#i think aunt may taught him a lot but he's still got a lot of learning to do.

[sciderman]

Sci in the short time Uncle Ben was around -- or even if he'd lived longer -- would he have known that Peter is Spiderman?

this is such a delight of a question! what a delightful little thought experiment. thinking about a scenario where uncle ben was still around when aunt may finds out peter is spider-man – when she finds peter's tights, when he was seventeen.

i think there's no way at all that aunt may wouldn't have told uncle ben. she definitely would have told him. i don't think uncle ben would've been observant enough to figure it out by himself, but – aunt may, she's smart. she figures it out.

may and ben have such entirely different ways of handling peter

[x]

ben's old-fashioned, a bit square (like peter), and not very well-informed. he worries a lot about peter. worries about him getting into trouble. sees his unusual behaviour, and meets it with soft concern. he doesn't understand it all, he doesn't understand the youth. but he has a desire to embrace peter and attempt to understand him. he worries about him a lot.

may - may's always been the cool parent. she's encouraging, and very easy about this sort of thing. i think she has a lot of trust in peter. maybe more than she should. she is well-informed, and smart, and she recognises behaviours in peter and kind of feels like it's nothing to worry about. she knows peter's doing all the important exploration that he needs to do, and he'll do it at his own time. she thinks peter can handle it.

(of course peter could not handle it.)

i think that's why aunt may didn't confront peter about spider-man. i think she's of the feeling that peter would come out to her when he's ready to. but - she'd definitely tell ben. and if uncle ben knew - well, oh. he would be worried out of his mind.

god bless, it would come out of such a place of concern. and he'd talk to peter. in the most awkward way a father could give his son the talk.

[jrob64]

Pet for Rent, Chapter 2/4 (The Idea)

A CS Modern AU Story

Thanks for joining me for chapter 2! Writing this story has been a bit therapeutic for me after losing my Zeke, and adopting Winston has been, too. I hope you'll stay with me for the rest of the story.

Shout out to @kmomof4 who sent Winston the ducky toy he has in the picture. His Aunt Krystal spoiled him with a welcome package the week we got him!

Thanks so much to @hookedmom. I'm lucky to have the best and most patient beta!

SUMMARY: Emma Swan tries to cheer up her heartbroken son by 'renting' a dog from the local animal shelter. When she attempts to do it a second time, she makes a mistake, and realizes the dog has been rented by someone else the same day - a very handsome man named Killian Jones.

CHAPTER SUMMARY: Emma, Henry, Killian and Norman/Winston spend more time together. When Henry continues feeling sad about having to leave the dog at the animal shelter, Killian proposes an idea that might solve the problem.

RATING: M (for smut in the last chapter, which can easily be skipped if that's not your thing)

WORDS: 6821

ALSO POSTED TO Ao3 and FFN

Story begins under the cut

Emma didn’t think it was possible for four hours with a stranger to pass so quickly. Sooner than she expected, Killian was looking at his phone and announcing that it was time to return Norman to the shelter. It may have been her imagination, but it sounded like there was a note of wistfulness in his voice.

Henry took control of the dog on the walk back, giving the adults an opportunity to resume the conversation that had been ongoing throughout most of their time together. Emma watched her son handling Norman as he wandered from one side of the path to the other to explore in the tall grass and she commented, “Henry is gonna sleep good tonight.”

“I don’t doubt that. He told me he had his last game of the season this morning.”

“That, in addition to playing fetch and ‘keep away’ with Norman, and all of the running around he did with you, will have him zonking out early.” They walked on a few paces, before she added, “I want to thank you, Killian, for spending so much time with him. Since he doesn’t have a father, he doesn’t get a lot of one-on-one time with a man, so I really appreciate it.”

“It was my pleasure. He’s a good listener and a fast learner.”

“Yeah, I kinda wish he had more games left, so he could apply what you taught him. I’m afraid he’ll forget it by next season. You’re wonderful at teaching, and very patient.”

“Thank you, Emma. I truly did enjoy it.”

“The youth league is always begging for people to coach. Maybe you could do that next year.”

Killian looked thoughtful. “Perhaps I could, if I’m still here.”

“Any idea where would you go if you decide to leave?”

“Not really, but it wouldn’t be terribly far away. I want to stay close to Liam.”

When the shelter came into sight, Henry turned around and dragged Norman back to Emma and Killian. “I had fun today. Can we do this again?”

“I’ll have to check our schedule to see when we’ll have another chance to rent Norman,” Emma answered.

Henry shook his head. “No, I mean with Norman and Killian.”

“Oh, uh,” Emma stammered, glancing at Killian, who was scratching behind his ear. “I don’t know about that, kid. This was just an accident and Killian was nice enough to make the best of the situation.”

“But Mom, he had fun, too, didn’t you, Killian?”

“What did I tell you about putting him on the spot?”

“Sorry, Killian,” Henry apologized. “But it did seem like you were having fun.”

Killian reached forward to ruffle the boy’s hair. “It’s quite alright, lad, and you’re right - I had a very good time with you and your mother today. And Winston, of course.”

“You mean Norman,” Emma remarked.

“He still seems more like a Winston to me. Don’t you see the resemblance between him and England’s former Prime Minister?”

Emma took in the dog’s jutting lower jaw, drooping jowls and prominent forehead, and had to admit he did share some physical traits with Winston Churchill. “Yeah, now that you mention it, I do see it.”

“Anyway, at the risk of being too forward, it would be nice to have another day with you and your boy, if you’re amenable to that, Swan.”

Emma thought for a moment, then said, “Henry, why don’t you take Norman to the end of the path and give us a minute, okay?”

He started to protest, but seemed to think better of it. “Come on, Norman. Mom doesn’t want me to hear what she’s gonna say.”

Emma watched him go, her mouth agape over his comment. She heard Killian chuckle and turned to look at him.

“He’s quite a bright young man,” he laughed.

“Yeah, he’s getting too smart for his own good,” she agreed. “But he’s still a little boy and I’m a protective mom. I don’t want to promise him something that’s not going to happen, so if you’re not serious about doing this again…”

“I assure you, Emma,” he interrupted. “I wouldn’t dream of letting him down. If you’re willing to give me your contact information, I’ll send you some options and we can figure out a day that works.”

She eyed him critically for a few seconds, seeing nothing but sincerity in his expression. “I know Henry would really like that.”

“Only Henry?” he asked, quirking a brow.

She couldn’t help but smile. “I have to admit, I had a really good time today, too. So, um, to answer your question, I am, how did you say it, amenable to doing it again.”

His grin made her heart do a pleasant little flip. She made sure Henry and Norman were okay while waiting for Killian to pull out his phone and start a new contact. Once he did, he handed it to her so she could add her information.

After handing it back, they began walking again. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw him checking the phone screen. “It’s not a fake number, by the way,” she said.

“That’s good to know,” he returned with a smirk, while typing out a text to her so she would have his info. “Is that something you’ve done before?”

“Maybe,” she replied cryptically.

“In that case, I feel honored that you gave me the real thing.”

She giggled in response, giving him a slight nudge with her elbow as they reached the end of the path.

“What did you say, Mom?” Henry asked, bouncing on the balls of his feet.

“Killian and I are going to look at our schedules to find a day that works.”

“Yay!” Henry shouted. “How about next Saturday?”

“Calm down, kid. I told you we’re going to figure it out.”

They arrived at the shelter and Killian opened the door and held it for them. David was sitting at a desk behind the counter, tapping away at the computer keyboard. He looked up with a broad smile when they entered. “How did it go?”

“Good,” Emma replied. “Thank you for allowing us to borrow Norman for the day.”

David looked between the two adults standing before him, obviously wanting more details. “Did you…all of you…get along okay?”

“Yes we did, Dave,” Killian said smugly.

There were several seconds when all they could hear was the barking of some of the dogs in the back. Finally, David sighed. “Alright, I guess I’ll just take Norman back to his cage, then.”

“Oh, uh,” Emma said, giving Killian a wink, “one of us will be in touch to schedule another day for us…all of us…to rent Norman again.”

David’s grin told them he knew exactly what that meant.

🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾

“I hear you met my future brother-in-law,” Belle said. It was Monday, and Emma had stopped at the library to return a couple of books and choose some more before her shift at the sheriff’s station.

“News travels fast.”

“Killian always eats lunch with us after church. He told us about the mix-up at the animal shelter and said he had a great time with you and Henry.”

“He seems like a nice guy,” Emma said, moving to a shelf and studying the books more closely than necessary.

“He thinks very highly of you, too.”

Emma shot her a brief glance. “Oh, yeah? What did he say?”

“Well,” Belle began, clearly struggling to be non-chalant, “he said you were very easy to talk to and he enjoyed your sense of humor. He also said he had fun helping Henry with his soccer skills.”

“He was really good with Henry and I, um, I liked talking to him, too. He’s supposed to contact me to figure out another time to rent Norman together. Henry asked if we could.”

“I don’t suppose you protested too much, did you?”

Emma chose a book off of the shelf and studiously perused the summary on the back. “You know I want my kid to be happy.”

Belle crossed the space between them and laid her hand over the book, garnering Emma’s full attention. “To the best of my knowledge, you’ve never once introduced your son to a man you may be interested in dating in all the years I’ve known you.”

“Wait a second…first of all, I didn’t introduce him to Henry - we met accidentally, and secondly, who says I’m interested in dating him? We’re simply planning to rent Norman together again. It’s really not a big deal, Belle.”

“If you say so, but I have to tell you that I’ve never seen Killian so animated while talking about someone. You certainly made an impression on him.”

“I’m sure I did. Dressed in old sweatpants and a hoodie, no makeup, hair a complete disaster - I was a mess.”

“He didn’t mention that. He just talked about how he enjoyed the time he spent with you and how much he’s looking forward to seeing you again.”

Emma could feel her face heating and knew she must be as red as the leather jacket she was wearing. She wasn’t ready to admit that she was just as eager to see him again, too.

🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾

That evening, Emma had just finished checking over Henry’s homework and shooed him off to the shower, when her phone dinged with an incoming text. Picking it up from the kitchen counter, she couldn’t help the smile that crossed her face upon seeing Killian’s name.

K: I’m hoping this message reaches Emma Swan. If I’ve reached someone else, you can blame it on her. It was followed by a smirking emoji.

She shook her head at his ridiculousness, and decided to play along.

E: I’m afraid you’ve been misled. This Emma Swan must be a horrible person. She added a winking emoji.

It took a few seconds for the three bubbles to pop up, then she laughed out loud when she read his reply.

  K: Oh, she is a terrible, awful person to give me a fake number.

E: She’s probably not used to giving out her number to random men who just happened to rent the same dog she did.

K: That seems to be a plausible excuse. Perhaps I should forgive her.

E: Oh, you most definitely should.

K: Very well. If I’m ever fortunate enough to see her again, I shall grant her my forgiveness.

E: That’s very gentlemanly of you.

K: I’m always a gentleman.

Emma heard the clothes hamper lid slam in the bathroom, signifying that Henry was finished with his shower.

E: I need to get Henry into bed. I’ll be back in twenty minutes or so, depending on how resistant he decides to be tonight.

K: Tell him I said goodnight.

E: That will probably get him all excited and it may be longer than twenty minutes.

K: I’m willing to wait.

Emma left her phone on the sofa and went to Henry’s bedroom, where he was getting settled under the covers. Sitting on the edge of his bed, she brushed his damp bangs away from his forehead.

“Did you brush your teeth?”

“You ask me that every night.”

“Yes, and half the time you’ve neglected to do it.”

“I just have to brush them again in the morning.”

Emma raised an eyebrow at him. “Did you, or didn’t you?”

He sighed dramatically. “I did. Wanna smell my breath to make sure?”

“Not particularly. I believe you. Ready to say your prayers?”

“Yeah.”

“Okay. Name three things of thanks,” she said, initiating their nightly tradition.

Henry tapped his chin in thought. “I scored two goals at recess.”

“That’s cool.”

“Yeah, I used what Killian taught me. Oh! That’s my second thing - meeting Killian.”

“Actually, he texted me while you were in the shower.”

“He did? Did he say when we can rent Norman together again?”

“We haven't had a chance to discuss it yet. He did say to tell you goodnight.”

“Tell him I said goodnight to him, too.”

“I will. What’s your third thing?”

“Umm…we changed seats in class and now I’m sitting beside Avery.”

“Just make sure the two of you don’t get into trouble for talking too much.”

“We won’t.”

“Good. Now, what three things do you want to ask of God?”

“To help me do good on my math test tomorrow, to send me another dog, and to let us see Killian again soon.”

They both folded their hands and closed their eyes while Henry said his prayers. When he finished, Emma read him a chapter of Fantastic Mr. Fox, kissed him goodnight and left his room, turning off the light on her way out.

Picking her phone up from her couch, she scrolled through the text conversation with Killian, smiling at the light banter they shared.

E: I’m back.

When a response didn’t come through for a couple of minutes, she went to her bedroom to change into her pajamas. Then she brushed her teeth, washed her face, and applied moisturizer.

When she went back into the living room, she saw a new message on her phone.

K: Is it okay if I call you? I’m not fond of texting.

She noticed that the time stamp was right after she put her phone down, over ten minutes ago. Instead of answering, she brought up his contact and hit the call button.

“Hello, Swan.”

“Hey, sorry if I kept you waiting.”

“I was hoping I didn’t upset you by asking to call.”

“No, nothing like that. I just decided to do my nighttime routine,” Emma explained. “Henry said to tell you goodnight, by the way. I always ask him to tell me three things he’s thankful for from his day, and you were involved in two of them.”

“Oh, really?”

“Yeah. He scored two goals playing soccer today at recess, because of what you taught him, and he was thankful for meeting you. That’s the third night in a row he’s said that one.”

“That’s very kind of him to say.”

“Well, you made quite an impression on him and he’s eager to see you again. Speaking of which, what does your schedule look like for the next few weeks?”

“It’s wide open, actually. Do Saturdays work best for you?”

“Yeah, because Henry is in school during the week and I work until five every day. I also work one Saturday a month. This coming Saturday is the one I work this month.”

“How about the following week?”

She switched him to speaker and pulled up her calendar app. “That looks good. Henry gets a haircut that morning at nine, but we could meet after that. The weather is going to start getting too cold if we wait much longer.”

“Liam has been telling me to be prepared for a cold winter. He says Maine is quite a bit colder than England during the winter months,” he stated. “Shall we make plans for that day, then?”

“Sounds good to me. Want to meet at the shelter at ten-thirty?”

“Actually,” Killian began, then paused for a few moments before clearing his throat and continuing. “I was wondering if you would agree to me picking up the two of you to go to the shelter together.”

Emma bit her lip, considering his offer. Her gut instinct was to decline because it would seem too much like a date, but her practical side said it was logical for them to make the twenty minute drive together.

She knew he was waiting for her answer and was probably having second thoughts about asking, since she was taking so long. “Um, sure, that would be fine,” she finally said. “I’ll text my address to you.”

“Okay, good. Shall we say ten o’clock? Will that give you enough time for Henry’s haircut?”

“Yeah. It only takes about twenty minutes, if that long. His barber is Jefferson and he’s pretty fast.”

“Liam recommended him and I had an appointment there a couple of weeks ago. He is fast, if a little…quirky.”

“Oh, you mean because he wears the top hat? I guess he’s trying to live up to the name of his shop.”

“Just naming his shop the Mad Hatter of Hair makes him sound a bit eccentric.”

Emma laughed. “He’s harmless, though. His daughter Grace is in Henry’s class and she’s very sweet. Jefferson is raising her by himself. His wife passed away before Grace started kindergarten.”

“How sad. Now I feel bad for judging him.”

“I wouldn’t say you were judging him, just making an accurate observation. I knew him before his wife died and he was every bit as quirky as he is now.”

They continued talking for another twenty minutes. Just like the day they met, the conversation didn’t lag at all as they transitioned easily from one subject to another. Before they ended the call, Killian asked if it would be alright to call her again later in the week and she agreed without hesitation.

Lying in bed that night, Emma smiled dreamily as she replayed their conversation in her mind. She may be venturing into self-imposed forbidden territory ever since Henry’s father abandoned her, but Killian Jones intrigued her and she couldn’t find it within herself to care.

🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾

Killian called Emma four more times over the next two weeks. Their conversations lasted longer each time, until they spent over an hour talking and laughing on Thursday, before their scheduled outing.

He suggested that they take Norman back to Storybrooke’s nature preserve after picking him up, which she thought was a great idea. She mentioned that she and Henry spent quite a bit of time there during the summer, hiking the trails and wading in the creek. Despite intending to visit, Killian hadn’t been able to get there yet and was happy to know his first time would be with Emma, Henry and Norman.

Saturday morning found him taking more time than usual to get ready. He chided himself for being a bit vain, but wanted to make the extra effort for the lovely lady Swan. If things went well, he was planning to ask her out on a proper date.

He had confided his intention to Belle, hoping she would give him advice about where to take Emma, should she agree. Not only did his future sister-in-law present him with recommendations, she also mentioned that she would be happy to watch Henry, and was sure Liam would, too.

Once Killian was satisfied with his appearance, he tried to occupy himself until it was time to drive to Emma and Henry’s house. After going online and paying some bills, washing the few dishes in the sink and sorting his laundry, he still had about twenty minutes left.

His heart sank when he heard the notification for an incoming text, thinking it might be Emma cancelling their plans. He was relieved, then a little apprehensive to see it was from his brother. Belle promised she wouldn’t say anything to Liam about his plans to ask Emma on a date, but they were an engaged couple and couples weren’t supposed to keep secrets from each other. Unfortunately, his former girlfriend hadn’t abided by that rule, since she kept one whopper of a secret from him.

L: Any plans for this afternoon, little brother?

Killian dropped his head back with a sigh. Not only did Liam insist on calling him that irritating moniker, now he had to explain that he did indeed have plans. He was sure he would have to answer questions about what they were and with whom, since he rarely did anything on the weekends.

K: Actually, I do.

L: Oh, really? What are you doing?

K: I’m renting Winston from the shelter again.

L: Great! Belle is working today. Would you mind if I came over to see the little guy?

Killian’s thumbs hovered over his screen, trying to decide how to tell his brother no without sounding rude. Even though Liam was acquainted with Emma, he tended to be over protective, and Killian didn’t want him giving her the third degree or making her feel uncomfortable. Plus, he selfishly wanted to spend time alone with her and Henry.

Glancing at the clock, he saw it was almost time for him to leave. Quickly, he typed a message he was hoping would appease Liam.

K: Sorry, not this time. Emma, Henry and I made plans to spend another day together with him.

As he pulled on his jacket, he heard another notification. Closing his eyes momentarily, he opened them to read Liam’s message, then released a relieved breath.

L: I hope the four of you have a good time, so I can see that look of happiness on your face again.

🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾

“Henry, Killian’s here!” Emma announced, dropping the curtain after seeing his car pull up to the curb.

“Coming!” she heard him yell in response.

She quickly ducked into the bathroom and inspected her appearance in the mirror one more time. She hoped to make a better impression on Killian by applying light makeup and pulling her hair back into a neat ponytail. Her outfit was simple - jeans, sneakers, her favorite light blue blouse, and red leather jacket.

The doorbell rang as she re-entered the living room, but before she could get to the door, Henry sped past her to pull it open. “Hey, Killian!” he said excitedly.

“Hello, lad,” Killian answered, then shifted his eyes from Henry to Emma. She saw him swallow before giving her one of his winning smiles. “Good morning, Emma.”

“Hi, Killian. You’re right on time.”

“Not being prompt is bad form, Swan.” Looking at Henry again, he stated, “Your haircut makes you look a bit older.”

Henry reached up to run both hands along the sides of his head. “Do you really think so?”

“Aye, at least a year or two.”

“Please don’t say that,” Emma said, handing Henry his jacket. “He’s growing up way too fast as it is.”

During the drive to the shelter, Henry talked about one thing after another. Emma wondered if Killian would tire of her son’s constant chatter, but his questions at regular intervals proved he was fully engaged in what Henry had to say.

Meanwhile, she spent the time admiring the man beside her. He was dressed in dark, stonewashed jeans, an army green button-down shirt, and the same black leather jacket he wore the first time they met. His scruff was neatly trimmed and his dark hair artfully combed. His rich laugh at some of Henry’s comments was a sound she was sure she would never get tired of hearing.

When they entered the shelter, David gave them a smug smile that Emma tried to ignore. She knew he was probably patting himself on the back for his matchmaking, but she really didn’t mind, because meeting Killian was, so far, a positive experience.

Norman was extremely excited to see them again, and after everyone got into the car, they were on their way back to Storybrooke. Henry was preoccupied with Norman in the back seat, so the adults finally had a chance to chat with each other. Their conversation was as free-flowing as it had been every other time they spoke in the past two weeks. Emma had never met anyone so easy to talk to, and wondered if it was because their backgrounds were so similar.

During their earlier phone conversations, she learned his father had abandoned his family when Killian and Liam were little, leaving their mother to raise them alone. She shared how she was abandoned at a fire station baby box when she was less than a week old, and had never been adopted. They both had been in situations where they were deceived and misled by the person they loved. Emma came to realize that being able to empathize with someone else made it easier to connect with them, just as she had with Killian.

The crisp autumn weather was perfect for hiking at the nature preserve. They explored all of the available paths and walked along the shores of the creek. The water was too chilly for wading, but Norman enjoyed splashing in now and then when he spotted a particularly intriguing leaf, bug or stick.

After hiking for a couple of hours, they took a break to drink Gatorade and snack on protein bars, thoughtfully packed by Killian. He also had treats for Norman, which Henry used to try and teach the dog again how to sit on command.

They stayed until the last possible minute before getting into the car for the drive back to the shelter. No one spoke for several miles, until Henry finally said, “I really wish we didn’t have to take Norman back there. He’s always so sad. Why can’t we just adopt him, Mom?”

Emma glanced over at Killian, who met her eyes for a second before directing his back to the road. “I wish we could, but it wouldn’t really be fair to Norman. We’re both gone all day and he would have to be penned up that whole time.”

“But he loves us and we love him!” Henry exclaimed. “Ernie didn’t have to be penned up and he was fine during the day.”

Emma turned to look at her son. “I know, kid, but it was easy with Ernie. He was with us for several years and was older. Norman is young and full of energy, so he’s going to need a lot more attention and training. I wouldn’t trust him being in the house all day by himself.”

Henry heaved a huge sigh. “Okay.”

They were all silent for the rest of the drive. Emma saw Killian look at her out of the corner of his eye once in a while, but they didn’t carry on a conversation. She spent the time thinking about the practicality of adopting Norman, but knew she would have to stick to her guns, because it just wouldn’t be fair to the rambunctious dog to be cooped up all day.

When they reached the shelter and exited the car, Killian slowed Emma down by placing a hand on her arm, while Henry entered the building with Norman. “Emma, I’ve been giving it some thought and I have an idea, if you’re open to it.”

She shrugged slightly. “Sure, let’s hear it.”

“Perhaps, if you adopted Win-, er, Norman, I could keep him during the day while you’re at work and school. I could pick him up in the morning before you leave and drop him off after you get home.”

“Sort of like shared custody or dog sitting?” she asked, turning to face him.

He chuckled. “Aye, something like that, I suppose.”

“I don’t know, Killian. That seems like a pretty big commitment between people who barely know each other. You’re not even sure you’re going to stay in Storybrooke.”

He scratched behind his ear. “If I move, it won’t be for a while, since I signed a six month lease on my apartment. That would give us time to train the dog. I know we’ve just met, but I…I’ve enjoyed getting to know you and your boy. I’m hoping this is just the beginning of our friendship.”

Emma stuck her hands in the back pocket of her jeans and rocked back on her heels. “I hope so, too, but I’m still not sure about the arrangement you’re suggesting.”

“I completely understand,” he said, then paused before asking, “Are you counting it out altogether, or will you consider it?”

She pulled her lip between her teeth in thought for a few seconds. “I’ll consider it,” she finally answered.

He gave her a small smile, then moved to open the door for her.

They went inside to see Henry sitting cross-legged on the floor with Norman, the dog’s head resting on his leg. David was listening to the boy give him a detailed description of their day at the nature preserve and looked up to give them a big grin. “Sounds like you had quite the adventure today.”

“Aye, we all had quite a workout,” Killian responded. “It’s quite a lovely place.”

“Yeah, we’re lucky to have it in Storybrooke,” David said. “Mary Margaret takes her class there on a field trip every year.”

Henry’s head whipped around. “Mrs. Nolan didn’t take our class!”

“It’s early in the school year,” Emma said. “I’m sure she’ll take you sometime.”

“They usually go in the spring,” David explained, as he walked around the end of the counter. “Are you ready for me to take Norman?”

“No,” Henry said, his voice muffled as he buried his face in the dog’s neck.

The three adults exchanged understanding looks. They gave the boy a couple more minutes, before Emma picked up the end of the leash and put her hand on Henry’s head. “It’s time to say goodbye to him, kid.”

Henry drew back to look at Norman. “Goodbye, boy. I’m gonna miss you.” He kissed the dog on top of the head and rubbed his ears.

Emma reached down to pet the dog, then handed the leash to David. Killian stood beside her to pat Norman, too, telling him to be a good boy.

David bid them all goodbye, then headed to the back with the dog reluctantly following him. Henry looked up at Emma from where he still sat on the floor. “Mom…”

“Henry, don’t say it. I already told you why it’s not a good idea to adopt him right now.”

“Right now? Does that mean we can adopt him later?”

“That’s not what I meant,” Emma replied, giving him her patented ‘don’t push it’ look. “Let’s go, kid.”

With a long-suffering sigh, Henry pushed himself to his feet and followed her out the door Killian was holding open. Once they were in the car and on their way to Storybrooke, Killian asked, “Would you, um, would the two of you like to get a late lunch at Granny’s, when we get back?”

“What do you think, Henry?” Emma threw over her shoulder.

He turned from where he had been glumly staring out the window. “Can I get a cheeseburger and fries?”

“Sure.”

“And a chocolate milkshake?” When his mom didn’t answer immediately, he added, “Please? It’ll make me less sad about Norman.”

Killian chuckled lowly as Emma rolled her eyes, muttering, “I’m raising a con artist.”

🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾

Killian mentally kicked himself the whole way back into town. What was he thinking, asking Emma to agree to what was basically a long term commitment? He probably ruined his chance for asking her out on a date, too. He was sure she would think he was coming on too strong, if he did.

At least she agreed to have lunch with him. Hopefully, she would also allow him to continue calling her. Those phone calls and the texts they shared were always the highlight of his week.

As much as he enjoyed his time with Emma, having Henry with them made it even better. Killian hadn’t had a lot of interaction with children, but it was easy being around Emma’s son. He was bright, articulate and funny - very much like his mother. He was also respectful and well-mannered.

On the day they met, Emma confided to him that she was afraid she was making a lot of mistakes as a single mom, who never had a mother of her own to set an example, but he strongly disagreed. She wasn’t perfect - no parent was, but Henry seemed to be well-adjusted and confident, so she was obviously doing many things right.

Killian saw how much Henry loved the dog and wished he could help make the boy’s desire to adopt him come true, which is why he made the offer. He had come to love the furry little rascal, too, and would seriously consider adopting Norman himself. He just didn’t know if he could take the dog with him if he decided to move away from Storybrooke.

He pulled up in front of Granny’s, cut the engine, unbuckled his seatbelt and opened the door, as he heard Emma and Henry do the same. Typical of a young boy, Henry took off running and was already skipping up the steps to the front door by the time Killian reached Emma’s side.

“He’s pretty excited,” Emma explained. “Eating out is kind of a treat because we don’t do it very often.”

“I hope I wasn’t out of line for asking,” Killian said.

“No, not at all. It really perked him up.”

Killian halted at the bottom of the steps, causing Emma to stop and look at him. “I also hope I didn’t upset you by making the offer to watch Norman.”

“You didn’t,” she assured him. “I’m definitely going to think about it. I really miss having a dog around, too. I just have to weigh all the pros and cons.”

He smiled and nodded his understanding, then bounded up the steps to open the door. Henry was at the counter talking animatedly to Ruby, who looked up and gaped at Emma in surprise.

“Hey, girl! I didn’t realize you knew the very handsome new guy in town!”

Killian could feel his ears turning red, when Emma glanced at him before replying. “Hi, Ruby. Actually, we met by accident a couple of weeks ago.”

“By accident, huh? Did you hit him with your car or something?”

“Nothing like that. We were both renting the same dog at the animal shelter.”

“Was seeing him today another accident?”

Emma put her hands on her hips. “Not that it’s any of your business, but no. It was planned this time.”

Killian wasn’t sure he had ever seen such a wide grin on the waitress’s face. They all gave Ruby their drink order, then Emma ushered Henry to a booth and Killian slid in across from them.

“Are you getting lasagna?” she asked.

“I think I’m going to try the grilled cheese and onion rings. Someone recommended them to me,” he smirked.

“Very intelligent person,” Emma grinned.

“Aye, that she is.”

Ruby arrived at their table with their drinks and Henry’s milkshake. She gave Emma and Killian another broad smile when she took down their identical orders. “His and hers grilled cheeses, huh? Maybe there’s some truth to the saying that couples begin to eat alike.”

Emma sighed and rolled her eyes. “I think the saying is that couples start to look alike, and we aren’t a couple. We’re just friends.”

“I see,” Ruby said, glancing at Henry, who was busy spooning the thick milkshake into his mouth. “Well, they do say there are benefits to being friends.” She gave them an exaggerated wink, then turned and made her way to the kitchen.

“Ruby isn’t exactly the epitome of subtlety,” Emma said, a blush filling her cheeks with color.

🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾

“It was nice of Killian to take us to Granny’s today,” Henry said, as he was climbing into bed that night.

“Yes, it was. I was very proud of you for remembering to thank him without needing a reminder.”

“Thanks for letting me get a milkshake, even if it didn’t make me stop feeling sad about not being able to adopt Norman.”

Emma tucked the covers around his shoulders. “I know, but try not to think about it.”

“I can’t,” Henry pouted. “He’s probably crying himself to sleep tonight.”

“I think he’s probably going to sleep remembering all of the fun we had today.”

Henry stubbornly shook his head. “Nuh-uh. He’s wondering why we didn’t bring him home with us.”

“Henry,” Emma sighed, “I know you’re sad, but we just can’t…”

“I know,” he interrupted, “you keep saying it wouldn’t be fair for him to be alone all day, but he’s already alone at the shelter all day, except for Mr. Nolan, and at night, there’s nobody there at all.”

“There’s other dogs and cats…”

“That’s not the same. They’re all in cages by themselves. If we adopted him, he could sleep on my bed, like Ernie did.”

Knowing she was going around in circles with him, Emma reached over and picked up the book from his nightstand. “How about if you say your prayers after I read to you tonight?”

Heaving a dramatic sigh, he said, “Fine, but it’s not gonna make me forget about Norman.”

After reading to him for fifteen minutes, hearing his prayers - which mentioned Norman and Killian several times - and kissing him goodnight, she left his room. Heading into her own bedroom, she went through her nightly routine automatically, lost in thought.

Once she was in her pajamas, free of make-up and teeth brushed, she peeked in on her son to find him sound asleep. She made sure the front door was deadbolted, turned off the lights in the kitchen and living room and went back into her room. Sitting on the edge of the bed, she stared at the phone in her hand, mind racing.

Finally, she pulled up Killian’s contact and hit the call button.

She was almost ready to hang up after it rang four times, not wanting it to go to voicemail, when he answered. “Hello, Swan. I wasn’t expecting to talk to you again so soon.”

“I hope I’m not calling too late.”

“Not at all. What’s on your mind?”

“Henry was still upset about Norman before he went to sleep. I feel like I’m being selfish by not allowing him to get a dog.”

“Why do you feel that way?”

“Because one of my excuses is that a dog is a lot of work and would need training, which it would. I’m making it seem like all the work would fall on me. Now, I know Henry is only eight, but I think he’s pretty responsible for his age.”

“From what I’ve seen, I would agree with that,” Killian cut in.

“Thank you. Anyway, I think he would be able to help train and take care of the dog, so that excuse is out the window. The other big concern I had is that the dog would have to be home by himself all day, which brings me to the reason I’m calling. I’ve been seriously considering your offer, if it’s still on the table.”

“It is.”

“Are you sure that’s not asking too much of you? I mean, you’re home during the day, but you’re working. How would you be able to take care of him?”

“I’ve had him here with me a few times already and he makes himself right at home. He’s housebroken and doesn’t demand too much attention. If he starts getting restless, I take him outside and play with him for a while. That works with my schedule because I have to take breaks now and then, when I’ve been staring at the computer screen for too long.”

She blew out a long breath. “What if it turns out to be too big of a commitment? We’ve spent some time together and have done a lot of talking to get to know each other, but we’re still basically strangers.”

“Well actually…” Killian began, then paused for several moments before continuing, “I was hoping to have an opportunity to ask you something today, but the right moment never presented itself.”

Emma’s heart began to beat faster in anticipation of what she suspected he might ask. “What did you want to ask?”

“Would you, um…would you consider going out with me?”

Standing up to pace back and forth between her bed and dresser, she chewed her lip in contemplation. She could literally count how many dates she’d had since Henry’s birth on one hand. She only went on those dates to appease Ruby, who was convinced Emma’s Mr. Right was out there somewhere, but she hadn’t been attracted to any of the men.

She couldn’t say the same about Killian. From the time she laid eyes on him, she felt an attraction that only got stronger the more she got to know him. He seemed to be the total package - kind, intelligent, considerate, and insanely hot.

“What happens if we adopt Norman, then go out with each other and realize we’re not compatible?”

“If you adopt him, I would keep my commitment to help take care of him, even if we decide dating doesn’t work for us. You have my word, Emma.”

She came to a halt at the end of her bed and turned to face the mirror above her dresser. For eight years, Henry had been her number one priority and always would be, but maybe it was time for her to do something for herself. Could that something be going out with Killian Jones?

She was so deep in thought, she didn’t realize how long she had been standing there considering her answer. When Killian finally spoke, his quiet voice startled her. “What do you say, Swan?”

“Yes, Killian. I will go out with you.”

🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾

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[beelzebuddy-catan]

I firmly believe that Satan and MC would be a dual income no kids couple. They'd be an amazing aunt and uncle to their nieces, nephews, and niblings. The famous couple that everyone knows and the kids idolize. They travel around the three realms (well two in Satan's case) and work as ambassadors to strengthen relationships. They spoil their niblings with gifts and stories from the three realms.

But that got me thinking about Satan as an uncle, and how amazing he'd be.

Yes, he's still the avatar of wrath and strikes fear in demons hearts.

Yes, one look at him and kids are usually terrified.

Yes, he has a habit of saying too many swear words.

But he absolutely adores his niblings. He'd destroy the three realms for them. And he loves them the way the brothers need to be loved.

Lucifer's daughter - he shows her she's not alone. That she never has to shoulder any burden by herself.

He was prepared to hate Lucifer's daughter. Any offspring of Lucifer's had to be awful. No MC, that is not an invitation to discuss his internalized problems.

Then he met her and she giggled at him. This small creature giggled at him. Beings of all ages, from all places, shrunk in fear of him. But this baby giggled at him. The only other beings who hadn't immediately cowered from him were cats and MC. Just like that, she thawed a part of his heart.

Her first words were definitely some variation of "tan-tan" and the vein in Lucifer's forehead almost popped.

She spends as much time with Satan as she can. To the point she starts acting like Satan. She got in trouble at school after yelling "well bless you" at the teacher. Obviously she learned it from Satan.

Lucifer's so proud of her. Why wouldn't he be? She's so much like Satan and he's proud of Satan. Not that he'd be able to tell him. That pride gets in the way and makes it hard for him to tell his daughter how proud he is. How much he loves her. How he's sorry when they fight.

But Satan is there. He reminds her of those things. He's not defending Lucifer, don't be stupid, he's just telling her all the things he needed to hear from Lucifer growing up.When she's older and runs away from home at some point after a fight, she ends up at Satan's door. Because when she had no where left to go, she always has him.

Because she always has a place in Satan's heart. He'll swear and yell, but it never scares her and he can never really say no to her.

Mammon's three kids - he shows them they're worth it. That they aren't a nuisance. They're someone he loves and wants in his life.

Mammon's kids gave him a headache. They were loud, troublemakers, always scheming, and he couldn't help give in to them.

They love shiny, exotic, rare things, so Satan brings them gifts from his travels. They're spoiled by him. But when he sees the way their eyes light up at some trinket from the human world, he's reminded how he's more than wrath, that he feels more than that. He's such a softie.

Mammon's taught them a lot actually (mostly related to money schemes). But he never taught the why. So Satan teaches them.

He taught them how to read someone's body language. He does love detective work. He definitely taught them Mammon’s tell. He taught them how to play their opponent not the game. He teaches them the math and physics behind billiards. Now they can hustle people like their dad, but back it up with intelligence.

Mammon has terrible money management. So Satan teaches them that too. He gets them bank accounts Mammon doesn’t know about and shows them how to balance check books. He teaches them the value of money, not just how to scam it from people, but to earn it. To be proud they earned it.

He may or may not but definitely did set up savings accounts for them for when the get older. Just in case.

And when shit hits the fan and they get them selves in too deep, their uncle Satan is there to save them.

Levi's son and daughter - he shows them they aren't trivial. That they are loved not in spite of their interests and quirks, but because of them.

Satan thought they'd be shut in's, like their dad. He thought it'd be hard to get to know them. But it wasn’t and they trust him.

They write him letters and video call him when he's travelling. He always writes back and he always saves the letters. He has a locked box where all of the letter's, drawings, writings, etc. they've given him are kept.

He has them sign every thing they create. They're practically glowing from happiness. He even has some of their art framed in the house next to his fancy expensive pieces. Occasionally, someone will ask about it and the kids overhear. And though Satan can’t see them, he knows they're there. He answers honestly, "I like beautiful things, why wouldn't I hang that up?". Maybe he says it a little bit louder than necessary, but it is true.

He learns about all their favorite things. New tv show? watched. New book or comic? Read. New music? Heard. He keeps notes of all their interests so he can make recommendations. They're always the best.

There are times when Levi is too anxious or scared to go to events. When their mom has to work or isn't able to go. Satan drops everything to be there. He knows how important it is to them. He knows Levi would go if he could, but it can be too much for him.

He dresses up with them. He doesn't care what it is. They want to be the villain? Fuck it, everyone welcome princess Satan.

He also takes them on adventures to new places. They love travelling with Satan because not only does he know so much, he lets them explore and be themselves.

He supports their interests without shaming them. He also encourages them to be okay with it. If they're shy, Satan tries to break them out of their shell. He doesn't push them or make them uncomfortable.

He's seen what that fear has done to Levi, he won't let it happen to them.

Asmo's sons - he shows them their worth isn't their looks. That they're complex beings who's beauty isn't only surface level.

He was prepared for the two to be mini Asmos. And they were, in some ways. They cared about appearances. They're charming little fuckers, getting out of trouble easily. You know when kids imitate someone flirting and grown adults/elderly women eat it up? That's them. Except it doesn't work on Satan. He grew up around Asmo, nice try.

Instead he teaches them how to win people over without looks. Like he did. So he says He teaches them to make connections. To be wise. To use their beauty as a power up or add on, not the main tool or skill.

Asmo is their father and you know their mother is equally okay a little less, but don't tell anyone as stunning. So they can be insecure. Satan reminds them of their worth.

And maybe true beauty comes from within sounds like bullshit. But he ingrains that shit in them from birth. Anyone can be pretty. Anyone can look good. The things that are imperfect, that have flaws, that have blemishes are the things people adore. Without those things, everyone would look the same.

He lets them know he sees and loves who they are, and that makes them feel beautiful. So they don't care much if other people don't agree.

Except they still do have bullies. Satan will show up if he hears anything about them being bullied. He's the avatar of wrath and he scares the living shit out of the bullies. "Say one more word and I'll make it so you never say another one." Poor kid didn't speak for a month.

Asmo had to pick up one of the kids after being bullied for wearing a dress. Satan's already booking a ticket to get home and buying a dress online. He'll fuck that kid's shit up. MC calm him down, for the love of everything holy and unholy, he might actually destroy the devildom this time.

Sometimes their parents are busy with shoots or other gigs and Satan watches them.

He hosts tea parties with them. They take that shit seriously. Barbatos is invited, but no one else. Okay sometimes MC, but that's it. And Luke if he brings snacks. But that's seriously it.

He lets them be kids. Asmo often has them acting prim and proper because that gives them the best image. They have select clothes they can wear. They have certain styles of hair they can have. But Satan let's them wear ugly clothes. The fluffy boas and cheap tiaras. He lets them run around without shoes and doesn't care if they spill things in their clothes.

They’re kids, he lets them be that way. He encourages it because sometimes Asmo forgets that not all kids love being dressed to the 9s and done up all the time. They feel supported and loved to be themselves. Not a picture of who they should be.

Beel's daughters - he shows them that they're more than a single moment or action or mistake. He shows that they can learn and grow. He teaches them how to forgive themselves when it's easier to blame themselves.

Satan didn’t connect immediately with Beel's daughters.

They had everything they needed: a dad that was there no matter what. Someone who wasn't afraid to tell them he was proud or that he loved them. Someone that made them feel valued and worthy. Someone that could protect them. And as they got older they could definitely protect themselves.

They had everything Satan wanted and needed growing up. What did they need him for?

Then he saw one of them talking to Beel after a game. She was devastated. She'd missed the goal and the team lost. And she kept blaming herself.

Beel didn't know how to comfort her. After all Beel never really learned to deal with his own guilt. He still blamed himself for a lot of things. So Satan takes her out for ice cream after and starts assistant coaching her team. He knows the game and the best strategies, why wouldn't he?

More importantly, he starts teaching his daughters that their mistakes, losses, the whole lot, they aren't them.

He knows better than anyone what it feels like to internalize something, to hate the very core of who you were or what you thought was who you were. Because sometimes one bad thing about you can feel like the only thing about you.

He knows what it's like to fight against of that feeling. He's there to remind them how to grow from that, to become better, to let it drive them, not ruin them.

Sure he yells sometimes, and swears, and gets too invested in the game, but they think it's funny. The whole team does. He makes them better because he makes them believe they can become better. Gradually the internal voice that defends these young demons against their own negative self talk sounds a lot like the the avatar of wrath.

Even when they get older and he stops coaching, he goes to every single game. He argues with the refs (and has definitely gotten in fights) but everyone is too afraid to ban him. He also brings snacks to every game. Both for the girls (and Beel of course)

Belphie's son - he shows him that the ones we love never truly leave us. That when he feels alone and scared, there's always someone watching out for him. That sometimes the monsters in the closet are our skeletons. And sometimes the skeletons in the closet are just bad dreams we can't quite shake.

The first time this kid fell asleep on Satan arm he let out an exasperated sigh and a mumbled "are you fucking kidding me?"

He complained but he doesn't actually mind. It's nice knowing there are beings out there that don't fear him. Plus the kid acts just like a cat. And Satan will sit reading for hours without moving so he's the perfect person to sleep against. Win win.

He gets really bad nightmares. Nightmares where he can't bring himself to go back to sleep. But once Belphie's asleep is so hard to wake him up and his mom works nights. So he's spent a few nights crying in his bed, too afraid to go to sleep and too afraid of what lurks in the shadows.

Satan was staying there once when he woke up to sniffling. He's never really been a deep sleeper, if he sleeps and if he's not next to MC. It took a bit of prying but eventually he opened up.

Satan had to stop himself from rolling his eyes when the kid asked him to check the closet and under the bed. But Satan did. When that's not enough for him to go back to sleep, Satan tries telling him stories that are mostly true.

"You know when your dad and uncles first came here, they were afraid of me. Do you think there could be anything in that closet that scares me?" "I used to have to check the closets for your uncle Mammon, don't tell him though. It’ll be our secret"

You know those friendship lights where you can tap the light and it changes the color of the other person's? Yeah Satan got those. Like I said, he's a light sleeper, so even if he isn't up, the change of light wakes him up. Satan always calls his nephew when he sees it change. He reads him bed time stories until he falls asleep. He started taking voice lessons so he could make it more fun.

And eventually Belphie’s son stops fearing the monster's in the closet. He stops having so many nightmares.

But he always has the light plugged in. He always knows that Satan is there for him. Even if he can't see him or talk to them, Satan's with him in spirit.

Because the people we love and the ones that love us always stay with us in the ways we need.

Anyways, I'm soft for Satan, avatar of wrath, feared demon through the devildom, being a supportive and loving uncle. Here's some photos that are Uncle Satan energy:

[graciegoeskrazy]

alright, baby

ross macdonald + pre-teen!daughter!reader

warnings: language?, mentions of blood, reader has anxiety, lil panic attack, reader is about 12 (may b a bit younger?)

a/n: uh ok here we go. barely proof read, TY ANONIEEE BAEEEE

It was supposed to be a semi-normal day. Nothing was planned for you and your dad other than stopping by Adam’s birthday party. The morning was normal. You changed into the light pink dress with ruffles your aunt Carly gifted you for your birthday and headed out the door with your dad. You mainly stayed with George during the party. Talking to him about your summer plans and whatever nonsense you two could come up with. It had been a while and he missed his little buddy. All of a sudden you felt a sharp pain. Something you had never experienced before. It wasn’t in your stomach, this was lower. You weren’t sure what to do so you dropped everything and ran upstairs to the bathroom. George was the first to notice your absence. When he came back from getting the two of you a plate, you was gone. He quietly excused himself from the giggles and drinking around him and headed upstairs to check on you. You had gone up almost 10 minutes ago and hadn’t come back down yet.

…

Blood. Not a lot. Just a few drops. But enough for you to have a horrid realization. You just got your first period. This wasn't supposed to happen this way. It came out of nowhere. There had been no previous pain of any kind, no telltale signs that you were about to go through the biggest part of puberty. This came completely out of nowhere.

The knock startled you.“Lovie? You okay in there?”

“George?” You asked through the tears.

“It’s me, my love. What’s going on?”

You couldn’t answer. You couldn’t think of an excuse fast enough. The more time went on, the more you began to panic. “Do you need me to get your dad?”

“No! I-I…I don’t know?” That’s the last thing you wanted. George went anyway.

“I’ll be right back, darling.”

He found Ross and pulled him aside, not wanting to panic him or cause too much attention. “Hey. Y/n is upstairs in the bathroom, crying. I think she needs you.”

“What? Is she okay?”

“I don’t know. She would barely talk to me.”

He handed George his drink and ran upstairs, his dad instincts kicking in.

He ran as fast as he could. “Lovie?” He asked, knocking. “It’s Dad. You alright?” He said, outside the door.

“Daddy?” You were in tears and his heart broke in two.

“What happened darling?” You kept crying, not responding, unsure of what to do. “Open the door for me, love.”

‘I can’t. I don't want to.” You hiccuped, in between sobs. You were on the verge of actual hyperventilation.

“Yes, you can baby. Come on.”

After a moment of hesitation, you reached over to the knob and twisted it, fixing your dress while doing so in hopes that he couldn't find any evidence. “Hey, what’s going on, hm?” He knelt down to you. You avoided his eyes at all costs. “Look at me. Breathe.” You stayed still, not moving your eyes. “I can't help you if you don't stop crying and talk to me.” He said softly. Your eyes slowly met his. He guided you in breathing and doing the exercises he was taught while learning how to help you with your anxiety. After your breathing calmed, he spoke. “What happened?”

You didn’t want to tell him the truth. Your dad had so much on his plate and the last thing you wanted was to be a burden. So, you lied.

“It was just another panic moment. I’m okay.”

After a moment, your dad spoke up. “You sure?” He asked, quirking his brow. You nodded. A part of him didn't entirely believe you. Another part of him wanted to believe you were truthful and wouldn't lie to him (which you never did.) But he knows his baby girl better than he knows himself. He also knew that the truth would reveal itself eventually. So he let it be,

“Why don’t you clean up and then we can go home a bit early? Yeah?”

Your cries were now just little sniffles. “Are you sure?”

“Positive. We’ll have that movie night we’ve been meaning to reschedule.”

You sniffled again. “Okay.”

“Take your time. I’ll be downstairs.” He got up, kissed your head, and walked downstairs to tell the boys he was leaving, reassuring George you would be fine.

…

You were quiet during the car ride. Staring into space like nothing had happened. You never noticed your dad constantly looking over to see you. It was hard for him to keep his eyes on the road. He was afraid you would break any moment and he wanted to be there to scoop you up, like he always did.

Things got worse throughout the night. You were circled up in a ball right against him.

“Do you not feel well, love?”

“I’m fine. Just a little off.” He wasn’t sure what it meant, but knew he was getting closer to the truth, so he let it be.

That was until the middle of the night when he woke up the a large slam of a door and your side of the bed empty.

He got up and headed to the bathroom. “Honey?”

Your first instinct was to stay quiet. “What’s going on love? Let me in.”

“No! Please, I can’t”.

“Yes, you can, y/n. Open up.” He shook the door knob. You just cried more.

“No. Please, Dad.” You said, begging.

“Y/n Macdonald, open this door now.” You continued to sob.

He knew continuing to pressure you would get him nowhere, so he took a different approach. “I saw the sheets, love.”

Shit.

You thought for just a moment then, much to your dismay, you opened the door, not bothering to clean up any of the blood that had dropped on your legs or around the bathroom. Just letting it be. You were so tired you didn’t have the energy for it.

He found you and knelt to your level, just like before. “Hey, it’s okay, you’re okay.” He grabbed your hands and tried to guide you through breathing. You didn’t listen though.

“This wasn't supposed to happen!”

“It’s alright we’ll figure it out.” He quickly added. He spoke softly.

“I’m sorry, Dad.”

He laughed a bit, “You do not have to apologize, my love. I got you.”

You laid your head in the crook of his neck.

“It hurts.” You said.

“I know, my love. I know.” He let go. “I’ll be right back.”

You were confused. What the hell is he doing? It wasn’t until he came back with a pad did you realize what he was doing. “Pop this on your underwear, clean up a bit then come and find me.” You were naive, not dumb. You knew what a pad was. But how the hell did your dad have one laying around. especially because it was just the two of you? The truth is he’s been (more mentally than physically) preparing for this moment for awhile. He gave you a wink and let you be.

…

When you walked back into the dimly lit room, he was already in bed. He had turned the movie back on and opened his arms wide, expecting you to jump in. You just crawled into his side. He let you be for a couple of minutes before speaking.

“Listen-“

“Don’t give me the talk.”

He looked down. “What?”

“The talk, don’t give it to me, I don't want it.”

he laughed. “I’m not gonna give you the talk, babe.”

You closed your eyes in relief. Ross continued, “At least not right now.”

You just groaned.

“You're getting older babe, I think it’s important you know certain things.”

“Not right now! Just let me sleep!”

He sighed. You snuggled closer.

“Why didn’t you want to tell me?”

You poked your head out a little, just so he could hear you better. You still kept your eyes closed. “I didn't want you to worry about me.”

“Oh, my love.” He looked at you sincerely. “That’s all I ever do.”

“Can I sleep now?” You said through tears.

“he wiped them away as he spoke. “As you wish.”

“Thank you.”

He placed a kiss on your temple. “Just doing my job.”

[somereaderinblue]

Web of Morality

-AU where MJ’s part of the group since childhood, Gwen is bitten by the spider, the symbiote is discovered sooner & Felicia decides to commit a heist sooner; four small changes that made everything different.

-MJ’s part of the group as a homage to USM & to balance out the ratio. 2 boys + 2 girls but also 2 science nerds + 2 theatre kids, making Harry feel less left out.

-(TW: very brief mention of past abusive parent)

-I will not stand for love triangles. Thus, MJ & Gwen are close, practically sisters. MJ’s the one who taught Gwen how to vent via drums & Gwen’s dad was the one who arrested MJ’s dad when he went too far.

-Naturally, after the powers kicked in, Gwen told MJ, who decided the best way to deal with this is to become a hero.

-Gwen is reluctant but after Peter loses Uncle Ben (maybe she could’ve saved him & spare Peter the pain) & her dad has a close call (another one of many, will the next one be his last?), she decides to become Spiderwoman.

-MJ is her girl in the chair, codename Jackpot.

-During summer break, Harry follows his dad out of town while MJ & Gwen claim to be doing their own thing (re: getting used to crimefighting), leaving Peter alone.

-He’s wandering outside, trying not to think abt the bills Aunt May failed to hide when he hears a commotion in the alley.

-The rest is a blur but at the end of it, he’s nursing a nasty shiner & being thanked by a pretty lady in a catsuit. Maybe he’s sporting a concussion too bcz when she asks what he wants in return, he says a hot dog but only if she eats with him.

-Maybe Felicia landed harder than she thought too bcz she finds herself on a rooftop with the kid, trying to make sure mustard doesn’t get on her gloves.

-Instead of calling the cops on her, Peter comes back just to hang out.  A friendship is struck. One night, her grappling gun is damaged & Peter fixes it. The next night, he shows her a notebook full of gadget ideas.

-When someone tries to mug Peter, Felicia saves him if only so she could put his ass through basic training. It takes a lot of coaxing but soon, Peter & her have parkour races across rooftops.

-(If she lets Peter win a few, that’s for her to know.)

-Summer ends, school starts & Vulture strikes.

-Since Peter isn’t Spiderman, he has the time & space to question Vulture's vendetta against Norman. Gwen offhandedly mentions his ‘stealing my work’ rants, which she totally heard from her dad!

-Either way, the seed is planted. This leads to Peter & Harry meeting Otto, who does a double-take bcz Peter’s the spitting image of his old friend, Richard.

-Otto still has lingering fondness for his dad & enough conscience to admit the meeting between Adrian & Oscorp.

-Another seed of doubt is planted in the group’s mind sooner than canon. This seed leads to actions that naturally bring consequences.

-MJ & Gwen are determined to uncover more dirt but they can’t tell Harry & Peter what they’re doing, so the boys assumed they don’t care & snoop on their own. Both pairs make different discoveries.

-Gwen bumps into Black Cat at ESU labs & accidentally releases the symbiote while Peter deciphers a file left by his dad, revealing his research, reasons for leaving....and dying.

-In this AU, the symbiote is more neutral. Still feeds on emotions, but not strictly negative ones. Gwen’s emotions don’t interest it since her civilian life is much stabler. So, it slips onto Peter at school.

-Peter seeks out Felicia bcz he’s terrified that Norman will hurt Gwen if he goes to her dad. While parkouring to calm down, the symbiote reveals itself.

F: So that’s where the alien ooze went. P: YOU TRIED TO STEAL ALIEN OOZE?! F: It was business. P: You- wait....OH MY GOD I’M WEARING ALIEN OOZE!

-Then Harry calls to tell him that his dad’s freaking out bcz the alien ooze is gone & oh lord, Peter is wearing said ooze.

-He should return it-

.

.

.

-Return it to who? The company that stole another man’s life’s work? The company that got his & Eddie’s parents killed??

-Hell. Fucking. No.

-Once, Felicia joked that he was her sidekick. Resolve set, he asks if she’s willing to be his mentor.

-So now Gwen has to deal with her usual rogue gallery & the anti-hero Venom who’s deadset on ruining Norman Osborn.

[jheseltheunswerving]

Rayla: How Selflessness Becomes Selfish

I had every intention of writing this before season 4 came out. Unfortunately, school and life got in the way, and I just didn’t have the time. However, I am writing this without having seen season 4, so please keep all spoilers out of the comments and reblogs.

Rayla is one of many people’s favorite characters. She’s cool, she’s beautiful, and she has a Scottish accent. But I wanted to get deeper into her character. 

Morals and Responsibility 

Throughout the show, Rayla is shown to be a protector, a fact that contradicts her training as an assassin. Even still, her being a protector is greatly influenced by her Moonshadow Elf ideals. 

The Moonshadow elves and their ideals are introduced early on in the show where we see a group of them making essentially a bloodpact to avenge the death of the dragon king and his son. The planned assassinations of Harrow and Ezran are not only believed to be deserved but also believed to be vital to achieving justice. As Runaan eloquently puts it, “Life is precious. We take it, but we do not take it lightly.”

This is a moral that Rayla displays. She will only take a life if she feels it is necessary or deserved. Hence why she spares Marcos’ life in the very start of the show. It isn’t until she meets Callum, and he points out the revenge cycle, that these morals begin to be… altered. 

As soon as the egg of the dragon prince is discovered, Rayla commits herself to defending Callum and Ezran. She smiles at Ez and offers to go back into the tower with Callum to stop her people from killing his and Ez’s father. 

Rayla assumes the actions of her peers are her responsibility. When she first tells Callum and Ezran about her parents, she says she’s so ashamed, and feels her journey to return the egg to the dragon queen as one of redemption. In other words, Rayla feels she needs to redeem herself because of her parents' alleged betrayal. 

She assumes this kind of second-hand responsibility from the other assassins as well. Throughout season 1 and well into season 2, Rayla is incapable of telling the boys what happened to their father. Even when Rayla asserts, “I didn’t kill anyone!” Corvus’ words illustrate exactly what she believes:

“Your leader did! What’s the difference?”

The difference is Rayla tried to stop him. She tried to get Runaan to call off the mission, and he wouldn’t listen. Now King Harrow is dead, and Rayla cannot bring herself to tell her new friends. 

And this actually becomes a problem later. More specifically, Rayla’s morals become a problem. Although she can’t find the strength to tell Callum and Ezran the truth, she still needs them to trust her. She offers to carry the egg, but when she realizes giving it to her would be a gesture of trust, she can’t let herself take it. She refuses to accept the boys’ trust until she’s told the truth. Even Callum tells her, “You don’t need to do this right now, Rayla.”

“Yes, I do,” she asserts. 

No, you don’t. Wait until you’re in a safer place.

But she can’t. She has to do what “the right thing” in her mind is before she can, and it nearly costs them everything. 

This comes back to haunt her at the end of the first season. The guilt of dropping the egg is weighing on Rayla and she will not let herself believe it was anyone’s fault but her own, even though Callum was also arguing with her. 

“I let you both down. I let the world down.”

Rayla has a lot of internalized guilt that she does not let herself let go. It might have been taught by her Moonshadow elf culture or it may have been something she learned on her own, but either way, it has shaped how she thinks of herself and how she handles situations. 

Emotional Vulnerability 

Like all characters, Rayla has moments of weakness. How she handles those moments is what differs her from other characters. The first true glimpse of this we get is after Callum told his aunt that Rayla is a bloodthirsty monster. Rayla says to Callum, “I can’t believe you’re such a jerk.” Her hood’s on, her back is turned, slouching away from the boys with her arms wrapped around her knees. 

This kind of standoffish behavior is displayed in her again the very next episode where Rayla admits to being afraid of water. “I guess I was afraid of being afraid.” This is another example of how the Moonshadow elf ideology can be harmful. Rayla comes from a culture where weakness and vulnerability are things for which to be ashamed. A culture that ghosts their own people if there is even the slightest notion of that person having betrayed them — without any chance of explanation. Although she doesn’t know it, that is exactly what happened to her parents.

When she opens up about this, Callum tries to comfort her by putting a hand on her shoulder, but she pulls away. Rayla does not like to be touched when she feels vulnerable. This is a very interesting detail about her, especially as her and Callum’s relationship develops. 

One of Rayla's main conflicts in season 1 and 2 is hesitation and struggling to do the right thing. She knows what she’s supposed to be and what she’s supposed to do, but it hasn’t felt right to her. And that causes her to doubt herself. 

This becomes a problem during their trek up the Cursed Caldera. Rayla doubts her ability to carry out Callum’s plan. Even when she is successful in carrying it out, she’s already in a state of panic, so when thousands of tiny slugs start crawling up her body, she’s understandably shaken. In a moment of weakness and desperation, Rayla calls out for help. Callum uses Aspiro to blow away the tiny slug monsters, and she gives him a subtle angry look.

Rayla becomes defensive when she’s vulnerable. Her body language becomes closed off and she doesn’t speak as much. This is shown again after Rayla sees the illusion of the mummy turning to dust. She tells everyone, “There was no one there.” This may have been more to protect the kids than herself, as she admits to Callum in confidence what she saw. Interestingly, Callum doesn’t put a hand on her shoulder here, or try to reach out to her at all. He simply asks, “Are you okay?” and lets her open up. And she does. A little. 

That’s the thing about Rayla. She doesn’t like being caught off her guard. If she’s going to open up, it’s gonna be on her terms. And this includes being touched. 

Right before the Wonderstorm when Rayla is blaming herself for the egg’s fading, Ezran reaches out to her. “You tried, Rayla. You’re so good. And brave.” Here Rayla accepts Ezran’s hug. Though, there was a bit of warning in his approach, and he was also tearing up. This is another notable detail about her character. Although Rayla does not like being touched when she feels vulnerable, she does reach out to people she cares about when they’re the ones who are upset. She does it here with Ezran, and later after Callum finally finds out about Harrow, Rayla hugs him. Rayla is not devoid of empathy. She is capable of being there for people for support or as a shoulder to lean on. But she lacks foresight in how her own actions could affect her loved ones emotionally. 

Still, Rayla does get better with being vulnerable in increments, particularly when it means helping Callum. At the end of season 2, she clings to him while he’s in his coma. She even goes as far as to nearly admit her feelings, only pulling away at the last second when he wakes up. But that isn’t the last time she’s vulnerable for him. She opens up again to Sol Regem, offering her hand to Callum and admitting she cannot finish their mission without him. However, what both of these scenes have in common is that Rayla is in control. Rayla is opening up on her own terms, no one is pressuring her to do it. It is not that Rayla is incapable of being vulnerable or opening up, it’s that she has to do it by her own choice.

And this is where hers and Callum’s love languages clash. Rayla hates being touched when she’s vulnerable, but it’s Callum’s instinct to reach out to her when she’s upset. The day after visiting the Silvergrove and finding out she’s been ghosted, Callum approaches her about how she must be feeling. But once again, Rayla keeps her back to him and says as little as possible — even denying that the previous day was difficult for her. When Callum pries and approaches her on the ambler, she snaps at him and insists that she’s fine. Finally, when he hears her crying in the oasis he reaches out to her again, only for her to smack him in the face with a pillow and run away.

And even when she tells him to leave her alone, that “she doesn’t want him to see her like this,” he still puts a hand on her shoulder. Of course, she immediately pulls away, once again shadowing that she does not like to be touched when she’s upset. To her, it’s like someone breaking through her armor.

Callum reaches out to her again, and again, she steps away. Neither of them are in the wrong here. Rayla does not like being touched when she’s upset, but it’s Callum’s instinct to comfort her the same way he’s been comforted in the past — with hugs and reassurance that he’s not alone. 

Their love languages conflict because their upbringings do. Callum comes from a family that respects each others’ feelings and encourages free expression with games such as “big feelings time”. Rayla comes from a culture that denies fear and weakness and praises hardened hearts. And all those pent up feelings, at least in Rayla, manifest as anger and defensiveness. She closes herself off, she snaps at Callum. She acts like she is alone — like she has to deal with her feelings, alone.  

By not letting the people who love her help her, she’s not only pushing them away, but she’s hurting them. When all they want to do is be there for her. It’s only when Callum snaps back and tells her to shut up that she allows him to talk. Callum has to talk her out of her hurt feelings before she finally lets him take her hands. 

Of course, Rayla isn’t required to open up if she doesn’t want to. Callum simply isn’t used to that kind of behavior. Because of his family, he’s used to people being open and honest about their feelings. And he does slowly learn not to touch Rayla when she’s upset, but to let her come to him in her own time. 

Where Selflessness Becomes Selfish

Rayla often puts herself in danger to save the lives of others. She runs out of the oasis into the Midnight Desert to save one of the mounts. She saves Nyx from the soulfangs, and she sacrifices herself to save Zym at the end of season 3. 

But wait. Aren’t these all selfless acts? Well, yes they are, but they’re also selfish to the people who care about her. However, these may be excusably selfish. Obviously, saving the mount and Nyx were noble acts, and saving Zym was necessary. But there are times where Rayla is self-sacrificing for no reason. 

Initially, Callum and Rayla planned for the group to leave the Storm Spire with Zym before Viren’s army arrived. Then Rayla said she was going to stay at the Spire to fight a hopeless battle by herself and die. And all she says to Callum after this reveal is “Goodbye”. 

This is a scene that actually makes me angry. Rayla accuses Callum of “not knowing her at all”. Which is an extremely unfair thing for her today just days after he described her to Nyx as “selfless, strong and caring. She does what’s right even if it puts her own life in danger.” Callum loves Rayla, even if at this point he hadn’t said it yet. For her to suggest that he doesn’t know her is honestly a pretty selfish thing for her to do. And then — she runs away again. Just like she always does when her “armor” is breached, as if he touched her. And this is where that behavior is a problem, because she’s avoiding a conversation about a decision that affects Callum just as well as her. 

That isn’t to say Callum was right in how he handled their argument, but understand where he is coming from. The girl he loves is willingly and pointlessly sacrificing herself for a hopeless battle and expecting him to be alright with that. And the last thing she was ever going to say to him was “Goodbye”. Her death would not have even served a purpose. She was going to throw her life away by herself for — as both her and Callum put it — “redemption”. A redemption that she didn’t need to earn, and even if she did, wouldn’t it be better to earn it through helping to protect Zym? 

Rayla values certain ethics more than she values herself, and that turns into selfishness when it hurts people who care about her and she acts like it shouldn’t. 

Again, though, these acts of self sacrifice are sometimes necessary. Rayla becoming the last dragon guard concludes her “honor” arc satisfyingly. She doesn’t do it out of cowardice. She isn’t trying to stay out of the heat of battle. She believes the enemy will make it up to the Spire and that she will have to defend Zym. And she’s right. 

Sacrificing herself to save Zym was not unnecessary or selfish. It was a genuine act of self sacrifice for the greater good, and it is a testament to Rayla’s courage and heart. I do not believe she was thinking of herself or anyone else when she did it. Only of keeping Zym safe. 

Unfortunately, that is not the end of the story. It continues in the canon graphic novel taking place between season 3 and 4. Rayla’s understandably upset about losing Runaan and her parents without fully knowing what happened to them. Callum reached out to her at first, before pulling his hand back. Once again, his instinct is to reach out to her, but he knows Rayla doesn’t work that way. If she’s going to open up about her feelings, it will be by her own volition.

So instead of reaching out to her or trying to convince her that her feelings are misplaced, he apologizes, saying he doesn’t like seeing her upset. And that little bit of space he gives works. She goes to him and leans on his shoulder, hugs him, and even agrees to try going on vacation. 

Unfortunately, the supposed vacation does not work, and only further reminds Rayla of what is bothering her. She runs off from the group, still distressed about not knowing. Not knowing what happened to Viren, Runaan or her parents. The uncertainty is what’s troubling her. 

She removes herself from the group and Callum follows her. Though to his credit, he does almost immediately offer to leave, and she’s the one who tells him to stay.

During their time alone, Rayla does open up a little about losing the people she loves. Then Callum makes the mistake of putting a hand on her arm while saying he knows how she feels. 

I may be biased here, but Callum was once again valid in his argument. When Rayla snaps that he at least knows what happened to the people he’s lost, he says, “Yes, I know what happened to them! One of the people you’re so worried about killed my stepfather!”

His stance in the next panel tells me he’s been holding on to that one for a long time, but he didn’t want to say it because he knows Runaan is important to Rayla. It isn’t until she insinuates that she has it worse that he lets it out. 

I’m not saying either one of them is in the wrong. Both of their feelings are valid. Rayla has every right to want to know what happened to her loved ones. But she shouldn't be taking that out on Callum. And it especially irks me that at the end of the argument, she accuses him of not having “moved on” from the tensions between humans and elves that are still very much a recent thing. A thing that has affected him personally, but he’s still able to look past that tension because he loves her. He loves Rayla, but she has a bad habit of forgetting that.

At the end of the graphic novel, Rayla leaves Callum to search for Viren — even after she promised him they would go together. This is the choice that inspired this analysis. She did it because she loves Callum and she did not want to risk losing him, but as we know from the clips for season 4, she’d be gone for two years. 

This is where selflessness becomes selfish. For the entire book, Rayla’s been upset because of the not knowing. Then she did the same thing to Callum, without any forethought that it would make him feel exactly how she feels about losing her loved ones. 

This is another example of how she forgets Callum loves her. Rayla does not understand her own worth. This results in selfless acts of self-sacrifice, but it also results in selfish acts of self-sacrifice. There comes a point where her actions are not only unnecessary, but harmful to the people who love her. It is a great example of character writing — using her greatest strength as her greatest flaw. But from an in-story perspective, Rayla needs to better put herself in the minds of others and gauge how her actions would affect them. Not thinking helped when it came to saving the dragon prince, but it was ultimately selfish when abandoning Callum.

[thislovintime]

Peter Tork and Stephen Stills in Hayward, Wisconsin, summer of 1967. Photos 1 & 2 from Monkee Spectacular; photo 4 is a screenshot from Micky Dolenz Celebrates The Monkees; all photos copyright their respective owners.

Photo 1: “Peter wore beads and was quite impressed by the beauty of the Wisconsin countryside. He spent a lot of time talking to fans who recognized him on this side tour.” - Monkee Spectacular No. 8

Photo 2: “Flowers for Peter from a fan. Peter loves to get flowers as a gift and he carried these with him as he toured the village. Peter is very thoughtful and treasures the things given to him.”  - Monkee Spectacular No. 8

“The Jacobs spent Sunday morning talking with and showing the boys around Hayward. Mrs. Jacobs was particularly impressed with the Monkees who seemed to appreciate the North Country very much. The boys took pictures of native flowers, and trees and also visited an Indian village with the Jacobs, which they all enjoyed very much.” - Escabana Daily Press, August 23, 1967

“Reflecting back on the tour again for a moment, I wanted to tell you about the trip we took up to [Hayward], in Wisconsin. Micky, Davy and I hired a plane and flew up there. We spent some time on an Indian reservation, where The Buffalo Springfield were appearing in their concert. It was a gas up there, and I bought so many ‘peace’ beads, head-bands, blankets, jackets etc. Now that I am back in Los Angeles with all the gear, I am thinking of opening an ‘Indian Shop’ where the kids can come to pick up the things. Really outta sight collection. We stayed up there over night, and slept in the carriage of an ‘out-of-use’ train, which had been ‘anchored’ close-by to the reservation.” - Peter Tork, Fabulous 208, 1967

And, on a related note...

“While I was sitting in the stands [at Forest Hills Stadium in 1967], I looked to the right and I saw this beautiful fringed jacket and it was Stephen Stills of the Buffalo Springfield. I asked him for an autograph. And I asked him what he was doing at a Monkees concert, and he said his best friend was Peter Tork.” - Cindy Marino, Ossining; The Herald Statesman, May 12, 1998

“I actually have Wisconsin roots. My grandfather taught at UW-Madison and my father, mother and brother all went to school there. My mother and father got married in Racine in 1940 and my two favorite aunts lived in Wisconsin until they died. I lived in Wisconsin from the time I was 6 or 7 until I was 9, in a little town that is no longer there called Badger (near Madison). Today, as I'm driving through Ripon, I'm seeing and experiencing all kinds of things that remind me of those days. I'm a sucker for a Wisconsin accent. Every time I hear one of those Wisconsin ‘Nooooo's,’ it melts my heart.” - Peter Tork, The Journal Times, August 12, 2005

[lieutenant-amuel]

So... for the latest OC ask game... how about 💯 for either Frida or Ángel? (If you'd like to share on both, it's alright, but if you'd rather only share on one, please choose the one you'd rather share them about.)

Sure! Thank you so much!

I’ll take both Ángel and Frida.

💯 HUNDRED POINTS SYMBOL — share three random facts about your oc that others may not know.

Ángel:

1) This is rather “a post-canon” fact since I’m not going to write about it in Was Born To Lead. It also means I might give up on it eventually if I stop liking it but for now I like it and even have an idea for the possible one-shot so I’m sharing it.

Ángel went deaf in his early twenties. I won’t specify how it happened but the main reason why I like this idea is that Ángel’s future job is closely connected with hearing and speaking and despite deafness he keeps being good at it because he managed to find the ways to adapt to life without one of the main senses (I can talk a lot about it because disability studies is literally my field of study but I don’t want to pretend I’m smart ajhdnfj). He can still speak fluently despite being deaf, he knows sign language (and he actually knew it even before he went deaf since his aunt is deaf but I mentioned it in one of the chapters so people are supposed to know it already), and generally he hasn’t changed much. He’s still outgoing and cheerful and doesn’t let his disability prevent him from living his life to the fullest. He’s still Ángel.

2) Ángel writes poetry. He was taught by Señor Álvarez.

3) Ángel has a dog named Nube (which you all already know ajbdnfj). He was a lost puppy, and Ángel found him during the downpour in the park when he was six and decided to adopt him. For this reason Nube doesn’t like rain and is scared of lightning even as an adult dog, and Ángel and his dad always let him inside the house when it’s raining (usually he lives in the backyard in a kennel since he’s a large dog)

Frida:

1) This fact is about Frida and Laurens. You might remember I mentioned they studied in the same school when Frida lived in Maarswik but some time ago I changed my mind. Frida and Laurens attended different schools, but they still got a chance to meet since they both have fashion designer parents who ended up being business partners. They would often bring their children along with them when participating in some fashion shows, and as a result Frida and Laurens became close friends, spent a lot of time together, and often visited each other.

2) Frida loves Maarswik more than Avalor. The only thing that connects her with Avalor is her friends Gabe and Ángel and maybe some of her classmates and school teachers, but she never stopped feeling out of place living in this kingdom (possibly because they basically had no culture and traditions when Shuriki was a ruler. I think she would perceive this kingdom differently if she lived there during Elena’s reign). Frida’s family never forgot they were from Maarswik, and so they still celebrated Maarswikan holidays and cooked Maarswikan meals even after they moved. Frida also speaks Maarswikan when she talks with her parents, not Avaloran (I had a classmate from Azerbaijan, and as much as he was fluent in my native language, he still spoke Azerbaijani when he talked with his family so I know this is not unrealistic ahbdnfj). I think I can summarize this “fact” by saying that Frida has always been Maarswikan, literally and figuratively, and has always been attached to the culture of her native country.

3) Frida will have a cat. I haven’t thought of the breed yet but I’m thinking of a short-haired cat.

Thank you again!

OC Ask Game

[darubyprincx]

Hermes going to visit his aunt who is definitely not a cat in disguise

Joel, being a god, had a lot on his immortal plate. Usually, this meant that Hermes got free range as he zipped around Stratos, but today was a VERY busy day ("Daddy's got some important things to take care of, and I'll be away from home this weekend."), so Hermes got to visit his aunt Lizzie who was technically his dad's wife but not his mom?

On the way over, Hermes had asked about this, and Joel just shrugged. "Relationships are weird," he had said, and Hermes could definitely see that. So he just stuck with aunt for now.

"Hello," she called from her spot on the ground, and Joel gave her a kiss on the cheek as he landed. "How are you, honey?" he asked, and Hermes just blinked. Relationships were DEFINITELY weird. Better not to question it.

"Not having a feud with three people at once," she responded dryly.

"Lizzie, please," said Joel. "I have places to be, and I'm not leaving Hermes home alone."

"Oh, of course!" she said, waving that off. "Still. Just thought I may as well mention it. Now go and do the things you wanted to do."

"I was thinking maybe I could stay for a bit-" Joel interjected desperately, but Lizzie shut him down. "Nope," she said. "Go forth and be godly, Joel. I'll be waiting for you on Monday. Bye!"

Hermes, who had been standing there the whole time, just waved. "Hi," he said.

"Hello," said Lizzie, snapping out of whatever reverie she was lost in and giving him a grin. "Nice to meet you. I'm Lizzie, and this is Animalia!"

"Hermes," said Hermes, extending a hand to shake his aunt's. (That's how he'd been taught to introduce himself to people. Joel had told him the importance of being polite when meeting people.)

"Joel's talked a lot about you," said Lizzie, shaking his hand and gesturing for him to follow her down the streets filled with various animals. "In a good way, of course! He loves you."

"I've heard about you too," offered Hermes. "He has a lot of compliments for you too."

"I sure hope he does," Lizzie muttered.

Ignoring that, Hermes sidestepped a chicken that was crossing the road. "Did somebody's fence break?" he asked. "There's a lot of animals around."

"Oh, those are my citizens!" responded Lizzie cheerfully. "They're very polite."

"Do any of them speak English?"

"No," said Lizzie.

"Then how do you understand them?"

"Uh," said Lizzie, pausing for a bit. "We make it work."

Hermes thought that was a bit of an odd response, and he definitely noticed how Lizzie's cat ears and cat tail seemed to move like a normal cat's, but he didn't press it.

This family was weird. It was probably nothing.

[wandaluvstacos]

THE ONLY SECONDS THAT MATTER

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE IS UP!

Genre: Contemporary Romance Rating: 18+

Includes: Extensive horse nerdery + cowboys, mxm romance (1 trans + 1 cis), some discussion child abuse, some instances of trans/homophobia (it is rural Oklahoma, y'all), depression, occasional sex scene (but it’s a slow burn for sure)

Victor Ortiz-Bennett had some reservations about moving to Oklahoma, but his late aunt willed him a 70-acre horse farm, and he decides to fulfill his dream of running and operating his own training facility. Victor’s been around the reining horse show circuit for a while, and he’s ready to settle down, travel less, and spend more time with the horses he loves and away from the people he can do without. That is, until he picks up a horse at an auction with a bucking problem he can’t fix, and he has to take her to the one guy who can ride anything– Johnny Stearns, a retired professional rodeo rider.

Johnny Stearns is loud, chatty, eccentric, and fears nothing, exactly Victor’s opposite. However, Victor finds himself sinking into an odd friendship with this new foul-mouthed cowboy without a filter, diving deeper into the mess that is Johnny’s life until there’s no way to extract himself from it. Johnny may talk a tough game, but there’s more to him than he’ll let most people see. Victor knows getting in too deep will mean a rough ride, but if there’s anything Johnny’s taught him, it’s how to stay in the saddle.

Excerpt:

“I still gotta live in this goddamn house.” Johnny glanced around the living room with wild eyes. “This house where my dad beat me in every room but the one I currently sleep in.” His voice broke toward the end and he took a moment to compose himself, swiping a hand under his nose. “I think he’s the devil inside me. The only way I keep him quiet is by drinkin’.”

“Your father was an abusive asshole. Sell the house and live the life he would have hated. Make him spin in his damn grave.”

“You say that like it’s easy.”

“Is this easier?” Victor snapped. “Is losing yourself in booze and trash while the people you love abandon you easy?”

“Of course it’s not! But fuck, it’s all I know. I know how to survive with barely nothin’ and that’s it. You wouldn’t get it. You grew up with money and parents who loved you.”

“I don’t have to understand this to be against it. I—I care about you, Johnny. More than I should. More you than you deserve, maybe. I don’t want anyone I care about to live like this, and I don’t want to see them the way I saw you last night.”

Johnny shrunk backward, slightly hunched. “I don’t deserve that consideration. I know that. I’m a real piece of shit sometimes.”

“I don’t want you to feel sorry for yourself. I want you to feel like you deserve better. Better than Daisy, better than being cheated on. I want you try to be someone who doesn’t just—” Victor considered his words, but pushed ahead anyway “—someone who doesn’t break my damn heart all the time.”

Johnny’s face twisted with hurt before he looked away, then down at his feet. His Adams apple bobbed as he swallowed, but for once he had nothing to say.

“You’re the most frustrating person I’ve ever met,” Victor continued, “so if I didn’t care about you, I would have been gone months ago. Even with your flaws, you’ve got a big heart that’s always in the right place, and that’s not an easy find. I mean Christ, my own mother had a worse reaction to me coming out than you did. I didn’t talk to her for months.”

“Vic, I…” Johnny began, then trailed off and rubbed the back of his neck. “I know I talk a lot but I ain’t very good at talkin’ ‘bout my feelin’s and all that… so maybe I won’t say this right, but half the reason I tried as hard as I did to get sober is cuz your reaction to the state of my house felt like a real kick in the nuts. I didn’t want Sarah or my sister knowin’, but to be honest, I’d already disappointed them both a thousand times over. But you still held me in high regard, and I hated that I fucked that up. I hated that you had to see my life for what it was. This feels like that again, ‘cept now I’m worried you’ll leave me once and for all and I’ll have no one. I want to fight, but most of my fightin’ spirit’s gone.”

“I don’t want you to fight. That’s your dad talking. Not everything has to be a damn fight. I want you to give up, actually. I want you to stop being so damn proud because it’s killing you. You’re trying to be this person you aren’t.”

[sequoiareachesforthesky]

Today I wanted to talk about family structures and how diverse they can be and then it derailed into talks about education. Like the woke public schools that conservatives are so afraid of, that kind of things. Enjoy!

Warning : rambling. A lot of it.

Thank Satan I grew up surrounded by somewhat diverse family structures that didn't all fit the "straight married couple with 2.5 children" archetype, because being taught that this is the one and only way to live a happy life sounds scary to me.

My aunt divorced in her late 30s and is currently living her best life with her new boyfriend. And nobody makes a fuss about it, like good for her and her ex-husband if they needed to end their relationship. Divorce is healthy.

I have three uncles, none of them ever got married. I don't know much about my mom's brothers but my other uncle has been single for as long as I can remember and is absolutely thriving. He spends time with his friends, and puts time into his passions (mainly old cars). And never has anyone in my family said anything about him being single. Or even suggested that it should be something to be talked about. Because guess what, it's not a fucking problem and people aren't defined by their relationship status.

My mom went to a lesbian wedding when I was around 8 (I remember being very disappointed that I couldn't come with her because I've never been to a wedding before and it sounded like a lot fun). She made sure to show me and my siblings pictures and videos of the event. To make sure we understand that there's no problem with a family composed of two moms and a daughter (she was from one of the brides' previous marriage, again with divorce being treated a totally normal part of life, because it is).

I also grew up in a place where multicultural and mixed families were basically the norm I feel? At least that's how I was seeing it. The fact that my classmates had parents from overseas, or ethnically marked features wasn't a big deal (that's also why I'm now still very bad at recognising said "ethnic features" or foreign accents, or even knowing where names are from, because I didn't see any of those things as a difference honestly. Like how do people go "ah yes, this person is definitely from Eastern Europe". Like what??? How???). Anyway, that may be why for a while, I really struggled to understand why racism existed as a child. Like I knew it existed, I was told it was bad but I didn't understand why it was a thing in the first place (but isn't the case for most children? We're just here to enjoying the slides in the playground, we have no idea about the colonial heritage of our societies)

(sidenote: I may be mixed myself (wasian) but the history and current societal impact of racism is definitely not a topic I would say I'm very knowledgeable about. And of course looking back on it I did hold racist beliefs as a kid and there were instances when I witnessed structural racism. It just took me a while to realise it and to try to become a better person. My point here is about family structures and how I personally was exposed to a lot of mixed families, including my own, and that in that sense, race and culture have never been something I could have worried about when thinking about the idea of "founding a family". Like whatever happens happens you know)

And that's not even going into all of the friends I had who were raised by only one parent, the ones who would spend one week at their mom's then one week at their dad's, the ones who got nieces/nephews because they had much older siblings (sometimes step siblings), the ones who were adopted, and so on and so forth. So yeah, to me, it's normal for families to come in all shapes and forms. That's why nowadays, when I get introduced to new views of family and relationships, it doesn't really take me long to get it.

Sometimes I think back on my childhood and realise that I got actually pretty lucky to be in contact with many kinds of family structures, with none presented as more correct or desirable. Because now that I'm older and that I've met people who are very cautious about sticking to traditions (*cough* catholic bourgeois *cough*) and who even get anxious at the idea that they won't be able to get their straight wedding with three children that they shall raise in a pavillion in the suburbs, I really think that damn, it must suck to be them.

Anyway, judging others for having a view of "family" differing from your own is cringe, and I really think we should queer the world a bit more because why were my 12 year-old classmates so surprised when I told them that polyamory is fine to me (and even a logical way to look at love and relationships in my brain), that I didn't wanna have children later, and that I didn't if I would get a husband or a wife later, or if I would get married at all. I remember the shock in their eyes and being very confused as to why, because I was like "uuuuh, I thought homophobia didn't exist anymore? And that people should live the way they want?" (Also I've recently been diagnosed with ASD after being in denial about it my whole life so that may explain some things, since you know, the intersection between autistic and queer identities isn't even an intersection anymore).

This post was originally about family but since it intersects a lot with queerness, I just wanted to share a thought. Sometimes, I wonder if I could basically be considered as "assigned enby at birth" with how I was taught that gender doesn't matter and encouraged to be whomever I want to be without following gender norms. (This last paragraph is to be taken more as a joke than anything, but like honestly, that's why I never personally found the need to identify with the term "trans" or "non-binary". Because I just don't care personally, thanks to my upbringing. And that's why I'll always advocate for children to be exposed to queer content because me, my siblings, and probably most children from my community were and it makes for such healthier adults istg. Like yeah, I didn't care about my gender identity or whatever but the second I was put in an all girls school, I understood that it very much mattered to other people and that made me so furious, I totally get why so many people are attached to their queer identity. Because when you're in a fucking horrid environment, of course you're gonna have a strong emotional reaction to this stuff.)

All of this to say : I was raised by a woke family, went to a woke school that taught us that climate change is going to kill us all, that we should welcome all refugees, that beauty is found in difference and diversity, that disabled people should be accommodated (there was a class in my school for specially made for children with mental or learning disabilities because yes, they do have a right to education too actually), that children in general have rights and are not just objects, that solidarity is important (we made cakes for the local food bank when we were in kindergarten it was very cool. and many many fund-raising campaigns for people in need. we would mainly provide food and sanitary products, and the goal was to make a wall in the school hall with all of the collected products. it was great). We would sing songs about international solidarity and fighting against racism and water access inequalities at the school choir (looking back on it this feels a bit surreal to be frank). I was raised in the exact environment conservatives are freaking about. Heck the street where I lived was named after a communist song 😭. And you know what's the funniest thing about all that? It wasn't even that "woke". The way we were taught about societal stuff was a nice effort, but a bit clunky at times. There were still a lot, and I mean a lot of ableism against the students from the "special needs" class I talked about previously. I still got called a racist slur by a classmate when I was five. I still had so much stuff to unlearn as I got into teenage then adulthood.

What many would consider "woke" in the way I was brought up is, to me, the bare minimum. And that's why it hit me in the face like a baseball bat when I went from this great, though imperfect public school to a private middle school where boys and girls were separated in different classes. Where the students weren't mobilised to collect food for people in need in their local community but rather to pray for them and maybe give a little money to support missionary trips to Africa and things of the sorts. Where the school choir was mostly for learning Christian songs about thanking God for his eternal generosity. I was atheist btw, and attending religion class and masses were mandatory which felt a bit like infringing upon my freedom of religion but whatever I guess!! "Your parents chose to put you here so you don't have a say in the matter." a teacher once said.

So now, let me ask you a question and answer it immediately? Which of those two education systems is better? THE PUBLIC ONE OBVIOUSLY. I LOVED SCHOOL. I LOVED PEOPLE. I LOVE LIVING IN AN OPEN-MINDED COMMUNITY. AND THIS FUCKING PRIVATE CATHOLIC SCHOOL, WHICH ISN'T EVEN THE WORST OF ITS KIND BTW, ALMOST MADE ME FORGET ABOUT THIS LOVE. IT BROKE ME MENTALLY. IT COULD'VE TURNED ME INTO A PERSON I WOULD'VE HATED. AND FOR THAT I CAN NEVER FORGIVE IT. There might have been good individuals in this school, friends I made, teachers who were genuinely great people. But this school system wasn't made to help us grow into good people. You've heard it all before, how it just turns us into good employees how will preserve the system as it is, maintain the status quo.

When people tell me that education is better in private than in public school, it makes me laugh. I was always top of my class in this so called top-notch private school. Even though I was the public school kid. And even then, I would have been fucking humbled by students who spent their entire school years in the public system. Because those private school don't make you smarter, they won't help you get better grades. Even if they did, what good does it do? It's not about the grades. It's about being a person that finds their own path, their own way to live in society. Not necessarily this society, they can build their own. But how are we supposed to rely on each others and find community when we've been taught to always see the other as competition?

I wanted to talk about family structures and how diverse they can be, but I realize now that what I really I wanted to talk about is family as in finding each others, living together, embracing diversity and loving. In your own way, because there are so many different ways of loving, and so many people and things to love. But it's always love. It's caring. And this care for the people and the things about me, I got it from my education.

It's always about education.

[midnight-the-goth-artist]

((Really no point in posting this now but have it anyways))

Full Name: Leon Brook Indigo

Full Now/ New Name: Leon Amourette Indigo

Codename: Numbuh Neon

Age when he joined the GKND: 9

Age (currently): 11

Age (for the GKND war): 14-15

Birthday: April 10th

Fun Facts

Leon is a great dancer. Name any dance style and he’ll know a few moves. His favorites are hip hop and ballet

Before Leon left for the GKND, he renamed his middle name after his best friend and the one who not only brought him to the KND but also helped save him from his abusive aunt and was also an entertainment partner, Amourette Martinez Rose (Numbuh pastel)

Leon is a hybrid of a cat and an angler fish (his mom was a cat and his dad was an angler fish)

The stripe patters on Leon’s fur as well as his eyes can glow in the dark (on command) or whenever he’s feeling a strong emotion of love or happiness

Leon has a beast form (he got it from his mom) and he can turn into it when he feels a strong feeling of rage but in the future he learns to control it and even turn into his beast form on command.

Leon has claws and he uses them as a way to attack his enemies

Leon loves fairy lights. Everybody always assumes neon is his top favorite but it’s actually fairy lights (although he still loves neon lights as well)

It’s harder to earn Leon’s trust than you think. A lot of times whenever an operative will first meet Leon, Leon usually gives them a glare and sometimes even a growl telling them: “Don’t think you can boss me around for a second. I’ll tear you apart using my own claws.” (This is caused due to fear of being taken advantage of like he had been on his home planet)

Leon either just growls at anyone he’s unfamiliar with and ignores them but sometimes he can be rude as well

But once you earn Leon’s trust and you become close to him, he’s almost like a completely different person compared to the first time you met him.

Leon suffers PTSD from the abuse from his aunt and has nightmares almost every night to the point that Leon does whatever he can to avoid sleep. This problem eventually gets fixed.

(Leon’s home life will be talked about later in future fanfics and comics)

Weapons

2x4 technology

Galactic technology

His own claws

His teeth/fangs

His “beast” form

Sexuality

Sexuality: MLM, Demisexual

Nicknames

Sweetie (Matilda Indigo and her abusive clients)

Brat (Matilda Indigo and her abusive clients, GKND villians)

My favorite nephew and money maker (Matilda Indigo)

Bestie (Amourette)

Brother (Amourette)

Neon cat (Numbuh 74.239)

My indigo (Nigel)

Son (Leon’s dad, Marvin Indigo)

Precious sunshine (Leon’s mom, Amelia Indigo)

Mudslide (Nigel)

WaterWing (Nigel)

Waterlily (Nigel and Amourette)

Water Flower (Nigel, Amourette)

Kitty cat (GKND villains)

Quotes

“You can’t have my heart and you won’t use my mind.”

“I know! I’m an embarrassment! WHAT A FUCKING DISASTERS! IF YOU WANNA LAUGH then...LAUGH!”

“You can’t stop my voice cuz you don’t own my life.”

“All the makeup in the galaxy won’t make you less insecure..”

“What are you looking at!?”

“Listen...*sigh* It’s much easier coping with life’s problems if you let go of hope.”

“Is it true that pain is beauty?”

“If my aunt has taught me anything...it’s that no one will love me if I’m unattractive..”

“Stop your yammering and just do it!”

“This ends. NOW!”

*excitment* “Nigel!”

“You think I got into the Galactic Kids Next Door through a simple ‘please?’ I had to work stick and stone to get to where I am today!”

*deadpan* “Ha ha hahaha. You suck.”

“This isn’t about numbers - it’s about family.”

“I’m done being your slave!”

“No one ever said being an operative was going to be easy. Though our deeds may never make us rich, they make us rich in other ways.”

“Nobody messes with my partner and gets away with it!”

“Try me, vermin. I’ll claw your eyeballs out.”

“Whenever Nigel and I became friends, we promised we’d look out for each other.”

“Listen, just because you helped me that doesn’t mean I owe you anything! It’s every kid for themselves in these situations.”

[jjackrabbitt]

Damned AU Masterlist

i was going to try to finish this, but it's taken long enough and i can just edit it later, so here y'all go! It's mostly stuff for the first chapter, but i will add more later and polish this up.

>Abe introduces Jacob to judaism

     >Lecha Dodi, the song to welcome shabbat

     >food (knishes, kreplach, lane kluseczki)

     >Shabbatot spent at Abe’s

     >Abe tells Jacob stories about his family, his brothers and sisters and parents and aunts and uncles and cousins and grandparents. All of them. Who they were. 

     >Abe has informal Purim and Channukah and Tu b’Av celebrations for Jacob

     >Purim: Abe tells the story of Mordecai and Esther. When he pretends to be Haman (the villain), he imitates Jack. Jacob’s parents didn’t want to encourage the noise making that came with Purim, but Abe still gave Jacob a pot and wooden spoon to bang together. Jacob wore a little explorer outfit.

     >Tu b’Av (new year for trees): Abe and Jacob would go on a mangrove tour on a boat and learn about Florida’s swamp ecosystems (something Jacob was very interested in). Jacob also wore his explorer outfit for this because he was playing pretend and Abe only encouraged him. The tour guides were very nice. Golan was definitely one of the tour guides a couple times, but otherwise he just joined the tour as a visitor.

     >Channukah: Jacob never got to spend the whole week with Abe, his parents always had school as an excuse and he only ever got one night. Abe would send Jacob home with presents and latkes after doing the candles with him. Like all of Abe’s stories, the channukah story got longer and more dramatic each time. Jacob loved hearing Abe tell it because he made it feel real.

     >For all of these holidays, Abe would open up just a little more, telling Jacob what his life was like in the old country, with his family, before Cairnholm. He would tell Jacob about when he came to America.

>Golan actually does live in Abe’s neighbourhood because he’s keeping an eye on both Abe and Jacob. 

>They speak a little yiddish together

    >Jacob calls out for Abe in yiddish while he and Ricky look around in Abe’s house?

     >Maybe don't include this but Jacob had to go to speech therapy when he was little because he “sounded polish”

     >Golan was his speech therapist. Jacob sounds a little like Golan ‘cause he taught him how to say a lot of words.

>Add scene at beginning where Jacob looks back on celebrating Shabbat and wanting to stay at Abe’s for Channukah

     >Jacob’s parents won’t let Jacob stay with Abe for too long because they aren’t comfortable around him and think that he’ll make Jacob weird.

>Abe tells Jacob about his time as a hollow hunter and some about the people he worked with, but nothing specific. mostly that he had a group of hunter friends and some of the funnier things that happened.

     >Maybe this opens up an opportunity for an introduction to the other hollow hunters later?

     >Jacob grows up hearing stories of Abe’s old friends and heroics. He grows up knowing that Abe had a group of close knit hunter friends who spent years by each other's sides before they went their separate ways. He knew they travelled around the country and that when they weren’t hunting, they met lots of amazing people. He didn’t know that Abe’s friends were peculiar or that they may or may not have been helping peculiars move around the country under the radar of the peculiar gangs.

     >Abe mentions Horatio (as like. A dog.) in passing and Jacob’s pet hollow in LoS reminds him of that memory. He doesn’t know Horatio’s name though.

>Jacob talks a little bit about what he knows the kids to be like through Abe’s stories, have something to juxtapose against their actual characters

     >Victor and Wyn are actually averagely smart, they’re just autistic

     >Claire’s trans but started her transition after Abe left, that’s why Abe has a picture of a “boy” with two mouths who’s never mentioned again

>Have Jacob direct the conversation with the pictures! Abe doesn’t have to tell him that Mill is invisible, Jacob already knows about him, he’s heard Abe’s stories!

>Just be more blatant that Abe, Frank and Jacob are jewish.

>Maybe won’t get explicitly mentioned, since I doubt Jacob’s parents would want him diagnosed so he probably won’t think about it, but Jacob is autistic. Add in more stuff that highlights that.

>Jacob and Ricky had a hair dying night and Ricky’s hair is green and Jacob’s is lavender.

>I just think that Jacob should be allowed to wear fun little rings and necklaces but I do think his parents are weird about it so he doesn’t do it around them.

>his parents (but especially Mary Anne) Do Not like his pretty purple hair.

>Abe didn’t have much to say about Jacob’s hair, positive or negative, so Jacob thought that he disapproved and was a little hurt about it. That is, until Abe offhandedly mentions that it’s impressive.

>Golan was a regular customer at Smart-Aid and absolutely would try to get Jacob in trouble. Just to be a shit.

>Jacob doesn’t like telling people when he’s upset because his parents would get weird about it and make it his fault.

>was already a really nervous kid, but after seeing Malthus the first time/Abe’s death, he clings to Ricky.

     >Ricky was the one who was there, and moved to action to try and defend Jacob.

     >Ricky still didn’t see Malthus, but he did hear something  move and knows something had to be there.

     >Jacob grabs Ricky’s arm when they first enter the clearing and doesn’t let go for the entire scene. 

>Ricky is launched into a similar state of panic and disarray, clinging to Jacob. 

>Ricky won’t admit to seeing Malthus and that’s what gets him kicked out of Jacob’s house, because Jacob starts yelling at him and his parents tell Ricky to leave

>it takes them approximately two days before Ricky’s back at Jacob’s house. Jacob’s parents don’t know because Jacob snuck Ricky through his window in the middle of the night.

>they’re constantly grabbing for each other if they’re not in each other's immediate line of sight. 

>cannot express this enough, both of them spend pretty much every waking moment in terror that Something is going to Happen.

[griefpersevering]

the ripples they cause

read chapter twelve now!!

A/N: I was originally going to hold this chapter until Tuesday, but then the announcements started rolling in... congrats, everyone!! I can't wait to still be thinking about some really good lawyers in 2024 :D

Here's a snippet:

The shrine on Peter’s desk is beginning to grow. Ned’s Lego Palpatine and a months-old coffee cup stand next to a framed photo of him and his aunt. Above it, he pinned the fake certificate he got from his ‘internship’ with Tony. And now, in prime position, is MJ’s drawing.

Stephen’s spell was supposed to make the entire world forget who Peter is, and so far, there’s been no evidence to suggest it hasn’t worked. MJ, Ned, Happy… none of them recognised him.

So how has MJ drawn a scene that she shouldn’t remember?

Peter shakes his head, walking over to the fridge and staring at the lone bottle of ketchup and nearly empty jar of strawberry jam inside. He sighs, giving into his hunger and wandering over to the front door, grabbing his wallet, a well-worn jacket, and shoving his feet into his trainers without unlacing them.

The nearest Target is six blocks away, so Peter puts his earphones in as he’s walking. The sidewalks are still icey from the cold January weather, but Peter doesn’t slip. Thinking about MJ’s drawing is only giving him hope, and that’s a dangerous thing to have, so he steers his thoughts in a different direction.

Last night’s embarrassment is enough to distract him. Daredevil is different from the other superheroes he’s met. The Avengers — and all the other people who helped them fight Thanos, like the Guardians — are great for huge battles where the universe is at stake. For the short years he knew him, Peter’s greatest (and only) grievance with Tony was that he didn’t understand the importance of helping ordinary, everyday people.

Yesterday, during their conversation on the rooftop… Peter felt like Daredevil understood him. They were both doing the same thing, after all: putting their own lives and health on the line to help vulnerable people, and doing it without the fame and reward that comes with being an Avenger. In fact, both of them are painted as the villains, when all Peter wants to do is help people.

The automatic doors to the Target slide open and Peter grabs a basket. He wonders if Daredevil has a day job, or if he also gets paid minimum wage at a shitty job with an equally shitty boss.

He tosses two boxes of bandages into his basket, followed by a tub of burn ointment. Daredevil probably doesn’t have to change his own bandages every day. Peter can only imagine him having full medical insurance, taking his injuries to a discreet doctor every time he gets hurt on patrol.

Shaking his head, Peter wanders over to the next aisle and picks up a box of Lucky Charms. In the entire time she had looked after him, Peter doesn’t remember Aunt May successfully managing to cook anything. The plastic tray of the ready-made chicken tikka masala would melt in the oven, or she would forget to put water in when boiling potatoes. Once, she managed to burn herself cooking a frozen pizza. They either relied on takeout or forced down the cold-in-the-middle meatloaf, but neither of them ever learnt to cook.

Peter taught himself how to bake when he was thirteen, but he was starting to realize that humans can’t live off banana bread and double chocolate cookies alone.

“I bet Daredevil doesn’t have to cook his own dinner,” he mutters.

He also picks up a loaf of bread, a jar of nutella, a bag of penne pasta, and three random ready meals before heading to the checkout. As he joins the end of the queue, he notices a sign advertising a discount above a pile of bean bags.

He looks both ways, but there’s no one looking at him. It must be a side effect of the spell; even stranger’s eyes tend to glide over him these days.

Maybe he doesn’t have a lot of money. But he also doesn’t have anywhere to sit that isn’t his rickety bed, and it’s only five dollars…

[homesickali]

If i have been born first, would i have been loved as my brother?

I mostly grew up from my Aunt. Ever since we moved in our province I grew up getting dropped off at my aunt's house and getting picked up before dinner during the weekdays, but on the weekends, I would completely stay with my aunt. It's just the way it is. Maybe that's why I never grew close to my mother. I don't think I remember doing anything memorable with my mother from my childhood. I don't know. Maybe she just didn't care enough to spend time with me not even to tease me or annoy a daughter like most parents do. I feel like there's this huge gap between us that I can't close no matter how hard I try. Everyone knew me as the black sheep of the family, maybe because that is the only way my mom can notice me. She always say when we were a kid that she was too busy working for our future and i understand that. 

Whenever we have gatherings or attend one, my mom always praise him and tell their children that they should do well like him too. I don't think I ever heard them praise me in front of others ( ofcourse i do nothing but bullshit) lol. Now that we are grownups and my brother disappointed her for not giving her what she expected he will be and me giving it all to our family working hard because i taught it is my chance to be bragged by my mom telling others that she didn’t knew how good I can be in this family, i still got disappointed tho i should’ve expect less.

 I may not have a good profession like others but i make sure i give everything i have for this family and still don’t get appreciated. I feel like im their retirement plan. I'm not really asking for a lot just that they acknowledge me too sometimes. I DONT HAVE MUCH IN MIND. I just wanna go on long drive with papa and talk about random stuff. I want to do movie dates and eat ice cream with mama. I want to be able to share my dreams and what I hope to be in the future without being told that it's pointless. I wanna go out with my siblings and share how our life is going without any judgement. I want to feel like part of the family. I want to know how it feels to be shown attention too.  I want to feel enough and appreciated.

[theshelbyclan]

Breathe in the air

Summary: Being a Shelby sister, it means you have a head for business and know how to handle yourself. Unfortunately, you struggle with asthma, but luckily Arthur is there to protect you always

A/N: The wonderful @psychkunox​ requested: Hi there, it's me first time requesting at your blog (I dunno why im nervous but yeah you're one of the blogs i've stan hard when i discovered the Shelby!reader fic hehe i really love ur writingss) So here is it. May i ask a request, a sister Shelby one, despite being a badass fighter the only flaw she have was having asthma. They went to a deal gone wrong one and the enemy start smoking them in and the brothers saying "do i(we) make ourselves clear?" to them. Touch up the gaps hehe Thank you in advanceee 😊💕 You had to wait quite a while for this one, and I hope you’ll be able to forgive me… You gave me lots of different snippets of a story and I tried to piece them all together. Also, I used to have asthma attacks myself when I was little, but it’s been a while now, so I hope this makes sense. Please let me know what you think!! 

Words: 2403 *** 1914 ***

“I need them.” “No, you don’t, sweetheart…” “I do, Arthur,” you panted, “I fucking need…” But no other words came out. “No more than three words,” he said, turning to his brother, “it’s rough on her today.”

Nothing major had happened. It was simply another case of the fireplace not drawing properly. The chimney probably needed sweeping out, but they’d left it too long, and suddenly the mess inside it had collapsed. In seconds, the entire front room was covered in ash and soot. The Shelby’s brothers laughed, Aunt Polly cursed and Ada and Tommy left the room feeling more annoyed than entertained. Arthur had turned to you at once, knowing the last thing you needed was even more dust to clog your asthmatic lungs.

“What do we do?” John asked, looking at you with great concern, “Doesn’t she need her pills?” “No. We do nothing,” Arthur said in a surprisingly soft and gentle voice, “We breathe, calmly…” You looked up at him with pleading eyes, feeling panic rushing through your body, “Arthur?” “Breathe,” he repeated, “Breathe…” *** 1918 *** As you were walking home from work at the BSA, a few men were following you. This wasn’t unusual, this wasn’t new, and you knew what to do. First off, Polly taught you, avoid all walls, because someone could easily push you up against them or drag you away, before you could even scream. Secondly, stick to the busier roads and remember to be vigilant at all times. Thirdly, keep a hand on the dagger you had gotten for you 18thbirthday: it would keep you safe. There were about a thousand times more of these rules and tips, because being a woman sucked, and they went through your head one by one. Are they still there? You turned around slightly, without attracting attention to yourself. They were. Feel for the knife, Aunt Polly’s voice in your head was saying, is it still there? It was. As you quickened your pace, you realised they were doing the same thing. And then your breath got stuck in your throat and anxiety started to set in your body. Calm down, you told yourself, calm down. Just get home before they can notice anything.

You heard footsteps behind you. There was the rustling of coats and the clearing of throats. As fast as you could, you made your way passed the wharfs, but the smoke was making your vision blurry and you had to cough a few times. And still, you could feel the men breathing… And then your breathing started to change. It had increased steadily as your anxiety grew and now it felt like every breath provided you with less and less air. Your lungs were closing up as your eyes fogged over and sheer fear took over. Like a maniac you searched your brain for some bit of advice of Polly’s that might help here, but nothing came. So you frantically searched your pockets for the little tin of medicine, all the while running for safety, but in the chaos you dropped the pills as soon as you had pried the container open. For a second you froze. This is it, you thought. This is how I’m going to die. All around you there was nothing but smoke and the iron cage tightened itself around your chest with each breath. You wheezed and clawed at your blouse, but to no avail. Then the world was spinning. You heard their voices, but you could no longer tell from which direction they were coming. And then it all went still. *** 1910 *** “What’s wrong with her?” The doctor examined your chest once again, while you struggled to breathe. “What’s wrong with her?” little John’s voice sounded again.   You heard Tommy sigh, “She can’t breathe…” “Why?” a high-pitched question followed at once. “She has a condition,” the doctor replied gravely, “she suffers from something we call ‘shortness of breath’.” “I get that,” Polly said shortly, “when I run up the stairs. What she has is different.” “It happens,” the doctor said in an uninterested voice, “there’s not much we can do. Keep her in bed. Make sure she doesn’t excite herself.” Polly barked a short laugh, “Have you met this one?“ “What about a cure?” Tommy spoke like he was the head of the family already. Again the doctor shrugged, “There isn’t one.” Then he began to pack up his things and made his way to the door, “Although there has been some success using stimulants, adrenaline and so on… but I’m not sure you could even get those in Birmingham…” “That’s useful, thank you doctor,” Aunt Polly practically hissed, “What about something that we can get?” “Maybe try some belladonna pills? Some believe they help…”

Your eyes flitted from family members to the doctor and even though you didn’t understand much, you knew it wasn’t going good. And then your oldest brother crouched down next to you. “How do you feel?” he asked softly. Slowly you tried to lift your head and whispered, “Remember… when I... tried to swim… across the Cut?” He nodded and smiled a little. “Like that,” you panted, feeling talking took all of your energy away from you, “Drowning. Without water.”

Tommy tapped Arthur on the shoulder and said, “I’m going to get the pills. Aunt Pol knows where.” “I’ll stay,” Arthur replied, “Wait with her.” “I can’t wait!” you squeaked in a panicky voice, “It hurts!” Then he took your hand and said, “Tom will get the pills, but in the meantime, you have to listen to me.” You were afraid, in a way you had never been afraid before, but tried to be calm just for Arthur’s sake. “There will come a time, when you won’t have the pills. And you will still feel bloody awful, just like right now,” he said, “So I need you to learn to be calm.” “But the doctor,” you protested, “he said… there’s no cure!” “There is!” Arthur urged, “Remember last year? Just calm down, sweetheart, calm down and breathe…” You tried to inhale a big gulp of air, but still it felt like only a little was going in, “I can’t!” you cried at once. “Breathe,” he repeated, “Here, we’ll do it together, alright?” You nodded. “Breathe in, now count to five: one, two, three, that’s it, hold your breath, four, five. Now breathe out and count again. And again…” Slowly, you started breathing with Arthur, while he was holding your hand and stroking your hair lovingly. “Breathe” he kept on saying, “breathe…” And eventually, it worked. *** 1918 *** And right then, in the middle of the smoke, you remembered Arthur. Breathe. You could hear his voice in the fog. And slowly you managed to calm yourself while breathing with him through the anxiety. Still, you had to get out of the smoke, with all the soot and city dirt clogging up your lungs. Ada was right; you needed to get out of the city. And then you realised the men were still following you. Except, now you weren’t scared anymore. As you rounded a corner, you stopped behind a wall and waited until they would pass you. You breathed in slowly while you waited, counted to five and there they came. Number one, you kicked in the balls and he doubled over at once. Number two nearly tripped over his friend, which gave you the opportunity to punch him square in the nose and break at least some bones. Number 3 was ready to fight, but by this time you had gotten your birthday present dagger out and decided to reverse all gender roles and push him up against the wall with the blade pressed against his throat.

“Miss,” he pleaded, hands held high, “wait…” “Miss, now, is it?” you replied. From the corner of your eye you could see the other two were getting up and approaching, so you warned, “Move and I’ll cut your friend here.” One scoffed, “I find that hard to believe…” “Yeah? Why’s that?” you questioned lightly. And then he came even closer and hissed in your ear, “Pretty little girl like you? Who do you even think you are?” Now it wasn’t so much what he was saying, it was simply the fact of him breathing in your ear that really annoyed you. And so you turned around swiftly and punched him in the throat, simply to stop the breathing. “My name is Shelby.” *** 1919 ***

Ever since your brothers were back from France, things had changed. The name Shelby had always had an effect on people around Small Heath, but now your reputation grew with each passing week. You were no longer a small child and demanded your place at the table at family meetings. After all, Polly was right, you women did run this entire operation while the boys were away in France. You’d learned how to do business, how to handle yourself and most of all, how to handle others.  You’d inherited Tommy’s eye for business and Polly’s common sense, with just a hint of Arthur’s ruthlessness.

Tommy figured quite quickly, that if he wanted to climb and become part of the big, sometimes even legal, businesses, he had to have class. Now, he and his brothers were smart and capable, but they could never quite charm anyone into doing business with them. Their talents were limited to extortion, intimidation and bribery. This is where you came in. It’s not that you were any less working class, it was the simple fact that you were easy to look at. You hated it, but there it was. So a few months after the war had ended, you were sitting in on a business meeting. Some Irishmen were importing whiskey as well and Tommy had decided it’d be much better for the Shelby family if they would simply buy yours. “Mr. Shelby, I don’t think I quite understand…” Tommy lit a cigarette and said, “I think you understand me perfectly. On the one hand, you could continue importing your own stuff, but with the added risk of being detected by a new copper in town who appears to have taken a special interest in you Irish boys. Or, you let me take care of the risk and have the goods simply delivered to your door.” The man fiddled with a box of matches for a second, “What about appearances, Mr. Shelby. I have to consider how it looks…” “You mean to do business with a cutthroat gangster?” he asked in a low voice. Again, he seemed nervous and stumbled, “Well… yes.” “You won’t be doing business with a cutthroat gangster,” you interrupted and caught the eye of the Irishman sitting directly opposite you, “You’ll be doing business with Shelby Company Limited. We’re a real legitimate firm and you needn’t worry about appearances. If it’s of any consolation to you, I’ll come and oversee the delivery of the first batch personally.” And with that you sat back with a slightly triumphant but cocky face.

“I’ve heard stories about you Shelby’s…” the man protested weakly, “Of murder and carnage…”

“You think I’d slash throats?” you asked innocently with a small smile, “I’m a businesswoman, mister, not some gangster.”

Tommy took another drag of his cigarette and shot an amused look in your direction. He was sitting almost at the opposite side of the room. Why? Because he was smoking, as you knew he would have to during meetings like these, but didn’t want to bother you with it. “My sister is right,” Tommy cleared his throat, “she’s in charge of business. Me and my brothers are in charge of protection, however.” And with that, he got nervous again. For a few moments, it seemed like he was about to run out. But then John spoke up, “Just sign right here and all will be arranged, alright? No need to worry about anything…” Sweating a little, the man lit a cigarette and signed. And suddenly, he seemed to get angry, saying, “You Shelby’s think you can just take anything…” “We’re not takinganything,” you sighed, “you just signed a business deal, that is all.” You coughed a little, which made Arthur’s eyes shoot into your direction at once, “And would you mind not smoking in here?”

But the man smirked and took another drag on his cigarette “You’re just a pretty face, aren’t you, think you can tell me what to do?” “I can,” you tried desperately to keep your composure, but the familiar tightening feeling in your lungs made it harder and harder to, “Now take your things and get out.” “You heard her,” Arthur practically growled, “get out.” And then he leaned forward and blew smoke right into your face. Immediately you started coughing, no matter how hard you tried not making a scene. At once, John jumped up and smashed the man’s head into the table. Even with blurry vision, you could see Tommy was seething as well and at the man’s side in seconds. But Arthur was the one who had quickly picked you and carried you outside. Fresh air was a relative concept in Small Heath, but being outside did help. Mainly it was Arthur, who kept on telling you to calm down. Together you counted to five, again and again, until you felt less like drowning and more calm. “Is this why?” you eventually asked, “Is this why you never wanted me to take my medicine?”

“No,” he sighed, “I just remember seeing you for the first time, coughing and choking, and it bloody scared me. I remember thinking: what if we can’t afford the medicine at some point? And then the war came and bombs were falling and I was imagining you somewhere, and I thought: I’m glad she knows how to count to five…” You had to laugh, “I learned how to count to five quite a while ago, Arthur.” “I wasn’t always going to be there, I mean. You know what I mean…” “I know what you mean,” you smiled at him. And then your brothers exited the Garrison and crouched down next to you. “Are you alright?” John asked. “The deal’s off,” Tommy said, which was basically him voicing his concerns, which was good enough for you. “Fine,” you smiled, looking up at your oldest brother, “Arthur taught me.” *** Masterlist