#but i think its cute that once she aged up she matched dove

[pigeonplaysgod]

so Aubrie unfortunately passed away last run, but Merlot was lucky enough to spend some quality time with (and get his ass kicked ✨Magically✨ by) his Mama <3

[baepsaesbae]

Pag Lubog Ng Araw || When the Sun Goes Down

Pairing— Jeon Jungkook x reader

Genre— SMUT, Angst, Enemies to Lovers au, Delinquent gang au

Warnings— Oral (f receiving), face riding, explicit unprotected sex, somewhat rough sex, fighting (they engage in fisticuffs quite a bit), swearing

Word Count— 2.4k

Summary— The gang leader of an enemy group has been getting on your nerves. This town ain’t big enough for the both of you. 

A/N— Thank you @dollwithluv for requesting! I hope you like it! I got kinda carried away with this one oops. You can still request drabbles up until the end of the August with this post

“Is that all you got, Jeon?” you spat in his face after blocking a powerful kick.

“I’m going easy on you. Just testing out the waters,” Jungkook smirked before landing another blow, knocking you aside.

Now it’s your turn to show off. With your balance regained, you launched forward to unleash a flurry of fast punches and jabs on Jungkook’s torso. That made Jungkook stagger backwards, but it wasn’t nearly close enough to knock him down. And so the scuffle continued. 

You and your gang of girls ruled this town, striking fear into any man who dared looked your way. Or so you thought. Recently, a rowdy group of boys were looking to expand their territory--directly into yours. Of course, you weren’t going down without a fight. Literally.

“You idiots get lost! We’ve been here for ages,” one of your posse members yelled over your skirmish. 

“Why don’t you ladies just move aside? You’ll be under our protection once we take over. You guys can even continue patrolling like you normally would. The only difference is that you’d be flying under our banner, so to speak. That ain’t too bad, right?” one of the boys from Jungkook’s band of delinquents (you believe his name was Seokjin) tried to reason. 

“Over my dead body!” you screamed as you exchanged blows with Jungkook.

“That can be arranged,” Jungkook gritted his teeth. 

“Get em boss!” underlings from both sides cheered. 

10 minutes later, both you and Jungkook were battered and bruised. Jungkook’s lip was busted and your nose was bleeding. Both sides concluded that the match was a draw.

“You’re tougher than I thought,” Jungkook acknowledged.

“I’ll knock your ass to the ground and beat you to a pulp next time,” you threatened with a menacing glare.

“So feisty,” Jungkook chuckled as he spat out blood.

Back at your gang’s headquarters (an abandoned shack that you refurbished), your friends tended to your wounds. 

“You have no idea how badly I wanted to jump in and smash his skull in,” Nayeon tsked as she bandaged your hands, “But I know you would’ve hung my booty above your fireplace if I meddled.”

“I appreciate the concern. He roughed me up pretty good, but I’m sure he’s licking his wounds right now too. Plus this is a leader to leader thing. You are my girls, and I’m gonna fight for you till the very end,” you gave them a thumbs up with a smug smile.

The girls cheered and applauded for their fearless leader. They know that past your tough exterior, you’re a fiercely loyal kind hearted person. Most of the gals joined your group after you saved them from being harassed or abused by various men. If there’s one thing you hate, it’s misogynists. Or maybe just men in general. 

Both gangs practically tiptoed around each other for the following weeks while their leaders were still recovering. You tried devising plans to run them out of town. Your gang was bigger, so you’d definitely win in an all out war against seven guys. But you quickly brushed that idea aside, not wanting to endanger your crew. 

“We gotta have another showdown,” you concluded during a gang meeting. 

“What?! You got so hurt last time. There’s no way we could let you--”

“Shut up! What ___ says goes. You know that,” Nayeon silenced the complaint. 

“Sunmi, bring this letter to the Bulletproof Boy Scouts. I still can’t believe they named themselves that,” you snickered as you handed her a paper with a formal challenge scribbled on it. 

“Uh, boss, I don’t think we’ll need to send that letter,” someone called out from the back after there was a pounding on the door. 

“Open it,” you commanded.

Standing on the other side of the door was a pretty boy whose smile lit up the room. No one would believe that he’s in a delinquent gang, you barely could. But then again, it seemed like that gang only recruited models with a penchant for violence and mischief. 

“Hey pretty ladies! I’m Jimin. I come on behalf of the leader of the Bangtan Boys. He wants a final showdown. Only him and ___ are allowed in the specified location while they fight. He said the rest of us can brawl outside if we felt like it, but I’ll leave that decision up to the audience. Here’s our official note of challenge,” Jimin handed a crumpled receipt to the nearest girl, “Sorry, that was the only paper we had on hand,” he apologized sheepishly. 

“Sundown two days from now at the vacant warehouse huh? Sounds fine to me. Any rules?” you raised a brow at Jimin after reading the challenge aloud. 

“I dunno. That’s all the boss discussed with us. Figured you two would make it up as you go. In terms of weapons, Jungkook prefers to use his hands,” Jimin answered.

“So practically no rules. I can roll with that. See you boys in two days,” you shooed the messenger away. 

“Are you sure about this? You’re finally starting to recover--”

“Gear up. You’re gonna help me spar,” you interrupted Nayeon. You didn’t have any time to waste before the rematch. 

~The Day of Reckoning~

Your girl gang surrounded the warehouse. They weren’t happy about leaving you alone, but they were ready to keep anyone else from interfering. You tapped your foot impatiently as you waited at the front. 

“Is this heaven? There are angels as far as the eye can see!” one of the boys whistled as soon as they pulled up. 

“I wouldn’t count on that, Tae. These gals would probably stab you in your sleep and steal your wallet or something. Not like you have any money in there anyway,” Jungkook teased.

The group of boys sauntered through the crowd of sneering women until Jungkook stood directly in front of you. 

“Let’s settle this once and for all, you piece of shit. Loser skips town,” you asserted.

“Works for me. I’ll hate to see you go,” Jungkook’s tongue quickly darted to lick the corner of his mouth. The action was meant to be intimidating, but it stirred something inside of you. You tossed the feeling aside; he was the enemy. And you’re about to kick his ass.

The warehouse smelled like mold mixed with wet dogs. It was dark. The only light source was the sun’s rays that shone through cracks and holes in the walls or from the partly torn off ceiling. It was already dwindling. Jungkook loudly slammed the door behind him. You led him to the middle of the building, turning to face him before the fight could start. 

“Hope you enjoyed your time here,” you taunted.

“We did. We like it here better than our own hometown. You sure you don’t wanna just let us take over? I won’t have to ruin that pretty face of yours,” Jungkook offered again. 

“Fuck off Jeon,” you scoffed before throwing the first punch. 

You found yourself locked in a repetitive pattern of offensive and defensive moves. Jungkook’s attacks felt heavier, but you moved even faster. It seemed like both of you had reserved your full strength last time. 

Jungkook’s last punch knocked you off balance. He took the opportunity to knock you to the ground, effectively pinning you under him. He leaned close to your face and smiled maliciously down at you as he assumed that his victory was assured. He was wrong.

You banged your head against his with as much force as you could muster. In a flash, your positions had been switched. Jungkook groaned in agony under you as you tightened your hold on him. 

“Surrender, or I’ll pulverize you,” you threatened.

“Let me tell you something first,” he wheezed.

You reluctantly moved closer to him, but were on guard just in case he tried to headbutt you. 

“Closer,” he demanded.

“No fuck you--”

Jungkook used the last of his strength to repel his upper body towards you to plant a rough kiss on your lips. You looked at him in shock, releasing your grip. Jungkook placed his hand on the back of your neck and pulled you towards him, stopping you just centimeters in front of his lips. 

“Sorry, I couldn’t help myself. I have a thing for strong women,” he whispered. 

You lunged forward and knocked Jungkook flat on his back as you kissed him ferociously. The taste of blood was tinged with desire as the kiss deepened. No one could deny that Jungkook is a handsome boy. Seeing him all beaten up made him even more attractive to you, especially knowing that he’s tough enough to compete with you. 

“You know, I thought you looked cute with a busted lip,” you said when you broke the kiss.

“I’d look even cuter if you busted on my lip,” he winked, “Ride my face, ___. Please,” he added. 

“What? Right now? I’m all sweaty because we’ve been fighting and--”

“I don’t give a shit. Let me taste you. Unless you’re uncomfortable, of course,” Jungkook showed his decent side. 

“In that case,” you say as you slide off your pants.

You kneel above Jungkook’s face, your clothed cunt hovering inches away from his open mouth. 

“Come. Here,” Jungkook roughly pulled you down onto his mouth. 

He licked wide stripes along your panties, soaking them with both his saliva and your arousal. Ripping the measly piece of material off, he dove nose first into your pussy. His tongue explored your folds, making you squirm. He placed a strong grip on your hips to hold you firmly in place. He moved his arm to let his hand rest right above your pussy. 

Without warning, his thumb began to circle your swollen clit. You whimpered at his touch. The pace of his thumb synced up with his tongue as he shallowly dipped it into you. You could feel something ball up within you. No doubt your climax was on a one way express train pummeling towards its final stop. Destination: All over Jungkook’s face. 

“Jeon I--I’m gonna” you shuddered.

“Lay it on me baby,” he said, muffled by your pussy.

A euphoric high took over your body a couple of intense seconds later. You were tingling from your nose down to your toes as you weakly dismounted Jungkook. He licked around his mouth, savoring your cum.

“I guess you’re right, you do look better after I busted all over your lips. And face. Sorry bout the mess,” you laughed. 

“You could let me fuck you if you really wanna make it up to me,” Jungkook suggested as he palmed his groin. 

“Do you fuck as well as you eat pussy?” you inquired as you sat beside him. 

“Only one way to find out. You down?” he propped himself up by his elbows.

“Fuck me senseless, pretty boy,” you requested. 

“Sure thing, except,” Jungkook pushed you onto your back, “I’m on top this time.” 

Jungkook shimmied out of his pants, revealing his already hard dick. It wasn’t too girthy, but it was long. You had a feeling he’d hit all the right places with ease. You were still sopping wet, so Jungkook slid in without a problem. He took his time feeling every inch of you before finally bottoming out. 

Jungkook began to fuck you harder, making your entire body shake with each impact. Your wanton moans mixed with his grunts as he snapped his hips faster. His hand snaked its way from your chest up to your neck. He placed a harsh grip on the sides and smiled down at you with satisfaction. Normally you’d enjoy this, but not today. Not with Jungkook.

A quick jab at his side prompted him to release you and nearly double over. Before he had the chance to cuss you out, you flipped him over, reclaiming your rightful place. You ease yourself back onto his cock, bringing him back to a blissful state. 

You rode him like your life depended on it. Your hips had a mind of their own as they rocked back and forth. Jungkook groaned with pleasure as he rested his hands on your hips. You began to fuck him with a purpose, changing your pace.

“Whatcha doin?” he moaned.

“Spelling my name on your dick. Now it belongs to me,” you answered proudly. 

“Oh fuck, is that so? Are we dating or some shit?”

“Shut up and we’ll figure it out post nut,” you hushed him.

You brought up your knees and squatted over him with your feet on the ground. You bounced up and down and let yourself get lost in the moment. Your carnal voices harmonized and echoed throughout the abandoned warehouse. The sun had finally set, now replaced by the pale moonlight. 

“Baby keep going, just like that. I’m gonna cum. Wait fuck should we be using a con--uuuggghhhh,” Jungkook didn’t get to finish that sentence.

He exploded into you, his warm seed shooting up into you. You bent over to kiss him once more. What was meant to be a quick peck turned into a heated makeout session. 

“Give me a little bit before I can fuck you again,” Jungkook said once the kiss broke. 

“We have more pressing matters to address. Uh, what exactly should we do now? I don’t know if we can really declare a winner or a loser,” you pointed out. 

“I’d say we were both winners today,” Jungkook nodded.

“Interesting…” you thought out loud.

“What?”

“Are you still open to combining forces? Only this time, we’d be on equal footing. We can make a stronger gang together,” you suggested. 

“I don’t see why not. Everyone is outside anyway right? Let’s go break the news,” Jungkook agreed. 

“We both look like shit. And we smell awful,” you observed.

“Eh, it happens. They gotta respect their leaders no matter what, right?” Jungkook shrugged. 

Both Nayeon and Jimin fell into the warehouse as soon as you opened the door. 

“We weren’t doing anything!” Nayeon said quickly.

“We were just wondering if one or both of you were dead, so we tried to see if we could hear you guys and…” Jimin couldn’t maintain eye contact with either of you.

You pushed them aside and walked out to face the delinquents that were eagerly awaiting the official verdict.  

“Listen up dirtbags! Starting today, we will be combining forces. We are now one gang, and we’re gonna be the strongest gang this country has ever seen!” you announced.

“You hear that boys? We’ll be seeing these angels on the regular!” Jungkook chimed in. 

“What the hell?!” was the resounding response as Jungkook grabbed you by the waist and locked his lips with yours.

Published August 11th, 2020. No editing, copying, translating, or reposting allowed. All Rights Reserved © 2020 Baepsaesbae.

[selfwriting-sugarquills]

ALSO another idea is that she’s practicing her patronus with Dumbledores army and she realise that hers and George’s is the same patronus (I think it’s a magpie) from that moment on you knew you were soulmates, but both too shy to say anything! You end up kissing in the room of requirement, also please include her wearing his jumper, what it would smell like, how she just sleeps in that and he thinks it’s super cute okay I’ll stop now 😘

A/N: I AM SO SORRY FOR BEING SO SLOW WITH REQUESTS Y’ALL!!! Writers’ block is a struggle but I managed. Also, this request is everything I’m sorry if it’s bad :-( I did my best, also the end is so sweet I have type 2 diabetes now and that’s on yearning lmao xoxo all my best 

Warnings: None, fluff so sweet it will cause teeth problems probably

Word count: 2.094 (!!!?!?!) 

Merry Christmas. 

As much as the DA was fun, George really wished he could be headed to his dorm to pack up for the Christmas break. The group of teenagers were practising patronuses once more, and several students had succeeded, however, some, including Y/n and himself were still not getting it right. It was like his Patronus was purposefully hanging back. Whenever he’d cast the charm, a spurt of glowing white mist would emerge from his wand and then, right as he’d think he could see the shape take form it’d disappear. He would be getting frustrated but it helped he wasn’t alone and he enjoyed being partnered up with you. He’d been harbouring a crush on you for some time now but hadn’t ever really gotten the chance to tell you. For now, he was contented watching the way your eyes lit up when you almost got it right. 

***

“Alright, guys, you’ve done really really well on progress but I think it’s time to finish up, I’ll see you all after the break, okay?” Harry said. As people exchanged ‘happy holidays’ and so on you hesitated to pack up, you had almost gotten it, you were sure of it. Studying your wand, you felt a hand on your shoulder, 

“Hey, I was thinking we could stay a little longer and practice?” George’s eyes were smiling down at you, somehow you’d never noticed just how tall he was until now that he was standing right by you, 

“If you want?” He added when you didn’t reply. You quickly nodded, 

“It’s funny you should say that actually, I was just thinking the same thing,” You chuckled, “I just hope we’ll be able to avoid Filch on our way out,” you said, a twinkle in your eye as you smirked, 

“Don’t worry, L/n, I’ll be there to take the blame,” he winked at you before moving a little further away, getting ready to practice, you followed suit whilst trying very hard not to blush after he winked at you. 

You didn’t exactly know how long you’d spent practising when you finally got it right. At first, you’d taken turns, trying to coach each other but as time passed and you both got more impatient, you’d resolved to just casting it over and over, too deeply concentrated on your happiest memories to notice each other’s progress. 

Then finally, as you closed your eyes and focused hard on the happiest memories you could find, the day by the lake where Fred threw George into the lukewarm water, only to be pulled in mid-laugh himself, the time you’d first flown on a broom, your eleventh birthday when you saw the letter with the uncanny red wax seal waiting for you at the breakfast table. You could almost hear the laughs and exclaims of joys from your past as you yelled out: “Expecto Patronum!” 

You almost didn’t dare to open your eyes but this one felt right and so you looked,  nearly falling over from the sheer surprise: Right in front of you, a glowing magpie was flying in circles, as if testing its wings for the first time, it dove and rose up to the ceiling, where it was joined by another figure. Your first instinct was to congratulate George but then the two patronuses flew closer and you saw it;  two, identical magpies flying constantly near each other, following the other’s suit. It felt like your heart had stopped. Your mind raced as you slowly turned to face George, who was staring at you, his dark eyes glossy in the light of the patronuses. You stood there in silence, even when the animals faded and disappeared with a small ‘whoosh’, watching each other with the knowledge of what this meant. 

The walk up to the common room was silent which was extremely unusual for both you and George. The air was constantly filled with the sense of someone about to say something yet none of you spoke, instead, you walked up the stairs to the sound of snoring coming from the portraits. 

“Mooncalf,” George said it as soon as he saw the fat lady, in a serious voice that sounded so unlike him that it almost startled you. The portrait swung open allowing for the two of you walk into the deserted common room, you glanced at the clock, it was later than you’d thought. George turned and looked at you like he meant to say or do something but couldn’t. You took a shaky breath, 

“‘Night then,” you muttered gently before making your way towards the stairs leading to the dorms, 

“Y/n?” He called, you spun on the steps to face him, 

“Do you think we could practice again tomorrow? Since it’s the last day?” he asked, staring down at the floor whilst his hand tucked at a string on his jumper, you couldn’t believe that you’d made George Weasley nervous, 

“Sure, I’ll see you in the room of requirement after breakfast?” 

“That’d be great,” he said, a small smile tugging at his lips,

***

Sneaking into the room of requirement had proved not to be difficult when you were with one of Hogwarts’ finest tricksters, however finding something to talk about that wasn’t centred around your patronuses and the now obvious fact that either the universe had played a huge trick on you or, the more probable option, you were in love. It became even more difficult to fill the air with small talk when you began practising, this time with ease your patronuses sprang from your wands, still identical, still seeking each other like they knew they were destined to be together. Each time you and George didn’t look at each other, you just stared at the birds until they vanished like you couldn’t believe it. You really couldn’t. 

“Y/n?” he then said, you looked up at the way he said it, nervously with a certain shakiness in his voice, “I- Erh,” he hesitated, you were sure your eyes were deceiving you, George Weasley didn’t look scared, did he? 

“You don’t suppose we could talk about it?” He said then immediately cringed a little, 

“I don’t know what there is to say,” you said bluntly, he almost looked a little taken aback, you cleared your throat. You could have sworn you hadn’t meant to sound so harsh but something about this whole situation frustrated you. Yes, you’d always liked George but you’d expected to let him know that yourself, in your own way, and even more importantly, in your own time. 

“I know, it’s just,” he trailed off, then stepped closer to you, “This whole thing feels really backwards, doesn’t it?” He admitted and chuckled, 

“I know!” You agreed, glad that he was able to express the way you’d felt, “I wish I could’ve had a do-over,” 

“Or a warning,” He said, and suddenly you were both laughing. Maybe this didn’t feel so unnatural as you’d thought? 

Moments later you were sitting down, talking everything over in what had to be the weirdest conversation you’d ever had; somehow George was even better of a match than you’d always hoped, he was literally like a missing half of you, 

“I dunno- I just always thought people liked Fred more,” He ran a hand through his hair, “He’s always been more outgoing and well,” “Loud?” you suggested, grinning, he let out a breathy chuckle, 

“yeah, well, I never really cared but when we came here, and people started mistaking me for him I just started assuming people preferred him, and then when I met you, I assumed the same so I never gathered the courage to ask you if you liked me.” He said, his grin disappearing from his face, it was probably the first time you’d ever seen George look so serious, nay heartbroken. First when he looked up and saw you frowning at him did his smile tug at his lips again, “I know it’s stupid,” he added, his hand running through his hair again, 

“No it’s not,” you said, “I get it, it must be really difficult having people confuse you for someone else,” George shrugged, “It is sometimes but mostly we use it to our favour so it’s not all bad,” he ended his sentence with a chuckle. There was a small lull in the conversation before you decided to break it, 

“I did like you - do like you, I mean,” you said, looking at your shoes as to not look into his eyes, 

“You do?” He asked, 

“Yeah, since like, our second year,” you laughed, it seemed ridiculous that you hadn’t said it before in the current circumstances, 

“Blimey, Y/n, and you never said anything!” he exclaimed, you reached out and poked him, “hey! You didn’t say anything either,” he fell back dramatically, “Good Lord, we could’ve saved so much time if we’d just confessed earlier,” he groaned, though his stomach bobbed with suppressed laughter, you smiled watching him with his hands over his eyes, 

“We were idiots,” 

“Morons,” 

“Completely out of it,”

“Fools, we were.” 

You both laughed again, your voices echoing a little in the empty room, then George sat up, “Well, since we’re soulmates now or whatever, can I confess something else?” He uttered, his voice quiet, you imagined this was the voice he used when suggesting a prank to Fred, you nodded, 

“There’s sort of something I’ve always wanted to do,” he said, moving closer, “I’ve just always been too shy,” 

you knew where he was going with this but you didn’t stop him, you did imagine your twelve-year-old self would be fainting right about now, though. His hand reached yours, 

“Can I kiss you?” He asked, your cheeks were burning, 

“I think it would be wrong not to,” You said, and before you could wonder where you’d gotten the confidence to say that and smirk at him, he’d given you his token grin and moved in, pressing his lips against yours tenderly, his hand finding the back of your head, his thumb resting on your cheek, just above your jaw, the heat from it made you realise how chilly the room really was, your kiss broke with a soft wet smack. He pressed his forehead to yours, grinning as his other hand found your face, 

“You’ve no idea how many times I’ve imagined that,” he said, sounding a little breathless, the tone of his voice made butterflies erupt in your stomach, 

“Was it worth it?” you asked, he pressed his lips to yours again, “Definitely.” 

You stayed in the room of requirement for longer than you probably should’ve, considering you had a train to catch later but neither of you wanted to leave, that was until you checked your wristwatch and realised you had half an hour to make your way down to the carriages,  you walked up to the common-room hand in hand, chatting the entire way, as a complete contrast to the night before. 

***

“Promise me you’ll write?” he asked again, as people passed by you to find their families on platform 9 ¾ you placed your hands on his chest, “Yes, I promise now go, your family is waiting,” you giggled, he leaned down and kissed you goodbye for the now third time, not that you minded at all, 

“Oh!” He broke the kiss-off abruptly, “I haven’t gotten you a Christmas present,” he said, 

“No, of course, you haven’t, we got together literally today, George,” you laughed, 

“Still - Wait I know!” he blurted before darting to the ground, tearing open his trunk, causing varied reactions from his family, his brothers laughing, Ginny hiding her face in her hands in an attempt to hide a giggle, his mother exclaiming “George!” and his father chuckling behind his sons, 

“Here,” George stretched out a hand, in it he clutched his Christmas jumper from that year, “It’s not much but it’s all I can offer right now,” your face was blushing deeply, he was too good to be true, 

“You really didn’t-” 

“I insist,” he smirked, you took it. 

“Alright then, happy Christmas, George,” you said, tip-toeing to place a kiss on his cheek, though you only reached his jaw, he tilted his head and placed a quick kiss on your lips, 

“Merry Christmas, Y/n.” He said. 

You spent the rest of the day in his sweater, the smell of him; something warm and toasty with a hint of pine forest and firecrackers and a tinge of something else you could never place but always made you smile enrobing you. 

[kee-writestrashh]

Guns for Hire

Ramsay Bolton x Reader

Ao3

Summary:  You are the wife to the Heir of the Red Kings, Ramsay Bolton. living the undercover life of a mob wife has its perks, and you love your husband. But you find out something that seems to unfold a series of unwanted events…

Chapter 14: Curtain Call

You sat there giddy in excitement, waiting on your name to be called. It was impossible to hide your feelings, as you wrung your hands in your lap.

Ramsay simply sat there, lost in deep thought by the look in his eyes until the sound of your shared lastname brought him to.

"How are we feeling today, (y/n)?" The nurse asked as you stepped on the scale.

"Fantastic!" You said, doing your best to keep your voice quiet.

The nurse smiled, "glad to hear. No problems?"

"Nothing I can't handle. Baby B and I are reaching an agreement in the eating arrangements now." You said as the nurse led you to the room.

"Good deal. So, looks like today we are finally getting to see the little one. Sorry we couldn't get you in on your first appointment, our tech was on holiday." The nurse said, smiling between you and Ramsay. "So, with that said, she will be in here in a couple minutes."

You glanced around the room. Full of wires and equipment. You gave your husband a small smile as you gripped his hand.

After only a few minutes of waiting the ultrasound technician entered with a knock.

"Good morning." She said with a smile and sitting in her swivel seat. She typed in a few things on her computer, pulled on a pair if gloves, and turned to you, "let's see this baby, shall we?"

You laid back on the bed, unbuttoning your pants as instructed and watching the tech place a blue paper cloth in your pants waist and pull a tube of gel from her table.

"Mkay, so it will be cold at first, but then it gets warm. Ready?" The woman said.

You bit your lip, grasping Ramsay's hand, and giving a nod.

The thick gel feeling weird as it began to warm, your eyes glued to the screen as finally your child came into view.

Your breath caught as you saw the tiny little human shaped form inside you. Ramsay said nothing as his eyes wandered over the screen. A stoic mask upon his face

"Looks like we are actually sitting at more at thirteen weeks. Projected due date is... uhm, June twenty seventh."

"How can I have been pregnant for so long and just now finding out about it?" You asked as the information penetrated you.

The woman gave a small laugh, "some women have no idea until they are almost due. Bodies are crazy. So in about, oh, i'd say six weeks we will take another look, just to make sure we have all our fingers and toes and see if we are a boy or girl."

You gave a small nod as the tech pulled away from you and pulling her gloves off, adding notes to her computer and printing out three of the pictures and handing them to Ramsay as you wiped the gel off your skin with the blue cloth.

In one hand you clutched your next appointment slip, and the pictures in the other as you climbed into the jeep. You wore a big grin watching the snow kiss the windshield.

"Hungry?" Ramsay asked, glancing around the parking lot.

"Well, I could eat." You said with a shrug. "I'd actually probably kill for some greasy hash browns and nasty ass McGridle."

"So specific." Ramsay chuckled.

xxx

"Where you going?" You asked sitting up from the couch.

"Gym."

You scrunched your nose. "Can't you just stay home with me, where it's warm?"

"I won't be long." He said, leaving.

"Pft. Okay." You muttered, laying back down on the couch and picking up your phone.

A knock came on the door. Thankfully the dogs were out back. You did not want to hear their obnoxious barking.

You rose from the couch and opened the door. There stood Tyene holding a plastic bag full of cookies and ice cream. A file folder in her other hand.

"Got what ya wanted." She said with a grin, walking in past you and falling into the couch, snatching up the remote.

You sat beside her, pulling the cookies toward you. You rose to your feet again and went to the kitchen for a spoon.

When you came back, it was to find Tyene shoveling cookies in her mouth and watching some anime on Netflix.

"Sooo... what's up with you and Matt?" You asked, giving her a sly grin.

Tyene grinned, "He's cute. A real sweetheart. And he's fucking funny. I like him. He turns eighteen in a couple months, and i’m only nineteen, so it's not like weird or anything."

"I thought you were twenty." You said, raising a brow at her.

"I may or may not have lied about that on my application. I've been doing this since I was thirteen, so sometimes I just kinda forget."

You shook your head and sat back down on the couch and picked up the folder. You slowly opened it. It was full to bursting with papers and evaluations. All of Ramsay's psych reports from age five.

After almost two hours and a whole half gallon if ice cream, you set down your spoon and set aside the folder.

"So, how much of a piece of work is your husband? I didn't get the chance to look." Tyene asked as you rose from the seat.

You gave a shrug.

She took the look on your face, and cocked her head. "(Y/n)? You okay?"

"Yeah. Just... I dunno." You said, your voice sounding unnaturally high as it left you.

'I'm a clinically diagnosed psycho.'

You weren't sure how to take in the information. He fit the bill. But he loved you. Right? Or was he just using you? Could he love you? Roose's words echoed in your mind,

'Obsession. That's what he has for you.'

'No.' you thought bitterly. 'he does love me. He has given me the world. He's never hurt me. He loves me.'

You pushed aside everything and gave a smile.

"Yeah, the baby just... I guess the ice cream was too cold or something. I'm okay." You said, snatching up the folder and pushing through the back door to the patio. "Do you smoke?"

"Yeah. Why?" Tyene called back, as the dogs pushed past you to get inside.

"I need a lighter."

You watched the papers curl up into ash. You then closed the lid of the grill and walked back inside.

"So, thought I should tell you. The Lannisters will be attending theater tonight for that new reenactment of Hamlet or whatever." Tyene said, snatching up her keys.

You nodded, "the boy?"

Tyene nodded, "all of them. And the Tyrell bitch."

"What theater?" you asked.

"That Mocking Bird place."

"Thank you." You said, seeing her to the door. Once closed you walked back to the couch and picked up your phone.

"Everything okay, baby girl?" Ramsay's voice said, through a heavy breath.

"Yeah. I just got info the Lannisters will be going to see a play tonight. All of them. The Tyrells included."

"Good girl. Dress nice. That backless dress. Diamonds over pearls. I'll be home soon. Pull out my finest."

xxx

"God, you're fucking sexy." Your husband purred, running his rough hand over the bare skin of your back, digging his nails in slightly, watching your skin form red lines.

Your cheeks flushed, "Thank you baby." You ran your hand over the front of your dress, your bulge very pronounced in the right fabric. It was exciting. It was little and not very noticeable to others, but you noticed it. You loved it.

"Don't shave." You said, as you watched Ramsay step into the shower.

"Whatever my queen commands." He replied.

"Bow tie tonight huh?" You asked, brushing Ramsay's hair aside. It was getting a bit long.

"Been awhile. And none if my ties match this jacket." Ramsay shrugged, stepping back from you and adjusting his cuffs. "Ready?"

You grabbed your clutch off the bed, slipped your phone inside and nodded.

It was always exciting when Ramsay took you out and went over the top, as he helped you into the limo.

"So, the plan is?" You asked, watching the slow city life of a Wednesday night downtown as the Ramsay danced his fingers across the bare skin of your thigh.

"You get friendly with the Tyrells." He whispered, leaning over and nibbling your neck.

"What about you?" You asked leaning into him more.

"You have your orders, I have mine." He murmured as the door opened.

The man at the door helped you out and as you straightened up you were surprised to see Roose and Walda standing there beside two men you didn't know. One was younger looking with a cocky air about him. The other looked ancient and like, well, a creep.

Ramsay placed his hand on the small of your back, "Father. Baelish. Frey." He said smoothly, inclining his head at each man in turn.

"Son. (Y/n)." Roose responded in his silky voice.

"Shall we?" The man named Baelish asked, motioning toward the entrance.

You and Ramsay fell into step behind the group. He gripped your hand almost painfully hard, but you weren't sure why. He wasn't mad at you. Must be his father.

A man at the entrance showed your party up a flight of velvet stairs and bowed you all in through a door to a half room with a balcony to see the stage.

The sight made you gasp slightly as you saw them. Tywin, Jaime, Cersei, Joffrey , Margaery, and her brother Loras. They all stood when your party entered. You took in Margaery. She was a beauty. Poor girl. Stuck with that blonde idiot boy. She was easily three years older than him.

"Roose and company. So glad you could all join us this evening." Tywin said, shaking your father in laws hand.

What the fuck was going on?

You saw Joffrey lean into Margaery and whisper something in her ear with a smirk. You saw her let out a forced giggle and a smile that betrayed her eyes.

You took your seat beside Ramsay, crossing your legs and toying with the clutch in your lap.

"You sure are a pretty little dove." Cersei spoke up, smiling rather unkindly at you.

"Thank you, ma'am. I get that all the time." You replied through a genuine smile that made hers falter slightly. Ramsay snorted, making Cersei drop her fake smile all together and give you both sour looks.

"I hear you and the Mad Dog are expecting. I have a dog too you know." Joffrey said maliciously nodding behind him to a man who had a very scared face. He grunted but said nothing. what a bitch to have a body guard. Pompous little shit.

"Well I think you are absolutely glowing. I only hope I look as beautiful when I'm pregnant." Margaery cooed with a big smile.

"Speaking of dogs, Bolton." Jaime spoke up, leaning forward in his chair, "I heard you were in the ring today. Getting a bit slow, huh?"

Ramsay gave a shrug, "Been awhile. Thought I'd give it one last go before the glory days are over."

"You neglected to tell me that, son." Roose said, eyeing Ramsay disdainfully.

You watched Ramsay's profile, as he turned to you, "go get me a drink baby girl. Top shelf. Don't let them water it. If they try to swindle me, shoot 'em."

You gaped. "Shoot 'em?"

"Politely, of course. This is a black tie affair after all." He said, slapping your ass as you stood from your chair.

"Allow me to come with. I'm a bit thirsty. Anyone else want something?" Margaery said standing quickly.

"You know what I like." Joffrey said, leaning back in his seat as if he owned it.

Margaery looped her arm through yours and you glanced back at your husband who gave you a wink and ran his tongue along his lips rather suggestively. Your cheeks burnt.

"So, are you excited?" Margaery asked, eyeing your belly.

"So excited. Got to finally see the little one this morning. It's so surreal." You gushed, unable to keep the excitement from your voice.

Margaery gave a tinkling laugh, "I hope to have one soon. I love children. I want so many."

"I suppose you're here to feel me out?" You asked rather bluntly. No point in beating around the bush.

"Naturally. As are you." Margaery said, her kind smile never faltering.

"Men." You huffed with an airy laugh.

"Right though? What do we even need them for? I'm sorry by the way. About your bar. And the what Joff did that night. I see Ramsay wasn't hurt too bad." Margaery said, tugging at her dress as you both descended down the stairs.

"He looks much better than he did." You replied sagely.

"I would have stopped it, if I had known in advance."

You weren't sure if she meant the shoot out or the bar. But it didn't matter.

You were a bit startled to see Olyvar at the bar.

"What can I get you ladies?" He asked, as if he didn't know you.

"Might as well just buy the whole bottle of your best whiskey." You said with a sigh, pulling your card from your clutch and sliding it across the counter.

You fingered the bottle waiting, as Margaery placed her order.

'What a bitch if that's what he likes.' you thought to yourself as Margaery paid for the two electric blue fruity drinks.

You gripped the bottle. "Can I get a glass, please? I'd rather if my husband didn't look like trash while getting trashed."

"Of course ma'am." Olyvar said, leaning forward as he slid the glass to you. "Tell Ramsay the Lannister's are tailing Stark." He whispered, glancing around.

"Thank you!" You said cheerfully, taking the glass and walking back over to where Margaery stood waiting on you.

"I have it that you aren't from the city?" Margaery said, sipping her drink as you made for the stairs.

"Nope. Little town about three hours from here. Came here for school, then I met Rams, and well, here I am." You said with a small laugh. What a story you would have to tell someday.

"Is it true he kills for fun? That's what Joffrey says."

You gave a small shrug, but said nothing.

"Does he... You know, hurt you?" She asked, quietly.

"No. He doesn't. He's very good to me." You said coldly.

"I'm sorry. I wasn't trying to assume, I just thought he would be violent. After the things I heard."

You stopped on the stair, "What do you mean?"

"Oh. I only just meant... do you not know?" Margaery asked, taking you in.

"Know what?" You breathed narrowing your eyes at the woman.

Margaery looked around uncomfortably, then jerked her head to a bathroom door.

You stepped off the stair and followed her. Once inside she quickly checked the stalls and then locked the door.

"I don't know the truth of it, but I heard Cersei talking with Jaime and Tywin about Roose and Ramsay the other day. Jaime was saying how he doesn't blame Ramsay for constantly undermining his father. Now with Domeric gone, Ramsay is the only one with the Bolton last name, Roose won't end his family name that easy. But, apparently Roose used to beat the hell out of Ramsay. Abused him in ways that make women shudder. He ran away to go to school and box and started the Bastard's Boys. They say that's why he tortures and kills people." She shifted on her feet, "like I said, I don't know how much of that is true. Just what I heard."

You stared at the girl in front of you, trying to process the words.

"Antisocial personality." You whispered to yourself, remembering the psych reports.

You cleared your throat, "we better get back."

"Knew I married you for a reason." Ramsay chuckled as he took the bottle and glass from you as you sat down.

You gave a small smile and turned your gaze to the stage.

You blindly watched Hamlet. Margaery's words echoing in your head.

Ramsay's hand on your back made you jump.

"They all die." He whispered.

You rolled your eyes, "I know what happens."

"Come here." He said gruffly, pulling you into his lap.

He smelt like the bottle he just damn near drained.

"Stop. It's not the time." You hissed as his fingers trailed under your dress.

"Baby girl, any time is the time. Think I care what any of these fucks think? I'll bend you over this balcony and fuck you right here, right now. Maybe teach these cunts a thing or two about enjoying life." He growled, resting his palm against your pussy. "No undies, huh? And you said it wasn't a good time."

Your cheeks flushed and you stifled a gasp as your husband slipped a finger in you.

"You know I have no underwear." you retorted through a hiss.

You cast around, but no one was paying attention. They were all engaged in conversation, pretending to like one another.

"Baby, stop it. I don't wanna ruin this dress." You whispered, unable to keep yourself from relaxing into him.

"I'll buy you a new one." He replied and a throaty voice as he slid another finger inside you.

You leaned back into him, bringing your hand behind you to fumble with his belt. Once you had gotten it loose enough you slid your hand in his pants.

He made a noise and shifted as you gripped him tightly in your hand, running your thumb over his tip, spreading his precum. He shifted again, apparently becoming very uncomfortable.

"The Lannister's are tailing Ned Stark." You whispered in his ear as you rested your head back on his shoulder.

Ramsay jerked, pulling his fingers from you and wiping them on the inside of your leg.

"Who told You that?" He asked, running his bloodshot eyes over your face, pulling your hand from his pants and fixing his belt.

"Oly. He's working the bar." You said, unsure of what you were seeing on Ramsay's face.

"We need to go." He said, sliding you from his lap and standing abruptly. He grabbed your hand and made toward the door before stopping suddenly. "Oh yeah." He muttered, shoving his hand in his pocket.

You noticed everyone looking at you both, many looks calculating.

Ramsay thrust something into Joffrey's hand, "word of the wise, kid. If you wanna cause mayhem, leave no evidence."

You looked down at the gold, lion shaped cufflink and saw Joffrey swallow uncomfortably.

"Where are you going son?" Roose asked, standing.

You looked at your father in law with cold malice and burning hatred.

"Home. My wife says this isn't the place to fuck her." Ramsay said smoothly. You gave him a dirty look, your ears burning.

You leaned back into the seat of the limo, welcoming your husband's touch as he made various phone calls.

You ran a hand over your belly, as Margaery's words sounded again. 'He won't let his family name end so easily.'

"No. He's waiting to see of I'm carrying a boy. Then he will kill Ramsay. Six weeks. I need to figure out what to do." you thought with a sigh, closing your eyes as you felt Ramsay's weight on you.

You peeked your eye open to see him sliding to his knees in the floor board. He grabbed your hips rather roughly and slid you to the edge of the seat. He bunched your dress and pushed it up to expose you, and ran his scruffy jaw against your thigh as he placed sloppy kisses to your bare skin.

"Rams, stop. We are almost home." You hissed, swallowing the moan threatening to escape you.

You glanced out the blackened window to see multiple police cars shoot past the red light. You frowned. Ramsay pulled away from you and sat up right watching the lights until they were out of sight.

He pulled out his phone. You saw the questions swarming on his face.

"Why did your father seem interested in you fighting again?" You asked suddenly.

Ramsay looked up at you, licking his lips. "Money."

"I don't understand?" You said, furrowing your brow.

"Well, plenty of money to be made. He'll bet against me if I decide to fight again, I'm sure." He said, glancing back down at his phone.

"What happened between you and your father?"

Ramsay gave you a cold look before putting on a sickly sweet smile. "Nothing. We just don't get on well. Now, don't ask questions baby girl."

You frowned. The rumors were apparently not rumors after all.

You fell on to the couch with a sigh, turning the nightly news on. You made it just in time. You slid your heels off, leaning back into the cushion, waiting on the commercials to be over.

The anchorman had a very grim look on his face.

"Good evening folks. Tonight we bring you dismal news as sources are pouring in that Police Chief Ned Stark was shot to death in cold blood just a little over thirty minutes ago as a group of masked men abducted his eldest daughter outside of the mall where she works. We will bring you more information on the story as it comes in."

You gasped. That's where those cop cars had been going.

"Ramsay!" You called, eyes glued to the television.

"Hm?" He asked a few moments later. You glanced over at him, flushing as he only wore a towel at his hips. But you pushed that away and rewound the report.

"Listen!" You cried, hitting play.

Ramsay sat on the couch, running his hand over his stubble and running his tongue over his top teeth.

"Well, this complicates things." He finally spoke.

[fallcrestrpg]

ıllıllı 𝙄𝙣𝙫𝙖𝙨𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙀𝙫𝙚𝙣𝙩 12/17: 𝙋𝙖𝙧𝙩 3.1 - Benson, Holstein -  ıllıllı  

Transcript of Event below Cut:

LUKE

Luke and the girls had all settled on enjoying a nice night in after the chaos of week before and finally getting the cabin back to its more usual number of habitants. As it stood, she, Skylar, and Tomi had taken up shop in the living room catching up on the Liverpool match, while Erin opted to keep Keagan, Lyra, and Nix company as they tried to figure out dinner.

As Luke went into the kitchen for more drinks at the top of the second half, what she saw made her assume they’d be ordering in again. She could not have been gone more than two minutes, but the sight she returned to made her question if she hadn’t managed to travel _back_ in time instead. On the floor where Tomi had been sat with MJ, an infant Tomi now sat basically _on_ MJ. As she turned to the couch she’d left Skylar on, her hands immediately let the drinks fall to the floor as she rushed over in time to dove the ground and catch a familiar redheaded baby as she tumbled over the edge of the seat. As she lay in a heap against the couch, Sky let out a giggle and all Luke could manage was to laugh back. “Think that’s funny do you? We’ll see how funny your mom finds it,” and as if on queue she glanced up to see said mother rushing in from the kitchen. “Look what I caught!”

KEAGAN

At the crash, Keagan immediately rushed into the living room to see what was up and stopping herself at the laughter before her hand instinctively flew to where her holster would have been. But when she processed what she was actually seeing, she could barely believe her eyes. "...What happened?" Because as cute as the babies were, something definitely happened and Keagan's brain just went on high alert because Skylar and Tomi were the only ones affected.

Moving to pick up Tomi off of MJ, it made her relax ever so slightly to see that neither kid seemed harmed in any way. "We should.. make some calls." She walked over to Luke and Skylar and immediately smiled when she saw the kid reaching out towards Tomi. "Looks like they still recognize each other.."

LUKE

Using Sky's very adamant attempts to get over to Tomi, Luke managed to gently set her down on the floor where she was free to crawl over while she herself worked to get out of awkward heap she'd landed in. Once she managed to sit properly upright, she brought a hand to rub at the spot she'd smacked on the couch frame, and used her free hand to grab her phone. "Gonna shoot out a text to group chat. We'll know soon enough who got babified and who's still good."

Feeling a knot begin to form just off to the side of where her stitches had been, she dropped her hand to avoid attention and then shot back up as she said, "Alright, looks like the kiddos don't quite have their feet under them yet, which means they're still on bottle-feeding. Also, those Liverpool jerseys are doing great to cover up their modesty, but they'll need diapers and proper clothing. I'll hit up the shop to get the essentials. If Brax gets in touch, let him know Tomi's fine."

KEAGAN

It was such a blur from when Luke grabbed her hand to when she orbed away as soon as she mentioned about getting everything for the babies. Keagan quickly whipped out her phone in time to see that other kids were also hit by the de-aging magic. "Come on girls.." She slipped the phone away before scooping both girls into her arms and walked back into the kitchen. "...We've.. got a situation." She balanced Skylar on her hip while she settled Tomi onto the kitchen counter - keeping her arm around the baby in case the youngest Rendall decided to be adventurous.

"Luke's off to grab us some stuff for them - decided to orb there." It was clear the other was getting very comfortable with her Paladin powers. Keagan would have thought taking the car would be better since who knows how much Luke was going to bring home. "Turns out most of the kids are now.. like this." She spoke before naturally giving her daughter a kiss to the temple.

RIKKE

The paladin had been in the middle of the locker room, getting ready to swap out her jumpsuit for her civis when she felt it. It was a faint twinge of sorts, as if something had _shifted_, but it wasn't until a few minutes later when she finally caved and focused on the sensation that she realized something was definitely off. Making quick work of tying the sleeves of her jumpsuit around her waist in lieu of a full change-out, she found a safe corner from which to orb over to the cabin.

It didn't take long after materializing in the family kitchen to see what the problem was. "Oh dear," she whispered. Bringing two fingers to her right temple, her eyes shined a brighter blue for a moment before she focused on the Keagan and said, "Jack reports it happened to her youngest charge as well. Best theory we can figure is that it's probably some of the kickback magic the breaking of a Nexus seal can cause, but that would also imply that the wards on the Nexus failed at some point..."

Rikke trailed off as her eyes focused on the youngest of her own clan. It had taken her a little bit to play catch up to all the discussion of genetics and such, but as the very same gaze of her own son stared back at her through her really-great granddaughter, she couldn't help but whisper, "The Holstein is remarkably strong in that one."

LYRA

"Oh my god!!!!!! Is that who I-OOoOoh!" Lyra giddly went from the fridge to the babies in record time. "Hi Nicheee..." Her voice, for once, was soft though filled with much excitement. Lyra already took out her phone and started snapping pics of them. "You little nuggets are so cute! Were you always this cute?" She picked up Tomi and started faux-dancing with her by swaying and swirling her around. "Keg, they're so small I can't even."

Then she stopped when a thought came to mind. Lyra went over to the baby who seemed to be reaching out towards the Paladin and easily distracted her by hovering the kid's girlfriend nearby. Of course it succeeded as Skylar switched her attention and started reaching out towards Tomi. Lyra on the other hand, just leaned in.... then leaned out with the baby, causing Tomi to be *just* out of reach from Skylar. "You want her girl? Oh yes you doooo Ohhhh OH!!! ohhhh."

RIKKE

It was beginning to become a far less startling thing to go from the volume of an average conversation, to Lyra volumes in the blink of an eye. Something to be said about exposure therapy, she was sure. Nonetheless, it did pull Rikke back out from her own head and back to the present. Pulling out her own phone, she checked the new messages in the group chat and relayed them to the group as they all tried not to encourage Lyra too much...though she hardly seemed to need it.

When she started mocking Skylar with Tomi, Rikke was immediately awash with the girl's emotions -which at least let her know that this was still a thing for them- and held out a hand to pause the short woman. "I would not continue to do that if I were you. Otherwise you are going to have not one, but _two_ **very** upset babies on your hands and presumably no real way to calm them back down just yet."

KEAGAN

There was already a whine coming from Sky when Lyra decided it was a bright idea to tease them. "Lyra." She sighed as she started soothing the baby the best she could to prevent the actual crying "Don't tease the babies, I doubt you really want to make them cry - like Rikke said, there's no real way to calm them." If Skylar was easily upset being separated as a young adult, god forbid someone try to do the same when they're just babies.

Looking over to Rikke who had been staring at Sky, Keagan gave a smile. "Would you like to hold her?" It did not surprise her at all that Skylar seemed to have another adult doting on her - that seemed to be a common effect amongst people. The only people unaffected were assholes, which there were many examples of that.

RIKKE

Rikke breathed a sigh of relief when she saw Erin step in and take Tomi from Lyra, and effectively flip the mood of the babies almost immediately. The pure joy that radiated from her great-granddaughter just at the sight of her girls together, in spite of the very odd circumstances, was exceedingly endearing. It also didn't hurt that she could essentially feel the joy as if it were her very own.

It was Keagan's voice that cut through and made her realize she'd been staring at the child. "Who? Me?" she asked, suddenly feeling exceedingly apprehensive. As much as she wanted to cave in and say yes, she also didn't want to make things worse for the group. "I- I couldn't. I mean, it's been literal ages since I've held a child -outside of emergency situations- and you know, I'm still technically a stranger to her I wouldn't- I wouldn't want to upset her."

KEAGAN

She nodded when Rikke asked if she actually meant her. "You'll be fine, and besides, look." She looked down at the baby who had switched gears and was now staring towards the Paladin with a smile, hands reaching out towards her. "I don't think you're going to upset her if she's calling for you. You're her grandmother, and she obviously knows that." She smiled while she carried her baby over to the other.

"Here." She carefully held Sky against Rikke, silently telling her to take her already "See, she's not upset at all." If anything, the baby had already sort of turned towards the taller woman, preparing herself for another cuddle session.

RIKKE

It was admittedly fining it harder to deny the offer with every passing moment. The sight of the child reaching out to her was the biggest thing chipping away at her resolve. The adamancy and ease with which she was denoted as the baby’s relative at all was oddly what put her most at ease. That bit of recognition that she did, in fact, have a right to hold Skylar.

So, as Keagan walked over and began handing her the baby, all Rikke could do was reach out her hands and accept the already cuddly bundle. From such a proximity it was exceedingly hard _not_ to be reminded of the last time she held her own son…but even as she felt the tears silently run down her face, the memory was brought with a smile. “I had to leave your great-grandfather when he just a bit younger than you are now,” she said lowly, “But I know I would do it again in a heartbeat to get the opportunity to hold you now.”

KEAGAN

She watched as Rikke got comfortable with Skylar in her arms, feeling rather smug since the kid already captured another heart without doing anything except look cute. Sky was truly loved by everyone and Keagan could not ask for anything better.

Leaving her with the Paladin, she walked over to Erin and Tomi. "So.. How does it feel to see your girlfriends as babies?" Feeling her phone vibrate, she took a look at her messages and gave a rather wry smile at it. "Brax figured Tomi's a baby too now." She sighed. "If Sky cries, we can pin it on him then."

ERIN

Erin glanced up and grinned at Keagan before replying, "I don't know, how did feel speaking those words in that specific order to ask your currently infant daughter's still very much grown girlfriend that question?" Was it a verbose way to get her point across? Yes. Did she regret it? No. All of this was odd -to say the least- and being made to focus on that aspect -even if unintentionally- was bordering on cruel.

Sighing, she relented and said, "It's weird, but they _are_ just so incredibly cute. I can't bring myself to be fully cross about the situation." At the mention of Braxton and the implication that he may be taking Tomi away, Erin couldn't help but give a pout that would've given grown Skylar a run for her money. Bringing Tomi up so she could press their cheeks together she whined, "Sky won't be the only one crying."

KEAGAN

She snorted at the reply she got from her daughter's girlfriend. This proved that there was some sort of age limit since there were still a few kids from the youngest generation of scoobs who weren't affected by the Nexus. "At least we don't think this is permanent." It was generally good news, but looking at them now, Keagan didn't mind if she got to spend more time with her daughter at this age.

"Again, we'll just pin it on him." She chuckled softly at the sight. "Still, it wouldn't be fair of us to keep the manchild away from his daughter." She looked over her should to see her daughter still gabbling with her grandmother as if they were in a very serious conversation. "That kid's already got Rikke wrapped around her finger."

ERIN

The witch made a face and said, "God I hope you're right." She bounced Tomi a bit as she mulled a thought over in her head, before finally working up the courage to say it out loud. "I hope you don't think it too forward or me to just kind of like bring this up, but if I'm honest, I already feel a bit self-conscious about the _current_ age gap between myself and the girls. I _know_ it's nothing major and that the important part is how our maturity levels are still relevant to each others, and of course there's no crazy disparate power dynamic _but_...every once in a while a comment on a post or video will make me wonder if I'm in the wrong....Of course, I would expect that if that were the case the first ones to say something would the parents of said other girls but...anyway, I just think that if they happen to remain literal babies for far too long, I may just develop a genuine complex....sorry..."

Now feeling more than properly embarrassed at having just hijacked Keagan and word vommitted all over her like she would her own moms, Erin barely even caught the conversation about Brax. She did, however, turn to face and watch as Sky seemed to be doing her hardest to hold a conversation with Rikke, in-between seemingly being overcome with the need to ferociously nuzzle her little self into the woman's chest for cuddles. "Well, she has one mother's commanding presence, and the other's almost effortless charm. Quite the combination."

KEAGAN

When the two became babies, and Erin didn't, Keagan already expected a topic about the very apparent age gap at the moment to come up, but not quite like this. She gave Erin her full attention as the speed the younger woman was going needed all the concentration. "Oh come here." She wrapped her arm around the other in a side hug of sorts without getting Tomi caught up in between them. "I understand what that must feel like." Although it wasn't really much of a secret, it still felt odd to talk about herself. "I was very much in the same position when it came to Luke." Granted, Luke was *underage*. At least Sky and Tomi were both legally adults.

"And from the way things had been going, age gaps.. seem to be a running theme in this family." She couldn't help but ruffle the witch's hair a bit before lifting up Tomi into her arms. "4 years isn't big of a gap especially if you think about it later as all of you grow even older." She paused, "You do know, Luke and I are six years apart, right?"

ERIN

Erin was more than happy to let herself be wrapped up in a hug. Especially considering it was coming from the least 'huggy' of the women in this house. She felt honored, but also mostly just happy to have a moment like this when it had been so long since she'd had one. "Really?" she asked in disbelief...or, well, what she _hoped_ would come across as disbelief. Skylar had after all run immediately to her and Tomi to share all the details of how her mothers had basically been mutually pinning for each other since basically ever. Not to mention that they had very obviously at liked each other a _lot_ once, because Skylar herself was a thing...

The witch could only laugh at having her hair ruffled by someone shorter than her, realizing things like these were going to be norm as a part of the family. Tomi also gladly went to her aunt, and just in time, because when Keagan actually told her the age gap between herself and Luke her jaw dropped so fast, she may have also dropped the baby. "I wouldn't have guessed, to be honest. I mean, I figured maybe two. Three, at most, because obviously you're Lyra's older sister and they're the same age, but you guys just vibe so well...If I didn't know Lyra was your _younger_ sister, I'd have guessed you and Luke were the same age to be honest."

KEAGAN

Her brows rose in amusement when she saw just how surprised Erin was to learn about the age gap. "I think that's just.. Lucas for the most part. She has always been a lot more mature for her age - I think at some point, my dad was a bit weirded out by how mature she was." She shrugged, "But it worked out I guess." She released the witch to catch a small drool coming from Tomi. "So yea, we've got a larger age gap than you and the girls. And I wouldn't worry too much about those comments you see. They don't know you guys after all. Besides, if both Luke and I had something against it, we would have said so a long time ago." She pointed out. If not Luke, Keagan would as she was apparently *very* straightforward but Erin seemed like a good kid.

"Though I don't know if Sky would listen even if we did. She got her stubbornness from me. And from what I've been told, that girl was heads over heals for you since day 1, it'd be hard to convince her out of anything." Would they though? Neither Luke nor Keagan wanted to see Sky upset.. ever, which definitely had a place as to why their daughter was so spoiled. "Tomi, honey.." She laughed, "You keep drooling, we should really get a bib on you as soon as Luke comes back."

LUKE

As soon as she orbed into the trees that bordered the parking lot of the store, Luke already knew it had been a mistake to make the trip on her own. She only proceeded to prove herself right as she entered and immediately deviated from the list of 'essentials' she'd shared in the group chat herself...like literally right before the glass doors had slid open in front of her. What really should've taken her a hand basket and maybe ten minutes -fifteen tops, given it was just an emergency, 'for the time being', kind of run- had her basically traversing the store from one end to the other...and then back again because the self-checkout machines were all at the beginning end and she really didn't want to risk any questions.

So, she wasn't entirely surprised to orb back to her living room and find that the party of folks had moved on over to the kitchen from the sounds of things. Nor was she surprised to sense that Rikke was now among the waiting ladies. "I'm sorry I took longer than expected. I really did go in with every intention of buying only the essentials for tonight but," she called out as she walked her purchases into the kitchen...or rather _rolled_ them, "I neglected to take Keagan with me and it ended up not quite as planned...sorry babe, Target is my weakness and you're like ninety percent of my impulse control in that place."

KEAGAN

The wolf had literally just finished telling her future daughter-in-law that Lucas was mature for her age, and then said Paladin orbed in with a *train* of shopping carts behind her. She was about to say something but instead, closed her mouth and shook her head. The sudden pet name did not slip *anyone's* notice - she could feel her sister's stare on her. "Did you get bibs? We definitely need one over here." She decided to switch topics and walked over with the baby. "...I think Sky might need one too - I guess sleep took over her need to talk." She laughed when she saw her daughter passed out in her grandmother's arms. Cuddles obviously won.

"Let's get the girls dressed.." She looked at the carts, not even daring to guess what Luke had bought. "...And bring an outfit for them - any outfit you might have gotten." She grabbed the one thing that was noticeable from the pile and that she had a hand for - the diapers. "Lyra, can you .. sort everything out in the meantime?" She asked as she started heading upstairs.

LUKE

“Yes,” she replied, immediately going directly to the cart and the specific bag they were in. As she opened the two-pack and handed one to Keagan and walked one over to Rikke, she clarified, “For the record, I _did_ manage to get all of the essentials on the list…I just also got some additional stuff.” As she turned back to Rikke, she was momentarily caught up in the sight of seeing Skylar sleeping so serenely in her grandmother’s arms. It was the past she’d never known holding the future she hadn’t known she had…

Keagan’s commanding voice as she provided directives was enough to refocus her attention. She walked directly over to another one of the carts and pulled out two little onesies, before walking to _another_ cart and managing to pick up two boxes. She followed after the older Paladin who had understood to head upstairs and said, “I’ve got some basic carriers here for them for now. I think I can manage to put together Sky’s crib in time to get her swapped over after her 3am feeding.”

KEAGAN

"I have a feeling that the amount of additional stuff is three times of the essentials." She laughed as she disappeared into the bedroom and setting aside the diapers. Carefully laying the kid down on the bed, she couldn't help but smile at the giggle coming from their youngest wolf. "Ohh.. At least someone's excited. My daughter on the other hand.. is pooped out." She looked over her shoulder to spot the baby. "Do you see her? Yeah.. that's your girlfriend."

With that, Keagan took the necessary stuff from Luke and worked on gently getting Tomi into her diaper - if she would cooperate a bit. It did take a bit of a struggle, maybe she was just rusty but eventually, the task was done. Well, one out of two.

"What outfits did you get for them?"

LUKE

After setting down the carriers, her brow furrowed as she mentally itemized her purchases and categorized them based on her own list of ‘essentials’ and the outliers. Speaking after a few seconds she said, “I’d say it’s more of a five-to-one ratio between essential items and funsies ones.”

It was definitely lost on her that Keagan had probably just been teasing her, but how could Luke be blamed when she was so taken with the sight of the older woman practically beaming with joy right now. She was taking to a simple diaper change with such eagerness, and it was her _daughter-in-law_. She could only imagine how the woman would be once she had more one-on-one time with their own daughter…well, with the kid being conscious.

The question snapped her out of her daze as she held up a onesie in each hand. “I figured go light and simple for sleep. So, [left or right](https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRaofxGe89o_S5OEqVFp2ebiSOwBj3Noq1D6Q&usqp=CAU)?”

KEAGAN

Once she was done, she showered Tomi with small pecks. Her heart just melting at the sight of Tomi giggling and she could not wait to spend time with baby Sky. She wasn't cruel enough to just take the kid away from Rikke after personally handing her over.

Looking up at the choice, her brows rose at what the shirts said. "Cute, you've got them couples outfit." She laughed, "Should we give the 'Part I Cri' to Tomi and the other for Sky?" She reached a hand out, motioning Luke to hand her one of the jammies before her own daughter caught her eye, "Sky... really passed out in your arms there." That kid was in such a deep sleep that Keagan doubt there was anything that could wake her right now.

LUKE

The Paladin could feel the absolute adoration being felt for her daughter from both Keagan’s _and_ Rikke, and it was almost overwhelming. Luckily it was tempered a bit by the conflicting emotions both women held. Both wanted to spend more time with the little bit but neither wanted to keep the other from her either.

After Keagan had Tomi all set, Rikke broke the stalemate by offering up Sky to Keagan, and then taking Tomi herself and heading back down. “At least we know Rikes can take a hint better than I could, apparently,” she joked.

Walking closer to the pair, she gingerly ran a hand over the baby’s head. “I can’t believe I even _remotely_ had any hand in this wonderful little girl coming to be.”

KEAGAN

Once Sky was back in her arms, Keagan's smile widened even further. Although the kid was still asleep, both mothers couldn't keep their eyes away from her. "She looks just like you, so there's no denying that." She joked as she eventually brought her eyes away from Sky and up towards Luke. "And from what Rikke said, the Holstein genes are *very* strong."

She leaned in and risked a gentle kiss on Sky's forehead. "God, she's so beautiful. I can't believe we get to see this again.. to hold her like this again." She mumbled, "...We should get her changed.. but I don't want to wake her up." She almost whined.

LUKE

Lucas took in the sight before her, and knowing that she actually got say ‘my girls’ and have it be true in every sense of the term…it was a lot, but in the best way possible. She gave a small chuckle at Keagan’s response before stating, “In my defense, I have no idea _what_ I looked like before the age of like three. There aren’t any baby pictures of me at this age. _And_ even after she got older, I went years without having a reason to even fathom it was a possibility…” Luke leaned down to place a gentle kiss to Keagan’s forehead. “I get to say she’s _our_ baby now…I don’t think I’ll ever be able to thank you enough for such a gift.”

As Keagan did her best not to wake Sky, Luke just playfully rolled her eyes at the last comment and snarled, “Well, you know, I can’t exactly control that -that I know of- but if you happen to decide you’d like to test _your_ genetic chances again, just let me know.” She winked, before glancing at the baby again.

“I think I have an idea…” she said, before reaching for a blanket to spread across her chest. As gently as possible she placed one hand on Skylar’s head, while her other arm came up to her chest. Closing her eyes, she concentrated and in a fraction of a second, she’d managed to orb Skylar into her waiting arms, quickly wrapping the blanket around the now naked baby. Glancing at Keagan as the woman now held an empty jersey she said, “Okay, so step one is done. And she seems none the wiser.”

KEAGAN

"The red hair came from *somewhere*." She chuckled softly, leaning into the kiss slightly before she looked up again with a smile, "She's a gift for the both of us." She couldn't stop herself from giving the baby another kiss on the cheeks. Keagan was *obsessed* with their baby because how could she not? Skylar was such a beautiful child ever since she was wee little.

"Oh? You're already thinking of having another one?" She peeked up with a smirk, "I'd like to focus on the current baby for now." She already missed out so much the first time, she wasn't going to make the same mistake again.

Keagan didn't even had the time to say anything before her baby was orbed out of her arms and into the Paladins. Tossing the jersey off to the side, she picked up another diaper. "So.. I'm not doubting your skills, but could you orb her into the diaper and outfit? Come on, lay her down." She motioned back to the bed.

LUKE

“Well we _eventually_ solved that mystery,” she whispered back. “There’s just something about getting to do this again, only this time I won’t constantly feel like I’m fighting an uphill battle over every little aspect of her care because I’m ‘not the parent’, ya know? I get to enjoy my time with her and not feel like some imposter, stealing precious moments from someone else. I’ll get to be with _you_ as we watch her take her first wobbly steps and not feel guilty or like I’m just a place holder.” It was truly a blessing in disguise.

Luke raised her hands in defense and said, “Hey, I said it was up to you. But for the record, these beautiful little nuggets do tend to take a while to bale anyways.”

As she held the sleeping baby she glanced down and said, “I could probably just carefully lay her down on the diaper, and then orb her into the onesie laid out beside her, so for her there’s hardly a difference.”

KEAGAN

It was endearing to see Luke so excited and eager to spend however long this baby phenomenon was going to take. "I look forward to experiencing all those moments first hand this time." She looked down and then and smiled, "How I possibly spend all those years away from you, I have no idea..." She mumbled softly as she stopped herself from laying on the bed next to the kid. It was *very* tempting to spend every moment with Skylar right now.

"Even if we were to consider another one, we'd have to speak with Sky first. I don't think springing a baby onto her would be the best idea."

"I feel like there's some line we shouldn't cross when it comes to orbing but I'm not sure what it is yet." She chuckled, "Are you sure you can orb her.. right into the onesie? That sounds like it takes immense precision."

LUKE

"Oooh, my vlogging equipment is _sooo_ much better than the dumb camera on my old phone. I can take so many more pictures of you guys just being all Calvetti and aggro over lack of munchies all the time. Ooh, ooh, I can set up a mommy-and-me photoshoot for you guys in matching outfits. Or, or, I can grab like a fresh baby book for you to detail the little moments this time around or...uh...I could- I could stop talking, and just let _you_ tell me what it is you'd like me to do. Yeah, that one's fair."

Already feeling embarrassed by her rambling, and the idea that maybe Keagan thought Luke was trying to take anything away from the woman -which she would absolutely _never_- the subject of another baby suddenly seemed like maybe she'd overstepped on that front as well. "Oh, you know me, I often disconnect my mouth from my brain and stuff just comes out. Focusing on the present is honestly the best course of action." If it sounded like she was backtracking, it was only because she felt that's what Keagan wanted to hear. Truth be told, if asked under any other circumstances, the same woman who once claimed to never want a child in her life, would gladly admit to being okay with the possibility of another child...or three...or nine...

The embarrassment, the slight shame, and her own overthinking made it to where as light as Keagan's words were likely meant, they managed to pierce and completely take the wind out of her confidence sails. Looking somewhere between disappointed and sheepish, Luke just nodded and said, "Yeah, I think you're right. Now's probably not the time to be testing those kind of things out. Besides, Little Bit's never been much of a light sleeper." She then proceeded to ease the sleeping baby into the onesie. "You're more than welcome to go ahead and snuggle up with her. I can go back down and handle whatever's going on downstairs."

KEAGAN

Keagan only watched endearingly as the Paladin rambled on about the different options they could do for mementos. When Luke began to look rather sheepish, the mother wolf reached out and gently held onto the other by their upper arm. "Luke, it's okay. We could even do all of them if you want - also, I think it'd make more sense if you were in the pictures as well. You're her mother too so we are *all* going to be in matching outfits.

A brow rose when it sounded like the woman was backtracking on everything she said. "Hey, I didn't say there wasn't a possibility...it's certainly .. something to think about at some point." Her thumb ran circles as she talked - hoping that it'd ease at least some of the.. anxiousness the other was showing. "Do you want more kids?" She smiled, "A brother or a sister for Sky?"

Leaning in, she gave a gentle kiss to Luke's lips. "Since she's already been orbed once, I don't see the harm of trying to get her into her diaper and onesie. So stay with us?" Keagan slung her around around the taller woman's neck so that her thumb was now stroking against the back of the other's neck. "I'm sure everything is handled downstairs, we've got Rikke and Nix there at the very least." She joked since they all knew that Lyra was *not* the responsible one.

LUKE

She knew the touch was meant to be reassuring, but her instinct was tense at the sensation before easing into the hold. Were it anyone else, Luke wouldn't have given it a second thought, but if anyone in this house would notice the shift, it'd be Keagan... "Sorry, I just- Some pretty major things have happened in the last week and I guess it all didn't really _hit_ me until now. Which, I mean, timing right?" she chuckled. It was a bid to lighten the mood, but it came out a bit more uneasy sounding than she'd have liked. "Anyway, you're right. We're all going on this roller-coaster ride _together_," Luke said, a genuine smile softening the grip of anxiety on her.

The small circles were like a switch. Her brain went from trying to process hundreds of thousands of things at once, to just focusing on the here and now. Luke dropped her head to rest gently on Keagan's as she contemplated the question. It was means to draw more comfort, but also to hide what she was sure was a stupid look on her face at the mere idea of a possibility for them to grow their family. "I just," she began, "I see you with JJ and Lyra and I can't help but think that I'd love nothing more than for Skylar to get the same. I know she has her friends, but I don't know....maybe it's really just me projecting and wishing _I'd_ had more siblings...or better ones anyway..."

She was in the process of shaking her head when she felt a warmth on her lips, that was not only becoming all-too familiar but, certainly her favorite, very, very quickly. Nodding, Luke silently agreed to stay, a small chuckle bubbling up at Keagan specifically _not_ naming Lyra. With the baby now dressed, and still very much asleep, the Paladin grinned and said, "She clearly takes after her mom in the sleep department." She'd let Keagan choose which 'mom' that'd be.

KEAGAN

Keagan did notice the sudden tension when she first reached out however, she kept her smile and strokes steady. "And you can take all the time to process them. One thought at a time." If anything, there was always something major happening in Fallcrest. The way she had to process things at her own pace too when it was her first *day* at work. "And Luke, all the ideas you may have in store... We are very likely to do every one of them. I don't know what they could be, but I'm sure we'll get to them." Keagan chuckled.

"....Do you think you can handle a mini-Lyra?" She joked before giving a small nod. "Maybe giving Sky a sibling or two wouldn't be a bad idea. I would like to hear what Sky thinks about that. The kid can't answer us right now though." She looked over to the bundle between them.

Her brow rose at the comparison. "You call her "mini-me for a reason." She snorted. Those cheeks of their daughters were so rosy, Keagan could not help herself from gently pinching them. Still, the baby did not wake. "At least we don't have to be too careful about being quiet."

LUKE

Luke nodded along as Keagan spoke. "One thought at a time is just about all my battered brain can process without overheating and just turning off completely right now," she mumbled, before blue eyes met hazel and widened as she added, "...that was supposed to an inside thought...my bad." Honestly, the last thing they needed right now is to have to be reminded of that reason as to why the last week had led to some major adjustments. Taking the opportunity for a quick change in focus, she chuckled mischievously at Keagan's assurance they would do all her ideas. "Famous last words, Cal."

Brows furrowed in confusion as she replied, "I live with a mini-Lyra. Are you asking if I can handle a micro-Lyra?" She was ninety-nine percent sure the question was a joke, but there was still that one percent chance it was serious and a means for Keagan to begin the process of easing her off idea of younger siblings for the twins...Luke didn't even realize she'd been holding her breath until she was forced to take one so she could actually reply to Keagan's wish to give the girls the final vote. "For a second I really thought I was going to have to sow my wild oats by plowing different fields," she said before immediately adding, "Kidding. Very much kidding. I think the fact my little unicorns don't already have younger siblings is a clear testament to that."

There was no way Lucas was fighting on her that one, because she was technically right. She did however chuckle as she watched the woman go in for the babies' cheeks. "So that's where the cute aggression comes from," she teased back, before raising a brow at the last comment. "Wanky."

KEAGAN

Lucas' brain was definitely going through it as of late, the recent events being the latest source. If only she had been around, maybe she could've at least prevented Ricky's actions. She smiled softly, "Well, we definitely don't want that. If it helps, we've got two baby girls right in front of us to focus on." Her eyes then rolled when Luke's mischievous streak came back right after. "Sure but this is a rare moment so I don't see why we wouldn't take advantage of it."

"They also take after you. Let's not forget what the twins were up to growing up - or so you kept telling me." One would think there was at least one twin who was calmer, but the two of them were basically partners in crime. Even Keagan felt bad for every girl who Luke dated because they got in the war path of their daughters. Her eyes narrowed playfully before reaching over and lightly shoved the other.

"While I don't know if we can all handle a third Lyra, at the same time, I don't know if the kid could handle these sisters." She laughed as she watched Skylar's hand reaching out for her sister in her sleep. Her little face turning into a frown when she couldn't find who she was 'looking' for. "Here you go, baby.." She whispered as she carefully slid the kid over a little so that Sky could grab onto Mila. "I see nothing's changed."

LUKE

At the mere mention of the girls, Luke's focus was already completely enraptured in watching the rise and fall of their tiny chests, the small little twitches of their noses and the corners of their lips sporadically as they dreamt on. "I know I've been referring to them as my mini-mes and we even started a band called Copy and _Paste_...but it is still so overwhelmingly mind-blowing to think _I_ somehow managed to luck out and have even the most microscopic involvement in these _two_ perfect little girls being here right now...or at all really." If the awe in her eyes wasn't enough, the awe in her tone as she spoke should do it. Looking back up at Keagan, she held the same level of reverence for her as she did the babies between them. "Thank you doesn't even begin to scratch at the surface of the gratitude I genuinely feel for you. Not only have you been my best friend for so long, and you see _me_ in spite of all my attempts at mirages, but the fact that in order for me to get the chance to call myself a mother _you_ had to reciprocate my feelings and be willing to take such a journey with me -even back then- I just-" she stopped to swallow back the emotion in her throat before she risked waking the girls. "Words aren't enough, but I hope to be able to find a way to show my gratitude for the woman that is you some way, some how."

LUKE

Grinning all Luke had to say was, "You've officially been here to witness their day-to-day for almost _three_ consecutive months now. Surely you don't need anyone describing their personalities to you." At the narrowing of hazel eyes, Luke felt a spike in her heart rate -and was almost certain the mama wolf heard it- as such a look was usually followed with Keagan kicking someone's ass. She did find reassurance in the fact even Keagan wouldn't risk the girls for a fight, and could only chuckle as she was finally met with nothing more than a shove.

"There was a time when we weren't sure those sisters could handle _this aunt_, so I'm willing to give them the benefit of the doubt...if they so feel up for the task once they're back to being adults, of course," she noted. Luke watched as Skylar immediately managed to wrap herself around her sister, only to the proceed to try to..eat? Miles..."Babe, I think they might be hungry..."

KEAGAN

There was a reason why it was not a surprise to anyone when they revealed who was the biological parents of the twins. And there were *two* of them which was a blessing on its own. She felt the same about them lucking out. And as often as their family pointed out, it was very interesting to see what traits each twin took from both of them. Her lips twitched in amusement when Luke looked up, only to *thank* her - again. "I am just as thankful because they wouldn't be here without *you*." Keagan could feel it in her bones that if it weren't for Luke, the twins wouldn't be here - there might be children, but it wouldn't be *them*. "You're a big part of why the twins are who they are " She chuckled. "You don't have to prove anything, you're their mother. You've already done so much. Much more than you seem to believe."

She let out a soft snort after her shove. The twins both took after them without question. "Apparently your traits and my traits combining is just.. chaotic?" Not that it was a problem as evidence shown with how much the family adored the two girls. Her eyes looked down again, watching them in silence until another thought came to mind, "To think Miles got all your height." Right now, the babies were the same size more or less, but Miles did get that growth spurt in the end.

"It'd be interesting to see what sort of kid will come after these two.." The twins were a nice balance, Keagan could only imagine what a third kid would be like. As much as she'd like to keep pondering on it, Sky's actions caught her attention at the same time as Luke's pet name for her. "Oh baby." She laughed as she gently pried Sky off of her sister. "We should wake them up to feed them... Otherwise Sky might just.. inhale her cheek. Are the stuff still downstairs? I can go fetch them - and see how they're fairing with Tomi."

LUKE

Luke knew there was no point in arguing over the matter, and honestly it's not like mattered in the end. After all, Keagan was right. The twins were who they were because of the circumstances they were brought into, and that included Luke herself -in one way or another. So ultimately, it all came out in the wash. Also, there was really no 'arguing' with a Calvetti so... "Well, here's to my memory being up to par so we can keep up with them at this stage again," she chuckled.

"Makes sense. We balance each other out because of the traits we _don't_ have in common, if these two have a similar mix of traits between them, they'll be keeping us on our toes for the rest of time," she said, though there was zero reproach to her words. If anything, it almost sounded like she was looking forward to it. Probably because she was. At the mention of the height difference, Luke practically pouted. "Ugh, it's been one week and I don't think I'll ever hear the end of it from Skylar. I swear that kid seems to think I have much more control over things, like the divvying up of genetics in-utero, than I actually do."

"Hmm, I think the most prevalent and constant traits in our offspring so far have been kindness, loyalty, and chaos so...maybe this is meant to be a refresher of sorts, so we can both remember what it's like to have little spastic nuggets around and be sure ourselves before we pose the matter to the girls," she chuckled. At the matter of feeding the girls, Luke gently stood back up, and said "I think it'd be easier to just pop back downstairs and feed them there. If there's even the vaguest hint that they might be awake, there's only so much Rikke, Nix, and Erin will be able to do to keep Lyra from barging up here anyway. If you'll grab Miles, I'll grab Sky, and then you can hold my hand so we can orb down."

KEAGAN

"Are you saying that they don't keep us on our toes already? Because I'm not so sure about that." She laughed, "The mischief that they get up to - with you and Hunter at times." She was merely joking but some of those videos she saw did concern her from time to time.. Most of the time. Keagan was definitely glad that the girls' individual channels weren't in the same genre.

She shrugged, "She either thinks you didn't have much control over it or I just gave her too much of it." Her eyes rolled, "I don't want to admit to which side of the family her dramatics come from but my sister is Lyra." Keagan wondered if the trait just liked to zone onto one sibling per generation. All or nothing. "

Keagan smiled as she looked down at the two girls, thinking of the qualities they did have in chaos. How thankful she was they turned out the way they were and to know just how loved they were amongst everyone around them. "If we make it through .. however long this is going to last." The older woman stood up at the suggestion and picked Miles up carefully into her arms before reaching out her hand. "Lyra is still going to know where we are." She pointed out regardless if Nix and Teg were still able to keep the Hurrnado at bay.

LUKE

“Not my toes,” Luke replied nonchalantly. “My day job has kept me fit enough to keep up with them easily, and now I can _orb_. But baby brains? Completely unpredictable, along with their moods,” she said, a tinge of fear in her voice at the last bit.

“Do wish she’d been allowed the braincell during science class,” Luke remarked, before Keagan’s next comment made her groan and roll her eyes. “Why couldn’t she have gotten JJ’s genes,” she whined, knowing full well there was zero would change about either of her girls.

Luke scooped up Skylar and let out a light laugh as she said, “Jesus Cal, you make it sound like a pair of twins is going to be what takes us out.” Reaching out her owns hand, she gently took Keagan’s and gave it a reassuring squeeze. “Lyra is only physically allowed to enter specific areas of the house thanks to the wards Erin and Tomi so graciously put up for me after I found out they’d done it to their own room…”

KEAGAN

"It seems that they're still somewhat aware of who everyone is, so that might mean they've retain their memories moreorless - but that might make them twice the handful than when they were actually this age." There wasn't much they could do as preparation since, as Luke said, the kids were unpredictable.

Keagan shrugged, "She.. strangely takes after Lyra quite a bit... Let's not have Lyra know that." She assumed her younger sister didn't know about it because she had a feeling Lyra would point that out at every opportunity. "At least Miles doesn't take after her as much?"

Within a blink of an eye, they were in the kitchen and the older wolf carefully sat Miles on the table. "They warded their own room?" Her eyes narrowed, already knowing the reason behind *that*. As long as it doesn't stand in the way of emergencies, Keagan was fine with that. "Here, can you make sure Miles don't fall off while I go grab their bottles?"

LUKE

“That just means we don’t get the reprieve of them not figuring out we’re practically wrapped around their tiny little fingers until two years in,” Luke half grumbled, though the grin on her face made it hard to make it a genuine complaint.

At Keagan’s words Luke simply made a motion of zipping her mouth shut and throwing away the key. As they materialized in the kitchen, Luke was already being assaulted be the sounds of their incoming visitors even as they’d managed to make minimal noise. “There wasn’t much they did in the way of hiding _it_, so…”

She moved in closer so she could place a hand on Miles even before Keagan asked, just smiling at the woman as she nodded. “Don’t worry, I’m sure I’ll have plenty of willing hands offering assistance soon enough.”

KEAGAN

Keagan smiled at the *fact* that the two babies had every member of the Calvetti-Holstein family wrapped around their fingers, not just the two of them. "They are definitely spoiled for a reason - One would say that's our fault so we can't complain."

Her ears picked up on the noises coming from outside the kitchen and she was already bracing herself for the moment Lyra was going to *burst* into the room. Lyra did not walk into one, she blows in like the hurrnado that she was. "Preferably not Lyra's hands."

She hoped either anyone but Lyra came in first so they can prevent the youngest Calvetti from getting to the babies before they get the chance to feed them. Keagan went to get the milk prepped and carefully swapped a baby for one of the bottles.

RIKKE

The older Paladin had been able to keep Lyra at bay by using Tomi as a distraction, but once the baby had been picked up by her own parents...all bets were _off_. That woman was primed and ready to use any excuse to get back upstairs, but her plans were thwarted by Teagan and Phoenix at every turn. Eventually, it got to the point the woman forewent excuses all together, and then it required Erin to give a bit of helping magical hand. After all, Lyra was still a wolf -even though she seemed to completely forget that when Teagan managed to get a hold of her...

Rikke sensed her charges shift over to the kitchen at almost the exact same time that Lyra picked up their scent. The two witches and Teagan seemed to catch on just a fraction of a second after them, but the youngest Calvetti sibling was off, and so was Rikke. Using some quick thinking, she just orbed over to the kitchen, managing to arrive just in time to intercept the small woman by scooping her up in a bear hug. Ignoring the complaints from her 'captive' she turned to offer the two mothers a smile. "So, interesting night no?"

KEAGAN

It was almost certain that Lyra had a radar on them. Honestly, Lyra would perhaps be the best agent if she used her skill set on anything else side from *gossip*. She could already hear the footsteps running towards the kitchen and just as she looked up, she saw the eldest Paladin hugging Lyra to prevent the woman from taking another step towards them. A brow only shot up in amusement at the sight before sending Rikke an apologetic look.

"The babies were getting hungry so we're just grabbing them some milk. They're going to sleep afterwards." At the latter, she gave her sister a stern look, silently telling her that the babies should not be disturbed during that time. "I.. think you guys were having a harder time than us though."

TEAGAN

He'd taken off after Lyra as soon as he'd clocked the look on her face, but despite his many amazing attributes, he was still only human. And one with rather short legs at that so...When he finally reached the kitchen, it was to the sight of Rikke managing to have corralled the young wolf in a tight grasp. Though based on the look currently on Lyra's face, she wasn't exactly doing much in the way of fighting to get out of that _specific_ position...

Turning his attention to his nieces' instead, he smiled and said, "Looks like the pups are looking sleep _while_ they eat as well. They get that from Spooky. Girl once inhaled an entire party size bag of Doritos without once opening her eyes." Letting a small sigh, the short king just grinned and said, "I can only speak for myself, but things have become slightly more manageable since Erin noted that Rikke was technically Luke, but single. Even if the poor girl did mean it as a joke."

LYRA

Not actually fighting out of the hug, Lyra leaned in a direction slightly to take a peek at the youngest members of the family. "I think itty bitty sky is inhaling her drink - like look at that speed." If anything, Lyra leaned *back* into the paladin, smile adorning her face when Teg mentioned that Rikke was technically an available Luke, "We're definitely not saying that Rikke and Luke are the same person, but tall, hot, and seems to be capable of doing many, many things? Uh, yes please." No shame at all there.

"The Holstein genes are quite strong." She pointed out, physically pointing at Rikke, to Luke, to the twins. "Like *uncanny*." Lyra was enjoying being in Rikke's arms *very* much and did not care for the looks she may or may not be getting from everyone else.

RIKKE

Rikke wasn't entirely sure how she was feeling about the manner in which Lyra was reacting to being 'held', but if her arms around the small woman's waist were the only things keeping her feet off the ground and away from the babies, then so be it. It definitely helped to actually have the babies insight now as a distraction _and_ reminder of why she was enduring...whatever the hell this was. "Things that include orbing you directly to your parent's house in the blink of an eye, so maybe don't push your luck?"

There was a streak of pride that she couldn't help but feel at the validation of how her family genetics were clearly visible in her three youngest descendants. "I will say, this is probably the most women we've managed in such a close succession, generationally speaking. I was the youngest of many children, all boys. Three sets of twins though, so at least now you know where those two came from."

KEAGAN

While Lyra immediately quiet down since she surely didn't want to be orbed to their parents' place, it didn't stop the look on her face when Rikke mentioned about being the youngest of many children. Keagan could only let out a sigh and a stern glare. "Three sets of twins? Wow, I don't suppose you were part of those sets?" She asked, and immediately regretted because Lyra was *very* intrigued for the answer. "Feel free to orb my sister to my mom whenever you wish, by the way. You have full permission for that."

Her eyes looked down at both the twins, only to discover that the one in Luke's arms had consumed the bottle way faster - which really shouldn't be surprising. "Do you think she's still hungry?" The kid look like it might just eat the bottle if she could.

RIKKE

The Paldin was very close to just taking up the deputy on her offer, and orbing Lyra away, but that had the potential of backfiring in the sense that Ianthe could then wonder aloud if Rikke had been bested by Lyra...Not yet. "I, uh, was not. I was more of what modern folks would refer to as an 'oops baby'. The second youngest was twenty-two years older than I was, so needless to say, my parents were more than happy to let him and his wife take over where I was concerned once they found they couldn't conceive of their own. A rarity for werewolves, but back in those days not as entirely unheard of as it is now."

The blonde watched as Luke went about keeping the almost bottle in place, while fixing up a second, and then swiftly swapping them out without the baby even noticing. "And it is moments like this that remind this is technically not the first time these girls have been babies," she chuckled.

KEAGAN

Keagan looked up when Rikke answered the question about being an 'oops baby'. That seemed to be a common theme in the family, and she did not expect such a large age gap between the two youngest siblings. Moreover, did their own set of twins consider as oops babies? No one would have anticipated their arrivals. "Oh? Your family were wolves as well?" What a coincidence.

Luke was definitely more fluent in dealing with them and watching her swap bottles with ease further proved that. However, one could say that as long as there was food, Sky would have been oblivious either way. "I'm glad we got to get this chance again to experience it.. Although it's clear as day that Sky had always been about the food since day 1..."

RIKKE

A look of confusion came over her features before it gave way to realization. "Right, you guys would only have access to Holstein information going back to my arrival in the town. But yes, the Holstein pack was one of the most well known in wolf packs in the North. It originated in Oslo, Norway but when hunting got heavy the pack was forced to migrate through Sweden to Copenhagen, in Denmark. We lived on the outskirts of the actual populous in peace for several generations more until the hunters caught up with us. I was only able to escape to America because my own wolf never triggered, and due to the Paladin process, now it never will."

After such a topic, the eldest in the room was more than happy to have her attention brought back to the two, currently tiny, reasons that everything she'd been through was worth it. "Well, now we know it's not her fault. She just gets wolf-hunger from both sides," Rikke chuckled before tapering off and saying, "I'm just kidding. I don't actually know how that would work or even *if* it would work..."

KEAGAN

Keagan gave a look of sympathy for hearing that Rikke's family had been a victim because of hunters. "...Despite circumstances, I think I can speak for everyone here that we're very thankful you're with us here today." Because without Rikke, they wouldn't have the family they do now. "Who knows? Maybe the wolf gene actually got passed down in some way or another? At this point, I think anything can really happen." One would think that was a joke but her kids were literal babies at the moment, Keagan doesn't think anything could surprise her now.

"With that being said, I think Sky is just naturally a glutton. Miles did not try to eat her sister." She laughed before leaning to give both her girls a kiss on their cheeks, ignoring the small whine from Sky for interrupting her meal.

LUKE

Luke looked somber as Rikke related just how many links there were in the awful chain of events that ultimately, in an ironic twist, led to the family's remaining living members to their happiest point. Of course, that look was completely replaced as the mention of werwolf genes was reiterated by Keagan, her eyes immediately locking with Teag's across the room. They didn't a 'twin thing' to know they were both already thinking the same thing. Of course, both immediately went back to their respective tasks so as to not raise too many questions.

"I did have to put Sky on these like trainer plates back when she was like five. Kid kept eating so fast I was constantly wither doing the Heimlich or reassuring Miles that no, her sister wasn't gonna die from the massive bite she managed to take out of her own mouth," Luke shared, glancing down at the tiny ginger just going to town on her _second_ bottle. "At least she made a career out of it."

PHOENIX

She had walked in much later after the rest of the family caught up with Lyra - and was not going to acknowledge that her cousin was not even going to attempt to get out of the Paladin's arms. Thankfully they drew the topic from *that* and learned more about the other. From where she stood, it was easy to catch Luke and Teg shared a look together and Nix, again, feigned ignorance. Whatever mischief they were up to, she did not want to know. She was already having a hard time getting Lyra to behave.

"I think she might need it again with the rate she's going through that second bottle." She nodded towards the kid who was already 3/4's on her way to the end. "Didn't you just give that to her? I don't think anyone in the family is as fast as her." Like who did that kid take after?

LUKE

Luke opened her mouth and then immediately shut it again. "I value my life too much to give you the full Fallcrest Pack eating speed rankings at this moment. Teag and I have been keeping track since were seven, and then Hunter took over for me while I was in Seattle -though she had no idea _what_ she was helping Teag with- and then I took over for Teag when he hit Philly."

Glancing down at Sky, she tsked and said, "Oh, we're going to want to make sure we burp this one really well. With how fast she's drinking it down, she's bound to have ingested a bunch of air into her gut too. Oh! Lyra can help burp the girls!"

PHOENIX

Her eyes immediately went straight to her other cousin after Luke mentioned that she valued her life too much. It seemed that she might not be the only one who thought so either because.. by process of elimination.. it wasn't a hard guess as to whom was number one on that list. "Did you all just timed everyone when you go out to eat? Because.. Maybe we shouldn't eat together now." She joked.

Subtly - or not - she walked over and pulled Lyra along with her to where the babies were. "Oh look, perfect timing." The bottles were just about done. "You're up." She said, although she was willing to take one of the twins too and help out.

LYRA

Lyra had been far too busy taking advantage of how distracted the older Paladin had been while sharing to genuinely listen to what was being said. Her hands were busy roaming everywhere within reach, without squirming too much -though that wasn't necessarily due to lack of desire to do so...- but after the woman's threat to be sent to her parents' home, she made sure to never actually _touch_ her more than the 'restraint' called for. Just the _ghost_ of a touch, as her hand hovered a paper's width from the Paladin's skin. She was too busy making her own faces, smirks, and grins at her cousin once she caught up to them to notice anyone else's faces.

Without absolutely no hint of shame, Lyra actually, audibly whimpered when Nix managed to drag her out of Rikke's arms and away. As she was pushed towards the women and the babies a startled look, mixed with confusion crossed her face as she asked, "I'm doing what now?!"

PHOENIX

All the smirks and grins Lyra had sent her way, Nix was giving them all back to her now as she gently picked up a baby and gave her to Lyra. "You are burping them. You know how to do that, yeah? Here, have Sky." Anything to keep Lyra busy - that wasn't her hitting on family members.

"Here, I can take Miles for a bit so you guys can take a break." She offered and turned her attention to said kid even if she had a feeling that the parents wouldn't leave or at least wouldn't go very far. Nix didn't see them as often during the first time around but she could tell just how attached her cousin was. Which was good. No one in the family wanted to see Keagan be so far away from everyone.

LYRA

Lyra could only send her cousin a look that said ‘well played’, as she was informed of what she had been tasked with while distracted. It was obvious to anyone that Lyra didn’t even know how to hold a baby, let alone _burp_ one. “Uh,” she began, as Sky was placed in her arms, “I- no? Why would I know anything about de-gassing an infant? I hardly know about de-gassing myself,” she admitted.

Glancing over as Nix offered to take Miles, she looked almost offended as she asked, “Well why can’t I get to burp the less gassy one? I mean, like, what happens if you do it wrong? Does she like, blow up like a balloon? Can’t we just wait for her to like rip one real good one instead?”

KEAGAN

Deciding to give Lyra a small break from Nix's teasing, Keagan went over to her younger sister and helped her get Sky in a more comfortable position. "Pat.. Yep, like that." She demonstrated a few times before letting Lyra do the rest. "See, you can do it. She's not going to explode." Nix purposely put Sky into Lyra's arms, Keagan was not going to interfere with whatever the two cousins were doing to each other.

"She may be a baby, but you're not going to break her." She smiled at the way Lyra was holding the kid. "Look at how Nix is doing it - just burp the kid, Lyr."

TEAGAN

Having grown up with the woman, and being the one to remain in the most constant contact with her, Teagan was almost certain he could almost _hear_ the werewolf’s thought process…or at least make a really good guess. “K, if you hadn’t stepped in Lyra was two seconds away from yeeting Little Red right back at Spooky just to get out of displaying _how_ much she _didn’t_ know about babies,” he noted, to a round of snickering.

“And before you go off about me showing off my own baby know-how, not only was I here for my nieces the first go around, but I’ll be more than happy to help out again…very few people can single-handedly manage them both on their own….and by that I mean one.”

KEAGAN

Keg smiled her friend, "I could tell." Why else would she follow up and helped Lyra with Skylar. "At the very least, I had to make sure she doesn't drop her niece." She gave a playful glare at her sister, though one could say it was a warning. Though that look shifted to a confused look when Teg would assume she'd got off on him. "You're always welcome to stay. We can always use the help." She refrained from saying that they might need help with *Lyra* instead of the twins. Who better than have Teg who knew her sister best?

Taking the empty bottle from the counter, she went over to the sink. "I don't think Mick's expecting me to come to work tomorrow, but I should actually let her know." Though she was already contemplating bringing them with her.

LUKE

Luke rarely fixed anyone in the cabin with anything more than, what most describe as, 'a failed attempt at a glower, but successful execution of mental calculus'. This time however, even as her eyes didn't change much in the way of expression, the slight eyebrow she raised in Lyra's direction was more than enough to make her friend actually right herself and begin to burp the baby properly. "Yeet my children, and I will _personally_ orb you to rural Mississippi."

She didn't bother addressing Teagan's offer to help, because honestly that was a given and always welcome. But Keagan's comment did make her snort in laughter. "Puh-lease, don't act like you aren't already thinking of how you're going to keep Nikk

KEAGAN

Keagan was very amused by how fast Lyra got to burping Sky from Luke's glare. "I'm sure Lyra knows better to harm the twins with everyone here watching her." Once she was done with the dishes, she returned to stand beside Lucas and automatically leaned against her. And yes, she did have a soft spot for her baby sister.

Her eyes rolled, "I will have to head in *eventually* because I took way too many days off, don't you think? They gave me a vacation at the start. And then so many things happened after that. I should actually go spend time at the office when I can to catch up on things." She sighed, "I might have to ban Nikki from entering my office.

LUKE

As much as Luke appreciated the slight little display of affection, she knew the woman well enough to know that leaning against her right now was mainly a subtle way to ensure that she didn't opt for lunging at her younger sister anyway. "You assume that Lyra has mastered the art of forethought," she replied flatly, earning herself a look of offense being thrown at her over Sky's head.

Luke just laughed. "You make it sound like you've been out of the office for ages. Mick gave you a _month_ off. It's only been _one week_, and you've already gone into the office to micro-manage Andy on _three separate days_. I would know, because one of those days was yesterday when, I assuming, you suddenly remembered I had to go see Col and wound up bursting in his office as he was pulling out a stitch, scared the shit out of him, and caused him to _literally_ rip me a new one...uh, a new cut, that is." She pointed to the smaller bandage now in place, her powers still not quite full-on as her body still processed the 'aftermath' after-effects. "I'm not sure you screaming at him 'why is it still bleeding' as your initial greeting helped matters either."

KEAGAN

Usually Keagan would have complained that a month was too much because it felt weird not to be working. However, now that she was *home* and her babies were literal babies, she was more than thankful of the time. "Has it only been a week?" Because with everything it honestly felt like more than that. She nudged the taller woman with the back of her head when she was made fun of micromanaging. "I apologized in the end." She muttered, feeling rather embarrassed but not wanting to admit that.

"And he's a lot more jumpy than I remembered." Her eyes rolled but still, she felt guilty for indirectly giving Luke another wound. "Anyways! I guess I don't have to worry about distracting anyone at work anymore."

LUKE

Luke simply nodded, hoping this little realization would help Keagan understand why the redhead was still actively processing the fact she helped make _two_ babies...that were now suddenly babies again. "Yup...though I think I can understand why it might've felt like a year. Quite a list of things have happened and now there's a new surprise to contend with." She rolled her eyes at the failed attempt to defend herself by the _Chief_ Deputy. "If it worked out anything like it usually does at home, I'm sure Andy will have nothing but wonderful things to say about you."

Luke fixed her with a look and said, "His door had to be replaced, also he mentioned something about you and your mom practically threatening his life the last time he saw you guys so....I'd be jumpy as fuu- uh, -udge too." She then let out another snort of laughter. "Yeah you do. You're going to go back in at least twice a week between now and when you're officially back, and you're going to be taking the babies with you because you can."

KEAGAN

"This town definitely has enough surprises to keep everyone on their toes." That was .. not a good thing since she hadn't even been officially in her office for that long. Not that she would trade it again to go back into the field but she could swear she had more peaceful moments out there. "Hmm.. I guess if Andy has to page me, then that's when we should be panicking." Wit the things she had heard and seen so far, Andy was more than capable enough to deal with anything that came their way.

Keagan wasn't even going to defend herself with what happened at Col's but she will forever remain behind her stance that the Alpha was too jumpy. Surely, her mom would also say the same. "As if you wouldn't be taking the twins with you either? Lucas, you would be the one to teach parkour whilst carrying them." She sighed, "We should really work out our schedules so that someone's with them everyday when we do have work."

LUKE

"If Andy has to page you, it's likely because one of your deputies is being a pain. I think if _Mick_ feels the need to page you, then maybe they need some assistance," Luke pointed out, already knowing that Keagan was just going to use _any_ excuse to go into her office whenever she felt the need to. It was _not_ in that woman's nature to be still and relax. Hadn't been since they were kids, wasn't about to suddenly start now.

"Been there, done that," she replied with ease, reaching into her pocket as her phone buzzed. "If anything, you should be happy this time I would be doing it with prior....experience...." Her statement waned towards the end as she was distracted by the comment she read, before just putting the phone back. "Col can't legally clear me for work for at least like 4 to 6 months, so I don't think that will be an issue."

PHOENIX

She didn't know what she was more intrigued with: Luke teasing Keagan, or Lyra watching Luke tease Keagan. Either way, she was sure her cousin was *very* fascinated by the scene. "I think it's a good thing you haven't been called in, Keg." She pointed out, "It means that there aren't any problems, why would you jinx that?" She snorted, as if she herself hadn't been on an extended vacation herself under the guise of family emergency.

"You know what, Lyr? I totally understand now." She referred to how Luke had not been unalived by Keagan with the things she revealed. Carrying the twins while parkouring? That sounded like something her older cousin would not want. "So that means you get to be with the kids 24/7 for the next 4 to 6 months?" Because that lowered the chances of needing any of them - mainly Lyra - to babysit.

LUKE

Luke looked pointedly at Keagan at Nix's words as she nodded, clearly indicating that the younger cousin had a point. "Words have power," she added, though even as she said it, Lucas knew that there were many a way Keagan -or anyone in the room, really- could turn that right back around on her. She briefly looked over at the 'Burping Cousins' as they shared a look that Luke recognized as the same one she often shared with the twins, Teagan, Hunter, Tomi, and now even Erin and Rikke. Sean was far too innocent to conspire with. She didn't take the bait, and opted _not_ to ask for clarification.

"Theoretically, yes. But even though I can't be cleared for my day job, I still have a brand to ensure continues to remain relevant so when the girls get back to their usual selves they still have an active fanbase to do what they've grown to love. So no, you and the rest won't be getting out of babysitting duty _that_ easily. I may be confident in my abilities to _teach_ basic parkour to kids while holding my own kids, but I don't think there'a many shoots where it would be advised that I bring two babies along. Dangerous, dilapidated, haunted."

KEAGAN

"I really do not want to know that you're parkouring while carrying two babies with you." She sighed, but there wasn't a much of a threat behind those words. If Lucas did it before, there was a very high chance she was going to do it again this time around. Even if she knew the younger woman wouldn't put the twins in harm's way, it was still.. stressful to think about. At least she drew the line at haunted places since most of them were most likely abandoned and old.

While it looked like Lyra was finally getting used to burping Sky, she could spot the little frown and pout on her face and so, Keagan walked over to save.. someone from the other before the crying started. And since she was there anyways, she also grabbed Miles. Having a twin in each arm was.. pure bliss for the Chief Deputy. "God, they're so cute." She muttered before giving each a kiss on the head. "I think we should put them in the cribs so they can sleep."

LUKE

Luke was quiet for all of two seconds before she asked, "Would it be better if I had more with me?" Even she wasn't entirely sure if she was just kidding or not at this point, as her mind was already thinking about the different maneuvers that would work and keep the babies safe. "I mean, I can't do it at the course at the gym and I would be way too stupid to think that would be a good idea to post on youtube, for various reasons, but the house is safe enough..."

Taking in the sight of the very content smile easily spreading over Keagan's face as she got to hold both of her girls in her arms, and just be...it was all Luke could do not to just melt into a giant puddle of emotions right then and there. "They take after their mother," Luke said with a grin. Glancing down at her watch and noting the time she said, "Yeah, I think everyone could probably do with some sleep. Rikke, you're more than welcome to stay over. Nix can show you to one of the available guest rooms." Was it payback for the earlier remark? Of course it was.

PHOENIX

"....I don't think that was the direction she was going for, Luke." She glanced back to her cousin, only to see her shake her head exasperatedly - clearly not wanting to give the Paladin anymore ideas. Nix also didn't want to add fuel to the fire so she focused on the twins instead even if they weren't paying any attention to her.

A brow only perked when Luke seemingly gave another jab at Keagan. The amount of chances that her cousin had given Luke in a span of a couple of minutes was astounding that both Lyra and Nix could not stop exchanging looks.

Until Luke decided to get Nix to help Rikke, because that caused her to *avoid* the younger Calvetti the best she could while giving a subtle glare at the one who gave the suggestion. "... Sure. I can do that." She looked over to Rikke to see what her opinion of this was.

RIKKE

It had been an incredibly long time since Rikke had been able to witness -let alone be a part of- such a genuine, familial camaraderie that it was honestly not even a true chore to have had to wrangle Lyra as part of the deal. Sure, she had a kind of family relationship with Jack, Hanu, and even Maths, but that was a byproduct of their kind of career -both mundane and supernatural- while this? This was just family being _family_. Something she hadn't been allowed to be involved in since she left Denmark, really.

It didn't keep her from noticing all the little silent looks being thrown around, and if anything she found herself sharing a few with Teagan as they themselves found amusement in how sly the two younger cousins thought they were being. Honestly, if they had both just literally been holding the double _aftermath_ of Luke and Keagan having done far more than just throw quips at each other, what surprised them about the fact Keagan wasn't swinging yet?

The invitation to stay was unexpected, but wholly welcome and it was probably clear by the look on her face. "Oh, uh...I mean, if it's not too much of an imposition, I'd greatly appreciate that. As their Paladin it gives me the chance to more closely monitor them and try and sort out the ins and outs of this change, and as their relative who missed out on the first eighteen years, it gives me an excuse to be around," she admitted. The only thing that gave her pause was the glare that Phoenix suddenly sent Luke's way... "But, it's no trouble, really. I'm sure I can find my own way with some general direction..." Rikke trailed off a bit as she looked about. "...why is this still called a cabin, again?"

PHOENIX

She really should've known better than to tease anyone in this household because payback would be ten-fold everytime. When Rikke started insist that she could find her own way around, Phoenix shook her head and walked right over. "No, no. I can give you a tour while we're at it." She sighed, "That's what we've been saying but it started as a cabin and will forever be called a cabin, no matter what shape it ended up being - according to Lucas."

She started off in the direction of where the guest rooms were. Once they were getting near the rooms, Phoenix motioned towards them, "Take your pick - Lyra and I are in that one over there so depends how far you want to be from us?" Was it a joke? Even she wasn't sure.

RIKKE

She nodded and took the smaller woman's lead, though still apprehensive. Phoenix was the one person that didn't seem to take the news that she was Luke's ancestor quite so well, and now the suggestion of helping her to a room had the woman glaring at the redhead. At her words, however, she did join in on the congenial conversation. "Ah, that makes sense then. If growing up in this spot was home to Lucas, the term 'cabin' became less a descriptor of the building and more a word synonymous with home. It's rather similar to how I always address returning to the station as 'returning to the stables'. It's what I grew accustomed before, and now that I have my own memories back, it's become a habit," she chucked.

As they approached the rooms, she took note of how Phoenix specifically mentioned where she would be and distance. "I think given that you were here first, it's more of a matter of how far _you_ would like me to be, no?"

PHOENIX

"I don't know if the cabin was home for her, but I think all the renovations she did with Sky surely made it into one." Nix spoke too soon when she thought it was a good thing that they were keeping things light between them as they were finally left alone for the first time in a while. She still didn't know how to feel, knowing that the other was basically Luke's ancestor, and Lyra's teasing did not help at all with that. They eventually had to deal with all of that someday, but the shifter didn't think Rikke was going to bring it up right now in the middle of the hallway. "

She leaned against the wall behind her as she look down the hallway where her room was. "I'm fine with any room you choose, but the question is more so.. how far you want Lyra to be from you?" She looked back up at the Paladin, "I may be her roommate, but there is nothing on Earth that could stop Lyra from visiting you. We're just thankful all the rooms are sound-proof, though I could always add an extra layer for you if you want?"

RIKKE

"I think that just goes to exemplify that home to her is less a place and more the people she cares about. I'm almost certain they could've kept the cabin as it was, but as along as she had the twins with her, she'd have been okay with calling it home," Rikke noted before adding, "Though I'm sure the demolition and renovations were a much more fun approach to things." The entire place still felt like something out of a story to the Paladin, to be honest. In none of the times she'd been awake had she ever encountered something grand and yet cozy, whose design somehow managed to takin into account all of its occupants. From the low counters to the high door frames.

Her attention was drawn back to the witch as she spoke again, her answer only earning a low chuckle from the older woman. "I find far more telling than you might think how in one breath you've managed to state you're fine with whatever room I choose, _and_ also drag up your cousin and her habits. It's like tossing a snowball at someone and then immediately dodge behind a tree for either safety or to avoid the consequences of your actions," Rikke noted, before looking up and down the hallway and then pointing at the opposite end. "I think I'll take the hint though, and just head over there. Have a good night, Phoenix."

PHOENIX

"I'm pretty sure the demolition was one of the bonding moments she had with the twins. It's a good stress reliever - or so I'm told." She shrugged, "I think everyone is just impressed because it doesn't seem there is anything that she doesn't know how to do. If she doesn't, she actually takes the time to learn - or maybe it was just trial and error, but either way, Luke might give the Irwins a run for their money."

Her cheeks did flair a bit when the other caught onto what she was doing and had the decency to look embarrassed for having done so in the first place. "Wait.. that.." She looked down the hall, feeling bad that the other decided to choose one so far when there's really no reason to. "You don't need to do that. Honestly, you can choose one closer, I'll be fine with it." She made a point to end the sentence there unlike earlier. However, she was back to the first problem she had - not knowing what to say next. "I.. " She started before she realized that they were still in the hallway so she quickly pulled Rikke into the closest room and shut the door... And add an extra barrier just in case. "Sorry, it didn't seem like a good idea to have this conversation in the hallway when there's a very curious wolf in the house." She took a breath before trying again, "I.. am sorry if I had been making things.. weird and I promise, it's nothing you've done. You haven't done anything. I'm just.. I got *very* hyper aware when we learned that you're my cousin's best friend's... great grandmother. Like I was literally .. grinding against you on the dance floor - only to find that out. It just tripped me out a lot more than I realized.. Lyra's also no help if you consider her personality."

RIKKE

"Photographic reflexes _are_ technically something that we made paladins have as an ability, to help in adapting to whatever time we awake in faster, so I suppose something of that may have been passed down," Rikke noted, "Granted, it's all still so new it's hard to tell what powers she was born with and which were just now triggered so, she may just really like learning and trying knew things...?"

Rikke stopped when asked to wait, and listened as she was told to pick whichever room she'd like, but when it became apparent that Phoenix was having a bit of hard time getting words out, she just offered her a sympathetic smile and waved a hand as she said, "It's okay, Nix. You don't have to say anything. You don't owe me any kind of explanation, especially not this very mohhh-" Her words trailed off into a sound of surprise as the smaller woman suddenly pulled her into the nearest room. The surprise gave way to confusion -and maybe slight concern- as she sensed the extra magic being added, but that was cleared up at the reminder of Lyra.

Sliding her hands into her back pockets, more so because she didn't really know what to do with them, she listened to the woman speak, and the sympathetic smile returned as she glanced down to meet her eyes. "I too, am sorry if you felt ambushed into providing an explanation just now, that...wasn't _necessarily_ my intention. But, it _was_ starting to get really hard to overlook how awkward things had suddenly become and I guess-" she shrugged and sighed "-I guess I just panicked a little. You really are one of the only close friends that I've managed to make since -sorry for highlighting this- the 1890s, so the thought of losing that and not really understanding why was more than a little upsetting," she admitted. "The fact that you're a great dance partner is just a bonus as far as I'm concerned, and for the record, I was in stasis for the vast majority of the time between getting here and now."

PHOENIX

Nix only chuckled when their age gap was emphasized once more. "I get it, and I'm sorry. It *is* fun to have you around, hanging with us, with the twins - the fact that we get one more helping hand to keep Lyr at bay. You have no idea what a blessing it has been." She chuckled softly, "You've also been a really good dance partner too - It's just.. Like I said, learning that.. I basically *hit on* my friend's *ancestor* ... one that you're *both* part of the family tree as well - that's.. th-that's something to wrap my mind around." She gave a wry smile at her reasoning.

Her hand pushed back her bangs before her back leaned against the closed door. "But I am sorry - for causing you to.. well, panic because I should've .. spoke about this a lot sooner. The constant teasing from Lyra *really* didn't help things - but I shouldn't really pin the blame on her. I was pretty scared to confront it myself. Clearly - with all the avoidance." She rambled on.

RIKKE

She couldn't help the smile at the thought of being welcome and wanted as part of the fold, chaotic as it could clearly be. "I'll take Lyra duty any time if it means I get to be around the three people that are, essentially, the result of all my past sacrifices. Don't get me wrong, the knowledge that my existence as a Paladin means I keep others safe as my charges is a reward in itself, but seeing that what I went through has yielded _three_ supernatural...unicorns -for lack of a better term- is a unique experience all its own," she admitted, unable to keep the slight 'awe' from her voice.

At the mention of being hit on, her expression changed to one of faux confusion. "Oh, is _that_ what you were doing? I wasn't really sure what that was all about, been a minute since I've gotten to socialize. I just thought modern people were _overtly_ friendly in general," she teased, before her expression grew serious again, though a soft smile was still in place. "Take all the time you need. I know that _I_ am certainly taking it one day at a time. However," Rikke paused, ensuring she had the woman's attention, "I would like to ask -and I also think it might help your dilemma- that you please not just reduce me to 'a friend's ancestor'. I _am_ here. I am alive and I do have a personality of my own, not one that's been ascribed to me by whoever's reading about my life," she chuckled. "I'm related to Lucas and the girls, yes, but I'm also just Rikke."

PHOENIX

"I'm glad you think so because it's going to be you, me and Teg keeping an eye on her." She smiled, "Everyone was blown away when we learned that the unicorn twins were *literally* luke's kids. We were all wondering where half their traits came from because they for sure did not come from Dicky." She snorted. They always joked about it, so to think that it was true - that was a feat on its own.

Phoenix, being far from the confident dancer she was at the club, met the Paladin's eyes with a hint of bashfulness along with the lingering embarrassment. "Yes... I can do that. I *will* do that." It did feel like an insult to refer to Rikke as Luke's ancestor and already, Nix felt guilty for thinking so in the first place. ".. To start off with though, do you want to continue with the cabin tour? Or do you want to rest for the night?"

RIKKE

"Something tells me, for at least Teagan and I, it'll be _her_ keeping _both eyes_ on _us_." There was a cross between a grimace and a smile that followed those words, but the chuckle that came with it was genuine enough. Taking a deep breath, the mirth seeped out of her at the mention of Richard Benson. "I can't say I ever had the displeasure of meeting that man, but after what I had to see in the woods when we found Luke..." She trailed off as her jaw clenched tight enough for the tendons in her neck to show. The memory of the redhead's state, the pain in Keagan's eyes as Rikke states there was nothing she could do for the woman... Easing up on her jaw she just said, "Let's just say it's best we never meet."

Rikke had never been one to really push anyone's boundaries, so when the witch went bashful, the paladin took that as her sign to ease up on the teasing. Instead she just smiled and said, "All a girl can ask for is the effort." She thought about the question briefly before saying, "Cabin tour, please. If I'm going to be orbing Lyra from one place to another or orbing myself to get to her or others, it would definitely be nice _not_ to end up in a wall...?"

PHOENIX

"Oh that is a given, Lyra has eyes on *everyone*. Aunt Ianthe had always said that she would've made a great agent.. if only her motivation wasn't simply *gossip*." Her eyes rolled before her expression completely falling to a grimace, "You're better off not ever having to, not missing much anyways. I think I can say on behalf of everything that we're glad that he's gone from our lives." Not that Phoenix was around him all that often compared to everyone else.

At the answer, Nix lifts the barrier she threw up temporarily. "Sure, we can go floor by floo-ow!" From her attempt to find the door knob behind her, her elbow smacked right into it. The witch stilled with her eyes closed at the numbing pain, "Just.. give me a sec.. but as I was going to say, we can go floor by floor - the basement might have to wait until tomorrow, it's where the girls live, but right now, it's just Erin because.. well, *babies*. Anyways, this hallways is mostly guest rooms.. So far, it's just you, me and Lyra here."

Once the rambling was done, and Nix got her shit together, they stepped out of the room and the witch guided the other to most of the rooms on each floor, pausing long enough for Rikke to have a grasp on what they are before moving on to the next. By the end of the tour, they were now by the stairs. "Et voila, chez .. Calvetti/Benson/Holstein. And questions?"

RIKKE

"Yeah, not what I meant and you know it. A Paladin's senses are just as heightened as any other super with the same ability, so her little psuedo-rubdown did not go entirely unnoticed," Rikke pointed out. "Though, now I know who to go to when I need information...wonder what stories she'd be willing to share about you guys growing up." She would never go through with the implied threat, of course. Rikke would learn about Phoenix only what Phoenix wanted to share _herself_. Taking another deep breath she just said, "No use wasting time and breath over something useless."

Rikke had already moved closer towards the door, with the implication being that they would be exiting. However at the woman's cry of pain, her attention was immediately drawn over to where she held her elbow. As the woman continued to ramble on -likely to distract herself from the pain- Rikke was able to move her hand and see a sizable lump beginning to form. Without a word, she simply held her open hand over the area and allowed a her healing power to do the rest. The golden light that emanated from her hand fell over the entire afflicted area and the lump was gone in no time. "It's probably going to feel a little warm and tingly for a bit, but it should be all good now."

As they ended the tour, Rikke had to admit that there was still _so_ much about modern-day technology that she still had yet to get a grasp on, and it wasn't just the electronics aspect. She was massively impressed with the shower in the guest bathroom. Hot water had been quite the commodity in _her_ childhood... "Yeah, does this place come with a map?" she joked.

PHOENIX

"Lyra.. is not one for subtlety." Phoenix snorted at the thought that Lyra would attempt to *hide* anything she does. No, her cousin was loud, if anything. "We've always thought that Lyra should come with a warning sign because she absorbs information like a sponge.. and will also let the world know. On the other hand, if you're trying to dig up stories about me, I usually visit during summer break so there might not be as many stuff about me."

Although it was healed already, Phoenix still had her hand over the spot because.. the tingly feeling Rikke warned was there and it felt.. strange. She wondered how it'd feel for a Paladin to heal a major wound. It was one thing to watch her cousins have faster healing abilities, it's another to just to have the pain disappear just like that.

"We'll have to ask Erin or Tomi to draw one up. Last I heard, the sketches that Luke and the twins provide them are.. chicken scratch. It seems that drawing is one of the skills they didn't perfect." She joked, "Not to mention, the floor plan might change again when the kids are back to normal. Who knows? They're constantly renovating something." She paused, "If you do happen to visit the basement, it's going to feel like an entire separate house, so I guess.. brace yourself?" Now that the tour was over with, and they sorta talked things out, Phoenix didn't feel the need to escape at the first chance possible.

RIKKE

"I never would've guessed," she said flatly. "She usually so reserved," she said with a grin that belied the sarcasm. "A very _selective_ sponge, maybe. I think I've lost count of how many times different people have told her to stop hitting on Luke in front of Keagan." Rikke let out a light laugh and said, "Trust me, if I wanted any 'dirt' on you or anything, I'd have already gotten it. You're sacred Cousin Summers are safe unless you decide to regale me with those tales on your own."

Rikke chuckled at the slight dig at the girls' artistic skills. "Well, considering they have both a music room that is for instruments -of all kinds- and a music room that is for recording music, I would venture to say that their artistic skills just went in a different direction is all." At the mention of approaching the basement, Rikke just shook her head and said, "I...don't really think I'll be going anywhere near the basement unless there's an emergency. With all three girls being my charges, I can keep their emotions out of my own head as with any other when it's one-on-one, but when all three together, _that_ becomes a quite a bit harder. And to answer the question I'm sure is to follow, no actually, it has not gotten easier with two of them being babies."

Having noted that Phoenix had kept hold of her elbow throughout the entire time she was showing off the cabin, Rikke gingerly placed a hand of her own on the other exposed side of the elbow. "Is everything alright?" she asked, concern lacing her voice and taking over her face. "Did the healing not take or did I miss another injury?"

PHOENIX

"She finds it fun to tempt fate where Keagan's involved." Lyra had done many things that Nix would never dare to do. One could not begin to know what is going on in her mind and Nix was just glad there was only one of Lyra since it took three people to keep her at bay. "Fair, I suppose I could give them *some* slack. They did make a career out of it, and from what I remember, they *all* know how to play more than one or two instruments." Apart from all the jokes, Phoenix was pretty impressed with how Luke and the kids got that media gig going. They even got a tour out of it and all. "Well, if there's a good time, it might just to take a look when it's only Erin down there. Sky's upstairs and Tomi's with the Izzy and Brax."

Arching her arm a bit, she looked down at the spot where the bruise would have been before shaking her head. "Oh no, it's - it healed, see? It's all gone. Since I'm more witch than wolf, I'm not used to my own wounds to go away so quickly. Even if I try to use magic to heal it, it's not quite the same, and like you said, there's this tingly sensation." She dropped her arm, "This whole instant healing thing is sure handy."

RIKKE

"Is it really tempting fate, though, if we all pretty much know that the worse Keagan is going to do is just send her back home? If anything, I'd be more concerned about what Luke might do if she oversteps, but even then they've known each other so long I can't see the kid doing anything that _permanently_ harm the wolf." She was careful in her word choice, because there was zero doubt in her mind that if pushed far enough, Luke would not hesitate to toss Lyra over one of the landing railings... "It's apparently the direction the kids wanted to go, so Luke found a way to help them do it. I'm still new to fold, but from what I can tell, Lucas has been a parent to the girls even before she knew they were biologically hers." At the suggestion of checking the basement out while Erin was alone, Rikke just shook her head, blonde mop swaying to and fro in the process. "Nope. Rather leave them their sacred space."

Her focus now on the arm, Rikke's brows furrowed slightly as she still went ahead and gave it another once over. "Well, injuries aren't necessarily cut and dry -no pun intended- so just because the bruising on the surface is gone, it doesn't mean everything is fine...." Satisfied that the healing had worked, she added, "Though I suppose that'll be something to keep in your back pocket in case a door decides to attack you again." At the mention of the tingling she lifted up the elbow a little and proceeded to wrap both of her hands around it, applying some pressure. "The tingling is kind of similar to when your foot goes numb, a little pressure will make it feel weirder at first but, eventually it makes it pass by faster. Usually, the more times the person is healed the less awkward it feels, but if we get to _that_ point, then either it means we have a very accident-prone charge or we just suck at our job."

PHOENIX

"Hmm, and being sent to Aunt Ianthe is the last thing she wants." She shrugged, "Maybe she'll remember that she's a wolf if she manages to cross the line with Luke - that hadn't happen yet. I'm kidding. As long as Lyra doesn't do something that would put the twins in harm's way, I think she's safe?" As annoying as Lyra was, Nix hadn't seen her upset Keagan enough to have the older Calvetti retaliate. "Yeah, Luke's been taking care of the twins as if they were their own since day 1 - There's a *very* low chance of that changing now that we know for sure she is the mom - other mom. "

Phoenix allowed the Paladin to thoroughly inspect her arm to her heart's content. Her eyes focusing on her arm, then up to meet Rikke's eyes once she started explaining about the tingle. "I hope this isn't a way to curse me to be injured more often just so you could heal me." She laughed before giving a shrug, "I should make sure that I don't get injured around you, or you'll start thinking I'm very accident-prone. My elbow hitting the door knob clearly isn't doing me any favours."

RIKKE

"Only because it would keep her away from her main source of gossip, because let's face it, your aunt isn't going to do much more than Keagan," she said with slight snort of laughter. Honestly, anyone in the family retaliating against Lyra in earnest was a joke. "Now that you say that, I think I should keep a closer eye on Lucas for a while. She hasn't been through a full moon since her powers were triggered, but she's also not the kind of person to wait around and have something just happen when they can try and 'investigate' on their own." Rikke looked a little confused for a second before saying, "They need to figure out nomenclature, because mom and mom is going to get old fast."

Rikke laughed at the 'accusation' and began to ease off her elbow as said, "Trust me, a 'synthetic' Paladin's ability with magic is very basic. Such a curse would be well beyond me, and honestly the cursing I do involves certain words that can't be said in household with babies." As she eased her arm back down, Rikke just gave a small shrug and said, "Lucas and Miles are exceedingly accident prone, and they're still impressive in their own right. I don't see a few bumps and bruises here and there taking anything away from you."

PHOENIX

"Well, if she's away from the gossip, that's good enough for most of us." She chuckled as well at that. "Please, keep an eye on her. God knows what would happen if something happens happen to her. The least we could do is prevent Keg from murdering the hospital staff." As if it wasn't already proof enough during recent events. "She's already talking about going parkouring with babies.. I think that's a pretty fair judgement." She also paused to think about the name conventions, "That .. is something they need to figure out - we.. have the advantage of just calling them by their names."

"Who knows, maybe it's another surprise for all of us - Magic curses are a lot more trouble than they're worth. At least in my opinion. Clearly there were a few individuals who had a different sentiment about them." She said deadpanned. "With what they're up to, I can see why I wouldn't have them beat.. Maybe that's also another reason to keep an eye on them even past the full moon."

RIKKE

"Fair one," she eagerly agreed. "Oh, I would hate to have to find. I'm beginning to regret having shared the fact that our family were wolves, but on the other hand with how magic has been lately -like in general- and also the fact we still don't technically know all of what those three can do, it's better to avoid possible surprises. Which reminds me, I don't know if you were able to tell or not since you had Miles and both babies were asleep anyway, but they have actually retained their powers. So, seeing as you, Erin, and especially Teagan don't have wolf abilities, just be careful of any projectiles and avoid them biting you at all cost. I know the idea of keeping wolfsbane in a house full of wolves sounds like asking Supergirl to hold our kryptonite, but I think you might want to keep a stash in case of emergencies."

Rikke went quiet for bit, feeling that synth Paladins were the result of a magical curse all its own. She did manage to nod in agreement, because after all, she felt she'd know. When it became obvious that either her words had gone over Phoenix's head or she'd opted to ignore them altogether, she simply laughed at the suggestion and said, "Well, they are my charges after all, so that won't be too hard." Letting out a breath she said, "I think we should probably join everyone else and head to bed. Something tells me this baby adventure is only going to grow more chaotic."

PHOENIX

"Knowing Luke.. it wouldn't be too surprising to find her testing out just what is it she can do as a Paladin before letting the twins in on the experiment." Her nose wrinkled, " A third of the reason why Keagan's stressed is because of Lyra, another third is Luke and the remaining is the twins combined. Just all sort of chaos with the four of them." She joked before nodding at the warning. "We'll give them all the toys to bite on so they don't bite us." Her lips went into a line when wolfsbane was suggested, "I .. will think about it - I'd rather not put my nieces or anyone else in danger by having it around. Although - would my wolf side trigger if I do get bitten? I am related after all."

Phoenix should really head to bed herself, but her feet did not budge. "As if everything else in this household isn't chaotic enough already? I'm sharing a room with The Hurrnado, in case you've forgotten." She grinned, "Okay.. I'll see you tomorrow then." Only then did she finally start moving *slowly* towards the direction of her room.

[shdwgambit]

Children’s Week

Alekxandar Winchester liked kids. He didn’t want any of his own, not just yet, kids tied you down and he wasn’t ready to be that responsible just yet; but other kids, orphans, children of friends and family, they were alright. They were honest, most of the time; liars come at all ages and he frequently scoffed about the notion of kids being truthful to a fault. They were honest when it came time to tell you how they really felt, or if you were different, or they disliked something about you. Ask who took that candy from the jar or if they’d eaten their vegetables, done their homework, stolen a playmates favorite toy and they would lie like anyone else. Alek enjoyed that duality; he remembered raising hell as a boy and how much fun it had been. He looked forward to children’s week.

Malikí Silverson loved kids. She liked doing fun things, she liked taking care of them and making sure they were fed and clean and happy. It never occurred to her that she herself was so childlike. It was her most redeeming quality, being so innocent and naïve. To her, kids were so much easier to get along with, they didn’t confuse her or make her feel lost and stupid. She got them and they got her. She looked forward to children’s week almost as much as Winter Veil or Hallow’s End…coincidentally, so did the children.

The very moment Children’s Week began she sprung from bed and got ready. She made sure that the bunk bed in the extra guest room was made, the new toys were set up so that when the door was opened so many surprised greeted you, some of the toys were hidden too, that was her idea. She smiled broadly. She quickly turned down the second floor hallway and began pounding on the door to Alek’s bedroom. “M’lord! Wake up!” she hollered, beating the door with her fist, “Children’s Weeeeeeeeeek!”

Alek grumbled and rolled over in bed, putting the pillow over his head and waving her away as though she could see him through the solid oak door. “Mal, what time…it doesn’t matter. It’s too early! No kid is awake yet! And it’s not like we need to pick through them to get the best ones before all the cute kids are taken.

Malikí pounded even harder and stomped her foot. “But they need breakfast! Aren’t you hungry? We can get pastries on the way and then surprise them! They would love it!” She had bent over and yelled through the keyhole, one hand cupped near her mouth like she was yelling some secret. He grunted and sat up in bed grumbling, “I’m gonna surprise you in about three seconds…” “What?!” she hollered, the pressed her ear to the keyhole. “I’m up! Go away, I’ll be out in a few minutes,” he said a bit louder then laid back down. It was quiet and he had hoped she’d went off to do whatever it is she does around the house, maybe he could get a few extra minutes of sleep…

The silence was broken yet again by her pounding on the door with both fists now, “I’m up! I’m up!” he yelled and jumped up from his bed and slammed his own fist into the door on the way to the dresser. He heard an audible “Eep!” and grinned as he got ready to go.

Each year Alek took the same little boy from the Stormwind Orphanage. Throughout the year he’d send a little money in secret and wrote to Matron to make sure he was getting a good education. Once Mal became his squire he thought it would be good if she too had a young charge and was delighted to find that little Jimmy had an identical twin brother, Graham. So now, each year they brought both little boys along on adventures and Alek did his best to impart his wisdom unto both young lads.

They learned quite a lot through his tutelage, they both wanted to be knights when they grew up, knights slayed dragons and kissed pretty girls. Knights could do whatever they wanted, even drink beer in the morning and they didn’t have to wear pants and could curse in front of old people! The Matron wasn’t fond of many of these lessons, but even she couldn’t turn a blind eye to how the twins kept bullies from the smaller children and made sure that anything extra they were given was shared among the less fortunate orphans. She wasn’t sure what kind of paladin this Winchester man was, but for all his faults he had a heart of gold and that grin of his sparkled whenever she tried to scold him.

They had breakfast, the four of them; Mal had stopped to buy all sorts of goodies and the three of them gobbled most of it up without stopping for air. It was a warm day so Alek decided that they could all go swimming in the pond afterwards since it would be easier than attempting to wipe up all the jam and sugar and sprinkles they had coated their faces in. Mal flew home quickly on her gryphon and came back with her bathing suit and a change of clothes. Alek and the twins had already stripped to their shorts and dove in. They had fun for a while and then the wind threatened to turn water a bit too cold Alek decided it was time for something else.

“Well then, guys, what’s next?” he asked, allowing himself to dry off in the sun. The boy’s reclined next to him and grinned like little demons. Graham tried to peek out of the corner of his eyes towards Malikí as she dried off and changed behind a large tree. He had a crush on her since he first laid eyes on her, she was prettier than the matron and all the girls at the Orphanage. Jimmy turned to Alek with a look on his face that the paladin knew well. “We want tattoos!” he cried, pointing at the few Alek had, “Just like yours! The other kids would flip out if we got them!”

Alek laughed and shook his head, then looked over at the two boys, “Hmm...how old are you guys now?” he asked. “We’re eleven,” the other boy said, now turning to grin at Alek like his brother, “eleven and a half!” “Three fourths!” Jimmy cried out, “practically twelve!”Graham nodded his head vigorously, “Might as well be twelve, we’re so close!”

Alek laughed himself as Mal joined them, fully dried and dress and wondering what was so funny.

“Alright guys, no one said there was going to be any math today,” he said grinning. “Looks like we’re getting tattoos, Mal!”

“Ta-tattoos?” Malikí questioned the three of them. All three grinning like jackals nodded at her. “Well I don’t know..” She had only started before the puppy dog eyes set in. Rough and tumble boys as they were they still knew how to work their childish charms, at least on Malikí. “But the Matron already gave me a hard time about sponsoring an orphan this year! She said she wasn’t letting Templars have children without extensive background checks!”

The boys were starting to turn on the water works and Alek was having a hard time hiding his smile as he could see her giving in. “They only let you come stay with us because Alek isn’t a Templar anymore!” She pleaded with them.

“Oh come on Mal, its not going to kill them!” As soon as Alek spoke up the two boys were nodding their heads and had cleared their expressions back up into brilliant smiles. Malikí continued to frown but looked to Alek who gave her a smile and a nod. “But I’ll get in trouble.” She finally pouted and frowned to Alek as her last line of defense. “Well,” he says with a wink, “if anyone asks, we made you and you fought tooth and nail the whole way. Besides, we’ll get ice cream afterwards and you can tell everyone it was my idea.”

“Fine.” She said only frowning a little. “Do you know what you boys want?” Their faces broke into smiles and they both nodded quickly. “Yes!” Malikí gathered up the wet bathing suits and hung them over a limb. “So what do you want to get, and when do you want to get them?” She asked turning back around to them. “I’m going to get one like Alek’s!” Jimmy said pointing toward the paladin’s back. “Yeah me too!” Graham grinned but didn’t point out any specific one. Malikí simply nodded and looked to Alek waiting for him to answer the ‘when?’. “Well today is good as any, besides they’ll need to get healed good before they go back to the orphanage, after a day we can help that along.” Alek grinned and nodded at the boys.

“Alright. While we’re still near Stormwind then? On no I guess we’d have to go somewhere else to I don’t?” she looked to Alek about where they’d have to go. “Booty Bay!” He explained. “I know this great little place...” He started explaining a little goblin run establishment that offered such services and didn’t ask questions. Malikí looked a little worried. “Oh don’t worry Mal it’ll be okay we’ll get you a disguise the goblins won’t even know you’re an Admiral!” He laughed to himself, he still had no idea how she’d managed it, and without even knowing. Maybe they needed a scapegoat or something.

They caught a gryphon ride from the flight master and soon found themselves in Booty Bay. The boys had never been there before but they had heard tales of pirates and treachery and goblin treasure hidden all around. Their eyes sparkled like gems themselves as Alek led them into a small shack in a middle tier. The proprietor, a heavily tattoo’d goblin himself looked up from the orc he was working on and nodded at Alek, then did a double take at the two boys he had with him. The boys looked around as the goblin finished his work and for a moment he looked as if he might say something, then shrugged his shoulders, money was money.

Jimmy lept into the chair as soon as it was empty and smiled his most winning smile at the goblin. “Alright, whaddaya need, kiddo?” he asked, as he prepared his little workstation. “I want a skull, like his,” the boy replied, pointing to Alek. The paladin grinned and obligingly pulled the back of his shirt up to his shoulder blades. “Yeesh, maybe a little better than his, huh, kid,” the artist grimaced. Alek turned around with a furrowed brow and nodded, “I was hoping you could touch that up for me, and uh, I dunno how appropriate a skull smoking a cigar is for a boy...” Jimmy pouted a moment, then grinned, “What if instead he has a monocle to match his tophat!?” The idea of that struck Alek as simultaneously hilarious and fitting. “I think that’s a fantastic idea,” he replied. He paid the goblin ahead of time, and surreptitiously cleansed the boy and the chair with a blast of holy magic as the goblin worked the till.

Even as the artists began and the look of shocked pain came over Jimmy’s face and then fell away to courage and finally pride Alek didn’t think this was a bad idea. To him, it was just another step in becoming an adult and these poor orphans had to grow up quick to be swallowed whole by the world around them. With no parents and no real opportunities, it might be a matter of time before these kids were on their own and Alek wanted more than anything for them to be prepared for that as much as possible. He smiled as the goblin worked, now and then inspecting the tattoo and nodding reassuringly to Jimmy and giving him a thumbs up. In no time at all it was done and the boy saw it in the mirror and laughed himself, “That was no big deal, I could get six more if I wanted!” Alek laughed and shook his head, “Whoah, whoah, slow down big guy. You gotta grow some more muscle first, or he won’t have any room!” The boy laughed and flexed his biceps, grimacing slightly at the soreness then hopped off the chair.

His brother jumped up and grinned coyly, rubbing his hands together. “Ya, whadda you want, kiddo? Skulls? Swords? Axes?” the goblin asked, changing out his tools for a second. “No way,” Graham said shaking his head with that same sly smile still stuck to his face, “I want a naked lady!” This time everyone laughed, even the tattoo artist. He looked to Alek who shrugged and was about to say something when the boy cut him off. “One that looks like her,” he said, pointing directly at Malikí. This only served to make Alek laugh even harder as Mal’s face turned a deep crimson and she shook her head, “What? Me? No!” She crossed her arms and tried to step back behind Alek who was now almost doubled over in laughter. “Mal,” he said in between deep breaths, “if it’s what he wants, who are we to argue? Isn’t his life hard enough?” he asked, then lost himself in a fit of laughter.

The boy, however, looked deadly serious and when it dawned on him that perhaps he’d pressed his luck and now they were all laughing at him and not with him he too turned red. Malikí was the prettiest girl he’d seen and he had such a crush on her, he thought she’d like the idea. Alek told him that ladies like feeling pretty and when boys ask them for dates! The goblin wiped his eyes and face and then held his hand out to Alek. “Well, thanks for the laugh, but it ain’t free pal, nekkid redhead’s don’t tattoo themselves.” The paladin nodded and looked at Mal, her face was still red and she still had her arms crossed in front of her chest, but it was true, this little boy’s life was very difficult. How could she deny him something that would make him happy? Her face scrunched up a second and she sighed, this was all Alek’s influence, other little boys wouldn’t ask for such things!

Alek handed the goblin a few more gold coins, “Tastefully, huh? I still have to bring him back to the orphanage and I’m already going to be in trouble. I don’t want them denying us when we come back next year!” The goblin nodded his head, “Sure, sure mack. Don’t worry about it.” He looked up at Mal for a second and she immediately felt scrutinized and her face reddened yet again but before she could say anything he looked back down at the boy’s arm and set to work. Jimmy was going a mile a minute in the shop, looking at everything and exclaiming how jealous the other kids would be and Alek has his hands full keeping him occupied and not touching things. Before too long the goblin looked up with a grin and winked at Malikí, “There we go, how’s that?”

Alek came over and was surprised, his eyebrows arched and he let out a whistle. The tattoo was impressive, a red headed woman in profile, though her torso was turned away and she looked over her shoulder back at the viewer. Though she was nude, it was very tasteful, nothing inappropriate showed and it was fit enough for a gallery. “That’s absolutely great,” Alek said, “Mal, come look at this.” She begrudgingly stepped over and an audible sigh of relief was heard as she finally uncrossed her arms, it was better than she expected, and looked just like her. The goblin grinned a big toothy gold and truesilver capped smile and nodded his head as he cleaned his tools. “Of course it’s great, I’m an artist!” he said with a knowing nod, “What you think just cuz I work in this dump I cut corners?” Alek laughed and shook his head, “No, and thanks! Now how about we fix this on my back, huh?”

The goblin sat him down and took a look at his back, “Drunk, huh? Well it’s gonna cost you, I might be an artist, but I’m not a miracle worker.” Now it was everyone else’s turn to laugh at Alek as he grinned and began shelling out more gold.

[onewingedcharmer-blog]

“When We First Met”

Title: When We First Met

Characters: Xayah and Rakan

Word Count: 5116

Description: This is my version of the lore before Riot releases the lore. Lots of flashback about when the two first met. (Disclaimer: This was written before the release of the official lore from Riot. The only things that factored into this story were their abilities, appearance, and voice lines as well as some headcanoning from me.)

"Do you remember when we first met, Xayah?"

She snorted. "Pfft, how could I forget? You were so loud. How could I not notice you?"

"You were so cute."

"Don't call me cute."

"You were so cute!"

"Then what am I now?"

"Sizzle."

They laughed as they leaned on each other's shoulders while lying underneath a large tree in a forest clearing. Light shined in between the leaves as it poured down onto the ground. The only sounds they could hear were their own, the chirping of birds here and there, and the scurrying of small mammals searching for nuts. It was fall. Winter was arriving, and Nature was preparing. Temperatures were beginning to drop, but the two were nestled closely together, sharing their warmth.

Rakan broke the cuddling to look at Xayah, his blue eyes meeting her violet. "You know, I remember how we met as if it were yesterday."

"Getting sentimental, are we?"

"No. Just. Sorta thinking."

"Well, why don't we take a trip down memory lane, Rakan? It's been a while."

I remember when we first met that you were wearing a purple cloak.

I always wore a purple cloak, Rakan.

YES. But this one was the one with the jewels and the embroidery. You know, the ones that were in style decades ago when we were in our teens. You were surrounded by a bunch of your friends.

I had friends?

Yeah it went something like this..

It was when Xayah was a bit less uptight and a bit more youthful. She wasn't exactly old right now since this was decades ago, a few human years relative to her lifespan, but the way she acted was more fitting for her age. Although even back then, she was still considered a bit uptight compared to others.

Her current work hardened her, made her less likely to feel or emote. Only Rakan could really bring that out of her.

She walked along with her "friends", you know, the ones that annoyed her a little bit but were company no less. They gossiped; she didn't. They flirted; she didn't. And what boy were they talking all the time? Good ol' Rakan. "What a charmer," they'd say, or "I would DIE to just bE neAR HIM."

Xayah couldn't care less about Rakan. He was a bit of a show-off, and he was all talk, no act. A cockatoo with a bit of narcissism and a lot of charm. He had charm. She did give him that.

There he came, walking down the road with a flock of young Vastaya behind him. They spread their wings for him and cooed his name. Ugh, she hated them.

One dark deep secret about Rakan was his insecurities about his lone wing. Most Vastaya of avian lineage tended to have both wings; most flew, but some didn't. He was made fun of as a kid. With both parents able to fly, they wondered what had gone wrong, why did their kid only have one wing?

That was a thought he had kept in his head for all of his life. He was a bit of a mistake. He was meant to have two wings. He was meant to fly. Why did he have only one? A mistake. That's what he was.

He always self-conscious about his lonely wing, but when he reached the peak of his adolescence, he started realizing something new within his soul. Some kind of weird feeling. It crept up to his skin and asked to be released. A yearning of some sort. A tingling that spread from his flesh to his bones.

He escaped the first night out of the window of his home, leaping from cliffside to cliffside until he found a safe haven, a cave that bore into the mountain, as if some god stuck a shovel into it and hollowed it out. He allowed himself to release the tension out of his index finger, a tiny flare of what looked like fire lit up the cavern, placing shadows on the walls. He allowed himself to release further, making a sphere of light large enough to fit into the palm of his hand. He did this until he felt the tingling go away, and with it, the light extinguished.

He sat there and let the revelation wash over him. He could do magic. And then his focus shifted to his wing. What if he?

He mustered up the last of his energy to transfer the light onto his wing. His feathers glowed with the light of a rainbow, all colors coming alive as they came bouncing off of the wing. He smiled.

“Woah.”

Xayah had never thought much of her own singular wing. She had assumed that it was just natural, after all she had had it since birth, but she did have her own thoughts about what it meant:

Birth defect. Simple. Easy. It happens. Nothing she can do about it. Moving on.

Genetics. Sure, her parents could fly, but she knew enough about recessive genes to know that being born with only one wing was definitely a possibility.

Destiny. The least likely of the three, but still an option.

She couldn't help but feel a bit uncomfortable around Rakan, the other one-winger. Sure, she hated him because of his cockatoo-type narcissistic attitude, but she was more uncomfortable by the fact that he had only one wing. She didn't believe in destiny, but it irked her.

She wore a cloak because she wanted to conceal, but he flaunted. She liked to keep her wing to herself while he parades his, with its bright colors that go from red to orange to yellow to green to so many shades that it annoyed her.

When alone at home, away from the gossipy geese. She looked down at her own wing. Dark. The opposite of glamour. The epitome of boring. Blue. Indigo. Violet.

He, the other one-winger, had a magnificent wing that made up for his lack of another one. It was fluffy and looked soft, it had color, it had pizzazz, and he displayed it everywhere he went, and rightfully so.

Hers was dark. Not fluffy at all, just a regular wing. Stiff feathers with hardened bristles. Equipped for heavy wind, but never to fly. Cool colors. To match her "cool" personality. She hated every bit of it. And she hated him for having one wing too. Because maybe it was destiny.

A late-adolescent Xayah had her own fair share of "magical journeys". Although Rakan's started with tingles, Xayah's started with a glow. She began to wear a cloak because her feathers would fade in and out of light for all eternity.

She didn't know what to really think:

A. She could be happy that her wing finally had some sort of purpose. Perhaps a night light for her possible future children. She could serve her village by serving as the eternal streetlight. Lighthouse was also a promising future profession.

B. She could cover it up and act like it never did anything weird at all. No glowing here. Nope. That doesn't happen. Why would that happen? That sorta thing only happens in movies.

So, B was her answer. But, like Rakan, she escaped the village to go into a nearby cave on the side of a mountain. She still had curiosity. Xayah sat there in the purple light of the cave, not bright, but always present. She moved her wing so that she could see it without turning around and took a hand to gently brush it, watching as her coarse feathers shined brighter with each stroke.

She wasn't all that worried about others seeing. The cave was far enough that no one could possibly find her. She continued to brush her wing. Dim to flickering to twinkling to bright. She could see that light was pouring out of the cave, and so ventured deeper to duck into a curtain of lichen. She wasn't worried, but she also didn't want to risk it.

Something made her want to pluck a feather. Maybe it was her getting antsy. Maybe it was her insecurities finally leading to self-harm. Maybe it had to do with the glowing. But, there she was, holding onto one of her feathers. It was one buried into her wing, one that wouldn’t show if it were gone. She held onto it with a tight grip and with a mighty roar ripped it from her wing.

The feather surprisingly came off easily, as if she had drawn an arrow from a quiver. Its glow was brighter than her entire wing, filling the entire crevice with an almost blinding purple light. Xayah could feel a little bit of blood dribble its way out of the wound left from plucking her feather. She didn’t care. That wasn’t her focus right now. A natural instinct made her want to flick her wrist. And so, she did.

The feather flew out from her hand and hit the wall opposite her, sticking into the rock and causing cracks to spread out from it. Her eyes widened as she glanced down to her hand and then back to the wall. She began to crawl on all fours, scurrying over to the other side of the cave as quickly as she could. What. The. Hell.

On the bright side, her wing stopped glowing, and she noticed that her wound had healed with a new feather already replacing where the old one once was.

She pulled the feather out of the wall and ran off back home. There were only a few drops of blood left on the rock, so she didn’t worry. She figured she would be back soon and that she would be the only who used this cave. After all, she’d be back once her wing started glowing again, which didn’t happen the next day.

Day 2. This time Rakan was determined to see what sort of weird thing could happen in that cave. The tingling feelings didn’t come for a full day, but now they were back and stronger than ever.

He ventured into the cave and began to conjure up flares, just as he did before, but because he wanted to practice some real light magic, he dove deeper into the cave, passing a curtain of lichen. He smiled as he thought about how they would block the light from exiting the cave’s mouth and beaming onto the village below.

He breathed. In and out. And he released the tension. Spirals from both hands now wove their way to a height of about 6 inches tall, shining bright enough to light an entire room. He attempted to sculpt the light that he produced, staring intently into the yellow glow with his eyes. Maybe if he just tried hard enough. The light would bend. And bend it did. The light wove from spirals to spheres to little stars. He even managed to allow a ball of light to lift off of his hand and fly its way to the other side of the cave.

He paused. There was something there. He walked closer towards the light until he came upon the wall opposite to him.

A hole. Cracks. He turned around and looked at the ground where he once stood. Blood. He backed into the wall in slight terror, making a tiny sound as his back ran into the rock.

Another light ball. That’s what he needed. He needed to see what happened with his own eyes. Rakan conjured up another ball of light, only to have it flicker out. He couldn’t concentrate, and his magic was already running low. He shook his head and walked towards where he had seen the blood.

It was gone.

Day 2. Wing didn’t glow yesterday, but it was glowing today. Nothing that a trip to the cave won’t fix, right? Xayah donned her purple cloak and headed a bit earlier than usual, telling her parents that she was going out on an evening walk. She knew she could sneak out if she wanted to, but she didn’t want to deceive them.

She couldn’t stop thinking about her feathers. Her feathers that were coarse and stiff. The ones that no one would want to touch. She never thought that they might have actually been deadly. And the way that her feather grew back so quickly, and how painless it was to rip it out. She couldn’t exactly put a finger to what the cause may be, but her suspicions led to one conclusion: magic.

Who could she tell? No, she couldn’t tell anyone. Magic wasn’t usually a problem? It is a problem if you can kill people. Why her?

She decided that maybe the cave wasn’t the best idea today. Maybe she should do what she told her parents. An evening walk. She could just pick some berries in the woods nearby, enjoy the sounds of nature, calm her nerves of potentially being able to kill things. Nice. Sounded like a plan.

Her mind continued to buzz with thoughts as she began to change her course in order to head towards the woods. She couldn’t help but think about why it was this. Why shooting feathers like bullets? Why couldn’t she get a normal magic power? You know, like, light magic, or something.

She shook off her mind once she stepped foot into the trees, admiring the way that the sunset cast its way through the leaves. She smiled. Yes, this was calming. She even saw a berry bush not too far away. The world was on her side.

Bird noises. Leaves blowing in the wind. The smell of earth. Yes, this was exactly what she wanted. She bunched her cloak to create a basket for her picked berries. One hand held the berries while the other reached for them.

Xayah found herself enjoying the moment, humming a little bit as she continued to gather the berries. Sure, her tensions were still high, but nature calmed her into a false trance. She could forget about everything just for this moment... That is, until she heard something.

Something was rustling in a tree behind her. Her ears perked as she let the berries drop. Xayah didn’t even think before she acted. She whipped around and plucked a feather, throwing it towards the noise. She only realized what she had done when she heard a body drop onto the ground. She instinctively extended a hand towards where she heard the thud. Her feather came flying back to her, as if it was returning home.

She walked, taking careful steps towards the tree, feather still in hand. She looked down to find a small mammal, probably was just gathering nuts for the winter. A sigh released from her lungs as she picked the thing up by its tail. It was dead. Blood dripped onto the ground as she inspected the clean incision that the feather made into the animal. She laid it back onto the ground, suddenly feeling the dampness of the feather in her hand. It looked like she got promoted from honorary lighthouse to assassin.

It was time to go back home.

Every other day the tingles would come back. It was on a regular schedule now, but Rakan noticed that he could still use his magic even when the tingles weren’t there, although he had the most energy when they were. He went back to the cave every time they came. It was the safest place to be alone without getting caught around the village, so he decided to keep going there, even with the blood fiasco that he encountered days before.

So, he returned to the cave that day, deciding to experiment with his magic. He found that if he worked it into his feathers, they would give off a shine, and that if he let go of some light while he danced, it gave a more flattering performance. He let his feet wander while he walked toward the back of the cave, tapping to the beat of a song in his head. He twirled and lunged across the cave floor, allowing some of his magic to seep through the barrier of his skin. Just enough to give him a bit more flair, but not enough to show that he was using it. A smile crept to his face as he choreographed his way to the curtain of lichen that he so loved.

He opened the curtain and immediately frowned. What was this?

His feet stopped, and his light faded. What. Happened? There were holes everywhere, all the same shape, as if someone had taken a spike and drilled it into the wall, again and again and again. He ran towards the back of the cave, a sphere of light in his hand. Maybe there was something here? Maybe he wasn’t alone. But there was nothing there; all he was met with was the back wall, also littered with holes.

He walked closer to one of the holes; it seemed like there was something sticking out of it. He neared to find that there was a crumpled purple feather stuck into the wall, taking it out of its socket and staring at it for a second.

“Who are you?”

Xayah’s wing was glowing brighter than ever. Just the day before she had done target practice inside that one cave in the mountain; that is, with the target being all of the walls. She used up a lot of feathers, but she found that when she woke up the next day, they had all regrown. It was like the whole world was telling her to become a killing machine. But, she kept most of the feathers she used in a small bag that she decided to keep around, all of the ones that were still intact anyways. For some odd sadistic reason, she enjoyed having her ammunition with her at all times. It felt powerful, and it felt like her wing now had a purpose, as a quiver.

A smile crossed her face as new confidence found its way into her soul. She shook her head in disbelief and gave a chuckle at the thought of boosting her confidence by killing something, but she felt good all the same. Something about having a purpose and being able to harness her new power gave a brand new feel to her walk. She grabbed a basket as she walked out of her house.

Today, she was going to go to the marketplace. Her parents asked her to pick up some meat and vegetables for tonight’s dinner. The full moon was to rise tonight and every Vastaya knew that a hearty meal on the night of the full moon was good for the soul and good for superstition. Prosperity, luck, and happiness were all thought to come on the day of the full moon. The marketplace seemed more alive than ever, all in the village were reaping the benefits of the full moon, even Rakan, who also was taking a trip to the market.

He had three goals in mind: buy the best quality ingredients, get them at the best deals, and find the Purple Feather. The last one was not included in his mother’s instructions, but he tacked it onto the list anyway. After all, practically everyone would be in the market today; if he was going to meet this person, he was going to meet them today.

He held the feather in his hand as he walked, admiring the way the purple faded into a dark, midnight blue. If he put the feather inside of two cupped hands, he could tell that it glowed. He didn’t remember that happening yesterday. As he arrived at the village center, he tucked the feather away into one of his pockets.

First, buy the meat. No shopper wants to get the leftover meat, so Rakan decided to head over to the butcher first. Already a large line had formed outside of the door; he wondered if he was already too late. Well, it wouldn’t hurt to at least wait in line some. After all, the vegetables never ran out. It was the meat that ran out. He decided to stand in line, and maybe he would have some fun with his magic.

First, buy the vegetables. By the end of the day, all of the good veggies would be gone, and the remaining roots and leafy greens would be bruised from all the hands that touched them while bargaining for deals. Also, if the butcher ran out of meat, a proper meal could still be made of vegetables, while meat alone would not be fit for the full moon. If one were to go for the meat first, they may get stuck in the bad situation of cooking dinner with low-quality, bruised vegetables, which was no good.

Xayah headed straight towards the Full Moon Market, which only opened on days of the full moon. A sort of festival atmosphere always hung over the village when the moon became full, something about the more than usual bustling dirt roads and the amount of people talking and laughing while gathering ingredients for their full moon feast. She found herself smiling as she noticed her neighbor scoring a bunch of carrots for a discount. Negotiation was an art.

She merrily strolled along the market, buying items as she saw them: some carrots here, some onions there, a sprig of rosemary, and dried peppers. Her basket was almost full now with her stock of ingredients. Now, all she needed was to pick up some potatoes, which were always in a surplus, and then she would head over to the butcher to see if there was any meat left. As she neared the butcher’s shop, she noticed some villagers walking away from the shop in disappointment. It looked like they ran out of meat. She sighed but continued to walk. Maybe they still had some scraps. Her mother could always work with scraps.

Her gait stopped when she noticed Rakan, this time without the girls following him. He looked. Strangely crestfallen. She thought for a second that it suited him better and then noticed that he had no meat in hand. She began to approach him.

“Why’re you looking so sad, Birdboy? You look like someone just plucked your wing.”

Rakan looked up at Xayah and scrunched his eyebrows as he tried to remember who she was. “Uhh.. what?”

“You look like. Someone just plucked your wing.” Yikes. Her tone was scary.

“O-oh! Yeah.” He cleared his throat and tried his best to hide his disappointment. He let a fake laugh escape from his mouth and he rubbed the back of his neck. “It looks like they ran out of meat. Mom’s gonna kill me.”

She saw right through it.

Xayah thought for a moment and then turned away from him. “Alright, well. Wait here. No point in looking for produce because it’s all bad and bruised by now. I’ll be back soon.”

“Wait,.. What? Where are you going?”

“Ula bache.”

Why am I doing this? She wondered as she walked into the woods. Maybe because he just looked so defeated? Maybe as an excuse to use her magic? She wanted to say the latter, but she knew it was the former. Not having a proper full moon dinner would mean superstitious bad luck for Rakan’s family for the next month, and she didn’t need that guilt hanging on her neck. So, she waited.

She waited for the sign of prey until the sun started to creep down the sky. Her mother must be wondering where she was, but she shook the thought off, focused on the task at hand. Her ears were raised, ready to strike the moment she heard a rustle, and her fingers rubbed anxiously against the feather in her hand. One shot was all she had. She was sure that one shot would cause the whole forest to flee.

Just when she was about to give up and go home, Xayah heard something behind her and twirled around to attack, releasing three feathers towards the sound. She gasped when she noticed the source of the noise.

It was Rakan.

“Watch out!”

Rakan saw the feathers flying toward him and immediately ducked, hearing them as they whizzed over him, hitting with a loud noise the trees behind him. What the hell was that!?

He slowly came back up, scared to find another feather, only to find Xayah staring straight at him with a hand in front of her mouth.

“Uhh.. h-hey?”

“What are you doing here?!”

“I followed you ‘cause I got bored waiting.”

“But, you almost got hurt! I was trying to--” She paused. “You actually waited?”

“Yeah, I mean, you looked like you had something planned.”

“I did have something planned. Until you went and ruined it.”

“So,.. what was the plan?”

She suddenly became self-conscious. “Ugh. Listen, you don’t even need to know ‘cause you messed it up anyways.” She got annoyed and started to walk off. She had feathers to collect anyway.

“Was the plan to kill me? ‘Cause those feathers looked deadly!”

Shit. He knows about the feathers now. She turned around and looked at him with deadly violet eyes. “If you tell anyone, I’ll--”

“Oh, don’t worry. Honestly, no one would believe me. And besides, I felt like that wasn’t the plan anyway.” He shrugged and held up both hands, looking at her with half-open eyes and a smug smile. “I think that you were trying to help me out.”

“And what if I was?”

“I dunno, seems sorta out of character. I thought you didn’t like me.”

“And how would you know that?”

“We met like a week ago, right? You were with those girls. You rolled your eyes.”

He was smarter than she thought. “Yeah, I did.”

“Why?”

She exhaled in annoyance. “Look, I’m not here to play counselor. All I wanted to do was hunt for some meat.” She turned away from him. “And if I had some extra, I would’ve given it to you.”

“Y’sure it wasn’t all for me?”

His quick wits got on her nerves. “Wow. How narcissistic can you get?”

He crossed his arms. “Just wondering is all. No need to insult me or anything.” He began to walk in the opposite direction of her. “Well, seeya.”

Xayah scrunched her eyebrows. No, this wasn’t gonna work. What if he goes and tells everyone about her powers? It would be wonderful dinner conversation. Even worse, what about his family’s dinner?

“Rakan, stop.” Rakan stopped. “I’m sorry.”

“For what?”

“For. Almost killing you.”

He began walking again. She slowly began to follow.

“And for..” She swallowed her pride. “Calling you narcissistic. No matter how true it is, I shouldn’t have said it.”

He was still walking.

She breathed. “And I didn’t come out here to hunt for myself.” He stopped. “I came out here to hunt because.. No matter how much I despise you, I couldn’t walk away knowing you weren’t going to have a good full moon.”

He turned around to look at her, arms still crossed, but a smile of victory on his face. “Since we’re saying truths here, I want to tell the truth too.” He stifled a laugh. “I don’t actually know your name, and I only recognize you because of that cloak.”

She frowned. Still as absentminded as ever, huh?

“My name’s Xayah.”

“Xayah.” He smiled and let the name hang in the air. “My name’s Rakan.” He extended a hand.

“..I know that already.” She looked at him with a fake smile and let his hand hang. “So, can I go now?” She almost regretted apologizing. He probably wouldn’t have told anyone anyways. She began to turn around again.

“I’m glad I finally met you.”

She paused and turned back to him. This guy. “Huh?”

Rakan pointed behind her with one hand, at the trees with purple feathers sticking out of them, the bark cracked where the feathers buried themselves. With his other hand, he reached into his pocket to reveal the feather that he kept since yesterday, now glowing quite visibly in the darkening day. Xayah’s eyes widened.

“How did you find that?”

“The cave.”

“The cave?”

“Yeah, you destroyed the inside of it.”

“Why were you in there?!”

“‘Cause that’s where I go to train!”

“What could you possibly be training?” She didn’t mean that to come out as mean as it did, but it did. She bit her lip.

He frowned and turned around.

“Wait, Rakan, I’m sorr--”

He held up a finger as he tensed his wing. His fricken colorful, parrot-type wing. She swallowed her apology again.

“What are you doing? Showing off?”

He waved his finger in frustration as his wing grew even more tense. It looked like he was going to explode. His face was red, he was biting his lip, and she could tell that sweat was forming on his forehead.

Xayah started to laugh. In fact, she laughed so hard that her hood started bothering her, so she took it off, letting the air finally hit her face.

“What are you doing?”

He finally gave up and turned around, looking to the ground with a scrunched face and then looking up at her. He swallowed. Suddenly, his disappointment and embarrassment turned into anxiety. His heart started to flutter, and he could feel himself sweat a little bit more.

“Y-you took off your hood!”

“Yeah?” She smirked, noticing his obvious nervousness.

“C-cool! I.. uh. Was just.” He looked at his wing. It was bright as the sun, but he knew that wasn’t voluntary and was definitely not awesome at all. He looked back at her. “Listen, I--”

She held up a finger, much like how he did to her. “No need.” She finally took off her cloak to show her own wing, glowing with the same radiance.

Beat. “Woah.”

“So, Birdboy, let’s talk.” She smiled as she picked up on some rustling behind her, a coincidental gift from the world. She threw a feather toward the sound without turning around, hearing a thud as the prey fell to the ground. Rakan’s eyes grew wider.

“How about we share some dinner?” She offered as she began to walk towards her kill.

“U-uh.. s-sure!” He smiled and followed along.

Rakan smiled as he buried his cheek into her hair. “You know, that’s when I fell in love.”

“When I shot that giant squirrel out of the tree with my back turned?”

“Yeah.”

“Hmm.. I can’t really say the same, hun.”

“When did you then?”

“When you started flexing your wing as if it was a bicep.”