#if you know who Caleb Cook is I’m so sorry.

[chandralia]

last year on June 27th 🥹

and because it was happening on the same day I also want to bring up the “hokan” situation again because I’ll never forgive the English translation for this

“If there’s anything that could complete Izuku Midoriya now, it would be…”

[sldlovescartoons]

As time went on Essek looked more and more forward to his meetings with Caleb. As it was he could only drop his disguises in very rural west and south areas and with the Nein and the whole thing got more exhausting all the time. Plus, Caleb was making such quick progress with his studies, chatting only got more interesting with each visit.

He was also pretty sure it was normal to miss one’s partner, but such romantic thoughts flustered him too much to think on so early in the afternoon. That train of thought was for once Caleb and him have gone through a whole bottle of wine.

“Professor Widogast?” Knocking on the door with his most neutral accent. He was Halsunn Deeproot today, a forest elf who did magical research. One of his partner’s favorite aliases.

“Ah, come in, Deeproot!”

And so he went in, senses immediately assaulted by the smell of cooking meats and veggies. Ah, so they were eating in tonight. Appreciated, since their latest separation had been especially long. The drow dropped his disguise as he drifted into the kitchen to the grin on of ridiculous human partner.

“Awh, putting Halsunn away already? But he’s such a looker.”

“Don’t tease me, young man, I’m of no mood for it.” He complained with no malice as he finally reached his destination and got to give Caleb a peck on the lips, getting a quick glance at whatever he was cooking before it was covered with a lid. “That looks… different.”

Caleb and Essek were not cooks, but they had been gradually improving now that they had to fend for themselves as full adults. That said, the list of things either of them could cook consistently good was short. Both could do the easiest of soups and some stews, Caleb knew how to do basics roasts and sides and he knew some very simple baking. This didn’t stop either of them from trying something more complex, wizard hubris and all. Whatever his ginger had in that deep pan wasn’t one of the roasts the human whipped out when he had the coin and wanted to impress. There was twine and toothpicks. The drow really hoped that he wasn’t going to spend his first night of this visit choking down something inedible, but it would be fair turnaround for those awful plum cookies Essek had made two visits back.

“Don’t worry, I practiced this one a bit. I wanted to do something nice to surprise you. Do you know what a few days ago was?”

Fucks sake, he’d forgotten something. What did he miss? An anniversary, surely, but he couldn’t…

“I- I’m sorry, I don’t…”

“Don’t worry, I forgot too, until it’d passed. Four days ago was the third anniversary of the day we met. It’s not something most people remember, or even celebrate, so don’t worry, it’s just- I remembered and wanted to make you a little treat.” Caleb glanced at some sand dials he had set up. The drow noticed more covered pots. Steaming something, maybe?

“You don’t have to go so out of the way.”

“I want to, though, and I will.”

“But of course.”

“Now-“ Another, slightly longer kiss and a soft smile with blue eyes that took his thoughts away more often than not. “Why don’t you go wash up a bit, hm? You smell like a beast of burden. Dinner should be ready by the time you’re done.”

“Bold words from the man who smells like ox mating season.” Essek was eternally glad that his complexion was too dark for blushes to show at the teasing. Also hypocritical since the cologne Caleb smothered himself instead of bathing regularly smelt like animal musk and the vague concept of a forest. “But yes, I think I will.”

He tended to take long bathes whenever he had the luxury of time to do so, so by the time he was clean and had his hair done (he would sooner die then have Caleb seen him without his curl cream in.) dinner was being put on the table.

“Just in time, darling.”

“Well time is one of my specialties.” The statement was something of a flirt or inside joke now-a-days, and got the soft smile he was looking for as a response. He gave him a quick peck on the lips and looked down at Dinner. “Caleb, did you make a roulade?”

“I did.” And he looked so proud of himself, too, but Essek kept looking and as further realization came to him. “But that’s not all, I’m sure you’ve noticed.”

The meat roulades, sliced not too thick, not too thin, was served with rice and what was distinctly Xhorasian steamed veggies.

“This meal is very xhorasian inspired.”

“I figured you might be a bit home sick and the market in Rosohna was just a teleport away.” They sat down to eat, Essek much slower as he tried to process this gift.

“You went through all that trouble…”

“It wasn’t any trouble at all, so don’t worry about it and eat up, Liebling.”

And so Essek took his first bite (with chopsticks, even!!! Caleb was using a fork but he’d remembered Essek’s utensil preference, the darling man), a fair chunk of meat, filling, and rice.

And promptly burst into tears.

“Oh Schiess, is it that bad? I practiced the technique, but this is the first time with the marinade-“ Caleb, his darling starshine Caleb, started to lean over and fuss. The drow shook his head quickly to try and assure him, to try and get himself together. But he was having a hard time because-

Because Caleb had made *rat*. Giant Rat, had to be. Now in his den, they had mostly livestock and great beasts, their days of having to eating rats like the common folk was centuries past, but one couldn’t deny themselves a little comfort food every once in a while, could they? And what was more comforting and simple to creature of the Underdark than some well cooked rat? This rat dish reminded him starkly of something that his mother had ordered the chefs make when he’d recovered from an awful fever in his… twelfth year, maybe? Something hardy and comforting after he’d been sweating and puking for days to bring him back to health. A rare kindness from his mother and warm memory- and there the tears went again. Lights above, he was a mess.

“Wh- Where did you source the rat? It tastes fresh.” Essek was doing his level best to act like there weren’t thick crocodile tears on his face. His partner blinked at him in open bewilderment.

“I… killed it this morning, down in an abandoned part of the academy. I used the silver it earned me to buy the veggies. Is- is this because of the rat? It’s the most exotic meat I could find short notice-“ A Fresh Hunt!!! It was like Caleb had read his primary school journals from before he found out he didn’t like people and such.

“And you used plum wine in- in the marinade, yes?” He pushed forward, adamant to ignore the crying that was happening. Gods, it had been far too long since he had something that tasted like *home*. “Goes well with the nut and date filling- really cuts the gaminess of the- the rat.”

“So, we are ignoring the tears. Ja, alright.” Caleb seemed to resign himself to this reality quickly. This wasn’t the first time Essek had clammed up about something because feeling were embarrassing, and he knew he’d be told eventually. “Yes, I got recommended a good brand to use by Yasha and Beauregard, so we gave them to thank for that. Do you enjoy the bits of pan fried mushroom in the rice?”

“Yes.” Even though they were slightly over, a bit tough, just the thought was so sweet and so homey.

He had such a wonderful partner.

[seas1mping]

Hey guys I'm writing LJ content but it's x OC because I suck at y/n sorry to disappoint this is kind of lore and kind of an autistic ramble vicariously through a vessel anyway :)

Art by @zucchinitart she's very silly,,

Summ: Reena doesn't enjoy the cold, her husband loves it, antics ensue.

WC: 812

Lots of people would tell you that winter is the best time of the year, including her own daughter, who comes out of the carnival more often because of the festivities associated with the time. Everyone starts coming out of their rooms more, and there are lots of soups that help to combat the cold and bring everybody together. Unfortunately, even with all of these benefits, Down Below never gets this cold, and when you grow up there for the first 160 years of your life, you definitely start to adapt a sense of familiarity with the warmer temperatures.

Reena checks the weather app on her new phone, sitting at a whopping 18 degrees outside. Too cold, she thinks, for anybody to be out in that weather. Especially Nari, dead or not, who was outside with her friends making snow creatures. Reena adjusts her top blanket, setting her phone back where it was and clicking on the television. Her eyes drift closed, the blankets helping to settle her down enough to nap there on the couch, flipping between true crime and cooking shows. 

It felt like just a moment, but she felt a pair of cold claws settle themselves on her cheeks, being pulled into a loving kiss, followed by a sweetly sinister giggle. Her mismatched eyes meet bright blue ones as her boyfriend comes into view. “Well, good afternoon, sugar! What has you so sleepy?” He coos at her, moving his hands up to the base of her horns, rubbing them gently. Reena sighs contently, shrugging her shoulders.

“It’s just the cold, my love, I’m still not used to it, I beat my record of three blankets with five this time. Can you believe that?” She cracks a smile, which he returns and laughs at. She pets the spot beside her and makes a cave in the blanket with her arm. “Come, lay here with me.”

He, of course, wastes no time showing off his acrobatics and flipping over the back of the couch to lay beside her. She shivers a moment, him obviously not bothered by his cold body, but they meld into each other perfectly. His head rests on her chest and her left arm encompasses him, They remain still with each other, letting the moment sink in and allowing them to relax.

“You could always go back to the castle for this portion of the year. I can just bring Nari to you when she wants to visit. Borders are open, aren’t they?” LJ asked her, breaking the silence. They were, but there was always the thought of going back to her home, and the reason she fled in the first place. 

“I could, but I don’t really want to, you know? I’ll gladly bear the cold if it means that I get to stay with you for longer.” She squeezes him, laughing when he rolls his eyes. “I just don’t feel ready to return to the castle. Maybe later, but not now.” 

Nari runs in with her friends, and the moment is cut short once more. The kids pile onto the opposite couch, making comments about them ‘having cooties’ and that ‘Hell is hot for those who commit premarital acts’ (what???) while they steal the TV to watch some kind of animation show they’re obsessing over at that moment.

— —x— —

LJ stared at the TV in front of him. He still laid pressed up against his girlfriend, now warm and cozy. He heard wind against the window in the kitchen, and looked towards his daughter. The only friend that remained was Caleb, where both of them were stacked in a position that could not be comfortable, but sleeping soundly. LJ chuffed slightly, funny that a kid in mostly pajamas almost never wore pants, it may be the three-quarter-missing leg, but Caleb never gave up a chance to wear shorts. It was almost impressive.

He looked up at the woman he was connected to, her face illuminated by the TV in a bluish light, showing off the contours of her face; her lips, her cheeks covered in scars, the scar across her left eye that partially blinded her, the way she just barely breathed through her mouth sometimes. The now open red and blue eyes that looked quite smug at his current state.

“And what are you staring at, lover boy?” She chuckles, propping her head on her arm with a grin. He sighs in defeat, and looks away, embarrassed at being caught. Two could play at this game.

“Just admiring how lovely you look, even in dim light. Why? Can I not look at my girlfriend with such emotion considering how you move me?” It was her turn to blush, and his turn to look smug. She fanned herself slightly, giving a small laugh.

“Oh, aren’t you just the charmer?” “Aren’t I always?” “That you are, love.”

[wrenthemoralfander]

@miranderisanallyforherkids

I thought you would appreciate it. 

Random conversations with Caleb, Heisenberg and Father Gascoigne.

Some are story like, some are quote like, and I don’t know how to make quote-like. (I am sorry in advance for the stupidity you were about to see.)

Compilation number one.

————

“OK, OK, OK! Why the fuck are you two banned from the kitchen?” Caleb asked.

Heisenberg and Gascoigne just looked at each other.

“Eileen’s said no one wants blood in the food…” he said. Caleb raised an eyebrow and Gascoigne sighed. “Look, I… was in a rush, so I made a mess of the kitchen last time. There was a lot of blood in the food.”

“Heisenberg, what about you?” He said as he faced palmed.

“…Ethan doesn’t want me using my powers while cooking. I think it’s stupid.” Heisenberg huffed.

“I think it’s perfectly reasonable considering ya nearly cut that poor fella’s hand off… multiple times…”

“Thank you!” Ethan hollered from the other room.

“Winters, this conversation doesn’t concern you! Stay out of it.” Heisenberg yelled back.

Caleb got up and walked to the door that went to the kitchen, before turning around.

“Since I’m the only one who knows how to fucking cook, an doesn’t threaten my partner safety while I’m at it, I’m gonna go make us some dinner. If you two think about entering the damn kitchen, so help me.”

Meanwhile:

Eileen, Ace, Henryk and Ethan playing cards against humanity well listening to the three of them Bicker.

Bonus:

“Caleb! Por favor, don’t burn the damn kitchen down.”

“Visconti. I know how not to burn a kitchen down.”

————————————

Gascoigne:

Gascoigne: Why does your blood smell like… mold Ethan?

Ethan: Uh… you don’t wanna know trust me.

Heisenberg: I’m gonna kill you…

Caleb: Oi. Can y’all please shut the fuck up? Ace is trying to sleep.

————————————

“Ya sister is fucking creepy!” Caleb yelled.

Karl immediately used his powers and pointed the scissors at Caleb. “Don’t talk shit about my sister, Donna! That’s my job, bitch. Only I can do that…”

“Karl Heisenberg!” Ethan yelled from the other room.

“He started it!” Heisenberg yelled back.

Ace walked into the kitchen and grabbed a drink for himself before looking at Caleb. “Deja de ser un idiota Caleb antes de que Nea te ciegue.” (Translation: Stop being a dick Caleb before I have Nea blind you.)

Carl just looked confused at Ace. Caleb sighed, “Alright…” and then just looked at Karl. 

“Translation, I’mma get my ass beat if I don’t stop. Also Heisenberg?” Karl looked back at Caleb. 

“Checkmate.” Caleb said, moving his piece on the board, taking the king.

“Damnit!”

————————

Ace: Guys. I have a baby. I’m not sure what to do with her. Who is her father?

Heisenberg: This emotionally mind broken mold man right here.

Ethan: Heisenberg. The correct term is PTSD. Also, I am not a mold man.

Caleb: Who hurt you?

Gascoigne: PTSD?

Nea: Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

Gascoigne: Interesting…

Eileen:

Eileen: Every single one of you needs therapy. 

Nea and Ace:

Ace: I don’t know if therapy can help the mold man over there…

Ethan: Fuck you.

—————————

And that’s all.

[ejzah]

In Miss Blye’s Class, Part 18

***

“Hey, I’m bringing bagels and coffee. Any requests?” Kensi texted Deeks Saturday morning. She’d stopped off at a bakery on the way to his house.

Last week, he’d surprised her with donuts, so it only seemed fair. Plus, she figured he could use a break from cooking. Deeks didn’t respond by the time she reached the register, so she ordered three of her favorites—a triple cheese bagel toasted with cream cheese—, her usual iced coffee, and one of the lattes Deeks favored, and an apple juice for Caleb.

She was a little surprised that he didn’t answer since he was usually up early with Caleb. Maybe he’d slept in for once though. Kensi smiled at the thought of a drowsy, sleep-mussed Deeks.

It was just after 10 when she knocked on the front door, and it was a minute or two longer before it sung open. “Hey, lazy bones, did you—?” Kensi started to say, the joke she’d spent the whole ride over crafting dying on her lips as she realized a woman, not Deeks stood in front of her. “Um—”

“Oh, you must be Kensi,” the woman said before Kensi could form a coherent sentence. “I’m Roberta. Come on in.”

“Mrs. Deeks, I had no idea you’d be here,” Kensi apologized, taking a couple steps back. “I can come back another time.”

“Nonsense! Marty’ll be ready in a minute.” Holding her arm wide, Roberta waited for Kensi to hesitantly step inside, then continued father into the house, talking a minute a mile. “If I’d known you were coming, I would have whipped up something special for breakfast, but it looks like you got that covered.”

“Oh, it’s just bagels, no big deal.” Kensi gestured lamely with the drinks carrier and paper bag.

“Let me tell you, food is the way to most men’s hearts.”

“Actually, Deeks is usually the one who cooks,” Kensi found herself saying, and instantly regretted. She internally winced, and wished that she’d had some forewarning before this meeting.

Roberta turned, settling her hands on her hips, and narrowed her eyes at Kensi. Then to Kensi’s complete surprise, she smiled. “I like you,” she decided. “Deeks needs an honest woman. Who cares who does the cooking.”

“Ok.” Kensi smiled back a little uncertainly.

“Hey mom, Caleb wants you to help him pick out some pajamas,” Deeks said from somewhere down the hallway, appearing in the living room in sweat pants and a faded t-shirt a few seconds later. His expression from confused to pleased as he noticed Kensi awkwardly standing in the middle of the room. “Kensi. I didn’t know you were coming today.”

“I texted you,” Kensi explained. “Though I’d bring over some breakfast.”

“God, I’m sorry. It’s been a crazy morning.” He rolled his eyes in the direction of his mom, who made a huffing sound.

“I’ll give you two a minute. I can tell when I’m not wanted.” She gave them both a pointed look. “I’ll help Caleb finish packing.”

Deeks waited until she was out of sigh to let his head fall back. “Oh my god,” he sighed. When he straightened up again, he added. “I am so sorry about that. I haven’t checked my phone in a while.”

“That’s ok.” She glanced around the room, which didn’t hold any clear signs of an impending trip. “Are you guys going somewhere?”

“Food first. Then I’ll explain. “ Deeks rested his hand on her lower back, ushering her into the kitchen. While he grabbed plates, Kensi pulled out three bagels which were still slightly warm and crunchy on top.

“And that is a beautiful sight. Bless you, Kensi Blye,” he said, accepting the bagel with a sigh of happiness. He took a generous bite, shoulders relaxing for the first time since she saw him.

“Ok, so why is Caleb packing?” Kensi prompted.

“Every so often, mama takes him for a couple days. They go to all his favorite places, watch movies together. Usually, we plan it a little more, but since my mom is wonderfully unpredictable and chaotic, she decided to surprise us. Which is why I couldn’t warn you.”

“And you’re ok with her just dropping in like that?” Kensi asked with some surprise. She’d seen how protective he was of Caleb.

“A couple years ago, my answer would be “absolutely not”, but I’ve seen how much she cares about him. She’d never actually pull any crazy stunts with Caleb because she loves him too much. Sure, he might get significantly more ice cream for dinner than I would prefer, but mom holds in her more…eccentric qualities when she’s taking care of him.”

Kensi nibbled at the top of her bagel, putting together the mismatched pieces that Deeks have provided. It painted a very interesting picture of his mother.

“She seems to know a lot about me.”

“I may have mentioned you a time or two,” Deeks admitted reluctantly, dipping his head to conceal the blush highlighting his cheekbones.

“Don’t believe him,” Roberta disagreed, sweeping back into the kitchen. “I haven’t heard this boy gush so much since the time he got to meet one of his surfing idols.” She squeezed his shoulders affectionately, blatantly ignoring his glare.

“Thanks so much mother. Don’t you have reservations to make or some national secrets to spill?”

“Oh, don’t be salty, Marty. This girl deserves to know that you think she’s amazing and gorgeous.”

Kensi pressed her lips together to conceal a grin as Roberta shamelessly ruffled his hair.

“Grandma!” Caleb called from the other room, and Roberta dashed back out to see to him.

“Amazing and gorgeous,” Kensi repeated, taking a healthy sip of her coffee. “Interesting.”

His entire face was flushed a light pink now. “Uh, I believe the exact words I used were fantastic and stunning,” he corrected.

“Ah, completely different,” she teased. Huffing a laugh, Deeks slid his hand across the table and threaded their fingers together. “I’m sorry,” he gestured across the room with his head. “I know she’s a lot to take in without warning.”

“Deeks, it’s fine.” Any discomfort she initially felt had been obliterated by Roberta Deeks’ complete lack of boundaries. “Though I do want to hear more about what makes me so stunning.”

“Dad, we’re leaving!” Caleb announced, running into the kitchen with Roberta trailing behind him.

“Woah, how much did you pack?” Deeks asked, examining Caleb’s backpack, which couldn’t quite contain several superhero figures and what looked like a stuffed rabbit or possibly a lamb. “You do know you’re going for like a day and a half, right?”

“Yeah, but I don’t want to forget something important. Grandma’s house is like a 100 miles away.”

“Well, you can argue with logic like that.” Deeks kissed the top of his head and swung him up into a tight hug.” Have fun, kiddo. And listen to grandma.” Turning to Roberta he added, “Have fun and try not to end up in the news.”

“He thinks he’s a comedian,” Roberta said with an eye roll. While father an son finished talking, she added, “It was nice meeting you, Kensi. You’ll have to come over for dinner sometime.”

“Oh, sure. That’d be great.”

“Bye, dad!” Caleb said, kissing Deeks’ cheek and hopping to the ground. To Kensi’s surprise, he skipped over and gave her a hug. “Bye, Miss Blye. C’mon grandma, let’s go before they run out of pizza!”

Roberta let him drag her from the room, picking up an extra duffel bag as she went. “We’ll be back Sunday night.”

Deeks rested his chin on his palms and laughed softly. “So, now you see why we don’t live near each other. Definitely didn’t see my weekend going this way.”

“Well, you do have me, and bagels,” Kensi pointed out.

“True.” Deeks lifted his coffee in a silent cheers, then leaned forward, expression shifting in an instant to something more intimate. “Kensi, would you go out with me for our first completely solo and undisturbed dinner?” he asked.

“I would love to, Mr. Deeks.”

***

A/N: Probably the most unrealistic thing about this story is how much free time Kensi has as a teacher.

[forgetmenots0250]

The Black Motorcycle

Words: 2502 Platonic male reader x Casper Crew + Finney (Part 2 - total parts: 2)

In the morning he got ready and he made himself eggs & bacon but while cooking the home phone rang and he went to pick it up, “Hello how can I help you?” the voice on the other line clears their throat, “Hi! We at Food Venue would like to have you work with us for the salary of 30$ an hour, will you consider?” Matthew was excited. 

“Yes I have considered it since yesterday evening and I would like to come in today if possible for my server training, is that fine with you?” the voice on the other line was surprised at how professional he was, “May I know your age young man?” Matthew quickly answered, “2-.. 16 ma’am” Matthew had almost given the age of [Name] his past life of sorts instead of his age here. 

“My apologies I misspoke, for confirmation I am 16 ma’am” the female voice on the line spoke again, “I see well why don’t you come at 3:55 pm today? Does that work for you young man?” Matthew cheered himself on by how good he sounded, “Yes that will be just fine, thank you for your time” he hung up the phone and went to finish his food. 

Once it hit 7:23 am his little brother came down, “Matt?… What are you cooking?” his amber eyes that were identical to Matthew's, “I’m making eggs and bacon, what some?” the boy’s eyes lit up as he nodded. He put the eggs and bacon he had already made on a plate as he went to make more for himself and extra, “Here you go Jay now go sit at the dining table and eat” the boy who is Jacob smiled as he walked over to the dining table to eat. 

Once Matthew was done with his own food he walked over to the table and took a seat, “Jay I’m not going to be home very often since I have a job now” Jacob flinched up to look at Matthew, “Are you leaving?” Matthew was a bit surprised at his question and he knew that his little brother probably had abandonment issues. It's not a surprise that he would develop something like that in a home life like this, “No Jay I just won’t be home most of the time, is that okay?” 

Jacob nodded with a hum of confirmation, “It’s okay” it sounded like he was holding back tears, “Hey hey, Jay I’m not leaving anytime soon. And besides, I’m not leaving anywhere if it's not with you” Matthew tried to reassure his brother and held his hand to make a point that he wasn’t going anywhere, “Okay Matt” Jacob slightly lit up as he continued to eat the food his big brother made for him. Matthew couldn’t help but feel his heart warm up, he didn’t have siblings as [Name] but was good with kids and even wanted to be a father in the future but he sure didn’t get his wish.

So Jacob really made his day, “Well it's almost time for me to go so I’ll see you in a bit, bye Jay” he grabbed his backpack as he walked towards the door he saw his stepmother in the hall, “I’m sorry! I was supposed to make breakfast-” Matthew waved his hand in reassurance, “Oh I already did it I’m just going early to get there early that’s all, bye Ma” Matthew closed the door behind him as his stepmother only watched. She smiled and looked over to Jacob, “Why don’t you wake up Caleb?” Jacob took a bite of his food before complying and walking up the stairs to wake up his stepbrother. 

Matthew walked past a chain-linked fence and recognized it, it was where Finney and Gwen lived, he would check it out later but as he walked down the street he spotted grab n go. When he looked inside he noticed Vance inside and decided to get a snack, once the door opened the bell rang and attention was drawn to Matthew immediately, and then went back to their own business, “Matthew Allan!” a very smug Vance approached Matthew. 

“Guess who beat their score!” Matthew made a thinking face before answering, “You?” Vance grinned. “HELL YEAH! Now pay up” Matthew smiled softly, “You want some soda?” Vance nodded, “Cool, I’m gonna get something for myself too” Matthew grabbed a bottle of Dr.Pepper and a Sprite can, “Sprite sucks.” Vance said nonchalantly. 

“Don’t worry I’m not giving this to you” Matthew said in a joking manner, “I wouldn’t drink that shit even if you paid me” Vance and Matthew approached the cashier as they chatted, “Have you ever tried it?” Vance looked irritated, “Of course I have SHITHEAD!” Matthew put their drinks on the table, “Vance Hopper doesn’t like Sprite, good enough?” the cashier debated whether to butt in. 

Vance grinned in victory, “I guess” it was in a smug tone, “Good, by the way how much is this sir?” the cashier who was still debating snapped back to reality, “O-Oh of course uh- 3.50$ sir…” Matthew took 5$ out of his pocket and gave it to the cashier. He quickly put it in and gave back 1.50$ back, “Thank you” Matthew thanked them, and instead of taking his can first he took Vance’s first, “Hey!” Vance didn’t struggle against Matthew’s grip, “Here you go” Matthew gave a smile and Vance just swiped it from his hand. 

Matthew looked at the clock behind the cash register and read the clock, “Well I have to go-” Vance whipped his head to Matthew and only stared at Matthew as he pouted and looked away, “I have to go too. So Bye” Vance walked away drinking his Dr.Pepper, Matthew couldn’t help but smile, “I see then I guess we’ll go together” Matthew stepped out and started walking with Vance a bit behind. 

With not much small talk, only talking about his score and how annoying that one teacher in his science class is pretty much it. Soon they both split walking for a bit before Vance turned around, “Are you going to grab n go after school!?” Vance yelled as they were a distance and Matthew smiled, he was getting closer, that’s good. “No sorry I have work!” Matthew waved as a goodbye but Vance sort of just stomped away but Matthew didn’t take it to heart. 

Matthew felt a bit giddy that Vance had started to care even a little bit about him so that was good, he should bring some food from work to Vance as an apology of some kind, and he continued to walk until he got to his high school. Denver high school is what you would expect, boring classes and unexpectedly rude kids. If it was [Name] in high school he wouldn’t even attempt to try and fight and would rather solve this amicably, but [Name] now? He wanted to strangle some kids. 

But other than that he’s been breezing through most school work and homework being easy enough to finish in lunch or other classes, currently Matthew was in lunch finishing up some extra credit work for his math class. “Matthew, you've been working really hard since a few weeks ago… did something bad happen at home that made you work harder or..?” the same boy from his first day coming here was now right in front of him. 

Matthew gave a small smile, “I’m just fine Charlie, I’m just… trying a bit more ya know?” Charlie furrowed his brow, “You know you can tell me anything right?” Matthew kind of liked being cared about. It felt nice but he really didn’t want to redo these classes, “I know Charlie now-” the bell rang and Matthew quickly put his stuff away, “Well I’ll see you later Charlie” Matthew quickly walked to his class leaving Charlie to his devices. “What happened to you Mattie…” Charlie frowned and walked away, he would have to ask Matthew later. 

After he finished his classes he walked home and went straight to the restaurant to get on with his job, it went smoothly as Matthew shadowed other co-workers and that was what he would be doing for the next few days before doing it on his own. Matthew finally was off once he finished shadowing for a couple of hours and got to go home, he reached the house at 6:43 pm and immediately was tackled by Jacob as he walked in the door. 

“Matt! You were out so late where have you been!?” Jacob was obviously shaken up as he held onto Matthew for dear life, he wasn’t used to being alone in a house without Matthew, Matthew was always there. Matthew picked up Jacob and held him in his arms, “Hey Jay, sorry for leaving for so long. Now what are we having for dinner?” Jacob rubbed his eyes trying not to cry. “Miss Marianne is making steak and mashed potatoes…” Matthew hummed, “Okay how about you go make the table for me?” 

Matthew put down Jacob as he wiped away the little tears and nodded as he went to the dining room. Matthew went into the kitchen to see his stepmother making mashed potatoes, “Good evening ma, mind if I help you out?” she jumped and turned around, “Ah- Matthew you’re back home, sure! Could you help me mash the potatoes as I season the steak?” Matthew smiled and he grabbed the spoon out of Marianne’s hand, “Yeah I’ll finish this up mom” Matthew’s stepmother Marianne smiled and then got the seasoning to start the steak. 

Once they both finished up Marianne put the steak in the oven as the hot mashed potatoes sat on the stove being cooked slowly, Marianne put a timer for the steak and took a seat as Matthew continued to cook the potatoes. Marianne stared at Matthew curiously thinking about what he was doing before getting home but was a bit nervous to ask, she didn’t want to annoy the boy that had been so nice to him already. She didn’t want to strain the relationship that she had recently mended with her stepson but even so, she asked hoping she wouldn’t be yelled at or looked down on, “Uh… Matthew where did you go for the last 2 hours..? Sorry for bothering you while you’re cooking…” Marianne fidgeted with her hands as she waited for Matthew’s response. 

“Well I recently got a job that wanted me to start today so I went to do that and got back a couple of minutes ago, sorry for not telling you mom” Matthew said nonchalantly as he continued to cook the potatoes, “It’s fine, thank you for telling me Matthew” he smiled as he continued. Once he was done the timer soon went off as Jacob called everyone down for dinner, everyone sat down and they ate not saying a word making the dinner awkward. Even so, Matthew ate at ease even in his work clothes that he had yet to change out of, “So Matthew, you’ve been acting weird lately… everything okay?” his father was the one to ask. 

“Nothing has changed, I honestly don’t know what you're talking about.” Matthew really wanted to ignore this man, he really wanted to leave, this dinner was awkward even for [Name]. He quickly finished and put his dish in the sink, “I’m gonna go out for a bit I’ll see you in a few hours” Matthew decided he would take the motorcycle lesson for a few hours so he can get it even faster, he was so getting his motorcycle. That lesson may have been long but it sure was going to be worth it in the end, the feeling of rapid wind beating on his helmet trying to keep him back as he rode down the street. 

After getting 2 hours in it was now 9:41 pm, he was walking down the street to see something on the sidewalk, it almost looked like an animal curled up in some fabric until he got closer. It was a boy, seemingly unconsciously. Matthew- [Name] recognized him as Griffin Stagg, the first victim of the Grabber. He immediately ran up to the boy that had bruises all over his body only with a thin blanket around his body, “Kid! Kid! Are you okay!?” he gently shook Griffin’s head to wake him up. 

[Name] could not think of a reason why Griffin would be on the street, passed out, and bruised, the first thought that came to him was abuse or neglect. He looked around to see no one around and the nearest house had its lights off seemingly asleep, he picked up Griffin in his arms as he thought of calling the hospital or the police but the thought of this abuse coming from his parents would probably take Griffin back. He didn’t want Griffin to go back, besides he could patch up the bruises easily with some ice so he decided to take Griffin with him. 

He didn’t expect to find Griffin this early but he would help as much as he can, as Matthew walked down the dark halls of his house and took him to the kitchen holding Griffin he woke up, “h-Huh!? Let- Let go of me!” Griffin started to flail out of Matthew's arms, “K-kid- it’s okay, you’re okay! I’m trying to help…” Griffin calmed down slowly. 

“Where-where am I…?” Matthew sighed in relief that he finally relaxed even a little bit, “My name is Matthew and I found you on the sidewalk, you seemed injured so I brought you here to patch you up… I hope I didn’t overstep my boundaries…” Matthew took a short pause before continuing, “I could bring you back home if you want…” Matthew bit his tongue at the thought of bringing Griffin back to an abusive household but if that was what Griffin really wanted he would do it. 

He noticed Griffin shiver a bit, maybe at the thought of going back home but he didn’t say a thing. Matthew grabbed some ice from the freezer and wrapped it around in a thin towel as he approached Griffin, “Would you let me help you Griffin…” he held his hand out and the ice in the other as Griffin hesitantly gave his arm to Matthew, “O-okay but please be gentle…” Griffin had thin arms that looked like he didn’t eat much and he only had a little fat on his arms. But even so, he ignored it and gently pressed the ice onto the bruises, “Can you hold it here? I’m going to get more ice” Matthew held for Griffin so he could hold it in place as he went to grab more ice. He watched as Matthew took care of him, almost in a paternal way that made Griffin want to cling onto this feeling he hadn’t felt in so long, he doesn’t really want to go back home.

[innytoes]

More @secretlovesongsfest Discord Nonsense.

It’s been a weird month for Willie, okay? First, Alex kissed him, which was great, except then it made him glow, which was weird. And it broke Caleb’s stamp. And made him... kind of alive again? Which was very weird. And terrifying. And took a lot of getting used to after forty years. He had so many bruises from walking into stuff he’d usually pass through, he was starting to wonder if he should just wear his helmet 24/7.

He was also still getting used to the fact that Lifers could see him. Which was the only reason for this horrendous, horrific, humiliating mistake.

“Man, Julie, your dad’s a DILF,” he’d said, not expecting an answer from either of them. Sometimes he just liked to vibe with people, okay? It got lonely, only being able to talk to people at the Club, where you had to watch what you said or you’d piss Caleb off. He liked to talk to people and just run his mouth sometimes.

Except Julie looked up from her breakfast and shot him the scariest glare a teenage girl could give him, and Ray turned around with his coffee and smiled. “You teens and your slang. I don’t think I know that one.”

“It stands for...” Willie stammered, going hot and cold and never missing being able to poof out more. “Dad I’d Like To Fish with.”

Ray blinked. “Oh,” he said. “Well, if that’s something you really want, of course! We can make a nice weekend out of it. Go to a national park or something.”

Oh no. Oh nooo. Damn you, Ray Molina and your easy acceptance of the insane amount of undead teenagers living in your studio. Damn you and your extreme dad-powers and your kind eyes and your niceness.

“Okay,” Willie squeaked, not seeing a way out. “Can Alex come too?”

And just like that, it turned into a Guys Trip. Because once Reggie got wind of Ray doing Dad Things, of course he wanted to come. And then so did Luke. Julie and Carlos begged off, citing the Great Molina Camping Trip Of 2015.

So there they were. Out on a lake. In a big boat. Trying to fish. Sitting still in a boat for so long was literally killing him. Alex had fallen asleep against Luke’s shoulder, looking vaguely uncomfortable. Luke also looked about ready to vibrate out of his skin at sitting still for so long. Reggie was talking a mile a minute to Ray, who didn’t seem to mind at all.

They hadn’t caught anything. Not so much as a nibble. In fact, Willie was pretty sure Ray had lost his bait the second he tried to throw his hook, but he didn’t want to point it out. He just kept staring at the shiny little thing on the bottom of the boat floor, willing it to move with his mind.

Three hours in, and Alex tilted to the other side, nearly falling into the water. Luke’s attempt to keep him from drowning meant the whole boat lurched, and Ray had to grab Reggie by the flannel, and there was just a lot of shouting and flailing the next five minutes.

Once the boat stopped rocking and everyone had been saved from a watery death, Ray laughed, awkwardly. “I think it’s safe to say we scared away all the fish.” He sighed. “I’m sorry, boys. I have absolutely no clue what I’m doing. I’ve never actually been fishing before, but Willie sounded so excited about it and I didn’t want to let him down.”

Willie ignored the glares burning into the back of his skull from Alex and Luke. “It’s okay,” he quickly said. “Thank you for taking us anyway.”

“How about we go back to shore, and Reggie can go catch frogs like he wanted to and we’ll make a campfire and roast some s’mores or something?” Ray asked.

“I love catching frogs!” Luke said quickly. Alex had already grabbed the paddle and was taking them back to shore.

So they went back to shore and gathered wood and made a fire pit. Ray was trying to look up on his phone how to make a campfire, but Willie took pity on him and started it instead. He was great at fire, okay? Even without ghost powers.

They made s’mores and ate the snacks Ray had packed. Thankfully he hadn’t actually counted on catching a fish to cook, so they had plenty of food. Then, after lunch, they went their separate ways for a bit. Reggie and Luke went to catch frogs. Ray went to take pictures of pretty plants and the sun on the water and the canoe and stuff. And Alex and Willie took a romantic walk.

And made friends with a squirrel.

And took the squirrel back to camp while his boyfriend laughed about him being a Disney character.

The sun was already setting by then, and Luke had his guitar out, singing with Reggie around the fire. Alex joined in immediately on the chorus. Acorn the squirrel, his new best friend, seemed to enjoy the sound, settling in Willie’s hoodie pocket happily as Willie made heart-eyes at his boyfriend.

Ray was doing his very best to set up the tents, and when Willie asked him if he needed help, he waved him away. “I’ve got it,” he said, which sounded patently false, but well, Willie knew better than to challenge the guy who was letting him live in his house. Ray may not have jolts like Caleb, but he had a killer ‘I’m not mad I’m just disappointed’ face.

At the end of the song, Willie clapped. Then, in between the soft, muttered curses coming from the tent, there was the sound of a twig snapping somewhere in the woods.

“What was that?” Alex asked, nervous.

“Chill, Hotdog, it’s probably just a moose or a bear or something,” Willie said. For some reason, this did not make Alex more chill.

“A bear?” he almost shrieked.

“Dude, it’s fine, bears only bother you if you have food,” Reggie said. While opening a bag of Doritos.

Another twig snapped in the forest. Willie was pretty sure this one was closer.

“Okay,” Ray said, suddenly behind them. “Let’s... let’s pack up and get in the car just in case.” Before Willie could protest, he doused the fire and gathered up all the food.

“You know, I pet a bear once,” Willie said. At Ray’s distressed look, he shrugged. “Back when I was a ghost.”

“I want to pet a bear!” Luke said, already moving to make his way towards the noise. Ray grabbed him by the back of the shirt.

“You are not petting a bear, because you are not a ghost anymore,” he reminded Luke. “And Julie would be very sad if you got mauled to death.”

The sad half-set-up tent was abandoned as Ray ushered them and several snacks into the car.

“I’d be sad if you were mauled to death too, Luke,” Reggie said, wrapping an arm around a sulking Luke as Ray rubbed his temples. They all ignored the muttered ‘I wouldn’t’ from Alex, even Luke.

“Okay, new plan,” Ray said. “We’re going to go get a pizza and find a motel for the night. We’ll come back for the tents in the morning.”

“I second that plan,” Alex quickly said. Reggie cheered at the idea of pizza. Willie shrugged. Pizza sounded way better than half-burnt-half-undercooked hot dogs on a stick over the fire.

“I still want to pet a bear,” Luke sulked as they put on their seat belts and Ray started driving. “I mean, Willie got to keep his squirrel.”

Oh yeah. Willie peered into his hoodie. Acorn was curled up, asleep, blissfully unaware of the chaos.

“His WHAT?”

[just-horrible-things]

‘Verse: Resistance Story: Chewtoy AU, co-author @whump-sprite Timeline: Connor and Ariadne in Canada, they're settled in but haven't been there long

Touch [Prev | Next]

She means to get up before Connor gets back. She hates being this useless and she hates him seeing it. 

He's always saying she doesn't have to be productive. That she should focus on recovery.

Vegetating on the floor isn't gonna get her any closer to getting better, either. 

She means to get up, but she has plenty of time. And then plenty of time narrows to at least an hour, to half an hour, to quarter of an hour, ten minutes, five, to okay lazybones you have to get up right this instant or he's gonna open that door…

And she still doesn't. 

He does open the door, and he finds her still laying there, face down in the middle of the lounge, arms curled defensively round her head. 

"Ari?" he asks, even though he's the one who said they should use their new names even at home, even when they think they're alone. "Present," she mumbles reluctantly.

Even that inadequate acknowledgement feels like a monumental effort. 

She knows she should assure him that she's fine. She should get up so that he can see for himself. He'll think something happened, that she's hurt or distraught or sick or scared and she's not. 

She just can't find it in her.

"What happened?" "Nothing happened.” His question drags the words out of her. “I'm okay."

He looks at her and his expression stays still and neutral but there’s tiredness and frustration in his eyes. He thinks he hides those feelings from her but he's easier to read than he thinks. 

And why shouldn't he be tired and frustrated? He's just finished a full day's work at a job he didn't want in the first place. He wants to get home and relax, not deal with her bullshit.

"You're not okay," he says. Mild and patient, but she hears the accusation anyway. 

She turns her face down towards the floor in shame. 

"I am,” she insists, “I’ll get up, it’s fine.” She hears him step forwards as she pushes up to her hands and knees, but he stops there. Feet under her and it’s not even difficult, once she’s moving. She doesn’t know why she just didn’t for so many hours, if she can as soon as someone’s watching.

It’s not fair on Connor, to make him responsible for whether she lays on the floor all day or not.

“I’m okay,” she says. “I… was just lying down. I get… achy. Lying down helps. You don’t have to worry.” Connor nods “okay,” and she pretends she doesn’t hear him sigh as he turns to take off his shoes and hang up his coat.

Uncomfortable, Ari goes into the kitchen, even though she doesn’t want anything from the kitchen. She runs herself a glass of water, and doesn’t drink it. She contemplates the closed fridge, then berates herself for pretending like she’s thinking about cooking when they both know she doesn’t have the first idea how to put a meal together.

“Why don’t you come join me on the couch? It’s a lot comfier than the floor. I’m putting a movie on.”

Ari does as he says, but she can’t look at him. She sits uncomfortably on the couch edge, and freezes up again. She doesn’t know whether to pretend to relax, or if he’ll see right through it.

“I’m sorry,” she tells her knees. “I didn’t mean to worry you.” “You can lie on the floor if you want to,” he answers carefully. “That’s fine. I was just concerned.”

She misses him so much. 

They used to be friends, this used to be easy, he used to be one of the people she could completely relax around. And now he’s given up everything for her and he at least deserves some gratitude and affection in return and she cannot figure out how not to be totally stiff and awkward.

He puts the TV on, and scrolls briefly through options that Ari fails to take in before making a selection. Ari doesn’t even see the title, let alone read the description. She was too busy looking at the faces of the actors in the preview.

They used to watch action films together, her and Connor and Caleb and the others. They’d critique all the characters’ dubious decisions and argue over the technical inaccuracies. It was fun. It was comfortable. 

She wonders if Connor misses it as much as she does.

“Pad Thai for dinner?” he asks as the title sequence starts. “Sure.”

He orders on his phone, while Ari watches the swooping intro shots that tell her nothing about what kind of film Connor picked. Then he passes the phone to her to make her selection. She picks a noodle bowl more or less at random, and passes it back.

Then the dialogue starts, and it’s funny. Despite her anxiety, Ari can’t help cracking a smile. And as she starts to smile, she starts to relax, at least a little. 

Connor finishes ordering and leans back, legs wide, one arm on the back of the chair. He looks relaxed. Ari wonders if he has to force it.

He sees her looking, and casts a questioning glance her way, and sees the ghost of a smile on her face, and smiles back.

She misses him so much it hurts.

Cautiously, hesitantly, watching his face for any hint of rejection, she inches closer. They never used to worry about personal space, none of them did. But he doesn’t touch her now, not even casually. She doesn’t know if it would be across some kind of line if she touched him. 

Does he even want her close, or is it all obligation? She’s ruined his life, she would understand if he doesn’t like her very much anymore.

“C’mere,” he says. So she does. She scoots over, and he puts an arm round her shoulders, and all at once she’s sure it’s okay and she curls up against his side. He’s warm and solid and the planes of his body are familiar and he’s using a different deodorant now but he still smells like Connor.

She hugs tight round his ribs, and he tips his head against the top of hers, and finally, maybe for the first time since they got here, maybe for the first time in years, she is able to relax.

[Next]

[captainsspnanon]

C2E59 - Perspective

Sorry for delay, I gave The Unsleeping City a go and had to finish it.  I personally prefer CR over D20, because I love the CR cast all RPing with each other, whereas in D20 it’s so heavily story focused, and RP seems to just be between PC and NPC, not PC and PC, but I’m going to give Fantasy High another shot, and then did get Dropout for some of the other campaigns.  All in all, I did enjoy it, and if you are someone who really wants more good story than lots of RP, I’d recommend D20.  (also a lot more comedy, just by the nature of the stories created and the settings leaning more into the absurd than the classic)

BUT BACK INTO CR, PLSKTHX

(and of course today’s a Thursday, so unless I finish this episode tonight, which is unlikely, I won’t finish it until after I watch the new one.)

….FUCK matt looks hot

nooooooooooo top camera is lower quality :(

(it is now several days after starting! XD  My focus is SHOT right now, I keep jumping from one thing to another to another.  PLUS I’m really wanting to start my Leverage rewatch, and then there’s this, and then there’s giving Fantasy High another go [on the third episode now] and then just all the cooking videos that I watch, not including actually reading and doing shit……...my brain needs to calm down!)

Let’s see how far I can get today before my brain nopes out.

YASHA CHARGING FORWARDS!!!!  (not at ALL influenced by Travis getting super hype in the corner, no sir)

Oh hey!  Is this the first Dwarven Forge sponsor for combat section?

“this will be a trick I learned from Brennan” re: the blue tack.  I had NO CLUE who Brennan was the first time I heard this, so this is super cool! Escape from the Bloodkeep looks like it aired on Dropout around Feb 2019, and this episode is from April 2019, so only a relative few months between (even including that I don’t know when the D20 stuff was actually filmed, because I think? that they have the entire season filmed before posting?)

Travis is SO EXCITED that the Charm Monster worked.  And for good reason!  This definitely was a big turning point of the encounter!  Actually, I wonder how the entire section of these few episodes would have gone had the Nein just killed the giants.  Never find out about their home, never find out about the rift machine, never get the scrap of fabric for scrying……. Unless Matt was going to have the giants start talking during the combat regardless to try to stop it from being one-sided, this is a case where a whole chunk of the campaign could have turned out very differently.

Yasha succeeded on a wisdom saving throw????  what is this out of character nonsense??!!! oh wait, it was for Hold Person.  Alright, proceed.

Yeah, Cat’s Ire! I want to see the cat claw mini next to the Bigby’s Hand mini from C1.  For whatever reason, it always feels to me like the cat claw is smaller, despite knowing that it’s big enough for Caleb to ride it in the cathedral fight.  I’m assuming this is just due to the perspective with the minis.

I actually got a decent chunk into the fight before I noped out from focus issues, but just didn’t have much to say because, yanno, combat.

A week later, let’s keep going!

POLYMORPH LET’S GOOOOOO!!!  Yes, I will likely be this excited every time someone casts Polymorph.  It was THE spell of this campaign, had incredible use both in and out of combat, and ranged for serious to humorous as needed. (Runner up iconic spells for C2?  Sending, Bless/Bane, and Spiritual Weapon are the three that come to mind)

A wild Foster appears!  Foster uses Refill Drinks!  It’s super effective!

Travis, while he gets all the credit he deserves for being an amazing RPer, does NOT get enough credit for his physical portrayals.  He mostly sits outside of his PC while at the table, but when he DOES do it, it’s fucking fantastic.  The ‘UH UH UH, DOWN’ head waggle and heavily downturned mouth??  Completely in character, and completely hysterical.  I love Fjord so much

Okay, the giant telling Caduceus that they were attacked by creatures with wings and long faces?  Ominous and also exciting.  Hearing it again now knowing what the creatures look like??  Absurd and humorous.  It’s SUCH an ugly mini, omg, it’s forever tainted my reaction to it.  And to be fair, it’s a strong creature with some terrifying abilities!  But it’s so GOOFY LOOKING.

“watched his life wither” it’s so cool to see how much Matt actually tells the group ahead of time, but because they don’t have the knowledge of what’s to come, even though he shares it all, it’s in such a way that they can’t predict.  He did the same with the information with the Beacon, and I’m sure much more that I’ve forgotten.

WAIT WHAT what is this shit with Soorna’s brother being killed by the creatures and then being undead? and possessed or shit I DON’T REMEMBER THIS AT ALL

I really appreciate how in C2, pretty much every PC aside from Yasha all had multiple instances of them taking the lead and handling big conversations.  If it’s more serious/analytical, usually Beau or Caleb take the lead. More demanding or bluster or submission?  Fjord (with a wonderful show of flipping between his dynamics).  Humorous or unexpectedly influential?  Jester and Nott.  And while part of it is just Ashley not having the opportunity to, it also makes sense that Yasha mostly sat back and let the others do the talking.  There’s no one set leader, no one style of voice, no one player who made sure to play the face.  After I’d finished watching and watching C1 (so therefore having the opportunity to forget a whole lot of C2), my remembrance was of Caleb, Beau, and Jester being the big talkers. This rewatch is really letting me appreciate Fjord, Nott, and Caduceus’ contributions even more.  They don’t have just ‘one off’ moments, nor do they just have their ‘big’ moments.  All are a steady contribution throughout the campaign.  (and, no hate here, but honestly?  I’m glad we didn’t have Molly throughout, because I really am unable to imagine his conversations and how he may handle things – especially considering Tal wanted to play him as fairly static in terms of character growth, so imagining early!Molly with his harshness and abrasiveness, unsoftened in the way Beau and Caleb are, is just jarring in my mind)

Oh, investigation checks.  I kinda feel bad that Beau got a 25 but basically just found junk, where Fjord got a 26 and got the humiliation material.  I know that technically they were searching different areas, but it’s just one of those things that feels a little bad.  I’d have thought that maybe it required the nat20, but Matt specifically asked “for a total of?”, implying that it did have a specific DC.

Jester pestering Caleb while he’s casting Comprehend Languages definitely gives me twinnie vibes, but also in a completely different way.  Full props to Laura and Liam – the three dynamics that they’ve presented in each of the campaigns is so different but feels so true.  I’m still early on in C3 (episode 30 airs tonight…..episode 29 is the one that I mentioned earlier XD) that they haven’t fully established how they will work in this one, but I’m SO looking forwards to it, SO SO SO MUCH.  Or even finding out if in C3 they end up having a very MINIMAL dynamic – like how Caleb and Caduceus, despite having a few good conversations, had much more of a minimal dynamic than the other C2 friendships.  It’s early enough in C3 that I don’t know! And what’s already been established can change!

Re: moorbounders “if they get killed, I’m going to kill you” “no you won’t, you love me” can I just mention how much I love Laura and Travis’s relationship with how they portray it when they’re streaming?  It’s so fucking adorable

I am pretty sure that I haven’t forgotten a moment, so I am gonna say FIRST INSTANCE OF YASHA EATING BUGS (yes spiders count as bugs shut up).  You can tell that she had this in her mind early on, Matt was describing the flesh and she was sitting there smiling and nodding while the other players/PCs were getting grossed out expressions.  She had the rat to eat before, but this is a step further.  (side note, yes I’m aware that insects are eaten in non-US cultures.  But I admit that it’s a hellova NOPE for me, especially with my phobia of bugs crawling inside my body).  I wonder how much of this was improv-ed in the moment and how much of it was something she’d already determined for Yasha’s backstory.

IT’S BEEN A WHILE!!!!!!!!!!!  First appearance!!!!!  I’m shocked that so many of them jumped on it instantly.  It made me think that it must have happened earlier, but I can’t find any earlier instance of it.

Sam making good use of travel time to have a conversation with Caleb about Nott’s feelings, and it’s so good.  It might not get touched on in depth at this point, but it brings up basically all of her worries.  Is she a bad person for immediately going out on an adventure again?  For WANTING to go out on the adventure again?  Will Yeza like who she is now?  He’s accepted her skin for the moment, but what about her mind?  Does SHE want to go back to being who she was?  So quickly laying out everything there, for an emotional journey that will take the rest of the campaign for her to go through.  And Caleb!  Being so supportive of her and her choices, but also fully reassuring her that Yeza will support her, disagreeing when she thinks it’s just for now.  Also – let’s give fucking full credit to Liam Oberon in this moment.  They’ve already had the Nott/Veth conversation when Nott first shared her story.  But then they also all understood the switch to Veth while Yeza was around.  And now, Caleb takes a moment to clarify even further ‘what would you like me to call you when we are not with Yeza’ and it’s BEAUTIFUL.  This is just a small aspect of it, but it’s a moment where a viewer can really take this and use it in their own lives for people that they may know, to ensure the comfort of those who struggle with their identity or how they present it.

HENRY CAMEO!

Okay first of all, Laura doing sad!Jester destroys me every single fucking time omg. Secondly, I’m actually not quite sure where she was leaving the possibility of the RP going.  I’m a bit disappointed that Travis didn’t engage with it.  While the moment ended up being silly kinda flirty kinda teasy, it feels like there was something big under the surface that got missed.  And because of my shitty memory, I can’t remember if it comes up again later or not!  (to be fair, Laura could have just been RPing Jester as low from being poisoned the night before, but let me read into things)

I appreciate Travis noping out as Matt is describing all the spiders that they’re seeing.  At this EXACT MOMENT, there is a decent sized spider RIGHT ABOVE my bed where the wall meets the ceiling.  It’s too high up for me to kill it, even if I stand on the bed.  As long as it STAYS there, or moves somewhere else, I’m...well, not fine, but ignoring it.  (I had to sleep with it there last night T.T) but if it comes down the wall?  It diiies.

...I just realized that everyone is individually mic-ed.  When did this happen????  I thought they had mics above them?  They’ve certainly hit them enough times.  Maybe because Ashley is back so they’re not seated properly under them?  Or maybe they’ve had the individual mics for a while and I’ve just completely failed to notice?  *starts checking things*  oh, they didn’t have them before break.  I’m guessing it’s for the kickstarter celebration after the show then, and they just decided to get it done during the break to reduce the amount of time they needed to get set up.

I still have mixed feelings with Frumpkin exploring everything ahead of time.  It’s great that the map gets cleared and the party has a vague idea of what they’re heading in to, but it takes the agency away from other players to discover it on their own.  I don’t remember how much Vax did this as well, I think it was frequently?  Or at least at the beginning.  Just glad that Orym doesn’t do it.  Yet.  It’s different when it’s different players doing it each time, but when it’s the same player each time, in multiple campaigns?  I’d hope that Liam checked in with the other players to make sure that they were cool with it.  It’s hard to argue with, because tactically it makes absolute sense to send Frumpkin, but that doesn’t always translate to fun.

Oh good, this was only a quick little exploration.  And once again the ‘does Frumpkin have darkvision’ question.  Matt should have just given Caleb a magic collar or something that let him have darkvision as a cat only. Dumbest 5e ruling.

Beau boosted with Holy Weapon is SO fucking badass, I wish it happened more often.  I actually only remember it one other time….CR stats has it a total of 8 times.  Episodes 59, 60, 69, 82, 95,105, 133, 139.

I….forgot about all these con saves.  Fuck we is in trouble

I hear a lot online about how Matt pulls his punches once Molly died.  Except Fjord nearly straight up died during this combat from having his hit point max reduced to 0 (thanks Cad for canceling the crit!), being targeted as an unconscious creature while an aggressive target was in range but ignored.  I disagree with this statement fully, for what it’s worth.  I also don’t get the argument of people who are desperate to see the party fall and PCs constantly die.  I get that it happened a lot in C1, but you know what also happened in C1?  The players got tired of it.  They talk about it in one of the Talks (have no clue which one, whether it was at the end of C1 or during C2) but they were resurrectioned out because of how emotionally taxing it was, especially to keep having it happen.  So much of the ‘waaaah’ online is that the people thing Matt is being too gentle.  IF he is (which I don’t agree with), then it’s likely something he decided after talking with the players.  Considering they shared their feelings online through Talks, it’s VERY likely that they would have talked with Matt and explained how they felt and what they would like going forwards.  And there is nothing wrong with having a more or less deadly game!  But this is where there’s a lot of preference that it taken from the point of the viewer basically ignoring what is likely preference on the parts of the players.

I forgot that the NPC got the kill!!  I guess ‘cause it wasn’t as hyped up for the “How Do I Want To Do This” moment with Obann – Matt even still says the normal HDYWTDT.

LOL Liam is never going to let anyone forget what happened with Kynan.  STILL SALTY.

I don’t think I’m going to watch their kickstarter wrapup.  I watched it the first time, and I’d rather go to the Talks, or jump back into Fantasy High (still not vibing with this one as much as I did for The Unsleeping City, but they do two of it so I feel like I have to)

@suicidallyreckless

[thebrightsessions]

Entertainment Spotlight: Briggon Snow

Briggon Snow is a Los Angeles-based actor, writer and creator, originally from South Portland, Maine. He is known for voicing Caleb Michaels in The Bright Sessions and The College Tapes, and roles in The Big Loop (Podcast), Seal Team (CBS), Game Shakers (Nickelodeon) and Masters of Sex (Showtime).

Can you share any fun facts about the making of The Bright Sessions and/or The College Tapes that fans would be surprised to find out?

Oh boy. I was just wracking my brain on this and struggling™. “Should I mention the obvious: That we did this remotely? Talk about those challenges?” And then moments ago my husband stepped out onto our balcony where I was staring at my laptop, read this question, and made a very cheeky suggestion. So here we go:

Everyone loves kissing in audio, right? *crickets* No? Only some of you? Well, I know it’s a hot-button topic, but when it comes to squishy romance feelings I’m here for it, I’ll admit. And well, we recorded this in a pandemic, so...no kissing allowed. And how did we get around that? Well, as one of our illustrious and poor defenseless audio designers got to e̶x̶p̶e̶r̶i̶e̶n̶c̶e̶ suffer through...I sent over “roll-the-tape” recordings of me pulling my husband into my home recording booth to - essentially - makeout for all of your enjoyment/cringes. Now...who’s kissing in The College Tapes? You’ll have to wait and hear (again sorry) because...well...reasons...

If you could have a conversation with Caleb, what would you want to talk about?

I’d love to go on trail with him or go camping and just talk about...feelings. I know the feelings/emotions thing is a constant for him so this is a little on the nose - but in playing Caleb and now writing for him too - I was challenged to submerge myself in my heart and mind and body and meditate with the emotions that pass me by every day. Lauren’s writing gave me a roadmap to identify and place things within myself outside of recording (a gift I’ll never be able to repay). And in these last five years I’ve found myself endlessly fascinated with human emotionality and our awareness or lack thereof and how we move throughout life in relationship with the things we feel. I’d love to look Caleb in the eyes and have us be unabashedly open with each other; the good, the bad, the everything.

Do you have a memory from college or young adulthood that you think would make a good College Tapes scene or episode?

It’s funny. I pulled on so many memories and feelings from my time at college. There’s one particular story involving greek life and my freshman roommate that I absolutely stole when writing my episodes. But I have one memory that’s so...nothing really...but so powerful in my life that I’d like to share...

My best friend in college ended up showing me Avatar: The Last Airbender, and when we’d watch it in his dorm, we would naturally smoosh up on his bed and cuddle under a blanket. And for me, a gay kid - just cuddling up with my straight best friend because we loved each other - and it not being weird or joked about when our friends were around - meant - like - everything to me.

Again, not a big crazy college memory. But let’s hear it for the straight boys out there dismantling toxic masculinity one soft action at a time!

If you could be Atypical in real life, would you want to be? If yes, what powers do you think that you would have?

I want to be an Atypical! I’d love to be able to communicate with anyone (+ animals) regardless of language. I want to know people. I love meeting people. I think one of the greatest privileges of being an actor is that we’re thrown together with other folks who (if it’s going right) open themselves up to you and participate in a created intimacy to seek understanding. More than anything, I’m curious and want to be influenced by other perspectives in this life - and the idea of being able to connect with and learn from a person in Morocco or even an Orca Whale off the coast of Washington is *heart eyes*.

Do you have any headcanons (something that you believe to be true that isn’t explicitly stated) about Caleb?

I don’t know if I’m going against actual canon here. After 5 years it’s hard to keep track of what’s in what episode in The Bright Sessions universe. But I’ve always imagined Caleb as a closet master chef of sorts. I think he learned to cook out of necessity growing up; odd hours for practices and games and his parents being a little scattered. And I think by college, Caleb is super impressive in the kitchen. The kitchen - like the gym or sport or nature - is one of his churches.

Can you share your favorite piece of The Bright Sessions fan art?

There have been so many incredible pieces of fan art over the years and I’ve loved them all. It’s wild how transformative fandoms can be. You never know what aspect of a character or a story is going to take hold in a person’s imagination, and all of the different headcanons and pieces of art our strange and unusual family has shared over the years continues to be my favorite part of being in the cast of The Bright Sessions.

(Grayson, ghostcribs)

I’ve always adored Grayson’s imagining of Caleb and Adam. Grayson is one of my very favorite artists ever; so much so that I eventually - nervously - reached out, and now he and I have started work on a little project of our own. And I love that. We all get to (and I think have the responsibility to if we can) inspire each other with what we put out into the world. It’s call and answer and it makes for the best stuff.

Thanks for taking the time, Briggon! Catch The College Tapes, only on Luminary. 

[dawl-and-dapple]

rating: general warning: no warnings apply relationship: Caleb Widogast / Essek Thelyss word count: 1,362

A standalone mini-sode set in my space-opera AU.

***

“Oh, that knife’s already clean. It’s good to use.”

Essek stares at the knife he’s holding. There’s a funny blue-brown stain along the blade edge. “I would like to clean it anyway.” He holds it under the running water in the kitchen’s sink and reaches for a block of soap.

“No, seriously,” Caduceus says genially, “that mark isn't dirt. It’s just...something the moss does, after a while. Perfectly harmless. All our knives look like that.”

Essek looks down at the red and white burr-like lumps that Caduceus grew in his miniature greenhouse. They’re tasteless and odourless, but spongy and unexpectedly warm to the touch.

“Is something wrong?”

Essek startles at Caduceus’ voice so close to his ear. The ship’s cook had leaned over to inspect the chopping board. “No. Um, I will get to work now.”

Caduceus hums and goes back to his side of the tiny kitchen. He’s been grating a root vegetable into a broth since finishing preparations on a series of creamy sauces.

With the knife poised over the moss, Essek assesses the best approach — perhaps making small and steep slices to prevent the lumps from tumbling onto the countertop. He tests this hypothesis, finding moderate success, and continues to dice up the moss clumps. It’s going well, until Essek’s wrist begins to cramp. He grins and bears it for about ten more seconds before it dawns on him that, having never sliced a vegetable in his life, Caduceus made a tall order in asking for his help in the kitchen today.

Essek flexes his hand as subtly as he can, keeping his back to Caduceus. Something keeps clicking in his wrist.

Abruptly, the kitchen door slams open.

“Essek! Come help me out!” Jester has arrived and is holding Frumpkin out in front of herself like a lantern.

“Jester?”

“Absolutely not,” says Caduceus. He points at the doorway. “No animals in the kitchen.” It’s the most stern Essek has ever seen the man be.

“Aw, but I just wanted to—”

“Out.”

Jester’s shoulders drop as she lowers Frumpkin and retreats. But before she can leave, Essek drops the knife to the cutting board and asks, “Is it urgent?”

“Hm. Pretty urgent,” says Jester. She wiggles Frumpkin, who is still suspended by his front quarters. “I need to borrow you for a few hours. It’s a real fur-midable purr-oblem.”

Essek glances at Caduceus, who has relaxed now that Jester and the cat are in the corridor.

“Sounds serious,” says Caduceus with a smile.

Altogether too eagerly, Essek abandons his post and follows Jester. He makes note to apologise to Caduceus whenever he can, although he suspects that Caduceus isn't missing his “assistance” terribly anyway.

Jester leads him through the adjacent common room where Veth, Fjord, Yasha, and Beau are deep in the throes of a game. A projected battlefield hovers over the middle of the room and two armies cover simulated hills, towers, and ditches. Yasha and Beau whisper to one another on one side of the table. On the other side, Veth and Fjord are almost tearing each other’s hair out.

Jester barely pauses as she passes by the group. “Kick their asses, Fjord.”

“Will do.”

“Try not to hurt each other,” says Essek, and then he’s being led out into the next hallway.

He chooses not to ask where he’s being taken and what the emergency is. If Jester wanted him to know, she would have told him already. But she’s being very quiet.

Finally, they reach Jester and Fjord’s cabin. Jester hurries him inside and drops Frumpkin to the floor. She then claps her hands under her chin and grins so brightly Essek nearly shrinks back.

“ Essek ,” she whispers, “you’re being summoned .”

“I’m sorry?”

She wiggles her shoulders and narrows her eyes. “Caleb wants to see you.”

“Could he not have spoken to me directly?”

“No!” Jester looks horrified. “This is a secret, obviously! He didn't want the others to know, so I'm being very subtle and everything so you two can meet up and hang out, you know, privately .”

“Jester, we are all on a ship together.”

“Geez, take all the magic out of it, won’t you?”

Essek sighs. “Thank you, Jester. So, where exactly is our navigator?”

Caleb is waiting in the loading bay by the shuttle. He catches Frumpkin as the cat runs into his arms and drops him into a box between the two seats.

When Essek approaches, Caleb has the nerve to look sheepish. “Ah, you came.”

“Jester made the invitation rather difficult to refuse.” Essek puts his arms over Caleb’s shoulders and gives him a quick kiss on the mouth. “But it was a strange one, I must admit. Unusually theatrical, for you.”

Caleb smiles. “It is only a supply run to the planet we’re orbiting — you might have noticed we are resorting to the moss again. But, ah, I wanted to surprise you. I think you will like what I have in store.”

The shuttle ride is short. Essek watches the atmosphere of the planet burn up against the viewing panel with bright roaring reds and greens, like a miniature aurora. The shuttle shudders and squeals through the final moments of entry and then they are soaring over the surface of a new planet.

A vast dry salt flat stretches out in every direction. It’s quilt-like with endless ponds and iridescent under a setting sun. “No complex lifeforms,” Caleb explains as he gently pilots their shuttle towards the ground. “Nothing which will try to eat us. Ideal, since we’re here for food ourselves.”

“There is native flora then?”

“Yeah, if you look closely.”

They arrive at sunset on a shallow cliff of cascading saltbeds. The crust at the lips of the ponds has Essek thinking of a waterfall frozen solid.

Once their masks are in place, Caleb climbs from the open shuttle door and goes straight to the edge of the saltbed. He kneels and dips the tip of a finger in the water. “Feel this. Like the temperature of a cooling bath.”

The water is indeed a comfortable temperature. It’s milky and bluish, like the sweet drinks Jester sometimes blends for herself. But Essek knows from the shuffle’s scan that this stuff is as toxic as the air. “There is plantlife in there?”

“Yes.” Caleb stands and wades into the water, then turns and holds his hand out to Essek. “Join me?”

Amused, Essek takes his hand and walks until he’s knee-deep in warm saltwater. Frumpkin, who has left the shuttle, sits at the edge of the water and watches with dimly glowing eyes.

When Caleb bends to grab something by their feet, he pulls up a fistful of greyish weeds. “Doesn't look impressive, but it tastes remarkable,” he says, putting the weeds into his suit’s pocket. “Caducus will make a wonderful curry from it. Congratulations, Essek, on your first scavenge.”

Essek laughs. “Still not the strangest date we have had, Widogast.”

Caleb glances at him sidelong. “Clearly I’m not trying hard enough.”

Before Essek can respond, Caleb is pulling away and walking backwards into the deepest part of the pond. The sun has set and the sky is indigo and star-speckled. Essek can finally see the faint luminescence in each of the saltbeds around them, and the source of that bluish tint in the water.

Caleb throws his arms through the surface of the water. A cloud of glowing creatures, likely no larger than the water droplets themselves, are flung into the air above him. Like tiny blue fireflies, they flit around in aimless, baffled patterns before losing to gravity and falling back to the water. Some cling to Caleb’s sleeves. Some have landed in his hair. The water's surface itself is a rippling miniature of a galaxy.

Essek wades deeper, joins Caleb, and takes his beaming face between his hands. “You are unbelievable,” he tells him, then kisses him.

“I knew you would like it.”

Two moons hang above them. One, large and lantern-like, holds the other in its shadow. Essek throws a handful of glowing water towards the sky, where the rest of his friends are, even if he can't see them, and he laughs.

[omniscientwreck]

Hi🖤 Omni! If you're looking for a fic request I've got one.

Okay so Essek is Feeblminded by remaining Volstrucker at his tower. Verin came to visit later that day and has been taling care of Essek, as they both would be scared of the Umavi's wrath should someone find out.

Well Caleb comes to visit a few day's later and Certainly gets a surprise.

Fluff ensues.

I'm talking the Unicorn from Despicable Me level Fluffy😁😁😁

Hi Umbra! Sorry I'm incredibly late answering this, life is weird but I hope the length makes up for it! I know I said drabble but like this just turned into a whole fic so I hope you enjoy!

Verin had worried when Essek’s door hadn’t opened of its own accord, usually he knows when he’s arrived. Deciding something was certainly wrong he barges his way into his brother’s tower. He finds it silent which is normal but unnerving and the unnatural stillness as he calls for Essek has his hackles up.

His knuckles pale as he grips the hilt of his sword and searches methodically throughout the tower. Finding the main floor empty he heads up the stairs to the library. There’s a shuffle, a falling book, a whimper. He draws his sword, adrenaline coursing through his veins. The door is ajar and he can hear shuffling. He thrusts it open is momentarily relieved to see his brother. His hair is tousled and white is stained with flecks of red, his robes are torn and his mantle is askew.

He’s never seen him like this before and his heart lurches. Surprise and fear are plastered across his features, far more freely than Verin’s ever seen him feel. He doesn’t talk and he seems to not even recognize him. Checking the rest of the room, the sword is returned to its sheath and Verin crouches, reaching a hand to Essek.

“Brother, what happened?” Silence, a whimper. “Essek? What’s wrong? It’s Verin, your brother.” His brows unknot, and the tension in his jaw slackens. There’s a looseness to his demeanor and as he stands he waves his hand as if to float, but nothing happens. He tries again and again. The first try was decisive, after watching him for so long Verin knows what it looks like when he casts it. The second time it’s not quite right, the third time it gets looser still. By the time Verin has stopped counting and Verin has grabbed Essek’s hands to calm him it seemed like Essek didn’t know what he was attempting to do.

“Is this some kind of spell? What happened?” His brother looks up with the face of a stranger. His eyes are open and sad, his ears fall just a touch and Essek leans in to hug Verin. He’s never wanted to do that before.

Verin hugs him back. “Oh Essie, what are we going to do?”

Caleb approaches Essek’s tower and is struck by immediate concern when the door doesn’t open for him. Essek always lets him in when he arrives, and with everything that’s happened he immediately panics. Caleb tries to tell himself Essek must be busy and has missed him tripping the wards. So, he lifts the knocker and gives the door a few raps.

He’d asked Caleb to meet him here to assist in the transport of his most important items after their trip to Aeor. He needs to run, he knows it and Caleb knows that turning himself in to the Dynasty would mean certain death so he’s agreed to help. No amount of good will from the Bright Queen would let them bargain for his favour. Selfishly, Caleb won’t allow him to get caught, so he will harbor Essek for some time, helping him stay out of the eyes of the Dynasty.

Eventually he knocks again, beginning to hold a firebolt just in case. “Uh, just a minute,” calls a stranger’s voice from behind the wood. “I’ll be right there.”

The door opens just a crack, “Who is it?”

“I am Caleb Widogast of the Mighty Nein, who is this?” His hand is up and encircled in flame.

“Oh thank the Light, one moment.” Whoever he is, he’s clearly relieved. Caleb’s firebolt stays held.

As the door opens Caleb is greeted by a tall drow, muscular with long braided back hair. He looks familiar but Caleb cannot place him. His features are slowly fading into relief from what must have been a deep concern. “Hello Caleb Widogast, I am Verin Thelyss and I am so glad you’re here. Your the wizard yes?”

Nodding, bewildered as he’s being dragged into Essek’s home by his brother, Caleb can hardly remember to respond, “Uh ja, that’s me. Where is Essek?”

“Well so I came by a few days ago and he didn’t let me into the tower which was weird. There have been some rumors going around and when our mother said he was back I had to ask. I don’t know if you know but… well it’s bad.”

He’s leading him upstairs as he explains and the back of Caleb’s neck is on fire. Verin doesn’t know, but there are rumors that are most likely true. Is he too late?

“So, I’m hoping since you also practice the arcane you might know what’s happened here and how to solve it.”

He leads Caleb into the library and Essek is seated on a chair idly flipping through a book far too quickly. It doesn’t even look like he’s reading, Caleb knows what he looks like when he’s reading. The quiet concentration and the tension it brings his jaw is completely missing. When Essek looks up at him there’s recognition but no words and when he rises to make his way to Caleb, he walks.

He’s wide-eyed and has a sweet smile across his face, it’s difficult to look away but if he doesn’t the heat rising in his cheeks will show. “Essek, what is it mein Freunde?”

No words. Why can’t he talk and why isn’t he floating?

“Essek?” A gentle hand reaches up to rest on his cheek and the heat takes over at the abrupt contact. Especially with Verin standing over his shoulder observing them. “Verin how long has he been like this?”

“About 2 days. I didn’t really know what had happened and if the Umavi found out well… I’m unsure what she would do.” Verin is a little more easier to map out than Essek had been initially and he’s been told enough stories about Dierta to understand the undercurrent of Verin’s words.

“Ja, I understand.” Verin starts at that and Caleb just continues past it, “I believe he has been affected by the spell Feeblemind. I - ah - have experience with this kind of thing. We have friends that can cure him but I will have to contact them, which I will not be able to do until tomorrow.”

Essek’s hand has wound its way into Caleb’s and he tries and fails miserably to contain the blush that he knows is spreading to his ears. Memories of little touches in Aeor flood back and Caleb pushes away thoughts of conversations he’d promised they’d have later, after Essek was safe. To call to attention this thing between them and get it out in the open before it drives him mad. Even if Essek’s feelings do not align with his it will be better to have it in the open.

“So this isn’t hurting him?”

Caleb turns to Essek, “Are you okay? Are you hurt?” He remembers a blur of time, when his mind had failed him. He remembers terror, looking down at his hands and not knowing whose they were. He didn’t have an anchor, nothing but his own thoughts, with someone there it might be different. Essek can’t understand him but the tone of voice seems to elicit some positive emotions and Essek squeezes his hand, a contented smile across his face, “He seems alright to me. It is unpleasant to be cut off from your casting, but he isn’t in pain and he isn’t alone.” It’s difficult to mitigate the emotion bleeding into his voice.

He pushes down memories of the years he’d been locked away and squeezes Essek’s hand back, reassuringly. “Have you gotten him to eat?”

Verin nods, “Occasionally. Probably not as much as he needs. I’m not exactly an excellent cook and nobody can see him like this so I’ve sent his staff away.”

“Alright, well I’ll just do this then.” he begins casting the tower, “I understand if you want to stay but if you need to go I can care for him.” he wants Verin to leave, he wants him gone so badly, to just take care of Essek properly without the shadow of somebody who doesn’t know hanging over them.

“I should be back to Bazzoxan soon. They’ll begin asking after me.” Caleb finishes casting the tower and leads Essek in. Just before he enters, Verin stops him, “You mean something to each other. I’ve never seen him act this way before, granted there’s an arcane influence but genuinely he has never smiled like he did when he saw you. I trust you with this because I think he would. Do not betray that.”

Caleb nods, “Of course not. We’ve faced the most difficult challenges of my life together and with our friends. I will care for him.” Verin seems satisfied with that and makes to leave, and Caleb enters the tower to find Essek waiting in the centre of the tower. He has an idea of where he wants to go. As the tower door closes behind Verin, he and Essek begin to drift upwards. Essek opens his mouth as if to reflexively murmur ‘up’ as had become their custom in their long travels together and his brows knot in distress, as if he’s realized again that his voice will not come. Caleb reaches for his hand, to comfort him and says it for them both, to which Essek smiles.

The drow releases Caleb’s hand and begins to swirl around, never leaving the central column and Caleb is forced to mirror his motions lest they collide. He flashes back to a moment of levity when they’d first come to Aeor. They had showboated then, dancing around each other as their works often did. This Essek is less restrained and his eyes and nose crinkle into a genuine smile when Caleb joins his frivolity.

They stop at the ninth floor which Caleb had known to be Esseks’ destination and immediately Essek lays on the pillows he always places in the corner. Usually, on their research expedition, he tranced in his room but on particularly emotional days they both preferred an expanse of stars above them as they rested. It became tradition and over time they’d drifted closer and closer together, until they would sometimes come to consciousness to find that through the night Essek had curled into Caleb’s side or that their hands had wound together unknowingly.

Now, Essek’s eyes are wide and his mouth hangs open in wonder as though it’s his first time seeing it all over again. Caleb stands over him, following his gaze up to the idly shifting starscape above. Caleb is quickly distracted by the versions of them that traverse different paths. Sometimes in each other’s company, other times in solitude. In a few they hold hands or make contact at the shoulders. Those are the ones he likes the most.

When his gaze is pulled back downwards, Essek stares up at him with a tenderness that quickly turns to expectation. He’s arranged burgundy cushions across the floor beside him for Caleb and so he obliges. As he stretches out across the crude bed slender, cool fingers interlock his own and he lays back and tells Essek of the constellations he’s hidden among the stars.

When Caleb himself was in this state he remembered lacking familiarity. Nothing around him made sense and the upheaval of his life only moments prior had only amplified the disorientation of the magic that kept him prisoner for 11 years.

Essek has someone to watch over him, he’s in a place that evidently brings him much joy and in recent months he’s found himself halfway to peace. Caleb finds his heart swell at the idea of making this experience bearable.

The silence was always the worst so he points to guide the elf’s eyes as he tells them the stories behind each constellation. He tells him of Nila, gentle and fierce. Of Twiggy, ever optimistic and wholly delightful. He tells him about Reani who Essek has spent some time with. Brief recognition flashes across his face, though it’s quickly replaced with frustration. Caleb remembers. He remembers knowing that someone was there who he should recognize but not having the words to know he had forgotten their name. He was in terror and treated everyone as a threat. Essek treats everything with wonder and discovery. The innocence is sweet and a syrupy feeling pools in Caleb’s throat as he’s again confronted with the way his heart swells when Essek looks at Caleb with that same contented smile.

He scoots closer and this is entirely too much. The idea that this version of Essek may curl into his side willingly, while they were fully conscious where the other version cannot unsettles him. Instead he stands, offering his hand, “Why don’t we get you something to eat ja?” There’s a momentary droop of his ears, much more pronounced than any movement he’d seen before before he lifts Essek and they go down to the dining room.

If there is to be anything significant between them it cannot be spurred under these circumstances. Caleb has to know he means it. As they wait while he cats prepare what had become their usual fare while traversing Aeor, he defaults to telling stories. First he tells him of the tunnels they traversed to reach the Dynasty, crafting an illusion as well as he can of the crystalline caves they made camp in. Food arrives and he continues weaving story and image as Essek picks at the well spiced soup comprised mainly of squash and potato. As he crafts an illusion of the dragon turtle they’d fought just after the peace talks out of amber and morphs its shape to a smaller turtle and then a sea slug, laughing to himself at the absurdity, he notices the clink of Essek’s spoon has long subsided.

Glancing over electric eyes focus on him instead of the illusion, so he drops it. “Ah, Es tut mir Leid, I know I tend to get carried away.” A little contented noise bubbles from Essek’s throat and his heart squeezes. In a desperate attempt to try and get Essek to eat more he turns back to his own soup and looks expectantly over to his friend.

Giving him a look of exasperation, he mirrors Caleb and eats most of the soup. Caleb rips up bread and encourages him to dip it in what’s left of the soup and finally, the bowl is empty. They leave the cats to clean up and Essek’s hand grasps Caleb’s again and squeezes. He knows he shouldn’t draw conclusions or let himself be taken by these gestures that the man wouldn’t make if he’d had the presence of mind, but it’s turning into a losing game.

With the time spent on the ninth floor and the prolonged battle of coaxing Essek to eat they only have a few hours until sleep. Essek takes his customary seat on the couch in the study and Caleb withdraws some of the lighter fiction that now populates the shelves. Lying back on the sofa, feet resting on the armrest, head by Essek he holds up the copy of Der Katzenprinz to show the illustrations. “You seem to like hearing me talk so why don’t I share this with you? Either way you won’t understand what I say so I will read it to you as it was originally intended.”

He begins, in Zemnian to tell him the fairy story that had brought him so much joy as a child, and the cats bring them hot chocolate as instructed. Warm mug in hand, Essek sits patiently through the story and as it turns to a close, picks up another of the books Caleb has gathered and thrusts it upon his chest. A real laugh bubbles up at that and he obliges.

As the night winds on and the mugs are emptied, Essek’s hand winds its way through Caleb’s hair, gently combing. When he looks up at Essek he’s met with soft, drooping eyes and a plain smile laced with nothing but care. He tries to stop Essek over the course of the book but finds that the drow always goes back to his hair so eventually, he leaves it. When Essek’s breaths even and elongate and he’s having trouble keeping his eyes open, Caleb sends him to trance.

He’s met with a slightly mournful look as Essek settles into the cushions he’s provided for trancing, but Caleb squeezes his shoulder, “If something goes wrong the cats will know to come get me. This is for the best.” Looking not at all reassured, but staying in place, Essek lets him leave without protest.

In the middle of sleep, dreamless and warm, there’s pressure. Then a caterwaul cuts through his subconscious followed by several more. He awakes with a start and immediately the cats gather around his feet as he pulls on slippers. They lead him to Essek’s room, where through the closed doors he can hear the sounds of furniture being disturbed.

Barging in, heart pounding, he finds Essek with tears streaming down his face. “Essek Schatz what’s wrong?” He kneels, abandoning any sense of propriety or boundaries and as he collapses into Caleb’s arms with nearly silent sobs he’s struck by how small the other man is.

“It’s alright Essek, whatever it was it cannot hurt you. I will keep you safe as you have done me.” They’ve never talked about the nights when the cats would do the same to Essek as they’d done to Caleb. When he’d been awoken from nightmares with angry red scratches down his forearms and a friend to bandage them. They’ve never quite discussed the comfort in Essek trancing just beside Caleb’s bed on difficult nights and he’s tried to stifle contemplation about the safety the man brings to his subconscious. The timing wasn’t right and despite his own longing he couldn’t make that step towards Essek. Not then.

Now, however, the elf shudders in his arms and he brings him into his lap, lighting soft amber globules of light to examine Essek. When he finds no physical harm he puts them out again and draws him in tighter as Essek clutches at the sides of his nightshirt and curls into his chest. He sings gentle lullabies his mother had once used to soothe him, voice cracking slightly as he flexes it in a long forgotten way. Eventually the shaking stops and breath becomes more solid, but hands stay grasped into his shirt so, with assistance from the cats, he maneuvers them into an easier sleeping position. Ever determined, Essek stays in his arms the whole time and when he tries to encourage him to trance beside him, arms wind around his waist.

“Okay, okay. If this will help.” Caleb resigns himself to creaky joints the next morning and sleeps with Essek in his arms, pushing away any indulgent thoughts of future nights spent with him in the same orientation.

When he awakes Essek is gone from his lap, though their fingers are laced and his head rests atop the drow’s on his shoulder. “Guten Morgen Essek.” He startles and smiles over at Caleb. Open, honest, vulnerable. They need to fix this. “I just need to prepare and then we will see Jester ja?” He receives a blank stare in return and nods to himself. “I will be back in a few moments and then we will go to Nicodranas. Just wait here.” He leaves and dresses quickly, returning to find Essek essentially where he’d been left. He takes a moment to glance over his spellbook and concentrates as he casts Sending, “Hallo Jester, I need your assistance with a pretty big restoration. Can you help today?”

She sounds half-asleep as she responds, “Caleb? Oh hi! Yeah I can help, just come to mama’s, we’re in Nicodranas. Oh my gosh I have to tell you, the dragon turtle-” her word economy same as ever.

“Okay Essek, Jester can help. I don’t know where you kept your parasol but I’m sure she can make you another.” With that they head out the door and Caleb transports them safely to the Lavish Chateau. Essek’s hand never leaves his.

Upon arrival they’re beset by a shouted greeting and Jester crushes Caleb in a hug before even realizing the other man is there. “Ohmigod Essek hi! I missed you!” Instead of awkwardly patting her back as he usually does, he wraps his arms around her waist and pulls her in. “Hey Caleb, what’s going on with Essek?”

She pulls back and sees his broad smile and dancing eyes and looks at Caleb distinctly concerned. “Ah- I’m afraid he is a victim of the Feeblemind spell. It’s what they used against me in… well.” Her face clouds with understanding. “He’s okay physically though, whoever attacked him clearly just needed him out of the way. If you can use Greater Restoration that will undo the effects. He’s been ah - rather clingy.”

She waggles her eyebrows at him, making suggestive noise, and gets out the required diamond dust, sprinkling it delicately over Essek who watches in wonder. She puts both hands on her shoulders and green radiant energy emanates from her and passes to him. Before long he’s shaking his head and stepping back, voice hoarse from disuse, “Where- Jester? Thank you oh my gods thank you.”

She grins back at him, “I’m glad you’re back Essek! It’s a good thing Caleb brought you here you were acting so weird-”

She’s cut off as he chokes out, “Caleb.” and looks over with a deep violet flush and wide, apologetic eyes. “I ah- I am sorry for putting you through that. I-”

“Nein, do not apologize. Maybe we should get back to your tower to try and piece together who did this to you and what they were after ja?’

Essek nods and casts his levitation cantrip, shoulders sagging with relief when it works. “Yes, of course. Thank you Jester, I’m sorry we can’t stay but-”

She hugs the both of them again, “It’s okay, you have lots to talk about probably I don’t know bye!” she gives Caleb a wink as he begins casting the spell again and to his surprise Essek’s hand winds itself in his as they vanish.

They’re back in the tower and Caleb looks down, Essek’s hand still in his. Essek drops it and there’s a flush set deep into his cheeks and it spreads to his cheeks as their eyes meet. “Caleb I-” he swallows “I remember most of what happened, though not very clearly. I um-” his eyes are downcast and Caleb braces for what he believes to be coming, “Thank you for your patience. I’m sorry if I made you uncomfortable it is very difficult to explain but I think you’re aware of the feeling. I didn’t exactly have my full faculties and I fear I broke boundaries that may have encroached too far on your hospitality and our friendship.”

It’s difficult to see him so apologetic for the affection displayed. This thing between them has gone unspoken quite too long and before he realizes it he’s speaking, “Don’t apologize for that Schatz, I ah- I didn’t mind. There’s something I think we ought to discuss fairly plainly because I do not want to mince words about the way I feel anymore, it’s tiring.”

Essek looks up to meet him, steeling himself and as Caleb is about to speak he cuts him off, “I am aware enough of how I acted to realize I cannot properly hide my feelings further.” He takes a deep breath, the back of Caleb’s neck is burning and time has all but frozen, “I care deeply for you Caleb. It is difficult to bring myself to those words for I know this is the last thing I deserve but here I am, a fool for you. I know that there were moments in Aeor, I hold them close to my heart as precious things in a life of solitude. If you do not do the same, if you do not feel the same I will remain your friend if you’ll allow it, your research partner, anything. But-” he looks down almost sheepishly, “I owe it to you to be forthright and so I will tell you that if you’ll have me, I would very much like to see where this takes us.”

A smile breaks across Caleb’s face as their eyes meet, “May I kiss you?”

Essek draws in a sharp breath, eyes wide, and nods. It takes Caleb only a moment to close the gap, hands sliding around Essek’s waist and over the back of his neck as he leads them together. Essek’s hands hold his shoulders and his eyes flutter closed as their lips meet, electricity and heat mixing. When they finally pull back they’re both flushed. Essek lets out a huff of a laugh and Caleb wraps him tightly as he brings him in again, smiling into another kiss.

[5lazarus]

The Domestics

Alistair runs into an older elven woman on the battlements, watching the children play in the Skyhold courtyard below. They get to talking: isn't it nice that the mages get to keep their children now? Then, in the course of the conversation, Alistair figures it out. Alistair says, “I always wondered. What my life would’ve been like, if she could’ve kept me. I always kinda knew she didn’t have a choice. King’s bastards are the king’s, not whoever carried them. If she were a servant and if I’d end up in the kitchens or, better yet, the dairy. I really like cheese. But if she were a mage, I guess we never had any of that. Unless she ran away.” Read on Archive of Our Own here.

It’s snowing at Skyhold, which delays Alistair’s plans by a day. Anora cuts him loose, locking herself in the ambassador’s heated room with her furs, and he wishes he could change into less fine clothes and join the children in their snowball fight, or wander into the kitchens and see if he can sweet-talk the cook into giving him something hot and sweet to drink. He’s king, so he could ask for all the chocolate in Seheron, and doubtless the Inquisition would try to give it to him.

He walks the battlements so less people will see him and watches the battle in the courtyard below. The Inquisitor’s children seem to have made common cause with the servants’ kids against the visiting nobility; honestly it’s just a relief to see that it isn’t human against elf. Alistair, a tad self-conscious, touches his right ear. An older elf is watching them, smiling. Alistair wonders if she’s the mother of one of them below.

“Which one’s yours?” Alistair asks.

The woman says, “I’m only watching them for the Inquisitor. I’m their guard.” She’s got short black hair, threaded with silver, but her eyes are lively enough. She’s wearing green robes with a bit of Dalish-looking embroidery at the ends of her sleeves. She’s got an Orlesian accent, too. He didn’t know the Inquisition was working with elves from Orlais, didn’t Anora tell him to keep an eye out for Ambassador Briala’s livery?

“Oh.” He shouldn’t feel awkward, but he blushes anyway. He stares at the woman’s feet, toes poking out of those foot wraps, and wonders how on earth she’s not freezing. Alistair’s got a coat of heavy wool, trimmed in fur.

The woman notices he’s staring and says, matter-of-fact, “My circulatory system is different than yours. We conserve heat more efficiently than your people. Besides, I’m a mage. It’s easy to keep warm.”

That has him a bit miffed. Of course he knows elves are biologically different than humans; they can still breed, though. He’s evidence of that. He doesn’t feel the cold as intensely as the others at court, and he knows why. The servants at the palace can tell, even if he passes, for the most part. Eamon and Tegan talk all the time about how much he looks like his father, how much he looks like Cailan, but he’s seen enough portraits of them both to know how he differs.

Alistair says, again, “Oh. Cool. I’m half, you know.” It’s not that he’s discouraged from talking about it, but it’s never been something to advertise. Those with eyes to see it don’t need to be told, but right Alistair feels like he needs to justify himself, with the way she’s looking at him. Skyhold has had him wrong-footed; Leliana has been distant and he is finding it harder and harder to slip away from the King. Anora tells him that’s part of adulthood. He’s not so sure.

The woman says, “I know.”

Alistair folds his arms. “Really? Because I didn’t. What’s your name, by the way?”

The elf smiles sadly. “Fiona. I used to travel with the Grey Wardens, when I was young.”

Alistair says, “Really? The Grey Wardens don’t really let people leave. Unless, you know, you point out that yet another civil war is going to break out if they don’t let you put your ass back on the throne. What was your excuse?”

Fiona says, “I had a baby. It’s hard to keep a nursery going in the Deep Roads. The darkspawn get jealous.”

“Oh. Can’t be having that, they’re crabby enough as it is. Though I heard of a Warden who brought his cat into the Deep Roads too, scratched out the eyes of a hurlock apparently. You’re lucky, most of us can’t have kids. I can’t. Probably.” He thinks about his own natural daughter with Tabris and blushes at the lie, rubbing at the back of his head. It’s for her own good and the good of the realm he hasn’t brought her to court. It’s not an excuse, it’s a reason, and Morrigan has the spare heir anyway, if Anora can’t figure something out.

Fiona says, “I suppose it’s luck. The Circle took him away from me, and gave him back to his father.” She sounds wistful. “But under the Inquisition, the mages keep their children. It’s a different world now. There’s no going back.”

He thinks to himself, I’m not so sure—the disastrous plans for the Hinterlands, the riots in Denerim, the failure of the embassy in the Brecilian forest. He thought after the Blight, with this new alliance between elves, dwarves, and men, there would be no going back. Anora tells him it’s a struggle for the future and that reform doesn’t come in a day, perhaps not even their lifetime: sometimes they need to settle for establishing the groundwork for the next person to rule, like Maric did for them. But of course, Anora’s never had her cousin kidnapped and brutalized, or her father sold into slavery. That sort of perspective changes things.

Alistair says, “Really?” He scratches his head. “I look at things in Ferelden and wonder how things can stay so stagnant, and then you look at Orlais and how they’re eating themselves alive. And Orzammar, of course, which is basically a living fossil. People don’t like change. They’d prefer for things to stay the same, or even go back to how they were a generation ago.” He is surprised at the bitterness in his voice.

Fiona cocks her head and looks at him curiously. She says, “You’re too young to be talking like that. You must understand it comes in seasons—we flourish in spring and reap our harvest in summer, and then prepare for and suffer through the conservative reaction in winter. Sometimes it’s a harsh winter, and many do not survive. But then there is always the spring. You lived in Ferelden, you should know—from the Night Elves who freed your people from the Orlesian occupation to Clan Alerion securing the boundaries of the Hinterlands now, things have changed. You just need to…riot every so often, to make sure no one gets complacent.” She grins.

It’s nice to talk politics with someone who doesn’t know who he is, who thinks he’s just another wealthy Ferelden currying favor with the Inquisition, not a king staring down the religious cult that just carved itself a city-state at the border of his realm. Below the children are yelling. A couple of them are using magic to freeze the snowballs, and they’re having a fierce debate, interspersed with throwing said ice balls, on whether that’s fair.

Alistair says, “Then I hope you’re right. I hope the mages and the Inquisition’s made enough of a, er, spring, to shake things up. It’s good for these kids to stay with their families, I hated what the Circle did. I didn’t know my mother, growing up. Would’ve avoided a lot of angst if I’d gotten to meet her.” He thinks about Morrigan and her awful mom, and then Goldanna flashes through his mind. Ashamed, he pushes the thought away. “Or maybe it would’ve made it worse! Hard to say, I certainly don’t know!” He smiles at the woman brightly.

Fiona says, “It might have made it worse, since she was an elf. Your life would’ve looked very different, even in Ferelden.”

His heart stops. Surely she doesn’t know who he is. That could be awkward, considering what he’s been saying. Anora will be furious that he’s gone off and talked politics with another random person again. He can’t help it, he gets bored easily, and the courtiers and advisors only tell him what they think he should want to hear.

“How do you know I’m Ferelden?” Alistair asks suspiciously.

“You’re wearing the badge on your fur coat. And, of course, your accent. Unless I am mistaken?”

“No, no,” Alistair says. “But yeah. Sorry. I don’t know much about her. Don’t know if she’s still alive. Just that she was an elf. Always assumed she was a serving woman or something, if my father was anything like C-Caleb.”

Fiona says, “Sometimes it’s better not to think about it, how we came into the world. I never met my parents either.” She leans against the balustrade and shakes her head at the kids fighting in the courtyard below. They’ve devolved into outright brawling, but that weird Warden the Inquisitor keeps around her has waded into the fray, bellowing orders. “It’s good to see them playing again. They never had enough time to play.”

“When were you a Warden?” Alistair asks. “You know, my dad travelled with the Wardens too. But they didn’t make him join up—guess that’s why I’m here, ha-ha.” He wants to ask her if she ever met him, because they might have overlapped. It’s hard to tell with elves sometimes though, they age more slowly, but she looks like she’s in her late forties, a bit careworn. Then he decides he really doesn’t want the conversation to get weird, because he is a king and his father was a king, and it’s rare that someone speaks to him normally now—treats him like the lovable idiot he knows he is, not the history-breaking king.

Fiona says, “Oh, give or take thirty years or so. I try not to count the years, at my age. My people live a long time if left unmolested, but I have a knack for running into trouble.”

Alistair laughs. “Oh, me too! I don’t even mean to do it, I’ve just never learned to keep my mouth shut.” To Teagan and Anora’s chagrin, he thinks ruefully. “I was given to the Templars as a boy, before I managed to get the Wardens to take me, and Maker! The Mother despaired of me. Called me most the accidental heretic she’d ever known. Really the Wardens taking me saved my life, Maker knows what they would’ve done to me if I kept poking at them like I was.”

Fiona pauses, trying to suppress a laugh, and then says, “At least you’ve never started a war.”

Alistair laughs heartily at that. Then he realizes what she’s said. “Wait, what? You started a war?”

Fiona says, “You…you didn’t know?”

Alistair says, “Is there something I should know?”

Fiona steps away, smoothing her expression away. “Many things.” Anxiously she peers down into the courtyard, smoothing her sleeves over her hands. The two factions of Skyhold children have joined forces and are attacking Blackwall with snow, but another one of the Inquisitor’s companions has joined the fray—a cackling elvhen girl, and then Alistair sees that from the balcony of the inn there’s a mustachioed mage swatting snowballs away from his friend.

Alistair says, “You never asked me my name.”

Fiona glances at him and then turns away. “I didn’t need to. You look very much like your father. Though I suppose you must know that.”

Alistair opens his mouth and then closes it. He says, voice hoarse, “Did you ever—“ He stumbles over his words, and clears his throat. “Did you ever find out what happened to your baby? When the Circle took him away.”

Fiona hesitates. The silence between them is filled with the children laughing below, the mage grandiosely chanting what are clearly made-up words, and the old Warden dramatically pretending to be overwhelmed by the volley of snow. The elven girl is swearing revenge, right now. It looks the children are trying to steal the “body” and make a pyre out of snow.

Alistair says, “I always wondered. What my life would’ve been like, if she could’ve kept me. I always kinda knew she didn’t have a choice. King’s bastards are the king’s, not whoever carried them. If she were a servant and if I’d end up in the kitchens or, better yet, the dairy. I really like cheese. But if she were a mage, I guess we never had any of that. Unless she ran away.”

Fiona covers her face with her hands.

Alistair continues, “Then, yeah, being apostates suck. Believe me. I met a girl who lived in a swamp. But I think we could’ve made it work. Like since I pass, and I’m not magic—at least I don’t think so, but I think I’d know by now? I’m like, thirty-five. Or something. I could’ve gone to the villages and traded for food. And I would’ve known more about who I am. Than just Maric’s bastard. Who’s just a story, anyway. That’s how kings like that end up. Just stories.”

His mother is weeping now.

He says, “I have no idea how you started that war you said you did. But I think I know what I’m supposed to know.” He takes a step closer, and she doesn’t move. He says, helplessly now, “I think I have your eyes.”

Fiona leans against the balustrade, back to the courtyard below. She’s not crying now, but she’s not making any sound. Alistair is afraid to go closer. Her hands press into her face like a mask, restraining a scream. He thinks if he touches her, all that tension will explode. He gets overwhelmed like that too. Can you inherit that sort of thing? He has to wonder, does the way one expresses pain get passed down in the blood?

He waits for her to speak. A door behind them creaks open, footsteps scuffle to a stop, then retreat. The door shuts. The mage has come down into the courtyard now and is chanting what appears to be Nevarran over the pile of snow that is Blackwall’s pyre. The elven girl is leading the children in mourning—but then the mage flourishes, and the snow glows purple, then scarlet, then green as he sparks. Blackwall throws the snow off and roars. The children cheer.

Fiona breathes heavily, drawing herself out of wherever she retreated. She swipes at her face with her sleeves. She says, “Forgive me. It was better that you didn’t know. You couldn’t have become—you deserved—Maric needed—what are you going to do, I told the Divine to go fuck herself, you can’t have a mother who told the Divine—“

Alistair says, impressed, “You told the Divine to go fuck herself? I am your son, I knew it had to come from somewhere! This is your fault!” He gestures at himself, and Fiona manages a laugh.

“An exaggeration,” she says. “I merely said the Divine should fuck herself, right before we voted to dissolve the Circles and separate from the Chantry. I’d hoped to tell her that at the Conclave, which is why they sent Orsino rather than myself.” Her mouth twists into a rueful smile. “Perhaps the only time running off my mouth and losing my temper has saved my life.”

Alistair says, “Well, the Divine was kind of an ass. Somebody had to say it.” He laughs. “Oh, this is wonderful. My mother, the rebel mage.” He’s genuinely delighted, this is much cooler than anything he came up with as a boy. “This is so cool. Anora’s going to be so annoyed when I tell her. Not like she can complain, her dad betrayed the realm and got all the Wardens killed, so really on the scale of shitty in-laws, I win.” He pauses: he isn’t sure he conveyed what he wanted to by that. Fiona is just staring at him. “But seriously, I don’t know who you are. Besides, obviously, my mother.”

Fiona says, disbelief in her voice, “I’m the Grand Enchanter."

Alistair says, “Oh Maker, I should’ve recognized the belt, shouldn’t I?”

[ejzah]

A/N: Thanks for all your lovely responses to this story so far. Let the ridiculousness continue.

***

In Miss Blye’s Class, Part 4

“Kensi, thank you for staying so late to help out,” Principal Hanna said as they finished closing down the body paint tent. “You didn’t have to.”

“Well, I know other people had to get their kids home,” Kensi replied, looking around with a shrug. “It’s not a big deal.” Her aching feet and back told a different story, but she planned on taking a long back while she finished off the rest of whatever ice cream was in the freezer as soon as she got home. That was usually the perfect remedy to any aches and pains in her experience.

“Well, I still appreciate it. I’ll have Mr. Callen put you down for a class break next week.”

“Thanks Sam.”

There were ten or so people who has stuck around until the very end to close down the fair, including Marty Deeks and Caleb. She saw them heading in her general direction and met them in the middle of the parking lot.

“Daddy, I’m hungry,” Caleb said, head tilted back so far Kensi felt sympathetic pain in her spine.

“Sorry, kiddo, we’ll have to grab something when we get home.”

“There’s a diner just a few minutes from here. Main Street Cafe,” Kensi spoke up. “They’re open til 2 and have all day breakfast.”

“That sounds amazing,” Deeks said, glancing down at Caleb for his approval.

“Do they have chocolate chip pancakes?” he asked a little suspiciously.

“They make amazing pancakes. Chocolate chip, blueberry, banana. Any kind you want,” Kensi told him, smiling when his eyes widened at the prospect of so many choices.

“Ok, we can go,” he decided, earning a tired chuckle from Deeks. He ran a hand through his slightly ruffled hair, only making it more tousled, and reached for Caleb’s hand as they started walking towards the parking lot where vehicles were parked.

“Kensi, do you want to join us? You know, since we never got you your cotton candy.”

Kensi hadn’t expected an invitation and didn’t respond immediately. Fortunately, Caleb spoke up again before the silence could grow too awkward.

“I didn’t get any cotton candy either.”

“But now we’re going to have pancakes, with syrup which is so much better, and arguably stickier,” Deeks said quickly, subverting any potential disappointment over the forgotten treat. “So, what do you say, Ms. Blye? You want eat too much sugar, way too late with us?”

“I’d like that,” Kensi said. It was only a meal, nothing to freak out about. She was sure that Deeks would have asked Sam Hanna to come with if he’d be nearby.

Sure, Kensi, keep telling yourself that, that exceedingly annoying voice in her head muttered. “I’m pretty sure all I have left in my fridge is plain spaghetti, condiments, and maybe some very old creamer. I’m not really into cooking.”

“I could see that,” Deeks commented as they started across the parking flashing her a teasing grin.

“Hey, I am extremely busy. Don’t make me regret telling you about my favorite late night diner.” She attempted to give Deeks a severe look and he immediately held up his free hand, backtracking.

“Sorry, sorry, I’m sure you’re a wonderful cook. I would love whatever you could concoct with ketchup, creamer, and spaghetti.”

Kensi tried to hold her expression for a few more seconds, but it was difficult when his eyes twinkling under the floodlights with suppressed amusement. And damn it, he knew it too.

“Good. But you better watch yourself, because you’re in the yellow zone right now,” she informed him with as much seriousness as she could muster. Caleb made a little gasp, tugging on his dad’s hand.

“Oh, dad, you don’t want to get in the orange or red zone,” he said in a hushed tone. “That’s bad.”

“I promise I will be on my best behavior,” he said, lifting his hand in a gesture reminiscent of a boy scout salute as his upper twitched suspiciously.

***

True to his word, Caleb ordered a chocolate chip pancake with bacon and orange juice. He also attempted to order a waffle, but Deeks put his foot down. Now he was happily consuming a syrup-soaked pancake bigger than his head.

She’d Deeks had ordered some kind of skillet that contained several kinds of vegetables and meat, which Kensi stared at disapprovingly over her stack of red velvet pancakes with cream cheese frosting.

“Don’t tell me you’re some kind of health nut,” she said, waving her fork at his food. “Because food ordered at 11 at night is not supposed to be healthy at all.”

Deeks chuckled, shifting a mouthful of eggs to one cheek to speak.

“Good to no where you stand on the food debate,” he joked. “Usually I’d be all over one of those giant cinnamon rolls at the counter, but I have a meeting tomorrow and if I eat that much sugar tonight, I’ll have a massive headache in the morning.”

“Amateur.” Kensi shook her head, cutting off a particularly large bite of pancakes. Deeks just chuckled again, looking over as Caleb dropped his fork onto his plate with a sigh. He yawned hugely, swaying a little to the right. Deeks put his arm around him and kissed the top of his head, matting down a patch of unruly curls.

“You tired, Buddy?”

“Nope,” Caleb insisted stubbornly even as his eyes dropped half shut.

Their surprisingly chipper waitress stopped by to refill their drinks, clearing away Kensi’s empty plate. Deeks was still working at his, and Caleb had abandoned his completely in favor of cuddling into Deeks’ arm. No one had the right to be so adorable.

“So, you never mentioned exactly what you do for work,” Kensi prompted once the waitress was out of ear shot. “Caleb mentioned that you work in a court. He also said that you carry a gun. She folded her arms and watched Marty expectantly.

When Caleb had brought it up last week in front of the other students, it had caused quiet a stir. Personally, she found it hard to imagine him involved in anything of a violent nature, even if it was police work. Still, she’d been wrong before.

“I’m definitely a lawyer,” Marty responded, ruffling his hair again, and side-eyeing Caleb with a look that clearly said they’d be talking later. “I used to work in the legal department, for an entity that shall remain unnamed, in Iowa. They required me to have a service weapon just in case things ever got out of hand. But I don’t carry a weapon anymore and never had a reason to use it.”

“Never?” Kensi raised her eyebrows, not completely buying it. It would be just her luck that the seemingly nice, attentive dad had a checkered past.

“I pulled it a couple times, never fired it though. Now I prepare contracts for one of the media companies here.”

“Moving from Iowa to California is a big change. What made you decide to move?” she asked, resting her chin on her cupped hands.

“Well I suppose the initiating event was when, uh, my wife left us,” he said evenly.

“Oh my god, I’m sorry,” Kensi said, horrified at the result of her annoyance. “I had no idea—Caleb never—” Fortunately Deeks cut in before she could dig herself into a deeper hole.

“No, it’s ok. You had no way of knowing and honestly, Caleb doesn’t know the whole story.”

“You don’t have to tell me anymore.” Though she was dying to know the full story.

“Heh, I wish I knew myself,” he said, sparing a glance for Caleb, who was fully asleep now. His smile was a little sad as he brushed his fingers through Caleb’s hair. Facing her again, he steepled his fingers, fixing his eyes slightly above her head. “Two and a half years ago, I came home from work. Caleb was all alone, watching TV in the den and eating snacks. Monica wasn’t anywhere, her car was gone. At first, I figured that there was some kind of emergency and she just didn’t have a change to text or call.” He pursed his lips, exhaling slowly.

“I think I knew pretty quickly that I was just trying to convince myself because she always made sure to leave a note or something before that. All Caleb could tell me was that Monica said she was going to the store and she’d be back soon.”

“Deeks…that’s awful,” Kensi murmured, reaching across the table to cover his hand with hers. She could hear the lingering distress in his voice at recounting what was likely a very painful event. “No one deserves that.”

“It is what it is.” He shrugged, forcing a smile. “Anyway, last year I decided that we needed to start over completely fresh so we packed up and moved to LA. My old position was getting too stressful.

“Because working for a media company is so low stress,” Kensi teased. She sensed he was holding back at least a portion of the story, but decided not to push any harder. He’d already told her way more than he had to.

“Touché,” he said, cracking a more authentic grin. “Besides that, it allows me a little more time to be at home and it’s a little less dangerous. If I can, I want to spend as much time with Caleb as possible. I want to make his plays, games, whatever he has going on, if I can.” The love in his eyes was obvious as he shifted Caleb closer.

An unexpected wave of affection rolled through her and Kensi had to fight to keep her expression neutral. This was so not the man to get involved with. He had baggage, a kid, a runaway ex.

“Well, whatever reason she left you for, your wife is an idiot in my opinion,” she found herself saying. “Because you seem like a pretty good guy.”

“She ran off with a yoga instructor,” Deeks shared an ironic chuckle. “And did you just give me a compliment?”

“Nope, definitely not,” Kensi said firmly. She took a quick swallow of her look warm water to hide her light blush.

Thankfully, the waitress brought over their check, preventing Kensi from saying anything else ridiculous. Deeks insisted on paying, waving off her protests by claiming it was repayment for the day he was late picking up Caleb.

He signed the receipt with a flourish and gathered Caleb in his arms. The little boy barely even budged, dead to the world.

“Thanks for suggesting this place, I had a nice time,” he said as Kensi held the door open for him. “It’s surprisingly hard to meet people here.”

Kensi wasn’t quite sure if he was joking or not, but based on his seemingly natural tendency to chat with just about anyone, he observation was likely genuine.

“I did too.”

“And thanks for listening. Most people don’t.” The appreciation in his voice caught Kensi off-guard again, and this time a frisson of desire ran through her.

“Anytime.” She pointed over her shoulder in the general direction of her car, needing to leave before she did something even more idiotic. “You know, I should get home. Night, Deeks.”

“Night, Kensi,” he called back, turning towards his truck.

Once she was safely enclosed inside her car, she let her head fall back, emitting a low sigh. This was bad. Really bad.

***

A/N: And part of Deeks’ mysterious past is revealed! Ta-da. Hope you all enjoyed this addition.

[wristpockets]

Can I throw some prompts at you? All fluffy but with potential for Deep Emotional Talks™ if that's what you're after. Anyway: 1. Essek and jester trying to cook/ bake for the first time (two rich kids who have never been in a kitchen while food has been made) lots of potential for comedy but also ways to explore the differences and similarities in their childhoods?? 2. Caleb and Essek teaching each other dances from their homelands, (I feel like Essek probably had to learn formal dances in his youth and absolutely despised them until he realized that dancing with someone you actually like can be fun) Anyhow, happy writing!

Thanks for the suggestions! Going with the first one!

(If anyone else has any fic prompts/ideas/requests feel free to send them my way!)

This kind of got away from me 😅 Ended up a lot longer than expected. Not going to spend too much time proofreading or editing bc this was supposed to be fun. Anyway

Essek is leaning over the railing on the Nein Heroez, a glass of wine in his hand. He can hear the party going on behind him - the rest of the Nein get together every month for dinner - but he needed to get away for a moment. He watches the moonlight reflect off the waves as he swirls the wine in his glass.

He doesn't notice Jester until she's right next to him.

"What's wrong, Essek?" she asks, her voice laden with sincerity and sympathy.

He sighs, takes a long sip of his wine, and says, "I feel inadequate."

"Oh no Essek," Jester says. She moves closer, until she can bump her hip against his. "You're so powerful. And!" She lowers her voice conspiratorially, "I saw the way you floated in Cognouza. You were faster than Caleb, which I think means you're even smarter than he is."

Essek actually smiles at that. Lets out a little laugh. "You're not wrong. But I'm not concerned with my power or intelligence."

"Then how do you think you're inadequate? In what way? Is it-" Jester cuts herself off, looking over at him while wiggling her eyebrows.

"No," he says quickly, his ears heating up. "Everyone else is so..." He looks for the word and comes up blank. "Caleb and I see Beauregard and Yasha for dinner quite often. Yasha will have freshly baked bread, or even cake. Beauregard works all day, and Yasha stays home and cooks."

"I think she's happy though," Jester says.

"I think so too," Essek says quickly. "Caleb works all day too, and I stay home and do nothing." He lets out a little laugh. "I cannot believe this is my problem. Feeling bad that I cannot cook dinner while my - while Caleb is working."

Jester's eyes light up. "Okay," she says. "Okay okay. For our next get together, we're making dessert. Me and you."

Beauregard and Yasha are hosting the next meetup. Essek had collected Jester, Fjord and Kingsley early that morning, to give Jester and Essek time to make dessert.

They sent Caleb and Fjord out of the house and set to work in Caleb's kitchen.

But when Essek takes the third batch of cupcakes out of the oven - burned on the outside, somehow raw inside - he's ready to give up.

"I don't understand what I'm doing wrong," Essek says quietly. He floats there, uselessly, staring at another failed attempt at a fairly simple baked good. "Is this how you normally make them?"

"Hmm?" Jester says, looking over at him. She dips her finger into the frosting she'd been working on. "I've never made cupcakes before."

Essek turns toward her. "What? You've never-"

"Nope," Jester says, matter-of-factly. She puts the icing-covered finger in her mouth, tasting the frosting, before scrunching up her nose. "This is awful."

Essek deflates a little. "So we are currently lacking both edible cupcakes and edible icing."

Even Jester's smile falls. "I'm sorry, Essek."

"It's not your fault," Essek says. "We still have some ingredients - what do you know how to make? What could we make quickly that's simpler?"

Jester looks down at the floor. "I don't know."

"Anything," Essek pleads. "Anything you've baked successfully-"

"I've never baked anything," Jester admits quietly.

"Oh," Essek says.

"Yeah."

Jester turns so her back is to the counter, then slides down, sitting on the floor. "I know how you feel. I feel like I should know how to do this."

Essek floats over, then sits down next to her. He can't bear the look on her face. "Two powerful adventurers, brought low by mere cupcakes," he jokes.

"I wanted to do this," Jester says, still quiet. "I wanted to bake something for everyone, something delicious! Something everyone would eat and say, 'oh Jester, your baking is so delicious,' and then maybe I'm not just the girl who draws dicks on things."

"You're a lot more than that," Essek tries.

Jester nods. "I know. I just feel bad."

"I feel that way too," Essek says. "All this power and knowledge and ability - for what? What good is it doing me here, now? And I know it's not an either-or thing. Caleb cooks. Even Beauregard does sometimes. I've never so much as fried an egg."

"Neither have I," Jester admits. "When I lived at home..."

"I understand," Essek says, and he knows he does.

"It's just embarrassing," Jester says.

"Yes," Essek agrees.

They sit like that for a moment, until they hear the front door open.

"Essek? Jester?" Caleb calls from the entryway. "Am I allowed in the kitchen yet?"

"Not yet!" Jester yells. "Almost done! Fifteen minutes!"

Essek looks at her in shock, and she just shrugs her shoulders.

"I do not possess the arcane ability to create cupcakes," Essek says blankly. "And I am unsure of how else we might make a dessert in that time."

"I panicked," Jester says apologetically. "Maybe some of the cupcakes aren't so bad-"

"They are," Essek says as Jester leans over batch number two, tearing off a piece of cupcake and trying it cautiously. After a few bites she scrunches her nose, then spits it out into the garbage.

"It looked good," Jester pouts. "I can't believe cupcakes would lie to me."

Something connects and Essek can feel his eyes widen. "I have an idea."

Several hours later, Jester and Essek are ready to present their cupcakes to the rest of the Nein. At the very least, they look nice - frosting is apparently close enough to painting for Jester to have some skill at it.

"These look delicious," Caleb says, smiling up at Essek. The compliment in front of their friends makes Essek's cheeks heat up, and he's grateful his complexion doesn't let it show.

"I might need to get some pointers from you," Yasha says as she carefully peels off the cupcake wrapper. "I wish I could frost like this."

"Don't eat that!" Beau shouts, quickly leaning over to slap it out of her hand.

Everyone stops to stare at Beauregard, Yasha's mouth still open, the cupcake discarded on the floor.

"What's wrong, Beauregard?" Essek asks nervously.

"They've been tampered with," she says. She picks up Yasha's dinner plate. "These plates are enchanted. They change colour if any of the food on it is fucked with. A few crumbs fell off of it." She points to a few speckles of bright purple on the plate. "I watched the plate react to the crumbs."

"Tampered with?" Fjord asks. "Tampered how?"

"I don't fucking know, man," Beau says. "It doesn't like, tell me."

"Um," Essek says carefully. "Would a magical alteration to the dish set off that reaction?"

"I should fucking hope so," Beau says, "since that's the whole point."

"In that case," Essek says, shooting Jester a worried look, "then yes, they were tampered with. But they will not harm you."

"Essek," Caleb says, looking at him worriedly.

"It's just prestidigitation," Essek says hurriedly. "We used it to flavour the cupcakes and the frosting." He takes a bite of his own cupcake. "See? They're safe."

"But why?" Veth asks. "Surely it can't be any worse than that fish stew Fjord made us all eat last time."

Essek looks at Jester again, who looks resigned. He waves his hand, dismissing the spell. "See for yourself."

Caleb is the first one that takes Essek up on that, tearing off a piece with his fingers and tasting it. Essek can see Caleb trying very hard to keep his expression neutral. He eventually - with some difficulty - swallows the bite of cupcake. "Ja," he says, eventually. "It's not that bad." He offers Essek a warm smile.

"Well that's obviously a lie," Veth says, pushing her plate a few inches away from her.

"Sorry guys," Jester says. She's looking down at the table and looks absolutely lost. "We just wanted to make something nice."

"Have either of you ever baked anything, ever?" Veth asks, picking up a tiny piece of the cupcake and trying it. "This is awful. I love you Jessie, but who taught you to bake?"

Jester looks too crestfallen to answer. "Both of us are, ah, new to this," Essek admits instead.

"Maybe cooking lessons are in order," Fjord says. "I used to cook on the ship, back when I was getting started. I could show you a few things, Jester."

Jester nods, still looking down at the table.

"And I could teach you," Caleb says to Essek.

"That would be appreciated," Essek says.

"Okay," Jester says. She sighs, then looks up at everyone. Forces a smile. "Okay. Me and Essek are going to learn how to cook, and then we'll make something for next time."

"Maybe not cupcakes," Beau says.

"Maybe nothing for anyone who complains about my baking again," Jester retorts.

"There are some desserts from Rosohna I'd like to recreate, if possible," Essek says. "If I can find a recipe."

"That sounds nice," Caduceus says.

"I am not much for sweets, but I do like some of the ones in Rosohna," he continues. "They're, ah, made with cinnamon. I don't think they do that here in the Empire."

"They don't!" Jester almost yells, smiling. "I know! It's crazy!"

[all-my-love-for-harry]

For the night.

summary: harry spends the night for the first time

word count: 1.9k

Based on this request:

“So for shy little boy could you maybe do a part where it’s Harry first time spending the night or maybe even the morning after👀👀👀👀 also I love this mini series your amazing love keep up the good work!!!!!!!”

and 

“Hi, I hope you're doing great. I'm obsessed with my shy little boy, it's so fricking good, like you're so talented girl! I have a request if you don't mind. Like when they start getting serious and y/n tells Harry what happened with Artemis' biological dad. Xx”

you can find more of my shy little boy here

*:･ﾟ✧ ✧ﾟ･: *:･ﾟ✧ ✧ﾟ･:*:･ﾟ✧ ✧ﾟ･: *:･ﾟ✧ ✧ﾟ･:

August, 2018.

Date nights were fun. Going out on the weekends wasn’t something Y/N did often. Before Harry was in her life, she didn’t make a lot of time for dates. The majority of the men she met weren’t looking for a serious relationship and Y/N was tired to just sleep around.

At first she thought it would be the same with Harry. They’d go on a couple of dates, perhaps even sleep together then they’d continue with their lives like nothing happened.

However, Harry was full of surprises and he did not back off in any moment. Not when she cancelled dinner one night after Artemis fell sick out of nowhere, not when she told him she couldn’t spend the night at his place because she had errands to run next morning. He never seemed to be bothered if she had things to do or if she was busier than anyone he’s ever dated because she had a son.

Which, to be honest, wasn’t something she saw a lot. Her dates usually ended after she revealed she had a son, not that she cared anyway. Anyone who had a problem with Artemis wasn’t worth her time.

“All I’m saying is you should have more fun with that boy” Her mother Ella said, chopping some vegetables. It was Saturday, she was supposed to go on a date with Harry tonight and they were going to take care of Artemis, but they stopped by earlier to have lunch together. “You don’t always have to be home before eleven”

“We have fun, okay? Besides, I think eleven is a reasonable hour to go back home” she shrugged. “And Harry is not a boy, mum, He’s a man”

“Even better!” She exclaimed. Y/N shook her head while laughing, her mother was impossible sometimes. “Artemis can spend the night here too, if you want. That way, you shouldn’t be worried to get home early”

“I don’t know…” Y/N looked at her mother, who raised her eyebrow at her. "Ugh, okay” She sighed.

Truth to be told, she was kind of excited to have a full night free. Things with Harry were looking great, they did have so much fun together and every time she felt closer to him. He was a nice, kind man who seemed as interested as Y/N was.

Around 5pm Y/N left her mothers’ house to get ready for dinner with Harry, he’ll pick her up at seven o’clock so she had plenty of time to get ready before he arrived. She chose a navy blue dress with a pair of heels that matched, her makeup was done in less than an hour.

She was done just in time and Harry knocked at her door at seven, being punctual as always. “Hello, beautiful” He smiled as soon as she open the door. “These are for you” He pulled out from behind his back a bouquet of flowers.

“Harry, these are stunning” One of her hands touched her chest right where her heart was. “Thank you. Come in, I’ll put them in water and we can go”

He stepped into the house and waited in the living room for Y/N. She came back with the flowers in a vase and put them on a table behind the couch. “Ready?” He asked.

“Of course. Let’s go”

The restaurant Harry made reservations in wasn’t so far from her house, so the ride wasn’t that long. As the gentleman he was, Harry opened her door and helped her step out of the car, they walked towards the doors of the building and he opened them again for her.

“This place is nice” She said when they sat down on their table.

“I friend of fine recommended it, thought you’d like it”

“Well, I love Italian food” Harry gave her a dimpled smile, happy to please her.

They had a very lovely night, as always. With each date they had, their level of trust increased more. What Harry really liked about Y/N was how down to earth she was. Even though she was extremely smart, she never made him feel dumb. He loved listening to her, it made him feel normal.

Driving back to Y/N house, Harry thought it would be the end of the evening, so it was fair to say he was surprised when Y/N invited him to come in. “I had this bottle of wine and I’d hate to drink it alone” She batted her eyelashes at him, making him grin.

“That would be a shame, wouldn’t it?” He smirked before getting out of the car. He held Y/N hands all the way to her front door and waited for her to unlock it. They entered and she went to the kitchen for the wine. Harry looked around, Y/N had lots of framed pictures of her and Artemis, with friends and family.

He saw a photo book on the coffee table, ‘collage’ was written on the cover. He sat on the sofa and took another look to the cover. There was a picture of Y/N and some other people, she was next to a guy who was holding her waist and she was smiling big. “That’s Caleb, Artemis’ biological father” She said, coming with two glasses of wine.

“You don’t have to-” He started saying.

“I want to, honestly. It’s not a big deal, really” She sat down next to him, kicking off her heels. “We met back in high school. He was a nice guy, or so I thought” She took a sip of her wine. “We dated for a while then we went to collage together”

Harry put a hand on her knee for support and she sighed. “We didn’t use protection one night and next thing I knew I was pregnant”

“Did you tell him?”

“I did, I took like five tests to make sure it wasn’t a mistake” She sighed. “So, I called him”

“Wait, you told him over the phone?” he said, readjusting on his seat.

“I didn’t know what to do. After I hung up with him I drove to his apartment and he practically slammed the door on my face” Harry clenched his jaw. “Caleb told me he couldn’t do it, that he was too young and wasn’t ready for that responsibility” He raised his eyebrows.

Harry couldn’t understand how someone could give up the opportunity to be with someone as amazing as Y/N, or could refuse to be in their own son’s life. Nothing he’d said would change what Y/N lived in that time, he was just glad she was in his life now.

“I’m sorry” He said.

“Don’t be. He made his choice, I made mine” She gave him a half smile. “My mum’s a lawyer, she wanted to sue him right away but, honestly? Why would I force him to be in Artemis’ life?”

“Anyone who doesn’t want you or Artemis in their life, isn’t worth it” He assured her, holding her hand. “Thank you for opening up with me”

“I know we haven’t really talked about this, but I really like you, Harry” She confessed. “And I do see this going somewhere”

He smiled, dimples in full display. “I feel the same way, Y/N. I-I really don’t know what you’ve done to me” He leaned towards her.

His eyes fell to her lips, they’ve kissed before, however Harry always want his lips on hers. There was something about Y/N that made him want to be close to her at all times. He wasn’t sure if it was her personality or the fact that she was insanely beautiful.

Harry closed the distance between them, kissing her sweetly yet passionately. He cupped her face with his hands to pull her closer, as if that was possible.

Before any of them knew, Y/N was straddling Harry’s lap. They broke the kiss to take a breath, but she started planting little peeks all the way from his neck to his lips again. When she started rolling her hips, grinding against him, Harry grabbed her waist.

“I’d love to continue, but we’ve been drinking, love” He whispered before placing a kiss on her forehead. She nodded, sighing.

“Would you like to spend the night?” She pulled away just enough to take a look at his face. He offered her a smile and she poked his dimple.

“It depends. Do you snore?” he joked making her giggle while shaking her head. “In that case, I think I can stay”

She flashed him another smile before getting off of his lap. She took his hand to lead the way towards her bedroom. “I’m sorry I don’t have anything you can borrow to sleep in”

“It’s fine, love. Are you okay with me sleeping in my briefs?”

“Yeah, make yourself comfortable” She went to the bathroom to get changed into her pajamas and returned with a spare toothbrush for him.

“Thank you” He smiled and peeked her lips before going into the bathroom and closing the door behind him.

Y/N laid on bed. This would be the first time they’d sleep in the same bed, and she found herself wondering if he was of the cuddling type of he’d want to be left alone. She definitely liked to be held while sleeping, for sure.

Harry exited the bathroom and walked to the bed. Y/N finally had a good look at all the tattoos on his torso. It was impossible not to stare, he was perfect in all senses.

He laid on the bed next to her. At first, Y/N was too scared to touch him so she stayed still. Harry chuckled when he saw her hesitation and opened his arms, inviting her to lay on his chest.

Sighing happily, Y/N got comfortable on her new position. Harry’s chest was warm, soft but hard at the same time. Their legs were tangled in no time, making the space between them nonexistent.

Y/N could definitely get used to this.

*:･ﾟ✧ ✧ﾟ･: *:･ﾟ✧ ✧ﾟ･:

When Harry opened his eyes, it took him a moment to remember where he was. He grinned when he felt her move a little against him. “Morning, sunshine”

Y/N looked up, offering him a tired smile. “Good morning”

“How long have you been awake?”

“Just a couple of minutes. My biological clock doesn’t let me sleep in much. Having a very enthusiastic kid does that to you” She chuckled softly.

“Do you have plans today?”

“Not really, just pick Artemis up from my mums’ house” Y/N covered a yawn with the back of her hand. “Why?”

“Thought I could cook you some breakfast”

“That would be nice”

Both of them went out of bed, Harry put his pants back on but stayed shirtless and Y/N put a robe on top of her pajamas. Harry took her hand again and intertwined their fingers. “Have you ever tried kale smoothies?”

She was about to answer but another voice interrupted her. “Artemis, wait!” Harry saw a little body came running down the hall, before he could run back to Y/N’s room, Artemis had already spotted them.

“Hi, Harry” He mumbled, playing with his hands.

“Hey, buddy” He said nervously.

“And who’s this?” He heard a new voice and looked up. He saw one of Y/N’s mums standing there with a huge smirk on her face so he looked down at Y/N, who had her face red from embarrassment.

Well, what a nice way to meet the parents.

☁☁☁☁☁☁☁☁☁☁☁☁

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