to cry in earnest now, unable to keep her tears at bay any longer.

He wrapped his arm around her, pulling her into his side. His hand still clasped around her own as she sobbed into his body. He had done this before, comforted Jellybean just like this on the bad nights. But with Betty it felt different, he pushed those feelings down as deep as they would go. There was no point hoping for something that couldn’t happen. “My mom is going to be so angry,” she spoke into his chest. Jughead had seen the wrath of Alice Cooper before. When they all played together as children she had always shouted at Betty, put her down. Betty had once told him in secret all the things that she said to her. How she compared her to Polly. That no matter how hard she tried she would never be as special, as smart, as talented as her big sister.  He hated to think what she would do if Betty was caught setting fires, what she might do to Betty.

���I’ll tell them it was me.” She looked up at him immediately, her eyes searching his own, before she shook her head.

“No, I won’t let you. I did it.” She was straightening her body moving away from his own and Jughead could already see her putting back on the mask that she wore. Sweet, innocent, girl next door Betty Cooper. She needed that mask to survive, he wasn’t going to see it taken away from her.

“Look, they expect this kind of stuff from me.” He doubted his family would even take notice at this point. His parents were too wrapped up in their own problems to notice something like this. Besides it was only a small fire, an accident. “ It will be one more little point of interest on my school record. Might even get me some street cred.” He smiled weakly at his attempt at humour and Betty could only smile in response. “Betty.” He removed his arm from around her and shifted his body around to face her. “You are going to do great things, you’re smart and kind and I don’t want a silly mistake or accident to ruin that. Let me do this for you.”

She closed her eyes and nodded, not able to look him in the eyes as the decision was made. He pulled her hands to his own and placed a gentle kiss across against her knuckles before jerking back in surprise at his own actions. Her eyes were wide as she looked from their clasped hands to his face, before the loud sound of footsteps coming from the hall behind them snapped them out of their moment.

“You kids okay?” They both stood up, Jughead helping to pull Betty up as they both leant up against the wall behind them for support. “What happened here?” Jughead cleared his throat before speaking.

“Betty put out the fire,” he started weaving his story, it wasn’t the first time he had lied to someone and it would not be the last. “I was playing with some matches in the classroom and the fire got out of control. It was stup-”

“Damn right it was stupid.” The fire officer interrupted him and he prepared himself for the lecture that he knew was coming. “We are going to need to take you down to the station. Sheriff Keller is going to want to know about this.” The officer moved to take hold of Jughead and Betty stepped between them.

“No,” she shouted, squaring her shoulders as she looked directly at the officer. Jughead moved out from behind her and stepped to go along with the officer. She looked at him confused. As another officer shouted from the classroom that it was all clear.

“It’s okay, Betts.” Jughead said as he let the officer lead him back down the hallway to no doubt a lecture from the fire department and the sheriff’s office. He looked back over his shoulder to see Betty being wrapped in a blanket by another member of the fire department and smiled to himself. He, Jughead Jones had saved Betty Cooper.

[lai-lae]

living under the poverty line

The poverty line in Arizona is having an income that is 138% lower than the average salary in the States. I’m one of those people.

I’m not saying this is the life to live but ...

I live on $400.00 a month with 5 lifestyle changes.

My relationship with money has changed. A lot. In this last year I went from having two average paying jobs to no job and taking my unemployment until it was gone. 

For that time, I felt incredibly bound to money. Now? That’s totally changed. I know money ebbs and flows. It flows to me in surprising ways and I take it every chance I get because I can’t negotiate when the next time I’ll get that “financial break”, because it does feel like work at times to budget so hard and to have the discipline to stick to your budget.

Which leads me to the first reason that I can make this minimalist lifestyle work.

1. I have a bunch of people that support me in areas where I’m weaker financially.

I have a brilliant boyfriend that pays rent. This is huge on so many levels. I would be living under a bridge, with a friend (and not be able to afford rent) -- most people aren’t that generous so most realistically I’d be forced to move back home. BFD, at least I wouldn’t be under a bridge.

I have a dad that wants to make up for lost time. It’s not worth getting into, but Dad cuts some cash for his daughter every so often. Which ALWAYS helps. I’m incredibly lucky to have his financial support and would absolutely be in a deeper hole if I didn’t have him. HE PAYS MY CAR PAYMENT PRETTY REGULARLY. NO LECTURE, PLEASE AND THANK YOU.

I have one particularly amazing friend that is much more financially abundant than I am! She takes me out to lunch sometimes, shares what she has with me, and doesn’t lecture me on my life choices. We all need self care. It sucks to not have a payday and think, “Wow, I’m going to allocate this to some retail therapy!”

Which leads me to my next point:

2. My relationship with self care has changed exponentially.

When I had one source of income, I had a very materialistic view of self care. It was getting sheet masks and bath bombs, getting a massage and my favorite dessert, happy hour with friends, or good old fashioned retail therapy.

That’s still true, but also not. Mostly not. A lot of that is the exact opposite now.

I workout instead of taking baths. I foam roll instead of getting a massage. I get fresh fruit instead of cake. When a friend offers to get me a coffee or a meal, I’m eternally grateful and accept instead of feeling shamed for it (eh, I still feel a little embarrassed). As for retail therapy? I go thrifting. Sometimes even through my friend’s closets. So people are typically downsizing, and when they make a Goodwill donation I’m the first to ask, “Can I take a look before it goes?” I’ll even offer to take the donation myself in return. 

My mom is pretty famous for buying clothes, never wearing them, and tossing them. Literally. In the trash. UGH, no way. I’m also helping with my own carbon footprint by not buying more clothes!

3. The budget system I have is insane.

I’m not kidding. Every single cent is designated to a bill before it comes in. I pull my weight in my own way. I don’t want my financial state to affect something as important as my relationships with my loved ones and my boyfriend that already takes care of rent.

I pay for:

a. the phone bill - $175.00

b. electricity - $40.00 - $80.00

c. hulu and netflix - about $30.00 

d. my car (used, 2011, manual) and insurance - $300.00 Thanks Dad!

e. apple care for my phone - $8.00

f. various (things I need on a moments notice) - $100.00

g. I DON’T HAVE STUDENT LOANS THANK GOD.

total: $393.00 - $400.00

This is where things get pretty tragic. I work a virtual assistant job that’s meant to be supplemental income. I get paid $15.00 an hour for each contracted job I have. You can’t milk hours either, you basically have 2 hours to finish some projects, other times 15 minutes. It doesn’t mean you’ll finish it in that amount of time. I don’t think about it as time. I think about it as how much I’ll be paid for that job. Period. Here’s the shit, there’s never a guarantee I’ll get those hours. Tsk, tsk, contract work.

At $15.00 an hour, I subtract 30% to account for taxes. Which means I’m making a delightful $10.50 an hour. Joy.

I have to work an average of 6 hours a day (I work weekends) to get my $400.00. 

But here’s the fun part, I don’t count the gigs I get. This is the pleasant surprise I get. When I book a gig, I know for a fact that I’m going to get more cash in my pocket. That’s what keeps me going. The concept that this will be my full time job if I win and you can’t win if you don’t play (not the lottery, never the lottery).

This reason alone is why I don’t spend a fucking dime.

4. I handle my debt so I don’t go under (any more than I already am).

I am in debt. I have a car payment and a shitty CC bill. The cost of working average salary jobs is that they are soul-killing. For a lot of the years I was pulled away from my passion I was fucking sick.

All the time.

With what? I don’t know. But at one point you get so frustrated with being sick that you go to crazy lengths to feel good. As I mentioned before, all my previous self care tactics involved “getting”. More self care days on top of probiotics, organic EVERYTHING, supplements, medicine, holistic medicine, all of which are really expensive. But I kept getting sick. SO THAT RACKED UP MEDICAL BILLS. Which everyone knows in the States is insane. Even with the killer insurance I had, I was still thousands in debt over it.

I worked gigs in other cities, I had to pay for hotel rooms (low budget projects don’t pay) and I was so desperate for things that made me happy that I never negotiated. I just did it. I had the money. Until I got laid off.

So. My CC statement comes in and I face it every single time. I pay off what’s coming in, and I put $100.00 towards it. The a-c expenses go on my CC so I pay those off every month plus some. I round UP on all those bills so I know I’m putting more towards that principal and I’ll cover my minimum payment with preventing more charges.

How much in debt am I? Almost $10,000. That’s double my “annual salary” without counting acting gigs.

Which is way less than a lot of people my age, considering the student loan crisis, but this is insane for me. I have no excuse to have this, but here I am. Is what is, and I’m chipping away at it the best I can.

For what it’s worth, I had a budget plan when I had my job to leave this year debt free... What kind of opportunity would bring that to me now? That’s up to the universe. I’m dedicated as heck to see it happen. I’m open to it. 

5. You intuitively eat and get generic everything.

Soup is magical. It’s value is insane because the different soups you get can really ensure you get a lot more nutrients. Bread is the one thing I’ll splurge on. 

The trick is eat until your stomach is done growling, then stop. It’s basic portion control, it saves so much food.

I get all my fruit and veggies frozen to avoid wasting perishables. I’ll get fresh food as treats if I know we’ll eat them; typically after a really long only-frozen-food spree.

My grocery list is the same, we buy bulk when we know we’ll use it all (almonds, dish detergent, laundry stuff, etc). My beloved boyfriend will also pitch in for food when times are harder and I get less hours. We do our best. I invest in meal replacement shakes (of Amazon) to help when certain days of the month I’m extra hungry or after hard workouts (which are most days).  

ALL of our basic cleaning supplies are from the Dollar Tree. I’m not kidding, all of it. If we have any household needs, the first place we go is the Dollar Tree. Toilet paper? Cleaners? Can openers? Ziplock bags? Organizers? ALL FROM DOLLAR TREE.

I’m impressed if anyone read to this point.

TL; DR

Swallow your pride. Accept help when it’s offered from anyone. If it feels transactional, offer services in return. Don’t exploit people or drain them, it’ll only make you feel shittier. Cash in your favors.

Budget all of your finances. Stick to it at all costs (pun intended) to not let yourself fall in deeper. 

Make self care about legit caring for yourself through exercise, good food, and having deep conversations with people you care about. 

Take this time to listen to your body when it comes to hunger. Read labels, think about the food groups, and know that most things that are frozen are about as good as the real thing.

Lastly, remember that energy cannot be created or destroyed. Your effort to your goal is being sent somewhere and it will come back to you. When I hustle I see it. Keep up the hustle.

[thecrazydragonlady]

The Golden Dragon- OC Miraculous Story

Synopsis: Jay lives an ordinary life (except for the fact that she's really invisible) until her mother gives her a family antique- a locket that hasn't been opened since her great-grandmother's time. Curious, the young girl opens it to release Cassiopia, a rare golden dragon kwami. When an evil presence makes itself known, just how will Jay handle the miraculous changes in her life?

Author’s Notes:  Here is the 300 Follower prize for Musical Miraculous Holder on Amino! She came in first and got a drawing of Cassiopeia and this story which were supposed to be about my miraculous life but..... Yeah, it came out rough. Anyway, I hope everyone enjoys! 

Jay stared at the box in her hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. It felt warm under her touch. Never had she experienced something like this before and it caused her heart to begin pounding like crazy. A soft, spring wind pushed some stray hair into her face. She pushed it back behind her ear.

The young woman was walking slowly to her high school one nice, Winter morning; despite it being the middle of winter, the temperature was closer to eighty and felt more like Spring than actual Winter, leaving the residents to wonder if Winter had even come at all that year. It was close to her birthday. She was soon to turn fifteen. The box she held was an early gift from her mother who had witnessed a... darkness hanging over her daughter's head in the last couple of days.

You see, Jay was as plain as plain got.

Her hair was pin straight, blonde-brown. Her skin was white but not a beautiful porcelain white, but more of a splotchy red from some skin condition she had yet to research, and her eyes were regular brown (not even the cool, demon-looking color of her younger sister). In a crowd, she was easily forgotten. Her words were often drowned out by the world around her. So, she found comfort in books and manga more than she did in other humans; she was unwanted, undesired, and kept to herself as a result. Plus, it didn't help that her parents, both working long hours to make ends meet for three growing children, decided that it would be her sole responsibility to maintain every chore in the house by herself, help take care of her siblings, and maintain an all "A" average in her honors classes.

Honestly, she felt like she was losing her mind.

The reason her mother had given her the gift early was this: Jay's father had come home early the previous night and immediately started yelling and lecturing her for not doing the dishes while doing the laundry. It was ridiculous. She sat there, clenching and unclenching her fists, waiting for him to be done before she'd run into her room to flop down on her bed.

When she woke up, the gift was on her desk with a note that only read, "Happy early birthday! This is a special gift. The eldest girl in our family has always gotten this box on their fifteenth birthday. It will be up to you if you will open it or not. Love, Mom."

Jay had smiled. While the two of them often went at it themselves, her mother was far more sympathetic than her father.

Hence how the young woman ended up walking to school, holding a box that felt alive in a sense, and giving her some strength to get through the day. She breathed in deeps as the smell of drugs, paper, and cleaner hit her nose. The school had around two thousand students and the halls were already crowded by people. She slipped the box into her front pocket, hoisted her bag higher on her shoulder, and began navigating her way to her locker, which was inconveniently next to the locker of Elizabeth Barton. Lizzie, as her friends were allowed to call her, Jay recalled bitterly, used to be her friend but some stupid argument she couldn't even remember caused Lizzie to send her a "Dear Jane" letter, leaving her completely alone to navigate the waters of her high school career with no friends at all.

It made her angry and lonely but she wasn't sure how to escape it.

Just as she feared, Lizzie was there. She leaned against her locker, smirking at the girls next to her. Jay ignored them. Quickly, she opened the locker and started replacing books. She didn't miss how the more popular girl's eyes darted to her then back to her friends, her smile growing painfully larger as she made sure to say loudly enough, "Yeah, so, my part is Saturday. I’m going to invite the whole school." She turned then. Jay didn't look at her. "Except for certain people of course," she practically hissed. Her friends didn't miss the tone or the direction; they snickered. The young girl breathed in depp, trying to keep her emotions in check, as she placed the last book in the locker and slammed the door, grabbing her bag and running away, followed closely by the sound of laughter.

****

She wanted to punch the wall.

She wanted to kick and scream.

Instead, she cried.

Hiding in one of the girl's bathrooms, she sat on the closed toilet, wiping her eyes with the sleeve of her jacket. She didn't let anyone hear her though. After a few moments, she calmed enough to start breathing normally again and in desperate need to feel some relief, she reached for the box in her pocket. It was still warm against her skin. Her shoulders relaxed. Pulling it out, she stared at the ornate cover like she'd done the night before. IT was oriental in design. Primarily black, it was decorated in what she could only assume were Chinese symbols and it didn't seem to be locked, but when she'd asked her mom later that morning about it, she'd only shrugged and told her that the box would let her know if she should open it. Her aunt, the eldest girl, had never felt the need. Neither had her grandmother. But apparently, her great-great-grandmother had opened it. That was the last anyone knew of it being opened. For over fifty years, it had been sealed.

Now, Jay felt the need.

Slowly, she opened the top. A bright, glowing gold light emerged, causing her to jerk and drop it, shielding her eyes from the brightness as it finished opening on its own.

Jay's jaw dropped. Floating in front of her was a tiny, golden creature. It opened its eyes quickly, revealing red irises. There were long pieces of what looked like hair protruding from both cheeks and back from the forehead. There were also horns, spikes, and a tail that swung gently back and forth as it gave her a sharp-tooth grin, flying closer to get a better look at her.

"I was wondering when you were going to open it," the creature cheered, "I'm Cassiopia, the golden dragon kwami!"

The young girl blinked. "The... what?"

"The golden dragon kwami! I' the kwami of purity."

She flew around, nodding her head before stopping front of her once more. "Yep. You're the one!"

"The one what? You're not making any sense," Jay hissed. Cassiopia flew down then and rested on her knees.

"The chosen hero. I give you the power of Purity to transform into a superhero." Her eyes narrowed then. "And from what I sense, your town is going to need it. I sense a darkness approaching."

"Wait a second! I'm not a superhero. I'm not wanted by anyone! Why would someone like me be the one to save anyone?"

The little dragon cocked her head to the side.

"You're an odd person aren't you?" Jay sighed.

"Yeah, I get that a lot but it's exactly why I...."

"Should be the holder," she smirked. Jay blinked. The kwami directed the smile up at her this time. "You're not perfect, and you have a lot of stress, but you have a heart of gold and that's what matters. Besides, there is someone that wants you around. Me. I'd like to work with you Jay." She moved then grab, surprisingly, a locket which she had come from, placing it around the girl's neck and the smile remaining as bright and happy as she could make it.

She started to reply but stopped when the door opened and a new group of girls walked in. The first bell was already ringing. Instead, she sighed and grabbed her bag, motioning for her to hide inside. She did so without complaint. Jay gathered her things and left while avoiding eye contact with the other girls.

****

The two people stood on top of a large building just across from the school. One was female. She wore a skin tight suit with white going down the middle, a diamond pattern of brown and dark brown crossing along her back. Her suit also had heels that were black, and gloves that pointed off of her arms to match. Her mask was pointed up at the brows. Her kwami was a horned-viper.

The other was male. Like his partner, he eyed the school below. His outfit was different. For one thing, it was pure black with n eared-hood on his head. Lighter spots appeared every now and then on him but didn't touch the tail that extended out from his suit. His eyes were yellow, teeth and claws sharp, and he had what looked like a club with raised areas on his back. She had two daggers on either hip in contrast. His kwami was a jaguar.

The female cocked her hip. "It's here of all places?"

The male shrugged. "I don't argue with the master. He sensed its presence awaken here."

"And how are we supposed to get it? You said this was going to be an easy job."

He turned, his eyes narrowing on her. "If you would shut-up for two seconds, I'll tell you what's going to happen." She waited then, crossing her arms as her partner rose to meet her at eye level.

"The plan is simple: I'll go in disguised as one of them and just steal it." She baulked.

"What? That's no fun. Can't I blow anything up?" He shook his head.

"The master specifically...."

"And since when do you listen to every word he says," she hissed. He raised an eyebrow at her but didn't contest the point. When neither of them looked to back down on the point, she finally conceded, "Fine. We'll do it your way first. But, if you fail after two hours, I'm going to start blowing the place up. That'll get that stupid little kwami out of hiding." He nodded.

"Fine." He turned then, walking back on the roof before jumping down to a hidden alley below, transforming back and ushering his kwami into hiding, before strolling to the front of the school with a back bag in tow, all while she watched from above.

****

Math was pure hell. Jay sat in the back of the room, trying her best to keep up but the numbers seemed to fly by so quickly and, when the teacher refused to acknowledge her hand, she finally sat back with a humph and decided the class was overrated. She reached for the computer paper she always had in her bag. Doodling helped to ease her mind.

Cassiopia poked her head out at one point. "You should be paying attention," she scolded. A couple of heads turned towards her and Jay only blushed, waving them off, before glaring at the bag and writing a tiny note that she slipped inside. The dragon read it: Why should I? I didn't understand a thing from day one and this b- (She found a pen and scratched out the word) won't even answer my questions. I've tried going for help but all she does is call me dumb. I'm done. I have credits. I'll repeat the d- (Another scribble) class. The kwami looked out of the bag concerned, taking a good look at the person who was now her partner. Their meeting had been abrupt, yes, but now, really looking at her, she saw a deep sadness in the young girl, a bit of darkness resting on her heart, and anger, lots of anger, radiating off of her. She baulked a bit. Her heart was golden, that was true, but the little kwami was resigned that she had her work cut out for her with this chosen.

Suddenly, she felt a shiver run up her spine and her eyes immediately glued on the door. A moustached person opened  a it and motioned for her briefly. She smiled, quickly told the class to attempt the next problem, and went with him. Everyone started mumbling. When she returned, it wasn't alone. There were two boys in tow with her and she beamed at the class.

"I know this is unusual but we actually have two new transfer students today. This is Christian Reams," she motioned to the blonde haired boy who smiled sheepishly and waved, "And Brandon Wright."  The other boy, a taller, stockier, and blacked haired version of the boy. He merely nodded his head. "Boys, you can take a seat in the two empty seats there." Jay blinked. The only empty seats available were in front of her and to her right. She slumped further. Cripes. She didn't want seat mates of any kind near her. Mentally, she swore as the blonde, Christian, sat in front  and the black haired dude, Brandon, sat to her right. Both smiled at her politely. The teacher began her lesson again and Brandon raised his hand, which she acknowledged in a moment.

"Pardon me but would it be alright for her," he motioned to Jay, "to re-explain to me what's going on? I think I'm a bit lost." The teacher shrugged.

"Yes, that's fine but keep the talking down."

Jay groaned as he slid his desk closer. He held out a hand once he was done. "Hi. I'm Brandon." She eyed it but didn't take it.

"Jay."

His smile never dimmed but he did drop his hand. "Jay then." He paused, eyeing the locket. "That's a neat locket you have there." She blinked and absently grabbed for it, remembering that Cassi- she should start calling her that- had placed it on her in the bathroom.

"Uh... thanks. Family heirloom." He nodded, sliding her book over to take a look at it.

"So. Where do we start friend?" Now it was she would eyed him.

"I'm not your friend," she warned. "And you start by finding someone else. I don't know what's going on." "But you've been here all year...."

Yeah but I'm absolute sh...." She felt a pinch from the bag and she rubbed the spot, "crap at math." Man, that'd actually hurt. She made a mental note to scold Cassi later for it. Brandon blinked.

"But this is...." She covered her ears.

"Don't fuuuuu-ing say it. I get it. I'm in the honors class and I can't do the simplest forms of math." He smiled and then pulled her book completely away from her. "Hey!"

"I'll help you," he replied confidently. She blinked, shaking her head.

"I'm sorry. I think you've lost your mind or I have but did you just say...."

"I'll help you."

Her eyes turned hard then as she coldly responded with, "No thanks."

He turned to her. "You're going to get my help one way or the other," he responded.

"I didn't ask for it!"

"But you did. By even telling me you were crap." She paused. Then she saw red.

"That wasn't me asking!"

"Jay Diggins, if you would kindly stop disrupting my class." She glared at the teacher. The whole time they'd been talking not one word of course.... Jay grabbed her bag then. Without another word to the teacher, she left, heading straight for the front office because she already knew that that's where she'd have to go anyway.

Meanwhile, two sets of cold eyes watched her leave.

****

An hour lecture later with detention on her roster for the next two weeks, Jay left the office. She sighed defeated as she realized that it was now right before lunch. Instead of heading to her second period, she went straight to the cafeteria where a few skippers were already hanging out; the cafeteria crew were too busy readying themselves for the oncoming onslaught to worry about a handful of kids skipping class to push them out of the place. Jay found her usual seat. It was hidden behind a pillar that no one ever came around. She was safe there. Sitting out of sight, she sighed again and Cassi flew up to hide behind her lunch bag as she pulled out her food. She stared up at her chosen.

"Jay," she asked slowly, "Will you talk to me?" She shrugged.

"What's there to talk about? You saw how today went. It's the same song and dance every day. I come to school, people say sh-stuff," she corrected at a glare, "but I'm the one who gets left in the dust."

"I see that," she assured,"but there are better ways of handling the situations you're in that doesn't result in anger or getting sent to the office." Jay bit into her sandwich. When her mouth was clear, she slowly replied, "I know but it never gets me anything but more rejection." She slumped in her seat. "I'm literally the only mistake God ever made." The little dragon baulked this time. She stared up sadly at her chosen but when the bell rang, she slipped back down into the bag. Jay sniffled but wiped the corners of her eyes, clearing them of the tears that threatened, before returning to the stony expression she normally wore around the school.

The flood of students came instantly. It was loud suddenly and she flinched under it; just like she'd expected though, once most of the foot traffic had died down, she was left alone behind her pillar and a sigh of relief escaped her lips.

Until a shadow crossed her view.

She looked up started and there stood Brandon, the last person she didn't want to see of course. She glared. "haven't you done enough damage today? What do you want?" He returned the expression while reaching into his bag to pull out her calculus book. He tossed it onto the table in front of her.

"I'm just returning that. Lose the attitude alright."

"Stay away from me and I might consider it," she gritted.

He crossed his arms. Man, if his arms weren't toned. "I'll consider it once you tell me why." She shrugged.

"There's nothing to say. I just don't want you around."

"There's more to it," he asserted. "It's not that simple and I know it. I'm going to find out so you might as well tell me." She snorted, closing her lunch box and packing up the remains of her lunch. She wasn't feeling hungry anymore. Standing, she slung her bag over her shoulder and, surprisingly, had to glare up at him still. For years, kids made fun of her for being abnormally tall for a girl so it was odd to find herself having to look up at someone. It was rare and in between.

"Get used to disappointment," she retorted, starting to walk off. He grabbed for her then. She spun, disbelief etched on her face as he gently squeezed her arm. His face was softer now.

"I just want to help," he soothed. She hesitated for a second but then returned to her normal demeanor, tugging her arm to try and remove it from his grasp. "Why are you running away?"

"I'm not running yet. Let me go!"

"Not until you talk to me."

"You just started today. Why do you care?"

"What can I say? I'm a sentimental guy."

"Then take your sentiments elsewhere! Let me go!"

"I'm not...."

"What are you doing? She's already told you to let her go," a new voice interjected. Jay blinked as Brandon's hand was violently ripped off of her arm and he was shoved violently backwards. He stumbled but didn't fall. Standing in front of her, was surprisingly, the other new kid Christian. His eyes, a brilliant blue color sparkled defensively for her as he guarded her from him again. Brandon growled.

"This is none of your business Chris."

"I think it is brother," he assured him. "Especially when I see you being a complete jerk to a girl at our new school. You promised mom you'd behave this time. I'm tired of moving schools." He motioned to the double doors leading out of the cafeteria. "leave. Go get your head screwed on right and try again later." The taller, dark haired boy glared but did as ordered, leaving the two of them behind. Jay sighed in relief. Christian turned with a smile and softly soothed, "Sorry about that. Brandon has a lot of anger issues. I'm sure he means well but he doesn't know his boundaries." He held out a hand. "I'm Christian by the way. Friends call me Chris." She hesitated but gently took his hand. They shook. He smiled. "I heard what happened between you and him in class today and well... I want to apologize. Example of him meaning well but not knowing his boundaries."

"It's... it's alright," Jay managed. She bit her tongue, not sure how to remain civil especially since she was still running on adrenaline from the previous spat. "I'm not good with handling people oso it probably got worse than it needed to be."

Christ looked around. "I've noticed. Would you mind if I asked why you're eating lunch alone?"

She shrugged. "No one likes me. You'll usually find me alone anyway." A soft smile crossed his lips.

"That's not true. I happen to like you and we just met so that's saying something." Jay blinked, confused but before she could respond, he asked, "Would you mind if I sit with you for the remainder of lunch?  I haven't made any friends yet so I'm just kind of on my own." She nodded dumbly. Lunch was pleasant from that point on. Chris made small talk to which she replied with short answers; after all, she wasn't used to anyone really wanting to talk to her so it felt... odd to talk so much. The final bell rang and they gathered up their things. Just as they were leaving, continuing their small talk, Jay was jerked into his arms as an explosion suddenly rocked the school to its foundation. The students in the hall screamed, grabbing onto the walls as best as they could. Teachers came running, ordering student to evacuate to the rear of the school. Cassi poked her head out of the bag, her eyes narrowed and slitted like a snake's, a low growl escaping from her throat.

"It's here," she informed her chosen. "The darkness I told you about. We have to go handle it." Jay nodded and ran forward, tearing herself out of Chris' hold.

"Jay," he called. She looked back long enough to see him swept away by the crowd of people. She pushed her way up stream, shoving past teachers and students alike until she came out on a deserted staircase. Cassi flew out of her bag.

"There's not much time for me to explain everything," Cassi quickly stated, "but you need to know, you'll have a weapon you can use at your disposal as well as the ability 'Golden Purity." It'll cleanse any area of darkness that has it."

"Great but...," Jay swallowed, "I don't know how ready I am for this."

"We don't have time to debate whether you're ready or not. I believe in you. You're going to be amazing. Now, to transform, just say 'Armor up!'" Jay nodded. She ripped the locket in her hand before saying, "Cassi, armor up!"

Cassiopia gave her one last smile before a bright light dragged her into the locket. Jay felt the magic take hold, spiraling up and over her head first, placing a golden colored mask over her eyes, two horns and two long pieces of hair over her own slicked back hair. Her clothing changed as well. From the neck down, she was given a skin tight suit that was accented white in the front, but gold over her shoulders, arms, and legs, ending in knee high black boots. A tail appeared on her back. Four heavy balls ended up on her hip kind of like a belt and a staff emerged from her split hands. She gave it a twirl and knew that it was only natural for her to have it. When everything was done, Jay blinked and quickly surveyed herself.

"Okay, that was weird," she said to the air. Another blast rocked the school. She staggered but caught herself against the railing of the staircase and as soon as she was able to stand again, she ran up said stairs, finding a classroom window to fling herself out of and up to the roof. She ran to the front where the blasts came from.

What she found was startling. Another person, dressed kind of like her, was holding up two daggers that glowed yellow before spitting out another blast. The woman laughed.

"Come out, come out, wherever you are," she sing-songed, "Come and play little dragon. I'm going to take your miraculous for myself!"

Jay gritted her teeth. She jumped, raising the staff over her head and slinging it down towards her head. She saw though and dodged, flipping back out of the way. The new hero landed, standing quickly, and raising her staff in defense. The woman hissed.

"So, you've finally come to play Dragon." She suddenly disappeared. Jay blinked and grunted as she was kicked from behind. The woman laughed. "Oh my. You're still new to being a holder. How sad for you." She gritted her teeth and jumped up, ready to defend herself again.

"I- I may be new but that doesn't mean I'm going to let you win!" She ran forward, swinging her staff wide. The woman blocked and cackled as she pushed said weapon back out and kicked its holder in the middle. She slid back for some feet. A gasp escaped her lips and she gripped at her mid-section. Another laugh.

"Oh youngling. When are you going to figure out that you'll never be able to touch this Viper?" She spun her daggers, walking towards the downed girl. Jay panted, trying her hardest to regain her breath. Viper continued to smirk. Her weapons glowed menacingly as she continued approaching. Her mind raced. What was she to do?

Tough was only an act.

She had no idea how to actually do anything.

Cassi had put her faith in the wrong person after all.

She dropped her staff. Her stomach really hurt and her vision was swimming. Some hero she turned out to be. Not even one for thirty minutes into being a hero and it was about to be over.

The villain snickered, pointing her daggers, ready to blast.

She squeezed her eyes shut, ready.

The blast happened but it didn't hit its target. The asphalt shattered. She hissed again and turned. Jay blinked, realizing that she'd been scooped up and whisked out of the path of danger. The person held her close. Looking up, she blushed.

He was wearing an all white suit. Over his head was a matching color hood with round ears and fur around the edge. Up to his eyes was covered by what she could only describe as a ninja's mask. He had a tail that swished back and forth. She didn't miss how the suit hugged his curves and muscles nicely; to say she was smitten at sight was an understatement. She turned redder than normal. Blue eyes met red.

"Are you alright," he asked softly. She nodded dumbly. He sat her on her feet and she could tell he was smiling under the mask. "Good. I'm going to need your help getting rid of her." He motioned to Viper. Jay took her staff back, which he'd scooped up with her, swallowing hard.

"But I... I don't know how to fight," she shook. He took both of her hands and gripped them softly. "Have faith," he assured her. "Your kwami will guide your actions."

"Ugh. How cheesy," Viper snickered. "But even you won't be enough to save her Leo." She raised a hand, summoning a mist of purple. Several of the cars in the parking lot glowed and morphed, changing into odd blob shaped creatures. She pointed. "Get them Poisons!" They groaned and surged forward. Leo swore and jumped away, pulling the tail off of his hips, revealing that it was a whip as well. He slung it round, cutting some of the creatures in half. They divided. Falling, they oozed away, causing everything they touched to rust or die. Jay swung her staff. The same thing happened to her Poisons; it didn't help that she also had to contend with Viper's attacks both at a distance and up close.

Viper got close and swiped with her right dagger. Jay bent away but fell back, bumping into Leo's back. He looked back at her.

"Now what," she panicked.

Leo flung his whip again. "You're going to have to purify the area."

She jabbed at the head of another Poison. "I don't know how!"

"Do you trust me?" She grunted as she blocked another blast.

"I don't really have a choice do I?"

"Good. I'll keep you safe. Close your eyes and reach deep within yourself. You'll find the answer there." She eyed him like he was crazy but eventually nodded, deciding that she had no other choice. She straightened. Closing her eyes, the world went dark but she could still hear the battle. At one point, she heard, "Royal Roar" and felt a blast of intense energy. It ruffled her hair.

She swallowed. 'Alright Cassi,' she begged, 'now would be the time to guide me. What am I looking for exactly?'

Jay swore she heard Cassi giggle. It appeared in her mind as a soft golden glow at her feet that grew stronger and stronger until it shot out some distance to capture what looked like the symbol of a spider. The glow held the panicking image in place. It was like second nature. She knew what to do. The staff went over her head where she concentrated her power. When it was done, she threw it. The staff struck and remained upright. It sounded like the spider screamed as it was hit. "Golden Purity," she ordered. The energy of the staff left, radiating out in golden circles. The spider faded. Viper hissed, blocking her eyes from the energy. The Poisons groaned but faded, returning to their original places, everything damaged was fixed. When she opened her eyes, everything was normal again. Her staff flew back to her open hand. She sighed. "Did it work?"

Her partner nodded. "Yes, Viper's gone. The area's clean. You did it." Excitement rose in her heart. So much so, that she jumped up and down cheering, before offering him a high five that he took with a smile.

There was a cheer from behind them. Turning, the two heroes found the school population returned. Jay flushed. Suddenly, Lizzie and one of her friends ran up to them, holding a mic and camera from the school broadcasting club.

"Excuse me," she said into the mic, "Lizzie Barton, Callum High News. Who are you exactly and will you be protecting us from that villain from now on?" She pushed said device into her face. Jay floundered. Suddenly, Leo was there, placing a protective hand on her shoulder. Two loud beeps rang out from her locket and a thick bracelet on his wrist.

"We're flattered you want to interview us," he charmed, "but our time is short." He started to pull her away but Jay reached for the mic.

"I'm the Golden Dragon," she announced, "and I'll be protecting everyone from now on. Promise!" The newswoman blinked as she gave it back to her and the two heroes took off. Once out of sight, they ducked into an alley where he started to leave. She grabbed his hand. He paused. "Wait! Who are you really," she pleaded. Another beep. He smiled and turned, pulling her hand up to place a gentle kiss on the back. She blushed.

"As much as I would like to tell you, it's not safe. We can't reveal ourselves to anyone- even each other." He released her, turning again. "You won't be seen here. I'll go find somewhere else to transform." His smile grew more pronounced. "I'll see you next time, Dragon." He took off before she could stop him. She flushed, placing her hands on her cheeks, willing her heart to slow down without success.

****

"You did wonderful today Jay," Cassi cheered as they returned to the school. She retrieved her bag which thankfully hadn't been stolen.

"I love it," she admitted, "All my life, I dream of magic. I never thought it would happen to someone like me!" She paused. "Though, I probably should get some practice in soon so I don't mess up like I did this time."

The kwami nodded. "Yes but this is only the beginning. There will be plenty of time to learn." Jay smirked, tossing said bag over her shoulder.

"I wouldn't have it any other way."

****

Viper hissed as she was struck across the face. She didn't dare raise her eyes. He was angry. Rightfully so. Dark Claw leaned against a nearby wall, arms crossed as he watched.

"You fool," the older man spat. "The next time, you will follow orders. I would have had the golden dragon by now if you hadn't acted recklessly!"

"Yes... my lord." He struck her again. She remained silent this time as he turned towards the other servant.

"Dark Claw," he ordered. The black clad villain got off the wall and bowed. "Return. Resume the plan until you get that dragon." He bowed once more.

"Of course my lord." He turned, ignoring the hiss of Viper as he left, transforming back with a maniacal grin across his lips.

[bb-loves-boys]

Soon You’ll Come Home Chapter 10

Summary: Blaine and Kurt are married with two kids and at the point of their lives they would never imagine having another child. But then Blaine meets a young girl in the most unlikely way and after he learns about the abuse she suffered he can’t help but want to give her the family that loves and care’s for her like she needs.

Warning: mentioned child abuse, mentions death of Kurt’s mom, Burt, and Finn. 

FF.Net 

AOS3 

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Blaine hated settling into a routine at the hospital. He’s had to do it a couple times now so he believes it shouldn’t be as rough as it still is on everyone. But that’s what they did, while Riley continued her stay at the hospital. Once she received her breathing treatment and spent a couple hours with the IV she was already making a fast recovery and was promised that she would be home before Christmas Eve as long as she continued on the recovery path she was on. Their routine wasn’t anything complicated. Both Kurt and Blaine stayed, with a visit from Sophie and Oliver a couple times, and thy rotated who would stay the night with her. They continued with their usual activities, watching movies, reading books, and coloring. She had become particularly fond of Disney’s Tarzan and was beginning an obsession with “You’ll be in my Heart”, though both Kurt and Blaine would sing any song any number of times if it made her smile the way she did when she heard that song. For reading they started to slowly introduce her to books with American Sign Language in hopes of getting her to communicate, even after spending all this time with them she still tried to be invisible to everyone and wouldn’t even ask for water if she was thirsty.

Declan also became a major role in her recovery. Anything they needed her to do to get better he made it happen. Kurt joked a couple times about making him her private nurse. Blaine still refused to think about how she was so willing to cooperate with Declan, forcing his mind to think that it was a simple attraction to him and not some positive association with someone who looked like him.    

It was supposed to be her last night in the hospital. It was Blaine’s turn to stay and Kurt had already said his goodnights to the both of them, reminding Blaine he will bring a Christmas gift for Declan from all of them when he meets them tomorrow for her discharge. Blaine had just begun to clean up their coloring pages from the day, Riley already asleep with her pacifier in her mouth and rabbit tucked under her arms, when Declan quietly came into the room to check on her.

“How is she doing?” he asked sincerely, starting to check on her IV drips and monitors.

“Just tired, but she was like that before she was sick,” Blaine answered as positively as he could. “Thank you, again for being so patient and understanding with her. Most of the nurses get frustrated with her and some of the resources I’ve seen used in the past to restrain have almost made me give up on caring hospital staff.”

“It was an honor to work with her, and you” Declan replied smiling moving on to help Blaine tidy up all the crayons and pictures that littered the tray table.

“If there is ever anything we can do to say thank you, both Kurt and I would love to show our gratitude.” Blaine asked, hoping he wasn’t stepping on any policy boundaries that could get Declan in trouble.

“Honestly you and your husband have both already done more than enough to help me, and I know I’m not supposed to say but I’m going to anyway. You were both a real inspiration to me and helped me accept who I really was and gave me the courage to be true to who I am. It probably sounds silly, but both of you being open like you were made me feel not so a lone.” He confessed trying to nonchalantly shrug at the end.

“Something like that is never silly and I love to hear we could help at least one person by being a role model for them.” Blaine answered.

It was quiet for a while before Declan cleared his throat and turned his attention back to the drawings, smiling at the family picture she drew. “Is this supposed to be your family?”

“Yeah,” Blaine smiled fondly at the sloppy scribbled drawing of him, Kurt, Sophie, and Oliver in front of their Christmas tree. They only reason he was almost positive it was their family was because of Kurt’s scribbled broach on his blue suite and Sophie’s pink hair. His smile dropped as he looked at the smaller drawing off to the far side, separated from them. From a distance, he assumed she drew herself, but this looked more like a young boy. Her drawings of females were all the same, longer hair that went down instead of up, even Sophie’s hair which was shorter now was drawn in long pink lines. They were also always drawn in skirts or dresses, and less rectangular.

“It’s a good sign,” Declan said interrupting Blaine’s thoughts.

Blaine looked at him questioningly.

“That’s she drawing and that’s she drawing your family. Some kids with bad experiences can’t even express their feelings in any way. Plus, I heard from some of the other nurses her first week here she spent hiding under the table or bed.”

Blaine smiled and placed the drawing in the folder with the others making a mental note to make room on the bulletin board for them when they got home. As he set his bag down he caught Kurt rushing in out of the corner of his eye. At first, he was worried because Kurt was almost running into the room, but then he caught the bright smile on his face.

“Kurt?” Blaine asked more curious then worried.

“Sorry, sorry” Kurt apologized to the older nurse who ran in behind him to lecture him on his running. She rolled her eyes but left the doorway without a word.

“Blaine, Blaine,” Kurt greeted, out of breath. “There’s a big surprise for you and …” he trailed off looking at Riley who was still sniffling a little in her sleep. “Did she just get to sleep?”

“The medicine has been making her tired, but I’m sure we can wake her for a surprise?” Blaine answered very unsure if they should actually wake her.

Kurt, however, takes no hesitation in the idea. “I’m sorry, but can we um” Kurt asked Declan gesturing to her IV’s.

“Oh yes of course,” he answered jumping in and capping off the end of the IV’s before Kurt gently woke up her up.

“Riley, Angel,” he whispered stroking her hand softly, “we have a surprise for you, if you feel up to it?”

She blinked a few times and coughed a little, but allowed Kurt to pick her up and hold her close.

“Should I get her a wheel chair?” Declan asked ready to go find one close by.

“No I got her,” Kurt answered adjusting her in his arms as she rubbed her sleepy face on his shoulder before sneaking her thumb into her mouth, “but thank you.”

Blaine was surprised she even allowed him to pick her up, but maybe she was still half asleep.

As they walked down the hallway Blaine heard the melody of a familiar Christmas tune being played. He side-eyed Kurt suspiciously before following him around the corner into a larger area of the hallway just past the entrance and before all the rooms.

There in the hallway, decorating a new Christmas tree and passing around presents was the old McKinley glee club. Blaine let out a small laugh, a bright smile growing on his face.

“Did you do this?” Blaine asked Kurt making sure his voice didn’t rise above their singing.

“No, Sam put it together when we canceled our usual party we plan for everyone.” Kurt answered watching them with a fond smile. “Ollie and Sophie helped him with getting the permission from the hospital and setting it up as well.”

Kurt began to smile and hum quietly to their song, bouncing Riley gently in his arms, her eyes now open and curious but still resting her head onto Kurt’s shoulder.  

For Kurt and Blaine, the party went well. They caught up with old friends, sang a few numbers for the patients and staff attending the party and helped pass out a few of the gifts.

For Riley, the party was not considered a disaster, but it was great either. She refused to go near or interact with anyone new. Rachel and Tina didn’t help the situation either. They both kept trying to force themselves in and meet her despite Kurt and Blaine’s protests. Neither Rachel nor Tina seemed to understand, they both took it as an offense that Kurt and Blaine didn’t want them to be introduced to Riley, but she was tired and sick and they didn’t want any stress making her worse.  Plus, the party had her somewhat intrigued and they didn’t need her holiday bliss being interrupted by preventable outside forces.

Their plan of protecting her worked at least until Blaine took the stage and Kurt had put her down close to Blaine to sit and watch. Kurt turned his attention to his phone in favor of videoing the two of them, making him miss a determined approaching them with some cookies. Before either Kurt or Blaine could even process what had actually happened between Riley and Rachel, Riley started to have a panic attack, causing them to leave the party before they got to do an official holiday duet.

It was fine. Neither of them minded. Calming Riley down, took a lot longer than they thought she had energy for. Once the panic attack was over she quickly fell asleep, obviously exhausted from all the excitement. Kurt ended up spending the rest of the night with her so Blaine would be able to visit his fans staying in the hospital with some of his old friends as a special Christmas surprise to them.

The next day Riley was scheduled to return home with them. She was still tired from the previous night so changing her scenery wasn’t as much as stress as it had been the first time. They didn’t get home until later in the afternoon due to her final exam and waiting for prescriptions.  Blaine mostly expected to walk into the mess his brother usually left behind and a lot of noise that came with him rehearsing over the sound of his usual day time television shows. However, the place was cleaner than how they left it and unexpectedly quiet.  

“I’ll go start the wash if you’ll put her to bed?” Kurt asked following Blaine in with a bag of Riley’s things she used in the hospital.

“Sure, then we’ll see where the kids and my brother are,” Blaine answered carrying Riley back into her room. She was limp in his arms, forcing him to carry her full weight, though it really wasn’t all that much considering she was still drastically underweight for her age.

He carefully placed her on the bed. He took the chance while she was asleep to rub on vapor rub on her feet before covering them with thick socks. Her feet were severely calloused and blistered. After he finished with the vapor rub he adjusted her to tuck her in under the covers and turning on the humidifier and nightlight. Just as he was leaving the door open a crack and turning the hall light on he could hear Kurt calling for him from the kitchen.

“Blaine, did you forget to tell me something?” Kurt called in sickly sweet voice that usually didn’t mean anything good.

Blaine scrunched his face in confusion before making his way towards the kitchen, he stopped in the entry from his surprise, his eyes wide and expression slightly confused.

“You know, like your mom was going to be spending Christmas with us?” Kurt finished, tight icy smile.

Kurt and his mom got a long fine, but his mom wasn’t always the best mother-in-law. Blaine is her baby and she only wants what’s best for him, which she lets come across as being passive aggressive towards Kurt. As a working mother, she never understood why Blaine would want to be a stay at home father, and she usually tried to blame Kurt for it. She didn’t dislike Kurt, she loved him as much she would with anyone who would be Blaine’s husband. And Kurt didn’t hate his mother, but their relationship would always be rivals, and both their personalities would be a required taste for the other.

“Mamma, what are you doing here?” Blaine asked surprise in his voice.

“Well when I found out it was okay for Cooper to visit for Christmas that it would only be alright for me to be here to meet this very secretive and special new grandchild.”

“Cooper just showed up uninvited, Kurt and I figured being her first Christmas and not officially being adopted yet we should have a small and quiet Christmas.” Blaine tried to explain gently.

“I’m sure Kurt thought that would be best, but Christmas is about family,” she replied stirring some sugar into the tea Kurt just made for her and himself.

Blaine watched Kurt’s hands tighten around his mug at her words.

“Kurt maybe at this point you should just call Carole to come up as well,” Blaine suggest timidly at Kurt’s icy glare.

“At this point it’s probably quieter at her place,” Kurt answered, plastering the tight smile back onto his face. “Besides, Riley is still sick and needs her rest she can’t have all this excitement going on.”

“What a shame she got so sick, I made sure to clean the place properly once I arrived.” Pam tsked, leaving in a silent ‘it wasn’t clean enough before to keep her healthy’.

“Mom, when did you get here, how did you even plan this?” Blaine started asking without stopping.

“I got in early this morning. Cooper was here with Sophie and Oliver. I sent them all out to get something to make a proper Christmas meal when I didn’t see anything to make it and tomorrow is Christmas Eve.”

“Kurt and I were trying to keep it simple with Riley. She still really can’t eat anything and Kurt was going to make a nice ham for us.” Blaine informed trying to get back some control of the original Christmas they planned.

“It’s tradition that I would cook a nice ham and my mother’s recipe for potato’s au gratin, and Carole usually supplies her baked macaroni and cheese because it was Finns favorite and that would be our Christmas Eve dinner and then we have your traditional Christmas dinner at your home the next evening, but canceled plans this year so I decided to make it our Christmas dinner instead.” Kurt informed daring her to change their plans.

“Well, it’s settled we’ll have your Christmas Eve Dinner and my traditional Christmas Dinner. I’ll call Carole to jump on the next flight up.” She decided clapping her hands together before she left the room to call Carole and help her book a flight.

Blaine was almost afraid to look at Kurt after she left. He was surprised to see Kurt looking more exhausted rather than angry or frustrated. Honestly it worried him.

“Kurt, I’m sorry-” Blaine began but stopped when Kurt shook his head.

“It’s alright it was never really the same after my dad passed anyway,” Kurt shrugged trying to make the best of it.

“No, it was-” Blaine started again but was cut off once more by Kurt.

“Maybe this will be a new tradition and we won’t have to worry about traveling anymore. Everyone will come to us,” Kurt simply started taking a breath. “It’s almost time for Riley to take her cough medicine. I’m going to go see if she’s awake yet”

 After Carole was invited by Pam, she immediately called Kurt to make sure it was okay. It took almost twenty minutes to convince her that it was alright to come visit and even then, she said it was probably better for Riley that they schedule a separate visit when she is more willing and ready to meet the family. Kurt appreciated Carole not wanting to crowd Riley, but Blaine could also tell that he missed his family and his only last connection to them was Carole.

The only way to describe how Christmas Eve went was similar to a roller coaster. Riley wasn’t coughing as much as she had been, and she no longer had a fever of any kind. Kurt was even able to get her out of bed for a while. But the moment Pam pushed her way in and introduced herself Riley ran and hid under her bed, which caused Kurt to and her to have an ice war of strong passive aggression on how to “deal” with her and her special needs. When they went to try to convince her to come out she just looked at them with a betrayed expression. To Blaine’s mother’s benefit there wasn’t anything she really did wrong when meeting Riley, she was maybe a little too enthusiastic like the rest of Blaine’s family but it was more about how Riley wasn’t ready to be introduced to so many people yet. She was still getting used to being around Sophie. They got her out from under the bed after she fell asleep; they were able to move the bed slightly enough to pull her out and tuck her in.

That night after everyone had gone to bed and Kurt and Blaine set out the presents Kurt had opted to stay up even later, claiming he would be right behind Blaine he just wanted to look at the tree a little longer. After about forty minutes and still no Kurt Blaine went looking for him thinking he fell asleep. Instead he found Kurt sitting on their sofa flipping through a book.

“Kurt?” Blaine asked worried.

“Oh,” Kurt startled at his voice, obliviously lost in his own thoughts.

Blaine came over and took the seat next to Kurt. “Everything okay?” he asked still concerned.

“Just reminiscing and lost track of time,” Kurt answered looking back at the scrapbook in his lap.

“Is that the last Christmas with your dad?” Blaine asked sliding closer to look at the book.

“Yeah, look how small Ollie was,” Kurt pointed at a picture of Oliver and Sophie sleeping in Burt’s lap and arms.

“Remember how out of control your dad bought buying Christmas presents? We needed to rent a truck just to take all the stuff back with us,” Blaine laughed. “And Sophie was so worried Santa wouldn’t be able to find her.”

Blaine looked up when Kurt didn’t respond to see he had tears in his eyes. “Oh Kurt, what’s wrong?”

“I just miss them a lot this time of year,” Kurt answered his voice wet.

“Your parents?” Blaine clarified reaching to get Kurt a tissue.

“And Finn,” Kurt answered opting to wipe away his stray tears with his hands instead before letting out a small wet laugh. “You know it was his favorite holiday.”

“I remember.”

“My dad never really went all out for Christmas. After my mom passed it was never really anything special anymore. He forgot it the first one without her, and then he tried really hard the next year but it didn’t feel right. He would never know what to get me and I never knew what to get him, so we’d both just order pizza or Chinese and he’d give me a gift card or money.  Then he married Carole and suddenly we remembered what it was like to celebrate Christmas, a big tree, movies, baking, staying in our pajamas all day.”

“Christmas was always fun at your house, so different from my traditional Christmas,” Blaine added a sad smile on his face.

“Finn never admitted it, but he loved when you would spend Christmas with us. He always picked out one of your gifts for you and then just sign Santa so you wouldn’t know it was him.”

“I knew it was him. Burt never wrapped anything and you and Carole always were able to perfectly wrap presents,” Blaine laughed this time Kurt joining him.

They silently flipped through a couple more pages before Blaine spoke again. “Look the kids will be up in only a few hours why don’t we enjoy some hot chocolate and watch Holiday Inn and White Christmas?”

Kurt’s only response was a quick peck on the lips before getting up to start the hot chocolate and pot of coffee.

They fell asleep halfway through the second movie. Blaine only woke back up when he heard Oliver and Sophie bickering about being quiet so they didn’t wake them.

“Too late,” Kurt mumbled next to him shifting as he also woke up.

They both apologized quickly before diving into their overflowing stockings, a traditional rule that they were only allowed to open them without everyone being up. These days their stockings were filled toiletries and necessities.

“I’ll go start breakfast,” Kurt said blinking a little and heading into the kitchen.

“I’ll see if Riley is up and wants to come out,” Blaine said making his way to her room.

She was sitting up in her bed playing with her rabbit when he quietly peeked into her room. He knocked gently on the door to alert her of his presence.

“Morning angel, you ready to see what Santa brought you?” he asked trying to keep the extra enthusiasm from his voice. It’s been a long time since they’ve had a child in the house for Christmas.

She looked unsure at her rabbit for a moment before nodding slowly.

“I’m sure he brought you stuff you’re going to love for being such a good and wonderful child.” Blaine reassured leading her back into the living room.

When she saw everyone already sitting there she took a step towards Blaine and grabbed his hand, placing her thumb into her mouth.

Both Sophie and Oliver wished her a Merry Christmas quietly trying not to overwhelm her.

“Look your stocking is over here, and look how filled it is.” Blaine said trying to encourage her to open it.

She looked at the stocking, then to Blaine, then to Sophie and Oliver, and then to Blaine.

“Maybe you Kurt and I can open it together?” he suggested.

She only looked down ashamed.

After Kurt finished up starting the breakfast, and setting the timer he sat down on the opposite side of Blaine next to Riley to help her with her gifts. They helped her open the first couple after showing her what to do and then watched and encouraged her to do the rest on her own. The advised Oliver and Sophie to continue quietly behind the tree with their gifts. When she finished with her stocking Blaine pulled the rest of her Gifts over, settling her on the floor next to him. When she was present with the first present she simply looked at him and Blaine and hugged her rabbit closer to her looking worried.

“Bunny can help you with the presents,” Kurt reassured her catching on she was worried she would have to give him up.

As she opened the gifts she remained almost expressionless. She touched all of them gently taking her time with it and treasuring it before moving to the next one. After each one Kurt or Blaine would ask her what she got and she would look at them with wide surprised eyes and show them her new book or toy.

After she finished with all her presents she hugged both Blaine and Kurt tightly before handing them each a book and settling in between them, waiting for one of the books to be read to her.

Blaine thought that was the best gift anyone could have given him this year.  

Chapter 11

[stripper-boots]

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Look she’s sending me all of them so I’m going to answer 3-100 here and not destroy everyone’s dash.Anyways here we goooooooooo3: what random objects do you use to bookmark your books?Whatever I can find usually. I remember I used a pocket knife at school once and my teacher pretended not to notice. Shout out to them. 

4: how do you take your coffee/tea?My coffee with creamers and a lot of sugar, and I don’t really drink tea.

5: are you self-conscious of your smile?I used to be but then I stopped caring.

6: do you keep plants? 

No, I actually hate flower smell for some reason?

7: do you name your plants?Nope.

8: what artistic medium do you use to express your feelings?I play a lot of instruments but I wouldn’t say I express myself. I used to write poems but the my Great Depression hit. I guess writing?

9: do you like singing/humming to yourself?

I put on a concert in this bitch.

10: do you sleep on your back, side, or stomach?Stomach.

11: what's an inner joke you have with your friends?@dragonbornoflegend covered a lot of them already, but I’d like to add Bbless 

12: what's your favorite planet?Mars or Jupiter.

13: what's something that made you smile today?All the compliments @dragonbornoflegend gave me and @fuckthepersonthattookmyusername calling me a “Fucking n00b”

14: if you were to live with your best friend(s) in an old flat in a big city, what would it look like?Lot’s of weird decorations, like the one from Icarly but more dicks. It’s clean. I don’t have any animals because I get sad when they die but I’m attached to everyone’s pets. Exposed brick, wooden furniture, a sunroom with a skylight. We have a recording studio for  Let’s Plays where we have game consoles and PC’s. Weapons hanging on the wall, embroidery and canvas prints with swear words on them. A liquor cabinet that, at this rate, I am probably locked out of. @dragonbornoflegend and @fuckthepersonthattookmyusername have two separate keys that need to be used to be unlocked. The sunroom looks out to the lights of the bustling center of downtown, and for once the air is filled with life and happiness, not depression and the constant desire to die. We eat garlic sticks from our cutting board that says “Eat the spaghetti to forghetti your regrehtti” and toast over a white wine to the sounds of honking below and Parks and Rec in our living room for the 7th time.

15: go google a weird space fact and tell us what it is!In space the skin on your feet peels off!

16: what's your favorite pasta dish?Macaroni and Cheese.

17: what color do you really want to dye your hair?I really want to die my hair rainbow and shave the sides off my head again and wear it in a french braid so that way it’s all braided together.

18: tell us about something dumb/funny you did that has since gone down in history between you and your friends and is always brought up.

I am a stupid machine. Throwing up (A lot, like a lot a lot), Weak ankles, weird shit I eat, the countless number of city infrastructure me and @fuckthepersonthattookmyusername have stolen.

19: do you keep a journal? what do you write/draw/ in it?I don’t now but boy, did I. It was emo central. I had a lot of songs about my struggles and heart aches and a lot of drawings of people killing themselves.

20: what's your favorite eye color? The eyes are my favorite physical trait of any person. I gravitate to Green, but honestly everyone has pretty eyes.But I have the prettiest. (It’s the one physical trait I like about myself pls just let me have this.)

21: talk about your favorite bag, the one that's been to hell and back with you and that you love to pieces.I used to tear my bags apart but ever since I was a senior in high school I told my dad I wanted a vintage military messenger bag, and he got me a brand new one from Rapid Dominance that was army approved or something. it has like 7 pockets, fits my laptop perfectly, is made out of a canvas outside but a soft inside (Like a normal bag), and basically I can carry all my stuff I need to take notes in lecture, and was perfect for when I was in high school. I also have a vintage army style going, a lot of olive green, So it looks nice too. It says United States army 1775 with the army star on it. I want to get some patches to decorate it with, because it’s my only bag that has lasted this long. It has seen 4 of my dads girlfriends and a lot of changes in my life. It’s just a good bag.

22: are you a morning person?Well I work third shift so yes and no? 

23: what's your favorite thing to do on lazy days where you have 0 obligations?I mean tbh it’s a lot of youtube and masturbating.(sorry family and friends)

24: is there someone out there you would trust with every single one of your secrets?I might tell them some day but I don’t tell anyone how bad living with my mom was.

25: what's the weirdest place you've ever broken into?One time when I was growing up a family moved of a house on my block out and kept a lot of little things behind. Not that it was weird, but weird, but my brother, some friends, and I peaked into the window and my brother saw a giant purple crayon bank, and upon seeing it, he claimed it as his.So we break in (Keep in mind I am like, 7) and I stole a ceramic chicken. We get to the room with the crayon and he grabs the crayon and runs the front door of this house (where it’s snowing and people can see our foot prints) and yells on at the top of his lungs “I GOT THE CRAYON” While holding it above his 6′1″ head, making the rest of us run past him and back to my garage where we were “safe”That was pretty weird I guess.

26: what are the shoes you've had for forever and wear with every single outfit?My work boots; I need to retire them soon.

27: what's your favorite bubblegum flavor? That strawberry shortcake desert one.

28: sunrise or sunset? I can see the sunset from my window so I guess that.

29: what's something really cute that one of your friends does and is totally endearing?Support me when I get triggered and not leave because I have what I am pretty sure are ptsd episodes. (I don’t want to self diagnose)

30: think of it: have you ever been truly scared?Truley scared?⁉️ 😂😂😂The fear😈 never💪stops🚫! We out here 💯 Fearin😣 erryday‼️ Thanks🙏 to my🤰 mom’s👊 physical👊 abuse👊‼️No but fr I had a pretty bad time living with my mom and I cope with it through humor. But there were times where I feared for my life, and seeing as the human body is hard wired to survival at all cost, I would say yes.

31: what is your opinion of socks? do you like wearing weird socks? do you sleep with socks? do you confine yourself to white sock hell? really, just talk about socks.I just wear black socks, idk I’m too lazy to deal.

32: tell us a story of something that happened to you after 3AM when you were with friends.I again work third shift, so I am out past 3 AM a lot. @dragonbornoflegend told a good story. @fuckthepersonthattookmyusername and I took a trip to Alabama, and we stayed out till four in the morning in this small park in this small town with an old friend, and a friend we made that night. We layed in the middle of what is usually a busy street, quieted by the night and star gazed, started a fire in a grill then struggled to put it out, almost set the park on fire but swinging around a burning stick, and he tore down a light post with his bare hands and I stole a piece from the top of the post, all the while shooting the shit and being sober (New friend actually said that it was the first time he was sober in years and was one of the best times he had in a long time, which made me feel a type of way.)

33: what's your fave pastry?Anything that @dragonbornoflegend makes and blesses me with being allowed to eat it.

34: tell us about the stuffed animal you kept as a kid. what is it called? what does it look like? do you still keep it?When I was in sixth grade my school had a girls only lock in. It was like a girl positivity boot camp. Some of it was helpful and good for young girls to hear, but they also did that thing where they said “Your sexuality is like a piece of tape” so you know. But they had a bunch of stuffed animals they gave away to all the girls there. And I was the first person to pick and there was a stuffed husky there, and when I picked it the entire place sighed. His name was Brownie (Like the Cleveland browns football mascot who is a dog) at first, then I changed it to phoenix. He has bright blue eyes, black fur on top, white fur on bottom. He had lost some of his stuffing when I got him so I re stuffed him and sewed him back up. I still have him.

35: do you like stationary and pretty pens and so on? do you use them often?Lol I am too sloppy for that mess but I’m proud of you if you do this.

36: which band's sound would fit your mood right now?

Kidz bop

37: do you like keeping your room messy or clean?

Cleaner than messier, but I wouldn’t call it clean.

38: tell us about your pet peeves!Being called a dog, being called stupid, etc.

39: what color do you wear the most?Olive green, blue, red, and black.

40: think of a piece of jewelry you own: what's it's story? does it have any meaning to you?@dragonbornoflegend bought @fuckthepersonthattookmyusername and I a friendship necklace a few christmases ago. It means a lot to me.

41: what's the last book you remember really, really loving?Catch 22

42: do you have a favorite coffee shop? describe it!Really I get coffee anywhere. I like the aesthetic of them but I don’t really go because I’m broke.

43: who was the last person you gazed at the stars with?That Alabama trip.

44: when was the last time you remember feeling completely serene and at peace with everything?After we celebrated @fuckthepersonthattookmyusername‘s birthday with an extensive scavenger hunt, and being out till like 4 am the night before to get up at 9, we crashed at @dragonbornoflegend‘s house after eating some bomb ass cake. We talked for a bit, but eventually just fell asleep on The twin bed/chair together for like 4 hours. That was nice.

45: do you trust your instincts a lot?Yes and no. It depends on how much self doubt I have at the time.

46: tell us the worst pun you can think of.I would think of one because I am the PUNisher of my friend group but  @dragonbornoflegend really nailed it earlier with “I have one that’s pretty saint-like lately. Bc they’re holey.”, because my back has open wounds in them. I have literal holes in my body.

47: what food do you think should be banned from the universe?Pineapples so they can never ruin a pizza again.

48: what was your biggest fear as a kid? is it the same today?My mom and Y E P. Also I am afraid of AI and the deep sea which was not when I was a kid.

49: do you like buying CDs and records? what was the last one you bought?I used to but not much now. I bought one from a band called Ice Nine KIlls.

50: what's an odd thing you collect?That cermaic rooster actually started a ceramic nick-nack collection.

51: think of a person. what song do you associate with them?@dragonbornoflegend‘s mom- Fuck you.

52: what are your favorite memes of the year so far?Yes.

53: have you ever watched the rocky horror picture show? heathers? beetlejuice? pulp fiction? what do you think of them?I’ve seen Heathers the musical and that was Lit.

54: who's the last person you saw with a true look of sadness on their face?My dad.

55: what's the most dramatic thing you've ever done to prove a point?I am Petty™ so pretty much everything I do lol.

56: what are some things you find endearing in people?Good humor, intelligence, and kindness.

57: go listen to bohemian rhapsody. how did it make you feel? did you dramatically reenact the lyrics?I love Bohemian Rhapsody but that song is 6 minutes and a vine long and I Will Not.

58: who's the wine mom and who's the vodka aunt in your group of friends? why? I’d say @dragonbornoflegend because they love cats and share cooking videos on facebook and have secret family discourse, where I am the vodka Aunt because I am a walking meme.

59: what's your favorite myth?My Happiness (Also I love mythology)

60: do you like poetry? what are some of your faves? Edgar Allen Poe because my emo heart bleeds for it.

61: what's the stupidest gift you've ever given? the stupidest one you've ever received?I like to think I am good at gift giving, but I once got a small kids shirt when I was 16 (I have always been overweight) that had a Heart on it and smelled like Ice Tea.

62: do you drink juice in the morning? which kind?If I did it would be grape juice, I love grape juice. Not enough to but it though.

63: are you fussy about your books and music? do you keep them meticulously organized or kinda leave them be?Nope. My room is a trashcan of media.

64: what color is the sky where you are right now?White, with some blue poking through.

65: is there anyone you haven't seen in a long time who you'd love to hang out with? 

My work friends. My back holes have me out of work.

66: what would your ideal flower crown look like?Lot’s of dark flowers with red and purple. 

67: how do gloomy days where the sky is dark and the world is misty make you feel?I like it.

68: what's winter like where you live?Usually mild but global warming dun goofed.

69: what are your favorite board games?Anything made by WOC

70: have you ever used a ouija board?Nope and you can’t keep them the fuck away from me. foh.

71: what's your favorite kind of tea?

Honestea. It’s easier to swallow than realitea. 

72: are you a person who needs to note everything down or else you'll forget it?Nope.

73: what are some of your worst habits?Being alive.

74: describe a good friend of yours without using their name or gendered pronouns.My two closest friends are both guys so. Sir Farts a Lot, and Sir Silicone Valley.

75: tell us about your pets!She died almost a month ago

76: is there anything you should be doing right now but aren't?For once no.

77: pink or yellow lemonade?Neither please.

78: are you in the minion hateclub or fanclub?If I could develop one superpower, it would be the ability to snap my neck on command so that way when I next saw a minion I could kill myself instantly as to never see one again.

79: what's one of the cutest things someone has ever done for you?Cared about me after I treated them with abuse and harm.

80: what color are your bedroom walls? did you choose that color? if so, why?Yellow and white. My landlord picked them because they pop???

81: describe one of your friend's eyes using the most abstract imagery you can think of.The color of the blackest coffee when neutral, but like when coffee is poured, golden when light passes through it.

82: are/were you good in school?I got good grades and didn’t get into trouble, but that was just because I didn’t get caught.

83: what's some of your favorite album art?I like the Grateful Dead album, if nothing for all the shitty shirts walmart sells of it.

84: are you planning on getting tattoos? which ones?YES. I want to get a french bread in American Traditional that says “I don’t deny myself bread” A grey jedi symbol where the positive space is galaxy colors and stars, a simple map of I-71, and eventually a sleeve.

85: do you read comics? what are your faves?I read the punisher when I grew up.

86: do you like concept albums? which ones?It’s been a long time since I’ve listened to concept albums but I like them. THere’s this one where all the songs flow into the other and it’s basically like this dudes journey through the desert, I don’t remember the name tho.

87: what are some movies you think everyone should watch at least once in their lives?Life is too short man do what you want. But watch Avatar: The Last Airbender.

88: are there any artistic movements you particularly enjoy? I don’t know what it’s called but graffiti is neat.

89: are you close to your parents?I haven’t talked to my mom in 3 years and tbh Idk if she’s alive at this point. I used to be close to my dad but it’s kinda wishy washy.

90: talk about your one of you favorite cities.Cleveland gets a bad rap, but it is filled with culture. Polish bakers, german restaurants, rock n roll hall of fame. It’s not that bad.

91: where do you plan on traveling this year? I’m going to cape cod for a wedding.

92: are you a person who drowns their pasta in cheese or a person who barely sprinkles a pinch?CHEESE TO PLEASE.

93: what's the hairstyle you wear the most?Sidecut.

94: who was the last person you know to have a birthday?My little cousin. 

95: what are your plans for this weekend?I don’t have any, I’m pretty spontaneous. 

96: do you install your computer updates really quickly or do you procrastinate on them a lot?Never.

97: myer briggs type, zodiac sign, and hogwarts house?ENTP (Usally), Leo, gryffindor when I take the full test, but my pottermore account says hufflepuff

98: when's the last time you went hiking? did you enjoy it?I don’t remember but yeah.

99: list some songs that resonate to your soul whenever you hear them.Living louder.- The Cab.

100: if you were presented with two buttons, one that allows you to go 5 years into the past, the other 5 years into the future, which one would you press? why?

If I gotta hit one I’m going with the future one because my past is sad and my now is only kinda better so hopefully I’ll be out of college with a job that isn’t lifting 70 pounds repeatedly in the dead of night.

[chibeast]

So I just got back from my intake appointment at my smi (seriously mentally ill) clinic. This is what I spent a fair number of months applying for in order to get access to better mental health care. It did not go well.

First, I want to say that the process itself was exhausting, but I persisted because I was very unhappy with the therapy I was getting. My symptoms were getting worse, and I am completely unable to work right now because of it.

I was told that I would be assigned a team of caseworkers, doctors, nurses, etc that would assist me in reaching my goals. I was told that I would gain many more rights and access to care through smi services. My previous caseworker told me that it was my job to be clear about my goals - “If you want to be able to get a job, or get a car, make that part of your plan! It might take years, but they will help you break down the steps to get there and do whatever they can to make it possible for you.” 

Let me be clear: I, in no way, expect to just be given free handouts. My previous caseworker and I made a mock-up of my plan, which is as follows:

I want to work on managing my symptoms, including intense therapy which is hands-on, with ‘homework’ and real skills I can use.

I want to get ssi to supplement our income because I cannot work right now.

Through ssi, I want to do two things:

Attempt to have my student loans relieved, as I cannot work, though their total and permanent disability program. 

Use their transition to work programs to help me find a job I can do with my limited skills/education/coping abilities.

I want to eventually move to a safer, cleaner apartment.

I feel as though these are not unreasonable goals. Correct me if I’m wrong. In any event, I met with my new psychiatrist, who asked me standard intake questions, and then suddenly got out his dsm manual and started asking me questions from there. He changed my diagnosis to Dependent Personality Disorder (I assume in addition to ptsd and ocd). Then he asked about my family history. I mentioned that my mom is disabled due to physical and mental health issues. He immediately stops and lectures me on how he ‘doesn’t do that’ and that I should expect to work for what I get. Um?? I didn’t even ask and it was exceedingly defensive. I also mentioned my student loans at one point and he told me “Those never go away, so you know! Can’t ever discharge them!” in almost a defensive way. I know for a fact that you can do so if you are declared disabled and a MEDICAL DOCTOR WHO DEALS EXCLUSIVELY WITH MENTALLY DISABLED PEOPLE SHOULD KNOW THAT.

Needless to say, I felt like I would get no help or assistance from this man, and since he’d essentially be the gatekeeper on any claim I have, I’m stuck. I later met my new caseworker, and mentioned my concerns to her. She said something like “oh, he really doesn’t like to do that so...we’ll see. Maybe we can get you into some resume classes or...have you asked them to refinance your loans? You can pay $10 a month!” I told her, Sallie Mae doesn’t refinance. I’ve asked. And they want more per month than I can ever pay. I cannot work right now as I have extreme difficulty even leaving the house. I told her that I really wanted to apply for ssi, as is my right, and that I was under the impression that they would help me. She said “Uh, yeah, like, when they say ‘disabled’, you know, they mean like, people who can’t walk and talk and stuff. Not like you. Like, you know. Disabled, like...blind and stuff.”

The office itself was shabby and run-down, absolutely packed with loud people, and I felt very afraid to be there. They didn’t even seem to know why I was there - they asked who my therapist was, and I said “....I don’t have one. I had to leave my old one when I came here, you’re supposed to give me one.” and the psych acted like I was talking gibberish, like he’d never heard of such a thing.

...Honestly, I walked out of that office feeling like I need to kill myself. I spent MONTHS applying for what I thought would be more extensive care. For a team of people who specialize in mental health and know how to treat me. I know I cannot do this stuff alone, and I feel like after all that work and pain I’m being told ‘go fuck yourself’.

I really do feel like I should kill myself, because I am never going to receive the help I need. I feel like I was tricked, and now I’m classified as some ‘other’ person, with no rights, and that if I complain I’ll just be locked up in an institution.

[prolapsingintothemaelstrom]

Renegade (pt. 2)

Another wolf-finds-his-mate story, but I kicked it up a notch and created a whole new world around it.

Pairing: Chanyeol x Reader

Genre: Supernatural (EXO as wolves, but more species involved in the storyline)

Word count: 6062 words

Warning: curse-words and sex references

New to the series? Start your adventure here: Prologue  The posts will always contain a link to the next part, unless that part hasn’t been posted yet.

Part 2

Ridiculous. That's what it was. Absolutely ridiculous. It had been their ancestors, who had come up with the idea of the witch tomb having to be cleaned every Sunday. They believed the weather to be more pleasant whenever the tomb was clean. Back then, they had the worst weather of entire Seoul, except for that one week a year after they'd clean the witch tomb. Nowadays, they always had the foremost preferable weather forecast. Because he had never known otherwise, Chanyeol found it absurd. Wouldn't their spirits have better things to do?

The witch tomb could be accessed via a small door that was hidden in the pedestal of a giant statue, honouring the witches that had lived there before them and had died mysteriously several centuries ago. It was told they had been murdered and as to catch all their spirits together so they didn’t roam around town, the witch tomb was build. The tomb had a magnetic effect on the spirits of the witches, which was why they first had calculated the exact range the tomb could capture. That also explained its unfortunate location in the middle of the town’s marketplace. The statue in itself, constructed out of cement, plaster and resin, portrayed the image of two naked women and one naked man, standing in a circle and facing the outside of the circle. They were all holding up their arms in the air. One of the women was holding a bouquet of flowers high in the sky, portraying a witch’s connection with nature. Another woman was seemingly pregnant, showing the connection they had with life. A male had a wolf stroking his head to his leg. It displayed what witches stood for, being the servants of nature and the protectors of living beings.

"Bet you didn't expect to see me again this year, did you?" Chanyeol put down the bucket of water and threw the rag over the bucket's edge. With the start of a new month, the cleaner-on-duty supposedly changed. He was supposed to keep it clean during August, whilst Sehun had been commissioned to attend to September. It had been one of many tasks that could be assigned to pack members at the start of a new year. They were all small jobs to preserve the prosperity of the pack, or for the town’s benefit. Their alpha was their major, after all.

Chanyeol figured he had to explain himself a little. "I'll be here for another month so I hope you're looking forward to collaborating with me again", he made a small bow and then looked around. It was the exact same as he had left it one week ago. The witch tomb was rarely visited. Most people found it nightmarish. No matter what species you were, you could feel their presence. Humans just didn't know how to explain the mystifying feeling and made sure they got out asap. Nevertheless, Chanyeol wouldn’t be Chanyeol if he didn’t try to befriend everyone, including the witch spirits.

“How’ve you all been?”, he asked, staring at the ceiling as if their spirits were all floating somewhere in the air. It wasn’t much of a surprise when he didn’t receive an answer.

The tomb was small. Chanyeol estimated it to be a room of only twenty square meter. From the floors, to the walls, to the ceiling, it was made completely out of grey marble that shone like the sun. Even the few flower pots and the bench had been constructed out of grey marble. The floor had a pattern in the middle, indicating the spot where one should stand, should they want to negotiate something with the spirits.

“I see”, Chanyeol nodded to himself as if they had provided him with an answer. He noticed how the flowers he had brought with three weeks ago, still looked like they had been cut only a few hours before. If only everything in this world stayed as healthy and beautiful as those, he thought.

Whilst cleaning the witch tomb, Chanyeol had the tendency to talk about whatever was on his mind. It had only been this week he had found his mate (y/n), risking his usual happy-happy-go-go chit-chat to transition into a self-therapeutic session this time around. She had been on his mind. A lot. She had been like a cookie in the jar his mom told him not to touch. He knew it wouldn’t take long before he’d start breaking the rules and do it anyways. He’d eat the cookie. He would try to get close to her.

“I’ve met my mate”, he began updating the spirits on his own business. He would always talk freely about his life and thoughts to them. They wouldn’t tell a single soul. “She’s one of my students. She’s beautiful and she looks really sweet and kind and loving...”. Not yet, could he describe much as he didn’t know (y/n) that well. “I think you’d like her”, he added and smiled, thinking about her.

He started by wiping the floor as he continued on, entrusting the spirits his inner worries. “We talked once. It was very short. The lectures and recitations after that we didn’t really have any interaction, although I do catch her stealing glances at me sometimes”, he chuckled. “My friend Sehun suggested I should hang out in her neighbourhood sometimes. See if I can trace her by her scent, follow her, and then act as if we coincidentally meet there. But I think… That would be creepy, right?” He looked up as he squished out the excessive water from the rag into the bucket and locked it onto the mob again.

“And then there’s this guy”, he began, raising his voice a little. Instead of carrying on the task, he allowed himself to stop for a moment and lean his arm onto the top of the mob broom, looking at the small chandelier that hanged from the ceiling. “Ever since the second lecture, there’s this guy she’s always with. They look quite close. He even hunches his arm around her shoulder!”, he complained. He swore that if one day, should he encounter the guy’s arm around her waist, he would use his knuckles to get his dirty paw off of her. “Like, is she her boyfriend or something? I’m her mate! She should be with me!”, he stomped his feet, but quickly sank from his anger into a small depression. “Do you know how long a girl takes to decide whether she has fallen for another?”, he whined, “because I’m telling you, if she’s feeling anything close to what I am because of the mate-link, I don’t think she can ignore it”, he thought out loud. “Is it a week? Or two weeks? A MONTH?” he growled, unknowing how much patience a girl could bring up or how hard one would try to save their relationship.

In reality, what was really bothering him, was that he could not listen in on their conversations and confirm any of his speculations. During the workweek, he had been taking wolfsbane-oil with his coffee every morning to stay sane because of mating season, supressing also his other wolf abilities. He could not wait for mating season to be over. Maybe then, he could clear out (y/n)’s current relationship status and concoct a plan to approach her. His patience would have to be the quid pro quo to ensure he could efficiently obtain his rightful place in her heart.  

   The sun was setting, brightening the various coloured lightbulbs that hang above Chanyeol’s head as he tried to scoop goldfish using a rim of plastic covered by thin paper. Covered as an annual summer festival, it was the annual festival the town Chanyeol lived in, held to celebrate the end of mating season. It was held every year on the last Saturday of mating season. Monday, mating season would finally be over with the start of Autumn, September twenty-first. After almost three weeks of suffering, he’d finally be able to breathe again.

The town Chanyeol lived in, was a small town at the border of Seoul. There was not much population in the town, considering the only people who lived there were part of the same wolf pack as Chanyeol. It was the perfect location. Close to the woods and unpopular enough for other Koreans to move to. The town only had a coffee house, owned by Kyungsoo, and a bed and breakfast. Secretly, they also had other things like a doctor present and a convenience store, but they hid those well so their town would not sound attractive to other people. Non-inhabitants were kept under the impression they had to go far out of town to find victuals and that there was no frequent commuting to the city available.  

Except for today. The tourists were everywhere. Because the town had no train station, busses kept driving in and out the marketplace, dropping off and picking up oblivious humans. The marketplace was filled with small festival stalls; there were food stalls, game stalls, drink stalls. Not far from where Chanyeol was scooping goldfish, there was also some drumming and singing going on. The decibels on the entire marketplace were at its highest for the year.

“Ya, Chanyeol! It’s about to break! Quick!” Jongdae attempted to bring Chanyeol’s concentration back to the tub filled with water and goldfish. The game’s goal was to catch as many goldfish as possible before the thin paper dissolved because of the water. It was about to break and Chanyeol had only caught three goldfish so far. Yixing started clapping in his hands to encourage him.

Chanyeol’s mind was elsewhere. Only a few seconds after he had started fishing, a sliver of (y/n)’s scent had crossed his nose. He didn’t want to believe it at first, but with every second her fragrance became stronger and stronger, meaning she had arrived at the festival. She was there. Chanyeol shook his head and tried to catch one more goldfish, but in vain. Once he lifted the rim, the fish just fell through the crack in the paper, back into the tank.

“Aish”, Baekhyun cliqued his tongue. “Well, that was it for this year. Come on, let’s go set up the fireworks”, he instructed his friends to get up. Whilst Jongin, Kyungsoo, Minseok and Yixing were getting up, Chanyeol was already standing in the middle of the path between the stalls, staring at the witch statue.

“You owe me fifty thousand won”, Minseok tried to hunch his arm around Chanyeol’s shoulder, but the tall guy’s shoulders were too high up for Minseok to reach properly. “I caught six”, he explained.

“Uhuh”, was all the reaction he received from Chanyeol. He didn’t even blink his eyes.

“Guys, are you coming?” Baekhyun urged both of them to follow the rest of the group, but Chanyeol still didn’t budge.

“I think I’m going to sit this one out”, he said. Curious, Baekhyun traced Chanyeol’s stare and found a girl standing at the witch statue together with a boy. Whilst looking back and forth between the girl and Chanyeol who kept staring at her, he noticed Chanyeol’s arousal levels were rising.

“Like that”, he nodded, understanding the situation and decided that for once, he would let Chanyeol off. “Be careful. You didn’t take any wolfsbane-oil today”, he tried to warn him but Chanyeol’s focus was on the conversation between (y/n) and the boy.

It was the same boy as the one he had come to hate by now. The one she hung around with a lot at college. To his dismay, it was looking an alarming lot like a date. He couldn’t wait any longer. Even though Monday, mating season would be over, he had to know the details of their relationship, now! She had even dressed up so pretty for him, he thought, gaping at how cute she looked in her white pin-up dress with red cherries and her red high heels that complemented the dress really well.

“So you just did it?” (y/n) laughed at the guy as he was telling a story from when he once went to Japan.

“What else? That guy was a bear of a man. Bottom line, I was so scared that if I didn’t agree, he’d get angry and knock me out, so I drank!”, he laughed back. “By the third shot, I was speaking Japanese fluently! The fourth shot I don’t remember that well anymore but I woke up with pain in my ass so I’m pretty sure that was one hell of a party!”, he howled.

Chanyeol’s jealousy transcended his arousal. He could not endure seeing the two of them together like that, especially not now he could listen in on them. They looked too amused together for him to handle. He raised his right foot, intending to speed up to them and interrupt them, when suddenly, the guy was staring at his smartphone.

“Gotta go. Seems my mom found out about my little experiment” The guy beamed, looking up from his smartphone to (y/n). “That means my hard work is finally paying off!” he looked really excited and jumped a few times. “I need to go check it out”.

“What experiment?” (y/n) questioned confused. Was he leaving her? Chanyeol wondered, raising an eyebrow at him. He wouldn’t, right? Nobody stands up a girl like that, right?

“I’ll show you, one day. You can get home by yourself?”

“What do you mean?”   she asked, but the guy was already walking away from her and waving at her from afar.

“See you on Monday!”, he shouted.

“Ya!”, (y/n) called out at him. When she noticed the guy had taken on a sprint to his car, she let her head down and sighed at the setts she stood on.

Poor girl, Chanyeol thought. He couldn’t help but notice how her fragrance changed now that she was alone again. Her scent verged usually towards a more complex, bitter fragrance when the other guy was around whereas when she was alone, it tended to be sweeter. He had witnessed before that how closer he was to her, the more balanced the sweetness in her perfume became.

He had been longing for an opportunity like this. A moment when she was approachable and not in a lecture hall setting; not in a setting where he was the lecturer and she the student. He decided he could not let go of it, despite his arousal that was skyrocketing again. He quickly glanced down at his bulge that was, luckily, not too obvious through the black shorts he wore today, partially because his giant black Snoop Dog T-shirt was covering it as well. Slowly but deliberately, he walked over to her through the crowd.

“Hi”, he greeted her friendly and (y/n) turned around startled, looking up at him. Even when wearing high heels, Chanyeol still thought she was very petite.

“Professor Park", she took a deep breath and smiled from relief, seeing him.

"Assistant Professor Park, actually”. This time, he did correct her. He found it weird to be called a Professor by her. It made him sound too old for her, since she was only a first year bachelor student. “It's Miss Jang*, right?" It was nice, being around her without having taken wolfsbane-oil. He could confirm her arousal again, presently prepared for it to magnify whenever he used his deep voice. She was still into him.

"Just (y/n) is fine", she bit her lip nervously, remembering how it was not common to ask your lecturer to call you by your first name. Uncontrollably, he looked down at her boobs that had been put on display by her dress and her necklace that sank into them. Her necklace looked like a black stone pendulum. It wasn’t just pitch black, it was a-hole-in-the-universe black, blacker than vantablack. He had never seen anything like it before. Something as black that he couldn’t even see its dimensions. He felt an unexplainable discomfort staring at it, making him shudder from its blackness.

"Oh. (y/n)", he liked how her name rolled of his tongue. "Your date...", Chanyeol looked around to see if he could spot him anywhere. The last thing he needed, was for her date to change his mind and come back.

"He left. Had more interesting things to do", she kicked a stone that lay loose on the pavement, slightly disappointed.

"I'm sorry. Your boyfriend?” he popped the question as naturally as he could. He had made it sound as if he wasn’t actually that curious about it albeit he was trembling from anxiety.

“Just a friend”. Fireworks exploded in Chanyeol’s head. Stars appeared in front of his eyes and danced the life out of their bodies whilst he began singing songs in the back of his mind. Celebrate good times, Come on! ~ I’ve got a feeling, that tonight’s gonna be a good night!~

“Impressive”, Chanyeol’s rejoice had almost made him forget (y/n) was still standing in front of him.

“What is?” He asked, snapped back into reality.

“The statue”, she pointed at the witch statue.

“Oooh that”, Chanyeol smiled. “Yeah”, he scratched the back of his head. (y/n) leaned down towards the memorial text that was mounted on the plaque, trying to read it. “It’s a statue to honour the witches that once lived here”, Chanyeol tested how open-minded she was.

“Witches?” He expected her to raise an eyebrow at him, but instead her voice pitched slightly and she laughed. It was sounding a heck of a lot like a flirt. She was interested, he just wasn’t sure in who; In him, or in the witches? Maybe both?

“Yeah”, he nodded happily. “Witches. You know, those pointy-looking humans with their weird black hats and potions”, he was sketching a completely outdated image and he knew he would have to apologize to the spirits for that the day afterwards.

“Their faces don’t look pointy. The guy’s cute!”

“Hmmm, I think the wolf’s cuter”.

“On a second opinion, you’re right about that”, she admitted. He looked down at her again, staring at the wolf. She looked too goddamn cute and hot at the same time. He was eyeing her dress, wondering what the fastest way was to lift her out of it, but shook his head. Saner thoughts Chanyeol, saner thoughts, he told himself. Think about kissing her, no, don’t do that either, or you’ll really kiss her. Don’t abuse the girl.

“We shouldn’t be saying that out loud”, he tried to get the conversation going again. “Their spirits might get mad at us for liking the wolf better”.

“Their spirits? You believe they’re still here?” (y/n) questioned. She was definitely flirting with him, her plump, pink lips spreading into a smile at everything he said.

“Some say they can feel their presence”, he defended himself. “If you’d be a witch yourself, you could go channel from their power, but I hear they’re overpriced”. For once, what he told was an actual truth.

“How do you know all of this?” She asked, curious.

“I live here. See that big mansion right there?” he pointed at the Main mansion. “I live there, temporary”. The Main mansion was a big but old building. It was constructed back when the witches were still alive and was an impressive piece of architecture. The outside was painted white, and there were some influences of French colonial architecture. Some would say it looked like an old hotel. Together with the witch statue and Soo’s coffee, those were the highlights of the town.

“Oh”, was all she said and another wave of silence hit them. Under normal circumstances, Chanyeol would never have a problem to keep a conversation going, but this was different. He was constantly battling urges that he could not afford to meet, causing him to fall silent as well.

"I guess it's better if I go home now”, (y/n) spoke up and Chanyeol panicked. She was slipping away.

"Oh, that's a shame. There are so many fun things to do here".

"Undoubtedly. But most are for couples or groups of friends and since my date has stood me up..." She rolled her eyes.

"Take it from someone who's been single his entire life", did he really just confess that, he wondered. "Even then you can have a lot of fun. Come on, don't let your date ruin your night. I'll show you, if you want". Close to a miracle, she agreed to his proposition.

"I'd love to".

   Should he hold her hand, or hold her waist? Chanyeol contemplated. Walking in front of her to guide her to a certain stall, she could easily fall behind in the sea of people. He had already witnessed her fall behind once and he did not wish for it to happen to her again.

He began calculating his decision. Holding her hand might cause her to bump into other people unexpectedly, since he’d be dragging her across the pathway. Holding her waist, she could be next to him, he could guide her in front of him when necessary or hold her closer when necessary, but it would also be a huge invasion in her private space.

The decision was immediately made when (y/n), once again, fell behind and he turned back for her, wrapping his arm around her waist. To Chanyeol’s delight, she did not speak up to him about it and even though in his mind, he was still conflicted with dirty thoughts, the silence between them was remarkably satisfying.

If it weren’t for him focusing on how comfortable his hand laid on her waist, he would’ve noticed sooner that she was trembling. He stole a glance at her cheekbones, observing how they had turned slightly pink and confirming the tremble was not because she was afraid of him doing something to her, but because he made her nervous. She liked him.

It was these little things that got him hyped up more than her arousal levels. He had spotted arousal levels on other girls before, whenever he walked past them; he knew at college the female students had classified him as a stud. This was different. (y/n), genuinely liking him. The idea brought butterflies to his stomach. Now his body was shaking nervously too.

He did not want to let go of her. So, when they arrived at the stall he had in mind, he kept holding her waist. It was another game stall; one he had visited earlier that day.

“You again. You brought company this time”, the older man in the stall observed happily. “Where did he pick you up?” he asked (y/n). “You know, this idiot, he’s been coming to my stall every year trying to win this Rilakkuma but fails miserably. I told him he’d get it when he brings a girl with him”. Shoot. The stall man did not just say that, did he?

“Ah, that’s how it’s like”, (y/n) glanced up at Chanyeol, whose cheeks were turning red from embarrassment. “I guess I’ll have to try and win it for him fairly, first”, she escaped from his hold and sat herself on a plastic stool. “You owe me one, bringing me to a shooting range to get you a teddy”, she latched onto the air gun and pulled the small tray of bullets towards her. “How do you load this?”

“Wait, let me help you”, Chanyeol jumped in and loaded it for her.

“Ya, I asked you how to load it, not to load it for me”, she pointed out, slightly annoyed like a girl that wanted to be independent, just the way Chanyeol secretly likes.

“I’ll explain it with the next bullet”, he assured her.

“Ok, so how do you do it?” she let down the airgun and Chanyeol blinked with his eyes. She had just successfully hit a small blue balloon and that didn’t take her five seconds from lifting the gun to letting it down again.

“You have good aim”, he stood there, flabbergasted.

“If the boy is bad at it, then the girl has to make up for it. Now I need to hit five other blue ones to win the Rilakkuma, right?” The flirting was reaching an entire new level. She was talking about complementing him at things he was bad at. Talking about them together, being something complete. The word completeness that popped up in his head, guided him to images where he was physically completing her, his bare body on top of her, pinning her to the bed.

“Yeah”, Chanyeol replied and the man in the stall found the sight utterly entertaining. Even though he supposedly picked her up somewhere, they looked great together.

“Professor Park, how do you load this?” She urged him back into action and it was becoming a habit of her calling him Professor and him correcting her.

“It’s Assistant Professor Park”, he said and plopped down next to her, showing her how to open the airgun. “And this is where you have to put the bullet”, he explained. Both of them reached for the tray of bullets and their fingers intertwined when they each wanted to grab one. It caused both of them to look at each other, staring into each other’s beautiful eyes.

(y/n)’s breathing was becoming unstable because of the approximate distance between them. Chanyeol swallowed and he was imagining chains on his entire body to make sure that distance would not become even shorter. He wanted to kiss her so badly, losing the control over his gaze that went back and forth between her eyes and lips.

“So…” She gulped and her parted lips showed off her tongue momentarily, causing Chanyeol to imagine her mouth around a specific body part. “The Rilakkuma”, she managed to break the tension and quickly shot another blue balloon. Whilst Chanyeol tried to push his thoughts to the back of his mind, she finished off the last four blue balloons, earning her the Rilakkuma.

“Yay!” She cheered and Chanyeol could not take his eyes of her swinging her booty in jubilation.

“There you go”, the stall man handed (y/n) the forty centimetre Rilakkuma teddy, and she cuddled it lovingly. Marry me, Chanyeol thought, seeing her with giant teddy she had won for him.

“Ya, how are you so good at this?” he tried to hide his enthusiasm.

“I admit I have had some training on this. I regularly shoot at the shooting range in Gangnam. It’s a stress reliever”, she confessed.

“But you can’t load a gun?” Chanyeol raised his eyebrow at her.

“This is a simplistic airgun, it works differently for the ones I shoot with”, she raised her shoulders, still holding onto Rilakkuma. Chanyeol imagined how he would be sleeping with it in his arms, holding her perfume.

“Nonsense”, he playfully replied and thought that it was a good thing she now has something as big as the Rilakkuma to hold on to. That way, if he wanted to come close, the teddy would block him.

They both waved their goodbyes at the stall man, Chanyeol wrapping his arm around (y/n)’s waist again. Together, they entered the swarm of people, (y/n) giving a kiss on the top of Rilakkuma’s head. The small display of affection for the teddy didn’t go unnoticed by Chanyeol, who was wondering how someone so captivating as her existed.

She still trembled whenever he had his hand on her waist, but this time she had found some courage to talk to him. She was becoming more comfortable around him.

"So summarized... If you don't have a date you just pick one up that has been left by hers? That's your tactic?" She asked.

"Well that's not really what I wanted to show but yeah... I guess it kinda turned out that way. I swear, I don't have the habit of picking up lonely girls at festivals. This was the first time", Chanyeol scratched the back of his neck with his free hand, slightly embarrassed again.

"It's ok. I had fun tonight. Thanks again, Professor Park", she dipped her nose into Rilakkuma’s head.

"Assistant Professor Park”, how many times until she would get it? “You won me a Rilakkuma; You can call me Chanyeol”, he tried instead. “If you can still spare some time... Maybe we can go watch the fireworks together later on? I swear it'll be worth your time". He did not want her to leave. She had to hold on to that teddy at least half an hour longer should he want to be able to sleep peacefully tonight. “They’re as beautiful as the ones you see in Seoul with the new year”, he promised.

“Hmmm. You’re making me curious now”, she nodded. “What’s the best location to watch them?” she asked.

"Well I mostly watch it from the balcony on my room. It's a better view from there".

"Ok”, she responded. Chanyeol blinked his eyes a few times. His mate agreed to going to his bedroom with him. This could become really dangerous, but he couldn’t back out anymore, could he?

  “This is the main mansion”, she pointed out wittingly when they arrived at the front of the white hotel-like building. She was nervous. He was nervous. They were both exceptionally nervous, but neither of them would admit to that being the case. You are absolutely out of your mind, Park Chanyeol, he thought about himself. Why the hell did he suggest to bring a girl he was close to raping to his bedroom?! He realised he would have access to his wolfsbane-oil, but he wasn’t sure how he was going to take it with her around. Taking wolfsbane-oil hurt. He would not be able to take it without her seeing him suffer from a sudden attack.

“Yeah”, Chanyeol confirmed when they walked up the stairs to the giant porch together. Undeterred by the fact that there was no crowd around them anymore, Chanyeol’s hand was still plastered onto her waist.

“But you just said that you watch it from your room’s balcony”, (y/n) asked confused.

“Yeah, the one in the main mansion”, he nodded, not understanding where she was going with this. He could say he would go to the bathroom, he thought. He was still thinking about how he’d take his wolfsbane-oil, but he wasn’t entirely sure if at this point, it would still help, looking down at her breasts where Rilakkuma’s head was squished against. His body quailed once he caught another glimpse of the unusual necklace.

“I’m a bit confused. First you said you live here temporary and then you said you usually watch it, meaning every year, from your room’s balcony. Like… Do you live here temporary every summer or?” Shit, Chanyeol cursed in himself. How had he not thought about this. How was he going to explain this?

In brutal honesty, the main mansion was used during summer for all children and mateless wolves to house in. In the past, there had been an enormous amount of accidents in which children would walk in on their parents because of mating season, which had led to the drastic decision. The mateless, adult wolves would then temporary take care of all the children. That explained why all adults in the pack were so good with children.

“I live here with some friends every summer, otherwise the main mansion stays empty”, he said. Technically, that was not a lie.

“I see. Do you like living here?” Chanyeol guided her through the front door whilst she admired the giant hallway. It was as huge as a hotel’s lobby; just that there were no counters.

“Yeah”, he nodded. “There’s always something going on here. I like that”, he laughed, remembering how only the same morning some of the children chased Sehun for stealing Jongdae’s yoghurt. Aside from him and (y/n), the house was empty. Children were allowed to stay up late exceptionally because of the festival and since most mateless adults would get drunk by the end of the evening, the children would go home with their parents for the night.

It was beginning to feel very unfitting, how he kept holding his arm around her waist. He was leading her up the stairs to his bedroom and he did not want to leave her the impression that he was some gigolo. He gently let go, walking in front of her through the long hallway.

It was an angelic sight, seeing her standing there patiently in front of the windows that led to his balcony, holding onto his Rilakkuma. With the moon staring down on her, she looked absolutely adorable. He yearned for her. He wanted to breathe her, snatch her, devour her, engorge her, disrupt her, corrupt her.

“Would you mind if I take off my heels?” she asked, scratching the back of her heel.

“No, go ahead”, Chanyeol turned to the chair at his desk, reaching for the pockets of his suit blazer that hang on top of it. He caught a small test tube in which he kept his wolfsbane-oil, transferring it to the pockets of his shorts.

“You really like Rilakkuma, don’t you?” She leaned over to observe the headboard of his queen-size bed that had been decorated with small Rilakkuma plushes. He could forget about bestowing her with a though image. It was too late, she had seen his Rilakkuma’s and discovered the softer side to him. “I really like this one”, she pointed.

“That’s the first one I ever had. Got it from my mom”, Chanyeol clarified whilst he opened the windows to the balcony. He desperately needed some fresh air. He never thought he’d ever encounter such a thing, but he was getting a foot fetish from her bare feet. She had strangely small and delicate ones, her toes a little stubby. He wanted to bite in them. He studied his golden Rolex. The fireworks should start in twenty minutes.

As there fell another moment of silence over them, Chanyeol figured it to be the right moment to go to the bathroom and take his wolfsbane-oil. He had suffered enough for the night. He turned around to inform her, when he found her having pulled his purple sexual fantasies sweater that had been on his bed, over her dress, biting her bottom lip with those eyes, analysing him. He witnessed her bottom lip slip from between her teeth, settling back into place. The passionate, yet tenderly way she had laid her eyes on him drove him over the edge, marching him forward to cup her cheeks with his large hands and puckering his lips onto hers.

She met him in the middle, dropping the, now proven useless, giant Rilakkuma between their feet whilst she threw her arms around his neck, standing on her tippy toes. Chanyeol kicked the Rilakkuma to the side so he could come closer and move his hands to her back. Her soft lips left him wishing for more and he leaned in a little further, capturing her lips between his and softly moulding them with hers.

He took his chances when she opened her mouth to breathe, to mix his tongue with hers. She complied easily, starting the sparring match for dominance. He had never imagined kissing her to be something as gratifying; it was his own first kiss. Her taste kicked in like a heroin shot, immediate and addictive. He shouldn’t have done it. He wanted more. He needed more. He would never be able to rehab from this.

“You’ve got to leave, now. I don’t know if I can hold on much longer”, he confessed under his breath, panting. On the contrary to his words, his grip on her became stronger, resting his forehead on hers.

“You don’t have to”, she whispered, barely breathing. She stole a quick peck from him.

“I’m your lecturer”. He was done for. A part of him knew that it had become impossible for him to let go of her. He had to have her. At this point, he just prayed she was nurturing the same desires as him.

“I know”, she traced her hands over his shoulders down his arms, then guiding them to his back. She held on to his t-shirt with her fists, not wanting to separate from him.

“You’re certain?” He hunted for her approval, lifting his mouth a little to kiss her nose instead.

“I want this”.

  -> Part 2b (Smut part, but you can skip it without missing out on any of the story)

-> Part 3 (Skip the smut, bring me to Part 3)

 * I have used the fixed surname ‘Jang’ for everyone. This is for reasons that have to do with (y/n)’s dad, who will become a character in the series as well.

Author’s note: One thing. I am NOT going fast; should you think ‘wow that escalated quickly’ at the end of this chapter. Trust me, you’re only at the very start of the story!

[inexcon]

RSI Comm-Link: The Knowledge of Good and Evil: Part Two

Writer’s Note: The Knowledge of Good and Evil: Part Two was published originally in Jump Point 2.10. You can read Part One here.

“I know right. Debt ‘s debt.” Eve’ rat know that.

She stop cold. “You think that you are incurring a debt by staying here?”

“Ain’ I? Wha’ I’m suppose think? An I see one an’ ‘m null gon’ jus’ be here an’ . . . null tha’ . . . I won’ be your slave!” Start lookin for way out tha hall ta secure.

I stop cause Mom Super raise her hand. Slow like. Like she do ta quiet tha meal hall ‘fore meal. Hadn’ expected her ta be calm like tha’.

“If I gave a way to repay your debt, would you stay?”

Mom Super got wha’ she talk. Work got, ‘nough ta pay debt. Off some, an’ diff from Bazaar, lock tha’. Bes’ deal ‘m got ta stay with tha Sisters. Rules some, bu’ null like Blues or Bazaar Bosses got. ‘bout now ‘m start figure tha Sisters weren’ part tha Gov. If they’s Gov them give H-kit, like tha Gov.

Problem that. Big got problem when rat got no Hygiene. H-kit got thing like razor. Razor ta shave my head with. Razor I need an don’ have. Head gone ta fuzz a’ready. Tha’ mean ‘lot on streets. Mean rat got i’ in ‘em to go ‘gainst rhyme an’ honor. Mean might give up on tryin’. Creepers and slavers watch ta pounce on fuzz heads.

Walk out tha room an’ rage some ta Mom Super ta get razor. Mom Super ‘most yelled back. ‘fore ran off back ta my room.

‘magined her comin’ through tha door an chokin’ me. I seen creeper do tha’ once.

Mom Super got ask me straight later, “What would you do with a razor young one? Why do you need it so?”

Sisters an’ Mom Super don’ have null clue. I’m hoarse from yelling an wound tight. A’most missed tha ask.

“Wha’ ’m do?! Shave my damn head! Wha’ tha hell else Craz Oldie? Wha’ else i’ good for do with? You know how tha creepers like ‘em?”

“Your hair is a danger to you?” Mom Super ask.

“Hair too long an’ you be gone. Don’ sleep flat for creeps ta get at. Eat food paste or you waste. Know tha rhymes live long times. Stick ta’gether in bad weather. Hoardin’ creds will get you dead.”

Mom Super look ‘round at tha other three Sisters in tha door ta my room. One them reach in bag an’ pull out one sealed H-kit like tha kind I got from tha dispenser once month. Mom Super take i’ an’ hold i’ out ta me.

Snatch i’ null lookin’ at her an’ I head ta corner tha room an’ reflec on tha wall. Big reflec but I don’ need much an sit on floor. Back ta tha door but can see ‘em in the reflec. Them watchin’ as shave tha head fuzz quick like rats got do. Sisters standin’ in tha door outbound one-an-one til only Mom Super left.

“It’s a sad thing to see.” Mom Super say soft. “Red hair is very rare.”

Finish las’ pull move a’fore her sayin’ sunk in.

Turn an’ look at her. “Is?”

“Yes. Very.”

I don’ know, but tha’ look Mom Super got shake me cold for days.

* * *

Interestin’ now tha’ some Sisters would come an’ ask me if could fix some for ‘em. Each nex’ got harder thin’ ta fix. Sometime it some basic an’ big. Sometime it some complex an’ small. Air mover ta some bedrooms stopped. Solenoid switch on machine gone bad. Malfunct ligh’ in tha hallway. Sometimes, mobiGlas like tha kind spacer use. Other time some buggy engine. Eve’ time it got be some’ I neve’ seen or neve’ fix b‘fore. I think ta ‘self tha’ Sisters didn’ know tha’. ‘m learn them tech an’ gear while ‘m work.

Still ain’ got lock on angle Sister play ta. Got think ‘bout Bosses or creepers or slavers workin’ on some rat like. ‘magination come up with like wha’ ‘m hear on street ‘round Bazaar. Ain’ EZ ta stay smart ‘nough ta null trus’ thin’ tha’ sound like street gossip. Eve comin’ from me.

Got parts an’ gear ta fix for days when Mom Super show up a’ my shop.

“Follow me.” She say. Turnin’ she lead me down tha hall an’ back ta main floor and started headin’ ta big door ‘m null got through yet. “Your choice to remain here is a bold one, and you have proven good on your word and not tried to leave again. I believe we should make a gesture of good faith in return.”

Reached tha door. Aft’ she look ove’ her shoulder a’ me she press hand ta tha door release. Pressure seal door slide back an out. Sisters coat norm block view ‘fore I got glint. This time Mom Super step back an’ ‘most push me in.

Light ‘m step into blind me some.

Null tha’ bright jus’ more ligh’ than tha hallway. ‘m look a tha floor. Dark metal like tha hall but cleaner. Null dus’. None jus’ cleaner eve’ thin’ clean. New? ‘bout when ‘m think tha’ my eyes a’just ta light an’ ‘m look up.

‘m couldn’ breath.

Three high a stack rows tall. Leas’ ten meters. Rows wide an’ so long can’ see ’tha end from tha door. Them got books like ‘m in pics. Neve’ see real ‘fore. Oldie info that. VID term, an’ storage media a more types than ‘m know. Figures how some Sisters spend days in here.

Jump some when Mom Super say some an’ break tha quiet.

“You can come in here at any time you’d like, young one. This Library is our most holy place, but the freedom to access knowledge is equally sacred to us. We have been remiss to keep this from you. We have all sorts of information here. What is kept in the Holy Vault is only for members of the Order under seal of the confessional, but all else is yours to explore. The door will now open for you and the Sisters are always willing to help if you need anything.”

“Won’ do much good ta me lady. Can’ read none.”

How come eve’ time Mom Super smile ta me like that an’ I say some she got cry?

She daz like got hit hard, “That’s . . . I had assumed . . . with your skills, I mean. We will have to . . . um . . . How foolish of me.”

Mom Super stared me like. Like ‘m ghos’ or some. She drop her head an’ say some ‘m null hear. When she look ta me ‘gain got look like she ragin’ ‘hind her eyes. Lady move from tha door an’ point ta hallway. She lead though ‘m couldn’ tell where we goin’.

Thought I know tha whole Hall by now bu’ Mom Super stop fron’ door I neve’ been ta. She open i’ an’ make like ‘m suppose ta go in. Small. Got desk an’ VID screen on tha wall. Maybe half size my room.

Mom Super walk ta screen an’ press button ‘n tha side. Flash an’ then i’ come on. Aft’ few boot screens, comp vid Human walk from tha side like ‘em come in ta room like real person do. Got see move top tha screen. Cam doin’ sweep tha place. Done lock on us.

“I’ve brought you a new student.” Mom Super say. ‘most hide her anger.

“Wha’ Lady got ta be rage ‘bout?” ‘m think. “Tha’ her didn’ know ‘m null read?”

Vid screen Lady star’ gabbin’, “A student. One to be taught. Very good. Where shall I begin?”

“The beginning.” Mom Super say.

“Well and good. And you are the pupil?”

Cam move jus’ ‘nough ta know lock on jus’ me now.

‘m look ta Mom Super an’ she jus’ lookin back ta me. Wet eyes some. Figure tha’ ‘m got ta answer.

‘m mos’ cold ta bone. School dead danger ta street rat. Gov Schools free bu’ you spend any ticks there an’ wouldn’ make ‘nough. Some rats starve cause ‘em null make deals.

Know ‘nough ta got numbers. Know ‘nough ta speak straight an’ crook. Know ‘nough ta fix gear. School learned? Like Up folk? Like my cot?

“Sure.” All ‘m think ta say.

Screen prog stat gab ‘gain, “Please sit student, we are about to begin.”

“The program will teach you if you choose to learn from it. It can go as fast or slow as you need. You may consider this part of your work for us as well.”

Tha’ las’ from Mom Super an’ she outbound.

Wha’ got Mom Super raged? An’ ‘m got ta listen ta comp prog? Hell. Teach prog got ta work righ’ then. Null got time ta think ‘bout danger a learnin’ too much. ‘m got new work from tha lady. I neve’ work like this in my life.

* * *

Found new kind of hunger in tha’ room. Sit in tha’ classroom for long stretches. Only leave ta eat or relieve myself. I spend hours more a day there than had ta.

I realize I been starved for information when I’m given more than I can handle but not as much as I want. I’m addict ta it and the drug is free. Learning is no debt. Maybe that why the bosses on the street don’t want rats ta get it. Teach program pushes me hard. It keep lessons comin’ as fast as I complete ‘em.

“High Impact Learning” what teach prog call it. Cumulative points, none percentages. Almost neve’ have to hear lectures. Everything a conversation.

English, Grammar, Ancient Earth History, Math, Biology, Psychology, Sex Ed, Mechanics, Social Studies, Interstellar Commerce, and Physical Activities all covered. Standard Ed for UEE. Even know what the UEE is now.

80 to 90 hours a week I work on my school. Would spend more if I didn’t need to eat an’ sleep so much. An’ Sisters still wan’ me ta fix gear. Got hard time ‘tween fix gear like ‘m good at an’ wan’ ta learn book work. Book work start ta win that. I write essays, I listen ta books, I track my health for PE. I even start going back into the library to read books for school.

So much time passes without my realizing.

Got back to the room one night and see myself in the mirror. I stare into it for almost an hour. I been missing the inches I’m growing up and hair I’m growing out. Shit.

It makes the girl looking back at me in the mirror even look like a girl. She looks like me, except with hair and tits. At first I’m scared to notice.

Tits are still small enough they’ll be easy to hide, but I have hair. Does hair mean what the street says it means? Hell, if I can keep street learning from mixing with book learning now. The impulse to shave it off in haste and fear grips me hard. I almost do it. Almost.

Instead, I dare myself to leave it. That seems to work. I dig through my hygiene kit for the comb I never use. I watch fixated as I pull the comb through my hair and feel the tug against my scalp. I’ve been moving it out of my eyes for how long? Crap. I null know. Been dealing with it but always absentmindedly. Never looking in the mirror. I look in the H-kit again and see the razor. Still in its wrapping. Back in the mirror I catch someone that looks like I’m supposed to but different. She has red hair. Touching it is like touching danger itself. It’s part of me. Maybe it’s a warning to the world that I’m more dangerous now.

I fall asleep to the feeling of hair on my neck. It’s warm. They never tell you about that part on the street. They don’t tell you a lot.

Education Levels pass by. I start out at level 3. Don’t even count the months. Day comes, night comes. Frustration and anger. Success and wonder. Don’t care much about how long it takes, the information is what matters. By the time I get to level 10 work, I’m doing the good stuff like tech.

Days do get long though. The Sisters spend most of their time in the Library. If too many of them are in the Library at one time the halls start to feel dead. That pulls me there. The library is the only place in the Hall that feels alive sometimes. Once I started to read some, I started going there and found that books can be alive all on their own. Sometimes the books even have people in them. Some alive. Some dead. Some real, others not. I get to watch those characters live, play, fight and win. The second time I close a book hiding tears, Mom Super catches me.

“You should take a break from the tragedies for a while I think, young one. You might try these for a spell,” she said leading me to a bookcase I hadn’t randomly selected for raiding yet. “They are not as intense but may be to your interests.”

She may be strange sometimes, but she can read me easy enough.

I look on the shelf she’s led me to and only see some old storage drives. They look ancient. “I don’t want to break them.”

“You won’t, dear, they are quite sturdy.”

With Mom Super’s blessing I take one down and over to the nearest terminal. Takes me a second to figure out the connectors and boot sequence for the thing. Old, like most things around here. I get it working and open the primary file. On it are technical manuals for COMM Tech and COMP Tech for a ship I’ve never heard of. Even ship drive schematics from only a hundred years ago. Tear down instructions, maintenance schedules, even revisioning logs from one version of a thing to the next explaining what changed and why.

Everything a spacer might want to know about her ship.

I’m still a gear rat, just with more skills now. It’s not tech to take apart, but I’ve been creating universes in my head for the books I read. I know I can do the same for this tech. That and all the tech jobs for the Sisters. I know how to fix a dead VID terminal from a hundred years ago, and I know how to imagine an’ make things real.

So I study. As I do, more technical data, notes wit helpful hints for using the terminal, even meals all start showing up at my new hermitage at the terminal in the Library. It’s infuriating. Who? What do I owe them? It’s touching. It’s dangerous not to know who I owe what, but I accept it all the same because I have a plan now. Anything that helps is worth taking. When I get out of here, I wont be just a gear rat. I’ll be a pilot.

On my own SHIP.

* * *

One day word comes that one of “our ships” has just entered the system and is returning. It takes me a second to remember that this isn’t a plot from a novel.

“We have ships?” I ask the Sister. “And that word is plural. The Sisters have more than one ship?”

I don’t get an answer, but she tells me that everyone is assembling in the entry hall. Normally, it’s a common side hallway. I’ve never seen anyone enter or leave as long as I’ve been here. It barely registers that the door is there as I join the Sisters in waiting.

Standing among so many people all in one place starts making me uncomfortable. I realize that I’m more used to being alone now. We all stand with the foremost in a semicircle facing the door. I make my way to the front to be near Mom Super. The Sisters close around us making sure not to give me a straight path out the only exit to the place. The door opens inwardly like it did that night years ago. Years. I shiver thinking about it.

A lone figure is standing outlined by dust and setting sunlight in the shadow being cast by something tall outside. A full face helmet covers her head and the rest of her is covered by a space suit. A sleek, black, beautiful, and expensive suit. I immediately try to take inventory of the suit and its status lights. It’s the gear rat in me still looking for something to fix and charge her for. Or maybe I just want one like it.

As my eyes try desperately to make out the suit better, I realize she’s carrying two metal cases. Each about one meter long and half a meter tall. They aren’t very thick, but they are obviously very important by the size of the locks on them.

She steps forward to meet Mom Super and puts down the cases beside herself as they come to a stop in front of one another. The door closes behind the newcomer and, once shut, she removes the helmet.

Long dark hair fall past the shoulders of a young looking woman with tired, teary eyes. As the normal dusk light settles in the hallway, she speaks.

“Mother Superior! I have returned in honor to my Oath, in honor to our order, and freely of my own choice. I bring the knowledge collected on my pilgrimage. Twice copied for us and again two more for our sisters of the other Hall. I return to my sisters the ship given me, the money given me plus a great sum more, and I return myself in hopes of peace and understanding among my sisters.”

The last words echo off the high walls and fall silent. Mom Super just steps forward and hugs the woman. Others attend to the cases. One case heads toward the meal hall. The other, handed to a Sister who heads to the library. As it opens to allow her and the second case in, I see her turn and head toward the Holy Vault, but the door closes before I can see how she gets in.

Other Sisters in the hall start talking about the new woman and calling her the Returned.

The Returned and Mom Super walk toward the meal hall together. It’s too early for dinner, but everyone is following them, so I do too. I catch more conversation about “the sacrament” as we fill the benches. The short table with five stools that normally sits empty next to the Mom Super now has the Returned at it with the case in front of her. She stands and bows slightly, first to Mom Super and then to the room of Sisters.

I think, “Since when do the Sisters bow?”

They’re a religious order, sure, but they aren’t like the Xeno Cults or Tech Worshipers. I always thought they used the religious angle so they’d be left alone.

The Returned unlocks the case with some sort of code, a key, and then a voice print. She opens it and reveals 20 blocks that look like data drives.

Mom Super Calls out, “The Holy Sacrament of New Knowledge.”

The Sisters all reply as one, “Thanks be to God.”

Each Sister produces a mobiGlas from their pocket and puts it on. I’ve seen some of these models before, worked on them. I haven’t seen so much tech gear in one place in years. It’s like watching flowers bloom as each one winks on.

Someone touches me. I jump.

I’m just on edge is all. This is a lot to take in. A Sister I don’t recognize had done it. Her newly revealed mobiGlas is running a boot sequence as she points to the front of the room. Mom Super, calling me over.

I approach Mom Super, and she begins to smile. Never a good sign. Things go craz when Lady does that. She reaches out a hand to me, “Take it young friend. We would not keep this moment from you.”

“What?”

She laughs a little.

“We’re going to share access to the information the Returned has brought us,” she says. “You may search for whatever you like, however you like. We ask only that you share what you find interesting. Just follow the lead of the Sisters. It has been some time since we had a guest present for the sacrament, but it is allowed.”

A weight falls into my outstretched hand. I know what I dream it to be, but what it can’t be.

“This is yours, young one. A testament to your hard studies that have made even the Sisters envious of your diligence.”

A slim black and blue case rests in my hands. Careful inspection shows no maker’s mark or logos. I open it like the treasure chest I know it is.

A mobiGlas. Top of the line model with a blue crystal scrawl along the side. The world starts to go fuzzy.

None. That danger. No! ‘m null cry! If I cry ‘m weak an’ tha ‘thers will . . . I look around through my tears. I see smiling Sisters with whom I have always been safe. Will always be safe. I still can’t let myself. I choke back the tears and look Mom Super in the face. Unable to meet her eyes fully.

“Uh, thanks,” is all I get out past the tightness of my throat. I turn and bolt to my seat; desperately not wanting to be the center of attention anymore.

The same Sister who nudged me earlier whispers that they will wait till I’m ready.

Sheer panic.

I fumble with the mobiGlas and finally get it turned on. In a moment a blinking cursor presents itself on the screen. Ready.

I look at Mom Super, out of breath. She nods.

Suddenly, I feel cold in the vastness of the information I have access to. So much; more than I could learn in a hundred lifetimes.

It takes hours listening to this or that thing a Sister finds or just pushing through one set of data or another. The hardwood benches normally don’t bother me, but four hours of economic reports, social news and statistics is a bit long to just sit around with my legs falling asleep. Mom Super got up then and dismissed us. Before I duck out to my room with my new prize, she calls me over.

Mom Super sets her face hard. Formal. I get a knot in my stomach just recognizing the look of it. “The advent of the Returned brings with it an authority second only to my own. Upon this authority, a proposal of change may be brought to the Sisters.”

Seems like Sister business. I stay out of that stuff. Old habit not to get tangled, that.

“It may not seem so in your situation, dear, but freedom is paramount to us. Free will and the right to choose are more important than choosing the right or moral thing.” she explained. “The information we gather empowers the choices we make. We even share our knowledge or collect private information at times. We choose what we share and what we do very carefully.”

“Even my speaking at your trial was a choice, young one.”

My heart skips a beat at that. We’ve never discussed that day or why I’m here. It’s an unspoken understanding. She doesn’t give answers to the questions I pretend I don’t have. Her eyes are holding back a sadness covered by a smile.

“I made my choice to interfere and bring you here. It upset many of the Sisters, but your being here has convinced the others of an ugly truth many of them do not want to learn.”

I try to look casual as one of my legs threatens to fall asleep again. “What’s that?” I ask, fearing the problem I know now I cause. Tha problem tha’ I am.

“That we have failed the people of this and other planets. That we are called to teach as well as learn. That our Order must teach the children of the streets, advocating for them as they themselves cannot. We must use what we learn and are told to help empower our fellow Humans.”

“Them can’ be taught Mom Super! What I mean is— that street rats teach each other that knowing too much is bad and will get you killed. They’re so scared, everyone believes the rhymes. Hell, there are even rhymes about not questioning the rhymes. And . . .”

She puts up her hand to stop me.

“Which is the sort of thing this Order does not know or understand fully, but you do.”

She takes a deep breath.

“I never intended to make you the focus of this effort of mine to reform the Order, but you have such unique gifts . . .”

Old Lady stops and stares at me. Her sadness is gone and something more like power burns in her eyes now.

“Will you help us create schools for these children?”

Rage, anger, joy, fear, panic, scheming, dread, hope and shock run through me as I consider what Mom Super just dropped in my lap.

“The choice is sacred. We, I, will think nothing different of you no matter your answer.”

Minutes pass and my mind races. Eventually two thoughts rise to the top of the internal chaos: Mom Super needs my help and if the rats learn the power of information, the street won’t own them anymore. They will have power like I never did. Maybe even like I have now.

An anger and a determination like I’ve never known rises in me and my skin bristles. I can pay my debt to the street, my debt to the Sisters, and the debt of every rat from Bazaar to Backtrack.

‘Unique gifts’ is what she called them. Yeah, those I’ve got. A sly grin spreads across my face.

I look Mom Super in the eye and recognize what’s in her eyes now because I feel it too.

“When do we start?”

* * *

I once thought getting to leave again would be a big deal to me, but it’s not. I never felt trapped at the convent. Well, not after I learned to read, anyway. The world makes more sense now, but it isn’t any different after reading about it.

Maybe that’s what happened to the Sisters. They started living in the Library too much, and Mom Super is trying to get them back into the real world.

We work out when and where the first ‘Street School’ day will be. Two Sisters and I gather in the entry hall to take the rail to Bazaar Street. I wear one of the Habit coats to try my best to blend in with the Sisters. The area around the convent isn’t luxury, but it’s not slums either. I see a Blue on the rail and flinch as he gives up his seat for one of the Sisters, like we’re important or something. Strange feelings creep on me the rest of the rail ride. By the time we get there I want off the rail car so much I almost miss how the Bazaar has changed.

The Sisters look to me and I take the hint: I’m supposed to lead them. I start for Work Row. Rats gather in Work Row when they are on hard times or young and looking to become Gear Rats. It’s just a bigger than normal alley, but it serves well enough. Lots of exits for it too. The way rats like it. The way looks different now that I’m taller, but I get us there without any wrong turns.

Seven or eight kids are sitting on ledges and crates. I turn to the Sisters and nod. They nod back, and we move to an area near the middle of the groups where one wall is mostly empty. One Sister pulls out a small projector and places it on the ground. The other moves next to her and connects her mobiGlas. Some of the rats move closer, curious about the tech. They scatter back as I move next to the projection on the wall and pull back my hood.

“We would like to teach you all whatever you want to know,” I say and try to look at as many of them as possible.

One of the older ones speaks up. “Ja Lady? An’ wha’ make think you gots some us rats wan’? An’ wha’ i’ cos’ us? Fancy Up tech you got ain’ free. Lock tha’. I Checked.”

A joke and challenge. What will it cost? How do I say it won’t cost them anything? Free translates to gullible. Why didn’t I think about this before now? I have to answer fast or they might all spook and leave.

“Because . . . ‘cause rat like you ain’ got wha’ we got teach. Know tha’ lock ‘cause ‘m was rat an’ Sisters taught me more than any rhyme. Null cos’. None debt. All i’ takes is time.” It’s hard to try and force what used to come so naturally to me and what I say is a poor combination of the slang and proper speech, but it might work.

The children look around to each other. I think I caught them more off-guard by how I said it then what I said.

“Tha’ craz. You some oldie rat?” A young one says next.

They’re talking! Don’t blow this.

“Oldie rat? Sure. Craz? None that. What you wan’ a know small-y?”

The young one that spoke goes and comes back with someone else, another child that looked sickly. The sickly one showed a lump on his skin.

“Wha’ tha’ oldie?”

It looked like a cyst or rash maybe, but it could be something worse. Shit. “Tha’ bad some. Gots go ta medics, but null do ‘t here. Bazaar Medics got ta pay off bosses. Ride rail three stop and go ta tha medic down the street ta left. Same like got here. Treat you free like medics here are s’pposed. Somethin’ obvious like this them got ta take in and go on it. Lock truth, that.”

I try to give the sick one my rail pass. The other one shoves it away.

“We got creds ‘nough ta ride rails. Sure them gots ta go on it if we shows up, eve’ we rats?”

“Yes. Them gots ta work it. Lock sure.”

The eyes of the whole group judge me and my words for what feels like eternity. Finally the two depart, and the rest of our class stare at them as they go.

The old one pipes up again,”Wha’ else you got ta learn us rats Sister?”

Acceptance? At least for now. I paid our entry fee by helping those two. They’ll let us try. I choke back a memory as I wonder if I would have ever let the Sisters teach me if I’d still been on the street. We got some brave ones.

“Wha’ you want ta know?” I say through a smile.

* * *

Now, I leave the convent with a group of Sisters every week. Some street children, we don’t call them rats, have even made it a part of their routine to show up to school. Not every time of course; being too predictable can get you killed on the street. Some never come back again. Each time that happens, I have nightmares until I see one that has been missing for weeks return again. Never show my relief for fear of scaring them off by singling them out. Street children don’t use names, and even being recognizable is dangerous. Blending into the group protects everyone. I had to stop some Sisters who were developing nicknames and assigning numbers to the kids to track lessons. It would ruin everything if the kids knew they were being tracked with a name or number.

“Is that why you don’t have a name?” One of them asks me.

Direct dmg, that.

I try to recover but my shock was already apparent. I’ve never thought about that before.

“I don’t know,” is the best I can come up with. Then I change the topic back to school things.

To call it school is a bit of a stretch. The Sisters and I meet in a wide alley with some street children. We tried to start with basic language skills, but these kids are too practical for that. The teaching program I used is too rigid for them. The Children want information they can apply right away. So we just teach them what they want to learn or what we think might interest them: their legal rights if they get arrested. The going price for a part on the legitimate market. How to get a free rail pass or medic check. The way to count change and write numbers. The sort of thing a street child can use right now or use to get ahead. It seems to be working. They seem to like it more and are bringing others with them if they come.

The rhymes are the biggest obstacle to our efforts. When I was on the street I couldn’t go a day without one of them saving my life or helping me get by. All the street kids are going through the same sort of life that I had. Now an ‘Oldie Rat’ like me is asking them to forget what some of the rhymes say or even go against them? Sometimes, I hate myself, thinking it might get them hurt or killed.

Mom Super was right about needing my unique gifts too. Street slang is thick and almost incomprehensible to most of the Sisters. Sometimes I’m translating both directions. I’ve started teaching it to the more adventurous Sisters, but it’s slow and frustrating.

I don’t know how it happened, but one evening while working with a new child, teaching him about staying clean, I look up and all the other Sisters have left. We all tend to come as a group and leave as the day goes on. I’m one of the last most days, but I’ve never been alone. I didn’ know why bu’ that got me scared some.

When the lesson was finally done, I put the hood up on my coat and begin walking to the rail station. I’ve got this uneasy feeling, and I start to walk more quickly. I hear a sudden burst of noise to my left and turn my head to look at it, but the hood blocks my view. The verge of panic comes, and I move even faster. The train is there but as I approach the doors close and it pulls away. The next won’t be for 20 minutes.

I gasp for breath as I lean against the ticket kiosk.

What the hell? What am I afraid of? Walking around alone? My mind is just clear enough now to be angry at myself. At least one Street child must have seen my panic and will ask about it next week. Maybe it will even scare some away for a while. Am I really this stupid?

That thought carries me through the next few minutes. The sun is setting, but I try to relax as I wait.

Then someone walks up to me.

“Oh, you ‘lone, Sister? Ain’ i’ late?” the man says.

Strangers don’t just walk up to you in Bazaar Street.

“Or ‘hapse you ain’ Sister. Null tha’. is i’ rat. Yeah. Gear rat. Street rat eve’.” The man had taken another few steps towards me and stopped again when I backed away.

What did he say? All the panic of minutes ago shoots back into my mind and stiffens my spine. I don’ eve’ got a slag.

I turn to look at the man for the first time. He’s rough and poor looking, but better dressed than I’d expected. He is shaved but unremarkable. I see the shadow of a face I remember well.

Boss Dirk.

“Ya remember me? Got. I remember you, Rat. I remember that you owe me.”

TO BE CONTINUED…

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