#literally had me up til three am jaw dropped

[kimbapisnotsushi]

okay fine i guess i'll read himitsu top secret again

[theresthesnitch]

😅 What's a story or scene you've created that you're a smidge embarrassed exists?

The answer to this is never not going to be the end of Chapter 7 of Three Strikes 'til you're out.

Emoji ask game!

I wrote it at like 2 am, closed my doc and literally posted that I would have to decide in the morning if I was keeping that chaos in. I did, and I'm never not going to laugh over it.

Snippet below, but spoilers, obviously.

~*~

"Feel better?"

It was a good thing Lily was sitting down, because that question floored her. She looked over at James, who had not even looked up from his book. "Excuse me?"

"Do you feel better?" He looked at her over the top of his book. "After your shower."

The innuendo was clear in his voice. Lily's jaw dropped, and she thought she might just ignite with embarrassment. Could you burn down a whole cabin on embarrassment alone?

"I certainly felt better after mine." Lily's eyes snapped to his face, but it gave nothing away. "Good to relieve a bit of stress, you know."

He closed his book and set it on the table beside him. He plugged his phone in, then removed his glasses and set them on top of his book. He leaned back into his pillow, and just before turning off the light, turned to her and said, "although after hearing you say my name, I might need another round."

[slashingdisneypasta]

Horror Villains / Misc x Reader || Drabbles

Plot: You accidentally summon Beetlejuice because he convinced you that he could help you with your Slasher problem, but he becomes an even worse problem. So, you need your Slasher to help you exterminate him, instead.

Includes: Chucky / Charles Lee Ray and Freddy Krueger

Warnings: It’s got nasty gremlin man in it (Meaning, gross language, dirty jokes and such), and also Slashers (Meaning, gore, swearing, course and suggestive language). Groping (Himself) 

Notes:

Okay, those of you who were with me at MainstreamBaddies; You remember that post I wrote about some rando killer trying to get the reader, so reader goes to the Slasher that’s also trying to kill them for help?

Well this is basically that but with (Movie) Beetlejuice as the rando.

THERE WAS MEANT TO BE MORE CHARACTERS!! But its late and I wanna slep ^^ Hopefully I’ll do Ghostface and Jason tomorrow! 

~~~

THE START / ‘Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice’

“So… “Worrying my bottom lip, I look from the wall where I can think properly to the small, ‘fun size’ version of ‘Beetlejuice’ who’s looking expectantly at me. Excited even. 

Although I guess that’s a given. If I was that small and had the possibility sitting right in front of me, of growing back to full size, and full power again, I’d be jazzed too. But, still, there’s something very off about this guy, and it isn’t just the fact that he’s the size of maybe 2 thumbs snapped off at the knuckle and taped one on top of the other. He’s very enthusiastic.

In a Gollum-Swamp Monster-Chick Hicks kind of way.

“’So’, what? I don’t have all day baaaaaay – well, I do have all day. I got nowhere to be – not many fun joints for a guy to go to at this size, amiright? Yeah, but, that’s not the point! Do you wanna get rida’ your lil’ problem or not? Eh?” Beetlejuice is practically vibrating, like an alarm clock and I have the most impulsive urge to call his name three times just to stop it.

Luckily, I have impulse control.

“Of course, I do. I… “Eyeing him pointedly, I start wringing my hands. “I just don’t want to create a new problem, in its place.”

He rolls his dark, feral racoon-panda eyes, muttering something lightning quick to himself before throwing out his arms and yelling. “BABE! I promise ya, really, sweetheart. Baby-lemon pie-dumpling-doll-dollar-sugar-tea, I’m just gonna fix your problem! All I want in the world right now is t’ cum-plete our deal! Get rida’ your Slasher, and be on my way! Unless theirs somethin’ else you ask of me, eh? When I’m back to my normal size? You know, I’m big in all the right places sugar tit- “

I took a deep, necessary breath in when he started on the ‘something else’ and now have the required breath to drown out the last words. “Oooookay!! I wont need that.” I say quickly, as a statement. He licks his lips. “But, um… Are you sure you can get rid of them?” ‘Them’. The bane of my existence right now. The co-star in the horror movie of my life. That them.

“Trust me, babe-sickle. It’ll be sinch.” For a moment, he looks absolutely calm. No vibrating, no yelling, no talking really fast. And it hits its intended mark – my assurances. Okay.

“Alright.” I wring my hands one last time, then clap them and step back from the town diorama that Beetlejuice is roaming in. I cross my arms, then drop them to my sides and look around, then finally back at the impatient ghost… who’s doing squats. Good grief, how much energy is in this guy? “Beetlejuice.”

He gasps, jumps up to his feet, nearly falling over because his weight landed wrong and then rubs his hands together. “Here we go!”

“Beetlejuice.”

“Oh. You do it right, babe.”

Oh my god, here we go. Hopefully this can’t make my situation any worse- I mean, I am being targeted by a killer. What are the odds that this goofball of a ghost could ruin my life anymore? “Beetlejuice.”

“PRESTO!”

Human! Chucky / Charles Lee Ray – Chucky’s POV:

I figure this is going to be a pain, when a screech tears from the ugly old house before I even get in. Confused, and more then frustrated because this spells out nothing but problems for me for when I get in, instead of the nice peaceful kill I was intending to enjoy, I open the screen door -bitch didn’t even lock the front door, it’s like she wants me to kill her,- and rush up the stairs to where the sound came from. “Hold on, I’m not there yet!!”

What the hell is going on?!

“Look, in my professional experience, the screamin’ doesn’t start til the killer takes out a knife, sometimes even before but not before I even get into the house, lady. The audacity of you, here- “

What am I looking at here?

In front of my eyes, my fucking eyes, stands of course Y/N, my victim. And some kind of zebra - one that’s been dead and left out in the swamp for a fuck-long time. He’s got crazy eyes if I’ve ever seen them, and have you seen mine? That’s saying something. Who is this joker? In my coat, I grip the gun I keep just in case strangulation goes awry, but don’t bring it out just yet. Not until this guy reveals his cards, first.

The guy’s eyes flicker in smug amusement from my face, to my gun pocket -evidently, he realises something’s up. Can’t blame the guy, damnit, -, then whips right around, leaving his back wide open for me and my weapon, to my facepalming victim. I smirk at her. “I take it that’s the guy you want rid of, toots?”

“Uh… yeah… “She looks adorable and awkward. The guy lets go of her waist, which he was holding close to his body as she leaned away before, when I walked in and he literally, and I’ve never seen any person do this before, halted in his tracks. Stopped breathing, stopped shifting, it even seemed like the history around him stopped for that ‘caught’ moment. And I swear I heard the sound of record music abruptly being turned off come from his mouth.

And for some odd reason, I get the feeling he’s not human. Can’t conjure a reason why, though.

I should be saying this shit out loud, I’m wasted on myself.

Figuring this guy’s been hired to get rid of me, I take out my gun. “Okay, you’re gonna have to catch me up on what’s happening... Oh, no? Well, okay.”

BAM!

A bullet flies across the room and sticks into the freak’s chest, and that is the end of things going my way.

Because the force of the bullet somehow sends him slamming across the room and through a wall in the back. His body goes ‘poot’ down two stories outside and theirs a silence that doesn’t last long enough for either Y/N or I to digest what just fucking happened before the bastard’s grotty fucking hand spiders up my spine from behind. I wriggle out of his reach immediately on impact, because it’s like a real fucking spider, and whip around, waiving my gun- which is useless now, of course.

Games are over.

The guy looks over at Y/N and grins, throwing his arms out in a ‘ta da!’ way. She winces and just narrows her eyes in a glare. “What’d you think of that, sweet cheeks? I got a flare for the dramatic, you know? Ssssexy! Eh?” When she sticks her tongue out at him, for lack of any words to respond to that with I guess -I mean, I, can think of some choice words for the guy, but she’s clearly not as creatively gifted in the art of insult as I have been told I am. But, a tongue out works, - he grins the most fucking horny grin I’ve ever seen and clutches his sack. Her jaw drops.

“Where the ever-loving fuck did you pick crazy pants up from??” I ask, looking accusingly at Y/N. She chews on the inside of her cheeks and looks even more awkward then before.

“Truce?” She asks, instead of answering my question. I’m genuinely curious.

I roll my eyes. “Ughh, fine.”

“Oh well that won’t do,” The guy speaks up again, looking between us and letting his Johnson go, thank god. The boys have to breath! “Baby girl, blossom, light of my FUCKING DEATH! You wound me. riGHT IN THE HEART! Let me show you, sweetgums, why that was a bad idea.”

Her eyes widen, and I suddenly feel real unsafe. “How about you don’t- “

“Watch this!”

He turns to me, makes some overdramatic hand gestures, throwing his back out in the process and momentarily acting like he’s out of order.

Then he whips back into action and shoots me with finger guns,

And then suddenly everything around me looks 4 times bigger then before. Oh, well, its that or… I’m closer to the ground.

Because I’m a fucking doll again.

I slowly look up from the little black baby shoes and the edges of the godamn jean jumpsuit, to the infected condom in black and white grease paint. “… You son-of-a-bitch.”

He chuckles and turns to Y/N, and gives her finger guns too, but the only other thing that happens this time is he winks at her. “Now, baby! Time to get hitched!”

“What?!” She shrieks.

Freddy Krueger – Freddy’s POV:

“I’m going to die of boredom before this bitch catches winks. I’m gonna pummel her with the counting sheep she clearly needs when she gets here.” The corners of my mouth lift up from the deep scowl I was wearing before, at the idea. It has merit.  

Behind me the fine folks of Pompeii run for their lives and a red and green striped Vesuvius explodes molten lava over their little town when I remember it’s been 2 days since she’s fallen asleep. Or found some fucking Hypnocil. Or killed herself. Who knows, really. I have a… deadly effect on women.

But damn, it would be a bummer if she killed herself. I was having fun with her. I had plans.

Have, have. I have plans. I won’t give up hope yet.

An hour, or who knows how long later -time is a human construct and doesn’t exist in the dream plain, - , I’m lying on the ground watching Psycho play in the sky when that familiar tingle rushes through me, telling me someone’s entered my world.

I’m just getting up and brushing myself off, taking my damn time like she left me to wait -besides, I can turn back time and make it seem like I appeared instantaneously if I want to. Time’s a construct, remember? And this is my world. I’m just doing this for me, to make me feel better, - when she comes out of fucking nowhere and nearly knocks me over. Im-ee-diate-ly I open my mouth to ask her why she’s so eager, but she beats me to the punch, causing me sadness.

“Wake up, wake up, wake up!”

Hold on, I definitely think there’s something off here. Don’t I make the fucking demands?! “Bitch- ”

“Wake!”

“-I haven’t done anything to you yet.” 

“Up!”

“Goddamn!”

What is going on here!?

“I’ll do anything you want, just please. Wake me up!” Her eyes are deadly serious, and I can’t help the greedy smile I get at her submissive idea. What could have made her this way? I laugh.

“Ohhh, I’ll think it over. Tempting offer, though~” She lets out a growl and let’s go of me in pure frustration, looks around quickly for something and then lays eyes on my glove. She picks it up, and my eyes widen in surprise at what she does next.

The blade slices through the skin in her upper arm before I can take any control of the situation, and a nauseous feeling suddenly rolls me and she whimpers from the pain of slicing herself open, as the world goes blurry around us and she wakes up- of course, still holding my glove, which is attached to me, so I go with her.

“Fucking he- “

Much quicker than you think it will be, we both turn up back in the fucking reality. She hops up immediately and flies across the room to a first aid box.

I’m just assuming, I mean. Because I don’t make any move to leave the bed at all and just close my eyes and groan, and resist the urge to cry.

I hate this placceeeeeeeeee.

“BABES, YOU’RE BACK!”

Now I resist the urge to scream and phase out of existence, because a man just appeared on the bed with me and called me his babes. Instead, I slowly turn my head to him and sinisterly narrow my eyes- and hope he doesn’t notice my distress from a second ago.

I’m starting to understand why Y/N was so intent on getting back here. If this guy, a dung beetle with… oh, god. Clearly, some kind of terrible illness if that smell indicates anything, was hanging around me while I slept, I’d be… slightly bothered too. If only for the stink!

He squints, and while he does, his hair flickers through the various colours in the rainbow, confused. “Sweetbottom, theirs something different about you. Did you get contacts?”

As a knee jerk reaction, I stab him in the gut with my blades. “Stranger danger, bitch!”

My panic dissolves into glee as I jerk the knives upwards… just to turn back into panic when he starts tearing all the way in half from my stab wound up to the top of his head with minimal effort from me. I gulp, and retreat from him to where Y/N is, taping her bandages securely around her arm. I gesture to the freak who’s padded onto the floor and is zipping himself back together in front of my eyeballs. “… the fuck is that?”

“That’s Beetlejuice, he’s a ghost=

“With the most, baby.” ‘Beetlejuice’ stands up straight and rests his hands on his hips, chest puffed out and winks at Y/N. 

“-What do we do?”  She asks, looking with wide eyes at me. 

What does she think I am? The Fairy Godmother of the dead?? I’m no godmoth-

… I could use this. A slow grin spreads across my mouth. “First, you go over there and distract him.” 

For a split second she looks like she’s actually going to go with it, then looks with furrowed, unimpressed eyebrows at me. ‘Beetlejuice’ makes grabby hands at us, and she starts to look more panicked by the second. “And what will you do??”

I yank the bedroom door open. “Run!!”

[surveys-at-your-service]

Survey #360

“we are the ones that wanna play  /  always wanna go, but you never wanna stay”

"Crawling" or "In The End?" I want to say "Crawling," but I really can't be sure. Both are bomb. Is your window open? No. Monsters Inc. or Shrek? Shrek, my man. What did you last hear that made your jaw drop? Jason's mom died. What is the longest shower or bath you have ever taken? I remember as kids, Nicole and I would sometimes play 'til Mom made us finish because the water was cold by then. As an adult, idk about my longest shower. Do you have a preference of chocolate? Yeah, milk chocolate. Is there anyone you’d like to hug right now? Yeah. Could you ever picture someone writing a biography about you? Definitely not. Do you have a clock in your room? No. Do you shut off the computer when you’re done using it? No, I just close it. Do you usually catch a cold during the winter? No. I just about never get sick. Are you a good multi-tasker? NOOOOOOOOOOO. Do you know any deaf people? If so, is it easy or difficult to have conversations with them? No. Is there a door knocker on your front door? No. Were you ever into Pokémon? Bitch I still am. Do you drink a lot of water? Sigh, no. I'm definitely better than I used to be, though; once upon a time, I literally never drank it unless I was extremely hot and dehydrated. Nowadays, it's usually after I finish my soda for the day that I then only drink water, normally around one full tall cup of it. Do you like fireworks? They're beautiful, but I'm personally against them out of respect for veterans suffering from PTSD as well as animals, because I'm not exactly interested in traumatizing them, either. Is respect given or earned with you? It's given, the way I think it should be. Are you “in the closet” about anything? No. Are you missing any teeth? No. Do you like scrapbooking? I've never gotten into it and am not really interested in doing so. What was or will be your first tattoo? It's a semicolon butterfly on my right wrist. Sometimes I've thought about getting it covered with a cooler design but the same concept; it was literally from Google, and I'm very much not into "sharing" tattoo designs with probably thousands of other people. But, I still think it really is cute, and it's just very special to me as my first, so idk. Do you have any tattoos dedicated to someone special? I have one written in Sara's handwriting inside a heart, and my "ohana" tattoo that I am 100% getting covered was dedicated to my former best friend Colleen. I've talked before about why "ohana" has never really resonated with me, and I just don't like it anymore at all. Thank God it's small. Do you like ghost stories? Oh HELL yeah, lay 'em on me. What was your favorite movie as a kid? The Lion King. Some things never change, ha. Do you own a lot of cookbooks? Mom has looooots, but never uses any. I think her mom gave them to her, so she just keeps 'em. What’s your father’s handwriting like? It looks like every other man's handwriting I've ever seen lol. All the letters are capitalized. Did you wash your hair last time you showered? I wash my hair every time I shower. I have to with it naturally being so oily. What does your shampoo smell like? Coconut. Do you listen to Guns N' Roses? Not a lot, but yeah. They've got some bangers. I actually want "Sweet Child O' Mine" to be the father/daughter dance at my wedding. Have you ever been a bridesmaid? Yeah, at my sister's wedding. What was the last video game that you beat? I replayed Silent Hill 2 a long time ago. Have you ever hyperventilated? Yep. Do you talk in your sleep? I scream in my sleep. Nightmares/terrors are a blast. Whose house did you last sleep over? Sara's. Have you ever been cut by scissors? No. Do you like peaches? It's odd, I like canned sliced peaches, but the actual, full fruit, I don't. I love peach flavored juice, though. Do you enjoy being surrounded by neighbors, or would you be more comfortable someplace secluded? Take me back to the middle of nowhere, please. I'm really not digging being in an actual neighborhood. Is there any sibling rivalry between you and your siblings, if you have any? Not at all. Do you usually root for the good guys or the bad guys? Ha, the baddies... Are you allowed to have pets at your house? We're allowed to have what we currently own and then maybe one dog if Mom finally finds one. Have you ever lived in a trailer park? No. Is there anyone that you know through the internet that you would feel comfortable meeting in person? There's quite a few, actually! Have you ever had a dream involving characters from a game/movie/television show? Yeah. What’s the last thing you wrote down? My signature, I think? Do you remember any phone numbers from years ago that now belong to someone you don’t know? No. Have you ever found something strange in your mailbox? No. Who was the last relative that came to visit you? My half-sister and her husband. Does your bedding all match? Not currently. Are you more comfortable with having short hair or long hair? SHORT. Are you interested in fantasy movies/shows? That's my preference. Have you ever gone whale-watching? No, but that'd be dope. What is something that you have a large amount of? Meerkat plushies. Who is it that you’re in love with? Nobody. Have you ever gotten love and infatuation confused? No. Do you have a steady income? No. Do you take your medications in the morning or at night? Both. Have you ever bought a YouTuber’s merch? No, I wish. :( Do you think oatmeal tastes better when made with water or milk? MILK. I don't eat it with water. When was the last time you ran into someone that you didn’t want to see? Idk. Have you ever tried vlogging, and if yes, did you stick with it? Noooo, I'm completely disinterested in doing that myself. If you go to church, what is your favorite thing about it? I don't go. Even as a kid when Mom made me, I hated it. ^and what is your least favorite thing about it? N/A What do you do for exercise? I don't. .-. I want a pool SO badly to swim and strengthen my legs without having to worry about sweating or collapsing, though. Mom says we don't have space, but we definitely do. Not a lot, but enough. Do you have a birthmark? If yes, what color is it? Yeah, it's just a bit darker than the rest of my skin. Do you need to lose weight? Yes. My sister, Mom, and I very recently started a Weight Watchers subscription and we're all working our asses off to stick to it. Ash has already lost like, 12 pounds (she started before Mom and me), so I'm kinda hopeful. Have you ever had a cat? Growing up, after we took in a stray female, we ended up with a fucking empire of cats, literally around three dozen, I'd say. They were all outdoors, too, and not fixed because we couldn't afford it, so tomcats would come around and, y'know, make matters worse. Eventually, animal control took them all and I was DEVASTATED, but looking back, I understand it was necessary. Anyway, I have one cat now. Indoors and fixed and the prince of my world, haha. Have you ever had a dog? We've had a few. I was born with my dad having a collie named Trigger, but I don't remember her at all; she died of old age I believe when I was very young. Then we briefly had a pup named Angel, but she died due to that disease some puppies just have. We didn't get another dog until Teddy, who was my Christmas present, and he was put to sleep only last year, rest my baby's soul. We also had Dale, Cali, Delilah, and Bentley. Have you ever any other kind of animal? A LOT. I'm probably going to forget some, but we've had hamsters, rats, snakes, fish, a turtle, two lizards, gerbils, guinea pigs... just a lot. Animals have always been very important in my life. Have you ever had a pet rock? HA, yeah. I didn't take it seriously at all, but I had one. When was the last time you painted something? Not since my Painting course in my final college attempt. Do you have any disabilities? Not in the traditional sense, no. My social anxiety though is at such a severity that it majorly infringes upon my ability to do a LOT of things, though. What are five of your favorite stores at the mall? I couldn't name five. Just Hot Topic and Spencer's, really. What season do you want to get married in? AUTUMN. The actual dream situation would be to get married in the snow in a black dress, like can you IMAGINE the pictures, but realistically, it'd be in the fall to avoid the biting cold. Has anyone ever spread lies about you? Yeah. Anything special planned for today? Nope. Blue or green? Blue. How much older/younger than you was the person you lost your virginity to? He's two years older than me. Do you still care for that person? Very much. Can you completely annihilate the first Mario game in less than an hour? I haven't even played the first game. I've never really been into the games to begin with. Did you make it all the way through the Oregon Trail game? Yes! I was OOOOOBSESSEEEEEED as a kid. I would usually play it after school when my mom was an assistant teacher and was finishing up her work for the day. Have you ever contemplated climbing a water tower? Uh, no. Those kind of people got some wanderlust levels that I ain't got, haha. If you have a Facebook, when was the last time you changed your profile picture? It's been a few months. Would you ever marry someone who was lower class? Um, yes? You can deny it all you want, but answering "no" is pretty much the same as saying you'd marry for money. Is there a guy you wish you hadn’t let slip away? ugh Which do you prefer: English or math? English, by light years. Who is a singer that has given you chills? David Draiman's voice in the Disturbed cover of "Sound of Silence" is fucking haunting. Greatest cover of all time. Do you watch America’s Got Talent? I did when Sharon was a judge. Do you think you could win America’s Got Talent? Hell no. What act would you perform in a talent show? uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh Have you ever practiced yoga? Yes. I used to be BANGIN at it. What is your favorite thing to buy at the Farmer’s Market? Fruit! Do you get carsickness? No. What color is the rim of your full-length mirror? Black. What is your state’s bird (if you live in the US)? Cardinal. Which style of wedding dress is your favorite? I'm a sucker for ballgown dresses. Do you enjoy editing videos? I used to love it, for many many years. Now, I just don't have the dedication or motivation to. Do you enjoy editing photos? Yes. If you gave birth, do you think you would want it filmed? Um, absolutely not. I would have NO desire to look back on me shrieking my lungs out and essentially dying. I handle abdominal pain very poorly, so I've got a goooood feeling that if I actually wanted to have kids, I'd be that woman screeching like a banshee.

[remys-lucky-franc]

Sick - Queen of Thieves Fic : Nikolai x MC (Daisy)

Pretty fluffy - no bad language or nsfw - no trigger warnings

Shout out to my friends @ispookyloaf and @stopforamoment as this was a product of a silly idea on one of our fun chats 💕

Word Count ~2200 (couldn’t resist the sneezing cat gif 😂)

[[MORE]]

Remy scuttled out of Nikolai’s room with a frown and a worry-line stretching the length of his forehead. He rounded the corner to the kitchen as he ran into Daisy. She stepped back looking surprised as he exclaimed,

“Ma Cherie, you’re back!”

Daisy nodded,

“Yeah, glad to be home, was a long couple of days. Leon’s just bringing the rest of the stuff up from the car. Worth it though, think we have the mark’s movements down to a tee... Remy are you ok?”

Remy raked a hand through his thick hair and sighed dramatically,

“Non. When was the last time you talked to Niko?”

Daisy looked puzzled, concern creeping into her voice,

“We haven’t talked on the phone, but we sent some text messages yesterday... Is he ok? What’s going on?”

Remy shook his head, looking towards the heavens,

“Did he tell you he is... Unwell?”

Daisy’s eyes widened, as she stared towards the closed bedroom door,

“He’s ill?! What?! Since when?!”

Remy sighed again,

“Since yesterday. Daisy, it’s not pretty...”

Daisy raised an eyebrow, starting towards their room,

“Not pretty? What the hell’s happened to him?!”

Remy reached out, catching her arm to stop her,

“He’s in bed, congested, running a temperature! He can’t taste his food, he has a disgusting cough, a sweaty sheen-“

Daisy held up her free hand to stop Remy in his tracks,

“Wait. Remy? Are you trying to tell me that ‘Master of the Impossible’, Nikolai Stirling, has taken to his bed with ‘man flu’??”

Remy covered his face with his hands,

“Go! See for yourself, but don’t say I didn’t warn you...”

Vivienne breezed past, pursing her lips and commenting,

“Are you heading in there, darling? Good luck! I wouldn’t dare! He’s foul when he’s poorly, the only person who would brave going in there is Remy!”

Remy shrugged, a sad look flitting across his face,

“I take him his favourite soup...”

Daisy noticed his expression, but only barely, as she shook her head at both of them,

“You two are exaggerating! He can’t be that bad - plus he’ll be happy to see me!”

Vivienne waved a dismissive, if perfectly manicured, hand at Daisy,

“If you want some advice? Let him be, darling! He’ll emerge like a beautiful butterfly from his chrysalis in a few days time!”

Daisy tutted as she headed towards the door, Remy and Vivienne exchanged an awkward grimace as she gently knocked, edging it open, with a half-whisper,

“Nikolai?”

He turned to face her and Daisy tried to stop automatic recoil as she caught sight of him: Remy was not exaggerating!

“Solnishko, you’re back.” A faint smile crossed Nikolai’s face as he watched her step inside, his usually sparkling blue eyes heavy and puffy-looking as he pushed his way up into a seated position against the plush cushions, “Things went well?”

Daisy nodded as she made her way across the room, Elizabeth twining around her feet and meowing as she went, eventually Daisy perched on the edge of the bed and pressed a soft kiss to the top of Nikolai’s head,

“I’m more concerned about what’s going on here? When did you start to feel like this?”

Nikolai waved away her concern, voice irritable but somewhat dulled and nasal,

“I’m fine, I had a particularly late night last night, that’s all.”

He tossed the covers back, readying himself to stand, only for Daisy to flip them back across his lap,

“Ohhhh no you don’t. You never sleep? You’re sick.”

Nikolai opened his mouth to protest, starting a second attempt to get out of bed but erupting into a kink of coughing as Daisy grabbed for a box of tissues from the bedside table. She smoothed his dampened hair back from his forehead easing him back into the soft pillows by his shoulders,

“Kotik, you’re sick. You don’t have to prove anything to me, please will you just relax?”

Slumping backwards into the soft bedding as Daisy kept a gentle pressure on his arms, Nikolai let out a frustrated groan,

“I can’t be ‘sick’. This is quite inconvenient, there’s still so much to do for the- ACHHOOOO!! Urgh. For the heist.”

Daisy tucked the duvet around his shivering form, smoothing his hair as she told him firmly but kindly,

“The heist is already ahead of schedule, I know you like to feel indispensable, but there’s literally nothing at this stage that the rest of us can’t do to keep ticking over for a few days until you’re feeling back to normal. Just please, stay there, let me look after you? Please?”

Nikolai didn’t vocalise his answer, he simply closed his eyes and relaxed his aching head against her hand, feeling too poorly to argue any longer.

Daisy murmured, “You’re burning up, just, stay put...” heading into the bathroom and swiftly returning with a cool face cloth, pressing it to his head as Nikolai hummed in appreciation.

“Did you take any medicine?”

“I don’t like to.”

Daisy frowned,

“You’re going to take two paracetamols. They’ll stop all this shivering. You’ll feel better.”

“But-“

“Nikolai.”

Nikolai attempted a sigh, that turned into another bout of coughing as Daisy headed back towards the kitchen, she was sure there was a collection of over-the-counter medicines in one of the drawers. Remy raised an eyebrow from his seat at the breakfast bar as she entered,

“Well, how is he?”

Daisy nodded firmly,

“He’ll survive. He just needs to rest for a couple of days.”

She rummaged around, locating the paracetamol, and pouring a tall glass of iced water, “And I’m going to look after him til he’s back on his feet.”

Remy shrugged his shoulders, smiling at her,

“Of course you will. That’s what you do. You’re his partner now, what’s that expression, ‘in sickness and in health’...”

Daisy swatted at Remy’s arm as she headed back towards Nikolai’s room,

“Firstly, that’s not an expression, it’s a ‘wedding vow’, and secondly, I don’t think when those were written they were intended to cover the common cold, Remy.”

Ducking out of her reach, Remy smirked, calling after her,

“Bonne chance!”

—-

Handing Nikolai the pills and the glass of water, she watched to make sure he actually swallowed them, before heading to the bathroom and returning with a vial of essential oils. Nikolai looked at her curiously as she dripped a few droplets onto his pillow. She took a deep breath in, wafting her hand, encouraging him to do the same,

“It’s menthol. It’ll help you breath.”

“I can’t smell it.”

“You will, eventually. In the meantime, here.” She pushed her iPad into his lap, “We are going to binge on Netflix until you feel better. None of your high-brow stuff, Nik. We’re going to watch something that you don’t even have to concentrate on. Easy watching, total trash. No arguments.”

Nikolai pulled a face as Daisy reiterated while she climbed onto the bed snuggling into his side, “No arguments. I’m in charge of getting you better, ok?” He stroked her cheek offering her a half smile as she pulled up the Menu.

___

Three episodes into Daisy’s TV trash of choice, Nikolai, despite himself had become quite captivated. He could feel his eyelids getting heavier, but was fighting the urge to close them, because he didn’t want to miss the drama unfolding onscreen...

Daisy could see him getting more and more tired,

“How about I switch this off and you doze for a little bit? I won’t let you dream.”

Nikolai forced his eyes wide, blinking,

“I’m fine, put another episode on, I want to see what happens to- Dear god what is happening to me?! Am I delirious?! Maybe I do need to sleep.”

Daisy smiled as she fluffed the pillows around him, dimming the lights, and in a hushed voice, she began,

“Soooft kitty, waaarm kitty, little ball offfff-“

Within seconds Nikolai’s eyes were wide again and staring in confusion,

“What is the meaning of this?”

Daisy shrugged,

“I thought you might like it?”

Nikolai closed his eyes, a perplexed wrinkle appearing in his forehead as he settled back down,

“You’re a very strange woman sometimes.”

Daisy squeezed his fingers,

“I mean, I don’t have to sing to you?”

Nikolai murmured, his eyes still closed, voice with a warmer edge to it than before,

“I don’t think anyone has ever sang me a lullaby before. I suppose it’s not completely terrible.”

Daisy beamed as she snuggled back into her snuffly partner, closing her own eyes and stroking his chest lightly as she hummed the rest of the tune.

—-

Daisy jolted awake, she wasn’t sure quite how much later, but quickly exhaled a sigh of relief when she realised that Nikolai was in a peaceful, even if he was softly snoring, sleep: there were no thrashing movements or strained facial expressions. He must really have needed the time to rest and heal his tired body. She touched his forehead - he felt decidedly less clammy than he had before. Grinning she decided that the paracetamol must have worked. Gently she ran her fingers over his cheek , murmuring his name softly until he started to stir. She’d promised not to let him dream, so she shouldn’t leave him asleep too much longer...

A faint smile crossed Nikolai’s face as he looked up at her,

“May I have my tea?”

Daisy’s jaw dropped, horrified,

“No, Nikolai! You can’t have your tea?! You’re not drinking poison while you’re taking paracetamol?! Absolutely not.”

Nikolai started at her indignantly,

“You’re being ridiculous. Anytime Remy’s looked after me, he’s brought me my tea.”

Daisy scoffed, one brow arched,

“I don’t believe that for a second! How about I call Remy in here and ask him?”

Nikolai opened his mouth to retort, but knowing her was beat he simply muttered about how ridiculous the situation was instead.

Daisy rolled her eyes, trying to change the subject,

“Hey, how about I get some more of the soup you love? I’m sure Remy would have made a whole vat of it. It’s funny, you know? I would have sworn you didn’t like mushrooms?”

Nikolai froze as Daisy looked at him curiously, confused.

He eventually broke the silence,

“Daisy, please don’t tell him, but I don’t. I’ve never had the heart to tell him when he’s been so kind as to make the soup for me. Remy is the only person who’s ever looked after me when I’ve been ill. Even as a child, my mother would ‘shoo’ me if I were poorly. My father would always say it was a sign of weakness and tell me to show some mettle.”

Daisy felt like her heart would break as she looked at him; the expression on his face looked like he was holding himself together, bracing himself against an unkind blow, but at the same time wanting to share something important to him. She reached out squeezing his hand, nodding in encouragement for him to keep talking.

Giving her a tight-lipped smile Nikolai continued,

“Remy has such a good heart. When I was first poorly, he asked me what my mother would make for me, back at home. When I said ‘nothing’ he was appalled. That’s when he started to make me chicken and mushroom soup, because that’s what his grandmother would make for him whenever he was unwell. I don’t like mushrooms, but I always finish the bowl.”

Daisy picked his hand up, kissing his knuckles,

“Even though you don’t like the taste it makes you feel better?”

Nikolai gave her a half-laugh,

“Exactly. Strange isn’t it?”

Daisy shrugged,

“Not so much. It’s not about the food, it’s about the feelings. That’s why they call it comfort food I guess? Do you want me to go get him to bring you some?”

Nikolai’s cheeks flushed as he nodded.

Daisy quickly smoothed his hair as she headed back to the kitchen,

“Remy?“

Remy lifted his head from a glossy magazine,

“How is the patient?”

Daisy, understanding that Remy had been looking after Nikolai for many years before either of them knew she existed, suspected that sharing the soup might warm Remy’s heart as much as being cared about warmed Nikolai’s,

“He’s ok. But I really think he needs another portion of chicken and mushroom?” She watched intently as Remy’s big green eyes lit up, grinning, “Maybe you could even teach me to make it some time?”

Remy enthused about his grandmother’s recipe as he busied around the kitchen of the penthouse heating a bowl for Nikolai, telling her the perfect type of mushrooms, which oil was best, how long to prepare the stock...

Daisy nodded as she repeated instructions and asked about ingredients, finally stopping and sighing,

“You’ve been making this so long, it could take years for mine to be as good as yours-“

Remy cut in, a look in his eye that said he knew exactly what she was doing, but choosing not to call her on it,

“Ma cherie, I’ll be here to help you! We can make it together! Or I can make the soup and you can snuggle with him until he feels better?”

Daisy beamed as she extended her right hand for Remy to shake on it,

“Deal! We’ll take care of him together. ”

Remy ushered Daisy back in the direction of Nikolai’s room as he placed the soup and a spoon on a tray, following closely behind her.

[morphituu]

Milagro

Chapter 15: Omens

Ch: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7 - 8 - 9 - 10 - 11 - 12 - 13 - 14

Callie’s brows furrowed in bewilderment when Nick’s hand cupped beneath her fist to catch the muffin wrapper, quickly tossing it away before speeding back to help pull her sweater up her arms.

“Why?” she only asked, blinking up at him in confusion while he went so far as to help pull her beanie down her cheeks.

“You heard the doctor,” he snipped, not even bothering to shield his own scalp from the rain as he kept the umbrella clear over her and only half over his lumbering frame.

“Rain isn’t pitocin,” she sassed, taking control of the handle to make sure he wasn’t pelted by the persistent rain.

“I’m not taking any chances,”

“You do realize that sex is what’ll make everything start moving, right?” she teased with a lopsided grin. Nick’s pointed ears twitched when the displeasure of such a realization rooted into his mind.

“I guess we’ll have to cut back,”

“Oh shut up, like we could,” she smirked up at him. “You really wanna stop fucking like we did last night?”

Nick flushed at the recollection of the evening; the way they were both left breathless, shouting each others names into the early AM hours. How she unwound the tight coil at his center, her loving gaze keeping him in suspension as she witnessed him unfold, smiling against his open mouth that howled her name.

“Okay come back down to Earth,” she patted the back of his hand clutched in her hold a few times, giggling when he nodded languidly but clearly was still wandering through his thoughts as he sauntered on.

“We should try that position again,” he said below his breath after opening the passenger side door of the truck and helping her climb in. She snorted as she clicked her Chucks together to shake off the water and gravel.

“That’s the only position I can do anymore,” she scoffed, wiggling around until she found her spot with the seat reclined a little farther.

Nick shrugged; I don’t have a problem with that.

When he’d rounded the truck and stuffed the umbrella in the side compartment, Callie was already setting her shoes in the back and grabbing for her heels and stockings with the heater on blast, the final touches of her outfit coming together before she went in for work.

“You’re gonna snap an ankle on those things,” he mumbled, his repulsion towards the tortuous footwear evident in his tone.

“Maybe, but damn if they don’t make my fat legs look better,” she struggled to lift a heel onto the dash and show the definition of her calf.

Nick neither agreed or disagreed; he knew better than to fall into that trap again.

Her phone vibrated loudly in the center console, and she hissed a low curse trying to finish inching her stockings up her thigh and under her tight pencil skirt in time to grab the phone.

“Hey Rose,” she exhaled, pinning the phone between her shoulder and cheek while she worked on the next leg. “Yeah we just left,”

Nick listened quietly, twisting through the wet streets leading away from the clinic nestled behind luxurious townhomes and sprawling businesses with equally extravagant day goers cluttering the slick sidewalks. The glossy streets reminded him of the tune-up the truck needed, more urgently the changing of the tires it was due for. Preferably before Leo joins us. He glanced through the rearview mirror at the carseat still perched neatly behind them; he gripped the steering wheel tighter, containing a wide smile.

“Three centimeters already,” Callie smiled, but it quickly vanished. “No- centimeters, not meters,”

Nick snorted.

“No they still say the 21st,” she grunted, finally finished and pulling her skirt down her thighs. With a hard exhale, she let her head bounce back against the seat and her legs spread and stretch to relieve the pressure on her lower stomach. Now Nick could finally snake his hand under her arm and caress her stomach, drumming where Leo kicked in protest of his mother squishing him. “I doubt it, he’s still head down. Yeah. Uh-huh. Today?” she looked at Nick, holding the phone against her chest. “Are we doing anything today?”

Nick shook his head, only half sure; are we?

“Yeah I can but I need to go home first cuz there’s no way in hell I’m walking around in these heels,” Callie returned to her call, pulling her lipstick from her purse and pulling down the visor. “Yeah just pick me up from the house when you’re ready,”

“I need more lotion!” Nick whispered, snapping his jaws when she shooed him away.

“Okay pues I’ll see you then. Ah-huh, bye gurl bye.” Callie dropped the phone into her lap, finishing with the lip stain. “Rosie’s gonna take me to do the gift registry for the shower,”

“Oh get everything I wishlisted on Amazon, especially that bottle set,” Nick piped, glancing at her excitedly.

“No one’s gonna buy us that, baby, it’s expensive,” she again reminded, and pouted compassionately when his spirits dropped a little bit. “He’s gonna be attached to my boob anyways,”

Nick grumbled a little bit. “Add the sling then?”

“Of course,” she smiled, patting his molted hand. “That’s more doable than a fifty dollar bottle set,”

He grumbled again. “You never know...”

“Uh-huh,” she teased, giggling when he dug his fingers into her belly. Once she’d finished the last touch-ups of her makeup and fluffing her hair around her shoulders, she could recline into the seat and relax the remainder of the drive across town through the winding hills, and listen to the rain pattering against the roof of the car with the radio drifting softly around them.

Her eyes drifted down when Leo tapped insistently under her own palm, cracking the smallest of smiles when she followed the gentle nudges.

“I can’t believe there’s only a month left,” she cooed, her thumb stroking the rough skin of his hand.

“Mom told me the last month takes the longest to go by,”

“Yeah my mom told me that too,” she agreed, watching Nick’s fingers roll when Leo spun. “God I’m only gonna get bigger,”

“He’s gonna get bigger,”

“And I am gonna get chubbier,”

“More ass to bite into,” Nick smiled, clicking his sharp teeth together a few times when Callie glared at him.

“Lookin’ for a new spot, huh?”

“Always, but I’ll wait ‘til after we’re married. Bite into the spot,” he explained smugly, his vague detailing making her eyes narrow.

“Don’t know if I wanna marry knowing I’m literally gonna be bitten on the ass for it,”

“No way out of it now- Orcs mate for life. This finger is mine,” he sang, her ring finger in his hold and wiggling her hand. “Gonna have my baby and my last name,” he boasted, shoulders shimmying in the seat as he turned into the parking lot before the bank.

“Fine, you can have all that as long as I get to swim in that police pension,” she countered cheekily, shoving her makeup pouches back into her purse.

“Ha, have fun waiting another twenty years,”

She smirked, her lips pursing as he grinned. “Deal. I’m off at 2,” she caved, leaning over the center console to meet his lips for a series of loving kisses. The crook of her hand held under his jaw, igniting a small chuff; getting him going before work was one of her favorite past times.

“No heavy lifting,” he got in between. “Boss people around,”

“Like I need to be told that,” a final kiss was placed on his cheek, his hand rounding her stomach before she pushed the door open and slid down the seat.

“I love you- don’t do anything strenuous!” He called, sticking his head out the window.

“I love you too!” She smiled, waddling towards the entrance and thanking the security guard who opened the door for her.

Nick shook his head, shifting the truck into reverse. “Stubborn brat.”

He only felt a tad bit guilty stopping at a Taco Bell; it wasn’t only for him, but for Sergey too. It was his first day back after a bumpy recovery that had extended twice when the ‘burns’ across his chest didn’t heal as expected, but that itself was expected after being bludgeoned by a spell. Nothing heals right when magic is involved.

Nick pulled up to the first window, digging through his wallet for cash when the worker at the window exclaimed.

“Where’s your wife?” asked the stout older woman he’d met at the window nearly all of the times visiting this particular chain with Callie beside him.

Her aged smile was kind, but the interaction still made Nick edgy.

“At home waiting for the food,” he lied through a stiff smile. He’d once made the mistake of telling someone at work that Callie still worked so late into her unpredictable pregnancy, and he’d been dealt a harsh reprimand from an officer he barely knew, at that, scolding Nick about letting his lover work when he should’ve been bringing in enough money to support them both.

Nick avoided that officer from then on; no longer would he acknowledge his presence when they were near.

Don’t tell me how to handle my life, he recalled wanting to shout. Besides, Callie would fucking castrate me if I tried forcing her to stay home.

“Ah, such a good man going for his lady,” she admired, quickly finishing his purchase. “See you later than, ah?”

“Yeah- thank you!” Nick replied awkwardly, quickly collecting his card and rolling to the next window. He exhaled, hopeful the other worker at the next window didn’t recognize him.

With the food collected and another awkward encounter avoided, he quickly exited the plaza to start his small trek across town, caving into his hunger and chowing down on a burrito before he made it halfway to Sergey’s. It was unfortunate that he’d be returning on such a gloomy day, but Nick was determined to make his transition back into their high-stress- and high harassment- job as smooth as possible, and starting the day with one of his favorite meals seemed to be a good start.

Entering the Orc predominant neighborhood Sergey resided in didn’t bring Nick as much heat as it once did; he could shoulder a few glares if the majority of his interactions were kind. Munguz carried a lighter air to it now, and he was thankful. Nick wanted his presence amongst the Orkish community to be neutral at best before Leo made his debut, and knowing the hardships halflings grew up with meant Orcs were his best bet at fitting in.

Nick sighed, bridling the troubling thoughts. Worry about that when it comes.

By the time he parked neatly along the narrow street, he spotted Sergey standing in the doorway of his small cottage, his frown as telling as his slumped shoulders and holding a mug that steam danced from in the chilled afternoon. Before he exited the truck, he reached over to pop open his glove box and retrieve one of the invites Rosie had made for Callie’s shower Nick had been handing out very meticulously.

Sergey watched Nick make his way across the street, his spirits admittedly lifting a little when he spotted the paper bag in hand.

“Did you just wake up?” Nick grinned, and Sergey nodded.

“Couldn’t sleep much last night,” he confessed, tilting the mug to watch the creamy tea swirl.

Nick felt unsure of himself once he stood before his young partner. “You’re not ready to go back, are you?”

Sergey shrugged, looking back out across his yard. “S’not that. Just nervous,”

“I know the feeling,” Nick affirmed, handing off the food.

“Aw, you remembered my order?” Sergey keened, and Nick’s eyes rolled, following him inside.

It was a welcome relief to step into the warm home, the scent of the Orchid tea drifting through the home that was dimly lit and tidy. Dura decision to pursue homemaking had really tapped into her creative side, and upon observing how much he liked the colored walls and small decorative pieces, he considered asking her to help him with the make-over his home desperately needed. Neither him or Callie were very good at mixing and matching.

“Ah, Nick! It’s good to see you!” Dura exclaimed, popping out from the kitchen and pattering over to him for a hug.

As he leaned down to get his arms around her, he had to remind himself that even though Callie was growing fast, Orcs grew even faster during pregnancy. The poor girl was already waddling, her stomach popping out much farther than a human would expect at 11 weeks along.

“How’re you feeling?” Nick pressed, holding her hands when she’d straightened back out.

“I’m doing good, just trying to keep up with this little girl,” she smiled, holding her round stomach.

Nick’s ears twitched. “You guys are having a girl?” he turned to Sergey, meeting his smug grin. Nick had brandished that same smile countless times before while going on and on about Leo, so he let him live it up. It was definitely something to be proud of.

“Speaking of babies,” Nick remembered, pulling the invite from his back pocket and handing it to Dura.

“Oh this is so cute!” Dura whined, her fingers tracing gently over the designs and raised stickers of the invite. “Callie wasn’t upset you chose an Orkish design?”

Nick shook his head. “She doesn’t like the whole ‘Leo lion’ thing,”

“Yeah it’s kinda mayonnaise,” she teased, carefully pinning it up on the bulletin board above the corner that housed her working computer. “How’s she been doing?”

“Good, good- today is her last day at work,”

Dura scoffed. “Just now going on leave, ah?”

“She gets restless easily,” Nick shrugged.

“I’m surprised her little legs keep up carrying that belly around,” Sergey voiced, and Nick nodded in agreement. “How about you, old man? Ready to be a dad?”

“Just counting down the days at this point,” he responded calmly with his palms rubbing together, but beneath the surface he was containing an excitement that made him feel like he could run the diameter of the world twice.

“When he’s screaming all night you’re gonna wanna go back and rethink those words,” Dura countered playfully.

“I guess we’ll see then,” he bumped Sergey’s arm as he’d began to chow down on a taco. “You ready?”

“Ready as I’ll ever be,” he mumbled through a mouthful, his slides already on and moving past Nick towards Dura.

She keened over Sergey adoringly, his thin face held in her hands and nodding at her persistent questioning while he rubbed the side of her stomach, eventually leaning in for a tight hug. Dura looked to be more reluctant about his departure than Sergey himself did, but that was expected. Callie had been the same way his first day back after his attack.

“Nauk-avurn votar avo avhiuk liavavle ni, ah?” she ordered gently, smoothing her hands across his head once more before exchanging a few kisses.

“Jiak'll alwayuk nauk-avurn avo mausan girluk,” Sergey grinned, bringing forth a dazzling smile from Dura.

Once more she hugged him, her arms tight around his neck and committing the moment to memory, more fearful than before that her husband wouldn’t return.

“Keep an eye on him,” she told Nick once separating from Sergey and walking them to the door.

“Won’t let him out of my sight.” He winked, patting her arm before following his partner back into the chilled afternoon.

The officers hunched through the small onslaught of rain, already wishing they were in their own homes and avoiding the miserable weather when they climbed into the cold truck.

“What if the rain is a bad omen?” Sergey mumbled, pulling out his next taco.

“If rain was a bad omen I wouldn’t even be with Callie,” Nick argued, and although Sergey’s mouth opened many times to argue, he ultimately kept silent, thinking over his words critically. Surely he didn’t know the true meaning behind that, but if it distracted him from the dread he was surely feeling, Nick would keep quiet and let him work it out.

“How’re you feeling?”

“Ehh, I still get sore sometimes, muscle spasms. I hope we’re not expecting to chase anyone down today,”

“I’ll do the chasing, your aim is better anyways,” Nick cracked.

“I’ll take the next chase,” he sighed.

Nick glanced at him as he navigated the narrow road and rain. “What’s up?”

Sergey shook his head. “We can’t talk about it,”

Ahh. “Still have questions?”

“About a million,”

“You know, you can always go and request a meeting with Kandomere. We can’t openly talk about it but you can-”

“I have. Four times,” he exhaled. “I keep getting rescheduled,”

“Keep at it. MTF is worse than the IRS,”

“I don’t know if they’ll even give me the answers I want. If they’re not even willing to talk then what’s the point,” he grumbled, nearly popping a sauce packet all over Nick’s truck as he angrily tore it with his sharp teeth.

Nick ran his tongue over his clipped tusks as he pondered. This could end badly. “What do you wanna know?”

Sergey looked at him as he chewed, his hairless brows furrowing. “Huh?”

Nick nodded encouragingly, silently bolstering him.

Sergey tucked his food away, turning his shoulders to better face Nick.

“Why was she there?” he asked first, and Nick glanced at his rearview mirror, counting down the seconds until the sirens came up behind them.

“She needed another Bright’s help to take down the one following her,”

“You’re a Bright!?” he yelled, but Nick hushed him despite knowing no pedestrians or drivers could possibly hear them.

So he shook his head, and when Sergey mouthed ‘Ward’ in question, his brilliant eyes widened. “He is!?” he hissed.

“She couldn’t find him so she found me,”

“How did she know you two?” he pressed, and Nick sighed, glancing at his mirrors again, but there was no flashes of red and blue trailing them.

“Years ago there was a similar incident she was involved in, that’s all I can tell you about that, but, just like this time she dragged us into some shit,” Nick detailed sparsely, but Sergey didn’t seem to be too up in arms over the vagueness.

“So me being there was completely coincidental?” Sergey mumbled sullenly, and Nick nodded.

“No one was ever meant to know, not even Callie,”

The younger Orc nodded, shifting back to face forward. They were approaching the precinct when Sergey huffed angrily, pulling Nick’s attention from the officer he gestured to at the front entrance.

“Here I thought I was chosen to be a part of something cool and all it was was coincidence- fuck that,” he rattled off hotly, gathering his food before he zipped up his hoodie and pulled his hood over his head. “That’s bullshit,”

Nick snorted softly. “You saved people from an explosion, remember? That’s pretty cool,”

“Oh yeah I’m a badass now,” he chuffed, opening the door a little viciously. Nick stifled most of his chuckle as they made their way through the parking lot and into the building, and it was Nick’s first relief when most of the officers who passed Sergey welcomed him warmly. There was always the few who either turned cheek or made a remark under their breath, but it was easy to block those unwarranted comments and steer him towards the locker rooms.

“That wasn’t what I was expecting,” Sergey admitted below his breath as they at last made it into the locker rooms.

Nick still gave Daryl’s former locker a glance every time he passed it, but the heartache that was significant the first day he’d not been to work after his early retirement was gone, and he could now recall the good days they had together on shared routes.

Nick opened his own, always fixing the photobooth strip that was surrounded by numerous photos of him and Callie, a few of Pucca and his parents, and a whole corner filled with only ultrasounds of Leo that he taped in order, from the very first wiggling blob of a heartbeat to the perfect cinnamon roll he already was.

Now Sergey could tape up his own of… wait a minute.

“Do you two have a name picked out?” Nick asked, bumping his arm.

“Mariak,” Sergey grinned. “It means ‘my beloved’,”

Being that Sergey was normally such a goofy person even when he had Dura around, it bewildered Nick to some extent to see him so smitten over his little girl, but Nick was also sure that if anyone from work witnessed how he himself acted around Callie and often had full conversations with her stomach, they’d be shocked to see his usual stoic demeanor so… mushy.

“It already sounds like it suits her,” Nick clapped him on the back, grinning when Sergey beamed proudly.

Small conversation passed between the Orcs as they changed, and just as Nick’s kevlar vest had been loose upon returning from his recovery, so was Sergey’s, but the men’s attention was pulled from his fittings when a fellow officer walked behind them, snorting in the direction of their open lockers.

“Is it part of clan law to have kids at the same time?” The heavier set officer mocked, walking by with his utility belt thrown over his shoulder.

Nick was ready to ignore the remark like so many others he’d brushed off, but out of the corner of his eye he spotted Sergey spinning quickly, and Nick immediately recognized the same protective fury he’d been forced to learn how to harness early on.

“Fuck you Andrews,” Sergey spat, Nick’s hand coming to his chest to bring him back a few steps.

“Oh calm the fuck down you grunter, it was a fuckin’ joke,” Andrews laughed, as if the slur meant nothing on top of his first jab.

Sergey pushed again, but Nick pushed harder.

“Keep your head on your shoulders, Malinka,” he ordered below his breath.

“They get to-”

“But they can use more against us than we can against them,” Nick said through a clenched jaw.

Nick got it- he really did. Letting go of any kind of insult in his childs direction was like chewing glass, but even if this one time was taken care of, it wouldn’t stop the others increased efforts to bring them down if the Orcs were known to snitch.

Sergey huffed unwillingly, pushing Nick’s hand away harshly to turn back to his locker.

Nick glanced at Andrews, the men exchanging differing expressions that said all the words they needed, but just as Nick’s silent snarl was rebuked, so was Andrew’s priggish smirk.

It was just another day Nick secretly wished Ward was still working. Even if they rarely worked side by side, having a human back-up meant he was able to snap back without fear of a full repercussion from the Chief. Now, he was Sergey’s safeguard; he couldn’t go jeopardizing either of them.

They finished tacking on the last of their gear, but Sergey still slammed his locker heatedly once he’d grabbed his phone.

“C’mon, we’re probably working Grand today,” Nick nudged his arm, and caught his brows perking up. “Putting assholes in cuffs always feels good.”

↠

A hard exhale puffed from her pursed lips, her elbow draped over her eyes and rocking in her office chair, but even being reclined and keeping movement constant didn’t completely appease the little one favoring one side of her hips to lean on.

No matter how she pushed back or resorted to kicking her heels off under her desk to walk circles in her office, Leo did his best to stand straight and break free of his ever shrinking home no matter how he tossed his mother about.

A particular hard jab against her bladder stirred a grunt, her knees pinching and jerking upwards.

“C’mon Leo, harass me at home but not here,” she lamented, smirking when he tapped gently under her rubbing hand.

“Is he using your insides as a trampoline?” came Tam’s voice, and she unveiled her eyes to find her peeking over her cubby.

“He’s bungee jumping with his umbilical cord,” Callie smiled weakly, her head dropping back as Tam laughed.

“You up for lunch? I brought wings for everyone,” her boss smiled coyly, but the immediate growl in Callie’s stomach banished the curiosity as to why she’d gone out of her way to buy such a luxurious lunch for everyone.

“I’m always in the mood for wings, c’mon now,” Callie sassed, graciously accepting Tam’s hands when she aided in getting Callie standing.

“Maybe it’ll get that little boy settled down,”

“He only stops when he’s tired,” Callie groaned, again accepting Tam’s elbow as they walked across the polished marble floors to the break room. A small trip through the branch couldn’t go without someone commenting on her size, always asking how close she was to popping. At first watching their faces shift between surprise then either disgust or amazement when it was revealed she wasn’t as far along as people assumed was funny, but now it just annoyed her. People became bolder the bigger she got, it seemed.

Maybe they assumed she wouldn’t try swinging in her condition if they kept egging her on…

“My branch isn’t gonna run as smoothly without you here,” Tam grieved, the girls taking a turn down the hall to the break room.

“I bet you’ll like the replacement more than me, but if any of you ruin how streamlined I have those orders now I swear I’ll hunt you,” Callie threatened.

She thought it odd when Tam stepped before her to grab for the doorknob, and eyed her suspiciously once stepping in, but the loud shouting from the many co-workers stood behind a table with assorted foods and a small cake brought her hands to her cheeks, stifling her wide smile as they cheered and clapped for her.

The glimmering banner that read ‘baby boy’ stretched across the narrow room said all she needed to know before spotting the gifts stacked atop another table, and Tam walked her in, everyone giving Callie a hug and wishing her best during her last day of work before maternity leave. The silver and gold decorations brought the usually drab breakroom to life, as well as the clammer that went on inside as she made her rounds, thanking every person who found the time to help with the surprise.

Curious hands found their way to her stomach, most of them knowing how active of a kicker Leo was. Plenty had seen her wince through presentations or conversations when he’d act particularly vivacious, and plenty had also helped her waddle across the building when Leo was ruthless.

Now, they had a chance to feel the calmer kicks and somersaults, most of the women stacking their hands and blubbering when they witnessed first hand how reactive he was to small taps and pokes.

But the more the hands piled on, the more Callie wanted to push them away; she could handle a few, but the insistent questions from every direction and clamor all around was making her fatigued, and sweat start to collect at her hairline.

“You look like you’re ready to pop right now!” Lupe, one of the new girls Callie was still warming up to exclaimed as she came up to hold her stomach a little aggressively. Her unusually long, square tipped nails always bothered her in addition to the tacky blue eyeshadow she caked on, but even if the girl was awkward and didn’t know boundaries, she was sweet and a good worker.

Callie laughed flatly. “Still have a month left,”

“Oh I’m sure you’ll go before then, are we doing bets? Who’s holding bets?” she turned to announce, running off to harass someone about it.

Callie shook her head, moving to a chair she could easily recline into.

“You okay hun?” Ellie came up next. They’d both been hired the same day those years ago and had excelled in different positions, but through all the competition, they’d had remained close. Ellie was also one of the few at the branch who had a good head on her shoulders and kept her nose out of other people's business, something that was hard to do in a building full of young adults that gossiped like mad.

“It’s just a lot,” Callie said lowly, fanning her warm cheeks.

“Do you want me to make everyone leave?”

“Nah, I’m hidden in the corner back here. I just need a minute,” Callie grinned, grabbing a cold water from the bucket beside her.

“Hopefully they give you a few minutes before the next wave comes.”

Callie scoffed, downing the cold water before fixing her camisole under her thick sweater. Another long breath, and she situated deeper into the stiff chair, holding her stomach protectively when someone moved to closely and she thought they were going to lean in for a touch.

Now that Leo was settling down, it made her reluctant to get up and interact with the people who had spent time and money on throwing this, but finally having a moment of peace in her own body made her aware to how tired she was. On top of restlessness, her son was just as restless, often keeping her up at night coupled with the heartburn and braxton hicks. When she figured no one was looking, she let her head rest back against the wall, her hand tracing across her belly where she felt one final swirl before probably falling into a nap.

“Cal!? Callie!?” she’d heard him yell, and tensed with a hidden, beaming smile when he came charging back into the room, his footing nearly lost as he jumped onto their bed.

“You’re pregnant? Is this yours? This is yours?” he exclaimed, pulling the blanket away.

“It’s been sitting there since we got home!” she laughed, squealing when he shouted and jumped, quickly pulling her into a bone crushing hug.

“Oh baby,” he wept, holding her face to kiss her repeatedly. “I’m so proud of you-” another kiss, “Oh my god,” he went on, burying his face against her neck when he wrapped his brawny arms around her waist, keeping her tight against his chest. “Oh I can smell it!” he sobbed, taking deep inhales past the stuffiness of his nose.

She wiped her teary eyes behind him, smiling against his mouth when he chanted thanks in Orkish, holding her face between his big hands.

“When did you take it?” he asked, sitting back so he could lean farther down to press his face to her flat stomach.

“At work,” she sniffled, holding his shoulders when he pulled her into his lap. She kissed the top of his head, embracing around his neck. With his cheek against her chest, he breathed deeply again and again, noticing the small differences of her scent this time around.

He continued to squeeze her in tight hugs and kisses, telling her how amazing she was, how proud he was; that this one was going to be their miracle.

“What if it happens again?” she asked quietly, as if saying it too loudly would determine this baby’s fate.

“It won’t. This one is yours,” he told her firmly, holding her head. “You’re gonna hold this one and watch it grow. I can see it in you already, baby. I think your body knows that this is it,” Nick told her sincerely, his thumbs wiping away the tears that slipped down her cheek.

She placed her hands over his, nodding with her eyes closed and their foreheads touching. “I’m really excited,” she confessed silently, smiling when Nick’s own gleamed up at her.

“Good, stay excited,” he pressed, kissing her again.

“What if-”

“No what if’s this time. We go with hope this time, okay? No more being cautious. It’s not good for you,” he pleaded, letting his breath go when she nodded hesitantly.

“I’ll try,”

The kiss he gave her was tender, and careful. It was a lot to ask her to be optimistic when she’d only been dealt unfair hands thus far, and he wanted to remind her that with every step or bump, he’d be there, shouldering the same struggles as best as he could. But even though he could feel the slight tension in her frame, he could also feel how much she bared to him, and in turn how much she trusted his words.

“We’re gonna have a baby,” she said softly, her dazzling smile filling him with warmth.

“We’re gonna have a baby!” He shouted, tackling her back onto the mattress and smothering her until she laughed.

The moment often came to her when she’d stare down at her size, always amazed at how much time had flown by and how little she worried for Leo’s passing now, but the memory had a way of bringing her back to herself. In moments where she felt unsure, or anxious- often when she wondered if she was ready for this new step in life, it reminded her that no matter the crowds or opinions around them, it was her and Nick. They’d jumped into parenthood hand in hand, and sometimes they looked at one another without a clue of what came next, but she was thankful he was there to be scared with.

No one else fought like they had to the point they were now or knew their unborn son like they did. Nick could tell if Leo was close to napping by the temper of his kicks, and if he talked long enough, he could seemingly hypnotize him into peace.

This one is yours.

Callie grinned against the palm of her hand.

He’s mine.

“Callie!”

Her head shot up, finding Tam motioning in her direction. “C’mon, we have games!”

The self indulgent moment was comfortably tucked away, and she stood to join her co-workers at the tables just as they’d started pulling out rolls of toilet paper.

↠

“Boy, seven arrests in one day!” Nick exclaimed, slapping Sergey’s palm forcefully after they’d stepped from the cruiser.

“Ah it’s just luck,” he brushed off, grabbing the latest arrest from the back seat. The middle aged woman tugged against his strong hold, but otherwise kept her blonde head bowed down in shame.

“Luck is finding dope in the trunk. All of this,” Nick shook the impressive pile of paperwork. “Is pure instinct. This is impressive for your first day back,”

“I didn’t think I’d jump at chasing someone,”

“And some tackling too, apparently,” Nick mumbled in Orkish, motioning towards the disheveled nature of the girl, more notably the deep scratches covering her arms after she’d been chased into some thicket.

“I have energy I can’t take out on Dura anymore,” he intoned, and Nick scoffed.

“I hear that,” he sighed in return, the pair entering the precinct. They were about to take a hard left to intakes when a flash of blue caught Nick’s eye, and he stopped Sergey.

Pointing down the hall, they both spotted Kandomere speaking to one of the detectives that had been called in from another state to help deal with a recent increase in dragon slayings that were out of season. As usual, the elf was calm and collected, and as usual, didn’t acknowledge the Orcs existence despite meeting their curious gazes.

“Now’s your chance,” Nick murmured.

“I have this,” Sergey muttered, but Nick quickly took hold of her cuffs, jerking his chin in Kandomere’s direction.

“The worst that can happen is you leave with the same answers you had before,”

Sergey exhaled, his hands flat against his chest. “He makes me nervous,”

“If you give him back the attitude it makes it easier to deal with,” Nick advised, shrugging when he eyed him dubiously. Sergey stared a moment longer before squaring his shoulders and puffing his chest.

“You sure you don’t mind?”

“Go for it.”

It was slow, but Sergey still headed down the hall with confidence in his frame, waiting patiently until Kandomere had finished his conversation before grabbing his attention. Nick couldn’t help but linger even as the woman in his hands commented on their stalling, waiting until Sergey was following the elf down the hall and turning to give him a thumbs up.

Nick released his breath, finally directing the woman to the back of the precinct to be processed, but as he walked, he came to a stunning realization.

Watching Sergey walk up to Kandomere had filled him with such anxiety that he was certain if the young Orc had been berated before the men and women surrounding them, he would’ve stepped in and shielded him from the lashing. Somewhere along the line, Nick had become fiercely protective of his partner, even willing to go as far as saying he was the younger sibling he’d secretly always wanted.

He already found himself wanting to smack him upside the head when he made bold strokes that would land them in hot water, and the two would often fall into near wrestling matches when either of their tempers flared, but it was also nice talking to someone who was on his side of the daily battles.

Someone who could identify with his struggles on a more relatable level. Venting to Callie or Ward always lessened the heartache, but knowing Sergey went home sometimes feeling the same weight on his shoulders didn’t make him feel better, but brought him to feeling content in his decision to become a cop. After years of battling hate and doubt, it was good to know someone else was as dumb as him to pursue such a dream.

Nick chuffed, startling the woman before him.

It could be his paternal instincts kicking in and asserting themselves over the people he cared for.

Either way. It seemed that Nick had taken Sergey under his wing in every sense, yet it made him prideful. He liked being able to share his knowledge and wisdom in hopes it would improve his experience.

Assuming I could keep him from being blown away by a Bright.

A rogue hand dipped into his pile of potato chips smothered in Tapatío, but before Nick could swing, Sergey plopped down before him with the chips crunching in his mouth.

“I keep forgetting to tell Dura to get me this,” Sergey groaned, snatching another chip despite Nick flicking his hand.

“How’d it go?” he inquired, bringing his late lunch closer to himself.

He could see the words processing in his eyes as Sergey opened his own, shrugging or scowling, eventually saying, “He really does have an attitude,’

Nick chuckled. “Told you,”

“I got my answers though. Now I can sleep knowing she won’t show up randomly,”

Nick’s brows furrowed. “He told you where she is?”

He nodded, opening his hearty chicken soup. “He didn’t tell you?”

“I never asked, actually,” Nick mumbled, leaning back in the small cafeteria chair. “Where is she?”

“Kamishak Bay,” he said before biting into his dipped crackers.

Nick blinked away the disbelief before sitting forward, his voice dropping a few octaves when he asked, “Kamishak actually exists?”

“Apparently,”

“They have like, Minotaurs there!” Nick hissed, his eyes wide with wonder, but Sergey snorted.

“Minotaurs don’t exist, dumbass,”

“Neither did Kamishak until fifteen seconds ago,”

Sergey opened his mouth to protest, but the more he thought it over, the more likely that all the creatures rumored to not exist suddenly held great possibility of roaming the Earth, and he matched Nick’s stance in leaning over their food before whispering, “I’ve always sworn I saw a Griffin once,”

That was when Nick thought maybe it was a little far-fetched to think they were housing creatures.

“Either way,” he went back to arranging his food. “Why take her there, though? She was dismantled,”

“Where else would they take her?”

Nick poked his chicken and rice, eventually shrugging. “Well I hope they threw away the key after locking her in.”

↠

A jaw stretching yawn Callie didn’t bother to cover went largely unnoticed by the account holders in line, but there was always that one that eyed her upon seeing someone yawn like a horse. She could really give two shits; after an extended lunch and keeping up with games and people, she wanted to nap for a full day, and the last hour of work had dragged on and on.

So had Leo’s insistent kicking, right against her bladder.

She didn’t make it five minutes into the final hour before texting Nick to come take her home early, and once she spotted the cruiser pulling up outside, she eagerly placed the ‘closed’ placard on her counter, catching the displeased sigh from an older woman who’d admittedly been waiting in line longer than anyone should, but once spotting Callie’s obvious condition after she slid down her chair and waddled into view, sympathy flickered across the woman’s hardened brows before she looked away stubbornly.

“You need help taking the bags out?” Tam asked over her office wall once Callie had started gathering the few filled to the brim with leftovers and various gifts.

“Nah it’s okay,” she grunted while standing upright with the bags in hand and purse over her shoulder. “Nick’ll be in here in a sec,”

“Wait wait-” Tam rushed around the wall, outstretching her short arms.

Callie frowned, placing the bags down to reach over her belly and embrace her boss tightly.

“My branch is gonna crumble without you here,” Tam greived, but Callie giggled. “Promise you’ll bring Leo in when he’s born?”

“I promise,” Callie smiled, giving her a final squeeze. They parted in time for a few more co-workers that had seen Nick come in to bid Callie a temporary goodbye. She could excuse the gentle belly pats this time as they in turn wished Leo best wishes, and in addition asked to see the little one once he made his debut.

Many goodbyes and promises later, Callie had her bags in hand and was waddling back to the cubby she had been set behind to grab her sweater when some rather peculiar conversation floated her way, and looked over to the two new girls stood by the fax machine behind the counter, staring out into the lobby with hungry eyes.

“No girl, I’ve seen him here before!”

“Have you talked to him?”

“He’s always working, I don’t wanna bother him,” the curly haired brunette whined, peaking over her shoulder. Callie followed her eyes, and nearly choked when it lead to Nick handing out stickers to a small mob of children.

Her brows pinched, thinking they must have been talking about someone else.

“You freak, you like Orcs?”

Callie scoffed under her breath. Nevermind.

“He’s mad cute bitch, don’t deny it!” She looked over her shoulder again, as if trying to catch Nick’s attention by staring long enough.

Callie’s eyes narrowed in thought as she pulled her sweater on; had she really gone without making it known that that cute cop was her cute cop? The very one that had planted this little boy in her belly? During the entire two weeks they’d started working there!?

“I’m gonna talk to him,” the brunette decided with unsteady confidence, tugging on the shoulders of her cardigan. “I don’t see a ring on his finger, either,” she winked, squealing when the other girl did.

Okay, that’s enough.

Although it would’ve been entertaining to see her waltz up to Nick on her cheap heels and try to woo him with her caked lashes, the territorial side of Callie was irked, and had she not been so exhausted, she might’ve had the energy to chew her out. This matter at hand was rearing its ugly face far too often to keep letting it slide.

“Go go, he’s free!” her co-worker encouraged, pushing the brunette towards the end of the counter.

“I can talk to him for you,” Callie smiled without even apologizing for eavesdropping, but the girls sparkling eyes only spelled excitement.

“Really!? You know him?” she beamed, shimmying her shoulders to spread her camisole a little farther.

Callie had to withhold rolling her eyes. “Yeah! He’s my baby daddy,”

The smile weakened, and the confusion across their faces almost stirred a hard snort, but before either could ask if she was serious, she was gathering her bags to click across the marble lobby.

She knew their eyes were following her, and upon walking up to Nick and seeing that his eyes although covered by his Clubmasters were only on her, and those lips curling into a toothy grin were about to meet hers really tempted her to pull him down for a searing liplock, but Callie reminded herself that the quick yet loving peck he left on her mouth coupled with his hand holding her face spoke louder than causing a commotion.

“What’s all this?” he asked, visibly scenting the air when the aroma of wings wafted upwards.

“Mini baby shower, and,” Callie stepped closer, pretending to struggle in handing over another bag. “The brunette behind the counter wants to get at you,”

Nick looked behind her, witnessing the girl fumbling to look occupied with anything else, and his brows flattened in mild disgust. “Good thing I only like strippers,”

Callie punched his chest, her knuckles cracking against his vest before they made their way towards the doors. She didn’t bother looking back, but didn’t care if they were still watching, even with Nick’s hand placed on her lower back and opening the heavy glass door for her. Maybe they’d ask around, and maybe she’d gain another enemy, but something she’d come to learn dating and now bearing the child of an Orc, is learning how to stand her ground like them.

“You’re coming in?” she asked when he too exited the cruiser with the gifts in hand.

“For a quick bite of these wings,” he grinned, jogging to the other side of the car to offer an elbow. When she grabbed ahold, she couldn’t resist squeezing his rock hard biceps that the uniform was becoming increasingly snug over. She grinned knowing her co-workers had admired him from afar, and knowing she could run her hands across his chiseled body at any moment had her blood racing.

“Tryin’ to get a feel of these guns?” Nick teased, tensing his arm so she’d titter.

“Si, do it again papi,” she whined in exaggeration, laughing louder when he tried to pull away from the awful pet name.

“Get your cute ass inside,” he ordered playfully.

“Okay ready?”

“Ready,” he said around a wing, holding his phone up with the camera open.

Callie turned with a yellow onesie striped with dark blue lines laying over her stomach, a blue beanie to match rested under her bust. “This is my favorite,”

“That’s the one,” Nick smiled, clicking a few pictures worth as she spun in various poses.

“Right!? I saw it and thought the same thing,” she whined lovingly, her hands over the onesie and swaying.

Nick grinned as he chewed, watching her look down at her stomach and rub her hands over the outfit, eventually sliding it up over her chest. “I can’t believe I get to hold him one day,” she smiled.

“Soon, not one day,” he corrected, grabbing for another wing as she held the clothing up one last time to gaze at it. Carefully she folded it away into a separate bag from the other gifts littered about the kitchen counter.

Turning his wrist to glance at his watch, he sighed. “I gotta get back,” he groaned.

“Yeah?” she glanced over her shoulder. “Rosie is gonna be here soon,”

“At least you can knock some stuff off the registry,”

She chuckled. “Yeah that’s true,”

His classic pout made her giggle once she finished organizing the bags, lifting her arms until he stepped into her hug. Even with the heavy vest and belt across his body she snuggled tight against him, tilting her face up.

“I want you to come with,” she groaned, her jaw held in his hand as he peppered her with sweet kisses.

“Me too,” another smooch, “but I gotta go make more ladies swoon,”

A brow kicked up as she gazed up at him. “Getting a big head now?”

“It was a joke,” he grumbled, reluctant to unwrap from her warm embrace.

“You know it happens a lot more than you think,”

Nick scoffed. “Quit fibbin’,”

“I’m not! Do you know how often I hear girls talking about you? Looking at all this muscle?” her hands added point by slapping his ass, but he only snorted. “I can’t stand the way they look at you,”

Now Nick’s brow kicked up, the beginnings of a smirk creeping across his mouth.

“It’s not funny!” she exclaimed, leaning back enough to slap her hand against his chest.

“Do you get jealous?” he dared asking, smiling when her big eyes narrowed.

“I do,” she admitted lowly.

“You know I don’t look at anyone else,” he devoted softly against her lips before placing another kiss there. “I don’t even notice it,”

“I do. They can fuck off and get their own cop,” she blistered, the temper of her eyes rising as she tugged on his hips possessively. His mouth sealed over hers, a low moan hatching in her throat as his wide palms smoothed up her curved spine, his fingertips finding her hot skin as he made it up across her shoulder blades.

“Too bad humans can’t smell who you’ve fucked,” he whispered against her jaw, pressing his face flat against her neck when he caught the first hint of her arousal soaking through her panties.

“Too bad I can’t fuck you in the middle of a crowd when I see someone staring,”

Nick laughed. “Welcome to my world,”

“You can fuck me right now?” she breathed, arching back to find his face. “Fuck me so they know who I belong to,”

His eyes fluttered, a searing flush firing up his body. She was so unbelievably sexy and didn’t even know it.

A short gasp tumbled from her lips when he lifted her onto the countertop, reaching for the velcro on his sides but stopping when she grabbed for his hands.

“Keep it on,” she smiled, bringing his lips to hers. “Lemmee fuck my man in uniform,”

Nick whined, relieved he didn’t have to waste any time in stripping off the gear across his body, and quickly worked on his belt and pants as she wiggled side to side to pull her tight skirt up, all the while continuing to kiss him hurriedly.

His open mouth found her slender neck when his heavy dick fell into her grasp, pulling her closer to the edge of the counter and poking blindly until his thick head pushed between her slick lips.

The sweet burning of his girth always made her head roll back, a long sigh billowing out as he buried himself deep in her pussy. Her fingers hooked over the collar of his vest, clinging to him desperately as he made long, slow passes in and out, his forehead against her shoulder so he could see her juices shimmering across his cock.

“Is’so good,” he slurred, the heavy hands that had been on her hips moving roughly up to the crook of her spine when she bowed backwards, her heels hooking the cabinets below them and knees spreading farther.

Callie sang before him, jaw hung and gripping the hand that had grasped the collar of her camisole for better leverage when his hips started rutting harshly against her.

She smiled when noticing how concentrated he was on where they came together, the gear across his body doing nothing to hinder his rocking hips or fervent hands wandering across her form.

All that mattered was the slick heat engulfing him, and the way she whimpered his name and reached down to gently touch where he entered.

“Harder, Jakoby,” she gasped, and his dilated eyes shot to hers.

“What?” he breathed.

“I said fuck me harder, Officer Jakoby,” she ground out, using her heels to pull him closer.

She saw the feral shift in his eyes before she was suddenly being dragged off the counter and spun, his big hands pulling the skirt farther up her hips.

It took only moments to find her center again and squeeze in, his groin pressed tight against her ass. Callie moaned, pressing her ass tighter against him. She wanted him deep; she wanted to cry out every time he slammed in.

And she did. He fired into her with an iron grip at her hips, the head of his dick shooting delicious shocks high into her gut and making her eyes roll back.

A choked cry forced it’s way past her clenched jaw, her elbows landing on the countertop. The dizzying pleasure made her knees weak, but she was sure even if she went limp that Nick would hold her in a dangle and still finish.

She wouldn’t mind, of course.

A burning slap to her ass cheek made her bow, her eyes pinching shut. A thick handful of her hair craned her neck, a louder cry ringing off the walls.

“Say it again,” Nick groused into her ear, his voice shaking with his hard thrusts.

“Fuck me harder, Officer-” she strangled, crying out when his foot pushed at her inner ankle and spread her thighs farther.

She could hear the keys to his belt jingling, the gear clicking and shifting; she considered reaching back to touch his gun, but when a brilliant fire started to grow in her groin, her breaths started to come in pants.

“Nick- I’m gonna cum-” she gasped, reaching back blindly, but her wrist was snatched and held against her lower back, a loud growl following from Nick as he savored the way his impacts shot up her body, relishing in how her moans came forth in cries and whimpers.

His girl had kept a dirty secret from him after all this time, and her body was alive under his touch. Heaving, begging, writhing- he drank it all in, and when her pussy started to tighten around his cock, he leaned his head back, slowing to long strokes.

Her muffled words confirming her climax barely floated to his ears as he basked in the pulses, massaging every inch he hid inside and now gripping her sides hard enough to make her cry out when it was enough to send him over the edge. He still carried on with the slow strokes, milking himself into her tight center, their juices mingling and dripping from her flushed cunt onto the tile floors.

He sang her name repeatedly, his stomach stiff from clenching and thighs shaking the longer he forced himself to stay buried inside her.

Nick’s eyes peeled open to look down at the way he slipped from her slowly, his wet dick falling heavy from her filled hole.

He leaned over to kiss her shoulder, leaning onto the counter when she turned her head lazily to kiss him, her dark tresses tangled before her face. The two panted as he rested over her, his face pressed against the back of her neck and his dick pressed against her folds as they both came floating back down to earth.

“There’s so much,” she whimpered, looking down at the mess between their feet.

“I’m sorry,” he slurred, pushing off the counter and stiffly standing upright.

She was pushing her skirt down her hips by the time he sauntered from the kitchen and towards the bathroom, the gear across his body heavier than before.

Callie held her stomach as she went about cleaning the mess they’d made, but never before had she wanted more than to just flop onto her bed and sleep, even with Nick’s load still inside her. Doggy always took it out of her; in that position, he found the deepest her pussy stretched and filled it completely, sometimes finding it’s end if she were positioned just right.

She slapped the used wipe into the trash and leaned against the counter, her stomach knotting uncomfortably.

“Are you okay?” Nick asked with concern, holding her sides when he came back up behind her.

“I think you pressed my labor button,”

“WHAT!?” Nick shouted, his hands retracting and spinning her by the shoulders.

Callie giggled. “I’m joking,” she grinned, watching the color return to his face. “That was just a hard session,”

“I did what you asked,” he said bashfully, still a little lightheaded from that sudden rush of panic.

“I know baby, but he-” she jabbed her finger in Leo’s direction. “Is mad he got thrown around,”

Nick snorted, imagining how jostled Leo really might’ve been during that. “Are you gonna be okay going out?”

“Oh yeah. If I have to I’ll use one of those scooters,” she smiled with an eye closed as their son kicked angrily into her ribs.

“Just be careful. I gotta bounce,” he leaned down to bless her lips with a few soft kisses, his hand cupping under her jaw.

“Be safe,” she frowned, looping her arms around his waist one more time for a tight hug.

“Always am.” He said into her hair, bending over to kiss her stomach and mumble to Leo before grabbing his sunglasses and phone to leave. They said their I love you’s softly to one another at the door, a final kiss passing before he skipped down the porch and to the cruiser parked in the driveway.

She lingered at the door until he was on the street, smiling when he chirped the sirens and flashed the lights before driving away.

“Oh God oh God oh God.” Callie spun to race down the hall towards the bathroom, her bladder near exploding.

Callie let out an animalistic noise as she struggled out of Rosie’s sedan, her back stiff and hips sore.

“Add a belly band to the list,” Rosie had jogged around her car to help straighten Callie up.

“It’s going at the top,” she winced.

The two were slow going across the wet parking lot, but walking was easier than standing for extended periods which Callie quickly found herself in when the woman behind the counter proved she shouldn’t even be able to breathe and blink at the same time let alone work at Target. A sour beginning to a night they’d both been looking forward to, but after two more associates chased off the dense worker, Callie had a scanner in hand and a growing grin as she made her way deeper into the store.

“Thank you, next,” she sang after scanning a few nursing bras with Rosie beside and sharing sage advice she’d accumulated over the years.

It amazed Callie just how much went into pregnancy aftercare; spandex bands that squeezed muscles back into shape, the Dermaplast that would help ease the burning after pushing Leo out- even panty liners!

“You’ll never sneeze without peeing a little ever again,” Rosie explained, taking the upper hand in scanning the packs multiple times. “Always cross your legs,”

She followed her older sister a little dispondantly after that. Maybe a c-section wouldn’t be the worst…

Rosie glanced back when her fawning over a baby blanket set went unanswered, finding Callie looking down at her stomach.

“No, a c-section wouldn’t be better,” she guessed, and Callie looked at her skeptically.

“How-”

“Cuz I thought the same thing, now c’mere, look,” she jerked her head in the direction of the blankets, pleased when quite the handful were scanned.

“I’m not a fan of the blue,” Callie mumbled as she skimmed through what they’d selected so far.

“It’s impossible to avoid though,”

“Yeah I guess,”

Rosie was running her hand over a luxurious velvet sweater when a particularly sour topic came forth, chewing her lip in hesitation before deciding to speak on it. “Trish wants to help with the baby shower,”

She’d expected Callie to brush that off rather quickly, but not the genuine holler of laughter she let out, a hand on her chest as she leaned back into the whooping.

“That amusing, huh?”

“C’mon, you know she’s just doing it to stick her nose in my business so she has more shit to talk,” Callie rolled her eyes, scanning the small sweater.

“Hasn’t done much of that lately, actually,”

“But when I asked to see Yare she had to call dad and cry that I was the one out of line, right?” she looked back, her lips in a flat line and eyes wide in wait.

Rosie tried to fight the facts, but in the end, she settled with, “Yeahhh,”

“I fought years to get to this point and I’m not gonna let her ruin it, Rose- I don’t care how upset it makes everyone,” Callie scanned clothes angrily, her arm snapping with every barcode inputted.

“I get that but-”

“No buts! Everytime I miscarried she found some way to pin the blame on me just when I’d start to convince myself there was nothing I could do to stop it from happening,” Callie snapped, the old, bitter emotions crawling out from the closet she’d stuffed them into with her skeletons. “I would never blame what happened with Michael on her but if you show any sign of weakness around her, she attacks. Fuck that noise,”

Rosie nodded, following silently behind as Callie clicked the scanner vehemently over random objects whose purpose in raising a baby was unknown, but she could barely see past the fresh, stinging tears brimming in her eyes.

“For three years I tried to have what you two could do in your sleep and when it happened, all she said was ‘was that so hard’?” Callie looked back at Rosie whose brows were furrowed in horror.

“She said that?” she hissed, grabbing Callie’s arm when she tried to turn away. “Why didn’t you say anything?”

“What’s another knife in the back?” she murmured, wiping her eyes quickly.

“Ay chaparrita,” Rosie keened, pulling Callie to her side and resting her cheek against her head as she composed herself, the tears wiped away on Nick’s thermal she’d borrowed. A few sniffles later and she was stepping away, running her fingers through her hair and letting a deep breath go. “I’ll tell her to stay back. I wish you would’ve told me sooner though,”

“It’s one of those things that are harder to repeat than first hearing it,”

“I hear that. Look,” Rosie reached for a set of swaddlers. The chubby lion was at the center of the sunflower yellow wrap, it’s big eyes and blocky mane striking a chord in Callie.

She scoffed and sniffled again. “I don’t like the Leo lion thing,” she mumbled.

“But this? This is fucking cute. I wish they would’ve had this kind of stuff when I had Joaquin,”

“Mm… Nick would like it,” she noted, scanning the set and handing it back. “It is kinda cute,”

When a few more were handed down from Rosie, she scanned them, less enthusiastic as before.

Rosie felt for her. She knew just as well how vicious their older sister could be, how willing she was to fire at people when they were at their lowest.

In a heated argument once before, she’d asked Rosie how she could’ve made the mistake of leaving her children unattended long enough to find their way into death's arms, and it had been the cause of her second relapse back into Ambien, desperate to sleep away the words that were left branded into her skin. Sometimes, she had to remind herself that just because she’d patched the crack between them crudely didn’t mean others were ready to do the same.

“No more talk about Trish, yeah? I’m sorry I brought it up, she’s just been at my neck about it,” Rosie sighed.

“If she’s so adamant she should just come to me, but that’s like a nun touching a dick,”

Rosie’s face soured. “Nick’s given you a foul mouth,”

“It’s cuz of where my mouth has been-”

“Okay enough,” Rosie wiggled her hands before Callie’s face. “Your son is listening!”

“Poor thing was forced to listen to the fucking Nick laid on me today,” Callie panted playfully, fanning her cheeks.

“You probably poked one of his eyes out,” Rosie said through the corner of her mouth, earning a hard smack to her arm. “Is that why you’ve been walking weird?”

“Mind your own business.” Callie smarted, scanning three different brands of the baby slings Nick had told her of numerous times.

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

we're definitely shifting into a little slice of life kinda writing, but DON'T YOU ALL WORRY CUZ YOU KNOW I ALWAYS HAVE SOME SHIT JUST AROUND THE CORNER FOR THESE TWO <3 if anyone caught when callie said there was only a month left until Leo's predicted birth, it might give you a little insight as to when we might expect him! ;D i apologize the updates have been staggered! i hit a rather nasty bout of writers block and THEN artists block AND THEN DEVELOPED A SINUS INFECTION so i've been clogged in every aspect hahaha

anyways, i hope you enjoyed the chapter! feedback is always appreciated! 💛

Translations: -Nauk-avurn votar avo avhiuk liavavle ni, ah? - come home to this little one, ah? -Jiak'll alwayuk nauk-avurn avo mausan girluk - i'll always return to my girls

[faejilly]

malec and 19 please uwu

19: cuddling while someone’s sick

uh, this went somewhere a little sideways, and then kept GROWING, because #MerMay does that to me? Also apparently I am terrible at sick!fic because this is really not that. Feel free to drop another prompt if you’d prefer I attempt that next time, nonny.

Magnus is surprised, the first time he’s in Alec’s rooms at the Institute, to discover he has a private bathroom with an actual tub. Not only that, it’s clearly a custom tub, deep and long enough to fit all 6′3″ of Alec’s impressive height without overflowing around his (equally impressive) shoulders.

He’s also got three different types of bath salts lined up on the ledge against the wall, none of them scented with much of anything, in Magnus’ opinion, but still. They’re there.

He stands and blinks for a moment, then spins right around to find Alec and ask if he’d like to join him for a bath.

They haven’t christened Alec’s suite yet, might as well start with the bathroom. He’s pretty sure Alec will enjoy that plan.

***

Alec has stretch-marks on his hips and thighs; not surprising, considering the probability of teenage growth-spurts, but they’re heavy enough Magnus can feel them beneath his fingertips when he runs his hands down Alec’s legs, and sensitive enough Alec’s breath catches every single time he does it.

They’re thickest on the inside of his thighs, so every time Magnus might manage to start to wonder about them, about the way Alec’s back twists, pushing him into Magnus’ touch even as he looks like he wants to pull away, Magnus gets distracted by the way Alec’s eyes close, lashes heavy against his cheeks, the lift of Alec’s hips and the heat beneath his skin.

They both enjoy what always happens next.

***

Magnus likes the tub, and never really stops to think about it. Alec likes baths. And showers. Whenever he is particularly stressed, whenever the current crisis has finally broken, or paused enough that they can risk a break, Alec will stand in the shower ‘til the water’s tepid, and even then it sometimes takes two or three tries to pull him free and make him eat dinner and stagger off to bed.

Alec likes rain, even the cold sharp-edged storms they get in the fall. He never seems to mind water dripping down his collar. He tilts his head back and blinks into sudden summer showers, and has a ridiculous collection of tides and storms and waterfall pictures for wallpaper on his screens in his office, and occasionally he’ll let his fingertips rest gently on the images before he puts his work away.

Alec likes taking Madzie to the aquarium every single time she asks, and seems to enjoy it as much as she does every single time. (Magnus and Catarina no longer go with them. There are only so many times Magnus can listen to the same educational dolphin show in his lifetime, and he’s pretty sure he passed it months ago.)

The only stories Jace and Isabelle share of Alec sneaking away from the Institute when they were young involve the beach, even if it was the middle of winter and no one in their right mind would enjoy the breeze off the North Atlantic.

Those are the only stories anyone seems to have of Alec behaving remotely like a child at all. His entire rebellion, sneaking away to a beach to watch the sunrise.

Well, until Magnus, at least.

Magnus is Alec’s exception to every rule.

Magnus enjoys that.

***

Magnus doesn’t put it together until Alec spends a little too long in the Southwest, helping to coordinate a round-up of baby basilisks who’d been let loose thanks to a truly incompetent breeding ring the High Warlock of Mexico City had discovered. Alec staggers out of his return portal with fever-bright cheeks, the rest of him looking oddly pale for someone who’d presumably been half-cooked in the desert, croaks out the word bath, dropping bits of gear in a trail before he literally collapses into the tub a bare instant after Magnus summoned water to fill it. If he’d been a half a second faster he probably would have broken something from the impact with the porcelain, but he doesn’t seem to care. He sighs, and lets his head fall under the surface, still wearing his undershirt, which shifts around, trying to billow free, then falling back to stick to his skin.

Magnus blinks.

Alec doesn’t lift his head for a very long time.

When he does he just blinks up at Magnus, reaching an arm out and whining, a sound which should not at all be adorable, but undeniably is.

Magnus strips, and slides carefully into the water, adjusting until he’s leaning against the back and Alec is curled up on his chest. They don’t talk, Alec slowly relaxing until he’s half asleep, and Magnus carefully slips a warming spell into the water twice before he finishes rotating the conclusions he’s just reached around and around in his head.

He can’t quite make them fit.

Well.

It fits entirely too well, Maryse’s paranoia and the bath salts Magnus has never actually seen Alec use, the way he reacts to water, to the lack of it. The stretch-marks that aren’t quite normal.

But he’d tell Magnus something like that, wouldn’t he? Especially after all the things Magnus has told him, things he’d never thought he could tell anyone…

Alec shifts in Magnus’ arms, turning his head to nuzzle against Magnus’ chest. Not properly awake, but more than he was a minute ago.

“I know something that helps me relax when I feel ill.” Magnus has to hold tight control of himself so he doesn’t tense, so his hands don’t clench, so his voice doesn’t waver. “Would you like me to add some of your bath salts?”

Alec jerks, and Magnus doesn’t think it’s just because he’s startled by Magnus’ voice. He lifts his head and stares at Magnus. His mouth opens, and Magnus can see his throat working, but not a sound comes out.

“Is that a no, darling?” Magnus is not entirely sure if he’s angry or hurt or confused, and he doesn’t think he can stand it. Enough slips through to make that last word more vicious than he’d intended, but he can’t completely regret it when Alec flinches, because if he wasn’t sure before, he is now. Alec is hiding something from him.

He pushes, and Alec lets him, and he pulls himself out of the tub, water splashing everywhere and his eyes burning and he wants to break something, everything.

He’s not quite steady on his feet on the tile when Alec’s hand wraps around his wrist, the grip a shade too tight. Magnus yanks as he turns, trying to free himself, but he can’t, he doesn’t even know if he really wants to, and Alec’s fingers burn into Magnus’ skin. Magnus looks at him; Alec’s mouth is open and his other hand is pressed to his throat and he’s staring, staring, eyes so wide and impossibly dark and…

“Do I smell brine?”

Alec’s whole body sags with something that looks like relief, his hand slips off Magnus’ arm and he manages half a nod before he seems to lock up again.

Despite his best intentions, Magnus lets the pinpricks of curiosity make their way past the ache in his chest, and he ducks down to look Alec right in the eyes, close enough Magnus’ breath makes the drops of water on Alec’s face shiver.

“Sea magic?”

Alec doesn’t move, but there’s something in his eyes.

“Sea curse?”

Alec blinks just once, slow and deliberate.

“You literally can’t say anything right now, can you?”

There’s no answer at all, not even another blink, which is more than answer enough. But Alec does manage to stare sideways towards the row of bath salts, and Magnus’ throat feels too tight to breathe through.

If he’s read Alec’s expression wrong? This could have terrible consequences. Sea curses are strong, and never fade, never will, until the tides themselves cease moving.

But Magnus trusts Alec.

Alec trusts him too, Magnus knows. He knows.

He should have known.

Magnus swallows the burn in the back of his throat, and carefully flicks his fingers to knock the smallest container of bath salts over, letting them spill into the tub.

Alec’s back arches and he splashes back under water and the flash of magic across Magnus’ senses is blinding, for all it’s not literally visible.

When he can see again, he’s staring at someone who is even less human than most warlocks, and yet clearly still Alexander. Magnus reaches out, until his fingertips just brush against the familiar line of Alec’s jaw. His skin feels thicker somehow, cooler, more taut against his bones. His nose and ears are less pronounced, but the cheekbones are the same, and the shape of his eyes, though the pupil is wider and the whites are now a cloudy grey.

And his eyelashes are gone.

“You have no hair.”

Alec’s eyes widen, and then his mouth drops open and his shoulders shift and the gills on the sides of his neck flutter, and Magnus tilts his head to watch. There’s the faintest breathy tremble in the air, and very familiar crinkles surrounding Alec’s eyes.

The extra interior eyelid coming half-way in from the sides of his eyes is less familiar, but still lovely, the skin practically opalescent, and so thin as to almost be transparent.

“Are you laughing at me?”

Alec nods this time, exaggerated and emphatic.

“I’m sorry, I have a lot of questions, and maybe that was not the right place to start but you have rather a lot of hair that I’m quite fond of when you’re uh. Human?” Magnus wrinkles his nose. That sounds oddly dismissive of this lovely merman in front of him, as if it’s lesser rather than different, but he’s not sure how else to phrase it. “Not that you aren’t still gorgeous.”

Alec ducks his head as if uncomfortable with the compliment, and Magnus realizes some of his odd inability to see his own beauty is probably because half the time it’s not human beauty at all.

“Can I see?” Magnus asks, gesturing backwards with a flick of his fingers.

Alec lifts his chin, the start of a smile caught in the edges of his still expressive lips, a hint of mischief in his eyes, and he slides backwards in the tub.

He also lifts his tail and slaps it over the edge of the tub, splattering water across Magnus’ face.

Magnus sputters, and Alec’s smile widens, clearly delighted and, if Magnus isn’t mistaken, relieved by Magnus’ reaction.

Magnus smiles back, and Alec blinks slowly, his two sets of eyelids clearly visible again, and Magnus thinks that, if he could, Alec might very well be blushing. There is something shy in the tilt of his shoulders, in the shifting of his hands.

Which is as good a place as any to start. Magnus looks at his hands. Three fingers instead of four, a longer thumb, webbed and claw-tipped. The webs between his fingers are the same shimmery silver as his eyelids, the claws short and blunt and black. The shape of Alec’s body is different, his shoulders not as broad, his stomach not as trim, the muscles of his torso longer and leaner beneath the shift of scattered scales.

The scales thicken over his hips, right in line with the stretch-marks, and his tail is entirely covered in them, shining silver and matte black stripes, the wide fin at the end silver with black trim.

“You’re so beautiful, Alexander.” Alec smiles again, small and soft and pleased. “May I kiss you?”

Alec’s eyes widen, clearly surprised, but he nods and leans forward, and Magnus moves in. It’s a small kiss, a slight brush of lips, soft and cool, but as always with Alexander, it’s more than enough to make Magnus’ chest warm with joy.

They smile at each other for a lingering moment, no sound in the room except a few more drips of water from their assorted splashings in and out of the tub.

“Do we have to wait until you’ve turned all Nephilim-y again to talk?”

Alec nods again, lifting his chin, his hand resting over the base of his neck in order to show off the line of his throat.

Magnus hums, wondering if his skin tastes different now. He sees that same flutter of gills like Alec’s laughing, and it takes him a moment to realize that Alec was trying to show him something specific.

The lack of an Adam’s Apple. “No larynx?”

Alec lifts a hand and does an up and down tilt, sort-of.

“Not the right kind of voicebox? Your mouth and tongue are probably the wrong shape too, aren’t they.”

Alec nods this time.

“So you can make noise?”

Alec wobbles his hand again, and ducks his head under the water. His mouth is closed, but he’s clearly doing something because Magnus can feel it through the tub, a hum against his arm where he’s leaning on the edge, and there’s an odd echo in his ears that he can only half hear, that reminds him of whale song only lighter and sweeter. There’s a tug somewhere in the vicinity of his heart, but before Magnus can wonder about it Alec lifts up, shaking his head, a finger pressed to his lips.

Magnus is not entirely sure if that means only in the water or if there’s something dangerous about that tug he’d felt, something like a literal siren’s song. And for all he’d love to spend the next month getting to know merman-Alec, he also really needs some answers.

“How do we get your voice back?”

Alec points at the towel, then flops gracelessly sideways to unplug the tub’s drain. Magnus snorts something that’s half-a-laugh, grabs a towel and tosses it over Alec’s head, and heads out to the bedroom to find some clothes.

Eventually they’re both dry (with legs) and in pajamas and snuggled up in bed with summoned tea so they neither of them have to leave the room.

“Thank you for figuring it out.” Alec’s tea is tucked right up against his chest so he can inhale the last lingering wafts of steam. His other hand is tangled with Magnus’, his fingers still holding tight as if he can’t yet believe it, as if he can’t stand the idea of ever letting go. “I hated not being able to say anything, I’m so sorry.”

“But there’s no trouble now?” Magnus rubs his thumb against Alec’s knuckle. They’re both speaking quietly, as if even here, alone in the bedroom, it’s too risky for more.

“The Curse only prevents us from talking to anyone who doesn’t already know.”

“Us? Do Jace and Isabelle know?”

Alec, surprisingly, shakes his head. “Jace knows there’s something, I think he can feel something through the bond when I change, but he hasn’t figured it out and I can’t tell him, I can’t even tell him that there’s something I can’t tell him? So he ignores it. It’s possible the Curse influences him a little too, just enough that he can’t manage to really think about it, or ask the right questions.”

Magnus frowns and pushes further back against the headboard so it’s easier to look sideways at Alec’s face. “That’s both nasty and comprehensive.”

“It is, isn’t it. I don’t know if you’ll be able to say anything about it to anyone or not, even in the hypothetical.” Alec sighs. “Mom’s the us. She’s.” Alec gestures down at his legs, and Magnus can’t help but wonder what Maryse’s tail looks like. Can’t help but wonder how much her hidden heritage had to do with how desperate she was to join the Circle, if she was trying to drive it out of herself even more than the poor Downworlders she attacked. Magnus shakes his head. That’s for another time.

“The mer blood is in the Trueblood line,” Alec says. “But it doesn’t manifest for everyone, so Izzy and Max…”

“Don’t change, so they don’t know, so you can’t tell them.” Magnus finishes the sentence for him.

Alec nods. “Mom’s brother didn’t have it, or her dad, but her Grandfather did. Suppose we’re really lucky he lived long enough to explain it to her.”

“Does Robert know?”

“I never quite had the nerve to ask my mother that. I don’t think he does, though. You had to put it together, and I don’t. I don’t think it would have occurred to him to think that much about what makes Mom tick.”

Magnus squeezes Alec’s hand and shakes his head. There’s nothing that will make that better, especially since Magnus thinks Alec’s probably right. "Tell me about the curse.“

“When Adam Trueblood Ascended, he wouldn’t let his wife Mara attempt it. Which wasn’t that unusual at the time, women weren’t usually considered as potential soldiers, and as long as one parent was Nephilim their children would be too, so no one really cared. In fact, some people preferred it, considering the success rate, but either way, it was noted in the family history.”

Magnus feels a twist of something queasy in his gut. He has a sneaking suspicion this is not a pretty story. “But he had more reason than usual.”

“He didn’t know what it’d do to give the Cup to a mermaid. Especially one without her Heart.”

“Oh demons, that’s horrifying.” Magnus has to close is eyes for a breath. He knows what that is, a mer’s Heart isn’t actually their heart, it’s a scale. The scale. He doesn’t know how to tell which; the question had always simply been an academic one, as he didn’t know there were still mermaids around anywhere. Plus it’s not as if he’d want to steal someone’s magical heart. It works like a selkie’s skin; without it they’re never whole, and they can’t return to themselves, trapped forever in a human skin.

Hearts are also used in a lot of dark magic. There’s an old myth that eating a mermaid’s heart grants immortality, and more than a few people had attempted to find some truth to that, back when mer were common, either magically or literally, with both the physical heart and the Heart-scale.

Alec makes a half-choked noise of agreement. “Their children thought so too, when they figured it out, but.”

Magnus definitely doesn’t want to know. “But?”

“When they tried to steal the Heart back to return it to their mother, Adam destroyed it.”

Magnus closes his eyes, but it doesn’t help. “What happened to Mara?”

“We’re not sure.” Alec’s hand slips free, his body shifts, and Magnus can hear the faint tink of Alec’s mug tapping against his table before his arms are back, settling around Magnus to keep him close. “There are a couple different theories. It might have killed her instantly, or her magic went wild and eventually she poured so much out she died, or perhaps she killed herself with it on purpose. The worst version is that it turned her feral, and her own children had to kill her.”

Magnus wraps himself around Alec as much as he can, pressed against his side, clinging to his chest. It’s horrifying on her behalf, of course, but Magnus can’t help but be much more afraid of such a thing happening to Alexander.

Alec kisses the top of Magnus’ head, and Magnus squeezes a little tighter before he manages to relax his grip a bit.

“Her children returned Mara to the sea. It was the only thing they thought they could do for her.”

Alec’s silent for a moment. Magnus waits. He’ll wait forever for Alec to find the words he needs, especially for this.

Especially after he almost didn’t wait, almost didn’t trust his Alexander.

“When sky meets sea, neither breathesblood covers the land between

too much, too soon, too little, too late

Neither will ever be home again

Trueblood’s children share Mara’s fatecaught between

love and lies, hope and rageVoiceless, Heartless

They will never have a home again”

There was a lilt to Alec’s voice that Magnus had never heard before. Not just the studied edge of recitation, not just the rhythm of the words themselves, but the lift of tides, the weight of grief.

“The day after their mother died, after they returned her to the sea, Mara’s children woke up changed, with the sound of the ocean in their dreams.”

“And some of you still do.”

“And some of us still do,” Alec agrees. “Beyond that, we’ve lost most of the details. The first time we’re in saltwater we change, but after that it’s usually something we have control over, unless we’re very tired or have been away from water for too long.”

“That’s why today you couldn’t stop it.”

“Thankfully.” Alec kisses the top of Magnus’ head again, and Magnus turns to tuck his smile against Alec’s shoulder.

“I’m sorry I almost didn’t listen. I know you better than to think—”

“That I’d hide a gigantic personal secret from you?” Alec huffs out a breath, heavy enough Magnus can feel his hair move. “I couldn’t help it, but to be fair to yourself, you weren’t wrong.”

“You’ll have to tell me how much the books get wrong about the mer.”

Alec sighed. “Won’t be able to, I’m afraid.”

Magnus pulled back just far enough to look into Alec’s face. “Really?”

“Voiceless, Heartless.” Alec taps his chest, right above his heart. “I can feel the sea in here, can feel the tug towards other mer when I’m in the ocean, but I don’t know where they are, or how to find them. Even if I could, I couldn’t ask them anything, couldn’t tell them why I don’t know what I am.”

Oh. Magnus’ mouth moves, but he can’t quite make a sound.

“I can feel the magic in me, but I can’t touch it.”

Magnus shudders, tries to imagine growing up with his father’s fire in his veins and no way to use it, no way to balance out the fear of the first time he saw his own true eyes with the singing of magic in his soul. “I’m so sorry, love.”

“Not your fault.”

Magnus rolls his eyes. Never claimed it was.

“But thank you.” Alec’s hands are as warm as usual again as he cups Magnus’ jaw and pulls him in for a gentle kiss. “I’m so glad you know.”

Magnus hums, half appreciation, half agreement. “You’ll have to take me swimming some day, see if we can figure any of it out.”

Alec stills, eyes gone wide. “You think we can?”

“I doubt any of the other Trueblood children had a Warlock with a vested interest in teaching them magical theory.”

Alec’s startled expression softens into a warm smile. “I’m sure they didn’t. Poor them.”

Magnus grins back. “It’s always been assumed that the mer were closer to Seelie than Warlock in terms of magic and bloodlines, but no one knows for sure. Besides, a lot of the, hmm. Mechanics are similar, and I know a bit about how the Seelie do things.”

“Worth a try.” Alec kisses him again, leaning in even as he’s speaking, as if he can’t control himself, can’t stop himself, wouldn’t want to even if he could. “Plus, any excuse for a beach vacation?”

Magnus attempts to feign an innocent expression. “Would I need an excuse for a beach vacation?”

Alec snorts. “I suppose not.”

Whatever he was about to say next disappears into a gigantic yawn, and Magnus swallows a snicker. “Come on then, we’ll figure out logistics tomorrow.”

Alec hums in agreement, and tugs on Magnus’ shoulders until they’re both lying down properly, Alec’s head resting on Magnus’ chest much like he was in the tub. “M'so glad to be home.”

Magnus kisses the top of his head, and smiles into his hair. “So am I.”

[chopper-witch]

Honey, Where is My Super Suit one-shot series: Loki

Pairing: Loki x reader (gender neutral)

Warnings: some angst, poor Loki’s dinner gets ruined, implied smut

Word count: 2,927

Summary: Loki has your special dinner all planned out and is more than a little upset when it ends up disturbed.

____

“When you said you were glad we finally got to have dinner together because you set up something special I expected… I’m not sure. But not this!” You exclaim, gesturing towards the set up. 

Three weeks ago was your and Loki’s three year anniversary but any plans that may have been were canceled by a last-minute mission you were needed on that started three days before your anniversary and ended eight days after. 

But that was a pattern you and Loki were accustomed to: plans were never guaranteed. Whether it was you being whisked away due to an emergency mission or him being called in due to an 084 they needed help with, it became apart of your life. 

Or if plans weren’t interrupted by last-minute calls, then they were interrupted by surprise visits from friends and co-workers who love to just show up and don’t need a key to get inside, like Natasha or Tony. No matter what security (or spells) you two installed, they always find their way in. 

So tonight you were assured by Fury, Coulson, and several others up the chain of command that you would not be needed tonight and if there were any issues with 084s they would handle it the way they did before the Asgardians landed on Earth.

Which is how you walked back into your apartment after Loki telling you to stay out until 7 PM to this scene. 

Candles lit nearly everywhere: on the table by the couch, on the kitchen counter, and a few larger ones on the tiny table you wedge near the window. An obscene amount of food, all things Loki has called his specialties ever since he learned how to cook down here on Earth: alfredo bowtie pasta, panelle with goat cheese and salsa rustica, arancini, saltimbocca, and the most delicious chocolate cake you have ever had (Loki became partial it Italian food and you still have yet to figure out why). And the best part, of course, is Loki, standing nervously by the table. 

“So is it alright?”

Your eyes flit back to him in his perfectly tailored all black suit. “It’s perfect, Loki.”

“Well then stop staring at it and come enjoy it.”

“So pushy.” 

But you comply, dropping your bag beside the door and walking over to your absolutely perfect boyfriend. 

“Alright,” you smile, grabbing the lapels of his suit, “what is first of the menu chef.” 

Loki releases a small chuckle. “First is a kiss.” 

He presses his lips to yours lightly, barely even touching your lips fully with his chaste kiss. Nonetheless the softness of his lips never fails to make you smile, so any kiss is a good kiss with him.

“And now, it’s whatever you’d like to start with.” 

You bite you lip. Everything he makes always ends up perfect somehow. “How about a little of everything?” 

“Anything for you.” 

But Loki, being the true (yet suspiciously well-behaved) gentleman he is, pulls your chair for you at the tiny table wedge near the window. It’s sweet so you comply, normally not keen on letting him to things for you. 

Once everything is settled the two of you can legitimately talk. Your plate is full of far too much food and the wine Loki got is definitely something special. Him being so sweet is always lovely, so you don’t mind.

You take a sip of the red wine. It’s surprisingly sweet on your tongue and amazing. 

“Who woulda thought you’d fall in love with your baby sitter?” You muse.

Loki leans back in his chair, peering over to you. “I believe you were the one who said not to call you a baby sitter.”

“True,” you shrug, “but that is basically what I was while they figured out what to do with you.” You shrug and swirl the glass of wine around. “Anything interesting happen besides you cooking earlier? I have a hard time believing you didn’t use your magic.” 

“Oh, I didn’t. What did end up happening is -” 

A long, light familiar buzz emanates from your watch. Mission alert. 

10 second pause. “And then I couldn’t find where you kept the larger things pans.”

Three short but equally light vibrations. Meet at curb of current location. 

15 second pause. “- going to the store to get the wine I want to cook with. That took far too lo-” 

Two short vibrations followed by one equal to both combined. 25 minutes. 

5 second pause. “- is how the panelle ended up so perfect.” 

Three heartbeat-like vibrations. Sam? 

You are dead last on Sam’s list of mission partners meaning it really is important if you are being called in. Literally every single Avenger followed by six other agents come before you. 

“Hey, love,” you say, placing your glass of wine down on the table, “I’m sorry to interrupt your story, but I really need to pee.” 

Though the excuse is poor and weird and horribly said, you stand, hoping he will take it.

The door clicks shut behind you, your hands pressing the lock simultaneously so it doesn’t sound off after the door closes. You really do need to pee; your main objective, however, is to get your second suit that’s hidden in the wall for emergencies like this. Also to find the proper words to apologize to Loki. But it’s just another dinner ruined after all. Just like every single one so far over the past few months. 

After doing your business (and washing your hands extra loudly to keep Loki distracted from thinking something suspicious) you pull on the lever along the vent on the ground. The panel slides open, the section of the wall well hidden due to it being tiled. 

It’s empty. No pants, no shirt, no jacket, no boots, no weaponry. Not even the pepper spray is in there. 

Your hands feel around inside. Maybe things are just hidden in the shadows? 

No. 

It’s entirely empty.

Loki.

“You alright love?” 

You pull open the door, a sickly sweet smile on your face. Loki is leaning casually against the end of your bed frame, hands curled around the wood. He has that stupid satisfied smirk on his face that you’ve gladly kicked off more than once. 

“Loki, where did you put my suit?” You ask through clenched teeth. 

“I don’t know what you speak of?” He shrugs. 

“Honey, dear, love, where is my suit? There is an emergency situation and Sam will be at the curb in 20 minutes.” 

“I think the real emergency here is the danger you put our dinner in.” 

“Loki, this isn’t a joke!” Your voice is beginning to raise. 

“You promised me a night off.” Loki pushes himself forward, taking the two steps it takes to get to you. “Fury and Coulson assured you of a night off. The only joke here is thinking I would let you go.” He rests his right hand along your jaw, thumb gently tracing along your cheek. 

“Loki where did you put it? And how do you even know about it?”

“You are not as sneaky as you believe.” He grins.

“Where is it?” 

“That is not important.” 

“Not important?” You shove him back. “Loki there is an emergency somewhere that they called me as Sam’s partner. That’s really fucking important.” 

“Nothing is as important as this dinner.” His voice is still tempered, calm. 

And it is utterly infuriating. 

“We can have thousands of dinners Loki.” You sigh, closing your eyes a moment to try and calm your voice.“If I don’t go help people down there, they may never have any more. Where is my goddamn suit?” 

“Finish our dinner and I’ll tell you.” 

“I don’t have that kind of time.” You shake your head at him. Your phone vibrates twice on the counter. “And look, there is more of the mission information. Goddamnit Loki this is important!” It comes out more like a whine than a shout, your anger reaching a breaking point at his complete and utter calm.

“I am more important than some foolish mission that will turn upside down like it always does!” He huffs. “I am your significant other and this is the first time we are finally getting a night together without interruptions.” 

“They wouldn’t call me if it wasn’t absolutely necessary.” Your posture relaxes and you walk a bit closer to him. Your right hand reaches to rest at the nape of his neck, your left resting gently on his chest. “You are one of the most important people in the world to me, but helping those who need it is important as well. We will get a night off at some point, I promise.” You look down before releasing him reluctantly, turning to grab your phone. 

He is stoic in his spot half way between the bed at the bathroom door, forcing you to push past him as you dial Sam. 

Loki chooses not to try and convince you to stay and leans back against the bed, listening to your voice as it trails off. 

“Hey, any chance you have my suit or an extra one that might fit me? Oh awesome, thanks Sam. That reminds me...” 

His hands squeeze the bed frame; the wood cracks beneath his grip and is immediately iced over. 

—

One week and a far too long debrief later, Sam is parked back in front of your apartment complex. You look up at the building against the night sky, happy to be home, nervous about what is to come. 

“How mad do you think he is?” You quietly ask. 

Sam laughs. “Your paycheck for the next year is gonna be spent on making it up to that drama king up there. Good luck.” 

“It’s gonna take more than luck for me to survive whatever is waiting for me up there. Til next time bird brains.” 

“Nuh uh, you know I only let one person call me that and even then...” 

“Yeah, whatever. Night!” 

-

With a shaky exhale you unlock your apartment door. You know Loki is still there, he never stays at the place they set up for him in the compound even when you both fight. 

“Loki?” You call out. 

There’s no response. 

On the table of your living room is a tipped vase of your favorite flowers, the water long evaporated. The kitchen is almost entirely clean of any indication the two of you were supposed to have a romantic evening or any sort of evening at all save the now re-corked bottle of wine on the center of the counter. 

“Loki?” You call out again, dropping your tactical bag to the bench beside the door. “I know you’re here. I’m sorry.” 

The door of your bedroom opens, the sound loud compared to the relative silence of the rest of your apartment. Loki creeps quietly through the short hallway. He comes into the light looking arguably better, and worse, than you. And it isn’t like he hasn’t be taking care of himself; he rather looks like he’s been mentally beating himself up over your fight. Eyes slightly sunken, hair a little more messy than normal and an actual sweatshirt instead of just a zip-up hoodie like he normally wear if he is going to be in relaxed clothing.

“I’m so sorry for ruining our night,” you begin to apologize, moving forward towards him. “Everything was set up so nicely too, you even made dinner, like a full five course meal. I didn’t want to go but... I had to. I really did need to go.” 

Loki had been making his way towards you as you spoke. His head tilts down once he reaches you, hands pulling up into his sweatshirt to make sweater paws, a nervous habit of his. He quickly removes the fabric from his hands. It’s just you, he reminds himself. 

“I’m sorry for trying to make you try to choose between your job and me.” Loki lifts up his hands so his palms face you. You smile, threading your fingers through his, the feeling of his skin against yours a nice change of pace from the craziness of this past week. “I just spent so long trying to make it perfect since we finally had a night without any distractions. I even went out of my way to get a ring so I could do it the way you mortals in this part of the world do it…” he trails off, looking up with eyes widening as realization of his admission hits him. 

You drop your head down, resting the top on his chest. “You were going to propose. That’s why, ah…” You tilt your head back and smile. “That’s why not only did you actually legitimately cook for once without magic but you were also legitimately upset. Well… I’m free now.”

Loki frowns. “Aren’t proposals supposed to be romantic and special?”

You shake your head. “I’m an agent that works for an organization that ranges from completely covert operations to straight up public as hell. Special I appreciate. Romantic is sort of no longer in my vocabulary. Where’s the ring?”

“Why would I tell you?”

“Where’s the ring?”

Loki sighs, releasing his right hand and conjuring a small velvet green box in a flash of green. Your fingers unthread from his left, allowing you to pluck the box from his hand and open it. Inside sits a thin gold band complete with an inset of three gems: one emerald in the center, larger than the two diamonds on the outside of it. You pick it up from the box. It’s simple and pretty and definitely going to need to go on a necklace or be left behind for field missions. Regardless, you slide it onto your left ring finger and toss the box back to Loki who catches it, but barely.

You shrug. “There, all done.” 

“Is that you saying yes?” 

“That’s me saying yes. I hope you got yourself a matching one because we are both very officially off the market, not just me. Oh! I got you something while I was gone to make up for missing our dinner...” you dig around in your jacket, fishing inside both pockets until you find the paper. “Here we go.” 

Loki peers at skeptically as he grabs it. It’s folded and worn due to it being stuck in there for a good three days and definitely suspicious. 

“You read that, I’m going to eat something. Sam has horrible taste and I was stuck with them for a whole damn week.” 

Loki sits down on the couch as you walk over to the kitchen. A giant perk of Loki’s magic is how he extends the expiration date of food so everything he cooked from dinner last week is still perfectly preserved and just needs to be warmed up. You grab out the container full of his signature Alfredo bowtie pasta and reach for a fork in the drawer beside the fridge, closing both with ease. Post-mission flexibility is a real thing. 

You hop up onto the counter facing the couch and pry open the container. The smell wafts up to you. Butter, milk, cheese and gooey goodness is so much better than Sam’s combo of fast-food and healthy breakfast cereals. Your eyes flutter shut to take a moment just to appreciate how much better your fiancé’s cooking is compared to whatever Sam tried to poison you with. 

“Is this what I think it is?” Loki asks. 

“Well...” you begin, taking a forkful of pasta. “I have no idea what you think it is. If you think it’s an official document providing both of us three months leave then yes, it’s what you think it is.” 

“Is this really going to do anything? They promised you a night off and we saw how that went.” 

“That isn’t a ‘we promise we will leave you alone’ text,” you explain through your bite of pasta, “that’s a ‘we cannot contact you even if the world is going to end’ document. For three months. So whatever you want to do we can do for three months.” 

Loki tosses the paper onto the coffee table and stands. You watch as he walks towards you, still mostly focused on eating. No more bird food. It’s as he nears the counter do you finally notice his sparkling predatory gaze - the one he uses when he has an idea that is likely not the best but always ends up being interesting nonetheless. 

His arm wraps around your waist and tugs you to the edge of the counter, eyes staring lustfully down at you.

“Three months, huh?” 

“Plenty of time to elope. We could hop on a plane tonight if you’d like.” 

He grabs the container of pasta and places it beside you. “Or a three month vacation of the world, maybe even the galaxy. Explore it all.” Loki presses a soft kiss to your neck just below your left ear. 

You shudder slightly. “I don’t know about the galaxy, but the world does sound nice.” 

“The world it is then,” he murmurs against your lips. “But I think I want take some time re-exploring you tonight.” 

His lips finally capture yours in a deep, slow kiss. He grabs your arms with his right hand, pushing the wrists together and slowly pulling them up over your head. His left hand remains on your waist, squeezing it hard as the kiss intensifies. 

If this is how every ruined proposal is going to end, maybe you’ll keep ruining them. 

[jack-andthestalk]

Stuck on you, See me, Chapter 16.

Thank you as always to @balfeheughleywed, for keeping this fic afloat. Moodboard cred to @balfeheughleywed. Sorry for  the delay!

             Our guests slowly trickled home in the early hours of the morning; only a few stragglers remained, whispering couples tucked into corners of the apartment.

   Rupert was chatting up a girl in the kitchen who had bright red hair, possibly dyed, and a piercing in her nose and eyebrow that Rupert found ‘edgy’ his voice occasionally went up an octave as he came to the punch line of a joke.

  Jamie and I were thoroughly enjoying eavesdropping from our vantage position in the hall, giggling at Rupert’s efforts.  He had just told her he was a land owner, Jamie snorted “the garden at the back of his mother’s house doesna count”

  There was a high pitched giggle from the red head and a rumble from Rupert before we could hear him mumbling “do ye ken that Scottish men are hung like horses?”  

The red heads flirtatious voice murmuring is that so? There was wet kissing noises now and Jamie stuck two fingers down his throat mimicking a puking action. The kissing noises stopped and Rupert continued, “Aye that’s why we need kilts…we canna contain our cocks in breeks!”

   I put my hand over my mouth to stifle the roar of laughter and Jamie rolled his eyes muttering “fucking idiot”

  “Hey you shouldn’t knock Rupert’s tall tale it can only benefit you, you are Scottish too after all?” Jamie pulled me in close and raised his eyebrows questioningly “I will wear my kilt for ye again I hope?” an endearing boyish smiled crossed over his face and my heart tugged against my chest.

  “Well I was always partial to your kilt….” I admitted.

  Rupert emerged out of the kitchen a determined look on his face and we broke apart quickly, “Jamie man have ye a johnny?” I didn’t know which one of us was redder, but it certainly wasn’t Rupert, who stood by impatiently waiting. I glanced to the ground hoping to grant Jamie some privacy.

  Jamie cleared his throat awkwardly “I dinna have one.”

  Rupert gave him a look of utter disgust “tsk, what kind of a single man doesna have any condoms for fucks sake” and staggered off towards his bedroom purposefully.

  I engrossed myself with something on the back of my hand to try and hide my smirk. When I looked back up Jamie rolled shook his head in disdain and I could still make out the lovely shade of pink coloring his cheeks.

  I curled my arms around my middle and yawned unconsciously; Jamie reached out and touched my arm, “Ye should go to bed Claire… I am gonna head home.” I wanted to pull him to me and say “Stay, sleep with me.” The words wouldn’t come out instead I tilted my head and smiled tenderly at him, “Thank you for everything you were a great help”, Jamie rubbed the back of his neck, and looked down at the floor “aye well so were you.”

  “um er…ok I don’t know what to say to that” I giggled nervously

  “Och no I dinna mean that…I…oh Christ.”

  I pushed him playfully on the chest, “c’mon I will walk you out.”

  Jamie and I had started the day as friends and ended it with a mind numbing session on top of my bed with our hands down each other’s pants. Standing now under the streetlights the whole thing felt dreamlike, Jamie’s chin dipped down into his chest while he shifted awkwardly on his feet.

  “Well goodnight then Jamie.” I said quietly, pulling at the sleeves of my cardigan nervously.

  He raised his head to look at me, intensity in his eyes that made me feel giddy.

  “this is akin to a first date Sassenach….well the nervous goodbye bit is anyway…should I kiss ye…will ye slap me?” his eyes were sparkling now.

  “You’ve already kissed me tonight Fraser…and worse, have you forgotten already?” I teased.

  “Not a chance, I remember, every fuckin’ second of it Claire.” His tone deepened, and he put his hand on my waist pulling me into him.

  “so… can I kiss ye good night then?”

  He stood hesitantly waiting for me to answer; I just nodded and walked into his lips, standing on tippy toe. My intention was a chaste kiss but Jamie wrapped his hand around the back of my neck, tilted his head took my whole mouth zealously. When we broke away Jamie’s lips hovered over mine barely touching, a slightly stunned expression on his face.

  We both grinned stupidly at each other, Jamie’s hand roamed round and cupped my arse, and he rested his head against my forehead. He stood there for a minute or two before he shifted away slightly, looking for something in his pockets.

“Claire… I dinna have yer number?”

  “what?” my eyebrows creased in confusion.

  “Yer phone number?”

  “Oh” I nodded and widened my eyes in realisation.

  Jamie’s looked at the ground and he mumbled, “I ken ye dinna have the same one anymore….”

  I didn’t need to ask how he knew; after I left he had tried several ways to get in touch when he failed to get through on my old number.

   “of course” I said quickly not wanting to dampen the moment with reliving the path that led to me changing my number. He took out his phone punching in the numbers while I called it out giving me a lopsided grin when he was done.

  “Goodnight Sassenach” he said taking a step backwards, keeping his gaze locked on me.

  “Goodnight Mr. Fraser.”

   A lot had changed in 12 hours.

          A few nights later while watching Lamb swirl his wine around in a globe like glass, I contemplated how the hell I was going to tell him about Jamie’s resurgence in my life.

  “Darling you look hypnotised, are you ok?” Lamb asked voice full of concern.

  Lamb had been on a dig in India for the past six weeks and was back in London for a short stay before he flew off to his next project. Our customary catch up dinner was quieter than usual as my conscience battled over whether I should continue lying to him until I knew what was happening with Jamie and me, or come clean and tell him how I was allowing Jamie back into my life with gusto, resulting in a dizzy silliness that was embarrassing if nothing else.

    I shrugged my shoulders and smiled briefly, “No sorry I am fine…I just am just out of it after the night shifts.” Lamb and I were sitting in rustic wooden dining booths, which lined the gastro pub walls back to back, there was a band setting up in the corner of the restaurant and I vaguely wished they would start to play so it would drowned out my attempt at excuses.

  He nodded sceptically, making a sucking sound between his tongue and teeth to dislodge something stuck. “Good I was afraid yourself and Cathal were having a little trouble.”

  Lamb was either more intuitive than I gave him credit for or guessing wildly, either of which was backing me up into a corner. Now I had to tell him about Cathal. I took a deep breath and decided weakly maybe it was enough for one night to break it to him about Cathal; Jamie was another night’s work.

  “Actually Lamb…you’re not too wrong on that score…myself and Cathal you see actually have split up.” I smiled nervously, playing with the rim of my wine glass, “Just wasn’t to be I suppose”, I took a long deep gulp of my wine and avoided Lamb’s perplexed gaze.

  “But before I went to India…you two seemed so happy? What on earth happened in six weeks my love?”

  “I just needed space.” My face was burning up, it always betrayed me.

    Lamb extended a hand and placed it over mine. “Claire…what is going on?”

  My mind was racing trying to decide how much to tell Lamb, I was granted a quick reprieve when his phone rang suddenly.

  He shuffled in his pocket and retrieved the phone, looking at the screen, “I’m sorry sweetheart” he gestured at the phone “I gotta take this.”

  While Lamb left the table to take the call, I attempted to build up courage to mention Jamie’s name at least…maybe say he started working in the hospital?

Shit, no that wouldn’t do, I had just mentioned Cathal and I had broken up, too much of a coincidence that Jamie was now working with me.

  Off course I could come clean? I could tell him the whole sorry affair.

  And that was the other issue; I knew how Lamb would react. Well that and the whole affair almost seemed like it existed in my imagination as I hadn’t been able to see Jamie since the party three nights ago.

  Our working shifts at the hospital literally on opposite ends of the clock. The only thing that made it tangible was the yearning and ridiculous giddiness when my phone lit up with a message from him at the beginning of my shift or the end of his.

  The first of them had arrived the morning after the party.

   Jamie: I tried being suave and aloof and I dinna plan on texting ye til at least 12 hours after I had scored yer number but I am a weak man when it comes to ye Sassenach...I canna seem to stop myself…

  My jaws had almost cracked from smiling and the texts were coming hot and fast since then.

  So distracted was I in remembering the flirty exchanges, I hadn’t notice the door of the pub opening, admitting Rupert and Jamie, shoulders hunched from the cold and rubbing their hands furiously. My jaw dropped slightly and a sickly panic feeling rolled down my back. Fuck.

  I had arranged to meet Jamie sometime later that evening, vaguely mentioning I had dinner plans and would ring him when I was finished. I watched as he leaned over the bar, waiting for his drink, glancing down at his phone.

  I sank further into my seat, hoping he wouldn’t see me. Lamb returned to our table and noisily started apologising for his absence. Jamie’s head snapped up when he heard the commotion, catching my eye in the process.

  Jamie’s face lit up and he gave a little wave, Lamb was sitting the other side of the booth hidden from view. I smiled back weakly and quickly looked away again but it didn’t deter him, Jamie was already making confidence strides in my direction and my stomach was turning in on itself with stress.

  “Hey” I could hear him say from above my head. I took a deep breath and before I said another word, I gave him an apologetic smile. “Hi”

  Lambs slightly shocked voice cut through our reverie, “James?” he asked incredulously.

  If Lamb looked shocked then Jamie’s expression was nearer to shook. His mouth fell slightly agape “Lambert…I dinna see ye there…” his breath shook slightly “it’s been a while.” Jamie outstretched his hand, lamb looked at it cautiously for a minute before taking it and with a coldness I had never heard from him before he replied, “yes it has”

  “Lamb, I was just about to tell you that Jamie is working at the hospital, he is a qualified physiotherapist now…isn’t that great?” words babbling from my mouth nervously.

  Lamb looked at me as if I was half mad and then returned his steel gaze to Jamie.

  “You’re living in London?” He asked incredulously.

  “Aye…only moved here a couple of months ago now” Jamie shifted away from the table slightly, rubbing the back of his neck nervously.

  “And what on earth would bring a scot like yourself to London?” Lamb shook his head in disbelief and widened his eyes dramatically. He was playing a game and it was obvious, I was only waiting on it to get progressively worse depending on Jamie’s answer.

  “I…em…I wanted a change and …” Jamie was stuttering, Lamb gave him a cold stare and a detached smile. “And did your girlfriend move with you?” he interrupted. I shot Lamb a look, Jamie’s eyebrows creased in confusion “my girlfriend?” he asked slowly.

  “Yes …your girlfriend…that is why you and my niece broke up? No? You had met someone else I think?” Lamb rubbed his chin contemplatively, pretending to think hard on the matter.

  Jamie’s eyes widened and his jaw dropped, “Eh no sir that is not quite what happened…I dinna…”

  “Oh well then” Lamb said rubbing his hands together happily, “it was just one big misunderstanding then?” Jamie’s gaze dropped to the floor. Lamb interpreted it as guilt, which it probably was, “I didn’t think so” Lamb replied flatly.

  Jamie’s head snapped up and his eyes narrowed slightly, “Lambert I ken I did wrong by Claire…but I certainly dinna leave her for another lassie…I made a very stupid stupid mistake …and I have tried to explain myself to Claire as best I can…she has been….” Before he could continue Lamb turned to look at me, “Claire darling…I shall not interfere any further but I hope that while James was explaining”, he over pronounced ‘explaining’ mockingly, “that he understood what it was like for you also to live in the shadow of his mistake hmm?” Lamb busied himself putting his coat on and throwing cash on the table.

  Jamie unfortunately interrupted “Lambert I ken what I put Claire through…I will be sorry for it forever…you must ken that?”

  “Oh so you knew then? How when I returned from a Egypt, I found my niece so malnourished, she had to be hospitalized?...that she paused her soaring medical career because you had broken her….over a fling with a woman…I believe you acquired in a bar?”

  “Lamb, stop it!” I snapped.

    Lamb put his hands up in defeat, “I promise I will not say another word.”

  He leaned across the table and kissed me on the cheek, “I love you darling, call me tomorrow.”

  With one curt nod in Jamie’s direction, “Goodnight James” Lamb exited throwing his scarf over his shoulder gliding out of the door with a proud hold across his shoulders.

  I turned to look at Jamie, a heartbroken look across his face, “I’m so sorry Claire…” he said softly.

[wickednerdery]

Title: Hoarfrost Hel: Bound Author: @wickednerdery Fandom: Marvel Pairing/character: Loki & Thor (& family) Rating: Teen Summary: “I’m sorry” Notes: This takes place very shortly after the start of Thor: Dark World, but I’m honestly only using canon things I want lol! The concept of a Thrall Collar is from @endlessstairway and her amazing stories here. This is the start of the second part of what’s shaping up to be a legit trilogy - the first is FrostBitten. The story on whole is gonna be very dark, this piece itself has torturing of Loki based on the Loki Bound myth…For that and length it gets a “Read More”.

The peace of darkness does not last for Loki as he awakes in the same position as he fell unconscious. Instinct causes a leap from the burning venom he knows is coming, but chains hold him to the ground even as muscles strain. They crackle, shudder with his body, as he doubles efforts.

“Shhh, Loki, be still,” Thor soothes from above and he goes stock still, even stops his breath. “No, um, I mean...” orders can be taken so literally by thrall collars. “Please breathe…And just…relax, brother, if you can. I’ve got you. Do you understand?”

Rough air vibrates raw throat in response.

“Mother sent a healer, he did all he could before father interceded. Now they argue so the whole of Asgard can hear it. She warns him of terrible things should he continue down this path, I half suspect them threats.” Thor breaths a laugh, hoping Loki will join him, but there’s only another groan. “Your eye is healed.”

As if it reminds him they exist, Loki opens both cautiously. Thor kneels above, over, him with bowl held high. “Wha-What are you...doing?”

“I tried to kill the beast, it will not die.” He shifts fingers, adjusts. “But I’ll not allow you to suffer so long as I’m able.”

Venom plinks into the bowl, Loki understands. “I could be here ‘til Ragnarök.”

“Then we shall experience the end together.”

“I-I’m sorry. I’m sorry.”

“For what?”

“Everything...” he huffs out. “Jus-Just tell fa-” the collar shocks, Loki hisses. He’s been disowned, for him Odin is Father no more. “Tell Odin...Tell him...I-I’m sorry.” Perhaps that’s all that’ll be needed; for Loki to come meek and apologetic and subservient before the great King of Asgard. That and their mother’s words; she could always bring Father to heel when it came to her boys.

Thor only frowns, knowing it’ll fall on deaf ears just as his own words had. Just as their mother’s seem to. Odin’s determined not only to punish Loki, but to erase him entirely...bit by venomous bit. “I tried to cut the serpent down, but still it clings,” he changes the subject, gives them a distraction. “I wonder if it’s not also bewitched. Can you tell?”

The once-sorcerer merely shakes his head. “I’ve no way to. My abilities are stopped by the collar.”

“Perhaps if I order you?” Thor offers; the other shrugs and Thor takes it as encouragement. “Loki, I order you, use your magics to determine what keeps this serpent up and alive.”

Loki only needs a moment to see their grave mistake. The collar obligates him to be submissive, obedient, to all those above him...but Thor is not his master, whose orders will supersede all but the collar’s itself, and so Loki cannot access his magic to obey this order. The collar fights itself across his neck and mind. It shocks and burns, chokes and seems to twist Loki from within.

Thor startles at his brother’s wail and drops the bowl. “No!” He flies across his brother, lets venom burn upon the back of his own neck. “No no no, stop it!” He yells in general, but the collar takes it upon itself to further punish Loki. “Stop, I rescind it! I rescind this order!”

Collar calms, Loki with it. “You...cannot...order me.” Another shock, a grunt, then correction. “I cannot...follow orders above...his.” Loki holds breath, but the collar accepts the response.

Bowl back in hand Thor rights himself, sets bowl over his brother’s head once more. “I am sorry, brother.”

“You should not stay here, Thor. Your father will be cross.”

“Then let him be so.”

For six days and six nights Thor stays by his brother’s side. He refuses all that Loki is refused, including rich foods and new clothing. When guards come to collect him under Odin’s orders, he holds them off. When the Warriors Three come, he denies their offer to train. When Sif comes, he bids her away. When Loki drifts off he stays up, whispers to the snake his apologies at his attempt to destroy it if it is, in fact, as bewitched as his brother is now.

When Thor himself slumbers - always over his brother, arm across the other’s face so his own armor and arm will take the venom - Frigga’s image visits her son. She cannot undo what the Allfather has done, but she hums ancient lullabies to soothe and assures her son this will not be his ultimate fate. That he will always be her child. That she has and will always love him.

At daybreak of the seventh morning Loki wakes to sizzling skin. “Brother?!” He shifts away, tries to protect eye against the dripping venom. “THOR!!” He calls for his brother, seeks him out in his surroundings, but Thor’s no longer there. There are only soldiers of Asgard and those Loki recognizes as slave traders. “No...no no no...No! NO!! THOR!!”

Thor does not come. Frigga either. No one comes as men set to freeing him from one set of shackles only to put him into another. This time, shocks and burns be damned, Loki fights. He succeeds in lifting one of their knives to slice open the femoral of one before stabbing another. Both collar and guards combined crack him to the floor; no respect of the former prince now...muzzle crammed into mouth, hands caged behind, they throw him into a crate and then the ship with the rest.

Through slits in the cargo-hold he watches men surround the snake as it unfurls itself, shifts to form limbs, hair, and dress patterned as serpent skin had been. The spotted silver ring at the start of its neck is now a thrall collar like his own. There remains something serpentine in the woman’s golden eyes, in the way hips sway as she approaches ship. She curls beside him on the floor and works jaw out of its soreness as she’s left free to roam.

He looks up at her the best he can, curiosity mixing into his disbelief. How can she be so calm? How can she be so demure, obedient? Has she no sense of honor or pride? Where’s her fight? Her sense of dignity?

“If you continue to fight, things will only get worse.” She speaks politely, though sternly for a slave speaking to a once-king, still god. Loki’s eyes narrow, he growls his debate, to which she smiles faintly down into his cage. “You are not a prince anymore, you’ve no power except what you may earn as a thrall...and you’ll never earn it fighting your masters.” She gives a sigh both disappointed and sympathetic as she turns head from him to window. “I truly wish your brother had not ordered me to look after you.”

Couldn’t let Loki go quietly, that’s not in his nature at all, am I right? ;-) He’s not one to let anyone simply dominant him...but, of course, this will likely lead him to great troubles in the future, LOL! On the plus, now Loki and you have both, officially, met Malina, tada! Obviously you’ll learn more about her as things go on, but for now keep in mind that Thor ordered her to look after Loki when she was a snake and that order holds at least until she gets a new master. And where is Thor? Not telling, haha!

(Gif found on Google)

Tagged: @chibiyanai @wadeyouwitch @creedslove @lady-crowned-with-stars @moonfaery @annievvv7  @ladyfluff @holykryptonitekitten @lokilvrr @janebrownnie @lokis-little-kitten @alexakeyloveloki @theangelsfightwithdevils @the-blue-tiefling @lokis-lady-death @dangertoozmanykids101 @prometheasmother @vethrvolnir @wintertink @amethyst-dreams-and-candy-canes @drakonwild @starscreamloki @judas-nipples @hiddles-rose  @the-lady-witchitery @galaxies-inside-my-head @jackheart180 @lukeevansandjdmobession @endlessstairway @lanabanana-86 @tom-fucking-hiddleston-1981 @lovekrystina @madoka73  @lokikingofasgardslover713 @partiallyinthecloset @ultrarebelheart @gravitational-anomaly @manip-loki @my-world-of-imagines …Think that’s everyone from FrostBitten, if you want on or off, just lemme know! (Strike-throughs are those Tumblr refuses to tag properly)

[i4z-0892-il]

Memories

Author: Jena @i4z-0892-il

Pairing: Dean x Reader

Summary: The Reader suffering from amnesia has been trying to figure out how to function in a world she doesn’t quite fit into, and remember a past she just can’t recall. Until someone almost familiar steps into her life.

Word Count: 4,773

Warnings: Emotional distress, physical aggression

A/N: This one is probably only going to be 2 or 3 parts, kind of depends how much I wind up cramming into each chapter.

Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3

-

You tapped wine red fingernails against the countertop absentmindedly staring into space. It was a slow day, the second the sun went down the bar would be packed, and you’d have plenty to do to pass the time, but as it was there wasn’t a soul around. That was just the lunch shift though, on occasion there’d be a random who’d stumble in, order a beer maybe a burger, but usually it was just you and Benny, the owner and cook, until the evening shift began.

“Hey, Y/n, you wanna quit daydreamin’ and slice up some lemons for me?” Benny called with a thick cajun drawl through a small square window from the kitchen at the end of the bar. You didn’t move from your spot, or break your focus which was on nothing in particular when you answered him.

“They’re already done and in the fridge Benny. Top shelf.” You dropped your chin into the palm of your hand as you leaned over the bartop, your mind on another planet entirely. You found yourself gazing off into la-la-land more often than not, visions of another life playing through your head so vividly you could almost smell them and taste them. So vivid it could have been real, but the subject of your daydreams and nightmares was so far fetched there was no explaining them other than an overactive imagination. You’d had them since you could remember- though the joke there was that you couldn’t remember very far back as it were.

What you did remember was waking up in a sterile white room, tubes and IV’s everywhere and a Doctor and Nurse standing over you with their eyes wide like they’d seen a miracle happen. They weren’t wrong.

“Miss, do you know where you are?” The Doctor asked, her eyes kind and sympathetic.

“A hospital?” When you answered your own voice seemed foreign and hoarse with disuse.

“Do you know what year it is?”

“No.”

“Do you know how you got here?”

“...No....”

“Do you remember your name?”

“No…” Your voice was little more than a whisper, and their questions drew nothing but empty space in your memory where answers should have been. The nothingness that their questions drew from you began to fill up with panic, the panic of not knowing. You couldn’t remember your own name, you had to have one. You knew things, words, colors, shapes, sounds. You could tell faces apart, and gauge where you were, but around that there was a gray fog where you should have been able to pluck details out of.

The Doctor and her Nurse exchanged pitiful glances, and you weren’t sure if you wanted to hear what they had to say, what they knew but you didn’t. Then she told you that you’d been in an accident, and were lucky to have survived. Broken leg, broken arm, dislocated jaw, punctured lung, and you’d been nearly ripped to shreds to the point that the surgeons basically had to Frankenstein you back together. The real kicker was when she told you that you’d been in a coma for the last two months, and had been kept on life support for the first three weeks of your residency. It felt like the wind had been knocked out of you, and you couldn’t process any of it through the sensory overload.

“An accident? Coma? I- I don’t understand.” You stated sharply. Saying the words out loud made less sense than they did hearing them. You could understand why you couldn’t remember, or how you couldn’t remember. They hadn’t expected you to come off life-support, let alone wake up, hopes for the Jane Doe on floor 4 room 437 were grim. The fact that you were missing memory wasn’t as surprising to them as it was to you. “Who am I?”

“We were hoping you might be able to tell us. The gentlemen who brought you in said your name was Y/n, no last name, they couldn’t tell us anything else.”

“Gentlemen? You mean like friends? Family?”

“They said they saw your car flip over, and that you told them your name before you passed out, then they brought you here. They came back to check on you a few times, but that’s been a while ago now. You came in without any identification. ”

“Did… was anyone looking for me? Did I have family come see me?”

“I’m sorry… The Police searched missing persons but couldn’t find anything.”

The next couple of weeks following that were filled with more Doctors, Physical Therapy, counselors and other Specialists to help you remember who you were, and how to fit into life not knowing who you are. The whole process moved too far too fast, you were bounced out of care as quickly as possible, and once you’d regained strength enough to walk and function like a more-or-less normal human being they kicked you to the curb and left you to fend for yourself.

The hardest part wasn’t learning how to walk again, or the cognitive tests- it was the foreign face you saw when you looked in the mirror. The first time you looked you scoffed, you weren’t what you had expected. Not that you’d necessarily expected someone else, but the girl in your reflection seemed as strange and distant to you as everyone else. It felt like being trapped in the skin of someone else. It was a face that you’d never get used to, no matter how hard you tried, uncomfortable in your own skin on such a primal level. You couldn’t complain so much, you were beautiful in your own right, and folks took notice of that fact. But their eyes were invasive, and you’d have preferred to blend into the background.

That’s when you found yourself working at the bar, nothing but a first name that you couldn’t even guarantee was yours, no last name, no memories, and no professional skills that you were aware of. Benny didn’t ask too many questions, and while he was salty with everyone else he had a soft spot for you, he liked you, he liked your unfiltered mouth and how aloof you were. Most people were kinder to you after they found out you couldn’t remember 98% of your life, well mostly they pitied you, treated you like some broken, fragile thing. Or like you were like you were stupid. But you weren’t dumb, at least you didn’t think so. What if you’d been a lawyer before the accident? Or a Doctor, or Teacher? What if you’d written a best-seller? Or maybe you were a promising Botanist. Or a Nuclear Physicist perhaps. The further you fell down the rabbit hole the harder it was to bring yourself out of it.

The fact was that whoever you were before the accident didn’t matter anymore, regardless of how curious you were. Answers to your questions were going to remain elusive til the day you died probably. No family was looking for you that you knew of, you hadn’t had any visitors besides the two guys who were kind enough to bring you into the hospital, but not invested enough to stick around for long. The fact that you seemed to belong to no one was easily the most heartbreaking aspect of the whole ordeal. You had no one, no one to hold you hand while you were hooked up to machines that were breathing for you. No one to whisper stories to you in hopes to bring you out of your coma. No one who cared, no one who was looking for you, no one who wanted you. Maybe it meant that you were just a horrible person before the accident, maybe you were lonesome, maybe you didn’t have anyone anyway. The maybe’s drove you crazy, because it was just like staring into nothing and looking for answers.

Being at the bar and having something to do to take your mind off of it helped, you found yourself glaring at your own reflection less, less pissed at yourself for just not being able to remember. Eventually you began to feel less dumb for not being able to recall things either. While your frustration at yourself began to ebb you found yourself off in your own little world more and more and more, finding it nearly impossible to drag yourself from. The visions you had there were just more fantastic and captivating, and vivid, so vivid you could smell the iron in blood, and feel the cold spots that would make your whole body shudder. It was your personal escape as well as nightmare. The things you saw in your head should have terrified you, literal monsters: ghosts, witches and werewolves. It should have scared you, most normal people would have been horrified being plagued by them night after night, day after day. But not you. It wasn’t that you were unbothered entirely, because the tingle up your spine, and the way your heart would race you knew it was fear, but you didn’t feel afraid. You took them on and came out victorious time and time again, more often than not you weren’t facing them alone either.

You could never see their faces always clouded, or just out of the corner of your eye. You knew there were two of them, you could feel them around you. When they were present in your fantasies all doubt, all fear, all apprehension slipped away. Every so often you could feel one of them wrap arms around you, protecting and tender, and you’d catch the scent of leather, coffee and sandalwood. Sometimes though on nights you were lucky, when the witching hour muffled the sounds of the world around you deathly silent you could hear him speak your name. That was your favorite part, his voice was low and rough, but there was a sweetness to it when he spoke to you. On nights when his voice wasn’t there to lull you to sleep your world seemed emptier, sadder.

People came and went, ordering drinks and food, small talk, flirting, and you just went through the motions your head stuck in the clouds, not really there. You heard the way they talked about you though, when they thought you weren’t listening. How you’d just magically appeared one day two months ago  which meant you were fresh meat, and how fascinating you were because of your amnesia, you couldn’t have been more in the center of attention if you’d painted a target on your back. You were shiny and new, mysterious and uninterested in the world around you which meant that you were a challenge, and if you knew nothing else- it was that men loved a challenge.

The same group of guys almost every time you worked all hovering over the same three tables night after night, it was a small town, and they all worked at the factory just a few miles down the road. They were friendly enough initially, welcoming you to town, asking you questions you couldn’t give answers to. Hell at first you’d even venture to say they were nice, they tipped well, and a few of them seemed to go out of their way trying to make you feel at home. Until word got out about your little condition. You weren’t sure who spilled the beans, it was something you’d kept tight lipped about. You kept to yourself, answered only questions you had a solid response to and just glossed over the rest with a charming smile and dismissive “Oh- you know…” But once word got out that you were broken, that you were vulnerable, and had no one in life who cared about you enough to find you, things changed. Suddenly you were a piece of meat, and each one of those men wanted a bite.

The change in the air was so abrupt it was almost suffocating, you knew they had been flirty in the beginning but now they were downright barbaric in the chase. Unrelenting and unabashedly forward, you could feel their eyes burning into you everywhere you walked. Cat calls, and filthy whispers when they thought you couldn’t hear them.

“Oh I’d give her something to remember.”

“Maybe I could jog her memory.”

“I’d do things to her she’d never forget.”

It sent chills up your spine every time something came out of their mouths, and it took every fiber of your being not to smash a beer bottle over Parker Delaney’s head when he grabbed you by the arm and pulled you into his lap one night. His foul breath reeking of beer and hot wings, greasy fingers digging into your hips hard enough he might leave bruises. That was it, that was when something in you snapped and you shot you an elbow connecting with his nose, leaving it black and blue and disfigured, and he was pissed. Thankfully Benny stepped in keeping Parker’s rage at bay, but none of them ever looked at you quite the same after that. Now they looked at you not only like they wanted you, but like they also wanted to hurt you.

-

“We shouldn’t be here.” Sam said, his leg bouncing anxious and shaking the entire car  as he shifted in the seat of the Impala. He knew how difficult this was for Dean, but it’d happened for a reason, and he’d been against the decision from day one but his brother had his mind made. There was no arguing with him after that, but this didn’t sit right with him, this wasn’t something to flip-flop over. “You know what Cas said: don’t go poking at it.”

“I know what Cas said  Sam. Just give me ten minutes, one beer, okay?” Dean shot back, irritated by his brothers audacity to remind him of the harsh truth he was already more than aware of. Sam’s face stiffened, he knew it was a bad idea, it wouldn’t be just one beer, or just ten minutes, but the pleading look on Dean’s face, the pain in his eyes, he just couldn’t refuse. It’d been months and against his own better judgment he couldn’t keep himself away anymore. There was a job in the next town and both Sam and Bobby said that someone else should pick it up and take care of it, but he was insistent. They knew the real reason he was so hellbent on working the case, and it wasn’t because of the thing snatching people in the woods, it was her.

“Alright, fine. One beer, but we keep our distance.”

“Got it, here to observe only.” That was all he needed as he slid out of the car a little too quickly, his nerves getting to him, making him jittery. He walked up to the door of the bar his hand resting on the handle but unable to open it. Doubt crept into his mind fogging his previously solid plan. He’d been so sure, just one look, just to peek in and make sure she was alright and that would be enough for him. He’d be satisfied and never come back. But now that only a solid wooden door stood in his way he wasn’t so sure anymore. Sam stood behind him patiently awaiting a decision, not wanting to steer him one way or the other but they couldn’t stand at the door forever; he cleared his throat and Dean jumped back to reality, pulling the door open.

They slipped through the crowd of people finding a hightop in the corner, Dean’s eyes searching for one familiar face in the sea of locals.

“Maybe she’s not here tonight.” Sam offered, trying to soften the blow when Dean disheartened, couldn’t seem to find her.

“No, she’s here.”

“Well how do you know that? She’s gotta go home sometime right? Can’t work all the time.”

“I just know.”

“It’s not like it came from a reliable source. I mean Jackson Cleveland? The guy can barely spell his own name.”

“So?”

“So… He told us he saw someone who might be her here more than three months ago. Even if it was her there’s nothing saying she’d still be here now.”

“Might is good enough for me.”

“Look, Dean I know you feel guilty about what happened, and I know you care about her-”

“Then you know why I have to make sure she’s okay.” Dean cut him off flatly and finishing the conversation. Sam pursed his lips and leaned back in his seat, knowing that nothing he could say would change a damn thing. Barely a minute had passed, but damn if it didn’t feel like a fucking eternity, each second ticking by agonizingly slow. Dean ran his palm over his face trying to wipe away the anxiety, and nearly jumped out of his skin when he heard a voice come from behind him.

“Hey there guys, I’m Y/n, can I start you off with something to drink?” You asked, a chipper smile on your face, as you laid down napkins, when you turned to look over your table you were stunned by the two gods who’d just sat in your section. You might have been more excited had the one with the perfectly pouty lips not been staring at you like he’d seen a ghost. The one with long dark hair cleared his throat snapping the other out of his trance.

“Yeah, thanks, two beers, and he’ll take a double of whiskey.” Sam answered quickly.

“Okay, coming right up.” You said, walking away quickly. You’d had a few strange encounters now but that one was going to stick with you. You walked to the bar and tapped Amber, another waitress on the shoulder and asked if you had something on your face. She shrugged and shook her head as she handed you your order. All the while you could feel his eyes on you, but it wasn’t the starving hungry gaze that Parker and his buddies gave you. This was something else.

“Dude, you’re gonna freak her out, fix you damn face.” Sam demanded leaning forward and swatting Dean in the arm. He jerked away from you and turned his focus back on Sam, knowing he was right. But he couldn’t help it. He’d played this moment over in his head hundreds of times, what he’d say to you, how he’d say it. He’d rehearsed this in his head until he’d played out every possibility, but when you were standing there smiling at him it was different. And it was absolutely heartbreaking knowing that you didn’t recognize him, a part of him had hoped, but it was for the best. After what happened, he didn’t think he could forgive himself, but you didn’t have to continue to suffer, you could have something normal, something safe.

“I know, I can’t help it.”

“Well figure it out, we’re supposed to be keeping our distance, and this is way too close.”

“Alright guys,” you announced, as you set two beer bottle down and a shot glass in front of Dean. You shifted eyes between them locking on to olive green and your heart flipped in your chest making you weak in the knees. You ripped your eyes away finding it so much harder than it should have been for a random face in the crowd, albeit a very handsome one. “Can I get you anything else?”

“No, we’re good.” Dean finally answered, you nodded and turned to walk away. “Thanks Y/n.”

Everything froze in place, your whole body going completely solid, as an aching knot wrapped itself tight in your very core. You swallowed hard trying to force down panic, elation? You weren’t even sure how you felt it seemed the full spectrum of emotion had solidified right in the center of your chest. You knew that voice. You turned your head cautious and fully aware that you might have been standing at the edge of something monumental.

“Sorry, what was that?” You were begging him to say your name again, to confirm what you already knew.

“I said thanks… Y/n.” He answered carefully, the look in your eye alerting him to dangerous territory. Breath caught in your chest when he spoke your name again. It was his voice, the same voice that had felt more like home to you than anything else in the last six months. The same voice that made you feel safe when you were alone at night. It was a voice that you were daring to hope about, maybe…

‘Do-Do I know you?” You asked hopeful, your heart swelling and threatening to take over. Sam’s face screwed up as he glared across the table at his brother, wordlessly, and in shock. Dean was taken aback and everything in his mind fizzled out all at once as he laughed and shook his head trying to form words again, but his brain simply would not work short-circuiting in panic.

“What? No! No, I’ve never seen you before in my life. I‘ve never been here before. This is the first time I’ve even been to Aurora, Minnesota.” Dean stammered with a nervous laugh, wincing when Sam kicked him in the leg shooting a face that could only be described as “what the actual fuck?” He gave you an awkward smile before continuing. “Sorry, just got one of those faces I guess.”

It tore him to shreds from the inside out to watch you face when his words landed on you. A little bit light in your eyes flickered and died out right in front of him, and it was his fault. He watched your shoulders drop, and your face fall you whispered a quick “Oh, sorry, my mistake,” before you turned and walked back to the bar to get your next order. All he wanted to do was to hold you, and wrap you up in his arms again, the last six months had been hell on Earth. He told himself it was better this way, your life would be better, you’d have a chance to live normally. No monsters, no worries, no fear of what went bump in the night.

“Dean what the hell was that, you lie professionally and that’s the best you could come up with? Have you lost your mind?”

“What? What did you want me to say?”Dean defended as he threw back his whiskey.

“Man, I told you we shouldn’t have come here.”

“Well good for you Sam, you want a medal or something?”

Trudging to the back you’d intended  to pick up food for table seven, but you were in your head again, stuck there replaying his voice in your head over and over. You were certain, you’d know that voice anywhere, and it crushed you that you were wrong. There was a split second of hope that maybe he did know you, maybe he could tell you something about yourself that you didn’t know. Shed some kind of light on the empty fog that clouded your mind.

“Hey, Earth to Y/n. What’s got you makin’ that face for?” Benny called, waving a hand in front of your face until you snapped back to reality.

“I’m not making a face.” You frowned.

“Well ya look awful pensive, more so than usual.”

“Nothing, I just thought I might have remembered something- but I guess I was wrong.” You shrugged trying to brush it off like it wasn’t a colossal deal. Scooping up the food for your table, you turned on heel and left before he could say anything else. Benny always knew when you were lying, you thought you were pretty good at it but apparently he had a better bullshit detector than most people.

You dropped Parker’s plate of hot wings in from of him unceremoniously, you weren’t happy that he was even allowed to come back after last time. But he swore he was just drunk, and didn’t know what he was doing, and it was the only bar in town.

“Hey Y/n, got any plans after work?” Parker said practically drooling down your shirt. Sneering you recoiled in disgust as the potent smell of beer, stale cigarettes and weed hit your nose.

“Yeah Parker, I’m going home and I’m going to bed.”

“Y’know, it’s just not right that you’re all on your own at night. S’dangerous for a woman to be by herself, y’never know who’s out there lurkin’ in the shadows. I’d be happy to keep you company.”

“Yeah I’m sure you would.” You stated abrupt, not willing to play into him tonight. A chill went down your back when his hand wrapped around your wrist as your tried to leave.

“I would, you know that. Y/n I’ve been watchin’ you for months now, I tip you real good, I even apologized real nice for our little domestic spat. What more does a man have to do to get your attention?”

“Let go of me.” You hushed your eyes frozen on a single spot on the table, you didn’t like to be touched. Least of all by Parker Delaney.

“C’mon now Y/n, just let me take you home, give me a chance, I’m sure I could make you real happy, then you ain’t gotta be afraid of what’s out there anymore.”

“The only thing I’m afraid of, Parker, is losing my job if you don’t let go of me- because I’m gonna break you fucking nose again.” You seethed your eyes darting from the table back to him, ready for blood. He smirked at you and gripped your wrist tighter, twisting it in an unnatural way and forcing you closer into his proximity.

“You watch your fuckin’ mouth when you talk to me, bitch. I own this town.” His voice was low, and threatening and there was a very real fear creeping up your spine.

“The lady said let her go.” Dean snarled, stepping behind you and towering over your frame so small compared to his. He’d watched too much of that interaction to stay in his seat, the second Parker put his hands on you he saw red. Fuck the distance he was supposed to be keeping, there was no way in hell he’d let you be manhandled by some hick who clearly didn’t understand the word “no.” Parker eyed him up and down, Dean was taller, and though he was sure pretty, he was much more menacing. He’d seen enough, and spilled enough blood that it was nice and obvious he was someone not to be crossed in a dark alley. And Parker wasn’t quite that stupid, but he wasn’t all that bright either.

“The lady and I were talking, now mind your own.”

“I will, as soon as you let her go.”

“Fine.” Parker said, a light bulb going off in his head, he shoved you into Dean’s chest who wrapped an arm around your shoulders and held you firm to him, as Parker and his crew got up and left.“Y/n, I’ll see you later.”

It felt more like a threat than anything else, but it was quickly washed away with the familiar scent of leather, coffee and sandalwood. His arms felt like home and safety. Dean turned green eyes down to you a tenderness there that was previously nothing but murder.

“Are you alright?” He asked as he stepped back. He wanted to keep you there, to protect you and feel you against him more than anything in the world. He’d give up just about anything to spend one more night with you, but he wasn’t willing to give up your happiness for it. So he pulled himself away from you, every piece of him cracking as he did.

Nodding wordlessly you tried to pull yourself together but you couldn’t tear your eyes away from him, trying to study his face willing it to reveal something to you.that hole in your chest growing and threatening to swallow you whole, because you knew there was something about him. You knew it, he was important, you heard his voice for the last several months soothing you to sleep, you felt the warmth and his scent radiating from him to you. He cringed under your gaze heartbreaking and lost. Sam patted him on the shoulder, a wordless conversation exchanged and then he left. He left you standing there in the middle of a crowded bar more lost and desolate than you had felt before. If he turned and looked back at you his resolve would crumble like a house of cards, he couldn’t see your face like that. He’d already gotten too close.

[jeongjaehyuns]

ok since kellie posted her fancam i thought i’d finally stop being lazy and do the same too :’)

i mentioned this a little bit before but earlier this month, i was lucky enough to get tickets to see nct 127 at the apple music event in la and was able to see them perform! this was by far one of the most amazing and intimate experiences i’ve ever been able to be apart of and being able to see nct 127 doing what they do best together is something i’m going to cherish in my heart for a very long time! here is the link to the full playlist of all their performances!! 

underneath the cut will be a much more detailed and in depth account of everything that happened at the event if anyone is interested in reading more about it! ♡

ok hello if there are people who actually decided to keep reading thank u so much and buckle up bc u are in for a riiiiiiiiiide (ridin on that VAAaaaaAAAAan, KEEP dRIVINGGGggGGG) ok anyways! HERE WE GO!

[ ! ] btw the first part is just me talking about everything that happened before the concert so pls feel free to just skip to the last paragraph instead LOL

so when news came out that nct 127 was going to be coming back to the u.s. and perform on jimmy kimmel and that tickets were FREE, my friends and i hi kellie, hi tracey all tried to get some tickets for both the taping and the concert and was able to make it on the waitlist! i don’t live in california but both of my friends do so i told them that if any of us got confirmed tickets, i’d be flying over there for the weekend to attend the show! it’s kind of all a blur now bc the only thing i can remember within that week was stressing out so hard over tickets because the way the whole thing was set up was just SO STRESSFUL because despite being on the waitlist, there is no 100% guarantee that you’d get tickets and they start giving out tickets to people from within a week before the taping to the day of the actual event so really, it was just one massive waiting game. but a week went by and none of us saw any signs of getting tickets and flight ticket prices kept fluctuating for me so i just went ahead and booked my flight anyways without a confirmed ticket pls don’t ever do this omfg please please PLEASE don’t ever do this!!! and PRAYED that one of us would be able to get tickets ;; a few days went by and then nct kept releasing more news and how they’d be performing at mickey mouse’s 90th birthday celebration so tickets for that were also available too and once again, we made it on the waitlist!!! and played not one but now two (2) waiting games!!!! :-)))

honestly i rly don’t remember much that happened during this small time frame bc i was so stressed and anxious over these tickets that it rly took a toll on me physically and mentally LOL but yeah so on wednesday the 3rd, nct 127 posted on their instagram about how they’d be having a special performance partnered with apple music and i was about to start my math exam but the moment i read their post, i ran to the bathroom faster than i’ve ever ran before and of course, i requested tickets and made it on the waitlist again!!!! SO NOW IN TOTAL, IT WAS NOT ONE, BUT THREE (3) WAITING GAMES!!! GAMES THAT I WAS STARTING TO GET SICK OF PLAYING!!! anyways yeah so basically my friends and i made it onto all 3 waiting lists and at this point we really just wanted to be able to make it to at least one event ;;;

fast forward to friday, aka 1 day before mickey mouse and 3 days before kimmel and apple music and also the day my flight leaves for la!!! my friends and i all got a big fat no from mickey mouse saying they wouldn’t be able to accommodate our ticket requests bc they were full so we we re like ok!!! whatevs!!! we still have kimmel and apple to try for!!! so here i am… at the airport… getting ready to leave with no!!! confirmed!!! ticket!!! my flight was quite early in the morning so i was at the airport overnight and it was like around 11:30pm when i was doing homework and i got a notification on my phone… thinking it was just some random notification when in reality, I GOT MY CONFIRMED TICKET FOR THE APPLE MUSIC EVENT :’) it’s a blur to me bc it happened so fast and so suddenly but all i remember was that my jaw literally dropped for the longest time and my hands were shaking so badly bc i cOULDN’T BELIEVE IT??? i wasn’t able to sleep that entire night nor was i able to sleep on the plane from all the adrenaline so that saturday really was an interesting day for me LOL anywho i made it to la safe and sound and spent saturday and sunday hanging out with my friends while we prepared for monday :’)

ok so then despite getting tickets, we had no idea where the location of this event was going to be bc 1iota (the event organizer) wasn’t going to release the information until 10am monday morning and we were planning on waiting in line like early early to get a good spot so we had to be ready and out of the house by 9am!!! bUT WAIT!!! 9am was also when the english version of the mv was going to be released so me and kellie were both !!! bc we wanted to gif the mv so bad!!! so now at this point it’s like 7am and we’re all like half awake trying frantically to get ready and i’m over here trying to stream nct on the radio and listen to the world release of regular eng ver and then somewhere in between all of this, both kellie and tracey ended up getting their emails for confirmed tickets too??? so yeah at this point all three of us are running around like crazy ppl bc we weren’t expecting all of us to go but now all 3 of us get to go!!! so yeah i brought my laptop with me and tried to gif in the car but the connection from my hotspot was so slow so i just sat and cried instead :-) ALSO!!! remember how information about the location was supposed to be released at 10am? yeah well they changed it on us again!!! they delayed it to 2pm so at this point me and kellie rly wanted to d*e bc we did all of that rushing for nothing omfg but fast forward to 2pm, they released the information for the location and since we were already in the hollywood area we went there right away so when we lined up, we were like number 10 in line!!! :D

i wasn’t able to eat at all that entire day just bc i was so stressed and so nervous from everything that the hunger didn’t hit me til like 20 mins before the actual event omg ;;;; i remember saying “omg i’m so hungry” and the girl beside me was like “well sweetie, you’re about to be fed real good rn” and i just died laughing oh my god but yeah i had a priority ticket so i was let in around 7:30pm-ish and the event started at 8! i got barricade again just like last time at kcon ny, my view was reeeeeeally good!! ! i would say even better than kcon’s even tho i was front and center for kcon ;;; back when we were in line, the event organizers kept asking us how we were doing and each time i would tell them that i was super nervous and they’d ask why and i would explain that i just get super nervous before seeing nct omg it’s really true tho idk what it is but i just feel so QUEASY before seeing them… like the fact that you go from seeing them from your screen to seeing them in front of you is just a very STRANGE FEELING FOR ME OK but they kept repeating how we were all going to have a good time and that the space inside was super small so it’s going to be nice and intimate with them and they said how no matter what spot you get, you’re still going to be super close to them… one of the staff members was like “you’re going to be so close to them they’re going to sweat on you” AND GOD THIS JUST MADE ME EVEN MORE NERVOUS KASDJKSAJDKAJDKA

OK ANYWAYS ENOUGH OF THAT, ONTO THE ACTUAL CONCERT! when we got in, the event was actually on a rooftop and so the scenery behind the stage was just soooooo pretty and then they had a playlist of their songs playing in the bg and it was just really nice to listen and enjoy while we waited for them to come out :’) the members kept hiding behind this door and some of them started waving and they were all teasing us so hard bc the moment we saw someone there, we would all start screaming and they just wouldn’t stop :’) then they finally played the apple music documentary video for us and i just remember all of us screaming a lot LOL but then the lights went off again and then we all watched them walk onto the stage one by one and oh my GOD the wait for them to finally start just felt like forever and then next thing i know, the sirens went off and all i hear is “GET IT LIFTED” and then firetruck started omg i was trying to get jaehyun’s attention but then mr. nakamoto yuta… YUTA… looked over on our side and me and him made eye contact for a good solid 3 seconds and i just about lost my shit omg… HE IS SO INSANELY GORGEOUS IN REAL LIFE I WAS RLY GOIN THRU IT… JAEHYUN WHO??? AND THEN HAECHAN OMG… haechan came over to our side like 75% of the time and he is the cutest, most adorable person on this planet!!! he was always smiling and waving and i really can’t think of anything else to describe him other than the sun bc he quite literally was shining that night!!! i think it was halfway through firetruck that we started to realize that the stage was like… a little slippery??? but it wasn’t until limitless started where we really noticed the members starting to slip and stumble here and there ;; also there’s this one part where jaehyun went up super close to me during limitless and i about died… i’ve said this before and i’ll say it again but even after seeing him irl, HE IS SO HANDSOME IT’S UNREAL… HIS VISUALS ARE OUT OF THIS WORLD I CAN’T GET IT OUT OF MY HEAD but yeah the staff members would go on stage after each song to try their best to dry the stage but for some reason that wasn’t enough ;; i have no idea why the stage was so slippery but my guess was that it was pretty cool up on the rooftop and with the amount of people there, there was so much body heat in the air and then that mixed with the cool air = condensation??? i also think the shoes the members were wearing had like absolutely no friction at the bottom so it made them slip even more ;; they were also using a fog machine too but idk if that was actually the reason why the stage was so slipper omg but yeah after firetruck, they performed limitless and then they had a small ment here and mark talked about how it was a very special day for them (bc they just came straight from performing at jimmy kimmel too) and then johnny screamed something along the words of being apple music’s next up next artist and he was just so happy!!!! and then mark said that they’ve got october all to themselves and they were so happy to be able to be here with all of the fans! jaehyun also said that the place was so wonderful and said all the fans there were so wonderful and johnny came in to say that they had rehearsals the night before but being there with all the fans, it was a totally different feeling ;~; after that they performed touch and then when it came to cherry bomb (OT10 VER WITH JUNGWOO BTW), this was when things started to look a little :/// bc taeyong had already fell back during touch and at this point i was already beyond worried bc i would rather have them stop the whole thing all together rather than have them risk getting injured just to perform for us??? i shouted so many times to “be careful” in both korean and english T________T IT WAS LIKE THE DREAM CONCERT ALL OVER AGAIN WHEN THEY PERFORMED IN THE RAIN not to mention they had comeback promotions to do once they back to korea too so i rly just wanted them to stop ;;; i also think the members were all starting to get a little discouraged from all the slipping and stumbling during each performance and it kinda just looked like they were all really sad that they couldn’t put on a perfect performance ;; at this point the stage was soooooo slippery and i think they were more focused on not falling rather than performing and my heart rly just was in pieces ;;; taeyong fell again in cherry bomb during the leg split dance and it looked so painful oh my god i was just so WORRIED and i wanted it all to stop so bad ;~; but after cherry bomb ended, i think the members went back down to talk to the staff and then they came back up with different shoes! but finally!!! alas, they performed regular!!! since they switched shoes, the performance went pretty smoothly so i felt a little at ease! taeil, doyoung and mark were still wearing their original shoes so there were a few times when they slipped a little but thank god none of them actually fell ;; despite the song being a released earlier that morning, a lot of the fans did really well in learning the fanchants and singing along with the boys so i think it really helped in boosting the members’ confidence after the prior performances ;; there was a small ment here and doyoung talked and johnny translated it saying how basically the members felt really apologetic that they couldn’t put on good performances bc of the slippery stage and i was yelling with all the energy i had left in my that it was ok!!! that they were doing amazing and that they shouldn’t feel sorry!!! IT WAS KILLING ME INSIDE THAT THEY FELT THIS ASKDJKASDJAKJSDKD I WANTED TO ACTUALLY D*E but then they promised they’d come back to show an even better performance and doyoung held up his lil pinky!!! and then johnny asked how taeyong was doing and he answered back “i’m okay!!!” IN THE CUTEST WAY POSSIBLE… I JUST WANTED TO GIVE HIM ONE BIG FAT HUG T________________T and then taeyong said the last mission they had left was to take a picture with the fans and took out the selfie stick to take a picture with everyone! it was so cute TwT 

but yeah, overall the whole experience was really really amazing minus the slippery stage and for the most part, i was really impressed with how organized 1iota was! i’m really grateful i got to be apart of it and it still feels like a dream that i got to attend the event and see them perform and promote their new album here in america!!! they were amazing performers and did so well despite everything! i was really really proud of them ;; anyways, thank you to everyone that made it this far!!! i hope you enjoyed this fan account! i know it’s a super long post but if i don’t write it all out now while it’s still somewhat fresh in my mind, i’m going to forget it by the end of the month so i hope you all understand! thank you so much! ♡

[collectingvoices]

IR Secret Santa!!

@immortal-rain-secret-santa

I got to make a gift for @sytacus!! Jay asked for literally anything as long as F*lk wasn’t involved, so I decided to write something based in the household’s beloved modmeme universe.

Happy holidays, and I hope you enjoy!!

Calvaria Labs Presents: A Bleak Midwinter’s Night

The tiny apartment was freezing. Frost coated the windows, glowing gold due to the streetlights outside. Inside, Machika grumbled as she tugged the duvets around herself, trying to conserve the tiny island of heat in the middle of her bed. Every exhale billowed out as a tiny storm, warming her face before the cold struck back and made her face feel even colder. Her toes slid out into the open air, and she hissed at the burning feeling before she tugged them back to safety.

“Stupid heating,” she grumbled, “Pay good money and it still craps out.”

Turning over, she resigned herself to trying to fall back asleep in the icebox of her room. A knock at the door, however, had her sitting up, bundled up in her sheets. “Who the hell…?”

A second knock, and Machika reluctantly brought out her feet, quickly stuffing them into the slippers at the side of her bed. With the comforter still wrapped around her, she shuffled to the front door, footsteps muffled by the carpet. There was a third knock, quickly halted as she pointedly turned the lock. Cracking the door open, she peered out into the hallway. Then up, her eyebrows rising.

“Rain?”

The tall figure nodded as she removed the chain and pulled the door open. Machika could barely make out her friend’s eyes, peering out from a space below a large, fluffy hat and above several clashing scarves that were wrapped tightly around his face and neck. Even with the obviously heavy coat, she could see him shaking as he shuffled in.

“ M’ heating gav’ out.”

Machika had to strain to hear his voice, muffled as it was by layers. She pulled the duvet closer, and told him, “Mine’s not much better.”

Rain seemed to deflate. “ Oh.”

They frowned at each other. Machika shifted back and forth, trying to warm up. It wasn’t very successful, and Rain wrapping his arms around her wasn’t very successful either.

“This sucks,” Machika said.

Rain nodded.

“You know… my bosses live near here.”

Rain looked at her, his eyes going wide. He rapidly shook his head as he whisper-shouted, “Bad idea, bad idea!”

“Do you have a better one?” she snapped back. Rain’s expression told her all she needed to know.

“Then it’s settled. Lemme pull on some more layers, and we can raid their house.”

Rain raised his eyes skyward, but didn’t stop her.

Ys was the one to open the house’s monumental glass and steel front door. Or at least, Machika thought the nearly round polar coat in front of them was Ys. It was the right height, at least.

“What do you want, Machi?” Came the disgruntled voice of Yuca’s tiny clone, “It’s 2 am, on the weekend. Emergencies can at least wait ‘til the sun is actually up.”

“Our heating gave out.”

Ys squinted at her, and then looked past Machika. Spotting Rain, he said, “Ah. the desk guard. Wouldn’t have thought you two were a thing.”

Machi and Rain both began to splutter, cheeks turning bright red.

“That’s not-”

“We’re not-”

“I mean, we could be-”

“But not right now, no-”

“Whatever,” Ys said blandly, “Anyways, go away. There’s no heating for you here.”

“You and Yuca are literal geniuses, who make six figures each, and your heating gives out?!”

“No, we turned it off. Obviously.”

Rain and Michika blinked at him, before yelling together, “Why?!”

Ys shrugged. “We wanted to make ice cream and the freezer wasn’t getting cold enough.”

Machika put her head in her hands. “Why,” she asked, voice muffled, “Didn’t you just put it outside?”

He gave her an unimpressed look. “Because it would have gotten snow in it.”

Machika shook her head, face still in her hands. Rain shuffled awkwardly behind her. “Um. Isn’t it in a box?” the tall man asked.

A voice echoed from the depths of the house. “Yes, but someone decided to use the lid as a petri dish.”

All three turned to look. From the darkness came the lanky form of Yuca, rubbing sleep from his eyes with his palm. Machika felt her jaw drop. The mad scientist was only wearing a pair of star patterned shorts and pink fluffy slippers.

Ys narrowed his eyes at his creator, seemingly unsurprised by the older man’s attire. “I had to, you kept using the actual petri dishes to microwave your leftovers in.”

Yuca scratched at his chin. “And?”

“And, you useless block of donor cells, we have perfectly usable bowls!”

“Hey now-”

As the two began to squabble, Rain leaned down and asked Machika in a whisper, “How is he not cold?”

Machika shrugged. “I don’t get paid enough to ask that.”

Eury was having such a good night. His siblings had gone to see Sharem’s old man for the holiday, leaving him alone in their townhouse. As such, he’d invited Ayla over for a late night dinner of leftover chinese. They’d eaten while watching dramatic racing movies, and now that the boxes covering the coffee table were licked clean, the promise of her staying the rest of the night was definitely on the table, if how close she was snuggled up to his side was any indication.

“Hey Eury, got anything to drink?”

He hummed. “There’s some water and juice in the fridge. The beer’s in the cupboard.”

“I was thinking something hotter.”

“Oh?” he asked with a grin.

Ayla promptly hit him with one of the throw pillows. “Not like that. I meant a warm drink.”

“I know what you meant.”

“Suuure. Anyways, have you got something or not?”

Eury scratched the back of his neck. “We probably got some coffee in there. Maybe that apple cider mix…”

“You know what, I’ll just go take a look.” Ayla said as she stood.

“Nooo, don’t leave me,” Eury said dramatically, reaching his arms out after his girlfriend. She merely rolled her eyes at him and continued into the kitchen.

“You’re so dramatic. You can survive a few minutes without me.”

“That’s debatable, babe,” There was a knock at the front door. Eury let out a hefty sigh, “Aylaaa…”

“Get it yourself!”

“Damn it.” Eury muttered as he dragged himself off the couch and towards the front door. Pulling it open, he snapped, “What?” Rain raised a gloved hand and gave an awkward little wave. Machika peered around him, dark bags around her eyes as she stared Eury down. Ys and Yuca, identically impeccably dressed, stood further back, but both seemed unimpressed by Eury’s rumpled state.

“Rain. What fresh hell have you brought to my doorstep?” Eury asked his friend.

“Our heating is out.” the group said, collectively tired.

“Oh.” Then Eury realized what that meant, and his tone quickly changed, “Oh no. No, no, no, you guys can’t stay here. Go check into a hotel or something, cause I ain’t letting you in-”

“Eury? Who are you talking to?” Ayla called from the kitchen.

Machika raised her eyebrows at Eury, grinning. He groaned, and leaned against the doorframe as he rubbed the bridge of his nose.

“Eury, I asked-” Ayla stepped out of the kitchen, “Oh, hey Rain! Oh, and is that Machi?”

Machika slipped past Eury, shooting him a smug grin, like a cat that’s gotten into the cream, before wrapping her arms around Ayla. “You’re so warmmmm.” Machika moaned.

Ayla patted her head. “Want some hot cocoa? I found a box.”

Machika nodded vigorously.

“Ok then. How about the rest of you?”

Rain gave one short nod, while Ys and Yuca looked at each other, before answering together, “Yes please.”

“I’ll put the kettle on then!” She said, before pulling Machika with her into the kitchen.

Eury looked at the group of men outside his door, and the men looked back. Finally, he sighed, and stepped aside. “C’mon then.”

As the three slipped past him, sighing in relief at the warmth - except for Yuca, who seemed rather blase about it all - Eury shook his head. There goes my plans for the night. Happy fucking holidays to me.

[spiderneds]

Insta-Kill Mode (Peter Parker [TH] x Reader)

this angsty, long-ish fic was requested by @glitterypoetrynerd. i needed to give y’all something long and eventful as an apology for my being absent so much this week. :( 

You rolled gracefully across the road, landing on one knee, fingers pressing against the road to balance you. Your boyfriend, Peter, landed next to you, web snapping. You looked at him and smirked. Masked, he glanced at you. 

You loved being his partner in superhero work. 

The sound of the villain, a strong man (like, he had literal super strength), broke from the ground, the concrete crumbling like cake. He dusted off his thick muscles and stepped out of the mess.

“Spider-Man,” he said, voice gruff. “I knew you would show up.”

“That’s because I live here, man,” he said, standing up. You stood at his side. “So what, you gonna punch your way through this?”

“I can do more than punch, you know,” he said.

“We’ll see,” he replied. “You look like a one-talent kind of guy.” He flicked his wrist and shot out a web grenade. The man stepped out of them like they were nothing. “Er, crap. What do you got, babe?”

“Uh, swing left,” you said.

“On it,” he said, swinging away.

You didn’t really have a plan. You had parts of a plan and a hope to put them together. If you didn’t put them together, then-

“Alright, he’s picking up cars, he’s picking up cars,” Peter chattered nervously.

“Fire two web grenades at his feet! I’m going to create a field around his legs and slow him down. He’s a literal giant, Pete.” You stood in front of him and held out your palms. Peter fired the webs and you created the shields - two invisible forces coming out of your hands. When they wrapped around you, you walked like you were in water. But even with the giant guy walking like that, he was coming up on you fast. “Uh, Peter?”

“Hang on, babe. I - I am totally going to run out of webs at this point.” He kept firing them. “Holy crap, we are seriously unprepared for this fight.”

You leaned forward, face scrunching as you created larger shields, making it grow larger and larger... and having it do absolutely nothing as he grabbed a set of three sharp, skinny knives that were tucked away in his belt. 

“___!” Peter shouted, swinging after you. 

You staggered backwards, breath hitching in you throat. Peter swung by and wrapped an arm around you at the same time the giant guy threw his knives. You were dropped onto the sidewalk on the other side of the road, behind a red car. You landed on your back and watched in terror as Peter fell forward, crying out and grabbing his side-

Where a knife had plunged into his flesh.

“Oh gosh, Peter!” you choked, getting up on your knees. You helped him lay down on the ground. “Oh gosh, oh - just lay here, okay? Uh. W-What do I do?”

He grunted. “Don’t pull it out,” he managed to cough. He sat up, peeling his mask up so he could breathe better. “Oh jeez, it hurts. I can’t breathe. I can’t breathe!”

“Peter, Peter. Baby, please.” You touched his shoulder and he looked at you. “I am going to finish this without you.”

He grabbed your arm in terror. “No!” 

“I have to. Look at you! And he-” You peeked over the car and saw him throwing vehicles in search for you. “He is looking for us. You need medical help.”

“You know I’m not going to the hospital,” he whispered.

“I know. Karen, call Tony Stark. Tell him to come right away.”

“Sure, ___. I am currently contacting Tony Stark.”

You got up and ran off, ignoring his calls of protest. You ducked behind a different car, raising your hands and preparing your powers. The coursing of it in your veins and the buzzing of it in your fingertips gave you the feeling of absolute strength, while your normal human anxiety gave you the feeling of fear. 

You stood up, turning to raise a shield, but the guy was there, and his hand was around your neck. You tried to yell out but couldn’t. Your feet lifted off the ground and your hands gripped the hand that held you. He stared at you for a long moment, and then his other fist came down against your head. 

Peter crawled out from behind the car. Things had been too quiet for too long. He basically had to crawl, his body aching as it struggled to heal himself. He got up on his feet, tripping a little, eyes scanning the scene.

“___?” he asked, voice high. “___?” He turned around, falling back against the sidewalk. No one was around. He grunted and cried out.

He needed to find you. If that guy had hurt you-

He inched forward on his hands, feeling blood ooze out of the gaping cut in his side. He stopped when he saw a card with an address on it. Getting up slowly to his feet, he mumbled to Karen to locate where you were.

Peter’s side had mostly healed by the time he found you; located in any average secret lair, trapped in a caged room. He got in and landed in front of you, seeing that you were tied to a metal chair, ropes all the way up your arms and legs.

“___?” He shook your shoulders gently. Your head rolled and hair fell in front of your face. You lifted your head and he cupped your cheek.

“Peter?” you mumbled.

“Hey,” he breathed, wiping a tear away. You didn’t look like you had a scratch on you. “Are you alright?”

“You need to go,” you breathed. “I don’t trust this guy-”

“You won’t believe how easy it was to get in here,” he told you, working on the ropes around your left hand. “It was, like, crazy easy.”

“Peter,” you said again, “this guy is planning something-”

A door opened and the cage door automatically locked. Peter got up, hurrying to the door to jiggle the handle. He smacked his palm against it. “Hey! Let us out of here, man!” He started to yank on the cage, but it didn’t budge.

“Not ‘til I get what I want,” he said, taking a seat on the stool Peter hadn’t yet noticed. “I want her dead on the ground. Or at least bleeding.”

Peter’s face hardened. “So what? You’re going to beat a girl?”

“No,” he said smugly. “You are.”

Peter blinked at him. “Me?”

The man nodded.

“I am not going to beat my girlfriend, dude. Look, you know our secret identities. If you let us go, then-”

“Spider-Man,” the man said, “attached to your girl’s neck is a device that, when activated, will send an electric shock throughout her body. If you don’t do everything that I say, I will activate it.”

Peter turned and saw a small metal device against your neck. His face twisted.

“Shall we test it?” He waved a remote that was in his palm. A second later, a buzzing sound erupted and you screamed in agony. 

Peter ran to you, too afraid to touch you, too torn at the sound of your screams to even focus. “No! No, no - let her go! Stop doing this to her, man. You’re going to kill her! Please-”

It stopped abruptly, leaving you leaning against your ropes, breathing and sweating heavily. Peter looked at you and put a hand on your leg. He reached up and tilted your head towards him. 

“Babe,” he breathed. “Are you okay?”

“We... n-need to get... out of here,” you whispered, eyes closing.  

“Just hang in there, and I promise I’ll save both of us,” he said. He stood up again and wrapped his fingers around the cage wall. “What is wrong with you? What do you want from me?”

“I want you to go over there and hit her,” he said.

“You’re crazy.” Peter shook his head in disgust. 

“One more shock and it will kill her. Would you like to test that theory?” He raised the remote again.

“No!” Peter exclaimed. “Please don’t.”

“Then do what I say,” he ordered. 

Peter’s eyes welled with tears. He looked at you, weak and still dazed. He shook his head. “I can’t do that to her. I can’t hurt her.”

“Either way, you’re hurting her,” he said. 

“Peter, just do it already,” you breathed. “I want to go home.”

“I am not hurting her. You’re sick, man. You’re an absolute coward.” He yanked at the cage and the whole thing jerked off track. “I could-”

“Stop, or I’ll-”

“No!” Peter screamed. He yanked the cage and it tore apart. He threw it away and stepped out. The man staggered out of the way, stool dropping to the floor. He was stronger than Peter, really, but Peter was so angry-

And he felt like he had no other choice besides to-

He had to do it-

“Karen, activate insta-kill mode.”

Your head raised, eyes wide with shock. “Peter, no! Don’t you dare!”

“Look what he did to you!” He gestured to you, eyes leaking tears. “You tortured her, man! You’re sick.” He put his mask on; the eyes of his mask weren’t white anymore, they were red. “And you deserve whatever I do to you.”

“That’s enough, Pete.” You looked up as Iron Man flew down through a gaping hole in the boards that made up the ceiling. “I think you can take ___ and go on home.”

“No, Mr. Stark, he-”

“Kid!” he snapped. “Go.”

Peter stopped, jaw snapping shut. He backed away and Tony flew in closer, hand out. You were crying as Peter untied your wrists. He lifted you off the chair and you climbed onto his back. He shot a web up to the sky before Tony could do whatever he was going to do to the guy. 

He kept you on the roof of the building next door, waiting for Tony to leave. You were laying down next to where he was sitting, snoring softly. Peter rubbed your shoulders gently, frowning deeper by the minute as he stared at you. 

He was so angry. 

Tony appeared only minutes after. “Is there a reason you haven’t taken her to the hospital, Mr. Parker?” 

“You should have let me kill him, Mr. Stark,” Peter mumbled. “I wanted to kill him.”

“I know you did. But you would have regretted it in a second. Killing someone is harder than you can even imagine.”

Peter gave him a dirty look. “He tortured her in front of me. He tried to get me to hit her, and I was - I almost considered it. Just to save her life.” He swallowed his disgust and shook his head. “She means the world to me and he knew that, so he wanted me to hurt her.”

“You wouldn’t have done it, kid. I know you.”

“Wouldn’t have hurt her or killed him?” he muttered.

“Either,” he replied. “You don’t have a bone in your body capable of horrible things. A friendly neighborhood Spider-Man leaves the serious work to the Avengers. Understood?”

“Yeah,” Peter said. He stared at his hands, which were blurring as he teared up. “He deserved to die.”

“Oh, he got what was coming to him. Don’t worry.”

Peter looked up and gave a small smile. “Thank you for coming all the way here. Wait - are you really here?”

The mask opened. “I sure am, kid.” Peter nodded, smiling a little wider. “Let’s get her to the hospital.”

Peter started to lift you up. You woke up, putting your arms around his neck. He stood up on the ledge of the building.

“Pete?” you whispered against his neck. 

“We’re going to the hospital now,” he said. “Just hang on to me, alright?”

“No, I-” You swallowed. “I am glad you didn’t kill him. I am glad you’re okay. You wouldn’t be my Peter if you hurt someone like that.”

He looked down at you and kissed your head. He loved the way he was your Peter. It reminded him of who he was - and what he would or would not do.

[tumblunni]

Me in the hospital: i cannot sleep for 24 hours, the slightest noise is blaring, i am perpetually anxiety adrenaline

As soon as i get home: has the best sleep of my life

I usually take an hour to get to sleep each night but i totally just curled up like a snail and dropped into dreamland instantly. And i woke up to a nice warm house cos the heating turned on while i was asleep, and now all the anesthetic is completely worn off so i feel energized and great! And my throat pain has eased up so thankfully i wont have to be liquids only for as long as i thought. I was all hyperactive and cooked a great fancy omelette and it tastes like heaven itself! Its so weird how stuff tastes slightly diffetent when its the first time youve been able to chew with the right side of your mouth in five years. I guess the tastebuds on the sides of your tongue are slightly different? When i eat everything now im gonna be rolling it all over my mouth like WOW ITS ALL SO NEW AGAIN! Will probably look nuts in the middle of mcdonalds with my cheeks puffed like a squirrel XD

Oh and this is also a great excuse to drink loads of chocolate milkshakes from my milkshake viking mug! I feel so energized with calcium and yums!! EVERYTHING TASTES SO NEWWWWWWW

Oh man i do feel a bit sleepy again now after just being up for a few hours tho. I have these good jaw pain specific medicines i have to take for the next two weeks til my followup appointment to check if theres any infection left. But man i feel SO ALIVE AGAIN im pretty sure all the rot is gone! It feels so wild having space in my mouth and not constant clenchy tightness. It actually hurts less recovering from the surgery than it did before, lol! I can feel all my teeth moving apart again and loosening up into normality and the gums healing up all their injuries and oh god i just love how they cleaned out all the broken parts of my teeth and capped them with these great replacements that look so real you'd never be able to tell! My smile looks not ugly!! My smile looks not ugly!! Aaaaa! I just expected regaining the right side of my mouth, i didbt expect to e like "holy shit it must have hurt even more than i realized cos this feels so amazing now". Like i guess i got used to putting up with it and forgot how it felt to not have painmouth? Underestimated how good a teeth can be! And man i never asked for reconstructive cosmetic stuff too but they did these caps and aaa my teeth never looked his good even when they were new!! My front teeth were always crooked even before they did the weird balogna slam together and shattered into a pile of crap. And now they look like perfect supermodel teeth!! The only side effect is that its a lil hard to get used to the lack of gaps between them now after so long dealing with the shattered mess. My tongue keeps being like "oh no did something get stuck in the gaps again oh wait there arent any" and then i subconsciously try to clean them after taking every bite and just bite my tongue instead. Man i never noticed i picked up a bunch of weird mannerismd cos of tje bad teeth! I was constantly paranoidly checking my mouth 24/7 in case the slightest thing made it even worse, and eating super gently so that nothing accidentally touched the Wrong Tooth and set off a jolt of pain. And i actually needed to get a filling put in on the leftmost back tooth that was the ONLY TOOTH I COULD USE TO EAT WITHOUT PAIN for all this time! Overuse of it meant that it got ground down a little and probably would have become painful too if i'd left it any longer. Then i really would have been all soups all the time and that sucks!! Soups are good but nothing but then gives u stomach issues. The bad poops!!

Man sorry im rambling so much im just so hyper and happy and also still kinda dopily sleepy! Im not still delirious or anything i just feel the happy kind of sleepy where the anesthetic is all gone and its not "oh god i cant stay awake" and more natural sleepyness of a long day being over and everything being okay. I had such a good long nap and i feel well rested after getting so little sleep beforehand due to all the dumb anxiety. And i still feel dozey but happy doze~

Anyway its awesometo be able to really chug and crunch a foods! With the other side of my mouth i forgot about! And taste milkshake to its fullest extent!! Oh and whats weird is that the reconstructive surgery capping on my front teeth means that theyre kinda one tooth now? The caps are all linked in a single piece to fill the gaps fully without even the natural ones you'd have on healthy teeth. So its like a solid tooth guard just sculpted to look like three teeth. Itll be tricky to train myself out of thts subconcious rubbing the gaps with my tongue when theyre not even there. But i expect once i get over the unfamiliarity this triple cap will be really useful! Theyre totes reinforced so that even if i do get tight mouth problems again and the front teeth take the brunt of the pressure, now theres no gaps to smash into each other and become a painful mess. Its like scaffolding reinforcing my whole mouth by fixing the loadbearing beam, or something.

Oh also these pain meds make u a little bit more sleepy than normal paracetamol so i'll probably doze off again soon. But hopefully i will have slept off most of the "healing debt exhaustion" tomorrow and will be able to go walk down the shops and buy some icecream and other soft food. I mostly stocked up on purely liquid food cos i tjought my mouth function would be more limited. But honestly the teeth are working so much better than before, they were already so swollen and painful that i couldnt crunch stuff! Now the mild discomfort of mid-healing from surgery feels like barely anything and i bet i could bite thru a goddamn rock right now! I just cant really swallow crunchy stuff or stuff thats too salty or citrusy. I didnt even know about the stabbity throat pipe so i didnt expect it to be the most painful part that takes the longest to heal. It feels so weird cos i keep coughing like my brain thinks theres phelgm stuck in my throat when its actually a skin flap/blister from the insertion. So obviously that aint going anywhere and i have to try and force myself not to cough or swallow or else i set off this cjain of "must get thing out of throat must puke" reflex. And the pain feels like a sore throat but it isnt?? Its not really inflamed ot anything its just an actual friction burn on the opening of my airway. Which is not a common occurance so the brain is justvlike "what the fuck is happening, must send all contradicting signals at once!" So sore throat medicine wont work cos that goes down your throat passage to your stomach when really this lil skin tag blister thing is in the lung throat opening thing. And sucking on throat sweets made it worse cos all the muscles were really tense around the area where the tube was inserted, hence why it was hard to swallow food even tho it was my windpipe that hurt. And sucking on something is kinda like perpetually swallowing nothing, when you think about it? Im glad that the muscle tenseness is mostly gone now and the painkillers are helping with the ouch, and my brainis getting usedto not coughing and making it worse. But still should eat soft easily swallowable stuff for a lil while and it'll be fun to go aroundthe shops with my last pocketful of change and find neat ingredients to stick in omelettes. Im so excited to taste all my favourite things in new HD functional mouth power!!! And i can smile at the shopkeeper!!!

And oh man i really do think that my sleeping problems with stiff neck and that kind of 'bloodrush to the head' migraine were indeed part of the bad wisdom teeth bleeding internally under the gum. I thought it had to be that cos nothing else in my life changed around that time aside from getting a better and healthier bed which should have been beneficial to my neck. And even going back to sleepong on the floor like before didnt make a difference so it definately wasnt the bed! And it kept getting worse while nothing was changing, and i kept trying different things like changing my pillows and headphones and cutting caffeine out of my diet and eating more salt and eating less salt and fuckin ANYTHING ELSE cos i knew if it really was the dumb tooth being infected then there was nothong i could do about it til my surgery day arrived. Itd be such a relief to know for sure that it was indeed the tooth and now that nonsense is gonna be gone forever! But also thats really worrying to know that it was getting so bad it could have spread an infection to my jawbone and the top of my spine if itd been left much longer. I kept sneezing up blood lumps like the size of a fifty pence piece! Had never had nosebleeds for a decade and now suddenly all the time! God it feels so good to be able to lay my head down and not feel all woozy and tense im the forehead or neck. I really hope this good neck untenseness continues and the awful aches really were just the tooth. But everyone in the hospital was so nice that i think even if i do need a second surgery to check for jaw infection then id be able to be less nervoud than i was this time

Man do u ever get that thing where youre so peaceful and contented that like you can breathe easier? Like subconciously taking bigger breaths and the middle of your chest feels slightly puffed out and warm. I guess thats what the "heart leaping in yout chest" idiom is meant to refer to, lol! Or maybe i can just literally breathe easier cos the tooth pain might have been passing into my nasal cavity too, lol. My entire head feels so less tense!! Its like all my bones were rebelling against me and now they're at peace again!! Man i feel so giddy happy like i chugged a giant energy drink or something but its the opposite its a good sleeps drink XD

So im gonna go lie down again and have a relax and watch a movie or something and see if i pass out when the medicine kicks in, or if its not too bad and i can still continue my hyper mood. But my nap was so long that its too late to go to the shops now anyway so i'll just make more plain omelette and milkshake if i get hungry. I mean it doesnt taste plain when all my sense of taste is so amplified likethis! I dont mind if its all i can eat all week. PURE MILKSHAKEY DECADENCE

Aaaaa im just so happy!! I missed my chance to get the new. Kingdlm hearts but ive beenwaiting fkr this surgery for ages too and it feels like just as much of an exciting relief!

[slusheeduck]

Grace Note

Grace note:   A kind of music notation used to denote several kinds of musical ornaments--that is, notes that give the performer the opportunity to add expressiveness to a song or piece.

Part 1 - 2002

               “So you’ve been dead for two weeks and you’re still not used it? Man, two weeks in, I was already using my arm bones as bottle-openers.”

               “That’s…probably not safe, Chuy.”

               “I’m dead, Sebastián. It’s not gonna hurt me.” Chuy leaned back in his seat, shaking his skull. “Look, you can’t just wallow in being dead. I mean, look at this place!” He waved at the brightly lit city around them, with skeletons animatedly wandering the streets. “We’re here to party.”

               Sebastián crossed his arms and shrugged, rolling his eyes but not responding. Chuy stared at him, then huffed.

               “You know what you need?”

               “A party?” Sebastián asked dryly, then jumped as Chuy slammed a bony fist on the table.

               “Yes. You need to go somewhere where you can just forget about everything and have fun. You had tons of fun when we were alive! I saw you at, like, every party Toya threw.” He snapped his fingers. “You know what, though? I’ve got the perfect idea.”

               Sebastián grimaced. “I already don’t like it.”

               “No, cállate, listen.” Chuy leaned forward, giving Sebastián a wide grin. “I heard that Rodrigo Rivera’s having a party tonight. We’ll go to that and have the best time.”

               Sebastián stared at him, sockets so wide his eyes threatened to fall right out. “Rodrigo Rivera.”

               “Sí.”

               “The Rodrigo Rivera.”

               “Sí.”

               “Like, patron saint of parties and hungover students Rodrigo Rivera.”

               “Sí sí sí! You in?”

               Sebastián grimaced, automatically going to adjust his baseball cap. “I dunno. Don’t you need an invitation to go to celebrity parties?” He looked up as Chuy laughed.

               “For his stuff? Nah, it’s all open-invite. I’ve been to, like, three since I died last year. He just opens the doors and the party begins.” He leaned forward to give Sebastián a good-natured punch to his ribcage, making the bones rattle slightly. “So here’s what you’re gonna do. You’re gonna go home, change into something decent, and we’re gonna have fun tonight at that party. Suena bien?”

               Sebastián crossed his arms again, debating. Going to a celebrity party was something he’d always wanted to do, even if the celebrity had been dead for over fifty years.  And…maybe it’d take his mind off the whole being dead thing. Definitely better than slamming his hands on his keyboard like he had for the past few days. He sighed.

               “Okay, fine. But if there ends up being a bouncer, you’re the one who takes the blame.”

~

               It was probably the fifth time that Sebastián patted down his hair that he thought he might be overdoing it. Chuy had said they should take the trolley together, but first of all, being crammed against a whole mess of skeletons was not his idea of a good time. And second, the walk from his apartment to Rodrigo Rivera’s address gave him plenty of time to finish freaking out.

               Which, initially, he hadn’t planned to do. He’d always thought that he’d be very chill when meeting celebrities, but, given the way he kept straightening his shirt, that was not the case.

               Granted, meeting a musician he respected was definitely not the same as going to a literal national treasure’s party. Everyone who was even slightly interested in music knew who Rodrigo Rivera was. This was Rodrigo “wrote three of México’s best symphonies in a ten year time period” Rivera. Rodrigo “did more living in 26 years than most people do in 80” Rivera. Even though odds weren’t high that he’d actually see the man—he must have at least fifty year’s worth of fans surrounding him at all times—just the thought of being near him sent Sebastián’s nerves scattering.

               As he reached the plaza, he took a deep breath—remembering too late that he didn’t need to take it at all—and smoothed down the black dress shirt. Not his normal style, but he wanted to impress. This would be good. He’d go in, bask in being near Rodrigo Rivera, find Chuy and some fun, then feel better about the fact that he was nineteen and dead and would never accomplish everything he dreamed of.

               Okay.

               Time to go in.

               He glanced down at the little paper with the address, browbone furrowing as he looked around. It was all apartments. Surely there’d be a bigger house somewhere around here…right? No? Just the apartments? Well then it must be a penthouse or something, because…

               His eyes were drawn to a large group of people hanging outside of a teal-painted apartment. That…couldn’t be it. No, nooo. Someone like Rodrigo Rivera wouldn’t be living in a ground-floor apartment. He must have wound up in the wrong plaza—there were like eight Plaza de Rivera around this part of town, so he…

               “Oye! You made it!”

               Sebastián straightened up with a grimace as a hard slap on the back sent his ribs rattling, and he looked up as Chuy grinned at him.

               “So…this is the right plaza?”

               “Por supuesto.” Chuy nodded for Sebastián to follow him. “It’s that teal place, you can’t miss the crowds, man.”

               So…that really was Rodrigo Rivera’s place. Well, maybe he lived a bit simpler than people would think. That wasn’t too unusual, actually. Larger than life people tended to be pretty private, right?

               Well, if you could call an open-invite party with at least a hundred people in attendance private.

               As if he could sense Sebastián’s hesitance, Chuy grabbed his arm and dragged him forward, pushing his way into the actual house. Sebastián did his best to get in without pushing anyone, and his eyes went wide as they stepped in.

               Ah.

               So that’s where the money went.

               The apartment was far larger than it looked outside and, from what he could see between the throngs of people, it was full of paintings, statues, and what had to be the best sound system Seba had ever seen. Clearly Rodrigo Rivera knew how to live…even if he wasn’t actually living anymore.

               “Mira, Sebastián. That’s him over there.”

               Sebastián looked to where Chuy was pointing, eyes wide. He couldn’t believe it. He was about to see Rodrigo Rivera. In person. In his house.

               And…singing along to Shakira at the top of his non-existent lungs.

               Sebastián stared for at least thirty seconds, completely unsure of what exactly he was seeing. This was…not exactly what he’d expected with a composer who died in the fifties. Was it a joke? Was he being ironic? Could someone ironically know every lyric to a Shakira song? He finally broke his gaze as Chuy laughed.

               “Yeah, that’s everyone’s reaction to seeing him.”

               “He’s, uh…”

               “Way shorter than you thought, right?”

               Sebastián blinked, then furrowed his browbone at Chuy. “There were at least five other things that were more surprising than that.”

               Chuy laughed again. “No, no, he’s wild. No one ever expects him to be like…well, like that,” he said, nodding up as Mexican National Treasure Rodrigo Rivera started twirling his hips in an almost scarily-accurate Shakira impression. “There’s always at least one person staring like you are.” He stretched his neck up, then waved to someone on the other side of the apartment. “Bianca’s here! You’ll like her a lot.” He took Sebastián’s arm and started pulling him away. “Vamos, come on! You’ll lose your jaw if you keep it dropped like that.”

               “Shouldn’t we…I dunno, say hi or something? Since he’s the host?”

               “Naah, he’s usually busy with his friends. Everyone else just kind of does whatever.” As he passed a counter, Chuy grabbed two beer bottles, popping off the cap of one with his arm bones before handing it to Sebastián. “Just chill out, okay? You’ll have fun, and you can stop freaking out over being dead.”

               Sebastián was pretty sure it wasn’t that easy. But…well, what was there to argue? So he shrugged and took a swig of beer.

               At the very least, this party should be an interesting distraction.

~

               Time had passed.

               Sebastián wasn’t really sure how much time had passed. But he was probably on his…sixth?...beer, and he was tired, and the music was just starting to feel too loud and the apartment was suddenly very claustrophobic. Chuy’s friends were interesting, certainly, and for the past few hours, it’d been fun to talk with them. He was still very aware that he was dead and that everyone he was talking to was a skeleton, but after the third beer, that didn’t matter quite so much. Bianca was even starting to look a little cute with her pink and green face markings.

               Even so, it was time for him to find somewhere quiet. Preferably his apartment, but he wasn’t sure he’d be able to get all the way home. Did they have cabs here? He didn’t think so. He’d have to ask Chuy what…

               His hazy thoughts came to a quick halt, and he jolted upright in his seat as he felt something cold and wet slosh down the back of his shirt. Before he could stand up, a bony hand flopped onto his shoulder.

               “Ayyy, lo siento, guëy. I should’ve been more careful.”

               He blinked, then looked up to frown hard at the spiller. “Come on, that wasn’t…” Whatever he was about to say next died in his mouth as he made eye contact with Rodrigo Rivera.

               Dios. How many people got to say Rodrigo Rivera spilled a cocktail on them?

               “It’s…don’t worry ab—”

               “Shhh. Shhhhhhhhh.” Rodrigo leaned against the couch, patting Sebastián’s shoulder. “No, no. That’s not…it’s…whaaaat kinda host am I if I just…if I just spill things on people? I mean, mira, this shirt’s ruined now,” he slurred out.

               Sebastián glanced back at Chuy and the others, who were all caught somewhere between uncomfortable laughter and utter awe. So they were all in the same boat, then.

               “It’s not ruined,” he was finally able to say. “Don’t worry about it, Mae—” He was abruptly cut off by Rodrigo’s hand slamming over his mouth.

               “No. Don’t you…you don’t call me maestro if I’m, if we’re here. I’m just…I’m Ruy, y’know?” He pulled his hand away, leaning more over the couch so he could narrow his eyes at Sebastián. “You know what, guëy? I’m gonna…you’re gonna take one’a my shirts. S’least I can do ‘til we can get that one dry-cleaned. Don’t wanna smell like tequila…tequila? Maybe rum, I dunno what I put in that one…but you don’t wanna smell like that for the rest of the night. An’I’m a good host.” He pat Sebastián’s cheek, then stood up and started walking away.

               Sebastián blinked, then shook his head as he turned back to the group. “That was weird. Ow!” He scowled as Chuy smacked his arm.

               “What are you doing? Why are you still here?”

               Sebastián frowned as he rubbed his arm. “What?”

               “That was Rodrigo Rivera.”

               “Yeah, and he’s completely wasted.”

               “You don’t understand,” Bianca said as she leaned forward. “He never talks to people outside his orbit.”

               “But it’s an open in—”

               “Open invite doesn’t mean you get the chance to talk to him!” she whispered. “You gotta take this chance!”

               “Seriously, Sebastián. Don’t let this opportunity go!”

      ��        Sebastián opened his mouth to argue, then looked up as he heard a shrill three-note whistle. Rodrigo, swaying slightly, waved him over.

               “Come on, guëy! ‘sjust…my room’s right over here!”

               Sebastián blinked, then turned back to Chuy. “He wants me to go to his bedroom?!” he hissed.

               “And? You know the things I would do for Rodrigo Rivera?” Chuy whispered back, then gave him a shove. “Go!”

               Sebastián gave him a hard look, then glanced back to Rodrigo, who beckoned him over again. He grimaced, then got to his feet, stumbling slightly as he got his bearings. Okay. So this was weird. But…well, it’d make a good story, wouldn’t it? And well, even if it was Rodrigo Rivera, he was still sober enough to stop things before they got out-of-hand weird.

               Rodrigo pointed at him as he got closer, swaying slightly at the movement. “Allá vamos. You don’t wanna be stuck in that all night. ‘Sright down this way.”

               Sebastián followed Rodrigo down a hallway, glancing around at the skeletons meandering around—most seemed to be busy getting a little closer than he thought skeletons could. He nearly walked right into Rodrigo as he came to a stop.

               “Oye, you guys know the rules. This doorway’s…this door’s off limits.” He waved off the suddenly mortified couple, then opened the door and nodded for Sebastián to follow. He took a breath and did his best to shake off the sheer weirdness of this situation, then walked in.

               “Uh…look, mae…uh, Señor Rivera, you really do—is that a horse?”

               Well, he thought it was a horse, but it definitely had feathers. A lot of feathers. And its multi-colored coat seemed to be glowing in the dim room. The kind-of-horse knickered at him, and Rodrigo shushed it as he walked over.

               “Be nice, Preese. I messed up his shirt.” He pressed his forehead against her muzzle. “But yeah, ‘sweird he called me Señor Rivera. That’s kinda funny.”

               “Why is there a horse in your room?”

               Rodrigo looked up at him with wide eyes as he gently stroked her nose. “She doesn’t like parties. Ev’ryone…they try and ride her, y’know? Like she’s some…some pony at a fair or something.” She whinnied at him, and Rodrigo imitated her before adding, “I always tell you when I’m gonna have ‘em. Don’…Don’be like that, Preese.” Rodrigo waved toward a closet. “Shirts’re in there. Take any of ‘em. Ponchos you gotta ask for, though, m’kay?”

               Sebastián blinked. “So…you were serious about giving me a shirt?”

               Rodrigo blinked, obviously trying to focus as he pressed his cheek to the horse’s nose. “Why wouldn’t I be? I’m a…I’m a good host.”

               Sebastián started to reply, then shook his head. “Uh, all right.” Well, now that they’d gone through all this trouble, he may as well actually borrow a shirt. The thought of spending the night smelling like tequila and orange juice didn’t sound that great, really. As he walked to the closet, he took a quick glance around the room. It was…surprisingly empty. A bed against one wall, a record player against the other, and stacks of old-looking records here and there. Huh. Based on the rest of the house, he’d assumed it’d be…well, like the rest of the house.

               He shook his head again, turning back to the closet and opening the door. He could hear Rodrigo murmuring to the horse, but he couldn’t quite make out the words. Well, he should focus on the shirts. There had to be something that wasn’t too expensive and easy to clean so he could send it back. How would he send it back? By mail? Would he drop by? Were there special delivery agents who gave things to celebrities? Ugh, that’d just be another thing he’d have to learn about here.

               “You a musician?”

               Sebastián blinked at the sudden question, at first assuming it was directed to the horse. He turned, finding Rodrigo crouched down and going through a few different records.

               “Me?”

               “Mmmmm-hm.”

               “Uh…yeah, I guess.”

               “What d’ya play?”

               “Um, piano.” He turned back to the shirts. “I was…actually going to school to become a concert pianist.”

               “Yeah? Jazz or classical?”

               “Jazz.”

               “Niiiiiice. You’re speaking to one of my first loves, guëy. You ever…you ever listen to these guys?”

               Sebastián glanced over his shoulder, then shook his head. Rodrigo’s head tipped back as he groaned.

               “Then you haven’t heard perfection, chico!” He pulled himself up to his feet, thanking the horse as she helped steady him, then walked over to the record player. “Ir…this one girl, I was head over heels for her, she loved these guys. And they hold up!” He popped the record in and switched it on, then sighed as quick, bright piano music filled the room. “Theeeere we go, that’s good.” He flopped down onto the floor, laughing as Sebastián started to lunge toward him worriedly. “Haaaa, you’re fresh, huh?”

               “What?”

               “Yooou’re a freshie. Just died. Still getting used all of this,” he said, holding up his hands to wiggle his bony fingers. “Am I right?”

               Sebastián glanced away. “Yeah, I’m still pretty new.”

               “You can always tell. Or I can, anyway.” He gasped and started snapping. “Escucha! This part’s the best.” He awkwardly patted at the floor. “Wait…wait a minute on the shirts. Lay down.”

               “What.”

               “You gotta lay down! Me an’ Iria, this is the only way we listened to this record!”

               Sebastián hesitated. Okay. This was getting weird to the point of ducking out. “I sho—”

               “Hurry!”

               The sheer urgency in Rodrigo’s voice made Sebastián drop down. Figuring he was down this far, he sighed and laid down, his head not far from Rodrigo’s.

               “You listening?”

               “Mm-hm.”

               “Good. This sorta music…if you wanna do jazz, this…I mean…just listen, okay?”

               “Okay.”

               Rodrigo fell silent, and Sebastián listened. It…was weirdly satisfying, laying down and just listening to the music. The record was a little scratchy, but that just added to the experience, oddly enough. Maybe it was the beer, or just him acclimating to the sheer weirdness of the situation, but he felt…relaxed. More relaxed than he had been in the past two weeks.

               He let out a breath, sinking down slightly into the rug as he shut his eyes.

               “You have a girl back home?”

               Sebastián opened his eyes, tilting his head back to look at Rodrigo. “Uh, yeah.”

               “You two close?”

               Sebastián swallowed, looking up at the ceiling. “Uh, yeah. We were.” Dios, he hadn’t thought of Sara once since he’d come here. Was she okay? Had she handled the news well? What if he’d ruined her life by dying?

                “You miss her.” This one wasn’t a question. “That’s good.”

               Sebastián tilted his head back again. “It is?”

               “Mm. Means it meant something. Not everyone gets that, you know.” He let out a breath, head falling back slightly. “There’s not a lot of good hurt out there, but that kind…that kind’s good. Hang on to that. Sometimes that’s enough to help you keep it together, especially with your first few weeks here.”

               “Uh, gracias.”

               Rodrigo waved a hand, then snapped again. “Ay, this song! This is one of my favorites. Listen to the piano in it, you’ll like it.”

               Sebastián watched Rodrigo for a moment, eyes following the easy movement of his hand in time to the music.

               This was weird.

               But…well, not everyone got to say they laid on the ground and listened to music with one of Mexico’s top composers. May as well go along with it.

               Besides, the record was really good.

~

               This wasn’t the first time Sebastián had woken up on the floor in a stranger’s house. He’d had his share of crashing at parties, after all.

               This was the first time this had happened since he’d died, though. And it was a little unfair that his back was sore, considering he didn’t have any muscles to tweak. He grimaced and rubbed his face as he sat up.

               The horse weirded him out a little less. So did seeing Mexican National Treasure Rodrigo Rivera curled up against her, fast asleep.

               Huh. What a weird night.

               Sebastián stretched, giving his spine a few satisfying pops, then got to his feet. Well, that’d be a story to tell. But it was kinda fun. As he headed to the door, the horse knickered, and he glanced back to see a skeletal hand wave at him.

               “Oye, get a clean shirt. I’m serious about that.”

               Sebastián blinked, but shrugged. Well. That just added to the story, didn’t it? He went to the closet and grabbed a plain gray t-shirt. He hesitated a moment, then shook his head as he started unbuttoning his tequila-soaked shirt. This just fit the night too well, really. He pulled on the t-shirt, then headed for the door.

               “Hey, guëy.”

               Sebastián glanced back. This time, Rodrigo—looking the most hungover he’d ever seen a skeleton look—popped his head over the horse’s side. “Good talking last night. You should drop by again.”

               “Uh, yeah. It was fun. Thanks for showing me that record.”

               “No, en serio, drop by again. Like…I dunno, Monday.”

               Sebastián blinked. “O…kay. I’ll drop by Monday.” That gave him a way to return the shirt, at least. “I’ll see you then, Maes—”

               “Ruy.”

               “…Ruy.”

               Rodrigo nodded, then collapsed back down against the horse. He lifted his hand to give Sebastián a thumb’s up and a wave before that disappeared, too. Sebastián gave an awkward wave, then made his way out.

               The house was much more empty than before, but there were still several skeletons fast asleep in various points of the house. Sebastián carefully picked his way through, staying as quiet as possible so as to not wake anyone up. Finally, he made it out of the apartment and out into Plaza de Rivera. He squinted at the sun, then took a deep breath that bubbled out of him as a laugh a moment later. He kept laughing as he walked, shaking his head.

               What. A. Night. He guessed Chuy was right, though; it definitely took his mind off being dead for a few hours.

[Part 2]