#he just has to baby-sit his mary-alice

[goldeneyedgirl]

Do you have any more of deaf alice you’d be willing to share? That fic lives rent free in my mind

Deaf Mary-Alice is currently just a collection of Jasper's thoughts as he simps for her and wonders if she truly understands how much he loves her since they made up all the signs when he was emotionally stunted and Too Battle Hardened by Life to Care, and can't find the right words to explain.

The Cullens aren’t at all prepared for Mary-Alice, and it’s kind of fun to watch.  There are still three weeks until graduation, and he’s already negotiated a deal with Carlisle in exchange for completing high school once again (“Five years, Carlisle, of no high school.”) But it means that he has to leave her behind every morning, moping on the couch.  Except, every day they get home, Esme looks vaguely confused and flustered, and Mary-Alice is up to… something. One day, she’s climbing the railings of the first and second-floor landings, like some kind of bizarre parkouring gymnast - and not the kind of behaviour that Jasper’s sure Esme or any of the Cullens have witnessed or partaken in. But it's no different than her playing in the few trees around Monterrey or swinging from the beams in the roof of the barn. Bouncing off the roof of the mansion, laughing. (She lands on his back, kissing his cheek, telling him he was gone for far too long, her cheek nuzzling against him as she speaks.) Another day, she’s swiped some paint from Esme’s studio and spent the day painting the glass wall in his study with flowers (some of them have bleeding eyes in the centre, and others have tiny bones making up their stems, a casual reminder that she is not as soft and girlish as she might appear). The light through the window throws coloured light around his study. Esme is horrified but trying to cover it up, and Jasper mentally tells Edward that he’ll take care of it, just not to mention it. It’s easy enough to get her a canvas and a pile of sketchbooks that light her face with happiness.  (One sketchbook is hidden under the cushions of his couch; quick sketches of visions intermingled with drawings of him and her - some of them are positively indecent, so the sketchbook stays hidden.)  There's the deer she manages to herd into the Cullens' garden, even manages to get a flower crown on the poor beast. Deciding to precariously perch herself on the very top of the library bookshelves, a pile of books next to her swinging leg as she pages through any coffee table book with coloured pictures, other book piles scattered around the room much to Carlisle's consternation. There's the fact she's caught touching the piano, sitting on the very top and bending over to press the keys to try and 'hear' it better. (He owed Edward for not pitching a fit of enormous magnitude over that; his brother had had the foresight to simply walk out and let someone else deal with Mary-Alice's investigation. And it had been easy to explain that the piano was Edward's, was special to him. By the time night falls, the piano is freshly polished and set to rights, with a wild daisy left on the seat as an apology.) There’s the day that Esme somehow manages to teach her the basics of sewing, and he comes home to Mary-Alice cutting up some of the clothing she’s been given to Frankenstein new items together. By then, Esme looks rather exhausted and frustrated - communication is still terribly stilted, and the mess of hacked-apart dresses probably looks like more work for her.  Instead, Mary-Alice sits there, laser-focused as she puts all her clothing back together, somehow more her than they were when she started.  (If she surreptitiously stitches a black gingham star to the pocket of his jeans at some point, it makes him smile.)

[thebibutterflyao3]

Day 5 - Prompt: Accept @pandalilymicrofics

February Daily Series - 803 words

<<<Previous Part OR Start Here

Lily scrunched her nose. “I am not a control freak. I just like things orderly.”

“Sure, baby. Whatever you need to tell yourself,” Mary said, smoothing the head wrap around her hair.

“Lily, your notes app is in alphabetical order,” Alice replied. “Don’t worry. You’ll still make a pretty little chaos gremlin very happy, I’m sure.”

“Speaking of chaos gremlins.” Remus leaned against the doorway to Mary’s room. “Mine is here. Can he come in?”

“How long has he been waiting?” Lily asked, then peered past his long legs. “Where is he? Did you leave him in the hall? Sirius!”

“Oh thank fuck,” he said, bounding into the living room. “Lily, please tell Remus his hair looks good!”

“Much better. What did you do differently?”

Sirius bounced on the balls of his feet excitedly. “He let me cut it! Doesn’t he look delicious?”

Lily watched as one of her best friends lost all semblance of dignity and melted into his boyfriend’s embrace, flushing pink. It was exactly what she hoped Remus would find, someone who lowered his walls a little. She was happy for them both, even if she was the tiniest bit envious.

“Never thought I’d see the day that Remus Lupin would accept a compliment,” Mary teased.

Sirius lifted onto his tiptoes to peck at Remus’s cheek, then pushed him gently toward the sofa. “Sit. Let me chat with the girls.”

“Yeah, alright.”

The moment Sirius’s bum hit the edge of the bed next to her, he dug out a black eyeliner pencil from his jeans pocket and held out his phone. “Lils, can you draw stars like this? I want to surprise Remus.”

“Of course I can.” His screen held a picture of simple star outlines on the corner of a girl’s eyes. She took the pencil and reached for his chin.

“Did I hear Mary say you alphabetized your notes app?” he asked. “Mine is a mess! I love it though. Where else am I going to store gems like ‘buy more shite for the pup’ and ‘who named them dog booties? They go on his feet!’”

Mary snorted a laugh and leaned against the vanity. “Please tell me you were pissed?”

“Probably.”

Alice rested her chin on Lily’s shoulder. “Lily has a partner wish list in hers and we were just commiserating over our joint affection for sassy, crystal-loving blondes.”

“I prefer mine obsessed with me, apparently.” Sirius smirked, but he was careful not to move his face.

“Oh, that’s good too! Lils, add that to your list.”

Lily held her breath as she finished the scattering of tiny stars. She wasn’t willing to risk smearing her work for a laugh. As she pulled the pencil away, she studied Sirius and sighed. “I don’t want a stalker, but it would be nice to have someone who took an interest in what I liked.”

Sirius’s smirk widened. “Do you want me to do yours? I can do hearts, or little daisies, if you’d rather?”

“Not in black. Use gold on her,” Mary said, holding out a pencil. “Suits her better.”

Once he was done, Sirius cradled her face. “Perfection.”

Lily scoffed and pushed him away. “Save it for Remus, lover boy.”

Alice looped her arms around Lily’s neck and hugged her tight. “He’s right though, honey. You’re a fucking delight.”

“Alright, alright. Enough flirting. We all love Lily. Let’s go!” Remus called.

The walk to the festival wasn’t long, but they took their time. While he’d never admit it, they all knew Remus’s hip would act up if he pushed too hard. Lily preferred a leisurely stroll anyway.

She wasn’t surprised to see James waving them down as soon as they were in visual distance. Despite her insistence that they didn’t need to meet up, Remus and Sirius guided all three of them toward James’s huddle. They were so painfully obvious about it too.

“Hey! Come say ‘hi’ to everybody,” he yelled.

Alice was walking beside her, chatting idly, until she wasn’t. Lily’s head snapped to the side when she suddenly hid behind her.

“What are you doing?” Mary whispered.

Alice hissed back, “Pretty girl ahead. Oh gods.”

Then, there she was. A petite blonde in long, layered skirts with bangles covering both wrists, rings on every finger, and an elaborate plaited updo. As they walked closer, Lily spotted a septum piercing, half-dozen earrings in each ear, and ochre henna patterns covering her hands.

“Oh no. She’s a horoscopes and crystals girlie,” Alice whined. “I can’t do this. Mary, save me!”

“Relax, baby. Just say ‘hi’ and act normal.”

“Normal? Yes, I’m being very normal about this right now!”

Lily swallowed her own nervousness and painted a polite smile on her face. This would be fine, if she just pretended the woman was a customer at the bookshop.

That’s it! Nothing to worry about.

Next Part>>>

[evita-shelby]

National Anthem

Chapter 6

Cw: pregnancy, fainting, childbirth and the catholic sin of contraception

Taglist: @thegreatdragonfruta @zablife @call-sign-shark @cljordan-imperium

July 4th sees them celebrating in their new home.

Things are better between them even if the issues remain there in the background.

Eva’s been told to take it easy by her midwife, the doctor and Jack himself as they ready the house for tonight’s party.

“Let Alice and Mary do the rest; you heard the midwife its not good for the two of you to overwork yourself like this.” He has half a mind of tying her to the bed if she refuses to sit down and relax.

The midwife said Rosie could be expected in early September since the boys came early, so now all babies will do so too. Eva determined to make sure their last celebration for the summer is the headliner in the neighborhood newsletters and the twat who keeps trying to shove her off the children’s hospital charity will eat shit when she sees the Democratic Gubernatorial Candidate attend it.

“I’ll rest if I’m tired, Jack.” She dismissed his concern even as she looked ready to collapse. “I’m fine.”

She has fainting spells, from the picky eating the baby already displays, and that thing her shellshock does that when she is overwhelmed, she just passes out cold.

Eva holds onto the back of the chair for support, tries to keep herself steady and promptly faints dead away.

“We can cancel the party.” He suggests once the doctor left.

It was a combination of the heat, the stress of the party and Rosie just being difficult.

He’d prescribed bedrest, was Evie gonna do that?

No, instead she was ordering Jack into helping her dress for the evening.

The gangster wasn’t complying, so she’d done it herself.

“No, everything’s done. I just need to make sure it goes off without a hitch.” The witch said putting on a very patriotic red dress.

She favors dark colors, black especially, but makes an exception to make a good impression.

Last year had been a quiet thing since the boys were still too little for them to do much, and this year was meant to make them the direct competition to the neighborhood’s top socialites.

Eva had the advantage of money and powerful connections while what’s her face had been born and raised in this neighborhood. She knew Eva was seeking her crown, only she thought she had a chance.

“You heard the doc, you’re on bedrest until the baby is born.” He reminded her and she rolled her eyes at him.

“You do know that means no fucking either, Jackie dear.” She used that nickname he hates so much.

The priest used to call him that, the bullies in the schoolyard, the gangsters he rose up against and even the people who refuse to let him into their circles.

Nothing ever gets under his skin as calling him Jackie does.

“Don’t call me that, Evie.” He warned trying to keep himself from flying off the handle. “For a nurse you make a shit patient.”

“On other news, water is wet.” She tried to be witty but only came out rather annoyed. And she was, could’ve just said take it easy, but the doctor had said Eva was to stay in bed until the blessed day came.

“I’ll have to tie you to the bed if you don’t behave, sweetheart.” And yet he doesn’t stop her, instead helps her put on her shoes. “Try to enjoy yourself and let Carrie and Gina do the rest.”

Caroline Nelson had married an Adams, named after the president who made the family what they are, and while a pain in the ass was a good enough hostess. Gina had become ornery, hating how she was still an outsider in her new family, hating the way she was now at the bottom of the food chain.

Unlike Eva, she didn’t have a shining personality to overcome it. Every day she turned more and more into a vile combination of Carrie and Jack.

A cutthroat snob that would be useful if she studied something like economics or politics, but Jack refused to agree to send her to college after high school. Even after knowing his wife had a private education in Mexico City because money can buy you professors even when women aren’t admitted to university, Jack refuses to allow it.

“Easier said than done.”

They have done this before.

She’d timed the pains and when they became alarmingly close and painful she made him drive her to the hospital instead of calling the midwife and doctor here.

This time Eva’s too in pain to argue with the suggestion of having a home birth.

She’s afraid of complications, of dying because help came too late, but man never does anything God doesn’t want him to do and Evie is no exception.

“The midwives are on their way, sir. Mary and I are taking the boys outside, so they don’t hear---” Alice’s words are cut off by Eva’s cries of pain.

She stands behind a chair, unable to lie down as the contractions appear worse than the first.

The witch had refused the twilight sleep offered to her at the hospital and have them just yank the babies out with forceps like most women do claiming she thought it unsafe.

Now she curses everything under the sun in several languages as there is nothing available to even minimize the agony she feels.

“She’s coming.” The witch shuts her eyes and sits at the edge of the bed. “Oh, fuck, Rosie’s coming.”

In the next second Eva barks orders at Alice and him because babies aren’t born on schedules.

It is the longest and shortest time in the world for him as Eva tells him and the maid what to do.

By the time the midwives come, Jack’s holding their baby daughter in a bloody towel with everything from his clothes to the bed ruined.

But it doesn’t matter, Rosemary Eve Nelson is worth everything and more.

“September 2nd 1920 ,

Mr and Mrs John Fitzgerald Nelson announce the birth of their third child, a daughter, named Rosemary Eve after her late grandmother, Rosemary Kennedy and her mother, Eva Smith.

Mr. Nelson delivered his daughter himself on his twenty-sixth birthday as she came far before the midwives could attend her mother, a former nurse.”

He reads the announcement just as he had done when the boys were born.

Only this time they had to demand a reprint when Eva learned only Jack was being credited for the feat.

Really, they had to intimidate a man because he thought it superfluous to mention Eva was a nurse and knew what to do.

“Most people stop at three.” She mentions knowing he’ll say no.

The church had ruled contraception as inherently evil and while most claimed not to use it, many still did.

Eva had learned Jack was as much as hypocrite as your average catholic. He’d used sheaths when fucking whores to prevent diseases and bastards, and yet claimed Eva was committing sin by getting a Dutch cap in homes of keeping a good amount of time between children.

Unfortunately the thing didn’t work, but Eva won’t stop trying to have some control over herself.

“Most people haven’t been told they’ll have nine fucking kids by god himself. But God didn’t say we had to have one every fucking year.” The birth had scared him, truly scared him by the sound of it.

He hadn’t seen what was going on at the other end and now he’d gotten a front row seat to the shit show.

That had helped get him to see reason.

They would be adding using contraception to their list of sins.

It wasn’t like they were going to heaven ---if it even existed--- anyways.

A/n: Republican Channing Cox won the election for governor of Massachusetts, but since Jack is a democrat he and Eva would be sort of campaigning for the democratic candidate thus forcing the guy to come over to their house for a party with mysteriously sourced alcohol.

While Rose Kennedy was made to close her legs (cutting off oxygen to Rosemary thus almost killing her and impairing her for life) while waiting for the doctor, Eva has had midwifery training in the middle of a war so Jack and the housekeeper/head maid were given a crash course in how to deliver a baby.

Rosie will still have disabilities, just not due to birth complications as she did irl.

Next up the Wall Street bombing of 1920 while the Nelsons have a lover's quarrel across teh street from it

[themultifandomgal]

Tommy Shelby - 24 Hour Bug

Emetophobia warning! talk about vomit (quite a bit)

Your husband Tommy had been out all day working, leaving you home with a very sick daughter. You had finally settled her in her bed, got her to sleep and you yourself had stated to feel unwell, so you decided to get yourself into bed and try to sleep before the sickness inevitably comes. That is until you hear

"Mamma it's happened again" Alice appears in your doorway of your room "in my bed"

"Ok baby. Let's clean you up first" you sigh getting out of bed and you take your daughter into your bathroom. You run her a bath, take her clothes off and throw them in the sink ready to be washed. Alice gets into the warm water and you wash her hair thoroughly before helping her dry off. You grab her some clean pyjamas

"Get into mine and ya dads bed. I'll go and sort your bed out. If your going to be sick use the bed pan" you sigh and walk into her bedroom, but the smell hits you and you just add to the mess "fuck" you groan now kneeling on the floor feeling rather light headed

"Mrs Shelby" you hear a gasp. Looking up you see your maid Frances running into Alice's bedroom "no wander I heard so much movement up here. Are you ok? where's Miss Alice? is she ok?"

"She's been sick, she's in mine and Tommys room. I came to clean up but I'm afraid I just made it worse"

"Let's get you up. Mary!" she calls to one of your other maids as she helps you up

"Oh my" you hear another gasp

"Perhaps Mrs Shelby and Miss Alice would like some water"

"Yes of course" with that Mary was gone

"Don't worry about the mess Mrs Shelby we will clean it"

"Oh Francis I couldn't ask..."

"Nonsense" she helps you into your room where a sleeping Alice now rests. Francis helps you into the bathroom "may I get some fresh clothes for you?"

"Yes. Top draw. Thank you Francis"

"Is quite alright"

Tommy had pulled up outside of Arrow House after his drive back from Birmingham. Entering the house, he watches as the maids are running around frantic

"Mary what's going on?" he asks nervously as Mary was rushing up the stairs with two glasses of water

"Oh Mr Shelby didn't Mrs Shelby phone you? Miss Alice has been rather unwell today, and unfortunately it seems that she has now caught what poor Miss Alice has" with that Tommy was following Mary up the stairs and into his room

"Shhh" Francis hushes the two entering the room then points at a sleeping Alice. You now exit the bathroom slowly feeling like you have no energy

"Hey love what's going on" Tommy is quick to your side and helps you into bed "why didn't you tell me you and Alice have been sick"

"Didn't want to disturb you. I've only just starting vomiting" Mary places a glass of water on your bedside table and one on Alice's then she and Francis leave you to it "Tom, I think you should sleep in the spare room tonight. Don't want you catching this bug"

"No. I'm staying right here. Now if I remember this chair was pretty comfortable and I got plenty of rest when you were in labour" Tommy sits down in the leather chair making you smile weakly "get some sleep, love. If you or Alice need me I'm right here"

True to his word your husband stayed by your side all night with the bed pan for either you or Alice to be sick in. The next morning Alice seemed to back to her normal self, other than being a little tired. You however still felt rather ill but it didn't last long as the day went on. Annoyingly Tommy never got the sickness bug, but you heard that John, Esme and the kids were all wiped out by it and Polly was having to look after them. Tommy thinks that's where you had caught the bug because

"Who the fuck knows what Johns kids get themselves into. Bloody animals they are" according to Tommy.

[fitrahgolden]

Should You Need Me: 10 - At least as deep as the pacific ocean

“Apne, get the trays ready. We’re just about there,” Kaveri called to Anthony while she placed some dishes in Kate’s sink.

Kate rolled her eyes from where she sat with Edwina on the couch. “I think it’s a bit ridiculous that we’re still using trays, if I’m being honest. I can sit at the table.”

“No!” was the resounding response that came from Kaveri, Mary, and Anthony at the same time.

Kate looked to Edwina for an ally. Her sister only shrugged.

“We can’t take on two mums and an Anthony, Didi. Trays, it is. Anyway, can we please talk about how your boyfriend is cooking breakfast with The Mums and Kaveri is calling him apne?”

Kate ignored the warm feeling in her chest. “Ed, Amma calls everyone apne as soon as she meets them.”

“Ah, but she rarely keeps calling them that, though.”

Good point. “I don’t know, Bon…” Kate, of course, did know, and was afraid to get too excited about it.

“And he’s attempting to make chai.”

"I get it, Ed,” Kate said, laughing. She looked down into her mug. “Speaking of, his chai is a bit…"

"Oh, it’s bland as hell. But he seems like he's the ‘relentless pursuit’ kind of guy."

"Ha, that’s putting it lightly."

Edwina rested a hand on Kate’s shoulder. “Look, Didi. I don’t want to say we’re all waiting for a ‘he’s the one’ declaration, but… We absolutely are because it’s so bloody obvious.”

Kate looked over to the kitchen, where Anthony was laying out parotta on all the trays as Mary was gushing over the dresses she’s seen in the window of his shop lately.

“Ugh, if you could see your face right now. Ob-vi-ous.”

Kate bit her lip. “How long have you guys thought about us like that?

Edwina looked up in thought for a few seconds. "I think we knew when we came back into your hospital room and he was holding you while you both slept. It was just… I don’t know. It painted a nice picture. There wasn’t a question in his mind that he was going to take care of you. And, more importantly, you seemed to really want him to."

Kate and Edwina were interrupted by the rest of the party bringing trays of food into the living room. When Anthony placed Kate’s in front of her, he kissed her temple and whispered, “You were talking about me, weren’t you?”

His low voice sent a shiver down Kate’s spine that she knew Anthony noticed due to how pleased he looked with himself. Damn this man. Damn this beautiful man, who’s all mine.

“I’ll never tell,” she teased as she playfully pushed him away.

“Anthony,” Mary said as she settled into a seat in the corner. “I keep meaning to ask. We love that we’ve been able to stay with Kate, but how are you managing to take so much time away from work? I know you own the boutique, but are you guys still able to fulfil all of your orders?”

“Well, I immediately stopped taking on new clients, and I’m going to the studio part time. Some of the work, I can do from here when Kate lets me take over her living room.” Anthony grabbed Kate’s hand and kissed it. The Mums visibly swooned, and even Edwina couldn’t help a barely audible “aww.”

“I let Alice and Genevieve know I’m indefinitely working a reduced schedule due to a family emergency.”

Kaveri, Mary, and Edwina all exchanged smug, knowing looks. Edwina mouthed to Kate, “Family.”

—

Anthony closed the door behind Kaveri, Mary, and Edwina after they filed out of Kate's apartment. He turned around to find Kate eyeing him from the couch.

"What?" he asked.

"Come here."

Anthony couldn't quite figure out Kate's tone of voice. "What is it?" he asked as he sat next to where she was reclining on the arm of the couch. He gingerly lifted her fractured leg and put it on his lap. "What do you need, baby?"

Kate reached out just enough to run her hand through Anthony's hair. Anthony was ready with another lecture about overdoing it if she reached too far, but she behaved.

"I love that you're getting along with my family. It's really important to me. It's just that… It feels like they've been here every day for the last three weeks."

"That's because they have."

Kate laughed, shaking her head.

“If you don’t want them to come tomorrow, you’re gonna have to be the one to say it. I’d fight all your battles for you if you’d let me, except saying no to The Mums.”

“Understood.” Kate kept staring intensely at Anthony.

“What’s going on, Kate? Are you angry with me?”

“Mm-mm.” Kate curtly shook her head as she slid a hand down Anthony’s chest and bit her lip.

Oh, shit. “Kate…”

"Don't you miss me, Anthony? I miss you…" She leaned over a bit more and started unbuttoning his shirt. “Tell me to stop, and I will,” she whispered

"Kate, baby…” Anthony couldn’t think of a time when he felt more conflicted. That was certainly an exaggeration, but, frankly, he couldn’t think of much of anything at the moment. “You're still recovering, and if you keep this up, I'm not gonna care."

"I already don't care. It's been too long." Kate reached his trousers and undid the belt and button. “Don’t you think it’s been too long?”

"Yes." It was more a hiss than an enunciated word.

"I need you, Anthony." Kate’s hand disappeared into his underwear.

"Fuck. You aren't worried this is going to set you back?"

"Not if we're careful. But if you don’t want to, just say it. I promise I’ll understand."

"I fucking want to. I just don’t know how careful I can be. I'll get carried away. I always do. You’ve said as much." Anthony spared a few brain cells to mentally pat himself on the back for stringing so many words together while Kate’s hand was moving so deftly over him.

"I've seen you be gentle.” Kate sounded very close to begging. “I've felt you be gentle.”

Anthony whimpered at those words. He whimpered.

“I just need to feel you, Anthony."

Just stay in control, Anthony told himself before he gripped Kate’s wrist and pulled it out of his pants. Her eyes lit up. "Yeah?” Anthony’s whole demeanour changed. “What do you need?"

"You."

"Where?” Anthony leaned over towards her so she was again lying back against the arm of the couch. He kissed her neck before his lips brushed against her ear. “Here?"

"Yes."

Anthony slid a strap of her dress off of Kate’s shoulder and pulled down far enough to expose her breast. He lowered his head and blew softly across the increasingly hard nipple.

"Here?"

Kate nodded, her lips pressed together, eyes closed.

"Say yes if you want it, Kate,” Anthony said sternly.

“Yes,” she breathed.

"Here?" he asked as one hand slid into her underwear, the question muffled as his tongue licked circles around her nipple, the fingers of his other hand mirroring the pattern on her other breast.

"Yes."

"If you say please…"

"Jesus Christ, Anthony. Please. Yes, please."

Anthony didn’t want to risk dragging Kate’s knickers over her cast, so it made perfect sense to him to rip them off of her. He chuckled darkly at Kate’s gasp before he stuffed the ruined underwear into his pocket. Anthony freed himself from his trousers before carefully manoeuvring Kate so she was sat on his lap, facing away from him so he could rest her leg on the coffee table.

Kate giggled. “There’s no way you didn’t do some research on how to have sex with a broken leg.”

Anthony wrapped an arm around her and pulled her down as he thrust upward at the same time. Kate’s moan was almost enough for him to lose it right then and there. It had been a while, after all.

“I’ll never tell,” Anthony murmured against Kate’s back.

—

"You've been counting my breaths."

They laid in bed that night. Anthony was beside Kate, his hand resting over her heart. He’d gotten into this position every night since Kate was discharged from the hospital.

"I have."

"Why?"

"Because seeing you in a hospital bed scared the shit out of me, Kate, and I can't stop making sure you're breathing." He said it matter-of-factly, but Kate could see unshed tears reflected in his eyes. She covered his hand with one of hers.

“I’m OK.”

“You could have easily not been,” he said brusquely.

“Anthony…”

“We’d barely gotten started and you were almost taken away from me. I know it’s a selfish way to think about it, but," Anthony shrugged. "I’m a selfish bastard, so…”

“No, you aren’t–"

"It’s because I love you." A couple of the tears that were gathering in Anthony's eyes fell down his cheeks.

Kate turned to face him. Anthony pressed a hand gently against her shoulder.

“No, no, no. Stay on your back.”

“Shut up,” Kate ordered as she pushed his hand away and turned so she could kiss him.

Anthony’s short, ragged breaths slowed as they kissed. She nuzzled his nose. “I love you, too, Anthony.”

Kate’s heart ached a bit at Anthony’s genuinely surprised expression.

“You do?”

“Yes. So much.”

“You’re sure?”

Kate could tell it was an earnest question. “Anthony, of course I am. Come here.”

Kate settled onto her back and pulled Anthony to her, encouraging him to mould his body to the side of hers. He'd been so diligent about avoiding sleeping too closely to her for fear of accidentally shifting to being on top of her, and Kate missed him in that way as well. She wanted him close, wanted to feel him skin to skin as she fell asleep.

And as she did fall asleep, she could tell Anthony remained fixated on the rise and fall of her chest. 

[NOTE: Like Anthony, I also Googled, “how to have sex with a broken leg.” For science.]

[my-muppet-art1224]

Drew my muppet oc's best friends.

Best friend 1: cooper Hudson

6 Fun facts

1. He is the cousin of the twins. His mom is their dad's brother. They all grew up with each other. His like their older brother

2.he loves any type of music. If you play a random song, cooper will know it in a heart beat what it is

3.his middle name is Dallas, but he hardly ever uses it.

4. His the big brother of the group. He loves his friends and his cousin more than he loves his records collection (and that's saying a lot!)

5.his necklace his mom gave to him, when his 18 birthday hit. It represents luck and prosperity

6.his birthday is tied with Alice Cooper's birthday. (That's where his name came from in the first place )

Best friend 2: Tiny Honker

6 Fun facts

1. They are the kindest souls you will ever meet.

2. Tiny got their nickname from when the group were kids and they were the smallest ones in the group that time.

3.they Will honk their nose to communicate with their family or with their friends. If you can't understand them, they always carry a pen and a notebook with them.

4.the T in their name is Theodore, but no one really uses their full name (besides his granny, she calls them teddy.) Everyone else calls them Tiny or little red

5.they love to draw anything. They sit down at the park and draw birds or trees for hours, when they are done they usually send pictures of their drawings to their friends

6.there birthday is tied with charlie chaplin. Which is funny, because Tiny loves slap-stick comedy, their favorite cartoon is Looney toons and Tom and Jerry for that reason

Best friend/ex: Virgil Count.

6 Fun facts

1. His birthday is William Shakespeare's birthday

2. Him and Marie dated for 3 years and broke up the night before the girls left for new York.

3. He is the count nephew, but he hardly sees his uncle. Because of how far monster land is.

4. His voice actor I chose for Virgil is Gavin creel, Gavin played Bill in "eloise at the plaza" movies and I felt like the character fit Virgil to the T.

5. Virgil doesn't like numbers, like how the count does... But he absolutely loves words!! He could wrap you into a story he just made up 5 seconds ago and it would be the most wonderful thing you have ever heard

6. He don't like going by his first name.. for reasons, anyway he loves his middle and goes by that

6 fun facts

1.glenn is the youngest out of the group

2.he is the most protective in the group. He is the baby and he must be protected from everything

3.his birthday is attached to the voice actor that does catbug

4.he was adopted in the count family, when he was outside of their doorstep when he was a baby, one raining night. Glenn was in a dirty banana box with a rip up blanket and an old mushy teddy bear.

5. Glenn is far from being a grouch. He doesn't like collecting trash or anything dirty or sticky/stinky stuff, but he loves boxes and collected them big or small and he loves rocks. He goes outside and picks out the best ones for him or his friends/family

6.he does love rotting food... That's one of the tiny things he got from being a grouch. Rotting apples are his favorite, because he loves to see the worms in them and releasing them in his mom's garden

Group facts

Glenn hoodie came from Dixie. Those two used to be super close, before the girls left for New York

It has been 6 years since the group has all been together.

The ages they were, when they last saw the twins (glenn-4, cooper-17, Tiny-16, Virgil -116)

None of them have any hard feelings about the twins moving away. It hurt them in different ways, but they were never angry at the girls for leaving.

Virgil and Marie's breakup was a little of a mess. Virgil was the one that broke it off, so Marie could be free and work on her dreams.

The gang had a big sleepover every 2 Fridays, but when the girls left the sleepovers slowly stopped, because it didn't feel the same without them.

Tiny carry snacks and little coloring books or art supplies for them or for the group, when they go out to town.

Cooper is always planning their trips, when it's going to the flea market or just a day in the park. Cooper was always the planner in the group

[nonbinaryaubrey]

God I want to talk to you(or anyone, but you seem very friendly!!), about my OMORI AUs. I'm like- mentally ill about them all, tbh. Especially bout my magical girl au(or maybe moreso on my delinquent Sunny au, or just- all of them tbh).

Cuz like- last night, I had a dream,, and tbh it was just me as a magical girl and after having a meeting with Wooly(not from Amanda The Adventurer, since tbh the creature that was ig the one who gave me magical girl powers(lying, awesome *lie*), was just a sack of wool that had a face or smth I dunno), and at the end I got some like- roller skates, and my mind went like: “for balance”. And then once I woke up, and I had that idea for my magical girl Sunny design n stuff

Mari is bedridden, due to her bad knee getting worse(me not having an idea on how to make her a magical girl🤭). Sunny wants to help her(oh yeah, all of the cast of Omori here are all fem or ambiguous,, more fem leaning so yayay!! all lesbians !!!), and so she wishes for Mari to “be back to normal”(weird ass wish but my gal is, :autism:).

Sunny's design is like,, soft and puffy at first(like a cat or a sheep!!) but after like- some major stuff ig she can change her dress n stuff to be more like,, mature looking in the future(gives that white gown feeling to it, and stuff ig I dunno a wolf?? dhsjhdbeshb).

Sunny has an undercover magical girl name(the rest do as well) and her name is “White/Black Swan”(White for good/true ending, Black for bad/knife/hikkiomori ending)

More on her design tho!!! She wears the roller skates, that are colored red, also with the red hands(“to be normal” implies that smth was abnormal to her with Mari when she made that wish, and so she has the red hands and roller skates for comfort/balance. The red hands help her legs to focus on running!). Her dress design color is like, how headspace kinda is(purple/violet/lavender, light blues, and pastel greens with yellows and bright reds abit). Her dress is very puffy, like Madoka's,,, The insides of her hair are dyed purple, and is long like Mari's(even tho that's rlly long for a 12yr; yea she was 12 when she made that wish).

Oh yeah! This AU is called “OMOGIA: Winter hell”, cuz it's based off of four things. LMK Winter au, “Alice of Human Sacrifice”, OHHELL OMORI(my au on where Kel dies, Delinquent Sunny, etc), and Madoka Magica(the records moreso).

Her witch form. Okay so witches here, are called “Boxed Spirits” <- minor, “Boxed/Caged Demons” <- major. Sunny's Caged Demon form is called “Dorus Gray”(first name was "White Wing", then changed to "Dorian Gray", now it's this). Caged Demon form, takes the looks of 12yr Sunny, with abnormal long hair, that then (ig) kinda swallows Sunny or goes to hide her eyes(“Dorus Gray” uses he/it pronouns, as it moreso looks like canon omori,, ina way- like that mystery potion but reversed n all)

Sunny turns into Dorus Gray in her room, but the barrier also looks like a Hospital('She couldn't get the place out of her head, now that Mari is gone... All because she fell out of her bed, and messed with some of her wires that kept her alive..' Sunny failed Mari. How could she!). Dorus Gray just sits on the bed, while having his familiars stay with it. The familiars all have Mari's hair, but they also look like combinations of her friends(Kel, Parsley, Aubrey, Hero). The “Parsley” familiars are also much closer to Dorus Gray, and stand out the most due to their blond/light baby blue hair. The “Aubrey” familiars also stay close to Parsleys. Kels and Heros, stay close as well but they are also.. they seem distant in personality and relationship(“it's strained ever since Hero's girlfriend(not "gorlfriend" what), died in the hospital.. she was never okay after that.. ... now here I am! Stuck in this place, and I get saved by you..!” Kel said with a smile towards the now mature-looking Sunny, but it looked weird in a way).

Heros are also the ones farther away from Dorus Gray, while the others are closer to Dorus Gray(but also father as some want to stay away from Dorus Gray). Dorus Gray doesn't mind that though. He doesn't need to. All he needs to do, is “be normal”, so with that? It'll sleep. While it covers Sunny's eyes, it sleeps to show Sunny a utopia. Sunny didn't fail Mari, she's normal.

Oh yeah! I think I forgot to say, that I gave Sunny a full name! Her full name is; Zen “Sunny”(a nickname) Yanagi. Zen can have an ‘O’ or an ��A’, but Sunny doesn't rlly care bout that, so yeah. (Sunny is Greek/Japanese here, learning English! ,,, that's where the "Dorus" part comes from,, it comes from the Greek/Greece(?) side of her family). I work on Sunny too much- I need to give her/him a break honestly,, djbdjsbdnsb

(if I told you I am just coming up with this along as I go, would you believe me?? Cuz tbh I can't believe meself too,, making lore out of words- woa)

Sorry if this was wayy too long!!! Djbdhdbs

ohoh!!! forgive me if im not able to add much (sleepy...nothing in my brain) but :O!!!! sounds prrretty interesting ^_^ !!! neat!

[riverdale-retread]

Riverdale S6 E21 (#116 The Stand)

Jughead Jones the writer is a person who either can’t or won’t abide by the rules of any genre. His fiction was basically a memoir, and his journalism is one in which he becomes the story.  “This may be the last article I ever write” says journalist Jughead Jones, indifferent to the fact that in true journalism the object is for the writer to disappear, pretending instead to convey the voice of ‘objective bystander.’  What Jughead is writing is a personal essay.

Percival can levitate now, apparently, which is funny.  Western media often takes very Good Things from Eastern media (such as the Buddha sitting lotus position when he achieved awakening) and then say YES, THE EVIL DOES THIS.  Have him put on a druid’s costume and walk around a makeshift Stonehenge or something - wouldn’t that be more his speed? 

Archie is given a military strategist role so he makes like Napoleon to move little dolls around on a map while the women do all the actual work.  Heather and Cheryl find the opening of the Hellmouth by using two different kinds of folk witchcraft, after which Tabitha brings in the Catholic imagery (the one true religion? LOL). Placing the Holy Grail (remind me again how exactly she has this??) fills it with what looks like oil. 

Percival has put the town on lockdown- nothing in or out.

Reggie is a step too late to intercept Percival at his shop.  He’s instructed to burn it down.  Reggie rescues the portrait of Hiram that Percival took from Veronica, then watches as Cheryl sets fire to the entire building.  (I’m sad that Jughead didn’t get to see this. He would’ve had a much better time than Reggie.)

I find it impossible to feel anything other than glee and relief at the decapitations of Alice Cooper, Tom Keller and Uncle Fucking Frank.  Not even Betty, with her  Virgin Mary blue sweater, being very upset while talking to her sister Polly (who has come back wrong, You can’t tell me otherwise), can make me feel bad about it.  Kevin seeking comfort from Fangs and Toni about his dad also didn’t make me feel a bit moved.  I’m happy to see Moose though, who has come through in a way that Kevin has never come through for anyone, to lend Kevin emotional support in his time of bereavement.

Veronica comes to check in on Archie.  Archie does not mourn Uncle Fucking Frank, not even a little bit. This is the smartest that Archie has ever been on this show and the most I’ve ever liked him.  The second smartest that Archie has ever been comes immediately after, when he asks Veronica to come as the negotiation expert for when Archie will meet Percival to discuss the rules of engagement for this conflict.

Before they have the sit down with Percival, The Gang, such as it is, gather at the El Royal.  Under a big photo of Fred, these are the people sitting or standing in a big circle, in order:

Cheryl, Betty, Archie, Veronica, Fangs, Toni, Tabita, Jughead, Kevin, Moose sitting behind Kevin and just outside the ‘main’ circle, and Reggie.

It’s a pretty depressing discussion.  Betty correctly says this is likely a trap. Despite their efforts last episode, they don’t really know everything Percival wants in any specific way, and they really don’t have the tools to stop him from getting the things they DO know he wants.  

What they want is also kind of odd to me. They want to negotiate the return of Alice, Tom and Frank. 

Beyond two of them being parents of two in the core circle, why do they want these three people back?  Simply from the manner in which they died I suppose.  They were shit people and shit parents but Tom and Alice didn’t deserve to be guillotined on live tv. (Uncle Fucking Frank totally deserved it and I stand by that). 

In any case, the lengths that the group is willing to go to get the three dead olds back is something the group itself can’t agree on.  Baby Anthony (access to or custody of) is obviously a non starter.  Veronica suggests offering half of Riverdale. Jughead objects to a reinstatement of a Northside/Southside creation in Riverdale. Curiously, Fangs and Toni do not object. 

Cheryl wants to kill Percival, but Tabitha says no because she has seen multiple futures, most of which are bad.  Rashness  apparently should be avoided. 

Over music that tries to ramp up the tension, Veronica asks the bereaved - well, really just Betty and Kevin - whether they’re willing to say goodbye to their mommy and daddy for good, or willing to give something valuable to a literal demonic sorcerer to get them back.  Since sacrificing something they want for the benefit of other people are not traits that either Betty or Kevin have demonstrated, the answer appears to be no.

Just before Veronica and Archie take off for their sit down with Percival, Tabitha tells them that shooting Percival point blank actually helped come to a non-apocalypse resolution in one of the futures that she saw.  Armed with this knowledge, Veronica and Archie arrive at the Babylonium.

It seems to no longer be functioning as a casino and is generally a Ghoulie hangout.  Twyla Twyst is there in very interesting pants. Guess who are Ghoulies now, from mind control?

I had to actually pause to recognize Dr. Curdle Jr. because he just looks like he took to being a Ghoulie.  Looks BORN to it.  Doctor Curdle Junior and Principal Weatherbee are now confirmed as lovers right? Right? That’s what we’re being presented with, right?  Also Principal Weatherbeen has GUNS for days AND is wearing eyeliner and I AM HERE FOR IT.

I think the lady who walked by in a sullen trance right after that was the social worker lady but she didn’t make as much of an impact. 

At the sit down itself, in the now slightly rotten looking Babylonium CEO office, the power imbalance is so bad.  Percival is sitting behind a desk, making Veronica and Archie stand.  Veronica is super powerful, though, because Percival tells her he has taken all sorts of measures to protect against her venom (filters in nostrils, skin coated with sealant).  

Veronica and Archie offer a very simple exchange:  3 dead bodies in exchange for Archie giving himself up as prisoner. 

“I’ll be your prisoner.” 

Archie COULD HAVE just left it at that, but then he gets weird about it. He adds.

“You can do whatever you want to me.” 

I mean. That generally tends to be what being a prisoner under these circumstances would mean, right? 

Then it gets weird. If he was trying to negotiate the terms of his imprisonment, he could’ve tried setting boundaries for things he does NOT want to put up with, but Archie starts listing things that sound like stuff he WANTS Percival to do:

starve me

chain me up 

And Percival tries to head Archie off at the pass because I think he is slightly worried about what else Archie is going to say, because he interrupts with a mild, ‘Sounds great’ while Archie is still talking.

I admit I tensed up when the next thing Archie says is, “Force me-”  but it turns out he was coming to a conclusion: “Force me out of the final battle.”

Percival brandishes some terrible looking weapon at them, explaining that this was forged and fortified with magic. He bluntly states that he doesn’t need to negotiate with any of them because he has so many magic weapons at his disposal.  

Then Veronica, overriding Jughead’s earlier objection, offers to split the town in half. Percival doesn’t want that either.  He just wants revenge on the descendants of the original set of people who tried to get him executed, and to own all of Riverdale. He wants total surrender.

Veronica makes the mistake of monologuing right before she takes out the gun to shoot him, which gives Percival time to do magic and transform the gun into a toy.  The sarcastic lip-bite of sadness he makes at Veronica, whom he clearly thinks is so cute, makes me want to shoot Percival myself. 

Percival offers to be ‘merciful and generous’ if they surrender, rather than fight, at the Diner (“wherever that is these days”)  at 8:30 that night.  He claims he is willing to be “merciful and generous.”  Percival offers the return of the three bodies so that the others can ‘mourn or bury’ them.  Ghoulies are shown wheeling caskets out for the failed negotiators as Percival looks down from on high.  

I really like the theatricality of Ghoulie dress.  One woman is wearing black and white checked print leggings that have red flowers printed on top of the check like bloody wounds.

Twyla wants to know why Percival gave them “what they want.”  To which she gets condescended to (“How little you know of true warfare”)  but we get treated to Percival calling Archie and Co. “meddlesome.”  Percival says actually that he’s “paying them back in kind” for the plans that the gang ruined.  Twyla doesn’t know what that means but doesn’t ask.

Back at the Diner, Cheryl is trying to explain her resurrection powers.  I’m completely distracted by the fact that her skintight, high necked dress comes with matching gloves attached. The gloves aren’t fingerless exactly, but they expose the underside of her hands.  What is this outfit? 

Betty wants to say goodbye to her mother’s body. This is when they discover that Percival did a reverse Titus Andronicus and withheld the decapitated heads.  This is a very sick, intense joke.   Cheryl says she can’t do the resurrection unless the bodies are ‘whole.’ 

Jughead uses the words “our loved ones” in this extremely generous way to describe the three dead, but maybe this is for the article. 

To balance out the grimness of what has gone before, we are treated to Jughead and Tabitha being sweet in their apartment, as a breather.  I like the subtle color coordinating they’re doing with Jabitha, even if they seem dressed for entirely different seasons.   Tabitha is in a violet summer top, sleeveless and light.  Jughead is a warm red-brown fall sweater, long sleeved.  Jughead is making a sandwich which on closer inspection seems to be cream cheese, tomato slices and lettuce on white bread.  This is probably why Tabitha didn’t want one.

Tabitha, tears in her eyes, urges Jughead to escape from Riverdale (where nobody can leave) by using his portal powers, because as D-Day approaches, so does his death.  Jughead solemnly says that he is not going to leave Tabitha (first and foremost).  I don’t think his resurrection was voluntary, because Cheryl just forced it on him, but he’s reframed it to be something he did for a purpose that is meaningful to him:  To do what he can to stave off the apocalypse, partially, but to stay with Tabitha so she doesn’t have to face whatever is coming without him.

The courtly gesture of Jughead kissing Tabitha’s hand as she weeps over his inevitable doom, that he himself has fully accepted, was very moving.  

Meanwhile, Percival mutters Latin over a collection of big creepy dolls. One of them looks sewn together like Frankenstein’s monster. 

 Reggie is day drinking (beer) with Archie at Archie’s house, asking what the plan is.  Archie wants to take the battle to the forest, and he lays out his plan - Cheryl is in charge of fighting with magic, Jughead is in charge of fighting with telepathy, and everyone else just um, fights. When Archie goes to get him another beer, something turns in Reggie and Bingo the unkillable magic dog starts growling.  

Betty doesn’t want to see Polly right now, saying she wants to be alone, when she hears an intruder in her house.  

Veronica is day drinking (absinthe) at her apartment with the lovely Kandinsky when her abuelita comes knocking. 

Heather and Cheryl are at the main sitting room in Thornhill which is always dark, with lots of red candles lit.  Just as Heather is about to tell Cheryl something important about Bailey’s Comet, Jason comes in calling for Cheryl in a creepily sing-song way.   They call each other Cher-Cher and Jay-Jay. 

Heather can tell something is wrong immediately, but Cheryl is highly manipulable by Jason- when he bursts out with  WHY ARE YOU ALWAYS SO MEAN TO ME, she tries to appease him.  Jason shoots an arrow right at Heather!  

Even when pierced by an arrow, Heather has the presence of mind to tell that she wasn’t the actual target, urging Cheryl to run for it.  Jason shoots the Cheryl Fox-head self portrait right in the center of its chest as Cheryl escapes.

Reggie continues to get the BEST LINES this season (“Are you a wizard?” being one).  

“You know what Bro?” - STAB!!! - “You’re not that smart.” 

From one himbo to another, oh my!  The deadpan delivery of this made me cackle with joy. And this unleashed the most deranged and exciting few minutes of Riverdale EVER.

Betty sneaks down to her living room to see a big half naked man rummaging through her kitchen drawers, clearly looking for a weapon.  

I LOVE BETTY ACTION HERO SO MUCH YOU GUYS!  I can’t even begin to tell you. 

You know how Cheryl screamed when Jason shot the arrow at her?  That’s a typical Cheryl reaction. As a woman who screams at that same high pitch at every upset, I identify with Cheryl, but I admire Betty a lot more.  Betty never screams or goes into denial at moments like this.  She always makes the correct decisions when faced with mortal danger - accepts the danger, accepts the reality of the situation, scans the room for the best available weapon, retrieves said weapon and forms a plan around it which she then enacts with very little hesitation.  She COULD have run out the door, but she decides not to. She’s gonna fucking DEAL with it.

I LOVE THIS about her.

In this instance, she uses her standby weapon - the poker at the fireplace.  She takes advantage of the element of surprise. The thing is,  the man turns out to be a revivified Glen, who also found the chainsaw equivalent - an electrified meat carver.  When he turned it on to lurch at Betty I was HOOTING because this was clearly Chekhov’s chainsaw being introduced.  Also, was Glen always so immensely muscular?  Hot damn. Death looks very good on him. 

Can we talk about though how perfect Betty’s kitchen is? A low vase of hydrangeas on the kitchen island, bowls of fruit hanging above the window, the ropes of garlic on the cabinet side. 

Back at Veronica’s Abuelita Lodge gets the MOST DELICIOUS moment.  She gets to make like Tony Montana, points a giant gun at Veronica, and have a SAY HELLO TO MY LITTLE FRIEND scene!  “I wanted this to be a surprise!!” she says, in her sweet grandmotherly voice, before blowing Veronica’s door off its hinges as Veronica scampers away like a hunted deer.  

Friends, I got HIGH from watching that elegant little lady wielding this enormous gun with grim determination and a joyful smirk on her face!  Can we have more scenes like this in everything, where the short old woman shoots the shit out of things? I WANT THIS.

Archie is being stabbed by Reggie, Betty is being attacked by an angry ex boyfriend and Veronica is being shot at by her grandmother and we cut to the perfect peace at Tabitha’s place.

In their beautifully appointed little apartment, Jughead has persuaded Tabitha to partake of his sandwich. (The cream cheese, tomato and lettuce on white bread. This bothers me a lot, the meagerness.)   Then Tabitha looks ill at ease before gifting yet another wonderful thing to Jughead Jones.  For once, he’s not the person saying the strange thing.

“My sense of the divine is tingling!” Tabitha cries, before running towards the problem. 

Betty beats the shit out of the giant zombie Glen by using all her wiles and upper body strength.  After Glen is incapacitated, Betty goes right to the garage to get the CHAINSAW.  The zombie breaks through the door but Betty just continues to rev up the engine.  She even says a fun quip - COME GET SOME - before charging at him with it.

OMG I LOVE THIS SO MUCH.

Meanwhile, Abuelita Lodge is doing a thing that Freud was too stupid and misogynist to theorize about.  When the daughter with an Elektra complex succeeds in defeating her father, what does the mother of that father think about the situation?  

“You’re gonna burn in hell for everything that you’ve done!” says Abuelita Lodge.  Veronica hides in her black bathtub.   I did not know that Veronica could slime things!   She’s paralyzed her grandmother somewhat, as she explains, climbing out.

Instead of moving OUT of the house, Archie has ended up somehow in his bedroom with the very resolutely homicidal Reggie.  The stabbing looks very painful.  The wrestling they do as Reggie keeps stabbing Archie looks very homoerotic.  Is it simply because he’s super fit that Reggie is so difficult for Archie to overpower?  They even collapse away from each other once Reggie is unconscious in an overtly homoereotic way.

At Thornhill, it is revealed that Jason has a sadistic side. He’s hunting down his sister, armed with bow and arrow, calling out “Marco” as she keeps hiding from him.  Even though the blocking shows Jason that shooting at Cheryl is shooting at himself (She’s hiding behind a big mirror) he refuses to desist.   Cheryl, drenched in tears, is forced to admit that she shouldn’t have brought him back to life.  Then she sets Jason on fire. 

Tabitha rushes in on Archie (he was the ‘soul’ that was dying) along with Bingo (where’s he been all this time?) as he lays dying on the floor of his bedroom, bleeding out. Bingo starts licking at Archie’s bloody wounds in a way that grossed me out.  It made me yell “GET THE DOG OFF HIM” at Tabitha before the cut.

Veronica’s toxin, while toxic, apparently also counteracts evil mind control, because her Abuelita is back to being a loving grandmother again. 

Polly comes to check in on Betty.  Betty has the bloody chainsaw laid out on the dining room table in front of her, along with a half emptied bottle of whisky.  She calls Glen ‘her old boss’ rather than ‘my ex boyfriend’ when explaining what she went through.   Calmly, she says “his body parts are twitching in the garage.”

Cheryl, bouncing back, apologizes to Heather, who forgives her, and then they remember they had something important to talk about with each other.

At the Andrews House, Archie’s abs are looking perfect and fabulous. He doesn’t even have any scarring.  Tabitha says that Bingo’s saliva ‘CLEARLY’ has healing properties.  I’m still grossed out by this.   Reggie is back to his senses, and apologizes, in the same flat tone (“I’m so sorry Bro”) as he used when he was calling Archie stupid. 

In comes Toni saying that she has a plan. Seated around the table, Toni says an exceptionally clunky “Serpent saying.”  Seriously.  Serpents really lacked wit.  

“Always kill a baby snake in its egg so it doesn’t grow up to bite you.”

This so shit.  I mean, Bob Marley quoted a saying that is a thousand times better than this (“Kill it before it grow” - from I Shot the Sheriff).

Reggie thinks it’s a terrible saying too. He gives Toni the most appalled look.  When Tabitha takes over to say, as though this is a natural sequence of thoughts, “The only threat to someone who is immortal is someone who is also immortal,”  Reggie gives HER a look of great skepticism.  I am so with Reggie in this moment. 

Then it gets worse and Toni loses me as a supporter forever.   She really is a Serpent in the FP / Tall Boy mould.  She’s willing to use child soldiers in the way that FP used the teenaged Joaquin to be a honey pot and assassin.  She talks about ‘missing out’ on her son’s childhood as a sacrifice that SHE has to make, without questioning the issues of what it would mean for Anthony to go through aging in the magic way.

“That’s some Looper level CRAP,” says Reggie.

Reggie Mantle, true MVP of this episode.

So. Tabitha ages up Anthony with his shitty parents’ permission. In the same way I feel no desire to see Alice, Tom Keller or Uncle Fucking Frank ever again, I cannot find it in myself to feel anything other than disapproval for what’s been done to Anthony.   The fact that the aged up Anthony looks older than Fangs - WHO TOUCHES HIM FOR THE FIRST TIME now that he doesn’t have to change his diaper or feed him - is just the icing on the shit cake. The fact that Anthony looks eager to “kick Percival’s ass” does not alleviate my discomfort.

At the Whyte Wyrm, Fangs is holding court. Kevin is there in a leather jacket that I want Cheryl to set fire to because wtf.   Serpents are going to invade the Ghoulies.

Jughead is in the news room at the school with Tabitha (who is having Pop’s take out because she was not nourished by Jughead’s fail sandwich). He talks about Serpents like HE WASN’T ONE OF THEM. AS THEIR LEADER.  (And I am going to say - I MISS SWEET PEA.  Fangs just is not cutting it for me as Serpent King. Just, the worst possible choice.)

As they wait to see if the Serpent invasion opens the path to a different conclusion, Jughead Jones tells Tabitha to not mourn him when he dies.  Jughead Jones says he’s lived a wonderful life, which boils down to:  1) He’s gotten to fall in love (I would specify - more than once, and in different types of love too, which is great)  and 2) he got to publish a book (i.e. realize a long held childhood dream) and 3) got to experience alternate universes (had special experiences).

I love Jughead Jones for the dignity of moments like this, where he just says the minimal thing that he really needs to say.  

This last utterance gives Tabitha a sudden idea.  All her We Lose scenarios happened in RiverDALE but now that they have access to RiverVALE they can try something different!

Meanwhile, Cheryl tells Archie that the calculations for the comet were wrong, giving their side a little more time.

The Serpent invasion of the new Ghoulie lair occurs. This is very unexciting but for the fact that Percival cruelly tells Twyla to her face that he considers her and all her found family to simply be cannon fodder, and for the fact that for the first time ever, Toni actually does vicious violence.  She lodges the blades of throwing stars right in Twyla’s skull.  

When confronted with the aged up Anthony, Percival apparates out of the room wholesale, buck naked.

Archie tells the assembled group that while the Serpents did manage to overpower the Ghoulies, they’re trapped in there because Percival sealed them in with magic and they haven’t found the heads yet.  Percival is on the loose, which is bad news, and Kevin has been shot, which oh yeah that happened, but I don’t care.

Just in time, Jughead and Tabitha arrive back from Rivervale with a plan.  The plan is to rebuild the Diner in its original location.  They used the magic time bubble to achieve this, and Reggie continues to be MVP (“Even in hyper speed moving blows.”).    Percival shows up on time to engage in hand to hand combat with Archie while the three women and Reggie, in matching black jackets, watch from inside the reconstructed diner.  Using breath holding magic the others join in at the last minute, which almost defeats Percival.  Except Percival summons magic fog that poisons Veronica, blinds Betty, freeze Cheryl and turns Reggie into a “lifesize dummy” (Jughead really does not like Reggie at all) and Archie into a ‘statue’ (I would say- a block head, because I dislike Archie lol).  

Jughead was inside the diner all this time, in his mind reader outfit, with the ghosts.   Percival swaggers in, to meet Jughead’s challenge.  Jughead offers to be lobotomized unless he can save Riverdale’s soul.  

Jughead goes into Percival’s mind but finds the door impenetrable.   Percival manages to unlock Jughead’s door, which looks different from before.  Percival begins ‘shredding’ Jughead’s memories. Kissing Tabitha.  Signing his name to the projection booth of the outdoor movie theater before his father demolished it on Hiram’s behalf. Talking to Archie at the football game when they made up after their fight. 

The plan was for the RiverDALE folks to take the major hit, and for the RiverVALE people to take over, once Jughead tricked Percival into walking through the portal he’d opened up into RiverVALE.  Percy’s body has been viciously stabbed while he was enjoying ripping up Jughead’s mind. I’m wondering how it is that the RiverVALE people aren’t all spattered with blood, because Percival is perforated all over. 

Jughead and Tabitha’s combined powers (I guess?) allow them to open a portal to a different time as well as place, depositing the now mortal Percival at the feet of the devil, who has a contract with no escape clauses.  

Percival says, ‘If I can’t have Riverdale, no one can!’ which earns an eye roll from Tabitha.

Tabitha, the angel, says to Cypher, the devil, to take Percival, the sorcerer, ‘the hell’ out of wherever they are (the Ye Olde Forests of Rivervale).   Nobody pays attention to Percival’s muttering in Latin as he’s taken to hell. 

Tabitha and Jughead make their way back to the Riverdale diner where everyone else meets them in the parking lot.  I just um, really like Jughead in the white tie.  “We did it, we beat him!” says Tabitha.  Jughead picks Tabitha up and spins her around while everyone celebrates while laughing and hugging.   I haven’t seen any of these very pretty people laughing or even smiling very much in recent episodes that it came as a surprise how very attractive they all are when they smile!  :D

The Gang go back to the casino, where Dr. Curdle Jr .looks so forlorn with his smudged eye makeup.  Kevin who got shot is being tended to by Moose (who looks wonderful with the beard), and Toni, looking inappropriately cheerful, brings out the boxes of heads (!!!) from the freezer.  Riverdale is the most unhinged show.   Curdle reattaches the heads to the corpses WHILE STILL  in his Ghoulies-issued jacket (but with a surgical cap on). I LOVE HIM SO MUCH. 

Cheryl brings everyone back to life, but after this extremely long day she’s had, she comes home to be told by Heather that something is very wrong about the comet.

Jughead asks Tabitha how come he didn’t die.  They both look shellshocked.  Tabitha speculates that since all her scenarios of the future involved only Riverdale and the prime universe, their involving RiverVALE into the mix changed things.  “I guess we’ll never know,” is how Jughead reconciles this.  He’s now going to have to figure out how to live, isn’t he?  He didn’t plan for this. He thought he was going to be kicked back up to heaven.

At the Cooper house Alice Cooper is cuddling her two daughters.  At Toni and Fang’s, Tom Keller is sitting on the sofa looking very somber. He died, went wherever (would he have gone to heaven??), came back to life, to find that his son had been shot and his grandchlid that isn’t his (?!?!) is now a full fledged adult from magic.  Moose and Fangs and Kevin are in the same space and Toni is sitting there going, What Am I Doing With My Life, I’m sure. 

Veronica is cleaning up her apartment with her doorman and her grandma.  Archie and Uncle Frank are sitting on the porch drinking beer and I really think, truly, all these scenarios are SHIT.

The only people who make me happy are Jabitha and Cheryl with Heather (Cheather? Heryl?)

Heather and Cheryl show up at Archie in outfits that have the same pink shades.  Heather is really growing on me.  Cheryl is so much more stable and calm with Heather around.  Cheryl orders him to rally the troops, and they all show up to the Andrews house. 

Cheryl says that the comet is headed straight FOR Riverdale, to crash into them, in 24 hours.  Tabitha figures out that the destruction was because of a comet.  She’s wearing very excellent pants, but everyone is duly concerned.   It’s going to be an EXTINCTION LEVEL EVENT.

I love this show so, so much.  If you’re going to do this alternate-universe-time-travel-magic mashup, then you HAVE TO have a comet that crashes into earth, right on top of YOUR town. 

[spiltscribbles]

Prompt: Pro Athlete Sirius because that my and Remus' kink

~Notes: OMFG VICTOrIA!!!! I FUCKING SCREECHED!!!! lkadfjlaksdgjoiaejfalskdgjioeugisfkldshg Yes tis my kink as well!!! And then I saw this from Nonny and worlds collided and BOOM! I hope you like this my love<3<3 You incredibly talented sugarplum!!! TBH I want to write a thousand more things in this AU XD

.-

FROM THIS LIST  |  Send Me A Prompt!💜 | A REBLOG MEANS THE GALAXY!!💜

.-

When Remus was young— surrounded by the light breeze of the Welsh coast and the harmony of birds chirping in the distance— he would follow his mother to their small garden behind their cottage  at the cusp of twilight as his father cooked their supper, and he’d watch as she laid flat all sorts of newspapers written in French and Arabic and English, watch as she brought her red pen against the ink and marked the articles with underlines and shorthand he wouldn’t understand for years still.

He asked her once, when he was barely eight years old, why she bothered to keep up with so many different publications, why she read the same story penned by countless perspectives when all the facts stayed the same at the end of the day. And he remembers how she had let out a quick, shrill of a laugh, tossing back her golden head while sucking in a puff from the bubbling hookah she had set up besides her— a habit she acquired from her Algerian, refugee parents, and one that became synonymous to those late nights in Remus’s eyes.

“Facts can be wielded to someone’s personal vendettas, Remus John,” she had crooned in that adoring way of hers whenever she spoke to him— honey eyes that were the same color and shape to Remus’s own flashing alight and their matching smiles going crooked in her stunningly beautiful face. 

“Oh.” Remus had replied, still confused as all get out but was perfectly fine with just holding his small vigil, watching her beneath moonlight and the soft glow of their outdoors lamps, as he listened to the shuffling of papers while she commenced this odd quirk. 

It’s a decade and a half later—  as his editor for the Phoenix, a small, but bustling online editorial that plans on dethroning the likes of Politico and Vox in only a matter of years, scans his latest findings on the corrupt boosters linked to MP Avery from Leeds— when Remus thinks he suddenly understands what his mother, with her keen eyes and pixelated air, had meant by facts in how they can be colored differently simply by the words surrounding them. And he wonders if one day soon, one of his bylines will join her little stack of stories, if she’ll be proud of him even if she says as much even now, when he’s a lost twenty-something stumbling through life in the capitol and barely making it as is, between his actual job and the gig he has at the coffee shop nearest his dingy flat he shares with three other blokes.

“Mmm, this is good, Lupin,” Dorcas declares after what feels like an eon, dropping her long, dark legs from where they were lounging leisurely on her desk and scuffs out her cigarette in a pretty, glass ashtray. “Send it over to Flores to look into deeper, maybe it’ll corroborate the info she’s already gotten from her sources.”

Remus feels himself bristle, hopes that it doesn’t show, that his face stays passive as he contends, “I think I should at least help her write the expose, I’m the one who got this bombshell.”

“That’s not how it works, sweets,” Dorcas toots, tossing back her dark head of curls as she rises, perching on the corner of her desk delicately and looking down, straight into his gaze. “I know it’s frustrating, but you’re fresh blood. barely six months here, but Alice has been with us for years. This is her baby, and we’re just here to nurture it.”

“So I’ll have to wait another ten months, at least,  to get the same treatment?” He argues in an admittedly petulant way, making Dorcas laugh endearingly, and Remus is suddenly,  searingly reminded of his age, and how he’s the youngest staffer that this London based news outlet has on hand. 

“C’mon, love, it won’t be that long for someone as sharp as you, just be patient, and don’t try to pull a Zoe Barnes on us, yeah? You’re far too pretty to clean up on the rails of  the tube.” Dorcas tousles a hand into his dark tawny curls, and Remus holds back the roll to his eyes that he feels willing up inside of him as he stands fully.

“Thanks Cas.”

She smiles beatifically, and throws him a wink. “You’re joining Emmy for the report tomorrow on those United footballers and their fundraiser for the hospital, yeah?”

“Bright and early,” Remus replies, still feels a bit miffed that he was chosen to write up the charity function, considering he doesn’t know a lick about football and doesn’t really get on with anyone who does. But Caradoc— their typical sports reporter— is out sick with the flew, so it’s on him. “I’ll have it on your desk early enough so it’ll be published by tea time.”

“Good man,” Dorcas says in thanks, picking up her crowing cellphone before waving him off.

Remus isn’t all that surprised when he strides out of the office only to find Benjy Fenwick sitting against the opposite wall, knees pressed to his chest and quickly scrambling up when he catches sight of Remus. Sometimes it’s impossible to believe that the bespectacled man in front of him is one of the top editors for the Phoenix, that he’s a regular corespondent for places like the BBC or CNN— that his rebukes against the piss poor inquiries waged during PMQs have become more anticipated than the sessions themselves. Remus tends to forget all of that when he sees him like this, messy haired and wearing a graphic T-shirt with some marvel superhero embossed on the front. “Wotcher Remus.”

“Hiya Remus says, smiling softly and rocking back on his heels. “You wanted to talk to the sergeant then?”

“Huh? Oh, no, no. I didn’t want to talk to Dorcas, I just— Erm, I know you were showing her that stuff you got from that intern, Pettigrew, and i know you were chafed about not getting any opportunity here so—“ He trails off, scratching the back of his head and studying a point over Remus’s shoulder, and it’s all too endearing, and Remus is so beyond thankful he’s made such a good friend here.

“No cigar,” he says in answer to the unspoken question, shrugging noncommittally even if he feels like shit over it.

Benjy nods, face contrite in a way that tells Remus he never thought it would’ve went otherwise. “I’m sorry, that’s bollocks.”

“’S whatever,” Remus shrugs off the apology, begins walking down the hall and straightening his report to hand over to Alice. 

“Ah,, erm. We can get a drink, yeah? In commiseration,” Benjy offers, and Remus stilts only for a beat before continuing the twisting trail to where Alice is set up with the more senior members on staff. And he feels only sorta bad about wanting to refuse. He knows that if he says yes, it’ll mean something different to Benjy than it does him, that he’ll probably take it as Remus finally giving into his pestering and deciding to actually go out with him, even if he’s refuted the other four times he’s asked as much. Remus’s simply just too busy trying to get a footing in this city, and trying to figure out where he’s suppose to go from here, and what he’s suppose to do. And yes, Benjy is cute— a complete Seth Cohen archetype. And he’s sweet and smart and funny enough. But Remus is really not in the mood for doing the whole flowers and wine and candle lit dinners shtick, had gotten enough of that while still with his university boyfriend. And yeah, he’s only just turned 24, but he already feels too old and too jaded for that sort of puppy love— even if Benjy’s got a good decade and some change on him.

Probably sensing his hesitation, Benjy is quick to rectify the offer. “I’ll ask Mary, and Fabian too, and a few others. We can make a night of it, just some drinks on a Friday after work.”

Stalling by the last turn to Alice’s desk, Remus looks at him from over his shoulder, and sort of hates himself for being such a soft hearted fuck sometimes. “Yeah Benj, sounds nice. Just let me know on the group chat, yeah?”

Benjy grins, much more genuine than his awkward quirk of the lips from earlier. “Yeah, good call, I’ll let the others know pronto.”

“Aces,” Remus says, tosses him a obligatory thumbs-up before finding an expectant looking Alice who’s tapping her foot impatiently.

Yeah, today is so bloody shit.

.-

Surprisingly, the round of drinks turns to another and then a third and fourth and Remus is currently nursing his fifth mango margarita on Benjy’s tab, and he actually feels lighter than he has since taking the job at Phoenix, feels bright and bubbling and like absolutely nothing could be wrong as long as he’s got this drink in his grasp and he’s sitting with the handful of reporters and photographers from the office that don’t all have sticks up their asses. It’s fun, it’s good. So obviously it couldn’t have lasted.

Mary is currently cackling about her Uber driver from last night who asked her all sorts of well meaning, but incredibly dense questions about her hijab— a freshly poured glass of coke in one hand, while the other is tangled into her girlfriend Emmy’s. And From his left Remus can hear Fabian ribbing Frank on his crush on Alice, while Benjy scoots intermittently closer as they watch Kingsley and Marlene sparring over something to do with a Kardashian or TikTok trend or whatever the fuck else— The guy has resilience, Remus has to give Benjy that.

“Right, who’s buying next?” Marlene asks, abrasive as ever while scrolling through her phone, ostensively finding something to prove her point against the managing editor.

“Reckon it’s my turn,” Benjy crows, standing up smoothly and glancing down at Remus with a nervous sort of half grin.

“Just a water for me, ta. I need to sober up,” Remus tells him, feels proud that he didn’t even slur slightly. Benjy bobs his head understandingly, and Remus turns to ask Marlene about her latest tinder hookup which always is a good laugh, but then he catches on it. On the sound of the pub’s doors flinging open, followed by a raucous crowd of athletic looking guys probably only a bit older than he is, clambering indoors. 

They’re all so very sixth-form, broad grins and slapping each other’s shoulders with jeers, topped off with loud, bark like laughter that makes it obvious to Remus that these wankers think that they’re some sort of group of gods amongst men, roaming around like everyone should fall to their feet and offer everything they have. It makes Remus roll his eyes so far back that it feels like he might’ve sprained them. They just give off this exhausting aura that reminds him of a past boyfriend in tenth year who was on the footie team and who’s favorite activity was either making Remus feel lucky enough to go out with someone so popular, or dragging him around like some sort of bloody trophy.

To put it nicely, Remus sorta hates them on sight. So when he sees one of the tossers— regrettably the brightest of the lot who’s all pearly teeth, and glittering eyes and incredibly impressive shoulders that tape off to a narrow waste in an objectively infuriating matter— swivels up to the barkeep and jostles Benjy on his way, well Remus doesn’t hesitate to dart forwards to tell him off.

“Oi, watch where you’re going, yeah?”

Benjy and the bloke who looks like he might moonlight as a model for Calvin briefs for when he’s not lounging in a yacht off the Tuscany coast, both turn to him at the same time. Benjy looking abashed, and the aforementioned tosser preening like the cat who’s just caught a canary.

“Sorry, love. Didn’t see you there,” he says in a delightfully deep tenner, giving Remus an appreciative once over, and Remus absolutely despises how the action makes him feel both thrilled and irritated. “Trust and believe, I wouldn’t have looked away if I saw you.”

“Not me, arse.” Remus spits back, refuses to pay any credence to how his cheeks have begun to flush. “You bumped into my mate right there, the one with the tray of loggers.”

The tosser darts his almost molten gray eyes over to Benjy for a sparing second before he laser focusses back onto Remus, the most phony expression of contrition all over his face. “Sorry to your friend,” he says the descriptor like a joke that no one else is in on. “Let me buy you a drink in sorry for the one I made slim here spill.”

Remus is officially unimpressed, hopes that his flat tone gets it across. “You’re an arse.”

“You’re mouthy,” he retorts, looks like it’s something he greatly appreciates— delights over even. 

“Ah, ’s fine Remus, really. I’ll just bring these back and get us a new glass.”

“Listen to slim, Remus, he’s got the right idea.” The tosser hurriedly interjects, strutting close enough to him that he makes it so Remus has to tip his head back just slightly so not to drop his gaze. “I’m Black, Sirius Black, just to get the pleasantries out of the way.” His leer tells Remus that the name should probably evoke some response of aw into Remus, but all it does is make him sound so egregiously pretentious that Remus wants to smack his own bloody head against a dry wall and stay in the hole until this ruddy Sirius bloke leaves him the hell alone.

“Good for you,” he says instead of all of that, and spots Sirius’s friends from behind Sirius chuckling and elbowing one another. Evidently this is a line the tosser uses frequently, and Remus is pleased that he might be one of the first who aren’t at all impressed by the grandiose way he introduced himself.

“Hah, you know I’m use to the pretty ones playing hard to get, but I’m really feeling here that you’re not exactly liking my company, love.”

Remus sucks in a frustrated breath through his nose, shouldering past Sirius and taking the tray of drinks from Benjy before storming back to their table where the others have begun openly gawping at the scene— Marlene outright squawking with Fabian just as Remus takes his seat.

“Don’t,” Remus warns them all as he silently says fuck off to the water and instead gargles down one of the loggers. And if he has to steadfastly not turn around for the rest of the night towards where he can feel Sirius’s gaze burning into his back— well then so be it.

.-

The next morning, Remus has to puke twice into the toilet, and gulps down three aspirins just to stave off his bloody hangover from the night before where he decided that getting properly sloshed would prove as a good technique to not end up making out with Sirius in some dark corner— or regrettably the backseat of his car. And if he does still remember flashes of ranting to him about how insufferable preppy, rich boys actually are while Sirius gazed at him endeared— well Remus just decides to purge it out along with the stomach acid. It’s not like he’ll ever see the douche again.

.-

He meets Arthur— one of the accountants who also helps out by taking photos for more low key news stories— outside the hospital where the conference will be taking place with the Manchester United team. There was a scrimmage that they all played with some of the kids in the cancer ward that occurred at around eight in the ruddy morning, but thankfully Remus didn’t have to show up until an hour later when the team presented their big shiny check, to the big, shiny hospital. 

However, Arthur has been here for hours, so he’s beyond chirpy and looks like he’s downed three cups of espresso as he chatters on about his son Percy starting secondary school, and his eldest, Bill, getting an award for his reading prowess, and all the strange craving his wife has been having throughout her pregnancy with the twins they’re expecting any week now. And Remus loves Arthur, he does— one of the sweetest folks he’s ever met— but God, his head is still thrumming from those misguided tequila shots and he really just wants to get his three quotes, and write up the story so he can find refuge back in his sheets.

While Arthur has moved to talking about his wife, Molly’s, plans to open up a daycare in their refurnished garage, Remus scans his eyes over the familiar face of reporters from other outlets who look just as bored as him, and then to the stage where a woman in a sharply pressed suit is ushering for the group of football stars to join her, so that the conference can finally fucking begin. 

And Remus thinks that their faces are sorta familiar, probably from all the publicity they get on the telly— but then he freezes as he stops at one of them with dark brown skin, and thick rimmed spectacles— and he suddenly can hear him chatting about his redheaded girlfriend and drunkenly declaring that she’ll be the mother of his children some day soon. So he completely expects it when his stomach drops as he moves his glance just a bit to the right, being struck by pearly teeth, and glittering eyes and incredibly impressive shoulders that tape off to a narrow waste, made all the more infuriating by the tight kit he’s got on and the blazing number twelve splayed against his chest.

And fuck.

Remus runs through about a dozen scenarios in which he can make a discrete, or not so discrete exit before he notices him, but in tandem to his spiraling thoughts, the wanker actually looks forwards, and like a creepy metal detector, his quick silver gaze pinpoints onto Remus.

They stare at one another for a beat before his smirk goes wolfish, and he runs a hand through his artfully tousled hair in a way that practically screams, fancy meeting you here. And holy fuck he looks so mouth watteringly attractive with that faint film of sweat running down his neck, and how his smile pulls slightly more to the left, and how he’s looking at Remus like he’s his birthday and Christmas presents all rolled into one.

Remus suddenly hates everything— but most of all hates Sirius, and how bloody fit he is.

“Oh, you’re a fan then?” 

Starting, Remus shifts around slightly so that he’s facing Arthur completely. “Pardon?”

“Sirius Black I mean, you’re a fan?” Arthur asks in that abrasively congenial and intensely scrutinizing way that he treats everything. “I mean he’s a great player, but I know you don’t really watch. So I bet it’s all that charity work he does, yeah?”

“Charity work?” Remus echos, feeling like a floundering fish.

“Truly some amazing stuff.” Arthur pontificates, rubbing a hand against his jaw as he tips his head back. “I mean obviously I’m partial to the fundraising for Reporters Without Borders, but of course the things he does with the more impoverished kids is great. And I know Molly likes his very outspoken posts about being anti war and his annual live streams to earn money for refugees in those war torn nations, like the last one he did for Syria?”

“Oh—“ Remus says, feeling like his head is being overrun by a fountain of new information.

“Yes well, you don’t usually see athletes get into the thick of it with political issues, but I reckon he never really minded. I mean the fact he’s the first football star from United to have come out without any fanfare really proved that. Oh, I think they’re starting, I should probably get some photos before Dorcas gives me a tongue lashing.”

And as quick as the flash of his camera’s lends, Arthur is using his considerable height to get to a more advantageous spot towards the front, and leaves Remus in the dust, as if he hasn’t just obliterated his every assumption of Sirius from after that initial meeting.

And unbidden, the words his mother had told him so many years ago, about facts and how they can color a situation just simply based off the person who’s speaking them— flood to the forefront of his mind.

“Fucking hell,” Remus mutters lowly, gets jostled by Greengrass, a hawkish reporter from a rivaling publication who always has on the most wickedly sharp acrylic nails, and perfectly quaffed curls— as she waves around her certification to speak her inquiry.

“My question is for Potter,” she announces when the woman leading the event, McGonagall, points her way. “And I was wondering how early you boys have to rise for training during the season? And how intense the sessions are that Coach Hooch puts you guys through?”

Potter, the one with the redheaded girlfriend that Remus heard so much about last night between his ranting at Sirius, parts his lips, but it’s not his voice that ends up reverberating through the outdoors space. Instead, it’s Sirius, who’s shouldering him with a goading air, obviously expecting his comment to have only ended up in Potter’s ear and not caught by the mike.

“I wonder if Lupin will let me wake up with’m so he can let me get some real training done before practices, eh?”

And just as soon as his words pitter off, the entire crowd drops to a hush— quiet enough so that they could probably hear it if a pen dropped. 

Sirius’s handsome face— strong jawline, and broad but sharp cheekbones, and a long, narrow nose— goes suddenly ashen, and he flashes over to Remus as if he’s terrified that he’ll bite his face off.

God, what an idiot.

With a long suffering sigh, Remus plucks out the microphone from a slack faced Greengrass’s hand. “We can discuss the regimen afterwards, Black. Just meet me by the front doors and let your mate answer the bloody question.”

Everyone around them falls into laughter that’s caught between uncomfortable chuckles and amazingly amused cackling, but the only person Remus is paying any mind is Sirius, and how he seems to have gone absolutely incandescent, nodding electrically before miming the zip of his lips and gesturing for Potter to carry on.

Jesus help him, Remus has no idea what he’s gotten himself into.

.-

~My Wolfstar FIC Masterlist

~Buy Me A Coffee 

[fuegofierce]

Part 3 of the Wild West WilderWest duo…

*Iris and Sophie are in the Batcave working as backup on the comms while Ryan, Alice, and Luke are out in the field*

Sophie: Talk to me Batwoman, how it’s going?

Ryan: Don Falcone got more followers than we expected but it’s not anything we can’t handle. We will check back in soon.

*Ryan gets off comms leaving Sophie and Iris in awkward silence*

Iris: So the Wild One…how badass is she? Barry mentioned she is a martial artist genius

Sophie: Wild One? Oh you mean Ryan…she is amazing. The flash really as fast as they say?

Iris: Faster

*awkward silence*

Sophie: So…you and Ryan been getting along well

Iris: *smiles wide* She is great! I just enjoy her presence and she is funny as hell

Sophie: Yeah…she’s the best

Iris: I might have to steal her from you *laughs*

Sophie: *fakes laugh* yeah…

*more awkward silence…then Luke voice comes in*

Luke: Hey guys call meet us at the clinic!!Batwoman is hurt and Flamebird has been taken by Falcone’s men!!

*Iris and Sophie look at each other panicked*

At the clinic…Mary rush to work on Ryan, Iris and Sophie arrive with fear in their eyes.

Sophie: What the hell happened out there?

Luke: It was a trap…Falcone men wanted Alice, apparently some people miss her crazy ways and they want it back. Ryan had me fly out to check everything but when we realized it was a trap it was too late. A special kind of bomb exploded that damaged the bat suit injuring Ryan in the abdomen while they took Alice. *his voice gets shaken* I wished I came back sooner *says with a strain* I’m so sorry Sophie

Sophie: *with tears in her eyes* It’s not your fault Luke

Iris: *comforting the bat team* Wild One is a strong one, she will be good.

*Mary comes from working on Ryan*

Mary: Guys she will be good…thankfully the bomb shards didn’t go in her too deeply. She will need to be on bed rest. She will have trouble with mobility but she is alright. She still unconscious but she will be up soon.

Sophie: Can we see her?

Mary: of course

*they come in to see Ryan*

Luke: She is not going to like bed rest especially with Alice being in Falcone’s grab

Sophie: Well she is going have to accept it, Batwoman can’t be out in this condition.

Mary: So what’s the plan?

*Ryan groans*

Sophie: *says with concern* Ry?

Ryan: *wakes up * Hey hotshot *winks*

Sophie: *grabs Ryan hands* hey baby

Ryan: This hurts like a bitch

Mary: Well you was exploded

Ryan: *chuckles and groans*

Mary: Easy

Luke: I’m so sorry Ryan

Ryan: Why?

Luke: If I came back soon—

Ryan: You would’ve been hurt too or worse *sits up* now how are we going to get Alice back

Mary: Ryan your injuries may not be life threatening but they do need to heal fast. They are serious

Sophie: yeah your not doing anything for now…we all will.

Iris: and I am definitely helping

Ryan: I’m Batwoman, I have to do this. Alice is apart of the team and… family. I’m getting her back.

Sophie: Ryan…you need to heal. It is not on you.

Ryan: As the team leader it is *starts to get up*

Mary: Ry…

Sophie: Sit down

Ryan: *limping* Where’s my bat suit?

Sophie: *grabs Ryan’s arm* Ryan your ass is not going anywhere

Ryan: Soph… I’m doing what I need to do. *Looks to Iris* Iris, find a way to get us into Falcone’s party. I heard one of his men saying that’s a big night with a lot of targets. Whatever he got planned I fear is horrible and if he is trying to reawaken crazy Alice…everyone is in danger.

Iris: You got it Wild One

Sophie: *angered and annoyed* What?! Iris don’t do anything.

Ryan: *now annoyed* excuse me

Sophie: have you heard Mary and I, you need to heal. You can’t be Batwoman half assed.

Ryan: Iris…how many times have you seen your husband go out to save Central City while injured?

Iris: Sadly…a lot but-

Ryan: and did you make him sit out?

Iris: I tried, well wanted to try but I know that’s not Barry, he will do whatever he can to protect the city. Even endangering his self.

Ryan: so you didn’t stop him because you trusted him to do what he do?

Iris: Yeah

Ryan: And do you think I can do this, injury in all?

Iris: *looks at Sophie* Yeah though it may be harder, Barry has accelerated healing *looks at Ryan* but I believe you got this Wild One if you promise to be careful

Sophie: *rolls her eyes*

Ryan: I promise. Get us into the party. *looks at Sophie with a smug look*

Sophie: Can you guys give us the room?

*Mary, Luke, and Iris exit*

Sophie: You have lost your damn mind? Promising to be careful…you are not even being careful now!

Ryan: Soph…I can do it. I will rest later, saving the city is priority number one.

Sophie: You can’t save the city when you can barely move without groaning

Ryan: *grabs Sophie hands* I won’t be alone and you heard Iris, Barry would’ve kept fighting

Sophie: *scoffs* is that what this is? You trying to impress your girl crush and show her you just as good ass flash. He can heal his self you can’t! *tears form in her eyes*

Ryan: Soph…

Sophie: No, you been trying to show your lil girlfriend how much of a “Wild One” you are…so go do it but you won’t have me as backup. I can’t watch you get hurt even more *storms out the clinic*

*Mary walks in the room *

Mary: Everything good?

Ryan: Sophie thinks I’m being reckless and that I’m doing this to impress Iris…what does Iris have to do with my job?

Mary: Well…

Ryan: Well what?

Mary: You have been in Iris world since she got her

*Iris listens by the door*

Ryan: Iris world?

Mary: Look, we all know you have a crush on Iris and I think that maybe Sophie, though she will never admit it, is jealous. You just publicly dismissed her to favor Iris

Ryan: Jealous? I love Sophie, she has no reason to be jealous…hell Iris is married and hello the biggest elephant in the room, straight! She just a crush.

Mary: Yeah but a hot crush that you look up to and not to mention, you have the superpower of turning straight women into lesbians

Ryan: *chuckles* that may be true but Sophie has my heart on lockdown. I trust and love her more than anything. I just don’t like being told to stand down

Mary: And she doesn’t like seeing you putting yourself in more danger than you should.

*Iris leaves*

In that moment Ryan realized that Mary and Sophie are right. She wasn’t lying before when she said her injuries hurt like a bitch. She needed to rest. She was trying to impress Iris but she meant what she said, Alice is family and she wanted to save her but not at the expense of the city loosing their chocolate hero and the risk of loosing her girlfriend. Though she wouldn’t admit it, hearing Sophie say she wasn’t going to be backup hurt her. Having Sophie be the calm in any storm she faced kept her sane and gave her reason to comeback home whenever she went out in the field. After sitting and thinking. She texted the bat team with a new plan…one that would let her feel like she is helping but more importantly one Sophie would approve of.

Part 4 will be coming soon! Hope you enjoy!

[stonedregulus]

Happy Birthday, Sirius!

TMPL Deleted Karaoke Scene from Ch 3

read on ao3

“No! No, no, no! That is not what happened!” James yelled, waving his finger in Sirius’ face as he roared with laughter.

“That is exactly what happened! And then Dumbledore gave you detention!” Sirius choked out, wiping the tears of joy from his eyes.

“I mean yeah, I did get detention but that’s not what happened. He’s lying to you,” James said, turning to Lily who was watching the two of them with her eyebrows raised in laughter.

“Okay, folks! Karaoke is starting in five minutes! If you haven’t signed up yet please put your name and song on the clipboard,” the MC held up a clipboard and waved it around above his head, “and I’ll call you up when it’s your turn! Don’t be shy!”

“Marlene, I can’t believe you know Lily!” James boomed across the table. They’d only been at the bar for an hour and he was already drunk. Sirius shook his head knowing he and Peter would probably end up half carrying him home at the end of the night.

Marlene deadpanned at him, “I literally texted you about her on Thanksgiving.”

“Oh! I forgot about that,” James said seriously, eyes wide and confused.

“Jesus, Prongs, how much have you had to drink?” Remus asked from his seat between Lily and Mary. Both women had latched onto him within five minutes of them arriving, stating he was their new best friend, which Sirius found hilarious seeing that they had only met him once before in a dark, loud club.

“Leave him alone, he’s earned it,” Sirius said, doing a poor job of hiding the sourness in his voice. He and Remus hadn’t had a conversation about the argument they’d had after they TPed Fabian’s house two weeks prior. In fact, they hadn’t really spoken much since then, other than conversations that included James and Peter. But Sirius had been pretty drunk when it happened. Maybe he wasn’t remembering it properly.

“Remus, are you going to sing?” Mary asked before stealing one of his french fries.

“That’s mine!” Remus whined, attempting to snatch the fry back from her as she popped it in her mouth and grinned wickedly at him. He mumbled a few choice expletives before shoving a handful of fries in his mouth in protest.

“Aw, you big baby,” Mary laughed ruffling his hair, “What are you gonna sing?” Remus chewed for a moment, shaking his head at her before swallowing and downing the rest of his beer.

“I don’t sing.”

“That’s a lie! He sings in the shower!” James yelled happily, causing Lily to burst into giggles.

“Dude, shut the fuck up,” Remus whined, throwing a fry which hit James in the cheek.

“No throwing food!” Dorcas said loudly, reaching across the table to bat Remus in the nose.

James laughed and pulled nacho off the shared plate in the middle of the table. “You know what’s funny? How many of us knew each other but we’ve never all hung out before! So weird!”

“Is it weird, or has it been carefully orchestrated that way?” Marlene mumbled, leaning onto Dorcas’ shoulder as they played with her hair.

“Yeah, I’ve been keeping Mary to myself on purpose. Thought she wouldn’t want to be my friend anymore if she met you assholes,” Peter joked.

“That could never happen, bestie,” Mary scrunched her nose at him before pointing at his plate of chicken wings. “Are you gonna finish those?”

“Have as many as you want, I’ll just order more.” He waved his hand around over the wings.

“So, you guys are all roommates? Sorry, I know we’ve met before but we didn’t get to talk much. It was mostly drinking and dancing,” Alice asked from the end of the table where she was sitting on the lap of a man she’d introduced as her boyfriend Frank, even though she had her own chair.

“Well, I guess housemates is a better term but yeah,” Sirius said before pointing across the table at Marlene, “We went to high school with Marley.”

“Yes, she’s told us many stories about the four of you,” Emmeline smirked from her spot across the table at him.

“And you guys are all roommates? That’s a lot of women in one room,” James grinned.

“Why are you the way that you are?” Sirius asked exasperatedly.

“What? I didn’t say anything!”

“You were thinking it.”

“You don’t know me!”

“Boys, stop it,” Peter chastised them.

“Technically Mary, Alice, and I are roommates and Marlene, Dorcas, and Emmeline are roommates. We share a bathroom so we moved all of our beds to one room and in the other room we set up a couch and tv and things to make it more like a living room space,” Lily explained.

“So you’re all sleeping together, that’s what I was saying,” James said matter of factly.

“You are such a massive idiot, do you know that?” Sirius huffed.

James blinked at him a few times before his jaw dropped in realization “I didn’t mean it like that!” He screeched, causing the girls to erupt in laughter.

“Well some of us mean it like that,” Dorcas smirked at their girlfriend.

“Okay, but now I’m curious,” James started.

“Please shut up. Here, eat instead of talking,” Sirius said, waving a mozzarella stick in front of his face.

“Stop it!” James laughed, whacking Sirius’ hand out from in front of him, “When one of you wants to fuck do the rest of you just go wait it out in the living room area?”

“Jesus fucking Christ, James,” Remus chastised as Mary burst out laughing.

“Why do you want to know?” Lily asked coyly.

“Curiosity?” James grinned at her.

“Okay, enough of this, James come with me we’re signing up for karaoke,” Marlene said rounding the table quickly to pull James up by his shirt.

“Hey! This is a nice shirt!”

“It’s a fucking t-shirt, James,” Marlene rolled her eyes, dragging him to the DJ stand.

“Sorry, he’s just fucking plastered,” Sirius groaned, refilling his glass with the almost empty pitcher of beer before signaling to a passing waitress to have another pitcher brought over.

“I think he’s adorable,” Lily laughed.

“I think he’s dating someone, just FYI. I don’t think it’s a girlfriend, but just so you know,” he said, watching her stare at James across the room.

“Okay,” she pressed her lips together in a firm line.

“He doesn’t do relationships.”

Her eyes flicked from James back to Sirius, “Why?”

Sirius shrugged. Of course he knew why, but he wasn’t about to spill his best friend’s secrets to some woman he just met an hour ago.

“So where’s the boyfriend, Sirius?” Dorcas asked before thanking the waitress as she set two fresh pitchers down on their table.

“Dunno, I didn’t invite him,” Sirius shrugged again, fidgeting with a nacho. He saw Remus stiffen out of the corner of his eye and Mary leaned in to whisper to him.

“Did you invite anyone Emmeline?” Alice called down the table.

“Gid said he wasn’t getting back until tomorrow,” Emmeline responded, folding her napkin intricately.

“Wait, you’re dating Gid? Gideon Prewett?” Sirius asked, looking up.

“I don’t know if dating is the right word. He comes around when he feels like it.” Emmeline rolled her eyes and then bit her lip, “Sorry that was probably not something I should’ve shared.”

“No, that’s fine. Fabian’s my boyfriend,” Sirius said quickly, turning away so he could no longer see Remus’ reactions in his peripheral vision, though he feel him glaring at the back of his head.

“Fabian has a boyfriend?” Emmeline asked, eyebrows pinched together in confusion. Sirius grimaced at the reaction, taking a moment to fill his glass. The waitress came back with a beer tower, setting it on the table before walking away.

“Who ordered this?” Sirius laughed pointing at it.

“I did!” James laughed, sitting back down in his seat as he clapped Sirius on the back, “Time to get druuuuuunk!”

“You already are drunk,” Remus said around Lily who had her head tilted in, whispering to Mary.

“What are you guys whispering about?” James asked, leaning in next to Lily.

“Alright, folks! First up, are Al and Frank!” The MC called loudly into the microphone and their table erupted with hoots and hollers as Alice bounced up to the stage, dragging a love-sick-looking Frank behind her.

“Alice is in choir. She likes to go first on karaoke nights just to fuck with everyone else,” Emmeline explained to Sirius as he watched Lily playfully bat James away so he couldn’t listen in to their whispered conversation. Emmeline was right, Alice was a fantastic singer, blowing away the crowd as Frank hummed tunelessly next to her, watching her dance on the stage as she belted out I Wanna Dance With Somebody. Over the next hour, two more beer towers were delivered to the table, James slurred Don’t Stop Me Now while Marlene sang alongside him until the end when he pulled her in and spun her around dramatically, and Emmeline pulled Sirius onto the stage with her to sing.

“Can't explain all the feelings that you're making me feel!” Sirius sang through his laughter as Emmeline spun around wildly next to him. He glanced down at the table of his friends who were all ‘woo’-ing and laughing along with him.

“My heart's in overdrive and you're behind the steering wheel!” Emmeline sang grabbing onto his wrist as she shimmied her shoulders.

“Touching yooooooou!” Sirius shrieked up at the ceiling with his eyes closed.

Emmeline mimicked his actions, “Touching meeeeeee!”

“Touching you, God, you're touching meeeeee!” They sang together before jumping up and down on the stage with the beat of the music.

“I believe in a thing called love! Just listen to the rhythm of my heart!” He staccatoed out.

“There's a chance we could make it now! We'll be rocking 'til the sun goes down!” She followed.

“I believe in a thing called loooooooooove! Ooooh wow!” Sirius kicked in the air before breaking into an air guitar as the bar cheered. He laughed, looking up at their table again. James was standing on it between the food and pitchers and towers of beer, playing air guitar with him, Marlene was taking video of both of them with her phone. Lily only had eyes for James, who was dangerously close to stepping in her drink. And Remus was staring at him like he’d never seen him before. A weird mixture of joy and confusion played across his face, causing a crease between his eyebrows that Sirius desperately wanted to smooth out. And then Emmeline was pulling on him, spinning him around to dance with her before they started singing again. They finished the song with raucous applause before sliding off stage. Sirius’ sheer, black shirt, which had already been mostly unbuttoned when they got there, was now completely open, his black jeans were tight and scratchy with how much he had sweat dancing on stage.

“C’mere your eyeliner is messed up,” Marlene said pulling him onto her lap as he reached the table.

“Yeah, cause I’m sweating like crazy! Fix it, babe!” He whined as she wiped at his eyes with a tissue she’d pulled from her purse.

“I am fixing it, be patient,” she clicked her tongue as the MC called up Lily and Remus.

“What? You’re singing?” Sirius asked, whipping his head away from Marlene to stare at the tall lanky man who merely shrugged at him and allowed Lily to drag him on stage.

“Sirius, you have to look at me if you want me to fix it,” Marlene chided him, grabbing his chin to force his head back toward her.

“He’s singing. He never sings karaoke,” He mumbled as Marlene pulled the liquid liner out of her purse.

“Mhmm.”

“Why is he singing?”

“Lily convinced him to, I guess,” Marlene shrugged but there was a smirk plastered across her face as the first few notes of a guitar played over the speakers.

“You’re on the phone with your girlfriend, she’s upset. She’s going off about something that you said, but she doesn’t get your humor like I do,” Lily sang. Sirius ripped his face out of Marlene’s hands again to look back and forth between Lily, who was staring at James, and James who was grinning like an idiot back at her.

“Why Taylor Swift?” He groaned.

“Oh stop it, she’s not that bad.”

“But-”

“Just stop and listen to the song you idiot, and close your eyes, I’m almost done.”

“I'm in the room, it's a typical Tuesday night. I'm listening to the kind of music he doesn't like, and he'll never know your story like I do,” Remus sang. It was kind of funny how Remus couldn’t carry a tune to save his life, but Sirius would rather listen to him drunkenly butcher Taylor Swift in a noisy, sticky, sweaty bar than see any of his favorite bands in concert. Marlene tapped his face lightly when she was finished, and he opened his eyes slowly, turning his face toward the stage. Remus swayed his hips out of time with the music, his golden eyes locked on Sirius’ silver ones.

Marlene leaned up to mumble in his ear, “Are you listening to the lyrics?” He nodded quickly, realizing he had been too focused on the way Remus' tongue ring glinted in the lights as he licked his lips between verses.

“If you could see that I'm the one who understands you, been here all along. So, why can't you see? You belong with me, you belong with me.”

“Oh.”

“Oh?” Marlene whispered. Sirius’s heart felt like it had leaped into his throat, he blinked a few times watching Remus and Lily continue to sing and sway around the stage. He nodded slowly.

“Oh.”

[goldeneyedgirl]

TwiFicMas Day 11: AU Shadow to Light

Tonight's offering is an AU to STL that I've been playing with - if Mary-Alice had fled the army when she was assaulted, rather than stayed. This will absolutely be a one-shot piece, just an exploration of exactly how close Mary-Alice was that day to a very different future.

I hope everyone is staying safe these holidays - it looks like my sister won't be home for Christmas because she's come in contact with COVID which is really scary. Be smart, get vaccinated, and wear a mask <3

tw: rape/assault mentioned, not graphically.

There’s a girl in the tree outside the kitchen window.

Esme notices her early in the day, when the dew is still sitting on the lawn. She’s small and pale and ragged, and she’s half-lying over a branch, her chin on her hands as she watches the Cullen house. She doesn’t flinch, doesn’t move. Just watches.

It might be one of Carlisle’s friends, but the boys have all gone hunting and she cannot ask. They won’t be back for four days - another bonding trip; Jasper has been doing so well with the family, but they are all careful to reinforce the familial bond, to remind them all of the affection, respect, and enjoyment they get from being apart of a family. It sounds mercenary, calculated, but it works for them. The same way she and Rosalie prize their time together.

Esme thinks about calling Rose but she doesn’t. Instead, she goes outside, smiling as she walks towards the little mite in the tree. She’s not a newborn - her eyes are black, and she’s so still. Her eyes meet Esme’s, and the woman thinks of animals. Animals dying slowly, in pain, hoping for some kind of divine intervention.

“Hello,” Esme smiles up at her, seven feet in the air. “I’m Esme Cullen.”

There is no response. The girl jerks backwards to flatten herself against the trunk, her limbs pulled tight against herself. And without breaking Esme’s gaze, she ascends higher up into the branches. Putting more distance between herself and Esme.

“I’m not going to hurt you?” Esme offers, suddenly concerned. Perhaps she’s not a friend of Carlisle’s, but some nomadic little waif, seeking out her own kind but too fearful to engage them.

The girl turns her head away to the house, and no matter what Esme says to her, does not say a word.

She stays in the tree.

—

It is only a month or two after their arrival, Maria begins to rebuild the army. She is cautious in her selection of soldiers. The first few are harmless – Reina is the vainest creature on the planet, and Felipe is strong but as dumb as a brick. They are both obedient, respectful, and learn their roles quickly.

It is Derrick she does not like. He looks innocuous, baby-faced, but there’s something foul about him. His sly smirks and calculating gazes do not put anyone else on edge, but she stays away as best she can. The newborns are kept in the cellar, but she is finally granted a reprieve from the ‘barracks’, and shares a tiny room with Ariana in the farmhouse proper.

For a little while, she thinks that is enough to protect her from a nebulous threat she doesn’t entirely comprehend.

He finally corners her in the barn, after training. It happens so quickly, and he is so strong, then he has her pinned, his arm around her throat. She cannot move, and she isn’t stupid – so much as a murmur, and he will take her head clean off.

There is nothing she can do.

The things he whispers in her ear are vile, but she is silent, trying to still her unnecessary breathing.

Fear creates predatory behaviour. The Major taught her that.

But it doesn’t help her now; it doesn’t stop him in his assault, his arm still tight and unrelenting. He goads her, clearly eager for her to provoke him into beheading her.

This is not how she dies.

She is rage wrapped in ice and stone. Instead of crawling into a corner of her mind, she tries to drag a vision upon herself so she can figure out what she does next.

But she doesn’t know, so she cannot make that choice, and when he finally releases her, she runs. She runs and runs, until she can see the ocean and there is sand underneath her bare feet. It is there that her rage burns out, and she just feels hollowed out and dirty.

She can still smell that bastard on her. That is easily fixed; the heavy, salt water of the Gulf of Mexico wash away his scent, and leaves her hair gritty and her dress stiff. But the feeling of him pressed up against her, of his arm around her throat, the scent of his hot breath, his mocking words…

She wants to be sick. She wants to vomit up her last meal into the sand. She wants to rip and tear and destroy. She wants to scream and cry, cry real human tears. And she knows if she goes back to the house, goes back and tells Maria what Derrick did to her, she probably wouldn’t care. It’s the flip of a coin whether Maria would raise her eyebrow as if she was whining about the weather, or if she’d destroy Derrick. And even then, it would be more about putting Derrick in his rightful place than what he’d done to her.

If she wanted something done about him, wanted him destroyed, she’d have to do it herself. That’s the truth.

No one has ever protected her for her sake. No one has ever comforted her, ever defended her, ever protected her. In battle, she was the shield that protected the Major and Peter and Maria and Charlotte… She’s always been the one on the frontline, the one that is expendable.

And she’s so very, very tired. She wants…

She wants…

She wants the Major.

She wants the Major who once beheaded a newborn for arguing with her on matters of battle strategy. Who brought her back a dress from a hunt in town one night, because they hadn’t found anything to fit her half-decently in months. She wants the Major, who always made sure there was paper for her to fold, waiting for her on the window ledge.

She wants the Major. He’d tear Derrick apart, slowly and painfully and not just because Mary-Alice was the Major’s property. It would be a lie not to acknowledge it. But because she was distressed. Because she wanted to feel safe. He’d let her light up the body as well, fold her against him and stroke her hair.

Or maybe that was wishful thinking.

Except… it doesn’t have to be.

She’s already wading out to the water before she can wrap her head around what she’s doing. There’s nothing she’s really leaving behind - the Major’s dog-tags are safe around her neck, the only thing in her quarters are a ragged dress, a book she cannot read, and dozens of folded animals and flowers. Nothing worth staying for.

Swimming isn’t something she’s ever done before, but she’s going to try. She’s going to try her goddamn hardest and maybe by the time she’s finished, the only thing she’ll smell on herself is sand and salt and sea.

—

Rosalie is less worried about the girl, and more irritated. “She needs to leave,” Rose says between gritted teeth as she paces in front of the window. “What does she want?”

“I don’t know,” Esme sighs. It’s been a debate since she told Rosalie about her. “She hasn’t tried to hunt, and she looks thirsty. She won’t speak to me… she looks so sad, Rosalie. I just want to help.”

“If she wants help, she has to ask for it,” Rosalie snapped and turned on her heal to march out the back door.

The girl looks at her curiously, but does not leave her perch.

“What do you want?” Rosalie half-yells, and the girl says nothing.

“If you aren’t going to talk to us like a human, you need to leave!” Rosalie insists. “We don’t want you here!”

The girl shrinks into herself, somehow getting smaller, her chin resting on her knees. But she doesn’t budge.

“Rosalie,” Esme sighs but Rosalie already regrets her words, at the way the stranger seemed to shrink away.

//

It’s not an easy escape.

But it was never destined to be.

She is awkward in the water, but fast, keeping as deep as she can because she’s scared she will be caught out by someone. Not just Maria, but Valeria’s people or Emile’s. The fear is like a live-wire in her head, on her skin. It’s all she’s known for days.

The visions hit her lazily. Maria had assumed that Derrick had destroyed her after his assault, and he had been executed without ceremony - he was too dangerous to keep, in a myriad of ways. She was assumed to be dead, but despite two nights of searches, no one had found evidence of a pyre.

That should be a comfort.

Emile is prowling further up the coastline and that is powerfully inconvenient - she wanted to leave the water as close to Alabama as possible. Instead, she’ll go as far as Florida - no matter how good and terrible and vicious Emile is, even if he ever managed to claim Georgia, Florida is a land unto itself.

If Florida ever falls, the South is lost.

Valeria is still hovering around California and that’s good, even if Valeria puts Mary-Alice’s teeth on edge; the woman makes her feel like a trigger about to be pulled. And she hates that. She hates things she can not tease apart and understand - that’s the only reason she got that far in this life, after all.

She swims with panicked urgency, as if she can outrun all the horrors she has left behind. And maybe being so deep in the water, having the grim and blood washed off her, should feel like some kind of baptism. But instead, it feels heavy, it feels dangerous, it feels like something she wants to be rid of immediately.

But the feeling doesn’t ebb when she finally makes it to Florida in the dead of night. She’s shaking for some reason, and her hair and dress feel horrible against her skin and she doesn’t feel better at all. She still feels like a rabbit in the underbrush, trying to dark and scurry to safety.

But her safety is not easy coming. Is anywhere safe?

What will the Major say or do when he sees her?

What if… what if he tells her she’s being silly? A bad soldier. That she was wrong to leave Maria over something so petty. She could have destroyed the newborn herself.

She can’t stop shaking.

It takes another day to get a clear vision of the Major, she’s too jumbled up to focus enough. She’s tucked herself up on the underside of a bridge, her knees tight to her chest as she waits and she finds herself rocking. There is no calm to be found, not in a million different stimulants, in the scent of people and the sounds and the pounding fear in her head. She’s thirsty again but she doesn’t want to hunt. Doesn’t want to leave her ledge. Just wants someone to turn the word right-side-up again.

After hours of waiting, she finally has her vision. He’s in Wisconsin. With the Cullens. In a house with a blue door, surrounded by trees. He’s laughing in the vision, with the Cullen men. He’s clean and he’s more relaxed than she’s ever seen him.

Wisconsin. It’s further than she’s ever run in her whole life, and she’s not entirely sure how to get there, but she’ll figure it out.

She leaves Florida as soon as it gets dark.

—

[booksarelife-stuff]

Gold Rush

Jily (James Potter/Lily Evans), Minor wolfstar

Word Count: 4856

Lily didn’t expect to be having these feelings for James when 7th year starts. Featuring a jealous and pining Lily. 

Read on AO3

When James caught her eye from across the Gryffindor table, she didn’t expect a fluttering feeling in her chest to blossom. 

Summer had been kind to him in ways that almost made Lily angry. He seemed to grow into his features. His cheeks had lost all the baby fat, making sharp cheekbones appear, and he had gotten new glasses that seemed to frame his face a lot better and highlight his hazel eyes. The dimple in his left cheek still made appearances when he smirked and god, his jawline was heavenly. His voice had also deepened to a nice even baritone that when Lily first heard it, it had taken a second to realize that James had spoken. 

Alarm bells started going off as he smiled at her. She quickly smiled and turned away, hiding the blush that was starting to form on her cheeks. 

She could not be thinking about James Potter like that. 

~~~

Lily hadn’t been particularly thrilled with having to share a living space with just him. It could be worse, as she had been expecting Remus and he wasn’t the tidiest. She had been in the boys’ dorm a few times and it was never messy, but Remus told her that it was because James cleaned it. 

It hadn’t been bad, besides the fluttering in her stomach when he walked in. 

Lily was reading a book on professional level charms, her legs stretched out on the sofa by the fireplace. The head dorm was nice and Lily wondered if it changed based on who were the heads that year because it resembled the Gryffindor common room closely, with more cushy furniture than necessary. 

She was about to turn the page when the bookcase that hid the entrance swung open. 

She hated the butterflies that formed in her stomach.

James stepped in, soaking from the rain. He had had Quidditch practice. 

“It’s raining horribly,” he said as a greeting. 

Lily opened her mouth to say something but nothing came out. His hair was flat for once in his life and sticking to his forehead. He had a curl plastered on his forehead. His t-shirt was clinging to him. James wasn’t buff, but he was lean and his defined muscles were nothing to laugh at. 

“I swear I almost drowned in mid-air,” he said. “Is that even a thing?”

“No, I don’t believe so,” Lily said, turning away and looking at her book. He got out his wand and started charming himself dry. 

“Practice went okay otherwise,” he said, finally getting his shoes dry. 

“How’s the new seeker?” she asked, not looking at James as he flung himself into the sofa across from her. 

“Doing good. Just need to make a few improvements on her techniques,” he said. 

Lily spared a glance and wished she didn’t. His legs were spread out and his head threw back, exposing his neck. She hoped that he didn’t see her blush.  

“Who’s the first game against?” she asked. 

“Ravenclaw,” he said. “They got a strong keeper, but I don’t think they’ll be a problem. Hufflepuff has a great line up though and it has me a bit worried.”

“It’ll be fine. Gryffindor always pulls through,” she said. James laughed a little. 

“Yeah, but doesn’t mean I can’t try to eliminate a struggle,” he said. Lily looked up and saw he was looking at her. “I like it when I can crush them with little to no problems.”

Lily rolled her eyes. 

“I think a struggle is a better show of feat,” she replied. “Shows how you work under pressure.”

“Ah, but when there’s no struggle, it shows that we don’t have any weakness,” he said. 

“Spoken like a true Gryffindor,” Lily said.  James laughed and the butterflies in Lily’s stomach started up again. 

James asked about what she was reading and she found that she forgot about the anxiety that had started to surround her when he was near. He was easy to talk to, always had been when they weren’t intent on arguing for the sake of arguing. 

~~

When Lily joined in with James at the breakfast table of trying to throw sausages into Sirius’s mouth, that’s when she knew she had a problem. 

Lily was never one for rules, especially if they were unfair. She upheld the ones she agreed to, sometimes bent them when she saw fit, but the outward display of joining in the Marauders was crossing an invisible line. 

Lily didn’t see that line until Marlene pulled her aside after History of Magic and casted a silencing charm around them. 

“So when did you realize you’re head over heels for James?” she asked. Count on Marlene to always jump straight to the point.

Lily almost dropped her books. 

“What are you talking about?” she asked. 

Marlene rolled her blue eyes at Lily.

“Come off it,” she said. “It’s obvious. The Lily that despised him fifth year would never have spent the morning trying to break his sausage-throwing record or share your notes with him.”

Lily felt angry.

“Just because I’m being friendly doesn’t mean I like him!” she hissed. Marlene was unphased by Lily’s anger. 

“Oh Lily, don’t be upset. He’s fit as fuck and a decent guy,” she said. “I would be shocked if you didn’t!”

“You know how much I hate crushes,” Lily said, fighting the urge to stomp her foot like a child. “It’s pointless!”

Marlene laughed. 

“Sometimes, you can’t fight it,” she said. She waved her wand and the silencing charm around them faded. “Let’s get to lunch.”

Lily walked beside her in silence, fuming. 

There were a few reasons why Lily hated crushes. She hated how they painted the world in rose colored glasses, obscuring truths. She thought about the crush she had had on a 7th year Ravenclaw when she was in fifth year. 

Lily didn’t remember his name, just that she had tried many times to speak to him when they were at the library at the same time. Lily felt like she was flying every time she saw him, with every word he spoke to her.

Then came the bone-crush. He kissed her one day over her charms homework and the next day she found out he had a girlfriend, a fourth year Hufflepuff. 

Lily felt disgusting and immediately told her. 

When she looked back at that experience, she felt hot anger and embarrassment. The rose colored world she had seen had blinded her from the truth. 

She should have noticed how flippant he was when she asked him questions. How once he caught on to Lily’s crush, he would find a table in the back, out of the way from passersby. Lily had thought it was because he wanted alone time, not because he was hiding from his girlfriend or anyone who might rat on her. 

She had vowed that she was never going to make an utter fool of herself again. 

Lily pushed down her anger and looked forward to have a nice peaceful lunch with her friends that she missed so dearly. Alice, Dorcas, and Mary were waiting for them at the end of the table, but as Lily’s eyes looked on, she found a sight that made her almost vomit. 

There was James, sitting across from Amelia Bones, a Hufflepuff in their year. 

He was flashing her his signature smile and laughing at something she said, running a hand through his messy hair. 

She peeled her eyes away and took her seat next to Alice, forcing herself not to stare at them. 

She picked at her food and tried hard to pay attention to her friends. 

“Hogsmeade is next week, right?” Lily asked, suddenly. 

“Sure is,” Mary said, sipping some of her juice. 

“I want to get plastered at the Three Broomsticks,” Lily said. The girls laughed. 

“It’s date,” Marlene announced. “I’ve been waiting to see you drunk since you took that shot of firewhiskey.”

Lily rolled her eyes, thinking of the time Marlene snuck a firewhiskey up to their dorm last year and Lily almost threw up after one shot. 

The girls started planning the trip. 

Despite her resolve, she shot a glance at Amelia and James, who were just getting up from the table. James met her eyes and winked at her, to which Lily rolled her eyes because it let her do something other than blush. 

~~~

Lily would be an idiot if she thought that she was the only one to notice James. That didn’t mean she had to like it though. 

James had been asked out three times in one breakfast and though she had no claim to him, it was grating on her nerves. 

“So Prongs,” Sirius started as the brave third year who just asked James this morning left. “You’re turning into quite a lady killer.”

James snorted. 

“I’m starting to think someone is cursing them,” he said. “It’s mental.”

“Face it, Prongs,” Sirius said. “You’re a hot ticket item.”

“They’re dying to have your babies,” Remus said, not looking up from his copy of the Daily Prophet. 

“They’re going to kidnap you and force you to go on a date with them,” Peter added. 

“Probably going to slip you some love potion,” Lily said. James whipped his head and looked at her. 

“I expect them to gang up on me, but you Evans? Betrayal,” he said. 

Lily smiled and bit back the green monster that was going to reel it’s head if she thought about it too hard. 

“I know what’s going on,” she said. 

“Please, be our insight into the female mind,” Sirius said, brushing a strand of dark hair behind his ear. 

Lily rolled her eyes. 

“Teenagers are horny,” she said. “James is headboy, plays Quidditch. Every fifteen year old’s dream.”

Lily kept her eyes on her tea as she took a sip. She could feel his eyes on her. What she really wanted to say is that she got it. She got why these girls were dying for James. Lily herself felt like she would die in order to have James touch or snog. 

She was trying to get that to stop. 

“And he’s fit,” Remus said. Sirius glared at his boyfriend. “Objectively speaking. Not my type, sorry James.”

“I don’t take it personally,” James grumbled, taking it personally. 

“Just be happy you can get a date,” Peter said. “I can’t get one for the life of me!”

“How about this Pete,” James said, resting his elbows on the table. “Tell me who you fancy and I’ll ask their bestfriend out and see if I can’t get a double date?”

Here was the bone-crush. Here is where the misery came and grabbed Lily. 

“You’d do that for me?” Peter asked, his eyes wide. 

“Once,” he said. “I’m going to help you woo the pants off of this girl and hope you get a second date on your own.”

If Peter said who he fancied, it was lost on Lily. She stared at the cup of tea in front of her, watching the surface of the liquid vibrate. 

She could imagine going on a date with him, so vividly it hurts. She could practically picture walking with him down the slope, hand in hand. Sitting across from him at the Three Broomsticks and stealing his chips. And that image hurt as she watched them plan their double date.

James nudged Lily, jarring herself out her thoughts. 

“Time for Transfig,” he said. “Ready?”

Lily nodded and stood up. As she grabbed her bag, she saw Remus watching her. He gave her a small smile and she tried to return it. 

James, Sirius, and Peter were already walking ahead of them when Remus came beside her. 

“So, I take it you’re against the double date?” he asked as they started up the stairs. 

“No, why would I?” she asked quickly. 

Remus sighed deeply and just shook his head. They caught up to the other boys. 

~~~

Once Lily heard James was taking Amelia Bones to Hogsmeade, she was even more determined to get wasted at the Three Broomsticks. She was a rational person. She knew that getting wasted to forget a stupid crush was immature, but she could be immature for a night. 

She put more effort into her appearance than normally for a girls night out. Normally she would be fine with jeans and a jumper, but Mary had suggested they act like they were going to the hottest nightclub in the U.K. 

Lily didn’t have a lot of clothes appropriate for that, but Mary was her size and had tons of sparkling dresses that she was willing to let Lily borrow. 

Mary had picked a gold sequined dress that was a little shorter than Lily was used to, but she knew she could make it work. It was strapless and Lily had a slightly bigger breast than Mary, so Lily placed a sticking charm on the sweetheart neckline. 

Lily also did some beauty charms. One to make her hair have more beachy waves than her own slightly sad waves. The make-up charms turned out better than she thought as her emerald eyes looked bigger with the eyeliner charm. 

She checked the time, gave herself one final look over, and then grabbed her coat, and left her room, stepping out in the common room. She heard something fall as she closed the door. 

James was standing at his door, staring at Lily like he was deer caught in the headlights. 

He was ready for his date, a nice dark green shirt and pants that had been pressed. He looked good and Lily hated it. 

“Evans, what are you wearing?” he asked. Lily looked down at her dress. 

“A dress?”

“You look…” he started, eyeing her up and down. “Stunning.”

Lily felt her cheeks heat up. 

“Thanks. It’s for the girl’s night,” she said. The air felt awkward as the silence fell. 

James looked away, clearing his throat. 

“Where are you going? For the girl’s night,” he asked, picking up his wand that he had dropped. 

“Three Broomsticks,” Lily replied. “Where’s your date?”

“Madam Padifoots,” he replied. 

“Aw, that’s romantic,” Lily said, forcing a smile. 

“Pete picked it,” he said. “I would rather be drowning in some Butterbeer.”

Silence fell again. Lily wanted to say something, but she found it hard. James hadn’t looked at her since he picked up his wand. 

“Well, have a good time,” Lily said, making her way to the bookcase. 

“Same,” James said. 

The walk down was freezing, but once Lily sat in a booth, squished between Mary and Dorcas, she realized it was worth it. 

They started out with some food, but soon enough the drinks kept coming. Lily felt wobbly as her and Mary sang a Muggle song on the top of their lungs. She was spinning when Alice admitted her and Frank had had sex in his childhood bedroom over the summer. 

She was absolutely gone with Remus and Sirius stood at the end of the booth. 

“You lot are cut off for the rest of the night,” Remus said. Lily started giggling at his stern expression. 

“Oi! Remy,” Mary said, her words slurred. “How big is Black? We have a bet.”

“I’ll have you know I’m packing,” Sirius said, not the least bit phased. 

Lily snorted.

“He’s average,” Remus replied. All the girls started laughing. Lily felt tears in her eyes as Sirius elbowed Remus. 

“He’s joking,” Sirius said. Remus shook his head, unknown to Sirius, and the laughter started again. 

“We’re escorting back to the castle,” Remus said. 

The loud “aw” that escaped their lips was enough to make the rest of the bar turn and look at them. 

Marlene almost fell when she tried to walk and Remus ran out for a second. He came back with James. 

Normal, sober Lily would be ashamed of herself in the morning. 

“James!” she yelled. James smiled and widened his eyes. “I’m drunk!”

James ran a hand through his hair and smiled, his dimple making an appearance. 

“I can see that, Lils,” he said. 

He helped her up off the bench and caught her as she stumbled. His hand was warm on her arm and goose flesh appeared. 

“Let’s try to get you back in one piece, alright?” he said. 

“Carry me,” she said, giggling. James gave her a look she was too drunk to read into. 

“I will if I have too,” he said. 

He helped her put her coat on and then placed his arm around her in order to steady her walk. 

The rest of the group was in front of them. Mary and Dorcas, stumbling, but they were fine compared to Alice, Marlene, and Lily. Alice was Sirius’s back while Marlene was basically using Remus as a cane. 

“Where’s Peter?” Lily asked. 

“He had a pretty nice date,” James replied. “I think they’re still out.”

At the mention of the date, Lily pouted. 

“So your date was nice?” she asked. She hated that tears were forming in her eyes. 

James took a moment to answer. 

“I mean, Amelia and I just talked about our Divination project. I told her it was for Pete,” he said. “We aren’t interested in each other.”

Lily’s heart soared and her eyes dried. 

“Why’d you get all dressed up if it wasn’t a real date?” she slurred. 

“Because it was real for Pete and Ingrid,” he replied. 

“It’s a shame,” Lily said, frowning. 

“What’s a shame?”

“That Amelia could pass you up looking like that!” Lily said, stumbling into him a bit. “I mean your arse looks fantastic! Almost as good as your Quidditch pants.”

James paused for a second and Lily almost tripped but James caught her and steadied her. 

“You’re more drunk than I thought,” James said. Drunk Lily didn’t notice the tightness in her voice.

“Yes,” she said. “And it’s fantastic!”

“You won’t be saying that tomorrow,” he mumbled. 

The boys brought them all back to the head dorm, which made the girls squeal and get excited about a sleepover. James deposited Lily on the couch and quickly made his way over to the potion station in the corner of the room.

“I love the dorm!” Alice chirped, looking around. 

“These couches are ten times better than the ones in the tower,” Marlene said, curling up on the couch by Dorcas. 

“I agree,” Mary said. 

Lily’s eyes wandered to James, who was at the potion station. She was staring at him, but was jared when Sirius sat next to her. 

“How many drunk head girls do you think entered this dorm?” he said, smirking at her. 

Lily threw a pillow at him. 

“Probably all of them,” she replied. “You don’t make head girl without a dash of mischief.”

Sirius raised his eyebrows at her. 

“Lily Evans and mischief? I find that unlikely,” he said. Lily felt offended. 

“Who hexed Avery to make his voice high pitched, huh?” she said, crossing her arms. 

Sirius widened his steel blue eyes. 

“That was you?” he said. 

“Of course it was bloody me! He called me a mudblood and I just snapped!” she fired back. 

“That’s not mischief then Lils, that’s justice,” he said. Lily laughed, loudly. 

“And I’d do it again,” she said. “I also stole Snape’s potion essay once.”

“Evans!” Sirius said, clutching his chest like he was scandalized. 

“He was being a prat! He kept going on and on about he was the best in potions! So I took his essay before it was due,” she said, rather proudly. “He got detention and I found a major error in his essay. I circled it and stuffed it back into his bag.”

Laughter erupted around her, making her feel warm and proud. Alice was clutching her side.

“What else have you done, Evans?” Sirius enquired, leaning back on the cushions and crossing his legs. 

Lily hummed and thought for a second. 

“I changed James’ quidditch robes to neon pink in fifth year,” she said. 

“That was you?!” James exclaimed from across the room. “I didn’t talk to Sirius for a week!”

Sirius doubled over with laughter. 

“I remember that!” Mary said, clapping her hands. “You did it because James threw a piece of parchment at you and asked you out in the middle of the hallway!”

Lily remembered it and laughed. 

“He was such an arse!” she said. 

“Was, did you say Evans?” Sirius inquired. 

“Yes, was,” she confirmed. Sirius shot her a look. 

The conversation drifted away from Lily’s mischief to how Mary engorged Marlene’s tongue when she thought she told the school one of her secrets. Lily’s eyes drifted back to James, who was bent over a steaming cauldron. Lily, ever the potions master, decided she must know what he was making. 

She wobbled across the room and stood next to James, so close their arms bumped. 

“Whatchya making?” she asked. 

“A sober-up potion for you lot,” he said. “Then I’ll make a hangover-be-gone tomorrow for you guys.”

“I don’t want to sober up,” Lily pouted. She grabbed James’s arm and leaned her head against it. James didn’t say to protest it. 

“You’ll be thanking me in the morning,” he said with a smirk. Lily rolled her eyes. 

He was finely chopping the roots and Lily watched him, her could feel the muscles on his arms move, but she didn’t want to move and James wasn’t pushing her away. 

“Shouldn’t you dice them?” she asked. James scoffed. 

“You’re drunk and you’re still critiquing my potions,” he said. 

“I wouldn’t have to critique if you did it the right way.” James erupted in laughter. 

“Trust me, Evans. I’ve made this a few times,” he said. Lily didn’t reply, she just watched the cauldron bubble from her spot on James’s arm. 

“I’m sorry about asking you out that way in fifth,” he mumbled. 

“It’s okay,” she said. “You were just an obnoxious little boy.”

“You don’t think I'm still an obnoxious little boy?”

“Nope,” she said. “You would have never made headboy if that was the case.”

“True,” he said. He turned the potion off and stirred it until it was a clear color. Lily let go of his arm once he was ready to pour it for them. 

Lily drank hers and watched as James started handing out the rest to her friends. 

As the minutes ticked by, she realized she was going to regret a lot in the morning. 

~~~

Lily remembered everything of her drunken night clearly, which is why she was determined to put as much space as possible between her and James. 

She told him he had a nice arse! That was something she could never come back from. Ever. 

He didn’t mention it and she was grateful for it. He did get her back from making his Quidditch uniform pink and during breakfast when her black robes turned a stunning shade of pink. When she made eye contact with James down the table, twirling his wand in his fingers, she just laughed. She left them that color for the rest of the day. 

The only thing is that James started walking closer to her in the corridors when they patrolled together. His arm brushing against hers constantly. She often wondered what would happen if she just grabbed this hand. Which is why she started making the distance bigger.

Lily was spending her time in their shared common room when he was gone or at practice. She knew the time that James would be in and made sure to either be at the library, her bedroom, or in the Gryffindor Tower with the girls. 

She was packing her things up, about to move to her bedroom before James came back from practice. She wasn’t expecting the bookcase to swing open ten minutes early and reveal a sweaty James Potter. 

She fought the urge to get up and run without saying anything, but she held firm and tried to put her books away without looking like she was trying to do so as fast as she could. 

“Hey Evans,” James said, smiling a little at her. 

“Hey Potter,” Lily said as evenly as she could, darting her eyes back to her textbook. 

“I feel like I haven’t seen you in a hot minute,” James said. 

Lily glanced up to see him standing by the couch. 

“We ate breakfast together,” she pointed out. 

“You sat like, three people away from me,” he said. 

Lily took a deep breath. She was getting irate and couldn’t quite place why. 

“I talked to you in Transfiguration,” she pointed out. 

She heard James sigh. 

“I just asked to borrow a quill,” he said. 

Something in his tone made Lily look at him. He was standing at the side of the couch looking utterly frustrated, running a hand through his damp hair.  

“I don’t know what you’re getting at,” Lily said, looking back at her book before their eyes could meet. 

There was a heavy silence. 

“I don’t get you,” he said after a moment. 

“‘Get me’?” Lily asked, snapping her book shut. Lily looked up and saw that James looked frustrated. 

“One minute, I feel like we’re finally getting on and then next you act like I’m a second year who just wants to pull your hair,” James said. 

“We are getting on,” Lily said, crossing her arms. 

“Are we?” he questioned. 

Lily stood up, anger flaring in her stomach. 

“Well, we were,” she said, crossing her arms. 

James took a deep breath and turned away from Lily. 

“Can you just tell me what is going on?” he snapped. “I know I’ve done some pretty shitty things in the past. I’ve been trying to be better! Snape cursed me in the hallway and I didn’t curse him back because I knew you’d be upset!”

James opened his mouth like he was going to say more, but he quickly shut it. He just stared at her from across the room, his chest heaving slightly. Lily had seen an angry James quite a few times, but there was something in his eyes that showed Lily he was more hurt than anything. 

“It’s not your fault,” Lily said, holding his gaze. 

“What isn’t?” he asked. 

“Me being weird,” she said, throwing her hands up.

“Explain it to me. Because one second you’re telling me I have a nice arse and the next, you can’t even look at me,” he said. 

As Lily stood across from James, she realized that there was no way out of this mess besides the truth. Lily didn’t know if she was ready to throw her cards down, but God, she couldn’t take it anymore. 

“Because I can’t stop thinking about you!” she yelled. “Every bloody day, I see girls tripping over themselves to get a scrap of your attention and I feel like I’m a fool!”

James’s jaw dropped as Lily fell silent. She felt heat rise in her cheeks and wishes she could stuff the words back into her mouth. 

“What changed?” James asked. It was so low, Lily almost didn’t hear it. His eyes kept her captivated. 

“A lot of things,” she replied. “Like the fact that you weren’t an utter tosser last year and this year.”

“You told me I was one quite a few times if I remember correctly,” James said, a smirk on his face. 

Lily smiled a little, despite the feeling that she messed something up between them. 

“It was different,” she said. “You just… know how to make people laugh, even when teasing them.”

James smiled, wide and bright and Lily finally looked away, choosing to stare out the window and look at the bright blue sky and fluffy clouds that were outside. 

“I don’t want to get hurt James,” she said. 

Lily felt him walk over. 

“Why do you think I’d ever hurt you, Evans?” he whispered from beside her. 

“Because you’ll realize there are better options out there,” she said. James snorted. 

“I have nothing against the other girls in Hogwarts, but I doubt there is anyone that could ever compare to you, Lily,” he said. “Especially to me.”

James placed a hand on her shoulder and Lily turned to look at him. He was still sweaty from Quidditch, his glasses were crooked, but Merlin, she had never seen a better sight. 

“Fancy a dinner in Hogsmeade?” he asked. She smiled. 

“Hogsmeade is in two weeks,” she pointed out. 

“I’m not waiting two weeks,” he said. “We don’t have patrols tonight. I’ll be ready in twenty, if you want to go with me that is.”

Lily hesitated for a second, not because of James, but because sneaking out. James seemed to get this. 

“You said yourself, ‘what’s a head girl without a little mischief?’” he pointed out. Lily smiled and nodded. 

Lily didn’t think James’s smile could get wider but it did.

“Give me twenty minutes!” he said, moving to turn around and rush to his dorm. 

“Wait a second,” she said, causing James to pause. 

Lily threw all caution to the wind . Just cupped James’s face and brought it down to hers, capturing it in a kiss that made Lily wish she had done this sooner.

[maraudersbutmuggle]

Halloween 2016. Part 5.

Check out Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 and Part 4.

Content Warning: Bullying, Kidnapping, Blackmailing, Weapons & Violence.

James:

James couldn't find her. And he was getting desperate. The horrible feeling he had in his chest, were giving James bad thoughts. That perhaps something had happened to her. Their house wasn't that big. And still James felt it enormous as he searched for her.

"Hey, Frank... Alice..." he approached the couple as they danced "Have you seen Lily?"

They smiled, unaware of James' desperation.

"No mate" Frank grinned, shaking their head "I'm sorry"

"I saw her going upstairs, like an hour ago" Alice added.

James had searched upstairs.

"Okay thank you"

James walked through the party searching for a red head in the sea of dancing people. Only the Prewet Twins.

Then he felt someone touching his shoulder and he jumped.

"Prongs..."

"Padfoot!"

"Do you mind if I go lay down in your room? I don't feel well"

"Have you seen Lily?" James frowned.

Sirius shook his head.

"Is everything okay?"

"I cannot find her anywhere man..."

"Wasn't she in the loo?"

"SHE IS NOT THE LOO!"

James didn't mean to yell, but he was so worried. Sirius looked worried as well. And James felt terrible. He was probably having a hard time with the Remus thing. James had been extra careful with Sirius since his brother died, and James had seen him so devastated.

James spotted Peter.

"Wormy!" he touched his arm, as he walked.

Peter stopped "Prongsie!" he smirked.

"Tell me you have seen Lily"

"No..." Peter answered "I was taking care of Moony, like you asked..." and then Peter noticed Sirius "Oh..."

"What's that suppossed to mean?"

James didn't have time for this. He picked up his phone and tried to call his grilfriend again.

"We were worried so we divided each other to take care of you two" Peter explained embarrassed "Mary, Lily and me were in charge of Remus. The others of you"

Sirius frowned. And James too. Because Lily's phone went to voicemail.

"I'm not a freaking baby!" Sirius protested.

"We just worry..." Peter bit his lip "Right, Prongs?"

But James wasn't thinking straight anymore. Lily always had her phone with her. Especially since Harry was born and they had to leave him with Effie and Monty.

"Maybe Moony knows where she is"

James started walking and he felt his friends following him. He was going to ask all of his friends. Every single person in this motherfucking party to find Lily.

"Moony!"

Remus was outside, sitting in a chair. Bottle in hand.

"Honestly! I go to the loo one second, and you're already drinking" Peter sighed "Where's Mary?"

"I'm not a baby!" Remus spat. He sounded a bit drunk.

"Remus, you shouldn't be drinking" Sirius said

"What do you care?"

"FUCK!!" James rubbed his hair. His friends didn't get it "LILY IS FUCKING MISSING!"

"Don't worry, Prongs" Sirius said "She's has to be around. Maybe she got drunk, like Remus is doing right now"

"I'm enjoying the freaking party!" Remus stood up angrily "Like you wanted me to. Like apparently you're doing without me"

"I'm not enjoying anything..." Sirius spat.

"WILL YOU STOP FIGHTING?" James yelled.

Remus and Sirius were quiet. But James could feel the tension between them. James told himself he was going to talk to them. Once he found Lily.

"Maybe the girls know" Peter tried "I'll go ask them. And look for Mary"

James let Peter go, and considered calling Lily again.

"When did you see her last?" Remus asked.

"She went to the loo" Sirius answered.

"I was asking Prongs"

"Really?" Sirius snorted.

"Jesus, shut up!" James protested "Pair of immatures! Bollocks!"

He rolled his eyes and didn't do anything to hide it.

James called Lily again. And this time she picked up.

"Hello?"

"Lils! Baby!" James exclaimed desperately "What the fuck? Where are you? Why haven't you answered me?" "I'm sorry..." Lily said, she sounded weird "I got a bit tired and dizzy. I think I drank a bit too much"

"Where are you?"

"I... I came to check on Harry" she said "I was too worried"

"What? You should've told me..." James raised an eyebrow. Lily wouldn't just leave without him, something was not right "I thought you were so excited for this party"

"I know, baby" Lily answered "But I couldn't have fun. Harry is just a baby..."

James didn't believe a word. He knew Lily too well. She was lying. She was a terrible liar. But the question was, why?

"Okay..." James sighed "I'll go there as well"

"NO!" Lily yelled "I... No James. It's fine" okay, that definitely was weird "You stay at the party and have fun with the boys...Make sure Sirius and Remus don't snog in our bed"

James frowned. Lily knew that they had broken up.

"Lily but..."

"I love you, James" Lily said "I'll see you later"

"Lily..."

But she hung up. And James was even more worried.

"Something is not right"

"What did she say?" Remus asked

"That she went to check on Harry"

"Well there you go" Sirius snorted

"She was lying to me" James said, confused "She lied to my face"

"How do you know that?" Remus asked

"Because I know her! And know when she is lying"

"Prongs it really sounds like she is cheating on you" Sirius tried to joke, but it wasn't funny.

He noticed as James and Remus stared at him.

"That wasn't funny, sorry" Sirius hissed.

"JO! Jamie!! Nice party bro!"

James turned to look at the owner of the voice. And his world crumbled. It was Caradoc. Caradoc Deaborn.

"Do any of you have a cigarette?" he asked.

A suit. Caradoc was wearing a suit. No tunic. No mask.

"Caradoc!" James exclaimed "Where is your fucking mask?"

"What?" Caradoc raised an eyebrow "What mask?"

"The creepy baby mask!" James went pale.

"I don't know what you're talking about" Caradoc smiled "I'm John F. Kennedy. As a ghost of course... It's kind of clever.... I could make a good impression of him and all..."

"Caradoc! Shut up!"

James turned to look at Sirius who seemed pale as well.

"What's going on?" Remus asked looking between the two.

"Dorcas and Marlene hadn't seen her" Peter came "They've been dancing all night. And Mary is snogging a bloke in the kitchen... So I couldn't ask"

"Fuck...." James sighed. He was going to pass away surely. He had a very very bad feeling in his chest.

In that moment, James' phone rang, making everyone jump. James looked at it. Lily's name and picture appeared on the screen.

He walked to the edge of the pool to answer. Ignoring all the concerned gazes of his friends.

"Lily? Baby? Tell me you're okay"

Silence.

"Lily?"

"Hello Prongs..."

It was not Lily. It was a male voice. A very familiar male voice. James recognized him immediately. James felt so sick and angry at the same time.

"Lily is a little busy at the moment" Severus spoke "So she told me to call you instead"

"What did you do to her, Snivellus?" James asked.

James knew it immediately. Severus had been the bloke in the creepy mask. Severus had took Lily. Probably hurt her. James knew exactly what he was capable of.

"I swear to God asshole! If you hurt her..."

"I would never hurt Lily, you know that"

James wasn't relieved. He didn't believe a word that wanker said.

"Where is she?"

"With me... Obviously"

"What do you want? I could give you money..."

"I don't want your fucking money"

"THEN WHAT DO YOU FUCKING WANT?"

James yelled so loudly, that his friends walked to him, concerned.

"I want her, Potter"

James made tight fists. He was furious. He was going to kill him.

"I want Lily to hate you again. Like she used to. I want her to hate you so badly, that she would willingly be with me. Love me back..."

James shook his head. That freaking asshole was insane.

"Fuck you, Snivellus!"

James saw as his friends' eyes widened at the nickname. They all hated him as much as him.

"I'm going to find you. And I'm going to kill you"

"I wouldn't do that, Potter" Severus answered amused "I could hurt the ones you love"

"I know you wouldn't hurt Lily" James tried to sound threatening, even if he was freaking scared "As sick and perverted as you are, I know you care for her"

"I wasn't talking about Lily"

James felt goosebumps down his spine. He even shivered.

"I'm talking about Harry... And I'm talking about your precious parents" Severus said "They are old, aren't they? Poor old people..." Severus sighed sarcastically "I reckon if someone were to force into their house, they wouldn't be able to defend themselves... Isn't your father sick?"

"You mental bastard!"

Severus giggled like an insane person.

"I want you to come here" Severus said "I want you to tell Lily all the atrocities you used to do to myself and others... I want you to convince her you are a monster. And that she deserves better... Me..."

"You're sick..."

"Oh... I am the sick now?!" Severus chanted "Don't make me laugh. We know exactly who is the real monster here"

James didn't answer. He swallowed.

"You know you don't deserve her, Potter" Severus continued "You know it deep in your heart. Because you're a bully. Because you're a monster. Because you're a bad person"

James knew it. He had always known it. And the person he used to be still hunted him.

"Okay..." James nodded "I'll do what you ask me. Just don't hurt her. Or anyone please"

"Don't you dare call the police, or get your stupid friends into this" Severus warned "This is between the three of us only... You have half an hour to arrive. I'll send you the address"

And before James could say anything else, Severus hung up.

James was left speechless.

"So?" Sirius asked immediately.

James looked at his three friends. Worried and concerned. Snivellus was right. James was a monster. He had made his friends the same. He had given them the permission to be assholes with Snape. And others. They thought themselves the kings of Hogwarts. They thought themselves invincible. They weren't.

This had been James' fault. Severus was right to hate him. So he didn't need to involve his friends into this.

"It was Severus..."

"That freaking asshole!!" Sirius exclaimed.

"What did he do with Lily?" Remus asked pale.

"He... He just wants a bit of money" James lied "He's kind of broke or whatever"

"Where is he?" Peter asked "We'll go with you Prongs"

"Yeah of course we will" Sirius added "That wanker is going to get what he deserves"

There it was. They had done terrible things to Severus. Because James had allowed it.

"We should call the police" Remus suggested.

James shook his head "No police involved!"

Remus, Sirius and Peter looked at him like he was crazy.

"I need to make sure Lily is okay..." James explained "He just wants the money. And he'll give me Lily. That's all..."

"We'll go with you then" Sirius said confidently.

"No" James warned "He said I need to go by myself"

"Well I don't give a fucking toss!" Sirius protested.

"Padfoot" James shook his head, trying not to crumble "Lily is in danger"

"But... But he might hurt you" the fear in Sirius' voice sounded terrible.

James put a hand on his shoulder.

"I'll be fine boys" he tried to smile "Really, he just wants money. Besides, you know Old Snivy. He wouldn't hurt Lily. He's a little puss"

James' friends didn't seem convinced.

"I want you to go and check on my parents, and Harry" James swallowed his tears "Make sure they are okay, okay?"

"Sure Prongs" It was Peter who spoke first.

James started walking inside. And went to the main doors, to search for his car. Of course, the boys followed him.

But before he could get into the car, Sirius spoke again.

"No... No no..." Sirius protested "They can go by themselves. I'm coming with you. I don't care"

"Hey..." James hugged Sirius tightly. As Sirius let out a soft cry "I need you to check on Harry. Protect Harry. Do you understand? I trust you and only you with that"

James let him go.

"Moony... I need you to be strong. And stop drinking. Okay? We need you sobber" James said "Wormy make sure these two don't do anything stupid"

Peter nodded. Always loyal. Remus seemed pale and hopeless. And Sirius seemed ready to do something stupid like follow James. James was not going to let that happen.

"It's going to be fine" James said confidently "I trust you boys"

James got inside his car. Closing the door qucikly and locking it before they could get in. He ignored as Sirius knocked the window. And yelled at him. James turned on the engine and drove away.

************************************

Severus was trying to balance the pile of books as he walked to the table. And James elbowed his bored friend, and gestured at him. Sirius immediately smirked knowing what he meant.

"Not a good idea" Remus' voice came out behind the book he was reading

"What? Moony he made fun of your 'femenine voice' yesterday" Sirius reminded him.

"And honestly his odor is terrible. He's infecting the Library" James added. Sirius chuckled.

Remus rolled his eyes.

"Wormy, do you have that magazine your mum's boyfriend gave you?" James asked

"The indecent one?" Peter asked "It's not a proper place to read magazines like that"

James grinned "Exactly" he said, then turned to Sirius "Pads..."

Sirius smirked as he stretched his leg just as Severus was crossing. And of course, Severus tripped, and all the books dropped to the floor, making a loudly sound. Madam Pince turned to look furious. And a few younger students laughed. James almost did.

He took Peter's magazine, and dropped it carefully between Severus' books, without him noticing.

"What is going on?" Madam Pince came furiously "Did you have to make that terrible sound?"

"I'm sorry..." Severus whispered "I tripped" and he looked suspiciously at the Marauders' table.

They tried not to look guilty.

"Let me pick..."

"NO!" Madame Pince roared "You already ruined some of them..." she started picking up some books from the floor "Get out of The Library..."

"But I was doing..."

"GET OUT!"

"Sev?"

Lily approached the scene. And James found himself rubbing his hair. And blushing. He was an idiot.

"Are you okay?"

"I..."

"Wait..." Madam Pince interrupted "Is this yours?" she stared at the magazine in her hands with shock and disgust.

The cover showed a naked girl in a compromising position. Severus' eyes widened. And Lily looked away, her cheeks flushed.

"Madam Pince!" Mulciber whistled from another table "I didn't know Hogwarts had that kind of magazines available"

A few students laughed. Madam Pince covered the magazine so kids wouldn't see it.

"Shut up!"

"That's not mine!" Severus said desperately "I swaer that's not mine" he mostly tried to convince Lily.

"Funny, it was between your books"

"Somebody put it there... It's not mine I swear!"

"You'll have to come with me..." Madam Pince dragged him from his arm "You'll have to explain this to the Headmaster"

"No! I swear it isn't mine. I swear Lily..." Severus begged as he was dragged outside.

Sirius whistled. And a bunch of people laughed. Lily turned to them furiously.

"It's not funny"

"Wow Evans" James smirked "I didn't know your boyfriend was such a perv..."

Sirius and Peter laughed. Remus kept pretending to read his book.

"I bet you're worse, Potter" Lily walked away.

***********************************************

James had desperately tried to gain Lily's attention by doing stupid things. James had had a blast pranking others, making them suffer. Especially Severus. And that was the memory that James had in his mind as he drove to the place. That, and when him and Sirius almost beaten him to dead.

James was a terrible person. What kind of example he was going to give Harry? James didn't deserve Lily, or Harry.

The place was an old house in a very dubious neighbourhood. Even the skinny dogs around looked terrifying.

James took out his phone despite the fact that his hands were trembling. And he texted Lily's phone.

I'm here

Get inside

James did. And he noticed his heart was beating so fast it was about to explode.

As soon as James crossed the door of the old house, he heard a click of a gun. And James froze as the weapon pointed at him.

"My My... Welcome on board Captain" Severus smirked.

James felt ridiculous on his marine captain costume, He raised his hands.

"Where is she?"

"Downstairs" Severus answered "Remember your lines? What are you going to tell her?"

James nodded in response.

"Did you tell your stupid friends anything?"

"No... Just that you wanted money in exchange for Lily"

"If they dare calling the police, your baby and parents are dead"

"They won't..."

"Okay..." Severus gestured to the stairs to the basement "Lily is waiting for you"

James hesitated for a moment. But began walking anyway. And he decended the stairs, Severus behind him, still pointing the gun at him.

As soon as James got a glimpse of Lily, he let out a some air in relief.

"James!"

Lily was moored to a chair. Her eyes were red and puffy. Her makeup ran. She seemed scared. His precious Lily.

"Lily!"

James didn't care. He ran towards her and kneeled down, hugging his girlfriend for dear life.

"Oh baby, baby... You're okay... You're okay"

Lily cried.

"You're not suppossed to be here..." she said.

James cupped her face between his hands. And examinated her. Lily kept crying. And James wiped her tears.

"How sentimental" Severus spoke again. And James tensed remembering why he was here for.

"Now that the three of us are here, we are going to talk..." Severus kept pointing the gun at him "Sit down, Potter"

James didn't move for a second. Because he had Lily again. And he didn't want to let her go.

"SIT THE FUCK DOWN!" Severus yelled.

James gave Lily an encouraging smile before obeying and taking a seat in the chair next to Lily. Severus immediately tied him up.

"Great..." Severus sighed, taking a seat too, in front of them. Gun still in hand "I think there is a misunderstanding, Lily..." he continued "That's why Potter is here. To clarify everthing, isn't that right, Potter?"

Lily kept silently crying and James wanted so badly to stop it. But couldn't.

"Tell her..." Severus continued "I want you to tell her the truth. The kind of monster you actually are"

Lily turned to look at him. She seemed like she didn't believe a word Severus was saying. James looked down embarrassed.

James thought of Harry, his parents, his friends, Lily.

"Don't be shy, Potter"

"You're freaking insane!" Lily yelled "James is not a bad person"

"Oh is he not?" Severus asked hysterically "How about the time that he almost choked me in the toilet?"

"You're lying" Lily shook her head.

He wasn't lying. It had been after he made Peter cry in fourth year calling him a nasty pig.

Who is the nasty pig now, eh Snivellus?. James had asked as he had pushed Snape's face in.

"James?" Lily asked, surprised that he wasn't defending himself.

James thought about his precious baby Harry, and his sweet giggle.

"It's true"

Severus smirked.

"No..." Lily shook her head.

"Oh there's more. Where should I begin?" Severus hissed, thinking.

"I made you drop your books in fifth year" James said "And placed the magazine there to frame you"

"Oh yeah!" Severus nodded "I was banned from The Library for two weeks. And we were in exam season"

Lily frowned. And they way she was looking at James was heartbreaking.

"Oh how about when you gave me a purgative?" Severus continued.

"I thought you were sick" Lily sniffed.

"I thought that too" Severus nodded "Until I saw them smirking and giggling. And they confessed it after"

James didn't have an excuse for that one. It had been so funny for twelve-year-olds.

"And you remember how they almost killed me? How they beated me up so hard, I ended up in The Hospital Wing? With my face swollen?"

"Lily..." James spoke to her and only her "I don't deserve you" he sighed "I have no excuse for what I've done"

Tears ran down Lily's cheeks. And James wanted to cry too.

"You only did that to defend your friends. Because you cared so much about them" Lily tried to defend him. And James loved her for that.

"Not really" James lied, because of Harry, and his parents' safety "Most of the times, I was bored or I wanted to seek your attention, and I simply hated Severus"

And James realized it was actually not so much a lie. And he hated himself for that.

Lily let out some air. Tired. Not sure what or who to believe.

"See, Lily?" Severus spoke "I told you he is not the person you believed. He manipulated you"

"Well you're not better" Lily said "You fucking kidnapped me and you threaten to kill my 6 month old baby"

"I'M NOT THE REAL MONSTER HERE!" Severus yelled. And both James and Lily jumped. He was holding a gun. And he was insane.

Severus sighed, calming down.

"Potter also manipulated you, Lily" he continued "He made a bet. With his friends... He bet he could conquer you as well, like other girls...You were a joke to him"

James went pale. He didn't know how Severus had found out about it. He had bet, yes. But he was fourthteen. Stupid and hormonal. But he had fallen in love with Lily, truly.

"I heard him saying you were horrible and fat. But he wanted to prove to his friends he could have anyone. Even "the fatties" he said.

Lily looked at James in disbelief.

James was so stupid at fourthteen. He had found Lily so beautiful and attractive. But he said stupid things to impress his friends. And he had said that to cover the fact that he had an intense crush on Lily. And he had been embarrassed about it.

"That's also true, Lily" James said "I'm sorry"

Lily cried.

"I'm sorry, Severus" James said with eyes full of tears "For everything"

James was genuinely sorry. He never imagine the kind of damage he had done to Snape. The kind of person he would become. All that James wanted was to have fun making innocent pranks and defend his friends. Because nobody could touch his friends. And now all he had done was provoke this. James deserved it. And he had dragged Lily, Harry, his parents and his friends into it. He hated himself.

"Oh no more Snivellus, ha?" Severus spat "Now that you are scared of me. Only when I am more powerful, you give in and ask for forgiveness.... Now that I have a gun. You disgust me, Potter"

James didn't even try to discuss it. Then Severus turned to Lily.

"Now you understand, Lily" Severus said "Now you understand how blind you had been. How you had fallen for the wrong guy"

"Yes I am blind" Lily nodded "I guess I was so stupid to believe either of you" she looked between the two boys "I guess I deserve it for being a horrible idiot"

James wanted to yell, to protest. To tell Lily how beautiful she was. To tell her how much he loved her. To tell her how amazing she was. She was his confident, his best friend.

But he didn't because he cared about Harry and his parents' safety. And he hoped his friends were okay.

"You'll love me again, Lily" Severus said "But first, we'll have to get rid of Potter"

And Severus pointed the gun back at him. And Lily yelled.

[romeoandjulietyouwish]

I’ve Been Looking for the Sunshine

For @baloobird (@friendly-neighborhood-exchange)

Rating: G

Characters: Peter Parker, Tony Stark, May Parker, Ben Parker

Summary: Eleven years after the death of his parents and two years after the death of his uncle, Peter finds comfort in Tony Stark.

Prompt: Peter has a rough day at school so Tony picks him up early and finds a way to cheer him up.

Tag List: @justrepostandlove @gasplaughgasp @canonismybitch @shadedrose01 @baloobird @whatisawilltolive @a-liddell-alice @you-know-i-larb-you-3000 @hold-our-destiny @lyssismagical @spideygirl2003 @make-the-stars-stay @pj-hermes-tonystark-obsessed @iron-loyalty Read on ao3

Richard Parker was twenty four years old when his wife handed him a pregnancy test with a pink plus sign on it. He felt his face break into a wide grin and he scooped her into his arms with a laugh.

He was twenty five years old when he held his baby boy for the first time and he fell instantly in love. Up until he held his son in his arms, he had been nervous that he would be a terrible father and that he had no idea what he was doing. But looking down at little Peter, Richard knew that he’s mess up a thousand times, he would never be the perfect father, but as long as Peter knew he was safe and loved, it didn’t matter.

When a baby is born, there’s a few days before it really seems like they’ve gained consciousness. Richard got to witness that moment. He leaned over Peter’s crib and saw his boy looking back up at him. Peter’s face broke into a wide, gummy smile and blinked happily up at his dad. Richard was honest enough to say he cried and immediately called Mary into the room.

“Mom and I will just be gone for a few days, okay?” Richard asked. Peter nodded. “Remember to be good for Uncle Ben and Aunt May.” Another nod. “Good boy,” Richard patted Peter’s cheek affectionately. “We’ll be back before you know it.” 

Peter frowned, “Promise?” 

Richard smiled, “I promise.” He pulled Peter into a hug, pressing a kiss to his son’s curly mess of hair. When Peter pulled back, Richard did as well. He pressed another kiss to Peter’s forehead. “I love you, buddy. I’ll see you on Tuesday.” 

Ben Parker was twenty six years old when he got a phone call telling him his brother and his sister-in-law had died in a plane crash. He was twenty six when he became the legal guardian of his nephew, Peter. 

It was no surprise to May or Ben that Richard and Mary’s death hit Peter hard. But with a child suddenly being put into their care, they couldn’t afford to put Peter through any sort of grief counseling. Many nights a week, Ben would sit with Peter in his bed, trying desperately to get the kid to fall asleep. Often times only for Peter to wake up in the middle of the night asking for his parents through thick curtains of tears.

When Ben was thirty three, Peter turned thirteen and Ben realized that he had now been Peter’s guardian longer than Richard had been his dad. 

When Peter was fifteen years old, he watched his uncle die. He watched rain spread the blood down the pavement, making the wound almost look clean. But Peter knew better. He held his uncle’s hand while he died, ambulance sirens roaring from blocks away. 

With his last moments, Ben reached a hand up to Peter’s cheek and said painfully, “You’re going to be okay, kid.” 

Peter clutched Ben’s hand to his cheek. He wanted so desperately to apologize, to thank him, to say anything, but Peter couldn’t find the will in him to make more than a strangled sound as he desperately hugged his uncle. 

Ben was gone before the ambulance even reached them. 

Peter is seventeen years old and he doesn’t know if he can manage to pull himself out of his bed. 

But he hears May moving in the kitchen and if she can do it, so can he. She was the one that really knew them, not Peter. So with a heavy sigh, Peter sits up and pulls open his blinds. The sky is covered with a thick layer of clouds. Good, Peter thinks, he doesn’t know if he could have handled sunshine today. Peter takes his time getting ready for school, fog weighing heavily on his mind. 

When he makes his way into the kitchen for some breakfast, May stops where she’s pouring herself a glass of water and envelops Peter into a hug. On days like today, Peter wishes he hadn’t had his growth spurt so he would fit perfectly into her arms. But he settles for just putting his head on her shoulder. When they pull apart, May gives him a sad look. 

“You sure you want to go to school today?” May asks. 

“Yeah,” Peter shrugs her worries off. “It’ll be good to get out of the apartment.” 

“Okay, baby.” 

Peter walks slowly to school, barely making it to first period in time. Both Ned and MJ give him supportive smiles as he sits down. The first part of the day passes like a blur, Peter couldn’t say a single thing that happened to him. He knew that Ned was constantly a pillar at his side, squeezing his hand occasionally. And for all her snark, MJ was taking care of him too. It didn’t escape his notice that she was taking notes for him in all of their classes. 

That is until Peter finds himself alone in the hallway, Ned and MJ having split off to their respective classes, leaving Peter to find his on his own. He just ducks his head and keeps walking, muscle memory taking him to his next class. Out of nowhere, someone shoves him and slams him up against the lockers, keeping him there with their forearm. 

Flash looks at him with a smirk, “What’s wrong with you, Penis?” 

Peter sighs, “You ask me that every day. What do you want to make fun of me for this time?” Peter asks, his voice almost dead pan. “I’m scrawny? I’m smart? I’m ace? Pick your poison.” 

Flash looks at him in confusion, but before the bully can say anything, Peter shoves Flash off of him, using just enough of his super strength to make him stumble. With that Peter walks down the now empty hall. But before he can get very far, someone grabs on to his backpack, yanking him backwards. 

Peter lets out a noise of surprise as suddenly a fist collides with his cheek. Normally, Peter’s spider-sense would warn him of something like that, but not in this moment. The punch impacts Peter more than he expected and he goes crashing back into the lockers. Some sick part of Peter’s mind tells him that he deserves it. 

Peter sees the second punch coming and dodges out of the way. At this point, Peter is far too mentally exhausted to deal with any more of Flash’s shit so he jumps to his feet and runs straight out the front doors of the school. 

He thinks about calling May, but Peter decides against it and instead plops down on the cold stairs. The sting of the punch is already fading back into the dull numbness he’s been feeling all day. Peter doesn’t know how long he sits on the steps of the school. No one approaches him and no one passing on the street spares him a passing glance. 

The cloud breaks after a little bit, allowing the sun to pass over the city. Peter sags a bit further, of course the sky is taunting him. But he is pulled from his thoughts only moments later when a sleek black car rolls up in front of Midtown and from the driver’s side steps out Tony Stark. He gives Peter a wave and beckons him over. 

Peter goes eagerly and sits in the passenger seat, shoving his backpack by his feet. “What are you doing here?” Peter asks once Tony is sitting back down. 

“May called, said you were probably having a rough day and she wanted me to pick you up early.” 

“Oh.” Peter pulls his feet up onto the seat and tucks his knees to his chest. He glances over at Tony and sees an expression of pity and concern on his face. “She told you what today is, didn’t she?” 

“Yeah, kid.” Tony reaches over and squeezes Peter’s shoulder. “Do you want to talk about it?” 

Peter shakes his head and looks out the window, “All I want to do is not exist.” 

Tony sighs, “I understand the feeling, kiddo. But I’m afraid that’s not possible with our current technology. Would you settle for some ice cream and maybe a movie or two?” 

“Cookie dough?” Peter asks quietly, glancing back at Tony.

Tony smiles, “What other flavor is there?” A faint smile crossed Peter’s lips. 

Once they get to the tower and up to the living room, Tony lovingly forces Peter to sit on the couch while he goes and gets the ice cream from the freezer. Peter immediately tugs the softest blanket into his lap and toes off his shoes. When Tony sits down beside Peter, the boy instantly curls into his mentor’s side, resting his head on Tony’s shoulder and his knees against Tony’s stomach. Six months ago Peter never would have fathomed being this openly affectionate with Tony, but now Peter couldn’t imagine doing anything else. Tony wraps his arms around the boy’s shoulders and hugs him closer. 

As Peter takes his first bite of ice cream, he suddenly feels just a little bit better. The cold ice cream starts to clear some of the fog from his mind. 

While Peter eats, Tony picks a movie. It’s something animated, light and not too deep. Perfect. It doesn’t escape Peter’s notice that Tony has the volume just low enough that if Peter wanted to say something he could. 

While the opening credits roll, Tony reaches up and begins to run his fingers through Peter’s hair. Peter preens into the touch and sags further into Tony’s side. Peter says nothing for a while, but it’s clear that he’s clearly thinking deeply about something.

“Tony?” Peter asks softly when the movie’s almost over. 

“Mmhm?” 

“Do you think my parents are mad at me?” 

Tony frowns and rubs his arm, “Why would you think that, buddy?” 

Peter shugs, “Because I don’t remember them. They died eleven years ago and all I could do today was try to remember them. I only know what they look like because May shows me pictures sometimes, but I don’t remember the sounds of their voices and I don’t remember anything we did together, I-I don’t even remember the last thing they said to me. I-” 

Peter cuts himself off with a sob that tears Tony’s heart in two. Tony immediately sits up and crushes Peter to his chest. Peter clings to his mentor just as tightly, sobbing into his shirt. “I’ve got you, bambino.” Tony gently runs his fingers through Peter’s hair, rocking him slightly back and forth. Tony whispers words of comfort to the boy. 

After a few minutes, Peter lifts his head, wipes his nose on his sleeve and murmurs, “Sorry.” 

“Hey,” Tony squeezes his shoulder, “you never need to be sorry for crying, okay?” Peter nods shakily and wipes his eyes with the back of his hand. “Can I tell you something?” Peter nods. “I don’t remember much about my mother either. I have a few memories, but I know that my mother would never be upset with me for not remembering. I think she’d be happy that I’m moving on with my life. I didn’t know your parents, or your uncle, but I know that if I were to die, I wouldn’t be upset about people forgetting me. I’d be happy that they kept living.” Tony gives Peter a sad smile. 

“Listen, kid, when someone passes, the last thing they want is for the people who love them to stay in their sadness forever. I bet that your parents and your uncle are so proud of the person you’ve become.” Tony squeezes Peter’s shoulder. “It’s okay to be sad and it’s okay to still feel grief over their deaths, but it’s also okay to keep living. Because the people who’re gone aren’t really ever gone, right?” Peter nods tearfully and tucks himself back into Tony’s arms. 

Tony leans back, pulling the kid to rest more on his chest. “It’s going to be okay, bambino, even if it doesn’t feel like it right now.” 

Richard, Mary, and Ben are gone. They’re gone but they’ve never stopped loving their son and their nephew. They’ve watched Peter grow up and start to change the world around him. And though they wish they could be there with him to hug him and tell him it’ll be alright, they know that in time they’ll all be together again. And while they wait for him, they’re content to know that Tony Stark is taking good care of him. 

[bellasweetwriting]

Black Coffee

Spencer Reid x f.reader

(not my gif)

masterlist

Request: I just saw your post about wanting to write for reid. could i request a fluffy fic about reid falling for a barista at a local coffee shop and the. he realizes she also works at his favorite bookstore or record store? ahhh i’m sorry it’s a lot ! thank you in advance!

warnings: some criminal minds stuff but mostly just fluff

word count: 1290

— • • • —

Morgan and Emily arrived at the office with coffees for everyone. They started giving them out, and Spencer was the only one that questioned that selfless action.

"What's this?" Asked the Doctor, drinking from the black coffee that was given to him. "What's the occasion?"

"There's this new coffee shop around the block and Morgan and I decided to try it, then we bought coffee for the team."

Reid nodded. He knew which coffee shop they were talking about, and he had visited also but decided to keep that information to himself.

"Prentiss, Morgan—" called them Hotch—" thanks for the coffee. Everyone conference room. JJ has a case for us."

"And the day couldn't get better."

The team entered the conference room and sat in their usual seats, Reid was doodling the handwriting of the barista on his cup, unfocused of the victims in the screen.

"Three victims, three of them blonde, two seventeen-year-olds and one with forty six."

"How does that murder connects with the other two?" Asked Morgan. "We sure it's the same killer?"

"The two blondes, Amanda and Alice, were best friends and both had another friend who's the daughter of the forty-six-year-old woman called Marie. That’s how they were connected. Besides, it's the same signature, same way of placing the body on the ground... same guy."

"And how does her daughter look like?" JJ projected the photo of a seventeen-year-old girl with brown hair. "Huh... interesting. Wheels up in 30."

— • • • —

The team caught their unsub. It was the daughter Gabriella’s boyfriend Jason who found out that her friends were talking bad behind their back and her mother was abusing her psychologically. He was trying to get rid of all the bad and hypocrite people in Gabriella’s life, thinking by killing them he was saving his girlfriend from these double-sided people on her life.

"I think we should celebrate, " interfered Garcia with a tiny smile, "we have work tomorrow so no drinks but, the coffee shop you mentioned is still opened. We can eat some doughnuts and I'm definitely craving for a lemon cake."

"It's too late, baby girl, " said Morgan, "tomorrow morning."

No one joined Penelope’s plan except Reid, who quickly stood up when everyone left and reached Garcia on the elevator.

"I'll join you, " he said in a hurry, and she smiled. "I’m starving for some coffee"

"Me too. The coffee this morning was so good." Spencer nodded. How could he tell her he wasn't going to that coffee shop only for the black coffee they served.

Both sat down at the counter and started talking about the case and how they caught the guy. Spencer tried to show Penelope how Morgan entered the unsub’s house with the sugar bags and she cackled as she heard how Derek almost tripped with a piece of furniture as he was going to catch the guy.

"Doctor, " you called him from the other side of the counter, confusing Garcia, "if I didn't know you better I would’ve said you are following me." Garcia quickly noted how Spencer got nervous. "But as I said, I know you. Black coffee."

"Please, Y/N, and a latte for my friend Garcia."

"The tech analyst?" You questioned.

"Actually, technical analyst, but close, " corrected you Spencer with a tiny smile. "How you’ve been, Y/N? What happened to the record store?"

You used to work at Reid’s favorite record store, and before that, you worked at his favorite bookstore. You kept crossing paths with him. Now you worked at the coffee shop near the BAU office.

"Got fired. I put Pink Floyd on the speakers of the store and I accidentally poured coffee on the controls and destroyed the panel." Reid laughed, nearly choking on coffee. Garcia looked at him really confused.

He has never spent so much time without spilling random facts or acting weird. He was acting cool and that was weird from him.

"That's such a Y/N thing to do." You giggled.

"Oh, Morgan and Prentiss were here yesterday and you are completely right, he does flirt with every girl." Reid nodded after you finished telling. "It's so good to finally meet you, Penelope, heard so much about you."

"Same thing, Y/N." And with that, you left to another table, leaving Garcia and Spencer alone. "Who is she?"

"You can't tell the team, Garcia, " said quickly the doctor as he inhaled deeply. "As soon as I tell them about her the tiny amount of privacy I've gained this last three months is going downhill."

"Ok, fine, I won't. This is why you wanted to come here?" He nodded. "You like her!"

"Shh!" Spencer quickly shushed her friend with his eyes wide open. "Don't shout, Garcia!"

"I can't believe you like her, " she whispered, excited about this new discovery. "You talked to her about us?"

"Yeah, " Reid murmured with a tiny smile forming on his face, "she’s the best and she listens to everything I say, including the nonsense babbling. Do you think I got a chance?"

"Uhm, yeah! She’s crazy about you. You should ask her out. Look, I'm gonna go with my lemon cake and my coffee to the office so you can be alone with her." Reid quickly started shaking his head but Garcia was already leaving. There was no coming back.

A few seconds later, you approached the daughter placing the rag on your shoulder, glancing confused over Spencer who seemed really nervous.

"Everything good, Doc?" You asked and he gave you a nervous smile. "What's up with the tech?"

"She had to leave. Work on a case, " he lied even though he was a terrible liar.

"Shouldn't you be leaving too, then?"

"Oh, no, no... it wasn't my case... it wasn't... it was hers, " he stuttered making you chuckle a bit. "Hey, Y/N."

"Spencer, " you called him too to release the tension.

"Would you want to go out sometime?" He asked quickly, taking to by surprise.

"With you?" He nodded. "I would love to. Actually, my shift ends in ten minutes. You maybe wanna catch a movie or something?"

"I would love that."

— • • • —

Spencer arrived late to work the next day, he looked tired and he had bags under his eyes, barely even able to stand on both feet.

"What train ran you over, pretty boy?" Asked Morgan, getting the attention of the whole team. "You look terrible."

"Thanks, Derek, " he said trying not to close his eyes. "I stayed up late."

"Adding numbers or some?" Questioned Derek again sitting on top of Spencer’s desk.

"I had a date."

Those four words gained the attention of everyone. Spencer Reid had a date. That couldn't be possible.

"Oh my God! She said yes!?" Yelled Garcia and Reid nodded with a smile. "I knew it!"

"You know this girl, Garcia?" Asked Emily and Penelope nodded.

"Yeah, I do, " admitted her while Reid smiled. "How was it, Reid?"

"We went to the movies, then we had food and then I drove her home and kissed her." Penelope couldn't hold the excitement. "Calm down, Garcia."

"When are you going out again?"

"Tomorrow, " replied Spencer. "I went to the coffee shop this morning and asked her out again. She said yes and gave me a black coffee with my name on the cup."

"You asked the barista out?" Questioned Emily. "What's even going on?"

"She drew a little heart next to the «r», " whispered Penelope with a big smile, almost melting by the action. "She's perfect."

"I know, " whispered Spencer, drinking from the cup with a tiny smile, thinking of what happened the night before with you.

requested by: @artcozy