#hope this is an alright condolence for everyone

[strawberryicebreakers]

Hello, sorry to bother you but I'm a bit curious about the UHF fanfic you mentioned a while ago. Has it been updated since?

I haven't gotten around to it just yet; I got bit by the ted lasso bug, blinked, and now I'm nearly 40k into a fic with no signs of switching over to a different WIP :(

that being said, it is incredibly nice to see that people want to read my writing :') I do, eventually, want to finish the fic, but with the current WIP I'm working on and the semester starting up [yay college!], it doesn't look like I'll get to finish it anytime soon.

as a condolences/sneak peak, I'll put what I've got so far under the cut. it's about 7.1k, and it is a very, very rough draft, but again, I'm very thankful for the kind words I've gotten from people concerning the fic and want to show it! if you have any questions, feel free to hit me with them :)

Three months in, and Robert still couldn’t believe the station hadn’t crashed and burned. It wasn’t that he didn’t trust George, or Pamela, for that matter, but it seemed too good to be true. It made no sense to him that the same universe that let him flunk out of college and lose every minimum-wage job he’d ever held was the same universe that gave him a television station and said “hey, go nuts!”

It made no sense, but in all honesty, nothing in his life seemed to make that much sense to him these days. Just the other day, he’d had a group of teenagers break into the building in the middle of the night, probably trying to find a place to smoke, and got chased out by some robotic behemoth Philo’d built in the back of his station control room-turned-laboratory, all while having not told anyone he’d come back to begin with. He’d come in the next morning to see the door off the hinges and a hunk of metal with a wagging tail getting behind-the-ear scratches from Pamela.  

Pamela, who was slowly becoming another tally in favor of his life turning upside down. 

Ever since the night Channel 8 went off the air, she’d started paying attention to him, and it was beginning to concern him. Before, she’d said “good morning” and “good night,” or even the occasional question about any plans he might have, but over the past weeks, she’d turned her charm on to the highest setting possible. Despite the weather turning cold, her skirts grew shorter, her heels taller, and she’d started lingering by his desk for much longer than it took to ask him where the Rolodex went. 

Privately, he’d thought that was more of a question for Stanley, not him, but he didn’t want to embarrass her by pointing it out.

All in all, though, he knew he’d have to mention it at some point, if only to soothe his own conscience. The last thing he needed was to find her doodling hearts and “Mrs. Pamela Steckler” in her broadcast notes.

He glanced up at the clock and saw that all of a single hour had passed since he’d arrived. He’d started coming in early, around eight in the morning, to make sure the morning rerun segments ran smoothly; if it had the added benefit of getting an hour to himself before anyone else showed up, well, he wasn’t complaining. 

-

The scrape of the door on the tile floor that pulled him out of his reverie told him that someone else had arrived, and the click of a heel announced who it was. 

“Good morning!”

“Hey, Pamela,” he called out. “Any trouble with the drive?”

“Nah,” she said, pulling her coat off and hanging it on the rack. “Just some awful fog. I could barely see the street!” 

Through the lattice, Robert watched her rifle through her desk drawers, pulling out a few pens and her notepad. At his desk, he did the same, and began to look through the show proposals for the spring schedule; not reading them, just counting the envelopes. “Anything interesting to cover today?”

“The uzhe,” she said. “The shelter’s doing a PSA for families looking to adopt a pet for Christmas and I get to go down and get fur all over my legs.”

“Look on the bright side, Pam,” he said. “You get to play with puppies, and George and I are stuck down here, puppy-less. You have to admit, one seems a lot more fun than the other.”

She turned, swiveling her chair over to look at him through the lattice. “You saying you want to come down with me, Bobby?”

“No,” he said, a bit too quick to be polite. “No, I -, uh, I’ve got to stay up here. Keep everything in line, you know?” He held up the papers to her with a shrug. “You really think George wants to read these?”

He sent a quick prayer up, hoping she hadn’t seen George all but club him over the head the other night when he’d mentioned splitting the proposals in half and reading them separately. Reading what the people of Tulsa wanted to see on the TV was half the alleged fun of the job, and reading them together, laughing about it, made it borderline bearable.

She stood, walking over to his desk and perching on the edge. “Come on,” she said, smiling. “It’s me, you, and a bunch of cute little animals. What’s not to love?”

“I said no, Pamela.”

She huffed, crossing her arms. “You’d really rather be here?”

“I really would rather be here,” he said. “I can’t ditch work to hang out with you.”

They sat in silence for a moment before Pamela looked down at him, smiling. 

“What?”

“I mean,” she said, curling a lock of hair ‘round her finger, “if work’s the problem, we could always hang outside of work hours. Grab dinner, maybe a movie?”

“I -”

“I think Back to the Future two’s playing at the theater near my place. You ever see the first one? I always thought the guy who played Marty, the Fox guy, was pretty funny. He’s on Family Ties, too, and -”

“I can’t.”

“Why not?”

“I just -,” he sighed. “I just can’t.”

She pushed herself off his desk, and he saw her face begin to flush. “I don’t get it,” she said. “I mean, I’ve got a job, I’m nice, and frankly, I’m not too bad to look at, so what’s your deal?”

 “Well, I’m your boss, Pamela,” he said. “Pretty sure that’s illegal.”

“Fine,” she said. “If you weren’t my boss, would you date me?”

“No, but -”

“You got a girlfriend?”

“No -”

“Then what gives?” She slunk down into George’s chair with a groan, threading her hand through her hair. “I mean, is it my voice? My makeup? Shit, do I wear too much makeup?”

“You’re beautiful,” Robert said. “And your voice is fine, Pam. We wouldn’t put you on the air if it wasn’t.”

She huffed. “If it’s none of that, then what is it?”

“He’s gay, Pamela.”

They both jumped, nearly falling out of their chairs.

“Fuck, Philo,” Robert cursed, “how long have you been there?”

“Long enough,” Philo mused. He hummed while he worked, some odd little tune Robert couldn’t place while sticking a screwdriver into what looked like three batteries taped to a piece of glass. “And Pamela has an uncle like you, Robert. She wouldn’t have been rude about it, had you told her yourself.”

“How do you know about my uncle?” Pamela asked. “I haven’t said anything about him to you, or anyone here.” She turned, looking back at him. “He’s right, though.”

“Philo, you can’t say stuff like that,” Robert wheezed. He felt his heart racing under his shirt as if he’d run from one end of the station to the next, and tried to get himself to calm down.

For what it was worth, the older man looked genuinely confused. “I can’t?”

“No, you can’t,” he said. “Some people wouldn’t take that information very well.”

He considered it for a minute, then nodded. “My apologies, Robert.”

“Just don’t do it again, okay?”

“You have my word.” He pressed a hand to the right side of his lab coat, and gave a slight bow. With that, Philo walked away, returning to the back of the station to do god knows what, and left Robert alone with Pamela, who stared straight at him.

He knew she’d have questions; hell, he still had questions, sometimes, and it would be better to get the awkward part over with. “Whatever it is you’re trying to figure out how to ask, just ask it.”

“If you liked girls, would you like me?”

“For God’s sake, Pam.”

She giggled. “I’m sorry, I had to ask!” 

“If I wake up tomorrow wanting to date a woman,” Robert said, smiling despite himself, “you’re the first on my list.”

“Yes!” She pumped a fist in the air. “I knew it!”

“Any man would be lucky to have you,” he said. “You could choose any man you’d ever met, and chances are, they’d treat you like a princess.” He picked up the papers that had fallen from his hand when Philo’d appeared. “Not me, though. Maybe not Stanley, either.”

“You think he’s gay?”

“No,” he said, unfolding the first proposal. “I just think you can do better.”

-

She stayed with him until other employees began to trickle in, and by half past noon, they nearly had a full house. They were still missing George and a few others, but he wasn’t too worried; he’d heard George come in late the night before, and figured he probably wouldn’t drag himself into the station until the last minute. Cameras wouldn’t go live until they started filming some of the upcoming week’s segments at two, but it was nice to hear people moving out and about, typing out a new script or whatever it was they got paid to do. They’d hired an entire new rotation of employees, a good chunk of which were people who wanted to see their shares in the station put to good use, and they had an entire team of high schoolers acting as interns, doing side work for some sort of class credit. Technically, he and George were supposed to give them assignments, grade them, the whole nine years, but if he was being honest with himself, unless one of the kids managed to break something that actually mattered, he’d give them all A’s and call it a day. 

Life’s hard enough without some asshole in a tie trying to make it worse, he thought, watching one of them follow Stanley around as he mopped. 

Everything had grown to become so much more professional since they’d started revamping the station; between the new employees, broadcasting gear, and business cards that said “Robert” instead of “Bob,” he finally began to feel like an adult.

The phone at the front of the office gave out a short, shrill ring, and Pamela answered. After a moment, she held the receiver away from her mouth. “It’s for you, Bob!”

“Coming,” he said, halfway out of his desk already. There were only two types of calls they got: serious calls that required either him or George, and Pamela’s social calls from friends who realized that, unless she was on their television, she was available to talk. 

He lifted the receiver to his ear. “Robert Steckler, Channel 62.”

“I’m in hell, Bob.”

“George?”

Next to him, Pamela gave up any attempt she’d made at trying to look disinterested.

“Hell, Bob.” George repeated. He spoke slowly, as if he had to pull the words out of himself to say them loud enough to hear through the phone. “I’m in it.”

“What’s wrong?”

This time, Robert couldn’t hear the mumbled mess that came out of the speaker. 

“What?”

“My glasses broke.” George sighed, loud enough to be heard over the speaker, and despite the situation, Robert fought back a grin at the dramatics. 

“How’d that happen?”

“I didn’t put them in the drawer last night when I came in. Knocked them off the nightstand when I got out of bed since I didn’t remember they were there, and the second I put my foot down -”

Robert winced. “Crunch?”

“Crunch,” George echoed. “I just got off the phone with Visionworks. They’re doing a rush order for me ‘cause I might’ve mentioned I needed them for station work -”

“George -”

“which isn’t technically wrong, y’know, and they said the earliest they’d be in is Friday, so until then, I’m out of commission for anything that requires me behind the wheel of a car.”

“Got it,” he said. “I’ll be there in ten or so. You need me to help you down the stairs?”

A quiet chuckle came through the speaker. “I’m not your Grandma Ruth.”

“Yeah, but you’re both bordering on legally blind,” he replied, teasing, “so what’s the difference, really?” 

“Just for that, I’m throwing myself down the stairs. Have fun running U-62 on your own, Bob.”

“I will,” he said, and hung up the phone. He reached over, grabbing his coat out from underneath Pamerla’s and sliding it on. “I’ll be back in about half an hour,” he said, looking at her. “Try not to let the power get to your head.”

“You’ll come back, and they’ll be feeding me grapes,” she said. She lifted her legs, crossing them at the ankles atop her desk and leaning back like a queen on her throne. “His glasses broke?”

“Shattered, from what he told me.”

Pamela clicked her tongue. “Damn,” she said. “No spares?”

“Nah, neither of us have that kind of cash.”

“Well,” she said, flicking through the Rolodex, “at least we know his address.”

“Of course I know his address,” Robert said, feeling through his pockets for his keys. “We live together, Pam.” He found the keys, kept on an old keychain his dad had given him when he first came back to Tulsa.

Behind him, Pamela gasped. “Oh,” she said, eyes wide. “Oh, I get it now!”

He whipped around, hands up in alarm. “Not like that!”

“He’s not -,” she asked, then stopped herself. “You two aren’t -?”

“I don’t think,” he said, lowering his voice, “that George knows that being gay is an option, much less, well.” He waved a hand at himself. “So please, Pam, don’t mention it in front of him.”

She mimed zipping her lips shut, throwing an invisible key in the small garbage can by her feet. “My lips are sealed.”

-

The fog had grown stronger during the hours he’d spent in the station, and Robert quickly learned that Pamela wasn’t lying when she’d said that visibility was zero to none. His car was barely more than a lump of blue-gray, even though he’d parked in the closest line of spots to the building that morning. 

At least the roads were clear. The last of the lunch rush was still trickling back to their places of employment, but overall, the drive back home wasn’t too painful. He’d grown up around this type of weather in the winter, the days where you couldn’t see more than two feet in front of you followed by enough snow or ice to make it a hazard to anyone who didn’t know to look at the road when driving. Every year, car accidents littered the roads from December to mid-March, all because barely half of the town’s driving population consisted of Tulsa natives, and the other half was a combination of out-of-towners, the elderly, and teenagers that got their license that year. 

The very first winter they’d lived together, he’d had to go rescue George from a ditch eight miles from the apartment at ten o’clock at night; he’d tried driving home from his girlfriend’s house and lost control when his wheel hit the ice. It was the same winter where the heat went out, and George’s uncle Harvey managed to save their asses both times. He’d paid for the repairs on the car, and “had a guy” who came out to fix the heating, not just for their apartment, but for the whole building, at no cost. 

They’d met Kuni about a week later when he’d come by to give his thanks after he’d realized that the landlord hadn’t been the one to fix the heating, and he’d brought a Tupperware full of something his wife had made for them. Robert still didn’t know what it was; it’d been strawberries covered in some sort of soft, chewy coating that neither he nor George recognized. Whatever it was, though, was incredibly good, and after trying it, they had to count the individual pieces and divide them in half in order to make sure it was a fair split.

Whenever Kuni had a particularly loud class or a student who decided to try their luck punching through their walls, he brought the same dish over. It was partially apologetic, but mainly a “thank you for not reporting me to the landlord”-type gift, and with Harvey Bilchik’s various connections able to fix anything for free, neither young man ever even considered actually going legal with the various property damages they’d collected over the past four years. 

He parallel parked in his spot on the street, leaving the key in the ignition to keep the car warm while he was gone as he left the car. He took the stairs two at a time, reaching the door quickly and opening it, knowing George would’ve left it unlocked. 

At first glance, the apartment seemed empty. Both bedroom doors were shut, as was the bathroom, and the main room showed no signs of life. He stood still, not even breathing, and felt a small, irrational fear that someone had broken in and kidnapped his roommate creep into the back of his mind.

A small sigh coming from the couch gave him his second near-heart attack of the day.

Nearly camouflaged against the cushions sat George, hunched over with his head in his hands. If he’d worn anything else, he would’ve been visible, but the combination of the brown curls and light blue suit jacket made him a chameleon in their home. 

The sheer unhappiness that radiated from his friend, combined with the MAD poster above his head reading “what - me worry?” made him have to fight back a laugh. “You ready to head out?”

On the couch, George sighed, purposefully loud, and lifted his head. He stared forwards as he spoke, not even turning to face Robert. “I think you might actually need to help me down the stairs.”

Robert could count on one hand the amount of times he’d seen George without his glasses throughout the four and a half years he’d known him. He put them on first thing in the morning, and taking them off was the last thing he did before bed. Hell, he’s pretty sure he’s seen him leave the bathroom after a shower with them fogged up. The few times he’d seen him sans glasses were always temporary; despite the fact that he was a man in his twenties, he kept his glasses safer than his car, wallet,  and comics collection combined.

“That bad?”

George turned his head, lifting his bangs to reveal a bright red line going from his right eyebrow to his hairline. “I, uh, missed the bathroom door. Met the frame instead; turns out she’s a real mean lady.”

Curious, Robert lifted his hand in a Girl Scouts salute that would make his little sister proud. “How many fingers am I holding up?”

George glared at him. “You’re evil,” he said. “You know that, right?”

“I know,” Robert said, smiling. He held out his arm, palm facing the ceiling, the same way he’d always done for his grandma. “Come on, we’ve got about half an hour before the station burns down.”

“Fine,” George said. He reached out a hand, but instead of taking him by the elbow like Robert expected, took his hand, lacing their fingers together. “If you lead me off the stairs, I’m dragging you down with me.”

“Got it,” Robert replied, hoping his voice didn’t sound as strained as it felt when the words came out. 

He could feel the other man’s pulse, a slow thrum, through his fingers as he led them out the front door and slowly to the stairs, with George clasping the railing with his free hand the entire way down. It seemed as though the weather had grown even colder while he’d been inside, making him all the more aware of how warm his hand was with another wrapped around it. 

Logistically, he knew it wasn’t anything, but he was human, and it had been nearly three years since he’d been in a relationship, let alone held hands with someone. The weight of it was comforting; it was solid and steady, only verging onto tight once they’d made it to the bottom few steps. 

Thankfully, they made it down without any event, and Robert led them to his car, stopping at the passenger door. “Your carriage, ma’am.”

“Oh, you’re such a polite young man,” George said, finally cracking a smile. “If I’d known you were here to help, I’d have brought a dollar with me to tip you!”

“I’m just glad to be here for you in such a trying time.”

George took his hand away, opening the door and sinking into the seat. Still in the cold outside, Robert wasted no time in making his way to the driver’s side and climbing inside. He looped his arm around the back of the passenger seat, checking the street for cars behind him before pulling out onto the main road. 

They made it out to the highway before either of them spoke.

“Can you still do the Town Talk segment tonight?” Robert asked. “”Cause if you need me to, I can do it.”

“I can deal with it,” George said. “I know how much you hate being in front of the camera.”

“I hate being in front of the camera as Bob-o the Clown,” Robert corrected. “I’m fine being on air as Robert.”

George shifted in his seat, looking over at him, or at least looking in his direction. “You’re really sticking with Robert, aren’t you?”

“Yep,” Robert said, popping the ‘p.’ “Sounds more professional, which means the other channels take us seriously.” George snickered. “Only if they haven’t seen the shows we’ve greenlit.”

“Speaking of,” he said, turning onto the side road leading to the station, “we’ve got a new batch of proposals for spring. The people of Tulsa have spoken, and they want more insanity in the writer’s room.”

“Don’t tell me you read them without me.” George whined.

“I didn’t,” he said. “Just counted them. We’ve got about twenty, give or take.”

“And how many slots do we have open on the schedule for next spring?”

“Like, two.”

“Phenomenal.”

-

A little while later, they pulled into the station’s parking lot, and Robert was glad to see that no one had taken his spot while he’d been gone. He parked, taking the keys out of the ignition and slipping them into his pocket. 

“You want my help again?” Robert asked.

“I think I’m good,” George said, “but thanks.”

“Alright,” he said, unconvinced. There were a few steps leading up to the door, and he didn’t want to see George eat concrete when he knew neither of them had dental insurance. They were still trying to get that all squared away, but the steps for registering a business with the various insurances wasn’t the easiest thing in the world, especially when neither of the bosses had ever had insurance to begin with.

They left the car, and Robert watched, wary, as George made his way to the front door, both hands splayed out in front of him. He followed close behind in case he managed to hit something and fall backwards, but to his pleasant surprise, neither of them hit the floor. 

“Good afternoon, Stevie Wonder,” Pamela said, seeing them stumble through the door. “Had a nice drive?”

“If he’d driven, we’d be wrapped around a tree right now.”

“Very funny,” George said. He’d narrowed his eyes, but it wasn’t exactly clear if it was out of annoyance or if he was just squinting. “Make fun of the blind guy when he can’t see you well enough to punch back.”

“With your gangly limbs? Honey,” Pamela said, “I don’t think you’d manage to land a hit. Even if you could, you’re too sweet to hit a lady. It’s a mystery how no one’s snapped you up yet.”

He looked over at George, who stayed quiet, fiddling with the cuff of his suit jacket. “Someone has,” Robert said, perplexed at the silence. “His girlfriend, Teri Campbell. And before you ask,” he said, cutting Pamela off, “yes, like the soup.”

“Must’ve been born under a lucky star,” Pamela mused. “Rich girlfriend and a steady job at what, twenty-two?”

“Twenty-five,” Robert clarified, then paused. With the chaos of the first weeks at the station, he realized he’d never actually asked her, or anyone at the station, something as basic as an age. “Wait, how old are you?”

Pamela hummed, setting her pen down. “How old do you think I am?”

Robert laughed. “I’m not dumb enough to fall -”

“Twenty-seven,” George answered. He looked at the other two, who stared back at him. “Her birthday’s in April.”

“How do you know that?”

“It’s on her paperwork, Bob.” George said, the way one would expect to hear “duh” tacked onto the end.

He cocked his head to the side, surprised. “You read that?”

George mimicked him, cocking his head to the other side. “You didn’t?”

“I’ve been meaning to get around to it,” he mumbled, feeling his face heat up. 

“Stanley’s thirty-two,” George continued, pointing at the janitor as he swept the floor near Robert’s desk. “Raul is forty-four -, no,” he corrected, “sorry, forty-eight. Kuni’s fifty-one, and Philo never actually filled out his papers to begin with.”

“Is he allowed to do that?”

A loud BANG! rang out from the back room. 

“I say we let him do what he wants, and in return, we get an on-site engineer who’s willing to host a show without extra pay.” 

He eyed the back room’s doors, taking note of the odd green glow that shone from the porthole windows. “That’s fair,” he said. 

Together, they made their way to their desks, sitting down just in time to avoid the crowd that pushed their way in seconds later. 

The live studio audience had arrived, and they were loud, almost overwhelmingly so. They couldn’t wait to see the people they usually saw on small boxes in real life, excited to participate in the shows they watched with family and friends. Parents with children they’d pulled out of school for the day as an early Christmas present were shown by Pamela to the largest spare room-turned-sound stage, the one with yellow walls and bleachers to fit all those coming to spend a day at Stanley Spadowski’s Clubhouse. A smaller, noticeably older crowd, directed by the interns, were ushered to Town Talk’s half-living room set-up, all the way across the building. 

The other shows filming — Secrets of the Universe, Raul’s Wild Kingdom, and You Bet Your Pink Slip — wouldn’t film until after the first two, and luckily required no such audience. Raul chose to film on-site at his apartment complex, Philo hated the idea of anyone in his lab space that didn’t explicitly have to be there, and Pink Slip was shot at whatever place of employment had someone willing to, as the show’s title suggested, bet their pink slip on something insane. 

One of the interns, a short, dark-skinned girl that was one of the first to sign up for the job, rushed over, the rubber soles of her Converse slapping against the linoleum. “Mr. Newman?”

George glanced up at her. “What do you need, Gloria?”

 “Mrs. Nichole wants you in make-up for your segment,” she said, rushing through the words. “She wants to try something new with your hair for the episode, and told me to tell you to,” she paused, focusing, “‘get your ass in the chair and don’t complain like you always do or she’ll shave your ‘stache next time.’” She grimaced, then added, “her words, not mine.”

“I’m not letting her put glitter on me again,” he muttered, standing up. He smoothed out the creases of his jacket, and straightened his tie. “I’m still picking pink flakes out of my sheets and it’s been a full month.”

“Last I saw, she had the eyeliner out,” Gloria said, “so I think you’re safe for today.”

“Don’t jinx it.”

Gloria left, spinning on her heel so fast it could’ve left a burnout, running back to Nicole’s hair and makeup station, operating out of a converted bathroom they’d found when planning out the station’s space, once they’d realized what was on the horizon. George followed her lead, not wanting to incur the wrath of Nicole, especially if his hair was at-risk of retaliation.

“Hey, George?” Robert said.

George stopped, and looked back at him. “Yeah?”

“Break a leg.”

George smiled back at him. “You know I will.” He turned back around, not wanting to lose Gloria in the hallway.

A moment later, after Robert had gone back to sorting through the bills they’d received for the upcoming week, a quiet thump! could be heard to those who knew to expect it.

“I didn’t mean it literally,” Robert called out.

“Oh, go to hell, Bob.”

-

Seven o’clock came quicker than he’d expected; between paying the bills, fielding calls from Raul’s suppliers, then having to speak to one very confused, very new-to-town police officer who’d seen Raul unloading a komodo dragon out of a van, and placing Philo’s order of calcite, dolomite, glass squares, and a bottle of hydrochloric acid, he didn’t have the time to, well, check the time.

“You planning on going home soon?” Pamela asked, packing up her purse. Around them, the station was nearly deserted; the camera crew left to film the next segments at four-thirty and the interns left at five, leaving only a skeleton crew at Station U-62. George had locked himself in the writer’s room, saying he needed the quiet to think of the next week’s Town Talk. “News segment finally wrapped, so I’m out of here.”

“Yeah,” he said, packing the last of his papers away into his desk drawer, “just waiting for George.”

“Mhm,” she said. She grabbed her coat off the rack, slipping it on and zipping it tight. “Can I ask you something?”

“Depends,” Robert replied. “Do you want to come closer and not shout it out?”

Pamela rolled her eyes as she made her way to his desk. “How long has George been dating that girl, Carrie?”

“Teri,” Robert corrected. “And, Christ, I don’t know. They’ve been on-and-off for as long as I’ve lived with him, why?”

“Just curious,” Pamela said. “How long have you two lived together?”

“Four years. Five this April, if that helps with whatever timeline you’re plotting out in your head.”

She pursed her lips. “Curious,” she repeated.

Robert sighed. “Fine, I’ll bite. What’s so curious about them?”

“They date for four, probably five years, and he still hasn’t popped the question?”

“With their breaks, they’ve probably only dated two years, to be honest.”

“And that! I mean,” she said, throwing a hand in the air, “if the guy I was with still didn’t know if he wanted to marry me after five years, even after seeing what life was like without me, I’d find myself someone who knew they wanted me.”

“Hey,” Robert interrupted, trying not to get upset, “he’s not leading her on, if that’s what you’re trying to imply. He’s a good guy, Pam.”

“I know, I know,” she reassured, “but it’s weird, right? I mean, is he breaking up with her every time they have a spat, or what?”

“I never said he was the one breaking up with her. In fact, every time they’ve broken up, Teri breaks up with him, and he doesn’t ever see a new girl. Ever. He just mopes around and waits for her to take him back.”

“Seriously?”

“Seriously,” Robert confirmed. “It’s kind of sad.”

“Has he ever dated another woman?”

“I don’t know, I’d have to check his diary,” Robert said, half-kidding. It wouldn’t surprise him to find out his roommate had an actual diary. “Why do you suddenly care about George’s dating life?”

“Well, since you’re off the table -”

If someone had thrown a bucket of gasoline and a lit match onto him, Robert still would’ve felt the cold creeping up his spine. “Pamela, you can’t -” “I’m kidding!” Pamela laughed. “Sheesh, I wish I had my camera!” She wiped a tear from the side of her eye, taking care not to smudge her mascara. “I’m just trying to learn a little more about my bosses today, is that a crime or something?”

“Go home before you send me into a stroke, Pam.”

“Don’t have to tell me twice,” she said, gathering her purse under her arm. “Drive safe tonight, ‘kay? I don’t think the next managers will let me wear what I want on air like you two do.”

“I will,” he said, “and same to you; drive safe.”

She waved, then let herself out, closing the door quickly to keep any of the afternoon’s snow from floating in. 

With his papers safe and secure, he locked his drawer and walked down the hall to the writer’s room. It was the one of the only rooms they used that was actually created for the purpose they used it for, though without an official writing team, it was rarely occupied. George tended to flit inside when he needed the quiet, and any staff who doubled as writers would go in and out in pairs depending on what they were working on.

He knocked on the door, three quick beats. When he didn’t get a response, he inched the door open. “George?”

The man in question sat at the long cherrywood table, one hand twirling a pen, the other lost in his curls. “What’s better,” he said, not looking up, “local grocery stores already stocking Valentine’s Day merchandise before the month’s over, or the movie theater’s highest grossing films for this year and what they say about the people of Tulsa?”

“Movie theaters,” he said, leaning against the door frame. “You ready to head home?”

At the table, George scratched “TULSA MOVIE THEATERS” in large, blocky handwriting, making the lines thick enough to see, even without his glasses. “Definitely,” he said. 

He got up, but as he walked toward the door, Robert noticed something on his face. “You’ve still got eyeliner on,” he said, staring at his eyes. 

“Got to chat with the local punk scene,” George said. “They’re a pretty nice bunch, once you stop gawking at them.”

“Good to know,” he said. “It -, uh, it suits you.”

“The eyeliner?” George asked. “I’d agree with you, but I couldn’t see it when Nicole did it. She nearly put me in a headlock though; apparently, I’m squirmy.” He made air quotes with his fingers around the last word. 

“Pamela thinks you’re gangly, and Nicole calls you squirmy,” Robert said, tsk’ing. He opened the front door, holding it for George to exit first. “What does Teri say about you?”

“Bad things, probably,” he muttered, reaching for Robert’s car. He laid a hand on the hood, trailing his fingers on the metal as he found his way to the passenger door. It was quiet outside; Philo usually took care of the station’s graveyard shift, which let the rest of the crew go home at a semi-normal hour. There were only two other cars in the lot aside from his, and he knew one belonged to Stanley while the other was probably Philo’s, though he’d never actually seen the man leave the property line.

Robert came up behind him, unlocking the door, then went to his own side, quickly getting inside and turning on the ignition. He turned the wipers on, clearing out the light dusting of snow they’d accumulated during the day, then reversed, clearing out of the lot before the car had begun to warm up. He reached over, clicking on the radio, and for a few minutes, they drove in silence, only broken up by the soft sounds of Sinatra’s Christmas album.

They made it all the way to the main road before Robert’s concern won out. “Hey, is everything okay with you? Between the glasses and -,” he didn’t want to say “not mentioning your girlfriend to Pam” out loud, so he settled on, “your general demeanor, you’ve been really off today.”

George hunched deeper into the seat, shoulders ‘round his ears. “I’m fine,” he said.

From the driver’s seat, Robert felt his hands grip the wheel a bit tighter than they usually did. He was well-accustomed to George’s moods; he knew everything from the giddy delight he had when the newest issue of MAD came in the mail to the slightly self-destructive depressive tendencies that came with Teri calling it quits, but the quiet sadness, the quiet anything, was never a sign of something good to come. “You sure?”

“I’m sure,” George said. He stared straight forwards into the empty night, deliberately avoiding Robert’s gaze. In all their years of living together, he knew George only did that when he was hiding something. He had a shit poker face, mainly because whenever he lied, as rare as it was, he did so while refusing to look at the person he was lying to. 

Robert knew he wouldn’t talk about it on his own, but he’d wanted to give him the chance. Now was the time for him to take out the pliers and pull it out of him. 

He decided to try for the most obvious cause first, then work his way down. “Is it about Teri?”

The thud of George’s head hitting the headrest told him he’d struck gold on his first try. “She wants me to spend Christmas with her family.”

“And that’s -?” Robert trailed off, waiting for George to fill in the gap.

“Not good,” he said. “It’s not bad, either, but I -,” he groaned, threading a hand into the tuft of hair that’d started hanging loose from the rest as months went by with no haircut, “I don’t want to do it. I don’t want to go.”

“Well, why not?”

George scoffed. “Her family hates me, Bob,” he said, voice thick. “All they see me as is the guy that’s terrorized their only daughter for five years. One Christmas isn’t going to change that.”

“It could.” Robert turned off of the main road, pulling onto the side street they lived on. “People are weird about the holidays, especially people like Teri’s parents. They get all holy ‘bout it, wanting to forgive those who trespassed against them,” he said. 

It surprised him; it’d been years since he’d said the Lord’s Prayer, but he still remembered it, at least partially.

“They’re going to want me to go to church with them, and I’m going to embarrass her, again, in front of her parents. I don’t know the words, or the customs, or -,” he spiraled, waving his hands as he spoke, “when to stand up and sit down, and I -”

“George, relax,” Robert said, keeping his voice calm. “Half of the entire Christian population only goes to church on Christmas, Easter, and for, like, funerals and weddings, if they go at all. You’re not going to be the only one there who doesn’t know what he’s doing.”

“Teri’s parents are Catholic,” he said. “Not Christian, I think.”

“It’s basically the same thing.” He swung into his spot, and turned the car off. “Just mumble through the prayers, don’t take the wafer or wine, and you’re good to go.”

“I don’t think I’m even supposed to go into a church,” George mumbled. 

“Why,” Robert asked, “afraid you’ll burst into flames?”

He knew it was stupid, but it got a laugh out of George, and that’s what he was aiming for. 

“Very funny,” he said, monotone. He reached for the door handle as the car’s engine died.

Together, they left the car, standing in the cold. It was nearly pitch-black outside, save for the streetlights, which cast a warm amber glow onto the pavement below. A few patches of ice remained solid, mostly on the road, but a few scattered on the sidewalk, one of which was too close to George for Robert’s comfort.

“Hey,” he said, stepping over the ice to the other man. He held out a hand close enough for George to see. “Grab on.”

He expected some form of protest, whether it be outright refusal or stubbornness, with or without a comment mentioning how he was a grown man, but like that morning, he said nothing, just stretched his hand out, wrapping his fingers around Robert’s.

Carefully, he guided George up the stairs, taking his time after seeing more patches of ice hiding on the steps. He waited until the front door was open to let go, putting the hand that had held George’s against the small of his back instead, ushering him inside. 

“You can get first shower,” Robert said. “If I make Kraft, do you want any?”

“Yeah, I’ll take some,” he said.

“Try not to slip and break your head open.”

Robert watched as George stretched out his arms, making sure he didn’t run into any door frames again, and kept his eyes on him until he saw the bathroom door shut. Satisfied with the knowledge he wouldn’t have to hunt around for the first aid kit, he reached up to the wire shelves, grabbing one of the twenty-odd remaining boxes of Kraft mac ‘n’ cheese he’d bought at Costco a few months back, and turned on the burner.

-

He’d just finished divvying up the pasta into two bowls when he heard the water turn off in the bathroom. He hunted around for a minute, searching through the drawers, then the dishwasher, until he came up with two clean forks, and set them in either bowl. He brought both bowls to the small hunk of wood they called a coffee table, sitting down on the couch and turning the television on. 

“CBS is doing a M*A*S*H marathon!” Robert yelled. “You down?”

The bathroom door opened, and George shuffled out. From the corner of his eye, all Robert saw was a mass of light gray; after all the times he’d seen the other man do laundry, he knew that George had a tendency to buy his sweatpants and hoodies in matching colors, so seeing just one hue wasn’t out of character. 

Robert patted the cushion next to his. “Come on, it’s dinner and a show.” He shoveled a forkful of macaroni into his mouth and cranked up the volume.

The couch groaned as George dropped down beside him. “Which ep’?”

He watched for a minute, trying to place it. “Think it’s the one where the guy gets the Dear John letter,” Robert said. “God, imagine how much that would suck. You’re fighting a war, the only thing keeping you together is knowing you’ve got someone to go home to, then -” he turned, looking over to George, and - “oh my God, George.”

“What?” George asked, confused. 

He couldn’t help the snort of laughter that came out, but he tried to smother it as best as he could. “I’m sorry,” he said, chuckling. “I’m sorry, it’s just -, you look like a raccoon, dude. Did you use anything to remove the stuff Nicole put on?”

[honeyshiddendesire]

🤠Cowboys You Say?

Pairing: Zoro, Eustass, Sabo, Marco & Ace x fem!reader (separate or sharing doesn't affect the story)

*Old Note: Had a vacation out on 93 acres in the countryside and all I was thinking about…cowboys.*

Warnings: bondage! Dom/sub! Pet names! Praise & degradation! Vaginal penetration! Bimbofication! Rough sex! Spanking! Hair pulling! Yata yata smut lol y’all know I write nasty!breeding kink!

@votaeto @zorosdimples thought y’all might like this 

*New Author’s Note: Out of all the stories I thought I lost from my old account Honey’s World of Fanfiction THIS one was by far my favorite so to stumble upon it again makes me sooo freaking hype!!!! AHHH So excited!!!! Hope everyone still loves it just as much as me!! Don’t be alarmed I did fix some typos as well! Lol*

*cow banner*

Acres of land as far as the eye can see was before you. Majestic and overwhelming but it was now yours. Inherited from your late father, Edward, you had no choice but to return home to his prize. The ranch he loved second ONLY to you, too precious for you to just sell.

Patches of woods and forests littered with game even open fields for horses to run wild until tamed. There was a beautiful garden that stretched around the ranch, a pond with a family of ducks. A river with a strong current that only the toughest even dare swim in, flowing just along the ranch’s right side.

The terrain was intense but luckily your father made sure he left you with a great team to help you out.

*banner*

Lumberjack Ace 🪓who jumps out his pickup truck shirtless, drenched in a layer of sweat with an ax resting on his shoulder.

Lumberjack Ace 🪓 who was saddened and shocked at your father’s death but happy seeing his pretty daughter inherit the ranch.

Lumberjack Ace 🪓 who tips his hat and winks at you with a side smirk as he walks, “Mornin’ darlin’.”  The freckled face and cut abs flustering you immediately.

Lumberjack Ace 🪓 who pours a bucket of water over his head before taking the sweet tea you offered after hours of chopping firewood.

Lumberjack Ace 🪓 who cleans the chimney for you in your freakish city that gets snow storms mid summer. The grand line farmland a whirlwind of weather.

Lumberjack Ace 🪓 flirts the entire time with winks and smirks. “Don’t worry babydoll I’ll have this house as hot as you in no time.” Tossing the wood he chopped inside with a dramatic sigh.

Lumberjack Ace 🪓 who ax throws intruders wanting to harm you

Lumberjack Ace 🪓 who makes you wear his hat when you ride him cause you’re his pretty cowgirl princess. “Aren’t you just a spitfire?” His moans drawn out all nice and sweet for ya.

Lumberjack Ace 🪓 who fucks you hard against the trees he plans on chopping. Using you to see if they’re sturdy enough as your back rubs against the rough bark.

“Yeah pretty girl ya like that don’t ya?” He’ll ask as he nips at your bottom lip making you whimper, pussy clenching. His cock will destroy your insides as the harsh tree rubs your skin raw. “Want my seed deep in that cute lil pussy of yours? I bet you do baby girl. Take every drop alright darlin’.”

Fucking your cunt hard in the forest as your screams bounced off the tall trees making him grunt as he paints that pussy white. “That’s my pretty girl.” 🪓

🪓🪓🪓🪓🪓🪓🪓🪓🪓🪓🪓🪓🪓🪓🪓🪓🪓🪓🪓🪓

Doctor Marco 🩺 who rode in on a fucking horse with flowers in his hands to show his condolences.

Doctor Marco 🩺 who even studied animals in order to help your father when he stressed over his prized horse, Whitebeard, growing sick.

Doctor Marco 🩺 who made it a point to stop by everyday on his gorgeous marbled stallion, saying it was important for your mental health on such a secluded land.

Doctor Marco 🩺 who comes to your aid during the harsh heat when you almost had a heat stroke. “Wow there birdie~ can’t have you getting dehydrated on me.”

And !!

The treacherous winter when he finds you passed out in the house shaking still not used to a single fire heating up such a big house. “Sweet bird what would you do without me~” He’ll coo at you.

Doctor Marco 🩺  who sheds his clothes to warm you up the fastest way you can in the countryside. “Come here birdie I’ll keep you warm.” 

Cock plunging deep into your pussy to make you sweat. Your gasps and moans make him shiver, back arching off the bed as you claw at his skin. “D-doctor~ M-Marco ah~ you feels so warm.” You whimper as he leans over pushing his weight on his hands.

“I know dove~ let me keep taking good~ care of you. Make sure you stay nice and warm inside and out.” Marco’s thrust would be deep and really rough to make you sweaty and gasping. “I reckon I’ll have you feeling peachy in no time birdie.”

Doctor Marco 🩺 who even checks your gag reflex with his cock buried snug in your wet throat.

“Take a little more pretty thing.” Hand brushing your hair back with a gentle smile. Your eyes watery as you looked up at him in your pretty sundress soaked in your drool.

“There ya go dove doin just~ fine.” Marco would grunt out as he shallowly thrusts into your throat. Cumming deeply into your tight mouth making you moan softly at the taste. Semen dripping down the sides making you whine and even messier for his greedy eyes.

🩺🩺🩺🩺🩺🩺🩺🩺🩺🩺🩺🩺🩺🩺🩺🩺🩺🩺🩺🩺

Horse Tamer Sabo 🐎 who picked the prettiest mustangs for your father.

Horse Tamer Sabo 🐎 who supplies all the best horses in town. Even trains them too.

Horse Tamer Sabo 🐎 who washes your horses and loves watching you braid their hair afterwards in different styles. “I think that's one of my favorites sweet pea.” He’ll say coming up behind you all close.

Horse Tamer Sabo 🐎 who holds you tightly when a horse passes because he too knows your pain of losing a stallion.

Horse Tamer Sabo 🐎 who gets to train ladies all week but still doesn’t get behind them for a lesson, opting for his own stallion but insists on doing it for you. Saying you need the best.

Horse Tamer Sabo 🐎 who teaches you to ride. Thick cock brushing up against you as he wraps his arms around you. Breath heavy from the close proximity, “Doing great doll~” Voice raspy after a long ride of his cock brushing against your pretty self.

Horse Tamer Sabo 🐎 who buys you matching gloves for riding saying they’re the best and they’ll last the longest because of the quality but it’s actually because he likes you matching.

Horse Tamer Sabo 🐎 who wins all the horse racing championships

“Looking good doll.” Sabo drew out as he leaned against the railing where you were sitting in the front row. All the other women were jealous, wanting his attention too.

“How’s about I take a pretty lady like you out to a fancy dinner and a nice ride?” He winks at the last part hinting at a night of mystery that you so said ‘yes’ to.

Horse Tamer Sabo 🐎 who also makes you wear his hat when you ride him cause that’s just what cowboys do.

Eyes rolling back as he tugged on the knots you were bound by, “Just like that sweet pea move’em nice and slow fa me.” Sabo groaned out, voice raspy making you whine.  Fat cockhead pushing past your cervix making you choke out moans.

“Ooooooowweee doll listen to you howl. Go head and cum on me ‘kay sweetheart.” Sabo’s cocky when he fucks his fat cock up into your dripping pussy. His blue hat bouncing with his powerful thrusts, pussy squirting making his ego grow more. “Now that’s a prize winning stallion! Fuck~!! I’m gonna have to breed you full after that ride.”

🐎🐎🐎🐎🐎🐎🐎🐎🐎🐎🐎🐎🐎🐎🐎🐎🐎🐎🐎🐎

Butcher Zoro! 🔪 Who brought you the biggest cow in the shop to show his condolences.

Butcher Zoro! 🔪 who still delivers fresh meats weekly even though you’re not sick like your father and very capable of doing it yourself.

Butcher Zoro! 🔪 who always offers to sharpen your kitchenware when he delivers the meats to ensure you the best.

Butcher Zoro! 🔪 who loves pulling up to you grilling or smoking some meats and seeing your proud smile when you used his ingredients. “Please Zoro! You just have to join me for dinner! I think you’re gonna love how the steaks turned out! It's a great cut.”

Butcher Zoro! 🔪 who can hog tie the fastest in the countryside. Seeing him wrangle up that boar with his cocky smirk made your thighs press together. Feeling like a sinner in church needing a sip of sweet tea with the way he wiped the sweat off his brow.

Butcher Zoro! 🔪 who always winks at you and tips his hat after winning the hog tying contest making everyone jealous.

Butcher Zoro! 🔪 who puts you in gorgeous knots and suspended ropes to stretch you out in.

“Dammit woman look at you suckin’ in this cock like a champion.” Zoro grunted as he watched his cock disappear down your sloppy throat. Spit and cum from an earlier load dripping all over your front. Pulling away he ripped your top open and latched his hungry mouth onto your breast. Your arms above you in ropes as you hung like a butchered pig ripe for his taking.

“Prettiest little piggy to ever be eaten by me, I tell you what.” Zoro smirked as he left mark after amazing mark all over your sweaty skin.

Tying your legs up and spread out so he can slide that fat ass cock all the way in with no interruptions. “Fuck yeah piggy lemme hear you squeal for this cock just butchering your insides.” He was definitely merciless in all the things he did but you weren’t about to complain.

🔪🔪🔪🔪🔪🔪🔪🔪🔪🔪🔪🔪🔪🔪🔪🔪🔪🔪🔪🔪

Farmer Eustass 🤠 who still tends to your 100+ acres of land cause, “Ain’t no way in hell I’ll be able to sleep at night knowing a pretty lamb like you is doin all the work.”

Farmer Eustass 🤠 who calls you almost every farm/animal he can possibly think of.  Lamb, pig, mouse, bunny, chickie, calf, heifer,etc

Farmer Eustass 🤠 who comes to your aid whenever you need repairs around the house, but only does them shirtless.

Farmer Eustass 🤠 who drives the tracker shirtless in his overalls with a piece of straw in his mouth, hat tipped real low. Winking at you when you give him a cool glass of lemonade for his hard work plowing the fields, though you couldn’t help but desire that he was plowing something else.

“Thanks lil calf but I think I might wanna drink on somethin’ else you can gimme me. Maybe some milk?”

Farmer Eustass 🤠 who buys you the prettiest dresses and shoes cause he’ll be doin all the hard labor anyways.

Farmer Eustass 🤠 who gets handsy the fastest cause he can’t help but want to let out all his stress on you. Looking like a sweet lil belle that he wanted nothing more than to corrupt into his pretty bimbo after a long day.

Farmer Eustass 🤠 who’s a total stereotype. Wanting a beer and his dick sucked the second he steps foot in the door. Don’t worry he always returns the favor 😉

“Been thinkin’ bout these lips wrapped around my cock all damn day out on that field. Fuck~ that’s it chick, slobber all over me.”

Farmer Eustass 🤠 who roughly shoves your face in the hay as he fucks you ass up in the barn. Spanking you and pulling you back by your pigtails.

“Good fuckin’ calf. Letting me breed you full till you’re swollen wit my kids, tits drippin with milk for me.” Hips rocking into your cunt with a mission to fill you full. Stuffing your womb full of his children to run and play on the farm.“Fuck-my little cow being so good. Stay just like that babe.” Spanking you as he grabs both your pigtails in one large hand. “Sweet little heifer letting me breed her like she’s supposed ta wit outta fight. Come on moo for your owner baby.”  Voice raspy as he’ll grip your ass, fucking you hard on his heavy cock. Hay scratching into your face as you cream around his dick with a shaky scream. “Soundin’ so pretty when you get loud like that fa me.”

[the-fiction-witch]

I Like Him

Media - House Of The Dragon Character - Oscar Tully Couple - Oscar X Reader Reader - (OC) Jaerra Targaryen [Daughter of Daemon Targaryen & Rhea Royce] Rating - 12 Word Count - 1121

Requested -

Hello Miss Witch! Can I request an Oscar Tully story in your “Boys Yet To Have Books” please? The reader is a Targaryen (probably just the same age as him and named Jaerra) and has a he-dragon, she flew to Harrenhal to accompany Daemon and then met Oscar and just some cute interactions between them that grew into something. It’s up to how you will write it and can have lots of parts too because I will love it either way. I hope you read this request. Thank you! <33

The dark echos of Harrenhal seem to sicken Daemon the longer he remains, food seems to turn to ashes in his mouth, wine soured, his mind a mess of his own failings and falls.

“I’m surrounded, by witches, and idiots.” He sighed to himself,

Suddenly a familiar sound echoes through Harrenhal’s half-melted halls, the sound of a dragon's triumphant cry. Which caused Daemon to perk up and move quickly for the first time in months. He headed out to the courtyard part of him hopeful to see Syrax across the sky, or perhaps even MoonDancer.

But a deep blue dragon with shimmering white scales fluttered down onto the grass,

“Iēdar lilagon…” he sighed, He approached the dragon glaring down at its rider, “Why did she send you?”

“Because you're causing chaos on your own,” Jaerra answered as she climbed down from her dragon, wearing her tall boots and grey washed-out leather trousers, a deep blue jacket with a high low skirt and dragon clasps down her chest, her long Targaryen blonde hair with a single dark brown streak by her face knotted up into a tight braid.

“I already have enough to deal with,” He sighed,

“Hence why I’m here.” She said pulling off her leather gloves and walking past him, “You’ve been causing enough problems around here, so she thought I’d be best to come. Plus everyone else is far too busy to be your babysitter.”

“Busy!” He said as he followed her,

“Her grace is busy, planning wars and alliances,”

“And what does she think I’ve been doing!”

She rolled her eyes and continued, “Jacaerys is defending his claim at her side -”

“Baela and Rheana?”

“Baela is beside her betrothal, as she should be. Rheana is with Aegon and Viserys in the Vale.”

He sighed, “I’d have taken Corlys before you.”

“He is of far to high priority.” She glared, “You get me. If you’d have been more careful I wouldn’t be needed and I could be patrolling.”

“So that’s what she’s got you doing? Patrolling?”

“Ravens are slow, men even slower. Dragonback is the best way to get sights of our lands and the movements on them.” She explained, “Speaking of which, the riverlords are here.”

“They haven’t-”

“They haven’t arrived yet but they will in an hour, I flew over them.” She answered before she went inside,

“...Fucking-” He sighed following her, “We have an hour, time to change into a gown for the Riverland lords.”

“Alright,” She shrugged, “Off you go, to get dressed.” She glared,

“I meant you.”

“Seems a waste of my time.” she sighed, “We are at war, gowns seem pointless at this point,”

“You are … so much of your mother,” He barked,

She chuckled, “Is that meant to insult me?” She smiled, “I’d rather be a spitting image of my mother… than anything like you.” she spat, “Now let's get this sorted out before we all end up on spikes in Kings Landing.”

Daemon sat at the head of the table in Harrenhalls Grand chamber, Jaerra to his side with two seats between them, as in walked the Lord of the river lands. Jaerra raised an eyebrow given this was not the man from the many lords she saw from Dragonback whom she expected to be the lord. Lord Oscar Tully made his way in dressed in his fine amour, curls messy from his helmet. He simply nodded as a greeting to Daemon and his eyes flicked to Jaerra, he did a double take but focused his eyes forward.

“My condolences on the passing of your grandser.” Daemon spoke, “But the crown congratulates you on your ascension to the head of your house. And Lord Paramount of the Riverlands” He explained, “Truly Glorious well done,”

“I did nothing,” Oscar answered,

“Nevertheless, you are here which is the important thing.” Daemon nodded,

“You were quick enough to dismiss me before.”

“You were of no significance to me then.”

Jaerra sighed, rolling her eyes a little.

“Now. I shall have my great host you have a decision to make.” Daemon stood from his chair mostly to avoid the eyes of Jaerra, “Presume it is clear to you which is the right one.”

“You will forgive me, your grace… I am green. In this sort of matter. As you so kindly point out, but it does seem to me that you’ve made rather a mess here.” Oscar explained making sure to meet Daemon's eyes as he walked around him, “Countenancing barbarities in the queen's name.”

Jaerra choked back a small laugh but made no secret of her smile, as she rested her feet on the table,

“Who’s side are you on?” Daemon glared the boy down,

“... The river lands are held together by oaths.” Oscar nodded, “House Tully swore on oath to King Viserys Targaryen, We recognize the authority of the named heir Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen… And your own as her king consort.”

“Good.” Daemon nodded, “Then we should go to face your vassals and you shall call your banners to war,”

“That might be difficult my king,”

“Well… I was told they would come to heal When house tully declared it’s allegiance.”

“That… may be the case,” Oscar nodded, “But it is yet to be seen that they will heed my authority, as young as it is.”

“You are no older than my daughter.” Daemon chuckled as his eyes met Jaerra,

“... I’d further follow her than you.”

“Power and control don’t have an age. Merely a mindset.” Jaerra smiled,

Oscar nodded to her, “And there is another problem… they all hate you.” he turned back to Daemon,

“Everyone hates him.” Jaerra spoke up again, “Never stopped him before.”

“I don’t need their love, I need their swords.” Daemon glared,

The two in a deep moment of staring before the door opened,

“You’re grace, My lord, the river lords await. I fear we cannot delay them any longer.”

“Of course,” Daemon nodded, “Come along lord Oscar,”

Oscar nodded and walked out hand on his sword,

“You too.” He demanded to Jaerra,

She sighed setting her feet down on the stone floor and made her way out the door, but turned around as she passed Daemon walking backwards out the door, “I like him.”

“You would.” he glared, forcing her out with him.  

[rheas-ripley]

Championship Blues

Summary: Rhea Ripley just lost her championship and needs a little help coping with the loss.

Warnings: just a bunch of tooth-rotting fluff!

Word Count: 1k

Author’s Note: hi angels! this is my first oneshot ever so plsplspls let me know how i did! message me with anyyy thoughts on how to make my writing better cuz i wanna keep doing this :) also this is not proofread lol but send reqs

——————————————————————————

Pain. Pain was all that Rhea felt as she walked through the gorilla after telling the whole world that she was suffering from a shoulder injury and would have to vacate her championship title. Rhea Ripley wasn’t an emotional person. She had a reputation to keep in the ring. But today, Rhea was nothing but emotional over the loss of her title. To lose one of the most important things in her life was very hard on her. So pain was the only thing Rhea felt in that moment.

To say Rhea losing her championship was a big change would be understating it tremendously. To put it into perspective, Rhea and Y/N have been together as long as Rhea had been champion. Rhea is at the height of her career and getting injured at a time like this is just a big inconvenience that no wrestler would ever want to experience. Of course everyone knows the risk of getting injured and that it could always happen to you, but no one ever expects something like this to happen to them. Especially not the Women’s World Champion.

As she walked through the curtains, Rhea was met with her fellow Judgement Day members ready to greet her and give their condolences. The Judgement Day was her wrestling family, her home away from home. These people were there for her when no one else was, especially her girlfriend Y/N.

“Hey guys,” Rhea forced a brief smile before returning to the slight frown that had been glued to her face all day. It was obvious that this was taking a toll on the raven-haired girl since she normally held a more positive demeanor when she wasn’t in the ring.

“It took a lot of strength to go out there and do that baby. You’re the best champion WWE has seen in a while and your reign was amazing. I know you’re gonna come back stronger than ever,” Y/N spoke and walked over to her girlfriend, taking her hand and giving it a reassuring squeeze. If they were alone Y/N would have just held her girlfriend tight and kissed all of her sorrows away but she wanted everyone else to get a chance to say what they wanted to Rhea before Y/N whisked her away and kept her all to herself.

“Yeah that wasn’t an easy thing you just did lass,” Finn said and everyone agreed. The Irish man stepped out and embraced Rhea in a hug. “We are so proud of you and can’t wait for you to come back.” Finn slightly rubbed Rhea’s back before releasing her.

“Hurry back Rhea, the Terror Twins have more shit to start!” Damian joked, trying to lighten the mood. He then maneuvered through the group to hug her and kissed the top of her head. “Get well soon hermosa,” Damian added and ruffled her hair up a little bit. The two have always been the closet out of the group, besides Rhea and Y/N of course. They just seemed to understand each other in a way only they could understand and shared a familial bond like no other.

“We all love you so much mami,” Dom chimed in with a smile. This was true, everyone in the Judgement Day loved Rhea very much. She was the glue that held the group together.

“Thank you guys so much,” Rhea voiced and looked around the room. All that was running through her head in that moment was how long she’d be away. Of course she had hope that the group would survive without her, but what about her title? Who would be the new Women’s World Champion? “Alright babe I think it’s time we head back to the hotel.” The raven-haired girl said as she glanced down at her Apple Watch.

Once the pair arrived at their hotel room, emotions were running very high. Rhea was sad and silent as a mouse, not one to begin the conversation pertaining to her feelings. Y/N knew this though and wanted to make sure her girlfriend was okay.

“Baby I know this is hard for you,” Y/N huffed as she laid next to Rhea on their shared hotel bed. The lights were low and the television was only slightly heard. Y/N placed one of her hands onto Rhea’s and the other on her stomach. “How are you feeling right now?” She questioned and looked over at her girlfriend.

“Honestly,” Rhea started, gathering the words that she wanted to say, “I’m scared.” She sighed and continued, “I’m scared that when I come back, everyone will have moved on. I mean what’s gonna happen when I come back and there’s a new champion and everything’s different ya know?” Rhea ran her free hand through her hair, visibly frustrated.

“I know baby, I know it’s hard. But you are way better than any,” Y/N emphasized the last word, “woman on that roster. When you get back, I’m sure the fans and everyone else will be begging for you to reclaim your spot as champ.” She rolled over and straddled Rhea, showering her face with kisses and leaving marks from her lip gloss everywhere. Rhea’s frown suddenly turned into a smile which caused another one to form on Y/N’s face.

“You are so amazing baby and everyone loves you. You were the best champ and will continue your reign when you get back,” Y/N spoke and brushed a stray piece of her girlfriend’s hair behind her ear. The pair locked eyes and in that moment, Rhea knew that everything was going to be okay.

“I love you so much Y/N, thank you,” Rhea slightly nuzzled her head into Y/N’s hand and gave it a kiss. Rhea wrapped her other hand around her girlfriend’s waist and pulled the girl closer to her. “Now enough talk about wrestling, can we find something to watch?” Rhea suggested, her mood clearly brighter. Of course their conversation wouldn’t solve all of her problems or clear up all of her doubts, but it did give her temporary clarity. Rhea knew that through whatever would happen to her, she’d always have her girlfriend in her corner.

[you-know-i-get-itt]

warning: major tw for implied/referenced suicide

We know that Jean tried to kill himself at least once while he was at the Nest. This is a collection of the (mostly) unsent suicide notes that marked his life before Renne brought him to Palmetto.

ao3 version

Found crumpled at the bottom of a wastebasket:

Kevin

I hear this is something people do, so I am doing it as well. I want to start by apologizing. I am sorry. You will blame yourself, I know that, but it is not your fault. You could not have done anything. 

I do not know how to write this. Please forgive me. For not being able to write this, and also for dying. I hope you—

Found stuffed under the mattress of a twin bed in the Nest:

Kevin

Thank you for being my friend. It took this long because I did not want to leave you. You are getting quite good at French. I know I have not told you that, so I am telling you now. You should keep learning. Maybe you will go to France one day. Maybe you will even go to You do not have to forgive me, but please forgive yourself, because this is not your fault. I know that doesn’t—

Found folded in the pocket of a tossed-out pair of shorts:

Kevin

Thank you for being my friend. You have been the best thing in my life for the last two years and it  makes me  i feel it  saddens me to leave you. I know you will endure without me, because you must. I am sorry I could not. If you ever see—

Found in the back of a cupboard in his room:

Kevin

I am sorry I am writing this but there is nothing else left now and everything is terrible and I hate it I hate it I hate it I can’t endure anymore I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sor—

Found, and read, on top of a bedside table (Jean had lain bleeding beside it):

Kevin

I am sorry to be writing this but there was no other way for me to tell you. This is not your fault and you should not take blame. It was out of your hands. Grayson was I am surprised it took this long, but I have found now that there is no way out. My life will not change. You will leave the Nest, and you will be Court, and you will be loved, and I will be here. I will be Riko’s favorite toy and I will be [something is scratched out]. Do not mourn for me, but if you must, just look around. Everyone is always mourning something at the Nest. 

When I was in Marseille, somebody told me that when we die, we walk toward a white light. I want to see that white light. I am tired of the dark. 

I am sorry. Thank you for being my friend. Do not blame yourself. [something is scratched out] I love you.

- Jean

Found in the lining of a discarded Ravens jersey:

Kevin

I do not like to make promises I cannot keep, and for that I am sorry. 

I said this the last time as well, and I will say it again: do not blame yourself. You will continue without me. Forget me, if you can. It will not be difficult. I have just one request: if you find this, and I tried but it did not work, kill me. Riko said—

Found in shreds on the bathroom floor:

Kevin

I cannot do this anymore. I know you understand. Please forgive I am sorry I am breaking the promise I made you but you will be alright without me. [something is blotted out] know but I promise mean it when I say that I survived so far because—

Found in the back of a desk drawer:

Kevin

I tried. I could not. I a—

Found at the bottom of a kit bag:

Kevin

Things have been worse with Riko, and I am sorry to be leaving you this way. I am also sorry to be breaking my promise, but you know when you made me make it that I may not keep it. I have lived for you this past year, and I cannot continue doing so anymore. This is not—

Found on a bench as though no effort had been made to hide it (but it was never read anyway):

Riko

Give Kevin my condolences. Tell him I do not hate him for leaving, and this is not his fault. You can do that much, since it is entirely yours. 

- Jean

Found in the lining of a pillow in his room:

Zane

Thank you for protecting me. I know you did not want to. Do whatever you want with my things, and tell Kevin—

Found pressed between the pages of an economics textbook:

Zane

Tell Kevin I am sorry. You can do what you want with my things. Do not let Grayson take my bed. Or let him. I know it is not your choice. If this—

Found tucked into the corner of a running shoe:

Kevin

I know you will not read this. I do not know why I am writing it. 

(Zane, it is more probable that you will read this. Send it to Kevin if you do. Do not read the rest.)

I do not blame you for leaving. I know you had no choice. I wish things could have happened differently, but if I could change the past, I would have never met you at all, because I would have never left Marseille. 

I know I am breaking my promise, but you broke yours first. Do not feel bad about that, but take it to mean that we are even now. I will not apologize, because there is no point in asking forgiveness while giving it, so let’s exchange our forgiveness silently. I forgive you for taking away the only thing that could have kept me alive. You forgive me for taking the obvious step.

I know I cannot stop you from mourning me, so I will not tell you not to. 

I hope you find everything you are searching for, and I hope you learn to live louder. You deserve [something is scribbled out] better. I miss you

- Jean

Found folded and stuffed into a keyhole:

Renee

Thank you for everything. You have been kinder to me than I deserve. Know that you did all you could. You were never going to be able to save me, and that is not your fault. Not everybody is meant to be saved. Let me be the person to show you that, and stop you from hoping foolishly in the future. You did your best. You do not—

Found stuck to the bottom of the bathroom cupboard:

Dear Renee

Thank you for everything. But I do not believe in miracles, and so I cannot believe in you. Do not think you could have done any more than you did already.

Tell Kevin I forgive him, and that I ask him to forgive me in return. He will know what I mean. Try not to remember me, because it will do you no good. In another life, perhaps you could have saved me. But not in this one. In this one, I am a Moreau, and in this one, I belong to the Moriyamas. I know my place. Perhaps in another life, this place could have been by your side.

Thank you for trying. I am sorry it was not enough. 

- Jean

Found rolled up in the hollow of a broken exy racquet:

Nathaniel

Do not let Grayson take my place on the court and do not let him take my place in my room and do not let him have my number and do not—

Found squeezed next to the previous one:

Nathaniel

Do not let Grayson take my place in my room. Kill him if you can. Thank you.

Keep Kevin safe.

- Jean

Found beside a broken flip phone:

Kevin

It was not my fault this time, and it was also not yours. If you read this, know that you have nothing to take the blame for. I did not break my promise, though it may look as though I did. Tell Renee I am grateful. Tell Nathaniel he is lucky to have all of you. I would not expect anyone to come looking for me the way you all did for him. Do not— [something is blotted out] please. I lov am thankful you have found the life you deserve. Have [something illegible, followed by a smear of blood]

[sincere1ystar]

Almost

you two almost have it all but then life changes its plans (reader sort of takes the role of annie in this)

warnings: typical character death angst

You have always known as the victor who went “mad”. Walking through district 13 you often hears whispers of pity from everyone saying how deranged you seem to be. Well everyone except Finnick.

Finnick who sees you for who you are, not as some person who went mad because of the games. Finnick who made the effort to comfort you through your nightmares even though he had his own. Finnick who whispered sweet nothings into your ears until you fell asleep.

On days where you’re constantly plaqued by nightmares of the games, Finnick never leaves your side. Katniss and the others notices how Finnick is the only one who can snap you out of your terrors. He takes you to the beach hoping that the sound of the waves will calm you down and when it doesn’t he comforts you through his love.

When Finnick goes off on that mission before you guys could start your honeymoon, you feel a sinking feeling in your stomach. You feel like something is wrong.. no you know something is wrong. But this isn’t the first time you are like this so Finnick reassures you the best he can.

Finnick feels strongly. When your heart hurts, his hurts along with her. When uou feels upset about the past, he can’t help but mirror your emotions. And now when you are pleading and begging for him to stay, he can’t help but want to plead along with you.

When you notice Katniss, Peeta, and the others come back from the mission your heart swells when you realize that means your love is back. Finally back and you’ll never have to leave the warm embrace of his arms ever again. Suddenly all the suffering and endless nights of screams and sobs are worth it, that is until you don’t see Finnick in the crowd.

You notices how everyone is looking at you with… pity? sympathy? You don’t care much because you need to find Finnick, it’s as if you’re a fish desperate to be in the water again.

When you don’t find him you can’t help but think the worse. “No no no you’re just overthinking just like how Finnick always says you do”, you think to yourself, “Soon enough you’ll be in his arms again and you both will laugh about how silly you were when he was alive and healthy the whole time.”

Your bubble of delusion is broken by Katniss, whose words are wary and cautious.

“Hey”-,Katniss attempts to start before you interrupts her.

“Katniss!! Thank god now someone can tell me where Finnick is? Where is he? Where’s Finnick? He’s alright isn’t he? Where is he I want to see him. No I need to see him!!”, you cry out frantically before you give Katniss a chance to finish.

Just then a few other circle Katniss as a sign of some sort of support as she starts to say, “Finnick’s not… He’s not.. He didn’t… make it”.

Just then your world goes quiet. You are surrounded by others giving you their condolences trying to comfort you, but it all goes in one ear and out the other.

Sometimes it feels like you can’t breathe. “It’s like the first time Finnick taught me how to swim and I almost drowned”, you think. Other times you hopelessly cry and cry for hours. “It’s like when I wake up sobbing and screaming from my nightsmres and Finnick’s right there to hold me”, you think. And sometimes you’re just plain out angry as you let the rage take over your mind because you can’t help but just be angry. Angry at the fact that you’ve lost him right before you both almost had it all. “It’s like when I get angry about what the games did to all of us and Finnicks there to help me work through it”, you think. No matter what emotion you feel, you always link Finnick to it.

You have always been surrounded by grief, but you never really knew the strange things it makes you do. You don’t throw out the rope Finnick was tying the last time you saw him, you won’t throw out the half full water bottle he last drank from, and you refuses to clean out any of his things.

Grief also brings you jealousy. When you see Katniss and Peeta finally get their happy ending, you can’t help but mourn what you could have had with Finnick. Of course you’re happy for the couple, who wouldn’t be? But sometimes you find yourself drowning in envy when you see the two of them together. You have that same look in your eye, the same look Katniss had at your wedding with Finnick when Peeta was hijacked. Life’s funny like that, you think.

[nobody0805]

Hello Major

A Jasper Hale x Reader Oneshot

Someone force me to finish chapter 5 before I write more Oneshots god bless.

Warnings: a bit angsty? But also fluffy.

1334 Words

They had known each other for a long time.

He was still human when he got to know her. His eyes were still shining with his young innocence, his body was not ridden with scars.

But most importantly, his heart was still beating.

When he had to leave for the war, he felt terrible for leaving her behind.

He had promised her to write her letters whenever he can, to keep her informed on how he’s doing, if he’s alright, and most importantly to him, to let her know that he still loves her.

To prove his commitment, he had given her a ring. A ring as a promise he will return.

And once he’s back he’ll make her his wife.

And he kept that promise for two years.

His letters had mentioned how he focused his work on saving and evacuating women and children, leaving him riding across the state to make sure everyone was safe.

His letters had also told her about his progress, how he had become the youngest major in the army, even when considering how he had lied about his age to get into the army in the first place.

But it was one letter that broke her heart.

It had arrived in the evening, two weeks after his last letter.

She had been happy, until she saw the expression of the mail carrier.

The man looked sad, almost sorry for her.

And when she finally opened the letter and read through it, her world shattered. Her hand clutched the ring she wore on a necklace, the ring he gave her before he left.

He died.

At least, that’s what the letter told her.

The army expressed their condolences, telling her how sorry they were for having to tell her that Major Jasper Whitlock went missing and presumably died in the war.

Her reaction was conflicted.

She wanted to scream, cry, rip the letter apart, curse whoever was listening and caused this fate for them.

But she didn’t.

Instead she just kept clutching the ring and read the letter over and over again, hoping that this was just some sick joke. That someone just wanted to see her suffer, maybe the mail carrier, maybe someone else.

But even after two more weeks, no new letter arrived.

And she had to accept that it was true.

Jasper had died, the love of her life was dead.

And she was left alone. Unable to even visit a grave, unable to know where he went missing, what he felt, if he had been in pain before it was all over.

And it broke her.

The big unknown broke her.

And in her grief ridden state she decided that it couldn’t be true.

She was in denial, she was angry and in denial.

Her future with the man she loved was ripped away under her feet, and it made her incredibly angry.

So she decided to take her horse and ride to the last position his letters had told her he’d be.

But she couldn’t have expected what would happen to her.

Never in over a hundred years could she have seen this outcome.

——

Jasper Hale, formerly known as Jasper Whitlock, had been living with the Cullens for a few decades now.

He had gotten to know Alice, who turned out to be a great friend to him.

Thanks to her he managed to cope with the fact he never got to see her again, that she had probably died a long time ago.

And especially that he never got to keep his promise.

But it still hurt, of course it hurt.

In this immortal existence, knowing that he lost his love to time while he was stuck in this stupid army, forced to hurt people despite knowing how they felt, forced to follow the orders of the woman, the monster, who changed him and made him like her.

It all hurt so much.

And going to school over and over again, living amongst humans, pretending that he’s normal, that he’s fine and that he’s human, while having to constantly ignore just how everything hurt without her near.

His thirst was nothing compared to the constant pain of not having his love with him.

——

She wasn’t sure how much time had passed since everything changed, since she was told Jasper had died and she decided to search for him.

But she knew that something was drawing her to this small town, Forks.

She had quickly learned how to cope with her new… abilities. Especially with this near-constant burning in her throat that told her she needed to feed.

She had quickly learned that she could feed on animals and avoid hurting people. And she was glad it worked.

When she arrived in Forks, she felt lost. It was a new town for her, for someone who had been wandering on their own for years.

But she felt like something important was awaiting her.

And when she wandered through the forest, trying to avoid the weird smell of dog nearby, she found a house.

She hesitated, what if whoever lived in this surprisingly big and beautiful house in the middle of the forest wasn’t happy with spontaneous visitors.

But something was still drawing her near, as if something in her mind wanted her to enter and see who or what was inside.

Only when a man who looked like he had seen centuries of history stepped outside the house and welcomed her in was when she started moving again.

Reluctantly, she stepped closer, and finally saw a short, pixie-like girl standing behind the man.

”I‘m Alice! I knew you’d come here! Come inside, there is someone you should see!“

And if her heart was still beating, she was sure it would be racing right when she saw him.

When he saw her, his eyes widened and he felt like his words were stuck in his throat.

”D-Darlin‘…?“

”Hello Major.“

As soon as he heard her voice, sensed her emotions, and saw how she looked almost exactly like he remembered, he rushed to her side and pulled her into a tight hug.

”I thought I lost you… so long ago…“ the words were barely loud enough, but she was still able to hear them. And with how he sounded she was sure he’d be crying if it was physically possible.

And she wasn’t fooling anyone, she’d also be crying if she could.

Unable to restrain himself, Jasper pulled away from the embrace just enough to cup her face and pull her in a long overdue kiss.

And it felt like they hadn’t been apart at all, like the past decades of pain just started to disappear.

And he was so happy for the first time in years.

Once they pulled away and finally got to properly look at each other, Jasper’s eyes wandered and he saw the ring he had given her all those years ago. It was attached to a necklace and sat near her heart.

When she noticed where he looked, she smiled and gently cupped his cheek with her hand.

She chose to ignore the scars littered across his neck and jawline, deciding that there were better times to speak about what happened while they were apart, especially now that they have more than enough time together.

He practically melted into her touch, leaning against her hand as if he was afraid she would vanish before his eyes, like this was just an illusion and he was being tricked.

His own hand went to hers, holding it against his scarred cheek to keep her close, to keep enjoying her touch.

”you still have the ring“ he whispered, his golden eyes finding hers.

”and you still have a promise to keep,“ she smiled, ”but I think we have a lot to speak about first, before we take any big steps.“

And he was certain he would keep his promise, but at first they both had a lot of time to make up for.

[sarahblueskyyyy]

Frames

Romance, MaxBradley, Fluff, Slow Burn, Tension, Post Canon, Future Setting, Happy Ending, Reunion, etc.

Bradley Uppercrust the Third, has always been and always will be someone who’s minding his own business. At least—that’s what he has learned throughout the years, ever since his university life.

“Oh, God—are you seriously saying that? I can’t believe you!”

He lets out a yawn. His head is filled with what he should eat when he finally gets home. A takeaway from that one Chinese diner might be nice—or he could just bring home something. The owner of this restaurant is kind enough to share any remaining food with his employees anyway.

“Bradley, you seein’ this?” One of the waiters nudges him with his elbow. He cocks his head towards the center of the freshly-made exhibition. “That guy is gonna get dumped. It’s a painful sight.”

Bradley rolls his eyes. “Really, as if there isn’t anything worth watching.”

“At this moment? No, not exactly.”

A kitchen staff member rings a bell—an implicit order for a server to fetch the cooked meal to its customer. Bradley picks a tray, puts that plate onto it, and his blue eyes scrutinize the number of the table that is attached to a bill besides the plate.

How lucky. It’s the table with that couple that has been on each other's throats for the last 10 minutes. Well, to be more specific, the lady dog is the one who’s berating him, and the poor guy is just accepting it in silence.

Eh. Maybe he deserves it.

Bradley shrugs and brings that tray towards the table, unwavering. It’s not really his problem, but perhaps he should meddle, for other customers have been whispering and trading looks. Certainly concerning to the restaurant’s reputation. And, who knows, he might get some appreciation from his boss if he could break lovers’ quarrels.

However, when he arrives at the table—even before he could part his lips to say a word—the lady dog stands abruptly. Without him realizing it, her fingers wrap around that glass of whiskey, and her arm swings in a forward motion, transferring all the liquid inside to drench the other person on that table.

The other man is still looking down. His hair, pitch black like a pair of a raven’s wings, is damp and shiny under the light. Droplets form rivulets on that head before they fall free from the pointy end of his hair.

Bradley sure hopes it was the climax of her wrath, and perhaps God answers his hidden thought because, in the next second, that lady dog storms away until she is no longer inside the building.

Alright. At least one problem has ceased for now. Bradley sighs. His job still requires him not to be a dick, so he calls out delicately to the poor guy, offering his condolences and help.

“I’m sorry for what has happened. May I offer you our hospitality, and get you some dry towels—”

When the other guy lifts his face, this time Bradley manages to have a good look. He can’t prevent the smirk that creeps into his cheeks, carving an absolutely snarky expression.

“Ha!” His scoff surprises almost everyone in that room. “Long time no see, freshman.”

Maximilian Goof groans, and the frown on his forehead is apparent. “I miss you too.”

It looks like both of them developed a sense of humor over the years.

.

“Don’t you have work to do?”

As sharp as it might sound, the sentence lost its bite completely. Max receives the towel Bradley gives him and places the fluffy fabric on top of his head. His ears sag on the sides of his face like usual, but this time they look even more slumpy because of the whiskey.

“My boss pities you.” It sounds like a plain mockery, but no—Max notices it’s just how Bradley talks. How has he always been. “Besides, my shift is gonna be over soon. So, dry yourself up, be a doll, and go home.”

Max doesn’t answer that. Instead, he rubs his own hair with a tad too much force, finding the rocky pavement more interesting to pay attention to.

Bradley breaks the uncomfortable stillness with a question, “So—what went wrong? I didn’t take you to be the cheating type. Or a jerk—oh, wait, you maybe are one.”

“Perhaps take a look into a mirror for once.” Max is pressing the back of his head. Then, after that, the tone of his voice gets gentler a notch. “Nothing, really. I just admitted I’ve lost my feeling for her, and I thought it’s best to break it up now than prolong it into something worse.”

“Lost?” Bradley isn’t sure why he needs a confirmation, but he asks it anyway, “Or never had it in the first place?”

That makes Max snap his neck towards Bradley, his expression almost unidentifiable. But for some reasons—for Bradley, it is quite clear what’s going on inside his mind. Max wears his heart on his sleeve; it is easy to see and even easier to break. Max looks hurt and betrayed—like a child who’s caught red-handed doing something he shouldn’t do, and now he can’t lie through his teeth about it.

Aha. Bradley shakes his head and smiles. "You've got to train your poker face more.”

“That’s not funny, Brad.”

“It's Bradley, and I wasn’t trying to be a jester.” Bradley thinks for a few seconds before he proceeds with his words, “Big chances are that lady knew you were lying to her. She probably figured out you never really loved her, and yet, like a fool, you keep being kind to her until you realize it’s futile. You let her make you the bad guy.”

Max’s lips grow apart. His eyes are fixated on the figure in front of him, incredulously.

“What? Bull’s eye?”

“How do you know that?”

“What don't I know?” Bradley mentally takes note of how—maybe some things aren’t meant to change. Case in point: Max Goof’s naivete. A wave of innocence blankets his personality and protects him from the world’s vile truths, and they against his optimism. A combo match made in heaven. “Anyway, are you done? I need to get ready to go home; it’s getting chilly.”

Bradley is greeted by faint cricket sounds and the night wind.

Max takes a deep breath and empties his lungs before he answers, “I share an apartment with her. I can’t exactly waltz into my home right now.”

“Are you serious?”—that’s what Bradley was going to ask. That, and probably followed by, “How is that my problem? I ain’t your babysitters; figure things out yourselves, hon.”

Unfortunately for him, as he matures in age, empathy seeps inside him now more than ever, and the intensity magnifies compared to when he was still an adolescent. And also, all the hardship he encounters perhaps contributes to the sentiment.

Bradley knows he’s going to regret this, but the last thing he wants is to find the possibility of tomorrow’s newspaper filled with information about a missing dog or a dead one. Exaggerating it might sound.

“Do you want to stay at my place?”

.

.

.

Bradley isn’t kind, compassionate, or polite enough to sputter out the courtesy, “Make yourself at home.” He doesn’t need to, anyway, because the younger Goof marches inside the apartment with such confidence.

“Sit.” Bradley’s forefinger is aimed at his couch. “I’ll give you my unused shirt and towel.” Before he himself goes into the bedroom, the corners of his eyes catch Max's unusual excitement towards the living space. Bradley alarms him with an order—which he’s quite sure will be disregarded completely. “Don’t look, don’t touch, nothin’.”

Max gives him a half-hearted thumbs up. He can hear Bradley’s grumble as he walks inside his room. Then, the black-haired canine, as expected, starts looking around the place. Order and rules are meant to be broken—or however the saying goes.

If there is one thing he realizes once he steps foot inside the house, it’s how inhumanely tidy this place is. Small paintings are framed and nailed to the wall with such precision that they rival the strictness of Britain’s royal regulations. Mugs, accessory bowls, and ornaments are placed in their own designated area. There is no dirty laundry or random briefs on the corners of the room, which, by Max’s standard, is preposterous. Who doesn’t throw their shirt somewhere on the floor once in a while? There are many times when Max is exhausted and just overwhelmed by his work; his limbs feel like they’re falling out, and he can’t be bothered by doing laundry.

However, his mind’s focus shifts almost instantly when he sees three framed photos on the TV table.

The first frame is a photo of Bradley and his—Gamma Mu Mu. He had his usual arrogant lines on his expression, while the rest of the members were wearing this silly laugh. It looks surprisingly endearing.

The second one is his graduation photo. A formal one where he wore a mortarboard and the college’s distinct cloak. In that picture, he stands tall with his chin up, yet he’s alone. The display alone raises Max’s memory of his own graduation photos—and there are a ton of them. Of course, his father, Goofy, insisted on such an idea to make sure they have something to remind them of home—no matter how far the world may take them. And Max, albeit being surged by the complexity of embarrassment and elation, is forever thankful to his dad. He remembers the series of photos of him, Bobby, and P.J., then some others of him, his dad, and Sylvia.

So why did Bradley take the photo alone?

Before the cogs of his head could turn and arrive at a conclusion, his eyes had already moved to the third frame, and it's empty. There is nothing in it.

Why bother setting up the frame, then?

“Having fun diving your nose into my business, Max?”

“How come the third frame is empty?”

Crass, brash—Bradley didn’t know Max could showcase two insufferable traits in one go. But he’s been proven wrong, hasn’t he?

Bradley’s refusal to answer is prominent. He shoves a set of comfortable clothes into Max’s arms, which readily cradle them. That, and a clean towel. The silky smell of fabric softener is gently spewed out of those cloths, and the electric synapse in Max’s brain works fast to associate the fragrance with Bradley.

“Take a shower, stinky.”

Max offers a genuine smile. “Thanks.”

When he finally steps inside the bathroom, Bradley sighs deeply. Wondering what he’s gotten himself to.

.

Bradley has taken his own bath when he enters his room with a towel hanging on top of his head. His sky-colored eyes look at Max, who’s now leisurely lying down on a mattress he provided before. There is a scrunch between Max’s eyebrows and his fingers typing fast on the thin screen of his phone—Bradley can guess several reasons for such behavior.

The Uppercrust sits down on the edge of his bed. He blinks—once, twice. Perhaps he’s really drained because his eyelids struggle to keep them lifted. And the effect of the warm bath that relaxed his whole body is surely pumping the melatonin even more.

He still observes the young Goof. The way his own shirt fits on his toned body, sharp blade shoulders, and a little too tight on his biceps and the curves of his muscles are obvious behind the cloth. Huh. Brandley wonders if Max has always leaning on the sturdy side, even back in the day.

“Are you sleepy yet?”

Bradley snatches the towel off, then spreads it on the hanger to ensure its dryness the following day.

“Unlike you, I worked all day. So, in a matter of fact—yes, I am. Goodnight.”

“I worked all day, too.”

“And getting dumped by the end of it? God really hates you, Goof.”

Max scoffs and smiles. He puts down his phone, eliminating a source of dim light in that room. “So, tell me. What a rich guy like you doin’ in a restaurant as a server nonetheless?”

“Haven’t you heard?” Bradley flicks off the switch of his table lamp, and instantly, the room is engulfed by the dark. “I got disowned right after the X Games. Cash is an old friend.”

Max can feel his furrow go even deeper. A little more of that, and it’ll dig into his skull. “I thought that was just a—rumor.”

“Why would it be?” Bradley yawns, and as a result, a drop of tears prickles out of his eyes. He rubs it away. The timbre of his voice insinuates that this is no more than a weather talk—it’s concerning for Max personally. “Uppercrust never jokes when it comes to the things that matter the most.” 

“…. I can see that now.” A silence. “Is that why I practically never saw you anymore after the games?”

“More or less.” Bradley speculates how many more questions he needs to answer before the curiosity weans off. But then he realizes it feels good to talk about himself occasionally. And to be fair, it’s been a long time since he did that. “Gotta focus on graduating, then job-seeking. It wasn’t so bad. It took me fast enough to comprehend that the money you gain yourself is far more satisfying than being given.”

“But that’s …,” Max’s words dissipate in the air before it comes back to its track, “… crazy. I mean, why would parents abandon their own child? I know my father wouldn’t.”

“Good for you.” Bradley can’t see Max since he’s lying on his back, but he’s pretty sure that empty head is tilting in confusion. He continues, “People are just different. You of all people should’ve known that.”

“You did almost kill me. And Tank. And the others.”

“…. That I did. If my memory serves me correctly, I have properly apologized."

"You have." Max huffs quietly. His vision scans the strange ceiling, almost alienating since he’s gotten used to his own. “You’ve mellowed.”

Bradley almost lost his drowsiness. “Are you calling me old?”

“Well, I mean—I am 29 this year. That makes you … what, 40?”

“Your perception of others is fucked. I’m 33.”

“Oh. Well. It wasn’t an insult.”

“Sure, it wasn’t.”

Max chuckles. His laugh is light and airy, oozing across the room in a tender way. And at the end of that giggle, there is a unique hiccup—something only the Goofs have. It throws Bradley off for a moment. Is he deranged, or somehow, he does miss that laugh? Something he hasn’t heard since a decade ago.

“It’s good, really,” Max tries to convince him. “I mean, how to put this … you are still—you. But you’ve matured and are not as annoying as before—”

“Maxmillian Goof.”

“—but you know. All grown up. Hey, look! Shitty parents don’t always produce shitty kids. So, there is that.”

“I was a shitty kid.”

“Not anymore. If you were, I wouldn’t have been here.”

Bradley pursed his lips in defeat. He wants to retaliate, but then it’ll look ridiculous. So instead, there is an attempt to change the topic, “How about you? No luck with girls, ever, huh?”

“Oh, c’mon ….” Max scratches his nape. “I just haven’t found the right one, I guess.”

Bradley hums. “The right one. That’s a broad description.”

Max ponders for a few seconds before he verbalizes his thoughts, “Well, someone that you’d get married to. The one that stays in your life for the better or worse. Cliché, I know, but—that’s the goal.”

Bradley forgets that not everyone is as laid-back as he is. People tangle themselves in relationships and a series of interlaced emotions so they can have a friend that’ll walk with them until the end of the line. Truth be told, if he wanted to satisfy his primal, compulsory needs, he'd just rub it out or hire someone.

“What if you never find one?”

Max blinks in his direction. “It can’t be helped, then. My dad probably will be more devastated than I am, but—you can’t force a feeling.”

“Look at you. All grown up, huh?”

Max feels a heat crawl into his face, and he groans. “We should sleep.”

“Thank God, I’ve been saying.”

Reticence comes back with the absence of conversation. Just a mild whirling sound from the air conditioner and an even muted ticking from the clock.

“…. Bradley?”

An exasperated sigh. “What, Max?”

“The third photo frames. Why didn’t you put anything in it?”

Bradley closes his eyes.

“The third is not important. Go to sleep.”

Max goes quiet. It doesn’t take him long to drown in his own unconsciousness, pulled by an immense strength that renders him unable to stay awake.

When tomorrow comes, he knows it’s time to say goodbye.

.

The next morning, Bradley wakes up at 6—just like he always does. Apparently, Max woke up even earlier, seeing that his used mattress had been neatly folded. Bradley notices a small note that was put on top of it, with handwriting that he recognizes as Max’s.

Thank you!

M. G. 

That’s what was written.

That’s it, huh? Bradley closes his eyes, reminding himself internally to stay alert, and only after then is he startled by his own thoughts.

That’s it—of course. What am I hoping for?

.

.

.

.

.

“Oh—hey, Maxie.”

Max’s arm freezes in the air, just by the time his fingers are holding a warm cup of latte. His head turns to the side, where he finds a lady dog smiling gently towards him. Max goes agape before his voice resurfaces, “Oh. Hi.”

It’s his ex. The lady dog’s chin perks up in another direction—an invitation to talk. Max’s stomach is filled with a ball of worry as his footstep follows her—and he suddenly remembers that the two of them never really had a chance to talk it out.

That morning, after the one-sided fight and an awful breakup, Max found his apartment already cleared of her stuff. There is no remnant of it except what’s left in memory. If Max didn’t know better, he’d have doubted her existence.

However—he was sure she was real because the feeling was there, no matter how minuscule it was. There were comforting moments between them, a shared fleeting happiness. So, it was real.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t say anything.” The lady dog speaks in a serene demeanor. A contradiction of what she was displaying that night. But Max knows this is how she usually is. “I was just … too distracted, and my emotions got ahead of me, and I selfishly pulled myself away.”

“No—,” Max quickly interrupts her. He parts his lips, trying to say something, and his guilt is weaved along with his explanation, “I’m the one who should’ve been apologized. You’re right; I don’t deserve you, and I shouldn’t stay longer than I did. I hurt you. I’m sorry.”

The lady smiles. No faux geniality, and her heart swells. “You are kind, Maxie. You’ve always been. I took advantage of that. I knew you never loved me, yet I still try to convince you that you do—because I was craving the affection. It was foolish of me, because then I realized that the compassion you had, the kindness you served me with—were never mine in the first place.”

Max’s head slants to one side, and his loopy ears follow the gravitation and sway softly. It is expectedly adorable, and the lady is confident there are other people who’d think the same.

“I don’t know, Max,” she says once again with firm authority, but she doesn’t lose the tenderness. “You love someone, that’s certain. If you’re confused by it, I suggest you better start finding out, for you don’t want something similar like this to happen again.”

Those words root and glide into the slopes of his heart. The lady bids farewell and walks away, and still, Max doesn’t move from where his feet are nestled. Eventually, he drags his limbs outside the café. He isn’t sure where his legs are bringing him forward, but there is an indescribable relief when he stumbles upon someone he knows on the bench near the central town.

A smile instinctively sculpts itself on Max’s face.

“Bradley.”

Bradley grimaces at the sudden sound. Not for long, because he finds a familiarity in that intonation.

“Is this town getting shrunk or what?”

“What are the chances, am I right?” Max sits beside his former upper-class man, ignoring the look of disapproval that is shot towards him. A beat of silence. “I met my ex just now.”

“Congratulation!” Bradley bites back quickly. He takes a furtive glimpse at the Goof and notices how fidgety the man is. “There wasn’t any incident involving liquid, I assume, since the content inside that cup is still whole?”

Max shrugs. “No, there wasn’t.” He looks at Bradly, who mutters a low hum. “What are you doing here, anyway? No work? How about that restaurant?”

“Easy, Max.” He shakes his head. “I’m just taking a walk. Besides, that wasn’t my fixed job. It was part-time until I landed on a permanent one, and I have, so I quit.”

“Oh … good for you.”

“Yep.”

“So, what are you going to do? I mean—what’s your job now?”

“Just simple supervising in a garment factory. The idea is, I’ll get promoted to manager after 2 years.”

“That’s cool. I can’t imagine doing corporate work, though. Being a sports coach feels right for me. A lot of movements and all.”

“Well, each to their own, I guess.”

Max nods, almost in slow motion. His dark eyes stray to glance at something else, but it’s ineffective since his thoughts are reverberating, pleading to get unraveled verbally.

“I’m not good at this. Can I just say whatever's on my mind?”

Bradley exhales in a dramatic manner. “Finally, yes—stop beating around the bush.”

Max’s grin widens from ear to ear. He takes out his phone, and with a somehow crafty look, he tells Bradley, “Look here.”

Bradley automatically slants towards Max, just for him to be met with Max’s phone camera, and the younger guy wastes no time to hit the red button in the middle.

“Hey! What gives?”

“You said the third frame is not important, right?” Max is filled with glee that Bradley doesn’t understand. Max’s goofy teeth peek up from the lips, and there are lines near his eyes, an undeniable proof that the flow of time waits for no one, yet it feels like the same smile he wore when they first met. “Then I claim its spot, and it’s up to me to fill it with whatever.”

“Excuse me? What even are you yappin’ about?”

“Oh! Or maybe you want to settle this on the skateboards, like old times? I don’t mind—it’s our style after all.”

The look on Bradley’s face is one of disbelief. His jaw falls, almost comically. He suspects Max is toying with him. His thoughts dart around, bouncing inside the space in his skull, and he tries to make sense of the situation. However, he sees the grin on Max’s lips and how the evening sun outlines his unruly hair, and he caves in.

“What? You scared?”

“Okay, whatever, Max.” And he'll be a hypocrite if he says he doesn't feel the same thrill. “What do I get if I win?”

“Me vanish from your life forever.”

Bradley raises both of his eyebrows. How fuckin' arrogant and confident! “You’re so full of yourself, you know that?”

“I’d win. So don’t fret about it.”

Max stretches his arm out for Bradley to reach.

And when Bradley does reach for it, his inner voice tells him that it’s probably a bad idea.

But he has nothing to lose, doesn’t he?

.

.

.

EPILOG

“Have you ever expected this?”

P. J. squints at Bobby through the sides of his eyes. He doesn’t need to ask for an answer, because he too knows full well that it was a rhetorical question. He turns his head back to the view in front of him: Max and Bradley are exchanging words with Goofy and Sylvia.

“No,” P. J. says anyway. “Have you?”

Bobby examines the house with his sight. There are photo frames all over it, neatly planted in their own spaces. This is Max’s style and personality talking. However, the precision of every placed object is undoubtedly Bradley’s.

“I know Max swings both ways. I never thought it’d be Bradley at the end of the day.”

“Is that so wrong?”

Bobby grins. His teeth present themselves, and P. J is positive; that’s the biggest beam Bobby can muster.

“No,” the buzz-cut man answers. “Not at all.”

P. J. smiles. Yeah. Of course not.

[andreafmn]

Collision | Chapter 25

Word Count: 3.8K

Story Description: (Y/N) Uley is back home after being away for four years. Her life is at its first standstill and she is taking this time to find out who she is without school. But she never thought that coming back to the reservation would turn her whole life around. In the midst of secrets and mystery, a man crashes into (Y/N)’s and her life will never be the same.

A/N: I cannot believe two of my Twilight fics are coming to and end (just their first books) I'm excited and a little scared, but also so grateful for everyone that has stuck around these past couple of years with them. Hope I see y'all on the next books as well. 💖💖 Also, I need to stop making characters just for the plot and then falling in love with them when I know how things will end up 🫣🫣

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The next day, (Y/N) was supposed to go back to work as though nothing had happened. She had to pretend Alice had not come to town or taken Bella off to Italy without her father knowing. That Edward wasn’t planning on taking his life because of a girl he had left for dead half a year before. That Harry had not passed under her hands only two days before. And she had to pretend that she didn’t know Carlisle was gone, that she wasn’t the only one he had walked away from.

But pretending was something she had gotten used to. Putting on a mask was the first thing she had learned when she was younger. She had faked being happy for so long that truly feeling it became intoxicating. And once it had been taken from her, she collapsed.

Still, falling back into usual patterns of behavior was easy enough to do.

She had gotten up that morning and left her mother a plate of breakfast before heading to the hospital. There, she walked the halls with a kind smile on her face and her mouth muttering thank you to everyone who offered their condolences. It was much too easy to pretend she was fine.

“I heard you went by the Clearwater house,” (Y/N) smiled as she noticed Eden walking into the locker room while she slipped on her white coat. “You didn’t have to do that, but thank you. I wish I had stayed longer to have seen you.”

“I thought it’d be good to pay my respects,” he said. “It was a hard-hitting case.”

“Well, thank you. Not many people would have done that.”

“Yeah, of course,” he smiled, hiding the redness that was creeping onto his face with the door of his locker. “I, uh, wasn’t expecting you back today. I thought Davis gave you the rest of the week off.”

“I’d go crazy if I had nothing to do,” (Y/N) sighed. “Work will keep my head busy enough.”

“Hm,” was all Eden responded as he left his things in his locker and slipped on his own coat.

(Y/N) couldn’t help as her eyes lingered over Eden’s body. She stared at the way his navy scrubs clung to his figure, the seams of his sleeves stretching to their limits as his arms flexed before they were covered by the white coat. It was something she had only noticed she had been doing about a month before.

Somewhere along the way, she had begun staring, listening, remembering a little more. (Y/N) found herself noticing Eden a lot more than she had ever any man before, apart from one. Even as he seemingly held only disdain for her in the beginning, she couldn’t help the way she’d gravitated toward him. Thankfully, she had a reason to follow him around, but she knew that somehow, she’d do it regardless.

“(Y/N)!” His voice broke her out of her trance, a teasing grin splayed on his face. “All good?”

“Oh, uh, yes,” she stammered as she composed herself. “Morning rounds. Coming.”

“Seriously, if you need to take time off, you can,” he muttered softly, making the girl’s heart hammer rapidly against her chest. “You shouldn’t jump back in if you’re not ready yet.”

“I’m fine, seriously,” (Y/N) smiled, trying her best to subside the warmth that was overtaking her face. “I just zoned out for a second. I promise I’m ready.”

“Alright, then.” Eden conceded. “But if you need to tap out at any point, please let me know. Don’t keep it to yourself.”

“Yeah, okay. Thanks, Dr. Mollins.”

“Come on, (Y/N),” he grinned, “I think we’re past formalities when we’re off the clock.”

“Alright, then. Thanks, Eden.”

The Uley girl didn’t understand when her mind had shifted. Though she did focus on work and gave her everything to her patients, she found herself seeking Eden out. Since the shift between them from two days before, she felt comfortable seeing the man in a whole new light.

She had found herself liking the way he laughed, the way he smiled, even the way he stood. And, she thought, maybe that was the reason she had pushed the thought of Carlisle to the deepest, darkest corners of her mind. When she was around him, she didn’t spare a single thought about the vampire. Not even in the days after she had learned of the immortal’s disappearance.

Her heart did ache, she couldn’t lie. There was a constant tightening in her chest that she ignored every second of every day. But that was as far as it went. Maybe it meant she was healing. Maybe it was simply because she had not seen Carlisle. A part of her knew the answer. The part that she tried to silence so long ago with alcohol and distractions. The part she would continue to ignore until it was too much to bear.

But (Y/N) could do it. She could push down the overwhelming connection she had with Carlisle and allow herself to build something different with someone else. If Carlisle hadn’t cared enough about her to stay, she wouldn’t care enough to find him—at least, she knew she shouldn’t. And the girl always loved the rational side of her brain. It had kept her safe for long enough.

It was that side that kept her moving forward. The part that allowed her to go on day by day as though nothing affected her. It allowed her to lie to Charlie when he called about his daughter, allowed her to fix the strain she’d created in her relationship with Paul, and allowed her to set her gaze on someone else. If Carlisle was allowed to turn his feelings off and not care about the consequences, then so could she.

And for the past couple of days, that’s what she did.

(Y/N) had regained some momentum in her life. After allowing herself to feel what had been bringing her down, she decided to shift gears. She focused on her work, her school, and her family. And when she wasn’t focusing on that, she focused on Eden.

For those coming days, the pair that had seemed not to want anything to do with each other now could not seem to leave each other’s side. After squashing any animosity that had lived between them, they quickly realized how much they had in common. From their academic upbringings to the music they listened to while they relaxed. For the first time in more than half a year, the girl felt flutters building in her chest, and everything seemed to be settling in for her.

Yet, in all normal fashion, that didn’t last long.

“Did you know?” (Y/N) heard through the phone four days after Bella had left with Alice. “Did you know they were coming back?”

“What are you talking about, Sam?”

“The Cullens,” he seethed. “They’re all back. Just moved into their house.”

(Y/N) felt her hands begin to shake. She’d had a feeling when Bella had gone that this could have been an outcome. But—silly her, thinking rationally—she believed they’d keep truth in their word and never come back. “I-I didn’t,” she stammered nervously. “Are you sure? I mean, I know Alice came for a visit…”

“You didn’t know, (Y/N)?” Sam questioned softly this time, hearing the panic in his sister’s voice. “I thought they’d at least give you a heads up about it.”

“No, I… but… last I heard, Edward was on a suicide mission, and Bella and Alice went to save him,” she said. “But she didn’t say anything about them coming back.”

“Damn, I’m sorry, Bean. I thought you knew,” he sighed. “The older woman called and said they were moving back in last night.”

The girl didn’t know how to react. Clearly, she hadn’t meant enough to any of them to be given notice about things that directly affected her. Maybe she hadn’t put her life in enough danger because of him for them to care. Maybe they never cared at all. “Is, uh, is he…” she tried to ask but couldn’t find the words. “Is he, you know…” 

“I don’t know, Bean,” Sam responded quietly. “All she told me was that the family was back, so the treaty needed to stand. But that’s as far as my knowledge goes.”

“Well, uh, I was just on my way into the hospital. I guess I’ll let you know if he’s there.”

“Are you sure you should be doing this, (Y/N)?” her brother worried. “Why don’t you take the day off?”

“I-I can’t. It’s better if I just go on as though nothing has changed.”

“(Y/N), you don’t have to always be strong,” he reminded her. “You’re allowed to step away if you need to.”

“I know, Sam. But I already gave enough of myself for them,” she stated. “It’s about time I start to reclaim those parts back.”

“Just… let me know if you need anything,” Sam offered. “Treaty be damned, I’ll be there in a moment’s notice.”

“Thanks, Sam. I appreciate it.”

“Alright then, go kill it, doc.”

With a semblance of confidence, (Y/N) walked into the hospital, but it wasn’t long before her heart started rushing. If the Cullens were truly back, it could mean that at any given moment, those golden eyes that had cemented themselves into her brain could be staring right back at her. Everything she had done to push him into the deepest, darkest corners of her mind could unravel with just one look.

Luckily, she made it all the way to the locker room without a glance of the man. Everything in the Forks hospital seemed the same as it had for the past six months. If the Cullens had come back, the doctor had not been by the building.

For a second, she thought when she opened the doors that he’d be standing there, slipping on his white coat and flashing her that damned smile. Instead, she found Eden already inside, getting ready for his shift. And if he could tell that something was awry with (Y/N), he did not say.

Yet, everything he said sounded far away for the girl. She knew he was speaking because she could hazily see his mouth moving, but she couldn’t quite process his words. To appear alright, she went through the motions—putting her bag away, slipping on her coat, draping the stethoscope around her neck. She had to appear fine because she was fine.

“(Y/N),” Eden’s voice finally broke through her trance. “Are you okay? You don’t look so good.”

“Yeah,” she croaked before clearing her throat. “I just didn’t sleep well last night.”

“Are you sure?” he pressed. “The offer still stands for you to take another day off. What happened…”

“No, I’m fine, Eden. I promise,” she smiled. “I just wanna get through the day.”

“Alright then. Let’s go.” 

But before they could make their patient rounds, a nurse stopped (Y/N) in her tracks. “There’s someone asking for your, Dr. Uley,” he said. “They’re waiting for you in Dr. Cullen’s old office.” 

“Oh, um, did you happen to catch a name?”

“Sorry, no,” the nurse answered. “But it’s a lady with long brown hair and these like dark golden eyes. She said you know who she is.”

And, of course, she did. “Thanks, Max,” the girl smiled. “I’ll be right over.”

“Guess we’ll start rounds without you,” Eden said as the nurse took off.  “You know what this is about?”

“Yeah. Unfortunately so.”

There weren’t many people in the world that could ever fit the description the nurse had given. In her lifetime, she’d only met two, and only one of them had long hair.

(Y/N) felt sort of ambushed as she walked the trail she knew far too well. The hospital was one of the only places where any of them could seek her out, and she’d have nowhere to go. It was the perfect place to force her into an unwanted conversation. And she had an idea what it was that the woman wanted to talk to her about.

Inside the office, Esme was staring out the window when (Y/N) walked in, a trembling in her limbs she could not stop. Unlike seeing Alice, there wasn’t a surge of anger that rushed inside her. Maybe it was the dark circles forming under Esme’s darkening eyes, or the worry lines that had seemed to cement themselves in the furrow of her worried eyebrows, but (Y/N) could only feel concern.

The woman’s usual radiant beauty had dwindled, replaced by a darkening gloom that seemed to follow her like a dark cloud. It was one thing to ignore Alice’s appeal to find the patriarch of the Cullen family, but it was another to have the one person who had been moving heaven and hell to find him plead with nothing but her eyes. She had yet to utter a word, and (Y/N) already knew.

“You look well,” Esme spoke softly, frozen on the spot she stood. “Can’t say the same for this room, huh?”

“It’s been empty ever since,” she said without reciprocity of a laugh to the woman’s attempt at a lighthearted joke. “The hospital hasn’t really been able to fill the role.”

“Oh, well, I’m sure they’ll hire someone soon.”

“I think we’re past the amicable chit-chat, Esme,” (Y/N) sighed. “Just tell me what you’ve come to say.”

“I guess there’s no point beating around the bush,” the woman smiled sadly. “I’m guessing you already know that Carlisle is missing.”

“She blurted out something about that but didn’t really give me much more information on it. It wasn’t like she wanted me to find out—at least not in the way I did. But it’s not like you’ve all been very communicative these past few months.”

Esme was hesitant with her next words, taken aback by the bite in (Y/N)’s tone. She understood where her anger came from, and she had every right to feel that way. But the worry she felt for the man who had been her partner in life for so many years transcended the shame she felt for the way she and her family had treated the girl. “Alright, (Y/N). I know there are many apologies that we owe you, and I know they will never be enough. But, from the bottom of my heart, you have to know how sorry I am for what’s happened and the part I played in it,” the woman started. “But I’ve come today to plead for your help in finding Carlisle.”

“I’m sorry, Esme, but what makes you think that I’d have any idea how to find him?” (Y/N) said as she crossed her arms in front of her chest. Neither woman took a single step from their positions, leaving a cold distance between them—maybe out of anger, possibly just in self-preservation. “If a family of supernatural vampires can’t find him, how would I? I don’t even know how he disappeared.”

“We had just settled in our house in Ithaca when he said he was going to meet an old friend of his and we never saw him again,” she said. “I don’t want to burden you with how he was on that day, but he wasn’t himself, (Y/N). I have never seen him as defeated as he was then, and I am worried that he may have done something as dumb or worse than Edward. I have a very strong lead and someone who is quite certain that she can find him, but I know he won’t come back to us. I know it’s not my place to ask, and I understand if you want to turn me down, but I am begging you, even if it’s just to hear my friend out, just come by the house to talk.”

(Y/N) wanted to answer with a flat-out no or maybe say that she wasn’t like Bella and she wouldn’t drop everything in her life to save the man who had ripped her heart to shreds. But, at that very moment, she understood the Swan girl. She knew she had the power to show Carlisle the decency he had denied her, that she had the power to return a father to his family regardless of what he had done to her because at least some of them didn’t deserve the pain of losing him.

Still, there was a voice inside her head that tempted her to make them all pay for the torment she had gone through after they left. Even if the way she reacted to heartbreak wasn’t their fault, she couldn’t help but blame them for the indelible pain they had planted in her heart.

Before she could say anything, Esme added to her plea, sadness clinging to her every feature. “Look, (Y/N), I know this is a lot to ask, especially with how everything went down,” she said. “But all I am asking you is to just talk to my friend. Before you make any decision, just talk to her. Please.” 

“I can’t promise you that I will, Esme. I just… I need some time to think about this. It’s a lot to just throw on someone.” 

“Of course! Yes. Take the time you need,” the woman exclaimed. “Just please consider what I’ve said.”

“I, uh, I’ll try,” (Y/N) said. “But right now, I need to get back to work. I’ll call you once I’ve made my decision.”

“Yes, of course,” Esme muttered. “Again, I am so sorry.”

“Yeah, thanks,” she forced a smile. “I’ll see you around, I guess.”

(Y/N) turned before Esme could say another word. She was completely overwhelmed and could feel her anger and resentment bubbling inside her. Her eyes stung from tears she refused to let spill, and all she wanted was to break down.

Carlisle had not only broken her heart, but he had made some statements that she still carried with her. At one point, he had made her feel a happiness she’d never thought possible. He had sold her a life full of love and enchantment. Yet, in one conversation, he had shattered every illusion and dream she had created with him. He had shown her that someone could pretend to love you one minute and completely break your spirit the next.

But even knowing just how heartless Carlisle could be, she couldn’t help the worry that snuck into her heart. If he truly was in trouble, if he was gambling with his life, she didn’t think she’d be able to live with herself if she didn’t at least help. Unlike him, she couldn’t just turn off the love and care she’d had—still had—for the man. She especially couldn’t allow the family to live with the pain of losing someone they considered a father figure. (Y/N) knew far too well the anguish that came from losing a father, and she didn’t wish that torment on anyone—even her worst enemy.

“Hey, was everything okay?” Eden asked as they took their lunch break, a mask of concern clouding his face. “You seemed in your head when you came back for rounds.”

“I mean, it’s not not okay,” she shrugged, her gaze stuck on the plate before her. “It was… an old friend, I guess.”

“You’re not sure if she was a friend?” he chuckled softly, trying his best to lift the girl’s spirits.

“She was,” she smiled sadly. “She just came to ask for my help with something, and I’m not sure if I want to do it.”

“What did she ask for? If I may ask.”

“It’s a weird, long, and complicated issue,” she sighed. “But long story short, she needs my help with my ex. He’s been… different since the breakup, and he might be in some trouble, and she thinks I’m the only one that can help.”

“Oh,” Eden grimaced. “That is a long and complicated issue. I’m guessing there’s a bit of bad blood there.”

“Something like that,” she chuckled dryly. “He did and said some things in the breakup that cut deep, essentially…”

“But you still care for him.”

“Not just him. His family, too. They’re basically lost without their father.” (Y/N) noticed the realization in Eden’s eyes. The rumor that she had been with the town’s most acclaimed doctor had not died in people’s mouths, and she knew it was only a matter of time before he heard it, too. “I’m guessing you’ve heard what people have said about me and our last head doctor.”

“I won’t lie, I heard some whispers about that,” he confessed, “but I didn’t want to jump to conclusions.”

“Well, you’re the first person other than my family to have it confirmed, but yes, Dr. Cullen and I were in a relationship before he left, and it was quite serious. Just not serious enough for him to ask me to go with him when he moved,” she explained, trying her best to keep everything to a minimum detail. “We didn’t end on good terms, and I am unbelievably mad at him. But I also don’t want anything bad to happen to him. Am I crazy for that?”

“Of course not, (Y/N),” Eden stated. He placed a comforting hand over hers, stopping the picking she hadn’t noticed she’d been doing. It was a touch she didn’t know she needed. As he drew circles with his thumb over her knuckles, she could feel herself calming down. “He was a big part of your life regardless of how he chose to end things, and you care about what happens to him because you are a good person. How could you be crazy for that?”

“Would you do it? If someone that hurt you needed your help, would you?”

“I’d like to say I would,” he said. “But I guess it’s more of a question if I’d be okay with not helping them in the long run.”

“Is it bad if I say I don’t know?” the girl worried. “Part of me wants to think that I wouldn’t care what happens to him, but there is a big part that knows that I would.”

“(Y/N), whatever you choose has to be the right decision for you. Helping this guy can’t be about him or his family. It has to be about how you will feel when you face him and if it is something you’ll be able to do without putting yourself in harm’s way.”

Those words took her aback. She had been thinking of the Cullens and their feelings; she had been thinking of Carlisle and his betrayal, but she hadn’t stopped to think of what would happen if she allowed herself to see him again. (Y/N) didn’t want the family to hurt, but she didn’t know if her wounds were closed enough for her to be selfless and save Carlisle from whatever danger he had placed himself into.

Whatever road she decided to take had to be the right one for her and no one else. No matter how much she cared for the Cullen family and didn’t want them to lose Carlisle, her decision could not be at the detriment of her own heart. They had put her through enough, and she wasn’t sure there was anything left to give to them.

Next ->

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[joka13]

Hey can I please request a post war George Weasley x squib reader where she lives with her muggle mum (her wizard dad died in the war) and has been away from the wizarding world for a long time and george kinda brings her back to it thanks Xx

Helloooo👋 What an interesting idea! I enjoyed exploring the more melancholy aspects of the wizarding world, so thanks for the suggestion. Hope you enjoy!🫶

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

Dear reader,

As you may or may not know, I post extensive, multiple part fanfiction stories. I must remind you or clarify that I do not consider any requests I write as parts of those stories. Thank you for reading❤️

FANFICTION (REQUEST): George Weasley x Squib Reader (Female) - Empathy - Part 1

WARNINGS: mentions of violence and death

Birthday. Every year before, the word had brought feelings of excited anticipation and joy, but today it only made you feel down (and that was an extreme understatement).

That evening you would have your first birthday celebration without your father. Almost nine months ago, he died in the Second Wizarding War, leaving you and your muggle mother magicless except for a few trinkets, including his wand.

You kept it with you at all times. Not because it would be of any use to you (because it wouldn't), but for it's sentimental value. Of course, the wand reminded you of dear Dad, but it also brought to your mind the wonderful things he used to talk about.

When you were younger, as a squib it was complete torture to only hear stories and see small tricks from your father when you couldn't go explore the wizarding world and practice magic for yourself. But, after the war and learning more about the dark side of magic, a part of you came to despise and fear it. It was difficult to feel anything else for the thing that killed your father.

Though, sometimes, when you were alone with only your dad's wand to keep you company, you would be tempted to hold it, to point it and cast pretend spells like you did when you were little. You imagined yourself commanding your bedroom to tidy itself or your cat to talk back when you asked him a question. But, no matter how hard you imagined it, you would never be able to wield magic. That was the sad truth. When your father was around, the truth was tolerable because he could. He could do all of those things and so much more, and he was so kind to show you even a sliver of what he knew.

But he was gone along with his magic. He died and you and your mum went on with your regular, muggle-styled lives. You had to tell everyone that your father died in a car crash. It hurt. You wanted everyone to know about your father's sacrifice, his bravery, and how he fought for a righteous cause. But they would never know...

"Y/n?" your mother said, pulling you away from your thoughts. You sat on the couch in the living room, failing to stay focused enough to read the book in your hands while Mum iced your birthday cake in the kitchen.

"Yeah?" you replied.

"Did you hear me?"

"No, sorry. I was distracted."

"It's alright. I was just saying Mr. and Mrs. Weasley want to pop by for a quick visit tonight to wish you a happy birthday."

Oh no. Please, no more condolences, you thought.

"Okay. Thanks for letting me know," you sigh wearily.

"Hey, don't be like that." Mum wiped her hands on her apron as she went to sit on the couch beside you. She wrapped her arm around your shoulders affectionately. "The Weasley's are good friends."

"I suppose... It's just been so long... too long since I have seen them," you said. "And they had a son die in the war."

Mum blinked in concern and confusion. "Well, yes, but I don't see why that would make them unwelcome."

You rested your head on her arm. "It's just that... they're gonna want to talk about Dad, and then it would be rude not to mention their son... It'll turn into a pity party instead of a birthday party."

"You're being ridiculous," Mum scoffed, but you could tell she understood your point just fine. "Besides, they have a present for you. And we can't eat the cake all by ourselves."

"What's wrong with leftovers?"

It was Mum's turn to sigh. "I'm sorry, but they insisted on coming. It's good of them to reach out to us. And it's just a quick visit."

"Might as well get it over with. It was bound to happen anyway."

"Y/n—"

"Yes, yes, I know better than to act like this in front of them. Don't worry. I'll be nice."

You truly didn't want to talk about the war, but you didn't want to see the Weasley's also because they had magic. You never told your mother about your new fear of witches and wizards because you thought it was silly. You knew there was plenty of good magic, or rather good uses for magic. Magic doesn't kill. Your father never endangered you or your mum, but there were bad people in the wizarding world just like the bad people in the muggle world.

When you heard a knock on the front door that evening, your heart leapt with panic. Even though you knew Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were good people, a part of you was afraid of them.

"Mum, the Weasley's are here!" you called behind you. Mum hurried out of the kitchen to come stand behind you, leaving it up to you to open the door. You took in a deep, nervous breath as you reached for the knob and opened the door.

"Happy birthday, y/n!" Mrs. Weasley greeted you cheerily. She stood on the ends of her small feet to kiss you on the cheek, embracing you like you were her own child. "How are you, dear?"

"I'm alright, thanks. How are you guys?"

"Good!" Mr. Weasley responded, walking through the door behind his wife. He shook your hand enthusiastically. "Happy birthday, y/n!"

"T-thank you..." You began to feel emotional, remembering the love you had for the Weasley family and their caring, happy ways. Before you could get teary-eyed, another person walked through the door behind Mr. Weasley, surprising you.

You were taken aback, believing for a moment that Fred, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley's son who was killed in the war, was standing in front of you. But you knew that was impossible, and you also knew that Fred had a twin. So, the young man must've been Fred's twin, George.

"Hello, y/n! Happy birthday!" he said, grinning crookedly and handing you a brown, paper bag.

You smiled, laughing awkwardly as you accepted the gift. "George, hello! What a pleasant surprise."

"Yeah, sorry about that," George chuckled, closing the door behind him. "I wasn't invited, I know. But I liked the thought of... reintroducing myself since the last time we saw each other. I was just a kid then, probably immature—"

Mrs. Weasley snorted as she pulled your mother in for a hug. "You say that like you've matured so much!"

You all laugh.

"I have! Just not enough to get rid of my good sense of humor," George snickered.

"I think I was about nine when I saw you last," you say, reminiscing about the Weasley's magical house. "It was Thanksgiving, wasn't it?"

"Yes, I remember it," George chuckled, nodding. "Your eyes opened so wide at everything; I thought they were going to fall out of your skull!"

Mrs. Weasley shot George a warning glance, but you pretended not to notice, and laughed, "I'm sure I'd still have the same reaction now."

"And how old are you today, y/n?" Mrs. Weasley asked.

"Eighteen," you replied.

Mr. Weasley's brow furrowed. "Isn't that a significant age for muggles?"

"Well, I can vote now, but—"

"And how exactly does that work?" Mr. Weasley asked, intrigued.

"Oh, don't bother the poor girl with questions," Mrs. Weasley said.

"I'd be happy to tell you about it sometime, Arthur," Mum chuckled. "For now, how about we open presents!"

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[onskepa]

REMINDER TO EVERYBODY: This au is one where Spider is a girl and the Sully's kids are boys.

Here we go for the sequel i been waiting on...

I was thinking,

Spider getting courted by this male na'vi (I really headcanon he's pansexual in canon, so i think in this au he's is too)

And like, she's on with this for a while, because why not?

She's 16 she would love to have a boyfriend and shit like that, every girl her age does it.

She and this guy, flirt, go on strange walks togheter, hunt and do things like this with eachother..

But the Sully's boys, do NOT like this, they all jealous (not in a sexual or romantic way, but in a platonic way, like older brothers are protective of their younger sisters)

And they start this series of "condolences" where Spider is needed to them.

Like

Neteyam: Spider i really need your help with my ikran, she can only calm down with your help i swear.

-

Lo'ak: dude, i need your help with cleaning my family's knives, i really cant do it without your help

-

Kiri: monkey girl, can you please help me search from this herbs? my grandmother really needs them!

-

Tuk: can we pretty please play with me?

-

Spider in a way of another always accepts, until her date gets angry at her for dropping out on their dates every last minute (especially after he organised a big day for them to spent togheter, and she dropped it because she was asked by one of the boys)

She goes cry to her brothers about it, and meanwhile they console her, Lo'ak let himself escape a "We knew he wasn't good for you anyway sis"

And she gets really mad, and starts yelling at them about how is all their fault and that she can't belive they did something like that to her.

(Idk how to go forward to this point honestly, i hope in you love xx)

Hellooooooo darling~!!

So I can see so many things with this idea! Hope you and everyone enjoy this one~!!

P.S: Spider = Arachnid, Kiri = Kamun , Tuk = Tik

Arachnid

------------

Arachnid: Lose strings

Some time has passed since the incident with Tony, and while he has never done anything like that ever again, Arachnid knows better than to be alone in the lab other than her own personal room. 

However, it hasn't stopped the deep worry the poor girl has. Thinking that every other male aside from the sully brothers, wants something from her. Should arachnid need something or ask, it is mostly the women she goes to. Rarely she would ask norm or max. 

But that doesn't stop her from having fun with the sully brothers. They are her best friends and closest to a family she has.  Arachnid is happy despite some bumps on the road. And it is fine. 

Until one na’vi male took interest in her.

Srefey, a young male na’vi who had finished his iknimaya not long ago. Bright, talented, always eager to help those in need. But he is also someone who longs for something. While young and still discovering new things, he desires something that his loving parents have. 

A strong bond with a significant other. 

Someone who he can call many loving names, do things together, and build a small paradise just between the two. Srefey’s parents are in no rush to find someone for him, or he is looking for someone. There is a time and a place, as they always say. Yet Srefey can't help but search. To yearn for someone as they yearn for him. 

Of course he should be patient

But at the same time, he should explore his options and see what else he considered yet. 

“Hey don't act so spoiled now temtem” Arachnid giggles as temtem, neteyam’s ikran, nuzzles against her. 

“Alright, just one more” She says, tossing a big piece of meat into the ikrans mouth, temtem accepts it happily. 

“I swear he should be your ikran instead. Never listen to me” Neteyam says as he shakes his head. Both gently pet temtem as he purrs in his own way. Loving the attention he is getting. 

“Maybe the way you approach him is wrong,” Arachnid suggested. Neteyam sighs, “I have tried your tips, copied how you speak and touched him. Yet nothing works, it is like he just prefers you over me. And I am the rider” Neteyam says. Tetem grunts as if to agree with him. 

“Awe~ Is that it temtem? You like me? Yeah? You like me better than old grumpy neyney?” Arachnid baby talks temtem as she scratches under his chin, having him pant happily like a dog. 

“I'm not grumpy” Neteyam frowns as he crosses his arms. 

“Whatever, I will watch over him while you get your stuff” Arachnid suggests. Agreeing to that, neteyam leaves. 

Srefey and a small group of other young na’vi go to attend their ikrans. Seeing his beloved ikran, roar out in how he missed srefey. 

“My dear friend, I have missed you too” Srefey comforts his ikran. 

“ARACHNID!!” 

The voice of a young one was heard past him. Turning, he recognizes young Tik sully, following behind were his two older brothers, kamun and lo’ak. All three walked towards the sky na’vi, arachnid. He sees how the brothers interact with the girl. All hugging and talking with the young girl like a close friend, family from what he can see. 

Srefey was aware of arachnid and how she does her best to contribute to the clan. Many acknowledge and some pretend she doesn't exist. He wasn't in between but this is a first where he truly saw her. 

While attending to his ikran, srefey couldn't help but observe the sky na’vi. Arachnid tends to neteyam’s ikran well, and the ikran responds to her petting, kind words, and anything she does. Speaking in fluent, perfect na’vi as she speaks to anyone. The girl's voice was soft and kind, from what he could hear at the distance. 

The more he sees, the more curious he becomes about arachnid. 

“Tsahik, some of the warriors require your help, they can't make it all the way over here” a na’vi told mo’at. Quickly she gathers her things and turns to arachnid. “You stay and continue with the paste, help anyone who comes. I will return”, with an affirmed nod from arachnid, mo’at leaves. 

Arachnid begins to hum a lovely tune as she continues to make healing paste among other medicines. It is moments like that, being alone can clear her mind. At peace and at her own pace. 

At least for 5 minutes before the flaps of the healing tent opened. 

“Tsahik, I-oh, I'm sorry, is the tsahik not here…?” A young na’vi entered, gripping his shoulder. Arachnid turned to him, shaking her head. 

“No, she left not too long ago to help with some of the warriors. However, tsahik has taught me her ways, I can help you” Arachnid offered. 

A smile reached up to the young na’vi’s lips, sitting down at the woven mat, he showed his wound to the sky na’vi. There was a deep slash, blood still escaping from the wound. Quickly, arachnid got to work. While she didnt speak, concentrated to get the materials and stop the bleeding, the boy observed her, seeing how quick and swiftly she began to do her thing, very much like a healer of advanced level. 

Grabbing a wet rag, slowly arachnid taps it gently on the wound, cleaning the blooded area. 

“Did a hunt go wrong?” She asked, as means to distract him a bit from the stinging pain. The boy huffed a bit. “You could say that, a herb of strumbeast came out of nowhere. We had little time to get out of their way. I got hurt by hitting against a rock, but others obtained more serious injuries”, he explained. 

“That explains Mo'at having to leave” arachnid replied. 

They made a few glances at each other, giving small talk. 

“There, all better,” Arachnid says as she finishes bandaging his wound. Doing a bit of shoulder movement, the boy was surprised how bit of pain he felt and how freely he can move his arm. The sky na’vi is very good. 

“Thank you” the boy says, grinning in gratitude. Arachnid nods. 

“I never catched your name,” the boy says. 

“My name is Arachnid,” the girl replies with a warm smile. This made the boy smile bigger in return. 

“Pleasure to meet you arachnid, my name is srefey”.

After their first meeting, do they cross paths more often. Notice each other but arachnid still keeps her distance. Her trust in males still warry. Of course the sully’s were not that oblivious to the quick glances but didn't interfere much. For now. 

“Arachnid, look I found these large flower orange petals. Should we make a new top for you? It will bring out your stripes more” Kamun said to arachnid one day. Arachnid inspected the material, it was soft and very beautiful, she nodded. 

“But this time, maybe I should cover myself a bit more…” arachnid mutters. Kamun hears this and sighs, “are they still bothering you?” he asked while growling a bit. “If they are, just say the word and we will take care of them”. 

Arachnid was quick to shake her hands and head denying it, “no no! They stopped after whatever you did with tony”. This brought Kamun a sense of peace as his shoulders relax. “Then you shouldn't worry, don't let the past incident cloud you. Never be ashamed of your body” Kamun encourages. 

Agreeing, arachnid and kiri begin to work. 

The following day, Arachnid wears her new clothing with love and pride. Kamun was right, orange does bring out her stripes better. Which made her feel more confident and happy. And a special na’vi noticed her happy improvement. 

“Need some help?” Srefey asked arachnid one bright morning. Arachnid collected some special leaves but holding a basket, while holding a vine and at the same time picked at the leaves it a bit of a challenge. But arachnid was still warry. 

“I can manage,” Arachnid replied, a bit stubbornly. This made Srefey chuckled, “are you sure? I can see you trying to balance yourself and the basket. It can be done quicker if you let me assist” he offered. 

Arachnid was alone and the sully brothers will doing some training, promised to help her later, but she needed the leaves now. Sighing a bit in defeat, Arachnid allowed srefey in assisting her. “Fine, but I hold the basket, you can just drop the leaves in there,” Arachnid said. This was fine with srefey. 

Switching sides, arachnid stayed on the ground as srefey climbed on the vine and started to collect the leaves and drop them on the basket. “What do you need these leaves for?” Srefey asked out of curiosity. Arachnid was a bit hesitant to answer, “why do you want to know?” Arachnid asks back. 

Srefey chuckles a bit, “can I know?”, arachnid shrugs and doesn't say much. After a few minutes, the basket was full so srefey got down. “Would you like me to carry it?” He offers. Arachnid quickly and gently takes the basket closer to her body, “thanks but you did enough. I can carry it, it's not heavy”. Really, it wasn't. Srefey took notice of how arachnid’s behavior is. A bit distant and not making much eye contact. 

“You know, you dont have to be so tense around me. I won't hurt you, you seem like a nice person to be around” Srefey compliments. Arachnid had her eyes wide a bit, surprised by his choice of words. Perhaps she was being a bit cold to him. 

“S-sorry, it's not that I think you would hurt me, I am just…still tense from an incident” Arachnid confesses. This caught srefey’s attention. Now his eyes fully on her, he couldn't help but know, “incident? Has someone hurt you?”. 

“Not physically, since I wear na’vi clothing majority of the time. Human males had looked at me with….uncomfortable glances. Someone tried to take me somewhere more private but, lucky kamun and tik arrived on time. Send me off to tsahik, I dont know what they did but after that, many males didnt try to touch me again. However, it still doesnt shake off their stares at me. So sorry if I am being like this to you, it's not easy to just shake it off. Being alone with a man still irks me” Arachnid explains. 

Now fully understanding her situation, srefey thinks of another route. Stupid humans are still doing stupid things it seems. 

“Well, how about I show you?” Srefey asks, this made arachnid raise an eyebrow. 

“Show me?” 

“Yes, let me prove to you that I mean now harm. I won't lie arachnid, you have captured my interest, and before you assume anything. I merely wish to get to know you. Be friends even. And if you think it won't work out, or if you are uncomfortable, just tell me. I won't force you, have you be in control”. 

Arachnid let his offer linger in her mind. Her finger tapping on her chin as she hums in thought. It wouldn't hurt right? She cant always be living in fear. 

“Alright, I don't mind being friends with you” Arachnid gives her answer, this made srefey smile in excitement.  

“Great, I know you are busy but how about tomorrow? We can go and…”

3 months of lovely friendship grew between arachnid and srefey. 3 months of getting to know each other, likes, dislikes, secrets and discovering new things together. 3 months of platonic relationship, until it grew into something more….intimate. 

“What…?” Arachnid asks, in disbelief of what she is hearing and seeing in front of her. 

On a bright sunny day, after playing in a clear river and eating good fruit. Srefey thought it would be a perfect moment for what he longed to speak. 

“Allow me to court you” Srefey said patiently, his smile warm and hopeful. 

Arachnid was truly at a loss for words. Someone, someone with zero bad intentions, someone who sees her more than a human, someone who desires her in a romantic way. The whole thing sounded impossible to believe. 

“B-but im human…” Arachnid says, almost in a mere whisper. 

Srefey lets a chuckle escape him as he slowly gets closer to her. 

“And? That doesn't stop me from wanting to court you. You are na’vi in all forms. Even if you don't have a kuru, or share our blue skin, I could care less. You are you arachnid, and that is what I enjoy” Srefey confesses. 

Oh if only srefey knew what those words make arachnid feel. 

“I…*Sighs* srefey, what if I don't see or feel the same way as you?” Arachnid asks, rubbing her arms as means for comfort and reassurance. If anything, it only made srefey get closer to her, his hands ghosting over hers. 

“Allow me to change your mind. And if..in the end it doesn't work, we can still be friends. You are too incredible for me to lose. Please..?” 

After long seconds of silence, Arachnid gives her answer. 

“Ok, let's see where this goes”. 

“YOU ARE BEING WHAT?!” the four sully brothers screamed/asked in complete and utter shock. Unable to process what they were told. And as they all have a moment of brain exe. Not working moment, Arachnid calmly drinks her tea. 

“Srefey is courting me” Simple. Easy. 

If only it really was that simple and easy. 

“B-but…..h-how-justWHAT?!” Lo’ak was freaking out, grabbing his hair as he paced back and forth. Tik was just as speechless as neteyam while Kamun narrowed his eyes. 

“You? C-courted?! Srefey?!” 

Arachnid rolled her eyes, “oh calm down, it's not that big of a deal” 

“IT IS A BIG DEAL!!” Tik shouted, snapping out of his own shock. Grabbing arachnid by the arm, he starts to shake her. “Tik stop!! My tea!!” Arachnid shouted as big drops of her tea were spilling from the constant shaking. Which tik didn't care for. 

“Knock it off, seriously. Great, now I have to make more” Arachnid whined a bit, gently pushing tik away as she prepares to make more tea. 

“Did he bribed you? Manipulated you? Just say the word and we will take care of it” Neteyam urges. Arachnid was starting to feel a bit annoyed by how persistent they are. 

“He didn't do anything. Srefey asked me, and I accepted. I made the choice for him to court me. No one is forcing anything. Simple as that. Meaning, you four will also have to accept it” 

This new turn of events wasn't something the four brothers liked. Arachnid is someone dear to them, a sister in all but blood. While arachnid can do many things, she is still limited and vulnerable. To protect her has become the brothers new purpose. Making sure Arachnid is safe and out of harm's way. 

And srefey, well, he has become a new threat to them.

“Here, I made these for your hair. I thought…it would look nice” Srefey tells Arachnid, on his hands are well carved beads all of them in beautiful colors. Arachnid gasped in awe. Gently grabbing one bead at a time, carefully inspecting them, the manner of the carving shows the complexity of the patterns, no two beads were the same. 

“Srefey…you didn't have to do this” Arachnid whispered as she blushed a bit. It is very rare that she is given something. Srefey feels happy and satisfied that Arachnid loves his gift. 

“I insist, besides. This is my first courting gift to you. And there will be many to come” Srefey grins. Arachnid blinked a few times, the first of many? Just how many gifts will it take? While arachnid does know the basics of courting in na’vi, each courting is still unique to their own. 

“Very well, but please. I don't need anything big for you to show me what you are capable of. Just…treating me right is enough for me” Arachnid tells srefey. Her smile bright and warm, of the many things Srefey has come to cherish with all his heart. 

“As you desire ma’Yawntu” 

Srefey will be the death of her if he continues with those names. 

Arachnid wore her new beads with great joy. She styled her hair almost the same, but this time she tied the front part and pulled back to expose more of her face. Decorating her hair with the beads made her feel more part of the clan. Oh how she loves the new beads. Srefey knew how to pick as they were of fine quality. Makes her appreciate his efforts. 

However, while the change was great, not everyone was liking it. Thus, the sully brothers often sulking and began to hate srefey. The more time arachnid spends with that young na’vi, the less time she spends with them. Which often ends the day with a sour mood. Kamun and tik are so used to having arachnid around, it is so strange not to have that anymore. Lo’ak misses pulling pranks and cracking dumb jokes with arachnid, and neteyam misses arachnid as he feels like a baby brother when she is around. 

And who is srefey to think he is worthy of their dear sister? After all that she went through, who is to say it won't happen again? They dont trust that goody goody srefey. Nothing ever good comes out of those who want arachnid. 

Until, one day, after seeing arachnid wear a matching necklace of srefey’s, did the brothers last standing tolerance break. 

“Boys…I have an idea” 

Srefey is a young warrior and a hunter, and would often go join a hunting party to gather enough meat for everyone in the village. That means there is a planned time and place of where to go. A schedule if you will. Meaning there is plenty of time to plan what to do by the time that srefey gets back. 

“Alright, everyone understood the plan?” Neteyam asks his younger brothers who all nodded enthusiastically. Neteyam grins in satisfaction. Good, if they all follow the plan, then nothing should fail. They know arachnid in and out. 

Lo’ak and neteyam left to join the same hunting party as srefey while kamun and tik do their part. By taking arachnid to a different area, a bit farther from the village. 

“You two, when I said I had time I didnt think you would take me all the way over here” Arachnid said as they settled in a nice area with a lake nearby for a swim. The view was lovely, there is no denying that, but to get there took a good amount of time. She didn't want to arrive back late and miss srefey returning. It didn't help that Kamun or tik did not think to bring their ikrans for faster travel. 

“Come on, we miss hanging out with you. It isn't the same with you being with that srevie guy” Tik complained. “Srefey” Arachnid corrected, tik could care less. That no good na’vi was taking time and attention from their sweet sister. 

“Whatever, come on! We can make some pretty cool slingshots or make more flower crowns, OH! We can plays hunter on hunter!” Tik suggested so many activities. And all sounded so much fun, unable to deny tik’s cute face, Arachnid chose what game and the three began to play. 

Until Arachnid lost track as she noticed the sun was beginning to set. Panic flowed into her. 

“Oh my Eywa, we have to get back!!” She was in a hurry, no doubt srefey already made it back and hoped to see her. But arachnid was so caught up in the games, she failed to realize how much time has passed. 

Kamun and tik on the other hand were in no rush to return home. As that is part of their plan. Placing an arm around arachnid’s shoulder, Kamun took his time walking, making arachnid having to follow his slow pace. 

“Relax arachnid, we will make it back. There will still be plenty of food by the time we get there” Kamun says in an odd relaxed tone. This only made arachnid more annoyed by the second. How she really wished she had an ikran of her own. Pushing Kamun's arm off of her, Arachnid begins to run, this makes tik and kamun follow. 

“Arachnid!! Wait up!!” Tik shouts, trying to keep up with her speed. Kamun quickly picks his little brother up in his arms and runs faster. “Why in such a hurry?! We have time!!” Kamun shouts at Arachnid, but the human girl ignores him. Her mind set on arriving at the village. There is already good progress, she will be damned if anything risks her relationship with srefey. 

And what felt like forever, Arachnid made it back just as the eclipse was forming in the sky. People were already going over to the fire pits, the meat no doubt already prepared and ready to serve. This made arachnid anxious. Looking all over the crowd to find srefey. 

“Ma’arachnid!” 

Quickly arachnid turned to find srefey waving his arm, smiling as he looked at her. Sighing relief, she goes over to him and gives him a big hug. Srefey happily returned the gesture. 

“I was starting to worry, it is unlike you to be late for anything” He says with a relieved smile on his handsome face. Arachnid chuckled a bit, “I was out with kamun and tik, we left early and I thought we would make it back. Only to realize just how far it was, but I am here now” she replied. 

Srefey brings his hand on her shoulder and guides to one of the fire puts and begins to eat together, discussing their day. While not too far from them the 4 sully’s throw death glares at srefey. 

“Well, it sort of worked” Kamun said as he stares at the couple. “Guess we will have to try harder” Lo’ak responded. 

And try harder they did.

Each sully takes turns in planning their next move, but usually it would be either lo’ak or kamun being the masterminds. And their plans work, as little by little do they interrupt arachnid’s and srefeys dates. Each sully taking turns using some form of excuse to take arachnid away from srefey. 

Less time does the two spend, and now they take arachnid everywhere before she can even look for srefey in the village. However as the boys secretly celebrate their growing victory, Arachnid and srefey were growing frustrated in their own ways. 

One morning Arachnid went to the village extra early, determined to find Srefey before those annoying boys find her instead. As she runs, she begins to see the early risers up and about. Srefey is an early riser, likes to get things early to have some free time later. Free time that should have been spent with arachnid if things don't stop coming her way. 

“There he is!” She gasps happily to see srefey organizing some baskets. 

“Srefey!” she happily calls out to him. The young na’vi turns and a smile spreads on his lips, stopping what he was doing, he turns completely to arachnid who jumped into his arms, giggling like a youngster in love. 

“So strange to see you this early, I know you treasure your sleep” Srefey teases, this made arachnid laugh. “Yes, well I am willing to sacrifice my precious sleep if it means to see you more”. 

Those words made srefey melt from the inside. Grabbing arachnids hands, he leads her somewhere more private as they snuggle together. Oh how they missed being in each other's embrace. Truly something they can't live without. 

“I miss holding you like this” Srefey confesses as he buries his head into arachnids neck, taking in her scent. The Earth of pandora and early morning mist is a lovely combination. Humming, Arachnid couldn't help but agree, “me too, I missed your big strong arms holding me. These past weeks have been endless tasks here and there”. 

Srefey couldnt help but nod, indeed it has. For some reason neteyam sully has given srefey more tasks to do, not that he minded but at times he questions why give him such silly duties when anyone can do them. And for arachnid, before she could even announce she is off, one of the four brothers would take her aside and say something along the lines of “you know temtem can't behave without you”. 

Or kamun saying “I need help looking for these herbs, grandmother says you know where to look”. 

Or thick head lo’ak practically begging arachnid and saying “Please help me sharpen the knives!! Just doing one takes forever and not every blade is the same!” 

And sweet adorable tik was also asking, close to demanding arachnid, “Let's go play at the fields! We never do that anymore! We can play your favorite games!” 

Each day one of them always has something for arachnid to do. And it takes away from her time with srefey. 

“I am courting you…yet it doesn't feel like that anymore” Srefey says in a whimper. It tugs the girl's heart seeing him like this. He should smile, not be sad. Gently strokes his ears, arachnid hums a tune. Srefey did say she had a lovely voice. 

And to srefey’s ears, arachnid can sing his sorrows away. Holding her tighter, he thinks of ways to spend time with her again. Because each day he begins to doubt and lose hope of a possible future with the girl he came to love. Srefey doesn't want to lose hope, does not wish to lose hope for arachnid. 

“How about…tomorrow? We do our tasks today, all of them. And have the whole day tomorrow just for us? No interruptions, no side tracks, nothing. Just you and me srefey” Arachnid suggests. Srefey looked at her with a new found hope and anticipation. Already looking forward to it, they agree on the time and spot. 

“Promise me you won't break our agreement?” Srefey asks. Arachnid can sense his doubts and nervousness. It wouldn't be the first time she had to cancel their meeting time. “I promise, I won't let anyone stop me from being with you”. 

Easier said than done. 

The following day arrived, no chores, no hunts, no nothing. The whole day is free to do any activities. A whole day of going anywhere at any time, doing whatever their hearts desired. The excitement of what to do fills the hearts of arachnid and srefey. Separately in their own homes, do they get ready. 

Srefey was the firs to arrive in the agreed spot. The sun was still rising from the horizon, giving color to his home. The anticipation filled his heart with joy. To see arachnid and have all her attention again was thrilling to think of. He prepared a small basket of their favorite fruits. And maybe a little gift. 

Of course he knew that the human base was a little away from the village, so it would make sense that arachnid would come a few minutes later. She does run very fast and can keep up with the speed of the na’vi. 

Besides, the day is barely beginning, there is time for the two. So he sits in a comfortable position, looking at the calm river that flows with color fishes that swim by. Won't be long now. 

8 hours later 

What hope Srefey had is now gone. Vanished. Sighing in defeat, he leaves. He should have known better. Arachnid is still human after all, and one of the things he hates about humans is how they can easily break a promise. He was a fool to think Arachnid was different. But she is like the rest. A liar and a deceit. 

Dropping the basket, he leaves in an angry huff. At this point he isn't even courting her, he should stop before he could get hurt anymore. A fool he feels, an utter fool.

Arachnid is a fool. An utter fool. To think it would just be a quick thing turned out to be lasting the whole day! 

“Arachnid come on! Don't you want to join us for dinner?” Lo’ak asks as he grabs her arm to which she was quick to yank back. “No, I have to find srefey. I messed up big time!” Panic surged into her. Thinking of the worst she makes a run for it to find srefey. But as she runs, she fails to see the satisfied look from her friends. 

“How long until he calls quits?” Tik asks as he holds neteyam’s hand. Lo’ak grins confidently, “Not long, since we had her for the whole day. I am betting he will break tonight. Might make her cry but we will be there to cheer her up”. 

Kamun turns to look at lo’ak concern all over his face, “make her cry? I don't like pushing her to the edge. What if we have gone too far?”. 

Lo’ak was quick to stare at his brother, “do you want to spend your days without her? To not have her around for our pranks and adventures? To not have her around and feel more lonely than ever?”. 

“Alright that is enough lo’ak, we all have the same goal alright? If srefey doesn't break it off we will try something else '' Neteyam cuts off a possible argument. But kamun was right, seeing arachnid cry is the last thing any of them wants. But if it is necessary to get their point across, then it will be a hard choice to make. 

Arachnid is someone the boys love as a sister. Someone they seem vulnerable to the world, she is strong and can stand her own, but pandora is still dangerous even for the na’vi. The need to protect her is a fierce emotion they all have equally, and only want what is best for her. And srefey, isn't not the best for their dear arachnid. 

They dont like how srefey has easily captured arachnids heart, taking her away from them. Not spending much time like she used to. 

“If it works, will she come back to us?” Tik asks, looking up at his siblings. Neteyam strokes his baby brother’s head as to comfort him, “that is right, it will be just like it was. And srefey will only be a bad memory”.

“Srefey!” Arahcnid calls out as she spotted him. From his stance she can tell he isn't happy, not one bit. She really messed up big time. Quickly going to him, carefully choosing the right words.

“Srefey, I am so so so sorry. I know I messed up, I d-”

“Didn't mean to take so long?” Srefey finished for her. His tone was way too calm, his eyes sharp as if piercing into her soul. Arachnid slowly reached out to touch him but he backed away. He really is pissed off. 

“You know…I am a fool to think you were special. That you are not like the sky demons, that maybe I have found what I longed for in you. But no, no you are not special, nothing unique. Just a walking demon that can't even pass as a na’vi. You are just like them all, a liar” 

Each word took a stab at arachnids heart, his anger rising making her fears rise as well. His warm eyes now burn in anger and hate. This isn't what she wanted. 

“Please, srefey, let me explain-” And again srefey had cut her words. 

“Explain what? That you lost track of time? That those friends of yours needed your help? That you couldn't say no to them? Explain what arachnid?!” Tears were ready to escape the poor boy’s eyes. His anger and sadness climbs up to his throat, anymore and he might say more harmful words. 

Arachnid however, she let her tears run like rivers. Her lips quivering and heart beating fast like a drum. This is exactly what she feared, to be rejected. To not be wanted by anyone. 

“S-srefey…” She tries to speak, but all the words were tangled in the back of her throat. Her mind and heart fight, trying to pick what to say to ease srefey, but she knows nothing will. 

A click of the tongue, srefey can't help but chuckle. “I am done, this courting isn't going anywhere. Burn the gifts, I want nothing associated with a sky demon. Farewell, demon” 

Without looking back, he leaves. 

And arachnid is left with her heart shattered, her eyes still glued to him as srefey’s body becomes smaller and gone. 

Never had arachnid cried so hard as she did that night. Running straight to the base and into her room, not bothering to give anyone an explanation. Not caring if Eywa heard her loud cries. Tears never stopped running, her heart never stopped hurting for the whole night. Not a moment of rest came to her. Srefey’s words repeated over and over in her mind.  

And that is how she stayed for days, not interacting with anybody. It made norm and others worry as she doesn't eat much or do anything. Just sit in her room. And that is when they call the sully family in hopes they could do something. 

Only the brothers responded with eagerness. 

While tight in the room, the four boys managed to sit comfortably as they sooth arachnid, trying their best to hide their victorious grins. 

“I am an idiot..he is right…I am a liar and a demon…” Arachnid muttered as Kamun and tik held her in their arms. Kamun gently pushed her braids aside, tucking them behind her ears. “Don't say that, srefey is the idiot. You are not a demon, you are our friend, sister, and more” Kamun tells Arachnid with the softness of his voice. 

“Yeah, who needs that skxawng? He wasnt good enough. Dont let him get to you” Lo’ak adds. And as more arachnid listens, the more she agrees. Perhaps srefey wasnt what she hoped for. Maybe he was like all the rest. 

She is fine without him. 

4 months later 

Arachnid was carrying a basket of sweets as she heads to the sully’s home. Smiling brightly as she makes her way. Ever since her terrible end with srefey, the sullys were there to comfort her. Make her feel better and always know how to lighten her mood. Always there when she needs them. 

So as she climbs, already excited to see their reaction of sweet treats, she hears the boys whispering. Silently, arachnid climbs and as quiet as she can. What are they talking about? 

“Hahaha! Can you believe it's been 4 months already? No doubt arachnid has already forgotten about that srefey” 

That was lo’ak, but why does he sound so smug? 

“Yes, and any attachments left are burned and turned to ashes. Look at her now, back to where she always belonged, with us” that was kamun. 

“It took a long time, but our plans worked. Purposely sabotaging their dates was executed to perfection” what the hell was neteyam talking about?! 

After the reveal, arachnid can't help but want to know what they did. Are they at fault for ruining her relationship with srefey!? 

“The hell you mean sabotaging the dates?!” arachnid shouted as she entered their home. It caught the boys by surprise, all quickly standing, their tails giving away how shocked they were. So now, they were all silent. 

“Well? Aren't you going to say anymore?!” the more silent they are, the angrier the arachnid got. 

“ANSWER ME!” 

“Lo’ak started it!!” Tik gave in. Seeing arachnid angry made her look just as scary as his mama. And a scary spider isn't something he wants. 

“H-he was the one who didn't like srefey in the first place!! He thought that if srefey didn't love you anymore, that you would come back to us! And then, Kamun and neteyam began to plan how to separate you from srefey!” Tik confessed as he let the words slip out of his mouth. 

With a sharp glare, arachnid turned to look at lo’ak, who couldn't look at her in return. “Really lo’ak? What the hell is going on in that thick head of yours!?” arachnid shouted again, demanding really. 

“Well what the hell did you think!? You were spending more time with him than with us! We just wanted you to be hanging out with us. You always do. And that skaxwng thought too highly of himself and began to court you. Who the hell does he think he is?!” 

Lo’ak had enough and began to bark back with his confession. Arachnid left out a scoff, does he really think he is in the right? 

Then she turned to Kamun who wore an expression of guilt. 

“And you went along with it? Tik I get he gets easily impressionable but you!? It is you who gets lo’ak out of trouble not dive head first! What were you thinking!?” 

Kamun scratched the back of his head, guilt breaking him already. “What I thought was best! We missed having you with us. And the thought of seeing you go with that guy, or anyone. I hate it!” 

Groaning deeply, she turns to neteyam whom she was surprised by the most. “Neteyam, you are the oldest of your siblings! You are supposed to be the logic! The brains! Letting lo’ak dig his words into you is beyond me. But you are just as stupid as the rest of them. I can't believe you went along with it and planned it out!! 

Neteyam couldn't say anything as he hung his head down in shame. 

Look at all four now, her anger just keeps rising. 

“When I was crying, when I was heartbroken and depressed, were you all happy that I dug in my misery? Crying, thinking that no one would love me? Was that your sick satisfaction? To see me break down?! And for what?! For you to pick up my pieces thinking only you four can have my attention. Ugh I swear you are all fucking stupid! I can't even begin to describe what I am feeling right now!” 

Walking back and forth, breathing deeply trying to calm herself. 

“Haven't you thought for one damn second that maybe I was happy with srefey? That I reciprocate his feelings for me? That I loved him as much? Only to be turned down thinking it was MY fault when really, it is all of your faults! And srefey! Great mother of all, srefey dealt with it the hardest! Creating all these gifts, spending time to prove his worth! And you fuckers ruined it! Well congratulations! You won! You win, but guess what? I am done. I am done with all of you. I cant anymore” 

Out of breath and dropping her hands, she starts to climb down. None of the boys went to stop her. Knowing that if they did, it will make things much worse. Letting arachnids' words sink in. More guilt and shame washed over them. Regret for what they done. Its true, they have won. 

But at what cost? 

Arachnid ran fast, faster than she ever did in her life. Now that she knows what really happened, why she was kept from being with srefey, who is to stop her now? 

Still remembering srefey’s routine, she headed straight to the river bank of the south. He loved going there to collect fresh water and herbs. And 4 months later, she is glad it hasn't changed. 

Down, near the river, arachnid saw srefey collecting some plants. A new found excitement flowed in her. Quickly, she goes down to talk to him. 

“Srefey!” she calls him. 

Sregey turned, and was surprised to see arachnid.  But it wasn't a happy surprise. He still hasnt forgotten what happened. 

“Go away” he tells in an impatient tone. 

“Please, I want to talk to you,” Arachnid pleaded. 

“I dont, you should go back with the other demons. I have nothing else to say to you” Srefey replies, his patience getting thin by the second. But arachnid was determined. 

“Srefey, if you just let me-”

“STOP!” Was all he said. Glaring daggers down at her. 

Taking a deep breath, she still goes on. 

“Please…if you hear me out, just this once. Listen to what I have to say, what you want to do after is your choice. If you don't want to see me, that is fine. Just please srefey…I need to tell you something” 

Their eyes meet and srefey can't help but soften just a bit. He did miss the color of her beautiful eyes. 

“Fine, speak” he gives in. 

Arachnid wasted no time. She began to explain what happened, and who was the culprits behind the constant interruptions of their dates. 

“They did all of that just to stop us from seeing each other??” Srefey asked. After hearing what Arachnid said, he couldn't help but feel….funny? 

The determination the sully’s had was admirable and give them some credit for not giving up. 

“Yes, and after cussing out at them I ran to find you and here we are…I am still mad at them. But I can't ignore them forever. I don't even know if their father can help fix their mess” Arachnid comments as she tugs a bit of her hair. 

Srefey does feel relieved that there was a reason behind the whole thing. 

Placing a hand on her small shoulder, he brings arachnid to face him. “I am sorry….for saying those terrible things to you. I regret it all. You must have felt the world crashing down on you” he says in a low tone. Arachnid looks down at her hands, tracing her painted stripes. 

“It did…made me think it was all my fault. That I couldn't do anything right no matter how hard I tried. That nothing I could do would be enough. That I will never be enough for you” 

Her words brought more guilt to srefrey. But perhaps…a new bloom can begin anew? 

“I know so much has happened but…what if….we start again? Start all over, and hopefully, this time, no one standing in our way?” Srefey asks. He won't deny, after months of not seeing arachnid, despite what he believed. He missed her so much. A lot of things reminded him of her. And now that he knew that arachnid was never at fault, he was ready. 

“You…you want to court me again?” Arachnid asks hesitantly. Hoping she didn't misheard him. 

And srefey nods, “yes. Yes I want to court you, and I will be better, if you allow me this chance?” 

“YES!” 

In a swift move, she jumped into his big arms. Engulfing her small frame, he holds her close. Damn, he forgot how small arachnid really is. Taking her in her scent, it brought back so many reasons why he liked her in the first place. 

“I missed you holding me like this” arachnid said close to his ear. His tail twitching happily, yes, he missed it too. 

“Come on, let's start anew. We can go to the up planes like we used to. Ride on my pali and eat as much fruit as we want” srefey suggests. Already thinking of many dates ahead of them. 

“Yes, I would like that” Arachnid agrees. 

Holding hands, forgetting of what he was doing, they go off to a new start of their official courting. 

But one thing still remains in question. 

“What about your friends? What will you tell them?” Srefey asks. 

Arachnid hums a bit in thought, “I am still mad at them. But, I think it is them that needs to think of their actions. It really was a sucker move from them. All of them. So, I will give them a day or two and talk to them. Things can end like how it did. But for now, I just want to make up the lost time with you”. 

New happiness bloomed in srefey’s heart. 

“Yes, and I with you. There is much to catch up on, and much more to explore” 

Aaaaaaand that is it for this one! I hoped everyone likes it! Took me forever berceuse of constant rewrites. Until next time, see ya!

-------

Srefey = expect

[peachymilkandcream]

My Husband, My Monster|Part 8|William Afton x Wife!Reader

(A/N: Just keep in mind the content warnings with these next chapters considering we're going into the gory parts with the murders and such. Hope you enjoy and comment to be added to the taglist!)

WARNINGS: noncon, dubcon, manipulation, domestic abuse, yandere themes, forced marriage, forced pregnancy, stockholm syndrome, violence, mind breaking, misogyny, etc.

===============================================

William always hated funerals, a bunch of thoughtless people offering condolences as if they were so distraught. He knew that they'd go home and act like nothing had happen. Like he hadn't just lost his youngest child.

He couldn't even look at Henry, deep down he believed it was all his fault. If it wasn't for his damn machines then his son would still be alive. Henry always bragged about being the expert, he should have worked out all the kinks to make sure it was safe for any situation. The smug bastard had the balls to stand there offering his sympathies when his perfectly healthy daughter seemed bored of the whole affair. She wasn't that much older than Evan, life was cheap to a young mind like that. Stupid brat.

Michael had been beyond comfort, he blamed himself for his brother's death. And deep down, William put a portion of the blame on his as well. If he had been well behaved enough to see the dangers of jostling the springlocks like that then none of this would have happened.

Which brought him to his wife. The responsibility of discipline was supposed to be on her shoulders, and she had failed him, plus she had the nerve to be upset about all of this as if it wasn't her to blame as well. She just had to speak with him and leave the children alone. That whining attitude would be stifled when the funeral was over, it was far too annoying to allow.

As for him, he was the only one above blame. He hadn't done anything wrong and was the one who paid the ultimate price. He had lost his child and now he had to deal with all of their smiling faces. Compensation should be made for this disgusting display made by friends and family. In fact he was sure he'd get compensation for it. Everyone would pay for the hell they put him through today, in their own way.

"William are you coming?" His wife gently touched his arm, apparently he had been spacing out so long the funeral was over, all of their "guests" determined to invade their house for promises of free food and gossip.

"No. I'm going out."

"Please don't do this..." She whispers softly.

"Unless you want me to go off on all of our friends then let me go clear my head."

She hesitates, torn between her husband's worrisome behavior and the thoughts of her guests. Finally she sighs, giving up. "Alright William, I'll see you at home."

As William starts walking, he catches a glimpse of Henry and little Charlie returning to their car. He meets William's eyes and offers a sheepish smile. "I'm sorry William, there's a party going on at the Pizzeria and apparently one of the animatronics is acting up. I have to go."

He can only nod numbly, unsure of what he would say to him.

"Hey, I'm sorry about Evan. He was a good kid."

William just nods again, wanting the conversation to be over.

Henry pats him on the shoulder one more time before heading off, a cloud of dust fanning out from under his tires.

William watches him go before continuing to walk. His wife and son could take the car home, the walk was welcome at this point.

Plus the local bar was within walking distance of anywhere.

===============================================

At around ten they cut him off. Fair enough, he had been there since the early afternoon, plus their visitors were probably through judging his wife and home. Although the restlessness still filled him. Something he couldn't shake no matter what he did. Maybe the walk back would work better this time with alcohol in his system.

=============================================

His feet took him unknowingly back to his own business. It seemed he was such a workaholic his base instincts were to return here. Even though following the accident Fredbear's closed for good, he still had the Pizzeria to poor all of his hopes and dreams into.

The rain had since started, soaking his clothes thoroughly, but his head was so full it was like he didn't even notice.

As he got closer he heard the laughter coming from within. They did more business on Friday nights and weekends than the rest of the week so the booked party was in full swing. He watched through the window for a moment or two before turning back into the alleyway, stopping when his eyes caught sight of the child crying against the staff entrance.

Charlotte Emily. Left in the rain because she accidentally got locked out of the back entrance. How dare she cry? What did she have to weep about? A minor inconvenience? And what about her father. Why did a good father like William lose his child when a neglectful one like Henry still had his child alive. None of it was fair. That's all William cared about in the end, not about what was right but what was fair. Henry took everything from him, why shouldn't he return the favor?

Before he knew it his tie was secured in a vice-like grip between his two fists. His hands were shaking, his head buzzing, his stomach in knots from adrenaline and booze.

Slowly he snuck up behind the crying child, hesitating only a moment before wrapping the fabric around her neck. She screamed, but only for a moment as he squeezed tighter and tighter. She fought and struggled but a young girl was no match for a grown man. Soon, her body convulsed and then went limp, her tears drying on her cheeks since her eyes could no longer cry. It was done.

He was a murderer.

The thought should have brought him instant disgust, but instead it brought him a sense of pride. That is, if he could get away with it. He wasn't mentally capable of disposing of the body due to his intoxicated condition, he would most likely slip up. Best to hide the body in the alley and come back tomorrow. Then he would clean up.

That decision taken care of, William decided his best course of action was just to return home for now and sober up.

==============================================

By the time he returned the house was dark. Wife and child in bed, he realized maybe he had been a little too harsh on them. After all, unlike him they didn't have a place to vent their grief, no matter how deserving they were of it he couldn't treat them the same way he did Henry. They were his life, his everything. What they needed instead of lessons was for William to step in and fix everything. His problem was his aggression because he never had a place to put it aside from his family. Right now he was on such a high a violent outburst was the furthest thing from his mind. He just needed to fix his family's problems.

Starting with his wife.

The real reason she was grieving was because her son was gone. A void of maternal influence. Therefore the solution was clear. He would give her a replacement child and then everything would be fixed. Recently their intimate life had been a little too rough with his stress piling up, if he was passionate like he was back then her grief would be forgotten. How did she end up with a man so understanding and clever?

His wife was propped up on the bed reading, of course she wasn't asleep, his sweet wife would never go to bed without him.

"You're home." Relief was evident in her voice.

"Yes I'm home." He slowly approaches, taking off his soaked through shirt. "I've been thinking, and I think I know how to help you with your grief."

"I-what? Oh, thank you-" Naturally she was confused.

"It's alright." His face was lit up with a smile, and while it was off-putting it was nice to see him happy. "My plan to help you through this is so simple and easy."

She sits up in anticipation. "Well go ahead, tell me William."

His smile fades completely, staring her right in the eyes. "We have another child."

She takes a moment, stunned by his suggestion before her eyebrows knit together in anger and horror. "We have another child?! William, Evan is bared cold in the ground and you're suggestion we just replace him?!"

"Exactly. It'll make you feel better."

"You're insane, he's our son and you just want to make him go away?" She starts to pull back the covers. "I'm sleeping on the couch."

He pushes the covers back and holds her there. "Yes, he's gone! Our child is dead, and you know what, wife? You're going to give me another one." Before she can protest William climbs on top of her, this was all to make his family better. He had to make them better. Now they might hate him, but soon they would thank him. Tomorrow they would love him.

Tomorrow was another day.

Taglist:

=========

@fandomreader

@n3r0-1417

@2pacl0ve

[regularme12]

ler alec??

Alec is ticklish?!

So I'm gonna take a wild guess and assume u guys mean Alec from discenture camp😭 also, two ppl requested this so I'm gonna do it.

Author's note: I had someone comment Lee Alec, and this comment had Ler Alec instead, so my dyslexia thought it said Lee and not Ler, but I alr had this whole thing written out, so u guys better enjoy it nontheless.😭

-----------------------

Alec and Connor was hanging out by the dock, drinking beer, and staring at the lake. "Hey man, about Riya..." Alec started scratching his neck, "I'm really sorry about that, we were both drunk and that's no excuse but-" He was then cut off by Connor. The older man sounded dissapointed but understanding at the same time.

"Listen, let all that go in the past, I don't like Riya, but it's ok. Honest. U're still my friend." Connor signaled him to stop talking or he's gonna make this situation a lot more unbearable to handle.

Alec sighed. "Alright, I guess..."

There was silence.

"Hey, what u thinking about Alec?"

More silence.

Connor had a brilliant thought that j crossed his mind. The thing he used to do to his grandson if he ever ignored his grandfather. It was tickling, and Alec was really ticklish, is what Fiore mentioned to everyone, but was forced to keep quiet. In her opinion, it was just to toy with the other if he ever got on people's nerves. Fiore isn't the type to just tickle any one, so the fact that she knows about this was out of shear accident. She saw him getting licked all over by a dog and he was screaming and laughing, "Hey, stohohop that! It tickles, hahaha."

Connor leaned his hand to Alec's side and squeezed, and it was the most reaction he got out of hom that he had never seen before. It was quite delightful.

Alec swooped his head to look at a mischevoius looking old man, his face was beat red, and his heart was pounding fast. "Don't you dare, Connor."

But it was too late. Connor pounced on the latter, and pinned his arms to his side. And then he did it. He started rapidly squeezing his sides to no end. "Cohohohonor!! Sthohohop!! Ahahahahah!!"

"Wow, Fiore was right, you are wildly ticklish. This an amazing founding, she may be an evil child, but I send my condolences to her for giving me this information."

"How dihihihid she fihihihind out!!! She never once tihihihickled me!!" He was wiggling side to side and he started humping up and down to fight the older one off, but to no avail.

"Well, she kinda basically told everyone. She said that she saw a dog licking u and u felt ticklish by that. So I thought I just had to find out if the rumors were true, you know, as a good friend I am." Connor switched to rapidly poking his stomach, Alec leaned his head back and started giggling sporadically.

"Gahhahahahd this is thohohorture!!!" At this point, he didn't know what to do. He thought he was stronger than the one with old bones, but he was saddenly mistaken. He then started kicking his legs up and down, kneeing the men in the back multiple times.

"Ouch, would you stop kicking me? That's not very nice..." Connor thought out a plan witch scritching and scratching the lee's middrift.

"You tihihickling me isn't vehheheerry nihihice!!"

"Mmmm, I was hoping you'd say that." The ler brought his hands down to give Alec one little squeeze on his thigh, and he was done for.

"No, nononono, Connor! Connor pls, anything but thAT!!! GAHHAHHAHA CHOHOHONNOR!! SOMEONE HEHEHEHLP!!!" Alec did everything in his might to knock the other off, but he wasn't budging.

"Wow, it's like riding a bull. Is your thighs that ticklish? Wow, I really hope one of the challenges won't be 'See who can untie thier limbs first' while sitting on a chair, rope tied. Because then I'll make everything hard for you. By squeezing your very ticklish thighs, or scratching your toned stomach."

"GOD STHOHOHOP WITH THEHHEHE TEEHEHEHEASSING!!"

"Alright, how about you stop moping around with that kiss scene and acctually talk like friends we are, or I'll stay in this one directly very ticklish death spot you have until u piss yourself and make a mockery of you or u'll pass out. Pick one."

"ALRIHIHIHIGHY ALRIGHT STOP!! YOHOHOU WIN!! YOU WIN!! PLEHEHEHEASE!!"

"Ok man, here let me help you up." Connor gave Alec a hand and they both sat at the end of the dock once again. Alex was near out of breath and Connor still had that evil grin.

"Damn... Never... do that... again."

"We'll see."

They both started laughing again, but this time it was together and not one laughing at the other. The camera pinned over to the sunset, while they had their one last drink together before heading back to their tents.

But what Alec doesn't know is that they're on live television, seen across the world.

[blackbyrenflowers]

My thoughts on Season 2, episode 1: A Son for a Son

Some general spoiler-light thoughts:

No mention or presence of Maelor or Daeron, unfortunately.

Jace was definitely the highlight of the episode.

Nice to see more of Aegon - he seems to like being king, to put it lightly.

Overall, I'd say a 6.5/10. Maybe a 7.5, if it hadn't been for the way they did B&C, which was... well I didn't go into the episode with the highest hopes, but I'm still disappointed. I'll make another post on it.

More details below:

Perhaps it's just my unrealistic expectations after so much time waiting, but this episode felt a bit muted. It sort of reminded me of Episode 6 - a general catch up after a long absence, where we see how everyone's doing. Necessary, but it's not going to be electric.

The opening at the Wall felt like it suffered from the need to have Jace back at Dragonstone in time for Luke's funeral. Which is a shame, because what we got of him and Cregan felt really good - my favorite little bit was Jace reminiscing about how Aegon and Torrehn Stark stood where they were, only for Cregan to sarcastically thank Jace for not threatening him with Vermax.

I will say though, the different motivations they gave Cregan was kind of odd - in the book he sends only his Winter Wolves because he needs his men for the harvest (otherwise they'll starve and die), but in the show he needs them to protect the Watch in case the Others show up? Is the implication supposed to be that the North sends thousands of men to protect the Wall at the beginning of winter (which in Westeros, can last for years)? And this happens every year, never mind the logistical strain this would place on the entire North and the Night's Watch? Alright, buddy.

No scenes in the Vale, unfortunately, presumably due to the same reasons for the condensed Wall plot. We're told that Jeyne agreed to support Rhaenyra in exchange for a dragon to defend the Vale, but we don't get to see the Maiden of the Vale. Of course this episode had a lot to cover, but it would've been nice to see her.

In my opinion, the highlight of the episode is Jace reporting to Dragonstone. He stands proud, strong (no pun intended), but has a wavering voice as he struggles to tell Rhaenyra about his diplomatic mission - and then he breaks down and Rhaenyra rushes to embrace her.

Rhaenyra I feel doesn't do much this episode. She spends her time looking for Luke's remains, finds a cloak tangled up in his dragon, she's there at the funeral. I like her pained, subdued entrance to the war council, announcing that she wants Aemond's head - but it feels like a bit of a narrative retread of the end of episode 10.

From all the reviews raving about Tom's acting chops, he was probably my most anticipated character in season 2. I wouldn't say I'm disappointed in his portrayal, but he was a bit more... carefree than I was expecting. A great actor, but the reality of the war doesn't seem to have sunken in for Aegon yet. Definitely my most anticipated watch for the next episode, however. A vengeful, grieving Aegon will be fun to watch.

Moving over to his mother, we see that Alicole is a thing now - our first glimpse of the two is Cole kneeling between Alicent's legs. It's implied this isn't the first time, but it's unclear for how long it's been going on. I feel like this episode could've used a little more time between them. However, I do very much appreciate the touch of Alicent being the one to put Cole's white cloak back on. Very obvious symbolism, but I approve of it all the same.

We get a preview of some upcoming characters - Alyn appears as a shipwright in the Driftmark docks. He gives his condolences to Corlys for the loss of his heir, and Corlys thanks Alyn for being the one to pull him from the sea in episode 6. Interestingly, Alyn seems almost uncomfortable to be thanked by his "lord" (gee, I wonder why?).

Hugh Hammer shows as a blacksmith petitioning Aegon for more funds due to rising iron prices. No real foreshadowing there, though I did find it slightly amusing how he was obviously well-groomed compared to all the other petitioners - he's definitely not a reoccurring character.

And that's all I can think of, I guess. Looking forward to next week.

[reconstructwriter]

Neighbors

The apartment was a good price for its level here in Coruscant. Rent to own. You don't see anything wrong with the foundation or the piping or the paint to indicate expensive trouble. Most of the neighbors seem fine. It’s right next to the Jedi Temple and its weird wizard monks. But the price…

You move in and nothing happens. You've heard all manner of rumors about the Jedi but the only encounter you have is a normal, neighborly delivery of home-made treats. Everything is amazing, do the Jedi put crack in all their food or something?

Half a year later there's a plumbing issue. It behaves itself only when somebody else comes by. You’re at wits ends. They’re your neighbors, that means they should help you out right? So you go to one of the temple guards.

Umm excuse me, my house, my apartment there's something wrong with the plumbing but no one seems to figure out what it is or believe me. Can you check on it? The Temple Guard might as well be made of stone. But minutes later another Jedi comes.

She does indeed check the problem and fix it. It would have cost you who knows how much. You insist on feeding her. Afterwards you take meals to the Temple for a week. They really did save you a lot of money and it's neighborly.

When Qui-Gon Jinn's death appears on the news, you give your condolences. And your gratitude they stopped that awful Naboo invasion. The Trade Federation is awful. But the new chancellor sounds like he will do right thing and kick them out of the Senate.

He never does.

When the war comes, you give the Jedi some good luck victory herbs you grew in your kitchen and thank them for their service. And find out they were drafted into that service. The one you meet would much rather negotiate for peace. You’re sorry.

The Jedi grow weary. You bring them what you can and help what you can. So does everyone in your building. The Jedi are constantly injured, tired, and the war only grows worse. Others say they're warmongers. You and yours post the truth on the holo net.

The truth doesn't seem to matter to anyone else, even when the Jedi defend Coruscant itself and everyone near the Temple takes shelter during the invasion. You help deliver things to their Infirmary, to the Jedi and the clones there. They are too kind for war.

One night you wake to screams. To blaster fire. You grab your pepper spray in one hand and a hammer in the other and peek out your apartment door. The temple is on fire. Awful sounds within. You should help them. That is neighborly. You are afraid.

You finally work up the courage to get to the door. There is no familiar guard. You knock very quietly. No one answers. You swallow and nudge the door open. “Hello,” you whisper “Are you alright?” You can only hear more screams and shots.

Finally a Jedi appears. They look awful. They beg you to help the little ones in their arms. “I’ll be right back,” they assure as you take the little ones. They lied. They never come back. You learn about the treason later, but that's not possible. And even if it is…

They didn’t deserve THIS.

The new emperor moves in. The wiser of your neighbors move out. You hide the little ones and feed them. When the clones come looking for Jedi you lie. The laws pass and the neighborly aid you give becomes illegal. They’re so young. You hope they’ll be okay.

Some people didn't want to be around the Jedi temple. No one really wanted to be around Palpatine’s palace. Not even his cronies. You are caught because you can't get anything for your place and you can't afford to move.

There is something wrong with the emperor's palace. It's haunted they say. He does unnatural things there. You can feel the cold coming from that place. You don't dare welcome them with food. They don’t bring you any. Some nights you still hear screams

one night you swear you see the ghost of a temple guard, several burned holes in them, blood dribbling down their robes. The ghost looks at you at points away. You can't afford to move but you go anyway. Afterward you learned the building and inhabitants were…confiscated.

[crinkled-emotions]

Day 10: "Talk to me, Goose."

I'm so behind it's not funny but I spent a little extra time working this one. The original prompt is here:

I did end up reworking it a little. I hope that's okay.

Warnings: Rooster and Maverick discussing Goose's ejection, Rooster having a chat with a psychologist (mentioned)

-

“How is he?”

“Very lucky. Cuts and bruises, maybe a broken rib or three. He’s staying tonight for observation, they think he could also have a concussion.”

Maverick tilted his head toward the closed exam room door.

“Go on. I’ll talk to the others. Are you going to be okay?”

“Just glad he’s gonna be alright, sir. Uh, Mav... are you... this was really similar to-“

“-go and see your friend; I’m fine.”

Maverick waved off the younger aviator despite the building anxiety, taking a deep breath. The Lieutenant stepped into the hospital room and Maverick rounded the corner back into the main waiting area.

“Where is he?”

-

Stepping into the bathroom only a couple metres from the exam room, Maverick paused to splash water on his face. It was reminiscent of when Viper had come to tell him-

Come to inform him-

Come to express his condolences.

“Mav?”

He startled to attention, wheeling around to check the stalls. Rookie mistake; you always check the stalls before you have a mental breakdown.

Sure enough, Coyote and Hangman were standing by the stalls, both with crestfallen looks on their faces. Neither looked like they’d been sick, nor were they panicking. Maverick tried to recall who he’d seen in the waiting area; Phoenix and Bob had been huddled together as they always were, and Payback was going in to see how Fanboy was doing. They’d ejected, but something had gone wrong and Fanboy’s parachute had fallen over him to the point it had almost drowned him. Payback had clung to him and screamed until medevac could get them out-

“Mav...”

That was Coyote; of course it was. Coyote, who kept Hangman in check, teased Phoenix in a way that only made her smile rather than frown in frustration, who called Rooster out when he-

Rooster.

“Move.”

Coyote and Hangman stepped aside, giving Maverick room to step into the stall. Rooster was leaning on the wall, knees drawn to his chest and head in his hands. He briefly glanced up when Maverick approached, eyes rimmed red and cheeks flushed.

“You look like shit, Mav,” he deadpanned. Maverick sighed.

“Bradley...”

“Don’t Bradley me; I’m fine. I... are you?”

“God no. You don’t look much better.”

By the door, Coyote and Hangman exchanged looks.

“We’re going to... go get coffee for everyone... you two want some?” Hangman eventually asked. Both shook their heads.

“Maybe grab some water, if you can find some?” Maverick suggested. Coyote put a hand on Hangman’s shoulder.

“Let’s go, man.”

The pair quietly (for once) made their way out of the bathroom, letting the door close behind them. With them gone, Rooster turned to Maverick.

“Y’know I had no idea about the full details until Hangman told everyone?”

“You wouldn’t fly off the handles like that if you’d known everything.”

Maverick reached over, slowly placing his hand on the back of Rooster’s neck. They sat together, shoulder to shoulder, in silence for a moment. Rooster scrubbed at his eyes, sighing.

“It was exactly like I dreamed it was. Today, I mean, it was exactly like what I thought happened to dad.”

“Oh, Bradley...”

Maverick swallowed, rubbing firm circles over his back. He could feel the minute tremors wracking through his godson’s body and he made sure to keep physical contact because that was the only thing that used to help his panic attacks when he was younger. He’d read Bradley’s file; there was no mention of panic attacks so he could have grown out of them.

Looking at him now, Maverick could see the way this was quickly becoming one.

“Hangman and Coyote take you in here?” Maverick asked him softly. Bradley shook his head.

“They’re the only ones who also read the docs; knew I’d be having a hard time.”

He glanced over at Maverick.

“I wish I’d never gotten curious. Ever since I heard Payback screaming over comms it feels like the words are constantly replaying in my head.”

Maverick hummed.

“It feels like I’m never gonna dry off again,” he confessed, “like I’m always going to be the guy walking into the hospital soaked to the bone.”

Rooster’s eyes looked like they were far away; no one could blame him.

-

“Hey; are you ready for today?”

“Fuck no.”

Phoenix hummed, reaching down to tie her boots. Rooster stayed by her bedroom door, and when she stood upright she frowned at him.

“Are you alright?”

“Guess so,” Rooster murmured. Phoenix patted his arm.

“You don’t have to do this if you’re not ready. It’s okay not to be ready.”

“What about Fanboy, huh? He’s the one that nearly died.”

“Yeah but he doesn’t have nightmares about his dad’s death.”

Phoenix gestured toward her living area.

“You came here because you couldn’t sleep, right? Because of the nightmares?”

“Phoenix-“

Rooster swallowed, turning on his heel.

“See you in class.”

He was gone before Phoenix could call after him or tell him to go home; she’d stayed with him the first night after Fanboy’s accident, then she’d woken early that morning to find he was coming in to crash on her couch because he didn’t want to wake Maverick or sleep in an empty house. She sighed, grabbing her jacket as an afterthought before following Rooster out to their cars.

-

“You... look like shit.”

“Thanks, Bob, I really appreciate that.”

Bob rolled his eyes, stepping over the bench in the locker room to sit beside Rooster.

“No, seriously. You look like shit. When was the last time you slept?”

“I don’t want to talk about it Bob.”

“Rooster...”

Bob sighed.

“If you’re not ready, you’re not ready. No one’s gonna ask questions; we were all there.”

“I’m good. I swear, I’m fine.”

Bob scoffed.

“Sure man, and I’m best buddies with Hangman.”

He stood, grabbing his helmet and leaving Rooster to his own devices. He reached for his phone, checked the time, and then scrambled to get ready. They had a hop planned for the morning and then a second later in the afternoon which were just to make sure that everyone was okay to get back in the air after Payback and Fanboy’s accident. It had been decided that Rooster, Phoenix and Bob were going first to try and work out whatever kinks were between them (that came out wrong... eh) but Maverick was going up shortly after with Coyote and Hangman to make sure that they were alright too. Phoenix had quietly suggested that Maverick and Rooster be separated for the first hop for the good of both of them and to her surprise they’d gone along with it. Payback was staying on the ground for the next couple of days to recover as well but he’d also been booked for a hop with Maverick pending his psych eval. He swore up and down that he was okay but after his own accident back in 86, Maverick wanted to hear it from a professional first.

-

“Alright, let’s check in. Phoenix and Bob?”

“All systems go, Maverick,” Phoenix replied. She did her last check of the systems and glanced over her shoulder at Bob who smiled and nodded.

“All systems green, Mav,” he agreed. Maverick checked his radio and then frowned when he realised he couldn’t see Rooster moving around in his jet. He was sitting completely still and Maverick waved his hands at him then sighed.

The joys of being short.

“Rooster, are you there?”

The radio was probably the smarter choice. He could see Phoenix glancing through the window of her jet to check on him, Bob finally looking over too and reaching for his own comms.

“Mav he’s hyperventilating; you better get up there.”

Maverick waved down one of the techs who pulled the ladder to Rooster’s jet back down, giving Maverick access to the cockpit. He managed to get Rooster to open the canopy and sat on the edge, hand on his shoulder. Rooster’s chest rapidly moved as he kept his hands away from the joystick and any of the other buttons he enjoyed playing with more than Hangman’s. He reached his hands out and made contact with Maverick’s flight suit, shakily working it between his fingers.

“You’re alright. Look at me, kid. It’s okay. Feel my breathing, shhhhh...”

Maverick worked his helmet off for him and ran his fingers through Rooster’s hair, trying to keep his attention.

“Breathe Bradley, just try to focus on your breathing. I’m gonna unzip your suit a little to give you some room to breathe, yeah?”

Maverick carefully undid the safety clasp on Rooster’s flightsuit then unzipped it about halfway down his chest. He stopped to just watch Rooster for a moment then turned to glance over his shoulder to the ground. He wasn’t surprised to find Phoenix and Bob down there, but he was surprised to Hangman and Coyote also waiting.

“What’s goin’ on up there?” Coyote called. Phoenix looked anxiously between the others and Maverick, borderline ready to get up there herself. Hangman and Coyote stood on either side of her and Bob, ready to stop Phoenix.

“It’s all good, kids. Go inside; me and Rooster are just gonna sit here a minute.”

The four on the ground exchanged looks, and then shrugged.

“Okay... be careful.”

They wandered off and Maverick turned his attention back to Rooster. His eyes didn’t look as wild, and his breathing had settled but now he just looked pale. He slowly turned to Maverick, brows furrowed.

“Am I ever going to get past this?”

-

With Rooster safely back on the ground and in the shower, Maverick made his way into the kitchen and set about fixing a sandwich. He found the bread, and the butter... but then he saw the cutting board Carole and Goose had been gifted by his parents for their first wedding anniversary and he took a deep breath to centre himself as he leaned on the kitchen sink.

“Talk to me, Goose. Could really use a little advice right now.”

“I don’t think dad would have much to say; he was always the hugger parent.”

Maverick whipped around. Rooster stood by the entrance to the kitchen, sweatpants and a hoodie on with his hair back to its natural soft waves rather than gelled straight. He shrugged, joining Maverick by the window facing the backyard he used to play in; now he drank beer, played guitar and on... more than one occasion, got so high he wasn’t buried with the grief of losing his parents at a young age.

“You’re right; your dad used to hear you cry and instead of being tired or maybe a little frustrated he would just hold you.”

Maverick nudged his shoulder, taking a seat at the dining table.

“Do you want to talk about it?” He asked quietly. Bradley shook his head.

“I don’t want to think about it.”

“Roos you had a panic attack before you could even get in the air; that’s twice in what? A couple days?”

“Mav,” he sighed, “I just said-“

“-I know and I hear you, but this isn’t something we can sweep under the rug. These aren’t the same as your panic attacks when you were a kid, it’s different and I know it’s because of what happened with Fanboy.”

“Fuck, Maverick, what do you want me to say? That I could have not read the paperwork, not read your statement? Not seen Fanboy nearly die due to drowning? Goddamn, what else, fuck I ejected myself and I don’t remember feeling like this. I just- I-“

Rooster slammed his hand on the dining table and Maverick reached out to put a hand on his shoulder.

“What do you need right now? One phone call and I can have psych assess you, or we can go for a walk, we could get takeout...”

“Can we just... sit on the sofa and watch reruns? Like we used to?”

Maverick swallowed the concern and the need to yell at his godson to get the help he needed. He gently touched Bradley’s hand.

“Of course, Roos. If that is what you need, that’s what we’ll do.”

They headed over to said couch; Maverick sat up but Rooster kicked his feet up into Maverick’s lap, rested his head on the arm and then promptly fell asleep.

Maverick couldn’t say he blamed him.

-

The second, third and fourth attempt to get in the air didn’t go much better. Eventually Cyclone requested a psych eval and no one was surprised when Rooster quietly struggled his way through it. He went to see his parents’ graves, and then spent some time in flight simulations to try and soothe his nerves. He’d never had this problem, not even really when they’d simulated water ejections in flight school and for a split second he’d gotten stuck underwater in the tank.

Eventually Fanboy got cleared to go back in the air and he did it with eagerness, ready to overcome whatever lasting anxieties he had. The others had all been flying for weeks at that point but the psychologist on base had gently suggested that the accident had triggered something in Rooster’s mind and that if he wanted to get back into a jet, he’d have to put some hard work in. It wasn’t going to be pleasant.

So he did.

And it wasn’t.

He returned to his better eating habits, he tried to improve his sleeping schedule (as best he could whilst still being in the Navy) and he tried to make sure he was in the gym at least once every two days as much as he hated it. He spent time with Maverick reminiscing about his childhood and he spent time making new memories to replace the grief of the old. He came to work and learned more about what it was to be a half decent aviator and then he got used to being back in his jet.

When the fifth attempt looked like it was going to be like the others, Fanboy climbed the wing himself and sat, waving at Rooster.

“Get your ass in the air!” He yelled, “someone’s gotta kick Hangman down a couple pegs!”

“Get off the wing!” Rooster yelled.

It was like something had finally clicked and he started the take off process. Fanboy scrambled down to get clear, jogging back to the others standing by the hangar.

“Please tell me he’s going up,” Phoenix murmured. Bob nudged her shoulder.

“Give him time.”

“I can’t look.”

She turned her back but the others watched on with baited breath.

Then they heard the roar of the jet engine and smiled.

Finally.

-