#oh and elizabeth sorry to cut ten and nine off like that

[concussed-to-pieces]

The Mettle Of A Man; Part Sixteen

Fandom: Fallout (4)

Pairing: Eventual Paladin Danse/Female Sole Survivor

Rating: Holy shit M.

AN: A very special shoutout to @anonymouscosmos for all of their encouragement and support! You are a god among insects. I’d also like to thank the discord chat for enduring my nonsense, as ever. Enjoy!

Part One: ArcJet

Part Two: The Prydwen

Part Three: Orders

Part Four: Finding Brandis

Part Five: Weston Water And Oberland

Part Six: Meeting Preston And Matthew

Part Seven: Radstag And Radstorm

Part Eight: The Return To Sanctuary Hills

Part Nine: Domestic Ruminations

Part Ten: Institutionalized

Part Eleven: Two Weeks, Three Days

Part Twelve: Haylen’s Warning And The Glowing Sea

Part Thirteen: Under Fire

Part Fourteen: Dichotomy

Part Fifteen: The Litany Trial

[!TRIGGER WARNING!: This installment contains graphic depictions of gore and detailed descriptions of previous abuse. Stay safe!]

Her head had been blown open, or at least it felt that way. The explosion was so close to her face that her helmet had just peeled off like it was made out of shrapnel-laden papier-mâché.

  Sergeant Shaun 'Lucky' Cathan was flat on his back hardly a foot away from her, pinned under the weight of the debris that was slowly crushing his armor. 

  She couldn't move. Her arms and legs wouldn't respond. That blow to the head had been nearly fatal. She was trapped on her stomach, inches from him.

  "Backhand-" Cathan choked, his voice wet. His gauntlet fumbled for her own, large metal fingers gripping her hand. "End of the line for me, eh Handy?"

  She gurgled something, trying to talk. One eye still worked. Barely. It felt like it was full of glass every time she forced herself to blink. It was too dark to see much anyway, even if she squinted. Her head throbbed with the beat of her heart. 

  "Save--your strength, Vega." Cathan instructed. 

  She wasn't sure what strength he was even talking about. Her armor felt like it had collapsed down on her spine. "Sir-" Vega managed to say. "S'been an honor-"

  "Don't give me that-- shit , Vega." Cathan chuckled. "I was just another dog of war. You'll get out of this. Go back to that man of yours, have a few kids, live your life." He coughed, wheezing, "my time is up, Handy."

  "No, no I'm-" Backhand tried to pull him closer, tried to get upright. Pain jolted down her back and legs and she halted, trembling. "I c-can't leave you here, Sarge." She groaned, knowing deep down that it was futile but refusing to give up .

  Cathan's grip tightened briefly. "It's alright, Handy." Her CO murmured. "It's alright. Make sure Tabitha has me buried on American soil. Or chuck my ashes in the harbor, yeah? Piss off all those Cambridge fucks." He chuckled.

  Backhand nodded as best as she could, the tears stinging painfully against the flayed skin of her face. "I will. Promise."

  The rubble overhead creaked and groaned, dust falling down on top of them. "Won't be long now." Cathan mused faintly, "Not long at all…"

  …

  Danse struggled to sit up and roll Vega onto her back. His own injuries faded to the background of his mind as she laid unresponsive, blood slowly pooling in the dirt beneath her left side. Her mouth opened and closed in a spasm; her eyes had rolled back in her skull and her fingers twitched erratically. 

  Have to hold pressure. Stop the bleeding. Danse numbly pressed his shaking hands down on her side just below her ribs, his body suddenly awash in a cold sweat as he realized just how much blood she was losing. He could almost hear Haylen rambling about the arteries, internal bleeding, penetrating damage, Worwick and Brach and Dawes and Keane and Danse felt like he was going to be sick. 

  "H... Haylen! " He yelled desperately. It was the only thing he could think to do.

  Then, against all odds, startling the everliving daylights out of him, Vega sat up . " Oh , you fuckin' asshole! " She hollered at Maxson around Danse's body while the paladin scrambled to attempt to stem the flow of fresh blood that her motion sent spurting out. "You really fuckin' shot me?! You're the worst kind of dick! " 

  Danse was flabbergasted. Her state was clearly compromised, how was she even conscious-

  "Fuck!" Vega growled in pain, dropping her forehead to rest on Danse's chest. "Oh fuck, fuck fuck you, you told me Danse was fuckin' dead, you liar! You expect me to just stand by and let you kill him in front of me?!" She continued to rant at Maxson, her voice muffled somewhat by Danse's shirt. "You dumb fuckin' prick, you stupid fuckin' dipshit motherfuck son of a cockass! This ain't exactly my first time gettin' fuckin' shot, you fuckin' fuck!"

  Danse realized that Arthur hadn't said a damn thing, possibly just as bewildered and awestruck by Elizabeth's impressive grasp of blue-streaked vernacular as he himself was.

  "Paladin Brandis, if I may…?" Haylen's voice was almost inaudible over Backhand's continued snarling. Danse jerked his attention away from Elizabeth, trying to blink the sweat out of his eyes in order to determine the field scribe's location.

  "Scribe, get the hell back behind the line!" Maxson barked. 

  Heavy footfalls heralded the arrival of Rhys and Haylen, the knight using his power armor like a shield to protect the scribe as if they were out in the field. Haylen was suddenly there , on her knees in the gravel next to Danse and Elizabeth. The paladin's eyes were now blinded with tears of gratitude and he huffed out a breath. "Danse, I'll get to you in a second." Haylen said softly, patting his hand. "Let me have her, okay?"

  "Haylen, I…" the large man didn't know what to say, his words failing him. He clutched pitifully at the scribe's hands, sure that he was gripping too tight.

  "I've got her, Danse. It's okay." Scribe Haylen soothed.

  "Yeah Danse, s'okay." Backhand said blearily, "s'Haylen, she's great. We love Haylen." Her head lolled back like it was too heavy for her to hold up. "Haylen made sure I got to eat and stuff."

  " What? " Danse rasped. 

  "The tactics Elder Maxson used during her incarceration…" Haylen trailed off, grimacing and then continuing in an undertone, "I made sure Rhys smuggled in something for her when he brought Brandis' meals."

  "Vega, Jesus Christ, I'm so sorry." Danse apologized needlessly, resting his forehead against Elizabeth's as he supported her neck. "I didn't think anything would happen to you. I...I didn't think in general, I guess." He admitted.

  Vega smiled . "Hey, I'd say whatever shit I went through was a pretty decent tradeoff for finding out that you didn't bite it after all." She slurred. "Missed you."

  " Christ , Vega." Danse muttered in dismay, fighting to untie her hands. Haylen took over after a moment, the scribe's fingers infinitely more steady than his own.

  "I need a Stim and a bloodpack!" Haylen announced after examining Vega's abdomen, looking up worriedly. 

  Not a soul moved. The only sound was the noise of Maxson wriggling in the grip of the armored knight who finally had him secured. "Listen to the scribe!" Brandis shouted to the mute crowd. "You have a sister bleeding in front of you and you would be still and silent? Where are the brave, compassionate soldiers I once knew? Knights! Scribes! Are you not Brotherhood?"

  Two aspirants finally elbowed their way through the throng, making a wide berth around Maxson. One of them bore a large canvas bag. "Good, good work. Drop it here." Haylen instructed, unrolling her field kit. "Can I get a scribe with steady hands and another knight for the opposite side?" She called. 

  A knight thundered past Maxson, the man throwing Danse of all people a haphazard salute before he took up his post at the other end of the group. Maxson practically seethed with rage. "Knight, how dare you salute that--that thing! "

  "That thing is still Paladin Danse of the Brotherhood of Steel, Maxson." Brandis growled. "He won the trial fair and square."

  "I will not allow it to live!" Maxson shrieked hysterically, struggling against the iron hold of the knight bear-hugging him. "I don't care how many of you I have to take down, Danse dies today! "

  "Maxson!" Brandis chided. "Do you even hear yourself? You sound insane! Think about what you're saying before you do something you'll regret!"

  "Not before he dies! "

  "Which would you rather be known as, Maxson? The abuser or the synth fucker?" Maxson froze at the sound of Danse's voice. The burly paladin shot the elder a bloodied sneer, his head tilted to the side at an almost arrogant angle. "After all, you got fucked by a synth." What the hell was he saying? Danse felt unhinged , words flippant, his tired limbs barely cooperating as he forced himself up on his knees and then to his feet. "You let a synth fuck you, Arthur." 

  " Abomination -"

  "You ordered a synth to fuck you." Danse reminded him, voice grating as his words came faster. "Demanded it to fuck you. Abused it. Threatened it with a certain death mission if it didn't. Then gave it that mission anyway." Danse rubbed at some crusted blood beneath his blackened right eye, grimacing. "Does it make it better if you didn't know I was a synth? Because then , you have to justify the reality that you molested a soldier in a compromised emotional state utilizing your privileged position of authority. Can you accept that , Maxson?"

  "You...Maxson, is this true?" Brandis asked incredulously.

  "That thing is clearly lying!" Maxson scoffed, looking around at the spellbound crowd like he expected everyone to agree with him. "Dammit, I am the elder -"

  "Did you hope that I would die out here, Arthur? Or did you assume that I would come crawling back to the Capital Wasteland after my inevitable failure in the Commonwealth?" Danse cut him off bitterly. "Did you think I would be easier to break once I had lost everything , Maxson?"

  "He always fights with Danse!" A tiny squire chimed in. Danse hadn't realised that Maxson had Ingram summon the damn children to watch their trial. "We heard them fight!"

  "Silence, brat! " Maxson screamed, his face purpling with fury. "I am the elder of this chapter, last of the Maxson line, and I will be given the respect I deserve! "

  "Cade's records can verify my story!" Danse shouted hoarsely for everyone to hear, his shoulders heaving with emotion. "Every time we engaged, I did not escape unscathed. Nearly every injury was documented. The dates will align with high-stress situations, and I'll stake my life on there being a long stretch of shit mood during the absence of your preferred punching bag, Elder! "

  " Liar! "

  "Abuser!" Danse yelled in reply, "murderer! You killed Cutler, through your biased orders! You killed Knight Astlin, Scribe Farris, Knight Varham! You killed my brothers and sisters!" Danse's fists clenched tight enough to ache. "And for what, Arthur? For a synth? Or for a man that had no interest in you? Either way, I refuse to accept their blood on my hands, Maxson!"

  " You killed them and you know it!" Maxson shrieked, kicking his legs desperately. "All you had to do was obey me, Danse! Was your pride worth their lives?"

  "There was once a time in my life where I would have done damn near anything you asked of me." His anger petering out, all Danse felt now was weary and bruised. "I loved the Brotherhood, Maxson. I still do. But the path we have taken under your leadership is heinous."

  "Don't you dare to lecture me about devotion, you mechanical mockery! " Maxson retorted.

  "This body may be synthetic, but my heart and mind…" Danse paused, saluting once more. " Those belong to the Brotherhood, Maxson. To my brothers and sisters in arms. Nothing can change that. Not even the knowledge of my true identity."

  "That's what you think!" Arthur flailed in the knight's grip, trying in vain to escape. No doubt so he could pitch himself at the paladin one final time.

  "Elder Maxson, through your words and through your deeds, I deem you unfit to lead our chapter of the Brotherhood of Steel at this point in time." Brandis announced abruptly. "As the senior ranking officer, I, Paladin Brandis, will function as the interim elder until we receive proper instructions from our superiors." He removed his helmet, staring down at Arthur sternly. 

  The young man was quite the pitiful sight, bedraggled from trying to beat Danse within an inch of his life as well as from his struggling afterwards. He still looked mad enough to kill, those blue eyes almost crackling with pent-up fury. "You planned this, didn't you?!" His paranoia on full display, Maxson made no attempt to maintain any sort of composure. "Just how many synths have infiltrated our chapter? Well Brandis?! "

  "Arthur, that's enough ." The senior paladin said in reply, his tone measured. "Don't make an even bigger fool of yourself. Bow out while you still have some dignity." He sighed. "Perhaps the stress of this campaign has been too heavy of a burden to bear for you. I sympathize, but I cannot permit you to carry on in this manner, Maxson." Brandis raised his eyes, scanning the crowd. "Cade! Knight-Captain Cade, please see to Maxson. He is obviously unwell."

  …

  Vega flickered in and out of consciousness. The weeks of abuse culminating in this final (though inadvertent) attempt to end her seemed to have nearly been successful. She only barely remembered Haylen treating her wound, mumbling out an apology to the younger woman for leaning so much weight on her. She caught snippets of Danse and Maxson shouting at each other, bits of the trauma that Danse had endured coming tumbling out and making Vega wish that she wasn't half-dead so she could at least flip Maxson off.

  " Rest , Vega ." Haylen had ordered. " You need rest ."

  And really, who was Backhand to refuse? 

  When next she opened her eyes, she was greeted by a canvas ceiling overhead. Vega squinted a little at the brightness of it. How long have I been out for?

  "Welcome back, General." That familiar voice snapped her out of her staring contest with the tent above her and she rolled her head to the side, unable to help her smile at the sight of Danse. Still a little bruised and banged-up, but alive . 

  Tears streaked down her cheeks and Backhand wished that she could have stopped them, sniffling loudly and covering her face.

  "General Vega, there's no need for that." The paladin chided her softly. Something bumped against her knuckles and she realized after a second that Danse was attempting to give her glasses back. 

  Vega accepted the glasses mutely, grabbed Danse's hand and used his arm as leverage to pull herself up off the cot. 

  "Wait, Elizabeth you-" The paladin began to protest, rising to his feet to stop her. Her legs nearly gave out but Danse managed to steady her, one large hand splayed on the small of her back. "You shouldn't be upright yet, Vega." He scolded.

  I missed you. I thought you were dead. The words tangled up in her mouth and instead Backhand mumbled, "I thought I missed you." Danse's brows furrowed in confusion and she hurried to correct herself, "I mean--I...I thought you were dead!"

  "I needed some time to regroup. Straighten my head out. Heal." The paladin explained quietly. "The O'Brians nursed me back to health."

  "What happened , though?"

  "What happened to you , Vega?" Danse asked instead, gripping her elbows carefully to keep her upright. 

  Backhand shrugged weakly. "Maxson thought I knew you were a synth."

  " I didn't even know I was a synth." Danse huffed, thick eyebrows raising once again. "How on earth would you have known?"

  "Maybe he was going on a witch hunt, trying to get me to confess even though I wasn't guilty of anything." She closed her eyes as she mumbled, "I missed you."

  "I thought of you every day." Danse replied bluntly. Her head shot up and she stared at him, watching as a flush crept up his neck. "I er, I...I am not good at these sorts of things," he admitted. "But it's true. I thought of you and...and of your son. Of the life you should have had. When Preston tracked me down, we realized that something must have gone wrong. So I...came back." 

  Oh . She hated the disappointed pit that yawned open in her stomach. She should have known that he wasn't thinking of her in the same way that she had thought of him. 

  Backhand rested her forehead on his chest, willing her tears to abate. "We need to get them out of the Institute." She said thickly. "All of them. Anyone that will come, Danse."

  "I think you and I should speak to Pal-- Elder Brandis. He has expressed interest in working with the Minutemen." Danse sighed heavily, then continued, "I cannot recommend that we work exclusively with the Brotherhood. There are years of prejudice that have been beaten into these men and women. The allowance of my presence is a show of good faith, but I don't know if I trust the rank and file to storm the Institute without turning it into a massacre." He gave her a wry smile. "I cannot blame them. Even knowing what I am now, it's going to take me some time to remove my knee-jerk reaction."

  "There's always something else to do." She wasn't trying to complain , but God she was tired .

  His facial hair brushed against her forehead, scraping the skin lightly. "I know. What was it you said in the Glowing Sea? 'A run ashore'?" He queried while giving her forearms a gentle squeeze, as if to comfort her.

  "I thought you were dead." She hadn't meant to say it again, watching his eyes go dark and kicking herself for bringing it back up.

  "I suppose I was, for a time." Danse murmured, his expression troubled.

  "I... please don't do that to me again." Vega begged. Her hands fisted in his fatigues, wrinkling the worn fabric. "This is going to sound really dumb and really selfish, but please . Don't."

  "When you thought I was dead, did you..." Danse hesitated. "I mean, did you really miss me? I'm not even...well, I'm not a..." He cast his eyes around, narrowing them like he was physically searching for the word he wanted to use. "Human." He finally managed to say, the admission obviously paining him. "I'm a freak of nature, Vega. A perversion of science and an example of where mankind has gone wrong--"

  "Danse." Backhand cupped his jaw, her palms smoothing over the bristle of his stubble as she coaxed him to look at her. "No offense, but you cannot be this stupid."

  "What do you mean?" The paladin asked, his confusion endearingly evident. "I'm not...how am I being…?"

  Backhand blinked. Maybe he could be that stupid. "You're probably the most human person I've ever met, Danse. The way you care about your squadron, the way you've helped me...look, I wasn't upset about you being a synth, I was upset about you being dead ."

  "Oh." Danse breathed. "Really? You... really? Me being a synth wasn't…?" His words kept faltering, uncertainty shining through with every hitch. 

  " You , Danse. I cried about you being gone ."

  "Elizabeth…" 

  "So don't you dare scare me like that ever again, got it?" Backhand leaned forward, boldly pressing a soft kiss to his cheek.

  "I--yes. Understood, Knight. Uh, General." Danse stammered, his fingers absently touching the spot she had kissed. "W-We should...go speak to Elder Brandis. If you believe you can walk a short distance? I know better than to ask you to stay put and be patient."

  "Permit me the usage of your arm to keep me upright and yes, we can absolutely go."

  ...

  Please don't do that to me again .

  She had missed him, she said. She had mourned him, even. Cried over him. Danse's head was spinning.

  How could that even be possible? How could she...he was a machine . 

  No time left to consider such weighty problems, unfortunately, as he found that far too soon the two of them were approaching what had formerly been Maxson's quarters and now served as Brandis' war room.

  "Ad Victoriam, Paladin Danse and General Vega!" Elder Brandis greeted them warmly with a loose salute, gesturing around the war table afterwards. "Kells, Cade, Ingram, Quinlan, Doctor Li, I trust you all need no introductions?"

  The briefing was, as they usually were, tedious. Nothing brief about it, if he was being brutally honest. Vega held her ground though, which was all he really needed.

  "You boys aren't tyrants or fuckin' warlords. Not while I have any sort of say in the matter." She said sharply. "If you want Minutemen support, we are working as a team and the Minutemen have uninhibited access to all information as it is gathered. That means we'll need Quinlan's full cooperation." She held up a hand, staving off Quinlan's outburst. " Only in regards to the Institute. We don't want your super-secret Spec Ops sealed Brotherhood case files, so don't get those boxers in a bunch." Cade snorted and Proctor Quinlan looked absolutely scandalized, even as he grudgingly nodded. 

  "Now, General, this is all well and good but what does the Brotherhood get out of this bargain?" Kells asked pointedly. "As far as I can see, we're the integral piece in this plan."

  "' As far as you can see ' is an apt phrase, Lancer-Captain Kells." Backhand's tone was cool. This was General Vega for certain, the woman who had whipped the Minutemen back into shape. "Because what you can't see are the rest of my operations. The Minutemen aren't the only force I have at my disposal, just the most obvious." She leaned in a little, her eyes cold as ice behind the lenses of her glasses. "Do you really want to test me on my home turf, Kells? After everything that's happened?"

  "Not testing you, General Vega." The lancer-captain clarified, "simply identifying what seems to be an imbalance in the negotiations."

  "I got you Doctor Li." Vega retorted. "Without her, your Liberty Prime would still be a pile of junk. I've gotten your scribes tons of information to sift through, I've done everything the former elder asked of me."

  "Lancer-Captain Kells, if I might also interject?" Danse asked hesitantly, cringing on the inside as everyone turned to look at him like they had forgotten he was even there. Kells inclined his head after a moment. "Sir, we cannot be so quick to discredit our position. Due to our aerial location, we will be within the perfect striking distance to any sort of localized, above-ground assault."

  "I am more than aware of our position, Paladin . But that does not negate the fact that we have a much larger stake in this than anyone else-"

  "Larger than the locals who have been getting body-snatched for years?" Vega cut him off. "Let's not forget that myself and your new elder were starved and tortured for weeks , while the rest of you sat around and twiddled your thumbs out of fear and respect." She spat. "Don't fuckin' come to me with your scale-tipping bullshit . It took a synth to make you all sack up, and I don't intend to let you forget that." The woman straightened up, looking grim. "I'm not giving you anything else. You can either work with us, or you can keep pitching yourself against the Institute until they've all slipped away and you're left with nothing but an empty facility and unanswered questions."

  "She's right." Doctor Li affirmed tersely. "They won't just wait around to be pummeled. This isn't the Enclave. The board of directors will do everything in their power to avoid you and waste your resources at the same time."

  "We cannot afford to entrench ourselves in a drawn-out assault, Kells." Brandis reasoned. "When we strike, we have to do it decisively. Give it everything we've got and cut off the head."

  Kells nodded, seeming satisfied. "Understood, Elder Brandis. I meant no disrespect, General Vega."

  "None taken. I'm still recovering from getting the shit kicked out of me, so my manners aren't up to par quite yet." Vega rested her elbows on the table, steepled fingers tapping her chin. "I won't take anything from you that you're unable to give, Lancer-Captain Kells. If I can avoid using the BoS altogether, I will." She murmured, tilting her head. "I need to get in touch with some people before I can offer anything concrete, but once Lieutenant Garvey knows I'm alive I'm sure the rest will learn fast. We'll rally and plan accordingly." 

  "Well then, what are we waiting for?" Ingram asked eagerly. "C'mon Vega, let's head to the comm deck and get things squared away!"

  "Excellent plan. You two are dismissed." Brandis agreed, making a shooing gesture at the two women. Once they had departed, he turned his attention to Cade. "Do you have faith in our medical capabilities, Knight-Captain?" 

  Cade nodded. "We had been planning to attack them head on anyways, Brandis. If we're truly going in a little less 'shock and awe', we may actually tip more towards over-prepared."

  "I'm not certain how useful their teleporter will be to us once we get inside. I'm sure they'll lock it down with great expedience. However there is another possible egress." Quinlan spread the old blueprint out on the war table, fingers indicating a small service tunnel. "Now, if their measurements are accurate, power armored troops will not fit in this tunnel. But unarmored individuals most certainly will. This includes any…" he hesitated, like he was preparing himself to say it, "... refugees , or non-hostile denizens." 

  Quinlan referring to synths as anything but had Danse's head spinning. Vega was an absolute marvel .

  "It will be heavily guarded." Doctor Li warned. "They like to pretend that there's only one way in or out. Their precious molecular relay ."

  "Danse, I think you ought to take point when it comes to securing this tunnel." Kells remarked, making the paladin straighten up. "We won't be able to gauge our level of involvement until we have a full muster from Vega, but I'd like a senior-ranked soldier in the mix. And I know how much you enjoy being boots on the ground." The older man offered Danse a thin smile.

  Danse was so moved he needed to take a moment, finally choking out a ' yes sir ' with his hand over his heart. That Kells, even after all the years of growing to despise synths, would trust him with such a task-!

  Perhaps they did stand a chance, after all.

Part Seventeen

[pollyna]

A concept: Leonard H. McCoy is a good dad. Four hundred fifty people can confirm it and one, eventually two, kid is going to tell him.

For the first two years Jim doesn't really know how or why Leonard's marriage has ended, but he knows it was a sad and awful affair that messed up Bones pretty bad. And he knows, just because he can snoop like no one else in the entire galaxy, that there's a kid in Georgia, her name is Joanna Elizabeth and she loves green and she is almost four. He knows that Bones talks to her every time he can, goes home every weekend he isn't on rotation at the clinic, doesn't forget a birthday or any kind of recitals she does. He can't be there, not as much as he likes, but he always sent a flower or two to make sure his baby girl knows how proud he his of her. Still when the-ex, whom Jim refuses to learn the name, calls in the middle of the evening and says "you're a really shitty father Leonard" and Leonard agrees with her, Jim would like the break something or to shake Bones up because how could that woman think Bones is a bad father? What does she knows about bad and worst fathers? About being forget by their own mother to a person they'll never call dad and who makes them want to run, runrunrunrunrunrunrun, every time something is slightly off? Because they now, he knows, that when he's going to realize what's wrong is gonna be the end. And if not by his hands it will be by his words and they never really gonna forget what he said to them. Not after five minutes and not in ten years. What Bones is a bad father because he is not with his daughter every day? Is he a bad dad even when he calls her daughter after almost forty hours of shift, with tears in his eyes because he lost one to many patient, but seeing his little girl is more important than anything else? Is he a bad dad because the ex wants him to be so bad so she'll have an excuse to cut him off once and for all or she is just mean? Jim knows Bones isn't a perfect dad but he also knows that "perfect" dads are shiny dreams of stars, starship and broken promises that got lost in the death and broken debris. Perfect dads are the one who leave behind them empty graves and so much grief a life time won't be enough to process it all. So the ex should give Bones a little more credit and maybe, maybe, Bones himself is gonna start believing he can be a good dad for Joanna.

The fact is the never really talk about dads, not when they're sober at least. They don't talk about a lot of things but they're getting better on that side. The first fathers' day on the ship come and go, Leonard and Hikaru share a drink and spend the night talking about their girls. Later Bones will tell him that Sulu is a great dad™, trying to say the tm too but pronouncing something similar to t-n, but every one is a better father than he is. 'M just a shitty excuse for a dad, Jimmy. And oh, that makes Jim tear a little, but he doesn't answer because Bones is already asleep.

For the second one their in the middle of a diplomatic mission, too many light years away from Earth, and not even Sulu remembers of it. Still Jim kisses Bones before cuddling with him that night. They still don't talk about it but is a little better than the previous year.

The third year Jim is dead. Joanna is ten and she calls him uncle Jim. The ex, he knows her name is Jocelyn but still the ex, calls at least twice a week and she says she is sorry about some things she said when he was at the Academy. Jim is still dead when all of it happens but he is alive, weak as a new born but alive, when Bones confesses to him that maybe, just maybe, he is not a bad dad. At least not as bad as he used to think. Jim consider it a victory on his personal agenda.

The fourth father's day they share a drink in his private quarter before Hikaru can drag Bones away for their annual "cake and I-have-so-many-feelings-about-my-baby girl" but, when he comes back, he's sober and he's still laughing. Joanna calls the next day and she screams his name so loud even Scotty, five decks under theirs, can hear it. What she is saying is dad I love you, thank you for the present oh god but what they get is a dadiloveyouthankyou! And it's the first time Joanna says "happy fathers' day uncle Jim!" Bones spends the rest of the night kissing him as if he's the treasure.

Th fifth year, the last one before they're going to spend six to nine months on earth, Bones is quiet for a week. He's still kissing him every time he can, bitching with Spock and playing poker on Wednesday will all the senior crew but he's just sad. It's Bones himself that solves the mystery: "Last week one of the new technician, the one we picked from the end of the Alpha Quadrant almost a year ago?, came in for xe physic and xe leaves me a note? Like a paper one, with little doodles all over the page, colorful little, beautiful things and xe wrotes, in Standard, that xe is grateful to know me and xe things I did more to help xem to settle in and learn to live in the middle of so many new species than anyone else. Xe said working here is like starting a new life for xe and I took the role of xem dad? And it wasn't the last card I received! Other eight people left their physic giving me strange, colorful and hilarious pieces of paper wishing me a great dad's day. And then Spock comes in today and he hugs me, a legit hug Jim!, and he says that he will be honored if I could accept to be the godfather of a child who doesn't exist yet, because he can't thing about another human he could trust for the role. And they all are all the faith in the galaxy in me when I don't, not in the role of father at least, and it's unsettling and makes me want to hide away until they realize I'm not that great and I'll let them down."

"I have the best crew in the galaxy or didn't I? So Bonesy you have to trust them when they say and do things like that. And babe, you deserve it. I know you don't believe it but it's true" he concludes kissing him on his lips.

(Bones saves every single one of the card he receives inside a box he takes with him when they arrive on Earth and leave it with his mom because space and danger and all that stuff.)

The sixth, seventh, eighth father's day are spent in different places all over the Alpha and Beta quadrant, trying to meet new species and learn new things. Some of them are the best kind of day, where Bones talks to Jo, kisses Jim until he becomes a little more stupid and in love with this man, and once he even plays chess with Spock and Uhura. Others are not so good but Bones&Hikaru tradition helps more than anything else.

On the ninth Bones is cuddling a new born who lost his parents during a raid on their home planet. "We should adopt him" Jim proposes during dinner and "it's the most logical course of action to take doctor" adds Spock. "Oh hell" is the only thing Bones says before requesting the papers for adoption.

(It's not the only thing he says because they discuss it for hours, because they're afraid to fuck up everything and he is just a baby and he already their world. They've been married long enough to trust they're going to do this together but is all new and terrifying just as exciting.)

For the eleventh father's day they're on Jupiter, Joanna's eighteen and Samuel's two and they spend all day at the park near the Starfleet Center, with the Sulu's. Bones is laughing at something Ben said and Jim looks at him and he is just grateful to do this, having a family, rising a child and exploring space with this wonderful man.

[ask-rijus-ocs]

Starter

[ There must be better ways to meet an interesting stranger than in the middle of the night during a storm. Yet, here he is.]

[ Twilight really didn't have a reason to go out this late. But like always, sleep evades him. And like always, he doesn't have anything better to do. So he heads outside. It's raining. He doesn't seem to mind it, despite the many, many times he's caught a cold from staying outside in the rain. Ordon is quiet. Unbearably quiet. ]

[The forest village is usually bustling. To see it silent is...different. He's not sure if he likes it. It brings back memories of when the kids were taken. ]

[ Epona is asleep. Thank Hylia. She has much better luck than him. Twilight pulls the fur hood over his head and walks into Faron Woods. Even in the dark of night, he knows exactly where he's going. He could probably close his eyes and end up in the exact same place. He's going to the bridge.]

[ Twilight doesn't know why he's going to the bridge, but he is. His feet have their own instinct, and he knows the forest both from seven feet up and kneeling to the ground. He cannot possibly be lost; simply wandering. He's about to pass by Faron Spring when he sees something. There's a shivering form in the water. Just from a glance, he can tell that the person is not from Ordon. Even Uli doesn't have hair that long. It would most certainly get in the way of work. ]

[ Twilight knows he can't leave them there. The protective instinct takes over, and suddenly his pace increases. They're asleep. Cold. Very cold. They've probably been laying in the water for a long while, there are petals mixed in with their golden hair. He doesn't have a towel, but he does have the pelt, which he quickly wraps around them. He's also soaked by now, and he's cold too, but like hell if he's about to be selfish and take it for himself. ]

[ "C'mon. Let's get you somewhere warm." He picks the young girl up, planning on heading back to Ordon. And then he hears it. Rustling, everywhere. Perhaps if not for his acute hearing, he wouldn't have noticed, but here we are. Twilight places her back down (on dry land this time, of course) and turns up to face the sky. Is that a...tail? Hm. His hand rests on the hilt of his sword, almost by reflex. And then, they jump.]

[ "Lizalfos. Just as expected." Twilight has the Ordon Sword out in an instant. Water is where Lizalfos are most mobile, but he can handle it. There's a lot of them. One,two, three, four, five....nine. Nine Lizalfos. In the rain. Hylia must really hate me, Twilight suspects. ]

[ The brunette attaches his shield fast enough to where he has time to get into stance. Two rush at him, and boy having the Bow or his Gale Boomerang with him would be real helpful right about now, but his past self assumed with naiveté that it would just be a harmless midnight walk. He's lucky he never lets go of his sword, otherwise he'd be dead. ]

[ Twilight's able to kick the first one to the ground before the second one gets to him, which he goes for the arm, and misses. Why'd it have to be midnight? Why now? He's saved Hyrule once before, can't he just be left alone? Perhaps it is his insomnia getting to him, but he's getting quite fed up with this. ]

[ He lands a hit the second time, and uses the pommel of his blade to slow down the third Lizalfos. An arrow hits his shield. Wait, an arrow? They have bows now? Oh, wonderful. Just wonderful.]

[ First is back up again, so he prepares for a helm splitter. That one's fast, so it dodges the head hit, but he's able to hit it from behind once he lands. Next comes the fifth, sixth, and seventh. They hold off for a few moments, and Twilight holds his blade out to his side in warning. They don't take it. Too bad. He releases a spin attack, sending all three stumbling backwards. An arrow hits his shield arm. Great. Just great. ]

[ He doesn't have any ranged attacks on him except for...Slingshot! How did he remember to take his slingshot and not his bow?! Stupid! Ugh, never mind, it'll have to do. He has to awkwardly tuck his sword under his arm so that he can use both hands. Good Hylia, it hurts to use an arm when you've got an arrow stuck in it, but he has a high pain tolerance, and so he manages. The last two bow wielding lizalfos fall to the ground and exchange their weapon for the swords of their fallen comrades. ]

[ Twilight has to straight up drop the Slingshot just so he has enough time to meet the Lizalfos in a sword lock. After it backs off, Twilight rolls behind the second one and performs a Back Slice. It's not as great as it could have been thanks to that goddess-damned arrow in his arm, but it hits just as well, and it's cause enough for the Lizalfos to retreat. He must've waited there for a solid ten minutes before he finally sheathed his sword. He's always tense after battle. ]

[ "It'll keep the wound sealed up until I can get back to the house, but it's gonna hurt like hell once I try to take it out. But I can't worry Rusl with this..." Twilight inspects the wound. If it gets infected, though, that's a different story. Hm. Well, thankfully, the girl is fine. He'll have to carry her only using one arm, but he'll manage. ]

[ The walk to the house is uneventful and painful. Putting all that weight on one shoulder made it hurt just as much as his arm.]

[ The sun is up by now. That fight must've taken a while. And now, another problem presents itself - how to get her up the ladder. At this point, he might as well just go to Rusl's place. Hmm.... If he can hold the ladder with his hurt arm well enough, then maybe. Twilight carefully ascends up the ladder, finally making it up to the door. ]

[ He sets her down on the bed, making sure she's warm enough. Hypothermia is something he knows well, and for someone with a child-like form to have to go through that is troubling. He wonders how she got here, and why she was laying out like that. ]

[ The next ordeal is his arm. He cleans the wound before taking out one of his spare daggers to cut the lodged in part. Renado has done this so many times that it's like instinct, but it's hard without anyone to hold out his arm or use the scalpel. He misses when Midna could just magic the arrowhead out and all he'd need to do was heal his skin afterwards. But alas.]

[ A pitiful wince escapes him as he pulls out the arrowhead. He'd been trying his hardest to stay quiet so she could sleep, but still. "Okay. Now to wrap it," He doesn't have any gauze, so he reaches into his dresser and uses one of his shirts to wrap it. There. He swaps his heavier arm guard onto that side for more protection in case it gets hurt again. ]

[ "Mm?" The girl sits up a few hours later, to find Twilight sharpening his blade. "Calm down. I'm not going to hurt you." He looks up, placing the sword by his side after her panicked reaction. "Where.. Are we?" She looks around, baffled. "This is Ordon Village. It's my house." He explains calmly. ]

[ "Did you bring me here?" She adjusts herself on the bed, taking off the hood. Twilight nods. "You were passed out in the spring, it was raining. What were you doing out there?" He asks. "I found a portal while i was traveling. Took me here, but I got real dizzy and I think I passed out." She rubs her head. A portal? Strange. He decides to leave out the part about the Lizalfos to not worry her. ]

[ "Where's Roxy?" She searches her things. "?" "Roxy. Small fox, like 2'4", green eyes?" She explains. "Never seen them. Sorry." Twilight shakes his head. "Ah... " The girl looks nervous. "What's your name? Oh, right, uh, I should introduce myself first. I'm Carly Elizabeth Parker-Callisto. Uh... but just Carly works!" Carly nods. "I'm Li- Twilight." He corrects himself. He doesn't like his old name much anymore. ]

[ "Hm?" Carly pulls out something from her bag. "These quests weren't on the Slate before..." She swipes across the screen. "The Slate?" Twilight is confused. "A sheikah slate! It stores all my things, and I write quests down on here." Carly explains, holding it out in front of her. "Main Quest: Answer Questions... Side Quest:Find Roxy..." She cites it. "That's weird. I didn't put these in here." Carly scratches her head.]

[ "Answer questions? We don't have time for tests. It'd be best if you could get home as soon as possible. Where are you from?" Twilight sighs. "Lurelin Village! It's right here." Carly pulls up a map on her Sheikah Slate, handing it to him. "Never heard of it before. Actually, this whole map seems really off. Snowpeak is behind Zora's Domain, after all." He squints. ]

[ "Well, until I can get back home, I don't think it'd hurt if we answered a few.." Carly seems to like the idea. "I - I guess it'll be okay. But only until we can find your pet and get you back home." Twilight rubbed at his temple. "I think it'll be fun!" She smiles. Fun. Right.]

// Carly and Twilight are now open for asks! I will open up new characters as they appear.

- Mun Riju

[sinkingwmyships]

Started watching JJBA ~a week ago, and man oh MAN did I fall hard for CaeJose (；▽；)

Prompt list | Wattpad | AO3

This contains JJBA season 2 anime spoilers!

           * * *

Prompt: “Stop being difficult.”

Character(s): Joseph Joestar/JoJo; Caesar Anthonio Zeppeli; Lisa Lisa/Elizabeth Joestar (mentioned); Suzie Q (mentioned); Robert E. O. Speedwagon (mentioned)

Pairing(s): CaeJose

Word count: 1,865

Warning: I've only seen seasons 1 & 2 of the anime, and all the knowledge I used to write this oneshot is from there. Please don’t come at me if you're a manga reader and see something in here that's "incorrect."

This is set in Joseph and Caesar's trip to Venice, some time during their training with Lisa Lisa (but don't think about it too hard, or you'll realize the timing actually doesn't make sense at all :'D ).

Contains (kinda) heated kissing, but not NSFW.

          * * *

Caesar sucked in a deep breath, forcing himself to relax as he glanced at the clock. Ten minutes until they left for the party. He had no idea why he was so nervous — they had triple-checked for threats, the suit Sensei loaned him looked great, and he has no problem handling a party's worth of social interactions. So why did the inside of his stomach still feel like dozens of bubbles popping and forming simultaneously? He didn't eat anything weird today, did he? Caesar had yet to come up with a valid answer, when the door to his room suddenly sprang open.

"Woah, Caesar, are you seriously gonna wear your bandanna with that 'fit?" Joseph — the other person going to the party — sauntered in, surprising the blond with how comfortable he looked in a suit. Caesar had not pegged him as the type to fare well in formal attire — but here he was, in a playful pinstripe suit with a bowtie that matched his sea-green eyes perfectly. The blond could even detect a pleasant hint of cologne when Joseph came up behind him in the mirror. It actually annoyed him a little bit, how good the brunet looked. Great, now that weird feeling in my stomach is getting even worse. Averting his gaze back to himself, Caesar grumbled:

"What's wrong with my bandanna?"

They both looked him up and down. His outfit currently consisted of a pretty orthodox blue-and-white suit, dress shoes, a pink bowtie to jazz it up, and of course, his signature pink-and-yellow bandanna. The thought of taking it off did cross his mind, but this headpiece was Caesar's trademark, and he just wouldn't feel the same without it.

"Nothing's wrong. It just doesn't really fit." Joseph shrugged, before suddenly perking up. "You know...."

Caesar felt a light tug, before his bandanna came loose. He let out a yelp of surprise and tried to grab it, but Joseph had yanked it away and was now holding it way out of reach. Curse him and his nine additional centimeters. "Hey!"

"Relax. I just have an idea." The brunet cracked a mischievous smile, then reached for Caesar's bowtie and pulled that apart as well. Swatting his hand away, the blond grumbled:

"And when have those ever been good? I don't wanna see your idea. Just give me back my stuff!"

"Stop being difficult, Caesar-chan." Joseph chuckled, seemingly not the least bit threatened. He reached out again, propping the blond's shirt collar up before looping the colorful bandanna around his neck. "Speedwagon-jisan does this all the time. I think it'll look nice on you too."

Before Caesar could protest, the brunet got to work. His hands moved with surprising dexterity, transforming the bandanna into a beautiful string tie. Unable to really see what was happening, Caesar's eyes came to a stop on Joseph's face instead, which was stilled by concentration. Can't believe he would still wear his hair like that... but for some damnable reason, it really doesn't look bad on him. Suddenly, Joseph's eyes flicked up, meeting the blond's own and nearly giving him a heart attack:

"I would ask if you're nervous, but I know you'd just say no, so let me go ahead and skip to: why?"

"I'm—" All the possible explanations (excuses?) Caesar had in mind disappeared, so he could only sigh. "I don't know. I've been like this ever since Sensei invited us to the party, and I have no idea why."

"Hmm." The brunet mused, and even though his hands were still hard at work, Caesar could feel those sea-green eyes studying him closely. "It must be because you're going with Sensei to a party, and you don't wanna embarrass her."

"Maybe." The blond nodded, genuinely hoping that the feeling in his stomach would subside. Yet the bubbles only fizzed more intensely. Joseph didn't seem to notice, though — he adjusted the tie one last time, before stepping back to admire his handiwork:

"It looks great. And Caesar, you have nothing to worry about. You have too much respect for Sensei to even consider doing anything embarrassing... pfft, that is, if "anything embarrassing" doesn't include the way you hit on girls."

"You...!" And to think I was about to thank him. Caesar scowled, before an idea suddenly popped into his head. "At least I'm not all talk, Mr. Sexy Lips."

"Wha—" Now it was Joseph's turn to falter. "Hey, how did you know that?!"

"Guess."

"Was it Suzie Q?"

"Oh, so it was Suzie Q." Caesar hummed teasingly, trying to suppress his laughter as Joseph's face reddened. He couldn't remember when or where he'd heard Joseph say this, but that reaction just confirmed his suspicions. "But you know, if you're gonna fail that bad at getting a girl whose options are already so limited, you should really consider changing your strategy."

"I can flirt however I want, okay?" The brunet frowned, jabbing a finger at Caesar. "Besides, who just straight up goes and kisses people like you? That's terrible!"

"You can't criticize my method if yours doesn't work." The blond cocked an eyebrow, before breaking into a grin. "Has it ever worked?"

"It has! Of course it has!" Joseph hissed, getting more and more emotional by the second. If Caesar didn't know any better, he would've said the brunet was flustered. Still, he pressed on:

"Sure, on schoolgirls probably. Who was the last real woman you kissed? By the way, your grandma doesn't count."

"Hey, you would be lucky to have my grandma! And I have kissed people before."

"But they all managed to resist the power of your "sexy lips"? Mmm, I bet you haven't."

"I have."

"You haven't."

"I have!"

"You haven't!"

"I have!" Joseph yelled; then, entirely out of both's predictions, he seized Caesar's lapels and pulled the blond into a full-mouth kiss. There was no time to think, or even to call out in surprise — all Caesar could feel was the brunet's lips on his, hot and angry and frustrated and actually, really pretty damned sexy. Then Joseph pulled away with a smack, hand flying up to cover his mouth:

"Oh my God! Caesar! I'm so sorry! I wasn't thinking straight, and I totally got carried away, and you were just right there, and I... and I just grabbed you, and... and.... Aghh, you're bleeding!"

"N-no, I...?" Caesar tried to speak, but an acute sting from his lower lip cut him off. Did that idiot smash our heads together too quickly...? Still dazed, the blond reflexively stuck his tongue out to lick off the blood — only to realize a split-second later how Joseph's eyes were still stuck on his lips, and how red both of them were suddenly becoming.

"A-ah... well, let me go get the first-aid kit! It would be bothersome if Sensei thought we had a fight or something, wouldn't it...." The brunet blurted out, tearing his gaze away and turning to head for the door. Caesar knew he should have let him leave, but for some reason unbeknownst to even himself, he called out:

"JoJo, wait!"

Joseph's head whipped around just a little too quickly. "Yeah?"

"U-uh...." Caesar's eyes met that sea-green gaze, and once again he felt like he was about to get a heart attack. "Your method, it's... it's... not bad."

"Oh?" Joseph's mouth fell open; he stopped walking and turned all the way around to face the blond. The bubbles in his stomach were churning like crazy, and Caesar suddenly had an urge to bite his lip, but he resisted it with the hyper-awareness of all the reactions it could give rise to. Feeling the silence getting heavier by the second, he stammered:

"W-well, what I mean is you can get girls... wait that's not it, I mean... uh, you probably have kissed before... wait, no, let me... you have sexy lips— wait! Wait! Mamma mia, JoJo, I—"

"Caesar." The gravity in Joseph's voice made him freeze. Caesar swallowed as he watched the brunet approach, each stride ruthlessly cutting down the distance between them. His breathing was even thanks to all the training they endured, but the blond feared that his heart might jump out of his chest at any moment. He had never seen Joseph look this serious, not even during their first encounter with the Pillar Men — but here they were, Caesar about to be backed into the wall because Joseph wouldn't stop advancing with a look on his face that somehow reminded him of Sensei's expression whenever she was about to lose her temper. Is he angry? But why? Wasn't he the one who grabbed me? Did—

"If you wanted to compliment me that badly, you didn't have to wait until after I kissed you to do it~" Joseph broke into a toothy grin, all the seriousness gone from his face. Caesar was more than ready to hit him with a blast of Hamon, when the brunet suddenly continued:

"So? Think you'll be able to resist the power of my sexy lips?"

That's. It. Raising both hands to cup Joseph's smug face, Caesar pulled him down into a kiss. There was a soft grunt of surprise, but Joseph wasted no time in wrapping his arms around the blond, closing the distance between them. His fingers curled around Caesar's hair, tugging as if he wanted him to lean back — but a warning bite on his lip was all it took for the brunet to back off. Not so fast. Caesar liked to take his time with just about any romantic gesture, and kissing Joseph was no different. He kept a gentle but firm grasp on Joseph's head, holding him just there as he took in the sweet scent of his cologne, his growing frustration with each quickening breath, and those lips, soft and wet and absolutely burning as they pressed against his. Feeling the brunet's grip on his back tighten, Caesar sighed with mock exasperation before finally giving Joseph what he wanted. He let his head fall back, and promptly the brunet's tongue slid into his mouth, deepening the kiss until Caesar was practically falling over backwards. Yet Joseph stubbornly clung onto him, his arms glued stuck around Caesar's waist until the blond had to push him away, gasping into what little space there was between them:

"Can't... breathe... idiot."

He heard Joseph chuckle, but it sounded just as breathless. Caesar looked up, and blinked when he saw a smudge of red:

"Did... did I bite you too hard?"

"I'm fine." Joseph grinned, before raising a hand and swiping his thumb across the blond's lower lip. A dull sting jogged Caesar's memory. "It's yours. Should I go get the first-aid kit after all?"

"No, it's fine." Glancing at the clock, Caesar shook his head. "We should go. Sensei's probably waiting for us."

"What if she asks?"

"I'll tell her..." Caesar paused, cracking a small smile as he straightened his jacket. For some reason, all the bubbles in his stomach have disappeared. "... what I'll tell her when she does. Let's go."

He grabbed Joseph's hand and pulled him along to the docks. Little did he know, behind him, a certain pair of sexy lips had curved into a knowing smile....

[spideyy-girl]

Speak Now - Bucky Barnes (AU)

Request: Do you do any song fics? If you do, could you please do a Bucky Barnes fanfic with Speak now or Angel with a shotgun with a college/roomate Bucky??

Summary: based on the song Speak Now by Taylor Swift (i suck at descriptions as you know so imma leave it at that just read it)

Warnings: lil bit of angst, wedding crashing, some fluffy at the end ;)

Word Count: 2769 (7.6 pages)

Date: September 26th, 2018

A/N: YES!! I DO TAKE SONG FIC REQUESTS. I actaully love them to be honest. SO feel free to send some. Sorry I haven’t been updating and thanks for being patient with me school just started a few weeks ago and that’s always shot haha yay. But I’m back on track! Hope you guys like (Also one of my older imagines but it’s not too bad I guess haha)

I am not the kind of girl, who should be rudely barging in on a white veil occasion

But you are not the kind of boy, who should be marrying the wrong girl

Bucky Barnes has been my best friend since sophomore year in high school. We met at Phys Ed, where I had surprisingly outrun him, which almost never happened. It was bound to be ever since. 

In recent years I had even begun to develop a crush on the long-haired man, well, at least it was at first just innocent. I didn’t even realise I was falling until I hit my head hard on the ground. What would cause such an awakening, you might ask? 

“He’s getting married,” Steve Rogers, our neighbour and Bucky’s roommate said, looking almost depressed about what should have been happy news. But how could anyone be happy? Especially with Carli Anne Johnson, the biggest princess bitch in town, in fact, maybe even the world. The bowl of ice cream you had in your hand was dropped out of pure shock, devastation, anger.

“H-h-he, w-what?” You asked, trying to contain yourself. You were never one to show any signs of weakness. “To that bitch?! I can’t even look at her without wanting to rip my eyeballs out. And he never even told me!” I started yelling, pulling at the strands of your Y/H/C hair. Steve nodded solemnly.

“I know, which is why I came here.” He said looking at you, grabbing your shoulders with his strong hands. “You can’t let him marry the wrong girl, we all know that it can’t be her he spends the rest of his life with, especially you.”

And that’s how I got here, about to crash my best friend’s wedding, and hopefully win him back. I couldn’t let him marry the wrong girl.

I sneak in and see your friends

And her snotty little family all dressed in pastel

And she is yelling at a bridesmaid

Somewhere back inside a room wearing a gown shaped like a pastry.

Steve helped me sneak inside the venue, Bucky had asked him to be his Best Man anyways. I see the giant hall at the end of the corridor, plastered in white ribbons, streamers, and other decoratives. There was an expensive looking velvet carpet with gold trimmings rolled down the aisle all the way up to the altar. I could see some of my fellow classmate’s and some of the football team, Bucky’s friends, sitting in the pews. On the other side of the grand hall, I could see the Johnson family, all dressed to the nine’s in beautiful pastel pinks, purples, blues, and yellows, while the men wore sharp black tuxes.

As I walk further down, I can hear screaming. I knew that voice. Actually, this yelling often occurred right in front of my face, targeted at me. Carli’s tan face would start to turn red, the colour not suiting very well with her perfectly curled platinum blonde hair and sparkling baby blue eyes. 

I peeked into the room to see the exact image I thought of playing out right in front of me. It was odd seeing it from a different angle. She was yelling at her little sister, Lizzy, who looked like a rose pink pastry. I felt awful for the young girl, to have such a monstrous being as a sibling. What did Bucky ever see in her? Sure, she was gorgeous, but that shouldn’t have mattered.

“Stop being such a little shit, Elizabeth. Last I recalled today was my special day, not yours. I’m the one getting married, not you!” Carli screamed at the quivering girl, her spit flying into her face, the fat tears rolling down her face slightly smudging her makeup. “Not like anyone would ever want to marry you anyways. You’re not even that pretty.”

“But Carls, all I asked for is if you could help me with my hair and makeup since I figured you're the expert at this.” Lizzy reasoned, trying her best to look strong and stop crying. “I just wanted to spend some time with you! I never see you anymore!”

“Thank God,” Carli mumbled, though it was still clear as to what she had said. “I don’t even know how I survived with you for, like, ten years. I’m happy I’m getting away from all you losers. Now, why don’t you go and fix yourself up, you look like a trainwreck.” She stomped off to the attached door to the dressing room when she finished.

This is surely not what you thought it would be

I lose myself in a daydream, where I stand and say

I drag my eyes away from the young teenager and continue onto my path towards the grand hall where the ceremony will be held. My mind didn’t even process what I was doing, where I was going, the events about to happen. My nerves started to crash over me like a raging tidal wave. I was walking in the open, not stopping to think if anyone had seen me or are about to. Then I felt a tight grip on my arm, pulling me into a small room on the side.

I was about to scream but I felt a rough hand cover my mouth, muffling the sound. Dread rippled through my body as my eyes widened and breath hitched.  Oh no, I thought to myself. Please don’t let it be him, please don’t let it be Bucky. 

The hand was lifted when they were sure I wasn’t going to screech at the top of my lungs and turned me around. Thank God, it was Steve. He looked a bit worried, and a bit terrified.

“You okay? You were sort of dozed off, walking around there.” He said, scanning you over. “ You’re lucky I caught you before someone else did. I just wanted to check if you remembered the plan.” I nodded, staying silent.

“I don’t know if I can do this,” I said quietly, keeping my head down. “What if he really is happy with her? I would ruin his life.” Steve shook his head, shaking me.

“Have you seen him lately? A total mess, I’m telling you. Besides, I think he’s been dropping hints for a while now.” Steve encouraged me. “Why don’t we run through it?”

Don’t say yes, run away now

I’ll meet you when you’re out of the church at the back door

Don’t wait, or say a single vow

You need to hear me out, and they said Speak Now.

I went through a small speech I was supposed to give when I would barge in. I had so carefully written it to perfection, but now I could only remember bits and pieces. What was I thinking when I agreed to do this?!

I pretended as if Steve was Bucky and the crowd, but I couldn’t even say it in front of him, let alone like 500 other people. I told him where I planned to meet him if he did agree to run off with me, away from Carli, her stupid stuck up family, and apparently all the other troubles of the world.

I couldn’t let him say yes though. Although I would never admit it aloud, I realised the way Bucky had looked when she popped out of nowhere and stole him away from us for the rest of the day. If I let this ceremony go through, she’ll steal him away for the rest of our goddamn lives.

It’d hurt me too, seeing him run off with the girl he never loved. Not just because of my constantly growing feelings towards him, but that’s also the protective best friend side coming out of me. I couldn’t stand him not being happy, and living the rest of his sorry days with that thing.

Somewhere deep down, I hoped knew that it was supposed to be me up there in the flowing white gown and veil standing in front of him, a big smile adorned on my face as well as his. And he knew the exact same thing, pondering it just minutes before he got married off, but to the wrong girl.

Fun gestures are exchanged

And the organ starts to play a song that sounds like a death march

And I am hiding in the curtains

It seems that I was uninvited be you lovely bride to be

I hear excited whispered conversations that are soon cut off by the earth-rattling sound of the giant organ playing. The tune of ‘Here Comes the Bride’ was smoothly played out, as the small voices were silenced. The tune sounded depressing as if it were a funeral instead of a wedding.

Everyone turned their head to the back of the room, where I was standing just moments ago. I had hopped behind a velvet curtain matching the roll of carpet down the aisle when I heard the first chord of the organ.

I got a good look at everyone’s faces who had attended. As it seemed, there were a lot more familiar faces than I had counted. Mostly everyone from our year, and even quite a few from the ones below and above us. Of course, I wasn’t one of those individuals. I hadn’t gotten an invitation.

I wasn’t even informed of the engagement. My best mate’s engagement.

I wondered then if she had forced him not to send an invitation to me, or if I had possibly even slipped their minds. It was almost 100% not the latter. Surely Bucky would’ve said something if he was free to say it. Right? 

I’m distracted by my thoughts as my eyes land on the said boy. His long black waves were gelled back, other than a thin strand that hung loosely at the side of his face. It looked much different than his usual ponytail. He was dressed in a white tuxedo with a black button up underneath and a black bowtie. He had white pants to match his blazer, and shiny black loafers adorned on his feet.

But the most different thing about his look was the stern look on his face. He looked almost emotionless, not happy but not angry or disappointed either, it was nothingness. I don’t think I’ve ever seen that side of him, his signature flashy grin was always plastered to his slightly chapped lips, it was always his best feature. Without it, he looked like a lost soul.

She floats down the aisle like a pageant queen

But I know you wish it was, you wish it was me

Don’t you?

Right on queue, I heard the clicking of her six-inch heels, like she needed to be any taller anyways. Although I despised her more now that I ever did for the whole time I’ve known her, I can’t not say that she looked absolutely stunning. Her long, lacy white wedding gown dragged behind her for what seemed like miles, held by two of her bridesmaids at the end. her veil was laced, with small white flowers on the headpiece. Her white heels laced up to her knees, also covered in little flowers and butterflies. 

Although she was the devil in human form, I do see the reasoning as to looking past her ugly personality and to her beautiful exterior. In fact, there were many people who would accept her for just that. But not Bucky. Not my Bucky.

I looked at him, back up near the altar, and although I could tell he thought she did look stunning, that he felt guilty. Like he was thinking the same as me, imagining my face, my body, my persona in that flowing dress, those high heels, behind that veil.

She stepped up to stand in front of him, like any other normal wedding, when I noticed that she held the exact same expression as her fiancée. The nothingness. And then, the ceremony commenced.

I hear the preacher say speak now or forever hold your peace

There’s the silence there’s my last chance

I stand with shaking hands all eyes on me

Horrified looks from everyone in the room but I’m only looking at you

“If there are any objections, speak now, or forever hold your peace,” the priest says as he stands between the couple. Bucky looks around the room, almost hopeful that someone would stand up, but no one. Not yet anyway.

I look down at my hands, sweaty and shaking. I wipe them off on my lovely Y/F/C dress, and lightly grasp the soft material. I look up to see Steve looking back at me expectantly.

“This is your last chance!” He mouthed at me before winking and turning back to the front as if nothing had happened. I took a deep breath, before standing up from my place.

“I object!” I stated loudly, everyone in the room freezes, before turning towards me. Every single pair of eyes stared me down, but I focused on only one thing, or more specifically, one person. James Buchanan Barnes. 

“What the hell do you think you’re doing, you bitch!” Carli screamed, stomping her feet and her face turned redder than I’ve ever seen it before. “Get out of here! You weren’t invited! No one wants you here-”

“Shut up for once, will you?” Bucky snarled at her, but not breaking our eye contact. I could see the ghost of a smile starting to appear again.

“These two obviously aren’t now and never will be truly happy with each other, it just wasn't meant to be,” I said, as I slowly inched up the aisle. “And I’m here to make sure that Bucky Barnes doesn’t marry the wrong girl.”

“Thank God,” he mumbled with a slight laugh, only to get harshly hit in the stomach with a bouquet of flowers in the hands of Carli.

“What the hell are you talking about, baby? We’re perfect for each other, and everyone knows it.” She said after she dropped the flowers and started to rub his arm, only for him to shoo her off.

“Let’s be real here, Carls. It was never gonna happen, and it never should. You’ll find the perfect person for you one day, but let me tell you now that that person is definitely not me. Because me person is right here, in front of me. Y/N L/N.” Bucky said as he walked down the shallow steps towards you, his bright smile in full effect once again. I smiled back, feeling tears well up in my eyes. 

I am not the kind of girl, who should be rudely barging in on a white veil occasion

But you are not the kind of boy, who should be marrying the wrong girl

So don’t say yes run away now, I’ll meet you when you’re out of the church at the backdoor

Don’t wait or say a single vow, you need to hear me out and they said Speak Now

And you’ll say let’s run away now, I’ll meet you when I’m out of my tux at the backdoor

Baby I didn’t say my vows, so glad you were around when they said Speak Now

I met Bucky at the back of the church once he changed out of his suit and into his usual black jeans and a band tee. I quickly changed out of my dress as well. When he walked out he looked like he was glowing as he wrapped an arm around my shoulders and kissed my temple. I smiled and cuddled into his side as we started walking away from the chaos.

“I’m so happy you showed up. I didn’t know if Steve had told you or not about it. I was sort of planning this.” He says as we got into my slightly worn down car. I started it up and drove out of the parking lot onto the abandoned narrow road.

“I’m happy I did too, wouldn’t want you marrying someone like her. Don’t know what you were thinking.” I laughed and he soon joined in, nodding his head in agreement. After the laughter died down there was a silence. It wasn’t awkward, just sort of there. “So, what happens now?” I ask, looking at him for a quick moment. He smirked, putting his arm on the back of my seat, squeezing my shoulder.

“We run away together, we can continue our education somewhere else. You know, live happily ever after.” He said in a mocking quirky voice. I giggled.

“Sounds like a plan.”

[jflashandclash]

Traitors of Olympus: Fall of the Sun

Eight: Ajax

How to Quiet a child of Poseidon in Two Seconds Flat

           Pax was impressed: no one punched anyone during his recap of their early adventures, from kidnapping Rachel Elizabeth Dare, to stealing the coals of Kronos’ sword and stealing the Golden Net from Bunker Nine, to the trials of Psyche, to tricking Leo into reforging Backbiter, and to Santiago’s Mayan temple, where their father killed Joey, and Euna killed their father.

           Axel, Calex, or Kally chimed in to explain parts where Pax wasn’t there or where he exaggerated how important the weasels, Hunnie and Baller, were to the mission—always vitally important, even when unconscious. Pax was sad Axel didn’t give the full rendition of how he fought off Aphrodite’s giant doves with a frying pan[1] and how Euna got temporary god pills out of it, but Pax figured they could save the long version for Axel and Reyna’s children to assure the kids that their father was versatile with all weapons and cookery.  

           They got through the misunderstandings of what led up to their fight against the heroes of Olympus and why Jack had murdered his half-brother, Will. Well, that last part was less a misunderstanding and more a psychotic break, but Pax hoped they got the picture.

           When Pax mentioned the Princess Andromeda, that’s when things went down a tiny, Everest-sized hill.

           “The Princess Andromeda?” Travis interrupted before Pax could explain in full. “I thought that sunk after Beckendorf…”

           Yep, that was the weird part, Pax thought. That and not that the passage of stairs in the middle of their cabins that led down to an ocean. Or it used to. Pax had to wonder if magical passages like that got bored and moved places. He would if he were a magical passage.[2]

           Alabaster set his glass of strawberry flavored water down.

           Pax was pleased that Merry had commanded the satyrs bring everyone drinks, especially since—with his hand condition—the satyrs had taped three straws together so Pax could sip from his without leaning forward or using his hands.

           While blowing bubbles into his drink, which took awhile and required three straws-worth of backwash, Pax glanced over to Alabaster’s side of the table.

           The child of Hecate’s knuckles were white as he clutched one of the ingredient satchels that dangled from his neck. His other hand casually clinked the ice in his glass. “Beckendorf?” he repeated. “Was that the name of your suicide bomber?”

           Clarisse choked in rage.

           Most of the other counselors went still.

           “Charles Beckendorf was a hero,” Percy said, scowling.

           “As were the kamikaze pilots in Japan and the jihadists for ISIS,” Alabaster said, his eyes boring into Percy with a scary intensity. If Pax had some, he was pretty sure he could roast marshmallows between the two of them.

           Percy’s face went red. He shot to his feet, had a foot on the table, and Riptide in hand before Jason and Hazel grabbed him.

           A baby cried.[3]

           All eyes turned towards the mirror at Percy’s side.

           Throughout the explanation, Hiro had finished several puzzles and eaten a full pizza. When Percy stood, Hiro snatched Percy’s little sister from the crib-cage, where he’d put her down for a nap.

           With his other hand, Hiro snapped out a switchblade the size of her arm.

           He pinched her hand and dabbed one of her fingers.

           For the first time since Hiro had gotten his hands on the baby, she squealed and squirmed.

           The color drained from Percy’s face as he scrambled back into his throne of Saturnalia. Baby Cry Shock Collars—highly effective against children of Poseidon.

           “I’m sorry—I—I didn’t mean—” Percy stammered.

           Hiro pointed the knife at Axel. Then he carefully set the whining baby back into her crib and folded the knife up beside her—the proper way to store weapons around tiny children. Pax swallowed as Hiro made a motion, like he was holding a zucchini in one hand and his other hand were a butcher knife chopping it. To finish the comment, he held one hand out, grabbed his index finger, and shook it.

           Although Pax doubted anyone needed translation, Axel puffed up and popped his cheeks. “He says he’ll start cutting fingers off if you stand up again.”

           “I won’t,” Percy said through gritted teeth. “Just don’t hurt my little sister.”

           After reading both of their lips, Hiro nodded cheerfully. He turned back to the baby, made a goofy face at her, and wrapped her up in his arms, careful to dodge around the darts lining his suspenders. Hiro gave her finger an apologetic kiss and rocked her to some unknown tune.

           “Man, maybe we really shouldn’t have left Hiro with Dad for those years,” Pax muttered. He waved a hand at Hiro and made sure his lips were fully visible as he said, “Hiro, do you want someone to take you to the park to play ball? Or get you ice cream or a puppy? That you won’t kill—okay, maybe not a puppy—I guess I’m trying to say that Axel and I will give you attention without you committing several felonies and doing the whole, ‘creepy villain…’”

           Pax trailed off when he saw the look in Hiro’s eyes.

           Pax liked to remember Hiro as the tiny, happy child that would crawl onto Pax’s shoulders to pretend Pax was a horse and followed Pax around Frasco’s circus to learn everything Pax knew.

           But now, Hiro’s eyes weren’t alight with admiration. They were narrowed with malice. The look told Pax that no number of hugs, or hand knit sweaters, or crazy moon bounce parties would let Hiro forgive each night that Axel and Pax hadn’t come to save he and Lapis from their father.

           “--ait until I can get out of this chair—”

           Pax felt numb as he tuned back into Percy’s threat.

           Alabaster cut him off with a shrug. “We never bombed any of your living quarters, neither cabin nor barracks. We didn’t want to support that kind of blind murder.”                

           Clarisse snorted. “You probably couldn’t think of a lot of different tactics.”

           Something, Pax thought, one really ought to be proud of, Oh damn, I’m so uncreative in my terrorism.

           “No, we did,” Axel said, as calm as Alabaster. “Luke didn’t want to fight that kind of war.”

           “I find that queer, coming from the Cloven Terror and Leonis Caput,” Reyna said. She appeared to regret throwing her knife at Pax, as she now resorted to twirling a ring on her finger. As a show of good faith towards a future sister-in-law, Pax almost considered tossing it back to her, but—judging by the tense environment—that might not be the best way to express his positive emotions.

           Axel didn’t buckle under her scrutiny. “You pick your battles. We would carefully chose and eliminate a few selective leaders to immobilize an army and minimize overall killing instead of attacking a majority, especially not an area with noncombat units.”

           Alabaster sighed and Pax found himself wishing he had his headphones so he didn’t need to hear this argument again. “Grassroots versus trickle down approach. Axel strongly believed in trickle down.” Alabaster rolled his eyes.

           “Hey!” Kally’s shout made Pax jump in surprise. “This isn’t helping the camp full of kids that are going to be obliterated at sundown. Plenty of which know nothing of the Titan war.”

           The table quieted. Everyone but Axel and Alabaster looked off to the side and grumbled.

           “Sorry,” Kally said as an afterthought, exhaling.

           As best Pax could, he rested his hand atop hers under the table.

           Merry gave Kally an encouraging nod from across.

           Although Pax didn’t want to talk after seeing Hiro’s expression, he managed, “If I were an evil goddess with an amazing fashion sense and great monologue skills, this is exactly the kind of internal fighting I would want to cause to waste time and distract everyone.”

           “The daughter of Apollo and counselor of Eris are right,” Reyna said. “We can discuss ethics and wartime philosophy later.” Her gaze lingered on Axel.

           Axel raised an exhausted eyebrow at her.

           Pax wondered if Axel could find a way to make a discussion on ethics and wartime philosophy into some weird flirting. Twenty Reese’s said he could, and could make it end with some weirder make out/wrestling session.

           Moving on from his brother’s creative Top Ten Questions to Ask a Girl on the First Date, and the debate of who murdered whom more ethically, Merry directed them back onto the subject at hand.  

           Pax finished off his story and Percy filled in the gaps from his party.

           Hazel chimed in on Will’s behalf—since he still couldn’t speak for himself—narrating Will and Joey’s adventures through the Underworld before Joey became real competition for Medusa’s Best Statue of the Year award and about how the dead told Will that something had upset Nyx.

           Merry’s jaw jutted to one side as she watched Hiro tuck the now-sleeping baby back into her crib-cage. “Gothic architecture… Everyone else heard some lovely chimes this morning, right? Just after sunrise?”

           Percy groaned and glared sideways at the mirror. “Yea, they were right in my ear.”

           Annabeth’s eyes went wide. “Chiming as in bells? Like church bells?” She turned to Percy, looking more awake than she had the whole meeting. “Did Eris say anything else? Anything when she was threatening your sister?”

           Pax was glad Athena had decided to click on some lights above Merry and Annabeth’s heads, because his mind was still skipping in the dark as were the minds of the other fifteen or so cabins present.

           “I didn’t exactly take notes,” Percy said.

           “Anything could be important, Water Muffin,” Merry said.

           Percy’s brow furrowed, though Pax wasn’t sure if it was from Merry’s nickname or from thought. “No warriors can be sent after her or he’ll drop her three hundred feet onto concrete…”

           Annabeth and Merry made eye contact. Merry grinned. “Annabeth, what Gothic churches are three hundred feet tall or above in the USA?”

           “Not many.” Annabeth pushed some of the curls out of her face. “The Washington Cathedral, the Riverside Church…”

           Percy’s face brightened, in direct contrast to his words. “She also said something about falling to concrete to put more weight onto Atlas’s shoulders. Last I checked, Atlas is stuck on Mount Tams. Any of those churches in California?”

           Annabeth frowned. “No—”

           Merry snapped her fingers. “Our little Hiro and bae are right next door.”

           Annabeth blinked for a second before saying, “Of course! Saint Patrick’s Cathedral by the Rockefeller Center.”

           “The weight of the world is on the Rockefeller Center?” Travis whispered loudly to Connor.

           “Talk about performance pressure,” he responded in kind.

           Merry chuckled. “Only when they’re putting up their Christmas tree. No. There’s a pretty statue of Atlas between it and the cathedral.”

           A slow, methodical clap chilled their celebration at the discovery and reminded everyone that they had forgotten to cover their mouths when facing the mirror. Hiro gave them a half-grin, one a little too close to Pax’s devilish smiles.

           “So we know where she is,” Clarisse said. “But what good does that do us? No one can go there.”

           “I can go.”

           Everyone glanced over to where Merry had leaned forward, stretching her hands out in front of her in a way that—Pax suspected—she did to distract Calex with how much it pinched her chest between her arms.

           Merry relaxed, so she could put an elbow on the table and lean her head against that hand. “Eris specified big bad warriors, right? I’m not a big bad warrior. I’m a demigod contradiction: a pacifist. I will only lift a finger for dancing, partying, and sacrificing good grades to Annabeth’s mom—not to violence.”

           Her gaze switched from the counselors over to the mirror. “And, I’ll bet Hiro and Lapis saw that when they were creeping on our group. What do you think Hiro? I won’t bring any weapons. Can Aunti Merry drop by for a hug without you having a baby shower?”

           Pax wanted to hug Merry for the ill-timed pun, but he sensed a flaw in her plan, one that Axel stated perfectly for the group. “That will probably just give Hiro two hostages.”

           Calex swallowed. “No offense, Merry... but Axel is right.”

           She winked. “Trust me. I got this. How’s about it, Hiro?”

           Hiro considered, bobbing his head from side-to-side and making his long, black hair flutter. Then, Hiro rapidly signed something that Pax didn’t catch.

           “Hiro!” Axel snarled disapprovingly in a way that made Pax want to say, Oh yea, NOW is when you want to chastise him for being rude.

           Hiro signed slower.

           Pax frowned, wishing his brother was a bit more like a cute panda. “So you won’t defend yourself if attacked?” he translated in place of Axel.

           Merry’s honey skin paled a shade, but her relaxed smile stayed strong. “Won’t lift a finger,” she repeated.

           Hiro clapped giddily and jumped in place. Pax imagined—if Hiro were an animated character—that his hair would take more time to draw then the background.

           “Augh, what a creep,” Miranda grumbled.

           There was a grumble of agreement, especially from the victory twins. Though Pax still didn’t know what people were expecting from someone who had threatened to play Fruit Ninja with a baby’s fingers.

           Calex gripped the edge of the table, his knuckles paling. He whispered something into Merry’s ear. She gently touched one of his hands to calm him.

           The pit in Pax’s stomach had grown from a baby stream to the size of the Grand Canyon. When Hiro began to sign again, Pax wondered if he could pretend he’d experienced sudden amnesia and could now only sign the words Doritos are awesome.  “No weapons. No backup. Only mortal transportation. We can have lunch. Tell Pax and Axel that they are dumb f—hey!” Pax huffed. “My face is adorable!”

           Merry folded her hands in front of her, straightened her shoulders, and closed her eyes. “Axel. Pax. You are dumb faces.”

           Hiro’s shoulders shuddered with a giggle.

           Axel sighed. “Hiro, when this is all over and I get my hands on you, I’m dragging you all the way back to Chiich and making you tell her everything you’ve done.”

           Pax’s ear hurt at the thought and he wasn’t even the one who would be in trouble.

           Hiro huffed, crossed his arms, and turned his back to the mirror.

           With Hiro’s back turned, Merry’s smile weakened. Even from where Pax was sitting, he could tell she needed a huge hoard of weasels to hug her. That always made him feel better.

           Percy glanced at the mirror back to the daughter of Dionysus. “Do… do you really think you can help my little sister?” he asked. “Especially with the whole no-kicking-ass thing?”

           “Who needs to go fisty-cuffs when you’ve got a noggin?” She tapped her forehead.

           Clarisse scoffed, “Hippie.”

           Annabeth gave Merry an exhausted smile of appreciation. “I assume you have a plan?”

           Merry nodded.

           Axel scowled. “Don’t let your guard down just because he’s a child. He can throw darts as quick as Ajax and I don’t know what Santiago has been teaching him… I refuse to let you be the next Joey.”

           The cheer in Merry’s face erased at the mention of their ghostly, petrified friend.

           Pax could feel Kally trembling violently under his hand. “Merry… are you going to be okay?” she asked. Although everyone else might not notice, Kally had put her other hand on the table in a thumbs down position.

           “I’ll be careful, sweeties,” Merry said, looking across the counselor table to make eye contact with Kally, Pax, Axel, and ending on Calex. Subtly, she put a thumbs up on the table in response.

           From the looks of it, Calex was two seconds away from exploding into a panicked array of shiny, Eros arrows, hopefully putting on the best fireworks show Pax had ever seen and ending with the least PG twist for any demigod.

           Except that ex-Roman son of Jupiter was here.

           Pax vetoed the non-PG Eros ending for this counselor meeting.

           “I don’t like this, but we don’t have any choice except to trust that Merry knows what she’s doing.” Thalia drummed her fingers along the table. Pax found it weird to look at Thalia’s silvery camo and dark hair in full daylight. When Matthias was feeling better, they would have to make a little moonlight screen to put behind the Lieutenant of Artemis during all meetings, complete with deer-shaped nightlights and cartoon constellations. “We don’t have a ton of time, and I think we need to talk about how a demigod with god-power eye drops and a singing head that can blow a hole in the camp are on their way to Tartarus.”

           Axel’s eyes narrowed. “We do. The longer we wait, the more distance Euna puts between here and Tartarus, and the harder it will be for me to catch up with her.”

           Pax felt like Phobetor had snuck up on him and used that piccolo-hatchet to hack out his heart. “You’re going back there? To the happy land of fratricide and cheesy, cop out villains?” he said, not realizing until the very end that his squeak had come out in Mayan. “What are you going to do if Mrs. I-want-inside-your-pants and Mr. And-I’ll-cut-off-what’s-in-your-pants show back up?!”

           Those dark, Mist-covered eyes sank down to his hands. “I think they got what they wanted. Besides…” Axel cleared his throat and returned his gaze to the table. “I’m not sure if Euna’s stairwell has connected with the labyrinth yet or what is down there, but if I enter the labyrinth via Zeus’s fist, I should be able to navigate it easily and avoid godly confrontations.”      

           Pax prayed no one would connect that knowledge with the Battle of the Labyrinth.

           A few displeased grumbles came from Frank, Hazel, and Reyna.

           “Assuming we let you go,” Reyna said, twirling her ring while scrutinizing him, “Someone needs to go with to assure that you’re not convincing Euna to join the gods attacking camp—”

           Pax thought nothing could distract Calex from fretting over Merry, but those words made him gawk. “Euna wouldn’t do that. She blames Eris for her sister’s death.”

           “And,” Reyna said, her eyes flashing over to Calex to silence him before returning to Axel. “If you were stricken with madness again, you would need someone that can hunt you down in the event that you rampage and attack allies.”

           Although Axel maintained eye contact and posture, Pax knew Reyna could hurt Axel less by putting her metal greyhounds into a ballista and firing them at Axel than by saying that. Axel didn’t try to defend himself; his expression broke.

           The worst part: Pax couldn’t defend Axel either. She was right.

           At least one good thing could come out of this: maybe Axel and Reyna could take a romantic vacation to Tartarus to talk about their feelings, punch daimons, and—

           “I can,” Thalia said. “Euna was close to joining the ranks of Artemis. If Artemis isn’t around to do so, it is my responsibility to help a maiden in my goddess’ absence. And,” Thalia raised her fingers, snapping them so a burst of static electricity arched. “I can take Axel.”

           Axel, though still looking appropriately sulky, raised an eyebrow again in amusement.

           Calex cleared his throat. His wary gaze shifted from Merry, back to Axel in uncertainty. “I can come too. I know Euna, a medic is always useful, and three is a sacred quest number.”

           “That would outnumber Thalia two to one if you decide to turn on her,” Frank said.

           “Frank!” Piper chastised, touching her nephew’s shoulder to show her disagreement.

           “Uh, Calex is pretty cool,” Percy said. “But… going to Tartarus…” He trailed off, looking to Annabeth for help.

           She gave an exhausted sigh. “I don’t think Calex would betray us. But, without Chiron’s healing, we need all the medical assistance and fighting power we can have here. You shouldn’t go to Tartarus.”

           Those words were like putting a parental lock on Calex’s quest options. Although none of them said it, Pax had the distinct feeling, from the glance Percy, Annabeth, and Axel exchanged, that none of them thought Calex would enjoy the walk through the River Acheron. However, Pax wanted to point out that Calex had probably been an Arsenal hooligan at a West Ham stadium after West Ham lost a match, and which likely had similar conditions.

           “I think your skills are better suited here,” Axel agreed.

           Calex looked unsettled, but was unwilling to contradict both Annabeth and Axel.

           “It’s alright,” Axel said, “We’ll get her home safely.” He scooted his chair back, stood, and rested one hand on Alabaster’s shoulder. “If we have any hope of intercepting Euna, Thalia and I need to pack up now.”

           Pax caught Axel’s eye. They both puffed up their cheeks and popped them. Pax wanted to tell Axel not to go, that there were scary bad guys in Tartarus, that Pax had no way of keeping Alabaster from pigballing Percy to make bacon for the group, and that Pax would inevitably stuff his face with tree nuts without Axel around, puff up to the size of a condo, and fly away into the sun. And they all knew how that turned out for Icarus.

           But Pax also didn’t want to go anywhere near Axel. He got the distinct feeling this was Axel’s big boy version of needing a stroll to cool off.

           Thalia stood up and unslung a silvery backpack from one side of her chair and her unstrung bow from the other. “Done packing,” said the huntress. She rolled her eyes at Axel’s half-smile. “Ugh, boys always take so long to get ready.”

           There was a brief vote, something that clearly made Miranda and Butch uncomfortable without Chiron’s approval. The overwhelming majority voted in favor of their departure, with Clovis abstaining due to a nap, and Jason the only one uncomfortable with sending his sister to Hell with a beast.

           As his brother walked away with little more than an awkward wave, like Pax’s mother, Hiro, and Lapis had abandoned him previously, Pax realized that he’d need to learn how to take care of himself and he’d have to learn fast.

Thanks for reading! Anyone surprised by the Tartarus promenade pair? Tune in next week for Axel’s chapter: Hot Women Need to Stop Sneaking Up on Me.

Also! Sorry if my edits were sloppy this round. Mel was awesome in giving me a rush delivery on betaedits, and I completely butchered them XD

  Footnotes:

[1] Mel Betanote: “I was about to say ‘PAX, THAT DIDN’T HAPPEN’ but then I remembered that it did and now I can’t tell the difference between what actually happened and Pax’s exaggerations because they sound the same!”

Jack’s response: My work here is done.

[2] China Mieville.

[3] So, if I had more sleep, I could more artfully slip this in here…. But sound can come out, it just can’t go in. This footnote is to remind Jack not to be a lazy jerk and clarify this properly in writing! *tsk tsk* to Jack’s lazy footnoting.

[vrenaewrites]

AFTER by Anna Todd thoughts: Prologue - Ch 50

Full video here.

Originally wattpad fanfic about Harry Styles??????

PROLOGUE:

“I didn't know college would be more than academics”

Confused by (her roommate’s friends) inattention to structure: How fucking lame are you

“And that’s when he crept into my heart” Is he italicized in the books i bet it is

Dude’s name is hardin? More like hard-on amirite

CH 1:

It starts with an alarm going off?!?!?!? Rule number one!!!!!

She spends the prologue telling us she’s been prepping for college all her life and then spends a good half a page telling us that again

“Whatever else teenagers else do, that wasn’t me” We got a mary sue here guys

Razor from the knees down - ok virgin - why was this a detail?

Oh shiiii she got a boyfriend? And his name is NOT hardin guys

She told us multiple times that she prepped for this day forever but also keeps saying she has no idea what to expect...does this take place before the internet? Like...google it??

CH 2:

She just said she saw the school online, like you can find pics of the school but you couldn’t find a single youtube video about “what college is really like” foh

So the mom sits in on orientation but is expected to leave before seeing the dorm room how tf that girl supposed to get all her shit up to the dorm?!?!?! Parents usually help you move in??

So the car was packed FULL of her stuff but then she says she only brought clothes and books and her bf doesn’t have much to carry...so what is the truth?

Oh shit her roommate has tattoos

“Where the dorms are tiny and the parties are huge” and this information is fucking earth shattering to tessa and her mom and not-hardin

CH 3:

Two closets in this tiny dorm room…

“College is not what i expected” you said MULTIPLE TIMES you didn’t know what to expect so what is the truth?!!?!?!?

“Both genders” yikes on bikes

CH 4:

HE HAS A THICK ENGLISH ACCENT goodBYE

“Hardin scott is not my boyfriend” okay, so many things. No one fucking talks like that unless they wanna introduce the full name of the love interest in the clunkiest way

Also HS are his initials goodBYEEEEE

CH 5:

“Destroyed his body with holes and tattoos” omg

CH 6:

Hardin is fucking neg that calls her Teresa when she asks to go by Tessa and as someone who constantly gets called Vicki when I ask to go by Viktoria, I am on her side in this instance and this instance only

CH 7:

She is so upset that someone called her prissy but then she can’t even bring herself to think of what those people are doing in the frat house bedrooms

CH 9:

The word bottom. As in, steph pushed her bottom against a guy as she danced with him...BOTTOM

She’s in a bedroom with her drunk roommate and a really great collection of books and I GUARANTEE this is Hardin’s room

Wuthering heights ffs

KNEW IT

CH 10:

And she’s crying

CH 13:

She introduces herself by her full name and landon does the same whyyyyyy who does this?

He’s a nice kid unlike you - i’m shocked at my harsh words

Am i just a bitch or is she the weakest

So they’re just walking and he screams, “Stop staring at me” out of nowhere and walks away...sounds stable

CH 14:

“Noah is my boyfriend and I would never do anything to hurt him” This is what we call foreshadowing my friends

“A man who is rude an intolerable being made into a romantic hero? It’s ridiculous” hardin

Foreshadowing…

She literally just said her boyfriend is like a little brother…ew

“I’m aware that my hips and breasts are larger than most women my age”...women are fully developed at 18...i don’t understand…

Mary sue shit

CH 15:

“She’s intimidated by you because you’re not like other girls” is that a real thing…

“You look...different” - hardin PUKE

“Are you a virgin?” i puked again

No one seems surprised - bitch you dress like a nun

CH 16:

These chapter breaks make no gd sense

“Hormonal college rock n roll misfits”

Immediately takes a shot of vodka

Hardin looks disappointed that she took a shot because she’s not like other girls…

Slut shaming.com / tessa re: molly

CH 17:

“Sorry if i don’t dress like a slut” no you just wear pleated skirts and khakis like a mormon mother

Hardin doesn’t drink OF COURSE they are sober lil bookworms together

I want to be an author. Of course because she is the mary sue of our generation move over bella swan

She’s drinking again after almost puking

CH 18:

“We don’t need to have sex, we have fun by going to the movies...and going on walks” ON WALKS.

OH SHIIIIIIIII THEY KISSIN

CH 19:

This girl has never been horny before and she cannot cope with the feeling

Am i bad a person for feeling like “Well she already cheated by kissing him, might as well keep kissing him?” like i know that’s wrong but…

CH 20:

Oh my god she’s not telling her boyfriend that she kissed someone else??!?!?

Oh shiii hardin’s in her dorm

HER MOM IS AT THE DOOR

WITH NOAH?!?!?!?!?!

When i say weakass you say bitch

CH 21:

The fork at breakfast reminds her of hardin’s lip ring….

She just called Hardin Mr. Rude. “Mr. struggle” lol anyone else watch Cody Ko??

Noah won’t kiss her in public and she does NOT get horny with him

CH 22:

Pride and prejudice is not a magical book tessa

Landon’s mom and hardin’s dad?! Oh shiiiii

“Are you ocd or something” christ

Literally he’s throwing her notes all over the floor like what a four year old

“Eyes burning into mine” AGAIN

They kissin!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh shit they doin MORE than kissing

“You’re so sexy tess” I PUKED

Steph’s eyes are clapping with glee?????

“You could learn a lot from Hardin, like, sexually” - steph

okay………

CH 23:

They’re talking about the use of foreshadowing in pride and prejudice about if you could tell that darcy and elizabeth would end up together…

What kinda hamfisted shit…

And then she and hardin get in a screaming match about their situation but it’s coded in darcy and elizabeth language like come onnnnnnn

So much twilight vibes: “your mood swings give me a headache” “i should stay away from him, i know he’s dangerous” dangerous how? Because he has tattoos?

FIRST FULL BODY CRINGE: “You’re thinking about me and you have that feeling, down there, don’t you, teresa?”

Twilight: “i don’t wanna stay away from you”

CH 24:

“He really is bipolar” dude

She likes bon iver and the fray...of course she does

CH 25:

SHE FOLLOWED THIS STRANGER INTO THE WOODS

No murderino instinct at all

“He must be cold in the warm ass water because he can’t be getting flushed seeing me, a girl he’s made out with multiple times and is obviously attracted to, in nothing but his t-shirt” bitch COME ON

“I’m having real fun, not watching a movie fun”

This is such a dig at noah who she says doesn’t need to fuck her because they watch movies together

SECOND FULL BODY CRINGE: “These lips, the things you could do with them”

THIRD: “Oh Hardin,” I moan and squeeze him with my legs. “I want to make you moan my name over and over again” - hardin

My hormones are out of control - who is thinking about their hormones at this point

FOURTH: She goes to cover up and he’s like don’t ever cover yourself from me, i’ve been with so many girls but none like you

And they’re not gonna do it but “there are many other things he wants to do to her first” and at this point my body is contorted like a jumbo shrimp

FIFTH: The whole fingering scene honestly. Just all of it. He made her towel off with his shirt...am I missing something? She had already put her pants on...what’s the point of that???

SIXTH: “You haven’t said a word to me since” - “since i gave you your first orgasm?”

CH 26:

Wtf is this dude’s problem? She ignores her boyfriend’s call to keep making out with him and he’s like “don’t break up with him on my account, there’s no us going on” like dude y’all just went on a date...so you can keep saying you don’t date...but you just did…

CH 27:

She’s so selfish!!!! Calling Noah because she got rejected by Hardin!!!!!!!! Noah deserves better 2k20

And then she mentions it in front of Hardin to make him jealous WTF

Hardin petty ass Scott says, “noah, that’s a nice cardigan you’re wearing”

Thanks I got it from the gap!!!!!!!11

CH 28:

SEVEN: Tessa wants noah to get her horny so she keeps trying to kiss him and when he won’t let anything happen she stops and he says, “that was nice, tessa”

Tessa takes noah’s car to go help hardin and leaves noah in her dorm room alone when he drove 3 hours to see her!!!!!!!!!!!!!

CH 29:

Hardin toxic asshole Scott threw a hissy fit and tessa comes to save the day

He dresses her little glass cut after telling her she’s pathetic...woof

CH 30:

Holy manipulation station nation

Then he forces himself on her and her dumb bitch ass KISSES HIM!!!!!

BECAUSE HE SAID HE NEEDED HER, THAT’S ALL IT TOOK

Cringe throughout: that she describes his lips as pink. It’s weird as fuck.

EIGHT: “You know who i think you are when you’re with me?” “Who?” “yourself”

CH 31:

NINE: He’s telling her if she says the word he’ll leave her alone: “Tell me teresa,” he coos, and i whimper. “Hardin,” i whisper. WHY?

SHE IS GONNA STAY WITH HARDIN WHILE NOAH IS WAITING FOR HER?!?!?!?!!??!

CH 32:

“I don’t know if it’s his smile or the fact that he’s only in boxers, but I’m in a much better mood than before” you skank ass hoe

TEN: He says her clothes hide how sexy and curvy her body really is. Sexy and curvy. Both.

CH 33:

ELEVEN: “I know this happiness isn’t going to last” - the happiness being her straddling this guy that isn’t her boyfriend - “and i feel like cinderella waiting for the clock to strike midnight”

“I can behave any way i want with hardin tonight, because in the morning i’m going to tell him to leave me alone forever” HUH

TWELVE: I am just as intoxicated by hardin, as hardin is by the bottle of scotch he drank

THIRTEEN: Who is this girl straddling this punk boy and asking to touch him...down there?

CH 34:

FOURTEEN: He says he wants to taste her and this dumb bitch licks her lips like “yeah we been kissing wtf” and he says “no, down there” EW

CH 35:

Noah standing up for himself!!!!!

FIFTEEN: Then he calls them those gothic people...gothic? Not goth. Gothic.

HARDIN DONE BARGED IN!!!!!!

CH 36:

Hardin and Noah about to get into it!

Hardin making tessa be honest with noah OMG THE DRAMA

SIXTEEN: I am a moth to hardin’s flame and he never hesitates to burn me

CH 39:

Tessa gets a makeover to go out with steph and i KNOW she’s gonna see hardin and they’re gonna be inappropriate in public

And hardin is here OF COURSE

Oooh and he’s with molly! Tea

She is a slut - TESSA NO

Chapter 37: hardin will ruin tess if she ever comes around again chapter 39: he’s driving her home and making sure her burger doesn’t have ketchup

CH 40:

Noah will get back with tessa if she promises nothing with happen with hardin and we are only halfway through this book BITCH

CH 41:

Oh he drunk and at tessa’s dorm

This BITCH. JUST. GOT. BACK.TOGETHER. WITH. NOAH. AND. IS. GETTING. IN. BED. WITH. HARDIN. TO. WATCH. A. MOVIE.

CH 42:

He picks her up and forces her to sleep in the bed with him despite her saying no

CH 44:

She admits to herself that sleeping beside hardin is worth losing noah and then is trying to talk herself into believing that noah is hotter than hardin????

“You don’t need makeup” “well i like it” “well you’re bad at it” negging ass

This man at the store says, “hardin?” in an english accent and she’s like “i knew it was his dad” well how many fucking english dudes are in this small washington town my friend

This bitch agrees to go to dinner with hardin’s dad knowing damn well he and his dad are NOT on good terms...she’d be walking home…

CH 45:

And then because he doesn’t wanna go to dinner with his abandoning father, she says she’s gonna go to his dad’s house for dinner with ANOTHER DUDE?!?!?!?!?!?

She ignores noah’s call

It is stressing me tf out that she isn’t calling noah back and is instead getting ready for a date with hardin’s family...this poor cardigan wearing man

CH 46:

I LITERALLY DO NOT CARE ABOUT THE FAMILY!!!!!!!! GET BACK TO THE CRINGE NEGGING AND ALMOST-BONING

CH 47:

“He rubs the back of his neck like he always does” - this is the first time he’s done this??

CH 48:

SEVENTEEN: “Oh tessa the things you do to me”

Fingers her without asking?!?!?!?!?!?! She literally says “Without my permission”

CH 49:

She is staying at hardin’s family’s house for the night, asks for her own room because she has a boyfriend - YOU JUST GOT EATEN OUT BY ANOTHER DUDE FIVE MINUTES AGO

~~~~

[imagine-hamilfluff]

The Patriot Girl: Part 1

Eliza x Female Reader

Masterlist

Next Part

Word Count: 2413

A/N: Hi, um so I rearranged my request list a bit because I randomly got inspired to write some Eliza angst? I’m sorry. Also, I understand some Patriot and Loyalist families got along fine, but pretend that’s not a thing in this fic, thanks. There’s currently only two parts to this, and I’m toying with a third part. I did not mean for this to be a multipart fic (especially with IIHMC), but um, it just kind of happened. There were a lot of plot points I wanted to touch on. (And I apologize for the crappy transitions in some places. I couldn’t figure out how to make them better and gave up.) Anyways, enjoy!

When you were nine years old, you ran away.

Admittedly, it wasn’t a very well planned escape, you only made it a couple blocks, and you were punished severely when your father located you, but never did you regret running. For you had ran to the one place you knew you could hide: the park.

And there you met Miss Elizabeth Schuyler for the first time.

“Are you hiding?” a pale girl with long dark hair asked you innocently. Your eyes shot daggers at her, as you were still in a sour mood, but she kept looking at you with those wide eyes that you eventually sighed and rested your half formed flower crown on your crossed legs.

“Yes,” you said pointedly, crossing your arms. But to your dismay, the girl’s face lit up.

Her hands clasped together excitedly. “Is it a game? Can I play? My sister Angelica doesn’t let me play games with her, and Peggy just hides in the same spot.”

You furrowed your eyebrows and looked at the girl angrily. “It’s not a game. I ran away,” you huffed, annoyed.

At this, the girl formed a small ‘o’ with her mouth and her eyes became wider. Then before you could protest, she sat beside you and looked at you intently. “Why did you run away?” she asked sincerely.

You didn’t want to answer her, but something in her eyes convinced you to. You averted your eyes back down to your flower crown and began fiddling with it with your fingers. “My brother,” you finally mumbled.

The girl put a comforting hand on yours and looked into your eyes with empathy. “My little brothers drive me insane too.”

You threw your hands up in the air, startling her. “But I don’t have any little brothers,” you all but screamed. Except this time, your voice wasn’t angry, it was just upset. “I have one big brother, and he’s marrying the worst girl ever. She doesn’t even talk to me or play with me, and now he’s stopped playing with me too and he’s my best friend and I can’t- I can’t-”

You stopped talking to cry, burying your face in your hands. Warm arms wrapped themselves around your shoulders, and you and this girl stayed like this for some time.

When you finally stopped crying and looked up at her, you had the sudden urge to laugh. She gave a hesitant smile at your giggles, before she too joined in.

“I’m Y/N,” you said quietly.

She beamed. “Elizabeth, but I like Eliza better.” With a small smile, you nodded, but she became concerned again. “Your brother is being really unkind,” she said sympathetically. Your smile faltered, and your face became pained. She opened her mouth to speak again, but was cut off.

“Eliza, darling, it’s time to return home.”

The deep voice came from above you, and you looked up at the man with a soft smile set upon his face. You noticed your new friend’s face glow as she looked upon the man.

“Okay, papa,” she responded pushing herself off the ground, and standing to grab ahold of his hand. She looked down at you with a bright smile. “I hope everything turns out okay. I’ll see you around-”

“Y/N!”

Both Eliza and her father turned sharply to look at the source of the voice, but you merely froze and looked upon your new companion worriedly. There was clear anger pronounced in your name, and soon enough, a strong hand roughly grabbed your forearm and yanked you upwards to a standing position. You yelped and cowered before your father.

“What the hell were you thinking,” he declared angrily. You flinched. You glanced over at Eliza, and her father--who now possessed a stone cold face--held her back from coming to you.

You watched as he slowly tried to drag Eliza away before he finally said quietly, “Eliza, it’s time to go.”

Your father, upon hearing him, turned to look at your company. Somehow, his expression became angrier than before, but he was still able to place the look Eliza was giving you.

His voice was eerily calm, unlike before, but it held a far more frightening anger. “Y/N, you are never to see this girl again.”

Your eyes went wide and you opened your mouth to protest, but Eliza beat you to it. “Sir, she’s my friend!” she called out.

But instead of addressing her, your father looked down to address you. “We do not become friends with Patriot scum,” he commanded, and then began pulling you away. Your body became limp as he tugged you away. It couldn’t be true, could it? Eliza seemed so nice and so--not like the Patriots your father had described.

But as you looked back at her, she seemed stunned, and was gently moved by her father. You averted your eyes from her and slowly returned home with your father, watching your feet as you walked.

For the next week, you were kept under close watch by your entire family, so you mostly just sat in your room and pondered the subject of your not-so-but-maybe friend Eliza. Because even though you knew you were supposed to hate her, she was the nicest person you had ever met. And part of you was hoping you would meet her again.

About three weeks after your incident, your brother and his fiancee made plans for a walk in the park, and you had to beg for a whole hour to convince your brother to convince your father you should be allowed to come along.

You watched carefully as the three of you walked around the park, but it paid off. Eventually, long black hair caught your eye. Your face brightened immediately.

“Richard, may I please go talk to my friend,” you begged, pointing towards Eliza. Your brother sighed, but eventually relented, much to his fiancee’s dismay. But you couldn’t care about her as you were sprinting away.

“Eliza!” you called out, waving your hand. She turned confused, but also placed a smile on her face when she saw you. But then her eyebrows furrowed.

“Won’t your father be angry if you talk to me?” She tried to ask politely, but you could tell her feelings were hurt from your last encounter.

You shot her a mischievous grin to make her feel a little better. “He won’t be if he doesn’t find out,” you said confidently. Slowly, a grin spread across Eliza’s face as if she were trusted with a big secret.

And your father didn’t find out. Not even after seven years of conveniently walking to the park at the same time as your favorite Schuyler sister.

Your favorite days were Mondays and Thursdays. These were your night walks, when you and Eliza were free to roam the park in the darkness of your own accord without anyone around. These were the times you were brave enough to hold hands instead of arms.

“Oh I wish I could see him!” Eliza exclaimed squeezing your hand. You giggled at her expression and she scrunched her nose playfully in response.

The “him” in question was your one year old nephew who had just begun to toddle around on his feet. He hadn’t quite gotten the hang of walking yet, but you knew it would be mere weeks before he had mastered the craft, just as his two older sisters had.

Eliza let out a peaceful sigh, and you reveled in the warmth of her fingers between yours. “How long is your brother in town?” she asked curiously. You tensed slightly but let it go.

It still partially upset you Richard’s wife had convinced him to move up to Massachusetts, but you refused to be upset during his few weeks he had at home. “Another week,” you sighed. He never stayed long enough.

“I can’t imagine Angelica being so far away from me all the time,” she commented absentmindedly. You gently squeezed her hand in comfort, as if to say Angelica would never leave her. Richard and you had been close, but he was ten years your elder and practically raised you. Angelica was one of Eliza’s closest friends.

You, however--you were her best friend.

It was an unspoken agreement between the two of you. Both of you feared to dwell on it, though. For if you confessed you were best friends, you might not be able to control the other unspoken but obvious feelings that haunted you every time you left each other’s sides. So instead you both kept the conversation turning without ever going in that direction. Neither of you needed a vocal confirmation.

Or that’s what you kept telling yourself.

It was getting harder and harder for you to remain passive when you were with her. Every day you were in society with girls who were confessing their feelings for Loyalist soldiers. But you only had eyes for a certain Patriot.

“Y/N?” Eliza asked concerned, and your eyes shot back to her, recovering from your trance with a blush. She giggled and your heart fluttered, but you swallowed thickly and kept a neutral face. “I asked if you thought your father would consider attending the Lincolnfield’s ball this Saturday?” Her eyes looked at you with such hope that you almost lied to her to keep that look in her eyes.

But instead you grimaced. “There’ll be Patriots there,” you stated simply, averting your eyes to the ground.

“Yes, but many Loyalist families are coming. You wouldn’t be the only one-”

“My father isn’t just some Loyalist. He has a reputation. He’s high in the King’s favor. You will never see our family at a ball with Patriots.” You both walked a couple steps in dismayed silence before you added, “I’m sorry, Eliza.”

She stopped and gave you a soft sigh and understanding smile, though you could still see the disappointment behind her eyes. “It’s okay. I knew that,” she replied tiredly.

You were both still stopped on the path and the sound of her breathing so close to you overwhelmed your senses. She went to take a step and begin walking again, but you tightened your grip on her hand and clenched your eyes shut. You could still feel her wide wondering eyes.

Without looking at her, you allowed yourself a moment of impulse. “Why do you want to see me at a ball so badly?”

The question hung in the air, and you slowly opened your eyes to a very uncomfortable Eliza. You knew what you were doing and you didn’t know why you were doing it. As soon as you saw the expression on Eliza’s face, you knew: you were addressing the unaddressable.

You should have apologized. You should have pulled her along the path to keep walking and ignore it. You should have done anything besides what you did do next.

Because you allowed yourself another moment of impulse.

Like gravity tugging on you, you pressed your lips against hers. She made a muffled sound, but you didn’t have enough space in your mind to process it. Your thoughts were filled instead with sensory bliss. Her soft lips pushing forcefully back against yours. Her hand still tightly squeezing yours and her free hand snaking around your back and pulling your body as tightly as she could against hers. Your free hand found its resting space in the crook of her neck as you melted into the kiss.

And then it was over.

You both pulled back from each other, breathing heavily. You registered the fear in her eyes, and acknowledged there was probably a good amount in yours too. Silently, you both took a step back from each other and untangled your hands. And then wordlessly, you turned to the direction of your house and walked home, feeling slightly lightheaded.

It wasn’t until you walked into your house you noticed the streams running down your face.

“Y/N?” Richard asked concerned. He was always the only one up at this late hour. “Are you alright?” He immediately sounded defensive, and like the protective brother you grew up loving. But you couldn’t explain this to him. So instead you noiselessly crossed the room and threw your arms around him, burying your head in his chest and sobbing.

Eventually, he walked you upstairs and put you to bed. But somehow he knew not to ask you anymore questions. And even as he carefully watched you the next day as you nervously wrung your hands and waited for your four o’clock walk to roll around, he respectfully acknowledged your silence.

When you walked to the park that day, your legs felt like mush. Your stomach flipped inside out as your whole body shook. Something in you was convinced she wouldn’t come. Ever again.

You wanted to break down in despair at the thought.

But to your utter surprise, she was there waiting. With a pleasant smile painted on her face, though you could tell it was forced. You managed to plaster a small nervous smile on your face as you took her arm.

As you both began walking, Eliza started in on a story about Peggy, but you could hardly listen. You had to talk to her about the previous night.

“No you don’t,” Eliza stated simply, a pointed look in her eyes. You searched her eyes confused when you realized you had been thinking outloud. “We don’t have to talk about it. It happened. I think we both know how we feel about it, but we both also understand the circumstance. So we move on,” she stated calmly, but you knew there was an edge of heartbreak in her words.

“But-”

She shook her head forcefully and angrily. “Y/N I refuse to lose you as a friend because we tried to fight what we know cannot happen. Can you move on?” she demanded. Tears shone behind her eyes and you blinked, looking at her with despair.

But she was right. She was always right.

So clenching your teeth so as to cease your quivering lip, you nodded shortly. “Yes,” you said softly. Eliza nodded in approval and then continued with her story, and you tried your best to focus, but it was just so damn hard.

You convinced yourself it would just take practice and time to move on. And you were correct. You both moved on. You stayed best friends. And the subject was never brought up.

Until four years later.

[atlaswriting]

“Not to ruin this Hallmark moment, but there are videos on Abram’s phone that I need to see.” Ellie sneaks her hand between the driver and passenger seat and grabs Abram’s phone, “Unlike Elise, I’m not mad at you for leaving last night—during what could have been me hitting rock bottom—,”

Ellie rolls her eyes and continues, “—what I am mad at you for is not taking me with you,” she says swiping through all the videos he didn’t post on Instagram, “Look at this!” She holds the phone out toward me then turns it back to face her, “Can you believe Abram went here without us? And with a guy he hates.”

“I don’t hate Brantley.”

“His blood on the ice sure says differently.” I snap, unable to shake the clutching fingers of him leaving from my throat. They’re sharp and smooth as they dig into my skin. I roll my shoulders and slide the key out of the ignition, “I’m going upstairs. I need to shower and get ready for class. I’ve already missed two and if I make it a third Simon will start making me pay that on my own, too.”

I get out of the car and slam the door, forcing Abram to get out on Ellie’s side. He rounds the car while she heads toward the front door, eyes still glued to his phone. “I’m sorry,” he says, wrapping his arms around me. He pulls me back toward the car, turns around and pins me against the metal. “Can I show you how sorry I am?” Leaning down he presses his lips under my jaw, teeth dragging down skin and landing on my collarbone. His hands find the hem of my skirt and start inching further up.

“We’re in public.” I say, pushing him and his limbs away.

“And?”

He moves closer once more but for the first time I’m quicker and I slide across the car, away from him. “And you’re covered in glitter and smell like cheap perfume. I’d rather kiss Natasha.”

Abram stops walking, hand falling to the stop of his stomach, “I’ve thrown up three times already, Elise and if you don’t want to make it a fourth all over your Jimmy Choo’s I wouldn’t put such disgusting images in my head.”

Reaching out I grab his hand, pulling him close and pressing a kiss to his cheek, “These are Valentino. But nice try.”

♡ ♡ ♡

“Now, I’m not saying that Jane Austen is the most boring and trite of female author’s—but I am saying if I have to sit through another retelling of Pride and Prejudice I might actually tear out all my hair.” Professor Keating laughs.

I snort loudly, only realizing how disruptive it was when Ellie tears her eyes away from her phone to stare at me.

“Is something funny, Miss Allaire?” Keating quirks his brown, leaning on his lectern and staring straight at me.

“I just think its funny how—,” beside me Abram inhales sharply, “coming from a professor who praises Fitzgerald and Salinger non-stop a writer like Jane intimidates you. The stories are good, that’s why they keep getting retold. Pride and Prejudice is a quintessential love story—,”

“They hated each other. Was Mr. Darcy not—by today’s standards—a misogynistic pig? And wouldn’t Elizabeth be considered—,”

“A feminist bitch?”

The slightest bit of smile turns the corner of Professor Keating’s lips upwards.

“All I’m saying is—it was already done. Why do we need to tell the same story over and over again?”

I lean back in my chair, face turning red hot under his strong gaze, “What about Shakespeare, Professor? I suppose you don’t think those stories need to stop being done?”

“Actually,” he says, “Shakespeare is the foundation of all modern storytelling. His—,”

“His?”

“Did I misuse his pronouns, Miss Allaire?”

Shrugging, I tap the tip of my pen against the keys of my laptop, “You’re assuming Shakespeare was a man.”

He laughs now moving away from the podium to stand at the board, “Why should I believe anything different?”

“Do you really think a man could write all those iconic stories, Professor? Romeo and Juliet was clearly written by a woman who was done with all of men’s shit.”

He’s in full blown laughter now. Pulling his glasses from his face he wipes at his eyes as he concedes and dismisses the class. “Miss Allaire—a moment, please?”

“I hope I didn’t come off too strongly, Mr. Keating—I just—,”

“It’s Oscar, remember? And, I like that you came off strongly. You’re passionate. Sometimes I say things to see who’s really listening—don’t get me wrong, I do think they’ve made one too many Pride and Prejudice variations, but Austen is one of the founding mothers of literature—I don’t want you to think I’m undermining all her hard work,” he shrugs, “I just like to push boundaries.” Sensing my confusion he moves toward his briefcase and pulls out a pamphlet, “I sponsor one student a year. I haven’t in a few years because most people see this class as an easy grade—but I think you match all the qualities I’m looking for.”

“Profes—Oscar, I—,”

“It isn’t much. I’ll write a few good letters, help you get into graduate school—whatever school that may be, but consider it. There are a few conventions we go to—England, Boston and New York and it’s filled with like-minded individuals all of whom are willing and able to connect you with any path you choose.”

“So it’s like a fraternity.”

He shrugs, “Even more exclusive.”

♡ ♡ ♡

Abram sits on the couch, face weighted down in a pout and cradling a bottle of beer to his chest which he’s refused to drink from since I told him about Professor Keating’s offer. Ellie is on the floor, expletives slipping smooth past her lips into the microphone of the headset she wears around her neck as she kills her fourth nine year old on Call of Duty.

“Will you say something?”

He doesn’t. Not until after her sixth or seventh kill and then he lifts the bottle to his mouth and drinks until beer starts to dribble out of the corners. “Are you banging him too?”

“Abram!” Ellie shouts, unwilling to tear her eyes away from the game, instead choose to release the control for the second it takes to chuck one of the pillows holding up her back toward him. “Oh great, your dramatic ass just got me killed. I hope you’re happy.” She gets up and returns the controller to the entertainment center and turns around, “Why are you acting like a child about this? It’s Elise. She couldn’t bang anyone other than you if she tried.”

“Excuse me,” I say, “I am right here.”

“You’re beautiful and I love you—but that vagina only works for Abram.”

“If I wanted to have sex with someone else, I very well could!” I stand as I shout, mouth falling open.

Abram rolls his eyes, cuts through his and tosses his empty bottle in the bin. He opens the fridge to retrieve another and turns back, “Then have sex with him, Elise!” Abram shouts—eyes darkening as they stare at me from across the room. His cheeks are past red as he gulps down more beer. “Why don’t all of you have a threesome? See if I care.”

“You’re absolutely infuriating, Abram.” I say, “I don’t want to have sex with anyone else—much less with Oscar.”

Oscar Abram childishly mouths when he gives the bottle a moment’s break.

“He’s helping me with a possible future. Networking with him could lend a hand with my career.”

“And what career is that, Elise? Trophy wife? Or maybe you’ll right think pieces for a mommy blog.”

“Abram.” Ellie warns, but I raise a hand and cut her off.

“It’s better than your future of AA meetings and living in your grandmother’s basement.” I snap.

“Elise!”

I’m slipping on my shoes by the time she says my name, careless that the nightgown I’m wearing won’t keep out the early November chill that Los Angeles nights offer. I grab my bag and keys from the counter, trying to keep my attention straight as I slam the front door behind me.

♡ ♡ ♡

I.

Abram spends three hours apologizing to me the next day. While Ellie slips out to spend time with “Oscar”, Abram and I make use of the empty house. The shower. The kitchen counter. The table. The couch. Our bed. Ellie’s bed.

He tells me he loves me with his fingers trailing up my spine, presses his lips to my back and promises that it’s forever.

He tells me he loves me again with his hands separating my legs, his tongue spelling each letter against my thigh.

II.

Nothing is off limits.

We go to church with Ellie who wakes us up at eight thirty at night. I tell her it’s too late, we can go in the morning—but she begs us not to let her go alone. It’s too heavy, she says, she might break.

I’m half asleep and fully aware that the burning of my skin is due to sin. Excitement bites at my eyelids and I try to keep them open—focus on the pew beneath me while Ellie confesses her sins in the booth a few feet away.

Abram leans over and asks if I want to confess mine. I want to tell him no, but the heaviness of the word weighs down my tongue and his blue eyes tell me he’s worth burning over.

We watch Ellie exit the confessional, followed by the priest. Abram pulls me in to the small booth and on top of him. He promises that if we’re going to hell, we’ll be there together.

Like Eve, I bit the apple and it was sweet—but he was sweeter.

Abram leaves my panties on the bench of the confessional, our penance to God, he says.

III.

My legs are shaking, the fogged up windows of my car tell the story to everybody that walks by. The walk of shame is almost more shameful when I see my dad and Anais waiting by the front door.

IV.

“Why are you in the library? It’s a Saturday?” Ellie asks.

“Why are you?”

“Don’t deflect.”

I sigh, shuffling around the books—I’m somewhere in the back with all the encyclopedia’s. “I need a break Ellie. I think he might kill me.” My admission doesn’t faze her, when she rolls her eyes I continue, “I’m dehydrated. I keep drinking water—but it isn’t helping. Me and my vagina aren’t going to make it out of this alive.”

Ellie snorts, “Are you complaining about all the sex you’re having? I’m sorry but cry me a river!” Her voice gets increasingly louder, “I haven’t had sex in two weeks! I’m about as dry as the Sahara Desert. So I’m so sorry if I don’t want hear you complain about getting banged ten days to Tuesday!”

A quiet shhh comes through the bookshelves.

“I think I’m about to lose my mind.” Ellie says, “I might just go and hop on any dick that’s willing if B—,”

“I found you.” Abram drops his bags by his feet. “You left so early this morning we didn’t get to—,”

Ellie nods, “this is my cue to leave. Have fun. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”

Abram looks at me, licks his lips and it’s all over.

♡ ♡ ♡

Returning home to the apartment a gold envelope deters Abram’s attempts to start anything before Ellie gets home. “No!” I say, before he can put it down I snatch it from him and start to open it, “it looks important.”

I’m grateful when I read the eloquently scripted letters to Gigi’s Thanksgiving. The thick cardstock with gold and browns is just the excuse I need to suppress Abram’s appetite. The excitement of being within feet of our family blooms in my chest.

“I can’t wait until we get to Gigi’s.” He says against my ear, “We can see how long you can be quiet for. Which—we both know isn’t very long.”

Ellie opens the door just then and I rush by her side, “Look!” I say, “We’re going to Gigi’s for Thankgiving.”

“Oh, no—I think I’m going back to Boston.”

“No.” I grab her arm, fingers tightening into her vice, “You’re going to Gigi’s. Maybe you can see if your dad and brother want to come. I don’t think Gigi will mind, right Abram?”

[readingfordummies]

Witches of East End - Chapter Nine

Love The One You’re With

Bran was back from his trip abroad and would arrive in North Hampton by ten o'clock that evening. Freya asked Kristy Hannagan, a bartender Sal had hired over the summer to pick up the slack, to cover her shift; otherwise she would have to work until last call as usual. Kristy's family had worked the shore for generations, her father and brothers on the lobster trawlers, while her boyfriend fished for tuna they sold at auction to Japanese food vendors. She was a flint-eyed dame, with a sharp tongue and an easy smile, and had fast become one of Freya's closest friends in town.

"You don't mind, do you, Kris?" Freya asked.

Kristy shook her head and gave her a wide smile. "Not at all. If I had a guy like that I'd take off for the night, too. Go on, now." Kristy was twice divorced and had four kids under the age of five. She compared her work at the bar to arguing with a bunch of toddlers. "I'll man the ship."

"I owe you one," Freya promised, playfully bumping Kristy's hip on the way to the ladies' room so she could freshen up. Bran was going to walk into the bar at any minute. Freya splashed water on her face, to try to rub the guilt out of it. She was dreading seeing him but couldn't put it off any longer. This was the first time they would see each other since celebrating their engagement. (And, boy, did she ever celebrate, she thought, thinking of Killian and kicking herself again.)

He was waiting for her when she returned to the bar, sitting at his usual barstool, a newspaper spread in front of him, looking fresh and manly in his dark suit and red tie. "There you are," he said, pulling her close and squeezing her waist. "Remind me never to leave you ever again," he said as he lowered his head under her chin.

She laughed and squeezed back. "I'm sorry you had to wait, but Sal's not feeling well and I had to wait until Kristy's babysitter arrived." She was glad to find that upon seeing Bran, she felt exactly the same way: that same warm, solid love that had drawn her to him in the first place. It was still there. He was the one she'd been waiting for, all these long years. She nuzzled his head and pressed her body closer to his, liking the immediate jump in his heartbeat that resulted. It had been a very long time since she'd felt this way.

"Is it serious? Poor Sal," Bran asked, concerned, tapping his gold ring with the family crest.

"He'll be all right," she said. "He's stubborn and won't take his allergy medicine."

"Ha!" Bran nodded. Even if Bran had only recently arrived in town, Freya took it as a good sign that Sal had given him his seal of approval when they announced their engagement. Not only because Bran was the only one who professed to like Sal's homemade moonshine, although it never hurt. "He's a quiet one, your boy," Sal had once told her. "One of those people that take a while to get to know. I like that. Not like all these meatheads who talk your head off and say nothing."

"How was the meeting? Is all the money gone yet?" she teased. His goal, he had told Freya, was to give away his inheritance to those who needed it more.

"Almost." He laughed. "Working on it."

"I guess we're not Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy - carriages and Pemberley will not be a part of my future." She sighed dramatically, as his hand around her waist inched a little below her jeans, rubbing the skin underneath, marking his territory, letting the world know she was his. Not so shy anymore, was he.

"I hope it's not too disappointing," Bran said with a grin, as he already knew the answer. "What's this?" he asked, picking up one of the new laminated cocktail menus.

"Oh, it's nothing," she said, shrugging, even though she was proud of it. After her success with the Baumans, she had been encouraged to expand her reach. Her new cocktail menu at the North Inn bar was an immediate hit, and it was not difficult to see why. Love Potions, it announced in big pink letters, seventeen dollars ea. Sal's only comment about the new menu was that if she was going to use top-notch liquor and fresh ingredients, she should charge for them.

Infatuation: A blend of hibiscus rosewater and English gin. Turn heads for the evening and inspire a burning affection.

Irresistible: Vodka, pureed cherries, powdered cattail, and lime juice. Not for the shy. Prepare to lose your inhibitions.

Unrequited: St. Germain liqueur, honeyed lavender, and Prosecco. Stop longing and start loving. Guaranteed to fulfill your heart's desire.

Forever: Two glasses of the best French champagne, with crushed daisy petals. For those hoping to rekindle their passion for each other.

"It's just something I put together for Sal," she said, hoping he wouldn't ask her too many questions.

"Good stuff," he said, sliding it away. "Everything you touch turns into gold." Only Bran could say things like that without it sounding corny. "By the way, I hope that party didn't scare you away too much." His forehead wrinkled. "Did you have fun?"

"It was beautiful," Freya said. "I don't scare easy, so don't worry." She felt a slight shiver of anxiety and wished he hadn't brought it up, as an image of Killian, the two of them locked in a tight embrace, suddenly came to mind. She turned away from Bran for a moment, her hair hiding her suddenly red face.

"So what did you think of that no-good brother of mine?" he asked, his smile fading slightly.

"He's all right," Freya said, hoping to change the subject. Luckily Bran didn't seem to notice anything wrong. They left the bar and walked to his car, holding hands, both of them quietly happy to be together.

They took the bridge over to Gardiners Island, and Freya was amazed again at how well Fair Haven and its surrounding grounds looked. She knew Bran had overseen the design changes and had kept much of the island's natural growth intact, without disturbing the wildlife or the flora. He parked the car in the garage and turned to her as he cut the engine. "Listen, I know everything's happened so fast. . . . If you need to change anything, if you change your mind . . . I'll understand. I can wait for you. I just want you to be happy." Then he looked at her with those kind brown eyes of his and she fell in love with him even more. Close up, he was starting to have fine lines around his eyes, but it only made him look more admirable. "I want you to be sure of me."

"Sweetheart." She sighed. "I'm not sure of anything but you." She pulled him in for a kiss, and she understood then why she had agreed to marry him after knowing him for less than a month. Of all the guys she had ever met in her immortal life, he was the only one who made her feel this safe. She who spread love only felt loved herself with his strong arms around her.

Fair haven was dark and hidden, but Bran chose not to turn on any of the overhead lights. "Shhh . . ." he said. "Let's not wake Madame Grobadan."

"Let's not!" Freya agreed. Madame might have been the boys' stepmother, but she had basically raised them and remained a difficult presence in Bran's life. Freya was half-afraid of her, and had let her run the engagement party and make all the decisions, quietly accepted without protesting to her strict demands. Madame loved the boys like her own, and with her intimidating posture and dismissive attitude, she was in some ways even more frightening than a real mother-in-law.

If possible, the house looked more impressive than it had at the party, with its massive open spaces empty of people. The grand piano gleamed in the moonlight, and Bran opened the French doors so they could hear the sound of the ocean. The house was so large, the main hall could hold an army, and the residential wing might as well have been in a whole other zip code. Freya walked over to the bar cart and made Bran a martini, extra dry. The bottled olives looked a little tiny, but with a tap of her finger they turned juicy and plump. She fed him the olives one by one and he downed the drink in one gulp.

Bran set the glass aside then sat in one of the chairs by the fireplace and loosened his tie, which was his way of telling her he wanted her to sit on his lap. He had been so unsure and hesitant in the beginning, as if not quite daring to believe that she would indulge him. His masculine gentleness was so appealing, and she quickly straddled him, so that her long, thick, curly hair brushed his face. He pulled her down to him hungrily, and soon his hands were slipping her dress above her head and she was unbuckling his belt and helping him kick off his pants.

"But what about . . . ?" she asked. "Should we move to your room?"

"They're miles away and asleep. . . . We'll be quiet," he whispered.

In the moonlight her body looked as perfect as a statue; when she sank herself on him her breath caught at the rush of feeling, of being broken and taken, as they moved gently together, so that with each thrust she felt as if she were opened again. He groaned, his face tense with desire as he picked her up, the two of them still joined; then they were on the floor and he was turning her over, so that she was kneeling with her back in front of him, her head in her hands, thrilling at the way he held her by the waist, the way he pushed himself into her, his hands strong as he moved her every which way, now on her back, now on her stomach, now on top, mastering his strength and keeping her gasping. He was always in control, and she had never met anyone who made her feel quite as . . .

Well no, that wasn't quite true, now, was it . . . ?

There was someone else who . . .

She pushed the image from her head . . . but there it was. . . .

Killian, with his strong hands under her skirt, as she unzipped his jeans. . . .

It didn't belong there . . . especially not now. . . . Why was she even thinking of him? She didn't want this. She didn't want to think of him at all, and certainly not at this particular moment, but she couldn't help but remember . . . how she'd been on her knees, how she'd taken him in her mouth, had tasted him, and Killian had pushed himself against her and she thought she might explode from desire. . . .

No . . . stop . . . please. . . . She had to stop thinking about it . . . had to stop dreaming about it . . . had to stop thinking about him. . . .

Then she was straddling Bran again, his hands on her breasts, and her hands on his, massaging and pinching. They clenched fists and she ground her hips on his lap, keeping the frantic, rhythmic pace . . . and she willed Killian's image away . . . trying to focus instead on Bran's handsome face, on his body and his lust. . . .

But against her will, the other face came back to her mind. . . .

She couldn't help it, the wrongness of it, of what she had done the other night at her own engagement party - the two of them against the small bathroom wall, her legs around Killian's waist as he pushed himself deeper into her - combined with what she was doing now . . . and she moaned and lost herself in the wicked sensation of being with one man while thinking of another. . . . She bit her lip and lost control as her body shook with spasms. . . .

At the same time, below her, Bran let out a magnificent roar (so much for being quiet!) and slammed his body against her again and again and again until he shuddered and was still and they collapsed into each other, her body feeling the ache of longing as he pulled out from her so slowly.

Bran kissed her on the cheek in a sweet gesture of gratitude, as if unable to believe the extent of his luck. Freya smiled to feel his lips on her skin, her whole body trembling, and when she opened her eyes, she saw a figure move in the shadow of the hallway.

They were not alone, after all.

Someone had been watching them - someone with the dark hair and glittering, aquamarine eyes of the man who had enchanted her only in her mind.

But when she looked again, Killian was gone.

[askthe9thdoctor-blog]

Admin Post

I usually - only once before really - don't go on here as myself. It's an rp blog and I keep it strictly to that, except in the tags. But I just wanted to say, I've been busy and honestly just not feeling the whole rp thing anymore. I don't know what it is. I see your questions and I want to answer them, I just can't bring myself to anymore.

A lot of people have been unfollowing me, I guess because I haven't posted much in a while, but to my loyal followers on this blog, I just want to thank you so very much. Your support has meant the world to me and it was amazing and fun while it lasted, but I think I'm done now. I'm shutting down the askbox (and will probably lose all 628 of my followers /cries) but if you want to talk to me or whatever, you can find me here. I'm on 24/7 to be honest. 

I'm going to make a more formal post in Nine's 'voice' later on today or tomorrow.

Before I do go, though, I'll leave you with a last Nine story of my own creation, just a little adventure he and the team went on before they headed up to that final meeting. Should be up tonight, but no promises. A last parting, I guess.

Again, to my loyal followers, thank you so much. You've made this experience such a pleasure to me. I treasure this and I hope you'll still come back on this site sometime, and just reminisce like I will. We had some good times, right?