#i mean mal just put her full trust in him and allowed him to go wild

[mercymaker]

speaking of malstarion naughties, i am slowly piecing together a companion piece to prowl

i wrote the first one with the intention of it having a 'twin'. both of them are all about trust and letting the other person take control, all while focusing on the submissive partner's fantasies/pleasure.

i also just want to write mal doing her best at taking the lead tbh

[beatleszeppelin]

You're A … Inexperienced Ch. 4

Chapter Summary: You spend every waking hour of the next day hoping for Daryl back, you don't know if you'll be mad, sad, scared or happy when he returns. But when you are notified of his return, and you find out he's hurt, things go a bit further, or should I say a base further?

Category: Friends to Lovers, Mild Smut, just a good ol’ time

Paring: Daryl x reader (second person)

Warnings/Includes: General Walking Dead grossness, Smut, swearing, use of weapons, non-graphic hunting, mention of past child abuse, (let me know if you see anything else)

Word count: 2.5k

Chapter 4: I trust you.

“Carol,” You yelled getting her attention.

She smiled back, a sympathetic look, but endearing and all knowing. “I heard what happened last night with you two.”

“Did he tell you?” The inquiry slipped immediately from your lips.

“On his way out he did,” the corners of her mouth pulled back into a smile, and she patted your shoulder.

“Out?”

“Went on a run, early this morning. Daryl stopped and talked to Carl and I on his way out the gates.”

“What did he say happened,” You begged, wanting to know the true reason he’s left you high and dry last night.

“Not very much, most was implied.” She held her arm out, guiding you to a near by table. You both sat together, and pried on the other’s interactions with the elusive conversationalist.

From what you gathered, he left this morning in a hurry, and he left mad. Mad at himself for fucking it up with you, whatever he thought it was. He didn’t tell anyone what he was doing in detail, but he didn’t take much water and nearly no food. He should be back today, based on Carol and Carl’s sleuthing.

But the day went on, and lunch and dinner came and went, and he didn’t make an appearance through the gates. You took the day off from whatever tasks you were supposed to do at the farm, with the animals, and crops, to instead take over a full day of gate work. You didn’t read a book, or draw stupid little pictures in the margins of other peoples papers that were left. You looked out, on guard, watching the shadows change on the road ahead.

Sometime after the shadows left, and the ground turned fully dark, your eyes fell heavy from the lack of sleep you had been allowed the night before. So you turned in. Sleep didn’t come easily, thinking of Daryl out there, mad at himself. He could have run away, he could have left for good. He could be out there hurt, or worse. The thoughts wracked your head, until you woke up the next morning, you don’t remember falling asleep, but you must have sometime early this morning.

You got up and dressed with no effort, for maximum efficiency. The first place you hit was the gate, it was a shift change, so you spoke with Carol on her way in.

“Do you know anything, has he come back yet?”

“You haven’t seen him yet?” she asked as if his whereabouts were seemingly obvious.

“No, I didn’t even know he was back, where is he?” You begged.

“He showed up at the gates late last night. He’s in the infirmary, he got hurt on his run yesterday,” She said, without too much concern, but it didn’t stop you from walking to him, but she did add, “he’s fine, by the way,” while you were still in ear shot.

You walked to him, but by the time you noticed you were running. You couldn’t tell what you were feeling as you braced yourself to see Daryl in whatever state he may be in. You were mad at him for leaving, but happy about his return. Sad that he felt the need to leave in the first place, and scared about his injuries.

You opened the door to the infirmary, walked into the rows of cells and stark white bed sheets that have so regularly been changed. Your quick lope took you to Daryl’s cell, the one that you heard Hershel’s voice and quite grumbles coming from. His monotonous pained breathing served as a compass, guiding you directly to him, without any consideration to which direction your feet were moving.

You stood on the other side of the bars, seeing into his room much like he must have seen into yours just a few nights ago. Hershel was tending to bandages wrapped around Daryl’s abdomen. There was no blood, though. His bare chest was wrapped up, around his ribcage and over his shoulder. He lay on his side, another wrap encasing his knee, was propped up with a throw pillow someone must have retrieved on a run.

As he lay there looking up to you, you stand in the doorway, sorting through the files in your head of possible things you could say to him.

“Welp, I’ll be back to see you later, and remember to take it easy on your body. No strenuous activity.” Hershel picked up and saw himself out, patting you on the back as he left.

Seconds long pause lingered over the heads of both of you, but was broken when you simply asked, “What the fuck?”

“‘m sorry,” he tucked his chin down to his chest.

“I really don’t care if you’re sorry right now, I just want to know what you did, and maybe why?” You said genuinely.

“Didn’t mean to hurt you, an’ when I did, just thought I should leave, always better out there.” He mumbled.

“What do you mean hurt me? You thought you hurt me. Look at you, laying here all wrapped up,” You couldn’t fathom him leaving because he thought he did something wrong, when what hurt you most was the fact that he had left in the first place.

“I knew what you’d wanted, but it didn’t happen, an’ I thought you’d be mad about it.”

“No, I wasn’t mad about whatever happened while you were in my cell, I was mad about everything that happened after. I didn’t want you to leave.” You paused for a breath, “I thought you left because of something I did, and it turns out you did. And what did you mean what I wanted?”

“Well,” He raised his chin, and his eyes kept darting in between your and the floor. “You wanted to fix me, but you can’t change the unchangeable.”

You felt disheartened, his words hurt, not because what he was saying was with mal intent, but because this is what he genuinely thought. He thought that you wanted to sleep with him to fix him, to some how change this broken man that sit before you, but he couldn’t be more wrong. He wasn’t broken, not to you, not to anyone here but himself. “I don’t want you to change; I just don’t want you to have only bad memories.”

“What if we try again, an I still don’t like it?” He said, voice breaking.

“We only try when, or if you want to. I’m always down.” You said, finally walking into the cell, and siting on the stool Hershel was on before.

“And what if I never want to…”

You cut him off, “have sex?”

He raised his head, and then nodded slowly.

“Then, we’ll never have sex, and I will be happy being with you, because you are my friend, and I love you.”

He reached out and grabbed your hand from you lap. And he simply held on to it.

“I do have one more thing to ask of you,” he looked, “how did you get hurt?” His face turned red again, he cleared his throat. “Was out, on my bike. Just riding. I was mad, at myself, at the world, so I was going fast, yeah?” You nodded. “I saw a walker, I tried to stop, but I’s on a patch of sand, and I slid, and fell off.”

You laughed and shook your head, then you pulled your hand out of his for a second, and he subconsciously reached out for it again feeling the emptiness. You grabbed the blanket from his bed, and draped it over his his body, stopping just before the curve his waist. You were scared to touch his bandages, not knowing how much pain he was in. You sat back down, and took his hand in yours, and his shoulders visibly dropped at the connection. “So what did Hershel say?”

He brushed his hair down into his face with one hand, you quickly undid this gesture by pushing all of his hair back behind his ears. “He said I’ve got a dislocated knee, from where the bike fell on me, and I slipped a rib, probably from sliding.” You smiled at him, sympathetically, causing him to bashfully add, “t’s nothin’ bad though.”

Days later, maybe a week, when Daryl could walk (with assistance), you took him out on a makeshift date. You planned where you would take him, a field, outside the walls, with a pond right next to it.

You drove his bike, he sat behind you holding on to your waist, one leg bent, with his foot flat on the pegs, the other straight out, as to not bend his hurt knee. You rode around for a while, you thought he needed it, before circling back to where you wanted to take him. “This is it,” you said as you arrived to a flat spot of land, encompassed by weeds that danced in the wind.

“What’re we to be doing here,” he asked hobbling off of the bike, he’s normally so comfortable on.

You pulled a blanket and some bread and jam out of the saddle bags on the bike, that he was still leaning on, as a crutch. You laid it down. And set the food on top. Then you walked back about ten feet to where Daryl leaned, and slowly eased his arm over your shoulder, seeing as to not hurt his ribs. Then you helped him walk over to where you planned to spend the day with him. You dropped his arm, and it hit his side with a wince.

He held his side, and not so gracefully slid his leg out from him, so it wouldn’t catch any weight on his way to the ground.

“What does it feel like?” You gestured to his leg once he had hit the earth.

He shrugged, “Dunno, like it’s tight when bent, an’ hurts anytime ya put weight on it. Can’t use crutches neither, cause those’d hit ma ribs.”

“You really fucked yourself up didn’t you?”

Breathily, he laughed.

You ate, breaking bread with your hands and passing the jam jar between you. The pond

was enchanting, just as the lake that you bathed in before was. This was safe, though. It was close to the fence, and you each had weapons at the ready.

“Been thinkin’,” Daryl said, with a mouth full of bread.

“Yeah, what about?” he caught your attention with his tone.

“Said, we could try again, right?”

“Right.” you replied, instantly knowing what he was talking about.

“What if, I know… What if the part that I don’t want ta… ‘s there anythin’ else?” He said chewing on his lip to mumble through the words.

“What?” You said scrunching your nose up.

“The whole putin’ yer,” he mumbled so you didn’t catch all of the words, “jus doesn’t feel right.”

“So you’re talking about trying stuff up until the second or third base, not going all the way?” You asked trying to understand.

“Yeah, somethin’ like that.”

You scooted over to him on the blanket, and held your hand up to cup his face. Once you did, and he eased into the touch, you ran your thumb over his cheek. Your fingers were spread, to make room for his ear, under his hair. You looked at his eyes, and he looked everywhere but yours. You leaned in, stoping for a second to whisper, “First base,” and then went in for a soft kiss. It wasn’t quick, but it didn’t last long before he bit your lip, the way he always does his own. Pulling back a little you said “Check.”

You unbuttoned your shirt, but left it on, billowing open in the light breeze. You let him have his fun, as you watched him, poke and prod you in likeness to a child studying a bug. He grew more and more comfortable with the actions, as he encompassed your body with his hands like a sightless person would use a walking stick.

As his hand fell down over your shoulder, your bra strap slipped down, causing him to freeze and wait for your cue. You just unhooked it, and slid the other strap down to match. He withdrew his hands, and started chewing on his thumb. “Would you like me to take it off, I mean it’s nothing you haven’t seen before.”

He nodded, thumb still in place.

You slipped it off through your shirt sleeve, and watched him take his vest off, and lay it down on the ground. You then helped him pull his shirt off over his head, which you and Carol have been taking turns helping him do, since his accident.

“I would say second base has been accomplished, what about you?”

He sucked his bottom lip in between his teeth and mumbled an “mmm hmm.”

“Wanna try third or shall we wait for another day?”

“What exactly is third?” He asked.

“Hand stuff.” You said blatantly, awaiting his reaction.

He thought for a second, nodded, and said, “trust you.”

His words made your stomach bubble, it was excitement and it made you feel like you were about to throw up. You pushed those feelings down, and hooked your fingers in his belt, pulling him in for a kiss. This time, unlike previously, you didn’t lead it. His lips met yours and neither of you moved without the other.

You did however take the lead when you reached down and rested your hand on his leg. You slowly moved your hand up, and his breath hitched. “Are you okay, does something hurt?” you paused.

“Nah, just needed a sec, good now, though.”

Through his pants, you felt that he needed no time to get ready, so you got straight to work. You undid his button on his pants, unzipping as well. He halted all movement; focusing on breathing and staring at your hand slowly working itself up and down. He shut his eyes tight, and moved your hand.

“What, was that too much.” You asked, needing him to tell you what he wasn’t liking.

“It’s a lot, if you touch me ‘gain, I’m gonna…” his face was red and he grabbed his dick tightly.

“Open your eyes,” you coaxed.

“Can’t need to concentrate.” “If you need to, just do it. I’ll take it as a compliment.” You said moving his hand away. “May I?” You asked.

“I trust you.” He said barely above a whisper.

You finished him off in a matter of seconds, his pants were down mid-thigh, and you pulled his rag out to clean him up. He pressed his index and ring finger to the bridge of his nose, acting as a shield from his bright red face; he radiated chagrin.

As his heart pounded, and his breathing was still accelerated, he leaned on you, and whispered “I trust you, and I love you.”

And you could have spent the day there in that position, with him breathing heavily into your neck. And his arms were wrapped tightly around your waist. And although you got home later that day, and went to your separate sleeping quarters, that doesn’t mean this was the last time, it was only his first.

[imabeautifulbutterfly]

The Reunion - Part 4

Summary: Dealing with the aftermath of losing Omega; How Phoenix Ghost and Echo met. 

A/N: I tried my hand at Kyuzo, apparently it’s suppose to be mispronounced French, according to Wookieepedia, if that’s wrong I do apologize.  Also, FYI, there might be slight canon divergence, I'm going to try and include what happens but that might not be possible. 

Italics - Flashback

(Bold) - Translation

*Bold* - Action

Warnings: Anger, Grief, Hurt, Loss, Attacks, Explosives, Sniper shots, talks of killing, innuendos, flirting, kissing, death, feelings of not enough, if there are any I missed let me know. 

Words: 9,529 - story kind of got away from me a little

AO3 Link

Thank you everyone for taking the time to read this.  I appreciate all the love you guys show, so feel free to drop a comment, show some love or do a reblog.  It’s always welcome. 

Previous -> Masterlist -> Next

“What do you mean you lost Omega?!” I shouted at Hunter’s image.

“I’m sorry, hun” Hunter’s eyes were full of pain and sadness.  I know it wasn’t his fault, after all they told Crosshair and me everything that happened, how the Empire somehow found them through some scavengers, nearly lost all their lives, only for a bounty hunter to show up, shoot Hunter in the chest and kidnap Omega.

I let out a sigh, “No, I’m sorry, it’s not your fault.  Are you okay, love?”

“Slightly sore”

“Huh, sore?” Wrecker pushed Hunter out of the way, “He nearly died!”

“His injury was pretty bad Medic Kambe, we could have used you” Tech finished pushing Wrecker out of the way.

“Are the rest of you okay?”

“Yes, vod’ika.  We are all fine.” Tech answered

“Tell us what the plan is?” Crosshair asked

“We need to figure out who’s after Omega, it’s the only way we’re going to find her” came a woman’s voice, I’ve never heard before.

“Who’s that?” I asked

A beautiful woman came into view, my throat tightened, who was this woman, and why was she leaning on my Hunter’s shoulder.  

“Hi, I’m Phoenix Ghost” came her smooth voice, her skin was perfect, her eyes piercing, “relax doll, I’m not interested in your man, I’m married”, she held up her finger displaying a ring.

“Oh … no … I wasn’t …”

“Ha, yes you were” Crosshair chuckled

“Can we focus on what’s important, please” Hunter cut in

“Do you guys have an idea as to who wants Omega?” Phoenix Ghost asked

“You mean besides the Empire” Crosshair answered

“The Kaminoans” I answered contemplatively.

Everyone looked at me, the silence grew, “What do you mean, cyare?” Hunter inquired.

“That actually would make sense” responded Crosshair

I simply nodded, “Somebody wants to fill us in?” Asked Echo

“The Empire, specifically Admiral Rampart, didn’t want to bring you guys in, they wanted you all eliminated except for Omega…” Crosshair began

“… but” I interjected, “if Omega is brought in by the Empire, then there would be no use for the Kaminoans, since the Empire would have all the answers once they ran a deep scan on Omega.”

“What answers are they looking for?” Phoenix Ghost inquired

“How to make an elite clone, one …” I let out a sigh, “one who is force sensitive”

“WHAT!” Came the answer not just through the comm, but from Lurwa and Crosshair.

“Excuse me, but who else is there with you?” Questioned Tech

“It’s one of my Elite Squad, they wanted to escape the Empire too”

“Yeah sorry, everyone meet Lurwa Zelga, formerly ES-03” I added

“Actually, I was formerly ES-02” Lurwa said

“Oh, sorry about that”

“Why is she tied up?” Hunter asked

“We don’t know if we can trust her” answered Crosshair

“Then why are you allowing her to listen in?” Hunter was getting annoyed, “You know what it doesn’t matter! What are we going to do about Omega?”

“Babe, it’s okay, we’ll figure it out.”

“No, it’s not okay.  I FAILED HER!”

Everyone went silent, “Crosshair, I’m going to take the comm in the back okay, can you transfer it to the other room?”

Crosshair nodded, “Hunter, can you go to a private comm?”

*sigh* “Fine”

Hunter got up and moved, and went into the bunk room of the ship, Hunter’s face popped up on the private comm, “Alright babe, talk to me”

“There’s nothing to talk about”

“Oh I think there’s plenty to talk about, just start at the beginning, from after escaping the explosion of the engine”

Hunter ran a hand over his face, “Omega and I were almost cornered by the Empire, I really thought we were done for, but then we managed to find cover and make our way to the ship.  When we entered the hangar there was nothing but stormtrooper bodies lying everywhere.  I knew at that moment something wasn’t right.  Rather than waiting for the guys to show up, Omega and I walked in.  I should’ve … I should have made her wait, made her hide until I knew it was all clear.  I was so stupid! I put her needlessly in danger.  All my training, all my ability and I failed her.”

“You keep saying you failed her, but you still haven’t told me how?  Come on babe, talk”

“As we walked further in, a bounty hunter stepped out of the Marauder.  I don’t know who he was, he was a Duros with a ridiculous hat, blue skin, some sort of tubing coming out of his face.  His voice was dark and determined.  He didn’t look that dangerous, I mean he looked dangerous, but I didn’t think he … I thought I …

Bounty Hunter: I’ve taken down so many clones over the years.  Once you figure out one, the rest are easy.

Hunter: You’re in for a surprise

Bounty Hunter: I doubt that

Omega: He’s a bounty hunter

Bounty Hunter: Ain’t you smart, kid's got it all figured out

Droid: You’re in trouble now

Hunter: Who hired you?

Bounty Hunter: Son, that's confidential information.  Now hand her over.

Hunter: She’s with us, she’s not going anywhere

Bounty Hunter: That’s unfortunate, for you.

Next thing, I know, I've woken up to Wrecker, asking where Omega is.  He’s freaking out.  Tech is wondering what happened.  They’re trying to get me to the ship.  There’s a pain in my chest, that’s making it difficult for me to breathe.  Don’t you see, I failed her!  I’m just like all those other clones that were bested by him.  I wasn’t … I wasn’t good enough.  I wasn’t … I wasn’t strong enough.  I … I failed her cyare.  S-she was like a daughter to me, and I … I couldn’t … I couldn’t protect her.”  Hunter’s tears were clearly seen through the holo, I wanted nothing more than to be by his side, reach out and wipe the tears.

“Babe, look at me”

His head was in his hands, as he shook his head.

“Look at me, right now”

Hunter dropped his hands and looked me in the eye.

“This guy, this bounty hunter, he may have been faster than you.  But that’s because he’s probably had numerous of these duels, or at the least has been doing this for a ridiculously long time.  Not to mention, you did survive a ridiculous assault from the Empire.  It’s not your fault love.  It’s the Empire’s fault.  It’s this universe’s fault.  It’s the fault of the Kaminoans who put a stupid chip in every clone, that made them turn against the Jedi.  It’s not your fault.  You did your best to save her, and protect her.  We’re going to get her back.”

“How?  We don’t even know where he took her.”

“Maybe we can get help, we can figure all this out.  We just have to breathe.  We’re going to get her back.  We’re going to get your daughter back.  Our … daughter back, Hunter.”

Hunter let out a sigh, “You know cyar’ika, I didn’t think it possible to love you anymore than I do right now”

“I love you too”

- - - - - - - -

“So… that’s the Medic?”

“Phoenix…”

“What? I’m just asking a question ner riduur”

“Mmhmm”

I looked over to Echo and mouth a ‘no’, he looked at me and mouthed ‘no’ back.  I shrugged.

“How are we going to find Omega?” Wrecker asked

“I have an idea on that front”

“What do you got, Phoenix?” asked Crosshair from the comm

“I have some bounty hunter contacts, I think I know who it could be that took Omega, but I got make a few calls”

“Like you need the bunk room, kind of calls?” Asked Fives

“No, vod.  Not that kind of call.  A regular good old fashioned comm call”

“Alright, well we’re almost at the rendezvous point, we’ll comm you guys when we land” Crosshair offered

“Welcome back Crosshair” Wrecker said

“Good to be back”

Crosshair was gone in an instant, “Excuse me, riduur”, I leaned over Echo, and pressed the numbers for a comm link, “You know we still haven’t had our break” Echo whispered in my ear, I couldn’t help but grin.  “I think that’s going to have to wait, ner kar’ta.”

“Fine, but I say once everyone is safe, you and I take off somewhere no one will find us.”

I just looked at him, smirking.

“Whatcha guys talking about?” Fives asked

Echo rolled his eyes at his brother, I couldn’t help but laugh, “Huh, watcha talking about?” He asked, poking Echo in the shoulder, “How we should space you, Fives?” Echo answered.

“What?! What did I do?” He asked hurt

“Okay boys, find your happy places” Tech said

Echo simply looked at me, wiggling his eyebrows.  I stood straighter, hiding the blush creeping up my face.

“Your face is getting red, Ghost” Tech noticed

“Yes, thank you Tech”

“Why is your face getting red?” He inquired

“How are you this smart, and this stupid?” Fives asked

“Fives!” I shouted “Be nice, and apologize, that was rude!”

“Ha, I like you” Wrecker said, “You know how to control these di’kut”

“Wrecker, don’t make me force you to apologize too”

“Ow!” Fives screamed, I turned to face Fives, “What happened?”

“Tech flicked me” he answered

“He deserved it” Tech defended

“Don’t make me get the get-along shirt, and force you guys to get in it.”

“Get a ‘what shirt’?” Tech asked

“It’s a big shirt, that the two of you have to wear until you get along” explained Echo

“Uh … hello?” Came Sugi’s voice

“Hi Sugi”

“Gorgeous! How are you?”

“Ki ca?” (Who that?)

“It’s Gorgeous, Embo”

“Ah, Gorgeous! Bungour.” (Hello)

“Hi Embo, nice to see you”

“Vus volez êtr ma feme?” (Want to be my wife?)

“Ha, thanks Embo, but I’m married.” I held my ring finger up to show him I noticed Echo’s hand tightening on the controls, “Besides, aren’t you with Sugi?”

“Ne fat pasde mal demande”(Doesn’t hurt ask)

I simply shake my head, “Maybe you guys can help us, my friend’s daughter was kidnapped, I’m very fond of her, she's like a niece to me.”

“Gorgeous, I’m so sorry to hear that, how can we help?” Sugi asked

“Well, you guys know a lot of bounty hunters, if I describe the guy do you think you might know who he is?”

“Neput pas fair dema” (Can’t hurt)

“My friend said he was a Duros, blue skin, had a deep voice, wore a ridiculous hat”

“Wait… you said hat?” Sugi asked

“Yeah”

“Did he have tubes coming out of his face?”

“Yeah”

“It could be Cad Bane”

“Cela pourat êtrun problèm” (This could be a problem)

“Why is it a problem?”

“Gorgeous …”

“What?  Tell me.”

“Il des meileur” (He’s the best)

“Kriff! How good?”

“Let’s say he takes on extremely difficult jobs.  The ones that no one in their right mind would take.”

“Ki est ton ami?” (Who’s your friend?)

“I can’t say.  Do you know where we can find him?  Or if we can intercept him?”

“Well usually … “

“Attende” (Wait)

“What is it, Embo?”

“Il est la” (He’s here)

“Where?”

“Jabba’s Palace” Sugi answered

“Keep him there.  We’ll be there as soon as we can.”

“What’s in it for us if we do?” Sugi asked

“I’ll owe you one?”

“Et moi?” (What about me?)

“I’ll owe you one too”

“How about I owe him one.” Echo answered

“Ki ca?” (Who that?)

“My husband”

“Ha, jalux?” (Jealous?)

“Anyways, keep him busy, and we’ll both owe you guys.”

“Not a problem, Gorgeous.”

“Thanks you guys, see you in a few”

The comm ended, “How is that you stayed single all this time?” Fives asked

I looked at him, “Fives…”

“What, I’m serious, the amount of people that hit on you, while you were working the cantina, even before you left the GAR” I looked over to Echo, his knuckles were white, I could see the veins on his hand.

“Echo, my dear, you need to relax”

“I’m changing our heading to Tatooine, I’ve relayed the message to Crosshair” Tech interrupted.

“I’m going to go tell Hunter” I looked over to Fives and mouthed ‘behave’, he just gave me a smirk.  I leaned over to Echo and whispered, “Ignore Fives.  You’re the only one for me”, I kissed him on his cheek.  His grip on the control loosened, and he let out a sigh, “I know, I just …”

“I know, Echo.  It’s okay” I kissed him once more on the cheek.

I turned to walk out, and glared at Fives again, mouthing ‘Seriously, behave’.  Fives raised his hands in surrender.

- - - - - - - -

“Hunter” I called knocking on the bunk door.

“Come in”

I walked in, the call with Kambe long ended, his hands holding his head, I could tell he was crying, “You ok?”

“I don’t want to talk about it, what do you want?”

“We found Cad Bane”

“Who?”

“The bounty hunter who took Omega”

He shot straight up, his eyes were full of anger and hatred, “Where?”

“Tatooine”

“How?” His anger was building, I could see his fists were clenched by his side, he looked ready to strike.

“I have some friends that know him, we were talking when he walked into the Palace”

“Who’s Palace?”

“Jabba’s”

“Do you think he’s the one who wants Omega?”

“No.  More likely, it’s a layover till he meets his contact.”

He didn’t say anything, I could feel his rage boiling over, “Hunter…”

“What!” I raised my hands and backed away.  I just looked down at the ground and turned to walk away.

“Wait!” Hunter called, I stopped and turned, “I’m sorry, it’s just …”

“I know”

“How could you?”

I let out a sigh, “Have a seat” I motioned to the bunk behind him, “Echo didn’t tell you how we met, did he?”

Hunter shook his head, “It was just after he joined the 501st …

- - - - - - - -

“I can’t wait to get out there, do Hevy proud” Fives said

“I think he would be proud of us, no matter what we did” Echo responded

“Of course, you would believe that”

“Men!”

“Captain Rex, Sir!” They both stood and saluted the Captain, I stood behind the Captain of the 501st, looking at these two fresh faces.  Fives glanced over to me, and did a quick once over, I couldn’t help but smirk, cheeky bastard.  Echo gave me a side look, but kept his eyes on the Captain.

“At ease boys, I have a special mission for the both of you.  This is Agent Halcyon, she has been tasked with a special mission and needs two good men to go with her.  I am trusting that you both will be good soldiers and show Agent Halcyon what it means to be part of the 501st!”

“Sir, yes Sir!” They both echoed.

“Agent Halcyon” he stretched out his hand and shook mine

“Captain Rex, always a pleasure” I winked at him, he smirked and walked away.

“Alright guys, relax.”

“Thank you, Agent Halcyon” chimed Echo

“First, it’s just Halcyon, don’t use titles.  What are your boys' names?”

“I’m Fives, that’s Echo.  I’m the one whose name you'll never forget to scream out.”  Fives winked, Echo rolled his eyes at his brother.

“Oh really?” I stepped up to Fives, my face an inch from his, he took a noticeable swallow, “Tell me Fives, exactly how will I not forget you?”

“Um… I …”

“Listen here trooper! You think you’re the first one who’s tried to get into my pants?”

“Uh…”

“Better man than you have tried, and do you know how many have succeeded?”

“Um…”

“None.  So take your ego, your misogyny, your desire to try to accumulate notches on your belt, and shove it! Is that understood?”

“Yes, ma’am”

“Good!” I stepped back, “Now that we have that straightened out, you both are going to follow me.  First we need to get you guys some civilian clothing, secondly I need to go over the mission with the both of you.  Now unless Echo here has any comment he would like to make?”

“No, ma’am”

“Oh one more thing, stop calling me ma’am.  It’s Halcyon.”

- - - - - - - - - -

“Is the plan clear?”

“I don’t understand, why are they trying to kidnap Senator Orn Free Taa’s daughter?” Echo asked

“He has the deciding vote on a bill in the senate, it’s not unusual for Senators and their families to be threatened.  Problem is we don’t know who exactly is threatening him, whether it’s the opposition of the bill, the separatist, or someone who has a personal vendetta against him.  It’s no secret that not all his people are happy he’s their representative.”

“Do we have to guard her in her house?  Wouldn’t it be better if we take her from there?” Fives asked

“Normally, I would say yes.  For me, I personally would rather keep her out of public view, but unfortunately that’s not possible.”

“Why’s that?” Inquired Echo

“She’s pregnant.  The stress of the constant danger of being on the move, could endanger the baby.  So while you guys maintain eyes on the perimeter I’ll be her personal bodyguard.”

“No offence Halcyon, but you’re just one person.”

“With you two, that makes three.  I think the odds are in our favour.  Plus, you don’t get to be the best, by being weak” I smirked at Fives, “If you guys want, we can spar a few rounds before we land on Ryloth, and I can prove how good I am.”

“Not necessary, Halcyon, Fives’ just an idiot.”

“Ha, spoken like a true brother.  Let me guess, you guys are batchmates.”

“Yeah we are” Fives answered, “How did you know?”

“When you're around enough clones, you can tell.  Alright you two, get all the equipment you need, once we leave the Resolute, we’ll be on our own.  I’d rather you guys take more than what we need, and have too much, then not enough.  Is that clear?”

“Yes, ma’am” they both saluted.  I just shook my head, “Sorry, Halcyon.”

“That’s okay, meet me at the ship at 0630”

- - - - - - - -

“Madam Oofatfeli” I bowed before Senator Orn Free Taa’s daughter.

“Halcyon, it’s been too long,” she stepped forward and hugged me.  Oofatfeli was one of the most beautiful women, her skin was an iridescent blue, it was a very rare and special Twi’lek colour.  Her husband passed away during Ryloth’s occupation, leaving her a widow and a child to raise on her own.

“You’re positively glowing”

“Oh! Feel! The baby just kicked.  Kid’s going to be just as strong as Mirtilo was.”

I placed my hand on her bump, as she guided me to where the child was kicking, I couldn’t help the smile that appeared on my face.  “Mirtilo would have been such a proud father.  I have no doubt about that.”

Fives and Echo seemed uncomfortable, quietly I asked “Oofatfeli, would you mind if they…” I motioned my head to them.  She smiled that radiating beautiful smile, “Not at all” she whispered back.

“Fives, Echo, come here”

They stepped closer, I guided their hands to where the baby had been kicking, “I don’t understand” Echo said.  

“Just wait” Oofatfeli answered, and just like that, the baby started kicking again.

“What was that?” Fives asked confused

“That’s the baby, it’s kicking” I answered

“That … that’s the baby?” Fives was mesmerized, “I never …”

“It’s amazing! Right?  To know that life has been created, and being cared for, by an amazingly, devoted mother.”

“See this is why you and I are friends, Halcyon.  You offer up praises like their nothing.”

“Hey if I’m the aunt and godmother of this child, trust me, I’ll offer up all the praises I can muster” I chuckled, “Alright boys, enough lollygagging, time to get to work.  I want every exit checked, examine the perimeter and tell me what areas, we’re vulnerable.  I want a backup hiding place.  I want a handful of weapons and explosives stored in the two hiding places.  I also want some explosives armed in the areas we won’t be able to cover.  Nothing too damaging, just enough to knock a perpetrator out.  Finally I want weapons hidden throughout the house, under tables, couches, maybe in some of the cabinets.  I want to fortify our last resort position.  If we need to hold them off, I want to know we can do it until backup arrives.  Understood?”

“Yes, Halcyon” answered Echo

“Great.  Any questions?”

“Just one?”

“What is it, Echo?”

“Can I feel the baby kick one more time?” I just looked at this man, this handsome man, so different from his brother, and at that moment he captured my heart.  He was so sweet, tender and caring, a soldier through and through, but went weak in the knees for a baby.

“Ha, sure, give me your hand Echo” Oofatfeli said, after a few moments, Echo’s smile radiated pure joy.  I couldn’t hide the smirk on my face, or the adoration in my eyes watching him, he glanced over to me, and smiled sweetly.  A blush started to form on his face.

“Ahem!” Fives cleared his throat

“Right, time to go” Echo said

Both boys left, “So… Echo?” Oofatfeli quirked an eyebrow at me.

“What about him?” I asked while grabbing my bag and beginning to set up my equipment, my trusty DC-15LE rifle, nicknamed Peacekeeper, it was an inside joke with myself, how far I went from being a Jedi Knight, an actual keeper of the peace.  She was my partner in crime.

“You know what?  I saw that look between you two.”

“He was being sweet with the baby, that’s the only look you saw.”

The rifle now strapped to my back, I began placing all my other DC-17 hand blasters, in strategic easy to grab locations.  “Yeah, but that’s not what I felt” Oofatfeli continued following me around.

“There was nothing to feel”

“Come on, just because you may have trained as a Jedi, doesn’t mean you can’t connect with someone.  It might even be good for you.”

“Oofatfeli, I love you like a sister, but you are way off base.  There is nothing between Echo and me, especially since I just met him, what, a few days, like three days ago.”

“When Mirtilo and I first met, in the span of an hour we knew we were meant to be.”

“That’s different”

“How is that different?”

“You look like you, and I …” I motioned to my whole body, I let out a sigh, “… I’m not the kind of girl, guys go for.  A one-night stand, sure they’re quick to try to get in my pants, but a relationship…” I shook my head.

“Is that why you still haven’t been with anyone?  You want a relationship and not a one-night stand?”

“I don’t know what I want, and until I do, it’s better if I’m alone.”

“Maybe you need to stop listening with your head, and listen to your heart.  Cause from what I saw, there was more there in that look, then just a one-night stand.”

“Alright, we’re done with this conversation.”

“Ha, that’s what you think.  But we can be done for now.  I need to use the fresher, I swear this kid thinks my bladder is a bouncy ball.”

I laughed, “Halcyon” came Echo’s voice, “Yes, Echo?”

“The perimeter is secure, we’re coming back in.”

“Okay.” I turned to put away my bag, when I heard, “Dude you got it bad for her” came Fives voice.

“No, I don’t.”

“Listen, I don’t blame you, she’s hot.”

“We all know what you think of her”

“Did I come across a bit too aggressive? Maybe.  Do I regret it? Not at all.”

“You're impossible.”

“Just admit, you like her.”

“Fives, shut up!”

“Hey I wasn’t imagining the look you gave her, or that smile vod.”

“I … uh…”

“You do like her!”

“Fives, she’s going to hear you?”

“She already has” I answered, “Next time, make sure to turn off your comm.”

I heard a beep and that was the end of that conversation.

- - - - - - -

Oofatfeli was sleeping in her room, the two boys were resting in the guest room, while I kept watch.  I noticed a shadow on the floor, walking along the roof.   I chimed the boys, and walked to Oofatfeli’s room.

Fives and Echo emerged in no time, “What’s the problem?” Fives asked.

“There’s someone on the roof.  You two guard Oofatfeli, I’m gonna wake her up, I want you both to take her to room A, while I check it out.”

“Halcyon…”

“This isn’t up for discussion, Echo.  You guys are here as the last line of defence if I fail, get it!”

“Yes.”

“Good.”

I opened the door quietly, thank goodness we made sure to cover the windows with a heavy curtain.  I nudged her awake. I put my finger to my lips, and escorted her into the hallways, into Fives and Echos waiting arms, “Go with them.”  She looked scared, “Sis?” Her eyes were wide and kept darting everywhere,

“Hey, look at me.  I’m not going to let anything happen to you, okay?  I’m going to take care of it.  Fives and Echo are the best, they’ll protect you, okay.”

She simply nodded, I motioned with my head for Fives and Echo to take her to the room.  Once I knew they were locked and secure, I went to the window to see if I could see where the shadow was, it was just on the roof, closest to the east window.  I climbed up the ladder to the attic, when I heard a shift on the roof, they headed towards Oofatfeli’s room.  I climbed back down the ladder quietly, and heard them walking along the wall of the house.  I waited in her room, with my DC-17 blaster in hand.  I closed my eyes, allowing the force to calm me, steadying my hand.  

I heard a slight scrape on the window, and then a hand pushed aside the curtain. I grabbed the hand, dragging the person through the window, glass erupting everywhere and flung them in the room, throwing them against the wall.  I stunned the man lying on the ground looking at me, he was out in a matter of seconds.  I looked outside to see another shadow, however knowing the jig was up, they ran to the south side of the house.  I didn’t hesitate and exited the house, through the kitchen door on the west, I heard the perpetrator land on the gravel outside the house, and ran after them, within seconds, they were in front of me.  I hurled myself at their feet, knocking them down.

I stood grabbing Peacekeeper off my back, and aimed my rifle at the man’s head while he laid on the ground, “Go ahead, make a move”.  The man before me raised his hand. “On your knees” once he was kneeling before me, I threw the cuffs I had in my back pocket at him.

Cuffed, I brought him back to the house.  I had him sit in the dining room, tying him to the chair, separating his hands and tying each arm to the arm of the chair.  I then tied his legs to the leg chair.  Once I knew he was secure, I walked back to Oofatfeli’s room and dragged the man over to the dining room, tying him up the same way.  I double checked all their pockets, removing any weapons I could find.  

“Fives, Echo?” I yelled.

I heard Fives yell back, “We clear?”

“So far, I only found these two”, I answered, hearing Fives coming up behind me in the dining room.  He looked from me to the two men sitting before me.  One unconscious and the other tied and gagged.

“Okay, so I’m never getting on your bad side”

I laughed, “Glad to hear it.”

I stepped up beside him, keeping my voice low, “Take Oofatfeli to the guest room, there’s glass everywhere in her room, I also want you to call the Senator’s guard, find out how they let these two threw.”

Fives nodded and walked away.  

“Now, you’re going to tell me who hired you and why you’re here.”

- - - - - - -

“I don’t understand?”

“It appears Mirtilo didn’t die in the occupation, as everyone thought.”

“No.  He died.  I know he died.”

“Did you see a body?”

“It was the occupation, people disappeared, we were lucky if we found a body.”

“Well, I have to go with what they told me.”

“Maybe he’s lying” offered Echo

“It’s possible, but he would have to be quite strong to resist my interrogations.”

“What does that mean?” Fives asked

“Not the time” I offered, “Oofatfeli, can you think of any reason why Mirtilo would be doing this?”

She shook her head, tears welling up.  I looked at Fives and Echo, “Could you guys give us a minute?”  They both nodded, I put my arms around her as she leaned into my shoulder crying, I rubbed soothing circles on her back, when I felt eyes watching us, I looked up to see Echo watching me.  My heart was breaking for her, to know the man she loved was the one behind the threat on her life, I couldn’t help but have tears well up in my eyes.  Echo looked into my eyes with determination, and closed the door.  I don’t know why, I didn’t yell at him to leave, but that look of determination filled me with a sense of purpose.  I wasn’t going to let Mirtilo hurt her, or the baby.

“Sweetie, do you think you can talk now? We’re alone.”

“I know why.”

“Why is he doing this?”

“He never agreed with my father’s political views, he believed Ryloth should be completely free, not belonging to any system.  The bill on the floor is to increase the Republic’s presence on Ryloth, to make sure the Separatist do not come back.  If Mirtilo was alive, he would have fought my father tooth and nail against the bill.  Mirtilo was afraid the Republic could be corrupted and become a dictatorship, ruling with an iron fist over the people of Ryloth.  But to go so far as to threaten me or our unborn child…” She raised herself and shook her head.

“Does he feel that your father would back down if something happened to either of you?”

“My father prides himself on his people and family.  If he couldn’t protect his family, he would lose the support of the people on Ryloth, and with it his wealth and status.”

I nodded, “What do you want to do?”

Oofatfeli looked at me shocked, “What do you mean?”

“My dear, this is your husband.  If you want to stay, I will defend you till my last dying breath, but that could mean the end of your husband’s life too.  If you want to leave, we can go to Coruscant and bring the matter to your father fully, maybe get him to back off from the bill.  At least that will guarantee the safety of you and your baby.  But this is your life and your baby’s, I will not tell you what to do.”

She nodded, “I think we should stay.  If I flee, I’m caving into his demands, he may be my husband, but he’s wrong.  Every action he has taken has been the wrong one.  Why did he hide from me?  Why didn’t he return home?  I will not cower from him.”

I nodded, she was right, I knew Mirtilo, regardless of his views, he would never harm them.  There had to be another explanation.

“Okay, then, we’re going to reinforce everything.  I want you to stay in Room A at night.  That way it can be a stronger defence point.  We won’t have to worry about getting to you to bring you to the safety of the room.  I’m also going to get you to carry a blaster the entire time, in case we’re incapacitated.  Finally, we’re going to get a midwife here, just in case you go into labour.  I want you to think of one that you trust, that you know will defend you and protect the little one.”

Oofatfeli nodded, “For now though, my dear sister” I patted her shoulder, “I want you to get some rest, while I deal with those two men out there. Just lay back down.  I’ll have Fives sit here with you, keeping watch, is that okay?”

“Yeah, but instead of Fives, can I have Echo”

I looked at her quizzically, “Sure, any specific reason?”

“I feel he’ll be calmer if something happens with the baby.”

I nodded, “Yeah, I think so too.  Not a problem.” I helped her lay down on the bed, and approached Echo, who was standing outside the door.

“Are you okay Halcyon?”

I ran my hand over my face, “Honestly, Echo, I don’t know.  Mirtilo was like a brother to me, when we thought we lost him, it … it was hard, you know.”

“Yeah, when we lost Hevy, Droidbait, and Cutup, it was … it’s still hard, I miss them.”

I nodded, “Listen, can you stay in the room with her?”

“Sure, but why me?”

“She thinks you’ll be calmer should something happen with the baby”

Echo nodded, “I don’t blame her” he chuckled, looking over at Fives.

“Thanks” I patted his upper arm, I was about to walk away, when Echo grabbed my hand, “Halcyon?”

I turned to look at him, “Yeah, Echo?”

“I’m sorry about earlier, the comm issue.  It was unprofessional and disrespectful of you.  I …” he looked to the floor, still holding my hand against his arm, “… I hope you can forgive me.”

“Echo, there’s nothing to forgive.  If anything I’m the one who should be apologizing” Echo looked into my eyes, questioning, “I should have told you right away, that I could hear Fives asking you the question.  But I guess…” I looked away, the blush rising, maker! I hate it when Oofatfeli’s right.

“You guess?” He stepped closer, moving my hand to hold in his left hand, while his right forefinger and thumb purchased on my chin, turning my head so he could look into my eyes, “I guess I just wanted to know the answer.”

Now he was the one blushing, “Oh!”

“Yeah” I leaned forward, he inched his face forward, less than a hair’s breadth away.  

“Ahem!”

Realizing how close we were, the fact his hand was still holding my face, at some point my left hand rested on his right wrist, I don't remember when that happened, while our other hand was holding each other.  I pulled back quite quickly, I don’t know what happened.  

“Sorry” I muttered

“No.. it was my fault” Echo sighed.

“I have to…” I motioned towards the other way.

“Yeah, I need to …” Echo motioned to the guest room.  We looked at each other one last time and walked away as quickly as our feet could carry us, with Fives standing there smirking, watching us move away from each other as fast as possible.  

“Not interested, my ass!” I heard Fives mumble.

“Hey Halcyon”

“Yes, Fives” I answered as I made my way to the dining room, “I’m sure if you ask Echo out, he’ll say yes.”

“Not the time Fives”

“Ha, yeah right!”

“Did the Senator’s guards show up?”

“Yeah they did, they’re with the men in the dining room.”

- - - - - -

“Care to explain how these men breached your security?” I questioned the head guard, with my arms crossed under my chest.

“Agent, I apologize.  I don’t know what happened.”

“Well let me tell you what is going to happen, from now on, I want double the guards, no, triple.  I want ID checks on all the guards stationed.  I want background checks done.  No visitors in or out of this place.”

“Agent that’s not necessary”

“Oh really?” I questioned motioning to the two men tied to the chairs in the dining room.

“Point taken.”

“Finally, I want an investigative team to search for Mirtilo, I want an answer, a lead, or even a suggestion by the time the sun rises, in the next 6 hours.  If I don’t have any of that, I will contact the Chancellor and the Senator myself, and we’ll see how things turn out for you.” I leaned forward, anger dripping from each word.  

“Agent…”

“Did I stutter?”

The head guard didn’t answer, “Fives, did I stutter or make myself unclear in any way?”

“No, Agent.  You were very clear.”

“Then I see no reason why you four men should be standing in front of me still, remove these men, arrest them and bring me a lead by the time the sun is up, or you will see a side of me, you wish never to see!  Do I make myself clear!”

“Yes, Agent” the head guard seethed, “very clear”.

“Good.  Get out of my face.”

The men untied the two intruders, and departed from the house.  The house was quiet now, all the lights were on.  I turned to face Fives.

“Fives”

“Yeah”

“I’m going to contact the Chancellor and the Senator now.  I don’t trust that man.”

“I agree, there’s something off about him.”

“Can you contact Rex, while I’m talking to the Chancellor and see if he can lend us a few more men.  I have a feeling this was a trial run.”

“Not a problem, I’ll do it right now.”

- - - - - -

“This is troubling Agent” the Chancellor’s concern was clearly evident.

“You really believe Mirtilo is alive?” Asked the Senator

“I don’t know, it could be they are using his name as a martyr for the cause.  For him to try and endanger the life of his wife and unborn child, I can’t see him doing that, no matter his political view.”

“I agree” concurred the Senator

“Tell us what you need, Agent,” the Chancellor inquired.

“I would like some extra men, I have a feeling they’ll be back in stronger numbers.  I also would like to request a Jedi to investigate this so-called rumour.  I do not believe the Head Guard is to be trusted.”

“Very well, since the 501st are already aware of the situation, we will redeploy General Skywalker to you, along with a garrison of his men.”

“Thank you, Chancellor” I bowed before the man, “Senator, believe me when I say I will protect Oofatfeli till my dying breath.”

“I know my dear, I never doubted that.”

I bowed to both men, and ended the transmission.

“Rex said he’s getting his men together, and they’ll be here by the morning, they were on their way back from a mission.”

“Remind me to buy Rex a drink at 79’s when we’re back on Coruscant.”

“I think you’ll have to buy everyone a drink”

“That’s fine, my credits are good” I smirked

“And, I’m sure Echo, would be all too happy to have a drink with you” I looked at him trying to hide the blush creeping up, as my lips tried to hide the smile appearing.

“You’re the worst, you know that!”

“Hey, I want to see you two get together, is that so terrible?”

“Really, because not that long ago, you were trying to get into my pants.”

“Yeah, but you know that was all talk.”

“You’re like the brother I never wanted, you know that.”

Fives beamed from ear to ear, “You know what we call brothers and sisters in Mando’a?”

I shook my head ‘no’, “Vod, so vod’ika, I will be happy to be your vod.”

“What does that word mean, v-vod’ika?”

“Little sister”

“Ha, I think I’m older than you.”

“It’s the sentiment more than anything else”

“Alright, vod.  I’m gonna check on Oofatfeli”

“Don’t you mean Echo?”

“Shut up!”

- - - - - - -

I opened the door slightly, to peer in, and noticed Echo had his blaster resting on his lap, his feet up on the other bed, his eyes closed.  Oofatfeli rested peacefully, I came up and placed a hand on his shoulder, he startled himself awake, thankfully quiet enough that Oofatfeli didn’t hear.  I motioned for him to follow me out.  

I kept my voice low “We contacted the Chancellor and the Senator, they’re sending backup.  General Skywalker and a garrison of your unit, will be coming to investigate and protect.”

“Do you think we’re in trouble?”

“I think Mirtilo is dead, and they’re using his name as a way to justify their actions.  I think they don’t care about her or the baby, they just want to hurt the Senator.”

“You’re worried”

“Yeah I am.  I don’t have family, they’re my family” I motioned my head to where Oofatfeli lay sleeping.  

“Well you have us now too” Echo grabbed my hand, rubbing circles on the back.

“Ha, yeah, I sort of adopted Fives as my brother” I chuckled, holding his hand tighter.

“What about me?”

“What about you?” I asked looking into his eyes

He stepped forward, moving my hair off my face, “What am I to you?”

“I … um…” I moved closer, my free hand resting on his chest, “Echo, I’m not good at this… I’ve never … I haven’t felt this way before.”

“Neither have I” he leaned in and closed the distance, his kiss was sweet, just like him.  His hand moved to the back of my neck pulling me in, deepening the kiss, while his other hand moved to my lower back pressing me flush against him.  The kiss lasted for what felt like eons, in that moment we said everything we needed to say.  We pulled back eventually when we needed to breathe again, his forehead resting against mine, “She’s your family, and I’ll protect her like she’s mine.  We won’t let anything happen to them.  I promise.”

“Echo, you can’t promise what the future hasn’t written”, I pulled back to look at him, “However, I appreciate the sentiment.”  I smiled and pecked his lips.

“I could get use to this”

“Yeah, me too.  Alright, we gotta focus.  I have no doubt they'll be back tonight.  I may have forced their hand.”

“What do you mean?”

“I told them if they didn’t provide me with answers in the morning I was going to call the Chancellor.”

“But you already called the Chancellor”

“Yeah, because I don’t trust them.  Something’s going on.  The 501st should be here in a matter of hours, if not sooner.”

“You’re amazing, mesh’la. I’ll follow you anywhere.”

“You’ll have to tell me later what that means.  Get to your position, I’ll stay with her.”

He nodded and walked away, I knew at that moment he was my future, whatever may happen, he was it, for me.

- - - - - - -

I looked down at the ring on my finger, moving it back and forth.  After everything Echo and I have been through, I had no doubt the Force brought us back together.

“What happened next?” Asked Hunter.

“Oh, right!”

- - - - - - - -

*Beep, beep* I pressed the button on my comm, “Fives, what is it?”

“We got movement.”

“Where?”

“South-west side of the house”

“How many?”

“Hard to say, maybe about 20”

“Kriff!”

“Language” came Oofatfeli’s sleepy voice,  I looked up to see her sleepiness ebb, when she the look on my face, “They’re back aren’t they?”

I nodded, “Time to get you to Room A”

“What about the midwife?” She asked, rising from the bed, I held her hand and guided her to Room A, “No time for that now, I’m afraid.  I have an idea.”

“Do either of you guys know how to deliver a baby?”

“Echo does” Fives answered

“It was basic med training.”

“Wait, you're a medic?” I asked

“No, but at least one trooper in each squad needed to know basic med until the medics arrived.”

“Okay, then you’re going to stay with Oofatfeli in Room A”

“Halcyon …”

“Echo, please! She’s my sister.”

“Alright, I’ll meet you at Room A”

The comm turned off, I made sure my comm was off as well.  

“So… what did I miss?”

“Not the time”

“Come on? Humour me, get my mind off of what’s happening.”

“Fine, we kissed”

“Eeek!”

“You’re hopeless”

“Actually I’m hopeful.”

I rolled my eyes at her. Echo was waiting for us in the room by the time we showed up.  We situated her on the cot in the room.  I leaned down and kissed her forehead.

“Be careful, sis”

“I will, Oofatfeli” I placed my hand on her shoulder, she grasped it, as I pulled away.

“Look after her” I whispered to Echo

“I will” he grabbed my hand, “You better come back in one piece.”

“I promise, Echo.  If they take a shot at me, they better aim true, or I’m coming for them.”

He chuckled, “My badass Agent”, he leaned and pecked my cheek, I cupped his cheek, and pecked his lips.  I squeezed his hand once, and walked out.  Echo locked the door behind me.  

“Alright Fives, where are they? Echo, can you hear us?”

“Yup”

“Halcyon, they’re by the hedges, edge of the property.”

“Explosives ready?”

“Just say the word.”

I sat in the hallway upstairs, with the window that faced west, all the lights had remained off, after the Senator’s Guard left the house with the two men.  I propped Peacekeeper against the windowsill, thankfully the moon wasn’t out, so there wouldn’t be any reflection.  I looked through my scope.

“Alright Fives, on my count of four, ready?”

“Ready.”

I breathed out, steadying my breaths, “Four … three … two … one … now!”

The explosives went off, in the chaos, I took out six men all head shots, five of the men died in the explosives being thrown clear.  Two of the men lost a limb and were unable to fight.  Leaving seven for Fives and I to engage.  I took down two more that came closer to the house.  Fives was able to get two as well.  Leaving three.  I heard a window break on the opposite side of the house.

“Fives we got intruders on the East, you handle the remaining three on the West, and I’ll head to the east.”

“Copy”

I shouldered Peacekeeper and flew down the stairs to the dining room, where I heard the windows breaking.  As I was heading down the stairs, I saw flashes of red bolts flying towards me, I grabbed my DC-17s and double barrelled it.  I took down three of the intruders in a matter of seconds as I slid down the banister.   I tucked and rolled once my feet hit the floor, taking out two more, when I righted up again.  

I crouched down behind the dining table, hearing the three remaining men that had entered the house.  

“Where is she?” The first assailant asked

“I don’t know” answered another

“Find her!”

I launched over the table shooting at two of the assailants in the opposite room.  The leader took off heading to the kitchen, “Fives, I think the leader is heading back towards you”

“Copy”

I heard another window breaking this time upstairs, “Fives there are more intruders, they just broke the windows upstairs, I’m going back up.”

“Where the hell are they coming from?”

I heard a blaster shot coming from the kitchen, “Fives!”

“I’m good, the leader is down.”

“Guys, I think I got company”

“Coming, Echo. Hold on” I raced back up the stairs as fast as my legs could carry, but the blaster bolts raining down were preventing me from going up, I was pinned by the banister.  Fives came up beside me, but he couldn’t get an angle either.  I put away my blasters, “Halcyon, what do you think you’re doing!”  I closed my eyes, raised my hands, sensing the five men on the upstairs banister, I heard shouting and screaming, but I couldn’t pay attention.  I felt as my force grabbed each of those men around the throat, I squeezed and pulled them down over the banister.  Each with a broken neck as they landed on the floor below.

Fives was shocked, “How… how …”

“Not now!” I grabbed my blasters and ran up the stairs, I turned the corner and the men had broken down the door.  Echo was on his knees with a blaster to his head.  Oofatfeli was being held by the Head Guard, a blaster pointed at her belly, tears were streaming down her face.

“Stop, Jedi!”

I raised my hands, “I’m no Jedi!”

“Yeah right, and anyone can just grab people invisibly, choke them and pull them over the banister.”

“I’m not here to talk about what I am or not, let them go.”

“No! We need to make a point.  The Republic doesn’t belong on Ryloth.  Ryloth deserves to be free!”

“I agree” Oofatfeli’s face was shocked, Echo, didn’t know what to make of it.  Fives was stuttering behind me.

“You do?” The Head Guard asked.

“I do” I put my blasters in my holder

“This is some sort of Jedi trick!”

“Ugh! For the last time I’m no Jedi.”  Returning my hands back to a surrender position.

“Then what are you?”

“We’re not talking about me, we’re talking about the people of Ryloth and what's best for them, and you seem to think you know what’s best for them?”

“I do… we do” he motioned to the other two men remaining, the one holding Echo at gunpoint, and the third one pointing his gun at Fives.  

“So you want to free Ryloth, want to have the Republic leave?”

“Yes!”

“Then what?”

“Then Ryloth would be free”

“Yes but then what?  You say Ryloth would be free, but then … what?  What would happen if the Separatist came back to occupy Ryloth?”

“We would fight them off”

“Really like you did when they first occupied Ryloth?  How did that work out for you?”

I could see in the other two men’s eyes their doubt beginning to form, I could also sense it through the force.

“What do you know about it?”

“I was here.  I fought on the front lines alongside Mirtilo.  We spent many nights around the campfire as soldiers talking about a free Ryloth, but you know what else we talked about?”

“What?”

“How without the Republic, Ryloth would truly be lost.  We barely held the front lines for weeks and months, but without the constant relief supplies from the Republic, from Alderaan, we wouldn’t have survived.  By the way, where were you during the occupation?”

“What?!”

I took a step forward, as I sensed the other two men’s doubt growing even more.

“Where were you?  I met all the Twi’leks who were fighting during the occupation, many of them respected me for being one of the few GAR Agents who stood beside them, fighting for supplies and relief.  Do you know what they called me?  What Mirtilo called me?”

“What?”

“Halcyon.”

“Your Halcyon” the man who had his gun pointed at Fives said.

“Yes, I’m Halcyon.  You’ve heard of me?”

“Every Twi’lek has heard of you, you never gave up, you fought beside our leaders day in, day out.  Oftentimes giving up your food and sleep to those who needed it more.  You saved my sister, when she was pinned down by droids.”

“What’s your sister’s name?”

“Don’t tell her!” Yelled the Guard.

“Aola, Aola’kopi”

“I remember her.  She’s a very brave girl.  Is that why you joined this man?  To honour your sister?”

“Yes.”

“Do you think you’re honouring her now? Holding a pregnant woman hostage, the life of her unborn child in the balance?”

The man lowered his weapon, dropping it on the floor.

“What are you doing?!” The man holding Oofatfeli screamed.

“The right thing.  For my sister.”

He kneeled on the ground, hands behind his head.  Fives raised his gun to hold the man captive.  

“What about you?  Do you think you’re doing the right thing?”

“I … I …”

Echo didn’t let him finish; he grabbed his arm and flipped him over, pinning him to the ground with the man’s own blaster.

“Looks like it’s just you and me, now” I took another step towards the Head Guard holding my sister.

“Freeze, or I’ll shoot”

“You’ve seen what I can do with the Force, do you really want to test my patience?”

“No, Ryloth needs to be free!”

“I agree.  Free from tyranny, free from terrorists, free from a war that plagues the universe.  However, these are trying times, do you really think your lives will be better, right now during a war?”

“It’s not fair!”

“No, it’s not.  Now…” I closed my eyes taking a deep breath, I focused on the man, the anger boiling over, he still held her, I noticed how the grip he had on her throat tightened, she was struggling, I had to act or the baby could be hurt, “Let. Her. Go.”

He took another step down the hallway, I took a step forward, Fives close behind me.  “I won’t repeat myself again.  Considering that’s my sister, I’ve been extremely patient.  Let. Her. Go.”

I moved till I was directly in front of him, he loosened his grip on her, Oofatfeli, didn’t wait she ran straight into my arms.  I held her for a second before the blaster went off.

- - - - - - -

“She didn’t wait for me to disarm the man, she felt the grip loosen and she just went for it. I tried to scream to tell her to wait, but she took off before I had a chance to tell her no.  He saw it as his only way out to inflict pain on the Senator, on the Republic.  I held her in my arms, as I watched the life flow out of her.  The baby didn’t survive either, despite my best efforts.  I lost my family that day.  I failed them.  Despite everything, my connection to the force, my training, I wasn’t good enough, fast enough, or strong enough.  The only remaining survivors of the terrorist cell were the two that gave themselves up.  But in the end it didn’t matter.  I lost my sister and the baby.  Having to face the Senator was one of the hardest things I had to do.”

Hunter looked at me with a new understanding, “I’m so sorry, Phoenix”

I nodded, wiping a tear, “I know what it’s like to fail, to feel like you weren’t enough, that if you did one thing different, the whole outcome would have changed.  I keep thinking what if I just pushed him with the force, what if I choked him with the force, what if we didn’t stay in that house and left without giving her an option.  However, it doesn’t matter about the what-ifs.”

“Why not?”

“Can’t change the past.  No matter how much we wish things could have been different, wishing doesn’t make it so.  We have to face our actions, and do better.”

Hunter nodded.

“Hunter, what happened wasn’t your fault.  You did everything you could.  You protected Omega to the best of your ability, Cad Bane is the best bounty hunter ever.  Do you realize he only takes the jobs no one in their right mind would touch with a ten foot pole?  Do you understand, you walked away from a duel with the best in the universe!  That’s nothing to scoff at.  I watched the recording from your HUD, you were 0.1 seconds slower then him.  That’s all the difference.  0.1 second.  That’s incredible!  We know where he is.  We’re going to get Omega back.  I’m not letting another niece slip through my fingers.”

“Oofatfeli, was going to have a daughter?”

I nodded looking at the ground, “Yeah, she was going to name her after me”

“Halcyon?”

“No, my real name.  Tala, Tala Ilian.  She was going to call her Tala”

“That’s a beautiful name”

“Hence, why I don’t go by it anymore, it only reminds me of what I lost.”

*Knock, knock*

Hunter and I both wiped our eyes, “Come in” answered Hunter.

Fives walks in, noticing our faces, but not saying anything “We’ll be landing on Tatooine soon”

“Thanks, Fives”

I get up to head to the door, I nod to Hunter, an understanding passing between us that many could never understand.  In that moment, he reacted with all the emotion that had been building, he grabbed my hand and pulled me into a hug.  A tight brotherly hug, “Thanks Phoenix.  It means a lot”

I pat his back returning the strength of his hug as much as possible “You’re welcome, Hunter.”

I pulled back, once his arms loosened and his hands rested on my arms, giving him a sisterly smile, “Come on, vod.  Wouldn’t want your medic to think something’s going on or my husband for that matter.”

Hunter chuckled nodding in agreement, “Or your ori’vod” added Fives.

I looked at him and rolled my eyes, “I regret ever adopting you, you know that” I answered as I walked by him, “Too late, there are no refunds or returns on this purchase” he motions to his whole body.

I walk up beside Echo, placing my hands on his shoulder, I lean forward and kiss his cheek, “I love you” I whisper in his ear.  He turns his head and pecks me on the lips, “Love you too, rid’ika.”

“Alright, Tatooine in five … four … three … two … one” Tech’s voice echoes through the cockpit, tension rising not knowing what we could possibly be facing.  

Tag List:

@liadamerondjarin​ @lady-ren​

[yayeetsonny]

New Beginnings~Chapter 3

This is shorter than I’d like but hopefully that’s okay. I noticed my timeline was all screwed up so the book is actually set in 2020, my bad. Also the pandemic doesn’t exist in this universe. Enjoy!

4 1/2 Months later…

Ryley PRO//

It’s been over 4 months since my accident and I am finally out of all my casts and no longer have to use a wheelchair to get around or write with my other hand. I won’t sugar coat it the first 4 months were hell and there was a lot of tears and lot of moments where I wanted to give up but Christen, Alex and our teammates made it all worth it. They helped me through the lows of physical therapy and they were there to celebrate the highs too. They had to return home after the first 2 weeks but came to visit at least once a month if not more. I was initially worried that I wasn’t going to recover in time for the Olympics at the end of July but after putting in a lot of work and pushing myself past my limits sometimes I was able to get through physical therapy much sooner than expected and I was able to show Vlatko that I still deserved a spot on that roster.

After that scare I had in the first month when I woke up not being able to breath the girls took me to a doctor and I learned that I did in fact have asthma and that I had experienced a laryngospasm because of it. I was given an inhaler and everything was explained to me so now I know what to do if it happens again, but I haven’t had one since, nor have I had any asthma attacks. Alex and Chris hovered a lot after that but now they’re much better at trusting that I’ll be okay.

I ended up finishing my junior year online and when I was able I moved back to the group home in Colorado. I didn’t want to but I couldn’t remain under Christen and Alex’s care if I wanted to be able to travel with the team this summer to Japan. They would have had to adopt me in order for that to work but I still wasn’t ready and they understood. We still text and call all the time of course and they come to visit me when they can. I still haven’t told them the true extent of how poorly I’m treated here but I decided that was for the best. 

It was warm out today and I had decided to ride my skateboard around town, my free time before I had to leave for the olympics was coming to an end so I had to take full advantage of it. We would be getting on a plane in a week and then hopefully we would return home with the gold and we could say that we pulled off the impossible: World Cup champions one year and olympic gold medalist the next. 

I reluctantly decide to head back to the group home after another hour and when I get there it’s no surprise that the house is full of potential adoptive parents and families. After politely introducing myself to a few of the people I make my way upstairs knowing no one would be interested in getting to know me. I check my phone and see I have a few texts and missed calls from Alex.

“Hey sweet girl, hope you’re having a good day. Chris and I Love and miss you.”

Read one text

I decided to call her as I had been missing their voices. She picked up on the third ring

“Hello?” Came her raspy voice through the phone.

“Hi Alex.”

“Well hello my sweet girl, how are we doing today?”

“I’m doing good, I miss you guys though.”

“I know but we’ll see you really soon.”

“Next week, do you think we’re ready?”

“As ready as we’ll ever be baby.”

“Am I ready?”

“Don’t second guess yourself, of course you are. You are going to do amazing I just know it.”

“Thank you for always believing in me.”

“Always have, always will. I love you kid.”

“I love you too.”

“I gotta go but we’ll see you soon okay?”

“See you soon. Tell Chris I said Hello and that I love her too.”

“I will, bye R.J.”

“Bye Alex.”

While I was talking to Alex I was completely unaware of Ms.Williams listening outside the door and when I hung up Ms. Williams stormed into my room, completely disregarding my “Knock first.” Sign, yanked my phone out of my hand and prevented me from taking it back,

“This is now mine, thank you.”

“What did I even do?!” 

“You were talking to that Alex Morgan girl.”

“Okay first of all she’s a grown ass woman and second, why is that such a problem?”

“Whenever you talk to her or that Christen girl they give you false hope.”

“What? Again, they’re grown women, not teenagers. What do you mean “false hope”? That doesn’t even make any sense.”

“I’m talking about the fact that you think you’re going to the Olympics.”

“I am going, I already made the roster.”

“If you think I’m going to let you leave the country while I’m still responsible for you, you’re sorely mistaken.”

“You can’t just not let me go! That’s not fair.”

“Life isn’t fair.”

“You can’t stop me from going, it’s my life.”

“While you live here I decide what you can and can’t do.”

“Well, then I just won’t live here then.”

“Pfft, where are you gonna go then?”

“Anywhere is better than here.”

“If you leave now you’re not allowed to come back.”

“I don’t care. Give me my phone.”

She threw my phone on the bed and left, leaving me to grab my duffle bag and get out of here. I packed only things I would need, grabbing my board I started to climb out the window, using the tree by my window I was able to get down safely and remain unseen by the families that were still in the house. I didn’t know where I was going to go and I realized this was probably a really dumb thing to do but I couldn’t give Karen the satisfaction of knowing I had backed out. 

I just started walking in a random direction and kept going until I couldn’t anymore. When I took in my surroundings I realized that I had already walked pretty far and that it was getting dark, if I wanted to find at least a semi-safe place to sleep I need to start looking. 

I was able to find a good enough bridge to sleep under for the night and settled there. Chris and Alex are so going to kill me.

The next week flew by, I was able to make the bridge a “home” of sorts and I was able to do some chores for the manager of the grocery store I walked to everyday and in exchange he paid me with food. This way I could save my money for Tokyo and for getting more clothes before I left. I knew that he had his suspicions about me being homeless but he never brought it up and by the time it was time for me to go to the airport we had become good friends and I even told him about the team and going to Tokyo. As for showering I was able to convince the owner of one of the gyms in town to let me take showers there without having a membership. I was just wrapping up my last day of chores when the manager of the store, Kevin came out of his office to see me off.

“Hey kid, you leavin’?”

“Yeah, I’ll miss you Kev.”

“I’ll miss you as well kid, good luck in Tokyo. Bring home the gold.”

“Yes sir. I’ll try to visit from time to time.”

“I’ll look forward to seeing you again.”

After we said our goodbyes I grabbed my stuff from the back and started to ride my skateboard to a department store where I could get a suitcase and some more clothes. Then I headed for the airport. It took forever and having to hold a suitcase made it pretty hard to stay balanced but I finally made it and after getting my luggage checked and going through security I just barely made it on time for my flight. I would be flying to Portland first and then from there we fly as a team to Japan. It would be a long couple of days and I’m sure I’m going to be exhausted by the end of all the flying but it’ll all be worth it once we get there.

When I arrived in Portland I was greeted by almost the whole team, a few people’s flights were still just landing or would be arriving shortly. The first people I saw were Chris and Alex, they ran to me and wrapped me up in their arms, smothering me with kisses. I hadn’t told them about anything that happened over the last week, they still thought I was at the group home. It got a little hard when they called me a couple times and there was a lot of commotion on the bridge but I just told them I was out riding around and that it was traffic in the street.

“Hey baby! We missed you so much.”

 Christen all but tackled me to the ground as Alex came around to hug me from behind. We landed on the floor and I found myself in a Chrislex sandwich. 

“I missed you guys too!” I gigged at their excitement

I made my rounds and was sure to say hi to everyone as they arrived and once everyone was together we were ready to head to our gate for our second flight. We had to wait around for an hour or so before we were able to board, I sat in between Al and Chris. Mal, Rose and Sam sat in front of us and Morgan, Kelley, and Emily behind us and Ali, Ash, Megan, Julie, Tobin, Crystal and Lindsey in the rows directly across. Everyone else filled the remaining rows. This 13 hour and 10 minute flight was going to be long and it would probably get really old fast but I knew my teammates would make it fun and entertaining for at least part of the time. 

14 and 1/2 hrs later…

We had finally landed in Tokyo and after almost 15 hours of traveling we got to the hotel and were able to go straight to our rooms. It didn’t surprise me that I had been placed in a room with Christen and Alex, after not seeing each other for a while I was glad to be with them. Everyone was exhausted, so much so that all anyone said to each other as we went to our rooms was “Night.” Or just a grumble as a way to say “See you in the morning.” 

I was allowed first dibs on a bed so I picked the one closest to the window. 

“Goodnight baby love, see you in the morning.” Christen said from her spot on their bed.

“Goodnight kiddo, sleep well.” Alex yawned

“Goodnight guys.”

They both fell asleep instantly and I was left to wonder how I was going to tell them about everything. I knew I had to tell them the truth soon, I just didn’t know how. On one hand I knew that they would be mad that I had taken off from the group home but I also knew they were going to be even more upset that I didn’t tell them. I knew that if I had they would have come to get me and then they could be arrested for kidnapping or something like that if Ms. Williams found out and decided to report me as missing just to spite me. And yes technically she could do that now and it would be 10x worse since I left the country but she’s not going to risk her reputation by doing that. At least I don’t think she would. 

I ran through what I was going to tell them in my head over a dozen times before I was finally able to go to sleep. I knew tomorrow was going to be tough but I just had to hope that I’d be ready to face the music. 

//

Hey guys, this isn't my best work and this is probably all over the place but I hope it was still good. Sorry for mistakes.

- N

Tag list: @slow-dance-in-the-dark​ @messyheath​ @yeetlysonnett​ @anniekin-98​ @kayleighromae​ @ihavebeenchangedforgoodmenzel​ @laikato​

[blankdblank]

Next Caller Pt 42

“It’s supposed to be Sheppard’s Pie, but it’s more of a, swirl than layered.” Giggling softly you sat down I the chair beside him.

“Looks delicious all the same.”

Sheepishly he grinned at you and he asked, “How was work?”

“Quiet as usual, saw three check outs, got some decent tips I handed over.”

“How does that work with tips?”

“Well you turn them in each night and they take note of them for taxes, the total is added to your checks monthly, and there’s options to send it or a part at least to the cooks who make our lunches.”

“That’s a nice touch.”

“Well we’re not allowed to tip generally, only paying guests can.” After wetting your lips you asked, “How was the shop?”

“Good, only stopped in for a bit. They didn’t really need me today. Keep finding reasons to send me home early anyways lately.”

“Imagine that,” you teased making him smirk at you. “I should warn you though, we’ll be having company near breakfast tomorrow.”

“Really?”

You nodded, “Apparently I am the only show host willing to aid in a repair air time slot on our floor and now that I have my own booth Echo and Glori will be over to help set it up to broadcast from here. Don’t know what Mal will get up to past possibly nap.”

Thorin chuckled again, “I am certain she could find something to help with the show.”

“Haven’t much recorded bits for her to signal and with the system I have the touch screen in the booth I can link to the monitors outside to signal audio clips.”

“Well I am certain it will be a rousing success. How long will the repairs last?”

“Two weeks, minimum. Depending on how much of a fuss the other shows put up sounds like. I think they’re wanting to add in a second sound booth so we won’t have to ant march past one another. No doubt with some special touches for each show, bunnies flooded on mine for instance,” making him chuckle again in your next giggle.

“Right, um, I was meant to ask on behalf of Bofur’s daughter, Shari, and her boyfriend Ori,”

“Boyfriend?”

He nodded, “Yes, he’s a mix between Firebeard and Broadbeam, just barely related through Dain to our clan by marriage. Many get confused, Shari takes more after her Hobbit Amad to having our Durin looks.”

“Ok, you were saying?”

“Right, yes, the pair of them graduated art school and they were watching your show on Bombadil and they love the style that matches theirs and they were wondering if you might have some tips to get them started in animating. They have a summer program starting soon they got intern spots on but it’s months off.”

“Oh, um, I mean if they want something to do they could help me fill in coloring on my panels. It’ll be mind numbing and painful for their hands but if they’re up for it...”

“They will be. I’ll text Bofur after dinner.”

“Isn’t it a bit late?”

“His shift ends in an hour, a night owl as well works in the business side with Gran and Gramps.”

“Ok, ya, well if they’ll be up they could be here before my show and they can work through it if they like otherwise I could try to work a weekend thing out.”

He shook his head, “They’ll be here tomorrow.”

“Will I be needing to supervise them then? Boyfriend and all?”

Chuckling to himself he shook his head and replied, “No. Not at all you focus on your show they will be focused on work. They are Ones, and are of no risk, fully trusted.”

Plates emptied through sharing a bit more on possible plans for the week for him while you were at the hotel and smirking as you eyed the messages on the board from the birds you helped fill the dish washer he started then paused at your hug. Wrapping his arms around you in return he asked, “What is this for?”

“Apparently you want hugs, Cuddle Monster.”

Thorin laughed and kissed he top of your head, guiding you along halfway releasing you, “Come on, off to bed with you. Big day tomorrow.”

You nodded and after changing to comfy flannels and a halfway sheer tank top you flopped into your bed and wiggles under the covers in the room beginning to warm by the fire to the distant sound of Thorin answering Bofur’s confirming call to secure the details he was all too elated to hand over.

.

Up you sat to the sound of a doorbell and out of bed you climbed frowning your way to the door as you awoke. Opening the door you brushed your hair back and looked to BamBam in his bag alone on your porch making you step out and peer over into your front garden where Mal has chased a paper of hers. Bending down you picked up the bag watching Mal huffing in snatching it up and turning around to join you on the porch. “Sorry,” taking hold of BamBam’s bag saying, “Keep losing my notes, got a tear in my bag buying a new one after this.”

“Oh that’s good,” you said as she stepped in and you watched Echo pull into your driveway with a truck parked on the street behind it.

To the door the techies strolled after Echo with all their supplies in heavy looking bags that you guided inside and through the house past Thorin heading to the kitchen to get started on breakfast. “Want some tea?”

The Elves shook their heads thanking him for the offer and Echo said, “Tea would be lovely, thank you. Should not take long.”

The dark room seemed in an odd place to the techs but when you switched on the lights their lips parted at how the space was so far from what they had expected out of an old storage room. “Booth is over there, clearly, and the audio set up is over here in this corner.”

They nodded and got to work as Mal looked the space over still gawking and Echo said, “This is splendid. I should warn you I had some bodies in my trunk.”

Your brow inched up and unnoticed to you at the tail end of the group you saw Elrond’s twin uncles holding their work kits and rolling stools for said kits you accepted hugs from, “What are you doing here?”

Elured chuckled replying, “Glori said you were working on a commercial. We know you’ll need help.”

Elurin, “In town till Saturday, then we have to help with some mural in Gondor since they had a row with Beorn over his bear theater so he is retaliating through art.”

You giggled and nodded saying, “I’ll grab my sketches, just have bare characters so far.”

Elured, “Better to have us here for the mind numbing part.”

Elurin, “Jackrabbit we love coloring books you know that.”

The stacks of bound sections had them smirking on the path back to their waiting stools and kits they rolled to the wavy desk and eyed the notes you had made and Mal asked, “All of that is for a commercial?”

The twins answered, “Anyone can just morph the expression changes and motions on top of a stagnant body pose, we prefer old school, frame by frame to make it flawless.”

Their heads turned as Thorin came in with tea for Echo who was admiring your carpet for the booth one techie was inside of. “Jaqi, kids are here,”

You nodded and when Ori and Shari came into view flashing quick grins at Mal whom they recognized in the sea of Elves. “Hey, good to see you, I know it’s early, but um, these are my friends Elured and Elurin here to help with the commercial as well.” Feeling the curiously smirking twins looking you three over you said, “Ori and Shari here just graduated from art school and wanted to get some tips on animating before a summer program of theirs.”

Elurin chuckled, “No problem there, we have the best break into it right here.”

Elured motioned the closer, “Come in, while Jackrabbit eats we’ll give you the basics on it.” The pair moved in and while you stepped out Mal went with you and Thorin leaving them to it so you could eat. Smirking as she saw you winding your curls up into an awkward bun already starting to droop. “Sleep well?” She asked and you nodded.

“Not bad. Just a bit earlier than usual.” At your seat you lifted your mug of tea to sip on then said, “I’m good.”

She sat down beside you still keeping hold of BamBam asleep on his bag and asked, “Seriously, all that was the commercial?”

You nodded, “Three full minutes. And it’s just the characters, no background or color yet.”

“Get out.”

You giggled, “It takes a lot of patience to be an animator.” Looking her over you asked, “How was your night? You look like you’re holding something.” She smirked and you said, “Besides him.”

Sheepishly she said, “I got an interview.”

“Ooh,” That had Thorin looking over at her wondering if she was aiming for another job.

“Well you know I’m two years left on my Marine Biology degree so I can finally start interning, and there’s a really great program in the Grey Havens this summer. The head of it picked out my application, loved my profile page I had to make and wants to come interview me on Thursday.” Her eyes scanned over you.

“That’s amazing, why are you looking at me like that if you need the summer off I won’t be mad go follow the fish in the sea.” Making her smile as you added, “I won’t stand in your way.”

“See, thing is, they needed to pick an interview location, and, well, I sort of gave them your address.” Your brow inched up and Thorin chuckled to himself, “See, I can’t take them to the Tea shop, or the tattoo parlor which I live over, but no doubt they’ll get crushed by something toppling over. Can’t use Bilbo’s house because no doubt Frodo will streak through coated in bubbles with Bilbo and Dwalin after him. And it’s on Thursday and I hoped if you were here and off the show you might let me use the dining room or parlor just for the interview I swear I’ll pay you back or do chores or whatever you need.”

Rolling your eyes you said. “It’s fine. Not a problem, good impressions, I get that. Rented my friend Elrond’s tea room once for one of mine. Thank you for actually asking. So, details.” You said taking another sip.

“Well, it’s mainly working with a shark preservation camp. Heading out to inspect, observe, tag and all that with some work helping on the rescues and injured sharks back at their base. Most first timers don’t get to go in the deep ocean yet so mainly I might just be centered around nursing in the base and compiling data maybe.”

“Doesn’t sound too bad, do you get to be the one to give the baby sharks their lollipops?” She gave you a playful glare and you giggled back, “I’m sorry I’m not trying to tease you. You say shark nurse and that’s what I see a baby shark sick in bed just waiting for its lollipop and temp to be taken.”

A grin cracked across her lips, “Alright, it is a cute image.”

“You’ll have to send pictures.”

“I’ll have to get in first.” She sighed out as Thorin started to set food down in front of you, gesturing at it in a silent question if she wanted some she shook her head as you spoke freeing him to grab his own food.

“You’ll get in you love rescuing animals. I mean come on you even took in an injured Mortar boar for Vanna’s sake.”

“Ooh, cast off this weekend, Dain is so thrilled he’s planning a party for Truffles and him to welcome BamBam fully.”

“Aww, so sweet.” After another sip you lowered your mug asking, “Why wouldn’t they take you? Since you’re so critical of being accepted.”

“Well, for the blaring obvious reason no Dwarves have been accepted before, and only a handful of Hobbits, who all got especially high class jobs from the internship.”

“So what’s the problem? You love sharks, they’ll let you in.”

“Ok, you don’t,” she sighed, “Cirnaven is one of the hardest researchers out there-,”

“Cirnaven?” You asked in fluid Elvish correcting the pronunciation wondering if she was trying to say someone else’s name instead.

“I, yes... wait have you heard of him? Is he really famous out there? I know you came through the Grey Havens and Lindon.”

“He’s my step father’s twin brother.” That dropped her jaw that lowered even more as you said, “He used to take me on his runs when I lived there.”

“Jaqi!! You went diving with him?!”

Following a timid nod you said, “He’s the one who helped me with my water therapy.”

Her mood dimmed a moment then spiked again as she asked at Thorin’s settling down at the table patting your hand before easing your utensils closer to your hand signaling you to eat. “Could you put in a good word then?”

“No doubt I already have.” Her brows arched up and you said, “Look, I don’t have many friends and my calls home got boring, I have talked about you and my Naneth had three times as many questions on you as your parents had on me. I wasn’t kidding when I gave you their best on holidays and your name day. No doubt Cirnaven was told about you and the name caught a flag.” You paused a moment as you said, “Come to think of it I can’t remember him taking anyone outside of Numenor past the Misty Mountains.”

Mal pointed at you, “See! My point! Right there.”

“And you invited them right to my house,” you teased.

“I-,” her voice cracked a moment as that set in that if they had wondered if she was your friend that the address would no doubt confirm you were her friend.

“Game and point.”

“I don’t think that’s the term,” Thorin muttered around his mouthful and you sighed around yours making him chuckle. “Don’t mind me. I’ll be heading out in a little bit. Won’t know I’m here, give you plenty of privacy.”

“You do know you live here, right?” He nodded smirking as you continued, “Just making sure. Not gonna be naked in the booth no need for privacy, you’d be listening anyways so no need to scurry away.”

“New inventory today, Balin will need me.”

“Ooh, jealous.” You teased making him smirk and chuckle causing Mal to smirk watching the pair of you bantering.

“What am I in store for then? If I may?”

“Not much, just breaking into Durin’s house.” Making him almost choke on his food and coughed a few moments.

Mal, “You do know that’s grounds for proposal depending on what Bunny does?”

You smirked at her making him chuckle and say stabbing another slice of waffles, “Gran no doubt will be calling again in that case. Can’t wait.”

Mal, “Will they at least be engaged by tomorrow?”

“Not yet.”

The pair of them groaned and you giggled. Thorin asked, “How is that possible, tradition is they break in and he has to propose for surprising him in his dwelling.”

“For a traditional break in yes.” His brow inched up as you said, “It’s his birthday.”

“Not till November.” He grumbled back.

“Well if he would have answered Bunny’s question it wouldn’t be but it is now.”

He pointed his fork at you, “You’re doing this on purpose.”

You giggled again and Mal said, “You said Durin and the bantering isn’t till book two, when do they get together, and I mean full courtship wide open.”

“Book four.” Again they groaned and you took another bite of your food. “Just wait till book three, when he gets to wooing.”

Thorin smirked holding back his argument that according to Dwarf traditions has been clearly wooing Bunny already leaving you your surprises knowing they would be amply worth it.

.

Echo shared fully how the system was to work and assured you he was staying for the first show with Glori confirming it was airing flawlessly as it should from the station where the work crew had just gotten started. Into your booth you went leaving the young couple between the twins wondering where the rest of the crew was for the show. Up onto your stool you sat settling your notebook on the stand inside the small booth and you inhaled sharply tapping the screen on the monitor there to confirm in the countdown to being live that you were ready. And through your headphones you slipped on the opening music played at Mal’s tap from behind the desk across the room while BamBam napped on the floor beside her feet.

“Hey hey hey, it’s me your dear friend Bunny, devoted as ever with my ear to the ground here to give you all the latest. Today however much like before we are on an adventure as I happen to be scaling a wall at the moment carrying you with me.”

At the shop Thorin smirked at the opening wondering how the break in would take place and go over with his kin.

“Now, we seem to be locked in quite a dilemma because I find myself committing quite the crime of the century, but you see it really can’t be helped as it is entirely out of my own volition you see.” Brows inched up wondering what violent ends Bunny was facing to commit a crime. “Quite bluntly not two days passed I had been thwarted in trying to discover the birthday of King Durin, and so now here I am, scaling this monstrosity of a wall to bake for the stubborn King. Whether he likes it or not, the truth of it is, no matter what today is now his birthday and he shall just have to live with the fact that today of all days even as a King he cannot escape an impending cake.”

Carrying out through the process inside and through the palace and unloading of ingredients as several smirking servants were noted by the narrator taking over for you. Blending in was Durin still brooding away as to how his next meeting with Bunny would go after their last speaking ending in a row recapped for those listening in seeing the painfully easy to remedy dilemma the pair faced. With his sharing the date he misunderstood her reasoning to know and her sharing her intentions for spending said date with him. All wishing to simply drag both characters to lock them in a room until they shared they loved one another.

*

Colors had been set out and divided up with your reference colored sketch taped up for the new duo and Elured said, “Now, you handle the gown base, you the wrap,”

Elurin, “Just leave the details to us.”

Ori eyed one of the panels asking, “what are these lines?” Asking about the fainter lines aimed from two tally marks landing across Beatrice and the chair underneath her.

Elured, “Those are light references. Now this one is from the lamp, so to this we will add a golden hue, while others with moonlight shall be more silvery white.”

Shari, “Jaqi adds light references? These are on nearly every panel looks like.”

Elurin chuckled, “Like we said, Jackrabbit is very old fashioned. Used to carrying the weight and thanks to that it makes this so much simpler for us.”

Elured, “Now, around those lines color your spots in and we will show you how we treat those sections.”

Getting to coloring with colored wax pencils they filled in their sections and passed the images on only to watch as the brothers colored the light strips in with non wax colored pencil they then painted over with a golden hue coloring up to where the lamp would be adding more depth to the scenes. The twins taking turns with each panel on the smaller details they let dry and accepted the next pair in a slow building stack from the first section that Echo smirked in seeing coming to life.

A detail on the chair however had Ori asking, “These symbols, on this chair, what are they? Some old form of Elvish?”

Elurin, “No, Troll.” That had the couple looking at him.

Shari, “Why would Miss Pear add Troll runes to this tale? I know she added Troll characters to her old show-,”

Elured, “Back in her apartment before her move to Beryl she lived in a Troll town. Babysat for a family of Trolls, all while the first show was in development.”

Elurin, “Gorufndunt, the little boy, one day he started crying so hard. A game promoting a Troll character just ended up the butt of jokes and mocked and abused because out of the band of warriors he was the lone Troll and by public opinion was meant to be mocked and insulted. Gorufndunt believed so much that for once there could be a Troll outside Troll media that was more than that.” That had their lips parting.

Elured, “So Jackrabbit put her foot down, we revamped the entire second half of the first season to include a Troll Warrior named Gorufndunt, with his parents’ permission that is, to use his name. She fought so hard to keep him strong and respectable and true to their traditions. Sure there were misunderstandings and a few teasing snippets, and he was a clown at times, but for his own choosing nothing to do with his race. Fully respected member of the team and looked up to.”

Shari, “What did the little boy think?”

The twins smiled replying, “He loved it. Every moment, and he was so proud.”

Echo, “Small hands turn the wheels of the world. That move was not much, but it started the motion all the same. She knew how much it meant to him and it would mean to so many other little children watching looking for someone to look up to just like them.”

Ori asked, “How did he like the next season, wasn’t there a family in that one?”

Their smiles dropped and Elured said, “There was a fire, in their apartment building. None of the family could get out, Jackrabbit barely did. Their names are in the memorial clips at the credits, and for the second season after reaching out to their clan she was granted permission to add a family for the warrior with their names. All equally as strong and respectable in their own ways, even little Brumble in her wobbling years.”

Elurin, “Their clan was honored to have them live on, their little quirks, and snippets of their lives that their heirs now get to watch with pride seeing the characters their ancestors inspired.”

Echo, “When Jackrabbit’s Ada’s clan had all but disowned her Trolls showed her kindness and friendship, one she feels to have betrayed in losing that family from the world. With all her projects she tries to add little hints to make people wonder and possibly inspect to look up their history.”

Mal hurried back to her desk from her bathroom break stepping over BamBam on his path around the room again and with a call from Glori Echo stood in your own commercial break you exited the booth saying, “Excuse me,” hopping over BamBam to hurry out the room.

Back again you came letting out a breath asking Ori and Shari in a peer over the desk, “How you doing?”

Shari grinned at you flexing her fingers and hands in the break, “Good. Thank you for giving us this chance.”

“Well I’d like to help where I can, and you’re really doing me the service.”

Ori, “Can we ask what the Countess is saying?”

“Give it till Thursday and you can hear the audio clip recordings yourselves. Giving it a simple try and hopefully they will like it.”

Echo said walking over, “If anything you might have to invite Gorgo over on the weekend to give it a once over.” Leaning in had claimed a warm hug, “Glori needs some back up, I do believe you have it under control from here.”

By the time you had returned however Echo sighed saying, “Glori needs me.”

On your toes you accepted his hug saying, “I’ve got it, go have fun, about to throw some flamingos into this pool party.” Making him chuckle and leave as you said, “I can drop the guys off after the show.”

“You are doing spectacular Dear JackRabbit.”

Mal said, “Don’t know how you stay sane in that box.”

Smirking at her from the doorway you said, “You just have to change the way you think.”

She rolled her eyes, “Let me guess, outside the box?”

You giggled closing the door and moving back to your stool to add your headphones again readying to dip back into the show again, yet when you came back on the air you looked down hearing a snorting in the booth while you were describing setting the table with all the food you had made only to have light fill the box when Mal crept inside pulling BamBam out of the box she closed mouthing an apology. Chuckles came from the trio in the tea shop knowing where the odd boar noises came from others largely ignored.

Pt 43

@avaria-revallier​​ , @c-s-stars - Stars hope you like the details coming up about your dear Mal :D

[hythlodaes]

34 "It's just you and me." for revan/alek? 💕

thank you, loes

34. “It’s just you and me.”

 Alderaan is colder than Revan thought it would be. 

It’s the only thought she allows herself to think as she watches the stars slowly spin around the axis of the sky. These half-aware lights sit above the mountains, which rise flat black against the night—jagged lines dotted with houses that are grand, even from a distance. 

She’d thought that the hills of Dantooine were something to marvel at, but this is something else entirely. 

It’s the first time Revan’s left home. She’s nineteen, and she’s never been away from Dantooine before. She’s nineteen, and she’s never felt further away from who she is. This past year has taken something from her that she cannot name. She lost more than just her master all those months ago, when she stood in the Council Chamber and change happened to her instead of because of her. 

And maybe that’s the hardest thing for her to understand. In her youth, in her innocence, her sense of security has never been challenged. Everything was the same for so long, and then it wasn’t. The one person she could trust was the very person who made her a victim, but Revan’s heart has broken and mended and bears its scar, and now she’s homesick. 

She’s tired of it, but she is. She’s tired of wanting to go home, because home doesn’t feel like it used to and that’s something that’s never going to get better. 

But the night air is cold on Alderaan, and Revan sits on the balcony of the lodging that’s been provided for her, Master Zhar, and Malak. Their diplomatic mission has been too busy to fully enjoy their surroundings, but these nights make up for it in their own way. 

Even in the dark, Alderaan is something to behold. 

“It’s late,” she hears Malak say. His voice has an edge of sleep to it, and when she glances over her shoulder, she sees his tall figure in the doorway. As tall as the mountains, he is. Tall and smiling, he draws closer to join her on the couch, where Revan automatically tosses half of her blanket onto his lap. 

“Didn’t feel like sleeping,” she says back, hiding the grin that seems to find her lips more and more around him. If Master Kae broke her heart, well…Malak’s the one who tries to piece it back together, and it works more than she’d ever admit. 

“What, playing politics all day doesn’t tire you out?” 

“I’m never tired,” she admits, but it sounds like a joke so she goes with it. 

It works. “You’re so full of it.” 

Her gaze lands on the dimples that show up with his pressed smile, and something in her warms enough that she has to shift her position, facing the view rather than him. “Why are you awake?” 

“Zhar snores,” he answers simply, and Revan snorts a small laugh as he continues, “I sensed you out here, so I figured you might want some company.” 

“A bold assumption.” 

“Please, you love having me around.” 

“You’re quite inescapable, I’d say,” she says, but she smiles as she looks over at him again, at his soft smile in the starlight. “Let’s play a game.”

“Kriff, here we go,” he says. “Which one?” 

“Truth or truth?” 

He laughs, and his chin always tilts up a little when he does so. Strong jaw, smooth skin, he looks blue in this light. “I don’t know if there’s anything left for us to ask about each other.” 

“I don’t care about you, I want to know if Zhar really snores.” 

“He does. Sounds a lot like that swoop bike you’re convinced will race.” 

“Just give me time, you’ll see,” she says, only slightly resentful that he doesn’t believe in her skill as a mechanic. “Come on, your turn.” 

He sighs, long and slow, and he moves his gaze over to the mountains. She follows it, letting her eyes roam across the trees that catch the light on their needles—taller than anything on Dantooine. The night feels wholly alive with the two of them like this, witnessing it like this. Malak tucks himself in a little, curling his legs up onto the sofa, and one of his knees touches the outside edge of her thigh. He curls his hands under the blanket and pulls it up to his chin. 

Finally, he settles on, “Why are you really out here?” 

“To distract myself,” she answers, more honestly than she expected. Their eyes meet, and she sees the cautious curiosity in his gaze. She presses her lips together. “I’ve been thinking about Kae.” 

“Yeah?”

“Yeah,” she says, finding she can’t elaborate. It’s an opening, but one she won’t take. Malak understands more than most only because he’s been told more than most, but it’s still not enough for him to understand. She shifts her position again, ending up with her elbow resting on his knee, and refocuses her mind on the game. “Do you think we’ll miss this someday?” 

“Miss what, exactly?” 

“This,” she says. “I don’t know. Both of us with Zhar, going on missions. Living on Dantooine. It’s going to change soon, you know.” 

Malak makes a small noise as he considers it. “I guess. Right? This isn’t the past yet, so it’s hard to tell.” 

Her brows furrow a little at the center. “Isn’t it enough to know that you enjoy something about your life, and that someday it’ll be different?” 

“Yes?” he says, but he sounds unsure. Maybe she isn’t explaining this right. “Is this your way of saying you’ll miss me when I’m on Coruscant?” 

She exhales a laugh, because right. He got accepted for his advanced training program there. As soon as they’re knighted, he’ll be leaving her, and they both know that the Council will put as much distance as possible between them. 

“What if it is?” she asks. 

His smile stills before it slowly falls, and something infinitely more serious comes over him. “Really?” 

“Well, who else will I annoy all the time?” It comes out weakly but it lightens things between them, and Malak smiles as he shakes his head. “No one better than you, Mal.” 

“I’m truly blessed,” he says. “Whose turn is it?” 

“Yours, I believe.” 

He hums as he thinks about it, and Revan takes the time to watch the way the starlight ghosts over his tattoos, making them look silver instead of their usual blue gray. She shifts her gaze as soon as he looks up and asks, “What’s your favorite thing about Alderaan?” 

“The landscape,” she answers automatically. “What a lame question.” 

“I didn’t know boring questions were against the rules.” 

“They are now.” 

He snorts. “Fine. Ask me something exciting, then.” 

Revan allows herself a moment to think. There’s one question that comes to mind, that’s been on her mind for some time now, and it’s like—now or never, right? Her voice only falters for a half second as she asks. “Have you ever kissed anyone?” 

She watches his brow dip for a moment before the corners of his lips raise, and he glances over at her and tilts his head. “Of course I have.” 

Of course I have. 

“What?” The word tumbles out of her mouth too quickly. “Who have you kissed?”

“It’s not your turn.” 

“Malak.”

“People? I don’t know, it was years ago. It’s not a big deal.”

“Not a big deal?” 

He frowns. “Is it?” 

“I’ve never kissed anyone,” she admits, and feels a sharp shock of embarrassment flood through her. She squeezes her eyes shut for a moment, realizing she’s essentially given him permission to make fun of her for the rest of their lives. 

Only—that’s not what happens. 

He merely shrugs. “That’s okay, it’s not like you have to.” 

“Well I do now,” she says. “I can’t live in a galaxy where you’ve kissed someone and I haven’t.” 

This time he laughs. “And how do you plan on fixing that?”

“With you,” she says, proud of herself that her voice doesn’t shake around the words. “Would you?”

It���s almost comical, the way his eyes widen and his lips part. A half second of silence passes before he chokes out, “What?”

“It doesn’t have to be a big deal,” she continues, her heart picking up as her mouth runs away from her. “You could just kiss me, get it over with.”

“What—that doesn’t—” he looks away. “Won’t that make things weird?”

“Only if we let it.”

If it’s possible, his brows raise even higher. “And what does that mean?” 

“I trust you,” she says, which isn’t much of an explanation at all, really. “It’ll only be weird if one of us is weird about it.”

“Okay,” he agrees, and though he shakes his head to himself, she watches him glance down at her lips and swears her heart’s going to beat out of her chest. When he looks back up at her eyes, there’s something hesitant, but it turns into a slow smile. “You’re ridiculous, you know that, right?” 

“Fully aware,” she says, but she sits up and faces him more fully. His eyes are all over her as she moves, and she can feel her hands start to shake as he mirrors her. 

“This is a lot of responsibility, you know,” he says. 

“Think you can handle it?” she asks as she leans in a little. Her lips fall into a grin that betrays her nerves. 

“What if someone finds out?” he asks in return. 

She takes a breath. “It’s just you and me, Mal.” 

And that’s enough, isn’t it? No one else has to know.

He reaches forward to cup her jaw, and the smile falls off of her lips entirely. She looks into those blue eyes, at the proximity of those blue eyes, and realizes what, exactly, she has asked for. 

“Malak,” she breathes, his name just a whisper between them. One heartbeat. Silence. A single moment that stretches on for far longer than it has any right to. Revan’s eyes stay on Malak’s and he looks so nervous that she has to wonder if he’s feeling what she’s feeling.

Because the truth is, somewhere deep down, something she’s not yet ready to confront, wants this to mean something. 

He touches the corner of her mouth, right over the scar that sneaks across her lips, and his brows come together as he says, “I gave you this.” 

“And I kept it,” she replies. Both of their voices are infinitely softer than they were before, and there are things she knows she’s not allowed to say, no—she can’t say them at all.

He tips his head forward and Revan automatically closes her eyes as she feels his lips touch hers. At first, all she can focus on is the strangeness of the feeling, so unlike what she’d expected, but then his thumb brushes against her jaw and she relaxes into it, letting herself feel it for what it is, and oh. 

That’s just it….oh. 

She’s breathing hard as he pulls back, and it takes her longer than it should to open her eyes again. When she does, it’s to Malak watching her carefully, like she might be angry, but all she can do is look at him. 

All she can do is look at him, but all she wants is to lean in again, to kiss him again until her racing heart begins to make sense. 

“Okay?” he asks, and her eyes drop to his lips, lips that had just touched her own moments ago, and she nods.

“Okay,” she says, but both of them just keep watching each other. Malak lifts his gaze and stays on hers, and she can tell he’s thinking too hard so she reaches for his hand, tangling their fingers together on the blanket. 

They’re still close, is the thing, and it’s an endless moment later that Malak leans in again. She’s ready for it this time, meeting his lips and squeezing his hand tight. She doesn’t think she can breathe but she doesn’t want to. She just wants him—more than she’d ever admit. They can’t acknowledge this ever again but right now they have it, and that’s what matters. 

It’s just overwhelming to kiss him like this, and feel like it’s something he wants too. 

But they part again, and this time he leans back to put some distance between them. “Just when I think I understand you, Rev.” 

She swallows. “You know me better than anyone.” 

“A terrifying concept.” 

Their hands separate in some kind of mutual understanding, and Revan reaches back for the blanket instead, pulling it up to her chin, resisting the urge to press her lips together. When she looks back over at Malak, he’s still clearly wary. He crosses his arms over his chest, and the distance between them feels far now that they’ve been close. 

But it can’t last. Revan takes a breath, and lets herself grin. “Right. I think it’s your turn, then.” 

Malak laughs, and just like that, it’s over. 

Just like that, it never happened. 

[way-veee]

yān yǔ

rating: m genre: romance, fluff, comedy, wayv being absolute crackheads word count: 1.5k + pairing: reader x wayv pt. 2 

“just recording? okay i can manage that.” you reassure yourself on the phone with your manager. 

“yeah, it’s just for half the day because the boys have rehearsal for the other half, you’ll be in the umeda district, without any cameras or media coverage, me and mr. lee think it will have a more relaxed outcome for the report.” 

“you talked to mr soo-man lee?” you question definitely skeptical of your manager.

 “well i talked to someone that’s ordered around by him so in theory.. you know what forget it.”  

a small smile plays on your lips in the early morning light.

 “just be ready by 10:00 and remember, make them look good, really good. do you hear me?” 

you grimace slightly, you were known to give an unbiased sometimes harsh opinion on your reports. painting wayv in an angelic light would go against everything that you’ve worked for. 

“yes of course.” you whisper, before hanging up the phone unable to take anymore orders from your manager. 

you make sure you have everything in place, you have on one of the sweaters you brought, with jeans and your favorite purse. you pack your laptop and journal so you can jot down notes for today’s section. you even put on a little makeup, not that it mattered what other people saw you as, you just wanted to wear it. after everything is settled you leave the room. 

and there’s no one in the hallway. 

you look at your watch, it’s only 9:41, had the boys not woken up yet? you tip toe quietly to look for any signs of life, but find none. you shrug, it’s not your fault  that the members of wayv couldn’t manage their time properly. you walk out to the garage of the complex expecting a black bmw to drive you and wayv  to umeda. 

instead you find seven fashionably early boys. 

you open your mouth in shock. how did they beat you here?

you hated to admit it but they all looked so good. wearing trendy and fashionable high end clothing, everything looked so effortlessly nice and boyfriend material ish, you knew it was carefully pick out just for this occasion. you roll your eyes in disdain. 

did they have no sustenance in their life? did they have any choices of their own? just the thought constricts you. 

“ i thought there weren’t going to be any cameras today?” you say flatly.          

 they look you up and down definitely not impressed by your boring appearance. 

“if there were cameras around you wouldn’t be here.” you looked shocked, over at xiaojun. 

“and you all wouldn’t be taking photos that i’d allow in my issue.”

 they’re all shocked at you now. no one ever talked back to them, especially not some little reporter girl in a baggy brown sack. 

“the car’s waiting.” you hear kun say, definitely trying to break this doomed conversation apart. 

you all pile into the van, one of their countless and disposable employees sits beside the driver. 

“so y/n,” he says as they drive off. “we hear you’re a great reporter?” 

the boys highly doubted that, they highly doubted that you’re even supposed to be here.

“that’s very kind of you to say,” you respond, genuinely flattered. “i actually was head journalist of the louis vutton fashion show here in osaka, and another one of my articles was chosen to cover the osaka university crisis.” 

you can feel the boys surprised impressions behind you. you had single handedly covered two of the biggest events in osaka. 

they weren’t the only ones that excelled in their field of work. 

when you got to the studio, the managers had takeout ready for you guys to eat. after, you were flung into a meeting after with wayv and their managers, they discussed logistics and statistics no doubt to impress you. 

but all you could focus on was the seven boys sitting on the opposite side of the table, making mean faces at you. 

you couldn’t believe it, they were full on glaring at you the whole time. you couldn’t fathom how superstars like them could be so rude, so you naturally make faces back, sticking your tongue out, curling your lips. 

it didn’t scare them like you intended it too, but it was more interesting than the meeting.

 the boys had to have a word with the producers from the studio. of course you weren’t allowed in, because it was “sensitive information”, so you were exiled alone into a room beside the studio, just with a few chairs and a piano. 

you refrained from playing the piano for sometime, sitting in a chair fiddling with your thumbs, but as the minutes added on you gave in quite easily and decided to play it. 

the leather seat feels familiar as you trace your hands across the keys. the piano was the only instrument you enjoyed playing, something about is was different than every other. whenever you played music on the piano, you immersed yourself in it.

 your right hand starts to aimlessly play a tune by muscle memory, then your other hand joins in and you let out a familiar sigh of relief as your body slips into a state of relaxation that you only get from playing the piano. 

you played the piano a lot when you were in high school. you didn’t have many friends and most subjects didn’t entertain you. aside from writing, playing piano was what you did most. you played pop song covers, jazz, classical, movie scores. whatever you could get your hands on. what you lost in social interactions, you made up with music.

it was also very personal to you. you played with your whole heart, there was so much emotion and expression you put into it. if anyone said something rude about your playing, your whole world would shatter.

but in this very moment, it brought you the stability you needed. so you continued playing, the song was seven minutes long and you played through it twice.

then suddenly, you feel a tap on your back and literally jump up out of your seat. red faced you turned around to see ten, seemingly unfazed. you wonder how long he’d been there. 

you hadn’t heard him enter so he could’ve been there for quite some time. the thought makes you want to shrink down into oblivion.

“i.... sorry i just started to play and...” 

“is that liszt?” he asks, genuinely curious.

 “yes,” you reply with a smile, looking into his light brown eyes. “le mal du pays.” 

you stare at him for a second waiting for him to ask more questions, but he doesn’t. he just turns back around and says 

“we needed you in there ten minutes ago.” 

he then saunters off into the room not once looking back. 

you indignantly huff and walk into the room, shaken by your encounter with ten. as you enter the room the boys stop speaking in rushed cantonese and look at you. 

“okay, now we can get started,” the director of the studio says definitely unimpressed by your tardiness.

 “so as we discussed, this album is going to be more contemporary and natural, this is where the fans will really get to know more about you and your interests.” 

you hurriedly take out your pen and notepad and scribble down points of the meeting you can expand on later.

 the director plays a few back tracks and the boys comment on them. 

 “for the main track we wanted to incorporate minnan dialect, to represent our past,”

you look up at hendery, you love the idea. it would add insight and depth to their music while honoring a part of chinese culture. 

“well..” the director cuts in, “we wanted to take another approach and stick to a standard chinese and english mix. now for the lyrics one of our producers wrote this to go along with a pre selected track..” 

you look up shocked, then at the boys. they looked so defeated after having their idea shot down, you couldn’t believe that SM basically did everything for them and wayv couldn’t do anything to stop it. 

at first you might have called the boys lazy or manufactured. but now you know that they’re trapped and dismissed. 

you see that on their faces. you had no idea. the rest of the “collaboration” took an hour, as you sat there and lied out guts your onto the notepad in front of you. 

both wayv and the producers worked harmoniously, turning primal beats and rhythms into lovely music. 

neither, had happened. the producers played generic pop beats and wayv tried again and again to get some of their ideas incorporated, failing each time.

 the drive back was silent, you could feel the defeat in the air. they were no longer looking at you, or concerned about you. 

they were looking among themselves for hope, for a way to make music they wanted to make. 

their sadness made you want to break in two. 

you couldn’t hate them anymore. you didnt deserve too, they can hate you all they want. but you could no longer be mad at these boys after seeing what they've been through. now everything makes sense.

“well, anyone can play the piano, hell even xiaojun can play the piano and look at him,”yangyang says while gesturing to xiaojun who was trying to persuade lucas to give him a piggy back because he wanted to “move fast”

ten shakes his head at yangyang, hendery and winwin.“no not like that, she was really good.”

“are you sure it wasn't a recording or-”

“no.” ten says, cutting winwin off. “it was amazing to listen to” he reminisces. getting lost in that moment, looking up at the ceiling thinking of your hands dancing across the piano keys like magic.

“it was like, she was supernatural. the look on her face was so serene that i didn’t want to disturb her. it was really weird...”

the boys look at ten waiting for him to say more.

“trust me, when you guys hear her you’ll agree. she sounded professional. really.”

he looks into the boys eyes for a glint of acknowledgment, but finds none.

“how much did you hear?” winwin asks.

“all of it.” 

the boys look at ten in shock, he never usually talked about people this way. especially not a sack wearing gross looking reporter like yourself.

“well that still doesn’t make up for the fact of her being a complete jerk!” xiaojun yells from atop lucas’s broad shoulders.

“i don’t think we can judge her until we get to know her.” kun says as he appears from his room. “there is definitely a lot there that we don’t see.”

“we’ll she’s still a bi-” yangyang then tackles hendery from behind, pulling him off of the bed the other members were sitting on. his words cut off by yangyang's clammy hands. yangyang tries to lick hendery’s nose while he yells fearfully in chinese.

after they had settled down, xiaojun thought he’d say what they were all thinking. 

“today went worse than usual. they usually consider our ideas, or act like they like them. now they don’t even pretend to need us.”

the boys look down in defeat. xiaojun was right. it had gotten worse.

“i dont know how much longer i can do this..” lucas says, looking tearfully into the palms of his hands. “ i want to be a musician. not just a body, or a face or a dancer. i want to sing and make music.”

the boys sit on the silence of the room. 

they feel the same. they had no idea how much longer they could last like this.

“i just don’t understand. our ideas are good. and they’re our ideas. no one should be treated like this.” winwin whispers.

“give it time,” kun offers. “we have fans supporting us and we have each other. music or not i want to stay with you guys.”

henderey grabs kun’s hand with his own as they sit there for the millionth time. contemplating the situation they were in. 

“we have to do something,” ten says looking up at the saddened boys he thinks of as brothers. “and i think i know how.”

they look up hopefully, but as soon as they figure out that the sack wearing gross looking reporter was involved,

chaos erupts.

part 3 

[cartoonfangirl1218]

Winner’s Curse Ch. 14

“Everyone calm down, everyone calm down, King Ben will be here soon.” Ben heard Evie warily shush into the microphone, trying to quiet the agitated crowd in the auditorium.

Ben hurriedly tried to straighten his collar which only got mussed further by his frantic hands, butterflies were alreayd beating furiously in his stomach at the thought of trying to convince this mob that there was no time to beat around the bush and bring Villain children four at time every year or so. They needed to bring them all over now. It was the right thing to do.

All without mentioning the current Coven situation on the Isle since it would only serve to panic everyone.

Not that he was already panicking himself. The commincators he had given them had suddenly cut off and though Carlos and Jane assured him that maybe it was just the climate messing with the technology and they shouldn’t jump to conclusions.. That was what he was doing. The last time they had contacted him, it was to say they had teamed up with Uma and now they mysteriously couldn’t be reached.

Uma could be holding them captive or worse. He knew all the girl wanted was to get the kids off the Isle so hopefully if he was able to pass this reform, he would be able to appease them. And hopefully Harry hadn’t hooked them first at of spite.

“Hey.” Ben felt Mal’s slender cold fingers stop his hands and felt her nuzzle against his neck, “You’re going to do great. You’re a good king.”

Ben couldn’t help but relax as Mal wrapped her arms around him. “Thanks.”

They had had a long talk after Cotillion. Mainly about the stresses they each had been dealing with and they had ignored each other. Miscommunication bred bad blood and they had promised to talk things out more and not hide it under the surface or erase it from his mind.

For Mal, he allowed her to cut back on some of her royal cosort duties and would start adding more responsibilities when she got the hang of it.

He couldn’t do such a thing being the King of the land, but Mal’s most important self-appointed duty was to help him relax and destress and provide moral support as he had helped her when she came to Auradon. He had told her over and over that she didn’t need to do it like an obligation but Mal was stubborn.

He loved that about her.

Ben turned and kissed her full on the lips enjoying the sweet strawberry taste and the slight bite she gave on his lips, “Now go out there.”

Ben knew a goofy smile was spreading on his face but he couldn’t help it. He always felt a little breathless and punchdrunk when he was in her presence. She was just so magnetic and wonderful and…

“You got to go out there now.” Mal gently but firmly pushed him in the direction of thepodium where Evie was waiting.

“Right. Right.” Ben smoothed down his face and approched. There none of the usual applause that accompined his entrence which spoke to how the people were feeling about Evie’s new idea.

The butterflies beat faster and Ben felt his knees buckle which he tried his best to hide by clutching the podium.

“Hello everyone. As I’m sure you’ve read from Evie’s recent email that we plan to bring over all the villain children from the Isle. Recent surveys of the land show it is not a fit enviroment for adults, even worse so for children.” He turned so Evie could take over as they practiced.

Evie smoothed down the paper she held and cleared her throat. “I put all the details within the document I sent all of you. But a quick overview.”

“Statistics show that every eyar at least 200 kids die on the Isle from lack of nutrition, dehydration, disease like..”   “We don’t need to know how they died. It’s good riddence!” Chad Charming shouted.

Evie’s mouth popped open and she shot a glare but her voice remained even, “No child deserves to die. No matter who their parents are.” “Sounds like someone’s a little bias.” Another voice heckled.

“Yeah, some villain kids are villain kids. Like Uma. She nearly destroyed us all!”

“She ruined my dress!” “I almost fell off the boat.” “And we’re going to let more of their kind come over?” “If.. if you all just look over to page 56 of the document, I detailed a plan for bringing them over and to prevent any incidents like Uma’s happening again. These kids just need guidence. And more importantly, food and shelter.” Evie tried to raise her voice but panic had overtaken the room and was getting to Ben too making the butterflies feel more like frantic bats scratching at his stomach.

It was happening again. Sweat began to drip down his neck and his trembling knees soon spread down the rest of his legs until he felt kike he was going to fall over. He couldn’t breath. He was losing control of the room and his body. Ben forced himself to breath through his nose though every one of his senses told him to run away while he still could.

Yet another feeling was rising beside the anxiety. The anger. The ferocious anger that made so many servants and even his mother fear his father. Why so many people still referred to him as the Beast.

The anger was unbecoming of a King but sometimes Ben clung to it. It was a strong force amid the tide of anxiety threatening to drown him. It made him feel in control, it helped him focus on getting everyone to shut up and listen!

“EVERYONE!” Ben bellowed into the microphone stunning the auditorium to silence.

“Everyone,” Ben repeated at a slightly lower volume but not bothering to hide the anger behind it, “It seems that no one here wants to act like the prince or princess they are and politely listen to Evie’s idea. Fine. You can all say whatever prejudiced arguments you want against the idea or why we should accept it. We will listen, we will take it under consideration. But I am King and I assure you, I plan to pass this law. It’s your choice if you want to read the document and understand all the facts and accept what is coming or you don’t have to. You can stew in your fear instead.”

No one seemed to know what to do or say and that loud silence was what snapped Ben back to his senses and realized what he had just done. He had lost control again. He acted immaturely and irrationally.

He acted like a little boy playing ruler instead of understanding the views and fears of the people he was serving. Even if he didn’t agree with some of them, he should have listened, not shut them down to get his own way.  

Now he really wished he could run away but all he could do was cling to the podium and ask, “Please state any concerns or wishes you have for the program. In a civilized manner.”

He heard a voice clear his throat and a dark skinned hand wave in the air.

“Yes, Prince Thaddeus Thatch Nedakh,” Ben called, proud of himself for being able to pronunce the tricky Atlantean name correctly.

“I read through your document and I find it very well thought out. It really is a detailed plan that I think is doable,” Thaddeus said more to the rest of the audience’s benefit than to compliment Evie but Evie still beamed, “However, I feel.. That maybe it is too much to do at once. I mean, it’s just, your Majesty. You still have several problems to deal with within Auradon. Like the rampant tourism that is destroying Atlantica,”

“Here, here!” one of the mermaid’s daughters called out.

“The Magic Ban that is affected almost half of the population. We, at Atlantis need magic as our life source. We can’t hide it away or surpress it for the sake of Auradonian progress. It is part of our culture and heritage. You’re trying to make everything uniform and have our kingdoms subsumed into one another, but it can’t work that way for us.” Thaddeus stated, nervously swishing his white bangs.

“If I may add to that,” Prince Pachacuti bounced up, non-too discreetly squeezing his boyfriend’s hand in a show of support, “While we at Kuzcotopia appreciate your cool things like tvs and video games and smoothies, we don’t like you trying to get all grabby grabby with our gold. That’s ours. Also-”

“What Pach is trying to say,” Thaddeus interrupted before Pachacuti could go off topic like he was wont to do, “While helping kids is noble, there are still some things we need to fix here in Auradon before we help others, and we should devote our resources to that instead.”

“Thank you.” Evie nodded, “Anyone else.” It seemed Thaddeus and Pachacuti broke the ice for more hands raised this time but before Evie could call on anyone, Chad shouted his opinion again.

“They’re right. Auradon should be considered first. Our kingdoms, our families!” “Some of those trapped on the Isle are part of our family. Like your cousin, Dizzy, is she not?” Herkakleides jumped up before turning to the crowd, “My extended family wish to free Hadie and possibly even Hades from the Isle. They are our family and holding grudges usually leads to worse consequences. Trust us, the gods know a thing or two about grudges backfiring.”

His younger sister, Madora, stood up next,“Also, Aunt Persephone would truly love to be reuinted with her husband. Yes, what he did to our parents was wrong, but we believe in taking the higher road and a greater cause. I’m not suggesting we let all the adult villains free. But the god of death and the underworld provides a certain balance to the world that is needed.”

“I have something to add.” An older voice called.

“Yes,” Evie pointed. It was clear she was happy with the people standing up for her idea.

A prim older woman with striking dark eyebrows stood up. Lady Waltham ie Clayton’s sister. She was one of the ones who were to be sent to the Isle but she had recieved a formal pardon from the Tarzan-Porter family. Ever since then, she and her daughter, Dame Rebecca, had been the most vocal activists against the Isle and she often showed up at events like these if it was out of her way.

“I, too, wish to be reunited with my nephew. I can’t speak to letting my brother free. He had made his own choices. But Clay was born there among those savages and criminals and I know he has done nothing to deserve it. If he has murdered anyone or thing while he was on the Isle, I’m sure it was because he had to. If he had been allowed to grow up here, he wouldn’t have. The difference in lifestyle and upbringing would have made all the difference. So though I did not get my nephew back then, I still wish for him to come now. He and all the other Isle children. They should be free.” Lady Waltham proclaimed to applause and quite a few hises and boos.

“I have a counterargument.” Another british voice piped up, Victoria, Tarzan and Jane’s eldest daughter, “While it’s true some villain kids wouldn’t be so evil if they had been raised correctly from the beginning, who says we can change them now. They have been raised by the same villains that have tried to kill our families. Some haven’t tried, some succeeded like when Clayton killed Kerchak. And you’re right about grudges because if those same villains still hold grudges against us, they would pass those grudges against their children.” 

“They raised them to be manipulative and decietful and evil. It’s merely a matter of security that we keep them at bay. Maybe we can’t help these children, but we can save their grandchildren. Taking those kids off the Isle now would be cruel to survivors. How would Queen Rapunzel like to deal with a little copy of her Mother dearest? Or Quasimoda and Esmeralda face another predatory figure in their life? No. No way! These kids should not be free.”

Jane stood up, the formerly shy fairy’s eyes were blazing, “How dare you say that when you know nothing about how they have been raised!”

Ben could see Evie tense up beside him and could imagine what she was thinking. And if he couldn’t imagine what Evie was thinking, he could see it plainly on Carlos’ harrowed face in the front row. Freddie Facilier looked ready to fight and Ben knew she was thinking about her own neglectful father while Ally patted her hand comfortingly. 

Some children had been raised and encouraged to be copies of their parents like Mal and Evie. But others were considered burdans. Punching bags. Abused and neglected and all other awful sorts of things. Just to ignore their plight because of a few bad apples, it made him want to go Beast all over again. Maybe then they would know what fear was like because that’s how Carlos felt whenever Cruella yelled at him.

He had wanted Carlos to come up to speak and share his experiences to garner sympathy for the plan but he knew he couldn’t ask the boy that. The trauma was still personal and raw to him and it would be cruel for him to talk about it if he wasn’t ready which Carlos told him he wasn’t when Evie asked.

He supposed he could ask Evie but her story of being pressured by her mother was too similar to other princesses in Auradon like Audrey who were used to conforming and plucking for beauty.

He had to admit, Evie, Mal, and Jay did have tough lives. But it sounded a bit better than most. Their parents cared enough to give them food and encourage them to be the worst. None of theirs was a story of being a burdenful orphan.

Probably because those orphans were dead.

Another voice clearing her throat snapped Ben out of his reverie.

“Yes, Esmeralda.” “Thank you, your Majesty.” Esmeralda stood up with her shoulders back and proud gaze, “I would thank Victoria Porter to keep her opinion based on the stories that she know and not use mine to construct her argument. It is not her story to tell. While I do not want Frollo strolling around Auradon hurting other my people, I am for the children being removed from the Isle. It is a type of oppression to segregate and despise these kids simply because of who they belong to. If you truly want to prevent more Claude Frollos than open your heart to people who are not like you. Do not judge them as monsters, do not be cruel to those who are most in need of your help. That is true justice.”

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

“Meow.” Zevon meowed.

“Well I’ll admit, it’s anticlimatic but it was the best I could do on such short notice.” Calix said as he, Uma and Ginny stared at the small purple cat with a fitting leather jacket that was formerly the teenager known as Zevon.

“You can change people into animals!” Ginny screeched, clutching her hair like she thought he was about to turn it into a bunch of snakes or somethhing. Though he did muse on the idea a bit. She had the same screechy hiss Medusa did.

“Yeah I can, magic works here on the Isle. I can also hyptonize with my singing. Part siren.” Calix puffed his chest proudly, “And I am….Son of Circe. Patent pending.”

That was all Ginny needed to know because she ran into the nearest room and with the click of a lock they knew she wouldn’t be a problem anymore.

“Is he going to stay that way?” Uma asked reaching to pet Zevon but drew back when the kitten raised its hackles.

“Probably not since there are a bunch of people that can change him back here. But still… I thought it was poetic justice. Like a mother, like son.”

In more ways than one Calix mused to himself.

He remembered that changing people to animals was one of the firsy spells his mother taught. The one she was infamous for. Sort of his birthright.

Though what was more of a birthright was the right to have his mother with him. Wasn’t that the right of everyone in Auradon and on the Isle? Wasn’t that why Mother Gothel stealing Rapunzel was such a heinous crime. For the pain she caused King Fredric and Queen Arianna.

Did King Beast and his supporters think one second how it felt for Circe, a supposed villieness to have her son ripped away from her to live on this stinking wasteland. Or him, the innocent child, that had always depended on his mother to suddenly have the living with a family friend situation become permenant.

No.

It was all black and white for these guys. All or nothing. He always theorized that that was the reason why Auradonians were such prudes when it came to visiting Greece. The naked statues and stories of gods sleeping around and smiting was so scandalous and primitive to them. They didn’t get that there were shades of grey. Humans, gods, sorcerers, centaurs, whatever creature. They had their good and bad sides.

“Zevon what have we told you! No duels! We’re the ones in charge here!” A loud commanding voice called down the hallway, her shadow coming closer and closer and there was nowhere for them to hide without being heard or noticed.

The stunning yet imposing figure of Queen Nerissa appeared in front of them and for a moment. No one moved. She stared at them in shock then green fire burst from her mouth.

It was all so fast and the light blinded them that they could only see flashes of the fire that lit up the hallway, jumping from the torches and sparking on the bricks.

The flames licked their legs and Calix fell to the floor feeling the searing pain burn his pants only to feel more burns on his hands as he hit the floor.

He cautiously looked up to see that Queen Nerissa turned into a large purple dragon whose fangs came closer then he would have liked.

He raised his hand, a spell on his lips or a hypnotic song but his throat was closed. He couldn’t speak with the dry lump clogging his throat.

The dragon picked him up by the collar in a surprisingly gentle man compared to Uma who he heard a loud curse and looked behind to see her being picked up by the dragon’s tail uslessly throwing her captain hat out the window.

There was not much to do when Queen Nerissa literally had a big advantage over them but Calix did his best to memorize his surroundings if they ever escaped.

Instead of transforming back to a human at the door to the tower, Queen Nerissa unwisely stayed in her form, breaking the door’s frame as she squeezed her large body through it and lumbered down the stairs to the bottom floor. She broke through the iron door that led to the lowest floor which was the dungeon.

The room was damp, dark, mold growing on the brick walls. Standard dungeon aesthetic. Cells lining three walls of the room. It was surpriseingly full with what looked like corpses considering their opaque pallor but from the low, steady moaning and groaning it was clear that they were still alive prisoners. For now.

The sight made Calix feel queasy especially that of the cell he was staring directly in front of. It was a female form, he thought, under the shapeless bag of cloth. Her arms disjointed at odd angles and tied behind her head with iron chains connected to the wall. Her legs were not visible until he realized that there was a pool of blood where her legs must have been and made the connection of what must have happened.

The broken woman made Calix completely miss the two lone figure standing in the middle of the room. The tall, slender one was a man in a crisp new French Legion army outfit while the other was a teen boy, reaching up to the officer’s neck, in a silk white suit that seemed to sparkle against his combed ginger hair.

Both turned to witness Queen Nerissa’s entrence with them and smiled.

“New prisoners.” The general asked without much question in his voice. More like he was looking for confirmation to an obvious answer.

Queen Nerissa changed back to her human form, her jaws dropping Calix undignifedly to the ground with Uma.

“Possibly, Staquait. Their mothers will probably want to deal with them.” Queen Nerissa said and stalked out of the room.

There was no mistaking the groan of disappointment emitting from the ginger haired boy. It seemed out of place in this grim dungeon. Like he had just heard he wouldn’t get a new toy.

“Patience, Lars.” The officer glared at his charge, smacking the whip by his hip.

Uma growled under her breath at the name which brought the boy’s attention to them. Not a pleasent feeling.

He looked like an angry harpy to Calix. His eyes were cold like a bird of prey and full of crazed glee.

“Hello, Uma. Your friend Gil told me so much about you. Glowing compliments really. How brave you are, how smart you are. How strong and unbreakable ....” Calix waited for the inevitable “wham” line or classic villain threat. Quiet sadistic types like this guy always had some sort of line that was supposed to strike fear into their hearts.

It seemed Uma was waiting for the line too because she looked like she was surpressing a yawn. That earned a colder look in Lars’ eyes though his genial smile betrayed nothing that he was irrited by Uma’s lack of response.

“After hearing so much from Gil, I wondered. How strong and unbreakable are you? Physically, I mean. I’m sure you’re very emotionally tough dealing with the sea witch.”

“Tell me...How do you find the feel of a whip against your back?”

Uma made no response to Lars’ question, she stared straight ahead as if she hadn’t heard which Calix had a feeling wasn’t going to fly with Lars. He was going to continue prodding until Uma snapped or answered the question.

So he answered for him, as cheerful a voice as he could muster, “Strangely titilating.”

Staqauit who had wandered away from the tension between the three to obsserve some poor prisoner struggling with a heavy rock on his chest, came back to watch the proceedings that elicited such a strange response.

Lars’ eyes were truly expressive, Calix thought to himself. They showed everything the boy was thinking even when his face was frozen in a semi-permenant smile.

“Titilating?” “Yes. I’ve been experimenting with whip play with my partners. Usually I’ve been dominant but then I decided I would give it a try and It. Feels. Wonderful!” Staqauit and Lars looked at each other as if they weren’t sure what to make of his answer. If he was being genuine or lying his ass off.

Calix bit the inside of cheek to keep from smiling too much. That might make them think he was bluffing when he really wasn’t. Usually the titillation depended on whether the other person knew what he or she or they was doing. 

But it was certainly fun catching the villains off guard like this. He had always wondered about those wise cracking heroes. How they were always able to make a joke or insult their nemesis when their very lives were at stake.

Nos he understood why they did it. It was fun being a troll.

Sitting himself up in a cross-legged position Calix continued with his solo conversation, thinking of everything he usually did during his date nights. “I also enjoy the flogging. So if you’re going to do the flogging, I would like to be told ahead of time so I could whip up some oils for aftercare.”

“Where is he?” A breathless voice came from the doorway.

Calix and Uma turned simulatenously to see Circe and Ursula entering the room.

Calix’s heart lept into his throat and all thoughts of trolling and whipping and the Isle and danger faded away.

It was his mom!

Calix ran to her, ignoring the pain shooting up his legs, pressing his face against her shoulder to hide the tears that were forming. She smelled just the same. Of sea salt and magic sulfur from her potions. And she felt the same. Warm. Oh so warm. He hadn’t hugged her much, he thought he was too old for that, but it had been what he had missed most when she was gone. Hugging her, he felt safe and loved and he didn’t care if the castle burned to the ground around them or if Auradon was invaded. He had his mom again.

“Calix” Circe said that one name, but all the emotion behind it said everything he needed to know. She missed him too and the months apart had been unbearable.

“You’re certainly not punishing my son for coming over to join me as he should.” Circe announced, glaring at Staqauit who scowled in response to the sorceress.

“And why are you hanging about here? You should be at the Fish and Chip Shoppe taking orders.” Ursula barreled past Calix and his mom, poking her tentacles at Uma’s chest accusingly.

“While you’re here trying to get off of the Isle? Mom, this is what I’ve been trying to do all along. Get off the Isle. I should be a part of this.” Uma declared, smacking the tentacle away from her.

“That’s not what I’ve heard. Even after you failed at those Auradonian’s stupid Cotillion, and ran off, I’ve heard you’ve come back just to try to hire one of the mercenaries to infiltrate. Go against us. Care to explain?” Ursula cracked her neck, looking at her daughter knowingly.

Uma didn’t look like she was about to answer but she sighed, “I.. I want to help the children here. The Coven.. I know what you’re doing is good but you’re making things worse for the people who don’t have powers.” “She sounds like a sweet princess. All caring and nice.” Lars laughed earning him a slap for Ursula before she turned to her daughter, moving around her until the girl was firmly tangled in her mother’s many tentacles.

“Ah yes, I know you care about those poor unfortunate souls but that’s the way it is with some people. After all, we need someone to be our servants. They don’t have powers, what else are you going to do with their lives.” “By forcing them to work.” Uma retorted.

“Like I forced you to work.” Ursula stated, “That was a good thing. I made you strong. I made you a fighter because I made you do things on your own. Don’t act like it’s a bad thing.” “Yeah I worked. Cleaned your shop while you watched soaps.” Uma snapped.

“You ingrate!”

“Stop there, you wench!” A scottish brough shoved past Calix and Circe and menancingly pointed his hook at Ursula and throwing Uma’s captain hat back to her.

“We better get out of here.” Circe motioned but Calix stood still. Now that he was reunited with mom they all could really get to business and defeat the Coven. Starting with putting Ursula, Staqauit and Lars out of comission.” “Come on, let’s blast them while they’re distracted.” Calix urged seeing as Ursula was busy batting off Harry’s hook and Staqauit and Lars had turned to attend their prisoners. However, Circe pulled him back.

“We can’t do that. We’re working with them.” Circe hissed.

“Wait you’re actually working with them to take over Auradon? But I’m here with you now. You don’t have to act like the bad guy.” Calix protested.

“It’s a bit more complicated than that. I’ll explain it to you later. Let’s just go.” Circe said.

“But..”

“Everyone stop!” 

In strode Queen La, holding her shame-faced daughter by the wrist and two spears and staffs with the other hand. “It seems the children want to stop our plans. Well I made a deal with my daughter. A duel between us. If I win, you all submit to us. If Ranavalalona wins, we’ll let you go plot from afar but I really doubt you’d succeed in anything.”

“No! We all duel or nnothing!” Harry snarled, lunging to attack the Queen but Staqauit, Ursula and Lars teamed to subdue him and wrestled him to the ground, giving Calix a clear sight of the poor prisoner that had been struggling under the rock.

Though he couldn’t see his face, he recognized the black wavy hair. Aziz.

Calix wanted to move away like his mom was urging him. He wanted to fight like his brain was screaming at him.

But he couldn’t do anything but watch.

Lala and La took their places at opposite sides of the room and ran to attack each other. Kicks and jumps beat fast between them like a fatal dance, and sparks flew whenever their spears clashed against the other. The only sound being grunts and growls and the occasional cat like screech set the cage battle atmosphere.

They seemed evenly matched with whenever the older woman hit her daughter back, Lala would retaliate with a feigned right, swinging up to catch a rotting ceiling plank to kick her mother’s chest, sending the woman across the room.

Then everything went downhill.

Their spears had been broken and discarded and Lala had her mother pinned against the wall after almost knocking her out with a headbutt.

But the wooziness was faked for La straightened up and punched her daughter in the throat. Lala fell back, choking and La made her move.

Hitting again at the sensitive throat she grabbed Lala by the neck and threw her to the ground. Calix was sure that Lala’s neck would have snapped but the girl moved just in time to go along with the blow.

With Lala on her stomach, scrambling to get back to her feet, Queen La pounced on her back and pulled both of Lala’s arms back just as the jungle girl had done to him when they first encountered her.

He grimaced with sympathy pain remembering how she had pulled his muscle unmercifully from the joint that it was connected to.

“Mother!”

La stopped and Calix hung his head in defeat. It was official.

But La wasn’t done.

She let go of Lala’s arms and allowed her to turn to her back and proceed to press her foot against her daughter’s neck.

“Mot-ugh-Mo--Mercy. Please!” Lala wheezed, grabbing desperately at the ground and her mother’s leg but La just glared.

La crouched down, not removing her foot from her daughter’s neck and bent to whisper something. Then she finished her off by knocking her unconscious.

“Staqauit, the isolation cell is where?” Queen La asked, hefting her daughter on her back.  

“I’ll lead you to it.” Staqauit lended the jungle queen his arm and they walked off.

“Come you two. I have some plans for what you two can do for me.” Ursula said leading Harry and Uma away.

“Come on, Calix.” Circe whispered solomnly and Calix allowed himself to be moved away from the dungeon. The last sight being Lars’ smile.

[unicorns-bookshelf]

Title: King of Scars

Author: Leigh Bardugo

Rating: 4/5

Beware! Spoilers to all of Grishaverse ahead!

I have to admit – I binged the whole Grisha Trilogy just so I could start reading King of Scars with a full picture. And I’m glad that I did because it made reading this book so much better. I was excited to see all the characters that accompanied Alina on her adventure. It was so refreshing to see them without being a background to her story and the relationships in the group were absolutely wholesome and made me so happy.

But off to the review we go!

King of Scars takes place three years after Alina defeated the Darkling and destroyed the Shadow Fold. Ravka, like always, is in a bad place financially and surrounded by neighbors who are ready to start a war. Not to mention the winged Shu soldiers who abduct Grisha to experiment on them with the use of parem. If that wasn’t enough bad news, Nikolai’s closest friends and guards need to make sure no one knows that the monster The Darkling had put into their king started acting up and now our favorite monarch spends his nights either sedated and in chains or relieving local farms of their livestock. 

Good time? In Ravka? Yeah, I don’t think so.

Meanwhile, somewhere in Fjerda, Nina along with two other soldiers of the Second Army is on an undercover mission to smuggle Grisha from the country to Ravka and also find a proper place to lay Matthias’ body to rest. Because we didn’t need our hearts anyway. 

I am sad to say that the one lacking star in the rating is for the plot. It was really amazing until half of the book, the political intrigue was shaping up nicely, there was the curious mystery of the miracles happening around Ravka and it was fascinating to watch how Alina’s and the Darkling’s legacy shaped up the country and what was the aftermath to the war. Zoya and Nikolai were on their way to get rid of the demon in his body and everything was shaping up so nicely. Things on Nina’s end were getting spicy too as she and her team worked to discover the mystery of a factory in a Fjerdan village and why was it poisoning the local river. At least in this end, the plot didn’t disappoint until the end.

But in Zoya’s and Nikolai’s POVs… The Saints happened. 

Oh boy. I can’t even express how random and confusing this subplot was. 

Let me get this straight - the Saints are important to the Ravkans. They’re a huge part of their beliefs and religion. Their martyrdoms and actions shaped the nation and sure, in The Grisha Trilogy we see Illya’s direct legacy have a huge part in the story, his actual descendants, the results of his experiments with merzost and it is hinted that maybe he’s even alive someone out there, kept young by his Grisha power but the whole point is that he’s not directly involved in the story. He doesn’t just appear out of nowhere in front of Alina being like “Hey girl, let me tell you about those sweet amplifiers I’ve been working on” and suddenly solving all her problems and giving her a super boost in power. He stays an element of Ravkan history and mythology, even if his past actions are crucial to the plot and behavior of certain characters. That’s what the Saints are and what they should stay. 

But no, apparently three of them picked by a random generator are locked in a pocket dimension on the fold and just chilling there until Nikolai and Zoya get somehow sucked in. Ones with the powers and knowledge that could obviously benefit the characters. It was just so… Unreal and random and we just got a half-assed explanation for it that sounds like a story made up in five minutes without any deeper consideration for the world’s lore and magic system. And I get that the Darkling’s experiment destroyed the world’s balance but this had absolutely nothing to do with anything the Darkling was trying to accomplish. It felt like something written by a completely different author with little knowledge of the source material. And if this were means to an end, I feel like it could have been accomplished in a much more plausible way.

I didn’t hate everything about the Saints subplot. I’m happy it gave us some background on how life as a Grisha was in the past, the origins of the name and some amplifier lore too. I love that Zoya got a power boost and I would love to see her change into the dragon in the second book because let’s be honest that would be absolutely awesome. I also hope that the second book will elaborate on the topic, making it more believable and incorporate it into the world’s lore in a logical way. Maybe even show more Saints so that those three wouldn’t feel like special snowflakes chosen just to achieve the ending and give the characters a power boost. I could really just roll with it if we get a more thought-out explanation in the future because as soon as they entered the Saints’ little realm I felt like I was reading about Zoya and Nikolai experiencing a mass hallucination. 

And that brings me to the ending. I know a lot of people hate it and honestly, I kind of share that sentiment. However, I must admit - it had me curious. The Darkling’s situation is completely different than it was in the Grisha Trilogy. I trust the author enough to give her a benefit of doubt in this case and see how she handles this situation in the next book. I’m curious about the Darklings interactions with other characters, as in TGT he was pretty much only focused on Alina. On one hand, I wanted a new villain or no villain at all, just a good political intrigue with some magic. On the other, I’m curious to watch the whole situation develop. 

Now it’s time to talk about the characters because they’re exactly what made this book enjoyable, even when the plot went south. 

I know most people came here for Nikolai and I have to admit that so did I. And don’t get me wrong, I absolutely wasn’t disappointed. We could finally see Nikolai outside of Alina’s POV and it was a feat. The prince seems a little more mature than in TGT but his sense of humor and charming attitude stays the same. We get to learn about his childhood, his insecurities, and concerns both regarding the monster that is inside him as well as ruling his country. His POV allows us to see him as a more wholesome character than in TGT as back then our opinion on him was influenced by Alina’s thoughts and narration. I was very happy to see more of him and I still love him to bits.

But it’s the girls that take the spotlight in this book.

When I read the Crooked Kingdom, I had a certain picture of Zoya which didn’t exactly line up with what I saw after reading The Grisha Trilogy. Of course, from the first book to the last, Zoya went thought some character development, growing out of her mean girl phase but all we’d known about it was that she lost her aunt when the Darkling used Alina to expand the Fold. King of Scars gives us an insight into her past, more information about her relationship with the Darkling and it’s all glorious and shes glorious and ruthless and I love how she’s not softened in any way as a part of some questionable character development. I want to see this girl turn into a dragon.

Nina’s POV made me love her even more than in Six of Crows. She’s still fabulous and ready to stir trouble wherever she goes. Her goodbye with Matthias was heartbreaking but I’m glad her whole storyline wasn’t based on moping after him. I loved that Matthias’ wolf was incorporated into the story and I hope we’ll see more of him. We also got a bigger display of Nina’s powers twisted by parem and I enjoyed it so much. Nina is always ready to help other girls and women and all I can say is… Icon. 

There was also a fourth POV introduced half into the book, one of a completely new character - a royal guard called Isaak. I did love him and he was shaping into a great character but the things happened and, well… We won’t be seeing any more of him and I was really looking forward to the part where he wouldn’t be playing Nikolai and we could see him as his own person. I feel like it was quite a waste but on the other hand, I didn’t grow to care enough to be bothered by it.

When it comes to relationships, both romantic subplots are a big yes in my book. When I started King of Scars I was very not on board with the whole Nikolai and Zoya thing but this book made me love it. Let’s just wish we don’t get some crappy love triangle in the second book. When it comes to Nina and Hanne, I was so excited to see Nin with a girl and Hanne is a great character who has a huge potential for development and the fact that she’s Brum’s daughter makes these dynamics even more interesting. Those two are going to conquer Fjerda together. 

Platonic relationships in the book are also delightful and heartwarming. I especially loved the Grisha Triumvirate and Nikolai acting like one big family and also Adrik being done with Nina starting drama in Fjerda and disobeying his orders like the Dreg she is and Leoni just applauding her? Absolute feast.

All in all, would I recommend King of Scars? Yes, I definitely would to all the Grishaverse fans and if you’re a new fan quickly go grab the Six of Crows duology and either The Grisha Trilogy or just a recap article on it since not everyone has enough nerves to go through books that have such annoying characters as Mal or Mal. Oh and also Mal. Sadly knowing at least basic stuff about the Grisha Trilogy is crucial for understanding this book so you can’t just avoid it like with Six of Crows. I’m eagerly awaiting the next book because I can’t wait to see where all of this goes.

[devillainsarchive]

🐾 headcanon

Carlos and the other members of the Core 4

First before I got into his relationship with each other, as a whole, when Carlos gains these guys as his friends, they become pillars in his life. They make up a part of who he is. Carlos is not a people person but these people understand him in a way no one else does. These people are people who Carlos understands, and Carlos doesn’t understand many people. These are people who Carlos looks up to, and values, and holds very dear to him. These are people Carlos will drop everything at a moments notice in order to protect them, to be there for them. These are the people that Carlos will do anything for no matter the cost to him. Now it did not start off the way, with the exception of Evie, they bullied him, and were no better than any other person on the Isle. But it was much more than the quest for the scepter (though that plays largely into it) that allowed Carlos to feel at ease and comfortable with these people. If their is are people who know what Carlos is like beyond that scared little boy, it is them.

Evie

Aside from his forced “friends” of Harry and Jace (Horace and Jasper’s kids) Evie is his first friend. And he ignores her when she first comes to talk to him. He knows she is there, but it doesn’t matter to him. He’s busy building something. It is only when she comments on the wiring of his thing that he acknowledges her. She is smart, she talks about what she likes, and he equates her with good. She’s also pretty.

Evie provides him with the first bit of love and care he ever experiences, and its not in a hug, or anything like that. Its when she finds out where he sleeps, and what he has, which is not much, despite Cruella’s splendor even on the Isle, and she gives him a pillow and a blanket. A pillow and blanket is the kindest thing that has ever been done for him. And honestly he loves all his friends, and they each have their shining moments for Carlos, but it is hard, if not impossible to top that moment.

Evie and his relationship is so understated in the movies and even in the books past the first one. But in Mal’s spell book Carlos and her play video games, but not the same kind that he and Jay play. Which I take to think Carlos put in the time to find a game that he thought Evie would enjoy.

Evie is his first friend. They have a relationship that he can’t explain. She was their for him on the Isle. She was there when he broke the barrier. She was there. Carlos knows she is going to be there.

Jay

He is one of Carlos’ bullies originally, and honestly after the scepter thing, that turns into playful rough housing. They learn to understand each other. Carlos’ trial on the bridge reveals a bit too much about his life than he would ever willingly admit, and the same can be said for Jay.

Carlos and Jay are thick as thieves. They are best friends. They do things together (as seen in Rotten tot he Core). Carlos and Jay are very much as Jay said part of the same person where Carlos is the brain. I can imagine the meme of carlos going “Jay no” and Jay going “Jay yes.” It would take alot for them after everything to not be friends.

Jay defining moment for Carlos probably came later than the other two, which should be surprising, but I’ll get to Carlos and Mal in a bit. Jay’s defining moment for Carlos was when Jay laughed at his jokes on their way to Maleficent’s true castle. It wasn’t just that Jay found him funny, it was that Jay wasn’t doing it to mock him. It was a way to show to him that Jay cared, and it makes Carlos feel good.

Mal

Friendly reminder that some of this has been discussed with @ladymalevxlent so she deserves credit for some of Mal’s portion of this headcanon. 

Mal’s importance to Carlos is one of the most understated in the whole franchise. His relationship with her just does not seem to fit when fandom discusses it, it always seems like the odd one out, but it exactly the opposite. Mal in the books admits that Cruella is a bad mom, she notices first that Carlos is scared of his mom.

She is one of the people who makes the most sense to Carlos. She knows the most about his life. Evie and Jay pick up on things, but she’s the only one who Carlos actually tells. He tells her enough that in Wicked Ways (because no I do not believe those are Mal’s thoughts of her mom) she acknowledges that Carlos hears his mom’s voice in his head.

She comes to him in D2 when she is freaking out (aside from the truth gummy being the real reason), and when he says that hew as on the other side of screaming and stuff from his mom, I fully believe their is a moment of recognition in her where she has to back track what she is saying because she knows that. Carlos is also comfortable enough to go to her and ask for her to make a spell for him to use on himself.

Carlos talks to her without her stopping him, whether she listens to all of it or not she doesn’t tell him to shut up like so many people do. She lets him ramble about what he likes, things he thinks are right. She can read him like a book, no matter how callous he is being. She can get him to say things, but she wont force him to.

In D1 we see him immediately judge Audrey when she makes a comment about Mal. They judge Chad together when the dude breaks into his room. They have an understated relationship, and it means so much to him. He doesn’t know when his defining moment for Mal is, because at some point on the Isle, he just trusted her, and was incredibly loyal to her like a dog.

Needless to say these three people make up part of who Carlos is and who Carlos sees himself as. They get a full on view of what his every day life is like, and they don’t say anything about it, or treat him differently about it. They help in their own subtle ways, (Evie giving him a pillow), they do things to not try and make what happened to him seem like its what makes him him, because he is so much more than that, and they help Carlos realize that. They help Carlos realize he is worth someone loving him and caring for him. 

coming soon - auradon people connections, sea 3 connections

[fandomaniac-writer]

It’s Always Been You - Part 2

Summary: You are called to come pick up Isaac when he gets too drunk on a guy’s night out. (Also the reader lives at the loft with Derek. They can be his sibling or just another werewolf he grew up being close with. It’s up to you!)

Ship: Isaac Lahey x gender-neutral!Reader

Warnings: Language, Fluff, Some Minor Implications/References to mature themes

A/N: Soooo I may or may not have gone ahead and written part 2. School was cancelled because of a snowstorm today and I needed something to do other than stress about school. Also, thank you to those who shown interest in my writing by liking, following, or replying to my posts! Enjoy!

The next morning, you woke up early in order to do some research. A new pack had entered Beacon Hills, and your pack was attempting to figure out what creatures theirs consisted of, as well as whether or not they posed a threat.

A few hours into your work, around 10:30 A.M, Isaac came slowly down the stairs and walked over to the couch. He plopped down beside you, dragging a hand over his face and groaning. 

“Well, look who it is,” you teased, earning a light chuckle from him in return.

You then slid a glass of water towards him, which he silently accepted and quickly downed, finishing with a sigh. He leaned back, laying sideways on the sofa, his legs pointing towards you. You returned to your work, until Isaac spoke again a few minutes later.

“Hey, about last night-”

“Don’t worry about it,” you dismiss with a shrug.

“No, that’s- that’s not it, Y/N. I’m not saying sorry.” His tone had taken a more serious mood, and he sat up. Your eyebrows furrowed as you turned to look at him. He realized how what he said may have come across wrong, so he began again, a bit more cautiously.

“Well, I am.” He pauses. “But that’s not what I really wanted to say.”

Suddenly you were aware of how close he was to you, as well as the noise of his heart’s speedy thumping within his chest. In turn, you felt your own heartbeat pick up and you swallowed nervously. Breaking eye contact, you looked down at your hands in your lap.

“Isaac, I-”

“I remember the things I said to you last night, Y/N,” he interrupted. “And I just....wanted to ask you something.” He stopped there, and swallowed.

You nodded gingerly, still refusing to make eye contact for fear of looking up and finding that he was insincere.

“Sure,” you croaked out nervously, as he shifted on the couch so that his body was facing yours. You mimicked him, your knees touching his. Now he was leaning even closer to you, but you didn’t back away. With the gentlest touch you could have imagined, he reached out and took your hand, holding it in his lap. He started to trace patterns over your skin with his fingers, something he has always done with you. It was a way of comforting each other when you guys were nervous or stressed, or needed reassurance. 

It’s a simple, familiar gesture that calmed you and reminded you that no matter what happened, he was the same Isaac he’s always been, though there seemed to be more meaning behind it today. Today, it sent a pleasant shiver down your spine. 

Finally, he interlocked his fingers with yours and you felt his gaze on you. You allowed your own eyes to meet his, before he took a deep breath and spoke again.

“Can I kiss you?”

Briefly, you scanned his expression for signs of a trick. There was still that part of you that always put up walls when it came to love, afraid of heartbreak in the end. But this was different. This was Isaac. You trusted him with everything, with your life, and there was a vulnerability to him that he didn’t allow you to see very often, showing you that he trusted you all the same.

You gradually lean in to him, pausing just before you touch. Your mouth curves into the tiniest bit of a smirk. 

“Just kiss me?” you taunt and his eyes open to look at you, a look of shock plastered across his face. You watched his eyes flash gold briefly at your teasing, and you let out a short laugh, shaking your head once and finally closing the distance.

The kiss was short and gentle, but full of affection and a need for each other. Once you broke the kiss, you remained touching. You each held one of the other’s hands in yours, your other hand cupping the side of his face. His free hand held your arm there, not wanting you to move away. He looked truly happy in that moment, and you wanted to cherish it.

“I can’t figure out,” he started, “why, out of all the guys you could have, you would choose me.”

You leaned into him, touching your forehead to his. “Because, it’s you, Isaac. It’s always been you.”

He grinned brightly at your use of his words from the previous night. He removed his hands from their current places, and put them on your hips to pull you closer to him, pressing his lips to yours once again. 

The feeling was indescribable. It was perfect, slow, bursting with emotion, but so much more. It was imperfect; he still had morning breath and he smelled like booze and sweat from the night before. But it was him, and you, and nothing else mattered in that moment.

That was, until you heard the loft door slide open.

Startled, you and Isaac jumped up and away from each other. Having been the one with your back to the entrance, you whipped around to see Malia staring at you two from the doorway. You gulped, realizing that you could hear the rest of the pack not far behind. 

“Hey, Mal,” you said, attempting to act natural as Isaac reached up to scratch the back of his head and nodded once to greet her. She noticed the awkwardness of how Isaac and you were just standing in front of the couch, and her face scrunched.

“Hey,” she replied cautiously. “What are you guys up t-....oh.” She cut off. With your combined anxiety, disheveled appearance (Isaac had had to suddenly re-adjust his shirt when she showed up), and probably the scent of your pheromones, she was able to put the pieces together.

“Ohhh,” she repeated as it sunk in. She turned her head in order to yell out to the rest of the pack before they could reach the loft. “Guys, turn around! I think they’re about to fuck!”

“Malia!” you hissed at her blatant command.

“Sorry guys, don’t mind me! Just, uh, just get back to doing what you were doing. Bye!” She slammed the loft door shut again and you heard her footsteps as she hurried away. You also managed to catch her telling Scott that he owed her ten bucks as the noises from the rest of the pack became more distant.

You turned to Isaac defeated, whose face was red as he shook with stifled laughter. It was too much for him, and he suddenly burst out in howls of laughter, causing you to join in at the ridiculousness of the situation.

“I better go get them,” you told Isaac once you had sufficiently calmed down, and you jogged out to stop them from leaving. Isaac watched you go, wearing a permanent smile because he had the knowledge that the girl of his dreams was finally on the way to being his.

A/N: Yay! Part 2! I actually am kind of happy with how this turned out, since the pack finding them was kind of a last-minute decision. I could continue this if you guys are enjoying, maybe with a bit more sexual content? Like teasing and innuendos and stuff? I don’t know. Anyways, as usual, feedback is always appreciated! Send me some requests too please :)

[edream93]

I don't know if you are still accepting prompts but here it goes: write a prompt inspired on what's my name but like Uma and Harry are singers and their record label have the idea of releasing a song Uma feat. Harry Hook and they just meet on the video clip day. Also Uma is Harry's celebrity crush...

Hi anon! Thank you for being so patient! When I first got this prompt, I actually laughed because I had been thinking of something similar literally days before. I’m glad that I was able to put some of those thoughts into an actual prompt. I do want to apologize though, if you’re a Mal fan, there’s a bit of Mal bashing in this one (I don’t necessarily hate Mal. I actually think she’s has the potential of being a really great character, but the last movie just dropped the ball on that. It was just the only way I could think of to make the story work).

Anyway, I hope you still enjoy and obviously, you should totally listen to “What’s My Name” at some point before, after, or while you’re reading.

After the media horror show that followed after Mal very publicly broke up with him (who the hell breaks up with someone right in the middle of an interview, he thought), singing artist Harry Hook wanted nothing to do with collaborating with another wannabe diva. 

(He and Mal hadn’t even been dating, but when Mal had hinted that after their last project together - which had been an auto-tuned disaster - that they were something more than just colleagues and one time collaborators, his manager - also known as his harpy of a sister Harriet - had told him to neither confirm nor deny the rumors. After all, Mal’s manager/mother had been in this business long enough to squish his blossoming career with one snap of her red manicure fingers if he angered or insulted her daughter. With her beautiful features but caustic personality, Maleficent made The Darkest Fairy, sound more like a fact than a former stage name.)

“I’m not doing another song with some harpy who doesn’t even know the difference between B flat and A sharp,” Harry murmured darkly as he followed his oldest sister into the elevator that quickly took them to his record label’s, Second Star, recording studio.

“You’ll do what I tell you, little brother,” Harriet growled, over her shoulder, her black with red accented business attire doing nothing to lessen the air around her that practically declared that she was not one to be messed with. “And stop being a pretentious emo music nerd.”

Harry rolled his eyes but kept his mouth shut. Harriet may be annoying, but she had made a promise to help him reach his dreams when they were just wee tots and as she always did, she kept her promise. There weren’t many people in his life that Harry could trust but Harriet was one of them, despite how much she nagged.

As they entered the recording studio where Jonas was already setting things up, Harry took a moment to glance at the music that Harriet had handed him. He held in a groan when he saw the song’s name.

“What’s My Name? Seriously, Ettie? How self-entitled is this lass? This…Uma?” he questioned annoyed before he paused. “Wait. Uma? Where do I know this name from?”

“She’s Mal’s former ghost writer, man,” Jonas supplied from where he was checking sound levels. “The one that hacker, Son of Hades, revealed was actually behind all the award winning songs that Mal claimed to have written herself. After he broke into Spinning Needle Records database, he revealed all their fraud and creative theft they’ve been doing of small independent artists for years.”

Harry nodded. He vaguely remembered that. It had happened while he and Mal had still been “dating”. He did remember Mal stomping around in a rage after her stylist, Evie, sent her a message, muttering something about shrimp and “That bitch thinks she can go against me? I’m the fucking queen!” (The fact that this Uma seemed to inspire so much anger out of Mal definitely gave her a point in Harry’s book.)

“Maleficent let Uma go immediately despite how much obvious success she could have brought to their record,” Harriet continued, not looking up from her phone. “But her loss. Our gain. Uma left with a book full of songs she never showed that dragon bitch and Second Star swooped in on the opportunity and signed with her just a few weeks ago. The process is going a bit faster than usual for a new artist,” his sister said glancing up at him, “but Pan wants to capitalize on the media controversy, hoping that’ll help put Uma out there as a singer and give Mal some real competition.”

“And he loves messing with Maleficent,” Jonas added.

Harriet nodded, a wicked grin on her face. “Who doesn’t?”

Harry looked down at the music again, this time looking past the song’s title and to the actual lyrics.

“Not bad,” he muttered shifting the pages as he continued to glance at the obviously handwritten song sheets. “I’m guessing this is a big ‘fuck you’ letter to Mal?”

“You could put it that way,” Harriet shrugged before frowning. “Though not in public!”

Harry grinned, mischief woven into his smile as he headed towards the sound booth. “Maybe this collaboration won’t be so terrible after all.”

—

“This is terrible,” Harry moaned.

Unsympathetic giggles responded back as Dizzy Tremaine, his stylist, leaned around him to also take a look at the mirror in front of him.

“Didn’t you tell me that you wanted to be a pirate, once?” she continued to giggle.

“When I was a wee lad!” he exclaimed turning around to face the much younger woman. “Not now! This is just ridiculous!”

“It’s Pan just being cheeky,” Harriet said stepping into his dressing room, unannounced. “You know. Because of-

“Because of Da,” Harry said cutting her off. “I know, I know,” he sighed trying to not imagine what type of scathing criticism their father, the lead singer and guitarist and also co-founder of the of The Jolly Rogers along with Second Star current executive producer Peter Pan (and thorn in Harry’s side), would give him if the man was still alive.

He sighed, taking care to not wrinkle his pirate inspired costume. A production assistant had just stopped by a few minutes earlier to let them know that Uma’s makeup was taking a bit longer than expected and that he had a few extra minutes before he was needed on the set. He pulled out his phone and earbuds to tune Dizzy and Harriet out, quickly scrolling to a downloaded audio file. It wasn’t the best quality since the audio had been taken from a recorded video but Harry had found himself listening to it almost religiously every day since that day in the sound booth.

The audio was from a recording of Auradon Got Talent that was done years ago. As he closed his eyes and listened to the music, Harry imagined the stage in the video and the young and oh so small girl with teal hair that came onto the stage as if she was born on it. Her voice then had been powerful for such a small lass and now…he couldn’t help but shiver at the memory of her voice that he had heard when he was recording his part in her new song a week ago. Her talents had definitely been wasted forced into Mal’s shadow.

He felt an earbud being pulled from his ear and for a moment he thought it was Harriet who always had a bad habit of wanting to know what he was listening to, mother hen that she was despite her preferred edgy style.

“Huh. Haven’t heard this song in a long time,” a voice that was definitely not his sister’s startled him to open his eyes to look at the calculating expression of his current collaborator (and, if he was being perfectly honest, his current crush). He glanced around the room, seeing that Harriet and Dizzy were no longer there. (Damn, them.)

As he scrambled for something to say, Harry couldn’t help but appreciate how breathtaking and not to be messed with Uma looked in her own costume. Once he had taken her in, he nearly wanted to smack himself for staring but if the small little smirk on her face, as well as her own appreciative look she threw him, she didn’t mind and also liked what she saw.

“Uh…hi?” Harry squeaked under her gaze, wondering where the hell his usual smooth, suave bad boy persona went.

“Hey,” she returned. “I just wanted to introduce myself and thank you for agreeing to do this, especially with, ya know, me not being on the best of terms with your ex, currently.”

“We never dated. All just a rumor,” Harry found himself saying before he could stop himself. (Harriet was so going to kill him.) He had the strongest urge to tell her everything, to fall to his knees at her feet and assure her that there was nothing between him and Mal, ever.

Uma surprised him though.

“I know,” she said simply and it was like a weight he hadn’t been aware was on his shoulders was lifted. “That’s why I asked for you specifically. I’ve always wanted to work with you. Even before Mal. I’ve…I’ve kind of been a fan of yours for awhile. Even before you and Jay went separate ways musically,” she continued and it was like she had both drowned him and allowed him to fly. The experience was dizzying and wonderful all at the same time. And were his eyes deceiving him or was she…her cheeks had definitely looked like they had darkened, right? “Besides, Jay was adorable but he could never tell the difference between a B flat and A sharp,” she smirked, trying to hide her embarrassment by flipping her hair casually over her shoulder.

That was it. Harry’s brain seemed to implode at that moment as he sighed adoringly, “Will ye marry me?”

Uma’s eyes widened, caught off guard, and it took everything in Harry to not just walk out of the building where they were currently in and just hop into the trash where he belonged.

Before he could salvage things, he heard the most beautiful sound: her laughter.

“Sure, but let’s get through this music video first, first mate,” she winked cheekily using the song’s character description for him.

A beat didn’t even past when he responded back with “Don’t you mean, first date, Captain?” he grinned back.

The two both broke out into loud boisterous laughter, that seemed to follow them even when they made their way onto the set where their other collaborator DJ G3., or Gil, who they were both surprised to find out was a mutual friend to the other, was waiting in his own pirate inspired garb.

And the laughter from that day followed them all the way to “What’s My Name” rising to the top of the charts, beating even Mal’s most popular songs for weeks on end (it was so satisfying seeing Mal’s newest song barely even make it on the top 100 list only to be pushed off after a week) to years later when, once they both had multiple Grammy’s and other various international music awards under their belts, Harry got down on one knee, his mother’s ring held in his hand.

All Uma could do was grin. “I already said yes the first day we met,” she said before kissing him deeply, and not for the first time Uma made his heart sing.

(AN: Also, if you’re wondering, there’s no difference between an A sharp and a B flat. They’re the same note.)

[semper-draca]

The interlude for our dear captain’s younger brother. 

~*~

Lucian sags into a chair in the dean’s office, his arms crossed over his chest. His ass is almost falling off the seat and his back is basically horizontal but it’s important to show that he doesn’t give a shit. Because he doesn’t. He totally, really, absolutely doesn’t. He didn’t care when he punched krething Thomis Pike in the face and he doesn’t care now. What the hells does it even matter if he gets suspended again?

Across from him, the Academy dean steeples his fingers, content to wait out the staring contest Lucian is trying to instigate.

The door slides open behind him and Lucian pointedly does not look as his brother enters the room.

“I apologize for my tardiness,” Malavai says in that stupid polite voice of his, “And I sincerely apologize for whatever it is my brother has done now.” Lucian doesn’t need to see his brother to known Mal just threw him a dirty look.

“He punched another student. Without provocation.”

“Hey!” Lucian interjects, “You didn’t hear what he was saying before I-”

Malavai cuts him off, “I’ll make sure that he apologizes to the student he injured. I’m sorry that you had to waste your time with this.”

The dean waves his hand and lets them go.

Lucian slinks out after his brother. Only now does his notice that Mal’s in full uniform - that his brother left a packed bag outside the door. He refuses to feel guilty about what he’s done. If anything, Mal should feel guilty, not him.

Once they’re out of earshot, Mal turns to him and starts the expected dressing down, “What were you thinking?”

“It was fucking Thomis Pike again, he was being an asshole about -”

“I do not care. You cannot keep getting into fights, I don’t know why I’ve put up with it for this long, but this has to stop. I can’t keep dropping everything to bail you out just because you insist on using your fists to solve your problems.” Mal pauses to get his wind back before continuing on his rant, only it’s not a rant, it’s a question that Lucian hadn’t been expecting. “Do I need to schedule you for appointments with Ms Ives again?”

At the mention of the therapist, Lucian flinches away, “What? No! Shut up.”

Mal glares at him, “You’re acting out. You need to talk to someone while I’m gone, and since you seem dead set on pushing your friends away -”

“Well if you weren’t leaving then I wouldn’t need anyone!”

“Not this again - service is mandatory, Lucian, or do you not know what that word means?”

“Yes I know what it means! That’s not what this is about - you’re not fucking drafted, you want this - you spent the past five years at a stupid officer’s school - “ Lucian almost tears his hair out, “You just want to go off and become a stupid colonel and fight for the Empire and - and die like Mother and Father!”

Lucian feels like he might cry - which he won’t, he’s thirteen, he’s not a baby - but at least it shuts Mal up.

“Is that what you think?” Malavai asks, stunned, “I’m not trying to die in the war, I’m only trying to do my duty to the Empire. That’s what we all have to do - that’s what you’ll have to do in just over five years. I thought you wanted to fly -”

“I do. That’s not - I want to serve the Empire too okay, I promise, it’s just…” Lucian gestures vaguely at his brother, “You could be a medic!”

It’s an old argument between the two of them. Earlier, it’d been an old argument between Mal and… and Mother. Father had always tried to support them, but Mother wanted to keep them safe. She’d tried to encourage Mal towards medical work, helped him get into that stupid fancy school - she would always say that back lines work is just as important and - and then she’d gone off to fly fighters and she’d died when her ship went down.

“Not this again,” Mal pleads.

“You went to that stupid fancy academy, and you did three years in the reserve training medcorp, and you were really fucking good at it, and - and you liked it! Don’t lie, you liked being a medic. If you wanted, you could get a posting at any hospital you wanted - or as a field medic or - whatever! You don’t have to go to the fucking front lines and you’re doing it anyway!”

Mal glances around as one of the school aids closes their door to keep the sounds of arguing out. “Keep your voice down, please. Have you no sense of decorum?”

Lucian’s voice cracks as he asks, “Decorum? Have you no sense of loyalty?”

“I am loyal to the Empire, as you should be-”

“Loyal to your fucking family, Mal, because if you did you wouldn’t be going off to be a stupid officer, you’d be getting deployed to a hospital in Kaas City!”

“I would do anything to keep you safe, you know that. That’s why I need to be posted where I can make the biggest possible impact for the Empire - and like it or not, that isn’t in a hospital here. I need you to understand that.”

“I understand,” Lucian allows, “I just don’t agree.”

“Well that isn’t my problem.” Malavai shifts his bag higher up over his shoulder and sighs, “I need to be on a Harrower in three hours and your stunt today is going to make me late enough as it is. Can I trust you to take a taxi home?”

“Yeah yeah.”

“And while I’m gone, you need to do your school work and turn it in - on time, I mean it, Lucian. Get to bed at a decent hour, no staying out late, and no speeder racing. I can’t tell you what to do while I’m gone, but you need to look after yourself.”

“Fine, whatever, Momavai.”

Mal looks both pissed off and upset. Not like Lucian cares, he’s trying to keep what’s left of their family together, unlike his stupid brother. “I’m not trying to replace Mother. I’m only trying to look after you.”

“... Don’t die,” Lucian mumbles.

Mal gives him a hug - stiff, because his brother is just way more uptight in uniform - and fixes the shitty bandages wrapped around Lucian’s bruised knuckles. “I love you. Stay out of trouble.”

“Yeah, I’ll try.”

“See you in six months.”

[blankdblank]

Next Caller Pt 33

A deal was had and on your way back Thorin slipped into the room next to yours to use their shower and thankfully with the heavy duty hair dryer mounted up combing out your curls. Back into your jeans and a fresh shirt and underwear you hopped into your socks, at the door opening you looked up at Thorin in his fresh set of clothes with hair and beard primped perfectly. “Did I do anything weird? He didn’t make me bark or anything?”

Smirking at you he replied, “No, your hand started typing though.”

“Bet that was interesting.” You said as he walked around you to add his suit to join yours in the bath hanging from the washrag bar to dry.

“I am glad you feel better. Frerin picked a film, did you want to join them?”

“Sure.”

An actual theater was what you had walked into and with the blanket you grabbed on the way in seats were taken. Dinner again found you with the elders and desserts on the balcony came with a box of pictures brought to you luring a few glances to your friends nearby. Though the pictures actually had you more in awe of what lands they had to offer instead of their actual goal of finding where you would want to get married. All the same your interest only hinted to them and others, including Thorin, that you might actually be getting wedding planning fever.

Again though you found yourself in the same bed sitting up with your arms on the blanket pooled in your lap, on the bed next to you he asked, “Can’t sleep?”

“Last time I slept I ended up forcing you to move in with me.”

“Don’t make me come over there.”

“I highly doubt your family would take well to that.”

“It’s only going to get colder.”

“Hard not to believe that wasn’t done on purpose.”

“You and me both, come on.”

“Fine, but if we end up having to be married at dawn it’s on your head.” Out of bed you slid bringing your comforter with you that you flicked out over his bed then eased into the space he made for you by lifting up the covers. In your stretching turn over you shut off the lights and settled down facing your own bed, over you he lowered his arm that crept down around your side. “Are they really expecting me to pick a location for a reception?”

“Don’t worry about that, Frerin is making sure they get misplaced.”

“The guys won’t miss you moving out?”

“They won’t be far, Frerin picked a house between yours and Dwalin. Paid it off and there’s only three months left on the lease giving them time to plan.”

“Didn’t you just paint? Why would he move so soon after?”

“He caught the house bug, and the landlord likes the paint, should help to sell quicker.”

“Insane,”

“Little bit.”

“Have you told Roac yet?”

“No, couldn’t spot him earlier, no doubt singing Dot’s praises to his family. He’ll be thrilled, don’t-,”

“Worry?” you asked then yawned making him smirk in your settling into the bed right after, almost instantly falling asleep tugging him right along with you encouraging his slumbering curl around your body.

.

Vili again was sent to fetch you, though this time with you as pillow to the Dwarf nuzzling his head into your back with arms tucked around you tightly. Out of your warm cocoon you eased nearly falling out of the small bed laughing at Thorin’s fall when he tried to roll back allowing you space. Out of the mess of covers he popped and grabbed his shirt laying on top of his suitcase and the pair of you joined the golden haired chuckling Dwarf leading the way to food. A close eyed try to rub your eyes had him smirking to himself at your bump into his back on a stop to allow another Dwarf couple out of their hall first.

Food was gathered and again with full plates Thorin added tea to the mix and sat down starting with, “I think we should discuss rent and the finer details before I were to move in.” The bold topic brought up in front of his clan a clear declaration that you had accepted the compromise of cohabitation from your beard tugging night. A chance for him in front of his clan to prove his intentions openly and for them to weigh how easy a task you were going to make this on him. Excitedly Mal and the boys especially chewed on their bacon and toast eager to see how this would go.

“Ok.” You replied and in slicing another bite of your breakfast wondering why he was bringing this up now unaware of Balin’s phone out so he could take notes.

“I would like to pay half.”

“Half? I mean, we’d be splitting in a sense but isn’t that a bit steep compared to your place now splitting four ways?”

Fili and Kili said, “We don’t pay rent,” you looked at them and Fili said, “It’s a conditional term contract for our stay with Uncles. Based on schooling and work. We sort of pay into a fund from our wages at work each month and complete various clan requirements before we’ve earned the right to pay rent fully.”

Blinking through that confusing jumble you looked to Thorin who said, “I assure you with our utilities and such it would be roughly the same amount each month.”

“Wouldn’t that be a huge chunk of your wages? I mean how much, do you even get a check from the shop?” He smirked as you added, “I don’t mean to be rude it’s just a bit puzzling to me how that works.”

“We don’t get paychecks per se, but annually we do make roughly 180k, though this year looks as we might be making closer to 220.”

“And that’s split three ways?” He nodded and you said, “But you can’t pay rent with that, can you?”

Weakly he chuckled, “That is our profits, post payroll and expenses. I have more than enough funds to cover rent. Plus enough to aid in furnishing the house.”

You shook your head, “Wouldn’t that be embezzling?” Mal took a large mouthful to keep from making any sounds while Dis smirked at your verbal jab.

Thorin’s brows inched up and Dwalin chuckled out, “Embezzling,”

You sigh, “That’s not, what I mean is that’s company money you can’t go paying rent or buying furniture with that.”

Half amused with how you were challenging him on this, in the most possibly romantic way for Dwarves, through contract terms, “How is that?”

“Ok, let’s say you go to work one day and the roof has collapsed.” His brow inched up seeing how in depth you were going on this, focusing on home safety and that of his company as well, “As co owner you are up for a third of the costs. Now if you go buying things with that money then what happens to those two, they have babies. No offense but babies can eat money like a black hole.” The pair chuckled again as Dis’ grin settled as you continued your argument. “Plus while you rebuild you still have to cover the rent, the partial wages and medical for your employees-,”

Thorin, “Oh, we don’t have medical yet.”

Dwalin, “We have a family friend we send them to though for good deals.”

Balin, “We are working on that.”

Thorin said, “I have other forms of income, investments that pay monthly dividends,”

“Like the off the stock market? Isn’t that a bit changeable?”

“Actually it’s a rugby team but I have mentioned my trust before and we also have a sort of deal with a taxi service that feeds past our shop that can be used as a pick up location that we get funds from, which could also be lumped into the work funds. But I assure you that all my investments are not risk based and if you would prefer I use my trust to pay the rent I wouldn’t object for your comfort in the deal.”

Diaa asked, “You’ve discussed your trust before?”

In a glance at her you said, “When I got the trust from my father’s inheritance. To give me ideas on what to do with it.”

Again he said in an assuring tone, “We are in agreement then? I pay half the rent with work funds not to be touched for recreational use.”

“It’s your money-,”

“I understand fully, I merely mean in terms of purchases and costs for the house?”

“Alright, half, no work funds.”

“Good, and since you barely create any waste I think it best until I adjust accordingly I pay the trash fees since you’ve been there and have barely filled a bag of trash.”

“I suppose that seems fair.”

He nodded, “Alright, now as far as the furnishings go I would like to buy the mattresses for your guest rooms,” your lips parted and he continued, “You know my family and there is no doubt they will pop up so I have a charge account with a top notch mattress company. At least consider for the beds you already have frames for, let me order those and pay them off and at a later date as the other frames are constructed we could discuss my adding those as well.”

“I-,”

“And I would also add the terms that if things were to go south and I was to move out anything that I have purchased for the home in a communal area would remain in the home. I wouldn’t be repossessing anything based on who purchased them, furthermore that would also go for any investments or business ventures before this deal is struck, with only any joint investments in the future to be discussed for possible division.”

Shifting your gaze for the moment to partially awed Mal wondering if this was more of a pre-nup than a roommates agreement you drew in a deep breath and met his eye again, “I’ll give you the mattresses but you are not just going to go through my list of what I’ve found or would want for the house and buy it all.”

With a nod he smirked and replied, “Agreed.” Beside him Balin noted the term and then he said, “Now for myself I am not adept at hand washing things so I would also put purchasing a washer and dryer up for discussion as well.”

You shrugged and said, “Sure. I’m not gonna force you to use my barrel system.”

“Good,” as you took another cautious bite of your meal he stated. “The dishes in the apartment can stay with Frerin and the boys though I do want to know what sort of appliances I would be able to bring?”

“Just no blenders,” Mal said drawing his eye seeing you were still chewing.

Dis said, “Yes, Jaqi did state her birds enjoy blending through her harvested fruit. Does not allow blenders.”

Thorin said looking at you, “Surely if I got one of those single cup ones that would be acceptable. I could easily hide it when I was through with it.”

“We could try it. I could always put a lock on the chilled pantry where I keep the fruit.”

“I’ll make sure to keep it locked up and if they do manage to find it I’ll clean up the mess and buy you as much fruit as you like until you can have more to eat from home.”

You nodded again, “Sounds fair.”

“Speaking of the greenhouse, I have a supply of herbs,”

“You’re asking if you could plant them?”

“Yes,” he said finally taking a second bite of his food after several minutes.

“I have that bare planter you can have if it’ll suit them. Not like I could bar you from planting your own buds and keep the whole thing to myself. Honestly, just un-Hobbit like.”

“I didn’t think you would refuse, still I would have to ask,” he replied with a smirk.

“I suppose next you would be assuming I would make you park outside as well?” His smirk deepened and you narrowed your gaze at him, “Hmm.”

Gloin stated, “If you need aid in adding his face to your hedger’s databank I would be glad to help.”

In a lean of your head you caught the excited gaze of one of the lead BomBairns, “Thorin mentioned painting his room.” Thorin smirked when he caught your eye again and you said, “You’ll have to pick how you want your bath decorated too. Haven’t gotten to it yet.”

After swallowing he nodded, “I will.” And he asked, “Was that a yes on the garage?”

Weakly you giggled and shifted your head to get your bangs out of your face, “Yes you can park your car in the garage, I have a spare clicker and I’ll even give you a set of keys to the house too if you need to make note of that.” He was starting to blush in the spreading grins of his family on how easily this was all settled and how sharply you had dug in that jointly the goal was to ensure business and home were to protected and thrive for the pair of you. Signs of a good future and partnership to come severely hinting that you did have intentions of seeking a future settled courtship in the near future.

Alone without a clan to aid in bartering and you had so surely defended yourself and reminded him that the future was not to be sacrificed just to pacify seeking to share your dwelling. Mal especially wondered how you had managed it, knowing fully she was baffled as to how she would barter for a future dwelling with the duo in the years to come once they all had sturdier roots to broach the discussion with their clans. Fully cleaned up you were on your way up to the room again to change while Thorin remained behind with his family and Mal eagerly trotted up to your side when her dishes were added to the cart.

“You have to tell me how you did that.”

Looking up at her you asked, “Did what? Eat breakfast? Was it just me or did that sound more like a prenup than a roommate agreement.”

Mal said, “That’s what a roommate agreement is.” You stopped and looked up at her, “Especially with courting or possibly courting pairs. Even Bilbo and Dwalin had theirs, took a couple days for them to hammer out what you managed over breakfast.”

“You have got to be kidding me,” you mumbled in Vanyar.

“You were amazing. So calm, so sure and the way you ensured his future income would not cross over into the clan business. Flawless.”

“It’s just common sense I can’t just take money from his business, and I didn’t mean to step on toes with my wording or to ask about his salary in front of everyone-,”

She patted your arm shaking her head, “No, no, that was the brilliant part. Clearly he knows about your finances and assured anything before the move that’s why he added the clause that before then everything is separate and nonnegotiable for splitting if the relationship dissolves. Clearly you have him eating out of your palm.”

“Really? Then why isn’t he here?” For a moment you paused then you asked, “He’s drafting the contract isn’t he?”

She nodded in a grin, “Yup.”

“Great.” You said shaking your head. Again she was off and changed into shorts and a t shirt you curiously wandered through the Palace searching for a quiet place.

Tucked in the back of a turn between wings you found an old music room with a lounge around it just off of the massive library. Shut off from the dozens milling by in search of the activity they wanted before you were snatched off to plan the wedding of the century you ironically were off planning a proposal.

From your satchel, now holding the sticker sheets you would pass out later, you pulled a notebook and sat sideways in a deep armchair crossing your legs. Using the arm as a desk to delve into the fabled proposal speech from Durin that would ultimately be turned down only building his adoration for his One’s doubts of being accepted soon causing all his people to rally and join in on the courting welcoming her fully. It was the ultimate proposal, one every Dam hoped for and here you were, a non Dam trying to match this. Though in a usual habit a song however would take the place after an overheard comment by the relentless King. Though in your twist on the tale Durin would fall to a dark sage’s influence and rallying his forces it would be Bunny to rescue him in a bloody unforgettable siege to free him. Of course ending with bloody and battered Durin teasing her, “You saved me.”

To which she responds, “You had my favorite pen. I was saving my Twiggimins.”

Sing song he teased back, “You saved me.”

“Entirely by chance.” The tale always luring out laughs from the soldiers listening.

Soft hums followed by your try to remember the notes you had imagined in that freighter you stole escaping from Ruun.

Verse by verse you wrote out the lyrics you couldn’t forget only to try and blend out the notes again. An eventual shift to the piano was how you were caught, and how an eager elder from the Firebeard clan, Dain’s great uncle, who had heard that you were here flew out specifically to see you again after having been on that island and freighter. A usually sullen Dwarf who all but lit up hearing the familiar tale and voices once again.

Following the out of place Firebeard Thorin and his siblings and closest cousins joined in on his search only to linger in the doorway seeing your shimmering self humming around the pen between your teeth with fingers working out a melody. Lowly the grinning Dwarf whispered in Khuzdul, “That’s Durin’s song of rejection.” Parting their lips only for a sneeze heard through the open doors behind the group to turn your head. In looking at the fiery haired Dwarf up front Dain readied an introduction only to see a bright smile from you, “Djinny Djannt!” Swinging your legs over the bench you giggled crossing the room to the Dwarf who met you halfway and scooped you into a tight hug. When you were on the ground again you giggled out, “Wow, last I saw you, you were my size. Who did you eat and are they still hunting you for it?”

Loudly he chuckled and guided you to the lounge where you sat in the sea of intrigued Durins. “I knew it was you. Had to be. I’d know that story and those voices anywhere.”

You giggled again and reaching for your bag you brought out a sheet you passed to him then passed out the rest. “They gave me 20 at the station.”

He chuckled and passed the sheet saying, “I already ordered a bundle, best keep it for them. Our whole troupe still listens diligently.”

Gorgo said, “Venture Productions is actually in the process of getting the first novel of the series published.”

He laughed again, “Well I cannot wait for it. And I will let you get back to tormenting Durin,” Making you giggle again and nod. Though he paused to chuckle again looking you over, “Must have been fate, a stranger on that island telling me tales of home. I told you I’d introduce you to a Durin one day, and now I find you in their clan hearth.” His hand patted his chest in a kind unspoken gesture meaning you were always in his heart and prayers.

Out he slipped with Dis guiding the others with her leaving Thorin and Gorgo, the latter who asked, “I wondered if I might be able to come by on Monday?”

You nodded and said, “Might be a bit crowded with the moving crew.” You looked to Thorin, “Did you want to borrow some of my empty chests?”

He nodded, “That might help, yes, Gran says our plane leaves at eleven.”

“Wow,”

He wet his lips then said, “Well, the storm that came through when we left won’t be clear for our landing till then. That way I suppose you could get a nap in before the flight.”

Gorgo asked haltingly, “Does it bother you to talk about Ruun?”

“Not really. Though it seems to bother others.”

She shrugged, “It’s just hard to imagine you there.”

Pointing to the door you said, “It wasn’t hell, it was an island. A dump in the middle of an ocean full of millions of stories. Every copy of banned and confiscated Dwarf books to fill a library.”

“Really? Like the ones in the Hogden Museum?”

“The very same.” Her head tilted slightly, “When we readied to take the ship we sailed home on me and him loaded up every discarded Troll trunk we could find. I still have a few. We dropped them off on their doorstep with a note,”

She finished your sentence, “Be kind.”

“Half sun damaged but between all the copies I’m certain they got a full copy of each. It’s only a prison if you do nothing.” In a glance at the door you asked, “Am I missing an event?”

Thorin shook his head, “No, he was curious to see you. We could swim if you like, the teens are out riding our goats.”

You nodded, “Always easier to remember on my own piano, its humming sort of fills it in somehow.”

.

Behind the closed door to your room you looked at Thorin once at your suitcase and as your fingertips tapped across it silently he turned to face you. “The wine sort of blurred things in Rohan, you asked me about Ruun, but, I’m not too certain on how far into it I got.”

In a hopefully soothing tone he replied, “You told me that was where you met the Countess. Pretty much where you became Bunny. I haven’t told anyone, I have teased to Dwalin in who you might have been voicing, but I would never betray your trust. The wine might have eased it out and I thought you might not have remembered so I was waiting for you to share that with me on your own.”

You nodded, “Good, sharing a house would make it hard to hide the songs and recordings and the weekend late night typing.”

“You told Gorgo?”

In a sigh you opened your suitcase, “It didn’t feel right, I mean I know her husband and family we’d run into each other and she’s been waiting so long for the book and, I didn’t want it to come out and for her to feel like I had lied to her all that time.”

“I get that,” he said on the way to his own suitcase. “Did you bring another wrap?”

You looked up at him, “No,”

“Ah,” he said turning from his bag to enter the bathroom and back out again, “Seems our suits and your wrap are being washed.” Opening his bag he said, “I know I have another in here.” Shifting his clothes he searched for the second suit only to smirk saying, “Found it.”

You giggled seeing him all but waving the tiny shorts over his head giddy that he found them, “You can change first then.”

For the few minutes it took for him to change you added your satchel to your suitcase and stared at your black and neon top and navy bottom set, when the door opened you just lifted the black pair and closed the bag. Stripped again you eyed the suit only for Thorn to smirk hearing you sigh, “So many straps.” The bottoms eased on simply and hugged you perfectly, though showing off a bit of your cheek no matter how you adjusted it if you wanted your butt crack to be covered. Over your head once you removed your bra you wiggled yourself into the single piece top, inching it around yourself your lips pursed in focus until the cups sat just right hoisting your cleavage with the crossing strips over your ribs. Turning around in the mirror you subtly shook your head feeling like you were fully on display without your wrap, a single stroke of your finger over the odd shaped birthmark in the center of your back.

Out you went holding your things and without looking up you could feel the wide eyed gaze scanning over you. Adding your things to your bag you said turning to face him, “It didn’t look so, hoisty, on the dummy.”

Shaking his head he fired back, “Not hoisty at all.” In the clearing of his throat he stepped back unconsciously flexing his upper body in allowing you to pass him once he reached the door he opened for you. Instantly however from his sweep over your curves his eyes honed in on the white battle ram silhouette right in the center of your back. The mark was small but distinct and all the way down he began to ramble on about what sort of washer and dryer you would want to distract himself.

“Washers, what are you looking for?”

Peering up at him you asked, “Me?” You shrugged, “Not a clue.”

“Which features did you want it to have?”

“I don’t know, big?”

“Big?”

“But not too big you can’t reach it. Like those double stacked ones, they kind of bother me. I keep thinking they would tip.”

“Ok, no doubles, what else?”

“I use a barrel, it’s mainly yours though, just pick.”

“This is serious, come on.”

“I am taking it seriously,” you said passing another group of pausing teens at the top of the stairs.

“But they’re communal, we have to pick together.”

“When would I use them? I have my barrel.”

“What about your sheets and pillows. Comforters take a long time to air dry. Especially for your guest sheets!”

Reaching over you patted his arm instantly catching his melting gaze at you almost making you blush in confusion then say, “Just, I don’t know, if it runs well and I guess doesn’t waste water?”

“Color?”

“They come in colors?”

“I’ll look through some variations and by lunch we can decide so I can have them over nighted.”

“Ok,” past the same lounge you walked and he saw Tili looking you over in her own similar two piece with crossing straps in deep gold. A subtle nod of Thorin’s head had her flashing a grin and coming over, and her joining you both had you grinning, “Hey.”

She grinned back, “Hey,”

Avoiding a planter your gaze dropped and Thorin leaned in to whisper to her, “Look at her back.”

In her eyes catching his they darted to you and in front of you she walked saying, “I love your suit,” reaching out to touch your arm in a circle around you only to see what had caught Thorin’s attention. In a ‘tell me I’m crazy’ gaze from him she subtly nodded back confirming you had his mark on your back and since he had looked up the meaning of your last name his inspection into pear blossoms hit home to him as it matched the bunch of white blossoms on the side of his hip.

Back to your side she walked only to join you in your walk to one of the long stretches of the pool that you walked into then got to doing some laps in the empty pool wondering where Thorin had gotten to. Though by the second lap you sank lower under the water when she had climbed out, once you reached the lazy river part you surfaced up next to a slow moving floatie with a familiar red braid dipping into the water. Resting your hands on the side of the floatie you kept inching closer creepily inching your cheek closer to hers wondering how close you could get before she noticed you.

The bright blue bikini showing off all she had to offer had the boys who had come to find her again falling into the pool. The splash of water across her had her eyes open and finally sensing someone was close to her had her turning her head with a shriek. Dipping underwater you swam underneath her to her other side instantly luring her wide eyed gaze to you only to scoff at you spraying a stream of water between your lips at her. “You’ve been around those owls too long.”

“Oh you love it.” Around you the boys surfaced and you grinned saying, “back to my laps, I’ll leave you to your beaus.” Winking at her and dipping under the water to swim away. Another lap however ended at the hand dipping down in your path. Upon surfacing you saw Thorin, and you swan to the wall asking, “Where’d you run off to?”

Shifting to his side he brought a laptop over showing you what he had been looking at, “What about teal? Dwalin mentioned your teal sewing cabinet in the living room.”

“Sure, ya, if it runs the best and you like it they look good.” Poking his bent knee his brows inched up, “Oh, and I can move the cabinet, since it’s a communal space, I only broke it out for the curtains.”

“You don’t have to. There should be plenty of space.”

Looking to the screen you said, “The teal looks nice.”

He nodded, after wetting his lips he asked, “So I have a question, in my closet I have this table, from my Gramp, on the Hobbit side that he made for me years before he passed, and I wanted to ask, you have the parlor open-,”

Right away you nodded, “Ya, I mean I have no clue about what to do with the room, so ya, since you say the family will be over, it could be like a card room, or, something-,”

The suggestion alone that it could be his touch to a room now centered around entertaining his family in your soon to be joint home split a grin across his face, “We do have game nights occasionally, and it would be a perfect room for entertaining.”

“I think in that sense then you should probably decorate it to how that would work. I mean, I’ve been over every other room it seems, it would be only fair to let you have a common area that you can have your touch on. Not that I wouldn’t be open to collaboration in the living room or dining room,”

“No I don’t think that, you have great taste, and yes we can work the spaces out together if you would like. A game room sounds great to start with.” He looked you over again and said, “I’ll order these and come join you.” In his rise to his feet you watched his path back to the table where he shared with Balin, whose laptop he was using, he spilled all the news of the game room spreading smiles on the faces of the toddler watching Dwarves there. A splash on your right however had you giggling and finding Frerin smirking after having taken his own decided way to confirm the mark on your back. His distracting swimming path zigzagging across the pool soon had Thorin joining you saying, “Rin, we are switching the parlor to a game room with Gramps’ table.”

Frerin smirked saying, “Nice.”

“What’s this I heard about you buying a house out of nowhere?”

Frerin chuckled, “Couldn’t help it, though of course I would have to ask your help in decorating the place, Sis.”

“Clearly you like different styles than me.”

“Doesn’t mean you aren’t still spectacular in designing a home. I’ve been gathering ideas and in a few days I’ll bring it over for your expert opinion.”

Lunch however was called for and pushing yourself up out of the water you walked with the pair hearing, “What’s on your back?” Sharply however Frerin had his arms around his nephews’ shoulders he promptly led away leaving you to glance at Mal who shrugged in return and walked closer tilting her own head at your mark.

“You have a ram on your back.” She stated matter of factly making you peer over your shoulder.

“Is that what it is? I keep getting different answers and I can’t ever get a clear look at it.”

Thorin asked, “What did you think it was?”

You glanced at him, “Last I heard from a doctor was it looked like, you know that illusion image with the candlestick with two faces?” he nodded, “That. Before that I got a lot of naked trees.” Lunch filled with questions of what touches you might like to add to the parlor for your own place in game night bled into a curious interest in the bonfire in the distance.

Downing your drink you went up to shower and change, and came back out again, barefoot with Thorin leading you into a full blown dance the returned teens had put on. Smirking fully at the Hobbits leading this next dance you caught Mal watching the same circle being drawn and at her pout that the boys didn’t know this dance you stepped in luring out her giggles.

An outstretched hand was met by hers and backwards you stepped and like the other leads in the dance back flipped into the circle landing to offer a hand for the partners guiding them into the weaving hopping dance. Twists, switching between giggle filled arm tunnels for others to pass through and even over in a few dramatic crouches the pairs would then break off again in a dizzying mess of bodies to the high paced tune. A whip of looped arms had her spinning again while you on your toes turned around her readying for your own finishing turn. A one legged pirouette had the partners resting on the raised legs of the leads in a rapid turn with arms still arched together with shrieks and excited giggles flooding the group. Down again they hopped to spin their leads before being dipped themselves for the giggling end to the song.

It had been so long since you had danced with anyone but pushing past the occasional deliriously tired times you joined Mal in her impatient dance moods in the break room at work, this was nice and leaning together in a giggling mess you ended the dance. Then somehow in a set of nudges you were now being lined up by Thorin for the next. With Fili up to try the next Hobbit sized dance with Mal. Keeping his hands on you wasn’t hard and wine wasn’t needed for you to be a flirtatious giggling mess for the oddly bashful and yet attentive partner who couldn’t take his eyes off you or stop smiling to save his life.

Dinner though came to spoil the fun. And again at the table you were promised another set of pictures to be copied and sent to you on a usb stick. Grating you ample time and clues as to how their Blue Mountain home was perfect for this supposed wedding you wondered just how much time ‘plenty’ allowed you before having to actually plan it and inform some key members of your party especially.

Separately you returned upstairs for your designated nap time and alone in your bed is where he found you, smirking to himself he fixed your cover higher over your shoulder and went to lay in his own bed behind you since he had no invitation to join you in yours. But sleep was short lived and post gentle nudge awake you were packing up to get ready for the eleven flight home again.

Pt 34

[aiwannadrawit]

Time: Friday 25 th

Place: Art Department

Between: Desmond & Anabelle

Plot: Desmond and Belle hang out a bit and Des learns of the issues between the people important to him

There's still so much to do, enough to have Belle's appointment book and day planner overflowing with notes and dates and assignments. She drops both books on one of the tables in the studio, along with a bag full of gigantic hardcover textbooks for the upcoming semester. Rubbing the back of her neck, she flops into a chair beside Desmond to look over his class schedule, more awkward with him now since the fight with Alex but trying her damndest not to take it out on her relationship with her favorite person in the department. "You should take the afternoon life modeling class on Wednesday, I'm doing the modeling again this semester. The professor brings in donuts and keeps a space heater on in winter so it doesn't feel like an ice box. Who do you have for animation?"

Desmond had been feeling pretty good so far. He had his whole thing with Alex and they talked, which was really needed now that he thought about it and now he could focus on other things. Like stuff going on with Belle. He knew she was busy, with the wedding, the kids, and everything else. He couldn't really imagine how she kept her head on straight but he commended her efforts. He scratched at his chin, "I dunno...I do so much life modeling already," he mumbled, mostly to himself as he thought of the countless sketchbooks with people in them. But really...taking it again couldn't hurt. "Uuuuh," he blinked searching his head for a name. "I lost it...but the paper's somewhere in my bag...I dunno."

"Yeah, but not with me. I'm the best." She grinned, tilting her head to beam at him cheekily, then looked back at the papers in front of them. "I'm thinking about the graphic design 101 thing and dropping journalism. Would be nice to be able to do my own marketing instead of subcontracting..." She leaned against him, head tilting to his shoulder. So many things had been changing in her life, it was nice to have something that felt normal. "Someone said they saw you hanging out with...whats his name. Rolan? What's up there?"

"I got you to pose covered in glitter though?" He laughed. He thought about it. "Sounds smart, best to cut out the middle man and all that jazz. Plus...if you really wanted you could always pick journalism back up some time later." He smiled at the relaxed feel of it all tilting his own head slightly to rest it on top of hers. "Hm...don't know any Rolans. Unless you meant Riley. Then nothing really," he grinned, "he's a new friend of mine." He took small moment. "You're okay? With all the planning and stuff? You don't need any help?" He kind of like a jerk for only asking this now, but he felt partially intrusive when she had so much going on. Even though he knew that wasn't really the case in the end.

"That was photography, not drawing," she pointed out, but smiled at the memory. It felt like she's ago now. "Eh, I was only in it for fun and to do the advice column. It ran its course." She tried to picture a Riley in her head, the image clicking with another notable redhead on the school's Instagram radar. He was cute, and available if she remembered right. "New friend with potential?" She nudged his side a little, hoping that the issue with Alex's public displays with another guy and everything that had happened since had finally put him off of the older man. "No, it's fine actually. Easier than I thought it would be, I just stuck some post it's in a magazine and gave them to my planner and Mitchell. All I have to do is show up and look pretty. You're coming, right? For sure?"

Desmond shrugged, he couldn't argue that. "Oh, so you're not gonna be offering up advice anymore? Those were always fun to read." Desmond couldn't help but to roll his eyes. "Potential for what," he asked in feigned ignorance. Though...he was still very much looking forward to his blowjob at some point. He let out a sigh of relief himself. "Whew, glad it's all so simple. I used to watch those wedding reality shows when I was younger. They always kinda looked like a nightmare. And of course I'm coming. Wouldn't miss it for the world."

Belle gave him a withering, if affectionate, look. "You know what. Are you seeing him? Or anyone really? Gotta know if you're bringing a date to the wedding," she tacked on as an excuse for her nosy prying. She stood up to stretch out her lower back and walk around the table, sitting on it instead and laying back so that she's looking at him upside down. She finally cut to the chase, even though it wasn't an easy conversation. "Are you still seeing Alex?"

"Oh is that all," he shook his head. "Well no I'm not seeing him... though I did end up blowing him." He mumbled that last part. "And I wasn't planning on bringing a date to the wedding. Except maybe Kuroko's if she's allowed." Desmond looked down at her, an eyebrow raising at her question. "Yeah..." He said slowly almost cautious. "I last spoke to him Tuesday...he's been gone for a bit."

Belle gasped out loud at the admission in false shock, but real delight. "He's cute, good on you." Unfortunately, that apparently didn't mean that things were off between him and the music professor. She couldn't hide the grimace. "Of course you can bring her. Can I ask why? He's not exactly claiming you in public, unless I missed something major. And it's been what, six months? Longer?" There was clear bias and distaste in her voice, she still hadn’t gotten over the argument, what she thought of as the last of several straws.

Desmond smirked, "He is cute." He nodded, glad this was pet friendly affair since he had gotten her a suit and everything. The grimace surprised him. "Almost a year I guess, and...he doesn't have to claim anything. We're not dating." He narrowed his eyes at her tone of voice, the shift in mood making him frown. "What's up you huh?"

"He's not dating anyone, as far as I know, but that doesn't mean he's not out with other people. It just seems...unfair. Especially considering his gripe with you telling me about the two of you. Since he was going to so much effort to keep you a secret but has no problem making out with someone at a public school event." Sighing, she sat up and turned on the table, crossing her legs to sit in front of him. "Not long ago he showed his true colors to me, that's all. He's and trust me when I say I don't use the word lightly, an asshole."

"He was," he took a deep breath. "He was doing that for my benefit. And that---" he waved a hand in relation to the incident, "was dealt with. We talked about it already. He can do whatever he wants and I can do whatever I want." He was being defensive, he knew, but they-- him and Alex-- had a really good and needed conversation. He thought they were in a better place than they had been when he left. "I know he's an asshole," he said, "what he do to you?"

Belle hesitated. Desmond was obviously still defending Alex, and she didn't feel like getting into another fight with someone she considered a friend - but she also wasn't about to lie and say that it was no big deal, when it was. "Aside from sticking his opinions where they didn't belong, being patronizing and implying that Mal and I don't have the kids' best interests at heart, he told me that I'm setting a bad example for them and that my upbringing was bad, apparently because I had a nanny. He made Mal think that the government would take the kids from us if we hired help, if I didn't quit school and work and stay home with them. Here." She leaned over to pull her phone from her bag, finding the conversation with Alex, and the screencaps she'd taken of what he'd told Mal, and handed it over to Desmond. "Full disclosure, I said some harsh things. I meant it."

Desmond read through the whole text conversation twice and then skimmed it a third time. This was...bad. Which, in and of itself, an understatement. But...from what he had read... Desmond sighed and handed her her phone back, sitting back in his seat. Well...he certainly could figure out what had Alex so upset that day. "Really? You'd try to end his career?"

Belle shrugged. "Maybe. It wouldn't be unwarranted, with his behavior lately. Unprofessional doesn't even begin to cover it." She paused, shaking her head. "They're my kids. I'm not going to let anyone put it into Mal's head that someone else will be taken away from him, that he's an unfit father. Marcus is old enough to understand things, if Alex said anything like that around him, implied that we don't care about him, it could kill the trust we're trying to build. So yes, if it came down to losing my family or Alex losing his job, I would."

Desmond didn't know anything about courts or child custody or anything else in that ball park. But Desmond didn't get that vibe from the conversations. At least not so much so that Alex was trying to destroy their family. "Job and career aren't the same thing."

"I could wreck his career or his job, and I would do either if he insulted my family again. I've done worse for less, and I tend to be...mellowed out these days, but I don't take it lightly when someone goes after the people I care about." She held her hand out for her phone. "We did nothing to him and he went on the attack because of how we're choosing to navigate a situation he can't know anything about, but that he decided he was the authority on because, what? He almost had a child? It's not a hypothetical for us, and it's none of his business to insult us over."

Desmond didn't see it as an attack. An unwarranted opinion that didn't go over too well, but not an outright attack. He didn't think throwing out the fact that he didn't have a kid was appropriate though. This whole situation was messy though. He ended up shrugging. "Okay." This certainly turned his mood sour. But he didn't want to start a big scale argument, even if he thought Bell was out of line and overreacting on some accounts. "Well, it's over now, yeah?"

Belle: Belle measured her words carefully - she didn't want to insult Desmond, he wasn't a part of all this. He was, in that he was seeing, if not dating, Alex still but he wasn't the one insulting her or her future husband. "I don't particularly want to be around him anymore. Ambivalence is about the best I can do." She paused, considering. "If he comes at my kids or my parenting style again, I won't be ambivalent anymore. Besides that, yes. I suppose it's over."

Desmond nodded slowly, "Well that's fine." He said; ambivalence wasn't so bad and he was sure with the way the conversation had gone Alex wouldn't be too keen on getting involved again. "So are you banning him from your wedding?"

Belle grimaced at that. The problem was that it wasn't just her wedding, and Mal didn't seem so inclined to burn bridges as she was. "If Mal wants him there, he can come." She shook her head. "I've ignored people with less to distract me. As long as he doesn't throw another fit of snapping at my guests, I don't care."

Desmond frowned at her second grimace of their conversation, but he supposed it was only fair. "I'm sure that won't be an issues," he said simply and then opted for a lighter conversation topic. "Do you wanna see Kuroko's in her suit?"

Belle brightened once the subject changed, though she was significantly less present, more guarded and defensive than before. "Of course! You got a little suit for her? That's amazing, I didn't know they made cat suits. Well...not that kind, anyway."

Desmond smiled, though he could feel the shift in her."Yup, they make all kinds of clothes for cats and the like. I wanted to get her a little flowers to go with it too, but I was worried she would try to eat it or something."

"Send my pictures, I'll make sure she gets some lilacs if they're safe for cats." She glanced at her watch, hopping off the table and gathering up her things. "I have a meeting with the new department head. You'll call me if you need anything?"

"Oooh...lilacs would be great." He nodded and sat back, picketing his phone and sighed. "Okay and yeah I will...you just do the same."

[justcallmebeau-blog]

Para || Old Friends

WHO: Beau & Belle WHEN: 1/22/17 WHERE: Beau’s studio WHAT: Presents and affection and faux proposals, oh my!

Belle: Still wearing a stolen Patriots jersey (and little else besides that and a pair of red pumps), Belle rushed from her car into Beau's studio out of the cold. It wasn't like it was getting any warmer, but she had a terrible habit of forgetting that inside temperature and wardrobe didn't equate to what would be comfortable outside. Setting aside a small brown bag, she shrugged off the jacket she'd thrown on over the jersey. "Mr. Alistair, your five o' clock massage is here!" she shouted in her best 'sultry secretary' voice.

Beau sauntered into the room with a grin spread wide over his face. "Am I getting the deluxe happy ending package today?" The facade ended with a very thorough once over before he was rushing forward and tugging Belle into a tight hug, pulling her up off of the ground and twirling her around in a way he'd thought about doing a hundred times but had never had a chance to. "Sorry, couldn't resist getting hands on with the new masseuse," he said teasingly, going back into character if just to attempt throwing her off balance.

Belle: He managed to surprise a laugh out of her, her arms going around his neck to hold on tight as he spun her around. "Qu'est-ce que c'est? No, honey, I'm the one getting a massage. The happy ending is up to you, mon cher." Still grinning ear to ear, she leaned in to brush her lips over his jaw, making her way to his ear with barely a touch, her voice dropping to a whisper. "I have something for you."

Beau stilled the hug but didn't put her down, hands going down to the backs of her thighs in what he'd normally view as a dangerous move and holding her there. "Vous manquer, belle." His French was shaky at best but he could follow along hoping he'd gotten it right. "Massages are generally best done naked... though you're already halfway there, sweets." His eyes fluttered shut and oh but he was reigning himself in. "Oh? Care to share?"

Belle: She caught her lower lip in her teeth when his hands gripped her thighs, the jersey a dress on her but not quite big enough to cover everything, especially with her arms lifted around his neck. "Absolutely." Going for broke, she sucked the lobe of his ear gently, briefly, before releasing it and sliding out of his grip. It was dangerous territory to be flirting so profoundly with Beau, for a number of reasons, but she couldn't help a little teasing. Picking up the plain paper bag, she handed it to him. "I stopped into this camera shop for supplies and found this. There's also some mystery rolls of film in there, if you're inclined. I thought it spoke to your adventurous and voyeuristic spirit." (Book: http://www.blurb.com/b/5762955-san-franc... )

Beau let her slip out of his grip with the smallest of sighs as he willed himself to behave, knowing that even if she wasn't ​his​ student he still needed to tamp it down quick. The only thing he had going for his mission to ignore any chemistry was that there were ​presents​ and no sane human being chooses staring at someone's bare thighs over presents when there's an option presented. "Adventurous and voyeuristic spirit is the best compliment I've gotten all year," he teased as he carefully opened the bag and pored over the new treasure. "Belle! This is so bloody cool. Oh, this is going to be my inspiration this week." Beau paused, tilting his head. "I wonder if we'll find something scandalous on these rolls of film? My bet's on someone going for the nudie shots. Want to wager?"

Belle: His reaction was well worth kind of missing the hug already, her smile mirroring his as he looked over the gifts. She'd always been a little sentimental, and more often than not a bit excessive, with gift-giving, but it usually paid off and this was no exception. Humming and pretending to consider his proposition she stepped up to him again and wrapped her arms around his waist. "I hope there's nudie shots on there, too, so we'll bet on the quality. If they're tasteful, classy, I win. If they're less than tasteful, you do. Winner gets a proper massage from the loser. Deal?"

Beau He couldn't stop the smile that was all over the place, cheeks pink from the excitement of it. Presents really were top 10 of his favorite things. Especially ​thoughtful​ presents because those were like finding a needle in a haystack. Almost immediately his hands went around her chest, tugging her in to a tight hug before letting it loosen. "Deal. Though who loses tasteful, classy shots? You're just setting me up to win sweets. Want my hands on you that badly?"

"I'd be lying if I said the idea hadn't crossed my mind, handsome." Laughing, Belle laid her head on his shoulder and took one of the rolls of film, squinting at I as though she could see through the cartridge. "That's the fun of found photos. No one takes pictures, especially not on film, and means to lose them. They're all special." Shrugging, she gave him a friendly peck on his cheek. "What are you working on?"

Beau was such a sucker for affection, and Belle was one of his best girls. Which is why he was dreading the school year coming up - he wasn't Martin, he couldn't get away with nearly as much, but he didn't like having to go without this either. "Unless you just want to use up film. Which is a waste and you shouldn't be allowed to have it. Maybe it was a couple coming in on vacation? A cheating couple, so he takes pictures of her that are gorgeous and glam so he can lie easier if they're found," Beau mused, nuzzling her hair and giving her an easy grin. "Not much. Still have a few baked good from what I snagged from Malcolm the other day. Want some?"

Belle: "A recent divorcee wanting some boudoir photos to reclaim her womanhood," she suggested smiling as he nuzzled her, fingers sliding up to the back of his neck to tug gently at a curl of hair. Since the semester didn't start until morning she didn't mind indulging herself a little bit. Despite being a vestige of her past there was a sort of ease with Beau that she enjoyed too much to ignore completely. Although if there was one thing to get her attention away from physical contact, it was food. "Mmm, that was sexy. Say that again, but this time a little slower. Maybe take your clothes off to really seal the deal."

Beau was soaking up the little sparks flying at the way she handled him, but he figured as long as he didn't say anything then maybe time would just pause for a bit. "An older man wanting tasteful nudes to send to his new lady across the seas," he murmured, though Beau was as distracted by the idea of food as she was. "Want some baked goods?" The words rolled off the tongue and he deliberately thickened his accent and added a drawl, pushing down on the waistband of the jersey pants he had on before bursting out laughing and leading her to the kitchen. "Sorry, kitchen's only clothes off for company I'm sleeping with. Want to sit in here for a bit? Or head to the living room?"

Belle: Alas, missed opportunities. I should have slept with you back in New York." She followed him to the kitchen, unable to resist tucking a fingertip into his waistband, her nail just barely scraping his hips, on her way past him. Grinning innocently, she hoisted herself up onto the counter and let her feet dangle. "I'm good in here. Unless you like the view better form in there." Plucking a croissant up, she broke off a piece and made a noise of appreciation at the taste. "He okay? Mal, I mean. Although you, too." She pulled him over to stand in front of her, the joking gone out of her expression and replaced with concern. "Martin didn't tell me exactly what happened, or who was involved. And I don't need details. But it doesn't take much to put it together."

Beau "I should've made a move in New York." He grinned back over his shoulder, a full body shudder going through him at the unexpected touch. Fucking ​tease​. "Oh no, the view is perfect from exactly where I'm standing." His coffee was poured but he nearly dropped it when she mentioned him and Mal. Damn, but she was too perceptive for her own good. At least Beau knew Belle wasn't going to tell a soul. Explicit trust was pretty strong between them. He just knew her too well to doubt her. "Yeah, he seems to be. I... think I am? Gonna go by Martin's office later and make sure we're good too. It's... it's.... tense in a way I didn't expect. Man still doesn't get how willing I'd be to jump his bones either - or else it was a flat out unvoiced no. Can't lose friends over a roll in the hay. Even a damned good one. Uh, was... Martin okay?"

Belle: Belle took his coffee and sipped, wrinkling her nose at the bitter taste and reminding herself to bring him some decent beans. She still didn't have the whole story, but she didn't need to to feel sympathy for all three of them. Her hand sunk into his hair again and she brought him down enough to press their foreheads together. "He was a little off, when he first showed up, but he's been texting Mal, and you I guess. He gets a certain look on his face when he's worried." She shook her head a little. "I think he just wants things to be okay with everyone. It threw me a little, I didn't take him for being the type to worry about that sort of thing. Guess I underestimated how much Mal means to him. You, too."

Beau rested a hand on his stomach as he tried not to let his nerves bubble up all over again. The physical distress this weekend had caused was palpable, but Belle's easy affection ebbed the most painful of it away. "Yeah? I can't say I know him well enough to know what he'd do, but Mal seems to be pretty close to him." He chewed on his lip and let his eyes close, focusing on how close she was and the way Belle always seemed to know just what to do. "Don't count my chickens before they hatch, m'love, gonna find out tonight if we're even still friends. They could just wanna toss me out, y'know? Ban me from the friendship circle or something."

Belle: She could feel how tense he was, her fingertips kneading at the knots at the back of his neck and pulling him closer for no other reason than comfort. There was a time for flirtation but this wasn't it. "No one in their right mind would ban you from their friendship circle, Beau." She smiled a little knowing how dramatic he could be. "Martin doesn't strike me as the type to see anyone he doesn't want to see. And if Mal is giving you baked goods then clearly you're not hated there." Taking his face in her hands, she gave him a gentle kiss, closing her eyes and resting her head against his again as she pulled back from it. "If they decide you're so unworthy, which is again unlikely, you and I will quit this place and run away to Morocco."

Beau let her move him in, let her seep the comfort in that he needed. Usually things didn't get to him like this, but anything that could mess up a friendship - or more than one - left him a little... off balance. "Have I mentioned lately that you're my favorite?" He grinned sheepishly, leaning a little more heavily into her. "So I'm not the only one that views Malcolm's food as synonymous for friendship? I always assumed if he didn't like you he'd refuse to see you." Despite the flippant replies he was taking it to heart. The kiss was returned very lightly before Beau circled his arms around her and held her close. "That's the best plan I've ever heard. We could get a house by the ocean and watch the world from our thrones."

Belle: "No, I totally equate all friendship with people who give me food. I've been told I'm like a dog that way. Or maybe that's not what they meant," she joked lightly and turned her head, nuzzling her nose against his jaw. This was how he worked through things and she got it, it was similar to how she coped or dealt with a difficult situation. Something physical to ground and jokes to lift the spirits. "House rules. No clothing inside at all, minimal clothing outside. Snacks on hand always. Aaaand..." She thought for a moment, lips pressed to his chin. "Wild sex, every day. That will show 'em."

Beau "Ha! If that's not what they meant then - well, I can't beat them all up for you, but I can try." One hand rubbed over her back, and it was as much a thank you as it was returning what she was giving him. It made it easier to breathe and to stop his own thoughts, and he couldn't be grateful enough that they'd fallen into this rhythm. "So you don't want me in your friend group? Then guess what, I've got the most gorgeous girl in my house and my bed, and you're stuck being friends with each other. Without sex. Or snacks. So ha." He said it with a heavy accent, and it might not have been a bad image at all, but he laughed at the sheer hilarity of the looks he thought he'd get if he ever ​said​ those words to either of the men. "It's the ultimate punishment."

Belle: "My hero," she said, laughing against his stubble. He always had good hands and everything else that had been on her mind, coming back down to earth after a weekend away from everything, was eased as he rubbed along her spine. It helped too that he seemed lighter, not so burdened as he was before. "The ultimate revenge," she countered. "You have to take my name when we inevitably marry for the lavish and ridiculous wedding, though. Beau Beauregard is too good to pass up." Sliding her hand from his neck up to his face, she traced his features. "It wouldn't be so bad, hm? Call it a break glass in case of emergency plan."

Beau beamed at her, deliberately rubbing his cheek against hers again. It was so easy just to sit here like this. So relaxing. He didn't understand what people did, now, when they didn't have someone like Belle to calm things down in their head. "How many times would you tell the world my name just so you'd get to repeat Beau Beauregard? I'm betting 100 before the honeymoon is even over." Beau watched her with a quiet smile, nuzzling in almost like a cat would. "That should be our 10 Years plan. I've seen them in American movies. 'If we're still single in ten years, then....'"

Belle: "Oh, at least two hundred by the time we leave Fiji. That's where we're honeymooning, by the way. Got it all planned out, I'm efficient like that. Beau Beauregard." Coffee and breads forgotten, Belle matched his smile with one of her own as she danced her fingertips across his face. He had a smile that lit up his eyes and she reminded herself to practice more with her portraits. Maybe by the time this plan came to fruition she'd be able to capture that glint on canvas. "Ten years plan. I think thats reasonable. And-" she leaned in closer, the tracing hand trailing back into his hair again. "By then I won't be your student."

Beau "Does that mean I get no say in the wedding either? Fiji sounds like a nudists dream," Beau teased, hands wandering down to her waist and settling there where it was comfortable. The easy way she touched him was something he didn't have with too many of his friends, and it was something he could very easily get used to. "​Oh​," he said on the edge of a sigh, grin spreading enough he could feel it stretching his face. "You are an absolute genius, love. The world's going to be stunned. Love story for the ages. Friends, turned student-teacher, turned naked and married on a beach in Fiji."

Belle: Laughing quietly, Belle tried to imagine it. It was almost easy, although she doubted Beau would still be single in ten years. He was a wanderer, but with a loyal streak that begged to be settled eventually, so long as the wanderlust was fed and happy. For her own part, Belle didn't plan to be Mrs. Anyone again. As nice of a fantasy as it was, it was just that. A fantasy. "They'll make a movie about us. It's too bad we won't be friends with a famous writer anymore, we'll have to find someone else to do the screenplay." She played with his hair idly, leaning back enough to meet his eyes with a grin and a shake of her head. "And how will we remind ourselves of this promise?"

Beau willingly went along with the fantasy - though he knew getting married was something that wouldn't happen to him unless they were both still single in 10 years, it was ​fun​ and fun was what he did best. "We could always make him pay us to produce it. We're so famous by then that he'd be knocking down our door to get a chance to put us in his screenplay," Beau said sagely, knocking their foreheads and grinning back cheesily. "Oh! I've got an idea." He moved over to the drawer he kept the bread in and pulled one of the twist ties off, twisting it around her ring finger with a flourish and an ugly bow on top. "There. This is why I never tried sculpting."

Belle: She was loathe to let him go but watched with a curious and delighted grin as he produced a twist tie. She held out her hand for him, laughing and wiggling her fingers when he finished. "It's /perfect/, darling. Not a diamond in the world could compare." Still smiling, clearly unable to help it at this point, she took his face in her hands and drew him into another kiss. This time she indulged a little, lingering at his lower lip and not pulling away just yet. "I should go, you have a date."

Beau kissed over the ring with an even grander flourish, quite proud of himself for finding something that'd work on such short notice. "But of course, a chuisle mo chroí, you deserve nothing but the very best." Maybe Beau should have pulled away. Maybe he should've focused on the fact that she was a student, but they'd been friends for 4-something years now, and if he was honest cupping her cheek and turning the kiss into something proper (if brief) was much more enjoyable. "Come see me after classes tomorrow?"

Belle: As she sighed into the kiss, Belle reminded herself of all the reasons that it could only be a kiss. At the end of the day she valued Beau above her own urges and she wouldn't see him losing a job that he deserves for their lack of self control. Inwardly she was glad that she'd come to see him after a wholly satisfying weekend away, or else the decision might have been a different one. "Absolutely. Good luck tomorrow, future Mr. Beauregard." Giving him a last peck on the cheek she hopped off the counter and smacked him on the butt on her way out, laughing as she left.