#cheese is in front a lot but pinkie has her moments

[sillystringpony]

Fun fact: I own dog tags with Pinkie Pie and Cheese Sandwich’s cutie marks. My gender fluctuates a bit, so I change the layering depending on whether I’m feeling traditionally masculine (cheese) or more butch (pinkie).

[jungstruly]

Stupid Cupid || 00

You’ve ought to believe that you have a curse when it comes to love after a handful of disastrous dates, but when a certain baseball captain Lucas Wong finally looked your way, you were done with having that curse. The little love God can fuck himself anyways.

Or where in,

Best friend Haechan’s playing cupid and doing cupid’s dirty work behind your back to drive away your potential lovers all because of a pinky promise the both of you shared during high school. It’s only a matter of time until he blows his cover off. Until then, the stupid little cupid’s crazy plan to stop you from falling in love will be his top priority.

!! UPDATES EVERY TUESDAY AND SATURDAY !!

Genre || Rom-com, fuff, crack, slice of life, angst in the future, Uni!AU, Baseball!AU, Band!AU

Pairings || Business student slash bassist!Donghyuck x Architecture student!Reader x Engineering student slash baseball captain!Lucas (A side of Nursing student! Jeno, Business student!Renjun and Engineering student!Hendery)

Word Count || 3.2k

Taglist || @lelenoir, @nzeeten, @emvrd, @badwithten, @4-sun, @bl--ankhaeji, @soleilhyuck-main​, @hyuckiesoftie, @hoshitaro, @in-my-neofeelings, @chenleschurros, @deuxvous, @renjunluvr119, @neostains, @lovelyvitamin, @melxmay, @cherry-jaemin, @eyypeach, @shotoshortcake, @apollohyucks, @flirtyhyuck, @moonmystv​ can’t tag @dlndreamie & @mimika-28 for some odd reason :<

@scissorhands1617​ & @neowrld​ thank you so much for being the best beta reader I could ask for!

Send an ask or leave a comment if you want to be added in the taglist!

PROLOGUE

   “Can you not stare at me while I study my physiology notes?” Jeno grumbled from his seat across yours. He pushed his glasses back up his nose bridge which were starting to slide off from reading for too long. Eyes not leaving his study material, he clicked his pen before scribbling something on his paper. 

“You’re starting to creep me out Y.N”

You slumped on the familiar café seat as you watched your friend study his heart out, too preoccupied to notice that it’s a little half past lunch time already. The small yet famous French café located literally beside the university grounds was still packed with students. Even if it’s already the early hours of the afternoon, the whole place was still buzzing with students enjoying their favorite home cooked meal with their friends as they take a break from their busy uni life. 

You leaned your head on the wide glass window beside you.

“I can still feel you.” He mumbled and you can’t help but let out an over dramatic sigh for the nth time since the both of you sat there. Your fingers played with the metal straw of your nearly empty iced tea. Jeno still felt your eyes boring through his head.

“That’s it,” He threw his notes on the table with a groan before finally meeting your eyes. “What do you want this time?”

Crossing your arms, you let out another loud sigh. A pout is evident on your lips as the nursing student leaned back to his seat and waited for you to spill your ‘tea’. “Jeno, we’ve been best friends since high school and I know that you won’t lie to me, ever.”

He hummed in response, urging you to continue whilst he dusts his white nursing uniform.

“I need you to be completely honest with me.” You grabbed his hands. 

Your actions made Jeno’s eyebrows rise, peering from his prescribed glasses to both of your hands clasped together.  “Like super duper, one hundred and one percent honest to me. Okay?”

“You’re scaring me Y.N.”

You rolled your eyes at him. Your laughter blended with the busy café noise as you looked him dead in the eye. Jeno’s Adam's apple bobbed up and down, trying to pull his hands away from your grasp.

“Do you think I’m attractive?” You tried to give him your best smile, your eyes blinking rapidly as you try to act cute.

With a chuckle, your best friend nodded in agreement. He peeled his hands away from you and sipped his turning cold latte. Jeno being the sweetheart that he is, knew exactly what to say. “Of course you are! You’ve always been beautiful inside and out.”

“Really?” 

Your eyes lit up in an instant. “With that being said, if you were given a chance to date me, will you date me?”

Jeno choked on the coffee that he was drinking. He coughed, reaching for a clean tissue on the table to wipe the corners of his lips. 

“T-the hell?”

You were about to open your mouth when you felt a warm hand on your shoulder. The smell of cheese and basil leaves filled your senses .Your stomach grumbled and it only made you realize how hungry you were all this time.

“Y.N dear, your soup will be served in a while. Jeno, here’s your croque monsieur.”

Your coughing friend held out a thumb’s up as a thank you. His eyes fixated on the scrumptious meal in front of him despite almost choking to death. You on the other hand flashed the old woman a grin before she went back to the kitchen. 

“Thank you Mama Lee. Hyuck and Injun will be here in a while.”

Your attention went back to Jeno, handing him more tissue as he coughed on his fist. A look of disbelief was evident on his face as he eyed your sheepish figure.

The both of you looked up when a familiar brown leather messenger bag was roughly thrown beside Jeno. “That strategic management prof will be the death of me.”

The petite boy loosened his maroon necktie before he plopped down beside him with a huff. His sleeves were already rolled up as he put both arms behind his neck, leaning back to catch his breath. Renjun was about to run his mouth to talk how much of an asshole their substitute professor was when he noticed how red Jeno was.

He immediately sat straight out of excitement. “What did I miss?”

You shrugged jokingly, sipping your iced tea empty. Renjun caught a whiff of the food beside him, giving it a side eye to see if the owner’s paying attention before he went into stealth mode. Jeno immediately swatted Renjun’s hand away from his hot food but it was all too late when the culprit popped a huge crumb of cheesy goodness on his mouth with a grin.

“Y.N here asked me if she’s attractive.” Jeno said before taking a bite after his coughs subsided, giving the boy beside him a glare.

“We all know the answer to that.” Renjun snorted beside him as he tried to eat some of Jeno’s bread crumbs despite his annoyed look. 

“A huge fat No,”

You giggled, throwing him a punch across the table. “How mean, you little shit.”

“And,” Jeno swallowed down the huge bite of croque monsieur before speaking. All eyes were back on him before he shrieked in terror. 

He pushed his glasses up before pointing his finger at you. “She asked me if I would date her!”

Renjun’s hand went flying to his mouth. The both of them started to freak out as if you told them that you eat smelly socks for breakfast. You can’t help but to roll your eyes. Your lips curving upward, nevertheless. You love your best friends to bits and pieces but sometimes, you question your taste in people. 

“Remind me again why I have two morons as my friend.” You threw Jeno's used tissue, making them laugh in amusement. Your eyes caught a glimpse of the time from the clock above them as you leaned back to your seat-- only to sit right up back again. 

“Make that three. Where’s Hyuck?”

“Went to Mama Lee’s kitchen the moment he got here.” Renjun answered nonchalantly, standing up to pour himself a glass of water from the nearby counter. “That brat has always been the teacher’s favorite. It’s like his secret talent. Profs would even let him sleep in their class just because. It’s unfair.”

The news didn’t shock you and Jeno at all. Donghyuck may fool around but man, that kid is naturally good with numbers. It was old news already since he had always been a dean’s lister up until now in your third year in college. Jeno was about to take another bite when he saw your eyes fixated on it, making him offer you his food and urging you to open your mouth. You happily obliged of course.

You were munching with a smile when you heard a very familiar voice from the counter. The three of you mentally face palmed yourselves as the little devil who you were talking about earlier appeared. An apron was tied snuggly to his small waist along with his neatly folded black suit jacket draped on his forearm as he pretended to be a waiter. 

You wanted the earth to gobble you up when Donghyuck shouted your order up front, startling a lot of customers. “One onion soup for Ms. Y.N.”

He carefully set your onion soup down in front of you before setting his and Renjun’s orders down. You immediately scooped a mouthful and shoved it in your mouth. Only to realize a minute after, how hot it was.

“Of course it’s hot dumbass.” Donghyuck grabbed Renjun’s glass of water as the boy returned to his seat which earned an annoyed ‘hey’ from him. Eyes not leaving your panicked state, he sat down beside you. You emptied Renjun’s glass in no time.

“Ouch,” You stick your tongue out, in an attempt to cool it off. “Too hot,”

The boy beside you rolled his eyes with a scoff. Donghyuck started to slice the roasted chicken on his plate. “No shit Sherlock. I just popped that out from the oven. I know how much you love it when cheese turns crusty and brown.”

You grin from ear to ear as you shove a spoonful of it back to your mouth. This time, cooling it off. Renjun on the other hand snorted across from the both of you.

“Yeah, to the point of you putting half of my cheese in hers.” Jeno peered beside him before bursting into laughter. The boy beside him grunted in disbelief as he pushed his soup across the table just for everyone to see. “Look how sad it looks. Just look at this poor little thing!”

You giggled with a shrug, a bashful look already painted on your face. “Well, what can I say. I’m Hyuck’s and Mama Lee’s favorite customer after all.”

“Don’t be too full of yourself babe.” Donghyuck made sure to pinch your cheek which only earned a groan from you. You rubbed on your cheek with knitted brows. A soft smile played on your lips as you watched Donghyuck eat happily with his cute little apron tied on his waist, completely forgetting that it was still on him.

Feeling your eyes on him, he quickly sliced a huge chunk of meat. He blew some air on it in an attempt to cool the piping hot chicken before finally shoving it to your mouth.

“Aigoo, my baby,” Donghyuck laughed when he felt a punch on his shoulder. Flavors bursted on your tongue as you happily chewed. The boy beside you smiled in content, munching on his chicken again. 

“Anything I missed while I was in the kitchen?”

Jeno crossed his arms as he leaned back to his seat, watching everyone eat their heart out. “Nothing much, I was studying the whole time but Y.N here almost killed me.”

“You’re being dramatic. I could kill you if I wanted to.”

Renjun swallowed his food, clapping his hands like a seal as he remembered something.

“Y.N here has a bunch of questions.” Renjun’s eyes glinted with excitement and mischief as Jeno’s eyes met his with the exact glow. “I think you should answer them Hyuck.”

Donghyuck shrugged, reaching over to scoop from your soup to get a taste of his mom’s star dish. Your hands carefully pushed the bowl near him. “Shoot,”

You wiped your lips with a tissue before turning your body to him. He was too preoccupied with the hearty meal that he didn’t even bother to look at you.

“Am I attractive to you? Will you take me out on a date if you were given a chance, Hyuckie?”

His eyes turned like saucers as he choked on his soup, whipping his head to you just to check if you were messing with him. Your eyes blinked back at him with concern. The two boys on the other hand were laughing their asses off as they watched their friend’s struggle. Donghyuck glared at the both of them, clearly unamused. His hand started to cover his mouth to muffle his coughs.

“So,” You bite your lip. Your hand hitting his back to help him. “Won’t you?”

His eyes widened more. The poor boy violently coughed. Renjun offered him a new cup of water after laughing so hard with Jeno. Donghyuck downed the whole glass in one go, wiping his lips with the back of his hand before turning to you.

“You’re kidding.” He tried to laugh but when you shook your head with a genuine smile, he stopped. “You’re serious?”

“I’m serious.” You confirmed as you continued to eat. Donghyuck didn’t even bother to finish his meal. In fact, he felt like he was too full. He didn’t know if it was because of the soup or the butterflies whirling in his stomach.

“And why do you ask?”

Blood rose up to your cheek, nibbling on some croutons to make you look busy. “Just because,”

Jeno snapped his finger. You mentally thanked him as the attention turned to him. “I think I know why. Let me guess, is this because of that date you had with that Chenle dude during first year?”

Memories came back flooding back to you. The date you had with that wealthy Chinese business Tycoon heir was nothing but a disaster. Snippets of how he got dragged by a horse and rushed to the hospital only to find out that the poor boy broke his femur wasn’t really the best memory to have for your first date. 

“No, shut up.”

Jeno smirked from his seat as he pushed his glasses back up. Not because he was having fun teasing the hell out of you, but because Donghyuck started to sweat beside you. He mouthed Jeno a ‘fuck you’, showing him his fist in hopes of scaring him. Donghyuck remembered that day all too well as if he was there. Well, he was indeed there along with Renjun, hiding in a bush nearby as you and Chenle got a little too close for his liking.

Suddenly, Renjun bursted out laughing across from you, the metal straw still in his mouth as he sipped Jeno’s half empty coffee. He hitted Jeno’s arm out of happiness. “Second year, that date with Na Jaemin was just fucking gold.”

Renjun wheezed, eyes scrunching as he laughed. “That dumbass gave Y.N flowers and gave her an allergic reaction. Holy shit, her face was just too hideous and she even almost pooped in he-“

“Finish that sentence. See what happens.” 

You spat with brows furrowed together, only to join Renjun and Jeno’s laughter seconds later. It was embarrassing of course but it was way too funny. The second date was really a night to remember. You had to call Hyuck to pick you up halfway through your date because your face went, uh--- unrecognizable in front of your date. That night turned into a whole disaster to the point of praying everyday not to bump with Jamin inside the campus.

“Too funny,” Donghyuck tried to laugh along, making sure to give Renjun who was suggestively wiggling his eyebrows a hard glare. He fiddled with the hem of his apron.

Jeno was losing his shit as he reminisced how he helped the boy beside you buy some laxative the night before your date. You wiped your tears of happiness, totally oblivious by your three bestfriend’s mini staredown.

“I can really tell that cupid is definitely enjoying himself toying with my love life.” You joked, elbowing Donghyuck’s arm to urge him to laugh. “That little rascal.”

Jeno snickered in front of you. His eyes lingered on Haechan. “Oh, I bet cupid is having the time of his lif-“

As if on cue, Jeno yelped in pain. Donghyuck blinked back at him innocently as he tried to hide the fact that he stepped on his toe. He let out a breath of relief once he saw you laughing.

He can’t afford to let his cover be blown just because his two dickhead friends decided to bring up his crazy and obviously love sick plans for fun. Donghyuck ruining every single date that you have was a secret that he’ll bring to his grave. He can’t afford for you to know that he was the reason for every unleashed disaster in your dates. 

As he quietly went back to his meal, he couldn’t help but to breathe a sigh of relief as you started to talk excitedly about your architecture project in class. The previous conversation was already forgotten but the knowing look on Jeno and Renjun was still there.

Oh, if only you knew that cupid was a lot closer than you think. 

Literally an arm’s length away, munching on his roasted chicken with a small smile. 

That small smile didn’t even last that long when he felt your hands gripped his forearm tightly. Your squeals of excitement filled his ears as you began to shake his shoulder violently. He looked at Jeno and Renjun in hopes to know what was happening. The three boys shared a surprise look.

“Oh God.” Your eyes didn’t leave the large window still beside you, leaning on Donghyuck as you repeatedly hit his forearm. “That’s the guy! That’s the frikin guy, oh my god!”

Donghyuck pretended that he wasn’t interested in your shenanigans but he was all ears. “What guy? Use your words Y.-”

“The guy,” Hands waving excitedly in front of you, you gave your best friends a look before your attention went back to the tall mysterious guy in front of a building across the cafe you were in. 

“The guy I kept on talking about. Literally tall, lean and handsome? Remember?”

Jeno squinted as he tried to spot the guy that you were talking about. Different groups of students spread here and there which made it harder for him to find the guy. “Nah.”

“Doesn’t ring a bell.” Renjun shrugged, pushing Jeno to the side to look for ‘this guy’. Nose almost touching the window glass, he chuckled. “You have one good eyesight Y.N. I can’t clearly see people all the way from there.”

Your cheeks started to hurt from smiling. The tall guy’s head tilted back in laughter as he and his friends played around. “He’s the one I told you about? My happy crush?”

“Your happy crush,” the two boys in front of you repeated your words. It took them a couple of seconds before both of their heads whipped their heads to you-- to Haechan to be precise. “Your happy crush!”

You flinched at their sudden outburst. Not wanting any attention to the four of you, you shushed them. Donghyuck ignored their surprised look as he peered on the window beside you. His eyes spotting the familiar boy that you were gushing about. Oh dear, he knew your ‘happy crush’ very well. In fact, Donghyuck didn’t like him at all for some personal reasons. Along with the fact that he got you wrapped around his finger, of course. There’s no way in hell that he’ll tell you his name let alone meet each other. 

His eyes widened the moment he saw the tall guy with his friend started walking towards the window. In just a few feet more, you’ll get the perfect view of your ‘happy crush’s’ face in no time. Donghyuck did the unthinkable before you even returned your attention back to the window. He collapsed beside you, putting his whole weight on your body as he screwed his eyes shut.

You snorted from his side, clearly unamused. Your shoulder tried to push his body away from you. “Hyuckie! You’re heavy, now quit playing around.”

You tried to push his body away from you, when you eventually stopped trying. You decided to let the back of his head rest on your chest as you realize that the boy may or may not want to cuddle, only for your blood to run out of your face the moment Donghyuck’s body fell limp in your arms.

“Hyuckie? Hyuckie?” Your hand lightly tapped his soft, honey-skinned cheeks. The boy in your arms didn't move an inch.

“Guys,” Panic coursed through your veins, as your breath hitched. 

Jeno and Renjun were stunned while looking at each other, finally piecing out that this could be Hyuck's heat stroke tendency. 

“I think we need to call the ambulance.”

Next >

[julemmaes]

Pinky Promise - Chapter One

A/N: It’s currently midnight here and believe me when I tell you my brain is fried right now. I just wanted to finish this and post it. The real story starts with the next chapter and here we have a little more info dump cause yeah. Hope yall enjoy!

Fic Masterlist

Word count: 3,802

Rhysand had to stop by his house for a short break to change and take off that uncomfortable shirt he was always complaining about. Cassian had tried to tell him several times that being an elementary school teacher he could dress as he wanted and no one would ever tell him anything, but the youngest of the brothers didn't seem to get the message.

While they were waiting for him, Cassian had tried to start a conversation with the other two, but both had answered monosyllables and he had enough problems of his own without getting involved in whatever had happened between Elain and Azriel.

Despite all this, when they got to the Archeron house, the older had a lopsided smile on his face. The smile widened even more when they entered the apartment and saw his cousin gobbling a cracker with some cheese on it. Morrigan got up in a flash and went to greet them.

"Took you long enough." said the blonde, "We were waiting for you."

Cassian snorted, taking off his shoes and jacket so as not to wet every surface of the house, "I can tell."

"Don't be an asshole." he heard from the kitchen, Amren. She was also sitting at the kitchen table, where Nesta was chopping parsley and eating strangely long, fried things.

His girlfriend looked up at him and smiled. She had to be feeling better because she had a much more relaxed expression on her face than only an hour or so before.

He approached the table, followed by Rhys who was staring with a confused look at whatever that strange food was in front of their friend.

"What the hell is that?" Azriel asked once he had freed himself from Mor's hug.

Amren arched an eyebrow, taking another fried thing and eating it whole, "Frog legs."

Cassian, who was about to kiss Nesta, stopped, looking at her in shock, "Sorry, what?"

"Yeah, a new French restaurant opened on my street and I've been getting the weirdest stuff for a couple of weeks," said Amren smiling. "I even tasted the snails last Monday." the guys all seemed shocked.

Nesta made a confused grimace, "Actually they're not as bad as you'd think, they taste a lot like chicken."

"I'm not sure I want to kiss you anymore," murmured Cassian as he walked away slightly from the girl. Rhysand nodded beside him, pouring himself a glass of wine and passing one to Azriel.

"Oh, stop being a baby, it's just food." Amren muttered, casting a hard look at him.

He kissed Nesta on the cheek anyway while she finished cutting the onions and poured everything into a pot. The smell of meat that came out was enough to make Cassian fall in love a little more.

"I'm gonna go change," announced Elain, who had been particularly quiet the whole time.

Nesta lifted her head, looking in her sister's direction, who was already in the hallway, "Did you get my stuff?" she asked loudly.

Elain's reply didn't take long to come, "Yes, I'll bring it to your room."

Nesta shook her head, even though she couldn't see her, "No don't worry, I'll take care of it, just leave it in your room." a faint okay came from the other room and then the conversation resumed.

"One very important thing before I forget, next week Manon should come here," said Mor, clutching her shoulders, "I'd like to arrange a little something at my house, with everyone. If that's alright with you," she hesitantly concluded.

Mor and Manon had met that summer when the former went on vacation to the other continent alone. She'd stayed in Erilea for almost two whole months, going from city to city and stopping only when she deemed it necessary. Once she reached Orynth she immediately made friends with a large group of people there and when they introduced her to Manon it was hate at first sight.

More than hate, actually, Morrigan felt awkward.

Manon stared at her with that seductive look of hers that she couldn't really decipher and only when the other one had explicitly told her that hes was flirting with her, Mor understood that she could enjoy that vacation and have a summer fling with the white-haired goddess. One thing led to another and they ended up getting together at the end of August and after only a month of relationship no one had had the chance to meet her yet.

"Finally we get to know her." smiled Amren.

Cassian took a beer from the fridge and put two more on the table in case someone else wanted more than wine. "Where did you say she studies?" she asked for what was probably the millionth time.

"Oh, she attends the Academy of Fine Arts in Adarlan. Rifthold precisely." said proud Mor, smiling.

"Does she study art like Feyre?" Rhysand asked, taking another cracker and putting a slice of salami on it. Cassian saw Nesta shake her head in disbelief and had to hold back a laugh. It was impressive how he managed to squeeze Feyre into his every conversation.

Mor didn't give it much thought anyway, "Nono, she dances. She studies ballet. She has a- I always forget what they are called, but she has a group, with whom she always dances. They call themselves the Thirteen," she continued nodding, "They also have a channel on You Tube, if you're interested."

Elain walked into the kitchen at that moment, wearing only a pair of pajama pants and a VHS lacrosse team sweatshirt, with the name Vanserra on its back. She took a beer from the table, opened it and drained half of it in one long sip. She made a disgusted face and then took one of the fried frog's legs off Amren's plate, who was looking at her alarmed.

Nesta gave him a confused look, mentally asking him what had happened on the way here, Cassian shrugged.

"Hey Ellie everything's alright?" asked the older sister, turning off the stove.

Elain nodded, helping her set the table while everyone took their seat. "Everything's perfect."

Azriel laughed, not even looking at the girl, "As always." Elain's head snapped in his direction.

Elain gritted her teeth, "Maybe you should learn to mind your own business."

"And you should learn what self love is and stop letting others treat you like that," Azriel said to her in an equally harsh tone.

Cassian understood then, Lucien was involved.

Nesta sighed, placing both hands on the table and bowing her head, "Can we please have one dinner without arguing?" Elain sat down with abrupt gestures and nodded, apologizing. Azriel seemed to think about it for a second, looking at the middle sister, nodding in turn and sitting next to Rhysand.

They ate quietly between jokes, and the tense atmosphere that had created immediately dissolved. Elain and Azriel bickered so often that the group was used to it and they'd become good at pretending nothing had happened.

***

Nesta was sitting on the floor next to Cassian, practically lying on top of him, while he kept his arm around her waist. Whatever Morrigan was explaining she couldn't understand. Her brain was already clouded by alcohol. They had just finished the first game of the evening and she couldn't figure out how they were all still relatively sober after all the alcohol they had ingested. Or maybe it was just her impression and in reality they were all wasted.

She looked up at her boyfriend and put her hand on his cheek, making him turn towards her. Cassian smiled at her and gave her a peck. When she kept looking him in the eyes even after they had parted, he raised an eyebrow. What is it?

Nesta shrugged and kept following Mor's speech.

"And who draws the last king drinks the whole cup, got it?" the blonde looked around the room trying to figure out if everyone understood at least one word of what she had just said. Nesta took a sip from her glass and Mor groaned, "Come on Nesta, you don't have to drink now."

Azriel chuckled, almost as drunk as she was, "Stupid drunk."

"Fuck you, Az." she giggled, clinging closer to Cassian.

Elain nodded, raising her drink to the ceiling, "Yes, fuck you Az." she hiccupped and smiled in her best friend's direction, who gave her the middle finger. They all burst out laughing, knowing perfectly well that there was no grudge in those gestures.

She couldn't follow the game properly, but someone had just drawn a seven and Nesta knew that she had to raise her arms to the sky before the others or she would have to drink again, and although this evening was putting her in a good mood, she wasn't sure that her head would thank her in the morning. Elain ended up drinking.

When it was her turn, Nesta drew a nine and thanked every god present in that moment because if she had to find a rhyme for anything the others would say, she would surely throw up from the effort.

"I picked a nine," she said giggling, falling on Cassian, who laughed and helped her up, "and since I'm feeling rather nice tonight, I'll say orange," she slurred.

"You don't play like that," said Amren annoyed beside her, taking a sip from her soft drink. It was her turn to take everyone home that night.

Mor nodded, agreeing with the girl, "You can't take the one word that doesn't rhyme with anything."

Rhysand cleared his voice, "Sporange." he said at the same time that Elain screamed the same word. The boy brought his hand to his chest, opening his mouth wide, "I said it first."

Elain shook her head, pulling herself up and bending her legs underneath her, "No. That's not true." she said snickering, "I said it first."

Cassian burst out laughing, making Nesta's back flutter. She looked at him and winked, nothing sexy in that gesture at all and it only made the boy laugh more.

"Azriel tell him that I said it first." the girl complained, pouting. "Cassian tell him too."

"Nah ha, you have your family, they're with me." said Rhysand, getting up and staggering until he was between his two brothers. He circled both their shoulders and slapped Nesta in the face unintentionally.

"Ouch." she mumbled, pulling herself up and rubbing her nose.

Elain seemed on the verge of tears, "It's not right. I was faster than you." she practically screamed, "And I only have one sister here, it isn't fair."

Rhysand shrugged, "That's not my problem."

Their little argument went on for a few minutes before the boy surrendered and admitted that she was the one who said the word first, "But only because you don't have enough sisters for backup, otherwise we'd solve it physically," he concluded, winking at her. Elain giggled and Azriel muttered something about the physical part of the hypothetical fight that made Cassian laugh.

They all turned towards the entry of the apartment when they heard the door open.

"Speak of the devil," said Mor with a smile, "Feyruuh! Join us."

Rhysand had stood up and was smiling like an idiot, "Yes Fey-Fey join us," he repeated, approaching the small threshold.

Nesta saw the boy stiffening and immediately realized that something was wrong. She closed her eyes and sighed.

"Feyre," breathed Rhysand, "what happened?

From where she was sitting she couldn't see the hall, but even Amren, who had a perfect view of the whole room, had a hard look on her face. Perhaps she should have stood up.

The alcohol in her body did not allow her to stand up without the risk of falling. It was already much that she hadn't blacked out.

"Nothing, don't worry," said her sister, finally entering the room. Nesta could see her face and understood what Rhysand was referring to. Her eyes were swollen and bloodshot. She had been crying.

"Feyre..." she said, trying to pull herself up with Cassian's help.

Her younger sister raised her hand to stop her, "I didn't want to ruin your evening, I just came to say hi." she gave everyone a faint smile. Rhysand, next to her, held his breath. He suddenly seemed much more sober, more aware of what was happening. "I'm sorry... goodnight everyone." with this she turned around and walked out of the room. Mor moved to get up, but Amren placed her hand on her leg to stop her.

Elain was the first to break the silence, "That piece of shit." Nesta gasped hearing how much anger she uttered those words with. She turned towards her sister and before she could ask her, she had already started talking again, "I can't believe it." she stood up, swaying too much and falling on her knees.

Mor was immediately beside her, "Be careful."

"It's alright." she ran her hand over her legs and then looked towards Feyre's room sighing.

"Can someone explain what the heck just happened and why no one is going to see how she's doing?" asked Amren slightly annoyed. Rhysand was out of the living room before she could finish the sentence.

They all turned to Elain, who seemed to be thinking about what to say.

"I'm too drunk for this," whispered Nesta, massaging her temples, "Ellie can you please tell me if this is a life-or-death issue?" she asked again. She felt a hand on the small of her back and turned to Cassian, who looked at her with a sad smile on his lips.

Elain laughed without amusement, "No, of course she's not dying, it's always the same old arguments with Tamlin. She should just break up with him," replied Elain surprising everyone. It was very rare that her sister said something so sincere when it came to Tamlin. The only times she had done so she had risked ruining her relationship with Lucien.

"I don't think I should tell you the details, it's her business and I'm not here to gossip," said Elain after a few minutes in which everyone had started to clean up the mess they'd made, "All you need to know is that Tamlin is a piece of shit," she whispered the last part, as if she was afraid her boyfriend might hear her.

"Nothing new." Amren said, getting up and starting to pick up the cups scattered around the room.

They heard Feyre yelling something, but Nesta couldn't understand just what she said. They waited a few seconds, to see if they needed to intervene or not, when they heard nothing more Azriel spoke.

"Do you think we should tell her something?" he asked again, still sitting on the floor, tilting his head back so that it was resting on the couch. "I mean, it's already been a few weeks since I've seen her cheerful, I'm getting worried."

Nesta was surprised. It was nice to see how much Azriel cared for the youngest of them. Of course, she knew it was true, but it was rare for the boy to express his feelings so openly.

Cassian shook his head, reducing his lips to a thin line, "Not tonight," he said as he looked down the hall, "She's probably insulting Rhys in every possible way now. I guess it's a good way to cool off," he added when they heard Feyre screaming again. Rhysand answered equally loudly.

"Maybe we should get Rhys out, he is drunk after all," Azriel said standing up. Nesta did the same, following him into the corridor.

"They know that Rhys would never lay a hand on Feyre, don't they? Even if he is drunk. And angry." whispered Elain, even though they all heard very well. Nesta giggled and Azriel shook his head smiling. She was so drunk.

Cassian answered her, "No Ellie, it's not that. It's that drunk people tend to say things they don't really mean." they heard a whisper of agreement.

Azriel was about to knock on the door, Nesta right behind him, when it opened wide and Rhysand rushed out, shoving his older brother aside. Nesta couldn't see his face, but he must have been pretty upset because Azriel followed him right out of the apartment.

Nesta blinked a couple of times and then turned to her sister, who was pacing back and forth with her hands in her hair.

"Fuck!" cried Feyre. Nesta entered the room, closing the door behind her.

Feyre looked at her and grimaced, "What? Did you also come to tell me how to live?"

Nesta shook her head, crossing her arms, "I gotta be honest with you, I'm really drunk right now, so I'm struggling a little bit to understand things, but if you want to talk to me, I'm always there. You know." she said to her, sitting on the edge of the bed.

"Yes, yes. I know." Feyre murmured, "But right now I just want to sleep and be alone."

Nesta glanced at her and saw that she had mascara smeared on her cheeks. She had cried again.

They could not face this conversation now.

She sighed, "Alright, if you need anything call me, I'm sleeping at Cass's, but if you need anything I can be here in twenty minutes." she cautioned her as she got up. Before leaving, she turned to her sister and left a kiss on her forehead. "Don't worry, everything will work out. I'll be back for lunch, okay?"

Feyre frowned, "Why do you always treat me like a child?" she suddenly asked her.

Nesta was caught off guard, "What do you mean?"

"I'll be back for lunch. I can be here in twenty minutes," she said imitating her voice, "I don't need you to tell me your schedule, I can cook pasta, I can take care of myself." she pointed out, looking Nesta straight in the eye.

"I don't- Feyre, I was just letting you know that I'll eat at home, I wasn't implying anything. We live together, it seems normal to me to tell you about my movements," she replied, being defensive, "I didn't call you a child."

"Get out."

"Feyre-"

"I said get out." sobbed the sister, "Please."

Nesta tried to get closer when she saw that Feyre was crying again.

"Go away!" cried the other one. Nesta stiffened and nodded just once, saying goodnight and leaving the room.

Cassian was staring at her from down the hall with a worried look. Throwing a quick glance inside Elain's room, she saw that Amren and Mor were helping her change and would put her to bed before leaving, as often happened during these evenings.

She reached her boyfriend and when he hugged her, she let out a deep sigh, resting her head against Cassian's chest. "I'm sorry," he said, kissing her hair and holding her tight.

"Don't worry, we both know she's not mad at us. She better than anyone else." she looked up to him. Cassian moved a strand of hair from her eyes, placing it behind one ear. "Maybe we made a mistake, though, letting Rhysand talk to her."

Cassian chuckled, "Maybe." He leaned over her and brushed his lips against hers.

Nesta yawned in the kiss and they both laughed.

"Okay lovebirds, it's time to go home," announced Amren, putting on her shoes and helping Mor tie hers. The blonde was also in terrible condition.

Cassian broke the hug, but followed Nesta to her room while she changed and took things so she could change the next day, and then followed her to the bathroom, where she took extra tampons in case the ones at his house had finished. She strongly doubted it, as Cassian always worried about having an endless supply every time, but it was better to prevent.

"You're such a lost puppy." Mor laughed, looking at them, "Disgusting."

"You're just jealous cause you can't be with Manon every day," replied Azriel, walking back into the house at the right time, followed by a quiet Rhysand.

Mor poutted in a way that would make a three-year-old child look a saint and her eyes filled with tears. Amren threw her arms in the air, "Was that really necessary?" she asked exasperated, turning to Azriel, who apologized to her friend.

They all left the house, leaving the kitchen and living room relatively tidy, nothing an hungover Elain couldn't handle.

When they reached Morrigan's house, only Azriel and Amren went to escort the blonde home and make sure she went to bed.

Nesta took the opportunity to say a few words to Rhysand.

"It's not your fault if she reacted in that way," she said, placing her hand on his arm. God, the drunk Nesta was so affectionate. Rhysand looked at her with a wrinkled forehead.

"I know." he sighed, running a hand over his face and looking older than he actually was, "I just wish she understood how much she's worth. That Tamlin doesn't deserve her." he looked out the window, waiting to see the other two appear so he could get home as soon as possible and pass out in bed. "There may have been a moment in their relationship where things worked, but now it's getting too much."

"I agree." Nesta simply said. Rhysand didn't need her to comfort him, no. He needed Feyre to realize how much the situation she was in no longer benefited anyone.

***

Cassian slipped into bed next to Nesta and laid his arm around her waist, pushing her flat against him. She immediately relaxed and intertwined their fingers, carrying his hand on her belly. Cassian started massaging circles on her stomach, applying a little more pressure at the bottom to help her with the pain.

"Better?" he asked her, placing his head in the niche of her neck.

Nesta nodded, "Much better."

They spent a few minutes in silence like this. If he managed to tell her that he wanted to enlist, if he managed to confess to her his plans for the future and she accepted him, there would no longer be so many times when he would cuddle her. They would no longer be granted.

When Cassian was on the brink of falling asleep, with a thousand questions in his head, she asked him something.

"Hmm?"

"Tomorrow, you wanna go out for dinner with me?" she repeated, turning around so she faced him.

Cassian opened only one eye, "Like a date?" he asked, smiling tiredly.

"Sure, like a date." she answered him, tilting her chin up so that she could kiss him.

"Yes, I'll go out for dinner with you," he said returning the kiss.

"Perfect."

"I love you." he whispered to her, hugging her.

Nesta did not answer and Cassian fell asleep shortly after, dreaming of the day when he would make Nesta his wife.

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[aspiratinganxiety]

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Hey, guys! I know it has been an age since I updated or posted any fic. I uh... I’ve been going through a lot. 

Many of you, I’m sure, are now familiar with Omegaverse and A/B/O Dynamics. I have a deep and abiding love for this particular brand of trash, and I’ve recognized that there is a lack of it in the DC fandom. SO! Surprise, surprise! I’m coming back with Part I for a Jason A/B/O fic. 

Let me know if you want to see more of this story, and I hope you’re all doing well in this godforsaken hellscape of a year <3 

Tag List: @nxxttime , @possiblyelven , @thepuckishrogue , @jinkies-its-a-writer, @queeniepearls, @sesquipedalian-aficionado, @reinathequeenofdreems, and @dcuniverse-fanatic (If you want to be tagged, let me know! For more fics, check out my masterlist.)

Making time for a meal was often too much work for Jason. He ate on the go, eight out of ten times. The rare occasions he sat still to consume food usually involved an invitation from Alfred, like today’s debacle of a lunch. Steph was fighting with Bruce (shocker), Barbara had the flu, and Cass was diligently working one doozy of case. Her brief email rundown was more than considerate, given that she was using a satellite connection on the ass-crack of the planet in some Godforsaken jungle.

Trying to find the time to arrange a date? Ridiculous.

           “C’mon, Jay,” Dick taps his shoulder with his knuckles. “I think you’d really like her. And her brother’s in the life, so it’s not like you have to deal with the ‘secret identity’ stuff.”

           Now that was a plus, just not enough of one to lure Jason out of his malcontent. “Who’s ‘er brother?” he asks around a mouthful of sandwich, hoping to change the subject.

           “Oh, a meta-guy I worked with in Spiral.”

           The deliberate nonchalance of the eldest Robin makes Jason bristle. “Yeah,” he reiterates, tucking the massive bite into his cheek to speak more clearly. “And his name was?”

           “Not the important part,” Dick dodges again. “The important parts are that she’s an omega living in Gotham who does charity work for a living. She is also very cute! I have a picture.” At this point, he sets down the family sized bag of plain Lays (abominable) and fishes his phone out of his back pocket.

           Tim, thank Christ, decides to weigh in on the matter. “I feel like who her brother is happens to be important, considering that you specified he knows who Jason is, and by proxy the rest of us…”

           “I didn’t say that!”

“You said I wouldn’t have to keep my identity a secret, because he’s in the life. That wouldn’t be relevant unless he knew me,” Jason motions to his chest vigorously, some stray shreds of lettuce escaping his sandwich.

“That’s not what I said” Dick insists.

“It’s what you implied with what you said.” Tim points at Dick with a cheese puff, pinky aloft, then pops the snack into his mouth to state another observation. “Also, regardless of whether or not he knows Jason, he knows who you are. That means he already knows who we are, and I’d really like to have his name, Dick.”  

“Tim, shut up. This isn’t about you.”

“Let’s watch our tone, boys,” Alfred says, breezing into the kitchen with a faintly disappointed air to have found them, not only arguing, but hunched vulture-like around the kitchen island decimating what would have been decent leftovers. “Master Dick, we all know how Jason feels about match-making: much the way Master Bruce feels about it.”

Outwardly admonished, Dick says something to schmooze Alfred while he slides his phone over to Jason. Never one to deny curiosity, Jason peers down to see the girl Dick’s pestering him about. She’s a round young woman in a dirty pink T-shirt holding up a mop-head of a puppy with a big, goofy smile on her face. Her hair is windswept, she’s clearly sunburned, her front teeth have a gap between them, and she’s possibly the most adorable human being he’s ever seen in his life.

Shaking his head, Jason says, “She’s not my type.”

Unrepentant and quick to ignore the wave of wry disapproval emanating from Alfred, Dick stops mid-excuse to say, “Oh, she is so your type. Don’t lie to me.”

“She looks twelve!” Jason recoils, scrunching his face and glancing back down at the sweet girl in the photo. “The hell’s wrong with you?”

“She does not,” Dick defends himself, using his back to block Tim’s snooping look toward the screen. He double checks the picture himself, and a few moments pass. “Okay,” he shoots Jason a resentful glance while swiping forward a few times. “She looks a little young in that particular picture, but she’s in her twenties. Here! Look at this one.”

Tim to the rescue again! “Uh, I thought you said you had a picture, Dick. As in one.”

Dick doesn’t bother to dignify that with more than a muttered, “Puh-lease.” Like they weren’t all aware that folders full of images on anyone were only a few clicks away. Tim, especially.

Jason tunes out of the bickering that begins between them as Dick continues to exclude Tim, physically using his body as a barrier and failing to hold the phone steady for Jason’s eyes. She’s in a bikini top seated in a cheap plastic kiddy pool, more tanned and freckled with her hair restrained somewhat successfully in a braid that sits over her shoulder. Three massive dogs crowd around her for attention, but her eyes, amber from the angle of the sun, are staring straight at the camera. This smile is shyer; lips hiding her teeth, shoulders bent forward to bring her chest in and mask the soft rolls on her stomach brought out by her position sitting upright. She does look to be markedly older in this particular photo.

“How many damn dogs does she have?” Jason returns to his sandwich, averting his eyes and willing his voice to be dismissive.

“She works at the new shelter in East End, bruh. These aren’t her dogs.”

Damian ghosted into the kitchen at some point and posted himself behind Jason. The older brother pretends that he’s not startled to hear the kid speak. “Really? I’ve been reading good things about their practice. No-kill, good rehoming rates. Working to coordinate with other shelters and founding a spay/neuter program...” he trails off, weaseling between the two oldest brothers to have a look at Dick’s phone. “Smart advertising too. A scantily clad omega female sitting a pool with freshly groomed dogs? Good call. I bet those three have already been adopted.”

“Scantily clad?” Tim prods, doubly straining to maneuver around Dick.

Mercifully, however, this brings the picture show to an end. Dick huffs, glancing uncomfortably at Damian and tucking his phone away. Apparently, an actual twelve year old commenting on a woman’s state of dress is enough to upset his sensibilities.

Damian looks at Jason, eyes piercing and the same green as his own. He digs a hand into Dick’s bag of potato chips and says, “You should date her. She was attractive enough, and I’m sure she’s a lovely person.”

The child is unblinking as he withdraws a handful of chips and begins to eat them while starting Jason down. He half expects the little fucker to wave his free hand and pull some Jedi mind trick gag, but remembers that Damian doesn’t do pop culture humor when Tim’s in the room.

Jason drops his sandwich on the naked stone counter as though he’s discovered mold. “Well, that’s it for me,” he says, edging toward the sunroom and the side door into the gardens. “I gotta’ go.”              

[i-dream-of-twilight-sparkle]

Chapter 23: Spirits of Apples & Pears, Part 1

By now, it was about an hour or so past noon. Everyone still in the palace has woken up, though with still 2 days until the wedding. Most are hanging out in their fancy palace rooms. Twilight & Spike ponder in which order to get the ponies they most want to get to see Pear Butter & Bright Mac get summoned for the first time.

Twilight: Hm, I could go to Applejack’s room first… but I might actually get everypony else first before seeing Applejack… how about we get the CMC first?

Spike nods, and Twilight head on over the room that the CMC got together. Each palace room bed is huge, much more then enough for 3 fillies to be on one bed but feel like they had their own space. Though they certainly weren’t sleeping, Apple Bloom and Sweetie were playing a card game together, and Scootaloo was in the room’s bathroom bathing in Seapony form.

Apple Bloom: Draw four, Sweetie Belle!

Sweetie Belle: Please… Apple Bloom. I already have so many cards! What fruit… (Please say pear, though lemon or blueberry would be alright too)

Apple Bloom: Apple!

Sweetie Belle: And… of course the one fruit card I somehow don’t have… I feel like you somehow rigged this...

Sweetie Belle finally gets an apple card from the deck and plays it. Though Apple Bloom plays an Apple 1 and then exclaims…

Apple Bloom: Fruit-O!

Indicating she’s on her last card. Sweetie Belle now having to be careful of what she plays or else Apple Bloom wins.

Sweetie: (Hm, I have a Pear 1… if her last card isn’t a pear I can change it… and just in the pear cards… I have a few skips and a draw +2 that might just buy me time to come back…)

Sweetie Belle grins as she places the Pear 1 down. But then Apple Bloom slams down her card revealing her last card was another Apple 1. Apple Bloom grinning smugly after her win.

Sweetie: OH COME ON!

Sweetie tosses all her cards in the air, and crosses her hooves whilst grumbling.

Apple Bloom: Good game, Sweetie!

Sweetie: Suuuuuureeeee….

Twilight and Spike enter at about the moment their game ended. Apple Bloom and Sweetie turning towards the door opening.

Apple Bloom: Howdy there, Twilight and Spike! Did ya’ll come t’ play Fruit-O with us?

Twilight: Sorry, we can’t right now. But maybe another time. I actually want to bring you girls back to Sweet Apple Acres for a little bit. Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo don’t necessarily have to go if they don’t want to, but I do have a feeling that you… Apple Bloom… will definitely want to be there.

Apple Bloom: Huh, why me?

Twilight: *winks* It’s a surprise for you and the family. I promise you won’t want to miss this. Where is Scootaloo though?

Sweetie: She’s in the bathtub

Twilight: Ah, of course. Still enjoying her sea pony form.

Twilight heads on over to a corner where the palace room has it’s own bathroom. Knocks on the door.

Scootaloo: That you, Twilight? I could hear your voice after you entered.

Twilight: Yes, it’s me. May I come in?

Scootaloo: Sure! Go ahead!

Twilight opens the door into the palace room’s bathroom and just as she suspected Scootaloo is in her sea pony form again in the bathtub. Scootaloo looking over from the side of the tub with her front hooves hooked over the edge of the bathtub looking at Twilight with a smile as she wags her sea pony tail in the water.

Twilight: Sorry, if I interrupted any possible fun you were having in the bathtub. I did hear from Rainbow you’ve taken a lot of baths since I gave you this ability.

Scootaloo: Nah, it’s alright Twilight. It’s not necessarily about fun, it’s about trying to be in sea pony from so often that it feels as close to natural as possible when I’m older. If I’m going to be the fastest on the Waterbolts one day, I’m going to have to be swimming a lot in the coming years!

Twilight: I’ve heard! I am happy to see just how dedicated you’ve been ever since you wished for this.

Scootaloo: Yeah, I owe you so much for this, Twilight. To be honest, I feel like I’m more happy about this, then if I had wished that I could fly.

Twilight: You don’t need to owe me anything. I’m happy enough, that you’re making good use of it. Though if it’s ok, me and Spike are going back to Sweet Apple Acres for a little bit because I have something to show the Apple Family and the rest of my friends. You nor Sweetie Belle have to go with us if you don’t want to, but while Apple Bloom just has to be there. Maybe you and Sweetie would still be interested in what Apple Bloom’s gonna see.

Scootaloo: I could go see what’s going on. Judging by the fact you haven’t explicitly said what it is, I Imagine it’s something of a surprise?

Twilight: Mmhmm *nods*

Scootaloo: Alright then, I’ll drain the tub.

Scootaloo briefly dips her head underwater to bite the plug out of the drain. she jumps out of the tub, and transforms her sea pony tail back into her hind legs and pony tail. Twilight helping dry her off by levitating a towel and rubbing Scootaloo’s fur. They then walk out of the bathroom.

Twilight: Ok now, I don’t think I got an answer from Sweetie yet if you wanted to go. What do you say?

Sweetie: Yeah, I’ll go. Must be something important for Apple Bloom at the very least. I’m curious about whatever it could be.

Apple Bloom’s just kind of thinking to herself on what this could even be, it’s not like it’s her birthday or anything. So it’s not some surprise party, but clearly Twilight has some nice surprise for her and her family. But she can’t place her hoof on what exactly it is. She follows her friends, Spike, and Twilight out the door.

Twilight: Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo, how about you both split it up and get Rarity and Rainbow Dash to join us. As for Apple Bloom, go see if you can get Big Mac and Sugar Belle here. Meanwhile me and Spike will get Pinkie, and then Fluttershy. Before we all gather together to get Applejack last.

The CMC nod and head on over to the rooms that Twilight told them to get to. Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo quickly getting Rarity and Rainbow Dash respectively. As Apple Bloom heads on over to Big Mac’s shared room with Sugar Belle. Apple Bloom knocks on the door of the couple’s door.

Sugar Belle: Who is it?

Apple Bloom: Just me, Sugar Belle! Is mah brother in there?

Big Macntosh confirms his presence with his signature response.

Big Mac: Eyyyyuuuuuuup

Sugar Belle walks up to her door for Apple Bloom

Sugar Belle: Good afternoon, Apple Bloom! Whatcha here for?

Apple Bloom: Twilight apparently has ah surprise fo’ us and wants t’ take us back t’ Sweet Apple Acres fo’ ah little while.

Sugar Belle: I wonder what it could be, I thought we were just going to chill here for the next 2 days until the wedding… must be something important she wants to show us, if we’re going back home already. Guess we should be extra glad about those gum portals to make this easier.

Sugar Belle and Big Mac follow Apple Bloom’s lead. Meanwhile, Twilight knocks on Pinkie Pie’s door. Pinkie just runs up to the door and opens it to see who it is.

Pinkie: TWILIGHT! *She tightly hugs her* OMIGOSH! Last night was one of the best parties I’ve ever been to! And that’s saying something! All those amazing performances, got to see my whole immediate family, I got to sing, Cheese Sandwich became my special somepony, ANNNNNNNND we got to dance our hearts out! Thank you so so so so so SOOOOOOOO much to you and the royal family for setting all this up!

Twilight: I’m glad you had so much fun, and I’m really happy for you and Cheese Sandwich too! Though speaking of Cheese, where is he? I would of thought he’d have bunked with you the whole night for your first ever day as special someponies.

Pinkie: He just went to his own room, we thought about sleeping in the same room to sleep. But we decided to go to our separate rooms, even us party ponies like to have our own space sometimes. There will be plenty of time for us to be together later, anyway.

Twilight: Gotcha, well anyhow… Pinkie, I want you to come with me and Spike back to Sweet Apple Acres with the rest of our friends. I got the Cutie Mark Crusaders to get Rarity, Rainbow, Big Mac, and Sugar Belle already. Just need to get you, Fluttershy, and Applejack. Though, if I may suggest something you can do… how about you get the Cake family to come along with us too. I think at the very least Mrs. Cake should be here for what we’re doing.

Pinkie: Oh sure! I can definitely get the Cakes with us. But what exactly are you both doing?

Twilight: It’s a surprise, especially for the Apple family.

Pinkie: Ooooooh, you already know I love a good surprise! I’ll go get the Cake family right away!

Pinkie zooms out of her room and heads to the Cake Family’s room, Twilight & Spike follow suit by quickly getting Fluttershy to come with. All that’s left now is Applejack. The entire group all gather around Applejack’s door, as Twilight knocks on her door.

Applejack: Who’s there?

Twilight: It’s me who knocked… though… I also have our friends and your family right here behind me.

Applejack walks on over to the door and indeed she finds Twilight accompanied by her friends and family.

Applejack: What the hay are ya’ll doin’ gathering at mah door fo’?! It ain’t mah birthday or anything… and the wedding is still 2 days from now!

Twilight: Applejack, we’re going to take a portal back to Sweet Apple Acres for at least a little while. I have a surprise for you and everypony behind us. I promise you it will be worth it.

Applejack: Ah don’t quite understand what this could possibly even be. But ah guess ah trust ya’ll enough that ya wouldn’t do this fo’ no good reason. Ah guess everypony can come in, and we can make the portal in mah room?

Applejack walks to the very back of the room so that everyone can funnel themselves through the doorway. Twilight creates a gum portal right to the gates of Sweet Apple Acres, and everyone follows through.

((Story continues after the break))

Applejack: So… now what, Twi?

Twilight: We’re gonna go to a specific location on the farm for this. Follow me to the entwined Apple & Pear tree just between the boundaries of the Apple and Pear farms.

The Apple Family members in the group go wide-eyed. That’s a pretty sacred spot of the farm for them, they certainly are more interested then ever to see what exactly Twilight’s plan is. The whole group all walk to the pretty sight that is the two trees, one a pear tree, the other an apple tree that was planted by Applejack’s parents on their wedding day. Since their deaths, these trees forever entwined with eachother, have become a living memorial to them.

With everybody gathered in front of the entwined trees. Twilight and Spike walk out in front, turn around, and face the group as they prepare their surprise.

Applejack: Alright, Twi and Spike… What are ya’ll doin’ dragging us over here fo’?

Twilight: Let’s just say... a miracle, Applejack. But first I need you, Big Mac, and Apple Bloom to step forward, and I need you to place a hoof on Spike’s Dragon Tear. I think Mrs. Cake would also work for what we’re doing. but the tear is so small, and four hooves might be a little tough to fit. It can work with just one of you as well, but I feel this is a special moment that all of three of you should partake in.

Applejack: Um… alright?

Applejack, Apple Bloom, and Big Mac all step forward and approach Spike. Spike holds his dragon tear outward with his arms stretched forward so that all three can touch the tear. All three place the tip of their hooves on the tear.

Applejack: Now what, Twi?

Twilight: All that’s left for you to do now… is internally in your mind… say a message as if you could talk to your parents from beyond the grave…

All three go wide-eyed once again with mouth aghast.

Applejack: w…w…..w….wh..wh…wha…………….WHAT?!  This ain’t some kind o’ cruel prank is it?!

Applejack pulls her hoof off the Dragon’s tear

Twilight: Applejack, this isn’t a prank. This isn’t something that I’d joke to you about. Pinkie or Rainbow Dash wouldn’t either.

Applejack: But ya’ll are telling me t’ send ah message, as if mah parents are going t’ hear it and/or respond somehow! Twilight, do ah have t’ remind ya’ll that mah parents are DEAD?! When somepony’s dead, they can’t speak, respond, or listen. Just what are ya’ll thinking trying t’ tell me and mah family otherwise?!

Twilight: Applejack… I understand that you’re hard to convince. Especially on matters like this, but I wouldn’t have set this up without promising you something will come out of it. Just listen to me, put your hoof back on the Dragon’s Tear and try to say something into Spike’s Dragon Tear

Applejack dismissivly looks to the side, away from Twilight’s gaze

Applejack: ……….Ah really don’t know if ah should

Applejack walks away and hides behind a nearby tree. Everypony else in the crowd just stands there with surprised and/or raised eyebrows at just what Twilight is suggesting is happening. Those that are rather incredulous let Applejack speak for them, others that do want to believe Twilight just stand there, covering their mouths with their hooves to anticipate something.

Twilight: Well… if you really don’t want to. I guess that’s ok… Big Mac and Apple Bloom, I plead with you to please give it a try even if Applejack remains skeptical.

Both remain quiet for a bit before Apple Bloom responds.

Apple Bloom: Ah’ll… keep my hoof on it… if what ya’ll are saying is true… we can at least somehow say something t’ them… right?

Twilight: Perhaps, I should just directly say it. Yes, Apple Bloom your parents will hear it. I’m basically risking losing my friendship with Applejack on this, she would never forgive me if I was lying about this.

Apple Bloom: Then it’s at least worth trying!

Twilight: What say you, Big Mac? Will you keep your hoof on the tear?

Big Mac’s somewhat conflicted, Applejack is too skeptical to even bother going along, whilst maybe Apple Bloom being as young as she is, she’s just maybe a little bit too optimistic and curious. Big Mac thinks for a moment before deciding. He takes a deep breath, and says a lot more quietly then usually.

Big Mac: Eyyup…

Twilight smiles

Twilight: Thank you, Big Mac.

Suddenly Mrs. Cake steps forward

Mrs. Cake: If… Applejack doesn’t want to… I’d like to try to say something in her place. Does this require 3 ponies that knew them to work?

Twilight: No, it can work with just one. But I’d be more than happy to let you say something too. Three hooves is just the maximum before there’s too many hooves because Spike needs to have a claw on it too to work.

Mrs. Cake: Well alright, I’ll go up and put my hoof on it.

Twilight: Thank you, now focus within your mind and say what you want to say within your mind.

Applejack is sitting to the side leaning behind  a tree with hooves crossed, she does lean further towards the side of the tree to peek what’s happening but kind of goes back out and hiding again. Apple Bloom, Big Mac, and Mrs. Cake take deep breaths before proceeding.

Apple Bloom: (So uh… Mom? Dad? We uh… never met… Ya’ll passed only weeks after ah was born… if there’s one thing ah’d like t’ say… ah’d really like t’ see ya’ll fo’ the first time… aside from memories ah lost as ah foal… even if it’s just one time… mah family and friends like Mrs. Cake and Burnt Oak have so many stories o’ ya’ll being the sweetest ponies ever! Ah can’t stand not even havin’ ah single memory o’ ya’ll unlike everypony else in mah family! Please, if it’s at all possible fo’ ya’ll t’ show up… Ah wish ah could see ya’ll!)

Mrs. Cake: (Buttercup? This is Mrs. Cake… or well you knew me as Chiffon Swirl. You see I got married to Carrot Cake sometime after your death… I just want to say I dearly miss you, and it would be nice to somehow hear or even see you again somehow someway. I owe you so much for helping me get into baking. I have a lovely family with Carrot Cake and I even have two foals that I’d do anything for you to see them!)

Big Mac: (Ah’m… not sure if this will even work… but… Ma… Pa… ah’m going t’ at least try fo’ Apple Bloom’s sake while at the same time understanding Applejack’s skepticism. If ya’ll can actually hear us wherever ya’ll are like Twilight claims, ah hope ya’ll can forgive Applejack fo’ choosing t’ not send ah message. Ah knew ya’ll both the longest out o’ us 3… but ya’ll deaths definitely hurt her more then anypony else. She was ah wreck, the suddenness o’ it all made it hard fo’ her t’ be around the farm. It was partly why she tried t’ live in Manehattan with Aunt and Uncle Orange. Of course she realized she would miss me, Granny Smith, and lil’ Apple Bloom and came back after ah rainbow gave her ah sign t’ come back home. But she never was quite the same filly she was before ya’ll passed… and if there is ah way… Give Applejack some sort o’ sign that ya’ll are there somewhere… please… Ah miss ya’ll as much as everypony else that got t’ know ya’ll, but please do anything in ya’ll power t’ at least do something fo’ Applejack. That’s all ah’ll ask)

The three finish their thoughts, and Spike then does his role as the conduit again to send those thoughts and desires up in the sky by closing his eyes focusing while a claw is touching the Dragon’s Tear. Just like the previous two times that summoned Jennesis and then Jinn in the cave, the Dragon’s Tear on Spike’s neck starts glowing. Apple Bloom, Big Mac, and Mrs. Cake reflexively freak out putting their hoof off as they have no idea what’s happening. The rest of the group also express one big gasp. Applejack takes another peek from behind the tree she’s hiding behind, with mouth aghast.

Applejack: Just what in tarnation is happening over there?!

Applejack noticing that Twilight is looking up in the sky smiling. She tries looking to the direction Twilight is looking at, and in the distance she can see what looks like two comets coming in, approaching the very spot they’re all at. Scared that it’s actually something that will come and hit nearby, but knowing it’s probably too late to dodge a deadly shockwave. She just ducks and covers waiting for the inevitable.

But instead of an impact, these comets simply stop in front of the entwined apple and pear tree. And now there are two glowing white spheres just above the ground. The sphere on the Apple side of the border is slightly bigger then the one on the pear side of the farm. The spheres then start forming into the shapes of two ponies. The one on the apple side a big, burly, stallion similar to Big Mac’s size but also seems to have a hat. And on the pear side, a mare shape silhouette of what looks like a long curly haired mane. Their colors finally start fading in, the stallion silhouette’s coat revealed to be a light yellow, with a red mane very much like Apple Bloom’s colors. The mare’s coat being tan, with an orange mane. At this point, those familiar with what Pear Butter and Bright Mac looked like, it was unmistakably them. Though even then they’re still in the process of shock and disbelief.

The spirits are now in full appearance with transparent physical forms with a white glowing outline still indicating they weren’t alive, but Pear Butter and Bright Mac appear before the entire group with eyes still closed. They open their eyes, revealing the green and turquoise of Bright Mac’s and Pear Butter’s eyes respectively. Once they’ve fully opened their eyes, the two look at each other and move into eachother’s hooves. Twilight noting that these summoned spirits can touch other spirits, or at least maybe it works the exact same as with the living that only those that were close can touch. The couple brought back to the farm for the first time since their untimely deaths just look lovingly at each other in the eyes and Pear Butter says…

After hearing them speak, Twlight notices that the voices still somewhat echo. So it wasn’t just an effect of the cave. The voice of Spirits always have an echo to them.

The two then kiss in front of the entwined apple and pear tree. That was just about enough to convince most of the group that, yes, Pear Butter and Bright Mac’s spirits are right in front of them speaking, and probably can hear too. But before Apple Bloom, Big Mac, and Mrs. Cake can go up and approach. 

Suddenly Applejack slowly walks out from where she was hiding. Walking in the slowest speed she’s ever done, eyes wide, tears streaming down, and jaw open to the lowest it can go. The Spirits of Pear Butter and Bright Mac watching their daughter slowly approach.

Applejack: Y…y…y….ya…..ya’ll… can’t be real!… this has t’ be ah dream or ah mirage! As soon as ah’m about t’ run up and hug ya, ya’ll just going t’ disappear... or end up being changelings with ah cruel prank! Maybe ah drank too much cider last night that ah forgot ah even did drink… and ah’m having hangover hallucinations…

Pear Butter and Bright Mac look at each other with concerned looks. Their daughter Applejack can’t believe they’re actually here. So Pear Butter tries talking.

Pear Butter: Applejack, dear… it’s really us, I promise… Princess Twilight’s done this two other times before us earlier today.

Applejack just stands there not knowing what to think, she recognizes the voice as her mother’s. But she still can’t find herself completely believing it.

Rarity: Twilight, is what Applejack’s mother said true?

Twilight: Yes, but mostly because I had to be fully convinced this was really happening too… Spike met his dragon birth mother as a spirit first, having unwittingly done the requirements needed to summon spirits with his Dragon’s Tear. Then Spike’s birth mother told us to summon Jinn after sending her back, we got Kubuya and Somnambula to make sure we could summon her. And Jinn explained just about everything, from how spirit summoning works, where the souls of the deceased go, what the spirits do, and more stuff that utterly blew my mind!

I’ll have to explain everything she said later, but for now. I thought it was a good idea for the first thing to do with all this newfound knowledge was to give Applejack, her family, and friends a happy reunion. I guess I should have known a little better, but I didn’t think Applejack was going to be this stubborn about this. Denying the very moment their spirits are here and speaking directly to her.

But trust me, that is really Pear Butter and Bright Mac in front of us. It’s their spirits, they can hear us, they can speak to us, and even after we send them back. We can bring them back anytime anypony of the Apple family wishes to see them again as long as Spike comes by with his Dragon’s Tear.

Applejack just stands there shaking for a few more moments until she finally cries and runs up… to a nearby apple tree. Banging her head onto it multiple times, hat falling off quickly, as the multiple impacts even manage to shake loose a few apples from the tree

Applejack: Come on, Applejack! Wake up! This ain’t real! This just can’t!

Earth pony skulls might be able to withstand more impact then either Pegasi or Unicorns. But that doesn’t mean the brain jiggling in there isn’t any less possibly moving in there. The entire group gasps in concern for Applejack.

Twilight: Applejack stop! You’re going to give yourself a concussion!

Applejack continues to bang her head until Twilight just decides to put a stop to it herself by freezing her movement. Twilight turns her around, and see her forehead is badly bruised.

Twilight: Applejack, please! This is real! You’re not going to wake up from this! It’s exactly what it seems, why won’t you trust what your eyes can clearly see? Why won’t you trust me?! I trusted you when you said I’d be ok when I was hanging from a cliff on the first day we met!

You know me, Applejack! I would of been just as skeptical before this morning if I hadn’t seen it done 3 times now!

Applejack remembers the day she told Twilight to let go, knowing that Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy would catch them.

Applejack: B…..b…..but.. knowing our friends can fly… is ah heck o’ ah lot different then actual pony spirits!

Twilight just sighs, it just seems Applejack is determined to refuse to revel in what should be one of the best days of her life. perhaps Applejack was traumatized by her parents death more then anyone realized. That she’s scared of the very moment she allows herself to think it’s real, it’ll reveal itself that it’s something her paranoid mind is telling her, it might be just to crush Applejack’s hopes. 

As the standoff in trying to get Applejack convinced her parents are actually in front of her. Apple Bloom gets a determined look on her face, and approaches her parents’ spirits. Much like how she was the first to trust Zecora, even if in this case it’s only Applejack they have to convince. Perhaps if Applejack sees how the spirits react to Apple Bloom, it’ll turn her around. Pear Butter and Bright Mac look at the daughter they didn’t get to quite raise for very long and smile.

Apple Bloom: Mom? Dad? This is the first time ah’ve ever seen ya’ll… may ah… have ah hug…?

Pear Butter: Of course, Apple Bloom. You are a huge reason we’re so happy to be down here, we wanted to see our baby daughter…

Apple Bloom smiles and tears stream down her face.

Rainbow whispers to Twilight

Rainbow: Pssst, Twilight… not to ruin the moment… but isn’t Apple Bloom just going to through them...

Twilight: Actually, no. Just watch.

Apple Bloom gallops and jumps into her mother’s arms, as she cries joyous tears. Bright Mac also putting a hoof around his daughter and one behind his wife for a group hug. Rainbow surprised that the spirits can still hug, but it quickly turns into tears of happiness watching the joyful reunion like everyone else watching. between a child who never really got to see their parents for very long when they were alive.

Big Mac then follows suit approaching his father, now about the same size as each other.

Bright Mac: Mah boy… ya gotten so big… me and your mother were once afraid naming ya Big Macintosh was going t’ be ah bit presumptuous.

Big Mac himself now streaming tears, and hugs his father.

Big Mac: Ah’ve missed both o’ ya’ll so much….

Bright Mac: We missed ya’ll from where we were up there too… we never wanted t’ leave ya’ll and ya sisters as early as we did…

Then it was Mrs. Cake’s turn, she approaches Pear Butter. Tears streaming on her face seeing her best friend for the first time in years.

Mrs. Cake: Buttercup…

Pear Butter: Chiffon…

Pear Butter outstretches her right hoof as her other hoof still has Apple Bloom hugged tight. Mrs. Cake hugs her old friend, and Pear Butter has her other transparent hoof around Mrs. Cake’s Shoulder. Apple Bloom, Big Mac, their parents, and Mrs. Cake now in one big group hug together. Most of the rest of the group, express a huge d’awww and also start crying in joy in happiness for this happy reunion.

Even Applejack who’s remained skeptical of this just stares at the group hug, she bites her lip, more tears stream down her face, and she looks off to the side. A part of her is still telling her this can’t really be happening, but now that the reunion looks like its started in earnest… hope starts to take over AJ’s mind. Her hat is still off from when after she banged her head on a tree. She… then starts to walk closer to her parents again. At first, just as slowly as when he was about to accuse them of being just mirages or in a dream. But then she steadily goes a little faster, getting to her normal walking speed. In which the group hug temporarily disengages just so Applejack gets her own special hug… if at least that’s what Applejack is doing. Then Applejack starts speeding up her walking…

Until she just couldn’t take it anymore… she runs as fast as she can and exclaims…

Applejack: MAMAAAAAAAAAA! PAPAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!

And is soon jumping into the arms of her mother, almost tackling her down to the ground. Though Bright Mac’s big body provides a cushion. And Applejack is just crying her eyes out, face deep in her mother’s shoulder, sobbing uncontrollably. Bright Mac gets a big hoof around his older daughter’s back. And soon, Apple Bloom, Big Mac, and Mrs. Cake all join back into a group hug. Applejack finally getting a chance to smile, for her parents have not disappeared like a mirage in the desert, they weren’t changelings, nor some fancy magic hologram or special effect.

Despite being spirits, they felt just as warm to touch as when they had been alive. Applejack now knew for certain, that this was indeed them. And remembering what Twilight said earlier, this wasn’t just a one-time deal. She could see them anywhere at anytime, as long as Spike was available.

Her parents were home.

UP NEXT: Chapter 24: Spirits of Apples & Pears, Part 2

[themurphyzone]

Nova Ch 4

AN: Just in time for the A!countdown! Looking forward to those sneak peeks next month! 

Ch 4: Extraterrestrial 

New Selenian Date 3015.4.21

 Though our voyage through space was more volatile than I expected, we’ve successfully approached Terra’s exosphere. Under other circumstances, it would be cause for celebration, but…

 Well, Snowball has only spoken to me for essentials during the past few days. Usually so he can update me while he raids the pantry for maza or to catch up on sleep.

Our argument has only served as a reminder that we’re not…as united in our mutual goal as much I want to believe.

It must the length of the journey. Access to only four rooms in a one week period can give anyone a serious case of cabin fever. He’ll get better once we land on Terra’s surface, I’m sure.

Signing off for now, the Brain.

o-o-o-o-o

Was it really April 21? Pinky hurried to the Mickey Mouse calendar pinned to the wall next to his cage. He really loved that picture of Mickey giving flowers to a blushing Minnie. They really were the perfect couple!

Pinky imitated Mickey’s pose, dropping down on one knee as if he was offering a bouquet of pretty daffodils…wait, no those were lilies. He rubbed his head, confused by the yellow flowers in the picture. Maybe it was the type with the really long name.

What was it again? Ah, yes! A lovely bouquet of Chris-and-his-moms for Minnie!

Egad, the picture was so pretty that he’d forgotten about the reminder he’d penciled in the box for April 21!

“Granny Smith at 9 pm?” Pinky tilted his head, trying to make sense of what he’d written. He didn’t know any grannies that well, nor did he know any Smiths. Besides, Pharfignewton was leaving the ranch tonight at 9 pm, and he was going to see her off before she was off to the races. “Poit! Oh yeah, the apple! An apple a day keeps the vets away!”

Pharfignewton needed the energy for the journey too. Kentucky was a long way from California. About nine inches according to his placemat of the United States.

Before he left, he needed to leave a response for his space pen pal. But they weren’t exactly using pens. Maybe space radio pals was better.  

Pinky went back to the Walkman. It made a bunch of crackling noises, like the Brain hadn’t turned his equipment off yet.

“Hi, the Brain!” Pinky grinned. The was such a funny first name. “Glad you could make it to Earth! Or Terra! Whatever you wanna call it! Wherever you land, I hope you and Snowball enjoy yourselves. Definitely try strawberry cheesecake sometime. It’s delicious!”

The static continued.

“Anyway, Pharfignewton’s leaving for the Kentucky Derby tonight, so I can’t chat for long. Maybe tomorrow? I’ll spend twice as much time talking to you tomorrow! Fig’s been practicing super extra hard. She’s gonna win the Derby and get that Triple Crown! That’s her dream, you know! Dreams are a wish your heart makes, zort! Cinderella said so!”

Pinky put his hand over the Walkman’s speaker. “Your dream is taking over Terra, and mine is being surrounded by cheese from around the world! Or maybe that’s just my stomach. I can never tell for sure.”

The clock chimed eight, its little pendulum swinging to and fro in a dizzying pattern.

He had to say goodbye now.

And say goodbye again later.

“Alright…well, I’ll let you go. I bet you have some important Conquesowhatsit things to do. Bye, the Brain. Glad you could make it to Terra. You and Snowball are gonna love it. Ooh, there I go again. Bye for real this time.” Pinky slowly turned the dial down, past tinny classical and pop music stations, until the Walkman was off.

Dreams were always nice, even if Pharfignewton and the Brain had to travel far away to make them come true. Pinky’s parents were probably making their own dream of eating gourmet food pellets real as well. Sis didn’t have one yet. She was still torn between professional hairdressing and getting a cooking show on Food Network, but she was young and had plenty of time to grow up.

Now that he thought about it, maybe Sis was right. He didn’t have to decide on a dream for himself yet. Well, surrounding himself with provolone, cheddar, mozzarella, camembert, and all the other yummy cheeses was still a wonderful dream for now.

“A world of cheeses, deliciously made for you and me…” Pinky sang, the air conditioner providing a nice background instrumental as he went to the breakroom to fetch Pharfignewton’s apple.

o-o-o-o-o

Carting the Granny Smith apple to the ranch took more time than Pinky imagined. Running on his wheel along with those upper body strength VHS tapes helped him for most of the trek, but there’d still been one scary moment where he’d leaned back too far to see the pretty full moon. Luckily, the apple wasn’t too bruised from tumbling downhill.

By the time Pinky arrived, Pharfignewton was already in her horse trailer. Her owner sat on a nearby bench, his brow furrowed as his thumbs tapped rapidly on his cell phone. A white pick-up truck sat in front of the trailer, though the latch to connect the vehicles hadn’t been hooked yet.

The door to Pharfignewton’s trailer was wide open, the ramp still on the ground. Delays were good. It meant he could hold off on saying goodbye a little longer.

“Fig, I got you an apple! A sweet and healthy Granny Smith!” Pinky exclaimed as he ran up the ramp. Before he could get to the top, Pharfignewton bent down and grasped the apple in her teeth, nearly chomping down on Pinky’s hands as she lifted her head. Pinky’s feet left the ground, and he gripped the apple with both hands, almost sliding off the smooth surface.

He couldn’t resist a tiny nibble. Pharfignewton wouldn’t mind.

Pinky climbed onto her muzzle just as the apple was crunched into mush. Pharfignewton whinnied in delight, her eyes shut from sheer happiness. He stroked the fur between her eyes and hummed Camptown Races because it was her favorite song. She always got excited to race when she heard it.

Pharfignewton’s hooves clopped against the floor rhythmically, her head bobbing up and down.

“-gonna run all night! Gonna run all day!” Pinky sang, grabbing her soft mane and hauling himself up. He clung to her ears for balance. “I’ll bet my money here on Fig, cause she’s gonna win this May!”  

Pharfignewton neighed, her tail raised proudly.

Her owner looked up from his phone. His bushy beard quivered as he chuckled and waved at her. A van pulled up to the curb, the window sliding down to reveal a man in a funny white cowboy hat. The owner shouted and pointed to the newcomer’s hat.

“What a fashion icon, Fig! Rodeo style hats at the Kentucky Derby. Why didn’t I think of that?” Pinky asked. “Egad, I need to make my own hat for the Derby! A derby hat! With fancy ribbons and dandelions and those little beads on sombreros!”

Cowboy Man clapped the owner on the shoulder as he climbed out of his van, the owner playfully shoving him in return. The back doors of the van were opened, and they started loading the pile of heavy feed bags and horse care equipment into the hollowed out space, trading good-natured jabs while they worked.

Pinky glanced at the starry night sky, scratching the back of Pharfignewton’s ear. “I almost forgot. The Brain made it to Terra. He said so in his message tonight. Told him he should try strawberry cheesecake. I don’t know if they have that in space.”

Pharfignewton snorted.

“Oh, you and your homemade apple strudel,” Pinky grinned. “Tell you what. Win the Triple Crown and I’ll bake the most scrumptious, most mouthwateringest apple strudel you’ve had in your life! Oh wait, no, how ‘bout I just bake it when you come back? Whenever that will be. Maybe soon?”

However long she’d be gone, Pinky hoped she’d call or write or keep in touch some other way. Well, sending a postcard might be a little tricky with hooves. How was she ever gonna apply the stamps?

Pharfignewton neighed, her front hooves knocking against the floor in worry.

“I’ll be okay, Fig. I can wait ‘til August. There’s lots of fun things to do in the summer. Like playing water polo, air hockey, capture the flag...”

Except those games all needed two players.

And while Monopoly game pieces and dominoes made for great substitutes when he couldn’t round up the checkers and marbles, it just wouldn’t be the same without Pharfignewton.

Pinky’s tail started to cramp.

He hadn’t realized he’d wrung it between his hands so hard. It wasn’t the fun sort of pain either.

Outside, the men finished loading their supplies. The van doors were shut, and Pharfignewton’s trailer was hitched to the truck.

Their boots loudly thumped against the ground with every step.

Pinky slid down Pharfignewton’s long muzzle, his feet resting against the back of her nostrils. He gripped her face and looked at those gorgeous blue eyes. They were the same shade as his turquoise crayon. He wanted to remember that.

Pinky rested his jaw on Pharfignewton’s fur, trying to keep the tiny quaver out of his voice. “Well…guess this is it, huh?” he murmured. “You have a good trip now. You’re the best racehorse I’ve ever met. Course I don’t know any other racehorses, but you’re gonna win the Derby, Fig. I know you will. Just keep in touch, ‘kay?”

She knickered softly, her breath stirring Pinky’s fur as she lowered him to the ground outside her trailer. Her breath smelled just like applesauce. She carefully rubbed the underside of her jaw against Pinky’s head, nuzzling away tears that made his vision a little blurry, then slowly raised herself to her majestic height.

“Poit. Really, Fig.” Pinky tilted his head back so the tears just pooled in his eyes instead of trailing down his cheeks. “You’ve got a dream ahead of you.”

Pharfignewton stomped her hoof.

But Pinky shook his head. True, he could go with her, but who was gonna keep his cage clean and his wheel oiled if he wasn’t around? Besides, Pharfignewton would have so many new horse friends. She was gonna be a celebrity by association.

Pinky wiped a tear away with his tail. “I don’t wanna distract you or anything. Meet someone new! Who knows? You might even be fast friends!”

Then Cowboy Man and the owner walked past, too engrossed in their conversation to notice Pinky. Pharfignewton craned her neck, trying to see above Cowboy Man while he folded the ramp. Before she could reply, her owner gently shooed her further into the trailer while Cowboy Man finished up.

Once the trailer door was shut and locked, the owner and Cowboy Man took some time to stroke Pharfignewton’s face. The window bars were wide enough to allow almost her entire muzzle through.

They promised good things for her, win or lose. She’d be eating her fill of apples and carrots for sure.

She’d be happy out there, running like the wind to her heart’s content.  

Ten minutes later, Cowboy Man drove away in his supply van. Pharfignewton’s owner started up the truck.

Pinky quickly climbed up a fencepost and waved to Pharfignewton, wishing he’d brought along a handkerchief to blow his nose into or flutter in the air like a proper movie goodbye.

Pharfignewton stretched her neck as far as she could.

“Bye! Adios! Sayonara!” Pinky called, cupping his hands as the truck slowly inched onto the side road’s pavement. The trailer turned slightly with the movement, and Pinky quickly hopped to a fencepost within Pharfignewton’s line of sight.

She looked happy enough to get the show on the road, but her whinnies were still worried.

He had to cheer her up! She couldn’t travel to Kentucky with that frowny face!

“Camptown ladies! Sing this song! Narf!” Pinky panted, taking only a moment to catch his breath, the song choppy as he ran the length of the fence. But even with the truck’s slow crawl, he couldn’t keep up, and the truck disappeared over the hill, pulling the trailer and Pharfignewton along with it.

He didn’t slow down in time. Pinky stumbled over the last fencepost and fell into the springy grass below. The thud knocked his breath away for just a moment, but he shook it off quickly.

It was nothing really.

“Camptown racetrack’s fi-five thousand miles away…”

Pharfignewton shouldn’t worry.

He had the small, boxy TV that the lab couldn’t afford to upgrade to a flat screen. The NBC channel always showed the Derby.

And it was enough for him.

o-o-o-o-o

Had the stars always been that far away? They seemed much lonelier than usual.

Pinky tilted his head as far as he could, taking in the navy sky above. There was no moon and no way to spot the Brain’s old home tonight. He was probably somewhere on Earth by now.

Paris was nice at this time of year. Maybe the Brain would get all the cheese and baguettes he could eat. The city of light and love was absolutely splendid and heavenly. Pinky had never been there, but the landscape seemed so pretty at night in Ratatouille. Parisian rodents must be excellent chefs. Pinky would have to find one someday.

If only he could walk into a giant cabinet that would magically transport him to a riverboat cruise on the Seine. He’d only gotten a mouthful of cobweb the last time he’d tried that.

Oh dear.

Pinky twirled in place, taking in the enormous apartment complex to his left and the grassy hillside across the street, both of which he didn’t recognize.

“Narf! Silly me.” Pinky bonked his fist against his noggin, leaving a slight ache behind.  “One of these days, I’ll definitely remember that ol’ left turn on Albuquerque Street!”

Well, the only thing he had to do was retrace his steps.

But he didn’t have sidewalk chalk or a pencil.

Pinky scratched his head. This was a lot harder than he thought. He was outside, so he couldn’t exactly follow the left wall of the maze until he got un-lost.

His stomach growled, and he had a sudden craving for between-twilight-and-midnight food pellets.

“Hush now, tummy. You’ll get your food pellets as soon as I find the lab again,” Pinky said, patting his growling belly.

A bowl of smoked food pellets seasoned with paprika and rosemary sounded good right about now. With a side of smoked cheddar too!

Pinky laughed. “You’ve really got a craving for smoked food, tummy! Can’t blame you there. Those smoked chicken wings on Food Network were absolutely mouthwatering yesterday. I’m so hungry I can smell those food pellets!”

And the food pellets smelled delicious indeed.

Pinky took a deep whiff, standing on his tippy-toes to drink it all in.

Until the scent changed and it smelled more oily than the yummy sort of smoke.

Pinky’s nose wrinkled. A faint plume of smoke rose from behind the grassy hill, but it was still a little early in the year for anyone to hold a campfire sing-along with s’mores.

There didn’t seem to be a fire. Or slightly burnt marshmallows for that matter.

Curiosity getting the better of him, Pinky crossed the street at the crosswalk because he was a good pedestrian and not a jaywalker. That was just silly. He was a mouse, not a blue jay.

He ran to the top of the hill and perched on a tree root, heels rocking back and forth for a moment until he found his balance. Then his jaw dropped at the sight of a gray and silver futuristic-y UFO just beyond the hill’s base. It had to be the size of two cages combined, maybe a little more.

He wasn’t really good at judging size, but the UFO thingy was ginormous.

Dirt piled high around its battered surface, like it plowed right into the ground at Pharfignewton-like speeds. Smoke trailed from two long cylinders that arched above its back, though there were no flames.

At least Smokey the Bear wouldn’t have to worry about any wildfires.

Pinky approached the wreckage, circling it twice out of sheer fascination. He didn’t see any string though. No wonder the UFO crashed. It didn’t have any string to hold it up.

“Hello, Mr. Alien!” Pinky shouted, hoping his voice carried through the metal to whoever was inside. He leaned against the UFO with both hands, placing all his body weight on his tiptoes. It felt great. He hadn’t stretched his shoulders like this in a while. All his focus had been going to strengthening his thighs recently. “I just wanted to let you know that your UFO string is missing! But it’s okay! I have an extra long ball of yarn back at the lab! Will that do?”

There was no response, though Pinky heard a plip-plop of dripping water when he pressed his ear against the UFO.

Suddenly, the metal hissed and shifted under his palms.

“Narf!” Pinky yelped as he pitched forward into the opening. His jaw thwacked against the floor, and he giggled at the tingly sensations that shot to the top of his head.

Propping himself onto his elbows, Pinky found himself in a room that was just as big on the inside as it seemed on the outside. Except everything seemed a little smashed up. Broken computers tilted against one wall, the screens cracked and displaying a random string of numbers and letters.

Orange soda dripped from an open panel to his left, forming a bubbly puddle on the floor. Pinky almost drank it, but figured it was a terrible idea because of the little metal bits mixed in. Orange soda went with pizza, not metal.

Pinky stood up and dusted himself off, then walked over to what seemed to be a smashed-up bedframe. There was an upturned mattress and a crumpled white blanket next to it. When he tried to turn them over and arrange them into a less messy position, he found they were rather scratchy and definitely uncomfortable for sleeping in. Whoever used this bed must’ve woken up every morning with a backache the size of Alaska.

As he tucked the last corner of the blanket into the mattress, several tiny blue things slipped out from the folds and bounced off his foot. When Pinky glanced down, he found there were a lot of tiny blue things scattered throughout the room.

He picked one up out of curiosity.

No, it wasn’t a thing. More like a tiny blue star. He touched it with his tongue, a sweet flavor taking over his taste buds entirely. It really packed a wallop. His tongue hadn’t felt this tingly since the time he’d eaten two entire packs of lemonheads! He popped several more tiny stars into his mouth, hugging himself from sheer bliss.

For a moment, it seemed like there was another voice agreeing with him on how fantastically delicious these tiny stars were.

Then it cut into a low groan, which didn’t sound like someone enjoying a snack at all. Pinky quickly swallowed the tiny stars and listened for the source of the noise.

“Narf! Hello?” Pinky called. “Are you an alien ghost? Or a ghost alien, Mr. Alien?”

Another groan. Maybe Mr. Alien didn’t know how to play Twenty Questions.

One of the computers shifted and crashed onto its side, a blue screen flickering in and out of existence. Parts of the splintered bedframe laid among the mess. A small, black-gloved hand poked out from among the tangled wires before falling limp again.

Pinky poked the hand.

It twitched.

“Awful hard to sleep under all those wires, don’t you think?” Pinky asked. “I mean, it would be so electric-y under there! Unless you’re an android ghost alien! Electric sheep only works for androids, I think. The rest of us count woolly, fluffy sheep.”

The mass of wires trembled, the hand closing around Pinky’s wrist. Though it was probably meant to be a tight grasp, it wasn’t a very good hold. A single movement could shake off the alien’s hand.

But Pinky stayed still. Something didn’t seem quite right.

The alien lifted his head, a pair of antennae with bouncy red orbs perking slightly.  

Antennae was a good name now that he thought about it.

“N-no’all?” Antennae murmured, the wires slipping off his large, chubby head. His bleary pink eyes stared through Pinky with desperate hope. Soot stained his messy fur with varying shades of gray, his pointed ears drooping and floppy.

“Poit. Do you not speak English?” Pinky asked. Antennae continued to stare, not seeming to understand. “I could get my language book from the lab. It’s got Spanish, French, Sea Lion, and Legalese! I’m learning a lot! Maybe it’s got your language too?”

Then Pinky snapped his fingers. Why hadn’t he thought of this sooner? “Wait, no! Maybe kissing would be much faster? That way my English flows into your mouth and voicebox! Is that how it works? I’m pretty sure that’s how it works…”

Antennae’s grip tightened, his lower half writhing in the wires until he shook himself free. From the neck down, he wore a sleek black bodysuit with red highlights that really made the color of his antennae and tail orbs pop.

Egad, he was tiny. Even Antennae’s antennae barely rose above Pinky’s chin.

Something green and golden glinted in the hand that wasn’t holding onto Pinky. Antennae stumbled as he got to his feet, wincing as he tried to put his weight on his heels. His eyes widened in panic, and he quickly let go Pinky, breathing rapidly as he wrapped both hands around the weapon’s handle.

Balancing on his toes, he shakily pointed the weapon at Pinky. He was trying to shove the red bulb into Pinky’s nose, which was a little rude to be honest, but couldn’t do much more than a light tap.  

“Are you okay?” Pinky asked, lifting his head so the bulb wasn’t smushing his nose. “Soot’s not really good for your complexion. Gives you all sorts of pimples and zits. That’s what Dr. Oz says, anyway.”

There were several clicks as Antennae repeatedly pulled a switch on the handle, but nothing happened. It clearly wasn’t working the way he expected. He growled in frustration, lowering his weapon and opening a compartment along the top. Then his eyes flicked to the puddle of orange soda on the floor and back to Pinky.

For the first time, Antennae noticed all the tiny blue stars that littered the ground. He whipped around in surprise, staring since he still didn’t understand, but the sudden movement made him lose his balance. Pinky caught him by the arm before he fell flat on his face.

The weapon slipped out of his grip, clattering to the floor. He cried out and swung his crooked tail into Pinky’s side.

“Zort!” Pinky yelped, more from the literal shock he’d received, than actual pain. His fur stood on end, like he’d just rubbed a balloon against it. When he pressed it down again, several tingling tickles lingered on his hand, making him giggle.

When he looked up, Antennae had limped over to the damaged remains of a shelf. But even walking across the room was too much, and he collapsed again.

The bodysuit had rips along the heels, exposing several painful looking cuts. Pinky couldn’t blame him for trying to stay on his tiptoes, even if it was a very awkward way to walk.

Antennae needed help. Pinky would have to carry him to the lab.

Pinky followed. He knelt and picked up Antennae, who weighed only slightly more than the small batteries Pinky liked to use as weights, since dumbbells were unfortunately too large for him. Antennae loosely held a baggie of the tiny stars close to his chest. There were several ripped baggies surrounding them. This seemed to be the only one that remained whole.

Cradling his head and back, Pinky set the baggie on top of Antennae’s chest, making sure the baggie was sandwiched between them before he set off.

Antennae’s head lolled against Pinky’s neck. The antennae orbs lit up with tiny sparks for just a moment, though Pinky didn’t get another burst of static. They faded back to a normal red within a few seconds.

He seemed…almost relaxed. At least his face wasn’t scrunched anymore.

As Pinky exited the UFO with his bundle, something bonked into the back of his head.

“Ouch!” Pinky nearly dropped Antennae and baggie in surprise. A tiny camera with a spinning propellor zipped into the night sky, recovering from its collision course quickly.

Some sort of alien tech too otherworldly for a regular genetically altered Earth mouse to understand? Pinky longed to ask, but he didn’t want to disturb Antennae.

Besides, he looked adorably pudgy while he slept.

Antennae made a small noise in the back of his throat, but he didn’t seem to be waking up anytime soon.

The camera didn’t matter as much. Not when he just discovered that aliens snored.  

Pinky set off for the lab, determined to get the directions right this time.  

o-o-o-o-o

Good thing the dark, narrow alley filled with dirty cardboard boxes had been there! Pinky never would’ve known it was a shortcut to the lab if it hadn’t been for that stray cat. It was a miracle that Antennae hadn’t woken up once, or that the baggie survived the chase without any rips or spilling tiny stars.

The cat had given up the chase, deciding that whatever was in the dumpster would be more of a yummy meal.

Really, Pinky didn’t imagine he’d taste too good. He tried to lick his elbow a few times and all he got was a mouthful of fur.

Thankfully, he didn’t have to try to climb up to the mail slot. The door was slightly ajar, just enough for him to squeeze past, even with Antennae’s chubby head.  

Pinky shifted his hold to one arm, then grabbed the handle of the nearest drawer to pull them up to the counter. He had to set the baggie down, but Pinky could easily grab it once Antennae was settled comfortably in the cage.

It took a few unsuccessful tries of hauling himself up while holding onto Antennae before he realized it wasn’t going to work.

“Psst, Antennae,” Pinky hummed, gently shaking the alien’s shoulder. It would be a lot easier if Antennae clung to his back. “Wakey-wakey…”

Antennae’s face scrunched again, then he yawned and nuzzled into Pinky’s chest instead.

He looked so peaceful. It would go against Pinky’s little shoulder angel to wake him up now. What had he been thinking?

After a few minutes of searching through bottom drawers, Pinky found a soft kitchen sponge that hadn’t been removed from its packaging yet. It would make a perfect bed. Pinky pulled it out of the package, carefully maneuvering it out of the drawer while trying not to jostle Antennae too much.  

Another drawer had several white, fluffy hand towels. They seemed clean enough, so Pinky slung two towels over his free shoulder and climbed out.

He laid one of the towels on the floor, then pushed the sponge on top. Cold feet weren’t fun in the morning nor in show business. Then he laid Antennae on the sponge and covered him with the second towel.

Antennae’s hand clung to Pinky’s fur, so Pinky loosened the grip and tucked the wayward hand under the towel.

“You’ll be alright,” Pinky whispered, stretching out his sore arms. Maybe he’d carried Antennae for a bit too long. But Pinky’s arms would be ready for more wheel-running tomorrow.

Now that both of his hands were free, Pinky grabbed a bandage roll which had been lying near a Bunsen burner. He’d have to thank Mr. Bunsen for letting him borrow these bandages later.

Pinky carefully removed the socks – maybe they were more shoes? Oh, well. He removed the shoe-socks from Antennae’s feet and laid them on the towel-rug. Since Antennae hadn’t been on his feet since the UFO, the cuts seemed to be healing just fine.

Pinky carefully bandaged the heels and folded the towel-blanket over Antennae’s feet once he was finished. Then he brought the baggie of tiny stars over and placed them next to the shoe-socks.

He climbed up to the counter briefly to wash his hands, humming Happy Birthday as he lathered with the honey-scented soap.

“Thank you, Silver’s Anatomy,” Pinky said to the TV remote, which teetered over the edge of the VCR. He turned to Mr. Button, still lying on his straw bed in the cage. “Sorry, Mr. Button. I’m sleeping elsewhere tonight. Here, you can have Nicholas so you won’t be lonely. Try not to keep him up too late, okay?”

He rolled Nicholas the Nickel into the cage and settled him near Mr. Button. They seemed happy. Mr. Button would no doubt be gossiping about the ballpoint pens again.  

Pinky yawned and went back to the floor. It had been an eventful day, and he was very tired.

The towel-rug seemed very inviting…

Pinky buried his face into the towel fluff. Antennae had been twitching throughout Pinky’s counter business, but he stilled again once Pinky curled up.

Pinky fell asleep, dreaming of cheese and Pharfignewton and a deep, faraway voice. It was a lovely dream, except the voice couldn’t join Pinky and Pharfignewton in their little cheese and apple picnic. It seemed unwilling. Pinky made sure to save a few slices of cheddar and provolone for him. Maybe he’d take it afterward.

o-o-o-o-o

When the sunlight hit his eyes, Pinky leapt with joy. Early wheel runs were the best! So were mid-morning runs, and noon runs, and evening runs!

Except he couldn’t move. He could still wiggle his fingers and toes, but his hands were tied behind his back, purple yarn binding his ankles as well. His entire tail was still free though. He swished his tail just to be sure.

He shimmied over to the drawer and pressed his back against it, managing to sit up. Though he wanted to run on his wheel, being tied up was a fun game too.

Antennae wasn’t on the sponge bed though. Where was he? He was missing out!

Pinky wondered if he should just untie himself and find Antennae. The knots didn’t seem that hard. Though it was hard to tell for sure if it was a slipknot or an overhand knot. He really should’ve paid attention in knot-tying class.

Five minutes later, Antennae stomped over in his ripped shoe-socks, though little strips of bandage poked out.

Pinky smiled. If Antennae was stomping, his feet must be healing fast. And then he’d be okay again.  

However, Antennae didn’t seem to think so.

“Wipe that ridiculous expression from your face, Terran,” Antennae scowled, his foot tapping impatiently. “Hand over all the information you know. I want answers, and I want them now.”  

AN note: I’d like to give credit to @pluto-art for her wonderful drawing of Brain as a cute little alien.  With the way she posed him, I knew I wanted to incorporate that somewhere and this chapter seemed like a good place to do it! I meant to credit her last chapter for the blaster idea but I forgot so I’m rectifying that now.  

Fig’s off to the races! Literally.

After the wringer I stuck him through last chapter, Brain seriously needed some cuddles. He’s a little touch-starved. Also, he’s a bad guest. Don’t tie your friend up, Brain. That’s just rude.

[cautious-creation]

“Ensign.” “Commander.”

Fandom & Character: Star Trek:Voyager, Commander Chakotay

Pairing(s): Chakotay x 1st person female y/n

Word/page count: 3300ish words, 3.5 pages

CW/TW: fluff, superior officer x subordinate relationship, past loss of a grandparent, discussion of grief, power dynamic

Summary: an ensign and her commander fall in love in the Delta quadrant

“Ensign.” he walked into the lab, holding what I assumed was the information I needed,

”Commander?” it didn’t make much sense for him to come down to the lab to deliver it. He looked up from the data and gave me a smile in greeting, which put me at ease; at least there didn’t seem to be anything wrong. I returned the smile.

“I’ve got that data from Seven.” he handed me the data.

“Thank you, sir,” I turned in my seat back to my work station, “you really didn’t need to come down here, I was about to head to astrometrics.”  he leaned against the work station beside me, looking at another information pad he’d brought with him.

“Captain’s in command and I needed a break from the bridge. I’ve heard about how quiet it is down here this time of day.” he dismissed.

“That’s why I prefer this shift, sir.” he paused from his work, looking at me.

“You don’t need to be so formal, ensign. After two years stuck in the delta quadrant together I’d think we could all benefit from being a little more casual.” I chuckled.

“I’ll try. It’s become a bit of a habit. Early in my starfleet career I was told I had a tendency to speak a little too casually, particularly with senior officers. I had to… re-train… myself. I seemed to have unintentionally made a few officers feel disrespected.” I smiled, reminiscing.

He nodded in agreement, “I’ve always found it a little problematic, some senior officers seem to use it to stroke their egos.” I laughed,

“That was part of my problem.” he laughed with me. “I understand why it’s necessary, but some people take it too far and it gets in the way of strong relationships being formed by the crew.” he smiled, seeming to admire my perspective.

“I’m glad I came down here. I think we could have some very interesting conversations.” 

I nodded “I think so too.” 

He pushed off of the work bench, “I need to head back to the bridge, good luck with that assessment, ensign.” he headed for the door, giving a nod for farewell.

“Thank you… commander.” he gave me a smirk as he walked out the door. I grinned, turned back to my console to put that luck to use.

-

“Well, my professor for xenosociology seemed to have a burning hatred for students like me, who actually question things, so I decided to move to xenobiology and that ended up expanding out to botany, neurology, anatomy, I almost took a psychology course. That professor made me never want to take a sociology course again, and yet, I still keep on looking into it myself.” Chakotay and I both smiled fondly at the memories of our respective experiences at Starfleet academy.

“Considering the horror stories I’ve heard from some of my Maquis friends, I had smooth sailing through my days at the academy. Sociology is fascinating, but I’ve always loved anthropology.” 

“Anything else for you two?” Neelix came past our table, gathering our used dishes. It was something he tends to do when he’s trying to ‘subtly’ listen in on people’s conversations. He’d been doing it a lot when Chakotay and I had meals together.

“I’m alright thanks.” I looked at Chakotay, he shook his head,

“Thank you, Neelix.” Neelix gave a small nod and left the table.

I waited for Neelix to leave earshot before I spoke again.

“I think he might be spying on us.” I leaned forward and spoke in a playful whisper.

He chuckled “I’ve been told that our… association has become a subject of gossip among the crew.”

We smiled at each other.

“Well, aren’t they presumptuous.” he shook his head in amusement looking down at the table.

When he looked up, our gazes locked on one another. Everything around us seemed to go quiet. I tilted my  head to the side, a furrowed brow and slight smile on my face. He’s a handsome man, charming too. So kind and gentle, righteous, patient. A good man.

Subconsciously, my hand dragged along the table until the backs of my fingers touched the back of his hand. He hooked his index finger over mine. It was practically a ‘pinky swear’. Just that little bit of physical contact felt like so much. It was a good feeling. I looked down at our hands and sighed.

“Are you alright?” his question drew my gaze back to his now concerned expression. I gave a lazy smile and slowly nodded.

“I just… “ I decided to take a risk, “Why don’t we have dinner in my quarters this evening? There’s a family recipe I’ve been meaning to try and I could use the excuse to finally do it.” a small, thoughtful frown crossed his face as he looked at our hands.

“No obligation, commander. Just an option. I’ve put it off this long, and the recipe isn’t going anywhere.” I spoke softly.

“Actually, I was just thinking about timing. My shift ends at twenty hundred hours, yours starts at… oh three hundred?” I nodded, “That doesn’t give you much time to sleep.” his concern was sweet.

“I can manage with four to five hours.”

He beamed at me “Then, ensign, I accept your invitation.” 

I smiled. I couldn’t deny I was excited for this dinner. All our meals so far had been in the mess hall. I’d started to get uncomfortable with all the glances we’d get. Perhaps it’s a bit odd for an ensign and a ship’s first officer to spend so much time together, or to be so close with one another; but it’s not as if we’d been doing anything unsavoury and definitely nothing that would go against regulations. Little goes unnoticed on a ship like this and whatever gossip may be circulating is milked dry very quickly; any new material is quickly scavenged upon. I didn’t want to risk Chakotay’s reputation or even his position. Nothing unbecoming a Starfleet officer.

It would be nice to spend some off duty time together away from prying eyes. We’d come to enjoy each other’s company, and Chakotay was right, our conversations were quite interesting.

He was taking a sip of his coffee when Tuvok called him to the bridge. He excused himself, saying he’d see me later, I wished him luck on the bridge and went back to the novel I’d been reading. Neelix came by soon after Chakotay left, not-so-subtly prying into the nature of our relationship. I played dumb, not falling for any of his sneaky questions. It was amusing to watch him getting progressively more frustrated, my form of justice for his intrusion.

-

I spent that afternoon napping and cooking. At nineteen hundred hours I showered and changed out of my uniform. I couldn’t decide what to wear so I ended up putting on a fresh uniform, sans jacket. I spent probably more energy than I ought to on decisions like what tablecloth to use, candles or no candles, wine or no wine and I decided to only dim the lights slightly. I didn’t want to push it, we hadn’t defined the nature of our relationship, I’d prefer to go too platonic than too romantic.

Five minutes after twenty hundred hours my doorbell chimed and Chakotay presented me with a bottle of wine.

“Oh, fantastic. I couldn’t decide if I should open a bottle.” he smiled and I stepped aside to let him in. He’d clearly just come from the bridge. His uniform made him look quite dapper, but I could tell he was fatigued from his duty shift.

“So, what’s this family recipe you’ve been so excited about? It smells amazing.” he approached the dishes of food on the table.

“How about you sort out the wine while I dish up?” I handed him the bottle and a corkscrew, then moved to the table to give him the story.

“My great aunt gave me instructions for green beans, creamed spinach and butternut puree. The bread is my paternal grandfather’s sourdough recipe; a lot of research and development went into that one; and my uncle taught us the trick of dipping bread in a shallow bowl of balsamic vinegar and olive oil. There’s a tradition that I think my dad started, to fry or grill sticks of halloumi cheese and season them with lemon.” Chakotay had poured the wine and sat in the chair opposite me. I placed a plate in front of him and sat down to mine.

“It might not be the most cohesive meal but together it reminds me of home.” there was a pause, an unprompted moment of silence for those we were so far away from.

He lifted his glass, “To… our families back home, and the one we have right here on Voyager.” I smiled. The crisp sound of the glasses touching split the hum of the ship for a moment. Such a beautifully wholesome sentiment.

“How’s the bridge, commander?” I tore some bread and dipped it into the oil vinegar mix.

“The bridge is just fine, ensign. No alien contact, no helm challenges, refreshingly quiet. How about the lab?” he took a forkful of butternut.

“We’ve been getting some momentum on that analysis. Surprisingly, there’s been a lot of data to sift through. The sample turned out to be far more interesting than we thought it would be.” he nodded,

“That’s good news.” I took a sip of my wine, “Now, enough about work. How’s life?” 

I chuckled, “Life is work and work is life here on Voyager, commander.” he shook his head, amused.

‘Ensign’ and ‘commander’ had become our pet names for each other, an inside joke that he and I shared. With all the prying ears and eyes it was fun to have something they didn't understand, and it helped us to seem more professional with each other for the sake of those concerned or bothered by the relationship Chakotay and I had developed.

“I’m glad we could have dinner without spectators for once.” I nodded, agreeing. It had started to feel invasive.

“It’s kind of unsettling to have everyone watching and listening to us. I get that it’s a small ship but surely that doesn’t mean we’re no longer allowed at least a little bit of privacy.”

“You’d think a crew of Starfleet officers would have a little more discretion than this.”

I scoffed playfully, “at least we haven’t been getting much commentary from our colleagues.”

“The captain said something this morning,” I frowned

“She did?” he nodded

“It wasn’t about us specifically, but the implication was there.”

“What did she say?”

“Something along the lines of being sensitive to the consequences of specific relationships within the crew, considering that we’ll all be stuck with each other on Voyager for a long time to come.”

“I’m impressed, an approach like that to a situation like this takes a lot of finesse on the captain’s part. But I’m not surprised, we’re ‘stuck’ out here with one of the wisest Starfleet captains I know.” He nodded. I could see how he admired her.

“I can’t think of another captain who would’ve been able to keep Voyager going this long out here in the Delta quadrant.” I agreed.

“You know who else’s work out here has been exemplary?” I decided to lighten the mood, “Harry Kim. If it was up to me he’d be a full fledged lieutenant by now.” Chakotay seemed amused,

“His work has been exemplary.” The sentiment was sincere.

“You haven’t done too badly yourself, commander.” His smile was small and bashful.

There was a moment or two of silence and we continued eating.

-

“You must’ve used a week of replicator rations on this.” he sat on the couch, taking the mug of tea I handed him.

“Only two days, actually. The beans and spinach were from the airponics bay. I used some of a weird bulbous vegetable Neelix had in storage to stretch the butternut I replicated and he had some Talaxian spices close enough to imitate cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg. I replicated the flour for the bread but yeast was a bit more difficult to get my hands on. The halloumi I had to replicate.”

“What about the lemon juice?” I chuckled.

“Six months into Neelix’s cooking I decided we needed some citrus so I grafted cuttings of about five different plants. We’ve ended up with limes, lemons, grapefruit, blood orange and an oddly bitter variety of Bolian tangerine. Neelix seems to get quite excited whenever I tell him the franken-tree has yielded another fruit. Which is rare because of how small it still is. Fortunately, citrus keeps well. The lemon I used tonight was in storage for about a month and a half.” Chakotay smiled.

“I think that citrus franken-tree is  one of your greatest achievements yet in terms of crew morale.” I chuckled,

“It’s definitely been one of the more challenging undertakings I’ve had while on Voyager.”

“You put a lot of effort into this meal.” I shrugged,

“I couldn’t have done it without Neelix’s help.” I frowned, “And it’s something I’d been needing to do for myself, a little bit of self-care. I’m glad I could share it with someone.” I looked up at him. I was glad that I had him to share the experience with.

“I’m honoured to have been allowed to share this meal with you.” His sincere smile put me at ease. I placed my mug of tea on the coffee table in front of me and leaned back into the couch.

“I’ve been missing home a lot recently. I guess the anniversary of my grandmother’s death hit me harder than I expected.” he took my hand in his, 

“You could have said something.” I responded to his concerned expression with a sad smile and looked down at our joined hands.

“I wanted to try working through it myself. I thought it would last a couple of days and I’d be back to normal.” my gaze became distant as I thought back

“Her leg of lamb stew was legendary. Not even my aunt could recreate it. She’d been cooking it on the day she died.” a small forlorn crease grazed my brow, “Two months after she died, I think it was on her birthday, it was taken out of cold storage and we all sat down to eat the last meal she ever made. It was… almost like a last goodbye. There was such a finality to that meal. I was only nine years old.” a single tear ran down my cheek, Chakotay gave my hand a comforting squeeze, “Her death changed my whole world view.”

“In what way?” His gentle question refocused my gaze. I shook my head slightly.

“I don’t remember.” It was true, but I knew for certain that I wouldn’t have grown into the person I had become if it wasn’t for her influence on my life, as well as the influence of her death.

“She meant a lot to you. I’m not surprised things didn’t just go back to normal for you after two days.” I smiled fondly and sighed, looking up and seeing his caring expression,

“Thank you for having this dinner with me.” he smiled softly,

“Of course. I’m glad I did.”

We sat for a while, my thoughts starting to gather again.

“A while back I programmed a traditional malva pudding recipe into the replicator data banks, well, our family recipe. Would you care for a piece?”

“I have no idea what it is, but I’m willing to try it.” I chuckled, getting up and heading to the replicator.

“It’s a traditional South African dish. My version is a bit different from what you’d find described in an historical database,” I sat back down with two plates of the syrup laced pound cake type dessert.

“Usually it’s served with custard or ice cream, but I think that just dulls the flavour.” one bite and a smile spread onto my face.

“I haven’t ever had anything like this. You’ll have to give me the recipe.” I shook  my head.

“Sorry, commander, that’s a family secret.” he chuckled.

“I might just have to order you to, ensign.” I laughed at him.

“Good luck with that, Chakotay.” it was a little startling to both of us to hear me call him by name, before that, I never had. That sounds bizarre, but it’s true.

“Chakotay,” it still sounded odd, my plate made a thud against the coffee table “I think we need to talk about some things.” he nodded, placing his plate down beside mine.

I took a deep breath. My chest tightened in anxiety. I wasn’t quite sure what to say. I knew we needed to address some things about our relationship but I feel like I couldn’t quite describe them.

“I… “ I looked down trying to find the words, “we need to discuss… ‘us’, the nature of our relationship. What we… want out of this relationship, where we see it progressing. How we respond to the crew and commanding officers about… this.” he held my fidgeting hands in his and flashed me a soft, concerned smile.

“Well, I believe we’ve come to be close friends.” the smile that responded tried to hide my slight disappointment, “But, as for what I see in the future of our relationship… “ he looked down at our hands, “That’s a little more… sensitive.”

I gave an empathetic smile and chuckled, “I know the feeling.”

He sighed. “I care about you, a lot.”

“And I you.” I gave a small smile.

“I’d absolutely be happy to continue as friends,” he locked eye contact, searching for my thoughts, “but I’d hoped we could work towards a romantic relationship.” I grinned. I couldn’t describe the relief that I felt.

“Me too.” he beamed back at me and almost seemed to blush.

One of his hands released mine and came to the side of my face, my now free hand lay on his chest, beside his neck, against the undershirt exposed by his unfastened jacket. The warmth of his body against my skin brought a slight flush to my face. His thumb padded over my cheek. My fingers fiddled with the pips on his collar.

I looked up at his handsome face, his gentle, calming eyes focused on mine.  My fingers itched to trace along the lines gracing the skin around his left brow bone, cheek bone and temple. He was frustratingly close to me. I so badly wanted to reach out and touch those dimples that smiled at me. His eyes enthralled me. 

I took another risk, letting my other hand rise to meet his face, the tips of my fingers lightly dragged along his tattoo. He seemed to sigh into my touch, which made a contented smile cross my face. My heart fluttered, I felt so peaceful.

“I don’t think you’ve told me, why the tattoo?” he smiled.

“My father. He wore it to honour our culture, I wear it to honour him.” my heart swelled.

“That’s so pure.” he chuckled bashfully. I gave him a thoughtful smile.

“You’re a good guy, Chakotay.”

“I don’t think I’ve heard you say my name before today. I like the way it sounds when you do.” it was my turn to blush.

“Chakotay, what are we gonna do about this?” I chuckled. My palm settled against his cheek.

“Well, what I would like to do about it, is to kiss you.” how suave, I’d been smiling every few seconds that evening, now was no exception.

“I’m not quite there yet, Chakotay.” I liked the way it sounded too, “I hope this can tide you over for now.” I leaned forward and placed a lingering kiss on his cheek.

“I’ll hold out for you.” he took my face in his hands and gave an equally gentle kiss to my forehead. My hands rested on his shoulders. A gleeful smile spread across my lips.

[wu-sisyphus-gang]

Motion Sickness 180: Temptations (in the city)

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We got pizza in the shopping center we were in and sat down for our lunch. Ruby got straight cheese and Weiss got peperoni and I got a garbage pizza. Weiss sat down and took a fork and knife to her slice on her plate. 

“Sometimes, Weiss, you make me want to flip tables and over the smallest things,” I said. 

“What do you mean?”

“Who eats pizza with a fork and knife. It’s pissing me off. Just pick it up and eat it.”

“It’s greasy. This dress is nice.”

“It’s. Pizza. Pick it up. And eat it,” I demanded. 

“What will you do if I don’t?” She challenged.

“I’m going to make you.”

“You think you can make me?”

“Yeah. Do it. Force my hand.”

“Make. Me,” Weiss took an elegant bite of pizza with her fork and gave me a cheeky grin. 

“Wow. The sexual tension you two have over the slightest things is absolutely crazy,” Ruby pointed out. “How often does this happen?”

“Occasionally,” I confessed.

“You should have been here when he took me out drinking,” Weiss agreed. “I got him really riled up.”

“This sounds like a story…” Ruby trailed. 

“We went out drinking together and she teased me like the whole night. She says ‘make me’ like that and she knows that I will make her beg. I’ve done it before. I’ll do it again. She likes it when I make her.”

“Only because I make you want me that bad. It goes to show that even when you’re the one in control, you’re not the one in control,” she gave a little shrug and a small smirk. 

I gestured at her with the business end of my pizza slice. “Smirk all you want with that little mouth. I’m going to grab you by the hair and make you use it.”

“Don’t be vulgar. You crossed the line,” Weiss tisked. 

“That wasn’t a ‘no.’”

“It certainly wasn’t a ‘yes.’” 

“I bet I could make you beg to suck my-”

“Alright! Okay. Maybe you can,” Weiss cut me off. “This reminds me, we have to take Ruby out drinking.”

“Yeah. Fuck me sideways I bet she turns into a chatterbox.”

“What? Are you trying to say I’m chatty?” Ruby pouted. 

“Quite the noise maker,” Weiss pointed with her fork. 

“Only when you’re relaxed. And I bet if I got you nice and relaxed you would talk my ears off.”

“And you want that?” Ruby asked.

“Yes,” Weiss agreed immediately with a sip of water. Even the way she sipped her water pissed me off. Pinkies up? Seriously? We’re in a mall.

“Yeah. I could listen to you talk about weapons or some other bullshit all day,” I agreed. “I bet you either start chatting about your special interests or you get all sleepy and adorable. I know Weiss turns into an utter tease.”

“Is that a bad thing?” Weiss asked.

“Not if you’re willing to take what you deserve,” I informed her. 

“Oh and I suppose you’ll give me what I deserve?”

“I will seriously make you beg. Can your pride take that, darling?”

“We’ll have to see.”

“Do it. Make me make you.”

“What if I told you that it isn’t a punishment.”

“I’ll have to do it harder.”

“Be gentle…” Ruby pleaded.

“With you, sweetheart, maybe. I make no promises because you’re such a snack I might have to devour you. You taunt and tease me.”

“How do I tease and taunt you?” Ruby wondered.

“You have the audacity to sit there and look like that and breath. It sexually frustrates me. You’re not a little girl anymore. You could at least act like you know that but instead you walk around looking absolutely delicious without a thought in your head about how hungry you’re making me.”

“Really?”

“Really. Ruby,” Weiss sighed. “You do it to me too. You make me want to make you wet.”

“Really?” Ruby repeated.

“She has no idea. And then she’s all like ‘be gentle.’ In that pouty adorable voice. How am I supposed to be gentle with that? She makes me want to be rough with her when she begs me to be gentle.”

“Like this?” Weiss asked. She took a second to prepare herself and reset for her attempt. She opened her eyes and batted them up at me. “Won’t you please be gentle with me? I don’t know that I could take it if you were rough…”

I took a long drink of water and stared her down. They were both waiting for me. I had to say something. 

“Yeah. A little like that. Except she is all genuine. You know what I mean? I know that you want me to actually be rough with you.”

“The fact I want you to be gentle with me makes you want to play rough?” Ruby asked. 

“Little bit. It’s a little bit sexy.”

“You shouldn’t have told me this…” Weiss muttered. “I already had everything I needed to drive you crazy. I didn’t know the ‘innocent princess’ bit would have so much appeal.”

“You utter fool. I want you to tease me. I like it when you tease me,” I pointed out. “Do it again and I will wrap your pretty little mouth around me.”

“Oh, I don’t know if I could handle that…”

“You’re a grown woman. You’ll be fine.”

“And you’ll be able to treat me like a woman?”

“I’ll treat you like an absolute princess. On her wedding night.”

“Hm,” Weiss gave that dainty shrug but her cheeks were a touch rosey. 

“You two need to bang.”

“And we’re gonna,” I promised. “It’s on my to do list. Right after we spit roast you.” 

“Why me?” Ruby whined. 

“Because you’ll love it. All that attention on you. You would lose your mind and I want to watch,” Weiss took another little bite of pizza with her fork. “Jaune told me about some time in Mistral where he made you look at him while you finished and I have never wanted anything more.”

“Her eyes got half closed and deep like she was flirting with passing out,” I said. “Her mouth dropped in a little ‘o’ like she was just a little surprised at her own body.”

“Mmm,” Weiss sighed and put her fork down and looked away. “Yeah. I’ll have some of that please and thank you.”

“You guys…”

“Poor thing,” Weiss pitied. 

“Don’t worry, we’ll take such good care of you, Rubes.”

“Will we?” Weiss asked.

“We’ll take her apart together, darling. I’ll let you be dominant for a bit.”

“I don’t need your permission,” Weiss returned. 

“Yeah you do,” I promised. “Or else it will be you I take apart. And why not? Ruby will do whatever I say. Maybe it should be you in the middle. That sounds like fun, I could set that up.”

“No, I want to do Ruby.”

“Beg,” I ordered. I glanced across the table to where Ruby sat next to Weiss. Ruby looked at Weiss with a look of something like amazement and shock at what I said. 

“You really like it when I beg, don’t you?” Weiss sighed. 

“You really like it when I make you, don’t you?” I returned. “It turns you on. Go on. Beg for me to share Ruby with you.”

“Does this feed your ego?” Weiss wondered. “Maybe Ruby and I should put you in the middle. Right Ruby?”

Ruby said nothing. I laughed. Yeah, it really fed my ego. Ruby said fucking nothing and Weiss glanced over at her and realized she was on her own. My ego just ate a feast when the realization hit her and she just swallowed. She wouldn’t get any support from Ruby. She looked back over at me and where I was just smiling.

“Go on,” I whispered.

She licked her lips. 

“Please,” she murmured quietly. She looked me in the eye and I knew that she knew what she was doing to me. “Please let me watch you take Ruby. Let me take Ruby with you.” She begged. Suddenly the front of my pants was awfully tight. 

“Yeah. This is going to be a lot of fun,” I said. I took a drink of water. 

“Was that a yes?” Weiss pleaded.

“Maybe you can earn a ‘yes,’” I agreed halfheartedly.

Weiss flicked her hair back and swished her chin to the side with her eyes closed. Then she ran a hand up my thigh under the table. The flat of her tiny palms stopped about midway up my knee. She looked back over at me with doe eyes. 

“Maybe you have some ideas?” She asked imploringly. 

“Wow…” Ruby trailed. Her cheeks were a real dark red. 

“Does our little banter turn you on? Sweetheart?” I asked. 

“Um…”

“Maybe she feels neglected,” Weiss asked. I felt Weiss’s hand slide off my leg. From her posture she ran her fingers up the inside of Ruby’s right thigh before coming to a rest. She slowly rubbed a circle into Ruby’s leg and Ruby turned as crimson as the tips of her hair. 

“Ah…” she actually panted. “Weiss please…we’re in public...”

“I haven’t done anything yet,” Weiss leaned over and bit Ruby’s ear gently by the lobe. 

Ruby let out a squeak and turned even darker. I leaned back and watched in fascination. “Poor Rubes. She just wants a little attention. Not too much. I asked you a question, sweetheart.”

“I don’t…”

“You don’t remember?”

She nodded a little. Weiss kissed her cheek. 

“I only asked you it a moment ago. Are you a little distracted maybe?”

“Um…”

“Come on Ruby, answer the question. Focus up,” Weiss pressed. “You need to pay attention.”

“Wh-what wa-was the question?”

“Does our banter turn you on? Does it get you wet?”

“Oh…” Ruby gasped at something Weiss did under the table. “Weiss-ss…” 

“Don’t worry, Jaune. I’ll fact check.”

“Well, does it Ruby?”

“I like it. It’s fun listening to you two…” she muttered. “I liked when you made her beg. That turned me on.”

“I think she likes all the attention. Do you like it, Ruby?”

“I-I-I…no…”

“She’s lying,” Weiss informed me. “She likes it.” Weiss did something and Ruby jumped in her tight yoga pants.

“Y-y-you guys… it isn’t funny.”

“It’s a little funny,” I disagreed. 

“But it’s even more sexy,” Weiss whispered right in her ear. 

“Do you like teasing us? Rubes?”

“I-I-I’m not teasing you guys. You guys are the ones teasing me...”

“I recently learned some things about the female form,” I began. “I learned that it’s possible to make it hurt so good. I learned that for girls a good orgasm really can make you wax and wane out of consciousness. Now, I’m not an expert but it seems to me that when a girl finishes her next orgasm is even closer and more intense. How many times in a row would you have to finish before we started flirting with that line?”

“I-I-I-I....” Ruby stuttered off. “Weiss please…”

“You know? I’m curious too? Two or three gets pretty intense. Five or six would start to hurt. But it would hurt in a way that you kinda sorta want to keep going, if that makes sense. I’m not sure what would happen if you hit double digits.”

Ruby let out a low moan and shivered. 

“What do you say? Rubes? Want to shoot for ten?”

“Ten?” Ruby asked, sounding shocked. Her mouth transitioned into a little ‘o’ from whatever Weiss was doing to her.

“Like that? Was that how she did it?” Weiss asked.

“Yeah. It was a little like that. Except I was worried she was about to pass out. Look at her taunting us. She wants us to take her. Why else would she bait us like this?”

“She wants it. If she didn’t want it then she wouldn’t be flushing like that.”

“You’re… Weiss is the one teasing me. Weiss please you don’t have to take his side…”

“But I want to…”

“Weiss please…”

“Do you think we could make her beg for ten orgasms?” I asked. “Or would it just start to hurt at that point?”

“I don’t know. It definitely starts to draw the line between pain and pleasure. I bet we could. I bet we could make her beg for it. We could make her want double digits.”

“Well, sweetheart? Won’t you beg us for it?”

“Please… no… I don’t want it.”

“She is lying. She’s very much lying.” Weiss informed me. 

“Is that true? Would you lie to me Ruby?” I wondered. “Really? You think she’s lying, Weiss?”

“She is definitely lying. She wants it. I guarantee it.” 

“How can you tell?” I wondered.

“Oh, Jaune, a girl just knows.”

“Huh. Ruby, sweetheart, why would you lie like that? It’s only going to make things harder for you. Do you want us to make it harder for you? Is that why you did that?”

“I… don’t know. I… I don’t know if I can do ten. Ten is a lot. You guys. Would you do ten? Weiss?”

“I don’t know. I want to see what it does to you first.”

“I’m not your guinea pig!”

“But you want it. Let’s start with one. Just one. And then we’ll go from there. We have that whole big bed to break in. I think you want it. Won’t you ask me for it, Ruby? Ask me to put your little body through the gauntlet. Go on.”

“Weiss don’t help him… We could work together… Don’t take his side… Not against me… please…”

“But I want to help him. Do you really think we could overpower him together? Not a chance and it’s either you or me. He’ll do it to me if I don’t help him do it to you. You’ll do whatever he tells you in the bedroom. You two would take me apart. You would side with him against me. Why shouldn’t I take my chance against you? That’s only fair and I want to watch. I want to see what we can really do to you. I’m curious. I want to know.”

“But Weiss please…”

“Kinda scary. Isn’t it? Ten? Kinda exciting, though. I’m really not sure what’s going to happen once we start putting you through the paces. But I bet we can make you want it. I bet we can make you beg for it. That’s all we want. We want you to beg for it. Won’t you beg us for it, Ruby?”

“Please Weiss. We can beat him. He’ll do whatever we tell him too.”

“We can’t make him Ruby. I riled him up. He’s going to eat one of us. He’s hungry. He’s curious. He wants to know. And I do too. And I kinda don’t want it to be me. That means it’s going to be you. And you know what? You’re going to love it. You love all the attention on you. We’re going to pick you to pieces and you’re going to love it and you’re going to beg for it and you’re going to thank us for it. Don’t you want to thank me, Ruby? For this opportunity?”

Ruby shuddered and looked down at her plate. “Thank you, Weiss. And…”

“And?” Weiss pressed. Ruby gasped and trembled. 

“Please make me finish ten times. I want to know. I want you both to devour me. Please give it to me ten times in a row. Please give it to me until I choke, and pass out, and beg you to stop. Please keep going anyways. Won’t you? Please?”

“That’s a good girl,” I said. “We’re going to take such good care of you.”

Ruby shivered a little. She reached over with both hands and cupped Weiss’s face and kissed her hard. She let out a little moan as she did and she whined. She hunted for Weiss’s lower  lip but Weiss took her time and found Ruby’s own and cupped it between hers. Then she entered her pink slender tongue into Ruby’s mouth and Ruby sighed and closed her lips around Weiss’s tongue and sucked on it gently the way she did mine. Weiss pushed down harder and Ruby groaned. 

I smirked slightly and stretched both hands over my head. 

Tonight was going to be a lot of fun. 

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-WG

[talkfastromance4]

can you give me some uncle!ash? you can make it omf if you want! 💕

ooh yes! dad!ash or uncle!ash is ALWAYS a good idea. honestly ashton with kids is just oof. ALSO, how i picture their relationship is kind of like the bond between uncle jesse and michelle from full house lol i don’t know why

Catch up on Olive, Willie and Calum in Our Mini Family (they aren’t in chronological order, but I’m usually writing them where Willie is a toddler)

Also, this got very long and i’m very sorry. no i’m not

_________

So right after Calum, Ashton is second in line to being the favorite to Willie. Willie loves how silly uncle Ashton is and he’s always up to play race cars or restaurant or Willie’s favorite game about an elephant, a dinosaur and a cowboy. (That game is lost on everyone except Willie and Ashton, that’s their game.)

Just recently, Calum and Olive have decided to find a place of their own, so that they can really be a family. Calum’s barely at his place as it is because he and Duke spend nearly every night at Olive and Willie’s place. So they were going to take the day exploring houses with their realtor and Ashton was more than willing to watch Willie while they were gone. 

Willie was having none of it at first. After turning three on August 21, Willie has reached the terrible threes and they’ve become fussy and an angry little person. 

“I go too! I go too!” Willie kicks their legs in their car seat in the back. 

“Uncle Ash will be sad you don’t want play with him, Wills,” Calum says and it’s as if he said the magic word. 

Calum and Olive wanted it to be a surprise Willie would be spending the day with Ashton but with their continuous screaming, it was time to throw in the towel.

Willie’s legs stopped kicking immediately.

“Unca Ash?!” their eyes widen and then they’re kicking again, but this time from happiness. Willie makes a little dance of it all as well.

“Yea bugaboo, you’re going to spend all day with Uncle Ashton,” Olive tells them turning in her seat. 

“Excited mommy!” Willie smiles showing their tiny dimples in their cheeks. 

Calum and Olive exchange smiles and listen to Willie’s story they’ve created. The thought of spending the day with Ashton has put them in a much better mood. 

When the family of three arrive at Ashton’s, Willie is a wiggling worm trying to get out of their car seat.

“Willie, you need to sit still for mommy so I can get you out,” she tells them a little sternly.

Willie freezes while Calum grabs their bag, he laughs at Willie’s clear excitement but still feels a pang of jealousy of that excitement directed to Ashton. He’s glad Willie has connected so well with all of his friends, but it’s hard to take at the same time. Does Willie get that excited for Calum anymore?

Once Willie is safely on the ground, they bolt up the driveway to the front door and they try their hardest to reach the doorbell. 

“Daddy help! Can’t reach!” Willie shouts looking back at Calum and Olive.

That eases Calum slightly so he rings the doorbell then opens the door to see Ashton halfway in the hallway making his way to the entrance. 

“Munchkin!”

“Unca Ash!” Willie squeals and runs to their favorite uncle who scoops them up in a big hug. 

Calum and Olive shuffle in grinning at the exchange of dual happiness between Ashton and Willie. 

“Hey guys,” Ashton finally greets them shifting Willie to his hip who is now playing with the chain around Ashton’s neck. 

“Hey man,” Calum greets. “Everything you need is in here, their blanket, toys, snacks and a sippy cup of juice.”

“Make sure they drink water for lunch, though,” Olive instructs. “We can’t have juice all the time, right bugaboo?”

“Mhmm,” Willie hums indifferently then says to Ashton, “play the drums?”

“We can play drums, munchkin,” Ashton grins kissing their cheek. 

“All right, well, we’ll get going I guess,” Olive says kissing Willie’s cheek. “We should be back close to dinner time if we’re lucky and find something we like.”

“Call if you need anything,” Calum says kissing Willie’s cheek as well. “Bye Wills, be good for uncle Ash.”

“Can you say bye to mommy and daddy?” Ashton asks as they walk out the door. 

“Bye mommy! Bye daddy!” Willie waves. 

“All right munchkin, want to play drums first?”

Willie claps their hands and screams in excitement as Ashton is already heading downstairs where his (and Willie’s) kits are. Ashton doesn’t play as hard like he normally would and he creates a simply beat while Willie watches in hard concentration. 

Willie tries to mimic Ashton the best they can and Ashton encourages them the whole time. Then like all the other times, Willie goes crazy and hits everything with much enthusiasm. 

After drums, they head upstairs to color and watch Blue’s Clues or Little Bear. It’s a Blue’s Clues kind of day. They’re sat at Ashton’s coffee table with sheets of paper and crayons and a pile of cheerios in the middle that Willie would always nibble on.

Half the time Ashton would just sit and watch Willie, completely enraptured by this little person whom he loves so much. Willie would speak to the TV and sing along when necessary and Ashton can already tell they’re going to be a genius. 

After coloring time they go outside and play in the sandbox, a necessity that needs to be at every uncle’s house. Ashton listens to Willie chatter about whatever it is on a three year old’s mind and plays along with their imagination. 

Willie yawns loudly. 

“Let’s head inside for naptime,” Ashton suggests dusting sand off his hands. 

“No nap! Elephant and cowboy time!” Willie waves their arms in the air. 

“We can play elephant and cowboy after your nap, I pinky promise,” Ashton holds out their pinky which Willie links up with quickly. 

Naptime is the best with uncle Ash. Willie snuggles up next to him in the middle of Ashton’s bed with pillows surrounding the edges. Ashton always makes up funny stories for Willie while rubbing their head (a trick Calum told him) until Willie fell asleep. Ashton would slip away to let Willie sleep for about an hour or an hour and a half. 

While Willie slept, Ashton cleaned and would get the ingredients ready for dinner (mac & cheese and hot dogs in croissant rolls were Willie’s favorite) until he’d hear Willie calling for him. 

“Did you have good dreams, munchkin?” Ashton would ask as a sleepy Willie rubbed their eyes. They looked a lot like Olive did when waking up. 

“Uh huh, mommy, daddy and Duke flied me to nana’s house.”

“Really? That’s a very good dream,” Ashton nods. 

The rest of the day goes off without a hitch, they played their elephant/dinosaur/cowboy game--Ashton winged it every time--and watched more Blue’s Clues after dinner until Olive and Calum came back. 

“Where’s our little Willie?” Calum calls and Willie scrambles from the couch after hearing his voice. 

“Daddy!” Willie lunges into Calum’s legs who grunts at the impact. He hugs Willie best he can before squatting in front of them letting Willie climb onto his thigh. Willie began telling Calum all that they did with uncle Ash in broken sentence but Calum listened intently. 

“Did you find something?” Ashton asks Olive while Willie and Calum share their moment. 

“I think so,” Olive nods, “We’re going to look at it again Monday but this time with Willie. You guys clearly had fun today.”

“We always do,” Ashton grins, “but look at how they are with Calum.”

“I know,” Olive smiles, “he gets jealous of you sometimes.”

“What? That’s crazy. Willie doesn’t look at me like that,” Ashton shakes his head. 

Olive looks at Willie who is still sharing about their day all while holding Calum’s cheek in their tiny little hand.

___________

Taglist: @galcalirwin @cashtonasff5sos

[vmheadquarters]

We’re still playing our game of written hot potato! Dozens of your favorite authors are taking turns to tell a Veronica Mars mystery story. Each writer crafts their chapter and then “tosses” the story to the next person to continue the tale. No one knows what will happen, so expect the unexpected!

Follow the “vmhq presents” and “murder we wrote” tags for all the installments, or read the story as it develops on AO3. --Chapter Twenty-One of MURDER, WE WROTE is written by @DRiver2u. And stayed tuned next week for Ch.22 from @amypc1​ - tag, you’re it!

—————————————————————————————————— CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE by @DRiver2u

The noise in the room was a low pulse of small groups talking among themselves. The conversations were not enthusiastic or lighthearted, but the former classmates were speaking just to have something to do. Whenever the din let up, someone new took over with a tale from the exploits of high school past. No one wanted to admit that, now they had eaten, there was time to start exploring the mansion for a murderer.

Hovering off to the side, as she so often did in social situations, Veronica's thoughts were exploding as quickly as she felt her ankle swelling. Her injury didn't hurt as much as she thought it should, and she wondered if she was in shock, rather than having an actual physical ailment. She plotted about how to move to another part of the house, so she could test the theories running through her brain. The crowded space in her mind needed an escape, and if she was being honest with herself, it wasn't the only part of her that needed a release.

She caught Logan's eye as he looked up from the drone of Casey's story, and she gave a quick tip of her head towards the direction of the kitchen. "Meet me there," she mouthed from across the room as she pointed with her pinky finger. She assessed her wonky situation and dropped her elevated foot, rolled to her stomach, and one-legged-downward-facing-dog walked herself to a standing position. For a moment, she steadied herself, using one flat foot and the tips of her toes on the other before trying her balance. She hobbled on her bad ankle and made a comment under her breath, just loud enough for the scrum of former classmates in the middle of the room to hear her complain.

"You rang," Logan quipped, as he turned to see her push through the kitchen door. "Or muttered, I guess would be more accurate." He watched as she moved from limping to balancing herself on the kitchen counter, and then doing a half-twisting boost onto the island. The gymnastics of the moves were worthy of more than a participation certificate. Logan studied her as she forced out a sigh and regained her composure. His mind filled with other uses for those skills. "Your powers never cease to amaze."

"I need some ice for my ankle, but I've been thinking, and I might want to reconsider something," Veronica cooed as her finger made its way between her teeth. Before Logan could head towards the freezer, she commanded, "Come closer."

Logan advanced and slid between her dangling legs. Veronica's citrus shampoo, the acid from the tomato ragu, and the yeast from a green bottle of Heineken left near the Belfast sink sent mixed signals to his brain. This wasn't the time or the place, what with the dead bodies, secret passages, and unknown assailants only a few feet from what he hoped would be their suction-cupped bodies, but he couldn't stop the fantasies entering his brain. Veronica stared into his eyes, hoping he would be able to read her mind. The drip of the faucet and the hiss of the radiator under the stained glass windows broke their silence.

As Logan leaned in to kiss the blonde in front of him, he felt the cool thickness of the marble countertop as it hit him just below his waistband. His mouth hovered near her lips, but he turned his head and teased her with the breeze that swept by her mouth. She grabbed the back of his neck demanding to be closer to him, to touch his sweetness. He was stronger than her, and pulled back, watching as her eyes slid shut. As his hands wrapped around her waist and his thumbs pushed into her hips, she let out a small whimper and her breathing quickened.

It was the panting and the moaning that made him pull her closer. He wanted this, she wanted this, but they had made a deal to slow things down this time. He could wait. Could he wait? Anticipation was a hell of an aphrodisiac.

When he finally kissed her, would she taste like roasted garlic, red wine, dried Parmesan cheese, or chocolate mousse? Whatever was left of their dinner would be lost as his mind cleared of all but the softness of her lips. Logan gazed into Veronica's eyes before kissing her wordlessly. Only seconds later, Veronica released her hands from his hair and scrambled to tug his thermal base layer from the waist of his trousers and ran her hands towards his brawny chest, feeling multiple indentations as her fingers spread.

"We need to reconsider that we may have only two days left to live, so three dates seems too long to wait to get naked," she said, at a much higher volume than Logan found desirable. He tilted his head as he tried to shake the noise and vibration out of his eardrum.

"I think you're out of practice on the whispering of sweet nothings," Logan grumbled. "The key to that phrase being 'whispering', sugarpuss."

Veronica reached up and took his face in her hands, then bent the side of his head towards her mouth. "We're being watched, right?" Logan nodded his head and wondered if this new taste for voyeurism would be part of their future escapades. He swallowed at the thought and caught himself breathing harder than only a few seconds ago. Veronica continued her train of thought in his ear. "Let's find out if this is really about us. They're watching, so if they see us, uh you know, all hot and heavy, they may try to break in and stop it."

Logan dropped his head, realizing this was nothing more than part of the game, part of her desire to solve this riddle. "I don't know if I feel like a mark, the bait, or a damsel in distress." He swallowed and took a deep breath.

Veronica kissed him softly and met his eyes. She didn't need words to explain to him that her brain was working overtime. It wasn't desire he had seen in her eyes when they started this rendezvous. But it was passion--just not the kind of passion he was hoping to experience.

"Enid Curtis," Veronica whispered again and gave him a mischievous smile before returning to his ear. "How many people do you know who are named Enid? Not one, I bet. Enid Curtis and Mason. Flip them letters around and what'd ya get? DIES UNROMANTICS." She gave him a quick kiss at his temple, but she wanted to give him a high five.

Logan chuckled before bending his head and raising his eyes to meet hers. "A bit of a grammar cock up, wouldn't you say?" He paused and tilted his head until his mouth met her ear, his hands continued to meander under her shirt. "If you're going to slip down the Enid path, it seems impossible not to bring up Tennyson. You should know to leave the English stuff to me."

Veronica inched away from him and stared at Logan. "So, you think there's a book on one of the shelves by Alfred, Lord Tennyson that'll help solve this riddle?" she asked in a low voice.

"Well, I'm more of a Keats guy myself, but it's tough not to respect a guy who came up with the lines, and I'm paraphrasing here, 'Tis better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all' and 'Theirs is not to reason why. Theirs is but to do and die'." Logan turned the words over in his mind. Loss and death weren't nearly as appealing to him as Keats' haunting words about beauty, joy, love, and truth.

"Yeah, it's the 'do and die' part that makes me a bit worried," Veronica chided. "And what's that got to do with Enid?"

"I'm saying that Tennyson wrote Idylls of the King. In it is a poem about the perfect love Enid has for her husband." Veronica stared blankly at him before he continued. "He gets jealous, but she stays faithful. He thinks she cheated, but she stays faithful. He treats her like dirt, but she stays faithful. Seeing a pattern?"

"So Enid is perfect?" Veronica asked with a sly smile.

"It used to be a real compliment for a woman to be referred to as an 'Enid'," Logan remembered from a group project about Victorian poets. Who knew those trivialities might one day prove to be important?

Logan continued after a small pause, clearing his throat. "Oh, and Tennyson influenced the Pre-Raphaelite artists with his sumptuous verses. God, they painted some majestic stuff. Dead women, lots of flowing hair, unrequited love. Come to think of it, one was even of Enid, I think." He smiled at the idea of his mother and said, "First ones I saw were at Andrew Lloyd Webber's estate, because my mom dragged me there when she was desperate to get a part in a possible West End Cats revival."

"Keats, Tennyson, and Raffi," Veronica scrambled, only half listening to the other voice in the room. "I don't see the connection. Unless someone thinks I'm the perfect mate?" Veronica's mind danced with the knowledge that she may have an admirer rather than a stalker. She heard Logan snicker and watched as he shook his head.

"Raphaelites, bobcat, but who am I to doubt the perfect bit," he mocked with a chuckle. "Maybe Enid and Tennyson mean nothing. Maybe you were on the right track with the scrambled letters. Or maybe this mysterious host is telling you to ask others for help with this riddle. 'There's no I in team', 'It takes teamwork to make the dream work', 'Collaborate before we evaporate'. Etcetera, etcetera."

Veronica squinted at him, but only grunted out a, "Huh?"

"OK, maybe I made some of those up," Logan laughed. "But we're all here for a reason, and I don't think it's just to be dead bodies, cute faces, or red herrings." They both stayed quiet a moment and realized their musings had blown their cover. Their so-called tryst had turned into a book club.

"Ice," Veronica directed, and Logan grabbed the hand towel near the stove as he sauntered towards the industrial-sized refrigerator. "But now what?"

"Lead on, perfect Enid," he quipped. He took a deep breath as he felt Veronica going back into her brain. "OK. If you want to stick with rearranging letters, we can do that, but I prefer NUDES IS ROMANTIC."

[thecrowsjoker]

HERO

The P3 x P5 sorta fic nobody wanted, featuring child Goro and Minato, very slight Shuake and also total ignoring what happens in PQ2 (I ain't played it)

Goro had one friend in the orphanage. The friend whos voice he could not longer recall.

They made promises by locking their pinkys together.

One day his friend was offered a scholarship far away.

His friend promised to return for him after the school year had ended, but he never returned.

Goro tried to forget, tried to bury that smile deep into his soul.

And then one night, Goro awoke to the sound of screaming, he looked out the window and saw that the moon had cracked open and the sky was dyed green.

A pale light began to fill his vision and he lifted a finger as he thought of his friend.

He thought he could feel pressure wrapped around his pinky.

"I'll save you" he promised and then the world pushed back against its fate.

-

Elizabeth regarded Goro for a moment.

"i see... quite honestly, I hadn't expected to have another guest. Please accept my apologies for not leading you through your journey." she said dismissively.

They regarded each other for a moment before turning to the figure on the door.

"How long has it been..?" Goro asked, reaching for the figures face, a face that he'd long forgotten about.

"I'm certain at least a decade has passed." Elizabeth told him.

There was a silence then.

"He's missed isn't he?" Goro asked sadly.

Elizabeth clutched her book tight.

"By many." She replied.

Goro chuckled.

"This is why we never truly shared the same path... Once I'm gone, nobody will remember me, Afterall I don't have bonds strong enough to tie me to this world anymore."

He thought briefly of Joker.

But that was fine, he allowed himself this moment of weakness.

"I'm ready." He said, he turned to Elizabeth, a true smile on his face.

"I'm ready to become a hero." He said.

-

Joker was running, cold dread washing over him as he finally pushed open the stone doors.

Inside was a woman, who was gazing up at the figure on the door.

Joker turned his attention to the figure and screamed.

"Goro!" He pushed past Elizabeth and reached for the figure.

The marble figure was truely beautiful, Goro looked at peace and happy.

"Release him!" Joker demanded Elizabeth. She stared at him for a moment.

Joker slammed his fist into the wall

"Release him!!!" he demanded again, this time with pure hatred aimed at her.

"I cannot." she said.

Joker collapsed onto his knees in front of the door.

"Take me. Take me instead, just... Let him go."

"He made his choice." Elizabeth replied and for a moment she herself looked conflicted.

"That night, many years ago, an orphan boy wished to meet his hero once again. The world granted the boys wish, but the moment their hands connected, a new contract was made. The world found a loophole in order to judge humanity again. A new game was played, rigged from the start. But the hope that lived inside they boy passed along to another, the one that could save him." Elizabeth explained.

"How do i save him?" Joker said.

Elizabeth sighed.

"You already did..." She said.

"No. No. This isn't saving him. Look at him!" Joker yelled.

Elizabeth turned from him then.

"Stop. No, take me. Please." Joker begged her again.

She paused, golden eyes glistening with remorse.

"I'm afraid you are not strong enough to wield the world card."

And with that she was gone, leaving Joker there alone for a few final moments before he would be pulled back.

Joker tried curing Goro, tried yanking him off the marble chain but nothing worked.

As the light poured in, he threw his mask to the ground and the tears ran down his cheeks.

"But you are my world." He said.

-

"Hey wake up, you've been sleeping for way to long." Minato felt someone begin to shake him.

He opened his eyes and saw two red eyes gaze back at him.

"Goro? Did you let me sleep in again?" He asked, the younger boy pouted.

"Well your leaving today and I just wanted to make sure you were up and ready before they kick you out." Goro said.

Minato ruffled the boys hair and smiled.

"My hero." He said and Goro giggled, he pulled at his hand.

"Come on, get up, get up." The young boy sang, Minato laughed before sitting up fully.

_

Their was a gasp as Minato lifted himself up and then a lot of weight was thrown on top of him.

Minato could feel his friends embrace him, a dog yarped happily.

Everyone had aged so much since they had last met, but their embraces still felt the same.

He could make out that he was in a hospital and that only a quarter of the SEES group were here, he looked around blinking away his foggy vison and thought he saw another figure by the door.

And then it was gone.

-

Notes

I was inspired by the default setting the Protaganist is given in their games which is always "Hero" Goro is a wild card but is never "Hero"

I like to think more along Pandoras box as opposed to the seven deadly sins aka Joker is hope, he begins weak but is eventually able to overcome anything

I'm kinda a cheese head and can't write myself outta a paper bag so i know it's cheesy but mush

[bronyinabottle]

Post-Series Finale Mod Note

Well, the series has finally wrapped up. And I felt like it’d be proper to let you guys know’s what I’m doing next and also my thoughts on some of the episodes since the last update.

I want to rest assure that I still have plans to continue this blog for a decent while and in fact hope to have another big story akin to Return to Saddle Arabia sometime next year that addresses some things that never got mentioned in the show that would be relevant to the story of Genie Twilight (Ex: Spike when he was just an Egg prior to Twilight hatching him). In terms of more near future stuff though, I will probably do a little episode response to the final episode of the series.

Anyway, regarding the finale itself. I felt it was AMAZING. I’ll probably get to doing a my thoughts on post for the two-parter and the epilogue episode all on it’s own. Because I really want to focus, re-watch, and gush about so many details of those last 3 episodes. How much did I like the finale? Can I just tell you that the two-parter alone is actually challenging Twilight’s Kingdom for my new favorite episode of the series? It’s outright awesome the series got to end with a bang like this. The epilogue episode was also great, very bittersweet in parts, but I’d say it’s also within the Top 10 of the series and the ending song I’m sure made just about every fan in the series well up in tears.

After the break though, I’ll be giving some thoughts on the episodes since then as I want to just entirely focus on Finale stuff. If you want to hear some of my opinions regarding any specific things in the finale faster though. Feel free to sound off an ask over on my mod blog. But for now, here’s some thoughts about episodes 14-23 of Season 9

THE LAST LAUGH

It was quite cool to see Weird Al come back one more time to the series. Of course, this wasn’t as jam packed with awesome music and moments as his character’s debut performance back in Season 4. But it was a fun episode, though I wonder if they should of put a little more hints regarding something that comes up in the Series Finale. (Though perhaps the Pinkie plush we see in Cheese’s room might be something)

2, 4, 6, GREAT

Yeaaaaaah... if every season has their dud(/s) this is probably Season 9′s for sure. Once again Rainbow’s more dickish then she should be at this point of the series. And while I can understand that they’re different characters. I can’t help but be reminded of Human Rainbow in Friendship Games when she was doing her song for the pep rally. That very much felt like what a Rainbow Dash should actually be doing if they’re hired to lead a cheerleading squad. Kind of sucks though that Rainbow often does seem to get a dud episode in many seasons of the show (Mare-Do-Well Season 2, Rainbow Falls Season 4, 28 Pranks Later Season 6, Non-Compete Clause Season 8). Rainbow’s still my 2nd favorite pony, but sometimes that becomes hard to say after particular episodes.

A TRIVIAL PURSUIT

I’m a little mixed on this one, it’s fun to see Twilight freak out again. But something about this episode screams “Wrong season”. Especially since the very next episode gets into how Twilight has matured as she is closer to taking the role of ruler of Equestria. This kind of episode might of been fine if it had been made anywhere between Season 2-Season 5. Not the final season where she’s heading towards being the new ruler, it’d be kind of worrisome to know your next leader went bonkers trying to win a game of trivia.

THE SUMMER SUN SETBACK

Now this was a good one! A nice setup with the villain trio messing with the Mane 6′s Summer Sun celebration plans while they try to get information about Grogar’s bell. And while it became slightly muddled by the trivia episode prior to this, the note about Twilight’s character development is nicely appreciated. It’s kind of a shame that besides the opener, only this episode and Frenemies were the episodes that built up to the two-parter later. Said two-parter is still one of the best of the series, but it may have helped to have a little more build-up to it during the Season then it actually did.

SHE TALKS TO ANGEL

This was a fun Fluttershy episode for certain, we get to know exactly what Angel feels even if that’s through Fluttershy’s own body. So we can get a sense of really of what Fluttershy’s had to deal with for years heh. Also, the “I wanna marry Discord” off-hand line is pretty funny. Even if now it drives shippers crazy. You either take it that Angel is trolling, or Angel knows something that we don’t. Doesn’t help that something in the finale might of left things very ambiguous on this front.

DRAGON DROPPED

I think it’s actually good that Spike’s essentially outgrew his devotion to Rarity. Of course he’s still willing to help her from time to time as in the ending, but it’s great that he can kind of explore other things he wants to do and/or meet new friends. On a side note though, the first time Rarity’s practicing her apology had to have been one of the funniest moments in a while.

A HORSE SHOE-IN

The final Starlight episode gives her role as being promoted to being the new headmare of the School of Friendship. Which is a fair role to give her though I don’t know if that actually might feel a little underwhelming for fans of her. I mean, I’m glad she’s not like.. going to become a Princess herself as those were exactly the worst fears everyone had about Starlight. But it’s certainly a strange journey to go from a season-long villain, Twilight’s student for one season and the openers and finale of that season being more about her then it was Twilight and the others, to simply being in charge of a school at the end. That school’s still important, don’t get me wrong. It’s just that everything with Starlight doesn’t seem easy to explain as it still stems that we practically got nothing substantial about her after her rather quick turnaround in the Season 5 finale. I’m still as lukewarm as ever with Starlight. I do wonder if there will be a Starlight in G5, she may instantly have a better reception since G4 Starlight has quite the baggage.

On the episode itself though, it feel weird to have this moral of “Don’t hire your friends” only for Starlight to do exactly that by hiring both Sunburst and Trixie. Granted, Sunburst is probably competent. But I think I would of liked to see more of how Trixie would do as counselor more then just standing up for Gallus that one time. Just doesn’t feel right. I think I enjoyed the episode to some extent still, but it probably would of been better if Sunburst was part of the process. So maybe you can an addendum to the moral that sometimes your friends can also be good for the job while others aren’t

DARING DOUBT

Daring Do episodes are almost always fun. Though I do gotta say it’s weird to go with the whole Ahuizotl was misunderstood thing when I believe one of his thing was to try to make 800 years of unrelenting heat? What exactly was that about. But eh, might just have to be pushed with the pile of stuff like Marble and Big Mac.

GROWING UP IS HARD TO DO

It was pretty fun to see the CMC as grown-ups (Even though how funny would it be that we’d get to see that anyway during the finale. I wonder if perhaps this episode came into development simply because they planned the finale to be a timeskip long ago and decided to have a little more use for the flash assets of the adult CMC in a proper episode). A little more bittersweet when you look at Scoots though as you see that she still has small wings, nice attention to detail on her disability though.

THE BIG MAC QUESTION

And the final regular episode of the show is dedicated to getting Big Mac hitched and crazy Discord shenanigans. All I can say is it was a fun episode through and through and even brought back the sort of reality show interview stuff we saw in that one Season 6 Rarity episode

SEASON 9 THOUGHTS OVERALL

I still want to give the Finale it’s own thought section because I think it really deserves attention on it’s own. I thought I’d just give a general thoughts on Season 9. Besides the finale, Season 9 actually felt kind of on the underwhelming side of things. There are definitely good episodes popping up there and there, it just felt like it wasn’t really feeling like most of the episodes were taking any credence to how the show was wrapping up soon. Thankfully the Finale more then makes up for it, but it felt like a lot more could of been done to set things up for the big finale. The finale will no doubt be Season 9′s crown jewel and I do want to share as much thoughts as I possibly can about them when I get to it.

Regardless, this has been a fun series to keep watch on. Hopefully many of us still have some fandom things to look forward to making and/or seeing even as of course with our main show over we’ll see even less productivity at least until we see what Generation 5 will be like. See you guys again soon for when I have a response and big thoughts for the finale episodes!

[minicoopdetat]

Sweet Talking

Discord thread featuring:  Cooper and Ryleigh (@ryleighmeadows​)

Where: Ryleigh’s (Aiden’s) Apartment

When: A Week Ago

Description: Cooper talks Ryleigh into letting him come over and keep her company with his big strong arms

Trigger Warnings: Smut.

RYLEIGH

Thank goodness Aiden has pretty much taken to staying at Cordelia's. Pretty much meant Ryleigh had free reign over his apartment, including inviting her friends over whenever she wanted without having that awkward, 'Oh, I live with my brother' conversation. Things get weird after that and Ryleigh just wants... Cooper helps her forget about everything else. He's spontaneous and unpredictable, but in that way you can't help but find endearing if not a little insufferable at times. She enjoys that about him. He gets her out of her own head. Ryleigh hates being caught up in her head. By the time she arrives at the apartment, Coop is already standing outside the door, and she immediately passing him two of the shopping bags she has in hand. "Here, hold these," she says in greeting, but does stop to lift up and kiss his cheek, before she's sliding her key into the door and pushing inside. "Can you just set those over there, please?" She nods toward the table while taking the back she currently has over to the kitchen counter.

COOPER

"Do I look like fucking Jeeves?" he asks, a smirk lining his features as he takes the bag and looks at his outfit. "Is it the clothes, cause I clean up well and I could definitely pull off more of an Alfred" Batman had no fucking clue compared to Alfred. That man deserved a fucking medal for putting up with all that angsty bullshit. Bruce Wayne was loaded, skilled af, and had women throwing themselves at him daily. Could that buy happiness? Who cared, but sure as hell could help if he wasn't being so much of a sad sack. Coop followed after, eyes wandering as he plopped the bags on the table. "What's with the creepy Hannibal Lector vibe?" he asked, nodding toward the wall of books, "Just know, my skin is fucking moist af. I do skin care regs daily so I don't need any cheap ass lotion,"

RYLEIGH

"Jeeves?" Ryleigh chuckles at him. "No, but you were there and I needed help, and since you like me, you're going to help me," she bats her eyelashes at him before they enter her apartment. "It's my brother's apartment. He's staying with his girlfriend at the moment, though, so I've got his place all to myself. He... likes books," she tells him as she begins pulling items from the reusable grocery bags she'd brought him. Ryleigh doesn't know how much Aiden wants to keep hidden, so she doesn't offer up that her brother's an author, choosing to save that for another time. "A little help?" She motions towards the bags, motioning for him to join her.

COOPER

She had him there. Besides, never hurt to help out. Good karma and all that. His eyebrow raises at the mention of her brother and nods, "Ah yeah, I get that. I was thinkin it's a bit masculine for you. I imagined lots of pinks and purple. But i get that. Phaedra and I have a similar deal. She's off perusing the coasts of Greece and I get to do as I please. Only my first move was to take all her shit to storage," he chuckled moving over to help. He pulled a few things out of the bag, turning them over in his hands, "I see someone's on a mexican kick, is mi verga still on?"

RYLEIGH

"Pinks and purples? Why does everyone automatically go to those colors when they think of me?" He's not the first one to do it, but blue is actually her favorite color and if she had a choice to decorate anything? She'd have a French theme, or an ocean view theme. Pink ane purple is a little overrated. She's not that... bubbly... is she? "That must be so amazin' for her, though. I can't wait to see the world," she sighs, beginning to put a few of the items away in their designated spots. "I'm making tacos, yes. That's what's for dinner and for dessert," she answers, finding the single white peach she'd found, and tosses it in his direction. "Found your peach," she grins teasingly, taking the cheese from him to put it in the fridge.

COOPER

"So I've been set up," he replied, arms crossing over his chest, still smirking "You always lie on the first date, cause you definitely told me Lavender that first night," Maybe she was expecting not to see him again. Fat chance. He would've found a totally none stalkery way to see a vixen like her again. Coop shrugged, "For her? Fuck yeah. Though all she does is sit around and drink in them fancy hotels. I get it, you're 90 Phae, but get your ass in that sun and live a little," He chuckled, passing her some ingredients, not missing she totally skipped over his question. "Don't think you're slick. I see you changing the subject, but I like peaches so I'll eat this one...as long as I get to try yours later,"

RYLEIGH

"Did I?" She smirks knowingly, unable to help herself. He's just so easy. Cooper's one of those easy going guys who literally doesn't allow anything to bother him and she appreciates that about him so much to the point where she wishes she could be that good at letting things roll off her back. "Hey, let her live her life. Don't judge," she remarks, keeping everything organized so she can put them away in the proper places. "Changing the subject on what? I don't know what you're trying to tell me, Coop. Maybe you should tell me in plain English?" Ryleigh's only teasing, but she also knows two words in spanish and neither one of them had been what he said.

COOPER

Don't judge. She didn't know Phae. She ate pixies like Ryleigh for lunch. Read'em for fuckin filth. He loved her, but he could definitely judge her. "OK-- here's english for you. My dick. Are you having my dick, as like an appetizer or..." he can't help but laugh as he hands her the last of the groceries and leans against the table, "Look at me and say i'm not a snack,"

RYLEIGH

Ryleigh laughs, because how can she not? He's fucking ridiculous ninety-eight percent of the time. "Oh, you're definitely a snack, Coop," she remarks, plucking the peach from his hands after she's finished putting away the last of the groceries. "Do you really want me to suck your dick that bad? You can't even wait to be a little surprised by when I do it?" Ryleigh asks, leaning against the counter opposite him and biting into the peach she'd bought specifically for him, her free hand lifting when she feels a trickle of juice drip down her chin.

COOPER

"the fuck," he laughs, swiping for the stolen fruit, but she's faster. That or he's not trying too hard. "I do, I really really do-ooo," his voice is sing songy as he steps forward, his reflexes quick enough to catch her hand this time. "Don't worry, I gotcha," It's a light push to her wrist as he closes the gap and his head dips, his tongue wiping the trail of sweetness clean before pressing a light kiss. "I'd apologize for being overeager, but sorry, I'm not sorry. I really like you," he says, bringing his hand to cup her cheek as he pulls back, thumb caressing gently"And I'd really like your lips around my cock, but if its a no go, I get it. Tell me no now and I'll drop it for the rest of the night. Pinkie promise,"

RYLEIGH

Her breath hitches in her throat when his hand catches her own. Coop is flirty. He's loud. He's so unlike anyone she's ever known before, yet she's drawn to him. Their friendship, however unexpected, is one she craves because he makes her think less and act more. Before she can react, his tongue is swiping up the sticky trail on her chin, and he's kissing her. It's brief and light, but need strikes hard and fast behind her naval. I really like you. Is she really that weak? Yeah, she might be a little. Ryleigh takes another bite of the peach before she's setting it down on the counter before her, chewing her bite and swallowing the bitter sweet fruit. She pushes him back so he's leaning against the counter again before lifting up onto her tip toes to kiss him. A whisper of a touch of her lips against his, but a kiss all the same. "I really like you, too, Coop," she whispers softly as her small hands drop to his pants. "How much have you thought about it? My lips around your cock, I mean," she asks innocently, almost too sweetly, as she peers up at him with those sparkling green eyes of hers, one of her hands slipping beneath his pants to press her small palm flush against cock.

COOPER

His back hits the counter, not hard, but enough to make his cock twitch as her lips brush his. It's barely anything and it leaves him wanting, though her words? It's got him half chubbed, zero to sixty. That was a lie. Just texting her had gotten him worked up, but that was beside the point as her hand dropped, ghosting over the elastic and then beneath. He took a breath, his tongue pressing to his canines as he fights the urge to moan just yet, "Like-- a lot. A fucking ton," He can't hold it in, a soft groan escaping him as her palm connects with his cock. He never wore underwear, he told her as much their first meet, and feeling her bare skin against him had his head tilting forward, snagging another kiss, this one deeper than the last. "From the moment I met you, I knew they'd look so perfect..." he murmured into the kiss, before chuckling softly, "definitely top ten spank bank material,"

RYLEIGH

From her vantage point, she's granted an exceptional view of his jaw, of the day old stubble she can feel when her free hand rises to brush the back of her hand against him there. His groan makes a wave of heat flush over her body, cheeks growing pink, her hand palming his cock pressing harder, with more purpose, enough to make him feel good but not to hurt him. "From the moment we met, huh?" Ryleigh teases, smiling into the kiss he gives her, her hand falling from his jaw to graze down the front of his chest. He's so handsome, ridiculously so, and the fact that he wants her mouth on his cock? Ryleigh's filled with a sense of euphoria as she uses her free hand to work his button free, to push down the fabric of his pants until they're pooled round his ankles. His length springs free and Ryleigh nips at his lower lip once before she sinks to her knees in front of him. "Top ten but not number one?" She asks softly as her small hand curls around his cock, dragging up the length of him in one slow stroke before she's pressing the softest of kisses to the already leaking tip. Her eyes never leave his face.

COOPER

Despite those sweet innocent features, Cooper had known there was much more beneath her angelic exterior. No one with lips that perfectly plump could be. She was fuckin built for this, the perfect trap to anyone unsuspecting and Coop? He would dive in cock first anytime. His breathing hitches in his throat as he wets his lips, forcing his eyes to stay open as she works her magic, sending a surge of pleasure through his core with every stroke. "Down to the second. I thought 'Fuck those are the most perfect BJ lips I've ever seen," He feels the button pop and a shaky breath escapes, feeling the cool apartment air as his cock, thick and already pulsing, is exposed. He shifts, chuckling as he kicks his ankles free of the material and she slinks, in fucking slo mo, to her knees. The sight alone is almost enough to make him come undone but he tightens his core and fuckin prays he lasts longer than 60 seconds. "For now. Gotta allow for some growth you know, but keep this up, baby girl, and you be top 3 in no time," he chuckles again, his body trembling at the soft touch of her lips. One of his hands dip into her hair, dragging his blunt nails through the blonde tresses. "Damn that feels nice," The words came out with a sigh, his whiskey hues still connected with her bright blue.

RYLEIGH

Most perfect BJ lips? Her own shaky exhale washes over his skin where she's got her mouth poised above his cock.  "And what if I want to be number one, hm?" Ryleigh queries with a soft, teasing lilt in her voice - giving him a small pout as her hand continues to work along his shaft in effort to make him  trembled or her. That previous, shaky breath he'd let out, she wants to hear it again. She shifts on her knees, her thighs pressing together as he uses that little pet name for her and when his fingers sink into her hair, those blunt tips grazing her scalp, Ryleigh doesn't bother quieting her own whimper of pleasure. She doesn't offer him another response, but instead, with her hand working down his length, wraps her lips around his bulbous head, suckling softly on just the tip. Like it's her favorite flavor popsicle and she can't get enough of the taste.

COOPER

He feels her breath, warm and tantalizing, against his flesh and resists the urge to buck his hips. The stroke of her hand feels fucking incredible but the thought of watching his head disappear past those tickle me pink lips, the thought of feeling her tongue swirl and-- god fucking damn. he can hardly wait. "You work for it," he replies, breath already beginning to rasp as he hears her whimper. "Music to my ears. If only I'd been psychic enough to set up my fuckin phone. I'd listen to that all day," But he commits it to memory as he looks down at her sugary sweet features, her cheeks painted pink as her lips part as take him in, no hesitation, and feels the suction draw another soft groan from his throat. Heat flushes his skin, his fingers still working through her hair as his heartbeat quickens. It feels good. So damn good. And the view is everything he imagined and more. he trembles, his back digging into the counter as his head tilts to the side, getting a better angle. "That's it, baby, take it like it's your favorite,"

RYLEIGH

Work for it. S'not the first time she's heard those words. Ryleigh doubts they'll be the last, but something about Cooper, about being friends with him, makes her want to prove him wrong. Or right? She wants to be so good at this, he'll be dizzy with need every time he thinks about her mouth wrapped round his cock. Ryleigh hums around him, allowing him to feel the vibration of it. She should hate those words on his tongue, hate the way he seems so cocky about this, but a part of her finds a thrill in it if the way her panties are already drenched, clinging to her lower lips. She suckles on him for another moment longer, working her hand down his shaft, her free hand lifting to tease at the heavy sacs at the base of his cock before she pushes forward. Pink lips stretching wide around his shaft as she drops low, lower, breathing in deep until he hits the back of her throat and she can't take anymore of him. With another low hum, she bobs her head, working her mouth along his cock, using her hand to work what she can't fit into her mouth just yet.

COOPER

She hums, sending little waves of pleasure up his length, that have his fingers tightening in her hair. This position. As incredible as it felt to look down and see his dick practically devoured, his hands felt useless. And he was nothing if not a team player, but-- she seemed to like havin her hair teased, so his free hand pushed past her locks, the other loosening enough to massage her scalp. He feels the pads of her fingers grazing his balls and he swallows hard, the heat continuing to coil and build behind his abdomen as she begins to take more and more of him in. It's hard to say he's ever seen a better disappearing act as he groans deeply, the tip of his cock bumping the back of her throat. "Jesus fuckin Christ," he says breathlessly, his nails raking harder this time, unable to control the pressure as the pleasure builds and her head starts to bob. "God damn, Ryleigh, fuck that feels so so good, baby girl," he groans, his breathing growing more labored by the second.

RYLEIGH

Both of his hands are in her hair now, one massaging her scalp, the other curling in her golden locks and it's one of her biggest weaknesses the action draws another whimper from her. This one caught in her throat since her mouth is currently occupied, working along his length. Spit is already dribbling down his length from how much she's enjoying herself, and she uses it to work her hand faster, in time with her mouth. His nails raking harder make her nipples harden, a sharp ache building behind her sensitive little clit, not that she expects him to reciprocate. Sure, he mentioned wanting her, but that's not the same as actually doing anything, which Ryleigh expects because this isn't about her. He just had to go and use that pet name again, though, causing her to moan softly and shift herself up in such a way that when she bobs her head down, the head of his cock inches past her throat. Ryleigh gags, but just a little, her cheeks flushing read. She doesn't stop as she swallows, forcing him to feel that tightness contract around him. She hasn't stopped massaging him, either, palming the heavy sacs and she hates how eager she is for a taste of him, for his cum to fill her belly.

COOPER

She doesn't have to wait long. All of her little whimpers, hitches, moans. The way her hand pumps, moving in perfect sync with those pillowy pink lips along the slickness of his thick cock. The way she damn near chokes herself and does skip a beat and her throat spasms around him. It's too much and god mother fucking damn does it feel eu-fucking-phoric. His eyes shut, his hips arching as one hand clenches her hair and the other drags against her scalp, a deep guttural moan pouring from his lips as he unravels, body tightening, cumming so hard his knees nearly give out. His mind hazes, and he'd swear he passed out for a millisecond as the heat in his dick rushed through the rest of his body, lining his cheeks as his body shuddered and his grip in her hair slacks. He doesn't stop playing with her hair as pleasure washes over him, slowing him down as he fights to find words, "That-- that's definitely number 2 slot-- spank, holy fuckballs,"

RYLEIGH

Either it's been a while for him or she hasn't lost her touch at all, but Ryleigh is triumphant when she feels his hand tighten in her hair, when she feels his balls shudder and then he's there. A pulse of sticky warmth down her throat, coming in her mouth without warning her - not that she cares because that's what she wanted, but if she'd been anyone else, they probably would've had a few choice words for him. Ryleigh, however, whimpers and swallows every drop he gives her, continuing to work her mouth along him until she's sure she's manage to milk every drop of that creamy substance from his cock for now. He tastes as wild and heady as his entire personality, which doesn't surprise her. A minute later, she finally sits back on her haunches, a knowing grin on her lips as she licks her lips over her swollen pink lips, licking any remnants of him from her mouth. "I guess I'll take number two." She shrugs lightly, voice slightly huskier than normal, before she's rising to her feet and spinning to make a grab for the peach on the counter. There's an ache between her own thighs she'll take care of later, but she doesn't expect him to return the favor.

COOPER

Cooper takes a few breathes, trying to get a grip on them as Ryleigh rides the tsunami of a orgasm she'd just given him. It's impressive really, as he forces his eyes open to see how she not only takes a load like a champ but swallows every. last. drop. talk about fucking wifey material. but she's still going, the friction keeping his dick from softening though it's sensitive, to the point he actually sighs in relief as she sits back and those big blue eyes connect with his half lidded ones. He cocks a single brow, panting still as she stands and reaches for the peach as if she didn't just rock his fucking world. Cooper's reflexes kick in once more though, catching her hand to spin and pull her toward him, "Aye, and where do you think you're going?" he asked, a smirk lining his features as he dipped to kiss her, "I'd like my appetizer, please and thank you"

RYLEIGH

When he catches her hand and spins her back to him, Ryleigh goes willingly, if a little surprised by his actions. "Nowhere? Just going to eat my peach," she answers, but then he's smirking and dipping his head to kiss her. Heat flickers down her spine and she wonders if he can taste himself on her tongue. "Appetizer? You don't have to if you don't want to, Coop," she reiterates, face flushing at the prospect of him doing that to her. There'd been that time a few weeks ago someone had done it, but it's all such a blur now, it still makes her blush that someone wants to willingly make her feel good. "I promise it's not a make or break thing," she adds, voice a little quieter. She also doesn't want to have to explain her scars, but knowing Coop, he'd say something adorably dickish and move past them. So... what's really the hang up on her part? Ryleigh doesn't want to be a disappointment to him.

COOPER

"Really? That's what you wanna do right now? Eat a shitty peach?" he chuckled leaning toward the counter before swatting the peach into the floor like a fucking cat video. "Oops. Guess that's off the counter," He has to bite the inside of his lip to keep from laughing again. She's uncomfy, that's obvious, but she'd literally just given him one of the best bjs in his life stint in-- no fucking life and now she was feeling shy? It didn't add up. "Ryleigh, Ryles, Ry Ry....why the fuck wouldn't I? Actually its kinda selfish of you to wanna to have all the fun. I have needs you know and right now? I need you to sit on my face and let me know exactly how wet making me cum made that sweet sweet pussy of yours," As he's talking, his free hand snakes around her waist, slowly guiding her toward the couch. He's moving slow, slow enough that if she really doesn't want the reprieve, she can stop him, but he sure as hell hope she doesn't.

RYLEIGH

Her mouth falls open when he smacks the peach out of her hand. "Cooper! What is wrong with you? That was a perfectly good peach!" She manages to argue with him just as he's managed to keep her flush against his body. Her pink lips, now swollen, form into a small pout as he slowly backs her up toward the couch. Sit on his face? No, she's not.. definitely not doing that. She blushes so hard, she can feel the heat in her cheeks, but she doesn't stop him from continuing to guide her back toward the couch. "You can... you can still find out... but I'm not sitting on your face, Coop. But if you really want to... find out... then I guess you can, but remember what I said. No questions, okay?" Ryleigh peers up at him from beneath her long lashes, very reminiscent of Puss in Boots in that scene in Shrek when he's pleading for someone to do something for him. "I want it, I do, I just---- my pleasure usually isn't what people think about." She shrugs, telling him the truth of her apprehension because it's Cooper and they're friends, aren't they?

COOPER

He doesn't glance over his shoulder as he moves and nearly trips over his shoes, but he recovers like the bomb ass martial artist he is. He doesn't blush but he could probably see the red in hers from orbit. "Oh come ooon. I promise its comfortable. The god's blessed me with the perfect jaw for it, it jut screams 'sit here'," They reach the couch and he lingers for a moment, watching her pull out all the stops. Over what? Did she have like a third nipple down there or something? Because honestly that sounded kinda hot in a weird Picasso kinda way, "Fine, no questions," he replies plopping onto the couch. He wastes no time having his hands massage over denim covering her hips and around to pop their button. He's listening or trying to as he starts to ease them down. "Then you've been with the wrong peeps, baby girl, cause pleasure is definitely a two way street. I mean-- think about it," he began, shoving the denim to her ankles before sliding his hands up her thighs, his eyes up, connecting with hers as one hand slips between her creamy thighs. She's wet...so much wetter than he'd thought and he can't help but groan softly, "Think about how wet you are...you're fucking drenched for me and I barely touched you. If makin me feel good, makes you feel that good, why wouldn't it be the same for me, hm? And if it ain't, then those people? They aint worth your fuckin time and more than likely, the air they breathe,"

RYLEIGH

Ryleigh takes a deep breath, his words dragging a low, amused little laugh from her at his comment. He does have a very nice jaw, she'll give him that and maybe, one day, she'll be comfortable enough to sit on his face because she wants to and not just because he wants that from her. Her uneasiness settles when he finally agrees to keep his questions to himself.  He plops down onto the couch leaving her standing in front of him, his fingers deftly freeing the button on her jeans. Fabric gives just slightly as he slowly eases them down over her hips, down her thighs, until they're pooled around her ankles. She struggles to work her feet free, pushing the denim to the side once she's able to, her off the shoulder sweatshirt long enough to cover her ass and hide most of her panties from him, but then his hands are grazing up her thighs and it's-- her knees tremble beneath the touch. He's not wrong; she's soaked right through her panties. "I-- I guess I never thought of it that way," she answers honestly in a quiet whisper, her throat tight as she watches him watching her. Her small hands rise to settle on his shoulders and she shifts a half step closer to him. "I don't know if I'll be able to do this while standing because my knees are already shaking and you're only touching me," Ryleigh adds, a quiet whimper leaving her as he continues to touch her.

COOPER

Her pants discarded to the side gives him more access and he loves the effect his touch has on her. And the amount of juices seeping through those flimsy cotton panties, it's enough to coat the pads of his fingers and he pulls back, popping them between his lips. She tastes like a fuckin main course, the subtle salty with taste only a on point pussy would taste of, and he groans softly as his fingers leave his lips and slip right back between her thighs. "Then come here," he says, drawing her onto the couch so that she's straddling him, his fingers pressing that thin material past her folds to find her pretty-- well he assumed it was pretty, little clit. "What do you think about that makes your nipples hard and your clit throb? Tell me what you want, what you fuckin desire, Ryleigh, and I'll give it to you,"

RYLEIGH

Cooper's that kind of handsome where you're not sure if he's even real because he's almost too handsome. They'd met at some random party Ryleigh had decided to check out on a whim, spent far too much time outside climbing trees, and now they're here. His lips wrapping around his fingers to taste her arousal on them. Ryleigh files the image away for her own use, later, because it's one of the sexiest things she's ever seen someone do because of her. When he drags her onto his lap, thighs spread to straddle him, Ryleigh's little hands find purchase on his shoulders, shifting herself to get more comfortable but his hands are there, between her thighs again, his fingers finding her clit with expertise and she--- is she really supposed to answer him? What she wants, it isn't real. Being the girl someone can't wait to get their hands on, can't wait to ruin with as many orgasms as possible. She's the girl when there's no one else available, though, and she's come to terms with that a long time ago, so instead of answering him, she sinks her fingers into his hair and drags his mouth to hers for a kiss. Desperate, needy. "I want you to make me cum, Cooper, please?" Ryleigh whispers against his mouth, rolling her hips forward against his fingers. If he wanted to manhandle her a little while he does... she wouldn't hate it.

COOPER

Coop can feel her warmth the second the gap between them closes and as her weight presses into his shoulders and he gets a glimpse of her amazing breasts, he can't think of a single reason anyone would deny this bombshell the pleasure she so rightly deserved. Yes, she had those innocent doe eyes and those plump little cheeks that made ya wanna squeeze them, but like beauty, sexy was in the eyes of the beholder, and his eyes? They were telling him she was one of the most fuckable girls in Dayton. Her kiss is dizzying and he can taste how bad she needs this. Who was he to disappoint? "That's child's play, baby girl," he replies, lips breaking into a smirk against her lips as he finally pushes the fabric away and the pads of his fingers meet her slick heat, "Im going to make you squirt for me," As he speaks, his hands leave their spots, finding her hips to jerk her to the side and onto her back. Fingers curl into the elastic of her panties and though he was sure he could rip the material, he isn't an animal ( yet ), and he drags them down her thighs and past her ankles. They're discarded, but he doesn't wait before he's parting those beautiful thighs. He can see something there, disappearing as it wrapped around the back, but she said no questions. He'd honor it. For now. And his hand moved to splay her folds as his head dipped, his tongue swatting at her leaking pussy with uncontrolled delight. "You taste so much better than peaches," he teased

RYLEIGH

Cool air meets her slick flesh when he just barely nudges her panties to the side. His words spoken with such confidence, like there's never been a moment he's been with someone where he hasn't made them squirt. Ryleigh whimpers loudly, much more so than she intends to, but he's quick to jerk her onto her back, her small body easy to move compared to how much bigger and stronger he is. He's not the most overpowering person she's been with, but need still flickers through her at how easily he can have her spread open for him, dragging the soiled material of her panties away from her body. Ryleigh blushes when he parts her thighs, thankful she takes care of herself despite knowing if anyone is even going to be up close and personal with her goods or not. She's bare because it feels better that way and when his fingers spread her slick folds, parting her like he can't wait to--- "Coop," Ryleigh moans, one of her hands reaching down, pushing any thought of uncertainty out of her mind as she focuses on the velvety warmth of his tongue lapping at her center. Fingers spear through his hair, gripping tight as she raises her hips, seeking the warmth of his lips, allowing instinct to guide her.

COOPER

His name leaving her lips is all he needs. Preferably a need that's recurrently met cause he wants his name in a fucking symphony of groans, moans, and whimpers. He wanted varying volumes, speeds, the works. He wanted his name carved in her memory so that whenever those delicate digits found their way between her own thighs, it was his name she sang out. His name that shook her core and took her to the euphoric crescendo.  and he'd gladly do whatever it took to get her there. Hands push through his hair as his tongue circles the sensitive bundle of nerves, and he had to grin, her hips bucking as he slowed down to take his time, to allow them both to enjoy it as he began to spell. C-O-O-P-E-R.

RYLEIGH

A knot forms in her throat, because nobody took time with her. Thats... okay, some people did. Some people took their time, but mostly because she liked to tease. Because she loved the control it gave her to have someone throbbing under her mouth - be it a cock or pretty pussy - it didn't really matter. Cooper, though, with every drag of his tongue against her center, she grows dizzy from the weight of the pleasure in her veins. His tongue circles around the sensitive bundle, drawing a breathy little moan from her throat. Her lithe fingers tighten in his hair, tryin not to roll her hips up against his tongue. Lost as she is in the euphoria he's bestowing upon her, she doesn't catch what he's trying to do with his tongue. Just knows each soft, velvety swirl causes goosebumps to kiss her skin and her body to arch up toward his face in effort to make him stop. torturing. her. "Coop, please," she pleads when fire licks down her spine, sweat beading along her forehead. Ryleigh lifts her head to peer down at him, her lower lip catching between her teeth at the sight of him there - jaw dripping with evidence of her need. "I want to come for you," she admits, her face flaming a bright shade of pink at her words. She's not unused to saying them, but she's never said anything so bold to him and it's-- she wants him to think about her after this. When he's alone in his shower, working his fist along his cock. She wants him to remember this moment and how she felt coming on his tongue.

COOPER

He can tell she's trying to restrict herself, her hips tense as hands brush over their curves. Her fingers feel fucking great, tightening as she moans for him. Whatever she's trying to hold back, he makes it his goal to expose, because fuck he wants to see her unravel completely. He wants her melt, to be a puddle in the wake of his masterful cunnilingus. Which he'd definitely make a joke about later. But for now she was pleading, her body arching, resolve loosening with every swirl of his tongue. "That's what I like to hear, baby girl. Cum for daddy," he teases, pulling the bundle between his lips to suckle as his right hand slips between them, digits grazing her thickness before circling her heat with his middle finger. She's so fuckin wet and he just can't resist pressing forward, sliding the tip inside her, as his tongue continue working it magic.

RYLEIGH

She's overwhelmed. Flickers of pleasure licking through her body, making her vision cross and her hands shake as she keeps them tight in his hair. If she let's go, she's not sure she won't float away on a cloud, because this has to be a dream. Nothing could feel this good, could be this intense. Except every swirl of his tongue proves different, her thighs trembling on either side of his head. Full lips wrap around her sensitive little clit right after he says those words. Right after he uses that moniker on himself and it's too much. It's fucking too much and she-- a rush of euphoria crashes over her body in heavy waves, a sweet, lilted cry of "daddy please" coiling off the tip of her tongue like she has any fucking right to say it, but he'd started it and she's coming so hard around his the tip of his finger. Just the tip. Not even the entire thing, and she's a mess. A familiar warmth burns behind her eyes as the intensity weighs heavy on her chest, her thighs fluttering on either side of his head as if trying to clamp down, to push him away, because she feels more vulnerable than she ever has and it's embarrassing.

COOPER

"daddy please" fuck-- he could've cum right then and there hearing those words. His cock, still hard from their explorations, throbbed, and he had to focus as her walls clenched around his finger tip. He feels the rush of warm there, her shuddered breaths as her thighs tremble, but he doesn't stop. No fuckin way is he not riding it out, enjoying every little twitch and whimper as he slows, his pressure lightening to adjust to what he assumed was now highly sensitive. "such a good girl," he practically purrs against her, feeling her muscles beginning to relax. He sits up a bit, his whiskey colored hues falling on her scarlet stained face. No doubt he's cover in her, but he makes no effort to brush it away not even as he pulls his finger out of her deliciously wet core and pops it in his mouth. "I think I found my new favorite meal," he teases, pressing soft kisses along her thighs. He can see better now...thin sometimes jagged looking scars the wrap around the backs of them. His instinct isn't to ask. No, she already said she didn't want to talk about anything he saw. Instead he brushes his lips along them, peppering kisses down the length of each one as he lifts one of her legs to rest atop his shoulder. "God, you're beautiful," he murmurs against her.

RYLEIGH

there's such a swell of emotion in her chest and fire sparking through her body, it's hard for her to focus on any one sensation. he doesn't stop,even as she falls apart, but rather licks and touches her through it until she's no more than a softly whimpering mess. she's surprised she feels herself relaxing at all, but he let's up, and finally, she can breathe, but she inhales so sharply, unable to stop the fall of her tears from the corners of her eyes. ryleigh can only let out a half laugh at his words. she can't taste that good.  the petite blonde shakes her head, tries to shift herself away from his attention, but then his head turns and she feels his lips brushing over the back of one of her thighs. ryleigh's fine, if a little tense, and the bubble of emotion she'd felt explodes when his lips brush across one she knows is particularly rough looking, so deep, the skin is raised and puckered pink. she twitches against him, scrambling away from his mouth, from his attention, from those god awful words on his lips. "please don't. they're not... i'm not..." ryleigh curls herself against the corner of the couch, legs tucked against her chest, arms wrapped tight around them. she's crying, and she doesn't mean to, but nobody's ever-- she remembers the pain. remembers every single time she'd felt the sharp edge of the knife dig into her flesh, her vision blurring from the force of her tears. "i'm sorry," she murmurs, voice muffled by her knees.

COOPER

No no no. This-- fuck. This was not how things were supposed to go. He wanted her to feel good. To feel fuckin pampered. But she was crying. Her frame shrinking away from him completely and it was obvious by her reaction the chance of him ever getting the opportunity to actually fuck her was gone. Not that he cared. No-- she was hurting and his chest ached for her as he sat up, the back of his hand swiping at his mouth as he slipped off the couch and onto his knees next to her, dispelling the space between them with the wrap of his arms around her. "I'm not gonna to say 'its ok' or 'I know how you feel'. It's obviously not ok and I dunno how you feel or why you feel that way and I'm not asking and I'm not going to feed you that bullshit..." he murmurs, his grip loose enough that if she wants to pull back, it's not a struggle, "Never fuckin apologize for how you're feelin though. It's valid, even if no one else understands. And I'm not sorry for what I said or did, because that's how I feel, even if you don't..."

RYLEIGH

ryleigh expects him to leave. nobody wants to deal with her minor break down after they've made her cum. she doesn't expect to feel his arms around her, or for him to try and comfort her. when he does, though? when his arms slip around her, she's leaning into his embrace, shifting against him so she's buried into his chest face first, her arms caught between her chest and his. she's not sure how long she let's him hold her, or how long they sit together like this, but she's lulled by the sound of his heart beat. "you were great. i'm a mess," she manages to whisper softly, blinking through the burn of her eyes, fingers spreading over the fabric of his shirt. "it's been a long time since anyone's-- i love sex. don't get me wrong. i'm good at it and i love it a lot, but it's never... i've just had some bad experiences and usually, it's not about what i want or how i feel. so it's-- it was just overwhelming. and i'm not proud of my scars. i am, because i survived, but sometimes they just make feel ugly. damaged. it's like this reminder that no matter how much i try to pretend like i'm okay, that i'm whole, i'm not." god, she's word vomiting all over him. sniffling softly, ryleigh lifts her head away from his chest, hands wiping over her face. "i'm sorry. i've... never told anyone that before." she whispers, before realizing this is cooper and this is probably the last thing he signed up for.

COOPER

he doesn't expect her to lean in. if anything he expected a shove to his chest, maybe a few choked words not so subtly telling him to leave. as dim as people thought he was, Cooper knew he wasn't the guy people looked to for this sort of thing. He was loud and obnoxious and he was fuckin proud of it. He accepted that part of himself, embraced it a long ass time ago. no one brought a fuckin clown to a memorial. but she buried her head against his chest and he can feel his shirt soaking with her tears, but he doesn't move. He's not even sure if he's breathing until he hears her voice, barely above a whisper, breaks the silence. he lets her talk, though he's glad she can't his facial expression shift. he wants to interrupt. To tell her whoever made her feel that way...whoever fuckin did this to her didn't deserve the fuckin air they were breathing and that if he ever ran into them, he'd make it so every breath they took was a fucking struggle. But he managed to keep that, and more than a few others at bay, his jaw flexing as she lifted her head and he met those big blue eyes. They were red-- puffy, but still as gorgeous as ever. Especially as the last of her words fell from her lips and a small smirk curls onto his lips as he presses a kiss just below her eye. He can practically taste the salt as he pulls back, his volume matching hers "Ugh, you gotta stop with the apologies. Does it look like I care? I mean-- I do, but not about that. So stop," he presses another, this time below her other eye, "Nobody is whole, Ryleigh. It's a flippin myth. We all have our scars that make us feel like shit...some wear them on the outside, others on the inside, some are deeper than others and they all effect us differently. Yours at least tell your story of survival...they, no matter how fuckin painful, tell a story. Me? I've got fuckin orbs on my body for shits and giggles. Not even one, Ryleigh. Seven. SEVEN," he said pulling back to show her his wrists.

"But like i said before, your feelings? They’re valid and you can’t help them, sometimes you gotta say fuck it and lean into them to get through them. But you can’t let them define you either, cause your more than that shit--” his voice cut off with a soft chuckle, his eyes pulling from hers as he glances up, “I dunno if that makes any fucking sense. But it feels right to me and I hope you feel it too,”

RYLEIGH

sharing her thoughts, allowing herself not to be okay-- she's spent three years living another life. longer, actually, if you take into account her childhood. living this half life where she can smile at a complete stranger, yet, when caught in the silence of her own space, she immerses herself inside her own heartache. she never shares this part of herself with anyone, because there's a persona she has. one she's kept up very nicely since arriving in town (minus a few setbacks here and there), but for the most part, she's managed to maintain some semblance of normalcy. her cheeks flush when he kisess first one cheek, then the other, her tears clinging to his lips as he pulls away. a watery laugh catches in her throat at his words, but mostly because it was such a cooper way to answer her, but also surprisingly sweet? red rimmed eyes fall to where he holds out his wrists, orangish hued orbs inked upon his skin, barring stars in the middle. she's not sure what they're for, or why, but she's lifting one of her hands to brush her thumb over the soft, sensitive skin. "shits and giggles? no other reason?" she asks softly, her voice raspy due to the effort of trying to hold in her sobs. ryleigh sighs softly. it's the most she's heard cooper talk about anything without him trying to talk about his dick in the same sentence and it's a lot, but not... she appreciates it. him. leaning into him, she presses a soft kiss to his lips and it should deter her, the smell of her on his skin, but she kind of.. likes it? "thank you, cooper. i'm s-- i didn't mean to ruin the moment. it was just very overwhelming for me to feel so many things at once, and then you were kissing them and calling me beautiful and it-- it was overwhelming." she states quietly, licking her parched lips as she remains leaning against him, pantsless.

COOPER

he chuckles, the soft brush tickling a little. "I mean-- yes and no. They're called Dragon Balls...they're nothing alone. Paper weights at best. But together they represent this otherworldly magic with the power to grant any fuckin wish you can dream up. So I could give you some bullshit about how each one represents my siblings and I and how together we can fuckin rule the world, but honestly? It's a fun excuse to get naked and grant some wishes," Cooper said, tossing her a playful wink. There were more than a few reasons he liked the idea of tattooing, most of which would make him sound fucking high, but hey-- any way to cut the tension, right? He smiles into her kiss, warmth spreading through him as she seems to relax a little more. he wasn't afraid of a heavy moment, but fuck were they stressful. And stress wasn't a state he existed in often. As she mentioned the moment, he feigned a glance down, his eyes flicking back up with a coy smirk. "I'm not gonna lie, Big Coop's pretty fuckin soft, but I'd be more worried if he were the opposite. Just don't judge him, he's a grower, not a shower," Not that that was ever a problem. He was almost always a quarter of the way chubbed. A problem? Maybe to some, but to him? Definitely not. "I get that. I know I'm a bit of an acquired taste...but I meant what I said, you are beautiful. Every last inch of you," he muses, squeezing her gently before pressing one last kiss to her lips. Now would be the perfect time to linger. To coax her in to something deeper, something more sensual than the few soft touches they'd been sharing. But he shifts, unwrapping his arms so he can stand, because come on-- as much as he'd love to round the bases and bring it home, he's not a fucking sleaze bag. He knew when the inning was over and this was that. "How about you stay there. Relax and I'll start the fajitas and then you can take over when you start smellin smoke," he teased, moving pantless into the kitchen. Sexy times were over, but that was fine. It wouldn’t be long until he had some delicious fajitas-- decent fajitas, and a beautiful woman to snuggle up to. And that? That was all he really needed.

[stevesweetart]

Mιʂυɳԃҽɾʂƚαɳԃιɳɠʂ Pαɾƚ 3

Word Count: 1.7k

Fluff with a hint of angst

The drive from the house with Robin and Steve was very relaxing. You sat in the front seat, leaning your head against the window sill as the window itself was down slightly to let cool air into the car. ‘Everybody wants to rule the world’ Was playing softly throughout the car ride. Steve  was driving as Robin sat in the back seat, playing with her hair. Peaceful drives like this are your favorite kind, nothing to worry about as the wind cools you off from the hot summer air. Your body melted into the seat in the most relaxed way possible. Robin noticed how chill you were and smiled, facing forward once again. Robin started to fall asleep in the back seat, but she wanted to keep awake to make sure nothing bad happens, since she is still unsure about Steve’’s driving skills and to watch over you. He was worried about Nancy getting to you, due to the fact that he was being way too nice to you for her liking. Steve soon pulled into a small ice cream shop, parking the car.

“This is a cute place” You smiled, unbuckling your seat as Steve opens your door for you.

“They have the best malts here” Robin replied, walking inside first as you and Steve follow her. You get slight chills from the cool air inside, rubbing your arms up and down. You three sat down near a window in a booth. You rested your chin on your crossed arms, that were rested upon the table. Robin sat in the middle of you and Steve, a face of disgust as Steve smiles in a perverted way looking around at the waitresses in short skirts. She rolled her eyes and looked at you, resting her face on her hand.

“So, did you have a special someone ...?” You laughed sadly at her question.

“No, I don’t think relationships are for me” You replied, watching as a waitress drops three menus in front of you and walking away as she smiles and bites her lower lip at Steve. You picked up the menu as Steve turns to you.

“Need some relationship advice?” He said, a cocky smile on his face as you and Robin gave him a look of disinterest. Steve looked at you both, waiting for either of you to say something.

“Anyway, so what sounds good to you?” She asked sweetly, watching you as you read through the menu. Your eyes flew through it, choosing a cheese burger and fries, something basic.

“Good choice, I might get the same” Robin replied, she turned to Steve.

“What about you?” He looked at her, shrugging his shoulders.

“Just a milkshake, nothing else for me” The waitress came back a few minutes later, still flirting with Steve as she takes your orders. As she walks away, Robin still couldn’t believe Steve.

“So let me get this straight Steve…” She started, Steve looking at her.

“So you can flirt here just fine, but during your old job you can’t do it to save your life?” Steve scoffed.

“Look, it’s hard to flirt well when you are wearing a sailors outfit-”

“Is that your excuse? Because at the mall-”

“Wait!!” You peeped out, looking at Robin and Steve, catching them off guard. You leaned in to whisper.

“There’s can actual time machine under the mall?” You asked, Robin running her fingers through her hair and Steve pulls up his sleeves as they both sigh in frustration.

“Okay so, there is a russian base underneath the mall. Doing experiments and who knows what else, we went down there ourselves and things got bloody-” He started.

“Very bloody..” Robin began, “They beat the shit out of him-”

“Shh shh shh shh shh” He said, fanning his hand in front of her face.

“Anyway due to the base, and all the experiments they do, I am sure there could be but due to what happened last time I refuse to let anyone go down there” Steve grumbled the last part, watching as the food is brought to your table.

“Thank you Sadie, whatcha doing tonight sweetheart?” He asked cheekily, earning a smile from the girl.

“Nothing, I get off work around five”

“Drive in movie baby?” Steve purred, causing Robin to cover her mouth and fake gag at you, which caused you to giggle as she laughed back.

“Sure, I’ll see you then” She said, walking away. Steve got too distracted by her outfit as you and Robin started eating your food. You looked outside and saw Nancy and Jonathan get out of a car, Nancy clearly upset, and Jonathan looking slightly confused. Your eyes went wide and you gently hit Robin’s shoulder.

“Look!” Robin turned around and groaned, rolling her eyes.

“Steve, Nance is here” Steve’s eyes nearly popped out of his head, getting up and walking to the door. He went outside and words were clearly being exchanged, Steve was clearly getting angry, Nancy was throwing her hands up in the air, eventually throwing them down near her hips and into fists.

“She’s such a priss” Robin grumbled, finishing up the fries. You nodded slightly, yawning as you finish your food. Steve came back in after a few minutes, hair slightly messier and sweat on his face. He sighed in relief as he sat back down.

“Steve? You ok..?” You asked softly, he shook his head no.

“She won’t get off my back about trying to figure out a way to get you back home sooner”

“She’s clearly not wanting you around for so much longer-”

“What about the guy who is with her?” You asked, looking at the pair. They made eye contact, soon turning to look out the window as Jonathan and Nancy left the parking lot. You watched Steve dunk down the milkshake, silence was awkward as the background music of the shop played. Your mind was running around the idea of how you are going to get home.

“I don’t think Jonathan hates you like Nancy does-” Robin interrupted Steve right away. 

“I don’t think he hates her period” Your eyes got wide as a fact smacked you in the face as you realized something that happened within the past 12 hours.

“Wait guys?” You said, your voice shaky.

“How did El, get so many facts about me from last night??” Steve nearly choked on the milkshake as Robin inhaled and bit her lower lip and avoided eye contact.

“Okay so um…. It’s very complicated to explain…” Robin started, but Steve waved his hands around to stop her from talking.

“El has some superpowers, I think it’s telekinesis? Or something like that??” Robin rolled her eyes.

“You mean psychokinetic abilities?” She said, shaking her head in disappointment at Steve.

“Yeah yeah close enough” He mumbled, finishing the last bit of his shake. You turned to Robin.

“So, she can just figure things out real easily through her mind??” Robin nodded as Steve sighed and looked at you.

“Has she been underneath the mall before?” Steve tilted his head.

“I don’t think so, but I know what you are thinking”

“If El has that power she could figure out if there is a time machine underneath it, that’s what you’re thinking?” You nodded, eyes right on Steve.

“I don’t know, but we could certainly try but let’s go bowling, I’ve been dying to prove to Robin that I can kick her ass at bowling anytime” Steve said, earning a slap on the arm from Robin.

“Yeah right idiot, I doubt you without a doubt” You laughed as you watched them bicker as you guys left the shop and got in the car. Steve backed up the car and turned up the radio, singing along with the lyrics quietly. You settled back into the chair again, feeling the sun hit your skin. With every building passing by you enjoyed the silent moments, Steve mumbling the lyrics and Robin messing around with her hair. Steve soon pulled into the bowling alley parking lot. But the moment he pulled in he was met with Nancy and Jonathan once again. He groaned and slammed his hand against the wheel. You placed your hand on his shoulder, patting it slowly as Steve placed his head against the wheel. Robin got out and went to talk to them.

“Steve…?”

“Hm?”

“I’m sorry you have to deal with this..” He sat back up and looked down at his feet.

“Thank you but pity is the last thing I need right now-”

“Steve you don’t deserve this type of treatment from her-”

“I wouldn’t say that, I was a complete dick to her in high school” He grumbled, grabbing his lighter and a cigarette, as he lit it and inhaled and exhaled you plugged your nose which gained his attention.

“What?” He asked, looking at you weird as you held your nose between your pointer and middle finger.

“The smell”

“Oh, not your favorite thing?” You shake your head no.

“Do you smoke?” Once again, you said no.

“How do you deal with stress then?”

“I just suffer through it, I don’t… Never mind” You said, closing your lips tightly.

“You don’t what?” You shook your head no again, which caused Steve to look at you.

“No no no no no don’t curl up on me like that-”

“Steve?”

“Hm?”

“... why do you smoke? You know what it does to your body…” He chuckled, which caused your heart to break more. He faced forward as he looked at Robin talk to Nancy and Jonathan.

“You know that’s all bullshit right? It’s all in the mind. So don’t get me wrong, I appreciate that you’re watching out for me, but-”

“Ultimately it’s your choice” Your weak voice caught his attention as he turned to you, seeing you curled up as you face away from him and down at the passenger window.

“Hey,” He said softly, placing his hand on your shoulder, forcing you to look at him.

“Again, it does feel good to know someone cares about me, especially in this world”

“Promise?” You whimpered, he held out his pinky.

“I promise” He whispered, as your pinky hooked around his.

“But do take care of yourself well ok?” He nodded, watching as Robin got back inside.

“There is a slight emergency back at the house-” The start of the engine caught you and Robin off guard as Steve turned on the car and backed it up, driving immediately back to the house, with no questions asked.

[catfishandthebottlefan]

#6 - Care

A/N - I don’t know where this idea came from, but I kinda love it. Basically, you’re being followed home; Van and his family rescue you from the stalker. Kinda angsty at the start but becomes fluffy and purely wholesome. It’s probably set in around 2011/2012, before Catfish got really big. But that’s enough of me rambling on, enjoy reading the fic! ~ A x

You pull your denim jacket on over your t-shirt, and turn to leave the quiet bar, after 45 minutes of sitting there, alone. None of your messages had gone through, and none of your calls were answered. Stood up, again.

The ache in your heart begins to weigh you down as you walk down the dim street. The chilly night air causes a shiver to come over your body. You usually feel confident walking alone at night, but tonight feels different. Eerier. 

You peer over your shoulder, certain you hear footsteps behind you.

At first, you see nothing. But, out of the corner of your eye, you spy a silhouetted figure. You begin to walk faster, your heart racing. 15 more minutes till you get home. The creepiness is accentuated by the distinct lack of vehicles on the main road, as it has been shut in order to repair underground gas pipes. You turn the corners quickly, hoping to lose the shadowed figure, but you feel it getting closer and closer, until you can almost feel it breathing down your neck. You hadn’t wanted to run before, in case it was too obvious and would give your location away, but, now, your preservation instinct kicked in. 

You begin to sprint as well as you can in your high heels. Your eyes become tunnel-visioned as you approach the third street away from yours. You can feel the figure catching up as you become shorter and shorter of breath.

“Love!” You hear a voice calling you from one of the houses as you sprint past.

Your head turns as you run, to three figures standing on the doorstep. They look friendly, at least, friendlier than whoever you’re running from. Without thinking, you run to the people standing on the doorstep.

“Love, are you okay?” shouts the youngest of the people on the doorstep, as you run almost into his arms.

“Just trust me.” he whispers.

“Oi, whoever you are, fuck off!” he shouts, “I’m calling the police!”

The figure who was following you turns on its heel, disappearing away into the shadows. The young man and the two older people practically push you into their house, ushering you to the kitchen, where you sit on a chair at the dining table. Everything seems blurry as you feel your heart slowing down, yet still racing uncontrollably. 

You take a few deep breaths, only just realising you're sobbing hysterically. The older woman takes a seat next to you, and grabs your hand, tracing circles on the back.

“It’s okay love, you’re safe now.” she says reassuringly, “Van, sweet, pop the kettle on.”

The young man disappears behind a corner, and you hear the kettle boiling. The older man stands behind you, his hand on your shoulder.

“I- I-” you hiccup, “I’m sorry, I was- I was being- I was being followed, I think.”

“Shh darling, it’s okay,” the woman says, “Just take a minute.”

You inhale deeply, taking in the surroundings. The house seems homely, with baby photos of what looked like the young man whose arms you ran into just a few minutes earlier. An acoustic guitar hangs on the wall above the sofa, with a paper placard stuck underneath it with Blu-tack. You squint to read the scrawled lettering.

“Van’s first guitar”

Van must be the lad’s name. He brings in a yellow and white stripy mug, heat coming from the top of it.

“I put a few sugars in, just thought you might be in shock, and that.” He says sincerely, blushing.

A warm feeling spreads through your chest; he’s obviously tried really hard to make you feel better.

“Thank you.” you smile through the tears.

As you take a sip of the tea, everyone introduces themselves. You learn that the woman is called Mary, the man Bernie, and their son is Van. He’d come to his parents’ house for tea and was just leaving when he spotted you running down the road, looking hysterical. 

“What’s your name then, darling?” says Mary.

“Y/N.” you sniff.

Bernie gives Van a look filled with wisdom. Well, that’s what you took from the look.

“Van, why don’t you show Y/N to the bathroom so she can wash her face and blow her nose?” he says, still giving Van the same look.

Van nods, and you stand up. He leads you by the hand upstairs, quietly chatting to you.

“So, I like music, I’m in a band, and I smoke, and my best mate’s called Larry, that’s pretty much me.” he chuckles.

“I also like music,” you reply, shyly, “What’s your favourite band?”

“I like The Streets, Oasis,” he thinks for a minute, “The Strokes, a few others. I’m actually named after Van Morrison, so him as well I guess.”

You giggle. “I like all of them, actually. But my favourites have got to be The Kooks, or The Killers,” you continue, “Wait, did you say you were in a band?”

“Yeah, we’re called Catfish and the Bottlemen-” he replies, letting go of your hand, “This one’s the bathroom.”

You feel slightly sad that your journey has finished, as the simple yet heartwarming chat was putting your mind at rest.

You turn to Van, who looks deep in thought.

“Come in with me?” 

He nods, and follows you into the relatively large family bathroom.

You stare at your smudged makeup and puffy eyes in the mirror.

“I look a right mess.” you say, sniffing. You have that indescribable taste you always seem to get after you’d cried, and you feel vulnerable and weak.

You run the tap, and begin to wash your face with the cold water, your hands still shaking, spilling water down your top.

“Let me help.” Van says, quietly. 

He grabs a facecloth from a cupboard above your head, and wipes gently at your eyes and cheeks.

“Is this okay, I’m not hurting you or anything?” he asks, with genuine concern.

“No, I like it-” you blush, “It’s nice, I mean.”

He looks softly into your eyes. “Anyone expecting you home?”

You shake your head. “I live alone.”

“Do you want to stay here?”

“I thought you were just leaving.”

“I wasn’t going anywhere.” he persists, “Please, stay.”

You sigh, and nod your head. You would never normally stay with random strangers you’d just met, but for some reason, an odd feeling of trust resonated with you. Maybe it was the homeliness of the house, or the warmth of the people living inside it.

“Let me fetch you something more comfortable to sleep in.” says Van, looking you up and down in your tight black jeans and cropped t-shirt.

He disappears for a brief moment, and comes back with a large hoodie. 

“This is the best I could do,” he smiles, “Is it okay?”

“It’s perfect,” you reply, that familiar warmth spreading through your chest again, “Thank you, Van.” 

He nods, approvingly, taking the face cloth from your hand and putting it in a washing basket. 

“I’ll give you a minute to get changed.” he says, turning to leave the bathroom.

You whimper, still feeling vulnerable and small. “Please don’t go.”

He spins back on his heel. You go to unbutton your jeans, but your hands are still shaking. Van reaches over for your waist, and pulls you closer to the edge of the bathtub on which he sits. Gently, he undoes your jeans for you.

“Sit.” he instructs, gesturing towards the toilet, which has the lid closed.

You follow his commands. Van kneels down at your feet and gently wriggles your jeans off over them, leaving you sitting in just your knickers and a top. 

“Arms up.”

You oblige, allowing Van to gently pull your t-shirt off over your head. He folds it and places it on top of your jeans. He then slips behind you and undoes your bra for you. He holds the hoodie above you as you slip the bra off, and he pulls it on as carefully as he can over your head. Sweetly, he averts his eyes from your chest, looking at your face as you wriggle your arms into the sleeves.

You stand up, allowing the jumper to flop down to just above your knees. Van looks at you in a way that could only be described as purely affectionate. He strokes your cheek with the side of his pinky finger, wiping away any final stray tears.

“Are you okay?” he asks again.

“Yes,” you reply, softly, “Shall we go back downstairs?”

He walks in front of you, almost pulling you by the hand, as he tells you about his band. You were enjoying every tiny detail.

“Y/N, darling, I’ve made you something to eat, I thought you might be hungry.” says Mary.

You sit at the table and delicately nibble on the ham and cheese sandwich.

“Sorry it’s not a lot, we-”

“It’s perfect.” you reply, and Mary nods approvingly.

“So, I see our Van’s been looking after you.” says Bernie, ruffling the boy’s hair.

“Thank you all so much,” you reply, “If you hadn’t shouted on me, I’d- I, I don’t know what would have happened.”

Van strokes your cheek. “Don’t even think about it, love. It’s what anyone would have done.”

The family sit quietly as you finish the sandwich.

“Thank you.” you say to Mary, taking your plate to the sink.

“I’ll do that, love.” she says, taking the plate from you.

“Do you wanna come listen to some of our records then?” Van asks you, blushing.

“Van, mate, I’m sure Y/N doesn’t want to listen to your music, why don’t you-” Bernie interjects, looking at you.

You shake your head ferociously. “I’m dying to hear some.”

Van and his parents smile, as he leads you out of the kitchen and back up the stairs to his bedroom. He gestures to his bed, and you sit there as he picks up an acoustic guitar.

“Oh, a live performance?” you say, jokingly.

“This song’s called Collide.” he says, sincerely, looking you in the eyes.

As Van sings softly, you realise how lovely his voice really is.

“Thank you.” he says, softly, as he finishes the song.

“Thank you.” you reply.

He pulls the covers over you, making sure you’re comfortable. He sits at the end of the bed, strumming both his own songs and covers on the acoustic guitar, singing along in perfect timing. Just as you feel your eyelids getting heavier and heavier, Van places the guitar down and climbs into the bed next to you. He rubs your back softly until you drift off into a peaceful sleep.

[nogitsunelichen]

39 for the 150 promptsssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss

Well here ya go nonnie! This is the cutest shit I have ever written and now I wanna continue the Piper universe! Damn you! 

Here is prompt #39: “I forgot I was a single parent.” 

One would think after being a father for five years Stiles Stilinski would finally be a morning person; however, that is obviously not going to happen. He is sprawled in his bed, head half buried by pillows, one sock clad foot sticking out of the blanket. There is sunlight coming from his windows but he is doing the best he can to ignore it.

He is almost asleep again when he hears his door creak open.

It’s taken him eight months of those five years to get used to this kind of wakeup call.

There is a muffled high pitched giggle and it’s immediately shushed by a much deeper voice.

“Daddy wake up!”

Stiles gets no warning when forty pounds is being dropped on him, and he nearly gets the wind knocked out of him as little limbs crawl all over him before they settle at his side. He lifts and turns his head only to be greeted by a mass of dark curly hair.

“I don’t know kiddo, sleeping sounds pretty good right now,” Stiles yawns, resting his head on his arm while still looking in his daughter’s direction.

Piper sputters, legs flailing, “but Derek said we can only have pancakes if you get up.”

“Oh did he now?” Stiles asks, looking up to see Derek smirking with a slight flush across his cheeks.

“I may have suggested that,” Derek says, holding out a mug which Stiles knows is his coffee with lots of cream and lots of sugar.

“Please Daddy! I really want pancakes,” Piper begs as she moves to sit on her knees.

Stiles can’t help but smile at how adorable she looks in her sleep rumpled Moana pajamas. He makes adorable babies, the five year old in front of him is proof. He relents and sits up, taking his coffee with one hand while the other opens a space for Piper to curl up in. The child happily snuggles up to him, hiding her face in his shirt.

The coffee ends up being perfect, and Derek rolls his eyes when Stiles praises him about it insisting it is no big deal before going to the kitchen. It leaves a few minutes for Stiles to have alone with Piper, both of them more invested in a good morning snuggle than actual conversation. Eventually he manages to get out of bed, following his energetic daughter out of the room.

The thick scent of bacon wafts from the oven and the tart smell of cut up fruit also permeates the air. With the apartment not being super huge it doesn’t take much for it to start getting smoky inside. Stiles moves to the nearby window to open it like he usually does when cooking, but notices it’s already opened.

Derek is apparently one step ahead of him.

“You wanna help Derek mix the batter?” Stiles asks.

“Yes!” Piper says, balancing on her tiptoes to see, her body pressed up against Derek’s leg.

Stiles laughs and sets his coffee down before lifting Piper up so she’s sitting on the counter.

“Can you get the frozen blueberries?” Derek asks.

“Yeah.”

Stiles ducks down and grabs the frozen berries from the freezer, handing them over before setting to work on eggs. He likes them scrambled with heaps of cheese in it, Piper and Derek both prefer fried eggs; however, Derek hates runny yolks.

It amazes him how after years of only keeping in touch via occasional text he and Derek can just come back to this level of familiarity so easily. Of course boundaries aren’t really a thing when one has children, especially one who inherited the lack of a brain-to-mouth-filter and reiterates the smallest of details at the most inappropriate time.

“Can I have more berries in my pancakes?” Piper asks, fingers stained purplish blue from the berries.

Derek snorts, “I don’t know Pipes—”

“I promise I’ll brush my teeth extra good after!”

“Pinky promise?”

Piper nods and loops her stained pinky with Derek’s, vowing to keep that promise.

“Jeez, melt my heart much you two?” Stiles asks, his cheeks feeling hot all of a sudden.

The timer goes off after a moment, and Stiles pauses his work on the eggs to grab the bacon out of the oven so it can cool. He grabs paper towels, setting the strips of pork on top to get the excess grease off.

“Oh, hey Derek,” Stiles says, his brain finally back online, “on the 26th I have a double shift I can’t get out of because Kimberly is on maternity leave…anyways, do you think you could do the parent teacher night thing for Piper? I think she only has two teachers because you know, it’s just kindergarten, but still I don’t want her to miss it.”

The kitchen is silent, void of food sizzling.

Stiles cranes his head to the left to see Derek looking at him, thick eyebrows drawn up in confusion.

“I’m—that is parent teacher night. Parent,” Derek says, “I’m not her dad.”

Oh.

Embarrassment floods Stiles. The wakeup calls. The coffee. The window. The egg preferences. All the other countless little things that have added up throughout most of the year.

“I forgot I was a single parent….” Stiles mutters more to himself than Derek.

The werewolf picks up on it of course.

“You know what we should do? We should invite some of your dolls and plushies to breakfast. Do you want to go pick a few from your room?” Derek asks in a soft tone to the child resting on the counter.

The girl lights up with the idea almost sliding off the counter in excitement, but thankfully Derek catches her and puts her on her feet. Piper bolts down the hall and into her room ranting about who deserves to have breakfast. Stiles knows she’ll have a hard time picking between Mr. Bear and Ducky.

With Piper out of the room it leaves the adults to deal with the tension. The remaining stove burners are turned off, and Stiles doesn’t have the nerve to turn and face Derek. What kind of parent is he? He’s grown so dependent on Derek that thinking about the man moving out scares him.

It scares him a lot.

“I can hear you thinking,” Derek starts.

Stiles stops biting on his lip, “you have supersonic hearing.”

“Supersonic is a bit of an over exaggeration.”

“Shut up. You know what I mean,” Stiles says, biting the bullet as he spins around.

Derek is standing in the middle of the kitchen looking stupidly….attractive in his basketball shorts and an old hoodie with some cheesy New York tourist bullshit on it. His hair is still tousled from sleep and his facial hair is more beard than scruff. Stiles is so taken that he’s allowed to see Derek Hale like this.

“I wasn’t trying to make you feel bad,” Derek starts again, “I just am not Piper’s dad. I don’t want to impede because you’re her actual dad and this is parent teacher night.”

Stiles wants to hit himself over the head with a frying pan. Repeatedly.

“Then what the hell do you call all of this?” Stiles demands, keeping his voice low but serious.

“All of what?”

“You! Taking care of Piper when I have work or when I’m too tired to get up early enough although we both know my dad is perfectly capable of doing that. Making diners that you say you haven’t made since before the fire, saying it’s nice to share them with a family again. Bringing Piper and lunch into the station for me and sitting with me at my desk to share it like—”

Stiles’ voice breaks off and his eyes fall to the floor.

“Like what Stiles?” Derek asks, suddenly in his space, his fingers tilting Stiles’ chin back up.

“—like my mom and I used to do for my dad,” he finishes, brining his gaze back up to Derek’s.

Lips are on his and it is glorious. Scratchy facial hair makes the skin around his mouth tingle, large warm hands that hold his hips grounds him in this moment, and when it finally hits him that Derek Hale is kissing him, Stiles doesn’t hesitate to reciprocate. His fingers wind themselves into Derek’s ink colored hair and he presses his body closer into the contact that is so so good.

Teeth and tongue are just being introduced to the party when reality hits them, and reality is named Piper. A gasp sounds to their left followed by the sound of toys crashing to the ground. He and Derek rip themselves apart, and nothing is able to mask how disheveled they are.

“I knew it!” Piper finally says, jumping up and down excitedly.

“Um, what?” Stiles asks in a high voice.

“You and Derek,” Piper says with a ‘duh’ kind of tone, “it’s like Uncle Scott and Auntie Kira! You guys are all mushy and stuff.”

Derek breaks out into this hysterical laughter and Stiles feels so incredibly dumbfounded. His five year old kid knew about them before they even knew about them. There is a them now. Stiles smiles as that thought crosses his mind; obviously, there is still a lot of logistics to talk about but everything is changing for the better.

Stiles moves and picks up Piper, settling her on his hip, giving her cheek a wet smacking kiss  The girl squeals and shies away from the obnoxious contact.

“Does this mean Derek can do the teacher thingy?” She asks.

“This absolutely means I can do it,” Derek nods, bunny teeth sticking out of his brilliant smile.

“But first, pancakes,” Stiles amends.

ASK ME A PROMPT FOR THE DRABBLE CHALLENGE!