#peaceful sunday my unexpected visitor

[touromania]

Unexpected Expenses You Should Consider On A Holiday

Unexpected Expenses You Should Consider On A Holiday

Going on holiday is really an exciting thing to do, especially after everything that happened within the last two years. From beaches that we love to lay on, or mountains that we love to hike all of these things are definitely beautiful adventures, and memories to tell our kids. But you know what is not so exciting about any holiday? The unexpected expenses and fees, right? Don’t worry, if you…

[fxtalitygod]

V. ~Survival~

Summary: You were determined to survive, longer than anyone, even if you were set to marry him.

Genre: Historical AU, angst, mature, suggestive, arranged-marriage

Warnings: Dark themes, themes/depictions of horror, swearing/language, suggestive, mentions of child murder/adult murder, breastfeeding, pet names (Y/n called Little Flower 2-3x), Implications of child neglect, implied Stockholm Syndrome, images/depictions of dead bodies, slight misogynistic themes (if you squint).

Word Count: 4.3k

A/n: I apologize for being so late with this post, a lot is going on right now and I have had a few other writing projects that I have been working on for you guys, but I was finally able to sit down and finish this chapter. Thank you all for being patient with me, it is greatly appreciated. As a friendly reminder, my asks are open if you want to ask me any questions about this story/other works or to talk about hcs, maybe even suggestions, or to be added to the taglist for any of my series, have at it! I'm going to update my navigation soon so that it has a link that can take you to the post where I have my taglist rules. I hope that due to it being summer I will be able to post more consistently, hopefully, every Sunday if possible. For now, my upload schedule will be a bit inconsistent until I figure out some kinks. Thank you for sticking around and enjoy Part 5 of Survival!

Fun Fact: I stayed up to watch the Lunar Eclipse while writing part of this chapter, it was quite awesome!

JJK Mlist•Taglist Rules•

• Pt.I • Pt. II • Pt.III • Pt.IV • Pt. V • Pt.VI

For the first time in a long time, you felt normal. Those few hours you spent with your two little infants were the best moments out of the time you had spent at the temple. It was quiet, with no one there to disrupt your peace, not even Sukuna himself, it was just you and your children.

Yes, your attendant would walk in every once in a while, most likely on Sukuna’s orders, but she always made her visits quiet and short. She would leave you food and water to make sure you were well-nourished — you appreciated that because you knew if she hadn’t, you would’ve forgotten to eat or drink anything, too lost in admiring your children.

Sadly, it wouldn’t be this way forever, as soon as your twins were old enough to not need the nourishment from your breasts, you would go back to the normal routine around the temple; however, there would be small exceptions to watching and raising your children. Despite knowing these future events, you would enjoy the time you had with your babies.

Taking a deep breath, a long sigh following, you enjoyed the tranquility of the room. You wished this setting would last forever, but knew that it wouldn’t; however, you didn’t expect it to be disrupted this soon as an unexpected visitor made themself present.

“Had a good rest, Little Flower?”

As much as you hated that familiar teasing tone, you paid no mind to it as you didn’t want the presence of Sukuna to damper your mood. You gave a simple response, not bothering to make eye contact as you were too enamored with your twins to give him any attention.

“Not feeling very talkative today are we, Little Flower? It’s almost as if you are distracted by something or rather someone?”

Feeling a shift in bedding, you could tell that Sukuna was now leaning beside you, staring you down as you paid him no mind. You knew that this was a risky move of yours, but you would be damned if you were to miss a second of time with your children due to the likes of the twisted, two-faced man beside you.

It stayed silent for a couple minutes.

At first, you thought Sukuna had gotten the hint and would decide to leave you alone, but you should have known better. The man took your chin between his fingers, forcing you to face him; however, he was still gentle in this action, making sure to not harm you as he forced you to make eye contact.

“I apologize, I do not know what to say with such an unexpected visit,” you responded after a couple seconds of staring into his eyes.

Sukuna was only able to smirk before letting go of your face, allowing you to bring your focus back onto the infants that were curled up against your chest, trying to achieve warmth from your body.

“That seems like a valid answer, for now,” Sukuna started, pausing to examine the twins before turning his attention back to you, “Answer me this, did you know a young maiden in your village who was a seamstress? She was a couple years younger than you and I believe she would’ve been a neighbor and a close family friend of yours.”

You were a little confused by his question, but took some time to think about his description. You ransacked your mind trying to match someone to the details he had given you about this person until it finally hit you.

Your mind went back to your “wedding day” and the girl that was helping you into your ceremonial robes. You remembered that girl well, she was sixteen at the time and was practically glued to your side whenever you made your presence known around her. The same naive girl who believed a marriage with Sukuna was more of an achievement rather than a punishment.

“I do recall her, why?” you simply asked.

“She wouldn’t stop talking about you, at least for the first few minutes after the ceremony; however she had no trouble pushing the thought of you aside after I told her you were due to go into labor soon, she actually went silent for a few minutes before she started to blabber on how she would be a great wife.”

You were confused, what was he trying to prove with this story? You pondered on it, trying to think up an answer, but nothing was coming up. Why was Sukuna bringing this up now? Was he trying to stir a reaction out of you per usual? Was he trying to threaten you?

Questions kept flooding your mind until an answer finally hit you.

“It was a shame I had to kill her, she made a pretty convincing commitment about being a good wife, but her jealousy felt more of a threat towards our future heirs and if I were being honest she was getting on my nerves.”

He killed her.

The night when you went into labor, that piercing scream you heard was her. The blood that tainted Sukuna’s robes that night was her’s. You felt so on edge that night because she, the girl who practically saw you as her older sister had been murdered on her wedding night, and a part of you couldn’t help but feel like it was your fault.

Before you had the chance to snap at Sukuna for what he had done, a tanto blade appeared in front of your face.

“I noticed her slip this into her hand the moment I told her you were pregnant.”

You were quick to flick the blade away as to keep it away from your twins, worried the blade would cut them, but that wasn’t the only reason you were quick to dispose of it. A part of you didn’t want to believe that the girl you had grown up with wanted to harm you out of jealousy; moreover, you didn’t want to believe that the girl had been completely blindsided by the rumors going around the village, so much so that she lost all rationality.

“Why are you telling me this?”

“To warn you,” Sukuna quickly responded, “from this point on, you will be looked down upon in your village, maybe even your own family. From here on out everyone is out to kill you and our children…”

You looked down at your children as they began to cry, grabbing at you as they began to squirm. You tried to calm them down, but nothing was working. You attempted to adjust yourself, but something caught your eye.

There was blood on your hand.

You checked for any open wounds on your body, even inspecting your hand twice to make sure you hadn’t cut yourself with the tanto blade from earlier, but nothing; however, when you turned to examine your children, you noticed cuts and small slices littering their bodies. Out of panic, you looked over to where the blade should have landed but found nothing. You turned to look at Sukuna to see if he had grabbed it only to discover that he wasn’t there.

She was standing in his place, blade held above her head, ready to strike it down onto you and your children. Your eyes were wide in fear. You wanted to say anything but no words came out of your mouth when you went to speak some sense into her. You could only stare into her crazed eyes with fear, even when a hand made its way onto your shoulder a figure leaning in to whisper into your ear.

“Everyone is out to take what is ours Y/n.”

You gasped as you opened your eyes, sitting up immediately as you breathed heavily, trying to recover from your nightmare; however, it didn’t take long to check on your infants. You were so shaken up you examined them more times than you could count, making sure they were unscratched.

“Y/n-sama, are you alright?” your attendant asked, clearly concerned about your current state of shock.

It took you a few seconds to calm down before responding to her, giving her a simple yes so as to not give her any reason to call for someone. Now some may believe it would’ve been best for you to confide in her, but a part of you worried your children would be taken away from you.

Your attendant looked a little hesitant, clearly wanting to ask you more to make sure you were alright, but she could tell that you weren’t necessarily in the mood to talk as you had already gone in for another round of inspecting your children. She was only able to observe from afar, afraid that if she were to overstep her boundaries she would spark an adverse reaction. She decided to wait for the right time to approach you, and not necessarily question you but to at least be able to talk with you without causing you any sort of distress.

It took you a few minutes to settle down, finally feeling comfortable enough to relax, leaning back to allow a slight breather. Your attendant approached you cautiously, bringing you something to eat and drink since it had been a while since you had done so.

“Is there anything I can do for you Y/n-sama?” she asked carefully.

You only shook your head, giving her a soft smile to reassure her everything was alright. The gesture seemed to bring her a little relief as she smiled back, bowing before making her leave.

The second those doors closed, you allowed your mind to run wild. You thought back to your nightmare, still feeling distressed from the whole situation. You had no idea why you had such a horrific nightmare despite being nothing but happy these past few days, spending what quality time you could with your newborns. You were finally starting to feel a bit of normality, so why now?

You tried to convince yourself that the nightmare was another part of the exhaustion post-labor, but you knew it was not that. You tried pushing it out of your mind, you tried to forget it happened and deem it as nothing more than a nightmare, but some part of you wouldn’t allow yourself to provide that sort of relief. It invaded your mind for a solid hour until something clicked in your mind.

“Everyone is out to take what is ours, Y/n.”

Those words echoed in your head. Those words were telling you something, quite literally, about your current predicament. Those words weren’t Sukuna’s, they were yours, and you were giving yourself a warning.

If you were to somehow escape and run back to your village you would be welcomed with open arms, but your children would not, they would be taken from you and slaughtered at the elder’s command as a way to threaten the almighty, Ryomen Sukuna. Even if you tried to convince them, they wouldn’t even listen to you. They would only believe you were simply manipulated by Sukuna, nothing more.

Your children weren’t exactly safe in the temple either. There was competition among the small families in the temple. In order to impress Sukuna and to gain power among the other wives, mothers would raise their children to be the most compatible heir, even if they had to eliminate some of the competition. It is an actual survival of the fittest situation, if you aren’t careful enough and not quick enough to catch on to your possible assassin, you would wake up to find a corpse in the crib. Knowing that some of the wives already resented you, you knew your children would become subject to the one-sided rivalry.

At this point in time, you couldn’t trust anybody because no matter where you took your children there would be a knife at their neck.

Everyone was truly out to take what was yours, so you had to protect it or rather them, no matter what the cost.

You were taken out of your thoughts by the sound of the door, your attendant making her presence known. As soon as the door closed she approached you, a tea set in hand. Before she made it to your side she stopped in her footsteps, staring at something that was seemingly next to you. You turned your head to see what she was looking at only to see the previous meal she had left you earlier today.

“Y/n-sama, are you alright you haven’t touched your food from this morning, should I retrieve the doctor?” She asked, already turning on her heel to approach the door.

“No!”

Shocked and a little scared your attendant froze in her place. She stayed motionless for about a minute, fearing that she would upset you if she dared move.

You cleared your throat before the girl could get suspicious and spoke up once more.

“I apologize for my outburst, let me explain. No, I do not need the assistance of the doctor.”

“B-but Y/n-sama, I think it would be best to-”

“There is no need for the doctor, I’m perfectly fine, I simply was not hungry this morning,” you interrupted.

The girl only nodded hesitantly before making the rest of the way over to place the tea set down. She moved over the previous set before placing the current one down, pouring a cup, and handing it to you. However, she paused once more noticing your hands were full.

“Y/n-sama, I do not mean to intrude, but I believe it would be easier for you to eat if I held the twins for you,” she explained, slightly reaching over to take one of the babies.

Impulsively, you brought the twins closer to your chest, causing your attendant to pull her hands back a little. It could have been paranoia from your nightmare or the realization you had a little while ago, but you did not feel comfortable with giving your little blessings to her; however, you didn’t have much of a choice, unless you wanted to get a surprise visit from the doctor, who would most likely remove the twins from your care for a while to perform a check-up. If your children were to be removed from your care, they wouldn’t be given to your attendant or a wet nurse, but rather one of the wives, and based on your realization from earlier that was definitely not a risk you were willing to take.

Reluctantly, you began to hand over your baby boy first as your attendant reached her arms back out to hold the infant. After a minute of her holding your baby boy, you handed your girl over next. The moment your attendant had both your babies she sat down and began rocking herself back and forth.

A part of you wanted to jump up and take your children back into your arms, but you knew better than to do such an abrupt action. You only stared for a couple minutes before taking a teacup and taking a small sip of the warm beverage.

It did not take you long to finish your meal, quickly setting all the ceramics back onto the tray they were brought with. You did not hesitate to take your newborns back to the warmth of your chest as your attendant handed them back to you. You couldn’t help but smile at the little blessings as they snuggled into you and latched onto your breasts to eat.

As much as you wanted to ponder on your nightmare and your small conspiracy, you thought it best to just enjoy this moment and think about all those worries later. You softly smiled as you gazed at your beautiful twins. You would enjoy these moments of peace with your children before you had to leave the room before you had to deal with the chaos outside those doors.

One hundred, one hundred days went by where it was just you and the twins, and occasionally your attendant who came in to check up on you. You had to admit those one hundred days were the best days of your life, the only thing that could have made it better would have been your family's presence. You would've liked to have stayed in that room a little longer, but you knew that wasn't possible.

You stepped out those doors, properly dressed and slightly unbalanced. All eyes were on you and your twins, and you could not say they were one hundred percent looks of adoration. You have come to learn that during your pregnancy more of the wives had begun to grow more envious of you due to the excessive attention you had started to receive from Sukuna, so much so that he had stopped sleeping with the other wives, this being one of the reasons you would try to keep your distance from them.

"Y/n-sama, you have been requested to make your way over to Sukuna-sama's chambers. Internally sighing, you were only able to nod and advanced to the room with a slight wobble with each step, your attendant being quick to assist you before you could fall over. As you proceeded towards Sukuna's chambers, you couldn’t help but hear the whispers of gossip, no different from the day you arrived. Not all the hushed words were of ill intent, some even admiring you, but most of them held jealousy and threats.

These women were only validating your fears. You have entered the survival game, and you had to play it cautiously. No matter where you turned there would be a blade held to your neck, and not just yours but your children’s as well. Their eyes were on you, tracking your every move, trying to predict your actions so they could plot against you and your twins.

You were the prey and they were the predator.

Before you could grow even more paranoid, you were pulled into Sukuna’s quarters by your attendant. You hadn’t been in this room for one hundred days, and being in it now made you wish you could stay out of it for one hundred more. Unfortunately, that was not possible.

You watched as your attendant gave you a soft smile before making her exit, leaving the door open. You looked around the room, familiarizing yourself with the atmosphere. Nothing much had changed except for the bedding, but you just assumed that was a personal touch from one of the wives due to your absence.

Despite the small change not being that big of a deal, something about it made you feel off. You approached the bed, now noticing there was a lump in it as if someone was sleeping there, but the shape of the lump made it too small to be Sukuna. Before you could pull the sheets back, the door shut close.

“Snooping around once more, aren’t we, Little Flower,” came a sudden voice from behind you.

You jumped back slightly, holding your babies to your chest. You watched as he walked out from behind the door. Had he been there the entire time? Why was he waiting there? Questions flooded your mind as you began to worry for the safety of your children.

“I apologize, I didn’t mean to push m-” a hand covered your mouth before you could finish your statement.

“You don’t need to explain yourself; After all, you didn’t do anything wrong, she did.”

Before you could ask him what he was talking about, he pulled the bedding back to reveal a gruesome sight- a mutilated female’s body. You were quick to cover your children from the gory scene.

“Do you recognize it?” Sukuna asked with a slight bite to his tone.

What you thought had just been a nightmare was now a reality. There laid the corpse of the seamstress, the girl that admired you. Her body was disfigured, but the look of horror was still visibly etched on her face.

You could hardly stomach the sight, slightly turning your head so as to not look at the body. The twins had their heads’ buried in your chest, keeping them from viewing the scene before them. Why would he show this to you? Why would he do it now?

“Why?” You asked weakly, trying to keep the bile from climbing up your throat.

“So you do recognize her?”

You only nodded, afraid that if you opened your mouth you would regurgitate what you had eaten earlier.

“I believe that your village elders sent her out to kill you or rather what was growing inside you at the time,” the man paused looking to see your reaction to the news, “As much as I would like to kill those bastards, I have no legitimate proof, so for now they remain untouched.”

“Unless you want to do something about it.”

Your exterior seemed rather calm, but on the inside, you were fuming. Those old cowards had sent you out here to conceive children, and now they were sending people out to kill them; moreover, they had sent someone they knew was close to you to do the deed.

You couldn’t tell if it was your new motherly instincts that were making you think this way, but you wanted them to hurt like you had hurt. To see them burn and scream at your mercy would have been a delightful sight to see. At this point, Sukuna’s offer had become very tempting, but you didn’t want to stoop down to their level, to his level even.

“No,” you simply said, now looking at the body with little to no emotion, too infuriated with the recent news.

You could only hear a slight chuckle from Sukuna before he covered the body, a few staff members making their way in, taking the corpse.

Although you weren’t dismissed, you could tell Sukuna had said what he needed to say, so you turned on your heel to make your exit. Before you could walk out the door you felt a hand on your waist, effectively stopping you. You only stood there, not bothering to move another inch. You were too infuriated to be scared.

He didn’t say anything, he just held you in place as he walked up from behind. You felt his breath on the back of your neck as he leaned over your shoulder, bringing his hand around to place his palm on your daughter’s cheek, tilting her head up slightly so he could get a better look at her. It did not take him long to do the same to your son, only spending a few seconds longer to admire the infant.

You thought he was done when he pulled back, but he surprised you once more when he pulled your hair away from your neck. A poke at your head alerted you that Sukuna had placed something in your hair. Hands were placed upon your waist not too long after, turning once you around so the four-armed man could get a look at you.

There was some sort of intensity in Sukuna’s eyes. At the beginning you couldn’t understand why, but when you looked into the reflection in his eyes you got your answer. There was an object sticking out of your hair and you had a feeling you knew exactly what it was.

The kanzashi pin.

“It suits you,” Sukuna blurted out, a strange look on his face, a look you couldn’t decipher.

“Use it well, Little Flower, you will need it,” The man stated before grabbing your jaw and kissing you, allowing you to leave after.

The kiss was abnormally softer than normal, it still was still violating in a way, but it didn’t feel as uncomfortable. Sukuna’s strange behavior was throwing you off balance. There could’ve been many factors that were affecting his behavior whether it be the silent battle he was having with the elders, the recent birth of the twins, or the fact that he was touch starved.

You pushed the thoughts out of your mind as you left the room and made your way to the garden, wanting to familiarize your children with the area and atmosphere as they would spend most of their childhood there. The garden was where most mothers stayed with their children during their infancy to watch over them. Although it was a place for infants, there were still a lot of mothers who brought their older kids there, sometimes to do chores or to give their children a place to train.

The moment you entered the garden, all eyes were on you or rather the kanzashi pin that was placed in your hair. You could see some of the scowls and harsh glares, and you should’ve been scared, but you weren’t. Some might’ve thought that the kanzashi pin made you a bigger target, but you didn’t see it that way. The pin would show that you were now the top dog and that if anyone tried to lay a hand on you, they would suffer the repercussions.

You walked through that garden, your head held high and your back straight. It didn’t take you long to settle into an empty spot in the feild, a few of your acquaintances joining you as they cooed at the sight of your twins.

You were making a risky move in this game of survival by being so bold, but you believed that if you pulled this card at any other time, you would already be dead. You weren’t in this game to play it safe, you were here to win, and if that meant you would have to play cautiously or to make some questionable decisions, you would. If you weren’t winning for yourself, you were winning for your babies.

You were going to win for your family because you made a promise, an everlasting oath — you weren’t going to break it anytime soon.

@littlemochi @mistalli @youngbeansprout @bbylime @bangtan-forever1479 @idktbhloley @izayas-rings @o3o-aya @pyschopotatomeme @persephonehemingway @otomaniac

[halfapoem]

2021

January came kicking down the door at 12.01 am on a winter morning. expecting his arrival for a month, I lie on my bed thinking of the calls ringing on my phone, missed. ignored. avoided. Like my dear January.

Only if I had listened to him a little more closely.

February was late on a warm afternoon. They stayed for a little while before floating away. With February, came my mother's birthday and we clapped and celebrated the first birthday of the year. Candles were blown, cake was cut and we sang happy birthday. But it was really Feb's departure that we were celebrating.

I miss you, Feb. I miss your calm, please come back.

I painted in my journal, wearing a hoodie, sitting at my table at 10 in the night when March knocked on the door. She came bearing flowers. They were all so different, so colourful, so pretty. I took them, pressed them between my old math textbooks and stuck them onto my journal. March reminded me of the things that still had colour in my life.

But it’s all gone. I only paint with grey now.

In a corner lie memories, drained of colour. April came with even prettier flowers, he even me bought some plants. He cleaned a little corner in my otherwise cluttered room, and put all those plants there. I watered them everyday and gave them names. I felt lively. But it was only a distraction from the, red, red colour draining from my own body. Why didn't he warn me? It was mid afternoon on a Sunday.

Did he not see it too? Or maybe the bleeding start when he released his clutches off me.

My room lit up the moment May came in. They dressed in pastel colours. I was wrapped in my bed sheets still when they kissed me on the lips. They tasted like strawberry ice cream melting on my tongue. As we lay on the grass, pricking our backs slightly, cool breeze dancing on our foreheads, May caressed my body and held me like I’ve never been held before. They kissed me again, slowly, when they left.

I miss them now.

I was scrolling through my phone on a windy evening as the sun sank, when an unexpected visitor knocked on the door. It opened to June Before I could even say anything, she sprung at me, lifted me in her arms and spun me around. She was clearly thrilled to see me. I wish I could say the same about here blow out my birthday candles days before she left. She parted with gifts and love. She danced and I danced with her. But the moment she left, I felt sometime stir in me, almost as if she took a part of me with her.

She took a piece of my soul, in exchange for a kiss on my forehead.

July snuck in through the back door, said he wanted to surprise me. Shock overtook surprise  when I saw the clear sky turn cloudy as the sun floated away into the oblivion. One of the plants that April gave me died and he saw me crying my tears into the pot. He held me close and promised me it was going to be okay.

I should have known better than to look for comfort in his lies.

August came with it’s ball and chain while I was still dancing in a meadow with June. She pulled me in, tied me down and walked away. What an oddity she was. Fear ran through my veins instead of blood. What difference did it make anyways? My face lost all colour and pain and suffering were only grey. Strange and breathless days filled her voids. She led me to do things I regretted in September.

I say she made me do things I regretted but really she just stood and watched me burn.

September arrived slowly. Like autumn, the leaves don't change overnight and neither does September. They knocked on the door on a rainy Wednesday morning and I was surprised to see them. "it's a little early" I said. Perhaps they weren't early, I was simply oblivious, even their expression said so. Thunder and lightning rumbled in the sky and in my heart. We drank coffee on the balcony with ten thousand things on our minds. But it was peaceful, nonetheless.

We knew end was near, might as well have accepted it.

October left a sour taste in my mouth. She came in when the sun was blazing, she was sweating and she left when it got cold, she left me, in the cold. She talked of the stars and clouds, when the sky was still clear. But she turned on me like the skies, sneaking out the back door. I can't say I miss her, at least not now. After all depression comes only after anger. I don't remember the day, I think it was at noon.

Autumn changes leaves, the weather and everyone around you.

It is November, the words have died in my throat and I have nothing to say.

It is November and I have nothing to say.

December is cold. Not like snow, but like a cup of tea that's been kept out for too long. Mundane, leaving a bad aftertaste, December was giving into chaos. It was a dull, grey afternoon, when I found myself sitting with December, soaking up the sun, like eating leftover pieces of an orange. December left with pomp and show, perhaps to make up for all the days spent in mere contemplation.

December seeped into my bones like cold does, but the cold stayed even when December left.

December left and it was January, all over again. I have grown older and my hands are little more nimble now. The pen I so dearly held, bled out in my hands before it could say everything.

Golden mist coats everything, and the sun begins to rise. Is it a new beginning or am I tugging on the silver thread tied around me, leading me to my eminent death, as I march on like a solider? Either way, I suppose I'll wait. For this catastrophe to seem beautiful again. For chaos to seem rational again. And if another year passes me by, I’ll be sure to tell you all about it.

[fefipranon]

Rivamika Fic Preview

Topic: Mikasa, a hardcore feminist, kidnapped by Levi, the leader of one of the most powerful gangs and who is the book definition of a dick.

Mikasa Point of View (P.O.V.)

Here I am, another restless night. Turning on my bed like a hamburger patty being flipped on a grill, trying to find a comfortable position to sleep. I can hear birds chirping outside so it's probably already morning but my thick light-blocking curtains make my room look as dark as night. Whoever invented those, has a special place in my lazy heart.

I started hearing shuffling sounds outside the door of my room. These two have no sense of self-preservation, I thought. My two roommates, Eren and Armin, have been living with me for a year now. I met them ten years ago, starting my teenage years, a tragic event brought us together. Since 'that event', Eren's parents took me in as their own and he introduced me to Armin, his best friend since childhood.

We are inseparable, even now as adults. Even though Armin works as an accountant for a law firm, I work as a Computer Engineer for the CIA, and Eren works as a veterinarian, when we are together, we still act like silly kids. I love them like siblings love each other, which means that we also fight like siblings, and right now they are breaking a golden rule.

You see, I love them. I would give my life without a second thought for them, but, there is something I love more: my bed. I can be a charming and decent person, AFTER my morning coffee, and AFTER I wake up on my own. If anyone dares to wake me up from my precious sleep, there will be hell to pay. I am not a morning person, who is it really? Those who said they are, are not to be trusted, they are probably psychopaths and serial killers. I also don't trust people that don't like cheese, how could you not like cheese?! They are probably part of those reptilian people that conspiracy theories warn you about from alien abductions and shit.

I heard Armin's voice, "Are you sure you want to do this?"

I walked to the door to better listen to their conversation.

"She promised to join us for our traditional 'Sunday pancakes' today since she has failed to wake up early for the last four Sundays in a row! It's her fault!", Eren said.

"You know she is not a morning person! She will kill both of us!", Armin said.

I saw the bolt of the door shaking. Eren was clearly picking the lock from my room. He really has a death wish. I stared around my room looking for ideas on how to greet him, and my eyes landed on my hamper which was almost full of my dirty clothes. I walked to it and grabbed two dirty socks and rolled them together in a ball.

"You can still run away and save yourself.", Eren said.

"I will just stay out of her room, and watch how she kills you while eating popcorn then."

No Armin, you are going to get it too since you are not stopping him, I thought. Then, I heard the beep sound from the microwave. He really made popcorn, unbelievable. I rested my back against the wall next to my door, waiting for their intrusion.

"Do you even know how to pick a lock?", Armin asked.

"I've seen it in movies, they open everything with bobby pins on those spy movies so, how hard can it be?", Eren said.

I pinched the bridge of my nose thinking, he can't be serious. But knowing the bastard, he probably was, and I didn't have the patience to wait for him to finally open my door. So I opened it myself.

He looked at me in shock and said, "Mika-"

But I cut him short by shoving to his open mouth the ball of dirty socks. Armin was on the way to the microwave and yelped at the sight of Eren spitting the dirty socks from his mouth and coughing. I gave him a death stare and yelled:

"You are next!"

"Fuck no!", He yelled as he ran to his room with me running behind him.

He got into his room and closed the door before I could get to him.

With a sing-song voice, I said, "Oh, Armiiin, open the door now and I might forgive youuu."

"Bullshit! I will only open the door after you have your morning coffee!"

Suddenly, the smell of popcorn hit my nose making me smile. Armin never got to get his popcorn out of the microwave. He and I have this unhealthy addiction to popcorn for years now. I mean, who doesn't like popcorn? Those are other types of people I don't trust.

I walked to the microwave and took the popcorn out. I grabbed a fan and pointed it directly to the door of his room. I opened the bag and started eating in front of the fan. He will smell it eventually.

"That's a low blow, stinky feet!", Eren said.

"Is that!? Are you eating MY popcorn!!?", Armin shouted.

"Mmm delicious and extra buttery. Thanks for making popcorn for ME, you are so considerate. You shouldn't have-", I was cut short by Armin slamming his door open and running towards me.

I started running away but he tackled me, making me drop the bag causing the popcorn to fly out, "Give me back my popcorn you thief!", he shouted.

"Did you stuck your socks inside somebody's ass?! This smell is not human!", Eren shouted.

Ignoring Eren, I shouted to Armin, "No! I'll take it as a peace offering apology from you two for waking me up!", while we both struggled to get the bag making a mess of popcorn all around the apartment in the process.

Armin managed to run away while Eren grabbed me and tried to get the dirty socks into my mouth when someone knocked at our door.

We all froze, Armin stared at both of us and asked, "Are any of you expecting someone?"

We both shook our heads in response. I ran to my room to get my gun, Eren did the same while Armin watched the door and grabbed the gun we stored in the kitchen for emergencies.

I immediately started thinking of all the possible threats that could be behind our front door. This is all Eren's fault, I thought.

You see... I was deemed a 'child prodigy' at a young age. I started college at the age of 12, my studies were disrupted for a couple of years when 'that event' happened. Later I resumed my studies and by the age of 18, I already had a bachelor's degree in computer engineering. I joined a couple of hacktivist groups and helped them with the usual stuff: DDoS attacks to government websites, machine learning algorithms to find patterns in social media of government bot accounts, you know, the usual stuff.

One day Eren challenged me to hack into the CIA so I started with a social media scan looking for stupid people that post their work information, I just needed someone with access to the building. In summary, after finding a few victims I did a MITM attack on their phones and computers. From there I got access to the network, installed a backdoor, and had access to everything. I did a similar process to gain access to other intelligence agencies' networks from different countries.

Since we were broke at the time, I did ransomware of the data but instead of money, I asked for a job and immunity for the crime. I also sent them part of a list of vulnerabilities in their system and told them that if they wanted the full list they had to comply with my demands. Since I was already deep in trouble I decided to also give them evidence of the access I gained to other countries' intelligence networks. Not even an hour passed by, and they were already begging me to take the job.

Thinking of who could be behind my front door right now, I thought about the time I got access to the Russian 'Federal Security Service' agency and replaced their data with, well, some 'not-so-innocent' pictures. I think Putin hates me. There is also what I did to the North Korean Reconnaissance General Bureau agency... I think Fluffy Kim hates me too.

None of it would've happened if Eren didn't challenge me in the first place! It's completely his fault!

I got out of my train of thought when we were back at the door and Eren asked us, "Ready?"

We nodded in response, and Eren slowly opened the door.

He quickly pointed the gun at the unexpected visitor who was... An innocent girl scout who was trying to sell cookies.

The kid yelped scared, but Eren quickly hid the gun and said, "Oh, we don't want cookies."

"I want cookies!", I protested and pushed Eren away from the door.

"Order for me too!", Armin said.

Author P.O.V.

After getting their girl scouts cookies, Eren started making pancakes while Armin and Mikasa sat in seat stools behind the small kitchen island facing him. They had popcorn on their messy hair, and on their clothes. "You two better clean the mess you made!", Eren shouted.

"It was Armin's fault!", Mikasa shouted while Armin gave her a death stare.

Eren started to stick his tongue out while making disgusted faces.

"What's the problem Eren? Are you having a stroke?", Mikasa said teasingly.

"For fucks sake Mikasa! I have washed my mouth around five times already and I can still smell your stinky socks! Those things are a hazard!", Eren said while walking away to the bathroom to wash his mouth again.

"The pancakes are going to burn!", Mikasa shouted.

"You take care of them, stinky feet! I am on my way to drink some bleach!", Eren shouted back.

Mikasa rolled her eyes and walked to the stove while Armin stood up to turn on the television. While flipping the pancakes Mikasa took a look at her phone notifications and messages. She started looking through the messages from her girlfriend's group chat:

Sasha: OMG! I just saw the cutest guy ever!

Annie: Did you banged it already? 👉👌🍆

Sasha: I wish! I don't even know how to talk to him yet!

Christa: Where did you saw him?

Sasha: He works at a new bookstore that opened near my apartment.

Christa: Did you tried to talk to him somehow? Or just stared at him like a mentally unstable stalker?

Sasha: Well, I asked for book recommendations, he started asking me about what I liked so he could give me a more accurate one but the dick of his boss cut him off telling him to go back to the cash register.

Annie: Maybe we should meet up for lunch to come up with a plan.

Ymir: I just saw that I have new messages. I tried to read them all but my lazy ass just read 'cute guy' and 'bang it already' and skipped to the end. I am up for lunch and the 'banging plan'. Speaking of people in need of banging, @Mikasa wake your ass and join us!

Annie: 😂😂

Mikasa rolled her eyes and replied:

Mikasa: I am awake, count me in for lunch, and the 'banging plan'.

Christa: Girls, call the police, that is not Mikasa, that's an impostor! There is no way that woman is awake this early!

Mikasa sighed and typed,

Mikasa: Eren woke me up, putting his life on the line.

Suddenly Eren's phone made the sound of a new message notification. Mikasa rolled her eyes and thought, here we go.

Eren grabbed his phone, unlocked it, stared at his messages, and started laughing. "Sasha just asked me if you are okay because you are awake. She wants to know if it's really you before calling the police. She also wants to know if I am still alive."

"Hey guys check this out.", Armin said while turning up the volume of the TV.

The news was on. Mikasa served the pancakes on the plates. She took two of the plates and gave one to Armin while sitting next to him. Eren grabbed his plate and sat next to Mikasa. The three of them were seated on the sofa in front of the TV watching the news.

Breaking News:

'We are reporting live outside of Mitra's bank. Just moments ago, criminals robbed the bank and took three hostages with them. The police are tracking their whereabouts at the moment, avoid the area. The perpetrators' identity has been confirmed as the gang that calls themselves "The Scorpions". They are commonly identified with a Scorpion tattoo on their necks, reach out to the police if you see anyone suspicious.'

"These guys again, they piss me off.", Mikasa said.

"They are the same ones that robbed one of the stores of the mall right?", Armin asked.

"Yes, those assholes take hostages with them but they end up always killing them.", Eren said.

"That's the gang that posts the videos about they killing the hostages like is some sort of sick hunting game?", Armin asked.

"Yes, they take the victim to a secluded wood area and tell the victim to run, after a minute or so they run after the victim to kill it, recording the whole thing.", Eren said.

"That's sick.", Mikasa said.

"That's why they are one of the most feared and powerful gangs around.", Eren said.

"It doesn't make sense, the tattoo I mean, who would be so stupid to get a tattoo that clearly dictates that you are a criminal? Why have the police not caught them yet if they have a fucking mark on their necks screaming I'm the killer?", Mikasa said.

Suddenly Eren's phone made the notification sound again. "Oi, Mikasa, Dad wants to meet with us today for dinner, he is in the area."

"Tell him to pick us up then.", Mikasa replied.

-----

Mikasa P.O.V.

I arrived at the restaurant where the girls planned to meet for lunch. As I was walking from the parking area to the restaurant I felt the unease sensation that someone was following me. I've been feeling this for two weeks now. Even though I have gained many enemies by my hacking 'activities', and I joke about Putin or someone else knocking on my door, the reality is that it's highly unlikely that they know my identity. I didn't use my network, on top of it I used nested VPNs mixed with virtual machines with an eastern VPN added on top. Even though the probability of them knowing my identity is almost zero, my job provided me with an apartment in the most secured area in town plus extra police patrols around the building. But, of course, you can never be too cautious, so I always assumed the worst.

I took my phone out and texted my boss: "Activating precaution protocol."

Almost instantly he replied: "I will be on the lookout."

My boss, Pixis, has been very overprotective of me since I started working for the CIA. Since the first day that I arrived at the office and introduced myself, he personally asked to work with me. He was impressed by the stunt I pulled and introduced me to everyone on his team like I was some sort of Messiah sent by Thor itself from the land of Narnia. But not everyone reacted the same way he did when he saw me. It seemed like I wasn't what they were expecting to see since I do not fulfill the stereotype of a programmer. I am not a gamer, I am a ballerina, and what seems to be the worst of all to them is that I am a woman.

The biggest fear of a male chauvinist pig is a woman with confidence having success on a field dominated by men. When will they understand that women can do everything men do while even wearing high heels?

Ever since college, I've heard crap like:

"She probably slept her way in."

"Too pretty to be a programmer."

"A woman in my team? She will probably end up making us do all her work."

"She will probably need to be trained in the most basic crap. She doesn't look like she even knows how to do basic programming."

It's exhausting being a woman, why do we have to put double the effort to at least be noticed or recognized? When will they stop calling us 'emotional' or 'bossy', and start calling us instead 'passionate' and 'leaders'? We intimidate them because they can't control us and they know we have the potential to kick their asses.

I was snapped out of my mental rant when I received another text message from my boss: "Location received. As always, call me if you need to talk."

Good, from now on, until I turn it off, my boss will have a constant live feed of my location using my phone's GPS. Also, in case of emergency, I only have to press twice my phone's power button and in a matter of minutes the police, FBI, and the SWAT team will arrive at my location ready to get rid of any threat.

I can relax now, I thought as I opened the door of the restaurant and met my friends.

"Mikasa! We are here!", Sasha shouted while shaking an arm up to get my attention.

I sat at the table and grabbed the menu, the waiter was already taking the orders so I ordered the first thing I saw that was to my liking. Then I took out from my purse a box of girl scout cookies that I bought for Sasha and gave it to her.

She yelped excitedly and said, "This is why I love you!" while hugging the box.

"So, we've been booked for three schools next week.", Christa said.

Christa was referring to a feminist organization we all created that focuses on motivating girls to pursue a college degree, especially in fields dominated by men.

"I think that it's the most we've had in a week so far!", I said.

"Yes, people are helping by sharing our social media accounts. I have messages of people who want to join us.", Ymir said.

"We should hold a meeting for newcomers, we are going to need more people eventually anyways.", I said, and Ymir nodded.

"So Sasha, what do you have in mind so far to talk to your cute guy?", Annie asked.

"I have no idea, someone needs to distract the manager of the library so he doesn't interrupt us again.", Sasha said.

"Who volunteers as a tribute?", Ymir asked.

"Is the manager at least cute?", Annie asked.

"He was hot but had this unapproachable vibe, and on top of that, a jerk.", Sasha said.

"In that case, I offer Mikasa as a tribute.", Annie said.

"What!? Why me?!", I shouted.

"Because you never get intimidated or scared, and you always speak your mind. That personality is the greatest weakness of self-absorbed jerks.", Annie said.

I stared at her in disbelief while Sasha yelped excited looking at her cellphone.

"Girls! The package arrived! Just received the amazon notification.", Sasha said.

All of them gave me a devilish smile, confusing me, I asked, "What the hell are you talking about?"

"Mikasa, this is an intervention.", Christa said with a serious tone.

"We've noticed that you've been grumpier than usual. We also know that you haven't, well, how do I put this?", Ymir said.

"You haven't had a good fuck in a while!", Annie shouted.

I wanted the earth to swallow me whole right there. Annie said that a little too loud for my liking.

"Where are you going with this?", I asked.

"Well, we bought you a little something to help you deal with, you know, the grumpiness. It just arrived at your door.", Sasha said.

"Are you crazy! You know I live with Eren and Armin!", I said.

"Come on is just a package in your name, they are not going to open it.", Annie said.

"You definitely don't know Eren.", I said in disbelief.

When we finished eating I rushed to my car and drove as fast as I could to my apartment. I ran to the elevator and then ran to my apartment's door. The package wasn't there. I panicked and opened the door and saw Eren about to open it. I ran and tackled him making us both fall to the floor.

"What the fuck Mikasa!", He shouted.

"Why were you trying to open MY package?!", I shouted back.

"Because it could be something dangerous sent from one of your enemies, like Fluffy Kim for example.", Eren said.

"Why would Fluffy Kim send me something life-threatening via AMAZON!?"

"I don't know! Amazon sells some weird shit and they ship from all around the world, I am pretty sure North Korea is included."

I gave him a death stare, snatched the package, and went to my room closing the door behind me.

I sighed and ran my fingers through my hair. I opened the package and found the box of a pink glow-in-the-dark vibrator. I grabbed my phone and wrote in the group chat:

Mikasa: Got the 'package'.

I put the phone down and opened the box. The thing brought batteries and had a little plastic paper that said, "pull here". I think is to protect the device from direct contact with the batteries, I thought.

I pulled the damned paper and the thing started having an epileptic attack. That thing had a demon inside and I didn't know how to do a fucking exorcism! Scared of it, I screamed and dropped it to the floor.

Apparently, Eren heard my scream because he shouted, "I knew it! I am not letting you kill her Fluffy Kim!" while slamming open the door of my room.

I panicked and jumped on top of the frantic thing that looked like it was break dancing on the floor, to hide it.

"What happened?!", Eren asked me.

"Nothing! Get out!", I shouted, trying to stop the damned thing from moving. It felt like I was riding one of those mechanic bulls.

"You screamed! Something happened!!", Eren shouted worriedly.

"What's all the fuss about?", Armin appeared.

"Fluffy Kim sent something dangerous from Amazon to Mikasa!", Eren shouted.

"Fluffy Kim didn't send me shit! Get out!", I said giving a pleading look to Armin.

He got my message and pulled Eren by the back of his shirt, out of my room, and closed the door. I took a deep breath and found the button to turn that demonic thing off. I checked my phone again and read the messages:

Sasha: Yay! You have to name it!

Annie: She's right! Put a name on it!

Mikasa: The thing tried to kill me! I literally just pulled out a piece of paper from it and the thing started to have a panic attack!

Annie: 😂😂

Christa: You can control the intensity, check the instructions! But first, name it!

Ymir: It has to be a sexy name.

I rolled my eyes knowing that they won't drop the subject until I give the thing a name.

Mikasa: Any suggestions?

Sasha: Just think of something that turns you on. 🔥🔥

Something that turns me on, something sexy, I thought as my mind went blank. I started looking around my room. I had a stack of letters and spam stacked on top of my nightstand. I sighed and went through it, I stopped at a promotional flyer for men's underwear. It had a couple of men modeling the underwear. This could work, I thought.

Mikasa: I found a flyer of men's underwear, the models are kind of hot.

Annie: You are messing with us right? 🤦

Sasha: Hold on, she might be onto something. What's the name of the brand?

Mikasa: Levi's, I like it, I will call it Levi.

Christa: 🥳🥳 Now, it's time to let Levi give you a good time!! 🥳

Mikasa: 🤦

I put my phone down and stared at, well, the Levi thing. I still have a couple of hours until dinner, how do I start? Porn? I thought making my mind go into another rant.

Another industry dominated by men, made for men: the porn industry. They try to sell a ridiculous idea of what 'good' sex is supposed to be. They show a man sticking his penis in a woman's vagina with little to no foreplay time. After that, they start going ridiculously fast, like the world is about to end, and start changing the poor woman to different positions like she is some kind of rag doll. They do all of this while ignoring the most important thing: the clitoris. If the poor thing could talk it would scream something around the lines of:

"I'm fucking bored dude!"

"She is faking it!"

"Feeling nothing bro!"

"If I would describe this whole experience with you, I would use the forever-alone meme!"

I locked the door and grabbed the thing, "Let's see, please don't kill me."

-----2 hours later-----

Mikasa: Levi, oooooh Leviiiii!!!!

Annie: 😂😂

Sasha: 🥳🥳🍆🍆🥳🥳

Christa: 😎🔥

Ymir: 💥💦

--------

Author P.O.V.

"Mikasa, are you ready? Dad is already here!", Eren shouted.

"Yes!", Mikasa said, opening the door of her room ready to go.

"Well, someone is in a good mood.", Eren said while raising a brow.

Ignoring his comment Mikasa said, "Let's go, we don't want to make Grisha wait."

"You are right, Dad has texted me like 5 times already since he arrived.", Eren answered.

They took the elevator down and walked by the building lobby. Eren looked at the security guard and said, "That's a new guard right?"

"Yes, he arrived around two weeks ago.", Mikasa responded.

They went out of the building where Grisha, Eren's dad, was waiting for them inside his car.

"We have to make a quick stop at the bank first.", Grisha said.

Mikasa groaned in protest and said, "You know that nowadays you can do mostly all bank stuff through the internet right? I can teach you."

"I need to speak with a manager, is an account that locked me out and they told me to go to the bank directly. It will be quick.", Grisha explained.

"Why do old people avoid using technology?", Mikasa whispered to Eren.

"I heard that!", Grisha said.

They arrived at the bank and Grisha took a piece of paper and started to fill it out with his account information. He told Mikasa and Eren to start making the line for him. He finished filling up his account information and walked to the spot they were in the line.

"I'm hungry, they look like the Zootopia sloths.", Eren said looking at the bank employees.

Suddenly, a loud sound was heard that shook the whole building. Grisha jumped on top of Mikasa and Eren throwing them to the floor. Smoke was coming from everywhere. A huge truck had collided with the bank's main entrance, making a hole. In an instant, a bunch of men with guns, wearing hoodies, and a clown mask entered the building.

"Hands up! And sit on the floor now!", one of them commanded.

Mikasa P.O.V.

Grisha sat on the floor hugging me, and Eren sat in front of me protectively. A couple of the men grabbed an employee and went through a door. After a minute they started going out with black bags. I remembered that I still had my GPS location shared with my boss since lunch. I grabbed my phone and double-clicked the power button, it was programmed to send a high-priority emergency signal to different agencies. I hid my cellphone, pinching it with the inside border of my jeans and pulling my shirt over it. At that moment, one of the men was walking in front of all of us. He was staring at each one of us on the floor.

Eren was covering me with his body when the man said, "You, move!", to him.

Trying to still cover me Eren asked, "Where?"

The man moved closer to him and said, "To the side, now!", and pointed the gun at his head.

Eren hesitated for a moment but then he moved. I was looking to the floor avoiding the man's gaze, hoping that it had the same effect as when a teacher asks a question in a classroom and you avoid making eye contact in hope that he doesn't pick you to answer.

I saw him with the corner of my eye as he lowered the gun and tilted his head. It seemed as he was confused for a moment.

Grisha tightened his hold on me and I saw the man pointing his gun again.

"You!", he said.

I felt a cold metal being pressed against my forehead. When I lifted my gaze I was staring down the barrel of a Walter Q5 Match Semi-auto pistol, held by a man who had... a scorpion tattoo on his neck and grey eyes.

"You are coming with me."

-----------

Want to know what happens next? Check the rest of the story here: 

https://archiveofourown.org/works/27557422/chapters/67401547

or in Wattpad:

https://www.wattpad.com/980985373-saved-by-deception-encounter

[sillymagicmaker]

I have been so emotionally off since last night. Unexpected visitors is... irritating to say the least. Especially after work.

How do I attain peace today? Sunday, January 24, 2021, Waxing Gibbous Moon.

Mannaz. Clarity and willingness to change will bring me peace. Strive to live the ordinary life in a nonordinary way. Be content to do the task for the tasks sake. Experience true present. Know myself.

Yikes okay so that deeply upsets me because right now I deeply am yearning for control over my life. If I have to be like the water and just accept to be happy, I am in for a challenge. I woke up with that dread again and I just dont know if I can deal with my life. I want to be alone but I can't be.

Ace of Summer. Open my heart to love. Allow my intuition to guide me.

On the bright side that card also said I'd experience deepened intimacy today, but I also am unsure I want that. But it says peace means opening my heart to love and following intuition? My intuition is telling me to stay the fuck home and hide away from everyone. Its quite the opposite.

Yikes today's advice is going to be quite hard to follow. I dont know that I can do this. I guess that's where willingness to change comes in.

A summary: Live in the present. Accept what's happening. Open my heart to love. Follow my intuition.

[loganscanons]

visitor

summary: Nira gets an unexpected visitor

if there are typos, u didn’t see them

A sharp, echoing rap filled the apartment as someone struck their knuckles against the door, interrupting Nira and Oleander’s peaceful Sunday afternoon. Nira, lying on one of the two enormous beanbags while she listened to Oleander make up a song as he cooked, jerked upright, and glanced first at Oleander, then at the door. Oleander was in the kitchen, pulling open a drawer to retrieve a whisk, and the knock on the door made him yelp. He looked to the door, then to Nira, who was pushing herself off the beanbag and heading toward the closet. On the off chance that the person at the door was someone or something that she needed to deal with, she knew Oleander would prefer if she was clothed.

“I wonder who that could be!” he chirped. Whisk in hand, he called out to the mystery visitor, “Coming!” and crossed the apartment to answer the door.

The moment Oleander saw who stood in the doorway, his blood ran cold, and his heartbeat quickened. The figure loomed, more than a foot taller than Oleander, and the light in the hall caused his shadow to fall over Oleander’s much smaller form. Startled, Oleander yelped and tossed his hands up. The whisk he was holding clattered to the floor.

“Nira,” he said, his voice high and strained. “I th-th-think it’s for you.”

Suddenly, another large figure appeared beside Oleander, and he yelped again. He blinked twice and his fingers twitched as he took a step back.

It was only Nira.

His startled yelp when he opened the door had spurred her to move with unusual speed, bordering on superhuman. Now that she stood next to him, his fear was practically tangible. Whatever was causing that reaction in their home, their safe place away from the stresses of the outside world, needed to be eradicated immediately.

At first, she didn’t recognize the man in the doorway. He was tall and muscular, no more than an inch or two shorter than she was, and his skin was tan and ruddy. The athletic shorts and tank top he wore showed off his muscles and dozens of scars, both faded and fresh. He bore a startling resemblance to how she looked when she took her human form, hairless, with the same coal black eyes and dark glower that made strangers feel ill-at-ease.

Then, she realized who he was. Kleon. Her brother. The last time she saw him they’d been in the Ottoman Empire, and he certainly didn’t have legs at the time. In the two hundred years, give or take, that had passed since their last encounter, he must have gotten the ability to take on a human form.

There were few people she wanted to see less.

“Deianira,” he said.

“No,” she said and shut the door.

Kleon’s hand flew out, and he wedged his foot between the door and the doorframe.

“You’re not even going to say hello?” he asked, his thin lips spreading over a toothy grin. His voice was deep and hoarse and grated on her nerves.

“What the fuck are you doing here?” she hissed.

She took a step forward and put her hands on either side of the doorframe, using her body to block Oleander from Kleon’s view. The movement put her uncomfortably close to her brother, leaving less than a foot of space between them, but as long as Kleon was within a visible distance, she was going to do everything in her power to keep him from so much as looking at Oleander.  

“I heard you were living in Chicago,” he said. His dark eyes flicked briefly to the space behind her. She leaned to the side, blocking his view. “I was in the country and thought I’d drop by.”

“Why?” she demanded. Her tone was venomous, a biting accusation.

“To catch up,” he shrugged.

Behind her, she heard Oleander’s quiet voice, “I’ll j-j-j-j—” He cleared his throat and tried again, “I’ll just be in the kitchen.”

“Are you going to invite me in?” Kleon asked.

There was something about his voice that made her want to punch him in the throat. Nothing specific. His voice had just always had that effect on her.

“Fuck. No.”

“I came all the way out here to say ‘hi’ to you, and you’re going to shut me out?” he asked. The bastard was smiling, like this was some kind of game to him. It probably was. He’d always been infuriatingly amused by her and her decisions.

“I have never asked you to contact me,” she said flatly.

“Don’t be like this, Deianira,” he said. “I only want to catch up a bit. It’s been—what? Two hundred years?”

Two hundred years. He always seemed to show up every two hundred years. It wasn’t enough time between visits.

She knew if she tried to make him leave, he’d get more persistent and try to force his way into the apartment. Which would mean Kleon being in an enclosed space with Oleander. She couldn’t have that.

Through gritted teeth, she said, “Fine. Let’s go for a walk.” She grabbed the slip-on shoes that laid by the entrance and pulled them over her heels. Turning to face the apartment she told Oleander, “O, I’ll be back later.”

“Okay!” he squeaked from behind one of the pillars that separated the kitchen from the rest of the apartment.

Nira pushed Kleon back with her forearm and closed the door behind her. They said nothing as Nira led them out of the apartment and onto the street. The air outside was turning cold, but winter hadn’t quite set in yet.

“Who was that?” Kleon asked, matching her brisk pace.

He spoke in Ancient Greek. She hadn’t had anyone, besides The Hidden One, speak to her in Ancient Greek since the last time she’d seen Kleon, and The Hidden One’s accent had always been a little bit off. She took a moment to process what he said.

“Hmm?”

“The scared, chubby man,” he said. “Is he your butler?”

“My bu—why the fuck would I have a butler?” she asked in English, looking at him like he had suddenly started speaking gibberish.

“I don’t know,” Kleon said, still in Ancient Greek. “I heard you got your freedom. Thought maybe you wanted to turn things around and be the boss of someone. You did get your freedom, didn’t you?”

“Yes,” she said.

Kleon grinned, showing off sharp fangs, and switched to English after realizing she was going to keep responding in English, “Well, didn’t take you very long did it? Only, oooh, let’s see, almost 2,200 years? But, really, who’s counting?”

Nira said nothing. She wasn’t going to respond to his mocking. It would only encourage him.

“Is he your cook?” he asked.

“Why would I have a fucking cook?” she asked. “We don’t need to cook our food.”

“He was holding a what-do-you-call-it,” he said, moving his hand in a stirring motion. “If he’s not your butler or your cook, what is he? Don’t tell me he’s your fucking roommate. Even you wouldn’t live with someone like that, right?”

“Someone like what?” she asked, lowering her voice threateningly. A warning to tread lightly.

Kleon did not tread lightly.

“Small. Weak. Pathetic. Afraid of his own shadow. Would probably lose a fight to a—what do you call those again? σκῐ́ουρος?” he asked, pointing at a squirrel that perched on the rim of a trash can.

“You don’t know what you’re talking about,” she snapped. She knew he was deliberately trying to provoke her, but she couldn’t prevent the anger bubbling up inside her.

“Damn, Deianira, calm down. I know you have a weird soft spot for humans, but even you have to admit, that man is a little bitch.”

“Watch your tongue or I’ll remove it,” she hissed, turning on him.

Kleon raised his non-existent brows, surprised by her malice. Then, his eyes widened, and a look of glee spread over his features.

“Oh my gods. Are you—? You’re not…are you dating him?”

“Yes,” she said, giving him a dark look.

She wasn’t ashamed of Oleander by any means. She would proudly announce to nearly anyone that he was her boyfriend. But she didn’t like Kleon knowing her business, and she didn’t like giving him another reason to mock her.

Kleon laughed sharply, tossing his head back. Nira had to stop walking and wait for him as he bent over, his hands on his knees. Her relationship with Oleander didn’t warrant this much laughter.

“Him? You’re dating him?” Kleon asked, incredulous. “How the fuck did you find someone worse than the last one? What was his name? Janus?”

“Judas,” Nira corrected thoughtlessly.

“Yeah, him,” he said. “Holy fuck, Deianira. I can’t believe you found someone worse. At least the last one could throw a punch. Seems like if you mentioned violence to this one, he might keel over. Where did you find him? What’s the appeal? He must be incredible at fucking. That’s the only explanation.”

“Ew,” she said. “Don’t talk to me about sex.”

“So, that’s not it? What else could he possibly have to offer?”

“Are you going to shut up, or do I have to force you to?” Nira growled, clenching her hands into fists.

She wasn’t going to get into the endless list of reasons she loved Oleander. It wouldn’t change Kleon’s opinion, and she really didn’t want Kleon knowing her business.

“Okay, okay, fine,” Kleon said, stifling his laughter.

They walked in silence, heading no where in particular. She wanted to put distance between them and the apartment, get Kleon as far away from Oleander as she could. And she didn’t want to talk to him. She’d been having a perfectly pleasant afternoon with Oleander, and Kleon showed up and ruined it.

Kleon snorted, unable to contain a burst of laughter. Nira glared at him.

“Keep your fucking mouth shut,” she warned. Whatever he had to say, she knew it would piss her off.

He didn’t heed her warning.

“You going to sign away your freedom for this one too?” he asked, shooting her a malicious grin.

That was the last straw.

His nose made a satisfying cra-ack as her hand collided with his face.

Fighting always gave her a thrill. There was nothing like the power of breaking another’s bones, the smell and heat of freshly spilt blood, the adrenaline of taking a blow. But fighting with her siblings added an additional level of excitement.

Kleon staggered back, his hand cupped over his bleeding nose. Nira had her hands up in loose fists, ready to block whatever swing he took at her. She ignored the people tittering around them. Fighting in the middle of the sidewalk was ill-advised, but she wasn’t worried about anyone interrupting them. Who would want to get in the middle of a fight between the likes of them?

His nose pouring streams of dark crimson, Kleon matched Nira’s stance, bringing his hands up. She blocked the first punch easily, and grabbed the second, using his momentum to knock him to the side. She was disappointed. The least he could do after mocking her was give her a fun fight.

He jabbed, a quick, rapid fake-out, then punched again, and this time his knuckles hit her jaw. She moved back fast enough that she didn’t feel the full force of the punch, but the contact was encouraging. Maybe this would be worth her time.

In an ideal world, Nira would be kicking Kleon’s ass with them both in their true gorgon forms. But the streets of Chicago were a poor fighting ground, and the SBI was liable to imprison or fine them for the amount of clean-up that exposing humans to the existence of gorgons would require, so she had to settle for this. A fight as humans. It almost seemed unfair for Kleon. Nira had over a millennium of practice and experience fighting as a human. Kleon had at most two centuries.

She would’ve won either way. She always did. He always got in a few good hits, making sure to leave her with bruises and wounds that would ache for at least a week, but she would always come out on top. She worked hard to be the best fighter among her siblings, and it showed whenever one of them provoked her.

When police sirens began to draw near, Nira put an abrupt end to the fight, throwing Kleon to the sidewalk and digging her knee into his back. She had no idea if the sirens were for them, but that wasn’t something she wanted to deal with. Police would take all the joy out of the impromptu brawl. Nira pulled Kleon’s arm back at an awkward angle until he tapped out, the blood from his nose staining the concrete.

She helped him to his feet and pleased to see that a look of unhappy acceptance had replaced his infuriating, provoking grin. He pulled his tank top off and held it to his bleeding nose as he followed Nira to the nearest convenience store. He waited outside while she bought him an ice pack.

“Here,” she said, tossing him a t-shirt as she exited the small store.

“What’s this?” he asked, catching it with ease.

“A shirt.”

“I have a shirt,” he said and pulled the bunched-up tank top away from his face.

“That shirt is covered in blood.”

“So?”

“Just put on the fucking shirt,” she said.

He handed her the blood-soaked tank top, then carefully pulled the t-shirt over his swollen face. A logo for a sports team she didn’t care about covered the chest. She handed his tank-top back to him, along with the ice pack.

“You eaten recently?” he asked, slipping into Ancient Greek out of habit.

“A couple days ago,” she said. The fight had cleared her mind, and she found it easier to respond in her native tongue.

“Want to go get something?”

“Sure.”

Nira led them to a small diner with dim yellow lights. The upholstery of the booth seats was faded and torn and smelled of cigarettes and old coffee. The waitress didn’t react to Kleon’s bruised face or the bloody shirt he held to his nose. With a deadened look in her eyes, she cheerfully took their orders.

“You heard from the family at all?” Kleon asked, again in Ancient Greek. He brought his cup of tea to his mouth and tried not to wince as the mug touched his swollen lip.

“No,” she said.

“Kleitos said you were back in Greece for a bit.”

“I was,” she said. “To give The Hidden One the Telmoros Tablet.”

“Yeah, about that,” he said. “Apparently a small plague has broken out in the area since you returned the tablet. Doesn’t seem like a coincidence.”

“That’s not my problem,” she said.

He shrugged, “Guess not. You didn’t visit anyone while you were in Greece?”

“Just Kleitos. I expected him to be dead.”

“He’s fucking old,” Kleon said. There was a beat of silence, then he said, “Mom had another clutch.”

“When?” Nira asked. She hadn’t thought much about her mother since she left Greece in BCE. She’d expected her to be dead, too.

“A couple centuries ago,” he said. “I traveled around with Admeta for a bit. She’s nearly as good at fighting as you.”

“Admeta? Admeta is dead. I would know,” she said, ignoring the compliment. She didn’t need anyone to tell her she was a good fighter. She knew that. She was more caught up on the traveling around with a gorgon she knew to be long dead. After all, she was the reason she was dead. Admeta had died with Nira crushing her windpipe.

“No, Admeta is from the most recent clutch,” Kleon explained.

“What? That’s fucking confusing. There are millions of names to choose from; why is Mom reusing names?” Nira asked.

“She’s always done this,” he rolled his eyes. “She’s waiting for you to die so she can reuse yours. Maybe the next Deianira won’t be such a disappointment.”

“Fuck off,” Nira said. She kicked him under the table, hitting a bruise she’d given him earlier. He winced.

For a few moments, they ate their eggs in silence.

“You think you’ll ever go back?” he asked.

“To Greece?”

“Yeah.”

Nira shrugged, “Maybe. I’m…fine in Chicago.”

She was fine in Chicago, because Oleander lived in Chicago, but if she was being honest with herself, she much preferred the weather of Greece. She didn’t miss the company she’d kept there, though.

“You’re not staying here for that human, are you?” he asked, narrowing his eyes.

“So, what if I am?” she hissed.

“Pathetic,” he said, shaking his head. He took a bite of his eggs, then said, “There aren’t many gorgons left there. Not like when we were young. Most have moved to Saventhia.”

“To where?” she asked.

“Saventhia.”

“The fuck is Saventhia?”

“You know, the other realm where all those centaur herds moved to when we were in our two-hundreds and three-hundreds,” he said.

Nira stared at him blankly for a moment, searching for a memory of centaurs leaving en masse. She didn’t think about her youth often, and many of her memories had been lost to time. She could vaguely recall the dwindling herds of centaur.

“Nicodemus moved there with his wife. He got married. Like a legitimate wedding. A fae wedding, but still a wedding,” Kleon said. “I think he wants to have children.”

Nira balked. She tried to imagine any of her siblings getting married. She supposed if anyone was going to get married, it made sense that it was Nicodemus. He’d always been drawn toward stability and family.

For longer than Nira wanted to stay in the small diner with its subpar food and old booths, Kleon rambled on, telling her about their various siblings, updating her on which siblings were definitely dead, and telling her about the lives of siblings she’d never met. She didn’t care. She tried to make note of the siblings that she’d grown up with, because she knew it was information Oleander would be interested in, but for the most part, Kleon’s gossip went in one ear and out the other.

Outside the diner, Kleon and Nira exchanged a curt handshake and a nod, a silent agreement that it would be a good two centuries before they’d willingly see each other again. Limping slightly, Nira headed back to her apartment, feeling light and clear-headed. She had missed fighting with people who could come close to her skill level. There weren’t many good things she could say about Kleon, but at least he was fun to fight. The endorphins from the brawl would keep her in high spirits for at least a week.

[kiruuuuu]

Siegemas Day 24

Happy holidays everyone, it’s me again! I stepped in for this day :) Once again, thank you @dualrainbow​, this event is a delight 💝💝

Today, my prompt is the very first line of the fic you find below. I hope you all enjoy it, and have a wonderful time no matter what or whether you’re celebrating! ✨ (Twitch/IQ, Rating T, fluff + emotional comfort, ~2.8k words)

.

“We made… too many cookies.”

The comedic timing is impeccable, the line delivered with perfect hesitance as to imply awareness of the understatement while hiding its undoubtedly practised nature. She’s a born people person with a knack for being charmingly endearing, and IQ is absolutely and horrifically powerless.

“This is ridiculous”, she states, deadpan, not giving away how amused she is in reality – it’s not often that she opens the door to a stunning young woman with pretty cheekbones tinted pink from the cold outside, clad in a flattering deep purple coat and holding several tin boxes in gloved hands. Patterned gloves, a row of snowflakes adorning the fabric. A very familiar row of snowflakes.

“I know, and I’m really sorry, but I don’t know anyone else who’d appreciate these.” Her hair is laid in neat waves framing her pale freckled face, light make-up completing the elegant look. She could be a film star, certainly possesses the same unselfconscious attitude one would expect, even though she’s displaying embarrassment right now. Her slim figure hugged tightly by her form-fitting clothes is visible clearly despite the frankly laughable amount of cookie tins and IQ can’t help herself.

She invites her in.

Twitch is a waterfall, bubbling excitedly about how or why she came across certain recipes, casually throwing in a French or German word amidst the usual English, and it’s impossible for IQ to follow her but she smiles and nods anyway while relieving her visitor of her cargo and placing it gingerly on the kitchen table. So far, this last Sunday before Christmas – the fourth Advent, as it’s called in her mother tongue – had been almost serene, began with chores and continued with a quiet cup of coffee and a good book before slowly tilting over into planning and researching for her next chapter. A regular occurrence. As a result, IQ is mentally somewhere else still and needs a few minutes before she can concentrate on her unexpected guest.

“Good to see you”, she chimes in during a small pause (wouldn’t you know it, even Twitch needs to breathe), and the two of them hug as a greeting. Twitch always gives her a good squeeze, really presses the two of them together, which is one of the reasons IQ looks forward to meeting her every day: it makes her feel appreciated. No one else comes close to these embraces, not Blitz, her decade-old friend, or even her own siblings. In Twitch’s arms, she closes her eyes and finds peace for a brief second.

It might be the absence of her family which has left her this sentimental – normally, she’s too busy to analyse her friends, to scrutinise them to this amount, but today an odd sort of nostalgia and possible bout of loneliness has overtaken her. She did light four candles on her wreath, the first one almost burnt out completely from being lit on all the previous Sundays, yet instead of providing warm illumination, it caused subtle brooding. Their house was always lively around Christmas, bustling with fights, pretend fights, singing, louder singing, future plans yelled through the staircase, raucous laughter, and various songs on repeat trying to drown each other out.

Here, in her small apartment in England, the silence felt foreboding.

“I tried my hand at spéculoos, which Marius called a German staple, and let me tell you – the dough I had was a nightmare to work with, much too sticky. I wanted to roll it out and use Julien’s cookie cutters but it wouldn’t cooperate, so you now have small poop piles of what I think you call Spekulatius. It’s in the blue tin, right on top there. I also made vanilla… uh, vanilla croissants? Shaped like moons? They’re Dom’s favourites, apparently, and Gilles begged me to help him, but he got the recipe wrong and we got so many that he just gave me half. Elias really wanted pain d’épices, um, spicy bread? No, gingerbread, that was it. You guys have the best name for it, by the way, Lebkuchen, it makes it sound like you’re Frankenstein: live, cake!”

Twitch somehow manages to wander through the flat while babbling on, accepting a cup of lukewarm coffee IQ puts in her hands and instinctively helping to pick a few cookies from each box to create an inviting-looking decorative paper plate which IQ carries into the living room where they settle down, fingers curled around warmed ceramic and eyes gleaming in the candlelight.

“You need to try these, it’s actually one of James’ mum’s recipes. Poppyseed and chocolate, they turned out better than expected, but after Liza told that story about her acquaintance failing a drug test because of poppyseed bagels, people refused to eat more than one and I definitely can’t stomach all of these alone.”

She watches, expectantly, as IQ dutifully picks out one of the spotted cookies shaped like a flower and bites into the crumbly bakeware. Surprising no one, it’s delicious – if there’s anything Twitch can’t do, IQ hasn’t found it yet.

“Really good”, she agrees, allowing for Twitch’s instant beaming smile to tug the corners of her own mouth upwards while she chews. “Manu, these all look lovely. You know I’d die for good Christmas cookies, so thank you. Even though this is way too much for me.”

Her laugh is melodic and as contagious as her constant sunny mood. “You should see how many I still have at home. Elias claimed he needs to watch his figure, Julien should be watching his figure, Doc doesn’t really like sweets, and Gilles eats maybe one cookie a day. Which you know is illegal at Christmastime.”

“Still, this is a wonderful present and I’m afraid I have nothing to give in return.” IQ isn’t being entirely honest. Still testing the waters; maybe Twitch will manage to read between the lines and they can finally address it. The moment the Frenchwoman stepped over the threshold was the moment IQ decided they’d talk it through today. It’s been going on long enough.

“Not true, you gave me the gloves!” Twitch’s triumphant gotcha! expression is self-satisfied and smug and sweet. Sweeter than the cookies calling to IQ – they really do look fantastic, a variety of shapes, sizes and colours, all together smelling of spices and memories and Christmas.

“Someone had to, you kept complaining about your icy fingers.”

“And you were probably sick of warming them up.” Twitch hasn’t caught on yet, her tone is still breezy and carefree. “Have you written some more? Any new scenes for me to read? I need to know whether the captain really is dead or not.”

IQ laughs, half embarrassed and half delighted – when the news broke in Rainbow that she writes stories in her spare time, she expected an outcome way worse than what she ended up facing: Castle immediately expressed interest in reading them, no matter the topic, and once word got out that it was usually science-fiction-centric, even more people approached her out of curiosity. None of them as enthusiastic as Twitch, however, who dove into the narratives like an age old fan into new material, sparking an unknown productivity in IQ which has yet to subside. Knowing there’s at least one person who devours anything she dreams up has been fantastically motivating, and they’ve begun spinning yarn together now and then. Twitch is the only one whom she trusts enough to proofread for scientific errors or inconsistencies, and she’s helped develop a character into a much more compelling version of themselves several times.

The next hour is spent on discussing IQ’s research, involving frantic googling and article hopping on Wikipedia to help with finding the correct jargon – Twitch knows most of the technical terms in French, which doesn’t mesh well with IQ’s rusty school French, whereas her German accent makes it difficult for the other woman to understand her, so they try to meet in the middle somewhere by using English, despite the laborious process involved.

They’re on one wavelength. Always have been, from the moment they came across each other in Rainbow’s workshop, when Twitch still dyed her hair auburn and IQ barely spoke a word with the other operators: a friendly smile, an engineering-related question, a brief introduction, and they were a house on fire. Inseparable at work.

Twitch made sure it bled into their private lives as well, even if it took considerable effort. IQ never asked, but she’s sure her friend secretly celebrated that one day when she finally said yes to one of her suggestions of meeting up.

.

And it’s exactly why it hurts so fucking much to think -

.

“Manu.”

Twitch stops talking mid-sentence, probably caught off guard by her serious tone of voice. “Yes? Is everything alright?”

It might be. She hopes it will be. Her fingers stray to a loose thread peeking out of the seam of her trousers, picking at it. “We’ve been friends for a while now.”

Several years, in fact, an unimaginably long time. Not that IQ hasn’t been able to keep friendships alive for this long, but never one this close. The level of intimacy usually kept declining after a certain point, usually prompted by nothing, sometimes spatial distance, sometimes emotional. There aren’t many people who keep up with her over a long time, and even fewer she keeps up with – Blitz is a great friend, but he just doesn’t share her passions.

“And you’re one of the most generous people I know. Your first instinct when you have too many cookies is to give them away. I��ve always admired this about you.”

Twitch is listening intently. She knows something is up, yet can’t put her finger on it. Her brows are furrowed. IQ knows this from a brief glance before her gazed drops back down to her restless fingers.

“Julien and I had a conversation about you, not too long ago. And some of what he said was… unexpected.” Rustling; Twitch is beginning to fidget as well. “Unrelated to that, Dom overheard you voicing your frustration about your being single and mentioned it to me. I didn’t know you were that unhappy. You never said anything.”

She really likes you. Yeah, don’t wave me off. I’ve never seen her fawn over someone like this. You get special treatment all the time.

And then, more poignant: At this point, I’m basically ready to fuck anything that moves.

The second quote echoes in her mind as if she’d heard it herself instead of it being delivered second-hand. Both of them made her look back at the past months and re-evaluate some events. Showed them in a very different light.

Twitch is radiating anxiousness. It’s easy to pick up.

“I realise now that I’ve received a lot of special attention from you, and… I just have to wonder.” It’s harder and harder to push the words out, her throat closing up. “Wonder whether your present today is cookies and friendship, or cookies and a confession, or cookies and an expectation. Whether there’s some kind of motive attached.”

Her entire life, there’s never been anyone outside her family who understood her better. Being a woman in a male dominated field is difficult enough, especially as a competitive one, and her experiences aren’t easily conveyed to her guy colleagues – Twitch understands, of course, has faced the same obstacles and prejudices. Seeking patterns everywhere, striving for excellence, despising complacency, the overwhelming need to reverse engineer anything new or remarkable, exploring new places, wanting to always keep moving and improving – Twitch understands, has had a similar upbringing and equivalent goals.

They share almost everything at this point, have been on holidays together, mastered several projects with each other’s help, stayed up till sunrise because sleep was the inadequate alternative to exchanging ideas and pushing each other further than they’d go by themselves. Others have always tried to slow IQ down, force her to relax, take her mind off something she enjoyed chewing on, and it was infuriating.

All Twitch does is encourage her. Which paradoxically calms IQ more than any massage or empty-brained film ever could.

She doesn’t want to lose all this. Her chest hurts with the pressure of potentially losing someone this dear to her. But at the same time, she doesn’t want Twitch to get the wrong idea.

When silence is all she receives, she looks up to find Twitch fighting for composure – wide eyes filled with moisture and lip quivering. It’s a stab in the guts. IQ has never seen her cry.

“I don’t -”, Twitch chokes out, adding more quietly: “This isn’t -”

IQ sits next to her, reaching out but retreating when Twitch shakes her head, so all she does is take her hand. As always, her fingers are cold, so IQ closes her own around them. This isn’t at all what she intended, but she needs to know.

“Your friendship means the world”, comes a much more composed statement after a minute. “You should know this.”

She nods. She does know.

“And – and yes, if there was more, I’d be happy. Even happier than I am now. But there doesn’t need to be.” Twitch is speaking faster now, rushing the words, her melodic French accent thickening. “I’m fine with everything staying the way it is. I love being around you, no matter how, so if you’re not okay with – with anything else, it’s fine. I’m fine. I’ll get over it, no worries.”

“Manu. Breathe.” Seeing the other woman in a panic is a rare sight and IQ doesn’t enjoy knowing she’s the cause. “I love being around you, too. You’re my best friend, by far. But… I don’t want anything casual.”

Twitch needs a moment to digest this and IQ readies her responses: she’s had bad experiences with it in the past, and as far as she knows, arrangements like friends with benefits tend to make everything messy and awkward. Staying friends is the better option.

“Yes. Me neither.” A beat. Their eyes meet, Twitch’s still glistening.

There is an even better option, as far as IQ is concerned. And it seems to slowly dawn on the nearly perfect woman next to her.

“And… what about something not casual? But still more?”

Oh. The pressure begins to lift off her chest with every passing second, with every second that Twitch stares at her, hopeful, unsure. Slowly, she clarifies: “You mean – cookies and a confession?”

The nod is nearly imperceptible, and IQ probably almost breaks her fingers by squeezing so hard. The next thing she knows is she’s leaning forward and pressing their lips together, tasting the saltiness of perceived rejection as well as the disbelieving smile of actual acceptance, and then Twitch is laughing as well, crying in between relieved giggling, almost hysterical, and IQ joins in, and before they know it, they’re a mess on the sofa, hugging, seeking physical contact, pressing kisses to temples and hair and cheeks and lips again, wrapping arms around warm bodies.

Her heart is singing because while she so fiercely hoped, she barely dared to, was used to disappointments and therefore expected the worst, even ascribed traits to her best friend in the whole world who’d never stoop so low as to demand something from her she wasn’t ready to give. No, Twitch understands her and vice versa. Even so, it took them an embarrassingly long time to get to this point. In their shared joyousness, they barely manage to finish their sentences:

“What Dom heard me say wasn’t, I mean, I was just -”

“Yes, I figured, but it still got me thinking -”

“I was having a bad day, I’m not that frustrated -”

“Oh? That’s a shame, you know, I was actually looking forward to -”

“Monika!”, Twitch exclaims, scandalised even though they’re both aware IQ is joking, and by now they’re laughing like mad, especially because Twitch only uses her full name when she’s done something, so IQ resorts to tickling her in retaliation or maybe to distract her, and they both yelp when Twitch’s foot shoots up, gets caught on the rim of the cookie plate peeking over the coffee table’s edge, and catapults its contents everywhere. One manages to hit IQ in the face, the rest is scattered all over the floor, which sets them off again after a second of total silence.

“It’s fine, it’s fine”, Twitch gets out in between breaths, “I really do have tons more at home.” Which IQ believes her in a heartbeat.

Even though she’s pretty sure she got the lion’s share of the leftovers.

And just a second before they notice that the napkin on which the cookies were presented has caught fire, IQ thinks about how she dreaded spending Christmas at Hereford without her family – and she realises now she’ll be in great company regardless.

[ceallachs]

familiar ; chapter two

Title: familiar Pairing: Akashi/Kuroko Rating: T Summary: Tetsuya wakes up to an unexpected visitor in his room.

This is a continuation to a little writing exercise I did two years ago about Akashi as a cat familiar.

( You can read the whole thing on AO3. )

-

Seijuurou has resigned to the bed by the time Tetsuya returns to the room. He's carrying a tray of tea served for two, the warm aroma wafting into the air. 

It has only been a few days since Seijuurou appeared and he has settled in nicely into Tetsuya's home like he belongs in the first place.

“Excuse me,” Tetsuya utters when he enters, as if Seijuurou is the owner and he, the guest.

As unconventional as it is, they have fallen into this routine of cohabitation and it's peaceful for the most part. Seijuurou is courteous and he never complains. He observes but he never intervenes, asks questions and entertains the answers Tetsuya gives.

When Seijuurou sits up on the edge of the bed to accept the cup, Tetsuya almost anticipates him to lap the drink with his tongue. But of course, Seijuurou blows on it elegantly as any gentleman would on a fine Sunday afternoon – just that this gentleman had tall pointy ears that raised and lowered depending on his mood, and is dressed in exquisite garment that causes disorientation to the image.

Tetsuya tries not to be distracted by the little things. It's hard not to be; Seijuurou is an unusual but handsome man.

As if feeling his stare, Seijuurou looks up and sends him a curious gaze. “Something is on your mind.”

Tetsuya sets the tray down, seating himself on the floor before Seijuurou's feet. There is allowance for comfort between them now, even though Tetsuya still finds the situation quite bizarre.

"I suppose there is."

It’s hard to tell what Seijuurou thinks sometimes. They hardly converse for long periods of time. Tetsuya is off to school from morning till noon and does part-time work on weekend mornings. Seijuurou, on the other hand, is usually found at unusual places in the house – watching, observing, relearning the world. He seems content like this.

What Tetsuya notices, however, is that Seijuurou has taken a particular interest on his bookshelf, perusing the hefty selection of reading materials on days when he is lounging in the room. He takes one to occupy his time everyday, and today it's Japanese Literature. The said book is on the bed.

It doesn’t strike Tetsuya’s curiosity as much that Seijuurou knows how to read, than it fascinates him how Seijuurou has taken a liking to his taste in books.

“About how you…” Tetsuya’s uncertainty and discomfort comes clear, yet Seijuurou only regards him with a raised brow. The look urges him to continue. “Well, that you are mine.”

Seijuurou lowers the cup onto his lap, forgotten for a moment as he waits for it to cool to his desired temperature. “What of it needs further explaining? I thought I’ve made that clear; I belong to you now.”

It isn't the first time that Seijuurou has said this, yet it still puzzles Tetsuya how someone can confidently assert such a notion. Though their conversations are scarce, Seijuurou does not shy away from referring to himself like property Tetsuya owns.  He's so strange , Tetsuya thinks. Then again, Seijuurou is by no means ordinary, after all.

“Do you not want to own me?”

That startles him more than he wants to admit. “No–yes, I mean...ah. Please don’t say it that way...”

Seijuurou laughs then, short and airy but Tetsuya heard it nonetheless. As astounded as he is to have garnered such a reaction, he only deflates from embarrassment at his own panicked reaction.

“Pardon. I simply find some difficulty understanding why this is still bothering you.”

Because it isn't normal.  Tetsuya wonders if Seijuurou will understand the very concept of normalcy to begin with.

He tries anyway. "It's not an everyday occurrence that this sort of thing happens to me, you know."

"I understand that it may be peculiar, though I think we are both adjusting quite well."

"But I am not prepared to house you on such short notice, nor am I sure if I can in the long run."

"I do not require much and I can fare on my own. Your room is enough to accommodate my needs."

"What if my grandmother sees you?"

"Impossible; this form is only visible to you."

Seijuurou tips his excuses like single pins in a bowling lane and Tetsuya grows desperate each time. He doesn't hate Seijuurou being here, but the nature of their relationship remains unclear.

He watches Seijuurou return to blowing on his tea, unperturbed by Tetsuya's concerns and instead looking more pleased that the steam from the cup has more or less disappeared.

Tetsuya sighs when he takes a sip. “This still doesn’t make sense, Seijuurou-san. I cannot just… own a person.”

“I am not a person, Tetsuya. But I was a stray cat before all of this, yes. The specifics hardly matter now, do they?"

Tetsuya resists the urge to grab Seijuurou by the shoulders and shake him so he'll understand. To Tetsuya, he looks human enough, with very evident feline features but very human-like nonetheless. He speaks and behaves like any civilized human would and that is the reason why this spark of devotion feels heavily misplaced. It might have even been more acceptable if Seijuurou looked like an actual cat, then perhaps he'd have been more open to an adoption.

As if finally sensing the storm that is worrying Tetsuya's mind, Seijuurou interrupts his thoughts with a firm call. "Tetsuya."

He looks up to see Seijuurou place the cup on the floor, and then leans his elbows on his lap so he can hover directly in front of Tetsuya's face.

The silence stretches but neither break eye contact. It is Seijuurou who speaks first.

“In my previous life, you have taken me into your home and tried to nurse me to health. You may have failed to save my life, but my original body has now become part of your soil.”

Tetsuya blinks, the memories rushing back to him even like it was yesterday. To the day he buried that cat. It hasn't been that long, but he believed himself to be a naïve young boy back then, not knowing that the cat he took home had been dead all along. Yet he had hoped that, somehow, if he prayed enough, if he wished enough, then maybe it had another chance.

Is that why Seijuurou is bound to this place? He is bound to Tetsuya's wishes of return?

Tetsuya tries to find the answers in Seijuurou's eyes but those usually sharp red and gold suddenly glint with distant longing, like he's recalling a time that was now lost to him but it isn't the past that he longs for anymore.

“I have come back to you as you have desired. During the past few days of my stay, you did not turn me away. Am I misunderstanding this?”

Tetsuya presses his lips together into a thin line, finding he has no excuse for it. He took Seijuurou in and allowed him to stay, offered him meals and freedom to loiter, and they conversed about nothing and everything.

“I suppose in human terms, you would need a more tangible contract,” Seijuurou offers.

Before Tetsuya can clarify what that entails, Seijuurou holds him carefully by the jaw; the distance between them closes and the contract is sealed with a kiss.

xx

[born2battle]

Tenure in Peace Station @ Binnaguri

  Advance party left Joshimath in the first week of Sep to take charge at Binnaguri once again (surprisingly after our short tenure earlier). It was clarified that this repeat tenure was planned to give the Regiment the opportunity to complete it’s Peace tenure, especially after the participation in 1971 War followed by intense tenure of two years in high altitude area. The Main Body left by Special Train from Raiwala and reached Binnaguri after a long journey of ten days. We celebrated the Gunner's Day on 28 Sep 1974, when we were also accorded the formal welcome by other units of the Artillery Brigade. In the interim period some Jawans availed their annual leave which had to be completed by the end of the year.

  Our Regiment was fortunately allotted newly constructed accommodation for the Unit complex as well as family quarters for the officers and the Jawans. This enabled settling down quickly and allowed the families to be brought to the Cantonment. New facilities that had been created in the last two years included Shopping Complex, Army School & an Open Air Cinema Hall. The overall impression was that of a self contained township. 

  Thereafter, we began conversion training onto yet another weapon system --- the 105mm Indian Field Gun, which had been produced indigenously. This training was imparted by a team of Instructors in Gunnery and was to culminate in conversion firing in Buxaduar Ranges. We were surprised in the midst of conversion training, by the arrival of our new CO ---- Lt Col T N Konar who took over command on 28 Oct 1974. He had a reputation of being a hard task master, which he proved by his very presence during the training. The conversion firing was completed with gusto & our TIGER complimented us with the traditional message on the radio network ---” Good Shooting” !!! 

  We returned from the Ranges one week before the Diwali festival. It coincided with Children’s Day and was celebrated in a typical Fauji manner, at a central location in the Cantonment. There was a Fauji Mela having various stalls for handicrafts & regional cuisine. In the evening, there were cultural performances by Jawans, wearing their traditional attire. I was impressed, observing the enthusiasm and josh  displayed by the Jawans, in true spirit of unity in diversity. The celebrations ended with a magnificent fireworks display. It was my first experience of yet another method of bonding , by adopting various measures for welfare of the jawans & the families, specially in a peace station. Goal oriented training during the year also contributed immensely towards strengthening the team spirit  while simultaneously improving the standards of professional competence of all the Units. It proved the adage ... ‘The more you sweat in Peace , the less you bleed in War.’ 

    Several sports competitions were planned in Dec & Jan at the Brigade level .Our CO insisted that at least one officer & two JCOs must be a part of the Regiment team for each competition. I volunteered for participation in Cross Country & Hockey competitions. It was a challenge for me to prove my capabilities as a part of the Cross Country team of top 20 JATs. We commenced Cross Country practice precisely at sunrise daily, while Hockey team practised in the evenings. This continued for almost a month. Finally, we won the Cross Country trophy with a big margin & were the Runners up in Hockey..... a big impact soon on reaching Binnaguri. It was followed by another resounding victory by our Kabaddi & Wrestling teams,both these sports being their expertise.

  In the first week of March, I received the unexpected news about my selection for attending the very first Advance Gunnery Course at Deolali. I left after a preparatory capsule as designed by the CO personally. It was indeed nostalgic to be back again in Deolali (Home of the Gunners)!! It was going to prove as the next step to enhance my knowledge about all types of Guns, Mortars and Rocket systems. It was definitely difficult to understand all these aspects in a short span of two months. However, all of us studied round the clock and qualified successfully. I was fortunate to top the course while securing ‘Alpha’ grading. Thereafter, I availed one month of leave at Aurangabad and returned to the Regiment beaming with a sense of pride. Our CO complimented my performance in front of the entire Regiment during the monthly Sainik Sammelan.

  Thereafter, I was appointed as the Adjutant and looked forward to shouldering additional responsibilities. The very first responsibility was the Raising Day Celebrations which was organised centrally, after a long break due to our previous deployment in high altitude area. My CO also advised me to devote at least one hour daily for preparing for my next goal of selection for Long Gunnery Staff Course. The peace tenure in Binnaguri gave us an opportunity to apply ourselves towards learning about  Unit administration. As Junior Officers, we were assigned various tasks by rotation e.g. Canteen Officer, Mess Secretary, Office Documentation, Stock Taking Boards, all types of Inspections etc. We also learnt the protocols of social interaction within the Unit and with other Units in the Cantonment. As bachelors, we were privileged to be invited for dinners by officers having families in the station. We too reciprocated by hosting a fabulous brunch on Sundays. 

      Meanwhile, I had booked a Bajaj scooter to be purchased through CSD ( Canteen Stores Dept.). The waiting period was two months and the scooter had to be collected from CSD Depot located at Gauhati. I went along with my Buddy, by train to Gauhati and returned with my new acquisition, after booking the scooter by the Passenger train. This scooter occupied its place of pride in the Officers Mess. My scooter was used more by other officers than me, since I preferred to walk down to the Unit. I found time during this trip to visit the famous Kamakhya Temple.

  In Sep, we attended Collective Training with Infantry Battalions. I got a chance to be the OP Officer with the Sikh Battalion. During the exercise, I observed the ability of Sikh soldiers to come up with innovative solutions, when faced with any challenge. They always adopted the ‘हो  जाएगा ’  approach. Their peculiar war cry- बोले सोनी हाल, सत स्री अकाल was always a source of motivation under all circumstances. In Oct, we proceeded to Buxaduar Ranges for the Annual Practice Camp. Our performance was adjudged as ‘Outstanding’ by the team of Instructors in Gunnery detailed by School Of Artillery, Deolali. After the Camp, we visited Jaldapara National Park in small groups. This visit to a wildlife sanctuary was very exciting due to the presence of One- horned Rhino

  In the first week of Dec, our CO received his posting order, which was a surprise since he had just completed one year at the helm of affairs. All officers & their families decided to give the first family, a surprise farewell by organising a trip to Darjeeling. All bachelors took the responsibility for planning this trip at a short notice. Our entire’ Team 98′ led by the CO travelled together in a tourist bus upto Siliguri. Thereafter, we undertook  the journey by the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (popularly called the Toy Train) which was very captivating. In the evening, we organised a special farewell party in the Army Holiday Home, located at an altitude of 2000 meters.              

  Next morning, we got up at 3 AM and immediately left for Tiger Hill, which was at an altitude of 2500 meters. There was an air of excitement and expectation, while all the visitors waited eagerly for the view of the majestic Kanchenjunga. Just before the sunrise, we observed the transformation of the colours on the horizon of the Himalayan Ranges which was soon followed by the sunrise itself, when Kanchenjunga glittered in all its glory. It was truly a miraculous, sight still etched in my memory. We then began our return journey to Binnaguri, reflecting on the incredible spectacle of nature which we had just witnessed and hoped to get a chance to visit again. 

  On return to Binnaguri, we organised the central farewell Bara Khana in honour of our distinguished CO. On 23 Dec 1975 , we bid him an adieu from the Officers Mess to the tune of ‘Auld Lang Syne’. His successor, Lt Col I Lokendar arrived on posting after two months  and assumed command on 23 Feb 1976. Meanwhile, we had certain other changes as well, with posting- in / posting- out of a few officers. However, the  Jat Balwans continued to perform in a commendable manner, not only in sports competitions but also in technical competitions. It was noteworthy that the Regiment secured third position out of 15 teams, in  the Inter- Battalion Athletics Competition at the divisional level. 

  In the first week of April, I was thrilled to receive the news that I had been selected to attend the prestigious Long Gunnery Staff Course at School Of Artillery, Deolali. I was required to report by 30 Jun 1976, which gave me sufficient time for preparatory training. It was indeed a moment to cherish, since I had achieved my goal within five years of commission in the Regiment of Artillery. The Regiment had indeed been instrumental in giving Wings to my Dreams!!!

[touromania]

Unexpected Expenses You Should Consider On A Holiday

Unexpected Expenses You Should Consider On A Holiday

Going on holiday is really an exciting thing to do, especially after everything that happened within the last two years. From beaches that we love to lay on, or mountains that we love to hike all of these things are definitely beautiful adventures, and memories to tell our kids. But you know what is not so exciting about any holiday? The unexpected expenses and fees, right? Don’t worry, if you…

[logans-chestnuts]

As You Are, Part 10

Pairing: Logan x Reader

Warnings: Language, Smut

Gorgeous artwork by: @giggleberts​

Part 9

You talked for a couple more hours before you forced Logan to go to sleep. Between the time difference, the stress of traveling and your emotional upheaval, he had slept very little. You also decided to take a nap since you hadn’t slept much either.

You talked about whatever came to mind. Your childhoods, schooling, religion, politics, and even jokingly argued over baby names, settling on Hermione for a girl (Logan was not a fan) and Thor for a boy (you were pretty sure he was kidding).

Kate called during Logan’s sleep-break and you updated her. She was worried for you, of course. You were honestly at peace. You just had an instinctive affinity for this man. He felt like he was meant to be, corny as it seemed.

You had been in relationships, a couple serious ones, one you had almost married in college. This was different. In a week you had reached a level of caring with Logan that you didn’t achieve in a couple years with another man.

You were pretty much in love with him.

The rest of Saturday and Sunday morning went like that, until you made Logan get some real sleep before he went to Aoki Monday morning. You gave him a wake up video call so that you could see sleepy Logan. He tried to seduce you and you declined.

“I can’t wait to see you, angel,” he said in his sexy morning voice with that sexy smirk.

“I hope you get everything wrapped up today. I need to feel you.”

“I need to fuck you,” he said with typical Logan candor.

“Yeah, that too,” you said with a laugh. “Except for me it will be almost making love.”

“Almost? I got upgraded again?”

“Yeah, love. You did.”

“I think you did, too. You’re beyond anyone ever before. But I think you were from day one.”

“You, too. Aren’t we gross?” you said with a laugh.

“Totally nauseating. I love you.”

You gasped, utterly speechless.

“Fuck. Forget I said that, I didn’t mean to tell you like that. I was going to buy you flowers and take you out someplace romant –”

“Logan!” you interrupted. “I don’t need all that stuff! I just need…you.”

“Need?”

“Need. Love, adore, lust for, like, want…that clear?”

Logan let out a deep sigh. “I didn’t mean to say it, but Y/N I mean it. I have never said it to a woman before. You’re it.”

“I said it once before. And I didn’t even know what the word meant. Until you.”

“I almost threw up when I said that.”

You laughed. “Thanks, babe. Just what every woman wants to hear. You silver-tongued devil, you!”

“You know what I mean.”

“I do, love, babe, boo, sweet cheeks, darling, honey, hot stuff.”

“Hot stuff?”

“Oh my God, so hot.”

“Yeah?” he asked with a giant, arrogant grin.

“You know you’re gorgeous and you know I think so.”

“But do you know you’re the most beautiful woman in the world? And I want you more than anyone ever?” he said earnestly. “And not just for sex. I want to talk to you and laugh with you and go places and…live my life with you.”

“This is so crazy,” you said, disbelief in your voice. “Did we just tell each other…did we just use the L word in a sentence?”

“I did. You just listed it with other words and left me to draw conclusions.”

“I love you!”

“There we go,” he said with a big, satisfied smile. “When I get home I’m going to tell you in person and then I’m going to show you in every way there is.”

“I can’t wait, Logan.”

Logan glanced down and saw the time, letting out a disheartened sigh. “I gotta go, babe. Get this shit over so I can get home to you. Get some sleep coz when I get home you won’t, OK?”

You laughed and said, “Promises, promises. Good luck, love. Have a great day and let me know what happens. Call me whenever.”

“Ok. Love you,” he said, his voice still a bit hesitant.

“I love you, Logan. Only you, always you.”

He smiled, blew you a kiss and logged out.

You spent the rest of the evening getting clothes ready for work and then went to bed early in hopes of losing sleep during the night when Logan called. He didn’t call until his now usual wake-up call, and his voice was filled with frustration.

“Babe, Aoki blew me off all day. He’s supposedly been in meetings. Something is fucking fishy and nobody will talk to me. I even tried to call my father and he isn’t in. I don’t know what to do.”

“Shhh sweetie it’s OK. We’ll be fine. I have you forever, I can wait another day to see you.”

“I’m tired of fucking waiting. I’ve waited my whole life.”

“Baby, I’m here. I love you. We’re we. OK?”

Logan sighed, but his voice was still tense when he answered. “OK. We can do this.”

“We can do this. You’re worth the wait.”

“You sure about that?”

“Are you sure I am?”

“Yes. Absolutely.”

“And so am I. Now stop asking fucking stupid questions,” you said with mock ferocity. “Logan, you will be home soon and we’ll be together. OK?”

“OK.”

“Do you have a meeting time at all?”

“No, his assistant keeps putting me off. If I don’t hear something first thing tomorrow I’m just coming home. I am not up for their fucking games,” he said angrily. “But you need to get ready for work, huh?”

You looked at your clock. “Yeah. I expected you to call during the night.”

“I didn’t want to wake you up with no news. I knew you wouldn’t go back to sleep.”

“That was considerate. Wanna see my tits?”

Logan gave an unexpected shout of laughter. “Thanks, babe, but I think this would be a bad time for me to be horny. Anger and lust are a bad blend for me.”

“I will remember that.”

“I’ll let you know if anything changes.”

“OK. I love you,” you said almost shyly, as if the numerous confessions of your mutual love hadn’t happened yesterday and you were saying it for the first time in fear of rejection.

“Hey, I love you, too.”

“It will be OK.”

“Bye.”

“Bye, love.”

You got ready for work and got into the office with a couple minutes to spare, shot Logan a text to reassure him that everything would be OK and put on some music to listen to while you got busy. You hadn’t heard back from him and were hoping that meant that he was having a late meeting with the businessman to clear up whatever issue had arisen with his work.

You heard the door to the office open and did your lean-check to see if the receptionist was in place, saw her chair occupied and went about your business, wistfully remembering the last time you had done that and been surprised with Logan’s embrace. You knew that was impossible this time and therefore went back to your work, unconcerned with the visitor.

“Y/N, could you come to the conference room?” you heard a few minutes later.

“Sure, be right there,” you said.

You grabbed a legal pad and pen, hopped up and went to see what your boss needed.

When you reached the conference room and stepped in, you saw the visitor for the first time. You smiled in greeting and said, “Hello.”

The visitor was a beautiful older woman. She looked to be in her forties, but her eyes gave her at least ten to fifteen more years. There was a calculating wisdom to them that a younger person just couldn’t have achieved.

She looked you over, sniffed with disdain, then said to your boss, “You may go.”

Your boss looked completely intimidated and left the room as quickly as possible.

“Sit.”

Not knowing what was happening here, you sat in the chair farthest from her.

“Now, Y/N, I don’t bite.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Ma’am? You are a polite little peasant, aren’t you?”

“Excuse me?” you said with your eyebrows raised.

“So you do have a backbone. How delightful,” she said with a vicious smile. She then slid a manilla envelope over to you and said, “Here. Have a look.”

You picked up the envelope, opened it and pulled out a sheaf of papers. As you looked through them, you found numerous grant requests that you had submitted to various foundations all over the city, and each one was stamped ‘Rejected.’

You looked up in alarm. “What is this?” you asked, confused. “Who are you?”

“Don’t you see the family resemblance, dear?” she asked with false kindness.

Then you saw it: the shape of her face, the willowy height, the high cheekbones. “Mrs. Delos.”

She merely nodded regally.

“Shall I take it you object to Logan’s relationship with me?”

“Relationship?” she laughed. “Oh, darling, Logan doesn’t have relationships. Logan has whores, and you’re merely the latest.”

You straightened your spine and said, “That may have been true in the past, but Logan cares for me.”

“They all say that. Did he use the, ‘I’ve never felt this way before’ speech this time? That’s a favorite of his,” she said as she saw that her words hit the mark. Of course, she was just guessing that he had said it because she suspected it was true. She had several other lies in place in case she missed with her first effort. This girl was different, and really seemed to love Logan. Angela would need to bring her A game.

“Now, I know how my son can be. You aren’t the first little mess I’ve had to clean up for him. Do you think you’re pregnant?”

You shook your head no, completely in a daze.

“So here’s what’s going to happen. You’re going on a vacation. You will have no further contact with my son, because I don’t want to have to pay for any more abortions.”

A tear slipped down your cheek. “No. Logan loves me.”

“Love?” she sneered. “Logan doesn’t know the meaning of the word.”

“Maybe because you never showed him.”

She smiled coldly. “Be that as it may. You will go on a vacation. You will have no further contact with my son.”

“I will until I hear this from him.”

“Then unfortunately your stubbornness will take down this company, your parents, your friends, your siblings. Delos is powerful. Do you really think one little nothing like you can take me on?”

“You’re that scared of me?”

She laughed in your face. “Make no mistake, I don’t fear you. I hold you in contempt and want you gone. You’re fishing in deep waters, dear. Best be sure you don’t get in over your head.

“Logan will never love you, and he will certainly never marry you. So, if this is your plan to land a big fish, I’m afraid it isn’t going to work.”

She stood and straightened imaginary wrinkles from her bespoke suit. If nothing else, Logan got his fashion sense from her. “Be gone by this time tomorrow. I don’t care where you go, but go for a month. Your employer has agreed that your 'work’ can be done remotely. I will let him know when it is acceptable for you to return.”

With that, she turned and left.

You sat in stunned silence, tears streaming down your face, sobs wracking your body. You didn’t know if she was lying and it didn’t matter. She had threatened everyone you cared about if you didn’t do as she said.

Logan returned your text, letting you know that after all this wasted time it was a simple misunderstanding that could have been cleared up in a phone call with anyone but Aoki. He was coming home as soon as he arranged flights and he would be wherever you were when he landed. Could you take a few days off work?

You sobbed as you read the messages, emptying your desk into a printer paper box. You needed to figure out where you were going to go for a month.

Janine and Rachel tried to find out what had happened but you merely went about your tear-filled business. Your boss stayed in his office with the door closed.

You finished filling the box with your career, not knowing when or if you would ever return. If Logan’s mother was to be believed, you would be able to return to your old life once Logan had moved on to his next whore.

Did he love you? You really searched your soul. You wanted to believe he could, but really, why would he? He was handsome, wealthy, powerful – truly a big fish. And you were…well, a peasant. His mother’s story made more sense than yours.

You went home to pack. You didn’t know where you were going but you supposed you would need clean underwear when you got there.

Part 11

@drinix @giggleberts

[rowanismybae]

Unexpected Visitor - chapter 10

Here it is after 10k years. Enjoy!

--

Mia slept the whole Sunday. She only got up to eat and to use the bathroom. On Monday morning she was called to the Healer’s chambers, so instead of working with Emrys, she’d be working with Yrene. Getting there she saw Elide on the bed looking tired and caressing her bump. Mia froze; hopefully, they were both healthy and safe.

“Good morning! What can I do for you today, ladies?” she asked cheerfully, trying to put the weird feelings away.

“Well, we kinda hope you can help us here. You said you had plenty experience with pregnant females and Elide hasn’t been feeling well. I tried to work on her with my magic, but there are some problems with her breathing. And I can’t see if the baby is okay. Since the baby is a separate life from hers; if I can’t touch it, I can’t know for sure if he is fine. So I’d hope you had a better chance at it” Yrene said and Elide had a coughing fit.

“Okay Lady Elide, I’ll try my best.” she walked towards the woman and squeezed her hand. “I’ll be right back.” she left to get her stethoscope on her things. Yes, she brought hers. Habits die hard.

She placed it on the Lady’s chest and asked her to breathe. She noticed a deep sound at the end of expiration that indicated that mucus was stuck in her lungs and she’d need an expectorant tonic to help her put all of it out. Also noticed a high pitched sound on her inspiration that indicated that her airways might be constricted and she’d need something to expand it and improve her breathing. Her heartbeat was steady and normal.

“Did you felt anything unusual with the baby?” Mia asked, carefully touching her belly, feeling the uterine fundus and measuring it with some kind of measuring tape.

“No… The baby doesn’t move that much, it’s still too small… but I’m scared. What if the trip was a lot and Lorcan was right? I don’t want to lose my baby over some stupid decision of mine.” she had tears in her eyes and her hands were back on her belly.

“Look, you are sick. You’ll need to stay here for at least a week before you go back and I’d get a healer to travel with you, just to make sure you two are okay. I -” she looked around and decided she should use the device she brought and kept hidden so far. She looked back at Elide. “I brought something from my world that allows us to listen to the baby’s heartbeat. I really don’t know why I did, since I had no intention of getting pregnant, but I did. I bought it when I was still a student and when I was packing, I looked at it and thought ‘why not?’ and packed it too. I thought I’d be a dead weight but now it might actually help. If you allow me, I’ll get it and we can make sure that your baby is perfectly fine.”

Elide had widened eyes and her lips formed a thin line while she thought about it. “Will it hurt?”

“No, not at all.”

“Okay then,” she said and Mia left running.

When she came back, she had the sonar in her hands and a bottle of gel. She instructed Elide about how it worked and that the gel might be cold. She tried to find where the baby might be and placed the gel. She turned on the device and it made a sound. Elide held Yrene’s hand, the latter had her eyes glued to the device with curiosity. The sonar was placed on top of the gel and it made more static noises. Mia kept moving it for a while at the spot, moved it a bit further up and then a bit downer. Nothing. She did not dare to look at Elide and she moved it next to the belly button. She trained her features into a ‘nothing is wrong, this is ordinary thing’ face. When she moved it, she heard a loud, fast and steady sound and she released a breath and smiled. When she looked at Elide she had wide eyes and tears pooling in them.

Mia looked at her watch and started to count. She heard Elide ask to fetch Lorcan and the other healer went running for the male. After a minute, she looked up. 146 bpm.

“The heartbeat is fast and steady. It’s common to beat faster than yours, don’t worry. The baby sounds fine to me. Not much can be done, but his heartbeat is a very important sign. We’ll treat you and as soon as you get better, you can leave.” she smiled and Elide thanked her. That moment, Lorcan went in like a storm.

“Elide, what’s wrong?” he had worried eyes all over her and held her face between his hands.

“Listen.” she looked at Mia and nodded.

Mia placed again the device on her belly and the sound of the baby’s heartbeat filled the room. Lorcan’s eyes seemed to almost jump out of his face and he gripped Elide’s hands.

“Is that…. That’s our baby?” he whispered. Tears were coming out freely and she nodded, her own eyes shining with tears of joy. He started to laugh and hugged her, hiding his face in the crook of her neck. She patted his back and murmured soothing sounds to him.

Aelin came in the room with wide eyes and watched them holding each other, the baby’s heartbeat was there lulling both to peace. The Queen came near Mia and asked: “Is that -?”

“The baby, yes,” Mia said and explained the device and Elide’s health problems and how the baby was perfectly fine. The Queen stood there for another moment before looking back at Mia. “You are a blessing, Mia. A blessing to us all. You brought joy, life and new things and experiences. I’ll be forever thankful for your presence here.” She bowed her head slightly and Mia bit her lip to stop the tears and hugged the Queen.

Aelin left shortly after and Mia went to find Yrene in the back with the other healers. They were working on Elide’s tonics; Yrene came forward and gave Mia a thankful smile.

“I’ll leave this with you when I go back to… you know,” she gestured vaguely. Somehow, ‘home’ was not a precise word anymore. Orynth was also her home now. Yrene started to protest and all, but Mia cut her off. “Look, I’ll teach you how to use it and the regular health standards for babies and all that. I’ll teach you everything I know. I have a spare set of batteries and I’ll send you more as soon as I can. But I want you to have it. I can always buy another one there. Here, it’ll help you save lives.”

Yrene pondered and nodded. “Thank you, Mia. It means a lot.”

“No problem. And I’ll teach you with Elide since no one else here is pregnant.”

Yrene nodded and excused herself to give Elide her tonics. Some words were exchanged and soon Yrene was back with a undecipherable face.

“Lorcan wants to talk to you,” she said and Mia went over to the male.

He was sitting on a chair next to her. One hand on hers and the other on her belly. Elide was asleep and the meds were left at the bedside table.

“What can I do for you, Lorcan?” Mia asked.

“Tell me what’s wrong with her,” he demanded.

She didn’t say it, but he could have asked Yrene that. She answered anyway. “She has mucus on her lungs and her airway is tight. Imagine a tube that normally functions with a normal width. Now imagine this tube contracts its walls. The width is smaller and the flow diminishes. Now imagine mucus around, blocking some of this tubes… that’s kind of what’s happening. That is what the tonics are for: enlarge the airway back and make the mucus come out. We don’t know what caused it, but pregnant women tend to have their immune system -the part of the body that works to prevent sickness - lowered so it won’t attack the baby. So she’ll need to stay for another week and take the tonics every 8 hours and if she is better by then, you can go home. I told her that it'd be smart to take a healer with you until you reach your house, just to make sure everything goes right. And the baby, from what I could tell, is perfectly fine. No need to worry. Soon she’ll be healthy again and you may return home. Now, I know she just slept, but we need to wake her up so she can take the tonics. Then she may rest.” She smiled and was about to move towards the table when he grabbed her hand. She looked at him and saw gratitude and hope in his eyes.

“Thank you.” he said and let go of her hand. “I’ll wake her and give her the tonics. Can I stay here with her?” Mia nodded and left both of them.

She spent the day taking care of Elide and teaching Yrene how to work with the sonar and how to put and remove the batteries. At the end of the day, she was tired from standing up the whole day; she collapsed on the bed and just stayed there for God knows how long.

She heard a knock on the door and just told the person to come in. Fenrys’ head popped from the door while he said “So, I heard you are one of the big shots among the healers now.” he sat on the edge of the bed and she chuckled.

“No, it was just good luck and technology.” she patted the empty side of the bed next to her and he took off his shoes and laid next to her; actually he was more in a sitting position, but still. She felt his arms pull her towards him and she let him. She placed a hand on top of his chest and just stood there, listening to the sound of his heartbeat. He was playing with strands of her hair and she lost all intention to take a bath and eat before sleep.

“Thank you,” she whispered. Her tongue was heavy, her eyes closed a long time ago. As she felt her conscience leave, she felt Fenrys’ lips brush against her forehead and he said something she didn’t understand. -- She woke up the next day feeling rested and at peace. And alone. She also was very, very hungry. She went to the Healing chambers after breakfast and found Elide and Lorcan eating. Two days later, she was able to be moved to the bedroom since she was improving. Yrene was still learning how to manage the device and what to look out for during pregnancy: alert signs, what to look for and all that. Of course, she knew basic stuff, but since the development of medicine and a further knowledge about the human body, Mia learned some tells and signs that were new to them and only Crochan witches possessed (since they were able to connect with the baby).

A week later, Elide was completely healed but would still take the tonics until she reached home. Lorcan made sure to ask Mia to accompany them to Perranth along with Fenrys. She said she’d be glad to and went to pack her things. The next day they were off to Perranth, Elide at the carriage with Mia. They barely stopped, making the journey shorter by almost a day.

She helped Elide up her chambers and checked on her before the Lady could go bathe, eat and rest.

“She is as well as she was before the trip. Now, you must rest for a couple of days and then you can go back doing what you always did. Except riding a horse or making big trips like the one we just did. And no heavy weight lifting.” Mia looked at both of them then with a smug grin. “Sex, on the other hand, is actually good for you both and the baby won’t be disturbed at all.”

Elide blushed but sent a piercing look at her husband. “See? No harm for the baby!”

He looked like he was also blushing, and looked at his feet. “Are you sure? He won’t feel it?” he whispered. Mia almost laughed. The big guy wasn’t having sex afraid to hurt his baby. Adorable.

“No need to worry Lorcan. Just… uh- don’t make it rough though. Be gentle, but please, have sex. You two need to keep your marriage too. Only if she bleeds you must stop. But otherwise, you should keep doing it.” Elide smiled and bit her lip. “In two days. You need to rest first.” She sighed but agreed. Mia left the room and went to talk to their healer. She discussed what happened and told her to ask for help if needed. After that, she went to her own room and slept right away, tired from the journey.

Mia woke up the next morning from a very pleasant dream. One she rarely had: a sex dream. She took extra care of herself in the shower and after saying goodbye, she mounted her horse with Fenrys and left.

They were leaving this early because some kind of storm was threatening to fall, and they needed to get going before it could hit them. Fenrys only forgot she was human and needed to rest. They stopped few times to use the woods for peeing, but she still needed to sleep, so they stopped in the woods and set camp.

She woke up with the same sex dream, which was weird. She never had them twice in a row… and no way she’d take care of that with Fenrys sleeping next to her. So frustrated, she woke up and went to a nearby stream and washed her face with cold water. When she came back, he was up and eating. After packing and eating, they kept going. It was almost sundown when the storm hit them.

Soaked to the soul, she was shivering so bad her teeth were clacking. Fenrys lead them to some sort of secret cabin they were near. The small house was …. Small. They dismounted the horses and placed them in the bay with some hay and water. They entered the house and Fenrys started to first make a fire in the fireplace. She stood next to it and he started to walk around gathering some things. He came back with two big furs and a blanket. He placed one of the furs on the floor in front of the hearth and the other two things still folded on top of it. He went for the cabinets in the “kitchen” and started to look around.

Mia was going to die from hypothermia, so she did what she had to do: started to undress. The sound of her stripping made Fenrys look at her with wide eyes and a ‘what the fuck are you doing’ expression. She rolled her eyes.

“My clothes are wet,” she said removing her shoes. She was still wearing her shirt and trousers; she had only removed her coat before removing her shoes. What? She was ashamed! And maybe he did have some spare clothes…

“You don’t have other ones?” he asked hopefully; with that, she knew her hopes for spare clothes were gone.

“They’re wet inside my bag. I checked while you were feeding the horses.” she stood and removed her shirt. She heard him curse and turn around. She removed her trousers. She was only in her undergarments. “You know it’s the smartest choice Fen. I don’t wanna die from cold.”

He hummed in agreement and soon enough she was naked and wrapped in the blanket. She tried to remove the water from her clothes and placed them open around the place so they could dry. She laid on the fur and placed the other fur on top of the blanket. She was finishing with that when she heard him start undressing. She trained her eyes on the fire and soon she felt the blanket shift and felt him behind her. They weren’t touching, but there wasn’t much space to be completely apart.

For a very long time, they just stood there listening to the storm and the fire. His body warmed up first and she felt his body heat radiating towards her. She moved closer to him.

“If you want me to warm you, just let me know. There are plenty of ways to do that and I’d be happy to help you in every single one of them” she could feel the smirk on his lips and scoffed.

“Don’t even think about it, Fen.” she felt the covers move like he was shrugging.

“I need to pee, but I’ll be right back,” he warned and stood up. “And feel free to watch if you want to. I’m not shy…”

She rolled her eyes and stood there, not moving an inch. When he returned, she immediately felt his warmth and relaxed.

“You have tattoos on your back!” He said surprised touching the patterns on her left shoulder. She shivered. “What do they mean?”

“Well, the one you’re touching is one I made for my mom. See the two elephants the big one and the small? That’s us. I always liked elephants. And the phrase ‘To whatever end’ atop of it means that I’ll always love and think of her. On my other shoulder, it’s three cats, a memory of my furry babies. The other ones on my spine are book references. My favorite books carved on my skin.”

“Tell me about them,” he asked.

“The one you’re touching is the trident of Poseidon, as a mention to the Percy Jackson series. The one under it is the Grishaverse symbol for series of books from the same author that I like very much. The one under it is the rune of Frey for the Magnus Chase books. I have another… wanna see?” she asked and looked over her shoulder to see him nod.

She removed the blanket from her side and with her free hand, she covered her breasts from sight. The other arm moved so he could see the one on her ribs. “This one is a very special one. Is for the Throne of Glass series and the ACOTAR one at the same time.” She remembered the draw: a circle with a stag crowned with fire and atop of it, a mountain with three starts on top." She felts his thumb caress the skin and goosebumps started to form under his touch.

“Any other ones?” he asked; his voice was hoarse and low. She pulled the blanket up again.

“Yes. On the other side I have a moon and the name ‘Luna’ right in front of it for my sister,” she paused before saying “I have one under my right boob that says ‘The ice does not forgive.’”

“Can I see it?” he asked playfully.

She turned to look at him over his shoulder and paused. He looked… wow. He looked like a god. His dark skin was shining in the light from the fire and his eyes were like dark black pits, warm, mesmerizing, enchanted. His curly blond hair was loose, strands hanging around his strong neck, over the arm that was supporting his head; his lips were drawn in a sinful smile and for a second, she wanted to devour him. She forced her eyes not to look down from his face. He saw the look in her eyes and bit his lower lip. Damn him. “Please?” he tried again.

“You wish.” she turned back to the fire. Her gut was twisting and she closed her eyes to try to keep herself together. She felt him come closer, but not touching her.

“Why are you being so mean to me, Mia? Let me see it…” he whispered in her ear and she felt a chill down her spine. Two could play this game.

“Maybe if you behave, I’ll let you see it tomorrow,” she said, trying to use her most seductive voice. It sounded strangled and weird. She was useless in flirting.

He laughed, sensing her failed attempt of seducing him, and whispered again, this time next to the skin of her neck. “I’ll play nice then. Good night Mia. And if you change your mind, I’m right here behind you”. She shivered again and pulled the blanket up.

“Good night Fenrys,” she said and closed her eyes. Soon she heard his breathing get deeper and a soft snore, almost a cat purr, come from him. She smiled and let the sounds around her lull her to sleep.

[imaginesoverreality]

The Agreement: Part 2

An unexpected visitor comes to offer Diana the opportunity of a lifetime, a chance to save the man she loves from Hades. Diana wants nothing more than to give Steve the life he was so deserving of. The Queen of the Amazons decides if the opportunity is too good to be true.

Feedback is greatly appreciated and encouraged!

Word Count: 1645

Rating: M (Eventually, I promise.)

Link to Part 1: Here

The light of the morning sky slipped through the soft beige curtains in the small room. But it wasn’t the sun’s warmth that washed over her body, but the soft skin underneath her. His fingertips followed the path etched by her bone structure, across her collarbone, and down her arms, so lightly that it tickled. She had been awake long before he was, but she wasn't ready to share him with the world quite yet.

“I had a dream last night.” He laughed a little to himself, shaking his head. “I haven’t had a dream that didn’t turn into a nightmare since…” He trailed off, looking down to be sure she was still asleep before continuing. “I honestly couldn’t even tell you. But last night, I dreamt of us. It was what imagined happy people do on a Sunday. I was reading the newspaper, out on the porch, when I heard giggling. It almost sounded like birds singing.” Diana continued her performance, even shifting a little to not cause too much suspicion. “You came out, dressed in all white. God, Diana, you looked like an angel. The way the light shined all around you. There was a bundle in your arms that you were so amazed by. It wasn’t until you were standing in front of me that I noticed it move. Somehow, it turned around to look at me. This beautiful baby girl, wearing the same white dress as her mother, reaching out for me.” She smiled to herself, her mother had told her many times of the joys of having a child, she could be so honored to be the one who gave that same joy to Steve.

No longer able to keep up the ruse, Diana opened her eyes and looked up at the man who never ceased to amaze her with his courage and determination.

“Mornin’ angel” Steve whispered. The Amazonian smiled up at him and shifted so they were face to face. She traced the bridge of his nose and the outline of his upper lip before replacing the digit for her own lips. Despite all the literature she’s read about sparks and butterflies when sharing a kiss with a lover, that’ not what she felt when kissing Steve. The feeling she felt now, as he moved to place her above him, was more like burning feeling that starts at deep inside her, and burns throughout her body. It spreads all the way to the ends of her hair and the tips of her toes. Pressed as closely as they could, the pair almost seemed to melt into a single being. So enraptured in one another, they could have spent the rest of their days in this very place, in the same state of undress as they were the night before. She could feel his enthusiasm growing as his hands moved haphazardly from her neck, down her legs, and back up the curvature of her spine. With a groan of frustration, Steve pulled away from Diana’s intoxicating kiss.

“We can’t, Diana” he said breathlessly, more to himself than to her. His eyes pleading with her offer some semblance of mercy. “We have to go get the boys if we want to catch up with General Ludendorff and Dr. Maru at the ball.” Reluctantly, Diana agreed. She stood at the end of the bed, looking for her belongings, when a soft call of her name caught her attention. Turning to look at the source, Steve lifted onto his knees on the bed, placing her smooth cheeks between his calloused and undeserving hands. He gave her a kiss he hoped illustrated the depth of his adoration for her. He doesn’t know that his will be the last kiss they share, but if it is, he wants it to be a memorable one. 

                                                           ***

“Diana of Themyscira, Daughter of Hippolyta, Queen of the Amazons, are you willing voyage across the Five Rivers to Underworld and retrieve Steve Trevor from the grasps of Hades?”

Diana raised her eyebrows, snatching the picture back into the safety of her arms.

“I mean no disrespect, but this arrangement seems surreal. Either you’re not telling me the whole truth, or you’re playing a cruel game.” Diana accused. Zeus, taken aback slightly at the outspoken doubt of his powers, smiled back at the Amazonian before him. “Hippolyta taught you well. Yes, Diana, there is a catch. I am still recuperating my powers with my battle with Ares. And as much as I would like to help you on your quest, I will not be able to go past the gates. My body is not fit to fight another war.”

He slowly maneuvered his way out of her bedroom, with his hands folded behind his back. And like a daughter following the footsteps of her father, Diana fell into step with Zeus, until they were both at the front door. “What you’ve done, Diana, is more than I could have done selflessly at your age. Please, allow me to be selfless now, by giving you this opportunity.” After several moments of hesitation, Diana determined that she had nothing to lose by going. Quickly, she stormed into the living room, pausing momentarily to look at the photo in her hand one last time. Looking into the grainy monochromatic depiction of his eyes, she realized just how much she missed that shade of blue that was uniquely Steve. All she ever wanted for him was to have the life he deserved. She put on her armor and gathered her weapons, before returning to the doorway. Looking around her apartment one last time, and letting out a shaky breath, she silently prayed that she will return soon.  

Zeus opened the door and offered his hand to her. Once they were linked, all Diana saw was a flash of light. 

                                                          ***

Diana.

Diana!

She felt someone shaking her aggressively. It took a large amount of effort, but she was able to bat open her eyelashes. There was a storm whipping around her, waves were beating against the rock that she was lying on, and rain pouring down her face. The princess pushed her hair away and took Zeus’ awaiting hand. Once she was on her feet, she looked around. But all she could see was chaos.

“Where are we?” Diana yelled over the booms of thunder. Zeus pointed to the opening behind her. “This is the entrance of Hades’ dominion. And also where I leave you. The path is straight. However, I do not know what he will ask for you in exchange for your love. But I hope it gives your heart peace.” Before Diana could even thank him, a crack a lightning struck the very spot he was in, leaving her utterly alone.

The Queen of the Amazons turned to face the mouth of the cave. It's monstrous and grotesque appearance would be laden any man’s heart with fear. But Diana was no man. She marched in, shield up and sword ready for anything that dared to get in her way. If anything stood between her and the love of her life, she would kill them all without hesitation.

Despite the violent stormed that raged outside of the cave, its contents were rather peaceful. It took only a few minutes for her to be met with the crystal blue pools that lead to the River Styx. At the port's mouth sat Charon, the Ferryman, who stood at attention when Diana approached him.

“You are among the living, are you not?” The ferryman asked. It had been centuries since his eyes fell upon a soul that had not perished.

 “I am Diana of Themyscira, Daughter of Hippolyta, and Queen of the Amazons. Zeus brought me here so I could meet with Hades.” Diana tried to stay unfazed as the groans of the dead echoed off the hollow walls. Her fears only heightened when she looked at the hideous face of the ferryman who would take her across the river. He looked more like the gargoyles that adorned the Parisian churches, than a man. But Diana refused to show any reaction.

 “As you wish.”  

 The two sailed across the relatively peaceful waters. With each passing second, she was a little bit closer to Steve. She tried to think of him as he left her, filled with pride and heroism. Maybe when he sees what lengths she took to reach him, he will give her that big goofy smile he would wear every time Sameer would sing, purposely out of key, to mess with Charlie. Or maybe he would sweep her into his arms and kiss her with the same love and enthusiasm as he did when they spent their last morning together.  

 As they moved deeper into the cave, Diana could almost feel the life drain out of her. The cold musty smell made it unbearable for her to breathe. She tried covering her face with her arms but didn’t make any difference. The groans of the dead were starting to send shivers up Diana’s spine. The painfully agonizing shrieks seemed to be getting louder and she prayed Steve’s voice wasn’t among them.

 “We’re here.”

 Diana looked up to see stone steps leading somewhere behind a thick layer of fog. Slowly climbing up the damp steps, weapons raised, she was meet by a loud growl. A single droplet fell from above her head. And a beast, that loosely resembled a dog with three heads, charged at her with teeth bared. Diana took up her shield in order to separate herself from its bite. She began mentally planning a series of attacks before a voice boomed, ceasing the dog’s violence.

 “Cerebus! Back! That is no way to greet family.”  The animal continued to growl threateningly but slowly began retreating until it was side by side with its owner.

 “Well, if it isn’t my sweet niece, Diana.”

[seriouslyhooked]

Far Away (The CS Mixtape) Part 163/?

Series of CS oneshots inspired by music. Collection on FF Here.

A/N: Modern AU prompted by a reader for a chapter based off of the music video for ‘Far Away’ by Nickelback. For those of you who haven’t seen it, it follows a couple where the guy is a firefighter and the girl is scared as he gets called on a run but I’m changing it slightly so it isn’t too close to my multi-chapter fic ‘False Alarms’. In this story Killian is a coast guard member and he gets called into the fray of a really big storm out on the ocean. It’ll still have the same level of angst as the video, but not to worry, I always end with fluff and this will be no different!

Waking from a state of rest without a single sense of trepidation or worry on her mind was a relatively new occurrence in Emma Swan’s life.

For a long time Emma had braved each new day head on, but she always went in hesitating and wary of all the ways that things could go wrong. Life for her was really about one thing, survival, and Emma knew that the moment she took her eye off the prize was the moment she’d break the fragile state of safety and security she’d built for herself over the past few years.

That may have been a highly cynical way to approach the world, but as a person who’d spent her whole childhood in the foster system and who knew the real darkness that the world had to offer it was the only way to go. For Emma’s peace of mind she needed control, and the surest way of losing it was by giving into distractions or wishing for things to be better than they already were. Instead she was practical, and if being a realist meant she was guarded from the good things life had to offer so be it. It was better to not get hurt than open herself up to heartbreak. At least that’s what she had thought for a long long time, but in the past few months she’d come to learn that maybe there could be more than she always imagined.

It had taken something huge to inspire Emma to such levels of hope, and the trigger for her new outlook on the world and what it had to offer was all thanks to one man, a man who had broken past her barriers and made himself so necessary to her happiness that Emma had no choice but to let him in. His name was Killian Jones, and he was unexpected in every way but also exactly what Emma had needed most of all.

It was Killian that brought Emma this sense of peace this afternoon after a lazy Sunday spent in bed tangled up together. His warm embrace and his arms enveloping her were anchors to a peace she’d never known before meeting him that she’d come to truly love. They’d spent the whole day together after a night wrapped up in each other too, and though all of this was happening despite Emma’s past of avoiding long-term intimacy, this wasn’t all together uncommon for them. She and Killian were constantly treading new ground together, and they had been doing that from the moment they first met.

Emma actually felt a blush creep over her cheeks as she pictured the happenings of the last twenty-four hours and she felt a rush of warmth coursing through her at the memories of all they had done. The chemistry between them was off the charts, but this was so much more than just sex to her. It was a start for Emma of the first real relationship she’d ever opened herself up to and the payoff, at least so far, was so much richer and more fulfilling than she’d ever dared to hope.

I could only ever do this with him, Emma thought to herself as she turned around with the utmost care so she could look at Killian, and when her eyes cast upon him she felt her heart filling with even more positive feelings.

Killian was always handsome with his dark hair, piercing cerulean eyes, and chiseled jaw. Truth be told he was way too attractive for her to handle most of the time, and Emma was always feeling like she was under a sort of spell when he flashed that cocky grin of his her way or wooed her with that sexy as sin accent he had. But right now, with the peace of sleep upon him, Killian was almost too much to handle. He was gorgeous, plain and simple, and Emma couldn’t help when her hand came over his chest and her fingertips ran over the space where his heart lay. She wanted to claim a piece of that heart, and though they had yet to say the words, Emma knew deep down in her soul that she had it just as she had him.

“Tell me I’m not dreaming, Swan,” Killian said sleepily and Emma smiled, knowing that despite her private musings she hadn’t been as stealthy as she once thought. It was foolish of her to think she could be. After all, Killian was always proving over and over again that he was tuned into all things Emma. He probably sensed the moment she woke up and just played along to humor her. “Tell me I really do have the most remarkable woman alive in my arms right now.”

“You’re not dreaming,” Emma said with her voice clogged with emotion.

She still couldn’t understand how a man could be so sweet underneath his charm and swagger, but then Killian opened his eyes and looked at her like she was everything he’d ever wanted and Emma was even more overwhelmed. The thing about Killian was that he didn’t play games and he didn’t try and hide from what he felt. Everything was etched right there on his face plain as day, and Emma was so attracted to that kind of courage that she found herself changing for the better in the face of it.

“Forgive me, love, but I find myself wanting just a bit of proof,” Killian said with that silky bedroom tone as he moved above her, shifting their once warm and mild space of sweetness to charged and sultry in an instant.

In seconds Emma was with him in that state of need, wanting to expand on everything they’d been chasing together this weekend and kissing him with the same renewed sense of passion that flared every time they got to this point. But before much could happen beyond basic perusals and the first hints of something more, an alarm sounded from Killian’s bedside table that pulled them both from the moment.

That sound was one that Emma knew pretty well at this point, but every time it came it sent her stomach dropping. It was Killian’s pager to report to base, but since Killian was currently off the clock this didn’t bode well. He was a Lieutenant commander in the coast guard, and from what Killian had told her, he was part of a unit that specialized in recovery and had seen a lot of rather scary moments. So for him to be called in like this, it had to mean something big had happened.

“Bloody hell,” Killian cursed and he looked genuinely distraught at their interruption and like he might say ‘screw it’ and ignore the call. But that wasn’t Killian. Part of what made Emma love him so much was his sense of honor, and she knew he had to go, even if she hated the thought more than anything.

“Go on,” she whispered, pressing one last kiss to his lips. “I’ll be here when you get back.”

“You promise, love?” Killian asked before letting her up and she smiled, running her fingertips along his jaw. She hadn’t meant to make that claim, especially when she had no idea how long he would be gone, but it felt right and it actually calmed something in Emma to think that as soon as he was safe again she’d be here waiting for him.

“I promise.”

That seemed to be enough to prompt Killian into motion, and he jumped out of bed, reaching for his clothes and covering himself up from her view. It was a shame really, because Emma loved to look at him, but then Killian called her out for her lustful gazes and made her laugh. He was always doing that, always brightening her world, but when he looked at his phone to see what the code he was being called in for meant, his face fell.

“What is it?” Emma asked and Killian shook his head before looking back at her.

“It’s the storm, love. It’s turning far worse than they originally predicted and not all the ships set to harbor are back yet. Could be a long night.”

Emma came up to her knees on the bed and ran her hand over his chest again, trying to ground herself in a moment that terrified her. She really didn’t like the fact that Killian’s job was heading straight for danger in moments like this, but she had to trust in him and have faith that it would all be okay. After all, Killian made her a believer, and she was going to live up to that right now if it killed her.

“You made me promise to stay, but I need a promise in return. I need you to promise you’ll come back to me,” she pleaded, her tone not hiding her worry at all, but openly seeking reassurance from the man who meant so much to her.

“I give you my word, Emma, that I will always come back for you. Always.”

“Good,” Emma whispered before kissing him once more and watching him walk out the door, taking her heart along with him.

She heard him a few moments later shut the front door to the house behind him and his pick up truck rumbled in the driveway before heading down the road. And when it was gone and she was left in the quiet, Emma really began to feel the weight of the situation bearing down on her. She was in the dark right now. She had absolutely no control over what would come to pass tonight, but she had to pull through this. It was the only way to keep a hold of any of the happiness she’d only just been feeling, and though it was different from her usual M.O., Emma was determined to have hope even if things seemed bleak right now.

That being said she couldn’t stay in this bed all night doing nothing. The only way to rise above this was to keep busy, and Emma did just that as she quickly showered and got dressed, intending to do some mindless work like attempting to clean or cook something while Killian was gone. Luckily for Emma though, distraction of another kind soon came with a knock on the door. Emma was surprised at the visitor, but also curious as to who would be coming to the house at this time of night, and she was so relieved to see the face of her best friend Ruby when she opened the door.

“Hey,” Emma greeted easily, with a new sense of calm settling over her now that she was no longer alone.

“Hey back,” Ruby said with a smile that though bright was dulled a little bit, probably due to underlying stress.

“What are you doing here?” Emma asked, hoping her friend wouldn’t take offense. Honestly Emma was glad to have her, but she was wondering how Ruby had known to come here and not to Emma’s place.

“Same as you. Waiting for my man to stop scaring me half to death with the crazy, but admittedly admirable, heroics,” Ruby said casually and then she nodded towards Emma’s car that was in the driveway. “The bug is visible from Graham’s place so I guessed that Killian pulled the same move on you that Graham pulled on me. He asked you to stay, right?”

“He did,” Emma admitted as she let Ruby in and she took one of the bags her friend was holding from her grasp. It was filled with three bottles of wine, and when Ruby placed the other bag on the counter and began emptying it, she saw that that one was full of comfort food from the local diner. “But if Graham asked you to stay then you broke his promise.”

“Technically he made me promise to be at his place when he got back, and I figure that shouldn’t be a problem. Call it a perk of his living right next door to Killian. He never even has to know I left, and I get to not go absolutely mental all by my lonesome.”

Emma felt that all too keenly, and in truth she was so glad that Ruby was here. She took her friend’s hand in hers and squeezed tightly, trying to say with the simple gesture all she was feeling without getting too far into it. This was a scary situation after all, and even since Ruby had walked inside, the winds had begun to blow harder and harder outside and rain had started falling from the dark, foreboding clouds above.

“So what do we do, then?” Emma asked, turning her gaze to all of the provisions Ruby had brought to share and questioning if she could even muster an appetite given her current anxious state.

“What we always do on our worst days – drown our sorrows with cheap wine and chocolate and pray there’s some B-list romcom marathon on TV to keep us occupied.”

Emma laughed at the proposition and it felt good to do since only minutes ago the concept of laughter felt impossible. She was still worried, of course, but it was easier to be brave when she wasn’t doing it by herself, and even if Emma’s thoughts would remain with Killian until he was back with her again, it couldn’t hurt to watch a sappy tale about a guy and a girl who fell in live despite the odds and in some silly way.

For a while this tactic worked as well as any plan could. As expected, Emma’s mind kept wandering from the movie before them to thoughts of Killian, but when the thoughts grew dark or dangerous Emma did her best to shake them away. It was easier said than done, but one helpful tool in the fight against pessimism was a gift from Killian himself, a pendant that he’d given her a few weeks back on their anniversary that was totally unique and totally them. It was a silver piece with a swan and an anchor linked together, and right now it was a perfect reminder that Killian cared for her and that he was a man of his word. He had promised her that he would come back and she had to believe he would.

“You really love him, don’t you?” Ruby asked at one point when Emma had long ago stopped watching the heroine of the movie’s breakdown about whether love could be true. She looked up to Ruby and nodded, not bothering to hide how she felt.

“Yeah, I do,” she whispered and Ruby grinned widely at that before coming over to the couch with Emma and hugging her tight.

“Have I told you lately how proud I am of you?” Ruby asked and Emma rolled her eyes, loving and hating the way Ruby was being right now. “I mean it Emma. I know we’re dating military men and their big and bad and totally kick ass, but you just might be the bravest person I know.”

“Then why don’t I feel that way right now?” Emma asked seriously and Ruby looked up at her before imparting a critical piece of wisdom.

“Because even if it’s fast, Killian is a part of you now. He has your heart and your hope with him tonight out in that storm, and until he comes back safe you won’t feel whole again.”

“Jeez, if I knew this was love…” Emma trailed off, not able to finish the joke she had in mind because she just didn’t feel anything like regret when it came to giving Killian her heart. No matter the cost, loving him was worth it and it always would be.

“You would have done it all over again anyway?” Ruby asked and Emma nodded, admitting to herself and her best friend that she would. Because even if things were hard right now, the relationship she and Killian had forged already was so worth fighting for no matter what.

Before Emma could articulate that though, interruption came from a news report cutting into the channel they’d been watching, and at the words on the bar underneath the news anchors, Emma’s heart dropped. There, in big white letters was the breaking news: COAST GUARD ELITE TEAM FACE EXTREME CONDITIONS WHILE SCOURING HARBOR FOR MISSING FAMILY.

“Oh shit,” Ruby said. Emma couldn’t respond but she was thinking the exact same thing and praying with everything in her that some how Killian would get through this and get back to her as soon as he could.

………….

When people thought to themselves of chaos, it was usually in the abstract. The average person never walked into the belly of pure havoc, but for Killian this was a part of the job. He’d trained for storms like this one for years, and he’d faced a few in his time here with the men and women in his unit. But this storm… well this was a bloody bastard of a hurricane with unpredictable swells, winds cutting through everything, and enough rain to keep visibility problematically low.

In any other moment Killian might have contemplated how different the sea he loved looked now than on a normal day. Gone was the serenity or peace he cherished about the ocean and in its wake there was only the hectic mess of Mother Nature blasting the coast with conditions no man or woman should ever think of braving. Unfortunately for Killian and his team though, there were people out here, people who needed their help and who from the looks of the conditions out here did not have much time left.

A family of six had checked in with the harbormaster when voyaging out for the day earlier. They were vacationers from what the charter said, and they were mostly unfamiliar with this area. So when they didn’t come back at any point this evening before the storm set in that sounded alarms, especially when command was told that the youngest aboard the boat was a lad of only five. Killian could only imagine what that family was going through, if they were still afloat given all the tumult around them.

“How much time do we have, Scarlet?” Killian asked one of his peers who was currently in command of steering this rescue chopper and who had navigated them through the search and rescue for the past hour. Will looked glum as he responded.

“With the weather this bad? I’d say ten minutes at most before we have to head in. We’re taking air assault on all sides from the down drafts and if we go much further out there’s no chance of us making it back to land.”

“Damn it,” Killian said, casting his gaze over to Tink, their team’s resident scopes expert and tracker. She was currently using every register in her power to search the seascape all around them for signs of life, but from the grimace on her face she wasn’t making much headway either.

“Probably not the best time to mention that coms are still down, right?” Graham joked and Killian cast a glare to a man he considered his brother. Leave it to Humbert to try and bring levity to a literal life or death situation. “Right, got it. Not mentioning.”

“I think it’s time for that uncanny instinct of yours, Cap,” Tink said then, shaking her head at the lack of feedback on her end. “We’re pretty much flying blind, and I trust your gut more than the probabilities right now.”

Well if that wasn’t pressure Killian didn’t know what could be, but he took it in stride, knowing that this was his job. They’d pinned more stripes to his dress blues for a reason and it was because in moments like this, things really did fall on his shoulders. He was the leader on this vessel, and though he reported to superiors back aboard the ship and on base, there was no one else to lead the charge right now, not when all radio contact with home was cut off and the storm was only getting worse.

“You got a riptide index, Tink?” Killian asked and Tink responded with the intervals she had. Though it wasn’t much to go on, Killian ran with it, rattling instructions for the team to move due east another two miles. It was a final push, and if he was wrong they wouldn’t have the ability to keep looking and have the fuel to head back, but the others immediately followed his orders and two minutes later hope returned once more when Tink yelled out.

“There! Right there!”

Sure enough there was the vessel in question, sporting some real problems as it crashed over huge waves. It was taking on water too from the look of things, but at least they had a scene now and as they approached Killian could see people moving aboard the ship. There were signs of life, and that in itself was a huge relief.

From there the work was second nature, and though it was rough on him and the others to get things just right, they’d trained hard for this. This was the moment when instinct took over, and for Graham and Killian who were the two actually repelling down for rescue support to bring the family aboard the chopper, there was no time for distraction. Everything right now had to be the work, but even in the midst of that Killian carried with him something else, or rather someone else. Whether he realized it consciously or not, there was a woman who was with him right now, the one woman he loved more than anything in the world who was his sole real reason for fighting this hard to get home right now: Emma.

Initial extraction went well, and in the first swoop Graham and Killian got three of the kids safely up to the chopper, but disaster struck when Graham was heading up with the smallest boy and the scared child wiggled out of Graham’s hold. He was motioning towards his mother, no doubt looking for her comfort and warmth in a time of sheer terror, but in a second he was pulled under the tides as he fell from the security of the line. It was the worst thing that could have happened, but Killian kept a level head, disengaging from his rigging and diving in after him.

The impact of the choppy water in the thick darkness of the storm was too harsh to handle, and the air rushed out of Killian as he did, but he hadn’t taken this huge risk just to fuck it all up. He was in this now, and he had to find the boy and get them both to safety. It was the only way forward, and when it seemed like Killian might not manage, he held close one memory, a memory from this afternoon as he’d been dozing with Emma when her golden hair had been splayed across his pillow and her lush lips had murmured the three most amazing words he’d ever heard in his life.

“I love you.” 

She’d whispered so low he almost doubted it had happened, but it was real. She’d fallen asleep directly after curled up against his chest, and there was a more than solid chance Emma hadn’t realized what she said, but Killian knew that she meant it. It wasn’t possible to explain, but deep down in his soul he had this certainty about his Swan, and he also knew that they had so much more left to their story than this.

Through some kind of miracle at that moment he came up for air then and managed to gather his bearings as best he could, and in an eerily calm moment in another wise unending storm, Killian caught sight of something, a figure in the water he knew was the boy. He swam as best he could until he grabbed him, and as he pulled the child up above the waves the lad coughed for air, signaling it wasn’t too late. It was a godsend to be sure, but Killian could never have gotten himself or the boy out of the water was it not for Graham who also broke protocol to get the parents and then Killian and the child to safety. Yet even if it had turned out okay in the end, Killian was still shaking from the adrenaline after his team and everyone else was safely on land once more thirty minutes later.

“What the hell were you thinking, Jones?” Tink said angrily once the family was out of earshot with a serious sense of anger.

Killian knew his friend’s rage was sparked from worry, but he didn’t have an answer. He hadn’t been thinking, and though things had turned out all right in the end, he knew it was stupid of him. He’d just been so close to losing everything and all because he’d been reckless in his attempt at being heroic. He regretted that instinct, though he could never regret saving the life of that boy. That being said, he would have to think long and hard about how far he was willing to go from now on now that he had someone and something so perfect to live for as Emma.

“He was thinking he’s a bad ass and that that kid wasn’t going to make it without a little death defying,” Will said excitedly and Killian knew then that his friend didn’t get it. Will had yet to meet that special person who could change him so profoundly that the whole world was different, and Killian didn’t want to say aloud that Will was wrong. Why shatter the illusion and trouble his friends with his own anxieties right now when he could just put on the brave face and get out of here sooner?

“Don’t worry, Tink,” Graham said then as he put a hand on Killian’s shoulder, exchanging a look with him before he turned his attention back to their sister in arms. “I think Killian’s days of great risk are coming to an end. The man has much more to lose now than he did before.”

“Emma,” Tink said with a look of understanding and there was no need for her to expand further when Killian nodded, admitting silently that his whole outlook had now been transformed.

There didn’t need to be some long discussion of all of this because his crew knew how Killian felt about Emma already. Hell they’d been with him the first time he’d ever seen her, and they all made fun of him mercilessly when he said after a five minute conversation that he was going to marry that woman some day. Now though they knew that Killian truly loved her, and Graham was right. That love was changing things and changing Killian in a way they’d all see the next time crisis came calling.

“Well what are you bloody waiting for then, mate?” Will asked seriously. “Get the hell out of here and go get your girl!”

Killian wanted that desperately but protocol stated that he should be here reporting everything that had happened before he even thought of leaving. The higher ups would be pissed if Killian left his post right now, but when Tink (the typically rules-minded friend) backed Will’s idea, Killian found himself truly wanting to follow their instruction.

“You go too Graham,” Tink urged seriously, no doubt thinking of how Graham had formed an attachment himself to Emma’s best friend. “We’ve got this handled. There’s nothing here that can’t wait another day, so you should both go on home.”

Killian let out a sigh of relief at those words, and he took the reassurances in stride as he raced out of the command center with Graham right behind him. They’d driven here together as they always did since they lived just next door to each other, but there was nothing like conversation between them as Killian hit the gas and drove as fast as was humanly possible given the continuing storm outside. Instead both men were consumed with the need to be reunited with the women they loved, and their thoughts were occupied in that direction instead of crafting small talk.

It felt like it took forever and a day to drive the five minutes from the heart of the base to where they lived on the compound, but finally Killian put the car in park in front of his house, seeing Emma’s little yellow bug and feeling so glad that she’d stayed. Then before he was even fully out of the truck Emma herself was standing on the front steps, waiting for him with a look of love and relief and such beauty on her face that he was powerless to fend off all the emotion that came. He ran to her – they ran to each other – and when she was finally in his arms again after being far away for far too long, it felt like coming home. This house was just a house, but Emma Swan was every good thing in this world combined. She was a miracle made just for him, and Killian had to make her see that, somehow, some way.

In seconds their lips found each other’s, and the adrenaline and the fear that had been pounding through Killian’s veins for too long was channeled into something pure and life affirming. With Emma in his grasp again and with her actions telling him that she was just as deeply in this as he was, he felt himself healing. By the time they’d pulled apart, both of them wet from the lingering rain falling outside at the tail end of the storm, he’d never felt better. This was exactly the kind of connection he’d always dreamed of but never thought possible, and he would do whatever it took to make sure they had such a love forever more.

“You came back to me,” Emma murmured as she held onto him tight, looking at him through dark lashes with her transfixing jade-colored eyes that said so much with just a simple look.

“Aye, love. I promised I would, and I’ve no intention of ever breaking any promise I make to you,” Killian responded, his hand cupping her cheek and pushing away some of the strands of her golden hair that had fallen before her face in the midst of all this rain.

“I know. I trust you,” Emma said sweetly and then she hugged him tight, hiding her face in the crook of his neck and whispering about how much she’d missed him and how she’d been so worried but knew in her heart he’d come back.

In truth these words and this completely open and honest embrace from Emma was more overwhelming than any part of the storm he’d just faced. Killian felt more alive and more aware in this moment then he’d been at any instant in the adrenaline-fueled recovery, and it was that charged sense of being and that undeniable emotion that prompted his ultimate confession.

“I love you, Emma. God I love you so much it’s like I can’t breathe without you. You’re everything, love. Everything and so much more, and I just need you to know that I’m in this and I’m yours, always.”

The words tumbled out of his mouth before he could think better of them, and part of his brain was screaming out in horror. He should have said this more eloquently. He should have made this perfect. It was selfish to say this now and deny Emma the perfect scene she should have had with flowers and candles and music, but from the smile that spread on her perfect face no one would ever be the wiser. For Emma was looking at him right now like she’d never tasted happiness this pure, and he could empathize with that since he felt that every time he held her close.

“I love you too,” Emma whispered, her fingers clutching his shirt and pulling him as close as she could. “I love you so much, and I should have told you sooner but -,”

Killian didn’t know what Emma’s reasons were for holding her heart close up to now, but he wouldn’t let her linger in regret, not when she’d just given him the whole world with her admission. She loved him. She loved him! And by God that was the most amazing thing he’d ever known. There was nothing that could ever compare to this, and he didn’t want to wait another second to show her that. So he swept her up into his arms and back into the house to spend the rest of the evening giving her everything and more.

Luckily for the both of them they were able to spend the whole night lingering in total satisfaction and immense happiness, and when that night turned again to day, time proved to be on their side completely. Because despite the dangers of Killian’s work, and despite the pitfalls and trials that every love must face, Emma and Killian knew nothing but the happiness, safety, and fulfilling bliss that true love can bring. And though there were times in that beautiful future they built together when they were far away in distance, their hearts were always one, calling each other back so they could be side by side always and forever.

……………

This time, this place misused, mistakes Too long, too late, who was I to make you wait Just one chance, just one breath Just in case there's just one left 'Cause you know, you know, you know That I love you I've loved you all along And I miss you Been far away for far too long I keep dreaming you'll be with me And you'll never go Stop breathing if I don't see you anymore On my knees, I'll ask last chance for one last dance 'Cause with you, I'd withstand All of hell to hold your hand I'd give it all I'd give for us Give anything, but I won't give up 'Cause you know, you know, you know That I love you I've loved you all along And I miss you Been far away for far too long I keep dreaming you'll be with me And you'll never go Stop breathing if I don't see you anymore So far away, so far away Been far away for far too long So far away, so far away Been far away for far too long But you know, you know, you know I wanted, I wanted you to stay 'Cause I needed, I need to hear you say That I love you, I've loved you all along And I forgive you, for being away for far too long So keep breathing, 'cause I'm not leaving you anymore Believe it, hold on to me and Never let me go, keep breathing Keep breathing, 'cause I'm not leaving you anymore Believe it, hold on to me and Never let me go, keep breathing Hold on to me and never let me go Keep breathing Hold on to me and never let me go

Post-Note: So first let me just say thank you to my reader, not only for the great prompt but for all of your patience! This was a request I got months and months and months ago but the inspiration took a little while to get here. I hope you are happy with the result, and I also want to thank you because it was a really enjoyable chapter to write. As for everyone else, I know I still have many many prompts from people waiting to be written and as I’ve said before, we will eventually get there, I promise. Anyway, thank you all so much for reading and I hope you have a lovely rest of your day!

Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7, Part 8, Part 9,Part 10,Part 11, Part 12,Part 13, Part 14, Part 15, Part 16, Part 17, Part 18, Part 19, Part 20, Part 21, Part 22, Part 23, Part 24,Part 25, Part 26, Part 27, Part 28, Part 29, Part 30, Part 31,Part 32, Part 33, Part 34, Part 35, Part 36, Part 37, Part 38,Part 39,Part 40, Part 41, Part 42, Part 43, Part 44, Part 45,Part 46,Part 47, Part 48, Part 49, Part 50, Part 51, Part 52, Part 53,Part 54,Part 55, Part 56, Part 57, Part 58, Part 59, Part 60,Part 61,Part 62, Part 63, Part 64, Part 65, Part 66, Part 67, Part 68,Part 69,Part 70, Part 71, Part 72, Part 73, Part 74, Part 75,Part 76,Part 77, Part 78, Part 79, Part 80, Part 81, Part 82, Part 83,Part 84,Part 85, Part 86, Part 87, Part 88, Part 89, Part 90,Part 91,Part 92, Part 93, Part 94, Part 95, Part 96, Part 97, Part 98,Part 99,Part 100, Part 101, Part 102, Part 103,Part 104, Part 105,Part 106, Part 107,Part 108, Part 109, Part 110,Part 111, Part 112,Part 113, Part 114, Part 115,Part 116, Part 117, Part 118,Part 119,Part 120, Part 121, Part 122, Part 123,Part 124, Part 125,Part 126, Part 127, Part 128,Part 129,Part 130, Part 131,Part 132,Part 133, Part 134, Part 135, Part 136, Part 137, Part 138,Part 139,Part 140, Part 141, Part 142, Part 143, Part 144, Part 145,Part 146, Part 147, Part 148,Part 149, Part 150, Part 151,Part 152, Part 153, Part 154, Part 155, Part 156, Part 157, Part 158,Part 159, Part 160, Part 161, Part 162

[anniversaryreflections]

3rd Anniversary: Kristine 5.6.19

Last Year Photo

1. What has been the best thing about being married this year?

The best thing about being married this year has just been having someone to lean on. This year has brought so much change and so many personal challenges. At times I really felt like I was going to collapse under the stress or the pressure but Izac was always right there. He did whatever he could to reassure me or mitigate my stress levels. He took more onto his own plate whenever he could and made sure that I took time to recharge when needed. I have a tendency to bite off more than I can chew and that tendency is about 100x worse now that I'm back home in Texas. Izac however is pretty great about reminding me that I can and should say no occasionally.

2. What have you learned this year about your marriage?

I've learned a whole lot about our marriage this year since this is the first year that Izac and I have lived on our own. It has definitely been such a learning curve: from divvying up house chores, to grocery shopping, to household bills it's been a whole new ball game. While it's been great being on our own we've definitely had to learn to be flexible with each other when it comes to each other's quirks. We’ve had to relearn a new normal and that in itself had taught us how resilient we can be together. I’ve learned that our marriage is never going to be 50/50. Sometimes he’s going to be at 80 while I’m at 20 and sometimes I’ll be at 75 while it’s at 25 but through it all we have to communicate to let the other person know where exactly we are at and what is that we need from the other person in that moment.

3. What has brought you closer to your spouse this year?

Over the last year Izac and have had so much opportunity to spend time with my Texas family, friends and God children. Watching him build his own relationships here with the people I love so much has brought me so much closer to him. In particular we've had an amazing opportunity to help babysit my God children and watching him care for them has made my love for him grow so much. He's really good with them and they love him even more than me which is ok because he's definitely the more patient one lol. I always knew that Izac was made for me but I now also know he was made to be a part of my family. I love how easily he’s been able to adjust to life here and I am forever grateful that I chose a man who not only loves me fiercely, but also my family and friends.

4. What is your favorite memory of this year together?

I think my favorite memory over the last year has been our football Sundays at my God Parents house. So much of my childhood was spent with God family and being able to share my families’ traditions with him has given me so much joy. Sharing all my Texas traditions with Izac has just made me realize how much I love him because he jumps into them and loves them just as much as I do. The first two years or marriage had some many “big” events and trips and over the last year we have really just been focused on meeting our goals and adjusting to life in a new town that we don’t have any “big” memories but I wouldn’t trade any of our everyday memories for anything. From Sunday dinner to date nights all around town they have all reminded me of how lucky I am to do life with my best friend.

5. What is the biggest challenge that your marriage has faced this year?

I think the biggest challenge that we faced this year was balance. There is a reason this blog post is over 2 months late: we've been swamped with work, visitors, family obligations and trips. We both committed to earning certifications in the spring so we spent weeks on end studying and doing what we needed to do to make sure we were successful in earning our certifications and I'm happy to report we did it! But it required sacrificing time and pushing other things to the side to do what we needed to do. While we have tried our best to still make time for "us", we are definitely not as successful as we'd like to be. Most of that blame lies with me but my hope is that in the next year we will find a better balance of committing to "us" time. .

6. Who or what has made an impact on your marriage this year?

Over the last year Izac and I have had more opportunities to attend church together. Helping Izac navigate the Catholic mass and rediscovering my own faith has brought me an unexpected amount of peace. Talking with Izac about what my faith has meant to me has helped him to better understand me. We spent some time visiting different churches and found one that we both really enjoy. Going to church and listening to the readings, the gospel and the homily has more meaning to me now because it almost always opens up a new discussion between Izac and I. Talking to him about what our faith means to each of us has been such a  new and rewarding experience. I feel like I'm uncovering more layers to Izac's heart and it just shows me how great his capacity for love and compassion really is.

7. What advice would you give to a newly married couple about marriage?

So for the past two anniversary posts this question asked "What advice would you give to a newly married couple about maintaining a successful marriage". I've edited it to just say marriage because what I've learned over the last year is that marriage will not always feel like a "success". Sometimes you will feel disconnected from your spouse. Sometimes you will love them more than anything but still want to bop them on the head like little bunny foo foo. That doesn't mean your marriage isn't a success...it just means you’re married. Marriage is working through things. It's walking away from the table when you’re mad and coming back ready to find a solution. It's putting your ego aside and saying I was wrong and I'm sorry and my favorite: you were right. So I think my advice would be to be ready to check your ego at the door, because there is no room for it in marriage.

This Year Photo

[erroldeacon45-blog]

Dl.art

This Blogging site is a series of postings, from inquiries and also solutions between my self the Sorcery Queen as well as her Trainees or even other fascinated persons. That is why getting a great legal professional that can help you is vital to protecting you and your boy, if you are actually acquiring help in looking after your boy (loan) that is actually possible that greed on an additional individual's part is actually the encouraging factor. Hi to every one out here, am listed here to share the unexpected miracle that happened to me three times ago, My label is actually Jeffrey Dowling, i stay in TEXAS, I' m happily wed to an attractive as well as caring partner, along with 2 kids A very big trouble happened in my household seven months earlier, in between me as well as my other half thus horrendous that she had the instance to court for a divorce she said that she certainly never intended to remain with me again, and that she did certainly not like me any longer So she loaded away from my house as well as made me and my children passed through extreme discomfort. The peaceful summer evening when my Urban area Lighting noting runs started, a night over a many years just before my essays ultimately morphed into The Urban Stargazer's Manual, in some cases seems like this was actually simply the other day. I performed a one card analysis for your hubby and also it is the Master from Pentacles, yet reversed, in his case not a bad trait given that his reactions and Feeling will certainly take control of because this suggests the dark significance from earth performing as air, such as a diamond or coming to be as hard as a precious stone which a solider have to be, an unyielding individual, with a present for recognizing weak point and also manipulating it all top qualities a solider have to carry deployment in the field. Just what occurred that night impressed me and also still could not believe that. I covered my divisions around her physical body as well as slowly and also effortlessly massaging it. Each one of the unexpected the thought and feelings of having my LUND in her oral cavity as well as getting a pleasant impact work struck me. I rose as well as remained on her breast. The U.S. still maltreats ladies as well as children in foreign nations because of stating to differ along with a device of government, when in fact the complication there is actually one shady loved ones seized, certainly not the authentic body from government. Log cabins could certainly not be actually the first item you would consider applying your Christmas want list, however if you have your parents, in-laws, aunts, uncles and countless children raiding you over the Christmas period, a log cabin used as a guest room can offer you the additional space you require for your visitors. Deter and consider this, if you were actually informed you couldn't head out as well as go club bing, alcoholic beverage or dancing alcohol, that this child is actually pressing your body system unhealthy, you can't sit conveniently, can't rest comfortably, can not do just about anything, well once that is actually born naturally that's time to mesmerize on what you have actually been actually http://lookatyournewbody-online2017.info overlooking. Thus light-toned the eco-friendly candle (glass enclosed is actually absolute best) possess the photo from St. Joseph and also begin the novena on the brand-new moon do that for 9 times, then then pray to him on Sunday night summoning him to supervise all of you. 14 ¶ And also The lord mentioned, Permit there certainly be actually lights in the sky of the heaven to split the day from the evening; and also let all of them be for indicators, and for times, and for times, and also years: 15 As well as permit all of them be actually for lights in the firmament from the paradise to offer light upon the planet: and also that was thus. 16 And The lord made pair of wonderful illuminations; the greater illumination to rule the time, and the minimal lighting to rule the night: he created the stars also. Portion of your fighting Headaches" as I contact them (this is when you are actually hoping but shout and fight in your sleeping) is being dued to the stress you are actually experiencing as a result of what Shelley Ann is actually emotionally doing to you, it is actually an Internal deal with tough emotions, with other people, or even life scenarios.