#but when asked where I live I say dah UP eh!

[luci-in-trenchcoats]

Imagine...Dean & His Babies

Pairing: Daddy!Dean x reader

“What are you doing? What are you doing?” cooed Dean, tickling the baby laying on the floor with him. He giggled when Cole giggled, your eight month old doing his best to climb up on Dean’s chest and tickle him back.

“Mommy,” said the three year old sat between your legs, hair half braided. “Are you going to have another baby?”

“What gave you that idea, honey?” you asked, eyeing Dean who just smirked backed.

“Daddy was talking about a baby,” she said, Dean smiling as he sat your son up.

“Oh, was he?” you said.

“Baby. Not a baby,” said Dean.

“What’s Baby?” she asked, Dean giving you a puppy dog look.

“Daddy use to have a black car we called Baby,” you said.

“Where’d it go?” she asked.

“It was stolen,” said Dean. “About a year ago. We used to go for rides. Remember?”

“No,” she said, climbing out of your lap the second you had the hair band snapped into place. “Can I go ride my bike?”

“Sure. I wanted to rock my Dad carrier anyways,” said Dean.

“It’s called a-“

“A dad carrier, duh,” he said, scooping up your son, heading for the garage.

“No it’s not,” said your daughter, skipping down the hall.

“It’s a little pipsqueak carrier then,” he said, catching up with her easily, tossing her over his shoulder.

“Daddy!” she giggled, Dean handing your son off to you so he could run with her to the garage.

“Okay. Now ladies and little dude. The real question is do we want to go enjoy this lovely day outside at the park?” he asked.

“Uh huh,” you said, Dean setting your daughter down, his head tilting when she went to the garage door.

“Whoa, let’s get your bike before we…” said Dean, trailing off as she climbed up on her stool and hit the button, the door opening just in time for his jaw to drop.

“Oh baby,” he said with a silly grin, patting the car he hadn’t seen in forever. “Where did you come from sweetheart?”

“Ava found it. When we were driving home one day,” you said.

“How…” he said, spinning back to you. “How did…”

“Come on dad. Let’s take her for a spin.”

“I’m going to ask this once,” said Dean, leaning against the hood of Baby, watching Ava peddle back and forth on the path in front of you.

“I called Sam, dropped the kids off at home, went to the guy’s house and politely asked for our car back was all,” you said.

“Cole, that means mommy scared the crap out of him,” said Dean, Cole giggling against Dean’s chest. “I missed this car so much.”

“The dumbass that took her never even looked in the trunk,” you said.

“Grenade launch-“

“No,” you said.

“Someday when you’re big enough Cole, we are testing that baby out with your sister,” said Dean.

“I’ll divorce you,” you said.

“You almost went to hell for me. I don’t think a little grenade launcher will make you get rid of me,” he teased.

“You didn’t invite me,” you said, Dean cocking his head.

“Eh. I guess you can come,” he said dramatically, Cole shoving a hand in Dean’s mouth. “Hey. I’m flirting with your mom. You’re too little to be embarrassed yet.”

“I think somebody’s getting hungry,” you said, pulling out a bottle from his bag and handing it off to Dean. He plucked Cole out, holding him and the bottle as he sat up on the hood, waggling his nose a little.

“Ah, left more. Oh that’s it,” he said when you scratched his nose for him. “Thanks sweetheart.”

“Mhm. You’re a very smiley man today, Dean,” you said.

“I got my girl and all my babies back again. Today’s awesome,” he said, biting his bottom lip. “How long have you had the car?”

“About a month. I had to clean it up, check the fluids and all that,” you said.

“You hide her at the bunker?” he asked. “How’s that place doing?”

“Good. It’s weird being back. It’s just a place full of old books now,” you said. “And Cas and Jack of course.”

“We lived there a long time,” said Dean.

“Maybe we can have family dinner there this week? Instead of our place. Let Ava see it all,” you said.

“She’d have a blast playing hide and seek there,” said Dean.

“But then there’s gonna be questions you don’t want to answer yet,” you said. “Or ever.”

“They don’t need to know. Monsters are gone. Everything is gone. Cas and Jack are in charge. As far as I’m concerned, the only monsters they’ll know are from fairy tales,” he said.

“I’m not saying we tell them. I’m saying we can have dinner at Cas and Jack’s place,” you said. “Come on. I know you miss it.”

“No windows? Dust everywhere?” he asked with a smirk.

“Free utilities, good water pressure, a firing range, a library...a big ass garage,” you said.

“You want to see where Mommy and Daddy used to live?” Dean asked Cole.

“Dah,” he said with a big laugh.

“Okay. I guess you guys can. We’ll leave out the monster part until you’re a little older though.”

[gottawriteanegoortwo]

Modern AU - Get the Mayor a Damn Dog

What started as me trying to explain to some friends why I’m giving Mayor Damien in a Modern AU a dog ran off and had a life of its own.

For context, Modern Damien (as I write it) is part of a failed ‘second cycle’ of the WKM events. When the barrier broke after the ‘Damien’ short, pieces of the characters trapped within were sent out to be ‘reborn’ in a modern world. This means that while Damien exists because Dark is made from pieces of the twins, William doesn’t since Wilford is him. But since there were enough differences, Damien (and Celine, don’t worry!) gets the peaceful life he deserved all along.

This, coincidently, is the first time Wilford has met Damien (in some time, he thinks). What better way to do so than by deciding Damien should get a dog?

Word Count: 2,259 (hence the read-more)

-

If there was one thing to know about the city’s mayor, it was that he wanted a dog.

(And a family, but one thing at a time.)

It came up in several interviews, and various photoshoots included him posing with dogs. Some well-meaning patrons tried to gift him a dog - in other words, drop a dog at his door without any warning - but Damien was fortunate enough to have interceded before anything actually happened. For Damien, this would be a massive decision, and he wanted the choice in when and how it happened. In fact, it was why he didn’t have a dog to this point. With how busy the City Hall was, he couldn’t justify having a dog cooped up in an apartment all day. It might be spacious, it’d be heartless, and why have a dog for the bragging rights? What about the pet’s own life?

It made the days lonely and quiet sometimes, but Damien knew it was for the best. At least it started a running gag of friends giving him dog themed items for birthdays and other occasions that were dotted around his home. One such afternoon had him dusting some items, only for a porcelain dog figure to be dislodged and fall to the ground.

“Whoa there! Don’t wanna lose this pretty thin’, eh?” Damien could only watch with a bewildered expression as a man with a pink moustache who wasn’t there before caught the figurine and neatly returned it to its place. “Looks as expensive as everythin’ else here. Musta cost a pretty penny!”

“Uh, I - hold on a moment. Where did you even come from?” Damien knew the front door was locked. The balcony would be an option for only the fool who would want to climb seven stories. The intruder mimicked Damien’s action of blankly looking around like he was also looking for an answer.

“Yer totally Mark’s friend, right?” 

“Answer my question. How did you get in here?” Damien put the duster down, glaring at the stranger. When nothing happened, he gave a slow sigh. “I don’t know. ‘Mark’ is a common name. I know a few people with that name. Can you give better clarification?” 

“Good answer! He’s a little shorter than you?” No reaction. The stranger pursed his lips, making his moustache wiggle in thought. “He makes videos fer th’ internet?” That, luckily, helped Damien put the pieces together.

“I’ve been friends with him for years, nearly since we were kids. So now can you please tell me who you are, how you got in here, and what any of this has to do with Mark?” 

“Wilford Warfstache, reporter extraordinaire at yer service!” Wilford gave a dramatic, swooping bow. “I actually went ta yer office, but ya weren’t there. Th’ security fella that found me informed that it’s actually Sunday an’ no one works in th’ buildin’ that day. So then I came here, an’ here ya are! Well done fer not working!” He finished with a dramatic ‘ta-dah’ pose, complete with jazz hands. But when Damien didn’t clap, Wilford’s pose deflated (complete with sound effects that came out of nowhere). “C’mon, Dames, I didn’t even get lost. That’s a good thing fer me.” Damien pressed two fingers against his temple as he tried to follow what was going on.

“I’m going to let most of that slide, but why did you call me ‘Dames’?”

“Why wouldn’t I?”

“For one, it’s a nickname that only my oldest friends use.”

“Aren’t we?” Damien opened his mouth to refute the bizarre question, only to notice the genuine confusion on the other’s face. One moment, Wilford acted like they were strangers, and the next gathered they were old friends in his mind? It was a rather worrying state of affairs, but it was better to not correct him just yet.

“So, Mr Warfstache, what brings you here?” Damien clasped his hands behind his back, steeling himself for some terrible news. He had heard rumours of Mark being linked with some malicious, shadowy entity. Was this related to that? What rabbit-hole had he been pulled into? Wilford appeared lost at the question, looking around until -

“Oh yeah! It’s ‘cause yer cooped up in here all th’ time. Ya need ta get out more, talk ta people, see more things! But most of all, ya need some sorta company, an’ - wait!” Damien had turned and stormed off to find his phone. “C’mon, Dames, y’ve been like this fer years! It’s not gonna kill ya ta live a little fer once.”

“And what do you know about that? You don’t know me as well as you think you do.” Damien held the phone up as a warning. “I will call the police if you keep this up.”

“Poppycock. I’m tryin’ ta help. What part of that aren’t ya seein’? Yer a man who’s obsessed with puttin’ himself last. Anythin’ that can pull yer attention from work for a split second is somethin’ ya don’t get involved with! How long are ya gonna keep not livin’ fer?”

“What I do is none of your damn business! I know the importance of my work!”

“An’ what other man in yer position would throw his life away? Any other Mayor would have a romantic partner or family who’d be there no matter what. They’d juggle everythin’ because that’s what people do! Yer not ‘sposed to be some machine who works an’ does nothin’ else!”

“But that is what I want to do! I promised to give this city my all. I’m not backing down on this.” Wilford’s hand twitched, like he was about to grab something, but he forced himself to stop. Instead, he took a heavy, slow breath. The moustache was peppered with short, black strands of hair.

“An’ neither am I. I’m not lettin’ ya throw yer life away again because yer a fuckin’ moron. No. We’re goin’. Now. Get yer fuckin’ coat.” 

“Are you listening to yourself right now? You break into my home through whatever illogical technique, complain about how I choose to live my life, and now you’re trying to bring me somewhere? You’d be mad to think I’d go anywhere with you!” Damien took a nervous step back as Wilford gave a resigned laugh.

“Mad, ya say? Wouldn’t be th’ first ta say that, an’ ya won’t be th’ last.” His head lowered at the confession. A few seconds passed before he returned his gaze to Damien with a sigh. Unlike before, it was a more sober look. “I’m not seein’ ya waste away ta be nothin’ again. All I ask is that ya come with me ta look at dogs. That’s all.”

“That’s all?”

“That’s all. Ya always said ya wanted one an’ never got one ‘cause of work. But folks love dogs! Bet we could find a little one that’ll be great in an office an’ a small apartment. Like… Like one of these!” Wilford hurried to the couch to snatch up a cushion and excitedly point to one of the printed dogs. Whatever black was in the moustache had disappeared when he turned to Damien.

“You… Do realise that’s a Great Dane, yes? The complete opposite of what you just said.” 

“An’ that’s why I didn’t pick a dog! Yer th’ expert outta th’ two of us! C’mon!”

--

Despite the tense first meeting, Damien found Wilford to be a surprisingly pleasant companion. Eccentric, yet bubbly. He had a colourful view on the world, and it wasn’t long before Damien could see why Wilford was confused on knowing Damien. They got along like a house on fire, or like friends who were simply catching up after years apart. Wilford told him about his reporting job in a TV studio, various other quirky friends he had (though photographs were needed to remind Wilford of names), and the connection between himself and Mark.

Time seemed to pass both too quickly and slowly by the time the pair arrived at the local pound. Damien had tried to talk Wilford out of this idea, but the other was indeed too stubborn to change his mind. The staff welcomed the pair in and allowed them to see the dogs that were looking for forever homes. Damien had to remind Wilford twice that a small dog was what he wanted.

(“But Dames! Look at her pudgy face!”

“Wilford, she’d need a garden as big as my entire apartment to run around in.”)

They eventually split up so Damien could walk around and see if there were any suitable candidates to bring home without running commentary from Wilford. So many dogs were lively and friendly, but far too energetic for an apartment life or would be better suited to homes with children. Despite coming to the realisation that this was the wasted trip he knew it would be, he let himself have the chance to enjoy meeting some dogs. He was reading the information on some spaniel puppies when he felt eyes on him. Damien lifted his gaze to the corridor to find he was alone. As he turned to determine where the feeling of being watched came from, he found a dog in the den directly behind him staring attentively in his direction like it was on guard. It was a corgi, and Damien guessed it was a tricolour: predominantly black with sharply defined tan markings around his shoulders, eyes and muzzle. Unlike most corgis Damien saw on Crufts, the fur was longer and fluffier.

“What’s got you on high alert, buddy?” Damien lifted the information clipboard to skim for a warning on a vicious temperament. To his relief, it was the opposite. The corgi was approximately two years old, had high stamina but was mainly calm and observant. True to the notes, the dog approached the perspex door, sitting in front of it as he watched Damien. “Or are you making sure I don’t cause trouble… Soldier? An unusual name.”

“He’s a stray,” one of the volunteers explained as they closed the storage door with the back of their foot, arms laden with a large sack of dog food. “He was found at the local army base after trying to herd some of the soldiers that were training, which is where we got the name from. It’s strange… He’s a purebred, yet there’s no chip, no alert of a missing dog anywhere in the state or in neighbouring states… Nothing. Anyone that wanted to adopt him couldn’t get him to come anywhere near them. Aside from any of us who bring him food, I don’t think I’ve ever seen Soldier get this close to anyone.”

“That is… Rather unusual for such a social breed,” Damien hummed in agreement. “I read up on them before when first checking what breeds might suit an apartment life, yet... I wouldn’t have expected to find one here.”

“It might be fate, Mister Mayor. It’s happened a few times here before. Why don’t you say hello?” Without waiting for an answer, the volunteer skirted around Damien. There was a little struggle with the weight of the sack, but they successfully opened the upper half of the door. For a moment, he considered refusing the offer, but decided otherwise. A hand was cautiously lowered to pet the dog on the top of the head. Instead, Soldier pulled back so he could sniff the hand like he had the final say in whether the interaction was allowed. Once satisfied, he bumped the top of his head against Damien’s hand.

“Oh my God. That’s the first time he’s let anyone pet him without a bribe of food,” whispered the intern. “This is like a Disney movie. You need to take him home with you. I don’t think you’re gonna find a better suited dog. Soldier is always watching and paying attention to what goes on. We have a kit that’d help you care for him, if that’s a worry. But you spend time with him and make the choice for yourself. I’ll be back in a few minutes.” The volunteer hurried off with the sack in their arms, leaving Damien alone. Once the coast was clear, Damien sighed and knelt down.

“This is all quite a rush, isn’t it? We’ve barely met and now I’m being told to bring you home. I’m sure you don’t want to be stuck with a boring man like me. I work in one room nearly all day, and I don’t have a garden. I’m sure you understand that I’m not the home you deserve.” Soldier cocked his head to the left as Damien spoke, responding with a low bark. “I’m not entirely sure whether that’s in agreement or disagreement, I’m afraid. I don’t speak dog. And I doubt you can speak human either.” To Damien’s surprise, Soldier gave another bark, before rising up and crossing his space to pick up a chewed-up teddy bear. Upon his return, he placed his front paws on the perspex to offer the bear to Damien.

“Is this for me? She’s a pretty little lady, isn’t she? Even if her dress is a little tattered.” Taking the toy, Damien once again attempted to pat Soldier’s head with the other hand. This time, Soldier accepted, allowing Damien to properly pet him.

This was how Wilford and the shelter volunteer found them several minutes. The volunteer was mid-brag about how they knew it was a match made in heaven, and Wilford was quick to agree.

“He’s a handsome little fella, huh? Ya look fairly smitten, Dames.” Wilford slapped Damien’s shoulder with a grin.

“I think I might look into the adoption process… But if I do, I’m changing his name. ‘Soldier’ doesn’t suit him. He deserves a name that’s more intelligent. I’m thinking… Barnum. It rather suits such a bright-eyed fellow, don’t you think?”

[bellasharifuddin]

The Day I Became a Mother

It’s been a while since I last post anything here, typing feels awkward as well. But this has always been a thing that I wanted to do since the day I’ve given birth, to document and blog about my pregnancy and my birth journey, so in 4-5 years to come when my memories fade, I can always come back to reminisce every detail that I keep here, like a memory capsule. 

The Day I Found Out I Was Pregnant. 

You know, when people say that when you have a strong intuition about something, trust your gut feeling, because it’s often true. Mirin and I have always talked about having kids, me wanting a baby so much within months after we got married, however, Mirin having second thoughts about it. We were both married for less than a year, sleeping on a toto without a mattress or a bed, living in the deep slum of Wangsa Maju area where the rats are larger than the cats. Hahaha. Naturally, given our circumstances, he’d want to take things slow. 

Fast forward to a couple of months, we went out for some steaks and karaoke on a weekend night. I told mirin to stop by Watsons, for me to buy a pregnancy test kit. Mirin didn’t question much, because occasionally I would randomly buy one, just for fun. But this time, I didnt just get one. I ended up buying three. Why? Because somehow, I had a strong feeling this time. I just felt... weird. It was a feeling that I can’t put it into words. 

We came home at midnight, I went to the bathroom too “pee on the stick”. Then I saw the first line... a few seconds later comes the second one. Oh my god. Okay. I knew Mirin was standing outside the toilet door, waiting. Eventually, I had to break the news to him. When I showed to Mirin, we both ended up hugging and crying. Was I happy? Was I in shock? Was I sad? Yes, a little bit of everything. Its funny that all you’ve wanted was a baby, then when it actually happens, suddenly you’re freaked out. Happy that its a blessing. Sad that it hits you without a warning. 

                                                      Pregnant!

When the morning sickness finally kicked in, I knew we couldn’t live in the current house. Its not the best place to raise a child. And the next-door neighbor was having major renovation that was super loud and noisy. After sleepless nights and searching for a new place, we eventually moved out. Bought our first bed, bought our first dining table, bought our first gas stove. A many of firsts. Soon we finally bought a baby cot from Ikea. We bought it too early. Although it was too early to put it up, but Mirin assembled it anyways. I could tell that he was excited. It was such a fun and exciting moment, for the both of us.

But those were the fun part. Like most pregnancies, the not so fun part about being pregnant was me being diagnosed with Pregnancy Hypertension during my 36th week of pregnancy. My blood pressure spiked up to 140/100 on two consecutive readings, and the next thing I know, that I’m sitting in an ambulance, on my way to Hospital Kuala Lumpur’s emergency building. 

                     At Hospital Kuala Lumpur. Waiting for an available bed

                  Mirin bought me the entire family mart food available xD

I spent 3 nights in their maternity wards, finally discharged after the doctor told me that I was clear to go. While I was in the hospital, it pains me to see new mothers struggling during the COVID19 pandemic. Throughout your stay, no visitations were allowed from anyone including your husband. If your baby cries or if you’re in pain, you’d have figure it out yourself. I remember praying to god while crying that I do not want to be induced there. The ward was stuffy and hot. There were too many people crammed in a room. It was hell. 

The Day That I Give Birth

One week after my discharge, we both went for my monthly checkup with my OBGYN at Pantai. Again, my doctor advised me to be induced tomorrow, since my blood pressure spiked again, and I was almost full term (38 weeks) so it was okay to go. She told me that “It’s best to get the baby out or else you boleh kena sawan” OMG Okay okay. So we packed our bags, ate sushi for dinner, slept soundly for the very last time, and headed to the hospital again at 9 am the next morning. 

                         Induction day. We definitely overpacked haha

       Arrived at the hospital lobby, did a mandatory swab test before entering

Appointment card. Booked and paid for the accommodations prior to checking in

I was told to change into my labor robe (I’m not too sure what it’s called), and waited. When my doctor finally arrived, she then began to insert some sort of a plastic strip deeeeeep into my cervix. Ouch, that hurts. Okay, so that’s how induction works eh? Then I was given antibiotics into my IV drip too, since I was GBS (Group-B Strep) Positive as well. 

                                Toilet selfie! Calm before the storm

After an hour, I felt the contraction. Initially it was uncomfortable, then it hurts like hell. The contractions felt like period pain but like a million times worse. Occasionally, Doctor Haslinda would come and check on my “bukaan”. Hours passed. 1cm... 2cm... 3cm.... when I finally said:

“Omg sakit sangat dah tak tahan, I want an epidural!“

Ok no, that was a lie. I initially didn’t want to take an epidural. I wanted to try and bear with the pain, but Mirin convinced me to take it, so after tossing and turning like a dying fish I finally said okay. 

The anesthesiologist came after what felt like an eternity, and asked me to sign a consent form. I’m not really sure what was written in that. Siapa je ada masa nak baca terms and conditions panjang panjang bila tengah contractions??? 

He told me to sit on the edge of the bed, while hugging a pillow. I remembered him injecting some numbing spray, then I felt the BIG NEEDLE poking through my spine. Then.. that was it. It was so fast. The entire process took only 5 mins. Was it painful as I thought it would be? No. Was it still scary tho? Yep hahaha.

Soon after, Dr Haslinda pecahkan air ketuban when I was 4cm dilated. It didnt hurt because I was on epidural, but I felt so much warm liquid flowing out non-stop. So bizarre. 

Once you’re on epidural, you’re basically bed-ridden. No bathroom trips anymore, my legs feel like jelly. Sometimes the nurse will come to empty my bladder with a catheter. When the epidural kicked in, I could finally sleep. I slept like a baby. I slept for hours. Painless. No more feeling like a dying fish. And so I thought.............

3am. I woke up with INTENSE CONTRACTION PAIN. Why is it so painful? I thought I’m on epidural? I called the nurse straight away. Turned out the epidural drug ran out. It was sooo stressful because the nurse that was on duty that night didn’t know how to topap balik the epidural drug into the machine. She called her colleague, then the colleague also tak tahu. Then both of them spent like forever to troubleshoot how to use the machine, sampai lastly kena call doctor tanya. YA ALLAH, rasa macam nak maki je. 

7am the next day. Bukaan baru 7-8cm. Doctor decided to use another form of induction to speed up the process. It’s called pitocin, and injected through my IV drip. Within MINUTES, I could feel very intense and painful contractions, that the epidural can’t even help. So throughout the remaining 7cm to 10cm, I felt every inch of real labor pain. I clenched Mirin’s hand. So tightly that I think it got bruised. A minute felt like an hour, and an hour felt like years. It was soo bad that my memory was so fuzzy. 

Finally, it was 10cm. Time to go. They put both of my legs up, macam gambar bawah ni haha: 

                                      Picture courtesy from Google

There were two nurses, one small cute Malay nurse, one pregnant Indian nurse, and my OBGYN, Dr Haslinda. I love them all, they were so supportive and nice to me throughout my labor process. My doctor taught me how to push correctly:

“Take a deeeeeeep breath then tahan, clench your fists, chin down and teran macam nak berak sekuat-kuat hati“

I was so determined to get the baby out. I just wanted the contraction pain to end. I did everything they told me to do. I hold on to Mirin’s hand, and PUSHHHHHHHEDDDDDD! I could hear Mirin saying “You’re doing great sayang!” After several pushes, and some sips of water breaks, the baby’s head is almost out. The head was the hardest to push. Besar! I literally felt like my down there was stretching to its limit. Once the head is out, I did another small push, and the rest of the baby’s body macam keluar instantly macam super slimy like that haha. 

Finally the baby is out! 8.26AM! The contractions stopped immediately. I instantly feel like I wasn’t pregnant anymore. The doctor then injected something on my thigh, then my uri just popped right out haha. My body felt so tired, but so so light. Lega, yay no longer pregnant haha. I ended up having second degree perineal tear without an episiotomy, and was stitched. I felt the benang, ngilu. I felt the needle pierced through my muscles too. But it didnt hurt so it wasn’t too bad. 

The baby gets cleaned up. Then soon all of the nurses left the labor room, it was just me, Mirin and our baby. Mirin picked her up, and azankan. Mirin started crying, I cried too. It was magical :’)

We did skin to skin and tried breastfeeding for the first time. As I look at her, hair was so thick. Her cute little fingers. Her beautiful face. She’s perfect. 

                            I slept for 5 hours straight after the labor

Thinking back, I have no idea how I managed to muster such courage to go through all these. Mirin even told me that during the active labor stage, when I was pushing, at one point I pushed so hard that my entire face turned blue. Talk about adrenaline.

Do I want to have another baby? Well, lets keep a rain check on that question for another few more years to come xD

[lisatelramor]

Truth and Lies

I’ve wanted to write something for FF15 since I started playing the game and reading fic, but hadn’t had any ideas my brain latched onto. So here, finally, is something it deigned to write. @vulcansdarkest, hope you enjoy <3 (It’s not detective!Ignis, but it is Ignis-centric ^_^ ) To everyone in quarantine or living their lives, hope you can keep safe! 

***

“I’m bored,” Noctis groaned, flat on his back in the tent. It was raining outside as it had been all evening. Ordinarily, this would mean a round of King’s Knight, but their phones were on the last dregs of battery life after days of hiking in the wilderness. Their second-best option would have been a card game, but a mishap during one of Noctis’s fishing marathons had taken away that option.

“Read a book,” Gladio said, tossing one of his paperbacks at Noctis’s head.

“Ow! Not all of us are into whatever historical epic-romantic whatever you’re reading at the moment,” Noctis grumbled tossing the book into the Armiger.

Ignis was about to suggest Noctis help go over their inventory and funds if he had such a dire need to keep himself engaged when Prompto sat bolt upright with a wide grin.

“Ooh, I got an idea!” He pulled something out of the Armiger and set it on the tent floor with a soft thump. “Ta-dah! We could play a drinking game!”

“Prompto,” Ignis said looking over the bottle of high proof vodka he’d pulled out. “Where did you get the funds for that?”

“Psh, I didn’t raid our budget, Iggy,” Prompto said with a wave of his hand. “I sold off some bits and bobs I collected a while back. Sometimes you can find neat stuff near all those fishing spots. I figured it might be nice to relax and have a drink once in a while.”

“I’m not sure we can really afford a night of drunken revelry,” Ignis said, though it was tempting. They’d been working hard lately, pulling hunt after hunt to gather up a better buffer of money. And when they weren’t doing that, they were looking for any hint of a royal tomb around them. It was wearing them ragged even when they weren’t roughing it camping for over a week straight.

“Please?” Prompto asked with the puppy eyes that were far more effective on all of them than they would ever admit to Prompto lest he abuse them. “It doesn’t have to be drunk-drunk, just like, a few shots?”

Gladio examined the bottle. “Vodka’s crap, but you got a less shitty brand so, sure, sign me up. Noct?”

“Sounds better than staring at the tent ceiling,” Noctis said.

Outnumbered three to one, Ignis sighed. “Very well, but we’re not drinking straight vodka.” He had a can or two of fruit juice in the Armiger to water it down with.

“Yes!” Prompto did a little seated dance. “Ok, what’re we playing? Never have I ever? Buzz? Most likely?”

“Dude do you just have a list of drinking games you want to play?” Noctis asked.

“Uh, maybe if you’d have come to one of the parties in school you’d recognize them.”

“Yeah, that was never going to happen back then and you know it.”

Prompto pouted and Ignis and Gladio exchanged an amused look. Ignis pulled out juice and a carafe and started mixing the alcohol. “Well it’s not like we can do the games with other props,” Prompto said after a moment. “No cards. No cups and balls for beer pong. Not drunk enough for the games like Thump.”

“I can’t even remotely imagine what any of those games are with names like that,” Noctis said with a yawn. “Hey Ignis, what game do you think?”

“Well, considering there’s only four of us and we don’t have props, games like never have I ever are probably the better choice. Although given how many shared experiences we have here…” Everyone grimaced. Between growing up together in the citadel to running around all of Lucis on this trip, Prompto would likely get them all drunk very fast on the sheer principle that he had more unique personal experiences that the rest of them lacked. But a game that involved talking was more or less a given. “How about… two truths and a lie?”

“Not truth or dare?” Prompto asked.

Ignis gave him a look. “With everyone’s competitive streak and magic to fuel drunken shenanigans, I think not introducing the possibility of wild dares is the best option.”

“Ok, yeah, fair enough.”

Ignis still remembered a memorable occasion where Noctis got stuck on a roof when he was still new to warping thanks to one of Gladio’s dares. They were not going that route. “Besides, two truths and a lie will be a good test to see how well we actually know each other.”

Prompto sighed. “Dude, you guys all grew up together. Kinda rigged.”

“And yet we have very little knowledge of your life,” Ignis countered. “So if any of us has an advantage, it’s Noctis for knowing all of us.”

“Ooh, good point. Guess it works in the name of bonding.” Prompto grinned. “Gonna know you guys better than I know myself at the end of this trip.”

“Quite.” This hadn’t been what any of them expected when they left but leave it to Prompto to find a glimmer of brightness in the mess. “Here’s how we’ll play: we each have a cup, no more than two helpings of the drink to work with, and will take turns telling various facts and lies while the next person in the circle guesses which was the truth or lie. If they guess wrong, they take a drink, if they guess right, the person whose turn it was takes a drink. When you run out of alcohol, you’re out of the game. Does this seem fair?”

“Geeze, Iggy, that’s a lot of rules for a drinking game,” Prompto says. “But sure, sounds great, gimme the booze!”

Ignis rolled his eyes and handed around glasses of vodka mixture.

Gladio sniffed it. “Smells more like juice than vodka.”

“The point is not to have a debilitating hangover tomorrow,” Ignis said drily.

“Ok, but those two are lightweights and I have an iron liver.”

Ignis rolled his eyes again and added a shot to Gladio’s cup. “Is that satisfactory?”

Gladio grinned. “Yeah, that’s a bit more like it. Now who goes first?”

“Specs,” Noctis said, sniffing his own cup with a wrinkle of his nose. “Since you chose the game.”

“Very well.” Ignis sat in their loose circle. Two truths and a lie… “I speak six languages, I stabbed a man when I was five, and I can do a backflip in heels.” He looked pointedly to his left at Prompto.

“Damn, starting things out on hard mode,” Prompto said with a grimace. “Uh… The flip in heels is the lie?”

Ignis smirked.

“Aw man.” Prompto took a drink. He at least didn’t seem to dislike the taste. “Wait, you can do a flip in high heels?” A beat. “You’ve worn high heels?”

Ignis kept smirking.

“Iggy!” Prompto groaned. “What was the lie?”

“He only speaks three languages,” Gladio said. “He can read six. I don’t remember you stabbing anyone when you were five though.”

“It was an accident learning how to use daggers.” Ignis’s lips tilted into a real smile. “I never said I stabbed someone purposefully.”

“None of you are surprised by the heels?” Prompto asked.

Noctis and Gladio exchange a look. “A bet,” they said in unison. “Though only Ignis would take it as a challenge to master movement in high heels in general,” Noctis added.

“One never knows if that skill might be useful,” Ignis said. He wasn’t exactly going to admit that he’d liked how they’d accentuated his legs.

“The more ya know,” Prompto said. “Okay. My turn! Uh, lesse…” He tapped his cup absently. “My first kiss was with Jessia from eighth grade, I love cucumbers, and I have a whole USB filled with nothing but dog pictures.”

Noctis pointed at Prompto. “The first kiss is the lie.”

“Bzzzt,” Prompto said.

“What? You’d have told me if you’d had your first kiss!”

“Dude, I had it before we were friends. Also, like, it went horribly and she never talked to me again so I don’t really bring it up much.”

“Wait, so either you don’t have a USB of dog photos—which you totally do—or you secretly hate cucumbers? I thought you liked vegetables.”

“I eat healthy cuz it’s healthy not cuz I like all of it,” Prompto said. “You should try it.”

“Pass.”

Ignis made a mental note to avoid giving Prompto anything with cucumber in the future. “Drink up, Noct,” Ignis said when Noctis kept giving Prompto a look like he’d just destroyed one of the pillars of his understanding.

Noctis rolled his eyes and took a swig. “Whatever. Ok, Gladio. My favorite character in King’s Knight is Toby, I once pet a cat that had ten toes on each paw, and I caught a two-headed fish one time.”

Gladio raised an eyebrow. “That’s not even hard. You’d have talked our ears off if you caught a two-headed fish.”

“Eh, fair enough.” Noctis took another swallow of his drink.

“You just want to get drunk, don’t you?” Gladio said, amused. “My turn. I can bench a hundred and twenty kilos, on one of my camping trips I hiked forty kilometers in one day, and I once ate eight cup noodles in one sitting.”

Ignis hummed, turning the numbers over in his head.

“You know,” Prompto said, “I honestly would believe all of those actually happened. You’re not normal.”

Gladio snorted. “Thanks for the backhanded compliment.”

“You’re welcome.”

“The hiking one is a lie,” Ignis said after a moment. “I know your average bench press numbers and I remember you trying to prove something stupid with how many cup noodles you could eat in one sitting—and definitely remember you throwing them back up.”

“Worth it.”

“So the hiking distance has to be the lie.”

“You would logic it out,” Gladio said, snickering. “Yeah, you win.” He took a drink. “Your turn again Iggy.”

“Wait wait wait,” Prompto said. “I’m not going to have to guess Ignis every time am I? He’s like, way too good at deadpan for that.”

“Hmm, you have a point,” Ignis said. “Noctis and I can swap positions this next round and then you can swap with Gladio and by alternating like that we can keep things fair.”

“You’re making this way too complicated,” Noctis said, but he obligingly swapped places in the circle with Ignis.

“It makes things more interesting,” Ignis countered with a sharp grin. He had every intention of playing this game to win—by which he meant he intended to stay as sober as possible while watching his friends fall into drunken antics.

“Whatever, just get on with it,” Noctis said with a sigh.

Ignis glanced at Gladio. Gladio was privy to far more of Ignis’s private life than perhaps anyone in part because while he couldn’t always talk to Noctis—because friend or not, there were still the occasional professional boundary lines—Gladio was someone who shared a responsibility in caring for Noct and as such someone who could commiserate over some of the worse aspects of their prince’s personality. Still, he didn’t know everything about Ignis’s life. “My favorite knives are a gift from my uncle, I’ve always loved the taste of Ebony…” He pretended to put an extra second of thought into this, like he was hesitating over a lie. “One of my earliest memories is of reading a book.”

He could see Gladio labeling the knife fact as truth; Ignis hadn’t been subtle about his preferred weapon choice in combat and the topic had come up before. But Ignis was also banking on Gladio’s association of Ignis and Ebony; he’d been drinking some form of coffee since his early teenage years, and for as long as he and Gladio had any significant interaction.

“As hilarious as the idea of baby-Iggy reading is, I’m calling that out as a lie,” he said after a moment.

Ignis smiled triumphantly. “While not my earliest memory, I was reading full sentences by the age of three, so yes, it is one of my earliest memories. I actually detested Ebony the first time I tasted it and poured the can down the drain. It was only the lure of caffeine that ever got me to pick up another can.”

“No kidding.” Gladio didn’t look the least upset by guessing wrong, but he was probably happy enough to be ingesting some alcohol. “Sometimes I think you pretty much run on the stuff like the Regalia does gasoline.”

Ignis snorted. “It’s not an inaccurate assumption.” Thank goodness for caffeine for his overworked, frequently sleep deprived body.

Gladio took a larger-than-necessary swallow from his cup. “Right. So. I ran away from home when I was six, I tried to give Iris away when she was first born because she kept crying, and I can’t float when I swim.”

Noctis frowned. “I’m pretty sure everyone can float. That’s swimming 101.”

“Take a drink because I can’t.” Gladio grinned, then grimaced. “It’s actually a downside to muscle. It’s dense as hell and sinks more than my lung capacity can make me float. I can swim just fine, but it’s kind of hell trying to tread water for long.”

“Huh. You learn something every day,” Noctis said taking a drink.

“Did you really try to give Iris away?” Prompto asked. “Because I can’t see it.”

“No. I mean I was tempted because she was the worst, colicky baby ever but I was old enough that I wasn’t that impulsive.” Gladio picked at the edge of his cup. “Now if I was a couple years younger at the time…”

“I remember hearing your dad complaining to my dad,” Noctis said. “She was only quiet when she was asleep and even then that was almost never the first month.”

“Yeah, I feel so lucky she grew out of that.”

“Noctis’s turn!” Prompto chirped. “Go easy on me, buddy.”

“You wish,” Noctis said, sticking his tongue out at him. “Okay. I’ve killed every plant I’ve tried to grow, I broke three priceless vases as a kid and told no one, and I set Iggy’s first boyfriend on fire once.”

“Noctis Lucis Caelum!” Ignis said, scandalized and more than a little annoyed. “That was you?!” Ignis had been dumped very soon after that incident.

“That guy was a jerk,” Noctis said.

“I could have dumped him myself instead of the indignity of it being the other way around!”

“Uh,” said Prompto. “I’m guessing that’s not the lie.”

Ignis huffed, and Noctis waited.

“Plants are the lie?” Prompto said tentatively trying to steer things back toward the game.

“Nope. Actually it was Gladio that set the guy on fire.”

“Way to throw a man under a bus, Noct,” Gladio grumbled. He held up his hands when Ignis turned his glare on him. “Hey, he’s right. The guy was a dick.”

“Gladiolus!”

Gladio leaned a bit away from Ignis, a sheepish grin on his face. “I mean, no one got permanently injured.”

“Which of you ran off my next boyfriend, then?” Ignis demanded. Neither of them met his eyes.

“Uh,” Prompto said again into the tense silence. “So… Iggy, you like dudes?”

And Ignis had the horrifying realization that Prompto didn’t know.

“Oh shit,” Noctis said. “Uh, sorry Specs…”

“It’s fine,” Ignis said, hoping that it actually was fine and this revelation hadn’t just made their current close-quarters living arrangements strained. He’d forgotten for a moment, too comfortable with Noctis and Gladio being in the know, that not all of his friends actually had the knowledge that he was more interested in men than women.

“No, hey!” Prompto waved his hands frantically. “It’s cool, I’m fine with it, shit, I wasn’t trying to make things weird!”

“Prompto…” Ignis took a breath. “If this is—”

“My turn next,” Prompto blurted over him and Ignis frowned, trying to cut in only to have Prompto keep talking over him. “I’ve only kissed girls,” he said, which stung a bit considering what was just revealed, “I’m bi,” oh, “and I’ve never, uh, never had a crush on anyone here,” Prompto finished, his confidence draining into nerves. There was a faint blush on his face.

“Prompto,” Ignis said softly, “you didn’t have to do that.”

“What, continue the game?” he said with a forced smile. “Uh yeah I did, we still have booze so…” His gaze pleaded for Ignis to play along.

And Ignis couldn’t refuse considering his friend had chosen to out himself just to make Ignis feel less uncomfortable. “I take it the last one wasn’t a lie,” he said gently.

“You got me there.” Prompto took a large swallow of his drink. His cheeks were pink and he couldn’t meet anyone’s eyes.

“Shit,” Noctis mumbled. “…I wasn’t trying to make this real, I just wanted to tease Ignis.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “Full disclosure, you’re not the only one who’s had a crush on someone here, Prom.”

Prompto’s jaw dropped. “Wait, is Gladio the only one here that’s straight?”

Gladio snorted. “I mean I’m mostly straight,” Gladio said. “But if we were playing a game of never-have-I-ever, the only one of us who wouldn’t drink to having a crush on Ignis is Ignis.”

Ignis went bright red.

“There was more than one reason we didn’t think your boyfriends were good enough,” Gladio said with a snort of laughter.

“…Did either of you approve of any of them?”

“Uh, the one Glaive was okay but…”

Noctis finished for him, “You weren’t into him half as much as he was into you.”

Ignis pinched the bridge of his nose. He was going to have to reevaluate so many previous interactions with a new perspective.

“Wait, Prompto, is that why you keep taking ass shots of Gladio?” Noctis asked.

Prompto sputtered. “I do not take ass shots! Of anyone!”

Gladio laughed. “Uh, hate to break it to you but you kind of do. Don’t worry, I don’t mind.”

“You take ass pics of Gladio, Ignis whenever he’s doing acrobatics, and usually half of what you take of me is mid-warp.”

“That’s just because you’re always warping, Noct,” Prompto said, settling into an embarrassed pout. “And Iggy’s usually doing backflips or setting something on fire like a boss so…” His shoulders hunched. “Also Gladio’s always rushing in so of course I get pictures from behind in battle.”

“Keep telling yourself that,” Noctis said with a shit eating grin.

“Well,” Ignis said, feeling vaguely uncomfortable and ready to finish the game, “I think we’ve learned enough about each other for one night.”

“No, no,” Gladio said. “Prompto’s right. We still have booze. Also you and Noct haven’t interacted yet and I haven’t traded lies with Prompto.” He swished his cup around. “Besides, we’re still bored. Scared you’ll get embarrassed more?” he teased.

Ignis rolled his eyes. “Not at all.” It was just that if things continued along the current lines of affairs things could get complicated in ways that their trip didn’t allow for. From the way Gladio gave him a teasing eyebrow wiggle, he was thinking along the same lines without considering the fallout. He sighed. Ignis was not going to let things run in even more flirtatious directions thank you very much. “Noct.” Coming up with something for Noctis was about as hard as Gladio. On the one hand, Noctis could be unobservant. On the other, when he did use his powers of observation, they were uncannily accurate and stuck in his memory. “I choose to keep my accent,” he said after a moment of thought, “I had tutors before I was chosen to train to be your chamberlain, and I hated cooking when I first started learning.”

Noctis frowned. “I could see you keeping the accent because you like it and it reminds you of home. I know nothing of your life before you came to the Citadel more or less, and knowing you you’re probably banking on that. So, weird as it is to think of you hating cooking, I’m calling the second one a lie.”

Ignis smiled ruefully. It figured that he’d apply logic to it. “You’re correct.” He took a swallow of his drink and was pleased at its flavor, the alcohol a faint aftertaste on his tongue.

“If you didn’t like cooking, why’d you stick with it?” Prompto asked.

“Because it’s a useful skill,” Ignis said. “Knowing it is an important life skill as well as useful for caring for others; it was non-negotiable to learn. It just took a bit of a learning curve to get good enough at it that it wasn’t troublesome. Once I started looking at it as a puzzle made of ingredients it was a lot more enjoyable.”

“You know, you’re allowed to like or dislike something based on other things than usefulness,” Noctis said with a slight edge to his voice like he was somewhere along the lines of sad and exasperated.

Ignis, of course, knew that. But when growing up with a large job to fill, there had never been much room for non-useful things. Even his hobbies were chosen to be practical. “I can also enjoy things that also happen to be practical,” he pointed out. He liked languages. And while he couldn’t say he liked cleaning, it gave him a sense of satisfaction. Cooking was similar. These days it was one part puzzle, one part challenge, and the satisfaction of an end result. Baking on the other hand… “I do enjoy baking though.”

“Oh?” Noctis said.

Ignis smiled. He’d started because he’d hoped to make Noctis smile. And every time Noct ate one of his desserts and looked a bit happier, it had made Ignis happy. “I’d have to to make the same dessert over and over with slight changes for years.”

“Wow, that almost sounds like you’re accusing me of something,” Noctis joked.

“Accuse? Never,” Ignis said, grinning back. “I am surprised you never got sick of me trying though.”

“They were good,” Noctis said. “Even the worst of the failures. And they were…”

“They were?”

Noctis looked faintly embarrassed. “They were part of how you showed you cared so… it meant a lot.”

More than the cleaning and cooking or giving condensed reports ever did if Noctis’s embarrassment meant anything.

“And this is getting weirdly emotional,” Gladio cut in. “I know Noct drank a bit, but you only took a sip.”

Ignis rolled his eyes. “It’s reminiscing and nostalgia, Gladio.”

“Uh huh. Sure.” Gladio gave him a look that had Ignis blushing slight enough that hopefully no one would notice. “Anyway, Noct, either you go or I’m going next.”

“Fine.” Noctis drummed his fingers for a moment. “I like traveling and helping people out. I don’t like how crowded we are. I sometimes wish that things could always be this simple.”

Ignis had the strong desire to give Noctis a hug, like he’d done when they were children. There was vulnerability and defensiveness warring under his attempted nonchalance and if they still had the sort of uncomplicated relationship that children had, he’d already have Noctis in an embrace. But they were adults and Noct might accept side hugs and slaps on the shoulder from Prompto and Gladio, there had been a wall of propriety between him and Ignis for a while. A wall that he should really start to take down. Propriety was pointless when there wasn’t anyone left who would care.

“The second one is a lie,” Ignis said softly.

Noctis smiled, lopsided. “Yeah.” He took a drink.

“Aw, we like crowding you too,” Prompto said, nudging Noctis with an elbow. “I mean, sometimes a little privacy would be nice, but honestly you can’t feel lonely like this and that’s been good.”

Left to their own devices they weren’t the sorts to spend every waking moment with another person, but they had been spending more or less that for months now. Ignis, if asked before their trip started, would have thought that they’d have gotten on their last nerve at some point or another, but they hadn’t. There was quiet, introspective time on car rides, or brief moments at havens to break away from the group and have a private moment, but surprisingly they hadn’t needed more than that so far. It was almost nice if Ignis didn’t think about the circumstances. And for Noctis who had never really had enough time to spend with friends with his busy life… Well, Ignis, having a busy life of his own, could more than understand why the lifestyle they’d been living appealed.

“We can’t forget our purpose though,” Gladio pointed out.

“Dude,” Prompto said, “I don’t think any of us could no matter how many fetch quests people send us on.”

“I’m just saying,” Gladio grumbled.

“And I’m just saying that tonight’s time to not think about the things that are always looming over us,” Prompto said, pushing back more than he normally would. “Please? Like we’re all strung out, that’s why we gotta relax and recharge sometimes or we’ll just burn out.”

Gladio rubbed a hand down his face and took a drink even though it wasn’t part of the game. “Yeah.”

“I haven’t forgotten,” Noctis added in a quiet voice. “I promise.”

“We’re really missing the point to this game,” Prompto said with a sigh. “Getting too real, guys. On that note, Gladio—Two truths and a lie. I’ve always wanted a pet, I bought my first camera with allowance money, and I am naturally a morning person.”

Gladio took a second to switch gears but when he did he relaxed in a very deliberate looking manner. “Well considering how you go on about chocobos, I wouldn’t be surprised if you always wanted one as a pet. And how you’re friends with Sleeping Beauty over there, it’s a mystery because you don’t need coffee in the morning like Ignis and you don’t sleep in like Noct. So, how’d you actually get your first camera?”

“I bought it with money from a part time job,” Prompto said after taking a drink. “Technically I had a phone camera before, but I was kind of frustrated at the limitations and after taking a photography class… Yeah, I was hooked.” He smiled. “So I saved up and bought this beauty,” Prompto said patting his camera. “It’s not like high end, but with multiple lenses and filters and a hella good zoom, it’s a pretty dang good first camera, you know?”

“I commend your work ethic,” Ignis said, though Prompto’s work ethic had always been good, even if he and Noctis were enablers in indulging in their gaming interests at the expense of other tasks at times. Prompto had gotten decent grades his whole life, and worked from no prior combat knowledge to full-fledged Crownsguard, pulling his own weight on this trip purely because he cared for Noctis. It wasn’t really surprising that he’d seen the goal of a nice camera and put the effort into getting it.

“Thanks, Iggy,” Prompto said with a pleased grin.

“Now if only Noct had a bit more of that,” Gladio joked.

“Of all of us, I think Prompto and I have the best work-life balance,” Noctis shot back.

“Besides,” Ignis added, “Noctis is hardworking. Unfortunately he just has a tendency to drop less pressing tasks in favor of immediate ones.”

“Is this about not sewing the button back on my shirt? Because I’m going to sew the button back on my shirt.”

“I’ve actually been impressed by how much help you’ve been with tasks like dishes and laundry,” Ignis said, a bit mean to do, but it was a sore point between them. Then again, Noctis was more likely to drop what he was doing and help than Gladio. Prompto was fine if given directions at least. Goodness knew Ignis couldn’t run every minutia of their lives no matter how much he wanted to.

Noctis groaned. “You’re never going to let high school go are you?”

Ignis smiled. “If it was only high school, I would.”

“He’s got you there, dude,” Prompto said. “You’re kind of a trash master when you get distracted.”

Distracted being anything from work, to a gaming binge, to one of Noctis’s occasional depressive episodes. Ignis was sympathetic to the latter and exasperated by the former.

“It’s Gladio’s turn,” Noctis said pointedly turning the conversation away from himself.

“Fine,” he sighed. “I am a dog person, I kill houseplants no matter how I try to keep them alive, and I kind of wish I’d gone to college.”

Prompto squinted at him. “This is the sort of thing I was worried about playing this. I have no idea which of those is a lie.”

“Guess,” Gladio said unhelpfully.

“Plants?” Prompto asked more than stated.

“Bzzt. I’m not a dog person. They’re cute and all but they’re high maintenance compared to cats.”

“Harsh, dogs are great,” Prompto said taking a drink. “They’re loyal and hard working. Don’t get me wrong, cats are adorable, but they’d abandon you for a sardine.”

“Lies and slander,” Noctis said.

“Dude, they’re super picky and you fall for their begging every time.”

“You feed every dog that looks your direction,” Noctis countered.

“Uh, no, we’ve seen like three dogs and one of those is Dave’s. You’re the one busting out super expensive cat food. Anyway, we can all agree chocobos are best.”

Noctis laughed. “I think it’s just you there.”

“Nah, chocobos are more useful and better fighters than either of them,” Gladio said, “so they win in my book too.”

“Why didn’t you attend university?” Ignis asked.

“You think I’d have had the time? I don’t know how you did it, honestly. I had my plate full learning everything I needed to protect Noct.”

Ignis could see a small, guilty twitch from Noctis. Ignis’s own university years had been…hmm, eventful. And the largest reason for his caffeine addiction. “Out of curiosity, what would you have studied?”

Gladio shrugged. “I dunno. I like history, and some of the stuff I’ve talked with Sania about’s pretty cool.”

“Oh yeah, you are friends with her aren’t you?” Prompto said. “Are frogs really that exciting?”

“Okay, the frogs are just one of the things she studies,” Gladio said. “Her greater research is on wildlife in general and you’d know that if you listened to what she said when we help her that she’s been looking into the change in daylight and the increase in scourge infected wildlife—”

“Holy shit have you been hiding a nerdy side this whole time?” Prompto said with the expression of a man who’d just witnessed something life changing. “Gladio, are you a science nerd under all that muscle?”

Gladio frowned. “Could you not say it like that? Also, I haven’t been hiding anything. I already know a lot about physiology from training, and nature is a thing I clearly enjoy as you guys love to complain about how I like camping. At least one of the books I’ve read on this trip was Sania’s research.”

“Well shit, man.” Prompto downed the rest of his drink. “The more you know. I think we all learned something today.” He blinked. “I should not have drank that all at once.”

Noctis laughed. “So we’re all on board to just drink now, huh?” He took a pointed swallow of his drink. “Might as well.”

“Really?” Ignis sighed.

“Eh, let ‘em,” Gladio said, taking a drink from his own cup. “As you guys keep saying, we’re trying to relax. Besides we were getting nowhere fast with the game.”

“That’s the point,” Ignis said. “To not get drunk.”

“They can’t get that drunk,” Gladio pointed out. “You made sure of it.”

Ignis pursed his lips, but Noctis and Prompto were elbowing each other and laughing and no one was going to end up so inebriated they were hung over the next day. It was almost like back in Insomnia…

Gladio slung an arm around him. “Don’t think too hard.”

“I am trying not to but…” They hadn’t really given themselves any proper time to grieve had they? One moment they were watching Insomnia burn and the next they were throwing themselves into seeking out royal arms and helping random strangers and going on hunts with barely any time to breathe because if they relaxed too much it might all fall apart. Ignis was used to setting how he felt aside, and so were the rest of them, but that didn’t necessarily make it healthy. Noctis and Prompto could laugh like this, so they would be okay. But sometimes Ignis wondered if he would be. That if he ever stopped he’d pull himself back together again.

“Drink if you think it’ll help,” Gladio said softly under the shriek of Noctis engaging Prompto to an impromptu tickling fight. “If you think it’ll be worse, leave it. Be in the moment, not the past.”

“I know that,” Ignis said. “I have been.” But the game had been about the past. On automatic, he saved the alcohol from getting spilled all over the tent floor as the tickle fight got wilder. Gladio gave his shoulder a squeeze.

“How about we team up against them, hmm?” Gladio offered.

Ignis pushed the mess of feelings back to deal with another day and managed a smile that almost reached his usual standards. “Would that be fair?”

“Anything’s fair in a tickling fight,” Gladio said. “Noct or Prompto first?”

“Noctis; Prompto is easier to subdue.”

“I’ll get his arms.”

“And I’ll handle his feet.”

Noctis and Prompto jumped when they entered the fight and Noctis yelped as Gladio caught him and Ignis exploited his weak points until he was gasping. Prompto laughed at his misfortune. At least until Ignis and Gladio shared a glance and turned to him, leaving Noctis to recover.

Later, much later, after more alcohol and Gladio ultimately emerging the victor of the tickle fight—he was only ticklish on his neck and that was hard to reach even when he wasn’t guarding it—they collapsed into a comfortable pile of bodies, curled up around each other, propriety and personal space be damned. They needed this, Ignis thought hazily on the edge of sleep. The laughter. The contact. The reassurance that they were still friends and close even after—or perhaps because of—everything that had happened.

“I haven’t done something like this in ages,” Gladio said, breaking the silence. “Not since… Hell, I don’t know. When I was a teenager?”

“Same,” Noctis said.

“Do our elbow fights over racing games not count?” Prompto asked. “Because we did that less than a year ago.”

“Yeah, but that’s… different,” Noctis muttered. “For one, Ignis joined in this time.” He lifted himself on one elbow long enough to fake-scowl in Ignis’s direction. “You’re brutal, by the way.”

Ignis laughed and had to stifle it on the nearest surface, which happened to be Noct’s thigh. When the laughter ran out though, he felt a bit drained, happy and sad at the same time. “I don’t think I’ve let go quite this much before.”

“Eighteenth birthday?” Gladio countered.

“Mm, but not everyone here was present for that.” And it hadn’t ended in a cuddle-pile on the ground. This was much better and would hopefully have less hangover-induced nausea the next morning.

“Well we’re all here now,” Noctis said, and like that was all that needed to be said, they went quiet, just the soft sounds of breathing and the occasional shift of limbs as they got comfortable.

Ignis ended up with Prompto’s head on his stomach and his own in Noctis’s lap. Gladio was both Noctis’s pillow and a heat source in how he managed to curl around Noctis and half of Prompto in the process. They were all going to wake up with limbs asleep and cricks in their necks, but for the moment it was all terribly comfortable.

Ignis drifted, letting the familiar sounds of his friends existing lure him toward sleep.

He was almost there when Prompto shifted against his chest.

“Ignis?” Prompto whispered, easily heard above the whistle-y start of Gladio’s snores and Noctis’s softer breathing.

“Mm?” When Prompto was silent, Ignis let a hand curl against his back, reassuring.

Prompto breathed out, relaxing minutely. “Do you think we’ll do this again someday?”

Ignis hummed. They didn’t have much downtime, though playing games happened when they did, but he knew that wasn’t what Prompto meant. They’d all shared parts of themselves tonight and boundaries had been crossed in other ways too, or they wouldn’t be curled up like this. But would it last beyond the morning?

Altissia loomed in their future and Ignis, for all that he would be glad to reach the city safely, equally dreaded it. It was one more step along some pre-destined path Noctis had laid out for him that only seemed to grow more burdensome the more Ignis let himself dissect what little he knew about Noct’s fate.

No, Ignis didn’t think that they would do this again. Not with this level of uncomplicated friendship, with their burdens as easily set aside. Those burdens only grew as days trickled by.

But he knew that wasn’t what Prompto needed to hear though, so for the moment he pulled on comforting hopes instead of his more realistic fears.

“We will,” he said, making himself sound sure.

“Promise?” Prompto asked.

He was so young, all of them were, but Ignis felt it in this fragile moment. All the more so because Prompto didn’t come from a life where things were predetermined. He’d forged his own path here, and perhaps that made him the most driven out of all of them. But because of that, he didn’t hold the same assurances. He didn’t see that he’d forged his own bonds here or that they were just as strong—if not more—as anything Ignis or Gladio shared with Noctis. Or with each other truly.

They were all friends and more than by this point. Comrades. A family of a sort, the last that each other had.

Ignis wanted to protect that with all his heart.

“I promise,” he said gently.

“Double promise,” Noctis slurred, patting randomly in Prompto’s direction. “Now go t’sleep.”

Prompto stifled a giggle. “Back at you, dude.” Noctis, apparently, fell truly asleep at that. Or perhaps he was already asleep and in one of his odd, in-between lucid moments.

“You’re one of us,” Ignis murmured, “and we’re going to stick together.”

“I’m holding you to that,” Prompto said, getting comfortable again.

As Ignis relaxed again, letting sleep pull him under, his last thought was how lucky they were to still have so much in each other.

[notes-from-my-journal]

lover series: london boy - t.h.

A/N: And the fluff continues...

Word Count: 2.2k

I love my hometown as much as Motown, I love SoCal

And you know I love Springsteen, faded blue jeans, Tennessee whiskey

In terms of the phrase “some days are better than others” this was definitely one of the others. You felt the homesickness physically churn in your stomach, thinking of LA and the whiskey you would order at the dive bar on Friday nights to celebrate the weekend. Spending last night with Tom was really tugging at your heartstrings, because the dive bar is how you guys ended up meeting. 

“Whatcha thinking about?” he walks up in his Spider-Man suit, smirking at you. Clearly thinking that he was the one on your mind, but you wouldn’t satisfy him that quickly. 

“Home, actually.” You smile up at him. That whiskey sure would help right about now. 

“Missing it?” he questions. “A little bit. Must be nice for you to be filming in London.” 

“Yeah, it actually is. My mum and brothers are going to visit set later today. You should say hi if you, you know, you want,” he stutters the last part out as he tries to cover it with a cough. 

You smile back, equally as nervous. “That’s moving a little fast, don’t you think, Holland?” 

“They already know you basically…”

Your eyebrows furrow. “How so?”

“I may have told them about you…” 

“Tom…”

“No-not like that darling!” Darling. “I just mean, I talk about the cast and crew all the time, and they notice you in particular because you’re the crew member I talk about the most, and I-”

“Tom. It’s sweet, really.” “You think so?”

“Yes,” you chuckle. “I’d love to say hi.” 

His eyes widen. “That would be great! I’ll let you know when they’re here yeah?”

You smile and nod, hearing his name called in the distance on the set. 

“I gotta run, I’ll see you later darling!” he runs off before you can even give him your own nickname. 

It had been less than 24 hours since you had kissed and spent the night just talking about all the feelings you had kept inside for so long until you both fell asleep. You both had to be up at 5am for a 6am call time, but the adrenaline kept you energetic regardless of the three hours of sleep you had gotten. 

Watching him run off into the distance, you were glad you both admitted that “close friends” wasn’t working for you anymore. You knew that “just friends” wouldn’t work the second you met him in the dive bar in LA all those months ago, but to have it reciprocated was a new level of relief you didn’t know you’d be able to achieve. 

But something happened, I heard him laughing

I saw the dimples first and then I heard the accent

six months earlier...

You had walked in with your roommates, hoping to forget about the fact you had the biggest interview of your life earlier that day and that it could make or break your career in the entertainment industry. 

The bar was slightly full, still being early in the evening, and while all the girls went to dance you decided to sit. You had a difficult time bringing yourself to dance with strangers, and sometimes sitting and watching was more relaxing and less anxiety inducing. Turning around, you see one of them already dancing with a tall, gorgeous blonde with the brightest shade of blue eyes. Score. 

“You fancy the seats more too, eh?”

And you’d be lying if you said it wasn’t the prettiest voice you had ever heard. The words rolled out of his mouth like honey, quiet and smooth and delicious. You turned towards the owner to see an even prettier set of curls on the warmest face you had come across in any bar. 

“A little bit,” you smile. He looked familiar. Why did he look familiar?

“Not ashamed to admit I love them. Dancing isn’t really my thing - unless it’s choreographed anyway. Harrison, on the other hand,” he nods towards the tall boy behind your roommate. “My roommate is entertaining him just fine I think,” you gesture towards her, giggling. 

He smiles, the kind that reaches your eyes. He sticks his hand out, “I’m Tom.” 

And then it clicks. You grab his hand, “Thought you looked familiar. I’m Y/N.” 

“Hoping you’re not going to call the paps on me. Trying to lay low tonight,” with any other guy that happened to be a hot celebrity, you would have scoffed. But he was clearly joking around, trying to be lighthearted. It was sweet. “I actually am not a superfan...I just happened to interview for crew today. For the new movie.” 

His eyes light up at the mention of work, “No way! That’s awesome. What do you do?”

You sigh, “Gaffing mostly. Nothing exciting. I really want to produce...eventually.”

“You will be sooner than you think,” he smiles. How could a stranger have more confidence in you than you had in yourself? “Tell you what. If I could just get your phone number, I’ll make sure to put a good word in and then keep you updated.” 

“Put a good word in? You barely know me!” you try to be serious, because this was your career after all, but it was Tom fucking Holland. Why would he do something like this? 

“Because you seem lovely, dedicated to your job just by the look in your eyes when you said the word ‘gaffing’,” he stops to laugh, “and it does help that you are one of the most gorgeous women I’ve ever met.” You scoff. 

Charming. 

And the rest was history. 

They say home is where the heart is

But that's not where mine lives

You were more than relieved to have your feelings towards him be out in the open, but that didn’t mean it was open to everyone else necessarily. You were starting to get distracted at work not only having Tom there, but also thinking of meeting his family? Who apparently already knew about you. 

Shaking off the stress, you continue setting lights and building equipment - something you could do mindlessly while keeping focus somewhere that wasn’t your hot coworker. 

Before you knew it, it was your lunch break. Walking back to the trailer, you feel another hand grab yours delicately. And there he is, once again grinning from ear to ear making you breathless - as if his hand grabbing yours wasn’t stressful enough. 

“Hey! The gang’s all in my trailer, wanna come over for a few?” You swallow thickly. 

You nod and try to manage a smile. “Sounds great.”

You were convinced you had blacked out during the walk to the trailer, just from pure panic. Before you knew it the nicest British family was standing in front of you, with the cutest dog ever. An adorable puppy to add to the fun? Your heart rate was definitely going to set off the Health app on your watch. 

“Darlin’, this is my mum, and my brothers - Sam, Harry, and Paddy,” Tom smiles and gestures to each member. 

“So nice to meet you Mrs. Holland,” you reach out to shake her hand, which she uses to pull you in for a delicate hug.

“Lovely to meet you darling!” This family and that damn darling. “I’m Nikki. Mrs. Holland is a little older sounding than I like,” she laughs. 

“Hi guys, nice to meet you,” you turn to the brothers. Paddy’s eyes had widened when he got a good look at you, and before you could ask why he answers.

“You really are as pretty as Tom described,” Paddy laughs with a blush. 

“Paddy!” Tom yelps. You feel your cheeks heat up. 

“I’m flattered, thank you,” you chuckle. 

“Alright, well I...have to get back to set so you guys can be on your way!” Tom hints through gritted teeth to his family. 

“Oh but my dear brother, we have no idea how to get out of here,” Harry chuckles. “Maybe she can show us the way?” he turns to you with raised eyebrows. Well. 

“Of course,” you smile. No need to be rude, no matter how nervous you were. 

Tom groans, “Please don’t embarrass me anymore. I want Y/N to like me enough to hang out with me tomorrow.” 

You whip your head around, “We’re hanging out tomorrow?”

“Might want to ask the girl out before you assume things, brother,” Sam laughs. 

“Shut up Sam! Yea-ah I was hoping I could show you around Camden Market tomorrow morning? Since it’s our day off but you don’t have to I know you probably have better things t-”

“Tom!” You interrupt. He whips his head up to look you in the eyes. They’re always pretty, but when filled with hopeful anticipation they glow more than usual. How could you say no to that?

“I’d love to. Tomorrow morning. Now let me show your family how to get out of this maze.”

You know I love a London boy

I enjoy walking Camden Market in the afternoon

The next morning Tom is at your hotel door at 9 a.m. - which is considered sleeping in to you two with your schedules - with your coffee order and a smile. Always smiling, even in the morning.

Tom was probably one of the only people that could cause you to smile in the morning. A morning person you were not. And Tom knew that. 

“Vanilla latte,” he hands you the warm cup. You sigh as it rests in your hands. Taking a sip, you close your eyes to enjoy warmth filling your body. 

“Thank you,” you smile. 

“No worries, pretty girl.” You take a pause.  

“That’s the first time I’ve heard you use something other than ‘Dah-lin’,” you giggle trying to mimic his accent. 

“Well, darling is common. I’m trying to not use common names for someone special,” he winks. Damn he was smooth. “Also that is a horrible accent!”

Okay maybe not that smooth. 

He leads you from the hotel down the streets of suburban London, people barely waking up and opening the curtains. Being up early on occasion was nice, just for the sake of the quiet and low risk of running into fans. Regardless of the time, Tom still wore his signature black hoodie when he didn’t want to be noticed. It was sweet that he wanted to hang out with you as privately as possible, and you feel your sleepiness roll off of you as you smile. 

“What’s so funny?” He chuckles. 

“Nothing’s funny. You’re just cute,” you giggle - eyes wide and hands covering your mouth after you realized what you had said. He pulls your hand away from your lips (rosy from the cold). 

He likes my American smile

“Don’t cover that smile up pretty girl” he smirks as he kisses the corner of your mouth. You could definitely get used to this. You know you’re probably making heart eyes when you realize he’s staring at you. 

Like a child when our eyes meet, darling, I fancy you

“Everything okay, Tom?” 

He smiles, but it’s not playful per usual. There’s something deeper behind it. “Yeah I just...I fancy you.”

The moment is ruined when you start laughing. He rolls his eyes. 

“I was trying to be romantic!” 

“That was the most British thing you’ve ever said, I’m sorry!” You attempt to stop laughing while he pouts at you, eventually calming down and kissing his cheek. “I fancy you too, dah-lin,” you giggle. 

“You’re lucky you’re cute.” 

Took me back to Highgate, met all of his best mates

So I guess all the rumors are true

A few nights later, Tom asked you to come to dinner so he could catch up with his best friend, Harrison, near his suburban hometown a few miles away from set. You reluctantly agreed, hoping that it wouldn’t be too weird (unlikely for you and your social skills) but after realizing Harrison was the tall blonde from all those months ago at the club, your heart rate steadied a bit. 

You went to the diner Tom and Harrison would go to when they were younger, and you were surprised at how easy the conversation flowed. By the end of the night, you and Harrison were laughing about how your roommate ghosted him and how much you loved pancakes. 

“Guys I’m literally right here,” Tom rolls his eyes. 

“I think I might like Haz more, babe,” you laugh. Harrison doesn’t say anything when he notices the pet name, he just smiles and feels confident that you would be around for a long time. 

The next morning, paparazzi photos of you three in the diner show up along with you and Tom leaving together. He drinks his tea and slams his phone on the table in his trailer. 

“Fucking hell! I can’t get any privacy even in the suburbs,” he groans. Your eyes soften with empathy. Walking over to where he was sitting you try to calm him down. You grab his hands and kiss his knuckles. He glances at you, and the anger slowly dissipates. 

“It’s okay. At least they’re not rumors right? We really are seeing each other,” you try to amuse him. He lets out a dry chuckle. 

“I guess you’re right. Thank you, pretty girl,” his smile returns and he kisses you gently while you keep your grip on both of his hands. 

“Hey Tom?” 

You know I love a London boy

Boy, I fancy you

“Yeah baby?” 

“I fancy you,” you smile.

[montyprescottjoy]

Para: Sunflower (title from the song of the same name by Post Malone HERE)

Who: Vitya Cristo & Monty Prescott @vityacristo

When: July 7th, 2020

Where: Vitya’s apartment, The Flame

What: Vitya goes to work for the first time since his health scare, leaving Monty alone in his bed... but Monty follows him and doesn’t like what he sees... fighting ensues...

Triggers: General mental health; seeing inside the mind of a mentally ill person. Prostitution and brief explicit sexual acts.

Vitya

Vitya had never moved so quietly in his life. He opened his dresser drawers inch by inch, extracting what he needed, then slowly closing them again. Instead of getting dressed in his bedroom, he opted for his bathroom. It was taking nearly four times as long to get dressed, all in the effort to ensure the man sleeping in his bed didn't wake.

Monty was visiting. Again. He was a constant now. A more accurate description was he practically lived in Vitya's dorm, at this point. For weeks, Vitya loved it. The sex, the company, all of it. But, reality is a bitch, and Vitya was handed the leash. He was out of cash, entirely. He had not worked in weeks, and he needed money, soon. And he was not about to ask Monty. No, he already took too much from the other man. So, he opted to slink around his own dorm, putting on his 'work clothes.' Skin tight, torn jeans, a shirt made out of mesh, a leather jacket, and his boots. Straightened his hair, patted his face with a foundation, smudged his eye-liner, everything to announce he was available. A classic escort fuckboy.

Looking at himself in the mirror this time felt... wrong. Previous times he felt powerful, invincible. Now, he felt gross. His eyes turned to Monty, still asleep. He tiptoed over, and leaned down, moving some of his hair out of his face. He smiled softly. He looked so peaceful like this, no stress on his face, no worry. No hurt. Just him, as he was. It made butterflies dance in Vitya's stomach. He placed a soft kiss to Monty's temple before heading toward the door, and off into the chill, dark night.

Monty

Monty stirred at the sound of a door closing, his brow furrowing automatically at the unexpected sound. He sat up quickly, eyes scanning for Vitya until he realized it had been the front door and that Vitya had left. Hurt and confusion tumbled into his mind. Why was Vitya sneaking out of his own room without saying anything. Monty staggered out of the bed trying to see if Vit had left a note or sent him a text. There was nothing to indicate why he'd left.

Panic shot through Monty, had something happened? Something to do with his illness or his family he'd tried so hard to escape? But it didn't seem logical for Vitya to leave Monty in those scenarios, though Vitya was still incredibly private and independent so it could be a possibility. Monty grabbed his phone and pulled on his pants and jacket as he stumbled around the dorm calling Vitya's phone. "Fuck sake" he swore loudly, when the other boy didn't pick up.

Monty took a deep breath, trying to calm his racing mind and think clearly where Vitya could be. He pulled a cigarette out of the packet on the beside table and lit it up, heading out of the dorm and in the direction of the bar Vitya frequented. The little store on campus was closed at this time of night and they had plenty of alcohol and smokes and food so this was the only place he could think of that Vitya would go.

It made sense in his own head that Vitya had left, whatever this was between them had scared Monty awake several times so he was thinking it had probably happened to Vitya too, he'd just never caught it until now, or it had never been bad enough he'd had to leave before. Either way Monty was going to find him and bring him home where he was safe.

Once he arrived at the club Monty headed directly to the bar, opening his cellphone up with a picture of Vitya pulling faces wearing a sexy as all fuck outfit to show the bar tender, to ask if he'd seen the boy in question. He had less provocative photos but those seemed even more intimate than a half naked Vitya and that was something he didn't like to share. An enthusiastic nod was given in reply to Monty's question and his eyes followed the mans pointed finger to the edge of the dance floor where he spotted Vitya, not alone but instead with a middle aged business man who was trying to touch Vitya who seemed to be teasing and whispering in his ear. Monty felt like he was going to throw up the way Vitya was moving. Monty remembered those moves. Vitya was trying to pick up a client. Monty was frozen to the spot, unable to move or speak or think.

Vitya

To say the pounding bass of the club, the rhythmic pulses of the speakers, the sweat and vibrant lights were a welcome sight would be an understatement. Vitya thrived here, within these walls. It was so easy to forget where he was, where he came from, and what he was doing, surrounded by strangers. He saw no regulars in the crowd- Good. No regular needed to know he was back on the street. Like a minx, he scanned the crowd, and began his work. He'd gel into the crowd, dancing to the music, and then scan the faces of who was there. Who was watching him. Then, he'd walk over, slowly, and begin his tease. This time, a fish out of water had his eyes locked on Vitya's hips. A business man, suit and tie and slick-back hair, was practically watering at how he moved. Bingo.

Vitya slid over, taking the man's drink front his hand and sipping softly before putting it back. "A bit-eh, overdressed, dah?" Vitya said, laying the accent on heavy and thick. This made the john's eyes light up, and just like that Vitya had his first client of the night. Like a staving beast pounding, the man had his hand on Vitya's hip, and it took every fiber in is being not to recoil. He needed to do this, he needed to survive. He pressed on.

The man's hand kept sliding up into his jacket's sleeve as they talked, nothing of note being said. That didn't stop how badly this guy wanted to see Vitya with less clothes on, point out how pretty his mouth was; this was a blowjob, then. Easy enough. Vitya let him slowly work the jacket off, Vitya leaning up to his ear. "You 'ave cash, dah?" he asked, Vitya's own hand starting to slide on the man's pant-leg. The man was new to this, unceremoniously reaching in his pocket and revealing wads of cash.

Without ceremony, Vitya grabbed the man's tie and walked him towards a back hallway, to the small exit toward the alleyway. The look on his face, as his back was now turned from the client, was one of sad regret. These were the moments when freedom tasted bitter.

Monty

Monty's face was clouded with disgust as he watched the middle aged man look at Vitya, talk to Vitya, touch Vitya. The fact the man was old enough to be Vitya's father, maybe even grandfather, didn't help either. It made his stomach turn in disgust that this man would dare touch someone so precious, so deserving of so much better; better than him, better than Monty too. But for some reason Vitya had allowed Monty to stick around and in some ways to take care of him, just a little.

Monty's fists clenched when the John pulled out a fat handful of cash. All he wanted to do in that moment was beat the guy black and blue. The guy was lucky Monty didn't have his gun really, though he could certainly do just as much damage with his fists or the switchblade stuffed into his boot.

Then Vitya was pulling the man across the room and out of a back door and Monty had to shake himself to unfreeze his limbs and stealthily follow them. He didn't want to watch whatever was about to happen, but he couldn't let Vitya go alone. He didn't want Vitya to get hurt just as much as he didn't want it to happen at all. He would protect Vitya at all costs which he'd been trying to do by paying for as many of the things they needed but it seemed Vitya was desperate for cash for some reason. Why couldn't he just ask Monty for whatever it was?

Eventually Vitya and the John stopped in the alleyway and Monty had to force himself to stay in the shadows as he fought himself. Maybe Vitya was just picking up some drugs or trading information Monty tried to placate himself but it was stupid, he knew what this was, he'd been on the receiving end far too many times and that in it's self made him feel sick. He'd done this, he'd payed this beautiful man for his mouth and his ass. Monty was disgusted at himself.

"Vitya! No!" Monty tried to call out to stop him but it came out barely more than a whisper as his eyes burned.

Vitya

Once out the door, the man in the suit was all aflutter. Vitya had to put his mask on, pretend he was attracted to this man, just for a little while longer. "W-well, do I pay you before-"

"Yes."

"Oh, um, here. You can count it-" Vitya didn't bother counting. He took the money and slowly slid it into his belt-line, making a show of it for the client. He smirked, his free hand pushing the man against the brink wall of the alleyway.

"Relax. You're in good hands," Vitya cooed, inching himself onto his knees, not breaking eye contact with the client.

The next few minutes, Vitya refused to focus too much on. He slid the belt off, pulled the cock out, and did was he was paid to do. The client tried to tug at his hair, but Vitya stopped him; Only Monty gets to do that. The businessman, instead, was stiff as a board, enjoying himself, but so unsure if he should have done this. Vitya knew this type. The man's hips started to buck, so he simply let his jaw hang lax as his mouth was fucked.

With Vitya being little more than a warm hole at this point, he let his mind wander. Despite being nowhere near his size, Vitya let himself pretend who was on the other end. It made the stinging in his head hurt a lot less, imaging Monty was the one using him like this. It was a hollow attempt; this lame john was simply too lax, too boring, each movement making Vitya wish he had never come out here in the first place...

Monty Monty's eyes fell shut despite how hard he tried to stay focused but it was like his mind was protecting him as money exchanged hands. Why was this making him so angry? he had no reason to feel like this. Vitya didn't belong to him, they weren't a couple or whatever the fuck Schuyler would call it. They were just two broken people who stuck together because they understood each other's pain, but Monty's mind didn't seem to be understanding that. His heart was thundering against his ribs and possessive anger was rising when he saw the John try to slide his hands into Vitya's hair.

"NO!" Monty yelled out, his feet propelling him forward and his right arm pulling back ready to punch the John in the jaw and knock him way from Vitya. The John looked terrified of Monty as anyone in their right mind would at the look on his face. His eyes were dark and teeth bared as he leaned in for the hit, sending the man staggering back.

Vitya

To say Vitya was surprised would be an understatement. To say the john was afraid would be, as well. Vitya was frozen when Monty came out of nowhere, catching Vitya in the act. Monty had seen- who knows how much, enough to know that this man's cock was four inches deep in his mouth. It was when The john staggered backwards that Vitya was brought back to reality, standing back up from the dirty concrete. "Hey! What the fuck-"

"What is- who are- I don't want any trouble! Please, please don't tell my wife!" The John whimpered, Vitya rolling his eyes and shoving him further down the alley way.

"He wasn't sent by your wife. Get out of here," Vitya snapped, dropping the heavy accent. The john looked between Monty's furious face and Vitya a few times before Vitya reached out again, grabbed his suit jacket and tossed him towards the end. "I said get the fuck out of here!"

As the man ran away, scared to death, Vitya turned his back to Monty, wiping away the excess spit and drool from his mouth, spitting onto the concrete to get the man's taste out. He laughed, cold and vicious, his leg bouncing quickly as his anxiety started to build. The light above them flickered every few seconds, the alley going from amber yellow to pitch black. The thundering bass from the club could still be heard through the walls.

"You better have a good fucking reason for that, Prescott." he snapped, spitting once more. "I was working, he was nearly done anyway. Now he's probably called the cops or some shit..."

Monty

Monty growled low in his throat when the John didn't move fast enough and every time Vitya touched the man again sent a spark of anger through him even if the touches were to get the man away from them. His anger was uncontrollable and he could barely understand it but all he knew was nobody else should be touching Vitya not ever again.

Words wouldn't come as Monty opened his mouth to try to explain his actions to Vitya. They didn't make any sense to him so how on earth could he begin to describe it to this man who sent every shred of common sense out of the window.

Monty grabbed Vitya by the neck of the flimsy tank he was wearing and pressed him up against the wall of the ally and kissed him hard and messy with sharp bites and his hands gripping Vitya in a way that was sure to leave bruises in the morning but he couldn't care less. He could taste the John on Vitya's tongue but underneath was still the taste Monty had grown so well aquatinted with and he pushed through, his need to claim won out.

Vitya

"Fucking- How did you even find me? You were sleep, I made sure of it. Damn asshole, are you spying on me? You do nothing but fuck and you think you can just come in and-"

Vitya's rant was cut short when Monty took his collar and pinned him to the wall. Vitya's eyes went wide as Monty took his mouth, gripped him so hard it hurt, making his lungs burn with shock. Vitya tried to pull away, tried to move, even punched Monty's shoulder twice, but Monty was so much stronger than him. And tasted so much better, and held him so harshly, so possessively, so... perfectly.

Vitya's resistance melted away, eyes rolling to the back of his head as he let Monty ravage him. His body was shivering in pleasure, all of his inner wants this entire night coming true as Monty clenched onto him, kissed him to harshly he was sure his lip was bleeding.

Vitya broke away when he ran out of air, placing his forehead on Monty's shoulder. His hands came up to grip the front of his shirt, his hot breath on Monty's neck. "What the fuck," he whispered, body responding to Monty's touch. "I need to... I need to work, you can't just run in like that..."

Monty

Monty ignored Vitya's rant, rolling his eyes and keeping tight hold as his kissed the smooth cool lips. It felt like coming home, it felt peaceful and calm and sure despite the anger rolling through him. It didn't take much of his strength to keep Vitya against the wall and lips connected even while he tried to fight and a small voice said this was not okay behaviour but the part of his mind that had been learning Vitya knew this was what he needed to do.

Once Vitya relaxed into the kiss Monty loosened his hold and the kiss became more passionate, as if he was trying to tell Vitya all the things he couldn't say out loud. There were so many things he wanted to say but he had no idea how to voice and that terrified him. The old Monty would have stormed away and never spoken to the person again but this was Vitya and this was some new Monty that felt things he didn't yet understand, things that were so different to the ones he'd felt for Schuyler.

Monty let Vitya break out the kiss when he could tell he was relaxed and wouldn't run away. Vitya's head on his shoulder felt nice and instinctively wrapped one of his hands around the back of the redhead and card his fingers soothingly through his hair, the other resting on the small of his back, rubbing soft circles there even though part of him felt sick to be this gentle. His mind and body were so conflicted.

"No. Ya done. No more of that shit." Monty growled. "Ya just got outta the hospital five fuckin' minuets ago. I've seen what them assholes do to ya, beat the shit outta ya, put drugs down ya throat ya have no idea what they are. I ain't lettin' that happen ever again. I got money, ya don't need ta fuckin' do this shit." Monty ground out, his voice low in Vitya's ear. "Ya not workin. Not like this."

Vitya

Vitya's body leaned into Monty's touch. His hands were so warm, and he just... understood what Vitya needed. He didn't want to be here anymore, not while he had... Fuck, whatever this was! He didn't get it, but Monty made him feel sick but amazing at the same time. Near rejoicing, yet close to vomiting. Nervous. But content.

Monty saying no made him tense up, shoving Monty back a step. "You don't get to..." Vitya ran a hand over his face. "I need to make money, I am not going to rely on you like a parasite- Why do you even want to stop me?" He laughed again, this time, his voice breaking. "You benefit from all this, yet you want me to stop?"

Vitya shook his head, rubbing at his eyes. "I get it, having a personal whore is fun and all, but I need to fucking work. I can't be your private cockhole forever. This is how we fucking met, you paying me and me fucking you, so why are you all over me now?"

Vitya leaned himself against the brick wall, crossing his arms. His eyes went from a fiery passion to a glassy, still numbness. He didn't get it. Monty had him running back and forth, between visceral emotions, chasing rage with regret, and meeting in the middle for a flare of happiness, it nearly made him break down. Feeling everything at once. Sour, then sweet. His voice was shaking, shattering, collapsing, as he tried to make sense of his own head, on top of Monty. "I don't give a fuck what happens to me, what they do to me. You shouldn't, either."

Monty

Despite being much stronger than Vitya with his thick arms and thighs and broad chest Monty staggered back when he was shoved by the taller man. These emotions were making him weak and he hated it, yet nothing could surpass the feeling he got when he could let his walls down and still feel safe. None of this made sense, and when the two were alone Monty couldn't bring himself to care but here they were in the open and it was terrifying.

"Fuckin' call it a loan then! Take what ya need then when we get this gallery shit up an' runnin' ya pay me back with fuckin' interest. Fuck I'll even do it Borgata style I ain't ran as a shylock for a minuet but fuck it ya don't wanna take my money we do it this way 'cause like hell ya gonna be doin' this shit anymore!" Monty growled, face close to Vitya's, eyebrows pulled together as he slipped on his Mafiosi mask.

Mont didn't ever have to be this way in front of Vitya. Even from that first time they'd had an easy banter that had allowed Monty to be himself, not having to put his walls up and pretend to still be the perfect Mafia son. It proved just how deep into a mess of feelings he was that he needed to do this.

"We just fuckin' had this conversation ya prick! When the fuck was the last time I paid for ya ass, huh? Try an' tell me ya remember because a few fuckin' days ago ya couldn't an' I can't either! I don't know what any of this shit is but I know for a fact we fuck 'cause we want to an' I'm not sendin ya ass back out here ta be fucked by some old perv who's gonna kill ya!"

Monty's face was screwed up into an expression that wasn't so much terrifying because it looked like he would hurt you but terrifying because it looked like something out of a horror movie. He was so enraged he was no longer handsome or sexy, he was animalistic. "You might not give a fuck about ya’self but someone has to an' that's me!" He yelled, not caring who'd hear him.

Vitya

Vitya groaned, rolling his eyes and locking his jaw. Monty was... off. This was like when he came to his dorm, near breakdown over Schuyler; open, vulnerable, revealing more than just a want or need for his body. Monty was trying to connect here, appeal to Vitya's emotions. It made his heart race, so unsure if he could even try to talk anymore.

He let Monty yell at him, and like a child, he looked down at the floor, kicking at the concrete with the toe of his boot. He licked his lips, his leg bouncing; this was too much. Vitya heard conversations like this, in melodramas and soap operas. His breathing got quicker, his face turning from angry to nervous. Monty was being so vicious and raw with his words, and the fact was Vitya was crumbling hearing them. His skin itched with discomfort. The reality was, the entire time he was out tonight, he felt disgusting. Like he needed a shower, like his chest would implode on himself. Every waking moment, he was hoping it was Monty on the other side of his advances. And now, he's there, saying things that he never thought he'd hear.

Vitya's face lifted up again as Monty's face twisted to an enraged passion. Vitya's jaw dropped a moment, only to close and twist into a sad smile, his own mask grumbling to pieces. A deep-rooted sadness and self-hatred were laced in the smile, body shaking with how much he was trying to keep his emotions in check, not wanting to explode more than he did. "What the fuck...' he tried to say, his voice broken. "Don't, don't..." He placed a hand on Monty's shoulder, gripping his shirt with a desperate hold.

"I-I'm not worth all that. It's fun, it is, I have not had this much fun with someone, at all, since meeting you. I didn't want to be out here, but I need to. Now you're here, and I..." He shook his head, unable to find the courage to go any deeper, express any more emotion. It hurt, it hurt too much. Instead, his face twisted in anger, lashing out. "I don't understand this. I don't understand you! I'm not special, I'm just a whore- I know that's why you kept coming over, I know it's because I look like the other redhead, so why do you care if I'm out here? Aren't I just part of your fantasy?"

Monty

The feel of Vitya’s hand on his shoulder broke Monty’s mafiosi mask when that sad smile twisted Vitya’s handsome face. It caused a pain to shoot through his chest that he couldn’t understand but made him give in to an unexpected need to pull Vitya close and hold him tight to his chest, burrowing into his neck and inhaling the familiar scent he’d become so used to being surrounded by.

“Fuck that I’m not worth it bullshit man. Ya know who’s nit worth shit? Montgomery Prescott, son of a psychopath Don from St Louie who treats his family like shit for any chance to gain even the smallest spec of power. But fuck Montgomery cause Monty can do what the fuck he wants an’ got the hell out just like you for fuck sake we’re the same man came from a place that treated us like shit to get the chance to fuckin’ be more than the clone of our fathers!” He whispered hotly to Vitya, lips moving against the shell of his ear.

A growl of anger left Monty’s chest at the mention of Schuyler and he pulled back from Vitya, running his hands through his hair and turning on the spot beginning to pace. “So fucking what just cause ya got red hair it makes ya some stand in for him? Ya completely fuckin’ different ta him. I don’t want him! He scared the shit outta me but you- it’s...” Monty trailed off not knowing how to express the mess inside his mind.

Vitya

Vitya tried to resist Monty's embrace at first, not wanting to held in that moment, but his hold was too wrong. He sighed, and leaned in, his own hands gripping Monty's shift, not wanting to let go, but giving the other man enough room to pull himself away. It felt so good, like a warm blanket on a cold night. Vitya choked down his own breathing, unable to truly contradict Monty. He was right, they were alike. In that way, there was common ground, a place to start from every time.

Vitya breathed in at Monty's pacing, adrenaline pumping through him. He was successful again, pushing someone's buttons to discomfort. But instead of feeling accomplished, powerful, at doing it again, he felt guilty. He brought up Monty's skeletons in the closet, just to get him to back off, to get an upper hand when he didn't know what else to do. He still didn't, he was drowning and gasping for some way out of this tsunami, and had no other way to react.

"No! No, don't you start that. You better fucking stop that, right now." Vitya snapped, pointing at Monty's chest. "You know damn well this isn't anything like that." He shook his head, starting to walk down the alley, but the pivoted back around. "You were about to say something there. 'He scared the shit out of me but you-'... I what? I'm different? He is your ex, you fell for him, and got burned. It fucked you up, and now you come at me. I know what this was supposed to be. I'm him, I'm 'the other Schuyler' for you. That what this is!"

His fingers were in his hair, gripping, trying his best to not fall apart. "I just... I want to go home. I..." He looked down at himself, taking the money out of his belt-line and waving it in the air. "I got what I wanted. And you got what you wanted, fucked up my night."

Monty

Monty felt numb and cold as though a bucket of ice water had been dumped over his head. Vitya had ever been like this with him but then he remembered their talk after he’d hurt the Clarington kid. Vitya had lashed out because the kid got under his skin. Was he doing that? Was whatever this was hurting Vitya?

Monty back tracked, trying to swallow down words and feelings but right now that seemed like an impossible task.

“Shut the fuck up I ain’t sayin that we agreed we’d never do that again your the one who made me promise not ta do that ya myself again so I know ya fuckin’ lyin’ if ya don’t give a shit about me protecting myself so here I am tellin’ ya ta protect your self.” Monty grabbed the hand pointing at his chest.

“You ain’t him because us givin’ a shit about each other an fuckin’ doesn’t hurt me, it don’t make me wanna run!” He yelled, trying to explain any of the millions of thoughts spinning through his mind.

“I just want ya safe fuckin’ damnit! What’s fuckin’ wrong with a loan huh?” His eyes were begging and pleading but his voice was hard and determined.

Monty reaches up and pulled Vitya’s hands from his hair where it looked like he was trying to pull out chunks. He held those long soft hands tightly, terrified the man would slip away and with it he’d take Monty’s soul.

Vitya’s voice sounded uncharacteristically stuttered the way he wasn’t quite finishing his sentences. Monty grabbed the money and shoved it into Vitya’s boot where he knew it would be safe and took his hands again.

“Ya wanna go home let’s fuckin’ go.” He said softly, trying to resist kissing him again. He didn’t really know how to comfort people, with Vitya they used their bodies to communicate a lot of the time but in this moment that didn’t feel like the right thing to do.

Vitya

Vitya was shaking with internal rage at himself, his heart racing as they continued this shouting match, this fight, what ever this was. Monty was under his skin, crawled in deep, making him feel joy and happiness, just by being around him, but confined at the same time. He tried to shove it all away, as if he wasn't feeling anything at all, the dominating numbness that had followed him his whole life, but instead he was flaring, fuming with a passion he never had before.

He was scared to death.

"Do not say it like that!" Vitya bit, baring his teeth. "This isn't anything! It's convenient, it's available, it's... anything but caring. I can't care, I fucking can't!" It sounded less like he was yelling at Monty, but more at himself. His internal struggle was letting loose, a indiscriminate spray of his inner demons. His leg was bouncing again, but he didn't fight back as Monty took his hands out of his hair.

"I didn't earn it, that's what! You loaning me money, paying for all of my shit- It is no different than back home! Just a pampered, sniveling prince with no real achievements, no real drive, doing nothing but whimper and die- I need to earn it, and you coming out here and-" Vitya motioned to the money now shoved into his boot. "And ruining the only damn thing I am good at-"

Vitya gripped Monty's hold, a vibrant flame in his eyes. "I fucking hate how good I am at all of this. At being able to read people, at playing The Game, at politicking, manipulating- That guy would have never cheated on his wife if I didn't convince him that he needed more than just watching me dance. And you... You're no different. I'm probably manipulating you, too."

Vitya tore his hands away from Monty, staring at him a moment before turning on his heel, starting his trek out of the alleyway. "Follow me or don't, I don't give a fuck... I'm going home."

Monty

"Then why the fuck did y make me promise not ta fall in love again then huh? Why would ya say that ta someone ya didn't care about, care that they were hurtin'? My brother's the only one who's ever tried ta protect me from ma self 'cause he's the only one who's given a shit!" Monty shouted back, he really had no idea why he was so adamant about this; maybe he wanted proof Vitya cared for him even if it was just friends with benefits, but maybe it was because he wanted Vitya to believe someone cared about him because it seemed like he didn't believe Monty cared.

"Aye! It is different 'cause we're gonna set up the gallery thing and sell ya stuff an' ya payin' me back with interest, an' I'll treat it just like any other mark that owes me, if ya don't pay on time I call in the enforcers. Ya never saw me runnin' for the mob but I can show ya that side an' I can tell ya it ain't pretty." Monty ground out, "This gallery thing is gonna make ya enough ta pay me an' get ya’self set up then ya can do whatever the hell ya want with ya fancy degree an' I sure as shit ain't lettin' ya sit by like a pillow princess doin' fuck all. Ya gonna work this con an' I'm gonna watch ya play these folks outta there money, yeah it's a game talkin' it up but ya art shit is fuckin' good man, ya deserve ta fuckin' sell it 'cause ya did work hard! It just so happens this shit is hard ta break into so ya have ta be a socialite asshole ta get ya’self in on the ground floor." Monty spoke fast, shaking Vitya's shoulders trying to force the words into the taller mans brain in place of all of the negativity about himself he'd clearly been brain washed into for years.

Monty couldn't believe how many words were flying out of his mouth. He usually only spoke so much when he was talking about his research and experiments in science which was his true passion. It was as if he wanted to leave no silence where Vitya could find space to think those demeaning things about himself.

Monty

"If ya had no drive, just wantin' ta curl up an' die why the fuck would ya have left that place with ya cushy life, ya could have just walked away ta some shit hole an' put a gun ta ya head, I'm sure there were plenty shit-holes in Russia where ya couldda froze or starved or been murdered, didn't have ta come all this way for that!" Monty argued, trying to prove there must have been some instinct in Vitya that wanted to live and be more.

"Ya ain't manipulatin' me, I ain't someone who falls for that shit, been through too much to fall for anythin'. I'm the one who does the manipulatin' or ain't ya seen me an' him at all? Ya know why he hates me don't ya?" Monty laughed bitterly, not offering any more information on his relationship with Schuyler, just enough to show he wasn't a push over.

"Don't be an idiot of course I'm followin' I just told ya I was comin' didn't I?" Monty sighed, rolling his eyes and taking quick steps to catch up with Vitya's long strides. He grabbed one of Vitya's hands, letting the pad of his own thumb draw soothing circles on the others hand.

Vitya

"I don't know!" Vitya yelled back. "I don't know why! I don't know why I do anything anymore, my fucking head starts to hurt when I think of you, and I don't know why!" Vitya ground out the last few words with gritted teeth. "I don't know what I think anymore, it's all too jumbled up and messed up and confusing- I can't focus half the time because you're in here-" Vitya points at his temple. "-fucking ruining everything, making a confusing fucking mess, making everything hurt, and I want you out!"

He breathed in, out of breath, as well as realizing what exactly just came out of his mouth. He stopped himself from yelling, all the wind in his sails depleting, his face falling into a gaze of collapsing despair. He steeled himself, opting to pretend nothing came out. He didn't even react beyond, gripping Monty's arms to get him to stop shaking him as he went on and on about this con, this way to get Vitya's art out there, to be successful. He was so done with arguing, his steam out, the fire in him dimmed. All at once, his lack of sleep, his exhaustion of the night, and his terrible attitude collapsed all at once on him. That's what he was running from this time, then. Monty was just in his head, all the time, and Vitya had no idea what to do with him. And, as always, he lashed out. Trying to get rid of him. And, somehow, Monty was still there. Resilient and constant.

Vitya stopped walking when Monty took his hand. His gaze snapped to it, staring, then back to Monty's face. He didn't say anything, his jaw locking shut, holding in the bitchy, rude comment on the tip of his tongue. He was tense, as if he was about to hit Monty to get him to let go, but instead, he turned his gaze back to the side walk. Instead of saying anything, he opted to gripping Monty's hand the slightest bit. Not to say he wanted to hold it; every fiber in his being told him to let go. But more to show that he was listening. He heard everything Monty said, and simply lost all energy to fight it. There was no more fight to have because Monty had been through all of this himself. He'd seen the worst the world has to offer, including Vitya, and yet... he was here.

Vitya let out a shaking breath, one he had been holding, as he started to walk again, this time slowly, casually. Carefully. "...I just want my head to stop talking. That's all."

Monty

"Just fuckin' chill al'ight" Monty responded softly. They both seemed to have run out of steam on the argument. It was like Vitya's mind had jumped from fighting about caring to fighting with his own mind and that had Monty worried. He couldn't bring himself to yell anymore when Vitya was clearly hurting; it was like the taller man had become a shadow of himself as the fight left his features and fuck Monty wanted to hold him so badly, wanted to hold him until the pain was gone.

Monty jerked when Vitya stopped suddenly but allowed Vit to look between their clasped hands and Mont's face. "We'll make it stop, I'll make it stop." He couldn't read the expression on the handsome face but it seemed so incredibly pained and that was enough to let Monty know that right now nothing more needed to be said. Inevitably they would have this conversation again but right now neither of them were able to keep talking.

Instead they would return to Vitya's room hand in hand because neither had the strength to let go and be alone and they would talk with their bodies, wiping away each others memories of the other man Vitya had touched tonight and surround themselves in each other, holding tightly like a life raft that without they would float away into the darkness

[darks-ink]

Play Your Part 3

Chapter 3: You Might Just See A Ghost Tonight

Chapter title is from Emperor’s New Clothes by Panic! At The Disco! I don’t really have any author notes that I haven’t already posted about on Tumblr so...

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“So let me make sure I got this right.” Jazz’s eyes darted from Danny to Sam and Tucker, then back to Danny. “This is Danny, but he’s not our Danny?”

Tucker opened his mouth, but Jazz held up a hand to silence him. “I wasn’t done yet. So this Danny is from an alternate timeline where everyone but him is half-ghost. He got dragged here because of some strange artifact, and now you guys want to go into the Ghost Zone to find out what it did and how to undo it. Right?”

“I guess?” Danny shrugged. “It was their idea.”

Jazz rolled her eyes. “Of course it was. Clearly you never have stupid ideas, do you?”

“Hey!” He huffed and crossed his arms. “I don’t know about your Danny, but I do my best to stay in the background, thank you very much! The last thing I need to do is draw the ire of people stronger than me.”

“Ah, that’s definitely not like Danny,” Tucker commented, nodding wisely. “He would fight God if he could.”

“Alright, so I’m not a ballsy half-ghost, whatever. Can we focus, please?” He didn’t want to hear more about how, even here, he was lesser. He had hoped, briefly, that maybe he would fit in better in this world of humans, rather than half-ghosts. But apparently that wasn’t the case.

Apparently he couldn’t even live up to the standards set by himself.

“Of course. Well, here’s my first question for you three.” Jazz gestured at him. “Do you know if you only swapped your minds, and kept the bodies in the right place, or is this a full swap?”

“What?” Danny asked, frowning at her. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Well, mind swaps are a classic plot device, right?” She shrugged. “But usually that only involves swapping the minds of the people involved. So if that is what’s happening here, you would still be able to access Danny’s ghost powers, because it’s still his body, not yours.”

Danny held out his hands, staring down at them. They looked perfectly normal. He didn’t feel any different, either. But then he was supposed to be half-ghost, too, normally. So what was the difference?

“How can I tell? If it’s his body or mine?”

“Ghost powers, duh.” Tucker’s grin became even wider when Danny glared at him.

“I don’t know, Jazz. I don’t think he has powers,” Sam pointed out, ignoring the two bickering boys. “With that kinda glaring we would be seeing green already.”

“Huh?” Danny’s head snapped back to the two girls, glare softening in a frown. “Oh, yeah, I guess. I’m not sure how you’re supposed to trigger any of them on purpose, anyway.”

“No one ever taught you how to use your powers? No special lessons or anything?” Tucker stepped in closer again, curiosity peaked. “Even though everyone had them?”

“Well, no.” He shrugged. “Apparently it just kind of comes naturally? They usually start manifesting when you’re pretty young. My dad was really late, and he got them by twelve.”

“Hence why you’re so sure you won’t get them.” Jazz nodded in understanding. “I guess that that makes sense.”

“Why does it matter if it’s a body or a mind swap, anyway?” Sam cocked her head, her brow creased. “We gotta learn more about that artifact, anyway. Whether he has ghost powers or not doesn’t matter for that.”

“Yeah, no, you’re right,” Jazz admitted. “Curiosity, mostly, and it could’ve helped you narrow down the search.”

“Eh, we’ll figure it out anyway.” Tucker held up his PDA demonstratively. “You’re underestimating our powers of research, Jazz.”

“Whatever makes you feel better.” She rolled her eyes, then sat down at the kitchen table. “I’ll keep my parents distracted if they come back before you guys, but don’t make it too long, okay? Or warn me beforehand so I can lure them away.”

“Yes ma’am.” Tucker shot her a grin and a salute as he made his way towards the door to the lab. “Let’s go, guys!”

Danny heaved a sigh but followed anyway, Sam right on his heels. “Is he always this enthusiastic?”

“Nah. I think he just wants to see your reaction to some of the ghosts Danny knows. Or, uh.” She made a face. “Our Danny, I guess, since you’re Danny too.”

He snorted. “Yeah, it’s kind of confusing, isn’t it?”

“No kidding.”

They entered the lab, which… actually looked different from the lab back home. Lots of glowing green on their inventions, too. Clearly powered by ectoplasm. Tucker was already standing next to an enormous cylindrical vehicle, which floated a foot or so above the floor.

“And here’s the Specter Speeder!” He threw out his hands towards the vehicle. “Tah-dah!”

He looked it over, nodding despite himself. “Not bad. Looks better than the RV, at least. Less tank-like.”

“Less reviewing your parents’ inventions, more getting in.” Sam shoved him towards the door, and he stumbled in.

“Alright, alright. No need to shove me!”

She clambered in after him, Tucker following suit and closing the door. “Who’s gonna pilot?” she asked the other boy.

“You do it, I’ll keep track on my PDA.” Following this statement, he sat down in the co-pilot seat. Co-driver? What did you call the person steering a hovercraft? “And Danny can sit in the back and enjoy the view.”

“Thanks,” he said dryly. “You sure you don’t need me to do anything?”

“Eh.” Tucker shrugged. “You can help look at stuff when we get somewhere, but for now we’ll be fine. Maybe prepare yourself to meet some of your fans, so you can convince them that you’re not the normal Danny?”

He made a face. “He has fans?”

“Some,” Sam commented, starting up the Speeder. “But mostly just humans. Tucker was referring to some of the non-malevolent ghosts that Danny is allied with, since we’ll be asking them first. You said it was a magical necklace, right, that brought you here?”

“I mean, I’m pretty sure that that was the thing responsible, yeah.” He shrugged, then realized she couldn’t see it. “Why?”

She turned her head some, sharing a glance with Tucker. “I was thinking we could start with Dora, then. She’s our expert on magical necklaces.”

“A magical necklace that lets you turn into a dragon isn’t the same as a body-swapping necklace, Sam,” Tucker pointed out. He then undermined his own statement by leaning forward and setting the destination on the navigational system.

“It’s a good place to start, anyway.” She shot Danny a look over her shoulder, briefly. “Better than Frostbite, anyway, and Clockwork wouldn’t be any help whatsoever.”

Danny frowned, fingers tapping on the edge of his seat. “You’re telling me that he’s the only half-ghost around, constantly fighting full ghosts, and yet he only has like, three allies? And you guys, I guess.”

“Yeah, kinda.” Tucker shrugged, twisting in his seat to talk more easily. “Most of the ghosts don’t like Danny getting in their way. And some are encouraged by Vlad, too, since he’s also half-ghost and doesn’t like that Danny isn’t on his side.”

“Really? Vlad? As in, Vlad Masters?”

“You know him?” Sam asked, not looking away from the front window.

“Well, yeah. Dad says Vlad is his best friend, but he comes around basically never. Old college friends or something, I think.”

“Huh. Yeah, that checks out with how it is around here. He flirts with your – Danny’s – mom a lot, and makes evil plots because he’s half-ghost and wants Danny as his half-ghost son or something.” Tucker shrugged, leaning his arms on the back of his seat. “It’s kind of messed up.”

“But that doesn’t make sense!” Danny flapped his hand, gesturing wildly. “Why am I human, countered by your Danny being half-ghost, if he gets to be half-ghost in both worlds? How does that make sense?!”

“I dunno, man. This sort of thing doesn’t have to make sense, you know?”

“But that’s so unfair!” Danny groaned, burying his head in his hands. “Why do I have to deal with this shit my whole damn life while he gets away just fine! So he’s not particularly powerful, at least he’s not bullied over it like I am!”

Tucker hummed. “He’s not… powerful? That’s weird. Vlad in his ghost form is among the most powerful ghosts we’ve encountered.”

“Great. So not only is my half-ghost counterpart here way stronger than normal halfas should be, Vlad gets to be all powerful too? So then what’s the damn difference?”

“Well, Vlad is pretty messed up,” Sam piped up from the front seat. “He suffered from ecto-acne after the accident in college, and he took years to get his powers, as opposed to Danny who got them pretty much instantly. Maybe that got mirrored in your universe into an accident that weakened him, but didn’t completely remove his powers?”

“But that suggests that I’ve been in an accident that made me lose my powers.” He looked down at his hands, clenching and unclenching them. “But that has never happened. As far as I know I’ve never had powers. I wouldn’t even know what my ghost form looks like.”

“Now that is a question I can answer.” Tucker clicked around on his PDA a little, then held it out for Danny. “Here’s a photo of Danny Phantom for you. I dunno what you guys wear in your ghost forms, if they’re formed naturally, but this is what he looks like, at least.”

“Huh.” Danny took the PDA from Tucker’s hands, eyes roving over the screen. Pictures on there was indeed what he might expect from his own ghost form, bar the clothing. Messy white hair, a brilliant smile, and vivid green eyes. A good mid-point between his parents’ chartreuse and green, he supposed. But--

“Why is he wearing a jumpsuit?” he asked, handing it back to Tucker. “He isn’t following our parents’ style, is he?”

“No, no. That’s what he was wearing when he became half-ghost, only inverted.” Tucker glanced at the front seat, but Sam remained silent. Her hands were clenched around the steering wheel with such force that the knuckles turned white. “He, um. Sam kind of talked him into wearing it.”

“Oh.” He cleared his throat, awkwardly. “Well, um. Why doesn’t he change it, then? That’s what we do, normally, to make our clothes match our current style.”

Tucker shrugged, turning back around in his seat. “It makes him look superhero-y, I guess. He’s never complained about it, at least.”

“I guess I can’t argue with that.” Danny glanced out of the front window, eyes roving over the expansive green landscape. “Hey, is that a castle?”

“Yup. The castle of Queen Dorathea.” The Speeder jerked as Sam slowed it down. “This is our destination for today. If she can’t help us, we’ll have to try somewhere else tomorrow.”

“Alright.” They landed, and he undid his seat belt. “So, uh. Is this one of those ghosts that knows other-me?”

“Yep,” Tucker confirmed, stretching himself out. “Just don’t piss her off and we’ll be alright. Sam can take point, right, Sam?”

“Yeah, don’t worry about it.” She stood up, smoothly, and exited the vehicle. “As long as you two don’t behave like idiots, we’ll be fine.”

“I don’t know, that’s a lot to ask of us, Sam.” Danny shot her a grin as he caught up. “I don’t think Tucker has spent a single moment in his life not being an idiot.”

“Oh, you’re one to speak!” The other caught up and shoved Danny, a fake offended expression on his face. “You’re-- Watch out!”

Tucker’s fingers wrapped around Danny’s wrist, barely preventing him from falling. He stared back, wide-eyed, half his chest and the other arm phased through a wall.

Sam grabbed hold as well, and the two of them pulled Danny back onto his feet.

“Sorry,” Tucker said, grin a little shaky. “I, uh, didn’t realize that you didn’t know you could phase through stuff in here.”

Danny just looked between him, the wall, and then him and Sam again. “Come again?”

“Humans are the ghosts in the Ghost Zone,” Sam explained, entering the castle proper now. “You can phase through stuff if you want. And, since I see the way you’re looking, yes, not wanting to hit something counts as wanting to phase through it.”

“Oh.” He glanced at his arm, then the wall. “Is that… what it is supposed to feel like? Intangibility?”

“Actually, I’m not too sure.” Tucker caught up as well. “I never asked Danny.”

“Seems like a missed opportunity.”

“Yeah, indeed.”

They paused before a large ghost, his empty red eyes peering at them over a humongous ax. Then the ghost nodded, minutely, and floated aside. “Sir Phantom. Our Queen can be found in the library.”

“Uh.” He shot Sam and Tucker a half-panicked glance, then looked back at the ghost. “Thank you?”

The ghost simply hummed. Eyes still wide, he sped past, Sam and Tucker rushing after him.

“Not used to seeing big ghosts like that?” Tucker smirked. “Or was the title getting to you?”

“A little bit of both.” He shot the other boy a glare. “Couldn’t you warn me about that? I thought you two said that I didn’t have any fans among the ghosts!”

“They’re not fans,” Sam explained patiently as they made their ways through the halls. Apparently the two of them knew where the library was, or they were better at pretending than him. “Dora really did knight Danny to thank him for services rendered.”

“That still would’ve been nice to know!” They entered a hallway with two enormous double doors at the end. “A title is still a big deal, you know!”

“Sorry, we kind of… forgot?” Tucker smiled sheepishly. “Danny doesn’t like them, so we tease him about them. I guess we didn’t realize that they could be a big deal to, well, you.”

“Alright, well--” he fell silent as both of his conversation partners walked through the giant wooden doors.

He made a face. Then, not wanting to come across like an idiot – or at least not more so that he already has – he focused on the earlier sensation of phasing through the wall, and walked forward.

Sam and Tucker stood on the other side of the doors. They weren’t alone. A girl, green skinned and red-eyed, with long braided blonde hair, floated in-between them.

“Ah, Sir Phantom,” she said cheerily once she caught sight of him. “A pleasure to see you again.”

“Uh, yes, um. Right.” He shot a wide-eyed look at Sam, then Tucker, hoping that one of them would speak up. “It’s… nice to see you too, Queen Dora.”

“Oh, please.” She flapped a hand. “You know you can call me Dora.”

“Right…” He narrowed his eyes at Sam. Didn’t she tell him that she would take care of it? “I’ll… remember that, Dora.”

She smiled brightly, folding her hands together. “Now, what brings you three here today? Not a social call, I assume?”

“No, sorry,” Sam said, finally taking over. She turned towards Dora. “We ran into a magical necklace, and we think it might’ve been a ghost artifact, so we were hoping to find more information about it.”

“Ah.” She nodded, her brow slightly creased. “Well, what can you tell me about it?”

“For starters, it swapped out Danny with one from a different universe.” Tucker gestured over at him, and he stiffened under the new scrutiny of the ghost queen. “Or, well, technically he was the one who ran into it and swapped with our Danny.”

“Is that so?” Her eyes softened slightly, but lingered on him for a long time. “You are not my Sir Phantom? I’m sorry for the confusion, then.”

“Uh, yeah. Same.” He shrugged, his shoulders lifted high. “I didn’t want to trick you or whatever. I’m… just Danny. No Phantom, no ghost powers.”

“Hmm, really? Is this… Would you consider this a problem, a fault?”

He drew his shoulder up even higher. “Maybe… Why?”

“I think I might know which necklace you found, then.” She cocked her head, one finger tapping on her cheek. “I will look into it, if you wish. But it might take a while.”

“Just like that?” Tucker asked skeptically. “Based only on a body-swap?”

She narrowed her eyes. “Sir Foley, do you really think that that is a common attribute of necklaces?”

Danny laughed, startled. Tucker made a face, then nodded. “Yeah, alright, that’s fair.”

“Can you send a messenger if you know more?” Sam asked, apparently more focused that the rest of them together. “We can’t stay here for long, I’m afraid.”

“Yes, yes, of course.” She rightened herself, her hands folded together. “I’ll make haste, then.”

“Thank you, Dora.” Danny let some of the tension drain out of him, shooting her a grateful smile. “I really appreciate it.”

“It is my pleasure.” Her eyes lingered on him, like she knew something he didn’t.

“If you don’t hurry you’ll be late for school.” Jazz’s eyes on him were steady, unwavering.

He made a face back at her to cover for his slip-up. He’d forgotten to account for the fact that he had to walk to school, now. Most of the time he flew to school, and in all other cases he walked with Sam and Tucker. But he had slept in, and thus had missed his chance.

“I’m leaving already, jeez,” he said, grabbing a piece of toast. He wasn’t a fan of toast, but it was already done, and easy to eat while walking. “No need to rush me.”

“Just looking out for you, since you can’t fly.” She passed him by, ruffling his hair along the way. “Now go, or do you want me to fly you?”

“No thanks, I’ve got it.” He waved her a short goodbye, taking a bite of his toast. “See ya, Jazz!”

The door slammed shut behind him, blocking out any answer she might’ve given. Shouldering his backpack so it laid better on his back, he started walking towards school. He wasn’t late enough to call for running, but if he kept his pace a little faster than usual… well, no one around to comment, right?

“Hey man, I thought you didn’t like toast?”

Danny jerked to the side, then glared at the empty space on his right. “I don’t,” he confirmed for the apparently invisible Tucker, “But I was running late and this was the only thing I could grab.”

Tucker faded into visibility, bright purple eyes and white-rimmed glasses. “You’re running late? Seems like a perfectly good time to me.”

“That’s because you fly faster than I walk.” Danny took a bite of his toast, then dodged to the side as Tucker lunged at him. “That wasn’t an invitation to carry me, Tuck!”

“Alright, alright! No need to snap at me.” He raised his hands defensively. “Just wanted to help, man.”

“I don’t need help, I’m fine.” Another bite of dry toast. “Just need to walk a little faster than usual.”

The half-ghost version of his best friend hummed, then floated along, lying on his back. “Well, I guess I’ll fly along, then. Sure you don’t want a ride?”

“No, Tucker, I’m fine. Can’t go you bother Sam or something?”

“Bother who?” Sam floated in front of him, blocking his path, her arms crossed. Her white ponytail flared like fire, and her cyan eyes sparked dangerously.

Rather than answer, Danny shoved the rest of the slice of toast into his mouth. Smooth, Fenton.

Apparently Sam thought so too, because she huffed out a laugh and floated aside. “Yeah, I see how it is. Get going before you’re late.”

Danny nodded, speeding up his walk even further than before. Still not a run, though. Tucker and Sam now both floated along, one on each side.

Man, that really was annoying. Maybe he should stop doing that to his own Sam and Tucker, back home.

“He didn’t want me to fly him, and apparently I was being annoying about it,” Tucker explained to Sam, still lying flat on his back. “Snapped at me and everything!”

“I didn’t snap at you.” Danny swatted at the floating boy, not surprised when the other simply turned intangible to avoid it. “I just told you that I didn’t want to be carried.”

“You’re not gonna be late again, are you?” Sam asked, some concern in her voice. “Lancer’ll kill you if you follow up your day away by being late again.”

“It’ll be fine if I keep up this pace.” He rolled his eyes at her, quietly wondering how often this Danny was late, and why. It’s not like he had ghosts to fight or anything!

“Just saying. You saw how pissed he was when we were late two days ago.” She stretched, lounging comfortably in mid-air. “And you know what he’s like towards you.”

He didn’t, but he was starting to get an idea of it. “Yeah,” he told her, speeding up just a little more, just in case. “But it’ll be fine, Sam, no worries.”

Before long the school appeared in sight, and he rushed through the doors and into packed halls. He dodged through the mass, ignoring the fact that some of its members were ghosts – or at least in their ghost forms – and praying that his locker and combination were the same in this universe. His ghost sense crawled from his core and into his lungs, but it stayed weak enough to remain unnoticed. No mist crawled out from his mouth – or his nose.

He stopped before his locker, starting to twist its lock quickly, lest he lose focus. Thankfully it unlocked quickly, and he bit down the cheer at things going well for once. Just as he was looking over the books and trying to remember what class he had, Sam appeared by his side, English books in her arms.

“Come on, grab your books and get going. If you’re early you might just give Lancer a heart-attack.”

“Right,” he said, taking the appropriate books out of his locker. Huh. Looked like they were reading a different book in this universe. He slammed the locker closed just as the first bell rung. “Let’s get going, then.”

She nodded, landing softly on the floor as white light washed over her. Now in her human form, looking like she normally did, she led him towards the classroom. He caught sight of more people transforming in the hallways. Must be a rule against ghost forms during class, which, actually, kind of made sense.

They reached Lancer’s classroom without too much trouble, and Sam walked in and to her usual seat without issue. When Danny tried to do the same, his core pulsed more strongly, and blue mist blew out of his mouth. He stilled, but no one seemed to have noticed.

Stepping inside, he saw what had triggered the proper ghost sense; Mr. Lancer sat behind his desk, his goatee and eyebrows white and his irises bright red. As a full-grown half-ghost, he must be powerful enough to set off his ghost sense.

“Mr. Fenton,” Lancer drawled, “How nice of you to join us again. And on time, for once? Color me surprised.”

Danny shrugged, unsure of what he was supposed to say.

“Well, go on and take your seat then.” Mr. Lancer waved a hand towards the desks. “Don’t get in the way, now.”

He huffed, but did as asked. Just blend in, Danny. Don’t draw unnecessary attention. Find out why you’re here and go home.

Slumping into a seat, he set his books down. He wasn’t sure how the lessons would go, but surely there couldn’t be that much difference between this universe and his own?

He opened his locker, then stuck his head inside and just groaned.

“You alright there, dude?” Tucker asked, stepping up next to him. “You’ve been weird today.”

“’m fine,” he mumbled back, not removing his head. It wasn’t like he could tell the guy that he was actually from a different universe and only now realizing how crazy this one was. The fact that everyone was half-ghost apparently wasn’t the end of the differences. Stunning. “Just… haven’t quite recovered from the accident two days ago.”

“Is that why you took a day off yesterday?” Sam leaned against the lockers on his other side, clearly curious. “No one wanted to tell us why you didn’t show up. Started to wonder if you hadn’t gotten jumped and killed or something.”

“Do you really have to be so morbid?” Tucker leaned back so he could shoot her an unamused glare past Danny, his eyes flickering purple briefly.

Danny pulled back his head, flapping a hand to stop them from squabbling. Some things never changed, he supposed. “Tucker, let her be, she’s just being goth. And yeah, had an accident in my parents’ lab, and Mom didn’t want me to come to school.”

Sam smirked at Tucker, clearly thrilled that Danny had taken her side. Tucker just stuck out his tongue in retaliation.

Rolling his eyes at their antics, Danny started putting away his stuff, letting his thoughts wander. This universe was absolutely madness. The only good thing he could think of was that, with his parents as human hunters instead of ghost hunters, ecto-contaminated food seemed to be far less common. Kind of weird, actually, considering that now everyone was half-ghost and wouldn’t die of ectoplasm poisoning if they did eat it, but hey, whatever. He never liked the taste of it anyway, and it had no benefits for healthy half-ghosts like him anyway.

Blending in was actually surprisingly tough. He had thought that it wouldn’t be all that different from usual, pretending to be powerless and a normal human. But here, that made him stand out, made him a target. And honestly? He really didn’t like that.

The bullying wasn’t limited to just Dash and his cronies. Pretty much the entire student body avoided him, like touching him would drain their own powers. Everyone bit insults at him, even the teachers! Like being human was bad, was lesser.

It was a stark contrast to his normal life, where he was constantly hiding and afraid because he wasn’t human. Because ghosts were lesser, were dangerous manifestations that didn’t deserve to exist.

He sighed, then zipped up his backpack. Sam and Tucker both shot him worried looks, but he ignored them.

Really, the only good thing was that these half-ghosts seemed to grow in strength with time. The students were all too weak to really trigger his ghost sense, and hiding it from the teachers wasn’t too hard.

“Ready to head home, Danny?”

“Yeah.” He nodded at Sam, clicking his locker closed. “Let’s get going. I’ve got tons of homework I need to get working on.”

“At least you don’t have detention again,” she said, her voice cheery like it was a good thing. Ah, another one of those things that hadn’t changed. Back home he got detention for being half-ghost, and here he got it because he wasn’t half-ghost. “So you’ve got that going for you.”

“Woo hoo. Lucky me.” He pushed through the doors of the school, ignoring the flash of light that preluded Tucker rejoining him in his ghost form.

“Man, Danny, you’re being almost as depressing as Sam,” the now-floating Tucker commented. “Cheer up.”

“I’ll think about it.”

“Eh, good enough for me.” Tucker shrugged, then darted a glance at his watch. “Hey, I gotta get going. See you tomorrow?”

“Yeah, sure.” They waved him goodbye, and Tucker shot off like a rocket. Man, he didn’t realize he could miss flying so much.

“So, uh…”

Danny shook his head, turning to face Sam. “You have to get going too? It’s fine, Sam, don’t worry about it.”

“Yeah, alright.” She grinned, shifting to her ghost form as well. “See you tomorrow, Danny.”

He watched her go, then heaved another sigh. A whole school day had passed, and he still didn’t know why he was here. Clockwork might be fond of vagueness, but at least he usually gave some clue to what was going on. But he couldn’t dive into the Ghost Zone to find out more, either. He had no one to cover for him, and people would surely connect his ghost form with the normal Danny Fenton.

Still encompassed with these thoughts, he walked into the Fenton household without thinking. The moment he stepped inside, thick blue smoke wafted from his mouth.

And, startled, his wide blue eyes met three pairs of eyes looking back at him.

[luckyspike]

Jack of All Trades - Good Omens fanfic

Crowley and Aziraphale have been around for 6000 years. Adam wants to know what they’ve been up to in that time. Anathema discovers a secret. Aziraphale is friends with the Loch Ness Monster. Maybe.

-

“So.” The assembled parties turn to look at Adam, all of fourteen years old, who is sitting on the stone wall around the garden of Jasmine Cottage, semi-melted ice cream cone dribbling down his hand. “I have a question.”

The Them, also sitting on the wall and flanking him on either side, nod encouragingly. Anathema, Newt, Madame Tracy and Mr. Shadwell, seated around the garden table and having a pleasant after-dinner chat about current events and relation to witchcraft (if any), raise their eyebrows and look politely interested. Aziraphale and Crowley, side-by-side on a bench under the jasmine, shared an apprehensive look. Dog, chewing a stick at their feet, did not pay Adam any heed. 

“S’for you two,” he said, indicating the supernatural entities with his ice cream cone. “You been around for a while, yeah?” A pair of trepidatious nods. “So you gotta know all kinds of weird stuff.” He considered his words and went on. “I mean, Crowley, I know you know a lot about science, an’ Aziraphale you’ve prob’ly read every book ever written -” Aziraphale actually blushed “- but like, there’s gotta be other stuff, right? Bet you know loads of cool stuff.”

The attention of the assembled turned to Crowley and Aziraphale, who exchanged another look which was still apprehensive but now, also, confused. “How do you mean, Adam?” Aziraphale asked politely, after Crowley shrugged. “I’m sorry, I’m not sure I follow.”

“Well, like,” Adam gestured grandly. “Say I lived for a thousand years. First of all, I wouldn’ bother with school. But I’d wanna learn about other stuff, actually properly interesting stuff, like swordfighting an’ archery an’ like … geology an’ stuff.” He beamed. “I could be like Indiana Jones, going all over the world to find stuff about lost cities and the Holy Grail an’ all that.” A thought occurred to him. “Do you know where the Holy Grail is?”

“Yes, and no, you can’t know,” Crowley answered, while Newt and Shadwell’s mouth’s dropped open. “I think I get it.” He considered it, swirling his wine in his glass. “I’m quite good at sewing.”

Adam blinked. “Sewing?”

“Yeah, you know, back before tailors and all that, you had to be able to do your own repairs and the like. And you couldn’t always miracle up a new robe or whatever. Right?” He looked to Aziraphale for confirmation, who nodded in agreement.

“I did a good deal of metalwork, as well, around the turn of the century,” Aziraphale said. “Smelting and the like. I started with just making swords and that but it’s actually very interesting, really, and I got quite good at it if I say so myself.”

“Cool,” Pepper said, eyes wide. “What else?”

Crowley considered it. “Technically I’m a medical doctor.”

Anathema cut in. “Really?”

“Well, yeah, but I got the degree on a lark in the eleventh century so I’m not ah, up-to-date as it were.”

“So should we call you Dr. Crowley?” Wensley asked, his head to one side. 

Aziraphale answered. “Best not. Unless you’re fond of leeches.” The Them and some of the assembled adults made a face. Crowley did, too. 

“Never did like that part.” He poked Aziraphale. “What else you got? Don’t you know glassblowing?”

“Oh, yes, but I haven’t done it in ages. Can’t imagine it’d be any good at it now. Pottery, too. Oh, and carpentry!” He shrugged. “That was another one of those semi-essential skills long ago.”

“Picked some of that up myself from a guy,” Crowley muttered into his wine, trailing off when Aziraphale glared at him briefly. Anathema definitely put a pin in that with plans to revisit it later if possible. “I’m pretty good at shooting. Arrows, guns, whatever you got. Part of the infernal workings or whatever.” He thought further, while Aziraphale did the same. “I was a miner, for a while, and a pilot, a couple of times.”

“I was a sailor,” Aziraphale reflected. “In the eighth century. I went to Hawai’i.”

“Easy to be a sailor when you’re not worried about drowning.” Crowley sat back. “Oh, I don’t know Adam, it’s been a long time. Anything you’re interested in?”

Brian’s eyes were bright. “Did you go to the old west? In America?”

“I’ve never been to America,” Aziraphale answered, but looked surprised when Crowley nodded to the affirmative. “You were in America in the nineteenth century?”

“Around, oh, the 1860s, yeah. It was dreadful.”

Newt cut in, hesitant but interested nonetheless. “What about the space program?”

Crowley and Aziraphale exchanged a look. “I certainly didn’t participate,” Aziraphale said. “Heaven frowns on that kind of thing.”

Crowley raised a hand. “Dah, comrade,” he sighed. “Thought it seemed interesting, so I joined up with the soviets for a bit in the 50s.” He looked pleased with himself. “I was there when they launched Sputnik, the stupid little thing.” Aziraphale raised his eyebrows at the expression of unadulterated fondness Crowley had while he talked about the satellite. “Dumb little ball with wires sticking off it and there you have it, humans in space. Amazing.”

“Can either of yeh do witchcraft?” Shadwell asked in a low voice. “I asked ye’ in the seventies if ye’ were a witch, a warlock, or someone who calls their cat funny names.”

Crowley shook his head. “And I’m not. Never was.” He spread his hands. “Just a plain old demon, no frills.”

“And a doctor,” Wensley added. 

“Sort of. And no, I don’t know any witchcraft. Never saw the need,” Aziraphale added. “Was there something in particular you were interested in, Adam? Safe to say if there’s something specific one of us might know something about it.”

Adam thought about it. “What about archaeology?” he asked, eventually. “Dinosaurs an’ the like. You must’ve seen some dinosaurs.”

They didn’t look at one another. They resolutely did not look at one another. Aziraphale answered first, clearing his throat slightly before he started. “I’m afraid not, my boy. I was, ah, occupied with the preparation for the Garden -”

“I was in Hell,” Crowley said, matter-of-fact, although Anathema and Madam Tracy did notice his arm, which had previously been draped over the back of the bench, moved to Aziraphale’s shoulder.

“Yes, and he was in Hell, unfortunately -” Crowley shrugged “- so neither of us were very much involved in dinosaurs, Adam. I am sorry.”

Adam looked a little disappointed. “S’okay. Alright, I guess. You can’t be everywhere at once.”

Crowley raised a finger. “Ah, I did do an archaeological dig in the ‘30s. 1830s, that is. Right into the early 40s, until I went to America.” The Them were rapt. “Found some footprints, a few bones, but back then nobody really knew what to make of any of it. 1842, that’s when the dinosaurs came onto the scene properly in terms of scientific research.”

“Cool,” Brian breathed. “So you did the digging and all that stuff?”

Crowley hedged. “Eh, I was there for it.”

Adam nodded. “So you know how to do it.” It was more of a statement rather than a question. 

“I suppose I do.”

The Them shared a look amongst themselves. Then, Pepper said, “We want to excavate the chalk pit. We reckon there’s probably loads of dinosaurs under there.”

“At least one T-Rex,” Adam added, confidently. Wensley looked less confident.

“Or a baryonyx.”

“I want to find a triceratops,” Brian said, plucking Adam’s unfinished ice cream cone out of his hand and making short work of the soggy cone. “I think there’s probably one of those under the T-Rex. I bet the T-Rex was eating it when they both died.”

“How’d you reckon they died then?” Pepper asked, with disdain. “Not the triceratops, obviously, but the T-Rex.”

“Maybe it choked.”

“I don’t reckon T-Rexes can choke.”

“Well, if they take big enough bites -” The conversation devolved into good-natured bickering, as was typical with the Them. The assembled adults and adult-shaped beings breathed a collective sigh of relief. 

Aziraphale prodded Crowley in the ribs. “‘Just a plain old demon,’” he taunted. “There’s nothing plain about you, dear. I had no idea you spent so much time in America.”

“Eh, I was in a phase.”

“You were really there for Sputnik?” Newt asked, still somewhat awestruck. “How’d you get the clearances?” Crowley stared at him. “Ah, right. Never mind.”

Anathema propped her chin on her hand. “What about you, Aziraphale? You can’t have just been collecting books all those years.”

He waved a hand. “No, no, I did all sorts of things. Mostly foiling this one.” He nudged Crowley, who looked skeptical. “But no, I was around for several historical moments I suppose. They didn’t seem particularly notable at the time, of course, but in hindsight they were quite significant.” He shrugged. “I helped mix the paint for Michelangelo sometimes. I sold him some pigments, as well. I just rather liked his paintings, at the time. Although the Sistine Chapel is a bit overly righteous for my tastes.”

“What? You love the Sistine Chapel, angel, don’t - oi, what’d I do?”

“Some of the illustrations are patently inaccurate,” Aziraphale muttered. “And, you know, there was the time with King Arthur.”

Madame Tracy looked rapt. “Oh, I think I remember a bit about that. Seemed very damp.” She looked apologetic. “Sorry, it’s all I remember.”

Crowley smirked into his wineglass. “That was the long and short of it. Damp and rife with damned uncomfortable suits of armor. And horses.”

Aziraphale frowned. “Yes, there were horses. Lots of riding horses.” He shook his head, as if to shake away an unpleasant memory. “Anyway, no, it wasn’t always all collecting books, although there was always that, too.”

“How did you look after them?” Madame Tracy asked. “All those years, all that moving around.”

“Oh, here and there. I … to be honest I didn’t do much moving around after about the ninth century.”

“Because your little pocket dimension got too small to hold all your books,” Crowley snickered. “Had to start using a proper building.” Aziraphale glared, but his heart wasn’t in it. 

“So was Merlin really a wizard, or was it something else, like he’d made a deal with a demon -” she glanced to Crowley “- or an angel, or was he just a hoax?”

“Interesting question, because there were elements of all of them at play,” Aziraphale replied, suddenly eager. “You see, humans are typically not capable of magic beyond basic witchcraft, which really is just science with a trick to it, except in exceedingly rare cases, but Merlin -”

“Hey, Crowley?”

Aziraphale stopped, because Adam and the Them were off of the garden wall and standing in front of the demon, expectant. “Sorry to interrupt,” Wensley apologized. “Only - we want to start excavating the chalk pit, and we were wondering what we might need to do it.”

Crowley blinked. He looked to Aziraphale, and then, with a look of determination, downed his wine and lurched upright. “Don’t,” he said to the angel, “tell them I had anything to do with bloody Merlin. I didn’t,” he insisted to the adults. “He was completely mad, and I was not involved in that at all.”

“Oh, okay, Black Knight, certainly.”

“Nothing to do with Merlin!” He thrust his glass to Aziraphale and then turned to the children, smoothing his jacket down. “Right. Alright. Let’s have a look at this chalk pit.”

“I think I have some old toothbrushes at home,” Pepper volunteered. “Mum saves them to recycle them for other stuff later.”

“We can just use my regular toothbrush,” Brian added. “I don’t.”

“Ew,” Wensley said, quietly. The chatter continued, Adam volunteering molding putty, chisels, and the like from his father’s garden shed as the five of them wandered off to Hogback Woods and the old chalk pit.

Newt looked thoughtful. “I wonder if they’ll find anything. Chalk is quite good for fossils, I’ve read.” He caught Anathema looking at him, amused and trying not to laugh. “What?”

“You want to go with them?”

“No, I mean, I don’t know the first thing about archeology, just saw films, but …” He trailed off. “I mean, a bit. I do what to go, a bit.” Madame Tracy patted his hand. 

“Well then off you go, find some dinosaurs, Newt. We have it well in-hand here.” He glanced to Anathema, who nodded, and then with some hasty muttered goodbyes, speed-walked out of the garden of the cottage and down the path to the chalk pit after the group. “Can you imagine if they did find something?”

“They might, with Adam,” Anathema reflected. Shadwell sipped his lager.

“I thought the lad doesn’t have any powers still?”

“Sort of,” Anathema and Aziraphale replied simultaneously. She looked to the angel and he shrugged. “They’re fading as he gets older, but he does have some left. I’m not sure what’s left will be strong enough to materialize an entire fossil, though.”

“I was just thinking there could be a real one there,” Madame Tracy suggested. “You never know. There’s certainly ones that haven’t been found - they can’t dig everything up to find them. Might be exciting, is all, wouldn’t it?” She laid her hand over Shadwell’s. “Quite a story to tell, hm?”

“Aye.” Shadwell thought of the kids who would come up to him outside of the pub on nice days, and ask for stories of witches and demons and eldritch horrors. Dinosaurs, he considered, might be good to add into the rota, especially if he could throw a little personal flair into it.

“Shame you never saw any,” Madam Tracy sighed to Aziraphale. “I bet they were a sight to see, hm?”

Aziraphale laughed, and tried to force confidence into it. “Yes they were … quite large, from what I understand. Astounding beasts.” He patted his knees and smoothed his waistcoat, before standing up. “Anyway, while they’re doing that I’ll get started with the cleanup, Anathema?”

She stood as well, hands in her skirt pockets. “Oh, you don’t have to -”

“No, no, I insist.”

She smiled. “Well then, let me help you. It’ll be quick with just the two of us.” She followed the angel into the cottage, weighing her words carefully. She shut the door behind them and trailed him into the kitchen. After a beat, she asked, “Were dinosaurs real?”

Aziraphale looked startled, as if he’d forgotten she was following him. “What? Oh.” He laughed, weakly, and tried to sound dismissive. “Oh, I mean, there are skeletons, aren’t there? Very real skeletons.”

“Right, but that doesn’t mean there were actual dinosaurs,” Anathema pointed out reasonably. “Just means the bones are real. And you can consider that if some omnipotent being could create the entire Earth, then how hard would it be to stick a few bones in there?” She wagged her eyebrows. “Am I on the right track?”

The angel looked perturbed. “You really are too clever by half, my dear. Do not let anybody know about this conversation, by the way.”

“I won’t,” she assured him, through her broad grin. “I knew it. I always thought they didn’t seem physiologically possible.” She crossed her arms and squared her stance. “So, cards on the table, how about sasquatch?”

“I’m sorry?” Aziraphale turned away, turning his focus to the sink full of dishes and rolling his sleeves up to his elbows. “Really, Anathema, that’s all fabricated. Humans thought those up.”

“Did they? Did they, really?”

“I’m sure I don’t know. I wasn’t involved in all of Creation,” he blustered. 

She put her head to the side. “What about the Jersey Devil? The Chupacabra? The Loch Ness Monster?” Her smile faded as she waited, and eventually turned to a frown as Aziraphale resolutely did not answer and, instead, handed her a dish to dry. “You’re not going to tell me, are you?” 

“Absolutely not,” he replied, as she began drying the dish with prejudice. “I’ve already said too much today.”

Anathema sighed. “I guess I could always ask Crowley.”

“He’ll say yes to everything.” Her forehead creased, and Aziraphale handed her another dish. “He always liked cryptid hunters. He’ll probably volunteer to go on an expedition to find the Loch Ness Monster with you.”

“So it’s not real,” she said, flatly.

“I didn’t say that.” He shrugged. “Who knows? Maybe it is and you’ll find it.” She found herself smiling as the angel grinned at her. “If anyone can find it, you could, Anathema.”

“I’m definitely going with ‘not real’,” she laughed.

“I’m sure Nessie will be disappointed to hear that when I speak with her next week.”

She rolled her eyes, but she also laughed. “Yeah, okay. So anyway, what were you saying about Merlin? And did you say Crowley was actually the black knight?”

[rmg91]

The Woes and Antics of Living Together-3

THIS CHAPTER! Gaaaahhh!!! It felt like it goes on forever even though it doesn't because I just couldn't get the right words to come out! So, sorry if it seems rough in places I was trying to work through my slight writers block. More slice-of-life like stuff will start next chapter as I attempt to drag this out a little bit rather than just skipping all the way to the Broppy goodness like I want to. (Also we need some of that mutual pining I promised all of you heehee~)

Enjoy.

Previous Chapter/Next Chapter; AO3/FF.net

                                                    ~*~*~*~*~*~

The next day after morning classes found Poppy skipping her way up to Branch's soon to be old building to help him collect his things. The day was bright and sunny, a sure fire sign that it was going to be great and she couldn't wait to have her new roommate all settled in. Humming a cheerful tune, she glanced around the hallway as she found her way to Branch's door and thought the place could really need a new coat of paint and maybe some pictures of puppies and kittens, everyone loved seeing puppies and kittens! Glancing at the slip of paper Branch had hastily wrote his apartment number on, she found the correct door and knocked in tune to her song.

She heard a muffled 'In a minute' and figuring he had all however many extra locks locked up -he could be so paranoid the dork- leaned against the wall with her phone to wait for him. Making a quick post on all her accounts to tell all her wonderful followers about the excitement happening, Poppy started to scroll though her feed to pass the time, swaying in time to her humming. After a few moments a shadow was suddenly looming over her and she glanced up to see a large man standing next to her.

"Well hey there, Girly~ Never seen ya here before." He said, leaning a hand on the wall.

"Hi! I'm Poppy!" She beamed, "I'm just here waiting for my friend."

"Heh, well how 'bout I...entertain ya till this friend shows up, eh?" He leered closer, musty breath fanning into her face, "The backroom of the lobby is nice and cozy."

"Back off, Griff." Branch's familiar growl echoed as he suddenly appeared between Poppy and the man.

"Oh-ho! Why should I? She ya girlfriend?"

Branch sputtered, "What?! No!"

Poppy smiled and placed her hands on Branch's shoulders, "But I am his friend! And his new roommate! I'm here to help him move!"

Griff snorted, "Shackin' up with a girl, huh? Heh, sure she ain't ya girlfriend?"

Branch growled and tried to fight down the blush he felt rushing to his cheeks, "Just leave us alone, alright? I'm moving just like you wanted."

"Che, whatever. Good riddance." Griff then lumbered off down the hall leaving the new roommates alone.

"Bye! Have a good day!" Poppy cried after him.

Huffing, Branch grabbed her arm and dragged her into his apartment, "You do realize he was trying to come onto you, right?"

"Psh, oh please, Branch." Poppy said, flapping her hand in the air, "I'm a big girl, I can take care of myself and would've been fine. And can't you just be nice for once?"

"No."

Heaving a fond sigh and rolling her eyes, Poppy glanced around the fairly barren apartment, seeing nothing but a few boxes and an old mattress, "Oh...wow. This, uh....this all you have?"

"Pretty much." He had to sell whatever secondhand furniture he had to make rent sometime ago.

"Well...At least it'll only take us like one or two trips to get in loaded in my car!" She proclaimed, finding the bright side of things, like always. "Say, what's in here?" She asked suddenly, going to open a lid of a box.

Branch slammed his hand down on the lid, "Nothing important."

"Aww, come on, Branch. Let me see! I promise not to tell if it's embarrassing~"

It was embarrassing but like hell was he going to let her see it was his collection of all the invitations she had given him, "It's just personal stuff, alright?"

"Fiiine." Poppy pouted before glancing at the some of the other boxes, "What's all these?" She grabbed an unopened can of beans and grimaced at the date, "Dude, these are all expired, you know that right?"

"They are not." He tapped the top, "Those are just the purchase by dates, they haven't been open so they're still good. As for what this is all for, is provisions of course. Food, water, medical supplies all in case of an emergency."

Poppy snorted, "What kind of emergency? Zombie Apocalypse?"

"Maybe. You just never know."

Giggling, she placed the can back in the box, "Okay, fine. You can bring your 'Emergency Supplies' but you're going to have to freshen some of the stuff up."

Branch rolled his eyes and grabbed a couple boxes, "You'll be grateful for them when there's a zombie outbreak, just wait."

Poppy merely laughed in response as she lifted some boxes and started taking them out the door.

                                              ~*~*~*~*~*~

It had been easy enough to fit Branch's minimal possessions in Poppy's hot pink Volkswagon Beetle before leaving the decrepit apartment building behind and Branch couldn't help heaving a silent sigh at finally being out of that place. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all? Minus having to keep his feelings in check and to try to not watch every little thing she did with that adorable passion she had and to keep from spouting all the poetic words that wanted to spill out right this very moment for giving him this opportunity and-Nope! Branch growled to himself to stop thinking like that and stared out the window, trying to ignore the way Poppy bopped her head to the music playing on the radio and sang along.

He watched the old, grey and crumbling buildings of his old neighborhood meld into the better part of the city as they drove to Poppy's apartment complex. Bright shops and businesses flew by and Branch made a mental note to work out a new bus system for himself now that he'd be living somewhere new. Soon they turned into a parking lot and parked in front of a cheery, tall white building with sparkling windows and vibrant foliage surrounding it. Branch quietly appreciated it's curb appeal as he got out of the car, this was defiantly a place fitting for the pinkette dancing around the front of the car.

"Ok, so! Do you want to see the place first and then come back for stuff? Or start taking stuff up now?"

"Might as well start taking things. Get this over with."

Poppy gave him an exasperated look as she gently smacked his arm, "Oh, stop acting like this is the end of the world. This is gonna be great!" She weaved around him to go unlock the trunk before grinning wildly and jumping up and down, "Creek! Over here!"

Branch's almost relaxed state vanished as he turned with a scowl to watch the person he disliked most casually walk over. Creek Ophir, who wore bright, eye burning yellow pants, sandals, had the worse combination of teal and green ombre hair and was always spouting something about 'spiritual enlightenment' had been a thorn in Branch's side since middle school. He hadn't even done anything to him, they just never got along and it never did Branch's poor heart any good to see just how happy Poppy became in the presence of the 'guru'.

"Why the hell is he here?"

Unlucky for Branch, Creek had heard that, "Why, I simply came over to help Poppy move in her new roommate of course. No need to be so hostile, Mate." He then smiled at Poppy, "And hello, Poppy."

"Hi~!" She chirped, "And, Branch, chill. This will go faster with three people verses two."

Branch scoffed and reached inside the tiny car to grab the few boxes they fit into the backseat, it wouldn't have taken them that long, he barely had anything! Grumbling to himself and wishing Creek would just disappear, Branch followed Poppy as she skipped up to the building, leading the way into the lobby and to the elevator. A short ride later found them on the sixth floor and Poppy led the way to her apartment.

Dropping the boxes in her hands by the door, the pinkette danced in placed as she rummaged around in her sparkly teal purse for her keys. Laughing in success, she pulled out a keyring full of mostly silly keychains and jiggled them as she unlocked the door. Dropping them back into her purse, Poppy picked the boxes back up and bumped open the door with her hip as she declared brightly, "Ta-dah! Welcome to your new home, Branch!"

Rolling his eyes at her dramatics, Branch followed in after her and took in where he'd be living for an indefinite amount of time. The front door opened into a small foyer overflowing with Poppy's shoes and a cluttered end-table before leading out into the open concept living room and kitchen. The kitchenette was small but not cramped and looked like it had pretty good counter space between the oven and fridge, with a little more on the other side where the sink sat in the island/bar. Branch set his boxes on the table that was butted up against the island and covered in various magazines and colorful binders as he looked at the living room portion.

Cozy and warm were the best way to describe it with it's pale blue couch (overflowing with multi-colored cushions), bright pink armchair (was that a giant stuffed animal peeking over the top?) and beanbags sitting around a scrapbook and glitter covered coffee table. A decently sized wide-screen TV sat across the wall, surrounded by game consoles and racks full of movies and games. Shelves and pictures covered the walls, each overflowing with bits of Poppy's personality and her love for her friends. Branch couldn't help but feel a little out of place in this brightly colored apartment as he looked around at Poppy's life.

"Soooooo," Said young woman drawled as she watched her new roommate look around, "What'cha think?"

"It's...bright." He grimaced, "And do you ever clean up around here? There's clutter everywhere."

Poppy placed her hands on her hips, "Excuse you, it has a healthy lived in feel, thank you very much!"

"Now, now, let's not let any negativity ruin such a...fun occasion, shall we?" Creek said as he sat a large box on the counter, "Branch, mate, there's no need to be so judgmental. And, Poppy, Love, you have a very unique way of letting yourself be captured in everything you do. Don't let anyone ever tell you to do different."

Poppy giggled as she grinned at Creek, "Oh, I know~ But thank you for saying that."

Branch gagged before gesturing to the small hallway he could see, "I'm going to go put this in my room."

"Oh! Right!" Poppy grabbed her boxes again and flounced down the hall, "This way~!"

"I think I could've found it on my own, Poppy."

"Says the one that couldn't find me when we played hide n' seek when we were kids ever."

Branch blinked at the sudden callback to their childhood but didn't let that stop him from replying, "For your information I let you win." She never had to know he actually had the worse time finding her and she was as good as she thought she was.

"Ha! Sure~ Anyway!" She hip checked the door at the end of the hallway open, "Here you go!"

The room was decent size, able to fit the full-sized bed in the corner plus the dresser and desk already in there nicely. The bed was made with soft looking periwinkle sheets and the window had some gentle blue curtains framing it. There was also what looked to be some overflow of Poppy's craft supplies in there but all in all it was a nice looking room, it was just missing a bookcase. Although it was shockingly bare compared to the rest of the apartment.

"I'll get the rest of my stuff out, don't worry." Poppy said as Branch sat his stuff down on the bed.

"That would be good." He snarked instead of saying thank you like a normal person would.

Poppy stuck her tongue out at him before turning around, "Let's go get the rest of your stuff, yeah? Then you can 'Branch' up the room to your liking."

"Haha." He replied as he followed her out and back down the picture filled hallway glancing into both the bathroom and her room as they went by. A lot of pink was all he managed to see.

They came back to the living room to find Creek plucking cans out of Branch's ration box and placing them on the counter. He looked up with that stupid condescending smirk of his when he noticed them, "You do know most of these are expired, yes?"

"That's what I told him."

Branch rolled his eyes, "And I told you they're rations and as long as they aren't opened or the cans dented they're fine. Those dates are just when they should be sold by. Now let's go get the rest of my stuff."

As Branch stormed out the door, Poppy couldn't help shaking her head, "He can be so touchy about things."

"Well some people are just like that. The thing to remember is to not let their life choices effect yours." Creek smiled at her, "And do be sure not to eat anything is these cans, I don't want to hear you've gotten sick."

"Don't worry, I'm gonna make sure they get replaced." Poppy giggled. She then bounced up and kissed him on the cheek, "And thanks so much for helping today~"

"Not a problem, Sweet~"

Giggling some more, Poppy skipped out the door with Creek following to go catch up with Branch at the elevator. He frowned at them before pressing the down button and waiting for the doors to open. Once inside, Poppy bounced and sang softly between Creek and Branch before suddenly exclaiming, "Oh!"

"What?" Branch asked, without thinking.

"I almost forgot!" She pulled her phone out of her pocket before suddenly wrapping her arm around Branch's neck and smooshing their faces together, "Selfie~!"

She snapped a picture just before Branch could pull away, "What was that for?!"

"Duh, to commemorate the occasion." She said as she typed away on the small screen, "Gotta post an update on the moving day for the followers."

"Huh?"

"Don't you follow social media, Branch?"

"No. I use the computers at school for homework and real news." And maybe some conspiracy video's now and again, just to know what to look out for.

Rolling her eyes, Poppy pocketed her phone, "Social media is news. Oh! We should make you an account on Instagram or Twitter! Wouldn't that be fun? You could follow me and the rest of the Snack Pack!"

"No."

"Aw, come on. You'd love it."

"No, I wouldn't."

"Yes, you would."

"No."

"Yes."

Creek chuckled at their childish banter, "You know, Branch, Poppy's right. I'm sure you could find something pertaining to your...unique tastes."

Glowering at Creek as they exited the elevator, Branch growled, "No."

"You don't have to be such a stick in the mud, Branch. Posting is fun! And so is vlogging!"

"Ah, yes. Poppy is quiet the known vlogger. She's fairly popular on Youtube, then again it is very hard not to love her."

"Creek~" Poppy giggled.

Branch gagged again as he went toward her brightly colored car, "You do know that there could be anyone behind those so called 'followers' right? Serial killers, rapists, sicko's with a weird fetish! And you're just giving away your personal information like it's nothing!"

"Oh please, you worry too much. And I know not to trust everything on the internet, I'm not stupid, Branch. Also I'm surprised you know what a vlogger is."

"I've heard Bridget and Gristle gush about it before." And he wasn't a complete idiot, just because he wasn't into keeping up with social media didn't mean he hadn't seen a vlog or two. He just didn't get them. "Let's just finish this up."

Another trip up to the apartment was all it took to finish getting his things in and Branch was ready to unpack and to try and ignore the personified sunshine he now lived with. However, Poppy had other plans as she stopped him before he could retreat into his new room.

"Before I forget again..." She started before pulling something out of her pocket with a flourish, "Dah! Dah! Da-dah! Your key! You are officially my roommate now."

She dropped the key into his hand and he couldn't help tilting his head as he looked at the wink face emoji key cap she had added, "...Thanks."

"No problem~" She giggled.

"Well, as fun as this has been, I'm afraid I must be going." Creek spoke up, "I have a yoga class to get to."

"Oh! Of course!" Poppy skipped over to him, "I'll walk you out. Be right back, Branch. No disappearing into your room yet! We're gonna do some roommate bonding when I get back!"

"What?" He asked but they weren't listening as they walked out the door.

Rolling his eyes and deciding to ignore whatever 'roommate bonding' Poppy had in mind, Branch turned to head down the hallway but something on one of the shelves lining the wall caught his eyes. Wandering over, Branch stared in disbelief at the old, dingy and dinged up cowbell that Poppy had kept with her all throughout elementary and middle school. He couldn't believe she had the stupid thing, he had thought she had finally grown out of it in high school but apparently he was wrong.

Now sort of curious, Branch looked though her collection of pictures, seeing snapshots of her life. Most of them had her main group of friends in some variation, while others held her and people she clearly had charmed with her sunny personality. There were shots of people partying, playing games, her dad of course, Branch was even surprised to see one of him and her. Her seven year-old self was smiling widely, freckles gleaming in the sun with arms wrapped tightly around his ten year-old self, who was smiling just as brightly as he held onto her with one arm, the other holding a first place trophy from the science fair he had entered. Branch let himself remember that moment for a second, back when things were happy and uncomplicated but snapped out of it as he heard Poppy come back inside.

"Hey~ What'cha lookin' at?"

Unwilling to admit what he been thinking about, Branch picked the most random thing he saw sitting innocently before him, "This. Why the hell do you have a dressed up troll on your shelf?"

"Hey!" She came over and picked up said troll, cradling it gently in her hands, "Don't diss Princess Poppy. As princess of the trolls she has to look her best."

Branch snorted, "You named it after you?"

Pink hair flew around her as Poppy shock her head, "No, you did. Don't you remember that you gave her to me?"

Now that she mentioned it, he did vaguely recall presenting a younger Poppy with the toy, "Not really, no."

Rolling her eyes, Poppy placed the treasured item back in her spot, fluffing the hair a little, "Well I do. And she's still one of my favorite gifts from you. Along with these~" She gave the rainbow bangles a little shake to call attention to them, "Anyway~" She sang, "I was thinking since it's still pretty early in the day why don't we go to the store as our first roommate bonding experience?!"

Branch gave her a deadpan look, "I'd rather unpack."

"Aw, come on!" She whined, twirling around him and tugging on an arm, "You can unpack later, we need groceries! Cause let me tell you, mister, I am not sharing my Lucky Charms with you." She playfully wagged a finger at him.

"Like I would touch that sugary junk."

"Exactly! We gotta get you some boring cereal. And some bread...chocolate chips...eggs...maybe some mayo, I gotta check."

Branch stared at her as she fell into thought, finger poised by her chin, "When was the last time you went grocery shopping?"

"Eh, it's been a little while yet. Hence why it's a good time to go!"

"So you're using 'roommate bonding', as you call it, as an excuse."

"No!" She crossed her arms and pouted at him, "I think this'll be a fun first experience for us, I've always had fun going with my previous roommates. Plus come on, when was the last time you ate real food?"

"I eat real food!"

"That didn't come from a can!"

"Uggg!!" Branch groaned before throwing his hands into the air, "Fine, we'll go!"

"Yes! This'll be great! Trust me."

                                              ~*~*~*~*~*~

A little while later, they returned burdened with more groceries than Branch thought they'd get from a very...eventful trip to the store. After Poppy had managed to force him on camera to introduce him to all her 'wonderful subscribers', they had gone from practically corner to corner of the store as Poppy kept remembering things she either wanted or they actually needed. Branch had tried to stick to just a few things but after a brief argument over wither getting just canned soup counted as grocery shopping or not, he had relented and actually picked a few things he hadn't allowed himself to have in a few months.

He'd be lying to himself if he said he wasn't just a little happy to have fresh pears and peaches again, plus the small chocolate bar he snuck past his new roommate.

Getting everything put away now was an even bigger event as Poppy, who just couldn't seem to slow down for a second, put on some bubbly pop song and was dancing around the kitchen as Branch tried to figure out where she liked to put things. Her cabinets were a seemingly random host of things that had no rhyme or reason to being stored together. Branch made a mental note to reorganize everything soon so it would be easier to find certain things, for both of them.

"Show the room what you can do, Prove to them you've got the moves, I don't know about you, But I feel better when I'm dancin, yeah, yeah~" The pinkette sang before hip checking Branch, "Come on, Branch! Sing with me!"

"No. I don't sing."

"Oh please, you use to sing all the time when we were kids." She responded as she tossed a boxed of cereal into the cabinet.

"Well I don't anymore."

"Gah! Such a spoil sport." Poppy groaned before suddenly jumping in place as her phone rang, interrupting the music, "Hello? Oh, hi Satin! Really?! A party?!"

Branch rolled his eyes, wondering if there was ever a time where Poppy wasn't excited about a party, and continued shuffling groceries into their places. At least he'd get a few hours to center himself in this new place since she was sure to go.

"Of course I'll be there! When am I not?!" She nodded along with whatever Satin was telling her before replying, "Okay~! Meet ya at your place in twenty!" Then as she hung up, she grinned at Branch, "Branch. My man. How would you like to go to a party tonight? Eh? Eh?"

"No." He was not going to let her drag him to any parties anymore now than before their living arrangement.

"Pleeeease?!" Oh god, she was trying to puppy dog eyed look again.

"No, Poppy." He growled, glaring at her, "No parties means no parties!"

"Oh fine." She pouted before glaring back at him, "Gesh, I was just trying to get you to lighten up a little. As your friend and now roommate it is my duty to make sure you're living life to it's fullest!"

"No, it's not." He waved her off toward the door, "Now go. I'm looking forward to unpacking in peace."

"Fine, fine." She sighed, rolling her eyes before rushing into her room to grab her make-up bag before flying to the door, "Bye~! Happy to have you as my new roommate even though you're still a grumpy troll~!"

"Don't come back drunk!" He shouted but the door had already slammed shut behind her.

Sighing, Branch finished putting away their food before wandering to his room and sliding down to the floor, back against the bed frame. Tilting his head back, he groaned and wondered how he was ever going to survive living with the tornado that was Poppy Meadows. Reaching for his backpack after a moment, he grabbed a notebook and opened it to a blank page and begun to pen down the words that had been swimming in his head since seeing that old picture of the two of them. That woman just had no idea what she did to him and now he'd have to be extra careful not to let any of his unrequited feelings show. She believed them to be friends and he wasn't about to ruin that with his stupid, messy feelings.

Groaning once more, Branch really hoped he wouldn't regret living with her.

                                               ~*~*~*~*~*~

I swear I either focus too much on certain details and then not enough on others but then again maybe it's just me as the beta has given this chapter a pass *shrugs* I don't really wanna write Creek I be honest but he's necessary for what little plot I have so.... Also the Snack Pack will be coming in next chapter! I have not forgotten them! I'll also make sure to try and add more snark between Branch and Poppy, like I said still getting the hang of them. c:

Read and Review!

Song Credit: Better When I’m Dancin’-Meghan Trainor

[hotsummertrash]

you are the reason ⋆ c.h

Pairing: Calum x OC

Summary: Calum reflects on his past after two of the most important people in his life are gone.

Warning(s): angst, fluff, memories, swearing, fighting, this is a whole ass story

Song: You Are the Reason by Calum Scott

Word Count: 6.5k

A/N: italics are memories, bold italics are song lyrics

• • • •

"Still staring at the picture?" Mali's voice pulled Calum out of his trance. 

His tired eyes glanced up at his sister who stood in his doorway, her arms crossed and shoulder leaning against the wall. Her face held outright pity as she looked down on her younger brother whose eyes were red with dark bags beneath them.

"I-" his raspy voice starts before he cuts himself off, a small exhale escaping his mouth. He looks back down at the picture frame in his hands, his face crinkling back up as his eyes sting with tears for the tenth time that day.

"Cal," Mali sighed, walking into his room and taking a seat on the bed beside him. "You've haven't left this house in a week."

"They'll be coming back soon," he assured himself. "I want to be here when they get here."

Mali frowned, glancing away from her brother and at the ground solemnly.

Calum's eyes burned holes into the photo he was holding, his vision roaming back and forth between two of the most beloved faces in his world.

"Bub," Mali began, but Calum quickly cut her off with a shake of his head.

"Don't say anything," he mumbled. "They're coming back. I know they are."

"The guys are worried," she informed him, but he kept quiet there on out. Mali closed her mouth and reluctantly nodded, clasping her hands together and rising back up to her feet. She headed back out of the room, halting right before exiting through the door. "I'll be back tomorrow. I left food in the kitchen. Love you, Cal."

When he doesn't reply, she bites the inside of her left cheek and officially leaves, making her way out his room, down the stairs, out of his house and to her car.

The second Calum hears the front door close, he's snapped out of his trance once again. He looks up and notices that his sister is gone. He hadn't realized when she'd done so.

He slowly placed the frame down on the bed beside him before standing up and running a hand through his tangled tousles.

His feet slid across the floor as he trudged out of his room, his stomach making noises due to the emptiness of it.

He subconsciously halted in front of one specific door, goosebumps rising on his timid skin as nausea settles within him. His eyes water for what seems like the hundredth time when he reads the seven letters on the top of the white door.

'Grayson'.

• • • •

Four Years Ago

"He already has your hair," Elaine murmured as she watched her three-week-old baby boy in the middle of her and Calum's shared bed.

Calum smiled, staring down at his beautiful son whose eyes were closed as he peacefully slept.

Elaine couldn't stop awing at Grayson, even weeks after he had been born. She still couldn't fathom the thought that this tiny perfect human had formed inside of her.

This mix of Elaine and Calum with dark curly hair, chocolate brown eyes and golden skin was the newfound epitome of love for both of them.

Calum took his son's hand into his own, running his thumb over the soft skin. His eyes then traveled up to his wife who was too busy looking down at Grayson. Calum happily reflected on his small family, which he loved with all of his heart.

There and then, he knew that nothing would ever top the feeling he had felt at that moment.

"I don't want him to grow," Calum admitted with a small laugh.

"I just want to stare at him like this all day," Elaine gushed, tilting her head to the side. "I love him so much, my chest aches."

"My two angels," Calum beams at the two. "My two loves."

• • • •

Three Years Ago

"Good morning, bug," Elaine's soft voice made Grayson smile up at her, his knees bending as his hands held on to the bars of his crib. "Why are you up so early?" She lifts him up into her arms and kisses the side of his curly head.

"Dah," the toddler hummed, bunching Elaine's shirt in his tiny hands.

"Wanna wake up Daddy?" She suggested, to which he sluggishly nodded. She let out a small chuckle before turning and walking out of his room, heading into hers and Calum's.

Calum had shuffled to the middle of the bed in the small amount of time she's been gone, his arms spread beside him as he comfortably sleeps on his stomach. Elaine settles herself beside him and places Grayson onto the bed.

Grayson crawls to his father, placing his hands on Calum's face and babbling a few incoherent words - if he could even call them words.

"Dah," Grayson muttered.

"Daddy's tired," Elaine runs a hand through Calum's hair, igniting a soft grunt.

"- time is it?" Calum lowly grumbled, blinking a few times before turning on his back. His yawn forms into a smile when he spots Grayson, taking his son and sitting him on his bare chest.

"A little after eight," Elaine doesn't pull her hand from her husband's roots, an action he genuinely enjoyed.

"I'm exhausted," Calum yawns again as Grayson scoots backward on his chest so he can lie down, resting his face on his father's collarbone. "What're you doing up so early?"

"I think Mali put him to bed early last night," Elaine leaned her back against the headboard and grabbed her phone from the nightstand with her free hand, scrolling through a few emails while Calum began to drift back to sleep.

Grayson sat up and saw Calum's closed eyes, his face scrunching up in distress.

"Dah," Grayson whined, catching Elaine's attention.

"Daddy's sleeping," she cooed, putting her phone down and reaching over to take him off of Calum's chest.

Grayson let out a whine, his eyes forming tears at the separation.

"Don't cry, baby, he'll be up soon," Elaine sighed, wiping away the first tear that fell. She bit her bottom lip as Grayson's mouth opened, knowing that the next sound leaving his mouth would be a heavy and chalky sob.

Calum's eyes fluttered open once again as he hears Grayson's cries.

"Wanna lay with Daddy, then?" Elaine suggests, and Grayson eagerly nods. Calum forms a lazy yet smug grin while Elaine rolled her eyes with a small smile. "What happened to being a Mama's boy, eh?" She huffed, placing Grayson down beside his father.

Calum opened his arms and Grayson crawled right into them, his head lying on Calum's chest while he sits on his knees. Calum's hand runs up and down Grayson's back, stopping the tot's cries and Elaine couldn't help but gush at the sight. No matter how many times she's seen the two interact, she knew she'd never get over it.

"I'm gonna change," Elaine stood from the bed and used the hair tie on her wrist to bring up her shoulder-length hair into a ponytail.

"For wha'?" Calum asked.

"Going to pick up Dee from Dad's," she replies, pushing excess hair behind her ear. "Remember?"

Elaine's dad and Farrah, his wife and Elaine's stepmother, would be visiting Haiti and staying with Farrah's family for the next two weeks, leaving their Norwich Terrier, Dee, in Elaine's hands until they return.

"Ah, yeah," he nods. "Thought you were gonna do that later."

"Well, I'm up now and not going back to sleep anytime soon," she shrugged, turning and making her way to the walk-in closet. She grabs one of Calum's graphic tees and a pair of leggings before putting them on.

After brushing her teeth and washing her face, she walks back into the bedroom to see Calum back asleep while Grayson lies beside him.

When Grayson sees his mother, he sits up and opens his arms to her.

"Oh, now you want Mama?" She teases, picking him up into his arms. "Want to come to Grandpa and Grandma with me?"

Grayson doesn't respond, not truly understanding what she had asked. Elaine takes the silence as a yes and goes to get Grayson ready in his room.

She gives him a quick bird bath before putting him into dark blue sweat slacks and a regular grey shirt. She put his Velcro shoes on before sliding her own sneakers on, as well.

"Let's say bye to Daddy," Elaine said as the two entered the master bedroom once again. "Give kiss."

Grayson leans towards Calum from his mother's arms and pressed his lips against the corner of Calum's lips. Calum stirred awake for the third time, blinking his tired eyes into clear vision.

"We'll be back soon," Elaine smiled, leaning over herself to give her husband a kiss. Calum kisses her back on the lips for a few seconds before kissing Grayson on the forehead. "Love you."

"Love you, too," he hums as his wife and son exit his bedroom.

Twenty minutes later, Elaine and Grayson arrive at her father and step-mother's house. The second they step through the door, Grayson is running into Farrah's arms.

"Gam!" He giggled as his grandmother lifted him into her arms and attacked his face with her kisses.

"Hi, Mom," Elaine chuckled, closing the front door behind her just as Dee comes running into the room, barking up a storm.

"Hi, Baby," Farrah kisses Elaine on the cheek before turning back to Grayson.

"Where's Dad?" Elaine walked into the living room and set her keys on the coffee table.

"In the backyard, pulling out the weeds," Farrah hummed.

"Smells good, you making food?" Elaine's face lit up as her mouth slightly watered at the thought of her step-mother's cooking.

When Elaine was fifteen, her father had re-married and the family of two became a family of three. Elaine was an American-raised Italian and all she knew before Farrah entered their lives was microwavable dishes and cliché dinners only on days like Thanksgiving and Christmas. When Farrah had become her official step-mother, it was as if an entire new world opened up at her hands and that world contained various flavors of Caribbean food, her newfound favorite kind.

"Ah, wi!" Farrah grinned. "I'm making food for you guys while we're gone. Got nothing better to do."

"That's too kind, Mom, thank you," Elaine cheered, walking to the kitchen.

"No problem, Baby. There are plantains, potato salad, egg salad, mayi moulin, blah blah blah," she lists. "Woke up early this morning and had nothing better to do. Packing is done, and Gio wanted to pull the weeds before we're off. The food's done, actually. Just need to put it all in containers."

"Smells like heaven," Elaine fawns. Farrah grins at the compliment and places Grayson back onto the ground, although the sticks by her side.

"Hey!" All heads turn at the loud and deep voice caused by Elaine's father as he walked in through the back door. The sweat on him was very visible, from his armpits to his shining forehead. "Thought you were coming later."

"Grayson and I woke up early, so I decided to come and get Dee now," Elaine shrugged, walking towards her father and wrapping her arms around him, avoiding his damp pit stains.

"Where's my favorite grand-baby?" Gio beamed as he pulled away from his daughter, leaning down happily.

"He's your only grand-baby," Farrah cocked her head to the side as Grayson gave his grandfather a hug.

"Not for long, right?" Gio glances up at Elaine with a smug grin, to which she rolled her eyes at. "Where's Cal?"

"Sleeping. We got in late last night."

Elaine and Calum had gone to a concert the night before with a few friends and then drinks afterward, leading up to them arriving home at one in the morning. It was safe to say that Calum was sporting a very severe hangover.

"Ah, well I'll give him a call sometime soon," Gio shrugged. Elaine always loved the relationship between her father and husband. She had been afraid growing up that he would never accept anybody she'd gotten with, but when he actually accepted Calum as her boyfriend, eventual husband and father of her child, everybody was exceptionally taken by surprise.

Elaine bent down and picked up Dee, kissing the old dog on the top of its head.

"Thanks for holding her," Gio nodded, rising to his feet.

"No worries. Grayson loves Dee, right, Gray?"

"Dee!" Grayson called, causing Gio to let out a hefty chuckle.

Elaine and Grayson hang about her parent's house for another half hour before they head back home, with a tote full of containers and food and a fifteen-year-old dog.

"There my gorgeous family is," Calum's voice echoes through the halls as Elaine walks in with Grayson and Dee. "What smells so good? Farrah give us leftovers?"

"More like entire meals," Elaine holds the tote up. "Said she wanted us to eat well while she was gone."

"Love that woman," Calum laughed, kneeling down to pet Dee. Grayson kicked off his shoes before running off to the playroom, busying himself with the various toys surrounding him.

"Even made your favorite," Elaine hummed as Calum stood back up and took her hand into his, leading her to the kitchen.

"Her potato salad?"

"Mhm," she hummed and Calum fist-bumped the air happily.

After she set the bag on the counter, she turned in Calum's arms, wrapping her arms around his neck while his wrap around her waist.

"Want to watch movies with a few friends tonight?" He suggests. "Can put Gray to bed and then eat so much our stomachs hurt."

"Sounds like a ball," Elaine giggled. "Who's coming?"

"The guys, Crystal, Patrick, Andy, Kahleel," he lists.

"Alright. I'm not picking the movie, though," she lightly pats his cheek. "Last time I picked the movie, everyone hated it."

"We didn't hate it," he lies yet visibly fails. Elaine rose a single eyebrow but he held his act. "Well, I kind of liked it..." Elaine's face only grew more unamused and he eventually gave up. "Alright, I'll choose the movie."

"Mhm," she nodded.

"But we've got to go shopping for snacks. I don't want them eating our food, most importantly- Farrah's food."

"There's enough to go around," Elaine laughed.

"Nope," he shook his head. "More for us. Let's go."

"Fine," Elaine shook her head with another chuckle, walking out of his hold. "Let me just put this food away first and we'll go."

"Gray!" Calum called, walking to the playroom that was right next to the living room.

"Huh?" Grayson called back, walking out of the room with Dee in his footsteps.

"Let's put your shoes back on, Buddy."

The three head to Target not too long after that. Grayson sits in the front of the cart while Calum pushes and Elaine throws whatever she believes their friends will eat into it.

"Patrick and Kahleel said they like plantain chips, right?" Elaine asked although she knew Calum wouldn't know.

"I have no idea," he shrugged, throwing a pack of dried mango into the cart for himself.

Elaine opened her mouth when someone tapped on her shoulder. She turned and rose her eyebrows at the sight of three teenage girls who she could only guess were fans.

"Oh my- h-hi," one of them greet.

"Hi," Elaine smiled.

"You're Elaine Hood," another one of them says, star-struck eyes staring at her.

"I like to say I am," Elaine jokes.

"And you're Calum Hood," she says, internally squealing.

"Could we please get a picture?" The third asks. "But it's completely fine if not, we just-"

"Of course!" Elaine waved a single hand. "What are your names?" She soon learned that Cassidy, Eve and India stood in front of her.

"I really loved you in Laze Daze and Land Of! Those are actually my two favorite movies," Eve says, and Elaine basks in the compliment.

During Elaine's elementary and middle school years, she had acted in five movies, four of them being world-known. Before entering high school, she chose to stop acting because that's not what she wanted to do in life. And even though she stopped all those years ago, people still recognized her to this day.

"And I love Five Seconds of Summer so much! I've been a fan since you guys opened for One Direction!" Cassidy enthusiastically says, making Calum smile.

"Is that Grayson? He's so adorable!" Eve adds.

"I want your genes," India jokes and Elaine lightly chuckles.

Elaine takes a picture with the three girls before Calum does so as well and they leave hastily and gratefully.

"They were sweet," Elaine hummed as they strolled into the frozen aisle.

Calum just nodded, internally happy that others love his family, as well. Although nobody loves them more than he does.

• • • •

Two Years Ago

"This one looks nice, eh?" Calum hums, picking a shell from the wet sand and holding it up in front of Grayson.

"Pretty," Grayson nods, taking the shell from Calum’s hold and putting it into the green bucket. He turned just as the tide came in, water running over his feet. He grew giddy and squealed as his head shrunk into his shoulders.

"Water's cold?" Calum laughs.

"Yeah, water cold," Grayson repeats.

Calum smiled and looked over to where Elaine, Kahleel and Ashton sat beneath their very large beach umbrella. Ashton and Elaine laughed together while Kahleel was fast asleep, her sun hat on her face blocking her from the winded sand.

"Daddy, go in," Grayson put the bucket on the floor.

"You wanna go in?" Calum asked.

"Yeah! Yeah, in."

"You sure, Bug?"

"In," Grayson repeated.

"Alright, alright," Calum gave in, taking the bucket that carried a few shells and placing it a bit farther out so the tide wouldn't take it.

Calum takes Grayson's hand into his and they walk a few inches deeper into the water.

"Cold!" Grayson squealed and Calum chuckled. Calum bends down and flicks very little water at him. "Daddy!" Grayson splashes water back at his father and they both were swarmed in laughter as they played in the water.

Calum would lift his son out of the ocean water and then place him back down repeatedly, which was more fun than it sounded for the both of them.

From the shore, Elaine and Ashton watched the two with smiles on their faces. Elaine got her phone out and snapped a few pictures of Calum kissing Grayson's cheek and spinning him in the air.

Eventually, Elaine had gotten up and went to join the two in the water. She happily took Grayson from Calum's hands before Calum wrapped his arms around her waist from behind and held them both in their air. Scream-like giggles filled the air.

Moments later, the playful energy had cooled down and Grayson's head rested on his mother's shoulder. Calum's arm is around his wife's waist and the three turn to watch as the sun slowly disappears behind the body of water, purple skies taking over.

Calum reflected on his life at that moment, subconsciously smiling and tightening his hold on Elaine, kissing the side of her head giddily.

"Love you, Angel," he sighs.

• • • •

One Year Ago

"L is for the way you look at me," Elaine sings as Calum and her glide through the living room, Michael Bublé blaring through the wall speakers.

"O is for the only one I see," Calum mixes singing and giggling in together, the two glasses of wine barely affecting him.

"V is very, very extraordinary!"

"E is even more than anyone that you adore."

"And love is all that I can give to you," they both sing together, their hands clasped and feet roaming the floor in sync. "Love is more than just a game for two. Two in love can make it. Take my heart but please don't break it. Love was made for me and you!"

Calum abruptly leaned forward and pecked her lips, making her grin just before he hoisted her in the air and on his shoulder.

"Calum!" She squealed, slapping his back and then his rear end a few times.

He dropped her on the couch and threw himself on top, both of them erupting into full belly laughs. Calum's kisses start at her shoulder and lead up to the corner of her mouth before pulling away with a mocking smile.

"Michael is still playing, Cal!" She pushed him off of her and jumped up, twirling to the sound of Michael Bublé's voice happily. Calum grins at the sight, leaning back and running a hand through his hair.

"Dance with me, Baby," Elaine holds her hand out for him, and he shrugs before taking it and rising. They spin, skip and leap around, having the time of their tipsy lives. At the last note of the song, Elaine takes Calum and tips him over like the males typically do to females. Jokingly, she drops him and they erupt into another fit of heavy laughs.

"Mommy! Daddy!" Grayson's voice shouts from the second floor. Calum sits up and Elaine freezes as both of their parenting instincts take place.

"Stop the music!" Calum shouts as he hops up and runs after Elaine up the stairs.

"Gray, what is it?" Elaine calls and rushed into Grayson's room. She flicks his light on and hurried to his bed, Calum on her heels.

"My nose is fuffy," he whines, kicking his sheets off of him.

"Your nose is stuffy?" Calum furrows his eyebrows and Grayson nods.

"And my head hurts," he adds.

Elaine places the back of her hand against his forehead and recoils at the hot skin.

"Think he might have a fever," Elaine sighed, standing up and heading to the first-floor bathroom where the first aid kit is. She takes out the thermometer and makes her way back to Grayson's room.

Grayson sits on Calum's lap as he quietly cries and winces.

"Open your mouth, Gray," Elaine instructs. "And lift your tongue." After a thorough check, she bites her lip as the thermometer reads 101.7 degrees. She eventually gets Tylenol and a cold cloth while Calum moves Grayson to their bedroom.

After an hour of whines, Grayson is fast asleep on between Calum and Elaine. Elaine rests on her side, one arm beneath her head while she runs her free hand through her son's hair, a liking he had gotten from his father.

"Scared me half to death," Calum murmured with a small sigh.

"Thank God it's just a fever," Elaine said, her voice low and soft as she tries not to wake the three-year-old.

Calum leaned forward and kissed Grayson's forehead, pulling back and watching as Elaine's eyes flutter closed and her hands slowly come to a stop in Grayson's hair. He lets out a sigh and closes his own eyes, basking in the presence of the loves of his life.

• • • •

One Week Ago

"You're overreacting," Calum scoffs as he bent forward and slid his shoes on.

"You haven't been home in weeks, Calum," Elaine rolled her eyes. "And then when you are home, you spend all of your time out and about! How is wanting my husband to spend time with his family 'overreacting'?"

"I'm always with you two, I just want to hang out with friends. What's wrong with that?"

"There's nothing wrong with that. But there is something wrong when Grayson repeatedly asks where his father is."

"You act like I don't come home at all," he rolls his eyes.

"You might as well not! You come home at three in the fucking morning every day and sleep until noon, and then you're out again," Elaine throws her hands in the air.

"You're shitting on me because for the first time in five years I'm living my fucking life," he stood up angrily, not even realizing the words that came from his mouth.

"Oh, really?" Elaine crosses her arms and raises an eyebrow. "First time in five years?"

"Don't act surprised," he spits.

"Excuse me for being taken aback while my husband basically tells me that he regrets marrying me and having our child."

"You're twisting my words," Calum grumbled. "Talk to me when you're over the dramatics."

"I don't know what's up your ass, but I suggest you take it out."

"You! You're up my ass! All day, every fucking day! I'm twenty-two years old, Elaine! I'm still young! I should be having fun, wasting the night away. Not shopping for car beds and... microwaves!"

"It's kind of too late for second thoughts, Calum," Elaine stood in front of the bed as her chest ached with every word that came out of Calum's mouth.

"Yeah, I understand that much," he murmurs.

The two are quiet for a few seconds, Elaine's eyes brimming with tears as she quietly pants, not knowing what to think or do.

"So you do regret marrying me," she concludes.

"We were too young then, and we're still too young now," he shrugs.

"And you regret having Grayson," she narrows her eyes as they cast downwards and to her bare feet against the carpeted floor.

"I have to go," Calum ignores her words.

"So you're just going to leave? While we're talking?"

"We're not talking, Elaine. You're yelling at me!"

"Because you're being a fucking prick!" She shouted, her face red with anger. "You tell me that you regret ‘us’ and think you can just go drink the night away? Leaving your wife and son at home?!"

"I'll be home in a few," he ignores her words once again, making her even more upset.

"How could you talk to me like that and expect everything to be fine? For me to just accept that you want to take back everything we've built together - our lives?!" Elaine's voice only grew louder.

Calum keeps silent and walks out of the room, making his way to Grayson's.

He turns into his son's room and catches Grayson slowly flipping through a picture book.

Grayson looks up, his eyes brightening when he sees his father.

"Daddy!" Grayson cheered, standing up and running into his father's arms. "Daddy, can we watch Paw Patrol movie? Me and Mommy watched it, I want you to!"

"Maybe another time, Bug," Calum sighed, kissing the top of Grayson's head. "How about tomorrow?"

"Can't cancel a night of drinks to spend time with your own son?" Elaine's voice made his stomach sink from behind him.

"I just want time for myself, can I not have that?" Calum asks through grit teeth.

"Mommy, why are you crying? Are you okay?" Grayson moved away from Calum and to his mother.

"Yes, Baby, I'm alright," Elaine exhaled, wiping at her damp cheeks.

"Where's Daddy going?" Grayson asked as Calum headed downstairs.

"Gray, go to your room. I'll be there in a second," Elaine told the four-year-old before reluctantly following Calum to the first floor.

"Hope your dramatics are gone by the time I'm back," he tiffs, walking out the front door and to his car in the driveway.

"Have a great time, Calum. Hope you can find another girl at the club tonight, ask to marry her and then give her a kid. Maybe you won't regret this one."

"Would you stop it?" Calum spat.

Without another word, she slams the door and hastily locks it, taking a step back and looking at the closed doors with blurry vision. She picked up a hand and placed it on her mouth as a son began to brew. Her face shriveled and she dropped to the floor, moving to bury her entire face in her hands.

"Mommy."

Elaine's face lifted from her palms at the cracked voice of her son. She turned to him, who stood on the bottom step with a frown on his small oblivious face.

"Daddy make you cry?" He quietly questions.

She didn't know how to answer him, standing up and taking her quivering bottom lip between her teeth.

"Let's get you into a bath. Almost bedtime," she sniffs, lifting him in her arms and heading back up the stairs.

Grayson didn't play in the bath like he usually did that night. His mood wasn't the highest knowing that his mother wasn't okay. His eyes kept roaming her sad and distant face. When he was hanging into his pajamas, tears were still leaking out of her eyes.

"Can I sleep in your bed?" He asked, wanting to be close to his glum mother.

"Of course, Baby," she says quietly, taking his hand in hers and leading him to her room. She lifts him onto the bed and forces a smile as she watches him crawl underneath the covers.

Elaine crawled in beside him, lying on her back while Grayson shuffles his head into her neck.

Her mind drifted as Grayson fell asleep, and eventually, she realizes that she had been staring at the ceiling for two hours. Her eyes were numb and swollen by now and her chest felt heavier than ever. The migraine she had didn't help with her emotions either. No matter how long she tried, her mind kept wandering back to Calum and everything he told her mere hours before.

She wondered what he was up to at that moment - if he took some of her sarcastic advice and hooked up with someone else; if he didn't regret a word and actually meant that his entire life with her was a mistake; if he genuinely felt tied down by them.

"Time," she whispers to herself. "Time is what he wants."

Without a second thought, she slid Grayson off of her and rose from the bed. With a burst of negative adrenaline, she pulled two suitcases out from the back of the closet. She set them both at the end of the bed and opened them before going back to the closet and grabbing a few shirts. She then took enough jeans, shorts, leggings, sweatpants and underwear to last a week or two and threw them into the cases.

She eventually moves to Grayson's room, grabbing an armful of clothing from his drawers and filling the second suitcase. She didn't forget to pack a few of his toys or her laptop and any other small necessities. She quietly brings the luggage down the stairs and to her car.

Through the entire process, she didn't stop crying, her hands shaking and nose running.

Towards the end of it all, she changed into sweatpants and a sweatshirt before going for the last move of it all. Grayson.

She grabs his blanket from his own bed before lifting him into her arms bridal style, trying her best not to wake him.

When she puts him into his car seat, he stirs but doesn't wake up, fortunately for her.

Elaine climbs into the driver's seat and takes a deep breath, closing her eyes and running her hands down her face.

"What am I doing?" She whispers to herself. And then she remembers everything that had happened that night. "Giving him space, that's what I'm doing."

She pulls out her phone and goes to send Calum a message, keeping it short and blunt. A second after hitting the send button, she shuts her phone off and tosses it into the seat beside her and turns on the engine of the car.

She clears her mind the second she turns the corner of the street, their house getting farther with every push of the gas.

• • • •

He slides down to the floor with his back against the wall, a new sob rising in his throat. He clenches his eyes closed and throws his head back.

He reluctantly pulls out his phone, slowly opening his eyes and going to his messages, opening the app and going straight for Elaine's contact.

His eyes scroll through all of the texts he's sent her in the past six days. He apologized about thirty times and called over fifty, each of his calls being declined. He had even left voicemails, but all of them have gone unanswered. He went as far as calling her parents and friends, all of them claiming to not know where you are. Though the talk with her father hadn't been the most uplifting, reasonably.

Eventually, he reaches the last text message you sent, and all of the emotions he felt when first reading it coursed through his body once again.

• • • •

One Week Ago

Calum sat in a booth at the bar, physically there but not mentally.

"You alright?" Andy asked, crossing his arms and placing them on the table before them.

"Hm?" Calum turns to his friend.

"You're spacing. Everything okay?"

Calum let out a sigh, not sure whether to lie and brush off his troubles or burst like a damn. He eventually chooses to go with the latter.

"It's Elaine," Calum muttered. "I said some crap before coming here and I don't know why I said it."

"What'd you say?" Andy furrowed his eyebrows.

"Complete bullshit," he was detested with himself. "I implied... implied that marrying her was a mistake."

Andy's eyes widen as his lips parted in disbelief.

"Please tell me you're joking," Andy groaned.

"I'm such a fucking prick," Calum looked up and inhaled.

"What the fuck, Cal? Why would you say something like that? You're always going on about how she's the best thing that's happened to you since the band."

"I know," he murmured. "I just... I was in the wrong, but I was being stubborn. She just wanted me to spend some time with her and Gray and my head was too far up my ass."

"You can't do shit like that, man," Andy frowned. "You've got a beautiful loving wife and a healthy four-year-old boy. Do you know how lucky you are? Your wife adores you and your son looks up to you. Why would you want to dent that all just for a couple drinks with us?"

"I-I don't know. I was talking crap, I didn't mean anything. I fucking love Elaine and Grayson is my lifeline. I'd go crazy if I lost them."

"So then why are you here?"

"What?"

"Why are you here when you should be telling Elaine all of this?"

Calum bit the inside of his cheek just as his phone vibrated. He pulled it from his back pocket and glanced at the most recent text.

'I'll give you time to yourself, just like you want'

His mouth grew sour at the message from his wife. What did it mean? Was she being passive aggressive?

With a sharp breath, he stood up and took long strides out of the bar. He hurried into his car and forgot to put his seat belt on at first due to his wariness.

When he pulled into his driveway thirty minutes later, he began to panic at the absence of Elaine's car. It was nearly eleven at night. Where could she be? On a drive? She did that sometimes when she needed to clear her mind.

He ran a hand through his hair as he walked into his house, an aura of emptiness instantly embracing him.

He took the feeling of homeliness for granted, he realized, as he stood there with a hole in his heart. He trudged up the stairs and walked into his room, another cloud of discomfort enveloping his body. His eyes went for the dresser, two of Elaine's drawers slightly pulled out and looking less full than usual.

Calum furrows his eyebrows and walks to the drawers, inspecting the difference in them. Had she taken clothes out? Why would she-

His entire body froze as a heartbreaking scenario entered his thoughts. He didn't hesitate to rush to their shared closet, his stomach sinking even more at the sight of a few of her missing clothes that he was so sure was there earlier.

"No, no, shit," he hissed to himself before taking off to Grayson's room, where a few of his toys were missing and half of his wardrobe from his closet and dresser.

He feels as if someone's punched him in the gut, leaving him winded and in pain.

"Gray," he whimpered, slouching again the side of the doorway. "Elaine."

He somehow made his way back to his bedroom, his energy nonexistent and emotion running low. He didn't know what to think or how to think.

All he knew was that his wife and son weren't gone forever. They'd come back. And he'd be right there when they do.

• • • •

"I'm so sorry, Baby," he cried quietly into his phone. "I didn't mean any of it. You're my world, you're both my entire world. I don't want to live without you, I don't like being without you. You're the best thing that's ever happened to me and I knew it all along, I just didn't show it like I was supposed to. Please come back home. I don’t know what I was talking about," his voice cracks as more tears fall. "I love you, Angel. I love you so much, and I need you to know that."

When the voicemail goes through, he angrily throws his phone against the wall, heaving through his cries.

He spends the next hour sitting in that exact same position, doing nothing but staring at the wall in front of him.

“ I'd climb every mountain And swim every ocean Just to be with you And fix what I've broken ”

But then there was a jingle of keys.

His ears perked at the sound of the front door unlocking, a part of him believing that his beloved wife and son had returned. Then he realized that he had been getting his hopes up all week only to be let down when his sister walks in.

With a huff, he rises onto his wobbly legs and trudges for the stairs, looking downwards and to the front door.

He watches as it opens, his dull eyes widening when the one person he's been craving all week is revealed on the other side.

Elaine.

She stands with a suitcase by her side, and when the door is fully open, her eyes wander to the stairs and then up them, landing on Calum.

They both were in a frigid state of shock, neither of them moving or saying a word.

That was until Elaine thought that the silence was enough.

"I," she began before lightly gulping. "I got your messages... and voicemails."

He didn't know how to respond. It was as if his body had gone straight into shock and he wouldn't be able to move for a while.

Then Grayson entered the doorway, his eyes connecting with his father's and his face lighting up.

“ 'Cause I need you to see That you are the reason ” 

"Daddy!"

• • • •

First 5SOS imagine done! 

• • • •

Masterlist | Request Here

[m00nslippers]

Let’s Read Young Justice (2019), Issue #1!  I don’t know shit about YJ, so let’s go.

I have never read a Young Justice Comic, so let’s see what this is all about...

Right, so apparently they are doing a meta thing where they acknowledge that the "Crises” events happened so they can say various characters know about what they did before the reboot even though it didn’t happen in this continuity. So like, it didn’t happen but it did happen or something. Comics are weird.

So is this Jonah Hex’s daughter I’m guessing? I actually know nothing about Jonah Hex, tbh. Except that there was a movie and it bombed and he’s a cursed cowboy or something. Also, she questions why the cop asks her to get out of the car when she’s got a shotgun in the front seat. I’m guessing she’s a ‘simple country girl in the city’ type. Doesn’t know how parking meters work but can deadeye a squirrel from twenty paces.

Tim is back to Robin again because...I don’t know. I really think Tim could use a new hero name. One that doesn’t have the word ‘Robin’ in it. He should graduate, like Dick and Jason did, he deserves it. We don’t need two Robins. How about Blackbird? (There’s a type with red spots) Or High-flyer. Or Eagle-Eye or something. Let’s come up with something. Or maybe he will in this series? That would be nice.

So something’s up with Cassie, she doesn’t want to fight. Is this something we’re supposed to know about because it happened in some other comic or is it a mystery for everyone? I actually don’t know anything about Cassie except she was Wonder Girl after Donna Troy.

And then there’s like a whole page of Tim kicking these guys’ asses before they can start their villain speeches. Thanks Tim, now we don’t know what they’re here for! Or he doesn’t. We do, because we saw a chick blaming everything going on in a Gem Dimension on Earth and now they are calling out Superman in the middle of metropolis and it ain’t going so well for them.

Bart! Wait, so is he going by Impulse or Kid Flash? Cuz we already have a Kid Flash and he’s on a team with Damian. Also, this art is amazing btw. Felt like pointing it out because I was going to read the OG Young Justice in anticipation of this but I legit couldn’t get past the art style of the original. Like his shoes could have been boats or something, it was cringe worthy to me.

Bart saves dah kittehs! And a baby and a little girl, but who cares about them.

So the roster is Robin Tim, Wonder Girl Cassie, Impulse, Jinny Hex, and Teen Lantern (and Kon-El, we know he’s gonna show). Cassie leaped in when she saw Tim about to get his head crushed but she seemed upset about it so we’ll see what happens there. We can’t tell what Teen Lantern looks like yet, I’m really interested. Is it a dude or a chick? I’m guessing a chick.

Oh wait, duh, she was on one of the covers. She’s a chick. Earth has a LOT of Lanterns, man. Like, a disproportionate amount compared to the rest of the universe, don’t you think?

Tim insists it’s not Young Justice without Conner! Awww. I really want this Conner/Tim bromance I keep hearing about. Also, everybody gets sucked into the Gem World dimension.

Tim’s new Love interest, I’m calling it. A chick holding a sword to your throat upon first meeting? That’s a meet-cute, dude. Also, oh my god I’m in love with the pink crystal theme! Magical Girls and crystals are my jam. Is this chick new?

Kon!!! I am inordinately excited for Conner! I’ll be interested to see how they spin his not existing and suddenly existing here. Is this like a pre-crisis Conner that got sucked into another dimension when he got deleted from reality and has just been chilling there? Isn’t that convenient. Comics, man.

They’re not going to make us wait, huh? Somehow I doubt that will be the most interesting thing that happens int hat issue though. Like, Wonder Girl? Eh. Kon-El? Bazzinga! I’m in love!

The down-low:

In conclusion, most definitely going to read more. I want to see Conner in particular. The art is AMAZING, I love it. All the character designs are awesome and the colorist deserves all the credit int he world too, the pages are so vibrant and rich. Hopefully they mostly keep the same artist, because when a series changes artists all the time it tends to really suffer in my opinion.

The comic actually has a real Marvel (comics) vibe, how it’s quippy and irreverent and everyone’s personality is generic pop-culture teen, which I don’t actually like all that much. So far I don’t have a feel for anyone’s personalities which I think is a definite fault of the writing. The only character that seems individualized at all is Jinny Hex, and maybe Bart. Everyone else is just generic snarky teenager, so hopefully that changes in the next issue. I think Young Justice was originally known for the characterization and friendships so this comic has a lot to live up to.

See you next month!

[slavicviking]

I read this one somewhere and copied it down but i forgot where it came from: My cat keeps breaking into your apartment next to mine so I tied a note to its collar to apologize and you write back so we keep exchanging cat notes and you’re pretty funny AU

Soooo sorry it took so long! But here you go - I hope you’ll like it! ^^

(Also, here’s the link to your previous requested drabble because I don’t think it tagged you correctly)

Thanks to @twiggy242 for helping me come up with the pun (though he claims all the credit for the pun apparently xd)  :D

“There youare!”

Hiccuprushed to his window, hugging the black cat to his chest.

“I swearyou’ll be the death of me,” he set the animal on his kitchen floor, letting outa long sigh. Closing his eyes briefly, his heart surged to his throat when thecat had disappeared again. “Toothless? Odin’s beard – Toothless!”

The cat wasalready back on the windowsill, ready to embark on his another great adventure.

“Oh no youdon’t.”

Toothlessmeowed in response but Hiccup just shot him an unamused look.

“I alreadyhad to apologize for you once and,” he paused, his eyes on the cat’s redcollar. “and I don’t think she noticed.”

Despite hiscat moving around he managed to get ahold of the note tied to the collar.Surely his apology was still there, his messy handwriting reading ‘Sorry, he keeps escaping through the window’.He was ready to throw the piece of paper away when he noticed letters on theother side.

‘Close the window then? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯’

Huh.

Well then,he couldn’t say he expected a response, not like that anyway. Without thinkingmuch about it, he scribbled a response underneath.

‘In that heat? No way’

“You liveonce, eh?” he asked his cat, suddenly realizing how sad it must have looked.And how ridiculous this idea was to begin with. Potentially jeopardizing hisnonexistent relationship with his (beautiful) neighbor, he tied the note backto Toothless’s collar.

One thingwas for sure – you did not need to tell the cat twice to get out venturingagain.

Hiccup endedup being half-annoyed (that the cat left) and half-nervous (that the note left with the cat). He leaned out of thewindow, curiosity winning over what was left of his decency. His eyes caught ahand from the apartment next to him, instructing Toothless out.

Suddenlythe cat’s collar was the most interesting thing in the world.

‘Your cat just gave me a cold shoulder – maybe trythat instead? :P’

He snorted.

Of coursehe had to reply. If she was going to sass him, it was only right to sass herback.

It did notend with one more note, or two more…or ten.

Overseveral weeks they had settled into this comfortable yet unusual friendship, orso he’d like to believe. Whenever they would pass each other on their way in orout of the apartment building they would smile at each other knowingly, thoughthey never really talked.

How couldit be that it was so easy to talk to her through his cat (of all things!) butwhenever he faced her, he suddenly forgot how to speak, and how his palms gotsweaty, his stomach feeling the tiniest of bits tighter.

But thenher mail ended up in his mail box.

Not thefirst time but this this  - this timehe was determined to do something aboutit. And so after some compulsory pacing around his flat (judged by his catof course) and three attempts, he found himself before her apartment, knockingon her door, mail in hand.

“Hi.”

She lookedconfused for a second until her lips broke into an easy smile and she leaned onthe doorframe, all smug like that.

“Hey,discount cat whisperer.”

He gave outa soft laugh at the nickname he had acquired throughout the last couple of weeks.

“I, um,” hegestured the mail in his hand like the stupid dolt he was. Astrid’s eyes,though, weren’t on him. He quickly turned around as well, only now noticing hehad left his apartment doors slightly ajar.

“Oh come on.”

His eyestrailed over the most smug cat in the entire universe that had the nerve to slid into Astrid’s apartment, brushingover their legs with his tail. He expected her to be annoyed but, instead, sheappeared to be amused by the whole situation, eyes bright and a smirk formingon her lips. He smiled shyly.

“But Iclosed the window this time.” 

Ta-dah!

The rest of my writing

If you’d like to request a drabble :D

[cutegirlmayra]

Hey mayra its amys birthday in japan do you have anything planned?

Hmm.

Dear Amy Rose,

Hey! Long time no read! (Haha, see what I did there?)

Heard it was your birthday So, it’s your birthday today! How cool is that? Did you have some nice cake? I bet you baked your own or had Vanilla and Cream whip you up something with Cheese. (Vanilla, Cream, Whip? Come on, that’s gold.)

I’ve been out and away for a while, eh? Guess messaging you on the MilesElectric isn’t the greatest… but I do have a surprise for you!

Heh, ready for this?

A scavenger hunt!

Alright, get ready for a totally awesome adventure! I may not be able to celebrate with you, but I still want you to have a good, exciting day. And what better way to have a birthday then with a friendly game, right?

Object one: It’s hiding in Station Square. Don’t get afraid or nothin’, I didn’t put it in any sewer drain. (I knew you’d hate me if I did, ha!) But go to the tallest skyscraper you can find! There’s a message on the rooftop for ya. If you get a little lost, I already took the liberty of getting those floating help boxes reprogrammed to tell you some hints. So no sweat!

See ya on the roof!

- Sonic

-

Dear Amy Rose,

Found me? Ta-dah! It’s a flower from Palm-Tree Panic! You were so small back then… but man, you could move! I thought the perfect first piece of the scavenger hunt could be you twirling that windmill flower on the softest winds of the tallest skyscaper!

Well, it was a pretty image in my mind… anyway.

B-but that sounds weird, doesn’t it?

Hold on! I’m still not done yet! Round 2!

Next, you’re going to be traveling into the Mystic Ruins. Talk about memory lane, but this is going to be different!

You may not recall very well, but I’m sure you’ll get there! Big can help you out, I let him in on the secret! That is… if he remembers everything I said to him… Good luck!

I’m hiding somewhere in a special tree. See ya when you get there!

- Sonic.

-

Dear Amy Rose,

Congrats! You’ve found me! Can you believe it? I know you like music, and visiting the Chao Garden with you was really fun! The chaos all grew up and live with Knuckles now on Angel Island, but I can’t help remembering how you would learn to play the flute and serenade the Chao. (Or were you just trying to impress me?)

Either way, I wanted to get you a flute. The one everyone kinda shared was old and rusty. And.. well… yuck. But hey! Now you have a pretty one! Promise to play it for me sometime, alright..?

We’re down to two more! (Tails says this is getting complicated, but what does he know, huh? Planes, maybe. But not fun birthday activities! That’s my expertise!)

Alright, Amy. This one could get tricky. So pull up your boots and adjust that pretty headband of yours… we’re going to Spagonia!

Tails said he’d lend you a ride if you really are stumped on finding a way there. So no sweat! (Ew, that would be gross. Haha! Just kidding!)

Once you’re there, there’s a particular Alley way I think you’ll remember… Can you find it again? You’ve always been able to find me, I’m sure it won’t be a problem!

Till you find me! I’m hiding near the alley way and somewhere by a table near the little outdoor diners there. Good luck!

- Sonic

-

Dear Amy Rose,

Woah! Almost done! Knew you could find me!

It’s… well, this one is kinda embarrassing… We bought ice cream together, and I got really down about Chip all of a sudden… started talking about him and losing my smile. But you know what? I really appreciated how you spent the rest of the day making me laugh and realize that he was always going to be in my heart.

So? I asked the guy we bought the ice cream from and- Wallah! He’s made a special ice cream just for you! He told me it’s got everything you love, including vanilla and strawberries. (I remembered!) It’s also shaped like your head! Three scoops and then two cones facing down to mimic your ears! How cool is that!? Died it pink too, so it’s cute. I think the customers will like the new addition! But mostly, I hope you enjoy it too.

I’ll admit, I took a bite, not bad. Though, kinda weird… eating an ice cream shaped like your head. Still! It was a great day! And I never have forgotten it.

Last one, and I know you’re gonna love this the most! Like, really like it! It’s gonna blow you away! Hands down, it’s the greatest idea I’ve ever made! (And that’s saying something.) So your last and greatest stop is…

Pause for dramatic effect…

Twinkle Park!

I know right? You’re probably thinking- “I was just there! Why’d he drag me all the way- no, half way around the world- just to come back!?” Well, you’ll have to wait and see!

Tails should still lend you a ride if you need him, if not, I hear Professor Pickle has a knack at rowboats… (That’s a joke. Please don’t cross any oceans, I can’t save you if you’re over water, thanks.)

You’ll find me hiding at a very special place. One you’ve probably forgotten all about… (Or have you?) Come find me at the place where air is thin and keeps on rolling! Just like me!

Can’t wait to see if you find me!

- Sonic

-

Dear Amy Rose,

Did I surprise ya? I’m the Ferris Wheel! Years ago, you once told me something very important on those colorful, turning lights… I’ve been wanting to return the favor for some time now. You were actually quite funny, I’ve never seen you act so nervous and shy before. (I thought that was my thing.) But you really did bear your heart to me and I never forgot that.

You were truly sincere about your feelings for me… I may have not really responded back to you… but I did my best to try. Remember? You said, “Can I fall in love with you?” And I thought it odd that you asked. Although a little cramped in the seat together, I remember telling you that it was your choice, not mine. But I.. never did feel right about that.

You laughed it off and smiled. You were really strong then, and I couldn’t tell. I wanted to do something special for you this time. I know I miss a lot of birthdays, but this one has to be the greatest one yet! Because- lo and behold- I’m right behind you!

… Assuming you’ve turned around and heard me answer you after all these years, I guess I can say that I’ll see ya around, Amy!

Glad I could finally say it. Tell you how truly special you are to me.

Here’s to many more birthdays! Though, I’m still planning on spending the day with you. Haha, nice psych, huh? Heh, you’re.. probably not even reading this letter anymore.. but you may look at it later, like when you get home after our awesome time together! (I’m thinking it’s gonna be super cool, cause you know, all your dreams coming true and stuff like that? Haha, kidding! Kidding… or am I? That’s up to you!)

Amy…. If you are still reading this… and just in case I really do chicken out at the last second…

My last gift for you today…

Is a free smile… and a long kiss.

Okay, this got weird. I should of just ended it there, but I’m writing in pen so now this is awkward.

Ahhh, I don’t know why I’m still writing!!! Anyway, have a good night, Amy! And try to keep cool about this, okay? I’m just not… not good about showing my emotions very much… But you are special to me. I wanted you to know that. Once… and for all.

Well, I guess it’s about time I said it then.

Happy Birthday, Amy Rose.

- Love, Sonic.

- BONUS -

Dear Amy Rose,

So I totally chickened out, and you must hate me now. But before you summon that great, big hammer of justice on me- Please go to Tails’s library!

I don’t want your birthday to end like this.. I know it’s late, but just find the book I once told you about! The one with the Black Knight?

Flip open to where the Lady of The Lake is drawn, I know you’ll think she’s pretty. There’s something there for you! (Don’t worry, it’s better than an apology letter…)

Okay! See ya there Find me there!

- Sonic.

-

Dear Amy Rose,

This time, you turn around, you’re officially my girlfriend!

- Hoping this works and that you don’t kill me first after getting your hopes up! Your hero, Sonic.

[hoo-fuggin-boy]

Doki Doki Operator Club

Part 8: Meet Us At Cetus

Natsuki was the first to arrive. The Liset hovered above the landing pad and dropped Natsuki off, reorienting itself to take off an pick up the next club member. The Rhino turned its head to get a good look at Cetus proper. It was a quaint little beach village, bustling with all sorts of people. Some villagers were on the beach, carving what looked to be blubber with long sickles. She was glad that her own personal senses were dulled inside the warframe, it must’ve smelled terrible. Behind her stood a tall ivory tower, adorned with gold trimmings and ornaments. Hot air balloons floated to and from it, carrying pieces of the blubber with them. [Are they...is that from the tower?] Natsuki shook her head. Clones, Samurai, and wall meat. It was a bit much. She moved down from the dock onto the beach, heading toward a stone staircase leading to the entrance. 

A small group of children rushed past her to the beach, playing with toy swords and masks. Between the nightmare of the Literature Club and how dead the relay was, she was taken aback by how lively this one small village was. Continuing up the stairs she was greeted with a bustling market, full of sights and sounds of people cooking and pawning their craft. It almost reminded her of the festival...which reminded her, the intelligence she had offed earlier happened to carry quiet a bit of currency on him. [Maybe I could grab a bite to eat here while I wait...] The pink rhino wandered through the market, moving through the crowd of villagers and following her nose. [If this is a fishing village then there has to be a...there!] Natsuki spotted a hut a little ways ahead of her that was set up like a beach grill, stools lining a counter with a lone cook frying up a fish she didn't recognize. She got closer, intoxicated by the smell. The cook looked to be around his late thirties, minor burn scars and a strange-looking bite mark dotting his left arm. The rhino tapped the counter, and the chef held up a single finger, not taking his eye off the fish. “Swazdo-lah, Newcomer Tenno. Forgive my lacking customer service, but this dish takes some focus. Easy to mess up, utz.” 

Natsuki nodded, patiently waiting for him to finish sprinkling some seasoning onto the fish, shifting the pan slightly before tossing it up and catching it again. Satisfied with his culinary creation, the chef plated it and drizzled a light sauce over it. “Ah, yes, where were we, Tenno...the name is Kan-Lohg. You here to eat? You’ve come to the right place. Nobody cooks a fish like Kan-Lohg. Just let me get this order out--” He turns to the crowd, raising his voice and cupping his mouth. “Ai, who ordered the Sharrac? Its finished! Doh-ga, pay up and eat before it gets cold!” He returns to Natsuki. “Anyways, back to food. You see the menu above me, yes? What are you having?” Natsuki had trouble reading it, and even then there were just plenty of words she didn't recognize. Murkray? Lungfish? Khut-Khut? She turned to point to the dish he had just served up, but it was gone, a stack of credits in its place. “Ey, Tenno, you alright? There a reason you aren’t using your words with me?” Natsuki pouted. “I’m a chef, not a charades master. Come on out of your shell and we’ll talk like grownups.” 

Natsuki froze, then tilted her head. Did she hear right? Did other people know about the Tenno? The rhino took a step back, giving herself room, and in a flash, Natsuki stepped out and was welcomed by the full brunt of the wonderful smell of Kan-Lohgs kitchen. “Ah. Shorter than I expected.” Kan-Lohg smirked. “Hmph. Natsuki hopped up onto a stool and looked over the menu again, annoyed that she had to deal with comments about her size as soon as she stepped out of her Rhino. She hefted the credit pack she swiped from the grineer onto the table. “I guess...I’ll have a little bit of everything.” Kan-lohg looked the pack over. “Heh, big spender, eh? Dah-dap, Tenno, I can appreciate that! You expecting some friends or something? This is a lot of fish for a Tenno so small.” Natsuki huffed, crossing her arms. “One, that’s none of YOUR business, and two, if you keep making comments about my size I’ll GLADLY take my money elsewhere...” Kan-lohg chuckled. “Oooh, a fireball, eh? Alright, I’ll keep my ‘little’ comments to myself. As for the friends that aren’t my business, the reason I ask is that there’s a better table overlooking the beach. Easier to hail them from there as they arrive. Just saying.” Natsuki leaned over the counter, looking to the table Kan-Lohg was talking about. “Hmn...” She hopped down, slipping back into her Rhino and positioning it closer to the table before sitting down, gazing out onto the sea. “I wonder who’ll get back first...” 

Sudafet dropped Yuri off, next. Sudafet had been congratulating her on the success of her mission, but she was too mired in her own thoughts. She had asked Sudafet to return to the orbiter to change out of her Ash before arriving, but Sudafet declined, explaining that it would take too long to make the trip back to orbit and back to Cetus. She gazed out to the sea, calm and shimmering under the late morning sun. She wanted to scratch at her wrists, unable to get her mind off the Ash’s internal blades lodged inside of it. The sensation she felt was similar to having a nasty splinter inside her skin and the urge to tear it out, but amplified. But now she was stuck with the frame, forced to mull over the constant turbulence of intrusive thoughts and self-doubt that came with it until she could change. She didn’t have any hair to play with in the ash, but she caught herself trying to invoke the mannerism anyway out of habit. She was taken out her trance by a small voice calling to her from the village behind her.

“Heeeeey! Yuri! Up here!” Natsuki called down to her from the small restaurant table overlooking the docks. It took her a second, but she realized Natsuki had her rhino ‘parked’ next to the table. Was it really okay to be out of her frame in this village...? “C’mon Yuri! What took you so long?!” The ash nodded and slowly trekked her way up to the table Natsuki had called to her from. Timidly, Yuri slips out of her Ash, placing it next to Natsuki’s Rhino. Finally able to move around as herself, she sat at the table, unable to stop gently rubbing at her wrist. She still looked rather upset, something Natsuki was able to pick up on rather easily. “Hey, Yuri. Look! Lunch is on me! That officer dude was loaded, and this stuff is honestly AMAZING.” Yuri managed to dredge herself out of her own head and look at the food. It did look pretty good... “Mm. I suppose a bite to eat after a mission wouldn’t hurt...” She grabbed some utensils and began to eat, sampling a fillet of...something. After a few bites her scattered, worried thoughts began to melt away, now focused on how tasty the fish was. “Oh!” She thought aloud, practically a whisper. “I knoooow, right! That Kan-Lohg guy who runs the place really knows his stuff.” Yuri nodded. “Though, you’ve always had a discerning palette for food, Natsuki. Its no surprise you’d find a good place to eat, even in this world...”

Natsuki stopped mid-munch, not expecting the compliment. Yuri looked bothered by something before but... “W-well, yeah, of course! Whats with the compliments all of a sudden...” She resumed nibbling, her face a slight shade of pink. “Did something happen at Cambria?” Yuri paused for a second, trying to find a way to put her thoughts into words. Even in her head she had trouble making sense of it. “Well...let me ask you this; when you were using your own warframe, was there ever an instance where you didn't feel quite in control?” Natsuki shook her head. “Not...really? I just feel bigger and stronger in mine. Like a badass...nothing like what you’re talking about...” Yuri turned to look at the Ash, standing statue-still as the two ate. “...I don’t these things are costumes, like Sayori described. There was a moment out there where...I felt I lost control. It felt like I was trapped in my own body, overcome with sensations and thoughts that weren’t mine.” She rubbed her wrist again. “It...reminded me of what happened before.” Natsuki furrowed her brow. “Thats...Yuri, I’m sure whatever happened it wasn’t really you, okay? We don’t really know what these things are...” She frowned. “We’ll get you into a new one before we head to Mars, okay? I can even help you pick it out...if you want...” Yuri smiled faintly, avoiding the pink-haired girls gaze but no longer fidgeting. “...Thank you, Natsuki. I appreciate your reassurance...” 

They continued to eat in relative silence, the hustle and bustle of the Cetus market and the sounds of the soft ocean making for some rather calming ambiance. Before long, Sayori and Monika had returned as well. Natsuki called out to them as well, Yuri politely waving to them as they approached the table. Sayori practically hopped out of her Trinity at the sight of lunch. “Uwoaaaah! So much good food! Where did you find all this?” Natsuki grinned, proud of herself. “Lets just say that Officer I found was carrying a pretty fat wallet.~” Sayori began to chow down immediately. Monika was reluctant at first, not sure if she should bother eating in a place like this, but decided to sit and nibble at some strange-looking fruit. It tasted much better than she was expecting, a nice, simple thing to enjoy amidst the weight of existential dread sitting in her stomach. The conversations shifted into the girls all discussing their respective missions, and what they had learned. Natsuki had discovered that the leader of Mars’ current occupation was a lieutenant and Grineer war hero by the name of Lech Kril, holed up on Mars in a near-impenetrable fortress. Fortunately, due to the data Yuri recovered, and the network taps Sudafet installed with the help of Monika and Sayori, they found a weak point; an armored transport railway that brought supplies through to the fortress. 

“Sooo...” Natsuki began drumming her hands on the table, piecing it all together. “We’re gonna steal a train?” Sudafet chimed in, eager to explain. “Indeed. operator Natsuki! We shall commandeer the armored transport, use it to gain access to Lech Kril’s fortress, and then assassinate him!” Sayori looked pleased, piling up the dishes from their meal in a neat stack at the center of the table. “We’ll be playing cowboys! Heisting trains, bringing badguys to justice!” Yuri shook her head. “Weren’t the ones who heisted trains usually the bad guys?” Sayori paused, thinking it over. “Yeah, but if its the bad guys train, then we must be the good guys!” Yuri chuckled as Monika focused on Sudafet. “So...do we have everything we need?” Sudafet produces a holographic image of a strange-looking device. “Not quite! In order to hijack the train, we need a grineer clearance key-node. The Grineer inhabiting the frontier of earth do not have high-enough clearance, typically, but the Grineer of the plains are of Councilor Vay Hek’s personal contingent! They should have the clearance necessary to gain control of the transport!” Monika leaned back into her chair. “I’m assuming this is where Konzu comes in, yeah? He would know  a Grineer with a key-node, so we take him out, and we get what we need and do Cetus a favor at the same time.” Sudafet blinked happily. “Correct, Operator Monika! You took the words straight from my synthesizers!” Monika was the first to stand, clearly itching to move on.

The girls set their dishes aside and thanked Kan-Lohg for the meal, and he waved them off as they searched for Konzu. “Sho-lah, Tenno!”

It didn't take long for the girls to find the village elder. Standing near the large gate that protected the village was an old man, staff in hand, and a bounty board behind him. Seeing the four new frames approach him, he waved introduced himself. “Swazo-do lah, Tenno! How can old Konzu help you today? You looking for work? Cetus is always in need of some hired guns.” Monika nodded, stepping out of her Warframe to speak in person. “Yes, we’re looking for something the Grineer have called a key-node? Do you know if there would be any Grineer nearby that would have one?” Konzu thought for a moment, stroking his chin as he pondered. “Well...a few of my regulars recently took out a high-ranking Grineer...It’s created a power gap in their infrastructure. Couple upstarts with bold ideas and fiery tempers. One of them might have the kind of key-node you need.” Monika took a mental note. “Okay, that’s a start. Do you have anything else on these ‘upstarts’?” Konzu pointed behind the group, to a pair of figures that seemed to be using warframes themselves. “Those two are my regulars, Ketten and Telm. Strong pair, utz. They’re the ones who took down the commander, so they should be more familiar with the details of the Grineers command structure right now. I’ll be sure to pay you once you return. The less coordinated the Grineer are out there, the better.” 

Monika nodded as she melded with her Vauban again, and the girls walked over to where Ketten and Talm stood, apparently in the middle of a conversation. [We’re not equipped to take down and eid--Oh.] The two frames turned to face the girls. The first, who had been talking, was the shorter of the two. The frame they used had a feminine figure  and seemed to be wrapped up, a set of small optics peering at the group underneath the layers covering its head. A pair of ornate-looking revolvers were strapped to their hips. The second was much larger, a hulking brute that stood taller than even Natsuki’s Rhino. It’s proportions were strange, massive shoulders and long legs connected to a torso built like a sheer cliff face, with no neck connecting its head. The head itself was adorned with the pattern of a crudely-painted skull. Each of the girls felt themselves being sized up by the pair, obviously having seen countless fights on the plains and beyond. Natsuki crossed her rhinos arms and stared down the larger of the two, determined to not let herself feel intimidated. Yuri felt uncomfortable from the stares, turning her head to instead focus on the market nearby. It didn't help. Sayori was too enamored with the pair to realize she was being stared at.

[Do you...need something? I’m trying to have a discussion with my partner Telm here.] The smaller frame motioned to the larger. Monika spoke first, having trouble discerning who she assumed to be Ketten. [Sorry, sorry...We’re uh, looking for a Grineer with key-node? Konzu told us to check with you for leads.] Ketten shrugged, looking to Telm for their answer. The larger crossed its arms, not breaking eye contact with Natsuki, apparently too focused to realize they were being addressed. [Telm? Hey--] Ketten poked the frame in its midsection, shaking its focus and breaking the staring contest between Natsuki and Telm. Natsuki took it as a small victory, smirking quietly in the transference ether. Telm turned to Ketten and silently pulled up the map of the plains, pointing to the mountain depicted in the top right corner. [Nang.] Ketten tilted their head, trying to figure out what Telm meant. [Oh, right. Mount Nang has a Grineer storage warehouse built on it. Apparently a toadie of the commander we squashed is holed up there trying to hold everything down in the chaos. He’ll probably have one. Is that good? Are you done here?] Monika didn’t like Kettens tone (or whatever the telepathic equivalent of a ‘tone’ would be) but she did end up getting the info she needed. [Yes, thank you! C’mon everyone, we’re heading to Nang Mountain next.

With that, girls headed for the gate. Compared to the quaint city it surrounded, it was rather ornate. Golden locks and complicated machinery adorned its surface, all ticking and rotating to open the massive door as the club approached the gate. Konzu briefly waved to them as they stepped through the first door, calling out to them. “Try not to stay out until dark, eh Tenno? Spirits of an old, shattered beast haunt the plains at night.” Sayori waved back to him as the first gate door sealed, locking behind them. [...Did konzu say spirit?] Another mention of ghosts. Maybe this world wasn’t as pleasant as Sayori thought. [I’m sure the old guy was trying to scare us. There’s no such thing as ghosts.] Natsuki reassured Sayori and cracked her knuckles in anticipation as the second gate began unlocking. Yuri nodded, readying her bow. [Lets see what we can all do as a team, okay guys?] The second gate unlocked, its doors parting. Everyone was taken aback by the wide swath of land that lay before them, untouched by earths overgrown forests. A much larger area than they were expecting.

[So these are the plains, huh?] Natsuki readied her shotgun. [Lets bag us a key-node then.]

[yesyunniechan]

Detective Conan 994 [Japanese to English Translation]

Only God knows what's in woman's heart?!

New series' start!!

C: What the...

C: Something's been off about Ran's behaviour lately...

C: I'd almost say she's been strangely up-beat...

R: Right-right!

R: I will... wait for that then!

C: Wait for.. what?!

R: Ah, dad is back... I'll call you later!

[Conan's sharp, intense glare!! And he's staring at Ran, who's talking to someone with a smile on her face?!]

K: I'm starving... Prepare something for lunch!

R: If that's the case, there's some leftover cream stew in the kitchen, so just heat that up and eat!

R: Well, I'm heading out for a bit! I'll be back later tonight...

K: Y-yeah...

C: What the? She said she'd wait... But she already went out to watch a movie with Eri-oba-san not too long ago...

C: And the national Karate convention is still some time away! She attended Beika Hotel's all-you-can-eat cake buffet yesterday... And bought a new Fusae brand purse last week...

C: Shit... I could've called her using Shinichi's voice and asked for clarification, but Shinichi's smartphone is broken so I had to give it to the professor for maintenance...

K: Oi, let's go!

C: Eh? Go?..

K: Let's follow Ran and find out what she's planning!

K: Well...I kind of have an idea though...

K: That humming, that light step... There's no mistaking it!

K: She's must be going out somewhere with that detective boy that recently gone into hiding?

C: Eh?

K: That bastard... Just because he's got a bit of a way with words, he's trying to seducing my daughter...

C: No-no-no! I'm not-not-not...

[Beika Book Shop]

K: That Ran, why'd she come to a book shop...

C: Look, she's taking a book off the shelf?

C: Kyoto?

[Kyoto Travel Guide]

K: So that detective boy... he's going to shack up with Ran in Kyoto!

C: Not me...

[A, sorry...]

R: My friend will get here soon, so I'd prefer to wait at the table rather than the counter...

W: In that case, please come right this way...

K: That detective boy...

K: Taking Ran to such a fancy cafe...

C: I'm telling you, this isn't me...

W: Er-r... are you two customers?

K: A, hello...

C: We've been in similar situations in the past... like when we were snooping after Okino Yoko and Higo-san...

C: Now I understand...

C: What Haibara and Occan must have felt at that time...

C: Who's could it be? Ran is waiting for them with such a cheery face...

S: A! Ran-kun is already here!

R: Sera-chan! Sonoko!

So: So-orry! You waited?

R: No, I just got here myself...

C: What the... Sonoko and Sera, huh...

R: Ta-dah! I bought travel guide for Kyoto!

So: Me too!

S: And me!

S: After all, it's much easier to research using this book rather than the internet, since it has lots of pictures! 

So: Right!

R: So, where should we go?

C: Looks like they're planning a girls-only trip to Kyoto for their holidays...

K: And their sponsor is the daughter of the Suzuki corporation, huh...

K: Now that we know that, no need to stay here any longer...

K: I'll go pay the bill, you try to sneak out without being seen...

C: Ok!

R: But I wonder if I'll run into him there...

R: Okita-kun...

K: Hm? What?

C: W-well, since we're already here anyway, let's eat the dinner here! I'm starving...

K: Geez, once a brat, always a brat...

C: O...

C: Okita?!

S: That guy that looks just like Kudo-kun?

R: Right, right...

C: Speaking of which... He said he lives in Kyoto's Kamigokuku...

C: Which means that Ran... could it be...

C: Is going to Kyoto to meet Okita?!

C: Nah, not possible... She might as well... She's going to Kyoto and might as well meet Okita while she's there...

S: You might as well meet with Shinichi-kun!

R: Right...

C: Might as well... meet with ME?!

C: Now wait a second... Maybe she's going to Kyoto because she thinks she can meet me there? Well, of course, Kyoto always tends to be the default setting for mysteries in dramas... Maybe she thinks that some incident will occur, and I will suddenly appear by some twist of fate?..

TN: Talk about foreshadowing.

C: Damn!

C: Sorry! 

W: It's fine! I'll bring you a replacement ice coffee!

C: L-looks like they didn't notice...

[What's this?]

[Tasty!]

R: Those clubhouse sandwiches are tasty!

Se: Yeah! And they are baked just right...

S: But I think they'll lost to Amuro-san's sandwiches...

Sa: And where is this cafe and how it is called?

S: Eh?

Sa: I want to consult them... If you will tell me...

[Saraie Taiki - Waiter]

S: Beika-cho's 5-chome's...

[Don't tell him!]

[Motosu Toshinori - Client]

M: If you tell him, he'll write some nonsense about it in his blog... and this place will be done with, understand?

M: My cafe was almost ruined because of him!

S: D-dear client... Please stop with these strange accusations...

M: I know that you're the the famous 'Full Stomach Professor' from that eating tour blog!!

S: Please stop... If you don't stop...

S: I really will crush you... I still have my ways...

S: Sales have declined because you resigned as chef of our cafe... 

S: So what's wrong with cutting down the customers of our rivals?  That's just good business...

S: Only reason I didn't crush you... was that you're our cafe's manager’s younger brother, don't you forget that!

W: Saraie-san?

[Naomura Isuzu - Waitress]

N: What are you doing? We've prepared a lot food!

S: A, sorry... I'll come for you after I'm finished here...

S: By the way, have you given it any more thought? Becoming my girlfriend... 

N: I already turned you down earlier...

S: Our manager is going to resign soon due to the marriage, and I'll be his replacement... so I doubt I'll be short on money...

N: As I said, I don't care about money...

S: What are you talking about? You changed your hairdo to try and get out of paying that loan...

N: Eh?

S: I don't know why you took that loan, but... if you become my woman, I could protect you? I'm well known around their circles <3

H: Hey, you two?!

H: Why are you blabbering? There are clients waiting for their orders!

[Hasunuma Tamao - Manager]

S: Y-yes...

H: Geez...

H: So? What do you think of our food, Toshinori?

M: Hmm... The sandwiches are tolerable, but...

M: The stew and the pasta are no good... I'll go to the kitchen and teach them...

M: More importantly, please do something about this waiter, nee-san...

H: Ah, right, you complained about Saraie-san over the phone recently...

H: I wanted to talk to the owner about him, but since he's the owner's nephew...

M: But nee-san... Even if only temporarily, you did date that guy... 

H: Don't say that! I'll be marrying another nice man soon, after all <3

[What do you think about the National Kyoto Museum?]

S: Looks like they're showing off a lot of national treasures...

R: He-eh...

H: Hey, Naomura-san...

H: The giant flower vase by the entrance seems to be missing... 

N: I don't know? It wasn't there when I arrived this morning... 

H: Why don't you search for it?

N: A, okay...

S: Look! You can even see the national treasure that is the ‘Gaki Soushi‘

TN: Gaki Soushi: http://www.kyohaku.go.jp/eng/syuzou/meihin/emaki/item03.html - can be also translated as a Scroll of Little Devils

R: E-eh, I don't like scary ones...

S: What are you talking about, you live with a brat...

TN: Brat - Gaki

R: Conan-kun is not a little devil!

S: A! Brat!

TN: Gaki-gaki-gaki. PUNS.

S: There's that brat!

R: A-and dad too... why are you two here?!

K: A, well...

C: It looked like Ran-nee-san was planning a secret trip somewhere, so we got curious and followed you! Right?

K: You... that was straight up...

S: 'A secret'...

So: Are you an idiot?

R: When Conan-kun grows up, he'll get this experience, I think...

C: Experience?

R: It's not just any regular trip...

C: Not just any regular trip?

N: Ky...

[Kya-a-a!]

K: Someone screamed?!

S: It came from inside the cafe...

H: Hey, what's wrong, Naomura-san...

H: Naomura-san?

N: Saraie-san?!

N: Please hang on!!

[Saraie-san?!]

[Saraie-san?!]

[A murder occurred at the cafe where personal relationships are strained... Next issue, Investigation arc with Sera!! (and Occhan)]

[1stunseeliefaelass]

Darksiders Arthurian Tales Revisited

Chapter 23: Dream in Good Faith

"That's ENOUGH!" Aries proclaimed, surprising Crom and Death.

"Who...are YOU?" Crom growled at Aries.

"I was a bystander, now I'm getting involved."

Aries then snaps his fingers and Crom ends up being sucked away. Death isn't sure what to think as he observes around him for a moment. He finds they're in that one field he dreamt of once when Morgen helped him get away from Lilith.

"Is this field...a common motif for you Dream Entities?" Death asks confused before being bumped into. He looks behind him and sees a tiny periwinkle lamb floating there.

"Sorry, the little one got restless." Lunara apologized from nearby.

Death looked her way and was admittedly a bit confused at the moth-like appearance she had. He wasn't sure if she was a Fae or another Dream Entity. "Ok somebody needs to start explaining and introducing themselves. As I am very confused now. Not that I'm ungrateful but something is far better than nothing."

"Sorry, this is my wife Lunara and I am Aries."

"Right. And you're in my head why exactly?" Death inquires.

"To introduce ourselves. We heard you've been dealing with an individual that we find to be extremely uncomforting." Aries explains vaguely.

Lunara just facepalms, "What my husband means to say is we heard through the grapevine you could help us meet our daughter. As she is seemingly with you in some way. And that the individual my husband speaks of may have brought upon desires to avoid her home entirely."

"Wait you mean Morgen? Verdak has made it pretty clear he's her Father. And Morgen made it quite clear to him she wants nothing to do with him or the realm you all live in. I highly doubt a visit from more people claiming to be her parents is going to help."

"Wait...ok explain to me exactly what Verdak did. Now." Aries demands.

"Before you make demands of me, know this. For all I know, you could be another liar. Another manipulator wanting to control her in some way. Why should I expect any better, when the Father who gave birth to her died, when her Stepfather abused her, and when the person claiming to be her Father mentally tortured us both?! Why should I?"

"For one thing Verdak is a liar. Secondly, I've been trying to find her she can be brought home safely. Thirdly, I do not appreciate being spoken to in that tone. Either fix it or else I bring back Crom. I know how you two love to keep each other company." Aries threatens him.

"ENOUGH. Both of you. I get it, Ilona is in a bad place because of Verdak. And I can understand your hostile tone if the only Entity you know of has mentally scarred you Death. But please give us a chance to right that wrong. Let us prove you wrong. And Aries, just shut up. Before you say something you'll regret. You've already threatened the man who's supposed to help us when all he did was ask a few VERY reasonable questions." Lunara says sternly to both men.

"I take it he has a very hard time controlling himself, am I correct?" Death asks sarcastically.

"To an extent. But for now let's try not insult each other anymore. All we want is to see her, I swear to you that's it." Lunara promises him.

Death sighs before saying, "I can still feel the mental link we have. I must've forgotten to take my necklace off, and Morgen must still have hers on as well. Just be prepared for some hostility from her, I doubt she's completely cooled off by now. Give me some time so I can make sure she's ok this."

"Of course." Aries replies sounding cooled down.

Death then uses the link to go see Morgen, not realizing the tiny lamb follow after him. Lunara tries to stop it but she fails and is left to hope Morgen won't be upset at seeing it. Death finds her easily within an exact copy of the field Aries conjured up in his head. Morgen is sitting within it and Death notices that maybe things aren't as exact as he thought. He sees darker colored flowers sprinkled throughout the field and wonders what this could mean. He's unable to ponder long as the lamb surprises him by floating under his kilt. It then begins to float towards Morgen excitedly, with Death now chasing it down.

"Ahhh! Come back here you little dah!" Death yells at the lamb before tripping on something.

He then tumbles down a hill and runs into Morgen, "Oh! Hey what the?"

"Sorry. Ow."

Morgen can't help but giggle a bit before helping him up, "You alright?"

"Oooww..Hurting a little bit, but I'm fine. Now where did that thing go?"

"What thing?" Morgen questions him before being suddenly surprised herself when the lamb suddenly poofs into the space inbetween them. "Oh, is this what you spoke of?"

As Morgen gently brings the lamb into her arms, Death replies, "Ugh....yes it is. Sorry I wasn't expecting it to follow me here."

"Why say that? Where did it come from anyway?" Morgen asks whilst gently giving the lamb some scritches.

"Well.....there's a Dream Entity couple in my head right now. Now I know you're not in the mood to deal with more bullshit from that place. But these two seem genuine enough. All they want is a chance to speak to you. Nothing more."

Morgen sighs and grasps at her horns again. Course the lamb bleats at Morgen before nuzzling her. Morgen then continues to scritch it before thinking a moment. Death gives her as much time as she needs. Eventually sitting down beside her as she sits herself. Gently he places a hand on her back, which gets a small smile. He then gets an idea and slyly slides his index up her spine.

"HA! Ah! Watch it there." Morgen tells him with a subtle giggle.

"Eh consider this payback for my foot the other day." Death says simply before tickling various spots on her back. He ends up finding the main one easily just on her lower back when she suddenly shrieks. Laughing he tells her, "Guess I've found your spot then."

Morgen gives him a coy look before setting the lamb down and waiting for the right moment. Finally he turns his head away and she lunges at him. However he grabs her and turns his head back.

"You cheated. I don't know how but you did."

"No I didn't. You just don't notice that your body language betrays you Morgen." Death explains with a smirk behind his mask.

Morgen snickers a bit before finally being released. Course Death is then given a hug, "Thank you. At least somebody can still treat me normally here."

"If it helps...to me, you are who you are. Spectacular. You may look like a Dream Entity, but that doesn't mean you have to live like one. It's your choice at the end of the day. Understood?" Death replies before gently caressing her face after getting out of the hug.

Morgen can't help but regain a bit of her warmth as he does this. Of course he doesn't keep his hand on her face long, but for Morgen his touch lingers even after he stops. The two begin getting closer to each other after that and come close to kissing. Course, Death then stops himself. Not just because of his mask, but because he isn't sure it's wise right now. Morgen however asks him, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing. I'm...just not sure if we should do this. At least at this moment. I mean, it's quite a bit early on. Don't you think?"

"Oh right...forgive me. After all today was....I don't think words can accurately describe it." Morgen responds a bit sullenly.

Death sighed as he noticed the warmth leave her and told her, "It's not that I don't want to. I'm just a bit unsure about it right now. I'm not opposed to doing anything else though."

Morgen seems to perk up and asks, "Such as?"

"Well uhm....I dunno. Hold hands? Nah nevermind too simple. I doubt that'd be enough."

Morgen however surprises him by grasping his hand and scooting closer to him, "I'm fine like this so long as you're comfortable. We both should be if we're going to be together after all."

"That we should. Thank you for understanding. One of these days though, I'll get past the barrier." Death responds.

Suddenly a red sheep appears between them and bleats at Death annoyed. Death can't help but notice the slight demonic look it has. The black horns, red wool and eyes, sharpened black hooves, it was a stark contrast to the tiny lamb laying down by Morgen's feet.

"What's all this about?" Morgen inquires before going to pet the sheep.

It dodges her though and aggressively pushes at Death. Then as it begins ramming into him Death shouts, "Ow what the hell?!"

The sheep only continues to bleat at him and ram into him. Morgen notices the wool's particular shade of red looks as though the sheep had been dipped into blood. Death however is more concerned about the ramming and the slightly deeper pitched bleats that sounded like it really pissed off. The distortion on it didn't help.

"Ok...that's a little creepy but stop. ramming. into me."

The sheep suddenly poofs into a more humanoid shape with armor and delivers a message in a typical warrior's voice, "WHAT'S THE ANSWER?!" Then the sheep goes back to normal and bleats one last time before floating away and poofing out of Morgen's mind.

"Uhm...answer to what?" Morgen inquires.

"Answer to the question of whether or not you want to hear these folks out." Death replies sighing. He'd hoped they'd get to have a bit more time than this.

Morgen walks up to him and responds, "I'll hear them out. But I can't promise anything."

Death nods before giving them a portal. As Aries comes through with Lunara he shouts, "FINALLY!"

"We were in the middle of something." Death groans.

"Sorry, patience really hasn't been his thing lately." Lunara tells him.

Aries groans himself before saying, "Anyway....she's ready to see us I'm guessing, so do introduce us."

"Right, so Morgen this is Aries and Lunara."

Morgen looks at them both and says, "I suppose I'm glad to meet you. But who are you exactly? Why do you want to see me so badly?"

"Ah I uh....hmm..Lunara you wanna handle this one?" Aries almost begs of her.

Lunara sighs and tells Morgen, "Aries and I are your parents. Your 'true' parents. I know this is probably the last thing you want to hear from anyone right now but..."

"Don't. Just don't. I want no excuses. I trust you already know my reasons for wanting nothing to do with the Dream Realm?" Morgen questions her.

"We do believe me. We understand Verdak did extensive damage to you and those close to you. But...if you'd just visit the realm, just once, maybe things will be different. Maybe you'll...see it's not all bad and..."

"Change my mind?" Morgen replies skeptically.

Aries then steps in, "Give your Mother the chance to speak girl. Hear what she wants to say."

Death places a hand on her shoulder a bit and Morgen sighs before continuing, "Look...I'm sorry. But all of this is just lost on me. I've heard too many words from beings that have done nothing but hurt me. I'm just done, done with all of it. I'm truly sorry, but I can't go to the realm. I just want a normal life, that's all I've ever wanted."

"Based on the accounts of this 'Nergal' your life is far from normal. And based on what I'm seeing from you now, 'normal' is not going to be a viable option." Aries tells her bluntly.

Morgen clenches her fists before lashing out, "SO IT'S MY FAULT THAT MY LIFE IS NOTHING BUT CHAOS!? I TRIED to escape from Uther on my own. MY ATTEMPTS ALL FAILED! WHAT WAS I SUPPOSED TO DO?! WHERE WERE YOU WHEN I NEEDED YOU MOST?! THIS IS THE ONLY ESCAPE ATTEMPT THAT HAS WORKED FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME! AND I DIDN'T GET THE HELP I HAD FROM YOU. As for my future, you don't know as well as you think you do how normal I can get my life to be. Even if I end up in a mundane day to day life in a simple house, as long as I choose it and am happy there, then there's nothing wrong with that."

Lunara is shocked but now realizes just how hurt she really is. Like any good Mother, she attempts to hug Morgen but is denied. Morgen just moves away from her. Death then chooses to be the one holding her. He places his hand on her shoulder again to test the waters and Morgen runs into him. Her hands on his chest as he wraps his arms around her.

"You have your answer. Like I told you earlier, she may not have been in the mood for this. At all." Death tells Aries and Lunara as he keeps Morgen in his arms.

Aries has a quiet and brief growl before telling Morgen, "I wish we could help you. However, my dietary needs must be met very soon."

Morgen can't help but be a little hurt by the seemingly cold response from Aries. However Lunara sighs sadly and calls out to her softly, "Morgen.....I'm so sorry we failed you. That we weren't there when it mattered. If you're certain you won't find happiness in our home, I will respect this. I will support you from a far....do all I can to aid in your journey for happiness....like a good Mother should."

Morgen felt as though she'd been stabbed in the gut as a wave of guilt washed over her. Lunara could feel it emanating from her too, and felt just as guilty for possibly coming off as guilt tripping her. Death however remained a strong anchor for her. Keeping his hold on Morgen as silent tears began to flow.

Once Aries and Lunara made their way out, Death quietly told her, "Well done. You did beautifully there."

"Did I.....did I truly? I feel so guilty." Morgen states to him.

"Morgen, you don't have to feel guilty. It was your choice, and given current events it's possibly the right one. However I don't want you to break contact with them completely. Maybe they can come to our realm, or whatever the proper term would be. Ah, this is so confusing."

"I'm sorry." Morgen replies softly.

"Hey now, no need to apologize. I'll figure it out...somehow. Either way, I may not have all the answers but I do know one thing. Whatever you choose, I'll be right there to support you. Or at least advice you if I disagree with it. Course I won't force any choices on you." Death assures her.

"Thank you Death, thank you so much."

"You're welcome. Although...I should probably get back to my own mind. That way we can both sleep tonight."

"Of course. Goodnight Death, sleep well." Morgen whispers softly.

"Goodnight Morgen, I'll see you in the morning."

With that Death returned to his mind and Morgen was left alone with the tiny lamb still floating around. Course she was soon visited by Nergal, "Sorry but I wanted to make sure you were alright after that hot take. Luckily Aries didn't try anything bad out of anger."

"Right...forgive me Nergal, I just need to be alone. I've a lot to process right now." Morgen explains whilst letting the tiny lamb snuggle her.

"Did they leave the lamb here?"

"Yes. I imagine they're not back either because it'd be awkward...or maybe Lunara wishes for me to keep it." Morgen replies quietly.

"Well I'll let Lunara know it's with you. That and make sure you know how to summon it into the waking world with you. This process will wake you up briefly, but at least you'll know how to do it." Nergal states.

"Ok and THEN can I sleep tonight?"

"I give you my word Morgen."

"Then start your teaching."

"Based on what I've read, which is not entirely helpful but still, you're supposed to do it like this." Nergal explains.

He begins to try and fail to explain the emotional parts of the spell to her and how to do it overall but clearly is unable to grasp it. Course both of them suddenly receive some intervention from Lunara. Who sends them visions of what to do.

"Huh....well then...ok well since you already know how to do it I'll be going..." Nergal tells Morgen with complete embarrassed with being helped by anyone. Lunara especially.

Morgen simply shrugged and held the little lamb in her arms before laying down. From there she worked to cast the spell by closing her eyes and whistling. All of a sudden she's shocked and wakes up in her bed. Course she feels the lamb on her chest and realizes she succeeded. She squees quietly and places a soft chair cushion onto the floor for the lamb. Then once placing it onto the cushion, she got into a nightgown before wandering outside her room. She was wide awake unfortunately and needed to clear her head anyway. Morgen wandered the halls for a little while until she started hearing something. Soon enough it sounded like groans and grunting. Eventually she found the room it was coming from and quietly opened the door. Inside the room she found Death looking awake but twitching slightly. Morgen came closer and realized the sounds were actually just him gasping for air. She also noticed he seemed like he was paralyzed and quickly saw what was wrong. Quickly she used her magic to ease him out and eventually Death came out of it with a sudden yell. As he breathed frantically Morgen gently spoke to him, "You were having a moment of sleep paralysis I think. Don't worry, you're safe now."

His breathing calmed and he finally told her, "I saw a sheep, black." Suddenly they hear a low bleat and Death jumped before pointing at it, "SEE OVER THERE! THAT LITTLE SHIT RIGHT THERE!"

"Death calm down it's alright."

"THAT THING RAMMED INTO MY FACE AND THE NEXT THING I KNOW I'M UNABLE TO BREATHE OR MOVE!"

"Easy Death, easy." Morgen tells him softly with some strokes of his back.

The sheep bleated again and came closer. Death however scurries away, "NOPE nope nope. I'm not dealing with that thing I'm out of here."

Unfortunately the sheep is undeterred and begins to chase after him. Morgen is left chasing the sheep as a result.

"Oh come on no! GET THAT THING AWAY FROM ME!"

Morgen notices the sheep is actually quite fast and seems even more demonic looking than the red one. A trail of black sand seems to come off of it as it flies after Death. Morgen sees one of the girls' butterfly nets nearby and grabs it as they run past. Finally after a calculated swing, Morgen catches the sheep.

"Ah ha! I got ya!"

However the sheep turns around in the net with an offended bleat and suddenly melds through the net.

"Ehehehehe......oh shit."

The sheep then began to chase after Morgen, with Death shouting at her, "Morgen! Toss me the net!"

She does so and then keeps running. Death however waits for the right moment to swing before doing so. Only for it to bite the net and yank it from Death's hands.

"Oops..."

The sheep bleats long and angry like before all of a sudden getting tackled out of the air. Morgen notices the periwinkle color and sees what happened.

"Oh dear."

The bigger black sheep naturally got angry at the little lamb for stopping its charge and suddenly rammed it backwards. It naturally begins bleating and Morgen scoops it up, "Will you just be nice honestly?"

Death then decides he's done with the net anyway, and turns Harvester into a mallet, "If this is what it takes to get rid of you, then so be it."

He slams it down, only for Harvester to phase through the sheep as well. It bleats at him simply as Strife and Miriam come out of their room. Strife is the first to ask, "Dude...what the fuck?"

"I'm sorry......STRIFE HELP ME!." Death tells the sheep nervously before addressing Strife in a freaked out tone.

The sheep bleats as if laughing at him, leaving Strife to ask Miriam, "You know anything about these?"

"They collect dreams.....or sometimes..uuuuuuaaaaaaahh nightmares....." Miriam responds with a tiny yawn.

"So what do we do to get it to stop?"

"We can always placate it....which will take a particular snack depending on the color..." Miriam groggily explains.

"It's black, with black sand trailing off it." Strife states.

"Ok then.....then that one will want some black licorice....or other black sweets. If it's black....uhaaah..it'll like it." Miriam tells Strife whilst trying not to fall back to sleep.

Strife gets a weird look but sets her back in bed before searching around for something. Finally he finds a gumball in his inventory that's black and shouts to the sheep, "HEY WOOLYBUTT! Want a snack?"

The gumball is then chucked at the sheep, and bonks him on the head. It then turns around and opens it's mouth. Only for there be eyes inside it as it bleats a truly demented baa.

"AH! Nevermind. BRO YOU'RE ON YOUR OWN!" Strife shouts before shutting the door.

Death is actually a bit horrified looking at the thing now, and is frozen entirely. Morgen looks around frantically for anything that can help and begins throwing stuff at the sheep. It begins chasing her again and Morgen makss it to the kitchen. Seeing it's teeth are sharp despite it being a sheep, Morgen grabs a thrown out piece of meat. Hoping that it works when tossing it at the sheep. The sheep grabs it and gives it a nibble. Luckily it's rotting a little bit and it's enough for the sheep to accept it. Tendrils appear from it's mouth and pull the meat inside before it poofs into nothing inside the body. The sheep then seems to calm and plops down onto the table.

It then cocks its head at her expectantly and Morgen asks it, "What?"

It points to its mouth and Morgen realizes what it wants. Course Morgen needs Death's help. She notices he's not nearby and quickly goes to find him. When seeing him with a thousand yard stare, she realizes what's happening this time.

"Oh no. Death? Can you hear me?" Morgen gently queries.

All of a sudden the sheep comes flying back towards Death again at full speed. Morgen quickly gets in the way just as the sheep is about to hit him. The next thing she knows is that the black sand reaches her nose, and it smells of charred remains. Directly after this she passes out and the sheep actually gains an oh shit type of body language. The lamb begins bleating at Death like crazy and the black sheep hides in shame. Actually feeling bad for hitting Morgen and looking a bit scared now. As if it's about to get in big trouble. Morgen meanwhile finds herself in front of a mirror and in a lingerie set. One she recognizes all too well.

"No....No no no.....No no no no no no.... Not this...not this not this not this....not this...No please no no....No no no...please...." Morgen says frantically as she begins to panic. It only gets worse when hearing a familiar voice.

"Oh Morgana....I've missed you so much my beloved....oh I cannot wait to consummate our union...."

"C-c-c-c-consummate?" Morgen inquires in pure fear.

"Of course. Remember your promise? I'd leave everyone alone...everything would go back to normal...if you finally became truly mine...finally gave me the child I deserve..." Uther replies in a crazed tone.

Morgen wants to run away but is frozen in her terror. Unable to move or flee as Uther runs his hands along her body. All she can do is beg, "Please no....don't hurt me....don't hurt me again....somebody help me....please..."

"No one's coming Morgana. In fact...no one will ever come between us again. I've sent Mina on the run for her very life. And Barrcus, well...I tried not to break him but....eheheheh...ahahahaha...I broke him....I broke him baby girl...." Uther told her as he devolved into soft demented laughing.

Morgen began crying as Uther began to touch her again, however just as Uther was about to remove the lingerie, everything just froze.

Verdak suddenly began to speak in a strained voice, "I....am so very sorry. This wasn't meant for you....you weren't supposed to go through this....not again..."

Morgen began sobbing harder and begged to be let out, "Please....don't leave me here....don't leave me alone....please get me out of here."

A giant six fingered hand quickly grabs her and pulls her into the Nightmare side of the Dream Realm. Luckily her lingerie was now a silk black dress. She's shaking badly as Verdak is on the ground wheezing. He immediately begins to fade, having exhausted himself trying to fix this mess.

"W-w-where have you b-b-brought me?" She stutters.

"Somewhere safe.....I'll send a message to your Mother....and Nergal....has been sent...." He tells her before his head sinks down.

As he crumbles into sand again, Morgen begins wailing now. Horrified after what just happened. She has no idea how much time has passed when she finally hears Nergal's voice. Albiet deeper than usual.

"Morgen?! Morgen! Are you alright?! Please not so loud I....I know you're scared but please Morgen....they can't know I'm here..."

Morgen continues wailing but as Nergal lifts her face up she sees him as he truly is. His skin and muscle are translucent but give off a dark bluish hue. It looks like a night sky full of stars. His tattoos that are meant seal him are glowing now. It's a brighter blue against his body and seems to be causing pain. The bones look as if their made of metal like pewter or dark silver. He only has one organ on the inside, his heart. At least that's what it seems like to her, for all she knew he probably had a brain too. Course his third eye was also very much noticeable now. But beyond all those features he looks as he does normally, just with a dark blue skull where his face should be. The middle eye is red with black sclera, the sclera are the same with the other two eyes. They're blue in their color.

Morgen does at least finally stop wailing, but is still crying as she asks him, "You're.....you're.....you're a...nightmare?"

"The oldest kind. At least naturally. I didn't want you to see me like this, I'm sorry." He tells her softly as he waves his hands in front of her. She sees rainbow eyes in their palms.

Morgen shows no fear, rather he notices her concerns still lie on what just happened to her. He's about to try and comfort her but hears a voice he hoped he wouldn't.

"WIZEMAN!!!!" An angered voice booms throughout the realm. Morgen huddles into a ball, shaking even more now.

Nergal is also panicking, "Damn it damn it damn it damn it damn it...I need to get you out of here...RIGHT NOW."

He then does his best to open a portal out of there. Meanwhile they both feel massive stomps upon the ground. Earthquakes practically occur with each step Aries takes on his way over. Nergal can only panic more and more as he tries to focus on opening a way out. This when Morgen sees Aries' horns are completely golden with red stripes now. They're almost on fire with how livid he truly is. Nergal just manages to open a way as a shining red light begins to grow nearer.

"We need to go we need to go we need to go WE NEED TO GO!" Nergal shouts to Morgen in panic before quickly grabbing her and hurrying through the portal into her mind. Luckily things have calmed down in there, that is save for a panicking Death trying to find her.

He sees them enter her mind and Nergal shifts back into his metallic body. His tattoos stop glowing as well as Morgen glances to Death. She trembles there for a moment before running at him full speed. He's nearly tackled to the ground as she hugs him tightly.

"Dah! Agh ugh...you're kinda choking me here." Death tells her before having to free himself ultimately. Once he does he notices she's hysterical and naturally is worried beyond belief. "What happened? What's wrong?"

Nergal is the one to explain between breaths, "Verdak told me...all he could before vanishing....that nightmare wasn't meant for her....he wanted me to get her to safety once she was in...the Dream Realm. We were only there...for a moment..."

"Nightmare? What nightmare, what are you talking about Nergal?"

"The black sheep.....it was about to collect nutrients from your current fear at the time by causing....a nightmare unlike any other....it would've been worse than anything from Verdak.....but Morgen stepped in the sheep's way....and ended up with a dream involving Uther...."

Death's eyes widen and he finally returns the hug to Morgen. He works to keep calm despite his growing anger and tries to soothe her, "Shhhhh shhhhh....I'm here. I'm here. I've got you now. You're safe Morgen. Why did he send that thing after me?"

"So that it could survive, and keep an eye out. In fact according to Verdak, the sheep seemed quite traumatized by the event." Nergal explains, having caught his breath.

"I did notice it cowering and looking distraught when I finally snapped out of it. The lamb had been bleating at me so much that Strife got woken up again. It took him having to basically talk me down. Remind me where I was, that I was in Titania's home. Not on the fields in...'someone else's' home. I would've hurried after her if I hadn't been stuck with the flashback. I'm so sorry."

Nergal simply raises his hand, "Don't feel bad. It wasn't your fault that things went as badly as they did. And it CERTAINLY isn't your fault for being traumatized. Even though the situation was technically weirder than normal."

Morgen finally asks Death quietly, "Are you...alright?"

"I'm fine. That's a currently a question I need to be asking you."

"Can I....show you what happened...from my side?" Morgen inquires a bit timidly.

"If you need to stop showing me at any time, just let me know. You don't have to show me the whole thing if it's too much, ok?"

Morgen nods before using her magic to show him her memories of the nightmare. Death is left about to go into another flashback as he views it but shakes his head to regain himself. Muttering under his breath that he's alright. Course Morgen isn't doing any better and finally ends it whilst telling him, "I'm sorry. I'm sorry..."

"Morgen it's alright. I'm fine, you're fine, everything's going to be ok. Understand?"

Morgen doesn't respond, only huddling into him. So Death regains his soothing tone from a moment ago and continues to speak to her.

"Morgen, I need to look around right now. Tell me what you see."

She does so slowly but remains in his arms, "A field."

"Good. What's in the field?"

"Wildflowers, petals in the wind, hills..." Morgen says to him quietly.

"Yeah? What else is here?" Death asks her adding a hint of curiosity to his tone.

"Nergal...you...and me..."

"That's right. You're not in Uther's home. You're right here, safe and sound. Here with me and Nergal."

Morgen begins to calm down at last and Death loosens the hug to give her a little breathing room. Morgen keeps her hands attached to his arms, but he doesn't mind. Rather he's patient as Morgen looks around and begins gathering herself. Eventually she takes a deep breath and lets go of Death, "Thank you...I'm ok now."

"What are you?"

"I'm ok?" Morgen states confused.

"What are you?" Death repeats undeterred.

Morgen snickers and smiles a little, "I'm ok."

"Good. Now let's try and get some sleep again. Hopefully without the sheep causing an issue."

Morgen giggles as Death grumbles about that and Nergal speaks up, "I'll try my best to take care of them, at least for the time being. You and I possibly need to have a discussion Morgen. One I've been trying to have with you."

Morgen looks his way and sees he's shaken up himself. She then looks back at Death who nods, "Don't worry, I'll remain in your room for now. It's where I'm currently at. I'm in a chair though, not the bed."

"Right. Thank you Death. See you in a bit."

"See you soon." He tells her before leaving her head. Waking up in her room, on a chair by her bed. He remains there as promised, watching over her.

Meanwhile Morgen has come up to Nergal, "So, what do you want to talk about? Are you alright?"

"I'm fine for the most part. Just remembering why I am in my current predicament." Nergal responds a bit coldly.

Morgen sighed, "I know you're in a poor mood, but try not to be cold. Got enough of that from Aries."

"I guess it runs in the family so to speak. Then again when you're apparently the 'problem child', you find a great deal of it directed towards you."

"Problem child? Then that makes you my...brother?" Morgen queries.

"Well only partially. I don't even know if I'd count as a half brother like Arthur. Given the fact I only have one parent. That being our Father. I'm not Lunara's son by any means, despite knowing this she still treats me as if I were her child." Nergal states.

"I see. A bit confusing so I'll just refer to you as my brother."

"Just don't mention it in front of Aries. It won't end well. It didn't the last time he found out we knew each other. It's...one of the reasons why I was banished. Second one being Verdak wanted me out of his seat." Nergal explains.

"Ah. Of course. Shall I keep calling you Nergal then? Or the name that Aries used?"

"I have forsaken it, as the name no longer suits me. The name I chose for myself, it holds a meaning. An identity I've chosen, a life I lead. My only regret, is being unable to share any of this with Aspen." Nergal tells her.

"She doesn't know about you? What you are?"

"All she knows is what I chose to tell her. I looked like a Fomori to her, so I went with it. She knows I sleep for long periods of time, but I never gave an explaination as to why. I also wish I could tell her I love her, but emotions are...difficult for me at best. Nonexistent at worst. It's like this for most Nightmares. But for you, a being of Dream and Nightmare, it was always easy. Even before you were reborn, you always showed such wonder and empathy. A capacity for emotions that only the most aloof among us could dream of. When I realized this during our first meeting so long ago, I coveted that part of you. Because for once in my damn existence, someone cared, without any fear or disapproval. No disappointment or judgment. While Dreams have a hard time controlling their emotions. Zipping around giddy as always. Rarely do they keep themselves in check. They're like the Seelie while the Nightmares are the Unseelie. Huh, maybe that's why fate chose you to be a Fae instead."

"Is that all Aries has done? Shun you for doing what he doesn't understand? Disapprove of your every move? Being unable to keep himself civil around you for any reason?" Morgen inquires gently.

"Yes...AND SO. MUCH. MORE. Whilst Verdak, as monstrous as he is, at least has the capacity to care about me. Even if it's a pitiful display at best and extremely rare. And Lunara? Don't make me laugh. She just pities me, I'm sure that's her only reason for being so kind to me. HIM? He wishes that I was erased from existence. Because I represent, in his eyes, his greatest SIN. And that's all I am, that's all I'll ever be. No matter what I do, I am his SIN. Nothing more, nothing less." Nergal growls.

Morgen can't help but feel awful for him and places a hand on his shoulder. Or tries to anyway, his height doesn't make that easy. Course he denies her anyway.

"Don't comfort me, and do NOT pity me. I find it disrespectful."

Morgen backs off but tells him, "Well if it helps, whenever you have need to talk about anything, my ears are always open Nergal. I only wish I could remember the past version of me that you do. It sounds like a beautiful group of memories to have."

Nergal sighs, "And terrifying. Anyway, goodnight."

"Goodnight, brother." Morgen says.

With that she uses a spell to shock herself and wakes up with a yell.

"Ouch!"

Death instantly looks her way, "Are you alright?"

"Fine, just shocked myself a bit too hard I guess."

Death actually held back a snort and chuckled, "You literally shocked yourself to wake up? Wow."

"Shut up."

"So how'd the talk go, out of curiosity?"

"Well, for the most part." Morgen responds simply.

"What was it about?"

"Our familial ties and that I shouldn't bring it up around Aries because they are on extremely bad terms. How's that for a summary?" Morgen states.

"Oh. Ok. Well then.....I don't know where to go from there."

Morgen snickers, "Perhaps it'd be better saved for a morning discussion? That way we're both of sound mind?"

"Uh right, of course. I'll...get right on that. Will you be alright on your own?"

"Should be, but thank you for asking. Goodnight Death, sleep well."

"You as well Morgen, goodnight." Death tells her before leaving the room.

He then lays down in his own room, but is ultimately having trouble falling asleep. He envies Dust as he sleeps on his perch. Meanwhile Fuzzball hops up and gives him a snuggle. Death can't help but place a hand over him as he lays there. He looks around for more sheep, and decides to look up for once. In the bed canopy, he sees a strange fuzzy shape. He ultimately turns on a lamp and it immediately flies towards it. Death jumps out of his bed and stands up straight.

"What the hell are you?"

Fuzzball however shows no fear at all, in fact he looks mesmerized. He heads up closer and watches the flying creature as it hovers around the lamp. Course then it sees Fuzzball waving and trying to get its attention. It lands beside him finally and Death realizes it's a Limt. Only it's got an extra pair of legs, moth wings, and is about as fluffy as a poodle moth. And he has a feeling that it may be female, as Fuzzball is getting super giddy and flustered all at once.

"Fascinating. I've never seen a Limt like this before. What about you Fuzzball?"

Fuzzball only shakes his head as if to say he hasn't, he's then surprised by the female approaching and sniffing him. Fuzzball makes a squee sort of a sound and falls over backwards. Seemingly fainting. Death snickers a bit before calming down enough to get back into bed. Course he's still having trouble falling asleep, but ends up seeing a glittery dust briefly falling around him.

"Oooooooh shiiit..."

From there the little fuzzy Moth Limt snuggled Fuzzball a little before sleeping nearby. Death meanwhile simply slept, unbothered by anything in his mind. Sleeping soundly with no cares and remaining safe for the whole night. He woke up in his bed sometime later and realized it was daylight when getting sunlight reflected into his eye by a window.

"Gah....what the....I can actually respond properly. Huh.", Death then yawned before stretching out.

He then sees Fuzzball still sleeping and strokes him a little. Fuzzball of course wakes up too and stretches before yipping happily at him. Death then gets up before getting ready for the day with some exercise. Fuzzball cheers him on with barks whilst Dust watches with occasional caw or squawk.

Finally as he's finishing up, Strife comes into the room, "Ok sleepyhead how long are you gonna be...oh. You're already awake. That's a first."

"Got some good sleep for once. How's that for a first?"

"Fair enough bro. Also what's that moth looking thingy over there?" Strife inquires pointing at the Moth Limt.

"That I can only assume is a type of Limt, although I'm unsure. Breakfast ready yet?"

"Nah, was thinking of making something for Miriam. Don't know what to make though. You know anything she might like?" Strife questions.

"Hmm, I can take at the recipebook Ceise gifted to me some time back. I usually bring it with me." Death tells him.

"Great, thanks bro. Let's see what's in it."

"Hmmm, well how about some waffles with bananas and salted caramel sauce? She loves anything sweet, and enjoys bananas sometimes. Perfect mix maybe." Death says to him.

"Dude....that's a good idea! Let's do it. Can we put bacon on it?"

"NO! Trust me bacon will kill it."

"But bacon's a salty thing." Strife protests.

"No! Caramel is similar to chocolate. Last time I checked, bacon and chocolate do not mix." Death expresses.

"Wait....oh shit...now I remember...ok yeah no Let's not do that!"

With that the boys began making the food and even added a bit of ice cream, Strife's idea naturally. Strife finished a small plate for Miriam and went to deliver it to his lady. However he gave Death a final word,

"Hey bro, maybe Morgen might appreciate some breakfast in bed too?"

"Shut the fuck up."

"Hahahahah...Right sure..." Strife replies before laughing and leaving the room.

Death rolls his eyes and looks through his recipebook for anything that might resemble something from Barrcus, "Come on there's gotta be something weird, gotta be something weird..."

He finds recipes for a full english, ful medames, and an acaí bowl. Death just decides to make them all and hope for the best. Once done he puts them on a tray and heads to Morgen's room. Morgen just happens to be waking up at this time and unlocks her door just in time for a knock.

"Come in, I just unlocked it."