#macs dad always told her that she was supposed to be a boy

[egonkula]

baby charmac doodlin (you'll get cute happy ones in a moment :3 )

[dvchvnde]

excerpt; best friend's dad | John Price x Reader infidelity. age gap.

He breaks your heart in Greece. Cuts a jagged line down your middle. Spills your wet, sticky blood over the Naxian marble outside of the Temple of Apollo with just a handful of words.

(fitting, you find: you've always considered your aimless pursuit to his heart some bastardised delusion akin to Icarus chasing the immovable sun—)

And you suppose it's kind. Or as gentle as a man like him could ever let himself be. Still gruff, surly. But you've always loved the sound of his voice, haven't you? That sarky growl reminding you of classic muscle cars, American-made; the low, gritty purr of an old Mustang. Enough to make you shiver, even as he's shaping it around these awful, cutting words. It makes you heart flutter, enraptured as he speaks like he's ripping a bandaid off.

Except that now that wound is being filled with salt. Acid. Cauterising itself from the friction burn when the gauze is wrenched off your skin. A permanent scar right in your sternum. A gaping hole spilling all the ugliness out. You wonder if he cares that it's being slashed across his shoes—no sandals, he griped when you teased him in the airport; I hate the feelin' of sand between my toes—that this madness inside of you is finding a home on the hot pavement, rotting under the summer's sun.

"m'thinkin' about marryin' her."

The her in question is ten years older than him. Pettily, you wonder if this is to compensate for the fact that he's nearly two decades older than you. An obscene age gap, you know. But—

It's Price.

Your best friend's dad. The man you've been in love with since you were sixteen. Falling all over yourself after a dumb boy broke your heart, and he offered to drive you home, silent the whole way there before he stopped, a block away from your house, and told you that boys weren't worth your time. Boys. Boys—

Not men.

Foolishly, you let yourself hope. Let yourself become the very thing they talk about in TikTok videos lambasting age gaps and silly little girls who let older men run them into the ground. Why would a man his age have any reason to be interested in a girl yours? Sickening. Disgusting. You're being lead stray, groomed. But you clung to it still, even as you thumbed through the comments on those videos and found pieces of yourself lying among the rubble.

You've always known what they say about girls like that. And you were just delusional enough to believe that you were different somehow.

And now—

"Gettin' older," he grouses out, and you wonder if she finds the ornery lilt to his cadence as comforting as you do. Or if it rubs her all the wrong ways. "Might be time to settle down."

Shamefully, you wish he'd say, but maybe you can convince me otherwise, climb into my lap, and eat this decision from between my teeth until all I see when I open my eyes is you.

But that's not the John Price you know. Mr Price. Single dad. Widower. Untouchable.

Mr Price who sees you for what you are—smarter than them, he'd said when you broke down in his Bronco after a softball game where everyone, your best friend included, went to an afterparty that no one invited you to.

Quiet, thoughtful, even when you spent the evening afterwards (the fight hashed out between your best friend and you; i'm so sorry and me too) thumbing through old vinyl records he kept in his basement, listening to the classics that kids your age just didn't understand, so why the fuck do you?

Weekends spent bonding over golden cinema (movies just ain't what they used to be; there's no romance anymore, it's all so—vapid; you don't talk like a kid; i've never considered myself one, do you? he didn't answer. you didn't expect him to). Listening to music older than your dad. Niche jokes and texts that read like I saw this and thought of you.

Your fault, of course, for thinking you could trick him into loving you if you played your feelings through Johnny Cash, Vashti Bunyan, Fleetwood Mac, and Smokey Robinson. An impossibility you know now.

Mr Price who knows you. Who sees through the thin skin you wear and into the heart, the core of you. Who must have known since you called him in the pouring rain to pick you up when you got too drunk to drive home. A house party in the suburbs. Waterlogged flats he told you to toss.

Said nothing at all when you apologised with your head pressed against the foggy glass. You never told him that your sorry, Mr Price was for kissing a boy and wishing it was him.

But he must have known.

open book. pages spilling out. silly little girl with your heart cupped in your palm—

So he knows. Has known. Hindsight says this is him letting you down gently before you get any ideas about forever with your diploma tucked into your chest like a shield. A trip to Greece with your best friend and her dad to celebrate the rest of your life looming over you like a thundercloud. Your eye slanting sideways, glancing yearningly back at him.

sorry, but no. look the other way—

And you think fine, fine, whatever, so long as this doesn't hurt anymore—but what comes out is, "oh."

What follows is this:

He says he's thinking about marrying her with his hands tucked tight under his arms. He tells you he wants to settle down with his chin tucked against his chest, four lines rucked across the pinch of his brow. An emphasis, perhaps, on just how serious he is.

You taste salt in your throat. Sand between your toes. The sun blisters against the thin straps of this pretty blue dress that match the melting sapphire of his burning gaze. It's heatsickness, maybe. Or just all the years of want building and building, festering and growing, until it can't climb any higher—forever reaching for god that won't spare you a glance—and—

falling down around you. wings of beeswax and bird feathers.

Solemn, he says, "it's what I should do."

(i saw this and thought of you—)

Your fingers knot into the soft cotton of his dress shirt, pulling the fabric taut between your knuckles until it peels back from the seams, curling between buttons.

You've had too much to drink. Whiskey sour. Scotch neat. Somewhere along the walk to the temple, you snatched a puff of his cigar, the nicotine blooming between your teeth. Head full of cotton too thick for you to think. To retreat.

In the morning, when he refuses to look at you, you'll blame it on the drinks. On the sun. On being young and dumb and untouchable under the Greecian sky.

Daddy issues, you can shrug. You have the diagnoses from every single TikTok psychologist embedded between your teeth. See, mine never loved me and now I'm taking it out on you—

But right now, you kiss him.

Or maybe—

Maybe he kisses you.

It's a mess in your head. Everything turned upside down, all askew because when your lips touch his, he shudders. His chest rumbles under your fingers, expanding with the sudden inhale as he breathes you in. Deep. Takes you into his lungs—all salt-slick, and sunburnt—and groans low in his throat, all want. All heat.

He should push you away. He's your best friend's father. Two decades older than you. Dating another woman who's so far removed from the person you are that she might as well be a different species. Mature. Stoic. Poised. Graceful.

The perfect antithesis to you.

Everything about this must be ringing shrill in his ears: abort, abort, do not engage. He should push you off.

And he does.

After a moment of your greedy, unpractised kisses pepper along the bristles hanging low over his lips, he makes another sound. Angry. Whitehot. His hands slip free from the damp prison of his armpits and latch tight onto you. Thick, hirsute fingers curling over your upper arms, and pushing, shoving—

Your back hits the marble pillar. The air in your lungs punched out.

But when you try to siphon more balmy air into them again, you find an obstacle in your way.

His mouth.

Searing, blistering. Slanting hungrily across yours, devouring. Intense, dizzying. Your head cracks against the wall when he shoves his thigh between the silken softness of your inner thighs, blanketed by the dress that made him swallow when he first saw you in it, eyes darkening like a storm.

(bit short, ain't it? he'd groused, and your friend slipped her hand into yours with a huff. stop being such a dad, dad—)

It slots there now like it's owed the right. Thick thigh spreading yours apart on a gasp, a groan. Corded muscle pressed taut to the seam of you that burns hot. Melted wax. Dripping against his leg. He must feel the way he liquifies you, turns you into putty. It drags a sound his chest. The misfire of an engine.

"Fuck," he breathes, all teeth. Salt. He should be saying, no, stop. go back to your hotel room, and we'll pretend this never happened, silly girl. But he pulls you closer instead, his hand looping around to cradle the back of your tender head in the cup of his palm. A small comfort as he delves his tongue between your teeth. "Makin' me lose my goddamn mind—"

The words are growled against your mouth. You taste the tobacco-smoked fury between his teeth when they sink into your lower lip. Angry, maybe, that you're making him do this. That you had to be who you are, and despite that, he kisses you like you're not.

"Price," you whine, arching into his chest when he pulls at your bottom lip still caught between his teeth. Skin tender, bruised. He ruts into you at the sound, nearly purring. You feel it then. The hard press of his thickening cock against you. Mindlessly gyrating against your hip. The turgid length proof of his desire. His want for you. All you. "Please—"

He folds himself over you. Tucks you into the bracket of his chest, his arms. His fingers are iron bars on your skin, holding you tight to him. Unwilling to let go. His hand on your crown; his fingers gripping your thigh, hiking it up his waist. It's good. Better than all of your meagre fantasies combined. You've wanted this since you knew what want was. When he wandered into the kitchen the morning after a sleepover with a towel slung loose around his hips, his hand scrubbing the damness from the wet tangle of his hair, spilling them down his neck where they disappeared into the thick bed of hair on his chest, his belly.

He paused in the doorway when he saw you sitting at the island, eyes wide and drilling holes into his chest.

"Shit," he'd cussed, gruff and mean with sleep. "Didn't think—"

But you did. Over and over again. With your face pressed against your pillow, fingers shoved into the sticky wetness leaking out of your cunt. Thinking of him. Wrong. Wrong. Terrible—

Dad bod, your friend said with a cluck of her tongue that afternoon. And you feel it under your fists as he heaves. As he eats you alive, whole. Because kissing John Price, Mr Price, is a whirlwind. A maelstrom.

He devours. He conquers. He owns.

He licks into your mouth, petting over your tongue, your teeth, until you can't remember anything else except the tobacco and whiskey tang of him. Heady. An elixir you want to sip from for the rest of your life. Damn him—

He tells you he's thinking about marrying someone else. Then whispers, ash-soft, against your chin that he can't get enough of you.

Grunts, "you need to go," as he sinks his teeth down, hard, into the throbbing skin of your pulse. Laying claim as he slowly comes to.

The coarse hair of his beard rubs your flesh raw when he buries his face into your neck. You can feel the thunder of his heart against the knob of your wrist. The heat of his skin burning through you.

"Fuck," he rumbles again, and you know this time it's for good. Ironclad. But the remorse is paperthin. "Shouldn't have done that, should have—"

"I want you," you whisper through bruised, kiss-bitten lips. "I want you so bad. I loved you since I was—"

"Don't."

The sweat beading along his hairline smears across the naked arch of your shoulder and neck when he moves; a shallow shake of his head. Muted and small. Heavy with reluctance.

The man who meets you when he pulls back is frowning with wet, red-stained lips. His eyes are hardened sapphire reinforced with unbreakable obsidian. There's no inch to move. No cracks to squeeze through.

"This—" he swallows. You hope he tastes you still. Whiskey sour. Scotch neat. The drag of his cigar, the one he coached you through, scoffing when you choked, when you cough. You hope he runs his tongue over his teeth and tastes nothing but you. "This shouldn't have happened."

You don't say anything. Can't. The words are staining his lips.

You nod, slow. Cautious. He tells you he's marrying someone else. Thinking about it. Says this shouldn't have happened—

But he holds you like he can't bring himself to let go. Fingers clutching, clenching tight around you. Possessive. Greedy, even he as he slowly unspools from around you. As he pulls away, scouring his hand down his face with a deep, ragged inhale. Rough, worn fingers digging into his jaw until the knuckles under a dense cropping of umber hair turn white, nails pinking under the strain.

"This isn't—"

You nod again. Soft and slow, but you let your tongue flicker out, chasing the smoke drying on your swollen lips. It stings. The burn makes you think of him. Of his hot, heavy hands on your skin.

His eyes drop down to follow the slip of red that teases out between your teeth, blackening as they trace the new wetness left behind. You can feel him twitch against your thigh.

Your name is a broken snarl trapped in the thick of his throat. You've never heard it like that. Never. It does something. Lights you up from the inside out. Supernova in his arms. Icarus burning, crashing down to earth—

Catch me, Apollo—

He pulls away instead. Detaches from you with a heavy groan, as if the distance that now sits between you hurts him just as much.

The silence is broken by the sound of the crowd just beyond the pillar. You can see the moment it settles over him in the flattening of his eyes, the erasure of all affection that bloomed bright in blue. The terse set to his shoulders. The distance, the space, that grows and grows and grows—

He clears his throat. Mr Price once more. Untouchable. Off-limits.

"You should go," he says, and there's not an ounce of give in the rough flatline of his voice. Fixed. Firm. "You should go back to your hotel room. Come on. I'll call you a taxi."

"And you?"

He sucks in a breath through his nose, nostrils flaring. "Don't worry about me. Just—go back to the hotel room. We can—we'll talk in the morning."

"Where'd you?" She asks when you crawl into bed, the starchy sheets rubbing against your sunbitten skin.

There is a deluge of things you want to say. Things like—

I'm sorry. I love him. I—

can't let go.

"I think I just got my heart broken," you say instead, and wonder when the tears are supposed to come. At the wedding, maybe. But right now, you just feel numb. Empty.

The bed creaks when she rolls over, facing you in the dark. "Really? Didn't know you were, you know, foolin' around with anyone."

"I wasn't. It's—" your dad. But you can't say that, can you?

There's something painfully nostalgic about loving a man you're not supposed to want. A man who cannot, should not, want you back. An unrequited love in a foreign land. Unconsummated in the summer's heart. Sticky, bittersweet heartbreak.

Or, that's what it's supposed to be.

They are not John Price, though. Your best friend's dad. And they didn't kiss you back—

But he did.

And you think it's the worst thing he could have ever done.

[queen-of-writing-bad-things]

Henry Danger Reader Insert | Captain Man x Reader: SEASON 1

Episode 7: Jasper Danger

~Henry's House, Halloween Night~

Charlotte was waiting for Henry to come downstairs. She was wearing her funky mac 'n cheese costume that she had spent weeks preparing. Looking at her watch, she wondered what was taking her friend so long. They had arranged to go trick-or-treating with Jasper and Monica, this girl that Jasper had a crush on. He had even gone as far to tell her that he was Kid Danger in an attempt to impress her, which endlessly amused his two friends.

Charlotte poured herself a drink and Henry came running down the stairs in his costume.

"Hey, hey, hey. Check me out." He gestured to his costume, but Charlotte wasn't 100% sure what he was meant to be.

"What are you?" Henry looked at her like it was obvious.

"I'm a zombie tennis player. Cool costume, right?" He told her, but Charlotte was a bit hit and miss with it.

"Ehhh, don't you think zombies are kind of played out?" She asked him, treading carefully with her words.

"Well, yeah, regular zombies. So now, it's... boom...fresh. That's why I added the whole tennis element." He justified his decision. The doorbell rang and Henry's mom called out from upstairs.

"Hey, I think we have another trick-or-treater!" She yelled.

"Yes, I heard the doorbell!" Henry yelled back, as he went to get the door. Opening it, he saw a little boy, who was also dressed as a zombie tennis player.

'Trick or treat." He smiled up at Henry, who couldn't believe someone else had thought of his costume idea.

"You stole my costume." He said the little boy.

"Just put the candy in the sack." The kid sassed him. Henry grabbed a fistful of candy and placed it into the boy's pumpkin bag, before angrily shutting the door.

"Boom...fresh." Charlotte joked, repeating what he said earlier. Henry looked at her in annoyance as Mr and Mrs Hart came down the stairs. They too were dressed up for Halloween, but their costumes were a bit weird. 

"Henry, will you help me find my car keys?" He shouted to his son.

"No thanks!" Henry yelled back.

"Hey, interesting costumes," Charlotte told them, as they walked to the door.

"Thanks. I'm a garbage man." Mr Hart said, feeling proud of the couple's matching outfit.

"And I'm a bag of trash." Mrs Hart laughed.

"And I'm so proud to be your son." Henry raised a glass of juice to them, feeling embarrassed at how happy they were in their odd costumes.

"I am so angry!" Piper yelled as she came stomping downstairs. She too was wearing a strange outfit, as she looked like a historical old man. 

"Whoa. Who are you supposed to be?" Henry asked her, not understanding what her costume was.

"I was supposed to be Taylor Swift." She shouted.

"Well, you don't look very much like Taylor Swift." Her mother commented, infuriating Piper.

"Yeah, 'cause your husband ordered me the wrong costume." She looked angrily at her father.

"My name is dad." He tried to scold her, but parenting never went very well with Piper.

"I'm not talking to you tonight." She said, walking past him in a huff and going over to Henry.

"That's not the costume you wanted?" Her brother asked.

"No! I told dad to order me a Taylor Swift costume." She explained.

"I made a mistake!" Mr Hart held his hands up.

"And he ordered me a Jonathan Swift costume." Piper screamed, making Henry look at Charlotte in confusion.

"Who's Jonathan Swift?" Henry asked her.

"EXACTLY!" Piper shouted in anger.

"He's a very famous 18th Century author from Ireland." Charlotte explained, making everyone look at her strangely.

"What? I'm weird 'cause I'm educated?" She said rhetorically, not knowing why her facts were always thought to be weird. Mr Hart looked at his PearPhone and gasped at the time.

"Ooh, we're late for the party. We've got to go." He said to his wife.

"I just need my purse." She replied, dashing off to grab it.

"What? You're going to a party? I thought you were talking Piper trick-or-treating." Henry looked at his parents in shock-horror.

"We were."

"Now you are." They told him.

"WHAT? WAIT!" Henry tried to run after them, but they were already out the door.

"Sorry, gotta take out the trash!"

"That's me!"

"Mom, Dad, please don't make me take Piper trick-or-treating! We had a deal! You can't just..." He yelled after them, but they were in the car and driving off. Walking back inside, he slammed the door and looked at Piper with irritation.

"You think I'm happy about it?" She asked him, looking up from her phone for a brief second.

"You just listen to me. I'm in charge tonight, so you have to show me respect." He tried to assert his big-brotherness over her, but she grabbed his tennis racket and threw it away to show that she wasn't going to respect him at all. 

"Starting now." He said, going over to retrieve it.

"Hey, Halloweeners!" Jasper came in with Monica. He had his Kid Danger costume on, and even though it wasn't exactly like what Henry wore, it was quite a good costume. Monica was wearing a sweet, little cowgirl getup and she smiled as she followed Jasper.

"Have no fear.. Kid Danger is here!" He spoke to them with his hands on his hips.

"Oh.." Piper started.

"My.." Charlotte continued.

"God." Henry finished, not believing that Jasper was trying to be him.

~Swellview Park~

"Stupid Jonathan Swift, way to go, Dad." Piper grumbled to herself as the five kids walked from the last house they trick-or-treated. She was texting her friends whilst Jasper was trailing behind with Monica trying to impress her.

"So, Jasper..." She started, but the curly-haired boy interrupted her.

"Uh, uh, uh. Tonight you can call me Kid Danger." He smirked at her.

"Okay, cool. So, can I ask you something?" She smiled at him.

"Sure."

"How come your costume doesn't look quite like the real Kid Danger costume?" She asked, pointing out that Jasper had shorts on with red leggings when in reality, Kid Danger wore red trousers.

"Oh, see...By wearing this fake costume, no bad guys will ever suspect that I'm the real Kid Danger." He said on the spot, but luckily, Monica seemed to buy it.

"That makes sense, right?" He asked her.

"Yeah, that tracks." She smiled, believing what he said.

"You guys, come on! We going trick-or-treating or what?" Henry asked them, wondering what was taking so long.

"Yeah, let's do it!" Jasper said, and they rejoined the group. Henry started to tell them the plan.

"Let's start on Riverside because rich people give out great candy." Henry told them, and they agreed to target the richest people first. 

"And then we can go--" Henry was cut off as his watch started to beep and flash, telling him that Ray needed him.

"Why is your watch always beeping?" Piper asked him, as Charlotte gave him a knowing look.

"It's my boss at Junk-N-Stuff. I'll go see what he wants." He told her, which technically was the truth, just not all of it.

"I'll go with you," Charlotte said to him.

"No! We're supposed to go trick-or-treating!" Piper yelled at him, making him stop.

"Hey, I'm gonna take Monica and go hit the houses on Riverside." Jasper told them.

"Cool, we'll text you and meet up later," Charlotte said, and they both said goodbye.

"We better hurry." She mumbled to Henry.

"Yeah. Piper, let's go." He instructed his little sister.

"No. I'm not going to your stupid store." She whined, making Henry look at Charlotte in annoyance. 

"I promised Mom and Dad I'd watch you tonight." He explained.

"So, watch me stuff candy in my face." She lashed out.

"We'll take you trick-or-treating right after." Charlotte reasoned, but Piper didn't care.

"Not acceptable. If you guys don't take me trick-or-treating right now, then I'll tell Mom and Dad--" Henry had had enough. He raised his watch and fired a green laser at his sister and she fell to the ground unconscious.

"Why'd you do that?" Charlotte yelled at the blond boy.

"She was talking so much. Now, come on, we got to go see what Ray wants. Grab her feet." Henry directed her and the two grunted as they lifted the girl, shuffling off to Junk-N-Stuff.

~Junk-N-Stuff~

Inside the store, Gooch was feeding candy to his beloved flytrap.

"Omar. Omar, look. A jelly bean. Would you like a jelly bean?" Gooch cooed and the plant squawked and opened its mouth.

"Here you go. Oh yes, you chew so cutely." Gooch smiled with a sugary voice, fawning over the plant. Henry and Charlotte walked into the store, still carrying Piper.

"Henry and Charlotte. Happy Halloween." He greeted them.

"Hey."

"What's up?" They said hello back, but Gooch was confused as to why they were carrying a little girl.

"Who is that?" He asked.

"Oh, this is my little sister." Henry told him.

"Oh, and when did you kill her?" Gooch deadpanned, making Henry drop his smile.

"She's not dead." Charlotte said.

"I just stunned her." Henry explained.

"Oh good." Gooch was glad they didn't have a dead body on their hands.

"Will you keep an eye on her while we go talk to Ray?" Henry looked at the storekeeper.

"Sure." With his agreement, the two teens put her on the floor next to the counter, as the plant made some gagging noises. 

"Something wrong with Omar?" Charlotte looked funnily at Gooch.

"Well... I just gave him a jelly bean and--" He was cut off as the flytrap barfed the candy onto Piper.

"Your plant just puked on my sister." Henry said in disgust.

"Yes, no more candy for you." Gooch tickled the plant, so Charlotte and Henry walked to the elevator before anything else weird could happen.

~Down in the Man Cave~

The teens stumbled out of the elevator and looked around the Man Cave for Ray.

"Ray?" Henry shouted, making the man jump out.

"Happy Halloween!" He said happily, wearing a very peculiar lobster/cheerleader costume. He raised his pincers in the air and made them click.

"Look! I'm a cheer-lobster!" He smiled at the kids. Thinking they'd be impressed, he started dancing around and shaking his butt, but they just watched in confusion.

"Cheer-lobster?" Charlotte questioned.

"Is that, like, a thing?" Henry added.

"Yeah, it's a thing. Look. Go, team! Please don't boil me! Or use a tiny fork to remove my flesh and eat me!" Ray tried to convince them with a little cheer.

"You look more like a lobster than a cheerleader," Henry noted.

"Well, there was no room for lobster boobs," Ray said.

"Hey, where's (y/n)?" Henry suddenly noticed the lack of the young woman's friendly presence.

"Oh, she's putting her costume on. She wouldn't tell me what it is." Ray said, and no sooner than he did, the sprocket opened and (y/n) came dashing down the steps towards them. Giving a twirl, she showed off her costume. It was a red and blue female superhero outfit and Ray couldn't take his eyes off her.

"Well, what do you think? I know it's not the best but..." She looking at them all with nervous excitement and they all smiled at her efforts.

"You look awesome!"

"Yeah, really good!" The teens complimented her, but Ray said nothing, swallowing the lump that formed in his throat as his eyes raked over her curves. The woman took his silence as him not liking it and thought that the superhero gag hadn't been funny.

"Ray? Don't you like it?" She said, looking crestfallen.

"No, no, you look beautiful." He told her truthfully. His words shocked her, and she smiled down, looking bashful.

"Why did you beep Henry?" Charlotte cut through the tension, tapping the boy's watch.

"So you guys could come and see our cool costumes," Ray replied like it was no big deal.

"I told him not to." (y/n) held her hands up in defence.

"Aw, Ray. I had to zap my little sister to come here." Henry rebuked his boss.

"You killed her?" Ray asked.

"No, I just stunned her. Wait, I think it was set to stun." Henry checked his watch. 

"Stun is blue and kill is red, right?" Henry looked up at the adults.

"I don't know, I can never remember," Ray said with a wave of his pincer, making (y/n) give him a look.

"Yes, Henry, that is what they mean. At least I pay attention." She said, not looking away from the lobster.

"Can we please go trick-or-treating?" Charlotte asked in exasperation, but before anyone could reply, the Cave alarm sounded.

"Uh, oh. Trouble." Ray waddled after (y/n) as she got to the computer and helped him press the buttons.

"What's up, Gooch?" He said.

"You just received a video." Gooch told them all.

"From who?" (y/n) asked.

"From a man who claims to have captured Kid Danger." He replied, making them all knit their eyebrows together in confusion. 

"Play the video." Ray said with a suspicious voice. 

"Hey, Captain Man! It's your old friend--" The video began to play and Ray and (y/n) immediately knew who it was.

"Pause!" Ray yelled, and (y/n) hit the button with a groan.

"Jeff, that guy is so stupid!" Ray clenched his pincers in aggravation.

"How do you know him?" Henry asked having not encountered Jeff before.

"He's been a petty thief in Swellview for years. Ray's put him in jail, like, a dozen times, but he never learns." (y/n) filled him in. 

"Resume play." The video and Jeff continued talking in a moronic voice.

"So, guess what? I kidnapped your sidekick." He said.

"Aw, please don't be Jasper, please don't be Jasper." Henry wished.

"It's gonna be Jasper," Charlotte predicted.

"Take a look!" Jeff turned the camera to where he'd captured a kid, and it was definitely Jasper. He was tied up with rope and had duct tape across his mouth. 

"What a surprise twist." They said sarcastically.

"Hey, isn't that your friend with the sweaty hands who loves buckets?" Ray asked, clicking his pincer at the screen. (y/n) nodded at his words.

"Yeah, it's the bucket boy." She noted.

"How can that Jeff guy think Jasper's the real Kid Danger?" Charlotte asked.

"Oh well, see... it's because he's a moron." Ray told them.

"Yeah, huge moron." (y/n) agreed.

"Oh and I also kidnapped Kid Danger's woman." He showed them Monica, and she was gagged and bound too. Ray rubbed his face with his claw as Jeff started to make demands.

"Now, if you ever want to see them again, better bring me like... a million dollars. Oh, and I want two big-n-beefys from Inside Out Burger. With fries. And don't forget the million dollars." Jeff ended the video. His requests were really dumb and (y/n) and Ray rolled their eyes with a sigh.

"What? Is that guy insane?" Henry asked.

"Yeah! Nobody can eat two big-n-beefys." Charlotte joined in.

"Not with fries." 

"Whatever. Come on, Henry. Let's go rescue your friend." Ray sighed, taking his gum tube out and popping a gumball.

"I--I can't go with you." Henry told Ray.

"Why can't you?" Charlotte looked at him in confusion.

"Because Jasper really likes that girl." Henry didn't want to ruin Jasper's chances with Monica, even if he had been lying to her.

"So?" Ray asked him.

"He made her think that he's Kid Danger. So now, if I show up there with you, she's gonna know he was lying." Henry explained.

"Shouldn't he find a girl who likes him for who he really is?" (y/n) asked, speaking from experience. Yeah, Captain Man was hot, but Ray's adorable personality captured her heart first.

"That's never gonna happen." Charlotte said, and Henry agreed with her. Jasper's odd personality was a repellant for girls.

"All right, I'll go rescue your friend." He said, looking annoyed.

"All right, but when you're there you gotta act like he's the real Kid Danger."

"I know how to act." Ray snapped, chewing his gumball, but before he could blow, (y/n) butted in.

"Can I go with you?" She asked, looking at Ray with hopeful eyes. Normally, she would never fight bad guys, but this was Jeff and she wanted to go out in her costume at least once.

"What? It's way too dangerous." Ray insisted.

"Come on, it's just Jeff. And I'll stay back from any serious fighting." She pleaded, stepping closer to him.

"Captain Man doesn't do guided tours around criminal hideouts." He tried to be firm with her, but she looked up at him with big, round eyes and pursed lips.

"Pretty please?" She batted her eyelashes at him, making him groan.

"Ugh, fine. But you do as I say and you stay behind me." Ray said sternly, but she just squealed and threw her arms around his neck.

"Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you." She bounced up and down before letting go and running to the back of the Man Cave to find a spare mask. Ray blew his bubble and snapped into his super suit.

"You really gonna let her fight bad guys?" Charlotte looked at him, not believing that he would let (y/n) get in harm's way.

"I can keep her safe..." Was all he got to reply, as the young woman in question came bounding over, a mask on her face. They walked over to the tubes together, and Ray slapped his belt.

"Good luck!" Henry called at them.

"We don't need luck. It's Jeff." (y/n) said groaning out his name.

"Up the tube." Ray said in a bored voice, but on the inside, his stomach was fluttering at the thought of (y/n) fighting in her tight costume.

~Jeff's apartment~

Jeff had Jasper and Monica tied up in two chairs, and he was trying to feed them some nachos. The chip crumbled against Jasper's lips as he turned his head away. Monica had whispered to him to free himself and kick some ass Kid Danger style, but he was in way over his head. Suddenly, the door opened, revealing Captain Man and an unknown female superhero. They both groaned and shut the door again, confusing Jeff.

"Captain Man!" Monica cried out in joy.

"Uh-oh," Jasper said, worried that Captain Man would expose him. Ray kicked down the door, allowing him and (y/n) to step inside dramatically. 

"Dude, the door wasn't even locked." Jeff whined.

"I know, Jeff. But I don't like you, so I smashed your door." He said in his Captain Man voice.

"Who's the pretty chick?" Jeff looked up and down (y/n)'s body making her tense in disgust. Seeing Jeff's gaze on her, Ray stepped in front of her and puffed out his chest at Jeff, as if to say 'back off, she's mine.'

"She's my temporary sidekick, Miss Danger." Ray growled at him, (y/n) loving how he acted when in his superhero persona. 

"Hey, I don't see any hamburgers. Where are my big-n-beefys?" Jeff questioned with the chip bag still in his hand.

"The only thing you're going to get that's big and beefy will be your cellmate in jail." (y/n) quipped, moving to Ray's side and placing her hands on her hips.

"Okay, when do I get my million dollars?" The moron asked, not understanding that Captain Man and Miss Danger weren't going to give him a cent.

"Okay, you're too stupid to talk to. Sit." Ray instructed him and Jeff did as he was told. The pair walked over to the kids and began to untie them.

"Hey, Kid Danger. We were worried about you." Ray said, loosening Jasper's ropes as (y/n) worked on Monica's.

"Uh... thanks, boss. I was worried about you and uh, Miss Danger too." Jasper followed, relieved that the superhero was keeping up his lie.

"Well, we knew you didn't need us to take down a petty criminal like Jeff." (y/n) played along, throwing Monica's ropes to the side. 

"Oh yeah, I was just about to bust out of those ropes and rain down some pain on that dude." Jasper said excitedly, trying to impress his crush.

"Okay, Kid Danger...Go do it." Ray said, spinning Jasper around and pushing him towards Jeff.

"Huh?" The curly-haired boy really didn't want to fight the man, even if he was an easy opponent.

"Go show that criminal who's boss." (y/n) smirked at Ray, who returned the look.

"Yeah, Kid Danger, go bust him up. I love it when boys fight." Monica cheered, ready to see the 'sidekick' in action. 

"Don't we all?" (y/n) nodded, not seeing how Ray smiled at her words.

"Okay...This is what you get for breaking into people's cars and kidnapping us on Halloween." Jasper threatened Jeff, who wasn't very scared of the puny kid. He punched him on his chest, but it wasn't very hard, so Jeff just looked down in confusion. Not wanting Jasper to look uncool, Ray fired his laser at the criminal, sending him to the floor. Jasper looked in awe at his fist, amazed that he 'brought down' the large man. 

"That was for you, Monica." He smiled at the girl, who blushed in her chair.

"Way to go, K-D." She smiled back.

"Yeah, great job, Kid Danger. Can I talk to you for a second? Miss Danger, keep an eye on the girl." Ray said as he pulled Jasper into a corner.

"Listen, Captain Man." Jasper started uneasily.

"Yes?" Ray looked at him.

"I'm not really Kid Danger." Jasper whispered, annoying Ray.

"I know that. Now, don't you think you should tell someone else?" Captain Man told him, wanting him to come clean.

"Miss Danger?" Jasper tried.

"NO! She's not stupid, of course, she already knows!" Ray hissed back.

"But if I tell her the truth, she won't like me anymore." Jasper revealed his insecurities.

"How old are you son?" Ray put an empathetic hand on his arm.

"13," Jasper replied.

"Then you're way too young to be lying to girls." Ray advised him, even though it wasn't the best advice he could give.

"Listen, kid, one day, you're gonna find a girl, and she'll have your heart completely, even if she never knows it. You shouldn't be worrying about it yet though." Ray genuinely said from his heart, trying to make the kid braver in love than he was.

"Okay, I'll tell her." Jasper agreed.

"Good boy." Jasper walked to Monica, who was stood up next to (y/n). The young woman walked back to Ray, wanting to give them some space.

"All right, we're gonna take this idiot back to jail." Ray said, kicking Jeff with his boot.

"Get up, stupid." (y/n) said down to the man. He sat up and began eating his chips again.

"You are riding my last nerve. Get up." Ray grabbed the bag from his hands and began whacking Jeff with it. He and (y/n) yanked his coat and dragged him up, taking him outside to the Man Van.

"I don't wanna go to jail." He slurred, still feeling the effects of the laser.

"Shut up, Jeff." They said simultaneously, making them giggle. Ray started up the Man Van, and (y/n) clipped in her seat belt, Jeff securely in handcuffs in the back of the van. They had only been driving for a few minutes when Jeff spoke again.

"Hey, pretty lady, can I get your number?" He piped up, aggravating Ray again.

"JEFF!" It was going to a long ride to the jailhouse.

[raspberryconverse]

IDK why, but for some reason I decided to read my old Blogger blog and just read the tagged posts about the boy I dated when I was 21.

Oof.

I do see why that one person was team [him], even when I started blogging again on LiveJournal 2 years ago. He'll always be the one who got away.

Don't get me wrong, I am so fucking happy with my spouse. I honestly don't know if he hadn't left for grad school that we would have fared better. I just got to the point where we actually broke up (even though we were trying to make it work long distance) basically because his family didn't like me. I mean, they didn't dislike me, but they most certainly didn't want their son to marry me. And considering parents usually love me (my in-laws do, for sure), it was such a blow.

He actually described it as we were a good dating couple, but not a good courting couple. We're obviously not talking fundie-level courtship, but southern religious vibes for sure. His dad was a Methodist pastor (I used to say he was a WASM - white Anglo-Saxon Methodist as opposed to a WASP, though I guess Methodism is technically Protestant, but hell if this atheist knows how any of that shit works) and they were from the Atlanta suburbs, so it was a very different world from my Midwestern divorced agnostic upbringing. I mean, his sister wrote him a multi page letter expressing her disdain for us taking a nap together when I visited him at his parents' house whereas my mom let us take her bed when we visited my family one weekend. We came from very different worlds, that's for sure.

I actually forgot what kick started our relationship. We had met a month or 2 prior while volunteering at The Neo-Futurists. Oddly enough, I kinda got to know him one night after some event when he, my college best friend, my soon-to-be ex and I ended up at a table together (I've been trying to find the context, but I honestly don't remember other than it was something Neo-Futurist related) Then, a fellow volunteer called me because his car broke down and he couldn't make his volunteer shift and asked if I'd be willing to cover. So we ran into each other again. It was his first time volunteering for Too Much Light Makes The Baby Go Blind and afterwards, I made an offhand comment about being hungry and only having Easy Mac at home, so we went to IHOP.

A few weeks later was my 21st birthday. I had invited him to my birthday gathering, but he had to decline because he had to finish some stuff up at work. Then, he surprised me. After we left the bar, he suggested we get booze at the grocery store and drink at his place instead. My college best friend told me later that she was going to suggest going to another bar so she could basically pull a Stevie and leave so we could have a chance to connect.

Eventually, we need to go home, so he walked us to the el. Before I went though the turnstile, he hugged me goodbye.

And kissed me.

I think this is why I have to watch this part of "Grad Night" every night before I go to bed. It was my birthday and it wasn't supposed to end up this way. He wasn't supposed to be there. But then he was.

It will never not be magical. That moment of, "I'm feeling something here, so I'm just going to go for it."

It has literally been over a decade and a half (yes, I'm still being cryptic about exactly how old I am because this site makes me feel really fucking old sometimes) and I still get butterflies when I think of that night.

One thing that is kind of helpful when I get nostalgic is look at his Facebook and notice he did not age well. Shallow, I know, but aside from being so much heavier than I was then (it's actually pretty disgusting how disordered my eating/weight management was back then, especially when I would complain that I had gotten up to 140lbs and I'm at least 50lbs heavier than that now) and a few gray hairs (and I was dying my hair back then too so that's not really a thing), I look pretty much the same.

(obviously rounder face because I'm significantly heavier, but I don't think I've really aged that much)

And FWIW, I'm definitely happy with how my life turned out.

It's nothing like I thought it'd be, especially reading my old blog, but I don't think I'd have it any other way.

[peralta-guaranteed]

i randomly remembered when enzo broke his arm around a year ago, i know it sounds mean but could you possibly do one of mac/maya doing the same (nothing major to cause it)

"It's okay." Amy hears herself repeat the phrase for probably the hundredth time now. "It's okay." It's probably supposed to calm them all down, all three adults and one little crying, screaming boy in the car, but it's barely working.

"It's not!" Jake hisses into her direction, the fear and panic and worry in his eyes more than obvious as he clutches Mac's head against his shoulder some more, tightens the grip around his back.

"It's gonna be, though." Rosa says from the driver's seat in front - she was clearly the calmest of all of them after what happened, so she'd grabbed Amy's purse, pulled their car keys out of it, and then pushed all three of them into the backseat before starting the car. And now she was making her way to the emergency wing of the hospital at about 15mp/h higher than allowed in the inner city. "The arm's broken, but not in a bad way. It's gonna heal."

"How can a bone break in a good way?" Asks the man who once stated that as long as his blood was still inside him, things were obviously good. Mac starts wailing a little louder in his arms.

"You're stressing him out." Rosa states, matter-of-fact, before slowing down just a little before a right turn so the kid in Jake's arms doesn't get jostled too much.

"It hurt." Mac sniffles and looks over at Amy with the reddest, most tear-filled eyes she's ever seen, and it takes a lot not to cry with him.

"It's gonna be okay, peanut. The doctors like uncle Jorge are going to fix it." She tries to calm him, and maybe Jake a little bit, who nods and scratches through Mac's hair like he does when he's trying to lull him into sleep.

-*-

They make it to the emergency room in record time, frankly, and if Rosa's rushed past some traffic lights and speed radars, Amy's not going to complain once the tickets come in the mail.

A bored-looking nurse informs them that there’s only enough space for one parent in the room during the x-ray and the cast and treatment, and Jake wants to debate for the first time in his life, because that’s obviously bullshit, but Amy puts a hand on his arm and then lifts Mac out of them.

“Sit with Rosa”, she says in that voice she’s started using after Mac, that mom-voice that’s always right, “Calm down, and we’ll be back before you know it. And it’s all going to be fine.”

She’s off with the crying toddler and nurse before Jake can really protest, and Rosa is already sitting in a corner of the waiting area, so he drops down next to her instead and buries his head in his hands.

“Dude, you’re blowing this out of proportion. Kids hurt themselves all the time. He’s gonna bounce back like always.”

“I broke his arm, Rosa.”

There’s a beat of silence between them as the weight of that statement settles. Rosa gives up her nonchalant pose to lean forward as well, trying to get into Jake’s field of vision, but it’s kinda hard when he’s staring down onto the floor.

“You did not.” She hisses. “Jake, you didn’t. He fell. He was climbing. It happens.”

“I helped him up on that tower, he’s too little for it-”

“It’s on the playground, he was gonna go for it eventually-”

“I was right next to him-”

“So were Amy and I-”

“You were talking-”

“So at least you were paying better attention-”

“I coulda grabbed him, I shoulda-”

“You did what you could, immediately and without question. It’s not your fault the kid drops faster than a cannonball.” Rosa ends their little squabble, and the old lady across them lets out a little harrumph, but Rosa shoots her the deadliest glare she can muster, which means a lot. “You were over there in a flash, Jake, I’ve never seen you move so fast.”

“Wasn’t fast enough. Wasn’t good enough.” He mumbles into his hands, rubbing across his face and his hair that’s already a mess. Rosa watches him for a moment, and calculates. Pieces together the evidence, like she does as a detective, and comes to a solution that most people probably won’t like, but those usually get her results.

“Do you want to leave?” She asks, and he looks at her like she’s grown a second head. “Amy’s got it under control, she told you. It’s probably gonna take a while, anyway, we can dip out for a drink to calm down and come back and they’ll be none the wiser.”

“Are you insane?!” Jake hisses back now, giving her exactly the reaction she’d expected. “I’m not going to leave my son in the hospital to go to a bar-”

He stops and stares at her, and it seems like his own detective brain is finally catching up with his panicked dad brain, because he sees what she’s doing. So she nods.

“You’re still good. You’re still better.” She says, and they don’t need to mention who he’s better than. It was the first of his stories that he told her, after he hurt something in his wrist at the academy - how that wrist never really healed right anyway, not since he was 5 and Bobby Linder drove over it with his tricycle by accident and his mom had to rush him to the hospital and his dad asked ‘what is that?’ with beer on his breath when he showed him the cast later. They’d known each other for barely a month back then, and Rosa was still refusing to think of anyone as her friend, but the way he’d looked at his wrist in its bandage and smiled the most broken smile she’d ever seen had set something off in her head. Something that yelled Protect at her every time he mentioned his dad later, something that made her threaten Roger Peralta with one of her knives after their graduation when Jake was in the bathroom ‘real quick’, but she knew he was hiding in there so no one could see his hands shake. Good thing Rosa never gave a damn about going into the men’s toilets anyway, because she sure as hell went after him when Roger had dipped out as usual.

She watches Jake’s tense shoulders drop with another sigh.

“Being better doesn’t make me good. That bar is set so fucking low.”

“I’m not having this entire discussion with you again, Peralta. We’ve been through this way too many times anyway. You. are. a. good. dad. One accident doesn’t change that.”

“Okay.” He nods, and she can tell he’s trying to imprint her words into his brain, so she continues.

“Mac’s going to hurt himself, and others are going to hurt him, and things are gonna go bad sometimes. You’ll probably be back here in the hospital a few times, considering how much he seems to love danger. And it’s going to be okay, just like Amy said, because you’re going to be there, and you’ll help him through it, and take care of him while he heals.”

“Yeah.” He nods again, and Rosa leans closer to him some more, and finally gets into his field of vision.

“And you’re not going to even think, for one second, that you could be anywhere as bad of a father as that piece of shit. And you’re not going to believe, whatever anyone says, that Mac doesn’t know how lucky he is to have you as a dad.”

He nods a third time, and she remembers how he jokingly told her once, after a few drinks, that the little screaming voice of conscience in his head always alternates between either Amy’s voice or her voice. She hopes she’s given him some new tracks to replay if he needs to.

“Thank you, Rosa.” He says, and leans back in the most uncomfortable chair either of them have sat in, and they’ve both been to prison. He tilts over when she leans back too, lands his head on her shoulder, and she doesn’t shrug him off for once. She can have a soft spot for the Santiago-Peraltas when no one else is there to see, she supposes.

“You looked like you wanted to punch out that nurse.” She says with a quick grin, and hears him snort.

“Was thinking about it. Not enough space for two parents, what kind of bullshit is that?!”

“You couldn’t throw a proper punch anyway.”

“Hey, I know how to hit people. I trained to do it just as much as you.”

They share a giggle as the exhaustion and stress of the last hour flows out of them, and the old lady across them seems mildly shocked rather than annoyed by now, but who cares.

-*-

Amy comes back with Mac in her arms an hour later, and they’re both all smiles. Mac sports an impressive new sticker collection on his shirt, and a lollipop that’s painting his lips orange. (Amy’s have a slight tint to them as well.)

The cast on his arm is bright green, and he carefully lifts it to show Jake as he switches from his Mama’s arms into his. (Jake had jumped up from his chair so fast he almost threw Rosa, who was also getting up, to the ground.)

“Like ninja!” he says around the lollipop, and Amy wipes a bit of spit away before it can drop on Jake’s shirt.

“Yeah, just like the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, buddy.” Jake nods because of course he understands his kid’s train of thought better than anyone else, and kisses Mac’s temple, stays there a second longer for that perfect toddler scent, even as it’s mixed with hospital disinfectant and playground mud.

“Look, RoRo!” Mac yells into his ear and leans over to show Rosa as well. “Turtle shell!”

“That’s pretty cool, dude.” Aunt RoRo answers as she inspects the cast to see if it’s well done or if she has to go back there and punch out a nurse herself. “Let’s get you three home.” She says after concluding that the cast is acceptable enough to let the poor hospital workers alone.

-*-

She was planning to drop them off, park their car and then head for the precinct where her bike is waiting for her, but Amy invited her up for some coffee for ‘her nerves’, and Jake offered dinner as a thanks, and Mac absolutely needed to show her the new toy he got in that package from abuela, and then suddenly she’s on a playmat on the floor for an hour after Chinese takeout and pretending to be a Ninja Tortoise or whatever. That soft spot is gonna be more trouble than it’s worth, she thinks for a second before Mac smiles at her as his Jedi figure shoots lasers at her turtle doll, and immediately realises it’s worth so much more than any trouble. Mac looks at his cast a little worried, whenever he thinks no one is watching him, and god, could he be any more like his dad? At least she and Amy already have a good instructions booklet on how to handle him, in that case.

“That green cast is pretty cool.” She says when she catches him look once more. “But you know what would make it even cooler? Drawings.”

“Drawies? On my arm?”

“Yeah, buddy. We can draw on it with a sharpie.”

He’s up and running to Amy, asking for a sharpie, in no time at all and yep, he is just as easily distracted as his dad. Mac grins wide and unworried now as he climbs on Jake’s lap on the couch, asks Amy to draw something when she returns with a set of markers, calls Rosa over to draw something too.

Amy does a little bear, his favourite animal at the moment. Rosa does a rocket ship and a pirate ship, the two best ships in the world, as they both agree. Jake does a Ninja Turtle cartoon face yelling PIZZA!, which is obviously Mac’s absolute favourite the moment it’s done.

When Jake wants to cap the Sharpie after his work of art, Mac grabs his hand and pulls it back down. “Steady, peanut. Don’t wanna scribble over Aunt RoRo’s cool ship, right?” He says with a grin over to her as she rolls her eyes. Mac’s already tried to cover several walls, most of his storytime books, and the kitchen table with his drawings as soon as he’s handed any sort of writing tool, so Jake won’t let go of the marker just to be safe, but he does let Mac’s little hand guide his big one as he makes him draw a wonky heart, right on the cast over the back of his hand, and then places a kiss on the same place on Jake’s hand.

You’re not going to believe, whatever anyone says, that Mac doesn’t know how lucky he is to have you as a dad the little Rosa voice in Jake’s head repeats as he smiles at her, and she actually smiles back.

[dancingthesambaa]

The Smell of Plum Blossom Tea Ch 7

Summary: Just like a butterfly wing, a single act of kindness can change the course of the future, it certainly did for MK as a black-furred monkey put out a hand towards him

Rating: Teen and up

Chapter 7: Hero Born From The Shadows

“Selfie!” Mei posed as she took a picture of herself once she won the race.

“Mei!” MK excitedly said as he laid down flat on the ground with his arms raised high.

“MK!” She cheerfully picked him up, “Man that was one wicked race!”

“We almost died,” he weakly said.

“That’s life!” She joked, not understanding he was serious, “now how about we play some Monkey Mech! You can even invite your friend over!”

“Mei, he tried to kill me,” he said once more.

“Okay in that case,” she took out her phone and had an eerie red button right on the screen as she said with a wide smile that promised retribution, “Where does he live?”

“MK WHAT ARE YOU DOING!”

“HAHAHAHAHAHA!!” The trio yelled in laughter at MK's joke.

“I’m not kidding!” He jumped up and down as he carried the staff, “this is the Monkey King Staff! I’ll prove it to you!”

“Okay, how?” Piggy crossed his arms.

“Ummm,” MK held the staff closer to his chest as he began to nervously play with it, when suddenly it retreated inward then suddenly extended all the way to the table Tang and Mei was sitting at and crushed it.

There was a silence as the unbelievable just happen then Tang wildly sputtered out.

“HUBABABABABA Monkey King staff!” He rushed over to MK arm that was carrying the staff and held it up high, “I knew it all along! It is the legendary staff that was used to seal away evil!” Then he paused as he realized the implications and looked to MK, “wait a minute, why do you have it?”

“Okay I’ll bite, if the staff is here, where is the Demon punk now?” Pigsy questioned as he was still iffy on this entire thing.

“He’s at the shoe store,” Mei cheerily stated.

“What?” They all walk to Mei with her phone out.

“This better not be one of your dog videos.” He can’t even tell how many times she shoved that phone in his face when she was coping at that drooling menace.

“Ha! There’s always time for a puppy video, but no he’s trending,” she showed them a picture of a large Bull demon and a familiar flame head boy, “like #DemonBullKing.”

“Holy shit, this ain’t no joke,” Pigsy jaw dropped.

“What do we do?” Tang hesitantly asked

“…I have to go to Flower Fruit Mountain,” they all turned to look at MK. “If the only one who was able to stop the Demon Bull King was Monkey King then I need to go there.”

“Are you hearing yourself?” Pigsy stomped over to him, “we’re talking about a mountain that is surrounded by fuck tons of dangers. Have you not heard of the flaming mountains? It’s the reason why no one has been able to get close to the mountain in the first place?”

“Then what are we supposed to do?!” MK took a step forward, “Monkey King is the only one who is able to stop Bull King back then and the only one now.”

Mei opened her mouth to say something, but decided to close it and just wait.

“Kid look I know this is all a bit scary, but why do you think that you have to do this?”

“Well I have the staff and I can carry it, for some reason,” he whispered the last part then he put on a more determined face, “but more importantly someone needs to.”

Pigsy stared him down as the boy did the same, then the pig demon sighed as he picked up his car keys “Everyone go to the car, it seems we’re taking a trip.”

“Yes!/Roadtrip!/Flower Fruit Mountain!” The trio of humans all cheered as they made their way out, though Mei did slow her steps so that she could match MK.

“So when is Mackie getting here,” she abruptly said.

“Huh?”

“I mean he must have definitely heard your screams by now and I’m not even including the sounds of terror that everyone must be doing right now. We both know that he would already be on his way,” she added.

“Oh, um actually funny thing. He is currently not anywhere near the city right now,” he wilted at Mei’s dumbfounded look.

“What.”

“Yeahhhh he had a call for a medical emergency and he is kinda days away from here,” he scratched the back of his neck.

“Oh my god, talk about bad timing,” she dragged her hand over her face, “well you should definitely call him and let him know what’s up.”

“…you know, I was thinking that maybe, and hear me out here, maybe we don’t call him,” he squeaked out.

“MK I love you like a brother, but what kind of nonsense are you saying,” she stopped the two of them and put her hands on his shoulder. “We’re talking about the same crazy brain worry of an immortal demon monkey that would fret over every last injury if you let him and you're telling me you're not even gonna say anything?!”

“I mean we can wait until he gets back, I just don’t want to bother him when he’s working.”

“But it’s even worse when you don’t say anything! MK you have to-,” she was cut off by Pigsy yells.

“Hurry it up you two! Fate of the world and everything!”

“Oh well looks like we got to go,” MK hurried out of her grasp and quickly went to the car.

“This is not over!” She yelled as she chased after him.

“Lalala! I can’t hear you!”

“Save it for the road,” the pig demon called out.

“Where exactly are we going anyway?” Tang asked, “Can’t exactly get to Flower Fruit mountain by car.”

“I know a guy who can help us out, he is one of the meanest, toughest demons that I have ever met. If anyone can help us get there it’s him.”

Pigsy was lying on the ground in total defeat as everyone was all sitting in Sandy's living room as the big bad demon happily talked about some of his relaxing hobbies and activities.

“He sure is tough,” Tang smirked as he sipped his tea.

“Shut up,” moaned the demon.

Sandy stopped in the middle of his talk when he felt a small tap on his hip as the small pigtail girl began to beg with glistening eyes.

“Oh great Sandy sir, we could really use your help getting to Flower Fruit mountain,” she clasped her hands together.

MK quickly joined her as he went on his knees and began to plead, “please, the fate of the world depends on it.”

“Okay,” he nonchalantly said.

“Really/That was easy,” both teenagers questioned.

“Anything for Pigsy and Mac. I can get you there, but it ain’t a pleasant trip.”

“Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes!” They cheered as they jumped around, but stopped in midair as what he said fully hit them. “Wait, you know Dad/Fuzzbutt?”

“Yeah, we have tea together sometimes,” the gentle giant smiled.

“Dad has a tea time buddy?” MK blinked a few times.

“Honestly not the most surprising thing about him,” Mei added. “He regularly hangs with Ní when he wants to take a nap.”

“…I hope they're going to be okay,” MK said as he thought back to all of the animals, creatures, and demons living in the forest. “I’m a bit worried.”

The twenty year old girl snorted, “I’m not, have you seen them? They can tear down groves of trees because they couldn’t share their favorite tree.”

“True,” not only the demons or creatures, but also the animals know how to put up a fight. He even once saw a chipmunk bite off the finger of a hunter before.

“Besides they have BaBa and ain’t no thing or demon is going through her,” she said in complete certainty.

“Yeahhh, she's pretty awesome.”

“Alright let’s get moving,” Sandy said as the two talked to one another. Then he looked towards Pigsy, “I’m telling you now old friend, if things get hairy I’m not the same demon as I was before. I don’t go around picking fights.”

“…ahhh, things have changed haven’t they,” he sighed, “We seriously need to have a talk later.”

“Speaking of talk, has anyone told Macaque about this?” The historian raised his eyebrow.

The two stop short as the pig demon slightly blanches as he whispers out loud, “hold shit, Mac is gonna kill me for bringing his kids into this.”

“Don’t think like that,” Sandy tried to comfort him, “I’m sure that he will be perfectly reasonable about all of this once we explain what went down.”

“Oh he’s not gonna kill us,” Tang said as he slowly began to get color back on his skin.

“Yeah, you're right-.”

“He’s gonna kill the Demon Bull King,” he bluntly said.

“…,” Pigsy had no words for that.

“Oh yeah, yeah he might be a tad bit angrier with him,” Sandy nodded. “Well let’s get this show on the road, Mo initiate the launch sequence!”

“Launch?!” They all questioned as they saw a blue bat leap up from his shoulder and next to the wheel where a big red button was and the car happily pressed it.

Everyone was startled as the whole ship began to shake and various noises rang out, they all ran outside to see that the ship was now supporting a few new features, one of them being three large turbo boosters.

“Onwards to Flower Fruit mountain!” Sandy called out as then the ship took out in a flash as they sped across the ocean.

“Oh yeahhhh!”

“Thank you so much for your help,” the Panda demon bowed lowly as the rest of his students did the same, “without your aid, I feared they all may have not survived.”

“Yeah, I thought that I was holding Yama's hands for a second there,” a crane, one of the students, joked.

“Just try not to take on anymore poisonous elephant demons for a bit, I rather not have to come back here and do this all over again,” Mac said as he adjusted his hold on his bag.

“Oh believe me, we won’t,” a tiger demon nodded.

“Whatever happened to him anyway?” a hippo student asked.

“He won’t be bothering us anymore,” they all look down to see the sheep demon smile at her friend’s serenely.

“W-what does that mean?”

“He won’t be bothering us anymore,” she repeated herself with the same tone.

“I’m not touching that with a ten foot pole,” the tiger muttered under his breath.

“I still can’t believe that people still think that’s she the harmless one,” a large dark wolf said as the rest of them nodded.

“It’s kinda hilarious,” the monkey smirked, he still remembered walking in on her, when he used to make deliveries, and saw her standing on top of a pile of unconscious demons. “Well, I have to head out now.”

“I wish you safe travels on your journey back,” Po smiled.

“Thanks, hopefully my kiddos didn’t get into too much trouble.”

“Have some faith in them, I’m sure they are just fine.”

“AHHH!” They all screamed as they scattered away from the fireball heading towards them.

Luckily, both MK and Mei managed to nimbly land on their feet despite the surprise attack, Pigsy was less than lucky as he fell on his back.

“Pigsy!” They yelled out and helped him up.

“Hahaha,” the wind demon lightly chuckled as she held out her hand, “I’ll be taking that staff now.”

The teenagers got into position as they glared at her, “this belongs to the Monkey King, there is no way you’ll take it!”

“Awww, playing to be a hero, sorry to disappoint but playtime is over.”

Mei and MK looked at one another and without words being shared they split off onto either side running.

“Kids!” Pigsy worriedly cried out as he tried to follow after them, but was stopped by a burst of lava emerging from the cracks.

“Aww, cute,” Princess Iron Fan smirked as she kept her eyes solely on the staff, “you think you stand a chance.” Then her eyes widened as she felt a small aura behind her and she quickly used the wind to push it back, it did little as she dodged a blow to her head.

“Ha! You call that wind? I know a vulture that can easily surpass that for her morning fly,” Mei mocked as she began to swipe at the demon with her sword.

“Little girl, you know not of what-,” she quickly dropped down as she felt a small gust of wind aimed towards her and she was only grateful that she did as she saw that Sun Wukong staff was aimed at her head.

“Don't you dare underestimate us!” MK yelled out as he backed up.

“You little-!” She winced as she felt a blow to her side.

“Should have kept your eyes on me bitch,” Mei grinned as she drew her glowing sword back and went for another.

“That’s enough,” she calmly said, though if one were to look carefully they would see that her fists were curled up in a ball as her eyes glowed a dull red. She then held out her hand, which transformed into the same glove that removed the staff, to block the staff aimed towards her.

“What?” That was all MK could say before he was blown back far away past the mountain.

“AHHHHHHHH!”

“No MK!” Mei screamed with tears in her eyes, not noticing a certain demon freeze up at the name, as she attempted to follow her brother.

“Mei, we got to go,” Pigsy choked out as he rushed to her and picked her up to run as the teenager struggled over his shoulder. “I’m sorry kid.”

Princess Iron Fan was silent as she looked to the two mortals running away from her then to the ocean where she blew the child mortal away. She said nothing as she tightly gripped the staff in hand then vanished away, she needed to go to her husband after all.

The boat was silent as it gently floated along the ocean as the remaining occupants tried to swallow what just happened.

“I’m sorry MK,” Pigsy whispered out as he looked down to the clear water, he didn’t even flinch when a familiar hand touched his shoulder.

“Pigsy,” Sandy quietly said.

“There was nothing we could do,” Tang said with his back turned.

“Nothing? Nothing! I could have done something!” Pigsy marched over to the human with rage as he grabbed his shoulder to see Tang's sorrowful face, “I could have-I should have protected MK! I made a promise to not only Mac but to myself that I would! And now…,” he trailed off as his whole body went slack and let go of his scarf. “It’s over, there is nothing we can do.”

“It’s not over,�� he turned up with tears in his eyes to look at his friend, “MK may be lost, but we can make sure no more lives are lost. Make sure that his sacrifice wasn’t in vain.”

Pigsy could only nod as he wiped the tears in his eyes as Sandy put a comforting hand on his shoulder.

“Someone has to pay,” the trio looked over to Mei who hadn’t said a word till now. “Someone has to fight.”

“Mei?”

She quickly wiped her face as she continued with her backs to them, “that demon bitch is going to,” she turned around with a forced smile on her face as they all felt an ominous presence among them as lighting and thunder roared in fury, “pay.”

They all nodded as a determination filled them all as they mentally and physically got prepared for the battle arising.

Mei looked out to the ocean once more and gripped the rails tightly.

‘I’m so sorry I couldn’t save you MK, but I’ll make damn sure we’ll end this. This is for you…by the gods how am I gonna tell Makkie?’

“Ugghhh,” MK moaned out as he slowly came to consciousness, he felt two furry hands in his hair even with his eyes still closed. “Just five more minutes Dad.”

“Ooo?”

His eyes snap open as he realized that this wasn’t his Dad as he awoke to a white furred monkey standing on top of his stomach, “uhh hi?”

The monkey tilts his head.

MK gives a small smile as he remembers the times when a monkey back home would climb onto him, “this feels familiar.”

The monkey eyes then glint as several more appear with the same glint.

His face falls, “nevermind this seems more familiar,” he says as he quickly rolls over from the monkeys’ attack and stands up.

All of them looked over to him and it looked like they were about to give chase before they paused and tilted their head as they recognized a familiar smell on him, but then they saw him stand up so that thought exited quickly as they all scurried off.

“I swear, what is with monkeys and my hair,” he grumbled as he then turned to see the ocean in front of him with the volcanic plain just bordering.

“Wha-gha!” He clutched his head as memories of what happened travel all throughout his head. “Right, that…where am-,” he cut himself off as he turned around to see a beautiful mountain towering above him.

“Flower Fruit mountain.”

He gazed at it for a few moments before he got his hearing back and began to rush to the mountain.

“Hello! Monkey King!? You in here!?” He called out as he stepped into the magical cave inside the magic waterfall, which also held magical drawings that came to life. “Can really use your help? Things aren’t looking good!”

He stopped as he waited for an answer, but as he stood there, nothing replied back. It was only him and a small house in front of him.

“GHA!” He kicked over a rock in frustration as he began to look around. He was not about to give up that easily though he did pause when a small butterfly approached him and landed on his nose. “At least someone here,” he jokingly said with a small smile.

“Yep I am!” It replied.

“AH!” He screamed as he flailed his arms at the unexpected response.

“Yes yes it is I,” the butterfly said once more as it fluttered to the ground, “the great monkey-oof!”

“Is it dead?” He questioned as he slowly lifted his foot, he was not about to take any chances, especially not with what happened last time he met with a small talking bug. He and Tang can still feel the icky grossness crawling up their spines, they can never unfeel what has been felt.

Then the bug began to glow.

“What??”

It grew bigger, its form was fluid as it didn’t take shape at first, but then it transformed into a hawk then it soared high and landed as it tiger then the tiger began to stand on its legs as it transformed into a bear until finally, it transformed one last time into a monkey.

A very familiar monkey.

The first thought that entered MK's head when he saw the monkey was that he was taller than he expected him to be. In fact, he even thinks that he’s taller than his Dad.

The second thought was acknowledging that the Monkey King was standing right before him.

“Yep the one and only,” he stood tall as he looked around the room. “Sooo, where’s my staff?” He took a step back when he saw the kid's eyes well up with tears.

“I am so sorry!” He began his rant as he tried to explain what happened and how he messed up royally when he heard laughter.

“Look kid, I have to come clean,” he looked up to see that the Monkey King was kneeling as he put his hand on his shoulder. “I’ve been kinda watching you.”

“Huh?” Then his eyes widen as he remembers all the times he has seen the strange occurrences appear. “Wait what?!”

“Pfft! The look on your face is perfect!” He laughed out loud.

“Perfect for what?!” He was making absolutely no sense right now.

“To be my successor!” He started with a deep voice as he crossed both his arms.

“Uhhh what have you been drinking? Are you sure you’re the Monkey King? I think you may have a brief stint with insanity due to the isolation. I have some herbal remedies that can help with that,” he poked and prodded at the monkey. He felt a tail wrap around him and place him down, he had to stop the sudden urge of twisting the tail hard to let him go, he still remembers all the times Dad did it to him during training. He flew so high up.

“Listen kid, you fought demons and you didn’t die,” he casually said as he opened a bag of chips. “And you made it here, not anyone can lift my staff, but you did.”

“But what about DBK?” He urged him.

“Pfft, what about him,” he summoned his cloud as he laid on it while eating said chips, “you can handle it.”

A small part of MK really wanted to throttle the Monkey King at that moment, but his desperation and anxiety outweighed his irritation as he stumbled upon his words, “but I-I can’t…ahhh.”

This made the monkey pause and he gave an exaggerated sigh as he walked over to the kid and put a comforting hand on his shoulder, “look if you can lift the staff you can use it. Just believe in yourself, even a smidge makes all the difference.”

MK looked up at him and gave a small smile, he may not have the best self-esteem, but he damn well is not gonna stop.

“Now then,” he dramatically began, “the staff was taken from you, take it back.”

MK's smile then turned into a wide toothy grin, “alright.”

Wukong gave a smile to his new successor, but something in the back of his mind nagged him that MK grin reminded of someone, but he can’t quite put his finger on it.

“Ughhhh,” laid a collapsed Red Son as he groaned in pain at the jet impact.

Everyone else was in shocked silence as they watch MK slowly crawl out of the wreckage.

“Man, that was worse than the time we tried swinging from the vines for the first time.”

“MK!” Mei rushed over to him and gave him the tightest hug, “I thought you were-you know and I saw you blast off in the fire, but you are here and alive! I am so glad I don’t have to tell fuzzbutt about your death. Wait, how'd you get a jet? Wait! Is Monkey King here?!”

“Well no, he said it’s up to me…us,” he smiled slightly at her.

“Well that was anticlimactic and sorta stupid,” she muttered the last part under her breath. Then they all felt the earth shake beneath them and looked up to see an oversized Demon Bull King.

“And how are we meant to fight that?” Tang incredulously called out the question on everyone's minds.

The teenager looked at the towering menace and back to his hands and gripped it tight as he pulled his hair into a tighter ponytail, “we believe in ourselves.”

BOOM!

The ground shook once more.

“…somehow.”

“A jet would have been nice right about now,” she mused as she kicked the pile of rubble. Then out of it slowly emerged a smaller, but still very cool looking, motorcycle.

“That will work!” He said as he hopped on the bike.

“Go get him buddy!” She cheered for him and he gave a quick nod before zooming off, leaving the rest of them behind.

“You know how I said before about Mac killing us and the Bull King,” Tang suddenly said.

“Wait what?” Mei raised an eyebrow at the absurd topic.

“Yeahhh?” Pigsy drawled out.

“Well I think we can safely assume that the Monkey King is now on that list.”

“Oh yeah/Most definitely,” both pink and blue demons respectively said as the pigtailed teenager couldn’t help but laugh.

“Fuccck that hurts,” he moaned out as he attempted to free himself from the rubble.

“You thought you could defeat me!” The Bull King laughed as he made his way towards the mortal. “I will not let a little thief take victory from my grasp.”

MK, who was panicking, quickly tried to find ways out of this, but then he heard a faint noise and looked up to see the arcade sign slightly glowing.

“Just believe in yourself, even a smidge makes all the difference,” he couldn’t help but think back to the Monkey King’s words, but there was also another.

“It will be hard, no doubt.” He heard his father's voice echo through his mind as the pain slowly subsided, “and at times it may seem like the whole world is against you, but know that you still have tomorrow waiting for you. So keep your head held high and look towards the stars, cause that right there is your limit starlight.”

And he does, he is looking past the arcade sign and looks towards the stars that make the faintest appearance among the darkening sky.

Only one thought was clear in his mind when those words combined as he slammed his staff down.

‘I can do this.’

Then an amalgamation of parts from various buildings, streets, and other places began to structure itself together to make a red and gold mech suit with a violet headband and cape.

“It’s time for your family to be brought to justice,” MK yelled out as he pushed the mech forward as he dived bomb down to the demon. “Here comes Monkie Kid!”

The giant staff impacted the demon with a loud burst of energy and sound.

BOOOOOMMMMM!

BOOOOOMMMMM!

Six ears suddenly perked up at the unexpected noise as the owner of said ears' eyes widened as that was coming from the same direction he was heading.

He picked up his pace.

“And I was all like, ‘I have to finish this once and for all’ and I started glowing!” MK excitedly said as he gobbled down another bowl of noodles.

“And then what!” Tang and Mei excitedly asked.

“And I cut a building in half and dropped it on him!”

“Coool!”

“I still can’t believe that happened,” Pigsy snorted as he ate his bowl, “scratch that I can’t believe that all of this happened.”

“I can, it just happened in front of our eyes,” Sandy joked.

“Seeing is believing…I guess,” he threw his hands in the air as he winced as he felt a sharp pain, “fuck.”

“Are you okay?” Tang had noticed Pigsy winces and went over to his side to examine.

“It’s nothing,” he muttered as he tried to focus on anything except the warm hands against his neck.

Sandy didn’t comment on just how fast Tang shot to the pig demon side and instead stood up, “I’m going to look behind back, you still keep your bandages underneath the second drawer?”

“Yeah, but I think I ran out,” he answered, “used it up when some maniac decided to throw water over the counter in a fit of anger and landed right on the handle of a boiling pot of water.”

“Yikes, well I can see what I can find.”

“You know at times like these I wish Mac was here,” Tang said as both Mei and MK nodded.

Boom

Everyone then jumped up at the sound of the door slamming open and turned to see the one and only Macaque looking at all of them with shock.

“What in the hell happened?!” He almost screamed out as when he first walked into the city he could hear the sounds of screams and destruction emitting everywhere. The scenery was no better as buildings collapsed, streets were uprooted, and people were all hiding or unconscious in various states. He rushed over to find his kid's heartbeat and then sighed in relief as he heard their voices and booked it over to them as fast as he could. Though before he could say anything else as he looked at their disbelieved, bruised, but still very much alive appearance before he could let a smile form, his eyes happened to lock onto a familiar bo staff in his son's hand.

“What the fuck?” He whispered out.

“Guess what Dad! I met the Monkey King!” MK excitedly said as he waved the staff around excitedly.

“What the fuck?” He said a little bit louder.

“And I’m the Monkey King successor!” He added on not knowing that the sentence almost gave Macaque psychic damage at the sheer revelation.

The monkey could only stare as he felt his eye twitch, he then took a deep breath to calm himself down, it did not work as well as he hoped. “What in the actual fuck did I miss?”

“Oh yeah, so the city totally got terrorized by the Demon Bull King and his family after the staff was pulled out, so we kicked some ass and MK here saved the day,” Mei proudly stated.

He can almost feel a migraine coming on as he began to rummage through his bag and brought out rolls of gauzes and various small bottles, “okay first, all of you sit your asses down and let me check the damage, and once that shit is over, you will tell me the what the fuck went down when I get a drink.”

“Plum Tea?” MK said.

“Gonna need something a little more stronger than that for this can of bullshit,” he whispered to himself. “By the gods what the actual fuck Wukong?”

“What you say?” Tang asked.

“I said sit your asses down!”

“Dad we’re all f-”

“Just by a glance I can see that some of you are suffering from some second degree burns, lacerations, bruises, and all types of other shit. So you either sit your asses down so I can fix you up or I will knock you unconscious and take it from there,” he threatened.

They all immediately sat down, even Sandy who plopped himself on the floor.

“I swear, can’t even leave for two weeks without shit happening,” he grumbled as he made multiple shadow clones to help make the process faster.

The moon shone high in the sky as many people were laid to rest. Some wounded, some crying, some joyful, some mourning, and some dead. No one still knew exactly what happened, but those thoughts could wait until tomorrow. For now, after the terror and agony they all suffered, it was time to close their eyes and let the nightmares encompass them or a blank passage of nothingness if they're lucky.

The same was said for the ones who helped stop the malicious terror that had once plagued the city, they all lay sleeping in a cozy apartment living room.

Sandy was happily snoring on the floor with Mo as he then was slightly lifted to place a pillow underneath him and a blanket draped over as well.

Tang and Pigsy were snuggled next to each other on the couch, with the pig demon head tucked underneath the human head, as another blanket dropped from above.

Finally, the youngest was curled up with one another, Mei having one arm around MK’s shoulder, leaning against the couch. Their loose blanket was brought back up as it was meticulously tucked then two furry hands softly ruffled both of their heads as they only slightly shifted.

Macaque looked at them with only sheer fondness as he fixed them up. Then his eyes narrowed and couldn't help but linger on their neatly wrapped bandages on both them and everyone else.

He made his way to the window.

“What happened today will not happen again,” the Bull King growled out as his body slowly healed itself. He is still not back to full strength yet, even when his powers had increased tremendously due to the no staff. After all, one couldn’t easily rise from the grave in full health without the assistance of miracle medicine.

“Of course it won’t, we were merely…unprepared after all,” Princess Iron Fan said as she silently stirred her drink. “You have just woken up from imprisonment.”

“Imprisonment heh, that is one way to say that damnation,” he huffed.

“But next time we will be prepared father,” Red Son confidently said.

“Hmph,” he grunted out as his mind was still racing as he thought back to the small mortal boy, “who was that little thief who claims to be the successor of Sun Wukong?” He snarled the last part out.

“Oh he is just a noodle boy who got lucky,” the flame demon huffed as the wind demon stayed silent.

“Well that luck seems to let him wield the staff, so there is some truth in his foul words. Either way, while he is no threat, he is a nuisance and you know what we do with pests” he stood up and his shadow seemed to grow in intensity with each and every word he spoke.

“We crush them,” the boy grinned savagely.

“Under our feet,” he stomped his large hoof in emphasis.

“Yeah, I have a bit of a problem with that,” a voice rang out and before anyone could react, the Bull King was suddenly pinned down by a large violet one-eyed form that emerged from his shadows.

“What is this!?” He yelled out as he struggled to break free, but it proved to be tough as his injuries weren’t fully healed.

“Father!” Red Son began to rush over but was stopped by his own shadow as well. “How dare you! Get your peasant hands off of me!”

Princess Iron Fan, the only one still free, barely reacted as a form from her own shadow began to come out, but instead of capturing her, it turned around to face them all.

“I was too naive to think it was merely a coincidence,” she sighed as the shadowy form revealed itself a very familiar simian face.

“Hey Flicker, Raki,” Macaque casually said to Red Son and Iron Fan as his eyes glinted a hostile violet, “it seems that we need to talk.”

“Six-Eared Macaque!” DBK stilled his movements, no matter how much the urge to break free, as he looked to the medicine monkey, “what treachery has overcome you that you dare make a move against us?”

Red Son couldn’t say a word as he looked at the demon, instead, his eyes were blasted open wide in confusion.

“Usually nothing,” he shrugged as he took a step towards them, “I don’t get up all in your shit when you swing by for some medicine and you don’t short change me.”

“It would be foolish,” Iron Fan said as she set down her cup with a small clink.

“Tell that to some demons,” he said as he took another step forward, “usually you guys are no problem, but now you became a problem.”

“You never interfered with our plans before, what makes this time so different,” he spat out.

“When you attacked my kids,” he bluntly stated with a snarl on his lips as his eyes glowed a bit brighter.

This stilled both father and son, but not the mother who pinched her nose.

“I was afraid of that.”

“You should be,” he sneered out as the shadows all around grew in intensity as they crawled up the walls leaving the area there in almost total darkness.

“Wait kids?! Do you mean noodle boy and biker girl?” Red Son asked as he flinched as the eyes locked onto him.

“MK and Mei, I know I told you about them plenty of times,” he drawled out.

“I didn’t realize they were the same ones,” he horrifyingly whispered out.

“Apparently not many do, so here’s what’s gonna happen,” he said with an even tone, “unless they have attacked you first, you will not lay a fucking hand on either of them, cause if you do, well I won’t be very…kind,” his voice echoed throughout the caves. “Do we have a deal?”

“Deal,” the Queen said first.

“Deal,” the Prince agreed next.

“…Deal,” the King lowly said.

“Good,” the shadows vanished in a poof and both Bull King and Red Son were freed and the cavern walls were once again illuminated by the soft glow of light, “I’m glad we can come to an agreement.”

“Will you still supply us?” She asked as she got down to business, he may have just threatened them, but he is currently the only demon nearby, and most experienced, with not only knowledge of medicine, but can acquire precious materials.

“Same charge,” he waved off as he began to walk away, “and Flicker, Sandy really?”

“It didn’t occur to me he was there until after I attacked,” he winced as he voiced his embarrassment, he didn’t notice his therapist was there until all was said and done. He should probably be grateful that Sandy usually goes with the flow, else he really would be screwed.

“Good luck on the next session,” he smirked, “Also, Daiyu wants a spar sometime, she misses having to fight against a fire demon,” he said. Daiyu has some issues going on in her mind, but that ain’t any of his business. He absolutely does not want to know what goes on in there.

Red Son blinks momentarily as she stands up straight and begins to boast, “As if she can hold her own against me! Tell her I will meet her in due time and she best be prepared.”

“Will do,” and like that he merged back with the shadows and vanished from sight.

“So what do we do now mother, father?” He looked towards both of his parents.

“We will honor the deal we made,” Iron Fan stated.

“Of course,” he didn’t even have to think to agree with that, even without the deal he still wouldn’t have attacked anything Macaque had claimed.

“And we will get stronger,” DBK finished as he stood up and began to walk away. He had no trifles with the Six Eared Macaque, even now when he wishes to wrap his hands against the monkey's throat for his words against him and his own, but he won’t. The two may have strict business relations, though the same can’t be said for his son and wife who seems to be on more…friendlier terms with him, he has a smidge of respect for the medicine monkey. He has heard the tales, both myth and reality, and he can acknowledge that the demon strove to his power through sheer cunning and wit, even if he had to stick to the shadows to achieve that.

So no, he will not go against the monkey deal, he has more integrity than that, but he will not show mercy if those mortals attempt to go against him.

“We will be unstoppable,” Red Son grinned as he made his way to his workshop. He had some inventions he’s been meaning to build.

Princess Iron Fan silently watched both her husband and son go in opposite directions. She gave a small sigh as she picked her cup back up and held it into her hands.

“It seems that the winds have changed once more, I wonder which direction it will blow.” She asked herself as she took a sip of her tea, then she scrunched up her nose at just how cold it was.

Oh yeah, I’ve been keeping the two of their reveal in my back pocket for this moment XD Props to anyone who may have figured it out along the way!

[emmy-writes-sometimes]

Sneaking Around

You and Jaeden try to hide that you’re dating from your dad, but he finds out in a not-so-great way. Both the reader and Jaeden are 18 in this!

-

           “Y/n, are you sure we should be keeping this a secret?” Your boyfriend asked you as you hid out in his trailer. You had gone on a few dates with him while he and your dad were working on Knives Out, and it was one of the last days filming. You would sneak past your dad every morning, find Jaeden, and hang out with him most of the day. Your dad, none the wiser, thought you were just in his trailer or in the main building at the café they had. But nope – you were with Jaeden.

           “He’ll kill me, Jae,” you said as you held a pillow in your arms, your feet propped up on the trailer’s couch. “Just give me a few more months to crack him. I’ll tell him before Jacob starts filming, I promise. I just don’t want him to…”

           “I know,” he responded with a little smile. He always looked cute, but that day he was extra cute in the whit suit he was wearing. It was your favorite of his costumes in the movie. “Maybe we should wait a little longer.” He sat down on the couch beside you and pulled you into a kiss that only lasted for a few seconds.

           “You really need to go now, you’re gonna be late and my dad is going to come looking for me.” He smirked.

           “Fine. I’ll see you later.” You both stood up and you gathered your backpack to go back to your dad’s trailer. He walked you there before going back to set, leaving you alone. In truth, you had both only meant waiting a couple months. That was in October of 2018. You wanted to see if the long distance thing could work while he was off filming for something else and you were back in Boston with your dad. And then you got the news that Defending Jacob was going to be filmed in Boston, too, and he showed up at the airport and told you that he was in love with you. You were absolutely head over heels for him, but your dad was still trying to tell you not to date anyone. He was still telling you that maybe you should date a guy from school, like one of your old friends, Griffin. You didn’t have the heart to tell him that you were dating the kid playing his son.

           “Hey,” you said over the phone. “Aren’t you supposed to be filming?” It was the middle of the day on a Tuesday – you had just pulled up to the house after school, and as much as you loved Jaeden, you didn’t want him to get in trouble.

           “Yeah, I’m on break though, they’re re-setting up the courtroom. Your dad mentioned he was going out of town this weekend.”

           “Yeah, he has an audition and a few meetings up in L.A., he’s not supposed to be back until Monday,” you said as you shut the door to the car, grabbing your backpack out of the back seat. “Why, what were you thinking?”

           “Well, we could spend the weekend together. Just you and me.”

           “That would be amazing. Do you think you can swing it, though?”

           “Yeah. The hotel staff already doesn’t come on weekends so no one will care if I’m not there, and you know what flights your dad is on we can just… Not tell him.” You grinned.

           “Really? Your one weekend off in forever and you want to spend it with me?” You stuck your key into the door and entered the house, petting Dodger as he jumped up on you.

           “Of course I do.” You heard the set bell ring and he sighed. “I gotta go, but are you down?”

           “I’m down.”

           “I’ll see you Thursday for dinner, okay? And then Friday on?”

           “Of course. I love you.”

           “I love you too.” You could tell that he was smiling when he hung up, and that made you happy. There wasn’t a reason not to go public at this point – you’d been dating for almost a year, you were both eighteen, and you were both used to the public commenting on your lives. The only thing that stood in the way was your dad. And he was either going to find out the easy way or the hard way, and even though you were hoping for the easy way, you honestly just wanted it out there. You talked to Jae about it during dinner on Thursday while your dad was doing a night scene, and he agreed. You would go public with it after your dad got back. You’d both be waiting at the house when he got back, you’d tell him, and then you’d finally let Jae post the picture of you two together when you went hiking one day.

           Friday came and you dropped your dad off at the airport and then went to Jae’s hotel. He smiled as he climbed into your car, putting his bag on the floor. You drove back to the house and had a nice night – you had dinner, you watched a movie, and he played video games until you fell asleep on him and he decided it was probably time that both of you went to bed.

           You woke up Saturday morning and let him sleep, taking the dog out for aa walk before making breakfast. You grinned from ear to ear when he came downstairs wearing nothing but a pair of boxers, his hair messed up from sleeping in your bed, and his eyes barely open. You took the bacon out of the oven as he came down and got a class of juice from the fridge.

           “Why are you smiling like that?” He asked.

           “Like what?” He drained the OJ and collapsed the carton before putting it in the trash bin.

           “Like how you’re smiling.” He was smiling, too.

           “I’m just glad you’re here,” you said. “It feels normal.”

           “Well, when you’re at UCLA next year, you can come over whenever you want. Or just fuckin’ come live with me.” You laughed. Your plan was either UCLA or USC, but he was trying to convince you of UCLA because it was closer to his house. “Y/n?”

           “Yeah?” You were turning off the skillet when he walked up behind you and kissed your shoulder.

           “I like being normal with you.” You smiled at him and finished getting breakfast ready, then brought it all over to the coffee table and shared it. You shared mac and cheese right out of the pot for lunch. Just as you were finishing, there was a knock at your door. The device on the coffee table showed that it was just your Aunt.

           “Oh my God, Jae, go hide in the linen closet!” You said.

           “What? Which linen closet?”

           “I don’t know! Just go hide in one!” He scoffed and went through the back of the house and down to the basement, where your aunt would definitely not go, and you answered the door.

           “Hey, y/n, sweetie,” she said. You gave her a hug, hoping that she couldn’t smell Jae’s cologne on you. You were wearing one of his shirts, too, but it was smaller on him and didn’t look as odd on you. Your aunt probably wouldn’t be able to tell.

           “Hey!” You said back.

           “Just wanted to check in, how are you doing?”

           “I’m good. Just vegging out on the couch without dad,” you lied, showing her the couch that didn’t have a single sign of Jae. “I think I need to take Dodge to the groomer soon so I was going to do that today.”

           “That’ll be good. I just wanted to drop by and check in and see how you were doing. And your dad said I could grab some of the toys the kids left here.”

           “Yeah, of course!” You let her in and she started gathering some of the toys. You had no idea where Jae was, but as long as your aunt didn’t go in your room she wouldn’t see the clothes that didn’t belong to you all over your floor. She had no reason to go in there, and you were incredibly talented at lying, so she had no idea. She left fifteen minutes later and you heard a sigh of relief as she backed up out of the driveway.

           “Jesus,” Jae said as he grabbed you, pulling you back into the living room. Dodger jumped up on the couch and found a space to lay in between the two of you, and eventually you fell asleep while he was watching some TV show. You woke up to Jae shoving you because your dad was calling you, and answered.

           “Hello?” You asked.

           “Hey, honey!” He said. “How are you? Shan came by earlier, right?”

           “Yeah,” you responded. “I’m good. Just watching some movies. I was thinking about getting dinner with a friend later, though.”

           “Go ahead and use my card if you want. I had to change planes, I got bumped, so I won’t be home until around ten. Is that okay”?

           “Yeah, that’s fine.”

           “Okay. Call me if you need anything. I’ll see you tomorrow night, babe.”

           “Okay. Love you.”

           “Love you too.” He hung up the phone and you put yours back on the table, turning around until you were against Jae’s back. The two of you slept so much during the day that you were up most of the night, doing things that you would never, ever do if there was even a chance your dad wasn’t a few thousand miles across the country. You kept checking your phone to see if he’d called you, but he didn’t, and you felt safe enough that you didn’t make Jae put on more clothes before you went to bed that night.

           The next morning you went to breakfast and spent most of the day cleaning the house and packing up Jae so he could go home around eight, but you were teenagers. You did what teenagers did, and that was being too stupid to set an alarm or check your dad’s flight number because you had the same account. If you’d checked it, you would have figured out that he had gotten back on the earlier flight and was going to be home at eight. Not ten. By that time you and Jae still hadn’t put clothes on and were just napping under the comforter. You’d fed the dog and said that the two of you could afford to nap through a few episodes of something, so you did.

           Your dad got home and got his bags out of the Uber, thinking that something was a little bit off. You hadn’t turned the porch light on yet like you usually did when he was getting home. Dodger was out of water downstairs, so he got him some more, and then he saw a phone charger that wasn’t yours plugged into the wall. You’d had friends over, he thought, so maybe someone had just left it. He walked upstairs to go put his things away and saw your sneakers by your bedroom door. Next to them was a set of boys’ sneakers, so he quickly texted your aunt. She said you were alone when she got there, so he sighed. He gathered his energy to gently push your door open and saw you. In bed. With his co-star.

           He saw you curled up against his back, obviously comfortable. He saw Jae’s arms around you, the comforter on top of you, and a pile of clothes on the floor. He sighed and walked over to your light switch, flipping it on and off until the two of you started to wake up.

           “Jae, babe, stop,” you murmured as you pulled the covers over your head.

           “I’m not doing that,” he said back, “I’m literally right here.” The two of you cracked your eyes open to see your dad standing there, absolutely exhausted, and not in the mood to have to punish you.

           “So, why don’t you guys get dressed and tell me what the fuck is going on?” He asked loudly.

           “Hi, Dad,” you groaned.

           “You two have five minutes.” He shut the door and walked to his room to start putting his clothes away. You pulled on what you’d been wearing earlier and Jae grabbed clothes out of his bag to put on. You sat down on the bed, chewing your nails. You didn’t think about what would happen if you got caught because it was the last thing you were planning to do.

           “It’s fine,” Jae reassured you, coming to sit next to you after tugging a shirt over his head. “It’s fine. We were going to come clean anyway, it’s just that he’s already not in a good mood.” You leaned your head against his shoulder.

           “I want the world to know, just not like this.”

           “Yeah, well, hopefully he won’t give us the talk too. Come on.” He took your hand and the two of you walked down the stairs, where your father was sitting, beer cracked open, and Dodger on his lap.

           “Chris,” Jae started. “Um, Mr. Evans, I guess, now, um…” He looked at you, lost, and you motioned for him to sit on the couch.

           “How long has this been going on?” Your dad asked calmly as he started drinking.

           “Since Knives Out,” you answered.

           “WHAT?”

           “We started dating then and we went long distance when I went back to L.A., and we didn’t tell you because we didn’t know if it would last, but it did,” Jae said, taking your hand confidently.

           “And when he had a weekend off and you were gone, I asked him to come stay over. We weren’t planning on you coming home early.”

           “Weren’t planning on…” your dad muttered under his breath. “What else weren’t you planning on? Me walking in?”

           “No, honestly,” you replied softly. “We were going to tell you when you got back tonight. We were going to come clean about it because we didn’t want to hide it anymore, and we wanted to post stuff about being together. We were going to tell you, just not after… you know.”

           “Are you two being safe?”

           “Yes!” Both of you said at the same time. “I can’t believe you’re asking me that, you know I’ve been on birth control for three years.” Your dad nodded and sighed. “Look, we’re sorry. We’re really sorry.”

           “Is he the reason you wanna go to UCLA?”

           “Not completely. But we were talking about moving in together once I got up there.”

           “I just can’t believe you hid this from me. Why would you do that?”

           “Because. You’re my dad, you’re his on screen dad, and we didn’t know if there was even anything there or if we were just teenagers locked in a room together. And people are insane. We just wanted to hide it for awhile until we knew.”

           “And do you?” He asked, exasperated, head in his hands.

           “What?” You asked in response.

           “I’m in love with her,” Jae said. “If that’s what you’re asking.” Your dad looked at you, and then at Jae, and then back at you again. He sat there for a few minutes. You leaned your head into Jae’s shoulder, wondering what your dad was going to say next. If he was going to try to keep you from seeing each other, if he was going to say you couldn’t date him… You were worried.

           “Fine,” he said finally. “I mean, it’s whatever, you’d probably keep sneaking around anyway, but… Just be careful, okay? Both of you. With everything.” You nodded.

           “Thanks.” He gave you a little smile, and then Jae one.

           “I don’t know how I didn’t figure it out already, honestly.” He chuckled to himself. “Jae, why don’t you go ahead back to your hotel? It’s getting late. You should get some sleep before tomorrow.”

           “Yeah, of course,” Jae said. He disappeared to get his things and call an Uber, and just before he walked out of the door, your dad came up behind him.

           “I like you. You’re a good kid. And talented. But if you hurt my daughter I will literally kill you. And it won’t be with a prop knife. Got it?”

[youllneverknowrac]

Oscar Diaz-Six

(MBS)

“I took the pill.” You complain to Oscar,”I told you we should have been using condoms.” You say and run you hand down your face in annoyance, Oscar standing there with a victorious smile,”You did this to me! Again!”

“If I remember correctly it takes two to make a baby.” He chuckles and places the positive pregnancy test down on the dresser,”You weren’t complaining about me not wearing a condom when I was hitting it the other day.”

“Ugh, shut up.” You groan and pull your hair into a messy bun,”You won, congratulations. I’m having another one of your kids.” You weren’t mad, you knew you could have been smarter in preventing yourself from getting pregnant but the truth was you hated what birth control did to your body and you did not like the way a condom felt. You were just annoyed that Oscar was going to rub this in your face forever,”You fucked yourself, because now we’re going to have three kids in our room, you get to explain that to Angel. He already hates sharing the bed with Alex.”

“Those two have a shared room upstairs, and their own beds. So by the time my little girl gets here they are going to be well trained on sleeping by themselves.” Oscar says simply,”They have a few more months left until we have to kick them out.”

“Girl? Ha!” You laugh as you throw one of the couch pillows at him,”I’m positive it’s another boy seeing as we’ve already done this five times.”

“Hormones already changing?” He teases as he lets the pillow hit him in the chest and fall to the ground,”How far along do you think you are with my princesa?”

“Oscar, I swear to you if I have to carry another one of your boys I’m getting my tubes tied.” You pout, ignoring his question

“Mami, you don’t have to worry. It’s a girl, it has to be.” He says as he walks over to you and pulls you into his arms,”Six kids, it’ll be more than perfect.”

“I guess we’ll have to wait and see if your right. Probably not.”

“I will be, try and get an appointment in as fast as you can okay? I want to know how far along you are so we can start planning.”

“I can’t be more than eight weeks, I just took notice in my body changing, but who knows since you almost never manage to pull out in time.” You say smartly

“It’s harder than you think, and it’s not exactly what I’m focused on when I’m trying to finish.” He defends

“Whatever, your pull out game is weak. I’ve known this since you got me pregnant after the first time we ever did anything. Best five minutes of my life.”

“I was sixteen that does not count.” He laughs,”It was more like seven if you want to be technical.”

“You keep telling yourself that papi.” You say with a shake of your head,”Go pick up the kids from you brothers house, I’ll get dinner started. Looks like we got some big news to tell them.”

“Okay.” He says and pecks your lips,”Make sure you eat enough for my bebecita. She’s gonna have a appetite like her daddy.”

“Go away!” You laugh and lightly push him towards the front door,”I’m going to get the last laugh when we find out it’s most definitely not a girl.”

“Wanna bet money?” He challenges as he grabs his keys off the hook.

“Your money is my money, and my money is my money.” You grin

“Niña mimada.” He teases, giving you another kiss,”See you in a bit, love you.” He mutters against your mouth.

“I love you. Drive safe.” You say, not shutting the door until he’s in the car and out of the drive way.

~

“Mommy!” Angel says as runs into the house and hugs your leg tightly”I missed you.”

“I missed you too.” You say and lower the heat on the final smothered pork chops you were making. The sides already done and waiting to be served,”Did you have fun at Uncle Cesar’s?” You ask him, the rest of your family coming in.

“Yeah! We stayed up all night and watched movies.”

“It was not all night. Angel passed out at 10.” Anthony replies amusingly before sending you a wave,”Hi mom.” He says, coming over to give you a side hug,”I’m gonna go put my stuff away.” He informs before heading up the stairs with his over night bag.

“I missed you mommy.” Carlos says, his turn to hug you now,”It smells really good, did you make macaroni?” He asks with a toothy grin.

“Yup. There’s also mashed potatoes and cheesy broccoli.” You tell him as you run your fingers through his hair,”So go upstairs and put your things away, the food will be ready in a few minutes.”

“You got it.” He says, giving you one more squeeze before taking off.

You pick up Angel, checking on the food one last time before heading to the living room, Junior and Oscar in conversation as your husband holds Alexander,”Too old to come say hi to your mom?” You say to your eldest, who was home for the weekend like always. So you were a bit sad when he decided to go over to Cesar’s last night since you only had limited time with him.

“Never.” He grins, towering over you as he gives you a big embrace,”Missed you mom.”

“Hm, what did you get up to last night?” You ask, knowing that out of all of your kids he was the closest with his uncle. Only because they were so close in age and you all lived together up until Cesar hit legal age and moved out.

“Nothing.” He shrugged,”Just chilled with Cesar.”

“Uncle Cesar.” Angel corrects him

“Yeah, yeah, Uncle Cesar.” He chuckles,”Smells good mom, like always.” He compliments, grabbing his own bag as well as the bag that you packed for the two little ones,”I’ll take it to their room.”

“Thank you.” You smile and turn to your husband,”Did your brother say anything about Alex?”

“Just that he was stuck on Monse’s hip all night. Only wanted to be fed, changed, and put to bed by her.”

“Ladies man.” You laugh and swap kids with Oscar, pressing a kiss to your still bald babies head.

“Just like his daddy.” Oscar says amusingly

“Excuse me?” You say with a raised eyebrow,”We’ve been together since we were teenagers. You were never a ladies man. I’m your only lady.”

“I had game before you. That’s how I pulled you so easily.”

“You were trying to get at me since I was 12, I didn’t cave till I was 15.” You respond knowingly, the two of you heading into the dining room so you can sit the boys down in their individual chairs,”And the two girls you did try to show off to make me jealous we’re not even on my level papi.”

“I was still pulling though.” He chuckles as he secures Alexander in the high chair.

“Yeah so was I, remember Javier Gomez? He was in your grade...He was why I didn’t give you the time of the day.” You smirk, Oscar knowing about the little crush you had many years ago.

“Man, you always got to bring him up.” Oscar says with a smack of his lips,”You should have married him if you liked him that much.”

You quickly fix Angel’s hair after he’s in the booster, tying it back in his usual curly ponytail,”See that was my plan.” You start, going to the kitchen to serve the plates,”But another tattooed, muscle shirt wearing cholo got my attention and ended up trapping me with a baby.”

“More like you trapped me.” Oscar says, pressing himself behind you as you put food on all of the plates,”You climbed onto me, we were suppose to be watching tv.” He reminds, pressing a small kiss to the side of your neck, his hands wrapping around you and resting on your stomach,”Now here we are, 20 years later with almost six kids.”

You grin and lean back into him,”Hmh.” You hum, grabbing two of the finished plates and turn around so he can take them to the table,”I’m sure Javier would have given me my daughter by now.” You say, shoving the plates towards him.

“Alright I’m sorry, I was never a ladies man. Please stop bringing his ass up.” Oscar says as he grabs the items with a pout.

You smile and peck his cheek,”Fine, now go put those down and come back for more.”

Oscar nods and does as you say,”Come eat!” You shout, serving more plates as Oscar takes them to the table when they’re ready.

“Thanks mom!” Anthony says as he zooms past you and to his usual seat.

“Mac and cheese!” Carols cheers as he does the same.

“Thanks for cooking.” Junior smiles and takes the last plate to the table for you. You grab the pitcher of water and bring it over to the table, sitting down as you all begin to eat. Alexander just eating the mashed potatoes with his hands, the only thing you served him along with his bottle of milk.

After while when most of the kids are near finished you clear your throat to grab their attention,”So, I have some news. Well me and your dad do.” You start

“Oh god, your pregnant again aren’t you?” Junior guesses,”I’ve been through this conversation four times and you always start it off like that.”

“Three times for me.” Anthony chimes in before taking the final bite off of his plate.

“Are you mommy? Are you having another baby?”Carlos asks excitedly

“Well yes, thanks for that Junior.” You laugh,”I took a test this morning so I don’t know how far along I am exactly.”

“Hey, I’m just saying. I’m use to this.” He shrugs,”Still, congratulations mom. Dad, glad to see your not getting too old.” He jokes as he stands up with his dishes, taking his younger brothers as well.

“You’re not to gown to get smacked around fool.” Oscar jokes as he tosses his balled up napkin at him, Junior laughing as he goes to rinse off the plates.

“Baby?” Angel says, confusion etched on to his face,”Alex is baby.”

“Yes he is a baby, and now mommy has another baby in her belly.” You explain

“Two babies?” He asks with furrowed brows

“Yes, two babies.” You confirm

“No thank you mommy. No more babies.” He decides with a shake of his head

“Well it’s too late for that mijo.” Oscar chuckles, reaching over with a new napkin to clean off Alexander.

“No more brothers.” Angel disagrees

“What if it’s a girl? A sister?” You ask him as you stand up to let him out of his booster chair.

“Yeah! A sister.” Anthony and Carlos say with glee.

“Girl?” Angel repeats, thinking it over,”Okay mommy. Only baby sister, no brother.”

“Let’s hope you’re right.” You laugh and let him run away after setting him down, the other two boys getting up and joining him in the living room to play with the LEGO’s.

“So is this the last one?” Junior asks, coming back for more plates

“See I want to say no, but seeing as all of you guys -besides Alex- were surprises I’m just going to say maybe.”

“It would have been cool if you could have had a baby closer to my age.” Junior says as he takes your plate along with Oscar’s.

“Are you crazy? We were too young and besides we had Cesar to take care of too. He’s practically your hermano.” Oscar answers as he gets up with the baby.

“Still.” Junior shrugs, heading over to the kitchen again to empty his hands.

“Besides you got to enjoy us all by your self, and I got to enjoy my first baby.” You say and bump his side with yours playfully.

“I guess your right.” He smiles as he cleans,”It was fun, sometimes I wish we could go back to the old house and relive the days when it was just us and Cesar.”

“It was fun. I miss it too sometimes.” You admit,”But the future is always better, at least for us it was and is...I’ll finish up. Go study or get some work done.”

“You sure?”

“Yes, go.” You nod and take over, Oscar going ahead and putting Alexander in the bath.

It doesn’t take too long until the kitchen is once again spotless, sending Carlos and Anthony up stairs to get ready for bed. Angel following you into the bedroom,”I take shower with you.” He says, already pulling off his t-shirt and putting it into the hamper.

“Okay.” You laugh, the two of you walking into the bathroom to find Oscar drying off the baby,”All clean?”

“All clean.” He reply’s, reaching for the lotion and lathering up Alex from head to toe.

You don’t reply and run the water, Angel getting completely undressed and running over to his potty chair that sat in the corner.

“All done.” He says aloud, you already in the shower and Oscar dressing Alex.

“Hurry up, before the water gets out.” You urge, pushing open the glass door and letting him step in with you. The two of you taking a quick shower before getting out and drying off. Angel leaving to his room to grab his pajamas and a night pull up.

“You look like your already showing.” Oscar says from where he lays on the bed, Alexander already asleep on his chest.

“I’m just fat.” You laugh as you walk over to the closet, pulling on a over sized tee and a pair of underwear,”I’ve always had this belly.”

“Nah, I know your body. That’s definitely a pregnant belly.” He chuckles, a now dressed Angel coming back into the room and closing the door behind him.

“Scoot over daddy.” He sighs,”You knew I was coming.”

“My fault.” Oscar reply’s, scooting over to his side so Angel could lay in the middle. You shake your head and turn the light off, sliding in the bed and turning some cartoons on for him to fall asleep too.

“I can fit the baby right here.” Oscar informs you, patting his chest,”If it comes down to it.”

“Be quiet.” You laugh

“Sólo estoy diciendo la verdad.”

“We can not co-sleep with three kids. So like I said earlier, you better have these two in their own room by the time this thing inside of me gets here.”

“Yes mam.” Oscar says teasingly,”I can do that easily.”

“It’ll be a walk in the park.” You say sarcastically, already knowing that this was not going to be a easy task to complete. Nothing in your life being a easy task to complete when it came to your family,”I’ll call the doctor in the morning, I’m sure she can schedule me in sometime this week.” You add, referring to the same doctor that you used for all of your kids.

“Just let me know, I’ll try to call off of work.” Oscar says happily.

“Okay.” You yawn, your mind still processing that you were once again creating another human life. That the love between you and Oscar already blossomed 5 amazing boys. That you guys had enough love left to be able to give it one more go. Even if it wasn’t exactly planned on your part you knew that baby was going to bring much more joy into your family’s life. Your lucky little six.

[cloveroctobers]

GARY RENNELL —

IG info/bio | @/rennellnotreynolds | 300k followers | currently havin a midlife crisis at thee moment so cheers! 🍻🏋🏼‍♂️🤨

23 (24) years old

Born & raised in Chatham, England there’s no other place like it to him. Sure when he went on holiday to the villa, it was quite nice but nothing ever beats home. He genuinely believes that he’s meant to be in this place since it’s all he’s ever known & doesn’t think he’ll live anywhere else

Raised by his nan & is an only child. Was at risk of being placed in foster care until his paternal nan came forth to raise him

His father and nan did not have the best relationship due to the way he chose to live his life and Gary was kept away from his nan until he was about 10 years of age

Does not like to talk about his birth parents due to the trauma, which is why he feels like his nan is his everything. His savior and why she means so much to him

His nan once told him that he favors his mother, Gail. He never had the chance to really know her, but was aware that she was very unhappy with herself &, “chose to be with the stars” just before his 5th birthday

That’s one of the reasons why he finds himself always looking up at the stars, usually when he’s drunk out at the docks by himself, he’ll try to talk to his mom, to know her better

I feel like he’s either a cancer or a Libra?

Update: Cancer sun + libra moon + Taurus rising

Went to uni for a semester and thought about architecture as a profession but ultimately felt like uni was NOT for him and eventually juggled around with jobs until he landed into the crane operator field which he found himself to be great at

For as long as he and his nan can remember, he always loved playing with cars, ships, building Legos, (I’m American idk if this is a thing there too or it’s something different/similar so my apologies lol) and putting things together. He never cared for reading instructions, Gary’s a hands on type of guy/learner and it’s how he best communicates

He likes heights, so this job wasn’t an issue it was just getting through the program for 2-3 years that was a pain in his ass but he was determined + knew this was what he was good at and stuck with it.

It was tiring working 40 sometimes over 40 hrs a week but he’s passionate about his work so he’d never dare change it

Due to this job being a lot physically, he would use muscle cream to help his pain or pay to see a masseuse whenever he could or wasn’t being cheap about it + often buys epsom salt to bathe in 3 or so times a week 

Total penny pincher! I can see him being so, his dad told him all about how to hold onto what he’s got and always look for a bargain but with a gambler for a father, you can only imagine how that worked in his favor

Lives with his nan and doesn’t see an issue with it. His mates definitely tease him about it but know how much the woman means to him but still think it’s a major c*ck block for him but it’s a two for one package deal and anyone who doesn’t understand that doesn’t deserve him

Will probably still live in her house once IF she p*sses

Nan is a big fan of wallpaper and has one room in the flat that has squeaky plastic covering most of her furniture ( she loves furniture shopping) & only takes it off once her lady friends come over with consists of a huge cleaning routine which Gary secretly hates but pushes through it while she plays some old tunes on her jukebox

He finds himself singing those exact songs when he’s getting ready for work and actually enjoys them...but don’t ever tell his mates that!

His nan taught him basic household care & he finds himself scolding his mates for not knowing how to wash their underwear & always taking it to their mum’s or having their girlfriends do it for them

Loves washing clothes on a Sunday in the backyard + hanging them on the clothes line. His nan doesn’t believe in washer machines & makes her own detergent

He’s always down for a rooftop hangout, whether drunk or not. To be up almost as high as the stars is such a feeling or hang out with his mates laughing it up

Occasionally smokes cigarettes when he’s really stressed, he’s not proud of the nasty habit and tries his hardest to hide it from his nan & Lottie but they both know

Is in a on and off again relationship with Lottie. She’s met his nan, they both like each other. And that makes Gary extremely happy

Gary is the laid back one out of the two and Lottie is firey and needs constant reminding from Gary that he wants to be with her whereas Gary feels like that’s something she should already know and he’s told her a couple of times before, he’s sure of it. He doesn’t get why she doesn’t get that

Which results in arguments. Lottie chose to live in England for half of the year and goes back to Australia for the other half. Nan encouraged Lottie to live with the two of them until she decided to get her own place in England, or rather the two of them together. Nan doesn’t believe Gary will leave in fear of her being lonely, which she’s not! By all means, nan keeps busy! But Lottie desperately wants to have her own space with Gary away from nan, even tho she adores the spunky lady.

When they don’t see eye to eye she does what she does best and leaves, which is exhausting to Gary

They’ll go days without speaking until the other cracks. At first it would be Gary but since it’s been a year into their relationship, he’s gotten used to it and let’s her come back to him when she’s ready

He cares for Lottie, he really does. And wants this to work but he just wishes they could be more secure in their relationship.

Was a f*ckboy way back when from 18-20 and rarely there’s his old flings who show up just to cause drama knowing that Gary’s got a new girl in his life that LIVES with him, which Gary dreads that this small town knows his business. He hates confrontation but there’s one thing about Lottie, she’s never going to bite her tongue. So whenever those girls do try it with not only her but Gary she goes off.

Gary is protective too so when those messy girls start shit at the pub, he’s instantly trying to get Lottie away from the issue. Then there’s drinks flying and slap fights happening + hair pulling & they’re getting kicked out of the club/pub or even cops called on them.

“This blows. I thought you said you were trying to be better than this, Lottie.” “Me? What about those slags?! They attack not only me but your character too!” Which adds to a list of the reasons they fight.

Nonetheless they do have their fun moments together, getting drunk by the docks, getting random tattoos, hanging with his friends & their significant others, + going to the theatre

Lottie still thinks this town is very slow-pace, sleepy, cloudy and hardly has sun— which is okay to her some days but other day’s it can be dreadful and much different from her fast-pace life but she finds the little things like spending time with Gary to encourage her to stay

Gary likes playing games when he has his free time, like fortnite, red dead redemption, Final fantasy, & SUPER SMASH BROS & almost always plays with Ibrahim who informs him about new games which makes Lottie want to slam her head against the wall since that can take hours

Keeps in touch with all of the boys in villa and makes sure they have zoom meetings as much as they can because he cares about those boys. Noah tries to schedule them but usually it’s happens at random which annoys him but he gets over it. Gary spent month(s) with them. They’re basically his extended family & that’s saying a lot since he views his home to a high standard and has friends here but they’re nothing like his villa brother’s

Also into woodwork. He didn’t think he’d enjoy it but he likes to do it more when the weather gets crisp and he battles with that over cigarettes to ease his worries in life, then goes and have his daily dose of tea

Finally stopped dying his hair that awful yellow and stuck with it. Marisol was the first to see it, after an accidental FaceTime call which was supposed to be just a regular phone call but whatever? They’d all eventually see it if he EVER decided to post to his IG stories!

She compliments him in Spanish yanking her glasses off leaving him highly confused, “is that good?” “If Lottie doesn’t sit on your— which leaves Gary very wide eyed opposed to his raised brows but Marisol is cut off by Graham clearing his throat

Lottie does indeed like it & shows him how much and later asks his option on what color she should dye her hair next. 3 out of the 13 look the exact same to Gary. But he helps her dye her hair which comes out patchy but there’s no way in hell she’s letting anyone else touch her hair. She’s been doing this all on her own for some time now. Gary’s lucky she even allowed him to help her! So she dyes it back to blonde, all of it, and waits a few weeks to dye it all blue

Gary’s definitely into old boy bands especially LFO & serenades, “girl on tv” to Lottie all the time, likes 98 degrees, Backstreet Boys, *NSYNC, Boys II men, & Dru Hill

As for modern day music, he LOVES to work out to tame impala which never makes sense to his mates but he usually works out the next day after getting shit-faced, he’s also in love with lizzo’s music, laundry day, brockhampton, & rina sawayama

Anthem = mac demarco, “Salad Days”

Celeb crush? Julia Roberts, Salma Hayek, Anne-Marie, Leona Lewis, & Noah Cyrus

[whatcouldgowrong-ohthat]

Us and Andie Ch. 7

Summary: Bucky works as an Avenger because it’s what’s right. He feels he has sins he’ll never be able to make up for, but he’ll spend the rest of his life trying. However, his life takes an unexpected turn when he comes across Andie, the daughter of recently divorced Y/N. The life he had once “maintained” in hopes of surviving changes as his heart warms for a tough-as-nails nurse and her wonderful daughter.

Pairing: Bucky x singleparent!Reader

Word Count: 3336 words 

Series Masterlist - Masterlist

Y/N knew Bucky was trying to comfort her. His hand, she felt its weight on her shoulder, but any warmth was lost. She heard her heart racing in her ears. It was pounding, practically threatening to tear through her ribcage. And yet all she could focus on was the fact that her ex-husband was only a few feet away, crouched next to his kids and pointing at different fish.

What a dick.

“Y/N?” Finally, Bucky’s voice forced itself through her panic. He breathed a sigh of relief when he saw her register his voice. Her shoulders visibly relaxed. She blinked, everything about her sluggish in that moment. “Y/N, let’s just go.”

She looked down at Andie, noticing the slight shimmer in the hand clinging to her own. In the dim light, no one else could notice it. But Y/N? She knew her kid. “Come on, Babygirl,” she whispered, pressing a kiss to Andie’s beanie. “Let’s go see something else.”

Andie nodded, lip trembling as tears threatened to fall. She never knew what this feeling was, but if she had to describe it, it was like someone sitting on her chest while taking punches to her gut. Everything felt heavy. “I want to go see the sharks,” she mumbled. Her words were lost on Y/N, but Bucky heard her easily.

“Then let’s do it.” Bucky squeezed her hand and pulled her long. His sole mission in that moment was to get Andie and Y/N somewhere they were comfortable. Somewhere they felt safe. As he pulled them along, he tucked Y/N under his arm, feeling how rigid she went just under instinct. He knew it wasn’t because of him, but the action still stung.

“Y/N?”

She paused, looking at Bucky for a moment. Everything in her had hoped that it was Bucky that had said her name. But judging by the look on his face, it wasn’t. Y/N looked down at Andie. Her daughter was watching her intently, fixated on what Y/N would do next. What was the right thing to do in a situation like this? Was there even a right thing?

Sighing softly, what had felt like minutes was truly only a few seconds. She turned around, not surprised that it was just him. It was always just him. Always separating the life he once had and the life he was living.

“Ethan.”

Y/N glanced just past him. His two boys were still fixated on the aquarium. His wife was taking care of them, obviously, but also keeping an eye on her husband. On her. Shifting her gaze back to Ethan, she said, “I would have thought you would ignore us.”

Ethan noticed she wasn’t alone. Bucky was sure of it. He caught the recognition in Ethan’s eyes and seeing this man in front of him made his blood boil. The gears in his arm whirred as he clenched his fist. But his face remained passive. He had to be calm for Andie and Y/N. He had to be prepared for anything Ethan threw their way.

But he wasn’t. There was no way he could be prepared for Ethan to laugh.

He was shaking his head, laughing at the accusation Y/N had thrown his way. “Still as vindictive as ever, huh, Y/N?” He took in her appearance, the sight of him ogling her making Bucky’s skin crawl. “How long has it been?”

She clenched her jaw, her nails digging into her palms as she squeezed as tight as possible. “Five years. That was the last time we saw each other in court.”

“And still you’re so hateful.” He offered a sympathetic smile and Y/N wanted to slap it off his face. “It’s a shame. I would’ve thought raising a kid would make you more forgiving.” He looked at Bucky, the smile on his face shifting to one of pity. “I can only imagine what lies she’s told you, right?”

Bucky was silent, his hand gently pushing Andie behind him. It was as if he hoped that one gesture would be enough to shield her from whatever bullshit kept spilling out of Ethan’s mouth. “I’m a pretty good judge of character.”

Ethan nodded before looking at Y/N. “Well, I just wanted to say hi. You – “ He shrugged. “You look good. How’s Lauren?”

Oh, Bucky wanted to hit him. He wanted to pulverize him. He could even picture it – slamming Ethan’s smug face into the glass, feeding him to the sharks. He didn’t even need his metal hand to kill this asshole. How dare he not even call his own child by her name?

Andie peeked out from around him, finally speaking up. “My name’s Andie.”

Ethan jumped, looking down at the girl. She was tucked into Bucky’s side. To any onlooker, she looked like Bucky’s kid. And for some reason that made Ethan angry. That was his family first. Bucky was just passing through. “Andie, huh?” He smiled at her and, while the sight made Y/N and Bucky sick to their stomach, the slightest hint of affection from her father made Andie feel more at ease. She stepped out from behind Bucky entirely, smiling back. “Well, I look forward to getting to know you. That is,” he glanced at Y/N, hiding the smirk he so desperately wanted to share. “If Y/N will let me.”

Her blood went cold. Of course. Of course he would play the victim card, acting like he wanted a relationship that they both knew he had no interest in. Bucky frowned, glancing at Y/N for confirmation that this was just Ethan being Ethan.

“You really want to spend time with me?” There was so much hope in Andie’s voice and it broke Y/N’s heart to hear. She had hoped Andie would know better, but she was a kid. That was asking far too much.

“Andie, he’s – “ Bucky’s sentence died on his lips when he saw the briefest shake of Y/N’s head. This wasn’t his place. It wasn’t even hers.

“Little Andie, I would love nothing more.” Ethan’s sickeningly sweet smile was practically hypnotizing to the girl, filling her with hope and possibility and the ideas of what memories she could have with her dad.

“Could I – Could I meet them?” Andie pointed to his other family and he looked back.

He sighed softly and shook his head. “Uh…Not right now,” Ethan told Andie. He looked at her, smiled yes, but it didn’t go unnoticed by Y/N and Bucky that he refused to touch her. Everything was an act. “But I’m sure your mom and I can figure out something soon for you guys, yeah?”

Andie was glowing, grinning from ear to ear as she nodded. Any fears she had had when she noticed her father before? They were gone. Out the window and long since forgotten. All she could think about now was the possibility of seeing her dad and getting to know her brothers.

It was a show to give a little girl hope. Only to crush it and make Y/N look like the villain.

“But right now, you need to spend time with your mom and her – “ He looked at Bucky, raising an eyebrow. “Friend?”

Bucky clenched his jaw and Ethan’s smile stretched a little wider when he noticed it. A crack in that tough exterior. He looked back at Andie. “Have fun, okay?” Ethan waved goodbye, nodding to Y/N and Bucky before retreating back to his family. He wrapped an arm around his wife’s waist, already forgetting about the interaction.

But Andie hadn’t. She was staring at them and with the smallest wave of her hand, she whispered, “Bye, Dad.”

And Y/N felt everything in her shatter.

“I think we should get out of here,” she whispered to Bucky.

He turned his attention back to her and wrapped an arm around her, nodding. “Can I take you two back to my place? Cook you some food?”

Y/N was hardly paying attention, replaying what had just happened as if it was a worn VHS tape, willing it to destroy itself. But she wasn’t ready to go back to her apartment. She wasn’t ready to go back to a reality where Andie would be up late, drawing potential memories only to someday be crying and screaming at her, blaming her for everything.

No, she wasn’t ready for the next coming weeks.

“Please,” she murmured, the hand that had been in her jacket now desperately finding his hand. She clung to him, needing to feel grounded. Eyes still fixated on Andie, she told him, “I need to live outside of reality a little longer.”

-.-.-.-

The smell of burgers filled his apartment, wafting through and reminding them of just how hungry they were. Luckily, Andie’s favorite foods were two things: Mac ‘n’ Cheese and burgers. Two things he could easily make. But since burgers took a little longer, he decided on those for the evening. He glanced across the open concept apartment, his eyes landing on Andie. She was currently sitting on his couch with How to Train Your Dragon playing. Apparently, the kid really liked cartoons and there was something about this one that had her hooked.

Bucky had yet to figure out what it was.

“Thanks for this.”

He looked over his shoulder as Y/N came to his side. She leaned against the counter, the smile on her face clearly not reaching her eyes. Keeping his voice down, he asked, “Of course. Do you want to talk about it?”

She chuckled softly, looking down at the cooking meat. “Not really. I wish I could say I was surprised, but when we were in and out of court, he pulled this shit all the time. She was so young then, I thought she’d grow out of that. But…” Bucky followed her gaze, noticing that it was Andie she was so focused on once again. “Some things never really change.”

“He’s going to break her heart, isn’t she?”

Y/N nodded. “And I’ll take the fall for it. But I’m okay with that.” He frowned, the new face making her nudge him. “I am. It’s part of being a parent. I’m supposed to be there to catch her when she falls.”

“But who catches you?”

The question surprised her. She looked at Bucky, searching his face. He couldn’t bring himself to look at her, instead focusing on the burgers, flipping them. How had she managed to have the sweetest Avenger stumble into her life? And not only that, how was she so lucky to get him to stick around? She hopped onto the counter and brought her knee under her chin, wrapping her arms around herself. “I guess…I do.”

Bucky frowned. He set down the spatula and glanced at the little girl, making sure she wasn’t paying attention to them. Turning back to Y/N, he tugged at her calf and dropped her leg. He stepped between them, hands wanting to rest on her thighs but instead choosing the counter. It was cold against his hand, but he didn’t comment. No, instead his attention was fixated on something far more important.

Y/N’s eyes.

“Bucky? What is it?”

“Could I?”

She raised an eyebrow, not quite realizing what he was asking. “Could you what? Finish cooking dinner?”

Bucky smiled, shaking his head. “No.” He took a shaky breath, his stomach churning from nerves as his heart fluttered and palm grew sweaty. “Could I catch you?”

Y/N felt her cheeks heat and was far too sure she was blushing from head to toe. “You – What?”

Bucky smiled ever so slightly, brushing some hair out of her face before his fingertips brushed against her cheek. He kept his voice hushed, fathering as much courage as he could for what he was about to say. “I don’t know if you’ve noticed this, but I genuinely care about you and Andie. And after seeing what happened today? With your ex?” He stepped closer, forehead lightly pressing against hers. He was careful, providing space if she wanted to push him away. But she didn’t. She seemed to crave the intimacy within the moment. “I want to be there for you. Both of you, but if you’re going to be putting Andie first, someone needs to put you first. If you’re okay with it, I would like to be that someone.”

Y/N bit her lip, unable to believe what she was hearing. “You’re an Avenger.”

He breathed a laugh. His warm breath fanned over her face as he asked, “What’s your point?”

“We have two very different lifestyles?” She brought her lip between her teeth, gnawing at it as her nerves started getting the best of her. “I’m a nurse and a single mom. You’re the Winter Soldier and an Avenger. It’s not like we’d run into each other in a coffee shop during normal circumstances.”

“Okay.” He was with her so far.

“The reason we entered each other’s lives was because of Andie. Because you were playing hero. And I – “ I don’t need to fall for someone who plays hero for strangers. She cleared her throat. “Bucky, I like you, it’s just – “

Zzzz

Zzzzzz

Zzzz

Zzzzzz

Bucky wanted to throw his phone out the window. He did not want to answer that stupid thing, but it seemed Y/N wouldn’t let him ignore it. She offered him a small, weak smile. It was as if that phone had made her point. Grabbing the phone, she held it out to him. He saw Steve’s face staring back at him and grimaced.

Steve didn’t call unless it was important. Which…meant there was a mission.

One he had to be a part of.

Taking a step back, he took the phone. His pleading eyes met hers, silently asking her to just give him a second. She didn’t say anything, gesturing for him to take the call as she hopped on the floor. Bucky gently grabbed her arm, squeezing it as he answered the phone. He didn’t want to leave her, but he knew he still had responsibilities. He still had a past to make up for. “I’ll be right back,” he promised. As he stepped out of the room, the last thing she heard him say was, “What is it, Steve?”

Y/N chuckled at the annoyed tone in his voice. She turned her attention to the burgers, putting them on a plate and getting them set up. “Come on, Andie, get your food.”

Andie looked up, smiling from ear to ear. She jumped over the back of the couch and ran to the plate waiting for her. Her jaw dropped, staring at it with complete fascination. “It’s as big as my head!”

“Try not to make a mess,” Y/N teased. Andie was still unable to take her eyes away from the burger. It made both of them wonder just how much Bucky thought normal people ate.

As Andie ate her weight in her dinner, Y/N picked at her food. She kept thinking about what Bucky had said. He wanted to be there for her. And everything he was saying and doing screamed that he wanted it in more of a way than just friends. Was that true? Or was she just so out of touch with dating that she thought anything looked flirty?

“Mom?”

Y/N looked up, pulled away from her thoughts once again. Noticing that Andie had somehow managed to already get herself covered in food, she held back her laugh and asked, “What is it?”

“Do you think we’ll see Dad again? Soon? And that I’ll meet my brothers?”

She hesitated, her chest feeling tight as she thought about what the right thing would be to say. “I hope so. I think it’d be awesome if you could have a relationship with them.”

Andie stuff a couple chips in her mouth, asking around the mouthful, “But you always said you decide the visitations, right? So it is up to us in the end.”

Sorta. “I guess you could say it’s like that, Baby girl. But stop talking with your mouth full of food. It’s gross.”

“Blagh!” Andie stuck her tongue out, showing off her food and earning a grimace from Y/N.

“Stop! Now!”

Andie giggled and swallowed her food, going back to eat while Y/N shook her head. She looked around the apartment. Settling in like this? It felt too easy. Too simple. And that wasn’t possible for their situation, right? She was a single mom. She had to look out for a girl who now believed she could have a relationship with her dad. And Bucky? Bucky’s life was a whole other level of stressful and chaotic. Y/N was more than sure she couldn’t keep up with it. The level of stress in her life was always at a constant high and the idea of falling hard for someone like him? Someone who went on missions that put his life in danger? She didn’t need that risk. She didn’t need that stress.

And it was on that thought that Bucky returned to her. Judging by the look on his face, those exact worries she had been thinking about, were now rearing their ugly faces. “You don’t look happy,” she told him, handing him the last plate of food.

“Steve has a mission he wants me to go on. It’ll be him, me, Nat, and Sam.”

“Does that mean it’s Hydra related?”

Bucky looked at her, completely surprised. “How did you – “

“Keep in mind, you guys have been in my kid’s life for a month. I pay attention. And when it’s a mistake Tony makes, it tends to be him, Steve, maybe Natasha and Clint, and Bruce. Thor is rarely around anymore. Natasha and Sam tend to go with Steve on missions where a small, quiet team is a must. And you only get pulled in when your past is at risk nowadays.”

Bucky felt his heart swell with pride. She was paying attention. He knew it was mostly for Andie’s sake, but also he felt that…maybe it was because of him too? “You really were paying attention.”

“Always. I’m a nurse. Little details can be important.”

He smiled at that. “About your question,” he said, taking a sip of water. “Steve didn’t make it sound like that. I think it might have something to do with that Zemo guy. The one who framed me for killing King T’Chaka.” There was silence. It seemed Y/N wasn’t going to say anything, so he continued, “Steve tries to keep me off missions lately because of the time I’ve been spending with you and Andie, but he really wants me on this one.”

Y/N knew she had to understand. It was his job after all. Still, her heart hurt at the thought. “H – How long will you be gone?”

“Steve made it sound like it was short. Maybe a couple days at most.” Bucky watched her. Everything about her screamed that she was worried. With Ethan’s confrontation earlier and his confession, he knew her stress levels were up. She didn’t like new and unexpected. His whole life centered around that. So, he wanted to reassure her, telling her, “I was thinking…when I get back – “

“Let’s not talk about that right now.” Y/N looked up at him and it was then he got to peer into the emotions in her eyes. The ones she refused to let shine anywhere else. Mentally, she wasn’t ready. Not to talk at least.

And Bucky understood needing the right headspace.

“Okay. Then let’s eat. And finish the movie. I leave in the morning and – “

“And I’m sure we’ll be here when you get back.”

Bucky watched her as she went back to eating, his eyes looking for any tells that could possibly give her away. He needed something – hoped for anything. But Y/N was as good with her body language as Natasha or Clint. Guarded and locked up tight. He’d just have to wait.

Patience was a virtue, right?

It looked like they would all be practicing it for the time being. And reality? Reality was coming back far faster than Y/N had hoped for.

-.-.-.-.-

Tags:

@mr-robot-x

@buckyssoul

@purplekitten30

@booktease21​

@lets--be-honest​

@amnahs9695​

@niahmariec​

[the-starsabove-you]

The Spotlight

A/N: Finally updated this story! Sorry for the break, but I’m happy to return and write this! Reviews are welcomed and I can’t wait for you guys to see what’s coming! Enjoy

Chapter 30 - You’re My Safe Place 

Michelle was watching her father carefully, her eyes narrowed as her father was preparing himself some salad that was on the table. Ty was eating a piece of bread while Michelle’s mother was bringing out the dinner. Mat sat next to Michelle and was holding her hand, by the way she was squeezing his hand.. He knew Michelle was on edge with her father. “So Mat, how’s life in New York?” Tom asked as he was getting the salad dressing and Mat smiled a bit “I honestly love it, there’s always something to do and I’ve been happy with my team, friends and Michelle” He said. Tom nodded and looked at Mat “We live in a small neighborhood, Michelle went to school with the same kids since she was in diapers. At first when she was moving to New York, her mother was worried so much but I wasn’t” He said and Mat nodded “You must have had a ton of faith in her” He said Tom narrowed his eyes “I didn’t think she would make it, and would be back home a couple of months in but she ended up being successful” He said and Michelle gave him a cold look and her father shrugged “I’m being honest” Mat sensed the heavy tension in the air and he coughed “Mrs. Wilson this food is amazing” He said as Mary sat down and let out a breath “I made Michelle’s favorites, it’s been a while since she’s been home and I know how much she loves my Mac and Cheese.” Michelle smiled softly “Thank you so much Mom, this is amazing” She said and her mother smiled “I’m glad you’re enjoying it sweetie” Ty looked over at Mat “My friends watched the World Juniors, they were proud to see you and the team.” He said and Mat nodded “You’re a fan of hockey?” He asked and Ty chuckled “A bit, I prefer writing and stuff.. I wrote for the school’s newspaper..” He said but he caught his father’s glare and he coughed “But I’m going to America for Harvard for Law” He said Michelle sat back “I remembered when I was becoming a doctor” She said and Mat grinned “A doctor” He simply said 

Michelle grinned at him “I watched Doctor Who as a child and always liked the Doctor.. He saves lives and I was like: ‘Wow I would like to do that too’ and I went to school” Tom watched with narrowed eyes and he coughed “You would have became one too if you didn’t quit” Michelle looked at her father and scoffed “Well I didn’t become a doctor, wanna say anything else while we’re here” Tom looked up at his daughter with a cold expression and he nodded “Actually I do” He said as he slammed the fork on the table. Ty, Mary and Mat jumped a bit but Michelle kept her ground and looked back at her father with a cold look “You were supposed to become a doctor and stay here in Winnipeg.. You were supposed to settle down and have a husband and kids and have a nice little house here. You weren’t meant to leave us and become a fucking model, do you know how many times someone comes up and shows me pictures of you? Sometimes with a swimsuit or underwear and a bra? You’ve made us look like a joke and you disrespect your mother and I by taking these gigs and going out and partying?” He said as he shook his head “I didn’t even want you with a hockey player, I wanted you to be with a lawyer or a doctor.” Tom said through gritted teeth which caused Mat’s eyes to go wide at the confession “I’m sometimes ashamed that you’re my daughter” Tom said and Mat looked over at Michelle who had tears coming down her eyes, she was very angry and she got up “Well guess what? I’m fucking happy with what I’m doing. You think that being a celebrity is so horrible but guess what? I used my platform respectfully and for good. I could care less that you’re embarrassed or ashamed of me.. Because I’m gonna leave this house with a boy I’m so madly in love with, and he’s been the best thing to happen to me in my 21 years of life. You’ve been an embarrassment of a father with everything you've done.. And I’m done with it” She said getting up and Tom got up and his plate and stuff nearly fell off the table and Mary flinched while Ty was frozen in shock. It was Mat who stood up quickly and was ready to step in but Michelle grabbed his arm and squeezed it. Mat saw she looked over at a liquor table and his eyes narrowed a bit and shook his head “We’re leaving, I’m taking Michelle out of here and we’re never returning here, and we’re gonna go back on a plane and we’re gonna go on and live our lives in New York.” Tom watched as Mat took Michelle’s hand and led her away, he didn’t move or anything but sat back in his chair. and he called loud enough for Michelle to hear  “One day you’re gonna crash and burn.. Then you’re gonna become the thing you hate the most.. Me”   Michelle tried not to let out a sob as Mat opened the door and they were outside of the house and Mat brought her into a tight hug and he kissed the top of her “I’m sorry babe” He whispered and she cried “I’m sorry I brought you to meet them.. I should have just told them to stay away from you” She whispered and he cupped her cheeks “They didn’t give you a choice, and it’s not your whole family.. It’s your father. Your mom and brother love you, I see the looks they give you and it’s the same look my family gives me.. They love you and are proud of you” Michelle sniffled and she nodded and she let out a shaky breath “Let’s go back to the hotel.. I need some sleep before you leave and I return to New York” Mat smiled softly “Of course, I’m getting tired too” The two were walking to car until they heard a shout of ‘Michelle!’ and they turned back to see Mary running with Ty behind them. The two stopped and Mary came and hugged her daughter tightly and Michelle returned the hug and Mary cried “I”m so sorry baby.. I’m sorry” Michelle let go of her mother “It’s not your fault, it’s his” She whispered and Mary kissed her daughter on the cheek “I’m not expecting you to come back home.. But I just wanna say that you’re my baby.. You’re always going to be” She said and Michelle had tears coming down her eyes “I love you so much Mom, one day You’re coming to live with me.. You and Ty” Mary nodded and smiled softly “No matter what he says.. I’m proud of you, everything that you’ve done.. You’re my little star, you’ve always been” She said and she turned to Mat “And you made a great choice in a boyfriend, he treats you so well.. Don’t let this one go” She said as Mat smiled and hugged Mary and Michelle chuckled “Trust me, I won’t be any time soon” Ty went to his sister and hugged her “I love you sis, we’re proud of you and always rooting for you.. And keep living your dream” Ty said and Michelle nodded “We’re gonna get you into your dream school Ty, screw the Harvard bullshit.. I’m gonna pay for whatever school you wanna go to.. Screw dad’s money” Ty smiled softly at that “I would love that sis” Michelle looked over at the house and looked at her two family members “We need to get back to the hotel.. I’ll call you soon Mom, call me if anything” She said as she hugged her mother and brother bye. Mat hugged the two goodbye as well. Mat and Michelle got into the car and Mat started the car and drove off, Michelle looked back and saw her mom and brother watching her, waving. Michelle had tears in her eyes and Mat took her hand and squeezed it and she sighed “Thank you Mat..” She whispered and Mat took her hand  “Emily, Tito.. Marie when she’s not scary.. They’re your family too..” Mat whispered and he looked at her for a second “I’m your family too” 

[luci-in-trenchcoats]

Unconventional

Summary: The reader is more than unhappy when her free thinking father arranges her to be wed to an Alpha in exchange for sanctuary for their large pack. Her new Alpha though is everything she didn’t expect and she soon discovers, her new husband needs her help...

Pairing: Alpha!Dean x Omega!reader

Square: Marriage of Convenience

Word Count: 13,500ish

Warnings: Mature (language, arranged marriage, mild violence/referenced past violence)

A/N: Written for @spnabobingo . This one is a bit different for me in terms of ABO. For this universe, Omegas have some rights limited and are treated like objects by some Alphas (although there are some Omegas that are raised with more rights)...

“Dad, I-” you tried one last time, your father scowling at you in the room that’d been prepared for you. “Please don’t do this.”

“He is a well-off Alpha. His family has much influence in the government. His family will take care of ours for many years to come in exchange for this,” he said.

“I haven’t even met the guy and you’re sending me off to be married to him. What is wrong with you? Where’s the man that raised me no different because I was Omega, that told me he was proud of me for being smart and strong and independent? After all these years, I’m suddenly a baby making machine for some rich guy?” you snapped.

“The family will provide sanctuary for ours, Y/N. Our entire pack will have rights. You are helping how many people?” he said. You shut your eyes and fisted your hands in the bottom of your dress. “Perhaps the boy will be kind.”

“Why was I chosen? They are older Omegas, more experienced ones,” you said.

“I don’t know. They chose you though. There is no calling this off, Y/N,” he said.

“You never even asked me,” you said.

“Because I know you eventually would have said yes. It’s easier and faster to let you be angry with me then to let you ultimately decided that you’re saving our pack. There are many pups ready to be born soon. They’ll never know anything different than independence. You will have done that. I hope you hold onto that,” he said.

“Today’s the last day I’ll ever see you, isn’t it,” you said.

“I doubt your Alpha will allow contact. Be a good Omega, Y/N. But don’t lose yourself,” he said.

“Good. Yeah right.”

You were doing your best not to reach behind you and rip the collar off your neck. As long as it was there at least your new Alpha hadn’t claimed you yet.

You sighed as you heard a knock at the door. You walked with your father outside and down a hall, entering a room with only a few people. There was a man and woman off to the side, a tall younger man close by. She was Omega, the men Alphas. The young one gave off a surprised scent. It was possibly his first marriage ceremony he’d witnessed. In your pack they’d always been happy things, never so clinical like this was.

You smelled leather and wood and coffee and vanilla in the air, something sweetly dark and light all at once. It was incredibly pleasant and you’d have enjoyed it on a normal day. Your head turned to find a rigid Alpha standing at the altar. He was tall, not as tall as the other young Alpa, but he was strong too, hair a pretty brown color. You took a deep breath and stepped up beside him, turning your head. He glanced your direction, a handsome and hardset face meeting yours.

Some Alphas didn’t want eye contact, didn’t allow it your father had taught you. You simply stared back at him, making sure he knew he wasn’t getting some compliant little thing.

His green eyes turned away, facing forward again.

“Shall we begin?” asked the man to the side. Your new Alpha nodded and you did the same.

At least he didn’t talk a lot.

You sat in silence in the passenger seat of a vehicle, your new Alpha, Dean Winchester, driving for quite a while. The ceremony was completed quickly and you were officially claimed in the books. Dean would perform the actual claiming when you arrived at his home as was tradition. You tried not to think about that, instead enjoying the beautiful drive to wherever it was he lived. It was far out, no neighbors surely. You weren’t sure what he did for a living. It was possible he had no job at all if his family was really that wealthy to provide sanctuary for your large pack.

You drove through the last of some woods, an open field appearing with a large house, a mansion really, settled in the middle. He turned down a road and went through a gate, driving along a short driveway until he parked in front of a large garage and slid out of his seat. You swallowed and got out, Dean not saying anything as he walked towards the front door. You followed after, Dean not seeming to acknowledge you were there all that much.

Great. He was one of those. Well, you’d take being ignored over the alternative you supposed.

You stepped inside and the front door shut behind you, your head turning to spot him walk in front of you.

“Please take off your shoes. We don’t wear them in the house,” he said.

“Yes. Alpha,” you said, more than a little bitter. Dean only stared though as he watched you kick them off, instead ignoring the tone in your voice. He blinked a moment and headed down the main hall. You followed him again, finding a large open kitchen and family room in the back of the house.

There were three people chatting in the kitchen, all of them going quiet when Dean walked in. They hopped up from their seats and walked over in front of the island, smiles on their faces.

“This is Abby. She is the chef for the house. She will make anything you ask of her or make sure there is any food you would like here,” said Dean when he stood behind her, walking behind a man now, all three of them smelling like Betas to you. “This is Peter. He ensures the home stays clean and grounds are kept up. If you make a mess, you are expected to clean up after yourself though. Finally, this is Sally. She assists Peter and Abby and myself with odds and ends. If you need something, I would reach out to her. The staff arrive typically around eight am and leave around six. They do not work on the weekend. Do you understand?” he asked. You nodded, Dean walking past them and back towards the main hall, the three Betas raising eyebrows.

You followed Dean as he showed you the rooms of the house and eventually upstairs, Dean pushing open a door to a large bedroom.

“You may use this room for whatever you wish,” he said, walking down a long hallway and to the end, opening a pair of double doors. “This is my room.”

“Yes Alpha,” you said. You walked inside, Dean walking around you, a finger tracing over your collar.

“Do you like your collar?” he asked.

“I guess,” you said. He nodded.

“Claimed Omegas are to be kept collared until they are properly claimed,” he said.

“Is that a question?” you asked. He almost smiled, a quick twitch of his lip giving him away.

“When the staff leave everyday, you are permitted to not wear it unless there are guests over,” he said. You raised an eyebrow, Dean staring at you. “If it’s only the two of us, I believe it’ll be fine to go without.”

“You don’t want to show off your mark to others?” you asked.

“What mark? I’m not going to claim you Omega,” he said.

“What?”

“We were married so your large pack could be given sanctuary and I could be given an Omega. As far as I’m concerned, we both fulfilled the roles we were given,” he said.

“You’re my Alpha though,” you said.

“On the books. I don’t agree with this scenario. The Betas here are used to my candor. This is a safe place for you. Live your life as you lived it before. If you go out, you will wear your collar for safety and appearance reasons but that room down the hall is yours. I will never enter it without permission,” he said. “I ask you give me the same courtesy.”

“Alright,” you said. “I...I suppose I’m confused is all.”

“My parents felt I needed an Omega. I will be thirty next year and it didn’t look good. You are in your twenties with a large pack. I felt this would be an okay arrangement,” he said.

“You picked me because I have a large pack?” you asked.

“Yes. Well my father did but I agreed. You are also...your father called you a troublemaker. I liked that. One trouble maker to another,” he said.

“You won’t…” you said.

“I will never so much as touch you without permission. The best medical resources are available to assist you through heats and if you ever desire pups of your own, we can work through that. For now, as you are still quite stressed, I say we have a quiet rest of the evening. I will ask Abby to prepare something and then send the staff home early if that is okay,” he said.

“Okay,” you said. “Okay.”

You took off your collar at the kitchen island, Dean sitting in a pair of sweatpants on the counter, eating a bowl of mac and cheese. You carefully watched him as you ate slowly, Dean blinking at you a few times.

“You are allowed to wear what you want, Y/N. Sally will help you get any clothes you wish,” he said. “You may change out of that dress at any time. I have no real rules for you here.”

“This...this isn’t how I thought my wedding night would go,” you said.

“Mine either,” he said, sipping on his beer.

“You can never have an Omega now you know,” you said.

“I would take a friend over an Omega,” he said, giving you a nod. “Hopefully we can be friends. Or else the next few decades are going to be very long.”

“I suppose we could try that. As long as you keep your word,” you said.

“You don’t have to worry about that.”

The Next Day

You scratched your neck as you walked into the kitchen, yawning and going to the fridge. You pulled out some eggs, screaming when Abby was suddenly right there.

“Sorry, Omega Y/N. I didn’t mean to startle you,” she said.

“No it was my fault,” you said, setting the eggs down on the counter.

“Would you like me to make you breakfast?” she asked. “Dean has already eaten.”

“I can make it,” you said.

“May I please make you breakfast? Dean often eats cereal and I never get to make-“

“If you really want to. I was just going to make scrambled eggs,” you said. She quickly took the eggs and started rummaging around the kitchen while you got out of the way.

You found a seat at the counter, watching her cook as Peter and Sally came in, both uttering good mornings to you.

“How are you settling in, Omega Y/N?” asked Sally. “Do you need anything?”

“Okay. Maybe some clothes. I didn’t bring much with me,” you said.

“We can go out this afternoon. Although you would probably do best to remember your collar in public,” she said. You shot a hand to your neck, staring at them when another door opened and a greasy looking Dean entered the kitchen.

“Pete, where’d you put the…” he trailed off, looking at you. “Really? The literal one and only rule I had.”

“Can we please stop calling her Omega Y/N. It’s so old fashioned,” said Abby as she rolled her eyes.

“I don’t really think the poor girl should have to wear the collar at home, do you, Dean?” asked Peter.

“I’m sorry. I can…” you said as you stood up, heading for the hall.

“Hey,” said Dean, freezing you in your tracks. “Y/N.”

You turned around, finding a softer face then you anticipated.

“These three you can trust. I only said what I did about the collar so you get used to wearing it in case guests are here. These guys know what’s actually going on. Maybe if the collar is too much we all just make sure we know when other people are around,” he said.

“Does this mean we can not be so formal?” asked Peter.

“Yes, Pete. We can not be so formal in front of Y/N,” said Dean.

“And…”

“And all other house rules still apply, Abby,” he said, turning to you. “Not that I have many. Just when certain people come to visit which isn’t very often. There’s an expected degree of decorum for certain visitors. Otherwise, act however you want to.”

“You kind of live in this big house by yourself and pretend that the outside world doesn’t exist, don’t you?” you said.

“Pretty much,” he said. “Pete, my performance motor oil?”

“Bottom cabinet,” he said.

“Thank you,” said Dean as he headed out.

“I don’t get that guy,” you said, Abby back to cooking, Peter and Sally sharing a smile. “What?”

“Dean’s a good guy. He could have chosen any Omega he wanted, one he loved. Instead he chose you because it helped the most number of people,” said Sally.

“It’s not great here but-“ you said.

“Oh, sweetie. You don’t know how wrong you are. This is going to be the greatest place on earth for you.”

Two Days Later

“Are you still watching that?” asked Dean after dinner, sitting down on the couch with a bowl of ice cream. You’d been glued to the TV all day, watching the new referendums coming down in regards to Omegas. There’d be a vote on putting them into law in a few months but it seemed like the strict rules had a chance of actually passing.

“Where’s my old pack?” you asked.

“Canada,” he said with his mouth full. “This is depressing. Let’s watch something else.”

“You knew this was coming, didn’t you,” you said. Dean set his bowl down and flickered his eyes over to yours. “You knew.”

“I suspected. My family suspected. It’s why the marriage came together in like, two days. Getting people out will be harder now so we did what we could,” said Dean.

“You should have told people,” you said.

“Told them what? That Omegas were possibly getting all their rights taken away? That ones of age went on a list and were rattled off like cattle? People would have rioted,” he said. “It’s not law yet.”

“That would have been their choice,” you said.

“I am not the bad guy. Don’t forget that, Y/N. My family is still working this thing. There is finesse involved with it you don’t seem to understand,” he said.

“But your family only helped my pack out for-“

“Oh don’t be so naive. The world ain’t that black and white. I would have let you go with them if I could have. But we would have lost credibility to help other Omegas if people found out what we were up to so once again, stop looking at me like I’m some scum Alpha that took you off the street,” he said. You slumped back against the cushions and tossed the remote over to him, Dean turning on a baseball game. “Tomorrow you wear the collar all day.”

“Fuck you,” you said.

“What do you think will happen to you when some business associates come here with my father and see my new Omega wife unclaimed? You’ll be rounded up and given to the nearest Alpha,” he said. “You wear it so you’re protected, got it?”

“Fine. You don't own me though. I ain’t acting like some little puppy dog that follows you around either,” you said.

“Never said I wanted you to, sweetheart.”

“What?” you asked, pulling open your bedroom door the next day, Dean standing there in a dress shirt, tie and slacks. He handed you a white bag and you frowned, rolling your eyes. “Let me guess, you want me to wear whatever this is.”

“Something presentable as well. Government officials will be visiting this morning,” he said as he left you. You growled and snatched the bag, grumbling as you went to your closet. You plucked off a blue business dress Sally had recommended and threw it on, throwing your hair up in a bun. Sighing, you went to the bag and pulled out the white collar. It was far fancier than the simple black leather one you’d worn before.

You slipped it on and scowled in the mirror, twitching your eye.

“Dear,” you heard Dean say from the open bedroom doorway, eyes meeting yours in the  reflection. “Do try to not look like you’re ready to commit murder if you can help it.”

“You try wearing one of these things,” you grumbled.

“I have,” he said. You spun around, Dean smiling from where he leaned in the doorway. “I was mistakenly identified as Omega when I presented. For like only a day but god did it suck. That’s when my family changed, when they realized what life would be like for me if I’d actually been that way.”

“How do they mistake an Alpha for Omega?”

“Oh, there were political games being played. I was only just presenting. Easily identifiable Alpha features weren’t yet there...my family once was very traditional. Male Omegas look a certain way,” he said. “I almost ended up as one.”

“So you almost got fixed like a dog because of politics?”

“Yup. My mother threw a fit that night when we returned home after the error was discovered but even when she realized what my father was willing to do earlier on that day, she snapped at him. I always knew she was a strong Omega. But that night...it doesn’t matter how old the pup gets I suppose. An Omega that has their pup threatened is the scariest thing in this world,” he said.

“Is today another political game?” you asked.

“You’ll discover we have to play quite a few of them, unfortunately,” he said. “But while I ask you wear a collar and show some civility, I would like if you do act...yourself.”

“So you want to pretend you claimed a sassy Omega?” you asked.

“I want to show that a sassy Omega is a good thing. Baby steps, Y/N,” he said.

“Be careful what you wish for. Alpha.”

“Ah, it was about time you settled down and got yourself an Omega there, Dean,” said an old man you instantly disliked when you got downstairs. You smiled though, Dean introducing the three men along with Dean’s father to you.

“Choosing to keep her collared at home? Always a smart choice,” said another old man, Grumpy Face you’d decided to call him. You were pretty sure his real name was Hendricks.

“Oh, well, Dean is a smartie,” you said, grabbing hold of Dean’s arm.

“She speaks freely?” one asked and you bit your bottom lip to stop yourself from going too far.

“Of course, Reginald. This house has always been far too quiet. The conversation has been welcome,” said Dean.

“Surely you know in the long run that can’t be good for the poor thing,” said Carter, aka the one you hated the most, following Dean down the hall and headed for the back patio. You would have gone but John grabbed your wrist, Dean nodding when you two stayed back.

“Winchester’s have a knack for choosing strong Omegas apparently,” he said, taking his hand off you when you were alone. “Settle down. They are set in their ways. Dean will convince them eventually but only with your help.”

“My help. Oh yes. He needs my help,” you said.

“Yes. He does. We all do. I know you didn’t choose this. But you can do something good from a poor situation,” he said.

“Did you contact my dad?” you asked.

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“Dean saw you in the city one day. You were getting coffee. He believed you were...cute. There was some incident between you and an Alpha over a spilled drink and you never backed down for a second apparently. He quite liked that,” he said.

“And you found a way to give your son what he wanted,” you said.

“No. That was circumstantial. The fact you were part of the largest free thinking pack in the state was the selling point for me. Dean was quite angry when I told him what my plan was. The boy did want to marry out of love, not this. But he was willing to sacrifice that to help well over a hundred strangers. If you ever doubt what kind of man he is, remember that,” he said.

“I don't understand what I’m meant to do though,” you said.

“Be yourself. Go pretend that you’re claimed but that is all. Show them that an Omega is stronger than they know,” he said.

“You do all this simply because your son was almost Omega? He said you guys were a very traditional family,” he said.

“We were. Then we realized what we almost did to Dean. What I almost did to him. I almost took something from him. His mother went off on me and I thought of all I took from her as well. We are all equal in this pack. You have as much say in it as I do.”

“You know the referendums are barbaric,” you said.

“They are not yet law. Those three men out there are keys votes. Dean invited them today to talk and he wants you to be part of the conversation,” he said.

“No pressure or anything,” you said.

“You’ll be fine.”

You were lazily poking at the remnants of lunch, one of the old men, Carter, staring at you.

“Yes, Mr. Carter?”

“That is a beautiful collar,” he said.

“I suppose. I like yours too,” you said.

“I’m not wearing a collar, Omega.”

“My mistake. I see you wearing that tie and my little Omega brain goes someone left your leash on you,” you said, giving him a smile. Dean bit down a smile as you picked up your lemonade, John smirking as Mr. Carter cleared his throat.

“If you were my Omega, I’d have you muted,” said Carter.

“If I were your Omega, I’d off myself,” you said.

“You should look into sending your Omega to one of the training schools, Dean,” he said. “The mouth on this one is trouble.”

“Oh, Y/N was raised without the social conventions you’re used to, Mr. Carter. She’s quite fun in that regard,” said Dean.

“John. You’re pack leader. You should perhaps look into getting her into the Folly Academy,” said Carter.

“Dean is her Alpha, not I. Besides, the Folly Academy is an unkind place. Not fit for a Winchester as Y/N now is,” said John.

“You’re...quite right. A Winchester should never set foot in those halls,” he said.

“What’s it like not having a spine?” you asked, giving him a small smile.

“Control your Omega, Dean,” said Carter.

“Do I threaten you?” you smiled. “I’m collared and half your size. How tiny is that knot of yours if little ole me intimidates you.”

You weren’t expecting a slap in the face. You also weren’t expecting Dean to grab your arm when you picked up your fork, ready to stab anything belonging to Mr. Carter.

“Did you touch my Omega without permission?” asked Dean darkly.

“She was out of line,” he said.

“As her Alpha, I will punish her for any indiscretion, not you. We Alphas claimed the Omegas as there was the belief that they needed to be controlled, that they couldn’t control themselves. I see the Omega is the one at this table who has not raised her voice or attacked someone else, Mr. Carter,” said Dean. He released his grip on you. “Go. Have Peter tend to your cheek and wait for me in my room. I do not wish you near these Alphas any more today.”

You left and found Peter in the kitchen, following him up to your room.

“That looks like it hurts,” he said, dabbing a cotton ball of alcohol over the small cut.

“I’ve been hurt worse wrestling with other kids. Surprised the old goot didn’t have a heart attack and keel over from letting his heart rate get so high,” you said. Peter laughed and pressed an ice pack to your cheek. “Thanks.”

“I’ve cleaned up more than my fair share of bumps and bruises. Dean and his brother Sam often wrestle, even in adulthood. Playfully of course,” he said.

“Dean’s not actually going to punish me, right?”

“No, no. Part of the show. I would still wait in his room for him though,” he said. You reached up to the collar but he shook his head. “Not yet. Remember, it is for your protection when there are outsiders here.”

You nodded and left him, retreating to Dean’s room.

It was very beautiful inside but quite plain, like someone else had picked everything out for him and Dean didn’t actually use the space all that often. You sat on the edge of the bed, looking around until you lay back and stared at the ceiling.

Fifteen minutes later you heard the door open and Dean enter, the top button of his shirt undone and tie loose.

“Fucking assholes,” he mumbled, undoing his shirt, almost forgetting like you were there as he headed around a corner and you saw clothes flying in a closet. He sighed as he returned in a band tee and jeans, walking in front of you when you sat up. “Let me see your cheek.”

You moved the pack away, Dean nodding.

“It’ll heal fast. I’m sorry he did that. I wasn’t expecting him to get physical,” he said.

“I could have reined it in a little,” you said.

“Nah,” he said, laying back against the bed. “Nice crack about the tie. Even got dad with that one.”

“What’s the Folly Academy?” you asked. “I’ve never heard of it.”

“It’s a place rich people send Omegas to be taught things. Cooking. Cleaning. Being good in bed. Whatever the owner wants. An Omega goes in and a shell of a person comes out,” he said, turning his head up at you. “Carter was pissed when he left but Reginald and Hendricks actually liked you. They don’t care for Carter either.”

“Do you need all three votes?” you asked.

“Reginald is a shoo in. He has a secret Omega daughter no one knows of, lives in the sanctuary now. Hendricks is on the line but I believe a dinner with just us three this week will fix that. Carter was always a long shot. Maybe with time but I meant what I said. I don’t want you around an Alpha like that, even if you can kick his ass,” he said.

“Alright. Winchester,” you said. “If I find out you’re conning me and actually got a thing against Omegas though, I will tear you limb from limb.”

“I’d expect nothing less,” he said quietly. “If you could help me prove that I’m not the bad guy, I’d appreciate it.”

“May I take off my collar now, Alpha?” you teased.

“You may,” he said with a smile. “Change into some clothes you don’t mind getting dirty. I do need your help with something for a few minutes if you don’t mind.”

“Which way?” you asked, leaning over an engine, hand shoved so far down you couldn’t see a thing.

“Left,” said Dean underneath the car. You started and he chuckled. “Sorry. My left, not your left.”

“How do you do this by yourself?” you asked, finally feeling the thing go, pulling out a small square looking thing.

“A lot of tools and bruised knuckles,” he said, climbing out from under the car and taking it from you. “Thanks.”

“So you’re like a mechanic when you’re not busy being rich?” you asked. He chuckled, taking the part into the bench he had in the garage.

“I, Omega, just really enjoy working on cars. It’s fun. Plus I got a skill if shit ever hit the fan,” he said.

“Why do you live out here by yourself?” you asked.

“I can be myself here. No pretending,” he said.

“Pretend what?” you asked. He sighed and wiped his hands off. “Like how you pretend you don’t find me attractive.”

“Dad,” he grumbled to himself, turning to you. “Sure. I like the way you look. I like the way a lot of women look. I saw you months and months ago, Y/N, before this stuff came up. I just remembered how you’d acted with that Alpha and I knew you’d be tough enough to play your part in this.”

“What exactly is my part?” you asked.

“The independent Omega wife. It could be worse,” he said.

“It could. I still feel like I didn’t get a choice,” you said. He went further back in the garage and opened a cabinet, pulling out a black backpack and holding it up. “Yes…”

“It’s a go bag. You need to run, Hell I annoy you too much one morning, you’re always allowed to take this bag and leave. You can take it right now and leave if you want. I’ll even help you get up to Canada,” he said.

“But I need to stay, don’t I,” you said.

“I’m sorry if I made you feel like you have to. You can go if that’s what you want. You’ll be under a different name but you’ll be out of this mess,” he said.

“You’d actually do that for me, wouldn’t you,” you said.

“I give you my word that if you ever decide to leave, I drop everything and help you do it. Maybe if we can stop the law, get some fresh minds in the government, maybe things could be normal and you can go be with your pack then. If things go south and the law goes through, we’ll get you back with your pack. I promise,” he said.

“You’re my pack now,” you said.

“Y/N,” he said with a smile. “We signed a piece of paper. You don’t belong to me, Omega. You never will.”

“I…” you said, Dean waving the bag in front of you.

“Alright,” he said, setting the bag back in the cabinet. “It’s there if you change your mind.”

“Thank you for helping my pack,” you said.

“Thank you for helping mine,” he said.

“If you thought I was cute back at that coffee shop, why didn’t you say anything?”

“Because there was no need to antagonize you further that day,” he said. “As I suspect you would have felt I was. Let’s forget that happened and we can go from here, okay?”

“So...what do you do on a normal day around here?”

“This for the most part. Sometimes I have lazy days but I’m normally out here in the garage,” he said. “I’m all set. You don’t have to hang out anymore if you don’t want. There’s a pool and the land is large to run around on if you like. Do what you want. I won’t bother you.”

“Okay. I’ll uh, go take another look around then.”

“Dinner was delicious, Abby,” you said as she was heading out for the day.

“I’m just glad to have someone in the house that doesn’t want a bacon cheeseburger for dinner every night,” she said.

“That actually sounds really good,” you said.

“Maybe I’ll make you one if Dean isn’t around,” she said.

“Did someone say bacon?” asked Dean, poking his head out of his office.

“I want to make burritos tomorrow,” she said.

“With bacon,” said Dean.

“I’m so sorry you have to live with him,” she teased. “Goodnight.”

“Night, Abby. Drive safe,” said Dean, locking up after her. “So. I realize I should have asked before as this is very, very important. Your thoughts on bacon?”

“Good. A little crispy but not too much,” you said.

“You want to live life on the wild side tonight, Omega?” he asked with a smirk.

“Uh, sure?”

“No way am I eating that,” you said, Dean humming as he took a bite in the kitchen. “Dean! That’s gross!”

“Um, excuse me but cheese covered bacon is amazing,” he said, waving a piece in front of you. “Come on. I dare you.”

“I dare you? What are we? At summer camp?” you asked, taking the bacon from him. “I eat this and I dare you to eat something healthy for breakfast tomorrow.”

“Deal. Now eat up,” he said, leaning back in his seat with a satisfied smirk. You closed your eyes and took a small bite, opening your eyes. “Good ain’t it?”

“That’s the best thing I’ve ever eaten in my life,” you said.

“Told ya,” he said. “I mean it’s like a gajillion calories but who cares.”

“Well Alpha, let’s try and not block all your arteries by the time you hit 35, hm?” you teased, taking another bite.

“But I’m a big strong, Alpha. I need things like meat and more meat,” he chuckled. “I know. My baby bro is big on health stuff. He keeps yelling at me.”

“Was he the tall one at the ceremony?”

“Yeah, that was Sammy. Sweetest Alpha you’ll ever meet. He wanted to say hi but he was nervous of making you afraid,” he said.

“He can like, come over and hang out if he wants,” you said.

“Is there anyone you would like to invite over? Your friends are allowed here,” he said.

“I don’t really...all my friends and family are gone now,” you said.

“You can still go, up to the Sanctuary if you want,” he said.

“If I stay I might be able to help other Omegas though, right?” you asked.

“Possibly, possibly not. The last thing I want is an unhappy Omega in this house,” he said.

“You were raised by your mom more than your dad if I had to guess,” you said.

“I was. But like you said earlier, you didn’t have a choice about this marriage. Now you do,” he said.

“Why?”

“Because an unhappy Omega won’t live in this house,” he said again. “Sleep on it, if you want to stay or not.”

“You’re...not what I thought you’d be,” you said.

“If I ever am, feel free to kick my ass, Omega.”

“Good morning,” you said, Dean eating an omelet on the back patio.

“You know, this isn’t as horrible as I thought it’d be,” he said, taking another bite of the dish.

“Egg whites are good for you,” you said, taking a banana off his plate. You peeled it and took a bite, Dean quietly eating beside you. “I thought it over.”

“Yes?” he asked. You took another bite, staring out at the yard.

“If I ever say I want to leave, you drop everything and take me that second, understand?”

“I understand.”

“Good,” you said, eating some more. “I want to know what I’m walking into next time with guys like Carter. You and your family treats me as a partner in all this.”

“We can easily do that,” he said.

“Alright,” you said. “That’s that I suppose.”

“You’re staying?”

“If there’s a chance to help, I’ll help,” you said. Dean smiled, looking at the table. “Were you expecting a different answer?”

“No. Happy you’re not seeing me as the villain anymore is all,” he said.

“You mentioned you wanted your own Omega,” you said. “If you found one to your liking, would you claim her?”

“If I found an Omega I loved and she loved me back, I would ask to bond with her,” he said. “Isn’t that how it was done in your pack?”

“Yes. Our Omegas don’t wear collars though and any mated Alpha is marked in return as show of their equality,” you said. “They-“

Dean stood up and scratched his ear, frowning at himself.

“Are you okay?”

“I did not realize the day. I will require privacy sometimes. I will see you tomorrow, Y/N,” he said before he took off towards the house.

“Okay…”

“Peter,” you said at dinner that night. “Where did Dean run off to?”

“I do not know. Somewhere in the basement I suspect. Dean forgot what today was I’m sure with all that’s been going on,” he said. You raised an eyebrow and he smiled. “He normally doesn’t like any staff to come in on his monthly me day. He forgot this month he scheduled it for today it seemed.”

“Alright,” you said. You chit chatted idly until the staff was gone for the day. Dean didn’t seem like the keep an Omega locked away type and if he had a rut, the timing didn’t make sense. You’d never been in the basement but there was an open set of stairs down.

There was a wet bar and movie theater room down there along with a set of doors down a hallway. One was a bathroom, one a large room for storage, one with a keypad and a do not disturb sign hanging on it.

“Well what do you got down here hidden away,” you said.

“None of your business,” he said right behind you. You froze, slowly turning to face at him. There was the scary Alpha face you knew he must have been hiding. “You may use the basement but you will stay away from this room, understand?”

“Suddenly I don’t trust you as much,” you said. He closed his eyes and stared over your head, opening them slowly.

“If I show you, will you never bring this up again?” he asked.

“Okay.”

He sighed and moved past you, punching in a code you couldn’t see before pushing open the door. Inside was a bedroom and private bathroom, Dean’s gaze flickering back to yours.

“It is sound proof and obviously there are no windows. I sleep here on occasion,” he said.

“Okay,” you said, holding up your hands. You spun around to leave, catching sight of a pet bed and blanket in the corner. “I didn’t know you had a dog.”

“Leave. Now,” he said, pushing you out of the room.

After a slightly awkward dinner with Mr. Hendricks the next evening, he assured Dean that he wouldn’t vote for the new Omega law. Dean had pretended the whole basement incident hadn’t happened and you didn’t go down there anymore and let him have his space there to himself.

He was generally very sweet, sometimes flirty, sometimes quiet and almost sad. But he’d kept his word and things were on a friendship level only which you were grateful for. He was easy to talk to and while the situation wasn’t ideal, you never felt trapped there. It’d started to feel like your home too.

Until you woke up one morning a month later to a quiet house, Dean staring at you in the kitchen.

“There will be no staff today. I will be busy again,” he said.

“I’ll stay out of the basement then,” you said.

“It’s not what you think,” he said after a beat.

“Hey. I’m not here to judge. I didn’t see anybody else down there so you do what you want down there buddy,” you said.

“I will see you at breakfast tomorrow.”

Later that evening a storm rolled in. The power stayed on but the wind was really starting to whip around and a tornado warning had been issued. You sighed and went down to the basement just in case, watching a movie on the big screen.

When it finished you went to check up on the weather outside, even if the thunder was still booming overhead.

That’s when you heard a whining. You quietly went to Dean’s open door over in the basement, more whimpers escaping from inside of it. Not the good kind either.

“Dean?” you asked, knocking softly on the door. “You okay?”

You were surprised when the door was just slightly ajar like that.

“Can I come in?” you asked.

You heard something akin to a bark and poked your head in, a shaking beautiful light brown colored dog tucked away on the bed with a blanket around himself.

“Hey,” you said softly, bending down. The dog turned away and shook more when the thunder cracked. “Just a little noise, sweetheart. You’re okay.”

You knelt next to him and the dog curled into your side, tucking its face away.

“Okay. You’re okay,” you said, patting his head, shaking your head when you saw no food or water bowl for the poor thing. “Next time I see you Dean, I am reaming you out a new one.”

You woke up with a sore butt and something heavy on your leg. You yawned and blinked open your eyes, a very confused looking Dean staring up at yours he lifted his head.

“Dude,” you said, Dean sitting up and tucking the blanket around himself.

His very naked self.

“Dean-“

“What are...why are you in here?” he snapped. “What did you see? Tell me.”

“Your dog was crying because of the storm,” you said, narrowing your eyes. “I get the feeling you don’t have a dog.”

“Forgot to shut the fucking door,” he mumbled, staring at you. “I...I can explain this.”

“Yeah. Why don’t you put on some pants and do that.”

Dean was fidgety on the couch after breakfast, asking the staff to stay away again for the day. You took a seat, Dean playing with the bottom of his sweats.

“Dean.”

“You can’t tell anyone,” he said. “Ever.”

“I won’t,” you said. He nodded, pulling his hands away.

“So...there was a reason I accidentally tested positive as Omega back in the day. Someone had been...altering my body without anyone’s knowledge,” he said.

“More games?”

“Yeah. They intended to make me Omega,” he said. “You know. They got those medicines you can give your kids to help their odds of presenting a certain way. Someone was giving me Omega ones...cut with something extra.”

“Can you turn into a dog?”

“Yes.”

“Cool.”

“Cool? Did last night look cool?” he said.

“Are you...like scared of storms?” you asked.

“Human Dean, no. The other one...it’s why the room is soundproof,” he said.

“Poor puppy,” you said, Dean shooting daggers. “Sorry. You were just really scared last night is all.”

“It’s something I’ve lived with since I was seventeen. It’s just a thing I deal with one day a month,” he said.

“Surely if you can do that to a person, there’s a way to fix it,” you said.

“There is,” he said. “It’ll set my body back in balance all the doctor’s say. Right now I’m Alpha like I’m supposed to be. But there are Omega...traits within me...along with the whole dog thing.”

“Why would someone want to make you an Omega? And a dog?” you asked.

“You really don’t want to know the answer to that,” he said. “I try not to think about it. You shouldn’t either.”

“Does it hurt?”

“No. I simply feel the urge come on and have the staff stay away. I change out of my clothes and sit down, then I’m another way. When I wake up the next morning I’m me again. Wagging a tail is a lot of fun actually,” he said.

“You...you don’t have to stay hidden away when that happens. This is your home after all. I’m the guest,” you said.

“This is your home too, Y/N,” he said. “So...the whole dog thing doesn’t freak you out?”

“Oh that’s fucking weird, don’t get me wrong,” you said. “But you had no choice. Someone tried to hurt you. Plus you said you can fix it, right?”

“If my body got back in true balance, I’ll be fully Alpha as I should be,” he said.

“How does that happen?”

“A mate,” he said with a shrug. “But there are worse things than being a dog for a day a month.”

“Is there anything I can do to help?” you asked.

“Perhaps. The storm upset me more than I thought. My urge is still there slightly. I want to run the grounds for a few minutes if you think that won’t disturb you,” he said.

“No, go for it,” you said. He nodded and left, trotting through the kitchen on four legs a few minutes later. “Still freaky.”

He barked and wagged his tail, green eyes looking up at you.

“You understand me?”

He barked and put his snout in your hand, leading you to the back door and outside.

“Alright. Go run,” you said. He took off and started to sprint around the yard, long lunges and jumps accompanying him. You went out to the grass and watched him some more, Dean not acting quite like a dog. He looked like one and ran like one but he didn’t sniff the ground or go to the bathroom or do much of anything besides run around before he plopped down next to you. “Have fun?”

He barked, a smile in there, Dean barking again when you scratched his ear.

“Someone has a twisted sense of humor,” you said. He whined and pulled away, trotting back towards the house. “Dean, come on, it’s okay.”

He paused and sat down, letting you catch up and kneel down next to him.

“I meant to say, I’m sorry someone did this to you. You didn’t deserve that,” you said.

He let out a small bark and headed inside, back after a moment looking sweaty as he walked out in his sweats.

“You run really fast,” you said.

“Benefit of being a dog? That sucker loves to run whereas I do not,” he said.

“That’s how you get away with bacon cheeseburgers all the time, isn’t it,” you said.

“I’ll take my perks where I can get them,” he said. “Just...nobody outside my parents and Sam know about this.”

“Secret’s safe with me.”

“Hello Mr. Winchester,” said Peter a few days later. You whipped your head up from the study, a tall man walking inside. “Dean’s on the phone at the moment but should be done shortly.”

“Thanks, Pete,” said Sam, spotting you. “I think I’ll hang out in here for a while.”

Peter left Sam with you, Sam smiling when his eyes caught your bare neck.

“Sorry I haven’t been by yet to properly introduce myself,” he said.

“Dean says you’re a lawyer. I bet that keeps you busy,” you said.

“It does. My wife had our first pup not long before you and Dean were married though. I’ve been a stay at home dad lately,” he said.

“Oh. Just the one?” you asked.

“Winchester’s tend to have small litters,” he said, pulling out his phone and showing you the background, a three month old little girl appearing. “Her name’s Luna. Born during a full moon actually.”

“She’s cute,” you said.

“Yeah she is,” he said, tucking his phone away. “So...Dean says you know all about the family business now.”

“Yup,” you said.

“Good. You should come over sometime, meet Jess and the lil pup. They’re dying to meet you. I’d go insane if I had to live with Dean,” he said.

“Didn’t you live with him for like, years?” you joked.

“Yeah, Sammy. Best big brother ever right here,” said Dean, rounding the corner, ruffling Sam’s head. “Surprised Luna isn’t with you. You two are partners in crime from what Jess says.”

“They can use their bonding time too. I was just...you know what time of year it is. Saturday night,” said Sam.

“Yes, I do. I’ll even babysit,” said Dean.

“Dean. Jess isn’t going. You guys go this year,” said Sam.

“Sammy-“

“It’s one night. We were fine with going when you were flying solo but the pup at home and the new wife and the vote corralling…” he said. Dean closed his eyes. “Have her wear a collar, no one knows the difference.”

“You want me to bring an unclaimed Omega to that party? Besides being against the rules, if anyone finds out, she’ll be owned like that,” said Dean.

“Who’s gonna find out?” said Sam.

“I’m like literally right here you two,” you said.

“It’s a party full of guys like Carter. No, Y/N,” said Dean. “We leave the girls at home, you and I go together this year.”

“Dad says you guys should go. Make sure things are still good with Hendricks and Reginald, try to get Jameson too if you can,” said Sam.

“I thought Jameson was already done,” said Dean.

“Her Omega recently passed. She’s all over the place right now,” said Sam. “Come on. Please?

“I don’t mind. As long as I don’t have to wear that collar too long,” you said.

“You’re really going to get pissed off at the next part then.”

“I think it goes without saying but-“

“I touch the leash, pretty sure that’ll be the last thing I ever do,” said Dean, smiling at you in the passenger seat.

“Good boy,” you said. “You really are starting to get to know me.”

“I am sorry for this party,” he said as he drove. “You’re going to see some mistreated Omegas tonight. Very few are allowed off a leash.”

“Yeah, I get it,” you said, glancing out the window. He stopped at a red light, pausing before a hand reached over to your neck. You watched him but he simply undid the clip attaching the leash to the collar. He grabbed it from your lap and tossed it in the backseat. “You just said-“

“Yeah well, we ain’t getting you any rights if we go in like that. Just be careful tonight,” he said.

“What do you think Omegas should have rights to?” you asked. He chuckled, raising an eyebrow at you.

“Y/N. If I had my way, things would go back to how they were hundreds of years ago, before the dynamic happened. Equality and all that. I think people understand enough about our physiology now that it doesn’t control us like it did back then. But what we got is broken. It takes time to fix all that,” he said. “But you and I, nothing about you is better or worse than me.”

“You honestly think that?”

“I know you don’t think you’re less than me. I don’t think I’m greater than you,” he said.

“...just really hate this fucking collar,” you said, looking out the window.

“Make sure the people you talk to tonight know it.”

“Mr. Carter,” you said, giving him a nod when you and Dean wandered around the ballroom. He did a double take at you, Dean smirking slightly as the two of you headed for the bar and grabbed some drinks.

Dean spun around when you got there, leaning over to you.

“Every Omega in here is watching you right now you know,” he said.

“You really meant what you said about us being equals?” you asked.

“I did,” he said, getting a glass of champagne, your head tilting at the bartender when you didn’t get one. “One for my wife as well, please.”

He set one down in front of you and moved down to the other end of the bar, giving you a snobby look.

“What do you have planned?” asked Dean quietly.

“Got my back if I cause too much trouble?” you asked.

“Duh. Just be careful. I don’t want anyone hurting you again,” he said.

“Why?”

“You’re my friend,” he said softly.

“I’ll try not to pick any fights,” you said, pecking him on the cheek when you saw you still had an audience. “Sweetie.”

He chuckled as you grabbed your glass and left the bar without him, heading through the crowd of people until you found Mr. Reginald.

“Nice to see you again,” you said, the onlookers seeing to give up their interest in you for a moment. At least some of them had.

“Mrs. Winchester,” he said with a smile.

“Is your wife here tonight?” you asked.

“No. She hates these things. I always come alone,” he said.

“I can understand why,” you said, glancing over to an Omega doing her best not to roll her eyes at her husband.

“The attire for Omegas at this event is normally traditional,” he said, looking you up and down.

“Traditions were meant to be broken,” you said, sipping on your champagne.

“Some yes, I would have to agree,” he said. “There is an art to subtly though.”

“Any suggestions on Carter?” you murmured.

“Go dance with him. Show him your softer side,” he said. “You do have one. I’ve known Dean for quite some time. His Omega would be nothing less than equal parts fierce and kind. Carter believes Omegas are animals. Show him you’re a lady.”

“Never been very good at being one of those,” you said, turning away for a moment, raising an eyebrow. “He seriously thinks we’re the animals?”

“Apparently,” he said. You took a deep breath and found Carter across the room, his hand in a leash, waving it about as he spoke to a woman on her own. You saw the Omega by his side, older, the woman in a beautiful gown that didn’t match the sullen face she had.

“Mr. Carter,” you said, giving both the women a smile. “Y/N Winchester.”

“Ah. You must be the elder Winchester’s new wife. Chloe Jameson,” said the woman to your right. You looked at the Omega, her gaze going to the floor. “I see the rumors of the newest Omega Winchester being a rebel are true.”

“No reason you can’t be a classy rebel,” you said.

“Very true,” said Jameson with a smile. “Carter, leave your Omega with me. I know this girl talk bores you.”

He handed over the leash and left without a word, Jameson leading the three of you over to a table.

“You know that leashes are required for Omegas at this party,” she said.

“Oh I don’t need a leash to know who I belong to. Or who he belongs to,” you said.

“Curious thing to say about your Alpha,” she said.

“Well you’re an Alpha. Your part of the deal is to protect and love and care for your Omega, yes? Sounds like an Alpha is as bound as an Omega,” you said.

“Watch the tone, Omega. I cared very much for my Lucas,” she said.

“I didn’t mean you specifically, Mrs. Jameson. It’s not common for the Alpha to take the Omega’s last name after all. I suspect you loved him very much,” you said.

“It’s different when it’s out of love,” she said quietly, glancing at the Omega with you. “This is Farrow Carter. Perfect example of what is expected of an Omega in some people’s eyes.”

“Hi Farrow,” you said. She didn’t say a word but gave you a small nod. “You can talk around me. It’s okay.”

“I’m sure her Alpha doesn’t allow her to speak and as she’s under my supervision, his rules go,” she said.

“That’s a person you’re talking about,” you snapped, her chin lifting up. “Farrow is a person, just like you and me.”

“Farrow. Be a dear here and explain to Y/N who exactly you belong to,” she said. Farrow swallowed and grabbed Jameson’s hand, a barely there flicker rubbing across her face. “In the eyes of some, she is Carter’s. In hers, she’s mine.”

“She’s clearly mistreated. You can’t-“

“Farrow is good at what you call, the long con. We met at Lucas’ memorial service. I did love him but Farrow...she is my true mate,” she said. “Alphas always know right away. It’s crazy what they’ll do for their true Omega. In Farrow’s case, she’s claimed by another but Carter is old and a younger Alpha challenging his claim would be easy enough to win. You know how it is with your true mate. They’re your one, no matter what,” she said.

“So I take it you’re not going to vote for that bill then?” you asked.

“No. I never was although many of my colleagues never knew that,” she said.

“How do I know Farrow actually consents to this relationship?” you asked.

“Chloe is mine because I asked her to be,” said Farrow. You tilted your head, Farrow smiling before she wiped it off her face.

“Like I said, Farrow makes her own decisions, at least when it comes to us. And she gets a kick out of sneaking behind Carter’s back. Convincing Carter to get on the Omega bandwagon will be difficult,” she said. “Not impossible, just difficult.”

“I’m not afraid of a challenge,” you said, giving them both a nod. “Farrow...just because you have an Alpha, doesn’t mean they own you.”

“She knows,” said Jameson. “Go on. Young Mr. Winchester didn’t bring you here to secure already secure votes now did he.”

“No. I suppose not. Here goes nothing,” you said as you stood up. You slowly made your way back across the room, finding Dean speaking with Carter and another man you recognized as Hawkings, the man behind the referendum. Dean looked uncomfortable, Hawkings hand on his shoulder, and he breathed a sigh of relief when he spotted you. “Hello gentlemen.”

“So the Omega wandering around on her own belongs to you, Dean? I shouldn’t be surprised,” said Hawkings. You nodded, giving the man as friendly a smile as you could bare.

“Mr. Carter, could we have a moment?” you asked. Dean opened his mouth but you shook your head. “Oh, I think Mr. Carter and I will be fine, dear. We won’t be gone long.”

You took hold of Mr. Carter’s hand and led him over towards the dance floor, Carter staring at you a moment before he took the lead.

“What’s this all about?” he asked.

“You seemed bored,” you said. “And Dean isn’t one for dancing.”

“He’s always been a quiet Alpha. I was surprised to see his little outburst at lunch a few months back,” he said.

“He was frightened you would harm me. I’m sure you can understand that having an Omega yourself,” you said, Carter spinning you around.

“My Omega is property, nothing more,” he said.

“I’m sorry,” you said.

“For what?”

“That you feel as though your Omega is property is all,” you said.

“You are property of Dean Winchester, Omega. You should remember that,” he said.

“No, I’m Dean Winchester’s Omega, his partner. He is my Alpha and my partner. That is what we are to one another,” you said, Carter missing a step. “I know you don’t agree with that but our relationship is good.”

“Omegas need to be controlled or else you’d throw yourself at any Alpha,” he said. “Case and point, you’re dancing with me right now.”

“Mr. Carter, you revolt me,” you said, Carter stilling. “I am dancing with you to help my Alpha get your vote against the referendums. It sickens me to be this close to you quite honestly. But my partner has asked me to assist him and I will assist him as best I can. Omegas don’t need control and they don’t need fear. They need Alphas that use their status to protect them, not hurt them. Unclaimed Omegas are not bad, Mr. Carter. Mated Omegas do not need to be kept under lock and key. All we would like is to be treated with respect. I don’t respect anyone that doesn’t return it to me, Alphas included. Honey attracts more flies than spice, Mr. Carter. Omegas are not sex crazed animals. They do not need an Alpha to do everything for them either. All they need is a partner, one that cares for them and one they can care for in return.”

“You’re talking about love,” he said.

“Fear and anger are powerful, Mr. Carter. In my experience, love is stronger. Love is the only thing stronger. Love will beat fear every time, even if it will take it’s time. There is nothing wrong with finding a mate you love. I simply wish you felt that way about your Omega. I can only imagine how much happier you’d be if you were in love,” you said, pausing as the song ended. “Thank you for the dance, Mr. Carter.”

“I still don’t like you, Omega. But I do respect you having the courage of an Alpha to speak freely like that to me,” he said.

“I have the courage of an Omega, sir,” you said. You nodded and turned to leave, Carter leaning down to your ear.

“Tell him you’ve got my vote. I was not always this way. I seem to have forgotten an Alpha’s true place in the world,” he said.

“It’s never too late, Mr. Carter,” you said. “Thank you.”

“You reek like Alpha mutt,” said Dean when you got in the car to head home.

“I hated that,” you said, scratching your collar as he started to drive. “Jameson, Carter and Dunlap are all locks against.”

“You got Carter?” he said. “How?”

“I spoke to him with less anger. He’s angry and lonely enough as is. I’m pretty sure we’ll be okay,” you said. “I was surprised to see Hawkings there.”

“Yeah,” said Dean, gripping the steering wheel.

“Want to talk about it?” you asked.

“Later, not now.”

“Dean,” you said, knocking on his bedroom door that night after you’d gotten home and changed. He was frowning when you pushed it open, sat in the middle of his bed and already wearing his pajamas. “You okay?”

“No,” he said, nodding for you to pull the door shut. You sat down on it across from him, noticing the light sheen of sweat on his forehead. “You know how...extreme stress can accelerate an Omega’s heats?”

“Wait, you get-”

“No, I don’t get heats. I mean, I just get the literally heat part of them sometimes. There’s medicine in my bathroom drawer if you wouldn’t mind grabbing it for me,” he said. You got up and found a bottle along with a glass of water, bringing it back to Dean. He looked better almost instantly, Dean unclenching his arms and leaning back against the bed as it kicked in. “Oh, thank you. So much better.”

“So I’m guessing you had some kind of extreme stress tonight that triggered that?” you asked.

“Yeah. Hawkings creeps me out but I’m sure you guessed that already,” he said as he sat up.

“Did he threaten you about the vote?” you asked.

“He knows the vote is going to fail and that’ll be a big setback for him. It’ll probably ruin him for good actually. He knows if I suddenly start acting like a big Alpha asshole though, it’ll help him win back votes,” he said. “You know, start treating my Omega wife like the rest of them. Show them I don’t actually care about you.”

“He threatened me?”

“I’m not going to do any of that, Y/N,” he said with a smile. “You’re my friend. I won’t ever hurt you. It’s my job to protect you after all.”

“You’re not really my Alpha, Dean,” you said, tucking your hair behind your ear. “Even if you are my husband.”

“Yeah but I like you. I know it was only a scratch but it bothered me when Carter hit you like that,” he said, offering you a half-smile. “I think it’s better if neither one of us leaves the house for a while, lay low until after the vote.”

“What’d he threaten to do to you?” you asked.

“Finish what he started when I was seventeen,” said Dean, tilting his head back and closing his eyes.

“Hawkings was the one that did that to you back then, wasn’t he,” you said, Dean nodding as he looked forward, glancing at his lap. “Why would he want to make you Omega? And a freaking dog?”

“My family has always been influential in the government. He and my father don’t get along. Hawkings wanted me to be Omega so he could claim me, own me. It’d give him total control over our family with that threat in the air. The dog thing came about because he owns some kind of genetic lab. On the books they help weed out bad genes but in reality they do super shady stuff like splicing DNA. The dog thing would be much slower to take effect completely but if he’d gotten what he wanted, it would have made me his Omega...his literal Omega bitch if you want to use that term,” he said.

You blinked a few times, Dean pursing his lip and staring at the bedspread.

“Hey,” you said, grabbing Dean’s chin and tilting his head up. “You’re not an Omega bitch. You’re Dean fucking Winchester, the best Alpha I’ve ever known. You’re what a real Alpha is, you got that? Hawkings ain’t going to get anywhere near you.”

“He thinks I’m mated so he should leave us alone for now. I think we should at least consider getting you to Canada before everything goes bad though. The vote is in a week. There’s time to get you up to your pack,” he said.

“You’re my pack,” you said. He closed his eyes and turned away, eyes meeting yours though when you turned his chin back. “So what if we’re not mated. You’re my friend. I’m not leaving you here to get forced Omega and to become that guy’s freaking dog and have him humiliate you. You gave up having a relationship out of love to do a good thing for my pack and I’m okay with being with a man like that. I’m more than okay with that. We’re in this together, okay?”

“I don’t know if I can protect you,” he said.

“Well we’ll figure it out. We lay low until the vote and then we deal with whatever happens afterwards.”

Two Weeks Later

The vote hadn’t passed thankfully and now there was a new referendum up to give Omega’s more rights. It seemed that whatever influence Hawkings had died out along with his vote.

Which left him with a lot of time to stew and get pissed at Dean.

“Dean,” you called when you stepped out of your room around dinner time. He’d been working in the garage longer than normal that day and hadn’t joined you for lunch. “Dean.”

You jogged downstairs, the staff seemingly gone for the day, a tupperware container still in the fridge for you to heat up.

“Dean,” you called again.

“Dean isn’t home,” said Peter, appearing from around the corner.

“Oh. Did Abby head home early? Dinner’s already in the fridge,” you said.

“Yes, she wasn’t feeling well so I sent her home after lunch. I attempted to prepare something for you and Dean. I hope it’s up to Abby’s standards,” he said.

“Oh you didn’t have to do that,” you said with a smile. “Thank you though. Do you have any idea where Dean went or when he’ll be back?”

“No. He was missing another part for the engine he’s restoring. I’m sure he’ll be back in a few hours,” he said.

“Alright. You can head home Peter, I don’t mind hanging out by myself,” you said.

“Sure thing Mrs. Winchester,” he said. “Would you like to see the Gardena’s I potted this morning for the front steps?”

“Sure. You always make up such beautiful plants,” you said, tilting your head a little as you followed him to the front door, finding it odd he was suddenly being formal. You slipped on your sneakers though, Peter opening and closing the drawer of the front table quickly when you were bent over, his hands around your neck, tying a collar on it.

One with a lock.

“What the-” you got out before he threw a hand over your mouth.

“Mrs. Winchester,” he said, staring for a long moment. You let him take his hand away and you followed him outside. “Hawkings has Dean downstairs. He broke in not long ago. He doesn’t know you’re unclaimed or here at the moment. I’m sorry for that but now he can’t get the collar off if he tries anything.”

“What do you mean he has Dean downstairs,” you growled.

“I mean, he is force feeding drugs to Dean. He’ll be Omega soon at the rate he’s doing it,” he said. “I suspect he’ll try to claim him after.”

“Did you call the police?” you asked.

“No,” he said.

“Why the fuck not?”

“You are not the only one with a family, Y/N,” he said with a scowl. “Retreat to your room, lock the door and call the police. Don’t go anywhere.”

“Go home, Peter,” you said. “Get your family someplace safe. I’ll deal with Hawkings.”

“They are in Dean’s room downstaris. I don’t know the code,” he said.

“5730. If you don’t hear from me, tell the police it,” you said, giving him a smile before you jogged back inside. You locked up after him and went to the stairs, dashing up them and into your room. You called the police and they gave you the same message about staying put Peter had but you knew Dean lived far out away from town. Help for Dean was at least thirty minutes away.

“Dammit,” you said. You grabbed a knife from the kitchen and went down to the basement, staring at the shut door at the end of the hallway. There was no way to be secretive about using the only entrance so you punched in the code and jumped straight back, knife up. All you saw was Dean passed out on the bed, a tube in his arm, and no other sign of anyone.

“Hello Omega,” said Hawkings from behind you, knocking the knife from your hand and grabbing you by the back of your neck. He tossed you into the room and kicked the knife into the hall, slamming the door shut behind him.

Dean groaned on the bed and blinked open an eye.

“Hey,” he said wearily.

“Save the reunion for later,” said Hawkings, stalking over to you. “Don’t be stupid, Omega. Think of this as your chance at freedom. The second he’s Omega, your bond is broken and you get a fresh start. I honestly don’t care about you. You can go. All I want is him.”

“I don’t really agree with that plan so I’m going to say pass,” you said. Hawkings grabbed your leg and yanked you closer to him, quickly on top of you and pinning you down. “Good luck claiming me, asshole.”

“Peter cares far more about his family than he does you, Omega,” he said, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a key. “Omegas are to be kept collared unless being claimed. At least he understands that. He may be Beta but at least he understands that.”

“You try and take this thing off of me, I’ll rip out your throat,” you said.

“It seems I’ll be taking home two Omegas today,” he said. He quickly undid the collar, Dean grunting as Hawkings titled your head back. “Where’s your mark?”

“Go fish,” you said.

“Where is your mark?” he growled.

“He didn’t mate me because I didn’t consent to a barbaric old ritual where I had no say. I’m not property and he knows that,” you shot back.

“Oh, he made a mistake,” he said.

You heard a snarl in the room, both your and Hawkings heads whipping up to see a growling dog suddenly on top of the bed, baring its teeth. It barked and hopped on top of Hawkings, growling on unsteady legs.

“Oh look. It’s my mutt,” said Hawkings. “You should really just let me shove that tube back in your arm, boy. You’re gonna be a whole mess of hormones if you stay all doggie like that.”

Dean growled and jumped in front of you, Hawkings smirking when Dean lunged forward but got yanked back on a leash around him.

“That is why Omegas are to be leashed,” he said.

“Dean,” you said, running a hand over the gasping dog’s head, finding the latch to the collar there. “Go get him.”

You undid it, Dean pouncing on top of Hawkings when he was free. He bit into something as you turned away, a few shouts and grunts and growls lasting until you turned back and Hawkings was out cold on the floor. Dean limped back into the room, looking very human all of a sudden as he dropped to the floor.

“Hey, hey,” you said, Dean groaning as he rolled to his back. “Dean. What’s wrong?”

“It’s trying to change,” he whimpered. “My body. It hurts.”

“Dean,” you said, Dean gasping for breath. “Oh fuck it.”

You got down on the ground and pulled his face to your neck, baring the skin to him.

“Do it. Now. It’s okay.”

Dean’s teeth tore through the flesh of your neck instantly, a strange pleasure pain stealing the air from your lungs.

You were supposed to be having sex when you were claimed. You were supposed to be getting knotted. You were supposed to be feeling the most incredible connection of your life forming.

All you managed to feel was yourself pass out a few seconds later.

“Hm?” you hummed, looking around the front hall you were laying on a stretcher in, Dean padding over with a blanket around his shoulders. “Dean?”

“Hey, sweetheart. Did you know apparently the reason we’re supposed to have sex when we bond is to help the bonding process not be too overwhelming? Hence why the cops found us both passed out,” he said. He stroked his hand over your hair, smiling as you shut your eyes. “Thank you for saving me.”

“Did they get him?”

“Mhm. The guys that had Peter’s family too. He feels horrible apparently for doing what Hawkings told him,” said Dean, helping you sit upright. You opened your eyes, Dean running a thumb over your cheek. “Thank you.”

You smiled, narrowing your eyes when you saw a bite mark on his neck.

“You claimed me too, Omega after you ripped that freaking collar off. That’s how your pack, our pack does it, hm? We claim one another?” he said.

“I don’t remember doing that,” you said, tasting the remnants of blood in your mouth. “Sorry.”

“Don’t be,” he said.

“So no more doggie super powers?” you asked.

“Just regular old boring Alpha Dean now,” he said with a smile, tracing his finger down to your arm. “You want to go to the hospital?”

“Do I have a choice?” you laughed.

“Nope. They want to check me out and make sure I’m okay too,” he said. “Come on Omega.”

Two Weeks Later

“Y/N, you seen my socket wrench?” asked Dean, wiping off his hands as he walked out to the back patio around lunch.

“You keep losing it in the bottom drawer of the tool box,” you said, sipping on your lemonade with a smile. He smiled when he saw your father sitting there eating a sandwich. “Dean, this is my dad.”

“Hello sir. Sorry, I thought you weren’t getting in until later tonight,” said Dean, trying to clean off his hands on his shirt.

“It’s fine, Dean. I got in a little early to spend some time with my girl. She’s had a busy few months.”

“That she has,” said Dean.

“She did neglect to say she was mated on the phone though,” he said.

“It was consensual,” you said with a smile.

“I find that hard to believe,” he said, staring back at Dean.

“Dad,” you said. “Dean’s my friend, my best friend. I claimed him too.”

“I still find it hard to believe,” he said. “To be honest, I thought you’d never let an Alpha claim you.”

“Yeah well...Dean’s not any regular Alpha. Case and point, look around at what happened with the law last week,” you said.

“More rights for Omegas,” he said with a nod. “I did a bad thing to you, Y/N. I’m sorry. I hoped this family was what they said they were and you’d be safe with them. I didn’t realize you’d make a whole lot more Omegas safe too.”

“Well you could have picked a worse Alpha for me,” you said, giving Dean a smile. “I’ll show you where the wrench is.”

“Thanks sweetheart,” he said. You hummed as you followed him inside and to the garage, digging through the drawer and pulling it for him. “So, I kind of knew that was there all along.”

“I figured as much,” you said, leaning up and pecking on kiss on his lips. “Alpha.”

“Making me all fuzzy there, Omega,” he said.

“Husband,” you teased, Dean shaking his head. “I know our parents are both in for dinner tonight but tomorrow do you want to go out on a date?”

“Mhm. I like dating you,” he said.

“Normally you do the dating and then the marriage part, not the other way around,” you said.

“We’re unconventional. Sue us,” he said, kissing the tip of your nose. “I’ll be done soon and then I’ll be in to hang out with you and your dad, m’kay?”

“Sounds good, Alpha,” you said. “Don’t take too long now.”

A/N: Read the follow up spin off here!

[chris-evans-imagine]

Forever Crush

A/n: I guess I’m a sucker for post-christmas writing, I love the holiday bubble lol. This was actually a request I loved and it took me a while to make it the way I wanted it’s long, 2500+. I hope you like it.

Request: I have a Chris Evans imagine request. It’s actually a crazy dream I had the other day. So the person is Chris’s sisters nanny for the kids, more just to keep them occupied while she is doing things around the house. Christ tries to work his Hollywood charm but doesn’t faze you. On Christmas Eve, you end up under the mistletoe with Chris. You can add more too! Thank you! I love your stuff ❤️

Warnings: long one-shot. Cursing, drinking. And fluff…

 “Mac and cheese again?” you asked to little Luca. He winked and showed that hole in his smile that made your heart melt. He was a little beau.

“I like your mac and cheese, dad’s just so… urgh!” you couldn’t agree more, that’s why he laughed when you wrinkled your nose when the memory of the organic or whatever shit it was. That was everything but mac and cheese. Of course you had discussed with Scott Luca’s diet, he had a few requests which you always considered. Except for mac and cheese.

Scott and Jeremy had been your neighbors since you got to the building, having them as neighbors was delightful and they thought the same about you since you babysat their son every once in a while.

Today was one of those days, he was in your place. Scott was supposed to pick him up by dinner, but you knew that Christmas shopping would take him way longer. That’s why the little rascal was helping you out with dinner for two.

Your phone rang interrupting your favorite song.

“It’s your dad”

“Which one?” he asked while he licked the spoon. You smiled, maybe he wasn’t biological but he had Scott’s sassiness.

“Hey” you picked up.

“Hey, doll. How are you two doing?” Scott asked.

“We’re fine, we’re about to have dinner… how’s shopping going?”

“Oh, it’s a mess, people everywhere, we haven’t finished… I just called to tell you that my brother just got to town, he’s going to pick Luca up. And tomorrow we have a dinner, we’d love you to have you there, y/n.”

“Okay, which brother?” you asked expecting not to hear certain name but since you were aware he only had one brother, you obviously knew the answer.

“Chris, duh. Hey, what are you having for dinner?”

“Just a healthy meal, baby” you sounded as sarcastic as you could be.

“Please, don’t be mac and cheese”

“It’s mac and cheese” you laughed.

“God… don’t make my boy…” you cut him out.

“Okay, I’ll see you tomorrow, hope you finish soon, say goodbye to your dad”

“Bye, daddy” Luca screamed.

“You two are killing me, bye”

Luca was such an easy weight, he was all over dinner and sleep. He was sleeping on your lap while you watched Friends, it was around 9 when the doorbell rang. You moved him softly and put a cushion on his head. His blonde straight hair spread all over.

And when you opened the door, there was another blonde.

“Hello” he gave you a half smile, the one that he could use in a photoshoot. The one he could have practiced for ages to make it as perfect and irresistible as it could be.

“Hey, Chris, Luca’s asleep.” You let him in. your door wasn’t small, that’s why you couldn’t understand how he dare to invade your personal space.

“I figured. Scott told me you had his spare key, do you mind if I go and open the door and then pick him up?”

“No, it’s fine. Wait” you left him in the living room. You were a nice person, and somehow, Chris just made you feel so small and so… boring? You didn’t like it. That was one of the reasons you tried to keep your distance. He looked so arrogant and so untouchable, you were just… done. You just didn’t need that.

You took the key from the cabinet and turned just to face a steel chest.

“I… hum, told you to wait?” you asked looking at him.

“Yeah, sorry. I guess I got distracted by your Christmas decorations. It’s really nice, huh.”

“Thanks. Here’s the key”

“Thanks, beautiful.” He had that look. The one that I can strip you here and make you mine, kind of look. You were so over it.

“Stop the act, Christopher” you demanded “it’s just the two of us, dude”

“I’m not acting, I think you’re beautiful”

“How? You don’t even…” you couldn’t reach the right word.

“What?”

“Have seen me.” you murmured and started walking towards the couch.

“I have, I’ve seen plenty of you. Your hair, it’s kind of red when on the sunlight. You have a birth mark on your hand and you trace it with your fingers when you’re thinking, and you are beautiful. You’ve got a beautiful face and a beautiful ass.” You stopped and turned to look at him. You could scream but there was an infant sleeping.

“WHAT?” you articulated but didn’t scream, didn’t know if you wanted to punch him or you just wanted to laugh. Or kick your own ass.

“I’ve seen you, that’s what I mean. Maybe I went too far” he scratched his head and smiled looking at the wood floor.

“How dare you? You were just doing fine, telling me those things and you screwed it up with the last part. No, no, how dare you to look at my butt?! That’s the real question. Your nephew it’s on the couch”

“Have done it before and won’t be the last time” he smiled as big as he could, he had beaten you up on this battle.

“I hate you” you murmured while he picked up Luca. Yeah, you hated how handsome he looked with a little boy on his strong arms.

_________

“I’m telling you, I was a jerk” Chris spoke as Scott cleaned the mess his son had left.

“You usually are when you’re with her, man. Why can’t you just be… you?” Chris took a long sip of his beer. The truth was he didn’t even know how to act in front of her. That… just came.

The first time he saw her, she had curled up watching Disney movies with Luca. He had come over to visit his family, Scott opened and when Chris when straight up to look for his nephew, he was just cuddled up with the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. He felt jealous of a 5 years-old. She was just... different. And so was he when they had an actual conversation.

He was a jerk. He was just… not him. He felt like he needed to impress her since she wasn’t the kind of woman he usually met. He didn’t know how to reach the level of a woman like that.

He would never forget her look when she woke up. Her hair was undone, her sleepy face made her look like an angel, and he couldn’t feel more attracted to the beautiful creature that was walking towards him.

“Hello” she spoke first.

“Hey, this is my brother Chris, did Luca wake up?”

“Nice to meet you, Chris” she reached his hand and smiled, the freckles and a dimple showed. Like if it was a sky at night, with its stars and moon. “Luca’s still asleep, I think I’ll go to my place to sleep too…”

“Need any company?” The words just came out of his mouth. There was an awkward silence between Chris, y/n and Scott.

“I’m fine, thanks” she spoke. “See ya, baby” she kissed Scott’s cheek and waved goodbye to Chris, there was no way she’d get closer to him. Not now, not ever.

________________

 Doorbell.

Saying hello.

A glass of wine.

And abort the mission.

You had thought about the plan for tonight’s dinner.

Except that it wasn’t going to work out at all. How did you know it? Well, you didn’t expect HE would opened the door, since he was another guest, right? But he did, he was in front of you, tall, dark and beautiful.

“You look…”

“Don’t say beautiful” you warned and he smiled. He knew he’d need to improve his game. Or at least, just try to be himself.

“I was going to say spectacular. May I help you with your coat?” you rose your eyebrow and nodded. “I’m sorry for what I said last night” he spoke, you crossed your arms and watched him move

“It’s okay, I don’t want things to be awkward” and that was the new plan, just let things go. Easy? Nope.

“I meant it, tho”

“Oh, my God” you walked away looking for that urgent glass of wine.

You chatted with the people that was around. but still, it was one of those days when even small talk made you feel like you needed something stronger than wine. Lucky for you, you knew where Scott kept the grown-ups boose.

You pour a Scotch and... That was it. Plan B.

_____________

“Should I be worried?” Scott asked Chris.

“Why?” he asked drinking his beer.

“She’s… tipsy, I’ve only seen her drunk twice”

“I’ll take care of her. When everything gets… fuzzy I’ll take her home”

“No way! She hates you” Scott remembered to Chris. The older brother looked at you across the room, you were smiling and talking. You laughed. He loved your laugh.

“And you are the host, you can’t leave. And I’ll be good, I promise. I won’t drink anymore so I’ll be wide awake”

“Okay” Scott accepted. “Take care of her, Chris. I’m telling you”

________________

You went to the kitchen and it was like Luca had left all his Legos, you walked dodging… anything. You were just tipsy.

Something fell. You knew something had fallen, you hit it with your elbow. You stopped and swirl looking for it. But you got dizzy, lucky for you, you weren’t alone.

“I got you, come on” someone grabbed your waist and make you sat on the counter.

“I’m fine, I just want to go home” you spoke. You were like a spoiled little girl, before the lecture when she’d misbehaved.

“Okay, let’s get your coat”

“Chris, I don’t need you. I can go on my own, I live across the hall” you pointed and he rose his eyebrows.

“I’ll just walk you and make sure you’re okay”

“You don’t have to do that. I’m fine, super-duper fine”

“Okay” if he had known something it was that he’d never should argue with someone drunk. “I’ll just help you with your purse”

“Yeah” you agreed.

He helped you to pick up your coat and as he had told you, he had your purse.

“I don’t get it” you spoke out of the blues.

“What?”

“You’re just so good and nice and then you’re a jerk with me. You come here and then play your stupid Hollywood act. I don’t like it, I don’t like you.” You stopped and pointed at his chest.

“What?”

“Yeah! You come here and it’s funny, like hilarious because Scott adores you and so does Luca and they tell me the most amazing things about you and then” you stopped and looked right through his eyes, you felt absolutely exposed but brave to throw the next words “and then you’re not the crush I thought I had” you smile and sigh.

Chris can barely breathe. His hands are sweaty, his mind has just blown. He’s an actor. He’s done plenty of movies were the adrenaline goes from 0 to 100 in a sec. but this, this is just so different.

“I said you were my… crush, until I met you and” you were about to cry, you lean your head back to hold the tears. “I’m definitely drunk”

“Y/n”

“Don’t say anything, I just want to go home, dude. Just let it go, it’s amazing just to say it, like, I feel free and… sad, and” you weren’t able to finish when you threw up on his top designer shoes.

After that. Everything was a blur.

___________

Fucking light.

Fucking sun.

Fucking hangover.

Fucking Chris.

You were on your bed, it was after noon and you were just opening your eyes. You buried yourself on the covers. You felt awful.

You had a note and a pharmacy bag on your night stand.

“Thank you for ruin Chris’s favorite shoes. S”

“What did I do?” you asked to yourself. You woke up, dud part of your usual routine and called Scott. He didn’t pick up.

After two hours of feeling sick, horrible and guilty as fuck, you decided to apologize to Chris and ask what had happened.

The moment you opened the door was like flashbacks.

You pressed the doorbell and Scott showed up.

“I’m sorry” you murmured covering your face.

“No, it’s okay, darling… but I think you should talk to Chris”

“Why? Did he tell you anything?” he nodded. “Tell me”

“No, it’s time you two talk”

“But I don’t want to” you made puppy face and he grabbed your waist. “I feel like I did something horrible. You used my key to get me sober somehow and I don’t even remember”

“Nothing bad happened, I promise, but you’ll feel better if you hear it from him” he closed the door behind you.

“Fine, where is him?” you asked.

“He’s on the living room”

Every step you took felt like you were about to jump on a cliff of hell. It felt like you were about to burn. You saw him playing with Luca, the little kid ran towards you and hugged your legs.

“Hey, love” you hugged him back. Unable to look at Chris.

“Come on, Luca, let’s leave them alone”

You sighed and tried to walk towards him but your feet were now drilled on the floor.

“so, I’m sorry, I don’t remember much, but I think I insulted you and called you names and I think I threw up and…”

“you only remember the bad parts, huh?” he stood in front of you, you looked at him. he looked different.

“You did call me names, you did threw up and you called me your crush”

“I did what?” you replied. Why? Why? Why?

“yeah, you told me a nice story, I was holding your hair while you threw up on the toilet.”

“What did I tell you” you walked away, to try to keep your distance, he respected that and started talking.

“You told me that the first time we met you almost met and then you froze by how asshole I was. And you were right I was a jerk, I guess I was trying to impress you but… I don’t know. And then you told me you even had imagined our first kiss. Can I ask you something?”

“Yeah”

“What if we had everything for that to happen? What if we start all over?” you turn around to see him under a mistletoe he was holding above his head.

“Chris…”

“You’ve been my forever crush, y/n. but now I’m madly, crazy, deeply in love with you”

You walked towards him and crossed your arms around his neck, he leaned to kiss you. He remembered it, the stupid kiss under the mistletoe.

His lips were sweet and delicate. That kiss was like a Hollywood kiss, just perfect. He compass of his lips on yours. You two slowly split.

“You still owe me a pair of shoes”

“Shut up” he leaned to kiss you again.

[wolfpawn]

I Hate You, I Love You, Chapter 115

Chapter Summary - Tom is at the Thor Ragnarok Premiere and Danielle is working, but they still get in a few minutes of talking.

Previous Chapter

Rating - Mature (some chapters contain smut)

Triggers - references to Tom Hiddleston’s work with the #MeToo Movement. That chapter will be tagged accordingly.

authors Note - I have been working on this for the last 3 years, it is currently 180+ chapters long.  This will be updated daily, so long as I can get time to do so, obviously.

All image rights belong to their owners

tags: @sweetkingdomstarlight-blog @jessibelle-nerdy-mum @nonsensicalobsessions @damalseer @hiddlesbitch1 @winterisakiller @fairlightswiftly @salempoe @wolfsmom1

If you wish to be tagged, please let me know.

‘Come on.’ Danielle walked into the trailer she was using for the shoot, Mac joining her. When he looked around the kitchenette, she gave a knowing look. ‘We will be back home soon, don’t worry.’ Mac groaned. ‘And soon, we will be getting your little buddy.’ His ears perked up. ‘You two are going to have our heads wrecked, I can tell already. You will have to be nice, you need to teach him how to behave, like a big brother.’ Mac snorted. ‘Good boy.’

*

‘Hey, how was the premiere?’ Danielle smiled as she answered the phone.

‘Good, we are having a good time.’

‘Is James liking it?’ She asked with a smile, since Tom had brought his father to LA with him for the Ragnarok premiere.

‘.....Yes.’

‘Oh dear, what was the hesitation about?’ Danielle asked curiously.

‘Well, I cannot say too much, after all, the movie is not on general release yet.’

‘The blanket silence is officially over through, you cannot give plot, but minor details should be okay.’ Danielle reminded him.

‘That is true, actually.’ Tom conceded. ‘Well, Dad is less than please with one of my lines in the movie.’

‘Oh really? It can’t be that bad, it’s not 18 rated.’

‘I may, in the movie, say the word anus.’

There was a moment of silence. ‘I’m sorry, what?’

‘I say the word anus.’ There was more silence. ‘Elle, are you trying not to laugh?’ A moment later, there was the sound of someone blowing raspberries before fits of laughter. ‘Yeah.’

‘Sorry,’ It was clear from her voice she was not particularly so. ‘I bet he loved that. Why does Loki talk about an anus?’

‘He was not too happy with me asking someone for safe passage through the anus.’

‘Well, I mean, that is all anyone would surely want...when going through the anus.’ She forced out as she tried to prevent herself from giggling. ‘He is from a working-class family in Scotland, they curse as part of a sentence.’

‘I know but somehow talking about anuses, anus...what is the plural of anus?’

‘I don’t know “Double First” you’d have to tell me.’ Danielle laughed.

Tom laughed with her. ‘How are you two doing?’

‘We are good. Mac and I had a walk there not too long ago, we are on set now, organising a few things.’

‘How is it having him with you?’

‘Fine, great actually, I am hoping to have him trained so our other little guy will be able to follow his Big Brother’s lead.’

‘Any idea on what to call the “little guy”?’

‘Not really, I am so bad at naming animals, honestly, this is something I worry about if I ever have kids, what will I call them.’

‘Well, we will not concern ourselves with such things right now.’ Tom stated. ‘As for our new arrival, we can talk more when I get back.’

‘What are the plans for getting back, how many are you doing?’

‘Only a few things over here.’

‘No London premiere?’

‘Nope.’

‘Why not?’

‘I am busy.’

‘Are you?’

‘Yes, we are getting the puppy this week and you and Mac will be coming back soon after. We are busy.’

‘Tom?’

‘I want my life back, my private life, but I need to warn you, Chris is adamant he is going to meet you when they stop over in London.’

‘I knew that would happen sooner or later, I am sort of nervous to meet him.’

‘Why?’ Tom frowned, hearing her genuine concern.

‘Because, like Ben, he is one of your closest friends, I want your close friends to like me.’

‘He will adore you.’ Tom swore. ‘They all know what you mean to me.’

‘I promise to be good.’ She joked.

‘Be you, I told everyone what you were like, even Dad was singing your praises.’

‘Oh, Jesus.’

‘Nothing too much, just that you were a better fit and it was about time.’

‘Sweet God, does he ever stop?’

‘I was told to tell you, and that that is what you get for not ceasing the whole “Dr Hiddleston” thing.’

‘Well now, that is is fighting talk.’ Danielle scoffed.

‘Oh dear.’ Tom laughed. ‘I am keeping out of this.’

‘Probably best.’ Danielle recommended.

‘I would have thought you would be getting indignant that I was not taking your side?’

‘What are you supposed to say against that, exactly. “Dad, how dare you say lovely things about my incredible girlfriend”?’

Tom laughed. ‘You are incredible.’

‘Damn right.’

‘I miss you.’

‘We miss you too.’

‘Why not come back a few days earlier, you are finished before then?’

‘Because you need to get the puppy his second set of vaccinations before he and Mac interact, otherwise Mac, who is vaccinated, can carry the diseases and pass them to puppy who is not immune and we end up forking out a fortune to a vet and could lose our little boy or at best, have him suffer horribly because of being irresponsible. Imagine him, weak and sick, hooked up to a drip, no, it is not worth it. When we said yes to this, we said yes to forced separation for a few days.’

‘That is fair enough, and it would not be right to put Mac in kennels for it.’

‘Well, that is a no on two fronts, one, it is just not fair and two, kennel cough vaccines, which you are getting for him, I left that note there for you, take longer to work, so again, if Mac came back with that, he again would suffer. Kennels mean added risks for a young puppy.’

‘If I stay in mum’s the night after getting him, can he come in contact with Poppy?’

‘Who is Poppy?’

‘Mum decided to name his sister Poppy.’

‘Yes, because they have been exposed to the same things together, they are fine.’

‘How do you remember all this?’

‘I worked reception for my dad a lot, I told you that already. Plus, you don’t really forget when he lost the rag with idiots causing their pups to suffer because they blatantly ignored his advice.’

‘I can well imagine.’

‘Yeah, so...I just want what’s best for our little boy.’

‘It’s weird.’

‘What is?’

‘Us talking like this, doing something so domestic and official, a living creature.’

‘Are you…. Do you not...?’ There was sadness and uncertainty in her tone.

‘No, Jesus, I want this, so much, I just…..I did not see this happening, not after last year, in fact, not in a few years leading up to this. I did not plan on finding you, us planning a life, us getting a pet and moving in and changing everything so drastically and I sometimes feel as though I got a huge whack to the head and I am going to wake up alone and I don’t want that. I love this, so much.’

‘You big romantic,’ Danielle smiled at the other end of the phone. ‘I love you, and I am incredibly glad that whatever happened to cause us to go into this occurred. I honestly did not see me with someone, I always felt too…..odd to be in a relationship, too focused on other things to do so and I am so glad you proved me wrong.’

Tom was about to say more when he realised that there was someone standing next to him, seeing it was his father and Luke, he smiled and nodded. ‘Thank you. Elle, I do not mean to cut off this very important conversation…’

‘Say hi to Luke and your dad for me.’

‘Do you have some sort of magic vision?’

‘I have Luke Radar.’ She laughed.

‘What?’ Tom looked at the phone before looking to Luke, who had heard what Danielle had said and looked somewhat perturbed.

‘Relax, your tone alters in his presence, so I can tell when he is nearby.’ She laughed.

‘I was getting worried for a second.’ Tom admitted.

‘I have people watching you, Hiddles.’ Danielle jested. ‘Though, I would imagine it is not hard to get a thousand pictures of you from eighty different angles right now because of the premiere.’

‘Only eighty?’

‘Well I mean, I am sure that there are people behind you on the carpet taking photos that are not supposed to be there too. Enjoy your evening and I will talk to you soon.’

‘Bye.’ Tom hung up the phone. ‘What is next?’

‘Post-premiere party.’ Luke informed him. ‘I see Danielle is up early?’

‘She has work today, so Mac is walked and they are on set. She sends her regards.’

‘Very good.’ Luke gave a small yet genuine smile. ‘She has you well figured out.’

‘She’s observant, you have to give her that.’ James acknowledged.

‘Yes.’ Tom smiled. ‘She says she’ll get you back for the “Dr Hiddleston” thing too, just a warning.’ His father chuckled. ‘You are incorrigible.’

‘I would have thought both of your parents having a bit of sport with her would be a good thing.’ James challenged.

‘It is, but I get worried.’

‘She is a nice girl, too nice for some fella like you.’

‘Goodness, thank you, Dad.’ Tom growled, he noted Luke looking down as he attempted to not be found to be laughing. ‘You are some friend.’

‘I am not going to apologise.’ Luke grinned. ‘Though it is true, you are very lucky both your parents adore Danielle so much, so many are not so lucky. Need I remind you of my family.’

Tom had to agree, Luke’s brother’s partner was met with open hostility by his parents until it became too much and the pair went their separate ways, much to their mutual heartache. ‘Yes.’

‘So, other than “Luke Radar” what is new with Danielle?’

‘Working hard and giving me my orders.’

‘For what?’

‘The puppy.’

Luke paused, ‘What puppy is this then?’

‘Danielle and I are getting a puppy.’

‘What about the other dog, the one you brought to my office?’

‘What about him, we will have two now.’

‘How are you going to juggle two dogs?’

‘Well, we juggle one as it is, adding a second is not overly hard, is it?’

‘An older one, no, but this is a puppy.’

‘They are not puppies for long, and with how Danielle trained Mac, we will have this little guy trained in no time too.’ Tom grinned.

‘You are getting very domestic.’ Luke noted.

‘Well, I am in my mid-thirties, surely that is a good thing.’

‘Because of course, you were so wild before.’ Luke rolled his eyes. ‘I really am unsure why I am even saying anything. Danielle is perfect as a partner for a client; not interested in publicity, works hard, intelligent and independent.’

‘Then why are you being like this?’ Tom asked.

‘Because as a friend, I am worried you love her and with time you could have a broken heart, and I don’t think you can brush this away like you did before, because I truly think you do love her wholeheartedly.’

‘Look, we had a rocky period, but we are doing really well and we are really happy. It won’t always be perfect, but we can work through it.’

‘This is the most mature I have ever seen you.’ Luke noted.

‘About time, right?’

‘You said it, not me.’ Luke laughed back. ‘Come on, we better get to this party.

[ghostsofmemories]

Ocean in the Woods - Update #2

So, if you missed the first update or want a quick refresher (because it’s been over 3 months... wow), here’s the first update, which has a link to the WIP intro if you want to check that out.

Progress has been very slow, but hopefully now that I’m not in such a rut with a million things to do, it’ll move a little bit faster (no promises, though).

So basically, chapters 2, 3, and 4 are complete and I’ve worked my way up to 10k. It’s a little disappointing considering my original goal was 20k by the end of June and we’re already a few days into July and I only got halfway there, but I already knew that goal wasn’t realistic.

Chapter 2 is called Side Affects of Burnout and is sort of a bonding chapter between Arthur and his younger brother, Aiden. I like this chapter well enough, but I think I put this too early in the story and didn’t do enough to drive home the fact that Aiden and Arthur have a strained relationship before having them bond. However, I’m not all that worried about fixing that because no one is ever going to read this book. I was considering putting it on Wattpad in the beginning, but I’m actually perfectly content with, uh, not doing that. 

With that said, here are some fun little excerpts from Side Affects of Burnout, featuring Lance’s intro to the plot (not very many of the excerpts are well-written, I kind of gave up on editing as I went a couple weeks ago and have some passes to do before I keep going):

I had Lance in my first period, and I knew he wouldn’t notice that something was off with me. Usually, he was pretty oblivious to the rest of the world (in a very well-intentioned way) unless someone told him something was going on. He was the odd one out in our group of friends: the only one who checked the typical boxes. Cis, straight, and white. The rest of us were oddballs in school, but Lance was the oddball in our hearts.

He was folding paper airplanes out of post-it notes when I walked into the classroom. His hair was sandy blonde, uncombed, and he was wearing cargo shorts with a Darth Vader t-shirt. I was almost positive he had seen a maximum of two Star Wars movies.

“Hey,” he said, “what’s up?”

“The usual,” I said. “Sky. Clouds. Trees.” I sat in my chair next to him. Mr. Nelson didn’t assign seats, but everyone always sat in the same place. We were drawn to routine.

“That’s good,” he said, nodding, “if the sky is still up, then the world’s doing alright.”

I started out the story with Lance being somewhat of a comic relief, but I think I’m already beginning to feel some tension building up in regards to everyone labeling him as oblivious and stupid. He’s really sweet and I think he notices a lot, but just doesn’t say much about it. Here’s another section where everyone quips at Lance for being a himbo:

“Afternoon, lady and gent,” he said, sitting across from Maya and nodding at each of us respectively.

“It’s actually 11:30am,” Maya said, stealing another fry from my plate. “Labels and time in general are useless if you refuse to use them correctly.”

“Smartass,” Lance said through a bite of his sandwich. “I was just trying to be nice.”

“And I was just trying to spare you the humiliation of realizing you were wrong on your own,” she said. She started bouncing her leg after she was done stealing my fries, not knowing how to do nothing.

“He wouldn’t’ve realized on his own, Maya,” Ollie said, setting their tray down across the table from mine. “He doesn’t wear a watch or check the time.”

Vanessa, as usual, wasn’t far behind. “Lance, can you even read the time?” She was joking, of course. We always joked with Lance that way.

“Of course I can,” he said, sitting up straighter, “I just choose not to.”

And now, some of the Big Sad with Aiden and Arthur:

But the silence wasn’t horrible. I didn’t ask him to give back the water bottle I’d handed him, and I didn’t ask him why he’d been crying, and I didn’t ask him how he was tired enough to fall asleep sitting up (I also didn’t ask him to move when his head ended up on my shoulder). I wanted to be a good brother. I didn’t always need to know the details.

I love them so much and I’m kind of desperate to explore their relationship more, but so far all this book is teaching me is that I do not know how to manage all these subplots alongside the major plot of killing a monster. I’m pretty sure this’ll be the last fantasy book I ever write. Here’s a snippet of a one-sided conversation while the boys are waiting for water to boil so they can make mac n cheese.

“Hey, you can talk to me,” I said, trying to be gentle and quiet without letting my voice get pitchy. He didn’t look up, but he nodded again, his face lost in his sweater sleeves.

It was different, seeing him like this. I was so used to the Aiden that was always either smiling or sarcastic. I probably hadn’t seen him sad since he was a little kid, scraping his knees on the driveway and losing the watch he got for Christmas. He would breathe fast and panicky back then, when something went wrong. Now his breathing was slow and controlled, albeit shaky.

So yeah. At the end of this chapter, Aiden sees a girl out the window (who is Ocean, but he doesn’t know it yet) and he goes to talk to her and bring her water, and we move on to Chapter 3: River Runner. In which Ocean basically guilt trips Arthur into helping her fight the monster she brought there.

“I wasn’t mad about you not understanding my problems,” she said, standing up to follow me. I ignored her and kept walking. “I was mad at you for just sitting there and not knowing what to do besides ask stupid questions. I’m mad because you know there’s something wrong and you don’t care.”

“Why should I care?” I asked, walking faster. She would follow me all the way back to my house if she wanted to. “I don’t even know what’s going on. I don’t know you and I don’t care, so handle this on your own.”

“I don’t know how to do it on my own!” she shouted, cutting around a tree and walking beside me. “I don’t exactly dedicate my life to putting myself in danger and fighting evil creatures and saving the world.”

“So why do you expect me to do it at a ten minute’s notice?”

“You’re impossible.”

“All of this,” I said between my teeth, stopping in my tracks and closing my eyes, “is impossible. You—I was never supposed to meet you. This wasn’t supposed to happen to me.”

“Well it did. And there’s no taking it back now,” she said, stepping toward me. I opened my eyes, then. She was right about my height, maybe a little bit taller than me. “There is no supposed to. There’s only did and didn’t, do and don’t. And you have to decide which one you’re going with, because there is a right answer. And if you choose the wrong one, I’ll find someone else. You’ll be the boy who did nothing.”

I didn’t like how she could twist words and use them to make me do things. I didn’t want to help, but I didn’t want to do nothing.

“Fine, then.”

Pretty much all of River Runner is these two idiots yelling at each other, minus the part where Ocean is trying to open a portal. I won’t be putting an excerpt of that because it’s still extremely messy and that scene needs to be rewritten.

I only just started Chapter 5: Her and the Sun, but I’m liking it so far. There’s a lot of Maya in this chapter, including another mini description of her. Maya might be my favorite character in the book, honestly. I’ll leave it to Arthur to explain why.

She was crazy in the best way a person can be, I think. Where my mom would call me a little over the place, Maya would be in a thousand places at once. She was everything and everywhere and she could be everyone, too, if she could be.

For almost as long as I could remember, Maya and I were partners in crime. She led us into dozens of disasters and got us out of each one, too. Like when she helped me shave my head after I told her I was trans (but before I told anyone else) and told my parents there was a huge wad of gum in my hair.

“Trust me,” she told my dad, fourteen with huge eyes and hair that could compete in size with anyone else’s in the neighborhood, “my sister tried to fix it and this is a huge improvement.”

Maya’s sister is a hairdresser, at the time, but she had no idea what we were up to. Maya was just so convincing that no one bothered to check in with anyone else.

So, that’s pretty much it. Not my greatest writing, but at this point any words are good words, you know?

Click here to buy cool stuff my friend and I designed, where 100% of the profits go to the Black Lives Matter organization!

Click here to read my most recent poem

Taglist (send an ask/message if you’d like to be added): @brooklyn-etc @coffeeandcalligraphy @my-lifes-one-big-critical-fail @kozyisa-tries-to-write​

[ladyhistorypod]

Bonus Episode: Cut Content

Attributions: Police Scanner Clips

Click below for a transcript of this episode!

Alana: When we first started this podcast my parents had the feedback that maybe there was too much banter. And now they're not allowed to call me on Shabbat. I went back to dating apps recently, fifty percent because I got those quarantine lonelies and fifty percent to plug the podcast. I'm dead serious if you find my like Bumble profile, I do have the Lady History account hooked up to it to plug the podcast. And some dude from Hinge listened to the first episode and was like this really seemed to drag on but you sound like you're having a good time. And I was like I think that's the first time I've ever been negged, never been negged before I think that's what negging is? But so I said to him, I said you have misread the situation and I only take praise. And then I unmatched with him. So anyway we did take that to heart, mom, dad we were listening and we cut out a lot of banter. And all of it was good especially from episode nine there is probably gonna be a lot from episode nine because all that banter was good. Lexi: And we love animals and that was we just kept going. Alana: We love animals. But here it is. All of the banter that my parents made me cut. Lexi: Dear listeners if you hear little cracks, little swallows, little tap tapping noises. It's because, it's almost Christmas and let Lexi the editor is tired and she's decided that because the bonus episode doesn't really matter. So if you like me have misophonia I apologize but now you k:now what it feels like every day when I edit Haley We be humans not robots. Alana: We be humans not robots. Lexi: I wish there was like an AI podcast editor. [INTRO MUSIC] Alana: So my latest project in the Sims, aside from trying to get to, I think my total is thirteen hundred and sixty hours. For like the police training thing. So far I'm at eight seventy two. Which I have passed Pennsylvania which is eight fifty nine. And I think next is there are two that are eight eighty and I think one of them is Rhode Island. Hawaii is zero hours by the way. Lexi: Wait what. Alana: Zero police training hours. Lexi: You just sign up and you- *frustration sound* We’lll pull that apart another time. Alana *laugh* Yeah.  But. So I'm recreating the restaurants from the area where I grew up because that's like the only thing I miss about Santa Clarita is my restaurants. So I recently I recreated my favorite. My favorite Mexican food place it's in the gallery if you want it it's called Sim Cuco because the name of the actual restaurant is Don Cuco and so I changed it. I also made Eggs-n-Things is my favorite breakfast place and I called that I think I called that Eggs and Sims and then I made In-n-Out and called it Sim-n-Out. Lexi: That is amazing. Police Radio Sound Effect, Male voice: No one wants to go to jail for things. Haley: That makes sense. That makes absolute sense. Lexi’s Brother: Ah precious baby! Lexi: Dude, dude. Alana: Dude. Lexi: Dude. Dude. Could you close the door? Lexi’s Brother: Yeah but look at him. Lexi: I know. Lexi’s Brother: Wait I have- Lexi: Oh, okay everyone come in and hug the dog in my room. Haley: I heard precious dong and I got real scared with your library background. Lexi: No Every it's. It's ten o'clock which is bed time here and so everyone comes in to tell the dog they love him in my room. Haley: That’s acceptable. I'm obsessed with my cat right now and then making him a very nice blanket like look at this! And I just found out I had been allowing him to sit on this Michael’s box. Lexi: This is why he stays in my room, Dad. Because I don't mess with them I let him have a space; he's a Big Boy. Sorry. Haley: My cat peed on my Michael's box and pee was on yarn and I'm like well ya fucker, you just peed on my yarn. Lexi: You can wash yarn though. Haley: I guess. Lexi: Bundle it and put it in the washing machine. Haley: I hope it’s not the box of yearn ya can't wash. But like it got cat pee on it and it's supposed to be his second blanket like his really big blanket that I was gonna like fold up into like a cat bed is this is just gonna be like a little - Lexi: Well then you know what it’s perfect that he peed on it. Alana: He peed on his own yarn. Haley: I know that's what my dad was like just like making him fucking deal with it but I was like but I don't want to have knit with it. Alana: Yeah. Lexi: Wash it. Wash it on a cold gentle cycle. Haley: And I think of what you were saying like let's see the compostable dog toys like that's not something you can go down to your like ShopRite and be like that’s what I need. Lexi: Well I need corn based PLA and a 3D printer which both things I could not purchase down the street. Haley: Maybe the Whole Foods would have that. Lexi: Corn-based PLA? PLA is the material that feeds into a 3D printer to print stuff out. I don't think Whole Foods carries that. Alana: They should. Haley: I now say whole foods doesn't have it it's just it doesn't exist. Speaker 1: Because there’s a Whole Foods next to my parents that's just massive and my mom her response to everything was like go to whole foods and I’m like there's so much more than Whole Foods. There's a Trader Joe's, a Stu Leonard's, an Acme, Stop and Shop. Just now that I have more than like one grocery store at my disposal is- Alana: You have a Trader Joe's. Haley: Oh yeah, Trader Joe's is the best. Lexi: I love Trader Joe’s. Talk about a good business. Alana: Talk about a good business. Lexi:+Did you guys ever use lime wire? I know we were very young when I was a thing. Haley & Alana: Yeah. Haley: Ya, no I’ve use it. Lexi: But when I found out what that was... Alana: Well I was actively not allowed to do it because I could just be like, “Hello” I mean I'm very privileged. “Hello I need an iTunes gift card to buy songs” and my parents would be like “okay”. Lexi: I used it and when I found out it existed. I really went all in. I had the original iPod Shuffle the white brick. That my dad got at an events for work at the Trump golf course in New Jersey. He's not a Trump supporter this was in what 2006 and it was. Alana: Before Trump was a Trump supporter. Lexi: Yes I believe at the time Trump was a Democrat but he wasn't there because of that but his company rented out the golf course for an event and they all got gift bag that said like Trump hotel so my mom had to rip that part of the bag off when we we re-used after that. But I got this- one of the party favors was a white brick iPod. This is all relevant trust me. So... Alana: It’s also like the peak of technology in 2006. Lexi: Yes and I loved it. You couldn’t pick what song you just went with it. So I downloaded, we were going to the beach and my mom said okay you can take it as long as you don't let it get sandy so the night before I went on my morning downloaded like all this stuff and I didn't really check it I just threw it on the iPod. So I'm sitting in the car going to the beach. I'm listening to my iPod shuffle, my white brick with a USB stick and this thing comes on like and I’m like I don’t remember I downloading this? It’s Bill Clinton saying I did not have relations with that woman. And I was like what the hell is this. Didn't cross my mind until I was like a teenager and I kind of became more of the internet and I realized that back in the day on like limewire and other platforms like that people would as a prank put that quote instead of songs and I was like oh my god that's what happened to me when I was ten, eleven whatever that was and that was the first Bill Clinton moment I ever had in my life. My favorite thing to dislike about Bill Clinton is that he decided it was okay to go play saxophone. That made me uncomfortable but it is one of my favorite things to love to hate to love to be a uncomfy about. So yeah that's my Bill Clinton story. Bill Clinton: But I want to say one thing to the American people. I want you to listen to me I'm gonna say this again. I did not have sexual relations with that woman. Miss Lewinski. I never told anybody to lie not a single time. Never.

Haley: Ah okay so there's this thing you can look it up it's Susan Lawrence in Chappaqua, New York so overpriced d for excellent food and it kind of is like a boujie Jewish deli because like you just walk up to the counter be like I want half a pound of kale salad and they just give you the kale salad but then there's like food all around you like black and white cookies which is also something you'll see in New York Jewish deli. And it's just fabulous their mac and cheese cups A+. In the summer with their iced teas because they put half ice when the ice tea and on top they put like lemon sorbet it is beautiful and I've always wanted something like that so I can... Alana: It’s like an Arnold Palmer float. Haley: Yes. Alana and Lexi: I want that. Haley: So so so good. Alana: I'm gonna try that. Haley: Such a cute little seating area and like their part like so they have like the actual food you can eat but then like amazing pastries and cakes so in my head… Alana: Um Haley: What. Alana: You can still eat pastries and cakes. I just want to point that out. The actual food that you could eat. You said that they have actual food that you can eat and also pastries and cakes. You can also eat pastries cakes. Haley: I can't because all the pastries and cakes have eggs, so in my head that's not real food. Lexi: Haley was thinking everyone in the world can't have eggs. You just look at cakes. Haley: That’s how like I describe restaurants to people. That's like not food that all has eggs. Alana: It’s poison. Haley: Food a lot of it has eggs or cross contamination and in my head like Greek restaurants are just not viable for me.

Haley: Can we have like an episode. . . I know this isn't lady but completely can we have like an episode about how like most of the founding farmer, founding not founding farmers, founding fathers Lexi: Just little DC tings.. Haley: Yeah. Were queer. Because boy howdy I have been watching so many youtube videos on that. Alana: I’m in. . . this is totally off topic and it's fine and I'm sorry that Lexi will have to go through all this when editing. Lexi: I don't care. Alana Whatever, cut content. There was a tumblr post awhile ago. That someone was like UWU Alexander Hamilton my bisexual baby with anxiety and then someone repblogged it and was like actually he own people and now he's dead. And I so firmly belong to both of those camps. I am so like yeah he own people and now he's dead. Fuck that dude. I hate him. I hate that dude. But also it's really important to like see queer people throughout history because like it's not- it's not a new identity and I think that's important so I'm all I'm like very much yes he was queer also he sucks. Lexi: This this is like more shit for me to cut but I just have feelings. The thing that irks me is when people equate the character with the history. Separate them. Okay? The character can be UWU your baby because it's not a real person and we don't give a fuck. The real person was a complicated person with lots of different feelings, emotions, and realities. Alana: It's almost like people are complicated. Lexi: It’s important to acknowledge that there were queer people in the past. And that telling your bro how great he smells was probably a sexual thing. Alana: Gay. Lexi: It's probs gay. And, also bad people can be gay too. Haley: Thank you! Alana: Okay so this is something that I was complaining- this is like years and years ago -but I was complaining to my dad about how I think Apple is an evil corporation and he was like but their CEO is gay and I was like yeah dad it's 2018. Queer people can be anything. Lexi: Wait. If you don’t think queer people can be bad like every Disney villan doesn’t make sense. Because so many of them were queer. Alana: So I mentioned that in the witch episode briefly. I have a lot of feelings about this because almost every Disney villain is either Jewish coded or queer coded and it's no bueno. We don't like that. It's not okay.  I'm trying to think of one who isn't. Haley: Scar. Alana: Queer coded. Haley: Yeah. Alana: I guess Hans? He's pretty heterosexual. Haley: Hans was pretty heterosexual. Haley:  Captain Hook was not like as a small child I was like Captain Hook is gay. Lexi: You don’t think Hans has bi vibes? Alana: I guess. Haley: I think. . . Alana: But... Lexi: Everyone has bi vibes to me. I can’t comprehend the straight. Alana: Everyone has bi vibes to you.That's true. Lexi: Literally when you said that thing like all the founding fathers were queer, like isn't everyone a little queer. Haley: Everyone’s a little queer, not gonna lie. Alana If Bonobo chimps are anything to be . . . anything like humans. Haley: I feel like Hans is like 3% in him. Alana: Yeah. Haley: It’s not much. Alana: But like so. I think he's the only one, They're moving away from it in there. . . Lexi: Oh my god I know what it is. Okay Hans is like Winston Churchill where like he hooked up with a guy one time and had a fling with them but like it was just one time in his life. Alana: It’s just a one time thing. Lexi: Just this one time. Alana: He was experimenting. But like he's not queer coded. I think there was not really, there wasn't really a villain in Frozen II was there? Haley: No it was like the universe was like the villian like. . . Lexi: Yeah it was like the world. Alana: Queer coded! Jew coded! Lexi: Okay, okay. Go on to your story. Alana: Ok.

Daveed Diggs: Uh, who provided those funds? Haley: Uh, France?

Haley: Lilac, chartreuse. Oh no not chartreuse is that bright one… Magenta… Alana: Wait wait wait. What color is chartreuse? To you? Haley: It’s green. Alana:  Chartreuse it.. So apparently that's one of those like Mandela Effect things that some people think it's a green and some people think it's pink. Lexi: It’s pink because Chartreuse was Blue’s neighbor and possible lesbian lover. Haley: No that’s Magenta. Alana: No that’s Magenta. Lexi: Oh my god is that a Mandela Effect? Haley: No, no. Alana: No. That's just you being a dumbass. Haley: I always, okay so here's the thing I always thought chartreuse is green and then that Mandela Effect was explained to me so now I always get it mixed up but I think like the best like colors for kitchen are like muted neutrals so it looks like the woods is coming into your baking zone. Lexi: Nah, teal. Ocean kitchen, ocean kitchen! Alana: You guys should see my Sims kitchens. I just made a beautiful little like all black and white... Shout out to the jungle adventure pack. Lexi: The jungle adventure pack is so good. Alana: I also really wanted to doo like a little dining nook but freaking sims don't know how to slide across the booth apparently so it didn't work. But.

Erika: So what I'm currently watching which I watched before is New Girl. I watch it when I have anxiety. Haley: Yeah Erika: So I started again. And then when I'm just like vibing or whatever and watching something that I haven't seen six hundred times I started watching Schitt's Creek. Haley: I’m watching Schitt’s Creek! Lexi: So good. Erika: It’s like.. Like dry funny. And it like almost lands and then it doesn’t. Alana: It’s like. . . Erika: It like pulls back. Alana: It's like Arrested Development but if the characters like had growth. Erika: Yeah Lexi: Yes and I love both series equally. Alana: Ew, David. Lexi: Alexis Erika: I don't get the hotel manager person. Alana: Stevie. I love Stevie. Lexi: I love Stevie. Her character arc is so good. Alana: Imagine the two queer people on the podcast being like I love Stevie.Stevie’s not queer but like she has lesbian vibes. Haley: I tried- Lexi: That’s her whole stick she is straight butch. Alana: Reminds me of someone else I know. Haley: Wow, got called out there. Well the thing that was said is true but the words still hurt. Lexi: You can find this podcast on Twitter and Instagram at LadyHistoryPod. Our show notes and a transcript of this episode will be on ladyhistorypod dot tumblr dot com. If you like the show, leave us a review, or tell your friends, and if you don't like the show, keep it to yourself. Alana: Our logo is by Alexia Ibarra you can find her on Twitter and Instagram at LexiBDraws. Our theme music is by me, GarageBand, and Amelia Earhart. Lexi is doing the editing. You will not see us, and we will not see you, but you will hear us, next time, on Lady History. Haley: Next week on Lady History, we're having a blast from the past and going back to our undergraduate degree to talk about some goddesses be there or be square.